Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 16) Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III is urging Davao City Mayor and presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio to run for the Senate in the 2019 polls. In a statement Thursday, Pimentel called on Duterte-Carpio to seek to represent the Mindanao region citing the difficulties in shifting to a federal form of government. "Her experience as mayor of one of the country's highly successful cities eminently qualifies her to speak for Mindanao, for peace and order, for the environment, and for the socio-economic upliftment of the marginalized sectors," Pimentel said. "Federalism is an uphill climb," the president of the ruling PDP-Laban party added. The shift to federalism was among President Rodrigo Duterte's campaign promises, saying it would pave the way for more equitable distribution of wealth and political power and bring peace in Mindanao. While the members of the House of Representatives have expressed support for a constitutional change that would allow for a shift to a federal government, some senators said charter change is "good as dead" at the Senate. The country's economic managers, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia also previously said the Philippines was not economically ready for the shift. Meanwhile, President Duterte has said his daughter is not interested in any national government post, while Duterte-Carpio herself has yet to announce her official plans. A Pulse Asia survey in April showed that the presidential daughter would be among the top six senators if the 2019 midterm polls were held the day the survey was conducted. pardeepdhull@gmail.com Mumbai, August 16 The Shiv Sena termed on Thursday Prime Minister Narendra Modis Independence Day speech fireworks of numbers, announcements and schemes and slammed him for the depreciating rupee. It claimed that while Modi emphasised on his governments development credentials, he overlooked the slide in the Indian rupee, which has hit an all-time low against the US dollar. On August 14, the rupee breached the historic low of 70-mark against the US dollar before recovering at close on possible RBI intervention. In this context, the Sena questioned the BJPs claims of development during the last four years of its rule. The Prime Ministers speech consists of fireworks of numbers, announcements and schemes and the Red Fort is used for the purpose, it said in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana. The Prime Minister says development had ceased during the Congress rule. However, the rupee has touched a historical low today. When a dollar equals to Rs 70, it is not a sign of a good economy and development, the Sena said. The editorial noted that while in opposition, the BJP used to attack the UPA government for the depreciating rupee and pin the blame on corrupt politics and financial scams, and asked whether the reasons for the currencys slide in the last four years were any different from those during the previous rule. It also questioned Modis assertion that India will be a superpower, at a time when its currency is falling. The Prime Minister cites an international agency as stating that five crore Indians have been lifted from below the poverty line. The PM should name this organisation and reveal from where those five crore Indians were found, Saamana said. Noting that Modi wore a saffron turban while delivering his Independence Day speech yesterday, the Sena claimed this was a bid to reach out to voters ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as a Hindu. However, will wearing the saffron turban solve questions of Hindutva? asked the Sena, which is an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra. It sought to know the fate of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uniform Civil Code, Article 370 and Kashmiri Pandits. Farmers are committing suicide and almost all castes have come out on streets, demanding reservation for being backward, the Sena said and taunted that instead of abolishing the caste system, the Prime Minister reiterated that caste-based reservations will stay. The Sena claimed that Modi, in his previous speeches from the Red Fort, had said the Indian Army may intervene in the trouble-hit Gilgit-Baltistan areas of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. But, a number of jawans on the Indian side have died due to cross-border firing, it said. In remarks laced with sarcasm, the Sena said while the Prime Minister praised citizens for paying their taxes on time, fugitives like diamantaire Nirav Modi looted taxpayers money and fled the country. It is from the taxpayers money that the Prime Minister goes on foreign tours and the BJP spent Rs 4,000 crore on advertisements, the editorial stated. The PM gave a good 2019 election speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Two years back when Modi had spoken about demonetisation, terrorism had increased and a bigger number of jawans were martyred, the Sena claimed. Initially (before note ban) fake notes were being printed in Nepal and Pakistan, but (fake) Rs 2,000 notes printed in China have (now) reached here, it said. PTI traineesubeditor@tribuneindia.com Kolkata, August 16 The number of solo women travellers has been rising in the country with 75 per cent growth in bookings for such journey to some tour operators. Most of these women are from tier-1 cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai, online tour operators said. With rising income levels of women professionals, there has also been a growth in the number of women travellers taking international trips. "We found that the leading city destinations for solo women travellers in the last few years were Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune followed by leisure destinations of Goa, Kochi, Jaipur, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram. "Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, London, Denpasar in Bali and Kuala Lumpur led the international solo travel bookings by women travellers," said Balu Ramachandran - Head of Air and Distribution, Cleartrip. The trend has seen a considerable rise over the past couple of years with 75 per cent of travel bookings on Cleartrip's platform made by women who preferred travelling alone, he said. For international travel, Cleartrip has witnessed a 10 per cent year-on-year growth in solo bookings till date this year, of which 22 per cent were women solo travellers. Online travel portal BigBreaks has been promoting solo women trips to destinations like Bhutan and Ladakh, said Kapil Goswami, Managing Director of BigBreaks. For Mumbai-based travel portal ixigo, more and more women are opting to travel in women-only groups in the country and abroad. Places such as Ladakh, Kashmir, Goa, Dubai, Bali, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Cambodia have gained in popularity among women. For instance, Sri Lanka has emerged as an extremely safe option for women, said Aloke Bajpai, CEO and Co-founder ixigo. For adventure travel marketplace Mojhi, rhe rise of women solo adventurers is slow in the country, but is expected to grow exponentially. "From 2016 to till date this year, there has been a significant increase of 6 per cent in the number of bookings at Mojhi for Indian solo female travellers opting for adventure packages across Asia and Africa. Wildlife safaris in Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa have been the most opted adventure activity compared to more physically taxing activities such as climbing Kilimanjaro or an Everest Base Camp trek," said Viswanath Raju, Co-Founder, Mojhi. To step up the safety aspect of women during the travel, Mojhi has created specialised female-only departures. "We have about 5 safari departures every year that is meant only for female travellers and does not allow any male to be a part of it, except for the safari guide. Raju said. PTI traineesubeditor@tribuneindia.com Imphal, August 16 Two loaded trucks carrying essentials were torched by unidentified miscreants at a village in Tamenglong district of Manipur on Thursday, police said. The incident was reported during a 24-hour 'Zeliangrong area' bandh called by Zeliangrong Baudi and its allies since Wednesday midnight. The trucks were torched at Tupul area along the NH-37 (Imphal-Jiri Road) at around 2 am, said a senior police officer. Tupul is located at least 54 km from the state capital. Reinforcements have been sent to the area from Keithalmanbi police station, the officer said. The bandh has been called to protest the alleged move by the NSCN(IM) to create divisions in the Zeliangrong community, settled mostly in the Tamenglong district of Manipur and adjoining areas of Assam and Nagaland. PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 16 Condolences poured in from across the world and through diplomatic missions in India remembering former prime minister Vajpayee for his vision and statesmanship. In her message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her deep shock at the sad demise of the former top leader whom she called 'one of the most famous sons of India.' Remembering his 'immense contribution in bolstering ties', the US embassy in its condolence message said- During his tenure, Prime Minister Vajpayee advocated for a robust partnership with the United States, referring to us as "natural allies." In a letter to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Russian Ambassador Nikolay Kudashev wrote: "Mr Vajpayee was deservedly respected in the homeland and abroad not only as an eminent statesman and politician who headed the government of India for many years but also as a talented poet, a man of common knowledge and utmost culture." Chinese Envoy Luo Zhaouhui recalled Vajpayee's association with three generations of leaders of China. The Pakistan Foreign Office in its message remembered Vajpayee as "a renowned statesman who contributed to bringing a change in India-Pakistan relations and remained a key supporter of SAARC and regional cooperation for development". Here are some of the messages remembering the man and leader who left behind a distinct legacy. Luo Zhaohui, Ambassador of China: "Shri Vajpayee met with 3 generations of Chinese leaders. During his trip to China as PM in 2003, he proposed establishing the mechanism of SR on the Boundary Question, and also donated an Indian style Buddhist temple in Luoyang City of China." Nikolay Kudashev, Ambassador of Russia: "We mourn the death of H.E. Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a great statesman. His name became an integral part of a whole era in Indian politics. His devoted service to the nation can hardly be overestimated. Mr Vajpayee enjoyed due respect in India and globally. We knew him also as a poet, a man of knowledge and a true friend of our country, where he is well-known as one of the architects of our long-lasting and time-tested privileged strategic partnership." Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh Prime Minister: "We are deeply shocked at the sad demise of former Prime Minister of India Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of the most famous sons of India. He will be remembered for contributing towards good governance and for highlighting issues affecting the common people of India as well as for regional peace and prosperity. His tireless work for the welfare of the people of India will inspire future generations of leaders. An excellent orator and a poet Shri Vajpayee took significant strides towards acceleration of inclusive economic growth in India. Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was our great friend and highly respected in Bangladesh. As a token of recognition for his invaluable contribution to our Liberation War in 1971, Bangladesh Government conferred on him the Bangladesh Liberation War Honour. Today is certainly a day of great sadness for all of us in Bangladesh. On behalf of the Government and the people of Bangladesh and on my own behalf, I express our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the Government and the mourning people of India, and to the members of the bereaved family. We pray for the eternal peace of his soul." Kenji Hiramitsu, Ambasador of Japan: "I am deeply saddened by the passing away of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Shri Vajpayee was one of the most inspiring world leaders of our times. The upswing in India-Japan relations was only possible by the initiatives started by Prime Minister Vajpayee. The demise of such a great leader is a great loss not only to India but also to Japan and other part of Asia as well as the entire international community. May his legacy live on, and may his soul rest in eternal peace." Alexandre Ziegler, Ambassador of France: "Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee is no more. A great Indian leader, poet and politician who has marked the history of this country and launched the Indo-French strategic partnership in 1998, has passed on. My thoughts go out to his family, friends and the people of India #Vajpayee." Ahmed Mohamed, Ambassador of Maldives: "Saddened by the demise of former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He leaves behind a rich legacy. May his soul rest in peace." US Embassy, New Delhi: "The United States grieves with India on the loss of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. He will be remembered for his immense contribution in bolstering US-India relations. During his tenure, Prime Minister Vajpayee advocated for a robust partnership with the United States, referring to us as "natural allies". The US Mission in India extends our deepest condolences to the family of former Prime Minister Vajpayee and the citizens of India." Pakistan Foreign Office: "'We have learnt with sadness the passing away of Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister of India, who was undergoing treatment in a hospital in New Delhi. Mr Vajpayee was a renowned statesman who contributed to bringing a change in India-Pakistan relations and remained a key supporter of SAARC and regional cooperation for development. The government and people of Pakistan extend their heartfelt condolences to his family and to the Government and people of India." editorial@tribune.com Lucknow, August 16 A 25-year-old unemployed youth in Maharajganj has been arrested on charges of sedition for attempting to prevent the singing of the National Anthem at a local madrasa on I-Day on Wednesday. Denying that Mohd Junaid Ansari from Bagdo village was a cleric or related to the madrasa, Pharenda CO Ashok Mishra said he was a villager who along with many others had gathered at Arbia Ahle Sunnat Anwaare Taiba Girls College in Badgo to witness the flag hoisting. He said the complaint filed on the basis of a video that went viral on the social media on Wednesday shows the accused trying to prevent students from singing the National Anthem after the flag hoisting, saying that it was un-Islamic. Madrasa teacher Sunil had, however, prevailed upon the accused and the National Anthem was finally sung. TNS editorial@tribune.com Harcharan Bains SELDOM has the stunning diversity of our country found a signature fully matching the richness and the indefinable colourfulness of its character. It has often been as difficult to reduce India to the definition of a nation-state as it would be to fit the dynamism of a living landscape into a static frame. But one man often seemed to do just this with an ease which was as effortless as it was amazing. It was Punjabs good luck in the late 90s that it had in Atal Bihari Vajpayee a friend who could love and rebuke it in the same breath and yet be loved and respected for it. As things stood towards the end of 1996, a Congress government which had been celebrating its glorious blunders had left the state almost headless. And yet it claimed to have brought peace back to the blood-spattered fields of Punjab. The claim was as false as it was provocative. The fact was that though the security forces had accounted for a large number of militant groups, many of them allegedly the progeny of the state itself, the fact was that the social landscape of the state still hung below a tense sky in which tempers were on a dangerously short fuse. The two sisterly communities, which had been made the victim of sinister conspiracies of petty squabblers in Delhi, were still ominously wary of each other and peace was still a distant dream. Peace in Punjab is nothing if it is not accompanied by the celebratory bonhomie, ungainly big hugs, and laughter, loud and lusty enough to be puzzling to the uninitiated. The people of the state had witnessed and experienced that kind of mirth and bonhomie as their signature tune in the past. But up until the middle of 1996, the spirit of the state was still suffering the bruises of 1984 and what preceded it. The spirit of the state was crying aloud for a messiah or at least someone who could put his gentle hand on its weary and wounded shoulders. To be sure, Vajpayee was not that messiah. But he came as close to it as was humanly possible. As he assumed office as the Prime Minister, Punjab heard a language from the national capital which it had not been used for quite some time now. Suddenly, there was talk of a healing touch, of understanding the hurt psyche of the patriotic people. Instead of the harsh prose of the 80s and the early and mid-90s, suddenly there was a poetic refrain in the words emanating from Delhi towards Punjab. And no one loves poetry like Punjab and Punjabis do. Vajpayee came to Punjab and reminded them of their own heart full of love. In sharp contrast to the ominous tones of teaching Punjabis a lesson, Vajpayee said in Ludhiana, The country has nothing that it can teach you and there is a lot it needs to learn from you. More than Chandigarh, more than the Punjabi speaking areas lost during the reorganisation, what Punjab craved for was love, understanding and a restoration of its patriotic pride. The poet in Vajpayee was quick to understand this sensitivity, and even quicker to respond to it. And suddenly, by Ferurary 1996, much of the bitterness of the 80s and 90s was already on its way out, though not completely gone yet. Today, when Vajpayee, whom his friend and colleague Parkash Singh Badal describes as the tallest statesman of his era and a sage statesman, is no longer with us, it is not just Punjab which will be feeling a little lost and a bit like an orphan. The spirit of the nation which takes pride in its secular cosmopolitanism will also be desperately searching for the smiling, affectionate and statesman-like figure of the poet-politician. Vajpayee symbolised India like few leaders of his generation did, and almost no one today does with a completeness which is so desperately required. One hopes that the countrymen do not forget that the only way to pay tribute to the spirit of Vajpayee is to respect the secular and cosmopolitan spirit of India as it has stood down the centuries. The country will miss the fragrant innocence which he so richly exuded. (The writer is former media adviser to ex-Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal) Leaders pay tributes to former PM A towering personality Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a towering personality who will always remain a beacon to inspire young politicians to tread the path of value-based politics. He was a multifaceted personality and a fine human being. Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief minister Tallest indian statesman on world stage Vajpayee was the tallest Indian I have worked with. India will forever remember him as a symbol of peace and communal harmony. He was a hero and even his opponents found hard to not admire him. Parkash Singh Badal, former CM Served nation without any vested interest Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a farsighted personality. His vision and contribution to prosper the nation can never be ignored. He was humble, yet firm by nature who served the nation without any vested interest. Gobind Singh Longowal, SGPC President Stayed in touch with all workers Vajpayees sincerity on staying in touch with all his workers and his humility in carrying out his role, including that of Prime Minister, came from his incomparable strength. Avinash Rai Khanna, National Vice-president of the BJP editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Issru (Ludhiana), August 16 Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday rejected the report of the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission and said Punjabis would not let the Congress and the bogus Jathedars to weaken the SAD and wrest control of the SGPC. Addressing a gathering here, Sukhbir termed Justice Ranjit Singh (retd) as a Congress man and alleged he had played politics in the name of religion. He alleged the report was prepared by Congress-supported parallel Jathedars. He said it was shameful that the Congress, which had attacked the Golden Temple and had led the 1984 riots, was trying to hold the SAD responsible for sacrilege incidents. He said a fair probe into all such cases be done by a judge of the Supreme Court. He said the Congress had come out with advertisements claiming drugs had been eradicated from Punjab and 1.8 lakh youths had got jobs and farm loans had been waived. He claimed that it was a lie and the truth was that the Congress had earned Rs3,000 crore by taxing farmers in the form of market fee and rural development cess even as it had given them Rs900-crore waiver. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 16 After paying tributes to martyr Karnail Singh Issru, AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira held a meeting with volunteers, which was also attended by locals at Issru village on Wednesday. AAP MP Bhagwant Mann, too, paid tributes to the martyr, but stayed away from the meeting. The photos of AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal were displayed on the posters of both Khaira and Mann. Addressing the gathering, Khaira said it was not a political conference, but just a meeting of volunteers. He alleged that the Congress government was trying to save Badals in sacrilege cases. Whoever is responsible for firing on peaceful protesters at Behbal Kalan should be punished, he said. Khaira is like brother: Mann Mann said there was no issue if Khaira had called a conference under AAP banner. He is like my brother, Mann said, adding that all issues within the party would be resolved and AAP would be united again. If party allows, I will talk to Khaira, he said. (Inputs from Harshraj Singh) harinder@tribunemail.com Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, August 16 Despite being shot in the left arm twice, a gritty Kamaljit Singh (47) reversed his car and tried to run it over three Pakistan-trained terrorists amid firing. He was again shot in the chest and his right arm. The Dinanagar resident, owner of a modest hotel on the Pathankot road, ran into the infiltrators on the morning of July 27, 2015, minutes before they barged into the local police station and launched an assault on the security forces. A week later, Parkash Singh Badal, then Punjab CM, visited the critically injured Kamaljit in an Amritsar hospital. Praising him for his fortitude, he announced Rs 3 lakh aid and a job for his daughter, his son being 86 per cent disabled. The money was spent within a week on multiple surgeries. Three years later, Kamaljit has recovered partially his left arm amputated and walk a shuffle. His daughter, whose marriage has been fixed for October, was never given the promised job. I was on my way to purchase vegetables for my hotel when I ran into the attackers. The government designated me a terrorist victim and the CM announced a job for my daughter which she never got. Life now is a nightmare. I have met four deputy commissioners. Each one promised to pursue my case with the higher authorities, but nothing happened, says a despondent Kamaljit. His bullet-riddled car was taken away by the police and is rotting at the Dinanagar police station. In an effort to retrieve it, he approached the courts. He was told since the incident had international ramifications, he would not be able to get the car back. The then Gurdaspur MP Vinod Khanna and Punjab minister Aruna Chaudhary (MLA from Dinanagar) received me warmly and offered me tea. Beyond that, they did nothing. I was described by then CM Badal as the nations hero. I do not want any tag. All I seek is a job for my daughter, as promised to me, he says. editorial@tribune.com Jupinderjit Singh Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 16 The state government claims that action has been taken against police officials for allegedly opening fire at a mob protesting sacrilege incidents in Kotkapura. But the FIR registered last week in connection with the 2015 incident still stands against unidentified police officials. This FIR was registered on August 7, almost three years after the incident that left many injured, including a gunshot injury to Ajit Singh of Kotakpura. A government spokesperson said further action in the Kotkapura firing case was being taken. But inquiries have brought out that the Faridkot police have merely added the commissions report to the case diary (zimni) of the FIR for perusal of the CBI, which has been handed over the investigation. It was reported in vernacular media that senior police officials, including a retired DGP, was named as accused in the FIR. The inclusion of the name of the DGP and other officials is a hot political matter. The state government on Thursday announced convening a special Vidhan Sabha to table the Justice Ranjit Sigh Commission report and action taken on it. Not only the Opposition is breathing down the neck of the government demanding action against police officials nominated in the FIR, a group of Panthic organisations sitting on a dharna in Fardikot are also demanding action against police officials who had allegedly fired or ordered firing at protesters. Faridkot SSP Raj Bachan Singh Sandhu confirmed that no names had been added to the FIR. The CBI, which is investigating the matter, will add names, if any, he said. Police sources say that it may take time for the names of police officials to be added to the FIR. First, the bullet that injured Ajit Singh would have to be identified, said police officials. Later, forensic analysis has to confirm whether or not the bullet was fired from a weapon registered with the state police. The name of officers who allegedly ordered firing would come up in the last stages. 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. editorial@tribune.com Tribune Reporters Ludhiana, August 16 Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh announced several development projects worth Rs3,600 crore for Ludhiana district during the Independence Day celebrations after unfurling the National Flag during a state-level function at Guru Nanak Stadium here on Wednesday. While Rs350 crore was earmarked for facilitating the development of Hero Cycles Park as part of Hi-Tech Cycle Valley, Rs250 crore was set aside for the Oswal Integrated Business Park. Exhibition centre will be set for Rs450 crore. He announced funds for food park at Laddowal. Capt Amarinder announced Rs366 crore for the cash-strapped Ludhiana MC. For the municipalities of Khanna, Raikot, Jagraon, Machhiwara, Sahnewal, Doraha and Mullanpur, he announced Rs52 crore, Rs32 crore, Rs23 crore, Rs3 crore, Rs2.5 crore and Rs1.5 crore, respectively. The historical villages of Jagraon (birth place of Lala Lajpat Rai), Sarabha (Kartar Singh Sarabha), Thapar Colony (Shaheed Sukhdev) and Bhaini Sahib (Satguru Ram Tirath Ji) would be allocated Rs1 crore each. Meanwhile, Rs2 crore each was announced for each MLA of Ludhiana for development of their constituencies. Ten new mandi townships The CM announced 10 mandi townships for better management of foodgrains. He said Rs800 crore had been allocated for it. An additional Rs750 crore has been allocated for mandi development programme. Buddy programme To curb the drug menace, the CM launched Tu Mera Buddy programme for all schools from Classes VI to XII, colleges and universities. Under the programme, peer groups comprising five students would be made and teachers would be involved as senior buddy to spread awareness on ill-effects of drugs. Fourteen Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) were announced in addition to 118 such clinics set up so far. Job creation and industry Capt Amarinder said 3 lakh jobs would be created this financial year, claiming that 2 lakh jobs had been provided to the youth under the Ghar Ghar Rozgar programme. Freedom fighters kin honoured Moga: Independence Day was celebrated at the district headquarters in Moga amid tight security arrangements in the wake of protest staged by Sikh hardliners on Wednesday. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu unfurled the National Flag. He honoured families of six freedom fighters, besides other eminent personalities of the district. In all, 16 tricycles were distributed among the disabled, while 30 women were given sewing machines. AAP legislator Manjit Singh Bilaspur from Nihalsinghwala was not invited . Singla meets jawans Ferozepur: Lauding the efforts of jawans in preserving the sanctity of the international border, PWD Minister Vijay Inder Singla said BSF jawans were superior in aggression and determination than their Pakistani counterparts. On the Independence Day, he visited the India-Pak joint check post at Hussainiwala and interacted with BSF officials and jawans. 17 receive state award Ludhiana: Capt Amarinder on Wednesday conferred state award on 17 persons for their social contribution and excelling in their fields. Sahil Chopra of Patiala was awarded for winning eight medals at international level and 13 medals at national level in swimming. Writes to FB, Google Ceos on drugs Chandigarh: Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has sought technical support from Facebook and Google to combat the drug menace in the state. In his letters to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Googles Sundar Pichai, he said, The Internet is ripe with content about finding newer ways of drug addiction. He sought their help in limiting the spread of such material. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 16 Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has directed the state home department to take further necessary action on the full and final report on sacrilege cases, which was submitted to him by Justice Ranjit Singh (retd) on Thursday. The Justice Ranjit Singh Commission had on June 30 submitted Part 1 of his report to the CM. That had dealt with the incidents of sacrilege at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala, Bargari, Gurusar and Mallke villages, as well as the firing incident at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura. The final report is in three parts, according to an official spokesperson. Part 2 deals with incidents of sacrilege in SAS Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Rupnagar and Patiala districts, while Part 3 is related to incidents in SBS Nagar (Nawanshahr) and Hoshiarpur districts. Part 4 relates to sacrilege incidents in Amritsar, Bathinda, Barnala, Faridkot, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Mansa, Moga, Sangrur, Muktsar and Tarn Taran districts. The complete set of reports, along with Action Taken Report (ATR), will be tabled in the next session of the Vidhan Sabha, as already announced by the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister has repeatedly asserted that those found guilty of trying to create religious disharmony in the state through such actions would be punished. The Commission was set up in April 2017 by Amarinder-led Congress government to investigate the various incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and other religious texts. The Congress government had decided to constitute the panel after rejecting as inconclusive the findings of the Zora Singh Commission, set up by the SAD-BJP government. The terms of reference of the Commission were to conduct an inquiry into the cases of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagwad Gita and Quran, inquire into the detailed facts and circumstance and chronology of events of what actually happened and to identify as a matter of fact the role played by various persons into what happened, and also to inquire into the truth of what occurred in such incidents and factual role of the persons who might have been involved. The Commission was also mandated to inquire into the firing in Kotkapura on October 14, 2015 and at village Behbal Kalan, district Faridkot, in which two men died, besides identifying and inquiring into the role of the police officers/officials in incomplete/inconclusive investigations into the earlier incidents of sacrileges so far. Acting on the first report submitted by the Commission, Punjab Police had included the names of four police personnel in the FIR registered in 2015 in the Behbal Kalan firing incident. laxmi@tribune.com Rajmeet Singh Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 16 The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday held officers of the Punjab Forest Department responsible for illegal felling of 24,777 eucalyptus, sheesham and keekar trees to widen the 800-km-long Bist-Doab canal during the SAD-BJP rule in 2016. The Rs 270-crore project to widen the canal had kicked up a row last year after foresters and environmentalists cried foul over trees being uprooted from a land strip (on both sides of the canal), classified as a protected forest. The irrigation canal and its distributaries that meander through Nawanshahr and Jalandhar districts carry Sutlej water from Ropar headworks. Delhi resident Nishant Kumar Alag had filed the petition following reports in these columns that highlighted flouting of rules by the Forest Department under pressure from the state government. Observing that former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Kuldeep Kumar and former Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Nawanshahr, Jagdev Singh deliberately ignored the fact that the trees stood in the area demarked as protected forest, the tribunal said there was wilful violation of the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980. The Act required the department to take permission from the Ministry of Environment (MOEF) under the FCA. The tribunals Double Bench, comprising Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore and member Satyawan Singh Garbyal, has directed the state to get the case investigated by an officer not below the rank of Additional Chief Secretary and fix responsibility on officers responsible for violation of the FCA. Norms flouted editorial@tribune.com MUKTSAR: Just a few hours before the Independence Day celebrations, a balloon from Pakistan landed at a field in Muktsar town on Tuesday night, creating panic among residents. There was something written on the balloon in Urdu with a picture of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Later, the cops took the balloon to the police station and called someone to read Urdu, who informed that it carried the message of Pakistan's Independence Day. In Abohar, a 7-ft balloon filled with hydrogen gas fell in a border village near Sriganganagar on Wednesday. Witnesses claimed the balloon carried slogans that read "Dil dil Pakistan, jaan jaan Pakistan". It also carried picture of Jinnah. TNS 80,000 throng Sadiqi post in Fazilka Fazilka: A patriotic cultural programme was organised near the zero line at the Joint Check Post (JCP), Sadiqi, on Independence Day. BSF Sector Commandant Rattan Lal and Ferozepur MP Sher Singh Ghubaya attended the ceremony. Braving the humid weather, a strong crowd of about 80,000 people (as per BSF sources) thronged the JCP on August 14 and 15. People came from Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana in a hope to see their relatives living in Pakistan. OC BSF jawan shoots self in Tarn Taran Tarn Taran: A BSF jawan allegedly shot himself dead with his service rifle on Wednesday at Kulwant Post, 40 km from here. Rama Kant Kamria (30) of the 77th Battalion hailed from Madhya Pradesh and had returned from his home after a leave. The police have initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of CrPC. The police said Kamria was on duty when he shot himself. He was found dead by officials who visited the spot after hearing the gunshot. OC Workshop on cyber security for cops Chandigarh: Senior officers of the Punjab Police on Thursday were sensitised on vulnerable issues of cyber crime, hacking, cyber threats and auditing in a workshop organised by the Punjab Police in collaboration with the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre, New Delhi, at the Punjab police headquarters. DGP, administration, MK Tiwari, DGP provisioning, modernisation and IT&T VK Bhawra, ADGPs and IGPs were also present. TNS Hoshiarpur sailor dies in blast on ship Hoshiarpur: Hardeep Singh (24), who was working in merchant navy, died in a blast on the ship to Muscat from Gujarat. The incident took place two days ago. It is not yet known that how the blast occurred. Besides Hardeep, two other people have died in this mishap. Hardeep was from the district's Khurdan village. His father Rajveer Singh said he was working with the shipping company for the past three years. OC Two booked for rape Abohar: The police have registered a case against Dilraj Singh under Section 376 of the IPC and the POCSO Act. A 17-year-old girl had alleged that he lured her to travel to Amritsar a few days ago and raped her there. In another case, the police in Sriganganagar booked Gurpreet Singh for allegedly abducting a 30-year-old woman from her house on Wednesday and raping her. OC 19 injured after bus overturns Ferozepur: Around 19 persons were injured after a bus overturned near Bukkan Khan Wala village on the Ferozepur-Muktsar road on Thursday afternoon. The bus which was going from the cantonment area to Jhoke Tehal Singh Wala village lost control and overturned near Bukkan Khan Wala village in which 19 persons were injured. However, no causality was reported. The condition of the injured is stated to be stable. OC 2 found hanging at cremation ground Sangrur: Two sisters allegedly ran away from their house at Bahadurpur village on Wednesday. The body of the younger sister was found hanging along with the body of a youth at the cremation ground of their village on Thursday, while the elder one is missing. I suspect that my daughters mixed some sedatives in our food. When I woke up in the morning, both were missing, said Kirpa Singh, father of the girls. Some villagers informed them that the body of his younger daughter was hanging in the cremation ground along with the body of a village youth. Both were reportedly in love. Since both were from different communities, their families were unwilling for their marriage. We have not received any written complaint about the missing of the elder sister, the police said. TNS Spurious milk seized in Patiala, Moga Chandigarh: KS Pannu, Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, in a press note here on Thursday said the food safety teams seized huge quantities of milk and milk products in Patiala and Moga areas. He said on a tip-off, the teams along with the police conducted a raid at Singla Milk Chilling Centre in Patiala and seized a large quantity of spurious milk and milk products. Another team raided Vishnu Milk Centre Baghapurana in Moga and seized one quintal skimmed milk powder, 15 kg detergent powder, 28 quintals spurious desi ghee, 300 litres curd and 300 kg paneer. TNS amansharma@tribunemail.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 16 The Punjab Governor and Administrator, UT, Chandigarh, V.P. Singh Badnore on Thursday expressed his heartfelt condolences over the demise of former Prime Minister and veteran leader of Bhartiya Janta Party, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In his condolence message, Badnore termed Vajpayee as a legend of the Indian Polity who belonged to the league of greatest Indians. In the death of Mr. Vajpayee the nation has lost a seasoned politician, a true statesman and above all a good human being. As a mark of respect, the Punjab Government has declared that all its offices, boards, corporations and other public sector undertakings besides educational institutions would remain close on Friday. The state government has also declared mourning in memory of Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the lines of Government of India. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh condoled the demise of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, describing him as a towering personality who would always remained a beacon to inspire the young politicians to tread the path of value-based politics. In his condolence message, the Chief Minister said that Atal ji was a multifaceted personality and a fine human being with the qualities of the head and heart. Capt Amarinder Singh termed him as a "true statesman, a great scholar, an eminent poet besides a heartthrob of millions of countrymen." Vajpayee's stint as Prime Minister would be remembered by one and all for his path-breaking initiatives viz Pradhanmantri Gramin Sadak Yojana, Sarv Siksha Abhiyan, Telecom Revolution and introduction of Fiscal Responsibility Act, which transformed the destiny of India. Recalling his personal ties with Vajpayee, the Chief Minister said, "As Prime Minister. Atal ji had extremely cordial and warm relations with all the Chief Ministers irrespective of their party affiliations and treated them equally without any prejudice of regionalism. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Sangrur, August 16 On the Independence Day function at Police Lines here, Cabinet Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot launched the second phase of the debt wavier scheme and handed over certificates to 11 farmers, waiving Rs 19.72 lakhs. Farmers, however, are appalled at the public display of their disgrace. They are against handing over of Parman Patars (waiver certificates) at public functions. They demanded waiver of loans without disclosing their names. At first place, farmers are not getting a complete debt waiver, as promised by the Congress before the Assembly elections. And second, the Punjab Government is insulting indebted farmers by handing them certificates at public functions, said Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president, BKU (Ugrahan). The farmers who received the waiver certificates are Sadhu Singh, Manjit Singh, Beant Singh, Navtaj Khan, Jasbir Singh, Darshan Singh, Gurjant Singh, Bala Singh, Shingara Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Shingara Singh (second). Fearing loss of loan waiver, farmers refused to speak to the media after the function. But their relatives, without disclosing their names, said the state government must avoid glorification of the scheme. Sangrur Chief Agriculture Officer Baldev Singh said, The state government has directed the Agriculture Department to hand over wavier certificates to farmers on the stage. We are following the directions. editorial@tribune.com GS Paul Tribune News Service Attari, August 16 The smart fence along the India-Pakistan border to thwart any vulnerable element to cross the border is priority of the Border Security Force (BSF). The BSF Director General (DG), KK Sharma, said this while presiding over the Independence Day programme here on Wednesday. The BSF presented sweets to their Pakistani counterparts, who had gifted sweets on their Independence Day on August 14. The smart fence project, christened as the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS), is part of the Centres ambitious plan to seal Indias border with Pakistan and Bangladesh in a few years. The susceptible spots at the border are covered with infra-red cameras, radars and other sensor-operative equipment. A software integrates all gadgets and pass on round-the-clock feed to the monitor of BSF personnel sitting in the Border Out Post (BoP). If any suspicious activity is detected, it will raise an alarm to alert the troops. The pilot project has already been tested along a riverine stretch with Bangladesh, where there is negligible scope of erecting the fence or setting up a permanent BoP. The maiden testing in Assams Dubri area with technical surveillance and alarm gadgetry was operationalised in the 55-km-long Dubri stretch across the Brahmaputra where the traditional surveillance was impossible. Its success has encouraged the BSF to implement the technology in the Jammu sector. The Punjab border is next in line, Sharma said. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Dubai: An Abu Dhabi-based father and his five-year-old son have set a Guinness world record for visiting the maximum number of UNESCO world heritage sites in less than 12 hours using public transport, according to a media report. Mohammed Thahir, 36, an IT professional, wanted to partake in the record feat with son, Mohammed Aayan, to teach him about Indian culture, Khaleej Times reported. The two visited seven heritage sites, covering nearly 300 km, in 11 hours, 33 minutes and 18 seconds, it said. The sites covered by them were the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Keoladeo National Park, Humayun Tomb, Red Fort and Qutub Minar. PTI Block offensive content or face shutdown, Twitter told Islamabad: Twitter has been asked by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to comply with its requests to block objectionable content or face a shutdown in the country, the media reported on Thursday. According to a report in Dawn online, Twitter is in danger of being banned in Pakistan because of the governments inability to force the tech giant to bend to its notions of what is suitable for public consumption or falls within the constitutional realm of legitimate free speech. PTI Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin dies at 76 london: Aretha Franklin, the preachers daughter whose powerful voice made her the long-reigning Queen of Soul with such hit songs as Respect and Chain of Fools, died on Thursday at the age of 76. Franklin, who won 18 Grammys and had some 25 gold records, died at her home in Detroit surrounded by family and loved ones, her publicist said. She had been battling pancreatic cancer. Reuters Apple car may become reality in 2023 Hong Kong: As industry watchers think that Apple car is dead, the iPhone maker could launch it anytime between 2023 and 2025, a top Apple analyst with Hong Kong-based TF International Securities has claimed. The Cupertino-based company has largely remained silent on its plans about the Apple car. Notably, it has more self-driving car permits in the US state of California than any other technology company. IANS vinaymishra188@gmail.com Kabul, August 16 A suicide bomb attack on a group of teenagers studying for university exams in Kabul, which killed 34 persons and wounded 56 on Wednesday, shocked Afghanistan but it was only the latest in a series of attacks on schools which have proved an easy target for militant groups. More than 1,000 schools across Afghanistan remain closed for security reasons and at least 86 have been destroyed by militant attacks this year alone, according to UN figures. Attacks on educational institutes by hardline Islamic groups are one of the most horrific issues facing our nation today, said Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak after Wednesdays attack on the Mawoud Academy, a private study institute in west Kabul. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the blast, which killed 34 persons, most of them students attending an English class. Most of the recent attacks on schools have been outside Kabul in provinces such as Nangarhar, a stronghold of IS, whose tactics have become notorious since it first appeared in Afghanistan some four years ago. Malikyar Hotak high school, in Nangarhar, has been attacked twice in the past few weeks. The first time, a remote-controlled bomb failed to go off, the second time, gunmen beheaded three guards and left the schools hallway spattered with blood. Unfortunately, schools and educational institutions have become an easy target and a means of pressuring the government, for any group, said Kabir Haqmal, a spokesman at the ministry of education in Kabul. The Taliban, at one time notorious for attacking schools and forcing girls and women to stay at home, now seek to influence schools by negotiation with local education officials and say they do not oppose schooling for girls. Its rival Islamic State, however, has stepped up its attacks on schools. Before the attack on the Malikyar school, IS, also known as Daesh, issued warnings through radio broadcasts and letters to schools that they would attack in retaliation for pressure their fighters were facing. Daesh were saying, if we are not safe in the mountains, if our children are not safe in their houses, we will not hold back from attacks on children, said the Malikyar school principal. Reuters Intelligence service centre attacked Two gunmen attacked an area around a security base and training centre for intelligence service in Kabul on Thursday, holding off security forces for hours before being killed. The incident comes at a time of tension after a series of attacks across Afghanistan, including an assault on Ghazni city by the Taliban last week that killed 150 civilians. pardeepdhull@gmail.com Washington, August 16 The United States on imposed sanctions on a Russian port service agency and Chinese firms on Wednesday for aiding North Korean ships and selling alcohol and tobacco to Pyongyang in breach of US sanctions aimed at pressuring North Korea to end its nuclear programmes. The US Treasury said in a statement China-based Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co. Ltd and its Singapore-based affiliate SINSMS Pte. Ltd had netted more than $1 billion a year by exporting alcohol and cigarette products to North Korea. The department also sanctioned Russian-based Profinet Pte Ltd and its director general, Vasili Aleksandrovich Kolchanov, for providing port services on at least six occasions to North Korean-flagged ships. Kolchanov was personally involved in North Korea-related deals and interacted directly with North Korean representatives in Russia, the Treasury department said. 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, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. Washington has been pressuring North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons programme. Gao Ye, legal representative of Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading, said when asked for comment on the US Treasury statement the matter was still unclear and the Chinese company had not received any notice. Reuters pardeepdhull@gmail.com Hanoi, August 16 A court in northern Vietnam on Thursday sentenced an activist to 20 years in prison after he was convicted in a one-day trial of attempting to overthrow the state, his lawyer said. The Peoples Court in Nghe An province also sentenced Le Dinh Luong, 53, to five years house arrest to be served after his prison term, lawyer Ha Huy Son said. The court charged him with activities aimed at overthrowing the peoples administration but they didnt have sufficient evidence, Son told Reuters on the phone. Luong didnt plead guilty at the trial and he will appeal the verdict, he said. Despite sweeping economic reform and increasing openness to social change, Vietnams ruling Communist Party retains tight media censorship and does not tolerate criticism. State media cited police in the province as saying Luong is a dangerous member of the U.S.-based human rights group Viet Tan, which Vietnam regards as a terrorist body. Luong, arrested last year, encouraged people to boycott a National Assembly election in 2016, incited protests against Taiwanese steel firm Formosa and wrote posts on his Facebook account that expressed views against the party and the state, reported the communist-party-run Nghe An newspaper. Taiwans Formosa Plastics Corp was blamed for causing one of Vietnams worst environmental disasters in 2016, when a steel plant being developed by the company contaminated coastal waters, unleashing anger throughout the country. New York-based Human Rights Watch late last month called on Vietnam to drop charges against Luong, saying the charges are politically motivated. Le Dinh Luong is facing prison for protesting the dumping of toxic waste and other environmental disasters that the government should be doing something about, Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said ahead of the trial. Luongs trial came two months after Vietnamese legislators approved a cybersecurity law that tightens control of the internet and global tech companies operating in the country, raising fears of economic harm and a further crackdown on dissent. In June, Vietnam deported human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai to Germany, two months after he was convicted of attempting to overthrow the state and given a 15-year jail sentence. Reuters vinaymishra188@gmail.com Kuala Lumpur, August 16 Two women charged with murdering the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un must answer for their role in a well-planned conspiracy, a Malaysian judge said on Thursday, but added that the evidence did not prove a political assassination. Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong, a Vietnamese, face the death penalty on charges of murdering Kim Jong Nam by smearing his face with VX, a nerve agent banned by the UN, at a Kuala Lumpur airport on February 13 last year. The murder was a well-planned conspiracy between the women and the four North Koreans at large, trial judge Azmi Ariffin said in a ruling that took more than two hours to read. I must therefore call upon them to enter their defence. The court has set dates for the women to take the stand between November and February. Both women have pleaded not guilty. Reuters 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. -:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:- This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one. To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason. In my experience, no problem (providing you don't attempt to use your gear at the airport!) Of course, you must store the lithium batteries in your hand baggage, but in transit going through security x-ray machines (two trips), there was no issue. However, The Thai government is more concerned about large quantity importation/selling rather than individual private usage. That's what the huge deterrent sentences are there for. There are posts about visitors' individual experiences of personal fines, but these are examples of individual corrupt police finding an opportunity for extracting money by deceiving gullible tourists. Edited: 2 years ago ".... fly from Hanoi to Da Nang, train from Da Nang to Hue. Hire private car from Hue to Hoi An." Why not fly Hanoi to Hue, and then make your way down to Hoi An? And as has been said, you really only have time for three places. Scott JR Pass or Fly By The Seat Of My Pants? JR Pass or Fly By The Seat Of My Pants? Hi guys, First time visiting Japan and I'm excited! Not going to a ton of cities but going around Tokyo quite a bit. I want to know, since I'm not going to 10 cities or anything, if a JR Pass would still be worth it. My itinerary is basically: Land in Osaka and take train to Kyoto on day 1 Travel around Kyoto for the next 4 days - all local travel - not sure if I'd even be on the JR lines (please advise)? Travel to Shinjuku on day 6 Travel to Shibuya on day 7 and back to Shinjuku Travel to Ginza on day 8 and back to Shinjuku Travel to Tsukiji on day 9 and back to Shinjuku Travel to DisneySea on day 10 and back to Shinjuku Travel to Akibhara for MariCar on day 11 and back to Shinjuku Travel to Ueno park on day 12 and back to Shijuku Travel around Shinjuku (where we're staying) and Shibuya again - mostly walking I'd expect on day 13 Travel to Tokyo airport to fly out on day 14 Given that most of this is local travel within Tokyo city, will I still be on the JR Rail? And enough to make the Pass of economic benefit to me? Any help is appreciated. I am excited! Hello Guys, Me and my wife are having our Honeymoon in Japan, together with our best man and bridesmaid. Here is our itinerary: Arriving at Osaka (Kansai International Airport) on 2nd of October at 05:40 in the morning and heading directly to Kyoto. 02 October - Arriving in Kyoto and spending the day exploring the city. 03 October - Kyoto 04 October - Day trip to Nara 05 October - Day trip to Hiroshima 06 October - Day trip to Osaka or staying again in Kyoto. 07 October - Traveling from Kyoto to Tokyo. 08 October - Day trip from Tokyo, Nikko, Kanazawa, Hakone, something else? 09 October - Tokyo 10 October - Tokyo 11 October - Tokyo 12 October - Tokyo, 20:00 heading to the airport since our flight is at 00:01 in the evening. Couple of main questions/topics: - We already have our JR passes. I was wondering when should we activate them? Maybe as soon as we arrive in Kansai Airport, since the transfer to Kyoto with the train is quite expensive and will be better to use the JR pass. This means that we will have time to use it from 02.10 to 08.10 Inclusive (that is why our Day Trip from Tokyo is on the 8th of October) - What Day trip should we do from Tokyo? I guess we will see enough shrines and temples in Kyoto and Nara, so maybe we should look for something different ? - Hakone looks great and it will be perfect if we could do it on our way from Kyoto to Tokyo but we will have a lot of luggage. Is there any storage facilities in Hakone where we can put our luggage for the day? Any other recommendations and ideas to fit the above plan will be greatly appreciated! You are correct. Liability insurance is mandated by law and you must purchase it from the car rental company. CDW is NOT mandated by law but every single car rental company requires you to provide coverage. This coverage can either be provided through your credit card or through the car rental company. Using your credit card comes with certain considerations: 1.) You are personally liable for damages and will need to communicate with your credit card for reimbursement. This also means that you must adhere to their requirements and procedures! 2.) Some credit card CDW is void when the car is driven on unpaved roads - CR is full of unpaved roads. Make sure your card does not include such a limitation. 3.) All credit card CDWs are void if the car is used in violation of the rental contract. Make sure your rental contract does not exclude usage of the car on unpaved roads. 4.) If you use your credit card, your deposit will skyrocket - often up to $5000. Make sure you have the necessary limits on your card. 5.) Some rental companies require written proof that your card provides coverage. This is often a specific letter stating limits, your name, etc. Sometimes, a general statement is enough - but not always. 6.) Even though Alamo does not let you deselect CDW, you can waive it once you are in the office. 7.) Do NOT use a third-party site to reserve a car (like expedia). Stick to the actual provider. In most cases, don't use the corporate site but use the Costa Rican site. (e.g., not budget.com but budget.co.cr.). Alamo is the only exception to this rule. Bookings via the US site has been reported to be honored by the CR franchise and some people have gotten a better price using the US site). 8.) In general, the safest way to have a hassle free rental is to purchase CDW from the rental car company - car rental companies will definitely see to that. That said, I have never done so with Alamo and have never had any problems, either. You can walk the bridge at any time. I see tourists/locals walking across at various times of the day. Of course, if you walk it in the evening, you will get to see the skyline lit up. Which way would you like to walk the bridge? many like to walk from Brooklyn back towards the city so that you have the skyline right in front of you. If so, I would take the R train at 23rd St to court Street(Brooklyn.) You will be pretty much across the street from Cadman Plaza Park in the Borough Hall/Brooklyn Heights section of Brooklyn. Walk through(or around) the park until you get onto Cadman Plaza E. Keep walking until you get to the overpass with the steps leading up to the entrance to the walkway. Don't forget to take a look at the Borough Hall building itself, the park and the farmers market(if visiting on a Tues/Thurs/Sat. I don't think so. The pass itself is supposed to save you money. But before you purchase, you might want to list the sights you wish to see, write down what the prices are, and then check to see if any of them have "pay what you wish" or free hours. None of the passes tells you that the sights they offer have these hours. So, for example: Am. Museum of Natural History - Pay what you wish, any time Museum of Modern Art - Free on Friday evenings from 4-8 p.m. 9/11 Museum - Free on Tuesdays for ticketholders who have gone to the website to obtain tickets on the Monday just previous to the Tuesday planned Museum of the American Indian - always free Jewish Museum - Free on Saturdays One pass that I've used before in Boston, and saved 20% was the smart destinations pass. Here's a link to the equivalent in NYC: This pass permits you to choose what sights you wish to see, instead of giving you a list of things to choose from. The bad part about that list is that you might feel compelled to visit places you never thought of or weren't particularly attracted to, just to make the pass pay. Another thing about the passes is that sometimes they provide only a voucher, and you still must get a timed ticket at the venue. There are a number of natural disasters that occur, and they are classified in the following types of natural disasters (Meteorological. Geological, hydrological and space disasters). As our primary focus is on natural disasters in South Africa, we shall look at the most recent and also the most notable natural disasters that have taken place over the years. There isn't a single guaranteed method for anticipating a natural disaster, even so, you can prepare but still not be able to predict the damage that anyone particular natural disaster may have on a given location. This is a list of some of the top 10 natural disasters; Flooding Heat waves Sinkholes Storms Thunderstorms Drought Wildfires Tornadoes Volcanic eruptions Hurricanes Some of the causes of natural disasters in South Africa are; extreme weather changes, human activities like mining and global warming. With the most commonly occurring natural catastrophe being flooding, it's only right if we start from there as we highlight the use of South Africa natural disaster pictures. Here is a list of Natural Disasters South Africa; Floods Earthquakes Sinkholes Drought Wildfires Floods picture of the 1987 Natal Floods Source: Instagram They can be defined as a rising and overflow of a body of water especially onto usually dry land. We shall start with the most recent floods to hit South Africa. Parts of Gauteng Province in South Africa were hit by a severe storm from 22 March 2018. Areas around Johannesburg and Pretoria were particularly badly hit. Strong winds have downed trees, and heavy rain had flooded several roads, causing major traffic problems. A massive sinkhole appeared on the M24 Route between Gauteng and Valhalla. The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has asked road users to be careful following heavy rains, particularly when crossing bridges. The heavy rain also caused some rivers to overflow, including the Hennops River, which has flooded extensive areas of Centurion, south-west of Pretoria. Local media report that some homes in northern Johannesburg were evacuated. Not a single fatality was reported during the whole flooding incident. Based on statistics, the year 1987 has the record for having one of the worst natural disasters in South Africa characterized by the loss of many innocent lives numbering in their hundreds; thousands more were affected as well. Also labeled as the biggest natural disaster in South Africa due to the severity and land mass that was changed. Shanty-town dwellers were hit harder their structures could not withstand the water. Earthquakes Image of the Tulbagh earthquake of 1969 Source: Facebook The year 1969 had one of the earliest recorded national disasters to hit South Africa; this was one of the first major national disasters at about 10:04 pm on 29 September 1969, the Boland farming towns of Tulbagh, Wolseley, and Ceres experienced a severely devastating earthquake. The epicenter of the quake was situated in Saron, a region near Tulbagh. The earthquake measured a sizable 6.3 on the Richters scale, with reports of tremors experienced in the broader Cape region. Earthquakes in the area were relatively unheard of before then. Because of a general lack of knowledge about earthquakes at the time, precautionary measures and disaster management were not in place. As a result, the Tulbagh earthquake resulted in nine human casualties and several injuries. Also, many homes in the town were rendered uninhabitable. The quake wreaked destruction on the older, more historically significant, buildings in the area. One of the most recent natural disasters was in Orkney and measured 5.5, characterized by destruction of property of immense value over a radius of approximately twelve kilometers. The real magnitude is still a subject of debate as some sources have had different scales. But the damage is still irrevocable. Wildfires As recent as 2017 one of the biggest open wildfires hit a particular area of South Africa, adopting the monicker Knysna fires. Lasting for over 24 hours and spreading across a considerable distance, the Knysna fires engulfed a number of homes and businesses over a large area. It was estimated that the number of homes that were destroyed more than forty displacing many families in such a short period, flora and fauna were also damaged as the fire scorched the earth, sadly too there were reports of fatalities as some people were unable to evacuate their residences in good time. The magnitude of any natural disaster of often greater where loss of lives or even a single life has resulted. Wildfires are very hard to contain, they may occur due to a myriad of reasons, but they mostly flourish in areas that are arid or semi-arid and with increasing heat waves and the availability of tinder in the form of dry leaves or dry tree bark. The South Africa news report that trees such as Eucalyptus make it worse as they are some of the most flammable trees indigenous to Africa. Storms In the year 2017, was a very tragic year for Cape Town residents as a storm led to the loss of lives and damage of property worth millions. This led to a number of individuals losing their homes and structures such as schools being destroyed in the wake of the storm. Flying debris was also of grave concern, injuries as a result of this were also reported, no fatalities as a result which is a positive outcome in the grand scheme of things. Shantytowns were the worst affected areas by the storm as reported by BBC; they are mainly informal settlements made out of iron sheets or some other material like weak wood. Such structures are not built to withstand some types of harsh weather, even the residents know of this, but the inability to afford decent housing makes them live in such structures. In the wake of the storm most of the residents of these informal settlements had their roofs blown off, and in the worst case scenario, some had their whole house uprooted again leading to the displacement of families and millions worth of property damage. Sinkholes Picture of a car that plummeted into a sinkhole in Gauteng Province Source: Instagram Sinkholes are quite common in parts of the Gauteng province; this can be attributed to the abundance of dolomite rock according to Geoscience. This makes for frequent sinkholes. Mostly circular in motion with varying depths are widths, they mostly happen without a single warning this is what makes them quite dangerous. There have been cases of people that have lost their lives after falling into sinkholes, mostly when driving around a familiar environment but not knowing about the occurrence of a sinkhole. This is the reason why sinkholes make it to the list of natural disasters in South Africa. As mentioned above, sinkholes rarely have a warning but then again, one of the ways that people in Gauteng have been able to see signs of impending sinkholes is by the appearance of cracks along the walls of their houses, these are the most prominent ways to tell. The cracks appear due to the formation of a sinkhole that splits the wall of the house, once seen it is highly recommended that the occupants of the house in question move as soon as possible. Some families have been known to ignore the sings thus ending up losing property rather than moving early and salvaging the property that they can. Drought This can be defined as a period where there is little to no rain. A common occurrence in most African countries with one of the worst being the experienced in East Africa. The most recent drought to hit South Africa has been in since the beginning of the year 2018 Johannesburg, to a point where the government has declared it a national disaster with a number of cutbacks expected to take place in an effort to cut back the consumption of water until the rains come back. Some of the causes of natural disasters in South Africa include; human activities such as mining that can trigger earthquakes, global warming that has adverse effects and leads to heat waves due to the accumulation of atmospheric gases in the ozone and also extreme weather patterns that can lead to storms or floods. With further studies of weather patterns and also monitoring human activities closely, the South African government shall be able to know what natural disasters happen frequently and even how to manage them and in turn save lives and property. Natural disasters can occur at any given time, that is why they have a very high chance of destroying property and sadly also the loss of lives. As much as we value development and urbanization, some of the human activities seem to be doing us more damage than we ever thought possible. At the rate at which the earths carrying capacity is being severely pushed to the limit, it will come with no surprise that there shall only be more disasters in the future not only in South Africa but also around the world as seen with the natural disasters in South Africa. It is high time that people do more to protect the environment and also teach the younger generation to take more care of the environment. Source: Tuko.co.ke Kenyans cannot help but catch their breath after two viral videos of upcoming Kakamega models caught wobbling across a stage emerged. It all started when Miss Tourism Kenya scouts pitched their tents at Kakamega County in search of the next big thing in the modelling industry. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Nairobi mum appeals for help after hubby vanishes following delivery of her triplets READ ALSO: Man who allegedly slept with 13 MPs excites social media with birthday message to Sabina Chege In two Instagram videos seen by TUKO.co.ke, the judges of the event seemed to receive a rude shock when two wannabe models emerged and flaunted what their mamas gave them or failed to! Their confidence and prowess in check, the ladies took turns to shuffle across the platform as they attempted to bag the coveted title. READ ALSO: Like her late ex-husband, Zari Hassan's brother in-law dies mysteriously One in particular, dressed in official attire appeared to be bouncing like teenage boys did back in the 90s as she finished her catwalk routine with an iconic pose before running off the stage. READ ALSO: Unakumbuka picha ya Uhuru na Ruto wakilia pamoja? Actually, let us not refer to it as bouncing because the lady appeared to be performing what looked like a church dance routine. Her hands kept swaying from side to side as her head moved along with her body whenever she took a step. The other aspiring model stepped out in a blinding yellow dress and walked as if a bunch of ants were tearing through the soles of her feet. One after the other, she calculated her steps as she appeared to be tip-toeing across the stage. She then paused, placed her hand on her waist and posed just like the high-end models you see on TV. Or not! Hehe. She turned and took another try and boy was it a sight to behold! Not in a good way. Kakamega babes better stick to eating chicken, no? 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.co.ke - Atwoli said most Kenyans may think they know him but they do not - He claimed sometimes people underestimate his worth while others overestimate him - The father of 17 children is known to be a billionaire but has always maintained he is not a rich man Firebrand trade unionist Francis Atwoli is a man with many secrets, and the value of his watch was one of them until recently. The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General believes most Kenyans do not know a lot of things about him, so he decided to reveal some of his little secrets. 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 Central Organization of Trade Unions Secretary General Francis Atwoli is said to be one of the richest men in Kenya with some people claiming his salary is way above that of President Uhuru Kenyatta. Source: UGC READ ALSO: COTU boss Francis Atwoli terms MPs cheap as bribery claims threaten to split Parliament Appearing on Citizen TV's JK Live programme on Wednesday of August 15, Atwoli for the first time ever disclosed that his watch alone cost him a mind-boggling KSh 5 million, which he paid in installments. "My watch is pure gold and it cost me more than 5 million. I paid the money in installments," he said as he stretched his hand to showcase the pricey personal gadget. The trade unions boss claimed his watch, which is made of gold, cost him over KSh 5 million, money that he paid in installments. Photo: Citizen TV. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Beautiful young lady who bagged KSh 5 million has a surprise connection to Francis Atwoli And the price of Atwoli's watch is probably not the only thing that Kenyans did not know about yet. It also emerged on Wednesday night that the 68-year-old billionaire and father of 17, who reportedly pays school fees for another 70 or so children besides his own, owns two cars. "I have two cars for myself. Most people do not know me. Sometimes they over-value me and sometimes they under-value me," he cleared the air. READ ALSO: Bungoma politician with taste for rich women caught extorting COTU boss Francis Atwoli Yes, two cars may seem way less for a man whose watch cost close to 10 million, but it clearly does not mean he cannot afford several of those machines. His advice to those who would wish to be wealthy like him is that they should never take shortcuts to richness. "To those who use shortcuts to be rich, the wheels of justice grind slowly. One day, they will catch up with you," he warned, citing theft of taxpayers' money as one of the shortcuts. Atwoli recently added another wife to the several he already has after marrying KTN news anchor Mary Kilobi who is said to be carrying his child. READ ALSO: Unakumbuka picha ya Uhuru na Ruto wakilia pamoja? The 34-year-old anchor defended her union with the unionist boss who is double her age saying he loves him to death. Atwoli revealed she already bought Kilobi a brand new vehicle with reports indicating its a high end machine which cost several millions of shillings. The unionist said with his other wife having decided to join politics, he felt lonely and had to get another woman to take care of him in his sunset years. 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. Rejected for naming my son Uhuru Kenyatta (trailer) | Untold stories - On Tuko TV Source: Kenya Breaking News Today - The governor said the land on James Gichuru Road in Lavington was meant for a public library - He noted the plot was allocated to Nairobi City Council by late President Jomo Kenyatta in 1972 - The land was then reportedly transferred to Riverbank Plaza associated with ex-Nairobi city council staff Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has ordered Subru Motors to vacate with immediate effect its premises on James Gichuru Road in Lavington, claiming the plot on which the motor company sits belonged to the county. Sonko warned no stone would be left unturned in the fight against impunity and corruption and felt sorry that Subru Motors was also duped by a rogue former Nairobi city council worker. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Unakumbuka picha ya Uhuru na Ruto wakilia pamoja? Governor Sonko said the land on which Subaru Motors built its shop was allocated to the City Council of Nairobi in 1972 by the late President Jomo Kenyatta. Photo: Mike Sonko. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Waititu's wife, 14 others arrested over illegal buildings in Nairobi In a press statement shared with the public on Facebook, Sonko revealed plot LR. NO. 3734/843 on which Subru erected its motor shop was allocated to the City Council of Nairobi in 1972 by the late President Jomo Kenyatta. "The land where Subru Motors stands LR. NO. 3734/843 was allocated to the City Council of Nairobi by then President of the Republic of Kenya Mzee Jomo Kenyatta on 1/3/1972 for a lease period of 99 years," the governor noted in the statesmen seen by TUKO.co.ke on Thursday, August 16. READ ALSO: Ferdinand Waititu explains how rivers can be moved instead of demolishing buildings The governor further revealed the Lavington plot was reserved for construction of a public library but was irregularly transferred to Riverbank Plaza Ltd, a company associated with a former senior city council staff. "We have already issued a notice to Subru Motors to vacate the land with immediate effect. Let me also conclude by confirming that the proprietor of Subru Motors is a good friend to both HE the President and myself but because we have declared to fight impunity, we are sorry for him that we shall not mix friendship with this big fight," Sonko said. READ ALSO: Former MP threatens to mobilise Asians to close businesses over demolitions The national government in collaboration with the county government of Nairobi embarked on a demolition spree targeting some 4,000 properties said to have been built on public land. President Uhuru Kenyatta on August 12 warned 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 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. Kenyans React to Sonko's 100 Days in Office - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko.co.ke - EACC received complaints on theft of taxpayers' money by members of Homabay County Assembly - The Commission conducted investigations and established county officials flouted procurement rules - The anti-graft body recommended that seven county employees be charged with economic crimes - The arrest order came against a backdrop of a series of other graft-related arrests that also targeted governors The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji has ordered for immediate arrest of seven Homabay County officials in connection with alleged plundering of public funds. Haji gave the directive after reviewing a graft report submitted to his office on June 12 by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Unakumbuka picha ya Uhuru na Ruto wakilia pamoja? The Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji on Thursday morning ordered for arrest of seven Homa Bay County officials over alleged misappropriation of public funds. Photo: DPP. Source: Twitter READ ALSO: DPP swings into action after Uhuru orders arrest of officials who approved buildings on riparian land According to the DPP, the anti-corruption body recommended that seven Homabay County employees namely Michael Owino Ooro, Isaac Ouso Nyandege, Judith Akinyi Omongi, Otieno Bob Kephas, Caroline Sang, Morris Odiwuor Amek and Edwin Omondi Okollo be charged with economic crimes. "The EACC received a complaint on allegations of embezzlement of public funds by the County Assembly of Homabay for the financial years 2014/15 and 2017/18. The Commission investigated the allegations and found the officials misappropriated funds through fictitious and irregular procurement and payment of allowances," Haji said. READ ALSO: Former Nyandarua governor, county officials wanted over KSh 50 million fraud The DPP noted at least KSh 26 million taxpayers' money was lost through misappropriation and blatant theft during the said two fiscal years. Arrest of the seven suspects came against a backdrop of a series of other related arrests ordered by the DPP as the government intensifies war on corruption. READ ALSO: Former Nyandarua governor, county officials wanted over KSh 50 million fraud As indicated in previous reports by TUKO.co.ke, some of the high profile suspects already charged with graft-related charges include former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and his Nyandarua counterpart Daniel Waithaka as well as Busia Governor Sospeter Ojamoong'. 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. Anne Ngirita at The Center of The NYS Scam Probe - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko Barcelona said Thursday they have reached an agreement with Sassuolo to transfer their Brazilian defender Marlon Santos to the Italian Serie A side for six million euros. The Catalan giants retain the right to buy back the player, and will keep 50 percent of the economic rights on any future sale of the 22-year-old, the club said in a statement. "The clause regarding future sale will not come into effect if Marlon plays 50 games with US Sassuolo Calcio, at which point the Italian club is obliged to pay another six million euros," it added. Santos joined Barcelona from Brazilian side Fluminense on loan in 2016, before completing a permanent deal a year later. He spent the 2017/18 season on loan at French side Nice, making 26 appearances. - The ministry also sold a Nissan Patrol at KSh 130,000 despite having a bid price of KSh 1.8 million - Auditor General has called for the prosecution of culpable individuals - Ouko said the ministry undervalued 17 vehicles which were disposed of through an auction Auditor General Edward Ouko has directed for a probe into top government officials in the Ministry of Labour who presided over the sale of a classy Volkswagen Passat vehicle for only KSh 32,000. A report by Ouko exposed massive pilferage of public funds in the ministry that has since defrauded at least KSh 3.3 billion in taxpayers money. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens. READ ALSO: Unakumbuka picha ya Uhuru na Ruto wakilia pamoja? Auditor General Edward Ouko has directed for a probe into top government officials who presided overselling of a classy Volkswagen Passat Vehicle for only KSh 32,000. Photo: AG Ouko Source: Facebook READ ALSO: 15 mega corruption scandals in Kenya which have never been resolved The Standard on Thursday, August 16 reported the ministry undervalued 17 vehicles which were disposed of through an auction. Some of the top-of-the-range vehicles were sold for as low as KSh 32,000 with no visible damage and had a reserve price of KSh 30,000, attracting a bid price of KSh 100,000, but still ended up fetching only KSh 32,000 and from a different bidder, said Ouko. READ ALSO: Uhuru, Ruto to undergo lifestyle audit as war on corruption intensifies The Auditor General also questioned why old and broken down vehicles were left lying in the ministry's yards while fairly new cars were carelessly disposed off. GKA 253E, a Nissan patrol, had a reserve price of KSh 100,000 and attracted a bid price of KSh 1.8 million but only KSh 130,000 was receipted, Ouko noted in the report. He called on investigative agencies to move with speed, probe the matter and ensure culpable individuals are brought to book. READ ALSO: Uhuru is fighting Ruto not corruption - David Ndii It is not clear how the auctioneer was procured and awarded due to various discrepancies in correspondences between the auctioneer and the head of procurement at the ministry, he stated. This development came even as the war on graft gains momentum in the country. Investigative agencies for instance the DPP and DCI have vowed to bring to book all individuals who have been benefiting from plundered public resources. 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 Sonko's 100 Days in Office - On Tuko TV. Source: Breaking News - Maalim blamed the corruption crippling the country on democracy enjoyed by Kenyans - He said the solution was to scrap the pure presidential system in Kenya - He further likened levels of corruption to a stage four cancer which recurs despite medication The inability of the the Kenyan political class to curb runaway corruption has been blamed on the pure presidential electoral systems which has left commoners on their own. In an attempt to slay the dragon once and forever, former Lagdera MP Farah Maalin has proposed total abolition of the democratic process. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Constitution will be changed and Uhuru will come back as prime minister - Wiper deputy Farah Maalim Ex-Public Service and Youth Principal Secretary Lilian Omollo (far right) allegedly presided loss of KSh 9 billions at the NYS. Photo: Nation/Facebook. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Raila could have been given KSh 25 billion to sign peace deal with Uhuru - Wiper Secretary General "The first past post and pure presidential electoral systems we practice embed corruption and ethnicity. We can't expect political class to fight source of their validation. The system of democracy we practice must die if the country is to survive. Economic elite run reforms failed," he tweeted on Thursday, August 16. The former deputy Speaker further likened levels of corruption which is eating into public coffers to a stage four cancer which keeps recurring despite medication. READ ALSO: Picha 5 za Sheila Wetangula, binti mrembo wa Seneta Moses Wetangula Farah is not alone in agitating for iron fist rule in Kenya. Shortly after the chaotic 2017 General Election, Jubilee vice chairman David Murathe said Kenya should embrace benevolent dictatorship in order to enjoy relative calm and stability just like in the neighbouring Uganda and Rwanda. Murathe's argument was that the Presidency had become so soft, breeding avenues for criticism from everybody and anybody. At that time, Ugandan politicians allied to President Yoweri Museveni were pushing for laws that strike out age limit for a president. Equally in Rwanda, President Paul Kagame was reelected recently for a third term after the Constitution was amended to allow him to run for president again. His reelection was however preceded by arrest and detention of his main challenger, Diane Shima Rwigara. 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 trade unionist argued Kenya would still be better off in Uhuru's hands even after 2022 - He said the additional five years would enable the president to finish the war on corruption - Atwoli warned against electing corrupt politicians saying such leaders can run away with Central Bank Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has called for a referendum to prolong Uhuru Kenyatta's presidency past 2022 when the president's term is expected to end as stipulated in the Constitution. The trade union boss said Uhuru would still be the best man to lead Kenya even after 2022 and commended the president for the spirited fight against graft and impunity. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Unakumbuka picha ya Uhuru na Ruto wakilia pamoja? Central Organization of Trade Unions Secretary General Francis Atwoli on Wednesday called for a constitutional referendum to extend President Uhuru Kenyatta's reign. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Ex-Nyandarua Governor surrenders to EACC after DPP ordered his arrest Appearing on Citizen TV's JK Live show on Wednesday, August 15, Atwoli said Uhuru was doing everything right so far, especially on the anti-graft war, and therefore there would be no need to replace him in four years time. "President Uhuru Kenyatta is now where we wanted him to be. Come 2022, if he will not have accomplished his mission of 'cleaning up' the country, we will go into a referendum to give him another term," 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: DPP swings into action after Uhuru orders arrest of officials who approved buildings on riparian land The COTU leader also commended the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Noordin Haji, and Director of Criminal Investigations, George Kinoti, for their commitment in the war against corruption. "I admire the DCI and DPP for their commitment to making Kenya better. We want to see more people being arrested in the war against corruption," he said and promised to forward more names to the DPP if he fails to get hold of all the graft suspects. READ ALSO: Former Nyandarua governor, county officials wanted over KSh 50 million fraud Atwoli had earlier warned Kenyans to be careful when electing their leaders because some politicians can be irredeemably corrupt. Addressing African Union representatives on Tuesday during the international labour organisation training workshop at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu, the trade unionist said there were politicians in Kenya who cannot be trusted with leadership. "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. 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. Ex-Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero Arraigned in Court Over Corruption Charges - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko - Olpusimoru MCA Wilfred ole Kuyo first lost the case in the High Court to Wilson Masikonde - The Court of Appeal however overturned the decision that had stated the election was marred by discrepancies - Masikonde earlier accused Kuyo of using witchcraft to defeat him in the 2017 General Election The Court of Appeal in Narok on Wednesday, August 15, overturned a High Court decision and upheld the election of Olpusimoru Ward Representative (MCA) Wilfred ole Kuyo. Kuyo lodged an appeal against a High Court verdict which nullified his election following a suit filed by his close contender, Wilson Masikonde, who accused him of using witchcraft to trounce in the 2017 General Election. 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 The Appeal Court in Narok on Wednesday, August 15 overturned a High Court decision and upheld the election of Olpusimoru Ward Representative (MCA) Wilfred ole Kuyo. Photo: Narok County Assembly Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Waititu pleads with Mike Sonko to have wife released following arrest over illegal buildings While ruling in the case, Justice Justus Bwonwonga stated the poll agency conducted the election in a credible manner. TUKO.co.ke earlier reported Masikonde who ran on a Jubilee ticket enjoined a witchdoctor in the case insisting the latter assisted ODMs Kuyo to win the election. READ ALSO: We will have a referendum and give Uhuru another term as president - Francis Atwoli The petitioner, who was the areas former MCA alleged Kuyo hired a witchdoctor who killed a colobus monkey in a ritual. The black magic, Masikonde claimed, created an unfair ground that saw him lose in the hotly contested poll. READ ALSO: Dictatorship is the only solution to Kenyas runaway corruption - Farah Maalim Justice Bwonwonga slapped Masikonde with KSh 120,000 in damages. In a short rejoinder after the victory, Kuyo urged the loser to bury the hatchet, embrace the handshake spirit and join him in developing the ward. 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. Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero Arraigned in Court Over Corruption Charges| Tuko TV. Source: Tuko - Fresh data by Bloomberg also showed Kenyans living in America were among the most skilled people - Ghanaian and Bulgarians were ranked first and second respectively as the hardest working immigrant groups - CBK's latest report indicated Kenyans hustling abroad sent back home a record KSh 64.5 billion in first quarter of 2018 Kenyans have been ranked among the most industrious and educated immigrants living in the United States. The Kenyan-born workers scored an impressive 73.4% to emerge third in the list of the most skilled and sought after African immigrants in America. 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 The report indicated Kenyans workers scored 73.4% to emerge third in the list of the hardest and most skilled immigrant groups in America. Photo: Samrack Media. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Co-op bank partners with Xpress Money with an eye on diaspora billions According to the 2018 report by Bloomberg, Ghanaians and Bulgarians were ranked positions one and two with scores of 75.2% and 74.2% respectively, making Africans in general the most learned and ambitious immigrants in the US . If we want more high-skilled and hardworking English-speaking immigrants, it looks like the most obvious place to find them is in Africa, Bloombergs journalist Justin Fox who is behind the rankings noted in the report. Kenya Nigeria, Ghana and Napal also had the highest number of immigrants studying and working in the United States. Photo: Blomberg Source: UGC READ ALSO: Central Bank of Kenya to withdraw old notes from circulation Ethiopians, Guatemalans and immigrants from El Savado were placed fourth, fifth and sixth respectively, followed by Bosnians, Nigerians and Liberians in that order. The report, which was reportedly developed based on data from the 2016 US Census Bureau American Community Survey, indicated Kenya (together with Nigeria, Ghana and Nepal) also had the highest number of immigrants studying and working in America. READ ALSO: Top 10 Countries for Emigration from Kenya The Bloomberg report came three months after the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) released a report indicating Kenyans living abroad set a new record in remitances in the first quarter of 2018. The diaspora remittances jumped from KSh 43.4 billion in the January-March 2017 quarter to a staggering KSh 64.5 billion during the same period in 2018. READ ALSO: Employees drag oil dealer Engen Kenya to court to avert imminent takeover by rival company The latest CBK report seen by TUKO.co.ke in May 9 indicated the country received KSh 20.4 billion in December 2017, KSh 20.9 billion in January, KSh 21.1 billion in February and KSh 22.3 billion in March 2018. The regulator attributed the good performance to increased uptake of financial products by Kenyans abroad and fresh business deals initiated by local banks in partnership with international financial institutions. 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 - Former wife to Francis Atwoli claims the trade unionist lives a lavish life as she struggles - The COTU boss however is on record the two fellout due to her strong political ambitions - Sources however intimate that Atwoli has his three children under his care and meets all their needs - Atwoli recently went public with his marriage to TV girl Mary Kilobi following rife online speculation Barely hours after confirming his affair with TV girl Mary Kilobi, outspoken COTU boss Francis Atwolis home has been lit on fire as never heard before by his former second wife. An explosive recorded telephone conversation with the estranged wife hit the internet on Thursday, August 16, opening a lid into his private life. 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 Sources however intimate that Atwoli has his three children under his care. Photo: COTU/Facebook Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Kenyan MPs who received bribes on sugar report are worse than prostitutes - Atwoli In the recorded conversation, the trade unionist is heard asking his audibly angry former wife, Rosalinder Wanyonyi, to leave their home but she refuses. READ ALSO: We will have a referendum and give Uhuru another term as president - Francis Atwoli In the conversation, Rosalinder who was Atwolis second wife, claims he abandoned her and their children three years ago. You can wear a KSh 1 million suit yet I am suffering because you neglected me. I even got to a point of selling land to survive, she says. The outspoken trade unionist tells her in no uncertain terms that her political ambitions are what ended their union but she hears none of that. The outspoken trade unionist tells her in no uncertain terms that her political ambitions are what ended their union but she hears none of that. Photo: COTU/Facebook Source: UGC READ ALSO: COTU boss Francis Atwoli fingers out fake Facebook account issuing stinging statements on his behalf TUKO.co.ke understands they have three children together; two girls and a boy who is the last born. All the children are in Atwolis custody. Separately, it is understood Atwoli separated with Rosalinder on mutual grounds as they could not agree on her political ambitions besides some other irreconcilable differences. Contrary to her claims that he has abandoned their children, it has emerged that Atwoli has been providing for their upkeep and even paying school fees for all of them. READ ALSO: There are people in Kenya who would run away with Central Bank if elected president - Francis Atwol According to the source close to the family and privy of the unfolding events and who requested anonymity, Atwoli has spent over KSh 20 million for his daughters education in South Africa and now she is a pilot with a local airline company. Their other daughter is studying law at Mt Kenya University while their last born son schools at Kitengela International school, the source revealed to TUKO.co.ke. Besides his 15 children, Atwoli is also taking care of other 74 children from less fortunate families. READ ALSO: I bought my watch at KSh 5 milion - COTU boss Francis Atwoli TUKO.co.ke understands Atwoli bought land in Kakamega where he built their home but their differences and Rosalinders unwillingness to settle their differences led to the separation. This was evident in the leaked phone conversation where the COTU boss is heard saying the title to their Kakamega home is in his name. He was kind enough to even involve her extended family members to resolve the differences but she lacked the goodwill, abusing every step of these efforts and hardly available to consult other than busy with her campaigns in Webuye to capture a parliamentary seat, the source said. He says this pushed Atwoli to make the hard decision to separate with her as she did not have time for him and their children. 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.co.ke - The letter indicated he had given a seven day ultimatum for the building to be brought down - Sonko noted the letter was fake and there were no orders to demolish the building - Aviation authority initially claimed the hotel sits on its land - Sonko affirmed if Weston is found to have grabbed the land, it would be bought down just like others Nairobi county Governor Mike Sonko has dismissed a letter widely shared on the interwebs and purported to be from his office ordering for the demolition of Deputy president William Ruto's Weston hotel. In the letter which the governor termed fake, Sonko purportedly gave a seven day ultimatum to the Nairobi Regeneration Committee to demolish all properties standing on riparian lands including Weston hotel and Easton apartments. 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 Sonko dismissed the letter terming it as fake and that there is no demolition order against the DP's hotel. Photo: Mike Sonko. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: We will have a referendum and give Uhuru another term as president - Francis Atwoli Sonko however dismissed the document saying there were no demolition orders against the DP's hotel. Several other properties were also earmarked for demolition which the now fake document indicated the agency had the full support of President Uhuru Kenyatta and the blessings of the governor to carry out the task. READ ALSO: Aviation Authority confirms DP Ruto grabbed its land to build Weston Hotel Sonko had assured Kenyans the posh hotel will not be spared if it indeed sits on public land. Source: UGC This came at the backdrop of Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) claiming the land where Weston hotel sits belongs to them and now wants it back. Prior reports by TUKO.co.ke indicated KCAA claimed ownership of the piece of land after National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition top strategist David Ndii called for demolition of the business claiming it stood on grabbed land. READ ALSO: Waititu's wife, 14 others arrested over illegal buildings in Nairobi The location of the hotel has been the subject of debate among Kenyans for long who have been demanding for its demolition claiming it sits on public land. Since the government embarked on a demolition spree targeting buildings erected on wetlands and 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 among others. Sonko assured Kenyans the posh hotel will not be spared 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 News: Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero Arraigned in Court Over Corruption Charge| Tuko TV Source: Tuko - Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko is fond of recording phone conversations and taking screenshots - He was on the spot in 2014 for putting President Uhuru on phone speaker for the public to listen to their conversation - Sonko once shared screenshots of text exchanges with his former deputy Polycarp Igathe - A recording of his phone call with Igathe also leaked after the latter resigned - His recent move was to leak a conversation with Governor Waititu A recent incident in which Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko recorded his Kiambu counterpart Ferdinand Waititu's call pleading for his wife's release from custody simply proves he lacks phone etiquette. President Uhuru Kenyatta is among victims of Sonko's habit of putting phone conversations in public, taking screenshots of text exchanges, call recording and limitless broadcasting of recorded chats. 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 Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko was once on the spot for putting his phone conversation with President Uhuru Kenyatta on speaker phone. Photo: Kenya News/Facebook. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Waititu pleads with Mike Sonko to have wife released following arrest over illegal buildings Here are some of the incidences which prove Sonko has zero phone etiquette and cannot not keep privacy of phone conversations: 1. Recording Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu's phone conversation which leaked online On Wednesday, August 15, Sonko recorded Waititu who sought to have his wife Susan Wangare released by city council officers and immediately released the conversation to the public and it went viral on social media platforms. But his action seemed to have boomeranged on him and portrayed him in bad light as well as exposing his relationship with Uhuru. Thus, he was forced to file a complaint to Twitter to bring down the recording on Thursday, August 16. Mike Sonko also shared screenshots of his conversations with his former deputy Polycarp Igathe to prove they were intact. Photo: Mike Sonko/Facebook. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: We will have a referendum and give Uhuru another term as president - Francis Atwoli 2. Calling President Uhuru Kenyatta and putting him on phone speaker for masses to hear Wednesday, May 21, 2014, Sonko then the Nairobi senator stormed South B where former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei led demolishing of premises erected on public land. He called Uhuru for intervention and put him on phone speaker for the masses to hear. "Your excellency niko hapa na waziri Felix na wanabomoa nyumba worth KSh 10 billion na tulikuwa tumekubaliana wasibomoe (I am with Felix the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary and they are demolishing people's property worth over KSh 10 billion despite agreeing they halt," Sonko said to Uhuru who directed the exercise be halted. 3. Tweeting screenshots of text exchanges between him and former deputy Polycarp Igathe On diverse dates between Friday, January 12 and Monday, January 15, 2018 Sonko shared screenshots of conversations he had with his former deputy Polycarp Igathe to dismiss a report in one of the dailies that they were having a frosty relationship. READ ALSO: If you want to demolish, go ahead, I dont care - Taj Mall owner 4. Leaking a phone conversation with his former deputy Polycarp Igathe As if it that was not enough, just before Igathe made a surprise resignation as Sonko's deputy barely few days after disputing they were in bad blood and five months since taking over Nairobi leadership, a phone conversation between the two leaked. In the conversation, he is heard assigning Igathe some roles and telling him about the status of some projects they had began working on and even passes over the phone to his uncle who converses with his nephew's deputy for a while. READ ALSO: Kenyans in the US ranked third most hardworking immigrants "He is a very good guy, Watu wanamuharibia jina but ni mtu mzuri (some people are just tainting his reputation," Sonko is heard saying at the end of the conversation. These are however a few incidences which became public but sources close to the governor confined he habitually records critical conversations and screenshots text exchanges which he simply uses to blackmail his associates in political circles and the press. 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 - Over 40,000 litres of petrol was found at the hideout - More intensified raids have been planned to unearth more illegal centres Police in Eldoret have arrested four suspects believed to be involved in illegal fuel business stationed in Sugoi, Uasin-Gishu county. The suspects are said to have been selling the bad fuel to neighbouring Uganda and in parts of western Kenya. 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 The suspects are said to have been selling the bad fuel to neighbouring Uganda and in parts of Western Kenya. Photo: Kipkosgey Tuwei. Source: Original READ ALSO: Governor Wangamati in trouble as section of Bungoma MCAs threaten to impeach him Led by Eldoret West police boss Zacharia Bittok, police arrested the suspects and found 40,000 litres of petrol and kerosene at their Jua Kali hideout in Sugoi. As you can see this menace has been on the rise. They had gone down after ERC conducted the crackdown but the businessmen are now devising new methods, Bittok said. He said the traders were doing their business under the cover of darkness but vowed to intensify crackdowns and patrols especially at night in order to end the vice. READ ALSO: Man sneaks into hospital ward, makes love to ailing wife Police found a network jammer after arresting the suspects. Photo: Kipkosgey Tuwei. Source: Original Apart from the operation, he requested the Communication Authority of Kenya to assist them to prefer charges against the suspects for jamming mobile networks after they found a network jammer at the scene. Jua Kali trading centre is a well-known area for illegal fuel siphoning as it is conveniently situated along the Eldoret-Malaba Highway where truck drivers stop briefly hence booming business. Story by Kipkosgey Tuwei, Eldoret. 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. Truth or Drink Friends (Ann & Debbie): Can You Handle The Truth? | Tuko Lifestyle - on TUKO TV Source: Tuko.co.ke Carlos brings valuable experience from Europe and South America. He fits the profile were looking for in a defender, and we also value his versatility to be able to play in the midfield, Orlando City General Manager Niki Budalic said in a statement. We welcome him to Orlando and look forward to his contributions. - The Congolese couple claimed the ghost of the late actor has been threatening to harm their newborn son - They claimed their last born son began falling ill when they decided to go against the ghost's wishes - They finally bowed to the ghost's pressure and decided to give their child the actor's second name A Congolese couple has camped outside the house of late actor Stephen Kanumba's mother's house in Tanzania thanks to a very disturbing reason. According to the duo, the ghost of the late actor has been haunting them and threatening to harm their newborn son. 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 READ ALSO: Ex Mother-in-law actress Olive gets married to American lover, takes his last name Reports by Global Publishers revealed Numbi Mwilambwe and his wife Ngoy Mfumuabana both encountered the actor in their dreams. At first, Ngoy told her husband how the actor would often show up in her dreams and threaten to harm her baby. READ ALSO: Cute TBT photo of Lulu Hassan and hubby proves she loved him before fame and money Numbi was however skeptical and on many occasions brushed off his wife's allegations and termed them as senseless. "Whatever brought us to Dar es Salaam is our need to speak to Stephen's mother just like he directed us in our dreams. We do not have relatives here in Dar and we never met the actor when he was still alive," Numbi narrated. According to the worried parents, their last born son, Felix, began falling ill when they decided to go against the ghost's wishes. They had been ordered by the actor's spirit to name their son after him otherwise they would suffer the consequences. "We took him to hospital but he did not get better. All this because we did not heed to what my wife was told in her dreams," the distraught further narrated. Numbi who is a pastor did not want to believe what his wife told him but later grew weary when he suspected their child was going to die. When the parents bowed to pressure and decided to give their child the actor's second name, Kanumba, everything went back to normal and the disease suddenly vanished. 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. In My Feelings Drake: When Your Woman is At it Again | Tuko TV Source: Tuko - The journalists were arrested for allegedly recording proceedings of the construction of the hotel said to be done illegally - It is believed the Mombasa-based multi-billion building belongs to a powerful government official - Activists are already up in arms demanding the unconditional release of the journalists Two Nation Media Group journalists were on Wednesday, August 15, arrested for allegedly recording an illegal construction in Mombasa. The two, Karim Rajan, a cameraman and photojournalist Laban Walloga, were taken to the Bamburi Police station for capturing footage of the construction of Dolphin Hotel. 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 One of the journalist arrested for allegedly taking photos of a multi-million project at the coast Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Inside story of Francis Atwoli's bitter fallout with second wife and mum to his three children NTV confirmed the incident on Twitter, with further allegations that the two journalists were roughed up before being dragged to the police station. READ ALSO: Sombre mood engulfs Simat village as 400 metres champion Nicholas Bett is laid to rest The journalist were in the company of two other colleagues who went into hiding at the time of arrest. READ ALSO: Uhuru okays exotic project that will end traffic nightmare at Likoni Channel According to reports, the multi-billion shilling establishment in Shanzu is owned by a government official and is blocking the beach. The arrest angered human rights activists who for the better part of Thursday called for the unconditional release of the two. The pair was later released in the evening with Bamburi police station OCS Stanley Muinde affirming the two had neither been charged nor fined. 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 - Nyasuguta told court she was indecently touched on her private parts - She accused John Kabogo of assaulting him together with a bouncer at Oleng Sidai club on Kiambu road - Trouble began when the waitress refused to return one of the ATM cards Nyasuguta used to clear her bill - Nyasuguta and her two friends had a KSh 1,650 bill and had paid another KSh 14,000 - She said she was dragged on the floor and bruised Ex-Vitimbi actress Eunice Wambui alias Nyasuguta emotionally narrated to a court how John Ngugi Kabogo abused, touched her inappropriately and robbed her off accessories worth over KSh 200,000. While giving her testimony before Senior Resident Magistrate Electa Riany, Nyasuguta said all hell broke loose after she demanded from a waiter at Oleng Sidai club owned by Kabogo one of two ATM cards she had given out to clear a KSh 1,650 bill. 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 Eunice Wambui alias Nyasuguta said John Ngugi Kabogo touched her inappropriately before assaulting and robbing her of valuables worth over KSh 200,000. Photo: Ziporrah Weru/TUKO.co.ke Source: Original READ ALSO: Ex Kiambu governor William Kabogo caught flattering slay queen online, excites everyone In her testimony followed by TUKO.co.ke on Thursday, Auguts 16, she said George Maina, a friend who joined them at the Club along Kiambu Road, had given the waitress two Kenya Commercial Bank ATM cards to clear the bill since one had insufficient funds but could not tell which one it was. According to the actress, the waiter was adamant and she demanded to see the manager of the club ( Kabogo) to sort out the issue. On arrival however, she said Kabogo began assaulting her while touching her inappropriately. "He touched me on my breasts and backside besides tearing my clothes. I slapped him in defence. He only stopped when I asked another friend Harrison Wambogo to record the incident as they turned the heat on him. They robbed of my gold earrings and necklace worth over KSh 200,000," narrated an emotional Nyasuguta. From right John Ngugi Kabogo, Joseph Karanja and Dorcas Wambuga in the dock. They were charged with robbery with violence. Photo: Zipporah Weru/TUKO.co.ke Source: Original READ ALSO: There is no demolition order against William Rutos posh hotel in Nairobi - Mike Sonko confirms The actor added she was dragged on the floor of the building occasioning numerous injuries which made her to be hospitalised. Nyasuguta added she was rescued by her sister from the ordeal. "My dignity was hurt with how I was handled. I had not refused to clear the paltry arrears because we had paid KSh 14,000 for food and drinks consumed earlier," she explained. Kabogo was charged with robbery with violence alongside the club's security personnel Joseph Karanja and waitress Dorcas Wambuga. They face accusations of stealing cash and a mobile phone valued at KSh 60,000, assaulting Nyasuguta, and being in possession of stolen property which included the phone and the ATM card the waiter had denied receiving. Nyasuguta denied claims by John Ngugi Kabogo and co-accused that she was too drunk to recall the day's events. Photo: TUKO.co.ke Source: Original READ ALSO: Inside story of Francis Atwoli's bitter fallout with second wife The three allegedly committed the offences on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 Nyasuguta's friend Maina who also testified confirmed he gave the waiter two KCB ATM cards since he was not sure which among them had insufficient funds. "The bouncer known as Karanja came to our table after we requested for the second card which had not been returned and said we had refused to pay the bill. He began punching me. Kabogo come out with a metal rod which he used to hit us. I hopped to a taxi after other bouncers intervened and quelled the melee," he said. Kabogo and his co-accused however argued the complainants were too drunk to remember the day's happenings, claims which Maina and Nyasuguta vehemently denied saying they reported the matter at Muthaiga Police station the same day. The hearing will continue Wednesday, September 5. Story by Zipporah Weru, TUKO.co.ke correspondent Nairobi county. 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: Kenyan Breaking News - Ali Kiba has quashed any hopes of collaborating with Diamond - This is after he declared in an interview no one could coerce him to jump on a song with any artist he didn't fancy How beautiful would it be if Tanzanias hottest properties in the music scene Diamond Platnumz and Ali Kiba did a collaboration? With Ali Kibas vocals and Diamonds swag and equally stunning musical prowess, the song would almost certainly break the internet, right? 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 A Diamond-Kiba collaboration has never been far from fans minds, with many keeping hope that perhaps one day the two artists would set their stardom aside and make good music for the people. While the two have on several instances played down any beef between them, the main question has been: If there is no beef, why has there not been some sort of truce song together? Fans have been waiting for a long time for the two artists to come up with some form of collaboration Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Diamond Platnumz management admits to stage-managing beef with Al Kiba for showbiz Kiba might just have had an answer for the fans and it is a bit heartbreaking as he completely crushed any hope of collaborating with the Waka Waka hit maker. In an interview with Tanzanias Kwanza TV, he retorted in discouraging fashion when the show host tried to probe into the possibility of a song with Diamond. You cant force me to do a collaboration with anyone I dont want to. I will be the one to make that call, he said much to the disappointment of fans. READ ALSO: Cute TBT photo of Lulu Hassan and hubby proves she loved him before fame and money To be fair, the two artists are miles apart in terms of the type of music they make for their East African fans. While Kiba is taking a more relaxed, mature approach and mixing up genres in his music, Diamond is also making airwaves with his songs which appeal more to the younger demographic. Considering their careers are taking different directions, it is rather difficult to fathom what their song would look like. 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 Kenyan Celebrities Kids Who have a Dream Life | Tuko TV: Source: Tuko.co.ke Former Kathiani MP Wavinya Ndeti had all eyes fixed on her as she made an appearance during a burial in Tala, Machakos County. Former prime minister Raila Odinga also had his eyes fixated on the beauty and what stood out about his blank gaze was how he appeared to be staring at the lady's rack. 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 Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga also had his eyes on her and what stood out about his blank gaze was how he appeared to be staring at the lady's rack. Photo: Wavinya Ndeti/Facebook Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Barack Obama and wife lead the World in eulogising queen of soul Aretha Franklin The former MP posted a lascivious photo on Facebook and a keen netizen could not help but point out how the ODM leader was feasting his eyes on her just like a true, mighty fisi. Wavinya and the former PM sat side by side and appeared to be too close for comfort and they looked to be engrossed in quite an interesting chitchat. READ ALSO: Ex Mother-in-law actress Olive gets married to American lover, takes his last name Wavinya smiled shyly as Raila leaned on and smiled back, his eyes glued to her jungle green top which left a hint of cleavage. Maybe Baba's eyes were just wandering or maybe they liked what they saw. Hehe. Me thinks our dear ODM leader did not even hear a word the gorgeous politician said as the view was way better than the conversation. The two seemed to change sitting positions later but at least we had a glimpse of a little case of chemistry. A while back, the dynamic duo raised a lot of eyebrows after a series of photos of Wavinya teaching Raila how to take a selfie made it to social media. It could be they are just way too comfortable around each other. No biggie. 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.co.ke - President Uhuru said the role of educating children should not be left to government alone - He said parents play an important role in upbringing of children and must not abdicate their duties - The Head of State accused some parents of using schools as dumping sites for their children President Uhuru Kenyatta has warned parents against abdicating their roles of bringing up their children and leaving the role to teachers. The Head of State observed schools should never be used as dumping sites, saying educating and mentoring children need to be a shared responsibility between parents, teachers and the government. 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 President Uhuru Kenyatta with students of Mnara High School in Garissa. He said parents need to actively play a role in raising their children. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta/Facebook. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Media Council of Kenya warns Jeff Koinange for questioning Francis Atwoli's bedroom ability on Live TV Speaking at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi on Thursday, August 16, Uhuru said every one needed to raise their children. President Uhuru Kenyatta who addressed catholic schools principals conference said the church equally had a role in upright upbringing of children. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta/Twitter. Source: Twitter He said parents need to have interest in all spheres of their children's lives and urged schools to redefine these roles to parents who were using teachers like foster parents. "Parents should not see schools as institutional foster parents or a place to dump their children and have others raise them. Every parent should take an active interest in all facets of their childs school life and school administration should encourage and facilitate this active interest," said Uhuru. The president said the role of educating children would not achieve much if it was left to teachers and school administration alone. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Raila has brought problems in Jubilee - Joshua Kuttuny The president who called on Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed to reconsider the delocalisation of head teachers which was opposed by many stakeholders said educating children needed concerted efforts to be successful. He obsereved the church and the community as a whole needed to contribute to the development of young learners to ensure they are empowered wholesomely with knowledge, morals and national values. President Uhuru Kenyatta who addressed catholic schools principals conference said the church equally had a role in upright upbringing of children. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta/Twitter. Source: Twitter "Education is not a role limited only to Government and the teaching fraternity. Engagement with parents and students goes a long way in unlocking disputes and releasing tensions that understandably build up in the micro-communities that are our schools," said Uhuru. 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 Untold Stories: Rejected For Naming Son Uhuru Kenyatta | Tuko TV Source: Tuko.co.ke Google knows the neighborhood well. Its planned retail flagship is about two blocks south of the companys Midwest headquarters at 1000 W. Fulton Market. The Tribune in June reported that Google plans to add more than 100,000 square feet of office space in the area, including some street-level space in the 1KFulton building. 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. After appointing several heads of mission last week, at least one has taken up duties. Ukraine will increase the presence of its Navy in the Sea of Azov due to Russia's blocking of ships. "The presence of the Ukrainian Navy in the Sea of Azov must be increased. We plan not only to strengthen our presence in the sea, but also to take measures to defend the coast," Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Viktor Muzhenko said in an interview with BBC News Ukraine. The border guards are operating in the sea by their own forces and means, but there will definitely be a certain build-up of the Navy presence, Muzhenko noted. As reported, over the past months, Russia has stopped ships heading towards the ports of Berdiansk and Mariupol. Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan stated that Ukraine was negotiating with the EU and the US on imposing sanctions against Russia in response to the blockade of the Sea of Azov. Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov believes that Russia's military-political leadership sees the Azov-Black Sea region as an important springboard for its further expansion. ol A loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) can stop exchange rate fluctuations in Ukraine at the level of UAH 29 per the U.S. dollar by the end of 2018. Oleksandr Savchenko, the rector of the International Business Institute and a former deputy head of the National Bank, told this to Ukrinform. "This trend [devaluation of hryvnia] will remain in the medium term. But the devaluation of hryvnia, I think, will not be critical - especially if we get a loan from the IMF. Then by the end of the year, the exchange rate will be set at about UAH 29 per U.S. dollar. If loan tranches do not arrive, the U.S.dollar will cost about UAH 30, he said. On Thursday, August 16, 2018, the National Bank of Ukraine set the official exchange rate of hryvnia at UAH 27.4499 per the U.S. dollar compared to UAH 27.4589 for the U.S. dollar stated on Wednesday. iy Ross, who travels for her job in product development, has left meetings and rescheduled business trips to be with her dad, and "there is always this underlying anxiety that everything is all right," she said. But mostly she can just enjoy their time together when they go to church on Sundays and have dinner during the week. The World Bank is preparing a $650 million guarantee to support Ukraine's reforms and economic growth, the World Bank Office in Ukraine has reported on Facebook. "At the request of the Ukrainian authorities, the World Bank is preparing a Policy-Based Guarantee (PBG) to support key policy and institutional reforms to promote economic growth, fiscal sustainability, and improved governance. Once appraised and approved, the proposed operation would provide a $650 million IBRD guarantee that is expected to help Ukraine raise about $800 million through a private transaction in the lending market," the report says. It also notes that in order to proceed with the proposed operation, it will be necessary to confirm the completion of all reform actions and the adequacy of the macroeconomic framework. "In this context, it is critical to enact the State-Owned Bank Law No. 8331D and the Resumption of Credit Law No. 6027D, both of which were approved by the Verkhovna Rada in July 2018," the World Bank said. In addition, it is also critical for the Ukrainian authorities to reach agreement on the Fourth Review of Ukraine's program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), without which the proposed operation will be unable to proceed. The World Bank encourages the Ukrainian authorities to complete the pending reform actions and reach an agreement on the IMF Fourth Review. As reported, a mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will visit Ukraine from September 6 to September 19. op There are no Ukrainian citizens among those killed as a result of bridge collapse in Genoa, Italy. "The prefectures office of Genoa has reported that there are no Ukrainian citizens among those killed as a result of bridge collapse," the Consular Service Department of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine posted on Twitter. Ukrinform also checks media information about the hospitalization of two Ukrainians. On Tuesday, August 14, the motorway bridge collapsed in the northwest Italian city of Genoa, killing 39 people and badly injuring 16. Cars and trucks plummeted 45m on to rail tracks, buildings and a river along with slabs of concrete. ol Two Ukrainian citizens, who were injured in Genoa bridge collapse, have been hospitalized. Medical condition is stable, there is no threat to their life. "Two injured Ukrainian citizens have been hospitalized. Medical condition is stable, there is no threat to their life," Deputy Director of the Consular Service Department of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine Vasyl Kyrylych told Ukrinform. As a reminder, there are no Ukrainian citizens among those killed as a result of bridge collapse in Genoa. On Tuesday, August 14, the motorway bridge collapsed in the northwest Italian city of Genoa, killing 39 people and badly injuring 16. Cars and trucks plummeted 45m on to rail tracks, buildings and a river along with slabs of concrete. ol Igor Sikorsky Kyiv International Airport (Zhuliany) has canceled several flights because of overnight bad weather. This is reported by TV Channel 112. The reason for cancellation was overnight bad weather. Information on when the passengers of canceled flights can depart from Kyiv is not available yet, reads the report. Overnight into August 16, strong thunderstorms with hail passed through the city of Kyiv. As a result, some of the streets were flooded and closed for traffic. Weather forecasters warn that another thunderstorm is expected in Kyiv today, August 16. iy U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker notes that sanctions against Russia will be strengthened if it continues to fail to implement the Minsk agreements. "We see that the exerted pressure strengthens our negotiating position and what we are now considering in relation to Russia. If they agree to implement the Minsk agreements, then the abolition [of sanctions] could be discussed. Otherwise, these sanctions will be only strengthened," Volker said in an interview with Priamyi Ukrainian TV channel. The U.S. Special Representative believes in effectiveness of the restrictions imposed on Russia: "They [sanctions] have not yet changed Russia's fundamental policy towards Crimea or Donbas, but I know that they create pressure and the Russian side wants to lift these sanctions somehow. Thus, we see that the exerted pressure strengthens our negotiating position," he added. ol Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Lithuania Volodymyr Yatsenkivskyi and leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense of Lithuania discussed prospects for Ukraines joining the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence. This is reported by the press service of the Embassy of Ukraine in Lithuania. In the framework of event on the occasion of the handover of command from Colonel Gintaras Bagdonas to Colonel Romualdas Petkevicius, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Lithuania had separate conversations with the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense of Lithuania regarding the perspectives of the joining of Ukraine to the NATO ENSEC COE and future cooperation in the energy sphere, reads the report. The Embassy reported that the ceremony of handover of command of the NATO Energy Security Center of Excellence took place in Vilnius on August 14. As reported, Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze while being on an official visit to Lithuania in April stated that Ukraine intends to join NATO Energy Security Center of Excellence by the end of the year. iy The consideration of the case of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko in the United States is nearing its completion, as the parties are developing a settlement agreement, the Kyiv Post has said. "A decade-long case against $271 million in assets allegedly stolen by former Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko is close to wrapping up," the Ukrainian English-language newspaper reported, with reference to a court document. A joint motion filed in federal court in Washington DC on August 13 states that attorneys representing the U.S. government have agreed on "the general contours of a settlement" with Lazarenko, who served six years out of a nine-year sentence on charges of money laundering, extortion, and wire fraud. "The Parties are now in the process of drafting a settlement agreement which, once signed, should result in the conclusion of this matter," the document reads, petitioning a U.S. federal judge to indefinitely delay all current deadlines in the case. "Rather than expend additional resources attempting to resolve the remaining factual and legal issues in this matter, the Parties would like to focus their attention on drafting a settlement agreement," the motion says. The newspaper recalls that Lazarenko became prime minister in 1996, under then-President Leonid Kuchma. But it all came crashing down in 1998, when he was arrested on money laundering charges while crossing into Switzerland from France. A scandal erupted in the Ukrainian press when it emerged that Lazarenko had been travelling on a Panamanian passport. Lazarenko, by then a deputy in the Verkhovna Rada, was stripped of his parliamentary immunity. Attempting to flee to the United States, he was arrested at New York City's JFK airport in 1999, and was convicted of money laundering in 2004. Since his release in 2012, Lazarenko has been fighting off various asset forfeiture cases concerning $271 million in cash that U.S. federal attorneys allege was gained through "fraud, extortion, bribery, misappropriation, and embezzlement." The assets are scattered across Guernsey, Switzerland, Antigua, Lithuania, and Lichtenstein. Deputy Prosecutor General Yevhen Yenin said in February that the case was nearing its "final stage." The terms of any potential settlement and how much money - if any - will be returned to Ukraine remain unclear. op Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Edgars Rinkevics has called on the Russian Federation to immediately and unconditionally release political prisoner, Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov. He wrote this on his Facebook page. I call on Russia for immediate and unconditional release of unlawfully convicted Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov. His hunger strike lasting more than 90 days causes deep concerns for his health, he wrote. Earlier, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia already called on the Russian Federation to free Sentsov on June 13. As Ukrinform reported, Sentsov was detained by Russian security services in Crimea in May 2014. He was sentenced to 20 years in a penal colony in Russia for alleged "plotting acts of terrorism." On May 14, 2018, he declared a hunger strike demanding the release of all Ukrainian political prisoners of the Kremlin. On May 28, Sentsov agreed to supportive therapy. About 70 Ukrainians are political prisoners in Russia and in the occupied Crimea. This list also includes Ukrinform journalist Roman Sushchenko, who was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment in a high-security penal colony on fabricated charges of "espionage." iy Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Vasyl Bodnar received copies of credentials from the newly appointed ambassador of Slovakia to Ukraine, Marek Safin. "Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Vasyl Bodnar congratulated newly appointed Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to Ukraine Marek Safin on the start of his diplomatic mission and expressed gratitude to the Slovak side for consistent support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, which is of particular importance given the beginning of Slovakia's chairmanship in the OSCE in 2019," the press service of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine reported. The interlocutors discussed the current state and prospects for the development of Ukrainian-Slovak relations, in particular, the preparation of an official visit of Slovakia's Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak to Ukraine, as well as holding of regular meetings of bilateral commissions on cross-border cooperation and economic, industrial and scientific-technical cooperation. "The parties noted the readiness to continue supporting the high dynamics of a political dialogue between Ukraine and Slovakia," the Foreign Ministry emphasized. ish The problem with Russia's blocking Ukrainian ships in the Sea of Azov needs to be resolved diplomatically, with the involvement of international partners. Ukraine's Deputy Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons Hryhoriy Tuka told this to journalists on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "I am against radicalization. I am against the war being moved to the sea, because I believe that it will be enough to act diplomatically, including, without any doubt, with the help of our European and American partners," he said. The official noted that unblocking the Sea of Azov is "one of the most painful" issues, since Russia and Ukraine have the same rights, but Ukraine has no opportunity to respond proportionally to the actions of Russians. "In principle, we, as well as them, have the right to stop those ships, inspect them, and not let them go. This would be a 'mirror response' if we had a physical ability, a respective level of the fleet," Tuka said. op Ukraine is facing the biggest displacement crisis in Europe since the Balkan Wars in the 1990s. This was stated by International Organization for Migration (IOM) Ukraine's Chief of Mission, Dr. Thomas Lothar Weiss, the press service of the organization reported. "Ukraine is facing the biggest displacement crisis in Europe since the Balkan Wars. Over 3.4 million conflict-affected people in Ukraine require humanitarian assistance," Weiss said. According to him, since 2014, IOM has assisted nearly 280,000 IDPs and conflict-affected people within its humanitarian, economic empowerment and social cohesion programs and is committed to continue. At the same time, the report notes that the employment situation for IDPs deteriorates. Thus, the average income for an IDP has also continued to fall since December 2017. By June 2018 it had fallen to less than UAH 2,100, or $77, per month. This is less than the national subsistence level calculated by the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, which stood at more than UAH 3,300 in June 2018. Weiss believes that the decrease in income, which might be related to the decline in employment, "deepens IDP's vulnerability in the long-term." According to new data collected by IOM, the UN Migration Agency, in the framework of the EU-funded project, in June, 42% of surveyed IDPs were employed, which reflects a 6% drop from March this year. A total of 11% of IDPs are actively looking for a job and ready to start working within a two-week period. Those looking for jobs overwhelmingly report difficulties securing appropriate work. These challenges include low pay for available vacancies, lack of vacancies corresponding to their qualifications, and discrimination by employers on the basis of their age or IDP status. In addition, research shows that healthcare has become unaffordable for many IDPs due to the cost of medicine and services. IOM has been conducting surveys on the situation of IDPs in Ukraine on a regular basis since March 2016. The research presents integrated data of face-to-face and telephone interviews with IDPs, returnees, key informants and people crossing the contact line as well as focus groups discussions. In the latest, 10th round, conducted in June 2018, a total of 2,406 respondents were interviewed face-to-face, and 4,006 by telephone. As reported, more than 1.5 million internally displaced persons are officially registered in Ukraine. op The book by famous Jordanian writer, journalist and historian Omar Armouti "Important Stages of Jordan-Ukraine Relations" was presented at the Embassy of Ukraine in Jordan. "The book is devoted to the history of formation and development of bilateral relations between Ukraine and Jordan. It has more than 350 pages and contains about 170 photographs that present Ukraine and reflect the key stages of establishing a close relationship between the states, starting with the establishment of diplomatic relations up to the present day," the embassy reports. The release of the book is timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of establishment of the diplomatic relations between Ukraine and the Kingdom of Jordan and the 15th anniversary of opening of the Ukrainian embassy in Jordan. ol The Government of the Republic of Lithuania in 2019 plans to allocate about a million euros to support Ukraine. Chairman of the Donetsk Regional Military and Civil Administration Oleksandr Kuts informed this on his Facebook page after a meeting with Lithuanian Ambassador to Ukraine Marius Janukonis on August 15. "Next year, the Lithuanian Government plans to allocate about a million euros from the budget to support Ukraine. A fundamental decision on this issue has been already made. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania to Ukraine Marius Janukonis announced this during our meeting at the Donetsk Regional Military and Civil Administration," Kuts wrote. He noted that Lithuania wanted to allocate funds to support populated areas affected by Russian armed aggression. "We discussed a list of facilities that need financing, including schools, water supply system and checkpoints. The final decision where to send financial support will be taken by the Lithuanian Government," Kuts added. He thanked Ambassador Janukonis and all of Lithuania for helping Ukraine. ish OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, Ambassador Vaidotas Verba has announced the preparation of a new project to assist Ukraine in protecting critical infrastructure. He stated this during a press conference on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported. "This project will be launched in order to strengthen the capacity of the Ukrainian authorities to respond to chemical threats in eastern Ukraine. Everyone knows about the Donetsk filtration station, a number of accidents, and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine is the first service to react and it officers must know what to do. Population, all authority bodies, all involved parties must be ready and know how to react. Chemicals do not have borders," he said. The OSCE representative noted that the project is currently under development. He clarified that there are national partners in each project, and therefore the OSCE side is directly dependent on requests and needs of the Ukrainian side. As reported, in June 2018, the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation was held in Vienna regarding the issue of mines and mine clearance. ish The Ukrainian Culture Ministry has added four more people to the list of those who pose a threat to Ukraine's national security. The updated list has been published on the ministry's website. On the basis of an appeal from the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) on August 15, those added to the list include Russian writer, historian, political scientist and politician from Ukraine Lev Vershinin, Russian writer, journalist Zakhar Prilepin, who supports "DPR" and "LPR," Russian writer Alexander Tamonikov, who in his novels actively advocates the topic of "civil war" in eastern Ukraine, and publicist Alexander Shirokorad, who promotes the idea of "Novorossiya" in his books and supports the activities of terrorist organizations in Donbas. The blacklist included 138 people as of August 16. The list of persons who pose a threat to Ukraine's national security is drawn up and updated by the Ukrainian Culture Ministry on the basis of data from the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Security and Defense Council and the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting. op The public filing states that parties to the case agreed on a "term sheet" outlining a settlement on August 10. A decade-long case against $271 million in assets allegedly stolen by former Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko is close to wrapping up. A joint motion filed in federal court in Washington DC on August 13 states that attorneys representing the U.S. government have agreed on "the general contours of a settlement" with Lazarenko, who served six years out of a nine year sentence on charges of money laundering, extortion, and wire fraud, a court document reviewed by the Kyiv Post reveals. "The Parties are now in the process of drafting a settlement agreement which, once signed, should result in the conclusion of this matter," the document reads, petitioning a U.S. federal judge to indefinitely delay all current deadlines in the case. Read alsoU.S. promises to return to Ukraine funds stolen by ex-PM Lazarenko Lutsenko "Rather than expend additional resources attempting to resolve the remaining factual and legal issues in this matter, the Parties would like to focus their attention on drafting a settlement agreement," the motion says. Among other issues, the two leaders also discussed the security challenges related to the Nord Stream 2 construction. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko held a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to coordinate positions ahead of Merkel's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The interlocutors discussed the situation in Donbas and further efforts, including peacekeepers, to ensure progress in a peaceful settlement. Read alsoRFE/RL: Russian, German leaders to meet this week for talks on Ukraine, Syria, energy Petro Poroshenko paid special attention to the issue of the release of Ukrainian hostages and political prisoners illegally detained in the temporarily occupied territories and in Russia, in particular the need for the immediate release of Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov. The two leaders also discussed the security challenges related to the Nord Stream 2 construction. The interlocutors coordinated schedule of the further bilateral contacts. The official award ceremony will be held in Berlin in October. A prestigious Red Dot Design Award has been given to the corporate design of Ukraine NOW, developed by Banda Agency. "We've received so many entries: more than 8,000 entries from 45 nations in 2018. And you can be super proud of winning a Red Dot for your work. Ukraine NOW convinced the Red Dot jury. And I'm also very, very happy for you that Ukraine NOW stands for well-executed branding for the entire nation," Head of Red Dot Design Award in Germany Louisa Milk said in a video address to Banda Agency, which was posted by The Village Ukraine on Twitter on August 16. Milk also said she was looking forward to meeting the agency's designers at an official award ceremony in Berlin, Germany, in October, and also wished success in future projects. Banda Agency Red Dot pic.twitter.com/cnUZxQOhqn The Village (@thevillageua) August 16, 2018 Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, in turn, congratulated Banda Agency on the victory. According to him, the Ukraine NOW brand will be developed further. "And we will continue to work on the brand, so that foreigners could recognize, respect and admire the achievements of our country," Groysman wrote on Facebook on August 16. The brand was endorsed at a Ukrainian government meeting on May 10, 2018. There was a mixed reaction of the local public to Ukraine's corporate design. Critics compared it to a logo of a Canadian pornographic video sharing website. The Red Dot Design Award is a prestigious international design award in three categories: Product Design, Communication Design, and Design Concept. Another creative agency, Kyiv-based Hooga, reported that it had also received one of the 2018 Red Dot awards for design and identity of Kyiv's Corruption Park. According to intelligence reports, two enemy troops were killed and another three were wounded. Russia's hybrid military forces mounted 43 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with two Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action (WIA). "According to intelligence reports, two occupiers were killed and another three 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 16, 2018. Read alsoUkrainian marine killed in Donbas The Russian occupation forces opened aimed fire from grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms to attack the defenders of the towns of Svitlodarsk, Maryinka, Avdiyivka, and Krasnohorivka. They also shelled the villages of Krymske, Novozvanivka, Luhanske, Novoluhanske, Maiorsk, Opytne, Pisky, Novotroyitske, Novomykhailivka, Kamianka, Chermalyk, Hnutove, Lebedynske, Pavlopil, Vodiane, and Shyrokyne. Along with this, the enemy attacked the defenders of Svitlodarsk and Hnutove, using 120mm mortars, while the defenders of Krymske, Luhanske and Hnutove came under 82mm mortar fire. Another provocation was also recorded near the disengagement area in the village of Stanytsia Luhanska, where the occupiers open fire on the Ukrainian positions, using small arms. Since Thursday midnight, Russian-led forces have mounted three attacks on the Ukrainian positions near Svitlodarsk, Pavlopil, and Vodiane. "It should be noted the enemy used Grad multiple rocket launchers last night for the first time in a few months. Rocket explosions were recorded at the Ukrainian positions near Svitlodarsk. The enemy also resorted to a 120mm mortar to open fire on these positions. No casualties have been reported since the beginning of the day," the report says. The surgery was successful. A 20-year-old female marine has been wounded seriously by the Russian-led forces in Donbas. Read alsoUkrainian marine killed in Donbas "Olena... A female marine from our 503rd battalion of the Marine Corps. Defending the peaceful Ukrainian sky, she received wounds during enemy shelling yesterday. She is 20. She is still a child. Fortunately, she will live. Surgery to remove shrapnel was successful," a soldier of the airborne assault company of the Marine Corps, Mykola Stavytskiy, wrote on Facebook. As UNIAN reported earlier, Russia's hybrid military forces mounted 43 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with two Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 16) The Metro Manila Development Authority is unfazed by a Senate resolution critiquing a scheme that bans driver-only cars from plying EDSA during rush hours. The dry run will continue as scheduled, even as lawmakers called for the suspension of the scheme. "Tuloy ang dry run pero walang apprehension. Kaya nga hindi namin kayo pinipilit, hindi rin namin kayo huhulihin," MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia told CNN Philippines' The Source on Thursday. "Pero nakikiusap kami... magparticipate po tayo." [Translation: The dry run continues, but with no apprehensions. We're not forcing you, and we won't catch you. But we are appealing to you... please participate.] Authorities have yet to announce whether the scheme will still take effect on August 23, as planned. The Metro Manila Council which convenes the mayors of the different cities is expected to meet on the matter next week. The MMDA expects that the driver-only ban will take 40 percent of cars off the road and increase travel speed from 11.78 kph to 31.29 kph. However, critics of the scheme doubt this estimation and believe it will only clog up other roads. Although no apprehensions will be made during the dry run, the MMDA recorded 3,000 violations when the dry run began on Wednesday. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque told the public to give the scheme the benefit of the doubt. He also emphasized how the MMDA encouraged carpooling. "At syempre, patuloy na pataas ang presyo ng gasolina [Gasoline prices are getting higher]. So let's give it a chance," said Roque. "Ginagawa naman yan sa Amerika, sa iba't ibang parte ng daigdig. Hindi naman tayo ang kauna-unahang nag-eksperimento diyan," he added. "Subukan naman po natin." [Translation: That's being done in America and other parts of the world. We're not the first to experiment on it. So let's just try it.] MMDA wants 46 bus terminals out of EDSA The MMDA, which also began implementing a provincial bus ban this month, also aims to take 46 bus terminals out of EDSA. "Puro choke points iyan. Pagparada ng bus diyan, 40, 50 passengers will go down then transfer. Tapat ng terminal, naging terminal ng UV express, taxi," said Garcia. [Translation: They are all chokepoints. When a bus stops, 40, 50 passengers go down and transfer. In front of the terminal, there is always another terminal for UV express (cars) and taxis.] "Ang makikinabang is the city bus," he added. [Translation: This will be to the benefit of city buses.] Garcia said the choke points will be cleared when other terminals outside Metro Manila are completed. This includes a terminal in Valenzuela, pegged to open in two months, and another in Sta. Rosa, which could open in December. Watch the full interview with Garcia here. The Source CNN Philippines digital producer Alyssa Rola contributed to this story. The official noted that over the past years, much has changed in the Ukrainian army, both in terms of technology and weaponry. If the Russian army launches a new offensive against Ukraine, "they will drown in their own blood," according to Yuriy Hrymchak, Deputy Minister for Temporary Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons. "Two years ago I answered the question of what happens if the Russians try to launch an offensive. Then I said that they would drown in our and their blood. Today it seems to me that in the event of an offensive, they will drown in their own blood," Hrymchak told the Apostrophe news outlet. He noted that over the past years, much has changed in the Ukrainian army, both in terms of technology and weaponry. Read alsoUkraine's JFO: 2 WIA's after 43 enemy attacks in Donbas in past day, Grad used at night "The situation is incomparable with 2014. Then they had a chance for a more or less victorious 'war,' but they stopped because our army did not retreat, instead being stubborn and fighting back. For them, it was a surprise, and they did not dare advance further. Now if there is any kind of war, I have the impression that it won't be here," the official said, adding that Belarus could become Russia's next victim. As UNIAN reported earlier, Hrymchak noted that military provocations by the Russian Federation could happen at any time, except for the next few days, because Vladimir Putin was going to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "We are aware of the number of armored vehicles, equipment and manpower in the so-called first and second army groupings. We are aware of the fact that that they are preparing, conducting training, deploying more troops and the like. Therefore, this could begin at any time. This is our reality. We've been living under these conditions for the last four years," Hrymchak said. The Ukrainian military continues adhering to the Minsk agreements and observing the ceasefire. Commander of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) Serhiy Nayev says the Ukrainian army has advanced 15 square kilometers in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, since the beginning of the operation at the end of April 2018. Read also"They will drown in their own blood": Ukraine comments on threat of Russia's new offensive "In the course of stabilization actions since the beginning of the JFO, we have managed to ensure and maintain full control along the contact line with the enemy, the proper level of security and stability in all sectors of the operation. Establishing security bands in the Volnovakha, Horlivka, Sievierodonetsk and Svitlodarsk directions allowed us to retake about 15 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory, including populated localities," he said. At the same time, Nayev stressed the Ukrainian military adhere to the Minsk agreements and observe the ceasefire, but "adequately respond to the provocations of the Russian Federation." An Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) was completed in Donbas on April 30, switching the format to that of the Joint Forces Operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to the Agreement on Principles of a Peaceful Settlement of the Armed Conflict in the Transdniestrian Region of the Republic of Moldova from July 21, 1992, military exercises in the Security Zone are required to be authorized by the JCC, which was not done in this instance. The OSCE Mission to Moldova expresses its concern regarding the river-crossing military exercise conducted in the Security Zone by the Operational Group of Russian Forces on August 14 and 15. Read alsoMoldova's new defense strategy recognizes Russian military presence "threat to national security" "In accordance with its mandate, the OSCE Mission deployed its team to the area of the Security Zone on August 14 and 15, but the team was obstructed from fully monitoring the exercises. In compliance with the Principles of Co-operation between the Joint Control Commission (JCC) and the OSCE Mission to Moldova from 2004, the Mission shared its observations with all the delegations to the JCC through the established channels," the OSCE said in a press release. According to the Agreement on Principles of a Peaceful Settlement of the Armed Conflict in the Transdniestrian Region of the Republic of Moldova from July 21, 1992, military exercises in the Security Zone are required to be authorized by the JCC, which was not done in this instance. The Mission reports its findings to the participating States of the OSCE, including the host country, through the established channels. "The OSCE Mission urges all parties involved in the fulfilment of the 1992 Agreement on Principles of a Peaceful Settlement to fully respect its provisions and the regime of the Security Zone, as well as the relevant JCC decisions and regulations. This is in the interest of all parties," reads the report. The rotation of forces will last for up to five years compared with an initial posting that ran for six months from the start of 2017, and then was extended last June. The United States will more than double the number of Marines stationed in Norway, in line with plans first outlined in June, the Norwegian defense ministry said on Wednesday. Plans to increase the number of Marines in Norway to 700 from 330 and moving some of them closer to the border with Russia had triggered a sharp reaction from Moscow, which called the plans "clearly unfriendly", as reported by Reuters. Read alsoNorway asks U.S. to double troops deployed closer to Russia The government in Oslo, increasingly concerned about Russia since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, insists the increased U.S. presence is only for training purposes and should not be interpreted as a military escalation. The Marines had been scheduled to leave Norway at the end of this year after an initial contingent arrived in 2017 to train for fighting in winter conditions. They are the first foreign troops stationed in Norway since World War Two. Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soereide has previously told reporters the decision did not constitute establishing a permanent U.S. base in Norway and did not target Russia. The rotation of forces will last for up to five years compared with an initial posting that ran for six months from the start of 2017, and then was extended last June. Authorities say she is now unable to get necessary treatment after she lost her leg in the incident. The Swedish Migration Service refused to extend the residence permit to the Ukrainian woman, who survived the attack in Stockholm in April 2017. On the day of the terrorist attack, the 38-year-old Ukrainian woman, Iryna, came to the Ahlens shopping mall and got under the wheels of a truck that drove into the crowd, EuroPravda reports with reference to Aftonbladet. She spent three weeks in the hospital, where she underwent several surgeries, although the doctors could not save her right leg. Read alsoSweden navy chief aims to grow sea power Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Leven visited her at the hospital, promising that everything would be fine. After that, the Ukrainian woman lived in Stockholm for more than a year with her daughter. She had a temporary residence permit, because she was a witness in the case of an attacker, Rahmat Akilov. Recently, the Migration Service of Sweden refused to hand out a permanent residence permit to Iryna, arguing that the Ukrainian woman is unable to take care of herself, so she must go home to get medical assistance and support from friends and family. The migration service believes that Iryna needs medical care and rehabilitation available in Ukraine, and the decision to expel her from the country does not contradict the European Convention on Human Rights. Now Iryna and her daughter have two weeks to voluntarily leave Sweden. However, she is going to appeal the decision of the Migration Service, although the appeal may take several months. As UNIAN reported, an Uzbekistan national Rahmat Akilov on April 7, 2017, hijacked a truck and drove into a crowd of pedestrians in the center of Stockholm. As a result of the terrorist attack, five people were killed and ten were injured. In June of this year, Akilov was sentenced to life imprisonment. The conduct of military exercises in the Security Zone requires authorization of the Joint Control Commission, which in this case was not received, says the OSCE. Russia cannot be considered a peacemaker in Transnistria, and it went for provocation against Moldova, according to Moldovan Minister of Defense Eugen Sturza. "Someone thinks that the use of threats can make you someone's friend. How can you, climbing over the fence and threatening your neighbor, hope that you will become his friend? Paradoxically, this is what our neighbor, Russia, is trying to do, conducting military exercises with the crossing of the Dniester," the minister wrote on Facebook, according to Europeiska Pravda. "Such exercise in the security zone, with unmarked armored trucks involved, is a provocative act that undermines the basis of the Russian side's justification as a peacekeeping mission. It is extremely difficult to explain to them that the exercise of "little green men" with the crossing of the Dniester with armored vehicles is not a peacekeeping mission, and what they are doing does not secure peace in the region. Maybe the OSCE will help us explain the difference?" added Sturza. The OSCE Mission to Moldova expresses its concern over the conduct of military exercises by the Russian Army Operational Group, in particular, the river crossing, in the Security Zone on August 14-15. The mission deployed its observers in the Security Area, but they were prevented from conducting a full monitoring of the exercise. Read alsoMoldova's new defense strategy recognizes Russian military presence "threat to national security" On August 13, an official site of the Western Military District of Russia revealed that the Russian Army Operational Group, stationed in the Transnistrian region, prepared military armored vehicles for possible exercises with the crossing of water barriers. On the morning of August 14, on the left bank of the Dniester River, near the beach in the village of Tirnuk, and near the pedestrian bridge over the Dniester River in Tiraspol, unmarked armored vehicles and military trucks were deployed. Moldovan forces were not allowed on these territories. According to the 1992 agreement signed in Moscow on the principles of peaceful settlement of armed conflict on the Dniester, the security zone (over 200 km along the river) checkpoints were set up of peacekeeping forces of Russia, Moldova, and Transnistria. Read alsoRussian diplomats expelled from Moldova recruited fighters Reuters Later the Joint Control Commission was established, which included representatives of Transnistria, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, and the OSCE, Joint Military Command, Joint Headquarters, Joint Peacekeeping Force and the Office of Military Observers. The conduct of military exercises in the Security Zone requires authorization of the JCC, which in this case was not received, says the OSCE. According to the media, "president" of the unrecognized Transnistria, Vadym Krasnoselsky, in private conversations complains that Russia is dissatisfied with the increased reintegration of the region with Moldova. Instead, the Russian president should be tried for crimes like MH17, Aleppo, and Salisbury, the official says. Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Affairs Anna Hopko, commenting on the report, notes that Putin's attendance at the wedding discredits Austria as a neutral state. "On August 18, among the guests at the wedding of the head of Austrian diplomacy there will be Putin, the one who is supposed to be in the dock. His participation in the wedding discredits Austria as a neutral state that can mediate on Ukraine," Hopko stressed. In her opinion, Putin's presence at the wedding ceremony is "another signal , it's a blow to European values, while Sentsov, Balukh, political prisoners of the Kremlin are at risk of death because of the hunger strike; the torture of Ukrainians in the occupied territories is a daily occurrence, and international experts like the Red Cross do not have access to them, while in the east of Ukraine there are daily shellings because Putin does not fulfill the agreements and there is no armistice." Read alsoKremlin "pleased" with Helsinki summit, U.S. and Western intelligence assesses CNN "Also, Putin should sit in the dock because of crimes such as MH17, Aleppo, and Salisbury," said Hopko. As reported earlier, Vladimir Putin is to be a surprise guest at Austria minister Karin Kneissl 's Saturday wedding. "Yes, he will drop by on the way to Berlin," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Russia's Ria Novosti news agency, the BBC reports. Peskov added that the Russian president had been invited to attend the wedding when he visited Austria earlier this year. Ms Kneissl, an independent, was picked for the foreign minister job by Austria's far-right Freedom Party - a coalition partner in the current government. The Freedom Party is believed to have links to Russia's governing United Russia party. As UNIAN reported earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Berlin on August 18 for the second time in just over three months, her government says. The agenda of the talks are set to include the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine, as well as energy issues, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said on August 13, RFE/RL wrote. The corn plants at the agriculture innovation park in Turgen, a village in Kazakhstan, are as tall as an adult human being. It's a sight of pride and joy for Abumuslim Alisultanovich ASTANA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Aug, 2018 ) :The corn plants at the agriculture innovation park in Turgen, a village in Kazakhstan, are as tall as an adult human being. It's a sight of pride and joy for Abumuslim Alisultanovich. The agronomist at the 200-hectare China-Kazakhstan Modern Agriculture Innovation Park thanks Chinese agricultural assistance for the bountiful crop. "This is the help from one neighbor to another," he said. "I've been tracking this cornfield for over a year. The corn from China shows great resistance to both diseases and drought." Established in May 2015, the agriculture park in the Almaty region is a joint venture between Chinese company Yangling Modern Agriculture Demonstration Park Development and Construction Co. Ltd. and a Kazakh international fund. A pilot project in Kazakhstan under the Belt and Road Initiative, the park cultivates optimized seed strains, develops water-saving irrigation, plants fruit trees and experiments as well as promotes new agricultural machinery. "Chinese agriculture experts have brought new technologies and new varieties of crops to us. Their expertise is admirable," Alisultanovich, who has nearly 30 years of experience in agriculture, said. In the past three years, the park experimented with 45 varieties of crops, including wheat, maize, soybean, and oilseed rape. The new breeds have a greater output. For example, a Chinese-developed wheat, called WW5, produces 82.3 percent more than the domestic species, while P2 soybean, also cultivated by Chinese experts, produces 32.7 percent more than the Kazakh variety. "What makes China different from other countries is that not only have Chinese experts brought output growth to Kazakhstan, they also come here to demonstrate the technologies," Alisultanovich said. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev highlighted the benefits of the agricultural cooperation with China to Xinhua in May. He said the trade volume of agricultural products between the two countries has surged 20 percent in the past five years, and the export of Kazakh agricultural products to China has more than doubled. Han Wanchu, deputy chief representative of the Kazakh fund in Xi'an, a city in western China, told Xinhua that while Kazakhstan has abundant agricultural resources, the small population meant limited domestic consumption of agricultural products. But that's a thing of the past. "Now, against the backdrop of the Belt and Road Initiative, agricultural cooperation between the two countries have been advancing on a fast track. Wheat powder, edible fat and oil, and different snacks from Kazakhstan are entering the Chinese market in large amounts," Han said. "It lessens Kazakh farmers' worry about where to sell their products. It is also much easier now for Kazakhs to buy fruits and vegetables imported from China. The Green Bazaar in Almaty City, for instance, is a well-known marketplace not only in Kazakhstan, but also across Central Asia. According to Sholpan Kupriyanova, a vendor at the bazaar, vegetables from China, such as spinach, broccoli and cherry tomato, will arrive at the market in winter. Chinese vegetables are cheaper than those from neighboring Uzbekistan, she said. Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr Tariq Banuri on Thursday said that HEC has planned to set up a National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE) to conduct trainings for newly inducted and in-service faculty, administrative staff of universities as well as potential academic leadership. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Aug, 2018 ) :Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr Tariq Banuri on Thursday said that HEC has planned to set up a National academy of Higher Education (NAHE) to conduct trainings for newly inducted and in-service faculty, administrative staff of universities as well as potential academic leadership. He stated this during a meeting with Mission Director, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mr Jerry Bisson who visited the Commission Secretariat, a press release said here. Talking to the Mission Director, Dr Tariq Banuri said the HEC and USAID have a long legacy of collaboration and shared his vision for the uplift of Pakistan's higher education sector. He stressed the need for holistic personality grooming of students. He maintained that highly effective training sessions are required to improve the leadership qualities bestowed upon Pakistani youth. He said that Pakistani youth are gifted with enormous capabilities and their potential needs to be unleashed for the country's uplift. He also underlined the importance of corporate training at school as well as university level. "We need to direct the higher education sector of this country towards excellence," he stated. Referring to the significance of increase in government funding for higher education sector, he said the higher education sector witnesses 10 per cent increase in enrollment annually. The government funding must be in proportion to the increase in enrollment, as high enrollment necessitates development of infrastructure, he emphasized. The Chairman shed light on the role of Centres of Advanced Studies at National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Peshawar and Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET), Jamshoro. Mr. Jerry Bisson appreciated the HEC for its efforts to promote higher education and a research culture in Pakistan. During the course of meeting, the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor was also discussed. The initiative aims to provide opportunities for 10,000 Pakistani students for doctoral studies in US universities as Government of Pakistan envisions enhancing enrollment in tertiary education up to 7.1 million by 2025. This will facilitate the enhancement of Ph.D. faculty of HEI's from current 27 percent to 40 percent in the year 2025. In the initial phase, HEC is focusing on sending 1,500 PhD scholars to the leading US universities, within the funds approved by Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC). Besides, the USAID-funded Merit and Needs-based Scholarship and USAID Fulbright Scholarship were also brought under consideration. Describing Kashmir as political dispute, Azad Jammu Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan Thursday urged India to pursue diplomacy with Pakistan to settle the issue amicably. MIRPUR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Aug, 2018 ) ,:Describing Kashmir as political dispute, Azad Jammu Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan Thursday urged India to pursue diplomacy with Pakistan to settle the issue amicably. "Kashmir is an international dispute still pending on agenda of the UN Security Council as one of the dispute that needs to be addressed under relevant UN resolution," President Khan said during his meeting with AJK Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Chaudhry Javed Iqbal, who called on him at President House on Thursday. The Minister discussed with the President changing geopolitical situation in the region with especial reference to Indian maneuvering to distract world attention from the brutalities perpetrated by its occupation forces. Saying that there is no military answer to Jammu and Kashmir conflict, President Masood emphasized that only a negotiated settlement is a viable way to find a peaceful solution of the seven decades old dispute to preserve the peace in the region. Asking New Delhi to sit across the table with Pakistan and genuine representatives of Kashmiri people to discuss the core issue, AJK President said resorting to state terrorism to stifle the voice of Kashmiris and political manipulation to repeal Article 35- A and Article 370 will in no way help India to get out of the quagmire of her own making in Kashmir. President Masood Khan thanked people of the Occupied Jammu and Kashmir for demonstrating their eternal love for Pakistan by celebrating country's 71th Independence Day with zeal and zest and added that Kashmiris have sent a clear and loud message that they are not willing to live with India. The President also strongly condemned Indian administration for imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Joint Resistance Leadership and workers on the occasion of India's Independence Day and detention of political leaders. He further said that we should work for the economic development and political stability in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan. Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Law, Chaudhry Javed Iqbal said abolition of Article 35 from Indian constitution and change in Kashmir's demography would be serious violation of International law. Close all windows, doors, and vents. This will help reduce the amount of smoke and radiant heat inside your home. Move flammable items to the interior of your home. Anything combustible thats placed near windows could go up in flames as the fire draws closer. Shut off the gas. This will help prevent explosions if the fire comes near your home. Follow instructions from local authorities. If you are told to evacuate, you should do so immediately. Use respirator masks. N95 respirator masks can help keep you from breathing in toxic particles or chemicals that may be in the smoky air around a wildfire. (@ChaudhryMAli88) DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 16th Aug, 2018) The Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection, CCCP, sector in Dubai's Department of Economic Development, DED, has launched a Chinese language course for its inspectors in cooperation with the University of Dubai. The course will run from 9th August to 15th November, 2018. The programme aims to enhance communication skills of DED staff and equip them to deal more efficiently with Chinese traders and consumers, particularly in commercial supervision and inspection as well as in protecting consumer rights. Abdullah Al Kaabi, Director of Development and Follow-up in CCCP, said, "The Chinese language programme was launched in line with the directives of our leadership in order to provide the necessary skills for our inspectors to perform their tasks with high quality and efficiency. The programme will equip the inspectors with the basics of Chinese language as well as on terminology related to commercial inspection, consumer protection and other CCCP functions." The first programme will be held at the University of Dubai with a group of CCCP inspectors attending, offering 120 training hours. Al Kaabi added that Chinese businesses and consumers constitute a large and growing share of DED customers. "The Chinese language course is therefore aimed to improve overall customer satisfaction and service quality through empowering our employees to deal with the public in such a way that enhances happiness of our customers, particularly the Chinese speaking customers," he concluded. (@FahadShabbir) Ambassador of United Arab Emirates (UAE) Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Al Zaabi Thursday called on newly-elected Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Aug, 2018 ) :Ambassador of United Arab Emirates (UAE) Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Al Zaabi Thursday called on newly-elected Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser. Speaking on the occasion, the Speaker said that Pakistan attached great importance to its brotherly relations with the UAE. He said that Pakistan and UAE had strong religious, cultural and historical bonds. He said that members of the Parliament and traders could play important role in further cementing bilateral relations. The ambassador of UAE congratulated Asad Qaiser over his election as Speaker National Assembly and stated that his country attached great importance to its relations with Pakistan. (@rukhshanmir) Islamabad Citizens Committee (ICC) welcomed the newly elected government in-waiting, hoping it will pay special attention for upgrading the living conditions of the locals ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Aug, 2018 ) :Islamabad Citizens Committee (ICC) welcomed the newly elected government in-waiting, hoping it will pay special attention for upgrading the living conditions of the locals. In a meeting held here Thursday, the Committee wished the new government all the success. It asserted that the government should try its best to fulfill their promises as given in its manifesto, ensuring a better future of the people. It pledged to extend full support to the new government, hoping it would give top priority to addressing the grievances of the residents of the Federal capital. The Islamabad Citizens Committee held its special session to commemorate Pakistan's 71st Independence Day. The meeting was presided over by Haji Dawood Khoker, General Secretary ICC. Those who addressed the meeting included former Director General Associated Press of Pakistan, M. Aftab and senior ICC's senior member Syed Muhammd Saddiq Hasan. The speakers paid tributes to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his close associates for their untiring efforts to win freedom for the Muslims of the sub continent. They lauded the participation of the students of Aligarh Muslim University and their support to the freedom struggle. The services of late Shakir Hasan, ex-President of the committee were also lauded in the meeting, noting he had made great contribution towards the development of Islamabad and in establishment of independent Islamabad Capital Territory Administration. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The news aired on Geo News about discussion between the Caretaker Interior Minister Muhammad Azam and Director General Federal Investigation Agency about fake bank accounts case was baseless and contrary to facts, said a spokesman of Interior Ministry in a statement here on Thursday. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Aug, 2018 ) :The news aired on Geo News about discussion between the Caretaker Interior Minister Muhammad Azam and Director General Federal Investigation Agency about fake bank accounts case was baseless and contrary to facts, said a spokesman of Interior Ministry in a statement here on Thursday. The spokesman of Interior Ministry said no discussion took place between the Caretaker Interior Minister and Director General Federal Investigation Agency about the fake bank accounts case. The remarks attributed to the Caretaker Interior Minister about the arrest of Anwar Majeed was a pack of lies, he added. The Interior Ministry never interfered in any ongoing investigation, he said adding the matter comes in the ambit of investigation agency. Khawaja Harris, counsel for former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Wednesday concluded his arguments before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a petition for suspension of the accountability court's verdict against his client in the Avenfield property reference. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2018 ) :Khawaja Harris, counsel for former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Wednesday concluded his arguments before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a petition for suspension of the accountability court's verdict against his client in the Avenfield property reference. A two-member IHC bench comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb resumed hearing of Nawaz's petition. At the outset, NAB's Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi requested the court to adjourn the hearing for two days so that he could submit paragraph-wise reply in line with the request of Nawaz's counsel as he did not receive the court order in time. Justice Minallah, however, observed that hearing could not be adjourned on those grounds. The NAB counsel said he was not in the town, but the court rejected his plea. Justice Minallah asked Khwaja Harris that according to to him, there was no record of Nawaz's property. To this, Harris responded that NAB witnesses had admitted that there was no evidence against Nawaz. Abbasi informed the court that NAB had brought forth record of known sources of income of Nawaz and his children. Justice Minallah asked as to how known sources of income were brought on record. "This is not a case of money laundering," he said. Abbasi replied that he would explain it to the court. Justice Minallah, however, observed that what was the contradiction as the worth of assets was not known. Harris then informed the bench that prosecution's main witness Wajid Zia, head of the Panama papers case Joint Investigation Team (JIT), presented a chart of assets. The chart was made by the JIT, but it was presented by Zia, he added. Reservations raised in the JIT report on the chart, were on record, Nawaz's counsel said. During the course of hearing, Justice Minallah observed, "The registrar's office has informed that incorrect statements attributed to judges were aired on August 13 and we have taken serious notice of this. We are also forwarding the matter to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)." He said if the judgments were given on one's wishes then there would be no justice. He observed, "We value the media but those who are indulging in this are involved in contempt of court."Justice Minallah remarked, "For a fair trial, it is essential to have trust in the legal system and if trials start taking place outside courts then that is contempt of court."Later, the IHC adjourned case till Thursday. Turkey has been holding talks with Iraq about the former carrying out operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist group by Ankara, on Iraqi territory, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Thursday. ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) Turkey has been holding talks with Iraq about the former carrying out operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist group by Ankara, on Iraqi territory, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Thursday. On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara had reached an agreement with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi on cooperation in combating PKK militants. On Wednesday, the Turkish general staff said that a senior PKK leader had been killed in the Iraqi town of Sinjar by the Turkish Armed Forces. "When Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi visited Turkey [on Tuesday], the fight against terrorism was discussed in detail. We have for some time been discussing operations not only in Sinjar but in Qandil, Makhmur and other areas, where terrorists have settled. We are fully determined to fight them," Kalin told reporters. Turkey has been fighting PKK militants for almost 40 years and is currently conducting regular raids inside the country and carrying out airstrikes on the group in Iraq. The PKK's main base is reportedly located in the Qandil Mountains in Iraqi Kurdistan region. While Iraqi Kurds have been granted an autonomy inside the country, the PKK is currently demanding the same for Turkish Kurds, who form the largest ethnic minority group in Turkey. (@rukhshanmir) MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th August, 2018) A Chilean airliner flying from Perus Lima to Chiles Santiago was diverted to Pisco on Thursday after air traffic controllers were told about a bomb on board, the Peruvian Transport Ministry said. "Today at 12:48, the Radar Control Center of Peru received a call from its counterparts in Chile, saying they had received a bomb threat concerning Latam Flight LA 2369," the statement read. The ministry said the crew had decided to divert the plane to the small Peruvian port city of Pisco. It landed at 13:54. Passengers were not hurt and the aircraft was not damaged, Peruvian authorities said, without commenting on the bomb threat. They said the situation was under control. Passengers were taken to Lima to continue their trip. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) The board of directors of Russia's energy-related company En+ Group has approved in principle the transfer of its subsidiary En+ Holding Limited from the Republic of Cyprus to the Russian jurisdiction, the company is expected to be re-registered in one of Russia's special economic zones, the En+ Group said in a statement on Thursday. The decision has been made after a package of laws allowing Russia-controlled foreign offshore companies to be re-registered in Russia entered into force on August 6, according to the company. "The proposed change of jurisdiction will allow the company to take advantage of the new Russian legislation on international companies," the companys statement read. The European Commission is concerned over violence toward participants of the recent anti-government rallies in Romania, European Commission Coordinating Spokesperson Christian Spahr said on Thursday. BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) The European Commission is concerned over violence toward participants of the recent anti-government rallies in Romania, European Commission Coordinating Spokesperson Christian Spahr said on Thursday. "In the context of the cooperation and verification mechanism process, the commission is following the developments with concern, and attaches great importance to the independence of the judiciary and the fight against corruption ... Violence can never be a solution in politics," he said at a press briefing, when he was asked whether the commission was going to start a rule of law process regarding the matter. On August 10 and 11, Bucharest saw mass anti-government protests over unpopular tax, pension and social security reforms. Tens of thousands of protesters called for the dissolution of the parliament, a snap election, an establishment of a unicameral parliament with 300 senators, and also for closer coordination with the European Union and NATO. According to Romanian Prosecutor's Office, around 30 protesters lodged complaints over security forces' violent actions, namely, using water cannons and spraying tear gas into the crowd. A number of journalists reported violence toward them as well. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis responded by calling on the country's prosecution to investigate the matter. (@rukhshanmir) The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is willing to expand its activities in Armenia, which joined the financial institution in 2009, the Armenian government said after talks between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and chairman of EDB management board Andrey Beliyaninov on Wednesday. YEREVAN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is willing to expand its activities in Armenia, which joined the financial institution in 2009, the Armenian government said after talks between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and chairman of EDB management board Andrey Beliyaninov on Wednesday. "Beliyaninov said at the meeting with the Armenian prime minister that the bank wanted to expand its activities in Armenia and was prepared to discuss the possibility of implementing new projects in various areas," the press release read. Pashinyan praised the cooperation between the Armenian government and the EDB, pointing at the need to further develop their partnership, according to the press release. The EDB was established by Russia and Kazakhstan in January 2006 with an aim to promote economic growth in its member states. Tajikistan jointed the institution in 2009, while Belarus and Kyrgyzstan became its full members in 2010 and 2011 respectively. Sen. Tom Carper speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill on July 24, 2018. Carper and Sen. Rob Portman led a bipartisan Senate investigation that concluded the Department of Health and Human Services failed to adequately account for the well-being of unaccompanied migrant children once they leave government custody. (Al Drago / Getty Images) ATHENS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th August, 2018) A German Condor Airways passenger plane made an emergency landing at Chania airport on the Greek island of Crete over an alleged bomb threat on board, local media reported Thursday. The aircraft with over 270 passengers was en route from Egypt's Hurghada to Duesseldorf, according to Skai broadcaster. All passengers and 11 crew members safely left the plane after the landing. The reports of the bomb threat are being checked by the police. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Czech non-governmental organization People in Need have sent more than 220 tonnes of cargo containing humanitarian aid to residents of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service said Thursday MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Czech non-governmental organization People in Need have sent more than 220 tonnes of cargo containing humanitarian aid to residents of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service said Thursday. "Fifteen trucks with humanitarian aid from the People in Need charity and the International Committee of the Red Cross weighing over 220 tonnes passed through the Novotroitske checkpoint," the Border Guard Service said in a statement. Donbas is suffering from a dire humanitarian situation amid an ongoing conflict caused by Kiev's military operation, launched against the self-proclaimed republics in the Donbas region after the latter refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government that came to power in 2014 in what they perceived to be a coup. In February 2015, the two sides to the Ukrainian conflict reached a ceasefire agreement following talks brokered by the Normandy Four states in the Belarusian capital of Minsk. Despite this, multiple ceasefire violations have been registered since then and continue to this day. (@FahadShabbir) Venture companies that received investment in the first half of this year have created more than 2,000 jobs so far, the government said Thursday, as it pushes to create a venture-friendly environment for innovative growth SEOUL, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Aug, 2018 ) :Venture companies that received investment in the first half of this year have created more than 2,000 jobs so far, the government said Thursday, as it pushes to create a venture-friendly environment for innovative growth. According to the Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Startups, 550 companies that received 1.3 trillion won (US$1.14 billion) of funding in the January-June period had 19,456 employees by the end of June, up 2,118 from 17,338 tallied by the end of 2017. Kurly Corp., the operator of leading online grocery shopping platform Market Kurly, for one, received 7.5 billion won of investment from four venture capital firms during the first six months of this year, and its number of employees jumped 43 percent from 130 to 186 during the cited period, the ministry said. Founded in 2014, Kurly's sales skyrocketed 168 percent from 17.4 billion won in 2015 to 46.6 billion won in 2017 on the back of the rising number of single-person households. The ministry forecast the companies which receive investment this year to create more than 5,000 new jobs in total by the end of the year. Innovative growth is one of the key economic goals sought by the Moon Jae-in administration, along with income-led growth. The government earlier unveiled a set of support measures to boost innovative growth by providing funding and other incentives to eight key sectors, such as smart farms, smart cities, fintech, drones and electric vehicles and artificial intelligence. (@rukhshanmir) French President Emmanuel Macron and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah Sisi stressed on Thursday during a telephone conversation the need for de-escalation in the Gaza Strip, Elysee Palace said in a statement. PARIS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) French President Emmanuel Macron and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah Sisi stressed on Thursday during a telephone conversation the need for de-escalation in the Gaza Strip, Elysee Palace said in a statement. "President Emmanuel Macron and President Abdel Fattah Sisi touched on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, stressing the need for urgent de-escalation and humanitarian support in the Gaza Strip. The French president welcomed Egypt's efforts to promote inter-Palestinian reconciliation, securing a truce in Gaza and improving humanitarian access for the civilian population," the statement said. The leaders of the two countries also discussed the close bilateral cooperation between France and Egypt, including in the field of economy and security, it added. "They touched upon regional challenges, in particular the situation in Libya and the efforts made by France and Egypt to accompany the political process promoted by the UN and its special envoy, which are based on the conclusions of the May 29 Paris conference," the document says. The leaders of France and Egypt agreed to continue the exchange of views in the coming weeks, the French president's administration noted. Tensions between the Israelis and the Palestinians near the Gaza border have been mounting since late March, which marked the beginning of the Palestinian protest campaign against Israel, dubbed the Great March of Return. The recent disturbances on the Israeli-Gaza border have been caused by continued shelling and the launch of arson balloons by Hamas militants into Israeli territories. Egypt and the United Nations are attempting to come up with a plan to ease the current tensions between the Israelis and Palestinians. Since March, a number of temporary ceasefire agreements between Israel and Hamas have been reached through Egyptian mediation. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Montenegrin troops were sent to patrol the country's border with Albania over the influx of migrants and refugees from the Middle East and North Africa, the countrys Defense Ministry said on Thursday. BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) Montenegrin troops were sent to patrol the country's border with Albania over the influx of migrants and refugees from the middle East and North Africa, the countrys Defense Ministry said on Thursday. Typically, the police in all former republics of Yugoslavia ensure border security, but the army can be called in to help in cases of emergency. "Montenegrin troops will be used starting from today to control the border region and the state border with the Republic of Albania near the Bozaj checkpoint. Border security will be ensured by joint patrols of the police and armed forces that will prevent illegal crossings on the [Montenegrin-] Albanian border as well as other illegal activities in the border region," the ministerial statement said. In July, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban offered his Montenegrin counterpart, Dusko Markovic, help in coping with the migration crisis, since, according to the Hungarian leader, Montenegro was defending not only its borders, but Hungary and the entire European Union as well. The Montenegrin authorities have also said they were considering the construction of a fence along its shared border with Albania. After the official closure of the so-called Western Balkans migration route in 2016, refugees now travel to EU countries through a new Balkan route, increasing pressure on the reception capacities of Albania, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. (@FahadShabbir) MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th August, 2018) Russia has nothing to do with the incident in Salisbury, where former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned, and wants to cooperate with the investigation to punish the perpetrators, but expects London to provide evidence on the case, Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Alexander Yakovenko said in an interview published. "We are together with the people of Salisbury ... We want to cooperate on that matter in order to find the truth and in order to protect the life of Russian citizens ... In the long term, we are expecting Britain will punish the ones who did it," the Russian diplomat told to local newspaper Salisbury Journal. At the same time, Yakovenko noted that the amount of time spent on the investigation about six months put London in a "difficult position." "From my point of view, certain things are being distorted. There are so many stories but no facts," he said, adding that Russia needed "results of the investigation" to find out what had really happened. The ambassador refuted the statement of UK Prime Minister Theresa May, who announced Moscow's involvement in the incident, based on the alleged use of Soviet-developed poison agent A234, known as Novichok. "We said that any modern lab, all around the world, could make this type of poison," the diplomat said, adding that it might be UK-based Porton Down lab as well. Solving the Salisbury problem is in the interests of both countries, and the work must be done jointly, he concluded. The conversation took place at the ambassador's residence last week, when it became known that the United States was introducing new anti-Russian sanctions in connection with the Skripal case. According to Yakovenko, the message of US President Donald Trump about this was a "gesture and political statement," as London failed to present any credible information to its allies. On March 4, the Skripals were found unconscious on a bench at a shopping center in Salisbury. The United Kingdom and its allies have accused Moscow of having orchestrated the attack with what UK experts claim was the A234 nerve agent, albeit without presenting any proof. On July 12, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow had sent about 60 diplomatic notes to UK Foreign Office demanding that Russia be given access to the investigation of the Skripal case, as well as to the affected Russian citizens, but UK authorities did not react to them. Over 500,000 children will go to school this year in the Syrian northern Aleppo province, the provincial governor said on Thursday. ALEPPO (Syria) (UrduPoint news / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) Over 500,000 children will go to school this year in the Syrian northern Aleppo province, the provincial governor said on Thursday. "The new school year will begin soon, 1,350 schools, located in the city and its neighborhoods, will open their doors to children. The total number of schoolchildren will be 500,000," Hussein Diab told reporters. Moreover, some 1,000 undergraduates would continue their studies in six local universities, including the University of Aleppo, the governor added. "Despite the major damage caused by terrorist organizations, work on restoring Aleppos industrial infrastructure and ensuring the return of civilians to the peaceful life are underway," Diab pointed out. The governor said earlier on Thursday that around 1.2 million Syrians had returned to the Aleppo province after it had been liberated from terrorists. Some 6 million people inhabited the region before the war, including some 2 million residents of the city of Aleppo. According to Diab, there are currently 3 million people living in the province. The Syrian authorities are funding the restoration of the area, which is being done with Russias support. Aleppo, once the most inhabited Syrian city, was a major war zone between 2012 and 2016 in the course of the Syrian war between the government forces and numerous opposition, militant and terrorist groups. The city was liberated from terrorists in December 2016. The Peruvian authorities have received a request from Venezuela to locate two people who were reportedly involved in the recent assassination attempt on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and may be hiding in Peru, the Peruvian Foreign Ministry said. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) The Peruvian authorities have received a request from Venezuela to locate two people who were reportedly involved in the recent assassination attempt on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and may be hiding in Peru, the Peruvian Foreign Ministry said. On Wednesday, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry asked Peru to extradite two suspects linked to the attempt on the president's life: Gregorio Jose Yaguas Monje and Yilber Alberto Escalona. "The Peruvian Embassy in Caracas received a request from the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry to locate two Venezuelan citizens wanted by the justice system of that country for their alleged participation in what the [Venezuelan] government calls an 'attempt on the life of the president of Venezuela,'" the ministry said on its Twitter account on Wednesday night. According to the Venezuelan authorities, the assassination attempt took place on August 4, when the president was attending a military parade in the country's capital Caracas. The presidential box was hit by an explosion caused by two bomb-laden drones, leaving Maduro unharmed but several soldiers injured. On Tuesday, Venezuelan Prosecutor General Tarek William Saab said that there were a total of 34 suspects in the case, 14 of whom had already been arrested, including two high-ranking Venezuelan military. Maduro accused the country's opposition and former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos of the assassination attempt, adding that some of the attackers were hiding in the United States. Numerous phantom voters identified by citizens in Macedonia can become an obstacle for holding a referendum on Macedonia's new name scheduled for September 30, the president of Skopje-based CIVIL - Center for Freedom NGO, Xhabir Deralla, told Sputnik on Thursday. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) Numerous phantom voters identified by citizens in Macedonia can become an obstacle for holding a referendum on Macedonia's new name scheduled for September 30, the president of Skopje-based CIVIL - Center for Freedom NGO, Xhabir Deralla, told Sputnik on Thursday. On Tuesday, CIVIL-Center for Freedom, which has been conducting election monitoring since 2008, in its press release announced receiving dozens complaints from citizens ahead of the referendum on phantom voters registered at their addresses. The NGO also informed about reports on the presence of deceased people in voters' registers. "Phantom voters are actually posing an obstacle to the referendum, already. By having a surplus of entries (Names) in the Voters Register, the census is automatically higher and makes the whole process more difficult," Deralla said. Deralla added that in the framework of the monitoring of the referendum process, the NGO will focus on such violations as abuse of power, media manipulations, fake news, hate speech as well as on cases of intimidation of voters. "Certainly, we will remain true and objective to the end, and will provide public assessment of the referendum process. This includes the possibility of contesting the results or the conduct of the process," Deralla stressed. Deralla noted that the NGO is closely following activities of the State Election Commission and regularly issues recommendations on how to improve the quality of its service. However he noted that the State Election Commission decides on its own whether to follow recommendations aimed to prevent violations. An agreement on the countrys new name was signed by Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov and his Greek counterpart Nikos Kotsias on June 17. The deal ended a years-long dispute between the two countries over the use of "Macedonia," which is also the name of a region in Greece, and made it possible for Macedonia to seek NATO and EU membership. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov will discuss the whole range of issues on bilateral agenda, including the issue of energy cooperation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov will discuss the whole range of issues on bilateral agenda, including the issue of energy cooperation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. "The talks with the President of Turkmenistan will address the whole range of issues related to bilateral relations, including a possible energy dialogue. We will inform you about the details, if necessary," Peskov told reporters. County fair foods are a-changing. Challenged by fallen standards the owner of one of the oldest and biggest vendors handed me a pre-fried corn dog so flaccid that it was disturbingly awkward and extreme eats, from deep-fried butter on a stick to Lollapalooza lobster corn dogs, how do mom-and-pop stands survive? A generation from now it will all be decided. Meanwhile, you can still find some state fair classics on the circuit this season. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Forthcoming replacement of the Greek ambassador to Moscow is not an unfriendly move against Russia and is not related to the tensions in bilateral relations, a source in the Greek Foreign Ministry told Sputnik ATHENS (UrduPoint News - 15th August, 2018) Forthcoming replacement of the Greek ambassador to Moscow is not an unfriendly move against Russia and is not related to the tensions in bilateral relations, a source in the Greek Foreign Ministry told Sputnik. On August 10, Greek government sources told Sputnik that Athens had decided to recall Ambassador to Moscow Andreas Fryganas. The diplomat is expected to return to the country soon, while a new ambassador will be sent to Moscow, but the exact time is unknown, according to the sources. Same day, the Greek Foreign Ministry announced that Russia's decision to expel two Greek diplomats was "not based on any evidence" and also accused Russia of interfering in the country's internal affairs. "The ambassador to Russia is not being recalled. There are plans to replace him If the ambassador was recalled, the Foreign Ministry would have already issued a corresponding note and the ambassador would have already left," the source said. The source explained that the leakage of an internal document coincided with the ministry's statement on relations with Russia, but was not related to it. "It was a letter for internal use, for a very limited number of people. The Greek Foreign Ministry did not expect its leakage," source said. He noted that the decision to replace the ambassador to Russia had not been approved yet, a working meeting to review the minister's proposals on ambassadors would be possibly held in September. (@rukhshanmir) Russia has not initiated the steps that led to the deterioration of bilateral relations with Greece, Moscow hopes that the situation will improve, Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday. SVETLOGORSK (Russia) (UrduPoint news / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) Russia has not initiated the steps that led to the deterioration of bilateral relations with Greece, Moscow hopes that the situation will improve, Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday. On Friday, the Greek Foreign Ministry announced that Russia's decision to expel two Greek diplomats was "not based on any evidence" and also accused Russia of interfering in the country's internal affairs. "Once again, I would like to emphasize that Russia has not initiated the steps that led to the deterioration of Russian-Greek relations, on the contrary, we remain committed to the development of comprehensive cooperation with Greece. We believe this situation is abnormal and temporary, we hope for its speedy improvement," Zakharova told a briefing. The spokeswoman stressed that Russia had not interfered in Greece's internal affairs. "Russia has never interfered in the internal affairs of Greece and its foreign policy. And if somebody wants to make it look this way, these people are not true friends of Greece," Zakharova said. (@ChaudhryMAli88) SEOUL, Aug. 16 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Aug, 2018 ) :South Korea's export of information and telecommunications technology (ICT) products kept a double-digit growth for 20 months through July, a government report showed Thursday. The ICT export advanced 18.2 percent over the year to 18.56 billion U.S. Dollars in July, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. It kept rising by a double digit since December 2016. Semiconductor export jumped 30.2 percent to 10.47 billion dollars, topping 10 billion dollars for the third straight month. Demand continued for chips used for server and smart phone. Display panel shipment rose 2.6 percent to 2.51 billion dollars on demand for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel. Mobile phone export increased 6.8 percent to 1.35 billion dollars on demand for premium smart phones, and those for computer and peripherals expanded 10 percent to 930 million dollars. By region, ICT export to China, South Korea's biggest trading partner, jumped 26.1 percent to 10.16 billion dollars in July on demand for chips, computer and peripherals. Export to Vietnam gained 10.8 percent to 2.25 billion dollars, and ICT shipment to the United States climbed 19.2 percent to 1.7 billion dollars. The ICT import grew 9.8 percent to 9.1 billion dollars, sending the ICT trade surplus to 9.46 billion dollars in July. Sudan and Ethiopia agreed to deploy troops on the two countries' common border, Sudanese Army's Chief of Staff Kamal Abdul-Marouf said Thursday. KHARTOUM (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) Sudan and Ethiopia agreed to deploy troops on the two countries' common border, Sudanese Army's Chief of Staff Kamal Abdul-Marouf said Thursday. "Agreement was reached with Ethiopia to deploy troops between the countries," Abdul-Marouf told reporters after meeting with his Ethiopian counterpart Seare Mekonen. He added that the agreement was reached after talks between the two military commanders in Khartoum and noted that the move was aimed at preventing tensions and conflicts at the borders of countries. (@FahadShabbir) Syrian President Bashar Assad has signed amnesty decrees for different social categories, which will provide for a personalized approach to each citizen depending on their involvement in the armed conflict in Syria, the country's Minister for Public Administration Hussein Makhlouf said on Wednesday. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) Syrian President Bashar Assad has signed amnesty decrees for different social categories, which will provide for a personalized approach to each citizen depending on their involvement in the armed conflict in Syria, the country's Minister for Public Administration Hussein Makhlouf said on Wednesday. "A few words on amnesty. The procedure of dealing with the issue is personalized and depends on the severity of the involvement in the armed conflict of each Syrian citizen, including those who are wanted for various reasons. In order to restore peace in the country as soon as possible, the Syrian president issued several decrees regarding different social categories," Makhlouf said at a meeting of the Russian interdepartmental coordination headquarters on the return of refugees to Syria. The minister added that the Syrian government had also come up with an initiative to allow a one-year military draft deferral for Syrian refugees who had returned to the country. Various opposition groups and terrorist organizations have been fighting for power against Assad's forces in a full-scale civil war for over seven years with a ceasefire regime currently in place. Russia has been assisting the government with military support, humanitarian aid and the relocation and accommodation of the returning Syrians through a recently created refugee center. On Wednesday, the head of Russias National Defense Control Center, Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev, said that a total of 300,000 Syrian refugees had returned to their homes from abroad over the past 2.5 years along with another 1.2 million internally displaced people. (@FahadShabbir) US President Donald Trump's Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt has warned that neither Israel nor the Palestinians will be pleased with the US plan for the Middle East settlement, but stressed that this was the only way to reach peace. TEL AVIV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) US President Donald Trump's Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt has warned that neither Israel nor the Palestinians will be pleased with the US plan for the middle East settlement, but stressed that this was the only way to reach peace. "No one will be fully pleased with our proposal, but that's the way it must be if real peace is to be achieved. Peace can only succeed if it is based on realities," Greenblatt said in a Twitter publication. Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and US Ambassador to Tel Aviv David Friedman put their signatures under the publication. Greenblatt has also published this post in Hebrew and Arabic. Both during his presidential campaign and after becoming US president, Trump promised to take steps toward settling the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Among the measures taken was ordering Kushner and Greenblatt to focus on the Middle East conflict, and to work out a plan that could bring peace to the region. The two officials have made numerous trips to the region and held talks with local officials, but have not revealed the details of their proposals on the issue. In December, Trump announced the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and the relocation of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The move has been met with mass protests by the Palestinians. Notably, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said after these decisions were implemented that Ramallah would no longer accept the United States as a mediator in the Middle Eastern peace process. The US Navy and Coast Guard just finished exercises in the Arabian Gulf with the navies of Kuwait and Iraq, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a press release on Thursday. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) The US Navy and Coast Guard just finished exercises in the Arabian Gulf with the navies of Kuwait and Iraq, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a press release on Thursday. "The US Navy and Coast Guard completed a trilateral exercise with Iraqi navy and Kuwaiti navy partners in the Northern Arabian Gulf, August 15," the release said. CENTCOM explained that the goal of the trilateral exercise was to improve maritime security tactics and ensure freedom of navigation in the area where the US 5th Fleet operates. The operations included live fire exercises, search and seizure team training, infrastructure protection drills and high-value unit protection, the release said. The US 5th fleet operates in 2.5 million square miles of water, which includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) Venezuelas Foreign Ministry asked Peru on Wednesday to extradite two suspects linked to the attempt on the life of President Nicolas Maduro, the foreign policy chief said. "The two people are Gregorio Jose Yaguas Monje, alias Latino, and Yilber Alberto Escalona, alias Pastor. Everything points to them being in Peru," Jorge Arreaza told reporters. Twenty-three people are under investigation for an alleged role in this months attack on President Maduro during a military parade in Caracas when two explosives-laden drones went off close to his podium. Ten suspects have been detained, with arrest warrants issued for 13 others, believed to have fled abroad. The president previously accused the United States and Colombia of harboring the plotters. Page Content Millennials are the largest generation and soon-to-be the most influential in global leadership. Learn more about the millennial mindset and how to effectively collaborate across generations, harness millennial strengths and help them overcome weaknesses during a program featuring a former guitarist for the band Hanson. Ravi Hutheesing will discuss "Millennial Mojo: Disrupting Education Under Millennial Leadership" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 28, at Sentry Theater. This "Point in Common" talk will empower educators, employees, parents and other leaders. It is free and open to the public. "Anticipating and influencing the positive impact that millennials will have as leaders is a tremendous opportunity," said Hutheesing. "Their magic or 'mojo' is shaping the world." As a motivational speaker, Hutheesing bridges cultures, unites generations and empowers audiences with cultural competency, generational empathy and an entrepreneurial mindset. His experiences as a rock star, aviator and cultural diplomat is a testament to the positive impact people can make building connections and relationships. Hutheesing advocates globally on behalf of the arts, entrepreneurship and education. The "Point in Common" series is sponsored by the Stevens Point Area Public School District, Pacelli Catholic Schools, UW-Stevens Point School of Education, Mid-State Technical College, Sentry Insurance, Okray Family Farms, Phi Delta Kappa and the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin. To register or for more information, visit pointincommon.org. Franklins affinity for film noir began at a young age. I remember watching Dick Powell in Murder, My Sweet and something about it drew me, fascinated me, even when I didnt really understand what was going on. And later, as an adult, Id watch anything with Bogart in it. Theres something about the film noir antihero, the cynic who does the right thing for the wrong reasons, sometimes. The genre was created by immigrants who fled Europe, before and during World War II, and these people knew what fascism was. Coming here, they had an eye for the corruption and the hypocrisy of those in power. And their antiheroes, in film noir, saw through it all. The genre has always had a foundation in strong social analysis. El Dorado Cantina, an authentic Mexican restaurant and bar close to the Las Vegas Strip knows patrons love the tableside guacamole so much, they have added three additional limited-time only renditions of the classic crowd-pleaser. While guests can always enjoy the timeless Tableside Guacamole, made with organic Hass avocados and mixed with serrano peppers, garlic, tomatoes, onion, cilantro and fresh lime juice, they can also experience three new versions created by Executive Chef Francisco Paco Cortes, available now through the month of September. Tropical Tableside Guacamole: featuring fresh pineapple, mango and green bell peppers Bacon Blue Tableside Guacamole: featuring bacon bites and blue cheese crumbles Triple Spice Blend Tableside Guacamole: featuring Serrano, Habanero and Fresno chili peppers El Dorados Tableside Guacamole, no matter what version suits your fancy, is the perfect way to start your dining experience with friends, family and colleagues. Priced at $16 each, guacamole is always made fresh and custom made-to-order right at your tableside. The around-the-clock restaurant is best known for being one of the only Mexican restaurant in the valley to offer cuisine made with organic, non-GMO ingredients and for its extensive menu featuring dishes inspired by regions all across Mexico. Chef Cortes and his team believe in using sustainably-raised products, which means that all of the beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, and fish used in the dishes originate from carefully-selected farms in the U.S. and are free from antibiotics, pesticides, and steroids. Happy Hour is available 2 to 6 p.m. and again from midnight to 4 a.m. daily, featuring half off well and domestic beer, $7 food menu and $3.50 street tacos. El Dorado Cantina offers $5 1942 Don Julio tequila shots (valued at $35) every Tuesday. The bar offers over 100 tequilas such as AsomBroso Vintage 11-Year aged and Clase Azul Ultra, delicious white, red and sparkling Sangrias house made with fresh fruits, assorted domestic, import beers, specialty craft beers including Samuel Pure Brewed Organic Lager and Eel River IPA, wines, champagne and bottle service. The drink menu features refreshing, house-made fresh juices, including tamarind, hibiscus, pineapple, and seasonal watermelon and mango. The decor is sophisticated with its rich brown woods, hand-woven deep red wall coverings, wrought-iron Mexican light fixtures adding a soft lighting ambiance, custom built-in lighted birch wood boxes showcasing premium tequilas, several antique mirrors, and two beautifully-aged antique Mexican oak and copper doors hung near the bar. What a wonderful life! Madame Tussauds Las Vegas teamed up with Cure 4 The Kids Foundation, a local Las Vegas nonprofit, to help fight childhood cancer. In honor of the famed Gwen Stefanis new residency in Vegas and her recently announced partnership with the reputable organization, the renowned attraction was pleased to support the efforts to raise funds for the foundation with the donation of a one-of-a-kind Fender Squier Electric Guitar signed by Gwen herself in 2010. After several bids, the signed guitar went to a loyal Gwen Stefani fan for $1,500. Now thats B-A-N-A-N-A-S! Madame Tussauds is proud to see every cent of the winning bid go back to Cure 4 the Kids. Additionally, on August 4 Madame Tussauds was thrilled to partake in the Cure 4 the Kids annual event where children and their families were given the opportunity to act like a celebrity for a day and pose with the Gwen Stefani figure on the red carpet. Patients along with their family and friends were star struck to see Gwen and pose with her figure while strutting their stuff on the red carpet. In September 2010, Madame Tussauds launched Gwen Stefanis iconic display, and during the unveiling she so thoughtfully signed the guitar as a thank you to Madame Tussauds. Guests can still visit the attraction and join the spotlight by striking a pose with Gwen. Each month, The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, partners with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) and other Las Vegas agencies to host Community Safety Forums free public programs focusing on pertinent issues that affect Southern Nevada. Augusts forum will address child and youth safety. Attendees will learn safety tips and receive information about resources available to ensure children remain safe at home, on their way to school and in public spaces. All Community Safety Forum attendees receive free admission to The Mob Museum following the event, courtesy of NV Energy. For current wndr ticket holders, their reservation will be pushed out by exactly five weeks, according to the museum. So a ticket valid on Friday, August 17, at 5pm, will be valid for Friday, September 21, at 5pm. Ticket holders will receive confirmation of this from Tock in the coming days. If ticket holders are unable to join on the rescheduled date, they will be fully refunded and added to the first-access list for newly available tickets. This communication will go out to existing ticket holders by 2 pm today. The ruling party of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has won all 125 parliamentary seats in last month's election, which has been denounced by outlawed opposition forces as illegitimate. The National Election Committee said Wednesday that voter turnout for the July 29 balloting was 83 percent, despite the absence of the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, which was dissolved last year by the Supreme Court. Nineteen smaller parties participated in the election, but put up only token opposition. The landslide victory by the Cambodian People's Party ensures that Prime Minister Hun Sen will extend his 33-year grip on power once the new parliament convenes next month. He defended the elections as free and fair in a message posted on Facebook Wednesday, and praised Cambodians for choosing peace and development. Sam Rainsy, the exiled leader of the CNRP, accused the National Election Committee of inflating the voter turnout numbers in a written statement. He said the NEC of "playing tricks" with the results because it is under the control of the CPP. Western skepticism Several Western governments pulled their support for the election, and a number of independent election monitors declined to take part after the CNRP was dissolved. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the U.S. will expand visa restrictions imposed late last year on high-ranking Cambodians "responsible for the most notable anti-democratic actions" taken in the run-up to the elections, which she called "flawed." Nauert said the new restrictions may apply to individuals both inside and outside the government, as well their immediate family members. The court ruling dissolving the CNRP capped an apparent crackdown on dissenting voices launched by Hun Sen to avoid a repeat of the last national election in 2013, when he and his ruling government were nearly defeated. The repressive moves include the arrest of CNRP co-leader Kem Sokha on charges of treason, which led half of the party's lawmakers to flee, and the closure of The Cambodia Daily, one of the country's last independent newspapers, after the publishers received an exorbitant overdue tax bill they said was bogus. 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. The United States has condemned a recent spate of deadly attacks in Afghanistan. A spokesperson for the State Department said Wednesday that Washington remains a staunch supporter of the Afghanistan government's effort to establish peace. VOA's Zlatica Hoke reports military bases and an education center have been the targets of insurgent violence in the past week while the Taliban also tried to take control of a strategic city near Afghanistan's capital. Afghan officials claim that dozens of Pakistani nationals were among more than 400 militants killed in fierce battles in southeastern Ghazni province in the past several days. "During the Taliban attack in Ghazni province, over 400 terrorists were killed, including 70 Pakistani nationals whose bodies are ready to be transferred to Pakistan in Jahangir Bazar, a local market located between Muqur and Gelan districts [Ghazni province]," said Wahidullah Kalimzai, governor of Ghazni province. Kalimzai added that other foreign nationals were among the dead militants during battles. He also said at least 100 Afghan national security forces and dozens of civilians were killed. "Some of the dead bodies of Chechens remain in the battlefield. Documents found in their position prove they were Chechen nationals," the governor said. The Afghan Ministry of Defense also said it confirmed the presence of Pakistani nationals fighting in Ghazni province, but did not give details pending an investigation. "Pakistanis are involved in the southeastern Ghazni battle. The clearing operation is still underway, and we are investigating this issue," Sayed Ghafoor Ahmad Jawid, a spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, told VOA. Afghan authorities have long accused Pakistan's spy agency of backing militant fighters in the region, which Pakistani authorities have denied. But the Ghazni attack has revived the issue. Last week, the Afghan army chief of general staff, General Mohammad Sharif Yaftali, said Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was behind the five-day siege of Ghazni. "Pakistan is the springboard of international terrorism. All terrorists first land in Pakistan, where they get armed, equipped and then sent to Afghanistan to fight," Yaftali told reporters in Kabul. He also said many members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a U.S.-designated terror group, were among those killed in Ghazni province. Pakistan's reaction Pakistani officials reject the Afghan government's allegations that Pakistani nationals were fighting alongside the Taliban against Afghan government forces. "We have no evidence to back up these comments, hence we reject the reports of Pakistanis killed in Ghazni attacks," Muhammad Faisal, a spokesperson for Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told VOA. "We condemn the heinous attacks in Ghazni and want to reiterate that Pakistan wants a peaceful and stable Afghanistan," Faisal added. Jawid, the Afghan Ministry of Defense spokesperson, said, "We will share all the evidence with the Pakistani government and our international allies, including the U.N., once they are complete." Bodies returned to Pakistan? Reports from Pakistan's border region in recent days have cited local officials and social media photos and videos appearing to indicate that militant groups have transported dead fighters from the Ghazni battle back to Pakistan for burial. Afrasiab Khattak, a former senator and current senior member of the Awami National Party, asked his own government to explain the bodies when authorities insist no Pakistani nationals were involved. "The dead bodies from the southeastern Ghazni battle that were shifted to Pakistan some Pakistani groups have posted photos of the dead bodies and have invited people to attend funeral ceremonies of their members on social media. These groups have proudly stated that those men were killed there [in Ghazni]," Khattak told VOA. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman said Islamabad has not received any evidence to back up the claims. Local accounts Local sources in Pakistan told VOA that bodies have been transported to different provinces of Pakistan, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Baluchistan, from across the border. According to these sources, Usman, a militant commander; Haq Nawaz, a militant from Hangu district; and Rashid Badini, a militant from southwestern Baluchistan province, were among those killed in Ghazni, and people were visiting their families to offer condolences. Local Pakistani officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, told VOA that many Pakistani militants killed in Afghanistan allegedly belonged to Mullah Nazir, an allegedly pro-government militant group. They also said dozens of dead bodies were taken to Punjab's Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and Khara areas. The dead bodies allegedly were brought from Wana from Afghanistan, where they were transported to southern parts of Punjab province. VOA could not independently verify these claims. Sanctuaries Relations between Pakistan and the U.S. have deteriorated over allegations that Taliban insurgents fighting local and international forces in Afghanistan use sanctuaries on Pakistani soil to plan attacks. U.S. and Afghan officials have long accused Pakistan of being selective in its campaign against militant groups operating in the country. In January, U.S. President Donald Trump charged that Islamabad had failed to take action against terror safe havens in Pakistan and suspended military aid to the country. Pakistani officials deny the charges and maintain that the country has equally targeted all militant groups and suffered enormous losses. Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Pakistan's outgoing ambassador to the United States, told VOA in an interview in May that his country had done the most against terrorism in the region and that no country could accuse it of not doing enough. "Al-Qaida, if you don't hear about it today, it is because Pakistan and the U.S. were cooperating. Al-Qaida is the organization that caused 9/11, and therefore, we think that no country can tell us that Pakistan has not done enough. In fact, Pakistan has done the most," Chaudhry said. VOA's Madeeha Anwar contributed to this report from Washington. The new leader of Amnesty International says many world leaders, especially President Donald Trump, are rolling back gains made in respecting human rights, with the Trump administration's separation of families at U.S. borders "one of the worst atrocities" seen in a long time. "The presidency of Donald Trump is a major challenge for the people of the U.S. and the people of the world," Kumi Naidoo told The Associated Press on Thursday, saying the psychological damage of the border separation policy alone could be long-lasting. "Overall on human rights he has set us back ... and it should be no surprise that Donald Trump will be in my vision of activism and will be somebody who will receive quite close focus by Amnesty as a global movement." With a background of activism against apartheid in his native South Africa and for environmental issues as a director of Greenpeace, Naidoo said he intends to make Amnesty "bigger, bolder and more inclusive." He began a four-year term at the helm of the London-based rights group this week. "What I hope to do at Amnesty is to intensify our appetite for peaceful civil disobedience," he said. Although world leaders often ignore letters and meetings, he said that "when you mobilize thousands of people on their doorstep ... that seems to work much better." He added: "We should not allow the shrinking democratic space to prevent us from having a more robust and more courageous activism that will include peacefully resisting unjust laws and breaking unjust laws where necessary." Despite the recent setbacks for human rights, Naidoo said he is optimistic. Amnesty currently has a global membership of 7 million people and he said he would like to see that increase to 70 million, especially among younger people. "Young people will not accept wisdom that they are the leaders of tomorrow, they will assert their leadership now," he said. Brazil's Workers Party registered imprisoned former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday as its candidate for the October presidential election, despite his serving a 12-year sentence for corruption and facing several more graft trials. Several thousand supporters marched to Brazil's top electoral court chanting "Free Lula" and "Lula for President" as they accompanied top members of his PT party to register his candidacy just hours before the deadline. While he was nominated earlier this month to be his party's candidate, Lula is expected to be barred from running by the country's top electoral court since Brazilian law bars candidates whose conviction has been upheld on appeal, which is Lula's situation. Lula has been jailed since April but still leads all election polling. The PT will use all appeals to delay any final ruling on Lula's registration, and says he is its only candidate. Lula has chosen former Sao Paulo Mayor Fernando Haddad to lead the PT ticket when he is likely barred, according to party sources. Police said 10,000 people participated in the march. No incidents or arrests were reported. Lula governed Brazil for two terms from 2003 to 2011 and left office with a record approval rating of 87 percent due to a booming economy and social programs that lifted millions of Brazilians from poverty. His popularity has been hurt by corruption indictments and scandals involving his party, which was ousted from power in 2016 when his handpicked successor was impeached for breaking budget rules. Still, polls show about one-third of Brazilians would vote for him if he is allowed to run, almost double his nearest rival, far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro, and many of his supporters are expected to vote for whoever replaces him in the race. Vietgone: Two young war survivors (who may or may not be the playwrights parents) meet in a Vietnamese refugee camp in mid-America shortly after the fall of Saigon. The duo may or may not fall in love as they settle in amid cowboys, hippies and bikers. Through Sept. 23 at Writers Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000 and www.writerstheatre.org A Chinese delegation will travel to the United States later this month to resume negotiations as a trade war intensifies between the worlds two biggest economies. Chinas Commerce Ministry says Vice Minister Wang Shouwen will meet with David Malpass, an assistant U.S. Treasury secretary for international affairs. The ministry issued a statement saying Beijing welcomes dialogue, but will not accept any unilateral trade restriction measures. China and the United States have engaged in a round of reciprocal tariffs since July 6, when Washington officially imposed 25 percent tariffs on more than 800 Chinese products worth $34 billion. Beijing retaliated by imposing the same percentage of retaliatory tariffs on 545 U.S. items, also worth $34 billion. The two sides will impose an additional round of tariffs on $16 billion worth of goods from each country effective August 23. Cajun food is well known along the Gulf Coast in the southern part of the United States. This type of food is known for its unique blend of spices in seafood, sausage and rice. But less well known is a much newer type of cuisine. It blends Cajun food introduced by French colonists who settled in Louisiana in the late 1700s and dishes introduced by Vietnamese refugees who settled in Louisiana after Saigon fell to North Vietnamese forces in 1975. Many of the Vietnamese who live along the Gulf Coast have created something new by blending the two cultures. The Houston-based restaurant Crawfish & Noodles is one of many Cajun food establishments founded by Vietnamese immigrants. Special blend of seasonings Restaurant owner and chef Trong Nguyen makes boiled crawfish, perhaps the best known of Cajun foods. However, he adds something a little different to the traditional Cajun spices. We sprinkle that with Viet-Cajun seasoning, said Nguyen as he mixed boiled crawfish with a blend of seasonings. Similar to traditional Cajun boiled crawfish, Nguyens Viet-Cajun version includes garlic, onions and butter. But his crawfish also has Vietnamese spices. He attributed his knack for flavors to his grandmother. Back in Vietnam, my grandmom was a very great cook, so I have the taste (after) many years growing up with her, Nguyen said, remembering helping her prepare Vietnamese dishes. A refugee at 17 Nguyen was 17 when he settled in Houston in the late 1980s as a Vietnamese refugee seeking political asylum. In the U.S., he studied and worked several jobs, including casino marketing and hotel restaurant management, before owning his family-run restaurant that specialized in Vietnamese-Cajun-styled seafood. Many Vietnamese immigrants along the Gulf Coast turned to the seafood industry. The first (Vietnamese) immigrant(s) (who) came to the U.S. (are) pretty much the people (who) live in the shrimp boat. You know they do a lot of shrimp and stuff, Nguyen said, adding that it made sense for Vietnamese immigrants to embrace Cajun dishes, many of which feature crawfish, shrimp and catfish cooked with distinct Cajun spices. The Vietnamese seem to understand the culture more. Vietnamese dive into that kind of business, said Nguyen, who also uses French ingredients in his foods. The two cultures appear different, but they share an important historic link: Vietnam was a French colony, and the Cajuns ancestors were French colonists. Nguyen said customers at his restaurant have developed quite a taste for this fusion of flavors. Popular dishes include Cajun shrimp, salt and pepper crab, calamari and Viet-Cajun crawfish. The oriental spices are probably less salty than the traditional Cajun, different spices that give it a very unique flavor, said crawfish lover Mike Vandenbold, a native of southern Louisiana. He and his friends have been coming to the restaurant once a week for the past three months. When we came here, the extra Viet-Cajun spice is what made it for us. We like these better than the traditional Cajun crawfish, Vandenbold said. Its very flavorful, said Terri Tran, a Vietnamese-American. Theres lots of seasoning on it, and the crawfish is cooked perfectly. Nguyen said he hopes the next generation of chefs will create even better versions of Vietnamese Cajun cuisine and celebrate the unique blending of flavors and cultures. Arab media reported that Israel began allowing trucks to deliver various goods into Gaza through the main Kerem Shalom border crossing, after a visit Wednesday by Egypt's intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel, to negotiate a prisoner swap with Israeli officials in Tel Aviv. Egyptian media noted officials of the Palestinian Hamas group are expected to visit Cairo within the next 24 hours to deliver the group's response to the proposed Egyptian-sponsored deal. At the same time that Egyptian mediators were trying to reach a deal between Hamas and Israel, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas appeared to shut the door to any new attempt at a reconciliation deal between the PA and Hamas mediated by Egypt. Abbas told his Fatah faction during a two-day meeting in Ramallah that there can be no inter-Palestinian reconciliation agreement outside the comprehensive deal agreed upon last year, in which all factions unite under the same government, the same security forces, the same laws and agree to the abolition of militias operating outside the government. Egyptian analyst Said Sadek tells VOA that Egypt has not given up on an inter-Palestinian agreement, alongside deals between Hamas and Israel. "All these negotiations are concentrating on several issues," Sadek said. First, "reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas; second, cease-fire [between Hamas and Israel]; third, the exchange of prisoners and bodies, along with the fourth, which is the so-called 'Deal of the Century.'" Sadek stressed that regional players, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, appear to be trying to work out details of the Trump administration's Arab-Israeli peace plan, which Arab media has dubbed the "Deal of the Century." But Abbas told his Fatah faction's leaders that he was the first to oppose the Trump administration's Deal of the Century and would continue to do so. The Trump administration's Middle East peace envoy, Jason Greenblatt, indicated in a tweet Wednesday that "no one will be fully pleased with our proposal, but that is the way it must be if real peace is to be achieved." "Peace," he added, "can only succeed if it is based on realities." Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi met with Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Saudi town of Neom several days ago amid reports that they had discussed the Trump administration's peace plan, in addition to the conflict in Yemen and economic efforts by Saudi Arabia to develop its Red Sea coast. A panel of self-exiled Venezuelan judges holding a symbolic trial in Colombia has found President Nicolas Maduro guilty of corruption and sentenced him to more than 18 years in prison. Ousted Venezuelan chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega accused Maduro of accepting $35 million from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht to finance his 2013 campaign in exchange for a leg-up on public works contracts. Over two dozen jurists who fled Venezuela after Maduro's socialist administration refused to recognize their appointment to the Supreme Court by the opposition-controlled National Assembly found him guilty Wednesday of corruption and money laundering. Maduro was ordered held for 18 years and three months at the Ramo Verde prison outside Caracas where opposition leaders have been jailed. Ortega asked for the strongest sentence "in the name of all Venezuelans." Former U.S. Central Intelligence Agency director John Brennan says he believes President Donald Trump revoked his security clearance because he wants to "silence others who might dare to challenge him." In an opinion piece published Thursday in The New York Times, Brennan contended that Trump "clearly has become more desperate to protect himself and those close to him, which is why he made the politically motivated decision to revoke my security clearance." Brennan, who was the CIA director during the second White House term of former President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017, said that Trump's claims that "no collusion" occurred between his 2016 presidential campaign and Russia "are, in a word, hogwash." "The only questions that remain are whether the collusion that took place constituted criminally liable conspiracy, whether obstruction of justice occurred to cover up any collusion or conspiracy, and how many members of 'Trump Incorporated' attempted to defraud the government by laundering and concealing the movement of money into their pockets," said Brennan, who often has been highly critical of Trump on cable news talk shows. Trump, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, said he believes Brennan is one of the people responsible for special counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing 15-month probe into links between Trump's campaign and Russia and whether Trump, as president, obstructed justice by trying to thwart the investigation. Trump, often critical of the Mueller investigation, told the newspaper it is a "rigged witch hunt ... a sham." "And these people led it," Trump said, referring to Brennan and nine other past and current government security officials whose clearances he is considering revoking. "So, I think it's something that had to be done," Trump said of revoking Brennan's clearance. Other names Trump said he does not trust "many of those people on that list" and does not think they are "good people." On his Twitter account, Trump reposted several comments supporting his revocation of Brennan's clearance, including one from Sean Hannity, a conservative Fox News television host. "I'd strip the whole bunch of them," Hannity said. "They're all corrupt." The White House said Wednesday that security clearances are under review for 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 lost their security clearance may not be able to have it reinstated," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters, reading a statement in the president's name. 'I will not relent' Sanders, responding to reporters' questions, denied that Brennan and others are being singled out because they are 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 accuses Brennan of "a history that calls into question his objectivity and credibility." Brennan has been vocal in his attacks on Trump, at one point saying that Trump's performance at a joint news conference last month with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki was "nothing short of treasonous." Brennan on Twitter described Trump's action on Wednesday as part of a broader effort "to suppress freedom of speech and punish critics." Brennan, who spent 25 years with the CIA, concluded: "My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent." Rescuers continue their search for possible survivors and bodies of victims of Tuesdays highway bridge collapse in Italy. The death toll is at 38, but authorities say some people are still unaccounted for and no one is prepared to call off the search and rescue operation. Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes near parts of the bridge that remained standing. The city of Genoas chief prosecutor has said there may still be 10 to 20 people missing and not all the recovered bodies have been identified. Sniffer dogs and large earth-movers are being used to search around large chunks of concrete in the debris of the collapsed bridge. Family members of those unaccounted for still hope a miracle may have kept their loved ones alive. Meanwhile, hundreds of people have been evacuated from homes near parts of the bridge left standing and were told they may never be able to go back to their homes. Authorities said the homes might have to be torn down, along with the remaining bridge, which will then be rebuilt. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte met with Deputy Prime Ministers Matteo Salvini and Luigi di Maio, and the infrastructure minister, Danilo Toninelli, to take immediate measures following the disaster. Conte declared a state of emergency for the northern port city of Genoa for 12-months and earmarked $5.6 million from national emergency funds for removal of the remaining parts of the bridge and re-developing the road system. He also said Italians would observe a national day of mourning Saturday when state funerals will be held for the victims. The prime minister also announced the government has begun the process of revoking the contract of the company managing Italys highway system. The firm, Autostrade per lItalia, said it carried out regular maintenance and safety checks on the bridge that gave reassuring results. A criminal investigation has been launched to ascertain the cause of the collapse. Prosecutors are investigating negligence in maintenance and the bridges design. Genoa chief prosecutor Francesco Cozzi said it is a disaster caused by human failure and those responsible will be liable for manslaughter. Experts like Antonio Brencich, a professor of construction at Genoa University, had warned two years ago the bridge was in need of being replaced, but his message was not heeded. Since its completion in 1967, the number of vehicles and weight load on the bridge each day significantly increased. Local residents had also long complained the bridge was unsafe. Speaking on national television, this Genoa resident said it was an expected tragedy because every day she traveled on it she could feel it move. She added that there was always some repair going on. Even in recent days, workmen were busy on the bridge. Gunmen launched an attack on a training center on the grounds of Afghanistan's intelligence service in Kabul, a day after a dozens of people were killed in assault on an education institution in the capital. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for both attacks. Bahar Mehr, an advisor to minister of interior told VOA that four suicide attackers were involved in the latest attack on Thursday. He said one bomber exploded himself and three others were killed in fighting with security forces. He said three Afghan security personal were also wounded in cleanup operations but no civilians were harmed. A day earlier, at least 34 people were killed in a suicide bombing attack on Mowoud Academy, in a Shi'ite-dominated part of town. The blast happened when students were taking a university entrance examination. The Afghan Taliban has denied any role in the attack. 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. Ghazni situation dire Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan warned of dire humanitarian consequences for residents of Afghanistans second most populous city, Ghazni, after five days of fighting. Taliban had launched an attack last Friday and managed to make their way to the city center. 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. The 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. Dim hopes for a cease-fire 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 Ramadan the 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. Even the oceans are breaking temperature records in this summer of heat waves. Off the San Diego coast, scientists earlier this month recorded the highest seawater temperatures since daily measurements began in 1916. "Just like we have heat waves on land, we also have heat waves in the ocean,'' said Art Miller of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Between 1982 and 2016, the number of "marine heat waves'' roughly doubled, and most likely they will become more common and intense as the planet warms, a study released Wednesday found. Prolonged periods of extreme heat in the oceans can damage kelp forests and coral reefs, and harm fish and other marine life. "This trend will only further accelerate with global warming,'' said Thomas Frolicher, a climate scientist at the University of Bern in Switzerland, who led the research. His team defined marine heat waves as extreme events in which sea-surface temperatures exceeded the 99th percentile of measurements for a given location. Because oceans both absorb and release heat more slowly than air, most marine heat waves last for at least several days and some for several weeks, said Frolicher. "We knew that average temperatures were rising. What we haven't focused on before is that the rise in the average comes at you in clumps of very hot days a shock of several days or weeks of very high temperatures,'' said Michael Oppenheimer, a Princeton University climate scientist who was not involved in the study. A little is too much Many sea critters have evolved to survive within a fairly narrow band of temperatures compared with creatures on land, and even incremental warming can be disruptive. Some free-swimming sea animals like bat rays or lobsters may shift their routines. But stationary organisms like coral reefs and kelp forests "are in real peril,'' said Michael Burrows, an ecologist at the Scottish Marine Institute, who was not part of the research. In 2016 and 2017, persistent high ocean temperatures off eastern Australia killed off as much as half of the shallow water corals of the Great Barrier Reef with significant consequences for other creatures dependent upon the reef. "One in every four fish in the ocean lives in or around coral reefs,'' said Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, a marine biologist at the University of Queensland. "So much of the ocean's biodiversity depends upon a fairly small amount of the ocean floor.'' The latest study in Nature relied on satellite data and other records of sea-surface temperatures, including from ships and buoys. It didn't include the recent record-breaking measurements off Scripps Pier in San Diego which reached 79.5 degrees Fahrenheit on August 9 but Frolicher and Miller said the event was an example of a marine heat wave. Miller said he knew something was odd when he spotted a school of bat rays which typically only congregate in pockets of warm water swimming just off the pier earlier this month. Changes in ocean circulation associated with warmer surface waters will most likely mean decreased production of phytoplankton the tiny organisms that form the basis of the marine food web, he said. Marine biologists nicknamed a patch of persistent high temperatures in the Pacific Ocean between 2013 and 2016 "the Blob.'' During that period, decreased phytoplankton production led to a cascading lack of food for many species, causing thousands of California sea lion pups to starve, said Miller, who had no role in the Nature study. "We've repeatedly set new heat records. It's not surprising, but it is shocking,'' he said. Officials in the Chinese capital, Beijing, and in Hong Kong have issued a string of warnings after a journalists association broadcast a speech by an advocate for the citys independence. The immediate censure by Chinese and Hong Kong officials hinted that city lawmakers may soon be pressed to pass a law against sedition and treason, which could stifle protest in the partially autonomous territory. Earlier this week, Andy Chan Ho-tin, convener of the Hong Kong National Party, told a crowd at Hong Kongs Foreign Correspondents Club, or FCC, that if Hong Kong were to become truly democratic, Hong Kongs sovereignty must rest with the people of Hong Kong. And there is only one way to achieve this: independence. Chan, who was banned from being a legislative candidate in 2016, denounced China as a worldwide threat to freedom. He also called on foreign governments, including the United States, to help Hong Kong. China is, by nature, as an empire, a threat to all free peoples in the world, Chan told the audience. Simply saying you are pro-independence is somehow the same as committing treason. There is, in other words, no longer freedom of speech in Hong Kong, but instead, the freedom to think and say whatever Peking (Beijing) wants us to. Hong Kong is no longer that much different from China, and the international community has to acknowledge that. Pressure to cancel appearance Public officials had pressured the club to cancel the talk, which was carried live on Facebook. The local public radio broadcaster, RTHK, refused to air the speech live, saying it refused to be a platform for Hong Kong independence. Soon after the speech, the director of Beijings State Councils Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office hinted the city should deploy national security legislation to protect against threats to the Chinese nation. Hong Kong last considered such a security law in 2003, when a half million people poured into the streets in protest. The bill was later shelved. The HKNP and people, including Chan, have plotted, organized and carried out activities with seditious intention. They want to break up the nation, Zhang Xiaoming said Thursday. Pro-Beijing media groups, which often speak more directly than the government, have routinely denounced Chan, especially since last month, when Hong Kong police served the 27-year-old activist with a letter advising him to close his party. The police argued the party posed an imminent threat to national security even though neither Chan nor his few members have been accused of committing violence since the group formed in 2016. In an interview with VOA before his speech, Chan said he had been given until early September to voluntarily end the political group. He said the letter from the police came as a surprise, but that he wasnt worried. Im fine. Im not arrested, he said. China condemns correspondents club Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong condemned the FCC and accused the institution of abusing local freedoms by providing a platform for Chan. Freedom of expression is fully protected by the Chinese Constitution, the Hong Kong Basic Law and related laws in Hong Kong. Yet there are bottom line and limitations for such freedom. Advocacy for Hong Kong independence violates the constitution and the law. It by no means falls within the purview of free speech, the ministry said. The Hong Kong government scolded Chan and the FCC. Providing a public platform for a speaker to openly advocate independence completely disregards Hong Kongs constitutional duty to uphold national sovereignty. It is totally unacceptable and deeply regrettable, it said in a statement. After the talk, the clubs board said in a statement: The FCC stands for freedom of speech and freedom of the press in Hong Kong and across Asia, and neither endorses nor opposes the views of its various speakers and panelists, it said. The platform to speak at the club, an institution that routinely hosts talks by newsmakers, drew fire from the citys former chief executive. C.Y. Leung, who was once a target of a massive anti-government protest in 2014, urged the club to withdraw the invitation. He said the government should consider leasing the FCCs longtime headquarters in the city center to another tenant. Beijing sovereignty More than 30 Hong Kong lawmakers have issued a joint statement urging the government to take concrete measures to prevent local organizations from providing venues for separatists. Chinese President Xi Jinping, during a visit to the former British colony last year, said no one should challenge Beijings sovereignty over the city. Since then, the citys courts have imprisoned several activists in the citys independence and pro-democracy movement. In June, Edward Leung, a onetime legislative candidate, was sent to jail for six years on charges of rioting and assaulting an officer. Toyota is likely to make 120,000 more cars a year in the Chinese port city of Tianjin as part of a medium-term strategy that's gathering pace as China-Japan ties improve, said four company insiders with knowledge of the matter. The Japanese auto makers plan to boost annual production capacity by about a quarter in the port city will lay the foundation to increase sales in China to two million vehicles per year, a jump of over 50 percent, the four sources said. The Tianjin expansion signals Toyotas willingness to start adding significant manufacturing capacity in China with the possibility of one or two new assembly plants in the worlds biggest auto market, the sources said. Car imports could also increase, they said. The move comes at a time when Chinas trade outlook with the United States appears fraught and uncertain. Toyota plans to significantly expand its sales networks and focus more on electric car technologies as part of the strategy, the sources said, declining to be identified as they are not authorised to speak to the media. Toyota sold 1.29 million vehicles in China last year and while sales are projected at 1.4 million this year, capacity constraints have restricted stronger growth, the sources said. Over 500,000 vehicles a year Toyotas manufacturing hub in Tianjin currently has the capacity to produce 510,000 vehicles a year, while Toyota as a whole, between two joint ventures, has overall capacity to churn out 1.16 million vehicles a year. Manufacturing capacity numbers provided by automakers are called straight-time capacity without overtime. With overtime, a given assembly plant can produce 20 to 30 percent more than its capacity. According to two Tianjin government websites last week, Toyota has been given regulatory approval by the municipal government's Development and Reform Commission to pursue its expansion. The two websites including the official website for the Tianjin development district where Toyota's production hub is based said the Japanese automaker plans to expand its Tianjin base to be able to manufacture 10,000 all-electric battery cars and 110,000 so-called plug-in electric hybrids annually. It wasnt immediately clear when Toyota will be able to start producing those additional cars. A Beijing-based Toyota spokesman declined to comment. The Tianjin facilities, which produces cars such as the Toyota Corolla and Vios cars, are owned and operated by one of Toyota's joint ventures in China. The venture with FAW in Tianjin plans to invest 1.76 billion yuan ($257 million) for the expansion, according to the two Tianjin websites. Historical backlash China is sometimes a market difficult to operate for Japanese companies because of historical reasons. In 2012, cars sold by Toyota and other Japanese automakers were battered when protests erupted across China after diplomatic spats over disputed islets known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan. Since then, Toyota has emphasised steady growth rather than taking on risky expansion projects. According to the four sources, Toyotas attitude towards China began changing markedly after an official visit to Japan by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in May. During the visit, Li toured Toyotas facilities on the northern island of Hokkaido, and was escorted by Toyotas family scion and chief executive Akio Toyoda. Toyoda has since sought to boost his companys presence in China, a vision that had culminated in an active effort to identify specific ways to do just that, according to the four sources. They said aside from boosting capacity, Toyota is also looking at the possibility to significantly expand its distribution networks for the mainstream Toyota and premium Lexus brands. Timing is perfect for Toyota It wasnt immediately clear how significant a distribution network expansion Toyota is planning for both brands. Currently, Toyota has more than 1,300 stores for the Toyota brand and nearly 190 for its Lexus luxury cars. The timing for the China expansion couldnt be better. Earlier this year, Toyota was able to finally launch a couple of much anticipated, potentially high-volume subcompact sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) two China-market versions of the Toyota C-HR crossover SUV which hit showrooms in the United States last year. The C-HR variants are relatively small crossover SUVs that other manufacturers, most notably Japans Honda, have leveraged to grow sales rapidly and sell more cars in China than its much bigger rival Toyota. Honda sold 1.44 million vehicles in China last year. Benefit for Lexus Lexus is also deemed likely to benefit from a windfall from growing trade tensions between China and the United States. In retaliation for U.S. trade actions, China raised tariffs on automobiles imported from the United States in early July to 40 percent, which, among other things, has forced Tesla, BMW, as well as Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz to raise prices on certain U.S. built vehicles, such as the hot-selling BMW X5 and X6 crossover sport-utility vehicles. One likely consequence for those brands is a sales fall, a profit squeeze, or both. By contrast, all Lexus cars Toyota sells in China are brought in from Japan and benefit from a much lower tariff rate of 15 percent levied on non-U.S. produced car imports. Its the kind of sauce that is so provocative to your palette because it fires every aspect of your taste buds sweet, sour, salty, savory, Bastianich said. The cook on the fish is a triumph. Its flaky, its light. That is on another level. You are taking your ability and sensibility with spice and beginning to understand basic fundamentals of cooking, and that is a one-two punch that will knock out a lot of contenders in this kitchen. India's former three-time Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee died Thursday in New Delhi. Vajpayee was hospitalized at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital for more than two months for a kidney infection and chest congestion. He had been in critical condition and reportedly on life support shortly before his death. The politician and poet ordered nuclear weapons tests in 1988 that fueled concerns of a nuclear war with neighboring Pakistan. But Vajpayee later traveled by bus to Pakistan and initiated a groundbreaking peace process with its rival. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Vajpayee on Twitter, writing his death "marks an end of an era." Vajpayee, a Hindu nationalist from the Bharatiya Janata Party, served as prime minister for 13 days in 1996, for eleven months between 1998 and 1999, and from 1999 to 2004. He was 93 years old. Iranian lawyers who say they are representing an Iranian Kurdish dissident facing a death sentence have criticized authorities for transferring him to a prison near Tehran, far from his home. Exiled Iranian rights group Campaign for the Defense of Political and Civil Prisoners published a statement from the three lawyers about the case of Ramin Hossein Panahi on Wednesday. In it, Hossein Ahmadiniaz, Osman Mozayan and Maziyar Tataei said they learned from Panahis family that he had been transferred Monday from a prison in the northwestern city of Sanandaj to Rajaei Shahr prison in Karaj, on the western outskirts of the Iranian capital. Transferred without consent The lawyers said Panahis transfer to Karaj, a more than 500 kilometer drive from his hometown, happened without his consent and prior notice to his family. They said judicial authorities who carried out the transfer violated regulations that say prisoners should be detained near to home and family unless they request a transfer to another location. The regulations of Irans Prisons Organization say authorities can initiate a process to transfer an inmate between prisons if the inmates presence in the original prison poses a threat to the host city and if necessary approvals are obtained from senior judicial officials. But the three lawyers said they saw no signs of such a transfer process being followed in Panahis case when they reviewed relevant documents and met with a senior official of Kurdistan province, whose capital is Sanandaj. Iranian authorities had no immediate comment in state media about the move of Panahi, whose case has drawn global attention and appeals from international rights activists to Tehran to annul his death sentence. Signs of torture Panahi was arrested in June 2017 for belonging to Iranian Kurdish nationalist group Komala and allegedly drawing a weapon against Iranian security forces operating in northwestern Irans predominantly ethnic Kurdish region. He was sentenced to death by a Sanandaj Revolutionary court in January. International rights group Amnesty International has said Panahi was sentenced after what it called a grossly unfair trial that lasted less than an hour. It quoted Panahis family members as saying he appeared in court with torture marks on his body and was denied an investigation into accusations that he had been forced into confessing to the crime of taking up arms against the state. This report was produced in collaboration with VOAs Persian Service. Destroying the Islamic State is proving more difficult than the United States and its allies envisioned, with the most recent intelligence assessments warning that the self-declared caliphate is well-positioned to rise again. For months, U.S. and coalition officials have talked about how the combination of air power and partner forces on the ground cleared the IS terror group, also known as ISIS or Daesh, from about 98 percent of the territory it once held in Syria and Iraq. But now these same officials admit it is not yet enough. IS is well-positioned to rebuild and work on enabling its physical caliphate to re-emerge, Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Sean Robertson told VOA in an emailed statement. ISIS probably is still more capable than al-Qaida in Iraq at its peak in 2006-2007, when the group had declared an Islamic State and operated under the name Islamic State of Iraq, Robertson added. ISIS remains a threat, and even one ISIS fighter is one too many. Intelligence estimates The statement came in response to questions about the latest Defense Department intelligence estimates, which put the number of IS fighters in Iraq and Syria between 28,000 and almost 32,000, close to the types of numbers the terror group boasted at the height of its power. A separate report this week from the United Nations came to a similar conclusion, estimating there are up to 30,000 IS fighters, split roughly between the two countries. Not a good metric The numbers stand in stark contrast with the types of figures and anecdotes the coalition has provided until recently at briefings with reporters, suggesting IS fighters have been backed into a few remaining pockets in Syria, while often hiding in onesies and twosies while trying to blend in with local populations. Some senior U.S. defense and coalition officials have pushed back gently at the new estimates of IS force strength, suggesting the numbers may include not just hardened fighters but family members and sympathizers who lack the will or capability to fight. But the latest messaging from the Pentagon suggests that even if that is the case, IS is more resilient and more dangerous than many thought possible. Yes, there are still residual numbers of ISIS members, Robertson said, refusing to address the numbers directly. But manpower is not a good metric to assess the volatility of this terror group. ISIS will take full advantage of any opportunity, including any abatement of pressure, to regain its momentum, he added. A challenge to quantify Getting a handle on the scope of Islamic States might and resources has long been a challenge for Western military and intelligence agencies. To date, the U.S.-led coalition has carried out about 24,000 airstrikes, killing close to 70,000 IS fighters, according to some U.S. military officials. That is more than two times the original high-end estimate, and more than three times the original low-end estimate [of IS fighters], Thomas Joscelyn, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told VOA. It would be impossible for any fighting organization to maintain its cohesion while replacing its entire force structure. Yet, if any of the estimates are right, it appears IS has managed to do just that, thanks in part to an influx of upward of 40,000 so-called foreign fighters from more than 40 countries. Many of those foreign fighters are thought to have been killed, and intelligence officials say the flow of jihadists into Iraq and Syria has been slowed to a trickle, at most. The fighters that do remain, theyd be pretty seasoned at this point, a counterterrorism official told VOA, adding that tracking them, especially in war-torn Syria, is difficult at best. Others are holed up in the Middle Euphrates River Valley, near Hajin, where U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces are preparing for a final assault. Im not going to speculate on the numbers, British Army Maj. Gen. Felix Gedney, the coalitions deputy commander for strategy and support, told Pentagon reporters during a video briefing Tuesday. Theres over a thousand we know of, he added. Well find out when we get there, and we will deal with them all. More still would seem to be out of reach for the United States and its coalition partners. Healthy finances The latest U.S. military intelligence estimate says the vast majority of IS fighters in Syria, between 8,000 and 9,000 are in regions controlled by Syrian government forces or their Russian or Iranian allies. The terror groups finances, while not what they once were, also appear to be in good enough shape. Its financial reserves have declined but not dried up, according to the U.N. report released earlier this week. One Member State estimates its total reserves to be in the low hundreds of millions of United States dollars. The report said IS continues to make money from extortion, kidnapping and taxes, and from oil, having taken advantage of a slowdown in fighting earlier this year to regain access to oil fields in northeastern Syria. Smuggling routes are also active, despite efforts by coalition partners to crack down. Just this past week, partner forces captured seven smugglers trying to move five IS fighters in the At-Tanf area of Syria, the coalition said. Last month, 25 Islamic State fighters were captured in the same area. Sweeps across liberated parts of Iraq also continue to turn up IS fighters by the dozens. The ISIS problem is far from over, said coalition spokesman Col. Sean Ryan. We cannot emphasize enough that the threat of losing the gains we have made is real, especially if we are not able to give the people a viable alternative to the ISIS problem, he warned. The fate of President Donald Trumps former campaign chief Paul Manafort is in the hands of the jury. The six men and six women will start deliberating Thursday on whether Manafort is guilty of tax and bank fraud. Manaforts life was littered with lies as he pursued a lavish lifestyle, a U.S prosecutor 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 didnt, prosecutor Greg Andres said. Defense doesn't call any witnesses But 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 governments 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 prosecutions star witness Manaforts former deputy chairman in the Trump campaign Rick Gates as a liar and a thief. Gates had already pleaded guilty before Manaforts trial to helping him hide millions in income from U.S. tax authorities and is awaiting sentencing. Along with hours of testimony about Manaforts 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. 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 Manaforts 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. Prosecutors offer two weeks of testimony 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 Trumps campaign. The case has drawn particular interest in the U.S. because it is the first trial conducted by Muellers 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 dismissal of a lawsuit filed by young people claiming government climate policy falls short will be appealed and marks a minor setback in pursuing legal action on behalf of youth and their rights, experts said. The legal complaint arguing that the state of Washington must do more to cut carbon emissions was dismissed Tuesday by a judge who said it was a matter for politicians, not courts. The judge's ruling marked the first time a court has dismissed a case filed by youth demanding authorities ramp up efforts to curb climate change by arguing their constitutional rights to due process are being violated, experts said. A half-dozen similar cases have been filed in states including Florida and Alaska, said Our Children's Trust, a youth advocacy group that provides legal assistance. Tougher plan sought The Washington complaint, filed in February, asked that a statewide target to emit 50 percent fewer greenhouse gases by 2050 be invalidated in favor of more ambitious goals, court documents said. The dismissal will be appealed, lawyer Andrea Rodgers of Our Children's Trust told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Scientific consensus holds that the emission of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels is the main cause of global warming. Washington Superior Court Judge Michael Scott wrote in his dismissal that he hoped the activists "will not be discouraged," but Rodgers said they were "devastated" and wanted to "present their constitutional claims in a court of law." Several of the cases by young people base their arguments on their rights to fair treatment and due process under the U.S. Constitution. The remaining cases could still be effective in forcing authorities to strengthen climate change regulations, said Katherine Trisolini, a professor of environmental law at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. "I wouldn't give up on the courts yet," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Climate activists are particularly optimistic about a federal case, Juliana v. United States, brought by 21 young activists who say officials violated their rights by failing to address carbon pollution adequately. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a bid by President Donald Trump's administration to halt the lawsuit, filed in 2015. A Libyan appeals court on Wednesday sentenced 45 people to death by firing squad for killings committed in the capital, Tripoli, during a 2011 uprising, according to a statement from the justice ministry. The statement did not give details of the case, but a justice ministry official said it related to killings perpetrated by forces loyal to former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi shortly before he was driven from Tripoli and toppled. A further 54 people were sentenced to five years in prison over the killings of at least 20 people, while 22 were acquitted. Defense lawyers and relatives of the accused were present for the verdict, but the defendants were not in court. A picture posted by the ministry showed two guards with large guns standing close to black-robed judges inside the courtroom. Other death sentences handed down in Libya since 2011, when Libya split into rival camps leading to years of turmoil and armed conflict, are not known to have been carried out. In its latest annual report, human rights group Amnesty International described Libya's court system as dysfunctional and said many had been held since 2011 with no judicial oversight or means to challenge the legality of their detention. Incumbent President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita of Mali has won a landslide victory in the West African nation's presidential runoff election. Official results announced Thursday reveled Keita won 67 percent of the vote from Sunday's second round, soundly beating challenger and opposition leader Soumaila Cisse. Turnout in the runoff vote was an abysmally low 34 percent, as voters stayed away due to threats of violence by jihadist militants. The government stepped up security for Sunday's run-off, deploying 6,000 troops in addition to the 30,000 who already were on duty. But despite the added security, a polling station president was killed in the northern Timbuktu region and the polling station there was burned. The 73-year-old Keita took 42 percent of the vote in a field of 24 candidates in the first round of voting, compared to 18 percent for the 68-year-old Cisse, who also lost the 2013 election to Keita. Cisse accused Keita's government of fraud in the first round of voting, but the constitutional court upheld the result. The earlier round of voting was marred by armed attacks blamed on jihadists, including some linked to al-Qaida and Islamic State, and ethnic violence that closed several hundred voting places. A jury started deliberations Thursday on whether U.S. President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort is guilty of tax and bank fraud to finance his lavish lifestyle. Judge T.S. Ellis gave a final summary to the six-man, six-woman jury before they started considering the case behind closed doors. Prosecutors and defense lawyers presented their closing arguments Wednesday, the prosecution arguing Manafort's life was "littered with lies" as he bought palatial mansions, expensive suits, cars, electronics and other high-priced items. Mr. Manafort lied to keep more money when he had it, and he lied to get more money when he didnt, prosecutor Greg Andres said. No reasonable doubt, defense says But 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 governments 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 didnt have money? Westling said. Star witness Westling also attacked the prosecutions star witness, Manaforts former deputy chairman in the Trump campaign Rick Gates, as a liar and a thief. Gates had pleaded guilty before Manaforts trial to helping him hide millions in income from U.S. tax authorities and is awaiting sentencing. Along with hours of testimony about Manaforts finances, Gates acknowledged he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from Manafort in part to finance an extramarital affair in London and lied about his own role in hiding money in offshore accounts. 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 Manaforts 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. 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 Trumps campaign. The case has drawn particular interest in the U.S. because it is the first trial conducted by Muellers 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. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Wednesday pledged closer defense cooperation with Argentina. Standing beside his Argentinian counterpart, Oscar Aguad, Mattis said the military partnership can be strengthened. He alluded to the help the U.S. Navy provided Argentina last November when one of its submarines went missing with 44 sailors aboard. Mattiss visit is the first to Argentina by an American secretary of defense since Donald H. Rumsfeld in 2005. Mattis and Aguad announced no specific agreements, but both said they hope for better relations between their two countries. Aguad alluded to the chilly relations of recent years, which he said were now changing for the better. He told Mattis, We have come back to the road we should never have left. Aguad also thanked Mattis for the help provided when the Argentine sub, ARA San Juan, disappeared in the South Atlantic last year. The U.S. Navy helped search for signs of the vessel, which remains missing. We thank you once more for a gesture that will never be forgotten, Aguad said. Mattis also is visiting Chile and Colombia this week. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said there were no disagreements between U.S. and Argentine military leaders during his visit to Buenos Aires, the first visit to Argentina by a U.S. defense secretary since 2005. Speaking to reporters after meeting with Argentine Minister of Defense Oscar Aguad, Mattis said the two agreed to collaborate more on military education and exchanging information. It was mostly about consultation, collaboration and defining what we need to focus on. Now well go back and well start all the various action teams and get it all under way, he said. Ahead of the defense secretaries meeting, Aguad said he was glad to get close to the United States again, alluding to difficult relations prior to 2015 when Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was Argentinas president. We have a broad field for great cooperation, because we have come back to the road we should have never left, Aguad 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," 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." Medical staff are fleeing hospitals in Cameroon's troubled English-speaking regions after attacks this month left several nurses dead and many others wounded. Medics say they are stuck between a military that accuses them of aiding armed separatists and rebel fighters who say hospitals betray them to the army. Elvis Ndansi, of the Cameroon trade union of nurses, says the killings and abuse provoked outrage in the medical corps. "The military comes, chase them out of the hospital, brutalize them, beat them. As medical personnel, we all stand to condemn these acts and say they are very wrong. Medical personnel are supposed to be protected in times of war. They are there to take care of all casualties, be they from the military, be they from the Ambazonians or secessionists. Their role is to save lives," Ndansi said. Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai of the English-speaking southwest region denies the military is responsible for the attacks, saying the separatists seeking an English-speaking state in Cameroon are the ones to blame. He says he has instructed the military to protect hospitals from armed gangs. Despite the danger of traveling in the region, hundreds of medics showed up Wednesday for a funeral to honor Nancy Azah and her husband Njong Padisco. The couple, both nurses, were shot dead last week, reportedly by Cameroonian troops. Nurse Arrey Rose says the association of nurses called on the medical community to show solidarity by attending the funeral service. "We have mobilized to let the world know that doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and pharmacists are tortured and killed just for saving lives," Rose said. "God spared mine when I was pulled out of hospital and beaten just because I was accused of hiding terrorists. Many are dead, many are wounded." The violence has led patients and medical staff to desert hospitals in both the northwest and southwest. Eighteen-year-old Mundi Ernestine says that when she took her younger brother to Bamenda regional hospital, there was no one to treat him. "God has been sustaining him," Ernestine said. "We were not attended to in the hospital for a week because the staff was absent. We had to carry him on our back through the bush to Bamenda, which is a bit calm. He is recovering, but my fear is that many are dying in the bushes just because there is no nurse to help." The Cameroon Medical Council says, due to the ongoing conflict, the exact number of medical staff who have fled the two volatile regions is unknown. Governor Bilai is calling on them to return. He says all political leaders and civil society groups should educate runaway staff to go back to their work, especially now that the military is protecting medical facilities. More than 300 civilians and security forces have been killed in Cameroon's English-speaking regions since 2016, when separatists launched their drive for an independent state they call Ambazonia. The United Nations says at least 200,000 people have been internally displaced in the conflict and tens of thousands have fled to neighboring Nigeria. Melania Trump plans to address a cyberbullying summit in Maryland next week. The White House says the first lady will deliver remarks "addressing the positive and negative effects of social media on youth." She'll also attend a panel discussion with representatives from various social media platforms participating in the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Cyberbullying Prevention Summit, which is being held Monday in Rockville. The White House did not identify the social media outlets. The first lady is focusing on cyberbullying among young people as part of her "Be Best" initiative. The campaign also includes opioid abuse and overall child well-being. Mrs. Trump has been criticized for highlighting cyberbullying while President Donald Trump regularly uses Twitter to berate his foes and call them names. Mexico's economy minister on Wednesday said that Mexico and the United States may not meet an August goal to finish bilateral talks to revamp the NAFTA trade deal, which is beset by disagreements over automobile trade rules and other issues. Top Mexican officials started their fourth week of talks with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in Washington over a new North American Free Trade Agreement. Asked if the August goal was still viable, Guajardo said, "That is why we are here. We are fully engaged. We don't know if there will be a successful conclusion." The U.S.-Mexico talks resumed in July, without Canada, after negotiations involving all three members of the $1.2 trillion trade bloc stalled in June. Guajardo said on Wednesday that he had spoken with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland on the telephone and was "hopeful" Canada could soon hold trilateral NAFTA talks with the United States and Mexico. Guajardo was joined by Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray, Mexico's chief NAFTA negotiator Kenneth Smith, and Jesus Seade, the designated chief trade negotiator of incoming Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Smith said Mexico and the United States were "working well" on the most difficult issues. Mexico and Washington have been discussing rules for the automotive sector, which has been a major point of contention between the two countries. The United States has sought tougher rules on what percentage of a vehicle's components need to be built in the NAFTA region to avoid tariffs, as well as demanding that a certain number of cars and trucks be made in factories paying at least $16 an hour. New sticking points emerged last week over President Donald Trump's threat to impose steep automotive tariffs. Guajardo said the teams had not yet touched the issue of a U.S. proposed sunset clause that would kill NAFTA after five years if it is not renegotiated again. Both Mexico and Canada have said they reject the measure. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is forming a dedicated group to coordinate and run U.S. policy toward Iran as the Trump administration moves ahead with efforts to force changes in the Islamic Republic's behavior after withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. The State Department said Pompeo will announce the creation of the Iran Action Group on Thursday. Officials said the group will be headed by Brian Hook, who is currently the State Department's director of policy planning. Hook led the Trump administration's ultimately unsuccessful attempt to negotiate changes to the nuclear deal with European allies before the president decided in May to pull out of the accord. Since withdrawing, the administration has re-imposed sanctions that were eased under the deal and has steadily ramped up pressure on Iran to try to get it to stop what it describes as "malign activities" in the region. In addition to its nuclear and missile programs, the administration has repeatedly criticized Iran for supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Shi'ite rebels in Yemen and anti-Israel groups. It has also in recent weeks stepped up criticism of Iran's human rights record and is working with other nations to curb their imports of Iranian oil. The administration is warning Iran's oil customers that they will face U.S. sanctions in November unless they significantly reduce their imports with an eye on eliminating them entirely. It has also told businesses and governments in Europe that they may also be subject to penalties if they violate, ignore or attempt to subvert the re-imposed U.S. sanctions. In his new job, Hook is to oversee implementation of the administration's entire Iran policy, the officials said. Pompeo and other officials have denied that the administration is seeking to foment regime change in Iran and maintain they only want to see the government change course. Pompeo created a similar group dedicated to working on North Korea policy while he was director of the CIA. Hook is expected to be replaced as policy planning chief by Kiron Skinner, a foreign policy academic and adviser to several Republican presidential candidates who served on President Donald Trump's national security transition team and very briefly at the State Department after Trump took office, according to the officials who were not authorized to publicly discuss personnel matters and spoke on condition of anonymity. Amnesty International is demanding Vietnam immediately and unconditionally free environmental activist Le Dinh Luong, who is scheduled to go on trial Thursday. Le Dinh Luong has been accused of taking part in activities aimed at "overthrowing the state" charges Amnesty says are political. "For peacefully campaigning on behalf of fishermen affected by an environmental disaster, Le Dinh Luong could face a life sentence or even the death penalty," Amnesty's Clare Algar said Wednesday. She calls on Vietnam to drop the charges, saying Le Dinh Luong was denied access to a lawyer only until a few weeks ago, leaving doubts whether he can get a fair trial. Le Dinh Luong is a long-time free speech activist. He helped lead the fight for compensation for fishermen whose livelihoods were ruined when a Taiwanese-owned steel plant dumped toxic waste in Vietnamese waterways in 2016, killing massive numbers of fish. The company admitted responsibility only after protests erupted across Vietnam. Authorities arrested 40 demonstrators while others fled the country. Le Dinh Luong was jailed last year and denied access to any visitors or a lawyer until last month. Russia says the latest U.S. sanctions imposed on Russian, Chinese, and Singaporean companies are destructive" and "useless. The U.S. penalized the three companies Wednesday, accusing them of helping North Korea avoid international sanctions. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday the new U.S. sanctions come when joint international efforts are needed toward a settlement in North Korea. Moscow said the sanctions could undermine denuclearization talks. The U.S. has accused a Chinese trading company and its affiliate in Singapore of falsifying documents aimed at easing illegal shipments of alcohol and cigarettes into North Korea. The companies are said to have earned more than $1 billion. A Russian company was also sanctioned for providing port services to North Korean-flagged ships engaged in illegal oil shipments. The sanctions freeze any assets the companies may have in the United States and bars Americans from doing business with them. People need light for daily activities, but in some places in the world, access to reliable power is a problem, and hurricanes and earthquakes can make the matter worse. Andrea Sreshta and Anna Stork understand how important light is to people in need. After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Sreshta and Stork, then graduate students in architecture and design at Columbia University, wanted to do something to help. We wanted to create something, a basic necessity and we focused in on lighting, says Sreshta. As a school assignment, Sreshta and Stork designed a lighting product that was lightweight, portable and wireless, something that might help improve the safety and living conditions of Haitians. The result was the LuminAID light. An inflatable plastic, waterproof rectangle light that can be recharged with solar power. What was only a school project for Stork and Sreshta turned into a more serious endeavor when friends and contacts began sending the lights to those in need. We made this in our kitchens and we built the first 50 prototypes by hand, says Stork. In their final year of architecture school, Sreshta and Stork filed a patent for the portable lamp, and shortly after graduating, the two traveled to India and conducted field tests on their prototype. Stork says visiting villages without stable access to electricity was really meaningful to them. It help us understand the houses and the conditions that these people were living in. And what was so interesting is one of the villages that we've visited the house was made out of really thick cement, so even in the daytime, it was completely dark inside the house. So we saw real need for portable lighting, Stork says. In 2011, Sreshta and Stork launched their business LuminAID. They admit that when they started their business, they didnt know much about disaster relief and humanitarian aid. We knew we had a product that could potentially make a difference in peoples lives after disasters like the earthquake in Haiti or even in places where people lack stable electricity, says Sreshta. We have been fortunate enough to work with partners like non-government organizations, humanitarian groups and disaster relief organizations which distribute our lights to people in need. The company also sells the LuminAID light to customers through their Give Light, Get Light program. And for each purchase by an individual, the program sends a light to someone in need. Seeing our lights being used by people around the world creates a mix of emotions for us, says Stork and Sreshta. From feeling relieved that we were able to produce and deliver our product, to being humbled by the ability to touch the lives of people we will likely never meet. In less than three months, U.S. voters will cast ballots in midterm congressional elections that could alter the course of Donald Trumps presidency. Results from recent primary and special elections reveal a political landscape highlighted by energized Democrats, dedicated Trump supporters and a sense in both parties that a polarized country is headed for a combustible showdown in November. Though the election is still a few months away, voter enthusiasm is high. A new Morning Consult-Politico poll found that 66 percent of voters said they are very motivated to vote in the November midterms, while 9 percent said they are not. Enthusiastic Democrats The survey found that Democrats seem to be a bit more energized about the November vote. Fifty-one percent of Democrats said they were very motivated to vote, while 43 percent of Republicans said the same. Democratic enthusiasm can be found in the results of recent primary and special elections around the country, and the midterm campaign among Democratic candidates has taken on a distinct anti-Trump message. People are standing up, they are fighting back, and they are going together to transform this country politically and economically, said Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders at a recent campaign rally in Kansas. In addition to fighting Democratic energy, Republicans are also fighting history. Traditionally, the party that holds the White House loses congressional seats in the first midterm election during a presidents term, especially if the presidents approval rating is below 50 percent in the polls. Trumps polls The latest Gallup weekly poll had Trump at 39 percent approval, 56 percent disapproval, one of several recent surveys that showed a slight dip for the president. The president has been busy trying to motivate Republican voters ahead of the midterms, including during a recent visit to Ohio. America is respected again, and America is winning again because we are finally putting America first, Trump said to cheers at a recent rally in Ohio. But analysts caution that even an activated Trump may not be enough to blunt a possible Democratic wave. Republicans are also somewhat motivated, so I think they will get some of their voters out, said John Fortier of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington. But I think it will be hard to overcome the enthusiasm on the Democratic side. So, there is a very good chance that the Democrats will take the House of Representatives, or if not, they will gain quite a number of seats. Republican kingmaker Trump has left his imprint on recent Republican primaries, reinforcing the belief that he is succeeding in remaking the party in his own image. Trumps endorsement may have helped Kris Kobach emerge victorious as the Republican nominee for governor in Kansas, even though Kobach may have trouble winning over moderate voters in November. Trump also helped Jeff Johnson win the Republican primary for governor in Minnesota. Johnson defeated former two-term governor Tim Pawlenty, who famously blasted Trump as unhinged and unfit to be president during the late stages of the 2016 presidential campaign. After conceding defeat, Pawlenty told reporters that his party has shifted in recent years. It is the era of Trump, and Im just not a Trump-like politician, he said. Double-edged sword But no matter how influential Trump may be within the Republican Party, there are warning signs on the horizon that he could be a drag on the party in November. Experts note that the president motivates Democrats to get out and vote against him as much as he helps to energize Republicans. In many races throughout the country, the presidents input is likely to be more harmful than good for a Republican candidate, and the president would be best served to be wary about which districts and states he goes into, said Brookings Institution scholar John Hudak. Polls show that while Trump still holds sway with many working-class voters, many women and suburban voters have turned away from the Republicans and Trump in the recent primaries and special elections. Conservative pundit Michael Barone said that could spell trouble for the president in November. In the House, it is clear that a lot of, what shall we say, high education, upscale voters have got very strong negative feelings about Donald Trump and the Republican Party. They are eager to vote. Democrats need a gain of about two dozen seats to win back control of the House of Representatives, and a net gain of two seats to retake a majority in the Senate. Democratic advantage Two new polls give Democrats an advantage in their quest to take back one or both chambers of Congress in November. Fifty-one percent of voters said they would back a Democrat if the election were held today in the latest Quinnipiac University poll, while 42 percent said they would support a Republican. Democrats hold a 52 to 41 percent edge on the same question in the latest CNN poll. The surveys also show Americans are most concerned about issues such as the economy, health care, immigration and guns in November. But activists in both parties agree that Trump and his style of governing will be a major factor for many voters, making the midterms effectively a national referendum on the Trump presidency. In less than three months, U.S. voters will cast ballots in midterm congressional elections that could alter the course of Donald Trump's presidency. The results from recent primary and special elections reveal a political landscape that features energized Democrats, dedicated Trump supporters and a sense that a polarized country is headed for a major political showdown in November. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington. 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 has been sowing division and chaos about his administration. The clearances of other former officials also are 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 lost their security clearance may not be able to have it reinstated, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said to reporters Wednesday, reading out a statement in the presidents name. Sanders, responding to reporters questions, denied that Brennan and others are being singled out because they are critics of Trump. Critical of the president The presidents statement accuses 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 accuses Brennan of a history that calls into question his objectivity and credibility. Brennan has been extremely critical and outspoken about the presidents conduct, for example, calling Trumps performance at a joint news conference last month with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland nothing short of treasonous. Brennan, on Twitter, described Trumps action Wednesday as 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, former CIA deputy director of intelligence Carmen Medina 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 dont think he can. Matter of courtesy 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 all of VOAs questions about the matter to the White House. Two senators applaud Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky applauded the presidents action, saying he had urged the president to do so because Brennans 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. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana also defended Trumps action, telling CNN that he does not see why Brennan should continue to have a security clearance. I think most Americans look at our national intelligence experts as being above politics. Mr. Brennan has demonstrated that thats not the case, Kennedy said. Danger to free speech, security But critics of the move to strip Brennans clearance called it a threat to free speech and even national security. Its unprecedented. I dont know of a case where this has ever been done in the past, Clapper said on CNN. Clapper, a retired Air Force lieutenant general who had been appointed to top intelligence posts by both Republican and Democratic party presidents, called Trumps 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 has had no access to intelligence information since he left government on the day Trump was inaugurated. The threat to pull his security clearance, Clapper added, will not silence him. I dont plan to stop speaking when Im asked my views on this administration, said Clapper on CNN. Hayden, who headed both the CIA and NSA during his career, said losing his clearance would have a marginal impact on the work hes doing now. He also said fear of losing that clearance wouldnt 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 read out by Sanders have been open or outspoken about the administration or have directly run afoul of it, noted Clapper. 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, told VOA arguments could be made for and against former senior officials retaining security clearances after theyve left those positions. But he added that the decision should not be made because of an opinion they express. 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. Whats 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 out the names, said, the message that goes out is be careful what you say about Trump. McLaughlin said it is critical for intelligence professional, especially those still in their jobs, to be able to deliver unpleasant news to a president, and he expressed hope that Trumps action does 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. I think maybe because Im Chinese it was easier for me to be accepted into the community, she said in that interview on YouTube. I didnt really have any burdens on my shoulders of what a reservation, what cowboys, mean. I didnt learn about Native American history until I was in college. And, also looking like a Chinese girl, going into a world of cowboys and Indians, they just looked at me. What are you doing here? Its funny to them, and I think it actually helped. I think people ultimately want to relate to those who are unfamiliar to them. Police in Uganda's West Nile region said this week that they were holding three South Sudanese in connection with last week's brutal killing of a Ugandan preacher at the Pagirinya refugee settlement in Adjumani district. Superintendent Josephine Angucia, a spokeswoman for the West Nile regional police, said Pastor Bunia Margaret of the Victory Church, which operates in Uganda's Adjumani and Moyo districts, was killed in broad daylight by a mob at the Pagirinya II trading center after a group of Christian evangelical leaders had accused her of being a witch. "This deceased pastor, Margaret, went to preach the word of God at the refugee camps of Adjumani district. She got a big congregation. According to witnesses, this did not go well with other pastors at the refugee camps. Out of jealousness, they mobilized and came up with a memorandum labeling Bunia Margaret to be a witch," Angucia told VOA's South Sudan in Focus. South Sudanese refugee leaders at the settlement said Margaret arrived in May and established her church in Pagirinya II's Block E. John Wani, who lives in Pagirinya Block E, said Margaret attracted mostly women and children. He said the pastor claimed she had the power to heal any disease. This, he said, encouraged some to abandon their homes and camp at the church, often for several days. As a result, Wani said, some women abandoned their responsibilities at home. Wani also said strange things also happened to members of Margaret's Victory Church. "Many children also left the school because of that. Some girls could go there to pray all night, and they never respected their parents. That pastor, she also told a young boy who was suffering from hepatitis that he should not take the medicine. Pastor said God would cure him," Wani told South Sudan in Focus. Strong denials Margaret's followers, including South Sudanese refugee Grace Kuku, strongly denied the allegations, saying she'd healed many people with diseases in the camp. They also argued that freedom of worship is a fundamental right under Ugandan law, and said that if parents were not happy with the pastor's teachings and activities, they should have prevented their children from attending her church. "I have not witnessed these things. What I know is that there was a girl brought from Agojo who was having this mental illness. Pastor started to fast and pray for her, something like five days. Like that, the girl was OK," Kuku said. But religious and community leaders in the camp continued to call for Margaret's expulsion. Officials said they were still reviewing the demand when a youth mob stoned Margaret, who died August 7. Angucia said the three South Sudanese suspects were pastors and that police believe the suspects encouraged the youths to kill Margaret. "Inquiries still continue, and police deployments are yet continuing there as I speak. The situation has remained calm as we monitor and look for the other suspects who are still at large," Angucia told VOA. Angucia warned refugees there would be serious repercussions for people who acted as judge and jury. "So, as police, we highly condemn this act of mob justice, where individuals take [the] law into their hands and act on people based on rumors, which are not properly investigated. So, whoever participated in this should know that at the rightful time, he or she will be arrested and prosecuted before the law, because this is not accepted by the law of Uganda," said Angucia. The police superintendent said the three suspects appeared in court last Friday and were charged with murder. If found guilty, they could face the death penalty. U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities will set up a joint team based in Chicago targeting the leaders and finances of drug cartels that ship opioids into the United States, aiming to stanch a spike in overdose deaths, officials said Wednesday. The announcement of a fresh effort at cooperation on security issues comes at a time of strained relations between the neighboring countries and around four months before President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a left-leaning nationalist, will take office in Mexico. Lopez Obrador has vowed to shake up Mexico's war on drug cartels and wants to rewrite the rules, aides have said, suggesting negotiated peace and amnesties rather than a hard-line strategy that critics say has only perpetuated violence. He has also said he wants to reset relations with the United States, which have been rocky since Donald Trump became U.S. president. "We are sure the next president of the republic will be willing to collaborate in the fight against organized crime," Felipe de Jesus Munoz Vazquez, Mexico's deputy attorney general for the Specialized Investigation of Federal Crimes unit, told a joint U.S.-Mexican news conference in Chicago. There was no immediate comment on Wednesday from Lopez Obrador's team, but his future security minister, Alfonso Durazo, has said all co-operation agreements between the two countries will be reviewed. That includes the decade-old $2.9 billion Merida Initiative that directs aid from U.S. agencies to Mexico to fight organized crime and drug trafficking, Durazo said earlier this month. Lopez Obrador wants to refocus aid to social and economic projects, he said. All about the money Targeting cartel finances was key in stopping the flow of drugs because "the sole purpose of these entities is one thing and one thing only money," Anthony Williams, chief of operations for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, said Wednesday. Mexico remains the principal highway for cocaine to the United States and has become the top source of heroin, which is fueling a surge in opioid addiction in the United States. It is also a major supplier of methamphetamines. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Mexican cartels were responsible for much of the illegal drugs flowing into the nation's third-largest city, which has been plagued by gang violence and shootings. Officials and security experts in the United States have applauded long-running bilateral efforts to crack down on drug gangs during the administration of outgoing Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and previously. For the past 12 years, Mexico has fought the violent cartels by deploying thousands of police, soldiers and intelligence officers. On Wednesday, Mexico said it was offering a 30 million-peso ($1.6 million) reward for information leading to the arrest of Nemesio Oseguera, whose cartel is blamed for driving heroin shipments to the United States. 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 its share of the heroin trade. The United States is offering $5 million for information leading to his capture. The United States said Wednesday that Bosnias autonomous Serb-dominated region was attempting to deny history by revoking a report that concluded that Bosnian Serb forces killed about 8,000 Muslims in and around Srebrenica during the countrys 1992-95 war. The U.S. State Department said adoption by the Republika Srpska (Serb Republic) government of the 2004 report on the Srebrenica genocide had been an important reconciliation step. Reconciliation step reversed The August 14 session of the Republika Srpska National Assembly is a step in the wrong direction, a State Department statement said. Attempts to reject or amend the report on Srebrenica are part of wider efforts to revise the facts of the past war, to deny history, and to politicize tragedy. It is in the interest of the citizens of Republika Srpska to reverse the trend of revering convicted war criminals as heroes, and to ensure their crimes continue to be publicly rejected. A vote Tuesday by lawmakers in Bosnias Serb Republic to revoke the 2004 report was initiated by the regions nationalist President Milorad Dodik, and some analysts say it is the latest issue used by Serb ruling parties to mobilize voters around the nationalist agenda ahead of elections in October. Dodik, an advocate of the Serb regions secession from Bosnia, has always rejected rulings by two war crimes courts, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and The International Court of Justice, that the Srebrenica atrocity qualified as genocide. Official says scope overblown Though acknowledging a crime occurred, Dodik says the numbers of those killed had been exaggerated in the 2004 report and it should have included Serb victims. The parliament concluded that a new independent international commission should be formed to determine the damages suffered by all peoples in the Srebrenica region. A Turkish Minister said Friday that his country will respond if the United States imposes new sanctions over the continued detention of a U.S. pastor. Weve already responded based on the World Trade Organization rules and will continue to do so, Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan was quoted as saying by the state-run Anadolu news agency. WATCH: Turkey's Economic Crisis Rattles Global Markets U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday the U.S. was ready to impose more sanctions on Turkey if detained American pastor Andrew Brunson was not released from house arrest. Mnuchin made the statement during a Cabinet meeting with the president attended by journalists. We have put sanctions on several of their Cabinet members, Mnuchin said. He added, We have more that we are planning to do if they dont release him quickly. WATCH: US to Impose More Sanctions on Turkey Over Detained Pastor Earlier this month, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Turkeys ministers of Justice and Interior in response to Brunsons detention. The pastor has lived in Turkey for 20 years and heads an evangelical congregation of about two dozen people in the port city of Izmir. Turkey accuses Brunson of being a supporter of Fethullah Gullen, who is accused of being the mastermind behind a coup attempt in 2016, and of espionage. Brunson was imprisoned from October 2016 to his July 2018 release under house arrest pending his trial. On Wednesday, Turkey announced tariff hikes on several U.S. goods, including imports of vehicles, alcohol, coal, rice and cosmetics. Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said on Twitter the increases were being done within the framework of the principle of reciprocity in retaliation for the conscious economic attacks by the United States. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the United States of waging a targeted economic war on his country, and on Tuesday he proposed a boycott of U.S. electronic goods. Asked how U.S. President Donald Trumps administration would react to any such Turkish boycott, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders replied Tuesday, I certainly dont have a policy announcement on that at this point. The charge daffaires at the U.S. embassy in Turkey, Jeffrey Hovenier, visited Brunson on Tuesday and called for his case, and those of others detained in Turkey, to be resolved without delay and in a fair and transparent manner. National Security Adviser John Bolton met at the White House on Monday with Turkish ambassador Serdar Kilic, but the discussion reportedly did not result in any substantive progress. Trump, who has called Brunsons detention a total disgrace, last Friday doubled tariffs on imports of Turkish steel and aluminum in order to increase pressure on Erdogan. The escalating dispute between the two countries has exacerbated Turkeys economic crisis, pushing the lira to record lows. The Turkish currency has lost about 40 percent of its value this year against the U.S. dollar. Erdogan has called on Turks to exchange their dollars for lira in order to shore up the domestic currency. The Vatican late Thursday released a statement condemning the sexual abuse described in a grand jury report, and said that Pope Francis is on the side of the more than 1,000 victims. The abuses described in the report are criminal and morally reprehensible, the Vatican said Thursday in a statement. Those acts were betrayals of trust that robbed survivors of their dignity and their faith. The Church must learn hard lessons from its past, and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur. There are two words that can express the feelings faced with these horrible crimes: shame and sorrow, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said, adding that the victims should know that Pope Francis is on their side. Also Thursday, a Catholic bishops organization has called for a Vatican-led investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by former Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops called for the probe two days after a grand jury in the eastern U.S. state of Pennsylvania disclosed the findings of the largest-ever investigation of sex abuse in the U.S. Catholic Church. The grand jury report said 301 priests in Pennsylvania had sexually abused more than 1,000 children over the past 70 years. Pope Francis accepted the resignation of McCarrick late last month following allegations he sexually abused child and adult seminarians over a period of decades. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president of the Washington-based bishops organization, said in a statement the church is confronted with a spiritual crisis and a need for practical changes to avoid repeating the sins and failures of the past. DiNardo added that there is a need for stronger protections against predators in the Church and anyone who would conceal them. The group said it would develop a new method for victims who were sexually abused by clergy to report allegations without interference from bishops who oversee the priests who have been targeted with the claims. The new mechanism would involve more non-clergy church members who have expertise in law enforcement or psychology, the group said. A prominent Catholic group that was formed to promote parishioners voices after the first scandal emerged is concerned about how the new reporting process would work. Voice of the Faithful spokesman Nick Ingala said it would be imperative that the process be protected from any clerical influence. I dont know how they are going to work that out, Ingala said. Sex abuse in the church first erupted onto the global stage in 2002, when The Boston Globe reported priests sexually assaulted children for decades while church leaders covered up their crimes. Since 2002, similar allegations have emerged in Europe, Chile and Australia, undermining the moral authority of the church, which has some 1.2 billion members worldwide. The United States economy, the world's largest, is "crushing it," White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow declared Thursday. "This is the hottest business economic environment in the world today," Kudlow told reporters at the White House. "President [Donald] Trump completely changed the business environment here for the better," Kudlow said. "And that's why we're crushing it on the economy. My message today is very simple, the biggest political event this year is an economic boom that virtually no one expected could happen. We're growing. Three percent in the first half, 4 percent in the second quarter." Trump has made a tax cut and sharply curtailed government regulation a cornerstone of his 17-month presidency. Kudlow predicted that "the boom is sustainable. The workforce is growing," and "business and consumer confidence is high and rising." He defended Trump's imposition of tariffs on an array of imports from across the world. "People like to go at him" on tariffs, Kudlow said. "That's silly. Don't blame Trump. Blame the breakdown of the world trading system. That's a point I love to make. I make it all the time. China being the biggest culprit, but not the only culprit." Kudlow said the World Trade Organization "is broken. People have been raising tariffs and non-tariff barriers, violating rules we thought had been in place for over 20 years. The president believes that it's in the American interest, both workers, farmers, the whole economy we have got to clear away all the existing protectionism that he inherited and start over and turn a new leaf." Trade with Turkey He said that in the newest tariff dispute with Turkey, Trump imposed higher levies on Turkish steel and aluminum exports irrespective of Washington's ongoing dispute with Ankara over its detention of an American pastor, Andrew Brunson, who is awaiting trial on espionage and terrorism-related charges. Trump has unsuccessfully demanded Brunson's release. "I think that basically the president is dissatisfied with Turkey on trade," Kudlow said. But he said trade and the Brunson case were not linked. "I can just tell you policy-wise, they are not connected," he said. "Personally, I think they ought to release the pastor, but that is not part of the discussion." Unhealthy air filled with smoke from wildfires blanketed the Northwest again Wednesday. Washington state had the worst air quality in the country, according to the National Weather Service. In the central Washington cities of Chelan and Wenatchee, the air quality Wednesday reached the hazardous level, prompting Chelan County officials to distribute masks. The smoke reached levels that were unhealthy for everyone in Seattle and nearby areas, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency said. At Seattles Kerry Park, which usually offers picture-perfect views, visitors were disappointed to find parts of Puget Sound hidden behind the smoke. In an ideal world, we would want to be able to see Mount Rainier in the background so the haze is basically killing that opportunity, unfortunately, Aidan Groll of Florida told KING-TV. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, 13 large wildfires have burned more than 211 square miles (546 square kilometers) in Washington state this year, while in Oregon, 10 large fires have scorched more than 256 square miles (663 square kilometers) the Seattle Times reported. About 600 wildfires are burning across British Columbia. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality said Wednesday that the air quality in Portland and Medford was unhealthy. The weather service says cleaner air will begin pushing onshore in the western part of Washington and Oregon Wednesday night. An air quality alert for eastern Washington and northern Idaho has been extended into Friday morning. Lawyers representing Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa have filed papers urging the country's Constitutional Court to throw out an opposition challenge to his election. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has said Mnangagwa and the ruling ZANU-PF party won the July 30 election in this politically and economically troubled southern African country's first election without former longtime ruler Robert Mugabe on the ballot. The electoral commission said Mnangagwa received 50.8 percent of the vote and main challenger Nelson Chamisa received 44.3 percent. The main opposition MDC party filed a legal challenge to the results on Friday alleging "gross mathematical errors" and calling for a fresh vote or a declaration that Chamisa was the winner. On Wednesday, Mnangagwa's lawyers dismissed the challenge as "political." "We are more than confident, there is no evidence of direct manipulation. This is a political gamesmanship. Let's see if that evidence is admissible in court," said Lewis Uriri, who is leading Mnangagwa's team of lawyers, including some hired from neighboring South Africa. Chamisa's challenge "has no legal merit," said Paul Mangwana, a lawyer and the ZANU-PF spokesman. Mnangagwa was forced to cancel an inauguration ceremony planned for last Sunday because of the court challenge. Zimbabwe's law states that the court must rule within 14 days of the filing. The case brings more uncertainty to a country that had hoped the peaceful vote would begin a new era but has been rocked since then by scenes of military shooting in the streets, in which six people were killed, and reports that opposition supporters have been harassed and beaten. Some in the country have expressed doubt that the court will be able to remain neutral. "I think the courts will have to prove to the people of Zimbabwe that they are weighing the facts of the case and considering them carefully and rendering an impartial judgment," the U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe, Brian Nichols, said Wednesday afternoon after meeting with Mnangagwa. If you havn't done it yet,to get one of the fastest volcano news online: Keep up to date about specials, new destinations, tour offerings about our tours and travel news site. As an oceanic plates collides with another plate, it is subducted and generates volcanism on the overlying plate. Hekla, Katla, Krafla, Askja, Eyafjallajokull, Heimaey, Surtsey are famous names of active volcanoes, but there are many more in Iceland. 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: Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. You can argue about elements of the system you might think are not fair or shouldnt be set up that way, Barrow said. But it basically took what were all of the requirements for eligibility and requirements and executed the match the way CPS said they were going to do it. Stratovolcano 3,763 m / 12,346 ftGuatemala, 14.47N / -90.88W(4 out of 5)1581, 1585, 1586, 1587, 1614, 1617, 1620, 1623, 1629, 1679(?), 1685, 1686, 1689(?), 1699, 1702, 1705, 1706, 1709(?), 1710,1717,1730, 1732, 1737, 1751(?), 1765(?), 1773(?), 1799, 1826, 1829, 1850(?), 1852(?), 1855, 1856, 1857, 1860, 1861(?), 1867(?), 1880, 1896, 1932, 1944, 1949, 1953, 1955, 1957, 1962, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1987, 1999, 2002 - ongoingDominantly explosive, construction of lava domes and extrusion of viscous lava flows. In near constant activity, at least during the past centuries.(15-day study trip and expedition to Guatemala's volcanoes)(8-day volcano tour to Pacaya and Fuego, Guatemala) If you havn't done it yet,to get one of the fastest volcano news online: Read what our clients have said about us and our tours! Witnessing a volcanic eruption from close is an unforgettable experience. We offer a wide variety of tours and expeditions to active volcanoes worldwide. Photos taken on our our tours. - volcano adventures, group photos, expedition and camp life, people and impressions. 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: If you havn't done it yet,to get one of the fastest volcano news online: Our continuously updated worldwide map and list of the most recent largest earthquakes in the world during the past 24 hours.You can also find top 20 lists for given past days / months / years from the archive. List and map of all volcanoes in Africa. Most volcanoes are located in the Great Rift Valley, but there are more. Visiting an erupting volcano is an unforgettable experience. If you're particularly looking to see "Red Hot Lava", these are among the best places to go to. Look up quakes anywhere in the world, near your city or region! Some rarely visited volcanoes, unspoiled nature, lots of WWII remnants - browse through several galleries from our tours to the Kuril Islands. 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: As Chicago endures another violent summer, the Augustus shooting embodies much of the complexity, dysfunction and distrust that plagues relations between the police and the most troubled communities they're assigned to protect. Augustus had a state license to own a gun but not one to carry it in public. Police tried to question him about the bulge on his hip but he resisted. Words failed, and within seconds the situation spun out of control. All of it unfolding in broad daylight with numerous witnesses and camera footage. Cook County prosecutors moved quickly to try to limit any potential damage by the reversals, reading lengthy excerpts from the three witnesses grand jury testimony and signed statements to police. In addition, prosecutors questioned at length two former assistant states attorneys who had taken two of the witnesses handwritten statements and brought them before the grand jury. The ruling may seem jarring to the public, many of whom viewed McDonald as a casualty of police brutality since the court-ordered release of a video showing Van Dyke shooting the teen 16 times in October 2014. Mayor Rahm Emanuel publicly apologized for the shooting after the video became public in November 2015, saying nothing, nothing can excuse what happened to Laquan McDonald. U.S. productivity grew at an annual rate of 2.9 percent in the second quarter, the fastest pace in more than three years. The April-June increase in productivity followed a much weaker 0.3 percent rate of gain in the first quarter, the Labor Department said. Labor costs actually fell at a 0.9 percent rate in the second quarter, the weakest showing in nearly four years. The strong second-quarter gain is expected to be a temporary blip. We get it. It's hot outside. But cool weather is coming, even though we can't promise exactly when. In the meantime you can chill out with our quiz on snow, ice and the coldest weather in history. It looks like rainbows, smells like sugar and feels like money. According to MarketWatch, the Museum of Ice Cream has made more than $20 million since its opening in 2016. Tickets to the museum in San Francisco sell for $38 apiece, but the Pint Shop, a pop-up that closes Aug. 19, is free. It found a corporate sponsor, Target, where the ice creams are also sold, and the store looks like a colorful riff on a big box store: monochromatic aisles of merch in the museums signature pastels, a freezer aisle full of branded ice cream, three shed-sized pints decorated to be backdrops for social media snapshots. And, in the back, the pink room for the tasting experience, which costs $33 and includes a pint. Glenn Close: This may be a little off topic, but one of my favorite lines in the film is when Joe, in prepping for his Nobel acceptance speech, says to me, I have to thank you. Otherwise theyll think Im a narcissistic a--hole. And I say, But you are. I love that line. That speaks to the moment. More to the point, I do think this whole movie is really risky. My daughter [Annie Starke], whos 30, represents a generation of women who grew up after the feminist movement. The whole idea that women should be equal surrounded them, the idea that women shouldnt have to fight for that power. So Joan is a woman who stays with an abusive man. I was afraid that every young woman watching the movie is going to say, Just leave him. That was my fear. That they would not be able to understand the mentality, or the culture, out of which Joans behavior was coming. That was what Bjorn and I worked on the most. I had to understand that mentality for myself, to act her. After about an hour behind closed doors, Hunter and lawyers from both sides of the case left Gaughans courtroom without comment. With the secrecy imposed by Gaughan, it may not be known until trial if he will allow Van Dykes attorneys to question Hunter then. Joel Dreessen, an air quality forecaster for Marylands Department of Environment, confirmed the smoke is affecting the air we breathe. He said the smoke had wafted over the air above us for many days but had made its way to the surface in noticeable fashion as of Thursday. He noted that several constituents of smoke were detected in elevated quantities including fine particulate matter, carbon monoxide and black carbon. The school possesses copies of many of his papers, speeches and other works in its special collections archives. Until now, those materials have been difficult to access, requiring a visit to the archives. The university is looking to change that. Make no mistake: I am not defending him or what he said. His belief is indefensible, and it is a direct assault on who I am and many of the people I care about most in this world. But I covered crime in New York and the Washington area long enough to know with certainty that the most dangerous state for a person to reach is a hopeless one. That is when thoughts turn to action and people get hurt. About 3:50 a.m. the warning was sent to news organizations, and at 4 a.m. it was posted to D.C. Waters website. However, as more and more customers checked the site it became overwhelmed, with load times of more than one minute. A second server was installed to improve its performance, but not until 1 p.m. Kaine first went to Honduras in 1974 as a sophomore at his Jesuit high school in Kansas City, where he grew up in a Catholic family. He was delivering donations to a Jesuit mission in the town of El Progreso. Later, Kaine took nine months off from his studies at Harvard Law School to return to the mission in El Progreso, where he taught carpentry and welding to vocational students skills he had learned from working in his fathers metal shop. He speaks Spanish. But when looking at the performance of students who are at-risk defined as those who are homeless, are recipients of welfare or food stamps, or have languished in high school the charters performed slightly better. In math, for example, 18.5 percent of at-risk students in the charter sector met expectations, compared with 13.4 percent in D.C. Public Schools. A number of the water sources tested that had high lead levels were not accessible to children, or had been dormant, which may be why the lead levels were elevated, he said. Some hadnt been used in two years, he said, so when we tested them the lead levels were through the roof. Gately is also accused of attempting to kill his sister Joan Shapiro. Prosecutors say she hid behind a chair when the gunfire broke out but that Gately found her, told her he was going to kill her and pulled the trigger but when the gun didnt fire, she managed to run out of the house and call police while Gately tried to reload. This builds on one of the recommendations that the grand jury made and that Shapiro endorsed. Rozzi said hes going to push for the grand jurys other recommendations, which include clarifying the penalties for failure to report child abuse and specifying that communications with law enforcement are not covered by confidentiality agreements a tool the church allegedly used to silence abuse victims. 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 In a lawsuit filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, a coalition of nonpartisan groups argue that Floridas secretary of state and local officials are violating the voting rights of Puerto Ricans, tens of thousands of whom moved to the state in the past year after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. The groups have spent months trying to work with local election officials in 32 counties to provide language services to Spanish-speaking residents. The gas was poured over Guerrero and was ignited, but Guerrero got up and began running around, Diamond said. Alvarado and Brewer then got into the Jeep and ran over Guerrero before dumping his body again in the fire pit and relighting it on fire, authorities said, adding that police found blood on the Jeeps undercarriage. In an unusual episode involving a batch of synthetic drugs, more than a dozen people fell ill in less than an hour in New Havens central park on Wednesday. People lay unconscious. Others convulsed and vomited. First responders could barely keep up, sprinting from person to person; a news conference with the police chief was interrupted by word of another victim and medics rushing to administer treatment. All of those who took the drug survived, and authorities announced an arrest in connection with the incident. According to the officials, roughly $50 million would cover Pentagon costs for aircraft, equipment, personnel and other support for the November parade in Washington. The remainder would be borne by other agencies and largely involve security costs. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss early planning estimates that have not yet been finalized or released publicly. Spanish rescuers intercept 524 migrants: Spanish rescue services said they pulled 524 migrants to safety from 12 boats trying to reach Spain from North Africa. The rescuers said 240 migrants were traveling in seven boats across the Strait of Gibraltar, and five boats were found crossing the Alboran Sea farther east with a total of 284 people on board. As a crackdown in Libya has made it more difficult to reach Italy, many migrants are attempting the trip from Algeria and Morocco into Spain. Meanwhile, a rescue ship carrying 141 migrants rescued off Libya last week has reached Malta's main port, ending an impasse over where it could dock. The brunch was organized by the Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association, a longtime group that has found itself in a new activist role in part because of the wealth of Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune. The group is heading up a Blue Wave Illinois program to financially assist Democrats across the ballot in conjunction with the Pritzker campaign. Its aimed to serve as a counter to Rauners wealth, which rebuilt the Illinois Republican Party and has helped GOP candidates the past couple of elections. Konashenkov said that while the drones appear primitive, they use sophisticated technologies and have a range of up to 60 miles. He said fighters would not have been able to assemble the drones without outside help, but he didnt say who might have aided them. Wuerl, who served as the bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006, did discipline some priests and even went to the Vatican to fight an order that he reinstate one. But the grand jury also wrote that he reassigned other predator priests including the one who groomed George and introduced him to the ring that photographed him. In at least one case, Wuerl required a victim to sign a confidentiality agreement barring him from discussing his abuse with any third party as part of a settlement. That is a coverup. In addition, the grand jury also wrote that under his leadership the diocese failed to report allegations of abuse to law enforcement, advocated for a convicted predator at sentencing, and then provided a $11,542.68 lump-sum payment to the disgraced priest after his release from prison. Its unclear whether banned content would be available beyond the first page of search results. Its possible that links would be available at least initially beyond the first page, offering valuable details to users about what authorities are censoring. But Google could still do some good even if China required the company to remove banned content from all pages in its search engine. What was destroyed in Pennsylvania and doubtlessly all over this country and the world cant be restored in this realm. There are vital measures that would help. States should consider Pennsylvanias moves to reform its criminal and civil statutes of limitation, as suggested by the grand jurys report, which would give victims the opportunity to pursue justice even if their abuse took place long ago. And Catholic lay people, such as myself, must demand that church authorities cooperate fully with law enforcement, having proved themselves utterly incompetent to address this crisis themselves. That there should be mass defrockings is obvious. That there should also be a swath of criminal convictions also seems beyond question. A full surrender is in order; no sacrifice, at this point, is too great. Nothing can amount to the penitence that is deserved. It may well have been too little too late. The potential for judges to influence juries is so great that courts often caution jurors against reading too much into a judge's subtle nonverbal behaviors, a nod of the head, a smile or a frown. Jurors do it anyway. Legal scholars study whether judges' conduct on the bench influences juries and reliably find that it does. The research typically concerns a judge's anti-defendant bias. Defendants have all the protections of a trial the high standard of proof, the presumption of innocence, the evidentiary rules designed to protect them. What will be the impact of Ellis's anti-government bias, which was not nonverbal and hardly subtle? Hard to tell. We know next to nothing about this jury. Seeking to expedite matters, Ellis impaneled the Manafort jury in a single day. But lets be honest: Brennan isnt a guy who was going to back down in a bar fight, any more than Trump. Hes tough and stubborn, with a chip on his shoulder. Hes a guy who, if you write five positive things about him and one negative, remembers only the negative. Once Trump insulted Brennans integrity, as he did after he won the presidency, these two were going to end up in a cockfight. In addition to putting more than $100 million into his campaign so far, Pritzker has taken a page out of Republican Gov. Bruce Rauners playbook by giving millions to help other Illinois Democrats. Many of them will be in Springfield on Thursday for a brunch before the fair that Biden was supposed to headline. Lauren Baer, a former Obama administration foreign policy adviser, has been buoyed by a string of endorsements from Democratic Party officials and national House leaders in her first-time bid for Congress. But for all the attention on her race in South Florida one of the most competitive in the country Baer has one significant disadvantage in her campaign to unseat Republican Brian Mast: money. I know that we have a message that resonates in our community, said Baer, who had raised $1.6 million less than half as much as Mast by the end of June. But I also know that my viability, at the end of the day, depends on the amount of money that exists in my campaign coffers. Even as a record number of women run for office this year, female congressional candidates overall are lagging behind their male counterparts when it comes to pulling in campaign cash, according to a Washington Post analysis of federal campaign finance reports. Men running for the House had collected almost 17 percent more on average than their female counterparts by the end of June, The Post found in its examination of candidates who showed viability by raising at least $50,000. House candidate Kara Eastman in Omaha on May 15 after clinching the Democratic primary. By the end of June, she had raised $1 million less than Rep. Don Bacon, the GOP incumbent in Nebraskas 2nd District. (Nati Harnik/AP) The assumptions that are built into our political system is that the candidate is male, said Baer, who said she has frequently been asked by donors and supporters about who is caring for her young child. View Graphic These women have won their primaries. Will they be elected in November? One group of female candidates who outraised their male counterparts: Democratic women seeking office in districts that lean left a sign of the enthusiasm in the base to support women this year. In those districts, women collected an average of $97,000 more than men, The Post found. In Minnesota, for example, state legislator Ilhan Omar, a Somali refugee who would be one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress, handily outraised two of her three Democratic challengers including a male opponent before winning her primary Tuesday. Female candidates in some marquee toss-up races are also seeing a flood of cash. That has been the case for Katie Hill, a 30-year-old nonprofit-group executive from Santa Clarita, Calif., who is seeking to dislodge Rep. Steve Knight, the last Republican who still holds a congressional seat in Los Angeles County. Democratic congressional candidate Katie Hill at a canvassing event in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Aug. 4. (Dania Maxwell for The Washington Post) Hill had raised $2.5 million to Knights $1.7 million by the end of June a remarkable feat in a district that has been held by a Republican for 25 years. In a sign of grass-roots enthusiasm for her bid, one-quarter of her campaign cash came from donations of $200 or less. Such donations made up just 1.4 percent of Knights haul. Hill, who is bisexual, has attracted backers from an array of constituencies, including LGBTQ advocacy groups, a Los Angeles-area womens network and Hollywood celebrities such as actress Kristen Bell, whom she met through her work advocating for the homeless. I met people who took me under their wing, and then it sort of spread . . . into this Venn diagram of relationships that you have to keep building and building, Hill said in an interview after a recent campaign event in her district. That is something I couldnt have really anticipated before I was a candidate how much the momentum builds on itself, like a snowball. But such a dramatic financial windfall is the exception for female candidates. Men raised an average of $849,000 by June 30 according to the most recent data available while women pulled in an average of $728,000, The Post found. Republican women posted a higher average of $941,058, largely driven by huge hauls by GOP incumbents and millions in contributions that have poured into several high-profile races. Overall, female candidates in general did better in fundraising in the 63 competitive House races tracked by the Cook Political Report but still trailed male candidates by an average of $63,516, The Post found. The gap reflects a widespread hurdle that could hobble women hoping to make history in November, largely because just 71 of the 476 women who launched House bids this cycle are incumbents, according to data from the Center for American Women and Politics, a nonpartisan research center at Rutgers University. In Illinois, nonprofit executive and first-time candidate Betsy Dirksen Londrigan has raised $1 million less than Rep. Rodney Davis, the three-term GOP incumbent she is challenging. She said she has logged nearly 50,000 miles on her car driving around the 13th District to make her case to voters and donors. Betsy Dirksen Londrigan (Londrigan campaign) We dont have any Hollywood actresses in Springfield, Illinois, but we do have a lot of people who are equally as excited and equally as committed, Londrigan said. Londrigan, who co-founded Women Rising, a group working to support female candidates, hopes to draw on the donor networks of her three male primary opponents, who she said have all offered to help her raise money. Still, for all the inspiration she gets from the stories of first-time female candidates, Londrigan said she worries that voters may overestimate their chances of winning in November. I dont want a repeat of 2016, frankly, Londrigan said. I dont want anyone making the assumption that the woman in the race is going to win or that they can stay home that day. One factor that has slowed fundraising for some women: competition. Of the 272 female candidates still in the running for House seats, 207 are Democrats, according to the tally by the Center for American Women and Politics. That has led to crowded primary contests in many states and prompted one major potential ally on the left, Emilys List, to hold off giving its endorsement in some races until the general election. The advocacy group, which supports female candidates who back abortion rights, is sitting out the 18th District in Florida, where Baer is facing off against former naval officer and lawyer Pam Keith in the Aug. 28 Democratic primary. Baer said that the absence of early backing by Emilys List disadvantages one as a candidate, not having that stamp of approval. Emilys List considers a number of factors when weighing whether to endorse early mainly whether the bones of the campaign are strong, according to spokeswoman Julie McClain Downey. We consider having this many women running a good problem, she added. Meanwhile, many female candidates on the left have pledged not to take contributions from corporate PACs, which have long been reliable and early sources of campaign cash. That does obviously create more of a challenge, said Kara Eastman, a nonprofit executive who has raised $1 million less than incumbent Republican Don Bacon in Nebraskas 2nd District. We are dedicated to this being a people-powered campaign. Karla Young signs in volunteers in during an Aug. 4 canvassing event in Santa Clarita for Katie Hill. (Dania Maxwell for The Washington Post) There are some signs that female candidates on the left are generating more enthusiasm among grass-roots donors than men. Women running for federal office, on average, received contributions from 10 percent more first-time donors this cycle than male candidates, according to ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising platform. They spurred an even greater increase in first-time female donors, drawing donations from 23 percent more than male candidates. Folks are legitimately excited by all the first-time candidates who are running, said Erin Hill, ActBlues executive director. Weve never seen this type of influx of growth. In Connecticut, Jahana Hayes, a history teacher and political novice, raised nearly $40,000 in less than 24 hours after clinching Tuesdays Democratic primary mostly in small donations under $200, according to her campaign. For Katie Hill, that excitement is translating into donations and volunteers. At a recent training session for volunteers before they went door to door to speak to voters, several supporters said they were drawn to Hill because she has proved her viability with her robust fundraising. Im out here because I want to make sure that communities are aware there are other options, said Ashley Orozco, a 27-year-old campaign volunteer who wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the words The Future is Female. Hill said she is sharing the lessons she has learned about fundraising with other female candidates and hopes to see mentorship programs develop to help other first-time candidates build donor networks. In May, Vice News aired a 30-minute documentary featuring Hill and her campaign teams fundraising strategies, including how her team leveraged her Emilys List endorsement to broaden its network of wealthy female donors in the Los Angeles area. I want this to get out. Im not shy about my secret about how we fundraise. Ive talked about it from early, early on, Hill said. I want to learn from other women who can look at this and share what did they do and, frankly, what we could have done better. Brunsons release after nearly two years in jail was supposed to be the next step in a multipart deal worked out by diplomats and by Trump and Erdogan directly during a meeting at the July NATO summit in Brussels, said other officials familiar with the plan who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations. A letter from Trumps lawyers sent to Mueller on Aug. 8 significantly lessened the possibility of a voluntary presidential interview, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The multipage response represents what Trumps lawyers expect to be their last word on Muellers request, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations. The issue has led to a dramatic souring of U.S.-Turkey relations. The Treasury Department earlier this month levied sanctions on two senior Turkish officials in retaliation for Brunsons continued detention. That move was followed by an announcement by Trump last week that the United States was doubling tariffs on imported Turkish metals. Trump said that in addition to Brennan, the security clearances of nine other former officials are under review. All of them have either sharply criticized Trump or are in the crosshairs of the presidents congressional allies as they seek to cast doubt on the special counsel probe led by Robert S. Mueller III. A small but very vocal faction of DFL activists believe Franken fell victim to a right-wing conspiracy because the ex-comedian had become such a prominent Trump critic. I thought it was extremely politicized. I think Franken was a strong presence, and a lot of people were afraid of him. He was a straight shooter, and that made him more vulnerable when people wanted to bring him down, Sally McCartney, 77, told The Washington Posts David Weigel after a campaign event Saturday in St. Louis Park, a Twin Cities suburb. Republicans have requested Kavanaughs White House counsel records but have ruled his staff secretary papers out of bounds. In addition to the documents, Kavanaugh has spent a dozen years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, amassing a record of more than 300 legal opinions that Republicans say are the best indicator of the kind of Supreme Court justice he will be. We have communities that have not been invested in. We have communities where mental health services have been depleted. We have communities that have suffered as a result of the budget impasse in Springfield. All of these combined, along with the closing of schools, what does one expect? Raoul said. What does one expect to evolve from these communities if you dont invest in these communities and you dont invest in the children within those communities? There is a realization in China that they may have been playing into the hands of their critics in the West by displaying their ambition so openly, he wrote in an email. That ambition goes well beyond economics China is also catching up and challenging the West, and particularly the U.S., for technological and geopolitical ascendancy and even parading itself as a political model, as an alternative to democracy. It is the growing sense, voiced in numerous interviews this week, that an entire generation of young Hazaras is under threat. Many Hazaras say that the best and brightest members of their long-suppressed, predominantly Shiite ethnic group now beginning to compete with more-dominant groups in professions, education and politics not only are being targeted by outside religious adversaries but also are underprotected by the Afghan government. Whatever the details may turn out to be regarding Archbishop McCarrick or the many abuses in Pennsylvania [or anywhere else], we already know that one root cause is the failure of episcopal leadership, DiNardo said. When asked whether the U.S. military could have refueled the warplane that launched the strike in Saada, the official said it was possible but not certain. When asked why the United States could not determine this or whether a U.S. bomb was used, the official said we would have to have Saudis provide us information, but they dont in the normal course of events. The announcement came as the administration last week reimposed a range of sanctions that had been lifted as part of the 2016 Iran nuclear deal, from which President Trump withdrew earlier this year. In November, a second round of snap-back sanctions will inflict far more pain on Iran by prohibiting all other countries from buying its oil, at the risk of being sanctioned themselves by the United States. It is not unusual for large chunks of money to be unspent as the fiscal year winds to a close. This year, the amount could top $3 billion, according to officials who have been told about it, out of almost $40 billion in foreign aid funding. Because a rescission package is still a work in progress, no specific programs have been identified as targets. Administration officials said the package includes an aid package for Syria, the West Bank and Gaza. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 16) Members of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on Thursday were curious what Associate Justices Teresita de Castro and Lucas Bersamin could realistically accomplish if appointed Chief Justice with only a few months ahead of their retirement. De Castro will retire on October 8 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70, while Bersamin will retire in October 2019. De Castro is the most senior of five candidates vying for the post. She vowed to reorganize the court's Ethics Committee. "That is the only way complaints against justices can be brought to the court. There should be a grievance machinery within the Supreme Court so we can discipline our own," she told members of the JBC during the public interview. The JBC screens and recommends nominees to the Judiciary for appointment by the President. De Castro said court members can tap the ethics body as venue to explain their side. She said with the revival of the Ethics Committee, they will not be allowed to remove a fellow justice, only take disciplinary actions against them. De Castro is one of the justices who voted in May to permanently oust her rival, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. She has more plans during her possible short stint. "It's not as if I will only start today. I have been working on judicial reform projects since 2009. If I'm appointed Chief Justice, all I need to do is revive these projects, together with the case management. All we need to do is update," she said. De Castro said it will take three weeks to update the projects. Once done, it can still be carried out by the next Chief Magistrate. "Once approved, we can already put the information, communication technology in place and it will gain its momentum," she said. De Castro has been serving the government for 45 years. She was appointed associate justice in 2007 by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Her fellow Arroyo appointee, Bersamin, also believes he can accomplish a lot in a possible 13-month stint. "We can do a lot of things in one month, two months... But I think the balance of the time I will have will be more than sufficient for me to introduce innovations and firm up existing programs and activities, and enhance the image of the Supreme Court," Bersamin said. He said he will prioritize giving more powers to the JBC so they can improve the selection and vetting of candidates for judges. Bersamin said this is crucial because public confidence, especially those who serve in the rural areas, is "simply eroding." "JBC will need a lot more muscle to look into the qualifications of the aspirants for judicial positions, especially those who will serve in the provinces and rural areas," he said. De Castro and Bersamin's fellow associate justices Diosdado Peralta and Andres Reyes Jr. and Judge Virginia Tejano-Ang, presiding judge of the Tagum City, Davao del Norte Regional Trial Court Branch 1, faced the JBC for the public interviews. Related: Who'll be the next Chief Justice? Meet the five applicants The five candidates will also go through comprehensive medical tests, a psychological evaluation, and written evaluative examinations. To get on the short list, a nominee must get the vote of at least four JBC members. The members will create a short list of Chief Justice nominees on August 17. The JBC will then submit the short list to President Rodrigo Duterte who will choose the next Chief Justice. The bomber, who had walked into a classroom in a one-room building at a Shiite educational center in the neighborhood of Dasht-e-Barchi, where he set off his explosives, was identified as "the martyrdom-seeking brother Abdul Raouf al-Khorasani." Afghanistan's IS affiliate is known as The Islamic State in Khorasan Province, after an ancient name of the area that encompassed parts of present-day Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia. Rudy Giuliani, an attorney for President Trump, speaks in Portsmouth, N.H., on Aug. 1, 2018. (Charles Krupa / AP) Higher prices in Asia for its wine, combined with increased sales as Asian consumers swing towards imported wines helped Treasury Wine Estates lift its net profit after tax a hefty 34 per cent to $360.3 million in fiscal 2018. A breakdown of the company's financial performance on a geographic basis emphasised the importance of the Asian market, with Asia making a $205 million contribution to Australia's biggest wine company's EBITS (earnings before interest, tax, the agricultural accounting standard SGARA and material items). Treasury Wine Estates chief executive officer Michael Clarke. The $205 million figure was a bigger contribution than any other region, up 36.7 per cent on the previous year, and marked the first financial year that Asia delivered the biggest EBITS result for Treasury. The result exceeded analyst expectations, and Treasury reiterated its guidance for fiscal 2019 for earnings growth of about 25 per cent. The national transport safety body is investigating an incident on a Qantas-owned cargo plane that left a pilot incapacitated after the cabin depressurised. The Boeing 737 had departed from Brisbane late on Wednesday night and was on its way to Melbourne when the crew were alerted to a "wing body overheat warning", which resulted in the cabin pressure reducing. The plane was operated by Express Freighters Australia, which is owned by Qantas. Credit:Bloomberg "The crew donned oxygen and descended to 20,000 ft," the ATSB said in a statement. One of the pilots was then "incapacitated", forcing the captain to descend to 8,000 feet and divert the aircraft to Canberra. A group of Chinese relatives allegedly laundered at least $11 million of dirty money for organised crime groups, after federal police seized 2.5 million illegally imported cigarettes in Melbourne. Four men and two women were charged with smuggling tobacco and dealing with the proceeds of crime, police confirmed yesterday ahead of court appearances for the six, who are all from the same family. Federal police have seized 2.5 million illegally imported cigarettes in Templestowe. Credit:AFP Police and Border Force officers raided a Templestowe home and a Notting Hill warehouse on Monday where they allegedly found $775,000 in cash. The men, aged 21 to 48, have been charged with smuggling tobacco and dealing with the proceeds of crime and face up to 30 years' prison if found guilty. The women, aged 33 and 44, have been charged with proceeds of crime offences and could be jailed for up to 20 years. F---. Im going to jail, alleged samurai sword killer Blake Davis said to his girlfriend Hannah Quinn in the aftermath of Jett McKees botched home invasion that turned deadly last Friday. According to police facts obtained by Fairfax Media, the couple were at home together at midday when Mr McKee broke into their home armed with knuckledusters, a balaclava, pepper spray and a replica gun demanding money. When they said they didnt have any, the aspiring rapper turned menacing, a court heard in a successful bail application for Ms Quinn at Newtown Local Court on Thursday. Hannah Quinn walks free from Silverwater on Thursday evening. Credit:AAP You dont want to get hurt, I will shoot you. Theres lots more people like me that will shoot you, give me all your valuables, he said according to Ms Quinns barrister Tom Hughes. 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. 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. 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. 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." He has spent the past 14 months incarcerated in Phnom Penhs notoriously overcrowded Prey Sar prison. His trial began in the Cambodian capital after a number of false starts. Ricketson, 68, was denied bail on Thursday. He was arrested in June last year after he was seen flying a drone above an opposition party rally. Phnom Penh: Acclaimed Australian director Peter Weir has testified during the unprecedented espionage trial in Cambodia of Australian filmmaker James Ricketson. Australian filmmaker James Ricketson on his way to court in Cambodia on Thursday. Credit:AP I feel very confident that the judge will find theres no evidence at all, Ricketson said before walking into the courtroom. Presiding Judge Seng Leang denied Ricketsons request for bail, even as his lawyers argued he should be released on health and other grounds. Weir, the director of high-profile films including Picnic at Hanging Rock, Dead Poets Society and The Truman Show, was the first witness to be questioned in court about Ricketsons alleged spying activities Australian director Peter Weir with Jesse Ricketson's partner Alex in Cambodia on Thursday. Credit:AAP Weir said he had been a friend and colleague to Ricketson for more than 45 years and could attest to his character. New York: America's newsrooms are pushing back against US President Donald Trump. More than 300 US newspapers have pledged to run editorials on Thursday defending freedom of the press in response to Trump calling media organisations and journalists the enemy of the American people, and condemning his attacks on journalism as "fake news". The Boston Globe invited newspapers across the country to stand up for the media with editorials on Thursday, and several began appearing online a day earlier. Nearly 350 news organisations have pledged to participate, said Marjorie Pritchard, op-ed editor at the Globe. In St Louis, the Post-Dispatch called journalists "the truest of patriots ." The Chicago Sun-Times said it believed most Americans know that Trump is talking nonsense. Burkes role as the gatekeeper of workers comp benefits for the entire city of Chicago invites cynicism, and rightfully so. The lawsuit alleges that Burke, who has chaired the finance committee for 33 of the last 35 years, leverages his position to load up his staff with patronage workers. The role also allows him to dole out favors as he determines the outcomes of hundreds of cases of city workers who claim they were injured on the job. WESTPORT Five years after the Westport Weston Family YMCA spent $38.5 million on the construction of a new facility at Camp Mahackeno, the organization will again embark on a large project: a $25 million expansion to the current building and renovation of Makackenos summer camp facilities. We listen to our members, said Pat Riemersma, CEO of the Westport Weston Family YMCA, adding that after three years since the original build out they have learned where to best expand going forward. Over a year ago, the YMCA leadership began a master planning process and posed the question: How can we better serve our members, Riemersma said. As part of the process, the leadership asked the question of what the old downtown YMCA had that the new location does not. The absence of gymnastics at the new facility was a resounding answer to that question. When the YMCA moved to Mahackeno from downtown, the organization did not build a gymnastics center to replace the one downtown and has instead rented a space in Norwalk to house the YMCAs Showtime Exhibition gymnastics team. Were bringing gymnastics back home, Riemersma said, adding the new gymnastics facility will be built alongside the current building. The 22,000 square foot addition will have two floors, both 11,000 square feet, with the gymnastics center on the upper floor, Riemersma said, noting the gymnastics space wont hold competitions and will instead be used solely for practice. The bottom floor of the new building will have dance and spinning studios and a workout zone for CrossFit-type equipment, Riemersma said, adding the YMCAs current spin studio has 24 bikes and the new studio will have 34 bikes to accommodate the frequent waitlist for spin classes. The new group exercise studios will allow for more exercise classes in the post-work hours as well, Riemersma said. The addition will allow for an expanded preschool program with more music and arts programming Riemersma said, noting the renovations will bring 70 additional parking spaces to the facility. A large-scale renovation of the summer camp behind the YMCA building is also part of the $25 million project, Riemersma said, noting the camp hasnt been renovated since the camps construction at least 40 years ago. Someone used the word vintage the other day, which is probably appropriate. It needs a little bit of love, Riemersma said of the summer camp, adding, If we want to stay competitive and better meet the needs of the kids in our community, we feel its important that we enhance the camp property and add a few more attractive elements programmatically. Two giant slides, two pavilions, a new pool, locker rooms, a larger archer range, and a splash pad will be built at the camp. The amphitheater will be renovated and Becks Lodge will be winterized to allow for middle-school programming in the colder months, Riemersma said. Construction on the building addition will start in September 2019 and be completed a year later in 2020 while the camp renovations will also start in Sept. 2019 but are projected to end by the start of the 2020 camp season, Riemersma said, adding the project will be funded through a capital campaign initiative, the YMCAs endowment, and financing. The projects plans have already gone to the Conservation Department for review and are expected to come before the Planning and Zoning Commission in September or October, Riemersma said. svaughan@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2638; @SophieCVaughan1 WESTPORT The number of gun permits given to town residents has risen exponentially over the last decade. In 2001, the Westport police issued 26 gun permits, one permit per applicant. Ten years later, in 2011, the number of gun permits approved by Westport police nearly doubled, to 49 permits, which signified a consistent increase in the number of gun permits approved for town residents over the decade. Five years later, in 2016, the department again saw an increase in gun permit applications and approved 99 permits that year. In 2017, the department approved 102 permits and the number of approved permits for 2018 is trending to be above 100, Westport Police Chief Foti Koskinas said. A lot of the climb has to do with elections and whos coming in to be President. In 2008, we had 23 permits and then in 2009, when it changed from Bush to Obama, there was 72, Koskinas said. In total, 1,200 Westport residents have gun permits, which represents 0.49 percent of the total gun owners in the state, Koskinas said. The weapons vary all over the place. We have everything from antiques to high-powered rifles to military grade weapons, such as AR-15 rifles, Koskinas added. The semi-automatic rifles causing havoc in school shootings are military weapons, Koskinas said. As of Oct. 10, 2017, Westport gun permit-holders had 6,741 registered firearms, but that number has now grown to over 7,000 registered firearms, Koskinas added. To get a gun permit residents must first apply with the local police chief and if they receive local approval, can apply for a permit with the state firearms unit, which has final approval, Mike Lawlor, state Undersecretary for Criminal Justice Policy and Planning, said. You have to go through an extensive national background check, at least six hours of firearm training, and then you can be denied if youre not a, quote, suitable person, which is not defined but generally speaking people who have engaged in conduct that is not necessary illegal, such as being a habitual drunk or leaving guns around, but things that in and of themselves demonstrate you are not a suitable person to have a gun, Lawlor said. Permit-holders can get their permit revoked if they are committed to a mental hospital, are convicted of a crime, or get served a restraining order or exhibit any other law-abiding or irresponsible behavior, Lawlor said. Connecticut has one of the tightest gun permitting systems in the country. Its a system thats very comprehensive and it works, because we have one of the lowest rates of firearm deaths in the country, Lawlor said. Westport has no gun ranges or gun stores, Westport police Officer David Baxter confirmed. Despite residents relative safety from gun violence compared to other states, town Board of Education (BOE) Member Candice Savin said at the Aug. 1 Board of Finance meeting that the number of gun permits in town makes her scared for Westport students. I was very alarmed to learn of the enormous number of gun permits in Westport, Savin said, adding, It makes me feel concerned about the access kids who are disturbed or influenced by the larger culture have to these weapons. Savin, along with her fellow BOE member, unanimously recommended the finance board fund two police officers to be housed at Westports middle schools. The BOE says the officers can protect against gun violence in the schools, but the finance board voted against funding the officers. A proposal to fund the officers will likely again come before the BOF at its Sept. 5 meeting, First Selectman Jim Marpe, a proponent of funding the officers, said. WESTPORT Democrat turnout was up and Republican turnout down in Tuesdays primary compared to the 2010 primary. The presence of a dual primary and absence of an incumbent in 2010 makes that year a good benchmark upon which to compare the Aug. 14 results, Democratic Registrar of Voters Marla Cowden, said. In 2010, 26.6 percent of towns registered Democrats voted in the primary election while 29.3 percent of town Democrats voted in Tuesdays election, a nearly three percent jump in turnout. On the Republican side, 32.1 percent voted in 2010 primary while 27.9 percent voted on Aug. 14, which is an over four percent decrease in turnout among towns Registered Republicans compared to 2010. It sort of switched in that the Democrat turnout this year was higher than it was in 2010 and the Republican turnout was lower than it was in 2010, Cowden said. What accounts for the switch in voter turnout among the two groups? Over the years the number of Democrats in Westport has increased. This year there was also an increased interest in voting. We saw a large increase in the number of young people registered to vote, Cowden said. Meanwhile, the lower Republican turnout was not a result of decreased enthusiasm in the party, but rather a decrease in the number of town Republicans, Kevin White, the Westport Republica Registrar of Voters, said. The number of registered Republicans dropped by 531 residents from 4,921 registered Republicans in 2010 to 4,390 registered Republicans this year. About that many less voted this year. The ratio is almost the same, but percentage-wise it changed because the numerator changed, White said. The number of registered Democrats in town has likewise increased from 6,322 registered Democrats in 2010 to 6,849 this year, according to data from the registrars office. More Information How Westporters voted in the Aug. 14 primary: Governor - Dem Ned Lamont: 1,852 Joe Ganim: 111 Governor - GOP Steve Obsitnik: 505 Bob Stefanowski: 248 David Stemerman: 212 Mark Boughton: 148 Tim Herbst: 96 Lieutenant Governor - Dem Susan Bysiewicz: 1,417 Eva Zimmerman: 509 Lieutenant Governor - GOP Jayme Stevenson: 410 Joe Markley: 403 Erin Stewart: 296 See More Collapse Town Democrats largely voted in line with their statewide counterparts in the primary, choosing Ned Lamont for governor, Susan Bysiewicz for Lieutenant Governor, Shawn Wooden for Treasurer, and William Tong for Attorney General, all with great majorities both at the local and statewide level. However, town Republicans diverged from the majority of state Republican voters and voted overwhelmingly for hometown gubernatorial candidate Steve Obsitnik, who statewide came in last in the five-person GOP race for governor won by Republicans Bob Stefanowski. GOP Lieutenant Governor candidate Jayme Stevenson from nearby Darien won by a margin of seven votes in Westport but came in last in the three-person race statewide that went to Joe Markley. Town Republicans did vote in line with state Republicans in the races for Treasurer and Attorney General, choosing Thad Gray and Sue Hatfield for the respective positions. With each partys candidates chosen, the race to the Nov. 6 elections can begin, both in Westport and across the state. svaughan@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2638; @SophieCVaughan1 A new production of The Color Purple is to open at the Curve, Leicester in 2019. The Curve joins with Birmingham Hippodrome to produce the show, which opens 28 June in Leicester. The musical is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker. It will be the first time the musical is staged outside of London in the UK and will be directed by Tinuke Craig. Craig's recent credits include Random/Generations at Chichester Festival Theatre and I Call My Brothers at the Gate Theatre. The production is to coincide with the tenth anniversary of Curve and the 120th anniversary of the Hippodrome. Curve's chief executive Chris Stafford and artistic director Nikolai Foster said: "The Color Purple celebrates remarkable women, telling incredible stories. From its Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker, her courageous creation in heroine Celie to Oprah Winfrey who had the vision to make the story into a smash-hit Broadway musical. And we are thrilled to introduce our equally astonishing director Tinuke Craig and welcome her to Curve." Fiona Allan, artistic director of Birmingham Hippodrome commented: "This is the very first time that Birmingham Hippodrome has actively co-produced a main stage musical, and we could not have better partners than Chris Stafford and Nikolai Foster at Curve theatre, and director Tinuke Craig." The Color Purple tells the story of heroine Celie over 40 years as she finds her place in the world. The show was staged by the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2013 in its first international production which then transferred to Broadway and ran until 2017. This new production opens on 28 June and runs to 13 July at Curve before running at the Hippodrome between 16 and 20 July. In just the seven years of Emanuels tenure, the city has seen thousands of people murdered and tens of thousands of people shot. These are stats that would make the average citizen blanch if we were talking about U.S. troops in war. Chicago has become synonymous with violence, from our streets to our classrooms in Chicago Public Schools, per a recent Chicago Tribune report that hundreds of students have been sexually abused in recent years by faculty and other students alike with little to no consequence. But were told to accept the good intentions of Chicago politicians presiding over this carnage? Include a visit to The Dark Side of F Street in your Halloween hauntings! Take some canned foods and grocery ... When you see the flags flying at schools, you dont generally think about who put them up or how they... Tyler McCumber is a clear favourite at the Players Cup, which kicks off today at Southwood Golf & Country Club. The hall at Sturgeon Heights Community Centre fills up not long after the doors open. Folks stream in from the sunny outdoors, talking to each other in tense conversations. Its hard not to notice how many are wearing white shirts. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The hall at Sturgeon Heights Community Centre fills up not long after the doors open. Folks stream in from the sunny outdoors, talking to each other in tense conversations. Its hard not to notice how many are wearing white shirts. This is an information session about the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre, a new addiction treatment facility slated to rise four kilometres away, on the site of the old Vimy Arena; the white shirts are a tacit statement of opposition. For hours, people file through the hall, looking at architectural renderings and chatting with facility representatives. They have concerns, and are quick to list them: they want the site to be green space. Theyre worried about crime. Its fine if the facility gets built, one woman says. Just build it somewhere else. Anywhere else but there. At the far end of the room, Rodell Bautista and his wife Jen stand surrounded by a small crowd of people. They are wearing matching black shirts; over and over again, they explain what brought them here, to this meeting. They are a beautiful couple. For two decades, theyve built a big, jovial Brady Bunch family: it was her two sons plus his two kids, plus the two daughters they had together. Somehow, it added up to a bustling but happy whole. As the years turned, the kids grew into bright young adults, full of potential, full of life. They mingled their lives, and today they are all so close: the oldest of the bunch, Jens son Dylan, is 25. Their youngest, Nikaya, is 14. Only now, one is missing: Gabriel Pereira, Jens second-born. And he is the reason theyre here. To one side of the hall, the whole clan stands behind a pair of poster boards, filled with pictures of Gabriel. They made the collage for his funeral, two weeks earlier, and now they hold them to support the Bruce Oake Centre. There are 20 years of photos Gabes whole life in photos and in them he changes. He is a coy toddler in blue corduroy overalls. He is a kid cuddling his newborn sister. Hes a teen with a smile so bright his whole face glows. A man in a white shirt and a red hat stands in front of Gabriels family for a moment, staring at the photos. "Where were the parents?" he asks, gruffly. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Rodell and Jennifer Bautista, with photos of her son Gabriel Pereira, with their children, from left, Dylan Pereira, Khaeler, Mileena, Alyssa, and Nikaya Bautista outside the Sturgeon Creek Community Centre. Gabes stepsister, 20-year-old Mileena, firms her quivering lip. "They were trying to get him help," she replies. The man scowls. "Didnt try very hard, then," he says. Then he stalks off, ignoring Mileenas calls to explain. This is what that not trying very hard looks like, for the record. When your son is 17, he tells you hes been using drugs: cocaine, and now meth. You are devastated, but focused. You scramble to get him into a four-month rehab at the Behavioural Health Foundation in Selkirk. He does well there. You know, because you are watching: you make the drive out to Selkirk a few times a week. Some other residents dont have family who visit, so you become their surrogate parents, listening, laughing. When he graduates from treatment, you are so proud that youre beaming. Your kid loves life so much, hes so talented, you knew he would beat this. For a while, he is thriving: he gets a job, gets his first vehicle, writes music. Suddenly, it crashes down around you. He relapses and gets sucked back into the drug, turning to cheap meth when he cant afford cocaine. His life is falling apart. He loses his licence, loses his truck, everything collapses. You push him to get back into treatment. You are relieved when he agrees to call the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba. The AFM schedules him for an intake appointment, but they are busy; hell have to wait one month. One month is too long. By the time the appointment rolls around, your sons strength to fight the addiction is gone. So now, youre back at square one. You take him to the emergency room. You take him to a mental-health facility. You call a community clinic. "Please," you beg, "I need your help," and they tell you theres nowhere to take him. Bit by bit, your sons addiction takes over your life. You are trying to keep him safe, or just alive. You become "like the FBI" with his friends, hunting them down whenever he goes missing. You check on him in his bed every night. You call the cops. You research ways to make him get help. You call 911 for an ambulance multiple times. Pereira family Gabriel Pereira Youre stretched so thin you can feel yourself tearing. You have five other kids, and they need you too. And theres still your job and dinners to make and laundry to do, so what else can you do except stretch just a little bit further? "I dont know how to keep this child OK," you think to yourself, but hes your kid, so you keep trying. For his sake, you try to remain upbeat. "You got this," you tell him, "itll all be OK," but you cant help but notice the way he is fading, the way he crumples into his knees, the way his million-dollar smile has dulled to a flat grey. He says things now that dont make sense. He talks to himself, even when hes sober. Hes scared. So are you. "I wish I could go back, and never touch any (drugs)," he tells you. "I wish I could be reborn." Finally, this is your last resort: five hours in court, to ask a judge for an involuntary psychiatric hold. It is granted. You race to the police station, then back home to watch cops put your son in handcuffs for the ride to the hospital. He doesnt fight it. You kiss him goodbye. "I love you," you tell him. "Theyre going to help you." After about 12 hours, the hospital releases him. They tell you that because his psychosis is caused by a meth addiction, they cant treat him: you will need to find a rehab program. You pick him up, shocked, heartbroken. So now hes at home, and you have no idea what to do next. What you dont know yet is that youre almost out of time to think about it: he will be with you for just eight days. Because on July 29, you check on him in his bed. Hes fine; hes sleeping. You soon fall asleep on the couch. When your husband gently wakes you in the morning, you decide to check on your son one more time. Thats when you find him. Now, youre calling 911. They tell you to lay your sons body on the floor. You hear your own voice screaming at paramedics to save him, just save him, though the coolness of his skin tells you that hes already beyond saving. Suddenly, youre not a caregiver to a son with addiction anymore. Now, youre an advocate. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A woman against a new addictions centre in St. James talks with the family of Gabriel Pereira. Two weeks later, youre standing at an information session for a new treatment centre. Trying to speak where your son cannot. Standing while folks in white shirts ask why you didnt try harder, or just tell your son not to do drugs. "Im not even sure how were doing it," Jen says, of that pressure. "But its important that people see our faces." Between information sessions for the Bruce Oake Centre, Rodells phone rings. Its an official from the Health Sciences Centre. He saw Gabriels family in media reports of the meeting, and he wants to offer condolences. "You could have offered help eight days before he took his own life," Roddy replies. Its not a crack in the system that Gabriel Pereira fell into. It was a chasm. What most people dont know until they have to is that addiction programs are spread like islands, and folks struggle to tread water between them. There will be 50 beds at the Bruce Oake Centre. Each one could save a life. It is not the end of what is needed in Manitoba to slow the wrecking ball of addiction, it is only the start. A start that, for too many now, doesnt exist. Maybe if folks can understand that, the Bautistas think, some sort of change will come. If people knew that people with addictions could be any of their children, and are already in their community now, just trying to survive... 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. "We dont want other families to suffer as much as we did," Roddy says, reflecting on all this later. "The biggest reason that progress hasnt been made yet, is because of what was voiced (at the information sessions.) "Until you can imagine trying to get help for your sick child and having nowhere to turn, I dont think people can relate. The more we can speak, and expose and address those fears, the more awareness there will be." After the sessions are over, Roddy and Jen and all their kids all except Gabriel go out for dinner. They are exhausted, but together. They tell stories about Gabriel, and laugh, and cry and talk about facing life without him. That night, they make a promise to each other: from now on, they will never go a day without saying, "I love you." melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca As a devout practicing Catholic this scandal without end is wrenching. At least late Thursday afternoon the Holy See condemned the Pennsylvania case in the harshest words yet heard from Rome. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 16/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Theres a new coffee shop underground at Portage and Main. Thom Bargen Coffee & Tea, a locally owned, independent company with two other locations in the city, served its first cups at 365 Main Street on Monday morning, and has been doling out single-origin concoctions and baked goods to hundreds of customers in the three days since. Graham Bargen, who co-owns the company with Thom Hiebert, says business has been booming. "This has been by far the busiest three days weve ever had," Bargen said Wednesday afternoon. "Most cafes would be happy to do 300 cups in a day. So far, weve been doing 500 to 600. We feel honoured by the response, honestly." After opening their first location on Sherbrook Street in 2012, Bargen and Hiebert opened a second shop at the intersection of Kennedy Street and Graham Avenue in 2016. Since starting business six years ago, Bargen said the companys sales have consistently increased quarter-to-quarter, which gave the owners confidence in expanding once again. For the past year, Bargen said theyve been looking to move into a new space and a downtown spot was at the top of the wish list. Starbucks and Tim Hortons had a bit of a stranglehold in office buildings and the surrounding area, he said, holding exclusivity rights in some spots. So, when the owners learned the city owned some storefront locations in the Portage and Main Circus, they jumped at the opportunity to move in. The 212-square-foot coffee bar is designed to be a grab-and-go operation, Bargen said, in order to accommodate consumers in a hurry. "Were designed for speed and efficiency, pumping out quality fast," he said. The shop is bright, with wooden finishes inspired by Japanese design, Bargen said, and he hopes it can serve as a "beacon in a somewhat dark hallway." Though the space is small, he said there is still a wide range of coffee, tea and baked goods available, and a full espresso bar. Local treats from the nearby Oh Doughnuts will also be served every morning, he added. The owners hope to add a small seating area in the next few months as well. As for the location beneath the hotly debated intersection, Bargen says, "I feel like long-term its a good thing to open Portage and Main." "We did come into this location with our eyes open," he said. "We knew the conversation (about the intersections opening) was going this way." 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. He says he doesnt think the shops business will be affected too much, regardless of whether the intersection opens. "Folks down here take a lot of pride in the shops and in the convenience they offer," Bargen said. "Were here to be a convenient part of their day." Bargen said he expects sales to cool down after the opening buzz, but hopes consumers take advantage of the bevvy of local options now available in the area, including Parlour and Grey Owl. "Its been a long run and its fun to build this community down here," Bargen said. "Were excited to be at the core of Winnipeg in an iconic spot." The Main Street location is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca As the bizarre Tesla Inc. go-private saga enters its ninth day, many investors are wondering when regulators will decide whether Elon Musk broke the rules by dripping out details so haphazardly. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 16/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. As the bizarre Tesla Inc. go-private saga enters its ninth day, many investors are wondering when regulators will decide whether Elon Musk broke the rules by dripping out details so haphazardly. History suggests it might take a while. At the centre of the Tesla controversy is what Musk meant when he tweeted Aug. 7 that he had secured funding for a buyout without providing any specifics to back up the claim. Almost a week later, he said his confidence was based on conversations with a Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund, which had long expressed interest in taking the electric-carmaker private. Securities lawyers have said Musks subsequent statement showed funding was anything but secure. So its an open-and-shut case of misleading investors that the SEC should be able to bring pretty quickly, right? Not necessarily. The SECs average inquiry takes about two years. That kind of time frame would understandably frustrate traders who are reading Musks tweets and trying to assess in real-time whether hes actually lined up bankers and lawyers to advise on a deal. But even though Wall Street might want a quick ruling on whether hes violated securities laws, Washington regulators may disappoint. The SEC is deliberative in gathering evidence to prove that executives knew their statements were false. In the Tesla matter, that will probably lead to the agency trying to obtain emails, texts and phone records from Musk and the company. Lawyers representing Musk, Teslas founder and chief executive officer, would likely push back on some of the SECs requests. This back-and-forth can sometimes last weeks. From there, SEC attorneys will go through all the documents theyve obtained to determine whom they should depose for questioning. "I dont think people understand the intensity of the investigation and the volume of documents and other types of evidence," said Teresa Goody, founder and CEO of the Goody Group, who previously worked as an attorney in the SECs general counsel office. SEC officials may also be keen to speak with members of the Saudi wealth fund to learn if Musks public statements accurately reflect their private conversations. But getting foreign nationals to co-operate can be challenging, and issuing subpoenas to compel testimony doesnt always work when the targets are overseas. To be clear, the SEC hasnt accused Musk or Tesla of any wrongdoing. If the SEC does determine he or the company violated the law, it will submit whats known as a Wells notice, which notifies investigative targets that the agencys enforcement division plans to recommend that SEC commissioners approve a lawsuit or sanction against the company. Defense attorneys typically get a chance to rebut a Wells notice, and if SEC officials think they have a point, they may opt to not bring a case. Final settlements that SEC commissioners vote on whether to approve are also heavily negotiated with defense lawyers, adding more time to the process. Another factor that could slow things down is that the SECs scrutiny of Tesla goes beyond Musks recent tweets. The agencys San Francisco office was already examining the companys public pronouncements on manufacturing goals and sales targets, Bloomberg reported Aug. 9. SEC spokeswoman Judith Burns declined to comment and a Tesla spokesman didnt respond to a request for comment. If the SEC does decide to penalize Musk, past cases indicate a possible fine could run into the tens of millions of dollars, an amount that the billionaire Musk would seem to be able to easily pay. Another punishment that the SEC sometimes pursues is seeking a temporary bar on an individual serving as an officer or director of a public company. But defendants often push back on that kind of sanction and its typically only employed by the regulator when it finds widespread evidence of market manipulation. 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. A sign of how long SEC probes can take is the Enron Corp. scandal, which is widely seen as one of the clearest examples of corporate wrongdoing. The SEC didnt bring its first enforcement action until almost a year after Enron disclosed it was being investigated, and the case was filed about eight months on from the companys bankruptcy filing. Not everyone thinks the SEC-Musk tussle will go on for months and months. Stephen Crimmins, a former SEC enforcement lawyer, said Musks high profile and the fact that his tweets have drawn so much attention will make the inquiry a priority for the regulator. "The staff is going to want to expedite this," said Crimmins, whos now in private practice at Murphy & McGonigle. "Theres a finite amount of information to gather, so its possible they could get it done in a couple of months." One question that could be near the top of Tesla shareholders minds is whether unwanted attention from the SEC might impact Musks ability to quickly take the company private. It certainly doesnt help, said Joseph Grundfest, a former SEC commissioner. "An active SEC investigation that, in my view, is likely to turn into an enforcement action is not going to make it easier to close this deal," said Grundfest, whos now a professor at Stanford Law School. "Musk is apparently thinking of an unprecedented structure that would have Tesla go private with equity-based funding, not debt. That would be hard to do without the additional risk of SEC enforcement action against Musk and Tesla." Bloomberg News OTTAWA The MP for Churchill supports her formal political rival, one of the towns whale-tour operators who is part of a lawsuit over new federal regulations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 16/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The MP for Churchill supports her formal political rival, one of the towns whale-tour operators who is part of a lawsuit over new federal regulations. The operators claim the changes will ruin an attraction that lures thousands of international tourists to Manitoba. "The rules need to reflect the reality in Churchill," NDP MP Niki Ashton said. "There needs to be a clear recognition that this is a community thats been pounded. Its taken a hit in so many ways." Last month, Ottawa published rules on the distance boat operators must keep from whales, walruses and other species across the country. For Churchill, it prescribes a 50-metre clearance for boats to approach beluga whales. Wally Daudrich has unsuccessfully contested Ashtons seat in Parliament. He now leads the Churchill Beluga Whale Tour Operator Association and argues the new rules threaten a key draw to a remote town that is hurting from its lack of a rail link to the south. He has said belugas in the area get curious and often swim right up to boats, unlike in Nunavut, where they are hunted. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has stressed in interviews the regulations only involve the "approach distance," meaning that boats cant go close to the whales, but can float nearby and let whales swim over. Daudrich says DFO has ignored several requests to write that distinction down. "Thats all were asking for, is clarification. They refuse to answer," he said. "We cant operate on a promise and a prayer. We need something in writing." Ashton said that if Ottawa answered such a simple request, the tour operators wouldnt have to go to court. "This boils down to the fact that the federal government has abandoned Churchill and refuses to listen to the people of Churchill on a number of fronts," Ashton said. Belugas in the Churchill area are not considered endangered, while the conservation group Oceans North has separately noted that local tour operators focus on small-scale and eco-friendly tours. When the government published its regulations a month ago, tour operators went public with reams of letters and emails to federal officials. They appeared to receive scant response despite intervention from the Manitoba government. On July 19, Daudrichs lawyer filed an application for a judicial review in Federal Court, arguing the changes will "impair or destroy" their business, leaving "a severe adverse economic impact on the community of Churchill." The application claims federal officials didnt give fair notice of the rules and acted in bad faith. None of those claims have been proven in court. The government has not yet filed a response. Daudrich fears the regulations will ward off international tourists who believe they can no longer get up close to belugas, and its unclear whether kayak and canoe tours are illegal because of the change. That has Ashton reiterating her call for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to visit the town, to better understand its plight and how the Liberals should respond. "If theyre not part of the solution, theyre part of the problem." Last month, DFO told the Free Press it had met with multiple stakeholders in Churchill while crafting the regulations. 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. Yet, it appears that of the four whale-tour companies in the town, DFO officials had met with the only one that doesnt actually put boats in the water, but instead contracts marine excursions to the other three companies, whom DFO said it "also contacted." Ashton said thats puzzling. "There needs to be proper consultation." DFO had first floated similar regulations in 2015 during the Conservative government, but shelved them after the outcry from tour operators followed by that falls federal election. This summer is the first time Canada has had rules about how close boats can get to beluga whales, the federal government said. Rules about swimming with marine wildlife have been in place for years. Located 1,000 kilometres north of Winnipeg, Churchill lost its railway link in May 2017 after a spring storm caused flooding. Ottawa has pledged to restore rail service "before winter 2018," but the window for repairs is closing, and the province recently ordered a contingency shipment of propane for the coming winter. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca A Winnipeg oncologist has been suspended for six months after being found guilty of professional misconduct for abusing his position as a teacher to initiate unwanted sexual contact with two male students. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 16/8/2018 (1170 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Winnipeg oncologist has been suspended for six months after being found guilty of professional misconduct for abusing his position as a teacher to initiate unwanted sexual contact with two male students. Dr. Gary Harding, who was also the associate dean of medicine and an associate professor at the University of Manitoba, has also been banned from being "directly responsible for the supervision, overseeing or teaching of any medical learners, including residents or medical students from the College of Medicine at any time." As well, if Harding comes in contact with students who are under the supervision of other doctors, he can't talk to them except to get information about specific patients or when a medical learner themselves initiates a conversation about a specific patient. Harding's suspension, which also includes paying $125,000 for the costs of the investigation and inquiry by Jan. 31, 2021, began on May 29 at midnight. The decision was released on July 31, but didn't become publicly known until it was posted on the website of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba earlier this week. Dr. Anna Ziomek, the college's registrar, said in a statement that the decision "reflects the extremely serious nature of the misconduct of Dr. Harding and the important role that the College can, and has played, in protecting the public, even when the misconduct did not involve a traditional doctor/patient relationship." Ziomek noted the decision called Harding's misconduct "gravely serious and deeply troubling" and his behaviour "self-indulgent, narcissistic and exploitive". She said Harding has already not practised as a doctor since June 2015, when the allegations first came forward to the College. That's when Harding resigned from the university's Faculty of Medicine and CancerCare Manitoba fired him shortly after. Harding has not practised medicine here or in anywhere else since then. A former patient of Harding's expressed disappointment after hearing about the doctor's misconduct. "Hes a very talented physician, and as a patient I felt I received excellent care," the former patient said. "Its very disappointing to hear his career has been derailed In this manner." It's the second University of Manitoba faculty member in little more than a year who has left their position after inappropriate contact with students. Former jazz studies professor Steve Kirby quietly retired from the university last June after a 14-year career when sexual harassment allegations came forward. It was later learned Kirby was hired by the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston, but he was quickly fired after that school launched an investigation into his past behaviour. In a statement in response to the College's actions against Harding, the University of Manitoba's Max Rady College of Medicine said the school "provides a number of different mechanisms for students to report any professional misconduct, sexual harassment or discrimination. "The University of Manitoba takes sexual violence allegations seriously and acts on any disclosure. We are committed to supporting individuals who disclose and building a culture of safety, respect, consent, prevention and education." Harding received his medical degree from the U of M in 2000 and later his medical oncology certificate from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 2005. He has been registered as a specialist since 2006. 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 College's inquiry hearing was told Harding initiated inappropriate conduct with the first student between Nov. 2012 and Aug. 2013, including initiating unwanted sexual contact, pursuing an inappropriate relationship, giving personal gifts, and paying for a trip to New York City with him. Since the relationship ended, the medical student has not been able to return to school because the events were "extremely traumatic" to him. Harding's relationship with the second student began Nov. 2013. It also included unwanted sexual contact, gifts, pursuing an inappropriate intimate relationship, and paying for a trip to Vancouver with him. After the relationship ended in June 2014, Harding continued to harass the student to the point he hired a lawyer to help him make the harassment stop. Harding could not be reached for comment. kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca It was, literally, a trial by fire Tuesday night for a new high-tech tool recently purchased by the city. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. It was, literally, a trial by fire Tuesday night for a new high-tech tool recently purchased by the city. And the pricey thermal-imaging camera-equipped drone made a helpful debut, giving firefighters a valuable look inside a burning Selkirk Avenue building as they worked to keep it from spreading. "Our drone was able to help the incident commanders really tactically decide where they were going to apply water streams, from an elevated vantage point," Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service assistant Chief Jason Shaw said Wednesday morning. Assistant fire chief Jason Shaw speaks to media about the department's use of a drone to aid firefighting. (Andrew Ryan / Winnipeg Free Press) "It actually saved us some time." The building, a private home with an attached storefront at 702 Selkirk Ave., was completely engulfed in flames when emergency personnel arrived just before 8 p.m. Five people inside had escaped without injury. Firefighters perched in the bucket of a WFPS ladder truck's bucket watched from above Wednesday morning as the gutted brick structure, surrounded by blackened debris, was demolished Wednesday morning. Officials did not release any information on the cause or provide a damage cost estimate. A demolition crew tears down the rooming house that caught fire overnight on Selkirk Avenue. (Andrew Ryan / Winnipeg Free Press) The wood-frame buildings in the area are located close to each other, and flames can jump from one to another in short order, Shaw said. "When you get into these types of structures lots of walls, lots of renovations the fire can spread quickly," he said. "We were very happy to protect the exposures on either side." The $44,000 drone program, announced in May, was funded through the City of Winnipeg's innovation capital fund. At that time, officials told the Free Press master pilots were training a 16-person team to operate the drone. Winnipeg Fire department workers guide the demolition crew from above they tear down the rooming house, (Andrew Ryan / Winnipeg Free Press) "We have trained operators on every shift its not like its one platoon or one area the drone is located at one of our stations in the northeast quadrant of the city," said Shaw. "It can respond as needed, as an incident commander calls for it." 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. On Tuesday the drone operator was able to see hot spots to target when it was unsafe for firefighters to be inside building. The drone is available for crews at any time, Shaw said, adding it will also be used for water search-and-rescues, emergency management and for responding to severe weather events and in other situations should the need arise. "Its a diverse piece of equipment," he said. Emergency services are constantly evaluating emerging and developing technologies and saw value in having such a unit available in the city. "This was deemed as something that we wanted to explore," Shaw said. "We felt it was a necessary tool to assist us in emergency mitigation." erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca Manitoba wont impose provincial sales tax on recreational marijuana purchases, a decision the government hopes will help thwart black market cannabis sales. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba wont impose provincial sales tax on recreational marijuana purchases, a decision the government hopes will help thwart black market cannabis sales. But once legalization kicks in Oct. 17, the provincial government will impose a variety of other costs on retailers, including a six per cent "social responsibility fee" and wholesale mark-ups, as announced in July. "With non-medical cannabis, we thought it was important to have an exemption. Really what were trying to do is get rid of the black market, the illicit market thats there," said Finance Minister Scott Fielding. The province announced its PST-exemption plan in budget legislation presented Wednesday. After bickering with opposition parties about the timing of the technical budget bills release for weeks, the PCs produced the Budget Implementation and Tax Statutes Amendment Act on Wednesday. The timing of the bill was a compromise with the NDP since the government had intended to table the bill in the fall. Manitoba's four licensed cannabis retail companies will pay social responsibility fees on their total annual revenues starting in 2019. Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, the sole wholesale distributor of cannabis once legalization occurs, will add a nine per cent margin to the wholesale price of cannabis it sells to retailers. Fielding said Manitoba is ready to sign on to a federal excise tax framework where it would receive 75 per cent of Ottawas planned cannabis tax, which would amount to $1 per gram or 10 per cent of the sales price (whichever is higher). The province is waiting on Ottawa's go-ahead to sign such an agreement. Meantime, NDP Leader Wab Kinew criticized the government for taking so long to introduce the legislation. "Theres nothing that they brought forward in this bill today that they couldnt have presented when we were sitting this spring. So why couldnt they get it ready in time? To me, its a sign of incompetence," Kinew 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. Kinew said he wasnt opposed to the PST exemption for recreational cannabis, but he wanted to see more concrete plans, including how the province will share revenue with municipalities, nearly two months shy of legalization. Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said the tax break for recreational cannabis is irrelevant. Sales of medical marijuana will still be subject to PST. "Theyre charging a whole bunch of other taxes on (cannabis), so I dont see it as being particularly significant," Lamont said. The legislation includes amendments to the Chiropractic Act to allow chiropractors to register through a provincial corporation (as promised in the spring budget) and amending the Fuel Tax Act to exempt commercial cargo and passenger flights passing through Manitoba from carbon taxes a move thats in keeping with other provinces. -With files from Solomon Israel Twitter: @_jessbu As federal and provincial politics inch closer to gender parity, it seems municipal politics in Manitoba is stuck in the past, failing to attract an equal share of female candidates. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. As federal and provincial politics inch closer to gender parity, it seems municipal politics in Manitoba is stuck in the past, failing to attract an equal share of female candidates. Of the 1,495 candidates who ran for municipal office in 2014, just 267 were women or 18 per cent, according to a provincewide survey obtained through a freedom of information request and analyzed by the Free Press. Of those female candidates, 157 were elected, resulting in 17 per cent of 914 elected positions being held by women. Incredibly, 26 of 137 municipalities, including Dauphin, Headingley and Ste. Anne, had no female candidates. A lack of womens voices at council tables, not to mention a variety of non-white, non-cis and differently abled perspectives, is a detriment to good governance, said Delaney Coelho, co-founder of Equal Voice Manitoba. The non-partisan group encourages women to run for office. "If women, women of colour, LGBTTQ* women and women with disabilities arent running, and women make up 51 per cent of the population, its just not possible that were getting the best candidates or the best representation," Coelho said. Gender split among municipal councillors 757 men 157 women Source: General municipal election survey 2014, individual municipalities Gender split among municipal councillors and heads of council 757 men 157 women Source: General municipal election survey, individual municipalities "I cant believe it to be true that the best candidates have always and will always be men." The United Nations suggests governments should have at least 30 per cent female representation for a "critical mass" and to "make a visible impact on the style and content of political decision-making." Reaching that "critical mass" can help prevent women from being just tokens on councils and in committee settings, Coelho said. How women were represented in 2014 elections Click to Expand Source: General municipal election survey With the next municipal elections set for Oct. 24, its worth noting where women have made strides and where the patriarchy still reigns supreme. The issue is not necessarily an urban-rural divide. Data show both Winnipeg and Thompson had the most women run for council or mayoral seats in the last election, with 11 candidates apiece. Residents elected four women per council, though Thompson's margin of female representation is larger. The northern city has a nine-member council compared with Winnipeg's 16-member team. Churchill had the third-most female candidates in 2014, with seven. Voters elected two of them. As she prepares to retire from Winnipeg city hall this fall, Coun. Jenny Gerbasi lamented that more women haven't been elected during her 20-year tenure on council. Winnipeg has consistently fallen below the UN-recommended 30 per cent quota, Gerbasi said, and currently hovers at 25 per cent. So far, women make up 25 per cent of the candidates in Winnipeg for the election. "I dont necessarily know what the answer is (to getting more women involved) because I think part of it is a cultural thing," Gerbasi said. "Like I know when I ran, people said to me, Why would you want to go work in that Old Boys club? And at the time I thought, 'Well maybe somebody like me running could begin to make those changes there and to help to change the culture.'" Gerbasi said she won't endorse any candidates this year, but hopes more women follow in her career path. "I would hope that by being an active politician for 20 years, hopefully, Ive been able to be a role model for others," she said. While an "Old Boys club" mentality was often cited in interviews as a deterrent for women wanting to jump in, Penny Byer has a different take on the phenomenon. The Thompson councillor, who is running to become her city's first female mayor, said the perceived exclusivity has more to do with status than gender. "From my perspective, yes, there is an Old Boys' club. And theyre not really that oldbut they are a generation of people who went to school together and have worked together and done a number of things together," Byer said of Thompsons hierarchy. "It was pointed out to me by somebody it doesnt matter what group youre in if youre perceived to be a tight group that doesnt encourage others to join you, youre going to be perceived as an Old Boys' club." Though she finds her job rewarding, Byer recognizes some women might hesitate to work in politics because the huge time commitment, especially for the mayor. "Everybody will come to you for everything, from how come the grass didnt get cut on my boulevard, to people jumping off the bridge. Everything comes to you. And in most cases, whether we like to admit it or not, even women who are in leadership roles (at work), at home are still the leaders and the managers there, too," she said. Byer and Churchill Coun. Joanne Stover, describe their northern communities as friendly places where women are goaded to participate politically. While teaching social studies to her Grade 9 students, Stover said one teen asked whether she had ever run for office. She hadnt but that question planted the seed. Stover said when she ran in 2014, she expected to lose. But she clinched a seat and very much enjoyed the council ride. Now Stover is mulling whether to put her name forward for a second term. "Ive done it and Im glad. I have no regrets about doing it. But you know, Ive had my turn. Some people are in it for the long haul and some people have that different energy," she said In Churchill, Stover said the environment is "equitable" for men and women. "When you get behind the table, youre council. It doesnt matter." Identity aside, getting elected is perhaps the hardest part. In municipal elections (maybe more so than other levels of government), incumbency is incredibly valuable, said candidate consultant Tannis Drysdale. "Because election spending limits tend to be lower, voter turnout is usually lower, (and) its harder to get voters to pay attention to municipal elections. So that all probably leads to change being slower at a municipal level," said Drysdale, who worked as director of operations for the Progressive Conservative Manitoba camp in 2016. Drysdale said theres usually a more sustained focus on finding gender balance among political parties slates provincially and federally, whereas municipal campaigns centre on individuals and not party affiliation. Women tend to be under more physical scrutiny when they seek out a seat, too, Drysdale noted. "Women tend to not be able to run for office with one navy blue suit," she said. "Women are under more pressure and we have a narrower idea of what a female politician should look like in terms of how they should dress and what their hair should look like. You know, theres a lot more interest in physical appearance, unfortunately." Often, women also need more prodding to put their names on the ballot. It's estimated women need to be asked an average of seven times before they consider running for election, Coelho said. It's unclear whether the same rule of thumb applies to men. Heads of council 122 men 15 women Source: Association of Manitoba Municipalities Heads of council 122 men 15 women Source: Association of Manitoba Municipalities It's also unclear how many council members in Manitoba have resigned since the 2014 municipal election. Municipalities don't need to alert the province when they call a byelection to fill vacancies. A government source said the province is aware of 47 byelections to fill 50 empty seats since the last vote. Some were called to replace council members who had died, but a few more dramatic byelections made headlines. In 2017, the RM of Ritchot lost quorum after the mayor and two councillors resigned, saying they'd been harassed and bullied. The provincial government was forced to call a byelection to replace the entire council. In 2015, Cathie Brereton, reeve of the RM of Lac du Bonnet, said she was stepping down because of bullying and wanted to preserve her own health. "Women are under more pressure and we have a narrower idea of what a female politician should look like in terms of how they should dress and what their hair should look like." Tannis Drysdale "I had to (leave) for medical reasons, because there was a stress among council members that I guess I couldnt handle. And my husband and my doctor both said, 'You have to stop doing that,' because it was affecting my state of mind," Brereton said recently. 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. Overall, Brereton said she enjoyed her time on council, but wouldn't run again because she's enjoying retirement. She urged other women to give it a go, in Lac du Bonnet and beyond. "I would love to see them (run). I think, by nature, were organizers because most of us can schedule so much, you know," Brereton said. "You have to be confident and you have to have support behind you." Drysdale agreed more women should "make a run for it." "I think that there is a real craving by the general public to see greater equality, and we all look for opportunities to not just elect women, but to elect competent, smart, thoughtful women." jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.ca graeme.bruce@freepress.mb.ca Ken Doctor saw it coming. A few years ago, the media analyst looked at the trend lines and predicted that by 2017 or so, American newsrooms would reach a shocking point. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 16/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Ken Doctor saw it coming. A few years ago, the media analyst looked at the trend lines and predicted that by 2017 or so, American newsrooms would reach a shocking point. "The halving of Americas daily newsrooms," he called what he was seeing. Last month, we found out that its true. A Pew Research study showed that from 2008 to last year, employment in newspaper newsrooms declined by an astonishing 45 per cent. And papers were already well down from their newsroom peak in the early 1990s, when their revenue lifeblood print advertising was still pumping strong. The dire numbers play out in ugly ways: public officials arent held accountable, town budgets go unscrutinized, experienced journalists are working at Walmart, or not at all, instead of plying their much-needed trade in their communities. One problem with losing local coverage is that we never know what we dont know. Corruption can flourish, taxes can rise, public officials can indulge their worst impulses. And theres another result that gets less attention: in our terribly divided nation, we need the local newspaper to give us common information an agreed upon set of facts to argue about. Last year, when I visited Luzerne County in Pennsylvania to talk to people about their media habits, I was most struck by one thing: the allegiance to local news outlets the two competing papers in Wilkes-Barre, and the popular ABC affiliate, WNEP, or Channel 16 as everyone called it. The most reasonable people I talked to, no matter whom they had voted for, were regular readers of the local papers and regular watchers of the local news. The county was one of those critical places that had voted for former U.S. president Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, and flipped red to U.S. President Donald Trump in 2016. By contrast, those residents who got news only from Facebook or from cable news were deep in their own echo chambers and couldnt seem to hear anything else. Recently, Trump, at his rally in Wilkes-Barre, again trashed the national media to the crowds delight. But I would guess that many of the attendees would give a pass to their local media sources. After all, the reporters and editors for those news outlets might send their kids to the same schools, shop at the same Dollar General and fill up their gas tanks at the same Sheetz. When he made his prediction in 2015, Doctor noted that the largest and the smallest of the nations newspapers seemed to have some immunity. Tiny papers have little competition, an enduring connection with their towns, and thus still are able to attract advertising and reader loyalty. The largest of the papers, including the New York Times and the Washington Post, are finding new ways to support themselves with a combination of digital-ad dollars and subscriptions, among other revenue sources. But the regional papers, such as the Denver Post, have taken the worst hits. And to make matters worse, many are owned by hedge funds that couldnt care less about journalism. They are only interested in bleeding the papers dry of whatever remaining profits they can produce with ever-shrinking staffs. "Will hitting the halving point finally send a signal of news emergency?" Doctor said. And he answered himself: "Probably not. Who would send it? Who would receive it? What does any citizen/reader feel he or she can really do about it?" Thats the rub. Whats more, as papers decline, theres less reason to subscribe because coverage isnt what it used to be. "Weve had to make some tough decisions," Ken Tingley, editor of the Glens Falls Post-Star, a Pulitzer Prize-winning daily in the Adirondacks region of New York, told me recently. With his staff down by about half, he has pulled in the news coverage from a far-flung area to concentrate on just the metro area. What he worries about most, Tingley said, is that theres not much of a career ahead for the young reporters on his staff. 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. To be sure, the picture isnt entirely bleak: non-profit news organizations spring up, relying on grants and membership; organizations such as Report for America help fill the gaps at shrunken news organizations; and in Denver, a new outfit called Civil is funding an alternative to the decimated Post with the digital Colorado Sun, and hopes to produce many more like it. Some regional papers have been bought by well-meaning philanthropists. But you cant argue with the numbers or the crisis. Yes, the emergency signal has gone out, if too faintly, and there is a response. But Im afraid it wont be nearly enough to make up for whats lost. And in a deeply divided America, thats a tragedy. Washington Post Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 16/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Toronto has 22. Calgary has seven. Edmonton has nine. Winnipeg has 54. Sometimes, having fewer is a good thing, and in the case of public school trustees in this city, its time for a serious discussion about amalgamating school divisions. Winnipeg is the only Canadian city that still has multiple school boards for secular public education. Its time to modernize. But discussions of amalgamating school divisions in Winnipeg are much like debating the reopening of Portage and Main a lot of talk that seems to go nowhere. Nearly a quarter-century ago, the Filmon government commissioned the Norrie Report, which recommended reducing the number of Winnipegs school divisions to four. Of course, that didnt happen. Then, in 2002, some progress was made by the governing NDP, which chopped the provincial school divisions to 37 from 57. But right now, Winnipeg has 54 public school trustees representing six divisions, meaning there are more school trustees than city councillors, more trustees than Manitoba MPs, and almost as many school trustees as there are Manitoba MLAs. Thats an awful lot of political representation. Now, quickly tell me the name of your school trustee. Cant remember? Im hard-pressed, as well. And at election time, many people shake their heads and vote for a name that looks vaguely familiar on the ballot box. As a working example, lets compare Edmontons single public school division to Winnipegs six. Edmonton has about the same number of student enrolments, and a comparable budget when all things are considered, yet Edmonton provides services to its students with nine school trustees and has a public school system that features French-language schools. Both the NDP and the Progressive Conservatives have suggested that for now, they are going to leave amalgamation a voluntary option, but it seems unlikely that any division will cede power to another. Its still about politics, after all. Former education minister Ian Wishart, who was taken out of cabinet in the last shuffle, did say that there is a review being undertaken of the entire system, which will be released in 2019. Also up for review is how money is raised to fund education. Manitoba is the last province in Canada in which school boards have taxing power. So, as retired Free Press education reporter Nick Martin pointed out, "Equity in public education depends enormously on the serendipity of arbitrary school-division borders and the relative affluence of homeowners living within them, as well as the concentration of tax-paying commercial and industrial properties." If you, as a homeowner, cant afford to live in a school division and cant afford to send your child to one, you also dont get the benefit of the services that are offered in school divisions located where homes are worth more and where there is a large commercial base for taxation. With a single school division, that issue would be resolved to some degree. At least, that would be the hope. Of course, the Manitoba School Boards Association has gone on record to oppose amalgamation, saying the savings would be minimal and suggesting that its a question of democracy, transparency and accountability. 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. But the Winnipeg School Division was the subject of a scathing report in 2015 that suggested that trustees were acting out of control. In 2016, the province ordered a third-party audit after suggesting that while the school board had made progress in transparency and accountability, an independent review was still required. The WSD had been under a dark cloud for a number of years with growing concerns that too much business was being conducted behind closed doors. This doesnt really instil great confidence in transparency and accountability. And while WSD may have improved, news in January that the Louis Riel School District had suspended a school trustee, without explanation, suggests that transparency and accountability may be just a slogan. The provincial government has committed to a dialogue about amalgamation. Thats a good start. But it needs to go beyond just a discussion of savings of dollars and cents and into the realm of what amalgamation would mean for students. Weve seen some of the depressing statistics on how our students are doing when compared to other provinces in testing for math, reading and sciences skills. Weve also seen the statistics on how we are doing in terms of completion of high school. There will be debates about how to read these numbers and the concerns about measurement in standardized testing. But the bottom line is that Manitoba students are not doing very well. In fact, they are pretty much near the bottom most of the time. This isnt to say that amalgamating the school boards in Winnipeg will solve all our education problems, but it could mean a more even playing field in Winnipeg, so the "have" and "have-not" students all get the same programs no matter where they live. We do know that can have an important effect on learning outcomes. Shannon Sampert is the director of the media centre for public policy and knowledge mobilization at the University of Winnipeg. The recent mass shooting in Torontos Danforth neighbourhood has renewed the debate over Canadas gun laws. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 16/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion The recent mass shooting in Torontos Danforth neighbourhood has renewed the debate over Canadas gun laws. Toronto Mayor John Tory responded by calling for a handgun ban in the city. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went further, suggesting that the federal government will consider a nationwide handgun ban. Citizens express strong support for prohibiting guns in cities. Critics dismiss the idea as a knee-jerk reaction by people generally lacking technical knowledge of guns and firearm laws. However, the history of gun control shows that many Canadians have long called for tighter laws related to handguns because of the danger posed by modern pistols that offer a substantial amount of firepower in a small, concealable package. At the beginning of the 19th century, handguns were generally single-shot, muzzle-loaded weapons. They were inaccurate, slow to reload and often misfired. Over the course of the century, gun-makers produced "revolvers" that held multiple rounds of ammunition and could be fired multiple times quickly. The price of revolvers dropped with industrial manufacturing. Consumers could purchase a revolver in Winnipeg for $1.50 in 1883, while Eatons offered revolvers in 1899 for as little as $1.75 Pistol fever The appearance of cheap weapons and lack of government regulation led to worries about the use of revolvers in accidents and crimes. In 1871, the Globe of Toronto called pistols "an unmitigated evil" and said every boy had "pistol fever." For every pistol used for defence, 10,000 were "made the instruments of death in the hands of careless or silly people," according to the Globe. It would be best to outlaw revolvers, or at least appoint a board to determine the "amount of sense necessary to make a person a safe custodian of a loaded pistol." Conservative lawyer and politician Robert Harrison also advocated regulation, suggesting in 1872 that pistols were "too common in our country" and were "much too indiscriminately used." Commentators suggested that many young men carried revolvers to demonstrate their manliness. Sen. Billa Flint claimed in 1877 that the "youth of our land are fast training themselves in the use of firearms, and particularly pocket pistols." "Mere boys" who "could save a little money, used it for the purpose of obtaining pistols." Sen. Alexander Campbell blamed the tendency of young men to carry a handgun on the idea that this "shows in some way their manliness." Concern about handguns continued into the 20th century. Various newspapers published appeals for strictly regulating, or even banning, pistols. Some commentators, fuelled by anti-immigrant racism, warned that certain ethnic groups tended to carry pistols. Heightened worries about crime during the Depression, and soldiers practice of bringing guns home as war souvenirs, also sparked concerns. Gun laws toughened Conservative and Liberal legislators responded by making owning and/or carrying a handgun more difficult. The Liberals in 1877 required that a person could only carry a pistol if he had a reasonable fear of assault or injury to himself, his family or his property. In 1892, the Conservatives required individuals to possess a "certificate of exemption" to carry a pistol unless the owner had cause to fear assault or injury. It also became an offence to sell a pistol to anyone under 16. Businesses selling pistols had to begin keeping records of the purchaser, the date of sale and information on the gun. In 1913, the Conservatives increased the potential penalty for carrying a handgun outside the home or place of business without a permit to three months. In the early 1930s, the Conservatives provided that handgun permits could only be issued on the grounds that the owner needed to protect life or property, or the pistol would be used at a shooting club. The punishment for carrying a handgun without a permit was also increased to up to five years. In 1934, the Conservatives created the first handgun registration system. In 1968-1969, the Liberals established the three-part division of guns between "firearms," "restricted weapons" and "prohibited weapons," placing handguns in the restricted category. Handguns reclassified 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. In 1977, the Liberals banned carrying restricted weapons to protect property. Following the Montreal massacre, the Progressive Conservatives required purchasers provide more background information, and legislated safe storage and transportation guidelines. The Liberals later reclassified some handguns as prohibited weapons. Critics of gun control note that Canadas handgun legislation has not stopped shootings. Of course, no law can stop all firearm violence. Collectively, however, this legislation has been a likely element in the evolution of vastly different gun cultures in Canada and the United States. The majority of American households with firearms have at least one handgun. In comparison, a relatively small minority of firearm owners in Canada possess pistols, despite a recent increase in the number of restricted weapons in circulation. While the United States has 10 times the population of Canada, it has approximately 100 times more handguns. Considering this arc of history, the calls to outlaw handguns by former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin in 2005, and now by John Tory, once the leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives, seem less like knee-jerk proposals. They rather appear to be in line with the historic Canadian trend to limit the presence of modern pistols. R. Blake Brown is an associate professor at Saint Marys University. This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca. It was an unprecedented show of emotion, an event scientists are calling a tour of grief. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. It was an unprecedented show of emotion, an event scientists are calling a "tour of grief." For 17 days an orca whale mother named J35 by researchers, or Tahlequah by watchers swam with her dead calf, refusing to let it sink for more than 1,600 kilometres along the Pacific Northwest coast. The world witnessed the scene, transfixed. Hardly a news agency didnt cover the story. Millions of tweets spread Tahlequahs story. Tears were shed as people read and watched. It is, without doubt, a tragic story. Orcas are rapidly disappearing, and Tahlequahs pod of Southern Resident whales along the British Columbia coast has just 76 left. In the pod, there hasnt been a healthy calf born in three years, and in the last 20 years only 25 per cent of newborns have survived. Tahlequah herself had lost two other calves before this. Orca J35, also known as Tahlequah, pushes her dead calf. (Ken Balcomb / Center for Whale Research) Scientists call orcas an "indicator species," animals that show evidence of the natural health of an entire region. Due to their voracious appetites and place at the top of their food chain, orca health indicates not only the state of marine life, but also the impacts of pollution and chemicals in water. The rapid depletion of the orca population therefore points to much greater problems. As the editors of Scientific American write, "If orcas are in decline, the rest of the ocean is likely in big trouble, too." Much of this has to do with the critical state of the salmon population in B.C., and particularly on the Fraser River. For years, the temperature of the river water has been increasing along the route followed by millions of salmon to spawn and then return to sea. This summer scientists reported a record number of days with water temperatures over 20 C, the tipping point beyond which salmon cant swim and "pre-spawn mortality" takes place. A rapidly reducing salmon population has tremendous impacts on marine life, culminating in undernourished orcas incapable of sustaining healthy populations. Scientists call orcas an indicator species, animals that show evidence of the natural health of an entire region. (NOAA Fisheries/Vancouver Aquarium via The Associated Press files) Add to this other animal threats, chemical toxins and the impacts of an increasing number of human vessels in the ocean not to mention the effect of climate change on the West Coast's ecosystem and its remarkable that Tahlequah, her pod and her calf exist today at all. Want more great journalism? Get our best news and features delivered in your inbox every weekday evening. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The health of whales, salmon and B.C.s environment are certainly worth talking about, but those concerns weren't what kept the worlds attention on Tahlequah. It was the sadness of watching a mother mourn over a lost life. Anyone who has lost a member of their family especially a child knows this pain. It's impossible to know exactly what Tahlequah was thinking as she refused to let her calf go, but her behaviour seems to indicate that she loved her baby. Orca whales are known to mourn over a dead calf for a day, and even sometimes a few days. But not 17. Its clear that Tahlequah had bonded with her baby. One doesnt have to read studies on the social life of whales to know this; we only have to look at our loved ones in particular, our children to know what they mean. And while Tahlequah didnt intend to stage an environmental protest, its not hard to imagine she was asking why. Why this happened. Why her baby died. Why? The answer is at least partly humans. Humans had a role in producing Tahlequahs grief. And unless something is done to address the causes, more grief is coming, and it will last a lot longer than 17 days. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Its a war. Of this, there should be no doubt. On Thursday, all over North America, newspapers of all sizes are publishing editorials calling attention to what Boston Globe deputy managing editor Marjorie Pritchard has called the "dirty war against the free press" being waged by U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration. This concerted effort of which this editorial is but one small contribution is aimed at drawing attention to the continuing debasement of professional journalism to further the political interests of one segment of American society. Many reading this and other similar editorials may accuse of us of being alarmists. We contend that a degree of alarm is warranted. U.S. President Donald Trump's anti-media rants at rallies, which have resulted in increasingly antagonistic behaviour toward working press members at the events, recently prompted the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Zeid Raad al-Hussein, to describe Mr. Trumps exhortations as very close to incitement to violence. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press files) Mr. Trump and his administration have cavalierly identified journalists and the organizations they work for as "enemies of the people." He has repeatedly accused those who criticize him and his policies of engaging in "fake news." His anti-media rants at rallies, which have resulted in increasingly antagonistic behaviour toward working press members at the events, recently prompted the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Zeid Raad al-Hussein, to describe Mr. Trumps exhortations as "very close to incitement to violence." Mr. Trump did not start the war on journalism. Long before his election, the pioneers of a concerted attack on the integrity of the news media had undertaken the important spade work that now provides Mr. Trump with his formidable vantage point. Fox News, the Tea Party movement and the rise of the mostly anonymous, unaccountable online information culture all promoted the idea that the news media are deliberately, systematically manipulating the citizenry. Mr. Trump is, by all measurements, a polarizing figure. But remove him from the equation and ask yourself: can any leader be held accountable without the scrutiny of an independent news media? Of course not. But that has not stopped politicians from trying, even in Canada. During Ontarios election campaign, it was common for then-candidate Doug Ford to have paid staffers and volunteers applaud lustily during campaign news conferences to drown out reporters questions. This behaviour has continued now that Mr. Ford is in power. Ontario Premier Doug Ford evaded questions about his governments response to a recent spate of gun violence by having staffers drown out media questions with staged applause. (Chris Young / Canadian Press files) In late July, Mr. Ford evaded questions about his governments response to a recent spate of gun violence by having staffers drown out media questions with staged applause. At another news conference, Social Services Minister Lisa MacLeod used the braying of paid political staff to drown out questions about why her government was ending a promising basic income pilot program, started under the previous Liberal government, which it had pledged during the election to maintain. 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. Later, during Question Period, the minister invoked the term "fake news" to dismiss media reports of the broken promise. She later apologized, but the intended damage had been done. Journalists, and journalism in general, are not perfect. Every news organization has its biases and preconceived notions of what is right and wrong. But professional journalists have always relied on the fact that the commitment to fairness and transparency with readers provides the checks and balances on us, as we attempt to do the same with those who have their hands on the levers of power. That delicate balance is under attack, and not just from politicians. The economics of news in a digital age has become precarious. Fewer people spend time consuming news, and even fewer try to balance their view of the world by reading multiple news sources. The authors of the dirty war against a free press are fully aware of those trends and are seizing the moment in the hope of pushing news organizations into the abyss so they can go about their business without the bothersome scrutiny they currently face. Critical news coverage is not fake and it is not unfair. It is one of the pillars of a functioning democracy. For those who seek to avoid such accountability by waging a desperate, relentless war on those who document what they say and do and those who support them in this campaign we have one question: What, exactly, are you afraid of? The problem is, few nurses have undergone the training required to not only properly treat a rape victim but to gather that medical evidence needed in a criminal investigation. Training to become a certified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner has been available at no cost through the Illinois Attorney Generals Office for years. But since 2003, of the 1,600 who took the classroom training, only 188 were able to complete the clinical portion, which includes observing testimony in court and practicing genital exams. 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! 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. Bank of America Corp. is a bank and financial holding company, which engages in the provision of banking and nonbank financial services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth and Investment Management, Global Banking, Global Markets, and All Other. The Consumer Banking segment offers credit, banking, and investment products and services to consumers and small businesses. The Global Wealth and Investment Management provides client experience through a network of financial advisors focused on to meet their needs through a full set of investment management, brokerage, banking, and retirement products. The Global Banking segment deals with lending-related products and services, integrated working capital management and treasury solutions to clients, and underwriting and advisory services. The Global Markets segment includes sales and trading services, as well as research, to institutional clients across fixed-income, credit, currency, commodity, and equity businesses. The All Other segment consists of asset and liability management activities, equity investments, non-core mortgage loans and servicing activities, the net impact of periodic revisions Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Zimmer Biomet: Abbott Spine, Beijing Montagne Medical Device Co. Ltd., Beijing Montagne Medical Device Co. Ltd., BioMet, Biomet 3i Australia Pty. Ltd., Biomet 3i Belgium N.V., Biomet 3i Benelux Holdings N.V., Biomet 3i Dental Iberica SL, Biomet 3i LLC, Biomet 3i Mexico S.A. de C.V., Biomet 3i Netherlands B.V., Biomet 3i Nordic AB, Biomet 3i Portugal Lda, Biomet 3i Switzerland GmbH, Biomet 3i Turkey, Biomet 3i UK Ltd., Biomet 3i do Brasil Comercio de Aparelhos Medicos Ltda., Biomet Acquisitions (Unlimited), Biomet Argentina SA, Biomet Australia Pty. Ltd., Biomet Biologics LLC, Biomet Brazil Medical Device Ltda., Biomet C.V., Biomet CV Holdings LLC, Biomet Cementing Technologies AB, Biomet Chile SA, Biomet China Co. Ltd., Biomet Deutschland GmbH, Biomet Deutschland Holding GmbH, Biomet Fair Lawn LLC, Biomet Finance US LLC, Biomet France Sarl, Biomet Global Supply Chain Center B.V., Biomet Healthcare Management GmbH, Biomet Holdings B.V., Biomet Hong Kong CBT Ltd., Biomet Hong Kong Holding Ltd., Biomet Hong Kong No. 1 Ltd., Biomet Inc., Biomet Insurance Ltd., Biomet International Inc., Biomet International Orthopedics LLC, Biomet Leasing Inc., Biomet Manufacturing LLC, Biomet Mexico S.A. de C.V., Biomet Microfixation B.V., Biomet Orthopedics LLC, Biomet Orthopedics Puerto Rico Inc., Biomet Spain Orthopaedics S.L., Biomet Sports Medicine LLC, Biomet Trauma LLC, Biomet U.S. Reconstruction LLC, Biomet UK Healthcare Ltd., Biomet UK Ltd., CD Diagnostics, CD Diagnostics Inc., CD Laboratories Inc., Cayenne Medical, Cayenne Medical Inc., CelgenTek Innovations Corporation, Centerpulse Ltd, Changzhou Biomet Medical Devices Co. Ltd., Citra Labs LLC, Clinical Graphics, Compression Therapy Concepts Inc., Compression Therapy Products, D.S. Comp Ltd., Dornoch Medical Systems, Dornoch Medical Systems Inc., EBI Holdings LLC, EBI LLC, EBI Medical Systems LLC, EBI Patient Care Inc., ETEX Corporation, ETEX Holdings Inc., Electro-Biology LLC, Endius, Espanormed S.L., Etex, ExtraOrtho, Hakuho Company Ltd., IC Guided Surgery SRL, Implant Concierge LLC, Implant Innovations Holdings LLC, Implex, InnoVision Inc., Interpore Cross International LLC, JERDS Luxembourg Holding Sarl, Kirschner Medical Corporation, Knee Creations, LDR Brasil Comercio Importacao e Exportacao Ltda., LDR Holding, LDR Medical Hong Kong (branch), LDR Medical S.A.S., LVB Acquisition Inc., Lanx Puerto Rico LLC , Lanx Srl, Medical Compression Systems Inc., Medtech SA, Medtech SAS, Medtech Surgical GmbH, Medtech Surgical Inc., NORMED Medizin-Technik GmbH, ORTHOsoft ULC, Ortho Transmission, Orthopaedic Advantage LLC, Ospol Participacoes Ltda., Representaciones Zimmer Inc. S. de R.L. de C.V., Respondwell, SM Re Ltd., Scandimed Holding AB, Shanghai Biomet Business Consulting Co. Ltd., Synvasive Technology, Synvasive Technology Inc., ZB COOP C.V., ZB COOP LLC, ZB Cayman (Asia) Holding Ltd., ZB Cayman Island CBT 2 Ltd., ZB Dental India Private Limited, ZB EMEA 1 LP, ZB EMEA Finance UK 1 Ltd., ZB EMEA Finance UK 2 Ltd., ZB EMEA Finance UK 3 Ltd., ZB EMEA US UK LLC, ZB Hong Kong CBT 2 Ltd., ZB Hong Kong Holding Ltd., ZB Hong Kong Ltd., ZB Manufacturing LLC, ZB UK Group Holdings Limited, ZH2LX Barbados Branch (branch), Zfx, Zfx GmbH, Zfx Innovation GmbH, Zhejiang Biomet Medical Products Co. Ltd., Zimmer (Shanghai) Medical International Trading Co. Ltd., Zimmer Asia (HK) Ltd., Zimmer Australia Holding Pty. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Asel Alarabiya Limited Company, Zimmer Biomet Asia Holding B.V., Zimmer Biomet Asia Holdings Pte. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Austria GmbH, Zimmer Biomet BVBA, Zimmer Biomet CBT, Zimmer Biomet CBT 2, Zimmer Biomet CMF and Thoracic LLC, Zimmer Biomet Canada Inc., Zimmer Biomet Centroamerica SA, Zimmer Biomet Comp Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Denmark ApS, Zimmer Biomet Dental Canada Inc., Zimmer Biomet Dental K.K., Zimmer Biomet Deutschland GmbH, Zimmer Biomet Distribution LLC, Zimmer Biomet Finance Srl, Zimmer Biomet Finance US Holding Inc., Zimmer Biomet Finland Oy, Zimmer Biomet France Holdings SAS, Zimmer Biomet France SAS, Zimmer Biomet GK, Zimmer Biomet Global Holdings Switzerland GmbH, Zimmer Biomet Hellas SA, Zimmer Biomet Ireland Limited, Zimmer Biomet Italia Srl, Zimmer Biomet Korea Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Nederland B.V., Zimmer Biomet New Zealand Company, Zimmer Biomet Norway AS, Zimmer Biomet OUS Holdings AG, Zimmer Biomet Polska Sp. z.o.o, Zimmer Biomet Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Zimmer Biomet Pty. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Romania S.R.L., Zimmer Biomet South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Spain S.L., Zimmer Biomet Spine Inc., Zimmer Biomet Sweden AB, Zimmer Biomet Taiwan Co. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet UK Ltd., Zimmer Biomet US 2 Holding Inc., Zimmer CBT I Holding Inc., Zimmer CBT II Holding Inc., Zimmer CEP USA Holding Co., Zimmer CEP USA Inc., Zimmer CIS Ltd., Zimmer CV Inc., Zimmer Caribe LLC, Zimmer Cayman Islands Holding Co. Ltd., Zimmer Co-op Holdings LLC, Zimmer Colombia SAS, Zimmer Czech sro, Zimmer Dental (Shanghai) Medical Device Co. Ltd., Zimmer Dental Chile Spa, Zimmer Dental GmbH, Zimmer Dental Inc., Zimmer Dental Italy Srl, Zimmer Dental Ltd., Zimmer Dental SAS, Zimmer Finance Ireland, Zimmer France Manufacturing Sarl, Zimmer Germany Holdings GmbH, Zimmer GmbH, Zimmer GmbH Euro IP Branch (branch), Zimmer GmbH Winterthur Branch (branch), Zimmer Gulf FZ LLC, Zimmer Inc., Zimmer India Private Ltd., Zimmer International Logistics GmbH, Zimmer Investments LLC, Zimmer Knee Creations Inc., Zimmer Luxembourg II Sarl, Zimmer Luxembourg Sarl, Zimmer Manufacturing B.V., Zimmer Manufacturing B.V. (branch), Zimmer Medical Malaysia SDN BHD, Zimmer Netherlands Cooperatief U.A., Zimmer Orthobiologics Inc., Zimmer Orthopedics Manufacturing Limited, Zimmer Production Inc., Zimmer Pte. Ltd., Zimmer Slovakia sro, Zimmer Southeast Florida LLC, Zimmer Spine Next Inc., Zimmer Spine SAS, Zimmer Surgical, Zimmer Surgical Inc., Zimmer Surgical SA, Zimmer Switzerland Holdings LLC, Zimmer Switzerland Manufacturing GmbH, Zimmer Tibbi Cihazlar Sanayi ve Ticaret AS, Zimmer Trabecular Metal Technology Inc., Zimmer Trustee Ltd., Zimmer UK Limited, Zimmer US Inc., and Zimmer do Brasil Comercio Ltda.. 6 hours ago 3 Stock Picks for Conservative Investors These 3 High-Quality Stocks Are Ideal for Conservative Investors When it comes to investing, putting capital at risk is simply unavoidable. Thats why it's so important to consider your own personal levels of risk tolerance before making any moves in the stock market. Read Article Wall Street analysts have given iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 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 S&P Small-Cap 600 Value 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 iShares China Large-Cap 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 China Large-Cap 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 iShares MSCI Belgium 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 Belgium 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 iShares Russell 2000 Growth 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 Russell 2000 Growth ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. CoreLogic, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides property information, insight, analytics, and data-enabled solutions in North America, Western Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Property Intelligence & Risk Management Solutions (PIRM) and Underwriting & Workflow Solutions (UWS). The PIRM segment combines property information, mortgage information, and consumer information to deliver housing market and property-level insights, predictive analytics, and risk management capabilities. It also offers proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with decision-making and compliance tools in the real estate and insurance industries. This segment primarily serves commercial banks, mortgage lenders and brokers, investment banks, fixed-income investors, real estate agents, MLS companies, property and casualty insurance companies, title insurance companies, government agencies, and government-sponsored enterprises. The UWS segment combines property, mortgage, and consumer information to provide comprehensive mortgage origination and monitoring solutions, including underwriting-related solutions, and data-enabled valuations and appraisals. This segment also provides proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with vetting and onboarding prospects, and meeting compliance regulations, as well as understanding, evaluating, monitoring property values. It primarily serves mortgage lenders and servicers, mortgage brokers, credit unions, commercial banks, fixed-income investors, government agencies, and property and casualty insurance companies. The company was formerly known as The First American Corporation and changed its name to CoreLogic, Inc. in June 2010. CoreLogic, Inc. was incorporated in 1894 and is headquartered in Irvine, California. Read More Currently, three separate investigations are underway, including a criminal investigation of Harveys actions, being done by Park Forest police, as well as an investigation of the involved officers actions, which is being undertaken by the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Unit, according to police. Once completed, the results of the state police investigation would be turned over to the Cook County states attorneys office, police said. Era Group Inc. provides helicopter transportation services primarily to the oil and gas exploration, development, and production companies. Its helicopter services include emergency response search and rescue; and other services, as well as utility services to support firefighting, mining, power line, and pipeline survey activities. The company also leases helicopters to third parties and foreign affiliates. As of December 31, 2018, it owned a total of 108 helicopters, including 9 heavy helicopters, 46 medium helicopters, 23 light twin engine helicopters, and 30 light single engine helicopters. The company operates in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. Era Group Inc. was founded in 1948 and is based in Houston, Texas. Read More Wall Street analysts have given SPDR EURO STOXX 50 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 SPDR EURO STOXX 50 ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Improvements to I-80 remains a critical priority for the county, he said. County officials are actively collaborating with the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning to address the safety and infrastructure concerns, and hope to have more positive news to report on these efforts soon, he said. The following companies are subsidiares of Archer-Daniels-Midland: ADM (Shanghai) Management Co. LTD, ADM (Thailand) Ltd, ADM Ag Holdings Ltd, ADM Agri-Industries Company, ADM Agriculture Limited, ADM Agro Iberica S. L. U., ADM Agro Indust Latur and Vizag Pvt Ltd, ADM Agro Industries India Private Limited, ADM Agro Industries KOTA and AKOLA Pvt. Ltd., ADM Agro SRL, ADM Agroinvestimentos LTDA, ADM Alliance Nutrition of Puerto Rico LLC, ADM Americas S de RL, ADM Andina Peru SRL, ADM Antwerp NV, ADM Arkady Ireland Limited, ADM Asia-Pacific Trading Pte. Ltd., ADM Australia Holdings I PTY Limited, ADM Bio Science And Technology (Tianjin) Co Ltd, ADM Bioproductos SA DE CV, ADM CZERNIN SA, ADM Caribbean Inc, ADM Chile Comercial LTDA, ADM Clinton Bioprocessing Inc, ADM DO Brasil LTDA, ADM Direct Polska SP. ZO.O, ADM Dominican Holdings Inc., ADM Dominicana SA, ADM Edible Bean Specialties Inc, ADM Europe HoldCo SL, ADM European Holdings LLC, ADM European Management Holding GMBH, ADM Export Co, ADM Food Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ADM France, ADM Germany GmbH, ADM Grain River System Inc., ADM Hamburg Aktiengesesllschaft, ADM Holding (Thailand) LTD, ADM Holdings LLC, ADM Hungary Agro Trading LLC, ADM Industries Centers Ltd, ADM International Holdings Inc, ADM International SARL, ADM Interoceanic LTD, ADM Investments LTD, ADM Investor Services Inc, ADM Investor Services International LTD, ADM Ireland Receivables Company Limited, ADM Israel, ADM Japan Ltd, ADM MALBORK SA, ADM Mainz GMBH, ADM Medsofts Sarl, ADM Mexico Inc, ADM Mexico SA DE CV, ADM Milling Co, ADM Milling LTD, ADM New Zealand Limited, ADM Olomouc S.R.O., ADM Paraguay SRL, ADM Protexin Limited, ADM Pura Limited, ADM Receivables LLC, ADM Rice Inc, ADM Ringaskiddy Unlimited Company, ADM Romania Logistics SRL, ADM Romania Trading SRL, ADM Specialty Ingredients - Europe BV, ADM Spyck GMBH, ADM Szamotuly SP Z O.O, ADM Trading Australia Pty. Ltd., ADM Trading Co, ADM Transportation Company, ADM Trucking Inc, ADM Vietnam CO. LTD, ADM WILD Europe GmbH and Co. KG, ADM WILD Ingredients GmbH, ADM WILD Nauen GmbH, ADM WILD Valencia S.A., ADM Wild Netherlands BV, ADM Worldwide Holdings LP, ADMIS Holding Co Inc., ADMIS Hong Kong LTD, ADMIS Singapore Pte Limited, AOR, AT Holdings II Company, Agri Port Services Investments Ltd., Agri Port Services LLC, Agricolas Madagascar SARLU, Agrinational Insurance Co, Agriserve, Agrograin LTD, Alfrebro LLC, Alfred C Toepfer International Netherlands BV, Alimenta USA, American River Transportation Company LLC, Ameriseed, Amylum Bulgaria EAD, Amylum Nisasta Sanayi Ve Ticarek Anonim Sirketi, Archer Daniels Midland (UK) Limited, Archer Daniels Midland Asia Pacific Ltd., Archer Daniels Midland Erith LTD, Archer Daniels Midland Europe BV, Archer Daniels Midland Europoort BV, Archer Daniels Midland Nederland BV, Archer Daniels Midland Singapore PTE LTD, Arinos Unlimited, Aston Foods & Food Ingredients, Balanceados Nova SA Balnova, Barbados Mills Limited, Bela Vista Bio Etanol Participacoes LTDA, Bern Aqua, BioPolis SL, Biopolis, Campa Sued GmbH & Co KG, Cattleman's Choice Loomix LLC, Chamtor, Ci ADM Colombia Ltda., Controladora ADM Sa De Cv, Crosswind Petfoods Inc., Daavision BV, Eaststarch, Eatem Corporation, Eatem Foods, Elstar Oils, English River Pellets Inc., Epicore Bionetworks INC, Epicore Networks (USA) INC, Erich Ziegler GmbH, Evialis France, Fasco Mills Co., Filozoo SRL, Florida Chemical, Florida Chemical Company LLC, GP Blanching Inc., Global Cocoa Holdings LTD, Golden Peanut Company LLC, Golden Peanut and Tree Nut Seed SA (PTY) LTD, Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts SA, Group Lysac, Guyomarc'h - VCN Company Limited, Guyomarc'h Vietnam CO LTD, HFR Shipping Company Ltd, HRA Shipping Company Ltd, HTI Shipping Company Ltd, Harvest Innovations, Hilltop Grain and Feed, Holding P and A Asia Company Limited, Hubei Meiweiyuan Biotechnology, Ilitchevskiy Maslo Extractionniy Zavod (IMEZ), Invivo NSA Asia PTE LTD, Invivo NSA Philippines Inc, Jamaica Flour Mills Limited, Julius Meijer-Alpharma BV, LLC ADM Ukraine, Liquid Feed Commodities, Malta Industries SA de CV, Malta-Texo De Mexico SA de CV, Master Mix of Trinidad LTD, Medsofts Investment Co, Medsofts L.L.C., Medsofts Trading Co, Mepla Comercio e Navegacao Ltda, NRG Inc, Naviera Chaco SRL, Neovia, Neovia Latina SL, Neovia Nutricao E Saude Animal LTDA, North Star Shipping S.R.L., P and A Marketing SA, PJSC ADM Illichivsk, PT Wirifa Sakti, Pancosma (Shanghai) Feed Additives CO LTD, Pancosma France SAS, Pancosma SA, Premiere Agri Technologies of Mexico Inc, Pura Foods LTD, Rodelle Inc., Schokinag-Schokolade-Industrie Herrmann, Sermix, Setna Nutricion SA, Societe Industrielle Des Oleagineux, Southern Cellulose Products Inc, Soy Investors LLC, Specialty Commodities, Specialty Commodities LLC, Sul Mineira Alimentos LTDA, SzSzV Kft, Toepfer International, Toepfer International Trading (Shanghai) Co. LTD., Vantage Corn Processors LLC, WILD Amazon Flavors Ltda, WILD Flavors, Wild Flavors Inc., Wild Flavors International GmbH, Wild Flavors Singapore Pte. Ltd., Wild Intermare GmbH, Wild Russia LLC, and Wisium SA (PTY) LTD. Tailored Brands, Inc. (NYSE:TLRD) posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March, 18th. The company reported ($0.46) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.54) by $0.08. The firm had revenue of $690.90 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $708.46 million. Tailored Brands had a negative trailing twelve-month return on equity of 138.49% and a negative net margin of 14.39%. The business's revenue for the quarter was down 12.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned ($0.28) EPS. View Tailored Brands' earnings history. Members of the Refugee Youth Power Movement hold up signs outside the Statehouse during Tuesdays Youth Power Rally and Party. Friday's canoe launched on Lake Michigan may be the first Native American canoe launch in more than a century: 'The spirits who live on this lake, they know who we are. Were not strangers here.' 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. The maiden Senate speech of Fraser Anning, representing the right-wing populist Katters Australian Party, has highlighted the racist and deeply anti-democratic implications of the attacks on immigrants and refugees, and the continuous stoking of nationalism by the entire political establishment. Speaking on Tuesday night, Anning launched a diatribe against migrants. He effectively called for the reintroduction of the White Australia immigration policy, under which successive Labor and conservative governments, with the fervent support of the trade unions, banned non-European migration from Federation in 1901 until the mid-1960s. Anning declared: 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. The senator claimed that migrants were self-segregating and were responsible for white flight from many suburbs. He slandered Muslim migrants as welfare dependent, criminals and potential terrorists, and advocated a ban on further Muslim migration. Anning called for a plebiscite on whether the population want wholesale non-English speaking immigrants from the third world, and particularly whether they want any Muslims. He said this would be a final solution to the immigration problem. Annings subsequent claim that the phrase final solution was of no significance does not hold water. The term is forever associated with the Nazi regimes genocide of European Jewry. Appearing in a speech calling for racially-exclusive immigration, the phrase was an unmistakable dog whistle to fascistic sympathisers. Annings speech was peppered with other staples of this milieu, including denunciations of cultural Marxism and homophobic rhetoric. In a further indication that Annings statements were a calculated pitch to a far-right constituency, his party leader Bob Katter aggressively defended the speech on Wednesday, declaring that he agreed with it a thousand percent. The speech, and particularly the phrase final solution, triggered an outpouring of pious hypocrisy by other members of parliament. Senior representatives of the Liberal-National Coalition government and the Labor Partywho are jointly responsible for the brutal persecution of refugees, discriminatory immigration policies and the stoking of xenophobiadonned the mantle of acceptance. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Labor leader Bill Shorten summed up the real concerns, warning that Annings language was divisive and undermined Australian values. In a demonstration of their unity, Turnbull and Shorten shook hands across the parliamentary floor after denouncing the speech. The major parties fear that by giving unvarnished expression to the racism and nationalism they have promoted, Anning risks further discrediting the entire political establishment and inflaming widespread opposition to the bipartisan attacks on refugees and immigrants. Likewise, every other parliamentary party criticised the speech, even Pauline Hansons One Nation Party, which is notorious for scapegoating Muslim immigrants. On Wednesday, the Senate passed a motion condemning the White Australia policy and hailing its formal abandonment. All the official parties are desperately trying to cover up the fact that Annings rant is the logical conclusion of the policies they have promoted. For the past two decades, Australian politics has been dominated by the demonisation of Muslims. In the bogus war on terror, Muslim youth have been relentlessly vilified, while working class communities have been subjected to surveillance and harassment by the police and intelligence agencies. Parallel with the war on terror, successive Labor and Liberal-National governments have ensured Australia has one of harshest regimes against refugees in the world. They have both consigned all asylum-seekers who seek to reach Australia by boat to concentration camps on remote Pacific islands. The program, which UN bodies have declared violates international law, has led to numbers of deaths. Since 2016, a nationalist campaign has been waged, by the major parties, the corporate media and the intelligence agencies, alleging that China is seeking to dominate Australian politics, business, universities and virtually every aspect of society. The hysteria over purported Chinese influence has been aimed at legitimising Australias central role in the US-led preparations for war with China. It was invoked by the Coalition government and the Labor Party opposition to push sweeping foreign interference laws through parliament in June. The legislation could be used to ban anti-war activities, and political organisations that engage in internationally-coordinated campaigns. Echoing the anti-Asian thrust of the White Australia program, Clive Hamilton, a prominent Greens member, has suggested that many of the 1.3 million Australian residents of Chinese descent are likely not loyal and could constitute an enemy fifth column in the event of war. For the past 12 months, all the official parties have endorsed a purge to remove members of parliament who hold, or are even entitled to, dual citizenship. The campaign, based on reactionary provisions of the 1901 constitution introduced during the White Australia period, renders more than half the populationincluding anyone who was born overseas, or whose parents come from another countryineligible for federal office unless they renounce their foreign loyalties. Amid a deepening social crisis, and indications of renewed social and political struggles by workers, the political establishment is desperately seeking to divide the working class with racism and xenophobia. To the extent that right-wing populists such as Anning can win any support, it is a direct result of the social misery created by the pro-business policies of Labor and Liberal-National governments over the past three decades, which have destroyed hundreds of thousands of jobs, and gutted public education, healthcare and other social services. In the lead up to a Victorian state election this November and a federal election to be held before next May, the major parties and a raft of right-wing organisations are competing to be the toughest on immigration. The Coalition government has boasted that a visa crackdown resulted in net migration falling to its lowest level in more than a decade last financial year. Senior Coalition figures have called for further restrictions and have blamed migration for failing infrastructure. Labor leader Bill Shorten has hit back at any suggestion that he will close the refugee camps, declaring that any government he led would continue to stop the boats. It was the previous Labor government that reopened the camps in the Pacific and decreed the asylum-seekers sent there would never come to Australia. Labors anti-immigrant campaign has been supported by the trade unions. Last May, the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union intervened to shut down the Victorian state Labor conference to prevent motions being debated that nominally criticised the persecution of refugees. The unions have also collaborated with Labor against foreign workers on temporary visas, falsely alleging that they are responsible for rising unemployment. And both Labor and the Coalition recently escalated a two-year-long witch hunt, accusing working-class youth of African background of being responsible for a supposed epidemic of crime in the Victorian capital of Melbourne. Turnbull and senior figures in his government have supported the transparently racist campaign, as has the Victorian state Labor government, joined by the same far-right organisations to which Annings speech appealed. Members of the African community have reported a substantial rise in race-related assaults and vilification. The alternative to the poisonous nationalism emanating from the political establishment is the fight for the unity of the international working class, in a common struggle for a workers government and the socialist reorganisation of society in the interests of ordinary people, not the profit dictates of the financial and corporate elite. The ongoing witch-hunt of Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has now assumed the form of a concerted trawl through his political history by the media to identify occasions proving his supposed blind hatred of Jews. His anti-Semitism is said to be exemplified by his relations with various opponents of the state of Israel and by his past condemnations of its crimes against the Palestinians. The most prominent and sustained recent attack has been dubbed Wreathgate." It involves photos run by the right-wing Daily Mail on Saturday, showing Corbyn during a visit to Tunisia in 2014, holding a wreath at a memorial service. The photos are said to prove that, just one year before becoming Labour leader, Corbyn was honouring Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) leaders implicated in the kidnap and murder by the Palestinian Black September Group of 11 Israeli Olympic athletes in Munich in 1972. The narrative is, for the most part, a carefully manufactured lie. Hamman Chott cemetery is the Palestinian national cemetery in Tunisia, where Palestinians not allowed repatriation by Israel are buried. Those who carried out the Munich attack are not buried there. Corbyn attended a ceremony there at the invitation of the Tunisian government, commemorating Israels 1985 bombing of the PLOs headquarters in Tunisia that claimed between 47 and 71 lives. The ceremony and an associated conference were in part focused on attempts to secure a unity agreement between the Islamist group Hamas, which still controls the Gaza Strip, and the main faction of the PLO, Fatah, which rules in the West Bankmoves which Corbyn supported. Making an amalgam of Corbyn and Black September, the Daily Mail got out its tape-measure, noting the memorial to the victims of the 1985 bombing was just 15 yards from where Corbyn was pictured. To clinch matters, the Mail reported that, in comparison, Corbyn stood just two metres from four graves of senior PLO members, including individuals Israel has claimed were behind the formation of the Black September group. A wreath is laid every year at the graves of Atef Bseiso, the PLOs head of intelligence, who was assassinated outside a Paris hotel in 1992, almost certainly by Israels secret service, Mossad, ostensibly in revenge for the 1972 attack; Salah Khalaf, better known as Abu Iyad, who was the second in command in the PLO when he was killed in Tunis in 1991; his key aide Fakhri al-Omari; and Hayel Abdel-Hamid, the PLO chief of security. Corbyn was said to be doubly damned because he stated in the Communist Party of Britains Morning Star in October 2014 that he was present for a ceremony honouring the 1985 victims and others killed by Mossad agents in Paris in 1991. Corbyn has since told Sky News, A wreath was indeed laid by some of those who attended the conference for those who were killed in Paris in 1992. I was present when it was laid, I dont think I was actually involved in it. Bseiso in fact ended his life as the PLO's liaison officer with foreign intelligence agencies and was a regular contact of the CIA. The US protested his killing by Mossad, which is still believed to have authored his assassination, despite claims of the involvement of other PLO factions opposed to his conciliatory stance. The hypocrisy involved in the anti-Corbyn campaign is staggering. He is accused of being an apologist for terrorism simply for standing near the graves of PLO leaders who have been accused by Israel of terrorist involvement. His accusers include an Israeli ruling elite that forged a state based on a terrorist campaign against Britain, Labour MPs who honour Tony Blair and Gordon Brown for securing peace in Northern Ireland through talks with Sinn Fein and the Irish Republican Army, and by Conservatives and Labourites who will happily defend the crimes of Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and any other state allied to British and US imperialism. Corbyn went part way towards exposing such double standards when he responded to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who had tweeted, The laying of a wreath by Jeremy Corbyn on the graves of the terrorist who perpetrated the Munich massacre and his comparison of Israel to the Nazis deserves unequivocal condemnation from everyoneleft, right and everything in between. Corbyn tweeted in reply, What deserves unequivocal condemnation is the killing of over 160 Palestinian protesters in Gaza by Israeli forces since March, including dozens of children. Despite this brief spark of fight, however, Corbyn cannot defend either himself or his supporters from charges of anti-Semitism. He is seeking to appease rather than confront his opponents, whose attack centres on the claim that opposition to Israel is equivalent to anti-Semitism. Every charge made against Corbyn can be refuted and turned against his accusers. Corbyn was attending the Tunisian conference at the end of September 2014, just weeks after Israels Operation Protective Edge military offensive on Gaza (July 8-August 26), which caused a level of death and destruction more devastating than Israels previous assaults in 2008-2009 and 2012. Some 1,479 of the 2,158 Palestinians killed by Israel were civilians, including 506 children, while about 66 Israeli soldiers and five civilians were killed. More than 100,000 Palestinians in Gaza were left without a habitable home to return to, and 497,000 people were internally displaced. Israels murderous assault followed an agreement reached in April 2014 between Hamas and Fatah to form a national unity government, which Netanyahu refused to countenanceattributing the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers to Hamas to justify Operation Protective Edge. In the Morning Star article that has elicited such outrage from the Labour right-wing and the Tories, Corbyn wrote that in 1986 Israeli jets screamed in to bomb the relocated headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, causing many deaths, explaining how the PLO had relocated after the massacres at Sabra and Shatilla in 1982 when Israeli troops oversaw massacres by Phalangist militias. Corbyn wrote of the appalling death toll of 2,100 Palestinian dead and 100 Israeli casualties during the so-called Protective Edge assault, and of British imperialisms special role in the suffering of the Palestinians. Today, instead of waging a counter-offensive against his tormentors, Corbyn is once again busy seeking unity with them. He is currently negotiating the adoption of the full definition and 11 associated examples put forward by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) that will be used to define anti-Zionist opposition to Israel as a form of anti-Semitism. He wants only to qualify one exampledefining as anti-Semitic any criticism of the founding of the state of Israel as a racist endeavourwith provisos allowing for non-anti-Semitic criticism of Israels founding. Even this is not enough for his main backers, in Momentum and the trade union bureaucracy, who want him to agree to all examples without qualification. The net result of all such appeals for compromise is to spur on the right wing, which has as its aim the criminalisation of political opposition to Israels crimes and the outlawing of all opposition to the attacks on the social gains and democratic rights of the working class. Corbyns rotten compromise with a de facto political alliance of Tories, Labourites and their media backers will serve to consolidate the grip of the financial oligarchy and their agenda of austerity, militarism and war. Thousands of California firefighters assisted by firefighters from other states continue battling to control and extinguish 12 devastating forest and wild fires. On Monday another firefighter, Matthew Burchett, 42, a member of forces sent in from the state of Utah, was killed at the Ranch Fire, which together with the River Fire form the massive Mendocino Complex fire, in Mendocino and Lake counties in the north central part of the state. These fires have burned over 688,000 acres (1,075 square miles) and damaged or destroyed over 2,000 structures. In all, six firefighters have died on-duty this season in California, officially making 2018 the deadliest in the past decade. Two firefighters, including Burchett, have been killed battling the Mendocino Complex fire and another eleven have been injured. Burchett and five of his comrades from the Draper City Fire Department had arrived from Utah on August 2. He was flown to a hospital, where he died. The exact cause of his death is still under investigation. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection ( Cal Fire) over 13,800 firefighters are on the front lines, including 2,000 inmates from the states prisons who make $1 per hour clearing brush as part of the efforts to stop the fires from spreading. As of this week the Ranch fire remains active and is only about 70 percent contained. It is expected that it will not be contained until September 1. Cal Fire has now declared the Ranch Fire the largest fire in Californias history. This years fires have hit firefighters and fire crews especially hard. In Redding, a bulldozer operator and a Pacific Gas and Electric worker were casualties of the Carr Fire in Shasta County in northern California. That fire has destroyed over one thousand homes and continues to burn. In addition to the firefighters, four residentsincluding two children and their great grandmotherdied in the Redding fire. A Cal Fire mechanic who had been assigned to the Carr Fire died in a vehicle crash in Tehama County, south of Shasta. On July 26, as the Carr Fire moved into the city of Redding, Jeremy Stoke, a fire prevention inspector, was killed as he was assisting residents in the citys western neighbors evacuation. The Carr fire has burnt 211,019 acres and was only 65 percent contained Tuesday night. Fire crews face extreme conditions from dense timber, dry undergrowth and strong winds. Due to its proximity to Redding, a city with a population exceeding 90,000, Carr has already destroyed 1600 buildings. Two more firefighters fell victim to the Ferguson Fire in Californias Sierra and Stanislaus National Forests, which has been burning for over a month. The fire was first reported on July 13 and has consumed over 39,100 hectares (96,600 acres), forcing the closure of parts of Yosemite National Parks campgrounds. Braden Varney, a Cal Fire heavy-equipment operator, died on July 14 when his bulldozer overturned as he was cutting through the forest to create firebreaks. Two weeks later, Brian Hughes, captain of the Arrowhead Interagency Hotshots, was killed when he was struck by a tree while working with his crew to set a backfirea tactic designed to limit a fires spreadon the east side of the blaze. He died before he could be taken to a hospital. The wave of brush and forest fires, fueled by large quantities of dry underbrush acted on by record breaking heat, extend the length of the state from the Oregon border into southern Californias Riverside and Orange Counties. The Natchez fire on the Oregon border has burnt 16,000 acres and is only fifty-five percent contained. The Donnel Fire in Tuolumne County, near the Nevada border, has burnt 30 thousand acres and is only 26 percent contained. The Hirz Fire in eastern Shasta County has so far destroyed 7,321 acres and is only five percent contained, while the Hat Fire, also in Shasta County has consumed 1,900 acres. The Lions Fire, not far from the deadly Ferguson blaze and south of the Yosemite National Park, has burnt more than ten thousand acres and is seventy percent contained. The Lions fire, which began in June, has entered the Inyo National Forest on the California-Nevada border. In the southern portion of the State, the Holy Fire which began last week has destroyed 23,000 acres in the Cleveland National Forest and threatens the city of Lake Elsinore and other communities in Orange and Riverside Counties. The wave of fires is part of a phenomenon affecting the entire western United States, including the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and British Columbia in Canada. Climate change has contributed to the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires, putting ever greater pressure on inadequately funded firefighting and prevention resources across the regions. The fires are also contributing to increased air pollution in major population centers such as Seattle and San Francisco. According to a report from the Weather Channel, wildfire smoke from the ongoing and mostly uncontained western fires has been detected in most US States, threatening a health emergency. A blog page from NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center states, Smoke from the fires burning in British Columbia now stretches completely across Canada, with some of the plumes pushing well down into the United States (moving as far south as New Mexico, Arkansas and even northern Tennessee) and covering a large portion of the middle of the country. The Weather Channel also indicated that the National Weather Service has issued air quality alerts for parts of Washington, the chimney of Idaho, central California and northeastern Illinois, including Chicago, early this week because of poor air quality from the wildfire smoke. While most of the smoke is concentrated in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, the most recent Goddard maps now show that the smoke has crossed the Atlantic and affects Ireland, Scotland and Southern Norway. An audit issued on August 7 by the New York State Comptrollers office reviews the Long Island Rail Roads (LIRRs) declining quality of service, throwing the spotlight on the inability of LIRR management to respond appropriately to train delays. The LIRR is one of the component parts of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a state agency that operates North Americas largest public transportation system, serving New York City and seven surrounding counties in New York and parts of Connecticut. The LIRR, which carries more than 300,000 passengers on an average weekday, is not only the largest commuter railroad in America but is also the oldest still operating under its original name. The audit reviews previous studies that established that the LIRR had, in 2017, its worst on-time performance since 1999. It is estimated that 9.2 million commuters experienced late train service or saw trains canceled outright last year, either before leaving the terminal or en route before reaching their destinations. The audit notes that service sharply deteriorated between December 2017 and January 2018. In January, trains only arrived on time 83.9 percent of the time, a significant drop from January 2017s 92.4 percent. In January 2018 alone, 3,333 trains were late, canceled or partially canceled. The audit found that, in addition to these delays and cancellations, the LIRR management, despite promises and pledges to the passengers, did not respond appropriately to assist the riders, and only added to commuter misery when these events occurred. For example, from December 1, 2017, to January 24, 2018, 5,067 trains were cancelled or delayed for 15 minutes or more. The auditors sampled 11 of these incidents and found that the LIRR did not even have a contingency plan for 5 of the 11. While the other 6 had plans, none of these plans required steps were activated. In these 11 incidents, status announcements to passengers were either not made or were made late. Nor could the LIRR document the use of replacement buses to expedite the movement of the riders on the delayed or cancelled trains. Only once in the aftermath of the 11 incidents sampled did the railroad hold a lessons learned meeting. The auditors made the predictable recommendations that plans should be developed and followed to assist riders when delays occuradvice to the MTA and LIRR that is hardly new. In this regard, however, even the rather staid language of the audit is revealing when it says: The MTA-LIRR response states it agrees with the audit recommendations and that it has already implemented many of them. However, as much of the response does not directly address the recommendations, it is unclear if this is accurate. In addition to the report, it is a stark reality that the LIRR has been undergoing what is being called another summer of hell, a phrase that was first employed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to denote the train delays experienced last summer due to emergency track work at Pennsylvania Station, the major hub in Manhattan for the LIRR. Since July, there have been numerous signal and switch problems in the LIRR system along with a disabled Amtrak train, which shares tracks with the LIRR, causing delays. LIRR trains have struck and killed three people who were walking the tracks on different occasions, creating significant delays. A LIRR derailment on July 21about which the railroad did not inform the public for 24 hourscaused two days of delays. There was another derailment on July 28 in the Jamaica, Queens, trainyard, which reduced the number of cars available, and a third derailment on August 1 on a train carrying more than 400 passengers, creating havoc throughout the day. An August 7 lightning strike on a substation caused a fire that disrupted service, and another lighting strike August 8 caused a power failure and further delays. Several riders at Pennsylvania Station taking the LIRR recently spoke to the WSWS about their experience with increasingly frequent delays. Ralph Ortiz, who works for a real estate company and rides the LIRR regularly, raised many of the issues addressed in the audit. The Long Island Rail Road is just getting worse and worse. One significant reason for this has to do with what they dont do after a delay or breakdown. Previously, if they had a major delay, they would have another train or buses to take you from the delay point to where you needed to go or to where you could make connections. Now they dont. They just leave you. About a month ago, I had to pay $65 for a taxi ride when the LIRR train broke down, and there were about 10 other people in the van-style taxi with me who came from the same train. I am late two or three times a week because of the LIRR train delays. I get paid by the hour, and when I am late it gets very expensive for me. Every morning, I turn on Channel 61, and they are listing or announcing one LIRR train delay after another. The system needs to be changed from top to bottom. Last summer was the Summer of Hell on the LIRR and the MTA. The MTA was supposed to hire people to fix this. Two Saturdays ago, there was an LIRR derailment here at Penn station, and they didnt say a word about it. Mondays schedule was completely messed up because of the derailment. It is the leadership that sucks. Angelos Lamb, a homemaker who regularly rides the LIRR, complained that They are making structural repairs, but not to the stations and the infrastructure which are in greater need. One such station is in Hollis, Queens, which needs a whole new overhaul. At Hicksville, if you look up underneath the platform from the street, there are big cracks in the pillars holding up the platform. The pillars are crumbling and have pieces missing. It needs to be recast with concrete. Instead, they are working on the platform that doesnt need that much work. They are picking only the easiest, cheapest, and the most visible repairs to do. What we have here are constant derailments. It is not just tight curves, but inclines and drops around these curves, and the change of rail height which are dangerous. I was never in a derailment on the LIRR, but I was on one on Amtrak, and a derailment is dangerous and super-scary. Jorge, another regular rider, explained, I have experienced delays many times on the weekends. The more serious events take place when it rains. It is even worse when it snows. Then the service is super-bad. It is not right that before you even know that there will be a delay, the conductor already has punched your ticket which means that you have paid for a ride that will arrive late. It is acknowledged by the MTA that it will take tens of billions of dollars to repair its aging system. Yet the MTA has deep financial obligations to big capitalist investors, with a nearly $40 billion long-term bond debt. The S&P lowered its rating of the transit agency last Thursday from A+ to A. The rating agency has stated that the MTAs credit outlook is negative, which means that the transit authority will have to raise the amount of interest it pays to the bondholders to compensate for their extra risk they are taking by investing in a decaying system. This will only deepen the MTAs financial crisis, which the MTA will seek to pass on to commuters and transit workers. Riders have been hit with fare hikes every two years, and even more are projected in the future. Concessions contracts against MTA employees are now being negotiated by the unions. Meanwhile the funds obtained by cheating the working class barely keep the system afloat, as service continues to deteriorate and the chances of a catastrophic accident increase daily. There is no solution to the basic transportation needs of millions under capitalism, a social and economic system dedicated to enriching the wealthy with tax cuts and dedicating huge resources for the military to defend their interests in imperialists wars. New Zealands Labour-NZ First-Green Party government recently announced a formal investigation into war crimes allegedly committed by NZ Defence Force (NZDF) troops in Afghanistan in 2010. In March last year, Nicky Hager and Jon Stephensons book Hit and Run: The New Zealand SAS in Afghanistan and the meaning of honour, published details of a mission called Operation Burnham. It reported that during the operation, Special Air Services (SAS) troops killed six civilians, including a three-year-old girl, and injured a further 15 civilians. The previous National Party government sought to cover up New Zealands involvement in the raid. Prime Minister John Key had earlier dismissed Hager as a left-wing conspiracy theorist, while Chief of Defence Tim Keating claimed the books allegations were false. NZ SAS members are highly trained killers, receiving a rare unit citation from President George W. Bush in 2004. The SAS was first sent to Afghanistan in 2001 by the Labour Party government of 19992008, supported by its left coalition partner the Alliance. The NZDF continues to deny that civilians were killed during Operation Burnham. Last August, however, Fairfax Media published a documentary series, The Valley, which revealed that the SAS routinely uses a tactic called bait and hook, in which Afghan villagers are terrorised in order to provoke a fight. A 2004 battle for which Corporal Willie Apiata received a Victoria Cross, the countrys highest military honour, was a bait and hook operation, a fact suppressed throughout the subsequent glorification of the SAS and his role. The Valley also shed light on the role of the so-called Provincial Reconstruction Team (NZPRT). Officially a peacekeeping force, it in fact gathered intelligence on Afghan civilians and led offensive operations, including the botched Battle of Baghak in 2012, which resulted in the deaths of two New Zealanders and four Afghan Army soldiers. The NZPRT was an integral part of the US occupation of the impoverished but strategically vital country in the oil and gas-rich region of the Middle East and Central Asia. David Parker, Labours attorney-general, announced the official inquiry into the Hit and Run allegations in April. He said it was necessary for the public to have confidence in the NZDF. Parker said parts of the findings may not even be made public given the classified nature of some of the information. The purpose of the investigation is not to establish the truth but to whitewash the NZDFs war crimes and restore its tarnished reputation as it prepares to enter new wars to advance New Zealands neo-colonial interests alongside the US. A Strategic Defence Policy Statement, released last month by Defence Minister Ron Mark, demands stepped-up measures to protect national security. It echoes the Trump administrations 2018 National Defence Strategy in addressing looming inter-imperialist conflicts and targeting China and Russia as the principal threats to the international community. Mark is an MP for the right-wing populist NZ First Party, a former soldier and ardent militarist. He served in the Sinai, completing two back-to-back tours in 1983, then joined the Sultan of Omans Armed Forces from 1985 to 1990. Oman, a close ally of the US and the UK, is ruled by an unelected hereditary Sultan, who has brutally put down opposition movements. The inquiry into the 2010 Afghanistan raid is far from independent. It is led by former Supreme Court judge Terence Arnold and ex-Labour Party Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer. In May, General Keating announced that an office for the inquiry had been established, led by former deputy navy chief Commodore Mathew Williams. The inquirys terms of reference are limited to determining whether the NZDF complied with the applicable rules of engagement and international humanitarian law. It will determine if the rules of engagement changed over the course of the Afghanistan deployment to justify the offensive use of lethal force against specified individuals (other than in the course of direct battle). Inspector General of Intelligence and Security Cheryl Gwyn announced in June she would conduct her own investigation into New Zealands possible involvement with the CIAs detention and interrogation program in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2009. Gwyns review could include the involvement of the main spy agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), which supports NZDF operations in Afghanistan. Gwyn recently released a report into mass surveillance carried out by the GCSB of New Zealand citizens, declaring it was technically legal and therefore justified. GCSB director-general Andrew Hampton has stressed the agencys concern that the public are assured that GCSB acted lawfully. Regardless of the heinous actions of the military and intelligence services in Afghanistan, the inquiries will inevitably find that they acted within the law, and no one will be held accountable. The exposure of the militarys involvement in war crimes and the failed efforts to cover them up are a major embarrassment for Prime Minister Jacinda Arderns government. Of particular note is the alleged involvement of Willie Apiata, who is frequently promoted as a national hero, especially around annual Anzac Day celebrations. The allegations have been reported by international media outlets, including the Washington Post, along with evidence of similar war crimes by Australian SAS troops. There has been shock and anger among working people, who have been constantly told by the government and corporate media that New Zealands armed forces are used only for humanitarian and peacekeeping purposes. The Labour-led coalition is becoming increasingly unpopular as its pro-war, austerity agenda becomes more transparent. Its recent decision to spend $2.3 billion on four anti-submarine aircraft outraged healthcare workers. Just days before a nationwide strike against low wages and poor working conditions, the government told them there was no money for pay rises. When Hit and Run was published, Labour, New Zealand First and the Greens cynically called for an inquiry, after then-Prime Minister Bill English denied any need for one. The brazenly pro-war character of the government affirms that the call for an inquiry was always a sham. The Greens, which once postured as anti-war, are now part of the government and support its military build-up. They have not denounced the continued deployment of troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. The government will likely confirm next month that around 100 troops will remain in Iraq. Green Party defence spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman, who is portrayed as a left, echoed both the attorney-general and the GCSB general-director. She told Fairfax Media on June 14 the inquiry into the SAS will restore faith in the integrity of our defence forces, which for the most part are incredible men and women committed to upholding our common values in their work. The author also recommends: New Zealand governments lied about non-combat role in Iraq [2 March 2018] New Zealand Defence Force nurses deployed during strike [31 July 2018] Around 29,000 public primary school teachers and principals across New Zealand struck for 24 hours on Wednesday over pay and conditions. It was the first nationwide strike called by the trade union, the NZ Educational Institute (NZEI), since 1994 and only the third in its 135-year history. More than 1,400 schools closed, affecting around 400,000 students. An estimated 10,000 teachers and supporters marched in Auckland, 4,000 rallied in Wellington, 3,000 in Christchurch, 500 in Dunedin, and hundreds more in other towns. NZEI originally called for a three-hour stoppage, but demands for stronger action at membership meetings in June forced an online ballot that overturned the recommendation. Still seeking to avoid the strike, NZEI entered mediation with the Ministry of Education (MoE) but talks broke down last week. Teachers marching in Auckland Teachers are joining the global resurgence by the working class, including teachers strikes across several states in the US, against austerity measures imposed following the 2008 global financial crisis. The nine month-old Labour Party-led government is confronting a growing movement for better wages and conditions. Nearly 30,000 nurses, healthcare assistants and midwives struck on July 12, for the first time in 30 years. The NZ Nurses Organisation (NZNO) pushed through a sellout agreement last week. Following resolutions passed at a NZEI national conference last year, the union lodged a claim for a 16 percent pay increase over two years, renewal of pay parity with secondary teachers, more staff and reduced workloads. The government has offered a derisory pay increase of around 6 percent for most teachers, spread across three years. Teachers are determined to fight. In Auckland and Wellington, NZEI officials asked the thousands gathered if they would support a further two-day strike. They were greeted with loud cheers. Later, NZEI president Lynda Stuart reassured Fairfax Media that we dont want to go into that space. She sought to promote illusions in the Labour government, saying it is highly aligned with the policies we agree with Im sure that they are listening. No date has been set for another strike and the union has re-entered negotiations. Outside parliament in Wellington, NZEI bureaucrats gave a warm welcome to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins, who addressed the strikers. Ardern cynically thanked teachers for their work, saying there were very few protest signs with which she disagreed. We know theres a lot to do, she said, but unfortunately, sometimes radical change takes time. South Wellington Intermediate teacher Matt Bouche, who spoke to the crowd, responded: Chris Hipkins says he is disappointed that we want more than a few token scraps. Yeah, well we are more than disappointed, we are outraged. Socialist Equality Group members spoke to several teachers in Wellington and distributed WSWS articles warning that the union bureaucracy was preparing a sellout. One senior teacher from a school north of Wellington said: Conditions for teachers have got worse, in terms of the lack of time to do the job properly. He said he had taken a second job and it was quite common for teachers to resort to charity to feed their families. The situation facing students was horrendous, he continued. Special needs are very high and were just not getting the funding to support them. All teachers I know have spent their own money on their classrooms, theyll bring clothes and food. Kids come to school without having food because parents cant afford it. One in four children in New Zealand lives in poverty. The teacher had no faith in Labour, saying: MPs are only in parliament to feather their own nest. He wanted more strikes but said this was unlikely because the NZEI was basically a Labour union. They will be told to accept the offer because there is nothing else available, which is nonsense. Theres so much money in the budget, its just being spent in the wrong places. Teachers rally outside parliament Ursula, an associate principal from the suburb of Churton Park, said she was constantly apologising for asking staff to do more than they should be doing with the resources they have. Theres a lack of support for children with learning difficulties and students who speak no English. She added: I know teachers at my school who struggle with the cost of living and who have to pay huge amounts in childcare. Rents have soared in Auckland and Wellington due to rampant speculation in the housing market. Ursula had a lot more faith in this government than the previous National Party government, but added: Telling us that they hear us, is not enough. They have to do something. We need action. Teachers are saying enough is enough, we have to take a stand. NZEI has nearly 50,000 members, but teachers from rural area schools, kindergartens and early childhood centres, who are covered by other contracts, were not involved in the strike. After rejecting a 4 percent government pay offer, 850 learning support specialists, including psychologists, speech therapists and early intervention teachers, are voting whether to strike on August 21. NZEI sealed a pay equity deal with the MoE on Tuesday for 329 mainly women support workers who assist young children with learning and behavioural problems. Their hourly rate will rise from between $16.77 and $19.87 an hour to a maximum of just $25.70 an hour after 10 years service. Ardern praised the increase in the miserly rates as an example of fairness. The Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) began negotiations last week for a new contract covering 27,000 secondary school teachers. Secondary teachers are demanding a 15 percent pay increase. The MoEs counter-offer has an average salary increase of just 6.1 percent over three years. Hipkins ruled out teachers demands, describing them as unreasonable. The unions are complicit in the worsening crisis facing schools, having suppressed resistance for decades, including during the 19992008 Labour government, which closed around 200 schools, mainly in rural areas. When union members voted to strike in 2013 against the National governments proposed school closures following the Christchurch earthquake, the NZEI called off the strike at the last minute, allowing the closures to proceed. The NZEI will now follow the same strategy as NZNO. The nurses union waged a months-long campaign of attrition, seeking to isolate health workers and presenting one sellout offer after another, while falsely claiming there was no more money to improve wages and conditions in the underfunded public hospitals. The Socialist Equality Group calls on teachers to break from the unions and form independent, rank-and-file committees to organise a real fight against social austerity and the Labour governments big business program. These committees, controlled by workers themselves, will fight to end the isolation imposed on teachers by the NZEI and PPTA. Primary teachers must unite with secondary teachers, early childhood teachers, school support staff, students and parents in a joint political and industrial campaign for free high quality public education. Above all, a socialist political program is needed to address the crisis in education and the broader social crisis, including child poverty and homelessness. Billions of dollars hoarded by the super-rich must be redistributed to upgrade and expand schools, hire thousands more teachers and support staff, on high wages. The authors also recommend: New Zealand Nurses Organisation rams through sellout pay deal [8 August 2018] New Zealand teachers join growing wages movement [6 August 2018] New Zealand Labour government makes left feint on education [14 May 2018] A Pennsylvania grand jury report, made public Tuesday afternoon, names 300 Catholic priests who allegedly engaged in sexual abuse of children and youth over the course of decades. At least 1,000 victims are identifiable from Church records, the panel found, and the number of victims is likely many times that figure. The names of about two dozen priests are redacted from the published report pending a Pennsylvania Supreme Court hearing of a suit claiming there is insufficient evidence of their guilt. But the bulk of the names are made public in the report, along with sickening details of abuse. Although the cases go back as far as 70 yearsthe oldest victim to testify about his abuse as a child was 83the bulk of the documented abuse took place between the 1960s and the 1980s, and about 200 of the alleged priest-abusers are still alive. Only two have been prosecuted. The grand jury spoke in scathing terms of the conduct it had uncovered. The reports introduction begins: We, the members of this grand jury, need you to hear this. We know some of you have heard some of it before. There have been other reports about child sex abuse within the Catholic Church. But never on this scale. For many of us, those earlier stories happened someplace else, someplace away. Now we know the truth: it happened everywhere Most of the victims were boys; but there were girls too. Some were teens; many were pre-pubescent. Some were manipulated with alcohol or pornography. Some were made to masturbate their assailants, or were 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 institution above all. The report pulls no punches in indicting the Catholic hierarchy: Priests were raping little boys and girls and the men of God who were responsible not only did nothing: They hid it all. For decades. The grand jury noted that as a result of the systematic cover-up of abuse by bishops and other Church officials, almost every instance of abuse we found is too old to be prosecuted. The panel called for changing state laws that set the statute of limitations for sex crimes so that prosecutions could be carried out wherever there was sufficient evidence and victims were willing to proceed. The Church opposes this. The grand jury reviewed more than one million documents, the bulk of them secret files from the six Pennsylvania dioceses it was examining (two others, Philadelphia and Johnstown-Altoona, were the subject of earlier grand jury investigations). The massive report is more than 1,000 pages long. Among the cases detailed in report are the following: * A priest raped a seven-year-old girl while visiting her in the hospital after she had her tonsils removed. * A priest forced a nine-year-old boy to give him oral sex, then rinsed out the boys mouth with holy water to purify him. * A ring of predatory priests in the Pittsburgh diocese shared intelligence or information regarding victims, created pornography using the victims, and exchanged victims among themselves. * A seven-year-old boy in Erie was told to go to confession for his sins to the priest who had abused him. * Abused altar boys were given special tokens of favor to wear, such as gold crosses, which served to mark them out as preferred targets for further abuse by other priests. * One priest abused five sisters in the same family, including an infant of only 18 months. * A boy who was repeatedly raped between the ages of 13 and 15 suffered severe spinal injuries, became addicted to painkillers, and died of an overdose. When Father Ernest Paone was caught molesting boys in 1962 in Pittsburgh, the local district attorney halted the investigation in order to prevent unfavorable publicity for the diocese, because he wanted Church support for his political campaigns. Paone remained a priest until 2003, when he retired with a pension. One of the most important elements of the Pennsylvania grand jury report is its detailing of what it called the Church playbook for concealing the truth. In response to allegations of sexual abuse, Church officials were instructed to use euphemisms like inappropriate contact rather than rape; keep investigations quiet; shuffle off abusive priests to Church-run treatment centers; move predator priests to new locations rather than expel them from the priesthood; and, above all, never report crimes to the police. The report was released by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro at a press conference where he was flanked by more than a dozen victims, one of them a current state legislator, Mark Rozzi, who denounced the Church for opposing a bill to lift the statute of limitations for civil and criminal cases in the scandal. These crimes were aided and abetted by the hierarchy that chose to protect the churchs assets and its reputation, instead of its children, Rozzi said. The Pennsylvania report is only the most detailed revelation of the sexual abuse that is a systemic feature of the Roman Catholic Church. Since the first revelations in Boston in 2002, there have been major exposures of crimes by priests and cover-ups by bishops in countries around the world, including Ireland, Australia and most recently Chile. The former archbishop of Washington D.C., Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, was removed from office in June after evidence emerged that he had assaulted a teenaged altar boy while a parish priest 40 years ago. McCarrick is the highest-ranking prelate to be removed for allegations of participation in child sexual abuse; many others have been sacked for covering up such crimes by priests under their supervision. 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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 Waesche volunteers with Mercy Chefs, a faith-based nonprofit from Virginia that serves quality meals to those dealing with natural disasters. Last year, he was part of the groups efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Texas, Hurricane Irma in Florida and the wildfire around Santa Rosa, Calif. The Mendocino Complex Fire that began in late July has burned more than 366,000 acres and been only partially contained. Waesche returned Tuesday from a 13-day stint there, where Mercy Chefs set up at Bethel Church in Redding, Calif., near the Carr Fire. The data also looked at whether income status played a role in whether a kindergartner was ready for school. For the most part, local results were in line with statewide data: students who qualified for free or reduced lunch were more likely to come in unprepared vs. students who did not need subsidized or free meals. Former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newmans new book has dominated headlines for days, and it has as much dirt on President Donald Trumps personal relationships as it does his administration. In Unhinged: An Insiders Account of the Trump White House, which came out Tuesday, Manigault Newman writes that Trumps relationship with wife Melania is so strained that, in [her] opinion, the first lady is counting every minute until he is out of office and she can divorce him. In the book, the 44-year-old former reality star writes that Trumpworld intimates often talked about the possibility that Trump had helped his wife, a former model, secure an Einstein (EB-1) visa. They questioned if Mrs. Trump had the extraordinary ability required to obtain such a visa and suggested that her husband used his wide network of connections to secure or expedite it, according to the book. Manigault Newman does not name any of these Trumpworld intimates. In her book, Manigault Newman suggests that one of the reasons why Mrs. Trump stays in her marriage is for fear that Trump might find a way to invalidate the visa if she left him. Since Donald is fully aware of however she acquired her permanent citizenship, he could, if there were anything fishy around it, expose the methods and somehow invalidate it, Manigault Newman writes. He is a vindictive man, and I would not put anything past him. Trump Calls Omarosa Manigault Newman a Dog After She Claims Hes Racist and in Mental Decline She continues, If Melania were to try to pull the ultimate humiliation and leave him while hes in office, he would find a way to punish her. This is a man who has said he could pardon himself from the Mueller investigation. Why not pardon himself over an alleged visa payoff? Story continues In my opinion, Manigault Newman adds, Melania is counting every minute until he is out of office and she can divorce him. Immigration lawyers told The New York Times in March 2018 that Mrs. Trump probably did qualify for such a visa on her own. Mrs. Trumps communications director, Stephanie Grisham, said in a statement to PEOPLE on Wednesday, Mrs. Trump rarely, if ever, interacted with Omarosa. Its disappointing to her that she is lashing out and retaliating in such a self-serving way, especially after all the opportunities given to her by the President. In Unhinged, Manigault Newman also writes that when Trump was at functions without his wife he behaved like a dog off the leash. She also addresses Trumps alleged affairs with Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal (which he has denied). It would be safe to assume that there were many others, Manigault Newman writes, although she presents no proof of other relationships. In the book, she paints Trump as a bully in his marriage. But she says she believes that Mrs. Trump is asserting her power in small ways. In Manigault Newmans opinion, the first lady makes certain fashion statements (like wearing the I really dont care jacket) to punish her husband. Manigault Newman also says she suspects that Mrs. Trump intentionally embarrasses the president with small gestures. Multiple instances have been caught on film in which the first lady appears resistant to holding her husbands hand. This happened in April 2018, as the first couple welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, to the White House for the Trump administrations first state visit. In footage captured by MSNBC and later dissected by Twitter users, Trump appeared to make a subtle effort to hold his wifes hand, first extending his pinky finger and then gently giving her hand a little shake before she finally placed her hand his. People on Twitter took note. That moment when your wife resists holding your hand... PRICELESS. ???????? @realDonaldTrumppic.twitter.com/hDpPddTv5C BetsyBits (@BetsyBits) April 24, 2018 Trump attempts to hold Melania's hand at President Emmanuel Macron's arrival at the South Lawn: pic.twitter.com/NlBlcdZ29s Braxton (@braxtonryn) April 24, 2018 Unlike the past, when [Melania] had no recourse or influence, she no longer had to accept her powerlessness, Manigault Newman writes. I believe that by avoiding Donalds clasp in public, Melania was grasping the full extent of her power. The author continues, At any time, if [Melania] so desired, she could humiliate [Donald] in public with small, ambiguous gestures, just as hed openly humiliated her with his affairs and lascivious behavior for years. And there was nothing anyone could do to stop her. In response to the publication of Unhinged, President Trump has taken to Twitter in a rage. He recently tweeted that Manigault Newman is a dog and has zero credibility. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has also issued a statement saying that Newmans book is riddled with lies and false accusations, adding that its sad that a disgruntled former White House employee is trying to profit off these false attacks, and even worse that the media would now give her a platform, after not taking her seriously when she had only positive things to say about the President during her time in the administration. And on Tuesday, the presidents campaign announced it has filed for arbitration against Manigault Newman for allegedly breaching a 2016 nondisclosure agreement, according to CNN. (Manigault Newmans attorney, John Phillips, told PEOPLE in a statement Tuesday: At this time, we havent seen any legal action and dont have a comment on it.) Since Manigault Newman appeared on Trumps reality show The Apprentice, she has been a loyal supporter. That changed in December 2017, when she was fired from her White House position. Since then, shes been increasingly critical of Trump. Beyond releasing her book, she claims to have heard a tape in which he uses the N-word, and released a recording that allegedly shows that Chief of Staff John Kelly not only fired her, but threatened her while doing so. Her book is just as permeated with controversy. Not only does Manigault Newman claim that Trump is a man in mental decline, she also suspects he covets his daughter, Ivanka Trump, and is verbally abusive to his son, Donald Trump Jr. The allegations of mistreatment extend to wife Melania, and according to Manigault Newman, explain why shed want to leave her husband. Related Video: Michael Cohen Denies That President Ate Piece of Paper Fans of the popular David Bowie Is exhibit, which drew more than 2 million visitors to the Brooklyn Museum before it closed last month, may be excited to hear that The Velvet Underground Experience, a new multi-media art and music exhibition spotlighting the iconic bands early NYC roots, will be opening in New York City on October 10. The exhibition looks at the group and its influence on modern music, fashion, art and popular culture, set against the backdrop of the bands early days collaborating with Andy Warhol in the 1960s. Co-presented by Bandsintown and Citi, the three-month exhibition will be located at 718 Broadway in Greenwich Village. The first leg of the exhibitions tour originated in Paris in April 2016 at La Philharmonie de Paris, with more than 65,000 visitors attending the exhibition. Velvets cofounder John Cale said, The first thing I noticed when I visited the Paris Velvet Underground Experience Exhibit was the number of different locations that [Warhol and the Velvets] Exploding Plastic Inevitable had visited and the faithfulness of the detail that is contained in the show. 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, he continued. Whatever was created in [Warhols] 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 exhibition portrays the creative effervescence of the 60s NY from which the Velvet Underground emerged to achieve mythic status and change the face of pop culture, said exhibition co-curators Christian Fevret and Carole Mirabello. Story continues The exhibition will feature rare and interactive content 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. It will also include 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 Warhol, along with hundreds of images. Additional supporting sponsors for The Velvet Underground Experience are JC Decaux, Nice Prod and Sennheiser. Tickets go on sale Friday Aug. 17 at 10:00am ET. Related stories Off Broadway Review: 'This Ain't No Disco' Album Review: Parquet Courts' 'Wide Awake!' Case Study: How a 1994 Nick Cave Song Became a Favorite of Music Supervisors Subscribe to Variety Newsletters and Email Alerts! Katie Stubblefield, the youngest American to undergo a face transplant, has a new lease on life. Stubblefields journey is the subject of the cover story of National Geographics September issue, The Story of a Face, and a National Geographic documentary. In 2014, Stubblefield, then 18, attempted suicide after watching her mother Alesia lose her job; finding text messages to another girl on her boyfriends phone; and having health issues, including gastrointestinal problems and gallbladder and appendix surgeries. Stubblefield survived, but her gunshot wound damaged much of her face. Stubblefield Stubblefield does not remember her suicide attempt. I never thought of doing that ever before, and so on hearing about it, I just didnt know how to handle it, she told National Geographic. I felt so guilty that I had put my family through such pain. I felt horrible. RELATED: Wyoming Man Receives Miracle Face Transplant 10 Years After Suicide Attempt She ended up at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, where 15 specialists worked with her. It was not great, Brian Gastman, a doctor who treated Stubblefield, told the magazine. Her brain was basically exposed, and I mean, were talking seizures and infections and all kinds of problems. Forget the face transplant; were talking about just being alive. Stubblefield and her parents According to CNN, 11 surgeons conducted the 31-hour face transplant in May 2017 when Stubblefield was 21. Stubblefields face transplant from Adrea Bennington, who died of a drug overdose is reportedly the 40th of its kind in the world. Stubblefield and her father Stubblefield, who has had three follow-up surgeries, will remain on immunosuppressive drugs since transplant rejection remains a risk. She studies Braille, sees a speech therapist, and goes to therapy. She wants to attend college online and raise awareness of suicide. So many people have helped me; now I want to help other people, she told National Geographic. Police make multiple arrests after 76 people overdose on K2 at Connecticut park originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Connecticut police have made multiple arrests in connection with 76 overdose cases in and around a New Haven park -- all of which police believe are connected to synthetic marijuana, known as K2. First responders on Wednesday found dozens of people who appeared to have overdosed on the New Haven Green, with 25 of those overdoses occurring within a three-hour span in the morning and some four to six at a time, officials said. Seventy-one people suffering from apparent overdoses were transported to local hospitals from the New Haven Green, according Officer David Hartman with the New Haven Police Department. Another five refused medical attention and were not in enough distress to be transported for treatment, he said. Three people have been arrested arrests in connection with the case, Hartman said, but officials cannot say for certain if all three or just one of the individuals are directly responsible for the overdoses. Their names have not been released and the investigation is ongoing, police said. PHOTO: Authorities found more than two dozen people suffering from apparent overdoses at the New Haven Green in New Haven, Connecticut, Aug. 15, 2018. (WTNH) The victims appeared to be suffering from "multiple of signs and symptoms ranging from vomiting, hallucinating, high blood pressure, shallow breathing, semi-conscious and unconscious states," according to Rick Fontana, director of the city's Office of Emergency Operations. Two of the victims had life-threatening symptoms, he said. "There have been a couple individuals that were certainly more sicker than others," Fontana told reporters at a press conference Wednesday morning. "We are doing our best to get people to the hospital in the safest, most practical and efficient manner. We have no deaths reported." New Haven Fire Chief John Alston Jr. said emergency crews were overwhelmed with "multiple" 911 calls about people who were experiencing overdose symptoms or were passed out on the New Haven Green on Wednesday morning, just after 8 a.m. local time. First responders sprinted across the park from victim to victim as more calls came in, at times finding the victims in groups. Story continues "Even while we were trying to return people to service, they were passing victims on the ground," Alston told reporters. PHOTO: Authorities found more than two dozen people suffering from apparent overdoses at the New Haven Green in New Haven, Connecticut, Aug. 15, 2018. (WTNH) (MORE: Spotlighting the effects and dangers of K2, or synthetic marijuana) The overdoses were initially concentrated on the New Haven Green. But as the sun set, the incident began to branch out to different parts of the city where more people were found, police said. Victims were given several doses of naloxone, an antidote for narcotic overdoses, both on the scene and at the hospital. "It's a nationwide problem," Alston said of drug overdoses. "This is a problem that's not going away." ABC News' Dominick Proto contributed to this report. Prosecutors mulling charges against woman who pushed friend off bridge originally appeared on abcnews.go.com 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. PHOTO: Jordan Holgerson, 16, was pushed off the bridge in Vancouver, Wash. (KATU) "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. PHOTO: Jordan Holgerson, 16, who was pushed off the bridge in Vancouver, Wash., suffered five broken ribs and lung injury. She talks to ABC News's affiliate KATU on Aug. 9. 2018. (KATU) 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. (MORE: Teen pushed from bridge speaks out from hospital: 'I am happy to be OK') 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. Story continues "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. Around 50 teachers from the Atlanta area went on a two-week long hunger strike this week to call attention to the issue of school funding ahead of the 2018-2019 school year. Georgias schools were fully funded this year for the first time in almost two decades and the teachers are afraid state legislators may try to backtrack next year. The unorthodox protest, launched by Alex Robson, Gwinnett Countys Middle School Teacher of the Year, and the organization Hungry for Education. ADVERTISEMENT Throughout the 14-day fast, which lasts until August 26, the teachers will only drink water, lemon juice, vitamins, and one Gatorade a day. Other teachers have chosen to only fast from sunup to sundown. Although a hunger strike is an unusual way to demand education funding, not to mention change the way politicians view public schools, teacher strikes in general over the past year have become widespread and effective in red states across the country. Georgias educators are simply joining those in states like West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Arizona, where teachers have had varying levels of success in securing raises and increased funding. A recent study by the National Center for Education Statistics has shown that teachers spend around $480 dollars a year on school supplies for their students, well beyond the $250 federal tax deduction provided to teachers. Many teachers say that the burden of classroom spending would be decreased if their salaries were restored or if the hundreds of millions of tax revenue cut from public schools over the past few decades were restored. Featured Video Loading Video Content Related Articles: The post Georgia Teachers Go On Hunger Strike To Secure Education Funding appeared first on Fatherly. 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. On Tuesday, Rep. Keith Ellison won the Democratic primary for attorney general in Minnesota, despite the domestic violence allegations against him that surfaced over the weekend. Ellison, deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the first Muslim-American elected to Congress, was accused of physical abuse by his ex-girlfriend Karen Monahan. He denies the allegations. Though Monahan had been posting on social media about being a domestic violence survivor for weeks, she hadn't named Ellison as her alleged abuser. It wasn't until Saturday night that the accusations were made public, when her son Austin Monahan wrote a lengthy Facebook post alleging that hed seen a video of Ellison physically abusing his mother. "In the middle of 2017, I was using my [mom's] computer trying to download something and I clicked on a file, I found over 100 text and Twitter messages and video almost [two minutes] long that showed Keith Ellison dragging my mama off the bed by her feet, screaming, and calling her a 'fucking bitch' and telling her to get the fuck out of his house," Austin wrote. He went on to say: "I use [sic] to believe the Democrats were the ones who would stand by a person who went through this kind of abuse, now I know both Democrats and Republicans could [sic] care less when it comes to violence toward women and girls." Monahan confirmed her son's post in a tweet, writing: "@keithellison, you know you did that to me." What my son said is true. Every statement he made was true.@keithellison, you know you did that to me. I have given every opportunity to get help and heal. Even now, u r willing to say my son is lying and have me continue to leak more text and info just so others will believe him Karen Monahan (@KarenMonahan01) August 12, 2018 In a follow-up statement to local outlet Fox9, Monahan alleged that Ellison was emotionally abusive and unfaithful during their long-term relationship. She left Ellison in January 2017, following an argument that turned physical. Story continues She said: "He said he was about to leave town for the weekend and told me to take the trash out. Given the explosive outrage that occurred the night before, I just shook my head yes. I didnt look up at him or say anything. That is when he tried to drag me off the bed by my legs and feet, screaming 'bitch you answer when I am talking to you. I said take out the trash, [you're] a bad guest' (even though we were living in the same place). He kept trying to drag me off the bed, telling me to get the fuck out of his house, over and over. I froze. He had to leave and get on the plane. He knocked the shoe off my foot and told me I better be gone when he gets back (which was in two days)." Though Ellison confirmed that he had a relationship with Monahan, he denied abusing her. "Karen and I were in a long-term relationship which ended in 2016, and I still care deeply for her well-being," he said in a statement. "This video does not exist because I never behaved in this way, and any characterization otherwise is false." Monahan has declined to release the alleged video of the physical abuse. She told CNN that she had misplaced the flash-drive containing the video while moving out of Ellison's place, but that even if she knew were it was she wouldn't want it to be public. "Its humiliating, its traumatizing, for everyones family involved, and for me," she told Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) earlier this week. "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. Its feeding into that." This is not the first time that Ellison has been accused of domestic abuse. Amy Alexander, a Democratic activist, alleged in 2006 that she had sustained a long-term extramarital relationship with Ellison. She penned an article for the Wright County Republican, a monthly local newsletter, in which she discussed her alleged relationship with Ellison. She said that Ellison showed up at her house uninvited in May 2005. After an argument, he allegedly grabbed her and pushed her out of the way. Alexander called the police and before they got to the house, Ellison allegedly broke her screen door before leaving. However, MPR News reported at the time that her allegations couldn't be independently verified. Ellison, who was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2006, denied the physical violence allegations and that he had a relationship with Alexander. Some of Ellison's supporters told the Washington Post on Tuesday that they were either troubled by the abuse allegations brought forward by Monahan or that they were skeptical of what they saw as last-minute accusations against a lawmaker they trust. The situation also reminded them of the case against Sen. Al Franken, who resigned last year after eight women accused him of sexual misconduct. Supporters of Franken in some progressive circles are still frustrated about his resignation, arguing that he was held to a higher standard that men who have been accused of worse behavior, such as President Donald Trump. It's unclear whether the allegations against Ellison will have any effect on the November general election, which he is likely to win. (No Republican has held the attorney general seat since 1971.) Monahan reacted to the news that Ellison won his primary on Facebook. "It's not on a person who has been victimized to share proof after they had the courage to share their trauma and pain to the world. It is on Keith Ellison to be [truthful] to his constituents and take responsibility for what he knows he did," she wrote Tuesday night. She continued: "He not only chose to be dishonest to the world, he actually was the one who was abusive. So many of you chose not to believe me or my son. You have bullied both of us, victim shamed and continued business as usual. That is shameful." Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here? Millennial Women Tell Us What They Really Think About Ivanka Trump Oklahoma School Cancels Classes After Adults Threaten 12-Year-Old Transgender Girl This Is How Lyric McHenry Should Be Remembered Ethan Sonneborn is only 14 years old but that didnt stop him from getting involved in politics in a pretty major way, as he managed to run for governor of Vermont before he even started high school. The idea of a teenager running for governor may sound like the plot of a bad Disney movie but a quick visit to his very professional website shows that his candidacy is no joke. The website also manages to answer some big questions about Ethans campaign, including how its legal for a 14-year-old to even be running for governor of Vermont. ADVERTISEMENT According to the Vermont Constitution and the Vermont Attorney General, you only have to have lived in Vermont for 4 years or more on the day before the election, the site explains. Ethan has lived here for 14 years. The website also explains why exactly a 14-year-old decided to run for governor in the first place. Featured Video Loading Video Content Ethan is running for governor because he believes we need a people-powered movement to reform politics, the website says. He believes that people should control government, not vice versa. According to the issues section of the website, Ethan is passionate about youth engagement, health care, LGBT rights, the environment, education, and the economy. Not bad for someone who is still a year away from getting their learners permit. Must Reads While it is certainly inspiring to see someone this young get involved in politics, Ethans gubernatorial candidacy hit a major speed bump last night when he was defeated in the Democratic primary by Christine Hallquist, who is hoping to be the first transgender person nominated for governor by a major party. Still, we have a feeling this wont be the last we hear of this political wunderkind and we wouldnt be surprised if one day he really does turn out to be governor of Vermont. Related Articles: The post A 14-Year-Old Is Running For Governor of Vermont appeared first on Fatherly. Brecken Simmons gets a sweet surprise from the Blue Springs Police Department. (Photo: Facebook/BlueSpringsPD) The first day of school is usually bittersweet, as students flood back through the doors either full of excitement or dread. But for 8-year-old Brecken Simmons, his first day back at James Lewis Elementary School was his best one yet, thanks to the Blue Springs Police Department who provided him with a VIP entrance. In late July, Brecken made headlines for organizing a lemonade stand to raise funds for his local police officers. They keep us safe, they do whatever they can to keep us safe from other things,Brecken told news outlets. When his small act reaped a big reward of $3,494, the Missouri-based officers wanted to do something to return the favor. One kid with a lemonade stand has brought an entire community, an entire metro, and a lot of the entire country together to support the efforts police officers do, Sgt. Jeff Sargent told KMBC. Like many other third graders, Brecken spent Wednesday morning waiting for the bus that would take him to his first day of school. But when the D.A.R.E. Mustang arrived, members of the Blue Spring Police Department told the little boy to hop in for a sweet surprise. The 8-year-old poses alongside the D.A.R.E. Mustang that he rode to school. (Photo: Facebook/BlueSpringsPD) This feels so special, Simmons said as the ABC affiliate captured a video of his unique ride to school. And it only got better when he was able to turn on the lights and sirens as the officer turned into the schools carpool line. However, the local officers have assured that they arent quite done supporting the little boy, who is also battling a stage two brain tumor. On a YouTube channel of his own called Breckens World, the 8-year-old can be seen sharing his experiences from organizing the lemonade stand, to even showing viewers what its like to go through a routine MRI. Theres no doubt that the little boy now has supporters across the country. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: This 3-year-old boy with brittle bone disease cant stop smiling even after surgery This 17-year-old is riding his bike across the country to raise awareness of the disease that temporarily paralyzes him Watch this 95-year-old Air Force veteran show a little boy how to be brave Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. By Abdul Qadir Sediqi KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide bomb attack on a group of teenagers studying for university exams in Kabul on Wednesday shocked Afghanistan but it was only the latest in a series of attacks on schools which have proved an easy target for militant groups. More than 1,000 schools across Afghanistan remain closed for security reasons and at least 86 have been destroyed by militant attacks this year alone, according to U.N. figures. "Attacks on educational institutes by hardline Islamic groups are one of the most horrific issues facing our nation today," said Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak after Wednesday's attack on the Mawoud Academy, a private study institute in west Kabul. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the blast, which killed at least 34 people, most of them students attending an English class. Most of the recent attacks on schools have been outside Kabul in provinces like Nangarhar, a stronghold of Islamic State, whose tactics have become notorious since it first appeared in Afghanistan some four years ago. Malikyar Hotak high school, in Nangarhar, has been attacked twice in the past few weeks. The first time, a remote-controlled bomb failed to go off, the second time, gunmen beheaded three guards and left the school's main hallway spattered with blood. "Unfortunately, schools and educational institutions have become an easy target and a means of pressuring the government, for any group," said Kabir Haqmal, a spokesman at the ministry of education in Kabul. The Taliban, at one time notorious for attacking schools and forcing girls and women to stay at home, now seek to influence schools by negotiation with local education officials and say they do not oppose schooling for girls. Its rival Islamic State however, has stepped up its attacks on schools. 'NO HOLDING BACK' Before the attack on the Malikyar school, Islamic State, also known as Daesh, issued warnings through radio broadcasts and letters to schools that they would carry out attacks in retaliation for pressure their fighters were facing. "Daesh were saying, 'if we are not safe in the mountains, if our children are not safe in their houses, then we will not hold back from attacks on children'," said Allah Nazar Amini, the principal of the Malikyar school. It is a view shared by U.S. commanders in Afghanistan, who said that Islamic State, while based in Nangarhar, had sought to extend its influence in other parts of Afghanistan by hitting soft targets like schools and mosques. UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore said in a statement the agency was "gravely concerned" about the growing violence across Afghanistan. There is serious concern about more violence with the approach of parliamentary elections on Oct. 20, with 1,000 schools set to be used as polling stations, said UNICEF communication officer Alison Parker said. For children, the risk of violence has become a grim part of getting an education. "I saw things in our school, you wouldn't expect to see on a battlefield," said 19 year-old Wasiullah, a 12th grade student at Malikyar school. "It hurts to see books that give a message of peace and Islam, burnt by so-called Muslims." (Additional reporting by Rupam Jain; Editing by Robert Birsel) 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 ... Even though the Environmental Protection Agency banned the pesticide 46 years ago, DDT still shows up in organisms all over the world because its very resistant to breaking down in the environment. DDT is infamous for thinning bald eagles eggshells, driving them to near-extinction, but as scientists have discovered since it was banned in 1972, it also poses risks to human health. Now, scientists have evidence that the offspring of mothers exposed to DDT have a higher risk of developing autism. In a paper published Thursday in the American Journal of Psychiatry, a team of researchers in the US and Finland present evidence that mothers who had relatively high levels of DDE (p,p-dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene), a chemical thats produced by the breakdown of DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane), had significantly elevated chances of their children developing autism. Specifically, women whose children were autistic had much higher levels of DDE in their bodies than their peers whose children didnt have autism. And when the children of these mothers with high DDE levels had intellectual disabilities, their chances of an autism diagnosis were more than doubled. This study is far from the final answer on the link between environmental chemicals and autism, but its the first study to examine the relationship and suggests the area merits further research. The American bald eagle nearly went extinct before DDT was banned in 1972. To our knowledge, this is the first biomarker-based evidence of this association, write the studys authors, led by Dr. Alan Brown, a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center. They propose a potential explanation for their findings: Maternal exposure to DDT and DDE is associated with both premature birth and small gestational age status, they write. These factors have both been identified as factors that could [contribute to autism risk]https://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/study-provides-new-insights-link-between-prematurity-and-autism), suggesting that DDT and DDE may pose a previously unexplored risk. Story continues To conduct this study, the researchers used data from the Finnish Prenatal Study of Autism, a large cohort study in which scientists obtained serum samples from expectant mothers during the first or second trimesters of pregnancy between 1987 and 2005. Out of over 1,000 autistic children identified by this study, the researchers selected 778 and matched them against 778 children who had comparable birth circumstances but had not been diagnosed with autism. Their mothers levels of DDE were then compared. In the mothers whose DDE levels were in the 75th percentile or higher, the risk of autism in their children was 32 percent higher than their peers. The studys authors note that, since DDT gets amplified as it moves up the food chain and can be passed on from mother to child in the womb, its ban decades ago has not had a major effect on its presence in human bodies, especially in the US and Finland, two countries that used huge amounts of the chemical while it was legal. One major weakness of the study, which the authors point out, is that since they didnt examine children with intellectual disability but without autism, they cant rule out the possibility that intellectual disability was not a contributing factor to autism in the children who had both. Nonetheless, its a start. This study has potential implications for the prevention of autism, they write, and it may begin to help us better understand the factors contributing to autism. Photos via Flickr / blachswan, Flickr / yabelson1 More From Inverse The police were called on a high school student who refused to remove his bandana. (Photo: Getty Images) A group of high school students launched a peaceful protest to support a classmate whose teacher reportedly called the police on him because he wore a bandana. On Friday, 17-year-old Valentino (whose last name is omitted to protect his privacy), a new student at Apache Junction High School in Arizona, was headed to lunch when a teacher asked him to remove his blue bandana. On previous occasions, Valentino says, he complied when asked to remove the accessory, but after several months of seeing other students who are usually white wear it without penalty, Valentino continued to wear it. Not just a fashion statement, the bandana holds significance to Valentino as a tangible reminder of a difficult childhood. I told the teacher that I would remove the bandana if others did the same, Valentino tells Yahoo Lifestyle. She said, If you dont remove it, I will call the police. I said, If you need to call them, you should, and walked back to my lunch table. A high school student named Valentino says a teacher at Apache Junction High School in Arizona called the police on him for not removing his bandana. (Photo: YouTube/my lil woody) Valentino says the teacher made a radio call and then approached him with a police officer, who suggested that his bandana was gang paraphernalia which the teen denies and a violation of the schools code of conduct, which prohibits the use of hand signals, graffiti, or the presence of any apparel, jewelry, accessory, or manner of dress or grooming that, by virtue of its color, arrangement, trademark, symbol, or any other attribute indicates or implies membership or affiliation with such a group. When I asked the officer what was wrong with my bandana, he said, Its blue and other people have ruined that color, says Valentino. I pointed to a student wearing a bandana with an American flag pattern, and he said, Thats for America. Valentino says the police officer threatened to arrest him for not complying, to which he answered, I didnt break the law and I dont understand the problem. Thats when students began filming the scene, five minutes of which was uploaded to YouTube. Story continues The officer said it had nothing to do with my skin color or harassment but that I was breaking the law, says Valentino, adding that when the school bell rang to start class, he walked away from the officer, who grabbed him by the arm. Another officer arrived and the teen was handcuffed. I kept saying, Let me go, this isnt why I come to school, says Valentino, who was then driven to a station. The police threatened to press charges because I was disrespectful, Valentino says. He also says that an officer asked what he had thrown on the floor before entering the station, an accusation the teen contests, given that he was handcuffed. After six hours, Valentino was released and is currently suspended from school for nine days. Apache Junction Police Department spokesperson Rob McDaniel tells Yahoo Lifestyle that he cannot comment on juvenile investigations, and the records release office did not return a request for more information. According to the Apache Junction Independent, Valentino was charged with disorderly conduct. A student at Apache Junction High School in Arizona was filmed being arrested for wearing a bandana to school. (YouTube/my lil woody) A spokesperson for the Apache Junction Unified School District also told Yahoo Lifestyle that due to privacy laws for students, it could not comment. The Independent reported that principal Angela Chomokos sent a letter to parents Friday, a portion of which read, The incident began when a student was instructed by an administrator to remove a bandana used as a headband. The refusal to respond to a reasonable request escalated to a point where some students were confusing the wearing of the bandana with defiance and disorderly behavior. This particular situation became escalated when students posted videos on social media sites. The letter continued, At AJHS we do not condone the disorderly/defiant behavior and will take the necessary disciplinary and legal action to discourage it from happening. However, on Monday, a group of Apache Junction students wore bandanas to school in support of Valentino, a gesture the teen says he appreciates. Parent Chris Say, whose two daughters attend the school, tells Yahoo Lifestyle that his children, along with others, were called to the principals office and, after a lecture, were allowed to resume classes. I heard one student brought 14 extra bandanas to school so others could participate, Say tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Valentino is known for being a sweet kid. Hes not a troublemaker. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Authorities say more than 100 people in New Haven, Connecticut, have been taken to area hospitals this week for suspected drug overdoses linked to a synthetic version of marijuana. No new cases had been reported as of Friday morning, according to local news station News12. There have been no fatalities. Authorities suspect K2, a manmade cannabinoid, is to blame for the incident that appeared to begin late Tuesday. It was initially suggested that the substance may have been laced with an opioid, but Drug Enforcement Administration tests conducted so far have not indicated that is the case. Some victims, however, had the opioid fentanyl in their systems in addition to K2. New Haven police said Wednesday a man known to authorities who was out on parole had been arrested as a person of interest in the mass overdoses. Two others were later arrested in connection with the incidents. At least one individual is suspected of handing out samples of the drug for free. Even though it is something that is being hailed as synthetic marijuana and most people think that you cant overdose on marijuana, clearly in this case you can, and we want people to stay away from this, New Haven Police Chief Anthony Campbell said Friday morning. At least 76 people overdosed in just one 24-hour period, according to ABC affiliate WTNH. Among all the cases, at least two suffered severe symptoms, authorities said. Weve heard from people on the green that it potentially included PCP. Some of the reactions in the emergency room would suggest that there was an opioid involved as well, Emergency Medical Services Medical Director Dr. Sandy Bogucki told reporters Wednesday. #BREAKING: @newhavenfirechf John Alston reports multiple overdoses on the New Haven Green. The individuals all have the same symptoms. The drug is not known at this time @nhregister pic.twitter.com/boxhxADZoC Jessica Lerner (@jesslerner) August 15, 2018 There were some that were unconscious, some that were nauseous, lethargic, some in respiratory duress, New Haven Fire Chief John Alston said of the people treated by emergency responders. Story continues Nationwide, this is an issue for every city, every agency, Alston said. Only a few people had fallen ill late on Tuesday, but by Wednesday afternoon, well over a dozen more around the city required medical assistance, the New Haven Register reported. The number continued to climb Thursday. Its not unusual to see a large group of people overdosing, but not at this alarming rate, Officer David Hartman, a spokesman for the New Haven Police, told The New York Times. This story has been updated to reflect that more people have overdosed in New Haven, as well as with comment from Campbell, information about additional arrests, and the results of the DEA tests on the drug. Related Coverage Synthetic Marijuana Linked To Seizures, Psychosis And Death Synthetic Pot Use Poses A Big Problem For Bureau Of Prisons More Than 100 People Overdosed On Synthetic Marijuana In One Pennsylvania County Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Frankfurt am Main (AFP) - German chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Bayer said Thursday that it would begin integrating seeds and pesticides maker Monsanto after a mega-merger, but its stock price was battered by the US firm's legal woes. Two months after the $63 billion deal -- the biggest ever foreign takeover by a German company -- Bayer completed the sale of a final tranche of crop science businesses worth 5.9 billion euros ($6.7 billion) to rival BASF under concessions imposed by cartel watchdogs. With competition authorities' conditions met, "the integration of Monsanto into the Bayer Group can begin," the Leverkusen-based company said in a statement. But any hoped-for honeymoon after the successful conclusion of the groups' two-year courtship was over before it began. Investors have shied away from Bayer's shares since Monday, after a jury last week awarded a dying California groundskeeper almost $290 million, finding that flagship Monsanto weedkiller Roundup caused his cancer. Then California's supreme court declined late Wednesday to hear Monsanto's appeal against the state's decision to list key Roundup ingredient glyphosate as a carcinogen. Approaching 1500 GMT on Thursday, stock in Bayer was down 5.4 percent at 76.41 euros in Frankfurt, having lost over 18 percent this week. In the groundskeeper's case, "Bayer believes the jury's decision is at odds with the weight of scientific evidence," the group said in its statement Thursday, adding that Monsanto would appeal. - Bad reputation - Bayer points to "scientific evidence, decades of real world experience and the conclusions of regulators around the world that all confirm glyphosate is safe". However the California ruling has shown juries can be convinced otherwise. Around 5,000 other US court cases are pending, meaning the acquisition has left Bayer open to potentially massive legal costs estimated by analysts at up to $10 billion. Story continues And a decision by World Health Organization unit the International Agency for Research on Cancer to label glyphosate a carcinogen -- long contested by Monsanto -- weighs on its reputation in the United States and further afield. The European Union last year renewed the chemical's license for five years rather than the usual 15 after intense campaigning by environmentalists, with some members like Germany and France planning to limit glyphosate use or ban it. German news weekly Wirtschaftswoche reported Thursday that Brazil may ban glyphosate altogether from September. Such moves could slash future sales of Roundup and upset the Bayer/Monsanto business model of selling pesticides alongside genetically modified seeds designed to withstand them. The intensity of distrust towards Monsanto -- also dubbed "Monsatan" or "Mutanto" by opponents -- is so great that Bayer plans to discard the name altogether once the merger is complete. But activists have vowed to continue pressuring the company whatever it calls itself. - 'Active defence' - For its part, where previously Bayer was muzzled in Monsanto's legal entanglements, full integration means it "also gains the ability to become actively involved in the defence efforts in the glyphosate trials and any other legal disputes," the group said. Some US farmers have brought lawsuits against Monsanto over the herbicide Dicamba, a chemical compatible with certain genetically-modified crops that they claim damaged harvests in neighbouring fields. Alongside glyphosate, Bayer singled out "potential claims for damages in connection with the product Dicamba" as targets for legal pushback. And while there have been some big wins for Bayer and Monsanto opponents in recent days, analysts note that environmentalists have questions of their own to answer. "We see a signficant pushback around the use of glyphosate, but what is the alternative? The two other most common herbicides used in the US after glyphosate are both banned in Europe," Berenberg bank analyst Alistair Campbell said. The City of Newark and environmentalists agree that theres lead in the water coming out of some faucets, but disagree about where the blame lies. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Steve McAlister/Getty Images, Gina Pricope/Moment/Getty Images, Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) Yvette Jordan, a teacher at Central High School in Newark, N.J., had heard rumors about the citys compromised water system for years, but said it wasnt until this year that she learned the true scope of the problem. At the behest of neighbors, she and her husband tested the water from their faucet and said it showed lead levels of nearly three times the federal action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb). Ours came back 42.2 parts per billion. When I saw that I was like, Oh my God! What? Jordan told Yahoo News. We were extremely alarmed. Our pipes were also tested and had lead in them as well. This is a violation of our public trust. Thats what Im really upset about. How could you say its not existing when clearly it is? Jordan said shes concerned about the potential effect it could have on the cognitive abilities of her students, who often come from low-income families and have so many other issues pulling on them that they may be unaware of whats happening. The City of Newark is accused of failing to acknowledge or remove the alarming level of lead in its drinking water among the highest recently recorded for a major U.S. water system. Along with Flint, Mich., other communities across the country have struggled with this problem from Washington County, Calif., to Penobscot County, Maine. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Newark Education Workers Caucus (NEW Caucus), a group of Newark public-school teachers that Jordan belongs to, filed a lawsuit against the city in late June charging that residents are at risk. According to the lawsuit, which cites city data, more than 10 percent of water samples in 2017 showed lead levels higher than 26 ppb, which is nearly twice the 15 ppb federal action level. In 2018, a particularly distressing water sample showed 182 parts per billion more than 12 times the level at which the water system is required to take remedial action. Rather than a safety number, the action level number is a trigger for water utilities to take additional actions to reduce their lead. The maximum safe level of lead in drinking water is, in principle, zero, public health officials say. There is no consensus on what level should trigger an immediate do-not-drink order, but the EPA has recommended taking drinking fountains out of service if water from them had more than 20 ppb. Story continues The crux of the disagreement between NRDC and Newark is where to place the blame for the high lead levels of water from faucets. Newark argues the water coming from its treatment plant does not have lead in it, and says its homeowners responsibility to ensure that service pipes connecting the water supply to individual homes do not leach lead into the water. Andrea Adebowale, the director of Newarks Department of Water and Sewer Utilities, said the citys water is safe to drink and meets all federal and state regulations. She said the 15,000 to 18,000 lead service lines, which are the homeowners responsibility, are the source of the lead. We do not have lead in our source water, so NRDCs lawsuit is frivolous and untrue, Adebowale told Yahoo News. There was not lead found in the water. There was lead found in peoples taps who have lead service lines, so lets clarify. We sample our source water every day. There has never been any lead found in our source water. But thats not the point, according to Erik Olson, the senior director of NRDCs health and food campaigns. The issue is that Newarks water is very corrosive, so it leaches lead from old service pipes, which exist all over the city. Many factors determine corrosivity, but generally speaking, water that is acidic has a pH level less than seven and soft tends to be corrosive. A similar situation created the drinking water emergency in Flint after the city began using water from the Flint River. The new source was not contaminated with lead directly, but it was not treated to resist corrosion, so the water became contaminated by passing through lead pipes. Some houses in Flint showed lead levels that exceeded 150 ppb. The highest level found in Flint was a staggering 13,000 ppb. They know it, and theyre lying or misleading their customers by saying their water is perfectly safe when they know full well that the water coming out of peoples taps has, in many cases, very high levels of lead, Olson told Yahoo News. Even low levels of lead exposure have been linked to significant, permanent damage to childrens brains and nervous systems, and miscarriages in women. It can also cause health problems in otherwise healthy adults, including cognitive dysfunction, kidney issues and fertility problems. Olson said children are only treated with chelation therapy if they have very severe lead poisoning around 40 or 45 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL), which would generally happen if they consumed a lead toys lead paint chips. He said the average level of lead in blood for Americans, now under five mcg/dL, has gone down in the last 20 years largely because lead was phased out of gasoline, paint and toys, and because of drinking water standards. Newark residents have long been worried about the potential for lead exposure, especially for children. Water tests in Newark revealed lead exceeded the national action level back in 2001. The city has had the highest number of lead-poisoned children in New Jersey for years, and water testing in 2017 revealed elevated lead levels at 30 public schools. Theres a big blank space between 2001 and 2017. Our suspicion is that they didnt do very much and continued having lead problems, Olson said. Newark public school teacher and resident Al Moussab said his daughter was attending one of the schools that showed high lead levels. After learning about the problem, his first reaction was anger that the city would allow this to happen. You realized that city administrators knew about this and covered it up. They didnt try to notify the residents immediately. They didnt take the proper steps in remediating this, he told Yahoo News. Moussab, the chair of NEW Caucus, said the city should take a more proactive approach about reaching out to residents and encouraging them to get their water tested. He considered the initial outreach that described the water as essentially safe to be misleading. We want residents to know, especially if they are in older homes, to get their water tested by the city, Moussab said. Olson said under EPA rules if the city is above the federal action levels, the city is responsible for treating the water so it is not corrosive, and pulling out the lead service lines if that doesnt work. Replacing a service line to a residence generally requires digging a trench and can cost thousands of dollars. NRDC has also sued the state of New Jersey because it was supposed to be approving and reviewing Newarks plans for corrosion control and water testing. They basically were asleep at the switch. We think probably the state has been aware of this for some time, Olson said. The state has now issued them a couple of administrative orders since we started sniffing around, telling the city they need to get their act together and that theyre in violation. But they havent imposed any penalties or ordered them to change their treatment yet. NRDC and its partners say they have tried to work with the City of Newark multiple times without resorting to legal action, but were met with evasions and non-responses. Olson said its the water utilitys responsibility to treat its water so it is not corrosive, which was the lesson of Flint. After being threatened with the possibility of a lawsuit in April, the City of Newark released a statement saying that Newarks water is absolutely safe to drink, complies with federal and state requirements, and that lead pipes are to blame: Our water is safe. In fact, Newark has some of the best water in the state of New Jersey, and Newarks water mains do not contain lead. The lead service pipes are usually found bringing water to homes built before 1986, according to the statement. Olson said the city approved the use of lead for service lines when they were installed decades ago. Adebowale said Newark is already in the first phase of its 10-part Lead Service Line Replacement Program, applied to the state of New Jersey for a loan to replace these service lines and conducted a public information campaign in May. We sent letters out to more than 3,000 residents trying to get people interested in participating in the program, and we have also began to solicit contracts for the work to be done, she said. So the city is committed to helping residents replace their service lines for a thousand dollars or less. The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set and enforcement standards for the nations drinking water systems. This includes requirements for monitoring water and reporting contamination. It also establishes what levels constitute contamination, and how treatment should be administered. In accordance with this act, the EPA passed the Lead and Copper Rule of 1991 to set limits for the levels of lead and copper that are acceptable for water coming from a residents tap. When asked when the City of Newark realized there was a problem with the lead service lines, Adebowale responded, I wouldnt say the City of Newark realized anything. I dont know what you mean about the City of Newark becoming aware of this, she continued. We comply with the regulation. We initiate a corrosion control treatment system and we sampled our water as required. And up until 2017, we never had a violation. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., who was mayor of Newark from 2006 to 2013, did not respond to a request for comment. The states largest city, Newark has a population of roughly 280,000. Residents concerned that they may have a lead service line are encouraged to contact the Department of Water and Sewer Utilities at (973) 733-4311 or waterandsewer@ci.newark.nj.us. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Two planes collided on the ground at Chicago O'Hare Airport on Wednesday. According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist David Samuhel, the Chicago O'Hare Airport area was dry all day. "Winds were rather light so it doesn't look like it was weather-related," Samuhel said. ALERT: Two aircraft on the ground at Chicago O'Hare collided. @ORDInsider pic.twitter.com/r4gTkrYGLk Flight Alerts (@FlightAlerts777) August 15, 2018 "There was some shower and thunderstorm activity in the vicinity, but none of them occurred at the airport," Samuhel said. According to CBS Chicago and the FAA, while pushing back from Gate C30, United Flight 645 clipped the wing of United Airlines Flight 2746 that was parked at Gate C28. Officials say there is left wing damage to both planes. O'Hare AP In this Feb. 11, 2015, file photo, ground traffic is seen from the control tower at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green File) United Flight 645 was scheduled to fly to Portland, Oregon, at 4 p.m. CDT Wednesday. The flight was delayed until 6:15 p.m. Flight 2746 was scheduled to depart for Cleveland, Ohio, at 3 p.m. CDT but it has been canceled. No injuries were reported. The FAA is investigating the incident. A day after President Trump revoked former CIA Director John Brennans security clearance, the New York Times on Thursday published a blistering op-ed by Brennan, who disputes Trumps assertion that there was no collusion between his campaign and Russia. Mr. Trumps claims of no collusion are, in a word, hogwash, Brennan writes. The only questions that remain are whether the collusion that took place constituted criminally liable conspiracy, whether obstruction of justice occurred to cover up any collusion or conspiracy, and how many members of Trump Incorporated attempted to defraud the government by laundering and concealing the movement of money into their pockets. John Brennan, Donald Trump (Yahoo News photo illustration; photos: AP, Sadak Souici/Barcroft Media via Getty Images, Getty) Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the Trump campaigns contacts with Russia as well as Trumps possible obstruction of the federal probe. On Wednesday, the White House announced Trumps decision to revoke the security clearance of Brennan, a prominent critic of the president, and review the clearances of several other former Obama officials, including former director of National Intelligence James Clapper, ex-FBI Director James Comey, former NSA and CIA Director Michael Hayden, ex-deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, recently fired FBI agent Peter Strzok and FBI attorney Lisa Page, among others. Then-CIA Director John Brennan testifies on Capitol Hill in June 2016. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP) In announcing the move Wednesday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders read a statement from Trump saying Brennans erratic behavior was the reason his security clearance was revoked. 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. But in an interview with the Wall Street Journal published Wednesday night, Trump said he was revoking Brennans clearance and reviewing the others because they were the ones who gathered evidence that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, which led to the Russia probe that has dogged his administration from day one. Story continues I call it the rigged witch hunt; [it] is a sham, Trump said. And these people led it! He added: So I think its something that had to be done. In his op-ed, Brennan accused Trump of trying to silence him. Mr. Trump clearly has become more desperate to protect himself and those close to him, which is why he made the politically motivated decision to revoke my security clearance in an attempt to scare into silence others who might dare to challenge him, Brennan writes. Now more than ever, it is critically important that the special counsel, Robert Mueller, and his team of investigators be allowed to complete their work without interference from Mr. Trump or anyone else so that all Americans can get the answers they so rightly deserve. In an interview with CNN Thursday morning, Clapper called Trumps admission in the Wall Street Journal very disturbing. We were in compliance with a request of the then president of the United States to put into one document our insight and knowledge of the profound threat that Russia posed to this country, Clapper said. And now were apparently being punished for this. Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on President Trump revoking former CIA director John Brennan's security clearance: "I don't think doing this is going to affect what we think, write, or say." https://t.co/Sj1Qyjl8Db pic.twitter.com/pA25xwtOvd New Day (@NewDay) August 16, 2018 Brennan has been criticized by some for his sharply worded attacks on Trump, a president who he predicted will go down a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history. Brennan has also openly speculated about Trumps reluctance to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin. I think he is afraid of the president of Russia, Brennan said in March. One could speculate as to why. The Russians may have something on him personally that they could always roll out and make his life more difficult. In a recent interview on the Yahoo News podcast Skullduggery, CIA veteran Daniel Hoffman, who served as the agencys station chief in Moscow, said that such public comments play into Putins hands, helping the Russian leader stoke political divisions within the country. I found it quite disconcerting that he went as far as he did, Hoffman said. Basically, accusing the president of being subject to blackmail by Vladimir Putin is an extraordinarily strong statement to make, and carries with it a lot of damage. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Logo of jester cap with thought bubble with words 'Fool Transcripts' below it Image source: The Motley Fool. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) Q1 2019 Earnings Conference Call Aug. 15, 2018, 8:00 a.m. ET Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks: Operator Good morning, and welcome to Canopy Growth's First Quarter Fiscal 2019 Financial Results Conference Call. After markets closed yesterday, August 14, 2018, Canopy Growth issued a news release announcing its financial results for the first quarter, ended June 30, 2018. This news release will be available on Canopy Growth's website and filed on SEDAR. On the call this morning we have Bruce Linton, Canopy Growth's Founder, Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer; and Tim Saunders, Canopy Growth's Chief Financial Officer. In addition, Mr. Rob Sands, the CEO of Constellation Brands is joining the call today. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. Certain matters discussed in today's conference call, or answers that may be given to questions, could constitute forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated. Risk factors that could affect results are detailed in the company's annual information form and other public filings that are made available on SEDAR. During this conference call, Canopy Growth will refer to supplemental non-GAAP measure, adjusted EBITDA. These measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. Adjusted EBITDA is defined in the press release issued earlier today, as well as in this period's Management's Discussions and Analysis document that are filed on SEDAR. Please note that all financial information is provided in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise specified. Following the prepared remarks by Mr. Linton, Mr. Sands, and Mr. Saunders, the company will conduct a question-and-answer session, during which questions will be taken from analysts. (Operator Instructions) I would now like to turn the meeting over to Bruce Linton. Mr. Linton, please go ahead. Story continues Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Good, thank you. So for everyone on the call, the flow will be, I'm going to say some remarks, Rob will [ph], and then we'll move to the quarter and will cover that off, and then we'll go to questions, after that we'll cover both the -- what I would say is a pretty significant and interesting transaction where Constellation is acquiring about another 25% of Canopy for approximately 5 billion Canadian dollars. So I'd like to say good morning, and welcome to Rob, and it's been great -- people on this call will recall in October 2017, Constellation and Canopy announced that we were having this investment come in and a relationship was going to begin, and we're going to focus on beverages and brands. And with that announcement, everyone got excited and sort of we -- and then we went off to work, and there hasn't been a week go by that people from my company aren't interacting and building and thinking with people from Rob's company, and we've established, I think, an unbelievably confident, comfortable level of appreciation for how they run as entrepreneurs and how we do. So this is a relationship that has been built, and so, when the capital comes in, we each know what are getting and we're looking forward to going faster. So this is really rocket fuel, it does add quite a lot. As we look around the world, we're going be expanding production, we're going to be doing more research, we're going to develop more intellectual property, we're going to create more leading brands, we're going to have more products, and we're going to be way more global. If you're thinking about this, it does establish that Canopy is the cannabis platform for Constellation, and that's a great deal of focus and trust, and we took it seriously as a management team. Everybody on my team was unbelievably excited to take this next step to the place where we could actually go global and do it with and for Constellation. So their international experience, their brand building, their finance, their M&A, they're quite unbelievably capable in those areas, and we get to draw on that with much more focus. The investment in our Canadian capacity has been made. So I want to be clear, Canopy has the production platform we need to deliver what we want in Canada. We are not going to be acquiring cultivation assets in this country; that is the absolute, clear and current plan. And that I want to make clear, because this is about an international thing, this is about growth around the globe. The board structure will continue to see me as Chairman, and a couple of my current board members who are independents on. Constellation is bringing a couple of independents and two key people from their staff. So anyone who has covered and worked with Constellation would know Bill and Dave as the President and CFO. They have been core to how we've created this arrangement and how we've worked together. So I welcome them to the board. The hometown, Smiths Falls, continues to be headquarters, and this is more rocket fuel for that town to see the growth in construction we've been doing. The opportunities we see before us, I don't think it's appreciated yet, how quickly things are opening up in Europe, Latin America, and even likely the U.S. And so, we're focused on medicinal, as that's the first and biggest platform. Obviously, as medicinal comes to play, some geographies will and are expected to open up and create a bigger platform for consumer products. We're driving all that right now. So it was our view the time to invest isn't having a 2021 or 2022 plan, it's now. And I would suggest this marks the end of the warm-up in our sector where everybody has been sort of getting prepared, it is fully go-time and this is a piece of capital structure that I think gives us a huge advantage. So together, I as a shareholder, strongly support this and I think that our shareholders will, as we go out to the vote at the end of September and they recognize, now, we've built this leading company and we've been recognized that now it's time to accelerate. So this is a big term for us, the whole made-in-Canada thing now becomes made in Canada for the globe. And I'd like to ask Rob if he would provide a few comments before we move through the quarter. Thanks. Here you go Rob. Rob Sands -- Chief Executive Officer Well, thanks a lot, Bruce, and good morning everyone. 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. We've worked closely with Canopy throughout the last year to better understand the cannabis market, this unbelievable opportunity it presents and Canopy's market-leading capabilities in the space . Constellation's incremental CA$5 billion, $4 billion investment in Canopy Growth is the largest investment to-date in the cannabis space. The most strategic aspect is that Constellation will be exclusively working with Canopy for the global cannabis opportunity that we believe is opening up much more rapidly than appreciated, as Bruce said. We believe that having a single platform to address our markets and formats globally is essential to winning in this space. This investment and alignment represents the next step in the evolution of our business as we solidify our strategic partnership with Canopy. I'd like to take a few minutes to walk you through the strategic rationale and highlights of the Constellation investment, and why we believe that Canopy is the best partner to align with in this cannabis space. Canopy plans to use the proceeds to bolster their global leadership position in the cannabis industry by building or acquiring key assets needed to establish global scale. Strategic priorities beyond Canada include the U.S. and the nearly 30 countries currently pursuing a federally permissible medical cannabis program, intellectual property development across medical and recreational opportunities, while also preparing and creating brands and products for the new legal recreational cannabis markets. This transaction supersedes our initial agreement with Canopy to produce a non-alcoholic cannabis-based beverage. Now, going forward, Constellation will support Canopy's full suite of products that are currently available and as they develop new offerings across various product formats and through all new and existing channels. This partnership is a powerful combination of Constellation's expert capabilities in M&A, marketing, brand building, and large-scale production and Canopy's entrepreneurial approach and best-in-class knowledge and expertise within the emerging cannabis market. So as the leader in the total beverage alcohol space, we look forward to reaping the benefits of our cannabis investment, which we see as being incremental to our core beer, wine, and spirits portfolio. Bruce and the Canopy team has built a phenomenal business, and I'm very excited about the excellent prospects for this business as the global cannabis space emerges. So with that said, I'd like to now turn the call back over to Bruce, so that Bruce can proceed with a view of Canopy's quarterly results. Thank you everybody. Bruce? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Great, thanks Rob. I suspect we'll get a chance to answer a few questions on that. So let's move to the quarter. It was a good quarter. We continue to lead the medical cannabis market in Canada and around the world. We got about CA$25 million in revenue, that's about 63% up year-on-year. Price per gram moved up, and that reflects increased sales to Germany and change of format. So Germany was about CA$3 million in revenue this quarter. We don't count the German patients in our patient count. That 85,000 patients, I think, Canada only. We were busy, we got the Spectrum soft gels. And this will be important, the mode of educating doctors is going to be very much about how you move them along, so that they're educated on the application of which strengths and types of cannabis are suitable. The soft gels became color-coded, so that if we do our sleep trial, which we announced the Phase IIb sleep trial, if we find that the combination of delivery mechanisms and, say, Spectrum Blue gets positive response on sleep, as we migrate people through that they're going to find that their sleep tool is Spectrum Blue. That doesn't talk about cannabis, it talks about a product. And if you are going to start to make claims about a product, the format of the product can shift from a gel cap to an inhalation device to whatever, and people, we think, will become very comfortable with the name, the brand, and the Spectrum positioning and it doesn't then link back to any specific restraint. So those are kind of migratory path items, but they are important and they've been laid down. We've been busy in Canada and Europe. We've got Spectrum Cannabis operations now in 11 countries, five continents. We got the acquisition in Columbia, Lesotho, and Czech Republic. We got medical research roll back up, Canopy Health is now a wholly owned subsidiary. In that subsequent event, we talked about and announced our first Canadian approved veterinarian trial, which is looking at anxiety in mammals and how we could possibly relieve or remedy that with cannabis. This is going to be another big category and we think we're quite well positioned and ahead on that. Globally, when we look at the access patients are having, in January if I did this call and I tried to tell you that there is a probability that the UK would be talking about cannabis and the possible normalization in governance of it that looks a bit more like their colony Canada and a little bit less like North Korea, you would have just thought I maybe was bonkers. Here we are today, and cannabis and the regulatory structure for it is on the agenda in the UK. We're seeing it everywhere. So this is kind of a big change. CBD is what we're focused on with animals. But CBD everyday is moving through a progression, where it's going to become part of the normal course available ingredient set, which means that it's going to become really productized and I'll call it either proven by test or proven by brand, and it's not going to be the ingredient that matters, it's going to be how you put that ingredient on the shelf or to the patient. And I think we're doing a very good job of getting in front of that. We have 39 provisional patents, they range from areas from insomnia to fibromyalgia, pain, companion animals. We think we're doing a very good and rigorous and active job on intellectual property definition and SBO-IV [ph] protection. With what we've got in Canada, it gives us the patients and the platform, so we can actually do the medical tests. And whether or not it's looking at anything from how does it reflect on your sleep condition, to what's the bioavailability of a format of delivery, those are the sorts of things that we can prove out in Canada and take globally. And so, with the investment we covered a bit earlier, you can start to see where it doesn't take too long to contemplate globally. Maybe there is a number of pieces we could pick up, so you have a bucket that could be called M&A. The expected production and delivery in most of the countries is being set out in the reg. So you can see where you could build out in a few countries. And in this quarter, I think, Tim will cover it off, but we have about CA$1.4 billion of tangible assets, real things on our balance sheet, net of cash, and that's for Canada and a little bit started elsewhere. So you can see where construction could use that up and the yield that comes off those assets. We're just going to start seeing as we enter into the latter part of this year. So just over two months away from opening up for rec. I think you'll be happy to see where we are with inventory biological assets and we are quite happy with where we've landed with all the provinces that have announced the supply agreements. You haven't seen yet an announcement from Ontario, but you have seen an announcement that we think is very positive, which means we could expect to have stores in the province. So it will go from the seed to the store front that we'll be able to educate and bring patients on board, or customers on board, so we can actually make sure that their loyalty to that brand relates to the quality of experience of the purchase, which includes how the people are trained and selected. And so, we're pretty excited about Ontario. I know that if your objective is to hold the stock for a day that may have been a bump-in-the-road announcement. But if you're looking at this over the next 6, 12 and 24 months, I think that model is going to work way better for the province of Ontario and for Canopy specifically. I will let Tim get into some of the details on the numbers, but I did like how the inventory levels moved up, patient levels moved up. We have not been pushing to have the patient levels move up. They are selecting, because we do a great job and we will support those patients as we go forward. So our base number is 85,000 patients, as we turn the corner into adult access, and we've committed to those 85,000 patients. They will get supply and support before anyone else. So I think from a business level, it's a nice piece of steady business. And our supply agreements, on top of that, are about 67,000 kilograms across seven provinces and one territory and highlight that we are the only one selected across that platform. And if you work it backwards, I think if you take the total amounts that have been announced that's somewhere north of 35% of the total announced inventory that will be brought into the different provinces. So I think that should reflect quite well in our shelf space and our possibility of creating the first dominant national brand that goes to rec. And we shipped approximately 8,700 kilograms last year. We expect the round we did of a convertible debenture was quite a meaningful transaction, and that was in June. And here we are in August with this one. Our stores in construction should be on schedule, so we are looking at construction on sites in Newfoundland, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. We're still waiting what the bill that will look like in Alberta, but I can confirm we have, I think, a very competent structure, where really all of the mill works are done off-site and the installation process goes rapidly. So we feel comfortable for the stores that we've been awarded on October 17 that they'll look great, be open, and be pretty busy. I think we've done a good job in terms of our technologies. We've been rolling out an upgrade on our ERP. We have our direct sales force across the country and they have both been educated and have the necessary tools in their hands to actually make sure that we have the best sales force and that will be key for the stores that we don't own. And in the acquisition category, there was an announcement of Hiku Brands. Hiku is both a location brands and I think a great team. So that transaction is set to go to vote at the end of this month and we like what they can bring to our crew. And then finally, we've been quite busy on spending. So you'll see the spend line that Tim talks about has been about finishing up everything from greenhouses, to extractors, to warehouses that are secure platforms that can ship in excess of CA$1 billion through that kind of a platform on an automated labeling and packing system. So we've made the investments to be ready. We're looking forward to the 17th and we're starting to feel the provinces coming through with the orders. So we expect to have quite a busy time starting in late August or September as far as shipments go. So with that, I'll hand it over to Tim to get into the details of the quarter. Tim? Tim Saunders -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Thank you, Bruce, and also thank you, Rob. And good morning everybody. I'll proceed now with the review of the first quarter, ended June 30. Revenue for the first quarter was CA$25.9 million, representing a sequential quarter-over-quarter increase of 14% and a 63% increase over the quarter -- same quarter last year. Included in revenue, as Bruce mentioned, revenues in Germany totaled CA$3.4 million through our German subsidiary, Spektrum Cannabis GmbH. Oils, including soft gel capsules, accounted for CA$5.2 million and CA$1.1 million, respectively, for this quarter and the same quarter last year, or 26% and 19% of product revenue respectively. The total quantity of cannabis sold during the quarter was 2,695 kilograms and kilogram equivalents at an average price of CA$8.94 per gram, up from 1,830 kilograms and kilogram equivalents at an average price of CA$7.96 in the same quarter last year. The higher average price, as Bruce mentioned, was principally due to increasing sales in Germany and as well as the product mix, with oils and gel capsules accounting for an increasing proportion. The average sale price per gram sold in Germany was CA$13.62 per gram. As Bruce just mentioned, today we just stand over two months away from the opening of the rec market, an event that we've all been preparing for and investing in for the last two years. We've invested and continue to invest significant effort, capital and resources in activities and programs to ready the company to participate in and lead the Canadian recreational cannabis market. These investments continue to cover the company's entire business operations, including production, fulfillment, marketing, sales and G&A. In the first quarter ended June 30, the company harvested 9,685 kilograms, with over 2.4 million square feet of area in BC Tweed greenhouses, licensed and planted early in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. And with over 1.5 million square feet of greenhouses, along with Mirabel in Quebec, and Niagara-on-the-Lake, we're expecting to be licensed shortly, we're expecting the amount of cannabis harvested to increase significantly in the coming quarters. The cost of sales, including the impact of cash operating costs of subsidiaries not yet fully cultivating or selling cannabis, including partially licensed greenhouses operated by BC Tweed and Vert Mirabel, and higher overheads incurred while preparing operations for the expected legalization. Excluding these costs associated with the non-cultivating assets, these additional overheads totaled CA$5.4 million. The gross margin, therefore, before the fair value impacts on cost of sales in the first quarter would have been CA$16.5 million or 64% of sales. The first quarter gross margin, including the cost of operating these non-cultivating subsidiaries and such, but before the fair value effects of the IFRS accounting for biological assets in inventory, was CA$11.1 million or 43% of sales, as compared to CA$8.7 million or 55% of sales in the same quarter last year. Now, turning for a moment to operating expenses in this quarter, as been highlighted, the company continues to make significant investments across all areas of our business to strengthen the company's leadership position in the Canadian and the global medical cannabis markets, as well as in preparation to lead the rec cannabis market that is set to open on October 17. As a result, these investments have significantly increased operating expenses over prior periods, essentially spending for the rec market to come in a quarter, while it's still medical. Sales and marketing expenses include increasing staffing levels and marketing and sales functions, including retail, needed to service the coming regulated recreational international markets, costs associated with the development of branding, marketing and education campaigns, the development of new permitted product SKUs, the development of recreational product packaging, the development of cannabis retail and education programs, as well as costs associated with the company's medical outreach program, and the growing customer care center, which interfaces directly with those customers. Sales and marking expenses for the quarter ended was CA$17.3 million or 67% of revenue. In comparison, sales and marketing expenses for the quarter last year was CA$6.4 million or 40% of revenue. G&A expenses for the quarter were CA$19.6 million or 76% of revenue compared to CA$7.5 million or 47% of sales in comparison to last year. Similar to the reasons for investments made in sales and marketing, G&A has also grown to scale our infrastructure, governance and capabilities with expectations to support domestic and international growth. Now turning my attention to other expenses and net income. Included in other expenses, this is below the loss from operations, you will note, we had a CA$60.4 million expense for the quarter ended June 30, and that was comprised of a non-cash fair value loss of CA$19.3 million, principally related to the change in fair value of the TerrAscend warrants and a non-cash fair value loss on the AusCann options. Both the warrants and options were initially recognized at fair value and are subsequently remeasured to their fair value at the end of each reporting period. Other expenses also include CA$16 million related to the convertible debt issue costs, which arose at the end of the quarter. In addition, fair value changes on the BC Tweed and Vert Mirabel put liabilities, combined to a loss of CA$18.1 million. Of note, due to the full acquisition of BC Tweed in July, the BC Tweed put liability, which had a fair value of CA$72.6 million on the balance sheet at the end of June will be extinguished in this quarter and will result in a gain in the second quarter coming. All told, the CA$60.4 million in other expenses described here, really accounted for CA$0.30 of the reported CA$0.40 loss per basic and diluted share in the quarter, and that compares to CA$9.2 million or CA$0.06 per basic share and diluted quarter in the same period last year. Net loss in the quarter, after taxes and other expenses that I just described, drove a reported net loss of CA$90.8 million or CA$0.40 per share, as I just said. Adjusted EBITDA, as defined in the press release and MD&A, in the first quarter amounted to a loss of CA$22.5 million, which is about CA$0.11 per share impact, and that compares to an adjusted EBITDA loss of CA$3.9 million last year. We believe our deliberate and ongoing investment in building the company's production platform, brands, International reach, partnerships and operations, which directly impacted our adjusted EBITDA during the period is really necessary to strengthen the company's global leadership position heading into next year, while at the same time competing in the medical market that will exist through this quarter as well. Now turning our attention to the balance sheet and cash flows. At June 30, the company's cash comprised of cash and cash equivalents, totaled CA$657.9 million, up from CA$322.6 million at the end of March 31. The increase in the end of fiscal year was mainly due to the net proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt, or there is the convertible debt of approximately CA$584 million, mostly offset by the investments in the facility expansion that we've described in this call, which totaled of CA$153.7 million since last year, and other cash applied to funding operations and infrastructure. Investments in facility enhancements were primarily improvements at facilities in both locations, in the lower mainland of BC or BC Tweed, as well as Niagara-on-the-Lake, expanding the footprint there, and also the transformation in Smiths Falls, Ontario. At the same time, doing build-outs in Fredericton, New Brunswick and also Mirabel, Quebec. Investments also include information technology upgrades, as Bruce described, and introducing new systems as we scale up. Also, as Bruce talked about, inventory at June 30, amounted to CA$118.2 million, up from CA$101 million at the end of March. But the end of June, biological assets had grown to CA$52.8 million, up from CA$16.3 million at the end of March. Together, inventory and biological assets totaled CA$171 million, up from CA$118 million at the end of March. Inventories are continuing to be scaled to meet our expectation of market demands, including the legalized rec market, as the provinces begin to stock up for the October 17 launch. At June 30, inventory quantities amounted to 19,721 kilograms of dry cannabis. Of this amount, 2,594 kilograms finished goods available for sale, 6,576 kilograms of product that was in process of testing and awaiting release for sale, and there was 10,551 kilograms of cannabis held for conversion to oils and capsules. In comparison, at March, we had 15,726 kilograms of dry cannabis, which was in inventory, and was comprised of 2,182 kilograms of finished goods, 3,480 kilograms of product awaiting approvals, and 9,264 kilograms of cannabis being held for conversion. Also, June 30, we had a total of 14,895 litres of cannabis oil, ranging from concentrated resins or refined oil to oil in its finished state and available for sale. That's up from 6,969 litres at the end of March, also having the same composition. We also had 1,055 kilograms of capsules on hand at June 30, and that's up from 256 kilograms of capsules that we had on hand at March. Management continues to believe that significant demand will develop for cannabis oil and in particular, soft gels in this rec market. As such, the company continues to increase inventories of extract-grade dry cannabis held for conversion and will increase the quantity of cannabis oil and soft gel capsules we have on hand. So that concludes my review of the financials for the first quarter. And I'll turn the call back to Bruce. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Great. Good job on the quarter, Tim and his team. All that coupled with New York Stock Exchange has made for an active quarter for finance team and appreciate the work. So with that, I'll open it up to questions please. Questions and Answers: Operator (Operator Instructions) Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO And I should clarify that I and Tim will be taking questions. Rob has already provided his input, and so I thank him for that. Operator And your first question today comes from the line of Tamy Chen with BMO Capital Markets. Please go ahead. Tamy Chen -- BMO Capital Markets -- Analyst Thanks. Hi, Bruce and Tim. I had a couple of questions on the Constellation announcement. Firstly is, you're getting a big inflow of capital of about -- the CA$5 billion, which is quite substantial. So could you discuss a bit more about how you're thinking about where and how you intend to deploy that? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Sure. So, we're not putting out hard guidelines on it. But when we look at our current target acquisition list, it exceeds CA$1 billion for international and, I'll call it non-cultivation assets . We know that that list will grow, we're getting ready for other markets to open up. So we want to have a little cash on the balance sheet for things like America, if it comes around. We also know that based on what's happening in Germany and in a number of the other places, the RFPs are coming back out, and the build programs are substantial. And I mentioned earlier, if you look at our assets in Canada, it's about CA$1.4 billion of real assets to serve this country. We see what we have to put together from Germany to Chile, Australia to some of the activities we're supporting in other European areas, we'll use quite a lot of that up. And then we'll have a much bigger asset base to have a much larger yield on. So I think you'll like what you see as far as our targets that we hit, as far as acquisitions over the next 6 and 12 months. Assuming a close on some of those, I think, to say that, that makes quite a lot of sense. Tamy Chen -- BMO Capital Markets -- Analyst Okay. Got it, thanks. The second question is, has Constellation secured any rights to participate in future equity financings of yours, so that they can stay above the 50% on a fully diluted basis state? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Right. So assuming they exercise the current warrants, which will get them to about 16.4%, this transaction takes them up over 38%. And the way it's structured is that there is an additional two pieces of an instrument. There's a second warrant that would move them to approximately 50% and that's priced in the press release. And then there's a final, I'll call it, a VWAP future unstated price, additional 5%. Through the process we've built a mechanism, so that as we make further acquisitions there is an opportunity for quarterly top-up, so that they can retain their then current percentage. And it is, I would call it, almost sort of a normal course right to maintain and not be diluted and they can excel [ph] in there. Tamy Chen -- BMO Capital Markets -- Analyst Okay, got it. And lastly, if cannabis is completely legalized at all levels of the US government, could you talk a little bit about how you would approach that market, both the medical and the recreational side? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Sure. So there is a bunch of scenarios under which that might happen. It could be -- as you described, it could be state by state. What's going to happen, I think, however, is that if you have intellectual property in clinical trials and results that show medical efficacy, you're going to be able to take those through, especially if the intellectual property protection does as we do, which is it starts with the US first filing, then you'll have a suite of products that need production assets and the whole supply chain. What we've learned in Canada is how to do scale. And so, I think what you'd find is, if California became a federally permissible place, you kind of need essentially one Canopy asset group from everything we've got dropped into there, to produce all the products that we would want to take to market. There will be some markets where there are brands that we would perhaps buy, but there really aren't scale production assets, so we will create those and I think we have an accelerating advantage in the event that occurred. And that will then take us into everything that's a strength of ours and Constellation, which is if you have legal, medical and legal rec, part of the chain is the product, but part of it is the delivery system, the support infrastructure, the sales reps, and all of the things that make you successful in a CPG. And then the second part is, we think that our medical approach, and we've expanded our team to include internationally capable and recognized pharma leaders who are joining us, that team, I believe is going to do a very good job in creating everything from NHP products, natural health products, right through to finished Rx trials, and those are going to be designed and delivered, so that they aren't just for Canada or just for Germany. And I think it will give us a material advantage into that segment. So we feel good about the cash coming in, because there's a lot more work right now than we had capital and capacity, this accelerates it. We also get to draw down on resources at Constellation. So part of the structure of this deal is that anything that they have that we need, we have a services arrangement, where we will try to orderly access and use, so that we can accelerate with them as a part of our team. And so, that is, I think, going to be quite a good bit of leverage. Tamy Chen -- BMO Capital Markets -- Analyst Got it. Thanks. That's very helpful. Those are all my questions. Operator Your next question comes from the line of Martin Landry with GMP Securities. Please go ahead. Martin Landry -- GMP Securities -- Analyst Hi, good morning and congratulations on that investment. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Thanks, Martin. Martin Landry -- GMP Securities -- Analyst Just wondering, to follow up a little bit on the capital deployment. It was helpful to give us a little bit your acquisition pipeline. But wondering how long do you think it could take you to deploy that CA$5 billion of cash inflow and maybe if we look at the next 12 months, and under your ideal scenario, how much capital would you have deployed? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO So we're not benchmarking against it, but I'll put a few more buckets out there, if I can. Ontario, how many stores might we get, how many we build out. As we stack our medical trials and we start rolling those out, and I think that once you've stabilized ingredients, the ability to deliver and design many more trials accelerates. So we've got both animal, first one out, and human, first one out. I don't think it will be a big gap to have multiple others that could line up behind it. So we're not pacing it out, but I suspect, as eyes watch us each quarter, you will see strategic investments that often acquisitions or build-out, we'll use cash now, not dilutive shares. And on our quarterly calls, we'll check against what did we get done. And I think you'll find that that list moves very quickly. We have been on the M&A and build-out review, looking at assets around the globe for about a year. And with Constellation's team to assist us in executing some of these M&A transactions, because Rob and his team have been clear, this is where they are placed and they are not now looking at any other M&A even in their sector for some time. So that team comes to us. So I don't want to give you, it will be this much by Tuesday, but I suspect we will move quite quickly and we've done to-date -- Tim might be able to remember the exact number -- but I think we're on acquisition number nine inside of Canopy already. So we're pretty confident of that. Martin Landry -- GMP Securities -- Analyst Okay. And is the ultimate goal for Constellation to take control of Canopy in time? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO I can't speak to their ultimate goal, but I suspect if we do what we are going to do, which is build a global platform that generates massive amounts of EBITDA over the next few years, that is a pretty amazing company that everybody would think is a good one to own. Martin Landry -- GMP Securities -- Analyst And then just to switch back on the Canadian market and what's coming up with the recreational -- Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO And, sorry, Martin, I should be clear. The way we've structured this, right, they're buying about 25% for about CA$5 billion right now. And I, as a shareholder, like the race ahead, because to your earlier question, what this is about now is about how much can we build, how great can it be and what does that do to the value of the company, because the alignment we have with Constellation is on winning and that should work pretty well for the small shareholders, including me, in terms of what this looks like for the next tranches. Martin Landry -- GMP Securities -- Analyst Okay. And just to switch to the Canadian market, the domestic recreational market, I think you've won supply agreements for up to 67 tonnes over the next year and that excludes Ontario, if I understand correctly. And right now I think you have around 20 tonnes of dry cannabis in place. Do you have enough inventory to fulfill the first shipments from the provinces, or are you going to need to bridge some of that? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO So, Tim can talk about this more converting into inventory and what we have as a product mix. Really the question is going to come down to, I think we have enough, subject to, what do they order, right? So part of the reason we've kept a single shipping center is how to manage inventory and how to ship it out. But the pipeline is empty. What proportion of the product are they going to want in dry cannabis, containerized, rolled cannabis, gel caps or oils. And so, really it's going to be a continuous shifting of orders, inventory and matching it. And we're already starting to see some of the provinces putting up their first indication of what they want. I will tell you it's probably going to drain everything, but I think we'll be able to balance it. And then the real question is, when do they reorder and how much they reorder. But we're juggling that now. We only have two provinces that have sort of starting to give us a positive indication of when they want to order and what quantities and we're working through that. Martin Landry -- GMP Securities -- Analyst Okay. Thank you. Operator Your next question comes from the line of Graeme Kreindler with Eight Capital. Please go ahead. Graeme Kreindler -- Eight Capital -- Analyst Yea, hi, good morning gentlemen. Bruce, you gave a bit of an overview of sort of what the long-term vision is for the company and obviously focusing on the large opportunity in medical. Can you just give some more color around reconciling the medical opportunity in the international markets that Canopy has in front of it, versus Constellation being involved in beer, wine and spirits and having a number of established brands there. What's bridging the gap between that medical opportunity and more of the consumer focus in Constellation? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Sure. So, the people -- and Graeme, we've been on it for a bit. The way the platform gets built is that it focuses on a patient. No country that I'm -- of a material nature is going to necessarily open up and say we don't have any medical program, but we're going to have a cannabis party. So I think what you have to look at is, the medical becomes the operational platform that creates the assets, they can create the ingredients to create medical outcomes. But then they can quickly increment to CPG. And CPG turns those ingredients into brands, formats, and outcomes that people want, so that they have better occasions. And so, I think what I like with Constellation is they've spent quite a lot of time with us and observed how Canada has evolved and probably you would place bets that a whole bunch of countries around the world, if you're in the dominant in the medical, you have all the production assets necessary to take it up to CPG. And so that I think is kind of where you could see the bridge. And if you come into two of our facility, when you go to our Section 56 Exemption Lab, you have people taking ingredients from cannabis and creating a diversity of things that could be from -- what could be used for an animal product, to a human medical, to a beverage that looks amazing and sits on the shelf and stays in suspension for quite some time, maybe forever. And so those -- that's where you go from having a managed ingredient market, where people want to call it, is this going to become a commodity. No, it is going to become a regulated ingredient and it's how they vertically change over the different markets. And so I think there's good alignment with Constellation as we ramp out and build Canada, because if you get dominant and create great brands in Canada for the adult access, those brands and learning programs are going to, I think, carry quite a lot of weight as we go into other geographies. Graeme Kreindler -- Eight Capital -- Analyst Okay thanks. And just one other question. For those of us who are uninitiated on the specifics for Constellation brands, what's their plan on actually funding the CA$5 billion investment? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO I believe there's a note in the press release that points to the source of capital. Tim, I don't have it in front of me and I read 26 versions of it. So I can't remember if that ultimately stayed in, but is it referenced in there? Tim Saunders -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer It was. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is providing the financing for the transaction. So you'll find it in the third-last paragraph of the press release. Graeme Kreindler -- Eight Capital -- Analyst Okay, thank you very much gentlemen. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Yes, please do read through that. Those are some interesting names to be associated with us in the cannabis space. I think that's quite remarkable. Operator Your next question comes from the line of Dara Mohsenian with Morgan Stanley. Please go ahead. Dara Mohsenian -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst Hey, good morning guys. So, Bruce, the total addressable market opportunity, you mentioned in the slide deck of CA$200 billion by 2032, or I guess greater than CA$200 billion. That was very helpful. But I was hoping for a little more detail as you think about the size of the addressable market over the next 5 or 10 years. Said another way, how quickly do you think that addressable market ramps up toward that CA$200-plus billion goal in 2032 as you look out over the next 5 to 10 years here? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Sure. So there's -- what is that market made up of? I think right now that number is a proxy for switching people from an illegal purchase program to a legal purchase program. But I'm not sure that that number is a very accurate proxy for the disruptive nature of what could be created in terms of the true finished products that are unique and different in medical and rec. So I think the number could, in fact, be quite a lot bigger than that. The rate of ramp, well, let's just use Germany. This quarter, if we look back four or five quarters ago, there was zero happening in Germany. This quarter we did what, Tim, about CA$3 million? Tim Saunders -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Yes, CA$3.4 million, yes. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO CA$3.4 million. And this is where the government largely is the party paying for the cannabis as a medicinal ingredient. That rate of growth, as we get more formats and more responses and indication sort of claims, I think increasingly ramps up. And so, I would be surprised if the rate at which this is changing, three, almost four years ago, there were about four or three countries trying to figure out how to regulate this at a federal level. There's about 29 now. And so, if those countries continue on a path of growth -- if you look at Canada, we've gone from 30,000 patients in an old scheme, maybe 35,000, to maybe 350,000 or 400,000 medical patients in a period of about four years and we're about to add, you pick a number. We got 35 million Canadians. Are we going to have 5 million who are interested in rec? 2 million, 8 million, I'm not sure what the number is, but I think people are going to have to build models and the model should be driven on which countries are going to move to a medical, who will be the payee and when will Canopy have medical claim products that can file under pharma insurance. And then with those countries, which ones are likely to have an electoral event that allows them to move to managing a recreational market. And I believe it's a lot closer in a lot of countries than people think, because this is going to be pointed to at Canada. It's going to be a evolving success here. And so, I think the market rate of growth, you can probably bring that number way back very soon, but that's up to you to create a model, we just have an outside date of -- was it 2032? Pretty far off. Dara Mohsenian -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst Right. That's very helpful. And then as you think about your positioning in the industry, obviously there's a lot of capital coming into the space and a lot of competition. Help give us a background on why this partnership is potentially the leading player in this space as we look out over the next 20 years or so and how you're sort of positioned versus that competitive set, and maybe what some of the unique capabilities are on your end? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO We're at this now. We will be on a call in a year, 18 months. And when you say the competitive set, it won't be any of the cannabis names that are started up in Canada. It will be big pharma. It will be other packaged beverage, it could be a day doesn't go by without somebody sending me an article that the Wrigley family are looking at this, everybody is looking at this. So I think when you talk about competitors and why we're doing this now, we have a great position and a great start. This is about accelerating and getting way further out there, before those other big names are in. Getting our products, taking our claims, having the leverage that we have now and moving up. So I bet the competitive set names you use are big known names and they have to get in the space, because this is the most disruptive, rapid growth opportunity for EBITDA than any of them are looking at. So it's going to get big and they're going to get good. We're going to be way ahead. Dara Mohsenian -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst Great, thank you. Appreciate it. Operator Your next question comes from the line of Matt Bottomley with Canaccord Genuity. Please go ahead. Matt Bottomley -- Canaccord Genuity -- Analyst Good morning and congrats on the announcement. Don't want to beat a dead horse here, but just a couple of more questions on the potential deployment of capital here in the near term. So, Bruce, where do you see the -- maybe when you line up what Constellation brings versus what you've been able to achieve in the Canadian market, what are some of the holes, for lack of a better word, even Britain, with respect to those two parties that you might need to go and acquire assets to fill? Is it more on the medical technology side, is it more on boots on the ground, getting licenses in various countries, just any more color on where you think you need to go out and increase your exposure? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Yes, so depending on the country and what you have for the vertical stack, it could be things as simple as, we're not interested in sharing our margin with a pharma play, we will probably find a little down-the-luck biotech company that could do a lot of that lifting for us. So that could be a nice fit. In certain geographies, it's starting with base real estate and moving up through the stack, but we move up through it a lot more quickly with what we'd have to put in. We have an expansion of technology. So, suppose we get through rec, October 17 happens, and suppose that the government decides they in fact are going to do what they said they'll do and have to do, which is increase our product set, so that we can actually compete more effectively with real estate market. I bet I need a bottling line if I want to have beverages in a great bottle. And so, you could see where you'd spend on that. Those things take off, and all of a sudden multiple geographies need the same set of products, which needs the same set of production growth assets, extraction assets, labs, lines, this is where it goes. And so, Canada, we're looking at bottling lines. In other countries, we're looking at greenhouses. And I think when you're currently in 11 countries and you can see the map going quickly up to more than those, you start to understand where the pieces would fit together, but it is a bit of a rinse and repeat. Once you got it right at scale, you can accelerate in every other country. Matt Bottomley -- Canaccord Genuity -- Analyst Okay, great, that's helpful. And maybe just more on the US market as well. Obviously, you guys have been clear that there is no plans to enter there until it's federally legal, but that's a very, very fast moving market as well, that's evolving day by day. So how much is Canopy, I guess, investing in terms of its time in following these markets and aligning itself, where if the opportunity arises, there could be a potential huge opportunity there as well? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Yes. We have and have had a team. And now with Constellation, have a bigger team that has a very specific mandate to be ready, which can mean everything from having options on things to preparing with the right tech. And so, the US is the best market, for sure. But no one in there, right now, can go to scale. All of the conditions created by being federally legal mean that you have probably an inverted model where there are too many producers, too few proper processes, and very fractured product sets across multiple geographies. If and when it becomes permissible, scale will mean quite a few things change from the cost of production through the quality of the product, and that you really create universal brands that actually are the same when people go anywhere in any state. And I think that is exactly where we will play very well with Constellation, if and when we can. Matt Bottomley -- Canaccord Genuity -- Analyst Okay. And then just moving north of the boarder to Canada then. When it comes to -- I mean, it seemed clear in your press release that you guys are previously already fully funded for everything you wanted to do in Canada. But what's your view on the climate right now from an M&A standpoint? Is there anything that interests you on M&A, or do you think just the cash that you now have from Constellation can really fill in any holes that you might want to true up in Canada? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO We don't need any production assets for sure. And part of the reason is we've figured out that it's actually more efficient to take everything we've learned after 200-and-some-odd number of inspections from Health Canada and applied that to the design creation of our own assets, as you saw when we leased, then bought the assets in British Columbia with the greenhouses, that program began December 1 and about February 17, we had our first plants and licenses going. So there's nothing on a production basis. Obviously, real estate locations, vertical integration, that makes sense. But I think in Canada it's going to be more of accelerate our own build than it is acquire any incremental cannabis asset. Matt Bottomley -- Canaccord Genuity -- Analyst Okay, thanks. And just one last quick question, if you don't mind on -- moving away from this deal specifically. Just curious on your key takeaways from the Ontario's press conference the other night with respect to retail. I'm still trying to juggle in my mind, how much of this is going to be open to the LPs versus maybe more traditional retail like grocery stores or pharmacies, or even some of these illegal dispensaries if they stop doing -- if they stop immediately dispensing. Is it all up in the air right now, or do you have a more concrete view as to how much the Canopies of the world are going to get involved in retail in Ontario? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Well, I think everyone is going to be wanting to be in, but that doesn't mean everybody gets in. So the reason we ended up being selected in three provinces already is, if you're going to be a retailer of cannabis, do you have an educational training platform? Yes, we do. In fact, ours has been used by other provinces to train their retail staff. Do you have the appropriate controls in age gating practices? Do you have security cleared people to manage and handle all of the processes around transit of cannabis et cetera? So I think we are the most well-qualified to win. We won't win all of them, but I would suspect that the model they're going to adopt is probably more similar to Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Newfoundland than it will be BC. And I like the announcement, because what was going to be a problem in Ontario was that there were going to be very few stores, and there were going to be a very slow process to have more stores. And the province is very good at inventory management, warehousing and they can make their money there. And the effect will be that while there may be no stores October 17 this year, but if they wanted 400 stores by October 17 next year, that wouldn't be a particularly big push for the private sector to deliver that even much earlier. And so when all the stores roll out is when we will have the next wave of product rights, meaning vapes, probably ingestibles that can include a beverage, we would expect. And there'll be way more points of sale. And so, I was smiling when the announcement occurred, because what we're going to have is a great retail platform, us and others, to sell great products, which is what we're creating. And I think that that is going to be way more important than having 40 stores from the province. And so, it's a little bit of a short-term hit to launch things the way I'd like to see them. Matt Bottomley -- Canaccord Genuity -- Analyst Okay, great. Thanks, Bruce. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO And most provinces check if you're a criminal. Every province we've been awarded stores, we've had to give as much as three years back history on our personal incomes and spouses' and total assets. I suspect if you're currently breaking the law, the likelihood of meeting the criteria of getting a license is pretty low. Operator Your next question comes from the line of Andrea Teixeira with JP Morgan. Please go ahead. Andrea Teixeira -- JP Morgan -- Analyst Hi, good morning. So, Bruce, I have two questions please. One is to understand from your prepared remarks that 100% of the use of proceeds will be international, and also, as you mentioned, you don't need more production capacity. But you also mentioned California. So would you make acquisitions in the U.S., given it's still federally illegal? And I think that would be different from what Constellation had said before. And then -- Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO No. So I should be clear. We definitely do not participate in federally illegal markets. I use California as an example of scale. But until it's federally legal, we will not participate in a market. So I should have been more clear, if I wasn't, that is 100% in our platform and has been since day one. Andrea Teixeira -- JP Morgan -- Analyst Thank you. And then one more on housekeeping, and I'm sorry too, because it wasn't clear in the release. So I'm trying to calculate the fully diluted number of shares now, right, as you get into -- as you get the warrants that Constellation might have had, the 18 million shares they had. And when you do the math, and correct me if I'm wrong, I'm getting to about 324.7 million shares now without the new warrants. And then, is it fair to assume -- sorry just to -- the CA$5 billion divided by these number of shares, you have about -- you just got about CA$15 per share. Is that the way we should think? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO No. Tim Saunders -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer I mean they are incrementing their ownership position from just under 15% to -- by 25 percentage points. Andrea Teixeira -- JP Morgan -- Analyst Yes. So we're getting to the number of shares that you just like announced today, and you divide -- and you make an addition in the number of shares and the warrants that they converted. I just wanted to go back with the warrants that they converted before the infusion of the cash, because that's not additional money, I'm assuming, right. So that is the money that they are already committed before. And then in addition to that they're putting CA$5 billion, and then the new warrants will be an additional CA$4.5 billion. Is that the way to think about? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO So let me, while Tim digs up the share count. When I indicated our principal interest is international, what I'm not buying in Canada, and therefore it's not necessarily 100% of my money will not be used in Canada. What I'm not buying in Canada are production assets. It doesn't mean that I might not need specific real estate assets for retail or other things of that nature, so I want to clarify that. On the warrants, they have not yet been exercised. One half of them has an immediate right or access to them. So the CA$245 million was divided in two tranches, one which is eligible to be exercised this month, and one which is accessible in early 2019. So Tim, can go into the model, but those haven't yet converted. But obviously at CA$12.97 per unit, they're in the money and will convert. Tim Saunders -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Yes, if you're looking at numbers at the end of June, there's other transactions that have happened since then with the acquisition of the remaining shares of BC Tweed and CHI and the like. And when you bake in all of the ESOPs, stock options and the like on a fully diluted basis before this on a pro forma basis, about 268 million fully diluted shares outstanding. So then you're incrementing that by the investment of 104.5 million shares from Constellation, which gets you -- that 104 million is the extra 25% that gets them up to about 38.1% at this investment to a little over CA$5 billion. And then the warrants, as you said, is incremental money that could be exercised over the next three years. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO And the purchase price on those shares is -- the new shares, the purchase price is in the release, but it was CA$48.60 per share. Tim Saunders -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer That's the new shares, correct. Andrea Teixeira -- JP Morgan -- Analyst Per share. So the way we can get the math, simply take the 104 million, divide it by 38%, and then we get into the fully diluted. That was just like as you're saying, there were so many transactions and I'm assuming that triggered a lot of different options exercises, as you correctly pointed out, that we don't know what's your -- it will be helpful to have a fully diluted number of shares in the next few months, so that we can kind of calculate money in, money out, how -- OK. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Yes, that's good advice. We will -- because of the number of transactions we do in this transaction, as things get topped up, we'll be specific in our go-forward quarterlies where we are in terms of total share count and what contributed over the quarter. Andrea Teixeira -- JP Morgan -- Analyst Okay, wonderful. Thank you. Operator Your next question comes from the line of Alan Brochstein with New Cannabis Ventures. Please go ahead. Alan Brochstein -- New Cannabis Ventures -- Analyst Hi, guys, congratulations. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Thanks, Alan. Alan Brochstein -- New Cannabis Ventures -- Analyst Just a couple of quick ones. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Did we lose Alan? Operator Your next question comes from the line of Todd Duvick with Wells Fargo. Please go ahead. Todd Duvick -- Wells Fargo -- Analyst I'm not sure if your phone system is functioning well? Operator Mr. Duvick, your line is open. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Hello? Operator And your next question comes from the line of Tim Ramey with Pivotal Research. Please go ahead. Tim Ramey -- Pivotal Research -- Analyst Good morning. Thanks. Can you hear me? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO I'm very happy to hear you. Tim Ramey -- Pivotal Research -- Analyst Okay , thanks. So I live in the state of Oregon, which is a legal state. And I think you spoke to this a minute ago, but I'd love to have you flesh it out a little bit more. It appears that there is some over-saturation of the market right now. And I guess your point of view would be that these players are not going to be the players, the competitive set that would exist in five years, that big pharma or yourselves or whoever comes in when it is a federally legal market, would supplant the existing. Can you just kind of talk about the idea that there has been some over-saturation in the early development in legal states? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Yes. So there may be a place where the supply chain incorporates the producers as a -- really, when we talk about cannabis in Canada and when we report on it, we've changed how we report on it. We used to report how many grams and everything was about cost per gram and grams, grams, grams. The problem with that is, we actually think about milligrams, active ingredients. And so the producer of the active ingredients could be some of the cohort they currently produce. Where we make our value and what I think our specialization is going to be evolving to is, the ability to convert those milligrams into medical and non-medical recreational products that people prefer over anything that's on the market today. And it's because, if you run things through a true medical program and you can make claims, and you can create the consistent outcome, people want that. I don't know if they're calling it medical marijuana without having the appropriate level of diligence in creating truly medical outcomes is doing it a big favor. So I think that'll be disruptive. And the Constellation pact with us on making consistent quality products, whether they're beverages or vapes or others is going to be a big deal. So saturation, I think, is a problem if you don't have proper conversion. Proper conversion is a problem if you don't have a strong and big platform to do things I just described. But even at a saturated rate, what's the average price per gram in Oregon now? US retail, what would you pay CA$7, CA$8, CA$10? Tim Ramey -- Pivotal Research -- Analyst I have no idea. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Yes. But when we hear saturated price rate in Canada, when we do a large platform of production, where we are last reporting in, you start to see cost per gram going well below CA$1 for production in a highly secured platform. And so I think the saturation thing is more about the ingredient than it is the finished good and we're actively moving way up from the ingredient. Tim Ramey -- Pivotal Research -- Analyst Okay. And then just relative to Canada, I think I heard you say you didn't need production assets, which sounds like grow greenhouse type assets. But I also heard you say you do need potentially bottling assets and things like that. So I just wanted to kind of parse that out. There will be incremental delivery methods that don't exist today, can we assume? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Yes, so we have about 6 million square feet of planned or completed production assets, about 70% of that are greenhouses and about 30% are indoor -- think of large factories. The greenhouse platforms that get used in Canada are -- can be quite substantial. So we have a set in the West Coast that, one, grouping a greenhouse is about 1.7 million square feet. The other is about 1.3 million square feet. Our smallest greenhouse array is about 700,000 square feet. And so that's kind of the scale of that sort of production. What we're talking about are much smaller square footage assets that are in the business of converting the output of those large platforms or production into the finished goods that I described earlier. And those can be quite costly platforms, when they are GNP, PharmaOne type platforms. They are costly per square foot, but use far, far fewer square feet. Tim Ramey -- Pivotal Research -- Analyst Great. Thanks for your help. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO No problem. Operator And your next question comes from the line of Alan Brochstein with New Cannabis Ventures. Please go ahead. Alan Brochstein -- New Cannabis Ventures -- Analyst Sorry about that guys. (inaudible) so I thought I'd give it another try, and they put (Multiple Speakers). Thanks for taking my call. I don't even know if you heard the last one, I don't believe -- Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO We did not. Alan Brochstein -- New Cannabis Ventures -- Analyst Okay. So Bruce, you seem to be pessimistic about the timing of legalization in the United States, and I know this deal is about more than just the US, but that's obviously a key part of Constellation's interest. Have you changed your own views at all? I know things change quickly. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO My views are evolving and I think the more that we've interacted with different regulators, I could see state by state happening much sooner than later. I'm not sure that you're going to see a national platform. But I could see some state by state structures that would make it federally legal, if it was legal in the state. And so, best to be very prepared. So our laid down plan is have all of the working pieces together and be ready to go when it's legal and bring scale and bring products. Alan Brochstein -- New Cannabis Ventures -- Analyst Got it. And then I've gotten this question a lot, I don't think you guys have publicly addressed it, but shareholders just approved the potential stock split. And I was just wondering what that's all about? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Optionality. So I was thinking at that time that we had the right to do a up-to-three times split, that has parked [ph]. But it was one of those things that I prefer to have the optionality, because it was a special shareholders meeting, which was also to enable us to increase the ESOP pool. So added that and we have in our pocket. Those things don't really (inaudible) for at least a year. Alan Brochstein -- New Cannabis Ventures -- Analyst Okay. And then the next one is just more about the near-term on the financials, Tim. Obviously -- and thanks for breaking out as you guys have been doing, some of the extra cost that go outside of Canada, as well as the always confusing biological asset stuff that going forward -- are the operating losses excluding those other factors outside of these two I mentioned, do you expect them to continue to trend higher, Tim? Tim Saunders -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer I think you're going to see, certainly domestically as we started to get the recreational orders in the provinces, and then the revenue number is going to go up and cover. So that'll reduce the losses. And actually we still expected, as we've indicated previously, that we will be EBITDA positive really very shortly in the near term. So like you said, those losses that you're seeing today that's as if we are spending for a rec market that's not there today, as against medical revenue. So, no, you should see that it will come down. Alan Brochstein -- New Cannabis Ventures -- Analyst Okay. That's all I have. Thanks a lot and congratulations again on the deal. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Thanks very much, Alan. Why don't we take one more question, if there is one, and then we can all get onto our next activities. Operator And your final question comes from the line of Robert Ottenstein with Evercore ISI. Please go ahead. Robert Ottenstein -- Evercore ISI -- Analyst Great, thank you very much. You were very clear that you don't want to participate in any federally illegal markets. I get that. On the other hand, California is arguably the largest market right now, you want first-mover advantage. Heineken has found a way that they believe that they are comfortable in terms of participating in that market through Lagunitas. Can you tell us a little bit why you are uncomfortable finding some sort of legal or corporate mechanism to participate in California and why -- and how you're thinking about this? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO So we are not really keen to divulge exactly where we're going. But for sure we're going to do everything that is fully federally lawful to be available in a market. And we think there are mechanisms of action that we can take that we're working through. There will be nothing federally illegal in what we do. I'm not sure we've looked at all the actions of others. And I think some of them may have crossed the line, but I think that it may become federally legal sooner than people think and that we will be more ready than probably is understood at this time. So I know I'm being general, but part of the reason we do these calls is so that people who are in the sector can understand what we're doing and then they try to follow us, which has been a good practice in the past. We're going to be a little bit more coy on this one. Robert Ottenstein -- Evercore ISI -- Analyst Got it. And obviously you're looking at California very closely, you understand what's going on there. Do you think that the California regulatory framework is the one that's most likely to be adopted in other states and how would you assess how things have developed in California year-to-date? Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO So I'm not an expert on California. But we do find it quite interesting when we observe things like when you really do apply a controlled system, what happens to the total number of distribution points, what happens to the quality of the product and the failure rate of testing of product it was permissible for. So I think you start to see a much more effective control system. We hope that the level of controls is high and gets higher everywhere, because the client is not going to be satisfied if the quality of the product is inconsistent, if it has pesticides or sprays, if it's failing. And I think you're seeing in California, or you have seen that there has become a shortage in the sense of product, because of active testing that says, this is not of the quality or standard that's permissible. I hope that standard is what they do across the US, and it wouldn't hurt if it was a little higher, because of the chain of custody on product is key to actually squeezing out the illicit market and there is a bit more that could be done, I think, in most states regulations on that. Robert Ottenstein -- Evercore ISI -- Analyst Great. Well, look, congratulations. You've got a terrific partner in Constellation and very eager to see how things develop. Thank you. Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Well, thank you. And you're right. I suspect after this call, we can get back to work with Constellation. And that is kind of why the cash came in, because we work very well together. So thanks to everyone for the call and look forward to you during the next quarter. Operator This concludes Canopy Growth's first quarter fiscal 2019 financial results conference call. A replay of this conference call will be available until November 13, 2018 and can be accessed by following the instructions provided in the company's press release issued earlier today. Thank you for attending today's call and enjoy the rest of your day. Good bye. Duration: 70 minutes Call participants: Bruce Linton -- Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO Rob Sands -- Chief Executive Officer Tim Saunders -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Tamy Chen -- BMO Capital Markets -- Analyst Martin Landry -- GMP Securities -- Analyst Graeme Kreindler -- Eight Capital -- Analyst Dara Mohsenian -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst Matt Bottomley -- Canaccord Genuity -- Analyst Andrea Teixeira -- JP Morgan -- Analyst Alan Brochstein -- New Cannabis Ventures -- Analyst Todd Duvick -- Wells Fargo -- Analyst Tim Ramey -- Pivotal Research -- Analyst Robert Ottenstein -- Evercore ISI -- Analyst More CGC analysis This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. While we strive for our Foolish Best, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this transcript. As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability. More From The Motley Fool Motley Fool Transcribers has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. A Mass in Pittsburgh on Aug. 15, the day after the release of a Pennsylvania grand jury report detailing how Catholic Church dioceses in the state covered up priests sexual abuse of more than 1,000 children over the course of seven decades. (Photo: Jeff Swensen / Getty Images) One of the most damning findings from the recent grand jury investigation into widespread child sex abuse in Pennsylvania Catholic Church dioceses is how leaders covered up the misconduct. Its like a playbook for concealing the truth, wrote the grand jury in its report, outlining seven tactics that church officials followed, such as using euphemisms for rape, shuffling predatory priests among dioceses and conducting bogus internal investigations. While advocates said the Pennsylvania report is the largest and most comprehensive of its kind for any one state, bombshell reports of child sex abuse in the Catholic Church are hardly new. From the time The Boston Globe published a 2002 expose on clergy sexual abuse, there have been many high-profile incidents, including an Australian cardinal charged with child sex offenses in 2017 and more recently, an investigation into rampant sex abuse in Chiles Catholic Church. Experts told HuffPost that sexual abuse continues in large part because the church ignores laws enacted to protect kids from harm. In particular, they said clergy regularly violate mandatory reporting laws, which require certain groups to inform child protective services or the police about suspected child abuse. But changing the churchs deeply rooted culture of silence and trust into one that holds itself accountable to law enforcement is a big task. Sherryll Kraizer, the founder and director of the Coalition for Children, said the Catholic Church protects pedophile priests instead of children. Its a culture that they are struggling with giving up, she said. The law is clear, and the criminality is clear, and the sin is clear. In most states, groups that work with children such as teachers, social workers and pediatricians are mandatory reporters, and in 28 states, clergy are also in this category. Enforcing the child abuse law helps keep kids safe. You need to have very rigid rules about reporting child sexual abuse to the authorities, said Marci Hamilton, the CEO of the advocacy group Child USA. It shouldnt matter where they learn about it, whether its in a confessional or its on the street or in a classroom. Story continues And though some experts have worried that tougher mandatory reporting laws could lead to false reports that unnecessarily traumatize children, any organization working with kids should be required to go through extensive training on child abuse that explains how and when to make a report, said Angela Liddle, the president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance. She said that teachers in Pennsylvania, for example, are legally required to do this training every five years. Instead of reporting child abuse to outside authorities, the church has a history of handling allegations internally which protects priests and endangers children. Liddle said that if church members report child abuse at all, they usually tell a senior member of the clergy instead of police, which could keep children in danger. You have a supervisor who may dissuade you from making a report, she said. You have an imbalance of power right from the start that is not best practice. The Pennsylvania grand jury report describes how the church encouraged its members to handle complaints in house, as they would a personnel matter. It describes how the institution assigns fellow clergy members to ask inadequate questions and then make credibility determinations about the colleagues with whom they live and work and moves them to other parishes, where they still have access to children. While the experts interviewed by HuffPost said theres no question that children would be safer if the church followed mandatory reporting laws, the institution would first have to change its confidential culture. They have operated like a secret sect apart from the rest of the world, said Liddle. They cant do that anymore. She said the Catholic Church is so good at fostering trust among its followers that members have not questioned whether priests should have the authority to handle child abuse claims. The church did what it wanted because it could get away with it, she said. We have been socialized to look at people in the clergy almost as if they are gods ... Thats how these children were groomed. While certain policy changes such as required child abuse training and a prohibition on clergy being alone with a minor could keep kids safer in the church, Hamilton said she believes the culture will change only if clergy are punished for failing to follow mandatory reporting laws. I think the ultimate accountability is criminal accountability, said Hamilton. If bishops were charged with endangerment of children, I think you would see changes quickly. She pointed out that schools are safer environments because mandatory reporting is alive and well and that teachers are often charged for not following the policy. [Clergy] should be held accountable under civil and criminal laws. They should have no special exemptions, Hamilton said. Any religious [institution] that is permitted to let child sex abuse circulate within the organization poisons its own organization. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. BALTIMORE (AP) A new Catholic school in Baltimore will no longer feature the name of a late cardinal accused of failing to act in the case of priests who abused children in Pennsylvania. Cardinal William H. Keeler had a reputation for transparency as archbishop of Baltimore, releasing in 2002 the names of 57 priests accused of sexual abuse. But a grand jury report released Tuesday details widespread sexual abuse in six of Pennsylvania's Roman Catholic dioceses. It accuses Keeler of covering up sexual abuse allegations while serving as bishop of Harrisburg from 1983 to 1989. Keeler also allegedly allowed an accused priest to minister in the Baltimore archdiocese. In light of the "painful revelations," Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori said in a statement Tuesday that the archdiocese no longer plans to name a new school in Baltimore after Keller. The pre-K-8 school is slated to open in 2020. Lori noted that Keeler's letter accompanying the disclosure of the names of credibly accused priests "included words that are even more revealing in light of today's report: 'The simple, painful truth is that the Church did not go far enough to protect children from sexual abuse,' the Cardinal wrote. 'I humbly ask forgiveness for my mistakes. Please pray for me so that I may better serve.'" Keeler died last year at age 86. A former altar boy sued the Diocese of Harrisburg last week, saying Keeler failed to protect him from now-defrocked John G. Allen. In the suit "John Doe," now 29-years-old and living in Maryland, alleges Allen molested him at a Harrisburg church. Allen had been previously reported to Keeler for engaging in inappropriate behavior with boys, according to media reports. Allen's name was on a list the diocese released earlier this month of 71 clergy members accused of sexually abusing children. The grand jury found that Keeler presided over the Diocese of Harrisburg when it received complaints that Rev. Arthur Long had sexually abused children and Keeler was informed that Long had admitted to the conduct. But later, when Keeler moved to Baltimore, he granted Long permission to work there and reports of inappropriate behavior were received. Long went on vacation and didn't return to his community and he has since died. "The Grand Jury finds that this practice of transferring dangerous priests to other locations only expanded the pool of unknowing potential victims on which these offenders could re-offend," the report states. "Such conduct endangered the welfare of children, Catholic parishioners, and the public." Celebrity surgeon Dr Bumbum has been charged with murder (AP) A celebrity plastic surgeon known as Dr Bumbum has been charged with murder after he went on the run when one of his patients died. The surgeon whose real name is Dr Denis Furtado went missing after patient Lilian Calixto, 46, died in hospital after he carried out a buttock enlargement procedure on her. Dr Furtado, 45, carried out the procedure in his own flat, aided by his mother, girlfriend and maid. Dr Furtado points to a journalist for the next question as he addresses the press at police headquarters after his arrest (AP) Lilian Calixto died after Dr Furtado performed a buttock enlargement on her (Facebook) Mother-of-two Ms Calixto fell ill during the operation at the property in Rio de Janeiro last month and died in hospital a few hours later. Dr Furtado later fled but police in Brazil caught him four days later and he has now been charged him with murder, while his mother, Maria de Fatima Barros Furtado, also faces charges. His girlfriend, Renata Fernandes, has already been arrested on suspicion of taking part in the procedure. MOST POPULAR STORIES ON YAHOO UK TODAY Police tell shopkeeper to remove wanted posted because it breaches shoplifters rights Theres a 50-50 chance of a no-deal Brexit, warns Latvias foreign minister Spider season has arrived with 150 MILLION invading Britons homes due to heatwave Heatwave could continue for another four years, scientists warn In pictures: The contenders for Shed of the Year 2018 Mystery hairy sea monster washes up on Siberian beach and no one knows what it is The plastic surgeon, who has nearly 650,000 followers on Instagram, is a regular on Brazilian TV screens and had attracted women with the false promise of quick and immediate beauty, according to the public prosecutors office in Rio de Janeiro. He is alleged to have used 300ml of PMMA a synthetic resin also known as acrylic glass filler during the procedure, when it is recommended that it is used only in very small doses and in a restricted way. The Brazilian Plastic Surgery Society has warned against using PMMA for any aesthetic purposes. Dr Denis Furtado performed an operation on patient Lilian Calixto to enlarge her buttocks in his own flat (AP) The plastic surgeon shows his doctors licence as he speaks to the press (AP) The charge sheet against Dr Furtado alleges that he prepared his flat for surgery in a very provisional and precarious way. He was also not licensed to practice in Rio. In a video posted on social media, Dr Furtado described Ms Calixtos death as a fatal accident and said he had performed 9,000 similar procedures, all of which were legal in Brazil. Santiago (AFP) - Chile expelled 51 Colombian nationals on Thursday, the interior minister announced, the first of an expected 2,000 foreigners earmarked for expulsion this year as part of a get-tough immigration policy unveiled by President Sebastian Pinera in June. The measure is part of a plan introduced by the world's largest copper producer to cope with the arrival of hundreds of thousands of migrants over the last four years. The expulsions will prioritize foreigners with criminal records -- like those expelled Thursday -- as well as those who did not take up a government offer to regularize their situation. Those expelled "are being repatriated to their country of origin, in this case Colombia," Interior and Security Minister Andres Chadwick said. With a criminal record acquired in either Chile or Colombia, the Colombians were transferred back to their own country aboard a Chilean Air Force plane. "For the first time and in order to be able to carry out an expulsion that is orderly and generates the least fiscal expense, it has been done by group and in a Chilean Air Force plane which flies directly to Colombia and comes back tomorrow," the minister said. Chadwick said that of the 51 expelled, 32 were serving sentences in Chilean jails, while the other 19 had criminal records -- 14 of those had convictions in Chile for drug-trafficking offenses or violent robbery. The other five had previous convictions in Colombia for serious crimes. The Chilean government announced in June it would expel about 2,000 foreigners this year, prioritizing those with criminal records. Chile is home to an estimated 1.1 million immigrants, more than half arriving in the last four years, many fleeing unrest in Haiti, Venezuela and Colombia. Colombians are the second largest immigrant group in Chile after Peruvians. On the final day of arguments in Paul Manaforts trial, Judge T.S. Ellis referenced media reports about the instances of him yelling at prosecutors throughout the case. If you read the newspapers, the Eastern District of Virginia judge told Justice Department prosecutors, they win everything, you lose everything. Lets keep it that way, Your Honor, Manaforts defense attorney Kevin Downing joked. It was a lighthearted responsemet with laughter in the courtroom on a day with particularly high stakes for both the defense and the prosecution. Over the past 11 days, the government called 27 witnesses and admitted more than 300 documents into evidence in an effort to prove that Manafort, a longtime political operative and President Donald Trumps former campaign chairman, committed tax and bank fraud, hiding millions of dollars in overseas accounts and providing false information to banks when he applied for loans. But Manaforts defense team made a gamble that is somewhat common in criminal cases: they decided not to call any witnesses of their own. That meant the bulk of their strategy relied on emphasizing the burden of proof to jurors on the final day on Wednesday. When a defense team calls witnesses, it can be tempting for jurors to see two competing stories, with each side needing to prove its version is true. Not calling defense witnesses can help highlight to jurors that the full burden of proof is on the prosecution. We believe, defense attorney Richard Westling explained of why they didnt call any witnesses, the government has not met that burden. For government prosecutors, the closing statement carried more than just the weight of the case against Manafort. This trial may not be directly related to Trump or Russian meddling in the 2016 election, but it is still the first to result from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation. As the President continues to refer to the investigation as rigged and a witch hunt, a conviction in its first major case could help the investigators prove its legitimacy to a skeptical public. Story continues When you follow the trail of Mr. Manaforts money, said prosecutor Greg Andres, it is littered with lies. Defense lawyers leaned heavily on how they had attempted to undermine prosecution star witness Rick Gates credibility during cross examination last week. (Gates, Manaforts former right-hand man, admitted to committing multiple crimes, both on his own and with Manafort, and admitted to an affair during cross examination.) Downing, who cross examined Gates, said that Gates fell apart, and he was seen for who he is during his testimony. Downing sneered that Gates came in here trying to look all clean-shaven (Gates had recently been sporting a beard, but shaved before his appearance in court) and alleged that Gates lied to the jury. Once you discredit Mr. Gates, Downing said, then the government has had a major failing in here. Andres tried to preempt the defenses attacks on Gatess credibility. Were not asking that you trust every word Mr. Gates said, Andres said. Were not asking that you like him, either. Andres argued that Gatess testimony is corroborated by other witnesses and evidence, and said, The star witness in this case is the documents. The defense tried to sow doubt in jurors minds about the governments motives: Westling noted that it wasnt until the special counsel showed up and started asking questions that any banks came forward with fraud concerns, and that the government was stacking charges against Manafort to give you a sense that everything is so overwhelming that there is only one conclusion. Downing said the government is desperate to make a case against Manafort. Defense lawyers even argued that the sheer volume of evidence the government mounted proves that Manafort was not engaged in fraud. Fraud is about secrecy at its very core, said Westling. If there was a scheme to conceal foreign accounts, Downing continued, You would have to believe Mr. Manafort was trying to hide stuff from the government. Yet there is a clear trail, according to Downing, back to his Cypriot bank accounts. Prosecutors got the final word. In a 20-minute rebuttal, Andres was visibly more heated than he had appeared during his nearly two-hour closing argument Wednesday morning, and speaking faster to fit into the time Judge Ellis had allotted him. Andres brought jurors again through some of the prosecutions key evidence in the case, trying to use the clear trail of documents, as Downing called it, to his advantage to tell a cohesive story. The defense, Andres said, is asking you to ignore your own common sense. Now its up to the jury to decide. Los Angeles (AFP) - A Colorado baker who gained notoriety for refusing to make a wedding cake for a gay couple is headed for a new showdown with the state, this time over a birthday cake for a transgender woman. Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in the suburbs of Denver, filed a lawsuit against the state on Tuesday claiming that his rights to freedom of speech and religion were being violated. Phillips grabbed headlines in June after the US Supreme Court, in a bombshell decision, partially ruled in his favor in the case involving the same-sex couple. The justices voted 7-2 that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had displayed anti-religious hostility towards Phillips, thus violating his constitutional rights. The court, however, did not address the issue of whether a business can decline to serve gays and lesbians on religious grounds. The new case involves Autumn Scardina, an attorney who ordered a cake with a pink interior and blue exterior in June 2017 to celebrate her birthday as well as the seventh anniversary of her transition from male to female. Scardina filed a complaint with the state Civil Rights Commission after being told Phillips could not fill the order because of his religious beliefs. State authorities in June of this year said there was sufficient evidence to support Scardina's claim of discrimination and urged both parties to reach an amicable resolution. Phillips in his lawsuit -- which is likely to stoke the debate over religious freedom and LGBT rights -- argues that he is being unfairly targeted by the state because of his religious beliefs. "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 over six years now, Colorado has been on a crusade to crush Plaintiff Jack Phillips... because its officials despise what he believes and how he practices his faith." On Wednesday, emergency personnel rushed to help 76 people sickened by apparent drug overdoses on the New Haven Green, near Yale University in Connecticut. According to local authorities, beginning Tuesday night and continuing through Wednesday morning, people overdosed from a suspected combination of synthetic cannabinoid K2 and the powerful opioid fentanyl. Illicit pills laced with the synthetic opioid are becoming worryingly common, but fentanyl-laced K2, also known as spice, is relatively unheard of. Lab tests will confirm what the substance actually was, but four people were treated on the scene, and 72 were brought to local hospitals, reported Connecticut Public Radio. There have been no reported deaths. Synthetic cannabinoids basically marijuana substitutes are well-known to be risky substances, and fentanyl is driving US overdose death rates at an unprecedented level. If the mass overdose in Connecticut really was caused by fentanyl-laced K2, it will provide further evidence that the US drug market is thoroughly infected with the opioid, which is 10 times as powerful as heroin. However, public health researcher Joseph Palamar M.P.H., Ph.D., who keeps his ear to the streets when it comes to drug trends, says hell believe it exists when he sees proof. Fentanyl is indeed popping up in a variety of drugs, but Ill believe it when I see the test results, he tells Inverse. Police also believed Flakka or other bath salts led to incidents of cannibalism, and in those cases, bath salts were confirmed not to be involved. A package of K2, also known as Spice. Synthetic cannabinoids have all sorts of new compounds in them, and it's possible that there's fentanyl in some. But lab results will tell us the truth. Inverse has reached out to the New Haven Police Department for comment and confirmation of the substance involved in this incident, and we will update this article if we hear back. Although medical personnel didnt know for sure what was in the drugs people had been using, they administered the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone, which eventually appeared to help lessen peoples overdose symptoms, which included shallow breathing, nausea, and unconsciousness. Story continues The US is experiencing an increasing presence of synthetic cannabinoids, with poison control centers reporting over 1,200 cases involving them as of the end of July, but doctors still dont quite know how to deal with them. Some researchers have made progress on an antidote, which would be like naloxone for K2, but its not on the market. Latest overdose count more than 47 according to #NewHaven fire chief. This one happened right now in front of us. .@WTNH #CTnews pic.twitter.com/QxmLmK17q3 Mario Boone, Jou. (@MarioBooneTV) August 15, 2018 As far as Palamar is concerned, its hard to tell whether fentanyl or synthetic cannabinoids are more worrisome. There are hundreds of synthetic cannabinoid compounds and new compounds emerge almost every week. Users and researchers alike know very little about these compounds. And we know even less about how they interact with other drugs or each other (keep in mind that mixtures are often included in these K2 packets), he says. And even though fentanyl is dangerous, at least we know how to deal with it. Were getting to the point that I dont even know whats worse this population using dangerous compounds that were invented in a lab last week, or unknowingly using fentanyl which at least we know how to handle in the case of an overdose. Each is a horrible situation although right now fentanyl appears to be much more dangerous. I really hope people arent adding fentanyl to these compounds because were already struggling to figure out how to handle the synthetic cannabinoid issue before introducing fentanyl into the equation. Photos via Wikipedia Commons, Wikimedia / FastilyClone More From Inverse Burned house and cars in the Keswick neighbourhood of Redding, California as a result of the Carr wildfire: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images 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. 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. 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. Story continues 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. Thessaloniki (Greece) (AFP) - 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. Story continues 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. GENOA, Italy (AP) As more bodies were pulled Wednesday from a mountain of jagged concrete and twisted steel left by a highway bridge collapse that killed 39, 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 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. Story continues 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 Autostrade'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. ___ D'Emilio reported from Rome and Barry from Milan. Simone Somekh in Rome and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed. Donald Trump lashed out at former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman calling her President Donald Trump lashed out at former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman calling her "that dog" after she accused him of being a racist. The former Apprentice star has released a string of secret recordings from her time in the White House and has claimed Mr Trump has previously been recorded using racial slurs. In response, Mr Trump tweeted on Tuesday: "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!" Mr Trump's rhetoric is surprising given Ms Manigault Newman had been one of the president's most prominent black supporters and is now accusing him of using derogatory language about African Americans. The feud between the pair has been escalated in recent days after Ms Manigault Newman released several tapes as she promotes her tell-all book about her time in the White House. In recent days, Ms Manigault Newman has released audio of her firing by John Kelly, the White House Chief of Staff, and a call from Mr Trump in which he says he is sorry to hear she has been dismissed. Donald Trump lashed out at former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman calling her "that dog" Credit: AFP On Tuesday, CBS News released another recording it said was unverified but appeared to be Ms Manigault Newman and several Trump campaign aides in October 2016 discussing a tape of Mr 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. The book, Unhinged, also describes the conversation. The recording appears to show Ms Manigault Newman discussing with Trump campaign aides Katrina Pierson and Lynne Patton how to respond to the remarks. "I'm trying to find out at least what context it was used in, to help us maybe try to figure out a way to spin it," a woman, identified as Ms Pierson, can be heard saying. "He goes, 'how do you think I should handle it,' and I told him exactly what you just said, Omarosa," Ms Patton says, "which is 'well, it depends on what scenario you're talking about.' And he said, 'well, why don't you just go ahead and put it to bed.'" Story continues 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! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 14, 2018 "He said it," Ms Pierson interjects. "No, he said it. He's embarrassed." Before the recording was made public, Ms Pierson denied having a conversation about an alleged "n-word tape" on Fox News. Ms Patton also denied the allegations in a statement. "To be clear, at no time did I participate in a conference call with Katrina Pierson advising me, Jason Miller and Omarosa Manigault-Newman that Frank Luntz had heard President Donald J. Trump use a derogatory racial term - a claim that Luntz himself has also denied," Ms Patton said, referring to a passage in Ms Manigault Newman's book. "It should be abundantly clear to everyone that not only is her book a complete work of fiction, but that the existence of this elusive 'N-word' tape is a figment of her imagination and merely a destructive tool of manipulation applied only when it best serves her interests." Mr Trump has vehemently denied using the N-word, saying the show's former producer, Mark Burnett, had called to confirm that no such tape existed. Ms Manigault Newman has said the president has a "pattern" of insulting African Americans and questioning their intelligence. Critics have condemned the US president for what they said were racial and sexist undertones to his tweet on Tuesday. "The president of the United States is calling a woman of color a dog? ... How dare he call anyone a dog?" Democratic Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, who is also an African-American, told CNN. Asked whether Mr Trump's language was appropriate, White House senior counselor Kellyanne Conway did not answer directly but told Fox News she had never heard Mr Trump "issue a racial slur about anyone." Mr Trump brought on Ms Manigault Newman, previously known for repeatedly being fired on The Apprentice, as director of communications for the White House Office of Public Liaison. Ms Manigault Newman has hinted that she has several more tapes of conversations with White House staff and is willing to hand them over to the Special Counsel's Office investigating alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 presidential election. Mr Trump's re-election campaign announced on Tuesday that it is taking legal action against Ms Manigault Newman over her public bashing of the president. The campaign has filed for arbitration against the former White House aide arguing that she has violated a confidentiality agreement she signed in 2016, while she was still a member of Mr Trump's presidential campaign. The claim, filed with the American Arbitration Association in New York, highlights statements Ms Manigault Newman made during her time on Mr Trump's campaign as well as in the White House, as well as her recent release of several tape recordings of White House officials. President Trump is well known for giving people opportunities to advance in their careers and lives over the decades, but wrong is wrong, and a direct violation of an agreement must be addressed and the violator must be held accountable, a campaign official told The Washington Examiner. Mr Brennan, who served as head of the CIA from 2013 to 2017, has been deeply critical of Mr Trump's conduct Donald Trump has revoked the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan - one of his most vocal critics on national security issues. Announcing the decision Sarah Sanders, the press secretary, accused the former intelligence chief of "erratic conduct and behaviour", adding he had "leveraged" his security status to make "unfounded, outrageous" allegations about the administration. "Mr Brennan has a history that calls into question his objectivity and credibility," she added. The former intelligence chief reacted by saying he would not back down. "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 said. 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 Mr Brennan, who served as head of the CIA from 2013 to 2017, has been deeply critical of Mr Trump's conduct. Last month he called the US president's performance at a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland "nothing short of treasonous." This week Mr Brennan levelled a blistering attack against Mr Trump for the president's tweeted criticism of former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, who wrote a book critical of Trump. "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," Mr Brennan wrote. Story continues Ms Sanders said the security clearance of other former intelligence officials, including James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, and ex-FBI director James Comey were also "under review". Former intelligence officials usually keep their security clearance but rarely use it, sometimes providing advice to successors. Former FBI chief Comey has published a book which is highly critical of the president Credit: AP The other officials whose clearances are being reviewed are former CIA director Michael Hayden, former national security adviser Susan Rice, and Andrew McCabe, who served as Trump's deputy FBI director until he was fired in March. Peter Strzok, a fired FBI agent, FBI lawyer Lisa Page and senior Justice Department official Bruce Ohr were also named as under consideration. Democratic members of Congress said it smacked of an "enemies list" among fellow Americans and the behaviour of leaders in "dictatorships, not democracies." House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi slammed the move as a "stunning abuse of power." Revoking the security clearance of an honorable patriot is a stunning abuse of power & a pathetic attempt to silence critics. This is yet another disturbing attempt by @realdonaldtrump to distract & divert attention from his Admin's #cultureofcorruption, cronyism & incompetence. Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) August 15, 2018 Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, warned that a "dangerous precedent" was being set by "politicising the way we guard our national secrets just to punish the president's critics." 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. An enemies list is ugly, undemocratic and un-American. I also believe this action to silence a critic is unlawful. https://t.co/bfOhThIWfq Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) August 15, 2018 Several Republicans also weighed in, with Sen. Bob Corker saying: "Unless there's something tangible that I'm unaware of, it just, as I've said before, feels like a banana republic kind of thing." In a phone interview with MSNBC, Mr Brennan called the move an "abuse of power by Mr. Trump." "I do believe that Mr. Trump decided to take this action, as he's done with others, to try to intimidate and suppress any criticism of him or his administration," he said, adding that he would not be deterred from speaking out. Trump's action, critics and nonpartisan experts said, marked an unprecedented politicization of the federal government's security clearance process. It also was a clear escalation in Trump's battle with members of the U.S. intelligence community as the investigation into Russia election meddling and possible collusion and obstruction of justice continues. At least two of the former officials, Mr Comey and Mr McCabe, have said they do not currently hold security clearances. Mr Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, was not on the list. It is understood that Mr Trump's current director of national intelligence, Dan Coats, was not consulted on the decision to revoke Mr Brennan's clearance. Mr Trump first floated the idea of revoking the clearances of Obama era security officials who have been publicly critical of him in July. At the time, the White House accused them of "politicising and in some cases monetising their public service and security clearances" to make "baseless accusations" against the president. In response Mr Clapper described it as a "a very, very petty thing to do". "The president has that prerogative, but if he chooses to do it for political reasons I think that's a terrible precedent. It's petty retribution for speaking out against the president." An elephant never forgets, the saying goes. Or, at least, as my colleague and Fortune Editor in Chief Clifton Leaf explained a few weeks ago, it doesnt experience nearly the same level of brain deterioration that humans do as it ages despite having way more neurons. But the massive creatureswhich have lifespans that can reach up to 70 years (and in some cases, beyond)have another advantage over mammals like us lowly humans: They seem to be strikingly resistant to cancer. And new research suggests that a certain zombie gene reactivated over the course of elephants evolutionary process may be the reason why. The study published in the journal Cell Reports starts off by tackling what some might consider a common-sense hypothesis about cancer and the organisms that it affects: Large-bodied organisms have more cells that can potentially turn cancerous than small-bodied organisms, imposing an increased risk of developing cancer. This expectation predicts a positive correlation between body size and cancer risk. Makes sense, right? Cancer is the uninhibited multiplication of cells. The larger a species, the more cells that can fall prey to this bioligical malfunction. But heres the thingthere is no correlation between body size and cancer risk across species (Petos paradox), the researchers note. So whats going on here? Why are elephants, and a number of other mammals like bats and naked mole rats, seemingly resistant to cancer in a way that other humans arent? Scientist Vincent J. Lynch of the University of Chicago, a lead author of the study, explained some of the nuances to the Los Angeles Times. A version of the Leukemia Inhibiting Factor (LIF) genes that can hit the biological brakes on rapidly-growing malignant cells in animals were both present and active in certain modern elephants, even though theyd been turned inactive over evolutions course in multiple other animals. This LIF6 zombie gene as the authors dubbed it, once activated, went on to lead damaged, future-cancerous tissue to self destruct in a process called apoptosis. Story continues The researchers had a slightly, uh, nerdier way of putting things: These results suggest that refunctionalizing of a pro-apoptotic LIF pseudogene may have been permissive (although not sufficient) for the evolution of large body sizes in proboscideans. Whether or not such discoveries can eventually bolster human drug development is an open question. Fundamental differences in biology, as the researchers note, are millions of years in the making and can have unexpected effects. But our trunk-bearing cohabitants certainly offer plenty of food for thought in the life sciences. Subscribe to Brainstorm Health Daily, our newsletter about exciting health innovations. About an hour later, the Police Department was notified of another gunshot victim at a local hospital. The 38-year-old Waukegan man self-transported himself to the hospital, Florip said, where he was listed Thursday in serious but stable condition. Matteo Salvini, Italys deputy prime minister, suggested EU rules contributed to the Genoa bridge collapse (Getty) The EU has hit back at Italys populist government over suggestions its policies are to blame for the Genoa bridge collapse. The European Commissions daily press conference began with a detailed rebuttal to claims made by Matteo Salvini, Italys far-right interior minister, that EU spending constraints had contributed to the tragedy in which 39 people died. Spokesman Christian Spahr said the Commission, the EUs executive, had remained silent until now in respect of the terrible nature of the things that happened. But he added we think the time has come to make a few things clear and pointed out: Italy has been allocated 2.5bn in EU funds for infrastructure investment between 2014 and 2019 The Commission approved 8.5bn worth of state aid for Italian motorways improvements, including in the Genoa region. The EUs country specific recommendations published in May called on Italy to better target investment to foster infrastructural development. Spahr said: For the record, under the agreed fiscal rules, member states are free to set specific policy priorities. For instance, the development and maintenance of infrastructure. In fact, the EU has encouraged investment in infrastructure in Italy. A lorry abandoned on the remaining section of the 50-year-old bridge that collapsed on Tuesday (Getty) The Commission was responding to comments made by Salvini, the leader of the eurosceptic Northern League party and now Italys highest profile politician, during a visit to Genoa on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters at the scene of the tragedy, Salvini didnt point the finger directly at Brussels but strongly implied its policies had played a role. There are so many schools, hospitals, railways, rivers, and motorways that need maintenance, but often were told we cant spend money due to European constraints on our budget, which take our deficit and our GDP into account, amongst other things, he said. As a result, I think our next economic move must be centered around the safety of Italians, their right to life, work, and their health. With all due respect, only when those factors have been taken into account should constraints be considered. Story continues The Italian government has also singled out the company which operates the bridge, Autostrade per lItalia, for blame. Shares in the company have since fallen by around 22%. Shares in other Italian toll road companies also fell as Italian deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio suggested the government could strip private firms of contracts to run motorways in light of the accident. Its not possible that someone pays a toll to die, Di Maio said. Those who were supposed to do the maintenance work did not do it properly. That bridge should have been closed before this tragedy happened. The profits that these companies make as monopolies anger many people a lot of money should have been invested in security, but instead it went towards dividends. Emergency services are still searching the rubble in an operation that could continue for the next 48 hours, but they are not hopeful of finding any survivors. Melvin Harris is accused of murdering a man who allegedly attacked his daughter (Police handout) A father has been arrested over the death of a man who allegedly attacked his daughter inside a petrol station toilet. Melvin Harris has been charged with second-degree murder after the victim in the beating died of his injuries five days after the attack. A police report states that Harris stopped off at a petrol station in Phoenix, Arizona, while picking up his 16-yer-old daughter and her two friends shortly before midnight. The alleged attacker, named in local media as Leon Leevon Armstrong, apparently asked Harris for money before entering the QuikTrip store at the station. Harris daughter later emerged and reportedly told her father that Armstrong had tried to force his way into the toilet stall she was using. Harris allegedly beat a man who tried to enter a petrol station toilet that his daughter was using (Google) According to the police report, Harris went into the shop to notify a security guard, telling him he needed to take care of the situation or hed do it himself. Harris went to drive away, but pulled over the car after spotting Armstrong outside the shop. The report alleges that Harris then punched Armstrong in the face before continuing to kick and punch him as he lay on the ground. Harris later confessed to police after they tracked him down using CCTV footage. MOST POPULAR STORIES ON YAHOO UK TODAY Police tell shopkeeper to remove wanted posted because it breaches shoplifters rights Theres a 50-50 chance of a no-deal Brexit, warns Latvias foreign minister Spider season has arrived with 150 MILLION invading Britons homes due to heatwave Heatwave could continue for another four years, scientists warn In pictures: The contenders for Shed of the Year 2018 Mystery hairy sea monster washes up on Siberian beach and no one knows what it is He reportedly told officers he did not remember continuing the attack after the first punch, insisting to police that Armstrong swung first. Harriss fiancee, Diana Jackson, told KPHO-TV: Im not mad at him [Harris], I dont feel like he did anything wrong. He did what he was supposed to do for our kid. You cannot tell someone theyre wrong for protecting their children. Armstrong has a criminal history of shoplifting, trespassing and obstructing police, according to the Maricopa Sheriffs office. Only two per cent of venture capitalist investment goes to female led companies. Its shocking to me that in 2018, I am still labeled as a female founder and not just a founder, says Stephany Lapierre, founder and CEO of Tealbook. A recent study reveals that only two per cent of venture capitalist investment goes to female led companies. As women we always have to show more milestones but I see men repetitively acquire funding just by pitching ideas and that makes me wonder if its just because of a lack of women doing it, says Lapierre. If theres not enough of us doing it, how to we inspire change? Yahoo Canada Finance spoke to six different female founders across industries ranging from food to geological mining, in an attempt to better understand the roadblocks faced by women in Canadian business. Notably, all of them unanimously claim that we are at a tipping point and it is a great time to start a business as a woman. When you see other women succeed in business, it inspires you to do the same. says Leila Keshavjee, founder of popsicle company Happy Pops, who is also set to appear on season 13 of CBCs Dragons Den. While she found strong support with individual investors, she says that the big banks are very discouraging when it comes to young female entrepreneurs. Irrespective of the exponential growth of my business and excellent credit, the bank refused a credit limit higher than a $1,000, which was the same as what I was getting on my credit card as a student. Monika Jaroszonek, CEO and Co-founder of real estate development firm Ratio City, says that there is a misconception of requiring a tech background, which may stop many from starting out. There is a lot of opportunity for people with diverse backgrounds. With more publicity and the #MoveTheDial movement, it is only getting better for us. #MoveTheDial is a Toronto based organization that aims to increase participation of women in the tech industry to eliminate gender disparity. Additionally, Jaroszonek who is also part of the Women Founders Program at business incubator Ryerson DMZ finds Canadian investors are much more risk averse. There is a certain Canadian conservatism out there. American investors are willing to take bigger risk without wanting to see a demonstrated traction. Story continues Mayrose Salvador, Co-founder of educational organization Pueblo Science feels that lack of peer mentorship is an additional roadblock. We could use more support and mentorship from other female entrepreneurs. For some founders, the bias doesnt end at the funding stage. Shelby Yee, CEO and Co-founder of geotechnical mapping company RockMass Tech says that she has experienced bias at an operational level. In business meetings she finds industry professionals asking her male co-founder the technical questions. When that happens, I tend to jump in and answer the question anyways, so that the next time they feel encouraged to ask me. Karen Lau, founder of home furnishing company Furnishr finds the main reason holding back female entrepreneurs from entering the start up space to be self-doubt which rises from the way that women are raised culturally. We disqualify ourselves so much quicker than men to. Lau also cites her anecdotal evidence in saying that It is easier for men to bond with male investors. With two-thirds of VC investment committees being controlled by men, this could be an additional challenge and also why majority of the female-led start ups are also funded by female venture capitalists. But male investors and entrepreneurs are also needed to find a solution to the problem. David Souaid, President of Evolocity Financial Group, encourages more women to pursue entrepreneurship by providing a grant in collaboration with Startup Canada. I am a father of three daughters and for me, leveling the playing field is really important and helping fuel that with funding is a great way to move forward, says Souaid. According to Michelle McBane, director of the MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund, a strong business model and confidence in the idea can help overcome bias. All [of our] investments are measured based on criteria. We look at the Four Ts- Teams, Traction, Timing and Technology. The only gender bias at that point will be an unconscious one. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Kochi (India) (AFP) - Hundreds of troops led a desperate operation to rescue families trapped by mounting floods in India's Kerala state Thursday as the death toll reached 106 with nearly 150,000 left homeless. Helicopters airlifted stranded victims from rooftops and dam gates were thrown open as incessant torrential rain brought fresh havoc to the southern state that is a major international tourist draw. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state now faces an "extremely grave" crisis with more downpours predicted. The region's main airport has been ordered closed until August 26. The state, famed for palm-lined beaches at resorts such as Bekal and tea plantations, is always battered by the annual monsoon but this year's damage has been the worst in almost a century. The death toll had jumped to 106 late Thursday, a state disaster management official told AFP. Media reports said up to 30 more people were feared dead in landslides and rivers that burst their banks, flooding scores of villages. At least eight people were killed when an irrigation dam burst and a landslide hit three houses in the town of Nenmara, Palakkad district, authorities said. Vijayan said 80 dams have reached danger levels and appealed to the population not to ignore evacuation orders. Army and coastguard helicopters, lifeboats and navy diving teams have been brought to the stricken state where an extra 540 troops were deployed Thursday. More are due in coming days. The army said helicopters carried out scores of rescue operations. They also dropped food and water and appealed for victims to stand in open fields or on rooftops away from trees so helicopters were not damaged during rescue efforts. One state official said more than 1,330 camps have been opened across Kerala and 147,000 people had sought shelter by Thursday evening. "At least 6,500 people are stranded in different parts of Kerala and the situation in three districts is particularly grim," a separate state disaster management official told AFP. Story continues Floods have also hit other states, including Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, where eight people at a popular picnic spot were swept away by a sudden surge of water. - 'Please help' - In Kerala families could be seen paddling boats provided by the military, while in some areas families commandeered local wooden boats to ferry themselves to safety. The government says 10,000 kilometres (6,000 miles) of Kerala roads have been destroyed or damaged and hundreds of homes lost. It has ordered the opening of gates at 34 dams and reservoirs where water levels reached danger levels. Indian television broadcast images of cars and livestock washed away in the floods while men and women waded through chest-high waters that flowed through village streets. Many used social media to send rooftop distress calls, some with video. A member of parliament from Kerala, Shashi Tharoor, shared on Twitter an appeal for help made by a woman who said she was trapped on the third floor of a temple with phone batteries running out. "Over 36 people including myself and family stranded here. Phone network and charge finishing please help in any possible way," Devika Sreekumar said in the Facebook post. Greeta Mathew pleaded for help for her family in a Twitter message. "Anybody reading this,PLZ HELP. My relatives are stuck on the upper floor of house with an 8 months pregnant lady, in Edayaranmula, Pathanamthitta dist. All rescue control rooms' numbers busy. No rescue team reached yet. No contact with family since last evening," she said. North and central Kerala has been worst hit by the floods but all 14 of the state's districts have been put on "red alert" as heavy rain is predicted for several days. In the main city of Kochi, the international airport will remain closed until at least August 26, authorities said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday on Twitter that he has ordered the defence ministry "to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala". Florida Gov. Rick Scott issued a state of emergency due to impacts of red tide on Monday, Aug. 13. The state of emergency covers Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Red tide is a naturally occurring algae that has been documented along Florida's Gulf Coast since the 1840s and occurs nearly every year, according to the press release. Florida Red Tide 8-2018 A dead Snook is shown along the water's edge in Bradenton Beach, Florida, on Monday Aug. 6, 2018. From Naples in Southwest Florida, about 135 miles north, beach communities along the Gulf coast have been plagued with red tide. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) "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 the press release. "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." The resources include 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. The Visit Florida emergency grant program is to help local communities continue to bring in the visitors that support so many Florida families and businesses. Scott is also directing a further $900,000 in grants for Lee County to clean up impacts related to red tide, bringing the total red tide grant funding for Lee County to more than $1.3 million. The algae bloom is considered to be the longest red tide outbreak for the Gulf of Mexico in over a decade, and officials say it will most likely last until 2019. High concentrations of toxic algae, known as blooms, have affected at least 120 miles of the peninsula's Gulf of Mexico coast since November 2017. Story continues Officials say nearly 300 sea turtles have died because of the toxic bloom. Other sea life, such as pelicans, manatees and a whale shark, have washed ashore since this unprecedented bloom started. "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," Scott said. Florida red tide 8-2018 Work crew clean up dead fish on Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach, Florida, on Monday Aug. 6, 2018. Normally crystal clear water is murky, and the smell of dead fish permeates the air (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) "At Gov. Rick Scott's direction, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has mobilized all available resources to mitigate naturally occurring red tide, and executive director Eric Sutton has waived rules through an executive order to expedite the removal of dead fish," a FWC press release reads. FWC research teams are assessing the impacts of the fish killed as a result of this event. Their findings could help to inform potential management actions. "Having lived in South Florida for many years, I know how impactful these naturally occurring red tide events can be to local communities," said Eric Sutton, executive director of the FWC, said in the release. "We are actively working with local authorities in the most impacted areas and stand ready to provide assistance to local communities." Fish populations have been resilient to the impact of red tide, even after severe and prolonged red tide events. Despite arriving in dealer showrooms just a month ago, the 2019 Ford Mustang has received a price increase. The refreshed 2019 Camaro, meanwhile, arrives with a price cut. It's not just a horsepower war as the automakers adjust their pricing strategies to capture sales and maximize profits. Ford's upward price move isn't a terribly dramatic one. According to Cars Direct, the destination charge increases by $95 for all trim levels, rising from $900 to $995. Along with that hike, a few other Mustangs rise in price. Every Mustang powered by the 310-horsepower 2.3-liter turbo-4 jumps $275. That puts the starting price at $27,115 for a manual gearbox car. Add in the $1,595 for the 10-speed automatic and the base price becomes $28,710. The GT and new Bullitt Mustangs get no additional price jumps beyond the increased destination charge. On the other side of the fence, Chevy has dropped the price of its 2019 Camaro by as much as $3,000. At the bottom Camaro rung, the LS has a new starting price of $25,995, $905 less than the 2018 version. The LS is no longer available with the 335-hp 3.6-liter V-6 engine, either; it now comes only with Chevy's 275-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4. Further price cuts include the Camaro 1LT dropping $1,200 from its bottom line to arrive at $26,495. Camaro 2LT buyers will get that $3,000 price cut, as it's moved from $31,495 to $28,495. Like the Mustang, however, Chevy isn't budging on its big dog models. Both the Camaro SS and ZL1 solider on with starting prices of $37,995 and $62,495, respectively. What does this mean for potential buyers? It's great to see price cuts across the board on the Camaro, and the current car is the best driving Camaro ever built. GM's Alpha platform is fantastic. For those who want a Mustang, check dealer inventory for unsold 2018 models. Plenty can still be found on dealer lots, and the discounts should start adding up to make them good buys. America's two sportiest pony cars are better than ever, and now is a great time to buy them. This morning on "Fox and Friends," host Ainsley Earhardt made a historical gaffe while defending America. It started with the shows hosts criticizing New York governor Andrew Cuomo for saying during a speech, "We're not going to make America great again, it was never that great." Earhardt then launched into a spirited defense of America, starting with its military victories. She said, "We defeated communist Japan, radical Islamists..." Of course, any middle school student of history could let you know that Japan was an imperialist - not communist - nation led by Emperor Hirohito during World War II. Host Steve Doocy tried to subtly correct Earhardt although some people thought it only made the situation worse. He said the U.S. defeated "communism and Japan and so many other things as well." Fire crews told The Telegraph 'we are not going to stop searching' - www.alamy.com Up to 300 bridges, viaducts and tunnels in Italy are at risk of structural failure, experts warned, as the death toll from the collapse of a bridge in Genoa rose to 39, including three children. There were fears that the number of fatalities could rise further. Matteo Salvini, Italys interior minister, said it was hard to tell how many people were still unaccounted for simply because they were on holiday or under the rubble. He said the tragedy demonstrated the importance of increasing investments and hinted that EU spending limits could 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," Mr Salvini, who leads the eurosceptic League party, said. "There can be no trade-off between fiscal rules and the safety of Italians." The European Union pushed back against suggestions EU budget rules might be to blame. "We will not engage in any political finger pointing," the European Commission, the EU's executive in Brussels, said. The commission in Brussels said Italy was receiving billions of euros under the bloc's multi-annual budget for infrastructure investment and was "one of the main beneficiaries of the flexibility" under the 28-nation bloc's fiscal rules. British couple Genoa bridge collapse Around 70 per cent of Italys 15,000 motorway bridges and tunnels are more than 40 years old, many of them built during the post-war boom but now carrying far more traffic than they were designed for. Lack of investment, poor maintenance and, in some cases, the involvement of mafia-run building companies that use poor quality concrete to increase profits, could all contribute to disasters like the one in Genoa. They have problems that, if not addressed in time, could potentially lead to structural failures, a leading structural engineer told La Repubblica newspaper. Story continues The problem is not so much knowing which structures are at risk, but having the money to finance repairs and maintenance, said the expert, who asked for anonymity because he works for a company that assesses public infrastructure. Among the structures at risk was the Magliana Bridge in Rome, between the city centre and the capitals busiest airport, Fiumicino, he said. Italys CNR civil engineering society said that many structures dating from the 1960s, when the Morandi Bridge was built, had surpassed their lifespan. It called for a Marshall Plan" to repair or replace tens of thousands of Italian bridges and viaducts built in the post-war period. As investigators began to study what may have caused a 260ft-long portion of the raised motorway in Genoa to collapse, sending around 35 cars and several trucks plummeting to the ground, Italys populist government blamed the private company that managed it. Luigi Di Maio, deputy prime minister and the leader of the Five Star Movement, accused Autostrade per lItalia of chasing profits at the expense of public safety. Instead of investing money for maintenance, they divide the profits and that is why the bridge falls," he said. Autostrade, which operates nearly 2,000 miles of Italian motorways, is controlled by the Benetton group through its holding company, Atlantia. Mr Di Maio accused previous Italian governments of turning a blind eye to the upkeep of the countrys motorways because of political contributions. Fire crews told The Telegraph 'we are not going to stop searching' For the first time there is a government that does not take money from Benetton. Autostrade was protected by previous governments, he said. If the bridge was dangerous, then they should have closed it. The government said it wanted to revoke the contract awarded to Autostrade and hit the company with a massive fine of 150 million euros. "The first thing that should happen is that the heads of Autostrade per l'Italia should step down. And given that there have been breaches (of contract), I announce that we have begun the process for the eventual revocation of their contract and a fine of 150 million euros, transport minister Danilo Toninelli said on Facebook. Autostrade insisted the bridge had been constantly monitored and refuted accusations that it had not invested enough in maintenance. "In the last five years the company's investment in the security, maintenance and strengthening of the network has been over one billion euros a year," it said. Cars and trucks are left on a section of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa Credit: Nicola Marfisi/AP As the coalition, which consists of Five Star and the hard-Right League party, called for heads to roll, it emerged that in 2013 the founder of Five Star had opposed plans to build a new motorway that would have alleviated pressure on the Morandi bridge. Beppe Grillo, the founder of Five Star, dismissed warnings that the bridge could collapse as a fairy tale on his widely-read blog. When the plans for the new motorway were blocked, one leading industrialist predicted that the Genoa bridge would fail. When, in 10 years time, the Morandi bridge collapses, and everyone is stuck in traffic jams for hours, well need to remember the names of those who said no (to the project), said Giovanni Calvini, who was then regional president of Confindustria, an employers association. Rescue personnel use cranes to sort through debris from the Morandi motorway bridge Credit: VALERY HACHE/ AFP Arcangelo Merella, a former member of Genoa city council with responsibility for transport, said: I was saying that the bridge was at risk, that it was no longer adequate and that there was the need to find an alternative because the traffic was becoming heavier all the time. As Genoas mayor declared two days of mourning, there was anger among locals over the fact that repeated warnings about the safety of the bridge went unheeded. Several locals told The Telegraph that the structure shook noticeably when trucks rolled across it and many residents worried about crossing over and under it. The bridge had to withstand more than 25 million vehicle crossings a year, with traffic volumes quadrupling in the last 30 years. A truck is perched on the remaining section of the collapsed Morandi bridge Credit: STEFANO RELLANDINI/ REUTERS The number of vehicles using the bridge was expected to grow by 30 per cent over the next 30 years. An engineering report released in 2009 studied the possibility of the bridge being demolished because of concerns over its structural integrity. The city is sad and of course the mourning comes first, but the city is also angry, because for years we have talked about substituting this bridge and it was never done, said Paolo Maggio, a 46-year-old taxi driver. This will be a huge hit for the economy it will impact cargo traffic to and from the airport, the ports, to France. For months, Genoa will be cut in half. Andrea Rescin, one of the first local residents to call the emergency services after the bridge crashed to the ground, said: It sounded like a bomb had gone off, the first thing I thought was that it was an explosion. Giuseppe Conte, the prime minister, declared a state of emergency for Genoa, one of the countrys busiest ports, whose main land corridor with France has now effectively been severed. He also announced five million euros of funds going into recovery work. El presidente de EEUU, Donald Trump, y la canciller alemana, Angela Merkel, en una reuniAn bilateral durante la cumbre de la OTAN en Bruselas, BAlgica, 11 de julio de 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Germany decried Donald Trumps withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal in May and also pledged to help firms to continue to do business with the country even though the US president said anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States in a tweet. However, it looks like the eurozones largest economy has relented to Trumps threats after German state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn and Deutsche Telekom (DTE.DE) confirmed that they are are ending projects in Iran. This follows German carmaker Daimler (DAI.F) halting all activities in the country too. It is perhaps unsurprising that Germany has been rolling back its dealings with Iran after assessing the numbers. While 10,000 German companies trade with Iran and around 120 German firms operate and have staff of their own in the country, including Siemens (SIE.DE), this is pocket change for the economy when compared with dealings it has with the US. While German exports to Iran hit $3.42bn in 2017, this is only worth 0.2% of its total exports. The figures are perhaps not enough to risk causing further pain by triggering Trump to double down on his protectionist trade measures. After all, Germany is USs largest trading partner in the European Union, accounting for 30% of the blocs total exports of $127bn last year. Germany also imported $52bn worth of US goods in 2017. Germanys ally France also seems to be following suit. Despite standing side-by-side to renounce Trumps stance on Iran in May, Frances oil giant Total (FP.PA) and carmakers Peugeot (UG.PA) and Renault (RNO.PA) have already suspended plans to invest in Iran. A cyber attack on India's Cosmos Bank took place across 28 countries, with high street cash machines targeted to extract 10m - PA Cyber criminals have hacked cash machines in 28 countries to loot over 10 million from an Indian bank. Hackers infected the bank's credit card payment system with malware, which allowed them to approve transactions and access client accounts. Fake credit cards were then used to force ATMs around the world to dispense cash worth about $13 million until they were empty. The attack on Cosmos Bank, based in the Indian city of Pune, came just days after a warning of an imminent attack from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) last week. The FBI issued a warning to global banks that it feared there would be a global cyber attack of ATMs within days. UK-based banks with large international operations, such as HSBC and Barclays, are among those made aware of the threat. The FBI said that it had intelligence that criminals were going to hack into a banking system using a highly choreographed fraud scheme known as ATM "jackpotting", in which crooks hack a bank or payment card processor and use cloned cards at cash machines around the world to take out millions in just a few minutes. Cyber experts have suggested that the attack may have been led by hackers from the so-called Lazarus organisation, an infamous gang of cyber criminals that has been linked to other scams. However, the group has not confirmed its involvement. Zeki Turedi, technology strategist at Crowdstrike, said the apparent complexity and scale of the heist suggested it was highly likely carried out by sophisticated actors with access to significant resources. This could potentially include groups with a level of state support. Some banks use older operating systems that leave them more vulnerable to hackers, Lu Zurawski, consumer payments practice lead at payments system company ACI Worldwide said. Story continues "Bank systems may indeed be able to monitor irregularities and react by shutting down ATMs and involving law enforcement agencies at known trouble spots," he said. "But gangs are pretty savvy and nippy their 'cash mules' could remove tens of thousands of pounds before any police turn-up." The bank told Reuters that its payments system was bypassed in the attack. Cosmos Bank said in a statement to Reuters: During the malware attack, a proxy switch was created and all the fraudulent payment approvals were passed by the proxy switching system." ATM jackpotting is increasingly common. In one incident in Thailand in 2016, thieves made off in minutes with 12 million baht or about 280,000 from cash machines by targeting ATMs run by Government Savings Bank, a state-owned Thai bank based in Bangkok. In another case in the US, criminals siphoned about $570,000 in cash from ATMs operated by the National Bank of Blacksburg in two separate attacks in 2016 and 2017. A heroic father suffered severe injuries while trying to save his son from plunging off a balcony in Australia. Brad Lewis, 42, was with his two sons at a friends home playing with a Nerf gun when things took a tragic turn, and both Lewis and his son ended up falling from a balcony onto the cement pavement below. His son shot a few Nerf gun bullets at him, a GoFundMe page started to help the family reads. Brad's son, Oscar, ran out to the balcony to check where the bullets had gone, lost his balance and began to tumble over the railing. Lewis lunged to save his son and managed to grab him but both of them fell over the railing together, according to the GoFundMe page. During the fall, Brad recalls that he made sure he pinned Oscar to his chest and curled around him so that he could take the brunt of the impact not Oscar, the page states. Lewis sustained head and neck injuries, cracked his skull open, and bruised his brain among other injuries, according to the page. Doctors have expressed their astonishment that Brad is in fact still alive having sustained the injuries that he did, the post read. If not for Brad's heroic actions it is unlikely that his son, Oscar, would have been so lucky. The GoFundMe for the family has already raised more than $50,000 of its $150,000 goal. The family is expecting it to take six to 12 months for Brad to recover. While the family are still trying to come to terms with what happened, they are so incredibly grateful for the out pouring of support from their family, friends and the wider community many of you they don't even know. RELATED STORIES Father and Son Have Emotional Reunion More Than a Month After Border Separation Loving Daughter Stages Wedding Day Dance With Her Dying Father Dying Father Walks Bride Down the Aisle in His Final Hours Related Articles: Plans being considered by Home Secretary Sajid Javid about how to register EU citizens have been derided (Getty) The Home Office has been accused of acting like a budget airline after it emerged it is considering registering EU citizens after Brexitaccording to alphabetical order. European Parliament Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt made the comparison today in response to reports about the prospect for the completely arbitrary process which could leave some waiting over two years for confirmation they can remain in the country. He said it would create uncertainty and confusion and called on the UK government to adopt a simple, efficient & fair process, not one a budget airline would be proud of. EP Brexit Steering Group is deeply concerned by reports EU citizens in UK may be registered alphabetically.Such an arbitrary approach would create uncertainty & confusion.We need a simple,efficient & fair process, not one a budget airline would be proud of https://t.co/0xhQAsBX2n Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) August 16, 2018 There are currently around three million EU citizens living in the UK. Those who have been living in the UK for five years or more by the end of 2020 will be able to apply for settled status. The Home Office has announced that registration will open later this year but has so far released few details of how the system will work. It was reported this week by Business Insider that the department is considering processing applications based on the first letter of their surname. That is one of three options under consideration but seen as the least politically sensitive. The others are to process applications by economic sector or region. MORE: Revealed: The full list of gifts given to EU Brexit chief Michel Barnier A source told the website the scheme would be light touch, simple and very quick. But the European Parliaments Brexit steering group, a cross-party group of six MEPs led by Verhofstadt, said it was deeply concerned by the plan to register citizens alphabetically. Story continues We believe such an approach would be complicated, arbitrary and could create unnecessary confusion and uncertainty for millions of EU citizens already living in limbo, read a joint statement from the group. Guy Verhofstadt visited Westminster earlier this year to discuss Brexit issues such as the settled status scheme (Getty) Those at the end of the alphabet may not get their status confirmed until the end of 2020 or later, which would be intolerable and contrary to the spirit of the assurances we have previously received. We repeat our belief that the UKs registration scheme must be simple, fair, user-friendly, free and provide certainty for EU citizens. Its not the first time the Home Offices plans for the scheme have been derided in Brussels. MORE: EU under fire from British expats left out of Brexit legal advice scheme Yahoo Finance UK reported in April how a mobile phone app being developed by the Home Office to allow EU citizens to apply for settled status doesnt work with iPhones. The problem was revealed when Home Office officials gave a presentation about the system at the European Parliament. MEPs present were left flabbergasted when the officials suggested people without an Android phone could borrow one. Its just beyond belief, said Lib Dem MEP Catherine Bearder, while Labour MEP Claude Moraes pointed out that would exclude 50% of mobile phone users. MORE: Government app to register EU citizens after Brexit wont work with iPhones Hundreds of newspapers have banded together this week to push back against President Trump's attacks on the media. (Photo: JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/Getty Images) Hundreds of U.S. newspapers are banding together this week to fight back against President Donald Trumps war on the free press. The Boston Globe had called last week for publications nationwide to publish editorials this Thursday that push back against Trumps repeated attacks on the media. The Globe said more than 300 outlets ranging from major publications to smaller, local outfits had committed to writing their own unique editorial challenging the president. From Tucson, Arizona, to Chicago, Illinois; Hartford, Connecticut, to Dallas, Texas; and Athens, Ohio, to Bismarck, North Dakota, papers from across the nation have followed through with their promise today, publishing editorials that have each been constructed with different words but bear a shared message: Mr. President, journalists are not the enemy. Even the New York Post the conservative-leaning daily owned by News Corp titan and Trump friend Rupert Murdoch published an editorial. We stand with our colleagues, the papers editorial board wrote. Trump tweeted Thursday in response to the Globes initiative. The Boston Globe, which was sold to the the Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses & investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018 The New York Times purchased the Globe for $1.1 billion in 1993 and sold it 20 years later to John W. Henry, owner of the Boston Red Sox, for $70 million, according to a Times press release from 2013. Trump then tweeted about his views on a free press. There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018 Scroll down to see a sampling of the editorials published today. And remember to subscribe to your local paper. Story continues This story has been updated with Trumps response. Liza Hearon contributed reporting. The Globe editorial board called for an end to President Trumps sustained assault on the #FreePress. Hundreds of publishers around the US answered that call https://t.co/XpgjyrODMp pic.twitter.com/7lnSTlE6Sh The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) August 15, 2018 Answering a call last week from The @BostonGlobe, The @NYTimes Editorial Board is joining more than 200 newspapers, from large metro-area dailies to small local weeklies, to remind readers of the value of Americas #FreePress. https://t.co/MYMtoPQbLf NYT Opinion (@nytopinion) August 15, 2018 Editorial Dear President Trump: We aren't enemies of the people. We're a check on government https://t.co/JDZAlcxEHS pic.twitter.com/EsUtbtoc1b Tribune Edit Board (@Trib_ed_board) August 15, 2018 A rare - and powerfully written - front-page editorial in tomorrow's Philadelphia Inquirer, joining 300-plus news orgs in calling out Trump for his war on a free press that threatens democracy. Please read it, share it, and let's get #FreePress trending https://t.co/f158i0qX7W Will Bunch (@Will_Bunch) August 15, 2018 Our editorial in tomorrows Post: Sorry President Trump, Mayor de Blasio, Gov. Cuomo and the rest of yallvilifying us wont stop us from doing our jobs. The press isnt scared of you, and in the end truth will out https://t.co/UOMlQNndFg Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 16, 2018 Daily News | Stop the war on a free press | Editorial https://t.co/RLGNBwd0aS Philly Daily News (@PhillyDailyNews) August 15, 2018 Editorial: President Trump, we are not the nations enemy Enough. We cant sit silently. These attacks on the press are an attack on our countrys democracy. #FreePress https://t.co/3Yf4QbCZbH pic.twitter.com/XYV3RAlcOq Daniel Borenstein (@BorensteinDan) August 15, 2018 My hometown paper, the Hillsboro (Kan.) Free-Press, has joined the editorials defending the, ahem, free press. Trump won 72 percent of the vote in that county in 2016. The courage they're displaying is remarkable. pic.twitter.com/W5p4cVyXkC Joel Mathis (@joelmmathis) August 16, 2018 Editorial | The media is the enemy only if you dont want to know what your government is doing https://t.co/PHakZv57CZ #mepolitics pic.twitter.com/huh9KEcqw2 Bangor Daily News (@bangordailynews) August 15, 2018 South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Board joins news organizations telling President Trump to stop calling the press America's enemy. https://t.co/lGQmZvnChV pic.twitter.com/BEj2m7HTC4 Sun Sentinel Opinion (@SoFlaOpinion) August 15, 2018 Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. On Aug. 9, the Syrian army dropped leaflets on the province of Idlib telling residents that the war is nearing its end and urging them to cooperate with government forces. One showed grainy pre-war images of an old woman embracing a soldier; a young man studying; and a leafy, peaceful Damascus street: This is how we were before terrorism, it read. Then came photos of a destroyed neighborhood, a young boy carrying an unexploded shell, and women covered in niqabs and chained together. Its time to stop the bloodshed and destruction, another flyer said. For years, Syrias defeated rebels have fled to the northern territory of Idlib, which was established as a de-escalation zone guaranteed by Turkey, Russia and Iran. As the government retook areas like Aleppo and eastern Ghouta, surrendering fighters and their families were sent to Idlib under a deal negotiated by the regimes ally Russia. Now it is the last major opposition-held region in the countryand the last major obstacle to President Bashar Assad declaring victory. His regime is sending tanks north and has scaled up air attacks in preparation for what could be the final battle in this seven-year-long civil war. But the siege-until-surrender strategy that allowed the government to retake control of other territories may be less feasible in Idlib. The province is home to more than 2 million people, including 70,000 fighters belonging to more than a dozen rebel factions. Although many of these groups are aligned against one another, few are likely to raise the white flag if Assads forces stage a major operation. The morale here is highthe rebels and fighters here in Idlib are ready for any attack by the regime, Amer Abu Anas, an opposition fighter in southern Idlib, tells TIME. Abu Anas says that in recent weeks, rebel groups have cracked down on dissent in Idlib, arresting those they think could side with the regime or seek reconciliation. There should be no room for negotiations with the Syrian regime. This time we will fight to the last man. Story continues Yet despite their bravado, its unlikely these poorly armed, divided opposition groups can fend off the Syrian army and its allied militia backed by Iran and Russia. The U.N. and human-rights groups have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe if the Syrian government tries to retake Idlib by military force. Such a confrontation could push millions of refugees toward the Turkish border north of Idlib, raising the possibility of a broader conflagration. Turkey provides significant support to many opposition groups, notes Yezid Sayigh, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center, and has its own military presence of 1,300 on the ground. Turkey has fashioned itself the protector of parts of northern Syria, putting troops on the ground in Idlib as part of an agreement reached with Russia. Having taken in more than 3 million Syrians already, the last thing it wants is a military confrontation that would send a fresh wave of refugees its way. Nor does Russia, arguably the Syrian regimes most powerful friend, see the value in retaking Idlib. In late July, Russias special envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, said that any large-scale operation in Idlib is out of the question. Russia would like to see all of Syria under Assads control, but a full-scale military engagement would be costly, especially with Turkey involved. Joost Hiltermann, director of the Middle East & North Africa program at the International Crisis Group, says he believes Turkey and Russia will stop the conflict from escalating. In order for the regime to carry out a major assault on Idlib, you would have to have a major breakdown in relations between Russia and Turkey, he says. And I dont see any breakdown at the moment. Turkey is in a bad state with the U.S. Turkey needs Russia. It needs other friends. Russia, he adds, will also want to keep Turkey onside. But its not clear if the interests of external powers will be enough to prevent bloodshed. Some of the more extreme rebel groups may not abide by Turkish orders. Even if Turkey can build an alliance of friendly rebels, that coalition might not follow Ankaras orders if provoked. At the same time, the Syrian government has little patience for the diplomatic approach, even in the face of Russias misgivings. On the same day that Lavrentyev ruled out a major assault on Idlib, the regimes representative to the U.N., Bashar Jaafari, said that if talks fail, the government would indeed retake it by force. When it comes to the recapture of all Syrian territories, Jaafari said, there is no compromise. For now, Idlib can only await its fate. Mustafa Hassan, a civilian who was displaced several times before settling in Idlib with his wife and five children, says military action has already increased in southern Idlib, but for now its mostly calm in the historically more populous northern part of the province. Yet he fears there will be a prolonged and bloody battle if the regime does launch a full-scale assault. There are thousands of opposition fighters who came from many other areas and were sent here by the government, Hassan says. There is no other place for those fighters to go now. They will fight until they die this time. Instagrammers are risking their lives in pursuit of the perfect picture [Photo: Nandhu Kumar via Pexels] The search for the perfect Instagram shot at a waterfall in the US may have cost some users their lives, an expert has warned. The Kaaterskill Falls in the Catskill Mountains has seen its popularity soar of late thanks to its totally Instagrammable beauty. But for some capturing that beauty has come at a tragic price. In 2016, two people lost their lives at the scenic falls and since 1992 there have been at least eight fatal accidents. Kaaterskill Falls#weekendadventures #kaaterskillfalls #catskillmountains A post shared by Jingya Qu (@quyayayaya) on Aug 13, 2018 at 7:20pm PDT According to a New York forest ranger, the last four people who died at the falls were taking or posing for pictures and he believes the pursuit of the perfect picture to post to social media could be to blame. Just talking to people who come up here, they say, Yeah, we saw this on the internet were trying to find it, state forest ranger Rob Dawson told NY Times. The unfortunate thing is, with those pictures, theres nothing informing people that you could get seriously hurt here, too. By way of tackling the problem the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has implemented new safety measures including a stone staircase, a viewing platform, new fencing, warning signs, hand railings and a new bridge. It isnt the first time people have risked their lives in pursuit of the perfect picture. Earlier this year Instagram star Katarina Elle Zarutskie, who boasts over 44,000 followers, was floating in the clear waters of Staniel Cay in the Bahamas among dozens of sharks when a five-footer took a bite out of her arm. And last month a couple were criticised for a photographic stunt they performed dangerously close to an approaching plane at a beach notorious for low-flying aircraft. Though theres no doubt the image they created was impressive, it caused quite the backlash on social media after a New Zealand woman died when she fell from the blast of a departing plane at the same beach a year ago. Story continues Somehow that dreamy Instagram shot no longer seems worth the risk, right? Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK. Read more from Yahoo Style UK: Lena Dunham marks anniversary of her hysterectomy with trio of nude selfies Facebook and Instagrams latest tool could curb your social media addiction Social media sites silence women and promote mens posts instead Rome (AFP) - Italy has asked Malta to accept some 170 rescued migrants, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Thursday, the day after another 141 docked on the island after a landmark agreement with its EU partners. Salvini said the migrants were first sighted in waters where Malta had responsibility for search and rescue missions but a Maltese vessel, after approaching them, "offered no assistance." Instead, "the Maltese escorted the migrant boat towards Italian (search and rescue) waters and an Italian coast guard vessel picked up the migrants without first informing the interior ministry and while they were still in Maltese waters," he said. The far-right Salvini who has promised to end unrestricted migrant arrivals in Italy, said he had "asked the Italian vessel to contact the Maltese authorities ... to make available a port where they could land." "After having accepted some 700,000 migrants in the past few years, I think Italy has more than done its duty -- and that of others," he added. Hundreds of thousands of migrants from across Africa and the Middle East have made their way to Europe, most crossing the Mediterranean in rickety boats operated by unscrupulous people smugglers. Italy and Greece have been on the frontline of the influx, pressing their European Union peers to do more to cope with the problem, especially by taking in some of the migrants for processing. On Wednesday, the French NGO rescue ship Aquarius docked in Malta with 141 migrants on board after France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and Italy offered to take in some of them and another 114 who landed on Monday. Malta and Italy both initially refused to let the Aquarius dock. Robert Farley Security, Asia Had the war not come, Japan would have bankrupted itself spending on these massive ships. Japan Had Plans to Build Battleships with 20-Inch Guns. This Is Why It Never Happened. Had the war not come, Japan would have bankrupted itself spending on these massive ships. Japan lacked the industrial capacity to compete with the United States; indeed, even if it had managed to seize and keep wide swaths of East Asia, it could not have matched U.S. industrial production for decades. The United States would have responded to Japanese construction with even larger, more deadly ships, and of course eventually with submarines, aircraft and guided missiles. In January 1936 Japan announced its intention to withdraw from the London Naval Treaty, accusing both the United States and the United Kingdom of negotiating in bad faith. The Japanese sought formal equality in naval construction limits, something that the Western powers would not give. In the wake of this withdrawal, Japanese battleship architects threw themselves into the design of new vessels. The first class to emerge were the 18.1-inch-gun-carrying Yamatos, the largest battleships ever constructed. However, the Yamatos were by no means the end of Japanese ambitions. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) planned to build another, larger class of super battleships, and had vague plans for even larger ships to succeed that class. War interceded, but had Japan carried out its plans it might have deployed monster battleships nearly as large as supercarriers into the Pacific. (This first appeared in 2016.) Super Yamatos The A-150 class would have superseded the Yamatos, building on experience with that class to produce a more formidable, flexible fighting unit. Along with the Yamatos, these ships were expected to provide the IJN with an unbeatable battle line to protect its Pacific possessions, along with newly acquired territories in Southeast Asia and China. Story continues Recommended: Could the Battleship Make a Comeback? The A-150s would theoretically have carried six 510-millimeter (twenty-inch) guns in three twin turrets, although if problems had developed in the construction of that gun they could have carried the same main armament as the Yamatos. The 510-millimeter guns would have wreaked havoc on any existing (or planned) American or British battleships, but would also have caused substantial blast issues for the more delicate parts of the ship. The A-150s would have carried heavier armor than their smaller cousins, more than sufficient to protect from the heaviest weapons in the American or British arsenals. The secondary armament would have included a substantial number of 3.9-inch dual-purpose guns, a relatively small caliber suggesting that the A-150s may have relied on support vessels to protect them from enemy cruisers and destroyers. Recommended: America's Battleships Went to War Against North Korea Design compromises limited the effectiveness of the Yamatos by reducing their speed and range; they could not keep up with the fastest IJN carriers, and burned too much fuel for economic employment in campaigns such as Guadalcanal. The A-150s would likely have been somewhat faster (thirty knots) than the Yamatos, with a longer range more suitable for missions deep into the Pacific. Recommended: How the U.S. Navy Wanted to Merge Aircraft Carriers and Battleships The construction of the Yamatos challenged the capacity of the Japanese steel and shipbuilding industries, and the A-150s would have strained them even more. For example, producing the armor plate necessary to protect a battleship against twenty-inch guns was simply beyond Japans industrial capacity, and would have required serious compromises. Moreover, the IJN would have struggled to surround the A150s with support units. While the USN committed to building an enormous number of heavy cruisers, light cruisers and aircraft carriers in addition to the battleship fleet, Japan completed only a small handful of these ships during the war. Little is known about the successors to the A-150 class, which would have been larger, faster and more heavily armed. Potentially displacing a hundred thousand tons, and carrying eight twenty-inch guns in four twin turrets, even the contemplation of such ships would have required a serious revision of economic realities in East Asia. In any case, the changes in naval technology that rendered the battleship obsolete likely would have become obvious before any of these monsters had entered service. Strategic and Economic Folly Japan ordered two A-150 battleships in the 1942 construction program. The first would have succeeded HIJMS Shinano on the dock; the second, the never named fourth sister of the Yamato class. However, wartime demands for smaller ships (and eventually for aircraft carriers) meant that neither ship was ever laid down. But the war only exposed underlying economic realities; it did not forge them. Japan barely had the industrial capacity to build the initial Yamatos, along with all of the support ships that the battlefleet would require. This is the dirty little secret of the entire Washington Naval Treaty system; the United Kingdom could outpace Japanese construction by a wide margin, and the United States could outpace both combined, if it decided to do so. The treaty system prevented an arms race that Japan could not possibly have won, whether in 1921 or in 1937. Japans GDP at the beginning of World War II was a bit over half that of Britains, and less than a quarter that of the United States. Japans naval success at the beginning of the Pacific War happened because of the treaties, not despite them. The IJN played a poor hand very well, but in any kind of extended naval competition against the United States, the UK, or a combination of the two, it could not win. Upon discovering the existence of these ships, the United States would have begun to construct even larger battleships, as well as other means of sinking large battleships. Indeed, in 1952 the United States laid down USS Forrestal, the first of a class of four aircraft carriers substantially larger than the A-150 class battleships. Conclusion Had the war not come, Japan would have bankrupted itself spending on these massive ships. Japan lacked the industrial capacity to compete with the United States; indeed, even if it had managed to seize and keep wide swaths of East Asia, it could not have matched U.S. industrial production for decades. The United States would have responded to Japanese construction with even larger, more deadly ships, and of course eventually with submarines, aircraft and guided missiles. Warships are (imperfect) reflections of existing economic realities. Timing, technology and grand strategy matter, but in raw competition involving mature technologies, superior economic strength will eventually prevail. The Japanese economy would eventually become competitive with that of the UK, and even the United States, but this would only happen in context of an open trading system with access to the European and American markets. No battleship could carry guns large enough to bring that outcome about. 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 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. Story continues 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. Known as the Kindergarten Individual Development Survey, or KIDS, the data collected is aimed at putting critical information about childrens early development into the hands of policymakers, schools and communities. The effort is seen as a way to show how achievement gaps start before kids enter public schools. Bamako (AFP) - Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has been re-elected for a five-year term after winning 67.17 percent of the vote in a runoff, the government announced on Thursday. Opposition challenger and former finance minister Soumaila Cisse, who also ran against Keita in 2013, won 32.83 percent on Sunday, Local Government Minister Mohamed Ag Erlaf said on national television, giving provisional figures. Turnout was low, at 34.5%. Violence, low public enthusiasm and accusations of fraud marred the vote. Cisse, 68, on Monday said he would reject the results. Keita, 73, will take office on September 4, with hopes he can strengthen a 2015 peace accord between the government, government-allied groups and former Tuareg rebels. Mali, a landlocked nation home to at least 20 ethnic groups where the majority of people live on less than $2 (1.76 euros) a day, has battled jihadist attacks and intercommunal violence for years. Islamist attacks have spread from the north to the centre and south of the vast country and spilled into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, often inflaming communal conflicts. On Wednesday, the opposition claimed a technician working for Cisse was tortured while detained by security forces for three days. Internet access was cut on mobile networks in Bamako on Thursday morning ahead of the announcement, AFP journalists witnessed. Chinas repression of a mostly Muslim minority has left the western Xinjiang region resembling a massive internment camp, a U.N. human-rights expert said at a summit on racial discrimination on Aug. 10. The U.N. panel cited credible reports that Chinese authorities have put more than 1 million Uighurs in internment camps and subjected 2 million more to re-education programs. China says its merely cracking down on extremists. Muslim Oppression The Uighurs, a primarily Muslim ethnic group originating in central Asia, make up around 40% of Xinjiangs 19 million people. Since hard-liner Chen Quanguo took over the regional government in 2016, restrictions on religious activities and cultural expression have intensified. In 2017, Xinjiang barred veils in public and abnormally long beards. Locals must pass through regular police checkpoints. Human-rights groups say Muslims are often detained without charge and sent to indoctrination camps, and many are abused and tortured in custody. Democracy activists have urged the U.S. to confront Chinas leaders. Extremist Excuse China rejects the U.N. panels allegations and says it is attempting to stamp out religious extremism and sectarianism in Xinjiang. The province has suffered episodes of violence since bloody clashes broke out in 2009 between Uighurs and the Han majority; 197 people, mostly Han, died. State media said on Aug. 12 that increased security measures have saved Xinjiang from becoming Chinas Syria. Church and State Since coming to power in 2012, President Xi Jinping has led a drive to subjugate both Islam and Christianity to Chinese identity. At places of worship across the country, authorities have swapped minarets and crosses for Chinese flags, reminding citizens to prioritize the atheist Communist Party above all else. The crackdown comes amid a dramatic expansion of Chinas surveillance apparatus, which is using tools like facial recognition and artificial intelligence to weed out dissidents and reward loyalty. With China firmly under the control of the party, differencereligious or otherwiseis increasingly not to be tolerated. WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on primaries in Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont and Wisconsin (all times local): 11:10 p.m. Democratic Rep. Tim Walz has won a three-way primary for Minnesota governor. Walz leveraged his rural Minnesota connections and a geographically balanced ticket to defeat state Rep. Erin Murphy and Attorney General Lori Swanson in Tuesday's primary. Walz is leaving Congress after six terms representing southwestern Minnesota. Walz's outstate appeal and pedigree as a former teacher and a National Guard veteran had long made him a favorite among Democrats trying to hang on to the office as two-term Gov. Mark Dayton retires. But he lost the party's endorsement in June to Murphy and shook up his campaign soon afterward. ___ 11:05 p.m. County Commissioner Jeff Johnson has beaten former Gov. Tim Pawlenty in Minnesota's Republican primary for governor, derailing Pawlenty's bid to reclaim his old job. Johnson won Tuesday 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. Johnson 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. 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. ___ 10:55 p.m. Madison businessman and political newcomer Bob Stefanowski has won the Republican primary for Connecticut governor, defeating four fellow GOP contenders. The 56-year-old former General Electric executive promoted his ability to turn around struggling companies and dubbed himself "Bob the Rebuilder" in his campaign advertisements. Stefanowski was the second-biggest spender in the campaign primary, trailing only former Greenwich hedge fund manager David Stemerman. Story continues Stemerman and former Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst questioned Stefanowski's Republican pedigree, noting he became a Democrat only to switch back to the GOP shortly before announcing his candidacy for governor. Stefanowski was the first to launch a major TV ad campaign in the race. He has called for eliminating the personal income tax. Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is not seeking a third term. ___ 10:40 p.m. A Wisconsin state senator and close ally to Gov. Scott Walker has defeated a former Marine who cast himself as a political outsider in the state's Republican primary for U.S. Senate. Leah Vukmir beat Kevin Nicholson in Tuesday's primary and now advances to face Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Vukmir won the endorsement of the Wisconsin Republican Party and the backing of most prominent GOP officeholders, including House Speaker Paul Ryan. 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 Donald Trump. Nicholson failed to overcome his past as a Democrat. He also lost despite millions more being spent on his behalf by outside groups. ___ 10:25 p.m. Former Meriden Mayor Manny Santos has won the Republican nomination for the U.S. House seat being vacated by Connecticut Rep. Elizabeth Esty of Connecticut, who came under fire for her handling of a sexual harassment case in her office. The party's endorsed candidate defeated two GOP rivals Ruby Corby O'Neill of Southbury and Rich Dupont of Watertown in Tuesday's primary. Santos has called President Donald Trump's economic policies "dead on" and has vowed to fight tax increases and unnecessary spending. He comes into the general election at a significant financial disadvantage. Recent reports show he has less than $500 in cash still on hand for the race. Esty, a Democrat, abruptly announced in April she would not seek a fourth term. She apologized for not protecting her employees. ___ 10:20 p.m. Pete Stauber has won the GOP primary for the northeastern Minnesota congressional seat being vacated by Democrat Rick Nolan. Stauber, a St. Louis County Commissioner and retired Duluth police officer, defeated former Duluth School Board member Harry Robb Welty on Tuesday to advance to a general election contest that's seen as one of the Republicans' best chances anywhere in the country of picking up a House seat now held by a Democrat. The 8th District was once a Democratic stronghold but has evolved into a swing district. Stauber's campaign got a boost from visits in June by President Donald Trump and last week by Vice President Mike Pence. Trump carried the district by 15 percentage points in 2016. ___ 10:10 p.m. U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison has won Minnesota's Democratic primary for attorney general. Ellison defeated four other candidates to win Tuesday's primary days after a former girlfriend accused him of domestic abuse. Ellison denied the allegation. Ellison decided to give up his safe Minneapolis-area seat to try for attorney general when incumbent Lori Swanson ran for governor. He said it was a chance to make a difference in pushing back against some of President Donald Trump's policies that he says are hurting people. In 2006, Ellison became the first Muslim elected to Congress. He is also vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Republicans haven't held the Minnesota attorney general seat for more than half a century. ___ 10:08 p.m. Randy Bryce, a union ironworker known as "Iron Stache," has won the Democratic primary in the race to replace retiring House Speaker Paul Ryan. Bryce defeated Janesville schoolteacher Cathy Myers in Tuesday's primary. Former Ryan aide Bryan Steil (STY'-uhl) was the Republican front-runner, facing token opposition in the primary. Bryce captured national attention with a slick announcement video last year, before Ryan announced his retirement. He's raised more than $6 million, six times what Myers brought in. He 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. But opponents argue that Bryce's past, which includes failing to pay child support and a 20-year-old drunken-driving arrest, makes him unreliable and unelectable. ___ 10:05 p.m. Jennifer Zielinski has won a three-way Republican primary for the Minnesota seat in Congress being vacated by Democrat Keith Ellison. The 35-year-old Zielinski had the GOP endorsement over two little-known rivals. She is a business services worker for Allina Health who hasn't held elected office before. The Minneapolis-area seat is so reliably liberal that a Republican hasn't held it since 1960. She will face Minnesota state Rep. Ilhan Omar, the nation's first Somali-American legislator. She won the Democratic primary Tuesday. Ellison was leaving the seat to run for state attorney general. ___ 10 p.m. 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. He was the only candidate to have won election statewide before and now faces his biggest challenge against Walker. Walker has built up a big financial advantage for his re-election bid. He's already run more than a dozen television ads touting his record of the past eight years. 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. ___ 9:55 p.m. 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. 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. Omar positioned herself as the best-equipped to counter President Donald Trump's administration. She rose to national prominence after winning her legislative seat in 2016. The first-term lawmaker defeated former state House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher (KEL'-uh-hur), state Sen. Patricia Torres Ray and others. Ellison triggered a scramble for the seat when he filed a last-minute run for Minnesota attorney general. ___ 9:50 p.m. A former aide to House Speaker Paul Ryan has won the Wisconsin Republican primary race to replace him. Bryan Steil (STY'-uhl) won Tuesday over five other competitors. 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. Steil is general counsel for Charter NEX Films Inc., an independent producer of polyethylene film used for food and consumer packaging. He previously worked eight years as a corporate attorney at electric motor manufacturer Regal Beloit Corporation. He is from Janesville, the same hometown as Ryan, in southeast Wisconsin, not far from the Illinois border. The congressional district leans Republican. ___ 9:45 p.m. Minnesota state Sen. Karin Housley has easily won the state's Republican primary in a race to finish the last two years of Al Franken's Senate term. Housley faced no major challengers when launching her campaign in the days after Franken announced his resignation over allegations of sexual misconduct. His departure unexpectedly put a Democrat-held seat in play, complicating the party's hopes of retaking the Senate. But Minnesota hasn't yet appeared as a top pick-up target for Republican groups. Sen. Tina Smith was appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton to replace Franken in January. She won Tuesday's Democratic primary for the seat. ___ 9:40 p.m. A celebrated teacher has defeated the party-endorsed candidate in the Democratic primary for a Connecticut U.S. House seat being vacated by Rep. Elizabeth Esty, who acknowledged mishandling sexual harassment complaints in her Washington, D.C., office. In Tuesday's primary, 2016 National Teacher of the Year Jahana Hayes bested former Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman. If elected in November, Hayes would become the first black woman elected to Congress from Connecticut. The 45-year-old educator from Wolcott has attracted significant out-of-state political contributions and endorsements from unions and liberal organizations. She says there's an "appetite for change" among voters. Recent campaign finance reports show Hayes leading Glassman and all three Republican candidates in fundraising. Esty abruptly announced in April she would not seek a fourth term. She apologized for not protecting her employees. ___ 9:35 p.m. Sen. Tina Smith has won Minnesota's Democratic primary to finish the final two years of former Sen. Al Franken's term. Smith took her spot in the Senate in January after Franken resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations. She was the state's lieutenant governor before Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton appointed her to the seat. She defeated several Democrats to clinch the party's nomination, including Richard Painter, the former GOP ethics attorney whose profile rose as a strident critic of President Donald Trump. Smith is a longtime political operative in Minnesota. ___ 9:30 p.m. Minnesota state Rep. Jim Newberger has won the GOP primary to take on incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (KLOH'-buh-shar). Newberger beat three other candidates Tuesday but faces an uphill battle in November against the popular Klobuchar, who is seeking a third term in the Senate. Klobuchar won her first two terms by at least 20 percentage points and has been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2020. Newberger, a paramedic from Becker, has served three terms in the Minnesota House. ___ 9:25 p.m. Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker has dispensed with a nominal GOP challenger as he awaits the winner of a crowded Democratic primary. Walker is seeking a third term in office after a failed 2016 presidential run. Eight Democrats were seeking to challenge him in November. Walker handily defeated his token opposition, Robert Meyer, who was not actively campaigning. Walker has amassed nearly $5 million and has already run more than a dozen television ads as he positions himself for the fall election. Democrats are optimistic that this year presents their best chance ever to take down Walker. They've scored unexpected election victories in other races this year and polls generally show Republicans to be vulnerable. In 2012, Walker became the first governor to ever defeat a recall election. ___ 9:20 p.m. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (KLOH'-buh-shar) of Minnesota has easily won a Democratic primary as she seeks her third term. In a year marked by high-profile lawmakers losing primary challenges, Klobuchar had no serious opposition Tuesday. Klobuchar is one of Minnesota's most popular politicians, winning her first two terms by at least 20 percentage points. She has been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2020. ___ 9:15 p.m. A former utility executive from Vermont has become the first transgender candidate to win a major political party's nomination for governor. Christine Hallquist defeated three other Democrats en route to victory in Tuesday's primary. The former CEO of the Vermont Electric Cooperative says she's running because she feels she has the best plan to help Vermont residents get higher-paying jobs, provide health care for their families and better educate their children. The 62-year-old Hallquist is part of a wave of LGBTQ candidates seeking higher office across the U.S. Hallquist is being supported by The Victory Fund, a political action committee that backs LGBTQ candidates across the country. The committed labeled her a "game changer." ___ 9:10 p.m. Vermont's Republican Gov. Phil Scott has won his party's nomination to run for a second term as the state's top executive. Scott angered many people in the GOP base for supporting a series of gun restrictions but on Tuesday defeated Springfield businessman Keith Stern, a perennial candidate who described himself as a conservative Republican and campaigned on financial issues. Scott based his first term as governor on the premise of making the state more affordable by helping to balance the budget without raising taxes or fees. He supported gun restrictions after what law enforcement authorities said was a narrowly averted school shooting. Scott lost some voters with his gun stance but was supported by others who favored the restrictions. ___ 9:05 p.m. Democratic Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin is advancing to the November general election after facing no opposition from her own party. She faces a tough re-election bid against one of two loyalists to President Donald Trump who are seeking to run against her. Baldwin is the only Democrat in a statewide office of importance in Wisconsin, and outside groups have already spent millions on television ads attacking her. Baldwin's campaign has played up her work on moderate and core Wisconsin issues, including her buy-America plan that Trump supports and her work with Republican Sen. John McCain on lowering drug costs. The Republicans battling to run against her are political outsider Kevin Nicholson and state Sen. Leah Vukmir. Polls show their race to be very close. ___ 9 p.m. Polls have closed for primary elections in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Polling places across the two states shut their doors at 9 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday. Local election officials are now counting the votes. Results will trickle in over the coming hours. Primaries in both states included races for governor and Senate, and both Senate seats were on Minnesota's ballot because of a special election to finish Al Franken's term. Key House races included the Wisconsin primary for the seat that currently belongs to House Speaker Paul Ryan and a Minnesota seat being vacated by Democrat Keith Ellison, the first Muslim to serve in Congress. Ellison is running for state attorney general amid domestic abuse allegations from an ex-girlfriend. He denies them. ___ 8:40 p.m. Small-business owner Matthew Corey has won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Connecticut and will face an uphill battle against Democratic U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy. In Tuesday's primary the Manchester Republican defeated Dominic Rapini, a national accounts manager for Apple computers. Corey is a U.S. Navy veteran and owner of a Hartford pub and a window-washing business. He earlier unsuccessfully challenged Democratic U.S. Rep. John Larson. Corey has called for more investment in small businesses in low-income communities. He's also supportive of apprenticeship programs, corporate tax reform and a tax credit for home school parents. As of July 25, records show Corey had raised about $31,000 in campaign funds compared with nearly $13.5 million for Murphy. There was no primary on the Democratic side. ___ 8:30 p.m. Businessman Ned Lamont has won the Democratic nomination for Connecticut governor, defeating Bridgeport mayor and ex-convict Joe Ganim. Lamont's victory comes 12 years after he defeated U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman in a Democratic showdown, only to lose the general election when Lieberman ran as an independent. That race was seen as part of a national referendum on the Iraq War. Lamont has said he'll "save Connecticut" from President Donald Trump's policies, whether it's the weakening of environmental standards or abortion access. Lamont says he'll bring a businessman's approach to solving the state's fiscal woes. He supports unions and a higher minimum wage. Ganim was elected Bridgeport mayor in 2015 despite serving seven years in prison for public corruption. Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy decided against running for a third term. By Ricardo Brito and Lisandra Paraguassu BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's Workers Party registered jailed former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday as its presidential candidate while he sat in prison serving a 12-year graft sentence expected to block his candidacy. About 10,000 supporters marched to the country's top electoral court in the capital Brasilia chanting "Free Lula" and "Lula for President" as they accompanied senior party members registering his candidacy hours before the deadline. Marchers wore Lula masks and carried signs calling him a political prisoner, a common complaint from his supporters. Lula, who has denied any wrongdoing, was convicted of accepting bribes and has been accused in other ongoing cases of orchestrating a kickback scheme while in office. The leftist former union leader has been in jail since April but leads electoral polls that include his name. While he was named earlier this month as his party's candidate, Lula is expected to be barred from running by Brazil's electoral court (TSE). The Workers Party is expected to use an array of appeals to delay any final ruling on Lula's registration for weeks. The Workers Party registered former Sao Paulo Mayor Fernando Haddad as Lula's running mate. Haddad would top the ticket if Lula was barred, party sources said. "People thought Lula would not survive in the polls and the opposite is the case. He is still the front-runner in all scenarios and would win outright in some of them," Haddad told reporters after registering the party ticket. "If the people want to vote for him they should have the right to do so." The office of the federal prosecutor-general immediately filed a request at the TSE to invalidate Lula's candidacy because his conviction has been upheld by an appeals court, which in Brazilian law makes Lula ineligible for public office. Lula governed Brazil for two terms from 2003 to 2010 and left office with a record approval rating of 87 percent due to a booming economy and social programs that lifted millions of Brazilians from poverty. That popularity has been hurt by corruption scandals involving his party, which lost power in 2016 when his hand-picked successor, Dilma Rousseff, was impeached for breaking budget rules. Still, polls show about one-third of Brazilians would vote for Lula, almost double his nearest rival, far-right lawmaker Jair Bolsonaro. Many supporters are expected to vote for whomever replaces Lula on the Workers Party ticket. With the charismatic Lula behind bars, the Workers Party has been absent from the initial presidential debates. Now that Haddad is registered as his running mate, however, he will begin campaigning across the country next week, party leaders said. Analysts said Haddad could be competitive if he attracted the Lula vote, but he could be at a serious disadvantage because the Workers Party, known as the PT for its acronym in Portuguese, has waited so long to thrust him into the spotlight. "The PT did not listen to cooler heads in the party that wanted Haddad nominated in June," said David Fleischer, politics professor emeritus at the University of Brasilia. "They are trying to use Lula's popularity and image as a martyr to the max to fortify the party." (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Ricardo Brito; Writing and additional reporting by Brad Brooks and Anthony Boadle; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Sandra Maler) Kuala Lumpur (AFP) - Malaysia's parliament repealed a controversial law on Thursday that punished spreading "fake news" with up to six years in jail and which critics said was aimed at stifling dissent. The legislation was pushed through in April by the former, scandal-tainted regime in the run-up to a hotly contested general election, sparking a storm of anger. Political opponents said the law was a crude tool aimed at silencing criticism of the then government and its leader Najib Razak, particularly over the corruption mega-scandal surrounding sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. As well as hefty jail terms, the legislation punished the dissemination of what authorities deemed fake news with a fine of up to 500,000 ringgit ($120,000). However, Najib and his long-ruling coalition unexpectedly lost power at the landmark elections in May, bringing to power a reformist alliance which had campaigned on a pledge to abolish the law. Making good on that promise, lawmakers voted in favour of repealing the fake news law on Thursday after a three-hour debate. Charles Santiago, an MP from the ruling Pact of Hope coalition, told AFP the move was part of the new government's "commitment to take away all legislation that impinges on human rights and freedom of expression". Teddy Baguilat, a member of a Southeast Asian grouping of MPs who fight for better human rights, praised the move as "a huge step forward. "This is a law that was clearly designed to silence criticism of the authorities and to quell public debate -- it should never have been allowed to pass in the first place." Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who ousted Najib at the polls, was investigated for allegedly spreading fake news days ahead of the election. He was an opposition leader at the time. Malaysia is one of several countries in Asia that have turned to such legislation, emboldened by US President Donald Trump's fulminations against "fake news", but activists warn authoritarian regimes will use the laws to target opponents. Hoax Jacob Meir Abdellak made the hoax call because he was running late for a flight (Picture: Getty) A man who made a hoax bomb call so he could catch the flight he was late for has been jailed. Jacob Meir Abdellak was running late for his flight from Gatwick to Los Angeles so decided to contact police to report a bomb threat. The anonymous call at 5.47am on May 11 received just eight minutes before the Norwegian flight was due to take off meant it was delayed by 90 minutes. Investigations revealed that 47-year-old Abdellak, of Amhurst Park, Hackney, London, was significantly late for the flight and became abusive when he was denied boarding by airline staff, who told him to return on another date to rearrange his flight. Sussex Police said it was later confirmed that the telephone number used to make the hoax call was the same number linked to the librarians booking. Jacob Meir Abdellak Abdellak was arrested at Gatwick Airport on Tuesday 22 May as he attempted to board another flight to the USA and charged with communicating false information regarding a noxious substance likely to create serious risk to human health. He denied the offence throughout, admitting the telephone number was his but claiming he had lost the SIM card a few days earlier so the call couldnt have been made by him. MORE: Refugee rocket scientists hunt for work sparks viral Twitter campaign MORE: NASA probe detects glowing wall around our solar system Abdellack finally pleaded guilty on Tuesday, August 14th when a trial was due to start at Lewes Crown Court. He was jailed for 10 months, as well as being required to pay a 140 victim surcharge. Gatwick Police Chief Inspector Marc Clothier said the sentence served as a warning that that kind of behaviour will not be tolerated. He said: This was a quite ridiculous decision made by Abdellak, who fabricated an extremely serious allegation purely for his own benefit. He was running late for his flight and thought it would be a good idea to call in a hoax bomb, however this turned out to be the worst decision he could have made. His actions caused the flight to be delayed, and also caused a level of fear and distress among a number of staff and passengers on board that flight. The consequences of making allegations about bombs, guns or similar at densely populated locations such as airports are well documented, and Abdellaks sentence serves as a warning to others that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated and offenders will be dealt with robustly. The United States has voiced concern about Russias launch of a mysterious satellite that is exhibiting very abnormal behaviour, raising suspicions about Moscows pursuit of new space weapons. The Russian government has insisted the satellite is a space apparatus inspector, but an American official said the objects movements in orbit were inconsistent with anything seen before in that capacity. We dont know for certain what it is and there is no way to verify it, said Yleem Poblete, US assistant secretary for arms control, verification and compliance. But Russian intentions with respect to this satellite are unclear and are obviously a very troubling development. Speaking at the UN Conference on Disarmament, Ms Poblete suggested the object could be a weapon, a prospect she described as disturbing given the recent pattern of Russian malign behaviour. A Russian delegate at the conference said Ms Pobletes comments were unfounded and slanderous. The Kremlins foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, stressed the importance of preventing an arms race in outer space during a meeting of the conference in February. But the next month, Russian president Vladimir Putin unveiled in March six new major offensive weapons systems, including the Peresvet military mobile laser system. Russias space agency is also said to be developing a laser that can destroy objects in space. To the United States this is yet further proof that the Russian actions do not match their words, Ms Poblete said. Referring to the space apparatus inspector, whose deployment was announced by the Russian defence ministry last October, the US official added: The only certainty we have is that this system has been placed in orbit. The rest of its demonstrated behaviour is unexpected and unclear to us. Story continues We are concerned with what appears to be very abnormal behaviour by a declared space apparatus inspector. She said a draft treaty proposed by China and Russia on the prevention of a space arms race would not prevent the pursuit of counterspace capabilities or stop the testing or stockpiling of anti-satellite weapons. Alexander Deyneko, a senior Russian diplomat in Geneva, dismissed what he called the same unfounded, slanderous accusations based on suspicions, on suppositions and so on. The United States had not proposed amendments to the draft treaty, he said. We are seeing that the American side are raising their serious concerns about Russia, so you would think they ought to be the first to support the Russian initiative, Mr Deyneko added. They should be active in working to develop a treaty that would 100 percent satisfy the security interests of the American people. But they have not made this constructive contribution. Chinas disarmament ambassador Fu Cong called for substantive discussions on outer space, leading to negotiations. China has always stood for peaceful use of outer space and we are against weaponisation of outer space, an arms race in outer space, or even more turning outer space into a battle field, he said. A US intelligence report published earlier this year warned Russia and China were developing destructive counterspace weapons which could be ready to use in the next few years. New anti-satellite weapons could be used as a means to reduce US and allied military effectiveness in future wars, it said. In June, Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to create a space force to establish American dominance outside the Earths atmosphere. The US president told a meeting of the National Space Council that we dont want China and Russia and other countries leading us and announced his intention to reclaim primacy in the extra-terrestrial arena with a new branch of the military. The move has been opposed by senior members of the US armed forces. Related Video: Bolton To Have Meeting as 'Follow Up' To Helsinki Watch news, TV and more on Yahoo View. President Trump on Thursday accused newspapers that are participating in a Boston Globe-led editorial campaign protesting his attacks on the press of colluding against him. The Boston Globe, which was sold to the the [sic] Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses & investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR, Trump tweeted. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT! Its unclear what the president wants proven. President Trump speaks before a dinner at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., earlier this month. (Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP) There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, Trump continued. The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS! More than 300 newspapers around the country published separate editorials on Thursday condemning Trumps anti-media rhetoric. We have a president who has created a mantra that members of the media who do not blatantly support the policies of the current U.S. administration are the enemy of the people, the Globe said in its editorial. The press is necessary to a free society because it does not implicitly trust leaders from the local planning board to the White House. And its not a coincidence that this president whose financial affairs are murky and whose suspicious pattern of behavior triggered his own Justice Department to appoint an independent counsel to investigate him has tried so hard to intimidate journalists who provide independent scrutiny. The latest salvo in President Trumps war on the press. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images, Boston Globe, AP) News reporters and editors are human, and make mistakes, the New York Times said. 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. While plenty of national newspapers took part in the project, many were local, and from states that voted for Trump in 2016. Story continues We arent the enemy of the people, the North Little Rock (Ark.) Times wrote. We are the people. We arent fake news. We are your news and we struggle night and day to get the facts right. Some prominent newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle, declined to participate. This is not because we dont believe that President Trump has been engaged in a cynical, demagogic and unfair assault on our industry. He has, and we have written about it on numerous occasions, Los Angeles Times editorial page editor Nicholas Goldberg explained. The editorial board decided not to write about the subject on this particular Thursday because we cherish our independence. Goldberg predicted Trump would accuse newspapers of collusion. The president himself already treats the media as a cabal, Goldberg wrote, suggesting over and over that were in cahoots to do damage to the country. The idea of joining together to protest him seems almost to encourage that kind of conspiracy thinking by the president and his loyalists. Why give them ammunition to scream about collusion? John Diaz, the Chronicles editorial page editor, was equally prescient. It plays into Trumps narrative that the media are aligned against him, Diaz wrote. I can just anticipate his Thursday morning tweets accusing the FAKE NEWS MEDIA of COLLUSION! _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Of course, parents in the room got it, many of whom are Gen Xers or millennials, not yet born at the time of Apollo 11, or too young to really remember it. For us, that appreciation came by proxy, growing up in the age of the Space Shuttle program that took over for the Apollo program as the centerpiece of NASAs human space flights. Paris (AFP) - Air France-KLM named its first non-French chief executive on Thursday, handing the reins to Air Canada's Ben Smith despite strong resistance from the group's powerful trade unions. It was "inconceivable that the Air France company, French since 1933, falls into the hands of a foreign executive whose candidacy is being promoted by a competitor," said a statement from nine out of 10 Air France unions on Thursday morning. The competitor referred to was Delta Airlines, the US airline which owns 8.8 percent of the capital of Air France-KLM, the parent group formed out of the merger of Air France and KLM of the Netherlands in 2004. The union statement added that the new boss needed "intimate knowledge... of the French social model", which often results in confrontations between employees and management. The group's management said Thursday evening that Smith, the current number two at Air Canada who won approval from the French government, would start work with the group by the end of September. "It's a chance for Air France-KLM to attract a leader of this stature who has great experience acquired through 19 years with Air Canada, an openness to dialogue and a large capacity to transform," Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire and Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne said in a joint statement. The French state retains a 14.3-percent shareholding in Air France-KLM. One of Smith's biggest tasks will be negotiating a new pay deal with the French labour groups behind a series of strikes between February and June that forced out former boss Jean-Marc Janaillac. "I am well aware of the competitive challenges the Air France-KLM Group is currently facing and I am convinced that the airlines' teams have all the strengths to succeed in the global airline market," Smith said in a statement after the announcement. As chief operating officer at Air Canada, Smith has experience of sensitive labour negotiations, having led talks with pilots' and flight attendants' unions ahead of the launch of low-cost operator Air Canada Rouge. Story continues But his proposed salary, reported to be several times higher than that of Janaillac, could also undermine goodwill towards him among employees, who have suffered years of cutbacks and job losses. The union representing pilots at KLM, the Dutch arm of the group, has also made fresh pay demands and threatened strikes unless a new deal is offered to its members. KLM's chief executive Pieter Elbers congratulated Smith on his appointment. "It is with great confidence that I look forward to working together and jointly tackling the challenges that face (the)... group," he said in a statement. Calin Rovinescu, Air Canada CEO, also said he would "wish (Smith) well in his future endeavours." - Management shakeup - The Franco-Dutch airline had been searching for a new boss since Janaillac resigned in May, having gambled his job on getting Air France staff to accept a new pay deal after months of strikes. Janaillac wished Smith luck on Twitter, saying he hoped the appointment would "allow AFKLM... to play a major role in the development of the industry." Smith's nomination may also be accompanied by a shake-up of the company's governance, with the splitting of the roles of chairman and chief executive, which were previously held by the same person. Air France shares have plunged more than 35 percent since the start of the year, although they have stabilised since Janaillac's departure. The group this month estimated the cost of the 15 days of French strikes between February and June at 335 million euros. After years of losses and restructuring, the company has returned to profit, leading to the increased pay demands from unions. It reported net profits of 109 million euros for the second quarter -- down sharply from 593 million for the same period last year, although that figure was boosted by new accounting rules. (Associated Press) With the Edmonton Oilers looking to rebound in a big way after a dismal 2017-18 season, the team announced some devastating news on Tuesday pertaining to one of its top blue-liners. #Oilers d-man Andrej Sekera underwent successful surgery today to repair a torn Achilles tendon. Sekera was injured during an off-season training session & will be sidelined indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/Wum0OS6ZFb Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) August 14, 2018 Though details on the recovery time are scarce and early reports have been somewhat conflicting the club is listing their defenceman as out indefinitely. Recovery time for this type of injury is generally around six months, but it can be as long as a year depending on the severity of the Achilles tear, putting the 32-year-olds entire 2018-19 campaign in jeopardy. Sekera, who reportedly suffered the injury while training in Europe this summer, also missed a large chunk of the 2017-18 season with a knee injury. He managed just 36 games, posting eight assists while averaging 16:20 TOI down the stretch for the Oilers. Prior to these two devastating injuries, Sekera had a very healthy couple of campaigns, skating in 81 and 80 regular season contests in 2015-16 and 2016-17, respectively. He missed only three total games in those two seasons, posting 14 goals and 65 points over that time while establishing himself as a solid second-pairing D-man, averaging over 21 minutes of ice time per night. Sekera, who inked a six-year, $33-million deal with Edmonton in 2015, carries a $5.5-million cap hit through the 2020-21 campaign. The Oilers will place Sekera on long-term injury reserve, which will, at least, open up some cap space in order to help fill the hole left on the blue line. (PARKLAND, Fla.) Students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High may notice some changes Wednesday as they begin their first school year since a gunman opened fire on campus. Theyre returning to heavy security including 18 safety monitors, new classroom locks and upgraded video surveillance. School resource officers, campus monitors and security specialists will patrol the campus where 17 people were killed. Theyll 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 theyll 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 days 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. Some $6.5 million was spent on security enhancements at the Parkland school alone, but some students say theyll never feel safe. The freshman building, a solemn reminder of the bloodshed, is 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 Valentines 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 couldnt 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. Im scared of being at any school, not only Douglas, because I feel unsafe no matter how much security we have. Story continues Samantha Deitsch spent Tuesday night texting about first-day jitters with her friends and wondering what her teachers would be like. She got a new backpack and is grateful shell be sharing a lunch period with a few friends. But her friend Jamie Guttenberg, who was killed, wont be with them. The stress, the nerves, all that normal stuff is still there, she said. Its like normal teenager stuff and at the same time its not normal teenager stuff. Deitsch, also 15, spent the summer meeting with state lawmakers to advocate for gun safety, and says shes grateful for the beefed-up security, but like Siccone, she says theres literally no place that I am every day that I feel 100 percent safe and the thought doesnt go through my head that someone could come in with a gun. Rev Edward George Ganster left the priesthood and applied to work at Walt Disney World in Florida, securing the job with a reference from his Pennsylvania diocese - Corbis Documentary A priest accused in the Pennsylvania abuse scandal was given a reference by his diocese and went on to work at Walt Disney World for 18 years, it has emerged. Rev Edward George Ganster was one of 301 "predator priests" identified in a huge report into abuses by Catholic clergymen in the US state stretching back 70 years. According to the report the diocese knew about his "sexual transgressions" in 1990 but still gave him a reference to work at the "happiest place on Earth". Following one allegation he was moved to another parish and, when there were further accusations, he was place on sick leave. He then left the priesthood and applied to work at Walt Disney World in Florida, securing the job with a reference from his Pennsylvania diocese. The reference letter said: I am quite sure that the Diocese will be able to give you a positive reference in regard to the work you did during your years of service here as a priest. The former priest went on to operate a train for families visiting the theme park. He died in 2014. Following the release of the landmark report by a grand jury victims told their stories of abuse. Carolyn Fortney, 37, one of five sisters abused by the same clergyman, said: "Its very lonely. Especially when its your word against Gods." In a statement her family said: "While five sisters were the first victims, our family and second generations continue to be impacted. The depth of this abuse has been life-altering for this and future generations." James VanSickle, 55, who has accused a Pennsylvania priest of abusing him as a teenager, said: "I think that all of us will have a hole in our soul for the rest of our lives. Healing is impossible. Robert Corby, 83, said: "A priest, in 1948, would abuse you. Who would have believed me? Shaun Dougherty, 48, said: "It doesnt ever go away. It has an effect on you for the rest of your life. Warsaw (AFP) - Polish President Andrzej Duda on Thursday vetoed a controversial change to European Parliament election rules that would have kept all small parties in Poland out of the running. "I refuse to sign it and am sending the legislation back to parliament for reassessment," Duda said on public television. "The amendment would have caused a large part of the population to not have representation in the European Parliament." The president said it would have fundamentally limited access to the EU parliament, discouraged Poles from turning out to vote, and forced small parties into entering coalitions. Many opposition parties celebrated the veto while the governing conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party that introduced the legislation announced it would no longer pursue it. "We respect the president's decision, though we maintain our opinion" that a strong party representation at the European Parliament would be preferable to that of several small groups, said PiS spokeswoman Beata Mazurek. "We will no longer work on making changes to the voting system," she added on Twitter. The legislation had passed parliament last month and only needed Duda's signature to enter into force. The PiS, which has been in power since late 2015, said the change would have simplified the complex system currently in place and help boost representation from less populated areas. However opposition parties accused the PiS of introducing the new rules so as to increase its share of European Parliament lawmakers in the elections next year. In Poland, European Parliament lawmakers are elected by direct popular vote. According to experts in the Polish senate, the controversial change would have made it necessary for parties to win 16.5 percent of the vote to ensure representation in the European Parliament. In comparison, the threshold set by European law is five percent. Only two Polish parties -- the PiS and the liberal Civic Platform (PO) opposition party -- would have been certain to reach the 16.5 percent threshold. Story continues On Monday, Duda held talks with the leaders of several other political parties, including the Kukiz'15 anti-establishment movement, the PSL farmers' party, the leftist extra-parliamentary party Razem and the small Catholic party Right Wing of the Republic. Duda had first used his veto last year to oppose certain reforms to the judiciary, though he later accepted the legislation with modifications considered minor by the opposition. Poland's powerful Catholic Church and human rights commissioner Adam Bodnar had also criticised the planned changes. According to recent opinion surveys, the PiS is on track to win 40 percent of the vote in the European Parliament elections next year, while the PO would take 26 percent. Nine percent would go to the leftist SLD party, eight percent to Kukiz'15, five percent to the liberal Nowoczesna party, five percent to PSL and three percent to Razem. The European Parliament elections are scheduled for May 2019, just a few months before national polls in Poland. (UTICA, N.Y.) President Donald Trump on Monday dared New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to challenge him in 2020 and warned the Democrat, Anybody that runs against Trump suffers. Trump also said that Cuomo once called him and promised that he wouldnt run against him a claim that Cuomos office did not immediately dispute. The challenge came as Trump delivered remarks at a fundraising event for Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney, who is running for re-election. The Utica visit marked Trumps first as president to an area he won in 2016. Trump, a New York native, spent much of the event attacking his home-state governor as well as Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who is also thought to have White House ambitions. Trump said that Cuomo, who is running for re-election against Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon, called him and told him, Ill never run for president against you. But maybe he wants to, Trump went on, adding: Oh, please do it. 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. Thats the way it should be. Trump, who flirted with a gubernatorial run before setting his eyes on the White House, argued that New York could have the lowest taxes in the nation if Cuomo had allowed hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in the state and claimed Cuomo wants to take away your Second Amendment. Its very sad to see whats happened with New York, he said. This could have been Boomtown, U.S.A. Cuomos office did not immediately respond to the criticism, but Cuomo on Twitter defended his position on gun rights. Donald Trump & the NRA bankrupt bedfellows: literally and morally, he tweeted. Unlike Trump, Im not afraid to take on the NRA. His office released a lengthy statement ahead of Trumps arrival accusing Trump of having forgotten what made this country great. Despite being a native New Yorker, since you took office, you have attacked our healthcare, passed a tax law that punished New York in order to fund corporate tax cuts, ripped immigrant New Yorkers from their families, launched an assault on our environment, and undermined the basic values on which this state and this nation were built, he said. Story continues As for Gillibrand, Trump called her a puppet of New Yorks other Democratic senator, Chuck Schumer. Shes been up to my office looking for campaign contributions. And shes very aggressive on contributions, but shes not very aggressive on getting things done, Trump said. Gillibrand responded by Twitter: The President refuses to acknowledge the work Ive gotten done. Sound familiar, ladies? Trumps fundraising events are usually closed to reporters, but this time White House staff allowed the small group of journalists traveling with the president inside, giving Trump a broader platform for his remarks. The White House announced Wednesday that President Donald Trump is revoking the security clearance of former Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan, who has been a harsh critic of Trumps rhetoric and policies. Historically, former heads of intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been allowed to retain access to classified information after their government service, so that they can consult with their successors regarding matters about which they may have special insights and as a professional courtesy. Neither of these justifications supports Mr. Brennans continued access to classified information, Trump said in a statement read aloud by White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders at Wednesdays press briefing. 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, the statement continued. The announcement came after Brennan, who served as CIA director from 2013 to 2017, most recently criticized Trump for calling former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman a dog and a crazed, crying lowlife. 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 said in a tweet about Trump on Tuesday. 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. https://t.co/eI9HaCec1m John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) August 14, 2018 Brennan responded to the revocation on Wednesday afternoon, calling it part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech and punish critics. Story continues It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out, Brennan said on Twitter. 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 Trump said last month that he was considering revoking the security clearances of several former intelligence and national security officials who have criticized him, but had not yet taken such action. Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan had dismissed the threat as an example of Trump trolling his critics. Sanders also said that Trump is reviewing the security clearances of several other former officials, all of whom have been critical of Trump, including former FBI Director James Comey, former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe. Its unprecedented. I dont know of a case where this has ever been done in the past, Clapper said in a CNN interview after the announcement, adding that typically the CIA would handle decisions to revoke security clearances, rather than the White House or the President directly. Will the Republic stand or fall on whether John retains his access to classified information or mine or any others that were named? Of course not, Clapper told CNN. The larger issue here, to me, throughout, has been infringement on First Amendment rights. And I think people ought to think seriously about that. When asked why the list included only former officials who have publicly criticized Trump, Sanders said, if we deemed it necessary, we would certainly look into others. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The body of a Utah firefighter who died battling the largest recorded blaze in California history returned to his home state Wednesday. Cal Fire officials escorted Matthew Burchett's casket Wednesday to an airport in the Northern California city of Ukiah. Burchett's wife, brother and a family friend then returned with it to Utah. In Salt Lake City, the casket was escorted to a mortuary by fire engines, Utah Highway Patrol motorcycles and police cars from Draper, where Burchett lived. The 42-year-old was hit by a tree Monday while fighting a wildfire north of San Francisco. He was flown to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Burchett was among dozens of out-of-state firefighters who joined the front lines of the massive blaze. "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," Salt Lake City Fire Captain Cass Christopher tells the Deseret News . Burchett, who had been a firefighter for decades, went to California last year to help fight wildfires and became the liaison between California and all of Utah's firefighters. "We took a pretty devastating loss. It's going to be pretty difficult to get over what Matt brought to everybody," said Unified Fire Authority spokesman Eric Holmes. Burchett also is survived by a 7-year-old son. The clerk was inside when a man approached and ordered the clerk to give him all the money from the cash register, Land said. The man displayed a handgun during the robbery, he said. A drone from the California Air National Guard was deployed in a bid to support firefighters battling wildfires in northern California. This video shows the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft, which can fly for up to 24 hours daily, taking off from March Air Reserve Base in California on August 1. The National Guard hopes the drone can provide a real-time look of the fires, a spokesperson for the Defense Visual Information Distribution Services said. The California wildfires have continued to devastate the state. By August 15, the fires had burned 820,000 acres, and killed at least 10 people, including firefighters. Credit: DVIDS/California Air National Guard via Storyful Mary Engleheart tweeted a picture of refugee graduate Mohamed who is searching for a job (Picture: Twitter/Mary Engleheart) A rocket scientist who came to the UK as a child refugee has taken Twitter by storm with a job hunt with a difference. A picture of Mohamed was shared by Mary Engleheart, digital manager at the International Rescue Comittee, who spotted the UCL graduate as she came out of the tube at Londons Canary Wharf. Mohamed was clutching a sign that read: Came as a refugee, just graduated from UCL in ROCKET SCIENCE. Looking for a career in Finance. Ask for CV. I met Mohamed coming out of the tube at Canary Wharf this morning. He came to the UK as a child refugee and has two degrees in Space Engineering. He's looking for a JOB IN FINANCE. Please RT! DM me for his CV if you want to hire someone smart who thinks outside the box pic.twitter.com/cgQ1lBfBNY Mary Engleheart (@MaryEngleheart) August 14, 2018 Along with the picture, Mary wrote: I met Mohamed coming out of the tube at Canary Wharf this morning. He came to the UK as a child refugee and has two degrees in Space Engineering. Hes looking for a JOB IN FINANCE. Please RT! DM me for his CV if you want to hire someone smart who thinks outside the box. MORE: Bullying farmer builds 30ft wall of hay outside villagers homes following planning dispute MORE: Celebrity plastic surgeon known as Dr Bumbum charged with murder after going on the run in Brazil The tweet has since been shared 13,000 times and liked around 19,000 times with many people supporting Mohamed, using the hashtag # GetMohamedAJob! Several recruitment agencies and individuals tweeted that they planned to contact the graduate to follow up on his request. Mary later tweeted that she had been totally overwhelmed by the amazing response to her tweet, adding: Thank you all. WASHINGTON Republicans are circumventing the normal vetting process for Supreme Court nominees with an unprecedented partisan undertaking in order to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trumps high court pick, by Oct. 1, the start of the new term. The National Archives and Records Administration, which has historically been tasked with producing documents relating to Supreme Court nominees, distanced itself from the group of George W. Bush lawyers currently working on releasing Kavanaugh documents from his time in the Bush administration. The archival staff is conducting its own review of the nominees record, as requested by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), but they will not be able to fully comply until late October due to the sheer number of documents involved. The nonpartisan agency said in a Wednesday statement that the Republican review of some of Kavanaughs time in the Bush White House is completely apart from the one it is working on, adding that the parallel review is something that has never happened before. This effort by former President Bush does not represent the National Archives or the George W. Bush Presidential Library. The Senate Judiciary Committee is publicly releasing some of these documents on its website, which also do not represent the National Archives, the statement read, noting that former presidents have the right to access and release records of their administration. Part of the reason why there has been so much partisan wrangling over Kavanaughs record is the fact that there has never been a Supreme Court nominee with such an extensive paper trail. As someone who spent five years working as a top aide in the White House, hes got far more documents than Trumps first Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch or President Barack Obamas Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan a sum that is said to total several million. Its why Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) tried to nudge Trump into nominating other candidates in the first place, fearing it could pose difficulties for Kavanaughs confirmation. Story continues That exact scenario is playing out currently in the Senate, where Democrats are hammering Republicans for not being willing to produce his full record and pressing forward with the confirmation hearing before the National Archives is able to conduct its own review. On Thursday, Democrats announced they are prepared to sue the National Archives if the Freedom of Information Act request they filed seeking Kavanaughs documents isnt honored. I think they realize if the American people knew just how Justice Kavanaugh felt before he became a judge, they might not want him to be there, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a floor speech on Thursday. Schumer told reporters later that he is going to meet with Kavanaugh next week and personally ask him to call for the release of documents related to his time in the Bush White House. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) walks out from behind a wall of empty boxes labeled 'Kavanaugh Files' during a news conference about Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images) Its not hard to see why the Senate might want to see a someones full record before voting on their nomination. Newly unclassified CIA documents released last week, for example, detailed the brutal treatment of a terrorism suspect in late 2002 at a secret prison in Thailand then run by Gina Haspel, who was confirmed as Trumps CIA director in May. The graphic nature of the information may have changed the thinking of some senators had it become public months ago. Republicans, however, say that Kavanaughs 300-plus written opinions on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, where he has served since 2006, and his documents relating to his time in the White House Counsels Office are sufficient for senators to get a full picture about his judicial temperament and philosophy. Indeed, with all available evidence so far, Kavanaugh appears to be a conventional Bush-type Republican in the mold of former Justice Antonin Scalia who will likely tilt the court to the right for decades to come. Judge Kavanaugh may seem like the human incarnation of a vanilla ice cream cone, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), a member of the Judiciary Committee, said in a floor speech on Thursday, dismissing the focus on his Bush documents as a stalling tactic. The GOP majority on the Senate Judiciary Committee has begun producing a steady stream of Kavanaugh documents they say will total nearly 1 million by the end of August, just days before the start of his confirmation hearing on Sept. 4. They are touting the 1 million figure as evidence of doing their due diligence on Kavanaughs record. Those documents, however, represent just a fraction of Kavanaughs total time in the White House counsels office. Of the nearly 1 million documents, a good chunk will only be made available to members of the Judiciary Committee on a Committee Confidential basis, a determination solely made by the group of Bush lawyers that is producing the documents. Moreover, neither the Senate Judiciary Committee nor the public will see over a million documents relating to Kavanaughs service as Bushs staff secretary, a powerful position in which he served as gatekeeper for all information that crossed the presidents desk. Democrats are particularly interested in whether the nominee authored or edited any documents relating to the Bush administrations controversial enhanced interrogation and warrantless wiretapping programs. Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) meets with Brett Kavanaugh. (Photo: Sen Joe Donnellys office) The GOPs highly unusual strategy is working partly because they are in the majority and have privileges associated with it, and partly because their arguments have persuaded a bipartisan group of moderate senators: Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.). None of those senators including the three vulnerable Democrats up for re-election this year has asked to see more documents pertaining to Kavanaughs record. I dont see a need for those. The document request that Sen. Grassley has made is very comprehensive, Collins, who remains undecided on the nomination, told HuffPost last month. Beyond the document fight, Democrats are facing a daunting math problem on Kavanaughs nomination. Republicans view the conservative judge as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to tilt the balance of the court by replacing former Justice Anthony Kennedy, who sometimes voted with liberals on the court. Itll likely take some very damaging information to prompt one GOP senator to oppose Kavanaugh much less two, which Democrats will need to do to sink his nomination. The Senate is currently operating with a razor-thin margin 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats. While both Collins and Murkowski are facing pressure from progressive groups, they have already signaled their comfort with the nominee. Kavanaughs confirmation hearing, which is scheduled to begin Sept. 4, will give Democrats a public and likely final opportunity to derail his nomination. Related Coverage Who Is Brett Kavanaugh, Trumps Nominee To The Supreme Court? Democrats File Freedom Of Information Act Requests For Brett Kavanaugh Documents Moderate Democrats Meet With Trump Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. TNI Staff Security, Europe Russias fearsome new S-500 air and missile defense system has apparently entered productionand is setting new records for missile engagement range. Russia's S-500: How Putin Could Kill Air Force F-22s and B-2 Stealth Bombers? Given the S-500s advanced networking capabilities, some military analysts have suggested that the Russians might genuinely be able to engage stealth aircraft. Indeed, by networking multiple high-speed long wave radars such as the RLS Voronezh-DM and 1L119 Nebo SVU, it might be possible to generate a weapons quality track on an aircraft such as the F-22 or F-35. Sensor fusion has afforded militaries many capabilities that are greater than the sum of their part. This many be one such case. Russias fearsome new S-500 air and missile defense system has apparently entered productionand is setting new records for missile engagement range. (This first appeared last month.) The next generation weapon is designed to supplement Moscows already potent S-400 and replace the A-135 anti-ballistic missile system. Not only does the weapon have unprecedented capability to hit high altitude targetsincluding ballistic missiles and satellitesat extremely long ranges, there have been some claimsusually from the mediathat the system could target stealth aircraft. However, while some analysts believe that might be theoretically possible, there has been nothing to substantiate that claim. What is definitively known about the S-500 is that it is of very high priority to Russian president Vladimir Putin and that it presented publicly as primarily a high-altitude defense system. "It is necessary to develop and build up technological groundwork in the area of air defense, to continue modernization of Pantsir systems, to finish the development and preparations for mass production of the S-500 newest systems capable of hitting targets at super-high altitudes, including near-the-earth space," Putin said in May. Story continues Recommended: Air War: Stealth F-22 Raptor vs. F-14 Tomcat (That Iran Still Flies) Recommended: A New Report Reveals Why There Won't Be Any 'New' F-22 Raptors Recommended: How an Old F-15 Might Kill Russias New Stealth Fighter While not all aspects of the S-500s capabilities have been known to have been demonstrated by the West, there is little reason to doubt the capabilities of Russian air defense systems. Indeed, according to U.S. defense sources, Moscow recently conducted a record-breaking test of the S-500 system at ranges that were previously thought to be impossible. According to a CNBC report citing U.S. intelligence officials, the S-500 surface-to-air missile system successfully struck a target 299 miles away, which the U.S. assessed is 50 miles further than any known test. The CNBC report suggests that the missile used to hit the target was a version of S-300V4s long-range heavy NPO Novator 9M82MD missile, which has a range of 250 nautical miles and a speed of about Mach 7.5 (It also has light missile with a range of 80 nautical miles). However, it is more likely that the missile in question is a derivative of the 250 nautical mile range 40N6 missile used on the S-400which has been reported in the Russian media. In either case, the fact remains that the S-500 has demonstrated exceptional capabilities. As Vladimir Karnozov at Aviation International News reported earlier this year, the S-500 uses several types of missiles. When used against air breathing targets, the S-500 can use the 48N6 family of missiles, which weight about two tons and have an effective range of up to 130 nm (240 kilometers). For longer-range targets, Karnozov reports that the system uses version of the 40N6 with higher performance. It also employ the shorter range and lighter weight 9M96 and 9M100 family missiles, which weigh 530 pounds (240 kg) and upwards. Against ballistic missile threatsand apparently with a secondary capability against air targetsthe S-500 uses the 77N6-N and 77N6-N1 kinetic kill missiles. The missiles are capable of hitting their targets at 7 kilometers per second, which the Russians expect would be sufficient to destroy any incoming aerial target including satellites. It apparently has the capability to engage targets as high as 124 milesor 200 km or 656,000 feet at ranges of 324 nautical miles or 600km. It can engage as many as 10 incoming ballistic missiles simultaneously and has a response of less than 4 seconds. There are some reports that the S-500 can engage stealth aircraft including the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter or any other low observable platform for that matter. The Russians claim that the system can engage over the horizon and can be plugged into an air defense networkto include satellites. "It is safe to say already now that Russia has created the world's first multi-stage air defense system, that will reliably protect the country from massive missile strikes," Zvezda TV station stated. "The S-500 will analyze information about a possible missile attack obtained by early warning satellites and over-the-horizon radars, such as the Voronezh, as well as select targets, in terms of their importance, cut off false targets at a great distance, accompany all this and finally issue target designations to various systems." Given the S-500s advanced networking capabilities, some military analysts have suggested that the Russians might genuinely be able to engage stealth aircraft. Indeed, by networking multiple high-speed long wave radars such as the RLS Voronezh-DM and 1L119 Nebo SVU, it might be possible to generate a weapons quality track on an aircraft such as the F-22 or F-35. Sensor fusion has afforded militaries many capabilities that are greater than the sum of their part. This many be one such case. Read full article College is expensive, and the debt that often comes with it is something many consider a necessary evil. Collectively, Americans owe more than $1.5 trillion dollars in student loan debt, according to Federal Reserve data. The reality is education is essential to economic success in America, Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate for governor of Georgia, told Yahoo Finance. Abrams is no stranger to student loan debt; she owes $96,512 in student loan debt nearly three times the national average to Spelman College, the University of Texas at Austin and Yale Law School. I believe that investment in education from cradle to career is vital because it is the only metric that we as a state can invest in that really can transform lives, Abrams said. It is a critical piece of economic mobility; its also a critical piece of justice and fairness. Economic mobility is a key part of the Abrams platform and is a big part of why shes bullish on education. Ive experienced it, she said, referring to her own debt. However, Abrams said she needs only to look at her siblings to see the power of education: her siblings have pursued science, academia, and social work. She also has a sister whos a federal judge. Im going to invest in making sure that students can go to debt-free college because you shouldnt finish college crushed by debt and unable to make better choices, Abrams said. One survey of more than 3,000 college students found 39% would rather drop out than incur more debt. Abrams wants to update the HOPE program, a Georgia merit-based scholarship, to bring need-based aid. The HOPE (Helping Outstanding Students Educationally) scholarship was created in the early 1990s and is funded by the state lottery. In order to receive the scholarship, students must graduate from high school with a 3.0 grade point average and maintain the same GPA throughout college. Georgia and New Hampshire are the only two states that dont offer need-based aid. Story continues We need to reduce how much debt students have because the reality is if you have too much debt, you drop out. Abrams said. When you drop out, you increase the likelihood of not being able to have the kind of success you need which means you become more likely to need government support on the other side. This is an investment that we are making in our future, and the state needs to bear a higher share of that, Abrams said. See Also Stacey Abrams: Im running for governor and am $200,000 in debt The lucrative life of a high-end auctioneer How an NFL player planned his post-football finances How to think about your money for less than an hour a month Jessie the parrot was decidedly unimpressed when a firefighter came to rescue her from a rooftop in London on Monday morning. The Macaw, who escaped from her owners home and perched on a nearby roof for three days, spewed profanity at her attempted rescuer even after he said I love you in a bid to bond with the bird. Jessie also reportedly told the London Fire Brigade crew member to fuck off. 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/Th2nlVkOJ8 @PaulWood1961 pic.twitter.com/FSRCElx80V London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) August 14, 2018 Brigade watch manager Chris Swallow said the rescue was attempted because there were concerns that she may be injured which is why she hadnt come down. But, thankfully it soon became apparent that Jessie was fine and uninjured as she flew off to another roof and then to a tree, he added. Jessie later returned home of her own accord and was filmed sheepishly saying thank you to the fire service: 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 Related Coverage Man Takes Fly Mugshot With Parrot Pal He Brought To Court Story continues This Parrot Sings Like Rihanna, And We're Impressed Woman Trains Parrot To Say Birdbrained Catchphrase Cash Me Ousside' Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. (KABUL, Afghanistan) The Taliban overran a base in northern Afghanistan, killing 17 soldiers, even as Afghan forces battled the insurgents for the fifth straight day in the eastern provincial capital of Ghazni on Tuesday, trying to flush them out of the citys outskirts, officials said. There were fears for the fate of the other troops from the base, known as Camp Chinaya, as the Taliban claimed that dozens had surrendered to them while others were captured in battle. The attack in the north took place in Faryab province, in the district of Ghormach, according to the spokesman for the defense ministry, Ghafoor Ahmad Jawed. Along with the 17 troops killed, at least 19 soldiers were wounded, he said. The Taliban had besieged the base, which housed about 140 Afghan troops, for three days before the massive push on it late on Monday night, said the local provincial council chief, Mohammad Tahir Rahmani. Rahmani 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. He said 43 troops were killed and wounded in the attack but didnt give a breakdown. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack, saying 57 Afghan soldiers had surrendered to the Taliban while 17 others were captured in battle. He said eight military Humvees were also seized. Meanwhile, Afghan security forces on Tuesday pushed back the Taliban from Ghazni, the provincial capital of a province with the same name, and were trying to flush the insurgents from the citys outskirts. The developments 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 deputy spokesman at the Interior Ministry, said security forces were searching every inch of Ghazni for remaining Taliban fighters on Tuesday. Story continues Military helicopters were supporting the ground forces operations in Ghazni, said Abdul Karim Arghandiwal, an army media officer in southeastern Afghanistan. Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, denied the insurgents have been routed from Ghazni and said sporadic gunbattles were still ongoing. The Talibans multipronged assault on the strategic city of Ghazni, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the capital, Kabul, began Friday. The insurgents overwhelmed the citys defenses, pushed deep into Ghazni and captured several parts of it in a major show of force. The United States has carried out airstrikes and sent military advisers to aid Afghan forces in the city of 270,000 people. The fall of Ghazni, which is the capital of the province of the same name, would be an important victory for the Taliban, cutting Highway One, a key route linking Kabul to the southern provinces, the insurgents traditional heartland. The Taliban also destroyed a telecommunications tower on Ghaznis 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 Ghaznis historic neighborhoods and cultural treasures. In recent months, the Taliban have seized several districts across Afghanistan, staging near-daily attacks on security forces, but they have been unable to capture and hold urban areas. The U.S. and NATO formally concluded their combat mission in Afghanistan at the end of 2014, but have since then repeatedly come to the aid of Afghan forces as they struggle to combat the resurgent Taliban Managua (AFP) - Thousands of Nicaraguans marched through their capital on Wednesday demanding that anti-government protesters jailed over the past four months be released. "Liberty for our political prisoners," yelled many in the rally. They also called for President Daniel Ortega, a 72-year-old former guerrilla who has been in power the last 11 years, to step down. The demonstration was a show of defiance over a law passed last month that threatens protesters with terrorism charges carrying up to 20 years behind bars. The law is part of robust crackdown Ortega has employed to try to snuff out the protests that have been rocking Nicaragua since mid-April. Violent actions by police and armed paramilitaries have contributed to a death toll that rights groups put at more than 300. Ortega's government has jailed around 500 people in relation to the tide of anti-government sentiment, and has put on trial 180 of them for alleged terrorism and other serious crimes, according to the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights. "They've locked up many people with no justification. The government has no argument to lock up civilians for the crimes of expressing what they feel," said one marcher taking part on Wednesday, Tania Gonzalez, 26. The demonstration was organized by the Civic Alliance, a grouping of unions, business groups, students and others that has emerged out of the protests. It coincided with the start of a trial of a rural opposition leader, Medardo Mairena, a member of the Civic Alliance who was part of Church-mediated talks with the government that have stalled since June. Ortega accuses those agitating against him of terrorism and serving a US-backed "coup" against his rule. His wife and vice president, Rosario Murillo, has warned that the protest leaders "will pay for their crimes." Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty's attempt for a return to the governor's mansion fell short Tuesday night when he lost the GOP primary to former state Rep. Jeff Johnson. (Photo: Brooks Kraft via Getty Images) Former GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty failed to restart his political career in Minnesota on Tuesday after he finished second in the states Republican primary for governor, an open seat up for grabs following eight years of Democratic rule under Gov. Mark Dayton, who is retiring this year. The former two-term Minnesota governor, who was first elected in 2002, had all the advantages in the race. The blue-collar conservative outspent his relatively unknown challenger, former state Rep. Jeff Johnson, by a three-to-one margin. Pawlenty also raised his profile with a brief and unsuccessful campaign for president in 2012 before spending five years lobbying for Wall Street banks in Washington. Yet Johnson, a 51-year-old county commissioner, prevailed Tuesday, reflecting the changed nature of the electorate since Pawlenty left office a decade ago. He had his chance, Johnson said of Pawlenty. Tim believes hes entitled to his old job and is running a 20-year-old campaign based on polls. Johnson also ran for governor in 2014 but lost to Dayton in that election. He struggled to raise funds in this years GOP primary and was seen as an underdog based on scant polling that had shown him trailing. Pawlentys disavowal of Trump likely hurt him with GOP voters in the state. The gubernatorial candidate called Trump unsound, uninformed, unhinged and unfit in 2016 after the infamous Access Hollywood audio recording emerged in which Trump bragged in 2005 about sexual assault. Pawlenty attempted to soften that position this year, however, by telling reporters that he still voted for Trump in the end and that he supports the presidents policies but not some of his behavior. Johnson seized on the contradiction in an ad released by his campaign: Trump didnt endorse Pawlenty in the race. But the president did praise his lieutenant governor running mate, Michelle Fischbach, who is currently serving in the same position under Dayton. Pawlentys campaign also touted the moment in a video earlier this year. Story continues Republican hopes of winning back Minnesotas governorship rest in part on Donald Trump coming within less than 2 percentage points two years ago of winning the state which no GOP presidential candidate has carried since 1972. But a recent poll showed the presidents approval rating in Minnesota at just 38 percent, with 51 percent disapproving of the job he is doing. Dayton, on the other hand, received a 53 percent approval rating earlier this year. As in several other governors races this year, national officials for both parties can be expected to focus on the battle in Minnesota. Most of the governors winning four-year terms in November will have the power to approve or veto the congressional and state legislative districts that emerge from fights over the new political maps after the 2020 census. Johnson squares off in Novembers election against Rep. Tim Walz, who won the Democratic primary. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. One professor encouraged her to bring her daughters to class when she had no baby sitter, she said. When she showed up and tried to sit quietly near the back of the class, he welcomed her to move closer to the front, she said. By Charlotte Greenfield and Jonathan Barrett WELLINGTON/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Pacific island nations are holding talks which could lead to a coordinated request that China forgive mounting debts in the region amid concerns Beijing may start seizing strategic assets, Tonga's Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva said on Thursday. Tonga, one of eight island nations in the South Pacific carrying significant debt to China, is due to start repaying loans next month after borrowing heavily in the aftermath of deadly riots in 2006 that destroyed large parts of its capital. China's possession of a Sri Lankan port as Colombo struggled with a spiralling debt crisis meant asset seizures could not be ruled out, Pohiva told Reuters in a phone interview from Tonga. "If it happens in Sri Lanka, it can happen in the Pacific - so it is entirely an option for China to consider," said Pohiva, who did not identify any specific assets at risk of being seized. "If we fail to meet the requirements and conditions set out in the agreement ... we have to pay the cost for our failure to meet the conditions." China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. It has previously said there was no evidence China was responsible for creating unsustainable debt and that it retained good relations with Tonga. In April, media reports suggested China wanted to establish a military base in the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu after funding a wharf big enough to handle warships. Both China and Vanuatu denied the reports. Pohiva, who came to power after the bulk of Tonga's $115 million debt to China was accumulated, said the region should negotiate as one. "It is no longer an issue for individual countries because there are small countries who borrowed from China and we have problems with that and the option is to collectively work together to find a way out." Regional leaders are due to gather at a Pacific Islands Forum early next month in the island nation of Nauru where Pohiva said they will progress plans to ask for their debt to be forgiven. China, which has a status as a 'dialogue partner' in the grouping, has sent an envoy to the event since 2007. For a graphic on Chinese loans to Pacific nations on the rise, click https://tmsnrt.rs/2LG3p6S DEBTS MOUNT A recent Reuters analysis of the financial books of South Pacific island nations showed China's lending programmes have gone from almost zero to over $1.3 billion currently outstanding in a decade. The relatively high debt burdens in the small economies has stoked fears the region risks falling into financial distress and becoming more susceptible to diplomatic pressure from Beijing. Despite holding little economic sway, each small Pacific state represents a vote at international forums such as the United Nations. They also control vast swathes of resource-rich ocean and access to the region holds strategic military significance. China has forgiven debt owed to it by some countries in the past. In 2016, China cancelled about $90 million in Cambodian debt at a time when Phnom Penh was seeking exemptions to longstanding debt to the United States. But Beijing has also moved ahead with fresh loans and aid to the country, becoming its most important diplomatic and economic backer as Cambodia's relations with the United States have frayed. Australia and New Zealand, traditionally the main powers in the South Pacific, have raised concerns about China's growing influence in the region, and led efforts to give more attention and aid to their island neighbours. Australia's Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, said they were worried about the impact of heavy debt levels on vulnerable economies. "This whole issue with Tonga has gone through the Pacific like a dose of salts, and understandably, because the money they now need to repay their loan means they have less money for health and education," Fierravanti-Wells told Reuters in a phone interview. New Zealand's Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said in an emailed statement that "over-leveraging in any situation is always a bad idea". (Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield in WELLINGTON and Jonathan Barrett in SYDNEY; additional reporting by Michael Martina in BEIJING. Editing by Lincoln Feast.) Christine Hallquist, Vermonts Democratic nominee, says her historic victory is a message to Trump, who banned transgender people from serving in the military Americas first transgender candidate for governor has hailed her victory as a historic moment and a rebuke to Donald Trumps targeting of marginalized communities. Christine Hallquist, who won the Democratic primary for Vermont governor on Tuesday night, told the Guardian she was stunned by the margin of her victory and said her win could point the way for Democratic success in rural America. It clearly is a historic moment, Hallquist said on Wednesday morning. I feel humbled and honored, Im certainly proud as well. Hallquist won 48.3% of the vote statewide, while her nearest challenger, former navy officer James Ehlers, won 22.1%. She will face the Republican incumbent Phil Scott, who comfortably won his primary with 67.5% of the vote, in Novembers election. The secret to the win and I think this can be applied all across rural America is we paid attention to rural Vermont, Hallquist said. Rather than just focusing on Chittenden county which encompasses Burlington and is by far the largest county in Vermont Hallquist said she took her message around the state. The rural counties, a lot of them [Hallquist won by] were over half. So it just goes to show you that it doesnt matter if youre transgender. Hallquist said her victory also served as a message to Trump, who in March banned transgender people from serving in the military. Trump is a despot and what despots do, just like any third world dictator, they target the most marginalized communities first. But no community should feel safe if any community is being targeted. Hallquist, 62, ran on a progressive message, advocating for an increase in low wages and Medicare-style health coverage for all. Her signature policy item is providing high-speed broadband access across the state, which she says would boost economies in struggling rural towns. Story continues Scott comfortably beat his Democratic opponent in the 2016 election governors in Vermont serve two-year terms and at the start of 2018 was ranked as one of the most popular governors in the US. But over the past four months his popularity has tanked in the state, a plummet which has been attributed to Scott signing a series of gun control measures, angering Republican and independent voters. Hes very vulnerable. He has no long-range plan for how to change the demographics that are occurring in rural Vermont, Hallquist said. Rural Vermont, were seeing increased rates in poverty, were seeing flights to urban areas and were seeing an ageing demographic. Bernie Sanders, who is running for re-election to the US senate in Vermont, was among the high-profile politicians to congratulate Hallquist on Tuesday night, while breakout Democratic newcomer Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez declared the win an incredible and groundbreaking victory. Congratulations @christineforvt & shout out to Vermont voters for continuing VTs legacy of courageous inclusion & advocacy for all people, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. Hallquist plans to expand her staff for the run against Scott, which she says will focus on pocket book issues relating to the economy, but in the immediate future she is planning an unconventional team strategy meeting at her Hyde Park home. Were all going out to my house on Thursday to take care of a pony keg of beer, sleep over at the house, and were going to build a plan, and then were going to start executing that plan Friday morning. Former White House aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman has said that she will not be silenced or bullied by Donald Trump after his campaign starting legal action alleging breach of a secrecy agreement amid a spat over a new book. Mr Trump earlier called Ms Manigault-Newman a dog and a lowlife over the explosive new book, Unhinged, which makes several unflattering allegations against the president The arbitration was filed with the America Arbitration Association in New York, and claims Ms Manigault-Newmans book and media tour breached her 2016 confidentiality agreement with the campaign. Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. has filed an arbitration against Omarosa Manigault-Newman, with the American Arbitration Association in New York City, for breach of her 2016 confidentiality agreement with the Trump Campaign, a Trump campaign official said in a statement. Ms Manigault-Newman has made numerous television appearances and given a number of interviews in recent days promoting her book in which she reveals private conversations during her time on the campaign and in the White House. She has also released several audio recordings of conversations she had with Mr Trump and campaign aides. On Tuesday evening, the former aide said that she would not be intimidated by the legal action from Mr Trumps campaign. Please allow a moment for the live-blog to load Ms Manigault-Newman said she believes the action was intended to keep her from telling her story. Im not going to be bullied by Donald Trump, she told the Associated Press During an earlier appearance, Ms Manigault-Newman told MSNBC that she had been interviewed by special counsel Robert Muellers team, which is investigating Russias meddling in the 2016 election and has been a regular target for Mr Trump. I have, Ms Manigault-Newman said when asked if she had spoken to Mr Muellers team, which is considering potential ties between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia. Story continues Mr Trump himself has indicated Ms Manigault-Newman had signed a non-disclosure agreement that now appears to be a point of contention between the two sides, tweeting on Monday about the supposed document. Wacky Omarosa already has a fully signed Non-Disclosure Agreement! Mr Trump tweeted. Since the start of Ms Manigault-Newmans press tour, Mr Trump has repeatedly vented his frustration over the disclosures made in the new book, and has called his former White House aide a crazed, crying lowlife and a dog. 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, Mr Trump tweeted on Tuesday. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog! President Donald Trumps bewildering affinity for President Vladimir Putin raises the question of whether its merely a matter of admiration or Putin possesses information that empowers him to influence Trumps conduct. This fact is incontrovertible: By word and deed, on the world stage Donald Trump has become an invaluable asset to Russia. The question is whether Americas president is also a Russian asset specifically, whether Trumps bewildering affinity for President Vladimir Putin is simply a matter of ego and admiration or whether Putin possesses information that empowers him to influence Trumps conduct. This question has the gravest implications for our foreign policy, national security, electoral integrity and rule of law. If the answer is damning, Trump must quash special counsel Robert Muellers investigation not simply to protect himself but also to conceal that, in matters critical to Russia, his actions as president are circumscribed by Putins wishes. Such a scenario remains difficult to accept. But a mass of publicly available evidence regarding Trumps behavior over 30-plus years suggests that Putin is positioned to function as Trumps handler. This history makes it imperative to protect Muellers inquiry until it finds the truth. 1986 To 2011: Trumps Growing Entanglement With Russia After several bankruptcies, by the early 1990s, Trump could no longer secure American financing for his businesses, and he turned to Russian lenders. (Craig Allen / Getty Images) The most obvious potential leverage between Trump and Russia is the most contemporary: that Trumps campaign accepted Russian help to defeat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election, perhaps in exchange for a promise of sanctions relief. Disclosure of such an arrangement would likely doom Trumps presidency, rendering him susceptible to Russian pressure. Indeed, the bare public revelation that Trump knowingly accepted Russian assistance even without an explicit quid pro quo would be unacceptable to Trump: As a political and psychological matter, he clearly would do anything to avoid the delegitimization of his victory. Either way, Putin holds secrets that Trump is desperate to conceal giving the Russian an invaluable source of leverage over Americas president. But there is compelling evidence that Russias electoral help in 2016 is the culmination, not the genesis, of Trumps enthrallment by the Kremlin. Story continues That history begins in 1986. Trump was a publicity-hungry real estate developer known for his avarice, ego and risky financial and personal behavior. As Jonathan Chait set forth in New York magazine, Trumps limited regard for ethical boundaries included associating with people linked to the Mafia. What discretion he evinced seemed limited to maintaining tight control over sensitive personal information. In short, he was perfectly designed to draw the attention of the KGB, Putins employer and the Russian intelligence agency predecessor of the current FSB and GRU. Routinely, the KGB identified and cultivated foreign nationals who could be useful in advancing Russias interests especially those who might be susceptible to blandishments or blackmail. Obviously, Trump was such a person, easily visible to KGB talent scouts in Russias U.N. mission. Whatever the impetus, in 1986, Russias ambassador to the U.N. visited Trump in his office, praised his prowess as a developer and invited him to discuss a project in Moscow. In 1987, Trump visited Moscow staying in a hotel suite certain to have been bugged. Given the KGBs routine deployment of economic opportunity, flattery and sensitive personal information, this visit is the obvious potential beginning of Trumps soft recruitment as a tool of Russian influence. For whatever reason, on returning to New York, Trump showed a newfound interest in geopolitics, even hinting at presidential ambitions. He placed a full-page ad in three major national newspapers An open letter from Donald J. Trump on why America should stop paying to defend countries that can afford to defend themselves attacking Japan and others for relying on the U.S. for their defense. The primary threat to these countries was, of course, Russia. Perhaps a light suddenly went on in Trumps brain, spurring him to publicly trumpet the pro-Russian sentiments he now acts on as president. But the timing of his abrupt public outspokenness on U.S. foreign policy is curious. Certainly, it marked Trumps debut as a prominent American voice for sentiments aligned with Russias interests. As Trumps sons have acknowledged, Trumps businesses came to depend on Russian financing. In the ensuing years, Trump became further entangled with Russia. By the early 1990s, his businesses incurred enormous debts and losses. After several Trump bankruptcies, American financial institutions refused him further lending. Only a desperate man would turn to a corrupt kleptocracy like post-communist Russia, where lending is controlled by shady oligarchs beholden to an autocratic government antagonistic to American interests. But as Trumps sons have acknowledged, Trumps businesses came to depend on Russian financing. This has serious political implications. For many years, no sane lender American or Russian would have freely lent Trump money. But Russian oligarchs arent free; often their lending is directed by the government to obtain geopolitical leverage. It would be consistent with Russias intelligence practices to direct money to the vulnerable Trump and keep close watch on his indebtedness to Russian sources. More Kremlin-related money poured into Trump properties through cash payments for high-end condominiums riches derived from criminal enterprises run by oligarchs. All this may help explain Trumps obsession with concealing financial information, including his tax returns, and further exposed him to the influence of the Russian government. 2011 To 2016: Trumps Political Synergy With Russia Trump speaks to the media on April 27, 2011, about President Barack Obamas release of his original birth certificate that morning. As late as 2010, Trump had only praise for Obama. (Matthew Cavanaugh / Getty Images) President Barack Obamas first term saw Putins increasing hostility toward America and the West. The now infamous dossier compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele alleges this was also the period when Russian authorities began cultivating and supporting Trump. Whatever the cause, 2011 marked a complete reversal in Trumps public statements about Americas first black president. Before then, Trump had only praise; as late as 2010 he wrote that Obama proved that determination combined with opportunity and intelligence can make things happen and in an exceptional way. But in 2011 Trump began aggressively questioning Obamas birthplace and his legitimacy as president a campaign that aligned perfectly with Russias interests while ballooning Trumps popularity among Republican primary voters. As he had in prior years, he began hinting that he might run for president. In response, Obama mercilessly filleted Trumps presidential preening at the 2011 White House Correspondents Association dinner, eliciting much laughter and, from Trump, a frozen scowl. This unbearable humiliation, some speculate, fueled his personal hatred of Obama and hardened his decision to run for president, lending credence to the infamous pee tape described in the Steele dossier. Russian businessman Aras Agalarov, Miss Universe 2013 Gabriela Isler and Trump at a news conference after the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow, Nov. 9, 2013. (Maxim Shemetov / Reuters) This story arose from Trumps 2013 return to Moscow to preside over the Miss Universe contest. In Steeles account, Russian intelligence videotaped Trump watching prostitutes urinate on a bed that Obama had occupied during a state visit another weapon in Russias arsenal of kompromat, or compromising information. Like many other assertions in the dossier, this has not been conclusively proved or debunked. The dossiers overall credibility is discussed below. But it is worth noting here that key aspects of it have been independently verified. Beyond doubt, in 2013 Trump met with individuals who became central either as intermediaries or participants to the infamous 2016 Trump Tower meeting between members of his campaign and Kremlin-connected Russians. At the least, by 2013 it seems clear that Russia viewed Trump as a potentially significant force in American politics and, by 2015, a serious presidential candidate. For Russia, he represented an antidote to the offensive policies of Obamas likely Democratic successor, Clinton; for Putin, supporting Trump through Russian intelligence was standard operating procedure, reflecting his support of pro-Russian candidates in France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria and Ukraine. For a former KGB spymaster, the prospect of helping choose Americas president must have been intoxicating. By early 2016, Putins campaign and Trumps began to meld. 2016: The Trump Campaign Collaborates With Russia Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on July 21, 2016. In many ways, his indebtedness to Russia paralleled Trumps. (The Washington Post / Getty Images) There is overwhelming evidence that the Trump campaign cooperated with Russias comprehensive effort to help elect him president an operation ordered by Putin himself. This evidence includes dozens of secret contacts between the two efforts that reflect classic Russian tradecraft: Regardless of whether Trump won or lost, he would be complicit in Russias illegal activities and knowingly indebted to Putin. An obvious linchpin of Russias efforts was the veteran GOP operative Paul Manafort, who became Trumps campaign manager in the spring of 2016. In many ways, Manaforts indebtedness to Russia paralleled Trumps. In 2005, Manafort became an agent of Kremlin influence, collecting $10 million annually from a key Putin ally, the oligarch Oleg Deripaska, in exchange for advancing Russian surrogates in Ukraine. But like Trump, Manafort became cash strapped because of overspending and misbegotten business deals, eventually becoming deeply indebted to Deripaska. By 2016, Manaforts financial future and perhaps more depended on pacifying Putins ally. Russia was ready for him: In the spring of 2015, The Wall Street Journal reports, U.S. spy agencies captured Russian government officials discussing associates of Mr. Trump, including Mr. Manafort. In March 2016, Manafort offered Trump his services as campaign manager, for free. Once ensconced, he promised Deripaska confidential briefings on the campaign; Manafort was now ideally situated to seek new financing from Kremlin-connected sources, perhaps in exchange for furthering a mutually beneficial arrangement between the Trump campaign and Russia. Certainly, this would fit Manaforts profile as a venal influence peddler, Trumps as an amoral opportunist and Putins as a ruthless handler of Russian assets bent on using Trumps campaign. Russia also appears to have cultivated other Trump associates. Joseph Mifsud, an academic with extensive ties to the Russian government who is now mysteriously missing, told Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos that Russia had dirt on Clinton thousands of emails. Other contacts included Trumps national security adviser Michael Flynn, who had personal ties to Putin, and Carter Page, another adviser who American intelligence believed was being recruited by Russia as a potential asset. Another meeting involved Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian banker who the FBI believes funneled millions of dollars to Trump Sr.s campaign through the National Rifle Association. It defies belief that Trumps campaign manager, son and son-in-law would conceal this meeting from the notorious micromanager who terrorizes those around him. Incredibly, Trump Sr. claims ignorance of all these contacts as well as the June 9, 2016, meeting in Trump Tower with Manafort, Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and Kremlin-connected Russians. In the words of a go-between writing on behalf of Aras Agalarov, a Russian oligarch Trump Sr. met in Moscow, the Russians were dangling information harmful to Clinton as part of their governments support for Mr. Trump. Instead of reporting this overture to the FBI, Trump Jr. responded, I love it. By welcoming and concealing the meeting, the campaigns most senior officials confirmed their willingness to communicate in secret with representatives of Americas leading geopolitical adversary specifically to obtain electoral help. This is precisely the kind of leverage Russian intelligence seeks and precisely the kind of information that it was imperative for the Trump campaign to hide. At that point, the campaign was on Russias hook. It defies belief that Trumps campaign manager, son and son-in-law would conceal this meeting from the notorious micromanager who terrorizes those around him. When the meeting occurred, Trump was one floor away. Moreover, his erstwhile lawyer Michael Cohen said he witnessed Trump Jr. telling his father about the prospective meeting; before one questions Cohens credibility, consider Trump Sr.s. Finally, before and after the meeting, Trump Jr. called a blocked private number likely Trump Sr.s. A little-noted clincher is that in August 2016, the FBI warned Trump that the Russians would try to infiltrate his campaign. At that point, he was on notice that his denials of Russian influence were subject to scrutiny. Yet he kept on denying them, digging himself an ever-deepening hole. Thats what assets do. Thus Trump insists he remained utterly oblivious to the glaring pattern of complicity from June 2016 to Election Day. Some examples: On June 18, the Trump campaign inexplicably amended the GOP platform to remove support for arming Ukraine against Russian domination. On July 22, WikiLeaks published yet more emails damaging to Clinton. Throughout the fall, Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone maintained contact with WikiLeaks and hackers tied to Russia. On Oct. 7 hours after the release of the salacious Access Hollywood tape so damaging to Trump WikiLeaks released another batch of emails hacked from Clintons campaign chairman. Concurrently, Russia was running its massive disinformation campaign, displaying a suspiciously uncanny grasp of American politics and Trumps electoral interests. Computer scientists observed a suspicious pattern of electronic communications between Trump Tower and a Russian bank with links to the Kremlin a mystery that remains unsolved. In light of all this, we can return to the Steele dossier. During the campaign, Steele wrote that two highly placed sources a senior Russian official and a close associate of Trumps revealed that the Kremlin was feeding Trump and his campaign valuable intelligence on his opponents, including Clinton. Russia conducted its efforts to influence the election through the WikiLeaks releases, Steele reported, with the full knowledge and support of Trump and senior members of his campaign. According to Steele, he shared this information with British and U.S. intelligence because he believed that Trump was being blackmailed by Russia. Steeles account of Russian goals using Trump to relieve sanctions on Russia, countenance further aggression and create a divisive rift amongst Western allies has proved prescient. The Republican Party has sought to use the origin of Steeles report opposition research paid for by Democrats to cast aspersions on the entire Trump-Russia probe. Yet the dossiers central findings remain highly credible. Its main conclusion, that Putin ordered an influence campaign to help elect Trump, was independently verified by U.S. intelligence agencies in January 2017. Further, a respected Israeli journalist reported that CIA officials warned their Israeli counterparts that they believed Russia had leverages of pressure over then-President-elect Trump, matching Steeles conclusion. This underscores an important possibility: that much of the information that would validate the dossier and implicate Trump remains classified. This could explain the uncharacteristic public admonitions of former CIA Director John Brennan (the Russians may have something on [Trump] personally) and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper (Putin handles Trump like a Russian asset). While in their positions, both received classified information regarding Trump; their dilemma is that they cant publicly reveal all they know, including why the CIA warned Israeli intelligence about him. What they may well know and what the public record overwhelmingly suggests is that Trump and his campaign knowingly and willingly went along with Russian efforts to influence the election and, in the process, repeatedly violated American law. Meaning that Putin has Trump in his thrall. He can either control Trumps actions or, if he pleases, destroy Trumps presidency. Either way, Putin wins. This explains the otherwise inexplicable affirmation by Russias deputy foreign minister one day after Trumps election: There were contacts. We are doing this and have been doing this during the election campaign. One can read that as a warning to Trump. Election Day 2016 To August 2018: Trumps Efforts To Conceal His Complicity With Russia Trump at a press conference with Putin after their meeting in Helsinki, July 16, 2018. Trump backed Putins denial of interference in the 2016 presidential election, contrary to U.S. intelligence agencies conclusions. (Kevin Lamarque / Reuters) Once elected, Trump has behaved like a president with much to hide. Take the surreptitious efforts to establish a back channel between Trump and Russia. In December 2016, Kushner and Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak discussed establishing a secret communication line through the Russian Embassy. Another apparent effort involves a clandestine meeting with Trump ally Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater (now called Academi) and the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. In January 2017, Brennan, Clapper and National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers briefed Trump on highly confidential, detailed and compelling evidence of Putins role in directing Russian interference in the election citing a source so sensitive that Brennan had omitted the person from Obamas briefings on Russia. After the meeting, FBI Director James Comey gave Trump a complete account of the Steele dossier alleging Trumps complicity, including the pee tape. At this point, Russias threat to our national security and electoral integrity would alarm any normal president. Instead, Trump has spent the last 18 months persistently questioning U.S. intelligences conclusions about Russias role, castigating the FBI investigation as a witch hunt and deriding Brennan and Clapper as political hacks. Just yesterday, Trump revoked Brennans security clearance, citing his supposedly erratic behavior. These behaviors bespeak a president fearful of exposure. So does Trumps behavior regarding sanctions. In December 2016, Kislyak and Flynn secretly discussed relieving Russia from sanctions imposed by Obama for its aggression in Ukraine and interference in the election. Unbeknownst to Flynn, the FBI monitored these calls; queried by the FBI, he lied about their subject matter. Uncovering this, The Washington Post contacted Flynn, who persisted in lying, publicly and repeatedly. The bare public revelation that Trump knowingly accepted Russian assistance even without an explicit quid pro quo would be unacceptable to Trump. In an earlier piece, I detailed Trumps frenzy to cover up for Flynn and Russia and himself. In brief, Trump concealed an earlier warning about Flynns lies from acting Attorney General Sally Yates; dissembled about his knowledge concerning Flynns discussions with Kislyak and the FBI; attempted to dissuade Comey from investigating Flynn; and, having failed, fired him. The only rational explanation is that Trump needed to conceal that Flynn was acting at his direction. In July 2017, The New York Times reported the June 2016 meeting between Trump campaign officials and Russians. In response, Trump Jr. issued a false statement claiming that the meeting concerned Russian adoption policy and concealing Russias offer of information. In his own lie, Trump Sr. denied any involvement with his sons account. But as the facts emerged, the president was forced to acknowledge through his lawyers that he dictated his sons false statement while on Air Force One. Why did Trump throw his son under the bus? Obviously, to protect himself; he knew very well what the meeting was about because he had always known about the meeting. Now, over a year later, he has been forced to admit that his top campaign officials met with Kremlin-connected Russians to obtain information damaging to Clinton. At this point, he is reduced to claiming that his son, Manafort and Kushner did nothing illegal while continuing to insist that he knew nothing about the meeting. The first is wrong; accepting campaign help from foreign nationals, let alone a foreign government, violates American law in several respects. The second claim is, to any conscious observer, surely false. Trumps cover-up is unraveling; his burgeoning attacks on Mueller reek of guilt and desperation. Our intelligence agencies decry Russias ongoing electoral interference. Yet Trumps strangely solitary summit with Putin in Helsinki last month was followed by a craven press conference in which Trump parroted Putins denials. By now Trump has dispelled all reasonable doubt: Americas president is Russias captive. But we need Mueller to specify Putins leverage before, like a trapped animal, Trump precipitates a constitutional crisis serving Russias interests once again. Richard North Patterson is the New York Times best-selling author of 22 novels, a former chairman of Common Cause and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's company suspended the personal account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones amid public pressure. (Photo: Bloomberg via Getty Images) Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has faced a barrage of criticism for his companys refusal to remove accounts belonging to Alex Jones, the far-right conspiracy theorist whose incendiary screeds have already led other tech industry titans to boot him from their platforms. On Tuesday, Dorseys company finally took some action: It suspended Jones personal account for one week after he urged his viewers to get their battle rifles ready to use against the media. To Twitters critics, the decision to block Jones wasnt exactly a cause for celebration. Before his suspension, Jones had a prolific history of hateful and abusive remarks that went more or less unchecked. He regularly attacks Jewish businessman George Soros, whom Jones terms an insane Nazi collaborator, has repeatedly linked LGBTQ people and Muslims to pedophilia, and once vowed to destroy drag queens. Jones fringe views, oft-baseless claims and hate-filled rhetoric have him currently embroiled in several lawsuits, including efforts to hold him accountable for pushing the idea that the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was faked by the government which Jones also discusses over Twitter. Parents of the murdered children face so many threats that some have needed to move several times, The New York Times reported last month. Similarly, Jones claimed that students who survived the mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, were crisis actors, leading to more abuse. While Jones is currently temporarily blocked from tweeting to his 800,000-some personal followers, he can still speak to the 430,000 who follow his conspiracy website, Infowars, which remains free to fret over supposed Islamic training camps prepar[ing] recruits to trigger something big in coming civil war. Meanwhile, Media Matters reporter Andrew Lawrence learned this week that a simple reference to the 1987 classic The Princess Bride could be interpreted as a rule-breaker on Twitter. In a post addressed to the far-right writer Ben Shapiro, Lawrence echoed the films hero Westley (Carey Elwes) challenging Vizzini (Wallace Shawn) to a battle of wits involving poisoned wine to secure the safety of Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright). Story continues Courtesy screengrab of Twitter's emailed suspension notification. (Photo: Andrew Lawrence / Twitter) Twitter removed the post and suspended Lawrence for promoting or encouraging self-harm. After Lawrence appealed the decision, he received a form email within an hour saying the company had erred in suspending his account. Twitter users have complained for years about the sites unevenly enforced policies, saying the company has failed to keep abuse and general ugliness at bay. Women and minorities, in particular, say Twitter systematically fails to adequately address the proliferation of messages containing grossly offensive and threatening comments toward them. I do understand it can be difficult for a website like Twitter to make decisions about what is a bannable offense and what isnt, Lawrence told HuffPost in an email. But when you have people getting suspended for quoting The Princess Bride on the same day that CNN reports Twitter admitted Alex Jones has violated their rules but wont suspend his account, its pretty obvious their system isnt working. Other violations Twitter has deemed worthy of punitive action are equally puzzling. Last August, site suspended a user in Japan who celebrated a single mosquitos death. In June, The Wire creator David Simon was suspended, apparently for a Monty Pythonesque line instructing someone to die of boils after that person defended President Donald Trumps immigration policy requiring the separation of children and parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. To the site, those were threats of violence akin to Jones threat to take up arms against the media. (Inexplicably, Simon faced no consequences for previously tweeting die of boils.) Twitter user Barbara Applewood said she was suspended last week for saying Sean Hannity, a public figure, is a Partisan Whore. So..I was suspended for hate directed towards @seanhannity. I called him a Partisan Whore. I received a follow-up message from Twitter saying further tweets will cause me to have my account permanently suspended. So now, apparently, I'm as bad as Roger Stone. pic.twitter.com/98r3k2t89d Barbara Apple Wood (@AppleWood1957) August 7, 2018 Casey Kaemerer was suspended Friday for calling right-wing pundit Laura Ingraham, another public figure, white trash. Both terms were considered hate speech, unlike Jones repeated efforts to demonize Muslims. I know I'm late to this convo but I was suspended for this tweet. F*CK @Twitter and their BS! I stand by this tweet and you made me delete it. Why? Bc it's true?! She can dish it but can't take it and @jack protects all of the racist as*holes. pic.twitter.com/WRBmB8xuR0 gone country (@casekaem) August 11, 2018 Similar examples of misguided attempts to crack down on Twitter abuse are easy to find. A user who only wanted to go by their Twitter handle, Insulin Cowboy, said they were suspended for promoting self-harm with a GIF saying I was tired. (The user told HuffPost they didnt remember the specific image.) Twitter user Max, who told HuffPost he preferred not to give his last name, posted a tweet in July illustrating the homophobic insults he endures on the website. I tweeted that people had been calling me a queer cunt, Max told HuffPost over Twitters messaging service. Someone responded to say, I dont care if youre a queer cunt, I like you, and I replied saying, Im definitely queer and arguably a cunt, and they suspended my account for promoting hate. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. (Photo: spilleroftea / Twitter) If Twitter was simply being overprotective of its users, plucking tweets from the site because some algorithm determined them to be harmful, the issue would likely become one of the sites many in-jokes. But its not. The problem is not just what Twitter considers harmful its what the site doesnt. Id once reported a man for calling me cunt 40 tweets in a row, and that didnt violate Twitters [terms of service], Twitter user Scarlett Parrish told HuffPost. Someone else tried to track down my home address, a third guy threatened to rape me, that was all OK. Parrish was suspended for responding to a comment she found offensive by employing a Scottish insult for white people. A racist got in my mentions and tried to lecture me about white slavery, she wrote in a lengthy appeal to Twitter, also posted on her personal blog, in which she demanded to know why the company took action against her but not those who were threatening her. (Unlike Jones, who is still able to peruse Twitter at his leisure, Parrish wasnt even able to browse the site while her account was suspended.) Facebook: We have banned Infowars Apple: We have banned Infowars Twitter: Your account has been banned for tweeting Sandy Hook really happened you idiot at @UnJewTheMedia Jason O. Gilbert (@gilbertjasono) August 6, 2018 Similarly, in screenshots he shared with HuffPost, Max explained how he reported another user for telling him the noose is waiting, only to be told that that user did not violate any policy. These examples abound. Twitters abuse problem persists even as the company has made pledges in recent years to tackle it. According to a February Vanity Fair feature, the culprit is a failure of leadership exacerbated by an exodus of talented technologists at the company. Twitter has been more or less successful in preventing users from promoting ISIS on the platform, and a campaign launched against Russian-linked bots resulted in the banishment of many such accounts. The everyday harassment and abuse continue, insiders told Vanity Fair, because Twitter leadership hasnt decided how to define them. Without clear goal posts, the company has not designed a sophisticated system of handling this problem. Until it does, user experience on Twitter is not likely to improve, and Twitter may keep justifying the presence of harmful accounts by conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. A couple of beer delivery drivers offered a beer from their truck to a suicidal man to try to save his life. (Photo: Kwame Anderson via Facebook) Beer doesnt have a reputation for saving lives, but as with everything in life, an exception can be made. Kwame Anderson and Jason Gabel, who work as beer delivery drivers in Minnesota, were running their usual route when they spotted a man hanging onto a fence on a highway overpass in St. Paul on Wednesday. Believing the man was suicidal, Anderson quickly phoned the police. Gabel pulled their truck over and called out to the man, asking him if he was all right and imploring him to come back over to the other side of the fence. Anderson told the Twin Cities Pioneer Press that he jumped out of the truck and said to the man, If youre thinking of jumping, you dont have to jump. The man, according to Anderson, said, You dont know me. You dont care. Why are you trying to save me? If I didnt care, I wouldnt be here right now, Anderson replied. Anderson credits Denzel Washington and his role in Inside Man as the inspiration for his quick thinking and negotiation skills. I thought about Denzel Washington when hes acting as a cop in movies. I said, Well, I gotta keep this guy entertained somehow because if I wait for police, this thing may be over,' Anderson told KMSP-TV. Anderson worked to build a rapport with the man, even finding out that they both hailed from Chicago. Eventually, St. Paul police officers arrived, while the Minnesota State Patrol and St. Paul fire department closed the interstate beneath the man. rame> But Gabel believed that the white police officers were making the man nervous. So, along with Anderson, the pair quickly thought of a plan. Anderson went into the truck and pulled out a 12-pack of beer. I have a pack of Coors Light for you. Follow me,' Anderson said. The man obliged and inched his way back to safety. He didnt receive his drink, however, because paramedics took him to Regions Hospital to be evaluated. Beer has been bringing people together for a long, long time, Sgt. Mike Ernster, a St. Paul police spokesman, told the Pioneer Press. Today, it brought people together in a life-saving way. Story continues Kwame Anderson 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. By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is warning more economic pressures may be in store for Turkey if it refuses to release a jailed American pastor, a White House official said on Tuesday, in a dispute that has further strained relations between the NATO allies. The tough message emerged a day after White House national security adviser John Bolton met privately with Turkish ambassador Serdar Kilic about the case of evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson. Bolton warned him that the United States would not give any ground, a senior U.S. official said. The White House official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said "nothing has progressed" thus far on the Brunson case. The administration is going to stay extremely firm on this. The president is 100 percent committed to bringing Pastor Brunson home and if we do not see actions in the next few days or a week there could be further actions taken," the official said. Further actions would likely take the form of economic sanctions, the official said, who added: The pressure is going to keep up if were not seeing results. Relations between Turkey and the United States have been soured by Brunsons detention, as well as diverging interests on Syria. Trump doubled tariffs on imports of Turkish steel and aluminum last week, contributing to a precipitous fall in the lira . The United States is also considering a fine against Turkeys state-owned Halkbank for allegedly helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions. Earlier this month, the United States imposed sanctions on two top officials in President Recep Tayyip Erdogans cabinet in an attempt to get Turkey to turn over Brunson. Brunson is accused of backing a coup attempt against Turkish Erdogan two years ago, charges that he has denied. He is being tried on terrorism charges. Brunson has appealed again to a Turkish court to release him from house arrest and lift his travel ban, his lawyer told Reuters on Tuesday. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Mary Milliken and James Dalgleish) By Lesley Wroughton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday named senior policy adviser Brian Hook as Washington's special representative for Iran. The move came as the Trump administration prepared to increase economic pressure on Iran by restoring sanctions to force Tehran to end its nuclear weapons program and support for militant groups in the Middle East. Hook will lead a newly established Iran Action Group to coordinate the State Department's pressure campaign on Iran, Pompeo told a news conference. The announcement was not a surprise. Hook, who has pushed for tough action against Iran, has been leading the department's talks with allies in Europe and Asia to persuade them to support U.S. sanctions and cut off Iran's oil supplies as of November. "The Iran Action Group will be responsible for directing, reviewing and coordinating all aspects of the State Department's Iran-related activity, and will report directly to me," Pompeo said. "We are committed to a whole-of-government effort to change the Iranian regimes behavior, and the Iran Action Group will ensure that the Department of State remains closely synchronized with our interagency partners," he added. President Donald Trump announced in May the United States was withdrawing from an Iran nuclear deal sealed in 2015 between Tehran and six world powers. The United States has said it would only end the sanctions if Iran allowed the negotiation of a tougher deal. Hook, who was a close adviser to former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, worked with U.S. national security advisor John Bolton on Iran sanctions while Bolton was the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under Republican President George W. Bush. Hook also served as an assistant secretary of state during Bush's administration and was an adviser to the Republican presidential campaigns of Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty. Trump has said he would be willing to meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, although Tehran said the way back to talks was for the United States to return to the nuclear deal. Asked whether he supported such a meeting and whether his brief would be to set up those talks, Hook said if Iran showed that it was willing to change its behavior, then Trump "was prepared to engage in dialogue in order to find solutions." Washington aims to force Tehran to end its nuclear program and its support of militant groups in the Middle East, where Iran is involved in proxy wars from Yemen to Syria. Iran and other signatories, including Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, have been working to find a way to salvage the nuclear agreement, even as the United States has started reimposing some sanctions on Iran. Dennis Ross, a former U.S. official in Democratic and Republican administrations, said Hook's new post might be a bureaucratic maneuver to try to inject more clarity into Washington's policy toward Tehran. "It creates an address within the administration for ... making the approach a more coherent one, with someone being given broader responsibility across departments to try to shape the policy," said Ross, now a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy think tank. "At least that would be theory." "The real question is ... is the policy going to continue to be just, basically, strong tough rhetoric and sanctions ... or is it going to be something more" to curtail what Washington sees as Iran's destabilizing actions in Syria, Yemen and Iraq?" he added. (Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed; editing by Jonathan Oatis and G Crosse) It means stability at the flagship. Those of you who are shoppers know what it means to have the flagship store in a community, Freeman-Wilson said. We have the flagship of U.S. Steel here in the City of Gary. It means stability for the workforce here at Gary Works. But it also means stability in a tax base or certainly assistance in a tax base in a community that has struggled. Kiev (AFP) - Ukraine's Prosecutor General's office on Thursday said had it demanded a 15-year prison sentence for ousted ex-president Viktor Yanukovych, accused by Kiev of "betraying his nation" to Russia. Pro-Moscow Yanukovych has lived in exile in Russia since he was ousted in a western-backed popular uprising in 2014 and it is highly unlikely he will ever face trial as the two countries remain locked in a bitter stand-off. "Viktor Yanukovych betrayed his nation. He betrayed his army. At the most difficult time for the country and the people," prosecutors said in court, according to a statement. "Like the last coward he left the country at the mercy of fate and fled into the arms of the aggressor," it said. "Without a drop of remorse, in order to please the enemy, he did everything in his power for Ukrainian territory to be seized by the aggressor." "I ask for Viktor Fedorovich Yanukovych to be punished with a 15-year sentence," the prosecutor said. Yanukovych sparked massive protests when he ditched an association accord with the EU, and then fled to Russia in early 2014 after a bloody crackdown in Kiev failed to quell the demonstrations. Russian President Vladimir Putin later revealed this was made possible by a special operation organised by Moscow to exfiltrate Yanukovych. After Yanukovych fled Ukraine, Moscow annexed the country's Crimea peninsula and war erupted between Kiev and Russian-backed rebels in the east of the country. Since then, the fighting has cost some 10,000 lives despite repeated international efforts to forge a lasting ceasefire. In Carrie Goldbergs career as a victims rights lawyer, she goes after four different kinds of offenders: A******s, psychos, pervs and trolls. An accomplished attorney who has most recently won a $950,000 sexual assault case involving a teen girl in Brooklyn and is currently representing one of the plaintiffs in the Harvey Weinstein case, Goldberg and her firm specialize in sexual assault and sexual privacy violations, including revenge porn, sextortion and other forms of online abuse. Defined as the distribution of sexually explicit images of a person without that persons consent, revenge porn is a form of abuse that affects approximately 1 in 8 adults most of them women. Sextortion takes it one step further: [Its] when somebody is being blackmailed, and usually their intimate images or videos are used as leverage to get somebody to do more things, said Goldberg. But five years ago, when Goldberg herself most needed a lawyer in this area of expertise, she had no one to turn to. In 2013, a man with whom she had ended a short-term relationship began a vicious campaign of harassment, initially by sending Goldberg hundreds of text messages and e-mails, and later attempting to break into her apartment. It escalated further when he hacked into her work computer, e-mailing to her colleagues her naked pictures and videos. He said that he was going spend the rest of his life destroying mine, and that there was no hole deep enough that I could climb into, Goldberg said. Terrified, Goldberg went to the police but after four legal proceedings, she realized she was getting nowhere. When I was going through my traumatic experience, I couldnt find somebody who both knew domestic violence and knew the criminal law, and knew about the copyright laws about naked pictures and understood the internet and social media. Eventually, Goldberg resigned from her job. She started her own firm the following day. The plan was to become the lawyer that Id needed and to be that lawyer for other people. On her website, in big capital letters, are the words, Our clients are not fragile like a flower. Theyre fragile like a bomb. Goldberg insists her defendants are not victims, but warriors. Its a f***ing fight to go after your offender, to demand that police prosecute a case, to sue. I mean, these are long-term battles, and you have to be ready for battle. To date, Goldbergs law firm has removed approximately 18,600 revenge-porn videos and pictures from the internet and revealed the identities of 164 anonymous harassing e-mail and social media profiles. Story continues The shadow of an anonymous persons hand hovers over a computer keyboard. (Image: Dimitris66 via Getty Images) When a victim decides to press charges, that victim will more than likely face an uphill battle with law enforcement. In Goldbergs experience, officials are ignorant about the internet, knowing little to nothing of the social media landscape and disregarding its potentially harmful consequences. Theyre like, Close your computer screen and go outside and live life. They dont understand that criminal things can happen through a computer and that there really is no line of demarcation between real life and internet life. If someones sending you dozens of harassing text messages threatening to kill you, just because its delivered through a text instead of, I dont know, a letter with ransom, cut-out paper, its somehow less legitimate. Educating police, judges and other lawyers on online about sexual harassment and the role of social media is something Goldberg believes should be a top priority. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, 2 out of every 3 sexual assault cases are not reported to the police and more than half of the perpetrators in the reported cases dont go to jail. If you can sue McDonalds for a burn or sue the city for a trip-and-fall, you sure as f*** can sue your rapist, Goldberg said. With the birth of the #MeToo movement and the subsequent shifting of blame from victim to offender, Goldberg recognizes the conversation about sexual harassment and assault has improved over the last year. The progress, however, isnt enough: With any sexualized crime, we need to educate our lawmakers, the people who enforce it, the people who prosecute it, and we need more laws. Theres still 10 states that dont have revenge-porn laws. One of those states is New York: The most recent bill that would have criminalized the nonconsensual distribution of intimate photos failed to pass in June after Google and other social media lobbyists torpedoed the legislation. I think if theres a villain in all of this, its our social media companies and our search engines who are protected from liability, said Goldberg. Because of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, it is almost impossible to sue an online publisher for content its users post. It was really for defamation, Goldberg said. The lawmakers were like, You know, its really going to impact discourse on this cute thing called the internet if everybody whos innovating and taking the risk of developing websites is going to get sued all the time. Currently, even if there is clear evidence that an individuals intimate images have been stolen and posted online, Google and other websites are not obligated to remove them. For now, Goldbergs firm isnt letting up on the fight against revenge porn and sextortion and she has a message for those who may be considering committing either one: If youre somebody who maybe has just been dumped and you have all this material from your ex, all of her secrets that she texted you, and naked pictures of her, and youre thinking about how you can use this against her dont. Just dont. I mean, were going to get you. _____ Watch more episodes of Yahoo News Unfiltered: And follow our Facebook page. The US continues to press for full compliance with international sanctions against North Korea - AP The US imposed sanctions Wednesday on three foreign companies it accuses of helping North Korea with the 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 US jurisdictions and bans Americans from doing business with them. It comes as the US continues to press for full compliance with international sanctions against North Korea while it continues talks with the North on ending its nuclear program. "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," Steven Mnuchin, the US Treasury Secretary, said in a statement. "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. "The consequences for violating these sanctions will remain in place until we have achieved the final, fully verified denuclearisation of North Korea." Those targeted on Wednesday are the China-based Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co. and its Singapore-based affiliate, SINSMS Ltd., along with Russia's Profinet Ltd. and its director general. They are accused of helping North Korea evade international sanctions by re-routing exports and imports through Chinese and Russian ports. The US 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. Washington (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a new high-level team to focus US and international efforts to increase diplomatic and economic pressure on Iran. The Iran Action Group will drive Washington's "maximum pressure" strategy to change Tehran's behavior, including potentially sanctioning other countries which trade with the country. The group will be headed by Brian Hook as the State Department's Special Representative for Iran. Hook, currently director of policy planning at the State Department, was in charge of the failed effort to get support from US allies for Washington's decision in May to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. "For nearly 40 years the regime in Tehran has been responsible for a torrent of violence and destabilizing behavior against the United States, our allies, our partners and indeed the Iranian people themselves," said Pompeo. "Our hope is that one day soon we can reach a new agreement with Iran. But we must see major changes in the regime's behavior both inside and outside its borders." The US has laid out a long list of activities it demands Tehran changes, including halting support for the Syrian government and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, shutting down its nuclear development program, and freeing detained Americans. "This team is committed to a strong global effort to change the Iranian regime's behavior," Hook said. "We want to be closely synchronized with our allies and partners around the world." Hook held out the possibility of the US engaging directly with Iranian leaders if they demonstrate a "commitment" to changing their behavior, Hook said, without being specific. He also said that Washington is stepping up its effort to get other countries to fall in line with economic pressure on Tehran, including the crackdown on Iran's oil trade, financial sector and shipping industry announced for early November. "Our goal is to reduce every country's import of Iranian oil to zero by November 4." "We are prepared to impose secondary sanctions on other governments that continue this sort of trade with Iran." Washington (AFP) - America's former top spy has alleged he was stripped of his security clearance in a bid by President Donald Trump to scare critics and stymie an investigation into ties with Russia. In a searing opinion article published in the New York Times on Thursday, ex-CIA director John Brennan said Trump's decision to remove his security clearance was politically motivated. "Mr. Trump clearly has become more desperate to protect himself and those close to him," said Brennan, seeing "an attempt to scare into silence others who might dare to challenge him." Brennan, who was until January 2017 the guardian of America's most closely held secrets, stridently dismissed Trump's claims that his campaign did not work with Russia to win the 2016 election. "Mr. Trumps claims of no collusion are, in a word, hogwash," he said. "The only questions that remain are whether the collusion that took place constituted criminally liable conspiracy, whether obstruction of justice occurred to cover up any collusion or conspiracy, and how many members of 'Trump Incorporated' attempted to defraud the government by laundering and concealing the movement of money into their pockets." Even by the standards of angry Trump-era criticism, Brennan's words represent an unprecedented attack by America's normally hush-hush spooks on a political leader. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump admitted his decision on Brennan's clearance was linked to the ongoing Russia probe. "I call it the rigged witch hunt, [it] is a sham, Trump was quoted as saying "and these people led it!" "So I think its something that had to be done," he added. News organisations across the US have united to condemn Donald Trumps attack on the media. Nearly 350 newspaper and other organisations are thought to have published a co-ordinated series of editorials condemning the US Presidents attacks on fake news. The Boston Globe invited its fellow publications to join calls for an end to President Trumps sustained assault on the #FreePress through editorials with the newspapers op-ed editor Marjorie Pritchard saying nearly 350 had pledged to participate. The Globe editorial board called for an end to President Trumps sustained assault on the #FreePress. Hundreds of publishers around the US answered that call https://t.co/XpgjyrODMp pic.twitter.com/7lnSTlE6Sh The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) August 15, 2018 In St Louis, the Post-Dispatch called journalists the truest of patriots, while the Chicago Sun-Times said it believes most Americans know Mr Trump is talking nonsense. The Fayetteville Observer said it hopes Mr Trump will stop making such accusations, but were not holding our breath, adding: Rather, we hope all the presidents supporters will recognise what hes doing manipulating reality to get what he wants. MOST POPULAR STORIES ON YAHOO UK TODAY Police tell shopkeeper to remove wanted posted because it breaches shoplifters rights Theres a 50-50 chance of a no-deal Brexit, warns Latvias foreign minister Spider season has arrived with 150 MILLION invading Britons homes due to heatwave Heatwave could continue for another four years, scientists warn In pictures: The contenders for Shed of the Year 2018 Mystery hairy sea monster washes up on Siberian beach and no one knows what it is Story continues The New York Times joined in the movement, saying: If you havent already, please subscribe to your local papers. Praise them when you think theyve done a good job and criticise them when you think they could do better. Were all in this together. Backlash Donald Trump has faced a backlash from media organisation across the UK (Picture: AP) But The Wall Street Journal, which said it was not participating, noted in a column by James Freeman that the Boston Globes campaign went against the independence that editorial boards claim to seek. The US president however doubled down on his criticism on Twitter calling the media the opposition party. THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country.BUT WE ARE WINNING! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 16 August 2018 Washington (AFP) - US newspapers big and small hit back Thursday at Donald Trump's attacks on the news media with a coordinated campaign of editorials, triggering a fresh tirade from the president on Twitter. Leading the charge was The Boston Globe, which had called for the drive highlighting the importance of a free press, accompanied by the hashtag #EnemyOfNone. More than 300 newspapers around the country joined the effort. "Today in the United States we have a president who has created a mantra that members of the media who do not blatantly support the policies of the current US administration are the 'enemy of the people,'" the Globe editorial said. "This is one of the many lies that have been thrown out by this president, much like an old-time charlatan threw out 'magic' dust or water on a hopeful crowd," it added in a piece entitled "Journalists are not the Enemy." The effort comes amid Trump's persistent claims that mainstream media outlets that publish articles critical of him are churning out "fake news." The New York Times, a frequent target of Trump's criticism, ran a seven-paragraph editorial under a giant headline with all capital letters that read "A FREE PRESS NEEDS YOU." "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," the Times wrote. Trump fired back on Twitter by repeating his contention that the "fake" news media is "the opposition party" and claiming the Boston Globe was "in collusion" against him with other media. "There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS," he tweeted. "The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people." Story continues The US Senate meanwhile countered the White House by unanimously passing a resolution citing the "indispensable role of the free press" and warning that efforts to undermine the media were "an attack on our democratic institutions." Other newspapers joining the campaign said Trump's attacks diminish the importance of journalists in their communities. "For more than two centuries.. the press has served as a check on power, informing the American people about corruption and greed, triumphs and tragedies, grave mistakes and misdeeds and even ineptitude and dysfunction," wrote the Albuquerque Journal in New Mexico. Iowa's Des Moines Register said, "The true enemies of the people -- and democracy -- are those who try to suffocate truth by vilifying and demonizing the messenger." - Cannot sit back - Free press advocates argue that Trump's attacks imperil the constitutional First Amendment guarantee of freedom of the press. "I don't think the press can just sit back and take it, they need to make their case when the most powerful man in the world tries to undercut the First Amendment," said Ken Paulson, a former editor-in-chief of USA Today who is dean of communications at Middle Tennessee State University. But Paulson questioned whether editorials would be effective. "The people who read editorials dont need to be convinced," he said. "They are not the ones trying to shout you down at presidential rallies." The campaign also faced the potential for galvanizing supporters of the president around the notion that the media is out to get him. The San Francisco Chronicle said it would not join the effort because "it plays into Trump's narrative that the media are aligned against him." But the newspaper said it would "continue to speak out against this president's war on the free press," doing it "in our own way, on our own timetable." - Stakes too high - But media rights advocates say the stakes are too high to allow the president's claims to go unchecked. Some say Trump's comments have incited threats against journalists covering his events, and may have created a climate of hostility that opened the door to violent attacks like a deadly one in June against the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland. "Trump's references to us as the 'enemy of the American People' are no less dangerous because they happen to be strategic," the Kansas City Star wrote. "That is what Nazis called Jews. It's how Joseph Stalin's critics were marked for execution." Trump's actions are also encouraging strongmen such as Vladimir Putin of Russia and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey to treat journalists like enemies, some newspapers said. "The messages in today's newspapers are best read not as a drift toward war footing, but rather as a reminder that journalism is important work," wrote Pete Vernon in the Columbia Journalism Review. Russia in October 2017 launched a satellite which has been observed behaving in an The United States has challenged Russia about a satellite orbiting the earth exhibiting "abnormal behaviour", raising questions about Moscow's intentions to develop space weapons. A US official said the satellite was acting suspiciously, describing its recent launch as a very troubling development that appears to justify Donald Trumps plans for a new Space Force branch of the armed forces. Its behaviour on-orbit was inconsistent with anything seen before, Yleem Poblete, the assistant secretary at the state departments bureau of arms control, verification and compliance, told a UN disarmament conference in Geneva on Tuesday. We are concerned with what appears to be very abnormal behaviour. Russia dismissed her comments as "unfounded, slanderous accusations based on suspicions". The terrifying Cold War roots of space weapons - and why Donald Trump's message is 'vital' Dr Poblete said that the satellite, launched in October 2017, was of particular concern given Russias repeated public statements about wishing to develop space weapons. On March 1 Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, announced that his countrys Space Troops have received a mobile laser system, and Dr Poblete noted that Mr Putin has himself alluded to space weapons being more acceptable in the political and military respect. She said Russias proposals for a treaty described by Sergey Lavrov, the foreign minister, as securing the prevention of an arms race in outer space, were not to be taken seriously. Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, pictured in July Credit: TASS However, Russia, with the support of China, has drafted what is known as the PPWT a Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space, the Threat or Use of Force against Outer Space Objects. Dr Poblete raised concerns about the treaty at the Geneva convention on Tuesday, describing it as a flawed document, proposed by a country that has routinely violated its international commitments. She used questions about the satellite to illustrate US unease about signing up to the draft treaty. Story continues Referring to the satellite, she said: For the United States, this information strengthens our belief that the proposed PPWT has major flaws that make it unviable and demonstrates that any space arms control agreement is unverifiable at this time. A Long March-4C rocket lifts off from the southwestern Xichang launch centre carrying the Queqiao ("Magpie Bridge") satellite in Xichang, China's southwestern Sichuan province on May 21, 2018 Credit: AFP Instead, she urged countries to follow Americas lead and dismiss the proposed treaty. Alexander Deyneko, a Russian delegate at the Swiss conference, called Dr Pobletes remarks the same unfounded, slanderous accusations based on suspicions, on suppositions and so on. The United States had not proposed amendments to the draft treaty, Mr Deyneko said. We are seeing that the American side are raising their serious concerns about Russia, so you would think they ought to be the first to support the Russian initiative, he said. The row about the mystery satellite came after Mr Trump last week unveiled his his much-vaunted Space Force, a new 'sixth branch' of the armed forces which he wants ready by 2020. China, which is backing the Russian treaty, has also been proactive in the development of space capabilities, since President Xi Jinping said in June 2013, at the launch of the Shenzhou X manned mission, that China would take bigger steps in space exploration in pursuit of its space dream. A report for the US and China Economic and Security Review Commission highlighted how the Chinese military was seeking to develop the ability to attack US systems in space. A Soyuz 2.1b rocket booster with a Frigate upper stage block, the Meteor-M 2-1 meteorological satellite and 18 small satellites launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome Credit: TASS The report stated: Chinese analysts surmise that the loss of critical sensor and communications capabilities could imperil the US militarys ability to achieve victory. Chinese anti-satellite capabilities are thought to include spacecraft armed with weapons such as explosive charges, lasers and radio frequency jammers. Additionally, trials of the Dong Neng-2 rocket from the Xichang launch site, a so-called missile defence interceptor, reached altitudes of over 18,000 miles; the range thought to include many US spy satellites in geosynchronous orbit, that make one orbit of the earth every day. The Space Force will be used in conjunction with the new Space Fence a ground-based radar, designed by US defence company Lockheed Martin, which will chart space debris as small as 1cm in diameter in the earths atmosphere. Nasa, the US space agency, estimates there are over 500,000 individual pieces of space debris orbiting the planet at speeds in excess of 17,000 miles per hour. Satellites and manned spacecraft such as the International Space Station are at risk from such fast-moving space debris. The Space Fence could be used alongside RAF Fylingdales as part of a system to track Russian and Chinese satellites. It monitors all space debris and traffic, including foreign owned space systems. Whilst technically possible, the ability to physically interfere with satellites - known as a hard-kill - such as forcing them to descend into the earths atmosphere where they will burn up, is some years away. More likely is a cyberattack - known as soft-kill - that could render them useless or unable to communicate properly. "The UK does not have the industrial muscle or money to do a hard-kill, an RAF spokesman said, but the US probably will in the near future and the UK will look to get involved. We do have some soft-kill capability, such as jamming," he said. Washington (AFP) - Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Thursday said that the United States would levy more sanctions on the troubled Turkish economy if Ankara does not release an American pastor. "We have put sanctions on several of their cabinet members," Mnuchin told President Donald Trump in a cabinet meeting attended by the press. "We have more that we are planning to do if they don't release him quickly." Trump prefaced Mnuchin's remarks by saying that Turkey had not been a very good friend. Referring to imprisoned pastor Andrew Brunson, Trump said "they have a great Christian pastor there, he's a very innocent man." The new officer was hired July 29 and is a graduate of Highland High School. He most recently was employed as a corrections officer with the Lake County Sheriffs Department where he was a member of the special operations unit, emergency response team and intelligence task force among other assignments. He also holds an associates degree in criminal justice from Purdue University Northwest. Walmart (WMT) had a blowout quarter and shares are surging. U.S. second-quarter comparable store sales, excluding gas, were up 4.5% in the quarter, surpassing analysts estimates of 2.2% growth. The Walmart U.S. business delivered the best quarterly comp sales results in more than a decade, CEO Doug McMillon said in a statement. A Walmart worker organizes products at a Walmart store in Teterboro, New Jersey, U.S., October 26, 2016. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz The retailing giant reported adjusted earnings of $1.29 per share, beating Wall Street expectations of $1.22. Management raised its full-year EPS guidance (excluding Flipkart results) to a range of $4.90 to $5.05 per share, up from previous guidance of $4.75 to $5.00. Shares were up more than 10% in early trading. E-commerce and groceries gain steam E-commerce was a bright spot for Walmart, with sales growing more than 40% in the quarter. We feel good about the direction of the business and remain confident in our ability to grow sales by about 40% for the full year, CFO Brett Biggs said. Earlier this year, Walmart, which sees most of its sales coming from groceries and other household staples, rolled out a cleaner and sleeker Walmart.com. The retailer is now offering premium brands through Lord & Taylor and new features such as 3D shopping for home furnishings allowing customers to buy the room. More than 1,100 new brands have been added to Walmart.com this year, which has been a key area of focus for the company. We have more work to do on our eCommerce assortment to get to the margin levels we desire and were in discussions to bring more key brands to our site, McMillon said. Omni-channel was another key area for the retailer, particularly its online grocery pickup. The service is now available at more than 1,800 stores and is expected to reach 40% of the U.S. population by the end of the year. Grocery continues to be strong for Walmart too. During the quarter, strong fresh food sales led to the best grocery comp sales in 9 years. Sales were strong among all merchandise categories. Walmart had a blowout second quarter. On tariffs Story continues Like most large multi-national corporations, Walmart management addressed the issue of tariffs. Heres what CFO Brett Biggs said (emphasis ours): While we know questions persist about tariffs, the potential future impact is difficult to quantify. We are closely monitoring the tariff discussions and are actively working on mitigation strategies, particularly in light of potentially escalating duties. Its important to remember that in all of our markets where we have stores and eCommerce operations, the majority of our merchandise is purchased locally in that country. In fact, we buy more merchandise, by a wide margin, in the U.S. than from any other country. Well do our best to update you on anything important related to tariffs in the quarters to come and continue to act on behalf of our customers and provide them with value on everything we sell. You can read Walmarts full press release on Yahoo Finance. Julia La Roche is a finance reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter. Send tips to laroche@oath.com. Jason Kessler, escorted by police during his August 12 rally outside the White House - AFP The organiser of a white supremacist march in Washington DC at the weekend has been left red-faced, after a video emerged showing him being scolded by his father during an interview in his family home. Jason Kessler, 34, organised last years Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, which resulted in the death of counter protester Heather Heyer. He organised an anniversary march in DC this weekend, which was attended by a few dozen people, and dwarfed by a huge counter-protest. In a clip circulated on Tuesday, originally filmed in June, he was recording an hour-long livestream with the alt-Right Patrick Little discussing Jews, when his father barged in furiously told him off, mid-interview. Hey! You get out of my room! yelled Eric Kessler, Jason Kesslers father. Mr Little, 33, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for a Senate seat in California, chuckles at the interruption of his neo-Nazi conspiracy theories concerning Jews, castration and slavery. He asks: You got a drunk roommate there? Jason Kessler, escorted by police during his August 12 rally outside the White House Credit: AFP Looking sheepish, Mr Kessler tried to explain the situation to his friend, saying: I have somebody who supports Israeli, uh... orthodox We are kind of at crosshairs on that right now. His father presses on, yelling at Mr Kessler: I want this to stop in my room, Jason. This is my room. Mr Little can be heard sniggering as Mr Kessler excuses himself and walks off-screen. Youre not living with an Orthodox Jew are you? Mr Little asks. Mr Kessler tries to explain the rift in his house, saying: My family watches the History Channel and its all this propaganda the Nazis and the Jews." 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. When he wants to express his views on Jews, he retreats to his fathers bedroom, he explained. And Im stuck in this situation where, with all these lawsuits, I need to stay with my family. Story continues Counterprotesters in Washington DC on August 12 Credit: AFP Mr Little nods, explaining that he is planning on renting out the houseboat on which he lives to pay for his expenses. Eric Kessler told The Washington Post earlier this year that his family was dismayed across the board about this situation. Weve never identified with racial politics. He added that despite living in the same house he had very little interaction with his son since he learned of his radical views, shortly before last years rally. Jason Kessler, however, told the paper that he has been treated unfairly. Ive been turned into an avatar of hate, he said. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani laughs as he speaks during an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations and the Asia Society in New York, September 26, 2013. REUTERS/Keith Bedford Mehdy Shaddel Security, Middle East Tehran no longer trusts Washington and will wait until after the U.S. 2020 elections and Iran's 2021 elections to come back to the table. This Is Why Iran Won't Negotiate with Trump The recent exchange of barbs between Iranian president Hassan Rouhani and Donald Trump has given rise to speculations about a potential North Korea-style rapprochement between Iran and the United States following the latters unilateral withdrawal in May from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Such speculations partly stem from the fact that Trump and several high-ranking members of his administration, most recently Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have underscored Americas readiness for a new round of talks on Irans nuclear programme and its regional behavior. Tehrans response to these overtures, however, has been one of outright rejection. In June, an open letter signed by a group of a hundred Iranian reformist politicians and activists calling on the countrys leadership to start negotiations with the United States anew was met with disdain and ridicule, with most detractors objecting that Trump is not a reliable negotiating partner. But there is one person of note in Iran who is less concerned about Trumps erratic character than the general hostility of the Washington foreign policy circles towards IranSupreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. During the lead-up to the 2015 nuclear accord, Khamenei repeatedly warned that he considers America to be untrustworthy, and that he allowed President Rouhanis government to pursue diplomacy with it only to satisfy the critics of his harsh stance. In several public addresses, he also bitterly reminded his audience of the United States' long history of foul play and antipathy towards Iran. This included particularly how the Bush administrationwith substantial input from then-Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs John Bolton, and over the objections of Secretary Powell and his deputy Richard Armitagescuppered an interim agreement with the European troika of the United Kingdom, Germany, and France back in 2004. Story continues Khamenei's claim that he was personally opposed to the negotiations was, of course, a gambit meant to shore up his base in the event of the talks' failure, but it shows how pessimistic he was about the possibility of reaching a long-term settlement with the United States. Khamenei, who has the ultimate say in the direction of Iran's foreign and nuclear policy, also knows that striking a deal with Trump will not be the end of his problems. Any potential agreement with Trump, especially if it is a vague document similar to the Trump-Kim joint statement, would have to be voted on by a largely unimpressed House, and few issues can command such strong bipartisan support on Capitol Hill as opposition to Iran does. No more helpful is the fact that such a deal is bound to be stridently decried from across the political spectrum, which may lead the next U.S. president to give it the same treatment that Trump gave his predecessors achievement (though probably without the fanfare of an official pullout). With his skepticism now justified, Khamenei is unlikely to allow the government to engage in further negotiations with America in the foreseeable futurea sad byproduct of Trumps shortsighted actions. On the other hand, Iran is probably very able to withstand a new round of sanctions for a few years. Despite the nosedive in the value of the Iranian rialwhich was partly in reaction to the American withdrawal from the JCPOAIran's economy will be fine for the time being. This is because the absence of an international sanctions regime on Iran means Tehran will still be able to easily procure much-needed imported goods on foreign markets and conduct business with mid-sized European and East Asian companies that have little business interests in the United States. The Trump administrations stated aim of bringing Irans oil exports to a virtual standstill by November 4 is also unlikely to materializethough they have already suffered a drop. Furthermore, the value of Irans foreign exchange and gold reserves is estimated to be over $132 billiongiving it enough cash to survive two or three years even with zero oil exports. This is because the country's total imports stood at $54.2 billion in 2016. It thus seems more than doubtful that Trump will be able to bring the Islamic Republic to its knees before the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as the Iranians are very well aware that caving into his pressures on the eve of the election would provide him with precious political capital and boost his campaign. They will, instead, stake their chances on his defeat. And if he gets reelected, he has to wait until June 2021, when the Iranian electorate takes to the polls to elect a new president, for any possible overture from Tehran. Crippling sanctions are not likely to meet the U.S. presidents expectation that Iran will be brought into line with American regional and security interests either. Quite to the contrary, if anything the sanctions chokehold is more likely to elicit knee-jerk reactions from its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. One would also do well to remember that Irans costly involvement in the Syrian civil war began at the height of Obama-era sanctions. Trumps gamble on the Iran deal is unlikely to pay off, but he might not be as clueless about it as he pretends. He has dismantled one of the most outstanding feats of diplomacy in recent memory, only to replace it with vague hopes of regime change in Iran. Mehdy Shaddel is a historian of the late antique Middle East who writes on current affairs as well. He can be followed on Twitter @MayShaddel. Image: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani laughs as he speaks during an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations and the Asia Society in New York, September 26, 2013. REUTERS/Keith Bedford Read full article Mandela Barnes, a Democrat running for Lieutenant Governor in Wisconsin, was left out of newspaper notices and had to prove he was alive after a TV news report about a motorcycle accident the day before the primary election: Barnes Campaign A candidate for Wisconsins lieutenant governor was left off three newspapers election notices just one day before the state primary and even had to prove he was alive to a television station. Mandela Barnes, a Democrat, is a former state assembly member. Yet it seems that was not enough A CBS News station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, aired a report about a fatal motorcycle accident and included Mr Barnes picture instead of the victim. His name was not included in the report either, which may have led potential voters to believe he was deceased. Mr Barnes - who has been campaigning all day - told The Independent he found out about the newspapers omission when a friend texted him. He later tweeted: I get it, being a 31 year old statewide candidate of colour may be rare, but apparently I'm invisible in at least 3 different election notices. I get it, being a 31 year old statewide candidate of color may be rare, but apparently I'm invisble in at least 3 different election notices. https://t.co/L3cwaU0ohy Mandela Barnes is Running for Lieutenant Governor (@TheOtherMandela) August 13, 2018 After the election notice madness, @CBS58 just tried to just kill me off completely pic.twitter.com/2x0MAQHJ6R Mandela Barnes is Running for Lieutenant Governor (@TheOtherMandela) August 14, 2018 The newspapers in question are Kenosha News, The Lakeland Times of Minocqua, Wisconsin, and Northwoods River News covering Rhinelander, Wisconsin. The latter two are newspapers in Oneida county and the Kenosha News is located in southeastern Kenosha County. Story continues When Mr Barnes campaign manager called the three newspapers to find out how the candidate could have been left out of the election notices, all three blamed errors with their respective county clerk offices. Mr Barnes said the campaign then contacted the two county clerk officers, who both confirmed he is on ballots and issued election notices. How could this happen? Mr Barnes wondered. He has not received any other reply from the newspapers however Kenosha News said it would be printing a correction today, the day of the primary. We have calls going out, Mr Barnes said in the hours after the papers omissions, and noted he sincerely hopes it has nothing to do with his race or is a matter of curtailing the democratic process in the states primary. Mr Barnes is going up against fellow Democrat Kurt Kober in the primary election. Mr Kober is what Mr Barnes called a self-funder, while Mr Barnes has taken a pledge not to accept any corporate or fossil fuel interest campaign donations. Mr Barnes claimed his opponent adopted parts of his platform when the former state assembly member began rising in the polls. Like many in the progressive wave of Democrats running for office this year - including New York Congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Kerri Harris in Delaware, Rashida Tlaib and Abdul al Sayed in Michigan, and Ayanna Pressley in Massachusetts - Mr Barnes is running on a platform of debt-free university places, free two-year colleges, a better and more inclusive healthcare system, investment in renewable energy and a higher minimum wage requirement in his state. Mr Barnes said his opponent is still learning about issues important to voters on healthcare and public education - parts of his platform Mr Kober took as his own positions. His opponents platform more closely matches those of the so-called establishment Democrats running around the country. All the papers have now printed corrections to the election notices and Mr Barnes said he hopes volunteers for his campaign in those areas can undo any potential last-minute damage. Polls close at 9pm local time and other races to watch include the gubernatorial primaries as Democrats try to unseat incumbent Republican Scott Walker. A woman says her job application at a health clinic was rejected because her name is too ghetto, but the company claims its the victim of a hack job. On Monday, Hermeisha Robinson, 27, shared a Facebook screenshot of an email she received from Mantality Health, a medical office in Chesterfield, Mo. She wrote: I am very upset because today I received an email about this job that I applied for as a customer service representativeI know Im well-qualified for the position as they seen on my resume. They discriminated against me because of my name which they considered to be ghetto for their company! 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. Robinson asked her followers to share her post because discrimination has to stop! The photo showed an email which read, Thank you for your interest in careers at Mantality Health. Unfortunately, we do not consider candidates that have suggestive ghetto names. We wish you the best in your career search. It was allegedly signed by a nurse practitioner named Jordan Kimler (Mantality has stated that, while this is a real employee, Kimler has nothing to do with the hiring process at the company). The post was shared 11,000 times and obtained 5,700 reactions from people calling the email cruel, and urging Robinson to sue for discrimination. Robinson did not return Yahoo Lifestyles request for comment. A representative of Mantality Health, a clinic that treats men with low testosterone, did not return Yahoo Lifestyles request for comment; however, a statement on the company website reads, The password for the outside job board site used by Mantality was compromised on August 13, 2018. We are currently working with law enforcement to identify the perpetrator and consider appropriate legal action. We share the anger and frustration of those who received these bogus emails. CEO Kevin Meuret told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the hacking was probably committed by an ex-employee. Im a father of three daughters, and that young lady getting that [response] is horrible, Meuret told the paper. That young lady opened something that must have felt like a freight train, and thats unacceptable. Story continues Reports were filed with the Chesterfield Police Department (which did not return Yahoo Lifestyles request for comment) and the cybercrime department of St. Louis County. Meuret also said that 20 other applicants received false emails and that he is trying to obtain the hackers IP address from the employment website Indeed.com, as that is how Robinson applied for the position. Company spokesperson Jack Gamache also told local news station KMOV that its Indeed.com account was compromised. But according to KMOV, Indeed says hacking is unlikely. Account security is of utmost importance to Indeed and something that we diligently monitor, read a company statement. Account holders are responsible for use of their password and we recommend frequent updates and complete confidentiality of your password. Our investigation into this particular account shows no evidence of compromise. An Indeed spokesperson did not return Yahoo Lifestyles request for comment. Another victim named Dorneshia Zachery told KMOV, The company looked at my name and said we dont care about what youve done in life your name is going to dismiss you completely. Robinsons cousin Miltina Burnett posted a Facebook photo of the offensive email and wrote that the incident made her loved one cry and question her name, whether she should change her name to fit in corporate America. Burnett also explained that Robinsons late mother chose the unique moniker for her daughter. I have never seen something so outright racist. In a follow-up post, Burnett says she was contacted by the companys clinical director saying that [a] disgruntled ex-employee sent that racist email to potential candidates. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. The State Comptroller's Office published a report Wednesday pointing to a number of failures in the Israel Police's handling of illegal weapons and shooting incidents in Arab society and in mixed communities. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter According to the report by State Comptroller Joseph Shapira, 1,236 Israeli Arab men and women were murdered from 2000 to November 2017. The murder rate in the Arab sector is 2.5 times higher than the general population, and the frequency of shooting offenses is 17.5 times higher than in the Jewish sector. The most common offenses committed by Israeli Arabs include the possession of illegal weapons, shooting and assault. State Comptroller Joseph Chaim Shapira (Photo: Motti Kimchi) The report also states that weapons offenses, especially shooting offenses, are common among the Arab population. The weapons are mainly used for resolving disputes between criminals and families, demonstrating power, and for self-defense purposes. Weapons are also used on special occasions, such as weddings. According to the police, more than 70 percent of the shooting offenses in the Arab population are carried out by "regular" people. In addition, according to Shapira, the widespread availability of weapons in Arab society leads to an increase in the number of violent incidents, such as murder, manslaughter, and assault. These offenses are more common in the Arab population, and the victims are generally members of Arab society. Guns and weapons offenses endanger not only the lives of those involved but also the lives and well being of innocent civilians. (Photo: Israel Police Spokesperson) What are the authorities doing? The comptroller lists a long line of failures in the authorities' handling of the situation. Shapira states that majority of weapons come from three main sources: thefts from the IDF, smuggling from Jordan and gun manufacturing in the West Bank, as well as other weapons coming from homes and vehicles robberies. However, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. According to the report, in the past year, the police's Judea and Samaria District has established an inter-organizational intelligence team, including representatives of the police, the IDF and the Shin Bet, but the police force has yet to receive current intelligence information from the IDF and the Shin Bet as part of their routine work. Manpower problem in the sector's police stations The continuing increase in the number of shooting incidents attests to the police's incompetence in dealing with this issue. For example, although the number of arrests made by police stations serving the Arab population is considerably higher than that in stations serving mostly the Jewish population in the same district, the appropriate manpower hasn't been allocated to the stations serving the Arab sector. As a result, more time passes from when an incident is reported until the police arrives, and it becomes more difficult to prioritize. All in all, the police's ability to cope with crimes committed in Arab society is diminished. State Comptroller Joseph Shapira (Photo: Yariv Katz) In addition, according to the report, although some crimes take place in central areas and in the presence of witnesses, the police find it difficult to collect enough evidence, because, inter alia, of the Arab public's mistrust in the police. Therefore, the police's ability to charge perpetrators is limited. To build trust between Arab communities and the police, a five-year plan was put in motion. As part of the plan, the Arab Sector Administration was established in May 2016 with the aim of strengthening the ties between the Arab sector and the police. According to the plan, 11 new police stations will be added in the Arab sector, and 600 new positions for Muslim policemen will be filled. However, there is not enough land allocated for new the police stations. To conclude, Shapira asserts that a broad and effective governmental action is needed. The government's failure to do so, he adds, could have a severe impact on Israeli society in general and Arab society in particular. Responses According to Israel Police, "shooting incidents occur too often in the Arab sector, most of them caused by internal disputes that escalate into violence. The Israel Police is determined to take action against the use of weapons at any time and place throughout the year. "In 2017, thousands of weapons were seized by the police, 2,225 suspects were arrested and 1,137 indictments were filed over weapons offenses, constituting a 10 percent increase in the number of arrests and more than 40 percent in the number of indictments." The Ministry of Public Security said it "welcomes the important report on the issue that lies at the heart of the ministry's policy, and big resources are invested into solving the problem. "The ministry attaches great importance to strengthening law enforcement and increasing police services in Arab communities, while establishing trust in the Israel Police. The ministry and the police are working on a NIS 1 billion plan, which aims to strengthen personal security by increasing police presence in Arab communities." A 45-year-old Iraqi refugee was arrested Wednesday in Northern California on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman while serving with the Islamic State organization. Omar Abdulsattar Ameen and other members of ISIS killed the officer after the town of Rawah, Iraq, fell to the Islamic State in June 2014, according to court documents. He was arrested by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force at a Sacramento apartment building based on a warrant issued in May by an Iraqi federal court in Baghdad. US officials plan to extradite him back to Iraq under a treaty with that nation, and he made his first appearance in federal court in Sacramento on Wednesday. The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, which runs the South Shore, is seeking around $1 billion in federal grants to build the West Lake Corridor from Hammond to Dyer and to lay a second set of tracks between Gary and Michigan City, but it does not plan now to seek a major grant for the South Bend area. Security forces arrested eight Palestinians overnight Wednesday who are suspected to be involved in terror activities. They were detained for questioning. Terror funds worth NIS 100,000 were also discovered and taken. Head of the Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamel, met with Israeli officials in Tel Aviv on Wednesday in order to finalize the details of a long-term ceasefire deal with Hamas which may be announced on Friday, Al-Hayat newspaper reported. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Egypt has played a critical role in recent months in a bid to broker a lasting ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as tensions threaten to thrust the two warring sides into yet another military conflict. One of the core issues under discussion is the future release of captive Israeli civilians and the remains of fallen soldiers in exchange for several humanitarian projects in Gaza. PM Netanyahu with President al-Sisi in 2017 (Photo: Avi Ohayon/GPO) On Thursday, Kamel is to travel from Tel Aviv to Ramallah for a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Ramallah officials told Al-Hayat that Kamel is to discuss both the Hamas deal as well as the pacification among Palestinian factions acting outside the terror groups authority. A possible deal will be signed tomorrow (Friday) in the presence of all the Gaza factions, a Palestinian official said. Abbas Kamel Kamels visit follows two Hamas and Islamic Jihad expeditions to Cairo that discussed the agreements details. Other Gaza officials are to travel to Cairo on Thursday in order to further discuss the details. Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee, criticized the Israel-Hamas deal and called it a betrayal of the Palestinian people and its national aspirations. In his interview with a Palestinian radio station al-Ahmad added that what is happening is not negotiations but rather a resolution festival, and stated that our government has no time for futile celebrations, not all factions participated in the talks and we were surprised to discover the names of some movements that did participate. On Wednesday, during a PLO central council meeting, President Abbas attacked the US government, denouncing its members liars. How come the Americans have all of a sudden remembered the humanitarian situation in Gaza? Where have all these humanitarian projects come from? Abbas said. We will continue to fight against Trumps deal of the century- until it is canceled,, he added, emphasizing the American policy policy is aimed at putting Gaza at the central stage. On Monday, it was reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had secretly met with the Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi , but no confirmation was given by Netanyahu's office. Ten News reported that the meeting between the two took place in Egypt, on May 22. Netanyahu flew to the meeting with only a handful of advisors and security personnel. He participated a Ramadan Iftar dinner and returned to Israel after a few hours, late at night. According to the report, government ministers knew nothing of the Netanyahu-al-Sisi meeting. A Palestinian official involved in the diplomatic channels involving Israel, Hamas and Egypt said that the discussions, dubbed quiet on condition of quiet, were held between Netanyahu and al-Sisi in Cairo. On Wednesday, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman posted on the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) Facebook page a message to the people of Gaza, telling them that peace is in their own interes. "I differentiate between the Hamas leadership and regular Gaza residents," he wrote on the Arabic Facebook page of 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." Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas claimed on Wednesday evening that former Israel prime minister Yitzhak Rabins assassin, Yigal Amir, is permitted to leave prison four times per week and that he receives financial support from four individuals. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter He leaves four times per week and receives a salary from four different individuals, Abbas said in a speech delivered at the opening of a Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) central council meeting. President Abbas and Yigal Amir (Photo: Yaron Brener, Reuters) What is happening in Israel is intolerable. The world has forgotten the apartheid in South Africa and in the United States. We must unite against the Nation-State Law. We were the first to stand against the deal of the century and we will continue to resist it until it collapses, Abbas said in reference to US President Donald Trumps bid to bring about peace between Israel and the Palestinians, which he has often described as the ultimate deal. Abbas went on to praise the efforts of Egypt to implement a short-lived reconciliation accord between Abbass Fatah faction and Hamas which was signed at the end of last year Egypt is making efforts to bring about reconciliation and we will not agree to anything other than a full reconciliation under one government, one law, one weapon and without militias, Abbas told his listeners. There is no state in the Gaza Strip and there wont be any state without the Gaza Strip. However, Hamas is unprepared to reach a reconciliation and there are those who encourage it not to, the 82-year-old leader continued. While Abbas attributed blame on Hamas for the breakdown of the accord, Cairo is in the midst of ongoing discussions with the Gaza-ruling terror groups leaders and heads of other Palestinian factions in the strip. The main subjects of discussion included a calming of tensions with Israel, Palestinian reconciliation and the humanitarian crisis gripping the Gaza Strip. The discussions are to continue throughout Thursday with the declared goal of reaching an agreed-upon position regarding escalating tensions with Israel. Meanwhile, an Israeli official insisted that there wont be any real agreement with Hamas without the return of our sons and citizens to their homes and the guarantee of prolonged quiet. Egypt has played a critical role in recent months in a bid to broker a lasting ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as tensions threaten to thrust the two warring sides into yet another military conflict. The attorney's office indicted Mustafa Awad, a 36-year-old Lebanese-born Belgian resident, for membership in a terrorist organization and other charges. According to the indictment, Awad belonged to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and participated in meeting in Belgium of the terror organization. Awad was later officially recruited to the organization, and participated in an official course by Hezbollah. Last month he attempted to enter Israel through the Allenby Bridge border crossing where he was arrested. An anticipated ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas will include a year-long cessation of hostilities and the creation of a maritime route between the Gaza Strip and Cyprus under Israeli security supervision, according to a Thursday report in the Al Mayadeen news channel. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Hezbollah-affiliated pan-Arabist satellite channel in Lebanon claimed that the next 48 hours will prove crucial in the much-sought truce between Israel and the Gaza-ruling terror group. Hamas's political bureau Ismail Haniyeh (L), Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and PM Netanyahu (Photo: AP, Haim Horenstein) In addition, the report said that Qatar will pay the salaries of officials in Gaza together with the Egyptians, and will also pay the electricity bills in the strip in cooperation with Israel. The report comes on the heels of another report by Al-Hayat newspaper that the head of the Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamel, met with Israeli officials in Tel Aviv on Wednesday in order to finalize the details of a long-term ceasefire deal. Al-Hayat cited a Palestinian official as saying that the final accord could be announced on Friday. A possible deal will be signed tomorrow (Friday) in the presence of all the Gaza factions, a Palestinian official said. Abbas Kamel One of the core issues under discussion is the future negotiation with Hamas for the release of captive Israeli civilians and the remains of fallen soldiers in exchange for several humanitarian projects in Gaza. Palestinian officials told Al-Hayat that Kamel discussed with Israel the final details of the ceasefire agreement before making his way to Ramallah for further talks. Kamels visit follows two Hamas and Islamic Jihad expeditions to Cairo that discussed the agreements details. Other Gaza officials are to travel to Cairo on Thursday in order to further discuss the details. Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee, criticized the Israel-Hamas deal and called it a betrayal of the Palestinian people and its national aspirations. In his interview with a Palestinian radio station al-Ahmad added that what is happening is not negotiations but rather a resolution festival, and stated that our government has no time for futile celebrations, not all factions participated in the talks and we were surprised to discover the names of some movements that did participate. On Wednesday, during a PLO central council meeting, President Abbas attacked the US government, denouncing its members liars. How come the Americans have all of a sudden remembered the humanitarian situation in Gaza? Where have all these humanitarian projects come from? Abbas said. PM Netanyahu with President al-Sisi in 2017 (Photo: Avi Ohayon/GPO) We will continue to fight against Trumps deal of the century- until it is canceled,, he added, emphasizing the American policy policy is aimed at putting Gaza at the central stage. On Monday, it was reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had secretly met with the Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, but no confirmation was given by Netanyahu's office. Ten News reported that the meeting between the two took place in Egypt, on May 22. Netanyahu flew to the meeting with only a handful of advisors and security personnel. He participated a Ramadan Iftar dinner and returned to Israel after a few hours, late at night. According to the report, government ministers knew nothing of the Netanyahu-al-Sisi meeting. A Palestinian official involved in the diplomatic channels involving Israel, Hamas and Egypt said that the discussions, dubbed quiet on condition of quiet, were held between Netanyahu and al-Sisi in Cairo. The United Nations agency dealing with Palestinian refugees said on Thursday it would open its schools in the Middle East as scheduled this month despite a deficit caused by a US funding cut. In a statement, UNRWA said half a million students will return to the 711 schools on time "because it is crucial to protect the fundamental right to education for Palestinian refugee girls and boys". Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman will not announce his two candidates to fill the position of IDF chief of staff due to a pending petition accusing two members of an appointing committee of having a close relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Defense Minister's office said that the ministry is in dialogue with the chairman of the Committee for the Appointment of Senior Officials and with the Ministry of Justice, in the hope of shortening schedules as much as possible. Lieberman was expected to announce on Thursday his two candidates to replace the incumbent army chief Gadi Eisenkot, but according to a report published this week, the appointing committee will not be able to approve a candidate since two of its members have a pending petition against them. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and former Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Golan, a leading candidate foe IDF chief of staff position (Photo: Motti Kimchi) Committee chairman, retired supreme court justice Yaakov Goldenberg, told Lieberman not to announce the candidates name while the committee is paralyzed. It was further reported that two of the committee members, former head of the National Security Council, Yaakov Nagel, and the former chairwoman of the directorate of the Ashdod port, Iris Stark, have a pending High Court of justice petition against them. The pending petition concerns the two committee members relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu. According to the state comptroller's website, Stark contributed NIS 5,000 to the 2012 Gila Gamliel primaries campaign, who now serves as minister of social equality. She also attended several of Gamaliel's family celebrations. Furthermore, when Stark occupie the position of chairwoman of the directorate of the Ashdod port between 2004-2007, the state comptroller criticized her management. Among leading candidates to succeed Eisenkot are his deputy, Major-General Aviv Kochavi, former Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Golan, Outgoing GOC Southern Command Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Major-General Nitzan Alon, Head of Operations division. Leading IDF Chief of Staff contenders from L-R: Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir. Major-General Nitzan Alon, Major-General Aviv Kochavi and Major-General Aviv Kochavi (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky, Yair Sagi, Elad Gershgoren and Amos Ben Gershom/GPO) Golan suffered harsh criticism over his speech at the Holocaust memorial service two years ago, while Zamir was praised after Operation Protective Edge in 2014 for his part in building the Gaza region barrier against Hamas tunnels. This week Golan made headlines again, following a letter from several bereaved families who asked Lieberman not to appoint him as chief of staff. The IDF came out in defense on Monday of Golan after the letter was sent to Lieberman, saying that every baseless attempt to besmirch the good name of a commander in the IDF and his operational contributions is not appropriate. An officer in the IDF Givati Brigade has been recorded in a video obtained by Ynet pinning down a soldier serving under his command who abandoned his military post against orders and attempted to travel home. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The lieutenant colonel and battalion commander was reprimanded for his conduct after the incident by the IDF and the Military Police decided against launching a criminal investigation. The incident took place one week ago in a settlement in the West Bank near to a military post between Nablus and Qalqilya. According to soldiers present, the skirmish erupted after three soldiers attempted to go home despite the fact that they were forbidden from doing so on a weekend all their comrades were to remain on the base. The officer caught the soldiers as they attempted to leave the post where they were stationed. After disobeying the officers command that they stay put, the officer eventually grabbed one of the soldiers which led to the physical altercation. Footage of the incident X Throughout the short clip, the pinned-down soldier can be heard shouting and repeatedly telling the officer to release him, complaining that his jaw was in pain. The officer tells the soldier that he will get into a vehicle and will not escape as the soldier replies by refusing the order. The video was passed on to the military criminal investigation division (CID) which decided not to take the matter further than a reprimand. According to an initial internal investigation, the unit remained on duty last weekend and one of the units cooks was among those caught trying to leave without permission. The soldier, along with two other cooks, attempted to leave the post and make their way to the bus stop nearby. After being spotted by a commander, the officer was called to the scene and arrived minutes later. After attempts to convince the soldiers to return to his post failed, the officer promised that he would speak to them in his office to solve whatever problem they may have been facing. He also reminded them that they bore responsibility for the units soldiers. Screenshot Realizing that the soldiers were not heeding his warnings or commands, and with the bus approaching, the officer called the master sergeant and asked him to send a military police vehicle to the scene. Arriving late, the battalion commander sought advice on the phone of a military police officer and asked whether he was allowed to employ physical force in order to prevent the soldiers from going home. At that point, the officer pinned one of the cooks to the ground and prevented him from leaving. The officer did not hit or kick the soldier. By the end of the incident, the cook managed to go home and has yet to return to base. His two friends returned to the post for a private conversation with the officer. During the investigation, the battalion commander said that he acted for the sake of the units soldiers so that they would not be left without cooks and without hot food during the weekend. Moreover, he said that he had hoped to prevent further punishment being meted out against the cooks. Illegal African migrants in Israel have faced since last year a de facto 20 percent salary cut that has driven them further into poverty, as part of the country's policy to persuade them to leave. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Israel's roughly 35,000 illegal African migrants and the groups that support them say the recent lawin which Israel withholds the money from their paychecks every month and returns it only if they leave the countryis 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 via its once-porous border. "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 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. Asylum seekers in south Tel Aviv (Photo: Yariv Katz) 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. 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. Israel doesn't 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 percent 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 doesn't grant the migrants any additional social services, to which their access is already limited. Employers are also tasked with storing an additional 16 percent of migrant's 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 doesn't shy away from the law's goals, a spokeswoman suggested the money serves as a savings account for migrants choosing to leave Israel. Interior Ministry spokeswoman 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 country's 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 law's implementation, the 20 percent salary reduction has been deeply felt by Tel Aviv's 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 baby-sitters, and giving up on paying for their children's health insurance. ASSAF, an Israeli aid group for migrants, has tracked the law's 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 percent 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 it's 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 children's 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. Schools teaching half a million Palestinian refugees will reopen across the Middle East as planned later this month, a UN agency said on Thursday, despite funding cuts by its biggest donor the United States. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The opening of the schools on August 29 had been in doubt after the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said it lacked funds to pay the 22,000 teachers in its educational network in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and east Jerusalem, and Jordan and Syria. UNRWA Rimal Girls Preparatory school in Gaza City (Photo: AP) UNRWA said students will return to its 711 schools on time though it still did not have enough money to fund them for a full school year. UN officials said the agency needed more than $200 million from other contributors to cover its deficit after the US aid cuts. US President Donald Trump said in January he would scale back aid to the Palestinians unless they cooperated with his plans to revive peacemaking with Israel. Those peace efforts stalled in 2014. At a specially convened session of the UNRWA Advisory Commission in Amman, Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl said that since the beginning of the year the agency had received $238 million in additional contributions after a funding drive but was not "out of the woods". "We currently only have funding to run the agency's services until the end of September," Krahenbuhl said in a statement. "We need a further $217 million to ensure that our schools not only open but can be run until the end of the year." The agency, the oldest and largest UN relief program in the Middle East, provides health care, education and social services to millions of Palestinians in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Israel complains that the organization grants Palestinian refugees special status by counting descendants of Palestinians who were either forced to leave or fled during the 1948 War of Independence. By using this unique categorization which no other refugee in the world is afforded, Israel says that UNRWA is responsible for exacerbating, rather than solving, the problem. The body's edcuational facilities have also been used in the past for Hamas terror purposes. Last October, it was reported that UNRWA discovered a Hamas attack tunnel underneath one of its schools in Gaza. 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. Israel has accused UNRWA of favouring Palestinians and welcomed Trump's move. The Russian military says the number of drone attacks on its main base in Syria has increased. The Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, says in just one month air defense assets have downed 45 drones targeting the Hemeimeem air base. The base in the province of Latakia serves as the main hub for Russian operations in Syria. Konashenkov said Thursday that while the drones appear primitive, they use sophisticated technologies and have a range of up to 100 kilometers (60 miles). All drone attacks on Hemeimeem were launched by militants based in the northern province of Idlib, Konashenkov said. He added that the militants wouldn't have been able to assemble the drones without outside help, but didn't specify who might have assisted them. US President Donald Trump is lashing out at the press as newspapers nationwide launch a coordinated rebuttal to his attacks against what he calls "fake news." Trump tweets: "There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS!" Trump is sensitive about his media coverage and says the press is "fake" and the "enemy of the people." Trump also is criticizing The Boston Globe, which spearheaded the newspaper editorial campaign. He tweets that the Globe "is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT!" An Israeli official confirmed Thursday that the head of the Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamel, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Shin Bet Director Nadav Argaman when he visited Israel as the guest of National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Al-Hayat newspaper reported earlier that Kamel met with Israeli officials in Tel Aviv on Wednesday in order to finalize the details of a long-term ceasefire deal with Hamas, which may be announced on Friday. Kamel is also set to travel to Ramallah for a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Egyptian intelligence head Abbas Kamel Meanwhile, a delegation led by deputy Hamas leader in the strip Khalil al-Hayya headed to Cairo on Thursday to continue discussions on the ceasefire deal. Almost all other Palestinian factions have also sent their representatives to the Egyptian capital, with the exception of Fatah, which is still boycotting the talks. Lebanese TV network Al Mayadeen, which is affiliated with Hezbollah, reported that the deal will include a year-long cessation of hostilities and the creation of a maritime route between the Gaza Strip and Cyprus under Israeli security supervision. In addition, the report said that Qatar will pay the salaries of officials in Gaza together with the Egyptians, and will also pay the electricity bills in the strip in cooperation with Israel. Ramallah officials told Al-Hayat that Kamel is to discuss both the Hamas deal as well as the internal Palestinian reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah. Egypt has played a critical role in recent months in a bid to broker a lasting ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as tensions threaten to thrust the two warring sides into yet another military conflict. One of the core issues under discussion is the future release of captive Israeli civilians and the remains of fallen soldiers in exchange for several humanitarian projects in Gaza. Kamels visit follows two Hamas and Islamic Jihad delegations to Cairo that discussed the agreements details. A possible deal will be signed tomorrow (Friday) in the presence of all the Gaza factions, a Palestinian official said. Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee, criticized the Israel-Hamas deal and called it a betrayal of the Palestinian people and its national aspirations. In his interview with a Palestinian radio station al-Ahmad added that what is happening is not negotiations but rather a resolution festival, and stated that our government has no time for futile celebrations, not all factions participated in the talks and we were surprised to discover the names of some movements that did participate. Col. Yigal Ben-Ami, the commander of the Kirya IDF headquarters base in Tel Aviv, is under investigation by the military police on suspicions of corruption, it was cleared for publication on Thursday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The officer has so far been questioned twice for many hours, during which he provided his version to investigators. Ben-Ami announced Thursday he was taking a hiatus. In light of the suspicions against him, he has also brought forward his retirement from the IDF from January to early September. Col. Yigal Ben Ami (Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office) The suspected crimes took place over a period of three years, during which he allegedly made personal use of vehicles put at the disposal of the IDF's top brass, including off-road vehicles used by major generals, which he took on vacations and on weekends. He also allegedly put some of the vehicles at the disposal of his relatives, also for personal use. Ben-Ami is also suspected of giving comfortable jobs at the Kirya base to soldiers whose parents have a friendly or a business relationship with the colonel. The senior officer is further suspected of of real estate fraud in addition to allegedly receiving benefits or discounts from contractors working on renovations at the Kirya base. Ben-Ami has denied the allegations against him, but admitted to involvement in some of the suspicions, including the placement of soldiers and the use of the vehiclesclaiming it was all in line with rules and regulations. Sources close to the senior officer claim he also denies receiving money to assign soldiers, noting he has known the soldiers' parents for many years, and they have even volunteered together. Ben-Ami claims he did not receive anything from the contractors who are carrying out renovations in the Kirya base, and that these projects were lawfully approved by the Defense Ministry's construction department. Despite the denials by Ben-Ami's lawyers, Chief Military Advocate Col. Ran Cohen and attorney Avi Amiram, who said they believe the case will result in disciplinary action alone, officials at the Military Advocate General's Office believe the evidence against Ben-Ami is grave and that the case will result in an indictment. At the same time, Col. Ben-Ami hasn't been arrested by the military police, and he has been cooperating with investigators. The Israel Police and tax authorities are also involved in the investigation, and Ben-Ami's wife gave her own testimony to the police. Ben-Ami's lawyers said in a statement that Ben-Ami "is a highly respected officer and commander who has been serving in the IDF for over 30 years in field units and at the forefront of the action. The officer was shocked by the suspicions against him, and he categorically denies them. He has been fully cooperating in the investigation, has answered all the questions and presented his answers in detail. He has also provided evidence that contradicts the suspicions. We are confident that the suspicions will be rejected and call for the quick completion of the investigation. The officer has asked to go on hiatus in order to allow the investigation to be completed quickly without any interruptions. His commanders agreed to the request and he thanks them for it." The IDF Spokesman's Office said that "in recent days, the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) has questioned a colonel on suspicions of actions that undermine ethicality and violate the army's orders. The investigation is ongoing and we cannot at this stage provide additional details. When the investigation is completed, its findings will be examined by the Military Advocate General's Office." The Health Ministry found high levels of fecal E. coli bacteria in several streams in the Golan Heights, it said Thursday, after 32 Israelis had contracted leptospirosis while swimming there. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Although the standard pollution levels for bathing or swimming stands at 400, samples show the pollution levels at the Zaki stream are at 4,40011 times higher than permittedwhile the Mesushim and Yehudiya streams' levels are three times higher. The ministry listed several streams the public is not allowed to enter: Zaki, Yehudiya, Meshushim, Zavitan, Jilabun, and Daliyot (at the Majrassa Nature Reserve), as well as the Jordan River (only in the Jordan Park area). All other bodies of water in northern Israel are safe to bathe in. Mesushim strean (Photo: Avihu Shapira) "We are monitoring the situation closely and report back to the public on a regular basis," said Health Ministry Director General Moshe Bar Siman-Tov. He warned against "fake news posted on social media" and urged Israelis to adhere only to official statements. The Nature and Parks Authority, together with the Water Authority, the Mekorot Water Company, and the Mei Golan Water Association, will introduce clean water to several streams immediately after the High Holy Days to increase the flow and reduce pollutant concentrations. Zavitan stream in the Golan Heights (Photo: Israel Bardugo) Meanwhile, a 17-year-old boy suffering from meningitis was hospitalized at the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak with on Thursday complications caused by leptospirosis after bathing in one of the polluted streams in the Golan Heights. His condition is stable and his life is in no longer at risk. "There are currently seven children and teenagers aged 11 to 17 hospitalized in the Pediatric Department with symptoms suspected to be caused by leptospirosis after they visited the sites mentioned in the Ministry of Health's announcement," said department head Prof. Eli Somekh. On Wednesday, five students aged 14-17 were hospitalized on suspicion they caught leptospirosis during a trip to the Jordan River, with concerns other students may have also been afflicted. The Meshushim stream in the Golan Heights Prof. Michal Hovers, who runs the infectious diseases unit in Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba, explained how Leptospirosis infects the streams and described its main symptoms. "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 hospital. Mild cases can heal without intervention, and thus not everyone who bathed in the streams and who has a fever has to rush to the hospital," she noted. "However, if high temperatures persist and someone doesn't feel well, it is better to go and get a blood test in order to ensure that liver and kidney functions are in order, and take antibiotics if needed, she explained. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Thursday the United States was ready to put further economic sanctions on Turkey if detained American pastor Andrew Brunson was not released. "We have more that we are planning to do if they don't release him quickly," Mnuchin said during a meeting of US President Donald Trump's Cabinet. The United States and Turkey have exchanged tit-for-tat tariffs in Trump's attempt to persuade Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to give up Brunson, who denies charges that he was involved in a coup attempt against Erdogan two years ago. "They have not proven to be a good friend," Trump said of Turkey during the Cabinet meeting. "They have a great Christian pastor there. He's an innocent man." The dispute over Brunson and other frictions between Washington and Ankara have been one reason the Turkish lira has plunged 40 percent this year. Investors also fret over Erdogan's influence over monetary policy. The lira lost strength after Mnuchin's remarks. Trump said the United States had helped Turkey in a related incident, but that the NATO ally had not repaid the favor. "They want to hold our wonderful pastor. Not fair, not right," he added An Israeli man was arrested in Germany a week ago at the request of Belarus authorities on suspicion of involvement in a murder that took place 25 years ago. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The suspect, Alan Levit, 46, from Bat Yam, landed in Frankfurt with his son, where he was told there was an international arrest warrant against him issued by Interpol. Levit immigrated to Israel from Belarus in 1991. Despite that, a decade ago, investigators from Belarus arrived at his home in Israel to question him about a murder that took place in 1993 in Minsk. His lawyer, Gregory Kurziner, said the Belarusian investigators suspect Levit traveled to Belarus with a partner with whom he robbed and murdered a victim at his home. Levit denied the suspicions against him, and has not heard anything more about the investigation since. The Interpol arrest warrant notes that on March 16, 1993, a man was murdered in his apartment in Minsk after having been robbed by two people. He was found dead with 16 stab wounds on his neck and face. Kurziner told Ynet he was worried that if Levit is extradited from Germany to Belarus, he could face the death sentence, which is the maximum punishment for such on offense in Belarus. There is no statute of limitations on the murder. "The court in Germany can decide whether to extradite him. Israel doesn't turn in someone to a country that has the death penalty," the lawyer said. Kurziner turned to Israel's Foreign Ministry and the Israeli consulate in Munich for help in bringing Levit to Israel to face trial. An Israeli woman was killed after being hit by what is reported to be a Palestinian taxi at a junction on Highway 60 near the Havat Gilad outpost on Thursday night in a suspected hit-and-run. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The woman, in her 40s, was seriously hurt, and paramedics at the scene had to declare her dead after resuscitation efforts failed. The driver, in his 60s, fled the scene, but later turned himself in to the Palestinian police in Nablus. He said he fled because he was afraid. Yossi Dagan, the head of the Samaria Regional Council, asserted the incident was a terror attack. "The junction is lighted... there are no signs of an attempt to stopnot before the spot and not after. Meaning, the driver was not surprised by the crash. As far as we're concerned, this is a serious terror attack, a cold-blooded murder, of a residents of the Samaria on a central road in the State of Israel," Dagan said. Earlier this year, Rabbi Raziel Shevah was murdered outside Havat Gilad in a drive-by shooting. Ahmed Nassar Jarrar, the head of the terror cell responsible for Rabbi Shevah's murder, was shot dead during a standoff with Israeli security forces almost a month later. Several days before the terror attack that claimed Rabbi Shevah's life, security forces were looking into information about an armed Palestinian in the area. So who of the two expresses the Israeli government's policy in the Gaza Strip? Is it Lieberman from Monday, who declared standing in front of the Gaza border fence that a military conflict is not a question of "if" but rather of "when," or Lieberman from Tuesday, who declared the reopening of the Kerem Shalom border crossing and the expansion of the Gaza fishing zone to 9 nautical miles? Seemingly, there's a contradiction here. Because you don't give oxygen to an enemy you know for a fact could attack you at any moment. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The majority of Cabinet members maintain the same position as Monday's Lieberman. Defense officials believe that a military conflict with Hamas, under the current conditions, is inevitable. So where did that senior Israeli official, who told the Washington Post Israel was close to an agreement with Hamas, come from? And he's not alone. Hamas, whose representatives are currently in Cairo for discussions on the deal, is also leaking to the press that an agreement is imminent. UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov's team is also saying that a deal is just around the corner. So there is no wonder the behavior of the Israeli governmentwhich is talking about sending goods into the strip and expanding the Gaza fishing zoneonly increases the suspicion it's not telling us the whole truth. Israeli government meeting (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky) And indeed, it has been a bit hard for the government to tell us the whole truth, because this story entails a lot of diplomatic maneuvering and political deception. Since the last round of hostilitieswhich began last Wednesday with rocket fire and ended on Friday with rioting on the border Israel has been under intense international pressure to halt fire and not extend the armed conflict further. Discussions in the defense establishment and the Prime Minister's Office left the impression that in the current climate, Israel has no international legitimization to escalate the military blows on the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, Hamas has been keeping a low profile, with the number of incidents on the border and incendiary balloons dropping significantly. Since the Israeli government has no clear and agreed policy on the Palestinian issue in general and on the Gaza issue in particular, it's convenient for it to once again stick to its traditional position: Let's earn another day, get more time. Stopping the strikes and easing the economic pressure will show the world Israel is not seeking waron the contrary. Not only is Israel willing to hold its fire, it is also willing to move towards the rehabilitation of the strip. And so, if this coming Friday, or in a week or a month, Hamas violates the quiet, Israel would have the international legitimization to strike, and strike hard. In such a situation, the internal consensus in Israel to attack Gaza will increase. After all, we tried. We did everything to make the fire stop, but they struck. The Hamas leadership In general, Israel is interested in postponing any military conflict that is not inevitable as much as possible. This is not a good time for a military conflict, as the smell of elections in the air and a war might leave the electorate with a bitter taste. So the government is trying to stall for time, maneuver, improve its position. And just as importantly: Politically, the current Israeli government cannot admit to having direct talks or an agreement with Hamas. As soon as that happens, the Cabinet ministers will turn on each other. So even if there was an ounce of truth in the reports about an imminent agreement with Hamasno one will admit to it. Certainly not on the eve of elections. The idea of a long-term agreement is a process Egypt has been pushing for ten months now. It centers on returning control over the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authoritya precondition for a broader Israeli-Palestinian agreement in the distant future. Over the past two weeks, Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in the strip, has changed strategies. He no longer wants the PA in Gaza and is not too excited about the Egyptian plan. Now, he's talking about a separate agreement with Israel, in return for terms Israel is not even willing to hearlike a port in Gaza, for example. This doesn't stop the Egyptians and Mladenov from believing the latest truce reached on the Gaza border is a good and optimistic opening for a broader agreement with Israel and the rehabilitation of the strip. Destruction in Gaza following IDF bombing of a building in Gaza City (Photo: MCT) At the moment, there is no written, accepted or signed agreement between Israel and Hamas, and in any case there's no supervisory mechanism to complain to about any violations of such an agreement. So what do we have? Calm, as Hamas claims? A short temporary truce under test, as Israel says? The beginning of a long-term agreement, as the Egyptians and the UN believe? All answers are correct. It's all in the eyes of the beholder. In any case, Israel has already decided: If the Palestinians resume their rioting on the border on Friday and go back to launching incendiary balloons, Kerem Shalom will be closed again, the Air Force will operate, and we will be searching for a new definition for the current state of affairs. The woman, 42, who was hit by a car in the Havat Gilad area of Samaria on Thursday, was pronounced dead. The Palestinian driver, 60, who ran over her has turned himself into the police. IDF forces established checkpoints at the scene. The head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, referred to the incident earlier on Thursday and said: "From our point of view, this is a terrorist attack for all intents and purposes." "The junction is an intersection with light poles...There are no signs indicating that the vehicle stopped either before or after the incident occured," Dagan added. Later that day, Williamson, Veach and about 10 other people arrived and attacked the D5 workers, punching, hitting them with scrap wood from the construction site and kicking them with steel-toe boots, the lawsuit states. The attackers said it was union work and their territory, according to the lawsuit. Russia has warned that the latest US sanctions against a Russian company accused by Washington of breaching international restrictions on North Korea could undermine denuclearization talks with Pyongyang. The US Treasury Department on Wednesday imposed sanctions on three companies from China, Russia and Singapore accused of helping North Korea dodge international sanctions. It said the Russian Profinet firm and its director provided port services at least six times to North Korean-flagged vessels engaged in sanctions-busting oil shipments. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday that the US move could "undermine recent progress toward the settlement" of the standoff over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. It noted that the US imposed sanctions at a time when "joint international efforts are needed," adding that the new U.S. sanctions are "destructive" and "useless." News Washington, DC - Secretary Pompeo spoke with Prime Minister of Iraq Haider al Abadi and Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani of the Kurdistan Regional Government. The Secretary expressed appreciation for the two leaders progress in resolving outstanding Baghdad-Erbil issues according to the Iraqi constitutions framework for dialogue. In his conversations with each leader, the Secretary emphasized the importance of forming a moderate new Iraqi government, pursuant to the constitutional timeline, that is responsive to the expectations of the Iraqi people. The Secretary commended recent successful joint operations by Iraqi forces and Kurdish Peshmerga against ISIS. Finally, the Secretary underscored continuing U.S. support for a strong, sovereign, and prosperous Iraq as outlined in our bilateral Strategic Framework Agreement with Iraq. News Washington, DC - Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo: "On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I would like to wish the people of the Principality of Liechtenstein a happy and prosperous National Day. "Liechtenstein is recognized across the world as a leader in innovation and for its promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises. This has led to the one of the highest levels of prosperity in all of Europe. "The United States is Liechtensteins second largest bilateral trading partner, and Liechtensteins foreign direct investment in the United States totals over half a billion dollars - more than $13,000 per inhabitant of Liechtenstein. Since 2002, we have proudly hosted the only Liechtenstein Embassy outside of Europe, testifying to the importance that our two countries place on the bilateral relationship. We consider Liechtenstein to be a close friend and partner, and we look forward to deepening our political, economic, and people-to-people ties in the years ahead." Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - Arizona Western College, in collaboration with the AWC Foundation, was recently awarded with a $400,000 Infrastructure and Capacity-Building Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The funds, as well a 1-to-1 match requirement, will be used to enhance student learning experiences by expanding AWCs academic library services over the next four years. We are very pleased to be one of the first-time recipients of this prestigious award, said AWC Director of Grants Susan Dempsey. The proposed project, Project Impact, will revamp the campus academic library to include a Conservation Lab as well as a Digital Humanities Center that supports the college and its three partner universities. The development of the Conservation Lab will allow scholars to practice the craft of arts preservation and cataloguing while preserving local art collections. The establishment of a Digital Humanities Center will provide students access to multimedia and a multidisciplinary learning space dedicated to preserving the regions unique intellectual content of materials relevant to the area by converting content to a digital format and disseminating it to a much wider audience (e.g. Southwest Border Collection). AWC is home to the only academic library in the 10,031 square miles comprising Southwest Arizona, serving approximately 12,000 people each year. The library is also available to Northern Arizona University - Yuma, University of Arizona, and Arizona State University students, which equates to a total of nearly 120,000 visitors and 17,700 assistance questions annually. Both library additions will help meet the significant demand of digital resources for the 21st Century user with the changing needs of academia. The project will provide students with access to meaningful and relevant learning experiences, giving them tools to thrive academically and professionally in todays fast-paced global environment. This aligns with AWCs Vision of cultivating, generations who value knowledge, foster independence, eliminate poverty, and create vital, equitable and sustainable communities. The proposal for this grant was developed by Dean for Academic Resources and Campus Locations Jana Moore, Director of Library Services Angie Creel, and Director of Grants Susan Dempsey, with key contributions from Chief Human Resources Officer Kari Gardner, Director of District Operations Steve Eckert, Institutional Grants Coordinator Jacqueline Viskup, Director of Financial Services Diana Doucette, Information Technology Librarian Wendy Hoag, Distance Education Librarian Tina Sibley, Acquisitions Librarian Tymmi Woods, and Reference Librarian Camille ONeill and support from a significant number of faculty and staff at AWC, NAU - Yuma, UofA, and ASU. This commitment from such a diverse group of stakeholders was essential to our ability to be competitive in receiving this NEH Challenge Grant, said Dempsey. 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. Part of what gets us excited about this is that both Advocate and NorthShore have a depth of expertise in these specialties, said J.P. Gallagher, NorthShores president and CEO. It ties into what both organizations can do elsewhere, but it can keep pediatrics care in or near the communities where our North Shore patients and families are located. The following companies are subsidiares of The Allstate: AIMCO Private Fund I Holding LLC, AIMCO Private Fund I LLC, AIMCO Private Fund II LLC, ALIC Reinsurance Company, ALINV Mosaic LLC, ANIHI Newco LLC, AP Real Estate LLC, AP Riverway Plaza LLC, AP Timber LLC, Allstate Assignment Company, Allstate Assurance Company, Allstate County Mutual Insurance Company, Allstate Digital Ventures LLC, Allstate Distributors L.L.C., Allstate Enterprises LLC, Allstate Exchange Services LLC, Allstate Finance Company Agency Loans LLC, Allstate Finance Company LLC, Allstate Financial Advisors LLC, Allstate Financial Corporation, Allstate Financial Insurance Holdings Corporation, Allstate Financial LLC, Allstate Financial Services LLC (1), Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Global Holdings Limited, Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate Insurance Company, Allstate Insurance Company of Canada, Allstate Insurance Holdings LLC, Allstate International Assignments Ltd., Allstate International Holdings Inc., Allstate Investment Management Company, Allstate Investments LLC, Allstate Life Insurance Company (2), Allstate Life Insurance Company of Canada, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York, Allstate Motor Club Inc., Allstate New Jersey Insurance Company, Allstate New Jersey Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Non-Insurance Holdings Inc., Allstate North American Insurance Company, Allstate Northbrook Indemnity Company, Allstate Northern Ireland Limited, Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Settlement Corporation, Allstate Short Term Pool LLC, Allstate Solutions Private Limited, Allstate Texas Lloyds, Allstate Texas Lloyds Inc., Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Company, American Heritage Life Insurance Company, American Heritage Service Company, Answer Financial Inc., Answer Marketplace LLC, Arity 875 LLC, Arity International Limited, Arity LLC, Arity Services LLC, CE Care Plan Corp, Castle Key Indemnity Company, Castle Key Insurance Company, Complete Product Care Corp, Current Creek Investments LLC, E.R.J. Insurance Group Inc. (3), Encompass Floridian Indemnity Company, Encompass Floridian Insurance Company, Encompass Home and Auto Insurance Company, Encompass Indemnity Company, Encompass Independent Insurance Company, Encompass Insurance Company, Encompass Insurance Company of America, Encompass Insurance Company of Massachusetts, Encompass Insurance Company of New Jersey, Encompass Insurance Holdings LLC, Encompass Property and Casualty Company, Encompass Property and Casualty Insurance Company of New Jersey, Esurance Holdings Inc., Esurance Insurance Company, Esurance Insurance Company of Canada, Esurance Insurance Company of New Jersey, Esurance Insurance Services Company of Canada, Esurance Insurance Services Inc. (4), Esurance Property and Casualty Insurance Company, First Colonial Insurance Company, Identity Protection Strategic Solutions LLC, InfoArmor Aggra Inc., InfoArmor Inc., Insurance Answer Center LLC (5), Intramerica Life Insurance Company, Ivantage Insurance Brokers Inc., Ivantage Select Agency Inc., Kennett Capital Inc., NBInv AF1 LLC, NBInv AF2 LLC, NBInv AF3 LLC, NBInv AF4 LLC, NBInv AF5 LLC, NBInv AF6 LLC, NBInv AP1 LLC, NBInv AP2 LLC, NBInv AP3 LLC, NBInv AP4 LLC, NBInv AP5 LLC, NBInv AP6 LLC, NBInv AP7 LLC, NBInv AP8 LLC, NBInv APAF1 LLC, NBInv Riverside Cars1 LLC, NBInv Riverside Management LLC, North Light Specialty Insurance Company, Northeast Agencies Inc. (6), Pablo Creek Services Inc., Pafco Insurance Company, Pembridge Insurance Company, PlumChoice Business Services Inc., PlumChoice Inc., Protection Plan Group Inc., Right Answer Insurance Agency LLC, Road Bay Investments LLC, ST Product Care Corp, Signature Agency Inc., Signature Motor Club Inc., Signature Motor Club of California Inc., Signature Nationwide Auto Club of California Inc., Signatures Nationwide Auto Club Inc., SquareTrade Australia Pty Ltd, SquareTrade Canada Inc., SquareTrade Europe Limited, SquareTrade Holding Company Inc., SquareTrade Inc. (7), SquareTrade Insurance Services Inc., SquareTrade Limited, SquareTrade Protection Solutions Inc., SquareTradeGo Inc., Tech-Cor LLC, and West Plaza RE Holdings LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of Bristol-Myers Squibb: 1096271 B.C. ULC, 345 Park LLC, A.G. Medical Services P.A., AHI Investment LLC, AbVitro LLC, Abraxis BioScience Australia Pty Ltd., Abraxis BioScience Inc., Abraxis BioScience International Holding Company Inc., Abraxis BioScience LLC, Abraxis BioScience Puerto Rico LLC, Acetylon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Adnexus, Adnexus a Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D Company, Allard Labs Acquisition G.P., Amira Pharmaceuticals, Amira Pharmaceuticals Inc., Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Apothecon LLC, B-MS Generx Unlimited Company, BMS Benelux Holdings B.V., BMS Bermuda Nominees L.L.C., BMS Data Acquisition Company LLC, BMS Forex Company, BMS Holdings Sarl, BMS Holdings Spain S.L., BMS International Insurance Designated Activity Company, BMS Investco SAS, BMS Korea Holdings L.L.C., BMS Latin American Nominees L.L.C., BMS Luxembourg Partners L.L.C., BMS Omega Bermuda Holdings Finance Ltd., BMS Pharmaceutical Korea Limited, BMS Pharmaceuticals Germany Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals International Holdings Netherlands B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Korea Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Mexico Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Netherlands Holdings B.V., BMS Real Estate LLC, BMS Spain Investments LLC, BMS Strategic Portfolio Investments Holdings Inc., Blisa Acquisition G.P., Bristol (Iran) S.A., Bristol Iran Private Company Limited, Bristol Laboratories Inc., Bristol Laboratories International S.A., Bristol Laboratories Medical Information Systems Inc., Bristol-Myers (Andes) L.L.C., Bristol-Myers (Private) Limited, Bristol-Myers Middle East S.A.L., Bristol-Myers Overseas Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Israel) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (NZ) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Proprietary) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Taiwan) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (West Indies) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb A.E., Bristol-Myers Squibb Aktiebolag, Bristol-Myers Squibb Argentina S. R. L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Australia Pty. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Axia Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb B.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Belgium S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Business Services Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada International Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Delta Company Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Denmark Filial of Bristol-Myers Squibb AB, Bristol-Myers Squibb EMEA Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Egypt LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Epsilon Holdings Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Ltda., Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Portuguesa S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb GesmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb GmbH & Co. KGaA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holding Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings 2002 Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Ireland Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Pharma Ltd. Liability Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Ilaclari Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb India Pvt. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Company Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Investco L.L.C., Bristol-Myers Squibb K.K., Bristol-Myers Squibb Kft., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg International S.C.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb MEA GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Manufacturing Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Marketing Services S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Middle East & Africa FZ-LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Norway Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Nutricionales de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Peru S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (HK) Ltd, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (Thailand) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Holding Company LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Ventures Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Polska Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Products SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico/Sanofi Pharmaceutical Partnership Puerto Rico, Bristol-Myers Squibb Romania S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.A.U., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Holding Partnership, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Service Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Services Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Spol. s r.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Theta Finance Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Trustees Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Colombia S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Costa Rica Sociedad Anonima, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Guatemala S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb/Astrazeneca EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Partnership, Bristol-Myers de Venezuela S.C.A., CHT I LLC, CHT II LLC, CHT III LLC, CHT IV LLC, CR Finance Company LLC, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals Inc., Celem LLC, Celem Ltd., Celgene, Celgene A.B., Celgene AS, Celgene Ab (Finland), Celgene Alpine Investment Co. II LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. III LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. LLC, Celgene ApS, Celgene B.V., Celgene BVBA, Celgene Brasil Produtos Farmaceuticos Ltda., Celgene CAR LLC, Celgene CAR Ltd., Celgene Chemicals Sarl, Celgene China Holdings LLC, Celgene Co., Celgene Corporation, Celgene Distribution B.V., Celgene EngMab GmbH, Celgene Europe B.V., Celgene Europe Limited, Celgene European Investment Company LLC, Celgene Financing Company LLC, Celgene Global Holdings Sarl, Celgene GmbH [Austria], Celgene GmbH [Germany], Celgene GmbH [Switzerland], Celgene Holdings East Corporation, Celgene Holdings II Sarl, Celgene Holdings III Sarl, Celgene Ilac Pazarlama ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Celgene Inc., Celgene International Holdings Corporation, Celgene International II Sarl, Celgene International III Sarl, Celgene International Inc., Celgene International Sarl, Celgene K.K., Celgene Kft., Celgene Limited [Hong Kong], Celgene Limited [Ireland], Celgene Limited [New Zealand], Celgene Limited [Taiwan], Celgene Limited [UK], Celgene Logistics Sarl, Celgene Ltd, Celgene Luxembourg Sarl, Celgene Management Sarl, Celgene NJ Investment Co, Celgene Netherlands B.V., Celgene Netherlands Investment B.V., Celgene Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Celgene Pte. Ltd., Celgene Pty Ltd, Celgene Puerto Rico Distribution LLC, Celgene Quanticel Research Inc, Celgene R&D Sarl, Celgene RIVOT LLC, Celgene RIVOT Ltd., Celgene RIVOT SRL, Celgene Receptos Limited, Celgene Receptos Sarl, Celgene Research Incubator At Summit West LLC, Celgene Research S.L.U., Celgene Research and Development Company LLC, Celgene Research and Development I ULC, Celgene Research and Development II LLC, Celgene Research and Investment Company II LLC, Celgene S. de R.L. de C.V., Celgene S.L.U., Celgene S.R.L., Celgene SAS, Celgene Sarl AU, Celgene Sdn Bhd, Celgene Services Sarl, Celgene Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Celgene Sp. Z.o.o., Celgene Sro [Czech Republic], Celgene Summit Investment Co, Celgene Switzerland Holding Sarl, Celgene Switzerland II LLC, Celgene Switzerland Investment Sarl, Celgene Switzerland LLC, Celgene Switzerland Sarl, Celgene Tri A Holdings Ltd., Celgene Tri Sarl, Celgene UK Distribution Limited, Celgene UK Holdings Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing II Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing III Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing Limited, Celgene d.o.o., Celgene sro [Slovakia], Celmed LLC, Celmed Ltd., ConvaTec Divestiture, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals AB, Crosp Ltd., Delinia Inc., Deuteria Pharmaceuticals Inc., DuPont Pharmaceuticals, E. R. Squibb & Sons Inter-American Corporation, E. R. Squibb & Sons L.L.C., E. R. Squibb & Sons Limited, EWI Corporation, EngMab Sarl, F-star Alpha, FermaVir Pharmaceuticals L.L.C., FermaVir Research L.L.C., Flexus Biosciences, Flexus Biosciences Inc., Forbius, Galecto Biotech, GenPharm International L.L.C., Gloucester Pharmaceuticals LLC, Grove Insurance Company Ltd., Heyden Farmaceutica Portuguesa Limitada, IFM Therapeutics, Impact Biomedicines Inc., Inhibitex, Inhibitex L.L.C., Innate Tumor Immunity Inc., JuMP Holdings LLC, Juno Therapeutics GmbH, Juno Therapeutics Inc., Kosan Biosciences, Kosan Biosciences Incorporated, Linson Investments Limited, Mead Johnson (Manufacturing) Jamaica Limited, Mead Johnson Jamaica Ltd., Medarex, Morris Avenue Investment II LLC, Morris Avenue Investment LLC, MyoKardia, O.o.o. Bristol-Myers Squibb, Oy Bristol-Myers Squibb (Finland) AB, Padlock Therapeutics, Padlock Therapeutics Inc., Pharmion LLC, Princeton Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Receptos LLC, Receptos Services LLC, RedoxTherapies Inc., Route 22 Real Estate Holding Corporation, SPV A Holdings ULC, Seamair Insurance DAC, Signal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Sino-American Shanghai Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Societe Francaise de Complements Alimentaires(S.O.F.C.A.), Squibb Middle East S.A., Summit West Celgene LLC, Swords Laboratories, VentiRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Westwood-Intrafin SA, Westwood-Squibb Pharmaceuticals Inc., X-Body Inc., ZymoGenetics, ZymoGenetics Inc., ZymoGenetics LLC, ZymoGenetics Paymaster LLC, iPierian, and iPierian Inc.. 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 The following companies are subsidiares of Quanta Services: (De) Lazy Q Ranch LLC, 1 Diamond LLC, 1Diamond AS, 618232 Alberta Ltd., 8246408 Canada Inc., Advanced Electric Systems, Advanced Electric Systems LLC, Advanced Utility Testing & Maintenance LLC, Alexander Publications LLC, Allteck GP Ltd., Allteck Limited Partnership, Apprenticeship Programs Inc., Arby Construction, Arcanum Chemicals LLC, Arnett & Burgess Oil Field Construction Limited, Arnett & Burgess Pipeliners (Rockies) LLC, Arnett & Burgess Pipeliners Ltd., B&N Clearing and Environmental LLC, Banister Pipelines Constructors Corp., Banister Pipelines Constructors GP Ltd., Banister Pipelines Limited Partnership, Brent Woodward Inc., Brink Constructors Inc., Brink Constructors Inc. A Corporation Of South Dakota, Brown Engineering and Testing, CAT SPEC Ltd., CAT-SPEC Limited Partnership, CAT-SPEC Limited Partnership (Regd Name) CAT SPEC Ltd., CAT-Spec Limited Partnership, Canadian Utility Construction Corp., Cat Spec Limited LP, Cat Spec Ltd, Cat Spec Ltd. L.P., Cat Spec Ltd. LP, Cat Spec. Ltd. LP, Cat-Spec Ltd (A Domestic limited Partnership), Cat-Spec Ltd LP, Cat-Spec Ltd., Cat-Spec Ltd. L.P., Cat-Spec Ltd. LP, Cat-Spec Ltd. Limited Partnership, Catalyst Changers Inc., Chatham Electric, Citadel Industrial Services L.P., Citadel Industrial Services Ltd., Citadel Industrial Services Ltd. L.P., Citadel Industrial Services Ltd. Limited Partnership, Coe Drilling Pty Ltd., Computapole, Conam Construction Co., Consolidated Power Projects Australia Pty Ltd, Conti Communications Inc., Crux Subsurface Canada Ltd., Crux Subsurface Inc., Cutting Technology - 1 Diamond LLC, DB Utilities Inc., DE Lazy Q Ranch LLC, DNR Pressure Welding Ltd., Dacon Corporation, Dashiell (DE) Corporation (Dashiell Corporation), Dashiell Corporation, Dashiell Corporation DBA Dashiell (DE) Corporation, De Mears Group, De Mears Group Inc., Delaware Quanta Technology LLC, Delaware Underground Construction Co., Didado Utility Company Inc., Digco Utility Construction L.P. Digco Utility Construction Limited Partnership, Dorado Specialty Services L.P., Dorado Specialty Services Ltd., Dorado Specialty Services Ltd. L.P., Dorado Specialty Services Ltd. Limited Partnership, Dorado Specialty Services. Ltd. L.P., Driftwood Electrical Contractors, EHV Power ULC, ELITE PIPING & CIVIL L.P., ELITE TURNAROUND SPECIALISTS LTD, Elite Fabrication Ltd. Elite Fabrication LP, Elite Piping & Civil Limited Partnership, Elite Piping & Civil Limited Partnership, Elite Piping & Civil Lp, Elite Piping & Civil Ltd L.P., Elite Piping & Civil Ltd., Elite Piping & Civil Ltd. L.P., Elite Piping & Civil Ltd. Limited Partnership, Elite Piping and Civil L.P., Elite Turnaround Specialists L.p., Elite Turnaround Specialists Limited Lp, Elite Turnaround Specialists Limited Partnership, Elite Turnaround Specialists Limited Partnership, Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd Lp, Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd., Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd. L.P., Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd. LP, Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd. Limited Partnership, Energy Consulting Group LLC, Enscope, Enscope Pty Ltd, FIC GP LLC, Field Personnel Services LLC, First Infrastructure Capital Advisors LLC, First Infrastructure Capital GP L.P., Five Points Construction Co., G-Tek, G-Vac, GEM Engineering Co., Grand Electric Inc., Great Lakes Line Builders, Grid Creative Inc., Grid Manufacturing Corporation, Grid Training Corporation, H.L. Chapman Pipeline Construction Inc., Haverfield Aviation, Haverfield Aviation Inc., Haverfield International Incorporated, Heritage Midstream LLC, IM Electric Inc., IUC ILLINOIS LLC, IUC Nebraska LLC, InfraSource Construction LLC, InfraSource Field Services LLC, InfraSource Services LLC, InfraSources Construction LLC, Infraestructura ETP de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V, Infrasource Engineering Company PC, Infrasource Iowa Underground LLC, Infrasource Of Pa LLC, Integracion Tecnologica del Peru SAC, Intermountain Electric Inc., Intermountain Electric Inc. A Corporation of Colorado, IonEarth LLC, Irby Construction Company, Irby Construction Company Inc., Iron Mountain M.J. Electric LLC, Island Mechanical Corporation, J.C.R. Construction Co. Inc., J.C.R. Utility Construction Co., J.W. Didado Electric Inc., J.W. Didado Electric LLC, J.w. Didado Electric, JBT Electric LLC, Kingston Contracting Inc., Lazy Q Ranch LLC, Lazy Q Training Center LLC The Lazy Q Lineman School, Legend Foundation Services, Lex Engineering Ltd., Lindsey Electric L.P., Logical Link, Longfellow Drilling, M. G. Dyess Inc., M. J. ELECTRIC LLC IRON MOUNTAIN, M. J. Electric LLC, M. J. Electric LLC - Iron Mountain, M. J. Electric LLC DBA M. J. Electric Iron Mountain LLC, M.J. Electric LLC DBA M.J. Electric Iron Mountain, M.J. Electric LLC Iron Mountain, MTS Field Services, MTS Field Services (Richmond Co), MTS Quanta LLC, Manuel Bros. Inc., Marathon Construction Services, Mears Canada Corp., Mears Equipment Services LLC, Mears Group Inc., Mears Group Pty Ltd, Mears Installation LLC, Mearsmex S. de R.L. de C.V., Mejia Personnel Services LLC, Mercer Technical Services, Microline Technology Corporation, Mid America Energy Services Inc., NACAP Niugini Ltd., NC Northstar Energy Services Inc, NGI Construction, NGI Construction Inc., NGI Construction Inc. (FN), NLC CA. Inc., NLC FL. Inc. Northwest Lineman Center, NLC ID. Inc. Northwest Lineman College, NLC TX. Inc., NPC Energy Services LLC, Nacap Australia, Nacap PNG Limited, Network Communication Services, North Houston Pole Line L.P., North Houston Pole Line Limited Partnership, North Sky Communications, NorthStar Energy Services Inc., Northern Powerline Constructors Inc., Northstar Energy Solutions LLC, Northwest Lineman Center, Northwest Lineman College, Northwest Lineman Training Center, Northwest Lineman Training Center Inc., Nova Constructors LLC, Nova Constructors LTD, Nova Equipment Leasing LLC, Nova Group Inc, Nova Group Inc (CA), Nova Group Inc., Nova Group Inc. DBA NGI Construction, Nova NextGen Solutions LLC, O. J. Pipelines Canada Corporation, O. J. Pipelines Canada Limited Partnership, O.J. Industrial Maintenance, O.J. Pipelines Canada, One Call Locators Canada Ltd., P.D.G. Electric, PAR Electrical Contractors Inc., PDG Electric Co., Par Internacional S. de R.L. de C.V., Performance Energy Services Guyana Ltd., Performance Energy Services L.L.C., Phasor Engineering Inc., Phoenix North Constructors Inc., Phoenix Power Group Inc., Potelco Inc., Potelco Incorporated, Power Delivery Program Inc., Price Gregory International Inc., Price Gregory Services LLC, Probst Construction Inc., Probst Electric Inc., QEPC, QEPC Power Solutions LLC, QES GP LLC, QP Energy Services LLC, QPS Engineering LLC, QPS Engineering LTD., QPS Engineering PLLC, QPS Environmental, QPS Flint Construction, QPS Flint Tank Services, QPS Global, QPS Global Services, QPS Global Services (Richmond Ci), QPS Professional Services, QPSE, QS Mats, QSI Engineering Inc., QSI Finance (Australia) Pty Ltd., QSI Finance (Cayman) Pvt. Ltd., QSI Finance Canada ULC, QSI Finance GP (US) LLC, QSI Finance I (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., QSI Finance I (US) LP, QSI Finance II (Australia) Pty Ltd., QSI Finance II (Lux) S.a r.l, QSI Finance II (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., QSI Finance III (Canada) ULC, QSI Finance III (Lux) SARL, QSI Finance IV (Canada) ULC, QSI Finance IX (Canada) Limited Partnership, QSI Finance V (US) L.P., QSI Finance VI (Canada) ULC, QSI Finance VII (Canada) Limited Partnership, QSI Finance VIII (Canada) ULC, QSI Finance X (Canada) ULC, QSI Inc., QSN Lux Holdings I SCSp, QSN Lux Holdings II SCSp, QSN Lux Holdings III SCSp, QSN Lux Holdings IV SCSp, QTSL LLC, QUANTA FOUNDATION SERVICES, Quanta APL GP II Ltd., Quanta Asset Management LLC, Quanta Associates L.P., Quanta Aviation Services LLC, Quanta Canada GP ULC, Quanta Canada Holdings III Limited Partnership, Quanta Canada Holdings LP, Quanta Canada III GP Ltd., Quanta Capital GP LLC, Quanta Capital LP L.P., Quanta Capital Solutions Inc., Quanta Cares, Quanta EPC Services, Quanta Electric Power Construction LLC, Quanta Electric Power Construction Management Inc., Quanta Electric Power Services LLC, Quanta Electric Power Services West LLC, Quanta Energized Innovations Ltd., Quanta Energized Services U.S. LLC, Quanta Energized Services of Canada Ltd., Quanta Energy Services LLC, Quanta Environmental Solutions, Quanta Equipment Company LLC, Quanta Government Solutions Inc., Quanta Holdings I (Netherlands) B.V., Quanta Holdings II (Netherlands) B.V., Quanta Infraestructura de Chile SpA, Quanta Infrastructure Services LLC, Quanta Infrastructure Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Quanta Inline Devices LLC, Quanta Inspection Services, Quanta Insurance Company Inc., Quanta International Holdings (US) LLC, Quanta International Holdings II Ltd., Quanta International Holdings Ltd., Quanta International Limited, Quanta Kingsvale LP Ltd., Quanta Lines Pty Ltd., Quanta Maine Services LLC, Quanta Middle East LLC, Quanta Pipeline Services Inc., Quanta Power Australia Pty Ltd, Quanta Power Generation Inc., Quanta Power Inc., Quanta Power Solutions India Private Limited, Quanta Resource Development, Quanta Services Africa (PTY) Ltd., Quanta Services Australia Pty Ltd., Quanta Services Chile SpA, Quanta Services Colombia S.A.S., Quanta Services Costa Rica Ltda., Quanta Services Guatemala Ltda., Quanta Services International Holdings II LP, Quanta Services International Holdings LP, Quanta Services Management Partnership L.P., Quanta Services Netherlands B.V., Quanta Services Panama S. de R.L., Quanta Services Peru S.A.C., Quanta Services Puerto Rico LLC, Quanta Services of Canada Ltd., Quanta Subsurface Canada Ltd., Quanta Subsurface LLC, Quanta Tank Services, Quanta Technology Canada ULC, Quanta Technology LLC, Quanta Technology UK Ltd., Quanta Tecnologia do Brasil Ltda., Quanta Telecom, Quanta Telecom Services, Quanta Telecommunication Services, Quanta Telecommunication Services LLC, Quanta Telecommunications Services LLC, Quanta Underground Services, Quanta Underground Services (Culpeper Co), Quanta Underground Services (Spotsylvania Co), Quanta Underground Services Inc., Quanta Utility Engineering Services Inc., Quanta Utility Installation Company Inc., Quanta Utility Operation LLC, Quanta West LLC, Quantecua Cia. Ltda., R. R. Cassidy Inc., RMS Holdings LLC, RMS Holdings LLC (Delaware), RMS Welding Systems, RMS Welding Systems LLC, Ranger Directional, Realtime Engineers Inc., Realtime Utility Engineers Inc., Redes Andinas de Comunicaciones S.R.L., Riggin & Diggin Line Construction, Rms Welding LLC, Rms Welding Systems LLC, Road Bore Corporation, Ryan Company Inc. The, Ryan Company Inc. of Massachusetts, Ryan Company Inc.(The), Seaward, Seaward Corp, Seaward Corporation, Service EC (DE) Inc., Service Electric Company (DE), Service Electric Company Inc., Service Electric Company of Delaware, Servicios Par Electric S. de R.L. de C.V., Servicios de Infraestructura del Peru S.A.C., Southwest Trenching Company Inc., Specialty Tank Services L.P., Specialty Tank Services LP, Specialty Tank Services Limited Partnership, Specialty Tank Services Limited Partnership, Specialty Tank Services Ltd., Specialty Tank Services Ltd. (LP), Specialty Tank Services Ltd. L.P., Specialty Tank Services Ltd. LP, Specialty Tank Services Ltd. LP, Specialty Tank Services Ltd. Limited Partnership, Stronghold General LLC, Stronghold Holdings (BVI) Limited, Stronghold Inspection L.P., Stronghold Inspection Limited Partnership, Stronghold Inspection Limited Partnership, Stronghold Inspection Lp, Stronghold Inspection Ltd L.P., Stronghold Inspection Ltd., Stronghold Inspection Ltd. L.P., Stronghold Inspection Ltd. Limited Partnership, Stronghold Limited Partnership, Stronghold Ltd., Stronghold Ltd. Limited Partnership, Stronghold Management Holdings LP, Stronghold Specialty General LLC, Stronghold Specialty Ltd., Stronghold Specialty Ltd., Stronghold Specialty Ltd. Limited Partnership, Stronghold Tower Group LP, Stronghold Tower Group Ltd LP, Stronghold Tower Group Ltd., Stronghold Tower Group Ltd. LP, Stronghold VI LLC, Subterra Damage Prevention Specialists Ltd., Summit Line Construction, Sumter Utilities Inc., T. G. Mercer Consulting Services Inc., TA Construction, TC Infrastructure Services Ltd., Taylor Built, Texas Specialty Tank Services Ltd. LP, The Aspen Utility Company LLC, The ComTran Group Inc., The Hallen Construction Co. Inc., The Massachusetts Ryan Company Inc., The Ryan Company Inc Of Massachusetts, The Ryan Company Inc., The Ryan Company Inc. (Massachusetts), The Ryan Company Inc. of Massachusetts, The Ryan Company Incorporated of Massachusetts, The Ryan Company Of Massachusetts Inc., The Ryan Company of Massachusetts, The Ryan Company of Massachusetts (FN), Tom Allen Construction Company Inc., Tom Allen Construction Company of Delaware, Trans Tech Electric, TurnKey Automation Limited Partnership, TurnKey Automation Limited Partnership, TurnKey Automation Ltd., TurnKey Automation Ltd. Limited Partnership, TurnKey Automation Ltd. Limited Partnership, TurnKey I&E Ltd., Turnkey Automation Ltd. L.P., Turnkey Automation Ltd. LP., UCC Underground Construction Co. Inc., Ucc - Underground Construction Co., Underground Construction Co. Inc., Underground Construction Co. Inc. (Delaware), Underground Electric Construction Company LLC, Utilco Inc., Utility Fleet Services, Utility Line Management Services Inc., Utility Testing & Maintenance LLC, Utility Training Services Corporation, VALARD Polska sp. Z o.o., Valard, Valard, Valard Construction (Ontario) Ltd., Valard Construction (Quebec) Inc., Valard Construction 2008 Ltd., Valard Construction Australia Pty Ltd, Valard Construction LLC, Valard Equipment (AB) Ltd., Valard Equipment GP Ltd., Valard Equipment Limited Partnership, Valard Geomatics (Ontario) Ltd., Valard Geomatics BC Ltd., Valard Geomatics Ltd., Valard Mechanical Ltd., Valard Norway AS, Valard Sweden AB, Valard Zagreb d. o. o., Wade D. Taylor Inc., West Coast Communications, Winco Helicopters, Winco Inc., Winco Inc. an Oregon Based Corporation, Winco Powerline Services, Winco Powerline Services Inc., Winco Powerline Services Inc., Winco Services Inc., World Fiber Inc., and mmit Line Construction Inc.. The following companies are subsidiares of Becton, Dickinson and: (Bard Istanbul Healthcare Limited Company), Accuri Cytometers, Accuri Cytometers Inc., Adaptec, Alverix, Alverix Inc., Atto Bioscience, BD Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., BD Infection Prevention BV, BD Kiestra BV, BD Kiestra Total Lab Automation, BD Rapid Diagnostic (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., BD San Luis Potosi S.A. de C.V., BD Switzerland Sarl, BD Ventures LLC, BD West Africa Limited, BDX INO LLC, Bard (Thailand) Limited, Bard ASDI Inc., Bard Access Systems Inc., Bard Acquisition Sub Inc., Bard Australia Pty. Limited, Bard Benelux N.V., Bard Brachytherapy Inc., Bard Brasil Industria e Comercio de Produtos Para a Saude Ltda., Bard Canada Inc., Bard Chile S.p.A., Bard Colombia S.A.S., Bard Czech Republic s.r.o., Bard Devices Inc., Bard Dublin ITC Limited, Bard EMEA Finance Center Sp.z o.o., Bard European Distribution Center N.V., Bard Finance B.V. & Co. KG., Bard Financial Services Ltd., Bard Finland OY, Bard France S.A.S., Bard Global Holdings I LLC, Bard Global Holdings II LLC, Bard Global Holdings III LLC, Bard Healthcare Inc., Bard Healthcare Science (Shanghai) Limited, Bard Hellas S.A., Bard Holding SAS, Bard Holdings Limited, Bard Holdings Netherlands B.V., Bard Hong Kong Limited, Bard IP Holdings Inc., Bard India Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., Bard International Holdings B.V., Bard International Inc., Bard Korea Ltd., Bard Limited, Bard MRL Acquisition Corp., Bard Malaysia Healthcare Sdn. Bhd., Bard Medica SA, Bard Medical Devices (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Bard Medical R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Bard Medical SA (Proprietary) Limited, Bard Mexico Realty S. de R.L. de C.V., Bard Norden AB, Bard Norway AS, Bard Pacific Health Care Company Ltd., Bard Peripheral Vascular Inc., Bard Poland Sp. z.o.o., Bard Productos Plasticos e Medicos Ltda., Bard Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Bard S.r.l., Bard Sdn. Bhd., Bard Shannon Limited, Bard Singapore Private Limited, Bard Sourcing Office Singapore Pte. Ltd., Bard Sweden AB, Bard UK Newco Limited, Bard de Espana S.A., Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Limited, Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Management Limited, Becton Dickinson (Mauritius) Limited, Becton Dickinson (Pty) Ltd., Becton Dickinson (Thailand) Limited, Becton Dickinson A.G., Becton Dickinson A/S, Becton Dickinson Argentina S.R.L., Becton Dickinson Asia Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson Asia Limited, Becton Dickinson Austria GmbH, Becton Dickinson Austria Holdings GmbH, Becton Dickinson B.V., Becton Dickinson B.V. 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S.A. de C.V., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy UK, Becton Dickinson Insulin Syringe Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings II Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings III Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Israel Ltd., Becton Dickinson Italia S.p.A., Becton Dickinson Ithalat Ihracat Limited Sirketi, Becton Dickinson Korea Holding Inc., Becton Dickinson Korea Ltd., Becton Dickinson Ltd., Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Finance S.a.r.L., Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Global Holdings Sarl, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings II S.a.r.L, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings III S.a.r.L, Becton Dickinson Malaysia Inc., Becton Dickinson Management GmbH & Co. KG, Becton Dickinson Matrex Holdings Inc., Becton Dickinson Medical (S) Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Devices (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Devices (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Products Pte. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Technology (Jiangsu) Co. 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Bhd., Becton Dickinson Slovakia s.r.o., Becton Dickinson Sweden AB, Becton Dickinson Sweden Holdings AB, Becton Dickinson Switzerland Global Holdings SarL, Becton Dickinson Technology Campus India, Becton Dickinson U.K. Limited, Becton Dickinson UK Financing I Ltd., Becton Dickinson UK Financing II Ltd., Becton Dickinson Venezuela C.A., Becton Dickinson Venture LLC, Becton Dickinson Verwaltungs GmbH, Becton Dickinson Vostok LLC, Becton Dickinson Worldwide Investments Sa.r.L., Becton Dickinson Zambia Limited, Becton Dickinson and Company Ltd., Becton Dickinson de Colombia Ltda., Becton Dickinson de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Becton Dickinson del Uruguay S.A., Benex Ltd., Biometric Imaging, Bridger Biomed Inc., C. R. Bard, C. R. Bard (Portugal)-Produtos e Artigos Medicos e Farmaceuticos, C. R. Bard Do Brazil Productos Medicos Ltds., C. R. Bard GmbH, C. R. Bard Inc., C. R. Bard Netherlands Sales B.V., CME America LLC, CME Ltd., CME Medical (UK) Limited, CME UK (Holdings) Limited, CRISI Medical Systems, CRISI Medical Systems Inc., Caesarea Medical Electronics, Cardal II LLC, Care Fusion Development Private Limited, CareFusion, CareFusion (Barbados) SrL, CareFusion (Shanghai) Commercial and Trading Co. Limited, CareFusion 213 LLC, CareFusion 2200 Inc., CareFusion 2201 Inc., CareFusion 302 LLC, CareFusion 303 Inc., CareFusion Asia (HK) Limited, CareFusion BH 335 d.o.o. Cazin, CareFusion Corporation, CareFusion D.R. 203 Ltd., CareFusion France 309 S.A.S., CareFusion Germany 318 GmbH, CareFusion Iberia 308 S.L., CareFusion Israel 330 Ltd., CareFusion Italy 312 S.p.A., CareFusion Manufacturing LLC, CareFusion Mexico 215 S.A. de C.V., CareFusion Netherlands 328 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands 503 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands 504 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands Financing 283 C.V., CareFusion Resources LLC, CareFusion S.A. 319 (Proprietary) Limited, CareFusion Solutions LLC, CareFusion U.K. 244 Limited, CareFusion U.K. 305 Limited, CareFusion U.K. 306 Limited, Carmel Pharma AB, Carmel Pharma Inc, Cato Software Solutions, Cell Analysis Systems Inc, Cellular Research, Cellular Research Inc., Clearstream Technologies Group Limited, Clearstream Technologies Limited, Clontech Laboratories Inc, Corporativo BD de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Cubex, Cytopeia, DLD (Bermuda) Ltd., DVL Acquisition Sub Inc., Davol Inc., Davol International Limited, Davol Surgical Innovations S.A. de C.V., Difco Laboratories Incorporated, Distribuidora BD Mexico S.A. de C.V., Dutch American Manufacturers (D.A.M.) B.V., Dymax Corporation, Embo Medical Limited, Enturia de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Enturican Inc., FJ International Inc., FlowCardia Inc., FlowCardia LLC, FlowJo LLC, Franklin Lakes Enterprises L.L.C., GSL Solutions, Gamer Lasertechnik GmbH, GenCell Biosystems, GenCell Biosystems Ltd., GeneOhm Sciences, GeneOhm Sciences Canada Inc., Gentest Corporation, Gesco International Inc., Gesco International LLC, HandyLab Inc, HandyLab Inc., IBD Holdings LLC, Ionotophoretics Corporation, JoHome LLC, Kabushiki Kaisha Medicon (Medicon Inc.), Liberator Health and Education Services Inc., Liberator Health and Wellness Inc., Liberator Medical Holdings Inc., Liberator Medical Supply Inc., LifeBond, Limited Liability Company Bard Rus, Loma Vista Medical Inc., Loma Vista Medical LLC, Lutonix Inc., Med-Design Corporation, Med-Design Investment Holdings Inc., Med-Safe Systems Inc., MedChem Products Inc., Medafor Inc., Medegen LLC, Medinservice.com Inc., Medivance Inc., NAT Diagnostics, NAT Diagnostics Inc., NOW Medical Distribution Inc., NOW Medical Distribution LLC, Navarre Biomedical LLC, Navarre Biomedical Ltd., Neomend Inc., Nippon Becton Dickinson Company Ltd., Omega Biosystems Incorporated, P.R.C.(Isialys)Societe a responsabilitie limitee(Societe a associe unique), PT Becton Dickinson Indonesia, PharMingen, PreAnalytiX GmbH, Pristine Access Technologies Inc., ProSeed Inc., Procesos para Esterilizacion S.A. de C.V., Productos Bard de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Productos Para el Cuidado de la Salud S.A. de C.V., Puls Medical Devices AS LC, PureWick Corporation, Roberts Laboratories Inc., Rochester Medical Corporation, Rochester Medical Ltd., Saf-T-Med, Safety Syringes, Safety Syringes Inc., Sendal S.L.U., SenoRx Inc., SenoRx LLC, Shield Healthcare Centers Inc., Sirigen, Sirigen II Limited, Sirigen Inc., Sistemas Medicos ALARIS S.A. de C.V., Specialized Cooperative Corporation, Specialized Health Products Inc., Specialized Health Products International Inc., Specialized Health Products International LLC, Staged Diabetes Management LLC, Straub Medical, Straub Medical, Straub Medical (US) LLC, Straub Medical (United Kingdom) Ltd., Straub Medical France, Surgical Site Solutions Inc., TVA Medical, TVA Medical GmbH, TVA Medical Inc., Tepha, Touchstone Medical Limited, Tri-County Medical & Ostomy Supplies Inc., TriPath Imaging, TriPath Imaging Inc., Vas-Cath Incorporated, Vascular Pathways Inc., Velano Vascular, Venetec International Inc., Venetec International LLC, Y-Med Inc., and Y-Med LLC. One of the things most Ghanaian mobile phone lovers want to know is the price of the Tecno C9 in Ghana. This is because the launching of the product into the Ghanaian mobile phone market has left many Tecno brand loyalists as well as other lovers of mobile devices with an unforgettable experience. The portability, durability and affordability of most of the devices which Tecno releases into the market are second to none, and these reasons have made Tecno one of the most preferred brands in the mobile phone market in Ghana. So what makes the Tecno C9 so special? That's what we are about to find out in this detailed review. Source: Techslize The Tecno C9, also known as Camon C9, is an upgrade of the Camon C8 which was designed and projected to surpass the astonishing success achieved by Camon C8. The Camon C8 was known specially for its incredible camera specs which can be compared to that of iPhone 6 and others. The Tecno Camon C9 has a pocket friendly design in that it is thinner as compared to the Camon C8. It makes its boast in competing with other lead brands like the Infinix, Samsung and Apple. For prospective buyers asking how much does Tecno C9 cost in Ghana? If you are buying from retail online shops like reapp, Tecno C9 price in Ghana Cedis is about 590. But it could be slightly different if you are shopping elsewhere. An overview of Tecno C9 Comparing the price of Tecno C9 in Ghana to its amazing features, it is worth every dime spent on it. But then, with these scintillating features, there are a few disappointing features that the C9 Tecno has. Interestingly, if they had been worked on, they could have increased the preference of the smartphone device before its prospective users. The good A huge and innovative 13 megapixels autofocus front and rear cameras with dual-LED flashes. The 5.5 Full HD display with 1080 x 1920 resolution. 83 degrees wideness with an amazing capacity to capture as much as 10 people in a single selfie. A special unlocking device known as the biometric iris recognition sensor technology. Great audio output from the speaker and earpiece. The bad The 2GB RAM as well the internal storage of 16GB is a disappointment at a time like this where video contents with high quality are always available and sharable everywhere. Rather than the Android 6.0 Marshmallow Operating System that is pre-installed on it, as a flagship smartphone, it would have been juicer if it had accommodated the Android 7 Nougat OS. The 3000mAh battery capacity is a kind of limitation compared to its other competing products combining 5000mAh battery capacity to their specs. Source: TechCabal Tecno C9 specs While Tecno C9 cost in Ghana is fair, considering the specs. Apart from the advanced camera functionalities of the product which is where it derives its Camon phrase from (Camon is said to be culled from Camera-On), other Tecno C9 specifications are highlighted in the table below: Hardware Design It comes with a full aluminum unibody which helps to protect the device against rust. By virtue of this aluminum unibody, the device automatically assumes a waterproof position. Its slimness makes it easy to fit perfectly into the pocket. Its lightweight also makes it handy as well. With its unique finishing, it seems to have an enhancement of a slightly cambered body. Source: DO7 Solutions As against the popular fingerprint scanner that is known with most mobile devices, the unique unlocking system of the C9 Tecno which is the use of an iris scanner on the front side of the mobile phone is an amazing design worth giving a special accolade. The phone is available in Champagne Gold, Elegant Blue and Sandstone Black colours. Display The Tecno C9 smartphone is fitted with a touchscreen of 5.5 inches and an IPS LCD display of 1920 x 1080 pixels. With the full HD screen, you enjoy high resolution contents with ease. And then, the IPS (In-plane switching) delivers the actual colour of any object. As a result of this, the phone has a vibrant colour of up to 16 million. READ ALSO: Tecno l9 plus review, specs & price in Ghana. Processor, storage & performance The Tecno C9 model combines both RAM of 2GB and a storage capacity of 16GB ROM with 128GB SD card expandable memory space. This helps you store so much data and run many applications as you want to with an optimal functionality. With the increased 64-bit octa-core processor at 1.7 GHz coupled with the HiOS 1.0, the device has the capacity to deliver a high level of satisfactory performance to you. Battery With the battery capacity of the Tecno C9 at 3000mAh, you are assured of more hours of browsing. The Tecno C9 is accompanied with fast charge technology, when it is on standby, it is reportedly said that the smartphone device can last for as long as 200 hours. While on video play, it can go for 7 hours. Speaker & call quality The On-call speaker quality of Tecno C9 fosters audibility. If you find yourself in noisy environments, you are not likely to have difficulty with calls compared to some other mobile phone devices where you will have to strain your ears. If you are listening to music using the phone speaker or a headphone, the audio quality is superb; in fact, lovers of music will readily fall in love with this mobile device. Source: 360Nobs Software There are two important areas in the phone that the software affects: OS and features Apart from the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow OS that C9 Tecno is pre-installed with, it also features Tecnos customized user interface, HiOS 1.0. And good enough, the device makes room for an upgrade to the Android 7 Nougat OS. Camera, video, and image quality As an upgraded version of Tecno C8, Tecno C9 has an amazing camera feature of 13 megapixel front and rear cameras with super sharpness. With the dual-flashes on both sides, the problem of how to take shots in the dark have been settled. The Tecno C9 is also able to take long shots, and when taking selfie of more than one person separated in a group, the device is optimally capable of giving a desirable result. The device has autofocus, HDR and Geo-tagging capabilities. What more? It can record HD videos. Reviews Despite the C9 Tecno phone's price in Ghana, the device is easily acceptanced in the market because of the upgraded specs it comes with. The 13 megapixel camera on the front side which enables selfie of more than a person together with the iris scanner are two juicy features that give the device a preference above other competing devices. The only challenging feature is the fact that the inbuilt memory space is still considered to be too low. At least, looking away from its memory expandable capacity, the internal memory space should have been enabled to accommodate as much data as possible on its own compared to the present memory space. Source: Mwendengao Verdict The upgrade of Tecno C8 which brought about the launching of Tecno C9 into the mobility market is a successful one. It is portable, slim and readily fits into the pocket, all of which are some of the qualities users look out for while deciding whether to get a particular phone or not. With the prompt response of the iris scanner, a feature that is yet to be common, the product rates more than average. But then, comparing the cost of Tecno C9 in Ghana with other related devices, one of the questions one is left with is whether an average Ghanaian can afford the price or not. However, if we are to appraise the features and specs of the smartphone device together with the fun experiences it gives, then, we can conclude that the Tecno C9's price in Ghana is worth its price tag. You wont have any worries going for this phone in the end. Source: Techsawa Source: Yen.com.gh - Kwesi Pratt says he has reason to doubt that Mensa Otabil is telling the truth with regards to Capital Bank - Otabil on his part has said that his role at Capital Bank was in non-executive capacity Editor-in-chief of The Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt has expressed doubt over the excuse of Rev Mensa Otabil with regards to the collapse of Capital Bank. The religious leader was the board chairman of the now defunct bank. Rev Mensa Otabil claims that while he was the board chairman of the bank, his position was only nominal and lacking of any executive meaning. He was responding to nationwide criticism aimed at him in the wake of investigations revealing he might have been culpable. But Pratt has claimed that sources with knowledge of the issue have told him in confidence that Otabil was in the know on everything. Pratt says that information available to him indicates that as board chairman, Otabil knew everything concerning the bank. READ ALSO: The love triangles that include two female celebrities with the same man Rev Dr Mensa Otabil has defended his time at Capital Bank as a non-executive board chairman. Photo credit: Supplied On a show on Accra-based Peace FM monitored by Mynewsgh.com, Kwesi Pratt tried to punch holes in the statement issued by Otabil on Tuesday. Pratt said it was hard to think of a board chairman in a non-executive capacity. In a statement issued on Tuesday, 14th August, 2018, the leader and founder of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) said his position was a non-executive role. READ ALSO: A Kennedy Agyapong wanted by Dubai Police has Ghanaians confused Investigations are officially being carried by the Bank of Ghana into the collapse of multiple Ghanaian owned-banks. For this reason, the recent statement from Rev Otabil is obviously not the last we will hear from him. 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 Book highlights Ataloas rich legacy of helping others This article appeared in the August 2018 edition of the Chickasaw Times Little Song, The Life of Ataloa Stone McLendon by Tamara Elder, weaves a narrative that illuminates the life and influence of Ataloa, the storied Chickasaw educator, visionary and humanitarian. Like her famous cousin and friend Te Ata Fisher, Ataloa wanted to share the Native American culture of her ancestors with any who would listen. And listen they did as she traveled around America employing what one critic referred to as her rich contralto voice singing the music of aboriginal America. Ms. Elder said finding source material on Ataloas life was no easy task. There wasnt much information out there, she said. There were pieces here and there but for the most part there werent any publications on her. Most of Ms. Elders detective work involved researching publications that reported on Ataloa as she performed at different venues giving talks or singing her music. She traveled quite a bit, so I would follow the newspaper articles to find out where she was and what she was doing. In that way, I was able to follow Ataloa throughout her life. Ms. Elder said the more she learned the more impressed she became, not just with her subjects humble efforts to share her Native American culture, but with the totality of her life and impact on those with whom she came in contact. I was amazed at what she had done with her life as well as her influence on others lives. Ms. Elder said she became interested in Ataloa while working on an earlier book about Creek-Pawnee artist Acee Blue Eagle. I realized how important she was not only in shaping the course of Acee Blue Eagles art career, but setting up the first art department at Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Her efforts there opened the doors for other artists such as Woody Crumbo, Willard Stone, Solomon McCombs and Dick West. I give her credit for starting the Southeast Bacone style of work, which also led to the Southeast style as well. I consider her to be a pioneer and important figure in the commencement of Native American art education. Ms. Elder said Ataloa was reared in an era when public education, especially for women, was a relatively scarce commodity. She developed a great concern and interest in education for women as well as public outreach and adult education programs, she said. Ataloa was born just outside Duncan, Oklahoma, in 1896. Always an eager learner, she continued to pursue her education by attending the University of Redlands where she received a B.A. degree in 1925. Post graduate work was in New York City at the John D. Rockefeller Institute, Union Theological Seminary and Institute of International Education and the Institute of Musical Art. In 1925, she transferred to Columbia University where she earned a masters degree in 1927. Ms. Elder said it was in this same year she turned down an offer to sing with the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City in favor of teaching English at Bacone College. Teaching turned out to be only part of her responsibilities. She also served as a fundraiser who collected Native American art for the school. It wasnt long before a dream was birthed to raise money for an art and music building to preserve and teach the arts, a feat she accomplished in 1932 despite the world suffering the throes of the Great Depression. She would continue to travel and perform, Ms. Elder says, along lifes path Ataloa often referred to as the moccasin trail. Though she was involved with many humanitarian efforts, one of the non-Native endeavors was her participation with the World War II War Relocation Authoritys attempt to assist in the relocation efforts of all people of Japanese descent living in America. Ms. Elder says it was Ataloas way of helping smooth the transition by promoting cultural acceptance and international understanding. Toward the end of her life she and Te Ata moved in together in Santa Fe, New Mexico. By this time both had lost their husbands. Five years later, Ataloa moved to California for cancer treatment and to be nearer her family. In November 1967, Ataloas moccasin trail ended. Her influence continues to this day. Little Song The Life of Ataloa Stone McLendon is published by Medicine Wheel Press and retails for $22.95. In it, Ms. Elder has done a comprehensive job of following the travels and life of Ataloa, whose ultimate concern was with human relationships and intercultural understanding as well as the overall human condition. Ataloa was once asked to list her favorite hobbies. She simply wrote, People, Ms. Elder said. I think that pretty well sums it up. YEN.com.gh has sighted an audio recording making rounds on social media which contains the pleas of a man begging ECG to disconnect him off the national grid. The man who identified himself as Moses Drybone had reached the call center of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to seek help in getting him disconnected so that his girlfriend would direct all her attention to him. According to Moses who said he lives in Accra Newtown, his girlfriend was addicted to watching a popular telenovela Kumkum Bhagya to the extent that she wouldnt make time for him even though she was visiting him. READ ALSO: John Dumelo allegedly develops pot belly after marriage and Ghanaians are talking To this effect, he wanted ECG to take him off the national grid for a moment until the time of screening the telenovela was over. My girlfriend just visited me and she is watching television all day. She doesnt have time for me so I want you to off the light so that I will get her attention, Moses begged. However, Grace, the ECG staff who answered the call at ECG, told him that his request could not be granted because the company does not deliberately disconnect customers. But Moses appealed further that his girlfriend was not minding him even as at the time he was making the call, therefore, he must be helped. READ ALSO: You make all things beautiful in your own time Becca speaks ahead of her wedding Interestingly, Moses Drybone found solace in the ECG staffs voice calling it very sweet. After enquiring from the ECG staff is she was married, Moses then said If you are married then help me too to marry, insisting that ECG should disconnect him so his girlfriend would pay attention to him. He went further to say that he would have married Grace but for the fact that she was already married. Moses Drybone stressed that he was desperately waiting on ECG to restore his relationship and to be able to marry his girlfriend. READ ALSO: Top prophet reveals the only thing that can stop Mahama from winning election 2020 Ghana News Today: Shatta Waly May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh READ ALSO: Afia Schwarzeneggers 4-yr-old daughter Pena has body painting 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 YEN.com.gh has seen photos of a beautiful woman believed to be the mother of actress, Moesha Boduong. YEN saw these photos on livefmghana.com They are throwback photos believed to have been shared by Moesha herself. READ ALSO: Video of Stephen Appiah singing romantically warms heart on social media In one of the photos, young Moesha is captured dancing with her mother and the looks on their faces showed that they were having fun and were happy. Throwback photo of Moesha and the mother. Photo credit: Livefmghana.com YEN.com.gh also saw another photo of Moesha's mom wearing a natural hair. Moesha's mother. Photo credit: Livefmghana.com READ ALSO: Top prophet reveals the only thing that can stop Mahama from winning elections 2020 However, not much is known about the respected mother of Moesha Boduong, who sources say is of blessed memory. Meanwhile, Moesha seems to be in the news almost every day. She was recently captured having fun with Nicki Minajs ex-boyfriend in the United States where she is currently on vacation. Moesha has also been in the news following accusation from fans that she was deformed and so supporting her hip with her hand to prevent it from falling. Moesha has also on many occasions caused controversy with her body and wild photos she shares on social media. She recently hinted that she would be getting married soon. READ ALSO: John Dumelo allegedly develops pot belly after marriage and Ghanaians are talking Ghana News Today: Shatta Waly May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh READ ALSO: 5 solid reasons why Shatta Wale remains undefeated as King of Dancehall 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 - Amadu Sulley was recently relieved of his post at the Electoral Commission - The letter signed by the director of administration asked the former deputy to return the cars with immediate effect The Electoral Commission (EC) has asked a former deputy commissioner Amadu Sulley, to return official vehicles that were given to him. This is according to a letter signed by the director of administration of the EC. Mr. Sulley's appointment was terminated by President Akufo-Addo together with his then boss, Charlotte Osei. Another deputy, Georgina Opoku Amankwah, was also sacked from her role at the commission. According to citinewsroom.com, Mr Sulley has since refused to return the said cars. The situation has thus forced the EC to officially write to him to demand the vehicles. READ ALSO: The truth will come out - Kwesi Pratt to Mensa Otabil Ghana's Electoral Commission was hit with a scandal that saw President Akufo-Addo step in. Photo credit: Google Images The letter which was dated August 14 2018, asked the former deputy to return the cars with immediate effect. It reportedly read: I have been directed to ask you to return the two official vehicles currently in your possession to the Commission...The vehicles in question are Toyota Land Cruiser Prado with registration number GN 2147 13 and Audi A6 saloon car with registration number GX 863 15" READ ALSO: A Kennedy Agyapong wanted by Dubai Police has Ghanaians confused The two cars are a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and an Audi A6 Saloon Car. They were Amadu Sulley's official cars during his active days with the Commission. 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 - John Dramani Mahama says he is yet to declare or make a decision on whether he will contest for presidency in the 2020 general elections - The former president has thus asked Ghanaians to ignore a statement circulating on social media Former president John Mahama has vehemently denied releasing any statement to confirm his candidature for the 2020 general elections. A statement circulating on social media had announced that Mahama has decided to contest for presidency in the 2020 general elections. The said statement indicated that the ex-president has officially declared his intent of becoming flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). READ ALSO: List of 400 Senior High Schools released for double track system However, Mahama has denied releasing any statement to that effect, describing the circulation as fake. In a Facebook post, he urged the public to ignore any statement that is being circulated in his name. Mahama has previously hinted that he will contest in the 2020 elections, but his latest rebuttal has raised questions as to whether he really intends to represent the NDC as presidential candidate. Meanwhile, the NDC MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has backed the former president to win the primaries by huge margin if he should contest. READ ALSO: 2 KNUST students drown in Germany In his view, Mahama is the overwhelming favorite to lead the NDC into the next general elections and may claim at least 85% of the votes in the race. I have every confidence that former president John Mahama is going to win this primaries. I can predict very safely that former president Mahama is not going to win by anything less than 85%, Mr. Ablakwa said. YEN earlier reported that authorities of KNUST have converted all traditional halls of the school into mixed halls, effective the 2018/19 academic year. Ghana News Today: President Akufo-Addos Tour | #Yencomgh READ ALSO: Government to meet FIFA on Aug 16 in Zurich 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 Ghana - NPP supporter, A-Plus has described party members as "stupid" - According to A-Plus every 9 out of 10 NPP people are fools Comedian Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus, has hit hard at the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), saying the majority of the partys members are stupid. According to him, 90 out of every 100 stupid people in the country are members of the NPP. He said the party has proven since winning power that they are intolerant of divergent political views. READ ALSO: Ignore fake 2020 statement John Mahama A Plus comments were a reaction to a Facebook post by one Oheneba Clement, who described the musician as a political prostitute. However, A Plus gave a strong reply, insisting no one in the ruling party can intimidate him. He said he will always be a critic of bad governance, pointing to the fact that he criticised the NDC while they were in government and will continue to do so to the ruling NPP. READ ALSO: 5 ministers allegedly plotting Akufo-Addo's defeat in 2020 A Plus wrote: If you meet 100 stupid people in Ghana 90 are NPP. I did it to NDC people in 2016 they went to the opposition and all of them are my friends. You people will go to the opposition and become my friends. These things I see aaaa!!! Me I no dey fear anyone. A no dey see anybody. Tweaaa!!!! Agyimifo. YEN earlier reported that Ghanaians will pay slightly more for fuel when they visit the pumps, according to the Institute of Energy Security (IES) latest report. Ghana News Today: President Akufo-Addos Tour | #Yencomgh READ ALSO: List of 400 Senior High Schools released for double track system 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 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. YEN.com.gh 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. READ ALSO: 2 years after getting private jet as birthday gift from church, pastor impregnates member 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, it was 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. READ ALSO: Mallam 'fights' client over Ahuofe Patri 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 - The people of Assin Central have welcomed the decision of their MP, Kennedy Agyapong, not to contest the 2020 elections - According to them, there are others capable of representing them in Parliament The people of Assin Central have welcomed the decision of their Member of Parliament (MP), Kennedy Agyapong, to retire from parliament. Agyapong, after appearing before the Privileges Committee with regard to his comments about Parliament, stated that he will no contest for his seat again. He went on to say that upon discussions with his wife, he has resolved to leave Parliament in 2020. Kennedy Agyapong, Assin Central MP Source: Supplied READ ALSO: Interior Ministry reveals why it blew GHC26000 on security services My wife told me not to contest again after watching the video. She agrees that indeed what I said was true. I will leave Parliament and become a star. My constituents will see how hard life will be for them when I leave parliament. I will not contest again, he said on Adom TVs Badwan programme. According to a report by MyNewsGH.com, the people of Assin Central are excited by the news. They argued that their current MP isnt the only one who can represent them in the house of lawmakers, as there are others with the knowledge and expertise. They went ahead to say that they are fed up with him, and it is time he left the stage for someone to represent them. READ ALSO: Gov't releases full list of 400 schools for the double track system Ghana News Today: President Akufo-Addos Tour | #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 - The Asogli Traditional Council says they have nothing doing with Freddie Blay - The entire council has declared the NPP chairman as "unwanted" - This follows the failure of Freddie Blay to apologise to Togbe Afede The National Chairman of New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has been declared unwanted by the Asogli Traditional Council. This follows the refusal by Freddie Blay to apologize to Togbe Afede XIV over some comments he made in the lead up to the party's delegates conference. The Traditional Council, at a news conference addressed by Togbe Koku Ayim V, Paramount Chief of Ziavi, described the conduct of Mr Blay as "gross misbehaviour," and that the Council could not guarantee his safety in the region. READ ALSO: Man sneaks into hospital ward just to makes love to ailing wife Togbe Afedes decision comes on the back of a story published by a news portal; Mynewsgh, claiming that Freddie Blay had described him [ Togbe Afede] as an ignorant person who talks like a palm-wine tapper, following his comments on the acquisition of 275 minibuses for 275 constituencies by the NPPs newly elected Chairman. The story, titled Stop the ignorance and "palm-wine business talk' Blay replies Togbe Afede, did not specifically indicate where Freddie Blay made the supposed comments, except to say that Mr. Blay questioned if Togbe Afede was a palmwine tapper when he made huge money as a Chief and a businessman. A statement signed by Secretary of the Asogli State Council, Stephen Tetteh, said the Council takes strong exceptions to the statements, names, and comments in this reply as they are insulting and disrespectful. READ ALSO: Mallam 'fights' client over Ahuofe Patri They threatened to take the next line of action if the party and Mr. Blay fails to apologize for the offensive comments. These alleged comments from Mr. Blay came to the fore after Togbe Afede waded into the controversy surrounding the acquisition of the 275 buses. 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 - Some residents in Tamale were left dumbfounded as they found a used contraceptive in soup - The dish was prepared by one of the wives of a group of friends - According to reports, the woman has left the house for her own safety YEN.com.gh has sighted a photo of a used contraceptive in a soup that was served to some friends who had gathered to converse under a shed in Salamba, a suburb of the Tamale Metropolis. According to the reported emanating from Mynewsgh.com, the groundnut soup which was intended to be served with some rice balls, was prepared by one of the wives of some male friends. The report had it that, the friends had already eaten food brought by some of their wives and decided to eat the rice balls with groundnut soup later in the day. Used contraceptive found in groundnut soup. Credit: Mynewsgh.com READ ALSO: Video: DKB responds to viral piece of paper claiming he took money for Ebony Tribute concert When the time was right, all the male friends gathered to consume the rice balls and were left shocked as only minutes into the meal, one of them lifted a groundnut soup-drenched used contraceptive from the bowl. Reports have it that most of the men eating the food quickly started throwing up and accused the wife of that particular friend of trying to poison or bewitch them. The man whose wife had brought the groundnut soup is said to have felt embarrassed by the bizarre happening and quickly rushed home to question his wife over the incident. The interrogation eventually turned serious as the man is reported to have laid his hands on the woman and beat her severely. READ ALSO: Mallam 'fights' client over Ahuofe Patri Shouts from the man and his wife, attracted a crowd who rushed to the scene and miraculously prevented the woman from being lynched by irate family members of her husband. The woman, fearing for her safety is reported to have left her matrimonial home even though she had insisted she was innocent of the accusation leveled against her. Husband of the lady who is reported to be still aggrieved over the incident did not want to comment on the matter citing that the matter was not for the press. His wife, has also sought the help of opinion and religious leaders in the area to step into the matter to allow peace to reign so she can return to her matrimonial home. READ ALSO: 7 photos of Becca that prove she'll be a beautiful bride for her wedding on August 18 Watch: Shasta Story - The Life of a Lady Barber: Faces of Ghana | #Yencomgh YEN is building a platform where Ghanaians can share local news and own experiences with each other. Witnessing an incident? Want to tell about a local problem? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Send us a message via YENs official Facebook page. Source: Yen Newspaper YEN.com.gh earlier reported that the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, has declared his intention not to run for Parliament in the year 2020. This decision was reached after his meeting with the Privileges Committee for his remarks passed about the house. The MP is reported to have referred to Parliament as a useless institution, a remark, he later apologized for. The Speaker of Parliament, Michael Aaron Ocquaye Source: presidency.gov.gh READ ALSO: We don't want you in 2020 - Assin Central rejects Kennedy Agyapong In response, the people of Assin Central stated that they need someone different to represent them in Parliament from the year 2020 onwards. Aside Kennedy Agyapong, some MPs may be wrapping up their duties in the house for a number of reasons, as the y may never return. YEN.com.gh brings to you 5 MPs who may never return to Parliament: 1. Kennedy Agyapong Assin Central Kennedy Agyapong, after his remarks about Parliament, and his subsequent interrogation by the Privileges Committee, has declared that he will not contest for his seat in 2020. 2. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin Nadowli Kaleo The astute lawmaker, has declared his intention to stand as flagbearer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC). This, if pursued, will render him ineligible to contest for the 2020 elections. 3. George Yaw Gyan-Baffour Wenchi The 67-year old lawmaker has been representing the people of Wenchi since the year 2005. In the year 2020, he will be an MP for 15 years, and it may be an opportune time to step down. 4. Inusah Fuseini Tamale Central Just like Kennedy Agyapong, Inusah Fuseini has declared that he will not represent the people of Tamale Central in the 2020 elections. He is no longer interested in being in Parliament. 5. K.T Hammond Adansi Asokwa The 58-year-old parliamentarian has been representing the people of Adansi-Asokwa since the year 2000. By the year 2020, he would have represented them for 20 years. It may be a time for him to step aside for someone else to take charge. READ ALSO: MP in hot waters as EOCO impounds his 5 cars Ghana News Today: President Akufo-Addos Tour | #Yencomgh 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 - Bullet and Ebonys father, Nana Opoku Kwarteng are at each others throat over the late Ebony Reigns - The father is accusing Bullet of stealing his daughter money and abusing her - Nana Poku Kwarteng said Bullet demanded to see Ebonys corpse at midnight Father of the late Ebony Reigns, Nana Opoku Kwarteng, has said that Bullet demanded to see Ebonys corpse at midnight. According to Nana Poku, Bullet called Ebonys mother who was then in Sunyani demanding of her to take him to the morgue to see Ebonys corpse. The mother, Madam Beatrice Oppong, according to Ebonys father turned down Bullets request and asked him to get in touch with the father rather. The late Ebony Reigns with the father. Photo credit: Supplied READ ALSO: Photos of woman believed to be Moeshas mother pop up However, Bullet was not able to call Nana Opoku. Nana Opoku made this revelation when he appeared on GHONEs Rhythm Lives show on Wednesday, August, 15, 2018, monitored by YEN.com.gh. According to him, he does not understand why Bullet would want to see his daughter's corpse at the odd time of the night. Bullet when Ohemaa [Ebony] was in the morgue he called the mother around one two am telling her that if she could come so that they go to the morgue to the body. What was that supposed to mean? Ebonys father queried. The mother asked him why he was saying this and told him to wait because we will bring the body to Accra. ..But the mother said why cant you discuss with the father in Accra and me at Sunyani? So what is that supposed to mean? Nana Poku stressed. It suggested to me that indeed.what did he want to do with that? Ebonys father said in apparent anger. READ ALSO: 5 solid reasons why Shatta Wale remains undefeated as King of Dancehall READ ALSO: Top prophet reveals the only thing that can stop Mahama from winning elections 2020 Bullet and Nana Opoku are at each other's throat over so many allegations. According to the father, Bullet has stolen his daughter's money and cited a situation where Bullet only gave him two thousand (2,000) cedis out of an alleged 40,000 cedis profit made from Ebony's concert. But Bullet responded to some of the allegations, calling Ebony's father a complete greedy and ungrateful man who never appreciated what he did for Ebony when she was alive. However, Nana Opoku Kwarteng has said he is not interested in making money of his daughter's death because he already has his own money. Rather, he expects Bullet to be honest in accounting to him whatever money his daughter made when she was alive and how much money Bullet has made from her death. READ ALSO: John Dumelo allegedly develops pot belly after marriage and Ghanaians are talking Ghana News Today: Shatta Waly May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh 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 - A California church is growing its membership by serving beer in church - The defence of the church is that no Bible prohibits the serving of beer to Christi The church, based in Santa Cruz, California, United States, recently relocated to a new space described as a food lounge with plenty of beer taps. According to fox8.com, the food lounge is a temporary space for the church in transition, which plans to open a new space, complete with its own brewery, next summer. YEN.com.gh gathers that the church plans to donate 30 to 60% of the brewerys profits to charity. READ ALSO: Bullet demanded to see Ebonys corpse at 2am Ebonys father Theres nothing in the bible that says you cant drink alcohol in a responsible manner, Chris VanHall, Greater Purpose Community Church pastor, was quoted to have said. Vine pair notes that the crossover between beer and Christianity has existed for centuries, with monks brewing beer since medieval times. In recent years, craft breweries like Reformation Brewing in Woodstock, Ga., and Black Cloister Brewery in Toledo, Ohio have been founded by former pastors. The churchs message reads: Beer is a beverage centered on community. When consumed responsibly, it can bring people together in ways traditional worship cant. Were here for it. These strange times of religion connects the California church with our report that a pastor in the Awutu Breku District of the Central Region who mistakenly leaked a nude video of himself and someone's wife. READ ALSO: Artistes deny taking money to perform at memorial for Ebony Reigns According to several reports, the married woman was a member of the church who had been with her husband for the past six years. The video which has spread in the Awutu Breku township has caused the police to step in and are currently on a manhunt for the pastor over the act. In My Feelings Drake: Stop It! | #Yencomgh: Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh? Please contact us on Facebook Source: Yen - GRA boss, Kofi Nti hinted of plans to tax churches for their businesses - The move is expected to bring in more revenue for government - Prophet Kobi, however, has described the proposal as nonsense The founder and leader of the Glorious Wave Church International, Prophet Emmanuel Badu Kobi has launched a scathing attack on President Nana Akufo-Addo and his government over plans to tax churches. According to Badu Kobi, it was nonsensical for the Akufo-Addo government to even think of taxing churches. YEN.com.gh earlier reported that the Commissioner-General of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Emmanuel Kofi Nti had indicated that his outfit is looking to tax church-ran businesses will be taxed. This according to the GRA boss, was because many church leaders or owners leverage their churches to establish other businesses which generate enough money for them which must be taxed. READ ALSO: Canada-based Ghanaian pastor gets disgraced in court after DNA test revealed him as the father of a child he denied But in an audio recording YEN.com.gh has come across, Badu Kobi expressed his displeasure at the move saying it goes contrary to the promises Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) made about taxes while they were campaigning for power in 2016. "Sunday, I 'm coming with NPP manifesto and I will show you the page which they said taxes must not be part of governance and taxes is a lazy mans approach. "The things I will prove to them and eventually will speak throughout the whole of Ghana. They should come and tell us where this nonsense entered their head, he was heard saying in the video. READ ALSO: Ghana government makes U-turn on GFA dissolution after meeting FIFA in Zurich In what sounds like an angry sermon, Badu Kobi challenged Akufo-Addo to declare the source of his campaign funds and also pay tax on it as well. "If they want to tax the church, we must tax their campaign money and if they don't want pastors to drive the best, they should go to campaign on trucks. Nonsense. READ ALSO: Becca is getting married on August 18 - Yvonne Nelson confirms "When they were doing their campaign, under's Ghana law, you don't take money from anywhere. Nana Akufo-Addo should come and tell me if they took money from somewhere or not because I know where they took their money from. "I know how the campaign money came to Ghana. I'm going to expose them," he said. Wondering why a party which came to power with the slogan 'The battle is the Lord's' was not battling the church, he reiterated that he will expose the nonsense of our leaders on Sunday. "Coming Sunday, Nana Akufo-Addo should listen to me. We are not afraid of them." READ ALSO: Conversation between man and mallam he asked to do 'for girls' on Ahuofe Patri leaks Badu Kobi further charged at the government retorting "how can you be happy and say you want to tax the church, are you a fool?" Prophet Badu Kobi is one of the most popular pastors in Ghana. Apart from his many prophecies, he is known to have given out over 200 cars as gifts over the years. READ ALSO: 7 photos that give a hint of how perfect Becca will be as a bride on her wedding day He is seen in some quarters as being sympathetic to former President John Mahama and the opposition NDC. Badu Kobi's position is in sharp contrast with the opinion of another popular prophet, Isaac Owusu Bempah who has given a thumbs up to government over the proposed tax. According to Owusu Bempah who was once the spiritual father of Badu Kobi, many of his colleague pastors do sell items in church which must be taxed. Moreover, Owusu Bempah said on Metro TV's Good Evening Ghana, they go about flaunting their riches and must therefore not be crying if they are going to be taxed. In My Feelings Drake: Stop It! | #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 YEN.com.gh has sighted a photo of actress Juliet Ibrahim having fun at a poolside. The beautiful actress is spotted wearing an attire that could best be described as a bikini. Juliet shared this photo to her Instagram page with a caption indicating that she was admiring her own body which she termed natural endowment. READ ALSO: Bullet demanded to see Ebonys corpse at 2am Ebonys father She also wondered why some people would be quick to change their statuses to single whenever they have issue with their spouses. Juliet Ibrahim wrote: Why do some couples make their status single every time they fight? I dont put orphan every time I get into a fight with my parents! #NaturalEndowment#AQueenIsWhatiEmbody #LoveYourself . READ ALSO: 5 solid reasons why Shatta Wale remains undefeated as King of Dancehall Her fans and followers cannot keep calm over the photo and have commented how they feel about it. Some of them felt Juliet showed too much skin while others believe she is simply beautiful. Robin, for instance, felt Juliet Ibrahim was going mad for releasing that photo. robinson_dtb: Instagram madness, going naked. Sholly believed Juliet should have covered her body because she is aging. sholly_mdecor: Hmmmm...mama..u aging tho...those body need not to be flauted anymore..... READ ALSO: John Dumelo allegedly develops pot belly after marriage and Ghanaians are talking Terlu was surprised that Juliet could release such a photo. terlumunagbe: For the first time you're appear in this manner, but it's freaking lovely!!!. Chibu believes Juliets body gives real definition of what curves should be. chibubond: This is what curves should be. Sean described Juliet Ibrahims body in his own words. seantrez242: U too sexy ur body is so hot ur skin is fresh yellow beauty. READ ALSO: Photos of woman believed to be Moeshas mother pop up There are many more compliments that show that Juliet Ibrahim is really loved and admired by her fans and followers. Juliet Ibrahim has been in the news recently following reports that she has broken up with her Nigerian boyfriend Iceberg Slim. Though she has not directly confirmed or denied the reports, many of her posts indirectly points that they are no more an item. Juliet Ibrahim has also said recently that not all kinds of men can have access to her body adding that only a few kind could. READ ALSO: Top prophet reveals the only thing that can stop Mahama from winning election 2020 Ghana News Today: Shatta Waly May Become A President Of Ghana | #Yencomgh READ ALSO: 5 celebs whose weddings took most Ghanaians by surprise 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 How to get digital access to the Chieftain news Celebrated Chinese director Zhang Yimou will receive the Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker award at this year's Venice Film Festival, organizers announced recently. The prize is dedicated to "a figure who has left a particularly original mark on contemporary cinema", the statement said. The award will be conferred on Zhang on Sept 6, before the world premiere of his new film Ying (Shadow), a martial arts movie about the conflict between two feudal groups in China during the period of the Three Kingdoms (220-280). The director, who was born in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, in 1950, has won the Venice Golden Lion twice: in 1992 with The Story of Qiu Ju-which also garnered Gong Li a Coppa Volpi prize for best actress-and in 1999 with Not One Less. He also won a Silver Lion in 1991 for Raise the Red Lantern. "Zhang Yimou is not only one of the most important directors in contemporary cinema, but with his eclectic productions he has represented the evolution of the global language of film, and at the same time, the exceptional growth of Chinese cinema," Venice Film Festival director Alberto Barbera said in a statement. "Zhang Yimou has been a pioneer thanks to his capacity to translate authors, stories and the richness of Chinese culture in general into a unique and unmistakable visual style." Barbera cited the Chinese master's "talent in combining the elegance of form with a universal type of narrative structure" and his "unforgettable debut", Red Sorghum, which was adapted from the writing of Nobel Prize-winning author Mo Yan, and which "brought him international recognition as one of the most important directors of the Fifth Generation (of Chinese filmmakers)". Zhang Yimou is the only director to have won all the important prizes of the Venice Film Festival in less than 10 years, organizers said. The festival now is its 75th edition, will run from Aug 29 to Sept 8. A fashion show featuring Tibetan-style costumes dazzled crowds Sunday in Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region. Some 90 suits were showcased at the event, more than 20 of which were traditional costumes of Tibet. "I am very happy to participate in such an event," said Yang, one of 24 amateur models selected from a college in Lhasa. "It's a great opportunity to share our traditional culture and showcase myself." Fashion experts from China's top design college, along with some local designers, impressed spectators with innovative works that integrate modern elements. They were presented by professional models. "I really love the two sets of costumes I wore today and I feel honored to share a kind of new fashion with others," said Kang Junlong, a professional model. Tashi Yungtso is one of the few local designers invited to contribute their wisdom this time. She was responsible for designing five suits. "I tried to add popular, modern elements to traditional noble class styles, and the biggest aspect for my works is the bold innovation in color," Tashi told CGTN. Select board members and some municipal staff toured the property last week. Scarborough Leader A bond for up to $1.9 million to renovate it will be on the Nov. 2 municipal ballot. Biopic "The Taste of Apple" returned to its roots in a remote village in Hebei province on Tuesday for a special premiere to show villagers their hero Li Baoguo reenacted on the big screen. The film, directed by Zhao Qi and written by Qu Shifei, starring actors Lin Yongjian, Yan Danchen, You Yong and Wu Jun, is based on the true story of Professor Li Baoguo. China's well-known forestry expert, Professor Li Baoguo of Hebei Agricultural University, who worked tirelessly to improve villagers' lives over the past 35 years by exploring and applying technology in farming to let farmers, especially apple growers, become rich at the foot of Taihang Mountain, dedicated his life to the cause and died in 2016 in the village. "In my life, the proudest thing is to turn me into a farmer and turn more and more farmers into someone like me," Li Baoguo once said. His work enabled Gangdi village to go from a poor village to the richest village in Neiqiu county, Xingtai city, Hebei province. The villagers revere him as a hero and as one of their own family. Many shed tears as they watched the film on Tuesday night. "I've watched this film three times. I was touched every time I saw it. I think that Professor Li was a great man," said Yang Shuangniu, the party secretary of Gangdi village, "He was a university professor. He was a doctoral tutor. He always thought about the people. He not only had a good career at university, but also helped us rise from poverty to riches." Director Zhao Qi spoke at the event: "The filming environment of this film is extremely difficult, but I thought that Professor Li Baoguo was in a more difficult situation, helping the villagers out of poverty and become rich for decades... The whole crew and cast were inspired by the spirit of Professor Li Baoguo. " Lin Yongjian, a famous actor in China who plays Professor Li Baoguo, also attended the conference. For this performance, Lin Yongjian said that this was a very memorable experience in his acting career. "This role makes me feel full of responsibility, as well as pressure. During the filming process, the director, the screenwriter, and other actors were discussing together every day. Studying characters and studying the script became a must in order to make everything work in the film and convey the spirit of Professor Li Baoguo to the society." Professor Li Baoguo's wife, Guo Suping, was also present at the event. Much of the details in the film are derived from the real-life experiences of Professor Guo Suping and Professor Li Baoguo. She gave her approval for the film adaptation. However, the prospects for "The Taste of Apple" were not deemed to be great in the market and it suffered from low admissions and showtime scheduling. But then, legendary film executive Dr. Jack Q. Gao lent his hand and placed the film on his new platform of Smart Cinema. Smart Cinema is a new venture by Gao, who was once the former senior vice president of Wanda Cultural Industrial Group and CEO of International Investments and Operations of Dalian Wanda Group. The new ambitious outlet was launched in May in Shenzhen to screen new films on mobile devices at the same time they hit cinemas, with Gao as the venture's CEO. The app will turn hundreds of millions of mobile devices into mini movie screens, giving moviegoers more options to choose flexibly rather than having to go to theaters at a certain fixed venue at a fixed time. They also brought the latest "mobile giant screen" technology, akin to a virtual reality helmet to Gangdi village, so that the local residents, who are not able to go to a cinema in their rural neighborhood, can experience the vivid pictures in a convenient way. "We are especially honored to work with the film 'The Taste of Apple.' Through the Smart Cinema, the film will be watched by more people. Many places in China have no physical cinemas. People would miss out on such an excellent work. Smart Cinema will help you realize your wishes to see the film." With the ongoing trade friction between China and the United States, the Port of Los Angeles has added its voice to those calling for a negotiated settlement rather than imposing tariffs, believing the latter could halt the port's booming business built up over the past two fiscal years. Amid the ongoing escalation of the trade war between China and the United States, the friction being generated is likely to be inimical to the good business momentum of the Port of Los Angeles, according to Phillip Sanfield, the port's spokesperson. If the tariff war goes into full effect, 20 percent of the port's total annual Twenty-Feet Equivalent Units (TEUs), representing a trade value estimated at US$43 billion, could be affected, he said. "Negotiated settlement, instead of tariffs, represents the best pathway to resolving outstanding trade issues without creating uncertainty and instability that will negatively impact our port," he added. "We may not necessarily see a drop in cargo or trade if consumers and others are willing to pay additional tariffs. That will be determined down [the] line if the tariffs go into full effect." The throughput of the Port of Los Angeles hit 9.1 million TEUs in the fiscal year ending June 30, a record-breaking volume in the past two years, according to a fiscal report published on the port's website. Meanwhile, its imports in June increased by 2.9 percent year-on-year and exports rose by 1.4 percent. According to Sanfield, July would also see robust growth despite the escalating trade war. "Thus far, the Port of Los Angeles has not seen a decrease in cargo due to tariffs," he said. On March 8, US President Donald Trump signed a decree to impose 10 percent and 25 percent tariffs respectively on aluminum and steel products imported from countries including China, effectively firing the first shot in one of the most ferocious and belligerent trade wars against the country. Following rounds of negotiations and various statements within the World Trade Organization and beyond, the Trump administration released a list of 25 percent tariffs to be imposed on US$50 billion of Chinese imports on June 15. One day later, China announced it would impose tariffs on US products of an equivalent value. On July 6, the United States announced that the tariffs on Chinese imports worth US$34 billion from the US$50 billion took effect and China retaliated in similar fashion. On August 7, the Trump's administration announced the tariffs on the remaining US$16 billion of products imported from China. The move was quickly matched by the Chinese government's countermeasures, both scheduled to take effect on August 23. "Imposition of the tariffs could result in reduction of cargo, higher consumer prices and impact American jobs. More than 50 percent of the nation's imports go to US manufacturers. Tariffs could raise costs for US manufacturers with established global supply chains and negatively impact American jobs," Sanfield said. 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." Zhu Sizi, a female survivor of the Nanjing Massacre, died at the age of 98 on Wednesday, according to the official Weibo account of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, reports Jiangsu News Online. Zhu was 18 years old when the Japanese invaders occupied Nanjing, a city in east China's Jiangsu Province, on December 13, 1937. In December and January, Japanese troops killed 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers. August 15 marks the 73rd anniversary of Japan's surrender, which brought an end to World War II. In an interview she gave seven years ago, Zhu recalled her family hiding in a three-square-meter cave when the invaders came. To avoid being killed or raped by the Japanese invaders, Zhu and her family hide in the cave for two and a half months. Her sister-in-law was killed after she left the cave. The Chinese mainland strongly condemned on Wednesday Taiwan's downgrading of the nation's history in senior high school textbooks as evidence of separatist sentiment and moves toward "Taiwan independence" on the island. "Such de-Sinicization in education will not only poison the young generation's minds on the island, but also further damage cross-Straits relations and intensify confrontation," Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said in a statement on Wednesday. "Education authorities" on the island said on Monday that starting next year the history curriculum for senior high school students will be divided into three regionsTaiwan, East Asia and the world, instead of the three formerly used categories of Taiwan, China and the world. The China portion will no longer exist independently, but instead under the category of East Asia. China content has also been largely reduced, and will no longer be told chronologically by dynastic periods, but instead by thematic units. Ma stressed that both sides of the Straits belong to one China, compatriots on both sides belong to the Chinese nation, and the island's culture is an integral part of Chinese culture. Any attempts at "de-Sinicization" will never undo the historical and cultural links between the two sides, he added. "Such activities are intended to let people forget their origins," he said, adding that they have already been strongly opposed by Taiwan society and will be subject to more forceful containment by compatriots on both sides. Zhu Songling, a professor specializing in Taiwan studies at Beijing Union University, said the Democratic Progressive Party is using education to influence the understanding of history by youth, and is making students believe the two sides are two separate nations. They are gradually downgrading the Chinese mainland in history education, he said. "Originally, Taiwan was studied as part of the history of China in textbooks, and then the two were separated into two independent parts. Now they put the Chinese mainland within the East Asia category, and in the future they will perhaps put East Asia under world history," he added. However, Zhu said they cannot change the fact that the two sides both belong to the Chinese nation because most have roots in the mainland and exchanges will keep reminding them of the true history. But it is still a serious issue and attempts at de-Sinicization will mislead young people in the short run, Zhu added. "People are the real victims. They will suffer historical or cultural conflicts between what they learn from textbooks and what they realize in practice as cross-Straits exchanges deepen," he added. It was neither a computer game nor some kind of physical training, though there were parachute packs, chariots, wrestling, rope walking and rock climbing, all appearing together in the outskirts of Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. In fact, they were all part of an opening of the Chinese military's barracks to the public, held on Wednesday morning in the provincial capital, with more than 3,000 citizens participating in the activities. Held in two barracks, which belong to the armed police and the airborne troops, the activity is part of China's plan to open over 600 barracks for public visits to bring the military closer to the public. Officers and soldiers in both barracks offered several performances such as wrestling and bayonet fighting, as well as displayed various weapons and equipment used in their training, which are rarely seen, let alone permitted to be touched by citizens. In the barracks yard of the airborne force, the main site of the activities, sweating participants gathered around different parachute packs, waiting for a chance to wear them, despite the temperature of around 35 degrees centigrade (95 Fahrenheit). While others took the chance to talk with soldiers, asking them about details of the weapons and equipment on display in the yard, such as how they work and what they are used for. "I'm a military fan and have been considering joining the army, so I wanted to learn more about their equipment," said Liu Zhenhao, a sophomore, who learned about the activity from an announcement in his college. He soon applied and passed a small national defense knowledge test as a pre-requisite for the visit. Li Qian, a 65-year-old retiree, scored 92 out of 100 points in the test. As a fan of both the military and photography, he brought a DSLR camera with telephoto lens, taking photos of the soldiers from different angles throughout their performances. "I learned more about both the military equipment and their developments by participating in the activity," said Li. "I will share the photos and what I learned today with my family." While not all participants were big military fans like Liu and Li, many of them learned more about the military, their equipment, and their functions in a more real way. "This is my first time to take such a close look at the military, and it's really exciting," said Chen Yijun, a senior who came with his girlfriend. "Most of the participants are not so familiar with the military weapons and equipment," said Zhu Hao, a soldier from the barrack in charge of introducing some of the equipment. The 27-year-old has been working with the equipment for eight years, yet has rare chances to introduce them to the public. "Many people have seen similar equipment in popular TV dramas or movies, so they were very interested to know more about them, and we also hope people can know us more via activities like this," said Zhu. China announced it would open more than 600 barracks to the public at the end of July. The plan covers barracks of the army, navy, air force and rocket force of the PLA and the armed police in 31 provincial regions across the country. As an effort to help the public understand the achievements of reform and development made by the national defense and the military, the barracks will be opened during major festivals and days of commemoration. "We hope the public will be able to truly see what the military and its soldiers are like," Zhu said. The Buddhist Association of China called for stronger Buddhist ethics and resistance to the commercialization of Buddhism, at the conclusion of its council meeting in Beijing on Wednesday. "Religious ethics have been, and still are, the fundamental issue of Buddhism," a release from the conference said. It called on Buddhist communities to correct the weakening of belief, slack discipline, arrogance and chasing fame and luxury. The conference accepted the resignation of Master Xuecheng as president of the Buddhist Association of China and appointed Master Yanjue, currently vice-president of the association, to temporarily take charge. Master Xuecheng, who is abbot of Longquan Temple in Beijing, is under investigation by the State Administration for Religious Affairs after being accused in a 95-page report late last month of various violations, including sexual harassment of nuns and financial irregularities. He has denied the allegations and posted a statement on his Sina Weibo account saying they stemmed from "fabricated material" and "distorted facts". The conference also concluded that it was necessary to integrate the traditional monastery system and the management methods of modern social organizations, and to conduct financial and construction activities legally. Buddhist communities have been told to resist the commercialization of the religion, which has disrupted Buddhist activities, damaged its image and undermined the social atmosphere, the association found. Buddhist communities nationwide should understand the dangers of commercialization, it found, and should resist the illegal construction of large-scale open-air Buddhist statues. They should also avoid private investment to contract and operate temples, and not raise money in the name of Buddhism. They should safeguard the rights of Buddhism under the law and promote its healthy development, it said. Shanghai Airlines flight attendant Wu Eryu has received thousands of letters complimenting her for exceptional service and frequently wins the company's monthly Favorite Flight Attendant Award. She also stands out from her fellow flight attendants in another way - she is 55 years old. "My first name, Eryu, means' treating people warmly and making people happy' in Chinese, which happens to be my job's core role," she said. "The key to providing a memorable travel experience is to wear a bright smile and meet passengers' every need." Wu recalled a time when she managed to calm a passenger who was angry about a two-hour delay to his flight from Shenzhen in Guangdong province to Shanghai. "I smiled and patiently explained the reasons for the delay, and this gradually eased his anger," she said. "This is the magic of providing service with a smile." Being a flight attendant was never part of her life plan. Raised in Shanghai, she first worked as an apprentice in a Shanghai textile factory after graduating from a technical school in the 1980s. She became a clerk in the factory's archive, where she looked after technical drawings. She would sort them into different categories, issue them to workers, and retrieve them after the products were manufactured. "It was a decent job at that time. Most people preferred to work in State-owned companies because it provided a stable income," said Wu, who met her husband, Li Nengyan, while working at the factory. It was also a good time to be in the textile industry as it was in the midst of a boom. There were 551,600 people - a record high - working for the Shanghai Textile Industry Bureau in 1988, according to a report from the Shanghai Archives. But the job was not the "iron rice bowl" Wu thought it would be. Starting in 1992, the traditionally labor-intensive industry faced serious overcapacity issues. This led to the retrenchment of thousands of textile workers, most of whom were middle-aged women. Wu was one of them. In 1994, the officials of the All China Women's Federation and the Shanghai Women's Federation persuaded the leaders of Shanghai Airlines to recruit women ages 22 to 36 from the laid-off workers. It was a landmark decision, Wu said, because most flight attendants at the time were no older than 23. Wu was among the 2,700 people who applied for the flight attendant positions. After passing many rounds of tests, she became one of the 18 women to join the airline. For the next six months, they took more than 13 courses, ranging from special passenger services to emergency response and service regulations. Being selected to become a flight attendant also gave Wu the chance to witness the rapid development of civil aviation. "Shanghai Airlines only had eight aircraft in the 1990s," she said. "Air tickets were very exclusive items meant only for those who had recommendation letters, identification papers and employment certificates provided by employers. "But airplanes have become a common mode of transportation and not a symbol of luxury. Shanghai Airlines now flies 140 routes to 60 domestic and international destinations." Wu passionately embraced her new profession, working out during her spare time to prevent airsickness, as well as learning English and improving her Mandarin to better communicate with her colleagues and passengers. Her efforts did not go unnoticed. In 1997, she won the Shanghai Model Worker Award before bagging the National Model Worker Award in 2000. "Wu's bright smile and excellent service garnered her thousands of admirers, which is an example for new employees," said Liu Shaoyong, chairman of China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines' parent company. In another nod to her aptitude for customer service, Shanghai Airlines established the Wu Eryu Cabin Crew in 2000. Under Wu's leadership, the crew's more than 100 flight attendants have received accolades including the National Labor Medal and the National March 8 Red-Banner Pacesetters and Collectives award. There is even a book based on their work experiences, Wu Eryu Service Rules. True to her giving nature, Wu donated more than 7,000 yuan ($1,020) to help establish a fund to reward outstanding attendants. She recently made another notable contribution to the cause - by delaying retirement to continue working for the airline. "I expect to train more flight attendants," she said. "Flight attendants are often seen as symbols of beauty and youth in China, but passengers expect world-class service, not just pretty faces." China has become one of the most ardent supporters of free trade when this idea is facing graver threats from rising protectionism and unjustified tariffs. The decision by the Chinese leadership to stand by the free trade will be long remembered as a bold step to strengthen a trading system that has been and remains the cornerstone of modern cooperative order. The global trading regime has been working quite well and contributing significantly to multilateral commercial activities. Global wealth has multiplied over the decades and its benefits have been used by individual countries to bring more people out of poverty, expand mass literacy and improve healthcare. Lately, however, the free flow of goods has come under strain, especially since the start of Donald Trump's presidency in the United States. He has adopted an unorthodox approach to deal with the trade deficit and related industrial decline threatening the traditional economic superiority of his nation. "America First" reverberated from Washington to Brussels to Davos, where Trump challenged other countries to either change their policies according to his preferences or face unilateral tariffs or other punitive measures. He might have been moved by a genuine desire to fix America's ailing economy by major policy changes. While there's not necessarily any harm in guarding the vital interests of his people who elected him, Trump has failed to calibrate his actions properly. In other words, he has placed the commercial rights of others in jeopardy by resorting to policies while unilaterally trying to promote his vision of the best interests of America. A major impact of his "my way or highway" mode of thinking has heavily impinged on the international trade regime that is based on the idea of free movement of goods. There is also a demand for the free movement of labor, but, obviously, this is not possible in near term due to the threats of huge unplanned transfer of human beings from poor places to rich ones. When Trump dropped a hint for the first time that he might upend the current trade system, it was clear free trade would suffer. Those who feared that such a move might well undo the current trade structures found timely support from China and its leader, President Xi Jinping. Xi spoke with conviction at Davos in 2017, saying his country would continue to support globalization no matter what America did. Several leading nations have also lent support to his vision and are standing with Xi to promote rule-based trade practices. Amidst a looming trade war promoted by imposition of tariffs by Trump, Premier Li Keqiang has reiterated support for free trade during his meeting with the newly-elected president of the UN General Assembly, Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, an Ecuadorean diplomat set to assume office next month. The two met on August 8 in Beidaihe of Qinhuangdao in Hebei province, where government and Party leaders traditionally spent some of their summer holiday time to discuss various issues of interests including global trade and economy. Li also supported multilateralism as espoused by the UN, the free trade system, rules of the World Trade Organization, trade liberalization and investment facilitation. He also made a point about opposing the policies of protectionism. The crux of the matter is that rule-based international political and economic order is the mainstay of peace and prosperity. No single nation no matter how mighty has any right to dictate terms to the rest of the world. Though, every country has a right to do what it thinks best for its people it has to behave according to global legal regime and operate within global norms. The basic principle is that freedom and prosperity of billions of people on the globe are inseparable. The multilateral trading system among nations is the surest way to maintain and promote healthy competition and improve the industrial output by going for innovations and cutting the cost of production. It is also vital that leading nations support liberalization and further opening up of trade. China by adopting an open policy favoring free trade, globalization and multilateralism is actually filling the space left by the U.S. It is not surprising that Beijing is facing tariffs imposed by Trump on its exports. Sajjad Malik is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. You are here: World Flash 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. Flash 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. 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. Flash Thirty more women patients filed a lawsuit Wednesday over alleged inappropriate behavior by Dr. George Tyndall, a former gynecologist at the University of Southern California (USC), bringing the number of women suing the university to more than 340. COMMITMENT TO CHANGE The new lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by the law firm of John Manly alleges that the university received numerous complaints about Tyndall's sexually abusive behavior, dating back to at least 1989, but deliberately concealed his sexual abuse, City News Service, a local news outlet, reported. "This latest filing includes clients who were violated in extreme ways by a doctor who did not even take the basic precaution of wearing gloves during his invasive procedures," Manly told the wire service. The complaints include improper photographing of genitals, improper touching during pelvic exams, and making sexually suggestive comments. "Time and time again complaints against Dr. Tyndall were ignored by student health center nurses and staff for nearly 30 years," Manly added. The USC has established a hotline for complaints about Tyndall's sexual harassment and misconduct and said it would take measures for significant and sustainable change. Wanda M. Austin was appointed interim USC president Tuesday, replacing C. L. Max Nikias, who agreed to step down amid the scandal. Austin said in a statement Wednesday that in her address to new students at their convocation next day, she would underline that the USC senior leadership is fully committed to bringing about change. CHINESE STUDENTS IN LAWSUIT According to the Deng Law Center in Los Angeles, three former Chinese students have joined the lawsuits. The Los Angeles Times reported that some colleagues of Tyndall feared the gynecologist was targeting the university's growing population of Chinese students in recent years. The Chinese students often had a limited knowledge of the English language and American medical norms. The Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles expressed serious concern over the scandal on May 16, requesting the university to take serious steps to investigate the issue and protect Chinese students from illegal acts. One day later, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, a major Chinese student organization at the USC, also issued a statement, calling on Chinese students to speak up against any violation of their rights. In response, the USC Student Health organization promised to provide more medical resources in Chinese for international students from China. The USC Student Health Center has only one Chinese-speaking mental health counselor at present, and none of the center's physicians or medical services staff speak Chinese. The center plans to hire a Chinese-speaking medical assistant by the start of fall classes, according to the USC commitment to change. "It's a good opportunity for us to look at how we're taking care of the Chinese students," Dr. Sarah Van Orman, chief student health officer, told USC Annenberg Media. The USC is a leading private research university located in Los Angeles. There are 45,500 students enrolled in the 2017-18 academic year, including around 5,400 from the Chinese mainland, accounting for about half of the USC's international enrollment. News Story not available This story has been published on: 2021-10-30. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. This story is no longer available on our site. 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 Judicial Watch Director of Investigations and Research Chris Farrell to Speak at 'Doctors for Disaster Preparedness' Meeting Contact: Jill Farrell, Judicial Watch, 202-646-5188 WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- Judicial Watch announced that Chris Farrell, Director of Investigations and Research, will make an important, timely presentation titled: "Forgetting Beslan: Militant Islamists, School Security and the Southern U. S. Border" to the 36th annual meeting of Doctors for Disaster Preparedness in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 26, 2018. Date: August 26, 2018 Time: 9:00 a.m. MT Location: South Point Hotel and Casino 9777 Las Vegas Blvd South Las Vegas, NV 89183 In addition to his duties with Judicial Watch, Farrell teaches "Journalism Law" for the communication department at George Mason University, and from 2005 2008 was a senior staff associate with Columbia University's National Center for Disaster Preparedness where he authored "Special Populations, Special Needs and Soft Targets: American Children as Targets of Terror." Farrell's analysis and briefing concerning Chechen terrorists and the Beslan Massacre was featured in the 2005 conference report... Read more... 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 Crisis Phone Numberspecial noticeIf you are a veteran in emotional crisis and need help RIGHT NOW, call this toll-free number 1-800-273-8255, available 24/7, and tell them you are a veteran. All calls are confidential.1-888-899-9377A Crisis Intervention Hotline has been established by the VA Heartland Network to assist veterans who may be dealing with a mental health crisis or difficult issue in their lives. The hotline will also aid family members or friends of veterans who need help in assisting a veteran in crisis. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Selecting the wedding photographer can be a little daunting task for everyone. 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We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. It's no surprise that San Francisco, the tech billionaire city with such a high cost of living that even their rats have second jobs, has a homelessness problem. But more specifically, it has a problem with how often homeless people poop on the streets. As a response, the city is assembling a dedicated force whose number one priority is number twos. Since the start of the year, over 14,500 people have called San Francisco's non-emergency number to complain about being knee-deep in feces -- both canine and, depressingly, human. That's an average of 65 calls per day, a worrying amount of conversations about poop issues under any circumstances. To alleviate their citizens' concern of stepping in it, the city is freeing up a million dollars in order to create a Poop Patrol. Starting September, five unlucky city workers will scour the streets with steam cleaners, sanitizing them of sapien soilage. Red Bull RecordsBeartooth has unleashed a new track called "You Never Know," which will appear on the band's forthcoming album, Disease. You can listen to the song now via Kerrang.com. "'You Never Know' is a song that I wrote with [songwriter] Drew Fulk -- aka WZRD BLD," frontman Caleb Shomo tells Kerrang!. "It was the first song we wrote together, we wrote it about 40 minutes." "We just went and got coffee and talked about things going on in our lives and our mental states at the time and just sort of came to a common ground and the song just rolled out from there!" he adds. "It's a jammer -- play it loud!" "You Never Know" is the third song to be released from Disease, following the title track and the song "Bad Listener." The whole album arrives on September 28. Beartooth will launch a U.S. tour in support of Disease September 14 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. We are all psychics now. In 2018, debates in parliament and the media seem to have less to do with the rights and wrongs of any particular issue and more to do with predicting what will happen next. Brexit, Trump, climate change: on BBC Question Time, pundits and politicians place their hands on a strangely shaped table, stare into the middle-distance and let wild predictions stream out of their mouths. By chance, a few days ago, in an antiquarian bookshop, I came across a bound volume of copies of the weekly newspaper Psychic News, for the years 1938-39. President Donald Trump has claimed the US is racing into an era of rapid growth It is a fascinating document, at the same time historic and other-worldly. Beneath its weekly slogan, 'LIFE AFTER DEATH PROVED', come unnerving headlines such as 'Crowds Flock to Hear Talks by 'Dead' Man', 'Medium Proves that Pet Dogs Survive the Grave' and my own favourite 'Victim of Smash Aids Driver of Bus That Killed Him'. The small ads read like the opening line of a Barbara Vine novel: 'Widow (Spiritualist) wants paying guests.' Mediums advertising their services are blessed with appropriately cranky names like Rev. J. Sparke Kirkland, Su Su Sing, G. Viney Forsyth, Gerald du Beaurepaire and Horace Leaf. Under the weekly heading 'Psychic Appliances' there are plenty of ouija boards for sale. Thirty years later, when I was a child, these spirit-summoning devices were almost as common as Scrabble boards. Nowadays you rarely hear about them, but in the late Sixties they were available from WHSmith and toy shops, and marketed as family fun by Waddington, the makers of Monopoly. Back in 1939, every self-respecting medium seemed to have had a 'magnetic trumpet', to help them tune into the spirit world. 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. 'Psychaloid magnetic trumpets make immediate results possible' reads a recurrent advertisement. 'A medium writes: 'Sat seven years, trumpet never levitated. First night we used your Psychaloid magnetic trumpet, it was levitated across the room in red light'. Plain 5s 6d. Luminous 7s 6d.' Who knows? In our current climate, the Psychaloid Magnetic Trumpet could be set for a revival, with Question Time pundits brandishing them before launching into predictions about Britain outside the EU, or the future of Nato. On the other hand, if burying my head for a few days in Psychic News 1938-39 has taught me anything, it is that predicting the future is a haphazard business, even for those who possess supernatural powers. ' 'NO WAR IN OUR TIME' SAYS GUIDE' is the headline of Psychic News on October 1938, less than a year before the outbreak of World War II. 'World's Greatest Tragedy Has Been Averted' runs the sub-heading. The erring guide is Red Cloud, a Native American, or Red Indian as they were still called back then. He was, of course, dead, so he is billed as 'speaking through his medium, Estelle Roberts'. Red Cloud was not lacking in confidence. 'We can now say that there will be no war in your time' he said. Furthermore, 'Czechoslovakia will emerge better than she was in 1918'. As we now know, just five months later, Nazi troops marched into Czechoslovakia. Yet the spirit world seems to have been unanimous in their belief that there would be no war. On the same page, four other Native American spirit guides all voice agreement. 'I foresee a period of peace' says White Eagle, while Moon Trail assures readers of Psychic News, 'There is no fear of England being involved in war for a number of years, if at all.' Also speaking from beyond the grave, Silver Birch is every bit as definite. 'Have no fear. England will not be involved in war.' As World War II looms closer, Silver Birch grows increasingly certain that it will never happen. In March 1939, two days after the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia, his confidence remains unshaken. 'Still I say, there will be no war'. On April 29, 1939, 'speaking at the first seance after his return from the customary Easter festival in the Beyond', Silver Birch repeats, 'there will be no war on a large scale. The worst has happened. Fear is needless.' As it happens, after the outbreak of World War II, these Red Indian spirit guides seemed to make themselves scarce, and stopped making their bold pronouncements. Here's hoping that our current Question Time psychics will one day follow suit. With winter in its closing stages, there's just enough time left for one more holiday getaway to escape the cool August temperature. Cosmetics giant Mecca recently shared their favourite travelling beauty essentials which promise to make your next flight painless and your skin, hair and makeup flawless. FEMAIL rounded up the best of Mecca's tips, as well as a shortlist of products to pack depending on the climate of your destination. Cosmetics giant Mecca recently shared their favourite travelling beauty essentials which promise to make your next flight painless and your skin, hair and makeup flawless First things first, a globetrotters best friend is a collection of travel size containers to hold small volumes of your favourite lotions and potions. It wouldn't be 2018 if we left the house without at least one sheet mask, and Mecca have you covered against in-flight dryness with a variety of options including the $13 Bubblesheet from cult favourite Glam Glow. Post masking, a soothing serum will work to lock in moisture in the arid climate of the cabin; Mecca recommend the luxurious Virgin Marula Facial Oil from celebrity favourite Drunk Elephant, which retails for a $58 per 15ml. Protect your visage with all-important SPF in the form of Mecca's own brand Game Face BB Cream which gives added luminosity and natural looking coverage all in one go for just $26. Mecca recommend the luxurious Virgin Marula Facial Oil from celebrity favourite Drunk Elephant ($58 for 15ml) and Mecca's own brand Game Face BB Cream which gives added luminosity and natural looking coverage all in one go for just $26 It wouldn't be 2018 if we left the house without at least one sheet mask, and Mecca have you covered against in-flight dryness with a variety of options including the $13 Bubblesheet from cult favourite Glam Glow None of us want to emerge from a trans-oceanic flight sporting under eye bags, and the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray from This Works is the perfect solution to sleepless hours in the air. Infused with lavender, vetivert and wild chamomile to de-stress, calm and soothe, this $39 bottle is fast becoming a cult favourite among the jet set. An hour before landing is the optimum time to perk yourself up with moisturiser and another layer of sun screen. A slick of under eye concealer like the world renowned Touche Eclat from Yves Saint Laurent ($70), a dab of lip and cheek stain from RMS Beauty ($52) and lashings of travel size High Impact Mascara from Clinique ($18) will have you looking brand new before the wheels touch down. The Deep Sleep Pillow Spray from This Works ($39) is the perfect solution to sleepless hours in the air combined with a slick of under eye concealer like the world renowned Touche Eclat from Yves Saint Laurent ($70) TIPS FOR A PAINLESS JOURNEY AT 32,000 FEET * Up your water intake to at least 2.5 litres per day for one week prior to flying. * Carry a supply of electrolyte sachets and vitamin boosters to dissolve in water mid-flight. * According to Mecca, self-administering an Ayurvedic scalp, hand and foot massage will also prevent your circulation from stagnating mid-flight by stimulating the lymphatic system. * Bacteria takes no prisoners, so always carry a pack of antibacterial wipes or hand gel when flying to disinfect your seat, tray table and even the overhead luggage area - because nobody wants to be sick on holiday. Advertisement For hot and humid holiday spots such as Morocco and Thailand, Mecca advise packing some of their signature blotting paper to keep you cool, calm and collected no matter how high the mercury rises. For harsh, unforgiving or windswept destinations like Iceland, Mecca recommended a deeply hydrating serum like Vita Mineral Emollient Rescue which retails at $53 and promises to banish dry, lacklustre skin while also protecting against environmental stress and those pesky free radicals. Travellers headed straight for the ocean were advised to invest in a texturised salt spray to keep beach waves immaculate and effortless. Playa's Endless Summer Spray is a safe bet for $41. City breaks to bustling metropolises like Tokyo call for an emergency blemish kit to counteract 'pollution triggered breakouts'. Mecca suggested packing a box of Skyn Iceland's single use Blemish Dots, which rapidly reduce redness and inflammation with their blend of salicylic acid and tea tree oil for just $29 per packet. Like many curious singles, television journalist Sami Lukis, 48, recently signed up to the dating app Bumble. But what she didn't expect was that she would come out the other side with a whole new understanding of her sexual identity. Sami was very excited by the prospect of meeting a potential new mate but was baffled when one man appeared on her screen with the word 'sapiosexual' in his bio. '"Ewwwwww"', I screamed weirdly, out loud to my phone, as I swiftly swiped left. It all sounded like far too many shades of kink for me,' she told Body + Soul. Television journalist Sami Lukis (pictured) recently found out she was a sapiosexual Sami said nothing had prepared her for the term sapiosexual - one she thought indicated an open-minded 'horny free spirit Sami said that before entering the world of online dating she had researched a whole array of modern terms. 'I'd familiarised myself with all the lingo. I knew all about Ghosting and Catfishing and Benching and Breadcrumbing and Half-night standing,' she said. However, Sami said nothing had prepared her for the term 'sapiosexual' - one she thought indicated an open-minded 'horny free spirit'. In actual fact, the term refers to someone who is attracted to intelligence over looks and someone who values an intellectual approach to the world, is a critical thinker, and has an insatiable curiosity in life. Sami shared once she had Googled the term she was struck by her own lightbulb moment What does the term sapiosexual mean? * Sapiosexual is a term used to describe those who are sexually attracted to intelligence above all other characteristics * The word is relatively new - with records of its usage nowhere to be found prior to 2002, and even then it was mainly used on niche blogging sites * In recent years, it's become part of the vocabulary of young millennials exploring their sexual identities * Those who identify as sapiosexual are attracted to intellect above all else - inclusive of gender, meaning that most sapiosexuals would be open to dating men or women Advertisement Once she had Googled the term, she was struck by her own lightbulb moment: she also identified as a sapiosexual. She said at that moment she also had a revelation that she would 'never find love' on a dating app. The journalist said the problem with online dating for sapiosexuals is that it removes an essential element from the equation, that is being able to connect with a person's innate intelligence. The term sapiosexual refers to someone who is attracted to intelligence over looks (stock image) 'For me, chemistry is ignited by intelligent conversation. I'm turned on by someone who is naturally quick-witted. Someone who talks about his life and his job with passion. And who asks me relevant questions about mine,' she said. Sami also recounted an experience of meeting a man during a flight, after her forays into the online dating world, that backed up her belief she was sapiosexual. She said the pair met during a flight and over the course of spending a few hours together, she was enthralled by his conversation. However, she admitted if she had seen his photo on a dating app, it's unlikely she would have pursued the relationship. 'Not only have I discovered that I'm a sapiosexual. I've also decided that I am a sapiosexual who refuses to swipe,' she said. British Vogue editor Edward Enninful has revealed he has always felt 'different' as a black and gay man but says it helped him be better at his job. Enniful, 46, took the helm at Vogue in August last year when Alexandra Shulman stepped down from the post after 25 years. Gracing the cover of the 300th edition of gay lifestyle magazine, Attitude, Enninful claims that his sexuality has heavily influenced his career. Speaking to the magazine he said: 'When you're gay you're always viewed as the 'other'. Editor in chief of British Vogue has spoken about how his sexuality has been beneficial in his career in a new interview with Attitude magazine 'You're able to have empathy, which is a very important word: to empathise with people and cultures. That's how I'm able to do what I do. 'That's why I'm able to be a man and [why I've been able to be] a stylist all these years and work with all the best women's magazines and editors, because I empathise. 'I never think in terms of sex or gender, I think in terms of what [someone is] bringing to the table. I remember when I started out, I loved masculine-looking women and feminine-looking men.' Enninful is the first male editor of British Vogue and has been outspoken about embracing diversity in fashion having faced overt racism when his modelling career began at 16. He explains: 'It was my first experience of rejection because I looked a certain way: "We're not looking for a black model this season, but thank you". Enninful (pictured on the cover of the 300th issue of Attitude magazine, released today) says that his ability to empathise had helped him carve a career in women's fashion 'I learned that really, really fast. They would just tell your agent and he would pass it on. 'Sometimes you'd go to a casting and you could tell from the designer that you're not meant to be there. 'At that age you don't understand. It's just devastating coming from an environment where you are so welcome and so loved, to being rejected.' Despite his negative experiences in the fashion industry Enninful says he has always been proud of his race and hopes to set an example to the next generation. He continues: 'It's very important to me, I've never shied away from being black or gay I want young kids to know It's OK to be who you are. It's just devastating coming from an environment where you are so welcome and so loved, to being rejected 'I want them to know what's possible in the world. The world I want to create is where you don't need to be somebody's son or daughter to get ahead.' The editor is certainly not shy when it comes to his vision for the magazine admitting that he is prepared to give it a bit of a shake up. He said: 'I feel what I'm doing here is really going back to the traditions of Vogue, opening up and having conversations about the world we live in, diversity of perspective, of experience. 'The issues at hand, from the abortion laws in Ireland, to transgender women, these are conversations about the world. 'I'm always curious, looking forward, trying to discover new things for myself as well as the reader. 'The new generation see a lot of things that are wrong, but they believe in authenticity. What's the truth, what are you doing to help the next generation?' Enninful took the helm at Vogue in August 2017, taking over from Alexandra Shulman who stepped down after 25 years Enninful, who is the first black, first male and first gay editor of the magazine, counts Naomi Campbell among his close friends The Ghanaian-born former stylist was announced as Shulman's replacement in April 2017, after she chose to leave the magazine to pursue 'a different future'. He is the first black, first male and first gay editor of the magazine, which has been running since 1916. The journalist was the youngest-ever fashion director for i-D magazine age 16 and has worked for Italian and American Vogue, and served as a consultant on major fashion campaigns, including Calvin Klein, Christian Dior and Dolce and Gabbana. At the helm of W Magazine, he boosted ad pages by 16 percent in 2012. The new editor, whose mother was a seamstress, was honoured at the British Fashion Awards in 2014 with the prestigious Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator, and he also won an OBE in 2016 for services to diversity within the fashion industry. The 300th issue of Attitude magazine is available in print and to download now. Australian beauty influencer Shani Grimmond has revealed the go-to skincare routine that has helped clear up her skin over the past year. Pointing to a breakout on her chin and lower cheek area in a recent video, Ms Grimmond revealed she has faced skin troubles for the past 12 months. The Brisbane beauty took viewers through a step by step demonstration of her daily regimen, which includes cleansing water, a host of moisturisers and facial oils as well as an elaborate battery operated exfoliating brush. And the total cost of her daily routine is $660. Scroll down for video Australian influencer Shani Grimmond (pictured) recently opened up about her struggle with acne while sharing her skincare routine on her YouTube channel The Brisbane beauty took viewers through a step by step demonstration of her daily regimen, which includes cleansing water, a host of moisturisers and facial oils as well as an elaborate battery operated exfoliating brush (pictured left with no makeup) Ms Grimmond cleanses her face using Garnier Micellar Water which is available for $7.70 from Woolworths, and treats her lips with a budget friendly lip balm from Carmex retailing at a reasonable $3.99. The beauty blogger lets her skin breathe by giving it a break from cosmetics for 'about half of every week', while steering clear of drying makeup wipes as they deprive skin of its natural oils. Ms Grimmond said her skin is extremely dry and prone to feeling tight, so she loves using the Vanity Planet GlowSpin after cleansing to moisturise and hydrate her complexion as part of her evening routine. The exfoliating facial brush is available online for $180, and can be adjusted to different speeds and comes with interchangeable heads for a variety of face shapes. Ms Grimmond said her skin is extremely dry and prone to feeling tight, so she loves using the Vanity Planet GlowSpin after cleansing to moisturise and hydrate her complexion as part of her evening routine The beauty blogger lets her skin breathe by giving it a break from cosmetics for 'about half of every week', while steering clear of drying makeup wipes as they deprive skin of its natural oils Ms Grimmond uses the Dermalogica Clear Start Break Out Foam ($29) with her facial brush to remove dead skin cells and keep pores clean. 'It helps to remove bacteria which prevents breakouts,' she said, adding the product also stimulates blood flow across the face. 'Because my skin is so dry, I always ensure its super nourished with Dermalogica moisturiser - sometimes I sleep in this, especially during winter months. 'Even though I have a bit of acneI never skip face masks or hydrating lotions, because it's not going to make my skin worse I need it,' she said. The online star also uses a $32 Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask to clear her complexion. Ms Grimmond follows these steps with an intricate moisturising routine she said evens out her skin tone and pigmentation, using Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil ($85) and Brite Lite from Dermaceuticals ($140). SHANI GRIMMOND'S STEP BY STEP SKINCAE ROUTINE * Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water $7.70 * Carmex lip balm $3.99 * Vanity Planet GlowSpin facial brush $180 * Dermalogica Clear Start Break Out Foam $29 * Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask $32 * Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil $85 * Dermaceuticals Brite Lite $140 * Dermalogica Clear Start Moisturiser $26 * Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance $74 * Dermalogica Antioxidant Hydramist $49 * Skin o2 Spot Cream $33 Advertisement 'Because my skin is so dry, I always ensure its super nourished with Dermalogica moisturiser - sometimes I sleep in this, especially during winter months' - Ms Grimmond Referring to the previous step as her 'pre-moisturiser', Ms Grimmond then applies Clear Start ($26) and Intensive Moisture Balance ($74) from her favoured brand Dermalogica. Finalising her elaborate regimen, Ms Grimmond spritzes a generous quantity of Antioxidant Hydramist by Dermalogica (on sale from Skinmart for $49) over her visage. Occasionally, Ms Grimmond said she likes to dab on a spot cream from Skin o2 which she uses for stubborn pimples and costs $33 for a 25 gram tube. But a number of followers voiced concern about the volume of products the social media sensation uses on her skin. Ms Grimmond, who uses a vast array of skincare products, shared this photo to Instagram while testing out a face mask across her nose and cheeks 'Not to be mean, but there is a chance you might be using too many products,' one concerned user wrote. 'Just make sure all is necessary in your routines!' Another viewer echoed this sentiment, writing 'less is always more with skincare' while advising the social starlet to 'stick to one face oil'. One commentator who said she has experienced problem skin in the past advised she 'found simplicity worked betterthan multiple steps and ingredients'. Traditional homework set by primary schools has been around for generations. But now, a growing number of Western Australia schools have controversially imposed the 'no homework policy' so students can spend their time at home relaxing, reading and playing. As furious debate spark over whether children should be assigned homework, parenting expert Justin Coulson said the daily 'chore' should be banned. Appearing on the Today show, the Australian father - who already bans his six daughters from doing homework - said kids shouldn't be 'loaded with extra shift'. Scroll down for video Traditional homework set by primary schools has been around for decades (stock image) Australian parenting expert Justin Coulson (pictured) said homework should be banned He argues that setting children up with homework at a young age before they reach high school has no benefits. 'There's no strong evidence that getting kids used to it early so when they get into high school they know what to do - that link just isn't there,' Dr Coulson explained. 'It's tenuous... it's logical but it's not actually there in the research.' He likened the situation to driving a car. 'It's kind of like saying: "My kids are going to be driving when they're 16 so I should put them in the car when they're eight, and just get them used to steering and pushing the accelerator. We'll do it on private property but we need to get them used to it". 'This idea "we've got to get our kids used to homework for later", it's garbage, what they should be doing is having a whole childhood, not being loaded up with doing their extra shift when they get home. 'The evidence isn't there to suggest that primary school children have even a modest benefit from homework in terms of their learning or their achievement.' The father-of-six - who already bans his daughters from doing their homework - said kids shouldn't be 'loaded with extra shift' Poll Should homework be banned? Yes No Should homework be banned? Yes 145 votes No 38 votes Now share your opinion Dr Coulson agreed that reading and maths were very important for students - but that should only be taught in class - and not at home. 'Reading and maths is important and the evidence is there, that our kids are reading and doing maths in primary school is useful,' he said. 'But those busy homework sheets, the standard stock trade that teachers send home, saying "fill this sheet out and bring it back tomorrow or next week" - that's what we'd call 'keeping the kids busy' and 'calling it homework' - it doesn't help them. 'In fact, it reduces their interest in school work, it adds pressure to us as parents and it adds work to teachers as well.' Should homework be banned? The 'no homework policy' has divided the internet, with many Australian parents tossing up whether schools should ban the extra task for students. So should schools across the country ban homework? 'Are you kidding me?! How about we ban lazy parents who can't be bothered helping their kids with homework. Homework never killed me and it won't kill my kids.' 'As a parent who left school over 20 years ago, I don't understand any of the homework and if they cant learn in the hours that they are at school then our education department has more issues than we know.' 'Yes ban it! The lazy parent card is a cop out. Some parents actually like their kids and want to cook with them, laugh with them and teach them social, family and home life skills. six to seven hours of school a day is enough.' 'I'm all for homework, I get my children to knock over homework the day they get it, that way it's done and the have the rest of the week doing other things and not worry about it.' 'Yes! Kids are so overtired now because of before and after school care, extra curricular activities etc. Parents are putting pressure on them by wanting them to have everything they missed out on themselves - they're not getting time to be kids let alone do extra schoolwork.' 'I feel Homework now is part of a teachers KPI and a load of rubbish. Having said that parents need to ensure their kids are reading, doing maths and spelling every day for at least two hours above the age of 10. It's the responsibility of all parents to go beyond the minimal education provided ensuring your child has the edge above others.' Advertisement Last year, Dr Coulson revealed he banned his six daughters from doing homework. 'Surprising to many parents (and teachers) is the growing body of evidence that indicates that homework for primary school-aged children is not helpful and may actually have a negative impact on their learning outcomes,' he said on his blog. 'As a result, until my children's school banned homework, I actually banned my children from doing homework before high school.' While Dr Coulson said he didn't believe homework was the 'devil,' he doesn't think it's making a 'helpful difference for most kids in primary school.' He said that homework may add to the workload of teachers and creates unnecessary stress for his children. 'It might be tough for teachers, but I believe it's even tougher for children, even when only in small amounts,' he said. 'And research has demonstrated that it "overwhelms struggling kids and removes joy for high achievers".' Other reasons Dr Coulson gave include homework creating an extra burden on parents, creating family conflict and 'diminishing the time kids have for other activities'. It's not usually the material that springs to mind when building your dream home, but it certainly makes the property shipshape. This lavish house in north Brisbane has been listed for sale - and it's hiding a very clever renovation trick that sets it apart from just about every other property on the market. With housing prices skyrocketing, it's no surprise builders are thinking outside the box - literally - including what materials they can use to save money and give the renovation a unique style. Scroll down for video This lavish abode in north Brisbane has been listed for sale - and it's hiding a quirky secret that sets it apart from every other property on the market Slide me Before and after: A renovating couple turned the kitchen into a state-of-the-art cooking space, featuring quality appliances, glass splashback and a butler's pantry Located in Queensland's Banyo, the four-bedroom home features an open-plan kitchen, living and dining space that's made entirely from old shipping containers The house, in Banyo, Queensland, features a new extension with an open-plan kitchen, living and dining space that's made entirely from two old shipping containers. Chelsea Gogan and Sam Porter were inspired to seamlessly meld the two containers on to the back of the property during their makeover because they wanted to use steel rather than wood for the extension of the old worker's cottage. The shipping containers have given the now two-storey home a modern, industrial feel - without completely losing it's original DNA. 'We thought it was a cool idea and Sam would rather work with steel than timber,' Ms Gogan told Quest Community News. 'It was a bit of a risk at the start (but) we gave it a crack and it's come up well.' Before the spectacular transformation: The-then humble two-bedroom home with one bathroom was sold in September 2016 for $445,000 The spectacular property has been listed for sale following 18 months of renovations Slide me Before and after: The stunning property now comes complete with three stunning bathrooms, with a rain-drop shower head and floor to ceiling tiles Renovation changes BEFORE Advertised as an 'investor's dream', the humble property featured two bedrooms with one bathroom. The abode boasted a kitchen, bathroom, polished wooden floors and a huge balcony for entertainment. The home was sold in September 2016 for just $455,000. AFTER The spectacular property now oozes with luxury elements, including smart technology and finger-print recognition. The renovating couple made huge changes to the structure and layout of the home after melding two shipping containers on to the back of the property. During their 18-month renovation, the home features polished timber floors, custom steel industrial doors, sealed concrete flooring and floating stairs. Now boasting four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a state-of-the-art kitchen, the property has been listed on the market for auction. Advertisement For 18 months, the pair spent long hours after work and on weekends revamping the space, with the shipping containers extending out of the rear of the property from the front. Ms Gogan said her favourite room was the open-plan kitchen, which is inside one of the containers. 'The shipping container doors open out (and) Sam built the sliding doors so it's all very open,' she said. The original home exists upstairs, boasting the master king-sized bedroom with ensuite There are three bathrooms, including two upstairs, featuring floor to ceiling tiles The property oozes with luxury elements, including smart technology, finger-print recognition and fob entry, ducted air conditioning, and interior lighting - all controlled via a smartphone. The original home exists upstairs, boasting two bedrooms, including the master king-size with ensuite. The rest of the bedrooms come complete with built-in custom cabinetry. Other features of the property include polished timber floors, custom steel industrial doors, sealed concrete flooring and floating stairs. Listed for auction by Ray White, the advertisement says: 'This eclectic home has been immaculately designed with all the conveniences for the modern family. The open plan kitchen is a chef's dream space - with a butler's pantry and quality appliances Slide me The renovating builders went above and beyond to turn the property into a stunning space Listed for auction by Ray White, the advertisement says: 'This eclectic home has been immaculately designed with all the conveniences for the modern family' 'Having the functionality of a low maintenance home with state of the art smart features, this home is a lifestyle that you will embrace and enjoy sharing with family and friends. 'Without compromise, this two-storey property gives you that feeling of "home" every-time. 'Be quick to snap up this future-proof home in one of Brisbane's "must buy" suburbs.' The then humble two-bedroom home with one bathroom was sold in September 2016 for $445,000. The 40 Jensen Road property will go to auction on August 25. Social media is littered with images showing people whose bodies are nothing less than perfect. So when Australian Instagram influencer Lauren Clark shared a photo of her body after she'd eaten, her thousands of followers sat up and took note. The 21-year-old is on holiday in Positano, Italy, and the photo shows her sitting on a beach revealing her 'stomach rolls'. 'So someone took a really happy pic of me during Sail Week but I didn't want to post it on Insta because I had some stomach rolls in the photo,' she captioned the post. Australian Instagram influencer Lauren Clark (pictured) recently shared a photo to social media showing the reality of her body after she'd eaten The 21-year-old said she shared the photo as a way to encourage others to 'give less love to social media' The pressures to post only perfect images can create unrealistic pressures for both men and women - something Lauren said she was all too aware of. 'I'm embarrassed at how RIDICULOUS that is especially because social media is already so terrible for body image (for girls & guys), and I can't say I hate the unrealistic body pressures if I too only post "perfect pictures",' she wrote. However, she said she recognised by sharing an imperfect reality she could potentially encourage others to believe it was okay for them to do the same. The pressures to share only perfect images can create unrealistic pressures for both men and women, something Lauren said she was all too aware of 'Today down at the influencer hot spot in Positano I thought I'd show off a very tame Italian food baby and some juicy gnocchi rolls (this is a very small food baby btw it can get a lot better than this),' she wrote. 'Hoping this helps others to try to give less love to social media and more love to themselves too.' 'Watch this space for more food porn and belly loving,' she added. The social media star has been lauded by others for taking a brave stance The post, which has been liked nearly a thousand times, has had scores of comments, with many saying they had found the image inspirational. 'You're gorgeous no matter if youre skinny or fat or white or black you're still an inspiration,' wrote one person. Another chimed in with: 'I love you dearly and you are beautiful. Never stop being apologetically you.' While a third lauded her for her for doing 'Italy right'. 'Yes! Good on you. You wouldnt have done Italy right without a food baby!'. On the surface, Elena Arathimos's (pictured) life looks perfect and healthy However, the reality is the personal trainer from Sydney also secretly battles with severe bloating (pictured) something that happens after she eats Other social media stars have also recently opened up on the reality of their less-than-perfect bodies. Australian personal trainer Elena Arathimos, whose body is one of sculpted perfection, gave her followers a candid look at how she is affected by bloating. The 34-year-old Sydneysider shared how she secretly battles with being intolerant to certain foods - and the havoc with wreaks on her system. In a candid post, she revealed a series of images she said showed the 'real me'. 'Okay girls, just trying to keep it real with you on here. The first photo was taken first thing in the morning, after a workout, good lighting and no breakfast (yet). 'Second photo is me most days after I eat most foods. Bloat baby is real!'. A woman has revealed how after a decade of being happily married, she met the second love of her life and decided she was polyandrous - with a husband and a boyfriend. Cafe owner, Sarra-Maria Karlstrom-Rantala, 32, and labourer, Ville, 34, from Rovaniemi, Finland, have been together for 11 years, after meeting at a rock bar. A year ago, Sarra met I.T worker, Jani, 28, while filming a concert his rock band was performing at on the beach and they swiftly became friends. Over time, Sarra felt a romantic connection to Jani and she soon told both men that she wanted to be polyandrous - which refers to a woman having two male partners - with them both. Although the men were both taken aback by the announcement and the concept of being polyamorous, they have learned to live with their newfound lifestyle since and have found it works for them. Sarra-Maria Karlstrom-Rantala, 32,with her boyfriend Jani (left) and her husband Ville (right). The trio have been in a polyamorous relationship for a year, with Sarra dating Jani while remaining married to Ville Sarra with her boyfriend Janni who she met a year ago while filming a concert his rock band was performing at on the beach in Finland. They became friends and she soon confessed to him that she wanted a relationship, despite being happily married 'I was the one who came out as polyamorous, which was a shock for the guys at first,' Sarra said. 'I'm dating both of the guys, but the guys don't date each other. They have become very good friends though. 'Being married to two guys isn't legal in Finland, so I'm legally married to Ville, and in 2020 I will have a Pagan/Viking ceremony with Jani called handfasting. It's kind of like a wedding but the priest is our friend. 'We don't all live together yet, but we hope to soon. We do own a cafe together though. Ville and Sarra have been happily married for years and first met at a rock bar more than a decade ago, but he was surprisingly accepting when she announced she wanted a polyamorous relationship with another man Sarra alternates between living with her husband Ville (left) and boyfriend Jani for a week at a time, but admits one occasionally gets jealous of the other 'At the moment Ville and Jani have their own homes close to each other so I live with Ville for one week and then Jani the next week, and it carries on like so. We spend a lot of time together as a three though. 'Now, Ville is very into the lifestyle, but Jani does remain more monogamous than us two - but he's fine with the situation now.' Polyamory is the concept of loving more than one person, and polyandrous defines a woman who chooses to take two or more husbands. Sarra admits that some friends and relatives were a bit taken aback by the unusual arrangement, but says most have been very supportive. Right: Sarra with her husband Wille, who doesn't have a physical relationship with Jani, but has become close friends with him A polyamorous relationship isn't without its trouble though as Sarra admits that jealously can be a natural emotion occasionally. 'Of course, we sometimes get jealous, but not that much anymore,' Sarra said. 'Sometimes there are moments when either Ville or Jani feel a bit jealous of the other getting to spend time with me that day or something,' she revealed. 'We speak about everything very openly and we do spend a lot of time together which limits the jealousy. For us, polyandrous means being in a loving relationship and committed to each other.' Sarra is planning a handfasting ceremony with Jani in 2020 where they will commit to each other in a ceremony that has its roots in pagan and Viking tradition The trio out on a snowy walk together. According to Sarra, they spend a lot of time together and are very committed to and happy with their arrangement Janni pictured on a day out with Sarra. Although he has to share his girlfriend Sarra with her husband, she says that he is more monogamous and doesn't see other people The trio are very happy in love and they are committed to their relationships. But Sarra does admit that it wasn't an easy thing for them to explain to their respective families, with Ville not being able to tell his parents about the polyamorous element of the relationship yet. 'Jani's family and my family know about the relationship, but Ville's don't,' added Sarra. 'Jani's family have been really accepting from the very beginning, as soon as they found out. Sarra and her husband Ville who is happy to share his wife with her boyfriend Jani, who she lives with on alternate weeks Sara admits that she and Ville receive more questions about their sex life than other couples because of their unusual arrangement in which she is also dating Jani 'For my mum it was a lot harder for her to understand and she was a bit shocked at first. But she's alright about the situation now. 'Some people we meet are a bit shocked, but more people just want to know how it works in terms of the arrangement we have. 'They also want to know if the guys are in a relationship with each other. 'We get questions about our sex life more than other couples probably would do, and that element is really weird. Sarra says that sometimes people are a bit shocked when they find out about her unusual arrangements, but says that most people close to her are very supportive 'But our closest friends are very supportive and really lovely about it all. 'We want to show that it's okay to be yourself. It might take time to get to a certain point, and it might be a hard journey to make, but you deserve to be happy. Love is love.' The three hope to move in together soon, and the future also holds Jani and Sarra's Viking handfasting ceremony when they will commit themselves to one another. To find out more, you can visit Sarra's Instagram, @therealsarrastory. A transgender grandmother who became the oldest woman in Britain to have gender reassignment surgery at the age of 81 has spoken of the 'absolute euphoria' of waking up in her new body. Ruth Rose, now 85, of Newhaven in East Sussex, underwent the complex male-to-female operation four years ago, after spending her entire life in what she was certain was the wrong body. Born James, a respected former RAF navigator, mechanical engineer and financial consultant, Ruth said she knew she was female aged nine, but knowing that at the time her feelings would be regarded as a 'sexual aberration', went on to marry a woman and have three children. She amicably divorced from her wife in 2003, and began living as a woman seven years later, but it wasn't until she was 81 that Ruth - on the encouragement of her doctor - decided to have 4,000 male to female reassignment surgery. Ruth, now a grandmother of four, told of her elation in an interview on ITV's This Morning on Thursday after finally undergoing gender reassignment surgery in 2014. 'It was absolute euphoria,' she said. 'It wouldnt have mattered if it was all the pain in the world, it would still be euphoria.' Scroll down for video Grandmother-of-four Ruth Rose (seen on ITV's This Morning today) became the oldest woman in Britain to undergo gender reassignment surgery in 2014 at the age of 81, after decades living as a man, during which she had married, had three children, and divorced Ruth knew from the age of nine that she wanted to be a girl but continued to live as a man. Formerly known as James, Ruth was a respected former RAF navigator, mechanical engineer and financial consultant Ruth explained to presenters Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes that she had waited so long to have surgery because at the time she first knew it classed as a 'sexual aberration'. Some 70 years later, it was Ruth's doctor who encouraged her to take the next step after living life as a woman since 2010. I think it was very enlightened [of the doctor], I had never imagined it was worth asking. 'I suddenly found that it gave me plenty of years to live and made it worthwhile to have done it.' Her treatments and the operation, which she had on the NHS, cost 4,000. The NHS Gender Services, which provide specialist assessment and treatment of Gender Dysphoria, are offered to people over 18, and there is no upper limit. The grandmother of four underwent the complex male-to-female four years ago on the NHS costing 4,000 and was encouraged to take the final step by her doctor Ruth shared on the daytime programme of waking up post-op: 'It was absolute euphoria, it wouldnt have mattered if it was all the pain in the world, it would still be euphoria' The grandmother of four, born James in Hertfordshire in May 1933, was a wartime evacuee and educated at Greshams public school in Norfolk. Then as an RAF engineer Ruth went on to marry her wife in 1961, staying together for 42 years, even when her secret was found out in 1973. They amicably divorced in 2003, but Ruth said it was a 'difficult time' when her wife discovered who she really was, however chose to remain tolerant of her decision, staying together for the sake of their three children. 'She was so forbearing and really was understanding enough to keep things going nicely and give me just that little bit of freedom so I could visit friends and be Ruth. 'She was very tolerant and I'm very pleased that she was.' Her advice to other senior citizens is of perseverance, encouraging those who are more mature to never give up: 'It is never too late, but it is not an easy thing to do' Ruth successfully overcome bladder cancer and almost died at the age of 76 from pericarditis, a virus that inflames the sac around the heart Ruth successfully overcome bladder cancer and almost died at the age of 76 from pericarditis, a virus that inflames the sac around the heart. It was this that spurred her on to live her life as a woman, her advice to other senior citizens is of perseverance. 'It is never too late, but it is not an easy thing to do. It is not as if you pop into hospital and come out a different person. 'You've got to really understand yourself and clean up your life as best you can as a male or a female if you're changing the other way. There are lots of challenges you have to meet, you have to bravely face those challenges and meet them because if you dont you're going to live a life that has little places that you can't go and can't do. 'You have to embrace the whole thing properly.' This Morning airs weekdays on ITV at 10.30am A law student says her smile is 'pretty for the first time' thanks to a double jaw-breaking surgery after years of hiding it and covering her face with her hair. Leia, 23, of San Antonio, Texas used to make an effort to disguise her jaw abnormalities, smiling only with her top row of teeth and wearing her long hair over her right cheek. Her upper jaw never grew to its proper size, causing a Class III underbite as well as a crossbite due to the shifting of her jaw and teeth to the right side. Before the procedure, she was in constant pain, struggled to eat some foods that weren't cut into small pieces and had to put an effort into appearing friendly because her jaw made her look 'angry.' Seven weeks after the life-changing operation to beak and reposition her jaw, her profile is totally changed. Leia is now showing off her new smile with confidence, wearing her hair up and having an easier time eating solid foods. Leia, 23, of San Antonio, Texas had a Class III underbite as well as a crossbite because her upper jaw never developed properly, leaving her in constant pain and struggling to eat Leia takes a side view shot while in recovery from her jaw surgery. Just seven weeks after her operation, she's feeling confident and is no longer hiding behind long hair Law student Leia says her smile now looks pretty for the first time after undergoing surgery to break and reposition her upper jaw, which never developed properly She can also enjoy a sandwich with ease and is looking forward to biting into an apple for the first time in years once she fully recovers. Leia said: 'The biggest struggle I faced was probably the pain. I constantly had an aching feeling on the left side of my jaw. 'I never smiled with my teeth together because that would show off the underbite. I would always just show my top teeth, so I could hide it. 'I purposely wore my hair down on one side, but now I feel confident enough to wear it however I want. Close ups show Leia's jaw before and after surgery. Prior to the operation, she struggled to eat and always had to make a special effort to appear friendly as her jaw made her look 'angry' A photo of Leia shows what her underbite looked like before the surgery. Initially, her dentist tried to correct her issues with braces but eventually told her the only solution was surgery 'I used to cut up all my food into small pieces because if I didn't, it slipped out between my top and bottom teeth and would be so embarrassing. 'Now I can finally bite into food properly, which I'm really happy about. 'Over the years, people have approached me and asked things like "are you okay?" and "why do you look so mad?". I guess my jaw made it look like I had an angry expression on my face. Leia takes a side view shot before having her jaw surgery (left). Pictured recently during her recovery from surgery (right), which took place seven weeks ago Leia half smiling before having her jaw surgery. She would never smile with her teeth together because that would show off the underbite and she always tried to cover up her face with her long hair 'I've noticed that sandwiches have been much easier to eat and I should be able to eat apples once I'm completely healed.' As a child, Leia received a lot of orthodontic work in an attempt to repair the problem of her underdeveloped upper jaw. After trying braces, spacers and even headgear, the orthodontist told her at age 11 that the only solution to her abnormal bone would be surgery. She said: 'They tried everything they could to get my top jaw to grow at a quicker rate and catch up with my bottom one. Before her surgery, Leia had to wear braces to undo orthodontic work she had done as a child so that her teeth would be in the right position for her new jaw shape Leia is still experiencing some side effects of the surgery, including pain and difficulty speaking. But she couldn't be happier with her new look and is feeling more confident than ever after years of struggling to make friends because she looked 'angry' 'None of it worked, so that's when they told me that I would eventually need surgery. I put everything to a halt and decided to revisit it again as an adult.' Prior to having the operation, Leia had to wear braces for another two years to reverse the orthodontic work that was done during childhood. While her teeth needed to be in their natural position in order for the procedure to be performed, this made her underbite more obvious. Leia used to make an effort to disguise her jaw abnormalities, smiling only with her top row of teeth and wearing her long hair over her face A side view of Texan law student Leia's face before having the surgery (left). Leia takes a side view shot while in recovery from her jaw surgery Leia said: 'Basically they had to undo the work they did when I was younger. My bottom teeth were pushed back, so the braces brought them forward again. 'Bringing my teeth back to the normal position made my jaw look even worse.' While her life has already drastically changed, Leia is still experiencing some side effects of the surgery, including pain and difficulty speaking. She expects to feel more comfortable than ever once she is fully recovered and adjusted to the new position of the bone. Leia said: 'I still have some discomfort in my jaw, but that's because I'm not done healing. The annoying pain that I used to get on the left side is gone. 'They are just temporary side effects. I'm still getting used to it all.' She's had her fair share of drama since joining the royal family including public outbursts from her father and former friends accusing her of freezing out people when they don't agree with her. But it seems that Meghan Markle has practice at moving on from difficult relationships as a 2104 post from her now defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig, suggests. The motivational statement by Portuguese author Jose Micard Teixeira was unearthed by the Instagram account harry_meghan_updates and speaks of losing 'patience' with a long list of character flaws including hypocrisy and betrayal. 'I no longer have patience for certain things, not because Ive become arrogant, but simply because I reached a point in my life where I do not want to waste more time with what displeases me or hurts me,' the post read. ' I do not get along with those who do not know how to give a compliment or a word of encouragement. I no longer spend a single minute on those who lie or want to manipulate.' The timing of the post was particularly significant as it came not long after Meghan's divorce from producer Trevor Engelson and her falling out with long-term friend Ninaki Priddy, who disapproved with the way she ended the marriage. An unearthed blog post from 2014 reveals how the Duchess of Sussex (pictured at the wedding of Charlie Van Straubenzee and Daisy Jenks in Surrey earlier this month) was thinking about moving on from people who lie and manipulate The post from Meghan's now-defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig, was written by Portuguese author Jose Micard Teixeira and spoke of disliking manipulative people who aren't loyal The words, perhaps, still hold a certain relevance for Meghan as drama surrounding her relationship with her family continues to swirl. Days before her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018, it was revealed her father Thomas Markle, 74, had collaborated with paparazzi to take staged photos being measured for a suit and reading up about life in England. He then pulled out of the wedding, citing a heart attack, and has continued to give interviews after his daughter stopped speaking to him. Days ago, he revealed he'd initially lied to Prince Harry about colluding with photographers and then hung up on the royal during a tense phone call. Meghan's half-sister Samantha Markle has blasted her estranged sister in a series of media interviews, including one this week in which she branded the Duchess a 'greedy, arrogant, fake humanitarian' Meghan's father Thomas Markle, 74, failed to attend the royal wedding in May 2018 and has continued to speak out about his fractured relationship with his daughter since He's also criticised Meghan for not sending him an official wedding invitation and shared Prince Harry's views about Brexit and Donald Trump. Earlier this week, a friend confirmed to DailyMail.com that Meghan's issues with her father are long-standing, after he gave an interview saying he'd be better off dead so people would feel sorry for her. 'Behavior like his doesn't happen overnight. Why do you think her parents got divorced in the first place?' the source said. 'Meghan's had to deal with a lot of self esteem issues growing up with a narcissist. She has tools to cope with emotional blackmail. She does pray for him. Meghan's former best friend Ninaki Priddy was maid of honour at her first wedding, but fell out with the Duchess over the way she ended her first marriage to producer Trevor Engelson Meghan pictured with her former husband Trevor Engelson at a party in New York in 2006. The couple married on the beach in Jamaica in 2011, but split two years later citing irreconcilable differences 'That's Meghan. She does not have a bad bone in her body, but she's not falling for her dad's crocodile tears. She's been down that road far too many times before.' Meanwhile, her half-sister Samantha is rumoured to be making an appearance on the new series of Celebrity Big Brother, after blasting her estranged relative in a long stream of media interviews. This week Markle, 53, described the new royal bride as a 'greedy, arrogant, fake humanitarian' and warned that 'Harry is next' after Thomas Markle was allegedly frozen out. She said: 'There would be no just reason for her not to want him in her life, as he was good enough to use to make her everything she is.' A popular beauty treatment beloved by celebrities could be secretly ruining your skin, experts have warned. Dermarolling - also known as microneedling - involves repeatedly puncturing the skin with tiny, sterile needles attached to a roller. When applied correctly, it stimulates the production of new skin and is said to be effective at combating acne scars, wrinkles and stretch marks. It's even been praised by celebs like Kim Kardashian, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston, but at upwards of 250 a session it doesn't come cheap. Celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow (pictured in the Hamptons on August 4) have endorsed dermarolling, but while treatments from approved practitioners can yield impressive results doctors have warned against the worrying rise of 'DIY dermarolling' Dermarollers like this one are being sold for as little as 2 on sites like eBay. While there is no indication there is anything wrong with this product, so-called 'DIY dermarolling' can lead to soreness and even infection, according to consultant dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto In a bid to cut costs, more and more people are swerving clinic fees and buying cheap dermarollers online instead - for as little as 2 on sites like eBay. But Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson, warns that so-called 'DIY dermarolling' can be fraught with danger. She said :'Dermarolling has become a popular aesthetic treatment for improving collagen production and skin texture. 'However it should be carried out by a professional in a clean and sterile environment. 'These home devices - particularly ones which penetrate the skin as deep as 2.5mm - can lead to infection and damage to the skin and should be avoided. 'What's more, you can't be sure of the quality or cleanliness of a device purchased over the internet.' Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson (pictured with her book The Skincare Bible), warns that so-called 'DIY dermarolling' can be fraught with danger and 'should be carried out by a professional in a clean and sterile environment' Candice Brown, an advanced skin aesthetician with London Bridge Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Clinic adds that DIY derma-rolling isn't just painful, it could also lead to severe eye damage. She said: 'People with no expertise are ordering dermarolling equipment from the internet and just going for it. 'And they're risking everything from skin infections to lifelong scarring by trying to do so at home. 'Dermarollers with needles 2.5mm in length are way, way too long to be simply rolled all over someone's face when they have no idea what they're doing, but they're readily available online. 'In a clinic, we also use a numbing cream. But if you're doing DIY dermarolling without topical anaesthetic it's going to be very, very painful. Reality star Kim Kardashian (pictured at the 2018 CFDA Fashion awards in New York City in June 2018) is believed to be a fan of dermarolling, but experts have warned it should only be carried out by a professional, in a 'clean and sterile environment' Jennifer Aniston (pictured at the Vanity Fair Oscar party in Beverly Hills, February 2018) is said to owe her youthful looks in part to dermarolling, but experts have warned it should not be done on the cheap at home - and have advised sticking to clinics instead Fran Parman, former star of ITV's The Only Way Is Essex (pictured in an unrelated Instagram selfie earlier this year) has told how she underwent professional derma rolling treatment in December 2016 but suffered a poor reaction to it 'And when people are doing this at home, they're doing it with their eyes wide open, often looking in a mirror. Whereas in a clinic, a patient's eyes are always closed. 'If you get one of these needles in your eye it's just so dangerous. By trying to save money, you could end up with irreparable vision damage. People need to be aware of the dangers.' The new advice has also been endorsed by celebrity Fran Parman, former star of ITV's The Only Way Is Essex. Fran, 26, underwent professional derma rolling treatment in December 2016 but suffered a poor reaction to it. She said: 'I had a really bad reaction and it flared up. It was awful. I looked grazed all over I didn't want to leave the house for ages. 'I feel like I've been scarred from it, to be honest. My skin has never been the same again and I can still see the little holes the derma roller left behind. 'People definitely need to be aware of the dangers and there's no way anyone should try and do it themselves at home. 'I've warned all my friends about what happened - I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy!' Italian actress Sophia Loren has described Hollywood's #MeToo scandal as 'chilling' - and says she was 'lucky' she was never a victim. The veteran star, 83, warned young stars to only work with people they trust following the 'difficult' revelations. She added that she believes that she met her film producer husband, Carlo Ponti, at the 'right time', leading to her 'serene' experience of the film industry. Speaking to the Evening Standard, Loren said: 'It's very difficult to talk about this [scandal] and it does give me the chills thinking about it.' Italian actress Sophia Loren, 83, (pictured in Milan in May) has described Hollywood's #MeToo scandal as 'chilling', and said she believes she was 'lucky' she was never a victim Loren advised other young stars to 'get to know the right people', adding: 'When you find yourself in a difficult position you just have to go on and don't trust the people that you shouldn't.' The actress, who starred in Two Women and The Millionairess, revealed she never faced sexual harassment during the industry, putting it down to her relationship to her husband. Loren was already in a relationship with husband Ponti, who was 21 years her senior, when she launched her career at the age of 16. 'Maybe I was lucky to have met the right person at the right time. My life has been very serene,' she said. Loren (pictured in the 1960 film The Millionairess) described how her experience of the film industry was 'serene', but warned other young actresses to not trust people 'they shouldn't' Her comments come after veteran French actress Catherine Deneuve was criticised for signing an open letter attacking the #MeToo movement. The letter - signed by more than 100 female writers, performers and academics in France - attacked the 'puritanism' sparked by recent sexual harassment scandals declaring that men should be 'free to hit on' women. Earlier this year, French icon Brigitte Bardot also hit out at the #MeToo movement, suggesting that many of the actresses that have come forward are 'hypocritical and ridiculous'. The 83-year-old told Paris Match: 'Lots of actresses try to play the tease with producers to get a role. And then, so we will talk about them, they say they were harassed. 'I was never the victim of sexual harassment. And I found it charming when men told me that I was beautiful or I had a nice little backside.' A former prison sergeant celebrated her retirement and impending 60th birthday with a stunning ambush makeover and she couldn't wait to show off her new look. Sue Story, 59, from San Luis Obispo, California, was wearing a tee that says, 'Does this shirt make me look retired?" when she was plucked from the crowd in the Today show plaza for a makeover on Thursday, the day before her milestone birthday. Not only was she turning 60, but Sue was also ready to kick off her retirement with a new look after 30 years of working as a prison sergeant. Scroll down for video New look: Sue Story, 59, from San Luis Obispo, California, received an ambush makeover on the Today show Thursday Happy as can be: The former prison sergeant was all smiles as she stepped on stage sporting makeup and a new 'do 'When I was working, you know, I had to keep a certain look,' she told Today fashion expert Jill Martin. 'I don't wear makeup. I always wear my hair in a ponytail, so now I am ready to do whatever [and] make myself look different.' Sue's best friend of 48 years, Beverly, was standing on stage when she debuted her new look, and it's safe to say that she was impressed. 'Oh my gosh, you look beautiful!' Beverly gushed when she removed her eye mask and saw Sue's transformation for the first time. Sue also said, 'Oh my gosh,' when she turned around to check out her new look in the mirror. She was so stunned that she leaned forward to get a closer look at her appearance. Long time coming: Sue explained that she never wore makeup and get her hair in ponytail for the 30 years she spent working as a prison sergeant 'Oh my gosh': Sue's best friend of 48 years, Beverly, was stunned by her new look 'You look gorgeous,' Today anchor Hoda Kotb said, while Sue noted that she loves the color of her hair. 'Louis, great color,' she said while giving celebrity hairstylist Louis Licari a thumbs up. Louis explained that Sue's hair was cut into an 'updated bob' and he lightened her color a bit to flatter her complexion. 'This is key,' he said. 'Do not make your hair too dark. She had brown hair, probably a little lighter than mine, and it became progressively darker, so I softened it up. Looking good: Sue leaned forward to get a closer look at her appearance in the mirror when she saw her makeover for the first time Stunning: Sue's hair was cut into an 'updated bob' and her color was lightened 'It looks believable, natural, and suits her,' he added. Jill, meanwhile, dressed Sue in a sleeveless floral top, skinny jeans, and black pumps, topping off the summer outfit with statement earrings and a thick gold bangle on her wrist. Darla Griffiths, 58, from Indianapolis, Indiana, also received a makeover on Thursday morning's show. The working mother-of-four is an ambush makeover superfan and was thrilled to turn her dream of getting a new look on the show into a reality. Then and wow: Darla Griffiths, 58, from Indianapolis, Indiana, also received a makeover on Thursday morning's show 'Holy s**t!' Darla's daughter Elise was so stunned by her makeover that she accidentally cursed while they were live on air 'I've just wanted this forever. When I stopped teaching and I was at home, Kathie Lee and Hoda just made me happy and put a smile on my face, she said. Darla was visiting her daughter Elise in New York City when she decided to drop by the Today show plaza in the hope of being chosen. 'I'm here, and I can't believe it,' she said. The mom was dressed to the nines when she strut on stage to show off her new look. Elise was so stunned by her makeover that she accidentally cursed while they were live on air. Is that me? The mom stepped out of her comfort zone and rocked a bold hot pink off-the-shoulder dress that was picked out for her Beautiful: Darla's hair was cut into a voluminous layered bob and highlighted to give it a golden sheen 'Holy s**t,' she said, and Hoda joked that Elise was in such shock they were 'going to need medics.' Darla was just as overwhelmed by her appearance when she turned around and looked at herself in the mirror. Louis explained that her hair was cut into a voluminous layered bob, and he added highlights to give her hair a golden sheen. The mom stepped out of her comfort zone and rocked a bold hot pink off-the-shoulder dress that Jill had picked out for her. 'Jill that dress was made for her,' Hoda noted, and Darla still couldn't believe she was on stage with the Today show stars. 'I am just so excited to be here,' she said. 'I just cant believe this.' A grandmother forced to sleep upright in a chair because doctors were unable to treat her chronic shoulder pain claims to have found a natural remedy. Elaine Fraser, from Lancashire, spent six years battling the daily agony and a 'hellish' 18 months sleeping at a certain angle because of her excruciating pain. Physiotherapists couldn't ease her pain as the problem, caused by a shoulder break when the 62-year-old was a child, was inside her joints, they argued. But Mrs Fraser now claims she has found a way to relieve herself of the agony - and has doubled her sleeping time as a result - by taking a 16.99 natural remedy. In a desperate attempt to combat the problem, Mrs Fraser, of Lytham St Annes, resorted to FlexiQule, a supplement sold in local pharmacies. Despite initially doubting its supposed benefits, she noticed a remarkable difference in her chronic shoulder pain and sleep after just eight weeks. And now, after years of tossing and turning at night, the grandmother-of-six is able to finally sleep for six hours - the recommended minimum amount. Elaine Fraser, from Lancashire, spent six years battling the daily agony and a 'hellish' 18 months sleeping at a certain angle to combat her excruciating pain Mrs Fraser, a retired project manager in the civil service, hailed her transformation in an interview with MailOnline. She said: 'The supplement absolutely changed my life, after sleeping propped up for most of my life I can finally sleep sound. 'My GP was not interested in looking for a solution to cure my shoulder pain and said I needed to try physiotherapy prior to considering a much more expensive MRI scan. 'Unfortunately the physiotherapy was not hands on and I was just told every week to do exercises. 'This did not help at all because there is something that sometimes seems to go out of place when I lift or when I stretch and this negates any progress made by exercising. 'I was then referred by the physiotherapy department to a private practice for ongoing treatment at my own expense. After many years I just gave up even mentioning the pain to my GP.' Mrs Fraser broke her shoulder when she was aged just nine, after a painful collision during a school netball match. Her shoulder failed to ever recover fully, and she continued to suffer the occasional niggle as she grew older. But in 2011, Mrs Fraser broke the same shoulder again after careering off her bicycle and landing on a pile of bricks. A 'hellish' 18 months She said: 'This second break was much more serious given the previous incident and I was left having to sleep in a chair upright for 18 months which was hellish.' Mrs Fraser eventually resigned herself to joining the millions of people in the UK who just live with chronic pain. A major study, published in the journal BMJ Open two years ago, estimated that up to 28 million Britons are living with chronic pain. Physiotherapists couldn't ease her pain because the problem, they argued (pictured with three of her grandchildren) But Mrs Fraser claims she has found a way to relieve herself of the agony - and has doubled her sleeping time as a result - by taking a 16.99 natural remedy (pictured with friends) WHAT IS FLEXIQULE? FlexiQule - sold as a food supplement - contains two natural ingredients, boswellia and ginger. Manufacturers Alchem International claim the extracts help to manage the body's inflammatory response and maintain joint health. Boswellia, the plant that produces Indian frankincense, has been shown in studies to reduce pain. Other trials have found it can maintain cartilage and prevent the formation of leukotrienes, which trigger inflammation and joint pain. And, with over 115 active compounds, gingers uses go far beyond the cooking pot. Gingers active ingredient is gingerol - a powerful anti-oxidant. Studies have shown that gingerols anti-inflammatory properties are comparable to that of ibuprofen. Advertisement Problems such as low back pain or osteoarthritis affect between 35 per cent and 51 per cent of British adults, according to the review of 19 trials. After 18 months, Mrs Fraser was able to return to her bed at night, but her rest was still disturbed. She would struggle to get a full night of uninterrupted sleep, which was made worse by her being unable to lie on her bad shoulder. Used to the pain Mrs Fraser: 'I felt like I simply had to get used to having a bad shoulder, it caused a constant dull ache and it started to restrict my life. 'I tried everything, from taking cod liver oil supplements to physiotherapy sessions at my local hospital. 'But after a while the physiotherapist said that she couldnt improve my pain because the problem was inside the joints.' Mrs Fraser, whose youngest grandchild is just one, added: 'After years of trying to resolve the pain I just learnt to grin and bear it.' But, over the winter, after she had 'finally given up looking' for a solution, she came across a free trial of FlexiQule online and signed up. And now her shoulder pain is under control and her sleep is better, according to her Fitbit, which measures her amount of shut eye. Sceptical Mrs Fraser said: 'I was sceptical of taking a supplement as I have previously tried cod liver oil, which made no positive impact. 'However, after just three weeks of taking the supplement FlexiQule, I started to notice small improvements in my mobility. 'I am delighted with the increase in rest and I am finally able to sleep on my shoulder after seven years of having to lie on my back at night. 'This new found flexibility has given me more energy and also improved my quality of life as a result of a good nights sleep.' Mrs Fraser continued: 'My exercise levels have also increased as my general mobility has improved.' Women who were exposed to the banned bug spray chemical DDT during pregnancy are more than twice as likely to have children with autism, a new study suggests. Chemicals seem to be everywhere and their dangers are becoming clearer. An Environmental Working Group report revealed Wednesday that the same Roundup weedkiller that a jury ruled last week gave a man terminal cancer is in many cereals. Now, an an unprecedented study of one million Finnish women, scientists used a biomarker for DDT in the blood of pregnant women to show the effects of the insecticide for the first time. The potent bug-killing chemical was banned in most countries more than 30 years ago because it takes so long to break down in the environment that people get exposed to dangerous levels of it. DDT was once used worldwide to kill pests that ruin crops. It was banned more than 30 years ago, but children exposed to it in the womb are still at double the risk of autism, study suggests At high concentrations, exposure to DDT has been known to cause tremors, seizures and nausea and may be carcinogenic to humans. But the new Columbia University research is the first to establish such a concrete link between DDT and autism. About one in every 59 people born in the US will be on the autism spectrum, yet we remain unsure of what causes it. The prevailing theory is that some people may be more genetically vulnerable to the developmental disorder, but that other factors, including environmental ones, play an equally important role. Autism has also been on the rise in the US, where 15 percent more people are thought to be diagnosed annually than were back in 2004. Many analysts suspect that this is largely a reflection of more widespread awareness of the condition - the prevalence of which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention only started tracking in 2000. But there are certainly more man-made chemicals in our environment today than there were a century ago, and studies like Columbia's suggest these substances may be having a measurable effect on our health. And those chemicals are sticking around. 'In spite of the fact that [chemicals like DDT and PCBs] were banned in the 1970s, they remain prevalent in the environment,' lead study author Dr Alan Brown told Daily Mail Online. 'Now we know it stays around a decade or two, rather than a few years, so it will probably remain in the environment for some time longer.' Dr Brown and his team in the Epidemiology department Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health analyzed an unusually comprehensive data set the covered nearly every Finnish woman that had a child between 1987 and 2005. We're stuck with it. It can't be removed from the environment, though it might be possible that we can limit our exposure by eating more organic fruit and vegetables or not living near toxic waste sites Dr Alan Brown, Columbia University epidemiologist and lead study author on DDT still in the environment long after ban Each woman had blood drawn and tested for metabolites of DDT and PCBs (a group of potentially toxic industrial chemicals) early in her pregnancy. The women who had high level in their blood were more than twice as likely to be a mother to one of the 778 children who developed autism and an intellectual disability. PCBs did not seem to have this effect, but the substantial increase in risk linked to the bug killer was cause for serious concern to the study authors. Those children were all born long after the DDT ban. It isn't clear how DDT might lead to autism, but Dr Brown says it could have to do with inhibiting the male sex hormone or epigenetic effects. Regardless of how the mechanism works, the new study makes it clear that the chemicals stick around to wreak havoc for much longer than previously thought. 'We're stuck with it. It can't be removed from the environment, though it might be possible that we can limit our exposure by eating more organic fruit and vegetables or not living near toxic waste sites.' We know that DDT is hardly the only chemical lingering in our environment, but we need to be paying attention to what we come into contact with and what those substances do, Dr Brown cautions. 'This study suggests that we need to be testing additional chemicals that are related to autism,' like flame retardants and BPA, found in can lining, Dr Brown says. 'It can take 10 years to develop autism, so we need to be paying attention to longer term effects, rather than assuming that chemicals like these are safe.' An 'opt-out' system for organ donation will have very little impact, research suggests. The Government announced plans last week to make it easier for doctors to take organs without explicit consent. The new system means adults will have to opt-out from the register if they do not want to be donors a dramatic change from the current opt-in system. Ministers claimed the system of 'presumed consent' will save up to 700 lives a year when it is introduced in spring 2020. Theresa May's plans for an opt-out' system for organ donation will have very little impact, research suggests But a study by Queen Mary University of London suggests it will make no difference at all. The researchers said this is because the family of the deceased will still get the final say. They said relatives often decide not to give permission for donation as they do not know what their loved one would have wanted. They do not believe the new system will change this and critics have expressed concerns the 'presumption' will actually put families off. If someone has signed the register, 91 per cent of relatives agree to a donation. But if not, this falls to 47 per cent. The researchers carried out three studies, looking at the US, European countries with an opt-out system, and those that are opt-in. Volunteers were asked to judge if a donor's wish to donate was stronger under an opt-in or opt-out system. Their findings, published in Journal of Experimental Psychology, suggest that if someone has not actively put themselves on the register the underlying system makes no difference. A young traveller who dismissed bruises on her bikini line for laser hair removal injuries was horrified to discover they were signs of leukaemia. Freya Clarke, 26, from East Grinstead, Sussex, noticed the unusual bruises while relaxing on the beach during her gap year in Australia. Ms Clarke headed off on an adventure of a lifetime after quitting her sales and marketing job when she became 'bored' with London life. After blood tests confirmed she was suffering from acute myeloid leukaemia, Ms Clarke was forced to endure grueling chemotherapy in Australia, which caused her to lose her hair and left her in constant pain. Her body reacted so badly to the treatment, doctors put her in an induced eight-week coma to help her body cope with the drugs, however, when they tried to resuscitate her, Ms Clarke's heart stopped beating for several minutes. Once strong enough to fly home, Ms Clarke was transferred to The Royal Marsden, where she caught an infection that required she undergo an eight-hour operation to remove her appendix and right fallopian tube; she may now be infertile. Recovering at her parents house, Ms Clarke has not yet been given the all-clear and accepts she may require further chemotherapy. She is speaking out to raise awareness of leukaemia's symptoms. Freya Clarke spent two months in a coma and died twice after developing leukaemia during her gap year in Australia. Ms Clarke first noticed unusual symptoms while in Bali (pictured) While relaxing on the beach, Ms Clarke noticed bruising along her bikini line, which she put down to the laser hair removal she had recently had done. After suffering a heavy period, Ms Clarke went to a doctor for blood tests and was later diagnosed with blood cancer Too unwell to fly home, Ms Clarke was forced to undergo grueling chemotherapy in Australia. Her mother Christine (pictured) flew out to be by her daughter's bedside. When doctors worried Ms Clarke would not survive, her sister Sorrel (also pictured) and father joined her WHAT IS ACUTE MYELOID LEUKAEMIA? Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a type of blood cancer that starts in young white blood cells in the bone marrow. AML affects around one in 200 men and one in 255 women in the UK at some point in their lives. Approximately 19,500 new cases occur every year in the US. It is most often diagnosed in older people. Symptoms can include: Fatigue Fever Frequent infections Bruising or bleeding easily, including nosebleeds or heavy periods Weight loss Bone and joint pain Breathlessness Swollen abdomen Pale skin AML's exact cause is unclear, however, risks include: Smoking Being overweight Radiation exposure Previous chemotherapy Certain blood disorders, such as myelodysplastic syndrome Some immune conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis AML is usually treated via chemotherapy. A bone marrow or stem cell transplant may be required. Source: Cancer Research UK Advertisement 'I thought they must have made a mistake' Ms Clarke initially thought her bikini-line bruising was down to her accidentally banging herself while working in a bar or laser hair removal she had done to prepare for her holiday. She said: 'I had these weird bruises on my leg, but I just brushed it off and told myself I had picked them up while bumping into things at the bar. 'Then I had a very long and heavy period, which did seem strange. I tried to brush it off again, thinking maybe it was to do with the stress of travel, but it played on my mind. 'I thought I might have anaemia but it certainly never crossed my mind that it could be anything really serious.' To be on the safe side, she went to a GP for blood tests and was later diagnosed. Ms Clarke, who is single, said: 'My first thought was just, "well, this is going to ruin my holiday". 'They weren't completely sure at first what it was and I just thought they must have made a mistake, because apart from the bruising I didn't feel ill. 'Then the shock began to kick in and I was just thinking that this couldn't be happening to me. 'The hardest part was telling my mum. I handed the phone over to [my friend] Caitlin and asked her to tell mum, but she was crying too much, so eventually the doctor had to tell her.' Ms Clarke claims her body 'reacted violently and basically freaked out' to chemotherapy, which caused her to lose her hair and endure constant pain for three months Ms Clarke (pictured in Croatia this year) was put in a coma to help her body cope with chemo. Yet, when doctors tried to wake her, her heart stopped beating for several minutes Ms Clarke was later resuscitated and claims she has mentally blocked out that time Ms Clarke (pictured in Bali) says she has been dealt some 'severe blows' and never expected to 'pop off on holiday' only to be diagnosed with cancer and leave with a five-inch scar 'My body basically freaked out' Ms Clarke's mother, Christine, 59, boarded the next flight to Sydney, where she stayed by her daughter's bedside for the next three months while she underwent chemotherapy, was put into a coma and even died twice. Ms Clarke said: 'My brain has blocked out most of that time. 'I reacted very violently to the drugs and my body basically freaked out, which led to my heart stopping on two occasions, when I would have been technically dead before being resuscitated.' With doctors thinking Ms Clarke would not survive, her devastated father Peter, 63, and sister Sorrel, 29, flew out to be with her. Thankfully, her condition began to improve once she was out of the coma, with the family celebrating Christmas at her bedside. Ms Clarke said: 'It sounds weird but it was one of the nicest Christmases ever because I had all my family over there with me. 'Caitlin was there too, and my friend from home, James, flew out to surprise me a few days before Christmas.' Despite fears she would not survive, Ms Clarke's condition improved once her family flew out Ms Clarke (pictured with Sorrel) celebrated Christmas in hospital surrounded by her family, with friends also visiting. She claims it was one of the nicest festive seasons she remembers 'I've been dealt some pretty severe blows over the last year' In January this year, Ms Clarke was finally well enough to fly home but was admitted to The Royal Marsden the following day. Once there, Ms Clarke developed the infection that forced her to undergo surgery. She said: 'I know I will probably have to have more treatment which won't be nice, but actually I feel fine now, much better than I have done since the whole thing started.' Although Ms Clarke hopes to visit Australia again in the future, she is unsure if she could cope with being away from home. She said: 'I would love to go back there one day. But now I'm not sure I could stay. The only way I have managed to get through the last year is because of my friends and family and I couldn't face leaving them behind now. 'I've been dealt some pretty severe blows over the last year. 'It's certainly not what you expect; to pop off on holiday and come back with cancer and a 5-inch scar down your stomach. It's pretty hard to come to terms with.' Ms Clarke is working with the charity Leukaemia Care to support their Spot Leukaemia campaign to raise awareness of the signs of the disease via special symptoms cards, which can be ordered from their website and presented to doctors. Order a symptoms card here. Ms Clarke (pictured in Australia) was finally well enough to fly home last January but needed further treatment. While in hospital in the UK, she developed an infection that required she have an eight-hour operation to remove a fallopian tube, which may have left her infertile Ms Clarke (pictured in Australia) has not been given the all clear and may need more chemo This dramatic footage shows a two-year-old boy's daily battle with a rare eye cancer that's slowly destroying his vision. Muhammad Junaid, from a small village in Mirpur Khas, Pakistan, suffers from Retinoblastoma - a type of carcinoma that usually affects children under the age of five. A mass has grown on Junaid's left eye, affecting his vision, and now his parents are desperately waiting for help in order to get their only son treated. Struggle: Muhammad Junaid, from Pakistan, suffers with rare eye cancer Retinoblastoma Junaid's father, Arz Muhammad Dar, said: 'Junaid was born as a normal baby. But as he turned one-year-old, he would crying incessantly. Then a mass started growing on his left eye.' The parents took their son to a Hakim - a physician who uses traditional remedies. 'The Hakeem gave some medicines that reduced his pain but the mass on his eye kept growing,' says Muhammad, who works a daily wager and earns less than 2 a day. 'We got worried about his health but we didn't had money to take him to a hospital in Karachi.' Daily battle: The youngster cannot see from his left eye, which is now consumed with the mass Fundraising for care: Junaid's father, Arz Muhammad Dar, and his wife need intervention Muhammad's father then gave him PKR5000 (almost 32) for Junaid's treatment. Together, he and his wife, Bilquis Dar, 22, travelled almost 150 miles by bus to take Junaid to the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre in Karachi. At the hospital, their world was turned upside down when doctors told them that Junaid is suffering from Retinoblastoma. 'We were shocked when doctors said he has cancer,' Muhammad added. 'We slept on a footpath near the hospital for three weeks as we didn't had enough money to rent a room. My wife sold her wedding ring that is how we stayed for three weeks. Medical assistance: Larger tumours, such as this, typically require chemotherapy or surgery The boy's mother, Bilquis Dar, 22, travelled 150 miles by bus to a medical centre in Karachi WHAT EXACTLY IS RETINOBLASTOMA? Retinoblastoma is a rare type of eye cancer that usually affects children under the age of five. Retinoblastoma is a cancer of the retina - the light-sensitive lining at the back of the eye. It can affect one or both eyes. In about 40 per cent of cases it is caused by a faulty gene - this can be inherited from the parents or may randomly develop. Small tumours can usually be treated with laser treatment or freezing treatment. Larger tumours require chemotherapy or surgery. Advertisement 'But when the treatment wasn't started even then and we were completely out of money, we had no choice but to come back to our village. 'I request the government to come forward and help my poor son.' A local social activist, Sarwar Jokhio, who saw the parents at the bus stand, has now started a fundraising campaign on social media for Junaid's treatment. 'They were heartbroken when I met them,' he said. 'I showed Junaid's pictures to couple of my doctor friends who said that the boy is suffering from retinoblastoma and he needs to undergo treatment as soon as possible. 'I have posted Junaid's pictures on social media and I hope very soon we will accumulate enough funds so that he can be treated in a big hospital.' New man: Alex Paterson's dexterity has been restored thanks to the pioneering procedure A man has become the first upper limb amputee in the UK to have groundbreaking surgery that has left him with an Action Man-style detachable arm. Alex Paterson, 57, had his left arm removed above the elbow when he was just 19, following a motorcycle accident. For years he struggled with traditional 'socket and strap' prosthetics, but a revolutionary procedure has completely transformed his life. The car engineer has had an implant inserted into the bone of his residual limb, the end of which now has an external attachment for him to fix his electric prosthetic arm into. Known as 'osseointegration', the operation was completed in under an hour and Mr Paterson, having spent just one day in hospital, went back to work the next day. But the idea of the surgery came from an unusual source, after Mr Paterson was tipped-off by his dentist. He'd been attending a conference next door to an osseointegration event - and immediately thought of his patient. Before the surgery, the father-of-three had already undergone an innovative procedure to allow him to control his prosthetic arm with his mind, known as Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR). He now has several different arms which he can swap and change between with ease - one with a hand for everyday use, a grabbing claw one for use at work that has a better grip and one for riding his motorbike. Mr Paterson, from Hempsted in Gloucestershire, is now completely pain-free after years of suffering. Relief: Mr Paterson, from Gloucestershire, is now completely pain-free after years of suffering Pictured with prosthetist James Buckett (L), Alex has an implant inserted into the bone of his residual limb, the end of which now has an external attachment for him to affix his prosthesis He said: 'If pain post-surgery is measured from one to ten, then this procedure didn't even make onto the scale. 'I've not taken a single painkiller for it, it's been absolutely brilliant. I cannot stress how different life is compared with my life before. There's no discomfort, no pain. It's like chalk and cheese. I'm able to be a fitter and healthier person, and my work ethic has improved hugely Alex Paterson 'Using a socket and strap system, no matter how good that system is, is uncomfortable. 'You look at it when you wake in the morning and you think 'do I have to?' I think on average I was able to keep it on for maybe four hours at a time. 'Within four weeks of getting my arm attached to my implant, I'm able to wear it almost the entire day without discomfort.' He continued: 'Other pain I had related to the accident has virtually gone. I'm able to be a fitter and healthier person, and my work ethic has improved hugely.' Variants: He now has several different arms which he can swap and change between with ease Alex is a long-term patient at Dorset Orthopedic, one of the UK's leading independent providers of prosthetic limbs. It was through the service that he was referred for the surgery, which was performed at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, north London. The man dubbed 'Captain Armless' by his grandchildren says he now feels better than he has in 40 years and has thanked all those responsible. He said: 'This is the best I've felt in 40 years, and it's not just down to this surgery. Before the surgery, the father-of-three had already undergone an innovative procedure to allow him to control his prosthetic arm with his mind, known as Targeted Muscle Reinnervation 'It's down to the TMR surgery I've already had, to the care I've had from the team at NHS Bristol and in recent years it's been thanks to a brilliant collaborative relationship with the whole team at Dorset Orthopedic. 'Everyone at Dorset Orthopedic has been absolutely incredible and I cannot thank them enough.' James Buckett, Alex's prosthetist at Dorset Orthopaedic's clinic in Burton-upon-Trent, added: 'Alex has been a patient of ours for some years and he's a model example of what can be done with determination, dedication and hard work. 'Alex has given 100 per cent to every rehab session he's attended, and we had no doubt he'd achieve huge success with both the TMR and osseointegration surgery. 'We're delighted for him.' Charities have today slammed the 'postcode lottery' smokers face in seeking NHS help to give up their addiction to the killer habit. Public health budget cuts have meant thousands of smokers have been left to quit without the vital support they need to quit. And statistics have today unearthed a huge gulf in rates of smokers across England, who successfully gave up using the free NHS services. Access to the stop smoking services - vital in helping people quit - varies depending on how well funded local authorities are. Just 24 per cent of smokers who tried to give up managed to in Cumbria in the past year - compared to Staffordshire, where success rates were 88 per cent. MailOnline has sifted through the NHS Digital data to reveal the 10 local authorities in England with the best and worst quit smoking rates. Alison Cook, director of policy at the British Lung Foundation, warned NHS stop smoking services are vital in response to the statistics. Nearly 275,000 smokers used the services between April 2017 to March 2018 - three times less than the same period six years ago. Of those who used the free NHS stop smoking services, 138,426 were successful in their attempts at giving up cigarettes She said: 'Its disappointing to see a further decline in the use of stop smoking services across England. 'People who get professional help to quit smoking, from their doctor or pharmacist, are most likely to succeed. 'This data confirms visiting the GP is still the preferred route of support for people who want to quit. Our research found this support remains a postcode lottery.' Ms Cook urged the Government to 'act urgently to ensure every smoker has access to the help they need to quit'. The free NHS stop service offers smokers face-to-face help and email support, in order for them to adhere to their desired quit date. Those seeking to give up the bad habit can be given nicotine patches, gum, nasal sprays and stop-smoking tablets. E-cigarettes may be recommended. THE 10 LOCAL AUTHORITIES WITH THE LOWEST QUIT SMOKING RATES Cumbria: 24% Trafford: 29% Swindon: 30% South Gloucestershire: 32% Blackburn w Darwen: 33% Blackpool: 34% Lambeth: 34% Herefordshire: 35% Merton: 35% Bournemouth: 35% City of Bristol: 35% Advertisement THE 10 LOCAL AUTHORITIES WITH THE HIGHEST QUIT SMOKING RATES Staffordshire: 88% Croydon: 80% Essex: 76% Warrington: 73% Windsor & Maidenhead: 72% Slough: 71% Barnsley: 68% Stoke-on-Trent: 68% Derby: 67% Rutland: 67% West Berkshire: 67% Advertisement The NHS data shows only 51 per cent of those who had set themselves a quit date - set in the first session - were able to stick to it. This rate hasn't changed over the past five years - but the number of smokers using the services has dipped year-on-year. Nearly 275,000 smokers used the services between April 2017 to March 2018 - three times less than the same period six years ago. Of those who used the free NHS stop smoking services, 138,426 were successful in their attempts at giving up cigarettes. Nearly 75,000 were unsuccessful in their quest to stop their notoriously bad habit, known to directly cause cancer and heart disease. Another 62,000 smokers were lost in the system, meaning local authorities are unsure if their attempts to quit were successful or not. The new data, compiled solely through NHS stop smoking services, follows official figures last month that also looked at the plummeting rates of smokers. MailOnline has sifted through the NHS Digital data to reveal the 10 local authorities in England with the best and worst quit smoking rates ARE BUDGET CUTS AFFECTING STOP SMOKING SERVICES? Public health budget cuts mean many smokers can no longer access stop smoking medications from their GP, experts warned in January. In England there is now at least one local authority where there is a zero budget for addressing smoking, according to a report by Cancer Research UK and Action on Smoking and Health (Ash). They said they are 'deeply concerned' that disadvantaged smokers are being hit the hardest. Only about three in five (61 per cent) local authorities continue to offer all smokers access to evidence-based support in line with guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice). Their survey of local authorities across England also found one in nine areas report that GPs are no longer prescribing nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches or gum, to smokers. One in 10 GPs also do not provide access to varenicline, an effective prescription-only medication that helps smokers to quit. Ash, Cancer Research UK and other health organisations have long argued the tobacco industry should be forced to pay to address the harm smoking causes and it is estimated tobacco companies in the UK make a collective profit of about 1 billion a year. Advertisement Government data last month revealed that 14.9 per cent of adults across the country smoked in 2017 - the equivalent of 6.1 million people. This is down from the 15.5 per cent (6.3 million people) recorded in 2016, according to figures from the NHS and Office for National Statistics. Charities branded the data 'encouraging', as it also showed around an extra 70,000 smokers from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland also quit. Duncan Selbie, chief of Public Health England, claimed a smokefree generation was 'within sight' on the back of similar figures in January. The six-month data was the first to be released following the strict legislation adopted last May, aimed at deterring people from smoking. It suggested the Government measures, including a blanket ban on selling packs of 10 cigarettes and menthols, helped to keep the trend downwards. Manufacturers were also told all packets had to be the same olive green colour, with the same font, size, case and text appearance. The Government announced its 'Tobacco Control Plan' last summer to cut rates to below 12 per cent in England, as it said the country can become 'smoke-free'. Under the plan, local areas are encouraged to develop their own control strategies and there is a focus on using e-cigarettes and other stop-smoking devices. Smoking causes almost 90 per cent of lung cancers, and can also trigger tumours in the kidney, pancreas, mouth and stomach, among others. Inhaling carbon monoxide - found in cigarette smoke - also decreases the ability of blood to carry oxygen, putting a strain on the heart. But giving up smoking would see the blood improve, and the body become rid of the harmful poisons which cause major damage to the body. Scientists have discovered a defunct gene that affects most autism patients. Known as CPEB4, the gene controls the expression of around 200 other genes that have previously been associated with the condition, a Spanish study found. The researchers believe CPEB4 may be affected by 'environmental factors' that alter a person's brain development and increase their risk of the spectrum disorder. Previous findings suggest children may be at a greater risk of autism if their mothers were exposed to certain chemicals or battled an infection during pregnancy. Certain epilepsy drugs and a lack of oxygen at birth are also linked to the condition. The scientists hope their discovery will help in the development of new autism treatments and methods of diagnosis. More than 695,000 people in the UK are thought to be on the autistic spectrum. The disorder affects around one in 59 children in the US. Scientists have discovered a defunct gene that affects most autism patients (stock) Protein changes genes linked to autism Lead author Jose Lucas, from the Spanish National Research Council, Madrid, said: 'Upon studying the changes in protein expression in a mouse model with altered CPEB4 activity, we were surprised to observe that the changes included most of the genes that predispose individuals to autism spectrum disorder.' Co-author Alberto Parras added: 'Since CPEB4 is known to regulate numerous genes during embryonic development, this protein emerges as a possible link between environmental factors that alter brain development and the genes that predispose to autism.' They concluded: 'Understanding the biological bases of autism may facilitate the design of future experimental treatments and diagnosis tools for this condition. 'Although further research is required, CPEB4 emerges as a potential new therapeutic target.' New cancer drugs could halt autism symptoms and prevent their onset This comes after research released last June suggested drugs under development for cancer could halt autism symptoms by blocking a protein linked to both conditions. Unnamed medications that stop the protein ERK2 reaching the brain reverse autism-like symptoms in mice, a study found. When given to pregnant rodents, the drugs not only ease the mothers' symptoms, such as hyperactivity, but also prevent their offspring from being born with the disorder, the research adds. Lead author Professor Riccardo Brambilla, from Cardiff University, said: 'It could be possible, in principle, to permanently reverse the disorder by treating a child as early as possible after birth'. A no deal Brexit could be 'catastrophic' for the NHS and leave Britain facing a greater risk of deadly pandemics, according to leading medics. The British Medical Association, the union for doctors, also fears failing to agree trade terms could deepen the NHS workforce crisis and disrupt millions of patients. In a new report today, the 160,000-strong union revealed six ways the ever-growing likelihood of a no deal Brexit would impact the health of the UK: Cause disruption for almost a million patients receiving treatment for rare diseases Cause delays in diagnosis and treatment for cancer patients End reciprocal healthcare agreements which could disrupt patient care and increase insurance costs Weaken the UKs response to pandemics and increase the chances of diseases spreading because it would lose partnerships with key EU bodies, such as the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control Risk the return of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which could see doctors leaving the profession and patients having to travel miles to receive care See fewer doctors and other medical staff, at a time when there are already huge shortages of these roles Britain's deadline to leave the EU is March 2019, however fears are growing the country will crash out of the bloc without a deal, scuppering plans of a 21-month transition period. Brussels has dismissed parts of Theresa May's proposed terms, which would mean accepting EU rules for goods and collecting some tariffs on behalf of the bloc. But other terms have been agreed, including letting Britain sign new trade deals. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, denied it was scaremongering about the effects of Brexit and warned it was 'being honest about what is at stake'. In a new briefing paper published today, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, said failing to agree trade terms could deepen the NHS workforce crisis NHS chief Simon Stevens has already admitted that Britain is preparing to stockpile drugs and equipment to ensure hospitals can function, if a no deal is reached. Dr Nagpaul said: 'A "no deal' could have potentially catastrophic consequences for patients, the health workforce, services and the nations health. 'The UK Government has finally started planning to ensure the health sector and industry are prepared in the short term for a no deal Brexit. 'But this is too little, too late and quite frankly, proof the impact on the NHS has not received the attention it deserves in the Brexit negotiations.' Dr Nagpaul added: 'Some will say we are scaremongering by warning of the dangers of a "no deal" Brexit, but this is not the case. 'We arent shying away from being honest about what is at stake for health services if the UK and the EU fail to reach a deal. Fears Britain will crash out of the bloc without a deal have grown as Theresa May's Chequers plan is facing massive resistance WHAT WILL A NO DEAL BREXIT DO TO HEALTH SERVICES IN BRITAIN? In a new briefing paper, the British Medical Association warns, in the worst case scenario, a no deal Brexit could: Cause real disruption for almost a million patients receiving treatment for rare diseases as the UK would be excluded from the European Rare Disease Network; Cause delays in diagnosis and treatment for cancer patients because the UK would have to source important radioisotopes from outside of EURATOM; End reciprocal healthcare agreements which could disrupt patient care and increase insurance costs. If 190,000 UK state pensioners currently signed up to the S1 scheme and living within the EU return to the UK it could cost the health services between 500 million and 1 billion per year; Weaken the UKs response to pandemics and increase the chances of diseases spreading as we lose partnerships with key EU bodies, such as the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; Risk the return of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland which could see doctors leaving the profession and patients having to travel miles to receive care; See fewer doctors and other medical staff, at a time when there are already huge shortages of these roles, due to uncertainty over future immigration status and confusion around the mutual recognition of medical qualifications across the EU. Advertisement '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.' Doctors have repeatedly been accused of ignoring the will of thousands of patients by calling for a vote on the final Brexit deal. A motion passed at the British Medical Associations annual conference in June in Brighton called to oppose leaving the EU. The union, which has 160,000 members, supported the UK remaining in the single market, and publicly stated concerns that Brexit 'poses a major threat to the NHS and the nations health'. The Royal College of Nursing and Royal College of Midwives have also supported calls for the public to have a final say on Brexit. But Tory Eurosceptics have claimed medics should focus on their own patients and the future of the NHS rather than meddling in politics. MP Andrew Bridgen previously said the motion by the British Medical Association ignored what patients had already voted for. He said at the time: 'The old adage is not true doctors dont always know best. Weve had a referendum, the result was clear.' Once weve left, if the doctors or anyone else want to campaign to get us back in, Ill wish them all the best but Ill be opposing them. 'I think they should get on with reforming the NHS. They need to be talking about that and giving better value for money, not Brexit.' Jacob Rees-Mogg MP also claimed the vote showed doctors have no confidence in their patients. A secret report drawn up by the EU and unearthed earlier this week revealed a no deal Brexit would be worse for the bloc than Britain. European Commission chiefs have drawn up plans for the 28-member union to step in to keep trade open. The Latvian foreign minister yesterday claimed the chances of a 'no deal' Brexit are 50-50 - but the PM's Chequers blueprint could break the deadlock. 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 if no agreement could be reached. Scientists have discovered a chemical that can cause the cells of the aggressive brain cancer that killed Dame Tessa Jowell to self-destruct, new research suggests. The energy supply to tumour cells, taken from patients with glioblastoma multiforme, was shut off when they were exposed to the synthetic chemical KHS101, according to the study in journal Science Translational Medicine. It is hoped the discovery may help tackle the devastating cancer, which only five per cent of patients survive for more than five years. Dangerous: Glioblastoma multiforme is the most aggressive cancer that begins in the brain 'Tumour cells basically self-destructed' Dame Tessa, a former Labour cabinet minister and peer, died in May at the age of 70. She was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme brain tumour last year. The research, led by the University of Leeds, examined the effect of KHS101 on human cells in the laboratory. The chemical was found to disrupt mitochondria, which supply energy to cells, and the metabolism within tumour cells. Dr Heiko Wurdak, from the University of Leeds, 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 peoples lives in the clinic.' Victim: Dame Tessa Jowell, former Labour cabinet minister, died from it in May, aged 70 'I am not afraid': How Tessa Jowell's speech on cancer led to applause in the House of Lords Dame Tessa Jowell was given a standing ovation after making an emotional plea for more cancer treatments to be made available through the NHS months before her death. The Labour peer called for more opportunities for 'adaptive trials' in which patients can undergo different treatments, and if one does not work they can immediately move on to the next. Baroness Jowell, whose voice cracked several times during her House of Lords speech in January LAST YEAR, told fellow peers of her cancer diagnosis and subsequent battle to beat the disease. She said: 'On May 24 last year, I was on my way to talk about new Sure Start projects in East London. I got into a taxi but couldn't speak, I had two powerful seizures. I was taken to hospital. 'Two days later, I was told that I had a brain tumour, glioblastoma multiforme, or GBM. A week later the tumour was removed by an outstanding surgeon at the National Hospital in Queen Square.' Baroness Jowell, who was one of the Labour Party's best known faces during Tony Blair's era, went on to say how she had taken solace from Irish poet Seamus Heaney. She said: 'Seamus Heaney's last words were do not be afraid. I am not afraid, but I am fearful that this new and important approach may be put into the "too difficult" box.' She added: 'All we now ask is that doctors and health systems learn to do the same. Learn from each other. In the end, what gives a life meaning is not only how it is lived, but how it draws to a close. 'I hope this debate will give hope to other cancer patients like me. So that we can live well with cancer, not just be dying of it.' As she concluded her speech peers, members of the public and Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who was also in the chamber, rose to applaud. The tribute was thought to be the first of its kind in the House of Lords. Dame Tessa suffered a haemorrhage on Friday, and had been in a coma until her death a day later, a spokesman for the family said Advertisement 'Pressing need' for new treatments The researchers also tested the effect of the chemical on tumour cells transferred from humans into mice. The growth of tumours in mice treated with KHS101 decreased by around half, with normal brain cells not being affected by exposure to the chemical, they found. Commenting on the findings, Professor Richard Gilbertson, a Cancer Research UK brain tumour expert, 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.' What is a glioblastoma? Glioblastomas are the most common cancerous brain tumours in adults. They affect children in rare cases. The tumours 'diffuse', meaning they have threadlike tendrils that extend to other parts of the brain. Their cause is unknown. Symptoms often include headaches that get worse, nausea, vomiting and seizures. Glioblastomas are hard to cure, with treatment often focusing on slowing the cancer's progression and easing symptoms. Surgery may be performed to remove as much of the tumour as possible. Radiation and chemotherapy may also be used. Messages advising smokers to 'make this your last pack' could be printed on leaflets inside packets under new recommendations. Inserts were banned under a raft of laws introduced in 2016 by the Government in desperate hope of slashing smoking rates. But the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee argues it should be overturned to advertise the use of e-cigarettes. Vaping - the term for using e-cigs - is less harmful than conventional smoking, known to directly cause cancer and heart disease. Philip Morris International - owners of Marlboro - has designed a version of inserts that could be placed in cigarette packets. Messages advising smokers to 'make this your last pack' could be printed on leaflets inside packets under new recommendations In its mock-up leaflets, smokers would be told 'there are more alternatives than ever before' in terms of giving up the deadly habit. They would also state 'the best decision any smoker can make is to quit' and say e-cigs and heated tobacco 'offer better choices'. On the back of the draft six-fold insert is a link to a website created by PMI, offering smokers further advice on how to quit. Ministers would have to approve the recommendations before the law is overturned. They have nine months to make a final decision on implementing the guidelines but often health officials acknowledge the evidence and move quicker. In the 66-page report, the committee made of 11 MPs described the ban on inserts in cigarette packaging as a regulatory anomaly. In its mock-up leaflets, smokers would be told 'there are more alternatives than ever before' in terms of giving up the deadly habit COULD THE 28-YEAR BAN ON SNUS BE OVERTURNED? The House of Commons Select Committee has also urged the Government to consider ending the 28 year old ban on oral tobacco product snus. Snus has been banned in this country and across the EU since 1992 amid cancer fears. But the committee has called for 'an evidence-based assessment of the case for discontinuing the ban on snus, in its new report. The product, which sees tea-bag-style pouches placed between the top lip and gum, can contain similar levels of nicotine to three cigarettes. England and Leicester striker Jamie Vardy admitted using the product in his autobiography and was pictured carrying it at Euro 2016. Snus is legal in Sweden, and has been hailed for helping smoking rates to plummet to 5 per cent in the Scandinavian country - the lowest in the EU. Professor Riccardo Polosa, a smoking researcher at the University of Catania, gave oral evidence to the Select Committee. He said 'there is a strong consensus among the scientific community that the ban on snus is entirely disproportionate. 'Without a shadow of a doubt snus is vastly safer than smoking.' Professor Gerry Stimson, of the New Nicotine Alliance charity, said: 'This report is a milestone for harm reduction.' He added that 'it is also the beginning of the end for the grotesque mistake of banning snus'. Advertisement It said: Some aspects of the regulatory system for e-cigarettes appear to be holding back their use as a stop smoking measure. A ban on advertising tobacco products has prevented manufacturers putting Pack insert information about e-cigarettes in cigarette cartons. The Government, together with the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) and the MHRA, should review all these regulatory anomalies. The committee, chaired by former health minister Norman Lamb MP, was founded to ensure Government policies are based on the most up-to-date evidence. Dr Moira Gilchrist, vice president of scientific and public communications at PMI, gave evidence to the committee about the benefits of packet inserts. She welcomed the recommendation in the final report and said the tobacco giant, based in New York, strongly supports' the guidance. Dr Gilchrist said: The relaxation of regulations would allow smokers to be informed about the health benefits of alternatives to smoking such as e-cigarettes. This would allow us to insert information about quitting or switching to smoke free alternatives - directly into cigarette packets. Much more needs to be done to ensure smokers understand alternatives, like e-cigarettes, are a much better choice than continuing to smoke cigarettes.' The ban on inserts in cigarette packets was introduced in May 2016, alongside a raft of other measures: Manufacturers were told all packets had to be the same olive green colour, with the same font, size, case and text appearance All must contain a minimum of 20 cigarettes to make sure they can carry graphic warnings that cover two thirds of the packet Packaging of hand-rolled tobacco must also be in the same drab green colour and pouches must contain a minimum of 30g of tobacco The move followed a ruling from the European Court of Justice which approved the rules in a bid to slash the number of smokers across the EU by 2.4 million. Aretha Franklin died today of one of the rarest forms of pancreatic cancer at age 76. Medical advancements have vastly improved survival rates and time alive for cancers patients in general - but tumors of the pancreas remain some of the toughest to treat. Only 20 percent of pancreatic cancer patients survive for a year after diagnosis. Just seven percent make it five years. As other forms become more curable, pancreatic cancer is climbing the ranks of deadliest cancers, reaching number three this year, and set to soon become second only to lung cancer. The Queen of Soul had surgery, most likely for a pancreatic tumor in 2010, and went on to live for another eight years. Although hers was the less deadly form, an expert told Daily Mail Online why even a power house performer with every resource at her disposal like Franklin faces such tough odds with pancreatic cancer. The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, died today at 76 after a years-long battle with pancreatic cancer, which kills 80 percent of people who get diagnosed with the disease Franklin had long struggled with her health, including battles with alcoholism that she confessed in her 1999 autobiography. But pancreatic cancer is one of the cruel diseases that does not seem to distinguish between rock-and-roll lifestyle or none. Who is struck by pancreatic cancer is largely unpredictable, according to Dr Eric Collisson, a leading University of California, San Francisco oncologist told Daily Mail Online. 'In the majority of cases, we really just don't know,' he said. The fact that Franklin was African American meant she was at a slightly elevated risk for any form of pancreatic cancer, which is also associated with obesity, smoking, diabetes and age. But there are two forms of pancreatic cancer - adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine - and Franklin had the latter. Neuroendocrine tumors account for only five percent of all pancreatic cancers. While they are less aggressive, they are also 'more heterogeneous,' said Dr Collisson. The pancreas (red) sits behind the liver and stomach, in the center of the body cavity, where it is difficult to 'feel' symptoms That means that it is harder to predict who will develop these tumors, and how the cancers will progress. Franklin's case falls into the range of 'what is totally typical,' Dr Collisson said. Both neuroendocrine and adenocarcinoma pancreatic caners are 'serious, but the kinetics are different' he explained. Both cancers are 'serious,' and often prove deadly because they get caught too late. 'The pancreas is deep in the body, so it gives very few early warning signs,' Dr Collisson said. 'There's no mammogram for it, and you don't feel your pancreas in the shower. It's so deep in the body that a cancer has very few symptoms that cause it to be discovered.' Sitting behind the liver and stomach, the pancreas is a six-inch lobe very near the center of the body cavity. 'The job of the pancreas in normal people is to make enzymes that digest your food - especially fatty food - and to make insulin and glucodone, hormones which signal other parts of the body to get ready to digest and process food,' Dr Collisson explained. 'So it's essential to digestion but it is not part of the digestive system.' This means that a pancreatic tumor won't necessarily make digestion grind to a halt. Instead, 'we usually find these tumors when they block something important in the abdomen, unless we do an abdominal CT for some other reason,' Dr Collisson said. Franklin continued to perform when she could, as in this photo from last year, but the cancer itself as well as the drugs to treat it made her weight fall beneath 90 lbs before she died 'So early detection is lacking.' Currently, there are not screening tests for pancreatic cancer, but some institutions, including Johns Hopkins University, are working to develop these. By the time doctors find these cancers, they have usually metastasized and spread to other parts of the body and become much more challenging to treat. Every year, about 55,440 people are diagnosed with the disease, and most of them do not survive more than a year. Dr Collisson said that about 80 percent of patients with adenocarcinoma, the more deadly form, already have metastases when they get diagnosed. 'Neuroendocrine tumors' like Franklin had, account for maybe one percent and 'tend to be pretty variable,' he explained. 'Some can sit around for literally decades without metastases, not causing any problems, and others start out being good actors and then transform into malevolent tumors.' Plus, chemotherapy is not very useful against these cancers. Instead, scientists are looking into other treatments that 'turn off' the cancer's effects on endocrine receptors and tamper with the body's normal functions. The latest research used immunotherapy to seemingly 'cure' lab animals of pancreatic cancer, according to the researchers' July 2018 study, but the method is far from being safe or available to humans. Drugs and the cancer itself can cause dramatic weight loss like Franklin had - dropping to under 90 lbs before her but ultimately they are really treating the symptom more than the cancers and few survive. TAKE NOTHING WITH YOU by Patrick Gale (Tinder Press 18.99) TAKE NOTHING WITH YOU by Patrick Gale (Tinder Press 18.99) Patrick Gales experience as a child who found salvation and a sense of belonging in music deeply informs this, his 16th novel. Growing up in Weston-super-Mare, sensitive Eustace has always felt out of place, until his mother signs him up for lessons with an inspirational cello teacher. Soon, Eustace can think of little else except his hopeful, fumbling relationship with his best friend, Vernon and becomes good enough at the cello for his parents to send him on a summer residency at a highly exclusive music camp (but not good enough to gain a permanent place). Told in flashbacks as Eustace, in late middle-age and facing a cancer diagnosis, looks back on a life that ended up not involving music at all, it proceeds with the partial, unresolved structure of memory itself. Some aspects of Eustaces life, specifically the actions of his possibly bisexual mother, are never made fully clear. Gale is excellent on the hot, messy nature of self-discovery and sexual awakening, but curiously not so good at writing about music. The extensive detailing of Eustaces relationship with the cello is precisely where the novel refuses to sing. ALL AMONG THE BARLEY by Melissa Harrison (Bloomsbury 16.99) ALL AMONG THE BARLEY by Melissa Harrison (Bloomsbury 16.99) Fast emerging as one of our finest nature writers, Melissa Harrison combines a deep knowledge of our rural landscape with an unsentimental understanding of how our environment informs the way we live. Her third novel takes place in a Suffolk village in the Thirties, where the teenage narrator, Edie, a farmers daughter, has become transfixed by a glamorous Londoner, Constance. The woman is visiting the village to record the old ways of rural life before they disappear for ever. Readers become aware of Constances more sinister political allegiances long before Edie does, but although Harrison is interesting on the history of rural fascism in England before the war, she is absolutely excellent at evoking the byways, misunderstandings and sexual crisis of adolescence. She also has fun skewering the modern fetishising of rural life. At times the plot feels a bit overcrowded, but its a still a beautiful and wholly tragic novel. BELLEVUE SQUARE BELLEVUE SQUARE by Michael Redhill (No Exit Press 8.99) by Michael Redhill (No Exit Press 8.99) If Paul Auster were to turn his hand to grip-lit, the result might look something like this slow-burning mind-boggler from Canadian writer Michael Redhill. When Jean, who works in a bookshop in Toronto, is told by a new acquaintance she has a doppelganger called Ingrid, Jean is determined to track her down but then the acquaintance is murdered. Another customer who claims to have seen Ingrid is then found hanged in his apartment. Soon, Jean becomes obsessed with her phantom self, staking out Bellevue Square, a former hangout for misfits, drug addicts and the mentally ill, where Ingrid has been seen many times. She grows detached from her husband and two sons, who are convinced Jean is having a mental breakdown. By radically scrambling the construct of selfhood and, with it, the stability of narrative, the novel ends up resembling an M. C. Escher painting, with plot strands that double-back on themselves. Theres plenty of fun to be had in this, the first in a projected trilogy, but you might find the frustrations outweigh the pleasures. ALL THE HIDDEN TRUTHS by Claire Askew (Hodder 12.99) ALL THE HIDDEN TRUTHS by Claire Askew (Hodder 12.99) This stunning debut from a poet won prizes as a work in progress and richly deserves them. It is a searing story of a college shooting in Edinburgh. One May morning, 20-year-old Ryan Summers walks on to a college campus and kills 13 young women, then himself. These horrifying events are seen through the eyes of three women: Moira, Ryans mother; Ishbel Hodgekiss, the mother of the first victim; and the newly promoted DI Helen Birch, one of the first officers at the scene. All three women are transformed by the tragedy as they try to piece together a motive. Slowly, dark truths emerge from the undergrowth of Ryans life. Compellingly written, in DI Birch it also has a heroine you cant help but root for. RESIN by Ane Riel (Doubleday 12.99) RESIN by Ane Riel (Doubleday 12.99) This haunting, claustrophobic novel about love and obsession was a sensation when it first appeared in Denmark. It tells the story of an isolated family living on a tiny Danish island called the Head. The principal narrator, Liv, was six years old when she died or at least when her father, Jens, told the authorities she had died in an accident. In fact, shes helping her father in his workshop on the edge of the forest while her overweight mother languishes at home in bed. Indeed, Liv was there when Jens smothered her grandmother and set fire to her corpse. This chilling story is told from a variety of viewpoints, including Livs and her grandmothers, and through Livs mothers letters. It slyly reveals the history of a fractured family that no one is allowed to leave because of Jenss fixation that he alone can keep them safe. This is a moving tale of a love that morphs into madness. INVISIBLE CITY by Julia Dahl (Faber 7.99) INVISIBLE CITY by Julia Dahl (Faber 7.99) When this novel was first published in the U.S., it became an instant success, and was followed rapidly by two more books featuring trainee New York Tribune reporter Rebekah Roberts. This is magnificent story-telling set against the backdrop of a closed, secretive community of Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn exactly the same neighbourhood in which Rebekahs own mother, who abandoned her when she was a baby, was brought up. Those two strands of the story coalesce, but it opens with the discovery of a womans naked body in a scrap yard. The corpse is then spirited away by the communitys undertakers and is set to be buried without a post-mortem examination. Roberts is determined to get to the bottom of who killed the woman, who turns out to have been married to one of the most significant figures in the Hasidic community. Would you consider buying a second hand electric car not knowing what condition the battery is in? According to a new survey, Britons are more willing to take that risk with a used electric car than they are with a second hand laptop or mobile phone. Three quarters of us would consider a used electric vehicle, compared to just 63 per cent who would purchase a refurbished laptop and 45 per cent who'd have a hand-me-down smartphone, research shows. Second hand electric car? A new study found that more Britons would be comfortable with the idea of a used battery-electric vehicle than a used laptop or phone The research conducted by automotive retailer Peter Vardy is part of a wider study into Britons' perception of owning a used electric car as more models enter the market. Of 1,000 people surveyed, 76 per cent said they'd be comfortable purchasing an electric vehicle that had already been owned by someone else. They'd be enticed by the environmental benefits and cheaper running costs of a zero-emissions model, the study found. For the remaining 24 per cent who voted against the idea of buying a second hand electric car, the main stumbling blocks were the high price of vehicles - even on the used market - and concerns about the battery life after a previous owner has been driving and charging it for a sustained period. Others noted that they're not bowled over by the looks of electric cars in general, while some commented that they were concerned about the technology already being old or outdated. Some manufacturers have gone to lengths to make the prospect of buying a second-hand vehicle less daunting. Renault, for example, offers its electric cars - like the Zoe - separately from the battery. A buyer can either purchase the vehicle and battery pack outright or pay for the vehicle and lease the battery with a monthly fee separately. If the battery capacity deteriorates with time, it can then be replaced at no cost to the driver. Three quarters of the panel said they'd buy a second-hand electric car, even if they didn't know the condition of the battery after use by the first keeper The Zoe also happens to be the fastest appreciating used car of the moment. Analysis by valuations experts HPI found that 11 second-hand cars have increased in value in the last year, with the Zoe going up by 30 per cent. Had you bought one of the small plug-in cars in July 2017 for 6,300 and spent the past year putting 12,000 miles on the clock, it would be worth 1,900 more on average today, according to the research. The report comes after it was revealed that the VW Group may have to recall 124,000 electric and plug-in hybrid cars it built between 2013 and last month because they contain a toxic metal. Cadmium - a poisonous material that's been linked to increasing the risk of lung cancer - has been found in the charger components of Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche plug-in models, halting production at the car-maker's factories immediately. The German Federal Transport Authority, Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt is now in discussions with the manufacturer concerning a recall of the cars it has already sold to motorists. There's a wide variety of choice when it comes to used electric models on the market today Consumers said they would be more concerned that a used laptop or phone would have limited battery life In contrast to how people felt about used electric cars in the research, battery concerns were top of the issues most had with second-hand tech devices, especially those who feared battery deterioration due to previous use. While three quarters were happy to buy a handed-down electric car, plenty were dubious that pre-owned battery-powered computers and phones wouldn't have the same longevity and lifespan of a new ones and were worried that they might be close to breaking or soon become obsolete. Interestingly, these battery concerns were not mentioned regarding electric vehicles when the panel was surveyed. Experts estimate that battery packs in electric cars won't need to be replaced for between 10 and 20 years or when the car vehicle has covered around 150,000 miles. Figures released in 2015 showed that out of 35,000 Nissan Leafs sold in Europe by that time, just 0.01 per cent - which accounted for three - of battery units had failed. Replacing a battery pack for a Leaf costs around 5,000. The Nissan Leaf (pictured) has been on sale in the UK since 2010, meaning there are plenty of used examples around Renault has been offering customers the choice of renting the battery for the electric cars the French brand sells Claire Rogan, digital marketing manager at Peter Vardy, said the growing number of high-profile motor manufacturers producing electric models was central to the growing consumer trust with battery-electric cars. 'Electric vehicles may once have been thought of as clunky and slow, but there has been a huge amount of advancements in terms of aesthetics and technology to these cars in recent years,' she said. 'Today, there are some sought-after models available, like the BMW i8 Coupe and Roadster, Porsche Panamera and Jaguar I-Pace, which have also really altered consumers opinions. 'The positive impact these vehicles are set to have on the planet, and the potential improvements that EVs can offer to both the consumer and such a wide variety of industries, really is quite monumental.' Homebase has bolstered its leadership team with two heavyweight DIY industry appointments as it gets started on an major turnaround under new ownership. The retailer has hired Grant Anderson a former divisional director at its main rival B&Q to be its new operations director, and Dave Elliott whose career spans both B&Q and Homebase as commercial director. Anderson parted ways with B&Q earlier this year after a 30-year tenure, and will be no stranger to Homebase's chief executive Damian McGloughlin, who served more than three decades at the Kingfisher-owned firm before switching allegiances last year. Homebase is planning to close 42 stores through a CVA and has closed 16 already this year Elliott also served eight years at B&Q, prior to joining Homebase in 2012 as trading director. He is returning to the DIY chain now, after two years at Loch Retail Consultancy. The two new directors will take up the posts this month, and work alongside McGloughlin and finance chief Andy Coleman to help restore the underperforming chain's fortunes. The embattled DIY retailer launched proposals earlier this week to shutter 42 stores through a Company Voluntary Arrangement, leaving 1,500 jobs hanging in the balance, just weeks after 303 roles were axed at Homebase's head office. The CVA is subject to a landlords' vote on August 31. This controversial form of restructuring, also adopted by the likes of Carpetright and New Look this year, will also mean reduced rents on nearly half of Homebase's 241 stores. Commenting on the store closure plans, McGloughlin said: 'Homebase has been one of the most recognisable retail brands for almost 40 years, but the reality is we need to continue to take decisive action to address the underperformance of the business and deal with the burden of our cost base, as well as to protect thousands of jobs. Under Wesfarmers ownership, Homebase stores lost their concessions and soft furnishings 'The CVA is therefore an essential measure for the business to take and will enable us to refocus our operations and rebuild our offer for the years ahead.' The DIY chain, which employs 11,000 people, was handed over to HMV-owner Hilco earlier this year for a nominal 1, after a disastrous two years of ownership under Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers. Wesfarmers hoped to cull the Homebase brand and replace it with its popular Bunnings Warehouse fascia. However, it botched the mission, causing sales and profits to plummet. The Australians took a hit of 794million on the failed UK venture, which contributed to a 58 per cent decline in Wesfarmers' group full-year profits. The competition watchdog has written to a string of celebrities and social media 'influencers' to find out whether they are disclosing their paid-for posts properly. Businesses grappling to advertise their wares to the biggest audience possible often harness the popularity of social media stars to promote their latest must-have item. Celebrities can be paid huge sums of money to post about a particular brand or product range. The problem comes when consumers are left unclear about whether that celebrity has posted as part of a paid-for promotion or simply rates a particular product themselves. Properly disclosed: The CMA wants to knows if celebrities are declaring their paid-for-posts To try and clear up this murky area, the Competition and Markets Authority has launched an investigation into whether influencers are 'clearly and accurately' identifying any commercial relationships or simply misleading consumers. None of the celebrities or influencers involved have been named. The CMA said it had seen examples of social media posts which appear to promote or endorse products 'without clearly stating if the post has been paid for' or 'offer the celebrity's personal opinion on the benefit of a product without clearly disclosing if they are being paid by the brand'. George Lusty, senior director for consumer protection at the CMA, said: 'Social media stars can have a big influence on what their followers do and buy. 'If people see clothes, cosmetics, a car, or a holiday being plugged by someone they admire, they might be swayed into buying it. 'So, it's really important they are clearly told whether a celebrity is promoting a product because they have bought it themselves, or because they have been paid or thanked in some way by the brand.' As part of its investigation, the CMA is asking consumers to share their experiences of brand-pushing celebrity posts and said it was interested in hearing from people who had purchased products which were endorsed on social media. Letters: The competition watchdog has written to a string of celebrities and influencers In a statement, the CMA said: 'Online endorsements from celebrities and influencers can help brands reach target audiences and boost sales. 'Where influencers are paid or rewarded to promote, review or talk about a product in their social media feeds, consumer protection law requires that this must be made clear.' The CMA's investigation centres on consumer protection law, and, specifically, the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Poll Have you ever been tempted to buy something because it was endorsed by a celebrity on social media? Yes No Have you ever been tempted to buy something because it was endorsed by a celebrity on social media? Yes 8 votes No 31 votes Now share your opinion Under these laws, it is not permitted to use editorial content in the media to promote a product where a trader has paid for the promotion without making that clear in the content or by images or sounds clearly identifiable to the consumer. Today's investigation announcement comes after the CMA's earlier work from 2015 and beyond into online reviews and endorsements. As part of this earlier work, four companies, including an online clothing retailer, gave the CMA undertakings to ensure that their online advertising was clearly labelled or otherwise identified so that it was distinguishable from the opinions of bloggers or journalists. An update into the CMA's latest celebrity and influencer investigation is expected at the end of the year. Ruth Burstall, an IP lawyer at Baker McKenzie, told This is Money: 'Today's announcement sees the CMA seeking to plug a legal gap for what is a largely unregulated area. 'As the popularity of social media and influencer advertising has grown, regulators such as the Advertising Standards Authority have had to play catch up to apply advertising regulations to this newer advertising medium.' In focus: The CMA's investigation centres on UK consumer protection law In January, a separate watchdog slammed TV star Stephanie Davis over an Instagram post that hid the fact it was a paid-for advert for a vitamins company. Miss Davis, 24, was slapped on the wrist by the Advertising Standard Authority for advertising Convits vitamins. The post on August 10 said: 'Just wanted to let you all know about @convitsuk - a great daily vitamin & mineral company I have just started using ... Get your exclusive 50% off online today with code STEPH50.' A 'heartbreaking' tribute has been created in honour of the Australian boy killed in an ISIS terrorist attack in Barcelona as the anniversary of his tragic death draws near. On August 17, 2017, seven-year-old Sydney boy Julian Cadman was one of 13 people killed when a van ploughed into crowds in the Spanish city's Las Ramblas district. The schoolboy became separated from his mother Jumarie - known as 'Jom' - in the terrifying panic. His devastated mother wanted to use photos of Julian dressed in superhero costumes as a way of remembering her beloved son. Melbourne-based artist Karen Alsop helped Ms Cadman create a poster and video to honour Julian's memory a year after his death. Scroll down for video A 'heartbreaking' tribute has been created in honour of the Australian boy killed in an ISIS terrorist attack in Barcelona as the anniversary of his tragic death draws near On August 17, 2017, Sydney youngster Julian Cadman, seven, was one of 13 people killed when a van ploughed into crowds in the Spanish city's Las Ramblas district Melbourne-based artist Karen Alsop (left) helped Ms Cadman (right) create a poster and video to honour Julian's memory a year after his death 'This video celebrates the life this beautiful child, a tribute for a precious life lost in unimaginable circumstances,' Ms Alsop said. 'I cannot begin to imagine what this family is going through.' Ms Alsop said Mrs Cadman and her husband Andrew want the video to be 'shared far and wide'. 'It has helped their healing. Jom hopes for others to find hope through her journey to find peace after her loss.' Ms Alsop said Julian was a fan of Marvel superheroes, and contacted her to create a poster featuring her son wearing his favourite costumes. Mrs Cadman said the poster has helped her come to terms with her son's death. 'He will forever be remembered with his sweet smile that melts the whole world's heart,' she said. The finished poster featured Julian as Captain America, Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Hawkeye and Thor. 'I can't describe this, I don't even know how to describe this. It's amazing,' Mrs Cadman said. Ms Alsop also organised a song to be recorded in Julian's memory. Mrs Cadman and her son had been in Spain for a cousin's wedding, where Julian was going to be a page boy. Julian's father Andrew was back home in Sydney when news of the attack broke and organised to get the next plane to Spain to be with his wife and son. Mrs Cadman said the poster has helped her come to terms with her son's death He arrived to the devastating news that his son was dead. A statement released on behalf of the family at the time described as Julian as much loved and adored. 'He was so energetic, funny and cheeky, always bringing a smile to our faces. We are so blessed to have had him in our lives and will remember his smiles and hold his memory dear to our hearts.' Ms Alsop photoshopped the photos and flew to Sydney deliver the artwork to the family. 'He brought heartbreak, unity and love to the whole world but at home he was a different kind of superhero. For us, his kind, caring heart, and the way he was always grateful for everything he had made him more powerful than all his favourite Marvel characters combined,' Mrs Cadman told news.com.au. Ms Alsop said Julian was a fan of Marvel superheroes, and contacted her to create a poster featuring her son wearing his favourite costumes 'Julian has loved superheroes since he was five years old and adored dressing as Ironman, Captain America, Thor and the Hulk. Sometimes we couldn't even get him out of the costumes, because he loved them so much.' Ms Alsop described the project as the hardest, most difficult project she had done to to date. 'Through their grief, I know that my gift has brought some healing,' she posted on social media. 'I treasure my new friendship with this family and ask for your prayers for them as they work through the anniversary of Julian's passing.' Ms Alsop has set up a Go Fund Me page to raise funds so she can continue to create custom art pieces for the terminally ill and families that have faced devastation. A day after Twitter gave right-wing conspiratorialist Alex Jones a weeklong timeout, CEO Jack Dorsey is mulling deeper changes to the social media service that might limit the spread of fake news, misinformation and hate speech. Twitter joined other prominent tech companies in muzzling Jones, the founder of the Infowars site, who has used Twitter and other social outlets to spread false information. Twitter had resisted the move despite public pressure, but the holdout lasted less than two weeks. Scroll down for video Dorsey told the Washington Post that he is exploring changes to core elements of Twitter's service that could promote alternative perspectives in its timeline WHAT IS A TWITTER TIMEOUT? Alex Jones account has been placed in read-only mode for seven days. Twitter confirmed he can still browse Twitter posts, but can't interact with other users by tweeting, retweeting or liking posts. Jones was also required to delete the offending tweet, which included a snippet of video, Twitter said. Advertisement 'They seem to be reacting to the backlash they received when so many other companies in Silicon Valley ended up taking action,' said Keegan Hankes, research analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project, who focuses on far right extremist propaganda online. 'It's illustrative of a broader trend of reactive enforcement' by the companies, he added. Then on Wednesday, Dorsey told the Washington Post that he is exploring changes to core elements of Twitter's service that could promote alternative perspectives in its timeline. The move could address falsehoods, conspiracy theories and other misinformation, and might also reduce online 'echo chambers,' in which users are exposed mostly to viewpoints they already agree with. The CEO said the 'most important thing that we can do' is to revisit the incentives Twitter uses to shape how people behave on the service. 'Because they do express a point of view of what we want people to do - and I don't think they are correct anymore,' he said Twitter later confirmed Dorsey's comments. Dorsey said Twitter is also exploring ways to label automated accounts, known as 'bots,' which are often used to inflate follower counts or to amplify harassment or false accusations on the service. (Many bots also have benign uses.) The executive told the Post that Twitter hasn't reconsidered its core incentives, designed to keep users engaged and interactive, in the dozen years of its existence. 'We often turn to policy to fix a lot of these issues, but I think that is only treating surface-level symptoms that we are seeing,' he said. The situation with Jones may be illustrative. Late Tuesday, Twitter said it had 'limited' Jones' personal account for seven days because he had violated the company's rules. Jones won't be able to tweet or retweet, though he will be able to browse Twitter. The company would not comment on what the offending post said. But in a video posted Wednesday to the Twitter account for Infowars, Jones said the company suspended him and may shut him down completely because he violated its rules by posting a 'video I shot last night saying (President Donald) Trump should do something about the censorship of the internet.' FILE - In this April 19, 2017, file photo, Alex Jones, a right-wing radio host and conspiracy theorist, arrives at the courthouse in Austin, Texas. 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. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP, File) Later Wednesday, Twitter put the Infowars account on the same seven-day timeout as Jones, apparently for posting the same video. Paul Joseph Watson, the editor-at-large for Infowars, posted a screenshot of a Twitter notice that said Jones had his account 'temporarily limited' because he violated its rules against 'targeted harassment of someone, or (inciting) other people to do so.' The video is no longer available on Twitter or Periscope, where Jones posted it. But it is still up elsewhere on the web. In it, Jones says people 'need to have their battle rifles and everything ready at their bedsides and you got to be ready because the media is so disciplined in their deception.' This punishment is light compared with that leveled by Apple, YouTube and Spotify, which permanently removed material Jones had published. Facebook, meanwhile, suspended him for 30 days and took down four of his pages, including two for Infowars. Dorsey had originally defended his company's decision not to ban Jones, tweeting that Jones 'hasn't violated our rules' but if he does 'we'll enforce.' 'We're going to hold Jones to the same standard we hold to every account, not taking one-off actions to make us feel good in the short term, and adding fuel to new conspiracy theories,' Dorsey tweeted on Aug. 7, after the other companies took action against Jones. The apparent change of heart reflects a Twitter still hanging onto its roots as a free-wheeling Wild West of the internet in an age where online words can have serious real-life consequences. Along with other social media companies, it is now grappling with how to enforce sometimes vague rules without appearing partisan and while leaning toward promoting, rather than curbing, free speech. When deciding what the rules are and how to enforce them - especially when it comes to gray areas - they are up against both conservatives and liberals claiming bias and feeling silenced. There are also users who often just want to post about their daily lives, and even against their own employees, be they free speech absolutists or those who feel people like Jones do not deserve an online megaphone. 'The platforms cannot win because some constituency will be offended no matter what they do,' said Nathaniel Persily, a Stanford law professor. Twitter, Hankes said, is either underequipped or unwilling to enforce its written rules, instead embracing the idea of an online free-speech utopia. But, he added, 'the unchecked use of these platforms by bad actors does not make utopia.' Former NSA contractor Reality Winner, 26, faces the 'longest sentence' ever for a federal crime involving leaks after she sent a top secret report to a media outlet, pictured above following her June 2017 arrest A Former National Security Agency contractor leaked a report believed to be on Russian hacks and the 2016 US election to a media outlet - and now she faces the 'longest sentence' ever for a federal crime involving leaks. Georgia woman Reality Winner, 26, will be sentenced on August 23 by US District Court Judge J. Randal Hall. In June she pleaded guilty to a single count of transmitting national security information while she worked in Augusta as a translator. The former Air Force linguist is fluent in Arabic and Farsi and was working at a NSA facility with top-secret security clearance when she allegedly copied and mailed a classified report on Russian hacks and the US 2016 election to a media outlet. Winner has a plea deal with prosecutors calling for five years and three months (63 months) behind bars. But the sentencing judge isn't bound by that agreement. Her crime carries a maximum penalty of 10 years. Her tough punishment is a part of the Trump administration's and Attorney General Jeff Session's crack down on government employees leaking sensitive information to the media. She pleaded guilty to single count of transmitting national security information and she will be sentenced on August 23 in court in Augusta, Georgia, pictured on June 26, 2018 Federal prosecutors say that Winner's 63 month sentence they're recommending is stiff enough to deter other government workers from leaking confidential information, according to a Tuesday court filing. 'The government advises the Court that despite the agreed-upon sentence being below the applicable guidelines range, it would be the longest sentence served by a federal defendant for an unauthorized disclosure to the media,' the prosecutors wrote. Prosecutors also listed past cases where former government workers who leaked information faced years behind bars. In 2013, former FBI explosives expert Donald Sachtleben was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison for leaking secret information including a tip given to the Associated Press for a story about a US operation in Yemen in 2012. In 2015, former CIA officer Jeffrey Sterling was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for leaking details of a secret mission to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions. Also in 2013 CIA veteran John Kiriakou received two and a half years in prison for leaking a covert officer's identity to a reporter. Winner was working at a NSA facility with top-secret security clearance when she allegedly copied and mailed a classified report on Russian hacks and the US 2016 election to a media outlet Her stern sentencing is a part of a Trump administration crack down on government employees leaking sensitive information to the media With these examples, Winner's defense lawyers said in a court filing on Wednesday that prior leak prosecutions resulted in less jail time than her plea deal agreement, 'including cases where the factual conduct, and information leaked, was arguably worse.' Prosecutors also noted their plea deal with Winner allowed the US government to avoid disclosing secret information in a public courtroom. If Winner stood trial, they said, they'd be forced to reveal the classified report she leaked and have witnesses explain its contents. 'The Intelligence Community assessed that this further disclosure of the Intelligence Report and explaining its contents would compound the exceptionally grave harm to national security already caused by the defendant,' the prosecutors' court filing said. Although authorities never described the report Winner leaked nor the news organization that received it, her June 2017 arrest aligned with the day online newspaper The Intercept published an article on a classified NSA report. The report suggested Russian hackers attacked the US voting software supplier prior to the 2016 election. The NSA report was dated May 5, the same as the document Winner had leaked. America 'was never that great' and won't be great until all Americans share true equality, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday in a speech blasting Republican President Donald Trump and his slogan, 'Make America Great Again.' Cuomo, who is considered a potential White House contender in 2020, made the remarks at a bill signing event in Manhattan. He said Trump wants to return to a period of greater sexism, racism and intolerance toward immigrants. He said New York would strive to be a liberal alternative where people of all backgrounds have the same opportunities. 'We're not going to make America great again - it was never that great,' said Cuomo, who is running for a third term this November. '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 per cent of our population, is gone and every womans full potential is realized and unleashed and every woman is making her full contribution,' he said. America 'was never that great' and won't be great until all Americans share true equality, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday in a speech blasting Republican President Donald Trump and his slogan, 'Make America Great Again' The crowd at the event reacted with surprised gasps and laughter to the comments, which were highly unusual for a politician of Cuomo's stature and experience 'We have not reached greatness. We will reach greatness when every American is fully engaged.' The crowd at the event reacted with surprised gasps and laughter to the comments, which were highly unusual for a politician of Cuomo's stature and experience. Trump blasted Cuomo in a Wednesday night tweet, writing: 'WERE NOT GONG TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, IT WAS NEVER THAT GREAT. Can you believe this is the Governor of the Highest Taxed State in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown!' But Cuomo shot back with a tweet of his own aimed at Trump. Trump blasted Cuomo in a Wednesday night tweet, writing: 'WERE NOT GONG TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, IT WAS NEVER THAT GREAT. Can you believe this is the Governor of the Highest Taxed State in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown!' 'Make America Great Again' was Trump's campaign slogan during throughout 2015 and 2016 But Cuomo shot back with a tweet of his own aimed at Trump late Wednesday night 'What you say would be "great again" would not be great at all...We will not go back to discrimination, segregation, sexism, isolationism, racism or the KKK,' the governor tweeted late Wednesday. 'Like NY's motto says: Excelsior - Ever Upward (not backward).' Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law who also serves in her role as senior adviser to his 2020 campaign, joined the fray, saying: 'Today, Andrew Cuomo showed his true, pessimistic colors when he defamed America as a country that was "never that great." 'Yet, the vast majority of Americans believe in America as the "last best hope of earth." 'America is not only the most prosperous and generous country to ever exist, it has lifted millions out of poverty and continuously sacrifices for the freedom of others. 'And President Trump is leading us on the path to greatness like weve never seen before, with a booming economy thats creating millions of jobs, record unemployment and wage growth, the lowest female unemployment in 65 years; as well as new paths to peace, and so much more. 'Donald Trumps eternal optimism about America is what people value in a leader committed to delivering real solutions for our country.' Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive who faces Cuomo in this year's election,' said: 'America, with its imperfections, has always been great. 'Mr. Cuomo owes the nation an apology. He should be ashamed of himself.' Conservatives on Twitter were outraged over Cuomo's remarks. They lambasted the New York governor, saying he destroyed his chances for the White House in 2020 Joe Walsh, a former Congressman and a staunch conservative, said Cuomo's comments were 'shameful' Kayleigh McEnany, a spokesperson for the Republican Party, also weighed in Brian Kolb, the minority leader of the state Assembly, tweeted that Cuomo's remark was 'inexcusable & reprehensible.' Conservatives on Twitter were outraged over Cuomo's remarks. They lambasted the New York governor, saying he destroyed his chances for the White House in 2020. Joe Walsh, a former Congressman and a staunch conservative, said Cuomo's comments were 'shameful'. Kayleigh McEnany, a spokesperson for the Republican Party, also weighed in, calling Cuomo's comments 'outrageous.' A spokeswoman for Cuomo later backtracked on the governor's comments in a statement seeking to clarify the point he was making. Mark Harris tweeted that Cuomo has little chance of being the Democratic nominee for president Cuomo faces former Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon in next month's Democratic primary. Nixon also reacted to Cuomo's comments, saying: 'I think this is just another example of Andrew Cuomo trying to figure out what a progressive sounds like and missing by a mile' 'The governor believes America is great and that her full greatness will be fully realized when every man, woman, and child has full equality,' Cuomo 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 war of words between Cuomo and Trump, a native New Yorker, escalated in recent days when Trump, on a visit to upstate New York, said Cuomo had called him and promised not to challenge Trump in 2020. Cuomo denied the president's account. Cuomo faces former Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon in next month's Democratic primary. Nixon also reacted to Cuomo's comments, saying: 'I think this is just another example of Andrew Cuomo trying to figure out what a progressive sounds like and missing by a mile.' The credibility of a woman who claims to have been raped by hotel entrepreneur Steve Wynn has come into question after she filed court documents that were peppered with extraordinary lies. Halina Kuta filed a police report against Wynn in February claiming that he raped her in Chicago in the 1970s, impregnating her. She claimed she went on to give birth to the girl in the bathroom of a gas station. The police report did not contain her name but it did include details that she had once claimed to be married to Wynn and that she believed she was his daughter Kevyn's mother. Halina Kuta, 71, filed a police report against Wynn in February claiming that he raped her in the 1970s. He sued her for defamation and as part of that lawsuit, she filed a sworn affidavit of facts which is riddled with factual inaccuracies and impossibilities Kuta filed it after unsuccessfully suing Wynn making the same claims. In April, claiming the AP had defamed him, Wynn sued the news outlet along with Kuta and the reporter who penned the story. As part of that lawsuit, she has been required to provide a sworn statement of facts. It is littered with discrepancies of times, dates and places. Among the most outlandish claims she makes in it is that she was the model for Picasso's masterpiece, Le Reve, which was painted in 1932, 15 years before 71-year-old Kuta was born. Elsewhere, she claims she and Wynn got married and had other children but that she cannot remember their names. In an interview with the AP earlier this month, she admitted: 'You keep asking do I remember the dates and I can't remember. Among the woman's claims is that she was the model for this 1932 Picasso masterpiece, Le Reve. Kuta, however, was born 15 years after it was painted 'Yes, I don't remember everything. My brain don't work as good as it should. When interviewed earlier this year, the woman said she 'doesn't remember everything' On Tuesday, a judge ruled that the AP was fair in its initial report because her name was redacted in the police report it obtained via a freedom of information request. Lawyers representing the AP said the ruling effectively ends the case against the AP and its reporter. It does not resolve the suit against Kuta. Wynn's lawyers said they would review the judge's order but they expected to appeal. Wynn has consistently denied sexual misconduct allegations after the Wall Street Journal reported in January that several women said he harassed or assaulted them. He resigned February 6 as chairman and CEO of Wynn Resorts. His lawsuit against Kuta and The AP did not address the other police report on which the AP story reported, which involved a former employee. Kuta said in the affidavit she is 71 and lives in Laguna Vista, Texas. She says she married Wynn in Poland in 1963, according to documents filed in the defamation case. She is representing herself in the lawsuit filed by Wynn, and said she retired in November 2016 after working nearly 11 years in the accounting department at Wynn Resorts. Wynn lawyer L. Lin Wood and Wynn Resorts executive Michael Weaver declined to say if Kuta worked for the company. Huta also claimed that she was Kevyn Wynn's mother. Kevyn is Steve's daughter with Elaine Wynn (above together) Earlier this year, a federal judge in Las Vegas dismissed a separate lawsuit that Kuta filed in 2017 against Wynn in which she accused him of orchestrating the July 1993 kidnapping of his daughter, Kevyn Wynn. Kuta claimed Kevyn Wynn is her daughter with Wynn, but when pressed in an interview with AP she acknowledged that she has no evidence to back that up. Kuta filed a document in state court last week in the current Wynn case seeking a DNA sample from Kevyn Wynn. Wynn's lawyers have said in court documents that Steve and Elaine Wynn's daughter, Kevyn Wynn, was born in 1967 in Washington, D.C., several years before Kuta claimed she was raped by Wynn in either 1973 or 1974. In dismissing Kuta's 2017 lawsuit, U.S. Magistrate Judge Carl W. Hoffman called her claims 'incoherent, describing a clearly fanciful or delusional scenario.' A 29-year-old central Michigan man has pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the deaths of three children following a collision between their horse-drawn buggy and a pickup truck. Brandon King pleaded guilty in a Montcalm County court on Tuesday - the same day he was charged - to misdemeanor moving violation charges. He faces up to a year in jail for the most serious counts. Sentencing hasn't been scheduled. Prosecutor Andrea Krause tells The Grand Rapids Press the charging decision was based on evidence and conversations with the family. A scene photo from the October 29, 2017 horse-drawn buggy and a pickup truck crash is shown. Brandon King, 29, pleaded guilty in a Montcalm County court on Tuesday to charges in connection to the deaths of three children Authorities say the children and their Mennonite family were going to worship services when a truck crashed into their buggy near Sheridan The two vehicles were traveling east when the truck collided with the buggy 'Sometimes charging decisions take time based on the amount of information needed through the investigation and the availability to consult with the family,' Krause said. Authorities say the children and their Mennonite family were going to worship services October 29, 2017 when a truck crashed into their buggy near Sheridan. The two vehicles were traveling east when the truck collided with the buggy. Prosecutor Andrea Krause said the charging decision was based on evidence and conversations with the family Three children died and six others were injured as a result of the crash Three siblings, Cameron Seth, 11, Kayla Beth, 9, and Kendra Jane, 7, tragically died in the morning crash. Their parents, Paul Martin, 40, and Judith Martin, 34, survived the crash but suffered serious injuries. Four other children in the buggy, Alex, 8, Ammon, 3, Calvin, 2, and Trina, 1, also suffered non-fatal injuries. The driver of the pickup was not injured, and troopers say he was cooperative following the crash. The surviving family members did not speak out about King's plea. A man swimming off Cape Cod was attacked by a shark on Wednesday and was airlifted to a hospital. It was the first shark attack on a human at the popular summer tourist destination since 2012. The victim was a 61-year-old man, who suffered puncture wounds to his torso and legs, said Gary Sharpless, assistant harbormaster in Truro. The attack happened around 4pm at Long Nook Beach in Truro, on the Atlantic Ocean side of the peninsula, he told The Associated Press. The man was taken by a medical flight to a hospital for treatment. Truro fire chief Timothy Collins said the victim was 'conscious and talking.' A man is transferred from a Truro ambulance to a MedFlight helicopter after being attacked by a shark, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 in South Wellfleet, Massachusetts 'We're hoping for the best,' he told the Cape Cod Times. Truro police described the shark attack as unconfirmed and did not release the victim's name or hometown. But Truro's website said the beach was closed until further notice, and workers put up signs that read, 'Danger, No Swimming.' Numerous shark sightings have been reported in the area this summer, including several involving great whites, the species immortalized in the 'Jaws' movies. There was no confirmation that Wednesday's attack involved a great white shark. The newspaper said witnesses noticed the man swimming far off the beach. A MedFlight helicopter takes off from behind Cape Cod National Seashore headquarters with a man who was attacked by a shark, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 in South Wellfleet The man was taken by a medical flight to a hospital for treatment. Truro fire chief Timothy Collins said the victim was 'conscious and talking' The area is a feeding ground for seals, which draw sharks. Witnesses said at least 10 seals were seen in the area before the attack. An organization that studies sharks, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, said shark encounters in which people are injured are as 'terrifying as they are rare.' 'While we still don't know all of the details of this particular bite, sharks are not known to target people specifically and when they do bite people it's usually a case of mistaken identity,' the group said in a statement. 'Sharks 'test the waters' with their teeth, much like we use our hands. It's how they determine if what they encounter is prey or something to avoid.' Truro was the site of the last shark attack on Cape Cod, in July 2012, when a Colorado man on Ballston Beach suffered a bite that required 47 stitches. Massachusetts' last shark attack fatality was in 1936. More than 100,000 people are calling for global beverage giant Asahi to stop bottling a small Victorian town's water - as Australia battles through a crippling drought. A petition started by consumer advocates SumOfUs called for Japanese company Asahi to stop extracting and selling water from Stanley in Victoria's north-east. Asahi - the producer of popular brands Pepsi, Schweppes, Gatorade and Solo in Australia - uses the water for its Mountain H2O product. The calls came as the country suffers through one of the more intense droughts of the past century, and estimates from the Bureau of Meteorology indicate the big dry will become more intense in Victoria in coming months. Scroll down for video A petition started by consumer advocates SumOfUs is calling for Japanese company Asahi to stop extracting and selling water from Stanley (pictured) in Victoria's north-east The petition comes as Australia battles through a record-breaking drought (pictured) Asahi - the producer of popular brands Pepsi, Schweppes, Gatorade and Solo in Australia - uses the water for its Mountain H2O product The town has a population of just 400 people, and in April residents were forced to pay $90,000 in costs after a failed legal attempt to stop a farmer from selling 19million litres of water to Asahi. Stanley sits in Victoria's Indigo Shire, and local mayor Jenny O'Connor said the council will continue to fight what it believes is an 'irresponsible use of water'. 'This is about a tiny rural community taking on a multinational with basically unlimited resources,' she said. 'Water is the most precious thing we have and diverting it away from food production, in a region reliant on agriculture, is unconscionable.' Stanley Rural Community chairman Ed Tyrie said residents were 'standing up against corporate bullying'. 'We hope that Asahi will finally listen to the concerns we have been raising and leave Stanley's water in the ground,' he said. Estimates from the Bureau of Meteorology point to drought conditions becoming more intense More than 103,000 people had signed the online petition calling for Asahi to stop bottling water from Stanley. 'There are no rivers in Stanley. This tiny community in the Australian state of Victoria is totally reliant on groundwater to sustain the fruit and nut orchards which have provided the livelihood of the town's residents for over a century,' the petition reads. 'With your help, we can show Asahi that it won't get away with riding roughshod over a community's right to the most precious natural resource we have: water.' Daily Mail Australia contacted Asahi for comment. A Border Force expert has estimated there could be up to 1,000 military grade AK47 rifles in Australia after several of the guns were allegedly found in the hands of teenagers. Former Border Force commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg told The Herald Sun this week it's not surprising police are finding AK47s in the hands of alleged criminals, given how easy it is to access them. Mr Quaedvlieg said the 'iconic military weapon' has become a popular collector's item, meaning there are likely there are hundreds of guns stored in personal collections. Former Border Force commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg (pictured) said it's not surprising police are finding AK47s in the hands of criminals Mr Quaedvlieg said a possible reason for the number of AK47s in Australia is the fact they are a collector's item He claims it's unlikely many of the military grade rifles, which were originally built in the Soviet Union in the late 40s, were illegally imported. 'You can bring them in legally there are certain steps you have to go through. You have to get a licence and the weapon has got to be made inoperable but that is easily reversed,' he said. While it's possible for the firearm to be imported illegally, Mr Quaedvlieg said it's more likely people are purchasing them on the black market and then having them reversed - also known as being 'diverted'. 'Its a minuscule amount that gets imported illegally its more around existing firearms and diversion from collectors,' he said. Mr Quaedvlieg said the scary thing about an AK47 is that it can 'punch out several hundred rounds a minute', and those pulling the trigger don't need special training to operate one. The former police officer's expert opinion comes only days after a teenager was arrested in Melbourne after police found a suspected AK47 in his possession. Mr Quaedvlieg's expert opinion comes only days after another teenager (pictured) was arrested in Melbourne after police allegedly found a suspected AK47 in his possession A few days prior, Victorian police arrested fourteen people, aged between 14 and 26, following a number of armed carjackings and home invasions The Victoria Police South Metro Crime Team allegedly found the weapon and cannabis at the 18-year-old's home in Oakleigh East on Tuesday, The Australian reported. The arrest was the second incident reportedly involving an AK47 in just days. A few days prior, Victorian police arrested fourteen people, aged between 14 and 26, following a number of armed carjackings and home invasions. Victoria Police Detective Inspector Shayne Pannell said the source of the firearm would be a 'major focus' as they continue their investigations to find out how the youths allegedly got their hands on the high-powered weapon. President Donald Trump once again attacked the 'fake news' media on a day 350 newspapers across the country defended journalists and a free press then tore into the newspaper that organized the public show of solidarity. The president went after the Boston Globe, which organized papers around the country to editorialize in favor of free press, for its financial struggles and even accused it of 'COLLUSION' with other newspapers a term normally associated with the Russia probe of Trump associates. 'The Boston Globe, which was sold to the the Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses & investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT!' Trump wrote, singling out the paper that reached out to other newspapers across the country. President Donald Trump once again went after the media as 'fake news' as 350 papers blasted his attacks on the press The president's slams, in the form of tweets, were the latest in a series of attacks that he has volleyed online, at campaign rallies, and even at official events held at military bases as he did at Fort Drum in New York. 'THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country....BUT WE ARE WINNING!' Trump wrote. He responded to the criticism in yet another tweet. 'There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS!' the president wrote. His missives came on a day more than 350 newspapers, in an effort coordinated by the Boston Globe, defended press freedoms and faulted the president for labeling the press the 'enemy of the people' a term with dark connotations of an era of Soviet repression. Trump blasted the 'FAKE NEWS MEDIA' as 350 papers defended press freedoms Trump accused the Boston Globe, which coordinated the effort, of 'COLLUSION' Trump defended his views on Twitter Thursday amid the barrage of editorials It also came hours after he stunned the White House press by yanking the security clearance of one of his foremost online critics and a person who helped set in motion the Russia probe, former CIA chief John Brennan. Brennan blasted the move as an effort to crack down on dissent and punish political rivals. 'Replacing a free media with a state-run media has always been a first order of business for any corrupt regime taking over a country,' wrote the Globe in an op-ed splashed across their online site. 'Today in the United States we have a president who has created a mantra that members of the media who do not blatantly support the policies of the current U.S. administration are the 'enemy of the people.' This is one of the many lies that have been thrown out by this president much like an old-time charlatan threw out 'magic' dust or water on a hopeful crowd,' the paper wrote. PUSHBACK: The Boston Globe coordinated a campaign where editorial boards around the country defended press freedom It then quoted hometown patriot John Adams who wrote: 'The liberty of the press is essential to the security of freedom.' Trump's favorite paper, the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post, joined the effort. 'We support a free and vibrant press, a nation where the powerful are held to account by the Fourth Estate. Journalists are not the enemy of the people; were advocating for the people. We stand with our colleagues,' according to the Post editorial. The Trump-despised New York Times also joined in. '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,' the Grey Lady wrote. Many of the rebukes came from papers in swing states Trump needs to carry to win reelection. Wrote the Tampa Bay Times: 'In such a toxic environment, Trumps declarations undermine not just journalists and news organizations but the communities and democracy we endeavor to serve.' Newspapers from Maine to Hawaii pushed back against Trump's attacks on 'fake news' Thursday with a coordinated series of editorials speaking up for a free and vigorous press. The Globe, which set the campaign in motion by urging the unified voice, had estimated that some 350 newspapers would participate. They did across the breadth of the country. The Portland (Maine) Press-Herald said a free and independent press is the best defense against tyranny, while the Honolulu Star-Advertiser emphasized democracy's need for a free press. 'The true enemies of the people - and democracy - are those who try to suffocate truth by vilifying and demonizing the messenger,' wrote the Des Moines Register in Iowa. In St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch called journalists 'the truest of patriots.' The Chicago Sun-Times said it believed most Americans know that Trump is talking nonsense. The Hartford Courant was among papers joining the effort Smaller papers like the Ferndale Enterprise of California took part The San Diego Union-Tribune brought up Trump's attacks on the FBI 'We are not the enemy,' wrote the San Jose Mercury News and East Bay Times The Fayetteville Observer said it hoped Trump would stop, 'but we're not holding our breath.' 'Rather, we hope all the president's supporters will recognize what he's doing - manipulating reality to get what he wants,' the North Carolina newspaper said. On Thursday morning, Trump again took to Twitter to denounce 'fake news.' He wrote: 'THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country....BUT WE ARE WINNING!' The Morning News of Savannah, Georgia, said it was a confidant, not an enemy, to the people. 'Like any true friend, we don't always tell you want you want to hear,' the Morning News said. 'Our news team presents the happenings and issues in this community through the lens of objectivity. And like any true friend, we refuse to mislead you. Our reporters and editors strive for fairness.' Some newspapers used history lessons to state their case. The Elizabethtown Advocate in Pennsylvania, for instance, compared free press in the United States to such rights promised but not delivered in the former Soviet Union. The New York Times added a pitch. 'If you haven't already, please subscribe to your local papers,' said the Times, whose opinion section also summarized other editorials across the country. 'Praise them when you think they've done a good job and criticize them when you think they could do better. We're all in this together.' The coordinated hit came amid repeated attacks by Trump on 'fake news' The editorial by the Press-Enterprise in southern California came with an ad for a gun show Magazines like the Atlantic joined in on the effort Trump's favorite hometown paper, the New York Post, said journalists are 'not the enemy of hte people' That last sentiment made some journalists skittish. Some newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal and the San Francisco Chronicle, wrote editorials explaining why they weren't joining the Globe's effort. The Chronicle wrote that one of its most important values is independence, and going along with the crowd went against that. Both the Chronicle and Baltimore Sun said that it plays into the hands of Trump and his supporters who think the media is out to get him. Nolan Finley, columnist and editorial page editor of The Detroit News, spoke up for the press but added a scolding. He said too many journalists are slipping opinion into their news reports, adding commentary and calling it context. 'Donald Trump is not responsible for the eroding trust in the media,' Finley wrote. 'He lacks the credibility to pull that off. The damage to our standing is self-inflicted.' The Radio Television Digital News Association, which represents more than 1,200 broadcasters and web sites, is also asking its members to point out that journalists are friends and neighbors doing important work holding government accountable. 'I want to make sure that it is positive,' said Dan Shelley, the group's executive director. 'We're shooting ourselves in the foot if we make this about attacking the president or attacking his supporters.' It remains unclear how much sway the effort will have. Newspaper editorial boards overwhelmingly opposed Trump's election in 2016. Polls show Republicans have grown more negative toward the news media in recent years: Pew Research Center said 85 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said in June 2017 that the news media has a negative effect on the country, up from 68 percent in 2010. More than 500 firefighters are struggling to contain dozens of unseasonable blazes burning from Victoria to Queensland, with conditions set to worsen in the coming days. Nearly half of the 99 fires ravaging NSW were uncontained as of Thursday morning and are expected to continue to burn for at least a week. One of the state's out-of-control blazes is raging in Cullendore Creek, about 5km from the Queensland border. Another, which is under control, is burning near Wonboyn in the far south-east of NSW. Between those towns, 97 other fires are searing the nearly 2,000km stretch of drought affected coastline. Scientists are 'gobsmacked' at the number of out-of-control bushfires burning across the state in winter. 'We're seeing something which is unusual in the extreme. It's worrying, it's mind-bending,' environmental change academic David Bowman said on Wednesday. Scroll down for video More than 500 firefighters are struggling to contain dozens of unseasonable blazes burning from Victoria to Queensland Nearly half of the 99 fires ravaging across nearly 2,000km of NSW coastline were uncontained as of Thursday morning Very high fire danger warnings are on Thursday in place for the New England, Northern Slopes and Far North Coast regions of the state. Watch-and-act messages were issued for fires in the Blue Mountains, Richmond Valley, Clarence Valley, Bega Valley, Mount Kingiman and North Nowra. Four firefighters were injured while battling a blaze in Caparra near Taree on Wednesday night, when the truck rolled down a hill. The quartet were taken to hospital, one of them with suspected spinal injuries. Three teenagers were on Thursday charged with lighting a fire during a total fire ban in the Blue Mountains town of Blaxland. The teens, all aged 16, then tried to smother the fire but it spread. Fire and Rescue NSW crews were called to put it out before it reached bushland. NSW fire fighters work on containing an out of control bushfire in Bomaderry near Nowra Meanwhile, homes were evacuated near Milton, south of Sydney, with residents such as retired potter Susan Curran and her mother taking shelter with friends in town. 'I could look out my friend's back door and before it got dark I could see the glow of the fire behind the trees,' she said shortly after arriving back home on Wednesday evening. Firefighters stopped the Mount Kingiman blaze from reaching her 19th-century home or five towering bunya pines but allowed a neighbouring paintball park to go up in flames. 'You could hear all the gas cylinders in there exploding,' she said. Watch-and-act messages were issued for fires in the Blue Mountains, Richmond Valley, Clarence Valley, Bega Valley, Mount Kingiman and North Nowra. Bomaderry is pictured Scientists are 'gobsmacked' so many out-of-control bushfires are burning across the drought-stricken state in the middle of winter The Bureau of Meteorology was forecasting damaging winds for the state's south-east on Thursday, including for a possible blizzard above 1900m. Winds of about 35km/h were predicted but there is little rain in sight. RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers is worried about how bad the fire season will be if the rain never comes. 'Considering the entire state is drought declared, the fuel is so dry, it doesn't take heat,' he told the ABC. Four firefighters were injured while battling a blaze in Caparra near Taree on Wednesday night. This firefighter battles a blaze near Nowra 'All this is about is low humidity, dry fuel and strong winds. Unless we get substantial rainfall, we are really concerned for the summer.' Ms Curran said the ground near Milton is 'dry as, it's crunchy underfoot'. She said while gusty winds are normal in winter, she can't remember the last time bush or grass fires affected her. 'Usually winter conditions are just rainy and it just blows roofs off,' she said. 'Winter fires? It's radical.' There is also a large bushfire near Cape Conran in far-east Victoria that is not yet under control. Up to 140 firefighters and 10 machines continue to work on the blaze, supported by three helicopters and two fixed wing bombers, according to Vic Emergency. Residents in Bemm River, Cabbage Tree Creek, Cape Conran, Manorina and Marlo have been told to monitor the situation. BUSHFIRE ALERT: QUEENSLAND LOCALS URGED TO PREPARE Queenslanders are being warned to prepare for bushfires as the weekend approaches, with the threat forecast to be high and very high in most of the state. Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford says the bushfire season has already arrived and people need to be on alert. 'Fires can start anywhere at any time so it is important for all of us to be prepared,' he said in a statement on Wednesday. Mr Crawford called on residents to mow their lawns and remove clippings, wood piles or green waste from their yards. 'Households should also have a bushfire survival plan so they know ... what action to take if threatened by a bushfire,' he said. Mr Crawford urged rural property owners to reduce fuel loads and ensure firebreaks were free of vegetation. Across Queensland, firefighters battled more than 240 bushfires in the past week. Fires near Roma, Rockhampton, Bundaberg and Toowoomba on Wednesday kept emergency services busy. While on the weekend, fires at Tallegalla, Mutdapilly, Ballandean and Linville, in the state's southeast, threatened properties and burned through hundreds of hectares. Advertisement A sign warning tourists to stay away from a popular surf beach has divided locals. The handwritten sign instructs tourists to 'respect the locals' when visiting Wurtulla Beach, just north of Brisbane. It lists rules for visitors to follow, including: 'Remember locals have first pick of waves.' The list of rules ends ominously, saying: 'If you can't follow the above rules, don't bother coming to Wurtulla.' The sign hung at the Bellbird Court entrance to Wurtulla Beach, warning tourists away if they can't follow a set of rules giving locals preference over the waves Wurtulla Beach (pictured) is one of the most popular surfing beaches for Sunshine Coast locals A local laid out six rules for visitors of the beach (pictured) to follow. The one to have caused the outrage is number two, which says that locals get preference over waves when surfing Cleaning up after dogs and putting rubbish in the bin are another two of the six rules laid out on the sign. Some believed commenting on a Facebook post about the sign said the rules it imposes are overdue and make sense, while others believe it is hostile and feel the coast can be shared by all. Local Amy O'Carroll agreed with these rules, telling the Sunshine Coast Daily she thought they were fair. 'Some of them were definitely acceptable,' she said. 'It's a real local beach, you don't really get many tourists here, so the locals just want to really protect it.' However others disagreed with her, saying that the beach was for everyone to enjoy, not just locals. 'First in best dressed - nobody owns the surf, local or not,' one person commented on Facebook. Another commenter wondered how the rules could be enforced. Cleaning up after dogs and putting rubbish in the bin are two of the rules laid out on the sign 'Do you have to have your license on you to prove you're a local?' someone asked on Facebook 'Do you have to have your license on you to prove you're a local?' asked another. One reader pointed out that the author's grammar could use a bit of work due to the liberal use of unnecessary apostrophes. It is unknown how long the handwritten sign had been up, but it was torn down after a photo of it was posted to Facebook on Wednesday. Following speculation that the Sunshine Coast council was to blame for the removal, a spokesperson for that body told the Sunshine Coast Daily that they were not involved. The sign came months after global attention was drawn to the beach in October, when a 20-tonne whale washed up on its shore. Some speculated that the council was responsible for the sign, who say they had nothing to do with it The mother of a woman murdered by her housemates left a chilling final message for her daughter's killers in court. Vivienne Kelly, whose daughter Samantha Kelly was murdered in her Kangaroo Flat home, in Bendigo, Victoria, told the woman who masterminded the entire ordeal: 'I hope Samantha haunts you until the day you die.' Ms Kelly, who had four children of her own, was savagely beaten to death after her housemate, Christine Lyons, discovered she was unable to conceive and wanted Ms Kelly's children as her own, Yahoo7 reported. Scroll down for video Samantha Kelly (pictured), who had four children of her own, was savagely beat to death with a hammer Christine Lyons (pictured), discovered she was unable to conceive and wanted Ms Kelly's children as her own The infertile woman had already started calling Ms Kelly's children by different names, a court heard. She convinced two men the pair were also living with, one being her partner, to enact her despicable plan. Her lover Peter Arthur bashed the mother, 39, to death, and Ronald Lyons dumped her body in a shallow grave, after Lyons failed several attempts to poison her with a drug overdose. In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Kelly's mother Vivien spoke of her grief at not having the chance to repair her relationship with her daughter. 'I wish I had been closer to her to protect her from you,' the statement read. 'These thoughts haunt me.' Peter Arthur (left) bashed the mother, 39, to death, and Ronald Lyons (right) dumped her body in a shallow grave, after Lyons failed several attempts to poison her with a drug overdose Ms Kelly's brother Michael and his partner Danielle said they had taken custody of his sister's 'four very traumatised children'. 'It is hard to get the images of what these monsters did to her out of my mind,' she told the court, crying at times during proceedings. Justice Kaye described their actions as a 'beacon for humanity' and a 'self sacrifice...in raising these four beautiful children'. 'May I commend most warmly what you and your partner have done for Ms Kelly's children,' he said. Christine Lyons, 47, was found guilty by a Supreme Court of Victoria jury in June of murdering Samantha Kelly, as part of a plan with her lover Peter Arthur to send the 39-year-old 'on a permanent holiday'. Arthur is serving a 22-year prison sentence after he fatally struck the disability pensioner and mother-of-four to the head repeatedly with a hammer. Christine Lyons was also found guilty of attempted murder over a failed attempt to kill her days earlier with a cocktail of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Her former lover Ronald Lyons, who is not related to her, was cleared of murder by the jury but convicted of attempted murder. Ronald, 46, was also found guilty of assisting an offender after buying two shovels and helping Arthur bury the body in a dry creek bed. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Victoria was told during a plea hearing that Christine had an intellectual disability, was 'never able to escape poverty and disadvantage', and lived in a tent in a forest at one point with Ronald and his three sons. Christine and Ronald Lyons will be sentenced at a date to be determined. Arthur is currently serving a 22-year-sentence for the murder of Samantha Kelly A refugee from Iraq was arrested in Northern California on Wednesday on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman while fighting for the Islamic State organization. Omar Abdulsattar Ameen, 45, and other members of ISIS killed the officer after the town of Rawah, Iraq, fell to the Islamic State in June 2014, according to court documents. He was arrested by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force at a Sacramento apartment building based on a warrant issued in May by an Iraqi federal court in Baghdad. U.S. officials plan to extradite him back to Iraq under a treaty with that nation, and he made his first appearance in federal court in Sacramento on Wednesday. Omar Ameen, a 45-year-old Iraqi refugee, was arrested on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman in 2014 while serving with the Islamic State terror organization Crime scene tape blocks the entrance to an apartment complex where he lives in Sacramento Ameen could face execution for the 'organized killing by an armed group' according to Iraqi documents filed in U.S. federal court. Prosecutors say Ameen entered the U.S. under a refugee program, eventually settling in Sacramento, and attempted to gain legal status in the United States. He arrived in Turkey in 2012 and began applying to the U.S. for refugee status by claiming to be a victim of terrorism, according to a court document. He was granted refugee status in June 2014, but returned to Iraq to commit the slaying before traveling to the United States in November 2014, the document says. A federal agent removes items from an apartment following the arrest of Omar Ameen The Trump administration has sharply criticized the Obama-era settlement program, questioning whether enough was done to weed out those with terrorist ties. Officials said Ameen also kept secret his membership in two terrorist groups when he applied for a green card in the United States. State Department and Department of Homeland Security officials did not immediately respond to questions about Ameen. Benjamin Galloway, one of Ameen's public defenders, said he had just 10 minutes to meet with his client prior to his initial federal court appearance Wednesday afternoon and attorneys hadn't decided whether to contest that Ameen is in fact the man wanted by Iraqi authorities. Ameen was identified by a witness to the slaying who viewed a series of photographs of ISIS members, according to the Iraqi documents. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force has been investigating Ameen for filing fraudulent travel or immigration documents since 2016, according to a court filing. It says the FBI independently corroborated Ameen's involvement with the terrorist organizations and participation in the slaying. Ameen remained dressed in street clothing including a light blue T-shirt as he appeared in court handcuffed to a chain around his waist. U.S. Magistrate Judge Edmund Brennan ordered him detained until his next court appearance set for Monday, accepting prosecutors' argument that Ameen is dangerous and a flight risk. A woman carrying a child is escorted by authorities to an apartment following the arrest of a 45-year-old Iraqi refugee, Omar Ameen, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Ameen was arrested on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman in 2014 while serving with the Islamic State terror organization Prosecutors said in court filings that the release of an alleged member of a designated foreign terrorist organization would be a national security risk. The Iraqi arrest warrant and extradition request say that Ameen entered his hometown of Rawah in the Anbar province of Iraq with a four-vehicle ISIS caravan and drove to the home of Ihsan Abdulhafiz Jasim, who had served with the Rawah Police Department. He and at least five other named suspects opened fire and the man shot back, but the documents allege that Ameen fatally shot the man in the chest as he lay on the ground. The militants later claimed responsibility for the slaying on social media. The FBI has interviewed at least eight witnesses who identify the Ameen family - including Ameen himself, his father, brothers, and paternal cousins - as affiliated with al Qaeda and ISIS, prosecutors said. Court documents say Ameen's family also aided al Qaeda in Rawah and that Ameen was a member of both al Qaida in Iraq and ISIS. The documents allege that he did a number of things in support of the groups, including helping plant improvised bombs, transporting militants, soliciting funds and robbing supply trucks and kidnapping drivers on behalf of al Qaida. The FBI quotes one witness as saying Ameen's vehicle in 2005 was a Kia Sportage flying a black al Qaida flag with a cut-out roof and a machine gun mounted on the rear. The remains of three women who all went missing in 2006 have been discovered in a Washington DC neighborhood, with one body stuffed into an apartment crawl space, and the other two in a shallow grave. Jewel King, 48, Verdell Jefferson, 41, and Dorothy Botts, 43, were all discovered around 111 and 113 Wayne Place in the Congress Heights neighborhood in April this year. A construction crew discovered the first body in a crawl space of an apartment building at 113 on April 25 and the authorities found the other remains in a shallow grave behind the adjacent building a few days later. The remains of three women who all went missing in 2006 have been discovered in a Washington DC neighborhood. Pictured: Verdell Jefferson, 41, (left) and Dorothy Botts, 43, (right) Jewel King, 48, (pictured) disappeared on Christmas Day 2006 and was found to have died from a gunshot wound Courtesy of WJLA They have only recently been able to identify them because of the decomposition of the bodies. Investigators used DNA to identify the three victims. They were able to identify the remains as belonging to women from 30 to 45 years old and police cross-references those with missing-persons reports on women in that age range. After contacting eight potential families and collecting DNA, they were able to identify the three women. King and Botts, who disappeared in April 2006 and on Christmas Day of that year, respectively, appear to have died from gunshot wounds, Fox News reports. Jefferson, who went missing in August 2006, is believed to have been killed by blunt force trauma. A construction crew discovered the first body in a crawl space of an apartment building at 113 on April 25 and the authorities found the other remains in a shallow grave behind the adjacent building a few days later They have only recently been able to identify them because of the decomposition of the bodies Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham said that all three women had lived near the neighborhood where they were found. 'Whenever you have a family member who goes missing, I am sure, regardless of how much time has passed, you are always hopeful that they will return. I am certain that this news is devastating to these families,' he said. They also appear to have been buried at around the same time although it's not clear where they were killed. Police are offering $25,000 for information that leads to an arrest in connection with the killings. Dentists have urged YouTube to remove video tutorials for 'do it yourself braces' which could damage your teeth. The videos, viewed hundreds of thousands of times online, show how to craft a makeshift dental brace from clay and glue. But Eddie Crouch, vice-chairman of the British Dental Association, warned they could cause permanent damage and urged YouTube to delete the videos. Dentists are urging YouTube to take down videos that encourage DIY braces tutorials He has seen children coming into dental surgeries wearing elastic bands on their teeth. Dr Toby Edwards-Lunn, another dentist, said the advice could do 'irreversible damage' to children's teeth. YouTube has faced repeated criticism for failing to remove inappropriate content, including violence and extremism. It did not respond when approached for comment yesterday. Bankers at the Royal Bank of Scotland said mortgage trading was like organised crime and joked about destroying Americas housing market before the financial crash, according to a senior US executive. Internal documents revealed by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) show RBS staff discuss buying total f***ing garbage mortgages through rampant fraudulent activity. They then disguised the loans to look ok and sold them on to investors, the Times reported. Internal documents revealed by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) show RBS staff discuss buying total f***ing garbage mortgages through rampant fraudulent activity (stock image) The documents were published after the DoJ secured a 3.8 billion settlement from RBS for misleading investors over sales of residential mortgage securities between 2005 and 2007. One RBS trader received an email from a friend saying: [Im] sure your parents never imagine[d] theyd raise a son who [would] destroy the housing market in the richest nation on the planet. The trader replied: I take exception to the word destroy. I am more comfortable with severely damage. Ross McEwan, chief executive of RBS, told the Times: There is no place for the sort of unacceptable behaviour alleged by the DoJ at the bank we are building today. Australia's most iconic Outback pub has hit the market for the first time in years. The Birdsville Hotel is a bucket-list visit for tourists and has long been celebrated as one of Australia's favourite watering holes. Visitors are willing to travel the distance to say they've enjoyed a beverage at the pub, 1600 kilometres west of Brisbane and close to South Australia's border. Manager of the pub Ben Fullagar said the owners, who acquired the property in 1980, had 'done the hard yards,' the Courier Mail reported. Australia's most iconic outback pub, the Birdsville Hotel (pictured), has hit the market for the first time in years It is celebrated as Australia's most famous watering holes and attracts thousands of tourists every year (pictured: Malcolm Turnbull visiting the popular drinking destination) 'They have done a huge amount of work over 38 years to build the brand and totally rebuild the entire premises and they feel it's time for new blood to come in and become as passionate about outback tourism and Birdsville as what they have been,' he said. Mr Fullgar said the owners had cemented the pub as a bucket list place to visit. The sale of the pub is being managed by Knight Frank and Steele & Associates Hotel Brokers who anticipate international expression of interest. The advertisement on realcommercial.com.au reads: 'The Birdsville Hotel is steeped in history and has played a fascinating, yet important, part in the exploration and settlement of Australia's desert country.' Knight Frank's Guy Bennett said: 'The owners have done an amazing job and what's on offer will appeal to a very broad potential buyer pool,' he said. The pub had previously hit the market in 2007 but a $5million proposition didn't persuade the owners to sell. The owners acquired the property in 1980 and have spent the last 38 years building its prominent reputation (pictured: Malcolm Turnbull enjoying a drink at the Birdsville Hotel) The pub (pictured) has historical significance as it had a part in desert settlement. The property was built in 1884 The current offer is the hotel, its 27 motel rooms and liquor license as well as staff, equipment, stock in trade, intellectual property and the business name. It also includes two detached residences, an aviation fuel supply business operated by the current hotel owners and an industrial block. The pub is at the heart of Birdsville and is treated to thousands of visitors during the Birdsville Races and the Big Red Bash. For the past three years, the Birdsville Pub has won the Tourism and Events Queensland award for the best outback pub. Interested buyers should submit an expression of interest before the campaign ends on September 20. An adviser to Fraser Anning has quit after the Queensland senator used the Nazi phrase 'final solution' in a controversial speech on Muslim immigration. Richard McGilvray resigned hours after the senator for Queensland and member of Katter's Australian Party delivered his first upper house speech on Tuesday night. Mr McGilvray, who managed the senator's legislative agenda and negotiations with stakeholders, said he could not condone the views expressed in the speech. 'His reference to 'The Final Solution' was not something I had seen, heard of, or discussed prior to his remarks last night,' Mr McGilvray posted on LinkedIn. 'As a consequence, within hours of Senator Anning's speech, I resigned my position effective immediately.' Scroll down for video 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 Richard McGilvray, who managed the Queensland senator's legislative decisions, released a statement stating he could not condone Mr Anning's speech Mr McGilvray thanked people for their messages of support and encouragement. Mr Anning, a 68-year-old former hotelier, has defended his speech, in which he said 'the final solution to the immigration problem is of course a popular vote', despite widespread backlash. The term 'final solution' was the name given to a document produced by Nazi officials during World War II which laid out the plan to wipe out the remaining Jewish population of Europe, which resulted in genocide. He denied making a deliberate reference to Nazi Germany. '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. Mr 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) He told the Today show he hoped 'for a plebiscite and a vote for the Australian people to see who they want to come into the country.' Mr Anning also stood by his claims the majority of Muslim immigrants do not work and are on welfare and over-represented in criminal activity. 'While all Muslims are not terrorists, certainly all terrorists these days are Muslims,' Mr Anning said. 'So why would anyone want to bring more of them here?' When asked why he had singled out Muslim immigrants in the speech, Mr Anning said it was because 'they mean us harm'. 'I don't want those people in this country. I think the vast majority of Australians agree with me.' Mr Anning said. Speaking on Wednesday morning, Mr Anning said he wanted the Australian people to be able to decide what kind of immigrants the country accepts (pictured is Mr 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 The speech to parliament was widely condemned by politicians from both major parties, and the Greens. 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.' Opposition leader Bill Shorten and Prime Minister Turnbull shook hands across the table, with two opposing MPs joining in the centre of the room to embrace one another. Malcolm Turnbull was among those who condemned Mr Anning's controversial speech (pictured, above) Jeremy Corbyn shared a platform with a senior member of a terror group that murdered a British rabbi weeks later, it emerged last night. The Labour leader who was then an MP stood alongside Maher al-Taher, the exiled leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), at a ceremony in 2014. A month later, Tahers group claimed responsibility for a terror attack in which four rabbis were slaughtered during their morning prayers, The Times reported. The Labour leader stood next to Maher al-Taher (ringed) - the exiled leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) - at a ceremony in 2014 Labour has been mired in controversy since the Mail published pictures of Mr Corbyn holding a wreath at the same event, at the Tunisian cemetery where members of Black September the terrorists responsible for the 1972 Munich Olympics attack on Israeli athletes are buried. He met Taher there a year before being elected as Labour leader, but the PFLP had already been proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the EU for two years. One rabbi murdered by the PFLP was Briton Avraham Shmuel Goldberg, 68. His widow, Brianna, said: Jeremy Corbyn should not be associating with men like that. They kill to satisfy their political needs. He needs to come to Israel to see how things really are. The news adds to the growing storm surrounding Mr Corbyn and Labour particularly over the partys refusal to fully adopt the internationally recognised definition of anti-Semitism. But last night Labour was said to be preparing a partial climbdown, to amend its anti-Semitism code of conduct to align with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition. After the synagogue attack, the PFLP wrote on its website that it was a natural response to the ongoing racist policies and crimes of the occupation. It added: No place in Jerusalem should be safe so long as the Palestinian people are not safe. Three months before meeting Mr Corbyn, the PFLP website quoted Taher saying the Zionist enemy will pay dearly for its ground offensive on Gaza. The group has also claimed responsibility for a series of suicide attacks targeting Israeli civilians and for missile attacks on Israel from Gaza. Mr Corbyn was listed by the Palestinian embassy as being in attendance at a wreath-laying in a cemetery in Tunis, and a photo of him with Taher was posted on the embassys Facebook page. In the synagogue attack, two terrorists used axes and knives to hack worshippers to pieces. A spokesman for Mr Corbyn told The Times: Jeremy attended the conference convened by the president of Tunisia to support Palestinian rights and to bring together Palestinian factions to unite for a peaceful and just settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict. He is, of course, completely opposed to attacks on civilians. In 2001, Taher urged Arabs to target America following the killing of PFLP chief Abu Ali Mustafa in an Israeli missile attack. In revenge for the killing of Abu Ali Mustafa, the replacement leader of the PFLP Ahmed Saadat, ordered the killing of an Israeli minister, Rehavam Zeevi. The PFLP was founded in 1967 and was responsible for the hijackings of four Western airliners over the US, Europe, the Far East and the Gulf in 1970. The aircraft were blown up in the Middle East after their passengers and crews had disembarked. The group also reportedly carried out a number of attacks on Israeli and Western embassies around the world. The revelations came as Gordon Brown delivered a blunt warning to Mr Corbyn yesterday over the anti-Semitism crisis. One of those rabbis was British Avraham Shmuel Goldberg, 68, (pictured) who was born in Liverpool The former prime minister said the issue was a running sore that had to be dealt with immediately. He demanded Labour endorse the internationally-accepted definition of anti-Semitism in its entirety. And in the wake of the Munich graves furore, he refused the opportunity to endorse Mr Corbyn as a fit and proper person to be the countrys leader. Even though Labour is now said to be preparing to use the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, the party is expected to find a way to include protections to allow criticism of Israels creation. As the storm around Mr Corbyn grew, fertility expert Lord Winston, a Jewish Labour peer, said Mr Corbyn was not competent to lead his party, and Edward Hudson, 72, who competed for Britain at the Munich Games said Mr Corbyn condones the massacre. At the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Mr Brown said: Jeremy Corbyn has got to change. Yesterday, Mr Corbyns office said that at the Tunisian cemetery he did not lay any wreath at the graves of anyone accused of being behind the 1972 Munich massacre. Mr Corbyn also reiterated his condemnation of the attack in Germany, in which 11 Israeli athletes and a police officer died. A top clergyman faulted in a bombshell Pennsylvania grand jury report over his handling of sexually abusive priests is asking parishioners not to lose confidence in the church. Cardinal Donald Wuerl, one of the highest-profile Roman Catholic cardinals in the US, spoke Wednesday during Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington D.C. on the religious feast of the Assumption of Mary. He said Catholics need to help victims and he asked for Mary's intervention for those whose confidence is shaken because of the 'terrible plague' of abuse. Cardinal Donald Wuerl (pictured at Mass on Wednesday) is accused of helping to protect abusive priests The report says he approved transfers for priests who sexually abused children instead of removing and concealed information when priests were reported to law enforcement Wuerl, the Archbishop of Washington, started the mass with a statement that said, in part: 'No matter how long ago the abuse may have taken place or how recently, the pain and the suffering is something that we need to accept responsibility for in helping survivors.' Wuerl was accused in the report of helping to protect abusive priests when he was Pittsburgh's bishop from 1988 to 2006. The report says he approved transfers for priests who sexually abused children instead of removing and concealed information when priests were reported to law enforcement. He has disputed the allegations. At a Mass held Wednesday, he did not address the accusations against himself. His appearance comes after a video was released showing some of the thousands of victims of hundreds of Pennsylvania priests named in the report telling their stories. The video was released by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office on Tuesday along with the 886-page report which details the abhorrent abuse which took place across six different dioceses over 60 years. Three-hundred priests and clergymen were named. Twenty-four had their names redacted after complaining about being included. He has disputed the allegations but at Mass on Wednesday, did not address the accusations against himself The video features three victims; Robert Corby, now 83, Shaun Dougherty, 48, and Carolyn Fortney, 37. The report details horrifying abuse which included children being drugged, raped, whipped and forced into prostitution. Despite the lengthy allegations, only two men have been charged as a result of it because the other alleged abusers are either dead or their crimes fall outside Pennsylvania's statute of limitations. The grand jury however said it was determined to go into detail about the injustices which took place to shame the church and give a platform to the long suffering victims. Only two of the men involved have been charged with crimes. The statute of limitations prevents prosecutors from bringing charges against dozens of others and, in some cases, the priests are now dead. In response to the report, the six dioceses named have issued apologies to the victims. Some have set up designated offices where victims can report alleged abuse. The grand jury report was the culmination of years of work which included interviews with thousands of people and examination of almost 500,000 documents. Some of the most sickening examples include priests drugging and raping young boys, allowing other adults to rape them for a fee, raping girls in the hospital after they had their tonsils removed, and forcing children to wash their mouths out with holy water after making them perform oral sex. The abuse was systemically covered up by the church which eventually removed priests from their positions or sent them elsewhere after turning a blind eye. 'It's very lonely when it's your word against God's': Woman who was abused as an 18-month-old in her diaper Carolyn Fortney sobbed as she told how she ran to Father Augustine Giella, the priest who abused her, 'in her diaper' as a baby. 'The day I met him I was 18-months-old. I was in my diaper and I ran, I ran right to him,' she wept. Now 37, she and her three sisters were all abused by Giella whose hands would 'always' be on her. Carolyn Fortney, now 37, was first abused when she was just 18-months-old. She is shown (right) aged six 'The word God makes me think of him. I just feel like my whole life has been a lie,' she went on. When their father discovered what was happening, he 'went crazy'. Fortney sobbed as she told how the abuse left her feeling uncomfortable in relationships as an adult The family confronted the church along with some of his other victims but it was not until 1992 that Giella was arrested. He died awaiting trial. Fortney said the abuse ruined her life and has left her unable to forge normal relationships. 'I didn't feel comfortable at all. 'I still don't feel comfortable now in relationships,' she said. 'It's very lonely. Especially when its your word against God's.' She said the publication of report would finally free her from feeling like she had to be someone 'else'. 'This report is going to help people who don't have a family because they're going to know there's a lot of people out there now that believe them and are behind them,' she said. 'It has absolutely destroyed me': Man, 48, who could not have his own family because he was so haunted by abuse Shaun Dougherty, a 48-year-old who was abused as a child by a different priest, echoed her sentiments. He told in heartbreaking detail how he was groomed as a young boy and abused until he was in the 8th grade. 'I was groomed starting young. You're being groomed to get used to a grown man's hands on you regularly. 'When you have the priest touching you every day, that's a hard memory to have. 'Your first thought of an erection that you have in your life is by a priest,' he said. Shaun Dougherty, now 48, was abused until he was in the 8th grade. He is pictured, right, aged nine. The abuse, which went on for years, stopped him from having his own family and 'destroyed' his life The priest Dougherty says abused him is Father George Koharchick. He was defrocked by the church and now lives as a private citizen in Pennsylvania. Despite an FBI report in 2016 which identified him as a sexual predator, the statute of limitations means he has never been prosecuted. When you have the priest touching you every day, that's a hard memory to have. Your first thought of an erection that you have in your life is by a priest Shaun Dougherty, now 48 Dougherty has spoken out against him in the past and is campaigning to abolish the statute of limitations. He said the abuse had left him with 'no desire' to have a family of his own. 'It doesn't ever go away. It has an effect on you for the rest of your life. 'It has absolutely destroyed me. 'I had no desire to have children. None. 'Because of this. No kids for me,' he said solemnly. He added that participating in the report and the investigation was 'one of the proudest things' he has ever done in his life. 'I have waited a long time for this,' he added. 'Who would have believed me?' Tortured father, 83, who has been haunted by abuse since he was 'targeted' in 1947 One of the most heartbreaking examples is that of Robert Corby, an 83-year-old who said he is still haunted by the abuse he suffered as a boy in the late 1940s. 'They targeted me because I was fatherless,' Corby said. He did not name his abusers. Robert Corby, now 83, was abused as a young boy in the 1940s. He is shown, right, aged 16. Corby said he was targeted by a handful of priests because he was 'fatherless'. No one would have believed him if he'd reported it at the time, he said. The abuse left him unable to show affection towards his wife and kids. Even now, he said he is left 'wandering in the desert' 'Who would have believed me? A priest? In 1948 or 1947, would abuse you or do that? Who would have believed me? In 1948? They'd never heard of it because they covered it up Robert Corby, now 83 'They'd never heard of such a thing because they covered it up.' In an interview earlier this week ahead of the publication of the report, Corby said he was still struggling to come to terms with his experience. 'Lets get it over with so I can get on with my life, so I can get faith back in my church and my personal faith. Im 83, and Im left wandering in the desert,' he told The Morning Call. As an adult, he was unable to show affection towards his wife or children because of the abuse he suffered. I'm 83 and I'm left wandering in the desert Robert Corby 'These are people that these priests ruined their lives. They still, at 83-years-old, it still affects them. 'I was very unaffectionate. I couldn't show any affection with my wife. My children I couldn't hold or hug,' he said. Corby, who was too upset to join other victims at a press conference on Tuesday, added that he always vowed not to let his abusers get the better of him. 'I would always say, "They're not going to beat me." 'They have to be accountable, the church, for what they did,' he said. The two priests charged: Rev David Poulson (left) allegedly abused two boys, aged eight and 15, for years. Rev. John Sweeney (pictured right in July 2017) admitted forcing a boy to perform oral sex on him in 1992 Not alive to face consequences: Rev Richard D. Lynch (left) died in April 2000 and Reverend John P. Schanz (right) died in 2010 Dead and never charged: Because so many of the priests are now dead or their alleged crimes falls outside the statute of limitations, only two have been charged. Pictured: Reverend Donald J. Cooper (left) who died in 2011 and Father Jerome Kucan (right) who died in 2010 'Who would believe me': Victims tell of abuse they suffered at the hands of Pennsylvania priests 'I had my puberty stolen from me, my life stolen' Robert Mizic The now 47-year-old, 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 to CBS Pittsburgh. '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 Now 37-years-old was abused by Father Augustine Giella, shortly after she was 18-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 & money over children' State Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks Now 47-years-old, he 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. Rozzi, who has become an advocate for sexual abuse victims, said during a press conference on Monday ahead of the release of the report, 'I couldn't be more proud of all the victims. Really, it's the collective voice of all these victims that have finally forced the church into a corner.' 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 who was abused for years as a teen Former priest James Faluszczak 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 spline- now he's dead from an overdose Joseph Behe Dead at 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 spine 'Who would have believed me' oldest living accuser says of abuse he suffered in 1947 Robert Corby The now 83 year-old 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,' he said during his emotional testimony Tuesday. 'It has an effect on you for the rest of your life. It doesn't ever go away' Shaun Doherty The now 48-year-old says he was molested by Priest George Koharchik in 1980. It would happen with 'Any activity that required a shower afterward,' Dougherty told PennLive. '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. Advertisement A tall tale about $130 billion worth of gold being stashed aboard a shipwreck off South Korea was likely a cryptocurrency scam, police believe. Shinil Group claimed in July it had found the long-lost Russian Empire cruiser Dmitri Donskoi and it was laden with gold bullion ready for the taking. The company convinced 120,000 Korean investors to buy $53 million worth of a cryptocurrency called Shinil Gold Coin it set up, with the promise of riches. A tall tale about $130 billion worth of gold being stashed aboard a shipwreck off South Korea was likely a cryptocurrency scam, police believe. An underwater camera reveals a glimpse of the Dimitrii Donskoi, 113 years after it was sunk to stop the Japanese taking it Investors were supposed to receive dividends worth 10 per cent of the gold's value in the first half of last year for their trouble. Instead, the company disappeared off the face of the Earth, deleting underwater footage of the wreck from YouTube and shutting down the cryptocurrency website. Police opened a fraud investigation two weeks ago and on Thursday spoke with two former Shinil executives and now believe it to be 'a scam by a fraudster family,' according to Yonhap. Chief executive Choi Yong-seok stood down when the investigation started and police are looking into his dealing with his siblings Rhu Seung-jin and Rhu Sang-mi. Seung-jin fled to Vietnam in 2014 to escape a separate fraud case. Shinil Group claimed in July it had found the long-lost Russian Empire cruiser Dmitri Donskoi and it was laden with gold bullion ready for the taking The wreck itself appears to be real as Canadian marine exploration company Nuytco Research said it found the Dmitri Donskoi while under contract from Shinil. 'We were hired to do some very specific things, which is to locate the vessel, positively identify it as the Donskoi, and do a detailed high def video survey of the ship,' its owner Phil Nuytten told Motherboard. However, he had no idea about any vast golden treasure the Korean company subsequently claimed was on board. The Donskoi sank in a 1905 naval battle against Japan off Korea's southern coast and finding it has for years been the holy grail of Korean marine exploration. The Donskoi was launched in 1883 and spent most of its life operating in the Mediterranean before being deployed to Russia's Second Pacific Squadron in 1904 after much of Russia's Far Eastern forces were destroyed by Japan The Donskoi sank in a 1905 naval battle against Japan off Korea's southern coast and finding it has for years been the holy grail of Korean marine exploration Financial regulators last month launched an investigation into the firm after news of the discovery caused the stock price of Jeil Steel - a company in which Shinil's founder had acquired a large stake - to jump fivefold. Critics noted that in 2003 another firm had already sparked a stock bubble by announcing the discovery of the Donskoi. Last month, Shinil said it may have gone overboard on the claims and apologised for the 'misunderstanding', saying speculation on the value of treasure contained within the ship was based on news reports and unverified documents. 'We sincerely apologise to the people for this irresponsible citation,' said Choi Yong-seok, the firm's CEO, bowing before TV cameras and photographers at a press conference. Jeil Steel stock had hit 5,400 won (3.67) but nosedived to around 1,785 won (1.21) on Thursday, while Shinil replaced its board members and changed its name to Shinil Maritime Technology Co. At the press conference, the company played a brief clip of underwater footage that appeared to show the ship, with the word 'Donskoi' visible on the hull - but it stopped short of entering the wreck. The warship was guarding transport vessels at the rear of the convoy when it was intercepted by a much larger Japanese fleet in May 1905 The Donskoi was believed to have been carrying the gold supplies of the entire Second Pacific Squadron when it sank A Russian campaign group had previously demanded that the entire fortune be returned to Moscow as a 'goodwill gesture'. Pictured: The ship underwater At a press conference, the company played a brief clip of underwater footage that appeared to show the ship Observers have also questioned whether the claims were aimed at funnelling investment into a virtual currency which Shinil Group in Singapore had recently started to issue. Choi insisted Shinil Group in Singapore had nothing to do with Shinil Group in Korea, although the two companies' founders are siblings and Shinil Group in Singapore has been selling virtual coins, reportedly with a promise of handsome returns in case treasure is salvaged from the ship. He also said Jeil Steel is not associated with Shinil although Shinil's founder had acquired the stake in Jeil Steel before the discovery of the sunken ship. Experts have said imperial Russia would have no reason to load vast treasure on a ship that was going into battle and have also noted that there was a safer land route to Vladivostok, the treasure's supposed final destination. A Russian campaign group had previously demanded that the entire fortune be returned to Moscow as a 'goodwill gesture'. Yaroslav Livanskiy, an official of the Russian Public Movement to Commemorate Those Who Died Defending the Motherland, led the calls. Officers on board the Donskoi, including a man believed to be Captain Ivan Lebedev (far right), who was wounded before the warship was scuttled and later died from his injuries The ship was escorting transport vessels at the rear of the Second Pacific Squadron when the flotilla was attacked by a much larger Japanese force at the Battle of Tsushima (pictured after being refitted) At least 60 of the crew were killed and 120 more wounded, including Captain Ivan Lebedev, who ordered the ship to anchor off Ulleungdo and took his men ashore Livanskiy, who is also head of a salvage group in eastern Russia, said: 'The cruiser is a priceless find for Russia, an invaluable relic, a symbol of our heroic and tragic past, a part of military history of Russia. 'Therefore whatever was discovered on board of the cruiser is inseparable from the overall value of the find.' The armour on the side of the hull is well-preserved while the cannons, machine guns, anchor and steering wheel are all still in place. A large number of iron boxes were also discovered in the ship's hold, which were assumed to contain gold. The firm originally pledged to donate 10 per cent of their find to help develop Ulleungdo, which is a largely uninhabited island but an important tourist destination for South Korea. Development plans would have included a museum dedicated to the ship, according to The Telegraph. 'World War Zero': How Russia's humiliating defeat in Russo-Japanese war set stage for decades of warfare Fighting took place in modern-day northeast China in 1904-1905 after Russia and Japan clashed over trading ports and the Korean peninsula. Japan declared war and attacked Port Arthur on the same day. The attack was planned to neutralise the Russian Far East Fleet while it was still in the port. In the Battle of Port Arthur, three of Russia's largest navy ships - Tsesarevich, Retvizan, and Pallada - were significantly damaged One Russian ship, the Petropavlovsk, escaped Port Arthur and was sunk by mines. A second, the Pobeda, had to return to port. While Japanese attacks were successful at sea, land attacks against Russian forces initially failed. But at the Battle of Liaoyang, Russia forces sent to support Port Arthur pushed back by Japanese. It also left them with land from where they could fire on Russian ships in Port Arthur bay. Every ship in Russia's Pacific fleet was sunk by the end of 1904. In January 1905, Russian Major General Anatoly Stessel, commander of the Port Arthur garrison, surrendered. Demoralised Russians had to watch as Japan took control of the Korean peninsula in just a couple of months. Russia surrendered Port Arthur to the Japanese and had to recognise Japanese control of Korean peninsula. The costly, humiliating series of Russian defeats in the Russo-Japanese War left the Russian Empire demoralized. The losses added to anger in Russia at Czar Nicholas II and ultimately the dissent would lead to the Russian Revolution in 1917. SOURCE: History.com Advertisement Divers from Shinil had been searching for the wreck for years and finally located it on July 14 at a depth of 1,400ft around a mile off the coast of Ulleungdo. The Donskoi was launched in 1883 and spent most of its life operating in the Mediterranean before being deployed to Russia's Second Pacific Squadron in 1904 after much of Russia's Far Eastern forces were destroyed by Japan. The warship was guarding transport vessels at the rear of the convoy when it was intercepted by a much larger Japanese fleet in May 1905. What followed became known as the Battle of Tsushima and was disastrous for Russia, with 21 of its 38 ships sunk and 4,500 killed - compared to just three Japanese ships lost and 117 dead. The Donskoi escaped the battle itself, though was badly damaged and began steaming for the Russian port of Vladivostok. Before it could get there it was intercepted by the Japanese, who opened fire. At least 60 of the crew were killed and 120 more wounded, including Captain Ivan Lebedev, who ordered the ship to anchor off Ulleungdo and took his men ashore. The following day the ship was scuttled to stop it falling into Japanese hands and the crew surrendered. Captain Lebedev later died of his wounds. The Donskoi was believed to have been carrying gold supplies for the entire flotilla, which would have been used to pay port fees and the salaries of crew and captains while at sea. It is was thought possible that smaller gold stores kept on board other vessels in the flotilla were transferred to the Donskoi as they went down. Given a history of false claims about discovering the Donskoi in the past, Shinil Group promised to bring some of Lebedev's personal effects to the surface as further proof of their discovery. Firefighters were called to retrieve a drone which got stranded at the top of a 30ft tree in Battersea Park. The incident caused a backlash from onlookers who described it as a 'waste of resources' since drones are banned in the park. An unknown man had been filming with the airborne camera in the 200-acre green space on Sunday when his drone became stuck in the tree. Firefighters in Battersea Park using a high-pressure hose to shoot a drone out of a 30ft tree Drone was brought safely to the ground from 30ft using a high pressure hose and safety sheet Shocked visitors assumed that the London Fire Brigade was rescuing a cat stuck up the tree, until they spotted the remote controlled device lodged in the branches. At least 10 firefighters and two fire engines attended the scene at 1.28pm on Sunday afternoon, an eyewitness claimed. The footage captures the firefighters using a high-powered jet to blast the device from a tree. Firefighters pictured standing by a cordon after responding to a call out of a drone in a tree Four firefighters stood underneath the tree holding a large canopy to capture it. A woman who was visiting the park with her young children said the man who owned the drone defended calling the emergency service. She said: 'He said to me that they have to get it down in case it falls and hits someone.' She added: 'It was pretty unbelievable. 'They had been flying it in Battersea Park and it had got stuck. 'There was two fire engines at the scene, it was a bit excessive! A crowd gathered to watch the spectacle as up to 10 firefighters battled to release the drone 'I was at the park with my children and there was a big crowd of people so we went to see what was going on. 'Everyone thought they were rescuing a cat at first until we saw the hose. 'No one could believe it when we heard it was a drone. Everyone was quite disappointed too!' The video has been shared online, where critics have called for the unidentified man to pay a donation to the firefighters. People commenting after the video was shared online described the call-out as a waste of time Marcos Schneider posted: 'Hire a tree surgeon - that's what I did when it happened to me. 'I'd never dream of calling the fire service for something so trivial! Andy Naidu said: 'I've got no problem with people buying dangerous toys if the risks posed are only to them, but these pose a risk to the public.' Ben Almond added: 'Hope he gets charged for the call out.' A London Fire Brigade spokeswoman said: 'We were called at 1.28pm to a drone in a precarious position in a tree. Fire crews dealt with the incident in 30 minutes after responding to a call at 1.28pm on Sunday 'One drone was brought safely to the ground using a high pressure hose. 'The incident was over at 1.58pm.' James Price, Campaign Manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Taxpayers will be angry to see that at the same time as claiming they have no money, fire brigades are being called out for such pathetic reasons as drones stuck in trees. Not only is this a complete waste of time, it also represents money and resources that could and should be used better elsewhere. 'We need to change our relationship with these services and we should look at charging people who make such spurious requests of public services.' Billy Ray Irick was the first inmate executed by Tennessee in nearly a decade last Thursday A Tennessee inmate who claims Native American heritage sued in court to block his autopsy on religious grounds eight hours before he was executed by lethal injection last week. Billy Ray Irick, who was convicted for the 1985 rape and murder of a 7-year-old girl, was the first inmate executed by the state in nearly a decade last Thursday. Hours before he was led to the execution chamber, Irick filed suit to prevent authorities from conducting an autopsy. His attorney said his Native American heritage forbade autopsies, which are tantamount to desecration, according to The Tennessean. A Nashville judge, Davidson County Chancellor Russell T. Perkins, issued an order temporarily blocking the autopsy. Mr. Irick expressed his Native American heritage and religious/spiritual beliefs in various ways, including art work/paintings of Native American themes and necklace and bead work, Perkins wrote. Shortly before his death, Mr. Irick expressed his sincere religious belief that an autopsy would violate his religious belief. Irick, 59, who had spent more than three decades on death row, was put to death at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. Pronounced dead at 7:48pm local time, he became the 15th inmate executed this year in the United States and the first in Tennessee since 2009. He was convicted of raping and strangling Paula Dyer in Knoxville. Irick had been a boarder in the home where the girl lived with her mother, stepfather and siblings. The lawyer representing the city of Nashville said that he would not challenge the order on behalf of the citys medical examiner. The decision to temporarily halt the autopsies is a blow to anti-death penalty activists who hoped the coroner would confirm what they have suspected: that Irick was tortured to death. Irick was convicted for the 1985 rape and murder of Paula Dyer, a 7-year-old girl During the execution, Irick was given three poisonous chemicals that were injected into his veins. One minute after he said he was sorry for the horrific events of that night, his eyes closed, and the sounds of snoring and heavy breathing could be heard. The subtle sounds gave way at 7.34pm to coughing, huffing and deep breaths. An attendant began yelling 'Billy' and checked the inmate and grabbed his shoulder, but there didnt seem to be any reaction. Two minutes later, Irick was not making any noise and began to turn dark purple. In addition to legal challenges, since its last execution in 2009, Tennessee has had difficulties securing execution drugs including its previous chemical of choice, pentobarbital. But none of those hurdles stopped the process for Irick, who was put to death on Thursday using a combination of midazolam, vecuronium bromid and potassium chloride injections, which stopped his heart. In July Irick's attorney asked for the Tennessee Supreme Court to delay his execution once again amid a challenge to the state's lethal injection protocol. During the execution, Irick was given three poisonous chemicals that were injected into his veins. The above stock image shows the death chamber at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville For the first time, Tennessee used midazolam as a sedative, the muscle relaxer vecuronium bromid, and then potassium chloride to stop the heart. At question is whether midazolam is effective in rendering someone unconscious and unable to feel pain from the other two drugs. But Tennessee Supreme Court judges ruled Irick's attorney had failed to demonstrate a substantially less painful means to carry out the execution or that the drugs the state plans to use would cause the inmate to be tortured to death. Federal public defender Kelley Henry had requested the US Supreme Court to delay his execution. The Supreme Court, which rarely stays executions, denied the request. Henry had asked Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam to issue a temporary reprieve while the drugs are studied further. But the governor quickly ruled it out, saying he would not intervene. Brexit negotiations took a bizarre turn last night after claims British security services are bugging Brussels officials. EU officials raised concerns after the UK obtained the contents of an unpublished slide show presentation within hours of a meeting, the Daily Telegraph reported. A senior member of Michel Barnier's negotiating team raised the issue at a meeting on July 13, it was claimed. A senior member of Michel Barnier's negotiating team raised the issue at a meeting on July 13 Sabine Weyand reportedly told the European Council's Article 50 Working Party that 'it could not be excluded' that British intelligence had penetrated their meetings. The claims are likely to be seen as a bid to undermine Britain's attempts to present itself as an honest broker as talks intensify. Last night a senior Government source denied the 'crazy' claims outright. Miss Weyand's fears relate to a slide show presented on July 5 the day before the crunch Chequers summit. The slides showed the European Commission's economic assessments of UK plans to keep single market rules relating to goods. They are reportedly highly critical of the proposal, warning such a move would give the UK a competitive advantage. The report even hinted that Theresa May may have raised the slide show personally with Angela Merkel Within hours the UK had lobbied 'at the highest level' to block EU Commission plans to publish the slides, it was said. Such a move would have been deeply damaging for No 10. The report even hinted that Theresa May may have raised the slide show personally with Angela Merkel. According to the Telegraph, Brussels has now put a 'fierce new secretary' outside the secure Brexit meeting room to collect phones and other electronic devices. A mother who killed three of her children when she drove her car into a Melbourne lake and let them drown has had her 26 year sentence cut by eight years. Sudanese-born mother-of-seven Akon Guode, 38, was sentenced to 26-and-a-half years jail in 2017 after accepting guilt but blaming the tragedy on witchcraft. The 38-year-old pleaded guilty to murdering her 17-month-old son, Bol, four-year-old twins, Hanger and Madit, and attempting to murder a fourth daughter, Aluel, in 2015. Guode appeared before the Court of Appeal earlier in August, and had her sentence cut to 16-and-a-half years on Thursday morning. She will now serve a minimum 14 years' jail before she is eligible for parole. The mother said she was mentally disturbed and under a 'spell' when she drove the family car into Lake Gladman, watching as her children drowned in the water. Akon Guode (left) killed three of her children by driving them into a lake and claimed her jail sentence was too harsh because she was mentally unwell One-year-old Bol (left) and four-year-old twins Hanger and Maudit (right) all died when their mother intentionally drove a car carrying them into a Melbourne lake, putting her in prison for at least 20 years The 38-year-old said she was mentally disturbed after giving birth when she drove the family car into the lake (pictured) killing the three children Guode filed an application for leave to appeal her 26-year sentence earlier this month and the Court of Appeal heard the woman was mentally unbalanced after the child's birth - making her guilty of infanticide, the Herald Sun reported. 'Having particular regard to the fact that the balance of her mind was disturbed when she committed the offences the Court of Appeal accepted that the sentence imposed by the sentencing judge was manifestly excessive,' the Court of Appeal said on Thursday, according to the ABC. In sentencing her at the time, Justice Lex Lasry said Guode had had an 'extraordinarily difficult life'. 'In my opinion, your actions were the product of extreme desperation, rather than any form of vengeance,' he said. The mother-of-seven was jailed for one year for infanticide, for 22 years per murder and for six years for attempted murder - a penalty combination Guode's representative Julian McMahon said was 'not harmonious'. 'We say the public conscience would actually be shocked by the severity of the other sentences,' Mr McMahon said. The Crown reportedly argued the sentencing judge took into account Guode's mental state. To this day, no one knows why the 38-year-old, who survived the Sudan war, killed some of her children. In July 2016, police released a statement alleging Guode had spoken about killing herself and her children the day of the murders. The mother-of-seven (left) was jailed for one year for infanticide, for 22 years per murder and for six years for attempted murder - a penalty combination Guode's representative Julian McMahon said was 'not harmonious' A court heard that she was heavily in debt and had sent almost $100,000 to family in South Sudan since she moved to Australia in 2008. During the hearing her barrister Marcus Dempsey blamed the atrocity on an 'accruing of pressures and stress'. After the birth of Bol, Guode suffered from postnatal depression and received little support from her community. She left her first husband after starting an affair with the father of the three children, Joseph Manyang, and had been largely isolated from the community because of it. In June of 2016, a court heard a 000 call from the moment Guode drove into the lake. A witness could be heard in a recording saying: 'I saw them just drive full bolt into the water.' After the bodies of her children were pulled from the lake, the mother blamed a dizzy spell for causing her to lose control of the car The Crown reportedly argued the sentencing judge took into account Guode's mental state (pictured car being pulled from water) After the bodies of her children were pulled from the lake, the mother blamed a dizzy spell for causing her to lose control of the car. But an investigator said the car was deliberately driven into the water. Several police re-enactments showed the car could not have drifted off the roadway, as Guode claimed. The re-enactments also demonstrated a driver would need to turn the steering wheel three times to get into the water. Joseph Tito Manyang (pictuered right) leaves the Melbourne Supreme Court after Guode was sentenced to 26 years prison for killing three of their children A coffin with the bodies of one of the three children during a funeral service on April 18, 2015 Several passers-by and witnesses recalled hearing the car's engine revving after it had landed in the water. A key witness also testified that Guode believed witchcraft had caused the crash. The mother-of-seven told the woman she thought she was under a 'spell' when she drove into Lake Gladman. The woman said Guode believed her lover's wife may have used a witch doctor against her. The witness gave evidence she overheard Guode say she would 'rather take her own life and that of the kids' than see them live with her lover, Joseph Manyang, and his wife. During Guode's committal hearing Mr Manyang said he believed it was an accident and continued to visit Guode in prison. He said she was a good mother who loved all her children. Guode's recent appeal comes despite the community outrage over her sentence. Victims of crime advocate Noel McNamara said it should have been harsher. 'She killed three children and attempted to kill a fourth, she should have got life in prison,' Mr McNamara said. Suring the sentencing judge, Justice Lex Lasry told the court that some people may see it as 'inadequate.' He added though that many would also say it was 'excessive' because of Gouda's mental state. A drunken California motorist who drove more than a mile with the body of the homeless man she hit in the front seat of the car has been sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. Esteysi Sanchez, 31, was sentenced Wednesday for the 2016 death of a homeless man she hit after drunkenly driving onto a sidewalk in the city of Oceanside after a night of partying, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Prosecutors say 69-year-old Jack Tenhulzen was struck so hard that he was knocked out of his pants and shoes and one foot was severed. His body smashed through the car windshield into the passenger seat. Scroll down for video Esteysi Sanchez (seen in the above file photo), 31, was sentenced Wednesday for the 2016 death of a homeless man she hit after drunkenly driving onto a sidewalk in the city of Oceanside after a night of partying Prosecutors say 69-year-old Jack Tenhulzen (above) was struck so hard that he was knocked out of his pants and shoes and one foot was severed Sanchez was arrested outside her home in June 2016 after she walked away from her wrecked car with Tenhulzen still stuck inside. Sanchez was convicted in April of second-degree murder and other charges. She sobbed in court and apologized for the death. 'Jack Tenhulzen, my uncle, the man that you murdered, was loved,' said the victim's niece, Lisa Francisco, who spoke in court. 'He wasnt a faceless person. I loved my Uncle Jack.' Sanchez began sobbing uncontrollably, prompting the judge to call a lengthy recess. His body smashed through the car windshield into the passenger seat. Sanchez was arrested outside her home in June 2016 after she walked away from her wrecked car with Tenhulzen still stuck inside Witnesses told Fox 5 San Diego Sanchez got out of the car screaming when she arrived back in the cul-de-sac where she lived She then walked around the corner and entered her home She doubled over as Francisco addressed her in court. Police say Sanchez smashed into Tenhulzen on the sidewalk after drinking all night. Her speed sent him flying through the windshield with such force that his head was resting on the passenger seat. Tenhulzen's leg also detached from his body and flew through the back window, landing on the trunk of the car. Witnesses told Fox 5 San Diego Sanchez got out of the car screaming when she arrived back in the cul-de-sac where she lived. She then walked around the corner and entered her home. Edgar Esparza left his house and saw the car with the body still on the windshield. The teenager then asked Sanchez what had happened, but she said everything was fine. He added that her clothes suggested she had been on a night out. When paramedics arrived, they pronounced Tenhulzen dead at the scene. Tenhulzen is believed to have been walking to a soup kitchen when he was knocked down. A tradesman at the centre of a wild pub brawl has been found not guilty of biting off another man's ear despite overhead CCTV capturing the entire fight. Kane O'Meley, 27, faced Gosford District Court in a three-day trial this week, but a jury could not prove beyond reasonable doubt he had severed the ear of Rhys Greig. The Cessnock man was involved in the 2016 brawl at Northlakes Tavern, on the Central Coast, which police described as '20 minutes of madness.' Scroll down for video Kane O'Meley was found not guilty of biting off another man's ear at Gosford District Court on Wednesday O'Meley was involved in a wild brawl (pictured) that occurred in 2016 at Northlakes Tavern The court heard that Mr Grieg became involved in the fight to assist his friend's father who was being assaulted at about 10.30pm, News Corp reported. Mr Grieg told the court he was knocked to the ground after being hit in the head, remaining there in a foetal position as a number of men beat him. 'I was trying to intervene, I suppose I got in the way,' he told the court in his evidence. O'Meley, who was pictured prominently in footage of the brawl, had previously pleaded guilty to a raft of assault charges relating to the brawl. But he pleaded guilty to a serious assault charge relating to Mr Grieg's missing ear, and was found not guilty of the charge on Wednesday. Detective Senior Constable David Kerrsmith said the 6cm-long, 1cm wide portion of Mr Greig's ear was found but it was not able to be reattached. O'Meley previously pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, reckless wounding, assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to the brawl (pictured) O'Meley (right) was accused of biting the ear of Rhys Greig during the altercation. Mr Grieg lost a 6cm-long, 1cm wide portion of his right ear A DNA analysis of the ear could not indicate who bit off the ear as only Mr Grieg's DNA was found on it after extensive testing. The Crown prosecutor used CCTV footage to argue O'Meley was the likely offender due to his close proximity to the victim's right side. O'Meley's barrister Scott Fraser told the jury to think of alternative explanations. O'Meley had flown to the Northern Territory following the brawl before being arrested and extradited to NSW on November 29. He remains in custody and will be sentenced at the Newcastle District Court on October 26. The average Australian full-time worker earns $82,435 a year but there's one city where salaries are substantially higher, official figures show. Average weekly earnings, before tax and bonuses, stand at $1,585.30, following an annual wage increase of 2.7 per cent. For an average full-time worker, that equates to $82,435.60 a year. Men earn 17 per cent more a year than women, with average full-time salaries of $87,209.20 compared with $74,562.80 for female workers who are often in lower-paid industries. Scroll down for video The average Australian full-time worker earns $82,435 a year but there's one city where salaries are substantially higher, official figures show If that is not enough, workers wanting to earn 14 per cent more, or an average full-time salary of $94,224, should move to Canberra - the national capital and home to most Federal Government departments. The Australian Bureau of Statistics's wage data for May, released today, showed the Australian Capital Territory offers average weekly earnings of $1,812, making it the nation's richest state or territory. In terms of professions, mining engineers make the most per week, with pay packets of $2,592.00, or $134,784 a year. After mining, media and telecommunication offered the next highest average salaries of $100,396 followed by finance and insurance services on $98,532. For almost everyone else, the Australian Bureau of Statistics's chief economist Bruce Hockman said wages growth was still stagnant. If that is not enough, workers wanting to earning 14 per cent more, or an average full-time salary of $94,125, are urged to move to Canberra, Australia's home of public servants Mining engineers, however, made even more per week, with pay packets of $2,592.00, or $134,784 a year 'We're still seeing low average earnings growth,' he said. When it came to the battlers, the accommodation and food services sector offered the lowest full-time salaries of $59,103, followed by retail trade on $60,388. Earnings league table 1. Australian Capital Territory, $1, 812 a week or $94,224 a year 2. Western Australia, $1,740.30 a week or $90,495.60 a year 3. Northern Territory, $1,668.50 a week or $86,762 a year 4. New South Wales, $1,606.10 a week or $83,517.20 a year 5. Victoria, $1,550.20 a week or $80,610.40 a year 6. Queensland, $1,544.30 a week or $80,303.60 a year 7. South Australia, $1,449.40 a week or $75,368.80 a year 8. Tasmania, $1,379.20 a week or $71,718.40 a year * Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly ordinary time earnings, seasonally adjusted data for May in the persons category Advertisement Average salaries rose by one per cent in the six months to May 2018, translating into an annual increase of 2.7 per cent. Public servants enjoyed higher annual wage increases of 3.2 per cent, compared with the private sector average of 2.7 per cent. While the overall increases were small, they were still an improvement on the six months to May 2017, when wages rose by a minuscule 0.6 per cent. Tasmanians had the lowest average salaries of $1,379.20 a week, or $71,718.40 a year. Australia's unemployment rate fell marginally from 5.4 per cent to a five-and-a-half year low of 5.3 per cent in July even though 3,900 jobs were lost. Mining-rich Western Australia had the nation's second highest salaries of $90,496 a year. The Northern Territory, which is home to natural gas projects, was third with average salaries of $86,762 a year. New South Wales, which includes Australia's financial powerhouse Sydney, was the only other state or territory to offer above-average salaries of $83,517 a year. President Donald Trump has tweeted statements made by one of his biggest supporters, Fox News' Sean Hannity, who wants him to revoke the security clearance of officials who served in the Obama administration. The tweet read: '"Id strip the whole bunch of them. Theyre all corrupt. Theyve all abused their power. Theyve all betrayed the American people with a political agenda. They tried to steal and influence an election in the United States," @seanhannity.' Earlier on Wednesday, the White House announced that Trump had revoked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan. Trump also tweeted a comment from supporter Joseph DiGenova, a former U.S. federal prosecutor who has gone on Fox News and accused the FBI of framing the president. President Trump tweeted a quote from Sean Hannity (seen above on the air Wednesday) of Fox News who urged the president to revoke clearances from other Obama-era officials Earlier on Wednesday, the White House announced that Trump revoked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan DiGenova, a former U.S. federal prosecutor, has pushed conspiracy theories accusing the Justice Department of wrongly exonerating Hillary Clinton while using the Russia investigation as a plot to hurt Trump. Trump, who often tweets quotes from supporters word-for-word after they appear on Fox News, posted a quote from diGenova. Hillary Clinton clearly got a pass by the FBI. We have the unfortunate situation where they then decided they were going to frame Donald Trump concerning the Rigged Witch Hunt. JOE DIGENOVA, former U.S. Attorney,' he wrote. This is not the first time that diGenova has floated the conspiracy theory about the Justice Departments alleged cover-up of Clintons crimes. There was a brazen plot to illegally exonerate Hillary Clinton and, if she didn't win the election, to then frame Donald Trump with a falsely created crime,' diGenova told Fox News earlier this year. Make no mistake about it: A group of F.B.I. and D.O.J. people were trying to frame Donald Trump of a falsely created crime,' he said. In March, diGenova and his wife, Victoria Toensing, who is also an attorney, were reportedly on the verge of joining Trump's legal team, but the appointment fell through. Clinton was cleared after a lengthy investigation by the FBI into her use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state under the Obama administration. Trumps campaign is being scrutinized as part of a federal investigation into whether the Russian government meddled in the 2016 elections. Trump, his campaign, and the Russian government deny the allegations. Trump also tweeted a statement made by a supporter of his who has gone on Fox News and accused the FBI of framing the president Joseph DiGenova, a former U.S. federal prosecutor, has pushed conspiracy theories accusing the Justice Department of using the Russia investigation as a plot to hurt Trump. He is seen right with his wife, Victoria Toensing, on Fox Business Network on Wednesday The president has had a long-running feud with former top intelligence and law enforcement officials who believe Russia interfered in the election with the aim of helping Trump win office. Earlier on Wednesday, former CIA Director John Brennan hit back at Trump 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.' Brennan (above) 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 bus driver who mounted the sidewalk and mowed down pedestrians should never have been behind the wheel, a damning report has revealed. On a morning in July 2016, a State Transit bus careered off the road and onto a footpath in Sydney's northern suburb of Cammeray, mowing down pedestrians and injuring passengers before coming to a stop more than 100 meters up the road. Radio host Ben Fordham was at the scene of the accident and said he found the 41-year-old driver unconscious with 'foam' coming out of his mouth. The driver was suffering from a seizure, which caused him to lose consciousness and control of the bus. But a report by the Office of Transport Safety Investigations acquired by the Daily Telegraph has revealed the man should never have been allowed to drive a bus, after suffering a seizure following a motorbike accident in 2010. A new report has discovered that the driver behind the wheel of a runaway bus (pictured) in Cammeray in 2016 was a medical risk, and should not have had a licence The driver had suffered a seizure, and was helped by paramedics at the scene (pictured) As the bus left the road and smashed into shops, parked cars and pedestrians, the unconscious driver kept his foot on the pedal. The bus' speed climbed from 16km to 38km per hours, out-of-control for 127 metres. Four people were taken to hospital and some of the 12 passengers on the bus sliced their hands on glass window shards while trying to escape the bus. But the whole incident was preventable, as Thursday's report discovered that a motorcycle accident in 2010 left the bus driver with a medical seizure. His heavy vehicle licence was suspended, but was later reinstated in the same year. Four were taken to hospital as the bus caused chaos along the footpath, as it is revealed that the driver had previously suffered from medical seizures The bus hit parked cars, pedestrians and shop facades as the unconscious driver's foot was kept on the pedal Under normal guidelines of the time, he should not have resumed driving for five years after medical seizures were reported. But a specialist neurologist had said that the risk of further seizures was 'low', which allowed him to get back behind the wheel of a bus. 'In reviewing the circumstances of the accident and . guidelines at the time of the 2010 accident the bus driver should not have resumed regular bus driving duties when he did,' the official report states. Stricter guidelines have been implemented since the incident, which would have prevented a return to professional driving for 10 years. A migrant solicitor who has been practicing in Australia for over 20 years has been left scarred after a racist client left a threatening anonymous note at her office. Mother-of-two Mittu Gopalan has selflessly dedicated her career to representing victims of domestic violence, substance abuse or mental health issues in a cost-effective manner, opening her own practice in the heart of Sydney. But on Monday morning, the Australian citizen, who was born in India, was left shattered after finding an expletive-filled typed note placed out front of her business. In the horrific letter, filled with racial and pornographic slurs, Mrs Gopalan was told to 'go back to the f**king dirty country you come from,' among other degrading comments, calling her a 'whore'. In the horrific letter, filled with racial and pornographic slurs, Mrs Gopalan was told to 'go back to the f--king dirty country you come from,' among other degrading comments, calling her a 'whore' In spite of the harsh words, Mrs Gopalan tried to empathise with the perpetrator, telling Daily Mail Australia she 'often deals in family matters.' 'From the perspective of the writer, their world is likely shattered... that's the only way I could resonate with the letter.' Her daughter, Maneesha, told the Sydney Morning Herald her mother 'always puts her heart and soul into her profession.' 'I have watched her weep as she sang prayers for clients who were doing it tough. I have driven with her to provide home-cooked meals to clients who had recently become single parents to "make their days a little easier",' she told the publication. The note left Mrs Gopalan doubting her place in the country she has called home since she was 19 years old. 'She began to question her right to practise law and live in this country as a woman of colour. In less than 100 words, this anonymous individual managed to permanently damage my mother's sense of her own worth,' Maneesha said. Her furious daughter also mentioned her mother's continuing efforts to assimilate within Australian society, whilst also remaining dedicated to her cultural identity. Her furious daughter also mentioned her mother's continuing efforts to assimilate within Australian society, whilst also remaining dedicated to her cultural identity She says, despite the cruel letter and graphic slurs, she loves Australia and the multiculturalism the nation offers, calling the country 'the land of opportunity' Mrs Gopalan still worries about how 'Australian' her accent is, and digressed from the spelling of her daughter's name to make it easier for members of her community to recognise. She is still at a loss for who could have left her such a cruel note. 'Every time my emotions take over, in a meeting I could think, could this person be thinking this way too?' she told Daily Mail Australia. Mrs Gopolan said she has occasionally had to deal with racial slurs in the past. 'You come across it every now and then. 'Curry' and 'chocolate face' are some of the terms, but this took it to the next level.' 'You tell yourself this is not how society is and nobody looks at you this way but then this happens.' 'It really is a kick in the gut.' The practice owner completed her Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Academic Law at the prestigious University of Sydney in 1996, and has since worked her way up from associate to partner at an established law firm before opening her own. She says, despite the cruel letter and graphic slurs, she loves Australia and the multiculturalism the nation offers, calling the country 'the land of opportunity'. The writer of Fraser Anning's 'final solution' speech allegedly has a 'fascination with Nazi Germany', former One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts says. Mr Anning, who defected from One Nation to the Katter's Australian Party, has staunchly defended his speech - in which he said 'the final solution to the immigration problem is of course a popular vote' - despite widespread backlash. Mr Roberts said the man understood to have helped write the Queensland senator's maligned speech, Richard Howard, worked for him before being sacked as he was 'not a good fit'. Scroll down for video The writer of Fraser Anning's 'final solution' speech allegedly has a 'fascination with Nazi Germany', according to ex-One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts Mr Anning used the Nazi term 'final solution' in his maiden speech to the Senate on Tuesday, representing Bob Katter's (pictured) party '(He was) fascinated with Nazi Germany and authoritarian approaches and decisive rulers,' Mr Roberts claimed to The Australian. '(He) hearkened back overly to the days of empire... when the world seemed white and European.' Since the speech was delivered, it has been revealed it was deliberately intended to stoke controversy. Leaked audio obtained by Sky News revealed former One Nation state secretary Jim Savage claiming he told Senator Anning to 'hit a f***ing nerve'. 'We told Fraser months ago, we had a meeting with him... we said... when you make your maiden speech Fraser, you gotta get up there and say something really controversial,' Mr Savage said. 'Hit that f***ing nerve, otherwise you'll be forgiven, no-one will now who you are. We told him to do that, and that's exactly what he did. 'He's out there on TV this morning - I gotta let him know... hold your f***ing nerve... don't start apoligising and say, 'Oh yeah, I shouldn't have done that' - hold your f***ing nerve.' One Nation leader Pauline Hanson criticised Mr Howard under parliamentary privelege, claiming he drew inspiration 'straight from (Nazi propaganda minister Joseph) Goebbels'. Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten both voiced their disapproval at the content of Mr Anning's speech 'Richard was one of the staffers that I warned Fraser Anning not to take on - he disregarded my warning and took him on. So that was his decision,' she said. Mr Anning used the Nazi term 'final solution' in his maiden speech to the Senate on Tuesday, representing Bob Katter's party. Mr Howard denies having extremist views, and Daily Mail Australia does not suggest Mr Howard endorses Nazism. It is not known if the reference to a 'final solution' was made at his suggestion. Senator Anning gained just 19 primary votes at the 2016 July double dissolution election, as a One Nation Senate candidate. In November last year, he replaced Malcolm Roberts after his dual British citizenship made him ineligible to remain in federal parliament. The 68-year-old former hotelier quit One Nation on the day he was declared a senator by the High Court and joined the Katter party in June. A 10-month-old baby was found dead in the backseat of a man's car during a traffic stop in Georgia. Greenville police said officers pulled over Cameron Ramon Reese, 22, for speeding on Wednesday morning. Reese ran from the vehicle and officers who looked in the back seat found Ayla Reeves' body. Ten-month-old, Ayla Reeves (pictured), was found dead in the backseat of a car driven by Cameron Reese during a traffic stop in Georgia According to police, Reese had been watching the baby at home when he contacted Ayla's mother, 19-year-old Nikia Reeves (pictured), to say the child wasn't breathing According to police, Reese had been watching the baby at home when he contacted Ayla's mother, 19-year-old Nikia Reeves, to say the child wasn't breathing. When Nikia arrived, the three left in a car. Police said when Nikia questioned Reese about a mark under her daughter's eye, the man pulled a steak knife on her and she jumped from the car. The mother sustained severe road rash. The Greenville Police Department was then contacted about a stolen baby. Reese was tracked down by K-9s after the traffic stop. He faces charges including concealing the death of another. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations is now trying to determine how the baby died. Her cause of death is pending an autopsy. Nikia shared heartbreaking posts on Facebook about how she was planning her daughter's first birthday, which would've been in October. 'What am I suppose to do without my baby girl ??????? Im lost, Im hurt, Im Sad, Im Torn...life without my babygirl will NEVER be the same,' Nikia wrote. The adorable little girl is seen in several videos posted by her mother. One of the videos shows Ayla playing in a kiddie pool with other babies. One of the hackers who leaked thousands of naked photos and videos of celebs like Kirsten Dunst, Gabrielle Union and Jennifer Lawrence has whined that his tarnished reputation should grant him leniency in sentencing. George Garofano, 26, begged for the shorter sentence and claimed to 'always regret' the part he played in hacking 250 iCloud accounts, posting the sensitive material on Reddit. 'It will take me a while to forgive myself for this, and I am disappointed in myself,' the North Branford, Connecticut, resident said in court filings obtained by the New York Post. 'I feel remorse for anyone that could have been affected by this on any scale, public or private. It is a part of my life that I will always regret, as it has never been a reflection of who I am as an individual.' Garofano's remarks comes after federal prosecutors in Connecticut requested that the man be sentenced to a mere 10 to 16 months for his crimes. George Garofano, 26, begged for the shorter sentence and claimed to 'always regret' the part he played in hacking 250 iCloud accounts, posting nudes belonging to Jennifer Lawrence and Kirsten Dunst The man pleaded guilty to the April charge of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information in connection to the 2014 'celebgate.' He and his family believes that Garofano should serve a short time, followed by a short stint on house-arrest. 'Of course, he was old enough to know better even back then, that the conduct he was engaging in was wrong. But he now stands before the Court having matured, accepting responsibility for his actions and not having been in trouble with the law since,' Richard Lynch, his lawyer, explained. Garofano's older brother - Ralph - said that his brother's guilt is like an 'emotional prison'. Another loved one said that 'within hours [of his arrest] George's scarlet letter was permanent.' He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29. 'I feel remorse for anyone that could have been affected by this on any scale, public or private. It is a part of my life that I will always regret, as it has never been a reflection of who I am as an individual,' he said. Gabrielle Union and Kate Upton were other celebs who had their photos posted Prosecutors explained that from April 2013 through October 2014, Garofano engaged in a phishing scheme to obtain usernames and passwords for iCloud accounts. Garofano admitted that he sent emails to victims that appeared to be from security accounts of Apple and encouraged the victims to send him their usernames and passwords, or to enter them on a third-party website, where he would later retrieve them. The hacker then used the usernames and passwords to illegally access his victims iCloud accounts, which allowed him to steal personal information, including sensitive and private photographs and videos, according to his plea agreement. The case against Garofano is the fourth case stemming from FBI's 'celebgate' investigation. Co-conspirators: Edward Majerczyk (left), 29, from Chicago, was sentenced last year to nine months in federal prison. Ryan Collins (right), 36, a father-of-two from Pennsylvania, was sentenced in 2016 to 18 months in prison Chicago resident Emilio Herrera has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced next month after federal prosecutors charged him in a phishing scheme that gave him illegal access to more than 550 Apple iCloud and Gmail accounts. Another Illinois man, 29-year-old Edward Majerczyk, was sentenced last year to nine months in federal prison. In the third case, Ryan Collins, 36, a father-of-two from Pennsylvania, was sentenced in 2016 to 18 months in prison. Wildfires in eastern Washington State have made the air quality in the Seattle area so poor that it is believed worse than that of Beijing. The Environmental Protection Agencys air quality index ranked Seattle at 171, which is considered unhealthy. At the same time, the index in China, a country plagued by chronic pollution, read 38, which is considered good, according to KIRO-TV. An unhealthy rating from the EPA usually means that people could experience breathing problems or exacerbated symptoms if they are infected with pre-existing lung or heart disease. Wildfires in eastern Washington State have made the air quality in the Seattle area so poor that it is believed worse than that of Beijing. Smoke is seen above in the air above Seattle on Wednesday Smoke is seen in the air above the Puget Sound region in the photo above which was taken on Wednesday The photo above was taken in Lake Washington on Wednesday. The sun's image is distorted by the smoke in the air The image above shows an elevated point almost 10,000 feet above sea level on Mount Rainier The smoke is seen in this image showing Mount Rainier from ground level People in the Puget Sound area are being encouraged to limit the time they spend outdoors and avoid exercising or strenuous activity outside, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Residents are also being advised to close windows and doors and to use air conditioning in order to re-circulate fresh air. Those who are particularly at risk are people afflicted with heart or lung disease, asthma, diabetes, infants, children, adults over 65, pregnant women, and those who have suffered a stroke. In the 24-hour period between Tuesday and Wednesday morning the air quality was the worst in the nearly two-decade observing record of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency for any time of the year. The image above shows the contrast between the visibility at Olympic National Park on August 3 and that of Wednesday This photograph was taken in downtown Seattle. There are no clouds visible in the sky due to the heavy smoke created by wildfires in Washington State and British Columbia The visibility has gotten so bad in most locations that people can only see between three and five miles ahead. The air over Seattle is being filled with wildfire smoke from blazes in numerous states. There are currently wildfires burning in 15 Western states as well as the Canadian province of British Columbia. But the poor air quality in Seattle and the rest of the Pacific Northwest can be blamed on wildfires raging in British Columbia to the north; a number of fires in central and eastern Washington State to the east; and the still-burning California wildfires - the largest in that states history. The smoke from the fires waft into the air and are then taken to wherever the wind blows. The air quality in the Pacific Northwest is particularly bad, with Portland, Spokane, and Medford all saddled with wildfire smoke. The National Weather Service has issued an Air Quality Alert exetending from eastern Washington State to northern Idaho. The alert will remain in effect until 10am on Friday. New Zealand has passed legislation to ban foreigners from buying properties to avoid the booming house prices of capital cities across the Tasman in Australia. Prime Minister Jacinda Arden is on track to fulfill her 2017 election promise of making housing prices more affordable with the new law passed on Wednesday. 'This is a significant milestone and demonstrates this government's commitment to making the dream of home ownership a reality for more New Zealanders,' Associate Finance Minister David Parker said. He added that the change 'ensures that the market for our homes is set in New Zealand, not on the international markets.' New Zealand has passed legislation to ban foreigners from buying properties to avoid the booming house prices Australia has experienced (pictured: bidders at property in Sydney) The legislation is part of Jacinda Arden's (pictured) election promise to make housing more affordable The legislation is a bid to avoid the Australian price explosion where housing prices have been out of reach for the average person in recent years. New Zealanders have traditionally preferred to own their homes rather than rent but a shortage of housing and increased migration have raised property prices. Foreign ownership has received blame for the increased prices in recent years. In the past five years prices had risen by 30 per cent, a government report released earlier this year revealed. In the past decade prices had risen more than 60 per cent and the average prices in Auckland had almost doubled. Arden's centre-left government is convinced that foreign buyers outbidding local buyers has affected home ownership which has slipped to a 60-year-low. Critics had previously claimed that it was racist to exclude Chinese buyers, who make up the largest portion of foreign ownership, from the market. In the past five years prices had risen by 30 per cent in New Zealand, a government report released earlier this year revealed (stock image of Auckland) Australians are the second most common foreign buyers but are exempt from the legislation, alongside Singapore. Many have questioned the likely success of the new law as Australian buyers are excluded from the ban, Reuters reported. 'Is the ban wise or useful? We think it's neither,' Chinese real estate portal Juwai.com spokesman Dave Platter said. 'Foreign buying ... tends to be focused on new development, making clear again that foreign investment leads to the creation of new dwellings. That's vital in a market with a housing shortage like Auckland.' Real Estate Institute of New Zealand chief executive Bindi Norwell questioned the legislation as foreign buyers only made up a small portion of the market. '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,' she told stuff.co.nz. Foreign ownership has received blame for the increased prices in recent years (pictured: bidders at property in Sydney) Huge queues have started forming at newsagents all across Australia as people gear up for a record $100million Powerball jackpot. One out of every three people are expected to buy a ticket for Thursday night's draw, which is the biggest jackpot offered in Powerball history. Photos uploaded to social media show queues out the door of newsagents. The prize has been rolled over for the eighth consecutive week, during which time no-one had all seven winning numbers and the Powerball number. Huge queues have started forming at newsagents ahead of Thursday's record Powerball draw One in every three people are expected to buy a ticket ahead of the $100million jackpot draw The only other time a $100 million division one prize was up for grabs in Australia was for an Oz Lotto draw in 2012. The jackpot will soar even higher and set a new Australian record if there are no division one winners on Thursday night, with that amount yet to be determined. 'We're expecting it to be really busy at lottery outlets and online right up until the draw at 7.30pm on Thursday night,' The Lott spokesman Matt Hart told Daily Mail Australia. Earlier in the week, the most frequently drawn numbers were revealed. Theoretically, every number has the same chance of being drawn, but some numbers are shown to come out of the barrel more frequently. It's the highest jackpot ever offered by Powerball, and only the second time in history that an Australian jackpot has topped $100million Earlier in the week, the most profitable and frequently drawn numbers were revealed In the main barrel for Powerball, these numbers are: 32, 34, 9, 24, 25. MOST AND LEAST 'PROFITABLE' NUMBERS Most profitable 10, 30, 12, 22, 18, 34, 23 Least profitable 21, 11, 35, 15, 6, 20, 16 According to Powerball's website Advertisement For the Powerball barrel, they're 9 and 19. On the other hand, it's been at least 10 weeks since 15, 23 , 19, 27 or 30 were drawn from the main barrel, while 21 and 11 haven't appeared at all. There's also numbers that are more profitable than others, with the least popular numbers yielding a bigger return to those who do pick them. Earlier in the year, one lucky punter won $55million through Powerball, but left it to the very last week to claim his prize. 32 and 34, which are currently consider as hot numbers, made an appearance in that draw as well. The jackpot has rolled over in eight consecutive weeks, with no mention of how much it could be if it isn't won Thursday Two mechanics taking a luxury BMW for a drive on a highway to test for faults were forced to abandon the vehicle after the engine exploded. The pair were travelling on the Eastern Highway near Clifton Hill, Melbourne on Thursday when the car went up in flames. The luxury vehicle had been put in for servicing, with the mechanics taking it for a generic test drive to see if there were any faults. Two mechanics taking a luxury BMW for a drive on a highway to test for faults were forced to abandon the vehicle after the engine exploded Concerned citizens took to social media to share images of the car, which had pulled into the breakdown lane before it set alight. Thick, black smoke engulfed the air and rose quickly on the busy freeway. A listener called in to 3AW to report the traffic incident. 'The smoke, I tell you, was crazy,' he said. 'The flames were massive. The car looked absolutely toasted.' The luxury vehicle had been put in for servicing, with the mechanics taking it for a generic test drive to see if there were any faults Lanes heading outbound were forced to close after the fire broke out, leaving carnage for travellers A team of firefighters attended the scene, where they worked to put out the flames that had enveloped the front portion of the car. The damage to the white four wheel drive was severe, however no other motorists were caught in the explosion. Lanes heading outbound were forced to close after the fire broke out, leaving carnage for travellers. After two hours, the lanes reopened, easing the traffic backlog. Nobody was hurt in the explosion. A toddler who was allegedly kidnapped by his 22-year-old mother has been found 'safe and well'. Manaia Te Where, who is 18-months-old, was allegedly snatched by Hope Hopkins at about 11am on Wednesday while walking in Blacktown, Sydney, during a supervised visit. He was found at a home in Stanmore at about 8pm on Wednesday 'following extensive inquiries', police said. Police said the young boy was taken to Blacktown Police station, where paramedics assessed him as a precaution. Police found 18-month-old Manaia Te Where (left) 'safe and well' on Wednesday evening Ms Hopkins, who is still missing, is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 165cm tall, of thin build with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans, black Nike slides and travelling with a red pram. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. A Cleveland podiatrist who was murdered by his two adult sons had been threatened by them in the past. Dr Richard Warn, 59, was found dead at his home by police on August 9 after his wife Jane returned from vacation. On the day he was killed, Richard was supposed to be on vacation with Jane, but had been forced to return home early due to sickness. His sons Michael Warn, 31, and Mark Warn, 29, reportedly killed him before taking their own lives during a 12-hour standoff with a SWAT team. Cops say Richard, who was shot five to six times, had previously argued with at least one of his sons about money before his death. There had been multiple clashes between Richard and his sons - who he seemed to financially support - over the years, including a chilling incident in 2015 when he shared a voicemail with police of one of his sons who threatened that his dad had better give him money or 'Jehovah will be upset and might start burning s**t'. He also told his father that 'people do crazy things when they do not get enough sleep'. Cleveland podiatrist Dr Richard Warn was murdered by his two adult sons who then both committed suicide, police have revealed When Jane returned home on August 9, she realized she had forgotten her keys. She became worried when Warn, whose car was in the driveway, didn't answer the door. She called 911 and police discovered the doctor had been shot dead less than 48 hours earlier. There were no signs of forced entry. The next day investigators arrived at a second house Warn owned that was occupied by his two adult sons and located less than two miles away from where he lived. Beachwood police officers also called on the help of a SWAT team to serve a search warrant on the home due to the violent nature of Warn's murder. Someone inside the home fired a .223 rifle round at the officers. The force of the bullet was so strong it managed to crack the tank's bulletproof windshield, according to Cleveland.com. Officers tried to negotiate with the brothers inside the home but could not make contact throughout the standoff. They cut off power at the home around 9.50pm and shut off the street lights in the evacuated neighborhood around 10.15pm. They shot tear gas into the home and also sent a robot inside, discovering that no one was on the ground level. The SWAT team then rammed its tank through the front part of the home and discovered both Michael and Mark were dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Warn was killed in his home (pictured) while his wife Jane was away on an overseas trip. Authorities said he was shot five or six times Authorities said Warn had not been in contact with his sons for at least a few weeks, if not months, before his death, despite the fact they lived in a home he owned and he used to do their basic household shopping for the pair. There was a history of issues with the family, starting when Warn called police in 2004 and asked for advice on how to deal with tension between his three children. Warn said problems had begun with his two teen sons and daughter after he divorced their mother and began dating another woman. The officers referred him to local services for families in the area. A year later, someone from the home called police again. An officer arrived at the house and found Warn arguing with his son Mark about an Xbox. The family did not call the police again until 2015, when Jane called 911 from inside the bathroom of her home and said she heard voices inside the house. Officers and Warn arrived at the scene and discovered his sons in the living room. The men said they had gone to the home in search of hats. Warn told the police that Mark and Michael were not allowed to be at his home without permission, but declined to press charges. But three hours later, Warn called the police and played a voicemail he had received from Michael just two days before. The next day investigators arrived at a second house (pictured) Warn owned that was occupied by his two adult sons. After a 12-hour standoff, they rammed the front of it with a SWAT tank The SWAT team then discovered both Michael and Mark Warn were dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds The doctor's son can be heard threatening his father to give him money or else 'Jehovah will be upset and might start burning s**t'. He also told his father that 'people do crazy things when they do not get enough sleep'. The officer said the doctor could press charges but Warn once again declined. Authorities said 'there was talk' that both sons suffered from mental illnesses, but that it had not been verified. Marian Werfel, a neighbor of the brothers, said the men rarely left the house (pictured) unless they were going to the grocery store and never had any visitors Marian Werfel, a neighbor of the brothers, said the men rarely left the house unless they were going to the grocery store. 'They were such shy, shy boys,' she told FOX 8. 'You would never think they could do this. They were very quiet, kept to themselves.' Werfel said that Mark was a 'shadow' of Michael and 'did everything his brother wanted him to do'. Neither brother had a criminal record, according to their father, but Beachwood police records reveal multiple incidents involving them. In 2015, Jane Warn called the police to report strangers were in the house. Richard Warn returned home to find Michael and Mark standing in the living room. 'Michael stated that they were in the house looking for some hats. Richard said that Michael and Mark were not to be in the house as they no longer lived there,' the report states. Warn leaves behind a third child, an adult daughter, who declined comment to FOX 8 News. The neighbor said she saw Warn visit his sons at the house until 2015, and that he used to go shopping for the men and buy them everything they needed. He'd even purchase toilet paper for his adult sons. She said that she's never seen anyone else enter the home aside from their father. 'I think he basically was saying boys, man up,' she said. 'I'm not doing things for you anymore.' 'And I think maybe they just went off the deep end.' 'There was some friction amongst the family, but that's kind of a family matter, but nothing that points us to say this or that was a clear motive,' Chief Gary Haba said. Haba said it is not yet clear if one or both of the brothers committed the murder. Detectives have not established a motive. A Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple on religious grounds has sued the state over its opposition to his refusal to bake a cake celebrating a gender transition, his attorneys said Wednesday. Jack Phillips, owner of the Masterpiece Cakeshop in suburban Denver, claimed that Colorado officials are on a 'crusade to crush' him and force him into mediation over the gender transition cake because of his religious beliefs, according to a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday. Phillips is seeking to overturn a Colorado Civil Rights Commission ruling that he discriminated against a transgender person by refusing to make a cake celebrating that person's transition from male to female. Jack Phillips, owner of the Masterpiece Cakeshop in suburban Denver, is suing the state after the Supreme Court upheld his refusal to make a transgender celebration cake on 'religious' grounds His lawsuit came after the Supreme Court ruled in June that Colorado's Civil Rights Commission displayed anti-religious bias when it sanctioned Phillips for refusing to make a wedding cake in 2012 for Charlie Craig and Dave Mullins, a same-sex couple. Phillips' lawyers argued that his cakes are an art form - a 'temporary sculpture' - and being forced to create one to commemorate a gay wedding would violate his rights under the U.S. Constitution to freedom of speech and expression and free exercise of religion. Mullins and Craig, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, said Phillips was using his Christian faith as pretext for unlawful discrimination based on sexual orientation. The ACLU said the baker was advocating for a 'license to discriminate' that could have broad repercussions beyond gay rights. The case became a cultural flashpoint in the United States, underscoring the tensions between gay rights proponents and conservative Christians. The litigation, along with similar cases around the country, is part of a conservative Christian backlash to the Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling. Phillips and others like him who believe that gay marriage is not consistent with their Christian beliefs, have said they should not be required to effectively endorse the practice. His lawsuit came after the Supreme Court ruled in June that Colorado's Civil Rights Commission displayed anti-religious bias when it sanctioned Phillips for refusing to make a wedding cake in 2012 for Charlie Craig and Dave Mullins, a same-sex couple (pictured) Charlie Craig, left, and David Mullins talk about the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that sets aside a Colorado court decision against a baker who would not make a wedding cake for the same-sex couple as they meet reporters Monday, June 4, 2018 Gay rights advocates said the case is just one part of a bigger struggle seeking greater legal protections for gay, bisexual and transgender people, including in the workplace, even as they fight efforts by conservatives to undermine gains secured in recent years. Eventually, the justices voted 7-2 that the commission violated Phillips' rights under the First Amendment. But the court did not rule on the larger issue of whether businesses can invoke religious objections to refuse service to gays and lesbians. The Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian nonprofit law firm, represented Phillips in the case and filed the new lawsuit. Phillips operates a small, family-run bakery located in a strip mall in the southwest Denver suburb of Lakewood. He told the state civil rights commission that he can make no more than two to five custom cakes per week, depending on time constraints and consumer demand for the cakes that he sells in his store that are not for special orders. Autumn Scardina, a Denver attorney whose practice includes family, personal injury, insurance and employment law, filed the Colorado complaint - saying that Phillips refused her request for a gender transition cake in 2017. Cardina said she asked for a cake with a pink interior and a blue exterior and told Phillips it was intended to celebrate her gender transition. She did not state in her complaint whether she asked for the cake to have a message on it. The commission found on June 28 that Scardina was discriminated against because of her transgender status. It ordered both parties to seek a mediated solution. Phillips sued in response, citing his belief that 'the status of being male or female... is given by God, is biologically determined, is not determined by perceptions or feelings, and cannot be chosen or changed,' according to his lawsuit. Phillips alleges that Colorado violated his First Amendment right to practice his faith and the 14th Amendment right to equal protection, citing commission rulings upholding other bakers' refusal to make cakes with messages that are offensive to them. 'For over six years now, 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 said. 'This lawsuit is necessary to stop Colorado's continuing persecution of Phillips.' GAY COUPLE BEHIND THE CASE SPEAK OUT Following the Supreme Court's decision on Monday, the couple behind the Colorado baker case spoke out to the Denver Post. 'We had no idea that we would end up on a journey that wound up at the Supreme Court,' David Mullins said. Despite the fact that their case eventually lost, the couple said they would go through the ordeal again in a heartbeat. 'We've put a lot into this,' Mullins said. 'This case has technically been going on longer than our marriage has. There are a lot of good things in this verdict, even though it is a loss for us. But it's hard to all take in.' 'I think the hardest part for me personally has just been having to be on and feel the pressure of making sure to be an inspiring public figure,' Charlie Craig said. 'We're just human beings. When you've asked to rise to a level that you didn't know you were capable to do, that's hard. Lots of growing.' They said they harbor no ill feelings towards Phillips. 'This has always been about a policy and not about a person,' they said. Advertisement Phillips' lawyers also suggested that Scardina may have targeted Phillips several times after he refused her original request. The lawsuit said he received several anonymous requests to make cakes depicting Satan and Satanic symbols and that he believed she made the requests. Reached by telephone Wednesday, Scardina declined to comment, citing the pending litigation. Her brother, attorney Todd Scardina, is representing her in the case and did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment. Phillips' lawsuit refers to a website for Scardina's practice, Scardina Law. The site states, in part: 'We take great pride in taking on employers who discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and serving them their just desserts.' The lawsuit said that Phillips has been harassed, received death threats, and that his small shop was vandalized while the wedding cake case wound its way through the judicial system. Phillips' suit names as defendants members of the Colorado Civil Rights Division, including division director Aubrey Elenis; Republican state Attorney General Cynthia Coffman; and Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper. It seeks a reversal of the commission ruling and at least $100,000 in punitive damages from Elenis. Hickenlooper told reporters he learned about the lawsuit Wednesday and that the state had no vendetta against Phillips. Rebecca Laurie, a spokeswoman for the civil rights commission, declined comment Wednesday, citing pending litigation. Also declining comment was Coffman spokeswoman Annie Skinner. The Masterpiece Cakeshop wedding cake case stirred intense debate about the mission and composition of Colorado's civil rights commission during the 2018 legislative session. Its seven members are appointed by the governor. Lawmakers added a business representative to the commission and, among other things, moved to ensure that no political party has an advantage on the panel. The girlfriend of an aspiring rapper allegedly murdered with a samurai sword blames a mystery man accused of driving him to the home where a daylight robbery went horribly wrong. Jett McKee was armed with knuckledusters and a fake gun when he stormed into Hannah Quinn and her boyfriend Blake Davis' home demanding money, a court has heard. Police allege 23-year-old Quinn screamed 'what the f*** have you done?' after Davis, 28, allegedly brought the weapon down on the 30-year-old's skull in the middle of a Forrest Lodge street in Sydney last Friday. The court heard a 'known person' who allegedly drove McKee to the home pulled his car beside and questioned, 'Jett, Jett are you OK?', The Sydney Morning Herald reported. After fleeing the scene as police arrived, he allegedly phoned McKee's pregnant girlfriend, Averil Bowers, and told her he would be taken to hospital. In a later Facebook message, Ms Bowers told the unnamed man: 'He's dead and it's all your f***ing fault... You did it [drive McKee to the home] even though you knew it was a bad idea.' Averil Bowers (left), the girlfriend of an Jett McKee, blames a mystery man for his death after he allegedly drove him to the home where a daylight robbery went horribly wrong Hannah Quinn (left) and her boyfriend Blake Davis (right) were at their Forrest Lodge home at midday on Friday when Jett McKee allegedly stormed into their home demanding money Armed with knuckledusters, a fake gun and wearing a balaclava (pictured), McKee allegedly stormed into the granny flat The court heard the alleged driver boarded a flight to Singapore the morning after the incident. Meanwhile, Quinn's barrister Tom Hughes told the court McKee threatened the young lovers with violence inside their home. 'You don't want to get hurt, I will shoot you. There's lots more people like me that will shoot you, give me all your valuables,' Mr Hughes said McKee warned. McKee, 30, had a $31,000 gambling debt which had been paid by his parents, but continued to feed money into pokie machines, Mr Hughes said. Ms Bowers (pictured) is the pregnant girlfriend of McKee, who witnesses said was bleeding profusely as he staggered down a nearby street and collapsed Davis (pictured), described as a 'confident, highly professional, polite person with excellent vocal skills' on his Star Now profile, appeared on Network Seven's My Kitchen Rules in 2012 A keen advocate of veganism on Facebook, Ms Quinn is photographed wearing a 'meat is murder' T-shirt (pictured) and wrote about getting upset about picking flowers He allegedly punched Davis, 28, in the face with knuckledusters and he 'went down', Mr Hughes said, before McKee grabbed Quinn's bag and fled. Police allege McKee was chased by Quinn and Davis 'after having abandoned his demand'. As Quinn gave chase, she yelled 'who are you, who the f*** are you?,' a statement of police facts alleges, The Daily Telegraph reported. Quinn alleged when she caught up with McKee she grabbed her bag, before Mr McKee tried to punch her and he fell over, but police will allege she grabbed his jacket and flung him to the asphalt. McKee (pictured), 30, had a $31,000 gambling debt which had been paid by his parents, but continued to feed money into pokie machines, the court heard The court heard Quinn screamed at her boyfriend: 'What the f*** have you done?' after he allegedly fatally stabbed him with a samurai sword (McKee's girlfriend Averil Bowers pictured) Police will allege that Davis, following close behind, then 'inflicted a penetrating wound into the deceased's skull using the samurai sword', according to the Herald. Witnesses said McKee was bleeding profusely as he staggered down a nearby street and collapsed. Davis allegedly stole a neighbour's silver car cover to conceal the blood-stained sword after the incident, police documents state, before he and Quinn returned home. Inside the couple's home, McKee (pictured) allegedly punched Davis, 28, in the face with knuckledusters and he 'went down', before McKee grabbed Quinn's bag and fled Neighbours reportedly saw the couple leaving their flat with a cardboard box as police approached the scene of the crime, and David was heard exclaiming 'f*** I'm going to jail,' according to court documents. It is alleged the couple hid in a laneway nearby as officers descended on the scene, with a police helicopter circling above. It was in that same laneway that police later allegedly found $21,380 cash in a paper bag, two mobile phones and a pistol that is believed to be a pellet gun. Davis and Quinn allegedly broke in to a nearby home, and spent the next three days moving one hotel to the next. Quinn walked free from prison Thursday with her mother and brother after having her application for bail accepted Police were called to the intersection of Hereford Street and Minogue Crescent at Forest Lodge around 12.40pm to find a body lying in the middle of the road (pictured) During this time Quinn allegedly gave Davis first aid, changed his clothes and booked a hotel room on their behalf - all of which resulted in her being charged with a second offence of accessory to murder after the fact on Thursday. On Monday evening, after reportedly consulting with family members, the pair finally handed themselves in to police in Newtown. Mr Hughes argued that Quinn's question 'What the f*** have you done?' after the alleged attack showed the couple hadn't spoken about using the sword on McKee. Quinn was granted conditional bail by magistrate Margaret Quinn, including that she report daily to Redfern police station and not have any contact with any prosecution witness. Resident Lynn Charlesworth's car (pictured) was covered in blood from the victim as he tried to escape Jett 'Scepaz' McKee has been remembered as a member of the local hip-hop community The prosecutor did not oppose her release application. Outside court, her mother Megan Quinn - who sobbed when her daughter appeared on the court monitor - thanked the media for 'keeping an open mind' about the situation. 'I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to Jett McKee's family. I hope his family is getting support too. My heart goes out to them,' she said, flanked by Quinn's father and two brothers. Both accused are due to return to court on October 9. Davis has made no application for bail. A private schoolboy who sexually assaulted an unconscious 15-year-old drunk girl at a party while his friend has walked free on probation. The boy - who cannot be named - was sentenced to 20 months of probation at Surry Hills Children's Court after he pleaded guilty to having aggravated sexual intercourse with the girl and disseminating child abuse material. The court heard the assault happened while the teenagers were at a mardi gras-themed birthday party in the eastern suburbs of Sydney in 2017. A private schoolboy sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl while they were at a mardi gras-themed birthday party in Sydney's eastern suburbs (stock image) The 15-year-old victim had gone to the party with a group of friends, but within an hour she went missing, The Daily Telegraph reported. It's believed the victim had also drunk multiple cans of Vodka Smirnoff Double Black as well as vodka from a flask before she went missing. It was only when the victim's friends realised she was missing that they went looking for her, and found her in a dark bushy area behind a marquee. The group of friends allegedly found the victim in a semi-conscious state, while the 15-year-old boy was sexually assaulting her as his male friend filmed. The attack only lasted for a few minutes before the victim's friends shouted at the private schoolboy to stop and kicked him off. The following day, the boy sent the 13-second video of the incident to a classmate on Facebook Messenger, which police later used as evidence. The boy was sentenced to 20 months' probation at Surry Hills Children's Court (pictured) after he pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual intercourse of a person under the age of 16 As a result of the ordeal, the boy was charged and banned from stalking or contacting the girl, or going within metres of her elite private school after he was granted a $10,000 bail. During the trial, the prosecution said it was evident the boy took advantage of the victim's intoxication, but it couldn't be established whether she was too drunk to consent to having sex. When handing down the decision, Magistrate Sue Duncombe said it was obvious the boy, who has since moved interstate, was sorry for his actions, adding that the incident had already significantly impacted on him and his family. 'Dont make this hold you back. This is a very big mistake, but one mistake,' she told him on Thursday. 'It doesnt determine your future.' A Chinese family allegedly laundered at least $11 million of dirty money for organised crime groups, after federal police seized illegally imported cigarettes in Melbourne. Four men and two women, who are all from the same family, have been charged with smuggling tobacco and dealing with the proceeds of crime, police confirmed on Thursday. Police and Border Force officers raided a Templestowe home and a Notting Hill warehouse on Monday. They allegedly found $775,000 cash. Scroll down for video Authorities launched an investigation into the Chinese family in February after identifying an alleged illegal tobacco importation network The cigarettes allegedly arrived in Melbourne and Sydney in four shipping consignments hidden in tiles, AFP Superintendent Krissy Barrett said. The consignments were allegedly all sent to the warehouse, evading $1.75 million in import duties. The nature of the organised crime with links to the money laundering was not revealed by Barrett, but she confirmed it was at an international level. 'They are a family,' she said of those charged. 'They have various links through family. 'These crooks are only working for the money and the power that comes with the money. 'To be able to cut off their ability to quickly move their money and their ability to reinvest and go again in whatever their illegal ventures are, is a huge achievement for us.' Federal police have seized 2.5 million illegally imported cigarettes in Melbourne. The cigarettes allegedly arrived in four shipping consignments, hidden in tiles The men, aged 21 to 48, have been charged with smuggling tobacco and dealing with the proceeds of crime and face up to 30 years' prison if found guilty. The women, aged 33 and 44, have been charged with proceeds of crime offences and could be jailed for 20 years. It is still to be determined if the six people charged are Australian residents. 'We are still investigating their status,' Border Force Commander Susan Black said. Authorities launched an investigation into the Chinese family in February after identifying an illegal tobacco importation network. Police will allege they identified the key operators of a syndicate laundering dirty money for Australian-based criminals and worked with Chinese customs and anti-smuggling officials to investigate. Federal Law Enforcement Minister Angus Taylor said the scale of the alleged smuggling syndicate was significant. 'This operation highlights the significant links between illicit tobacco and organised crime,' he said. 'Those who seek to exploit the Australian economy for their own personal gain should be warned the Turnbull government is continuously working to thwart their efforts.' The alleged offenders are expected to face the Melbourne Magistrates Court and police continue to investigate whether others were involved in the operation. The brother-in-law of a prominent Chicago attorney who was found shot dead in his home has been charged with his murder. John Gately III, 66, was charged Wednesday with murder and attempted murder in the fatal shooting of 72-year-old Steve Shapiro in his Northfield home. After the shooting on Monday, police tracked Gately to his apartment, about three miles away in Winnetka, where he had barricaded himself inside. He was taken into custody hours later after about 90 police officers responded to the scene. Gately is the brother of Shapiro's widow, Joan. John Gately III, 66, was charged Wednesday over the fatal shooting of his attorney brother-in-law, Steve Shapiro, 72, in his Northfield, Chicago home on Monday night Shapiro, who argued 30 cases before the US Supreme Court, was pronounced dead at the scene on Monday after being shot in the chest. Police said Gately broke into Shapiro's home just before 7.20pm and shot him in a domestic dispute. Authorities have not said what led to the shooting. Gately is scheduled to appear for a bond hearing Thursday morning in Skokie. Shapiro's law firm, Mayer Brown, said it was shocked by his death. He joined the firm in 1972 and was a deputy solicitor general during the Reagan administration. The firm's website says Shapiro argued several cases for corporate clients before the Supreme Court as recently as 2012. After the shooting on Monday, police tracked Gately to his apartment, about three miles away in Winnetka, where he had barricaded himself inside. He was taken into custody (pictured above) hours later Police said Gately broke into Shapiro's home just before 7.20pm and shot him in a domestic dispute. Authorities have not said what led to the shooting 'Steve personally has been responsible for briefing more than 200 cases and for arguing 30 cases before the US Supreme Court.' Shapiro was the founder and senior member of the Supreme Court & Appellate practice at Mayer Brown. According to the firm's website, it was because of Shapiro's leadership that the firm has grown to become the largest Supreme Court & Appellate practice in the country. 'We are shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Steve Shapiro, our friend and colleague,' the firm said in a statement. 'Steve joined our firm in 1972 and was promoted to partner in 1978, becoming one of the most accomplished appellate lawyers in the United States. Our thoughts are with Steve's family at this difficult time.' Shapiro's storied career saw him successfully represent the 15 leading underwriters and mutual funds in the nation before the Supreme Court in the 2007 case Credit Suisse v. Billing, the largest private antitrust case in history. A former youth pastor will spend the rest of his life behind bars for killing his wife, stepdaughter and his stepdaughter's boyfriend while the family played a board game at their family home last Thanksgiving. Christopher R. Gattis, 59, pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder on Wednesday, after a court heard arguments over spilled wine and disagreements about his wife's children staying in the home had ensued just days before the murders, the Richmond-Times Dispatch reported. The court also saw his wife Jeanett's chilling cell phone video of the final confrontation between Gattis and herself, her daughter Candice Kunze, 30, and boyfriend Andrew Buthorn, 36, when he demanded they leave the Virginia home on the night of their murder. Kunze's cellphone was also recording when, just before midnight, Gattis walked into their kitchen with a loaded pistol, shooting and killing her and capturing Buthorn crouched behind a table, pleading: 'I will go out. I will leave.' Scroll down for video Christopher R. Gattis (above) a former Virginia youth pastor, was sentenced to 58 years in prison for killing his wife, stepdaughter and his stepdaughter's boyfriend last Thanksgiving Gattis's wife Jeanett, 58, (far left) had recorded a confrontation between Gattis and her daughter Candice Kunze, 30, (left) and boyfriend Andrew Buthorn, 36, (right) when he demanded they leave the Virginia home on the night of their murder The horrific incident took place at the family home (shown) in the 14000 block of Dogwood Ridge Court in Chester, Virginia Gattis shot his wife first, then his stepdaughter and finally Buthorn as he ran from the house in a desperate attempt to escape. A feud had been building between Gattis and his victims in the days before the murders, including an argument over spilled wine as family members were playing a board game two days before Thanksgiving. Gattis, who had been drinking, shoved his wife and allegedly tried to punch her before his nephew interceded. Gattis objected to his wife's daughter and boyfriend, who were physical therapists, staying at his home and didn't want them around for more than a few days at a time. According to a summary of evidence by prosecutor Kenneth Chitty, Gattis (right) shot his wife (left) first, then his stepdaughter and finally Buthorn as he ran from the house to escape The arguing escalated up to the night of the murders, when at 6pm Gattis confronted Buthorn and Kunze as they were relaxing in a hot tub in the backyard - recorded on a home surveillance camera. Shaking his finger, Gattis demanded the couple leave, but his wife intervened and recorded the confrontation with her cellphone. At about 11.15pm, he went upstairs and retrieved his Taurus .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and walked back downstairs as the others were playing a board game in the kitchen. Gattis emptied his gun, firing all 11 rounds and killing all three with gunshot wounds to the back. At the time of the killings, Gattis was youth ministry director for Grace Lutheran Church (pictured) in Chester The arguing escalated up to the night of the murders, when at 6pm Gattis confronted Buthorn (right) and Kunze (second from left) as they were relaxing in a hot tub in the backyard Another fully loaded magazine was found on the kitchen floor, and a third loaded magazine was later found in his pocket. The court also heard that Gattis' wife had asked his adult nephew to hide a gun, saying she was afraid Gattis would use it. Other disputes leading up the killings had been recorded by Jeanett and were recovered by investigators and played in court Wednesday. The cellphone recordings 'revealed a bounty of information,' Chitty said. Gattis initially told police he was threatened, saying 'they all came after me' and he shot them 'when they all ganged up on me.' Chesterfield Circuit Judge David E. Johnson accepted Gattis' pleas and sentenced him to 100 years in prison for each of the three murder counts with 45 years suspended on each. The three, 55-year terms will be served concurrently, giving him an active sentence of 58 years, effectively a life sentence. A Brazilian plastic surgeon known as 'Dr BumBum' has been charged with murder following the death of one of his patients. The celebrity surgeon, whose real name is Dr. Denis Furtado, initially went on the run following the death of his patient Lilian Calixto, 46, last month. Prosecutors claim he used too much acrylic filler during the procedure, and had chosen a chemical which Brazilian Plastic Surgery Society has warned against using. Death by surgery: Lilian Calixto (right) travelled to Rio de Janeiro to undergo the procedure at the home of renowned surgeon to the stars Dr Denis Furtado (left) The charge sheet states that Dr Furtado 'had attracted women with the false promise of quick and immediate beauty', BBC reports. It also emerged that he was not licensed to practice medicine in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Dr Furtado was arrested a few days after Mrs Calixto's death, along with his mother, maid and girlfriend. The three women had reportedly been assisting Dr Furtado during the surgery which took place in his own home in Rio de Janeiro. Dr Furtado and his mother Maria Barros were pictured in handcuffs as they were led away for questioning. Dr Furtardo (centre) was pictured being led away by police in front of baying journalists after his capture last month Bank manager Ms Calixto had travelled to Rio de Janeiro from Cuiaba, central Brazil, specifically to be operated on by the 'surgeon to the stars' Arrested: Police arrested both Dr Bumbum and his mother, who reportedly helped him during the procedure along with his girlfriend and his maid Bank manager Ms Calixto had travelled to Rio de Janeiro from Cuiaba, central Brazil, specifically to be operated on by the 'surgeon to the stars'. The married mother-of-two reportedly arrived at Furtado's apartment in the upmarket Barra da Tijuca district of Rio on Saturday July 14. It is believed she had booked to have PMMA acrylic fillers injected to increase the size of her buttocks, as well as a hormone implant to treat symptoms of the menopause. Soon after receiving the injections at 10pm, she reportedly fell ill and started gasping for air, and her condition quickly deteriorated. Furtado and his mother reportedly took her to the local Barra D'Or hospital, where she was admitted at 11pm in an 'extremely severe condition, unresponsive to manoeuvres'. Despite the efforts of hospital staff, she died at 1am the next morning. Married mother-of-two Ms Calixto reportedly arrived at Furtado's apartment in the upmarket Barra da Tijuca district of Rio de Janeiro on July 14 Dr Furtado regularly makes appearances on Brazilian TV and has more than 647,000 followers on Instagram. He boasts of performing more than 8,000 butt enlargement surgeries, with the rich and famous among his clients. On his Instagram page, Furtado has posted dozens of 'before and after' photos of bottoms of women on whom he has performed butt lift surgery. A recent video shows him with Flavia Tamario, a contestant on last year's popular Miss Bumbum competition. He kisses Flavia and calls her his 'most grateful patient' after she says: 'I'm here with Dr Bumbum. I'll be this Wednesday on the Superpop channel, realising my dream'. A small business owner has taken to Facebook to slam her local council, after she received an email saying her shopfront didn't comply with council guidelines. MusicAtNoosa owners Susie and Tim Lee were told on Thursday that the signage that's fronted their Sunshine Coast shop for 16 years was too large and needed to be replaced. According to Mr Lee, the advertising in his front window has been there for five years, but this is the first time an issue has been raised. People have rallied around the post on the Noosa Community Notice Board Facebook page, criticising the council and showing support for the business owner. Music At Noosa has been threatened with fines because the council says that their window signage is too big. Owner Tim Lee says that they've had the same signs for more than five years Under current council guidelines, any advertising signage has to be under 10 square metres. Council workers were seen with measuring tapes, going out to every business in the street and measuring windows, Mr Lee told Daily Mail Australia. He soon after received an email, saying that the signage on individual windows exceeded the allowed size and has to be changed. It would be the third time he's redone the signs in the 16 years that the shop has been open, with an estimated cost of $1600. The top banner with the words 'MusicAtNoosa' on it was recently replaced due to natural wear. 'I don't want to rip signage down to appeal to no-one,' Mr Lee said. 'I don't have a spare $1500 to pull out just because someone wants me to.' Tim and Susie Lee (pictured) own Music At Noosa, and say that they don't want to fork out $1600 for replacement signage Noosa Council says they're working with businesses to make necessary changes to signage One of the staff members spoke to the council worker inspecting the signs, who apparently said that fines would be imminent if the signage doesn't fall within council guidelines. As of Thursday, the email telling Mr Lee that his signage falls outside compliance is the only information he has been given. No deadlines or fines have been revealed. Noosa Councils Development Assessment Manager, Kerri Coyle said the council is working with businesses to help them 'play by the same rules as everyone else'. 'In many cases where their signage doesnt comply, we are allowing business owners up to six or 12 months to make the necessary changes.' Hundreds of troops led a desperate operation to rescue families trapped by mounting floods in India's Kerala state on Thursday as the death toll passed 100 with dozens more feared perished. Helicopters airlifted stranded victims from rooftops and dam gates were thrown open as incessant torrential rain brought havoc to the southern state. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state now faces an 'extremely grave' crisis with downpours predicted to last days more. The region's main airport has been closed until August 26. State authorities said the official toll had reached 106 on Thursday. Media reports said up to 30 more people were feared dead in landslides and rivers that burst their banks, flooding scores of villages. Floods have killed 77 and destroyed thousands of homes in India's Kerala state. Pictured: A recsue worker takes a child away in rising waters The popular tourist state, known for its tea plantations and palm-lined beach resorts, is always battered by the annual monsoon but this year's damage has been the worst in almost a century. 'The official toll now is 106 dead. A total of 1,331 camps have been opened across the state, in which 147,000 people have moved in by this evening,' a Kerala state disaster management official told AFP. At least eight people were killed when an irrigation dam burst and a landslide hit three houses in the town of Nenmara, Palakkad district, authorities said. Vijayan said 80 dams have reached danger levels and appealed to the population not to ignore evacuation orders. Army and coastguard helicopters, lifeboats and navy diving teams have been brought to the stricken state where an extra 540 troops were deployed Thursday. More are due in coming days. The army said helicopters carried out scores of rescue operations. They also dropped food and water and appealed for victims to stand in open fields or on rooftops away from trees so helicopters were not damaged during rescue efforts. North and central Kerala has been worst hit by the floods but all 14 of the state's districts have been put on alert as heavy rain is predicted for several days More than 60,000 people have already sought refuge in relief camps. 'At least 6,500 people are stranded in different parts of Kerala and the situation in three districts is particularly grim,' a state disaster management official told AFP. Floods have also hit other states, including Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, where eight people at a popular picnic spot were swept away by a sudden surge of water. Kerala families could be seen paddling boats provided by the military, while in some areas families commandeered local wooden boats to ferry themselves to safety. The government says 6,000 miles (10,000km) of Kerala roads have been destroyed or damaged and hundreds of homes lost. It has ordered the opening of gates at 34 dams and reservoirs where water levels reached danger levels. Cars and livestock washed away in the floods were seen on Indian television, whilst men and women waded through chest-high waters that flowed through village streets. Many used social media to send rooftop distress calls, some with video. People could be seen paddling lifeboats provided by the armed forces A member of parliament from Kerala, Shashi Tharoor, shared on Twitter an appeal for help made by a woman who said she was trapped on the third floor of a temple with phone batteries running out. 'Over 36 people including myself and family stranded here. Phone network and charge finishing please help in any possible way,' Devika Sreekumar said in the Facebook post. Greeta Mathew pleaded for help for her family in a Twitter message. 'Anybody reading this,PLZ HELP. My relatives are stuck on the upper floor of house with an 8 months pregnant lady, in Edayaranmula, Pathanamthitta dist. All rescue control rooms' numbers busy. No rescue team reached yet. No contact with family since last evening,' she said. North and central Kerala has been worst hit by the floods but all 14 of the state's districts have been put on 'red alert' as heavy rain is predicted for several days. In the main city of Kochi, the international airport will remain closed until at least August 26, authorities said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday on Twitter that he has ordered the defence ministry 'to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala'. Virgin Australia is set to launch its own 'buy now, pay later' lay-buy scheme for flights. The airline giant has joined forces with digital finance firm Zip Co for the service, which will allow customers to book flights immediately and pay the total cost back over time. 'For us, it's about offering another way guests can pay for their flights,' a spokeswoman for the airline told Daily Mail Australia. Virgin Australia is set to launch its own 'buy now, pay later' lay-buy scheme for flight bookings Virgin has not yet announced when the service will be available, but the spokeswoman said to keep an eye out 'in the near future'. Larry Diamond from Zip Co said he was thrilled to partner with the airline. 'The Zip solution compliments the Virgin offering and will provide customers with payment choice,' he said. Jetstar became the first Australian airline to introduce this type of scheme in September last year. The airline teamed up with Afterpay which allows passengers to pay for their flights in four fortnightly instalments for a 1.5 per cent non-refundable payment fee. Qantas offers a similar 'book now, pay later' service which allows customers to reserve their seat for $25 and pay the remaining deposit 'closer to your departure date'. This is the bizarre moment a raged man begins kicking the front of a Hino truck This is the bizarre moment a furious man kicks the front of a truck outside a local public school during a bizarre road rage attack. The aggressive display in a busy Sydney. street was caught on camera and quickly posted to social media. The incident was filmed to near Campsie Public School, on the corner of Evaline St and Beamish Lane in Campsie. A man dressed in a black shirt and jeans is seen kicking a truck repeatedly with his right foot while a number of bystanders watch. After five furious kicks to the front of the Hino truck parked with hazard lights on in the laneway, the man appears to step back. An Asian woman is seen pleading with the unidentified man to calm him down. As bystanders watch the incident unfold, the truck driver appears to emerge from the left side of his truck to see the attack for himself. It is not known what sparked the man's fury. As bystanders watch the rage, the truck driver appears to emerge from the left side of his truck to see the incident for himself The video has received a lot of social media attention after being posted in the community group 'Humans of Bankstown'. Facebook users seemed to find the incident funny, with one writing: 'Bruce Lee strikes again'. Another user wrote: 'You need to visit Sydney for gems like this'. The Facebook community with over 67,000 likes frequently posts videos showing road rage incidents like this. Lisa Marie Presley's estranged husband, musician Michael Lockwood, received death threats when they split after 10 years of marriage, his attorney told a Los Angeles court on Wednesday. 'Michael had death threats. Miss Presley sold his musical equipment that he uses to make a living. She turned him into a pariah in the music business,' attorney Jeff Sturman told Judge Dianna Gould-Saltman on the third day of the former couple's messy divorce trial. Sturman said that when Presley, 50, filed for divorce in 2016, her annual income was around $2.2 million, while Lockwood's was negative $3,300. Lisa Marie Presley's estranged husband, musician Michael Lockwood (pictured in 2005), received death threats when they split after 10 years of marriage, his attorney has said 'He had nothing - and she doesn't care,' he told LA Superior Court. 'She is just looking out for herself. She had her inheritance from her father and whatever else she had and she did not want him (Lockwood) to get a piece of it.' The central issue of the divorce trial is the validity of a post-nuptial agreement signed by Presley and Lockwood, 57, in July 2007 and again in November that year. In that prenup, both gave up rights to each other's property and both gave up the right to claim spousal support off the other should they divorce. Presley - who has claimed she sold Lockwood's musical equipment to reimburse some of her losses from Lockwood running up 'possibly millions' on her credit card - wants the post-nup enforced. 'Michael (seen above) had death threats. Miss Presley sold his musical equipment that he uses to make a living. She turned him into a pariah in the music business,' attorney Jeff Sturman said Lockwood wants the judge to tear it up, contending that it's invalid because he didn't read it before he signed it because it 'didn't interest him' and his attorney at the time didn't explain the details of the prenup to him. In court Wednesday, Presley - in a scream silk blouse, black pants and boots and a long black coat - looked on as both Sturman and her lawyer, Gary Fishbein - outlined their cases for declaring the post-nup wholly or partially valid or not. Fishbein began by telling the court, 'I have been doing this for 38 years and I have never heard of anyone asking a court to void an agreement on the basis of saying, 'I didn't read that agreement', following it by saying, 'I wasn't interested in it.' Guitarist Lockwood was paid around $245,000 a year as her musical director by Presley in 2006, the year they married, and $150,000 in 2007, the year they signed the post-nup. The central issue of the divorce trial is the validity of a post-nuptial agreement signed by Presley (second from right) and Lockwood in July 2007. Presley seen with daughter Riley Keough (left), and her twin girls who she had with Lockwood in October 2017 'So he was self-sufficient at that time,' argued Fishbein. 'He was not disadvantaged. He waived spousal support in the post-nuptial agreement that he chose not to read. 'Lockwood freely and voluntarily entered into the post-nuptial agreement. He acknowledged that he was not threatened, Miss Presley did not threaten to divorce him if he didn't sign. 'Mr Lockwood said that he didn't read a single word of the post-nup because it was not interesting to him. Frankly that is mind-boggling.' Lockwood has claimed that Presley hid her wealth from him, but, Fishbein told the court that in a statement of her assets and liabilities attached to the 2007 post-nup, her worth at the time was listed as $62 million. 'If Mr. Lockwood had bothered to read the agreement he would have known that, said Fishbein. 'But he wasn't interested.' He added: 'Miss Presley remained in the marriage under the mistaken understanding that he was going to honor this post-nuptial agreement.' Lockwood's lawyer, Sturman, questioned whether Presley had fully disclosed her finances to her soon-to-be-ex husband. 'Were they just fiction?' he asked. Sturman took issue with the fact that in financial statements attached to the post-nup, Presley's list of $62 million in assets, plus liabilities was only eight lines long, whereas Lockwood took nine whole pages to describe his negative zero worth. 'She was apparently telling him 'Go fish.' Fishbein retorted, 'So what? There was no misrepresentation, concealment or fraud. Mr Lockwood had the opportunity to investigate Miss Presley's finances but he chose not to. He can't complain about it later.' When Presley was in the witness box Tuesday, she admitted her memory was 'foggy' and Wednesday Sturman made a point of saying that she couldn't remember the date or year she married Lockwood or how long their marriage was. Lisa Marie, daughter of music legend Elvis (pictured in 1970) allegedly asked her husband to sign a post-nup agreement 'to protect her assets and her inheritance' Michael Lockwood (center, out with their twin daughters) contends the post-nup agreement is invalid because he didn't read it before he signed it because it 'didn't interest him' and his attorney at the time didn't explain the details of the prenup to him 'She can't remember whether she had one or five conversations with Mr Lockwood about their post-nup,' he said. Sturman said that when Presley was paying Lockwood a retainer in 2007, 'She wanted him to only work for her. So he gave up his connections in the music business world. She was paying him a retainer to be available to her.' He added that when Presley 'supposedly discovered' that Lockwood had run up her credit card to 'thousands or millions.she sold his musical property - guitars, amplifiers, computers - the things he uses to make a living.' Sturman said that if the post-nup was determined by the judge to be wholly valid and Lockwood received no money from Presley, not only would he be left living on a 'poverty-level' income, 'to add insult to injury he would also be in the hole for hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees. He has nothing.' Judge Gould-Saltman adjourned the case to consider her decision on the validity of the post-nup. Presley - who last week persuaded a judge to seal from public view any documents about custody of the couple's nine-year-old twin daughters, Finley and Harper - filed for divorce from Lockwood in June 2016 . She has since confessed that she had a serious drug problem - and had to got into rehab several times - during the last three years of her marriage. Last February, Presley was ordered by Judge Patrick Cathcart to pay Lockwood, $100,000 in legal fees - though that was less than a quarter of what he was asking for. Lisa Marie has said in court documents that she's some $16 million in debt, ten million of which is owed in back taxes. And in February she filed a separate lawsuit in LA against her former business manager, Barry J. Siegel, accusing him of frittering away her one-time $100 million trust fund and charging her $700,000 a month wile he was losing her fortune. A senior civil servant who claimed she was bound to a chair and gagged by her male colleagues has lost an employment tribunal, it emerged last night. Dee-Ann Fitzpatrick, 49, claimed she was driven to the brink of suicide and became a virtual recluse after a decade of abuse at the hands of colleagues. Miss Fitzpatrick was seeking up to 42,000 in damages from Marine Scotland, which still employs her. But her family issued a statement last night claiming the employment tribunal has now ruled in favour of her employer. A damning photograph from 2010 of her tied to a chair and gagged allegedly by male colleagues could not be used in the tribunal as it happened too long ago and was time-barred. Meanwhile, Miss Fitzpatrick's failure to disclose their names at a preliminary hearing meant they were not cited as witnesses. A photograph showing Miss Fitzpatrick tied to a chair and gagged (pictured) allegedly by male colleagues exacting revenge for her whistleblowing could not be used in the tribunal Miss Fitzpatrick (pictured at the Scrabster office) was seeking up to 42,000 in damages from Marine Scotland, which still employs her The tribunal service has not issued an official judgment but families are often given advance warning of any decision. They said they were hugely disappointed at the outcome and pointed out that many of her alleged grievances had not been factored into the evidence as the matters were historic. The family statement added: This was not unexpected, given the decision was made prior to the employment tribunal by the previous judge not to look at the restraint and other behaviours over a decade that our sister suffered while working in the Scrabster fishery office. Why did Dee-Ann Fitzpatrick lose her employment tribunal? The official ruling is yet to be made but it is expected that Miss Fitzpatrick's case will be thrown out due to a lack of admissible evidence. A damning photograph from 2010 of her tied to a chair and gagged allegedly by male colleagues could not be used in the tribunal as it happened too long ago and was time-barred. Meanwhile, Miss Fitzpatrick's failure to disclose their names at a preliminary hearing meant they were not cited as witnesses. Advertisement The tribunal did, however, highlight that the human resources department could have been more proactive by launching an investigation, questioning staff and reminding staff such matters might be regarded as grounds for disciplinary action. The Canadian national told an employment tribunal in June she felt humiliated and degraded as a woman after an alleged three-year campaign of harassment, which she has blamed on her male colleagues at the quango. The horrifying image of Miss Fitzpatrick tied to a chair caused a public outcry and prompted First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to call for an investigation. During the ordeal Miss Fitzpatricks attackers allegedly told her: This is what you get when you speak out against the boys. But the time bar on the incident meant Miss Fitzpatricks case instead centred on greeting cards that arrived at her home in Janetstown, near Thurso, Caithness, and her harbour office in Scrabster between 2015 and last year. She told the tribunal she was driven to nearly commit suicide after receiving anonymous birthday and Valentine cards in the post mocking her age, sexuality and gender. The Canadian national told an employment tribunal in June she felt humiliated and degraded as a woman after an alleged three-year campaign of harassment Inside the first was a handwritten message describing her as a Canadian jock and a dyke. Other cards followed in February 2016 and last year, with notes such as u is sexy! Lol xx. After Miss Fitzpatrick was signed off work she received a card that read: To an old troll, we miss you NOT. The BBC named one of the alleged attackers as Reid Anderson (pictured) She also claimed male colleagues in the Scrabster office also used old troll as her nickname and even showed her a picture of one of the fictional creatures. She raised the matter with the Scottish Governments human resources department in the hope of getting help when the first card arrived in February 2015. However, the tribunal heard that her grievance was never progressed by HR as the card was sent anonymously and Miss Fitzpatrick failed to provide any possible names of the sender. The Government defended its treatment of her case. Appearing at the tribunal in Aberdeen yesterday, Judith MacKinnon, head of People Advice, admitted that she had no direct involvement in the case but her junior staff were concerned about giving evidence because of the high-profile media coverage. The tribunal heard earlier that two male colleagues, who Miss Fitzpatrick only named once she gave evidence, had never faced any criminal charges in relation to her claims and denied all knowledge of the unwanted cards. Her failure to disclose their names at a preliminary hearing meant they were not cited as witnesses at the tribunal. A 65-year-old Malaysian drug dealer dubbed the 'Iceman' has been sentenced to death after he hired a man to smuggle nearly 300 kilogrammes of crystal meth in Southeast Asia's 'Golden Triangle'. Tun Hung Seong was handed the death penalty by a court in Thailand today, after he was convicted of running a narcotics network that funnelled huge profits into legitimate businesses. He was arrested at Hat Yai Airport in April last year after Thai cops received a tip-off that he had hired a man to smuggle the crystal meth - known as ice - through the violence-scarred south. Tun Hung Seong was today put on death row by a court in Thailand, after he was convicted of running a narcotics network Thai law enforcement standing behind packages of 'Ice' or crystal meth, and ketamine during a press conference at the Office of the Narcotics Control Board in Bangkok Tun Hung Seong, dubbed 'The Malaysian Iceman, pictured in custody following his arrest on suspicion of trafficking methamphetamine from Thailand to Malaysia in April last year Investigators believe he acted as a gatekeeper to the Malaysian drug market just over the border, and laundered money through karaoke bars, hotels and restaurants. The Bangkok court convicted Tun on drug trafficking charges alongside two Thai women and a Taiwanese man. All four were sentenced to death, although the sentences of the Taiwanese man and one of the Thai women were reduced to life imprisonment due to their 'useful' confessions. Situated along the drug-running routes of the 'Golden Triangle', Thailand provides overland routes for the smuggling of meth from factories in lawless parts of neighbouring Myanmar and Laos, in a trade estimated to be worth $40billion a year. Drug seizures across the region have shot up to record levels in recent months. Malaysian authorities said in May that they seized a record 1.2 tonnes of crystal meth from Myanmar hidden in tea packets, believed to be the largest ever in the country in terms of value and weight. Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle Compared to their ultra-violent Central and Latin American cousins, the drug dealers of Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle use their low-profile to remain beyond the long arm of the law. But they control the world's second largest drug producing region. They do so by manufacturing and moving meth and heroin out off hidden labs in a remote, mountainous wedge of land that cuts across Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and China. Arrests in Thailand and Laos last year shone a rare spotlight on some of the key middlemen pushing product from the Golden Triangle across Asia - including Thai-based Malaysian Tun Hung Seong. Source: AFP Advertisement Thailand torched more than six tonnes of narcotics in June, most of it meth. From October to July this year, about 1,705 drug cases were reported in the kingdom, compared to 453 in the same period the year before. Suspects convicted of serious drug offences face harsh sentences in Thailand in one of its many overcrowded prisons. The country carried out its first execution since 2009 - when two drug dealers were executed - in June this year, after previously sending signals it would abolish the practice. Theerasak Longji, 26, was executed by lethal injection at Bang Kwang Central Prison north of Bangkok in June after he was found guilty of murdering a 17-year-old boy in 2012 His death was condemned by human rights group Amnesty International as a 'deeply misguided' effort to reduce crime. He was the seventh person to be executed by lethal injection since Thailand introduced the method in 2003 to replace execution by firing squad. A 74-year-old man with terminal cancer said on Thursday he could die happy after reaching a $1million landmark settlement against a Catholic religious order for sexual abuse he suffered in Australia more than 50 years ago. Paul Bradshaw was to testify on Thursday in the Western Australia state District Court about his ill treatment at Castledare Junior Orphanage and Clontarf Orphanage run by the Irish Christian Brothers order in the 1950s and '60s. But instead, a settlement was reached with the Trustees of the Christian Brothers for the abuse he suffered at the hands of Brothers Lawrence Murphy, Bruno Doyle and Christopher Angus, who are all dead. Paul Bradshaw said he could die happy after reaching a $1million landmark settlement against a Catholic religious order for sexual abuse he suffered in Australia more than 50 years ago. Bradshaw is the first victim to claim damages for historical child sex abuse under laws that recently came into effect in Western Australia, removing the time limit for such cases. He cried outside court, explaining his 60-year fight and said he was relieved his family would receive his compensation money. He said doctors had advised that he only had six months to live. 'I lived on the street most of my life and I don't want them to go through the same thing I went through,' he told reporters. 'I'm just hoping now that this has been settled and I can get on with my last six months in peace.' 'I will die happy now knowing that I can care for my family,' he added. The Catholic Church, Australia's largest denomination, in May became the first non-government institution to commit to a $3.8 billion national redress plan for victims of child sex abuse in Australian institutions over decades. The Catholic Church estimates it alone will be liable for about $1 billion in compensation. Former Archbishop of Adelaide Philip Wilson was this week sentenced to 1 year in home detention after becoming the most senior Catholic cleric to be convicted of covering up child sex abuse. The national redress plan was recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which made its final report in December. Paul Bradshaw, 74, speaks during a press conference outside a courthouse in Perth, Australia Australia's longest-running royal commission - which is the country's highest form of inquiry - had been investigating since 2012 how institutions responded to sexual abuse of children in Australia over 90 years. The inquiry heard the testimonies of more than 8,000 survivors of child sex abuse. Of those who were abused in religious institution, 62 percent were Catholics. Bradshaw said his case was never about money. 'I just wanted the apology of the Christian Brothers and I would have been happy with that,' he said. His lawyer Michael Magazanik told reporters it was a landmark case in Western Australia. 'If it weren't for recent changes in WA law, none of this was possible,' Magazanik said. 'Now WA law is the fairest and certainly the most progressive for survivors like Paul.' Magazanik said the orphanages housed the most vulnerable children who had no families to go home to, nobody to complain to and nobody outside the orphanages to protect them. 'They were utterly vulnerable and the orphanages were a magnet for the very worst of the brothers, the violent pedophiles,' Magazanik said. Magazanik said 10 years before Murphy abused Bradshaw, he was reported for child sex abuse but nothing was done about it. Twice as a child, Bradshaw reported his abuse and both times he was dismissed. When he left Clontarf, Bradshaw told a judge his allegations but was labelled a liar and admitted to a psychiatric hospital, Magazanik said. In the 1990s, Bradshaw also participated in the criminal prosecution of Murphy, but prosecutors eventually dropped the case and he died without facing justice. Tech. Sgt.Gregory Solman/California National Guard(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) -- As wildfires rage across the state, about 1,000 California National Guard soldiers are supporting response efforts, providing unique military capabilities to contain the fires. Massive wildfires, including the Mendocino Complex Fire and Carr Fire, currently cover about 760,000 acres of California -- the size of the state of Rhode Island or 60 times the size of the island of Manhattan, California National Guard officials said on Wednesday. Guardsmen are using 22 aircraft to help civil authorities fight the fires, including the MQ-9 Reaper, a remotely piloted drone that can fly up to 24 hours each day. The Reaper maps the behavior of a fire in real time, recording thermal imagery that can be analyzed and shared with California Fire chiefs. While it can't fly during certain wind conditions, the Reaper isn't hindered by heavy smoke that can affect piloted aircraft. The drone's infrared capability allows it to "see through" smoke that could otherwise hinder visual sight. While the California National Guard regularly assists in wildfire response, one its top leaders told reporters on Wednesday that the scale of this year's fires is "extraordinary." These fires are getting bigger. Theyre burning more erratically," Maj. Gen. Matthew Beevers, the deputy adjutant general for the California Guard, said at a Pentagon briefing. He credited dry fields from a lack of snowfall as a major contributor to the scale of this year's fires. Beevers estimated that 60 to 70 percent of the state's worst fires are now contained. In addition to aviation and airlift capabilities, the National Guard conducts medical evacuations, as well as assists with transportation and security needs. The states of Oregon, Washington, and Colorado have mobilized Guardsmen to support wildfire response operations in their states. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Jeremy Clarkson has posted his annual boastful tweet to 'reassure' nervous A Level students that their exam results don't matter. The former Top Gear presenter, 58, wrote this morning: 'Dont worry if your A level grades arent any good. I got a C and 2 Us. And Im sitting here deciding which of my Range Rovers to use today.' Every year the the Grand Tour host posts a similar wisdom to Twitter - and some of his 7.1million followers have caught on to the habit. Jeremy Clarkson has posted his annual boastful tweet to 'reassure' nervous A Level students across Britain that exam results do not matter - but some Twitter users turned the joke on him Every year the the Grand Tour host posts a similar wisdom to Twitter - and some of his 7.1million followers have caught on to the habit Twitter user Derek replied to Clarkson's tweet and said: 'I didn't do A levels.I was expelled from school and turned to a life of crime. I too am deciding which of your Range Rovers to use today' Last night, before Clarkson had even posted the message, twitter user Joez posted a meme of a straining teenager and said: 'Jeremy Clarkson waiting for A Level results so he can tell us again he got a C and two Us but now he drives a Benz.' Eden posted a picture of a woman stretching in front of a computer and said: 'Jeremy Clarkson warming up for his annual I failed my A-levels but look at how rich I am now results day tweet.' Rob said: 'It's nearly results day so i hope everyone is gearing up for Jeremy Clarkson's annual 'I gOt 3 Us At A lEvEl AnD nOw I pUnCh Tv PrOdUcErS iN tHe FaCe' post.' Eden posted a picture of a woman stretching in front of a computer and said: 'Jeremy Clarkson warming up for his annual I failed my A-levels but look how rich I am now results day tweet' Rob said: 'It's nearly results day so i hope everyone is gearing up for Jeremy Clarkson's annual 'I gOt 3 Us At A lEvEl AnD nOw I pUnCh Tv PrOdUcErS iN tHe FaCe' post' Another said: 'Queue [sic] Jeremy Clarkson telling us how s*** he did at A level but how he's earning 100,000s now and throwing hands at BBC producers.' And Jacob added: 'Just think, within the next 24 hours Jeremy Clarkson wouldve tweeted about how his exam results were awful but hes currently sitting on a yacht.' This morning, after Clarkson's tweet went out and was retweeted 5,000 times, Ben wrote: 'Ah there's Jeremy Clarkson's annual results day "I'm a dumbass but look at how rich I am" tweet.' Not everyone was impressed by the tweet, with many users poking fun at the presenter Other famous faces have also sent messages of support to students receiving their A-level results today, reassuring them that it is not the end of the world if they do not get what they hoped for. This morning, after Clarkson's tweet went out and was retweeted 5,000 times, Ben wrote: 'Ah there's Jeremy Clarkson's annual results day "I'm a dumbass but look at how rich I am" tweet.' British Olympian Samantha Quek told followers waiting to receive their grades that 'time is on your side' - and highlighted her own achievements despite receiving 'crap' results from her exams. The 29-year-old, who won gold with Team GB at the 2016 Rio Olympics, said told one sleepless Twitter follower: 'I cocked up my A-Levels & within 10 years had an Olympic Gold Medal and ended up in Buckingham Palace receiving an MBE. 'I assure you, on neither occasion was I thinking about my crap A-Level results. 'No one moment in time defines you. Relax. Best of luck, & go back to sleep! X' Quek said that she was 'not a fan of telling students that A-Level results 'mean nothing'', but added: 'If they aren't what you hoped for, time is on your side & these results WON'T DEFINE YOU!' ITV news anchor Alastair Stewart also wished students good luck and offered a few words of wisdom. He tweeted: 'However you do, remember: in 5 years they won't matter too much; in ten, not at all; in 20, they'll probably be called something else.' Labour MP David Lammy tweeted: 'Best of luck to those receiving A-level results... Even if they aren't what you hoped for, keep your head up and dream big because the world is just about to open up for you.' 'I bought you tissues for tomorrow... thanks mum': A-level students joke as they face sleepless night before exam results today (but at least there are still thousands of Clearing places) By Mark Duell for MailOnline More than 500,000 students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their A-level results today. Sixth-formers faced a nail-biting night ahead of the release time of 9.30am, when they learned 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 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. A construction worker and his fiancee say they rescued a sweating baby girl from a hot car after the child's parents overdosed on heroin. Eric Asher shared photos of his ordeal in Canton, Ohio on social media, provoking outrage from shocked viewers. The 43-year-old says he saw a man and a woman passed out on the ground of a parking lot as he drove past on Friday. He then noticed a baby girl sweating in a car seat as temperatures reached 88F (31C). Eric Asher, 43, saw a man and a woman passed out on the floor of a parking lot in Canton, Ohio on Friday. Pictured: His fiancee rescues the baby A construction worker rescued a sweating baby from a hot car after the child's parents (pictured) overdosed on heroin Mr Asher rescued the baby from the open car and gave the child water as emergency services rushed to the scene. 'We were driving down the road and I looked over to my right and I saw the male and female laying on the ground,' he told InsideEdition.com. 'We later saw that they were purple.' 'The child was covered in sweat. We gave the baby some water - that was our priority.' A bystander then called 911. Mr Asher said the child's mother later rang him to thank him for saving their daughter. She told him they were heroin addicts and had relapsed after being clean for two years, he said. The child is now being looked after by a relative. Court records seen by MailOnline show the parents have been charged with endangering a child and released on $1,000 bonds. Court records show the parents have been charged with endangering a child and released on $1,000 bonds. Pictured: Mr Asher's fiancee rescues the baby Mr Asher, who runs his own construction business, posted pictures of the rescue on Facebook to raise awareness of the dangers of heroin. He captioned the post: 'Lord put us in the right place at the right time.' Dozens commented on the post, many with angry remarks towards the parents. One wrote: 'They should be stripped of their parental rights until they prove they are off drugs.' Others praised and thanked Mr Asher for his good deed. Jamie Carmen commented: 'I don't know you. But thank you. That baby is alive because of you and your family. God put you in the right place at the right time. 'You have truly made a difference in that babies life. Again thank you for being there and not being like others and look the other direction. U are an amazing human being.' (sic) MailOnline has contacted Canton Police for comment. Andrew Anderson (pictured) was freed just four years into a six-year sentence for raping a child when he went on to rape another woman within weeks A dangerous sex offender who raped two women after being freed early from prison has been jailed hours after the Justice Secretary denied the SNP was 'soft' on crime. Andrew Anderson, 34, smiled as he was led to the cells after being told he would be locked up for five years before possible parole. Anderson was first jailed in 2006 for an attack on a the 13-year-old girl. He was sentenced to six years in prison and two years monitoring in the community after his release and was then freed early two years early in 2010. Just two weeks later, he raped a sleeping woman, who reported it to the police, but there was not enough evidence to proceed. In 2012, he was recalled to prison on another matter and ordered to serve the rest of the six-year sentence he received for the first rape. Anderson was released in 2014 and raped another woman. That victim said she had known Anderson since she was a schoolgirl and was frightened of him because of a campaign of sexual abuse going back 14 years. Between 2002 and 2003, when she was about 14, he touched her inappropriately. More than a decade later he pinned her down and raped her. When he showed up at her home with a hammer last year, she contacted police and revealed he had raped her. At the High Court in Glasgow yesterday Lord Armstrong told him: 'You will only be released when you are no longer considered a danger to the public.' A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'We are clear that, in every case of sexual crime, the justice system must take a victim-centred perspective and we are working with the Crown Office, Police Scotland and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to ensure this happens across the board.' Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf (pictured) was forced to deny that the SNP was 'soft' on crime Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf had earlier yesterday told a newspaper victims would be placed 'even more at the heart' of the justice system. And when asked whether the SNP was 'soft' on violent offenders, he said: 'The evidence for that doesn't stack up.' But on the same day 'callous' Anderson was put behind bars, it was revealed Police Scotland took five years to try to trace a violent criminal who had breached his tagging order. Last night, Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: 'If Humza Yousaf is serious about abolishing the "soft touch" approach, cases like this will need to be stopped. This individual should never have been free to commit this crime.' Anderson was let out early after raping a 13-year-old girl then struck again twice the first time within a fortnight of his release. As Anderson was handed an Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR) yesterday, his second victim declined to comment, but a friend said the woman believed the justice system was a 'joke'. The friend said: 'She knows prison doesn't have any effect on Anderson but how can she trust an OLR? 'She thinks Anderson is a psychopath for raping a 13-year-old girl. And yet the authorities let him out of jail early and he went on to rape two more women, including her.' The Vatican has come under fire for its failure to respond to a shocking grand jury report which alleged decades of sexual abuse by Catholic priests in Pennsylvania. The Holy See's press office declined to comment on the report but critics said the Pope's office should respond to the claims against some 301 clergymen over a period of more than 70 years. One Catholic writer said Pope Francis's response to the claims had been 'disappointing' while an academic called the Vatican's silence 'disturbing', CNN reported. At least 1,000 children were molested and assaulted by 'predator priests' who used Catholic rituals and symbols of the faith to commit their horrifying abuse, the grand jury found. The Holy See's press office declined to comment on the report but critics said Pope Francis (pictured) should respond to claims against some 301 clergymen over a more than 70 years Pennsylvania theology academic Massimo Faggioli said: 'The silence from the Vatican is disturbing. 'I don't think the Pope necessarily has to say something today. He needs time to understand the situation... but someone from the Vatican should say something.' Catholic magazine editor Matthew Schmitz said on Twitter: 'Francis has at times been unfairly attacked for his handling of sex abuse but his record is still disappointing. 'He needs to act now by authorizing a full investigation of the American hierarchy.' A papal legate should conduct formal interviews and make recommendations to the Pope about 'appropriate penalties', he said. Priests across Pennsylvania used religious rituals and the threat of eternity in hell to groom, molest and rape children, a grand jury found, in what the state's top prosecutor Josh Shapiro called the 'weaponization of faith.' In a letter to the Pope, Shapiro said the report had found a 'systemic cover-up' of the sexual abuse by leaders of the Catholic church. He called on the Pope to urge church leaders to 'abandon their destructive efforts to silence the survivors' and 'follow the path of truth'. One priest tied up a victim with rope in the confessional in a 'praying position,' the grand jury wrote. When the victim refused to perform sex, the angered priest used a 7-inch crucifix to sexually assault him, the report said. At least 1,000 children were molested and assaulted by 'predator priests', the grand jury found. Pictured: The state's Attorney General Josh Shapiro at a press conference on Tuesday One priest rinsed a boy's mouth with holy water after abusing him while another priest allegedly told a boy he was fondling that it was OK because he was 'an instrument of God.' In another church, a priest told a boy who confided he had been gang-raped as a 7-year-old that he had to provide sex to get to heaven. At a parish rectory, the report said, four of the priests made a boy strip and pose as Jesus on the cross while they took photos. Only two of the priests have been charged with crimes as a result of the grand jury investigation, though a number were prosecuted in years past. Over 100 have died, and many others have retired. The Pennsylvania grand jury said that in almost every case there, the statute of limitations for bringing criminal charges has run out. Church leaders say most of the offenses occurred some time in the past and note that major reforms were adopted starting in 2002 to safeguard children. Home Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured) spoke out against the 'small' rise for officers that was dictated by Mrs May and Chancellor Philip Hammond Sajid Javid clashed angrily with Theresa May over police pay - telling the PM she was 'wrong' to block a 3 per cent hike, it emerged today. The Home Secretary spoke out against the 'small' rise for officers that was dictated by Mrs May and Chancellor Philip Hammond. The spat - fresh evidence of Mr Javid's willingness to speak his mind against the premier - came after the rejection last month of a recommendation by the independent Police Remuneration Review Body on officers' pay. Mr Javid wanted officers to be given a one-off bonus of 1 per cent that would effectively give them 3 per cent rise but was overruled and a 2 per cent settlement was announced instead. A Home Office letter, seen by the Daily Telegraph, stated: 'As you will be aware, the Police Remuneration Review Body recommended the consolidation of the 1 per cent non-consolidated award for police officers from 2017/18 and, following that consolidation, a 2 per cent consolidated increase for officers at all ranks from 1 September 2018. The Home Secretary was strongly in favour of this. 'However, the Prime Minister and Chancellor have decided that officers should only be given a 2 per cent consolidated pay award, meaning only a small 1 per cent pay rise in reality. He continues to be of the view that this is the wrong decision.' When the pay award was announced, a Home Office press release said that despite the recommendation of the review body, police employers advised that the maximum affordable award would be a 2 per cent increase. Mr Javid, who has been widely tipped as a future Tory leader, was quoted as saying: 'This award represents the highest consolidated pay award since 2010. I'll continue to fight on behalf of police to ensure they have the resources they need to do their jobs effectively.' Mrs May came under fire from senior officers for hypocrisy this week after she praised the response to the latest terrorist incident in Westminster. Police Federation chair John Apter said: 'What angers me is that in times of crisis, such as what happened yesterday on the doorstep almost of Parliament, then the Prime Minister is the first to celebrate how brilliant police officers and policing are, but in the very next breath she's stabbing them in the back 'The hypocrisy that comes from the Prime Minister really does stink. She can't have her cake and eat it when it comes to a relationship with policing and with police officers.' Mr Apter also took to Twitter to confront the Prime Minister directly. Quoting a tweet in which she paid tribute to emergency services in the wake of the attack, he said: 'Your thanks to those means nothing 'You can no longer show contempt for policing and to those who deliver it and expect them to accept your thanks the next day. That's not how it works! Warm words are not enough.' Clearing has been called a 'buyer's market' for A-level students getting their results today, with pupils holding offers being urged to consider rethinking their choice. Clearing is the process that allows students without a university place, or who want to switch to a different one, to search for and find a degree course with availability. A survey suggested that on the day before results were due to be released, more than 26,000 courses were available in Clearing for students in England. Clearing is the annual process that allows British students without a university place, or who want to switch to a different one, to search for and find a degree course with availability Last year more than one in ten of all university places were filled via Clearing, with the figure expected to rise in 2018. What once was a last chance saloon for students who didnt get the grades is increasingly about offering students the chance to reassess. More than half a million students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving A-level results today. However Ucas said the number of people who have applied to UK higher education courses for 2018 has dropped by around 11,000. The 2 per cent drop brings the total to 590,270 compared to the same point last year. The admissions organisation said it is due to there being 18,000 fewer 18-year-olds in the UK population along with fewer applications from older UK-based students. More than one in four A-levels got an A or A* this year - the highest proportion for six years University leaders suggested that there could be more people who are using Clearing this year to apply to university for the first time. Ucas has urged prospective students to think carefully about what they want to do and where they want to study, as well as whether they meet the requirements to be accepted on to the course. Competition among institutions to attract students has also been blamed for soaring numbers of teenagers being given guaranteed degree places, known as 'unconditional offers'. More than a fifth of teenagers were handed at least one 'unconditional offer' this year, according to Ucas data. How do I apply for a university place through Clearing? As A-level results day arrives, here, with help from Ucas, we answer the key questions around Clearing, based on some of the most common Google searches on the subject in the UK last year. Q: How does Clearing work? A: Clearing is the annual process that allows students without a university place, or who want to switch to a different one, to search for and find a degree course with availability. You can use Clearing if you are applying for the first time after June 30, if you did not receive any offers from any universities, or none you wanted to accept, or if you did not meet the required grades needed for your chosen university course. Q: When does Clearing open and how long does it last? A: Clearing opened on July 5 and closes on October 23. Q: How do I apply for a university place through Clearing? A: If you haven't already applied for a university place through the main application scheme, you need to submit an application to Ucas. You will then be sent an email and have access to Ucas's online system, Track. You'll also be given a Clearing number. Search for courses you are interested in, and when you have found one you want to study, call the university or college and ask them if they will accept you. You'll need to give them your Clearing number. Once you have found one you are happy with, and they have said they will take you, you can add the course through Track. Q: How do I add a Clearing choice? A: Once you've chosen your course and the university or college has said they'll accept you, click "add clearing choice" on the Track system and fill in the course details. The university will then confirm your place. Filling in and submitting the course details means you have definitely accepted the offer, so if the university confirms it, it will show as an acceptance on your "choices" page in Track. You can only add one choice at a time. You'll be able to add a different one if the university or college does not confirm your place. Q: How long does Clearing take? A: How long it takes depends on how long you want to take to make a choice, and how long it takes for the university or college you choose to confirm your place. Q: How does Clearing work in Scotland? A: Clearing works the same way for all students, regardless of where they live in the UK. Q: When do universities get A-level results? A: Universities receive prospective students' grades in the days before A-level results day under strict embargo to allow them to confirm whether applicants have gained the required results. Students can sign in to Track on ucas.com from 8am on August 16, where they will be able to see if they've been accepted. Q: Is it easy to get into university through Clearing? A: There are around 30,000 courses available in Clearing, and each one will have different grade and qualification requirements. You should think carefully about what you want to do and where you want to study, as well as whether you meet the requirements to be accepted on to the course. There is now no cap on the number of students a university or college can admit, so many institutions will still be looking for good candidates for their degree courses through Clearing. Ucas's expert advisers can answer questions about Clearing in several ways: Twitter @ucas-online (06.00 until 19.00 on A level results day) Facebook ucasonline (06.00 until 19.00 on A level results day) Instagram ucas-online (06.00 until 19.00 on A level results day) 0371 468 0 468 (07.30 until 19.00 on A level results day) Students can also call the Exam Results Helpline for free, impartial advice on 0800 100 900 from 08am today. Advertisement The surge triggered warnings that the credibility of the university system is being undermined and students' futures put at risk. The Association of School and College Leaders urged universities to stop the practice, arguing that such offers can lead to students making less effort in their A-levels, which could damage their job prospects later on. It emerged today that at least one university had promised a financial incentive for students with unconditional offers. Portsmouth University's vice-chancellor, Professor Graham Galbraith, told the i newspaper that a 1,000 scholarship his institution offered was a 'carrot' to discourage students from slacking off. 'It is a competitive market and I want the very best students to come here,' he said. 'I am conscious and I hear from school partners a real sense of concern that unconditional offers will mean students won't make any effort at all. That doesn't do any good either.' Universities offering Clearing places must 'put the student first' and not award spots simply to fill up courses, the head of a new higher education watchdog has warned. Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of the Office for Students said there is a 'danger' that students may be unable to cope if they are given places on courses that exceed their ability. Universities are in fierce competition to attract students after a fall in overall number of people applying for higher education, which could be an advantage to anyone receiving their A-level results on Thursday. However Ms Dandridge said it was important students have 'both the ability and the support they need to access and succeed on a degree course'. How schoolchildren are less likely to believe university is important Young people are increasingly less likely to believe that getting a degree is important, according to a poll. It indicates that the proportion of secondary school pupils who think they need to go to university to do well in life has fallen steadily in the last six years. Despite this, the vast majority say they are likely to go into higher education when they are old enough. The findings, published by the Sutton Trust, come as sixth-formers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland receive their A-level results and learn if they have gained a university place. The poll, which questioned around 2,300 children aged 11-16 in England and Wales, found that three-quarters (75 per cent) think it is important to go to university, down from 78 per cent) last year and a high of 86 per cent) in 2013. More than three in four (77 per cent)) of those surveyed this year said they are likely to go into higher education. Poorer pupils - those eligible for free school meals - are less likely to say they are planning to go to university than their richer classmates (67 per cent) compared with 79 per cent), the Sutton Trust said. Girls are more likely to say they expect to study for a degree than boys (81 per cent compared with 73 per cent), the poll found. Figures published by Ucas in July showed that young people in England are more likely to apply to go to university than ever. More than a third (38.1 per cent) of 18-year-olds across the country have applied this year, up 0.2 percentage points on last year. Of the young people who said they they are unlikely to go into higher education, the most common reason was that they do not like the idea or do not enjoy learning and studying (58 per cent), followed by finance (44 per cent). More than a third (35 per cent) said they feel they are not clever enough, while the same proportion said it was not needed for their job plans. Sir Peter Lampl, founder of the Sutton Trust and chairman of the Education Endowment Foundation, said: 'It's no surprise that there has been a fall in the proportion of young people who think it's important to go into higher education. 'Young people face a dilemma. If they go on to university they incur debts of over 50,000 and will be paying back their loans well into middle age. And in a number of cases they end up with degrees that don't get them into graduate jobs. 'On the other hand, degree-level apprenticeships are almost non-existent with less than 10,000 available each year compared with over 300,000 university places. There is effectively no viable alternative to university.' The Ipsos Mori poll questioned 2,381 schoolchildren aged 11-16 in schools in England and Wales between February 5 and May 25. A Department for Education spokesman said 'university isn't for everyone' and the Government does not want one route to a career 'to be considered better than any other'. 'That is why we are transforming technical education in this country to put it on a par with our amazing academic system,' he said. Advertisement 'While universities often allow students in with lower grades than advertised, it is important they do so with the student's interests at heart,' she told The Times. 'Lower offers are not appropriate for every student and the danger if grades are lowered drastically simply to fill places is that students may not be ready for the demands of the course and they drop out. Anyone offering places through Clearing should put the student first.' More than one in four A-levels were awarded an A or A* this year - the highest proportion for six years, national figures show. But the proportion handed the very top result has fallen to its lowest level since 2013. In total, 26.4% of UK entries were given one of the two top grades - up 0.1 percentage points on 2017, according to data published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ). This is the highest percentage since 2012, according to a Press Association analysis. It is the second year in a row that the A*-A pass rate has risen. Meanwhile, one in 12 (8.0%) entries scored an A* grade this year, down 0.3 percentage points on last year, according to statistics published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ). This is the lowest it has been since 2013. The overall A*-E pass rate has also fallen 0.3 percentage points to 97.6% - the lowest level since 2010. Boys continue to outperform girls at the highest grades, the figures show, with 26.6% of boys' entries awarded at least an A grade, compared to 26.2% for entries from their female peers. The statistics also show that STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) are continuing to rise in popularity. More than a third (36.2%) of all A-level entries were in these subjects, up from 34.5% last year, and 28% in 2009. Boys are still more likely to study a STEM subject than girls, but the balance is shifting, JCQ said. More girls take biology and chemistry than boys, while more boys take maths and physics. But the data also shows that girls are closing in on the boys, with a 3.1% increase in maths entries from female students (boys' entries for the subject have risen 2.1%) and a 6.9% rise in physics (2.4% for boys). The figures come in the wake of a major exams overhaul - with 24 A-level subjects now reformed. The number of students accepted on to UK degree courses has fallen, with 411,860 taking up places so far, down one percentage point on the same point last year, initial Ucas figures show. The number of teenagers planning on going to university has fallen to its lowest level since tuition fees hit 9,000-a-year in 2012 it emerged today. One in four students are expected to secure top grades - but a leaked document revealed that teenagers could still get an A in some subjects with a mark above just 55 per cent. Grade boundaries may have been lowered in subjects including English, Maths and some sciences because they have been made tougher by moving away from coursework towards exam-only. Students need to get around 55% of the answers right in their Biology A-level in order to secure an A grade, grade boundaries for one exam board suggest. The A grade pass mark required for the reformed OCR advanced Biology A-level is 54.8%, the figures on its website show. (From left) Grace El-Mokadem, Maddie Backhouse, Claudia Ballard and Sophie Plumber read their A-level results at Brighton College today Those wanting an A in the reformed maths exam would need to get 65.6% of the answers right, and those who sat the English language A-level would be looking for 77% of the marks in order to secure an A. Sixth-formers across the country are waking up on Thursday to their A-level results in the wake of major exam reforms, with around one in four entries expected to be awarded the highest grades. Top grades up but overall pass rate down: Figures in this year's A-level results Here are the main figures in this year's A-level results: The proportion of candidates receiving top grades is the highest since 2012. A total of 26.4% entrants scored either an A or A*, up slightly on 26.3% in 2017. 8.0% of entrants received an A*, down from 8.3% last year. This is the lowest level since 2013, when it was 7.6%. The overall pass rate (grades A*-E) was 97.6%, down from 97.9% last year. This is the lowest pass rate since 2010, when it was also 97.6%. Boys lead girls in the top grades for the second year running. The proportion of boys who got A or higher was 26.6%, 0.4 percentage points higher than girls (26.2%). Last year boys led girls by 0.5 percentage points (26.6% boys, 26.1% girls). Before 2017, girls had traditionally led boys, though the gap had been narrowing since 2008. The gap between the best-performing boys and girls has fallen slightly. The proportion of boys who got A* was 8.5%, 0.9 percentage points higher than girls (7.6%). In 2017 the figures were 8.8% for boys, 7.8% girls - a gap of 1.0 points. The most popular subject this year was maths. It was taken by 97,627 entrants, up 2.5% on 2017. Biology was the second most popular subject. It was taken by 63,819 entrants, up 3.1% on 2017. The third most popular subject was psychology, taken by 59,708 entrants, a rise of 1.8%. General studies saw the biggest drop in candidates of any subject with more than 1,000 entrants. The number fell by more than half (52.1%). Computing saw the biggest jump in entrants, rising by 23.9% on 2017. There were 811,776 A-levels awarded, down 2% on last year's total and the lowest number since 2007. Advertisement Many of the courses have been redesigned with coursework and modules scrapped. More than half a million students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving A-level results today. Last year, 26.3% of A-levels scored an A or A*, national figures showed. Despite more places being up for grabs, the number of students who believe it is important to go to university has slumped a staggering 13 per cent in just five years. Only 75 per cent of 16-year-olds surveyed in a poll thought it was important to go to university, down from 78 per cent last year and a high of 86 per cent in 2013. 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. Meanwhile, a senior headteacher has attacked the pace and quality of the Government's A-level reforms. Rachael Warwick, executive headteacher of Didcot Girls' School in Oxfordshire, said the changes were seen as unnecessary by many in the profession and the speed at which they had been brought in made them 'difficult' to implement. She told BBC Radio 4's Today that teachers had been left trying to plan courses and writing textbooks before specifications had been finalised, as well as coping with a lack of past papers to guide exam preparations. She said: 'It has put schools and colleges under immense pressure. 'Personally I question why that was done and certainly the speed and quality of implementation had a lot to be desired. 'We would certainly expect in the future a more measured approach to curriculum reform from the Government, and a period of stability.' Education Secretary Damian Hinds said that the redesign of A-levels would make them 'more appropriate, better (at) preparing young people for moving on to the next stage', including university. He told Today: 'Having exams at the end of the two years means that it is possible to consider the subject as a whole, to bring in all the different parts of it, to synthesise the different aspects of the subject in a way that is a little closer to undergraduate study.' ** Have any photos of A-level celebrations? Email: pictures@mailonline.co.uk ** Boris Johnson's trip to Afghanistan to dodge the Commons vote on Heathrow expansion cost the taxpayer at least 20,000, it was revealed today. The then-Foreign Secretary was widely mocked by MPs when he missed the third runway showdown in June despite previously pledging to lie in front of bulldozers to stop the project. He would have been forced to quit the Government if he had gone against the expansion plans. Mr Johnson instead turned up in Kabul, where he held talks with ministers before flying back hours later. Instead of voting against Heathrow expansion in June, Boris Johnson turned up in Kabul, where he held talks with deputy foreign minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai (pictured right) before flying back to the UK hours later Responding to a FOI request from the independent investigative website The Ferret, officials refused to reveal the flight and security costs for Mr Johnson's trip. But they revealed that the bill for staff who accompanied him totalled 19,366. Some 18,966 was spent on commercial flights with the rest of the cash covering visa costs. The Foreign Office refused to say how far in advance the visit had been planned. In the end, Mr Johnson resigned from the government weeks later after Theresa May forced her Chequers plan for Brexit through Cabinet. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Mr Johnson should use some of the money he earns as a newspaper columnist to cover the bill. He said: 'Boris Johnson, who once said he would lie down in front of bulldozers to stop a third runway at Heathrow, scuttled out of the country at the taxpayer's expense rather than honouring his promise to his constituents. 'Perhaps our former foreign secretary will consider using some of the money he earns insulting Muslim women with his lucrative 20,000-plus a month column to pay back the taxpayer.' A video showing a masked man issuing a threat to 'police, politicians and society' was sent to Swedish media just one hour before youth gangs launched arson attacks across the country this week. The masked man warns that 'if you treat us like animals, we will act like animals', in the clip received by newspaper Expressen on Monday evening. More than 100 cars burned in several cities, including Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo, as gangs went rampaging in a series of firebombings believed to have been coordinated on social media. The masked man in the video, not pictured, sends a warning to 'police, politicians and society' that there will be retaliation for measures taken by authorities to crack down on criminal gangs The video was sent to a photographer working for Expressen, one of Sweden's most prominent newspapers, after telling him 'something big' was going to take place in Gothenburg. Less than an hour later, cars were burning in the city's southeast suburb of Vastra Frolunda, and later all over the Scandinavian nation. In the video, the man says he wants to send a 'message to the police, the politicians and society'. He claims 'brutal' police are harassing people for no reason, and that social services are tearing children from their families. He also says that it is unfair that CCTV is now being put up in poor areas of the suburbs, but not in rich areas'. 'Treat us like animals and we will act like animals. This is not a threat, but just to awaken society. 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 The 'issues' raised in the video is likely to be an interpretation of measures taken by local police to crack down on criminal networks, such as targeting known gang affiliates and putting up security cameras in areas where drug dealers are known to operate. Gothenburg prosecutor Mats Ihlbom told Expressen that one of their theories are that the firebombings were triggered by this. 'One of our hypotheses is that this is a reaction to the police's work to combat criminal activity.' This comes after three arrests were made in connection with the incidents, including one in Turkey of a 19-year-old man who had fled Sweden after the arson attacks. 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. Police believe the attacks across the country were co-ordinated over social media, using messaging apps such as WhatsApp or similar. 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 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. 'What the f*** are you doing?': Prime Minister Stefan Lofven reacted with anger 'You're ruining things for yourselves, your parents and your neighbourhoods,' Lofven said, adding the incident 'looked very coordinated, almost like a military operation'. '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 were been demolished between Monday and Tuesday. 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. 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. Pictures showed cars on fire in Sweden as authorities tackled multiple blazes in the country 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. 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 17-year-old boy was rushed to hospital with chemical burns after acid was thrown on him in east London. Police said they were called to Collier Row Road in Romford by the London Ambulance Service at 7.43pm on Wednesday. Emergency services found one man at the scene suffering from burns. He was taken to hospital and later discharged - there are no reports of the scale of the injuries yet. Scroll down for video A 17-year-old boy was rushed to hospital with chemical burns after acid was reportedly thrown on him in east London. Emergency services said they were called to Collier Row Road, Romford by the London Ambulance Service at 7.43pm on Wednesday A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: 'London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade attended the scene and the injured male, aged 17, was taken to an east London hospital where he received treatment for superficial burns. He has since been discharged from hospital.' Officers launched an investigation into the incident and visited the boy in hospital. No one has been arrested over the incident and police appealed for witnesses to come forward. Anyone who has information was asked to call policing by dialling 101 and quoting reference CAD6385/15AUG, tweet @MetCC, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. A London Fire Brigade spokesperson confirmed firefighters treated the injured man at the scene before handing duty of care over to the London Ambulance Service - who then rushed the victim to hospital. An LAS spokesman said: 'We were called at 6.40pm on the 15 August to reports of an incident on Collier Row Road, Romford. A London Fire Brigade spokesperson confirmed firefighters treated the injured man at the scene before handing duty of care over to the London Ambulance Service - who then rushed the victim to hospital 'We sent a single responder in a car, an ambulance crew and our hazardous area response team to the scene. 'We treated one person at the scene and took them to a hospital in East London.' Collier Row Road was the scene of a fatal stabbing in June after a 15-year-old boy was knifed to death following a birthday party. Collier Row Road was the scene of a fatal stabbing in June after a 15-year-old boy was knifed to death following a birthday party Jordan Douherty, from Chafford Hundred, was stabbed to death on June 23 amid reports of different groups fighting near a local community centre. Mr Douherty was found suffering from stab wounds on the street nearby the centre. Officers and London Ambulance Service (LAS) attended and were confronted by a large number of people - a 16-year-old was later charged with his murder. A Qantas pilot was left incapacitated after his plane's cabin suddenly depressurised at 20,000ft, it has been revealed. An investigation has being launched after a cargo plane owned by the company suddenly lost pressure mid-flight, incapacitating one of the pilots on board. The Boeing 737 was en-route from Brisbane to Melbourne on Wednesday when pilots received a wing body overheat warning near Narrandera in New South Wales. With the first officer incapacitated the captain was forced to descend from 20,000ft to 8,000ft after pulling on an oxygen mask. An investigation is being launched after a cargo plane owned by the company depressurised mid-flight and causing one pilot to lose consciousness (file picture) A Qantas spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that the incident was caused by an air conditioning fault. 'The Boeing 737 freighter diverted into Canberra on Wednesday night following a fault with the onboard air conditioning system that affected the ability to maintain pressure in the cabin,' the spokeswoman said. 'The aircraft landed normally in Canberra and the pilots went to hospital as a precaution. They were discharged shortly after.' 'We are conducting an investigation into the incident and the aircraft is being inspected by engineers.' Cargo freight planes run with two pilots as standard practice. The Boeing 737 was en-route from Brisbane to Melbourne on Wednesday when pilots received a wing body overheat warning near Narrandera in New South Wales The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will investigate and released an early report. 'During cruise, the crew of the cargo flight received a wing body overheat warning resulting in a reduction of cabin pressure,' the report read. 'The crew donned oxygen and descended to 20,000 ft. The First Officer was subsequently incapacitated and the Captain descended to 8,000 ft and diverted the aircraft to Canberra.' A wing body overheat warning indicates a leak in the corresponding bleed air duct, in this case it was a fault with the air conditioning system which forced the plane to divert. A plane is still functional with this type of warning, however pilots are required to lower their altitude to match the pressure before looking to land. 'During cruise, the crew of the cargo flight received a wing body overheat warning resulting in a reduction of cabin pressure,' a safety report read (file picture) Flight data and interviews will be key components to the investigation. 'As part of the investigation, the ATSB will collect and examine information on the aircrafts flight data recorders and interview maintenance and flight crew,' the report stated. 'A final report will be released at the end of the investigation.' 'Should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify those affected and seek safety action to address the issue.' The plane is owned and operated by Express Freighters Australia, which in turn is owned by Qantas. Jacob Meir Abdellak, pictured, was jailed for 10 months for making a hoax bomb call to delay a flight in Gatwick airport he was about to miss A librarian who made a hoax bomb call to delay his flight from Gatwick to Los Angeles has been jailed for ten months. Jacob Meir Abdellak was running late for his Norwegian flight on Friday May 11 when he called said there was a bomb on board the jet. He made the call at 5.47am - just eight minutes before the jet was due to depart. However, Abdellak was caught after police discovered he used the same number to call in his threat as he used to confirm his booking. After Abdellak made his hoax call, police were forced evacuate the jet and re-screen all the passengers. Abdellak attempted to use the 90-minute delay to board the aircraft but was blocked by airline staff, who said the 47-year-old French national had become abusive. Officers investigating the case approached Gatwick Airport Ltd who confirmed Abdellak had arrived at terminal building significantly late. Abdellak returned to Gatwick on Tuesday, May 22 to fly to the US when he was arrested as he attempted to board the jet. He was later charged with 'communicating false information regarding a noxious substance likely to create serious risk to human health'. Abdellak initially denied making the call and insisted that his sim card had been stolen several days before the hoax call. Police were forced to evacuate a Norwegian passenger jet, file photo at Gatwick Airport, after Abdellak made his hoax call Abdellak was arrested by police when he returned to Gatwick to catch another flight to the US However, on the day the trial was due to take place, Abdellak, of Amhurst Park, Hackney, east London admitted the offence. He was then jailed for 10 months and ordered to pay a 140 victim surcharge. Chief Inspector Marc Clothier of Gatwick Police said: 'This was a quite ridiculous decision made by Abdellak, who fabricated an extremely serious allegation purely for his own benefit. 'He was running late for his flight and thought it would be a good idea to call in a hoax bomb, however this turned out to be the worst decision he could have made. 'His actions caused the flight to be delayed, and also caused a level of fear and distress among a number of staff and passengers on board that flight. 'The consequences of making allegations about bombs, guns or similar at densely populated locations such as airports are well documented, and Abdellaks sentence serves as a warning to others that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated and offenders will be dealt with robustly.' A Norwegian spokesperson said: 'We treat all security threats very seriously and we work with the police and authorities to ensure the safety and security of our customers, crew and aircraft at all times.' A young boy who was trapped on a ledge of a high-rise building was saved by his father in south-east China yesterday. The seven-year-old boy was left alone at home when he thought a burglar had broken into his seventh-floor flat, prompting him to climb out of the window and onto the air-conditioning unit of the floor below. Fearing that his son could fall any minute, the boy's father transformed into a real-life superhero and started a dramatic rescue. The seven-year-old boy is seen standing dangerously on a narrow ledge outside of the building as his heroic father makes his way down to him in Guangdong province, China yesterday The father finally reached his son after climbing down the air-conditioning unit of the building Video footage of the incident in Guangdong province's Foshan city shows the boy standing dangerously on the narrow ledge on the sixth floor at about 1pm, desperately clinging on for dear life. His father was seen right above the child after he climbed out of their flat's window without any safety harness. Using the metal protective guards of the air-conditioning units as a ladder, the brave man carefully descended to the floor below where his son was trapped. Firefighters who later arrived on scene attached several ropes to the child's body. He slowly climbed back up the metal guards to the seventh floor while his father carefully held him up. About a minute later, the child was pulled back to safety. Firefighters were also able to rescue the boy's father shortly afterwards. After ropes were attached to the boy's body, the father watched anxiously as he climbed up The child slowly climbed back up the metal guards to the seventh floor of the high-rise The seven-year-old boy was finally pulled back to safety thanks to his heroic father The boy's mother, identified by her surname Huang, told Guangzhou Daily that she left her son at home to take her daughter to school. The boy woke up from his nap and heard noises in the living room. He thought a burglar had broken into the flat and got scared. Huang arrived back home and couldn't find her son in his room. She almost fainted when she discovered him standing on the ledge of the high-rise in his pajamas. The terrified mother immediately alerted emergency services and called her husband, who rushed home from work within ten minutes. Without waiting for firefighters to arrive, the desperate father started to make his way down the side of the building to reach his son. While the father's actions were heroic, rescuers warned that family members in similar situations should never risk their lives and climb out of windows without any safety harness. Local police did not say whether they found any evidence of the alleged intruder mentioned by the boy. An Italian professor has blamed the Genoa bridge collapse on the architect that designed it, dismissing claims that rain or poor maintenance caused the tragedy. The work of Italian architect Riccardo Morandi, who died in 1989, has come under scrutiny since the highway bridge named after him fell apart amid stormy weather, killing 38 people, on Tuesday. Engineering professor Antonio Brencich said Morandi had wrongly estimated the ageing of his reinforced concrete structure over time and said the collapse was 'not due to rain or poor maintenance'. 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. Rescue workers search the remains of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy, after it collapsed amid stormy weather on Tuesday and killed 38 people In 2016 Mr Brencich, associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Genoa had warned the bridge's maintenance costs were 'so exorbitant that it would be cheaper to build a new one', BBC News reported. Calling the bridge a 'failure of engineering', he said at the time: '[Morandi] was an engineer with great insight, but lacking in practical calculations. 'There are errors in this bridge. Sooner or later, it will have to be replaced. I don't know when.' Morandi was an 'engineer with great insight, but lacking in practical calculations', Mr Brencich today told the Corriere della Sera. Experts said the bridge had an unusual design, featuring pre-stressed reinforced concreted in a method which Morandi had patented. The Morandi Bridge, inaugurated in 1967, was just over three-quarters of a mile long, with the longest section between supports measuring 200 yards. The same technique was used for Morandi's 5.4-mile long General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge which spans the bay of Maracaibo, Venezuela. It partially collapsed in 1964 after being hit by an oil tanker, in in accident which killed seven people just two years after the bridge finished. The work of architect Riccardo Morandi (pictured), who died in 1989, has come under scrutiny since the Italian bridge named after him fell apart amid stormy weather on Tuesday The collapsed part of the bridge was rebuilt eight months later and no major issues have been reported since. Morandi, who died in 1989, specialised in working with reinforced and pre-stressed concrete to design a series of bridges in Italy, South America and Libya. The Wadi el Kuf Bridge in Libya was shut last year amid fears it would fracture. A 260-foot section of the bridge gave way at 11.30am on Tuesday with the arterial highway west of the city centre packed with cars and trucks. Cars fell 150 feet along with tonnes of twisted steel and concrete debris into a river, railway tracks and an industrial zone below, flattening vehicles and leaving rubble embedded in buildings. Some survivors have been pulled from the wreckage in the last 24 hours as rescuers pick through the mangle of cars and buildings at the bottom. The General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge, which was also designed by Riccardo Morandi, in Maracaibo, Venezuela. It partially collapsed in 1964 in an accident which killed seven people This is the moment an A-level student found out live on ITV this morning that he was the only one of his friends not to get the grades he was hoping for. Niall, a student at Wyke Sixth Form College in Hull, East Yorkshire, said he wanted to get into Cambridge or Edinburgh to study Russian history - and needed A*A or ABB. But when he opened his results live on Good Morning Britain, he found he had an A in German, A in history, A in maths and a B in physics - insufficient for Cambridge. However, Niall thankfully did get into Edinburgh - and told presenter Katy Rickitt: 'It isn't quite what I needed, but it's one of those things you can't really change isn't it?' All of his fellow pupils on TV got the results they wanted, with Max getting an A* in chemistry, A in biology and an A in maths to got him into Hull York Medical School. Max's friend Rowan, also opening his results live on air, already had an unconditional offer from Nottingham University - but still achieved an A in maths and B in German. And Lauren, who wanted to get into Birmingham or Leeds university to study liberal arts, also got what she needed - an A in english, A in history and a B in Spanish. Lauren (left) got what she needed - but Niall (right) did not, as they both opened their A-level results live on ITV's Good Morning Britain at Wyke Sixth Form College in Hull National figures show show more than one in four A-levels were awarded an A or A* this year - the highest proportion for six years. But the proportion handed the very top result has fallen to its lowest level since 2013. In total, 26.4 per cent of UK entries were given one of the two top grades - up 0.1 percentage points on 2017, according to Joint Council for Qualifications data. This is the highest percentage since 2012, according to analysis. It is the second year in a row that the A*-A pass rate has risen. Good Morning Britain presenter Katy Rickitt (left) watches as Max (centre) finds out he has an A* in chemistry, A in biology and an A in maths, and Rohan gets an A in maths and B in German Boys continue to outperform girls at the highest grades, with 26.6 per cent of boys' entries awarded at least an A grade, compared to 26.2 per cent for girls. Grades have been awarded for the first time this summer for new A-levels in languages, geography, dance, drama and theatre, music, PE and religious studies. They join the 13 A-level subjects for which the first grades were handed out last summer. Don't worry Niall... This teenager who opened his A-level results live on GMB failed to get the grades he needed -but now he's speaking about making it to Hull University! By ALEXANDER ROBERTSON FOR MAILONLINE A student who went viral after awkwardly opening his A-level results live on TV to find out he missed out on his grades made a triumphant return to GMB this morning. Liam Scroggie became an internet icon when he exclaimed 'win or lose, we're on the booze' after opening his envelope in front of millions of viewers last summer. The 18-year-old discovered he didn't get the A and two Bs he needed to study politics at Belfast's Queens University, meaning an anxious wait to see if he would be accepted at his back-up option of University of Hull. Liam Scroggie became an internet icon when he exclaimed 'win or lose, we're on the booze' after opening his envelope in front of millions of viewers last summer Liam Scroggie became an internet icon when he exclaimed 'win or lose, we're on the booze' after opening his envelope in front of millions of viewers last summer During this morning's GMB coverage of A-level results day, Liam shared the news that he had been accepted at Hull, despite earning two Bs, a C and a D. Reunited with GMB reporter Katy Rickitt, he relived results day from the year before, where he updated viewers on his life as a student. 'I had a really good night that night, I got bevvied', the teen, from Hull, said. 'I woke up with the worst hangover ever; it was a great night. 'I was so concerned about being on the television that there was so much to take in. I was a bit gutted but it worked out really well. 'Hull is like a second home to be honest, its so much like Liverpool that I don't feel out of place at all. 'The whole thing made me feel like a celebrity really. My head blew off with what happened.' It comes as more than one in four A-levels were awarded an A or A* this year - the highest proportion for six years as boys continue to outperform girls at the highest grades, it was revealed today. But nervous youngsters fretted about their future this morning as the proportion handed the very top result of A* fell to its lowest level since 2013, while the overall A*-E pass rate dropped to its lowest level since 2010. Reunited with GMB reporter Katy Rickitt (left), he relived results day from the year before, where he updated viewers on his life as a student During this morning's GMB coverage of A-level results day, Liam shared the news that he had been accepted at Hull late last summer, despite earning two Bs, a C and a D Meanwhile initial figures show fewer students have been accepted on to UK degree courses this year. Ucas data shows that 411,860 have taken up places so far, down 1 per cent on the same point last year. It comes after a drop in applications to start degrees - fuelled in part by a fall in the population of 18-year-olds - and amid major changes to A-levels, with a move away from coursework and modular exams during the course. ** Have any photos of A-level celebrations? Email: pictures@mailonline.co.uk ** Lord Sheikh accused Tory MPs today of lodging 'politically motivated' complaints against him over his attendance of a controversial conference in Tunisia. The Conservative peer said he believed supporters of Boris Johnson were taking revenge after he criticised the former Foreign Secretary over his comments about Burkas. Lord Sheikh went to the event in Tunis in 2014, which was also attended by Jeremy Corbyn - although he did not go to the same wreath-laying for masterminds behind the Munich Olympics terror attack. The gathering featured speeches by terror chiefs who called violence 'magnificent' and compared Israel to ISIS. The peer has denied meeting anyone from extremist group Hamas, and today insisted he did not even know the event was titled 'International Conference On Monitoring The Palestinian Political And Legal Situation In The Light Of Israeli Aggression'. Tory peer Lord Sheikh (pictured left on BBC Newsnight last week) and Jeremy Corbyn (pictured right in Newport this week) both attended a controversial 'peace' conference in Tunis in 2014 which extremists in Hamas took part in and praised violence Lord Sheikh told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he was against terrorism and attended the event in 'good faith'. 'I think the complaints against me are politically motivated, I think the complaint against me is totally trivial,' he said. 'I think these people who are trying to complain about me are perhaps doing this because I have talked about what Boris Johnson has said being wrong.' He insisted he had not even known the title of the conference before he accepted the invitation from the Tunisian government, and wanted to talk about the Arab Spring. Lord Sheikh, founder of the Conservative Muslim Forum, criticised Mr Johnson earlier in August after the former foreign secretary used a newspaper column to compare Muslim women in face-covering veils to letter-boxes and bank robbers. MPs Robert Halfon and Zac Goldsmith lodged a formal complaint with the party yesterday 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.' 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. 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 Theresa May should remove the party whip from her former Cabinet minister after he sparked outrage by making the remarks. MailOnline revealed this week that 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'. The Kenya-born and Uganda-raised politician was made a peer in 2006, the year after he created the CMF. A shocking 90 per cent of Aboriginal children in remote Northern Territory communities under three years old are born with an ear disease that can lead to significant development problems. Along with language learning issues, the disease can result in balance problems for toddlers learning to walk, impair brain development, lead to behavioural problems, and contribute to entrenched disadvantage. A new partnership between the government and philanthropic organisations called Hearing for Learning Initiative aims to tackle this overlooked crises in the indigenous community. A shocking 90 per cent of Aboriginal children in remote Northern Territory communities under three-years-old are born with ear disease The initiative, which includes establishing dozens of local Ear Health Project Officers across the Northern Territory, will be implemented by the Menzies School of Health Research and co-led by Professor Amanda Leach and Associate Professor Kelvin Kong. 'You need to process sound to stimulate the brain to develop,' Professor Amanda Leach told the Daily Mail Australia. The ear disease, known as otitis media, can affect one or both ears. Professor Amanda Leach (left) and Associate Professor Kelvin Kong (right) will lead the initiative 'Only 10 per cent of these children have bilaterally normal ears,' Professor Amanda Leach said. 'This can effect being a part of family or community and can lead to behavioural issues as the children don't have the language skills to understand and be understood.' The Turnbull Government has committed $3 million over three years to Hearing for Learning, along with $2.4 million from the Northern Territory Government and $2.5 million from the Balnaves Foundation. 'This is an exciting new opportunity to remove the preventable blight of hearing loss from current and future generations,' said Indigenous Health Minister Ken Wyatt AM. 'Children with undiagnosed hearing loss tend to fall behind at school due to delayed speech and language development,' Minister Wyatt said. 'This can have a huge impact on their early years, future employment opportunities and their chance of a happy and successful life.' WHAT IS OTITIS MEDIA? WHAT DOES IT DO? The disease affects the middle ear causing pain and inflammation which leads to hearing impairment. WHAT CAUSES IT? A viral infection, strep throat, or allergies can cause inflammation which then affects the functioning of the ear and can lead to further problems. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE IT? Worldwide about 11 per cent of the population are affected every year. PREVALENCE IN ABORIGINAL POPULATIONS? The prevalence of otitis media in the Aboriginal population is at least ten times greater than that of non-Aboriginal populations. Advertisement 'This is an exciting new opportunity to remove the preventable blight of hearing loss from current and future generations,' said Indigenous Health Minister Ken Wyatt AM A Sydney youngster has made a personal plea to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to do more to help drought-stricken farmers in rural New South Wales doing it tough. In just three weeks, Jack Berne, 10, from Sydney's northern beaches, and his year four classmates at St John the Baptist Primary School have raised $260,000 since they launched A Fiver For A Farmer campaign on July 31. Spearheaded by Jack, the fundraising campaign has not just gained nationwide support but also caught the attention of Mr Turnbull. Not only was Jack Berne (pictured) honorary mayor for the day on Monday but he also had a Skype chat with the prime minister The pair had a Skype conversation on Monday, where the prime minister personally thanked Jack and told him about his sheep and cattle farm in the Upper Hunter Valley. Jack called for better outcomes for farmers and asked Mr Turnbull if he regarded the drought as a national disaster. 'He had a pretty good reason to say no he said the relief legislation was more designed for disasters like floods and fires,' Jack told The Manly Daily. Jack (pictured) and his classmates have raised more than $260,000 in less than three weeks for drought-stricken farmers Mr Turnbull publicly paid tribute to Jack's outstanding fundraising efforts in federal parliament afterwards. 'A Fiver For A Farmer campaign has raised 10 times more he'd hoped,' he told parliament. 'When nature throws its worst at us, it brings out the best in Australians.' Jack was inspired to start the idea last month after he learned at school that children his age were force to skip school to help out on their farms. Jack Berne (pictured) launched the A Fiver For A Farmer campaign on July 31 Jack (pictured doing an interview for Fox Sports) asked Malcolm Turnbull this week if he regarded drought as a national disaster 'Every little bit helps,' he told The Manly Daily. 'This just goes to show that you're never too young to make a difference.' The Fiver For A Farmer Instagram page has grown to 1,330 followers. Jack took to Instagram on Wednesday with a video message to update followers on the latest fundraising figure of $260,000. He also spoke about the awesome week he had, which included being honorary mayor of Northern Beaches Council for the day and a visit to his cousin's preschool, where youngsters dressed up a farmer to raise money for the cause. Jack aims to continue the campaign until the end of August. Jack's fundraising efforts for struggling farmers have the support of Australia All proceeds will shared between Rural Aid and Drought Angels. 'If we can raise some money, I think we can all feel better about helping our mates on the farms,' Jack wrote on his GoFundMe page. 'We believe in community, we believe in having each others back, and we believe in the Aussie spirit. We believe that together, we can make a huge difference to support the farmers.' McGuire, 51, of West Drayton, west London, began arguing with the married couple about room in the overhead lockers A drunk mother-of-one called an airline passenger a 'big black sasquatch' and called him and his partner 'drug couriers' in a row about baggage space in an overhead locker. Drunk Lesley McGuire launched into the racist tirade after continually kicking their seat on a Thomson flight from Jamaica to Gatwick in January. McGuire, 51, of West Drayton, west London, began arguing with the married couple about room in the overhead lockers as they travelled back from the Caribbean. After calling Allin Carbon a 'big black sasquatch' she carried on at him and partner Lucy Brome: 'I bet he's carrying drugs. I cannot believe we've paid hundreds of pounds to be on a flight with people like you.' The divorcee was ordered to pay 1,000 at Crawley Magistrates' Court for racially aggravated abuse against the couple after being convicted at an earlier trial. But after the sentence was handed down she moaned she could not pay the fine because she was already 39,000 in debt. The one-day trial on July 24 heard she and her friend Joanna Ball shouted for champagne as they took their seats before accusing her victims of taking up too much space on their overhead lockers. Prosecutor Gaynor Byng said: 'During the flight the aggrieved say that those behind them, Ms McGuire, had been kicking the seats which led to the confrontation. 'She said, 'He is a black w***ker. I bet he is carrying drugs.' 'His partner also says he is called 'a f***ing black w***ker and a big black sasquatch. I cannot believe we have paid hundreds of pounds to be on a flight with people like you.' The row broke out on a Thomson flight from Jamaica to Gatwick in January. (File pic of Thomson planes at Manchester Airport) 'Clearly there's a racially aggravated matter.' She added McGuire had a previous conviction for a dishonesty offence which did not involved public disorder or race in 2015. McGuire, wearing a green dress and shoes, interrupted magistrates to say: 'I didn't call him anything black.' She was threatened with jail for contempt of court and sentenced her to pay 500 to each of her victims, 850 prosecution costs for the trial and 85 victim surcharge. She said: 'I'm in 39,000 debt. It's just ridiculous, I cannot help it, I've had enough punishment and I haven't done anything.' McGuire was ordered to pay 1,000 at Crawley Magistrates' Court for racially aggravated abuse against the couple after being convicted at an earlier trial Chairman of the bench Robert Francis said: 'If you're not quiet we will hold you in contempt of court and you will go down to the cells, do you hear?' She crossed her arms as he continued: 'This is a particularly nasty offence done whilst you are in alcohol and you are in a plane, so there's no getting away from it. 'We did consider custody but we've stepped back from that. You will serve a 12 month community order with 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement sessions focused largely on thinking skills and anger management. 'We also going to order you to do unpaid work. That's gone up from 80 hours to 120 hours because of the trial. 'We are also going to order 500 compensation for each of the people, Allin Carbon and Lucy Brome, for the stress and distress you have caused.' Author of a probation report Liberty Dury, told the court: 'She works in sales so this obviously may help but not perhaps when it comes to arguing with strangers. 'She does come across as quite confrontational. 'She says she has no issues from anybody from any ethnic minorities and if she did, her point was, why would she have gone to Jamaica.' Mr Carbon's witness statement said: 'From the moment they got on the plane, I could tell they were intoxicated. 'The blonde lady who sat behind me started kicking. I asked her to stop and she gave me some abuse. 'The air hostess told McGuire to stop but she continued to hit and kick my chair. 'My wife stayed in her original seat.' Bolivia's president has moved into a lavish 27million skyscraper with a jacuzzi and massage room amid protests that the money is not being spent on tackling poverty. The 29-storey building, which is also said to include a gym, sauna and a private lift for the country's leader Evo Morales, looms 394 feet over the country's capital La Paz. Morales hailed a break with the country's colonial past as the modern glass-frounted building replaces the 16th-century Palacio Quemado as the centre of Bolivia's government. But the building has been slammed by critics who said Morales was trying to 'immortalise' himself at the expense of much-needed investment in public services, the Guardian reported. The new presidential palace in Bolivia looming over the city of La Paz. The country's leader Evo Morales hailed the new building as a break from the country's colonial past Political analyst Carlos Toranzo told the newspaper: 'It's an insult to the country'. '[Morales] wants to immortalise himself with a building which is not only anti-aesthetic but also anti-ethical.' Samuel Doria, the leader of the country's opposition, said the money for the new building should be spent on a cancer hospital instead. The president reportedly used his majority in parliament to bypass a ban on high-rise buildings in the centre of La Paz. Morales said at the building's inauguration: 'Sisters and brothers, it is a joy to be with the Bolivian people inaugurating this beautiful work for the people of La Paz and Bolivia, it is a symbol of our identity and nationality. 'We leave behind the palace of a colonial state to come here to the People's Great House of the plurinational state of Bolivia. 'It's another historic milestone thanks to the struggle of the Bolivian people.' The country's state news agency described the former presidential palace, known as the Burned Palace since it was set alight in 1875, as a symbol of colonial oppression. President Evo Morales (pictured) is planning to run for a fourth term despite opposition Morales has moved out of the Palacio Quemado (pictured), a 16th-century colonial building Work started on the new 'Case Grande del Pueblo' in December 2014, with the new building also including an auditorium, a helipad and three underground floors. Last year Bolivia's highest court cleared the way for Morales to run for a fourth term in office. Morales narrowly lost a referendum in February 2016 on whether the constitution should be revised to allow him to run yet again in 2019. But the constitutional court ruled in November last year that a human rights convention guaranteed the right of citizens to be elected through the ballot box. Morales, who is Bolivia's first indigenous president, was first elected in 2005 and re-elected in 2009 and 2014. Bolivia's constitution allows only two consecutive terms in office but the court earlier ruled that his first term did not count because Morales did not complete the full five-year term before a new constitution took effect in 2009. Advertisement The humiliation heaped on women fighting for the vote has been brought to light in a collection of postcards. Opening a window on the struggle of the Suffragette movement, images from the picture campaign dating between 1908 and 1912 have now re-emerged. The anti-Suffragette postcards show the prejudice the movement faced when attempting to secure women the right to vote. They portray now celebrated women such as Lady Emmeline Pankhurst as violent, unruly, domineering and lazy. One shows two Suffragettes attacking a policeman, while another captures Mrs Pankhurst being led away from a protest by police after her arrest. Others imply they were lazy and made their husbands do all the chores which were thought to be the women's responsibility. 'I want my vote!' Suffragettes were likened to crying babies in the postcard collection which has provided fresh insight into how the women were treated by society in 1908 The women were constantly accused of abandoning their families (left) as posters said men would be 'proud' of them if the were at home while using mocking images of men in dresses. Other images likened the women to squaking parrots (right) referencing their refusal to back down A man can be shown washing clothes outside his home with the message below 'is your wife a Suffragette?', implying she is too preoccupied to do her household tasks. Offensive images include a whining baby with the caption 'I want my vote', with campaigners portrayed as preaching parrots on a separate postcard. One postcard even suggests men were facing discrimination at the hands of women who would get their own hotels and benches, forcing a man with bags to stay standing. The caption below it reads 'By gum! Them Suffragettes be gitting everything'. And a condescending poem compares women to mites and says society would be 'proud' of women if they stopped 'ranting about women's rights'. The postcards are part of a large collection compiled by the Jersey-based collector David Gainsborough Roberts who died last year. They have been consigned for sale with Henry Aldridge & Son, of Devizes, Wilts, and are tipped to sell for 300. Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said: 'These postcards reinforce why the Suffragette movement became so strong as women's rights were non-existent and they faced horrendous stereotypes. The women were repeatedly accused of wanting to be men - rather than being women who expected the same rights in the campaign to humiliate them. Suffragettes were suffering violent punishment at the same time as they stepped up their campaign to get the vote The postcards, which date from 1908 to 1912, portray the campaigners led by Lady Emmeline Pankhurst as violent, unruly, domineering and lazy. This postcard shows Emmeline Pankhurst arrested in an attempt to discredit her 'This was a time when social media had not even been dreamt of so postcards were the main propaganda medium available to those who opposed women's rights. 'The messages are very unpleasant and it shows how strong and brave these women were to go against the establishment.' The Suffragette movement was founded in 1903 and many campaigners were imprisoned before they were released to help with the First World War effort, which they did with distinction. However, it is rooted in Millicent Fawcett's founding of the National Union of Women's Suffrage. Voting rights for British women were won through a combination of the militant suffragettes and their more law-abiding sisters, the suffragists. More than 1,000 women were arrested over the course of their campaign. Never before had so many women been imprisoned for a political cause. The women demanded to be given the status of political prisoners, and when the government refused, they went on hunger strike. In November 1918, months after the conflict ended, women over the age of 30, who met a property qualification, were given the right to vote. However, it would be another 10 years before this right was extended to all women over the age of 21 under the Equality of the Representation of the People Act. A statue of suffragist leader Millicent Fawcett was recently erected in Parliament Square, the first on the site to commemorate a woman. The sale of the postcards takes place on Saturday. The women were dehumanised and criminalised in a series of postcards designed to make them look as though they were not a serious political group The women were compared to children in postcards (left) while their opponents insisted they were trying to take over - instead of becoming equals (right) Suffragists were accused constantly of being violent and out of control as they stepped up their campaign to get the vote for women - while in prisons they were brutally force fed Advertisement These images show dozens of villagers on a remote Atlantic island hunting down and slaughtering a pod of whales, colouring the water red with blood. The practice, known as whale driving, saw children as young as five take part in the hunt of some 180 whales in the village of Sandavagur on Vagar island last month. Every summer, hundreds of pilot and beaked whales are killed across the Faroe Islands, a Danish archipelago located hundreds of miles off the Scottish coast between Norway and Iceland. Hunting season: Dozens of villagers on Vagar, Faroe Islands, gather to help out in the hunting and butchering of a pod of some 180 whales Learning early: Both adults and children take part in the slaughtering of the whale pod in village of Sandavagur on Vagar Butchers: The carcass of a whale is dragged through the water before it is cut up on land by the locals Whale driving on the Faroe Islands date back to the late 16th century and involve residents herding pods of whales into shallow waters. They are then killed using a 'spinal lance' that is inserted through the animal's neck to break its spinal cord. While locals have been carrying out the annual hunts ahead of the sparse winter months for centuries, with the meat served salted or cut into steaks and the blubber sliced up and eaten raw, the practice often come off as shocking and gruesome to outsiders. Cambridge University student Alastair Ward, 22, was visiting the archipelago last month to celebrate his graduation when he and a friend stumbled across the whale hunt. Tradition: Whale herding looks brutal, but the local government has hit back at critics saying the hunt is sustainable and each whale provides several hundreds of kilos of food for the locals throughout the harsh winter months The local government says the annual whale hunts ensures that those living on the Faroe Islands, which offers limited opportunities for farming, are able to import less food from abroad Pull them in: Locals use ropes to pull in the whales' bodies in order to butcher them for meat and blubber Bloody tradition: Several dead whales lay in the shallows, their blood colouring the sea water red All in this together: When a pod of whales is herded into the bay, it is time for the whole village to get to work He said: 'We were walking round this bay when this family of locals ran over and said 'you're lucky, there's a whale coming'. 'We thought it would just be one being dragged in but more and more boats kept appearing on the horizon. 'I couldn't believe how many whales there were. They were driving them into the bay, prodding them with their oars. 'Once they got close enough, the whole town sprinted in and started hacking at them. Even the children were getting involved, pulling on the ropes and jumping on the carcasses. 'We were just sat there speechless and a bit upset but you couldn't really pull yourself away.' He added: 'The squealing from the whales was horrible. So it begins: Fishing boats are seen out at sea, herding the pod of whales into the bay of the village Team effort: As the whales reach the shore, dozens of villagers run out into the water to take part in the hunt Hunted: The whales have been driven into the shallows where locals then jump in and kill them using a 'spinal lance' Two young Faroe men have killed a whale which is now bleeding out into the water Aftermath: The bay on a Faroe Island is red with whale blood after the hunt is over Remote location: The islands, which are a part of Denmark, are located in the Atlantic - between Norway and Iceland 'They were putting hooks on ropes in their blowholes to pull them in and then hacking at them with knives. They didn't die in a very humane way. 'A lot of the locals were all saying how it's the same as farming but I couldn't really agree with that. 'Children were jumping on top of them. They just have such a different attitude to us because they're brought up on it.' The hunt has been criticised by animal rights campaigners in the past, who say the ritual is cruel and unnecessary. However, the local government says the hunting is not only sustainable, but ensures that the islands, which has a limited opportunities for farming, are as self-sufficient as possible. Each whale provides several hundreds of kilos of meat and blubber, food which would otherwise have to be imported from abroad to the islands at a cost to the locals and the environment. A have-a-go hero mother hunted down thieves who stole her son's car after trying to ram them off the road in a high speed chase through a town. Maria Carroll, 64, jumped into her vehicle and sped after the two crooks through Bournemouth, Dorset, after they made off in the Ford Ka during a sale without paying. Ms Carroll cornered them in an supermarket car park, forcing them to flee on foot empty handed. Her son John-Jordan Pogliaghi had advertised his motor for sale on Gumtree when the men came to look at it. The sale was agreed, but as one of the two men filled out paperwork John-Jordan asked if he could grab an envelope to send off the registration document. Maria Carroll, 64, with her son Jordan, jumped into her vehicle (pictured) and sped after the two crooks through Bournemouth, Dorset He said: 'I went to grab it and before I knew it they had jumped in the car and taken off in it. 'I immediately called the police and told my mother what had happened.' While John-Jordan drove with a friend to look for the thieves, his mum jumped into her car and sped off around Bournemouth to do the same. Ms Carroll said she was waiting at traffic lights when incredibly the pair pulled up alongside her in the Ford Ka. She said: 'I was thinking they'll be long gone, but knew I had to keep on looking. Ms Carroll told how she kept her hand on the horn as had her hazard warning lights on as she sped through the town. Pictured: Ms Carroll at the wheel The mother-of-one managed to corner the car thieves in this Lidl supermarket car park in Bournemouth 'I was at the dual carriageway at West Howe and as I was driving along I saw them pulling up alongside me at the lights. 'I just looked across and they were happily talking, so I veered into them and was shouting 'you're in my son's car, you've just stolen it.' Maria told how she kept her hand on the horn as had her hazard warning lights on as she sped through the town. She said: 'I was flashing my high beam and shouting 'help, help, they've stolen that car, get the police'. Ms Carroll, with her son, cornered the duo in a supermarket car park and they fled empty handed 'They went the wrong way the roundabout. Then he turned left at the pub and drove towards Bear Cross, he was overtaking sets of cars. I just didn't want to lose track of him. 'Something just kicked in and I thought I am not letting them get away, I'm not letting them get away with this.' The chase eventually came to an end when the thieves careered into a supermarket car park. 'I flew in after them, and the driver was out on his feet car saying he's just bought the car. 'I grabbed the key, told him he was surrounded and the police were on the way - with that they just ran off.' John-Jordan said: 'The officers were in awe of what had happened, pretty much just praising my mum and telling me what a legend I have as a mother. Dorset Police have confirmed they are still investigating the incident, and that, to date, no arrests have been made. Passengers have been evacuated from Auckland Airport in New Zealand after a 'suspicious package' was found in the baggage hall. People arriving in New Zealand on international flights are being held in an area upstairs as police carry out checks. An airport spokeswoman told Stuff that a 'suspicious article' was discovered at about 10.20pm local time. Passengers have been evacuated from Auckland Airport in New Zealand after a 'suspicious package' was found in the baggage hall Journalist Jamie Goode tweeted that he and fellow passengers on his plane into New Zealand were told they faced a 'two-hour wait' because immigration had been closed following an 'incident'. Other passengers complained of being 'stuck on the tarmac' after landing in Auckland on Thursday evening. More to come. A 17-year-old boy has been suspended from school after turning up in shorts during winter - but teachers have since told him he could have worn a skirt and tights. The student's mother said her son was given internal suspension, meaning he had to spend a day at St Helena Secondary College's junior faculty in Eltham North, north east of Melbourne, after receiving three warnings. She said rather than have him 'humiliated' at the junior facility, she kept him home because it was 'embarrassing' for him to learn separately to his Year 11 peers, Herald Sun reported. The boy - who his mother has decided against naming - has a medical condition that can cause him to overheat. A male student has been told he could wear a skirt to school rather than shorts, which he was suspended for wearing despite having a medical condition (stock photo) 'I was told on Friday he'd done the crime and would do the time. I don't agree or endorse for him to be sent to the junior school to be humiliated,' the mother said. She had since presented her son's principal, Karen Terry, with a medical certificate, which detailed her son's tendency to get nose bleeds when he was too hot. The principal reportedly took it into consideration but requested more information on the condition. Diversions from the school's uniform policy, which stated students could only wear pants or a skirt and tights in winter, was dealt with on a case-to-case basis. A staff member allegedly told the parent both uniform options, including the skirt and tights, were 'gender neutral' and suggested her son wear the pairing instead of shorts. 'When a teacher tells me my son can wear a skirt and tights but can't wear shorts, I find that offensive. He could go to school tomorrow in a skirt and tights but if he wears shorts he gets in trouble how ridiculous,' she said. A staff member allegedly told the parent both uniform options, including the skirt and tights, were 'gender neutral' and suggested her son wear the pairing instead of shorts (stock photo) The Department of Education confirmed the school's gender neutral uniform policy and denied the mother was told her son could wear a skirt. Principal Ms Terry granted the boy a temporary exemption and allowed him to wear shorts for the week after an application was made by his family. 'Our school strives to support all our students, especially when they have a health concern,' Ms Terry said. The mother has called on the school to change its uniform policy so students could wear shorts in all seasons of the year. She said she would be raising the issue at the next school council meeting. Policeman Lee Bartram (pictured), 44, has pleaded guilty to making and possessing indecent images of children A police inspector has pleaded guilty to making more than 300 indecent images. West Midlands Police officer Lee Bartram, also filmed himself blaming a six-year-old boy's parents for dressing the child 'in an attractive way'. The 44-year-old, whose address was withheld by the court over terrorism fears, today pleaded guilty to five counts of making indecent images of a child and two counts of distributing similar images. The charges, spanning a period between August 2013 and the same month of this year, relate to a total of 328 images, including some found on an iPad and an iPhone. Opening the facts of the case at Walsall Magistrates' Court, prosecutor Mark Cooper said some of the films made by Bartram had a 'commentary' from the officer 'as to what he would like to do' with the children. On one of the films, Bartram was recorded 'blaming the parents' of a child because of the way the youngster was dressed. Mr Cooper added that although Bartram, who worked as an inspector in Birmingham city centre, had breached his bail, the evidence showed he had not acted upon his 'fantasies' in the virtual world. An application for bail was made by his solicitor, Mr Hopkins, which was refused by the district judge. Bartram is circled in the picture above at a community event. The two youngsters are not in any way linked to the case Bartram, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, sat with his head bowed and his hands over his face throughout much of today's hearing. A further application for bail, before his sentencing at Wolverhampton Crown Court on September 13, was also denied. District Judge Graham Wilkinson said: 'This is a matter that must be considered by the crown court. 'You will know better than most when dealing with bail I take the crown's case as the strongest. 'The videoing of the child happened when you were subject to bail that is the case that passes before me and you have continued to show an interest in underage boys. Bartram (pictured) was remanded in custody to appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on September 13 for sentencing 'I have no option but to remand you in custody, the prison service is adept at protecting the vulnerable prisoners and we know this is a serious matter. 'It will be flagged up that you are not placed on an open wing and treated as the most vulnerable sort of prisoner. 'You will also be required to be on the Sex Offenders Register.' Mark Cooper, prosecuting, said: 'Mr Bartram filmed a teenage boy and provided a commentary on what he'd like to do with the boy who was 15 years old. 'It has since been found out there are similar recordings where he's followed young children as young as the age of six which also records the commentary and effectively blames the parents for dressing him in the way that was to attract Mr Bartram. 'There are a number of intimations that the defendant was going to commit suicide, a cold and calculated decision where he weighed the pros and cons of what he was going to lose and what his life was going to be like. 'His fantasises have moved from the virtual world to the physical world and become more and more worrying. Bartram (pictured) appeared at Walsall Magistrates Court today after he was arrested at home 'The Crown is seeking his remand for his own protection.' Four of the counts Bartram admits relate to making and distributing category C and B images on May 15 this year. Three of the charges range from making images between August 15, 2013 and August 15 this year including one count of making 290 category C images. Speaking in favour on the defences application to prevent the publication of his address, Judge Wilkinson said: 'Sadly we live in an arena of new terrorism where serving police officers are targets and members of his family will be targeted. Judge bans publishing of police officer's address over 'violence and terror fears' Lee Bartram should be treated as the 'most vulnerable' class of inmate whilst in prison custody, the court heard. The district judge ordered that Bartram's address should not be published as it could lead to him or his family being 'targeted by terrorists for the most serious acts of violence'. West Midlands Police Assistant Chief Constable Gareth Cann submitted a letter to the court asking the judge to take into consideration the current 'severe' terror threat rating. Mr Cann's letter stated: 'Should you feel able to direct that an address can be withheld, taking into account all the circumstances of the case before you, then you would be making a valuable contribution to mitigating the current threat we face.' Advertisement 'He is likely to be targeted for the most serious incidents of violence and is not in the public interest. 'Safety is my priority, his address must not be published by any person at any point.' An application for bail was made by his solicitor, Mr Hopkins, which was refused by the district judge. Bartram was remanded in custody to appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on September 13 for sentencing. The magistrate directed that Bartram should be treated as the 'most vulnerable' class of inmate whilst in prison custody. The district judge ordered that Bartram's address should not be published as it could lead to him or his family being 'targeted by terrorists for the most serious acts of violence'. West Midlands Police Assistant Chief Constable Gareth Cann submitted a letter to the court asking the judge to take into consideration the current 'severe' terror threat rating. Mr Cann's letter stated: 'Should you feel able to direct that an address can be withheld, taking into account all the circumstances of the case before you, then you would be making a valuable contribution to mitigating the current threat we face.' Because he has been convicted of a sexual offence, he was also added to the sex offenders registers. A spokesman for West Midlands Police said Bartram had been suspended from the force while proceedings continue. The matter has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Independence Day that plans were in place for India to send a manned flight into space by 2022 and aimed to become the fourth country to achieve this feat, after Russia, the US and China. Indias space programme has been active since the 1960s and it has launched multiple satellites for itself and other countries, including one that currently orbits Mars. Last week, the Indian Space Research Organisation confirmed that it would send an unmanned mission to the moon in January 2019. Modi stated that India will send into space - a man or woman - by 2022, before that if possible and in his speech from the Red Fort in New Delhi, said an astronaut would be carrying the national flag. Narendra Modi attends 71st Independence Day Celebrations at Red Fort, on August 15, 2018 Who is Narendra Modi? Narendra Modi is the first Prime Minister of India who was born in what he referred to as Independent India, the time after the subcontinent won independence from the British and he is also the first PM whose mother was alive when he took office. Born Narendra Damodardas Modi on September 17, 1950 in Vadnagar, a town in the state of Gujarat, he is the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and led his party to victory in elections to the Lok Sabha, the lower chamber of Indian parliament before he was sworn in in 2014. After completing his MA in Political Science at Gujarat University in Ahmedabad, Modi joined pro-Hindu Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) organisation in the 1970s and set up a students wing, called the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, according to Britannica. Narendra Modi taking part in a yoga session to mark International Yoga Day in Dehradun Narendra joined the BJP in 1987 and soon became the General Secretary of the Gujarat branch, influential in ensuring that the partys presence was strong in the following years. Three years after joining, he participated in a coalition government and helped to achieve success in the 1995 state legislative assembly elections. Despite the BJPs control over the Indian government being short-lived, only lasting a few months in 1996, Modi was made the secretary of the BJPs national organisation in New Delhi and three years later, appointed the General Secretary. However, because of fellow BJP member and Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patels poor response to the Bhuj earthquake in 2000, that killed more than 20,000 people, Modi replaced him and went on to enter his first-ever electoral contest in February 2002, which he went on to win and take a seat in the state assembly. Modis political career was then marred with controversy and scandal: his role during the Gujarat riots in 2002 were questioned and he was accused of condoning violence, or at least, not doing enough to stop the killing of over 1,000 people, mostly Muslims. Theresa May and Narendra Modi arrive for a photograph ahead of the India-U.K. Tech Summit In 2005, the US declined to issue him a diplomatic visa on the grounds that he was responsible for these riots and the UK also criticised him for this. While Modi escaped without any indictment, his close associates were found guilty of complicity and were jailed. His government has also been accused of extrajudicial killings: one case resulting the deaths of a woman and three men, members of the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, were alleged to have been plotting to assassinate Modi. Modi was soon indispensable to the BJP and under his leadership, the party secured victory in 2002 after winning 127 of the 182 seats in the chamber and again in 2007 before prevailing again in 2012. Both times he won his contests and returned as Chief Minister. Narendra Modi waves to his supporters after casting his vote outside a polling booth in 2007 This made him a potential candidate for Indias Prime Minister and in June 2013, Modi was chosen as the leader of the BJPs campaign for the 2014 elections to the Lok Sabha. The BJP won a clear majority and he was sworn in on May 26. Modi has been responsible for a number of reforms including improvements to the transportation system and liberalising rules on direct foreign investment in India. He also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and former US President Barack Obama. However, according to Forbes, Modi has been condemned for his dog-whistle politics that endanger the nearly 40% of Indias population that belongs to religious, ethnic or religious minorities. He is regularly condemned as dangerous, a strongman, and a dictator by Indian and Western elites. Despite this, NaMo is the most popular Indian leader since Mahatma Gandhi, as Forbes stated and his approval rating stands at around 88 percent. Justin Trudeau, Bill Gates, Barack Obama, Francois Hollande and Narendra Modi pose Modi speech In Narendra Modis Independence Day speech, he hailed Indias rise under his government and said that policy paralysis during the UPA rule was over, according to The Times of India. From the Red Fort, Modi spent 88 minutes addressing his nation and explored burning issues. 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 contributing to do so. After showcasing his achievements, he stated that India was earlier a sleeping elephant which has woken up now and started running and went on to quote Tamil nationalist icon Subramania Bharti to say in Tamil, India will show the path to the world. I am restless, I am agitated and I am also impatient for my country to lead the fourth industrial revolution, the revolution that is based on knowledge, the revolution which will be led by those who have IT skills. I am impatient for my county to lead it. Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Deputy L.K. Advani and Narendra Modi pictured He also announced the rollout of the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme, which has been described as the worlds largest healthcare measure and will cover 500 million people, providing a cover of 500,000 rupees (5,600) per family a year. In addition to discussing the commissioning of women in the armed forces, he spoke about the recent incidents of rape, but made no mention of the hot topic being debated in this country at the moment of lynching. Modi also promised that he would send a manned flight into space by 2022 and become the fourth country to achieve this. India is currently the sixth-largest economy in the world and Modi said that international institutions will see the subcontinent as as engine to strengthen the world economy for the next three decades. He will seek another five-year term for his party at elections due by March-April next year. Narendra Modi net worth While Narendra Modi may be the leader of the sixth-largest economy in the world, he only keeps a measly Rs 4,700 (55) as cash in hand. His total assets are worth Rs 14 million (16,000) because of a property he owns in Gandhinagar, the value of which has increased by more than 25 times since it was purchased 13 years ago, according to Mashable. He does not own any vehicles, aircrafts, yachts or ships and while he has no loans, Modi owns four gold rings, which are worth Rs 1,19,000 (1380). It was also revealed that he was one of the most modestly-paid world leaders and earned a salary of Rs 1.9 million (24,000). Jeremy Corbyn (pictured at a foodbank in Mansfield today) had refused to accept the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition - sparking fury from his own MPs and Jewish leaders. He is now set to make a partial climbdown over the row Jeremy Corbyn is poised to make a major U-turn and accept the international definition of anti-Semitism in a bid to finally end the row tearing his party apart. But the Labour leader is facing a fresh backlash as he is reportedly insisting that extra clauses are added to allow criticism of Israel. Labour has been plunged into a bitter civil war over how to tackle the racist abuse which has festered among some of its members. Mr Corbyn had refused to accept the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition - sparking fury from his own MPs and Jewish leaders. But under mounting pressure from his powerful backers in trade unions and the Momentum group, he is set to accept it. This includes key clauses which say it is anti-Semitic to say Israel is a racist endeavor, accuse Jews of dual loyalty and comparing Israel to Nazi Germany. Mr Corbyn is reportedly insisting that Labour find a way to add to the code to spell out that criticism of Israel and its policies is legitimate. But Jewish leaders and anti-Semitism campaigners have repeatably said the Labour cannot cherry pick from the code and must accept it wholesale. The campaign group Labour Against Anti-Semitism, said: 'Recent reports suggested the leadership was prepared to accept three of those examples - but whether or not members could brand Israel a 'racist endeavor' remained a sticking point.' Why is Labour's new code of conduct on anti-Semitism so controversial? The Labour anti-Semitism row erupted again after the party leadership refused to fully adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition. The party's code explicitly endorses the IHRA definition, but it omits four examples from the IHRA list: - Accusing Jewish people of being more loyal to Israel than their home country; - Claiming that Israel's existence as a state is a racist endeavour; - Requiring higher standards of behaviour from Israel than other nations; and - Comparing contemporary Israeli policies to those of the Nazis. Labour insisted that while the examples are not reproduced word-for-word, they are covered in the new code. But critics say the decision allows anti-Semitism to continue to fester. Advertisement 'The Labour Party either accepts the IHRA definition in its entirety or it doesn't. 'There can be no halfway house, no 'compromise' position. 'Jews define the discrimination against them, not the Labour Party and certainly not Jeremy Corbyn.' A spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said: 'Labour needs to accept the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition with all its examples. 'This is non-negotiable. 'It cannot just decide that some forms of anti-Semitism are permissible to Labour members.' Meanwhile, Labour MP Mike Gapes today told Jewish News that he would consider quitting the party he has been a member of for 50 years unless the full IHRA definition is adopted. He said: 'For me fighting anti-Semitism is part of who I am and I won't be put in a position where I'm complicit in not fighting it in an effective and principled way.' He said he would be forced to 'consider my position' if Labour refuse to change its position. Labour has been plunged into crisis over the row after the party's high command refused to adopt four parts to the international code on anti-Semitism. The row has exposed deep and bitter splits in the party as Mr Corbyn's allies have accused party moderates of exploiting the scandal to undermine his leadership. 'Red Len' McCluskey blames Jewish leaders and 'Blairite' MPs for exploiting anti-Semitism row One of Jeremy Corbyn's closest allies today launched an extraordinary attack on Jewish community leaders - accusing them of exploiting the anti-Semitism row. Unite leader Len McCluskey said the party risks descending into a 'vortex of McCarthyism' - a reference to the Red Scare in US in the 1950s when anyone suspected of left-wing views were hounded out of jobs and public life. The union leader - dubbed Red Len for his own left-wing views, he said the 'more Corbyn has personally sought to build bridges' with the Jewish community 'the worse the rhetoric has become'. He added: 'While rooting out the anti-Semites, we cannot descend into a vortex of McCarthyism, however much Labour's opponents might enjoy the spectacle.' He blamed the intransigence of Jewish community leaders and certain Labour MPs for the continuation of the scandal. He went on: 'I am at a loss to understand the motives of the leadership of the Jewish community the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Jewish Labour Movement. 'They raised entirely proper concerns, but have simply refused to take 'yes' for an answer.' He added: 'So let us now move to put this row behind us. Let Labour complete the measures it has pledged to meet the concerns of the Jewish community as rapidly as possible. 'Let the leadership of the Jewish community grasp the hand stretched out towards them. 'And let those few Labour MPs looking to break away from the party do so on an honest basis, embracing capitalism, the free market and the alliance with Trump's America, and not pretend that Labour is something it is not, an institutionally racist party.' Advertisement In an incendiary intervention today Len McCluskey - leader of the UK's largest trade union and a close ally of the Labour leader - accused Jewish leaders and 'Blairite' MPs of using the row to split the Labour Party. Writing for the HuffPost website,the leader of Unite said the party risks descending into a 'vortex of McCarthyism' - a reference to the Red Scare in US in the 1950s when anyone suspected of left-wing views were hounded out of jobs and public life. The union leader - dubbed Red Len for his own left-wing views, he said the 'more Corbyn has personally sought to build bridges' with the Jewish community 'the worse the rhetoric has become'. He added: 'While rooting out the anti-Semites, we cannot descend into a vortex of McCarthyism, however much Labour's opponents might enjoy the spectacle.' He blamed the intransigence of Jewish community leaders and certain Labour MPs for the continuation of the scandal. He went on: 'I am at a loss to understand the motives of the leadership of the Jewish community the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Jewish Labour Movement. 'They raised entirely proper concerns, but have simply refused to take 'yes' for an answer.' He added: 'So let us now move to put this row behind us. Let Labour complete the measures it has pledged to meet the concerns of the Jewish community as rapidly as possible. 'Let the leadership of the Jewish community grasp the hand stretched out towards them. 'And let those few Labour MPs looking to break away from the party do so on an honest basis, embracing capitalism, the free market and the alliance with Trump's America, and not pretend that Labour is something it is not, an institutionally racist party.' The party has been dogged by accusations of anti-Semitism ever since Mr Corbyn was elected leader in 2015. Jewish leaders took the unprecedented step of holding a protest outside Parliament in March this year to protest at Mr Corbyn's failure to tackle the racism. Labour has been dogged by accusations ever since Jeremy Corbyn (pictured today visiting a foodbank in Mansfield) became party leader in 2015 And Jewish Labour MPs tore into their leader as they told of the wave of anti-Semitic abuse thrown at them. Earlier this year Mr Corbyn pledged to finally get a grip on the crisis - putting out a video promising to tackle it. 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 he has faced a fresh political storm over the past week after The Daily Mail exclusively published photographs of him carrying a wreath at a ceremony where an extremist linked to the Munich Massacre was honoured. Mr Corbyn insists that he was actually at the 2014 ceremony in Tunis to honour other people killed who were not linked to terrorism. He has refused to apologise for attending - despite calls form his own MPs and the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to. And today it emerged that he shared a platform with a senior member of a terror group that murdered a British rabbi weeks later. He stood alongside Maher al-Taher, the exiled leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), at the ceremony in 2014. A month later, Taher's group claimed responsibility for a terror attack in which four rabbis were slaughtered during their morning prayers, The Times reported. He met Taher there a year before being elected as Labour leader, but the PFLP had already been proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the EU for two years. One rabbi murdered by the PFLP was Briton Avraham Shmuel Goldberg, 68. His widow, Brianna, said: 'Jeremy Corbyn should not be associating with men like that. 'They kill to satisfy their political needs. He needs to come to Israel to see how things really are.' After the synagogue attack, the PFLP wrote on its website that it was 'a natural response to the ongoing racist policies and crimes of the occupation'. It added: 'No place in Jerusalem should be safe so long as the Palestinian people are not safe.' Three months before meeting Mr Corbyn, the PFLP website quoted Taher saying the 'Zionist enemy will pay dearly for its ground offensive on Gaza'. The group has also claimed responsibility for a series of suicide attacks targeting Israeli civilians and for missile attacks on Israel from Gaza. Mr Corbyn was listed by the Palestinian embassy as being in attendance at a wreath-laying in a cemetery in Tunis, and a photo of him with Taher was posted on the embassy's Facebook page. In the synagogue attack, two terrorists used axes and knives to hack worshippers to pieces. A spokesman for Mr Corbyn told The Times: 'Jeremy attended the conference convened by the president of Tunisia to support Palestinian rights and to bring together Palestinian factions to unite for a peaceful and just settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict. 'He is, of course, completely opposed to attacks on civilians.' In 2001, Taher urged Arabs to target America following the killing of PFLP chief Abu Ali Mustafa in an Israeli missile attack. In revenge for the killing of Abu Ali Mustafa, the replacement leader of the PFLP Ahmed Saadat, ordered the killing of an Israeli minister, Rehavam Zeevi. The PFLP was founded in 1967 and was responsible for the hijackings of four Western airliners over the US, Europe, the Far East and the Gulf in 1970. The aircraft were blown up in the Middle East after their passengers and crews had disembarked. The group also reportedly carried out a number of attacks on Israeli and Western embassies around the world. The revelations came as Gordon Brown delivered a blunt warning to Mr Corbyn yesterday over the anti-Semitism crisis. The former PM pointedly refused to endorse Mr Corbyn as PM until he 'changes' and tackles anti-Semitism. 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.' 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. '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.' 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 The campaign group Labour Against Anti-Semitism hit out at Jeremy Corbyn's plans - warning the definition must be adopted in full and not be changed in any way Advertisement These stunning images from half a century ago show the final days of steam on Britain's railways. In August 1968 steam trains were banned from mainline railways as the government insisted British Rail concentrated on diesel power. During the final days of steam, British Rail announced a 'Fifteen Guinea Special' service which was due to be the final passenger service powered by the old-fashioned locomotives. Harold Wilson's Labour government announced the end of mainline steam rail services in August 1968 Enthusiastic school boys greeted the final locomotives as they approached the end of their service lives in August 1968 These railway workers look on folornly as their Black Five engine which was built for the London Midland and Scotland railway in 1948 was withdrawn from service in August 1968. The engine was later scrapped in Hull This 1907 locomotive was withdrawn from service in 1958 - meaning many of the post-war engines scrapped in 1968 still had many years life left Photographs from the tour show exited children witnessing history, while railway workers looked forlorn with the end of an era. The final service took sightseers from Liverpool via Carlisle to Manchester and back. British Rail had planned to continue regular steam rail services into at least the 1970s - and had even built a steam locomotive in 1960 - but when Harold Wilson was elected Prime Minister in 1964, he had vowed to revolutionise Britain. In his speech to the Labour Party conference in 1963 in Scarborough, he promised: 'The Britain that is going to be formed in the white heat of this revolution will be no place for the restrictive practices or for outdated methods on either side of industry.' In the final days of regular steam services, people took any vantage point possible to witness the sad end of an era The future of steam rail services in Britain was doomed once Labour's Harold Wilson, pictured, defeated Alec Douglas-Home in the 1964 general election. Wilson ran on a manifesto which promised bringing the 'white heat of technology' to Britain The white heat of technology speech propelled Wilson to victory and led to major projects such as Concorde. Yet, many enthusiasts were reluctant to see the end of steam engines and many were saved from the scrap heap by preservation societies. Early in the 1970s, the complete ban on steam trains on mainline rail services was overturned, although they never returned to regular service. Instead, a number of the engines - such as The Flying Scotsman - provide special tours for fans of the golden age of steam. Engine number 45212 - which was built in 1935 was withdrawn from service in August 1968 - however, unlike many steam engines of its vintage escaped being melted down and was preserved by the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. According to KWVR, the engine was the last revenue earning steam train for British Rail. It is now back on the mainline running special services and tours for enthusiasts A young boy photographs this steam engine whose details and fate are not currently known At the time the final steam engines were withdrawn, British Rail were running trials on their Advanced Passenger Train, which was expected to provide a higher speed service by tilting when it went around bends in the track First class passengers travelling in the age of steam expected a higher level of service compared to rail users today. The Trianon Bar Pullman carriage, pictured, here, was built in 1951 and has been preserved by the Crewe LNWR Heritage Company The Morandi bridge in Genoa collapsed around 11.30am on Tuesday while it was packed with commuters, truck drivers and holidaymakers all making their way through the busy port city. The dead come from all walks of life and all corners of the globe, united by nothing other than the fact that they happened to be on the same 650ft section of bridge at the fateful moment it came crashing down. Four friends on a holiday road trip Matteo Bentornati, a freelancer videographer, Giovanni Battiloro, Gerardo Esposito, and Antonio Stanzione were due to fly to France but chose to drive instead at the last minute. The foursome were due to spend their holidays shuttling between Nice and Barcelona but never made it over the border from their home county. Gerardo Esposito was among four Italian men in their 20s driving on holiday to Nice in France when the Morandi bridge collapsed underneath them on Tuesday, leaving them dead Giovanni Battiloro, a freelance videographer also believed to be in his 20s, was inside the car when it was buried under the rubble. The men had been planning to fly to France but at the last minute decided to drive instead Matteo Bertonati (left) and Antonio Stanzione (right) were also inside the same car and died. They last contacted their parents at 11am on Tuesday to say 'entering Genoa', around half an hour before they died A family of four wiped out days after their honeymoon Andrea Vittone, 49, his wife Claudia Possetti, 48, and their children Manuele and Camilla Bellasio, aged 16 and 12 were all in their black Volkswagen Golf together when it plummeted with the bridge. The couple married just three weeks ago and were taking a family holiday to the Sea of Sestri Levante from Pinerolo, since they had a few days of holiday left after their honeymoon in California. They left early to make the 125-mile journey to their seaside spot, putting them on the bridge at exactly the wrong moment. Andrea Vittone, 49, his wife Claudia Possetti, 48, and their children Manuele and Camilla Bellasio, aged 16 and 12 were all in their black Volkswagen Golf together when it plummeted with the bridge Young family on the way to a beach holiday Roberto Robbiano, his wife Ersilia Piccinino, and their eight-year-old son Samuel, who was one of the first to be found in the rubble, all died when their car fell 150ft. Mr Robbiano, a computer technician, married his wife in 2014 and frequently posted photos to his Facebook of his young son and the black-and-white family cat on adventures at home and on holiday. He posted that they were excited to head to the seaside, their car laden with beach toys for Samuel to play with in the sand. Their crushed car was found under the remains of a concrete beam, along with the boy's Spiderman ball. Roberto Robbiano, his wife Ersilia Piccinino, and their eight-year-old son Samuel, who was one of the first to be found in the rubble, all died when their car fell 150ft Their car fell 150ft as the a huge 260ft section of the 50-year-old Morandi bridge gave way about 11.30am on Tuesday Engaged medical professionals soon to be married Alberto Fanfani, 32, an anesthesiologist, and his fiancee Marta Danisi, 29, a nurse, were also pulled from the rubble. The pair were engaged and due to marry next year. The Mayor of Sant'Agata di Militello, Bruno Mancuso, announced a day of mourning on Facebook. 'I am shocked and saddened by the terrible tragedy that struck one of our fellow citizens, the young Marta Danisi, who died as a result of the collapse of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa,' he wrote. 'The same fate befell her boyfriend, who was in the car with her. On behalf of the whole community, I express my deepest sorrow and closeness to her family members for this great pain, and the unfillable emptiness that has struck them.' Alberto Fanfani, 32, an anesthesiologist who was originally from Florence, was also killed in the crash along with his fiancee Marta Danisi, 29, a nurse. The pair were due to be married next year Three workers crushed to death as they toiled below Bruno Casagrande and Mirko Vicini, who both worked for environment agency Amiu were both crushed to death, as was Alessandro Campora, 46, who was employed by private firm Aster. 'The damages are invaluable but nothing compared to the pain for the lives lost,' Amiu director Tiziana Merlino said. The firm shut down work in the area indefinitely. Mr Casagrande and Mr Vicini were looking forward to a better future after a period of unemployment was ended by recent seasonal contracts with the firm. Mirko Vicini (picutred), an environment company worker, was underneath the bridge alongside colleague Bruno Casagrande when the bridge came down, killing both of them Young lovers on a romantic getaway Stella Boccia, 24, was buried in the wreckage along with Dominican boyfriend Carlos Jesus Truillo, 23, a waiter. 'We apologise to our customers, but we will be closed for mourning. Unfortunately a piece of our hearts remains under the rubble of the Genoa bridge,' Ms Boccia's mother wrote upon hearing the news. The pair had not been dating long, meeting by working on the same street, Ms Boccia at a restaurant and Mr Truillo at a Foot Locker store yards away. Stella Boccia, 24, was also killed alongside her Dominican boyfriend Carlos Jesus Trullio, 23, who was a waiter. The pair were returning from a vacation when they died French trio on their way to Sardinia A young French couple - Nathan Gusman, 20, and Melissa Artus, 22 - who were driving from Montpellier in France to Sardinia on a route that took them across the bridge were killed along with Axelle Nemati Alize Plaze, also 20. Nathan Gusman, 20, and Melissa Artus, 22, both tourists from France, were on a road trip from Montpellier to Sardinia alongside friend Nemati Alize Plaze, 20, when they died. The trio were following a route which took them across the bridge Axelle Nemati Alize Plaze, 20, from France, was riding in the car with her friends when it plunged into the riverbed A woman who loved to celebrate life Elisa Bozzo, 34, used her Facebook page to write 'how can I not celebrate life!' not long before the tragedy, but on Tuesday desperate friends were using the same site to appeal for her whereabouts. The search was in vain, however, as she was pronounced dead on Wednesday morning. Elisa Bozzo, 34, used her Facebook page to write 'how can I not celebrate life!' not long before the tragedy, but on Tuesday desperate friends were using the same site to appeal for her whereabouts Chileans who made a new life for themselves in Italy Also pulled from the rubble were the remains of Juan Carlos Pastenes, 64, a Chilean chef who had lived in Italy for three decades, along with his wife Nora Rivera. Juan Figueroa, 60, a fellow Chilean, who had lived in Italy for at least two decades, was also killed. Chef Juan Carlos Pastenes, 64 (left) and his wife Nora Rivera (right), who are originally from Chile but had lived in Italy for three decades, also perished alongside fellow Chilean Juan Figueroa, 60, who had also spent decades living in Italy Killed while driving for work Marius Djerri, 22, and Edy Bokrina, from Albania, were in a van on their way to a cleaning job when they perished. Luigi Matti Altadonna, 35, a father-of-four who sold computer games, was completing his last delivery of the morning when he plunged to his death inside his work van. 'The municipal administration joins the pain of Giovanni, a model citizen and an exemplary volunteer of the Civil Protection Section of Borghetto, for the loss of his dear nephew in the terrible tragedy of Genoa'. Mayor Borghettino Giancarlo Canepa said. Luigi Matti Altadonna, 35, a father-of-four who sold computer games, was completing his last delivery of the morning when he plunged to his death inside his work van Mr Altadonna was driving his work van over the bridge when it collapsed under him. Rescuers scrambled to free him from the wreckage but he could not be saved. Colleague Gianluca Ardini, 29, who was riding in the van with him and is due to become a father next month, escaped with only a dislocated shoulder after clinging on to metal wires. Gennaro Sarnataro, 43, a father-of-two and truck driver, was also killed on the bridge as he returned from a fruit and vegetable delivery to France. 'He was a great worker, a decent person,' his family said as they identified his body at the morgue. Marius Djerri, 22 (left), a football player from Albania, was also killed in the collapse alongside colleague Edy Bokrina. The pair were traveling in a work van to complete a cleaning job when they died Gennaro Sarnataro, 43, a father-of-two and truck driver, was also named among those killed on the bridge Football player who leaves behind a young son Amateur football player Andrea Cerulli, the father of a young son, was killed on his way to work, according to friends who flooded social media with tributes after finding out about his death. 'Genoa Club Portuali Voltri rallying around Andrea's family, our associate, our friend, our colleague, victim of Ponte Morandi's tragedy,' his football club wrote on its Facebook page. Amateur football player Andrea Cerulli, the father of a young son, was killed on his way to work, according to friends who flooded social media with tributes after finding out about his death 'Genoa Club Portuali Voltri rallying around Andrea's family, our associate, our friend, our colleague, victim of Ponte Morandi's tragedy,' his football club wrote on its Facebook page Motorbike champion killed on the road Giorgio Donaggio, a motorbike champion, father-of-three, and boat-builder, was mourned by Italian celebrity cyclist and TV presenter Vittorio Brumotti, who credited his 'great friend' with helping to launch his career. 'My great friend Giorgio Donaggio, himself a motorcycle trial champion, was lost in the Genoa bridge disaster. He's been my idol since I was a child and it's also thanks to him that I am what I am today. RIP Super George,' he wrote. Giorgio Donaggio, a motorbike champion and boat-builder, was killed in the collapse as was Alessandro Robotti, 50 (right). Mr Robotti's wife, Giovanna Bottaro, 43, is missing but presumed dead A doctor's son who loved to gaze at the stars Alessandro Robotti, 50, was the son of a doctor and until recently manager of the municipal pharmacy of Arquata, and one of the founders of a group of astronomy enthusiasts. 'Now you can see your beloved stars up close,' a tribute on his Facebook page read. His wife Giovanna Bottaro, 43, who worked for Capriata D'Orba, is still missing but presumed dead. This is the moment specialist divers rescue an 'agitated and fearful' killer whale after it became tangled in fishing nets intended to catch spider crabs. The animal was spotted in distress on a Patagonian port, about 2000 miles out to sea from the Chilean capital of Santiago. Fishermen spotted the creature, and reported it to the Chilean navy. The navy then sent a patrol boat named the Alcalufe to the scene, near port William on the island of Navarino, just off Cape Horn on the southern tip of Patagonia. Footage shows the whale struggling at the water's surface as it tries to untangle itself from the fishing nets. A specialist diver then swims up to the whale to try and tries to release it but the huge mammal twists in the water and swims away. The divers eventually managed to completely free the marine animal from the nets and it was able to swim out to open sea in good condition. Captain Cesar Quiroga, Commander of the Beagle Naval District, and Maritime Director of Port William issued a plea to fisherman to ensure that they removed all their netting once they had finished fishing. Marine mammals such as whales, dolphins and porpoises, often drown after being caught in fishing nets. Campaigners have long called for trawling nets to be banned because they sweep up marine life indiscriminately. Footage shows the whale struggling at the water's surface as it tries to untangle itself from the fishing nets Two Romanian people smugglers who attempted to sneak four Afghani nationals into Britain in a tiny secret chamber in the back of their van have been jailed. Border Force officers discovered the purpose-built hiding space after the van arrived on a ferry from the Hook of Holland at Harwich International Port, Essex. Checks were being carried out when officers saw a mattress above a raised platform behind the rear seats. They became suspicious as the cargo area at the rear of the Mercedes Sprinter van seemed smaller than it should be. A migrant is pictured inside the hidden compartment that was uncovered by Border Force officials A panel beneath a mattress which was fixed with new screws was pulled away (pictured) to reveal a compartment built from plywood around a metal frame A panel beneath the mattress which was fixed with new screws was pulled away to reveal a compartment built from plywood around a metal frame. Officers peered in and saw a man and a woman crouching inside with their two-year-old daughter and a 15-year-old boy who was not related to them. They were crammed into the compartment for the seven hour crossing, which was just 18 inches wide at its narrowest point, 3ft 10 ins high and 5ft 6ins wide. Van driver Gheorghe Virlan, 23, and his front seat passenger Darius Flavius Stanis, 24, were arrested at the scene on July 8 this year. Border Force chiefs said the pair carried out a reckless gamble with the lives of their human cargo who would have been trapped in the event of an accident. The Mercedes Sprinter van that contained the hidden chamber was stopped at Harwich port in Essex Van driver Gheorghe Virlan (left) and his front seat passenger Darius Flavius Stanis (right) were arrested at the scene on July 8 this year. The pair who have no fixed UK address both admitted a charge of assisting illegal immigration and were each jailed for three years at Chelmsford Crown Court. Judge Christopher Morgan said he was satisfied the refugees had been trafficked and 'therefore were vulnerable'. He said: 'That family included a child of 15 and also a child I'm told was a matter of months old. 'I've no doubt, because of their circumstances, they were desperate to find a safe haven in the UK and that involved them making a perilous journey across Europe, assisted by those who are prepared to take their limited resources and transport them, and then try and gain access to the UK. The rear passenger area of the van which shows the compartment covered by a mattress at the back A view showing the inside the cramped compartment where the stowaways remained for the entire seven hour crossing 'Many of these individuals become victims themselves of far more extensive crimes, coercion and other offences related to people trafficking. 'Many of them have lost their personal documentation which then become used in a more sinister context.' The court heard Stanis was working as a delivery driver in Germany when he was approached by some Romanian-speaking men to help with a job. Rakesh Sharma, defending Stanis, said he was asked to accompany Virlan who spoke no English at all, on a trip to the UK. Stanis said he initially did not make any enquiries as to the nature of the work he was being asked to do. This image shows the back of the van, with a panel removed, showing the purpose built hiding place Some time after leaving Germany, the van pulled into a car park and the migrants joined them, said Mr Sharma. He added: 'Initially when these four immigrants began in the journey they were sat in seats. 'It wasn't until further along they entered a covert hiding area. 'Mr Stanis accepts there was no doubt what the purpose of the journey was and he accepts by that stage he could have, and should have, withdrawn from any agreement to provide the assistance he did by way of his English speaking.' Virlan expressed his remorse for his actions and the effect on the family. The stowaways were believed to have paid thousand of pounds to a gang of people smugglers to reach the UK. They were handed over to Home Office immigration officials and are now believed to be claiming asylum. Inspector John Nicholson, of the Home Office's Immigration Enforcement Criminal and Financial Investigations (CFI) team, said: 'Virlan and Stanis took a reckless gamble with this people smuggling attempt, hoping to make a quick profit. 'They were content to put the lives of four people - including two children - at risk by cramming them into such a confined space. Had their been any kind of accident they would have had no means of escape. 'We always work closely with Border Force colleagues and will not hesitate to prosecute in these types of cases.' Border Force assistant director Mick Holmes said: 'Our officers are always vigilant to the different methods that people smugglers may attempt to use. 'Through our frontline role and close working with CFI we are determined to bring criminals like this to justice.' Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay today congratulated his two 18-year-old twins on their A-level success as he praised their 'amazing results'. Jack Ramsay will go to the University of Exeter after achieving one A and two Bs, while Holly Ramsay is off to Ravensbourne University London with an A, a B and a C. Ramsay, whose eldest daughter Megan, 20, is already studying psychology at Oxford Brookes University, said in a sweet Instagram post to his twins: 'Dinner's on me.' Gordon Ramsay posted this picture and message about his twins Jack and Holly on Instagram Ramsay, who also has a 16-year-old daughter called Tilly with his wife Tana, 43, said in the post today: 'Well done Jack and Holly! 'Two more Ramsays off to university. 'Exeter (and) Ravensbourne. I'm so proud, amazing results, ABB, ABC. Also well done to all the other students on a very tough year! Dinner's on me!' Tana told Ireland on Sunday last month how she follows her children on the Find My Friends app, which allows users to see the location of others using GPS. But she said: 'Jack went out after his exams. I woke up and it was 5am and he wasn't home. I'd promised I wouldn't call because he's 18. 'So I went on the app and then saw he was at St Thomas' Hospital so I freaked and rang him, but tried to sound relaxed. In fact, he was just getting in an Uber.' Gordon Ramsay (second left) with his wife Tana (third right) and children (from left) Megan, Tilly, Holly and Jack at the British Academy Children's Awards in London in November 2016 The Ramsays have four children together - three of which will be at university by this autumn She continued: 'I don't worry about the kids going off the rails because they have sport. Yes, they're teenagers and they're all on Instagram doing those weird pouts. 'How could they not be? All I can do is make sure they have a healthy relationship between their body and food. 'They've been studying for exams and I've said, "Do a couple of hours of exercise and your brains will work better." I do think it's helped them to deal with the stress.' Last year, Ramsay told how he would not be leaving his fortune to his four children in his will. He said: 'It's definitely not going to them, and that's not in a mean way. 'It's to not spoil them. The only thing I've agreed with Tana is they get a 25 per cent deposit on a flat, but not the whole flat.' Four top government officials were relieved of their duties following a major vaccine scandal that rocked China last month. The provincial deputy governor of Jilin was sacked and three other officials were forced to resign as the ruling Communist Party tried to defuse public outrage over the issue. Penalties were also imposed on 35 other officials, according to the announcement following the party's meeting led by President Xi Jinping on Thursday. Revelations of misconduct by major vaccine producer Changchun Changsheng Bio-technology triggered public outrage after it was revealed that it had produced sub-standard vaccines for children and falsified records. Bottles of rabies vaccines made by Liaoning Chengda are seen at a Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) station in Jiujiang in southern China's Jiangxi province. Two deputy Chinese provincial governors and a mayor were fired Thursday Jin Yuhui, the deputy governor of Jilin province, where Changsheng Life Sciences is headquartered, was fired from his position amid the vaccine scandal investigation All 'illegal earnings' will also be confiscated from Changsheng Bio-technology and harsh penalties would be imposed on the company, according to Reuters citing a separate meeting convened by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. More than 215,000 children may have been affected by problematic DPT jabs - meant to prevent three infectious diseases - produced by the Changsheng Bio-technology. The jab is mandatory for all children in China and costs 3.8 yuan (40p). Latest investigations showed that the company had forged data and broken the approved workflow, using expired raw materials to make its rabies vaccines. Jin Yuhui, the deputy governor of Jilin province, where Changsheng Life Sciences is headquartered, was fired from his position. Mr Jin had overseen food and drug regulation in the province since April last year. Liu Changlong, the mayor of the drug maker's home city of Changchun, was forced to resign Also relieved of their duties was Bi Jingquan, the party secretary and deputy director of the State Market Regulatory Administration in Beijing, following investigations into the scandal Others dismissed included Li Jinxiu, the Jilin People's Political Consultative Conference and a former provincial food and drug chief; Liu Changlong, the mayor of the drug maker's home city of Changchun; and Bi Jingquan, the party secretary and deputy director of the State Market Regulatory Administration. Jiang Zhiying, a top party official from Jilin, and Jiao Hong, director of China's national drug regulator, were ordered to conduct a 'deep self-evaluation' while penalties were handed out to 35 other unidentified officials. The party also ordered a criminal investigation into Wu Zhen, a former deputy director of the the China Food and Drug Administration who was also in charge of drug registration and management. Changsheng Life Sciences' CEO and 14 other officials were reported detained by police earlier. The scandal has shaken public trust in the government and sparked fierce criticism online across the country. Public anger was fuelled by disclosures regulators found possible misconduct by the company last year but failed to take prompt action. Hundreds of thousands of children in a Chinese province may have been effected with faulty vaccines (file photo). The jab, DPT, is mandatory for all children in China and costs 40p Regulators found that Changchun Changsheng Bio-technology had fabricated production records and product inspection records during production of its rabies vaccines Premier Li had ordered a nationwide investigation of China's vaccine industry following the disclosures. Saying that the latest case had crossed a 'line of human ethics', Mr Li vowed a thorough investigation and harsh consequences for any infractions or lax supervision. Late last month, Cui Honghai, a former regional chief of the Jilin Food and Drug Administration, was charged with corruption after he approved the production license of Changsheng Bio-technology. Later disclosures showed the company blended expired fluid into vaccines as early as April 2014. The government has set up a panel of experts to review vaccine safety in China's US$122 billion (96 billion) -a-year pharmaceutical industry. Seedy Richard Sivier, 57, was spotted by police using a camera to record up the skirts of tourists around Buckingham Palace in June A voyeur who took 'upskirt' pictures of tourists' underwear outside of Buckingham Palace and then told police it was his 'hobby' has been spared jail. Seedy Richard Sivier, 57, was spotted by police using a camera to record under the clothing of women - including a mother pushing a pram - around the popular tourist area in June. The married man also admitted to officers when arrested that he had recorded similar footage at the Trooping the Colour. Sentencing him at Westminster Magistrates' Court, Jane Smith said: 'It is a serious offence. You were uploading the images on to a website. You were recording them and there were several victims.' He was sentenced to eight weeks in jail, suspended for two years and ordered to pay costs totalling 200. He was also banned for the next 24 months from having in a public place a camera capable of recording. Sivier, who lives in Cambridge, admitted at a hearing earlier this month to outraging public decency. A jury heard on June 20 at Horse Guards Parade in London he had used a camera while walking along to film under womens' skirts. At around noon on the day of the incident he was seen by police at the end of the Mall nearest to Buckingham Palace with a camera bag dangling near his ankles. The lens of the camera was poking out and pointing upwards, prosecutor Trevor Green told the court, while the rest of the camera was zipped away in the bag. He was sentenced to eight weeks in jail, suspended for two years and ordered to pay costs totalling 200 at Westminster Magistrates' Court today. He was also banned for the next 24 months from having in a public place a camera capable of recording The married man also admitted to officers when arrested that he had also recorded upskirt footage at Trooping the Colour and in and around Buckingham Palace Police saw him 'up close behind' a woman at that point and followed him as he made his way towards St James' Park where he was seen filming up another woman's dress. Sivier was also seen on a grassy area opposite Horse Guards Parade square trying to film under the dress of a woman pushing a pram, the court heard. Mr Green said: 'He followed behind her holding out the camera bag trying to film up her skirt.' He added: 'Whilst under arrest he (Sivier) said 'I have recordings of upskirts from the Trooping of the Colour'.' Sivier, whose occupation was not given, will also be required to do 100 days of the Horizon sex offending programme and 20 days of rehabilitation Ms Smith said she had stopped short of preventing him from having a phone in a public place 'given your work and the fact that mobile phones are an essential part of daily life'. Sivier, whose occupation was not given in court, will also be required to do 100 days of the Horizon sex offending programme and 20 days of rehabilitation. Paul Dillon, mitigating, said Sivier had 'difficulty coming to terms with his behaviour', was embarrassed by what he had done and realised it had put his marriage in jeopardy. But he said his client was taking steps to change, including seeing a therapist. A furious John Brennan alleged Thursday in a newspaper essay that Donald Trump revoked his security clearance because he's 'desperate' to keep a lid on his presidential campaign's collusion with agents of the Kremlin. 'Mr. Trumps claims of no collusion are, in a word, hogwash,' the former CIA director wrote in The New York Times. Brennan, a a fierce public Trump critic, had already fired back at the White House on Wednesday, comparing him to 'despots and autocrats.' In his Times op-ed, he contended that 'Mr. Trump clearly has become more desperate to protect himself and those close to him, which is why he made the politically motivated decision to revoke my security clearance in an attempt to scare into silence others who might dare to challenge him.' Brennan recalled a July 2016 press conference in which then-candidate Trump called on Moscow to 'find,' and presumably release, an estimated 30,000 emails that his opponent Hillary Clinton and her lawyers had erased from a private server before releasing the rest of its contents to the State Department for public release. 'Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,' Trump said at the time. 'I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.' Former CIA Director John Brennan, pictured during a 2017 congressional hearing, lashed out at President Donald Trump in a newspaper essay a day after Trump revoked his security clearance Trump says he would have added Republicans to his list of security-clearance targets 'if I thought they were incompetent or crazy' Some observers saw Trump asking the Kremlin to publish anything its cyber-warriors had already harvested from what turned out to be an unsecured online server that had hosted classified information for years. Others, including Brennan and the Clinton campaign, believed he was calling on Vladimir Putin's government to launch a new hacking spree on a server which, the FBI confirmed, had been offline for a year. By then a mad chase was already underway to find out if additional copies of the data had been stored elsewhere. It's unclear what Trump may have known about that at the time. Campaign aides later told DailyMail.com that Trump was joking. On Thursday Brennan argued that by publicly invoking Russia's digital spymasters, Trump 'was not only encouraging a foreign nation to collect intelligence against a United States citizen, but also openly authorizing his followers to work with our primary global adversary against his political opponent.' 'Such a public clarion call certainly makes one wonder what Mr. Trump privately encouraged his advisers to do and what they actually did to win the election,' he wrote. Brennan's case for collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia is a July 2016 press conference where the future president invited the Kremlin to 'find' Hillary Clinton's emails on a server that had been offline for a year 'Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,' Trump said at the time. 'I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.' Brennan concluded that '[t]he only questions that remain are whether the collusion that took place constituted criminally liable conspiracy, whether obstruction of justice occurred to cover up any collusion or conspiracy, and how many members of "Trump Incorporated" attempted to defraud the government by laundering and concealing the movement of money into their pockets.' Trump may not have helped his case with a Wall Street Journal interview on Wednesday in which he justified cutting off Brennan's access to state secrets. The president tied his decision to the fact that Brennan and the others he's targeting were among the intelligence chiefs who justified a government-wide probe into then-unproven allegations that Russia was trying to interfere in the 2016 election. The special counsel probe that emerged later as a consequence has angered Trump like few other developments in his White House tenure. 'Of course they say its not an investigation. You know, in theory Im not under investigation ... Im not a target. But regardless, I think that whole, I call it the rigged witch hunt, [it] is a sham,' he told the Journal on Wednesday. 'And these people led it!' 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 'So I think its something that had to be done,' Trump said. Answering charges that hislist of targets is politically motivated, he claimed he 'would put a Republican on, too, if I thought they were incompetent or crazy.' The White House announced Wednesday afternoon in an extraordinary slap at Brennan that his security clearance was being abruptlly terminated and other former spymasters' clearances were under review. Brennan called that an effort to intimidate them all from exercising their First Amendment right to render criticism against the president. Despite claiming to be muzzled, he immediately vowed in public 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.' 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!' 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. Trump, pictured Monday at Fort Drum, N.Y., is at war with the former spymaster Brennan who has called him a virtual puppet of Russian President Vladimir Putin 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 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. 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 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 '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. '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. The Russian Navy staged a major display of strength above the Polar circle after Moscow fired back at British fears that Vladimir Putin poses a national security threat over his 'military build-up' in the Arctic, Kremlin dispatched a series of warships from its Northern Fleet base in Severomorsk, sending them on a summer patrol seemingly to counter terrorism and other threats. It is expected to patrol across nine time zones, taking advantage of climate change which has left the polar waters largely free of thick ice this summer. Kremlin dispatched a series of warships from its Northern Fleet base in Severomorsk, sending them on a summer patrol through polar waters above the Arctic circle It followed a report by British MPs claiming that Russia poses a serious threat to the UK and urged the government to show 'greater ambition and apply more resources' to countering Putin's menace in the Arctic. It claimed Russia's new military firepower in the region - including the reopening of old Soviet bases - went far beyond strictly defensive needs. But Moscow claimed the report 'On thin ice: UK defence in the Arctic' from the Commons' Defence Sub-Committee was 'sabre-rattling'. 'These speculations are yet another attempt to promote the idea of military build-up in the Arctic under imaginary pretexts,' said the Russian embassy in London. The new report by British MPs urges the UK government to 'apply more resources' to countering Vladimir Putin in the Arctic The fleet of Russian Navy ships is expected to patrol across nine time zones, taking advantage of the polar waters being largely free of thick ice this summer 'They run counter to the existing international legal framework and completely undermine huge efforts undertaken in the Arctic Council, where the UK is an observer state.' Moscow considers the Arctic to be an area for constructive dialogue and equal, conflict-free cooperation in the interests, a diplomatic source said. Britain should be aware of 'impressive prospects for trade' and 'economic and infrastructural cooperation in the Arctic'. It was time to stop 'sabre-rattling in this part of the globe'. Among the vessels in the task force setting out from naval base Severomorsk is a large anti-submarine warfare ship called Vice-Admiral Kulakov. It is accompanied by major amphibious assault ships Alexander Otrakovsky and Kondopoga, ocean minesweeper Vladimir Gumanenko, and Ilya Muromets. The voyage ostensibly aims to ensure safe shipping and provide for Russia's other maritime economic activity in the Arctic region - and to counter terrorist threats. The ship Ilya Muromets is named after a Russian folk hero - a knight found in stories and poems Patrol: Major amphibious assault ships Alexander Otrakovsky has also set out from the base The ships have set off from Russia's Northern Fleet base in Severomorsk 'A detachment of Northern fleet ships has carried out a number of manoeuvres designed to avert various types of terrorist threats,' said a Russian naval source. Sailors are also due to practice search and rescue measures and the provision of assistance to vessels in distress in high latitudes. The MPs said Russia was engaged in opening or reopening bases across the Arctic. Heavily armed land forces specially trained for Arctic conditions were deployed near neighbouring states, as strategic bomber flights have been reestablished over northern airspace. Moscow also dismissed British claims that RAF fighter jets intercepted six Sukhoi Su-24 bombers over the Black Sea on Wednesday. 'Four aircraft of the Black Sea Fleet's maritime aviation, with not a single Su-24 bomber among them, performed scheduled training flights over the Black Sea on August 13,' said the Russian defence ministry. Following the mission, Russian warplanes spotted a NATO aircraft more than 30 kilometres away, it said. 'This aircraft performed no manoeuvres, did not deviate from its route, and did not approach Russian aircraft on their way back to their airfield.' China is planning to launch a satellite network that can track 'every reef and ship' in real time in the disputed South China Sea, state media announced. The system is being developed in Hainan, China's southernmost island province, and will help safeguard national sovereignty, the project's chief designer said, while giving Beijing an advantage in the negotiations of the contested waters. Three optical satellites are scheduled to enter orbit in the second half of next year in the first phase of the Hainan satellite constellation system. Heavy-lift carrier rocket Long March 5 blasts off Nov 3, 2016 at Wenchang Space Launch Center in South China's Hainan province. The first phase of the Hainan satellite constellation system is being developed and is expected to launch in the second half of next year A Chinese coast guard ship navigates in front of Chinese drilling equipment located in waters off the Paracel Islands. The monitoring network can reportedly facilitate emergency response efforts while improving exploration and development of the resource-rich waters The monitoring network can facilitate emergency response efforts while improving exploration and development of the resource-rich waters, according to the Sanya Institute of Remote Sensing, the organisation behind the provincially funded project. 'Every reef and ship in the South China Sea will be under the watch of the "space eye",' Yang Tianliang, director of the institute and chief designer of the constellation, told China News. 'The network will also defend national sovereignty, protect fishermen's ocean operations and aid maritime search and rescue efforts,' he added. An aerial shot shows part of mischief reef in the disputed Spratly islands. Tensions have escalated over the past year with news of China's covert construction of the artificial islands The region enclosed by the 'nine-dash line' has been claimed by China for centuries The first batch of the satellites will carry cameras and automatic identification technology to help authorities track vessels in the waters - including illegally operating ones. The automatic identification system can receive and process signals regarding positioning data, courses of vessels as well as speed readings sent by a moving ship, according to China Daily. A total of 10 satellites, including six optical satellites, two hyperspectral satellites and two radar satellites will be launched in four stages by the end of 2021. At a meeting in Sanya on Tuesday, Chinese space experts reviewed and approved technical plans for the first four Hainan 1 satellites. An aerial view shows the Yongxing Island of Xisha Islands in the South China Sea. The newly built satellites will carry cameras and identification tech to help authorities track vessels A DigitalGlobe imagery shows the Fiery Cross Reef located in the Spratly Islands group . A total of 10 satellites will be launched in four stages by the end of 2021 over the South China Sea Each Hainan 1 satellite will weigh 50 kilograms (110 pounds) and will operate in a low-Earth orbit 500 kilometers (310 miles) above Earth and move at 7.9 km per second (5 miles per second), according to China Daily. China claims nearly all the oil and resource-rich waters of the South China Sea and has ignored counter-claims from the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia to various parts of the area. Beijing's construction of artificial islands equipped with military installations have prompted deployment of military vessels by other claimants and the United States as tensions continue to rise in the region. Australian director Peter Weir has told a Cambodian court that fellow filmmaker and alleged spy James Ricketson 'could be annoying' but is the victim of an 'unfortunate misunderstanding'. 'He's an artist, don't misunderstand him,' Weir told a bench of three judges on Thursday. 'We're strange people but we're pretty harmless.' Australian director Peter Weir (pictured with Ricketson's son's partner) has told a Cambodian court that fellow filmmaker and alleged spy James Ricketson 'could be annoying' but is the victim of an 'unfortunate misunderstanding' Ricketson (being led from court), 69, also produced 1600 pages of evidence handed to him by Cambodian prosecutors alleging he was a spy and that this dates back to when he first visited the country in 1995 Weir said Ricketson could annoy people with his opinions and would always argue his case strongly but 'he's a freethinker like me' and was not a member of any political party. Weir told the trial he had directed actors including Robin Williams, Jim Carey and Mel Gibson and worked for production companies like MGM, Walt Disney and Paramount. Ricketson, 69, also produced 1600 pages of evidence handed to him by Cambodian prosecutors alleging he was a spy and that this dates back to when he first visited the country in 1995. Ricketson said the documents were taken from his computer and included emails to journalists, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. 'There's not one shred of evidence in there to support claims I am a spy,' he said before the start of his espionage trial. Dressed in prison orange and looking tired after and having lost weight after more than a year in prison, Ricketson was met in the packed court room by family and friends including Weir. Ricketson (in a prison vehicle) said the documents were taken from his computer and included emails to journalists, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull Weir appeared as a character witness for Ricketson who was accused of spying after flying a drone over a rally by an opposition party before local elections in June last year. 'I had to come up,' Weir told AAP outside the court. 'He's been one of my best friends for 45 years and we live in the same suburb.' The director of films such as Gallipoli and Dead Poets Society spoke eloquently and gripped the public gallery as he took the stand for more than an hour on Thursday. Weir said Ricketson had visited him more than a year ago and told him how he wanted to film from above an island and so he had bought a drone. 'I saw the shots and they were beautiful. James is totally a non violent man but he's always filming with his camera,' he told the court. Ricketson was born in Melbourne but moved to Sydney to attend university in the late 1960s. He told judge Seng Leang his home address was in Palm Beach in Sydney. Ricketson's case faced a further delay after his lawyer surprised the court with a further bail application, which was again rejected. Ricketson said some of the emails on his computer were sent to opposition politicians including Sam Rainsy, former leader of the now banned Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP). But he added those emails were conducted in the normal course of business between a journalist and a politician. Ricketson's case was tied to the CNRP ahead of elections held three weeks ago which were marred by controversy. His trial was adjourned until August 20. Three people have been arrested after 76 people overdosed in a Connecticut park in just one day from a bad batch of K2 synthetic marijuana. Paramedics were forced to permanently station themselves at the New Haven Green, a historic park that borders Yale University, on Wednesday as the number of people falling unconscious or vomiting increased. At the height of the situation, emergency crews were sprinting across the 16-acre park from victim to victim. No deaths were reported but police said at least two people suffered life-threatening symptoms after consuming the synthetic drug. Paramedics were forced to permanently station themselves at Connecticut's New Haven Green on Wednesday as the number of people falling unconscious or vomiting increased following a mass K2 overdose At the height of the situation, emergency crews were sprinting across the 16-acre park from victim to victim as the number of those falling unconscious or vomiting increased Officials said three people have been arrested in connection with the overdoses, including a man who may have been giving out free samples of K2. They have not released their names because they were waiting for victims to positively identify them. Police started search people's homes for drugs on Thursday in an effort to prevent more overdoses from a batch of synthetic marijuana. At one point on Wednesday, officials estimate that four to six people were dropping from overdoses at the same time and 25 of the overdoses happened within a three-hour stretch. A total of 72 people were rushed to various hospitals suffering from apparent overdoses. Another four people refused medical treatment. Those who were treated were suffering from a range of symptoms, including vomiting, hallucinations, high blood pressure and shallow breath. A number of people were also found in semi-conscious and unconscious states. Those who were treated were suffering from a range of symptoms, including vomiting, hallucinations, high blood pressure and shallow breath Police believe the person responsible for the overdoses may have been given out free samples of the K2 drug At one point, officials estimate that four to six people were dropping from overdoses at the same time and 25 of the overdoses happened within a three-hour stretch Emergency responders were forced to cut a press conference short in the morning to rush to the aide of one victim who fell ill nearby. Footage shot by NBC showed emergency services swarming the area as they treated various people passed out on the ground. 'We literally had people running around the Green providing treatment,' said Rick Fontana, New Haven's emergency operations director. "Yesterday was extremely, extremely busy, something we haven't seen in quite some time, a lot of people dropping all at the same time.' Paramedics and police officers remained at the park all day and are preparing for more overdoses. New Haven Police Chief Anthony Campbell issued a public health warning following the outbreak in overdoses. 'Do not come down to the Green and purchase this K2,' he said. 'It is taking people out very quickly, people having respiratory failure. Don't put your life in harm.' Officials said the blood of Wednesday's victims was being tested to see what exactly they ingested Footage shot by NBC showed emergency services yelling (above) as they sprinted to treat the various people passed out on the ground A total of 71 people were rushed to various hospitals suffering from apparent overdoses. Another five people refused medical treatment Officials said the blood of Wednesday's victims was being tested to see what exactly they ingested. They believe the marijuana may have been laced with an opiate or fentanyl. Fontana said a widely used anti-opioid-overdose drug given to some victims at the park did not seem to be effective, but the same drug did help some patients recover when given in higher doses at hospitals. 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. New Haven first responders were called to a similar overdose outbreak on the Green on July 4 when more than a dozen people were sick from synthetic marijuana. The city also saw more than a dozen synthetic marijuana overdoses in late January. Emergency services swarmed the area as they treated various people passed out on the ground. They permanently stations themselves at the park all day No deaths were reported but police said at least two people suffered life-threatening symptoms after consuming the synthetic drug A grandmother in Atlanta, Georgia, has been shot and killed while driving home from work at a local homeless shelter. Beverly Jenkins, 49, was gunned down in her minivan after finishing her shift at the non-profit City of Refuge, where she worked to help homeless mothers and children in get back on their feet. Just after midnight Sunday morning, police say someone walked up to the car and opened fire forcing Jenkins' minivan to careen off the road. Friends and family have been left 'shaken to the core' over the death of the mother-of-five whose colleagues call an 'advocate for peace'. Beverly Jenkins, 49, was gunned down Sunday while driving home from work in Atlanta, Georgia The mother-of-five (pictured with her son Joseph), grandmother and wife worked at a homeless shelter, helping mothers and children get back on their feet 'We're just at a loss right now trying to understand how this could happen and how people could lose humanity,' family friend William Miller told Channel 2 Action News. Jenkins had stopped for gas on her way home from work around 12.30am Sunday when she was gunned down. According to police, she then careened off the road into a grassy embankment. Someone called 911 to report the vehicle off the road. Jenkins was pronounced dead at the scene. She was just five minutes away from her home. A similar incident happened less than two miles away just eight days prior when a 33-year-old man was found dead of gunshots in his car. However, police report they do not believe the two cases are connected. Her minivan careen off the road where she was found dead when police arrived Miller spoke on behalf of the family who were too devastated to comment. 'This is what she gave to all of us -- a love and connection that just fundamentally lifted us all up -- and for that to be taken from us in some heinous act of violence, it has really shaken everyone to the core,' Miller said. Friends told 11Alive, She was a mother-of five, grandmother and loving wife to her high school sweethearts. City of Refuge tweeted a tribute to the late mother: 'Beverly was an advocate for peace & served as a Resident Svcs Adv in our Eden Village housing prog.' Her family has set up a GoFundMe to raise money for funeral costs and support for her children and grandchild who 'fueled her soul and heart'. Now a memorial with heart shape balloons stands where she was fatally shot. A judge has ruled the Virginia teenager accused of killing the parents of a girl he had been dating after they had found out about his neo-Nazi leanings remains incompetent to stand trial. Judge Thomas Sotelo heard testimony from two clinical psychologists and three Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center employees before ruling in the case of 18-year-old double murder suspect Nicholas Giampa. Friends and family say the slain parents, 48-year-old Scott Fricker and 43-year-old Buckley Kuhn-Fricker, intervened in their daughter's relationship and convinced her to break up with him after learning Gimapa alt-right views. A Judge has ruled that Nicholas Giampa (left), 18, remains incompetent to stand trial for the killings of his girlfriend's parents, Scott Fricker and Buckley Kuhn-Fricker (right) The couple were shot dead inside their Reston, Virginia, home (pictured) after a verbal dispute with Giampa on December 22, 2017 According to reporting by The Washington Post, the psychologists testified during the three-hour hearing that damage to the left side of his brain from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the attacks has rendered the teen unable to fully understand trial proceedings. But clinical neuropsychology expert William Ling, who evaluated Giampa in May and found him to be severely impaired, says he could recover up to 80 per cent of his previous mental capacity within 24 months. Sotelo ordered a November 15 status update to assess the defendant's condition. Giampa (right) allegedly carried out the attack after the Frickers told their daughter to break up with him over neo-Nazi tweets Giampa, then aged 17, allegedly came to the Frickers' home in Reston, Virginia, and shot dead the couple on the morning of December 22, just days after his girlfriend's mother reported a Twitter account she believed was his to officials at his school. The account belonged to a Kevin Gallo who tweeted under the handle @doctorpepper35. Earlier this year, the Huffington Post spoke with friends of the Fricker family who linked Giampa to the Twitter account by an email address which was used for both Giampa's Facebook page and the Kevin Gallo account. Among its memes and photographs he retweeted was one of Adolf Hitler in which he appeared dressed in a cape. The accompanying caption read: 'If not all heroes wear capes, explain this to me.' Two months before allegedly shooting dead his girlfriend's parents, Giampa mowed a giant swastika into the grass of a community field in Lorton, Virginia, where he lives. Residents told his parents about it instead of the police. On Twitter, @doctorpepper35 most often retweeted anti-semitic posts. He shared content which denied parts of the Holocaust and said the biggest tragedy of WWII was the death of Hitler's dog. Huhn-Fricker was alerted to the posts on her daughter's phone and was horrified. Under the Kevin Gallo Twitter account, Giampa retweeted this image depicting a girl drawing a swastika He also retweeted this meme showing Adolf Hitler dressed in a cape and referring to him as a 'hero' She pleaded with her daughter to break up with the boy and wrote an email to their school alerting them to the harmful content. In that email, she called the boy a 'monster' who was 'spreading hate'. Her daughter, who DailyMail.com is not naming, followed her advice and broke off their romance after an intervention from her mother and grandmother days before the shooting, according to friends. On the morning of their deaths, the Frickers had several other people in their home. The family had gathered there for Christmas. The couple woke up to sounds coming from their daughter's room and went inside to find Giampa there. It is not clear where he got his weapon from or if he ever intended to harm the teenage girl. After arguing, he allegedly shot both of her parents and then himself. He survived and was taken to hospital with a brain injury. He was later charged as a juvenile with the double homicide and transferred to a detention center in Fairfax. The brother of the Haitian woman arrested along with her Muslim extremist husband, his two sisters and brother-in-law in New Mexico at a squalid desert compound has told how the group believed they were seeing 'amazing things' before they were arrested. Jany Leveille, 35, was arrested on August 3 along with her husband, Siraj Wahhaj, 39, his two sisters Subhanah, 35, and Hujrah, 38, and Subhanah's husband Lucas Morton. They had been leaving in a squalid compound near Amalia, New Mexico, with 11 children for months. Wahhaj's three-year-old disabled son AG died there after his father tried to perform rituals on him to rid him of 'demonic' spirits. Jany is Wahhaj's second wife. They met in New York and moved to Georgia along with the rest of the family. She has been living in the US illegally for 20 years after moving to New York from Haiti in 1998 following the death of her father. Her brother Von Chelet Leveille has now told how she communicated with him from the compound where she and the others had gone to escape non-Muslims. Scroll down for video Von Chelet Leveille (left) is the brother of Jany Leveille (right) who was arrested on August 5 at a New Mexico compound. Her brother,who lives in Haiti but used to be in New York with her, said she was a devout Muslim who believed in black magic but never practiced it They were inspired, it is believed, by a recent trip Wahhaj took to Saudi Arabia. At the compound, he was training the children to use guns so that they could carry out school shootings, prosecutors say. Von Chelet has told how his sister believed in black magic but did not practice it. She told him that the group believed they were experiencing a spiritual awakening and that they thought they saw angel's faces form in the clouds when they were living undisturbed in putrid conditions. 'At first it sounded ridiculous to me,' he told The Atlantic Journal Constitution. On Facebook, Von Chelet said he was in constant contact with his sister and that the family was doing well. He claims they are innocent of the accusations and that they are being targeted because of their religion. The man lived in Brooklyn, New York, until recently. He operated a fitness and massage business. Now, he is back in Haiti where he said his 'conservative' brother-in-law, Siraj Wahhaj, was planning to open a security business. Von Chelet said that was the explanation for his multiple guns. Jany and the group told her brother that they were seeing 'amazing things' in the desert like 'winged creatures' and angels forming in the clouds. This is one of the pictures she sent him. He said the vision made the whole group cry Jany sent her brothers photographs of how they cooked at the compound. On one occasion, they ran out of propane and she and the other women asked him what to do . They never showed their faces in he photographs This is one of the animal cages being used at the compound. Jany's brother said they had cows and sheep Von Chelet believes Lucas Morton (left) and his brother-in-law Siraj Wahhaj (right) were not plotting violence, as prosecutors claim The man says Jany was trying to arrange for him to become a foster parent to her children when she was arrested The tunnel authorities found at the site was used for nothing more than storing food and water, he claimed, and the children liked to play in it. He insisted the children were being treated well despite police's description of them as being so malnourished their ribs were protruding when they were rescued. Von Chelet thinks favorably of Wahhaj because he helped him beat a rape and kidnapping charge last April in Haiti. Despite being granted $20,000 bail each, none of the five adults charged have been freed. Jany is now being prosecuted by ICE officials in addition to New Mexican authorities. Her brother said on Facebook that her 'last efforts' were to try to get him to become a foster parent for her children. Subhanah Wahhaj (left) and Hujrah Wahhaj (right) were also arrested and charged with child neglect Abbygail Farley (pictured), 19, of Kentucky, allegedly faked her own kidnapping to try and get $600 in ransom money from her father A 19-year-old Kentucky woman allegedly faked her own kidnapping to try and get $600 in ransom money from her father. Abbygail Farley was reported missing by her father, Mark, on Monday, according to the Corbin Police Department. On Tuesday, her father received a text messages from her alleged kidnappers who asked for a ransom of $600. A short time later, he received another text dropping the ransom down to $400. '[He] said he was receiving messages from her phone saying she had been abducted for money because she owed some money,' Lt Coy Wilson told WYMT. The alleged abductors then gave Farley's dad a drop-off location to leave the money. That's when he contacted authorities. After her father dropped off the money, police pinged Farley's phone and discovered she had used a text-free app to send ransom notes to her father. Authorities later found her staying in an apartment nearby. According to WYMT, Farley admitted to police that she made it all up and that she was never in any danger. 'We think she has a drug problem and that was the reason behind all of this,' Wilson said. Farley was arrested and charged with falsely reporting an incident, theft by extortion, theft and disorderly conduct. She has been placed in the Whitley County Detention Center. Farley was reported missing by her father, Mark, on Monday, according to the Corbin Police Department. On Tuesday, her father received a text messages from her alleged kidnappers who asked for a ransom of $600 A 62-year-old man has been charged with murder over the death of a graphic artist whose body was found stashed in a bin 17 years after he mysteriously vanished. Victorian detectives from the missing persons squad travelled to the Sunshine Coast, in Queensland, to arrest the 62-year-old man in connection with the death of graphic artist John Christianos. His badly decomposed human remains, which were wrapped in plastic, were found at a storage business in Oakleigh South, south-east of Melbourne on July 13. Detectives travelled to the Sunshine Coast, in Queensland, to arrest the 62-year-old man in connection with the death of graphic artist John Christianos (pictured) The badly decomposed human remains, which were wrapped in plastic, were found at a storage business in Oakleigh South, south-east of Melbourne on July 13 Mr Christianos was last seen at his home in the Melbourne suburb of Bentleigh East on June 11, 2001. The 62-year-old man has been charged with murder, the Herald Sun reported. The man was taken to the Tewantin Police Station near Noosa and remanded in custody overnight before being charged. John Christianos, a Melbourne-based graphic artist was found just 3.4km away from his home, 17 years after he disappeared The grim discovery was made by a worker who was cleaning out the building on Friday morning after he saw 'two legs sticking out of the bag'. Police believed that he had been murdered after items such as his motorcycle and car were never collected following his disappearance. It's expected detectives will apply for extradition to Victoria in Maroochydore Magistrates Court. Three friends from Sacramento were left fearing for their lives after being 'kidnapped' by an Uber driver who sped and swerved for 25 minutes screaming 'we're all going to die'. Theadora Fuerstenberg, Angela O'Neal and Katherine Vallaire ordered the Uber shortly before 9.20pm on June 15 from a book club in Arden to Oak Park, but shortly after taking their seats noticed the driver was following the wrong directions and behaving erratically. After the driver began swerving in and out of lanes one of the women phoned 911. Shortly afterwards, he exited Highway 99 at 47th Avenue and the women jumped out at a stop light onto the four-lane road. They then crossed three lanes to reach the nearest gas station. Theadora Fuerstenberg, Angela O'Neal and Katherine Vallaire (pictured on Tuesday) ordered the Uber on June 15 from a book club in Arden to Oak Park 'I legitimately believed that we were going to die,' Fuerstenberg told KTXL on Tuesday. 'He terrorized us for 25 minutes. He would swerve in an out and as he was doing this he would say "we are all going to die now."' Fuerstenberg's torment continued into the following day, when a neighbor told her, 'Oh, your friend just left. It was strange, he was staring into your house.' After she heard the description matched the Uber driver, Fuerstenberg got a restraining order against him. Sacramento County Sheriff's Department is now investigating the incident as a kidnapping, while Uber says it has removed the driver's access to the app. Fuerstenberg said she wants the man held 'accountable' and thinks other people should be aware of the risks of using ride hailing apps. Uber said: 'The disturbing behavior the riders reported will not be tolerated. We removed the driver's access to the app shortly after we learned of the incident and stand ready to work with police.' The driver had been working for Uber for a few months and had not been the subject of any previous complaints, a source told Dailymail.com. Emily Wynell Paul contacted police to tell them she was safe five years after she ran away from her Florida home A teen girl in Florida reported missing five years ago after she ran away from her home is alive and safe, authorities said prompting them to finally close the case. Emily Wynell Paul disappeared from her parents' Southport home in 2013 at the age of 14, leaving behind a note saying that she might return when she turned 18. On Wednesday, authorities said they had closed the case after Paul, now 19, showed up to a police station to tell officers she was safe. According to a statement by the Bay County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division, Paul contacted them by phone on Tuesday to say that she was fine. Authorities said they wanted to make sure she did not make the call under duress, so they asked her to go to an undisclosed police station in person to speak with officers. 'Approximately 30 minutes later, a second phone call came in to the Bay County Sheriff's Office from a police department, stating they had a female in their lobby, saying she was Emily Paul,' the statement read. 'At that time, we requested photographs be taken and asked that they collect other proof of her identity. An investigator with that agency spoke with Emily, one on one, for a period of time. Emily stated that she was safe, she had a support system and she was happy where she was.' Authorities said the missing person case of Emily Paul is now closed after she showed up to a police station on Tuesday Paul ran away from her home in 2013 at the age of 14, leaving a note telling her family that she may return when she turned 18 . The case is now closed Authorities said Paul 'appeared to be in good health'. They also said she arrived and left the police station alone. 'We would like to thank everyone who spent countless hours trying to locate Emily over the last five years. The Bay County Sheriff's Office wishes to announce that the Missing Person case of Emily Paul is officially closed.' The announcement comes weeks after Paul's mother, Pam Myers Massimiani, said in a Facebook post that her daughter had sent her a letter. Massimiani did not reveal if she knew where Paul was or if the teen planned to ever return home, but said she was glad to finally know her daughter was safe. 'To all our friends and extended family, we want to let you know that we have heard from Emily. We do not have any further information to share at the moment,' she wrote. 'Thank you all for your support and love you have shown to our family.' Before she left home in 2014, Paul had researched running away and followed the advice of websites which told young people how not to be found. On the day of her disappearance, Paul walked out of her family home at 6.30am. She had with her a suitcase which contained several outfits and her Xbox. She then got into a car that was being driven by an unidentified motorist. Before she left home in 2014, Paul had researched running away and followed the advice of websites which told young people how not to be found Paul' s mother Pam Myers Massimiani (left) revealed on July 26 that she had received a letter from the teen, seen right not long before she vanished It is unclear what drove her to runaway. In missing persons appeals, she was described as an 'endangered runaway'. 'She left a three-page note behind at home which didn't say where she was going, but stated she was going to a safe place and might return after she turned eighteen,' according to The Charley Project, a charity which investigates the cases of people who have been missing for more than a year. There have been no confirmed sightings of her over the last five years. At the time of her disappearance, her mother told how she had been completely blindsided by her daughter's decision to leave. The night beforehand, she said they 'hugged' and 'rocked back and forth'. 'We were just our usual selves, we hugged in the kitchen Saturday night, rocked back and forth. There were no clues,' she told WGHG. The girl's mother shared the happy news on Facebook but did not disclose information on if she knew where Paul was Despite the fact that she ran away willingly, police were concerned by the fact that Paul had never once got in touch with anyone in the family. 'Our main concern in this case is the complete lack of contact,' Bay County Sheriff's Investigator Albert Willis said. 'It's typically with a teen, certainly her age, a girl, you're going to see some form of communication,' he added. As part of their investigation, they pursued leads in Canada and Spain. Police have not yet revealed whether they know where Paul is now. A Christian school teacher's aide has been arrested for Possession of Child Pornography and Distribution of Child Pornography, just days after her ex-boyfriend was taken in on similar charges. Brittany Clark, 34, from Fontana, California was contacted at United Christian Academy in the City of Rancho Cucamonga. Law enforcement arrested her on Monday at 2pm, eventually setting her bail at $100,000 following an interview with the Crimes Against Children Division (CAC) at the Rancho Cucamonga Station. Brittany Clark and Brett Kuch were arrested for possession and distribution of child porn Clark has been working at the Academy for the past eight years and was previously employed at the Water of Life Church in the City of Rancho Cucamonga. She was detained after investigators connected her to similar charges made against a man she used to date. Three days earlier, Brett Kuch, 34, was arrested for Possession of Child Pornography and Distribution of Child Pornography, however his bail was set higher at $500,000. Although his Facebook profile states he is single, showcasing his favorite quote as 'Rather than love, than money, than fame, than fairness, give me truth..' on the social media platform, police arrested Clark in connection with Kuch after learning they were in a 'previous dating relationship'. Kuch was contacted by detectives and deputies of the Specialized Enforcement Detail (SED) at 10.30am on August 9 in Chino, California. He has been booked at the Central Detention Center while Clark remains at the West Valley Detention Center, states an advisory from the San Bernandino County Sheriff-Coroner Department. Brett Kuch, 34, currently states he is single on Facebook but police arrested his ex-girlfriend, Clark, after discovering his previous relationship Clark works as an aide at the United Christian Academy in the City of Rancho Cucamonga Police have not found evidence she had inappropriate contact with students during her employment but are asking anyone with information about possible victims of the former couple to come forward. Contact Detective Brian Arias of the Specialized Investigations Division, Crimes Against Children Detail on (909) 387-3615. Anonymous tips can go via the We-Tip Hotline on 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or online at www.wetip.com. A Muslim woman has won a discrimination case in Sweden after she was rejected during a job interview for refusing to shake the hand of the interviewer. Farah Alhajeh, 24, had been invited to interview for a job as an interpreter in Uppsala, north of Stockholm in May, 2016. Upon arrival she told the male interviewer that she did not want to shake his hand, citing religious rules of her faith. Win: Farah Alhajeh, 24, refused to shake the hand of a male interviewer, citing her Muslim faith, and says she was then frogmarched out of the company's office in Uppsala Instead, she greeted him by placing a hand over her heart, as is common among Muslims of similar persuasion. Some of Ms Alhajeh's faith avoid physical contact with the opposite sex, bar those in their immediate family. She told the Swedish Labour Court that the interviewer, an executive at the company, had become red in the face and told her: 'Here, everyone must shake hands'. Ms Alhajeh claims she was then frogmarched out of the office and told the interview was over. 'As soon as I got into the lift I started crying,' she told SVT. 'It had never happened to me before - it didn't feel good at all. It was awful'. She told the broadcaster she had then decided to report the company to Sweden's Discrimination Ombudsman, who took her case to court. Religious rules: Ms Alhajeh says her faith prevents her from having physical contact with the opposite sex, bar those in their immediate family 'Of course it's reasonable for an employer to ask employees to treat all colleagues the same, but you have to be able to greet people in different ways,' a Discrimination Ombudsman spokesperson told SVT. This week, the Labour Court ruled in her favour, and ordered the company to pay Ms Alhajeh 40,000 SEK (3,426) in compensation. 'I believe in God, which is very rare in Sweden... and I should be able to do that and be accepted as long as I'm not hurting anyone,' she told the BBC. 'In my country... you cannot treat women and men differently. I respect that. That's why I don't have any physical contact with men or with women. 'I can live by the rules of my religion and also at the same time follow the rules of the country that I live in.' A far-right extremist who was caught with a bomb-making kit was today convicted of preparing acts of terrorism and jailed for 12 years. Peter Morgan, 35, from Edinburgh, was found to have collected explosive powder, fuses, screws and steel tacks along with a glass bottle studded with lead shot and nail gun rounds. Bomb disposal experts described the injuries that might have been sustained if one exploded within three metres of a victim as 'horrific.' Morgan had been amassing a collection of neo-Nazi, anti-Muslim, anti-semitic and racist material over a five-year period, a court heard. Peter Morgan, left, and right, at a far right rally, was today jailed for 12 years at the High Court in Edinburgh for preparing acts of terrorism He was earlier convicted by a jury of two charges under the Terrorism Act and one charge under the 1883 Explosive Substances Act, dating from April 2012 to July last year. Sentencing him at the High Court in Edinburgh, judge Lord Boyd, told him: 'These charges threaten the safety of the public, our values as a democracy and strike at the dignity and respect which all members of our community are entitled to expect whatever their race or religion.' Morgan was given a 15-year extended sentence, which involved 12 years in jail followed by three years on licence upon his release from custody. Prosecutors said the items found at Morgan's home included explosive substances, propellants, containers, a model rocket initiator, a large quantity of fireworks and a selection of neo-Nazi and other extreme right wing paraphernalia and flags. Fireworks found at the Edinburgh home of far-right extremist Black powder, which was among the haul of items discovered by police after he was arrested A search also uncovered a vinegar bottle which had been modified by adhering ball bearings and nail gun cartridges to the exterior, the Crown Office said following the hearing. A forensic examination of his computer revealed he had been viewing and downloading documents relating to how to make a bomb, how to remove DNA from a dead body, and the best way to dispose of a dead body, prosecutors added. Passing sentence, Lord Boyd told Morgan: 'You assert your right to freedom of speech. However abhorrent some may find your views, you are entitled to hold them. 'What you are not entitled to do is to act on these views for the purpose of committing or preparing an act of terrorism.' A bomb ignition device in Morgan's possession. Morgan had been amassing a collection of neo-Nazi, anti-Muslim, anti-semitic and racist material over a five-year period Fuses also discovered among the bomb making materials. Experts said that a device he had begun to assemble was have caused horrific injuries He went on: 'You downloaded documents from the internet including guides relating to the operation of explosive devices and the manufacture of explosive substances. 'Of most concern is that you not only possessed the ingredients for the making of an improvised explosive device but you had begun to assemble it. 'You took a vinegar bottle and fixed to the outside of it approximately 80 ball bearings and metal propellant cartridges. It is clear that your intention was to increase the lethal nature of the device. 'The bomb disposal expert described the injuries that might be sustained if one was exploded within three to five metres of a person as 'horrific'.' The court heard there did not appear to be any identified target and that Morgan does 'not disavow' his political views. The judge's comments were released following the hearing by the Judicial Office for Scotland. Speaking after the hearing, procurator fiscal for specialist casework, Liam Murphy, said it was a complex investigation and prosecution. He added: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has a duty to keep the people of Scotland safe from harm and working with police, government and other agencies are committed to ensuring that those involved in committing offences under the terrorism legislation are brought to justice.' Relaxed Tommy Robinson on the balcony of his luxury hotel where he sunbathed while on bail Far-Right thug Tommy Robinson has been sunning himself with a German Islamophobe at a luxury resort in Tenerife while on bail. The notorious EDL founder walked out of prison on August 1 after three months behind bars for contempt of court. A new hearing is scheduled for September 4. He then went on a two-week break where he filmed a video with Lutz Bachmann, the leader of anti-Islam group PEGIDA, on the Canary Island earlier this week. Bachmann, 45, who has led huge anti-immigration marches in Dresden, was deported from Stansted Airport in March after his presence was felt to be 'not conducive to the public good'. He was due to make a speech at Hyde Park Corner. In the video, entitled 'Tommy Robinson latest update from Tenerife', which has been viewed more than 30,000 times, the two men are seen laughing and joking as Bachmann congratulates Robinson on his release. Scroll down for video Tommy Robinson, left, shares a joke with Lutz Bachmann, right, the founder of Pegida Lutz Bachmann at Pegida's first anniversary celebration rally in Dresden in 2015 Robinson went on to enjoy a no-expense-spared holiday at the resort -- one of the most exclusive on the Canaries -- and spent days on end lounging by the swimming pool, sipping soft drinks and chatting to holidaymakers. He even went on a pirate-themed whale watching boat trip organised by the resort. One fellow guest said: 'He didn't seem to have a care in the world. Lots of people recognised him. You would never have thought he had the threat of prison hanging over his head. He was the life and soul of the party.' Robinson, 35, is facing a new contempt of court hearing after judges quashed findings that saw him jailed for 13 months in Leeds, was unrepentant. He told MailOnline: [Lutz Bachmann] came to see me for two seconds. He lives here (Tenerife). So wheres the problem? Could you give me an example of what he possibly could have said that is Islamophobic? When asked about a picture of Bachmann apparently posing as Adolf Hitler, which caused him to temporarily step down from the group in 2015, Robinson stormed: Fake news. That has actually been proven as fake. That image has been proven as unreal, as doctored. So thats fake news. A sun-drenched beach in Tenerife, Canary Islands, near where Tommy Robinson stayed The EDL founder enjoyed a pirate-themed whale watching trip and spent days by the pool Tommy Robinson leaves Onley Prison, near Rugby, after he was freed on bail on August 1 Pegida co-founder Lutz Bachmann stands in front of the Frauenkirche church in Dresden The five-star Tenerife resort, which MailOnline has decided not to name, boasts numerous swimming pools and restaurants, as well as a spa and fitness centre with stunning views of the sea and the islands dramatic volcanic hills. Robinson was sentenced to 13 months' imprisonment for contempt of court after publishing a Facebook Live video in May of defendants entering Leeds Crown court, contrary to a court order to prevent reporting those trials during proceedings. It was the second time he was penalised for his behaviour outside court. Last year, he received a three-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, for trying to reach defendants at a trial at Canterbury Crown Court. His Leeds conviction went before the Court of Appeal and his sentence was quashed on a technicality and a new trial was ordered. He was released from his sentence at Onley Prison, near Rugby in Warwickshire on August 1. Robinson is still convicted of contempt in relation to his behaviour at Canterbury. His legal defence was rumoured to have been paid by the Middle East Forum and US tech billionaire Robert Shillman. However Robinson told MailOnline: Its absolute lies. The tech billionaire, Ive never met him, Ive never spoken to him and hes never had any contact with me. He did not pay my legal fees. The Middle East Forum didnt pay my legal fees. They paid for help on the protest but I wasnt even out of prison. Robinson also denied being paid 8000 a month by controversial Canadian political website Rebel Media. Why was Tommy Robinson jailed for 13 months for contempt of court over Facebook Live video? Robinson was live outside Leeds Crown Court while jurors were in the process of considering verdicts in a trial The judge who jailed Tommy Robinson told him his Facebook Live could have collapsed a six-week trial if the jurors saw it. Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said that Robinson had failed in his 'responsibility to exercise freedom of speech within the law'. Within five hours of his arrest Robinson was jailed for 13 months after pleading guilty to contempt in relation to an ongoing trial. He also admitted breaching the terms of a suspended sentence he was handed in Canterbury last May for a similar offence. Judge Marson QC said: 'No one could possibly conclude that it would be anything other than highly prejudicial to the defendants in the trial. I respect everyone's right to free speech. That's one of the most important rights that we have. 'With those rights come responsibilities. The responsibility to exercise that freedom of speech within the law. I am not sure you appreciate the potential consequence of what you have done. 'If the jurors in my present trial get to know of this video I will no doubt be faced with an application to discharge the jury. If I have to do that it will mean a re-trial, costing hundreds and hundreds and thousands of pounds.' Advertisement Despite Robinson facing a second hearing for contempt at the Old Bailey, for allegedly risking the future of a court case by filming outside on the steps, American alt-Right pin-up Steve Bannon said he was 'ecstatic' at his release. He told The Sunday Times: 'Tommy is not just a guy but a movement in and of himself now. 'He represents the working class and channels a lot of the frustration of everyday, blue collar Britons... He is a force of nature, like Kanye (West) - not built to be managed.' Bannon, a former investment banker, said authorities were wrong to jail Robinson, and that he deserves an apology. He led the calls for his release and called him a 'solid guy' and the 'backbone of this country' while in the UK last month. He said after his release: 'That's why I told LBC that and they all jumped up and down like babies live on air to insist he was guilty. 'We didn't know at the time he was guilty. That's the whole point. Now he's won his appeal and no one in the press is apologising for the way they treated him.' The ex-EDL leader, 35, has been behind bars for two months after confronting defendants outside Leeds Crown Court on May 25. Judges freed him after ruling it was 'unfair' to give him 13 months in prison during a 'muddled' and 'rushed' court case held just five hours after his arrest. He had confronted suspects being prosecuted in trials involving dozens of Asian men accused of grooming children as young as 11. Robinson broadcast these exchanges to 250,000 people watching him on Facebook Live and even captured the moment police arrested him. However, he was arrested and sent to cells within five hours. Robinson supporters said he was jailed for speaking out and his freedom of speech was being taken away from him, but court lawyers made clear he was accused of contempt. A statement from Carson Kaye solicitors, which represented Robinson, said: 'The rule of law and the right to a fair hearing are fundamental to every individual and this ruling is an example of the procedural safeguards of our system, and its potential for protecting every citizen equally. 'What makes the British system so unique is the ability to set aside personal feelings and deal with the law and each case on its merits.' Making the comparison between the The College Dropout hitmaker and Robinson, Mr Bannon said both are men who create movements. He also claimed there should be more populism. 'There is obviously a need for a more populist party in the UK,' he said. 'At one time that might have been UKIP under Farage. But please don't try to smear it with far right and 'anti-Islamic' so as to scare people. 'The party can be populist, nationalist and want to thwart radical Islamic doctrine and Islamic supremacism without being anti-Muslim.' Support afterschool programs, support our future workforce Today, the Empire State Building shares a key characteristic with the streetlamps in downtown Flint. Theyve both swapped out their... Proposal would make voting more difficult for many Michigan voters The right to vote was hard won. The League of Women Voters Flint Area is always working hard to educate... Miller defends township clerks office Eight weeks ago, I was approached by concerned citizens to run as a candidate for the vacant clerk position in... A former Yazidi sex slave came face-to-face with her ISIS captor after escaping captivity to flee to Germany but was told that police could do nothing because he was a refugee, it has been claimed. Ashwaq Ta'lo was kidnapped by ISIS in August 2014, aged 15, and was kept in captivity by the jihadist man for three months but escaped and made her way to Europe. Speaking in a Facebook video, she said she had seen the man, Abu Humam, in 2016 and then again earlier this year in Schwabisch Gmund in south-western Germany. She told police and asylum officials about the encounter and although they identified the man from CCTV they said there was nothing they could do because the man was also registered as a refugee, The Times reports. Ashwaq was reportedly taken into Syria with 65 members of her wider family and was sold to Abu Human, a Syrian ISIS member, for $100. After being abused and forced to convert to Islam she walked 14 hours by herself to flee from captivity before she claimed asylum in Germany. But she has now fled the country after the terrifying encounter with the man who had enslaved her. She said in a video she had pretended to be Turkish after he had spoken to her in German and Arabic and told her: 'I know where you live'. 'I was so scared, I could barely talk. I thought that in Germany it doesn't matter what I do. Nobody cares. I thought it's over for me. 'He started speaking in German, asking if I'm Ashwaq or not. I said no, then he started speaking Arabic. 'I continuously replied in German, saying I don't speak Arabic. I pretended to be Turkish, saying I only speak Turkish and German. Ashwaq Ta'lo (pictured in a Facebook video) said she met her ISIS captor after fleeing to Germany following three months of captivity and sexual slavery in Syria 'He then said: 'I know that you've lived in Germany since 2015. I know that you live with your mother and your brother.' 'He even told me my own address. In short, he knew about my whole life.' Ashwaq said many Yazidi girls who had fled to Europe had later encountered the men who had put them in captivity. She said she had a friend in nearby Stuttgart who had also seen her former captor. Ashwaq thanked her hosts in Germany, saying: 'Apart from that, I thank all Germans. I've been in school for three years and I've learned so much. I thank you all.' The Yazidis, a Kurdish ethnic group, have suffered massacres and oppression for generations and the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq has been under siege from ISIS since 2014. Speaking in a Facebook video (pictured) she said she had gone to the police after meeting her captor but was told nothing could be done because he was also regarded as a refugee The UN has declared the killing of the Yazidi people by ISIS as genocide with many women raped by jihadi fighters. Some 7,000 Yazidi women and girls were forced into sexual slavery when the militia took over the communitys heartland in Sinjar, northern Iraq, and slaughtered 5,000 people. Earlier this year a German intelligence chief warned of the 'massive danger' posed by women and children returning 'brainwashed' from fighting with ISIS. Hans-Georg Maassen said in February that Germany should consider repealing laws restricting surveillance of minors under the age of 14 to prepare for the increased risk of attacks by children as young as nine. Abdurahman Kaabar, pictured, admitted sending 500 to his younger brother when he was fighting in Syria but said he believed it was for a nose job. He was found guilty of funing terrorism at Sheffield Crown Court A dental student who claimed he was only sending money to his militant brother in Syria to pay for a nose job has been convicted of terror offences. Abdurahman Kaabar, 23, who is studying at Plymouth University, agreed to send 500 in late 2016 to his brother with the help of a friend, Badroddin Kazkaz. His younger brother Mohammed Kaabar had travelled to Syria via Turkey earlier that year to join the terror group Jabhat al Fateh al Sham - previously known as al-Nusra - who were fighting against government forces. Kaabar already admitted possessing and disseminating extremist material that could be used by someone planning a terror attack. The material included advice on bomb making, kidnapping and use of poisons, the Crown Prosecution Service said. Sheffield Crown Court was told that the offending material showed Kaabar actively supported using violence to achieve political and religious goals. The jury heard Kaabar admit to knowing his brother was fighting with the group but deny knowing that the money was to fund terror, arguing instead he sent it for his brother to obtain medical advice for a nose job. Kaabar, whose brother is believed to be still in Syria, was also found guilty of a second count of funding terrorism when he offered to send a further sum to his brother in July 2017, although the transfer did not take place. Kazkaz pleaded guilty to funding terrorism at an earlier hearing. Kaabar and Kazkaz, also 23, of Sheffield, will be sentenced on September 25. Abdurahman has said he believed Mohammed, pictured, only needed the money for his nose operation because he already had all the 'equipment' he needed from the group he was with in Syria Outside court, Deb Walsh of the CPS said: 'The prosecution was able to show that Abdurahman Kaabar and Badroddin Kazkaz believed in establishing an Islamic state through the use of violence which they were prepared to fund. 'Kaabar also admitted to having and sharing a number of violent publications. 'He clearly holds an extremist world-view and was prepared to play an active role in terrorism. He must now face the consequences.' Detective Superintendent Simon Atkinson, Head of Investigations at Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said: 'Kaabar had a radical mindset and an active interest in extremism. 'He was not only in possession of terrorist material, he was also sharing it and encouraging others to carry out terrorist activity. 'Kaabar and Kazkaz both transferred money to Kaabar's brother, believed to be fighting in Syria. 'It is highly likely that they would have at least suspected that the money would be used to further the cause of terrorist groups and potentially fund terrorist activity. 'Showing support and providing funds to these types of groups allows terrorism to survive.' Previously, Sheffield Crown Court heard that Mohammed Kaabar posted footage of a battle in which he had been involved on Snapchat in August 2016. It showed him coming under fire in a car, footage of explosions and burning buildings and footage of him launching an attack and was described as 'Looking like no man's land'. Mohammed, pictured, asked his brother to ask their father, but his reply said: 'You have to prepare yourself that you may not be able to eat some days. That is the life you have chosen' But Abdurahman encouraged him: 'You are there now, its calm. Gotta ride it till da' end. No coming back. Walk the walk.' Mohammed first pleaded for money in October 2016, adding: 'Please be hasty. Winter is coming soon. I need some equipment.' His brother replied, 'understood. I'll do my best', and eventually managed to pass a friend, Badroddin Kazkaz, 500 in cash in a Tesco car park, which was then apparently transferred using Western Union. The following June he asked for more money, saying: 'I need to buy some gear. Have nasal operation and cover living expenses.' Mohammed asked his brother to ask their father, but his reply said: 'He said you have to adapt to the environment. You are in the motherland of war. 'People die of hunger and thirst. You have to prepare yourself that you may not be able to eat some days. That is the life you have chosen.' He also said: 'This ain't a holiday.' Abdurahman told him that he could only 'do' 100 to 150 but Mohammed pleaded that he needed money urgently and wanted around $500 'to keep me going for the next couple of months', adding: 'Winter coming soon. Try to convince dad/mum. The route is secure just like the last time nothing to worry about.' He was arrested at the family home in Sheffield the next day. He has already pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing records useful for terrorism and 12 offences of disseminating terrorist publications. A newborn boy left abandoned in a storm drain with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck has been found alive. In the shocking video, Geeta, 45, from Chennai, can be seen reaching into the underground drain and pulling the crying baby out by his feet before cleaning him with a bowl of water. Heart-wrenching images of the baby who survived the odds were recorded by an onlooker in the municipality of Valasaravakkam, Chennai District, in southern India's Tamil Nadu State. A newborn boy left abandoned in a storm drain with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck has been found alive in Chennai, India In the shocking video, Geeta (pictured above), 45, from Chennai, can be seen reaching into the underground drain and pulling the crying baby out by his feet The heart-wrenching images were recorded by an onlooker in the municipality of Valasaravakkam, Chennai District, in southern India's Tamil Nadu State Local media report that Geeta had been alerted to the baby's presence by a milkman who thought the newborn was a crying kitten. The infant was reportedly rushed to the local Egmore Hospital where doctors found he was having trouble breathing. Doctors managed to treat the baby and have now said he has recovered from the incident and is healthy. Geeta, who lives with her daughter, has said she wants to name the boy Suthanthiram (freedom), as he was found on India's Independence Day. She told local media: 'I reacted immediately, it was spontaneous. 'As a dozen or so residents and bystanders looked on, I peeped through the drain, an iron pipe around one foot in diameter, and saw the child inside. Geeta (above) removed the umbilical cord from his neck before cleaning him with a bowl of water Doctors managed to treat the baby and have now said he has recovered from the incident and is healthy. Geeta wants to name the boy Suthanthiram (freedom), as he was found on India's Independence Day 'It was painful to see a child dumped like that. 'It appeared that the person who abandoned the boy had deliberately pushed him deep enough inside the drain so he would be out of sight. 'I don't think there was any feeling for the child, because the umbilical cord seemed to be tied around the neck so it would slowly kill him.' A hospital official said the baby will remain under observation before being transferred to a local orphanage. Local media report that the hospital has received dozens of requests asking to adopt the baby after the video of his rescue was posted online. Police are investigating the incident and no arrests have been made. Conor Ashton (pictured) has been jailed for 12 years after a series of burglaries A burglar obsessed with serial killers who taunted police after tying up women in their own homes has been jailed for 12 years. Conor Ashton, 24, stood over women as they slept before using plastic cable ties to bind them while he ransacked their homes, stealing debit cards and phones. He helped himself to hot chocolate and wine as he rooted through their underwear drawers. A court heard how in a number of disturbing raids, Ashton tagged the houses of his victims with mocking graffiti and Satanic pentagrams directed at police officers. He admitted eight burglaries and two aggravated burglaries in Greenstead, Essex, between 2013 and 2017 and was jailed at Chelmsford Crown Court today. Judge Christopher Morgan said he was satisfied Ashton was dangerous and had been inspired by American serial killer Richard Ramirez, nicknamed the Night Stalker. He had also given himself a disturbing nickname of the Stalking Ransacker and carried out the crimes while masked in a balaclava. Jailing Ashton, the judge said: 'It is my judgement on the facts of these cases that you are a dangerous individual. 'You do present a risk of serious harm whether it be physical or psychological should you commit offences of a similar nature. 'You were trying to replicate a notorious criminal and had given yourself a moniker that you graffitied the scene to taunt police. A balaclava used by Ashton (left), while shown right is a Satanic pentagon scrawled on one of the walls of a victim Ashton gave himself a disturbing nickname of the Stalking Ransacker (pictured is the initialism TSR in graffiti at one victim's home) 'You told police you had committed offences and you were going to commit more because they would not catch you.' The court heard how Ashton broke into one house in July 2017 and held a large kitchen knife as he told the female occupant not to scream and that he wanted her debit card and pin number. He then told the victim he would not hurt her and tied her arms and legs together before warning her if she screamed, her friend upstairs would be attacked by an accomplice. After 20 minutes of waiting she called out and her friend came down to untie her - she had not been hurt. A month later he broke into another house, armed with a knife. He again tied up the victim and said: 'Tell the pigs I had fun, I already know my next target - it will be next week sometime.' Ashton then drew a pentagram on the wall - a star inside a circle - which is a supernatural symbol and graffiti which labelled himself as a stalking ransacker followed by the words, 'guess who's next'. Ashton, 24, stood over women as they slept before using plastic cable ties (pictured) to bind them while he ransacked their homes, stealing debit cards and phones Shortly after the raid, police searched Ashton's home in Colchester and found a black rucksack with cable ties and gloves in his bedroom. Experts also matched the 'unusual' handwriting on the victims' walls with that on application made to Colchester Institute while analysis of a computer showed he had searched for British Army forensic science and the original Nightstalker - a notorious murderer and rapist from the USA. During the string of previous burglaries, Ashton also drew pentagrams on the walls and messages including ones which said 'police suck' and 'the stalking ransacker - media attention'. Defending him, Richard Conley told the court that Ashton had an incredibly traumatic childhood which may have led to his offending and had been a model prisoner since his arrest almost a year ago. Police searched Ashton's home in Colchester and found a black rucksack with cable ties and gloves (pictured) in his bedroom He said: 'This series of offences would be more at home in a bad Hollywood movie than a court room in Essex. 'It seems he was seeking some sort of escapism from a life that had not always been kind to him.' Judge Morgan said he was sure Ashton had laid out underwear on the bed of one of his burglary's victims to try and scare them and had taken a knife to two houses last year. He added: 'While you have not committed a sexual offence against them but this was a pattern of behaviour that continued until the time you were caught. 'After you were caught you provided no real explanation for this behaviour.' Ashton, of Colchester, Essex, will serve a four year extended licence period when he is released. Omarosa Manigault-Newman had a 'six-month fling' with the scandal-mired leader on a tiny Caribbean nation who was ousted from power and put on trial for corruption over claims he stole $16 million from public coffers, DailyMail.com can reveal. The fired White House aide enjoyed yacht parties, romantic dinners and five-star hotel getaways with Michael Misick, the controversial former prime minister the Turks and Caicos, a British colony made up of 40 Caribbean islands southeast of the Bahamas. They spent time on the island where he later built an $8 million mansion, nicknamed the 'White House,' which he is now accused of funding through graft, had cozy dinner dates at Harlem's most famous restaurant, and enjoyed 'an obvious physical attraction.' Sources say the pair hooked up more than a decade ago when Misick was in charge of one of the world's hottest celebrity vacation haunts, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas. Secret romance: Omarosa had a six-month fling with former prime minister of Turks and Caicos Islands Michael Misick (pictured right with his ex-wife LisaRaye McCoy). The relationship fizzled after Misick met McCoy who allegedly confronted Omarosa over her continuing friendship with her husband Another episode, another outfit: Omarosa arrived for her MSNBC interview at NBC's Rockefeller Center studios in New York on Thursday in a colorful sleeveless dress which she changed out of before going on air The 52-year-old premier was said to have been so impressed with the former Apprentice contestant that he sought her PR advice on how to boost his profile in the US - and even consulted her on political decisions. Insiders say the pair dated for six months in 2005 with Omarosa regularly visiting the Turks and Caicos and even openly attending public events with Misick. However, she never acknowledged the relationship in the U.S., where she was newly famous as the villain in the 2004 season of The Apprentice and newly divorced from her first husband, Aaron Stallworth. Omarosa (pictured around the time of the fling in 2005) met Misick in charity function in NYC, where he was courting celebrities in a bid to bring wealth to his island The Caribbean politician would indeed become famous but not for making his island nation great. He was forced from office in 2009 when the British government accused him of corruption and imposed direct rule over the chain of 40 small islands an hour's flight from Miami. He fled to Brazil but was extradited and put on trial in December 2015 for fraud, bribery and money laundering in a case that is still dragging on three years later - costing an estimated $1million every month. 'Their relationship was no secret, Omarosa attended a couple of public events on the island with Mike. No-one thought a lot of it,' said a well-connected Turks and Caicos source. 'Mike was single at the time, had a reputation as a ladies' man and she was a stunning woman. 'Only a few people on the islands would have recognized her from The Apprentice and they just seemed like a nice couple.' Omarosa, who has dominated headlines this past week with a string of digs at her former mentor Donald Trump, divorced her first husband Aaron Stallworth in 2005. Sources tell DailyMail.com she met Misick later that year at charity function in New York City, where he was busily courting celebrities in a bid to bring wealth and glamour to his sun-drenched archipelago. The pair are said to have hit it off so well that they headed to the plush Four Seasons Hotel for an intimate weekend together. Misick was so smitten he flew back to New York one week later, where the fledgling couple would enjoy further romantic dinner dates at the Sylvia's Harlem restaurant, famous for its soul food and celebrity clientele. Misick had his own 'White House' on the island where Omarosa often stayed. He is accused of funding the $8M mansion with graft Misick (far left) who was forced out of office in 2009 after the British government accused him of corruption, was the head of one the world's hottest celebrity vacation destinations and often rubbed elbows with stars such as Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas (pictured in 2007) who have a house on the archipelago The British colony is made up of 40 Caribbean small islands southeast of the Bahamas Insiders says Omarosa also accompanied Misick to Dubai for an investment conference, staying at the One and Only Royal Mirage Hotel where suites cost up to $6,000 a night. Soon after, he invited her and her mother Theresa who also calls herself Momarosa - to visit the Turks and Caicos, where Omarosa and Misick socialized at swank resorts and restaurants. 'They attended the South Caicos Regatta together with the actress Jasmine Guy and on the way back the boat got stuck on a sandbar and they were stranded for hours until the tide changed,' the source added. 'I remember Mike saying he had two beautiful women on board, plenty of food and drink, the boat was fine so he wasn't exactly worrying. He said he was disappointed when the tide eventually floated them off. 'In New York they would dine at Sylvia's which was one of Mike's favorites and meet either at the Four Seasons or Mandarin Oriental where Mike usually stayed. 'But most of the time they just enjoyed each other's company and did the sort of things normal couples do.' Misick has campaigned for the Turks and Caicos to become independent from Britain and once vowed to transform the islands into the 'Monte Carlo of the Caribbean'. Insiders say he was particularly wowed by Omarosa's ability to 'manipulate' the media and thought she could help him boost his image in the U.S. and was clearly aware of her relationship to Donald Trump. The former premier has been accused of stealing $16 million from public coffers and using it to live a lavish lifestyle. Above he is pictured with wife LisaRaye McCoy. They divorced in 2008 Misick fled to Brazil but was arrested by local authorities, extradited back to Turks and Caicos and put on trial in December 2015. His trial is still ongoing 'As well as an obvious physical attraction, there was an intellectual aspect to their relationship,' added the source. 'He described her to friends as an intelligent, spirited, aggressive and single-minded black woman. 'She was fascinated with politics and he admitted to seeking her advice on his role, particularly with regard to his profile in the American media. 'Mr Misick was aware at the time of her ties with Trump and Omarosa clearly admired him. 'She told Mr Misick he could be abrasive and rude but was gentler with those he took into his confidence.' The tryst is said to have fizzled when Misick began seeing the US actress and model LisaRaye McCoy, whom he later married in 2006 but divorced two years later. Sources say the former couple broke off ties for good after McCoy allegedly confronted Omarosa over their continuing friendship at an NAACP event. At the time, Omarosa, was newly divorced from her first husband Aaron Stallworth (pictured left) and newly famous for her role as a reality TV villain on The Apprentice alongside Trump (right) Omarosa subsequently began dating Green Mile actor Michael Clarke Duncan who died of a heart attack in 2012. Last year she married John Allen Newman, a pastor who heads a church in Jacksonville, Florida. Reached for comment this week, Misick declined to speak about the six-month fling but didn't deny that it took place. 'I have not seen Omarosa for a number of years and it is not in my nature to comment on previous relationships,' he told DailyMail.com. Misick was appointed Prime Minister of the Turks and Caicos in 2003, taking charge of a country with limited infrastructure and few modern amenities. His supporters say he oversaw a period of massive growth, developing hotels, resorts and establishing it as an A-list vacation spot. Misick was appointed Prime Minister of the Turks and Caicos in 2003, taking charge of a country with limited infrastructure and few modern amenities. It is located north of Cuba, Haiti, and Puerto Rico After a landslide second election win in 2007 he demanded the island's British-appointed Governor begin the process towards a referendum on independence from the UK. British officials responded by launching an investigation into Misick that accused him of ushering in massive corruption and 'a palpable climate of fear'. They also questioned how someone with declared assets of $50,000 when he came into power could be living a playboy lifestyle, complete with an $8million mansion and a leased private jet. In 2009 the UK declared a national emergency, suspending the constitution and taking back control of the island, warning that there was a high probability of systematic corruption within the government. Misick and other ministers were accused of financing lavish lifestyles by acquiring publicly-owned land and selling it to developers. Before charges were brought, Misick moved to Brazil where his claim for asylum was rejected and he was handed over to Interpol to be returned to the Turks and Caicos. He has spent the last three years on trial in a court case which is estimated to be costing the country of just 31,000 inhabitants around $1million a month. Misick denies embezzling more than $16million and maintains he is the victim of a 'political witch-hunt' by the 'racist, oppressive' British government. A short-lived attempt at a political comeback ended in failure in December 2016 when Misick stood as an independent candidate in the Turks & Caicos general election but received less than 6% of the vote. DailyMail.com has reached out to Omarosa's representatives for comment. A man has been airlifted to hospital with two nails still embedded in his head after a DIY job went horribly wrong. The man aged in his 20s was doing construction work at a property in the Wide Bay area near Hervey Bay on Queensland's Fraser Coast on Thursday night when he slipped from a ladder. He accidentally discharged the nail gun he was using, which shot two 30 millimetre nails into his skull. A DIY job almost ended in tragedy for this man on Thursday night The man was rushed to Hervey Bay Hospital, before the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter airlifted him to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital for further treatment. 'He was alert and in a stable condition when he was airlifted,' a RACQ LifeFlight Rescue statement said. He still had the two nails embedded in his skull when he was flown to Brisbane. The accident prompted Queensland Ambulance to issue a public warning on social media. 'Stay safe when undertaking home DIY projects. Be careful when using unfamiliar power tools and ensure you know how to use them correctly,' it tweeted. A Florida mayor is under fire after he accused a female commissioner of earning her income from 'sphincter bleaching. Hallandale Beach Mayor Keith London made the shocking comment to Commissioner Anabelle Lima-Taub during a city budget meeting on Monday night. London and Lima-Taub were in the middle of an argument when the mayor told her to pull up his IRS form to see how he makes his income. 'Was it getting my sphincter bleached? Is that where I earned my income from? No, that would you be and your family business,' London told her. Hallandale Beach Mayor Keith London is under fire after he accused a female colleague of earning her income from 'sphincter bleaching' during a city commission meeting London made the shocking comment to Commissioner Anabelle Lima-Taub during a budget discussion on Monday night (pictured) 'Congratulations, congratulations. Sphincter bleaching is a very up-and-coming business,' he continued during the bizarre personal attack. The pair then exchange words as London told Lima-Taub: 'You want to make it personal, commissioner? We can make it personal all day long.' London's comments came after he and Lima-Taub got into a fight over firefighter Jim Bunce, a 30-year veteran who was president of a local union. The mayor called Bunce a 'simple mind', and Lima-Taub immediately defended the firefighter. 'He has a college education, you don't, so I don't really know how you can call him simple,' Lima-Taub told London. 'To call a city employee simple minded is shameful.' Lima-Taub then brought up that London 'didn't graduate, doesn't have a college education, and doesn't work for a living'. 'Do you look at my IRS form?' London shot back. 'So you don't know what my tax return says, do you. Did you look at my Form 1 form?' 'Why don't you put in the public records request or just go online and see where my earned income came from last year.' 'Was it getting my sphincter bleached? Is that where I earned my income from? No, that would you be and your family business,' London told Lima-Taub at one point London's comments came after he and Lima-Taub got in a fight when he called a city union leader a 'simple mind'. Lima-Taub then shot back that London didn't go to college That's when London then accused Lima-Taub of making her own income from anal bleaching. Lima-Taub confirmed to Miami Herald that she does not make any income from bleaching her own anus. The commissioner's mother does own a spa that sells skin bleaching cream, but Lima-Taub does not work there. 'Even if I was doing that for a living, that's not appropriate,' she said. 'For the sitting leader of a city to speak this way was completely inappropriate.' Lima-Taub posted a clip of the heated exchange on Facebook and revealed she dreaded having to sit next to London at their meeting the next day. 'This is what I had to endure yesterday at the commission meeting, after defending a firefighter who works tirelessly for the rights of first responders,' she wrote in the caption. Lima-Taub said that London has discussed her butt in the past and claimed he has made sexually inappropriate advances on her 'It's been an extremely difficult 24 hours, one spent without sleep as I know this type of behavior is an epidemic in Hallandale. Except I had to endure this humiliation tactic in front of a silent room full of at least 60 people!' London and Lima-Taub continued to argue during their commission meeting on Wednesday night, when she called the mayor a 'pervert' and a 'sick man'. 'You said I do it. You said I bleach my anus. That's what you said,' Lima-Taub told London as she demanded an apology. 'Family business has nothing to do with what's going on here. You continue to talk about anal bleaching. You continue to talk about what I do.' 'What does that have to do with state business?' Lima-Taub then claimed that London had asked her mother to bleach his anus. 'You're a sick, sick man,' she said. 'You're a pervert. Sick, sick man you are. Why don't you tell everyone how you asked my mom to bleach your anus. Why don't you do that, how you asked for it twice for free.' As Lima-Taub stormed out of the room, London said he wanted to apologize to her. 'Commissioner, I just want to put on the record so you hear it, I apologize for my inappropriate remarks to you in Monday's meeting,' he said. 'I unequivocally apologize. This was inappropriate and I do apologize.' The commissioner alleges that London 'made comments' about her derriere and used to pat her bum until her husband 'said enough is enough' Earlier this week, Lima-Taub accused London of making inappropriate comments about her butt in the past. 'I'm not a small girl,' she said. 'I'm half-Latin, I have a derriere and he's made comments about it.' And the commissioner claims that London even used to make sexually inappropriate advances on her, often patting her bum until her husband 'said enough is enough'. But Lima-Taub said she won't let London embarrass or silence her. 'I don't shy away from anything,' she said. 'I'm going to try to empower the women who are going through what I went through.' This is hardly the first time London has raised eyebrows with his inappropriate remarks. In 2017, when he was still a commissioner, London falsely accused a colleague of being a 'migrant worker'. He also recently asked a city employee if he 'sucked d**k' while in prison. DailyMail.com has reached out to London for comment. As farmers continue to battle through the worst drought in half a century, an internal government document has revealed farmers are owed more than $30million. The secret file, which was obtained by The Daily Telegraph, reveals that 7000 farmers have been overcharged for their vehicle registrations, sometimes as much as $730 per vehicle. It's believed a 'legislative drafting error' was the cause of farmers being overcharged on their registration since 1998. A Berejiklian government document has revealed the state government knew in February farmers were owed $30million but as yet have done nothing about it Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP for Orange Philip Donato said the government had become aware of the issue in February this year and claims it willingly sat on it. He went so far as to accuse Roads Minister Melinda Pavey of 'silently fleecing' farmers by not making moves to return the money as soon as the error was discovered. 'This is outrageous farmers have been silently fleeced for at least 20 years,' he said. Mr Donato said the revelation was just another kick to the guts of farmers already doing it tough. 'The Nationals claim to represent farmers, but the information leaked to me suggests they are actually kicking our struggling farmers in the guts while they're down on their knees,' he said. 'And instead of doing something about it straight away, they have done nothing while farmers struggle to put food on the own table. It is daylight robbery.' Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP for Orange Phil Donato said the government had become aware of the issue in February this year and alleges they willingly sat on it and said it was a kick in the guts to farmers Under the 'primary producer concession scheme', farmers are supposed to be afforded concessions on the high price of vehicle registration. Most farmers require multiple vehicles in order to work the land and the concession is meant to limit the impact of registration fees. The NSW Road and Martime Service (RMS) defines a primary producer vehicle as 'a primary producer's vehicle is a motor vehicle (not let for hire) which is owned by a primary producer, incorporated body or rural co-operative'. Ms Pavey was asked in Parliament about the internal document but instead of addressing the questions right away she said it was 'not the time for politics'. She then deflected by stating that with the current drought across the state that 'agricultural vehicles rego costs were being waived'. The document, which was labelled as 'sensitive NSW Government' and 'privileged and confidential', also explicitly stated the financial impact repaying farmers would have. The document stated that fixing the error would have a 'significant revenue impact', according to the report. The RMS worked out it would cost at least $1 million just to administer a workable refund scheme along with a $12.5million hit to the state budget every year until paid back in full. However the document also stated that the RMS has 'an obligation to rectify this anomaly' However the document also stated that the RMS has 'an obligation to rectify this anomaly'. It was just Tuesday this week when Mrs Pavey released a statement about freight changes made to help farmers. The release stated the government was working tirelessly to reduce costs for farmers battling the drought, but with no mention of the money owed. 'The NSW Liberals & Nationals have committed more than $1 billion in drought assistance to date. This is another step designed to help assist our primary industry the statement read. The revelations come just weeks after 100 per cent of New South Wales was declared in drought stricken. It was also the driest July since 2002, according to the BoM's latest report, and the driest Autumn since 1902. Almost all of NSW has received less than 20 per cent of its usual rainfall since January. On top of the drought declaration, 70 bushfires are burning up and down the south eastern coast of the state, with some not expected to be stopped for weeks as strong winds and dry conditions play a part. Mark Robinson, a grain grower from Coonable, said that his property has been in a state of rain deficiency for the past five years, excluding a brief respite in 2016. 'As recent history has shown, this drought will probably break in a large-scale manner, then a further extended period before the next rain event,' he said. 'This is the pattern that has become much more evident over time. This creates serious management issues for farmers and graziers.' Jurors in Paul Manafort's trial asked the judge 'what is reasonable doubt?' in a series of questions at the end of their first day of deliberations Thursday. Manafort was brought back to court to listen as Judge T.S. Ellis III addressed a note sent by the six men and six women raising four questions for him to address. The judge announced the note just after 5 p.m.after a full day of deliberations which began at 9.30 a.m. when the judge told the jury to take as long as they wished. The questions will be pored over for insights into what the jurors are thinking - although a request to define reasonable doubt is a common occurrence in criminal cases. Ellis told them that the government was not required to prove their case beyond 'all possible doubt' but beyond doubt 'based on reason'. The jurors also asked for the list of exhibits - documents submitted in evidence - to be amended so it was possible to see which piece of evidence related to which count in the 18-strong list of charges. The judge turned them down. And the other two questions related to evidence about Manafort's alleged network of offshore banks accounts. They asked whether it was legally required to tell the Treasury about a foreign bank account 'if they own less than 50 per cent of the company' and are not a signatory to it. Ellis told them to rely on their memory of the evidence. They also asked what a 'shelf company' was, which elicited the same answer. 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 One day down: Defense attorneys Kevin Downing, Brian Ketcham and Thomas Zehnle leave the court house following the first day of jury deliberations and a question from the six men and six women on 'what is reasonable doubt' The trial had heard that Manafort's offshore bank accounts were often in the name of companies which he held only a minority stake in, although the prosecution said he was in reality in full control of them. His turncoat deputy Rick Gates had testified that he bought 'shelf' companies for Manafort, which were pre-existing legal companies set up with the intention of being used by their buyers. Deliberations enter a second day Friday at 9.30am, with the fate of the Robert Mueller special counsel probe now in the jury's hands. His prosecutors say Manafort earned $60 million advising Russia-backed politicians in Ukraine, hid much of it from the IRS and then lied to banks to get loans when the money dried up. Manafort's defense countered that he wasn't culpable because he left the particulars of his finances to others. The financial fraud trial calls on the dozen jurors to follow the complexities of foreign bank accounts and shell companies, loan regulations and tax rules. It exposed details about the lavish lifestyle of the onetime political insider, including a $15,000 jacket made of ostrich leather and $900,000 spent at a boutique retailer in New York paid via international wire transfer. Judge T.S. Ellis III told the six men and six women of the jury to take as long they needed to reach a verdict. After sending them out to start deliberating, Ellis invited others in the courtroom to remain while other cases were being heard. He then called on a 'Mr. Trump,' prompting laughter and a smile from Manafort. Jim Trump, a federal prosecutor from Virginia, responded. 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. All eyes on Manafort: The media may be in for a long wait for the verdict in the first trial brought as a result of the Robert Mueller probe '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. 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. Relaxed: Kathleen Manafort (center) went out for coffee with two friends between the prosecution and defense summing up on Wednesday. She has been in court every day of her husband's trial '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. 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. Mueller's final tally: Trump's inner circle of convicts and turncoats - and 25 wanted Russian trolls GUILTY: MICHAEL FLYNN Pleaded guilty to making false statements in December 2017. Awaiting sentence Flynn was President Trump's former National Security Advisor and Robert Mueller's most senior scalp to date. He previously served when he was a three star general as President Obama's director of the Defense Intelligence Agency but was fired. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about his conversations with a Russian ambassador in December 2016. He has agreed to cooperate with the special counsel investigation. GUILTY AND JAILED: MICHAEL COHEN Pleaded guilty to eight counts including fraud and two campaign finance violations in August 2018. Pleaded guilty to further count of lying to Congress in November 2018. Sentenced to three years in prison and $2 million in fines and forfeitures in December 2018 Cohen was investigated by Mueller but the case was handed off to the Southern District of New York,leaving Manhattan's ferocious and fiercely independent federal prosecutors to run his case. Cohen was Trump's longtime personal attorney, starting working for him and the Trump Organization in 2007. He is the longest-serving member of Trump's inner circle to be implicated by Mueller. Cohen professed unswerving devotion to Trump - and organized payments to silence two women who alleged they had sex with the-then candidate: porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. He admitted that payments to both women were felony campaign finance violations - and admitted that he acted at the 'direction' of 'Candidate-1': Donald Trump. He also admitted tax fraud by lying about his income from loans he made, money from taxi medallions he owned, and other sources of income, at a cost to the Treasury of $1.3 million. And he admitted lying to Congress in a rare use of the offense. The judge in his case let him report for prison on March 6 and recommended he serve it in a medium-security facility close to New York City. GUILTY AND JAILED: PAUL MANAFORT Found guilty of eight charges of bank and tax fraud in August 2018. Sentenced to 47 months in March 2019. Pleaded guilty to two further charges - witness tampering and conspiracy against the United States. Jailed for total of seven and a half years in two separate sentences. Additionally indicted for mortgage fraud by Manhattan District Attorney, using evidence previously presented by Mueller Manafort worked for Trump's campaign from March 2016 and chaired it from June to August 2016, overseeing Trump being adopted as Republican candidate at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. He is the most senior campaign official to be implicated by Mueller. Manafort was one of Washington D.C.'s longest-term and most influential lobbyists but in 2015, his money dried up and the next year he turned to Trump for help, offering to be his campaign chairman for free - in the hope of making more money afterwards. But Mueller unwound his previous finances and discovered years of tax and bank fraud as he coined in cash from pro-Russia political parties and oligarchs in Ukraine. Manafort pleaded not guilty to 18 charges of tax and bank fraud but was convicted of eight counts in August 2018. The jury was deadlocked on the other 10 charges. A second trial on charges of failing to register as a foreign agent due in September did not happen when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States and witness tampering in a plea bargain. He was supposed to co-operate with Mueller but failed to. Minutes after his second sentencing hearing in March 2019, he was indicted on 16 counts of fraud and conspiracy by the Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., using evidence which included documents previously presented at his first federal trial. The president has no pardon power over charges by district and state attorneys. GUILTY AND GOING TO WEEKEND JAIL: RICK GATES Pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States and making false statements in February 2018. Sentenced to 45 days weekend jail and three years probation, December 17, 2018 Gates was Manafort's former deputy at political consulting firm DMP International. He admitted to conspiring to defraud the U.S. government on financial activity, and to lying to investigators about a meeting Manafort had with a member of congress in 2013. As a result of his guilty plea and promise of cooperation, prosecutors vacated charges against Gates on bank fraud, bank fraud conspiracy, failure to disclose foreign bank accounts, filing false tax returns, helping prepare false tax filings, and falsely amending tax returns. GUILTY AND JAILED: GEORGE PAPADOPOLOUS Pleaded guilty to making false statements in October 2017. Sentenced to 14 days in September 2018, and reported to prison in November. Served 12 days and released on December 7, 2018 Papadopoulos was a member of Donald Trump's campaign foreign policy advisory committee. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about his contacts with London professor Josef Mifsud and Ivan Timofeev, the director of a Russian government-funded think tank. GUILTY AND JAILED: RICHARD PINEDO Pleaded guilty to identity fraud in February 2018. Sentenced to a year in prison Pinedo is a 28-year-old computer specialist from Santa Paula, California. He admitted to selling bank account numbers to Russian nationals over the internet that he had obtained using stolen identities. GUILTY AND JAILED: ALEX VAN DER ZWAAN Pleaded guilty to making false statements in February 2018. He served a 30-day prison sentence and was deported to the Netherlands on his release Van der Zwaan was a Dutch attorney for Skadden Arps who worked on a Ukrainian political analysis report for Paul Manafort in 2012. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about when he last spoke with Rick Gates and Konstantin Kilimnik. His law firm say he was fired. GUILTY: W. SAMUEL PATTEN Pleaded guilty in August 2018 to failing to register as a lobbyist while doing work for a Ukrainian political party. Sentenced to three years probation April 2019 Patten, a long-time D.C. lobbyist was a business partner of Paul Manafort. He pleaded guilty to admitting to arranging an illegal $50,000 donation to Trump's inauguration. He arranged for an American 'straw donor' to pay $50,000 to the inaugural committee, knowing that it was actually for a Ukrainian businessman. Neither the American or the Ukrainian have been named. CHARGED: KONSTANTIN KILIMNIK Indicted for obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. At large, probably in Russia Kilimnik is a former employee of Manafort's political consulting firm and helped him with lobbying work in Ukraine. He is accused of witness tampering, after he allegedly contacted individuals who had worked with Manafort to remind them that Manafort only performed lobbying work for them outside of the U.S. He has been linked to Russian intelligence and is currently thought to be in Russia - effectively beyond the reach of extradition by Mueller's team. INDICTED: THE RUSSIANS Twenty-five Russian nationals and three Russian entities have been indicted for conspiracy to defraud the United States. They remain at large in Russia Two of these Russian nationals were also indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 11 were indicted for conspiracy to launder money. Fifteen of them were also indicted for identity fraud. Vladimir Putin has ridiculed the charges. Russia effectively bars extradition of its nationals. The only prospect Mueller has of bringing any in front of a U.S. jury is if Interpol has their names on an international stop list - which is not made public - and they set foot in a territory which extradites to the U.S. INDICTED: MICHAEL FLYNN'S BUSINESS PARTNERS Bijan Kian (left), number two in now disgraced former national security adviser Mike Flynn's lobbying company, and the two's business partner Ekim Alptekin (right) were indicted for conspiracy to lobby illegally. Kian, an Iranian-American was arrested and appeared in court charged with a conspiracy to illegally lobby the U.S government without registering as a foreign agent. Their co-conspirator was Flynn, who is called 'Person A' in the indictment and is not charged, offering some insight into what charges he escaped with his plea deal. Kian, vice-president of Flynn's former lobbying firm, is alleged to have plotted with Alptekin to try to change U.S. policy on an exiled Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania and who is accused by Turkey's strongman president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, of trying to depose him. Erdogan's government wanted him extradited from the U.S. and paid Flynn's firm through Alptekin for lobbying, including an op-ed in The Hill calling for Gulen to be ejected. Flynn and Kian both lied that the op-ed was not paid for by the Turkish government. The indictment is a sign of how Mueller is taking an interest in more than just Russian involvement in the 2016 election. GUILTY AND AWAITING SENTENCE: ROGER STONE Roger Stone, a former Trump campaign official and longtime informal advisor to Trump, was indited on seven counts including obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and lying to Congress about his communications with WikiLeaks in January 2019. Convicted on all counts November 15, 2019, awaiting sentence Stone was a person of interest to Mueller's investigators long before his January indictment, thanks in part due to his public pronouncements as well as internal emails about his contacts with WikiLeks. In campaign texts and emails, many of which had already been publicly revealed before showing up in Mueller's indictment, Stone communicated with associates about WikiLeaks following reports the organization had obtained a cache of Clinton-related emails. Stone, a former Nixon campaign adviser who has the disgraced former president's face permanently tattooed on his back, has long been portrayed as a central figure in the election interference scandal. 'They got nothing,' he said of the special counsel's investigation. Stone gave 'false and misleading' testimony about his requests for information from WikiLeaks. He then pressured a witness, comedian Randy Credico, to take the Fifth Amendment rather than testify, and pressured him in a series of emails. Following a prolonged dispute over testimony, he called him a 'rat' and threatened to 'take that dog away from you', in reference to Credico's pet, Bianca. Stone warned him: 'Let's get it on. Prepare to die.' CLEARED: GREG CRAIG Greg Craig, President Barack Obama's White House counsel, was indicted for failing to register as a foreign agent. Mueller's investigators uncovered Craig's work on behalf the government of Ukraine while probing Manafort, who did business with Craig. Prosecutors released a grand jury indictment of Craig in April 2019, after Craig's law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP agreed to pay more than $4.6 million as part of a settlement. The prominent firm also acknowledged it had failed to register, and placed much of the blame on Craig, a senior partner there. Craig's lawyer blasted the decision as an abuse of prosecutorial discretion, and prepared to argue that omission of information during an interview is not tantamount to making false statements. The charges stem from a 2012 report Craig and the firm produced on behalf of the Ukrainian government on opposition figure and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. She was an opponent of Manafort's client , former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Craig was cleared on September 9 2019. Advertisement A mistress held her Alabama lover at gunpoint on a Facebook live watched by his wife before shooting him because she was angry he hadn't signed divorce papers, according to police. The victim's wife posted on Facebook that Keanna Cammon, 38, had called her via the video chat service on Wednesday and showed that she was holding the weapon to the 30-year-old's head. Shocking grabs from the Facebook Live at 10.30am show Cammon pointing the pistol at the camera while the wife looks on aghast. Shocking grabs from the Facebook Live at 10.30am show suspect Keanna Cammon pointing a gun at the camera screen while the wife looks on aghast. She later shot the man in his torso, according to Tuscaloosa police 'This crazy a** b**** Keanna Cammon just called me live with a gun at my [expletive] husband's head,' the wife wrote on Facebook. 'I don't know if he is OK and I don't where about he is in Tuscaloosa. Can somebody help me? I'm at work and I am about to lose it. I think she shot him.' Two hours later she posted: 'She [expletive] shot him. I'm about to lose my (expletive) mind. Police arrived at a property in the 600 block of 27th Street in Tuscaloosa and found the husband shot in the torso. He is now in a critical condition at DCH Regional Medical Center, WVTM13 reported. Cammon admitted to police she was waving the gun, and said it fired when she was arguing with the victim's wife, according to court papers seen by Tuscaloosa News. The wife told cops Cammon was threatening to kill her husband if he did not finalize their divorce. Cammon filed for divorce from her own husband last week. Cammon has been charged with attempted murder and is in Tuscaloosa County Jail on a $60,000 bond. Cammon seen being led away from the sheriff's office on Wednesday in handcuffs (left) and in a mugshot taken in Tuscaloosa County Jail An acid attack survivor is suing her stalker ex-boyfriend for 250,000 after she was left permanently scarred when he targeted her in the street. Vanessa Munstermann, who lives in Hannover, Germany, has given herself the English nickname 'Two Face' and had the words tattooed on her chest. The attacker, who was identified in German coverage only as Daniel F., was jailed for 12 years in 2016 after ambushing her and throwing sulphuric acid in her face. A lawyer for the 33-year-old attacker said his client could not afford to pay the quarter of a million euros if the court found against him, NDR reported. Vanessa Munstermann (pictured outside court today), who lives in Hannover, Germany, was viciously attacked with sulphuric acid in 2016 by her ex-boyfriend Vanessa Munstermann, pictured before the attack, is suing her ex-boyfriend for 250,000 Today a German civil court in Hannover acknowledged the amount being claimed was high by German standards but said it was 'appropriate' given the 'extreme act with extreme consequences'. The judge said Ms Munstermann could have died if she had swallowed any of the industrial cleaning product which was thrown in her face, according to the newspaper HAZ. Her lawyer Andreas Huttl said the 29-year-old was no longer able to work as a beautician because of the damage the attack had caused to her eyesight. Describing her injuries to the court in 2016, Ms Munstermann said she one of her ears had almost corroded away and she had only 10 per cent of the sight left in one eye. Vanessa after the 2016 attack in which she was targeted with an industrial cleaning product Vanessa Munstermann and her lawyer Andreas Huttl outside the regional court on Thursday Ms Munstermann (pictured) said she one of her ears had almost corroded away and she had only 10 per cent of the sight left in one eye Acid attack victim Vanessa Munstermann pictured in Hannover, Germany, earlier this year She said one of her nostrils was shut and she was left with painful scars all over her face, and she had to be treated in an induced coma after the attack. The attacker had admitted to the court that he had felt humiliated by the woman and wanted to 'make her ugly'. A court spokesman reportedly said that the defendant's application for legal aid had been rejected because of a 'low chance of success'. It is also alleged that the perpetrator had written 'insulting letters' to his victim while he was in prison. Daniel F.'s parents reportedly offered up to 100,000 to settle the case but Ms Munstermann said she could not accept the 'hush money'. Earlier this year Ms Munstermann revealed she had become a mother after giving birth to a baby girl. The head of the Prison Service in Northern Ireland has condemned the 'disgraceful' decision to light a bonfire emblazoned with the names of murdered officers. The pyre, set alight on Wednesday evening in the Derry's Bogside area included references to late police officers Ronan Kerr and Stephen Carroll and prison officers David Black and Adrian Ismay. Three petrol bombs were also thrown at police near the city's walls which overlook the Bogside. Dissident Republicans in Northern Ireland have been condemned after they put the names of murdered PSNI and prison officers on a bonfire erected to commemorate the introduction of internment without charge in Northern Ireland in 1971 Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald condemned the bonfire. She wrote: 'This is vile. This is the work of people determined to maintain a divided Ireland. It is condemned by all of us who want a united Ireland' A 35-year-old man was arrested and charged with making, possessing and throwing a petrol bomb and is due to appear in court next month. Fires are lit at this time of year to mark the anniversary of the introduction of internment of republican suspects without trial in 1971 and police are treating the incident as a hate crime. Prison Service director-general Ronnie Armour, in a message to staff, said: 'Using the names of our murdered friends and colleagues, and those of PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) colleagues, in this way has caused great hurt and distress to their families, to the Prison Service, and the wider community.' David Black, 52, was killed by dissident republicans opposed to the peace process during a motorway drive-by shooting in Co Armagh in 2012. As well as the names of the four men, the bonfire contained Union flags, a banner supporting Donald Trump, a few Northern Ireland flags, an Israeli flag and also the colours of several regiments in the British Army including the Parachute Regiment His son Kyle said Wednesday evening's bonfire-makers were disgusting. Mr Armour also disclosed messages of support received from Londonderry, or Derry as many refer to it. One said: 'Please accept my sincere apologies for the most disgraceful, hurtful and hate-filled scenes that we witnessed last night at the bonfire in the Bogside. 'I know that I speak for the vast, vast majority of people from this wonderful City (Derry/Londonderry) when I say that this is not in our name and we stand with the families of Ronan, Stephen, Adrian and David at this most distressing time. 'Please pass on my thoughts to the families of Adrian, David and all your fellow officers.' Mr Armour said Mr Black and Mr Ismay served the entire community with commitment, integrity and dignity. He added: 'As a service we will continue to serve all the people of Northern Ireland with professionalism.' Poppy wreaths were also put on the bonfire. PSNI Chief Inspector Paul McCracken said: 'We are treating this as a hate crime and we are seeking to identify those responsible, and I would ask anyone with information that can help identify the perpetrators to contact us.' PSNI officers Ronan Kerr, left, and Stephen Carroll, right, were both murdered by dissident republicans since the IRA declared their ceasefire Prison officers David Black, left, and Adrian Ismay, right were also murdered by dissident republicans who oppose the Northern Ireland peace process Sinn Fein has condemned the 'display of hate', saying it had 'absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with republicanism', while DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson decried the 'inhumane and pure evil' placing of the men's names on the bonfire. Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said he was 'appalled and saddened'. Kyle Black criticised those involved. He wrote on Twitter: 'Absolutely disgusting! The people responsible for these vile actions have absolutely nothing to offer our society. somuchforrespectandequality 'My dad, along with the other brave men named, served their community with dignity and respect. 'This in complete contrast to those responsible for this. Absolutely sickened.' The bonfire was also draped in Union flags, British Army flags and a Donald Trump election sign. Robert Stafford, 41, has been charged with first-degree statutory rape and statutory sodomy after a nine-year-old girl accused of forcing her to perform sex acts with him A father-of-three from Missouri has been arrested for allegedly raping a nine-year-old girl and giving her a sexually transmitted disease. Robert Stafford, 41, from Springfield, was booked into the Greene County Jail on Tuesday on a charge of first-degree statutory rape and four counts of statutory sodomy. Jail records indicate Stafford's bond was set at $100,000. According to court documents, Stafford was taken into custody after a two-week investigation by the Greene County Childrens Division, which was launched after the agency received a report about a possible sexual assault involving a child. The nine-year-old victim told a Child Advocacy Center interviewer that she was forced to perform sex acts with Stafford on multiple occasions between June and July. The girl recounted how one time, she was hiding from Stafford in a closet, but the man found her and attempted to lure her out by calling her 'babe' as he stood naked outside the door, reported Kansas City Star. Stafford, pictured above flying the Confederate flag and showing the middle finger with his children, on one occasion allegedly dragged the victim from a closet and raped her Stafford is also accused of physically abusing a boy by restraining him with ropes, beating and starving him. Stafford is pictured on the right in a July mug shot Eventually, Stafford allegedly dragged the girl out of her hiding place and sodomized her. A witness also came forward saying he saw Stafford raping the nine-year-old in a bathroom, according to the court documents. The child later tested positive for chlamydia, which is a common sexually transmitted disease treatable with antibiotics. Stafford is also accused of physically abusing a boy by restraining him with ropes, beating and starving him, reported Springfield News-Leader. Arrest records indicate that he was jailed in mid-July on a charge of second-degree domestic assault. His rap sheet also lists a previous arrest on a drug possession charge. According to his Facebook page, Stafford goes by the nickname 'Daddy.' If convicted of the most serious rape charge, he could face up to a life in prison. A mother who starred on Britain's Got Talent as part of an NHS choir has been named as the woman stabbed to death in Battersea - as police today named a man accused of her killing her. Desmond Sylva, 40, has been charged today with the murder of Simonne Kerr, who was stabbed to death a property in south-west London. Ms Kerr's body was found in an upstairs flat which is where Sylva is known to have lived. He will appear before Wimbledon Wimbledon Magistrates Court tomorrow. Kerr wowed audiences on ITV after appearing on Britain's Got Talent as part of the NHS choir B Positive, created to raise awareness for blood donations. The group of NHS nurses and doctors left BGT judges Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon in tears earlier this year with their powerful rendition of the single Rise Up. Ms Kerr previously revealed how she took solace in the choir following the death of her son Kavele, six, from sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder, in 2015. She was pronounced dead yesterday in the Victorian terrace flat she was staying in, despite the efforts of paramedics who battled for nearly an hour to save her. Sylva was arrested on suspicion of murder at the scene, sparking the 90th homicide investigation in the capital this year. Scroll down for video Simonne Kerr (pictured with her six-year-old son Kavele died from complications arising from sickle cell disease in 2015) was stabbed to death yesterday The 31-year-old wowed audiences on ITV after appearing on Britain's Got Talent as part of the NHS choir B Positive, created to raise awareness for blood donations Simonne Kerr passed away yesterday despite paramedics who battled for more than an hour to save her Kerr worked as a nurse at Guys and St Thomas Hospital in south London. Just a few months before her death, she was pictured with Collette from the Kingdom Choir, who sang at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding Simonne, who worked as a nurse at Guys and St Thomas Hospital in south London, joined the choir after her son passed away. She discovered she was a sickle cell disease carrier during a routine 12-week pregnancy scan and Kavele was diagnosed at only five days old after a heel-prick test. At the time of the competition, Ms Kerr said: 'Kavele was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at birth. He had his first sickle at just a few months old. 'The sickling happened mainly in his tummy and as he got older, he was hospitalised one or two times a year, usually for a few days at a time. 'Kavele was an active child and he went to school and led as normal a life he could with sickle cell disease.' When Kavele was six years old, he came home from school one day feeling fine and went to bed at 8.30pm as usual. But at 5am the following day, he awoke with a high temperature and vomiting. The group of NHS nurses and doctors left BGT judges Amanda Holden (pictured) and Alesha Dixon in tears with their powerful rendition of Rise Up Alesha Dixon (pictured) was brought to tears by the performance of the choir earlier this year The B Positive choir posted this message on social media hours before they performed in front of the BGT judges in May Ms Kerr (pictured) previously revealed how she took solace in the choir following the death of her son Kavele, 6, from sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder, in 2015 Ms Kerr was pronounced dead yesterday in the Victorian terrace flat she was staying in, despite the efforts of paramedics (pictured: her body is removed from the home) Forensic investigators were pictured scouring the scene for evidence today. Scotland Yard said detectives are not looking for any other suspects Ms Kerr said: 'I gave Kavele medication and monitored him throughout the morning. 'However, he became more lethargic and I felt his condition was not improving so I called for an ambulance and was told we would have to wait up to 45 minutes. 'An hour later I telephoned 999 again because Kavele's breathing became more laboured. 'Kavele went into cardiac arrest approximately 20 to 30 minutes after several ambulance crews started to arrive. He did not recover and passed away in hospital several hours later.' Ms Kerr said she joined the B Positive choir because she is passionate about raising awareness of blood conditions and the need for more blood donors. She added: 'I got to spend six wonderful years watching Kavele grow and though there were a handful of hospitalisations in his short life, I was positive that he would live a full life into adulthood. I lost him in 2015.' What is sickle cell disease? Sickle cell disease is the umbrella term for a group of inherited conditions that severely affect red blood cells. Around 15,000 people in the UK are sufferers and it is particularly common in people of African or Caribbean descent. Healthy red blood cells - produced by stem cells within bone marrow - are biconcaved discs that can bend and flex easily. However, in those with sickle cell disease, faulty stem cells produce red blood cells that are crescent shaped. They are rigid, unable to squeeze through smaller blood vessels and prone to causing blockages that deprive parts of the body of oxygen. Sufferers are not expected to live beyond 60 and treatment mainly focuses on alleviating symptoms, such as pain and infections, through blood transfusions and painkillers. Advertisement She added: 'Singing can be such an uplifting experience so joining the B Positive choir seemed the obvious way to raise awareness of the urgent need for more young and black people to give blood while doing something positive and motivational.' Kerr has also appeared in an NHS appeal urging others to give blood, where she also talked about the death of her son. It the emotional one minute long recording, she said: 'My son's name was Kavele, and Kavele was a very lively boy, loved dancing, and he was in year two of Leopold primary school when he passed away. 'I was just into my second year of university when all this happened. 'I didn't think about giving blood until after Kavele passed away. 'So joining B Positive choir it was an opportunity that I was really excited about. It was all about raising awareness, not only for sickle cell, but also the need for blood. 'It's really important that you've done something good to someone.' The 31-year-old was also still helping to raise awareness for the disease which killed her son, and was promoting a sickle cell family fun day charity event on her social media, due to be held at the East London Rugby Club on August 18. Ms Kerr studied to become a nurse, qualifying in January 2018 and joined Guys' and St Thomas' Hospital, in February 2018 as a staff nurse in haematology and oncology. Scotland Yard said detectives are not looking for any other suspects in the investigation into Ms Kerr's death. The victim's next-of-kin have been informed and a post-mortem examination was due to take place on Thursday. A neighbour described how the 40-year-old suspect arrested by police looked 'calm' as he was taken into custody on suspicion of murder. He added: 'I heard someone called the police because they heard screaming and shouting. 'Everyone's had their windows open because it's warm, so I guess someone might have heard it. 'It's only a one bedroom flat, so I'm not sure if the children would have lived there.' A woman who lives nearby said of the victim: 'She has two kids, a six-year-old boy and a three month old. 'The eldest child is the one that called the police. He found her. My friend lives in the flat below and she told me. 'She said the woman was ringing her doorbell at 9am, but she couldn't answer as she'd just had an operation.' One resident said they saw a young man accompanying a child around the age of six or seven out of the property, and was also holding a baby. Armed police were seen breaking down the door at the south London property. A 40-year-old man was arrested at 12.30pm this afternoon after police were called to a residential street in Battersea An empty ambulance was seen within the cordon, with an empty stretcher positioned alongside it on the pavement Armed police were seen breaking down the door at the south London property before a man was arrested Another resident said he saw police then leave the house with a folding stepladder. The end of terrace house in the well-heeled Lavender Hill area, near Clapham Junction, has been cordoned off while police investigate. Clusters of people watched from the edges of the cordon - some with children in buggies and in their arms. An empty ambulance was seen within the cordon, with an empty stretcher positioned alongside it on the pavement. Vickie Foot, a 43-year-old who lives nearby, described the killing as 'absolutely shocking' and said she saw the arrest. 'They handcuffed him and put him into the van. He looked quite calm,' the mother-of-three said. Police reassured residents, telling them: 'It's not gang-related.' A neighbour said: 'My wife and I saw armed police break down the door and enter the house. Paramedics and forensic investigators in conversation outside the address where Ms Kerr was killed 'We originally thought someone had been shot. One police officer left holding a small stepladder.' It comes as Britain's top police officer insisted yesterday that Britain was not as violent as America, and a period of apparent 'lawlessness' in London was stabilising. Scotland Yard Commissioner Cressida Dick claimed violence in the capital was waning, despite 88 killings so far this year, compared with 118 in 2017. She insisted there was far more bloodshed in major US cities, even though in February and March London overtook New York's murder rate for the first time. Yesterday, she said the murder rate had slowed in London adding that there have been 161 killings in New York this year, almost double that in the capital. A Colorado couple rejoiced Wednesday afternoon after the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services decided to review a previously denied application of their adopted Peruvian girl, who was bound for deportation at the end of the month. The adoptive parents of the four-year-old, who started her first day of school Monday, thought they had exhausted all possible venues to keep their daughter from being kicked out of the US with her tourist visa set to expire August 31. But with the assistance of Congressman Mike Coffman, [R-Aurora], Amy and Marcos Becerra got the last-minute reprieve they had been looking for, since 2017, three years after they adopted Angela Becerra. The Becerras are all smiles after Congressman Mike Coffman met with immigration officials to ensure Angela Becerra, 4, remains in the country while her legal situation is resolved 'As promised, Angela is not going anywhere!,' Coffman wrote on his Twitter account after meeting the family. 'Thrilled that today's meeting with USCIS yielded a great result for the Becerra family. Thank you for welcoming into your home.' Little Angela had been abandoned at a Peruvian orphanage at 11 days old by her biological mother, a sex trafficking victim. The Becerras, who had been living in Peru, immediately fell in love with Angela when they met her and decided to make her a permanent part of their family, they told Fox31 Denver. They began legal adoption proceedings. And by April 2017, a Peruvian court had legally recognized the adoption, paving the way for the family to return to the US. The family kept running into several roadblocks concerning The Hague Adoption Convention, an international treaty recognized by the US government that is set 'to ensure that each adoption is in the best interest of the child and to prevent the abduction, sale, and trafficking of children.' While Peru is a member country of the treaty, the adoption process had some holes in it. Coffman was able to get the USCIS to reconsider their position and allow the family a chance to keep Angela in the US. 'Now because they have re-opened the case, the family can proceed with the forms. Once that is processed, the child will get U.S. citizenship,' Coffman said. Amy and Marco Becerra will be working on obtaining a green card for their daughter Angela (middle) Angela has only been allowed to remain in the US while the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reviews her case. Her tourist visa expire August 31 but she is not required to leave The young girl that the Becerras fell in love with when they met her won't have to worry about leaving the country. '[Angela's natural mother] was treated like a dog,' Mrs Becerra told KDVR in Denver. 'She was chained to the table and sex-trafficked. That's the reality. No running water. No electricity. Very little food.' Angela's citizenship documents were continuously delayed and denied because of the stringent measures imposed by the Trump administration. An old shot of the Becerras with a young Angela. She was just 11-days-old when her biological mother, a sex trafficking victim, gave her up for adoption. Coffman reviewed the case upon meeting the family and was surprised with many of the mistakes surrounding the immigration guidelines. 'We believe there were errors in that process, I believe we have a broken immigration system, and this is a symptom of that broken immigration system, Representative Coffman told FOX31 Denver. Mrs Becerra recalled the family had to stay in Peru for 13 months during the initial application, and it wasn't until March that officials finally granted Angela Becerra a tourist visa. 'We're both citizens. My husband and I have a full legal binding adoption completed and we have a birth certificate that lists no other parent,' Amy Becerra said. A five-year-old boy has arrived to his first day of kindergarten in style thanks to his late firefighter father. Cooper Brooks rode to school on a fire truck last week alongside his father's colleagues at the Sullivan Country Volunteer Fire Department in Tennessee. His father, Christopher Brooks, 21, was tragically killed in May after getting into a motorcycle accident. He passed before he was able to carry on a family tradition with his three young children that was special to him as a child - his father would bring him to the first day of school on a fire truck. Cooper Brooks, five, was taken to his first day of kindergarten on a fire truck last week His father Christopher Brooks, 21, was a firefighter and was killed in a motorcycle accident in May (father and son pictured together) With the help of Christopher's colleagues, five-year-old Cooper, the eldest of three, showed up his school on a fire truck, just as his father had done when he was young. 'He never forgot it, and his friends thought it was so cool that he and his twin brother got to ride the fire truck to school,' Christopher's widow Jessica told Good Morning America. 'He hoped we could make that happen for Cooper,' she said. Firefighters Ty Wallace and assistant fire chief Josh Kemp made sure to get Cooper to school the way Christopher would have wanted him to. 'Doing that in his honor was pretty incredible to me,' Kemp said. 'All of us at the fire station are like his uncles. He has a very extended family now. We'll be with him for as long as he wants us to be.' Cooper, noticeably excited, posed for photos on the yellow firetruck with a t-shirt that read: 'Class of 2031 kindergarten, here I come!' It was a family tradition that Christopher's father had done with him as a child and one he wanted to pass down to his three children Christopher left behind two daughters, a son and his wife Jessica 'It melted my heart just to see my husband's wishes being fulfilled, and just remembering him how much it meant to him,' Jessica said. 'Cooper is able to extend that memory. It's bittersweet,' she added. Kemp said that Christopher, 'would've been extremely proud of that moment.' Christopher was killed May 7 when he veered off the roadway and hit a fence, according to the Sheriff's Office. The firehouse Christopher volunteered for was dispatched to the call to learn one of their own had fallen. 'He was a Tennessee fan through and through I mean he was just a great person had a great personality,' Fire Chief Bruce Wilson told WJHL. 'When you think of Brooks you think of a good ole' boy from Blountville you know I mean somebody who it didn't really matter what time of day it is you can call you know and he'll be there to help you out,' fellow firefighter Christopher Trivette said. Christopher's youngest child, was just nine weeks when he passed. Lawyers for Donald Trump are prepared to resist any attempt by Special Counsel Robert Mueller to subpoena the president in his Russia probe, and they'll carry their argument all the way up America's highest legal mountain. That's what Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani said Wednesday, cautioning that while he and his team will entertain a Mueller request for a sit-down with the president, they won't react well to an outright demand. 'We would move to quash the subpoena,' Giuliani told The Washington Post, 'and were pretty much finished with our memorandum opposing a subpoena.' He said the president's attorneys are prepared to 'argue it before the Supreme Court, if it ever got there.' Jay Sekulow, another of Trump's personal attorneys, said this month on ABC's 'This Week' program that a Supreme Court showdown was a distinct possibility. Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani has addressed the possibility that Special Counsel Robert Mueller could subpoena the president Giuliani says if Mueller issues a subpoena to get the president's testimony in the Russia probe, Team Trump will fight it all the way to the Supreme Court It could take months for the president to get from refusing a subpoena to having his lawyers argue his position before America's highest court Russia has denied allegations by U.S. intelligence agencies that it meddled in the 2016 U.S. election, and Trump denies any knowledge of a nexus between his campaign and the Kremlin. He has consistently described the Mueller probe as a political 'witch hunt,' and on Wednesday made his point by terminating the security clearance of the former CIA chief who pushed it most aggressively. Mueller has the option to issue a subpoena compelling the president to testify if Trump formally declines to be interviewed. But under Article II of the U.S. Constitution, the president has power over the Justice Department and can legally stop any of its investigations. A Supreme Court fight over a special counsel's authority to subpoena a sitting president would be unprecedented. President Bill Clinton was on the receiving end of a subpoena in July 1998 from Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr, demanding grand jury testimony about his affair with a White House intern. Clinton ultimately agreed to testify, leading Starr to withdraw the subpoena. Giuliani says Mueller should finish the Russia investigation 'without further delay' That unfolded over a period of just 12 days. A much longer and far more distracting tussle would await Trump if Mueller subpoenas him and he chooses to resist. 'Even if we responded in 10 days to a subpoena, it would have to be decided by a district court judge, and you could appeal it in a circuit court, and then you argue it before the Supreme Court, if it ever got there,' Giuliani told the Post. Team Trump's public posture is built on assertions that Mueller should wrap up his work in the coming weeks and publish a report on its findings. Giuliani has reportedly told the special counsel's office that any testimony from the president must be heard before September 1, in order to avoid an unnecessarily acute impact on the midterm congressional elections. 'We certainly wont do [an interview] after Sept. 1, because were not going to be the ones to interfere with the election,' Giuliani told The Wall Street Journal. 'Let him [Mueller] get all the bad publicity and the attacks for that.' He said Monday on Fox News: 'I think we have them on the run.' Giuliani acknowledged to the Post that there's some gamesmanship in the ping-pong game of demands and demurrals that has seen the president's lawyers force Mueller to pare down the scope of his proposed lines of inquiry. And that, he said, works to Trump's advantage. 'There is always the chance that if they get fed up with our conditions, they just file their report as-is,' Giuliani said. 'Were preparing a report to respond to that, should that be filed.' Scharron Dingledine is charged with the murder of her daughter Amiyah Bradley A Missouri woman who is charged with killing her five-year-old daughter and critically injuring her one-year-old son by intentionally driving into the Kansas River told authorities she wanted to die and didn't want anyone else to have her children, according to court records. Scharron Renea Dingledine is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Amiyah Bradley, and attempted first-degree murder for injuries suffered by her son, Elijah Lake. Dingledine told police she had been voluntarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital for several hours on August 2, one day before she plunged into the river in downtown Lawrence, about 160 miles west of her hometown of Columbia, Missouri, the Lawrence Journal-World reports. Dingledine went to the psychiatric hospital after a fight with her boyfriend, Clint Bradley, but after her release he agreed to take her to a shelter. Daughter Amiyah Bradley, five, was unable to swim. Her mother told police that she would likely drown upon driving into the Kansas River Instead, when he stopped at a store, she drove off in his car, with the children inside, she told detectives. She says she later stole another vehicle near Columbia and drove to the Kansas City area, where she spent the night in the vehicle. She then drove to Lawrence on August 3 and was 'feeling depressed and worried about the consequences of her actions' on the previous day, according to the affidavit. The document said that at one point, she drove to the river, parked and let the children walk down and put their feet in the water. A team of police officers attempted to rescue the mother and two kids. The five-year-old girl drowned while her one-year-old brother remains in critical condition Dingledine's boyfriend Clint Bradley took her to the psychiatric hospital after a fight. After her release, the Clint Bradley agreed to take her to a shelter. She said she then began thinking that the river was a good way to kill herself and decided to kill the children too 'because she didn't want anyone else to have them.' She told detectives that she considered jumping into the river but ultimately accelerated into the river while the children were unrestrained in the front seat. Dingledine said she debated on whether to drive the car into the river, or walk up to the bridge and jump into the river with her children,' the affidavit says. Dingledine said she decided to drive the vehicle into the river knowing neither child could swim and would likely die. Scharron said both children were seated in the front seat with her unrestrained, when she accelerated into the river. She said she knew neither child could swim and 'would likely die,' according to the affidavit. Dingledine described her decision-making process before she decided to drive herself and her two kids, including daughter Amiyah Bradley, into the Kansas River in an effort to kill them both Lawrence police said they received multiple 911 calls from people who spotted a car in the river. Officers were able to rescue Dingledine and Elijah. Amiyah's body was found the next day. A judge has granted a defense request for a mental competency evaluation. The affidavit also describes what the first officers on scene saw and did. One officer said she saw floating debris, some movement in the water and a head or heads break the surface and then disappear multiple times about 30 yards from the bank. Officer Gwynn Fogarty then swam out to where she saw one person and grabbed hold of an adult female later identified as Dingledine who simply said 'let me die!' as she was being dragged to shore. As she was brought to the bank, the officers were told about the children that were with her in the car. Officer Dustin Lister climbed out of the water with a small child in his arms, Elijah, who was rushed to a hospital in critical condition. The toddler has been on life support since he was rescued on August 3. Dingledine was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital where police interviewed her further and discussed her state of mind. She is being held in the Douglas County Jail without bond and will next appear in court on August 28. Former CIA director John Brennan has revealed that he believes that President Donald Trumps campaign colluded with the Russians and that the US President revoked his security clearance in order to silence those who may oppose him. In a New York Times op-ed, Brennan claimed that Trumps determined statements that there was no collusion were hogwash and that the only question now was whether or not the collusion that took place constituted criminally liable conspiracy. This comes after Trump revoked Brennans security clearance and defended this decision stating that he believes that the former CIA director was responsible for special counsel Robert Muellers investigation. John Brennan revealed he believes that President Trumps campaign colluded with Russians Brennan wrote: Trump clearly has become more desperate to protect himself and those close to him, which is why he made the politically motivated decision to revoke my security clearance in an attempt to scare into silence others who might dare to challenge him. Who is John Brennan? John Owen Brennan was born on September 22, 1955 in North Bergen, New Jersey and attended Fordham University to study political science before receiving a Master of Arts from the University of Texas in Austin in government with a concentration in Middle East Studies. Brennan speaks Arabic fluently and after completing his studies, he spotted an ad in The New York Times that said that the CIA were recruiting and decided to apply because he wanted to travel and serve the public. According to the NYT, he admitted in a lie detector test that he had voted for the US Communist Party but later, described this as a way of protesting against the system and said that it showed that freedom of speech does not disqualify a person from a government career. CIA Director John Brennan testifying before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing John Brennan CIA Brennan served with the Directorate of Intelligence (DI) before working for the State Department as a Political Officer at the US Embassy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and went on to direct terrorism analysis at the Director of Central Intelligences Counterterrorism Center in the 1990s. According to Britannica, he then acted as the CIAs daily intelligence briefer under former President Bill Clinton before serving as the agencys chief of station in Saudi Arabia, as Chief of Staff to CIA Director George Tenet and the CIAs Deputy Executive Director. Before retiring from the CIA in 2005, he led efforts for the formation of an organisation that would become the National Counterterrorism Centre and was an interim director. Brennan then took on a role as President and CEO of the Analysis Corporation and Chairman of the Board at the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, but this was short-lived. Following this, while former President Barack Obama found that he shared similar philosophies when it came to the CIA, Brennans involvement in enhanced interrogation techniques working under President George W. Bush, he was not appointed as head of the agency. President Barack Obama and former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, listen to John Brennan Instead, Brennan was made Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and Cyberattacks for around four years and in this role, helped to share US policy in response to a number of different events. He also oversaw the CIAs use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, that were used to target terrorists in Pakistan and Yemen. However, this and his involvement in methods such as waterboarding during the Bush era were called into question with Obama nominated him to lead the CIA in 2013. Brennan said that he was against waterboarding and despite this, his appointment was approved by the Senate 63-34. As reported by Reuters, during his tenure, Brennan created ten new mission centres so that the CIA could focus on cyberthreats. In 2017, he also briefed Trump, along with James Comey, Mike Rogers and James Clapper, on the findings in regards to Russian election interference and the allegations contained in the Steele dossier, as reported by CBS News. Before he left office, Brennan was open about how he felt about the current US President and said: I don't think he has a full appreciation of Russian capabilities, Russia's intentions and actions that they are undertaking in many parts of the world". Brennan stated that it was "outrageous" that Trump was "equating the intelligence community with Nazi Germany. John Brennan is married to Kathy Pokluda Brennan, also of North Bergen and is the father of a son and twin daughters. John Brennan on Trump John Brennan hit back at Trump after he ordered that his security clearance should be revoked and wrote that the Presidents campaign had colluded with Moscow to win in the 2016 election. Trump said that this decision was made because of Brennans erratic conduct and outrageous allegations, according to the BBC. Trump cited that the Department of Justices inquiry into Russias efforts to interfere in the 2016 US election was the reason why Brennans clearance was revoked. However, in the NYT piece that Brennan wrote, he said that his clearance was a politically motivated attempt to scare into silence other critics of the President. He continued: Mr Trumps claims of no collusion are, in a word, hogwash. 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. A group of young thugs are being hunted by police after they spat on an autistic schoolgirl in a park. The sickening assault on the secondary school pupil took place as she walked through Hayling Park, on Hayling Island, Hampshire. The same group of yobs are believed to have previously chased the girl and threatened to burn her with cigarette, officers said. Hampshire Police today released an image of a man they are seeking to speak to after the sickening attack on the secondary school pupil. Hampshire Police today released an image of a man they are seeking to speak to after the sickening attack on the secondary school pupil The assault took place as school pupil walked through Hayling Park, on Hayling Island, Hampshire (picture) Officers on Hayling Island, Hampshire have called the incidents a 'disability hate crime.' The shocking spitting incident happened on the evening of August 5 this year in Hayling Park, on the south of the island, and the victim was left distressed afterwards. PC Stuart Grover said: 'This was an assault on a vulnerable person which left the victim feeling very distressed. 'We believe this same group also targeted this victim in the park on 21 July, when the girl was chased by someone holding a lit cigarette, threatening to burn her face. 'We are treating these incidents as disability hate crimes and would like to identify the people involved.' The two lucky punters who won $50million each in Australia's largest Powerball jackpot - and may not even know it yet - made two simple errors on their entries that mean officials cannot contact them. One ticket purchased in Sydney had all eight winning numbers in the Division 1 draw 33, 3, 32, 13, 27, 35, 31, and the Powerball 3, however, they failed to register their ticket. The other winner from Victoria purchased their ticket online but failed to provide their full contact details, so they cannot be reached. The two lucky punters who won $50million each in Australia's largest Powerball jackpot made two simple errors on their entries that mean officials cannot contact them (file picture) Both winners need to come forward in order to claim their prize as officials have no way of contacting them. Even as thousands of people rushed to check whether they had won the life-changing sum on Thursday evening, the lottery website crashed. The Lott spokesperson Matt Hart encouraged everyone who purchased an entry to check their tickets as they could be Australia's newest multi-millionaire. 'Players can check their entry at any outlet, online at thelott.com or on the Lott app,' he explained. 'If you check your ticket and discover you are holding the winning ticket, we recommend you keep it safe and contact 131 868 to start the process of claiming your prize!' Two lucky punters have won $50 million each in Australia's largest Powerball jackpot.of Thursday's record Powerball draw. Pictured, queues for tickets Another 15 lucky people have won $122,000 each. Thursday's draw is the biggest jackpot offered in Powerball history as the prize rolled over for an eighth consecutive week. Early on Thursday, The Lott spokesman Matt Hart told Daily Mail Australia that lottery outlets were expected to be busy. 'We're expecting it to be really busy at lottery outlets and online right up until the draw at 7.30pm on Thursday night,' he said. One in three Australian adults were expected to buy a ticket in Thursday night's whopping $100 million draw. The only other time a $100 million division one prize was up for grabs in Australia was for an Oz Lotto draw in 2012. Earlier in the year, one lucky punter won $55million through Powerball, but left it to the very last week to claim his prize. So, have you checked your ticket to see if you've won? Thursday's draw is the biggest jackpot offered in Powerball history as the prize rolled over for an eighth consecutive week Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad was all smiles as she toured the tunnels once used by rebel fighters on the outskirts of the nation's capital Damascus. 'President Assad and First Lady Asma al-Assad visit one of the tunnels of death dug by the terrorists in the neighborhood of Jobar,' the British-born wife of Syrian President Bashar Assad wrote over her personal Instagram account on Thursday. Just last week, Asma started treatment for breast cancer, releasing a short statement saying a 'malignant tumor' was discovered in its early stages and vowing to tap into the 'determination and strength' of the Syrian people. Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad (centre, left) was all smiles as she toured the tunnels once used by rebel fighters on the outskirts of the nation's capital of Damascus 'President Assad and First Lady Asma al-Assad visit one of the tunnels of death dug by the terrorists in the neighborhood of Jobar,' Asma al-Assad wrote over her Instagram account However, on Thursday she seemed to be in better spirits as the couple walked through the tunnels. 'Around 18 Syrian artists have turned it into a place of art and creativity. After executing dozens of sculptures on its walls,' Asma wrote in Arabic over her Facebook page. Last week, President Bashar Assad posted an official photo to Facebook showing the couple smiling as his wife sat in hospital with an IV in her left arm. 'I belong to the (Syrian) people who taught the world steadfastness, strength and how to face difficulties,' read the caption in Arabic. 'My determination comes from your determination and strength in the past years.' This photo posted on the official Facebook page of the Syrian Presidency, shows Syrian President Bashar Assad sitting next to his wife Asma Assad with an IV in her left arm A further photo of Asma Assad was shared on her Instagram account later today, purportedly showing her after the treatment in a different outfit. She is pictured carrying files and holding a glass of tea with her wrist bandaged The couple are pictured here at a summit in Paris in 2008. Their marriage was announced in 2000 It was not specified where the first lady was being treated, but the word 'military' was printed on a blanket visible in the picture. State news agency SANA said later the first lady is undergoing treatment at a military hospital in the Syrian capital of Damascus. It gave no further details. Such public health announcements are uncommon in the Arab world, where cancer is considered a taboo. Asma Assad's parents, a cardiologist and a diplomat, are from the central province of Homs but she was born and raised in London before moving back to Syria after meeting the president. The two have been married for 18 years and have three children, Hafez, Zein and Karim. The couple's marriage was announced by state media six months after he assumed the presidency in July 2000 following the death of his father Hafez. The former investment banker styled herself as a progressive rights advocate and was seen as the modern side of the Assad dynasty. Mrs Assad uses her Instagram account to regularly post propaganda images such as this one of her husband with government forces Since Syria's civil war broke out in 2011, Mrs Assad has mostly been seen in public receiving families of fallen soldiers Since Syria's civil war broke out in 2011, Mrs Assad has mostly been seen in public receiving families of fallen soldiers, or hosting people wounded in the conflict, now in its eighth year, which has killed more than 400,000 people. Before the crisis began in March 2011, she was the subject of flattering profiles in Vogue and other fashion magazines. As Syria's conflict worsened, the first lady became a target of contempt for many opposition supporters who saw her as whitewashing atrocities carried out by the government. The Syrian Civil War The war is an ongoing multi-sided armed conflict in Syria between the Syrian Arab Republic led by President Bashar al-Assad and various forces opposing both the government and each other in varying combinations. It started when Assad harshly clamped down on 2011 Arab Spring protests. Estimates put to the total death toll so far at around 500,000 people. Assad, supported by Russian and Iran and opposed by a US-led coalition, has been accused by the west of bombing hospitals and using illegal Sarin gas on his own people, which he denies. Assad said in an interview in June with Russia's state-controlled NTV television channel that his government got rid of all its chemical weapons in 2013 and that allegations of their use were a pretext for invasion by other countries. A U.N. investigative body determined the government used the nerve agent sarin in an aerial attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in April 2017 that killed about 100 people and affected about 200 others. The U.S. and its allies also blamed government forces for a sarin gas attack on the suburbs of Damascus in 2013 that killed around 1,000 people. Advertisement When her husband faced calls to be tried as a war criminal, Mrs Assad was widely criticised for saying accusations against him were 'propaganda' against the regime. She even used her Instagram account, where she regularly posts propaganda images of her husband with government forces, to accuse the west of lying over his use of Sarin gas on his own people. On her Instagram account, she wrote in Arabic: 'The presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic affirms that what America has done is an irresponsible act that only reflects a short-sightedness, a narrow horizon, a political and military blindness to reality, and a naive pursuit of a frenzied false propaganda campaign that fueled the regime's arrogance.' Mrs Assad's parents, both Sunni Muslims, moved from Syria to London in the Fifties so that her father, who is now based at the Cromwell Hospital and in Harley Street, could get the best possible education and medical training. Though a Muslim, she was educated at a Church of England school in Ealing before attending a private girls' day school Queen's College, Harley Street. After studying computer science and French literature at King's College London, Mrs Assad worked as a banker at JP Morgan in the Nineties when she met her future husband. At the time, Assad was training at a hospital in London to become an eye surgeon. Those who knew her said that, given that she spent the first 25 years of her life in London, Mrs Assad had liberal western values. In 2012, she was banned from travelling to Europe and last year MPs called for her British citizenship to be revoked. Nadhim Zahawi, a Conservative MP on the Commons foreign affairs committee, said: 'The time has come where we go after [President] Assad in every which way, including people like Mrs Assad, who is very much part of the propaganda machine that is committing war crimes.' Peter Dutton could oust Malcolm Turnbull as Australia's prime minister within weeks, if fellow conservative MPs have their way. The Home Affairs minister is reportedly being urged to challenge Mr Turnbull's leadership as an internal campaign against the prime minister's National Energy Guarantee policy gains momentum. Up to 10 MPs are threatening to cross the floor and several frontbenchers are considering resigning after Mr Turnbull got his signature energy plan through the Coalition party room on Tuesday. Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton (pictured) is being urged to challenge Malcolm Turnbull's leadership Conservative MPs have told The Daily Telegraph that a 'torn' Mr Dutton was weighing up his options to challenge the leadership on a policy platform of lower immigration and cheaper energy bills. 'There are only two good outcomes here either the energy policy is dead and we can go to the election fighting Labor on it, or Malcolm goes,' one told the publication. Mr Dutton gave a lukewarm assessment of the government's National Energy Guarantee policy when he was interviewed on Sydney radio station 2GB by talkback host Ray Hadley on Thursday. Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) is under increasing pressure from within own party over his National Energy Guarantee policy But he refused persistent invitations to publicly criticise the prime minister. 'I'm not going to be part of the cabinet and then bag the Prime Minister out,' Mr Dutton said. 'I have the utmost respect for my colleagues and if I have something to say, I will say something in private and that is my responsibility as a cabinet minister. If my position changes that is, it gets to a point where I can't accept what the government is proposing, or I don't agree then the Westminster system is very clear: you resign your commission, you don't serve in that cabinet and you make that very clear in a respectful way.' Peter Dutton (right) offered a lukewarm assessment of Malcolm Turnbull's (left) energy policy during a radio interview on Thursday Queensland LNP MP George Christensen and West Australian MP Andrew Hastie have confirmed they will cross the floor if the 26 per cent Paris emissions reduction target is not dumped from the National Energy Guarantee policy. 'If I am being asked to vote for an emissions reduction target based on the Paris agreement, I would have to vote against it,' Mr Christensen told The Australian. 'I will be voting against it.' Andy Cohen celebrated in style on Thursday after arriving in St Tropez a day late thanks to a Delta Airlines debacle which saw his flight turn back to New York half way through its journey because someone broke a toilet onboard. The Bravo host and his friends descended on the trendy Club 55 for a rose-fuelled lunch after their arduous journey. Cohen, who had been documenting the entire ordeal on Instagram, kept fans updated once they arrived. He shared a video from what appeared to be the group's yacht, captioning it: 'Made it!' The TV star is vacationing with longterm friend Bruce Bozzi. They had been due to arrive in France on Wednesday morning after taking off from JFK at 9.15pm on Tuesday night. Scroll down for video Andy Cohen celebrated with a glass of rose in St Tropez on Thursday after finally making it to France a day after his Delta flight had to turn back halfway through because someone broke a toilet Three-and-a-half hours into the flight, someone broke the toilet on board and instead of carrying on, the pilot turned back. The plane 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'. Andy and his friend Bruce Bozzi shared videos from their boat as they approached the exclusive restaurant Club 55 Bruce Bozzi, Cohen's long-term friend, was also excited by their arrival. He shared his own photographs on Instagram 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 This is the flight map from the second flight which departed New York on Wednesday night In an Instagram video, Cohen complained: '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. 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 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, Delta 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.' A Minnesota woman thought she was 'going to die' when she went into labor on a bus on her way home from work Tuesday. Michelle Agyei, 29, safely delivered her son at eight months pregnant thanks to the help of quick-thinking passengers on the Route 87, who had no experience with birthing babies. 'I was scared,' she told Star Tribune. 'I thought I was going to die. I didnt want to die. We were all scared. We didnt know what to do.' Minnesota mother, Michelle Agyei, thought she was 'going to die' when she realized she was in labor with her son Andrew (pictured) while riding public transportation Agyei (pictured right) is already mother to a three-year-old son (pictured left) The woman, who already has a three-year-old son, was due to welcome her child September 8 and had gone to hospital the day before when she felt contractions. But when she was sent home, Agyei went to work at a manufacturing plant as normal the following morning, with no idea her baby was on the way. While she would have ordinarily traveled in a taxi, Agyei took public transportation just after 4.15pm as her phone battery had died and she couldn't remember numbers of any contacts. She admits that although 'something was telling her to get off the bus and go back' she ignored her gut feeling and remained on the Rosedale to Highland park route to ride around the University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus. Despite trying to hide her pain in front of the six passengers, they noticed Agyei was distressed and alerted the driver to call 911. Emergency services couldn't come fast enough however, as a man at the rear of the vehicle came forward to take matters into his own hands. After two minutes of contractions, the baby arrived in approximately 30 seconds, according to a passenger. Agyei relied on the help of passengers who caught the baby and tied umbilical cord on the Route 87 bus (file image) as she gave birth on her way home from work Tuesday afternoon After laying her across the floor, passenger Jane Mulcahy told the Star Tribune: 'He just had to catch this baby. It was very impressive of him to do this. He was amazing.' Meanwhile, Mulcahy used her shoelace to tie the umbilical cord and although she snapped into action without overthinking it, she admits she was panicking inside. 'I didnt know it could happen so fast. I was freaking out. It was surreal,' she added about the event that made passengers anxious right up until the moment they heard the baby cry. Paramedics took mother and baby to the nearby St Paul hospital and Agyei can't thank the strangers that helped out enough. 'Without them, I didn't know what to do,' she added. Little baby Andrew arrived weighing 6 pounds 9 ounces and is resting up at Saint Johns Hospital in Maplewood with his delighted mother. The company that operates the bus also expressed how grateful they were in a statement. 'On behalf of Schmitty & Sons, we want to extend congratulations to the mother and family,' the company said in a statement to WCCO-TV. 'We would also like to thank the passengers that were on-board the bus for helping as well as the driver, dispatch team and the first responders. We are thankful for the positive outcome and wish the best to mom and baby.' Items belonging to the wife of killer peer Lord Lucan will go under the hammer to raise money for charity after she wrote her children out of her will. Lady Lucan, who was the last person to have seen her husband alive before he vanished in 1974 after he killed their children's nanny, Sandra Rivett. Lady Lucan, said following her death she wanted her entire estate to be donated to housing charity Shelter instead of being passed to her children Camilla, Frances and George. A portrait of suspected murderer Lord Lucan is being auctioned for charity after his wife wrote the couple's three children out of her will insisting the value of her estate should go to charity. The portrait, by society artist Dominick Elwes, is expected to raise between 2,000-3,000 John Richard Bingham, later the 7th Earl of Lucan, left, married Veronica Duncan in 1963 Lady Lucan, pictured here on the day of the inquest of her children's nanny in 1975 decided that her son and two daughters should not benefit from her estate following her death Among the items being sold off by Bonhams on October 3, is a portrait to Lord Lucan by society artist Dominick Elwes - who took his own life in 1975 - which is expected to raise between 2,000-3,000. The portrait hung in Lady Lucan's drawing room for the past 40 years. Also going under the hammer is a George III silver tray by Hannam & Crouch of London. The tray, which was made in 1805 features the coat of arms of the Bingham family and is engraved with their motto, Speas Mea Christus (Christ is my Hope). The tray is expected raise a further 1,500 to 2,000. Lord Lucan won this Victorian silver trophy in a backgammon game. It is engraved Clermont Club Open Backgammon Tournament October 1969, and is expected to sell for 200-300 These items of jewellery that were owned by the family are also up for auction. Proceeds from the sale will be donated to Shelter A pair of Empire patinated and gilt bronze candlesticks should bring a further 1,500 to 2,000. The final item is a Frederick Edmonds silver cigar box engraved with the letter 'B' for Bingham. It has a guide price of between 700 and 1,000. When Lord Lucan vanished in 1974, it prompted an international manhunt. During Ms Rivett's inquest, Lucan was named as the chief suspect. It was the first time a member of the House of Lords had been named in court as a murderer since 1760. Lady Lucan, pictured, was found dead at her home in London last year aged 80 This silver tray by Hannam & Crouch of London from 1805 is expected to raise 2,500. The tray features the coat of arms of the Bingham family and is engraved with their motto, Speas Mea Christus (Christ is my Hope) This Victorian silver cigar box by Frederick Edmonds, engraved with the letter 'B' for Bingham, the family name of the Earls of Lucan is expected to sell for up to 1,000 This chair which was owned by Lady Lucan came from Westminster Abbey for the 1937 coronation of King George VI. It is expected to raise between 200 and 300 Lady Lucans husband, John Bingham, the 7th Earl of Lucan, disappeared in November 1974. Lord Lucan vanished following the discovery of the body of nanny Sandra Rivett at the familys home at 46 Lower Belgrave Street, central London, on November 7 1974. Although officially declared dead by the High Court in 1999, he was reportedly sighted in Australia, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand, and claims even surfaced that he had fled to India and lived as a hippy called Jungly Barry. On the night of his disappearance, Lady Lucan was also beaten severely before she managed to escape and raise the alarm at a nearby pub, the Plumbers Arms. Lord Lucans car was later found abandoned and soaked in blood in Newhaven, East Sussex, and a year later an inquest jury declared the wealthy peer was the killer. In 2017 Lady Lucan gave a television interview in which she said she believed Lord Lucan had made the brave decision to take his own life. An imam at the mosque where Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi and his family prayed was delivered a sermon calling for jihad. Mustafa Graf encouraged followers to 'take action' at the Didsbury Mosque in Manchester on December 16, 2016. That was just six months before Salman Abedi detonated a suicide bomb killing 22 at an Ariana Grande concert in the city. Imam Mustafa Graf (pictured) encouraged followers to 'take action' at the Didsbury Mosque in Manchester on December 16, 2016 It is unclear whether Abedi or any of his family attended the mosque on the day of the sermon, but he bought a ticket for the Ariana Grande concert 10 days later. Delivering the sermon about the suffering in Syria, the Imam called jihad - which often means waging holy war - a 'source of pride and dignity', according to the BBC. The sermon delivered at the time of a bombing of Aleppo, includes prayers for 'Mujahideen' a term used for a group fighting armed jihad abroad. 'We ask Allah to grant them Mujahideen - our brothers and sisters right now in Aleppo and Syria and Iraq - to grant them victory', he says. 'Jihad for the sake of Allah is the source of pride and dignity for this nation'. Salman Abedi killed 22 at Manchester Arena when he detonated a suicide bomb in the foyer as happy families left an Ariana Grande concert Islamic scholars believe the sermon, if heard by Abedi, may have inspired him to commit the act of terror In another passage he says 'now it is time to act and do something'. 'Brothers and sisters, it is time to act, not only to talk... Lots of borthers stay behind unfortunately, they love Islam and Muslims but they do nothing about the support of their brothers and sisters,' he said. Graf criticised Europe, America and the 'so-called civilised world' for watching on as the war ravaged Syria. 'They know that Iran, Russia and the militias are killing humans in Syria and they do nothing. Well in fact they helped Iranian, Russian and others to kill Muslims over there,' he said. Abedi and his family regularly attended the mosque and his father sometimes led the call to prayer. In the days after the attack Graf came out an assured the public the mosque did not back the views of Abedi. Usama Hasan, Head of Islamic Studies at Quilliam, said he wouldn't be surprised if Salman Abedi's horrific suicide bombing was partly inspired by the sermon 'He is psychologically and practically brainwashing young people into either travelling or to do something to take action,' Islamic scholar Shaykh Rehan said He posted on Facebook: 'As a community we have lost many hundreds of people who bravely fought and defeated Isis in Sirte, Libya, only a few months ago, and so we are affected by grief again.' However, two Muslim scholars said they both believe the language of the sermon represents a call for armed jihad. 'He's giving them the narrative of them against us', Islamic scholar Shaykh Rehan told BBC News. 'The jihad he's referring to here is actually being on the battlefield, there's no if's and no buts in this'. 'He is psychologically and practically brainwashing young people into either travelling or to do something to take action.' Footage was obtained of Graff in Libya on the front line of the 2011 revolution talking about waiting for orders to attack in a battlefield interview He also attended a demonstration in Manchester against a secular Libyan General who was fighting against Islamist militia in 2015 Months later the same group held another protest in London, in which Abedi (right) was filmed holding up a banner Usama Hasan, Head of Islamic Studies at Quilliam, agreed and told BBC News that 'from the context and the way these texts [the religious passages quoted within the sermon] are used they are clearly referring to military jihad, to armed jihad'. 'I have known the Islamic discourse for pretty much 40 years, from being a child in this country and worldwide, and the Mujahideen are the group fighting armed jihad'. Mr Hasan became emotional after hearing the sermon recording, appearing to despair that it was being preached in Britain. 'Oh dear, dear oh dear,' he said. 'He's reiterated the call not only to stop living a normal life but to do something drastic, to be with the small group of "true Muslims".' 'Sadly I wouldn't be surprised if Salman Abedi's horrific suicide bombing was partly inspired by this sermon.' 'If he was in this congregation, I fear that this sermon may well have contributed to his resolve to "punish" civilians in Britain for somehow being complicit in the murder of Muslims in Syria.' As part of their investigation the BBC uncovered links between Abedi and Graf. Graf refused to be interviewed by the BBC, but denied he ever called for armed jihad or preached Islamic extremism Mustafa Graf assured the community after the Manchester bombing they were in no way linked to terror incidents and did not recognise the actions of Salman Abedi Footage was obtained of Graff in Libya on the front line of the 2011 revolution talking about waiting for orders to attack in a battlefield interview. He also attended a demonstration in Manchester against a secular Libyan General who was fighting against Islamist militia in 2015. The event was organised by the so-called 17th of February Forum which is led by Graf. Months later the same group held another protest in London, in which Abedi was filmed holding up a banner. Manchester bombing victim Martin Hibbert also listened to the sermon and said he was 'speechless' at Graf's words. His daughter Eve was severely brain damaged, unable to speak, eat, or move the left side of her body. 'I'd probably take him round to see Eve. I don't think I'd need to say anything.' At least five men who attended the mosque either went to fight in Syria or were jailed for supporting ISIS, according to the BBC. Manchester bombing victim Martin Hibbert (right) also listened to the sermon and said he was 'speechless' at Graf's words, and said he would like the Imam to meet his daughter Eve (left) who was badly brain damaged in the bombing Scenes of emotion after the Manchester Arena bombing took place in May 2017 killing 22 Mustafa Graf denies he ever called for armed jihad or preached Islamic extremism. In a statement, the trustees of Didsbury Mosque said Mustafa Graf's sermon was highlighting the plight of Syrians and his use of the words 'jihad' and 'mujahideen' had been misinterpreted. 'We do not tolerate or instigate any form of preaching that breaches both Islamic principles and the laws of England and Wales,' it said. It is believed at least five men who have attended Didsbury Mosque have either travelled to Syria or have been jailed for terrorism offences. The trustees of Didsbury Mosque say none of these men visited the mosque. Fox & Friends host Ainsley Earnhard made a historical blunder on Thursday morning by listing the defeat of 'communist Japan' during World War Two among a list of reasons why America is great. Earhardt was complaining about a recent claim by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo that the US was 'never that great' when she made the erroneous suggestion - which ignores the fact Japan was ruled by emperors when it lost the war. Co-host Steve Doocy stepped in with a deft attempt to mask Earhardt's mistake, saying: 'Communism and Japan and so many other things'. Ainsley Earhardt proudly remembers the time that the United States "defeated communist Japan," proving we are truly a Great country. pic.twitter.com/xFMHWtuQ8v Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) August 16, 2018 Ainsley Earhardt was complaining about a recent claim by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo that America was 'never that great' when she made the dubious suggestion - which ignores the fact Japan was ruled by emperors Cuomo's comments on American greatness were made during a bill signing in New York City on Wednesday. 'We're not going to Make America Great Again,' the Democrat said. 'It was never that great. We have not reached greatness. We will reach greatness when every American is fully engaged.' On Thursday morning, Earhardt hit back. Encouraging views to email the network with their views, she said: 'We want to know what you think. 'We defeated communist Japan, radical Islamists. We ask our men and our women to go overseas to fight for our country and sacrifice so much for this great country so that we can be the land of the free, the land of the brave.' Twitter users were quick to poke fun at Earhardt's historical gaffe. 'Thanks for reminding us about the American defeat of "communist Japan". I had forgotten,' wrote Brad Buttner. 'Just wondering when did the US defeat Communist Japan? Will this be sometime in the future or it something only @FoxNews knows about? Asking for a friend,' jibed 'Bruinfn4lf'. Twitter users were quick to poke fun at Earhardt's historical gaffe, with some joking they wanted to 'learn more' about it Others feigned interest in the topic of 'Communist Japan' and asked to hear more about it. 'Tell us more about Communist Japan. I've always loved that story,' wrote Groucho's Ghost. 'Can you take some time out and give us a lesson about Communist Japan and Germany. I'm intrigued by it since my history books must have lied to me,' @planoldtired said. Later on Thursday Earhardt made another reference to the past that could be considered ironic after recent events, tweeting that, 'The media tries to 'rewrite history' to credit Obama for the Trump economy.' In what could be a high-frequency signal to her husband, First Lady Melania Trump will attend a summit Monday on cyberbullying, among her signature causes just days after President Trump called Omarosa a 'dog' online. The summit, the sixth gathering of a federal cyberbullying prevention group, sill include reps from a group of social media platforms. It wasn't immediately clear which companies would participate. The event is to be held Monday in Rockville, Maryland, just outside the Capital Beltway. DOG DAYS: First lady Melania Trump will attend a summit on cyberbullying on Monday in Maryland The overture comes as part of the first lady's Be Best campaign. She outlined a series of efforts on behalf of children and included bullying. The first lady then was out of view for weeks following for a kidney issue in May. She has since been photographed repeatedly with her husband, who this week has been engaged in a brutal war of words with the former reality TV contestant Omarosa Manigault Newman. A White House official confirmed to DailyMail.com Thursday a report that the first lady urged the president to ignore Omarosa while she promotes her book attacking the president as a 'racist' and a misogynist. SHE HAS A POINT: The first lady's event comes after her husband attacked Omarosa Manigault Newman (l) as a 'dog.' She is attacking Trump in her new book, Unhinged The president chose Twitter to call Omarosa a 'crazed, crying lowlife' as well as 'that dog' The short speech is part of the first lady's 'Be Best' initiative RESOLUTE: President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the announcement of the First Lady's Be Best initiative 'Mrs. Trump will deliver brief remarks addressing the positive and negative effects of social media on youth - a key issue of her Be Best campaign,' according to a statement from her office. 'The First Lady will also attend a panel discussion with representatives from multiple social media platforms.' The statement did not list the companies by name. The event will only be covered by a press 'pool' which restricts media to a small group. Trump tweeted this week: '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!' The federal campaign is part of a government effort and website, stopbullying.gov. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is set to make a comeback in Dhoom 4, but it has been rumoured that Salman Khan may have lost a role in the movie franchise because he refused to be in any scenes with her husband Abhishek Bachchan. As reported by Bollywood Hungama, although Salman Khan had been in talks with Yash Raj Films for over a year to play a lead, Shahrukh Khan or Ranbir Kapoor could now join Amitabh Bachchans son in the film. A source said: The Dhoom 4 shoot will commence early next year and will go on for 130 days so Adi is keen to lock cast and crew by this year. Major parts of the film will be shot in Dubai. While a reference poster with Salman had even been made now it seems that its not working out with him. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is set to make a comeback in the blockbuster franchise Dhoom 4 This is a recent development in the last few weeks, especially post-Race 3. Apparently, one of the conditions that Salman had laid down with Aditya Chopra was that he would not be in a single scene with Abhishek Bachchan (given Salmans past history with Abhisheks wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Dhoom 4. The writing team was apparently racking its brain on how to come to terms with this creative change because Abhishek (who plays ACP Jai Dixit) forms a crucial part of the cast. With Ranbir or Shahrukh stepping in, the source also added that the inclusion of these actors will add to the value of the franchise. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan pictured here with her Devdas co-star and icon Shahrukh Khan Who is Aishwarya Rai? Born Aishwarya Rai on November 1, 1973 is an iconic Bollywood actress and garnered fame after winning the Miss World 1994 pageant and then went on to establish herself as one of the most influential figure in India. She has received two Filmfare Awards in her lifetime, was given the Padma Shri by the Indian government and later the Order des Arts des Lettres by the French Government in 2012. Her acting debut was in the Tamil film Iruvar, but her first Hindi film was Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya. Other notable appearances include Jeans, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas, Kandukondain Kandukondain, Chokher Bali, Raincoat, Provoked, Guzaarish, Mohabbatein, Dhoom 2, Jodhaa Akbar, Enthiran and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Aishwarya is also an avid philanthropist: she is a Goodwill Ambassador for the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS and in 2003, she was the first Indian actress to be a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival. Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai greet the crowds following a visit to Hyderabad Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan Aishwarya Rai was involved with Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam co-star Salman Khan, but as reported by Express India, she cited abuse (verbal, physical and emotional), infidelity and indignity and they decided to end their relationship. She then starred in Dhai Akshar Prem Ke and Kuch Naa Kaho before Dhoom 2 and this is when Abhishek fell in love with Aishwarya. Their engagement was announced in January 2007 and they married four months later. The couple have a daughter called Aaradhya, who born in November 2011. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's net worth Aishwarya Rais net worth has accumulated to approximately $50 million (39m), according to Celebrity Net Worth. She is among the highest-paid actresses in Bollywood and according to Finapp, her wealth has grown significantly in the last three years. In addition to an Audi and a Mini Cooper, Aishwarya owns multiple houses in Mumbai and Dubai. She has also been involved in a number of brand endorsements, ranging from the likes of Prestige to Phillips to LOreal Paris. Her movie comeback will surely increase her net worth. John L. Caver (pictured) has been found guilty of shooting his adult son, John Caver Jr, during an argument over chicken wings while they watched the 2016 Super Bowl An Alabama man has been found guilty of shooting his adult son during an argument over chicken wings while they watched the 2016 Super Bowl. John Louis Caver was convicted by a Dallas County jury of first-degree domestic violence on Tuesday after a one-day trial. The 77-year-old shot his son, John Caver Jr, in the chest as the family was watching the Super Bowl match-up between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos. Caver's then-wife, Eliza, had tried to separate the men when they started arguing over the food. Caver Jr's sister, Valerie, also tried to get her brother out of their father's home to avoid the violence, but it was too late. They only moved a few feet before the elder Caver fired one round into Caver Jr's chest. Caver Jr was rushed to the hospital, treated for the gunshot wound and survived. The 77-year-old shot his son, John Caver Jr (left, with his father), in the chest as the family was watching the Super Bowl match-up between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos. Caver Jr posted a photo of himself right before he left the hospital (right) in February 2016 After he was released from the hospital, Caver Jr shared a photo on Facebook of him heading home. District Attorney Michael Jackson said after Tuesday's verdict that 'this must have been some really good chicken'. It's unclear what flavor of chicken wings the pair were arguing over. The elder Caver is set to be sentenced on November 19. Caver could be ordered to serve up to 20 years in prison. Caver's then-wife, Eliza, had tried to separate the men when they started arguing over the chicken (pictured is chicken made by Caver Jr in 2016) Dr. Scott Baker is being sued after he erroneously removed a woman's healthy right kidney instead of removing an adrenal gland and mass during a 2016 surgery in Sioux Falls An Iowa woman is suing a South Dakota surgeon and his practice for wrongly removing one of her kidneys. The lawsuit filed by Dena Knapp alleges that Dr. Scott Baker erroneously removed her healthy right kidney instead of removing an adrenal gland and a mass on the gland during a surgery in Sioux Falls in 2016. On the day of the surgery, Baker was informed by the pathology department at Avera McKennan Hospital that he removed the the organ but had in fact failed to remove the adrenal gland. The Argus Leader reports the lawsuit alleges the erroneous surgery resulted in an incurable and progressive kidney disease in Knapp's remaining kidney that has caused pain and mental distress. The lawsuit says she now also suffers from fatigue and depression. Knapp says by removing a healthy kidney at the McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD she now has incurable and progressive kidney disease that has caused her mental distress (file photo) 'Further,' the lawsuit says, 'since the erroneous surgery, Dena has been unable to perform many functions and has required replacement services to clean and maintain her home, the past and future cost of which is yet to be determined.' Baker called Knapp to tell her that he 'did not get everything' and she eventually had a second surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to remove the gland and mass which were successfully removed. Baker did not immediately return a call for comment. The federal lawsuit also names The Surgical Institute of South Dakota, where Baker is partner. The institute has also declined comment. Labour was today embroiled in a fresh anti-Semitism row as one of Jeremy Corbyn's most powerful allies blamed Jewish community leaders for fuelling the scandal. Len McCluskey, leader of the Unite trade union, launched an extraordinary attack on the Labour leader's critics accusing them of exploiting the scandal to weaken him. He hit out at the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Jewish Labour Movement for speaking out and said the scandal has been 'wildly exaggerated'. He said their legitimate concerns have been overshadowed by their refusal to engage with the Labour leader's efforts to tackle the racism. The trade union baron accused Jewish groups of 'trolling' Mr Corbyn and showing 'intransigent hostility' to his attempts to end the row. Len McCluskey (pictured left with Jeremy Corbyn at a demo in 2016 in central London) -launched an extraordinary attack on critics of the Labour leader (pictured, right in Mansfield today) accusing them of exploiting the scandal to weaken him Jeremy Corbyn (pictured on a trip to Mansfield today) has been dogged by claims he has failed to do enough to tackle anti-Semitism since he became leader in 2015 And he warned that Labour risks plunging into a 'vortex of McCarthyism' unless it finally draws a line under the bitter row. But his words, made in an article for HuffPost website today, are only likely to fuel the bitter rifts in the party and heap further pressure on Mr Corbyn to get a grip on the scandal. He said the row is 'not manufactured but has certainly been wildly exaggerated' and has been seized on by 'Blairite' MPs to weaken the Labour leader. He said: 'I am at a loss to understand the motives of the leadership of the Jewish community the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Jewish Labour Movement. Star Trek legend Sir Patrick Stewart breaks with Labour over Corbyn The Star Trek actor (pictured in February last year at a film festival in Berlin) has been one of the party's big supporters appearing for labour leaders in their videos. Sir Patrick Stewart has said he is breaking with the Labour Party after supporting them for more than 70 years because he does not agree with Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. The Star Trek actor has been one of the party's big supporters appearing for Labour leaders in their videos. And he first offered the party his support as a five-year-old boy when he carried a placard for his local labour candidate in the 1945 election. But he has told The New European magazine that he will no longer vote Labour because it has lost its way under Mr Corbyn, and he is likely to give his vote to The Greens instead. He said he finds it 'difficult to understand what Labour really stands for or what it represents right now. It doesn't feel like my party any more'. And he said that he believed Mr Corbyn wants the UK to be plunged into a chaotic and harmful Brexit so he can swoop in and get the keys to No10. He said: 'I am not a politician and I am not a strategist, but I have a suspicion Jeremy believes a disastrous Brexit would benefit him politically, and, in all the chaos and confusion that would occur after the policy is implemented in either a hard or a soft way, I might add he sees himself taking power. 'It seems to me to be just plain wrong to play with the country's future in this way. 'What Jeremy doesn't appear to understand is that it would be the easiest thing in the world to attack the government on Brexit and to oppose it at every turn and to tear apart their arguments and expose it for what it is. 'There is, after all, nothing that is more opposed to basic Labour values than Brexit and I think just about everyone except him can now see that.' Advertisement 'They raised entirely proper concerns, but have simply refused to take 'yes' for an answer.' He insisted the labour leadership have gone out of their way to try to address these concerns - drawing up a definition of anti-Semitism and speeding up disciplinary hearings for those accused of the racism. He added: 'What is the response from the leading Jewish community organisations to this record of reaching out, of understanding, and of action? 'Intransigent hostility and an utter refusal to engage in dialogue about building on what has been done and resolving outstanding difficulties. 'Indeed, the more Labour has addressed legitimate worries, the more Corbyn has personally sought to build bridges, the worse the rhetoric has become.' He warned that the calls to root out anti-Semities risk sending the party into 'a vortex of McCarthyism'. He added: 'So let us now move to put this row behind us. Let Labour complete the measures it has pledged to meet the concerns of the Jewish community as rapidly as possible. 'Let the leadership of the Jewish community grasp the hand stretched out towards them. 'And let those few Labour MPs looking to break away from the party do so on an honest basis, embracing capitalism, the free market and the alliance with Trump's America, and not pretend that Labour is something it is not, an institutionally racist party.' Mr McCluskey - is head of the UK's largest trade unions and is a key backer of Mr Corbyn, helping to get him elected. And he also tore into leading Labour moderate Chuka Umunna, accusing him of seizing on the scandal to tear Labour part. The Labour MP hit back accusing the Unite boss of trying to bully people who dared to speak out. He said: 'Instead of attacking the victims of racism, our values dictate that we stand up for them - that is what I have done. 'It's shameful the General Secretary of the union of which I am a member should make a personal and political attack against me instead of facing up to this issue.' His outspoken intervention came as Mr Corbyn is set to make a desperate bid to try to finally end the scandal by accepting the international definition of anti-Semitism - something Mr McCluskey today said he backs. But the Labour leader is facing a fresh backlash as he is reportedly insisting that extra clauses are added to allow criticism of Israel. A spokesman for the Board of Deputies hit back at Mr McCluskey's accusations. He said: 'We note that Len McCluskey has advocated the adoption of the full IHRA definition of antisemitism and its illustrative examples. 'However, his attack on the Jewish community is both unfair and unwarranted. We have had a deluge of words from the Labour leadership. 'It is about time that the Party resolved this crisis by taking the firm and decisive action which the communal leadership set out for them in detail months ago. 'They have so far failed to do what is right.' Labour has been plunged into a bitter civil war over how to tackle the racist abuse which has festered among some of its members. Mr Corbyn had refused to accept the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition - sparking fury from his own MPs and Jewish leaders. But under mounting pressure from his powerful backers in trade unions and the Momentum group, he is set to accept it. Why is Labour's new code of conduct on anti-Semitism so controversial? The Labour anti-Semitism row erupted again after the party leadership refused to fully adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition. The party's code explicitly endorses the IHRA definition, but it omits four examples from the IHRA list: - Accusing Jewish people of being more loyal to Israel than their home country; - Claiming that Israel's existence as a state is a racist endeavour; - Requiring higher standards of behaviour from Israel than other nations; and - Comparing contemporary Israeli policies to those of the Nazis. Labour insisted that while the examples are not reproduced word-for-word, they are covered in the new code. But critics say the decision allows anti-Semitism to continue to fester. Advertisement This includes key clauses which say it is anti-Semitic to say Israel is a racist endeavor, accuse Jews of dual loyalty and comparing Israel to Nazi Germany. Mr Corbyn is reportedly insisting that Labour find a way to add to the code to spell out that criticism of Israel and its policies is legitimate. But Jewish leaders and anti-Semitism campaigners have repeatably said the Labour cannot cherry pick from the code and must accept it wholesale. The campaign group Labour Against Anti-Semitism, said: 'Recent reports suggested the leadership was prepared to accept three of those examples - but whether or not members could brand Israel a 'racist endeavor' remained a sticking point.' 'The Labour Party either accepts the IHRA definition in its entirety or it doesn't. 'There can be no halfway house, no 'compromise' position. 'Jews define the discrimination against them, not the Labour Party and certainly not Jeremy Corbyn.' A spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said: 'Labour needs to accept the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition with all its examples. 'This is non-negotiable. 'It cannot just decide that some forms of anti-Semitism are permissible to Labour members.' Meanwhile, Labour MP Mike Gapes today told Jewish News that he would consider quitting the party he has been a member of for 50 years unless the full IHRA definition is adopted. Labour has been dogged by accusations ever since Jeremy Corbyn (pictured today visiting a foodbank in Mansfield) became party leader in 2015 He said: 'For me fighting anti-Semitism is part of who I am and I won't be put in a position where I'm complicit in not fighting it in an effective and principled way.' He said he would be forced to 'consider my position' if Labour refuse to change its position. A Labour Party spokesman said: We all need to work together to build support and confidence in the Labour Party among Jewish communities in Britain. 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 Labour has been plunged into crisis over the row after the party's high command refused to adopt four parts to the international code on anti-Semitism. The row has exposed deep and bitter splits in the party as Mr Corbyn's allies have accused party moderates of exploiting the scandal to undermine his leadership. The party has been dogged by accusations of anti-Semitism ever since Mr Corbyn was elected leader in 2015. Jewish leaders took the unprecedented step of holding a protest outside Parliament in March this year to protest at Mr Corbyn's failure to tackle the racism. And Jewish Labour MPs tore into their leader as they told of the wave of anti-Semitic abuse thrown at them. Earlier this year Mr Corbyn pledged to finally get a grip on the crisis - putting out a video promising to tackle it. But he has faced a fresh political storm over the past week after The Daily Mail exclusively published photographs of him carrying a wreath at a ceremony where an extremist linked to the Munich Massacre was honoured. Mr Corbyn insists that he was actually at the 2014 ceremony in Tunis to honour other people killed who were not linked to terrorism. He has refused to apologise for attending - despite calls form his own MPs and the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to. And today it emerged that he shared a platform with a senior member of a terror group that murdered a British rabbi weeks later. He stood alongside Maher al-Taher, the exiled leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), at the ceremony in 2014. A month later, Taher's group claimed responsibility for a terror attack in which four rabbis were slaughtered during their morning prayers, The Times reported. He met Taher there a year before being elected as Labour leader, but the PFLP had already been proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the EU for two years. One rabbi murdered by the PFLP was Briton Avraham Shmuel Goldberg, 68. His widow, Brianna, said: 'Jeremy Corbyn should not be associating with men like that. 'They kill to satisfy their political needs. He needs to come to Israel to see how things really are.' After the synagogue attack, the PFLP wrote on its website that it was 'a natural response to the ongoing racist policies and crimes of the occupation'. It added: 'No place in Jerusalem should be safe so long as the Palestinian people are not safe.' Three months before meeting Mr Corbyn, the PFLP website quoted Taher saying the 'Zionist enemy will pay dearly for its ground offensive on Gaza'. The group has also claimed responsibility for a series of suicide attacks targeting Israeli civilians and for missile attacks on Israel from Gaza. Mr Corbyn was listed by the Palestinian embassy as being in attendance at a wreath-laying in a cemetery in Tunis, and a photo of him with Taher was posted on the embassy's Facebook page. In the synagogue attack, two terrorists used axes and knives to hack worshippers to pieces. A spokesman for Mr Corbyn told The Times: 'Jeremy attended the conference convened by the president of Tunisia to support Palestinian rights and to bring together Palestinian factions to unite for a peaceful and just settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict. 'He is, of course, completely opposed to attacks on civilians.' In 2001, Taher urged Arabs to target America following the killing of PFLP chief Abu Ali Mustafa in an Israeli missile attack. In revenge for the killing of Abu Ali Mustafa, the replacement leader of the PFLP Ahmed Saadat, ordered the killing of an Israeli minister, Rehavam Zeevi. The PFLP was founded in 1967 and was responsible for the hijackings of four Western airliners over the US, Europe, the Far East and the Gulf in 1970. The aircraft were blown up in the Middle East after their passengers and crews had disembarked. The group also reportedly carried out a number of attacks on Israeli and Western embassies around the world. The revelations came as Gordon Brown delivered a blunt warning to Mr Corbyn yesterday over the anti-Semitism crisis. The former PM pointedly refused to endorse Mr Corbyn as PM until he 'changes' and tackles anti-Semitism. 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.' 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 The campaign group Labour Against Anti-Semitism hit out at Jeremy Corbyn's plans - warning the definition must be adopted in full and not be changed in any way German Chancellor Angela Merkel told far-right protesters she would act to deport rejected asylum seekers quicker after a mob gathered to protest her immigration policies in Dresden today. Hundreds of far-right protesters chanted 'Merkel must go!' as they called on the German Chancellor to resign. The protest against Merkel was organised by the anti-Islam PEGIDA movement. Supporters held up messages including one reading: 'Girls die, Mrs Merkel' and another saying 'Merkel is acting unconstitutionally, Merkel must leave'. Angela Merkel gestures during a podium discussion with employees during her visit in the TRUMPF Sachsen GmbH in Neukirch, eastern Germany Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and parliamentary party leader of the CDU in Saxony Frank Kupfe in Dresden, Saxony today They congregated today to protest her decision in 2015 to welcome about one million refugees, mainly from Muslim countries. Merkel's move caused a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment and helped lift the far right into the national parliament after elections last year. They chanted 'Merkel must go!' and 'Get lost' as she arrived in Dresden in the formerly communist east of Germany where far right views are more widespread than in the west of the country. Speaking after her meeting with lawmakers, Merkel said she was aware that her decision on refugees had unsettled voters and raised concerns about the state's ability to act and stay in control. 'Merkel is acting unconstitutionally, Merkel must leave' as they take part in a protest against German Chancellor Angela Merkel today People hold a banner reading: 'Girls die, Mrs Merkel' as they protest against German Chancellor Angela Merkel as she visits the state parliament in Dresden, Germany today 'I made clear that we have a situation now where not all problems have been solved, especially deportations are still a big problem,' she told a news conference. 'The federal government will assume more responsibility here, especially by helping to procure the needed documents.' Local authorities say they often struggle to deport rejected asylum seekers because they have no passports and due to the reluctance of foreign countries to issue provisional identification documents for them. There were also counter-protesters in the vicinity but no clashes or other incidents had been reported so far, a police spokesman said. He declined to give figures of the protesters. German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a press conference after a meeting of the CDU Merkel has repeatedly defended her decision to admit hundreds of thousands of migrants as a humanitarian necessity, but has since vowed to prevent a repeat of such a situation and to battle the root causes of migration into Europe. The anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party benefited from migration concerns as it became the third largest party in the national parliament last year and complicated Merkel's efforts to re-establish a stable governing coalition. The eastern state of Saxony, home to Dresden, will vote for a new state parliament in September 2019 and polls suggest that the AfD could become the second-strongest party, with the CDU likely to come in first. Merkel was expected to address reporters later on Thursday after her meeting with CDU lawmakers in Dresden. A banner reading: 'Dissemblers' is seen during a protest against German Chancellor Merkel 'Merkel is acting unconstitutionally, Merkel must leave' is held aloft in Dresden today A man blows a vuvuzela as he takes part in a protest against German Chancellor Angela Merkel Donald Campbell died when Bluebird flipped and crashed at Coniston Water The man who recovered the wreckage of Donald Campbell's Bluebird before completely rebuilding it has said he does not want it to be locked away in a museum. Bill Smith recovered the wreckage of the hydroplane in 2001 from Coniston Water in Cumbria - where Donald Campbell died trying to break his own speed record in 1967. The iconic Bluebird's shattered remains were then completely rebuilt at a workshop on Tyneside. Bill Smith recovering the wreckage of the hydroplane in 2001 from Coniston Water in Cumbria Donald Campbell practices in Bluebird on Coniston Water, Lake District Cumbria, 1967 Following a successful test run on Loch Fad in Scotland Bill has had offers for him to take the revamped hydroplane around the world. Calls for it to be housed in a specially-built extension in the Ruskin Museum in Coniston have also been mooted, to the dismay of Smith and his team. Donald Campbell died when Bluebird flipped and crashed during his attempt to break his own water speed record in 1967. Bill Smith effectively co-owns the Bluebird with the Ruskin Museum Trust - which was gifted the wreckage in 2006. He said that negotiations to bring it back to Coniston had stalled, leading him to carry out the test runs on the Isle of Bute in Scotland. Wreckage is brought ashore from Coniston Water in the Lake District Thursday March 8, 2001 Bill Smith (left) prepares for the first test of Donald Campbell's iconic Bluebird travelling on the waters of Loch Fad for the first time for 50 years on August 5, 2018 in Rothesay, Scotland Speed, tragedy and restoration the story of Donald Campbells bluebird Donald Campbell pictured in 1958. He would die in a high-speed crash nine years later Campbell was born on 23 March 1921 in Kingston upon Thames and was the son of speed record-breaker Sir Malcolm Campbell. Donald initially used his father's old boat Bluebird K4 in record-breaking attempts. In 1960 he survived a horrific crash in the US while trying to break the land speed record. The Bluebird K7 boat was already 12 years old at the time of the Coniston Water crash that saw Campbell die at the age of 45. Campbell reached speeds of 300mph before his craft flipped and crashed. Campbell's lucky mascot - a 'Mr Whoppit' bear from 1956 - was recovered after the crash. The wreckage was pulled from Coniston Water 34 years after Campbell's death. Bill Smith and a team of experts pulled the wreckage from the water and revamped it in a Tyneside workshop. Bill Smith effectively co-owns the Bluebird with the Ruskin Museum Trust - which was gifted the wreckage in 2006. Following a successful test run on Loch Fad in Scotland Bill has had offers for him to take the revamped hydroplane around the world. The fate of the Bluebird is now unknown. Advertisement Mr Smith said: 'The boat performed beautifully and there was a phenomenal amount of interest. 'It demonstrated very forcibly that this is not the sort of object that should be put in a museum.' He said that while it could be stored and displayed at the premises in Coniston, it needed regular maintenance and would have to 'run on water'. Donald Campbell piloting Bluebird before the disaster on Coniston Water, January 1967 Pilot Ted Walsh fires up the jet engine of Donald Campbell's iconic Bluebird as it propels on the waters of Loch Fad for the first time for 50 years. August 5, 2018, Rothesay, Scotland 'We've had offers coming in from all over. All sorts of places - Australia, America. And if they want it, we can do it', he said. 'It would be very sad if it was put in a museum and the doors shut. People really need to see the power of it.' Anne Hall, chairwoman of the Ruskin Museum Trust and a parish councillor for Coniston, said there was no reason why Bluebird could not run on Coniston Water. 'The reason it went to Bute is because a quiet, shallow lake is needed,' she said. 'Coniston is different, it's a public highway. But she said Coniston had 'everything' needed to showcase the boat. 'Once we've got a date we can all agree on, we can get a safety plan, then it can happen,' she added. Sir Patrick, pictured here in June, has been involved with Labour since he was five Star Trek actor Sir Patrick Stewart has said he is breaking with the Labour Party after supporting them for more than 70 years because he does not agree with Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. Sir Patrick, who played Captain Picard in the series, is one of Labour's most famous supporters and backed Mr Corbyn for leader three years ago. He first offered the party his support as a five-year-old boy when he carried a placard for his local labour candidate in the 1945 election. But he has told The New European magazine that he will no longer vote Labour because it has lost its way under Mr Corbyn, and he is likely to give his vote to The Greens instead. He said he finds it 'difficult to understand what Labour really stands for for what it represents right now. It doesn't feel like my party any more'. And he said that he believes Mr Corbyn wants the UK to be plunged into a chaotic and harmful Brexit so he can swoop in and get the keys to No10. He said: 'I am not a politician and I am not a strategist, but I have a suspicion Jeremy believes a disastrous Brexit would benefit him politically, and, in all the chaos and confusion that would occur after the policy is implemented in either a hard or a soft way, I might add he sees himself taking power. Sir Patrick (pictured in February 2017 at a press conference in Germany) said that he believes Mr Corbyn wants the UK to be plunged into a chaotic and harmful Brexit so he can swoop in and get the keys to No10 'It seems to me to be just plain wrong to play with the country's future in this way. 'What Jeremy doesn't appear to understand is that it would be the easiest thing in the world to attack the government on Brexit and to oppose it at every turn and to tear apart their arguments and expose it for what it is. 'There is, after all, nothing that is more opposed to basic Labour values than Brexit and I think just about everyone except him can now see that.' Sir Patrick, 78, also told how the Labour leader bizarrely lost his temper when he made a light-hearted joke when the pair met by chance a few weeks ago. He said he bumped into the Labour leader who was chatting to a group of friends after a theatre performance when the Labour leader caught his eye and said 'you are looking well'. Sir Patrick added: 'I made some light-hearted riposte along the lines of "you cant judge a book by its cover". 'For some inexplicable reason, this annoyed him, and he shot back "you know, Patrick, you could just have said thank you instead of making a joke out of it. 'I couldnt understand how he could take offence at such an utterly innocuous remark, and no one else could, and it made for rather an awkward silence.' Jeremy Corbyn (pictured on a trip to Mansfield today) got Sir Patrick's backing in the 2015 leadership contest, but the actor said he no longer knows what the party stands for The announcement piles further pressure on the Labour leader who is facing a a storm of criticism over his handling of the anti-Semitism scandal. And today one of his most powerful allies, Len McCluskey, leader of the Unite trade union, launched an extraordinary attack on the Labour leader's critics accusing them of exploiting the scandal to weaken him. He hit out at the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Jewish Labour Movement for speaking out and said the scandal has been 'wildly exaggerated'. He said their legitimate concerns have been overshadowed by their refusal to engage with the Labour leader's efforts to tackle the racism. The trade union baron accused Jewish groups of 'trolling' Mr Corbyn and showing 'intransigent hostility' to his attempts to end the row. The White House quietly announced Thursday with no explanation that President Trump's pick to be ambassador to Chile who has links to son-in-law Jared Kushner's family business had withdrawn himself from consideration. Trump nominated Andrew Gellert, who runs a food import business based in New Jersey, as his choice to represent the nation in Santiago in January. Gellert never got a hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. But he was the subject of a flurry of press reports weeks after he was nominated about his father's business ties to the Kushner family enterprise. STAYING PUT: Andrew Gellert withdrew his nomination to be ambassador to Chile, the White House revealed His father, George Gellert, is friends with Charles Kushner, the father of Trump's son-in-law. He also has a financial interest in 666 Fifth Avenue, the skyscraper that is deeply in debt. Bloomberg news reported on the Kushner family ties to Gellert and his father early this year. The Gellerts also contributed to Kushner's purchase of the New York Observer, a move that made the younger Kushner a figure in the New York scene. Gellert also sits on a New Jersey bank board with Kushner's brother-in-law. The building is among the Kushner businesses that special counsel Robert Mueller's investigators have reportedly asked witnesses about in the Russia probe. The statement on the nomination withdrawal was included along with a series of other nominations the administration put forward. Gellert funds helped Jared Kushner purchase the New York Observer, according to a January report The White House announced the Gellert nomination eight months ago. A source said Sen. Robert Corker of Tennessee, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Panel, did not object to the nomination. By tradition, nominees don't go through the panel without the consent of the minority, but it was unclear whether any Democrat objected. Gellert's firm is headquartered in Elizabeth, New Jersey, the home state of Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez, the ranking member. Menendez had received no notification from the White House about the withdrawal. The White House did not respond to a question Thursday about why the nomination got withdrawn. Gellert did not respond to a request for comment left at his firm. The White House touted Gellert for the position back in January, although he has only basic Spanish language skills and his only tie to the country appears to be that his firm imports fruits and nuts from there. Gellert's father is friends with Charles Kushner (center), the father of Jared Kushner Gellert's family firm imports fruits and nuts from Chile One subsidiary operates five Cinnabon bakeries and one Carvel Express store Gellert failed to get a confirmation hearing in the Senate, which Republicans control Subsidiaries also import meats, seafood, and other products. One subsidiary operates five Cinnabon bakeries and one Carvel Express store. 'Mr. Gellert, President of Gellert Global Group in Elizabeth, New Jersey, is a prominent American businessman. He leads an enterprise consisting of many North American food importing companies, including Atalanta Corporation, the largest privately held food importer in the United States,' according to the White House. It noted that he chaired a food industry association and graduated from Cornell University. This dramatic video shows police battling to save a stabbed teenager's life after he was disembowelled with a machete in a brawl over a belt. The teenager, who has not been named, can be seen surrounded by police and paramedics after the vicious street fight which involved up to 30 youths. The boy was one of four aged 15 or 16 stabbed as gang violence erupted in Camberwell, South London, over a belt at around 5.30pm yesterday evening. Footage of the bloody aftermath shows police apparently having to keep rivals apart as they treated stabbing victims on the ground. An eyewitness revealed how a man holding the machete was screaming 'I want my belt back' at rivals, as residents said the estate is becoming a 'warzone' and more like the Bronx in New York. This is the scene as a boy was left fighting for his life after he was stabbed in the stomach following a knife fight in Camberwell The teenager, who has not been named, can be seen surrounded by police and paramedics after the vicious street fight which involved up to 30 youths The boy was one of four aged 15 or 16 stabbed as gang violence erupted in Camberwell, South London, over a belt at around 5.30pm yesterday evening A huge knife was found at the scene of the stabbing attack on Elmington Estate (pictured) Residents of the Elmington Estate described hearing echoing screams of 'help, help' as the two rival groups clashed and heard one youth shout: 'I'm going to f*****g kill you'. A witness described seeing a boy with their 'intestines falling on the ground' in an attack that may have been launched on bikes. One teenager is in a critical condition and another is also seriously ill in hospital - the two other victims were knifed in the arm or leg but will survive. Six young men, all aged 15 and 16, have since been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and grievous bodily harm and are in custody. A man, who lives in a flat which overlooks the scene, said: 'One had a big a** hunting knife and he was screaming 'I want my belt back! I want my belt back!' 'The knife was about 16 inches long. I went back in doors because I assumed nobody would get seriously hurt over a stupid belt.' Forensics officers photograph the crime scene today where the street is covered in clothes, shoes and medical supplies Part of the corner of one road appeared to stained with blood left after the fight yesterday One local mother, who did not want to be named, said she saw one of the boys carrying a blade more than a foot long. 'I could see the knife in his hand, I could clearly see the blade, it was big and that was worrying me,' she added. 'My little boy is growing up around here, it's terrifying.' Another witness said she saw 'lots of blood' on the ground and saw a 'massive' knife lying on the floor. 'I did see a massive blade, a carving knife, it was horrifying,' she added and gestured that the weapon was more than a foot long. Scotland Yard said the victims of the latest incident were between 15 and 16 years old. Bikes including a Boris Bike were abandoned after the attack and police will be probing if this was how the knife attack was launched Another resident, who also did not want to be identified, said she dialled 999 after one of the boys fell to the floor clutching his side. 'I saw a boy holding his side and he just fell on the floor so I called the police,' she added. 'I was really shaken up, you could see the bloody clothes and from window.' She said the incident happened outside her young daughter's bedroom and added: 'I hate it here, it's getting worse and worse. I'm frightened to go out the front door. 'As frightened as I was, I wasn't going to let someone die in front of me.' A group of boys were seen running outside Landor House on the Elmington Estate minutes before police arrived at around 5.30pm. A neighbour said he saw one of them jump from a first floor balcony and added: 'There was a gang of 20 maybe 30 and they were running back and forth. Camberwell has been the scene of several murders in recent months including several linked to gang violence 'I saw one jump from a balcony and ran across towards the shop area.' Six boys aged between 15 and 16 are in custody after being arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and grievous bodily harm, Scotland Yard said. A mother-of-four who lives on the estate said she saw some of the group being arrested. 'I saw police chasing people, four officers had to grab this one boy,' she added. 'He was fighting one (officer) and three others had to get involved. 'I don't let my kids out to play, if I'm not there they're not going out.' The latest knife attack was minutes from where drill rapper Sidique 'Incognito' Kamara was stabbed to death this month and there have been four murders within a few Camberwell streets since May. Lorraine Wooller had lived on the estate for 45 years, but moved recently because of the increased violence in Camberwell. She told LBC: 'I've never seen anything like this in my life. It's getting like The Bronx, it's disgusting. 'There's always gangs around here. It gets worse every day. You're too scared to come out of your house. My sister doesn't like coming out the house any more.' She added: 'This woman told me she shipped her boy off to France because a couple of weeks ago [she] got a bash at the door. She opened it and said a black man rushed in with a knife and acid after her son'. Witnesses told MailOnline two of the teenage victims had 'their stomachs cut open' and one was surrounded by a huge crowd of police as he was treated by paramedics. At least one of the youths, said to have been knifed in the arm, had his wound wrapped with a t-shirt while paramedics rushed to the scene. Susan Model, 20, who watched the incident unfold from a ground floor flat, said: 'We saw four people, three of them lying on the ground and one of them being walked off. 'He had a bandage wrapped around his arm. It was white and covered the whole of the top of his right arm. 'I heard two got their stomach cut open there was two stomach, one leg and one arm because you could hear the conversations that were going on. 'It was manic, it was completely manic, there were a lot of black boys shouting, screaming, you had neighbours worried because we didn't know if we knew them. 'The police said the stomach wound looked life-threatening.' Superintendent Annmarie Cowley said: 'This incident is in its very early stages and at present we cannot speculate on what the nature of it may be. 'What we can say for certain is if there needed to be an example of the utter senselessness of knife crime, then this is it.' Drill artist Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton, 18, was fatally shot in Camberwell in May. Latwaan Griffiths, 18, was knifed to death and his body dumped in the road last month amid a surge in knife crime in the capital and ost recently, 23-year-old drill rapper Sidique Kamara, also known as Incognito, was stabbed to death on August 1. The violence erupted between a gang of around 30 teenagers. The victims are not thought to live on the estate but neighbours said a garden area concealed from view by the flats has become a hotbed for youths. A man, who did not give his name, said: 'The lads hang around there all the time, it started at least six months ago. 'Recently there have been more and more. 'They are downstairs at the end of the block doing what boys normally do, shoving each other and messing about, but I don't recognise any of them.' Another resident added: 'There's drugs, prostitution, it's not a good place to bring up your kids.' The youngster was one of four stabbed as gang violence erupted on a South London housing estate echoing with screams of 'help, help' yesterday evening. Witnesses described how the most seriously hurt teenager fell to the floor clutching his stomach. A police cordon remains in place near Landon House, Camberwell, which is where the incident took place Officers are guarding the cordon directly outside the housing estate The scene was littered with bloodied clothing, trainers and medical equipment in the aftermath of the attack. The area is just a short walk from Warham Street, where 23-year-old drill rapper Sidique 'Incognito' Kamara, also known as Incognito, was stabbed to death on August 1. His death followed that of his friend Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton, 18, who was fatally shot on the same street in May. Rivals from Peckham were blamed for the attack and Incognito and members of their gang wore T-shirts dedicated to a tribute march for Rhyhiem, known as GB. Both GB and Incognito appeared alongside Tim Westwood in a YouTube rap video where most members were wearing balaclavas and hoodies and smoking drugs. They rapped about 'splashing' rivals - slang for stabbing someone repeatedly until they pour with blood - and bragged their south London crew is 'known for capping' its enemies which means shooting someone. Another drill rapper, Latwaan Griffiths, 18, was knifed to death and his body dumped in the road last month amid a surge in knife crime in the capital. A 25-year-old woman, who did not want to be named, said: 'That particular one, I hope he does live but by the looks of it and the way the ambulance had to struggle I would give it just an 8% (chance). It was very traumatising.' Another eyewitnesses revealed that one of the boys cried out for help before they were brutally attacked in broad daylight. Another neighbour, who did not give her name, described seeing boys running on the grass opposite her flat shortly before the stabbing. 'There were four or five black boys running. All of a sudden I could hear, 'Help, help',' she said. The scattered remains of first aid equipment can be seen within the boundaries of the cordon First aid equipment is strewn across the floor near to the crime scene Police were called to the scene shortly before 5.30pm this evening after reports of a stabbing near to Landor House, on the Elmington Estate A heavy police presence is now in place around the crime scene in Camberwell 'I have walked up and as I did I have seen the police running. 'One of the police officers got a first aid bag and I saw one of the boys lying on the floor.' The scattered remains of first aid equipment used during frantic effort to save the injured victims was pictured inside the boundaries of the cordon last night. Images posted on social media show a large police presence and a cordon erected around the crime scene. Scotland Yard said: 'Police were called at 17:24hrs on Thursday, 16 August to playing fields outside Landor House, Camberwell, following reports of a stabbing. 'Officers attended with LAS. Four males were found suffering from stab wounds. 'They have all been taken to south London hospitals. Five males have been arrested in connection with the incident. A crime scene is in place.' Camberwell has hit the headlines in recent months after a number of stabbings in the area. Latwaan Griffiths, 18, died in July after he was was found with multiple knife wounds and was pushed off the back of a moped just half a mile away from today's quadruple stabbing. In the same month, Katerina Makunova, 17, was stabbed to death on Elmington Estate, which is where today's incident took place. Most recently, 23-year-old drill rapper Sidique Kamara, also known as Incognito, was stabbed to death on August 1. One social media user described the area as a 'warzone', while others expressed their dismay at the latest wave of violence. 'Camberwell is getting worse every single day,' tweeted one user. Yung-Gen wrote: 'Not surprised by the news in Camberwell when I found out where it happened. Them yutes been known for reckless stabbings.' The incident took place near playing fields near to Landor House in Camberwell. A police cordon has been put in place around the crime scene A 74-year-old woman fought back against a man who tried to rob her in Alabama on Wednesday, grabbing him between the legs to stop him from stealing her money. Brenda Stinson was buying groceries at Piggly Wiggly, in Midfield, just moments before a 32-year-old man from Hoover approached her car. When the would-be robber told her to hand over her money and Stinson refused, reports say he punched her in the face with a closed fist and threw her to the ground. Brenda Stinson (pictured right) fought back against a man (pictured left) who attempted to rob her in Midfield, Alabama on Wednesday. A Good Samaritan (pictured left) helped out Stinson believed she was going to die but it didn't stop her from fighting back in the best way she knew how, targeting the man's 'weak spot'. 'I grabbed him good between his legs,' she told AL.com about the incident outside the Piggly Wiggly store next door to the pharmacy she stopped at to buy medicine. 'That's always been my plan because that's a man's weak spot.' Although she never thought she'd have to put her plan into action one day, she didn't hesitate when man who's more than half her age beat her. 'I know he's going to be sore,' she clapped back about her self-defense moves in the interview. Stinson struggled for five minutes and grabbed him between his legs before passersby noticed The five minutes of tussling gave her just enough time for passersby to notice the attack on Phillips Drive, where a quick-thinking Stinson threw the brown bag that holds her cash through her SUV window. She believes he had been watching her for a while in order to see she hid her cash in her pocket rather than her purse. As the man tried to enter the vehicle and Stinson continued to fight, shocked witnesses rushed over to help. Good Samaritan, William Daniels, has been praised in particular by Stinson and police for pinning the man face-down to the ground. While he wasn't able to physically fight back at that time, Stinson quipped that he screamed he had AIDS so Daniels would free him. 'He thought that man would let him go if he said he had AIDS,' she commented, adding that he's a 'liar'. Stinson felt fine after the incident but was sore and had a swollen cheek after being punched Stinson was checked by paramedics at the scene, who noted her blood pressure and sugar levels were fine once her breathing returned to normal. While she was left with a swollen cheek and felt sore, Stinson had no other complaints. She's now trying to find the man who helped save her to thank him. The robber was held in Midfield City Jail before police planned to transfer him to Jefferson County Jail. A refugee with a degree in rocket science whose family fled Libya when he was just three-years-old has been flooded with offers after standing outside Canary Wharf with a sign asking for a job. Mohamed Elbarkey, 22, was a toddler when his family escaped Gadafi controlled Libya after being persecuted for their politics before claiming asylum in the UK. Settling in North West London, Mohamed earned an undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering before embarking on his Masters in Space Engineering from UCL where he is expected to graduate with a first. Hoping to begin a career in Finance, Mohamed earned praise on social media after he stood outside London's busy financial district with a sign advertising his degree - and landed two interviews so far plus more than 200 inquiries from employers. Mohamed Elbarkey, 22, stood outside Canary Wharf with a sign asking for a job after sending off 70 job applications and not getting an interview Mr Elbarky sent out 70 jobs applications for a job in the finance industry while completing a master degree at UCL in Space Engineering. He stood in Canary Wharf this morning with a sign which read: 'Came as a refugee, just graduated from UCL in ROCKET SCIENCE. Looking for a career in Finance. Ask for CV.' A passerby, Mary Engleheart, took a picture of him and posted it to her Twitter asking people to retweet her and help him find a job - It has since had 24,000 likes and 16,000 retweets. Ms Engleheart, who works for the humanitarian organisation, International Rescue Committee, praised the student's novel and confident approach to landing his dream job. She said: 'Mohamed is living proof of the ingenuity and courage of refugees. I decided to tweet his picture and see whether anyone could help to find him a job.' Her post has been retweeted over 13,000 times with 19,000 likes at the time of writing. Mary has been contacted by over 200 people asking for Mohameds CV and offering support and careers advice. Mohamed told MailOnline: 'My family in Libya were persecuted by Gaddafi because of politics so we had to flee the country. I was around three years old at the time. The former Libyan refugee has graduated with a master in rocket science from University College London and hopes to have a career in finance My brothers, sisters and I are all first generation university graduates. My Mum instilled the idea of education from early on and supported and encouraged us every step of the way to achieve our potential.' Explaining why he created the sign, Mohamed said: 'Technically my Masters is in Space Engineering - but everyone knows rocket science sounds cooler.' Richard Branson also retweeted the picture telling him to take a look at jobs at Virgin Atlantic as well as supporting his search. Mr Elbarkey, who got the idea from David Casarez from Silicon Valley, had an incredibly valuable piece piece of advice from an executive at a financial firm. The viral tweet of him asking for a job has even been reposted by Richard Branson who told him to look at a career with Virgin Atlantic The recent UCL graduate told the Standard: 'One executive told me what you need is a stronger handshake. When someone powerful like that tells you that, you think "I need to make sure my handshake is amazing".' Mr Elbarkey decided not to tell his family about the stunt after fear it would make him look like a 'fool'. 'A lot of people who work for larger organisations have contacted me for my CV to see if my skills match what they are looking for and to see if they could place me.' he added. He now has three interviews to attend next week and has been approached on social by many organisations asking for his CV. Heather Locklear is climbing the walls in rehab and is bombarding boyfriend Chris Heisser with emotional phone calls, DailyMail.com can reveal. The troubled actress, 56, has been staying in a residential facility in California for the last month following her arrest on June 24 for attacking cops called to her luxury home after she downed a bottle of tequila and smashed her Porsche into a gatepost. Locklear spent the night in jail before being bailed out but was rushed to hospital less than six hours after being released due to a suspected drug overdose. After spending 14 days at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles on a 5250 psychiatric hold, the Melrose Place alumni was released and taken to a residential rehab center to dry out and get help. But sources close to Heisser, 56, have told DailyMail.com that nothing has changed for the actress, who continues to call him three times a day, often screaming down the line from rehab. Heather Locklear is climbing the walls in rehab and is bombarding boyfriend Chris Heisser with emotional phone calls, DailyMail.com can reveal Sources close to Heisser, 56, have told DailyMail.com that nothing has changed for the actress, who continues to call him three times a day, often screaming The friend said: Hes just been annihilated with it nothings changed. Its just her calling him from rehab versus her house. Shes climbing the walls in there. Shes freaking out from not knowing what hes doing going crazy in the place that shes at. Just going nuts. He has visited her but because shes got her phone, shes on him 24/7 screaming. All the things she was doing before. Its so unhealthy. Shes just screaming at him the same thing she did before. Nothings changed. Shes going to get out and do the same thing. To add insult to injury, Heather learned that the sprinkler system in her home went off accidentally, ruining tens of thousands of dollars worth of clothing an furniture. Although she can leave whenever she wants because her family didnt get the hold they wanted, shes staying in for now on the advice of her legal team. Heather and her boyfriend, who attended the same California high school, have had a troubled relationship, with Locklear arrested on February 25 after the two got into a drunken fight. On that occasion, a source at the Ventura Police Department told DailyMail.com at the time, a wasted Locklear had flown into a rage and practically bit the tip off Heissers nose. When police arrived at the address, an enraged Locklear became angrier still and punched a female deputy, while calling her a c***. A search warrant prepared by Deputy Keith Hall adds that Locklear claimed the fight began when Heisser 'lied to her, and she threw a can of Red Bull at him'. Hall went on: She then told an officer that [Heisser] had strangled her and that she was afraid he would kill her. Locklear stated she did not lose consciousness but was strangled for a long time and thought she might pass out.' Locklear was taken to hospital before being booked into the Ventura County Jail at 1am on a single count of felony domestic battery and four counts of misdemeanor battery on a peace officer. Heisser was also booked in less than an hour later, for DUI after being picked up driving erratically by the California Highway Patrol. Fire sprinklers in Heather's house went off accidentally, ruining her clothes and furniture Heather and her boyfriend Chris Heisser, who attended the same California high school, have had a troubled relationship, with Locklear arrested on February 25 after the two got into a drunken fight The domestic violence charge was later dropped but Locklear still faces trial on police battery charges and was forced to miss a court date on August 9 due to being in rehab. She has also temporarily been banned from possessing firearms and her Thousand Oaks residence has been declared a hazard by Ventura County emergency services because of previous threats to shoot at cops. Sources told DailyMail.com that her fractious relationship with Heisser is part of a pattern that Locklear appears unable to break. This has been going on for a long time, shes beaten up people in uniform, beat up her boyfriends. It goes towards mental illness, it goes towards drug abuse, the source said. All that stuff shes on she takes everything. Adderall, Xanax and booze. Shes taking pills but she doesnt give a f*** shes got an anger issue. A source close to Heather told DailyMail.com that her loved ones are steering clear of her troubled relationship but noted that she has a history of difficult romances. The source said: She cold-called [ex-boyfriend] Jack Wagners house a couple of years ago. She terrorized [ex-husband] Ritchie [Sambora]. Her and [ex-husband] Tommy [Lee] used to slug it out. Locklear was also arrested in 2012 following a drug and alcohol binge that led to a physical fight with Wagner as he attempted to return some of her possessions following their split. Although cops were called after she allegedly caught him with a right hook to the face, subsequent charges were dropped following a mediation session. Despite Locklears behavior, Heissers friend told DailyMail.com that the 56-year-old has no plans to break up with the troubled actress because he needs her. But the source warned: Everything is going on business as normal with her. The only thing she cant get hold of in rehab is booze and she could check herself out any time. The only reason shes staying in there is because shes listening to her attorneys and theyve told her its what she needs to do to avoid jail time. The Republican candidate for governor of California told a story comparing long lines at the DMV to the Holocaust. And, in a tape-recorded account where candidate John Cox now says he misspoke, he said the line at the DMV was worse. Cox, who came in second in the state's June primary and will face Democrat Gavin Newsom, was speaking to potential voters as he toured the DMV to draw attention to wait times. 'How long have you been waiting,' he asked a woman who said she had been there close to an hour, CapRadio reported, publishing audio of the encounter. A spokesman said Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox 'misspoke' when he told a story about a California man and Holocaust survivor who he said told Cox the line at the DMV was worse 'An hour, okay, not too much,' he responded. Then he tried to connect by telling the story of a man he met at another state driving facility. 'You know, I met a Holocaust survivor in Long Beach. He survived concentration camps, and he said this was worse,' Cox said. Scroll down for audio 'He's 90 years old and he had to wait four hours down in Long Beach. Can you imagine that?' Cox added. His campaign immediately tried to clean up the mess, while claiming he had not said the lines were worse than the Holocaust. 'John isn't saying it was worse than the Holocaust,' spokesman Matt Shupe told the station. He said he misspoke and meant no offense to the Jewish community. 'He's 90 years old and he had to wait four hours down in Long Beach. Can you imagine that?' Cox said, recounting the story. Here long lines of civilians, men and women, trudge towards a German concentration camp outside Warsaw A photo taken on March 15, 1945 in a nazi concentration camp liberated by Allied troops shows deportees waiting in line to receive food 'The guy didn't say it was worse than the Holocaust,' he added. 'He was saying that it reminded him of pre-war Germany' when Jews had to wait in lines to be processed.' 'In no way does he mean this as a slight to the Jewish community,' Shupe added. 'He misspoke. It's very unfortunate. But it's nothing more than that.' He planned the campaign stop to go after Democrats for refusing to audit the DMV. Cox is a businessman who moved to the state from Chicago. He came in second in the primary, garnering 1.2 million votes, or 26 per cent of the vote. Cox released partial tax returns showing he earned $2.1 million in 2016 and 2017 from investments in apartments in the Midwest, the LA Times reported. Donald Trump is so angry with former aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman that he has fumed to his inner circle about wanting hist Justice Department to lock her up, according to one news report. A Vanity Fair reporter spoke to a Republican briefed on conversations between the president and his advisers. According to the source, he magazine reported, Trump said he 'wants Attorney General Jeff Sessions to have Manigault-Newman arrested.' It's unclear what law the newly minted author of 'Unhinged' may have broken. The Vanity Fair report hit the Internet 90 minutes before Manigault-Newman returned to TV for an MSNBC interiview after other news cycles pushed her off the nation's political front-burner for a day. Asked if she fears going to jail, Manigault-Newman played the Watergate card. 'Well,' she said in a faux verbal tic, 'What Mr. Nixon I mean Mr. Trump does will be brought to light. Every action that he takes against me jeopardizes him and his presidency.' The former Trump aide released four excerpts from a December 2017 phone call between herself and Trump 2020 campaign official Lara Trump, the spouse of the president's second son Eric. Ms. Trump responded an hour later in a statement that 'the discussions about a position with the campaign took place in numerous phone calls over the course of several weeks.' NBC News claimed it has 'heard the full tape of the conversation' and 'the clips are in context.' President Donald Trump (left) hAs carped to aides that he wants Atttorney Jeff Sessions (right) to arrest Omarosa Manigault-Newman, according to a magazine reporter whose source is a Republican who was read-in on the discussions Manigault-Newman returned to TV with audiotape of Lara Trump offering her a job, claiming the mundane audio was bombshell evidence of the theme of her tell-all memoir 'FRAUD!' LARA TRUMP SWINGS BACK AT OMAROSA Lara Trump, a re-election campaign official and wife of Eric Trump, issued a stinging statement Thursday after Manigault-Newman's MSNBC reboot 'From the beginning of my father-in-laws campaign, Omarosa was welcomed into our family as a trusted friend and confidant. On the Women for Trump tour, including Omarosa, we formed a sisterhood bond that is unlike any I have experienced in my life. We toured together, laughed together, and worked really hard towards a common goal. We never would have imagined that one of our own was secretly recording all of our private conversations. 'When Omarosa was fired by the White House Chief of Staff in December of 2017, my entire family was concerned for her because we had no idea about the basis of her dismissal. We still wanted her on our team because we cared so much about her personally. Thats why I reached out to offer her a position with the 2020 Trump Campaign before we knew anything about the gross violations of ethics and integrity during her White House tenure. Another one of Omarosas bombshell tapes is a fraud. The discussions about a position with the campaign took place in numerous phone calls over the course of several weeks. 'Woman to woman, I shared a connection with Omarosa as a friend and a campaign sister, and I am absolutely shocked and saddened by her betrayal and violation on a deeply personal level. 'I hope its all worth it for you, Omarosa, because some things you just cant put a price on.' Advertisement Lara Trump's larger beef is one about disloyalty and deceit. 'We never would have imagined that one of our own was secretly recording all of our private conversations,' she said. 'I am absolutely shocked and saddened by her betrayal and violation on a deeply personal level. I hope its all worth it for you, Omarosa, because some things you just cant put a price on.' Manigault-Newman writes in her book that the campaign tried to buy her silence with a $15,000-per-month campaign consulting contract, just days after White House Chief of Staff John Kelly fired her over what he called 'serious integrity violations.' The non-disclosure agreement attached to that offer, and its requirement that she must not disparage any members of the Trump family in public, she complains, was too 'harsh and restrictive' for her to consider. The campaign filed a legal complaint Wednesday against her, saying that she signed a nearly identical non-disclosure agreement when she worked for the campaign in 2016, and has been violating it since she began promoting her memoir. The phone call excerpts, played on MSNBC, show Lara Trump cautioning Omarosa that it appeared 'there are some things you've got in your back pocket to pull out,' and that working for the re-election campaign would require her to be a team player. 'Everything, everybody positive, right?' she asked. Outlining the vague contours of a typical campaign consultant's responsibilities meetings, TV appearances and speaking engagements to be determined later Ms. Trump said: 'I think you'd be awesome doing that.' The tape abruptly ends, leaving the audience guessing what might have been omitted. Manigault-Newman said she had played the call in its entirety for MSNBC's producers. 'I saw this as an attempt to buy my silence, to censor me, and to pay me off,' she said of the job offer. Another episode, another outfit: Omarosa arrived for her MSNBC interview at NBC's Rockefeller Center studios in New York in a colorful sleeveless dress President Trump took a shot at Omarosa on Thursday, tweeting a Republican National Committee video super-cut of fawning campaign trail moments (below) Happier times: This photo from a 2017 rally in Youngstown Ohio shows (left to right) Omarosa Manigault-Newman, Eric Trump, Lara Trump and first lady Melania Trump watching the president speak Her book says the call came before she left for a Christmas vacation, placing it in the roughly ten days after her December 12 firing. Manigault-Newman has said in recent days that President Trump was unaware she had been fired. She has also released a secretly taped phone call of the president consoling her. Lara Trump, she said Thursday, made it clear the president asked the campaign to take her on. Eight months later, a furious Manigault-Newman insisted his more recent snipes at her, coming after the release of her tell-all, are the height of hypocrisy. Trump has told reporters she's a 'lowlife' and referred to her on Twitter as 'that dog.' 'Which one of it is it? Is it that they supported me, or did they want me out? ... This family can't keep their story straight. They can't decide whether they love or hate people,' she said on MSNBC. Manigault-Newman's reputation at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was in tatters by the time she got her walking papers and was physically escorted off the property. Fellow White House aides saw her as a showboater who enjoyed the trappings of power, unsuccessfully trying to use the presidential mansion as the backdrop for her wedding photos and marking her territory at desks near the Oval Office with piles of shoes. But 'she actually didnt work in the West Wing,' White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders snarked to reporters on Wednesday. Omarosa's most explosive claim has been that she heard an audio tape of the president uttering the 'n-word' racial slur a moment rumored to have been captured on a hot mic during a taping of 'The Apprentice.' That audio, an anti-Trumper's holy grail, has not emerged. MSNBC teased Omarosa's latest revelation as a 'new secret recording'; it largely supported one of the less controversial elements of her tell-all book's narrative She claimed Thursday, though, that she has held back some of the juiciest information from what may be an arsenal of surreptitiously recorded conversations, and is feeding them to Special Counsel Robert Mueller. 'There are things I'm going to save to share when the time is right,' she teased. And she defended her claim, made Wednesday on the same network, that then-candidate Trump knew in advance that WikiLeaks was about to release a trove of emails stolen from Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman. 'There's some things that are involved in this investigation, the Mueller investigation, that I was very careful not to put in the book,' she claimed, saying she's prohibited from discussing what she may have told Mueller's team or the grand jury they have impaneled. There is no law or court rule against a witness disclosing what he or she has told a federal grand jury. Witnesses are free to speak publcily, and to the media. And others interviewed by Mueller's team have described what they were asked, and how they responded, without consequences. But the scorned former Trump aide said Thursday that she 'can't even talk about the things that I talked with them. I can't talk about the things I've submitted to them.' 'But I want you to know that I will fully continue to cooperate with this investigation.' 'Everybody positlve, right?' Lara trump asked Manigault-Newman during a December 2017 call during a discussion about what role the ousted White House aide might play in the president's re-election campaign; the tape aired on MSNBC cut off abruptly, raising questions about how it was edited MSNBC host Craig Melvin broadcast a Republican National Committee video, apparently released to coincide with her interview. It's a super-cut of Manigault-Newman's most fawning appearances on the campaign trail. In one now-cringe-inducing moment, she leads an audience call and response consisting of her shouting 'Trump Train!' and Trump's fans yelling, 'Choo! Choo!' She responded that the video compilation was a logical tool for a campaign where she was 'one of the few African-Americans.' 'They should keep re-running that video because that was the best thing that happened to this administration,' she boasted. 'Everything he throws at me? Believe me, my tapes are much better than theirs.' A Miami businessman, wanted in connection for the 2011 murder of his wife's ex-boyfriend, turned himself into Spanish authorities outside the US Embassy in Madrid on Tuesday. Manuel Marin was about to enter the agency center when police officers assigned to embassy grew suspicious of his activities. The Cuban-American tried to avoid the special agents before they were able to secure him and run a background check with the command office after he showed them his passport. Spanish authorities were able to detect that Marin, 64, had actually exhausted his visitor's permit. But more importantly, the officers noticed that the FBI was seeking his arrest for the killing of another business man, Camilo Salazar, 43, in June 2011, detained him on the spot. A police warrant names Manuel Marin, a successful part-owner of a supermarket chain in South Florida, as the mastermind of the murder of Camilo Salazar in June 2011 Camilo Salazar's body was found on dirt road near the Everglades in Miami in June 2011 Salazar, who was married with a child, was found on the side of a dirt road near the Everglades in Miami. His body was badly beaten, his groin were burned and his throat was slit. This past April, investigators used phone records to implicate three other Cuban men for their roles in the crime: Former MMA fighter, Ariel Gandulla, who is in his late 40s, has been on the run and has been living in Canada with his wife and three kids for five years. Alexis Vila-Perdomo, 47, became a MMA fighter before winning the Bronze medal wrestling for Cuba at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He was arrested April 17 and charged with conspiracy to commit murder and pleaded not guilty. Roberto Issac, 62, a mixed martial arts trainer and promoters, was arrested April 11 charged with three counts, including conspiracy to commit murder and also pleaded guilty. Marin, the mastermind of the plot, grew to become the owner of one of the most successful supermarkets in the South Florida area. The Cuban-American, along with the backing of another business partner, started out in the bodega business in New York in the 1980s and later ventured to Miami, where he managed to open 30 Presidente Supermarkets in the area. Marin's wife, Jenny Marin, had been involved in a previous relationship with Salazar. Ariel Gandulla, Alexis Vila-Perdomo and Roberto Issac have been charged for the June 2011 murder of Camilo Salazar. Vila-Perdomo won a Bronze as a wrestler for Cuba in the 1996 Olympics According to an arrest warrant obtained by the Miami Herald, Jenny Marin met with Salazar for coffee in February 2011. Manuel Marin confronted both of them on the spot and left with his wife. But she managed to get out of the car, and jumped into a taxi to head to a friend's home. A 'raged' Manuel Marin then returned to the cafe and wanted to fight Salazar. The warrant documents also detailed that Jenny Marin and Salazar continued to meet again. Jenny Marin said her husband was constantly on the phone during a yacht trip in late May 2011 to the Bahamas and when they returned to their waterfront home on June 1, 2011, Manuel Marin ran out with one of his employees, Antonio Hernandez. According to a police warrant, Manuel Marin returned to his waterfront home from a vacation to the Bahamas the same day Camilo Salazar disappeared The Lighthouse Point waterfront home Manuel Marin left when he fled Florida after Camilo Salazar's murder According to the Palm Beach Post, Salazar visited his wife Daisy Lewis to drop off their infant daughter. Since the child's pacifier was still in the car, Salazar stepped out and never returned. Later that night when Manuel Marin and his employee made it back to the home, Jenny Marin saw her spouse with a hat on. Hernandez had a fresh new set of clothes on. Hernandez drove Manuel Marin to the airport three days later, boarded a flight to France and disappeared. It turned out to be the beginning of an international manhunt that finally came to an end this week. More than three decades after a black man died in a racially motivated killing in Georgia, two white men have been held accountable. Bill Moore Sr. pleaded guilty to his involvement in the 1983 slaying of 23-year-old Timothy Coggins. Moore received a sentence of 30 years, with 20 to be served in prison. His brother-in-law, Frank Gebhardt, went to trial in June on charges including murder and was convicted by a jury. He was sentenced to serve life plus 20 years in prison. Bill Moore Sr. pleaded guilty to his involvement in the 1983 slaying of 23-year-old Timothy Coggins. Moore received a sentence of 30 years, with 20 to be served in prison Witnesses said Coggins was stabbed 30 times and dragged behind a pickup truck. He sustained slashes to his neck, back and stomach. His body was found in Spalding County on October 9, 1983 The two were to to tried together but the defense was able to successfully petition to a judge in hopes of getting a reduced sentenced, according to AJC.com. Witnesses said Coggins was stabbed 30 times and dragged behind a pickup truck. He sustained slashes to his neck, back and stomach. His body was found in Spalding County on October 9, 1983. He had been last seen leaving a bar with a white woman on October 7, 1983. 'The murder of Timothy Coggins was due to Coggins socializing with a white female and that Coggins had been stabbed multiple times and drug behind a truck by Franklin Gebhardt and William Moore Sr.,' prosecutor Ben Coker said in 2017. Moore in court back in November after he and the four other suspects were arrested in October The knife that was used to stab Coggins was never found. The chain that was used was also not found The case remained unsolved for decades. New leads from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation prompted authorities to reopen the case in March 2017. The knife that was used to stab Coggins was never found. The chain that was used was also not found. But crucial witness testimony led to more witnesses coming forward and the eventual arrest of the five suspects. Gebhardt, 60, was charged with felony murder. His sister, Sandra Bunn, was charged with trying to help him avoid prosecution along with nephew, Lamar Bunn. Gregory Huffman, a detention officer at Spalding County Sheriff's Office, was charged with obstruction and violating his oath of office. Moore's brother-in-law, Frank Gebhardt, went to trial in June on charges including murder and was convicted by a jury. He was sentenced to serve life plus 20 years in prison Rene Halligan (pictured) who survived being swept into one of the Finger Lakes by a flash flood said she believed she was going to die A woman who survived being swept into one of the Finger Lakes by a flash flood says she called 911 and her family to say she didn't think she'd survive the ordeal. Rene Halligan said Thursday that she was staying at a campground on Seneca Lake when her camper began filling with water around 5am on Tuesday. She said she used her cellphone to call 911 and then her daughter and boyfriend, telling them goodbye because she didn't think she was going to live. 'I'm at the camp, it's flooding. I'm probably going to drown. I love you,' she recalled telling both of them. 'I didn't think there was any way out of it,' Halligan added. But she managed to get out a door but was swept into the lake amid trees, boards and propane tanks carried away by the torrent. She said she floated for about two hours before boaters rescued her. 'I'm like, I lived?' said Halligan, who is a registered nurse. 'I truly expected to die.' Halligan's four-year-old dog, Ruby, survived and has been found safely at the campground. Halligan said Thursday that she was staying at a campground on Seneca Lake when her camper began filling with water around 5am on Tuesday. It's unclear if this is the area where Halligan was camping, but a damaged camper is pictured after the flood 'I'm at the camp, it's flooding. I'm probably going to drown. I love you,' she recalled telling both of them. But she floated for about two hours before boaters rescued her. A car is seen floating in Seneca Lake off of Lodi Point Halligan's four-year-old dog, Ruby (pictured), also survived and has been found safely at the campground Carolynn Shangraw, co-owner with her husband of the Sunset on Seneca campground in Lodi, told the AP that a woman, believed to be Halligan, was inside her camper when floodwaters swept it downhill into Seneca Lake before sunrise. Shangraw said the camper flipped over in the lake, trapping the woman inside, but she was rescued by a boater. A Seneca County emergency management official confirmed her account but couldn't provide additional details. Several other campers were displaced, numerous uprooted trees clogged the lake's eastern shoreline and a campground creek that was dry Monday is now a river, Shangraw said. 'Our terrain has been restructured, let's just say that,' she told the AP in a phone interview. 'It's a gnarled mass of trees and roots in the road near my house.' Flash floods caused by pre-dawn downpours washed out bridges, submerged vehicles, clogged yards and roads with debris and temporarily trapped dozens of people in their upstate New York homes on Tuesday. Extensive damage was caused but there were no reported deaths. Recovery work was underway by late Tuesday afternoon, as officials assessed the extent of the damage. The worst of the flooding happened in New York's Finger Lakes region, an area flush at this time of year with vacationers. Flash floods caused by pre-dawn downpours washed out bridges, submerged vehicles, clogged yards and roads with debris and temporarily trapped dozens of people in their upstate New York homes on Tuesday Extensive damage was caused but there were no reported deaths. Recovery work was underway by late Tuesday afternoon, as officials assessed the extent of the damage Emergency crews were sent to aid about 50 people trapped in their homes by rising water, while others were evacuated by boat on Seneca Lake, Seneca County officials and Democratic New York Gov Andrew Cuomo said. 'It's amazing, the devastation,' Cuomo said as he toured some of the hardest hit areas late Tuesday morning, a few hours after heavy rains turned small creeks into overflowing rivers that devastated an area known for its scenery and wineries. Cuomo declared a state of emergency for more than a dozen counties in the Finger Lakes region and along New York's border with Pennsylvania. The declaration came after he toured damaged areas in Lodi, where he at one point he climbed onto one of the massive piles of uprooted trees and brush blocking roads. Heavy construction equipment was brought in to remove the obstacles. 'There's a sea of debris that is floating out there in the lake,' Cuomo said. 'Propane tanks, sheds. ... I mean, it looks like a garbage heap floating in the water.' High water and big piles of debris kept some homeowners from leaving their properties, but by Tuesday afternoon most local waterfront residents along Seneca Lake were safe and starting to clean up damage caused by the flooding, according to Rick Jacot, highway superintendent for the Seneca County town of Lodi. 'Every road we've got, something's wrong with it, or the bridges are out,' he said. At the time the Seneca County Sheriff's Office issued a no-unnecessary-travel alert after roads flooded in four towns between Seneca and Cayuga lakes. County officials declared a state of emergency in the towns of Covert, Lodi, Ovid and Romulus, about 150 miles west of Albany. Emergency crews were sent to aid about 50 people trapped in their homes by rising water, while others were evacuated by boat on Seneca Lake, Seneca County officials and Democratic New York Gov Andrew Cuomo (second from right) said The National Weather Service said up to 5 inches of rain fell in that area, prompting a flash-flood alert advising residents to seek higher ground The National Weather Service said up to 5 inches of rain fell in that area, prompting a flash-flood alert advising residents to seek higher ground. There were no reports of fatalities or injuries. Walter Rudolph and his wife Nancy had 3 to 4 feet of water in one of the two homes that make up their Glass Magnolia Bed and Breakfast in neighboring Covert. He said he woke up around 5am and watched water course through his property for the next hour. Rudolph said the flooding washed debris across his lawns and tore up his driveway, and his immediate neighbors all have damage to their property. 'We got whacked pretty good,' Rudolph said. Video posted online showed the normally clear-running 156-foot-high waterfall in the village of Montour Falls, near Seneca Lake's southern end, turned into an immense brown cascade threatening to overwhelm a nearby road. The weather service has issued flash-flood warnings for parts of the Finger Lakes and New York's Southern Tier and bordering Pennsylvania counties, along with flash-flood watches for upstate counties from central New York to New England. New York's flooding comes a day after heavy rains triggered flash flooding in parts of central and eastern Pennsylvania on Monday, closing a heavily traveled interstate and sending water into homes in the mountainous coal regions. President Trump's military parade this fall is expected to cost $92 million - more than three times the maximum initial estimate. The figure consists of $50 million from the Pentagon and $42 million from other agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, according to an official with first-hand knowledge of preparations speaking on condition of anonymity. The White House budget office earlier estimated to Congress the parade would cost between $10 million and $30 million. It will be held in Washington DC on November 10, the eve of Veterans Day. The White House budget office earlier estimated to Congress the parade would cost between $10 million and $30 million. Pictured: President Trump stands with admirals at the Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, DC, on June 1 Although plans have not yet been confirmed by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, the event is expected to include around eight tanks along with several other armored vehicles, including Strykers, Bradleys and M113s, another anonymous official told CNBC. The 70-ton Abrams tank will likely appear after experts quashed concerns it would damage the roads in Washington DC. Between 5,000 to 7,000 service members are expected to march along with 50 aircraft and 100 horses for the parade. Last month, there were already 50 DoD employees working on the plans, and that number is expected to double by September and hit an estimated 3,000 the week of the event. Trump was inspired to host the large show of military pride in DC after he attended France's Bastille Day parade alongside President Emmanuel Macron last summer. Trump was inspired to host the large show of military pride in DC after he attended France's Bastille Day parade alongside President Emmanuel Macron on July 14, 2017. Pictured: Trump salutes US troops The annual event sees military tanks and ranks of soldiers marching down the Champs-Elysees in the center of Paris. He said at the time: 'We're going to have to try to top it, but we have a lot of planes going over and a lot of military might, and it was really a beautiful thing to see, and representatives from different wars and different uniforms.' It was not until months later that his loosely-formed dream was heard as a presidential directive in a closed-door meeting with top military officials in January. In March, the Pentagon issued a planning memo about the parade which said it would 'include wheeled vehicles only, no tanks - consideration must be given to minimize damage to local infrastructure'. It also promised to include 'a heavy air component at the end of the parade', meaning lots of airplane flyovers. Older aircraft will be included as available. The event was originally going to be held on Veterans Day itself, but was pushed forward a day to coincide with the 100th anniversary of World War I. The annual event (pictured on July 14, 2017) sees military tanks and ranks of soldiers marching down the Champs-Elysees in the center of Paris Service members will be joined by 100 vehicles, 50 aircraft and 100 horses for the parade from the Capitol to the White House on November 10, the eve of Veterans Day In February, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney told the House Budget Committee that the cost could range between $10million and $30 million. At the time Trump said he would be willing to give up the grand parade plans if the price is too high. 'We'll see if we can do it at a reasonable cost. If we can't, we won't do it,' Trump said during a phone interview with Fox News host Jeanine Pirro. 'The generals would love to do it, I tell you, and so would I.' While he didn't specify what a 'reasonable cost' would be at the time, the new $12million figure is nearly as high as the suspended exercises with South Korea, which the President described as 'tremendously expensive.' Frankel's ex-husband Jason Hoppy claimed in court on Thursday that she was a 'dangerous' parent. He is pictured in February Bethenny Frankel's convicted stalker ex-husband has questioned her ability to parent after the death of her on-off boyfriend who died last week from a suspected opioid overdose. On Thursday, Frankel's ex-husband Jason Hoppy invoked Dennis Shields', the star's recently deceased boyfriend, in his case to win joint custody of their daughter Bryn. He argued that Frankel sometimes left Bryn in Shields' care which he described as a questionable decision. As Frankel fought back tears, Hoppy's lawyers went on to suggest that she herself may have an alcohol problem by pointing to footage of her on the Real Housewives of New York City where she is inebriated. 'Dennis Shields spent a great deal of time with Bryn and even cared for Bryn at times when Ms. Frankel wasnt around. 'It was reported that he died of an Oxycodone overdose. Our concern is while his death is very sad this raises serious concerns about Ms. Frankels parental judgment. Hoppy claimed that because Frankel sometimes left their eight-year-old daughter Bryn in the care of Dennis Shields, her parenting should be questioned. Shields, 51, died on August 10 from a suspected opioid overdose. He and Frankel are shown in 2016 Frankel and her eight-year-old daughter Bryn are pictured in 2017. She would like to maintain full custody of her but Hoppy wants it to be shared 'Considering Mr. Shields addiction what does that say about Ms. Frankels parenting that she would allow this person to care for her daughter? 'This doesnt just constitute a lapse in judgment this was just downright dangerous parenting,' Hoppy's attorney Robert Wallack told the court, according to Page Six which attended the hearing. Wallack went on to make reference to a recent episode of the Bravo show in which Frankel appears as proof of her apparently 'dangerous' parenting. 'There was a recent episode in which she appeared to be intoxicated. 'She was running around without clothes on and then she passed out and it was said she passed out from mixing Ambien with alcohol. Frankel is pictured at Dennis Shields' funeral on August 13 'Our concerns are whether Ms. Frankel may have some type of substance abuse problems so we would ask the court to order drug testing of Ms. Frankel to find out whether thats an issue,' he said. The hearing was the latest in the former couple's endless legal spat over the care of their daughter. Frankel, a multmillionaire businesswoman, wants full custody but her ex-husband does not. The judge criticized his style of argument on Thursday, saying: 'Now you're throwing grenades across the table.' The matter will return to court in March. Thursday's hearing comes just a few days after Frankel buried Shields along with his children and his former wife in Long Island. She was seen crying and being consoled by a friend as she emerged from the service. She and Shields had been dating intermittently since 2016. Sources close to her say they were discussing their future and were talking marriage. On Thursday, Frankel was wearing a large diamond ring on her right finger which, it was reported, may have been a gift from Shields. The 51-year-old businessman was found dead in his apartment in Trump Tower last week. He had been taking oxycodone, a powerful and addictive painkiller, since 2015 when he underwent back surgery. The night before his death, Shields realized he had taken too much and spent the night worrying, according to sources. Hoppy and Frankel were married in 2010 when she was pregnant with their daughter. They are pictured afterwards. They separated in 2013 and it took another three years for their divorce to be finalized On the morning of his death, he asked his maid to fetch him Narcan, which reverses the effects of an overdose, but he died before it kicked in. He had four adult children with his first wife Jill Schwartzberg. Frankel and Hoppy were married for less than three years when they parted ways in 2013. They remained legally married until 2016 and their split has been remarkably acrimonious. Hoppy was charged with stalking and harassment in 2017 after bombarding his famous ex with abuse on a 'daily basis' for years. iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- A federal judge in South Carolina has issued an injunction to block the Trump administration's move to delay a clean water rule intended to prevent pollution from being released into bodies of water like creeks, lakes and streams. The change to the Waters of the United States rule was a hallmark of former Administrator Scott Pruitt's time at EPA, who often said that under the rule a dry creek bed would be regulated as a Water of the United States. Groups like the American Farm Bureau opposed the rule, saying that the Obama administration did not listen to their concerns that it put too many regulations on their business. EPA was working to change definitions in the rule that would have drastically rolled back protections. Similar to other rulings that have gone against rules delayed or rolled back under the Trump administration, South Carolina District Judge David Norton ruled that the government did not follow proper procedure in delaying the rule and suspended the EPA's decision, specifically by not considering public comment in its decision. "The agencies refused to engage in a substantive reevaluation of the definition of the "waters of the United States" even though the legal effect of the Suspension Rule is that the definition of "waters of the United States" ceases to be the definition under the WOTUS rule," he wrote in the decision. Norton ruled in favor of environmental groups and states that challenged the delay and granted an injunction to reinstate the rule. An EPA spokesperson said the agency and Army Corps of Engineers will review the ruling to determine the next step. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. The British grandmother who wrote a letter complaining there were 'too many Spanish people' on her trip to Benidorm has denied she is racist. Freda Jackson, 81, said he words had been 'taken out of context' and felt 'betrayed' by the backlash she has received from her letter, which went viral on social media. In her letter, she was quoted as saying that Spanish people should 'go somewhere else for their holidays' following her trip to the Poseidon Playa in Benidorm, Spain last April. 'I never said the Spanish should go to another hotel, just that the hotel didn't cater to English people. It's been totally taken out of context,' said Mrs Jackson. Freda Jackson, 81, said he words had been 'taken out of context' and felt 'betrayed' by the backlash she has received from her letter, which went viral on social media 'Now people who don't even know me are calling me racist which is just not true. 'I didn't slag the Spanish off at all. 'I had asked for a hotel in Benidorm's new town, on the flat that was close to shops. But they gave me a hotel on a hill in the old town far from everything.' Mrs Jackson suffers from chronic arthritis and went into hospital on Monday for a knee replacement. Yet as she had finished surgery, she emerged to the news that her letter had made national headlines. Ahead of the trip the flights from Manchester to Allicante had been changed but she was not informed until she went to collect her tickets. She said Thomas Cook had recommended the hotel and despite her request for flat ground access due to her bad knees, her room was situated on a slope. She demanded a full refund for the hotel, which costs 1,133, or for a free trip. She said she had 'never complained' about a holiday before, but added that 'this one was a disaster from start to finish.' Mrs Jackson's granddaughter, Lyndsey had bought two copies of the publication for her to read from her hospital bed but could not have imagined it would have gained so much attention. Before the newspaper was brought to her, Mrs Jackson's granddaughter saw his nan on television. Lyndsey, a mum-of-two, said: 'Leon said, look mum, nan's on the telly. 'Everyone was slagging her off. She's an 81-year-old woman. It's not right and it's not fair. There are two sides to every story and this is just bullying. Mrs Jackson stayed at the Poseidon Playa in Benidorm, Spain, last year 'My partner and I wrote the complaint letter to Thomas Cook for my nan. 'They offered her a refund because her flights were changed and they only informed her when she went in to collect the tickets. 'She never said that the Spanish should go elsewhere or that there were too many Spaniards in Benidorm. She's not racist at all.' A Thomas Cook spokesman said: 'Due to a system error Ms Jackson was not informed of a change to her flights until six days before departure. 'We are very sorry for the inconvenience this caused and are investigating to make sure it doesn't happen again. 'We have offered Ms Jackson and her travel companion a gesture of goodwill to try and put things right which we hope she will accept.' Well-respected Indiana attorney and public defender Tracy Edward Page, 64, was killed killed Wednesday after police say his client opened fire on him A prominent public defender in northwestern Indiana was just two weeks away from retirement when prosecutors say he was shot dead at his home by a longtime client and friend. Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter says Hobart police have arrested an 83-year-old suspect in the shooting death Wednesday morning of 64-year-old Tracy Edward Page. The suspect was a client of Page's in a civil case. During a press conference Wednesday afternoon, police said Page invited his client to his home in the 1200 block of West 4th Street to collect some documents. The murder suspect arrived at his lawyer's gated residence at 11.45am, accompanied by his two daughters, pulled out a gun and shot Page four times without uttering a single word, reported CBS Chicago. Police said Page's husband tackled the gunman and wrested the murder weapon out of his hands. The octogenarian was arrested at the scene by police officers; he is expected to be formally charged on Friday. Officials have not disclosed the name of the alleged killer, but The Times of Northwest Indiana reported on Thursday, citing sources with direct knowledge of the investigation, that the accused shooter is William 'Bill' Landske. Police say Page had invited his friend and client in a civil case, identified by a news outlet as William Landske, 83, to his home in Hobart (pictured) to collect some papers William Landske, pictured above at the memorial service for his wife, state Senator Sue Landske, in 2015, allegedly shot Page four times without uttering a word Landske, a father of five grown children and a grandfather of seven, lost his wife, state Senator Sue Landske, to lung cancer in February 2015. She was 77 years old. Senator Landske was friends with Page, and he delivered a eulogy at her memorial service in March of that year. Page was a lawyer with the firm Thiros & Thiros in Merrillville and worked as Lake County public defender for the past 10 years. He also served as magistrate judge of the Lake Superior Court from October 1984 to 2000. This photo taken in June reveals that Page (left) was a Freemason Chief public defender Marce Gonzalez Jr. said Page on Tuesday submitted a letter of retirement that was effective at the end of the month. In the next chapter of his life, the 64-year-old jurist planned to teach law and serve as a part-time judge. Lake County Bar Association President Steven Sersic said Page 'was known as a lawyers lawyer, a very compassionate person and a good man.' Bill Landske served two terms on the Cedar Lake Town Council from 2004 to 2011. So far, police have not revealed a possible motive behind the seemingly cold-blooded killing. California Highway Patrol officer Michael Richard Joslin, 35, was arrested on Monday after he allegedly raped a 12-year-old girl A California Highway Patrol officer is behind bars after he allegedly raped a 12-year-old girl. Michael Richard Joslin, 35, was arrested on Monday after the girl's mother told the pastor of a local church that he had been molesting her daughter for a year. Joslin 'resided with, and had recurring access to' the girl while he sexually abused her from February 2017 to August, 2, 2018, according to court documents. The document also states that Joslin unlawfully engaged in three or more acts of 'substantial sexual conduct' with the girl. Joslin has been charged with rape by means of force or fear, penetration with a foreign object of a minor under 14, oral copulation with a minor under 14, lewd acts with a child under 14, and continuous sexual abuse of a child. The California Highway Patrol said the alleged sexual abuse occurred while Joslin was off-duty, according to the Sacramento Bee. Joslin 'resided with, and had recurring access to' the girl while he sexually abused her from February 2017 to August, 2, 2018, according to court documents Deputies from the Amador County Sheriff's Office attempted to arrest Joslin at his home in Pioneer after the pastor reported him. They discovered he had already left for his father's home in Placer County and obtained an Emergency Protective Order for the 12-year-old girl and members of her immediate family. With the assistance of the Placer County Sheriff's Office, deputies were able to locate and arrest Joslin. Joslin, who is being held at Amador County Jail, pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on Wednesday. The judge also issued a protective order barring Joslin from contacting the victim, according to KTXL. Joslin will also be required to turn over his firearms. The California Highway Patrol said the alleged sexual abuse occurred while Joslin (pictured) was off-duty The California Highway Patrol confirmed that Joslin was an officer at the time of his arrest but 'no longer works for us'. 'The CHP continues to fully cooperate with the investigating agency and we are conducting our own investigation into the allegations,' CHP Amador Area Commander Lt Todd Brown said in a statement. 'I also want to assure the public that we take any allegation of misconduct by our employees, whether on- or off-duty, very seriously.' Joslin will next appear in court on Monday for a bail hearing. His continued arraignment proceedings are scheduled for October 1. Israel has handed over eight years' worth of undelivered letters and packages to the Palestinian postal service after blocking their release on security grounds. Palestinian postal staff are working overtime to sort through ten tons of letters and packages. The parcels, dating from between 2010 and this year, had been prevented by Israel from entering the West Bank via Jordan. Parcels, dating from 2010 to this year, had been prevented from entering the West Bank via Jordan by Israel (pictured, a Palestinian employee sorts undelivered mail) Palestinian postal staff are working overtime to sort through ten tons of letters and packages at a sorting centre in the West Bank city of Jericho They were released in a one-off deal, Palestinian officials said. Letters, medicine, and even wheelchairs for the disabled were found in the sorting centre in the occupied West Bank city of Jericho. Palestinian photographs showed rooms filled with hundreds of blue and white post bags. All goods intended for the West Bank and Gaza are controlled by Israel, and the Israeli postal service handles mail. Palestinian officials have accused Israel of delaying a 2016 deal to allow Palestinians to receive international mail without it first being handled by Israel. Palestinian Telecommunications Minister Allam Mousa accused Israel in a statement of having blocked the delivery and of delaying the implementation of an agreement on postal services. Israeli authorities confirmed the packages had been transferred and said an agreement was in the works, but did not comment in detail. Ramadan Ghazawi, an official at the sorting centre in Jericho, said he understood some items had been blocked for security reasons, while others were barred on administrative grounds. Palestinian photographs showed rooms filled with hundreds of blue and white post bags (pictured) Letters, medicine and even wheelchairs for the disabled (pictured) were released in a one-off deal 'A few days ago Israel allowed more than 10 tonnes of postal parcels that were stuck in Jordan,' he said. He said it would take his staff another two weeks to sort through all the parcels and get them delivered to their recipients. Israel controls all entrances and exits to the West Bank and can prevent goods passing through as it sees fit. Palestinian officials say such control cripples their economy and freedom of movement. Israel controls all entrances and exits to the West Bank and can prevent goods, including letters, passing through as it sees fit In the sorting centre, hundreds of bags were piled on top of each other as workers picked through them in the stifling summer heat. Ghazawi said that the parcels and letters, mostly the former, had been sent from all over the world. Many were goods ordered online by Palestinians that never arrived. A note attached to a wheelchair said it was sent from Turkey in 2015 and meant to be delivered to the Gaza Strip. COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body responsible for civilian coordination in the Palestinian territories, said the release was part of confidence building measures after the two sides agreed on a postal entry deal 'about a year ago'. It said while the deal had not yet gone into force for future deliveries, it had 'allowed a one-time transfer of approximately ten and a half tonnes of mail that had been held in Jordan'. Some of the transferred goods had been broken, and Ghazawi said that to avoid complaints they were delivering them along with a statement saying Israeli authorities had delivered them in this condition. The father of missing college student Mollie Tibbetts says Vice President Mike Pence arranged a meeting with his family to express his concern as tips continue to pour in about her disappearance. Rob Tibbetts and his missing daughter's boyfriend Dalton Jack spoke with Pence for about 20 minutes on Wednesday following an event the Vice President had in Iowa. Pence had earlier said publicly that the Tibbetts family was 'on the hearts of every American' and vowed to provide federal support for the missing 20-year-old. 'He just expressed in a very private way his compassion. It was very genuine and it was real. It was very touching,' Rob Tibbetts told Fox News of his meeting with Pence. Police believe that missing college student Mollie Tibbetts, 20, is still alive and being held hostage by her abductor after she vanished on July 18 Rob Tibbetts and his missing daughter's boyfriend Dalton Jack spoke with Mike Pence for about 20 minutes on Wednesday following an event the Vice President had in Iowa 'I got the sense that it was not a politician at all, it was just another father that was just hurt and bewildered by Mollie's story just like everybody else in America.' Mollie, a University of Iowa student, vanished from the small town of Brooklyn while she was out jogging on July 18. Pence had earlier said publicly that the Tibbetts family was 'on the hearts of every American' and vowed to provide federal support for the missing 20-year-old Tips have been rolling in ever since authorities launched a website and revealed they were focusing on five locations in the town regarding her disappearance. An FBI source told Radar on Wednesday that police believe Mollie is still alive and being held hostage by an abductor. The source also said the suspect is likely 'hiding in plane sight' and may have even assisted in the search for her. It came as more than 200 people gathered for a candlelit vigil in Mollie's honor, two weeks after she was last seen out jogging. 'There is reason to believe the person responsible for Mollie's disappearance attended a vigil and has continued to closely follow the case,' the source said. They said that authorities are tightening the net around the suspect and are looking at single, divorced, and widowed men around Brooklyn. They are also examining Tibbetts' 'digital footprint', including data from her Fitbit and cell, in a bid to try and track her down. 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 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. Rob Tibbetts had earlier said he believed 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.' 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 man has been charged with the alleged murder of a graphic artist who went missing more nearly two decades ago before his badly decomposed body was found dumped in a wheelie bin last month. John Spencer White, 62, was arrested at his Sunshine Coast home on Thursday morning and police charged him with the murder of John Christianos. He will appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Friday where police will request his extradition to Victoria. Christianos' family were told on Thursday evening police had made an arrest. 'All I can say is we are relieved. Now we just want to know why,' his half-sister Elena Christianos-Toskas told The Age. Scroll down for video A man has been charged with the murder of John Christianos (left) who went missing more than 17 years ago and whose body was found in a wheelie bin (right) last month 'All I can say is we are relieved. Now we just want to know why,' said his half-sister Elena Christianos-Toskas (pictured with their father Ross Christianos) Mr Christianos, a graphic artist, went missing in 2001 and was last seen at his Melbourne home in Bentleigh East. An inquest in 2011 found he likely died on or after June 11, 2001. But his cause of death and the circumstances leading to it were unable to be determined. The grim discovery was made by a worker who was cleaning out the Oakleigh South building after he saw 'two legs sticking out of the bag' on July 13. Mr Christianos, who would now have been 56, was reported missing by other residents of Gaynor Lodge, where he lived, when he disappeared. The family of reality star Lyric McHenry did not know she was pregnant until police told them after her death, a spokeswoman for the McHenrys has told DailyMail.com. The whole family was shocked to learn that police believe McHenry, 26, who was from Los Angeles, was around five months pregnant when her body was found in a dangerous part of New York City on Tuesday morning. Spokeswoman Edna Sims Porter said that McHenry had not mentioned anything to any of her family members about a child. But according to the police report filed on Tuesday, a friend told officers that she was 20 weeks pregnant. 'She never told any of her family members that she was pregnant,' Porter told DailyMail.com. 'We're all baffled because you don't even see a baby bump. Twenty weeks, that's five months right? It seems like she would be showing. 'I've seen the police report and I talked to the police about that, and they said to me "That was from someone that we interviewed." That's one of the things we're going to find out the details about,' she said. The family of Lyric McHenry say they are baffled over claims that she was pregnant because she was not 'showing.' The 26-year-old, who was found dead on Tuesday morning, posted a picture of herself (above) hours before her death where she did not appear to have a bump Lyric's family said they only learned that she was expecting because police told them they interviewed someone who said the reality star was 20 weeks along. Above she is pictured with her mother Jennifer (left) and close friend EJ Johnson, son of Magic Johnson Porter said the family were skeptical of the alleged pregnancy, as they had not seen her sporting a baby bump. McHenry, a friend of Magic Johnson's son EJ and star of his reality show EJNYC, was found sprawled on the sidewalk above the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx at around 5am on Tuesday. Police said she was wearing a pajama top and underwear, but no pants. A Ziploc bag containing a drug believed to be cocaine was reportedly found next to her body, and she is believed to have died of a drug overdose. The 26-year-old Stanford graduate had bruised knees, but no other visible injuries, a police source told the New York Daily News. Porter said an autopsy of McHenry's body was conducted Wednesday. The results, expected next week, will show whether McHenry was pregnant, and may reveal more information about any drugs in her system. Lyric had been celebrating her birthday in downtown Manhattan on Monday night (left) and was found dead hours later in the Bronx. Pictured right is the last photo she had uploaded on her Instagram page five days ago Porter said the family believes the circumstances around the girl's death are suspicious. She said that her father, Doug, has flown to New York to help investigate, while the rest of the McHenry family support her grieving mother in LA. 'I don't know what her position was on drugs, but we had no knowledge of her using drugs. Nothing like that. It's hugely out of character,' said Porter. 'Let's say someone left her there, because that's what it looks like. Someone's just put her there. Why would they leave the drugs? That's weird, you know? Why didn't someone pick them up? Even though that was in a desolate type of place where they left her, in New York someone's always walking around. 'That's why the father has gone there to find out.' Porter said McHenry moved back from New York to Los Angeles in February, but was in the Big Apple to celebrate her birthday and visit her sister, Maya. Based on McHenry's Instagram story, which Porter said is the only information the family have of her location on Monday night, the reality star was partying uptown in the high-end hotels and bars of Manhattan, far from the Bronx where her body was found. While McHenry spent the bulk of her birthday celebrations in lower Manhattan, she was found in the Bronx wearing a pajama top and underwear, but no pants. A Ziploc bag containing a drug believed to be cocaine was reportedly found next to her body McHenry was discovered above the Major Deegan Expressway (pictured) in the Bronx around 5am on Tuesday Neighbors said her mother, Jennifer, was 'hysterical' and screamed for hours when she got the call from her younger daughter breaking the tragic news, and was hospitalized on Wednesday afternoon. 'Jennifer collapsed. She couldn't believe it,' said Porter. 'But she's out of the hospital now, and she has her friends and family taking care of her. It was a total shock to her. 'Lyric had so much going for her,' Porter added. 'She was moving back to LA to start other TV projects and considering jobs. She was even getting ready to go back to graduate school. Her future seemed very bright.' Just five days before she died, McHenry was reportedly very excited about her future. Family friend Lisa Nkonoki saw McHenry on August 11 and told the New York Daily News: 'She was so excited and sweet. She wrote me a nice note late Sunday or early Monday thanking me for everything. She was just wonderful.' She said they saw each other earlier in the week also. 'She was very excited about the future,' Nkonoki said. Abdul-ghani Wahhaj, 3, went missing after his father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, allegedly kidnapped him from his Georgia home New Mexico forensic investigators announced Thursday that a highly decomposed body found at a desert compound in New Mexico has been identified as a missing Georgia boy whose father is accused of kidnapping him and performing purification rituals on the severely disabled child. Authorities believe the boy, Abdul-ghani died in February, when he was 3 and buried in an underground tunnel at makeshift compound in northern New Mexico. He had been reported missing in December from Jonesboro, Georgia, near Atlanta. The New Mexico Office of the Medical Examiner said in a statement that it could not identify the cause of Abdul-ghani's death because his body was found in advanced stage of decomposition. A prosecutor says no new charges are imminent because of the identification of the boy. District Attorney Donald Gallegos said Thursday in an interview that authorities 'need something else, actual cause of death, manner of death.' The father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, was among five people arrested on suspicion of child abuse at compound near the Colorado state line, where authorities say 11 hungry children were found living in filth. An exit tunnel is seen at the compound. The family had begun digging a tunnel into the desert ground He was buried in an underground tunnel at a makeshift compound in New Mexico, according to authorities The father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj (second from right), was among five people arrested on suspicion of child abuse at the compound. Three other defendants - Jany Leveille (far left), Lucas Morton (second from left), and Subbannah Wahhaj - are seen in a Taos, New Mexico court on Tuesday Hujrah Wahhaj (seen left talking to public defense attorney Aleks Kostich) is the fifth defendant facing charges in connection with the case Prosecutors seeking to keep Siraj Ibn Wahhaj behind bars said in court on Monday that he had been training some children at the compound to carry out attacks on an anti-government mission that might include schools. An FBI agent, citing interviews with two children from the compound, said Abdul-ghani died as relatives performed a ritual on the boy to cast out demonic spirits while reading from the Quran. State District Court Judge Sarah Backus on Monday said the evidence provided by prosecutors was troubling but did not indicate any clear threat to public safety from the defendants, who have no criminal records. She cleared the way for the release of four defendants on terms of house arrest that would include ankle monitors, while Siraj Ibn Wahhaj would remain jailed because of the arrest warrant. A lawyer who represents Hakima Ramzi (above), the Georgia mother of the three-year-old boy says, she now has 'some sense of closure in this matter' One defendant, originally from Haiti, has been transferred to the custody of federal immigration authorities. None had been released as of Thursday amid safety concerns, in part stemming from threats of violence against Judge Backus. A lawyer who represents the Georgia mother of the three-year-old boy says she now has 'some sense of closure in this matter.' The lawyer for Hakima Ramzi, M. Khurram Baig, said Thursday in a statement that she will now turn her attention 'toward giving her son a proper burial in accordance with Islamic traditions.' He also says she will cooperate with authorities in their investigation into the death of Abdul-ghani Wahhaj. Meanwhile, a prosecutor in the Taos-area District Attorney's Office says his department will appeal a state judge's decision allowing the release of four of the defendants. State District Court Judge Sarah Backus on Monday said the evidence provided by prosecutors was troubling but did not indicate any clear threat to public safety from the defendants, who have no criminal records. Backus is seen in court in Taos on Monday Gallegos said Thursday that he thought the judge received all the information necessary to hold all five defendants in jail pending trial and that he wants another 'set of eyes and ears' to consider the case. The appeal has not yet been filed. Three of the five defendants, all women, were ordered released but are still in custody because of safety concerns regarding their release. Another woman who is from Haiti, Jany Leveille, was turned over to federal immigration officials. Jany is Wahhaj's second wife. They met in New York and moved to Georgia along with the rest of the family. She has been living in the US illegally for 20 years after moving to New York from Haiti in 1998 following the death of her father. Her brother Von Chelet Leveille has now told how she communicated with him from the compound where she and the others had gone to escape non-Muslims. They were inspired, it is believed, by a recent trip Wahhaj took to Saudi Arabia. At the compound, he was training the children to use guns so that they could carry out school shootings, prosecutors say. Von Chelet Leveille (left) is the brother of Jany Leveille (right) who was arrested on August 5 at a New Mexico compound. Her brother,who lives in Haiti but used to be in New York with her, said she was a devout Muslim who believed in black magic but never practiced it Von Chelet has told how his sister believed in black magic but did not practice it. She told him that the group believed they were experiencing a spiritual awakening and that they thought they saw angel's faces form in the clouds when they were living undisturbed in putrid conditions. 'At first it sounded ridiculous to me,' he told The Atlantic Journal Constitution. On Facebook, Von Chelet said he was in constant contact with his sister and that the family was doing well. He claims they are innocent of the accusations and that they are being targeted because of their religion. The man lived in Brooklyn, New York, until recently. He operated a fitness and massage business. Now, he is back in Haiti where he said his 'conservative' brother-in-law, Siraj Wahhaj, was planning to open a security business. Von Chelet said that was the explanation for his multiple guns. The Vatican expressed 'shame and sorrow' on Thursday about a scathing Pennsylvania grand jury report about clergy who raped and molested children in six dioceses and decried the abuse as 'criminally and morally reprehensible.' In uncharacteristically strong language for the Holy See even in matters like the long running abuse scandals staining the U.S. church, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said that victims should know 'the pope is on their side.' Pope Francis himself wasn't quoted in the statement, and there was no mention of demands in the United States among some Catholics for the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington. The Vatican expressed 'shame and sorrow' on Thursday about a scathing Pennsylvania grand jury report about clergy who raped and molested children in six dioceses. This 2010 file photo shows Pope Francis, left, with Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washinghton, D.C. This week's report accused Wuerl of helping to protect abusive priests for decades The grand jury report made public this week accused the cardinal of helping to protect some molester priests while he was previously bishop of Pittsburgh, Pennsylania. Burke, in the statement, described the abuse in the report as 'betrayals of trust that robbed survivors of their dignity and their faith. The church must learn hard lessons from its past, and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur.' Pope Francis had recently accepted the resignation from cardinal's rank of former Washington archbishop Theodore McCarrick for alleged sexual misconduct. It was the first time a prelate had lost his cardinal's rank in a sexual abuse scandal, and Francis was stepping up his crackdown on the abuse to include some of the highest ranking churchmen. Burke said that Francis 'understands well how much these crimes can shake the faith and the spirit of believers and reiterates the call to make every effort to create a safe environment for minors and vulnerable adults in the church and in all of society.' The grand jury report documented how pedophile priests were often protected by church hierarchy or moved to other postings without the faithful being told of the priests' sexual predatory history. A former Royal Canadian Mint employee who stole 22 cookie-sized pieces of refined gold by hiding them in his rectum has his $145,900 fine lessened in court. Leston Lawrence, 35, was sentenced to 30 months in prison last year after stealing the pieces from the mint and selling 17 of them through Ottawa Gold Buyers. At the time of his sentencing, O ntario Court judge Peter Doody ordered Lawrence to pay a fine of US $145,900 (CA $190,000), a fine that has been reduced. Earlier this month, three judges ruled that Lawrences fine should be reduced by nearly $60,000 because the gold he stole was not as valuable when he stole and sold it as it was when he was ordered to pay it back, according to the Ottawa Citizen. At the time of his sentencing, Lawrence was ordered to pay back nearly half the value of the gold, which was about $145,900. Scroll down for video Former Royal Canadian Mint employee, Leston Lawrence (pictured after stealing the gold), 35, who stole 22 cookie-sized pieces of refined gold by hiding them in his rectum has his $145,900 fine lessened in court A judge ordered him to pay a fine of US $145,900 (CA $190,000). Lawrence, 35, was also sentenced to 30 months in prison last year after stealing the pieces from the mint and selling 17 of them through Ottawa Gold Buyers But earlier this month, three judges ruled that in order for Lawrence to avoid extra jail time he should have to pay back the amount he sold the gold for, which was $130,206.19, instead of the $145,900. Pictured is one of the 'pucks' he stole He had three years from the end of his full sentence to pay it, and if he couldn't, he would have to be re-incarcerated for another 30 months. In July, Lawrence's lawyers argued that the judge wrongly used the then-market value of the gold to determine the fine instead of the amount that their client had actually stolen. According to his lawyers, the gold was only worth about $165,000 at the time Lawrence stole it. He was able to sell it for about $130,000. Therefore, his lawyer argued that the fine was unfair because it was more money than it would have cost the mint to replace it. In the end, the judges ruled that in order for Lawrence to avoid jail time he should have to pay back the amount he sold the gold for, which was $130,206.19. At the time, Judge Doody noted there was no video of Lawrence stealing the 22 gold 'pucks' and there were no witnesses. However, there was video of Lawrence setting off a metal detector while trying to smuggle out some of the gold. Court testimony indicated that Lawrence was involved in purifying recently procured gold and sometimes worked alone, out of sight of security cameras, when creating the gold 'pucks'. He worked at the mint from 2008 until March 2015. In February 2015, Lawrence aroused suspicion in a bank employee after he asked to cash two checks worth $15,200 from Ottawa Gold Buyers. At the time of the incident, Judge Doody noted there was no video of Lawrence stealing the 22 gold 'pucks' and there were no witnesses. However, there was video of Lawrence setting off a metal detector (pictured) while trying to smuggle out some of the gold He reportedly told the bank teller that he had sold 'gold nuggets' when she asked what the money was for. The bank then tipped off police, who put Lawrence under surveillance. Lawrence set off the metal detector more times than any other employee without metal implants, Doody said in his ruling. But searches with hand wands never discovered the smuggled gold hidden in his body cavity. Police seized a gold puck that Lawrence had sold and found four more in his safety deposit box. Vaseline and latex gloves were later found in Lawrence's locker, which 'could have been used to facilitate insertion of gold items inside his rectum,' according to Doody. A lifelong Democratic Party supporter is scared for his life after receiving emails threatening his life for having voted for President Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential elections but now speaking out against him. The interesting twist in Jeremy Montanezs case is the death threats have been directed by those supporting Trumps views and policies. Jeremy Montanez received emails in which Trump loyalists have threatened to kill him for not supporting the President he voted for One of the many emails that Jeremy Montanez has received in which his life has been threatened The most recent warning came after Montanez, 35, flew to New York City and participated in an August 7 panel discussion on CNNs New Day Pulse of the People segment. During the discussion featuring a bevy of voters that spoke out against voting for the President, Montanez was remorseful for having checked out Trump's name at the ballot box. 'I want to apologize to the nation for my vote for him,' he said. 'It was the wrong thing to do. It was the biggest mistake that I made.' Montanez this week presented Univision an email where a person who called themselves 'Trump Lover' wrote: You are a hideous, disgusting, liberal CNN plant. NOONE talks about the greatest president in the world like that Too bad I dont know where you live or Id kill you myself Montanez, whose dad is Mexican dad and whose mother was born in the United States, has rejected Trump's 'zero tolerance' border policy and was livid about how minors were detained in 'cages'. 'I think that he is taking this country in the wrong direction and its a terrifying time for me,' he added. He also denounced the 45th President for how the administration handled the aftermath created by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Jeremy Montanez told Univision that he believes Trump 'is a monster, a racist' 'I still think he is a monster, a racist. He is destroying the lives of people that arent at fault for being here, Montanez said. Over time Montanez has distanced himself from Trump after he jumped party lines in the last election and looks to vote for the next Democrat in the 2020 presidential runoff. 'I wasnt an actor, I was a great supporter of his. To say that I am a liar, that I am a fake person, that I am a liar, its not fair. I have all the right to defend myself.' William McRaven, commander of the U.S. Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden, condemned President Donald Trump on Thursday for revoking the security clearance of former CIA chief John Brennan and asked that his be canceled as well. The decorated retired Navy admiral, in an open letter published in The Washington Post, defended Brennan as 'one of the finest public servants I have ever known' and accused Trump of using 'McCarthy-era tactics.' 'Few Americans have done more to protect this country than John,' McRaven wrote of Brennan. 'He is a man of unparalleled integrity, whose honesty and character have never been in question, except by those who don't know him.' 'Therefore, I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency.' Robert O'Neill the Navy SEAL credited with firing three fatal bullets into bin Laden's head, tweeted Thursday afternoon that he isn't siding with McRaven. 'I have nothing but respect and love for ADM McRaven. Yes Ive seen this. We simply disagree,' he tweeted, pointing to the short Post essay. Retired U.S. Navy admiral William McRaven, commander of the SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden, asked President Donald Trump to revoke his security clearance in a gesture of solidarity with former CIA chief John Brennan Trump, pictured Thursday during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, yanked ex-spymaster Brennan's clearance a day earlier Brennan, pictured during a 2017 congressional hearing, lashed out at Trump in a brutal New York Times essay McRaven was the head of U.S. Joint Special Operations Command from 2011 to 2014 and supervised the Pakistan SEAL raid in 2011. 'Like most Americans, I had hoped that when you became president, you would rise to the occasion and become the leader this great nation needs,' he wrote. 'A good leader tries to embody the best qualities of his or her organization. A good leader sets the example for others to follow. A good leader always puts the welfare of others before himself or herself.' 'Your leadership, however, has shown little of these qualities,' McRaven continued. 'Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation.' 'If you think for a moment that your McCarthy-era tactics will suppress the voices of criticism, you are sadly mistaken. The criticism will continue until you become the leader we prayed you would be.' Trump revoked Brennan's security clearance on Wednesday and warned several other prominent critics that they too risk being blacklisted. Following the president's summit last month with Russia's Vladimir Putin, Brennan described Trump's behavior as 'nothing short of treasonous.' Trump accused the former spy chief of tossing around 'unfounded and outrageous allegations wild outbursts on the internet and television about this administration' and engaging in 'increasingly frenzied commentary.' Robert O'Neill, the former U.S. Navy SEAL who has identified himself as the person who killed Osama bin Laden during a 2011 Pakistan raid, said he doesn't agree with McRaven's position in standing up to the president 'We simply disagree,'O'Neill wrote Thursday on Twitter of his former commanding officer Admiral McRaven Trump says he would have added Republicans to his list of security-clearance targets 'if I thought they were incompetent or crazy' A furious Brennan alleged Thursday in a separate New York Times essay that Trump yanked his security clearance because he's 'desperate' to keep a lid on his presidential campaign's collusion with agents of the Kremlin. 'Mr. Trump's claims of no collusion are, in a word, hogwash,' the former CIA director wrote. Brennan, a fierce public Trump critic, had already fired back at the White House on Wednesday, comparing the president to 'despots and autocrats.' In his Times op-ed, he contended that 'Mr. Trump clearly has become more desperate to protect himself and those close to him, which is why he made the politically motivated decision to revoke my security clearance in an attempt to scare into silence others who might dare to challenge him.' Brennan recalled a July 2016 press conference in which then-candidate Trump called on Moscow to 'find,' and presumably release, an estimated 30,000 emails that his opponent Hillary Clinton and her lawyers had erased from a private server before releasing the rest of its contents to the State Department for public release. 'Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,' Trump said at the time. 'I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.' Some observers saw Trump asking the Kremlin to publish anything its cyber-warriors had already harvested from what turned out to be an unsecured online server that had hosted classified information for years. Others, including Brennan and the Clinton campaign, believed he was calling on Vladimir Putin's government to launch a new hacking spree on a server which, the FBI confirmed, had been offline for a year. By then a mad chase was already underway to find out if additional copies of the data had been stored elsewhere. It's unclear what Trump may have known about that at the time. Campaign aides later told DailyMail.com that Trump was joking. Brennan's case for collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia is a July 2016 press conference where the future president invited the Kremlin to 'find' Hillary Clinton's emails on a server that had been offline for a year 'Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,' Trump said at the time. 'I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.' On Thursday Brennan argued that by publicly invoking Russia's digital spymasters, Trump 'was not only encouraging a foreign nation to collect intelligence against a United States citizen, but also openly authorizing his followers to work with our primary global adversary against his political opponent.' 'Such a public clarion call certainly makes one wonder what Mr. Trump privately encouraged his advisers to do and what they actually did to win the election,' he wrote. 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 Brennan concluded that '[t]he only questions that remain are whether the collusion that took place constituted criminally liable conspiracy, whether obstruction of justice occurred to cover up any collusion or conspiracy, and how many members of 'Trump Incorporated' attempted to defraud the government by laundering and concealing the movement of money into their pockets.' Trump may not have helped his case with a Wall Street Journal interview on Wednesday in which he justified cutting off Brennan's access to state secrets. The president tied his decision to the fact that Brennan and the others he's targeting were among the intelligence chiefs who justified a government-wide probe into then-unproven allegations that Russia was trying to interfere in the 2016 election. The special counsel probe that emerged later as a consequence has angered Trump like few other developments in his White House tenure. 'Of course they say it's not an investigation. You know, in theory I'm not under investigation ... I'm not a target. But regardless, I think that whole, I call it the rigged witch hunt, [it] is a sham,' he told the Journal on Wednesday. 'And these people led it!' 'So I think it's something that had to be done,' Trump said. Answering charges that hislist of targets is politically motivated, he claimed he 'would put a Republican on, too, if I thought they were incompetent or crazy.' The White House announced Wednesday afternoon in an extraordinary slap at Brennan that his security clearance was being abruptlly terminated and other former spymasters' clearances were under review. Brennan called that an effort to intimidate them all from exercising their First Amendment right to render criticism against the president. Despite claiming to be muzzled, he immediately vowed in public 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.' 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!' 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 Trump's 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. Trump's 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. Trump, pictured Monday at Fort Drum, N.Y., is at war with the former spymaster Brennan who has called him a virtual puppet of Russian President Vladimir Putin 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 'I know some things that the Russians were involved in, but I certainly don't 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 Mueller's 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 don't 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 don't 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. 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.' 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 '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. 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' '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. 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.' 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 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 administration's 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, I'm sorry, I don't 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.' The president is also evaluating clearances of other critics, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former FBI Director James Comey '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.' 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.' Thousands of wealthy families are taking advantage of a taxpayer scheme designed to help struggling first-time buyers get on the housing ladder. More than 6,700 households with incomes over 100,000 have bought homes using Help to Buy, according to the governments own figures. The scheme provides taxpayer cash to people seeking a mortgage. But despite its original aim to help people who could not afford big deposits, nearly one in 20 households with support have six-figure incomes. And families with incomes of 50,000 or more have now received 40 per cent of loans, according to the report by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The original aim of the Help to Buy scheme was to assist first time buyers who were not able to save up for large deposits for homes Last night critics claimed Help to Buy was failing to help people who needed it most. Sam Dumitriu, Adam Smith Institutes head of research, said: The fundamental problem is a lack of supply, but Help to Buy does not address that. It doesnt make sense for taxpayers to be paying for something that is going to people who are well off. Housing analyst Anthony Breach, of the Centre for Cities, added: We need to be releasing more land near train stations and areas where there is already infrastructure. Professor Danny Dorling, an Oxford University housing expert, said: When house prices fall, part of the reason will be Help to Buy artificially inflated their value. Almost 170,000 families have now taken advantage of Help to Buy since its launch in 2013. That has seen the Government provide more than 8.9billion of support, with the scheme extended to last until 2021 and an additional 10billion pledged. The average cost of a home bought through the scheme outside London was about 250,000, with the average loan handed out worth 52,800. More than 6,700 households with incomes over 100,000 have bought homes using Help to Buy (file image) Of the families who used the scheme, 136,700 were first-time buyers. A fifth of families using the scheme were not first-time buyers. There is no maximum income on the Help to Buy scheme, which applies to new-build homes. The scheme allows house hunters to purchase new-builds worth up to 600,000 using deposits of only 5pc - or 30,000. The Government loans up to another 20pc interest-free for five years - or 120,000. In London, the taxpayer loan can reach 40pc of the value of the property - or 240,000. When the house is sold, the government takes the same proportion of the sale price. If it goes up, the government makes money. If it goes down, the taxpayer makes a loss. Campbell Robb, Joseph Rowntree Foundation chief executive, said a lack of cash invested in affordable housing meant more pressure on families forced to rent. A government spokesman said: The majority of those using our Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme had household incomes of 50,000 or less. A breakthrough discovery by British scientists has paved the way for a pill to make cancer more sensitive to radiotherapy. Researchers based at the Francis Crick Institute in London and Oxford University are developing a drug that blocks the ability of tumour cells to repair themselves. They have discovered a weakness in cancers defence and are targeting this to kill tumours without harming healthy cells. 3D illustration of T cells or cancer cells. Scientists said they have discovered a weakness in cancers defence and are targeting this to kill tumours without harming healthy cells Scientists believe this is a potential game-changer in cancer therapy which could benefit hundreds of thousands of patients, making radiotherapy far more effective while minimising the side effects. A company spun out of Cancer Research UK is aiming to test the drug on the first human patients within five years. The development has attracted huge interest from industry, with pharmaceutical giants Pfizer, Novartis, AbbVie and Merck among the companies investing a combined 95million in the new firm. It could benefit patients with breast, prostate, ovarian and bowel cancer. Some 27 per cent of all cancer patients receive radiotherapy, with more than 130,000 people in England undergoing the treatment every year. The treatment is very effective but can involve long-term side effects because healthy tissue is also irradiated. Breast cancer patients, for example, often report pain, hardening of tissue, sensitivity and a build-up of fluid after radiotherapy. And prostate cancer patients can be left with incontinence and impotence. However, experts have worked out a way to reduce this impact by sensitizing tumour cells to radiotherapy. They hope this will mean a lower dose of radiation can be used, sparing healthy tissue while having a greater effect on the cancer. Early work on the breakthrough was made by Cancer Research UK scientists Professor Simon Boulton, who is based at the Crick, and Professor Geoff Higgins at Oxford. The charitys commercial arm set up the company, Artios Pharma, in 2016 to develop the drug, along with three other confidential projects. It initially attracted 30million in pharmaceutical investment, but a second funding round announced this week has added 65million from major firms, including Pfizer and Novartis. The scientists have zeroed in on a key aspect that drives cancer growth but also makes it susceptible to attack. Cancer grows when a fault in normal DNA stops it from repairing itself. Destruction of a cancer cell by nanoparticles, computer illustration. Conceptual image which illustrates the potential of nanoparticles in the treatment of cancer But even tumour cells need DNA repair mechanisms to survive, so they use a back-up repair process a protein called Pol-theta that healthy cells do not usually need. This reliance on Pol-theta leaves cancer vulnerable to attack because if scientists can block its one survival route the cancer cannot recover after being blasted with radiation. Professor Boulton said: By targeting cancers Achilles heel, we have a unique opportunity to develop a new class of treatments that could bring real benefit to patients in the next decade. The new investment will help us to advance our new DNA repair inhibitor drugs, taking us from basic science to the first human trials. His team has identified several chemicals which block Pol-theta and are selecting the best one before starting the first trials. Pfizer are among top pharmaceutical firms contributing to a 95m investment in the new drug Blocking DNA repair is seen as a hugely promising field in cancer research. It is already the basis of a drug called olaparib, a type of treatment called a PARP-inhibitor developed by UK scientists which has recently revolutionised the treatment of ovarian cancer. But PARP-inhibitors only seem to work for about a third of patients and do not seem to have the effect of sensitizing tumour cells to radiotherapy. Professor Boulton said: Theres nothing else in the market or even conceptually that can do this, so we think Pol-theta inhibitors could be a game-changer in cancer therapy. Laura Fletcher, associate director of commercial partnerships at Cancer Research UK, said: Our unique partnership allows us to provide a solid research foundation for developing new treatments that could bring real impact to cancer patients. 'Were thrilled to see its continued success and hope it leads to many more discoveries in the future. Ivanka Trump would not stop talking about a Saturday Night Live skit that made fun of her, according to former Trump aide Omarosa Manigault Newman. In her new book, Unhinged: An Insiders Account of the Trump White House, Omarosa writes: At the senior staff meeting, Ivanka couldnt stop bemoaning it, how offensive it was, how ridiculous it was. Wed all been subject to SNL attacks Wed all been hit, many of us in that same weeks show. But Ivanka would not stop talking about being ribbed. Ivanka Trump would not stop talking about a Saturday Night Live skit that made fun of her, according to former Trump aide Omarosa Manigault Newman. Ivanka Trump is seen above at the White House last month In her new book, Unhinged: An Insiders Account of the Trump White House, Omarosa writes: At the senior staff meeting, Ivanka couldnt stop bemoaning it, how offensive it was, how ridiculous it was.' Omarosa is seen above in New York City on Tuesday Like her father, Ivanka was thin-skinned and could not seem to take a joke. Omarosa was referring to a sketch that aired on the March 11, 2017 edition of SNL. In the episode which aired just weeks after Trump took office, guest host Scarlett Johansson skewered Ivanka Trump in a biting sketch that mocked the first daughter and President Trump's perceived favorite child. Slipping into character with an easy sensual assuredness, Johansson waltzed her way through a fake perfume ad with the cutting name of 'Complicit'. Sold as a fragrance 'For the woman who could stop all of this but won't', the skit lanced Ivanka for alleged hypocrisy in claiming to support a liberal agenda while standing next to her father as he follows another course. During the glossy sketch, Johansson walked through a lavish ballroom as all heads turned to see. A stereo-typically deep voice-over introduced her: 'Every man knows her name, every woman knows her face. When she walks into a room, all eyes are on her, she's Ivanka. 'She's beautiful, she's powerful, she's complicit.' The commentary continued: 'A feminist, an advocate, a champion for women, but.. like.. how... In the episode which aired just weeks after Trump took office, guest host Scarlett Johansson skewered Ivanka Trump in a biting sketch that mocked the first daughter and President Trump's perceived favorite child 'She's loyal, devoted, but probably should've bounced after the whole access Hollywood bus thing.' This referred to her father's infamous 'p****gate' incident when he traded boorish stories of sexual conquest with Billy Bush. Johansson's Ivanka then stared at herself in a mirror as she applied lipstick, seeing Alec Baldwin's Trump reflected back to her with the commentary 'She doesn't crave the spotlight, but we see her, oh how we see her.' The fake ad continued with the tagline 'The fragrance for the woman who could stop all this, but won't.' Sketch writers also took one last shot at her towards the end, with the voice over saying: 'When she watches Titanic she thinks she's Rose, (but) sorry girl, you're Billy Zane.' And just in case viewers forget about Trump's equally 'complicit' counterpart, the skit tacks on one last punch: 'Also available in a cologne for Jared.' This sketch received the most attention online late Saturday night, with 'Complicit' becoming a trending topic close to midnight. Viewers who made comments on Twitter had a lot to say, with some obviously loving the skit, while others found it 'stupid'. Disturbed drivers in Washington state spotted two children tied in bungee cords in the back of a pickup truck where police later discovered used hypodermic needles and traces of heroin. The Puyallup Police Department responded to reports last Tuesday of the suspicious highway sighting. When officers tracked down the pickup truck and tried to pull over 48-year-old driver Philip Wells - who was traveling around 60mph with the juveniles unsecured in the back - he initially refused to stop, the arrest report said. Police finally stopped the vehicle near Veterans Memorial Drive and State Route 410. Wells' girlfriend and mother of the two kids, Ambrosia Jurado, was sitting in the passenger's seat. And in the back of the pickup, her 8-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter were tied up under the cords and crammed in between what appeared to be luggage and other heavy items. This shocking photo released by the Puyallup Police Department in Washington shows two children tied up in bungee cords in the back of a pickup truck Police responded to reports last Tuesday of the suspicious sighting. In the back of the pickup, an 8-year-old boy and 10-year-old girl were found crammed in between heavy items Puyallup police said in the report the children told them they had 'fun'. The mother claimed the kids asked her if they could go for the joy ride in the back, a request she did not argue with. During the vehicle search, police found traces of heroin and used hypodermic needles, they said likely belonged to the boyfriend. Both adults were arrested at the scene. Wells was jailed and charged with reckless endangerment and delivery of drug paraphernalia. Jurado was jailed and charged with reckless endangerment. Following her release, Jurado cried as she nervously spoke to local KIRO 7. The mother of the two kids, Ambrosia Jurado, (seen above) was sitting in the passenger's seat as her boyfriend, Philip Wells, was driving down the highway at 60mph Wells, 48, the driver, is pictured above. He was jailed and charged with reckless endangerment and delivery of drug paraphernalia. His girlfriend and the children's mom was charged with reckless endangerment During the vehicle search, police found traces of heroin and used hypodermic needles 'When I got out of jail, I couldn't even call them to let them know that everything is OK and it wasn't their fault,' the mother sobbed. 'I know they're going to feel like it's their fault.' Jurado further said she would 'love forgiveness' and that she feels sorry for her two kids. 'Unless we choose to become aware, it'll be just like it is for me right now... you have nothing, even when you're trying your hardest to do something, they take it from you,' she added, without explanation on what the statement meant. Puyallup Police Captain Ryan Portmann told the station that officers initially suspected a possible kidnapping, and said that the kids are lucky to be alive. 'The potential to great bodily harm, if not death, had there been a car accident,' Portmann concluded. Jeremy Corbyn last night faced fresh questions about his links to terrorists as it emerged he shared a platform with the worlds first female plane hijacker. The Labour leader spoke at a 2002 pro-Palestine rally in London with Leila Khaled, who took part in two attacks on airliners. Khaled, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), blew up one passenger jet on the runway in 1969. She then underwent plastic surgery to disguise herself and joined a second hostage-taking the next year as part of the Black September attacks. Mr Corbyn and Khaled were both speakers at an event in May 2002 where the Labour leader called for a boycott of all goods from Israel. On the same stage, Khaled called for a victory over the Jewish state and argued that Zionism had exceeded Nazism. Jeremy Corbyn addressing the 2002 pro-Palestine rally in London with Leila Khaled, who took part in attacks on two airliners It comes as the Labour leader remains embroiled in controversy over pictures of him holding a wreath at a Tunisian cemetery where terror leaders linked to the 1972 Munich Massacre are buried. As the storm continued to rage yesterday: A poll found that one in eight Labour voters now have a worse opinion of Mr Corbyn because of the wreath-laying row. It emerged he was joined in Tunisia by a senior member of the PFLP, which a month later murdered a British rabbi. Labour reported six newspapers, including the Daily Mail, to the independent press regulator Ipso over their coverage of his trip to Tunisia. Len McCluskey, the general secretary of Unite, accused Jewish leaders of intransigent hostility towards Mr Corbyn. Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge claimed the cult of Corbynism had allowed anti-Semitic attitudes to emerge. Leila Khaled addressing the rally where she called for a victory over the Jewish state and argued that Zionism had exceeded Nazism In August 1969, Khaled became the first female terrorist hijacker when she was part of a team that took 120 people hostage on a flight from Rome to Tel Aviv. The nose of the aircraft was blown up after the passengers were let free. After gaining notoriety for photos showing her brandishing an AK-47, she underwent six plastic surgery operations on her nose and chin to conceal her identity so she could carry out another hijacking. The following year, she and an accomplice attempted to seize a passenger plane flying from Amsterdam to New York as part of four simultaneous attacks. It failed when her co-hijacker was shot dead and she was eventually over-powered. The plane landed at Heathrow and she was held in custody for 28 days, before then prime minister Edward Heath released her in exchange for hostages held by the PFLP. Khaled, now 74, has never renounced violence and has remained a senior member of the group that has continued to perpetrate atrocities. Yesterday it emerged the PFLPs leader-in-exile, Maher al-Taher, attended the wreath-laying in Tunisia alongside Mr Corbyn. Just weeks after the visit in October 2014, the PFLP claimed responsibility for an axe attack at a Jerusalem synagogue in which four rabbis were killed. Veteran Jewish Labour MP Margaret Hodge last night described how being subjected to an investigation by her party reminded her of the treatment of Jews under the Nazis. The former minister had faced disciplinary action after calling Mr Corbyn an anti-Semite during a heated exchange. The probe was later dropped. But learning she was under investigation meant she knew what it felt like to be a Jew in Germany in the 30s. It felt almost as if they were coming for me, she told Sky News. Its rather difficult to define but theres that fear and it reminded me of what my dad used to say. He always said to me as a child, Youve got to keep a packed suitcase at the door Margaret, in case you ever have got to leave in a hurry. On anti-Semitism, she added: I think its a bit scary. Weve got the growth of populism, whether its Trump, whether its Boris Johnson, and now whether its the cult of Corbynism which allows these attitudes to emerge. A poll yesterday showed 13 per cent of Labour voters say they now think worse of Mr Corbyn following the revelations about the wreath-laying. Some six per cent said they thought more of him. The YouGov survey also showed 20 per cent of all voters said the Labour leader was doing a good job, down from 27 per cent in late July. The proportion who think he is doing badly rose from 59 per cent to 65 per cent. Among Labour voters, 45 per cent said he was doing a bad job up from 37 per cent). A spokesman for Mr Corbyn last night said: Jeremy has a long and principled record of solidarity with the Palestinian people and engaging with actors in the conflict to support peace and justice in the Middle East. Hijacker posed for infamous glamour photos with a headscarf and an AK47 Leila Khaled became the world's first female terrorist hijacker when she helped seize the TWA Flight 840 on its way from Rome to Athens By the time Leila Khaled was 28, she had hijacked two planes and achieved worldwide infamy. On August 29, 1969 she became the worlds first female terrorist hijacker when she helped seize TWA Flight 840 on its way from Rome to Athens. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) thought the Israeli ambassador to the US would be on board. When they discovered he wasnt, the Boeing 707 was diverted to Damascus where it was partly blown up after the hostages had disembarked. Afterwards, Khaled posed for a now notorious set of photographs in a headscarf and brandishing an AK-47 assault rifle. She then resorted to plastic surgery to disguise her face so she could continue taking part in hijack operations without being recognised. Her next outrage came during the so-called Black September campaign of terror attacks in 1970. On September 6, Khaled and an accomplice managed to board El Al Flight 219 from Amsterdam to New York. The raid was to become part of the Dawsons Field hijackings, a series of almost simultaneous hijackings carried out by the PFLP. I had a pistol in my belt, a grenade in my pocket and TNT in my bag, said Khaled in a later interview. I was a woman dressed in a fashionable way. I opened my bag for security but the man just saw my make-up and waved me through. Khaled threatened to detonate her grenades unless the plane was diverted to Damascus and the pair attempted to storm the cockpit. But her fellow hijacker was shot, she was apprehended and the plane safely made an emergency landing at Heathrow. Khaled was arrested, but she was released a month later in exchange for hostages taken in another airliner attack. The former hijacker, whose family fled to Lebanon during the Palestinian exodus from Israel when she was four, has said she has no regrets about taking part in hijacks and has continued to endorse violent tactics. In a 2016 interview, the 74-year-old, who is still a senior member of the PLFP, said: When you defend humanity, you use all the means at your disposal. Some use words, some use arms and some use politics. Some use negotiations. I chose arms and I believe that taking up arms is one of the main tools to solve this conflict in the interest of the oppressed and not the oppressors. This is a historical conflict. It cannot be solved by negotiations. Hooligan behaviour from Gold Coast families has principals and teachers fearing for their safety at school. Teachers and principals at Gold Coast schools are claiming abuse from parents is getting worse. Social media is being blamed for magnifying the issue, staff say. School staff claim the level of harassment teachers and principals get from parents online and in person is outrageous 'The level of harassment teachers and principals get from parents online and in person is outrageous,' a principal told the Gold Coast Bulletin. Some principals fear that they may need guards or CCTV at the schools. One principal in north Gold Coast had a knife pulled on them during a meeting with the family about bullying. Another was threatened by a parent claiming they 'can make their life difficult'. One principal in north Gold Coast had a knife pulled on them during a meeting with the family about bullying One principal had a Facebook page set up for him where people commented he was an 'a******e' and that he should be sacked, Gold Coast Bulletin reported. 'I was told that I'd have my head driven into the concrete,' another school principal said. 'The primary school principal up the road, people were writing about her marriage (and) said her husband probably cried himself to sleep because she was such a b***h.' Four in ten principals have been threatened with violence this year, according to information from a survey looking into the health, safety and wellbeing of Australian principals. It said one in three principals has been physically attacked. 'Lucky' the Jack Russell has lived up to his name after surviving a seven-floor plunge from an apartment window in Brazil. Although the terrier miraculously survived without a broken bone, plummeting 23 metres on to a patio resulted in abdominal bleeding and a haematoma in his lungs. The four-year-old pet had been lazing in the sun on the apartment's window ledge, which was covered by safety netting. But the barrier suddenly tore apart, and the frightened dog fell seven floors. 'Lucky' the Jack Russell miraculously survived without a broken bone after falling seven floors from an apartment window in Brazil. The terrier fell 23 metres on to a patio at the base of the apartment block, above His owner, Rosi Varnier, from Vitoria, southeast Brazil, picked up the lifeless canine from the concrete patio where he had landed and rushed him to the vets. After spending three days under observation, Lucky has recently been discharged back home and - despite his frightening ordeal - is already sleeping in the same spot, she said. Varnier, who has owned Lucky since he was a puppy, said: 'We are more traumatised by what happened than he seems to be. 'I can't even look down from that window, because we remember everything at the same time. 'Thank God we saw the moment that he fell, and we were able to rescue him quickly, and that he's here for us to tell the story.' She said that Lucky had been taking his usual midday snooze when she suddenly heard a loud thud. 'I saw the torn safety net and him lying lifeless on the ground below,' Varnier explained, adding, 'I shouted to my son and we ran downstairs, without any hope that we would find him with life. 'We picked him up and took him straight to the vets. Lucky was completely paralysed, without moving at all, as if he was in shock. My son kept talking to him so that he would keep calm. 'He stayed at the vets for three days. At first after he returned home, Lucky was a little traumatised with the fall and avoided the window, but now he's much better and is back having his daily lounge in the sun.' The vet who cared for the dog, Marcio Becacici, said that 'only God' could explain how the Jack Russell survived. The vet who cared for the dog, Marcio Becacici, said that 'only God' could explain how the Jack Russell survived He said: 'To our surprise we found there were no fractures to his bones and he hadn't suffered any other collateral effects of the fall. 'He will only be undergoing psychological treatment for any trauma he might have suffered.' Lucky struck a two-metre high awning before hitting the ground, which broke in two by the impact, the vet explained. Becacici said: 'He broke the awning and fell to the ground. This didn't break his fall because the force of gravity and the speed was already too great by the time he hit it. 'There was no grass or trees at the place where he fell. 'How did he survive? This was the same question the family had. There are some things that happen that there are no technical explanations for. Only God knows.' As A-level results day arrives, here, with help from Ucas, we answer the key questions around Clearing, based on some of the most common Google searches on the subject in the UK last year. Q: How does Clearing work? A: Clearing is the annual process that allows students without a university place, or who want to switch to a different one, to search for and find a degree course with availability. You can use Clearing if you are applying for the first time after June 30, if you did not receive any offers from any universities, or none you wanted to accept, or if you did not meet the required grades needed for your chosen university course. Q: When does Clearing open and how long does it last? A: Clearing opened on July 5 and closes on October 23. Q: How do I apply for a university place through Clearing? A: If you haven't already applied for a university place through the main application scheme, you need to submit an application to Ucas. You will then be sent an email and have access to Ucas's online system, Track. You'll also be given a Clearing number. Search for courses you are interested in, and when you have found one you want to study, call the university or college and ask them if they will accept you. You'll need to give them your Clearing number. Once you have found one you are happy with, and they have said they will take you, you can add the course through Track. Q: How do I add a Clearing choice? A: Once you've chosen your course and the university or college has said they'll accept you, click "add clearing choice" on the Track system and fill in the course details. The university will then confirm your place. Filling in and submitting the course details means you have definitely accepted the offer, so if the university confirms it, it will show as an acceptance on your "choices" page in Track. You can only add one choice at a time. You'll be able to add a different one if the university or college does not confirm your place. Q: How long does Clearing take? A: How long it takes depends on how long you want to take to make a choice, and how long it takes for the university or college you choose to confirm your place. Q: How does Clearing work in Scotland? A: Clearing works the same way for all students, regardless of where they live in the UK. Q: When do universities get A-level results? A: Universities receive prospective students' grades in the days before A-level results day under strict embargo to allow them to confirm whether applicants have gained the required results. Students can sign in to Track on ucas.com from 8am on August 16, where they will be able to see if they've been accepted. Q: Is it easy to get into university through Clearing? A: There are around 30,000 courses available in Clearing, and each one will have different grade and qualification requirements. You should think carefully about what you want to do and where you want to study, as well as whether you meet the requirements to be accepted on to the course. There is now no cap on the number of students a university or college can admit, so many institutions will still be looking for good candidates for their degree courses through Clearing. Ucas's expert advisers can answer questions about Clearing in several ways: Twitter @ucas-online (06.00 until 19.00 on A level results day) Facebook ucasonline (06.00 until 19.00 on A level results day) Instagram ucas-online (06.00 until 19.00 on A level results day) 0371 468 0 468 (07.30 until 19.00 on A level results day) Students can also call the Exam Results Helpline for free, impartial advice on 0800 100 900 from 08am today. Presenter and Strictly Come Dancing star Katie Derham said she is 'as proud as could be' with her daughter's A-level results. Natasha Vincent has achieved an A* in theatre studies with Bs in French and English literature at Brighton College. Natasha Vincent is congratulated by her mother Katie Derham She has a place to study at the New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts next year. Speaking to the Press Association, Derham, the 48-year-old BBC Proms presenter and 2015 Strictly finalist, who lives in Sussex, said: 'I'm as proud as could be. I'm so delighted. She's done so well. It brought it all flooding back, that slightly sick feeling (waiting to get your results). 'I'm very envious (of Natasha studying in New York) and it's such a good school. It's a good excuse to go and visit.' Her 18-year-old daughter said: 'I'm feeling very happy. I got the results I wanted. The grades don't mean as much to me as my marks. It's always going to be stressful, I wanted to do well for my parents. Natasha Vincent celebrates her results at Brighton College 'I knew I had my place at NYU so I think I found it less stressful than some other people. I'm really excited about moving to New York. It's the hub of theatre, it's a great opportunity and a great place to live.' Before she starts her course she hopes to get work experience with theatre production companies and also get a job, but she is not planning a career in presenting like her mother. 'I'm not going into presenting. But I'm keeping my options open for later in life. I just want to study drama and see where that takes me.' Derham joked: 'No-one wants to do what their mum does.' Three sets of twins from the same Hampshire college are celebrating their A-level results as they prepare to head to the same university as their sibling. Himmat Sohal and his brother Arjun, from Chandler's Ford, both got three A grades in maths, chemistry and physics and have won places at Bath to study chemical engineering. Harry and Thomas Ashton-Key, from Winchester, both got four A* results in maths, further maths, physics and chemistry and are heading to Oxford to study physics. Henry and Catherine Darlison, from Winchester, are both heading to Cambridge. Henry gained two A* results in maths and further maths and an A in music and will study music, while his sister gained four A* results in maths, biology, chemistry and physics and will study medicine. The three pairs of 18-year-olds were among 27 sets of twins in the same year to receive their results at Peter Symonds College in Winchester. Three sets of twins (from left) Himmat and Arjun Sohal, Thomas and Harry Ashton-Key, and Henry and Catherine Darlison celebrate their A-level results in the rain today at Peter Symonds College in Winchester, Hampshire Harry Ashton-Key said: 'I do not think I would have got as far as I have got if I didn't have my brother to help me.' Himmat Sohal said: 'I think having my brother studying the same subjects helped me, we are very competitive as twins but also want the best for each other.' Arjun added: 'We do want to go down separate paths at university and become our own people but it's good to have each other there to support each other.' Henry and Catherine Darlison are both heading to Cambridge. Henry gained two A* results in maths and further maths and an A in music and will study music, while his sister gained four A* results in maths, biology, chemistry and physics and will study medicine Catherine Darlison said: 'I think it's natural that twins end up making similar choices but it was nice throughout the process that we could support each other.' Jokingly she added: 'Just by coincidence Henry has signed up to a choir at my college so we will see a lot of each other, we will just try not to get sick of each other too quickly.' Principal Stephen Carville praised his students for their successes, which saw a 99% A-level pass rate with 82% gaining A* to C and 62 per cent earning A* to B. He said: 'This is an absolutely stellar performance, really outstanding. They are resilient, flexible young people, very focused, very committed and very hard working.' Michael Gove announced sweeping reforms to the structure, style and content of GCSEs and A-levels when he was education secretary in 2013. The core changes included making the exams more challenging, providing more essay style questions, making them harder to resit, and removing coursework for the majority of subjects. He told MPs at the time: 'By making GCSEs more demanding, more fulfilling, and more stretching we can give our young people the broad, deep and balanced education which will equip them to win in the global race.' The changes to AS and A-levels were first taught in schools from September 2015, with the first results for AS levels in 2015 and for A-levels in 2017. More subjects are being added for next year. New style GCSEs were first taught in English language, English literature and maths from September 2015, with the first results issued in August 2017. More subjects have been added for this year and next. There is also a new GCSE grading system, with grading moving to a 9-1 scale instead of the A* to G. GUILTY: MICHAEL FLYNN Pleaded guilty to making false statements in December 2017. Awaiting sentence Flynn was President Trump's former National Security Advisor and Robert Mueller's most senior scalp to date. He previously served when he was a three star general as President Obama's director of the Defense Intelligence Agency but was fired. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about his conversations with a Russian ambassador in December 2016. He has agreed to cooperate with the special counsel investigation. GUILTY AND JAILED: MICHAEL COHEN Pleaded guilty to eight counts including fraud and two campaign finance violations in August 2018. Pleaded guilty to further count of lying to Congress in November 2018. Sentenced to three years in prison and $2 million in fines and forfeitures in December 2018 Cohen was investigated by Mueller but the case was handed off to the Southern District of New York,leaving Manhattan's ferocious and fiercely independent federal prosecutors to run his case. Cohen was Trump's longtime personal attorney, starting working for him and the Trump Organization in 2007. He is the longest-serving member of Trump's inner circle to be implicated by Mueller. Cohen professed unswerving devotion to Trump - and organized payments to silence two women who alleged they had sex with the-then candidate: porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. He admitted that payments to both women were felony campaign finance violations - and admitted that he acted at the 'direction' of 'Candidate-1': Donald Trump. He also admitted tax fraud by lying about his income from loans he made, money from taxi medallions he owned, and other sources of income, at a cost to the Treasury of $1.3 million. And he admitted lying to Congress in a rare use of the offense. The judge in his case let him report for prison on March 6 and recommended he serve it in a medium-security facility close to New York City. GUILTY AND JAILED: PAUL MANAFORT Found guilty of eight charges of bank and tax fraud in August 2018. Sentenced to 47 months in March 2019. Pleaded guilty to two further charges - witness tampering and conspiracy against the United States. Jailed for total of seven and a half years in two separate sentences. Additionally indicted for mortgage fraud by Manhattan District Attorney, using evidence previously presented by Mueller Manafort worked for Trump's campaign from March 2016 and chaired it from June to August 2016, overseeing Trump being adopted as Republican candidate at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. He is the most senior campaign official to be implicated by Mueller. Manafort was one of Washington D.C.'s longest-term and most influential lobbyists but in 2015, his money dried up and the next year he turned to Trump for help, offering to be his campaign chairman for free - in the hope of making more money afterwards. But Mueller unwound his previous finances and discovered years of tax and bank fraud as he coined in cash from pro-Russia political parties and oligarchs in Ukraine. Manafort pleaded not guilty to 18 charges of tax and bank fraud but was convicted of eight counts in August 2018. The jury was deadlocked on the other 10 charges. A second trial on charges of failing to register as a foreign agent due in September did not happen when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States and witness tampering in a plea bargain. He was supposed to co-operate with Mueller but failed to. Minutes after his second sentencing hearing in March 2019, he was indicted on 16 counts of fraud and conspiracy by the Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., using evidence which included documents previously presented at his first federal trial. The president has no pardon power over charges by district and state attorneys. GUILTY AND GOING TO WEEKEND JAIL: RICK GATES Pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States and making false statements in February 2018. Sentenced to 45 days weekend jail and three years probation, December 17, 2018 Gates was Manafort's former deputy at political consulting firm DMP International. He admitted to conspiring to defraud the U.S. government on financial activity, and to lying to investigators about a meeting Manafort had with a member of congress in 2013. As a result of his guilty plea and promise of cooperation, prosecutors vacated charges against Gates on bank fraud, bank fraud conspiracy, failure to disclose foreign bank accounts, filing false tax returns, helping prepare false tax filings, and falsely amending tax returns. GUILTY AND JAILED: GEORGE PAPADOPOLOUS Pleaded guilty to making false statements in October 2017. Sentenced to 14 days in September 2018, and reported to prison in November. Served 12 days and released on December 7, 2018 Papadopoulos was a member of Donald Trump's campaign foreign policy advisory committee. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about his contacts with London professor Josef Mifsud and Ivan Timofeev, the director of a Russian government-funded think tank. GUILTY AND JAILED: RICHARD PINEDO Pleaded guilty to identity fraud in February 2018. Sentenced to a year in prison Pinedo is a 28-year-old computer specialist from Santa Paula, California. He admitted to selling bank account numbers to Russian nationals over the internet that he had obtained using stolen identities. GUILTY AND JAILED: ALEX VAN DER ZWAAN Pleaded guilty to making false statements in February 2018. He served a 30-day prison sentence and was deported to the Netherlands on his release Van der Zwaan was a Dutch attorney for Skadden Arps who worked on a Ukrainian political analysis report for Paul Manafort in 2012. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about when he last spoke with Rick Gates and Konstantin Kilimnik. His law firm say he was fired. GUILTY: W. SAMUEL PATTEN Pleaded guilty in August 2018 to failing to register as a lobbyist while doing work for a Ukrainian political party. Sentenced to three years probation April 2019 Patten, a long-time D.C. lobbyist was a business partner of Paul Manafort. He pleaded guilty to admitting to arranging an illegal $50,000 donation to Trump's inauguration. He arranged for an American 'straw donor' to pay $50,000 to the inaugural committee, knowing that it was actually for a Ukrainian businessman. Neither the American or the Ukrainian have been named. CHARGED: KONSTANTIN KILIMNIK Indicted for obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. At large, probably in Russia Kilimnik is a former employee of Manafort's political consulting firm and helped him with lobbying work in Ukraine. He is accused of witness tampering, after he allegedly contacted individuals who had worked with Manafort to remind them that Manafort only performed lobbying work for them outside of the U.S. He has been linked to Russian intelligence and is currently thought to be in Russia - effectively beyond the reach of extradition by Mueller's team. INDICTED: THE RUSSIANS Twenty-five Russian nationals and three Russian entities have been indicted for conspiracy to defraud the United States. They remain at large in Russia Two of these Russian nationals were also indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 11 were indicted for conspiracy to launder money. Fifteen of them were also indicted for identity fraud. Vladimir Putin has ridiculed the charges. Russia effectively bars extradition of its nationals. The only prospect Mueller has of bringing any in front of a U.S. jury is if Interpol has their names on an international stop list - which is not made public - and they set foot in a territory which extradites to the U.S. INDICTED: MICHAEL FLYNN'S BUSINESS PARTNERS Bijan Kian (left), number two in now disgraced former national security adviser Mike Flynn's lobbying company, and the two's business partner Ekim Alptekin (right) were indicted for conspiracy to lobby illegally. Kian, an Iranian-American was arrested and appeared in court charged with a conspiracy to illegally lobby the U.S government without registering as a foreign agent. Their co-conspirator was Flynn, who is called 'Person A' in the indictment and is not charged, offering some insight into what charges he escaped with his plea deal. Kian, vice-president of Flynn's former lobbying firm, is alleged to have plotted with Alptekin to try to change U.S. policy on an exiled Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania and who is accused by Turkey's strongman president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, of trying to depose him. Erdogan's government wanted him extradited from the U.S. and paid Flynn's firm through Alptekin for lobbying, including an op-ed in The Hill calling for Gulen to be ejected. Flynn and Kian both lied that the op-ed was not paid for by the Turkish government. The indictment is a sign of how Mueller is taking an interest in more than just Russian involvement in the 2016 election. GUILTY AND AWAITING SENTENCE: ROGER STONE Roger Stone, a former Trump campaign official and longtime informal advisor to Trump, was indited on seven counts including obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and lying to Congress about his communications with WikiLeaks in January 2019. Convicted on all counts November 15, 2019, awaiting sentence Stone was a person of interest to Mueller's investigators long before his January indictment, thanks in part due to his public pronouncements as well as internal emails about his contacts with WikiLeks. In campaign texts and emails, many of which had already been publicly revealed before showing up in Mueller's indictment, Stone communicated with associates about WikiLeaks following reports the organization had obtained a cache of Clinton-related emails. Stone, a former Nixon campaign adviser who has the disgraced former president's face permanently tattooed on his back, has long been portrayed as a central figure in the election interference scandal. 'They got nothing,' he said of the special counsel's investigation. Stone gave 'false and misleading' testimony about his requests for information from WikiLeaks. He then pressured a witness, comedian Randy Credico, to take the Fifth Amendment rather than testify, and pressured him in a series of emails. Following a prolonged dispute over testimony, he called him a 'rat' and threatened to 'take that dog away from you', in reference to Credico's pet, Bianca. Stone warned him: 'Let's get it on. Prepare to die.' CLEARED: GREG CRAIG Greg Craig, President Barack Obama's White House counsel, was indicted for failing to register as a foreign agent. Mueller's investigators uncovered Craig's work on behalf the government of Ukraine while probing Manafort, who did business with Craig. Prosecutors released a grand jury indictment of Craig in April 2019, after Craig's law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP agreed to pay more than $4.6 million as part of a settlement. The prominent firm also acknowledged it had failed to register, and placed much of the blame on Craig, a senior partner there. Craig's lawyer blasted the decision as an abuse of prosecutorial discretion, and prepared to argue that omission of information during an interview is not tantamount to making false statements. The charges stem from a 2012 report Craig and the firm produced on behalf of the Ukrainian government on opposition figure and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. She was an opponent of Manafort's client , former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Craig was cleared on September 9 2019. In the span of just two years, Paul Manafort has gone from one of Washington's most sought-after Republican lobbyists to a political pariah with a shattered family. 'My life - personally and professionally - is in shambles,' he told Judge T.S. Ellis III, in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia on March 7. 'The last two years have been the most difficult years for my family. Humiliated and would be a gross understatement.' He laid it on thicker to the next sentencing judge, Amy Berman Jackson, in Washington D.C. on March 13: 'I will be 70 years old in a few weeks. My wife is 66. She needs me. I need her. Please let me and my wife be together.' Self-pitying certainly, but hardly wrong. Sitting in a wheelchair and contemplating the real prospect of dying behind bars, Manafort was diminished in every way, the extravagantly-tailored and immaculately connected powerbroker who could ask for millions for his counsel now wearing prison green as he asked not for money but compassion. Typically though, the whole story was not on display; in recent years, Manafort had betrayed his wife with a mistress 30 years his junior who he put up in a New York apartment and handed an unlimited credit card. That infidelity was only another staging post on the long and spectacular fall from grace for the 69-year-old former Trump campaign manager, the son of a small-town mayor who went on to work for four U.S. presidents and made his fortune as the Washington mouthpiece for some of the world's most notorious dictators. Today Manafort has few defenders in the nation's capital, after being convicted of tax fraud and money laundering by special counsel Robert Mueller - who first secured a guilty verdict from a jury then a plea deal on the eve of a second trial. Even Manafort's former boss, President Trump, claimed he never would have hired the former lobbyist if he had known about the allegations. 'Paul Manafort came into the campaign very late and was with us for a short period of time (he represented Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole & many others over the years), but we should have been told that Comey and the boys were doing a number on him, and he wouldn't have been hired!' wrote Trump in a Twitter post in June 2018. The president had faced Manafort co-operating with Robert Mueller 'fully and truthfully.' But even that was beyond the ability of Manafort, who Mueller's prosecutors charge lied to them after his agreement to cooperate. The power brokers: Paul Manafort, his future business partners Roger Stone and Lee Atwater, were photographed as young Republican operatives. Stone, a Trump confidante and notorious political dirty trickster is now fighting off the Mueller probe himself; Atwater died in 1991, a former RNC chairman with a reputation for dirty campaigns. All three cashed in on their political work by lobbying those they got elected Manafort, the grandson of an Italian immigrant, was raised in a staunch Republican home in New Britain, Connecticut. When he was 16, his father Paul John Manafort Sr. was elected mayor of New Britain and served for three terms. In 1981, Manafort Sr. was indicted but later acquitted on perjury charges in a sweeping city corruption and bribery scandal that also ensnared the police and fire chiefs. After Catholic parochial schools and graduating from Georgetown University Law School, Manafort went on to work as an advisor for Republican Presidents Gerald Ford. It is unclear why he was not drafted for Vietnam. He went on to serve as an advisor to Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bob Dole's presidential campaign. But he worked out how to turn political advising into a gusher of cash: by lobbying the very politicians they had helped elect. He co-founded a prominent lobbying firm with ex-Nixon aide Roger Stone, and Lee Atwater, another notorious figure, which shopped their access to top Republicans to U.S. businesses, state and city governments, and anyone who would pay. The lobbying would be punctuated by periods of working for campaigns - guaranteeing the access on which they depended if their candidates won (which by and large they did). That came to embrace the wider world too; the Manafort lobbying roster included brutal regimes willing to pay high fees for his services including Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos and Zaire military leader Mobutu Sese Seko. Betrayed: Kathleen Manafort stood by her husband despite his family finding proof of his mistress on Instagram; she attended every minute of his trial and was there when he said he was flipping Manafort went on to found his own political consulting firm in 2005, bringing on his former intern Rick Gates as his trusted deputy. He also continued to take on controversial clients. In 2010, Manafort helped elect Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, head of Ukraine's Putin-allied Party of Regions. The victory paid off between 2010 and 2014, federal investigators said Manafort's firm earned 'a cash spigot': $60 million in fees from the Party of Regions' political patrons. According to prosecutors, Manafort stashed the funds away in a series of offshore bank accounts and shell companies, and failed to disclose the income in his tax returns. In total, they claim he dodged taxes on $15 million. But after Yanukovych was voted out of power by Ukraine's parliament in 2014, Manafort's fortunes suddenly changed. He stopped getting payments from Yanukovych's wealthy oligarch supporters, and started to have trouble paying his bills. This is when prosecutors claim Manafort started applying for loans using phony financial information. In total, they said he scammed banks out of $20 million. Manafort's then-alleged crimes were uncovered during the course of a special counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller, who has been investigating potential Russian interference in the 2016 election and collusion with the Trump campaign. Even before the charges were filed against him, Manafort's personal life had been unravelling, according to years of hacked text messages between his daughters Andrea, 32, and Jessica, 36, that were posted online. According to the messages, Manafort's family had caught him having an affair with a woman who was around the same age as his daughters, renting a pricey house for her in the Hamptons and paying her credit card bill. They discovered the affair after seeing the woman's posts boasting about her expensive travel and dinners on Instagram. Manafort, who was undergoing an emotional breakdown according to the messages, committed himself to a psychiatric clinic in Arizona in 2015. Texts: Manafort's daughters Jessica (left, with now ex-husband Jeff Yohai, who flipped) and Andrea (right with husband Christopher Shand) exchanged text messages which were hacked revealing his affairs and calling him a psychopath. Jessica has changed her name to Bond, her mother's maiden name Fruits of lobbying: This is the condo overlooking the Potomac where the FBI raided Manafort on orders from Mueller. He bought it for $2.75 million, part of a property empire worth conservatively $15 million After he was released in 2016 - claiming he had 'new insight' into himself - he linked up with the Trump campaign and became the candidate's campaign manager during the crucial months surrounding the Republican National Convention. His daughter Andrea took a different view of that. She wrote in a leaked text to a friend, who was not named in the leak: 'Trump probably has more morals than my dad. Which is really just saying something about my dad. My dad is a psycho!!! At least trump let his wives leave him. Plus, Trump has been a good father.' And she also texted: 'Trump waited a little too long in my opinion, but I can attest to the fact that he has now hired one of the world's greatest manipulators. I hope my dad pulls it off. Then I can sell my memoir with all his dirty secrets for a pretty penny.' But getting in tow with Trump in June 2016, his neighbor in Trump Tower, was to prove catastrophic. Trump in fact fired him in August 2017 when questions about Manafort's dealings with Russians in Ukraine started to surface. Manafort returned to his shadowy lobbying life, but then he was caught up in the Mueller probe. In July 2017 his home in Alexandria was raided before dawn; in October he and his loyal deputy Gates were indicted, with charges of tax fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, failing to register as foreign agents and conspiracy against the United States. Manafort's legal strategy was to split the cases in two, meaning two separate trials - one for the monetary charges, the second conspiracy and failing to register as a foreign agent. But before they began, Gates took a plea bargain, turning on his boss, agreeing to cooperate fully and truthfully with Mueller. From there Manafort's path was consistently downhill. In Washington D.C. Judge Amy Berman Jackson, an Obama appointee, proved tough; she had him locked up before trial when Mueller accused him of witness tampering. Turned: Rick Gates That meant he attended his first trial, in Virginia, from jail, walking in every day with federal marshals and walking out in handcuffs. In Virginia, Ronald Reagan-appointee T.S. Ellis III presided over the first trial in August 2018. Manafort and his supporters might have been cheered by his apparent toughness on the Mueller prosecutors, including berating them in front of the jury, and repeated demands for them to hurry up. But when the jury returned its guilty verdicts on eight of the 18 counts, other legal observers said Ellis was making sure the case could not be appealed. Ellis declared a mistrial on the remaining 10 counts, which meant that Mueller could keep them in reserve for a second trial. And if there were any lingering thoughts that the judge had sympathy for the felon, Ellis told Manafort that he would be wearing prison, not regular, clothing for subsequent hearings. The next month his second trial was due to begin but Manafort then decided, finally, to seek a deal with Mueller, and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and witness tampering. He also admitted to most of the 10 charges which the jury could not reach a verdict on the previous month, and - crucially - agreed to cooperate fully and truthfully with Mueller. But he could not even manage that; by November, Mueller filed a court document accusing him of lying in breach of the plea deal. The next month they revealed Manafort's attorney had briefed the White House on his dealings with Mueller. Then in January came a moment which showed Manafort still had the power to shock: Mueller revealed in a court filing that he had passed Trump campaign polling data to Konstantin Kilimnik, his one-time aide who has been named as a suspected Russian intelligence asset. In a February hearing Mueller's prosecutors went further, suggesting Manafort might have lied about passing on the polling data to boost his chances of a presidential pardon. Judge Berman Jackson ruled he had lied and set his sentencing for March; his sentencing in Virginia will come after that. If he were to get a pardon, the peril is hardly over; New York state's attorney general is investigating his tax fraud to see if he could be prosecuted for evading state taxes. Presidential pardons do not apply in state courts. Left in tatters is a reputation, a fortune, and a family. His elder daughter, Jessica Manafort filed to change her name to Jessica Bond in August 2018, after his conviction, telling the Los Angeles Times: 'I am a passionate liberal and a registered Democrat and this has been difficult for me.' Despite the clearly unhappy family, Manafort's wife Kathleen stood by him in the face of his infidelity. She loyally attended each day of his tax fraud trial, always sitting in the row directly behind his defense table. Tarnished legacy: Paul Manafort Sr. was three-term mayor of New Britain, CT Since June 2018, Manafort has been incarcerated in a county jail in Alexandria. Largely held in solitary confinement for his own safety, his health has clearly suffered. He attended some hearings in a wheelchair and his legal team disclosed he had been diagnosed with gout. Perhaps more stinging to his vanity, in a mug shot, the fashion-conscious Manafort sported a jailhouse jumpsuit and shadowy stubble. His brown hair, which he previously dyed, is now tinged with grey. The former lobbyist, who once spent $18,000 on a python skin jacket, has also been forced to attend his trial without socks because he reportedly balked at the white ones he is required to wear as an inmate. He has depression and anxiety and his lawyers complained he had little contact with his family. In letters submitted ahead of his sentence family members pleaded for leniency. But there were no letters from the rich, powerful Republicans who Manafort had counted as his friends. Manafort's conviction even impacted the legacy of his father, the popular three-term mayor in New Britain, Connecticut, from 1965 to 1971. In August 2018 the city changed a street named after the former mayor from 'Paul Manafort Drive' to 'Paul Manafort Sr. Drive.' A Japanese psychologist has stumped the internet with his latest optical illusion. Akiyoshi Kitaoka, a psychology professor at Ritsumeikan University in Japan, shared a video of a piece of paper with a black-to-white gradient on it. In the video, he slides a grey-colored swatch across the gradient, as it mysteriously changes colors right before viewers' eyes. Viewers might be inclined to believe that he doctored the video to hide that he used several different-colored swatches. Scroll down for video HOW DOES THE GRADIENT ILLUSION WORK? Psychologist Akiyoshi Kitaoka is known for his mind-bending illusions. In the video, he can be seen sliding a grey box across a gradient box. As he does this, the box appears to change colors. In reality, the box is the same color the entire time. The reason why our eyes perceive it to change colors is due to a phenomenon called lightness perception. Put simply, our eyes perceive colors differently based on the shade of the object in the background or foreground. Advertisement However, the swatches are all the same color. There's also a simple scientific explanation for why the swatch appears to change colors as Kitaoka slides it across the gradient background. The effect is a result of lightness perception, or the concept that our eyes perceive colors differently based on the shade of whatever object is in the background or foreground. Put simply, if there is a bright background, objects in the foreground will appear darker. Likewise, if the background is dark, objects in the foreground will appear lighter. Other factors, such as the amount of light reflected by a surface, the orientation of the surface and whether or not it's 3D can produce similar affects. The effect is a result of lightness perception, or the concept that our eyes perceive colors differently based on the shade of whatever object is in the background or foreground Kitaoka displayed the same effect from the swatch video with Mickey Mouse ears (pictured) Two University of Washington professors described this phenomenon in a 2014 research paper. 'Accurate perception of surface reflectance poses a significant computational problem for the visual system,' professors Maria Pereverzeva and Scott O. Murray, who authored the study, explained. 'The amount of light reflected by a surface is affected by a combination of factors including the surfaces reflectance properties and illumination conditions. Other factors, such as the amount of light reflected by a surface, the orientation of the surface and whether or not it's 3D can affect our lightness perception of a given image OPTICAL ILLUSIONS Optical illusions arrange a series of patterns, images and colors or play with the way an object is lit in order to trick our brains into thinking something is there when it is not. When light hits our retina, it takes about one-tenth of a second for our brain to translate that signal into perception, reports Discovery News. Evolutionary neurobiologist Mark Changizi says this neural delay makes our brains generate images of what it thinks the world will look like in one-tenth of a second. Advertisement 'The latter are not limited by the strength of illuminant but also include the relative placement of the light illuminating the surface, the orientation of the surface and its 3d shape, all of which result in a pattern of luminance gradients across the surface,' they wrote. Kitaoka replicated the same effect in a few other videos, including one that shows a pair of Mickey Mouse ears sliding across the gradient, instead of squares. He also demonstrated it on a colored gradient. In a mesmerizing video, a swatch appears orange when placed in front of a turquoise background, but as it slides across the screen, it suddenly turns turquoise when placed in front of a bright orange background. Several Twitter users attempted to blow the lid off of Kitaoka's demos by swatching the colors shown in a separate computer program. To their surprise, the swatch stayed the same shade throughout the video. It only added to the mystique around how Kitaoka was able to achieve the optical illusions shown in his videos. Kitaoka has created numerous other popular optical illusions, like the 'rotating snakes' illusion. A vital reservoir on the Colorado River will be able to meet the demands of Mexico and the U.S. Southwest for the next 13 months, but a looming shortage could trigger cutbacks as soon as the end of 2019, officials said Wednesday. A forecast from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation echoes previous warnings that a nearly 20-year trend toward a drier regional climate coupled with rising demand could drain so much water from the Lake Mead reservoir that cutbacks would be mandatory. The report increases the pressure on seven U.S. states that rely on the river to finish a long-delayed contingency plan for a shortage. A 'bathtub ring' shows the high water mark on Lake Mead near Boulder City, Nev. A forecast from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation warns the vital reservoir on the Colorado River will be able to meet the demands of Mexico and the U.S. Southwest for the next 13 months, but a looming shortage could trigger cutbacks as soon as the end of 2019. WHO RELIES ON LAKE MEAD FOR WATER? The Colorado River system - including the giant Lake Mead and Lake Powell reservoirs - serves about 40 million people and 6,300 square miles (16,300 square kilometers) of farmland. Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming rely on the river, along with native American reservations and northwestern Mexico. The water is divided under international treaties, court rulings and interstate agreements. If there's not enough water to go around, Mexico, Arizona and Nevada would be the first to see their shares reduced. Advertisement 'If these projections materialize, we're very quickly going to lose control of how to manage the deteriorating conditions on the Colorado River,' said John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, which serves 2.1 million people, including the city of Las Vegas. The Colorado River system - including the giant Lake Mead and Lake Powell reservoirs - serves about 40 million people and 6,300 square miles (16,300 square kilometers) of farmland. Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming rely on the river, along with native American reservations and northwestern Mexico. The water is divided under international treaties, court rulings and interstate agreements. If there's not enough water to go around, Mexico, Arizona and Nevada would be the first to see their shares reduced. The Bureau of Reclamation forecast says all the users will get their usual share through September 2019. But the report projects that by October 2019, the surface of Lake Mead could fall below 1,075 feet (330 meters) above sea level, the agreed-upon point that would trigger an announcement of cutbacks that would occur sometime in the following 12 months. Water intake pipes that were once underwater sit above the water line along Lake Mead near Boulder City, Nev. U.S. government water managers said Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, that Lake Mead will be able to meet the demands of Mexico and Southwestern U.S. states for the next 13 months, but a looming shortage could trigger cutbacks in late 2019. The bureau operates on a water year that runs from October through September, tied to the cycle of winter snow and spring runoff. 'If everything holds true and the hydrology matches the models, then that's probably where we're going to be,' agency spokesman Marlon Duke said. The chances of a shortage in late 2019 remain at 52 percent, the same odds the bureau announced in May, he said. Lake Mead has never had a shortage and if next winter provides enough snow in the mountains that feed the river, it could be averted, Duke said. 'It really depends on what kind of snowpack and precipitation we get across the basin throughout the coming winter,' he said. An aerial view of the Colarado Rive and the Hoover Dam and the Hoover Dam bypass under construction June 12, 2009 in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada, USA. LAKE MEAD NRA, NV - JUNE 12: (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) The Colorado River states agreed to come up with contingency plans to conserve water and avoid mandatory cutbacks in the event of a shortage. But negotiations have been slow and difficult, in part because Arizona's largest river users are still trying to agree on a unified state position, water experts said. 'Right now the thing that's holding it up is Arizona and the inability to come together,' said John Fleck, director of the University of New Mexico's Water Resources Program. 'The whole system is at risk.' A spokeswoman for the Central Arizona Project, the state's largest water supplier, declined to comment. Officials of the Arizona Department of Water Resources did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The Bureau of Reclamation dates the Colorado River region's drought to 2000, but a small group of academics called the Colorado River Research Group said the river might be experiencing a longer-term shift to a more arid climate. 'Perhaps the best available term is aridification, which describes a period of transition to an increasingly water scarce environment,' the group said in a March paper . The bureau report underscores the underlying problem that Southwestern states face, said Jennifer Pitt, director of the Audubon Society's Colorado River Program. The demand exceeds the supply, she said. 'Anyone who has managed a bank account for families knows that over time, that spells disaster.' Advertisement A homemade 'flying scooter', made by a maverick Chinese inventor, has taken to the skies with its creator on board. Zhao Deli, 40, made another trip on the drone after the maiden journey took place last month in Tangxia town, Dongguan city, south China's Guangdong province. The contraption is powered by eight propellers and Mr Zhao says it will be available to customers for between 4,330 - 5,700 ($5,500 and $7,200) next year. He has named the drone Jin Dou Yun or Magical Cloud - a flying cloud ridden by China's very own fictional superhero, Monkey King. Scroll down for video A homemade 'flying scooter', made my a maverick Chinese inventor, has taken to the skies, with its creator on board Zhao Deli, 40, made the maiden journey in Tangxia town, Dongguan city, south China's Guangdong province The inventor from Dongguan in southern China has invested heavily in his project, which so far has yielded just one prototype. Mr Zhao claims the project is yet to be completed and the machine is still missing its outer shell. According to the inventor, mass production will begin next year, with the ambitious entrepreneur hoping it will be available overseas in the future. Mr Zhao designed and built the drone himself and - dressed in an all-black protective suit - embarked on the extraordinary manned flight on the 1,560th attempt launch of the bike. The drone's propellers are affixed to a central frame which is designed to be as lightweight as possible. The aircraft has a motor installed under the seat, which provides the power for the drone while the rider perches at the top. With the eight propellers stirring the air and the motor roaring, the flying vehicle successfully carried him into the air. After a safe landing onto the ground, the excited Mr Zhao told a reporter from Guangzhou Daily: 'It was like riding a motorbike in the sky. 'My dream has come true after this 1560th flight test.' The inventor from Dongguan in southern China has invested heavily in his project, which so far has yielded just a prototype Mr Zhao claims the project is yet to be completed and the machine is still missing its outer shell. According to the inventor, mass production will begin next year, with the ambitious entrepreneur hoping it will be available overseas in the future Mr Zhao designed and built the drone himself and - dressed in an all-black protective suit - embarked on the extraordinary flight test on the 1,560th attempt launch of the bike With the eight propellers stirring the air and the motor roaring, Mr Zhao's flying vehicle successfully carried him into the air Inspiration for the project came from Chinese fictional character 'Monkey King' and after Mr Zhao had read about hoverboards A video on Chinese news site Sohu shows the man leaning forward with his hands on a control panel at the front of his contraption. Seconds later, all eight propellers start to spin and lift Mr Zhao into the air. The man-carrying quadcopter levitates in the sky and lands safely on the ground. Mr Zhao claimed the flying bike could carry a load of between 110 and 220 pounds (50 and 100 kilograms). Its maximum takeoff weight of 564 pounds (256 kilograms), top speed of 44 mph (70 km/h) and battery life of 30 minutes make it a market leader, said Mr Zhao. Mr Zhao was born in a village in south China's Hunan Province. Like most boys, he has always dreamt of flying in the sky one day. He aced in science subjects at school and enjoyed fixing electrical appliances at home. Bird's eye view! The contraption can travel at speeds of up to 44mph and has a battery life of 30 minutes Its maximum takeoff weight of 564 pounds (256 kilograms) and Mr Zhao rode his device with all-black protective gear on In 2008, Mr Zhao set up a company to sell the drones he invented himself. By then he had invented five drone models, including a petrol drone His workshop is full of flying devices including handheld quadcopters and helicopters. These smaller custom-built devices laid the foundation for the flying scooter Mr Zhao experienced countless failures while trying to make the unmanned aircraft airbourne during the 1,559 flight tests; he even had to sell his house and borrow money from friends in order to fund his project, it is reported In 2008, Mr Zhao set up a company to sell the drones he invented himself. By then he had invented five drone models, including a petrol drone. His workshop is full of flying devices including handheld quadcopters and helicopters. These smaller custom-built devices laid the foundation for the flying scooter. Two years ago, Mr Zhao read about a hovering surfboard in Canada, and that was where he got the inspiration for the 'flying motorbike'. Despite his enthusiasm, Mr Zhao's road to success was by no means smooth. He experienced countless failures while trying to make the unmanned aircraft airbourne during the 1,559 flight tests; he even had to sell his house and borrow money from friends in order to fund his project, it is reported. The inventor was ecstatic after Monday's flight. He said he hoped to fly across China's Yellow River on the aircraft. He also planned to modify the 'flying motorbike' before launching it as a commercial product on the market. The inventor was ecstatic after fkying his bike for the first time and said he hoped to fly across China's Yellow River on the aircraft He also planned to modify the 'flying motorbike' before launching it as a commercial product on the market Advertisement The first traces of Palaeolithic man have been found on the ancient land bridge now mostly sunken which once joined Russia and America, say scientists. These are the first pictures of the new archaeological site on the remote Siberian island of Stolbovoy which is 550 miles (885km) above the Arctic Circle. Our prehistoric ancestors ventured here at a time when the lost continental link called Beringia was still in place and the incredible find represents the first tangible confirmation of human presence on the territory. The new implements are currently believed to be up to 300,000 years old but further research needs to be conducted, experts say. Situated in the icy Laptev Sea, the island is reported to be the most northerly evidence of ancient man anywhere in the world. Scroll down for video The first traces of Palaeolithic man have been found on the ancient land bridge now mostly sunken which once joined Russia and America, say scientists. Pictured is Stolbovoy island Stone implements found on Stolbovoy island are from the Palaeolithic era, according to archaeologist Tomas Simokaitis from the Russian Academy of Sciences. Detailed tests will be carried out on the finds and Russian archaeologists plan an urgent excavation to investigate further. Scientists now believe that America was originally populated from Siberia by ancient people crossing via Beringia some 15,000 to 23,000 years ago. 'We suppose the site is Palaeolithic,' said Dr Simokaitis. 'We suppose these implements we have found are hundreds of thousands years old, but so far we have no iron proof.' Tests and an imminent dig at the site called Palaeolena will reveal more details, he said. These are the first pictures of the new archaeological site on the remote Siberian island of Stolbovoy which is 550 miles (885km) above the Arctic Circle Our prehistoric ancestors ventured here at a time when the lost continental link called Beringia was still in place. The new implements are currently believed to be up to 300,000 years old but further research needs to be conducted, experts say Situated in the icy Laptev Sea, the island is reported to be the most northerly evidence of ancient man anywhere in the world WHEN DID HUMANS ARRIVE IN NORTH AMERICA? It is widely accepted that the earliest settlers crossed from what is now Russia into Alaska via an ancient land bridge spanning the Bering Strait which was submerged at the end of the last Ice Age. Issues such as whether there was one founding group or several, when they arrived, and what happened next have been the subject of extensive debate. The earliest evidence of human settlers on the continent dates to around 14,000 years ago, with the remains of an ancient village found 'older than Egyptian pyramids' found in April 2017. A recent study using ancient DNA (six) suggests humans arrived to North America 25,000 years ago (two) before splitting into three Native American groups (three and four). The DNA came from a girl who belonged to a group called the 'Ancient Beringians' Artefacts uncovered at the settlement, found on Triquet Island 310 miles (500km) northwest of Victoria, Canada, include tools for creating fires and fishing hooks and spears dating from the Ice Age. Other research has suggested that humans reached North America between 24,000 and 40,000 years ago. A 24,000-year-old horse jaw bone found in January 2017 in a cave in Alaska had the marks of stone tools, suggesting it was hunted by humans. Advertisement Initial findings indicate this is 'a world scale discovery in that this site gives the first tangible confirmation of human presence on the territory of legendary Beringia'. In ancient times the island was attached to the Siberian mainland and America. It was a remnant of the 'land bridge' now mostly sunken linking the two continents, according to the Siberian Times. Dr Simokaitis said: 'We will try to dig into the permafrost, and open the surface. 'For now we have just collected material from the surface.' It is widely accepted that the earliest settlers crossed from what is now Russia into Alaska via an ancient land bridge spanning the Bering Strait which was submerged at the end of the last Ice Age. Pictured is Stolbovoy island Initial findings indicate this is 'a world scale discovery in that this site gives the first tangible confirmation of human presence on the territory of legendary Beringia' In ancient times the island was attached to the Siberian mainland and America. It was a remnant of the 'land bridge' now mostly sunken linking the two continents Dr Simokaitis said: 'We will try to dig into the permafrost, and open the surface... For now we have just collected material from the surface' WHAT IS THE BERINGIAN STANDSTILL? Pictured is the history of migration from western Asia into the Americas via a vast Bering land bridge Native Americans descended from people who migrated to the Americas from eastern Asia. These ancestors first settled in an area called 'Beringia' - a vast Bering land bridge that once linked Siberia and Alaska. They spent up to 10,000 years in Beringia before moving rapidly into the Americas beginning at least 15,000 years ago. This so-called Beringian standstill coincided with the height of the last Ice Age between 18,000 and 28,000 years ago. Giant ice sheets to the east and hundreds of miles of uninhabitable tundra to the southwest prevented migration into North America. This 10,000-year migratory 'pause' left small populations of 'Beringians' ripe for natural selection to help them survive the brutal conditions. Advertisement The expedition was organised by the Academy of Sciences in Yakutia and the Russian Geographical Society. The land bridge sank beneath the waves beginning some 15,000 years ago, but Stolbovoy with its high cliffs remains above the surface. The previous most northerly known outpost of ancient man was 230 miles (370km) to the south, on the Yana River, dating back at least 32,500 years, according to archaeologists. The expedition was organised by the Academy of Sciences in Yakutia and the Russian Geographical Society The land bridge sank beneath the waves beginning some 15,000 years ago, but Stolbovoy with its high cliffs remains above the surface The previous most northerly known outpost of ancient man was 230 miles (370km) to the south, on the Yana River, dating back at least 32,500 years, according to archaeologists Native Americans descended from people who migrated to the Americas from eastern Asia. These ancestors first settled in an area called 'Beringia' - a vast Bering land bridge that once linked Siberia and Alaska Giant ice sheets to the east and hundreds of miles of uninhabitable tundra to the southwest prevented migration into North America Four small galaxies orbiting the Milky Way could be the oldest in the universe. Astronomers say the galaxies date back more than 13 billion years and came into existence shortly after the Big Bang. The dwarf, or satellite, galaxies are bound to the Milky Way by gravity similar to how the moon is to Earth but on a much bigger scale. Researchers who made the discovery likened it to 'finding the remains of the first humans that inhabited the Earth.' Scroll down for video Pictured is the distribution of satellite galaxies orbiting a computer-simulated galaxy. The blue circles surround the brighter satellites, the white circles the ultrafaint satellites (so faint that they are not readily visible in the image). The ultrafaint satellites are among the most ancient galaxies in the universe The discovery sheds fresh light on the evolution of the universe, according to researchers from the Institute for Computational Cosmology at Durham University and the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics. The galaxies, which are called Segue-1, Bootes I, Tucana II and Ursa Major I, are incredibly faint and believed to be among the first that ever formed. Professor Carlos Frenk, director of Durham's Institute for Computational Cosmology (ICC), said: 'Finding some of the very first galaxies that formed in our universe orbiting in the Milky Way's own backyard is the astronomical equivalent of finding the remains of the first humans that inhabited the Earth. It is hugely exciting.' Dr Alis Deason, a Royal Society University Research Fellow at the ICC, said: 'This is a wonderful example of how observations of the tiniest dwarf galaxies residing in our own Milky Way can be used to learn about the early universe.' When the universe was about 380,000 years old the very first atoms were born. These were tiny particles of hydrogen which are the simplest element in the periodic table. As they collected into clouds and began to cool they gradually settled into the small clumps or 'halos' of dark matter that emerged from the Big Bang. This cooling phase dubbed the 'Cosmic dark ages' lasted about 100 million years. Pictured is the distribution of satellite galaxies orbiting a computer-simulated galaxy. The discovery sheds fresh light on the evolution of the universe, according to researchers Eventually, the gas that had cooled inside the halos became unstable and began to form stars. These objects are the very first galaxies ever to have formed and caused the universe to burst into light bringing the cosmic dark ages to an end. The study, published in The Astrophysical Journal, identified a very faint population of galaxies that formed during the 'cosmic dark ages'. It also found a second and slightly brighter group that formed hundreds of millions of years later. The hydrogen that had been ionised by the intense ultraviolet radiation emitted by the first stars was able to cool into more massive dark matter halos. Remarkably, the team found a model of galaxy formation that they had developed previously agreed perfectly with the data. This allowed them to infer the formation times of the satellite galaxies. THE MILKY WAY'S OLDEST STAR A newly discovered star is thought to be one of the oldest in the Milky Way. Scientists at the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC) in Spain believe that it might have formed about 300 million years after the 'Big Bang'. IAC researcher Jonay Gonzalez Hernandez said: 'Theory predicts that these stars could form just after, and using material from, the first supernovae, whose progenitors were the first massive stars in the Galaxy.' Researchers hope the star, known as J0815+4729, which is in line with the Lynx constellation, will help them learn more about the Big Bang, the popular theory about the galaxy's evolution. IAC director Rafael Rebolo said: 'Detecting lithium gives us crucial information related to Big Bang nucleosynthesis. We are working on a spectrograph of high resolution and wide spectral range in order to be able to measure (among other things) the detailed chemical composition of stars with unique properties such as J0815+4729.' Advertisement Professor Frenk said: 'Our finding supports the current model for the evolution of our universe the 'Lambda-cold-dark-matter model' in which the elementary particles that make up the dark matter drive cosmic evolution.' The intense ultraviolet radiation emitted by the first galaxies destroyed the remaining hydrogen atoms by ionising them knocking out their electrons making it difficult for this gas to cool and form new stars. The process of galaxy formation ground to a halt and no new galaxies were able to form for the next billion years or so. Eventually, the halos of dark matter became so massive even ionised gas was able to cool. Galaxy formation resumed culminating in the formation of spectacular bright galaxies like our own Milky Way. Dr Sownak Bose, a former PhD student at the ICC and now a research fellow at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in the US, said: 'A nice aspect of this work is it highlights the complementarity between the predictions of a theoretical model and real data. 'A decade ago, the faintest galaxies in the vicinity of the Milky Way would have gone under the radar. 'With the increasing sensitivity of present and future galaxy censuses, a whole new trove of the tiniest galaxies has come into the light, allowing us to test theoretical models in new regimes.' Almost half of Americans say they would never buy a fully self driving car, a new survey has found. The huge blow to the industry comes after rocky trials that have seen multiple accidents, including a self-driving Uber vehicle that killed a pedestrian in the first death involving a fully autonomous test vehicle in March. The Cox Automotive Evolution of Mobility Study found that consumer awareness of driverless vehicles has skyrocketed - but that people still want to be able to drive themselves. Scroll down for video The research found 84 per cent want to have the option to drive themselves even in a self-driving vehicle, compared to 16 per cent who would feel comfortable letting an autonomous vehicle drive them without the option of being able to take control. Pictured, a Google prototype self driving car 49 per cent of respondents said they would never own a fully-autonomous car, known in the industry as a Level 5 vehicle, researchers found, up from 30 per cent in 2016. It also found 84 per cent want to have the option to drive themselves even in a self-driving vehicle, compared to 16 per cent who would feel comfortable letting an autonomous vehicle drive them without the option of being able to take control. It also found the number of respondents that believe roadways would be safer if all vehicles were fully autonomous versus operated by people has decreased 18 percentage points in just two years. 'As awareness around the development of autonomous technology increases, we're seeing some dramatic shifts in consumer sentiment,' said Karl Brauer, executive publisher of Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book. 'People now have a deeper understanding of the complexities involved when creating a self-driving car, and that has them reconsidering their comfort level when it comes to handing over control.' WHAT ARE THE SIX LEVELS OF SELF-DRIVING AUTOMATION? Level Zero - The full-time performance by the human driver of all aspects of the dynamic driving task, even when enhanced by warning or intervention systems. Level One A small amount of control is accomplished by the system such as adaptive braking if a car gets too close. Level Two The system can control the speed and direction of the car allowing the driver to take their hands off temporarily, but they have to monitor the road at all times and be ready to take over. Level Three The driver does not have to monitor the system at all times in some specific cases like on high ways but must be ready to resume control if the system requests. Level Four The system can cope will all situations automatically within defined use but it may not be able to cope will all weather or road conditions. System will rely on high definition mapping. Level Five Full automation. System can cope with all weather, traffic and lighting conditions. It can go anywhere, at any time in any conditions. Tesla's Model 3 Sedan - one of the world's most advanced road-legal cars with autonomous elements - currently operates at Level Two autonomy. It is equipped for Level Three autonomy, which may be introduced in a future software update Advertisement Generation Z, 12-22-year-olds, and Millennials, 23-36-year-olds, were less hesitant, with less than half of respondents saying they would never purchase a Level 5 (Generation Z at 48 percent and Millennials at 39 percent). However, the team found consumers were still keen on semi-autonomous features, particularly those centered around safety. Collision warning alert system and collision avoidance system are top-ranked features considered a must-have in the next vehicle purchase/lease. 'There is a major opportunity, and a real need, for automakers and mobility providers to help educate consumers and further guide autonomous vehicles in their development,' said Joe George, Cox Automotive Mobility Solutions Group president. 'Autonomous safety feature adoption will be critical in creating future autonomous technology advocates.' Google has admitted that it tracks users' location history even after they turn off location sharing. On Thursday, the search giant revised a help page that erroneously described how its 'Location History' setting works. The page now clarifies that Google still tracks their location even if they turn the setting off. Scroll down for video Days after an Associated Press investigation revealed that Google is storing the locations of users even if they turn a privacy setting called 'Location History' off, the company has changed a help page that erroneously described how the setting works The move follows an explosive report by the Associated Press, which revealed that several Google apps and websites store user location even if users turned off Location History. Google has not changed its location-tracking practices since the investigation was published. The help page now states: 'This setting does not affect other location services on your device.' It also acknowledges that 'some location data may be saved as part of your activity on other services, like Search and Maps.' Previously, the page stated: 'With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored.' The change appeared to have been made to Google's website midday Thursday. Researchers created a map of the movements of Princeton postdoctoral researcher Gunes Acar, who carried an Android phone with Location history off (pictured) Google has since changed some portions of its help page that address its location-tracking policies. However, it hasn't altered its location-tracking tactics following recent scrutiny Google acknowledge the change in a statement to reporters. 'We have been updating the explanatory language about Location History to make it more consistent and clear across our platforms and help centers,' Google said in a statement to the AP. The AP investigation found that even with Location History turned off, Google stores user location when, for instance, the Google Maps app is opened, or when users conduct Google searches that aren't related to location. The researchers found Google logs a record of your current location each time you open its turn-by-turn navigation app, Google Maps. The daily weather updates on Android phones also provided another way to track movement. Even with Location History turned off, Google stores user location when, for instance, the Google Maps app is opened, or when users search things that aren't related to location HOW DOES GOOGLE TRACK ITS USERS' LOCATIONS OUTSIDE OF 'LOCATION HISTORY'? A new investigation led by the Associated Press found that some Google apps automatically store time-stamped location data without asking - even when you've paused Location History. The investigation found, for example: Google stores a snapshot of where you are when you open its Maps app Automatic daily weather updates on Android phones pinpoint where you are each time the forecast is refreshed Simple searchers, such as 'chocolate chip cookies,' or 'kids science kits,' pinpoint your precise latitude and longitude accurate to the square foot - and save it to your Google account This information is all logged as part of the 'Web and App Activity feature, which does not specifically reference location information in its description. This is enabled by default, and stores a variety of information from Google apps and websites to your Google account. When paused, it will prevent activity on any device from being saved to your account. Leaving 'Web & App Activity' on and turning 'Location History' off only prevents Google from adding your movements to the 'timeline,' its visualization of your daily travels. It does not stop Google's collection of other location markers. Advertisement Storing your minute-by-minute travels carries privacy risks and has been used by police to determine the location of suspects such as a warrant that police in Raleigh, North Carolina, served on Google last year to find devices near a murder scene. Privacy experts have assailed Google's policy of saving user location data that it doesn't technically classify as 'location history.' Silicon Valley tech giants are under increasing scrutiny over their data practices, following a series of privacy scandals at Facebook. Additionally, new data-privacy rules adopted by the European Union have also generated a greater focus on protecting user data. Last year, the business news site Quartz found that Google was tracking Android users by collecting the addresses of nearby cellphone towers even if all location services were off. Google changed the practice and insisted it never recorded the data anyway. Critics say Google's insistence on tracking its users' locations stems from its drive to boost advertising revenue. Watch out humans, robots could soon compete for your acting roles. Director Tony Kaye is looking to cast an artificial intelligence robot for his upcoming film '2nd Born,' the sequel to the yet-to-be-released '1st Born.' Kaye, who is behind the 1998 crime drama 'American History X,' would employ the 'real robot' as the lead in 2nd Born, according to Deadline. Scroll down for video In contrast to films like Stephen Spielberg's 'A.I. Artificial Intelligence,' director Tony Kaye wouldn't use a computer-generated robot for the role; instead, it would be an android trained in various acting methods and techniques In contrast to films like Stephen Spielberg's 'A.I. Artificial Intelligence,' Kaye wouldn't use a computer-generated robot for the role; instead, it would be an android trained in various acting methods and techniques. What's more, Kaye and producer Sam Khoze hope that the robot will be recognized by the Screen Actors Guild. This would make the robot eligible for awards consideration. Director Tony Kaye (pictured) is looking to cast an artificial intelligence robot for his upcoming film '2nd Born' Many of the actors from 1st Born are expected to return for the sequel. 1st Born tells the story of a young Iranian and American couple whose complicated pregnancy forces their diverse families to come together for the sake of the baby, Deadline noted. It's set for release later this year. The film stars Val Kilmer, Tom Berenger, Greg Grunberg, Jay Abdo, Taylor Cole, Reza Sixo Safai, William Baldwin, Denise Richards and Robert Knepper. It's unclear what role the robot will play in 2nd Born. 2nd Born wouldn't be the first film to include a robot as part of the cast. The 2015 Japanese drama 'Sayonara' stars Geminoid F, a smiling female android, alongside human actors. It's considered 'the first movie to feature an android performing opposite a human actor.' Sayonara is set in the aftermath of a deadly power plant meltdown in Japan. Geminoid F, who plays Leona in the film, was designed to look and act like a human with rubber 'skin' and a woman's face - but it is unable to walk and is wheeled around in the film. She can smile, furrow her brows and move her mouth. It can also talk and sing - playing recordings, or 'mouthing' other people's voices. Kaye, who is behind the 1998 crime drama 'American History X,' would employ the 'real robot' as the lead in 2nd Born. Pictured is actor Ed Norton in Kaye's American History X The robot is equipped with motorised actuators, powered by air pressure, which allow her to 'copy' human facial expressions. In the film, it is controlled remotely from a laptop. In the film, shown in the competition section of the Tokyo International Film Festival, the robot stays loyal to its owner - played by Bryerly Long - as the nation evacuates following a nuclear disaster. Fukada said working with the android was easier than directing people, although he said laugh he had to watch to not break the robot as its repairs would come with a 10 million yen (55,000) bill. 'The android doesn't complain, never gets hungry and doesn't need to sleep at all,' he said at the film festival office. Humans have a unique 'brainprint' that doesn't change throughout our life, researchers have found. Known as a 'functional fingerprint', it could help identify people, and can even tell if people are related - and distinguish between twins. It could also unlock the mystery of diseases such as ADHD and autism. Scroll down for video Known as a 'functional fingerprint', it could help identify people, and also unlock the mystery of diseases such as ADHD and autism. Pictured, a 'brain map' image similar to those used in the study. 'Similar to DNA, specific brain systems and connectivity patterns are passed down from adults to their children,' said Damien Fair of the Oregon Health & Science University following a 2017 study. 'This is significant because it may help us to better characterize aspects of altered brain activity, development or disease.' Using two data sets of functional MRI brain scans from more than 350 adult and child siblings during resting state, Fair and colleagues applied an innovative technique to characterize functional connectivity and machine learning to successfully identify siblings based on their connectotype. In a more recent study, they found just 30 percent of the connectome is unique to the individual. Through a similar process, the team also distinguished individual sibling and twin pairs from unrelated pairs in both children and adults. 'This confirms that while unique to each individual, some aspects of the family connectome are inherited and maintained throughout development and may be useful as early biomarkers of mental or neurological conditions,' said lead author Oscar Miranda-Dominguez, Ph.D., research assistant professor of behavioral neuroscience, OHSU School of Medicine. 'I could take a fingerprint from my five-year-old, and I'd still be able to know that fingerprint is hers when she's 25,' associate professor Damien Fair told Quanta. 'Even though her finger might get bigger and go through other changes with age and experience, 'still the core features are all there.' Identifying, tracking and modeling the functional connectome could reveal why some people have a higher risk of developing certain neuropsychiatric conditions. A 2014 analysis by Damien Fair and his colleagues found 30 percent of the connections, mostly in areas linked to greater cognitive processing, were unique to individuals. 'These findings add to the way we think about normal and altered brain function,' said Fair. 'Further, it creates more opportunity for personalized and targeted treatment approaches for conditions such as ADHD or autism.' HOW BRAIN MAPS CAN FIGHT ADHD AND AUTISM The Developing Human Connectome Project is led by Kings College London, Imperial College London and Oxford University. It aims to make major scientific progress by creating the first 4-dimensional brain map of early life. Overall, the researchers hope they will soon be able to create a dynamic map of brain connectivity from 20 to 44 weeks post-conception, which will link together imaging, clinical, behavioural, and genetic information The goal of the project is to create a dynamic map of human brain connectivity from 20 to 44 weeks post-conceptional age, which will link together imaging, clinical, behavioural, and genetic information. The images and data will be available for wider use by the scientific community. The researchers hope this will help to improve understanding of conditions including Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Cerebral Palsy. Advertisement A separate study led by Carnegie Mellon University and funded by the US Army measured the local connectomes of 699 brains from five data sets. These are the point-by-point connections along all of the white matter pathways, rather than the connections between the different regions. The researchers then used the data from the diffusion MRI and reconstructed it to calculate the distribution of water diffusion along the cerebral white matters fibers. This revealed that these features act as unique fingerprints for each person. The team ran more than 17,000 identification tests, and found that they could determine if two local connectomes came from the same person or not nearly 100 percent of the time. Google has marked the 2018 Qixi Festival in China with a new Google Doodle for August 17, 2018. Sometimes called Chinese Valentines Day, Qixi Festival in fact has an interesting mythological background that relates to the stars in the night sky. The latest Google Doodle celebrates the Qixi Festival, often called Chinese Valentine's Day Heres all you need to know about what the Qixi Festival is and what a Google Doodle is. What is the Qixi Festival? The Qixi Festival celebrates the annual meeting of the weaver girl and cowherd in Chinese mythology. Its always held on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the Chinese calendar. The mythology behind the Qixi Festival dates back to the Han Dynasty more than 2,600 years ago and describes the romantic meeting of two lovers, Niulang and Zhinu, represented by the cowherd and the weaver girl in Chinese mythology. The daughter of the Jade Emperor, Zhinu, represented by the star Vega, was known as the most beautiful girl in the entire universe whose job was to weave the clouds of the heavens above. Represented by the star Altair, Niulang the cowherd was an orphan who lived in a rustic cottage with only an old ox by his side. One day, the ox spoke to Niulang and said that he was in fact the star Taurus but was banished to Earth as a punishment. He also told Niulang about a pond near his cottage where all of the goddesses bathed. Niulang went to visit the pond, ultimately meeting, falling in love and starting a family with Zhinu. Zhinus parents, however, disapproved of their relationship and summoned her back to heaven. Niulang was devastated, but his old ox volunteered to sacrifice his life, saying that his hide could be used to help Niulang fly to Zhinu. Niulang reluctantly sacrificed his old friend and used his hide to fly towards heaven, but the Jade Empress, Zhinus mother, cut the sky to create the Silver River, represented by the Milky Way, to keep Zhinu and Niulang separate. However, a flock of magpie birds observed what happened and flew together to create a bridge allowing Niulang and Zhinu to briefly reunite. This is said to occur annually on the day that the stars Vega and Altair appear to be closest together. Qixi Festival celebrations Traditional celebrations for the Qixi Festival typically include sewing and weaving, alluding to the Chinese mythology of Zhinu and Niulang. The event is also marked with gifts and chocolates shared by lovers and traditionally is particularly important for newlywed couples. Qixi festival (Chinese Valentine's Day), celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the year, is sweeping https://t.co/YZ1Momqgld this week! pic.twitter.com/VbqH7GxZAt Nonprofit Adopt a Star (@adoptastar) August 15, 2018 What is a Google Doodle? A Google Doodle is a temporary change to the logo on Googles homepage celebrating a notable individual, event, accomplishment, anniversary and the like. First created by Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin to celebrate the Burning Man festival in 1998, they were later produced by the companys top PR officer Dennis Hwang and outside contractors before an in-house team known as Doodlers was established to publish them on a more regular basis. Google Doodles nowadays are generally used to mark major holidays such as Christmas and St. Patricks Day as well as to recognize specific individuals such as Ebenezer Cobb Morley and Mary G. Ross. A German airline passenger rights group is taking Ryanair to court over whether it should pay compensation to customers who were affected by strikes at the low-cost carrier. Ryanair had to cancel one in six flights on Friday due to a walkout 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. A German airline passenger rights group is taking Ryanair to court over whether it should pay compensation to customers who were affected by strikes at the low-cost carrier Consumer group, Flightright said it believes Ryanair is 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. 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. 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. A spokesman said: 'Ryanair fully complies with all EU261 legislation, however as these flight cancellations were caused by extraordinary circumstances, no compensation is due. 'Under EU261 legislation, no compensation is payable when the union is acting unreasonably and totally beyond the airlines control. If this was within our control, there would be no cancellations. 'Ryanair deals with each claim on a case-by-case basis and requires our customers to submit flight disruption claims directly to Ryanair before engaging third party claims chasers. 'We do this solely to ensure that all Ryanair customers will receive 100 per cent of their EU261 compensation without deduction of claims chaser fees, which can amount to 50 per cent of the compensation payable to the passenger.' A deserted Berlin Schoenefeld Airport last Friday when Ryanair flights were cancelled due to a pilot's strike 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. It comes as experts have been urging passengers whose flights have been delayed or cancelled to fight for the compensation theyre owed. UK Aviation watchdog, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), says airlines should pay out when disruptions are caused by their own staff striking. And 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.' A Canadian theme park has revealed it will unveil the world's tallest, fastest and longest dive roller coaster that will reach a top speed of 80mph. Canada's Wonderland in Ontario announced that the white-knuckle ride named Yukon Striker, will open next year. The designers say that the roller coaster will take riders on an exhilarating journey along its 3,625 feet of mountainous track where they will get a spectacular view of the Toronto skyline. Scroll down for video An artist's impression of the new Yukon Striker roller coaster that is to be unveiled at Canada's Wonderland theme park The attraction will be the world's tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster that will reach a top speed of 80mph The coaster features a hold and dive element where riders will feel as though they are hanging on the edge of their seats, on one of three wide, floorless trains, awaiting the 90-degree, 245-foot drop. Once released, the coaster dives from zero to 130 kilometres per hour straight down into an underwater tunnel. It will then soar up over steel track, propelling riders through four dynamic inversions and gravity-defying weightlessness. The roller coaster has been designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, who say the Yukon Striker will claim several world records. It will be located in the theme park's new Frontier Canada area and will be the country's first dive rollercoaster. The coaster features a hold and dive element where riders will feel as though they are hanging on the edge of their seats, awaiting a 90 degree drop The roller coaster will also soar up over steel track, propelling riders through four dynamic inversions and gravity-defying weightlessness The ride is believed to have a late 1800s gold rush theme. This is because travellers poured into the Yukon territory at this time in search of fast wealth. Canada's Wonderland covers 330 acres of land in Vaughan, a suburb about 25miles of Toronto and opened in the early 1980s. It has been the most visited seasonal theme park in North America for several consecutive years and last year,more than 3.5million visitors passed thought the gates. She's proved she can reinvent her career more times than Madonna after rising like a phoenix from the ashes following her fall through a trapdoor infront of 14,000 screaming teens earlier this year. Since then, Gemma Collins has become even more of a trailblazer within the reality realm with hundreds of fan accounts in honour of her exploding onto the scene, causing her star power to go stratospheric. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline at the launch HTCs new smartphone U12+, the self-confessed 'national treasure' revealed that while she'll never leave TOWIE, she's setting her sights on becoming the next Dame Judi Dench. Star power: Gemma Collins has become even more of a trailblazer within the reality realm with hundreds of fan accounts in honour of her exploding onto the scene, causing her star power to go stratospheric It seems that the blonde bombshell was always destined for the bright lights of Hollywood having trained as a youngster in renowned performing arts college, Sylvia Young Theatre School. Although Gemma hasn't had the traditional foray into showbiz, she has become a big hit with reality fans for her stints on The Only Way Is Essex, Celebrity Big Brother, Celebs Go Dating and a brief appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Despite a stellar reality career under her belt, Gemma admitted that she's ready for the next move and film is where she sees her star reaching a global audience, following her side-splitting cameo in the Orange is the New Black promo this summer. 'I would love to be an actress,' she said. 'I went to Sylvia Young Theatre school when I was younger. I'm not going to lie, I'm aiming for the stars. Focus: Speaking exclusively to MailOnline at the launch HTCs new smartphone U12+, the self-confessed 'national treasure' revealed that while she'll never leave TOWIE, she's setting her sights on becoming the next Dame Judi Dench (Pictured above) The GC: Despite a stellar reality career under her belt, Gemma admitted that she's ready for the next move and film is where she sees her star reaching a global audience, following her side-splitting cameo in the Orange is the New Black promo this summer 'Acting down the line is something I'm definitely on my tick list to explore.' And while her on/off relationship with James 'Arg' Argent may make her a likely candidate for a leading role in a romcom, fans of the GC will be surprised to know that she's looking to follow in the footsteps of acclaimed thespian Dame Judi Dench. Wanting to 'shock' her fans, she shared: 'I'd be bigger than [Jennifer Aniston], I'd be bigger than that. I'm talking Dame Judi [Dench] style. I mean, I'm a serious actress, people are yet to find out. 'I'd like to play a different role because obviously everyone loves the GC but I'd like to do something totally different than being the GC if I'm honest. Dreams: It seems that the blonde bombshell was always destined for the bright lights of Hollywood having trained as a youngster in renowned performing arts college, Sylvia Young Theatre School Reality: Although Gemma hasn't had the traditional foray into showbiz, she has become a big hit with reality fans for her stints on The Only Way Is Essex, Celebrity Big Brother, Celebs Go Dating and a brief appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Adding: 'I want to shock the world. I'd like to have quite a serious role.' Gemma confessed her dream role would be starring opposite Sean Bean on fantasy drama Game of Thrones - despite the show coming to an end and the fact his character Eddard Stark was killed off on the first season. She explained: 'I'm desperate to get a role in Games of Thrones that would be perfect for me next to Sean Bean. That would be the dream.' A firm believer in the law of attraction, the Essex native admitted that while she's dreaming big - fans may see her in a role a little closer to home and with the same broadcaster as her beloved TOWIE. Drama: And while her on/off relationship with James 'Arg' Argent may make her a likely candidate for a leading role in a romcom, fans of the GC will be surprised to know that she's looking to follow in the footsteps of acclaimed thespian Dame Judi Dench Inspiration: Wanting to 'shock' her fans, she shared: 'I'd be bigger than [Jennifer Aniston], I'd be bigger than that. I'm talking Dame Judi [Dench] style. I mean, I'm a serious actress, people are yet to find out' (Dame Judi Dench pictured above in Victoria and Abdul) 'But I met a guy from Plebs the other day and I literally begged him to ask the producer to get me on the new series,' she said. 'I might start my career out on Plebs as an actress and see where it goes.' Now shooting for the stars, Gemma candidly admitted that while the immediate focus is her film career, she can already see into the future like TOWIE's answer to John Edwards and believes she'll be knighted in years to come. She said: 'I do think I will be knighthood one day by the Queen. 'I'm not going to lie I do think they're going to bring This Is Your Life back and I will be on it. I can't see myself going anywhere yet. The sky's the limit. I think you got to think big to be big. Role: Gemma confessed her dream role would be starring opposite Sean Bean on fantasy drama Game of Thrones Hopes: However Gemma's dreams maybe dashed as the show coming to an end and Sean's character Eddard Stark (Pictured above) was killed off on the first season Adding: 'Well I'm going to the top and nothing is going to stop me.' While the sky is limit for her success, the reality star confessed that cracking America isn't on her radar just yet and that her energy, vivacious personality and witty one-liners are needed in her beloved UK. She said: 'When I was in America earlier this year, I was so busy, I was in and I was out doing what I done. 'So I was focused on the job really, I do keep saying I'd love to go back but I'm the UK at the minute. I don't have time to score America, it's not off my list forever but the UK needs the GC right now.' Feeling regal: Now shooting for the stars, Gemma candidly admitted that while the immediate focus is her film career, she can already see into the future like TOWIE's answer to John Edwards and believes she'll be knighted in years to come Revealing more than ever before, Gemma fulfilled her lifelong ambition of becoming Kim and celebrated self-love for her new campaign with HTC, which were taken with the new phone's impressive camera. Speaking of the new campaign, she said: 'As the UK's selfie queen, I always dreamt of re-creating some of Kim K's most iconic pics, and I knew that the U12+ was the only phone that could do the pictures justice. 'I love the dual-camera on my U12+ as it makes me look fabulous and I guarantee the shots will make you do a double take.' Gemma Collins oozes in body-confidence in brand new Kim Kardashian-inspired selfies, taken with the highest-rated dual smartphone camera currently on the market, the HTCs U12+. For more information visit www.htc.com/uk Impressive: Revealing more than ever before, Gemma fulfilled her lifelong ambition of becoming Kim and celebrated self-love for her new campaign with HTC, which were taken with the new phone's impressive camera As head of a family with a 5 billion fortune, 85-year-old City grandee Bruno Schroder is used to doing as he pleases. That could be sunning himself in the Bahamas with his mistress, Baroness Suzanne Maltzahn, entertaining friends at his elegant home in Londons Notting Hill or enjoying the splendour of Dunlossit, his 18,500-acre estate on the Scottish island of Islay, where he amuses himself breeding Middle White pigs. It is, though, in his role as a member of the board of Schroders the financial services powerhouse which numbers the Queen among its clients that Old Etonian Bruno, who remains married to but estranged from his wife, Piffa, is intent on giving himself a special treat. Bruno Schroder (pictured) has plans to place his daugher Leonie (right) on the board of a company managing 420billion I can disclose that Schroder plans to place his daughter, Leonie, 44, on the board of the company which manages a staggering 420 billion. His family retains a 48 per cent stake in the outfit. But the prospect appals City insiders. Leonie is completely unqualified for that role, one tells me. She has no experience in financial services. Indeed, although glamorous Leonie has held a variety of directorships since leaving St Andrews University, they have been in small organisations concerned either with animal welfare such as the Red Squirrel Survival Trust or with the family estate, such as Dunlossit (Farming) Limited, or with her own Hurstbourne Park estate in Hampshire. Although her professional career has been entirely uneventful, Leonies private life has been marked by tragedy. She was seemingly happily married to Eton-educated Nicholas Fane, with whom she had three young children, but she divorced him in 2014; Fane, 57, tragically died shortly afterwards. Perhaps that terrible episode made Bruno Schroder still more protective of his daughter his only child and more determined that she should succeed him. It seems unlikely that anyone at Schroders will stand in his way: as my colleague, the Dastardly Mr Deedes, reported earlier this week, the canteen at its swanky new HQ has grovellingly been named Brunos in his honour. Fergie shows off her prickly side Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie might be known for their quirky taste in fashion but their mother, Sarah, Duchess of York enjoys making sartorial statements, too. Prince Andrews 59-year-old ex-wife left Mayfair private members club Annabels wearing a black dress and blue jacket which she teamed with eye-catching 190 French Sole black velvet slippers with cactus embroidery. Always one to retain her royal connections, Fergies support for the shoe brand happens to coincide with the fact that Princess Alexandras granddaughter Zenouska Mowatt, 28, used to be French Soles PR manager. Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, left Mayfair private members club Annabels wearing eye-catching French Sole black velvet slippers with cactus embroidery (pictured) Olivier Award-winner Helen Burns has died at the grand old age of 101. A gifted comedic actress she appeared in Seventies TV series And Thats The News, Goodnight but also turned her hand to horror. Her 1980 chiller The Changeling was named by Hollywood director Martin Scorsese as one of the scariest films of all time. How do you define a progressive foreign policy agenda? It's touchy, when you go beyond peace. Want to step on Jewish toes? Try it if you're a politicians and see how quickly you get turned into Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) or Earl Hilliard (D-AL). How about Armenian toes? There are around half a million Armenian-Americans, almost half of whom are concentrated in California with significant enough populations in Boston and NYC told wield some real political clout. It may be popular among Trump supporters to denigrate Muslim-Americans but there are about 3.5 million of them-- and they're better educated and wealthier than the average non-Muslim American-- and they vote... especially in New York City, Dearborn Michigan, Patterson, New Jersey, Philly, L.A., with significant numbers in Arkansas, Maine, Texas, Virginia, Illinois and Delaware. Politicians-- who are likely more interested in healthcare, education, the economy, climate change, gun violence, equality or other domestic issues-- have to be careful about the minefield around foreign policy. Stumbling can be fatal. This week at, Phyllis Bennis, is asking for a bold foreign policy platform for the left , demanding that socialists and other progressives align their domestic programs with a progressive foreign policy vision. There was always grumbling among foreign policy-obsessed folks about Bernie. Bennis, however, starts with Alexandria Ocasio (NY) and Rashida Tlaib (MI), neither of whom is in Congress yet but both whom are guaranteed to be there in January. They are other super-progressives, she asserts, are not showing a clear enough link between domestic issues and... well she starts off with the easy stuff for most progressives-- challenging war and militarism and the war economy. Almost all progressive candidates I talk are passionately for peace and against what Eisenhower warned is the military-industrial complex. But that isn't really what the complaint is. It's when demands are made about specific issues that divide constituencies that things start to get hairy. "Its not," wrote Bennis, "that progressive leaders dont care about international issues, or that our movements are divided. Despite too many common assumptions, it is not political suicide for candidates or elected officials to stake out progressive anti-war, anti-militarism positions. Quite the contrary: Those positions actually have broad support within both our movements and public opinion. Its just that its hard to figure out the strategies that work to connect internationally focused issues, anti-war efforts, or challenges to militarism, with the wide array of activists working on locally grounded issues. Some of those strategies seem like they should be easy-- like talking about slashing the 53 cents of every discretionary federal dollar that now goes to the military as the easiest source to fund Medicare-for-all or free college education. It should be easy, but somehow its not: Too often, foreign policy feels remote from the urgency of domestic issues facing such crises. When our movements do figure out those strategies, candidates can easily follow suit." Yep that's the (relatively) easy part. Now comes the less easy stuff, especially what it's not just a principal but an actual policy that touches countries and people. Candidates coming out of our movements into elected office will need clear positions on foreign policy. Here are several core principles that should shape those positions. A progressive foreign policy must reject U.S. military and economic domination and instead be grounded in global cooperation, human rights, respect for international law and privileging diplomacy over war. That does not mean isolationism, but instead a strategy of diplomatic engagement rather than-- not as political cover for-- destructive U.S. military interventions that have so often defined the U.S. role in the world. Looking at the political pretexts for what the U.S. empire is doing around the world today, a principled foreign policy might start by recognizing that there is no military solution to terrorism and that the global war on terror must be ended. More broadly, the militarization of foreign policy must be reversed and diplomacy must replace military action in every venue, with professional diplomats rather than the White Houses political appointees in charge. Aspiring and elected progressive and socialist office-holders should keep in mind the distinction between the successes and failures of Obamas foreign policy. The victories were all diplomatic: moving towards normalization with Cuba, the Paris climate accord and especially the Iran nuclear deal. Obamas greatest failures-- in Libya, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen-- all occurred because the administration chose military action over robust diplomacy. Certainly, diplomacy has been a tool in the arsenal of empires, including the United States. But when we are talking about official policies governing relations between countries, diplomacy-- meaning talking, negotiating and engaging across a table-- is always, always better than engaging across a battlefield. A principled foreign policy must recognize how the war economy has distorted our society at home-- and commit to reverse it. The $717 billion of the military budget is desperately needed for jobs, healthcare and education here at home-- and for a diplomatic surge and humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to people of countries devastated by U.S. wars and sanctions. A principled foreign policy must acknowledge how U.S. actions-- military, economic and climate-related-- have been a driving force in displacing people around the world. We therefore have an enormous moral as well as legal obligation to take the lead in providing humanitarian support and refuge for those displaced-- so immigration and refugee rights are central to foreign policy. For too long the power of the U.S. empire has dominated international relations, led to the privileging of war over diplomacy on a global scale, and created a vast-- and invasive-- network of 800-plus military bases around the world. Now, overall U.S. global domination is actually shrinking, and not only because of Trumps actions. Chinas economy is rapidly catching up, and its economic clout in Africa and elsewhere eclipses that of the United States. Its a measure of the United States waning power that Europe, Russia and China are resisting U.S. efforts to impose new global sanctions on Iran. But the United States is still the worlds strongest military and economic power: Its military spending vastly surpasses that of the eight next strongest countries, it is sponsoring a dangerous anti-Iran alliance between Israel and the wealthy Gulf Arab states, it remains central to NATO decision-making, and powerful forces in Washington threaten new wars in North Korea and Iran. The United States remains dangerous. Progressives in Congress have to navigate the tricky task of rejecting American exceptionalism. U.S global military and economic efforts are generally aimed at maintaining domination and control. Without that U.S. domination, the possibility arises of a new kind of internationalism: to prevent and solve crises that arise from current and potential wars, to promote nuclear disarmament, to come up with climate solutions and to protect refugees. That effort is increasingly important because of the rapid rise of right-wing xenophobic authoritarians seeking and winning power. Trump is now leading and enabling an informal global grouping of such leaders, from Egypts Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to Victor Orban in Hungary and others. Progressive elected officials in the United States can pose an important challenge to that authoritarian axis by building ties with their like-minded counterparts in parliaments and governments-- possibilities include Jeremy Corbyn in the United Kingdom and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Mexico, among others. And progressive and leftist members of Congress will need to be able to work together with social movements to build public pressure for diplomatic initiatives not grounded in the interests of U.S. empire. In addition to these broad principles, candidates and elected officials need critical analyses of current U.S. engagement around the world, as well as nuanced prescriptions for how to de-escalate militarily, and ramp up a new commitment to serious diplomacy. Russia: Relations with Russia will be a major challenge for the foreseeable future. With 90 percent of the worlds nuclear weapons in U.S. and Russian hands, and the two powers deploying military forces on opposite sides of active battlefronts in Syria, it is crucial that relations remain opennot least to derail potential escalations and ensure the ability to stand down from any accidental clash. Progressives and leftists in Congress will need to promote a nuanced, careful approach to Russia policy. And they will face a daunting environment in which to do so. They will have to deal with loud cries from right-wing war-mongers, mainly Republicans, and from neo-con interventionists in both parties, demanding a one-sided anti-Russia policy focused on increased sanctions and potentially even military threats. But many moderate and liberal Democrats-- and much of the media-- are also joining the anti-Russia crusade. Some of those liberals and moderates have likely bought into the idea of American exceptionalism, accepting as legitimate or irrelevant the long history of U.S. election meddling around the world and viewing the Russian efforts as somehow reaching a whole different level of outrageousness. Others see the anti-Russia mobilization solely in the context of undermining Trump. But at the same time, progressive Congress members should recognize that reports of Russian efforts to interfere with the 2016 and 2018 elections cannot be dismissed out of hand. They should continue to demand that more of the evidence be made public, and condemn the Russian meddling that has occurred, even while recognizing that the most serious threats to our elections come from voter suppression campaigns at home more than from Moscow. And they have to make clear that Trumps opponents cannot be allowed to turn the presidents infatuation with Vladimir Putin into the basis for a new Cold War, simply to oppose Trump. China: The broad frame of a progressive approach should be to end Washingtons provocative military and economic moves and encourage deeper levels of diplomatic engagement. This means replacing military threats with diplomacy in response to Chinese moves in the South China Sea, as well as significant cuts in the ramped-up military ties with U.S. allies in the region, such as Vietnam. Progressive and socialist members of Congress and other elected officials will no doubt be aware that the rise of Chinas economic dominance across Africa, and its increasing influence in parts of Latin America, could endanger the independence of countries in those parts of the Global South. But they will also need to recognize that any U.S. response to what looks like Chinese exploitation must be grounded in humility, acknowledging the long history of U.S. colonial and neocolonial domination throughout those same regions. Efforts to compete with Chinese economic assistance by increasing Washingtons own humanitarian and development aid should mean directing all funds through the UN, rather than through USAID or the Pentagon. That will make U.S. assistance far less likely to be perceived as-- and to be-- an entry point for exploitation. NATO: A progressive position on NATO flies straight into the face of the partisan component of the anti-Trump resistance-- the idea that if Trump is for it, we should be against it. For a host of bad reasons that have to do with personal enrichment and personal power, Trump sometimes takes positions that large parts of the U.S. and global anti-war and solidarity movements have long supported. One of those is NATO. During the Cold War, NATO was the European military face of U.S.-dominated Western anti-Communism and anti-Sovietism. With the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, peace activists from around the world called for the dissolution of NATO as an anachronistic relic whose raison detre was now gone. Instead, NATO used its 50th anniversary in 1999 to rebrand itself as defending a set of amorphous, ostensibly Western values such as democracy, rather than having any identifiable enemy-- something like a military version of the EU, with the United States on board for clout. Unable to win UN Security Council support for war in Kosovo, the United States and its allies used NATO to provide so-called authorization for a major bombing campaign-- in complete violation of international law-- and began a rapid expansion of the NATO alliance right up to the borders of Russia. Anti-war forces across the world continued to rally around the call No to NATO-- a call to dissolve the alliance altogether. But when Trump, however falsely, claims to call for an end to the alliance, or shows disdain for NATO, anti-Trump politicians and media lead the way in embracing the military alliance as if it really did represent some version of human rights and international law. It doesnt-- and progressives in elected positions need to be willing to call out NATO as a militarized Cold War relic that shouldnt be reconfigured to maintain U.S. domination in Europe or to mobilize against Russia or China or anyone else. It should be ended. In fact, Trumps claims to oppose NATO are belied by his actions. In his 2019 budget request he almost doubled the 2017 budget for the Pentagons European Deterrence Initiative, designed explicitly as a response to threats from Russia. There is a huge gap between Trumps partisan base-pleasing condemnation of NATO and his administrations actual support for strengthening the military alliance. That contradiction should make it easier for progressive candidates and officeholders to move to cut NATO funding and reduce its power-- not because Trump is against NATO but because the military alliance serves as a dangerous provocation toward war. ...Israel-Palestine: The most important thing for candidates to know is that there has been a massive shift in public opinion in recent years. It is no longer political suicide to criticize Israel. Yes, AIPAC and the rest of the right-wing Jewish, pro-Israel lobbies remain influential and have a lot of money to throw around. (The Christian Zionist lobbies are powerful too, but there is less political difficulty for progressives to challenge them.) But there are massive shifts underway in U.S. Jewish public opinion on the conflict, and the lobbies cannot credibly claim to speak for the Jewish community as a whole. Outside the Jewish community, the shift is even more dramatic, and has become far more partisan: Uncritical support for Israel is now overwhelmingly a Republican position. Among Democrats, particularly young Democrats, support for Israel has fallen dramatically; among Republicans, support for Israels far-right government is sky-high. The shift is particularly noticeable among Democrats of color, where recognition of the parallels between Israeli oppression of Palestinians and the legacies of Jim Crow segregation in the United States and apartheid in South Africa is rising rapidly. U.S. policy, unfortunately, has not kept up with that changing discourse. But modest gains are evident even there. When nearly 60 members of the House and Senate openly skipped Benjamin Netanyahus speech when he came to lobby Congress to vote against President Obamas nuclear deal with Iran, the sky didnt fall. The snub to the Israeli prime minister was unprecedented, but no one lost their seat because of it. Rep. Betty McCollums bill to protect Palestinian children from Israels vicious military juvenile detention system (the only one in the world) now has 29 co-sponsors, and the sky still isnt falling. Members of Congress are responding more frequently to Israeli assaults on Gaza and the killing of protesters, often because of powerful movements among their constituents. When Trump moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, the Israeli daily Haaretz acknowledged the divide: While members of the Republican Party overwhelmingly expressed support for the move, Democrats were split between those who congratulated Trump for it and those who called it a dangerous and irresponsible action. That creates space for candidates and newly elected officials to respond to the growing portion of their constituencies that supports Palestinian rights. Over time, they must establish a rights-based policy. That means acknowledging that the quarter-century-long U.S.-orchestrated peace process based on the never-serious pursuit of a solution, has failed. Instead, left and progressive political leaders can advocate for a policy that turns over real control of diplomacy to the UN, ends support for Israeli apartheid and occupation, and instead supports a policy based on international law, human rights and equality for all, without privileging Jews or discriminating against non-Jews. To progress from cautiously urging that Israel abide by international law, to issuing a full-scale call to end or at least reduce the $3.8 billion per year that Congress sends straight to the Israeli military, might take some time. In the meantime, progressive candidates must prioritize powerful statements condemning the massacre of unarmed protesters in Gaza and massive Israeli settlement expansion, demands for real accountability for Israeli violations of human rights and international law (including reducing U.S. support in response), and calls for an end to the longstanding U.S. protection that keeps Israel from being held accountable in the UN. The right consistently accuses supporters of Palestinian rights of holding Israel to a double standard. Progressives in Congress should turn that claim around on them and insist that U.S. policy towards Israel-- Washingtons closest ally in the region and the recipient of billions of dollars in military aid every year-- hold Israel to exactly the same standards that we want the United States to apply to every other country: human rights, adherence to international law and equality for all. Many supporters of the new crop of progressive candidates, and many activists in the movements they come out of, are supporters of the increasingly powerful, Palestinian-led BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) movement, that aims to bring non-violent economic pressure to bear on Israel until it ends its violations of international law. This movement deserves credit for helping to mainstream key demands-- to end the siege of Gaza and the killing of protesters, to support investigations of Israeli violations by the International Criminal Court, to oppose Israels new nation-state law-- that should all be on lawmakers immediate agenda. Iran: With U.S. and Iranian military forces facing each other in Syria, the potential for an unintentional escalation is sky-high. Even a truly accidental clash between a few Iranian and U.S. troops, or an Iranian anti-aircraft system mistakenly locking on to a U.S. warplane plane even if it didnt fire, could have catastrophic consequences without immediate military-to-military and quick political echelon discussions to defuse the crisis. And with tensions very high, those ties are not routinely available. Relations became very dangerous when Trump withdrew the United States from the multi-lateral nuclear deal in May. (At that time, a strong majority of people in the United States favored the deal, and less than one in three wanted to pull out of it.) The United States continues to escalate threats against Iran. It is sponsoring a growing regional anti-Iran alliance, with Israel and Saudi Arabia now publicly allied and pushing strongly for military action. And Trump has surrounded himself with war-mongers for his top advisers, including John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, who have both supported regime change in Iran and urged military rather than diplomatic approaches to Iran. Given all that, what progressive elected officials need to do is to keep fighting for diplomacy over war. That means challenging U.S. support for the anti-Iran alliance and opposing sanctions on Iran. It means developing direct ties with parliamentarians from the European and other signatories to the Iran nuclear deal, with the aim of collective opposition to new sanctions, re-legitimizing the nuclear deal in Washington and reestablishing diplomacy as the basis for U.S. relations with Iran. It should also mean developing a congressional response to the weakening of international anti-nuclear norms caused by the pull-out from the Iran deal. That means not just supporting the nonproliferation goals of the Iran nuclear deal, but moving further towards real disarmament and ultimately the abolition of nuclear weapons. Progressives in and outside of Congress should make clear that nuclear nonproliferation (meaning no one else gets to have nukes) cant work in the long run without nuclear disarmament (meaning that the existing nuclear weapons states have to give them up). That could start with a demand for full U.S. compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which calls for negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament. ...Yemen and Saudi Arabia: The ongoing Saudi-led war against Yemen reflects the most deadly front of Saudi Arabias competition with Iran for regional hegemony. The United States is providing indirect and direct support, including U.S. Air Force pilots providing in-air refueling so Saudi and UAE warplanes can bomb Yemen more efficiently, and Green Berets fighting alongside Saudi troops on the border, in what the New York Times called a continuing escalation of Americas secret wars. The U.S.-backed Saudi war against Yemen has also created what the UN has declared the worlds most serious humanitarian crisis. Congress first action must be to immediately end all U.S. involvement in the war. Next, Congress must reject all approvals for arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE as long as they continue to bomb and blockade Yemen. Ending these arms sales may be a serious challenge, given the power of the arms manufacturers lobby, Israels strong support of Saudi Arabia against Iran and the fact that Saudi Arabia remains the top U.S. arms customer. But recent efforts and relatively close votes in both the House and Senate, while not successful, indicate that challenging the longstanding process of providing the Saudis with whatever weapons they want may be closer to reality than anticipated. The House called the U.S. military involvement in the Saudi war in Yemen unauthorized. Reps. Ro Khanna, Marc Pocan and others have introduced numerous House bills in recent months aimed at reducing U.S. arms sales and involvement in the Saudi-led assault. In the Senate, a March resolution to end U.S. military involvement in the Yemen war failed by only 11 votes, a much narrower margin than anticipated. Progressive candidates and new members of Congress should support all those efforts, and move further with a call for ending the longstanding U.S. alliance with Saudi Arabia, especially military sales and support for the Saudi-Israeli partnership against Iran. She is one of the most beautiful actresses on the planet. And Jessica Biel once again turned heads on Wednesday as she headed into The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The 36-year-old actress looked positively stunning as she entered Ed Sullivan Theater in a red-and white floral dress. Gorgeous: Jessica Biel once again turned heads on Wednesday as she headed into The Late Show with Stephen Colbert The one-shoulder, shin-length frock had a Chinese porcelain quality to it's pattern as sprouts and branches crept across its frame. Adding to the ensemble's elegance were white stilettos along with a vibrant red clutch. Jessica kept accessories to a minimum, opting for just simple stud earrings and her wedding ring. She let her caramel tresses tumble freely down her back and as shew headed into the late night show. The A Kind of Murder star joined other guests W. Kamau Bell and Elle King for the show. Stunning: The 36-year-old actress looked positively stunning as she entered Ed Sullivan Theater in a red-and white floral dress Glamorous: The one-shoulder, shin-length frock had a Chinese porcelain quality to it's pattern as sprouts and branches crept across its frame Jessica made her appearance on The Late Show to promote her television series The Sinner. The former Seventh Heaven star was praised for her performance in the first season, and received her first two ever Golden Globe nominations. The USA Network show is currently in its second season, which began on August 1. Though she does appear in the new season of the series, Jessica still executive produces the show. Chat: She later dropped into 92nd Street Y for a screeing and conversation around The Sinner She's been feuding with her sister Kourtney Kardashian on their family's reality series. But Kim Kardashian seemed to put the drama behind her while playing with her son Saint West on Wednesday. The 37-year-old reality star shared a precious clip of the two-year-old having fun at dinner while on a vacation in the Bahamas with her 115 million followers. Proud mom: Kim Kardashian, 37, put the recent drama with her sister Kourtney Kardashian aside to tape her son Saint West, two, dancing to an old rap song while on vacation in the Bahamas For the close-up, the West kid rocked a camouflage-inspired t-shirt with matching maroon shorts. His brown hair was braided back into cornrows on his head as random baby hairs flew in the wind. The adorable tot, who was lunching on chicken tenders and french fries, swung a white napkin in the air while putting on quite the display. The only son of the beauty and rapper Kanye West waved his napkin around 'like a helicopter' just like the song Raise Up by Petey Pablo playing in the background suggests. Cute: For the close-up, the West kid rocked a camouflage-inspired t-shirt with matching maroon shorts Styling: His brown hair was braided back into cornrows on his head as random baby hairs flew in the wind Playing: The adorable tot, who was lunching on chicken tenders and french fries, swung a white napkin in the air while putting on quite the display Rap song: The only son of the beauty and rapper Kanye West waved his napkin around 'like a helicopter' just like the song Raise Up by Petey Pablo playing in the background suggests Saint, whose father is hip-hop superstar Kanye West, looked super-cute as he put on a show for everyone at dinner. Kim hasn't been shy in boasting about her only son's smarts on social media, either. 'Guys I have to say my son is a genius! Hes two years old and knows how to spell gargantuan. Had to brag for a sec,' she proudly wrote on Twitter back earlier this year. The celebrity couple also have two daughters together: five-year old North and six-month old Chicago. Growing family: The celebrity couple also have two daughters together: five-year old North and six-month old Chicago This cute (and PG) family footage comes as a change as Kim has been on a tear this week when it comes to sharing seductive images of herself. On Wednesday, she made sure to throw in some seductive selfies of herself shortly after sharing the footage of napkin-waving Saint. In that shot, she's seen in an all-white two-piece ensemble and practicing her best duck face. Selfie queen: On Wednesday, she made sure to throw in some seductive selfies of herself shortly after sharing the footage of napkin-waving Saint Posing: In that shot, she's seen in an all-white two-piece ensemble and practicing her best duck face Meanwhile: On Monday, Kim went for a more risky look, leaving little to the imagination as she flaunted her derriere in a cheeky snap she posted to her Instagram page Shocking: This cute (and PG) family footage comes as a change as Kim has been on a tear this week when it comes to sharing seductive images of herself On Monday, she left little to the imagination as she flaunted her derriere in a cheeky snap she posted to her Instagram page. The entrepreneur was lounging on her bed topless while rocking barely there underwear with her Yeezy sneakers. Also on Monday night, Kim shared a series of behind the scenes snaps of herself as she got ready for Kylie's 21st birthday party - which took place last Thursday. She rocked a custom Yeezy hot pink dress featuring a cut-out detail below her chest for her younger sister's bash. As seen in the photos shared to her social media, Kim's fitting was the day before the party. Kim carried a see-through red bag with strappy purple satin heels. 'Gurney girl' Tammy Hembrow has escaped Australia with her head held high. The 24-year-old and her daughter Saskia, two, were spotted at Brisbane Airport before catching a flight to Bali, Indonesia at 5am on Thursday morning, in an apparent attempt to dodge the media. The fitness model's departure was a stark contrast to the state she left Kylie Jenner's 21st birthday party in last week: face down on a hospital stretcher, with Kim Kardashian's father Caitlyn looking on in horror. Gone girl: On Thursday, Tammy Hembrow fled Australia for Bali with her daughter Saskia, two, in an apparent bid to escape the spotlight after her wild night at Kylie Jenner's birthday party last week resulted in emergency hospital dash Emergency: The fitness model's departure was a stark contrast to the state she left Kylie Jenner 's 21st birthday party in last week: face down on a hospital stretcher, with Kim Kardashian 's father Caitlyn looking on in horror Tammy was seen walking through the quiet departures terminal in the early hours of the morning. She carried little Saskia in her arms and walked briskly towards the airport's security screening line. Saskia, who is relatively new to flying, held a purple plush toy with her for comfort. At one point, the adorable toddler's eyes lit-up at something she'd seen in the distance. Trying to make a quiet exit? Mother-of-two Tammy, 24, was seen walking through the quiet departures terminal in the early hours of the morning On the move! She carried Saskia in her arms and walked briskly towards the airport's security screening line. Saskia, who is relatively new to flying, held a purple plush toy for comfort Still being carried by Tammy, Saskia tugged at her mother's top to be let down, before walking toward the object that had caught her attention: an empty wheelchair. The Instagram model followed closely behind, and was seen picking up her daughter and laughing at her attempt at passing through security on the wheelchair. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old socialite is all too familiar with rolling by heavy security details on wheels. What's that? At one point, the toddler's eyes lit up at something she'd seen in the distance Let me down! Still being carried by Tammy, Saskia tugged at her mother's top to be let down, before walking toward the object that had caught her attention: an empty wheelchair Wheels! The Instagram model followed closely behind, and was seen picking up her daughter and laughing at her attempt at passing through security on the wheelchair Tammy - who also has a three-year-old son, Wolf - was identified by The Blast as the mystery blonde who was wheeled out of Kylie Jenner's 21st birthday bash at Delilah in West Hollywood on a stretcher last week. She was seen lying face down on the gurney while paramedics loaded her into an ambulance, as Caitlyn Jenner, 68, and her rumoured girlfriend Sophia Hutchins, 21, watched on in horror. Caitlyn looked extremely concerned in photos taken of the carnage on Thursday night, as Sophia spoke with the security detail. Apple doesn't fall far? Unfortunately, the 24-year-old Instagram superstar is all too familiar with rolling by heavy security details on wheels The debacle made international headlines and was the source of great embarrassment for Tammy, who later posted a tearful apology on YouTube. Reports have subsequently emerged claiming the Australian model may have been unfollowed on Instagram by some members of the Kardashian-Jenner family in the wake of the scandal. Khloe Kardashian, who counts Tammy as a friend and has previously credited her as a weight loss inspiration, still follows her - as does Kylie. Whoops! Tammy - who also has a three-year-old son, Wolf - was identified by The Blast as the mystery blonde who was wheeled out of Kylie Jenner's 21st birthday bash at Delilah in West Hollywood on a stretcher last Thursday How embarrassing! She was seen lying face down on the gurney while paramedics loaded her into an ambulance, as Caitlyn Jenner, 68, and her rumoured girlfriend Sophia Hutchins, 21, watched on in horror After failing to find a spark with her assigned 'husband' Patrick Miller on Married At First Sight, Charlene Perera, 34, is trying her luck on dating app Bumble. On Thursday, an image of the reality star's Bumble profile image surfaced online, effectively ending rumours she may have recent rekindled with Patrick. The account's profile image is an image taken from Charlene's Instagram that was originally shared on July 1. Guess she's not with Patrick then? Married At First Sight's Charlene Perera is looking for love on dating app Bumble A sub-heading correctly identifies her as the General Manager of Hush Puppies footwear. Daily Mail has reached out to Charlene for comment. The MAFS contestant has previously admitted to being on several dating apps prior to the show airing. Shared: The account's profile image is an image taken from Charlene's Instagram that was originally shared on July 1 Not back together?If the account does belong to Charlene, it effectively ends rumours she may have recent rekindled with Patrick 'Trust me, I gave the apps a hell of a knock. Tinder, Bumble, Happn you name it I tried it,' she told Nine Honey in march. 'It wasnt until I was texting a guy in my building (less than 250 metres away) that I realised it needed to stop,' 'I wasnt getting anywhere. It was time to try something new, something where science was involved and where I was NOT involved in the decision-making process.' Charlene's Instagram fans began speculating the personality had rekindled with Patrick last week, after they were pictured cuddling up at a charity telethon in Melbourne. She's the youngster with a designer wardrobe even most adults would envy. So it's hardly surprising that no expense was spared for Pixie Curtis' seventh birthday. The pint-sized Instagram star received a luxury, three-tiered unicorn cake courtesy of her PR queen mother Roxy Jacenko, and was even gifted matching cupcakes to share with her school friends. Scroll down for video A cake of fairytale proportions! Roxy Jacenko has ordered a luxury three-tiered unicorn dessert (pictured) for her daughter Pixie's seventh birthday Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Roxy shared a photo of the gorgeous cake, which featured a pink, blue and white design. The bottom layer was decorated with a white 'cloud' and had unicorns surrounding it, while a rainbow featured on top. A unicorn in a hot air balloon was perched on top of the cake, which also included Pixie's name written in gold stars. Her mini-me! Roxy is pictured with Pixie recently Sweet treats! Roxy even bought matching cupcakes (pictured) for Pixie to take to school to give out to her friends 'Unicorn cake of my dreams!' one fan commented below the snap. In the post, Roxy described the Mastello Creations cake as 'magnificent' and said it was delivered ahead of Pixie's birthday dinner. Meanwhile, the cupcakes were mini unicorns with a pink, yellow and green design. Celebrations! Earlier on Thursday, Roxy shared a sweet snap of Pixie and Hunter, four, blowing out candles on their cupcakes alongside the caption: 'Happy 7th birthday Pixie' 'Seven years of joy': Over the weekend, Roxy gave Pixie an early birthday sprinkle cake, and gushed about her on social media Earlier on Thursday, Roxy shared a sweet snap of Pixie and Hunter, four, blowing out candles on their cupcakes alongside the caption: 'Happy 7th birthday Pixie'. Over the weekend, Roxy gave Pixie an early birthday sprinkle cake, and gushed about her on social media. 'Seven years of joy - 7th birthday celebrations begin this evening for my beautiful little girl,' Roxy wrote. 'My best friend who has been so kind and caring to me - beyond her years.' Roxy shares her two children with husband Oliver Curtis, with the family recently returning from a lavish European holiday. Earlier this week, Rose Byrne admitted having two children has made her life considerably more 'hectic' than when she had one. But the Australia actress looked far from under the pump while spotted on her way to dinner in New York City on Wednesday. The 39-year-old showcased her flawless post-pregnancy physique in an elaborate plaid top and tight pants. What's her secret? Rose Byrne showcases her flawless post-pregnancy physique in an ornate plaid top as she heads out to dinner in NYC Rose is well and truly back to her best since she welcomed her second child Rafa with partner Bobby Cannavale in November. The Bridesmaids star turned heads in an asymmetric $1,490 Monse FW/18 'Side Drape' b&w-plaid corset top. She paired the look with cropped black pants and stiletto heels. Back to her best! Rose, 39, is well and truly back to her best since she welcomed her second child Rafa with partner Bobby Cannavale in November The actress later took to Instagram to praise her hairstylist, and makeup artists for turning in another knockout ensemble. Turning heads: The Bridesmaids star turned heads in an asymmetric $1,490 Monse FW/18 'Side Drape' b&w-plaid corset top Seen wearing the elegant plaid top, Rose posed alongside her hairstylist Lacy Redway and makeup guru Hung Vanngo. 'These cuties makeup hair dream team,' she wrote in the caption. The duo worked wonders with a smokey eye look, perfectly contoured brows and a classy up-do hairstyle. Praise! The actress later took to Instagram to praise her hairstylist, and makeup artists for turning in another knockout ensemble Despite being under the pump with parenting duties for Rafa, eight months and Rocco, two, Rose looked relaxed and fresh-faced. Appearing on Live With Kelly And Ryan on Wednesday, the 39-year-old admitted Rafa is 'a lot more aggressive than the big guy [Rocco].' 'He just goes in for the tackle and loves to pin him down,' she revealed, describing her life as 'pretty hectic' these days. Julianne Hough attended the Industry Dance Awards, a cancer benefit show, in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. The 30-year-old performer wowed in a feathery, white Cushnie dress that she paired with black heels and a matching clutch. She was joined on the red carpet by fellow dancers Travis Wall and Kyle Hanagami. Wonder in white: Julianne Hough attended the Industry Dance Awards, a cancer benefit show, in Los Angeles on Wednesday night Red carpet ready: The 30-year-old performer wowed in a feathery, white Cushnie dress that she paired with black heels and a matching clutch Hough looked picture perfect for the soiree hosted by Sharna Burgess. The former Dancing With The Stars judge, who flew solo for the evening, wore her hair pulled back in a low ponytail that showed off her flawless complexion. She accessorized with a pair of dainty, silver earrings. Strike a pose: The Dancing With The Stars vet wore her hair pulled back in a low ponytail to show off her flawless complexion Co-workers: Hough snapped a picture with fellow dancer Travis Wall Star-studded guest list: Julianne caught up with Kyle Hanagami, who received the Dance Media Influencer award on Wednesday night Sharna Burgess, best known for her fiery locks, arrived for her hostessing duties in a slinky, one-shoulder black dress. She paired the ensemble with lace-up heels and a single gold bangle. Dance Mom's JoJo Siwa, 15, also came dressed to impress in her signature glitter leggings and a neon skirt. Guest of honor: Sharna Burgess, best known for her fiery locks, arrived for her hostessing duties in a slinky, one-shoulder black dress Pop of color: Dance Mom's JoJo Siwa, 15, came dressed to impress in her signature glitter leggings and a neon skirt Got the memo: : Stephen 'tWitch' Boss and Allison Holker matched in all black Valentin Chmerkovskiy and fiancee Jenna Johnson packed on the PDA for the cameras as they walked the red carpet. Johnson, 24, showed off her leggy figure in a plunging shirt dress that she teamed with sky-high leopard pumps. As for Val, he looked effortlessly handsome in a floral blazer and maroon suede boots. Dynamic duo: Valentin Chmerkovskiy and fiancee Jenna Johnson looked loved up at the cancer benefit Lovebirds: The couple packed on the PDA for the cameras Dancing with the stars: Maksim Chmerkovskiy and wife Peta Murgatroyd messed around on the red carpet She's one of the sexiest models in the industry. So it wasn't surprising when Emily Ratajkowski put on quite the busty display in an Instagram selfie on Wednesday. The 27-year-old model flaunted her perky assets in a casual tank top with a plunging neckline. Sexy: Super model Emily Ratajkowski, 27, put on quite the busty display in an Instagram selfie on Wednesday thanks to a plunging black tank top The Gone Girl personality also put her toned arms on display as she slipped her svelte figure into an almost-sleeveless black top. The actress let her chocolate shade locks fall naturally into place on one side. The brunette model who recently tied the knot with Sebastian McClard applied a nude lipstick to ensure eyes weren't detracted away from her desirable cleavage. She wore large, silver hooped earrings and perfectly plucked brows. Not the first time: The 27-year-old model often shares risque images to her social media Although she is one of the most beautiful models to strut her stuff in the spotlight, Emily shared her down-to-earth side as she admitted she still has 'bad days'. However, the newly-married star insisted she takes a leaf out of Kim Kardashian's books when she feels down in the dumps. 'I think Kim Kardashian is actually an incredible feminist,' the newly married model told Elle magazine for their June/July edition in Australia. 'I channel her when I'm having a bad day. I'm like, "Here's someone who really doesn't give a s**t what anyone thinks." I would like to be that person who is above it all, and she is that way.' Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins said he saw 'a vulnerability' in stunning Brooke Blurton during the premiere of The Bachelor on Wednesday night. And now the 23-year-old brunette beauty has bared her soul in an emotional interview, revealing more details about her tragic past, which has made her search for love on the reality show all the more poignant. Speaking to OK! magazine on Wednesday, the series' first ever Indigenous contestant said: 'I don't have a lot of family, unfortunately.' Scroll down for video 'I don't have a lot of family unfortunately': Stunning Bachelor contestant Brooke Blurton (pictured), 23, has revealed more details about her tragic past, including the trauma of losing her mother to suicide at age 11 Brooke added that the hardest thing she has been through in her life was the death of her mother and grandmother. 'Mum and Nan dying when I was younger and having to grow up without any parents (was the hardest thing)'. After overcoming the tragic loss of her mother to suicide at age 11, Brooke spent the rest of her upbringing living in fear of drug-fuelled violence. However, she ultimately vowed to turn her harrowing experiences into something positive by helping others. Struggle: Brooke she said the hardest thing she has been through in her life was her 'Mum and Nan dying when I was younger and having to grow up without any parents The volunteer mental health service worker previously discussed her struggles on SBS program Noongar Dandjoo. 'I grew up in a country town in Carnarvon. I spent my childhood there up until I was about 11, when my mum unfortunately passed away - she committed suicide,' she told host Neil Coyne. 'That was a hard time, living in Carnarvon with my mum and nan, losing Mum, and then Nan actually passed away a month later.' Traumatic childhood: After overcoming the tragic loss of her mother to suicide at age 11, Brooke spent the rest of her upbringing living in fear of drug-fuelled violence Brooke eventually went to live with her father, but admitted: 'To be honest, he wasn't that supportive. 'Growing up was pretty complicated. (There was) a lot of drug and alcohol violence in my childhood and I had an older sister who suffered from schizophrenia,' she said. The future reality TV star somehow found the strength to push through her own mental health issues to become a role model for her siblings. Her brother Troy told the program: 'Brooke was definitely someone I had to run to when I had problems. Looking for love: Youth worker Brooke, from Western Australia, is hoping to woo Bachelor star Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins (pictured) 'I went through quite a bit of depression when I was on drugs, drinking a lot, wasn't really in the right place.' As a result of her circumstances, Brooke was forced to either adapt and learn, or risk falling victim to the same problems that had affected her loved ones. The youth worker, from Western Australia, is hoping to woo Bachelor star Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins, 30. Brooke is widely believed to make it to the final four on the current season of the reality show. If you, or someone you know, needs support please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au Russell Crowe plays real-life bushranger Harry Power in the upcoming film, True History of the Kelly Gang. And on Tuesday, the 54-year-old looked almost unrecognisable while on location in Victoria, Australia. The Oscar-winning actor sported a bushman's beard and covered his burly frame in fashion typical of the colonial period. Scroll down for video FIRST LOOK: Is that you, Maximus? Russell Crowe appeared unrecognisable with a bushy beard on set of True History of the Kelly Gang in Victoria, Australia on Tuesday Russell wore a beige patterned shirt, brown tweed trousers, a striped vest and coat. The New Zealand-born star also stepped out in a pair of black boots and added a modern touch with aviator sunglasses. Russell was pictured on a break from filming scenes for the Australian historical drama, True History of the Kelly Gang. In character: The New Zealand-born actor, 54, covered his burly frame in fashion typical of the colonial period British actor George MacKay will play the lead role of Ned Kelly, while Russell portrays his mentor, Harry Power. George's appointment as the lead marks the second time an Englishman has played the Australian outlaw hero. The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger portrayed Kelly in a 1970 film production. Role: Russell plays Australian bushranger Harry Power, who once mentored outlaw Ned Kelly How you've changed! Russell is pictured in the 2000 film Gladiator as the character Maximus True History of the Kelly Gang is directed by Justin Kurzel and based on the book by Peter Carey. The film will also star Charlie Hunnam, Essie Davis, Nicholas Hoult, Sean Keenan, Earl Cave and Harry Greenwood. Director Justin Kurzel said: 'Peter Carey's book The True History of the Kelly Gang always felt like the true spirit of Ned Kelly. Unsentimental, brutal, raw and visceral. 'His story is one of the great odysseys in history, and I feel excited to be bringing it to the screen with a fresh cinematic eye. 'This is a really unique and modern cast, and I am so proud to be working with such a talented ensemble of new faces and celebrated actors.' She was the first to get booted off the show after competing for Sam Wood's heart on The Bachelor in 2015. Now Zilda Williams, 35, has offered advice to the unlucky ladies sent packing during the first cocktail party on Wednesday night. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Thursday, the busty blonde said: 'Its a really devastating and disappointing experience to go first.' EXCLUSIVE: 'Its a really devastating experience': Zilda Williams has offered advice to the first Bachelor rejects sent home by Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins 'You put your life on hold, and put a lot on the line in hopes to find love and to have this incredible experience. So I know the feeling all too well and really feel for the girls that left last night.' Zilda, who's originally from Auckland, New Zealand, shared some valuable advice to the three women Urszula, Susie and Autumn, who had their shot at love ripped from them last night when Nick Cummins sent them packing. 'The advice I would give is to hold your head high and remember, to even make it onto The Bachelor with so many other hopefuls who apply, is pretty darn amazing.' Goodbye: 'Its a really devastating and disappointing experience to go first,' Zilda explained to Dail Mail Australia (Pictured: Urszula) They lost out on love: 'So I know the feeling all too well and really feel for the girls that left last night,' she added (Pictured: Susie McDougall) She's out of there! 'You never know what you may gain from even one night on the show,' she said (Pictured: Autumn) 'You never know what you may gain from even one night on the show,' she said. 'Look at me. I made life- long friends, went to some pretty cool events and parties and definitely had fun with it all.' Meanwhile, In the past, Zilda has definitely had her fair share of relationship fails. Game over: In April, the bubbly blonde confirmed with Daily Mail Australia that she had ended her relationship with younger partner Keith Frazer (Pictured: Keith and Zilda) In April, the bubbly blonde confirmed with Daily Mail Australia that she had ended her relationship with younger partner Keith Frazer. 'Yes, I'm single... I'm back home in New Zealand with my friends and family,' she said at the time. The former FHM centerfold hinted that age played a part in the split, saying: 'He's a great guy but the age difference wasn't great. 'I need something serious and long-term, so I'll be going for a more mature man in the future.' The Bachelor returns on Thursday night from 7.30pm on Channel Ten Sharni Vinson, 35, recently traded in the bright lights of Tinseltown to star on Australia's newest talent show Dance Boss. And the former Home And Away starlet has been making the most of her native country's natural splendour, having slipped into a tiny black bikini and a matching sun-hat at the beach in Queensland this Thursday. Cutting a very slender figure in the skimpy ensemble, Sharni took to Instagram to document the occasion with a sun-drenched snap of herself posing on the sand. 'Life doesnt get much better than this!' Dance Boss' Sharni Vinson revealed her VERY slender figure in a tiny black bikini as she frolicked on the beach in Queensland on Thursday '#Life doesnt get much better than this.. [sun emoji]' she cooed in the caption, adding: '#BeachDay #SunshineCoast #QLD #Australia #Winter #Ocean #Sand #SaltyAir #Nature #Mermaid #Paradise #PermanentVacation.' Fans were quick to gush over the idyllic snap, with one writing: 'It's a beautiful day! Enjoy! Nothing beats our QLD winter days!' 'Beautiful!' another fan agreed. New role: The Step Up 3D star sits on the judging panel of Seven's new series Dance Boss, alongside Timomatic and Adam Garcia as well as the show's host Dannii Minogue The Step Up 3D star has been enjoying a return to the spotlight thanks to her new role on the judging panel of Seven's new series Dance Boss, alongside the likes of Timomatic and Adam Garcia. Speaking to TV Week on Monday, Sharni revealed the reasons why she left the US for Dance Boss, saying: 'Anything dance greatly appeals to me. ' 'That I got to come back to Australia and work with Dannii Minogue [the show's host] was a triple whammy,' she added. Blame it on the boogie! Speaking to TV Week on Monday, Sharni revealed the reasons why she left the US for Dance Boss, saying: 'Anything dance greatly appeals to me' 'It's also crazy for me, as I grew up listening to Dannii's music...and I saw Adam Garcia in Tap Dogs and then here I am sitting next to them - it's bizarre,' she gushed. Sharni first shot to fame when she starred on Channel Seven soap Home And Away from 2004 to 2008. The beauty left Home And Away in 2008 after first starting on the show when she was just 22-years-old. There have been whispers of a cameo or return for the beauty to the long-running Aussie soap opera but she has not confirmed any news yet. Lily-Rose Depp kept it simple as she caught a departing flight on Wednesday at Los Angeles International Airport. The 19-year-old model and actress wore a light blue sweatshirt, black skirt and white sneakers while heading out of town. She accessorized with sunglasses and had her hair pulled back into a low messy bun. Travel style: Lily-Rose Depp kept it casual and comfortable on Wednesday as she caught a departing flight at Los Angeles International Airport The actress is the daughter of Hollywood legend Johnny Depp, 55, and French entertainer Vanessa Paradis, 45. She's been dividing her time between Los Angeles and France since her parents separated in 2012. Lily-Rose earlier this summer graced the cover of the July issue of Vogue Russia. She launched her own acting career with a cameo in Tusk that premiered in 2014 at the Toronto International Film Festival. Frequent flier: The 19-year-old model and actress splits her time between Los Angeles and France She reprised her role as Colleen Collette for the 2016 spin-off Yoga Hosers, which is the second film in Kevin Smith's True North trilogy. The third film Moose Jaws also will feature Lily-Rose and Smith's daughter Harley Quinn Smith, 19. It was announced earlier this year that funding was secured for it and that Kevin would reprise his role as Silent Bob in the trilogy's finale. Model and actress: Lily-Rose balances a career as a model and an actress Lily-Rose will next be seen in the French-language romantic comedy A Faithful Man opposite Louis Garrel due out in October. She also has a starring role in the upcoming epic historical drama The King based on the works of William Shakespeare as Catherine of Valois. The film starring Timothee Chalamet as King Henry V of England; Joel Edgerton as Falstaff and Robert Pattinson as The Dauphin is due out in 2019 on Netflix. Georgia Love 'officially tapped out' of The Bachelor franchise last year, after taking offence to a simulated masturbation joke during Matty J's season last year. But twelve months after series veteran said she's 'embarrassed' to have ever been linked to the show, it appears as though she's changed her mind. On Wednesday, the 29-year-old admitted she would be watching the show's premiere that night - but only because her friend was on it. No hard feelings? Georgia Love FINALLY acknowledges The Bachelor again as she congratulates friend Emily Dibden on her debut... after previously claiming she's 'embarrassed to be linked' to the show Taking to her Instagram story, Georgia shared an image of Emily Dibden, who is one of the 25 women competing for Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins' hear this year. 'Excited to see my beautiful friend @emilydibden on @thebachelorau tonight!!' she captioned the image. 'Imagine if someone had told us at @clubmed in 2011 this is where we'd be now!!!' 'Officially tapping out': Georgia Love 'officially tapped out' of The Bachelor franchise last year, after taking offence to a simulated masturbation joke during Matty J's season last year And when Emily took to her own Instagram to excitedly announce she'd been selected for The Bachelor earlier in the week, Georgia was quick to weigh in. 'You look AMAZING!!' The Studio 10 star wrote in the comment section of Emily's post - which was of the same image she shared on Wednesday. It's almost one-year to the day that Georgia said she was done with the franchise, having previously starring on The Bachelorette season two. Back with a bang! On Wednesday, the 29-year-old admitted she would be watching the show's premiere that night - but only because her friend (Emily Dibden, pictured) was on it After watching the premiere of Matty J's season last year, the journalist took to Twitter to voice her anger. 'Did I actually just watch a girl mocking a guy jacking off on national TV at 8pm?' she wrote. The scene Georgia appeared to be referring to involved Dutch model Florence Alexandra Sophia and Matty making hand moulds. Welcome back! It's almost one-year to the day that Georgia said she was done with the franchise, having previously starring on The Bachelorette season two She added: 'WHAT IS HAPPENING' and followed the comment with a series of embarrassed face emojis. A friend then asked Georgia to clarify she was discussing The Bachelor. She replied: 'Yes! I'm so embarrassed to be linked to this show'. Thirty-minutes into the show and she was done, writing I'm officially tapping out.' They tied the knot almost a decade ago and are doting parents to daughter Valentina, 10. But Salma Hayek her businessman husband Francois-Henri Pinault looked like giddy newlyweds as they enjoyed some alone time during a dinner date at Craig's in West Hollywood on Wednesday night. The actress, 51, looked stunning in a mismatched floral print dress, which fit snugly on her trim frame. So in love: Salma Hayek her husband Francois-Henri Pinault looked like giddy newlyweds as they enjoyed some alone time during dinner at Craig's in West Hollywood on Wednesday Keeping off the chilly evening air with a denim jacket, Salma's colourful attire was sure to make her stand out as she left the trendy restaurant. Stepping out in navy peep-toe heels, the beauty let her raven tresses cascade over her shoulders in loose waves. The screen star wore a slick of bold red lipstick to accentuate her plump pout, and highlighted her naturally stunning features with low-key make-up. Striking: The actress, 51, looked stunning in a mismatched floral print dress, which fit snugly on her trim frame Finishing touches: The Desperado star completed her ensemble with stylish red, white, and blue handbag, while keeping all other accessories to a minimum Homeward bound: Keeping off the chilly evening air with a denim jacket, Salma's colourful attire was sure to make her stand out as she left the trendy restaurant The Desperado star completed her ensemble with stylish red, white, and blue handbag, while keeping all other accessories to a minimum. As she was leaving the restaurant, Selma could be seen chatting with a male pal before she was joined by her doting husband, 56. Francois-Henri looked dapper for their date night, wearing a navy blue jacket over a crisp white shirt which fit well on his slim torso. The fashion mogul tucked his top into a pair of form-fitting black trousers, which he complemented with matching brogues. Chatting: As she was leaving the restaurant, Selma could be seen chatting with a male pal before she was joined by her doting husband Family life: Salma and Francois-Henri began dating in 2006, and 11 months later they became engaged before welcoming their daughter Valentina into the world in September 2007 Doting mother: The Frida star also shares stepdaughter Mathilde Pinault, 17, and stepsons Augustin Evangelista, 11, and Francois Pinault, 20, with her husband Salma and Francois-Henri began dating in 2006, and just 11 months later the pair became engaged. The couple welcomed daughter Valentina into the world in September 2007 in Los Angeles. The pair tied the knot on Valentine's Day in 2009 in Paris, France, before hosting a second ceremony in Venice, Italy, that April. The Frida star also shares stepdaughter Mathilde Pinault, 17, and stepsons Augustin Evangelista, 11, and Francois Pinault, 20, with her husband. Wedding bliss: The pair tied the knot on Valentine's Day in 2009 in Paris, France, before hosting a second ceremony in Venice, Italy, that April Jennifer Hawkins has confirmed she will retire as Myer ambassador in November after 12 years with the retail giant. The 34-year-old model took to Instagram on Thursday to make the announcement after The Block's Elyse Knowles reportedly inked a deal for $300,00 to replace her. Jennifer, who is rumoured to have left over an alleged 'pay dispute,' spoke highly of the department store - writing: 'Myer will always hold a special place in my heart.' 'They will always hold a special place in my heart': Jennifer Hawkins (pictured) confirms she will retire as Myer ambassador in November... as the retail giant 'replaces' model with Elyse Knowles 'at a fraction of the price' 'After 12 years it's time to move onto a new a chapter in my life. I'll be finishing up my role with Myer this November,' she began. 'But I would like to take this moment to thank everyone at Myer - the staff, the amazing designers, the suppliers and everyone else for working alongside me over those 12 years. 'Myer will always hold a special place in my heart and I wish the Myer team every success for the future.' New face: Jennifer (pictured in Sydney on February 11, 2016) will leave Myer later this year. Meanwhile Elyse (right) was announced as a new ambassador last month Jennifer said she feels 'extremely grateful' to have worked with the 'iconic' department store for long. 'It's now been an extraordinary relationship of 12 years! I've always been very proud and extremely grateful to work with such a beautiful and iconic company,' she wrote. 'I've been lucky enough to shoot some amazing campaigns both here and overseas and have had the opportunity to meet literally hundreds of thousands of loyal customers at store openings, launches etc, I have cherished every experience and memory.' 'I've always been very proud and extremely grateful to work with such a beautiful and iconic company': Jennifer said she feels 'extremely grateful' to have worked with the 'iconic' department store Final curtain call! Jennifer Hawkins has confirmed she's leaving Myer in November after 12 years with the retail giant. Jennifer pictured centre stage at Myer runway show in Australia 'Way back in 2006 I was approached by Myer to sign a small 3 month contract to feature in a Christmas campaign': The blonde beauty (pictured) also revealed she had originally signed a 'three month contract' with Myer in 2006 The blonde beauty also revealed she had originally signed a 'three month' contract with Myer in 2006. 'Way back in 2006 I was approached by Myer to sign a small 3 month contract to feature in a Christmas campaign. Little did I know then that it would lead to being their Face and spokesperson,' she revealed. Meanwhile, in a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Louise Pearson, Myer Executive General Manager said 'There will never be another "Face of Myer".' 'On behalf of Myer our team members, supplier partners and our valued customers - I want to sincerely thank Jennifer Hawkins for an incredible twelve years as "The Face of Myer".' 'In the modern Australian retail landscape, we dont think there has been such a successful collaboration between ambassador and brand - one with the longevity, the authenticity and the resonance of Jennifer Hawkins and Myer. 'Over more than a decade, Jennifer has brought exceptional Australian designers such as Alex Perry, Toni Maticevski and Acler into our customers lives and wardrobes. Jennifer has been incredibly influential for Australian designers and fashion racewear, in particular, and her relationship with, and connection with, our customers has always been wonderful to watch. 'There will never be another Face of Myer. Signed on? Model Elyse has been the subject of rumours she will 'replace' Jennifer Hawkins as the store's ambassador and has reportedly inked a deal for $300,00 to replace the far costlier supermodel. Elyse is pictured modelling in Myer's 2018 Spring Fashion catalogue 'Jennifers contract with Myer ends in November so you can see her - and thank her in person - at our Spring Summer 2018 Runway Series in Sydney on Thursday 23 August and in Melbourne on Thursday 13 September. Jennifer will also be judging the Myer Fashions on the Field National Final on Oaks Day - her 12th time! 'Jennifer is an astute and successful businesswoman, she is a star, and along with everyone else, we cant wait to see what she does next. We wish her every success and happiness.' The latest news comes after the The Daily Telegraph reported on Sunday that Elyse, 25, has inked a deal for $300,00 to replace the far costlier supermodel, who is believed to command $1 million a year for the same gig. The paper reported that a source claimed: 'Myer just doesn't have the money any more, which suited Jen because she is going down the lifestyle path and steering away from fashion.' Jennifer Hawkins (pictured) is believed to command $1 million a year for the gig The paper reported that a source claimed: 'Myer just doesn't have the money any more, which suited Jen because she is going down the lifestyle path and steering away from fashion.' Elyse has already begun a relationship with the department store, appearing in Myer's 2018 Spring Fashion catalogue. Last week, Myer responded to claims that Jennifer will 'retire' after nearly 12 years with the retail giant, over an alleged pay dispute. A spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that the 34-year-old's contract will terminate 'at the end of 2018'. Already a Myer star: Elyse has already begun a relationship with the department store, appearing in Myer's 2018 Spring Fashion catalogue (pictured) The Sydney Morning Herald's Private Sydney claimed last week that the model will be replaced by The Block's Elyse, who will do the same job 'at a fraction of the price'. A spokesperson for Myer told Daily Mail Australia exclusively last week: 'Jennifer Hawkins is under contract as the Face of Myer until the end of 2018. 'Jennifer has a busy period coming up with Myer to launch the Spring 2018 season and will take part in our 'Runway Series' in-store parades starting in Myer Sydney City on Thursday 23 August. Moving on: Last week Myer responded to claims that Jennifer Hawkins will 'retire' after nearly 12 years with the retail giant, over an alleged pay dispute. A spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that the 34-year-old's contract will terminate 'at the end of 2018' Moving up: Elyse (pictured) has picked up a string of high-profile endorsements this year, including becoming the face of Seafolly and Davidoff's Cool Water fragrance 'Jennifer will also be actively involved in our spring racing carnival campaign and Myer Fashions on the Field hosted across the Melbourne Cup Carnival. 'We will update media in relation to Jennifer's contract with Myer in the coming weeks.' Elyse has lately enjoyed an upswing in her career, and was also named the ambassador for eco-friendly beauty brand Aveda on Sunday. The bubbly blonde has picked up a string of high-profile endorsements this year, including becoming the face of Seafolly and Davidoff's Cool Water fragrance. She's the self-confessed Meme Queen after her iconic stints on TOWIE, I'm A Celeb, Celebrity Big Brother and Celebs Go Dating. And now Gemma Collins is trying to trump the Queen of Selfies, Kim Kardashian, as she imitates the American reality star's most famous Instagram shots for a new campaign with phone brand HTC. The 37-year-old TV star, who appeared in CBB alongside Kim's bestie Jonathan Cheban in 2017, takes on the businesswoman's iconic scantily-clad selfies with gusto, leaving many of her followers in awe of her reimagining. Work it: Gemma Collins is trying to trump the Queen of Selfies, Kim Kardashian, as she imitates the American reality star's most famous Instagram shots for a new campaign with phone brand HTC Taking on Kim's famous censored naked selfie from 2016, Gemma proudly stands completely nude as black bars cover her modesty in a bid to break the internet like 'Kimmie'. Pouting for the camera, the blonde bombshell oozed confidence as she rested her hand on her neck and holds the new HTCs smartphone, the HTC U12+, in her other hand. Emulating Kim in another sizzling photo, Gemma donned a skimpy white crop top and high-waisted underwear as she successfully attempted to mimic the KUWTK star's photo from January. The Essex native proves she was dedicated to the cause as she sipped on a glass on milk while taking a leaf out of Kim's book and showcasing her curves for her loyal fandom. Striking: Taking on Kim's famous censored naked selfie from 2016, Gemma proudly stands completely nude as black bars cover her modesty in a bid to break the internet like 'Kimmie' 'Belfie': Oozing body-confidence, she upped the ante and posed for the iconic belfie shot from 2013, which kicked off a spate of posterior photos on social media, that was originally captioned 'NoFilter' (R) Oozing body-confidence, she upped the ante and posed for the iconic belfie shot from 2013, which kicked off a spate of posterior photos on social media, that was originally captioned 'NoFilter'. Gemma commanded the camera as she slipped into a similar white halterneck swimsuit and smoldered down the camera with her peroxide blonde tresses cascaded down her back. Revealing more than ever before, Gemma fulfilled her lifelong ambition of becoming Kim and celebrated self-love in her latest series of snaps, which were taken with the new phone's impressive camera. Speaking of the new campaign, she said: 'As the UK's selfie queen, I always dreamt of re-creating some of Kim K's most iconic pics, and I knew that the U12+ was the only phone that could do the pictures justice. Diva: : Speaking of the new campaign, she said: 'As the UK's selfie queen, I always dreamt of re-creating some of Kim K's most iconic pics, and I knew that the U12+ was the only phone that could do the pictures justice' Impressive: Revealing more than ever before, Gemma fulfilled her lifelong ambition of becoming Kim and celebrated self-love in her latest series of snaps, which were taken with the new phone's impressive camera 'I love the dual-camera on my U12+ as it makes me look fabulous and I guarantee the shots will make you do a double take.' Recently, Gemma set-tongue-wagging over her relationship status with on/off beau James 'Arg'' Argent when he took to Instagram to share videos of Gemma enjoying herself at Sisu Boutique Hotel & Day Club, over the weekend. Seemingly hitting back at split rumours, he wrote on one clip 'My girl GC is a superstar x' as the blonde bombshell danced poolside in Puerto Banus. However Gemma confirmed to MailOnline that they are simply 'great friends' and are no longer together. She is back in California after jetting off to Mykonos, Cannes and Italy this summer. And Lady Victoria Hervey kept her poolside looks fresh as she slipped into another skimpy white bikini, in California on Wednesday. The golden-haired socialite, 41, showcased her slim figure in her halterneck two-piece as she paraded her enviable body at the poolside. Sizzling: Lady Victoria Hervey, 41, exhibited her flat stomach in a skimpy white bikini as she splashed around on an inflatable, in California on Wednesday The IT girl best showcased her figure as she climbed onto the neon pink inflatable while she lapped up the sunshine in the pool. Victoria uncharacteristically accessorised with a beaded cross necklace which drew eyes to her flat stomach. Her male companion very kindly helped the reality star readjusted her bikini briefs as they relaxed by the poolside. Fabulous and floating: The IT girl best showcased her figure as she climbed onto the neon pink inflatable while she lapped up the sunshine in the pool Victoria has been making the most of her jet-set summer by flying off to the hottest destinations including Mykonos, Cannes and Italy so far. Although she has been travelling all over the world, she recently discussed her future plans to settle down and become a mum after realising her dream for a baby. She revealed to The Mail On Sunday that she started freezing her eggs in a fertility clinic which cost her 11,000 after letting years of partying slip away. Helping hand: Her male companion very kindly helped the reality star readjusted her bikini briefs as they relaxed by the poolside Victoria said: 'Like many women, Ive realised nearly too late that I am desperate to have a child. 'In fact, I want two. Which is why Im hoping science might be able to stop the clock until I can find the right man to be a father to my babies.' Speaking about the experience on Lorraine later on, the blonde revealed: 'It was tough, it was emotional, I cried a lot... 'Not just the injections that you had to do daily, but you are put on the pills. You just feel like it is an emotional rollercoaster.' Angelina Jolie is said to be 'making it difficult' for estranged husband Brad Pitt to have a relationship with their six children amid their bitter two-year custody battle. According to TMZ, the Tomb Raider actress, 43, has 'driven a wedge' between the actor, 54, and their children Maddox, 16, Pax, 14, Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 12, and Vivienne and Knox, nine. Sources report that while Angelina hasn't 'blocked' Brad from seeing their brood, he has had issues connecting with their three sons. Claims: Angelina Jolie is reportedly 'making it difficult' for estranged husband Brad Pitt to have a relationship with their six children amid their bitter two-year custody battle The website also claims that divorce judges have issued a report against Angelina for 'not allowing the children to properly interact with their father'. The Oceans Eleven star has reportedly been given unrestricted phone access with his children, in which Angelina is not permitted to monitor. MailOnline has contacted Angelina and Brad's representatives for comment. These reports follow claims that the mother-of-six is reportedly keen on keeping their children to herself, recently filing court docs claiming her ex is unfit to parent and has 'paid no meaningful child support,' according to Us Weekly. Difficult times: According to TMZ , the Tomb Raider actress, 43, has 'driven a wedge' between the actor, 54, and their children Maddox, 16, Pax, 14, Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 12, and Vivienne and Knox, nine Sources say she is just staving off the inevitable, revealing to TMZ: 'She sees the writing on the wall: Joint custody is a done deal, and there is nothing she can do to stop it.' The Changeling star is allegedly hoping to stall any final decisions through court proceedings. The Maleficent actress' August 7 filing against her ex was challenged by Pitt's camp, who claimed he's paid Jolie $9.3million. Jolie's camp said the funds were insufficient however, explaining that $8million of the sum was in the form of a home loan for which Brad is still charging his ex 'interest' on in the documents. Estranged: Sources report that while Angelina hasn't 'blocked' Brad from seeing their brood, he has had issues connecting with their three sons 'Typically a father of means would pay these expenses voluntarily without he need for a request of court order,' Jolie's legal team added. While Angelina is reportedly set to earn $20million for reprising her role as Maleficent, she claims she does not have the money to buy her brood of six with a new home. 'Since the safety order, Angelina has been responsible for the children and their needs. 'She didn't work for a year and a half to be with the kids and is only working to pay off the house now, as he kept the family home', a source close to the case said. Reports: The publication also claim that divorce judges have issued a report against Angelina for 'not allowing the children to properly interact with their father' (pictured together in 2011) Brad's camp called the claims 'a thinly veiled effort to manipulate media coverage'. They also called out the actress' legal filings a 'calculated to increase the conflict.' Sources say the Fight Club actor is keen on moving on from the divorce debacle and still hopes to be able to co-parent with the Girl Interrupted actress saying: 'He is hoping to effectively co-parent with Angie, putting their issues in the past and putting their kids first.' It comes after Brad told friends he fears his estranged wife Angelina will take their six children and move to London. Hostilities between the couple erupted again last week when the Tomb Raider star lodged court papers saying Pitt had not paid any meaningful child support since their break-up two years ago a claim he strenuously denies. Worry: It comes after Brad told friends he fears his estranged wife Angelina will take their six children and move to London Pitt maintains he has paid her more than $1.3 million to support their children and lent her $8million million to buy a home. Sources close to both sides say the pair have been at loggerheads for months. They cant agree on anything, a friend told the Mail on Sunday. Theyre at each others throats again. The source added: Its no secret that Angie would like to get full custody of the children and move abroad. Although she has physical custody, she cant move without Brads consent. Brad does not want to have to fly eight or nine hours each time he wants to see his children. He is trying to keep the status quo. Battle: Hostilities between the couple erupted again last week when the Tomb Raider star lodged court papers saying Pitt had not paid any meaningful child support since their break-up two years ago a claim he strenuously denies Pitts lawyers called Jolies statement over child support unnecessary and described it as a thinly veiled effort to manipulate media coverage. However, Jolies lawyer Samantha Bley DeJean insisted it was accurate. She said Jolie pays interest on the loan, adding: A loan is not, however, child support. Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. According to The Richest, Jolie's net worth is $160 million while Pitt's is $260 million. Custody issues have proved to be the biggest stumbling block in legally ending the marriage. Can't agree: Pitt maintains he has paid her more than $1.3 million to support their children and lent her $8million million to buy a home. Sources close to both sides say the pair have been at loggerheads for months. They cant agree on anything, a friend told the Mail on Sunday One such issue is how much time the children get to spend with their father, after he was cleared of any wrongdoing in an investigation that followed allegations Pitt had been 'rough' with one of their children on a private plane. But another major reason for the bitter battle is Jolie's resentment towards her third husband, UsWeekly claims. 'She can't see past her anger for Brad that he is on his way to getting joint custody,' said the magazine's source. 'Secret': The source added: Its no secret that Angie would like to get full custody of the children and move abroad. Although she has physical custody, she cant move without Brads consent' A source connected to Pitt told TMZ that they believe the Maleficent actress wants 'to kill any relationship he has with his kids'. They also claim that there has been a lot of screaming on Jolie's part, adding, 'She's fueled with anger and has gotten ridiculously unreasonable.' A spokesperson for Jolie told People the actress filed in court hoping simply to lessen the stress before sorting out custody arrangements. The Instagram sensation made headlines last Thursday, when she was carried out of Kylie Jenner's 21st birthday party face down on a stretcher. But Tammy Hembrow looks adamant to keep up appearances online, as she continues to share her trademark shots on social media. On Wednesday, the fitness blogger, 24, flaunted her busty assets and taut physique in a fierce selfie... but her look demeanor was worlds away when she left the gym. Scroll down for video Instagram vs reality! Tammy Hembrow (pictured left and right on Wednesday) keeps up appearances online by posing for a busty gym selfie as the Kardashian clan unfollow her after she was carried out of Kylie Jenner's 21st birthday party on a stretcher Tammy came off confident and alert in the published Instagram picture, holding a protein shake as she showed off her frame. The trip to the Gold Coast gym was the star's first outing since the incident, which she has since described said has left her 'super embarrassed.' However, Tammy opted for a low-key ensemble after her workout, yawning as she approached her car. Despite working out, Tammy wore a full face of makeup including winged eyeliner and lashings of mascara, with a nude lip. After securing the perfect shot, Tammy appears to have removed a majority of her makeup and retied hr hair in a more practical ponytail. 'I'm super embarrassed about it': Tammy blamed 'drinking' and a 'lack of sleep' for the horrifying collapse at trendy nightspot Delilah in West Hollywood that night Tammy blamed 'drinking' and a 'lack of sleep' for the horrifying collapse at trendy nightspot Delilah in West Hollywood that night. The Queensland-based blogger broke down in tears as she explained the incident in a YouTube video, telling trolls to stop 'being nasty.' 'Firstly I want everyone to know that I'm ok... So yeah I pretty much collapsed. Honestly I'm already like super super embarrassed about it,' she said. 'I probably, definitely shouldn't have been drinking because of how jet-lagged and exhausted I was and I already wasn't feeling well.' She continued: 'So basically what happened was I was in LA I was running off pretty much 30 hours of no sleep. I was struggling to stay awake even when I had my hair and makeup done...I could barely keep my eyes open.' Fit mama! Tammy, who is the mother of two children, has more than eight million followers on Instagram as a fitness blogger and social media influencer Incident: Pictures emerged of the model lying face-down on a stretcher and being put into the back of an ambulance outside of the trendy West Hollywood nightspot Meanwhile, some of the Kardashian family have 'unfollowed' Tammy on Instagram after she was carried out of Kylie Jenner's 21st bash face down on a stretcher. Kim, Kris, Kendall and Kourtney have unfollowed Tammy on social media platforms, while Kylie Jenner and Khloe Kardashian still follow her. Tammy is also a model for Khloe Kardashian's Good American denim line. Pictures emerged of the model lying face-down on a stretcher and being put into the back of an ambulance outside of the trendy West Hollywood nightspot. Hours before, she unveiled Baby Spice-inspired bunches. Yet Harper Beckham was proving herself to be as much of a style chameleon as her mum Victoria on Thursday as she was seen having her hair braided into tight plaits by an expert shortly before the tot was pictured beaming at the finished result. The seven-year-old's stylish new offering will no doubt jolt the memory of her dad's fans, as David famously rocked cornrows back in 2003 during one of his many style transformations over the years. Stylish: Harper Beckham was proving herself to be as much of a style chameleon as her mum Victoria on Thursday as she was seen having her hair braided into tight plaits by an expert shortly before the tot was pictured beaming at the finished result Harper looked absolutely adorable while having her hair styled into the neat plaits during her day with her mum - who proudly shared the snaps on Instagram. In his younger days, David was famed for his experimental style - including wearing sarongs, du-rags and a ponytail - and undoubtedly one of his most famous was the cornrows of 2003, which he wore when he met Nelson Mandela. Over the weekend, Victoria took to Instagram to reveal her daughter, Harper has been watching Spice Girls' 1997 movie Spice World. And 'Posh Spice', who is currently holidaying with the family at the Nihi resort on Indonesia's private island of Pulau Sumba, has given further insight into the seven-year-old's newfound obsession as she revealed a Baby Spice-inspired hairdo. All tied up: The seven-year-old superstar offspring's stylish new offering will no doubt jolt the memory of her dad's fans, as David famously rocked cornrows back in 2003 during one of his many style transformations over the years First-braid: Harper looked absolutely adorable while having her hair styled into the neat plaits during her day with her mum - who proudly shared the snaps on Instagram Braid girl: Harper looked absolutely adorable while having her hair styled into the neat plaits during her day with her mum - who proudly shared the snaps on Instagram In her original post about the tot's favoured new viewing, she shared a video of the pair cuddled up in bed, as the 44-year-old appeared bemused when her youngest child said she wanted a 'little Gucci dress' to be just like her. Seemingly heading for an idyllic walk, Victoria posted a shot of the back of Harper's head as she rocked two bunches - in the style of Emma Bunton's Baby Spice. She added a caption over the snap reading: 'My very own Baby Spice', while Harper gave a peace sign - which was frequently flashed up by the group. Obviously indulging in serious family time, she then posted an incredibly sweet image of her four kids and husband David, including sons; Brooklyn, 19, Romeo, 15, Cruz, 13, as they enjoyed a dip in the ocean with the caption: 'Love my babies'. Sharing a clip of Spice Girls' opening number, 'Too Much' in the film, the mum-of-four told fans: 'Spice World has been on heavy rotation this holiday!' Way back when: In his younger days, David was famed for his experimental style - including wearing sarongs, du-rags and a ponytail - and undoubtedly one of his most famous was the cornrows of 2003, which he wore when he met Nelson Mandela Her baby! 'Posh Spice', who is currently holidaying with the familyat the Nihi resort on Indonesia's private island of Pulau Sumba, has given further insight into the seven-year-old's newfound obsession as she revealed a Baby Spice-inspired hairdo Harper... is that you? Victoria is pictured with Baby Spice - a.k.a Emma Bunton - during the Spice Girls heyday, complete with the blonde beauty's trademark bunches Despite being filmed more than 20 years ago, Victoria's love for fashion was evident as she shared another video of her in a predicament over what dress to wear for their huge performance at the Royal Albert Hall. With Mel C commenting on Posh's love for 'little Gucci dresses' in the clip, Harper shared her mother's love for designer clothes. Victoria wrote atop the video: 'Not only is Harper obsessed with the Spice Bus... She now wants a 'little Gucci dress.'' Rose McGowan is to be the first woman in the history of the GQ Men Of The Year Awards to receive the Inspiration prize at the annual ceremony on September 5. The actress, 44, will be honoured in recognition of her 'strength and bravery' in speaking out on sexual assault and harassment in the film industry after her accusations against Harvey Weinstein paved the way for the #MeToo movement. Dylan Jones, Editor of GQ said: 'This award recognises the sheer strength and bravery Rose McGowan has shown in coming forward and being one of the first to publicly accuse an industry figure head of grossly abusing his position of power. Honoured: Rose McGowan is to be the first woman in the history of the GQ Men Of The Year Awards to receive the Inspiration prize at the annual ceremony on September 5 'Rose is the absolute embodiment of this award and it will be great to watch her receive the award next month.' The star said she is 'proud' to receive the honour at the 21st annual GQ Men Of The Year Awards, and hailed the current climate surrounding harassment and abuse as 'a new dawn and a new day'. Speaking in a statement released to MailOnline, she said: 'I'm proud to be honored by GQ receiving the Man of the Year Inspiration award. 'It's a new dawn, a new day for all of us to celebrate positive societal change.' McGowan has been an outspoken advocate of the #MeToo movement after being one of the first women to come forward last year with allegations of sexual abuse against shamed movie mogul Weinstein, 66. Brave: The actress, 44, will be honoured in recognition of her 'strength and bravery' in speaking out on sexual assault and harassment in the film industry (pictured this week) She claims he raped her at the Sundance Film Festival in 1997, and The New York Times reported last year that she received a $100,000 settlement in the wake of the incident. That settlement did not require her to sign an NDA, but McGowan very publicly threw caution to the wind in November by alleging on Twitter that Weinstein was her rapist. After the traumatic incident in her youth, the actress admitted the producer would still make her pose with him on the red carpet - which she describes as completely unbearable. In April, she explained: 'He'd grab you tightly around the ribcage and you would just leave your body and smile because what else can you do in front of the cameras when you're being touched by the person who hurt you, who ruined your life?' Speaking out: McGowan has been an advocate of the #MeToo movement after being one of the first to come forward with allegations of abuse against Harvey Weinstein (pictured in 2007) Her book Brave, which was released in January, details the activist's childhood living as part of the controversial group Children of God, as well as her sexual assault at the hands of Miramax mogul Weinstein. With the abuse itself being horrific, Rose has previously explained that the fallout has been just as difficult to deal with, with Weinstein accusing her of being 'difficult' to work with, limiting the number of roles she was offered. The producer has since denied this, but Rose explained of the difficult time: 'I was alone in that world and it was harrowing. 'Even my family were confused about the difference between the person they knew and the character they read about constantly being slut-shamed.' Before adding of her strength: 'The fact I'm still here and have come through quite sane is nothing short of a miracle.' She had a special three-tier unicorn cake made for her daughter's seventh birthday this year as well as cupcakes to share with her school friends. And Roxy Jacenko kept the celebrations going when she took Pixie Curtis out for a birthday dinner at the Otto Ristorante, in Sydney, on Wednesday. The PR mum doted on the birthday girl all night, affectionately resting her hand on Pixie's shoulder as they enjoyed dinner with son Hunter and husband Oliver. She has expensive taste! PR queen Roxy Jacenko (centre) treats her family to fine dining as they celebrate Pixie's (right) seventh birthday at an upscale Sydney restaurant. Also pictured (left) is four-year-old Hunter Roxy spared no expense as she tied eight balloons including a T-Rex and a unicorn to the birthday girl's chair to ensure the occasion was memorable. Fresh orchids and roses as well as poppies made up the blooming lovely table decorations as the family enjoyed the fun-filled birthday celebrations for Pixie. The mother-of-two left the eatery hand-in-hand with the beaming birthday girl, showing their incredibly close relationship. How sweet: The mother-of-two left the eatery hand-in-hand with the beaming birthday girl, showing their incredibly close relationship Top party! Roxy spared no expense as she tied eight balloons including a T-Rex and a unicorn to the birthday girl's chair to ensure the occasion was memorable Roxy looked casually cool in a striped T-shirt, puffer jacket and ripped jeans while her little girl was cute in her pleated skirt teamed with her bumblebee bag. The mum turned all her attention to her daughter to ensure her seventh birthday was a special day after recently doting on her sick son Hunter, who was now healthy. Oliver was every inch the doting dad as he carried a smartly-dressed Hunter when they left the restaurant with the girls. Dressed to impress! Roxy looked casually cool in a striped T-shirt, puffer jacket and ripped jeans while her little girl was cute in her pleated skirt teamed with her bumblebee bag Top dad! Oliver was every inch the doting dad as he carried a smartly-dressed Hunter when they left the restaurant with the girls All together: The family unit looked closer than ever when they headed home from Pixie's birthday dinner at the Otto Ristorante No expense has been spared for Pixie's seventh birthday. The pint-sized Instagram star received a luxury, three-tiered unicorn cake courtesy of her PR queen mother Roxy, and was even gifted matching cupcakes to share with her school friends. Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Roxy shared a photo of the gorgeous cake, which featured a pink, blue and white design. Time to shine! The mum turned all her attention to her daughter to ensure her seventh birthday was a special day after recently doting on her sick son Hunter, who was now healthy Truth: No expense has been spared for Pixie's seventh birthday Birthday girl! Pixie looked happy as she headed home with her family The bottom layer was decorated with a white 'cloud' and had unicorns surrounding it, while a rainbow featured on top. A unicorn in a hot air balloon was perched on top of the cake, which also included Pixie's name written in gold stars. 'Unicorn cake of my dreams!' one fan commented below the snap. In the post, Roxy described the Mastello Creations cake as 'magnificent' and said it was delivered ahead of Pixie's birthday dinner. A cake of fairytale proportions! Roxy Jacenko has ordered a luxury three-tiered unicorn dessert (pictured) for her daughter Pixie's seventh birthday Her mini-me! Roxy is pictured with Pixie recently Sweet treats! Roxy even bought matching cupcakes (pictured) for Pixie to take to school to give out to her friends Meanwhile, the cupcakes were mini unicorns with a pink, yellow and green design. Earlier on Thursday, Roxy shared a sweet snap of Pixie and Hunter, four, blowing out candles on their cupcakes alongside the caption: 'Happy 7th birthday Pixie'. Over the weekend, Roxy gave Pixie an early birthday sprinkle cake, and gushed about her on social media. Celebrations! Earlier on Thursday, Roxy shared a sweet snap of Pixie and Hunter, four, blowing out candles on their cupcakes alongside the caption: 'Happy 7th birthday Pixie' 'Seven years of joy': Over the weekend, Roxy gave Pixie an early birthday sprinkle cake, and gushed about her on social media 'Seven years of joy - 7th birthday celebrations begin this evening for my beautiful little girl,' Roxy wrote. 'My best friend who has been so kind and caring to me - beyond her years.' Roxy shares her two children with husband Oliver Curtis, with the family recently returning from a lavish European holiday. The Bachelor viewers have turned on three contestants after just two episodes. Cat Henesey-Smith, Alisha Aitken-Radburn and Romy Poulier have been labelled 'Mean Girls' due to their apparent similarities to the characters in the hit 2004 movie. They cemented their clique among the other contestants during Thursday's photo shoot challenge where they passed judgement on the other girls. Scroll down for video Claws are out! The Bachelor viewers liken Cat, Alisha and Romy to 'Mean Girls' for making snarky comments about other contestants during a photo shoot The girls were joined by Brooke, Aleksandra, Christina, Sophie, Cassandra, Cayla T and Vanessa for the group outing. However, their running commentary and constant remarks left some viewers feeling 'anxious' and branding them 'bullies.' 'I feel so bad for Cayla, these girls are straight up bullies,' one viewer tweeted. Do you see the similarities? Viewers flocked to Twitter to compare them to characters Gretchen Wieners, Karen Smith, and Regina George from the 2004 movie Life imitating art: In the movie, the trio were branded 'The Plastics' in their American high school due to their dazzling good looks yet bitchy attitudes Many more fans of the show echoed the same sentiment - with lots of comparisons to Mean Girls characters Gretchen Wieners, Karen Smith, and Regina George. In the movie, the trio were branded 'The Plastics' in their American high school due to their dazzling good looks yet bitchy attitudes. It didn't particularly help with the similarities that the girls were dressed up as naughty school girls for the challenge. Warning: Cat, Alisha and Romy's running commentary on the other girls efforts during the photoshoot left some viewers feeling uncomfortable Judgement: The trio passed comments on fellow contestants including Vanessa and Brooke At one point during Thursday's dramatic episode, contestant Vanessa Sunshine appeared to feel the same. She said: 'Look, I'm not gonna lie. I'm not a fan of Romy's. I think she's a mean girl who thrives off making drama for other people.' 'Every year there's always 3 mean girls,' another tweet read. Cat, Alisha and Romy's running commentary on the other girls' efforts during the photoshoot left some viewers feeling uncomfortable. 'Straight up bullies!': The girls have divided viewers across social media Not a fan: One viewer said Cat reminded her of a 'bully in the schoolyard' While watching Cayla do her best to impress Nick in the challenge, Cat said: 'I don't feel threatened by [her]. She's never gonna be sexy in that ugly outfit.' 'So, bring it on, baby, 'cause I think Alisha and I will nail the shoot.' The Bali based brunette had similar remarks about Sophie as she took part in a yoga photoshoot with Nick. Cat mocked: 'Sophie looked like she'd been put in a cage, released down to, like, the bottom of the ocean with sharks, and then, like, the cage being opened.' As Vanessa attempted to smoulder next to Nick while taking her turn in front of the camera, a voice over revealed even more cutting remarks from the girls. They said: 'Vanessa Sunshine looks like she's more interested in her own photo than anything to do with Nick.' 'This is The Bachelor, sweetie, not Australia's Next Top Model.' 'I don't think that Vanessa is used to not being the centre of attention.' They welcomed their children within a month of each other. Having formed a strong bond during their pregnancies, Jennifer Metcalfe, 35, and co-star Chelsee Healey, 30, caught up away from the Hollyoaks set and enjoyed a spot of lunch at TGI Friday's in Liverpool on Wednesday. Soap actress Jennifer, who welcomed son Daye with partner Greg Lake last June, opted for a low-key ensemble as she donned a loose-fitting black top. Girls' day out: Jennifer Metcalfe, 35, and co-star Chelsee Healey, 30, caught up away from the Hollyoaks set and enjoyed a spot of lunch at TGI Friday's in Liverpool on Wednesday The brunette beauty slipped on a pair of black polka dot print yoga leggings which accentuated her slender pins for the outing. Appearing in jovial spirits alongside her pal, she strolled along the pavement in a pair of metallic sandals while she draped her black leather bag over her shoulder. Although sporting casual attire, she worked her glossy tresses into a soft wave and sported a bold red lip for their girlie lunch. Making sure to command attention, pal Chelsee donned a vibrant bright red Adidas tracksuit which highlighted her petite frame. Low-key: Soap actress Jennifer, who welcomed son Daye with partner Greg Lake last June, opted for a low-key ensemble as she donned a loose-fitting black top Pals: The brunette beauty slipped on a pair of black polka dot print yoga leggings which accentuated her slender pins for the outing Casual: Appearing in jovial spirits alongside her pal, she strolled along the pavement in a pair of metallic sandals while she draped her black leather bag over her shoulder The former Waterloo Road star continued her red theme as she accessorised her look with a leather cross body tote which complemented her glossy red tresses. Swapping her character Goldie McQueen's usual towering heels, Chelsee, who welcomed her daughter last July, donned a pair of white trainers as she strolled back to her car. The pair have formed a strong friendship playing cousins, Mercedes and Goldie McQueen, on Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks. Last year, the co-stars fell pregnant within a month of each other and supported each other on set as their bumps blossomed. Chilled: The brunette beauty slipped on a pair of black polka dot print yoga leggings which accentuated her slender pins for the outing Having a laugh: The pair laughed as they waited for a table Beauty: Although sporting casual attire, she worked her glossy tresses into a soft wave and sported a bold red lip for their girlie lunch Recently, Jennifer has said how glad she is to be back filming Hollyoaks with her friends - and admitted her maternity leave could at times be 'isolating' and 'difficult'. The actress recently reprised her role in the Channel 4 soap and appeared on Good Morning Britain on Monday to chat about going back to work, having had a baby last year. She said: 'It's hard work [filming in Magaluf] because you don't have your siestas and you don't have your beer an hour, so it's hard. Track time: Making sure to command attention, pal Chelsee donned a vibrant bright red Adidas tracksuit which highlighted her petite frame Mane attraction: The former Waterloo Road star continued her red theme as she accessorised her look with a leather cross body tote which complemented her glossy red tresses Relaxed: Swapping her character Goldie McQueen's usual towering heels, Chelsee, who welcomed her daughter last July, donned a pair of white trainers 'But because maternity leave was so difficult... because my little boy never kept still and for about six months he screamed his life away and he didn't sleep very good. Adding: 'So, for me to be out in that setting working with all my friends again... obviously I love my little boy, I love the time with him. I was in Newcastle as well. I made a couple of friends up there but it wasn't like being at home. 'And I realised being up there that Liverpool is my home. I've been there 12 years, so it [was] quite isolating. I've been based back in Liverpool now.' Friendship: The pair have formed a strong friendship playing cousins, Mercedes and Goldie McQueen, on Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks Blossoming friendship: Last year, the co-stars fell pregnant within a month of each other and supported each other on set as their bumps blossomed. Pictured with co-star Russ Owen Last week's E4 episode, Hollyoaks featured her alter-ego reunited with first husband and now-fiance Russ Owen (Stuart Manning) in Magaluf, where she celebrates her hen do. But while Jennifer enjoyed filming in the Majorca resort town, she admitted she missed her Geordie Shore star boyfriend Greg Lake and their one-year-old son Daye. Jennifer had to slip into a swimsuit to film Mercedes' sun-kissed Spanish hen do, but she didn't mind donning the beachwear just 12 months after giving birth, admitting she was just pleased to be shooting the soap again. Return: Recently, Jennifer has said how glad she is to be back filming Hollyoaks with her friends - and admitted her maternity leave could at times be 'isolating' and 'difficult' The actress recently reprised her role in the Channel 4 soap and appeared on Good Morning Britain on Monday to chat about going back to work, having had a baby last year 'Hard': She said: 'It's hard work [filming in Magaluf] because you don't have your siestas and you don't have your beer an hour, so it's hard' She added: 'I didn't really care - I was just happy to be part of it all again. I was like, "Put me in whatever". 'It was so much fun going out there with all my friends who I had not seen properly for a year, having three nights of sleep, and several glasses after work in a beautiful setting - I wouldn't have had it any other way. 'I've been loving it ever since. I've been back two months now. Mercedes is also the heart of the mischief and the drama, so when they said we were going to Magaluf I was made up. I'm made up with the story.' She's never been shy in flaunting her sensational figure as a former Page 3 girl. And Rhian Sugden made sure she set pulses racing once again as she sexily posed up a storm for her new 2019 calendar during a photoshoot in London on Wednesday. The model, 31, left nothing to the imagination as she showed off her VERY ample assets in a tiny plunging plum coloured swimsuit, which had a black belt to cinch in her waist. Work it: Rhian Sugden made sure she set pulses racing once again as she sexily posed up a storm for her new 2019 calendar during a photoshoot in London on Wednesday Rhian also showed off her toned legs and recent non-surgical Brazilian butt lift in the daring item of swimwear, which was high-waisted. The model looked every inch the glamour model babe as she styled her blonde locks into soft curly blow-dried hairdo. She added a slick of glamorous make-up, which included false eyelashes, bronzer and a nude lipstick. Model babe: The model, 31, left nothing to the imagination as she showed off her VERY ample assets in a tiny plunging plum coloured swimsuit Strike a pose: Rhian also showed off her toned legs and recent non-surgical Brazilian butt lift in the daring item of swimwear, which was high-waisted Photoshoot: The model looked every inch the glamour model babe as she styled her blonde locks into soft curly blow-dried hairdo Rhian appeared in good spirits as she posed up a storm outside a garage in London, with the blonde beauty later joking with the crew members. The 31-year-old also couldn't resist taking some selfies, as she sipped on a beverage and also made several phone calls in between takes. Rhian's photoshoot comes after she was reportedly plagued with vile death threats across social media after publicly apologising to Tess Daly for sharing a series of lewd messages with her husband, Vernon Kay. Blonde bombshell: She added a slick of glamorous make-up, which included false eyelashes, bronzer and a nude lipstick Cheerful: Rhian appeared in good spirits as she posed up a storm outside a garage in London, with the blonde beauty later joking with the crew members Fun on set: The 31-year-old also couldn't resist taking some selfies, as she sipped on a beverage and also made several phone calls in between takes The glamour model expressed regret for the episode with married Kay, and for allowing him to speak to her in the way he did after he pursued her via Twitter, text and email for four months in 2010. But her open letter, published by The Sun newspaper, was met with scorn by a handful of internet trolls, with some posting death threats and even threatening to sexually assault the 31-year old leaving her terrified. A source told the publication: Rhian has been trying to ignore the abuse but its been particularly bad this weekend. There were six death threats and one even said she deserved to get raped. Trolls: Rhian's photoshoot comes after she was reportedly plagued with vile death threats across social media after publicly apologising to Tess Daly for sharing a series of lewd messages with her husband, Vernon Kay Open letter: The glamour model expressed regret for the episode with married Kay, and for allowing him to speak to her in the way he did in 2010 Cruel: But her open letter, published by The Sun newspaper, was met with scorn by a handful of internet trolls, with some posting death threats The open letter was saying sorry for something that he should be sorry for so its very unfair. Shes blocked many of the culprits but its still very frightening. The blonde has responded to the abuse in a string of tweets, including one that has since been deleted in which she writes: 'People are disgusting! I've had death threats all weekend for something I wasn't even responsible for!? Society has gone mad. Shut down the internet.' Writing a second reply on Tuesday, she added: 'Seriously. Any online trolls/keyboard warriors/bullies want to message me evil things? Hitting out: The blonde has responded to the abuse in a string of tweets, including one that has since been deleted in which she writes: 'People are disgusting! I've had death threats all weekend for something I wasn't even responsible for!? Backlash: Writing a second reply on Tuesday, she added: 'Seriously. Any online trolls/keyboard warriors/bullies want to message me evil things?' Awful: 'If you do can you do it now please so I can add you to my never ending blocked list of scum bags - the rape and death threats will be reported to the police - fyi.' 'If you do can you do it now please so I can add you to my never ending blocked list of scum bags - the rape and death threats will be reported to the police - fyi.' And in a third, posted shortly afterwards, she wrote: 'Imagine having a friend that sits and trolls people online. It baffles me that it is actually adults that are the keyboard warriors. Its embarrassing... dont they see this? I think some genuinely need professional help.' Rhian is now engaged to former Coronation Street actor, Oliver Mellor, 37, after he got down on one knee and proposed in front of 1,000 theatre-goers after he performed in an Agatha Christie in Manchester, 2014. In the past: Vernon Kay and his wife Strictly Come Dancing presenter Tess Daly pictured in 2012 Loved-up: Rhian is now engaged to former Coronation Street actor, Oliver Mellor, 37 They were forced to spend the night apart as she entertained revellers during a PA in Majorca on Wednesday. And it seemed one night was one too many for Dani Dyer and boyfriend Jack Fincham as the pair shared their joy at being reunited at London's Stansted Airport on Thursday morning. Dani, 22, couldn't contain her joy as Jack, 26, made the early trip to the arrivals gate to escort her home. Missed him? Dani Dyer looked overjoyed to be reunited with boyfriend Jack Fincham at London's Stansted Airport on Thursday morning Sharing snaps of their reunion on Instagram, Dani wrote: 'Back with my favourite,' alongside a picture of herself caressing Jack's beaming face. 'And she's back! x,' Jack branded a selfie of the pair cosying up. The reality star looked typically trendy for her jaunt back to the UK, rocking a bold double denim look comprising ripped shorts and an equally distressed jacket. 'Back with my favourite': Dani, 22, couldn't contain her joy as Jack, 26, made the early trip to the Arrivals gate to escort her home Fashionista: The reality star looked typically trendy for her jaunt back to the UK, rocking a bold double denim look comprising ripped shorts and an equally distressed jacket She paired the co-ord with her beloved black 'Do Bits' T-shirt and left her brunette tresses to cascade in glamorous waves around her bespectacled face, which sported minimal make-up. Dani had been in the Balearic Islands to fulfill a personal appearance at the BH Mallorca Hotel, located on the same island she met her stationary salesman beau. But the down-to-earth daughter of EastEnders favourite Danny Dyer soon ditched the young crowd of party-goers in favour of her grandparents as she shared a snap of herself sipping drinks with the pair on a plush sun lounger. 'And she's back!': Jack also celebrated their reunion with a picture of the loved-up pair looking cosy in their taxi Finishing touches: Dani paired the co-ord with her beloved black 'Do Bits' T-shirt, a pink satchel bag and white trainers In demand! Dani had been in the Balearic Islands to fulfill a personal appearance at the BH Mallorca Hotel, located on the same island she met her stationary salesman beau 'Ready to party with Nanny and Bruv @bhmallorca,' she captioned the sweet shot. Love Island champs Dani and Jack have wasted no time getting stuck into the opportunities that have arisen since leaving the show, though are still making sure their romance comes first. Speaking on BBC Radio 1Xtra on Monday night, Jack revealed that the loved-up pair have already started viewing flats and insisted marriage is definitely on the cards. Moving fast: Dani's boyfriend Jack recently revealed that the couple are looking to move in together within the next couple of weeks He confessed: 'Were moving out over next couple of weeks anyway, getting a nice little gaffe near Canary Wharf way.' Asked if he was planning to pop the question, he dished: 'It's definitely going to happen at some point, its natural progression.' And Jack set tongues wagging on Wednesday when he 'liked' an Instagram picture of a pricey diamond engagement ring. He's set to become a father for the first time next month when his wife Vogue Williams, 32, gives birth to their baby son. And Spencer Matthews, 30, said the couple are 'blessed' to have their little boy grow up so close in age to their cousin after his brother James, 41, and wife Pippa Middleton, 34, announced they're expecting their first child. Speaking during an appearance on This Morning on Thursday, the reality star, 30, opened up on the prospect of first-time fatherhood and his family's royal connections to Pippa's sister Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. Oh baby: Spencer Matthews and Vogue Williams (pictured last week) say they are 'blessed' to have their little boy grow up so close in age to his brother James and Pippa Middleton's child Spencer said: 'I think it will be great for the kids to grow up together. We feel very blessed.' While his hopes for the two children was clear, when he was asked if he knew the gender of the pair's baby, Spencer admitted: 'They don't, they're extremely private, honestly, we know nothing.' Vogue is due to give birth on September 1, and of the anticipation he joked: 'I might add shes not currently in labour. Any day now, we're very excited. 'I was kind of hoping first child is a boy, if we have girls afterwards, which we would like, they've got a big brother.' In the dark: Spencer, 30, said Pippa, 34, and James, 41, (pictured in June 2017) are 'extremely private' and haven't revealed the gender of their unborn baby Can't wait: The reality star appeared on This Morning on Thursday to discuss impending fatherhood and his new challenge on Celebrity MasterChef Spencer, who tied the knot with Vogue in an intimate ceremony in the Scottish Highlands in June, also revealed the couple are hoping to have 'at least' three children together. In May, he revealed that their unborn son's middle names will pay tribute to his late brother Michael, who died while climbing Everest in 1999, and Vogue's late dad Freddie, who passed away in 2010. When asked about their son's first name, Spencer said: 'We do have an idea of names, Vogue has told me to keep it to myself. Middle names, Michael late brother, Frederick, her late father.' Spencer is also set to be part of the new line-up for the upcoming MasterChef series, and of the competition he admitted: 'MasterChef is my favourite show, I've always been quite keen and I love food as well. Hopes: Spencer, who tied the knot with Vogue in an intimate Scottish ceremony in June, also revealed that they're keen to have 'at least' three children together Happy couple: Vogue and Spencer met while competing in Channel 4 reality show, The Jump, in January 2017, and announced their engagement in February In honour: In May, he revealed that their unborn son's middle names will pay tribute to his late brother Michael and her late dad Freddie 'Im a much better cook now, my mum's a great cook, and Vogue is a great cook.' Though the series begins later this week, Spencer admitted: 'Things don't always go according to plan, I tried my hardest.' Vogue and Spencer met while competing in Channel 4 reality show, The Jump, in January 2017. The couple announced their engagement in February after the former lothario popped the question on stage at the West End production of The Lion King. They tied the knot at Spencer's family's sprawling Scottish estate, Glen Affric, in June, in an intimate ceremony with just close relatives present, and are planning to have a larger celebration next year. Spencer's brother James, a hedge fund manager, tied the knot with Pippa Middleton at St Mark's Church in Bucklebury, Berkshire, in May 2017. Justin Bieber's father Jeremy has announced the birth of his fourth child Bay with his wife Chelsey. Taking to Twitter on Thursday, the 43-year-old - who shares popstar Justin, 24, with Pattie Mallette - posted a sweet snap of his newborn daughter with his second wife, 30, from the delivery room. The Canada native beamed with delight as he penned a touching message alongside the image: 'Just Welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world. Bay Bieber #babygirl #biebergirl'. Oh baby! Justin Bieber's father Jeremy has announced the birth of his fourth child Bay with his wife Chelsey on Thursday In the snap, Jeremy is clad in a white hospital gown and face mask as he dotes on his new daughter, who is wrapped up in a pink blanket and knitted hat. Chelsey, who has been in a relationship with Jeremy since 2013, grinned from ear-to-ear as she went make-up free while posing on the operating table. Justin was every inch the proud brother as he also shared a snap of his adorable new sibling, who was pictured cracking a heart-warming smile. Gushing with joy, the Boyfriend singer wrote on Instagram: 'Meet the newest bieber, my little sister BAY BIEBER.' Exciting: Taking to Twitter, the 43-year-old - who shares popstar Justin, 24, with Pattie Mallette - shared a sweet snap of his newborn daughter with his second wife, 30, from the delivery room New birth: The Canada native beamed with delight as he penned alongside the image: 'Just Welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world. Bay Bieber #babygirl #biebergirl' Shortly before his first post, the father-of-four shared a glimpse of his delivery preparations with his 2.3 million Instagram followers, penning: 'Dr Bieber to delivery'. In addition to Justin and his newborn, Jeremy is also father to Jazmyn, nine, and Jaxon, eight, with ex-wife Erin Wagner. Chelsey is also mother to Allie Rebelo, 11. Chelsey, who also boasts a large social media following of 163,000, treated fans to a clip of the moment she discovered she was pregnant in June. 'Meet the newest Bieber': Justin was every inch the proud brother as he also shared a snap of his adorable new sibling, who was pictured cracking a heart-warming smile Sweet: Shortly before his first post, the father-of-four shared a glimpse of his delivery preparations with his 2.3 million Instagram followers, penning: 'Dr Bieber to delivery' Smitten: Chelsey, who has been in a relationship with Jeremy since 2013, is no stranger to sharing loved-up snaps with her partner Captioned 'cute little throwback', the brunette was left amazed as she was joined by her step children, who shouted 'she's pregnant!'. The new father tied the knot to Chelsey in February, with the couple ringing in the celebrations with a pink-themed wedding in Jamaica. During the ceremony, Justin attended the ceremony with his former girlfriend Selena Gomez, and served as his father's best man. She's pregnant! Chelsey, who also boasts a large social media following of 163,000, treated fans to a clip of the moment she discovered she was pregnant in June Growing: The brunette's social media account is littered with snaps of her burgeoning baby bump Dad-of-four: Jeremy is also father to Jazmyn, nine (left), and Jaxon, eight (right), with ex-wife Erin Wagner Chelsey oozed elegance as she slipped into a white strapless gown, while her husband looked suave in a crisp shirt and white shorts. Justin and Jeremy's relationship has gone from strength to strength, with the belter previously admitting his father was 'not in a place where he could raise a kid' when he welcomed Justin at age 18. In an interview with Billboard in 2015, the pop star stressed that the martial artist was not a 'deadbeat dad'. Candid: The belter previously admitted his father was 'not in a place where he could raise a kid' when he welcomed Justin at age 18 (pictured with sister Jazmyn and mother Pattie in 2011) Close bond: In an interview with Billboard in 2015, the pop star stressed that the martial artist was not a 'deadbeat dad' (pictured together September 2016) Throwback: 'He was immature. He left for like a year when I was about 4, went to British Columbia, came back on Fathers Day', Justin previously admitted Honest: 'He was immature. He left for like a year when I was about 4, went to British Columbia, came back on Fathers Day', he added Justin said: 'He was immature. He left for like a year when I was about 4, went to British Columbia, came back on Fathers Day.' 'I remember my mom said, "If youre going to be here, you have to be here." Theres a misconception that hes this deadbeat dad, but he has been in my life since. I was with him on weekends and Wednesdays', he added. Proving his bond with Jeremy is stronger than ever, Justin took to Instagram in December last year to share his love and appreciation for his parent. 'Love you forever and always daddy': Proving his bond with Jeremy is stronger than ever, Justin took to Instagram in December last year to share his love and appreciation for his parent Alongside a snap of the pair on a stroll, he penned: 'I love continuing to get to know my father I love working through hard things to get to the good things.' He continued: 'Relationships are worth fighting for especially with family!! Love you forever and always daddy!' The Biebers have a lot to celebrate about following the Baby hitmaker's recent engagement with Hailey Baldwin. Clearly in the throes of young love, Justin - who dated Hailey for a few months in 2016 - confirmed his engagement on Instagram after rekindling their short-lived romance in June. He wrote: 'Was gonna wait a while to say anything but word travels fast, listen plain and simple Hailey I am soooo in love with everything about you!' 'So committed to spending my life getting to know every single part of you loving you patiently and kindly.' Smitten: Clearly in the throes of young love, the Baby hitmaker confirmed his engagement to Hailey on Instagram in July 'I promise to lead our family with honor and integrity letting Jesus through his Holy Spirit guide us in everything we do and every decision we make. My heart is COMPLETELY and FULLY YOURS and I will ALWAYS put you first! 'You are the love of my life Hailey Baldwin and I wouldn't want to spend it with anybody else. You make me so much better and we compliment eachother so well!! Can't wait for the best season of life yet!' Baldwin also confirmed the engagement on Twitter. Taking to the social media on Monday, the ELLE model confessed that she was 'utterly grateful to God' and had 'no words' to express her gratitude after finding the one. They've seen their relationship go from strength-to-strength since dramatically quitting the Love Island villa just a week before the final And Georgia Steel, 20, and Sam Bird, 25, took the next step in their rapidly progressing romance as they collected the keys to their new home in South Woodford, Essex, on Wednesday. The couple were seen leaving an estate agents after renting a modern pad just 23 days after making their fledgling relationship official. New beginning: Love Island's Georgia Steel, 20, and Sam Bird, 25, took the next step in their romance as they collected keys to their new home in South Woodford, Essex, on Wednesday While inside Hetheringtons, they were taken through the details of their property with Georgia sitting forward, seemingly eager to soak up the information, while Sam relaxed backwards looking completely at ease. Clad in a pretty black and white polka dot wrap dress, Georgia looked tense as she strolled away with her beau by her side, after signing on the dotted line. The dancer flaunted her slim pins in the mini dress which she teamed with a pair of box-fresh trainers and a small stone-coloured saddle bag slung across her body. Clutching at information packs, the couple reassured each other after making such a huge commitment, by holding hands as they made their way to the car park. Good to go: The couple were seen leaving an estate agents after renting a modern pad just 23 days after making their fledgling relationship official Talking business: While sat inside Hetheringtons, they were taken through the details of their purchase by an estate agent Stylish: Clad in a pretty black and white polka dot wrap dress, Georgia looked tense as she strolled away with her beau by her side, after signing on the dotted line The 'loyal' babe piled her long brunette locks into a messy bun atop her head with a pair of sunglasses pushed back off her head to reveal a minimal make-up look. Personal trainer Sam looked excitedly nervous after signing for the new pad, dressed in a pair of distressed black skinny jeans, a black T-shirt and grey trainers. The Love Island star not so subtly sported heavy branding for unisex sportswear brand HERA across his monochrome ensemble - including on his knees. The loved-up pair revealed that they had moved in together as they took to their Instagram accounts to share some pictures and videos of their new 'little pad' on Wednesday. Cute: The dancer and drama student flaunted her pins in the mini dress which she teamed with box-fresh trainers and a small stone coloured saddle bag slung across her body It's real babe: Clutching at information packs, the couple reassured each other after making such a huge commitment, holding hands as they made their way to the car park Pretty: The 'loyal' babe piled her long brunette locks into a messy bun atop her head with a pair of sunglasses pushed back off her head to reveal a minimal make-up look In one video, Georgia could be seen checking out her flat's shiny chrome oven while Sam wheeled a trolley of groceries from Waitrose into the kitchen. Another showed Sam frolicking around an empty room, with the caption: 'Our new little pad.' Georgia then posted a sweet boomerang video of the pair toasting champagne together, with the caption reading: 'When the landlord brings over champagne. Happy move in day sweetheart.' The couple moved swiftly by renting a love nest together, as they were seen house-hunting together as recently as last Saturday. Feeling good: Personal trainer Sam looked excitedly nervous after signing for the new pad, dressed in a pair of distressed black skinny jeans, a black T-shirt and grey trainers On brand: The Love Island star not so subtly sported heavy branding for unisex sportswear brand HERA across his monochrome ensemble - including on his knees Huge news: The loved-up pair revealed they had moved in together via their respective Instagram accounts on Wednesday No time to waste: The couple moved swiftly in renting a love nest together, as they were seen house-hunting together as recently as last Saturday Their new milestone comes after the brunette beauty sent fans into a frenzy over a cryptic social media post, leaving many worried they had split after just 23 days together. Yet the dramatic step in their relationship has appeared to silence fans' fears that the couple were on the rocks, after Georgia took to social media on Tuesday to post a cryptic social media post. Georgia left fans in a panic about her relationship with Sam, after the 'loyal' lass wrote: 'what will be, will be' in a cryptic post. 'Im a good believer in everything happens for a reason, and what is meant to be will be. Feeling so lucky and blessed,' she penned alongside a sultry selfie. She added mysteriously: 'Goodnight and hold tight for the future.' Right at home: Sam posted a video of Georgia inspecting the couple's new oven, as they arrived home with a trolley full of grocery shopping from Waitrose Amazing: Sam also posted a video of the empty living room, which appeared to be in a modern development, and boasted a wooden floor and crisp white walls Gorgeous: Georgia posted a sweet snap of her toasting champagne with Sam after moving in Her followers immediately flocked to the comments section to speculate over the state of her romance with fitness fanatic Sam. 'Are you still with Sam,' one fan asked, while another wrote: 'Are her and Sam still together?' Georgia eased their fears in her Instagram Story, however, where she shared a video of Sam enjoying a cocktail during a date night on Tuesday. The social media display comes after the reality TV lovebirds were seen hand-in-hand as they headed to a house viewing together last week, just 19 days after making their relationship official. Sam and Georgia's relationship has continued to blossom after they made things official just days after leaving the villa. Kris Jenner has said her daughter Kylie Jenner is 'smart.' The 62-year-old matriarch has praised her youngest child for the way she's so 'passionate' about her make-up business Kylie Cosmetics, which has made her a billionaire. Speaking on Australia's radio show The Kyle and Jackie O Show, she said: 'She is so smart and she is so passionate about what she doing. I'm so proud of her.' Kim, Khloe and Kourtney have long blamed their mother for favoring Kylie because she's made so much money off her cosmetics line and Kris reportedly gets a cut of it. This comment may further drive the sibling rivalry. They have a bon: Kris Jenner told a radio show on Thursday that Kylie Jenner is 'smart'; Kim, Kourtney and Khloe have accused their mom of favoring Kylie. Seen in 2016 She also talked up Kylie's mothering skills; Kylie has daughter Stormi with boyfriend Travis Scott. Jenner said, 'She is really such an amazing mommy. I mean her number one priority is little Stormi and she is such a great mom.' Meanwhile, Kylie recently revealed a secret stash of designer handbags she's keeping back for her little girl so that she can use them when she's a little bigger. Her #1? Speaking on Australia's radio show The Kyle and Jackie O Show , she said: 'She is so smart and she is so passionate about what she doing. I'm so proud of her' Speaking in a video clip uploaded to her YouTube account, the reality TV beauty picked up a pink mini Hermes Kelly bag - worth $27,000 - and said: 'Kourtney gave me this, which I think is super cute. I was really surprised because I feel like Kourtney never really cares about Christmas gifts so when she gave me this last year, it was really special. 'This one I'm definitely gonna let Stormi wear, probably, when she says, 'Mommy, I want to carry a purse.' So this is probably going to be her first purse.' The 21-year-old businesswoman then dropped down a shelf level and picked up a Louis Vuitton bag and said: 'Another purse that's really special to me, well two purses. My mom gave these to me and Kendall [her older sister] when we were like super babies. So I'm definitely going to give this to Stormi.' And it's not just her handbag collection Stormi will get her hands on in the future as Kylie has admitted she wants the youngster to run her Kylie Cosmetics empire. Close ties: Kylie with Travis and Kris with Corey in this group photo She explained: 'Maybe one day [I'll] pass this on to Stormi, if she's into it.' Kylie launched her makeup company, which specialises in lipstick and lip liner 'lip kits', two years ago and in that time it has gone on to sell $630 million worth of products. She created the business herself, using $250,000 of her own earnings from modelling jobs to pay an outside company to produce the first 15,000 lip kits and things grew and grew from there, making her business worth an estimated $800 million now. She's been documenting her Italian vacation on social media for the past week, even posing in a teeny bikini when in the waters off the coast of Capri. But on Thursday the Top Chef star was back in New York City where she modeled a shimmering Rasario dress from luxury evening wear rental service Nova Octo that made the most of her curves. The 47-year-old mother-of-one appeared to be on her way to a TV appearance. Top look: Padma Lakshmi used the street as her catwalk in shimmering pink and blue gown out in New York City on Thursday Tres chic: The skintight dress looked to be a light purple color with silver sequins sewn into the fabric. The former Vogue model added pointy black heels that had sparkle too as well as an ankle strap The skintight dress looked to be a light purple color with silver sequins sewn into the fabric. There was a low-cut neckline and razor thin spaghetti straps. The former Vogue model added pointy black heels that had sparkle too as well as an ankle strap. Padma wore her hair down and stick straight in a Kardashian style. And she added bright red lipstick that made her look ready for a late night dinner. Glam slam in the city: Padma wore her hair down and stick straight in a Kardashian style. And she added bright red lipstick that made her look ready for a late night dinner And on Wednesday, Padma Lakshmi shared video footage from her dip in the waters of Capri. The TV personality flaunted her fit figure in a purple bikini that she paired with an arm's length of silver bangles. And she seemed to be in excellent spirits as she laughed and smiled. Adventures in Italy! On Wednesday, Lakshmi shared video footage from her dip in the waters of Capri #PadmaInItaly: The Top Chef host has been documenting her Italian vacation on social media for the past week While in Italy, Padma visited Naples, Pompeii, and Capri. She was joined by her daughter Krishna, age eight, and boyfriend Adam Dell, 48. The trio are sailing around the country on a yachtstopping periodically for pizza, gelato, and a bit of sightseeing. Peace! She was joined on vacation by her daughter Krishna, age eight Luxe life! The two are sailing around Italy on a yachtstopping periodically for pizza, gelato, and sightseeing Lakshmi took several sultry snaps while gallivanting across the boot. For dinner one evening, she wore a stunning off-the-shoulder cotton dress by Antica Sartoriaan Italian designer. And while watching the sunset from her yacht, she donned a breathtaking floral dress that hugged her petite figure. 'Thinkin' about rigatoni': For dinner one evening, the makeup mogul wore a stunning off-the-shoulder cotton dress by Antica Sartoriaan Italian designer Padma and Dell first dated back in 2009 for a short period of time. She then gave birth to their daughter Krishna, now age eight. The couple rekindled their love in January 2017 following the death of Lakshmi's former beau, Teddy Forstmann, in 2011. Quality time: The mother-daughter duo bunked up at Hotel Le Agavi Positano for a night In an interview with Wendy Williams in April, Padma made it clear that she has no plans to marry Adam. 'No, I will not be [marrying him],' she told the talk show host. 'And that has nothing to do with him, it has more to do with me. I don't feel like I need to be married. 'I think my life is great. I don't need to rock that boat. I don't need a certificate to prove anything. We have a child together, that is way more of a commitment than any piece of paper.' Irish actor Chris O'Dowd, 38, has hilariously revealed that his wife Dawn O'Porter, 39, originally turned him down three times before meeting him. The Roscommon native first met the British writer at her 30th birthday at London's 33 Portland Place, in 2012 and although it was love at first sight for both of them, Chris admitted he took to social media to first connect with her. Speaking to Marc Maron on his WTF podcast, the Bridesmaid star revealed that their romance didn't get off on the right foot initially when she refused to accept his Facebook friend request. Love: Irish actor Chris O'Dowd, 38, has hilariously revealed that his wife Dawn O'Porter, 39, originally turned him down three times before meeting him 'I met my wife at her 30th birthday party,' he said. 'I didnt know that many people. A mutual friend of ours it turns out, Nick Frost . . . hes a great guy and I said, "Who do you know whos in town?" and he said, "Oh, Dawn is in town. Look her up." 'So I friend-requested her on Facebook, and she turned it down three times, which felt like unnecessary. My Facebook picture is of a very old Floridian woman and I think I had a fake name also. Adding: 'She was throwing this party and hadnt been in town that long. She was worried nobody was going to turn up so on the day of the party she said, "Hey, hows it going? Why dont you come to the party?" and then love blossomed.' The couple currently reside in Los Angeles with their two boys; Art, three, and one-year-old Valentine, as Chris' career continues to rise with roles in Girls, Molly's Game and The Cloverfield Paradox. Chance: The Roscommon native first met the British writer at her 30th birthday at London's 33 Portland Place, in 2012 and although it was love at first sight for both of them, Chris admitted he took to social media to first connect with her Starting out: Speaking to Marc Maron on his WTF podcast , the Bridesmaid star revealed that their romance didn't get off on the right foot initially when she refused to accept his Facebook friend request The couple welcomed their second child to the world on July 1 - a boy named Valentine. Taking to Twitter at the time, the author and journalist shared a sweet snap of the tot with a caption reading: 'We had a baby boy last week. Woohoo! His nappy expenses are ridiculous, so this baby is going 'Cheep'. #DadJoke #Valentine'. Dawn dropped the surprise news on one of her podcasts in January 2017 when she teased about living in 'a lot of elasticated trousers' with a new baby and a book on the way. Uh oh: He added: 'So I friend-requested her on Facebook, and she turned it down three times, which felt like unnecessary. My Facebook picture is of a very old Floridian woman and I think I had a fake name also' Blessed: The couple welcomed their second child to the world last July - a boy named Valentine Parents: They are also proud parents to son Art, who they welcomed three years ago In her initial announcement, Dawn said: 'I am starting a new novel this week. I'm about to turn 38 and I am pregnant. So I'll be investing in a lot of elasticated trousers and dusting off all my old vintage tents, not unlike a lot of people in January.' Dawn, nee Porter, and Chris met at her 30th birthday, eight years ago and married at typically fashionable venue, London's 33 Portland Place, in 2012. On their first meeting, she told The Belfast Telegraph three years ago: 'I just fancied him. He's just a gorgeous guy. I feel absolutely adored by him.' Career: The couple currently reside in Los Angeles with their two boys; Art, three, and one-year-old Valentine, as Chris' career continues to rise with roles in Girls, Molly's Game and The Cloverfield Paradox They welcomed a little boy named Art in January 2015, but Dawn says that being a working mum has given her the motivation to achieve more than ever. She continued: 'Being a working mum is really hard. This year I've had enormous support from Chris, and I've managed to do all the things that I've got to do, and I feel very, very lucky. 'Since I had Art I've achieved more than I ever had before, and I've also spent an awful lot of time with him. My guilt isn't "is Art ok?", I just miss him when I'm at work.' He recently finished filming the eighth, and final, season for hit HBO series Game Of Thrones. And Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - who plays Jaime Lannister - has hinted at what's to come in the new series, when he admitted that 'all the pieces fit' together in the end. Speaking candidly with The Wrap on Wednesday, the actor, 48, said that show creators 'D.B.' Weiss and David Benioff couldn't 'have done a better job.' One to watch: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - who plays Jaime Lannister - revealed on Wednesday that 'all the pieces fit' in 'shocking' finale of Game Of Thrones season eight He said: 'I mean, when I read it...some of the parts of it I'd get, and other parts of it were just completely shocking and surprising. 'And it wasn't, there were none of those horrible you know shows where it's a murder mystery and at the very last minute you find out it doesn't make sense? 'But here all the pieces fit into this massive jigsaw puzzle.' Amazed: Speaking candidly with The Wrap, the actor said: 'I read it, and I wrote [creators] Dan ['D.B.' Weiss] and David [Benioff] and said I don't think they could have done a better job' Nikolaj plays Jamie, one of the key figures in George R. R. Martin's fantasy franchise, who has gone through quite the character evolution throughout the years. Jamie also had a tough run in season seven, as his loyalties to his twin sister, and lover, Cersei -who is currently Queen of the Iron Throne- were tested beyond repair. Having made a deal with Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow to support them as they fight the White Walkers, Cersei revealed that she in fact had no intention of doing it as she wants to keep the throne. Important character: Nikolaj plays Jamie Lannister, one of the key figures in George R. R. Martin's franchise, who has gone through quite the character evolution throughout the years Disgusted with her decision, Jamie said that he will fight alongside them without her support, and although she threatened to kill him and dropped the bombshell reveal that she is -supposedly- pregnant with their fourth child, he still leaves. Of their strained relationship, the actor said: 'I think it shocked him. It didn't make sense. They have a future, potentially another shot at having a child, and she's willing to risk everything for something to him that just doesn't make sense.' In July, Casey Bloys, HBO's programming president, revealed that the show's final season is set to debut in the 'first half' of next year. She's set to star as Kyle Sandilands' associate in a new Judge Judy-style show, Trial By Kyle, on Channel 10 next week. Now, former Bachelor winner, Anna Heinrich has showed fans a glimpse of the upcoming Pilot Week series. The criminal lawyer took to Instagram on Thursday to share a photograph of her cutting a corporate figure in a double breasted steel blue blazer. Scroll down for video 'All rise!' The Bachelor's Anna Heinrich shares first glimpse of Judge Judy-style spin-off Trial By Kyle as she returns to reality TV Anna, who'll play Kyle's wing woman in the new series continued her well-groomed display as she swept her golden tresses into a neat ponytail. 'ALL RISE! This time next week I become Kyles associate on Trial By Kyle,' she began in the caption. The blonde beauty also told her legion of followers she believes the Judge Judy-style spin-off is 'more entertaining' than the original. 'Its a Judge Judy-style show but more entertaining, well I think so. Make sure you tune in, Thursday 23 August 8:30pm,'she wrote. In the new series Anna will assist Kyle by forensically analysing evidence as he attempts to unravel juicy celebrity cases. 'She is vital to the show': Kyle Sandilands (left) delivers verdict on co-hosting alongside The Bachelor's Anna Heinrich (right) on new Judge Judy-style show Trial By Kyle. Pictured at Channel 10's Pilot Week launch on Tuesday The former reality TV contestant recently won a favourable verdict from her new outspoken co-star, Kyle. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday the radio shock jock admitted the blonde star is 'vital' to the show's success. 'She is the handbrake to my accelerator. She is vital to the show working,' Kyle said. 'Anna is super smart,' Kyle added in reference to his new bubbly blonde co-star. Kyle explained he was initially 'dumbfounded' by the concept surrounding the Judge Judy-style show that will feature in Channel 10's Pilot Week. Pilot Week launch: The unlikely colleagues stepped out together for the launch of Network Ten's Pilot Week on Tuesday night in Sydney However Kyle said as soon as the film crew broke for lunch on the first day of shooting he felt a sense of ease wash over him. 'I was really apprehensive even on the day of shooting but by the time we broke for lunch I went 'this is easy.' It is really just listening to two people's point of view and trying to come to some common ground,' he told The Daily Telegraph. The unlikely colleagues put on a friendly display as they stepped out together for the launch of Network Ten's Pilot Week on Tuesday night in Sydney. Last week Network Ten released a first-look trailer of its Pilot Week lineup, including a glimpse of Kyle's new program, Trial By Kyle. In a teaser clip unveiled last Wednesday, Kyle delivers a verdict in the favour of a young couple who are then shown kissing in the dock. Coming soon! Network Ten has released a first-look trailer of its Pilot Week lineup, including a glimpse of Kyle Sandilands' new program Trial By Kyle Must-see TV! The Judge Judy-style show, co-starring criminal lawyer-turned-Bachelor contestant Anna Heinrich (pictured) will air on 23 August at 8.30pm The video also highlights the other programs in Network Ten's 'groundbreaking' Pilot Week, including an Australian version of Drunk History. Last month, the struggling TV network unveiled its Pilot Week schedule of eight new programs that will be either commissioned for full seasons or cancelled depending on ratings performance and viewer response. The air dates for Pilot Week shows are as follows: Skit Happens, Sunday 19 August at 8.00pm; Disgrace!, Sunday 19 August 8.30pm; Drunk History, Monday 20 August at 9.30pm; Taboo, Tuesday 21 August at 9.00pm; Kinne Tonight, Wednesday 22 August at 9.00pm; Trial By Kyle, Thursday 23 August 8.30pm; Dave, Friday 24 August at 8.30pm; and Bring Back Saturday Night, Saturday 25 August at 7.30pm. The Judge Judy-style show, co-starring Anna will air on 23 August at 8.30pm Happily ever after! In a teaser clip released this week, Kyle delivers a verdict in the favour of a young couple who are then shown kissing in the dock Diane Kruger looked glowing while on her way to a party with partner Norman Reedus in NYC Wednesday. The German-American, 42, actress was darling in a yellow striped look which hid any curves below. It's very possible the celebration was a baby shower for the allegedly expecting actress. Glowing: Diane Kruger appeared to wear maternity clothes Wednesday in NYC where she stepped in a loose yellow dress while on her way to a party with boyfriend Norman Reedus The Inglorious Basterds actress added flat gladiator sandals as she kept the look simple and accessory free. A make-up minimal look and blonde bob tucked behind her ears completed the look. Diane was escorted by her love Norman Reedus, who was dressed in head-to-toe black. Giving a helping hand, the Walking Dead star carried a sizable box to the vehicle before the couple headed on to their party. Loved up: Norman doted on his other half, wrapping a loving arm around the German-American actress Celebration: After arriving at the affair Diane chatted with a friend carrying a bright bunch of yellow balloons After arriving at the affair Diane chatted with a friend carrying a bright bunch of yellow balloons. Satisfied with a job well done, Norman wrapped his arm around his love as they made their way inside. Though there has been quiet speculation about Diane's pregnancy for months, the star all but confirmed she was expecting while displaying a sizable bump wearing yesterday in NYC. Lifted: Giving a helping hand, the Walking Dead star carried a sizable box to the vehicle before the couple headed on to their party Still, there has been no official pregnancy announcement from the couple's camp. The couple has been together since around 2015 after they met on the set of the film Sky. Diane was married from 2001 to 2006 to French film star Guillaume Canet, who is now with Marion Cotillard, but the two never had children. Reedus was in a longterm relationship with model Helena Christensen from 1998 until 2003 and the couple share son Mingus, 18. Khloe Kardashian was not happy with her mother's surprise gift. When the 62-year-old momager presented her 34-year-old pregnant daughter a box of Krispy Kreme donuts in a teaser for the next season Keeping Up With The Kardashians, the beauty exploded. 'I can't eat 8 dozen donuts,' screamed the star. The scene was filmed before she welcomed daughter True Thompson in April. Mad: Khloe Kardashian was not happy with her mother's surprise gift. When the 62-year-old momager handed her 34-year-old pregnant daughter a box of Krispy Kreme donuts in a teaser for the next season Keeping Up With The Kardashians, the beauty exploded No can do: 'I can't eat 8 dozen donuts,' screamed the star who had on a black hoodie Not good for her: The star relayed that she didn't want to get too heavy while pregnant Kris actually didn't bring eight donuts. She brought eight boxes of donuts. The clip started with Kris walking into Khloe's Calabasas, California mansion. The mother-of-six said, 'I brought you a surprise. This is your lucky day. It's Krispy Kreme day, to celebrate the pregnancy of Khloe Kardashian!' During a later interview, Khloe said, 'I remember back when my mom was pregnant, she and Bruce almost got a divorce because Bruce would not pull over to get 2 dozen donuts.' Here she is: The clip started with Kris walking into Khloe's Calabasas, California mansion It's a lot of donuts: The TV star held up eight boxes of donuts, which no one could eat in one day Pushy mom? She then opened one of the boxes and made Khloe look at them She thought it was a great idea: The mother-of-six said, 'I brought you a surprise. This is your lucky day. It's Krispy Kreme day, to celebrate the pregnancy of Khloe Kardashian!' Digging in: Jenner then ate one of the donuts, which are covered in sugar She added, 'He's like, "You don't need them, Kris" and they were screaming at each other. He finally got her these stupid donuts and she ate every f***ing donut. She ate every f***ing donut. That's just not who I am, that's disgusting.' And Kris then said she was worried that Khloe was not 'enjoying her pregnancy' because she was avoiding treats. 'If I want a donut or cookies, I'll eat them. I'm not depriving myself,' Khloe snapped. Old news: The scene was filmed before she welcomed daughter True Thompson in April 'Everything I'm doing is instructed by my doctor and I would love to avoid a C-section if possible. 'If my baby turns out to be really big, I'm gonna have to get a C-section!' Then Khloe fumed. 'I don't think anything I have to say is registering,' she said. 'My mom has that old school mentality where she thinks I should be sitting on the couch, eating food. If I don't have the same experience as my mom, then she thinks something's wrong with me, which blows my mind.' Keeping Up with the Kardashians airs Sundays on E! and available to stream first on Mondays in the UK & Ire on hayu. Sex, Lies, and Videotape alum Andie MacDowell easily defied her 60 years in the 'Signs for Hope' spread shot by Victor Demarchelier for the September issue of Harper's Bazaar. In it, the Golden Globe winner and longtime L'Oreal Paris model protested climate change while seated in a sheer floral gown and white shoes designed by Stella McCartney. 'After living in Montana, surrounded by forests for more than 25 years, I've learned how important it is to preserve our natural resources,' the National Forest Foundation board member told the mag - on newsstands August 21. On newsstands August 21! Sex, Lies, and Videotape alum Andie MacDowell easily defied her 60 years in the 'Signs for Hope' spread shot by Victor Demarchelier for Harper's Bazaar 'The National Forest System is one of the most efficient, readily available carbon sinks on earth.' Hairstylist Wesley O'Meara coiffed MacDowell's signature curly brunette mane and make-up artist Justine Purdue made sure her evergreen face was camera ready. Back on June 3, Andie (born Rosalie) shared a behind-the-scenes snap of herself 'primping' Halima Aden for the 'special' shoot, which took place at Patrick Demarchelier Studio in Manhattan. The Somali-American IMG Model - turning 21 next month - donned head-to-toe Balenciaga (including her hijab) to protest world hunger with a sign designed by Shepard Fairey. Evergreen: In it, the Golden Globe winner and longtime L'Oreal Paris model protested climate change while seated in a sheer floral gown and white shoes designed by Stella McCartney The National Forest Foundation board member told the mag: 'After living in Montana, surrounded by forests for more than 25 years, I've learned how important it is to preserve our natural resources' (pictured in 2016) Bonding behind the scenes: Back on June 3, MacDowell shared an on set snap of herself 'primping' Halima Aden (L) for the 'special' shoot, which took place at Patrick Demarchelier Studio in Manhattan 'When I was growing up, I often didnt know where my next meal was coming from,' the former Kenyan refugee recalled. 'A child in need knows no politics. It is my responsibility and moral duty to be a voice for those who cant be heard.' The Path actress Freida Pinto - protesting for women's rights - opted for a grey knit sweater, red kilt, and boots crafted by Dior. 'In so many parts of the world, the cycle of misogyny continues to undermine the crucial role that women play in building a community, a country, and an economy,' the Indian 33-year-old explained. Turning 21 next month! The Somali-American IMG Model donned head-to-toe Balenciaga (including her hijab) to protest world hunger with a sign designed by Shepard Fairey The cycle of misogyny continues': The Path actress Freida Pinto - protesting for women's rights - opted for a grey knit sweater, red kilt, and boots crafted by Dior 'Empathy will drive us toward change': The Darkest Minds starlet Amandla Stenberg - protesting for gun control - covered up in a floral Gucci trench coat and black flatforms 'Knowledge is power, and if you give me a platform I will use it.' The Darkest Minds starlet Amandla Stenberg - protesting for gun control - covered up in a floral Gucci trench coat and black flatforms for the socially-conscious spread. 'We must continue to engage with these personal narratives,' the biracial 19-year-old lesbian said. 'Empathy will drive us toward change.' She tied the knot with Hugo Taylor in a lavish fairy tale ceremony back in June. And Millie Mackintosh was still loving life as a newlywed as she shared throwback snaps from the idyllic ceremony on Instagram on Thursday. The former Made In Chelsea star, 29, was a vision of beauty in her bespoke Kate Halfpenny gown, which she wore with the sleeves removed. Stunning: Millie Mackintosh was still loving life as a newlywed as she shared throwback snaps from the idyllic ceremony on Instagram on Thursday Posing beneath a flower arch, the heiress looked phenomenal as she beamed for the cameras. Another snap saw the stunner cuddled up to her new husband as they sat down for the wedding meal following the ceremony. She captioned the images: 'Ok one more wedding throwback as its a Thursday! It really was the best day ever, Im so lucky to have found you @hugotaylorlondon Thank you @savile_rose for making it all happen'. Cute couple: Another snap saw the stunner cuddled up to her new husband as they sat down for the wedding meal following the ceremony A few days prior to their lavish wedding in West Sussex, Millie and Hugo opted for a much more low-key affair to legally bind their marriage in their hometown of Chelsea, before then hosting a religious blessing for family and friends. Millie recently unveiled the bridal outfit she wore, inspired by Bianca Jagger, for the nuptials in a series of loved-up snaps of herself and her beau. Millie looked sensational in the white two-piece that paired together a chic wrap-over blazer jacket, that came complete with statement sleeves and a peplum hem, and complementing ivory white flared trousers. Sweet: A few days prior to their lavish wedding in West Sussex, Millie and Hugo opted for a much more low-key affair to legally bind their marriage in their hometown of Chelsea Look familiar? The beauty, 29, revealed her wedding outfit for the official service took inspiration from Mick Jagger's ex-wife Bianca on their wedding day in 1971 The beauty wore leather court heels on her feet and accessorised her bridal getup with an over-sized floppy hat. She chose to add a pop of colour to her ensemble with a bouquet of roses in various shades of pink. Fashionista Millie took inspiration from Bianca Jagger - the former wife of Rolling Stones star Mick Jagger. Bianca famously married the musician in 1971 in a wedding suit that has been dubbed one of the most 'classic' and 'chicest' of all time by BRIDES magazine. 'Bianca Forever': Feeling inspired, Millie channelled the former actress and opted for a bridal suit that paired a chic wrap-over blazer with statement flared trousers She ditched the traditional wedding dress for a Yves Saint Laurent fitted blazer jacket, wearing nothing underneath, and pairing her designer garment with a flowing skirt and veiled sun hat. As Millie posed in her strikingly similar ensemble, she gushed: 'Bianca forever,' while channeling the former actress and human rights advocate. Looking nothing but smitten in the snaps taken after the couple's official wedding service, Millie is seen planting a kiss on her dapper husband Hugo. He opted to wear a stone-hued linen suit for the occasion, paring a light blue shirt underneath. Beauty: Millie gave fans a look at the natural make-up she favoured for the official service Stunning: The fashionista also shared snaps of herself sporting a boho white dress the morning after she and Hugo tied the knot in West Sussex Millie also gave fans a look at the minimalistic beauty look she favoured for the service - choosing to accentuate her natural beauty with a dewy foundation, long lashes and barely pink lip. She even gave fans a glimpse at the boho-inspired white dress she chose for the day after she and Hugo received a religious blessing for their marriage in a lavish affair they held for family and friends in West Sussex in June. Following their official service in Chelsea, the couple celebrated their marriage by tying the knot at Whithurst Park - which is owned by Hugo's uncle. They were joined by a host of their celebrity friends, including best man Spencer Matthews and his wife Vogue Williams. Their religious blessing was a much more grand and traditional affair, with Hugo donning a tux and Millie designing her dream wedding dress purposely for the occasion. Newlywed: Millie shared a behind the scenes look of her wedding dress fittings on Tuesday, posting a number of exquisite photos to her Instagram account Millie has since shared a behind-the-scenes look of her wedding dress fittings on social media, posting a number of exquisite photos that revealed design sketches from designer Kate Halfpenny as well as selfies of Millie throughout the process. The fashionista enlisted celebrated London designer Kate, who also crafted Emilia Fox's wedding dress, to create her bespoke, off-the-shoulder lace gown. Using French lace, spotted tulle and silk organza, the dress included a quirky detail in its detachable bubble sleeves, while a long veil completed the look. In the photos shared by Millie, a design sketch shows off the original handwritten notes from Kate, with the bride captioning the snap 'where the magic began.' The beginning: The newlywed, who married husband Hugo on June 22, revealed sketches from London designer Kate Halfpenny who created the bespoke gown She included close ups of the dress' gorgeous detail before posing in Kate's London boutique for snaps. Millie also shared a closer look at her stunning gold leaf crown from Tilly Thomas Lux, which complemented the ethereal feel of her dress beautifully. The final touch was her towering Gucci heels, with the platform pair covered in dazzling silver glitter. Stunning: Using French lace, spotted tulle and silk organza, the dress included a quirky detail in its detachable bubble sleeves, while a long veil completed the look Quirky touches: As well as the detachable sleeves, Millie's dress included a lace over skirt which could be removed Millie and Hugo said their vows at his uncle's country estate, Whithurst Park, in West Sussex on June 22. The couple dated in 2011 while on Made In Chelsea, but split when it emerged Hugo had cheated on her with her friend Rosie Fortescue, who attended the wedding alongside a bevy of their other co-stars including Caggie Dunlop and Jamie Laing. They reunited in May 2016 shortly after Millie's split from first husband, rapper Professor Green. Strike a pose: The bride-to-be posed for a number of mirror selfies throughout her fittings Wedding bells: Millie and Hugo said their vows at his uncle's country estate, Whithurst Park, in West Sussex on June 22 Millie was married to the musician, real name Stephen Manderson, 34, for two-and-a-half years. The couple announced their split in February 2016 and finalised their divorce in May 2016, the same week that Millie went public with Hugo. Hugo then popped the question during a holiday in Mykonos, Greece, in July 2017. Detail: Millie also shared a closer look at her stunning gold leaf crown from Tilly Thomas Lux, which complemented the ethereal feel of her dress beautifully Talking about his bride, Hugo told Hello! magazine at the wedding: 'I knew she was The One within about five minutes of us getting back together.' Millie concurred: 'But if we'd stayed together when we were younger, we wouldn't be together now. 'We had to go away, do our separate things and grow as people. We needed that time apart.' Sparkle: The final touch was her towering Gucci heels, with the platform pair covered in dazzling silver glitter After years of partying, it is not surprising that the couple injected details of their wild child ways into the day as they revealed they had named tables after nightclubs they held dear to their hearts - with them sitting on the 'Boujis' table. Speaking of the big day, Millie said: 'The whole day has felt like an out-of-body experience. 'Even in my wildest dreams I didn't imagine it would be this perfect. I am so excited to finally be married to Hugo - he's the love of my life.' Vietnamese leaders extend condolences to Italy over Genoa bridge collapse. (Photo: AFP/VNA) The same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc extended his sympathies to Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte over the tragedy. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also sent a message of condolences to Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Maovero Milanesi. The Morandi Bridge suddenly crumbled on August 14th morning, plunging down 45 metres onto a riverbed, buildings and streets below, burying dozens of vehicles and people under the rubble. According to Reuters, death toll was estimated at 39./. Something is going on between Rihanna and Donald Glover, but nobody is quite sure what. The duo have appeared together in a photo that surfaced online on Thursday and quickly went viral. In the snap, Rihanna is make-up free and rocks long braids, wearing a colorful slip dress that shows off her curves. What's going on? A photo of Rihanna and a shirtless Donald Glover surfaced online on Thursday... and nobody quite knows what it is about She smiles happily and flashes peace signs, or possibly bunny ears since one is behind the obliviousl Glover's head. Glover meanwhile is shirtless, wearing nothing else but red pants and a gold chain; he looks less enthused. He holds a colorful shirt in his hand, as well as a guitar, which may be a hint to he nature of the collaboration. The picture has been sending fans wild online as they try to guess what exactly they are working on. Collaboration: Fans have speculated they are shooting a film together or are working on music Some reports claim the duo are filming a musical movie in Cuba. Some claim it is music video and TV director Hiro Murai's debut feature film, entitled Guava Island. Murai and Glover are frequent collaborators; he directed several episodes of Atlanta, as well as Childish Gambino's internet-conquering This Is America video. Squad: On screen, Rihanna most recently played Nine Ball in Ocean's 8 Others claim or rather hope that Glover and Riri and preparing a music collaboration. Gambino Glover's musical alter ego is also due to perform at Rihanna's annual Diamond Ball in September. On screen, Glover most recently portrayed Lando Calrissian in Solo: A Star Wars Story, while Rihanna played Nine Ball in Oceans 8. The collaboration is unlikely to be a romantic one; Glover just welcomed a second son with long-term partner Michelle in January, while Rihanna is reportedly 'finished with men' after dumping Saudi billionaire Hassan Jameel in June. She is set to enter the Celebrity Big Brother house following speculation she is part of the star-studded line up. And Roxanne Pallett is apparently ready to flaunt her gym-honed physique during her stint in the famous house, as she is believed to have packed 20 bikinis to take with her. The actress, 36, is said to be in the 'best shape ever' following regularly gym sessions and her time on the reality show will ensure she can flaunt her trim figure. Beach babe: Roxanne Pallett is apparently ready to flaunt her gym-honed physique during her stint in the famous house, as she is believed to have packed 20 bikinis to take with her A friend of Roxanne's told the Sun: 'Roxanne is in the best shape she's ever been. She's packed twenty bikinis and hopes the heatwave comes back so she can make use of the pool and hot tub.' According to a Celebrity Big Brother insider, the show's casting team have had their eye on Roxanne for some time, and have finally bagged her but for a hefty fee. The former soap actress, who played feisty Jo Sugden in ITV soap Emmerdale - was left badly shaken after a horrific car crash last month, which saw her hit a wall at 40mph while driving a Formula 2 stock car. Sensational: The actress, 36, is said to be in the 'best shape ever' following regularly gym sessions and her time on the reality show will ensure she can flaunt her trim figure She suffered two badly sprained wrists, bruising and concussion in the incident at the Hunmanby Raceway in North Yorkshire while filming a segment for her breakfast show on Minster FM. A friend of the brunette beauty told the Daily Star: 'Roxanne is still dealing with the after-effects of what happened. But she's made of strong stuff and refuses to let it stop her going into CBB.' MailOnline previously contacted Roxanne Pallett's representatives, and Channel 5 declined to comment. Well paid: According to a Celebrity Big Brother insider, the show's casting team have had their eye on Roxanne for some time, and have finally bagged her but for a hefty fee Roxanne says her boyfriend Lee kept her conscious during her horror crash. Recalling the day that ended in a near-tragedy, the emotional star told Good Morning Britain: 'It's something you never expect to happen to you. I'm so dosed up on painkillers even now and I'm numb and I'm glad I am. 'We were visiting a racing track, it was meant to be a fun afternoon. I just remember being excited and then realising very fast that the car was more powerful than me. 'And when I was revving to drive I didn't expect it to be so quick. I couldn't brake and couldn't turn it around the corner. I could see I was about to hit. And that was when I lost (it). I blacked out.' Recovery: The former soap actress, who played feisty Jo Sugden in ITV soap Emmerdale - was left badly shaken after a horrific car crash last month, which saw her hit a wall at 40mph while driving a Formula 2 stock car As firefighters spent two hours cutting Roxanne out of the car. her Minster FM breakfast show co-host Ben Fry called Lee and told him to speak to her to keep her from losing consciousness. 'It was like time stood still. I remember waking up and feeling out of breath. I must have had my eyes closed. They said I lost consciousness for 30 seconds. They had Lee on the phone to me. 'I had this helmet on, I had this blocked up feeling like I had water in my head. I couldn't hear much or feel anything. Love: Roxanne says her boyfriend Lee kept her conscious during her horror crash 'He was saying 'hold on, stay awake'. I just wanted to go to sleep. I couldn't feel my legs, as soon as I woke up, and my head. I think that's why they airlifted me.' After leaving Emmerdale in 2008, Roxanne competed in Dancing on Ice (in 2009) and has starred in a number of movies, stage musicals and television series including Waterloo Road and Casualty. Her rumoured Celebrity Big Brother stint will be part of a jam-packed summer of reality television appearances for the actress, having already filmed Celebrity Island for Channel 4. She has been enjoying some time away from her busy schedule with a holiday to Mykonos. And Lauren Pope left her fans hot under the collar on Thursday as she took to Instagram to share a sizzling snap of her sporting a tiny red bikini. The 35-year-old TOWIE star had her incredible figure on full display as she posed for the sunset snap on her balcony in Greece. Jaw-dropping: Lauren Pope got fans all hot under the collar on Thursday, as she took to Instagram to share a sizzling snap of her sporting a skimpy red bikini on holiday in Mykonos In the snap, Lauren could be seen posing seductively against a wall in a low-cut red bikini top and matching bottoms, ditching her glasses to show off every inch of her incredible features. With her blonde tresses tumbling down her back, the Essex beauty showed off her effortless tan, rocking a dramatic smoky eye and nude lip. Lauren simply captioned the post 'Mykonos' as she kept fans up-to-date on her sunny travels. Sensational: The 35-year-old TOWIE star has been documenting her recent travels on social media, sharing numerous sizzling photos of herself soaking up the sun Lauren has documented her travels on social media, sharing numerous sizzling photos of herself soaking up the sun while wearing pieces from her swimwear line with Misty The Label. However, Lauren has always remained adamant that she would never reveal her biggest hang-ups or insecurities, as she accepts her body with all its flaws. She told the Daily Star last year: 'I never tell people the parts I don't like about me as thats just noting out your flaws, I've learnt how to work with what I've got and accentuate the good parts, lets put it that way.' Beautiful: Last summer Lauren chose to remove her E cup implants which she had put in as part of a second boob job Last summer Lauren chose to remove her E cup implants which she had put in as part of a second boob job. Speaking to MailOnline at the time, she said of the move: 'I'm back to small boobies! I've thought about it for a long time. It's really hard to explain but it's not a big dramatic decision. It's just I feel like I am taken seriously now in the world of business.' Lauren rose to fame glamour model and embarked on a career as a DJ over a decade ago, but became a series regular on TOWIE in 2010 when she started dating show original Kirk Norcross. She has since gone on to launch her successful extension line Hair Rehab London. Kourtney Kardashian has cut off all contact with her ex Younes Bendjima. According to a Thursday report from People, the beauty did so because she wants to avoid any kind of 'drama' with the model after breaking up with him earlier this summer. The insider added that the 39-year-old TV star didn't want the split to linger on like her split from Scott Disick did. Don't call me and I won't call you: Kourtney Kardashian has cut off all contact with her ex Younes Bendjima, according to People Bye! The beauty did so because she wants to avoid any kind of 'drama' with the model after breaking up with him earlier this summer 'Kourtney isnt seeing Younes. She is happy being single for now,' said a source. And she has learned from her breakup with Scott, with whom she has sons Mason, eight, Reign, three, and daughter Penelope, five, that it's better not to look back. 'After all the drama with Scott over the years, she wasnt going put up with any drama from Younes,' the source added. 'She cut him off. She is focused on her kids and herself.' This comes after a report from People that Scott is 'happy things are over.' Scott is claimed to have 'hated' Younes, an Algerian model who at the age of 25 is a full decade Scott's junior and 14 years younger than Kourtney. Side by side: Scott Disick, Kourtney's ex and the father of her children, is 'happy things are over,' an insider gossiped to People magazine; seen in 2013 Kourtney and Scott both paid visits to Cannes during its film festival last year, and she was glimpsed there with Younes, then her new flame. Scott was photographed in the South of France with a string of women including Bella Thorne, Chantel Jeffries, Ella Ross and Chloe Bartoli. 'Seeing Kourtney date Younes definitely played into [Scott's] partying,' the source gabbed, explaining that Scott has 'never gotten over her and was really hoping to get her back when she first started dating Younes.' Scott would apparently throw over his current squeeze, Lionel Richie's 19-year-old daughter Sofia, and 'get back together with Kourtney in a heartbeat.' Rivals?: Scott is claimed to have 'hated' her toyboy Younes Bendjima (left), an Algerian model who at the age of 25 is a full decade Scott's junior and 14 years younger than Kourtney The insider held: 'Sofia makes him happy but they are also very on and off. It wouldnt be surprising if Scott tried to pursue things again with Kourtney down the line.' Meanwhile, 'Kourtney is doing great' and 'happy being single for now,' said a different insider, insisting: 'She isnt seeing Younes. After all the drama with Scott over the years, she wasnt going to put up with any drama from Younes.' Kourtney, whose flesh-flashing Instagram habits Younes sniped about recently, 'cut him off. She is focused on her kids and herself.' Last month, Kourtney posted an Instagram snap of herself in a barely-there thong bikini that served up a revealing view of her derriere. 'Seeing Kourtney date Younes definitely played into [Scott's] partying,' the source gabbed, explaining that Scott has 'never gotten over her' Younes took a dig at her, commenting: 'thats what you need to show to get likes?' then deleted it - but not before The Shade Room grabbed it. Kourtney's fans began gleefully trolling Younes' Instagram page, which is awash with photos of him swanning about shirtless to show off his chiseled physique. The Kourtney fans gleefully echoed Younes' now-deleted comment, asking: 'thats what you need to show to get likes?' and variations thereof, per The Shade Room. 'Kourtney doesn't appreciate Younes posting his feelings in a public forum and being impulsive,' an insider said to E! News around that time. With their two eldest: Kourtney has three children by the delectable Scott - eight-year-old son Mason, six-year-old daughter Penelope and three-year-old son Reign 'She's frustrated that he continues to get upset about it. She isn't going to stop doing what she's doing and feels like he needs to understand and deal with it.' As news broke of their split, Younes was seen frolicking around in Mexico with model Jordan Ozuna, who issued a statement to E! News maintaining: 'Younes and I are not involved romantically at all. We were both invited to Mexico for a mutual friend's birthday party with 13 other people.' Kourtney has three children by Scott - eight-year-old son Mason, six-year-old daughter Penelope and three-year-old son Reign. Kourtney and Scott, who were introduced in 2006 by Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis in Mexico, last ended their romantic relationship in July of 2015. She always cuts a stylish figure on a night out. And Jessica Wright looked sensational as she attended the KISS Nails and Lashes x launch party in London on Thursday. Posing up a storm as she left the venue, the 32-year-old former TOWIE star worked her angles as she headed home. Showing off her sensational figure, the brunette beauty opted fot a pair of eye-wateringly tight skinny jeans that were cropped to expose a pair of transparent plastic mules. She teamed the garment with a champagne-hued satin cami worn beneath a cream blazer, whilst she accessorised with a a quilted handbag. The elder sister of Mark Wright finished off the look by styling her glossy chestnut locks in loose waves that cascaded past her shoulders and framed her pretty features. Jessica's outing comes after fans flooded a recent post of hers suggesting she looked just like Katie Price Posting a new snap to her 1.3 million followers, Jess struck a pose for the camera with her long dark locks falling around her shoulders, pouting for Britain and looking off to the side of the camera. Comments came in comparing her to the likes of Chloe Sims, Demi Lovato and Cheryl - but most were struck by how much she resembled Loose Women star and former glamour model Katie Price, 40. Remarks flooded in such as 'You look like Katie price in this!' and 'Hell no you look like Katie Price!' Others wrote 'I thought you was Katie Price until I looked at your name you could be twins [sic]' and 'Katie Price so much!' 'Double of Katie Price!!!' another exclaimed. In the shot, Jess wore a white top with what appeared to be pancake stacks or burgers on it. She captioned it: 'When bae asks if youre hungry.' Double trouble? Jessica's outing comes after fans flooded a recent post of hers suggesting she looked just like Katie Price She had reportedly 'dropped' Ferne McCann from being a bridesmaid at her wedding, leaving her reality star pal 'devastated'. However Billie Faiers appeared to have put the drama behind her, as she attended the Kiss Nails and Lashes x Party in London held at the Marylebone Hotel on Thursday. The reality star, 28, oozed glamour in a flirty brown and white polka dot frock, which featured a cold-shoulder style. Glam: Billie Faiers attended the Kiss Nails and Lashes x Party in London held at the Marylebone Hotel on Thursday Billie, looking typically stylish, paired her thigh-split dress with a pair of strappy metallic heeled sandals for the event. The mother-of-two, who appeared to be taking the evening off mummy duties, amped up the glam by wearing her platinum locks in loose waves, swept over to one side. Billie, who is an ambassador for the brand, wore a coat of neutrally toned make-up, enhancing her pretty features with touches of shimmering shadow and gloss. Happy: The reality star, 28, oozed glamour in a flirty brown and white polka dot frock, which featured a cold-shoulder style On trend: Billie, looking typically stylish, paired her thigh-split dress with a pair of strappy metallic heeled sandals for the event Cheeky: The mother-of-two, who appeared to be taking the evening off mummy duties, amped up the glam by wearing her platinum locks in loose waves, swept over to one side Billie kept her accessories to a minimum, adding touches of glitz with a pair of hooped earrings and a delicate silver bracelet. It was recently reported that Billie 'dropped' Ferne from being a bridesmaid at her wedding, because of Ferne's ongoing row with her sister Sam. According to The Sun, the star had decided against having Ferne as a bridesmaid when she marries fiance Greg Shepherd. Stylish: She wore a coat of neutrally toned make-up, enhancing her pretty features with touches of shimmering shadow and gloss Despite claims former BFFs Ferne and Sam had resolved their issues last month, new reports are suggesting Billie has 'excluded Ferne' in order to 'prevent any disputes' occurring on her big day. Ferne and Sam became embroiled in a feud last year, following the arrival of Ferne's daughter Sunday, with the mother-of-one confirming her decision to film her own reality show had caused tension between herself and Sam. The girls later appeared to put their differences aside and resolve any issues between them, however, as they reunited at Billie's Essex-based hen-do at the beginning of July. Glitz: Billie kept her accessories to a minimum, adding touches of glitz with a pair of hooped earrings and a delicate silver bracelet Drama: It was recently reported that Billie 'dropped' Ferne from being a bridesmaid at her wedding, because of Ferne's ongoing row with her sister Sam But sources are now claiming that the feud between them is still ongoing and has now become 'so bitter' it is causing concern for Billie's upcoming nuptials. A source told the paper: 'Billie and Ferne grew up together and spoke from a young age about how they would one day be each other's bridesmaids. 'It was a big shock to Ferne when she was excluded from Billie's list of bridesmaids but she knows it is all down to her fall out with Sam.' They added that while Ferne will still attend Billie's hen do in Ibiza and her wedding, she remains 'upset' that she won't be part of the bridal party on the day. Decisions: According to The Sun, the star had decided against having Ferne as a bridesmaid when she marries fiance Greg Shepherd Feud: Ferne and Sam became embroiled in a feud last year, following the arrival of Ferne's daughter Sunday, with the mother-of-one confirming her decision to film her own reality show had caused tension between herself and Sam A spokesman for Samantha said: 'There is absolutely no truth in this story.' A spokesperson for mother-of-two Billie responded: 'Any claims that Billie has decided not to have Ferne as a bridesmaid because of a situation (which has now been resolved) between her and Samantha are totally false.' They instead insisted Billie 'couldn't choose' between her close friends, as she has so many, so has instead chosen just sister Sam to be both her 'chief bridesmaid and Maid of Honour' on her wedding day. Reunion: The girls later appeared to put their differences aside and resolve any issues between them, however, as they reunited at Billie's Essex-based hen-do at the beginning of July The former TOWIE star was joined at the party by her co-star Jessica Wright, who looked equally stylish in a white structured blazer. Underneath Jessica teamed her jacket with a silk and lace camisole, which she tucked into a pair of very skinny distressed jeans. Jessica tied her look together with a thin white Gucci belt, adding a pair of perspex heels to her trendy look. She wore her glossy raven locks in a sleek loose blown out style, while coating her visage in a layer of make-up. Pals: The former TOWIE star was joined at the party by her co-star Jessica Wright, who looked equally stylish in a white structured blazer Skin-tight: Underneath Jessica teamed her jacket with a silk and lace camisole, which she tucked into a pair of very skinny distressed jeans Posing up a storm as she left the venue, the 32-year-old former TOWIE star worked her angles as she headed home. Jessica's outing comes after fans flooded a recent post of hers suggesting she looked just like Katie Price Posting a new snap to her 1.3 million followers, Jess struck a pose for the camera with her long dark locks falling around her shoulders, pouting for Britain and looking off to the side of the camera. Comments came in comparing her to the likes of Chloe Sims, Demi Lovato and Cheryl - but most were struck by how much she resembled Loose Women star and former glamour model Katie Price, 40. Sexy: Francine Lewis put on a eye-popping display in a nude cut-out number Wow: Francine's assets were on full display as she teamed her look with a pair of strappy heels His fiancee confirmed their engagement on Tuesday. But Nick Jonas was all alone on Wednesday as he was spotted while out and about in New York. The 25-year-old musician looked trim and well put together as he showed off his bulging biceps in an all-black ensemble. On his own: Nick Jonas was all alone on Wednesday as he was spotted while out and about in New York Matching skinny pants with a zip neck shirt, Nick seemed to be channeling a European DJ look. He offset the dark outfit with white slip-on shoes and crossbody Laval bag wrapped around him. The Scream Queens actor's dark locks were perfectly coiffed, and he shaded his eyes with dark aviators. He added an extra touch of embellishment with a shiny gold watch. Buff: The 25-year-old musician looked trim and well put together as he showed off his bulging biceps in an all-black ensemble It was rumored that he and his now finacee Priyanka Chopra, 36, got engaged in June. And the Indian actress confirmed their engagement on Tuesday as she showed off her stunning diamond engagement ring on Instagram. She is currently in Mumbai, India, making a film and made the big reveal as she posed with Bollywood star Raveena Tandon who then posted it on social media. Fit: Matching skinny pants with a zip neck shirt, Nick seemed to be channeling a European DJ look Just hours before that, it had been revealed that Nick and Priyanka were planning to introduce their families to one another in Mumbai this coming weekend. The website DNAIndia.com is reporting that the actress is planning a party for her close friends and family members this weekend and that Nick and his family will be flying out to India to be there, too. 'Priyanka has sent out messages to close friends and family members to set aside time on August 18 for a party,' a source told the website. 'Its exactly a month after her birthday and those close to the Quantico actress feel that she may make an official announcement about her relationship status at the bash.' She gave birth to her second child, a daughter called Gia, just seven months ago. And Nicole Trunfio showed off her incredible bikini body during a romantic vacation with husband Gary Clarke Jr. in Spain, on Thursday. The 32-year-old flaunted her washboard abs and super toned pins in a skimpy animal two-piece by Matteau Swim as she soaked up the sun on a San Sebastian beach. Wild thing! Model Nicole Trunfio shows off her incredible post-pregnancy figure in a leopard print bikini after giving birth to her second child just seven months ago The loved-up couple appear to be enjoying a romantic getaway without their two children, Zion, three, and little Gia. Nicole captioned one of her picture perfect snaps 'Postcard for the babies'. The model and entrepreneur also wore gold necklaces from her own line, Erth Jewellery. Romantic vacation: Nicole is currently enjoying a romantic getaway with her husband Gary Clark Jr. in San Sebastian, Spain The brunette beauty recently revealed she feared she would lose her modelling career after the birth of Gia in January. Speaking to Stellar magazine, she said she was concerned the industry would see her as a 'family woman.' 'Being a woman with two kids, you take on the role of family woman,' she revealed. And I thought people would just see me that way now.' Nicole tied the knot with American musician Gary in 2016. The model who was discovered in Western Australia rose to fame as the winner of Supermodel of Australia in 2002. She has just returned from a romantic getaway to Greece with her boyfriend Jed Elliot. And Jade Thirlwall looked sensational as she attended an in-store performance of Alice for Fiorucci in London on Thursday. The Little Mix star, 25, flashed her envy-inducing stomach in a stylish crop top from the Italian fashion brand. Stylish: Jade Thirlwall looked sensational as she attended an in-store performance of Alice for Fiorucci in London on Thursday Jade couldn't resist flaunting her tiny midriff in the daringly short number, which she teamed with a cardigan draped off her shoulders. The songstress teamed it with a pair of stylish denims, which were rolled up and ripped at the knees. Boosting her petite height in a pair of white ankle boots, Jade looked flawless as she worked her angles. The star enhanced her striking features with a glamorous coat of make-up, which complemented her tumbling brunette locks. Fabulous: The Little Mix star, 25, flashed her envy-inducing stomach in a stylish crop top from the Italian fashion brand Top of the crops: Jade couldn't resist flaunting her tiny midriff in the daringly short number, which she teamed with a cardigan draped off her shoulders Walk this way: Boosting her petite height in a pair of white ankle boots, Jade looked flawless as she worked her angles She and her Little Mix bandmates - Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock - have recently commenced work on their new album. Meanwhile, Jade previously revealed she was struggling with the constant distance between herself and beau Jed as she admitted once again that they 'never' see each other. The former X Factor star, who has previously revealed her frustrations at not being able to see Jed, admitted it was 's***' and it felt like she was in the early throes of a romance with him. Speaking to The Mirror, Jade admitted: 'Weve been together two years but it feels like weve only just started going out because we never see each other. Gorgeous: The star enhanced her striking features with a glamorous coat of make-up, which complemented her tumbling brunette locks Stars: She and her Little Mix bandmates - Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock - have recently commenced work on their new album Love: Jade previously revealed she was struggling with the constant distance between herself and beau Jed as she admitted once again that they 'never' see each other 'Its been a bit s*** not seeing each other I must admit,' Jade continued. The beauty, who endured 38 hours of travel 'hell' to spend time with Jet in Los Angeles last summer, previously admitted she 'hardly ever' gets to see her boyfriend. Jade is thrilled with how her relationship with the rocker has progressed - but had admitted their busy schedules make it difficult. She shared: 'We hardly ever see each other as he's signed in the US and I'm always on tour, but we fly to see each other as much as possible.' Her man: The former X Factor star has previously revealed her frustrations at not being able to see Jed The Bachelor's Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins, 30, has revealed the stomach-churning reason why his first ever taste of coffee became his last. During his date with Shannon Baff on Thursday's episode, Nick was inspired to share the cringeworthy tale of his coffee-drinking disaster after the 25-year-old blonde admitted she didn't like the salmon meal he had prepared for her. In an attempt to make her feel better about the situation, Nick decided to revisit he embarrassing moment he mistook a container of instant coffee granules for a jar of Milo aged 15. 'This looks like Milo!' On Thursday's episode of The Bachelor, Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins (right) revealed the stomach-churning reason why he refuses to drink coffee. Pictured left: Contestant Shannon Baff 'I was working at Woolworths. I was 15. I was seconds from bloody being brown bread, alright? Dead! ' he told a giggling Shannon. 'I thought, "Righto. I am absolutely tinned fruited here". I was close to pulling the pin and I thought, "I need some spark up". He continued: 'And I [go] into the tea room and I'd never made a coffee before and I grabbed a Styrofoam cup but I filled it up three-quarter way with instant coffee!' We all make mistakes! During his date with Shannon, Nick was inspired to share the cringeworthy tale of his coffee-drinking disaster after the 25-year-old blonde admitted she didn't like the salmon meal he had prepared for her 'Oh my God!' squealed Shannon. Nick went on to describe how he added just a small amount of milk to the coffee granules before mixing it together. 'I mixed it with a spoon. I'm like, "This looks like Milo! This could be good!" he said. 'It scratched the whole way down [my throat] and I was thinking, "How do people do this on a daily basis?"' Nick described how he added just a small amount of milk to a glass three quarters full with instant coffee - and unsurprisingly it tasted revolting 'And I went bang, like that!' he added, while motioning a drinking action. 'It scratched the whole way down [my throat] and I was thinking, "How do people do this on a daily basis?" That's why I haven't had coffee since!' The Bachelor Australia continues Wednesday at 7.30pm on Network Ten Photo: AFP/VNA It is reported that no Vietnamese citizens were killed or injured in the calamity. The office of Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said Mr. Conte arrived in Genoa on the evening of August 14th and stayed until August 15th to monitor the situation. Meanwhile, Italian Defense Minister Elisabetta Trenta stressed that the army is ready to provide human resources and vehicles for rescue, while search efforts continue to find survivors in the wreckage. At about 12pm (local time) on August 14th, a 200-meter stretch of the Morandi Bridge on the A10 highway collapsed and fell on a railroad track, a factory and many other houses from the height of about 100m. Many vehicles were tumbled and buried in ruins along with the victims. The bridge was struck by lightning in a thunderstorm and then collapsed. The case also disrupted rail services in Genoa./. Treasurer Scott Morrison is tight-lipped about how much ground the government is willing to give to get its corporate tax cuts through the Senate. The government faces the seemingly impossible task of convincing enough Senate crossbenchers to support slashing the tax rate for all businesses from 30 to 25 per cent. Ahead of the cuts being debated and voted on in the upper house next week, senior ministers have publicly rebuffed all offers of compromise. A suggestion from independent senator Derryn Hinch to limit the tax relief to companies with turnovers of up to $500 million and exclude the big banks has been consistently rejected. Mr Morrison said the legislation would be put up for debate as it stands, but acknowledged he and others had been locked in discussions with crossbench senators for some time. "They've continued over the course of this week, prior to that bill being considered next week, and we'll see what happens there," he said on Thursday. "I'll leave those discussions and what's been put about in those negotiations in that room, and that will present itself to the Senate at the appropriate time." On current numbers the legislation appears doomed to fail, with just four of 10 crossbenchers backing the cuts, leaving the government four votes short. Asked to guarantee the government would take the tax cuts to the next election if the vote fails, Mr Morrison said: "I can guarantee that we're putting it into the Senate ... and we're going to seek to pass our full promise that we made at the last election." An infertile woman who planned the murder of a vulnerable Victorian mother to take custody of her children maintains she is innocent of the killing. Christine Lyons, 47, was found guilty by a Supreme Court of Victoria jury in June of murdering Samantha Kelly, as part of a plan with her lover Peter Arthur to send the 39-year-old "on a permanent holiday". Arthur is serving a 22-year prison sentence after he fatally struck the disability pensioner and mother-of-four to the head repeatedly with a hammer. Christine Lyons was also found guilty of attempted murder over a failed attempt to kill her days earlier with a cocktail of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Her former lover Ronald Lyons, who is not related to her, was cleared of murder by the jury but convicted of attempted murder. Ronald, 46, was also found guilty of assisting an offender after buying two shovels and helping Arthur bury the body in a dry creek bed. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Victoria was told during a plea hearing that Christine had an intellectual disability, was "never able to escape poverty and disadvantage", and lived in a tent in a forest at one point with Ronald and his three sons. Her defence barrister Peter Kilduff said Christine maintained her innocence and was currently in protective custody at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre women's prison, where she spent her days untangling aeroplane headsets. Christine had a hysterectomy in 2014 after suffering cancer and reportedly had a "powerful desire" to have a family. Mr Kilduff argued Christine did "not strike the fatal blow" and that Arthur had an opportunity to withdraw from the agreement. He said Arthur and was not working below Christine, "the matriarch", as part of a "pecking order". Ronald's defence barrister Jarrod Williams argued his client's role "was somehow less involved". But Justice Stephen Kaye described his conduct, including crushing pills into a drink as part of an attempt to murder Ms Kelly, as "absolutely deplorable" and "extremely heartless". "The whole motive - it's evil, it's bizarre," he said. "There's not even any relationship with Christine and yet he chose to join in." In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Kelly's mother Vivien spoke of her grief at not having the chance to repair her relationship with her daughter. "I wish I had been closer to her to protect her from you," the statement read. "These thoughts haunt me." Ms Kelly's brother Michael and his partner said they had taken custody of his sister's "four very traumatised children". Justice Kaye described their actions as a "beacon for humanity" and a "self sacrifice...in raising these four beautiful children". "May I commend most warmly what you and your partner have done for Ms Kelly's children," he said. Christine and Ronald Lyons will be sentenced at a date to be determined. A young woman has died in hospital two days after a truck crashed into the back of her hatchback in Sydney's west. The 24-year-old had stopped her Suzuki Swift at an intersection on the Great Western Highway in Blacktown on Monday night when it was rear-ended by a truck carrying an excavator and pushed onto the median strip. The woman suffered severe head injuries and died in hospital on Wednesday, NSW Police said. The 35-year-old truck driver has been tested for drugs and alcohol while his truck has been seized for mechanical tests. The Queensland branch of Katter's Australian Party should call out Senator Fraser Anning for using the Nazi phrase "final solution" during a speech on immigration, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says. Senator Anning was praised by federal leader Bob Katter after making his first upper house speech in Canberra on Tuesday during which he referenced the phrase and call for more "European immigration". Ms Palaszczuk on Thursday called on Queensland party leader and Mr Katter's son, Robbie Katter, to call out the "disgusting" remarks. Rebel government senators have unsuccessfully tried to condemn the use of gender-inclusive language across the defence force and private sector. Queensland Nationals senator Barry O'Sullivan moved a motion on Thursday, asking the upper house to note recent reports that the Australian Defence Force stopped has using gender-specific pronouns. It also took aim at the Victorian government encouraging people to not use gendered pronouns and Qantas' policy to stamp out "gender-inappropriate" language used by staff. Liberal frontbencher James McGrath said the government supported free speech but couldn't support the motion because of factual inaccuracies. But that didn't stop a slew of conservative coalition senators including Eric Abetz, Amanda Stoker, Jim Molan, John Williams, Ian Macdonald and Lucy Gichuhi breaking ranks. Senator O'Sullivan's motion, which was defeated 33-12, called for a rejection of overhauling longstanding language use. He wanted to condemn "crusading" governments, activists and corporate leaders trying to enforce a specific "world viewpoint on linguistics and social policy". Defence Minister Marise Payne voted against the motion, along with cabinet colleague Simon Birmingham. Greens senator Janet Rice said none of Senator O'Sullivan's examples presented a threat to anyone's freedom of speech. "It's only a matter of time before gender inclusive language becomes the norm," Senator Rice said. Senator O'Sullivan has crossed the floor on a handful of Senate votes during this sitting week, his first since being demoted to an unwinnable position on the Queensland LNP's upper house ticket. The former cellmate of a NSW prisoner who was bashed to death while behind bars is facing extradition from Adelaide after being arrested. For seven years, the now 58-year-old suspect has not been prosecuted over the death of his former cellmate Ian Klum. Klum was allegedly assaulted in his cell at Grafton Correctional Centre in June 2010. He died in hospital four days later. An arrest warrant was issued for Klum's former cellmate in September 2015 after a police strike force and two coronial hearings into the death. Investigations revealed the man was living in South Australia and on Wednesday he was arrested in Port Adelaide. He remains in custody at Adelaide watch-house as NSW detectives fly southwest to apply for his extradition on Friday. The Anglican church must strip Peter Hollingworth of his holy orders amid a police review of allegations against him, child protection campaigner Hetty Johnston says. Queensland police are looking into claims the former governor-general failed to act on sexual abuse allegations when he was the archbishop of Brisbane. In 2016, Dr Hollingworth apologised during the child abuse royal commission for letting pedophile priest John Elliot keep working, admitting he had put the clergyman's needs above those of his young victim. On Wednesday, he expressed surprise at news of the police review, saying through his lawyer that allegations against him had already been the subject of four inquiries. Ms Johnston, founder of the child protection group Bravehearts, led the vigorous campaign that led to Dr Hollingworth's resignation as governor-general in 2003. In that case, she highlighted Dr Hollingworth's alleged inaction in an abuse case involving a girl who attended a church school in Toowoomba. On Thursday, she said it was time for the church to act decisively, and for Dr Hollingworth to forgo the generous pension he receives as a former governor-general. "There's no way the taxpayer should be paying him the kind of money they are paying him in retirement. And there's no way he should be a bishop," she told AAP on Thursday. "I don't know what the church is thinking. Do they think that because the royal commission is over, everything can go back to normal? If they want the community to respect them again, they have to earn that. And they're not doing that." Comment has been sought from the church and Dr Hollingworth's lawyer. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Dr Hollingworth's lawyer Bill Doogue said he was yet to be approached by police. He also pointed out that none of the previous inquiries into his conduct had suggested he committed any offence. Last year, the abuse royal commission found Dr Hollingworth had made a "serious error of judgement" in allowing Elliot to remain in the ministry. It found he had "focused overly on Elliot's needs to the exclusion" of the victim and his family, and of the need to protect children more generally. A patchwork of proposed marine parks featuring varying levels of conservation doesn't go far enough to preserve the NSW coastline, the opposition says. Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Thursday announced a plan to establish 25 offshore sites between Newcastle and Wollongong. They will be zoned in three different ways, meaning some would still allow fishing, while others would see the practice banned and only boating and diving permitted. But opposition environment spokeswoman Penny Sharpe said the strip of coast deserved a single conservation zone. "A network of protected sites does not a marine park make," Ms Sharpe said in a statement. "The government has been talking about a Sydney Marine Park since 2014 yet today's announcement is just an announcement to talk more and deliver less when it comes to single iconic marine park for Sydney." But Ms Berejiklian told parliament not all sections of the coastline should be treated the same. "Our approach is based on science and research," the premier said. Greens MP Justin Field congratulated the government for taking a step towards conserving the state's coastline but argued a single, continuous marine park would be better. The proposal is open for community consultation over the next six weeks. A Queensland farming family is urging the federal government to ensure it has plans in place to secure the next generation of farmers beyond the current drought crisis. Alison and Scott Todd took over the 90,000 acre Brigalow Downs farm, near Bollon in southern Queensland five years ago and have been in drought ever since. As much as dealing with the present, the Todds are also looking ahead and want their three children to have a property to take over so they aren't lost to farming. They have worked to keep their children Grace, Will and Olivia insulated against the worst of the pressures they're facing, but because they're homeschooled they are always on the farm and are well aware of the problems of running a property in a drought. "They're mature beyond their years and have a vast understanding of life and death," Alison said. Ultimately though, Alison says, it will be her children, and others like them, who will be asked to take up the mantle of farming, and the government has to ensure there are farms there for them to take over. "This next generation cannot be lost and there simply will be no one to replace them on the land," she said. "Doing what we do is not for everybody, it's hard to live in isolation and educate your kids. "But it's in our blood and we love it, and that's why farming families need to stay with what they're doing, because the country needs them." They were forced to get rid of all but 300 of their cattle, and now feed them, 2500 ewes and lambs and a handful of goats with an ever-dwindling stock of hay and cottonseed. "Drought means never quiet reaching your full potential," she told AAP. "It takes a lot of extra time, money and manpower to end up with the same product as you would if you were in a normal season." The federal government this week announced extra assistance measures for farming families under drought pressure, including payments of up to $12,000 for eligible households to help pay for groceries and other staples. Alison says that's a big help, but spreading the payments between September and March made things difficult. "If they wanted to dribble it out they should have offered support much earlier than what they are currently doing." Origin Energy boss Frank Calabria has called for an end to state government subsidies for rooftop solar panels on residential homes. Mr Calabria, the chief executive of one of Australia's biggest energy retailers and producers, said after years of support the time has come to end government support for installation of rooftop solar electricity systems. "We believe the cost of those systems now no longer warrant a subsidy," Mr Calabria said. "We believe it can stand on its own merits as a source of new energy." The energy boss, who was on a call with media to discuss Origin's full-year financial results, said he supported the stance of ACCC boss Rod Sims, who recently advocated an end to state government-funded solar feed-in tariffs schemes in a report on electricity affordability. Mr Calabria said another reason to end subsidies is that the cost of them is shared among all electricity consumers. "When we're all thinking about things we can do to reduce cost for our customers, those feed-in tariffs and those rebates just add and get socialised amongst all customers, whether they have solar or not," he said. Origin is a large player in the home solar panel installation business and Mr Calabria said he believed uptake of rooftop solar photovoltaic systems would continue despite the end of subsidies because the costs have come down. 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. 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. 7 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Acclaimed author Christos Tsiolkas has joined a call by leading creative figures for Australian airlines to defy federal government orders to forcibly deport unsuccessful asylum seekers. The man behind homegrown bestseller The Slap signed an open letter on Thursday warning airlines deportations could seriously damage their reputations. Tsiolkas joined musicians John Butler and Mark Seymour and writer Benjamin Law in putting his name to the document. Refugee groups released the statement last week after several airlines in the US and Britain agreed to refuse deportation orders. Brynn O'Brien, executive director of the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility, said she was concerned the human rights of people being deported cannot be guaranteed, putting Australia at risk of violating its international obligations. Qantas said in a statement last week government and courts are best placed to make decisions on immigration matters, not airlines. Virgin Australia said it works with government organisations to transport passengers for a range of reasons and would continue to take advice on the issue from relevant authorities. The issue shot to prominence in recent weeks after footage of a woman disrupting a flight carrying an asylum seeker being deported from Sweden went viral online. Others who have signed the open letter include businesswoman Janet Holmes a Court and former Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs. Australian director Peter Weir has told a Cambodian court that fellow filmmaker and alleged spy James Ricketson "could be annoying" but is the victim of an "unfortunate misunderstanding". "He's an artist, don't misunderstand him," Weir told a bench of three judges on Thursday. "We're strange people but we're pretty harmless." Weir said Ricketson could annoy people with his opinions and would always argue his case strongly but "he's a freethinker like me" and was not a member of any political party. Weir told the trial he had directed actors including Robin Williams, Jim Carey and Mel Gibson and worked for production companies like MGM, Walt Disney and Paramount. Ricketson, 69, also produced 1600 pages of evidence handed to him by Cambodian prosecutors alleging he was a spy and that this dates back to when he first visited the country in 1995. Ricketson said the documents were taken from his computer and included emails to journalists, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. "There's not one shred of evidence in there to support claims I am a spy," he said before the start of his espionage trial. Dressed in prison orange and looking tired after and having lost weight after more than a year in prison, Ricketson was met in the packed court room by family and friends including Weir. Weir appeared as a character witness for Ricketson who was accused of spying after flying a drone over a rally by an opposition party before local elections in June last year. "I had to come up," Weir told AAP outside the court. "He's been one of my best friends for 45 years and we live in the same suburb." The director of films such as Gallipoli and Dead Poets Society spoke eloquently and gripped the public gallery as he took the stand for more than an hour on Thursday. Weir said Ricketson had visited him more than a year ago and told him how he wanted to film from above an island and so he had bought a drone. "I saw the shots and they were beautiful. James is totally a non violent man but he's always filming with his camera," he told the court. Ricketson was born in Melbourne but moved to Sydney to attend university in the late 1960s. He told judge Seng Leang his home address was in Palm Beach in Sydney. Ricketson's case faced a further delay after his lawyer surprised the court with a further bail application, which was again rejected. Ricketson said some of the emails on his computer were sent to opposition politicians including Sam Rainsy, former leader of the now banned Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP). But he added those emails were conducted in the normal course of business between a journalist and a politician. Ricketson's case was tied to the CNRP ahead of elections held three weeks ago which were marred by controversy. His trial was adjourned until August 20. The ethical perils of business lunches have been highlighted by a damning Corruption and Crime Commission report that revealed up to a decade of bribery of public servants at Perth's North Metropolitan Health Service. Some of the bribery was obvious, such as travel packages worth tens of thousands of dollars and cash in envelopes. But they also enjoyed long, boozy lunches at expensive restaurants such as Cocos and Galileos. CCC Commissioner John McKechnie said dining gifts were "a bit more insidious". "If I said, 'Here's $2000', you'd probably say, 'Hang on, that's a bribe. I can't take that.' But spend $2000 on nice lunches over a year, there's no dollar-value difference," Mr McKechnie told AAP. "One people don't recognise immediately as a bribe and the other, they do." The commission suggested prosecuting authorities consider laying criminal charges against three former NMHS employees and 11 private sector contractors that paid the bribes in return for being awarded work. Health Minister Roger Cook said the Health Department would pursue "every avenue possible" to recover severance paid to the corrupt ex-employees. Mr McKechnie said more misconduct could be uncovered as the investigation continued. A memorial erected by Australian soldiers to mark the bloody battle of Long Tan during the Vietnam War has found a new home in Canberra. Diggers installed the Long Tan Cross in Southern Vietnam in 1969 to commemorate their comrades who fought and died. The cross was returned to Australia during a secret operation in early 2017. On Friday morning it will be unveiled as the latest exhibition on display at the Australian War Memorial. The battle of Long Tan saw Australian and New Zealand soldiers fight a Viet Cong force that was 10 times their size, for over three hours in monsoonal rain. Eighteen Australian soldiers died and 24 were wounded in the battle - considered to be the most costly single engagement for Australia in the Vietnam War. The Vietnamese government donated the cross to Australia, and it will remain as a permanent exhibition at the War Memorial, in time for the 52nd anniversary of the battle on August 18. Firefighters admit they won't have all bushfires in NSW under control before conditions worsen over the weekend. Two homes have been lost, another damaged and 16 other buildings destroyed by bushfires in the state's south while blazes in the north also threatened residences. Almost half of the 79 blazes still alight across NSW on Thursday evening were out of control. NSW Rural Fire Service Inspector Ben Shepherd said favourable conditions on Friday, similar to those on Thursday, would help firefighters backburn and use other methods to contain the blazes. "But they won't all be under control before Saturday," he told AAP. "We'll be doing as much as we can before those winds increase on Saturday." Westerlies reaching 40km/h are predicted for Sydney on Saturday while the chance of rain is just five per cent. At Ulladulla, where residents evacuated when the Mount Kingiman blaze proved dangerous earlier in the week, light breezes on Friday are expected to give way to 50km/h winds on Saturday. Two separate blazes in Ellangowan and Ramornie in northern NSW were the final fires to be downgraded from watch and act warnings to advice messages on Thursday evening. The RFS earlier confirmed the Bemboka fire on the south coast had burnt down two homes and four outbuildings in the Bega Valley, while 11 outbuildings were lost in the Mount Kingiman blaze nearby. One home was confirmed damaged in the North Nowra blaze. Nine regions including Sydney have a high fire danger rating for Friday while all other areas have low-moderate ratings. Some farmers battling the drought are so frustrated by weather forecasts they joke they'd be better off studying the behaviour of ants, galahs or even emus to predict when it might rain. Graziers and crop farmers alike argue times might be tough but what's worse is the false hope created by forecast rains that never arrive. "It just breaks your spirit," sheep farmer Chris Blunt from Emu Swamp told AAP. "You've got to consider the anxiety and stress you're putting blokes under - bringing their hopes up and then dashing them. "I'm almost getting to the point now where whatever the bureau says you think it's going to be the opposite." Some people believe bull ants build their nests high before heavy rain while others insist galahs hanging upside down from power lines is a sure sign a deluge is imminent. "Emus are an interesting one," Parkes farmer Wayne Dunford said. "One year in July I'd never seen so many emu nests around everywhere ... and we had a cracker, had a flood and everything." The 68-year-old says he's heard governments say "You should be farming by forecast". "Well, we'd be broke in 12 months if we did," is his response. There hasn't been good rain in the region - five hours west of Sydney - for more than a year. But ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes director Andy Pitman says the Bureau of Meteorology, "given the resources they have and the complexity of the problem, is doing as well as anyone in the world" but has issues managing expectations. Graziers are being forced to sell their livestock and crop farmers are looking at dust rather than productive paddocks but inaccurate forecasts cause the most mental anguish for many, according to Mr Dunford. "The biggest mental health creator at the moment is the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting," he said. "It just gets people down something terrible especially when 50 to 60 millimetres is forecast and you get 5mm." NSW Water Minister Niall Blair understands the frustration. "Absolutely we're disappointed and when I travel around and speak to farmers it's the common theme that they're all quite frustrated that in 2018 we can still be so wrong in some of our forecasting," he said. Some on the land are turning to European modelling for better data, according to Mr Blair. "When we have farmers relying on modelling and forecasts coming from other parts of the world you've got to question how we're missing the mark so much here in Australia," he said. But the bureau's NSW state manager Ann Farrell says while temperatures and winds can be similar across large areas, rainfall can vary greatly. "Farms located next to each other might experience significant rainfall differences as weather systems move across the landscape, raining on some areas and missing others," she said. "Because of this, our forecasts include information about the chance of any rainfall, along with a possible expected rainfall range." Conservative Christian baker Jack Phillips, pictured in 2017, is headed for a new showdown with the state of Colorado, this time over a birthday cake for a transgender woman A Colorado baker who gained notoriety for refusing to make a wedding cake for a gay couple is headed for a new showdown with the state, this time over a birthday cake for a transgender woman. Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in the suburbs of Denver, filed a lawsuit against the state on Tuesday claiming that his rights to freedom of speech and religion were being violated. Phillips grabbed headlines in June after the US Supreme Court, in a bombshell decision, partially ruled in his favor in the case involving the same-sex couple. The justices voted 7-2 that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had displayed anti-religious hostility towards Phillips, thus violating his constitutional rights. The court, however, did not address the issue of whether a business can decline to serve gays and lesbians on religious grounds. The new case involves Autumn Scardina, an attorney who ordered a cake with a pink interior and blue exterior in June 2017 to celebrate her birthday as well as the seventh anniversary of her transition from male to female. Scardina filed a complaint with the state Civil Rights Commission after being told Phillips could not fill the order because of his religious beliefs. State authorities in June of this year said there was sufficient evidence to support Scardina's claim of discrimination and urged both parties to reach an amicable resolution. Phillips in his lawsuit -- which is likely to stoke the debate over religious freedom and LGBT rights -- argues that he is being unfairly targeted by the state because of his religious beliefs. "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 over six years now, Colorado has been on a crusade to crush Plaintiff Jack Phillips... because its officials despise what he believes and how he practices his faith." Advertisement Hazmat suit-wearing medics are continuing their desperate bid to contain a new outbreak of ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has killed at least 42 and terrified the war torn region. In the the Beni region of the country's eastern province of Kivu, the twin perils of war and disease have bred fear and despair. The region is haunted in particular by the Allied Defence Forces, a Ugandan Islamist rebel group blamed for hundreds of civilian deaths over the past four years. An Ebola patient is lead by two medical workers into a Biosecure Emergency care Unite in Beni. Ten CUBEs which will be used for the first time to treat Ebola patients, are being constructed by The Alliance for International Medical Action in response to the Ebola outbreak A health worker gets ready to perform checks at an Ebola treatment centre in Beni An Ebola patient is lifted up by two medical workers after being admitted into a Biosecure Emergency care Unite On August 1, Beni declared an outbreak of Ebola epicentered in Mangina - a small town that had been a relative haven from the fighting - where six members of the same family died of the disease. 'I fled here from Kokola, where the ADF were committing atrocities,' said Pascaline Fitina, a 36-year-old woman, sitting alone, her head in her hands. 'I went to my elder sister, but she has died of Ebola and her husband is being quarantined at the treatment centre. I don't what to do.' In the Beni region, in the Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern province of Kivu, the twin peril has bred fear and despair Pascal Lukula, a 38-year-old farmer with five children, said he was stuck in Mangina, unable to get to other members of his family, because of the encroaching militia. 'We are caught between the hammer and the anvil,' he sighed. 'The ADF's on one side, and Ebola on the other.' The Congolese health ministry said Wednesday the death toll in the east had reached 42 out of 66 probable and confirmed cases. The outbreak - the country's 10th since the disease was discovered in then-Zaire in 1976 - was announced just a week after the end of an Ebola flareup in northwestern Equateur province that claimed 33 lives. The infected will be treated in 10 Biosecure Emergency care Units (CUBEs), which will be used for the first time to treat Ebola patients and are currently being constructed by The Alliance for International Medical Action in response to the outbreak. Ebola causes serious illness including vomiting, diarrhoea and in some cases internal and external bleeding. It is often fatal if untreated. The disease is caused by a virus that is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads among humans through close contact with the blood, body fluids, secretions or organs of an infected person. In Mangina, located 30km (18 miles) southwest of the city of Beni, suspicion and rumour seem to have spread across the population. Containers of chlorinated water have been installed in front of all shops and in the markets to provide rudimentary hand protection. An unconfirmed Ebola patient is lead by two medical workers to his new ward in a Ebola Treatment Centre Medical workers at a special treatment centre in Beni disinfect the coffin of a suspected Ebola fatality 'I wear gloves to protect me from the epidemic,' said Jonas Mumbere, 26, who drives a motorcycle taxi. 'Customers have started to think twice about getting on the motorbike for fear of contamination.' Elodie Zena, a 28-year-old sex worker, said: 'Business has dropped off - customers are afraid. I've heard that even the sweat of someone who is infected can contaminate us. I've got two children and I don't how I can feed them.' Health experts have long fretted about the problems of combating Ebola in the DRC, a vast country that is poor and unstable and shares boundaries with nine countries. Three medical workers check on an Ebola patient in a Biosecure Emergency care Unite On August 1, Beni declared an outbreak of Ebola epicentered in Mangina - a small town that had been a relative haven from the fighting - where six members of the same family died of the disease On Tuesday, the World Health Organization chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also warned that conflict had helped create 'a conducive environment for the transmission' of Ebola. Hanna Leskinen of the International Committee of the Red Cross said the grassroots work in combating Ebola lies in locating and treating patients and isolating people who have been in contact with them. In North Kivu, 'people are moving around all the time, fleeing the latest wave of violence,' she said. 'It enormously complicates search and followup of infected people.' Another worry is for the safety of health workers - 'the police and army are providing night-and-day security' for them, said North Kivu's governor, Ephrem Kasereka. The United States slapped tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods in early July, triggering an immediate dollar-for-dollar retaliation from Beijing China will send a senior negotiator to the United States in late August to resume trade talks, its commerce ministry said Thursday, the first public meeting on the dispute in weeks as the trade conflict intensifies. Beijing and Washington have slapped tariffs on tens of billions of dollars worth of each other's goods since they held their last high-level meeting in June, raising fears that the trade war could shake the global economy. At the invitation of the United States, a delegation led by Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen, the deputy representative on international trade negotiations, will meet with a team led by senior US treasury official David Malpass, the ministry said in a statement. "The Chinese side reiterates that it opposes unilateralism and trade protectionism practices and does not accept any unilateral trade restriction measures," the ministry said. "China welcomes dialogue and communication on the basis of reciprocity, equality and integrity." White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow confirmed the meeting and said, "I just think this is a good thing. It's better to talk than not talk." "We haven't had a sit-down with the Chinese either at the top level or the intermediate level in quite some time," he said on CNBC. US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross held talks with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in Beijing in June. Liu had met with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in Washington a month earlier. The White House previously said it would not hold talks unless Beijing was willing to offer a deal to reduce the US trade deficit but Kudlow declined to say whether there was a deal under discussion. But he said the Chinese government "must not underestimate President Trump's toughness and willingness to continue this battle." - Tit-for-tat - Talks in June failed to reduce tensions as the United States slapped tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods in early July, triggering an immediate dollar-for-dollar retaliation from Beijing. The two countries are expected to launch a new round of tit-for-tat tariffs on $16 billion worth of goods from each country on August 23. Washington has also lined up an additional $200 billion in Chinese imports and US President Donald Trump said he could raise tariffs on those products to 25 percent instead of the previously planned 10 percent. Those could take effect as soon as September. China responded by threatening in early August to impose new tariffs on $60 billion worth of US goods. "It is hard to tell how the talks will go but it's a positive signal that the two countries are looking for some compromise plan," said Makoto Sengoku, market analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Institute. "If they were determined to fight it out, they wouldn't meet," he told AFP. Larry Hu, head of greater China economics at the Macquarie Group, said the two sides may discuss what Beijing needs to do, such as increasing US imports, further opening its markets and making efforts to protect US intellectual property rights. Depending on actions taken by China, the US side may discuss what it can do to temporarily prevent an escalation of the trade war, Hu said. "I think we are still at an ice breaking stage, the two sides are testing each other's bottom line," he said, noting that it will be a lower-level meeting than the previous talks. - 'Generally controllable' - The yuan has declined in recent weeks, helping Chinese exporters as it makes their products cheaper, but it could fuel tensions with Trump, who has accused Beijing of manipulating its currency. Meanwhile the dollar has been strengthening, in part due to rising US interest rates. Trump touted that in a tweet Thursday, even though a stronger dollar hurts US exports. "Our Economy is doing better than ever. Money is pouring into our cherished DOLLAR like rarely before..." he said on Twitter. Chinese officials say the tariffs have yet to make an impact on the country's economy, with its exports even beating forecasts in July. The threatened tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods could have "some direct impact" on industrial production, employment, foreign trade and commodity prices, but "the overall impact is generally controllable," Cong Liang, spokesman at the National Development and Reform Commission, told reporters on Wednesday. But analysts warned that China could feel the full effect of tariffs in August. Trump has boasted that trade wars are "easy to win" and warned he would hit virtually all Chinese imports if Beijing does not back down and take steps to reduce its $335 billion surplus with the United States. China does not import enough from the United States to match Washington dollar-for-dollar, but it has warned that it could fire back with other measures. New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate Finance Minister David Parker have introduced new curbs on foreign property ownership New Zealand has passed legislation curbing foreigners' ability to buy residential property in a bid to rein in the South Pacific nation's booming housing prices. The law, which passed late Wednesday, meets a key campaign pledge from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who vowed to make housing more affordable before her election last year. The new restrictions mean an almost complete ban on non-nationals buying residential property in New Zealand, with only a couple of exemptions. "This is a significant milestone and demonstrates this government's commitment to making the dream of home ownership a reality for more New Zealanders," Associate Finance Minister David Parker said. He added that the change "ensures that the market for our homes is set in New Zealand, not on the international markets". New Zealanders generally prefer to own their own homes, rather than rent, but record migration levels and a shortage of housing stock have driven up prices. A government report earlier this year found house prices had risen 30 percent in the past five years, outstripping income increases by two-to-one, rising to four-to-one in the country's largest city Auckland. As a result, it said home ownership had slipped to a 60-year low. Ardern's centre-left government says foreign buyers are a large part of the problem because they outbid locals. In the past, it has singled out Chinese buyers as a major driver in the Auckland market, sparking allegations of racism from critics. The new rules will prevent foreigners living in countries such as China, the main source of foreign buyers, from buying homes in New Zealand. However, Australians, the second most common foreign buyers, will be exempt due to free trade agreements, as will Singaporeans. New Zealand's remoteness, once considered a hurdle for buyers, has also made it popular for ultra-rich foreigners looking for a bolthole. They include US tech titan Peter Thiel, director James Cameron, Russian steel magnate Alexander Abramov and US broadcaster Matt Lauer. Parker specified the new rules would apply "whether it's a beautiful lakeside or oceanfront estate, or a modest suburban house". Real Estate Institute of New Zealand chief executive Bindi Norwell questioned the need for the new rules, saying foreign buyers only made up a small portion of the market. "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," she told stuff.co.nz. Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the leading group on construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, presides over a meeting of the group in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 15, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng on Wednesday stressed efforts to build the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area into a vibrant world-class bay area. Han, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the leading group on construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, made the remarks at a meeting of the group. "China should strengthen planning and guidance in the construction of the area to combine the advantages of different cities, and push for coordinated regional development," Han said. Policies that bring people benefits should be implemented, including providing better environment for Hong Kong and Macao residents to start businesses in the mainland, and reducing roaming fees by big margins in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao area, he said. Efforts should be made to attract global innovation resources into the area and build an international tech innovation center at the area, Han said. "Authorities should push the construction of the greater bay area within the framework of the 'one country, two systems' principle and strictly abide by the Constitution and Basic Law," he stressed. [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Kim Jong-gyu, 83, is one of the dwindling number of people left whose families were torn apart during the 1950-53 conflict, which sealed the division of the Korean peninsula. Most have died without ever seeing their loved ones again The first reunions in years of families divided by the Korean War evoke bittersweet memories for Kim Jong-gyu, whose few hours with her brother in 2014 -- under the watchful eyes of the North's agents -- were probably their last ever together. "I felt so lucky and so happy to see that my brother was alive," said the 83-year-old. "But seeing him for only a few hours after being separated for several decades was really harsh," she told AFP. "It was way too short, and too heartbreaking." Kim is one of the dwindling number of people left whose families were torn apart during the 1950-53 conflict, which sealed the division of the Korean peninsula. Most have died without ever seeing their loved ones again. Since 2000, the two Koreas -- between which all civilian communication is banned -- have held 20 rounds of family reunions, largely when their volatile relations have eased. The divided Korean peninsula The latest meetings are the first in three years, a period during which the nuclear-armed North has carried out three atomic tests and scores of ballistic missile launches. The South's President Moon Jae-in and the North's leader Kim Jong Un agreed to resume the gatherings at their first landmark summit in April, held in the Demilitarized Zone that runs across the peninsula. The reunions will see a total of 181 Southerners cross the frontier for three-day visits to meet their relatives at the North's scenic Mount Kumgang resort, with one group going on Monday and a second following on Friday. Participants are chosen by lottery -- after which checks are carried out to ensure their relatives are still alive -- and are seen as extremely lucky. - Praising the general - But the short, highly-choreographed events meant to help assuage wounds that have burned for more than a half century barely allow them the chance to try. Each time, the Southerners and Northerners are confined to two different hotels and allowed to see each other only over two meals and a separate two-hour session, limiting their overall reunion to a total of only about six hours. When Kim Jong-gyu attended a cross-border family reunion in 2014, some Northerners were seen bellowing speeches extolling the "Great General" and a Southerner sang the praises of Lord Jesus to their relations from the other side, who looked visibly uncomfortable The years have often taken their toll and some find it hard to mend the decades apart, clinging to senile or almost-deaf parents or siblings, tearfully shouting "Don't you remember me? It's me!" before bitterly giving up attempts to communicate. At Kim's reunion in 2014, some Northerners were seen bellowing speeches extolling the "Great General" and a Southerner sang the praises of Lord Jesus to their relations from the other side, who looked visibly uncomfortable. Another was traumatised by the sight of her emaciated family members. "I saw one (Southern) lady crying in the bathroom during the reunion, beating her chest and murmuring repeatedly 'I shouldn't have come'," Kim said. "She was apparently shocked at the sight of her relatives who looked so poor." - 'They died one by one' - Her brother Kim Hui-yong -- aged 88 at the time -- was paralysed on one side. "I had so many questions to ask and had so much (to) tell... but I chose my words carefully and spoke what I thought was really necessary," Kim said. "I was afraid for his safety just in case... you never know how and when one could get into trouble in the North." The eldest son among six siblings, Hui-yong set off from the family's hometown in rural southern Yeongju county in 1942 aged 17 -- when Jong-gyu was six -- to look for work. At the time the resource-rich northern part of the peninsula was more developed than the agrarian south, and he eventually got a job at a factory in the now North Korean city of Hungnam before the war broke out. "My brother was the smartest one among six children of my family, and losing him was losing a bright light in my family," said Kim, who was accompanied by two younger sisters not even born when Hui-yong left. Kim Jong-gyu's parents missed her older brother all their lives -- his mother often staying awake past midnight listening to a locomotive rumble by a nearby station, hoping that her son might finally be on a train returning home Their parents missed him all their lives, his mother often staying awake past midnight listening to a locomotive rumble by a nearby station, hoping that her son might finally be on a train returning home. Both her parents and two other brothers passed away before seeing him. "They died one by one, passing the dream of being reunited with the oldest brother to the next," she said. "Then it was my turn... and I saw the whole family's dream finally come true." The two siblings tearfully said goodbye, although her brother told Kim: "There could be a day when we will meet again. Let's bid farewell without crying." Back at home in Yeongju, Kim goes to church every Sunday to pray her brother is still alive and healthy, and for the two Koreas to reunify. "But I don't think I'll see him again," she said. "I think he must be dead by now. "At least I saw him once, though only for six hours. I am blessed." Chinese relatives of those who disappeared on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 had earlier this month expressed frustration that the long-awaited official report -- totalling some 1,500 pages -- had no new clues about the missing airliner and had not been translated into Chinese Chinese relatives of those who disappeared on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 on Thursday asked to meet the country's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad when he visits China this week. The plane disappeared in March 2014 with 239 people -- mostly from China -- on board, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Amid a heavy police presence, about a dozen relatives gathered outside the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing where they handed over a letter addressed to the Malaysian government. "We ask that Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir, or other representatives (of the Malaysian government) meet with Chinese relatives of those on board MH370 during the official visit," the letter read. Mahathir, who became Malaysia's premier for a second time after a shock election victory in May, will arrive in China Friday for a five-day visit, including a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday. Other requests include resuming the search, a monthly meeting with airline and Malaysian officials, as well as for investigators to thoroughly explain the recent investigation report. A similar letter was also given to the foreign ministry. "We're holding out hope that on this visit to China, (Mahathir) can quickly resolve the issue with MH370," said Gu Xiu Fang, whose son and his family were on the plane. "We don't know anything about the situation. Our lives have stopped at March 8, 2014," she said. Relatives had earlier this month expressed frustration that the long-awaited official report -- totalling some 1,500 pages -- had no new clues about the missing airliner and had not been translated into Chinese. The investigation team wrote that it was unable to determine the real cause for the disappearance of the plane. The vanished airliner sparked the largest hunt in aviation history but no sign of the jet was found in a 120,000-square kilometre (46,000-square mile) Indian Ocean search zone and the Australian-led hunt was suspended in January 2017. US exploration firm Ocean Infinity resumed the search in a different location at the start of this year on a "no find, no fee" basis, using high-tech drones to scour the seabed. The private search was called off after failing to find a trace of the plane but Mahathir had said the search could resume if new evidence shows up. Only three confirmed fragments of MH370 have been found, all of them washed up on shores in the western Indian Ocean. The Cambodian People's Party (CPP) led by strongman Hun Sen won all 125 seats in parliament during last month's poll US travel sanctions targeting Cambodian officials are "useless", a ruling party spokesman said Thursday, as the kingdom shrugs off international criticism of a one-sided election win. The Cambodian People's Party (CPP) led by strongman Hun Sen won all 125 seats in parliament during last month's poll. The main opposition did not contest the vote after a court dissolved the party, clearing the way for a landslide victory for the CPP. Western governments have decried the election and the US State Department on Wednesday announced an expansion of visa restrictions to include Cambodians responsible for a crackdown on dissent in the run-up to the "flawed" vote. But a spokesman for the CPP called the move "useless". "The restrictions or so-called sanctions on Cambodia will not be effective," Sok Eysan said. "For example, if I don't want to go to that country, how can they block my visa?" Washington did not name the officials targeted by the expanded list but it has already hit the chief of Hun Sen's bodyguard unit with financial sanctions in June. The CPP is hailing an 83 percent turnout as a sign of a overwhelming popular support. But critics say the election was a sham and highlight the 600,000 spoiled ballots as a sign of serious disquiet while others were intimidated into casting ballots. Relations have soured between the US and Cambodia in recent years. Hun Sen, who has been in power for 33 years, has instead turned to China for cash and loans to make good on development promises. The 66-year-old accused the opposition last year of conspiring with the US in a plot to overthrow the government, and police arrested opposition leader Kem Sokha on treason charges. US hotel group Marriott has angered a Taiwan frnachise hotel for caving to pressure from the Beijing government The owner of a Starwood-branded hotel in Taiwan said Thursday it will terminate its contract with Marriott International, in protest over the US group caving in to Beijing pressure to list the island as part of China. Marriott was strongly criticised by Chinese authorities in January for listing Taiwan -- along with Tibet and Hong Kong -- as separate countries, all regions which Beijing claims under its authority. After the Chinese government shut down Marriott's local website for a week, the hotel chain apologised and changed the listing to "Taiwan, China." But the Four Points by Sheraton in Zhonghe, a district of the capital Taipei, announced -- in a front page advertisement in local newspaper the Liberty Times -- it will terminate its franchise agreement with the parent group. "We are sternly protesting against Marriott International unilaterally listing our hotel as 'Taiwan, China'" on the simplified Chinese version of a booking website for members, the advert read, adding it would "dissolve" its contract. Simplified Chinese is used in mainland China. A more complicated traditional version is used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and on that version of the website the island is still listed as "Taiwan". Four Points by Sheraton is a brand of business hotels under the Starwood brand, which was bought by Marriott in 2016. Lily Cheng, a spokeswoman for the Zhonghe hotel, told AFP its name will now be changed and it will no longer take reservations from Marriott's booking system. "Of course it will cause some impact, but our main customers are corporates, and Taiwanese people, and other booking websites," she said. Marriott did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China is swift to condemn any moves that could be interpreted as de facto diplomatic recognition of the government in Taiwan. It has taken a number of airlines, hotels and other companies to task in recent months for listing Taiwan as a separate country on their websites. The foreign ministry lodged an official protest with the US for allowing Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen to transit in Los Angeles en route to Paraguay this week, during which she gave a rare public speech by a Taiwanese leader on US soil. Afghan Shiite mourners buried the dead on Thursday from a suicide attack on an education centre the day before, even as gunmen launched another attack in war-weary Kabul Rights groups Thursday condemned a suicide blast inside a school that killed dozens of students in Kabul a day earlier, as outrage over the attack grew while tearful families buried loved ones in the war-weary Afghan capital. The Islamic State-claimed blast hit an education centre in a Shiite area of western Kabul where students were studying for college entrance exams. The attack was just one of the most shocking in a blood-soaked week across Afghanistan that has left security forces and civilians reeling. Two gunmen attacked an intelligence training centre in Kabul Thursday, firing on security forces for several hours before they were killed, police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said, adding that there were no other casualties. Thursday's attack was also claimed by the Islamic State via their Amaq propaganda service. In addition to the IS attacks, Taliban militants also delivered high-profile, demoralising blows in the strategic city of Ghazni -- which they attacked last week, forcing security forces backed by US air power to struggle for days to push them out -- and in Faryab, where they captured a northern base, killing at least 17 soldiers. Security forces in Afghanistan, beset by desertions and killings, have suffered staggering losses since US-led NATO ended its combat mission in the country in 2014. The week's violence has raised questions about their ability to hold off the resurgent Taliban. The surge in violence comes just weeks after Afghans marked an unprecedented country-wide ceasefire between the Taliban and government forces in June But civilians have long taken the brunt of the violence in Afghanistan -- especially in Kabul, a target of both the Taliban and IS -- and Wednesday's attack on the school was branded a "war crime" by Amnesty International. The majority of the victims were children, most aged between 16 and 18, authorities said, and were studying for their university entrance exams. Amnesty warned it proved "beyond any doubt that Afghanistan and, in particular, its capital Kabul, are not safe", and said European countries must stop returning Afghan refugees to the war-torn country. UNICEF, meanwhile, branded the attack "deplorable" and called for parties on all sides of the conflict to protect children. Outrage was also growing on social media, where Afghans condemned the attack and angrily denounced those behind it -- as well as the government for failing to protect them. Facebook user Ramazan Ali Ramazan described the victims as an "asset" to the country. "Death and hatred to this government and filthy terrorist that everyday they are killing innocent Afghans," he added. - 'They are killing us' - Families of the dead held a mass funeral Thursday where mourners wept and clutched the wooden coffins. An industrial-sized digger helped soften the arid ground for the fresh graves as men removed rocks from the soil with pickaxes. Mourners decried the unrelenting bloodshed, while others dismissed murmurings of possible ceasefires and peace negotiations between the government and the Taliban, even though the attack was claimed by IS. Outrage was also growing on social media, where Afghans condemned the attack and angrily denounced those behind it -- as well as the government for failing to protect them "Death to your ceasefire and death to your ghost peace talks," cried one of the funeral attendees. "They are killing our educated people and every day they are killing us." The surge in violence comes just weeks after Afghans marked an unprecedented country-wide ceasefire between the Taliban and government forces in June, offering temporary relief to civilians. The brief respite sparked hopes the truce could clear the way for talks to end the nearly 17-year-old conflict. However the devastating attacks across the country in recent days have led many to question how such negotiations could move ahead. "Everyday we are witnessing deadly attacks in Kabul and other major cities. So, I believe the Taliban do not believe in peace talks," said shopkeeper Shahenshah Shahin in Kabul. Analysts have suggested the Taliban may be trying to shore up its position before any potential negotiations by proving they can hit government installations at will. "The Taliban will try to have an upper hand during talks, so we can't rule out more attacks until a ceasefire," said Taliban expert Rahimullah Yusufzai. Analysts have suggested the Taliban may be trying to shore up its position before any potential negotiations by proving they can hit government installations at will "It's the fighting season and the Taliban will want to rack up victories before winter." The group has been conducting blistering attacks on security forces across Afghanistan, including the massive, days-long onslaught on Ghazni during the past week. Small pockets of Ghazni began opening up to humanitarian aid Thursday, while partial mobile service returned after telecommunications infrastructure and government buildings were destroyed during the onslaught. The UN has warned of unconfirmed reports suggesting up to 150 civilians might have been killed in the fighting. Militant attacks and suicide bombings were the leading causes of civilian deaths in the first half of 2018, according to a recent UN report. Seoljeong (C) was ordered to step down amid mounting allegations he forged his academic credentials, accumulated vast wealth, and broke his vows of celibacy South Korea's biggest Buddhist denomination ordered its executive head to step down Thursday amid mounting allegations he forged his academic credentials, accumulated vast wealth, and broke his vows of celibacy. The 56-14 vote of no confidence in Seoljeong, president of the Jogye Order, by its central committee is the first in a history that dates back hundreds of years -- the organisation is believed to have been established in the 12th century. With more than 3,000 temples, 13,000 monks and seven million followers, it accounts for most of South Korea's Buddhists and is highly influential in a country where religion remains a powerful social force. But it has long been dogged by corruption allegations and factional feuds. Many rank and file members and civic groups have staged protests to demand Seoljeong's resignation over the allegations, and a senior reform-minded monk was taken to hospital this month after a 41-day hunger strike outside the Jogyesa temple, the order's headquarters in central Seoul. The order's spiritual leader Patriarch Jinje has also called for Seoljeong's ouster and Buddhist activist Cho Jae-hyun said the order's 24-member Council of Elders was expected to approve the move next week. Pressure has mounted on Seoljeong since a television programme revealed in May that he claimed in his autobiography to have graduated from the prestigious Seoul National University, which the school denies. The broadcast also said he had fathered a daughter in breach of celibacy rules, and owned large real estate holdings despite taking a vow of poverty. Seoljeong, 76, took office in November and denies all the allegations, accusing a Jogye Order "old guard" of seeking to derail his reform drive by framing him. The eight-year term of his predecessor Jaseung -- who backed his candidature and is believed to remain influential -- was also marred by allegations of corruption, gambling and broken celibacy. Reformists have called for a mass rally of monks at the Jogyesa temple next week to press for sweeping changes. "We call for the resignation of all the old guard, not only President Seoljeong but all the central committee members to pave the way for reform and democracy", Kim Young-Kuk, head of the Buddhism Reform Movement, told AFP. The Jaseung faction was seeking to sacrifice Seoljeong to fend off criticism over corruption, he said. "It's like a lizard cutting its own tail to escape from a predator." In 1994 the Joygesa Temple was the scene of violent clashes between rival factions of monks over control of the order's executive posts, with many monks and riot police injured. Following the battle, the order adopted a reformist constitution but Kim said the drive for change soon lost steam. A 2014 survey by Korea Gallup showed 22 percent of South Koreans identify themselves as Buddhist, followed by 21 percent Christian and seven percent Catholic. Taiwan coffee chain 85C Bakery Cafe angered Beijing by serving coffee to Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen in Los Angeles this week A Taiwan coffee chain that faces pressure in China after serving the island's president has disappeared from Chinese meal-ordering platforms, as Beijing warned it would oppose any businesses that support Taiwanese independence. 85C Bakery Cafe found itself in the crosshairs of China's campaign to isolate Taiwan following a visit to one of its stores in Los Angeles this week by Tsai Ing-wen, the president of self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its own. 85C sought to tamp down mounting calls for a boycott in China with a statement on Wednesday distancing itself from the independence-leaning views of Tsai's political party. But the coffee outlet has since disappeared from major Chinese take-out delivery apps, which an 85C company official confirmed to AFP on Thursday. "We have noticed the situation and we hope it won't be permanent," said the company official in Taipei, who asked not to be named. 85C earns more than 60 percent of its revenue in China, and losing its presence on food delivery apps would be devastating. Taiwan is a self-ruled democracy that considers itself a sovereign state but has never declared formal independence. But China views the island as part of its own territory, and has escalated a campaign to isolate Taiwan internationally since Tsai came to power in 2016. A growing number of international companies including airlines and hotels have been bending to pressure from Beijing to refer to Taiwan as part of China. Taiwan's state-aligned Central News Agency on Thursday quoted a top official with China's Taiwan Affairs Office, Long Mingbiao, as saying in Beijing that any company that expects to invest and "make money" in China must adhere to its policies. 85C's problems began after Tsai stopped off at a Los Angeles branch of the cafe this week during a US visit in which she became the first Taiwanese leader in 15 years to give a public speech on American soil, something Beijing staunchly opposes. Internet users in China lashed out with boycott threats and calls for the coffee chain to quit the Chinese market. burs-azk-dma/rma 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) 4 1 [ Editor: zyq ] Parts of the Bangladeshi capital ground to a halt for more than a week earlier this month as students took to the streets to demand better road safety Bangladesh police said Thursday they have arrested nearly 100 people as they step up a crackdown after student protests that paralysed the capital. Dhaka and other cities were brought to a standstill for more than a week by tens of thousands of students demanding better safety measures after two teenagers were killed by a speeding bus. Police in Dhaka said they have detained 97 people "for violence and incitement in the social media" during the demonstrations that began on July 29. The moves have sparked fear among activists, protest leader Bin Yamin Mollah told AFP "Everyone is in a panic," he said. "Almost all the students who have led the protests have gone into hiding." "Many students who posted about the protests have either changed their Facebook accounts or removed their posts. Even yesterday two students were arrested for their Facebook posts. Teachers are being harassed for supporting the protests," he said. The detentions include acclaimed photographer Shahidul Alam and actress Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed, who were held over comments made on Facebook during the protests. Writer Pinaki Bhattacharya, a high-profile critic of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has not been seen since intelligence officers asked him to report to their headquarters on August 5, his father told AFP. On Wednesday police arrested a 22-year-old student leader Lutfun Nahar Luma at a remote hideout. Dhaka police's cyber crime chief said Monday that officers have investigated about 1,000 Facebook accounts they say spread rumours during the unrest. Rights groups have criticised the crackdown and the violence used to end the protests. About 1,000 people were injured in police action and attacks by pro-government groups on students and journalists. On Wednesday, Human Rights Watch said the arrests 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. sa/tw/hg The United Nations says that the hundreds of schools it runs for Palestinian refugees, like this one in Gaza City, will open as scheduled for the new academic year but a freeze in US contributions means they only have funding for the first month Hundreds of UN-run schools for Palestinian refugees will open on time after fresh funding temporarily staved off a financial crisis triggered by a US contributions freeze, the United Nations said on Thursday. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said all 711 schools it runs for 526,000 pupils in the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria would open for the coming school year. There had been warnings from UN chief Antonio Guterres and others that the schools might not be able to open due to funding shortages provoked by US President Donald Trump's decision to withhold aid to the Palestinians. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) said it had mobilised an additional $238 million since the start of the year, but added that it currently only had enough cash to keep its services operating through September. "We need a further $217 million to ensure that our schools not only open but can be run until the end of the year," the agency said in a statement. The schools are due to open over a staggered time period between August 29 and September 2. UNRWA has faced a $300 million freeze in funding from the United States as Trump demands changes to the agency and seeks to pressure the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table. Other countries have since provided additional contributions but UNRWA says it is not enough. The agency provides services to more than three million Palestinian refugees and their descendants across the Middle East and employs more than 20,000 people, the vast majority Palestinians. Last month, UNRWA announced it was cutting more than 250 jobs in the Palestinian territories due to the funding crisis. UNRWA was set up after the 1948 war that accompanied the creation of Israel, during which more than 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes. Israel argues the agency is biased against it and perpetuates the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. UN officials and others say that the agency provides vital services to the vulnerable communities under its mandate. The communist country is notorious for jailing its critics but the harsh sentence was the heaviest in years An outspoken activist in Vietnam was jailed for 20 years Thursday for allegedly calling for an election boycott and inciting environmental protests in the one-party state that has little tolerance for dissent. The communist country is notorious for jailing its critics but the harsh sentence was the heaviest in years as a hardline administration in charge since 2016 intensifies its crackdown against activists. Le Dinh Luong was convicted for "attempting to overthrow the state" in a half-day trial against the 52-year-old who appeared gaunt and grey-haired in court in central Nghe An province. The swift trial was conducted with none of his witnesses allowed to testify, which the court mysteriously blamed on "health reasons", his lawyer Ha Huy Son told AFP. "I asked for a cancellation because witnesses were not allowed to speak, but they were not brought to court," Son said, confirming the 20-year jail term. A prominent activist in the region, Luong was accused of posting clips online inciting people to join months-long protests following a toxic leak by a Taiwanese steel firm that caused mass fish deaths in 2016. Luong was also blamed for calling for an election boycott that year, according to state media. His wife told AFP Thursday he had been unfairly targeted for trying to help people. "My husband is innocent. He has only acted on behalf of the poor and victims of injustices," Nguyen Thi Quy said. Luong joins scores of dissidents, bloggers and lawyers behind bars in Vietnam, where public protests of any kind are banned and political parties prohibited from forming. All media is state-run in the country and many activists like Luong have turned to social media to air grievances. But a new cybersecurity bill that requires Facebook and others to hand over user data and remove "offensive" content if requested by the government threatens to censor one of the few remaining platforms available to activists in the country. Human Rights Watch slammed the charges against Luong ahead of Thursday's verdict. "Locking people up for simply exercising their rights isn't working, and more activists will continue to step forward," deputy Asia director Phil Robertson said. Atal Bihari Vajpayee has battled poor health for years but his condition has deteriorated sharply in recent days, doctors said Prime Minister Narendra Modi lead a procession of Indian leaders to visit Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his bedside Thursday after the three-time premier was put on life support. The 93-year-old has battled poor health for years but his condition has deteriorated sharply in recent days, doctors said, sparking a flurry of visits from top dignitaries. "He is critical and is on life support systems," All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital in Delhi said in a statement Thursday. He was hospitalised more than two months ago with a kidney infection and chest ailment but illness has kept him out of the public eye for years. Vajpayee, a former journalist and poet turned politician, is credited with helping lay the foundations for the meteoric rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the political powerhouse that rules India today. Modi, party chief Amit Shah and BJP ministers Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh were among the top figures to visit the stricken Vajpayee on Thursday. None have spoken publicly about his condition, but the surge in visits has stoked speculation that Vajpayee could be fast fading. Vajpayee was one of the few opposition lawmakers inside parliament when India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, still held office. His more than five-decade long career peaked in the 1990s, when his masterful oratory attracted tens of thousands of people to his rallies across the country. He also became the first non-Congress leader since India's independence in 1947 to complete an entire term in office as head of a BJP-led ruling alliance between March 1998 and May 2004. Many top ministers in cabinet today -- including Modi -- were protegees to Vajpayee and his deputy Lal Krishna Advani in past administrations. He embarked on a historic bus ride to arch-rival Pakistan in 1999 and held talks with then-premier Nawaz Sharif in the city of Lahore. But his peacemaker image was shattered when Pakistan-backed forces pressed over the disputed Kashmir border and he later helped ramp up tensions in South Asia by testing nuclear weapons in 1998. Vajpayee withdrew from the public eye after a BJP-led alliance suffered a shock defeat in 2004. He has since rarely been seen or heard in public. It is widely reported that he suffered a stroke in 2009 which largely confined him to his New Delhi residence. He continues to enjoy devotion in many parts of the country, especially in key bellwether Hindi-heartland states in north and central India. Vajpayee's often conciliatory tone, and poetic jibes directed at opponents, attracted popularity on both sides of the political divide. Chadian armed forces have been ordered to expel all illegal gold miners from a troubled area in the far north of the country The Chadian government said Thursday it would assert control over part of the country's far north which has been troubled by a gold rush and a rebel incursion from neighbouring Libya. Chad's armed forces have been ordered to expel all illegal gold diggers from the areas of Miski and Kouri Bougri in the Tibesti region, Security Minister Ahmat Bachir said on state radio. "The defence forces have been ordered to destroy all large machines and water containers and burn all the gold miners' stores and other equipment" in land and air operations, the source said. Troops have also been told to arrest "anyone wandering around in the area", he said. The discovery of gold in the region has triggered an influx of illegal miners from other parts of the country, often leading to violent incidents with local people. On Saturday, rebels opposed to President Idriss Deby crossed into Tibesti from Libya, killing at least three Chadian soldiers, including a colonel, in an attack on Kouri Bougri, a military source told AFP. The operation -- which the Chadian authorities said on Saturday had been "repelled" -- was claimed by the Military Command Council for the Salvation of the Republic (CCMSR), which claims to have several thousand fighters. About 100 vehicles, some of them equipped with 14.5mm and 12.7mm machine guns, were used in the attack, the military source said. As well as hefty jail terms, the legislation punished the dissemination of what authorities deemed fake news with a fine of up to 500,000 ringgit ($120,000) Malaysia's parliament repealed a controversial law on Thursday that punished spreading "fake news" with up to six years in jail and which critics said was aimed at stifling dissent. The legislation was pushed through in April by the former, scandal-tainted regime in the run-up to a hotly contested general election, sparking a storm of anger. Political opponents said the law was a crude tool aimed at silencing criticism of the then government and its leader Najib Razak, particularly over the corruption mega-scandal surrounding sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. As well as hefty jail terms, the legislation punished the dissemination of what authorities deemed fake news with a fine of up to 500,000 ringgit ($120,000). However, Najib and his long-ruling coalition unexpectedly lost power at the landmark elections in May, bringing to power a reformist alliance which had campaigned on a pledge to abolish the law. Making good on that promise, lawmakers voted in favour of repealing the fake news law on Thursday after a three-hour debate. Charles Santiago, an MP from the ruling Pact of Hope coalition, told AFP the move was part of the new government's "commitment to take away all legislation that impinges on human rights and freedom of expression". Teddy Baguilat, a member of a Southeast Asian grouping of MPs who fight for better human rights, praised the move as "a huge step forward. "This is a law that was clearly designed to silence criticism of the authorities and to quell public debate -- it should never have been allowed to pass in the first place." Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who ousted Najib at the polls, was investigated for allegedly spreading fake news days ahead of the election. He was an opposition leader at the time. Malaysia is one of several countries in Asia that have turned to such legislation, emboldened by US President Donald Trump's fulminations against "fake news", but activists warn authoritarian regimes will use the laws to target opponents. Keita has a reputation for being generous, irascible -- and a stickler for French grammar Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who notched up a landslide re-election victory on Thursday, has built a reputation as an uncompromising leader. The 73-year-old won 67 percent of the vote pitting him against his former finance minister Soumaila Cisse in a run-off on Sunday, though the opposition has vowed to contest the outcome. "He believes in strong, centralised power, that is for sure," said former colleague Boubacar Bah. Keita, known universally by his initials IBK, is described variously by his entourage as generous, irascible and divisive. He is also surgically precise in his French, prone to using the imperfect subjunctive -- a mode usually only seen in high-flown literature -- in his speeches. The polls saw the native of Koutiala, a southern city near the border with Burkina Faso, fight off challenges by no fewer than 23 candidates, some of whom had served on his cabinet. On the campaign trail, opponents accused Keita of spending too much time accepting awards abroad while jihadist and ethnic violence raged in the north and centre of the country. "He did not manage to solve the country's major issues: the return to peace and the issue of insecurity," said Abdoulaye Cisse, who supported former prime minister and poll candidate Modibo Sidibe. Keita, who had five successive prime ministers during his first term, waved off criticism. "There is 'IBK-bashing' and 'Mali-bashing', which could last for awhile and to which I pay no heed," Keita told AFP in a pre-election interview. "Let me tell you, IBK is not a shrinking violet, he has no reason to be." Keita, who also garnered an overwhelming majority in his 2013 election, maintains that he has helped to stabilise the country in the heart of the fragile Sahel region. Mali has been gripped by violence since jihadists exploiting a 2012 ethnic Tuareg separatist uprising took over key cities in the north. The extremists were largely driven out in France's Serval operation launched in January 2013 -- but large stretches of the country remain lawless, and hundreds have died this year alone in inter-communal violence and jihadist attacks. But in the AFP interview the president said Mali faces only "pockets of violence and remnants of terrorism", defending Bamako's "colossal financial effort" in fighting the unrest. Speaking to reporters on the return flight from a tour of three African countries to woo diaspora voters, he said: "There's no more war-mongering in Mali today." - Rise to the top - After studying literature in his home country, Senegal and France -- his great-grandfather was a French colonial soldier who died in the Battle of Verdun in World War I -- Keita became an advisor for the EU's overseas development fund before heading a development project in northern Mali. He campaigned against general Moussa Traore, Mali's former president ousted in 1991 by a military coup. He then rose through the ranks under Alpha Oumar Konare, the country's first democratically elected president. As a socialist prime minister between 1994 and 2000, he quelled a series of crippling strikes, earning a reputation as a firm leader and helping to set up his landslide election in 2013. Rumours regularly surface about Keita's health, which he also dismissed: "It may surprise a lot of people, but I feel perfectly fine." Taleb Jubran, director of the department of tourism and antiquities in Hebron, points to a Roman-era burial site discovered near the West Bank city of Hebron, on August 16, 2018 A set of Roman-era tombs dating back some 2,000 years have been discovered near the Palestinian city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank during road works, an official said Thursday. The cemetery dating to the first century AD, when the region was under Roman rule, was found in the village of Idna in the southern West Bank around two weeks ago. It was discovered during road work in mountainous terrain in the area, said Taleb Jubran, director of the department of tourism and antiquities in Hebron. Bones, pottery and some 32 tombs set into stone were found. It was clear to archaeologists that artifacts had been stolen from the site before it was officially discovered, said Jubran. "This discovery is very important for us to study it and to preserve it," Jubran said. Taleb Jubran, director of the department of tourism and antiquities in Hebron, works at a newly discovered Roman-era burial site in the West Bank on August 16, 2018 The tombs were set out over a space of some 50 metres. Officials also hoped to turn the site into a tourist attraction, while further study of it would continue to turn up details of what was found and its importance, he said. A large number of remains from the Roman era can be found and visited in Israel and the Palestinian territories as well as the region as a whole. An Iraqi magistrate has issued an arrest warrant for Omar Ameen -- arrested in California by FBI agents -- on charges of murder of an Iraqi policeman in 2014 as a member of the Islamic State jihadist group US authorities have arrested an alleged Islamic State member and murderer who entered the country as a refugee, raising questions about the strength of the government's refugee screening process. Omar Ameen, 45, was arrested Wednesday in Sacramento, California by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, three months after an Iraqi magistrate issued an arrest warrant charging him with the murder of an Iraqi policeman in 2014, the Justice Department said. Ameen, from Rawah in Anbar province, entered the United States in 2014 after being granted refugee status, and recently sought permanent resident status by applying for a "Green Card" work permit. But US authorities now say that Iraq has identified Ameen as a member of two designated jihadist terror groups, Al-Qaeda in Iraq, and the Islamic State group. Iraqi authorities allege his family supported AQI's establishment in Rawah, and they say Ameen helped plant improvised explosive devices. They also says he shot dead a policeman in Rawah on June 22, 2014, a day after Islamic State fighter seized the city. That alleged murder is the basis of an extradition request from Baghdad. "Ameen concealed his membership in those terrorist groups when he applied for refugee status, and later when he applied for a green card in the United States," the Justice Department said. Ameen's ability to enter the country as a refugee could lend support to President Donald Trump's controversial move last year to slash the number of refugees the United States admits annually. Trump placed a cap on refugee admissions of 45,000 this fiscal year (ending September 30), compared to the 110,000 level set for fiscal 2017 by Trump's White House predecessor, Barack Obama. But given the pace so far, the actual number of refugees to be admitted in fiscal 2018 could fall below 20,000: only 18,565 had been admitted as of August 10, according to Department of State data. Kerala's chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state now faces an 'extremely grave' crisis The official death toll from major floods in India's tourist hotspot of Kerala hit 86 on Thursday with media reporting even higher numbers amid warnings of more torrential rainfall. With a major rescue operation launched to help thousands of people trapped by the floods, Kerala's chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state now faces an "extremely grave" crisis. Kerala, famed for its pristine palm-lined beaches and tea plantations, is battered by the monsoon every year but this year's damage has been the worst in decades. "At least 21 people have died today. The official toll is now 86," a Kerala state spokesman told AFP. Media reports said up to 30 other people were feared dead. Hundreds of extra troops were deployed across the state after Vijayan appealed for additional help. Officials have said more than 6,500 people are stranded and need rescue. Several appeals for help were relayed over social media. "Added anguish as stranded people plead for rescue on social media and their phone batteries die out on them," Shashi Tharoor, a national lawmaker from Kerala, said on Twitter. Tharoor shared a Facebook post by a Kerala resident, Devika Sreekumar, who said he was trapped on the third floor of a temple. "Over 36 people including myself and family stranded here. Phone network and charge finishing please help in any possible way," Sreekumar said. Authorities said many people were trapped inside their houses in flood-ravaged areas and more than 60,000 people had already moved to around 400 relief camps. A government statement said the water in 80 dams had now reached "maximum level". Authorities have already opened the gates of at least 34 reservoirs and dams in recent days as water reached dangerous levels. Floods have also caused havoc in other states, including Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. 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) 10 1 [ Editor: Xueying ] Hundreds of US newspapers joined a call to highlight the importance of a free press in the face of attacks on media by President Donald Trump Hundreds of US newspapers on Thursday joined a campaign to highlight the importance of a free press in the face of attacks by President Donald Trump. Here are selected quotes from their editorials: - 'Hurts Us All' - "When objective news sources are drowned out, the people are left with sycophants and hucksters who ingratiate themselves and mislead. Then democracy suffers. An ignorant people is easy to oppress and exploit." -- Gaston Gazette, Gastonia, North Carolina. "For President Donald Trump to impugn the media with daily, even hourly, attacks from television to Twitter does not merely damage our media, it hurts us all." -- Atlantic City Weekly, Pleasantville, New Jersey. "History has demonstrated, time and again, the importance of journalism in shining a light on government and explaining key issues confronting communities and our nation." -- Omaha World Herald, Omaha, Nebraska. "The news isn't 'fake' just because you see things differently." -- Hillsboro Tribune and News-Times, Hillsboro, Oregon. "Citizens from across the country, of all political stripes, must stand against the systematic attacks on journalism and journalists. Our democracy's ability to breathe healthily depends on it." -- The Examiner, Putnam nad Westchester Counties, New York. "North Dakota newspapers are not 'fake news.' We are documenting the stories and histories of our towns." -- Mountrail County Promoter, Stanley, North Dakota. "The press is necessary to a free society because it does not implicitly trust leaders... it's not a coincidence that this president -- whose financial affairs are murky and whose suspicious pattern of behavior triggered his own Justice Department to appoint an independent counsel to investigate him -- has tried so hard to intimidate journalists who provide independent scrutiny." -- Boston Globe. - 'Not Your Enemy' - "As the (nation's) 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." -- New York Times. "We're not your enemy. Never have been. Never will be. It may seem obvious, but at this particular moment in our nation's history it's important to say these words with clarity: There is nothing fake, disgusting or sick about pursuing the truth." -- Boise Weekly, Boise, Idaho. "Our free press supports the rights of people expressing every imaginable political viewpoint. It's not fake. It is very real and it's time our President recognized and supported this very basic and central concept of our democracy." -- Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, Port Townsend, Washington. "The true enemy of any democracy is ignorance, and the only way to battle ignorance is through the acquisition of knowledge: a single set of well-researched, incontrovertible, unbiased facts." -- Cape Cod Times, Hyannis, Massachusetts. "Beyond the damage done at home, Trump's verbal attacks on reporters... put journalists around the world at greater risk. Strongmen from Poland to the Philippines have been emboldened to crack down on free speech, knowing the US won't object." Austin American-Statesman, Austin, Texas. Former Central Intelligence Agency director John Brennan says US President Donald Trump's assertions of "no collusion" with Russia's meddling in the 2016 US elections are "hogwash" America's former top spy has alleged he was stripped of his security clearance in a bid by President Donald Trump to scare critics and stymie an investigation into ties with Russia. In a searing opinion article published in the New York Times on Thursday, ex-CIA director John Brennan said Trump's decision to remove his security clearance was politically motivated. "Mr. Trump clearly has become more desperate to protect himself and those close to him," said Brennan, seeing "an attempt to scare into silence others who might dare to challenge him." Brennan, who was until January 2017 the guardian of America's most closely held secrets, stridently dismissed Trump's claims that his campaign did not work with Russia to win the 2016 election. "Mr. Trumps claims of no collusion are, in a word, hogwash," he said. "The only questions that remain are whether the collusion that took place constituted criminally liable conspiracy, whether obstruction of justice occurred to cover up any collusion or conspiracy, and how many members of 'Trump Incorporated' attempted to defraud the government by laundering and concealing the movement of money into their pockets." Even by the standards of angry Trump-era criticism, Brennan's words represent an unprecedented attack by America's normally hush-hush spooks on a political leader. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump admitted his decision on Brennan's clearance was linked to the ongoing Russia probe. "I call it the rigged witch hunt, [it] is a sham, Trump was quoted as saying "and these people led it!" "So I think its something that had to be done," he added. Emergency workers respond to an overdose-related 911 call in New Hampshire in April 2018 US drug overdose deaths surged to nearly 72,000 last year, as addicts increasingly turn to extremely powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl as the supply of prescription painkillers has tightened. Fresh estimates from the Centers for Disease Control showed Thursday that overdose deaths jumped in 2017 nearly seven percent to a record 71,568, far more than traffic accident deaths, gun-related deaths or suicide. That was up from 67,114 in 2016 and just over 54,207 the previous year, according to the CDC. Deaths increased in all but 12 of the 50 states, with the most deaths occurring in Florida, California, Pennsylvania and Ohio. The largest surges, percentage-wise, were in the southeastern state of North Carolina, up 22.5 percent, and the midwest farm state of Nebraska, up 33.3 percent. The overdose crisis began in the early 2010s mostly rooted in the overprescription of Oxycontin and other legal painkillers, leading to more than two million people becoming addicted. But in the past three years addicts have been forced to turn to heroin and the cheaper, far more potent fentanyl as authorities have cracked down on prescription painkiller sales. Data shows that synthetic opioids like fentanyl are involved now in nearly half of the overdose deaths, up from about one-third in just a year. President Donald Trump declared the problem a national public health emergency last year, boosting funds for communities fighting addiction and the social impact, like children left without support after parents die from overdoses. Despite the overall rise in deaths, the CDC data suggested that some intervention programs might be working. Overdose deaths fell in Massachusetts, one of the states with a high toll in recent years. Communities across the country have expanded the use of overdose kits with Naloxone, a drug which can help revive victims of overdoses. Musician-turned-politician Robert Kyagulanyi, also called Bobi Wine, took part in demonstrations last month against a controversial tax on social media A Ugandan pop star turned opposition MP was charged in a military court Thursday with illegal possession of weapons, following his arrest after the presidential convoy was pelted with stones. Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, was arrested on Tuesday in the northwestern town of Arua, and charged before a court martial in Gulu. "Hon. Kyagulanyi has today been arraigned before the General Court Martial in Gulu and charged... on accounts of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition," said a statement signed by army spokesman Brigadier Richard Karemire. Kyagulanyi has been held in custody with his next court appearance due on August 23. Kyagulanyi's lawyer, Asuman Basalirwa, complained that he had been unable to consult his client. "The army has refused us access to him. Even his family has been denied access," he said. Kyagulanyi was arrested campaigning for an opposition candidate in a hard-fought by-election that also drew President Yoweri Museveni in support of the ruling party candidate. A crowd that jeered Museveni's convoy and broke his car window on Monday afternoon was dispersed by police who fired live rounds, killing Kyagulanyi's driver. Kyagulanyi was arrested the following morning. On Thursday, Kyagulanyi's supporters in the Kamwokya area of the capital, Kampala, where he is MP, burned tyres as they protested his detention. "He is innocent, he has to be released unconditionally," shouted Yusuf Muranga during a running battle with police. A group of four opposition MPs and 30 others who were arrested at the same time as Kyagulanyi appeared in a civilian court in Gulu to be charged with treason. "The state claims they wanted to harm the person of the president," said lawyer Medard Ssegoona, confirming the treason charge. Among his clients was Kassiano Wadri, Kyagulanyi's favoured candidate in the by-election who went on to win Wednesday's vote despite being in police custody. In a statement Thursday, Museveni said he supported the court action against the politicians. "The cases of terrorism, damaging property, manslaughter etc against the Hons: Wadri, Bobi Wine, etc will continue," he said. "Their actions led to the death of a Ugandan, injury of a number of others and damage to property, so the allegations go." The foundation run by George Soros has long been in the sights of Hungary's nationalist government The foundation run by US billionaire George Soros said Thursday that the last of its operations in Hungary would cease by August 31, with its activities being transferred to Berlin. The Open Society Foundations (OSF) announced in May that it was leaving Hungary, citing what it called the "repressive" policies of nationalist firebrand Prime Minister Viktor Orban. "There are still some colleagues working here in the office, but we will have closed for good by 31 August," the OSF spokesman in Budapest Daniel Makonnen told AFP. In an interview with the 168ora weekly, the head of OSF operations in Hungary, Katalin Koncz E., said she felt bad about the move. "I have to put an end to 25 years' work and watch as an institution I've spent my life building becomes a desert -- everyone is clearing away their things and my colleagues are disappearing." She indicated that she herself would stay in Budapest, adding: "I take comfort in knowing that a brilliant office and great conditions are awaiting my friends in Berlin, where they will be able to take up the work with fresh energy." In April, Orban won a landslide victory in an election that handed him a third straight term as prime minister, and he has since indicated he wants to use this mandate to intensify his anti-migrant, nationalist and culturally conservative agenda. Anti-immigrant rhetoric was a key part of Orban's election campaign and his government accuses Soros of using his organisations to orchestrate immigration and undermine the cultural and religious identity of Europe. Soros denies this. In June, Hungary passed the controversial "Stop Soros" law, which includes a punishment of up to a year in prison for anyone assisting someone who enters the country illegally. The EU is taking legal action against Hungary over the law and its failure to resolve previous complaints over its treatment of asylum seekers. In a recent speech Orban railed against "undemocratic" Western Europe states and branded the European Commission a "symbol of failure". "The Stop Soros laws have started being applied recently, and in the so-called 'transit zones' those arriving from Serbia are automatically denied the right to claim asylum and are put into an explusion regime," Andras Lederer of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a group providing free legal aid to asylum seekers, told AFP. "They can appeal against this regime but during that time they don't receive any food, even the women and children," Lederer added. Here's looking at ewe: Hundreds of thousands of sheep are sold each year for the Aid al-Adha sacrifice Niger on Thursday warned it would prevent excessive use of wood for roasting sheep for an upcoming Muslim festival, declaring the problem imperilled the Sahel country's fragile forests. The warning comes in the runup to Aid al-Adha -- widely known in West Africa as Tabaski -- next Wednesday. "On this one day, 395,000 sheep will be sacrificed in Niamey and 48,000 tonnes of wood" will be burned to roast them, Colonel Oumarou Alou, environment chief for the capital region, told a press conference. By comparison, Niamey's population of 1.5 million burns 273,000 tonnes annually, a figure that already is a source of deep concern, he said. "Our (forestry) assets are being run down, and at this pace, if we fail to take bold steps, we will swiftly exhaust these meagre resources," Alou said. He urged the public to turn to coal, rather than wood, to roast their festival sheep. Forty kilos (88 pounds) of coal only costs 2,500 CFA francs ($4.3, 3.8 euros), he said -- "enough to roast three sheep, without causing pollution and giving a better quality." For those who were bent on wasting wood, the colonel had a stern message. Patrols will be carrying out checks on the quantities of wood entering Niamey, examining trucks, donkeys and camels for "fraudulent" loads. According to the website Mongabay.com, Niger lost 44 percent of its natural forest cover -- a figure that excludes planted forests -- between 1990 and 2010. Vajpayee's life in politics spanned five decades but he only attained real power towards the twilight of his career Former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who died Thursday aged 93, will be remembered for declaring India a nuclear-armed state while struggling to maintain his image as the moderate face of Hindu nationalism. A three-time premier, a poet and spellbinding orator, Vajpayee's life in politics spanned five decades but he only attained real power towards the twilight of his career. His ambition to be recognised as a statesman of international stature led him to put his political neck on the line in seeking peace with rival Pakistan. But he also brought India out of the nuclear closet with successful weapons tests in 1998 that radically upped the ante following tests deemed peaceful in 1974. Vajpayee had been in retirement since his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was defeated in 2004 elections by a resurgent Congress party. Long of ailing health, he was hospitalised in June and placed on life support in August. He died a few days later. A high-caste Brahmin, Vajpayee was born on Christmas Day in 1924 in the central state of Madhya Pradesh. He toyed with communism before opting to support Hindu nationalist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, now parent organisation of the BJP. He was one of thousands of activists jailed after Congress prime minister Indira Gandhi imposed emergency rule in 1975, and became the BJP's founder-president in 1980, three years after his release. Vajpayee's formidable parliamentary experience earned him respect across India's political spectrum, with even diehard opponents calling him "the right man in the wrong party". A high-caste Brahmin, Vajpayee was born on Christmas Day in 1924 in the central state of Madhya Pradesh "Vajpayee is not the BJP. He is an aberration," commented Indian columnist Prem Shankar Jha in 2004. His three terms as prime minister saw the beginnings of major economic progress and the first period of sustained BJP rule in India, but his legacy came to be defined through the prism of relations with arch-rival Pakistan. In 1999 he embarked on a historic bus ride to meet then-premier Nawaz Sharif in the city of Lahore, the first time an Indian prime minister had visited Pakistan in 10 years. Initially, the gamble appeared to have paid off, and Vajpayee was hailed as a visionary peacemaker. - Peace to war - But the goodwill was lost within months as Pakistan-backed militants came across the disputed Kashmir border, seizing Indian military posts in the icy heights of the Kargil mountains and leaving Vajpayee looking like a diplomatic naif who had been duped. However, Indian troops pushed the intruders back after the 10-week Kargil conflict which cost 1,000 lives on both sides. An election followed and the BJP traded on Vajpayee's new avatar as "Kargil victor" to return to power at the head of another coalition, marking his transition to a leader of national stature. After his party lost office, Vajpayee said peace with Pakistan would remain a "lifelong wish" for him. As premier for the third time, Vajpayee was the glue that held the coalition together; his moderate image allowing his more secular-minded allies to view him as the acceptable face of Hindu nationalism. Vajpayee's formidable parliamentary experience earned him respect across India's political spectrum He made another bid for peace with Pakistan, inviting President Pervez Musharraf for a summit in July 2001. But the talks collapsed and ties plunged to a new low following an attack on the Indian parliament which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants. India responded by massing troops on the border and both countries teetered on the edge of war. Energetic Western diplomacy defused the standoff but India vowed it would not talk to Pakistan until it ended the flow of militants into Indian-administered Kashmir. But in the final months of his government's mandate, Vajpayee again offered a "hand of friendship" to Pakistan, resulting in a slow-moving "composite peace process" that reduced frictions for a time. Vajpayee's persistent peace initiatives came despite him declaring India a nuclear-armed state in possession of advanced weapons following the 1998 tests that drew sanctions from the West. The unprecedented display of military might drastically upped tensions in South Asia and evoked patriotic fervour and a tit-for-tat response from Pakistan. - Sectarian trouble - Despite his image of religious moderation, Vajpayee was accused at times of failing to pen in BJP extremists. In 2002, sectarian tensions grew in the wake of a drive by Hindu radicals to build a temple at the site of a mosque razed by Hindu zealots in 1992 in the town of Ayodhya. The BJP had once been a driving force behind the temple movement that led to the mosque's destruction and Vajpayee struggled to balance secular concerns of his coalition partners against hardliners in his own party who accused him of betraying the BJP's ideological roots. Vajpayee negotiated a compromise on the Ayodhya dispute but his government was plunged into crisis by an attack on a train carrying Hindu activists. His three terms as prime minister saw the beginnings of major economic progress and the first period of sustained BJP rule in India, but his legacy came to be defined through the prism of relations with arch-rival Pakistan The assault, blamed on Muslims, sparked some of India's worst communal violence since independence in 1947. Officials say 1,000 people died, while independent estimates put the toll twice as high. Remarks by Vajpayee that Muslims were incapable of living in peace with other religions were seized on by the media as evidence of him showing his true Hindu nationalist colours. US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, pictured July 2018, says that the US has more sanctions planned against Turkish cabinet members if they don't release pastor Andrew Brunson Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Thursday said that the United States would levy more sanctions on the troubled Turkish economy if Ankara does not release an American pastor. "We have put sanctions on several of their cabinet members," Mnuchin told President Donald Trump in a cabinet meeting attended by the press. "We have more that we are planning to do if they don't release him quickly." Trump prefaced Mnuchin's remarks by saying that Turkey had not been a very good friend. Referring to imprisoned pastor Andrew Brunson, Trump said "they have a great Christian pastor there, he's a very innocent man." Malian opposition leader SoumaIila Cisse, pictured August 13, 2018, has rejected the outcome of the presidential election and vowed to appeal to the constitutional court UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has spoken by phone with Mali's leaders to urge them "not to go backwards" following contentious elections in the strife-torn West African country, a spokesman said Thursday. Official results showed President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was re-elected in the runoff held Sunday, but opposition challenger Soumaila Cisse rejected the outcome and vowed to appeal to the constitutional court. During separate phone calls with Keita and Cisse on Wednesday, Guterres "underlined the need to always keep the Malian people first, and not to go backwards on the reconciliation effort at a crucial moment," said UN spokesman Farhan Haq. "He underlined that the elections happened and that it is of utmost importance for disputes to be resolved by legal means and political dialogue." Guterres said his envoy for Mali, Mahamat Saleh Annadif of Chad, was ready to mediate in the election dispute. Mali has been struggling to return to stability after Islamic extremists linked to Al-Qaeda jihadists took control of the north of the country in early 2012, prompting France to intervene militarily to drive them out. A peace deal between the government and armed groups was signed in 2015, but implementation has been slow and attacks have continued in the center and north of the country. The United Nations has deployed about 12,000 troops and police in its MINUSMA peacekeeping mission in Mali, which ranks as the most dangerous for blue helmets. Keita, 73, picked up 67.17 percent of the vote against 32.83 for Cisse, a 68-year-old former finance minister who also ran against Keita in 2013. Turnout was low, at 34.5 percent. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (L) won a landslide victory against opposition leader Soumaila Cisse (R), according to official results Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has been elected for a second five-year term after winning a runoff ballot by a landslide, according to official figures released Thursday. The election was closely watched abroad as Mali is a linchpin state in the jihadist insurgency raging in the Sahel. Keita, 73, picked up 67.17 percent of Sunday's vote against 32.83 percent for opposition challenger and former finance minister Soumaila Cisse, 68, who also ran against Keita in 2013. Turnout was low at 34.5 percent. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting your trust in me once more," Keita said on his Facebook page. But Cisse's party angrily vowed to contest the results, using "all democratic means." Mali, a landlocked nation home to at least 20 ethnic groups where most people live on less than $2 (1.76 euros) a day, has been battling a years-long Islamic revolt which has stoked intercommunal violence. Hundreds of people have died this year alone, most of them in Mopti, an ethnic mosaic in central Mali, in violence involving the Fulani nomadic herder community and Bambara and Dogon farmers. Keita's response to the burgeoning crisis was the big campaign issue, with opposition candidates rounding on him for alleged incompetence or indifference. Results of the second round of Mali's presidential elections But the verbal assaults failed to dent his core support, and a fractured opposition and widespread voter apathy left him firm favourite in the final round. "We are very happy, Mali has won," Sirandou Soumare, a Keita supporter, told AFP in Bamako. "We want everyone to come together for peace in Mali." Voting was marred by jihadist attacks that forced the closure of a small percentage of polling stations, and by allegations of ballot-box stuffing and other irregularities. - 'Fraud' claim - Cisse had already said he would reject the results. He called on "all Malians to rise up... We will not accept the dictatorship of fraud" -- a verbal broadside that triggered a UN appeal for calm. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had spoken by phone with the two leaders to stress "the need to always keep the Malian people first, and not to go backwards on the reconciliation effort at a crucial moment," UN spokesman Farhan Haq said. Keita supporters celebrated at his campaign headquarters in Bamako after the results were announced On Thursday, as Keita supporters rejoiced, some of Cisse's supporters rallied in Bamako, refusing to accept that their candidate will not be president. Around 100 scooters and a few dozen cars took part in the demonstration. "We are like gold panners who have just been robbed of the gold nugget they have just found," one supporter said. Campaign chief Tiebile Drame meanwhile lashed the results as bogus. "These are their results. They do not reflect the truth of the polls," Drame said. Cisse plans to appeal to the Constitutional Court "to get the fraudulent results cancelled" in some regions, Drame said. "They just stole our voice, we cannot accept that," added another supporter, Abdramane Sow, a 26-year-old computer technician as he prepared to demonstrate. Observer missions sent by the European Union and the African Union (AU) have issued provisional reports saying the election was not badly impaired. "Our observers did not see fraud but irregularities," EU mission chief Cecile Kyenge said. The AU said voting was conducted "in acceptable conditions." Map of Mali showing its main ethnic groups, refugees and conflict zones - Challenges - Keita faces high expectations to boost a 2015 peace accord between the government, government-allied groups and former Tuareg rebels. The credibility of the deal -- billed by Keita as the cornerstone of peace -- has been battered by a state of emergency that heads into its fourth year in November. France, which intervened to root out jihadists in northern Mali in 2013, still has 4,500 troops in the country. They are deployed alongside the UN's 15,000 peacekeepers and a regional G5 Sahel force, aimed at fighting the insurgents and restoring the authority of the state in the lawless north. French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated Keita on his election victory and reiterated France's commitment to the country's security and economic development, his office said Thursday. Income per capita has fallen since 2014, according to the World Bank, and nearly half of the 18 million population live in poverty. 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. [ Editor: Xueying ] A J15 fighter jet landing on China's sole operational aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, during a drill Chinese bombers are likely training for strikes against US and allied targets in the Pacific, according to a new Pentagon report that also details how Beijing is transforming its ground forces to "fight and win." The annual report to Congress, released Thursday, highlights China's growing military, economic and diplomatic clout and how Beijing is leveraging this to rapidly build its international footprint and establish regional dominance. In the case of China's air power, the report states that Chinese bombers are developing capabilities to hit targets as far from China as possible. "Over the last three years, the PLA (People's Liberation Army) has rapidly expanded its overwater bomber operating areas, gaining experience in critical maritime regions and likely training for strikes against US and allied targets," the document states, noting how China is pushing its operations out into the Pacific. In August 2017, six Chinese H-6K bombers flew through the Miyako Strait in the southwest of the Japanese islands, and then for the first time turned north to fly east of Okinawa, where 47,000 US troops are based. The PLA may demonstrate the "capability to strike US and allied forces and military bases in the western Pacific Ocean, including Guam," the report says. - Largest ground force - China is engaged in a decades-long build-up and modernization of its once-backward armed forces, and military leaders have set a goal of fielding a world-class military by 2050. President Xi Jinping last year ordered the PLA to step up efforts, saying China needed a military ready to "fight and win" wars. The call has alarmed China's neighbors, several of whom are embroiled in tense border disputes with the superpower. According to the Pentagon, the PLA in April 2017 undertook a massive transformation of operational and tactical units as part of its structural reforms. With nearly a million troops, the PLA is the largest standing ground force in the world. "The purpose of these reforms is to create a more mobile, modular, lethal ground force capable of being the core of joint operations and able to meet Xi Jinping's directive to 'fight and win wars,'" the report notes. China's military budget for 2017 was about $190 billion, according to the report, far behind the Pentagon's annual budget of about $700 billion. When the Pentagon released its annual report last year, Beijing dismissed it as "irresponsible" in predicting that China would expand its global military presence by building overseas bases in countries like Pakistan. This year's report reiterates that China will seek to establish new bases in countries such as Pakistan. Key to this expanding footprint is China's "belt and road" initiative that seeks to bolster ties with other nations through lending and infrastructure deals. - Taiwan 'contingency' - The document also shines a light on China's ongoing military preparations for a "contingency" in the Taiwan Strait. Officially, China advocates for a peaceful reunification with Taiwan, but it has never repudiated the use of military force, the document notes. "The PLA also is likely preparing for a contingency to unify Taiwan with China by force, while simultaneously deterring, delaying, or denying any third-party intervention on Taiwans behalf," it states. Activists protest in front of the Chinese consulate in Manila against Beijing's claims in the South China Sea "Should the United States intervene, China would try to delay effective intervention and seek victory in a high-intensity, limited war of short duration." To the ire of regional neighbors, China has built a series of islets and ocean features into military facilities in the South China Sea. Beijing has now stopped substantial land reclamation. "However, it continued to build infrastructure at three outposts," the report says. Retired US Navy admiral William McRaven, commander of the SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden, asked President Donald Trump to revoke his security clearance too in a gesture of solidarity with former CIA chief John Brennan William McRaven, commander of the US Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden, condemned President Donald Trump on Thursday for revoking the security clearance of former CIA chief John Brennan and asked that his be withdrawn as well. The decorated retired Navy admiral, in an open letter published in The Washington Post, defended Brennan as "one of the finest public servants I have ever known" and accused Trump of using "McCarthy-era tactics." "Few Americans have done more to protect this country than John," McRaven said. "He is a man of unparalleled integrity, whose honesty and character have never been in question, except by those who don't know him." "Therefore, I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency," he said. McRaven was the head of US Joint Special Operations Command from 2011 to 2014 and supervised the SEAL raid that killed bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011. "Like most Americans, I had hoped that when you became president, you would rise to the occasion and become the leader this great nation needs," McRaven said. "A good leader tries to embody the best qualities of his or her organization," he said. "A good leader sets the example for others to follow. "A good leader always puts the welfare of others before himself or herself." "Your leadership, however, has shown little of these qualities," McRaven said. "Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation. "If you think for a moment that your McCarthy-era tactics will suppress the voices of criticism, you are sadly mistaken," McRaven said. "The criticism will continue until you become the leader we prayed you would be." Trump revoked the security clearance of Brennan on Wednesday and warned several other prominent critics that they too risk being blacklisted. Following the president's summit last month with Russia's Vladimir Putin, Brennan -- who headed the CIA under Obama -- described Trump's behavior as "nothing short of treasonous." Trump for his part accused the ex-spy chief of tossing around "unfounded and outrageous allegations -- wild outbursts on the internet and television -- about this administration" and engaging in "increasingly frenzied commentary." More than 200 US news organizations have joined a campiagn led by the Boston Globe to counter President Donald Trump's contention that the media is the "enemy of the people" US newspapers big and small hit back Thursday at Donald Trump's attacks on the news media with a coordinated campaign of editorials, triggering a fresh tirade from the president on Twitter. Leading the charge was The Boston Globe, which had called for the drive highlighting the importance of a free press, accompanied by the hashtag #EnemyOfNone. More than 300 newspapers around the country joined the effort. "Today in the United States we have a president who has created a mantra that members of the media who do not blatantly support the policies of the current US administration are the 'enemy of the people,'" the Globe editorial said. "This is one of the many lies that have been thrown out by this president, much like an old-time charlatan threw out 'magic' dust or water on a hopeful crowd," it added in a piece entitled "Journalists are not the Enemy." The effort comes amid Trump's persistent claims that mainstream media outlets that publish articles critical of him are churning out "fake news." The New York Times, a frequent target of Trump's criticism, ran a seven-paragraph editorial under a giant headline with all capital letters that read "A FREE PRESS NEEDS YOU." "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," the Times wrote. Trump fired back on Twitter by repeating his contention that the "fake" news media is "the opposition party" and claiming the Boston Globe was "in collusion" against him with other media. "There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS," he tweeted. "The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people." The US Senate meanwhile countered the White House by unanimously passing a resolution citing the "indispensable role of the free press" and warning that efforts to undermine the media were "an attack on our democratic institutions." Other newspapers joining the campaign said Trump's attacks diminish the importance of journalists in their communities. "For more than two centuries.. the press has served as a check on power, informing the American people about corruption and greed, triumphs and tragedies, grave mistakes and misdeeds and even ineptitude and dysfunction," wrote the Albuquerque Journal in New Mexico. Iowa's Des Moines Register said, "The true enemies of the people -- and democracy -- are those who try to suffocate truth by vilifying and demonizing the messenger." - Cannot sit back - A man walks past an advertising board reading "Trump calls media enemy of the people" on the sidelines of a meeting between US President and his Russian counterpart on July 16, 2018 in Helsinki, Finland Free press advocates argue that Trump's attacks imperil the constitutional First Amendment guarantee of freedom of the press. "I don't think the press can just sit back and take it, they need to make their case when the most powerful man in the world tries to undercut the First Amendment," said Ken Paulson, a former editor-in-chief of USA Today who is dean of communications at Middle Tennessee State University. But Paulson questioned whether editorials would be effective. "The people who read editorials dont need to be convinced," he said. "They are not the ones trying to shout you down at presidential rallies." The campaign also faced the potential for galvanizing supporters of the president around the notion that the media is out to get him. The San Francisco Chronicle said it would not join the effort because "it plays into Trump's narrative that the media are aligned against him." But the newspaper said it would "continue to speak out against this president's war on the free press," doing it "in our own way, on our own timetable." - Stakes too high - Some critics of Donald Trump say his demonizing of the media may have created a climate of hostility that led to violence, such as shootings in Annapolis, Maryland But media rights advocates say the stakes are too high to allow the president's claims to go unchecked. Some say Trump's comments have incited threats against journalists covering his events, and may have created a climate of hostility that opened the door to violent attacks like a deadly one in June against the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland. "Trump's references to us as the 'enemy of the American People' are no less dangerous because they happen to be strategic," the Kansas City Star wrote. "That is what Nazis called Jews. It's how Joseph Stalin's critics were marked for execution." Trump's actions are also encouraging strongmen such as Vladimir Putin of Russia and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey to treat journalists like enemies, some newspapers said. "The messages in today's newspapers are best read not as a drift toward war footing, but rather as a reminder that journalism is important work," wrote Pete Vernon in the Columbia Journalism Review. The report is thought to be the most comprehensive to date into abuse in the US church, since The Boston Globe first exposed paedophile priests in Massachusetts in 2002 The Vatican said on Thursday Pope Francis was on the side of victims of more than 300 "predator" priests in the United States accused of abusing over 1,000 children across seven decades. "Victims should know that the pope is on their side. Those who have suffered are his priority, and the Church wants to listen to them to root out this tragic horror that destroys the lives of the innocent," the Vatican said in a statement after a devastating US grand jury report was published on Tuesday that decried a systematic cover-up by the Catholic Church. "There are two words that can express the feelings faced with these horrible crimes: shame and sorrow," it said. The Vatican statement added that the church needed to learn "hard lessons from its past, and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur". The report is thought to be the most comprehensive to date into abuse in the US church, since The Boston Globe first exposed paedophile priests in Massachusetts in 2002. But while Tuesday's report led to charges against two priests, one of whom has pleaded guilty, the majority of those responsible are dead and the vast majority of crimes happened too long ago to prosecute, officials said. The two-year investigation by a grand jury into all but two Pennsylvania dioceses turned up dozens of witnesses and half a million pages of church records containing "credible allegations against over three hundred predator priests." More than 1,000 child victims were identifiable, but the "real number" was "in the thousands," the grand jury estimated. - Hidden for decades - Victims were often traumatised for life, driven to drugs, alcohol and suicide, the grand jury said. The only recourse was to recommend changes to the law and expose what had happened to make sure such widespread abuse was never repeated. So far only two new priests are being charged with crimes that fall within the statute of limitations. The grand jury called for changes in the law that would scrap the statute of limitations for child sex abuse, give victims more time to file civil lawsuits and tighten legislation compelling people to report abuse they find out about. "Despite some institutional reform, individual leaders of the church have largely escaped public accountability," 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. For decades." Church elders were instead promoted and predator priests allowed to remain in ministries for 10, 20, even 40 years after leaders learned of their crimes as the list of victims got longer and longer, Pennsylvania's Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. Between 5,700 and 10,000 Catholic priests have been accused of sexual abuse in the United States, but only a few hundred have been tried, convicted, and sentenced for their crimes, according to the watchdog Bishop Accountability. Since the abuse crisis became public in the 2000s, the US church has spent more than $3 billion in settlements, according to Bishop Accountability. One estimate suggests up there were 100,000 US victims. "For nearly 40 years the regime in Tehran has been responsible for a torrent of violence and destabilizing behavior against the United States, our allies, our partners and indeed the Iranian people themselves," said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a new high-level team to focus US and international efforts to increase diplomatic and economic pressure on Iran. The Iran Action Group will drive Washington's "maximum pressure" strategy to change Tehran's behavior, including potentially sanctioning other countries which trade with the country. The group will be headed by Brian Hook as the State Department's Special Representative for Iran. Hook, currently director of policy planning at the State Department, was in charge of the failed effort to get support from US allies for Washington's decision in May to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. "For nearly 40 years the regime in Tehran has been responsible for a torrent of violence and destabilizing behavior against the United States, our allies, our partners and indeed the Iranian people themselves," said Pompeo. "Our hope is that one day soon we can reach a new agreement with Iran. But we must see major changes in the regime's behavior both inside and outside its borders." The US has laid out a long list of activities it demands Tehran changes, including halting support for the Syrian government and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, shutting down its nuclear development program, and freeing detained Americans. "This team is committed to a strong global effort to change the Iranian regime's behavior," Hook said. "We want to be closely synchronized with our allies and partners around the world." Hook held out the possibility of the US engaging directly with Iranian leaders if they demonstrate a "commitment" to changing their behavior, Hook said, without being specific. He also said that Washington is stepping up its effort to get other countries to fall in line with economic pressure on Tehran, including the crackdown on Iran's oil trade, financial sector and shipping industry announced for early November. "Our goal is to reduce every country's import of Iranian oil to zero by November 4." "We are prepared to impose secondary sanctions on other governments that continue this sort of trade with Iran." The request for a parade came after Trump was impressed by France's Bastille Day parade, where he was received with great fanfare by French President Emmanuel Macron in July 2017 A military parade ordered by US President Donald Trump for later this year has been postponed until at least 2019, a defense official said Thursday, following reports the cost had soared to over $90 million. "The Department of Defense and White House have been planning a parade to honor America's military veterans and commemorate the centennial of World War I," Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said in a statement. "We originally targeted November 10, 2018 for this event but have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019," he added. When the White House in February announced the commander-in-chief's desire to hold a parade in Washington, the budget director said it would cost between $10 million and $30 million. But a US official told AFP earlier Thursday the planning estimate had now gone as high as $92 million, though no final figure has been reached. The parade had been planned for the Veterans Day weekend, and was expected to include a large show of air power. The request for the event came after Trump was impressed by France's Bastille Day parade, where he was received with great fanfare by French President Emmanuel Macron in July 2017. US media were quick to highlight how the ballooning costs stood in contrast to his concern about the expense of conducting joint military exercises with South Korea. "We will be stopping the war games, which will save us a tremendous amount of money," Trump said in June after meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. It later emerged that the drills cost about $14 million, a fraction of the price of a military parade. The United States normally holds military parades to mark the end of a conflict, such as in 1991 when president George HW Bush held a National Victory Parade in Washington to celebrate the end of the first Gulf War. Trump's request was popular among many Americans but drew scorn from critics, who said it would be a waste of money and was akin to events organized by authoritarian regimes. St Paul Cathedral, the mother church of the Pittsburgh Diocese, was rocked by revelations of abuse by priests this month A US report revealing that 300 priests sexually abused at least 1,000 children, facilitated by a Catholic Church cover-up, has increased calls to tighten laws and hold bishops accountable. The two-year investigation estimated that the real number of victims was "in the thousands" in Pennsylvania, the most comprehensive report into abuse in the US church that was first exposed in Boston in 2002. The devastating probe prompted the Vatican to say "victims should know that the pope is on their side," adding that the church must learn "hard lessons from its past" and improve accountability. But that response followed a period of silence from Pope Francis after the investigation's release -- and harsh criticism from the United States. "They're silent and that's despicable," said Pennsylvania state Representative Mark Rozzi, who has publicly shared his account of being raped by a priest at 13. "Where's Pope Francis?" "You're the leader of the Catholic Church. Step up, and start making things right for all victims." But with most of the culpable priests dead and the vast majority of crimes too old to prosecute, the grand jury recommended changes in the law to make it impossible for such widespread abuse to happen again. They urged the statute of limitations to be scrapped in all cases of child sex abuse, victims to be given more time to file civil lawsuits and laws tightened compelling people to report alleged abuse. The report has sparked calls for other states to commission similar investigations, compounded pressure on state legislatures to act and on the Catholic Church to take action against bishops. The so-called Dallas Charter -- approved by US Catholic bishops in 2002, after sex abuse was first unearthed in Boston -- implemented discipline for abusive priests, but did not extend all the way up to bishops. "I certainly think there will be new efforts in various states including Pennsylvania to enact changes to the statutes of limitations," says Michael Moreland, professor of law and religion at Villanova University, a Catholic university in Pennsylvania. - 'Dramatic change' - Rozzi wants to give victims another two-year window to sue their abuser or the institution that covered it up, no matter how long ago the abuse happened. "The first part was getting the truth out and the second part is getting justice and for dramatic change," the Democrat told AFP. He wants the criminal statute of limitations eliminated altogether for any child abused under the age of 18 and to change the law to give victims a two-year "window of opportunity" to file a civil lawsuit. If analysts say the Dallas Charter had some success in stopping sexual abuse in the church and disciplining priests who were involved, critics now say it doesn't go far enough where bishops are concerned. "I do think there will be pressure coming from within the church, including from the Vatican itself to hold these bishops to account," said Moreland. "Whether or not that happens I think is uncertain." This summer Chile has been investigating 158 members of the country's Catholic Church for perpetrating or concealing the sexual abuse of 266 victims, including 178 children and adolescents. The entire Chilean delegation of bishops tendered its resignation to the pope in May after a series of meetings at the Vatican, but Francis has so far accepted the resignation of only five Chilean bishops. Between 5,700 and 10,000 priests have been accused of sexual abuse in the United States, but only a few hundred have been tried, convicted, and sentenced, according to the watchdog Bishop Accountability. Since the abuse crisis became public in the 2000s, the US church has spent more than $3 billion in settlements, according to Bishop Accountability. Lisa Fullam, professor of moral theology at the University of Santa Clara, also wants to see the church leadership start to take seriously how to hold their fellow US bishops accountable. "This is a church-wide problem," she told AFP. "It's not a local problem, it's a national, a world-wide problem, what's different in different places is the extent to which it has been exposed so far." At a cabinet meeting, US President Donald Trump said, "If you can't make the right deal, don't make it" in regards to the trade pact with Mexico and Canada President Donald Trump said Thursday he was in "no rush" to complete a deal to rewrite the trade pact with Mexico and Canada. As Mexican officials were gathered in Washington for talks with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Trump said at a cabinet meeting, "if you can't make the right deal, don't make it." Negotiators have been working for four straight weeks to hammer out differences with Mexico, largely over provisions affecting the auto industry as they try to update the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement, and sign a revised deal before the end of the year. But Trump said, "I'm in no rush. We want to make the right deal. "NAFTA has been a disaster for our country," he said. "So we're going either going to do a good NAFTA -- a fair NAFTA for us -- or we're not doing NAFTA at all." And Trump again aimed a jibe at Canada, saying "Their tariffs are too high. Their barriers are too strong. So we're not even talking to them right now." Trade negotiators have sounded optimistic in recent weeks. Lighthizer told Trump, "I'm hopeful that in the next several days we'll have a breakthrough. There's still some difficult issues to work on." And he indicated Canada could rejoin the talks soon. "I'm hopeful with Mexico. And then I hope once we get one with Mexico, that Canada will come along." Mexico's Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo has been leading the delegation, and said Canada would rejoin the talks once the issues more relevant to his country had been worked out. Guajardo has stressed that the most difficult issues had been left to the end, including the US demand that NAFTA be approved every five years, a provision known as a sunset clause. US officials have indicated that if the deal can be agreed by the end of August it would be possible to win congressional approval for the new NAFTA before Mexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador takes office December 1. That also would put the deal in place before the new US Congress is seated in January, which would protect it from the possibility of opposition if Democrats win control of the legislature in the November mid-term elections. BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - A panel of self-exiled Venezuelan judges holding a symbolic trial found President Nicolas Maduro guilty of corruption Wednesday and sentenced him to more than 18 years in prison. Ousted chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega accused Maduro of accepting $35 million from the Brazilian construction giant at the center of Latin America's biggest graft scandal in exchange for a leg up on lucrative public works contracts. "I am asking for justice in the name of all Venezuelans," she said in an impassioned closing statement to the jurists, some sitting in Colombia's capital and some in Miami, deliberated for nearly two hours. A supporter of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro holds up his picture during a rally in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Aug. 13, 2018. The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) organized the rally to show support for the president following what the government called a failed assassination attempt with explosives-laden drones. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) The judges and legal scholars who serve on the self-styled "Venezuelan Supreme Court in Exile" delivered a swift response: Guilty on charges of money laundering and corruption. They ordered that Maduro should be held for 18 years and three months at the Ramo Verde prison outside Caracas where some of their homeland's highest-profile opposition leaders have been jailed. Maduro was also ordered to pay a $25 million fine. The court is composed of jurists who fled Venezuela after Maduro's socialist government refused to recognize their appointment to the Supreme Court by the opposition-controlled National Assembly. The magistrates are still weighing charges from their offices in Bogota and Miami. Though their actions are not recognized by Venezuelan authorities, the judges have pressed forward with holding symbolic trials like the one against Maduro in hopes of drawing international attention to Venezuela's crisis. "Justice! Justice!" several people cried out while watching the concluding remarks on Skype from the jurists sitting in Miami. A video leaked last year showed an Odebrecht executive saying a Maduro aide asked for $50 million to finance the socialist leader's 2013 campaign. The executive agreed to pay $35 million in exchange for assurance that if he won, Odebrecht projects would receive "priority." Maduro has denied the allegations. During the trial, Ortega said a pervasive culture of corruption under Maduro has contributed to a steady decline in the lives of Venezuelans, who now struggle to eat three meals a day and are fleeing the nation in ever growing numbers. She said Odebrecht was compensated for numerous public works projects that have not been completed. "Those works just don't exist, but the money was paid," she said. Ortega broke ties with Maduro's administration last year after decrying a Supreme Court decision leaving the National Assembly powerless. She became one of Maduro's most outspoken critics during a wave of deadly protests and fled to Colombia after being ousted from her post by the powerful, pro-government Constitutional Assembly. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy blasted his home state of California as out of touch Wednesday, criticizing leaders for increasing the gas tax and failing to get a handle on long lines at the Department of Motor Vehicles. At the same time, the Republican defended the Trump administration's policies on taxes and tariffs. A protest from dozens of young immigrant activists seated throughout the room briefly delayed McCarthy's Q-and-A at the event sponsored by the Public Policy Institute of California. "McCarthy, where's your heart?" chanted the group, organized by the Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights, a Los-Angeles based group that has launched protests over the Trump administration's immigration policies and pushed for legislation giving legal status to young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. Congressman Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, answers questions during an event with the Public Policy Institute of California in Sacramento on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. (Renee C. Byer/The Sacramento Bee via AP) McCarthy lamented the protests after a several-minute pause in the event. "How productive is that?" he said. Several minutes earlier, McCarthy had said Democrats in Congress are to blame for the lack of a comprehensive immigration overhaul. McCarthy ticked through a slew of California Republicans' midterm talking points. It's McCarthy's job to help Republicans defend their majority in the chamber in the November elections, when Democrats are hoping to pick up at least seven seats in California. McCarthy is angling to be the next Speaker of the House after Paul Ryan retires at the end of the year, although he remained coy about his ambitions. He zeroed in on a 12-cent increase in the state's gas tax enacted last year to pay for road and bridge repairs, which Republicans are trying to repeal in November. Working Californians already struggling to afford homes and live close to where they work are being punished by the higher tax, McCarthy said. His criticism of the gas tax, DMV woes and the high cost of living echoed key themes the GOP is using to sway independent voters ahead of the November election. McCarthy defended the federal tax overhaul and the escalating tariff feud with China, which is expected to hit American farmers hard. McCarthy's home county is one of the nation's most productive agricultural counties. He acknowledged the tariffs make farmers in his district nervous but said the country will be better off in the long run. McCarthy declined to answer a reporter's questions on the immigration protests. He's not the first California politician to be interrupted by young immigration activists. Last year, Democratic U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was heckled in San Francisco by activists who argued she wasn't doing enough to fight for them, and Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein has faced protests as well. ___ Associated Press writer Jonathan J. Cooper contributed. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., listens as protester Basilio Hernandez and other immigrant activists interrupt his appearance with the Public Policy Institute of California, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., answers a question during his appearance with the Public Policy Institute of California, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy blasted his home state of California as out of touch, hitting its leaders for increasing the gas tax while defending the Trump administration's policies on taxes and tariffs. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., answers a question during his appearance with the Public Policy Institute of California, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy blasted his home state of California as out of touch, hitting its leaders for increasing the gas tax while defending the Trump administration's policies on taxes and tariffs. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., answers a question during his appearance with the Public Policy Institute of California, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy blasted his home state of California as out of touch, hitting its leaders for increasing the gas tax while defending the Trump administration's policies on taxes and tariffs. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., listens as protester Basilio Hernandez and other immigrant activists interrupt his appearance with the Public Policy Institute of California, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., ponders a question during his appearance with the Public Policy Institute of California, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy blasted his home state of California as out of touch, hitting its leaders for increasing the gas tax while defending the Trump administration's policies on taxes and tariffs. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) 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. [ Editor: Xueying ] LOS ANGELES (AP) - When it comes to the taxman, California's legal pot market is off to a sluggish start. Marijuana cultivation and excise tax collections hit $48 million between April and June, state officials announced Wednesday. That's a jump from the prior three months but well below the windfall envisioned by the state. Finance officials had estimated California would bank $185 million from excise and cultivation taxes in the first six months of broad legal sales, which kicked off Jan. 1. File - In this May 19, 2018 file photo tourists Randy Wilkie and Keya Cole from Buffalo, New York, check out the offerings of cannabis at one of the MedMen cannabis dispensaries in Los Angeles, prior to boarding the Green Line Trips bus tour. When it comes to the taxman, California's legal pot market is getting a sluggish start. Marijuana cultivation and excise tax collections hit $48 million between April and June, state officials announced Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, a jump from the prior three months but well below the windfall envisioned by the state. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File) But collections by midyear hit only $82 million. "After six months of legal cannabis sales there is a staggering ... gap between today's tax revenue numbers and what voters were promised," said state Assemblyman Evan Low, a Democrat from Campbell who heads the Business and Professions Committee. "Regulators must adapt before California's lawful cannabis businesses are obliterated by the black market." The slower than expected flow of cash underscores the bumpy roll-out of the nation's largest legal market. Illicit sales continue to flourish, luring consumers away from legal shops. Meanwhile, many areas have banned commercial pot activity, limiting the number of places adults can buy legal cannabis. Businesses say hefty tax rates that can approach 50 percent in some areas are also driving business underground. "The situation is pretty severe," said Hezekiah Allen, executive director of the California Growers Association, an advocacy group for farmers and businesses. Californians are buying plenty of cannabis, Allen says, they are just not buying it from licensed shops. "Most of the state doesn't have access to it," Allen added. "The California marketplace needs significant change if it's going to function ... primarily at the local level." On Tuesday, state regulators meeting in Los Angeles heard a long list of complaints and concerns about California's pot economy, once estimated to grow to $7 billion. They included a shaky supply chain, a shortage of licenses, testing problems and a contested proposal to allow home marijuana deliveries in cities that have banned pot sales. 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. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The body of a Utah firefighter who died battling the largest recorded blaze in California history returned to his home state Wednesday. Cal Fire officials escorted Matthew Burchett's casket Wednesday to an airport in the Northern California city of Ukiah. Burchett's wife, brother and a family friend then returned with it to Utah. In Salt Lake City, the casket was escorted to a mortuary by fire engines, Utah Highway Patrol motorcycles and police cars from Draper, where Burchett lived. The 42-year-old was hit by a tree Monday while fighting a wildfire north of San Francisco. He was flown to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Utah firefighter Matt Burchett, 42, who died fighting a wildfire in California, is honored by a detail along Murray Parkway as his body is returned home, traveling along Interstate 215 after being flown to the Utah Air National Guard in Salt Lake City, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Burchett was hit by a falling tree and died Monday night while fighting the largest blaze in California history, the Mendocino Complex fire north of San Francisco. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP) Burchett was among dozens of out-of-state firefighters who joined the front lines of the massive blaze. "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," Salt Lake City Fire Captain Cass Christopher tells the Deseret News . Burchett, who had been a firefighter for decades, went to California last year to help fight wildfires and became the liaison between California and all of Utah's firefighters. "We took a pretty devastating loss. It's going to be pretty difficult to get over what Matt brought to everybody," said Unified Fire Authority spokesman Eric Holmes. Burchett also is survived by a 7-year-old son. This undated photo provided by the Unified Fire Authority shows Utah firefighter Mathew Burchett. Burchett died Monday, Aug. 13, 2018, while fighting the largest blaze in California history, the Mendocino Complex fire north of San Francisco. (Unified Fire Authority via AP) Firefighting personnel from various agencies salute as the procession for Battalion Chief Matthew Burchett travels along North State Street, in Ukiah, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Burchett said goodbye to his wife and 7-year-old son in early August, volunteering to travel with fellow firefighters from Utah to help battle record-setting blazes in California. Burchett was hit by a falling tree and died Monday night while fighting the largest blaze in California history, the Mendocino Complex fire north of San Francisco. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat via AP) Draper Battalion Chief Bart Vawdrey hugs a fellow firefighter during a press conference in Draper, Utah, on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. Draper Battalion Chief Matthew Burchett was killed on Monday night while fighting the largest blaze in California history, the Mendocino Complex fire north of San Francisco. (Jeffrey D. Allred/The Deseret News via AP) Unified Fire Authority's Jay Torgersen pauses while talking to media after a press conference in Draper, Utah, on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. Draper Battalion Chief Matthew Burchett was killed on Monday night while fighting the largest blaze in California history, the Mendocino Complex fire north of San Francisco. (Jeffrey D. Allred/The Deseret News via AP) HONOLULU (AP) - The Latest on a new memorial marker honoring World War II prisoners of war (all times local): 4:10 p.m. Dozens of relatives of Allied servicemen who were killed in January 1945 as prisoners of war held by Japan are dedicating a memorial stone to their loved ones. In this Monday Aug. 13, 2018, photo, Daniel Crowley, a 96-year-old U.S. Army Air Corps veteran from World War II who was held by Japan as a prisoner of war in the Philippines and Japan, speaks during an interview in Honolulu. Crowley is visiting Honolulu to help dedicate a new memorial marker honoring U.S. and Allied prisoners of war killed when U.S. planes bombed a Japanese freighter transporting the POWs. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy) The memorial at a national cemetery in Honolulu honors about 400 men who were killed when a Japanese ship transporting them from the Philippines to Japan was bombed by U.S. pilots who didn't know the POWs were on board. They were buried in a mass grave at a harbor in Taiwan, but the U.S. military dug them up and reburied in them as "unknowns" in Hawaii after the war. Nancy Kragh's father, Army Maj. Clarence White, is among them. She said Wednesday's dedication is the culmination of her journey of finding her father's final resting place. ____ 8 p.m. Tuesday A 96-year-old former U.S. Army veteran who was held prisoner by Japan during World War II will help dedicate a memorial stone to other prisoners of war at a national cemetery in Honolulu. Daniel Crowley is due to participate in the ceremony Wednesday at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. The memorial stone will honor about 400 men killed when a Japanese ship transporting them from the Philippines to Japan was bombed by U.S. pilots who didn't know Allied POWs were on board. Today, the men are interred in 20 graves marked as "unknowns" at the Honolulu cemetery. Conditions on board the ships transporting prisoners to Japan were so horrific the Americans called them "hellships." In this Monday, Aug. 13, 2018, photo, Daniel Crowley, a 96-year-old U.S. Army Air Corps veteran from World War II who was held by Japan as a prisoner of war in the Philippines and Japan, speaks during an interview in Honolulu. Crowley is visiting Honolulu to help dedicate a new memorial marker honoring U.S. and Allied prisoners of war killed when U.S. planes bombed a Japanese freighter transporting the POWs. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy) ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The Latest on Cuomo's America 'was never that great' comment (all times local): Republican President Donald Trump is mocking New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's remarks that America "was never that great." In a tweet Wednesday night, Trump repeats Cuomo's "it was never that great" comment made during a bill signing event earlier in the day. Trump then adds: "Can you believe this is the Governor of the Highest Taxed State in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown!" FILE - In this May 10, 2018 file photo, Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference in New York. New York Gov. On Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, at a bill signing event in Manhattan, Cuomo said that America "was never that great" during remarks criticizing Republican President Donald Trump and his slogan "Make America Great Again," saying America won't be truly great until all Americans have true equality. Republicans quickly pounced on Cuomo's remarks. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File) The Democratic governor made the much-criticized remarks while bashing Trump and his slogan "Make America Great Again." Cuomo is seeking a third term this fall and is considered a potential White House contender in 2020. __ 2:30 p.m. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said America "was never that great" during remarks criticizing President Donald Trump and his slogan, "Make America Great Again." The Democrat made the comment on Wednesday at a bill signing event in Manhattan. Cuomo said the Republican president wants 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 is seeking a third term this fall and is considered a potential White House contender in 2020. Republicans pounced on Cuomo's comments. GOP gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive, said Cuomo should be ashamed and owes the nation an apology. BEIJING (AP) - China is sending a trade envoy to Washington in a renewed effort to end a worsening tariff dispute that has raised worries it will chill global economic growth. The delegation led by a deputy commerce minister will visit in late August to discuss "issues of mutual concern," the Commerce Ministry announced Thursday. It gave no details of a possible agenda. The two governments are poised to impose a new round of tariff hikes on $16 billion of each other's goods next week in their worsening conflict over Beijing's technology policy. In this June 14, 2018, photo, ducks swim underneath the solar panels built on a duck farm in Binzhou in east China's Shandong province. China says it is challenging a U.S. tariff hike on solar panels before the World Trade Organization, adding to its sprawling conflicts with President Donald Trump over trade and technology. (Chinatopix via AP) The Commerce Ministry said Beijing "reiterates its opposition to unilateralism and trade protectionism and does not accept any unilateral trade restrictions." This month's meeting would be the first between senior U.S. and Chinese officials since June 3 talks in Beijing between Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Vice Premier Liu He ended with no settlement. Following that, Washington imposed its first round of 25 tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese goods on July 6 in response to complains Beijing steals or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology. China responded with similar penalties on American imports. The Trump administration is due to impose similar increases on an additional $16 billion of Chinese imports on Tuesday. China's government has issued a list of American goods for retaliation. The thrill and the truth of Aretha Franklin NEW YORK (AP) - The clarity and the command. The daring and the discipline. The thrill of her voice and the truth of her emotions. Like the best actors and poets, nothing came between how Aretha Franklin felt and what she could express, between what she expressed and how we responded. Blissful on "(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman." Despairing on "Ain't No Way." Up front forever on her feminist and civil rights anthem "Respect." Franklin, the glorious "Queen of Soul" and genius of American song, died Thursday morning at her home in Detroit of pancreatic cancer. She was 76. Few performers were so universally idolized by peers and critics and so exalted and yet so familiar to their fans. As surely as Jimi Hendrix settled arguments over who was the No. 1 rock guitarist, Franklin ruled unchallenged as the greatest popular vocalist of her time . She was "Aretha," a name set in the skies alongside "Jimi" and "Elvis" and "John and Paul." A professional singer and pianist by her late teens, a superstar by her mid-20s, she recorded hundreds of songs that covered virtually every genre and she had dozens of hits. But her legacy was defined by an extraordinary run of top 10 soul smashes in the late 1960s that brought to the radio an overwhelming intensity and unprecedented maturity, from the wised-up "Chain of Fools" to the urgent warning to "Think." Acknowledging the obvious, Rolling Stone ranked her first on its list of the top 100 singers. Franklin was also named one of the 20 most important entertainers of the 20th century by Time magazine, which celebrated her "mezzo-soprano, the gospel growls, the throaty howls, the girlish vocal tickles, the swoops, the dives, the blue-sky high notes, the blue-sea low notes. Female vocalists don't get the credit as innovators that male instrumentalists do. They should. Franklin has mastered her instrument as surely as John Coltrane mastered his sax." ___ Pentagon delays Trump's veterans parade until at least 2019 WASHINGTON (AP) - The Defense Department said Thursday that the Veterans Day military parade ordered up by President Donald Trump won't happen in 2018. Col. Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman, said the military and the White House "have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019." The announcement came several hours after The Associated Press reported that the parade would cost about $92 million, according to U.S. officials citing preliminary estimates more than three times the price first suggested by the White House. According to the officials, roughly $50 million would cover Pentagon costs for aircraft, equipment, personnel and other support for the November parade in Washington. The remainder would be borne by other agencies and largely involve security costs. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss early planning estimates that have not yet been finalized or released publicly. Officials said the plans had not yet been approved by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. ___ Former US security leaders blast Trump for yanking clearance WASHINGTON (AP) - Former U.S. security officials issued scathing rebukes to President Donald Trump on Thursday, admonishing him for yanking a top former spy chief's security clearance in what they cast as an act of political vengeance. Trump said he'd had to do "something" about the "rigged" federal probe of Russian election interference. Trump's admission that he acted out of frustration about the Russia probe underscored his willingness to use his executive power to fight back against an investigation he sees as a threat to his presidency. Legal experts said the dispute may add to the evidence being reviewed by special counsel Robert Mueller. In an opinion piece in The New York Times, former CIA Director John Brennan said Trump's decision, announced Wednesday, to deny him access to classified information was a desperate attempt to end Mueller's investigation. Brennan, who served under President Barack Obama and has become a vocal Trump critic, called Trump's claims that he did not collude with Russia "hogwash." The only question remaining is whether the collusion amounts to a "constituted criminally liable conspiracy," Brennan wrote. Later Thursday, the retired Navy admiral who oversaw the raid that killed Osama bin Laden called Trump's moves "McCarthy-era tactics." Writing in The Washington Post, William H. McRaven said he would "consider it an honor" if Trump would revoke his clearance, as well. ___ Vatican in 'shame and sorrow' over abuses in Pennsylvania VATICAN CITY (AP) - The Vatican expressed "shame and sorrow" Thursday over a scathing Pennsylvania grand jury report about clergy who raped and molested children in six dioceses in that state, calling the abuse "criminally and morally reprehensible" and saying Pope Francis wants to eradicate "this tragic horror." In a written statement using uncharacteristically strong language for the Holy See even in matters like the long-running abuse scandals staining the U.S. church, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke sought to assure victims that "the pope is on their side." Pope Francis himself wasn't quoted in the statement, and there was no mention of demands in the United States among some Roman Catholics for the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington. The grand jury report made public this week accused the cardinal of helping to protect some molester priests while he was bishop of the Pennsylvania city of Pittsburgh. Wuerl has defended his actions in Pittsburgh while apologizing for the damage inflicted on victims. Burke said the incidents of abuse graphically documented in the report were "betrayals of trust that robbed survivors of their dignity and their faith." ___ Man who lamented family's disappearance arrested in deaths FREDERICK, Colo. (AP) - After his pregnant wife and two daughters disappeared, Christopher Watts stood on his porch in Colorado and lamented to reporters how much he missed them. He longed for the simple things, he said, like telling his girls to eat their dinner and gazing at them as they curled up to watch cartoons. "Last night, I had every light in the house on. I was hoping that I would just get ran over by the kids running in the door, just barrel-rushing me, but it didn't happen," he told Denver TV station KMGH. On Thursday, Watts was in jail after being arrested on suspicion of killing his family, probably before he spoke those words. Authorities did not offer a motive. The body of 34-year-old Shanann Watts was found on property owned by Anadarko Petroleum, one of the state's largest oil and gas drillers, where Christopher Watts used to work, police said. Investigators believed they knew where to find 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste and were working to recover their bodies. ___ As our media environment blurs, confusion often reigns NEW YORK (AP) - A generation ago, the likes of Walter Cronkite, Peter Jennings and Diane Sawyer were the heroes of television news. Now the biggest stars are arguably Sean Hannity and Rachel Maddow. Notice the difference? Cronkite, Jennings and Sawyer reported the news. Hannity and Maddow talk about the news, and occasionally make it. But you never doubt how they feel about it. In a chaotic media landscape, with traditional guideposts stripped away by technology and new business models, the old lines between journalism and commentary are growing ever fuzzier. As President Donald Trump rewrites the rules of engagement to knock the media off stride, he's found a receptive audience among his supporters for complaints about "fake news" and journalists who are "enemies of the people." In such a climate, is it any wonder people seem to be having a hard time distinguishing facts from points of view, and sometimes from outright fiction? It's a conclusion that is driving anger at the news media as a whole. On Thursday, it produced a coordinated effort by a collection of the nation's newspapers to hit back at perceptions that they are somehow unpatriotic. "We don't have a communications and public sphere that can discern between fact and opinion, between serious journalists and phonies," says Stephen J.A. Ward, author of 10 books on the media, including the upcoming "Ethical Journalism in a Populist Age." ___ APNewsBreak: Google clarifies location-tracking policy SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Google has revised an erroneous description on its website of how its "Location History" setting works, clarifying that it continues to track users even if they've disabled the setting. The change came three days after an Associated Press investigation revealed that several Google apps and websites store user location even if users have turned off Location History. Google has not changed its location-tracking practice in that regard. But its help page for the Location History setting now states: "This setting does not affect other location services on your device." It also acknowledges that "some location data may be saved as part of your activity on other services, like Search and Maps." Previously, the page stated: "With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored." The AP observed that the change occurred midday Thursday, a finding confirmed by Internet Archive snapshots taken earlier in the day. ___ Bridge collapse highlights Italy's aging infrastructure MILAN (AP) - Collapsed concrete, twisted metal, crushed cars. While the disaster in Genoa was the deadliest in recent years, Italy has seen other bridge and highway collapses that have raised alarm about the state of its aging transportation infrastructure. The 51-year-old Morandi Bridge was a key artery that linked highways to Milan and France, a vital lifeline for both commercial traffic as well as vacationers bound for the mountains and famous Mediterranean beaches. "When it was inaugurated, it was vaunted as an engineering achievement, representing the most advanced technology and a model that Italy spread throughout the world," said Antonio Occhiuzzi, president of Italy's CNR society of civil engineers. "It was a project that was constantly under surveillance," he said. "Notwithstanding all these efforts, it came down. It is a little metaphor for the country." ___ Police work to stop overdoses after 76 fall ill Police swarmed a Connecticut park near Yale University and searched people's homes for drugs Thursday in an effort to prevent more overdoses from a batch of synthetic marijuana blamed for sending more than 70 people to the hospital. Social workers and mental health professionals also responded to the New Haven Green, where most of the overdoses happened Wednesday. Authorities described a chaotic scene where people were dropping to the ground unconscious, others vomiting and some becoming lethargic. Officials said 76 people overdosed Wednesday and 17 more fell ill Thursday. Officials weren't certain whether Thursday's overdoses involved the same batch of "K2" synthetic marijuana. No deaths were reported, and most of those brought to local hospitals have been discharged. Synthetic marijuana, called "spice" and other names, usually is plant material sprayed with chemicals or other substances that is sold in small, colorful packets. It has been blamed for other mass overdoses across the country. In May, more than 50 people in Brooklyn, New York, overdosed on K2, none fatally. Some of the New Haven victims tested positive for the powerful opioid fentanyl, also blamed for overdoses, but authorities believe this week's overdoses were caused solely by synthetic marijuana. ___ Washed out: Water woes scuttle Phish's 3-day music festival WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) - A three-day Phish music festival was scuttled by dirty water from torrential rains on Thursday, with health officials denying a permit just as the rock band was about to go onstage for its traditional sound check jam. "We are still in shock," the band said in a statement on its website . "Our families are here, our gear is set, our tents are up. We keep waiting for someone to come over and tell us that there is a solution, and that the festival can go on. Unfortunately, it is not possible." The Curveball festival was expected to draw more than 30,000 fans to the Finger Lakes village of Watkins Glen, in central New York, starting on Friday. A mandatory order to boil water was issued for the area on Thursday after days of heavy rain, and the state Department of Health said tests showed it would be impossible to deliver clean drinking water to festival patrons and vendors. "While all parties acknowledge the inconvenience of this cancellation to patrons," the health department said, "we have a responsibility to act in the best interest of public health and safety for all." WARWICK, R.I. (AP) - By the numbers, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo should be sitting pretty in her bid for a second term. She's a Democrat in a state where Republican President Donald Trump remains unpopular after losing 54-39 percent in 2016. She's a woman in a year when a record number of female candidates are generating excitement around the country. And her campaign has raised $7 million, seven times her closest rival. But a lot of voters aren't sold, and Raimondo looks to be heading into a tough re-election fight. In this Aug. 2, 2018, photo, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, right, shakes hands with a woman at the Pilgrim Senior Center in Warwick, R.I. Former Secretary of State Matt Brown is challenging Raimondo in the Sept. 12 Democratic primary as she seeks a second term. (AP Photo/Michelle R. Smith) She faces a spirited, though poorly funded, challenge from the left in the Sept. 12 primary from former Secretary of State Matt Brown. If she wins, she'll face the victor in the Republican primary, likely Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, who has raised $1 million, or his rival, state Rep. Patricia Morgan. Former state Rep. Joe Trillo, who was Trump's state campaign chairman, is running as an independent and could act as a spoiler. Raimondo said she thinks her message about how she's running to strengthen and sustain the state's economic comeback is resonating. "I'm an outsider who has been bringing a lot of change and change is hard," she told The Associated Press. "Whether it has been the work I've done on economic development or infrastructure or tolling, you know, we've brought a lot of change to Rhode Island. And as an outsider bringing change - that can make for a difficult campaign." Raimondo is pushing a record of accomplishments, including an improving economy in a state whose economic fortunes have perpetually lagged its New England neighbors and the rest of the country, and her work to rebuild crumbling schools and her free college tuition program. TV ads unanswered from her opponents this summer note how many jobs have been created during her time in office, and tout programs she has pushed to attract businesses, spur hiring and train workers. Meanwhile, her campaign is running hundreds of Facebook ads, which get so specific that they mention roads that have been repaired in particular towns. "There's more to do, but we're heading in the right direction," Raimondo says in one TV spot. Despite those accomplishments - and speculation nationally that she might run for president someday - her approval ratings have remained tepid. She has been criticized for failures of leadership as governor, including her 2016 decision to launch a computer system for state benefits such as food stamps, despite warnings from federal officials that it wasn't ready. The resulting chaos left thousands without benefits, prompted lawsuits and a court-appointed overseer, who is still cleaning up the mess. A former venture capitalist, she's still deeply disliked by many members of public employee unions because of her work as general treasurer to cut and make other changes to state pensions. She also invested hundreds of millions of dollars of pension money in hedge funds, a decision she made to reduce risk but which her successor backed away from because of huge fees. She won in 2014 with just under 41 percent in a three-way race, beating Fung, who got 36 percent. To some, Raimondo's pension investments, huge fundraising numbers and tax incentives to corporations to lure them to Rhode Island have led to a perception that she's looking out for corporate interests rather than those of everyday people. Kendra Anderson, 61, an environmental activist who voted for Raimondo in 2014, is backing Brown this year. She said Raimondo's corporate connections have turned her off. "I was extremely happy and proud of having a woman governor," she said. "Yeah, I want women to excel, I want women to be in places of power, but I'm not going to do it at the expense of what's going on." A board member of the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats of America, Jennifer Siciliano, 48, of Warwick, said she was disillusioned by Raimondo's cuts to Medicaid reimbursements and corporate tax incentive program. She's voting for Brown in September and isn't sure yet who she'll back in November if Raimondo is on the ballot. "I don't want to have to make that decision yet," Siciliano said. Wendy Schiller, a professor at Brown University, thinks a lot of the dislike of Raimondo likely stems from her work to shake up the system. "She's challenged the old guard. She's challenged the longstanding distribution of patronage, distribution of benefits. She's pushing Rhode Island to change, and Rhode Islanders don't like change," Schiller said. While she doesn't agree with Raimondo on everything, Democratic state Sen. Gayle Goldin said the governor has taken the right positions on progressive values she supports, including reproductive rights, mandating paid sick days and paid college tuition. "The governor has been up there alongside me on those issues," Goldin said. Raimondo has her fans. During a recent visit to Pilgrim Senior Center in Warwick, the governor shook hands and highlighted face-to-face what she has been doing to improve the state. "We're trying to get things going for people. Fix the roads, fix the schools," she told Debbie Dion and her husband, Marcel, as they sat waiting for a Bingo game to start. Dion has noticed. "She's helped a lot," Dion said, adding that Raimondo has her vote. Schiller said it's a tight race and Fung, a Trump supporter, has an "excellent" chance of winning. Fung has said little publicly during the campaign. He hasn't put out any substantive policy proposals and hasn't been giving interviews apart from conservative talk radio. Democrats who don't like Raimondo will have a calculation to make in November, Schiller said. "The last time very liberal Democrats sat out an election and protested their candidate, it was Hillary Clinton, we elected Donald Trump," she said. "That is still a very resonant reality, even for the most progressive Democrats." ___ Associated Press writer Jennifer McDermott contributed from Providence, R.I. In this Aug. 2, 2018, photo, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, center, speaks with Lisa McGovern, left, and Betty Toye at the Pilgrim Senior Center in Warwick, R.I. Former Secretary of State Matt Brown is challenging Raimondo in the Sept. 12 Democratic primary as she seeks a second term. (AP Photo/Michelle R. Smith) In this Aug. 2, 2018, photo, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, left, poses for a photo with a constituent at the Pilgrim Senior Center in Warwick, R.I. Former Secretary of State Matt Brown is challenging Raimondo in the Sept. 12 Democratic primary as she seeks a second term. (AP Photo/Michelle R. Smith) In this Tuesday, July 3, 2018, photo, Democrat Matt Brown, a gubernatorial hopeful and former Rhode Island secretary of state, greets volunteers at a nomination papers training event in North Kingstown, R.I. Brown is challenging Gov. Gina Raimondo in the Sept. 12 primary, in her bid for a second term. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) In this Tuesday, July 3, 2018, photo, Democrat Matt Brown, a gubernatorial hopeful and former Rhode Island secretary of state, speaks to a group of people at a nomination papers training event in North Kingstown, R.I. Brown is challenging Gov. Gina Raimondo in the Sept. 12 primary, in her bid for a second term. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - The jury in the fraud trial of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort ended its first day of deliberations with a series of questions to the judge, including a request to "redefine" reasonable doubt. The questions came after roughly seven hours of deliberation, delivered in a handwritten note to U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Ellis read the questions aloud to lawyers for both sides as well as Manafort before he called the jury in to give his answers. Along with the question on reasonable doubt, the jury asked about the list of exhibits, rules for reporting foreign bank accounts and the definition of "shelf companies," a term used during the trial to describe some of the foreign companies used by Manafort. Defense attorneys Richard Westling, left, Kevin Downing, and Thomas Zehnle, walk to federal court as jury deliberations begin in the trial of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, in Alexandria, Va., Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Ellis told the jurors they need to rely on their collective memory of the evidence to answer most questions. As for reasonable doubt, he described it as "a doubt based on reason" and told jurors it does not require proof "beyond all doubt." The jury concluded deliberations around 5:30 p.m. after receiving Ellis' answers. Deliberations will resume Friday at 9:30 a.m. Jurors began their deliberations Thursday morning in the case against Manafort, who prosecutors say earned $60 million advising Russia-backed politicians in Ukraine, hid much of it from the IRS and then lied to banks to get loans when the money dried up. Manafort's defense countered that he wasn't culpable because he left the particulars of his finances to others. The financial fraud trial calls on the dozen jurors to follow the complexities of foreign bank accounts and shell companies, loan regulations and tax rules. It exposed details about the lavish lifestyle of the onetime political insider, including a $15,000 jacket made of ostrich leather and $900,000 spent at a boutique retailer in New York via international wire transfer. It's the first courtroom test of the ongoing Russia probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller. While allegations of collusion are still being investigated, evidence of bank fraud and tax evasion unearthed during the probe has cast doubt on the integrity of Trump's closest advisers during the campaign. "When you follow the trail of Mr. Manafort's money, it is littered with lies," prosecutor Greg Andres said in his final argument Wednesday, asking the jury to convict Manafort of 18 felony counts. In his defense, Manafort's attorneys told jurors to question the entirety of the prosecution's case as they sought to tarnish the credibility of Manafort's longtime protege - and government witness - Rick Gates. The government says Manafort hid at least $16 million in income from the IRS between 2010 and 2014. Prosecutors say 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. Television cameras are set up outside of federal court as jury deliberations are set to begin in the trial of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, in Alexandria, Va., Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Members of the media as set up outside of federal court as jury deliberations are set to begin in the trial of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, in Alexandria, Va., Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) WASHINGTON (AP) - The two billionaire mega donors poured $1.25 million into a super PAC that was supposed to supercharge Chris McDaniel's insurgent bid to be Mississippi's next Republican senator. A year later, much of the money from Illinois shipping supply CEO Richard Uihlein and New York financier Robert Mercer is gone. Only a fraction was spent reaching voters who could boost the former state lawmaker's uphill battle against Cindy Hyde-Smith, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's preferred candidate in a November special election that will determine who finishes out retired GOP Sen. Thad Cochran's term. What the Remember Mississippi super PAC has provided, however, is a generous payday for at least 18 campaign consultants who received the lion's share of the money, according to an analysis of Federal Election Commission records. FILE- This Feb. 28, 2018 file photo shows State Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville, in Ellisville, Miss. The two billionaire mega donors poured $1.25 million into a super PAC that was supposed to supercharge McDaniel's insurgent bid to be Mississippi's next Republican senator. A year later, and much of the money from Illinois shipping supply CEO Richard Uihlein and New York financier Robert Mercer is gone, with only a fraction spent reaching voters who could boost the former state lawmaker's uphill battle against Cindy Hyde-Smith, GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell's preferred candidate. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File) Since a landmark 2010 Supreme Court ruling, much of the debate over super PACs has focused on how a wealthy cadre of donors can now give unlimited amounts, allowing them to play an outsized role in who gets elected. This case highlights how that money doesn't always get spent the way it's intended. "It is part of the growing trend of people using super PACs to get wealthy, rather than to direct the funds they raise toward actual political activity," said Adav Noti, a former FEC attorney who now works for the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center in Washington. Of the nearly $1.4 million raised by Remember Mississippi, about $265,000 went to expenses like video production, ads, graphic design and other forms of communication that either advocated for McDaniel or opposed his rivals, according to their latest FEC report at the end of June. Meanwhile, consultants and operating expenses soaked up nearly three times that, or $792,000. That leaves a little more than $300,000 ahead of the November special election. So far, Remember Mississippi has spent about $25,000 - with most of that dropped just last week - on airtime and ad production attacking Hyde-Smith, records show. But Hyde-Smith, a onetime Democrat who formerly served as the state's agriculture commissioner and was temporarily appointed to fill Cochran's Senate seat last April until the special election, has $1.3 million on hand, which is vastly more than either McDaniel or the super PAC. And Remember Mississippi hasn't had a major cash infusion since January, aside from a $25,000 donation from beer baron August A. Busch III. That puts McDaniel, who has just $156,000 in his own campaign fund, at a disadvantage. "I don't think that's how the typical super PAC runs, but it's not unheard of," said Dan Weiner, a campaign finance attorney with New York University's Brennan Center. "It's the Wild West. There's just very little law that applies." In an emailed statement, PAC leader Tommy Barnett justified the large amount spent on consultants, which he said produced "a strong regional volunteer presence across Mississippi that has been putting up signs, passing out bumper stickers, and attending events engaging directly with voters." "We will have funds to get out the radio, TV, and digital advertisements we already have produced," Barnett said. The PAC takes its name from the "Remember Mississippi" rallying cry McDaniel adopted after losing a bitterly fought primary against Cochran in 2014. McDaniel blamed Democrats "illegally" voting in the GOP contest and national Republicans spending "millions of dollars to character assassinate one of their own," though the Mississippi Supreme Court rejected his lawsuit challenging the outcome. That race also took an unsavory twist after four of McDaniel's supporters were charged in connection with a plot to photograph Cochran's wife in her nursing home, where she had spent years suffering dementia. The men, one of whom was sentenced to 21/2 years in prison, had hoped to advance allegations Cochran was having an inappropriate relationship with a staffer while neglecting his wife. This year McDaniel, who was urged to run again by former White House counselor Steve Bannon, expected to challenge GOP Sen. Roger Wicker. But Cochran's retirement upended that. Now, due to special election quirks, he faces Hyde-Smith, as well as two Democrats on a wide-open special election ballot. Remember Mississippi has paid for social media and radio ads, though so far it has spent only about $5,500 on TV, according to Federal Communications Commission records. A YouTube page for the group includes several videos that have been viewed a handful of times. The sometimes-shaky footage captures McDaniel weighing in on red-meat conservative issues like immigration, national debt and taxes, which he said politicians use to "waste or defraud" voters. Some of the consultants and firms working for the group are well established, and at least one has ties to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's 2016 presidential bid. Others are murkier and have a limited web presence. One consultant, Dan Tripp, who is running for Greenville County Council in South Carolina, advertises free webinars that promise to teach candidates how to "Discover Your Campaign's Pathway to Victory Using Four Tried-And-True Strategies." Tripp, who has been paid about $112,000, did not respond to a request for comment. A number of consultants worked on McDaniel's 2014 campaign. Two, former Mississippi state Sen. Melanie Sojourner and Richard Burke, left the super PAC to join McDaniel's campaign. In March, McDaniel drew scrutiny over what appeared to be coordination between the group and his campaign, which is a violation of FEC rules. The Campaign Legal Center, the group that campaign finance attorney Noti works for, filed a complaint alleging Remember Mississippi made "illegal, excessive and unreported" contributions to McDaniel by paying for several catered events that were promoted as official campaign activities. McDaniel denied there was any coordination. "There is none. Once I announced (my candidacy), I was not allowed to have any contact whatsoever," he said in an interview. Money donated by Mercer and Uihlein to support McDaniel is a drop in the bucket compared to their own fortunes. Uihlein, who contributed $750,000 to Remember Mississippi, has given more than $48 million to party committees and outside groups, like super PACs, according to the FEC. Mercer, who donated $500,000 to the super PAC, has given more than $39 million to such groups. Neither responded to requests for comment. Noti said the real issue is not whether the money was squandered, but the level of access it would buy if McDaniel wins. "The fact that sometimes mega donors make poor decisions about where to invest their money doesn't change the fact that they are still buying outsized influence," he said. ___ Associated Press writer Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed to this report. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A landmark grand jury report on clergy abuse in six Roman Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania detailed how priests often used religious rituals, symbols of the faith and the threat of eternity in hell to groom, molest and rape children. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro called it the "weaponization of faith." Some of the examples cited in the report, released Tuesday, of how over 300 "predator priests," dating back to the 1940s, used the children's own religious faith and trust in them as religious leaders to victimize and silence them: Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, at podium, speaks during a news conference at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. A Pennsylvania grand jury says its investigation of clergy sexual abuse identified more than 1,000 child victims. The grand jury report released Tuesday says that number comes from records in six Roman Catholic dioceses. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) ___ CONFESSION, AND CROSSES One priest tied up a victim with rope in the confessional in a "praying position." When the victim refused to perform sex, the angered priest used a 7-inch crucifix to sexually assault him. Another victim said a priest used a metal cross to beat him. At a parish rectory, four priests made a boy strip and pose as Jesus on the cross while they took photos. "He stated that all of them giggled and stated that the pictures would be used as a reference for new religious statues for the parishes," the grand jury wrote. Two of those priests later did jail time for sexually assaulting two altar boys. ___ GOD'S WISHES One priest told a boy he was fondling that it was OK because the priest was "an instrument of God." Another was quoted as telling altar boys they should serve naked beneath their cassocks "because God did not want any man-made clothes to be worn next to their skin during Mass," the jury wrote. When a bishop asked the Vatican to remove a priest who used physical force and threats to abuse children, the bishop noted the priest "invoked the name of God to justify his actions against his victims while using their faith and the priesthood to manipulate them and secure their silence." Parishioners were never told why he was removed in 2006. __ HEAVEN AND DAMNATION Threats of eternal damnation were not uncommon, the grand jury found. Priests told children they would "go to hell" if they told anyone what happened and "nobody would believe a lying child over a man of God's word." In one church, a priest told a boy who confided he had been gang-raped as a 7-year-old that he had to provide sex to get to heaven. He would then be molested for three years before the priest was transferred. __ PRIVACY OF THE CHURCH Predator priests used any opportunity they could to molest children while they had them alone, taking advantage of the privacy of church facilities. Several priests used hypnosis during counseling sessions to manipulate their victims. Helping a priest grade papers in his rectory somehow became a session of nude weightlifting. One boy was abused when he went to collect his report card from school. ___ REACTION TO THE FINDINGS "Predators in every diocese weaponized the Catholic faith and used it as a tool of their abuse," the attorney general said. While expressing sorrow over what happened, church leaders said most of the offenses occurred sometime in the past, and note that major reforms were adopted starting in 2002 to safeguard children. Terence McKiernan, president of the watchdog group BishopAccountability.org, said the ritualization of abuse was a fundamental part of how children were sexually exploited. "Even when the Catholic rituals and doctrines are not specifically mobilized by the priest, they are in play," he said. The grand jurors pointedly wrote that the investigation was not an attack on the faith, noting many are Catholics themselves. "People of all faiths and of no faith want their children to be safe," the grand jurors wrote. "But we were presented with a conspicuous concentration of child sex abuse cases that have come from the church." ___ OUTCOME OF INVESTIGATION Because of time limits on the prosecution of old cases, only two of the priests have been charged with crimes as a result of the grand jury investigation, though a number were prosecuted in years past. Over 100 have died, and many others have retired. Shapiro said the investigation is continuing. His office got more than 150 calls and emails within a day of the report's release, from other people with stories of abuse. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro speaks during a news conference at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. A Pennsylvania grand jury says its investigation of clergy sexual abuse identified more than 1,000 child victims. The grand jury report released Tuesday says that number comes from records in six Roman Catholic dioceses. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro speaks during a news conference at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. A Pennsylvania grand jury says its investigation of clergy sexual abuse identified more than 1,000 child victims. The grand jury report released Tuesday says that number comes from records in six Roman Catholic dioceses. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro speaks during a news conference at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. A Pennsylvania grand jury says its investigation of clergy sexual abuse identified more than 1,000 child victims. The grand jury report released Tuesday says that number comes from records in six Roman Catholic dioceses. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) 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, Pa., Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. A Pennsylvania grand jury says its investigation of clergy sexual abuse identified more than 1,000 child victims. The grand jury report released Tuesday says that number comes from records in six Roman Catholic dioceses. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Robert Mizic, 47, watches a press conference on the grand jury report investigating sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania at his home on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, in Turtle Creek, Pa. Mizic says he was abused by his parish priest at a Catholic Church in suburban Philadelphia 35 years ago. (Andrew Rush/Post-Gazette via AP) 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. [ Editor: Xueying ] DALLAS (AP) - A former Texas police officer accused of killing a black teenager was angry, out of control and "trigger happy" when he fired at a car full of teenagers while responding to a house party, a prosecutor told jurors Thursday during the ex-officer's murder trial. Ex-Balch Springs officer Roy Oliver's actions were unreasonable on the night he fatally shot 15-year-old Jordan Edwards last year, said Michael Snipes, a Dallas County assistant district attorney. Snipes said Edwards was an "innocent child" and that his last words were "duck, get down." Oliver, who is white, fired his gun into a moving car carrying five black teenagers while responding to a report of underage drinking at the party. Oliver has said he and his partner feared for their lives as the car sped toward them. Balch Springs police officer Tyler Gross watches Roy Oliver's body cam footage during his testimony on the first day of the trial of fired Balch Springs police officer Roy Oliver, who is charged with the murder of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards, at the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (Rose Baca/The Dallas Morning News via AP, Pool) But Oliver's partner, Tyler Gross, testified Thursday that he did not fear for his life as the vehicle went by and that he never felt the need to fire his weapon. During opening statements, Snipes told jurors Oliver fired at the car after it passed Gross and that Gross was in no danger. Snipes said the prosecution will also show that Edwards and others in the car had nothing to do with shots that were heard outside the house. No guns were found inside the teens' car. Defense attorneys did not make an opening statement on Thursday. They have previously said Edwards' death was a tragedy but evidence would show Oliver "reacted properly." Oliver, 38, joined the Balch Springs department in 2011 but was fired after the fatal shooting, which was thrust into a national conversation about police killings of African Americans. The trial is expected to last about two weeks and highlights the heightened role video evidence plays in high-profile police shootings that have stirred discourse and protests nationwide over issues of race and law enforcement. Its importance was on display Thursday as jurors saw footage captured by body cameras worn by Oliver and Gross the night of the shooting. Footage shows the two officers breaking up a house party, with high-school age kids streaming away from the residence and attempting to avoid mud outside. Police were having a friendly conversation with the party's host when gunfire, later found to be fired near a nursing home, cut the exchange short. Footage shows people screaming outside. Video shows Oliver getting a rifle from his patrol car and going toward Gross, who was trying to get the vehicle to stop. Police footage played for jurors shows the car slowly backing up before driving forward. After firing on the car containing Edwards and the other teens, Oliver can be heard asking Gross if he's all right. Oliver then says the driver of the vehicle tried to hit Gross. Gross testified Thursday that he didn't feel like the vehicle was trying to hit him. Following the shooting, the Balch Springs police chief reported that police video had contradicted his agency's original statement on the incident. Police first said the vehicle backed up toward officers "in an aggressive manner," but police later said video showed the vehicle was moving forward as officers approached. Gross estimates there were dozens of kids coming out of the residence. Gross testified he saw no drunk teens and only saw one beer bottle. He also said there were no indications of violence. Vidal Allen testified Thursday that Edwards, his step brother, gave him the idea to go to the party and they received permission before attending. At the party, he said, there was dancing, rap music and a crowd having a good time. Police arrived and Allen said he dashed from the party through the backyard and went to the car. With the five teenagers in the vehicle, Allen said he tried to leave the party by going straight down the road, but police were blocking the road. Instead, he backed up slowly and heard somebody yelling at them to stop the car, he said. But he testified he did not know who was yelling and didn't know it was a police officer giving the commands. "I just wanted to get home," he said, because the teenagers had heard the gunfire that rang out near the nursing home. The police shooting, he said, all seemed to happen in an instant. Allen testified he steered the vehicle clear of officers while leaving. Some legal experts said ahead of the trial that securing a conviction against an officer is a challenge because criminal culpability in such cases is subjective and jurors are more inclined to believe police testimony. Philip Stinson, a criminologist at Bowling Green State University in Ohio who tracks police shootings, said jurors are often reluctant to second-guess the decisions of an officer faced with an intense street encounter. Even when armed with video evidence, attorneys can fail to deliver a conviction against an officer, he said. Edwards' stepmother, Charmaine Edwards, testified that her stepson played football from age 6 and was "really into his academics." She testified that he got A's and B's in school and was a people person, close to his brothers. Oliver has a history of hostile and aggressive behavior and "flipped off" the vehicle that held Edwards' body following the shooting, according to court filings from prosecutors. Oliver, while in the eighth grade, posted swastikas in public places, hated anyone who was not Caucasian and was also a member of the group "Caucasians in Effect," the court filing says. In 2013, he was "uncooperative and used profanity" while testifying in trial, according to the records, and "communicated aggressively" and used profanity with prosecutors that same day. Oliver's legal troubles extend beyond the murder trial. A lawsuit has been filed over the shooting, and Oliver has been indicted in a separate 2017 incident in which police said he drew a weapon after he was rear-ended while off duty. ___ For the latest information about the trial: https://bit.ly/2MBIGC1 Roy Oliver, fired Balch Springs police officer who is charged with the murder of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards, watches as lead prosecutor Michael Snipes questions Balch Springs police officer Tyler Gross during the first day of his trial at the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (Rose Baca/The Dallas Morning News via AP, Pool) Balch Springs police officer Tyler Gross gives testimony for lead prosecutor Michael Snipes during the first day of the trial of fired Balch Springs police officer Roy Oliver, who is charged with the murder of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards, at the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (Rose Baca/The Dallas Morning News via AP, Pool) Lead prosecutor Michael Snipes gives an opening statement during the first day of the trial of fired Balch Springs police officer Roy Oliver, who is charged with the murder of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards, at the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (Rose Baca/The Dallas Morning News via AP, Pool) Charmaine Edwards reacts to a photo of her son Jordan Edwards shown by District Attorney Faith Johnson during a testimony on the first day of the trial of fired Balch Springs police officer Roy Oliver, who is charged with the murder of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards, at the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (Rose Baca/The Dallas Morning News via AP, Pool) Judge Brandon Birmingham speaks during the first day of the trial of fired Balch Springs police officer Roy Oliver, who is charged with the murder of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards, at the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (Rose Baca/The Dallas Morning News via AP, Pool) FILE - In this May 6, 2017 file photo, mourners hold the commemorative program as they emerge from the funeral service for 15-year-old, Jordan Edwards, at Mesquite Friendship Baptist Church in Mesquite, Texas. Attorneys for the white former Texas police officer, Roy Oliver, charged with murder in the fatal shooting of the black teenager have requested an emergency stay to delay his trial, which is scheduled to begin Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. The fired Balch Springs officer Oliver was charged after opening fire last year into a moving car filled with five black teenagers, killing Edwards. (Louis DeLuca/The Dallas Morning News via AP, File) FILE - This file booking photo provided by the Parker County Sheriff's Office in Weatherford, Texas, shows Roy Oliver. The murder trial is set to begin Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, for Oliver, a former Balch Springs, Texas, police officer, who opened fire into a moving car filled with black teenagers, killing a 15-year-old passenger in April 2017. (Parker County Sheriff's Office via AP, File) CHICAGO (AP) - Prosecutors called as witnesses friends of two men charged in the shooting death of a 15-year-old Chicago high school student, and all backed away from statements made to investigators. One even denied Wednesday what transcripts showed he said in grand jury testimony after Hadiya Pendleton's shooting in January 2013. In response, Cook County prosecutors read lengthy excerpts from the three witnesses' grand jury testimony and signed statements to police. Defense attorneys suggested police threatened the witnesses into implicating the defendants. Defendant Kenneth Williams, center, is flanked by attorneys Matt McQuaid, and Julie Koehler, during opening arguments in the Hadiya Pendleton murder trial at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, in Chicago. Williams, and Micheail Ward are standing trial in the 2013 shooting death of Pendleton, a 15-year-old Chicago student just days after she performed with her high school band at then-President Barack Obama's inaugural festivities. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool) Micheail Ward and Kenneth Williams are on trial in the death of Pendleton just days after she performed with her high school band at then-President Barack Obama's inaugural festivities. Pendleton was with friends at a park 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) from Obama's Chicago home when she was shot in what prosecutors say was a botched attempt at gang retaliation. Prosecutors say the then-18-year-old Ward was the gunman and that Williams, who was 20, was the getaway driver. Defendant Micheail Ward, center, is flanked by attorneys Gina Piemonte and Scott Kozicki during opening arguments in the Hadiya Pendleton murder trial at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, in Chicago. Kenneth Williams, and Ward are standing trial in the 2013 shooting death of Pendleton, a 15-year-old Chicago student just days after she performed with her high school band at then-President Barack Obama's inaugural festivities. (Jose M. Osorio/ Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool) This combination of photos provided by the Cook County Sheriff's Office shows Kenneth Williams, left, and Micheail Ward. On Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, jury selection began in Chicago for the trial of the two men charged in the January 2013 fatal shooting of 15-year-old student Hadiya Pendleton just days after she performed with her high school band at then-President Barack Obama's inaugural festivities. (Cook County Sheriff's Office via AP) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Brandon Hein was 18 when he and three other teenagers were charged in the 1995 stabbing death of the 16-year-old son of a Los Angeles police detective. One of Hein's friends pulled a knife during a fistfight over marijuana. James Farris III died; Jason Holland testified that he committed the stabbings in a backyard clubhouse, but Hein was also sentenced to life in prison under California's "felony murder" rule that holds accomplices to the same standard as if they had personally committed the crime. Hein became a cause celebre almost immediately for those who thought his sentence too harsh, the subject of sympathetic webpages and a 2003 segment on CBS News' "60 Minutes." More than two decades later advocates point to his case as one example as they try to narrow the rule. This Feb. 27, 2018 photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows Brandon Hein, who was 18 when he and three other teenagers were charged in the 1995 stabbing death of the 16-year old son of a Los Angeles police detective. Another teen confessed to the killing but Hein was also sentenced to life in prison under California's "felony murder" rule. California lawmakers are considering limiting the felony murder rule that holds accomplices to the same standard as if they had personally committed the crime. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP) Even a few Republicans are backing the Senate-approved bill awaiting action in the Assembly before lawmakers adjourn for the year at the end of August. Critics say it's unfair that accomplices can face execution or life prison sentences even if they were unaware that a killing would or did take place. "They're charged as if they pulled the trigger," said Republican state Sen. Joel Anderson of Alpine, who co-authored the bill with Democratic Sen. Nancy Skinner of Berkeley. Skinner said the current law "can be very broadly applied to sweep up anyone who is around," but argued that her measure "does not let murderers off the hook." Separately, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week cleared the way for a challenge to the felony murder law on the grounds that it's unconstitutionally vague. In that case, Shedrick Henry was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison for killing a bystander when he fired a gun in a Berkeley apartment building in 1995. The appeals court said he can challenge the part of California's law that allows a murder conviction for an "inherently dangerous" felony that results in an unintentional death. The pending legislation would limit murder convictions to those who actually commit murders; those who "with the intent to kill" knowingly aid, solicit or assist the killer; and those who are major participants in an underlying crime and acted with reckless indifference to human life. Among those facing a felony murder charge is Gene Evin Atkins, 28, who authorities say held dozens of people hostage inside a Trader Joe's market last month after shooting his grandmother and kidnapping his girlfriend. He is charged in the death of the store's assistant manager, Melyda Corado, 27, even though a Los Angeles police officer fired the fatal shot during a gunfight outside the store. The bill would require re-sentencing prior offenders such as Hein, which the California District Attorneys Association said would cause particular problems in cases where offenders pleaded guilty. The Assembly Appropriations Committee on Thursday advanced the bill for a vote by the full Assembly after Skinner made several changes to try to ease opposition from law enforcement groups. Her office refused to provide details of the amendments and the prosecutors' association did not respond to a request for comment on whether it was satisfied with the changes. With no trial record to prove that the offender committed acts that would qualify them for a murder conviction under the proposed legislation, the association argued, "the result will entitle virtually all petitioners who apply, even those who were major participants in the crime which resulted in death, to be entitled to a resentencing and the elimination of their well-deserved criminal liability." Those re-sentencings could then essentially require new jury trials, with witnesses and victims retrying the case years after the original conviction, the prosecutors objected. The association said it supports "a reasonable and measured approach to felony murder reform. Unfortunately this bill falls short and creates some potentially disastrous and costly problems that renders this bill unworkable." California officials said they don't know how many convicts are serving time for felony murder because they don't track the cases separately from other murder convictions. Critics say the rule has been disproportionately used against minority and poor offenders as well as women and youths who are more likely to be accomplices in crimes. Skinner said Canada, England and at least six other states have already narrowed the rule. LAS VEGAS (AP) - As temperatures topped 110 degrees last week outside a Latin American grocery store in Las Vegas, 19-year-old Diara Hernandez bounded up to customers, greeting them with a smile and a clipboard to ask in Spanish if they're registered to vote - or can vote. Hernandez, a College of Southern Nevada political science student and aspiring immigration lawyer, is part of the Democratic Party's battalion of volunteers working to register and engage Latino voters in this year's midterms. Democrats hope to re-create the big wins the state's Hispanic and immigrant community are credited with delivering for the party two years ago. Backlash against President Donald Trump's tougher immigration policies may help Democrats, but the party is also running into headwinds as they try to engage communities facing fear and uncertainty. In this Aug. 15, 2018, photo, Maria Nieto, right, and Alma Romo, second from left, register people to vote in Las Vegas. Democrats in Nevada are working to register and engage Latino voters ahead of this year's midterms, hoping to recreate the big wins that the state's Hispanic and immigrant community are credited with delivering two years ago. (AP Photo/John Locher) "When I go to the grocery store, I'm not being asked about candidates. I'm not being asked about when the election is," said Astrid Silva, one of 13,000 young immigrants in Nevada shielded from deportation by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. "I'm being asked what's going to happen the next day to people's families." Silva, a 30-year-old woman in Las Vegas who was brought to the U.S. without authorization at age 4, said that while she feels energized by the prospects of a "blue wave" in November, many in her community are grappling with deportations from routine check-ins with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the uncertain future of DACA. At a Las Vegas kickoff of a Democratic Latina organizing initiative called "Mujeres Mobilized!," Silva said she's heard many people say they won't vote because they don't think it will make a difference. "Our political power is there, I just think it's buried under a lot of fear, a lot of frustration and also a lot of misinformation," she later told The Associated Press. Kate Marshall, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor whose family came to the U.S. from Mexico in 1921, said in the Latino community, Democrats "must spend some time talking to people about how our government is legitimate and worthwhile and needs your participation." Twenty-nine percent of people in Nevada are Latino and turning them out to vote makes a big difference in this swing state. In 2014, lagging Hispanic turnout in the midterm election was cited as one reason Republicans won key victories across the state. Two years later, heavy organizing among Latinos and immigrant-dominated labor unions was credited with delivering Nevada to Hillary Clinton, along with helping Democrats keep a U.S. Senate seat, flip two U.S. House seats and take control of both state legislative houses. Christina Lopez, a state Democratic Party organizer, said her goal is to "destroy the narrative" that communities of color fail to turn out for midterm elections. "We're here to prove that communities of color swing them," Lopez said. Republicans, too, are making concentrated efforts to reach out to Hispanics. The state and national party's strategic initiatives have included meetings with community leaders, political operative trainings in Spanish and relationships with groups like the Latin Chamber of Commerce and Republican National Hispanic Assembly. Elisa Slider, chair of the assembly's Nevada branch, said her organization promotes conservativism by putting an emphasis on issues like family values, religious freedom and fiscal conservativism. Slider, who is of Cuban heritage and a cousin of Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, said she reminds people that families like hers left socialist and communist countries - such as Cuba and Venezuela - for the United States. "They've been told that they're Democrats," she said. "But when you talk to them about the issues, they realize they're actually conservatives." Still, the president's harsh rhetoric, policies and racially-tinged comments remain a roadblock for some Latinos who would otherwise vote Republican. Christian Silva, a 41-year-old Las Vegas bakery driver and registered Democrat, said he's become more attracted to Republicans because he thinks the U.S. government needs to take a stricter approach to social programs like welfare. "I'm thinking about maybe changing my vote," he said. "Republicans are a little more straight about that." But Silva said despite considering a vote for GOP candidates, he won't support the party's leader. "Oh no, I'm Latino. I'd never vote for Trump," Silva said. "I think a lot of things Trump is doing is right. But he's a racist guy." Erik Baltazar, a 21-year-old who moved to Las Vegas a few months ago from Mexico, said he can appreciate Trump trying to crack down on illegal immigration, but the president "has the worst approach ever." Baltazar, a U.S. citizen born in Phoenix, cited the Trump administration's separation of families and children being held in cages at border facilities, saying "I think it's not human to do that stuff." If he doesn't hear a message of compassion or tolerance, Baltazar said he's not planning to vote at all. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The Latest on developments in Afghanistan after a deadly suicide bombing in a Shiite area of Kabul (all times local): 5 p.m. Amnesty International says the suicide attack on Shiites in Kabul the day before that killed 34 students is a "war crime." Security personnel arrived at the site of a deadly suicide bombing that targeted a training class in a private building in the Shiite neighbourhood of Dasht-i Barcha, in western Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Both the resurgent Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan have targeted Shiites in the past, considering them to be heretics. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Thursday's statement from the international rights group also decried the recent spike in violence in Afghanistan and the increasing number of civilians being killed. Samira Hamidi, Amnesty's South Asia campaigner, says "the deliberate targeting of civilians and the targeting of places of education is a war crime." She added that the "mounting civilian casualties show beyond any doubt that Afghanistan and, in particular, its capital, Kabul, are not safe." She says the spike in violence should be a message to Afghanistan's neighbors as well as European countries that are turning away Afghan refugees "in the thousands." ___ 4:45 p.m. Kabul police say two gunmen who attacked an intelligence service compound in the city's northwest have been killed by security forces and that the siege is over. Kabul police chief spokesman Hekmat Stanikzai says the standoff lasted nearly six hours on Thursday as police moved in to cut the gunmen off. He says police finally took control of the partially constructed building where the gunmen had holed up in and from where they were opening fire at the nearby intel compound. A private university located nearby was put on lockdown but there were no injuries among the students during the shootout. Police officers went floor by floor through to building to make sure no attackers remained there. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. ___ 4:30 p.m. An Afghan official says four policemen were killed and four were seriously wounded as they were trying to defuse a car bomb in southern Kandahar province. Provincial police spokesman Zia Durrani says the policemen discovered the car packed with explosives late on Wednesday. He says that when they tried to defuse it, the car detonated. No one has taken responsibility for the car bomb. Kandahar was the spiritual heartland of the Taliban during their five-year rule of Afghanistan that ended with the 2001 invasion by U.S. and NATO forces following the 9/11 attacks in the United States. ___ 2:40 p.m. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the horrific suicide bombing the previous day that targeted a Shiite area of the Afghan capital, killing 34 students. The claim of responsibility was posted on Thursday on the IS-affiliated Aamaq news agency. IS says its bomber, identified as "martyrdom-seeking brother Abdul Raouf al-Khorasani" carried out the attack, allegedly killing or wounding more than 200 students. Afghanistan's Health Ministry has released a revised casualty toll, saying 34 students were killed and 57 were wounded. Afghanistan's IS affiliate is known as The Islamic State in Khorasan Province. Khorasan is the ancient name for an area that encompassed parts of present-day Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia. ___ 10:45 a.m. Police say gunmen have launched an attack on a compound belonging to the Afghan intelligence service in the capital of Kabul. Officer Abdul Rahman told The Associated Press from the location of the attack on Thursday morning that the gunmen are holed up in a building near the compound from where they are shooting. He says the shooting is sporadic and it wasn't immediately clear how many gunmen are involved in the assault in a western neighborhood of Kabul. The attack comes as the city's Shiites prepare to hold funeral prayers for those killed in a deadly suicide bombing the previous day. ___ 10:30 a.m. The Afghan authorities have revised the death toll from the previous day's horrific suicide bombing in a Shite area of Kabul to 34 killed, not 48. Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majroh said on Thursday that 56 people were also wounded in the bombing in the neighborhood of Dasht-e-Barchi when the bomber walked into a building where high school graduates were preparing for university entrance exams and blew himself up. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but officials blame the Islamic State group, which has targeted Shiites in the past. The city's hospitals were overwhelmed in the immediate aftermath of Wednesday's bombing as officials collected data on the casualties, leading to the confusion and the wrong toll. Funeral prayers were to be held later Thursday for the dead. Relatives pray near to the dead bodies of civilians after Wednesday's deadly suicide bombing that targeted a training class in a private building in the Shiite neighborhood of Dasht-i Barcha, in western Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan men stand in front of burned out shops following a Taliban attack in Ghazni, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. A Taliban assault on two adjacent checkpoints in northern Afghanistan killed at least 30 soldiers and police, officials said Wednesday. 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. (AP Photo/Rahmatullah Nikzad) ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Former Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson said in seeking to make history and capture a U.S. Senate seat in New Mexico he'll have to give up a few of his favorite activities: marathon biking rides, hanging out in his northern New Mexico "dream" home and tuning out news about President Donald Trump. But he can't promise he won't smoke an occasional joint. Johnson, who served two terms as New Mexico governor in the 1990s and gained national attention as one of the first mainstream politicians to call for the legalization of marijuana, announced Thursday that he's seeking to unseat Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich after the previous Libertarian nominee dropped out the race. Former Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson talks to reporters on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, about his decision to join the U.S. Senate race in New Mexico. (AP Photo/ Russell Contreras) Johnson told reporters at his newly minted and empty Albuquerque headquarters that his candidacy was a longshot, but he felt he had no choice given Trump's unacceptable actions on immigration and free trade. "What's at stake here is arguably one of the most powerful seats in the U.S. Senate," said Johnson, who a month ago was telling supporters he'd never run for office again. "If I were elected to U.S. Senate, I'd be the swing vote. That is a gigantic position that excites me to no end." Johnson's entrance into a race that Democrats had previously seen as a safe seat has generated excitement in a state that leans Democratic but has elected moderate Republicans to statewide office in recent years. But to win, Johnson would have to convince some supporters of Republican challenger Mick Rich and Heinrich that he'd be a better senator for a state that relies on federal government spending for Medicare, three military bases and two national labs. In his passionate announcement, Johnson criticized both main political parties. Johnson said he was "angry" at the two-party system that continuously avoids tackling wasteful spending and coming up with solutions on immigration. Johnson said some Republican voters consider Mexican immigrants the "scourge of the Earth" and GOP politicians rarely challenge those racist notions. Meanwhile, Democrats regular support programs that balloon the federal deficit, he said. Still, Johnson said if he were in the U.S. Senate now he'd probably vote to confirm President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. However, Johnson said he didn't like Trump as president and as a person and called his actions on race relations - around immigration and Trump's tepid reaction to white nationalist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, last year - "unacceptable." "I am fiscally conservative and socially...I-don't-care-what-you-do-as-long-as-it-doesn't-hurt-anybody," Johnson said. Elected and re-elected governor of New Mexico as a Republican, Johnson stayed true to a small-government philosophy while vetoing more than 700 bills. His open advocacy for legalized marijuana broke mainstream 1990s political taboos and made him a national curiosity and a popular figure on college campuses. New Mexico Democrats immediately dismissed Johnson's entrance in the race Thursday and focused on his record as governor. "New Mexicans haven't forgotten the damage Gary Johnson's extreme agenda had on our state - from cutting the social security net, to vetoing minimum wage increases, to trying to privatize our education system," Democratic Party of New Mexico Chair Marg Elliston said in a statement. "He'd bring the same destructive ideas to Washington." An advocate for marijuana legalization, Johnson said he'd push for federal legislation that would end the jail time for those who sell or consume marijuana. As for his own consumption, Johnson told reporters he wouldn't smoke marijuana if he had to appear before reporters or at campaign events. "In lieu of people who have a cocktail before they go to bed in the evening," said Johnson, who hasn't had an alcoholic drink in 31 years, "I may be in the category when it comes to marijuana. And I hope you chalk that up to honesty." ___ Follow Russell Contreras on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras ___ This story has been corrected to correct Republican challenger Rich's first name as Mick, not Mark. FILE - This Oct. 10, 2016 file photo taken from a video screen grab shows then-Libertarian presidential candidate and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson being interviewed in Santa Fe, N.M. Former Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson is campaigning to unseat New Mexico's junior Democratic U.S. senator, seeking political opportunity in the space between Democrats and voters loyal to President Donald Trump. Johnson's name appeared Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, on the state's list of Senate candidates. Johnson still holds a vaunted place in New Mexico politics as a former two-term governor. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras, File) FILE - In this Sept 23, 2011 file photo, Libertarian Party presidential candidate, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson speaks in Orlando, Fla. Former Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson is campaigning to unseat New Mexico's junior Democratic U.S. senator, seeking political opportunity in the space between Democrats and voters loyal to President Donald Trump. Johnson's name appeared Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, on the state's list of Senate candidates. Johnson still holds a vaunted place in New Mexico politics as a former two-term governor. (AP Photo/Joe Burbank, Pool, File) Former Libertarian presidential candidate and New Mexico U.S. Senate race candidate Gary Johnson talks to reporters Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, during a media availability in Albuquerque, N.M. Johnson talked about his decision to join the race and how he would represent a state dependent on three military bases and two national labs. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras) Former Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson talks to reporters on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, about his decision to join the U.S. Senate race in New Mexico. (AP Photo/ Russell Contreras) FREDERICK, Colo. (AP) - After his pregnant wife and two daughters disappeared, Christopher Watts stood on his porch in Colorado and lamented to reporters how much he missed them. He longed for the simple things, he said, like telling his girls to eat their dinner and gazing at them as they curled up to watch cartoons. "Last night, I had every light in the house on. I was hoping that I would just get ran over by the kids running in the door, just barrel-rushing me, but it didn't happen," he told Denver TV station KMGH. Christopher Watts is escorted into the courtroom before his bond hearing at the Weld County Courthouse on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Greeley, Colo. Watts, of Colorado, whose wife and daughters disappeared this week was arrested on suspicion of killing them. (Joshua Polson/The Greeley Tribune via AP, Pool) On Thursday, Watts was in jail after being arrested on suspicion of killing his family, probably before he spoke those words. Authorities did not offer a motive. The body of 34-year-old Shanann Watts was found on property owned by Anadarko Petroleum, one of the state's largest oil and gas drillers, where Christopher Watts worked, police said. Investigators found what they believe are the bodies of 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste nearby on Thursday afternoon. "As horrible as this outcome is, our role now is to do everything we can to determine exactly what occurred," John Camper, director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, said at a news conference in Frederick, a small town on the grassy plains north of Denver, where fast-growing subdivisions intermingle with drilling rigs and oil wells. Watts, 33, has not been formally charged. A judge ordered him held without bail and told prosecutors to file charges by Monday afternoon. He set a Tuesday hearing to review the case. As he was escorted into the courtroom, Watts did not speak. He looked down for much of the hearing but made eye contact as the judge reviewed his rights. Watts's attorney, James Merson of the Colorado State Public Defender's Office, left without commenting to reporters. He did not immediately respond to a voicemail left at his office Thursday by The Associated Press. A family friend reported Shanann Watts and her daughters missing on Monday, police said. In his previous interviews with Denver TV outlets, Christopher Watts said his wife of nearly six years returned home about 2 a.m. Monday after a flight for a work trip was delayed. He said the two had an "emotional conversation" before he left for work a few hours later and that he became concerned after she did not return his calls or texts or those of her friends. He said he came home to an empty house after a friend knocked on the door at noon and got no answer. Shanann Watts' Facebook account paints a portrait of a happy married life, with a constant feed of photos and videos of friends, relatives and herself. Her comments were typically upbeat, whether she was running errands, playing with her kids or promoting a health program. The couple got married in North Carolina nearly six years ago and moved to Colorado around the same time. She posted selfies of her and her husband smiling in restaurants, at the ocean on vacation and at their house. On May 5, she wrote: "I love this man! He's my ROCK!" On June 19, she posted a photo of some texts with her husband after sending him a picture of a sonogram. He replied that he loved the baby already. She posted: "I love Chris! He's the best dad us girls could ask for." Her page has photo collages and video slide shows praising Chris Watts, describing how their love was growing stronger and how he gave her the strength to have a third child. The couple's 2015 bankruptcy filing captures a picture of a family caught between a promising future and financial strain. The filing estimated that they had the same range of assets as liabilities, according to court records. At the time, Christopher Watts worked for Anadarko, earning about $61,500 a year as an "operator." His wife was working at a call center at a children's hospital, making about $18 per hour. Combined, they earned $90,000 in 2014. But they also had tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt, along with some student loans and medical bills - for a total of $70,000 in unsecured claims on top of a sizable mortgage. A spokeswoman for the oil company said Christopher Watts was fired Wednesday, but she declined to provide any details, citing the active investigation. Shanann Watts was one of the first customers to visit Ashley Bell's tanning salon in nearby Dacona two years ago. The two women quickly became friends, and before long they were texting or calling each other almost daily. Their daughters also played together during salon visits. On Thursday, Bell and her family added several items to a memorial of stuffed toys, candles and flowers on the lawn of the Watts family home. Bell said she never detected that anything was wrong between Shanann and her husband. Bell also got to know Christopher Watts and described him as a loving father. "I just don't understand it," she said, reaching out to accept a flower that her daughter picked from a nearby lawn. Shanann worked from home as a saleswoman for a freeze-dried food company and took her two girls everywhere, Bell said. "She was always about her girls," Bell said. "She would do anything for her girls." One day she came into the salon and announced that she couldn't tan for a while, then grinned and confirmed she was pregnant. Shanann's father, Frank Rzucek, said on Facebook that the family did not want to talk to the media. ___ Drew reported from Raleigh, North Carolina. Associated Press writers Colleen Slevin in Denver and Michelle A. Monroe and Courtney Bonnell in Phoenix and researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to show Shanann Watts' first name was misspelled in some references. A photograph sits amid the tributes as they grow outside the home where a pregnant woman, Shanann Watts, and her two daughters, Bella and Celeste, lived Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Frederick, Colo. The woman's husband, Christopher Watts, has been arrested on suspicion of killing his family. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Christopher Watts glances back at a Weld County Sheriff's Deputy as he is escorted out of the courtroom at the Weld County Courthouse Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Greeley, Colo. Watts, of Colorado, whose wife and daughters disappeared this week was arrested on suspicion of killing them. (Joshua Polson/The Greeley Tribune via AP, Pool) Christopher Watts looks down during his bond hearing at the Weld County Courthouse Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Greeley, Colo. Watts, of Colorado, whose wife and daughters disappeared this week was arrested on suspicion of killing them. (Joshua Polson/The Greeley Tribune via AP, Pool) Tributes grow outside the home where a pregnant woman and her two daughters lived Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Frederick, Colo. The woman's husband has been arrested in the disappearance of the woman and children. Authorities say that they have found the woman's body and believe to know the whereabouts of the two girls. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) An unidentified young boy places a bouquet of flowers on a pile of tributes outside the home where a pregnant woman and her two daughters lived Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Frederick, Colo. The woman's husband has been arrested in the disappearance of the woman and children. Authorities say that they have found the woman's body and believe to know the whereabouts of the two girls. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Ashley Bell reacts after leaving flowers among the tributes growing outside the home where a pregnant woman and her two daughters lived Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Frederick, Colo. The woman's husband has been arrested in the disappearance of the woman and children. Authorities say that they have found the woman's body and believe to know the whereabouts of the two girls. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Ashley Bell, left, is consoled by her husband, Steven, and 4-year-old daughter Liberty as the woman places a tribute outside the home where a pregnant woman and her two daughters lived Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Frederick, Colo. The woman's husband has been arrested in the disappearance of the woman and children. Authorities say that they have found the woman's body and believe to know the whereabouts of the two girls. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Tributes grow outside the home where a pregnant woman and her two daughters lived Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Frederick, Colo. The woman's husband has been arrested in the disappearance of the woman and children. Authorities say that they have found the woman's body and believe to know the whereabouts of the two girls. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) This photo combo of images provided by The Colorado Bureau of Investigation shows, from left, Bella Watts, Celeste Watts and Shanann Watts. The Frederick Police Department said Chris Watts was taken into custody. Watt's pregnant wife, 34-year-old Shanann Watts, and their two daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste were reported missing Monday, Aug. 13, 2018. The police said on Twitter early Thursday that Chris Watts will be held at the Weld County Jail. He has not yet been charged. (The Colorado Bureau of Investigation via AP) Judge Marcelo A. Kopcow speaks to the attorneys during the bond hearing for Christopher Watts at the Weld County Courthouse Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Greeley, Colo. Watts, of Colorado, whose wife and daughters disappeared this week was arrested on suspicion of killing them. (Joshua Polson/The Greeley Tribune via AP, Pool) Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke waits for the bond hearing for Christopher Watts to begin at Weld County Courthouse Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Greeley, Colo. A judge has ordered Watts of Colorado who is accused of killing his pregnant wife and two young daughters held in jail without bail. (Joshua Polson/The Greeley Tribune via AP, Pool) A photograph sits amid the tributes as they grow outside the home where a pregnant woman, Shanann Watts, and her two daughters, Bella and Celeste, lived Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Frederick, Colo. The woman's husband, Christopher Watts, has been arrested on suspicion of killing his family. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) A photograph sits amid the tributes as they grow outside the home where a pregnant woman, Shanann Watts, and her two daughters, Bella and Celeste, lived Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Frederick, Colo. The woman's husband, Christopher Watts, has been arrested on suspicion of killing his family. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Baltasar Gutierrez, left, joins his daughter, Irene Montoya, in talking to reporters after they left a tributes outside the home where a pregnant woman and her two daughters lived Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Frederick, Colo. The woman's husband has been arrested in the disappearance of the woman and children. Authorities say that they have found the woman's body and believe to know the whereabouts of the two girls. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) GENOA, Italy (AP) - The death toll from the collapse of a highway bridge in the Italian city of Genoa that is already confirmed to have claimed at least 38 lives will certainly rise, a senior official said Thursday. "Unfortunately, the toll will increase, that's inevitable" as rescuers continued to search tons of rubble for the missing, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini told reporters. On Wednesday, Premier Giuseppe Conte told reporters that 39 people had died. A woman talks to firefighters as they accompany residents to get their belongings from their homes, in Genoa, Italy, Thursday Aug. 16, 2018. Authorities worried about the stability of remaining large sections of a partially collapsed bridge evacuated about 630 people from nearby apartments, some practically in the shadow of the elevated highway. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) But on Thursday, the Genoa's prefect office, which reports to the interior ministry lowered the number of confirmed dead to 38. Prefect Office official Raffaella Corsaro attributed the lowered number to a "misunderstanding" about information supplied by ambulance dispatchers. Corsaro said that there are 15 injured persons. Doctors have said one of the injured is in coma with severe cranial injuries. Rescuers continued to comb through tons of jagged steel, concrete and dozens of vehicles that plunged as much as 45 meters (150 feet) into a dry river bed on Tuesday, the eve of Italy's main summer holiday. Salvini declined to cite a number of the missing, saying that would be "supposition," but separately Genoa Chief Prosecutor Francesco Cozzi told reporters there could be between 10 and 20 people still unaccounted for. Gov. Giovanni Toti, the leader of the Liguria region which includes Genoa, told a news conference that a key part of the problem in calculating how many might be missing is that "we don't know how many cars, how many trucks were on the bridge at that moment" when it collapsed during a violent rainstorm. "The search and rescue operations will continue until we find all those people that are listed as missing," Sonia Noci, a spokeswoman for Genoa firefighters, told The Associated Press. Italy is planning a state funeral for the dead in the port city Saturday, which will be marked as a day of national mourning. The service will be held in a pavilion on the industrial city's fair grounds and led by Genoa's archbishop, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco. At least six of the dead are foreigners - four French citizens and two Albanians. Italian President Sergio Mattarella has called the collapse an "absurd" catastrophe that has stricken the entire nation. Genoa's two soccer clubs had their weekend matches postponed because of the tragedy. And Italy's soccer league announced that in all other matches this weekend a minute of silence will be observed in memory of the victims before play begins. Cozzi has said the investigation of the cause is focusing on possible inadequate maintenance of the 1967 Morandi Bridge or possible design flaws. In an interview on SkyTG24 TV Thursday, Cozzi said that there was a video of the collapse. Outside experts will study the video to see if it might help determine the cause. Since the cause is yet to be ascertained, there are "no suspects" at this point, the prosecutor said. But he said prosecutors are considering possible eventual charges that include multiple manslaughter. Premier Giuseppe Conte says his government won't wait until prosecutors finish investigating the collapse to withdraw the concession from the main private company that maintains Italy's highways, Atlantia. The bridge links two heavily travelled highways, one leading to France, the other to Milan. 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 carried more traffic than its designers had envisioned. Some architects have said the choice of encasing its cables in reinforced concrete was risky since it's harder to detect corrosion of the metal cables inside. __ Frances D'Emilio reported from Rome. Colleen Barry and Daniella Matar in Milan contributed to this report. Follow D'Emilio at http://www.twitter.com/fdemilio A woman pulls a suitcase after being accompanied by firefighters to get her belongings from her home, in Genoa, Italy, Thursday Aug. 16, 2018. Authorities worried about the stability of remaining large sections of a partially collapsed bridge evacuated about 630 people from nearby apartments, some practically in the shadow of the elevated highway. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) A firefighter pulls a suitcase and carries bags as he accompanies residents to get their belongings from their homes, in Genoa, Italy, Thursday Aug. 16, 2018. Authorities worried about the stability of remaining large sections of a partially collapsed bridge evacuated about 630 people from nearby apartments, some practically in the shadow of the elevated highway. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) 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) A worker inspecst the the area around the collapsed Morandi highway bridge, 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/Nicola Marfisi) LARA BEACH, Cyprus (AP) - For these ancient reptiles, a stretch of beach on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been their home for thousands of years. Against the setting sun, the tiny turtles that have just hatched on Lara Beach strain against the surf to reach the Mediterranean Sea and embark on their life's journey. And in 20 to 30 years, they'll be back at this exact location to lay their own eggs. PHOTO GALLERY - In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, a conservationist holds up a tiny sea turtle that just hatched from its nest on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, with the increase in numbers all the more remarkable as the Green turtle given that it only lays eggs in Cyprus and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) After being hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century, the Mediterranean's endangered Loggerhead and Green turtles are making a comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts, Cypriot marine biologists say. When those efforts began in 1978, there were just 300 turtle nests on the island's beaches where the reptiles return to lay their eggs. The population has grown to around 1,100 nests last year, said Andreas Demetropoulos, the founder and co-head of a turtle conservation program under the island-nation's Fisheries and Marine Research Department. That may not sound a lot, but with the turtles' reproductive cycles stretching out as long as three decades, the results are "quite spectacular," said Demetropoulos. This increase is especially encouraging for the Green turtle, which lays its eggs in only two countries - Turkey and European Union member Cyprus. There are only about 1,500 female Green turtles that lay eggs in those two countries, as opposed to 6,000 female Loggerhead - or Careta Careta - turtles that lay eggs across the Mediterranean. According to marine biologist and conservation program co-head Myroula Hadjichristophorou, Cyprus has 200-300 Green turtles who lay eggs while the number for Loggerheads is more than double that. Cyprus instituted its conservation program long before any other EU member and that has paid dividends, said Hadjichristoforou. Efforts include guarding against the turtles' main predator - foxes - and passing crucial legislation in 1989 that allowed conservationists to protect two key beaches in the island's west and northwest, keeping curious locals and tourists at bay. Before this, residents would camp on the beach and fire up barbeques with little concern for the turtles. But over time, Hadjichristophorou says the region has built up a conservationist culture - from schoolkids to adults - so that folks who spot something like an injured turtle notify the authorities immediately. Turtles have been around for 200 million years on Earth but have called the Mediterranean home only for about 10,000 years, said Hadjichristophorou. Remarkably, the turtles' own ingrained "biological GPS" brings them back to lay their eggs to the same beaches that their ancestors chose thousands of years ago. "When people come here with their families, their children, they see the babies coming out of their nests, this is something that they will never forget," said Hadjichristophorou. PHOTO GALLERY - In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, beachgoers observe a tiny sea turtle that just hatched trying to reach the Mediterranean's warm waters on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, with the increase in numbers all the more remarkable for the Green turtle given that it only lays eggs in Cyprus and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) PHOTO GALLERY - In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, tiny sea turtle that just hatched reaches Mediterranean's surf on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, after being hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, a sea turtle soon after hatching, strains against the surf to reach the waters of the Mediterranean Sea as the sun sets on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, after being hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) PHOTO GALLERY - In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, a tiny sea turtle that just hatched strains against the surf to reach the waters of the Mediterranean Sea as the image of onlookers is reflected on the sand on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, after being hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) PHOTO GALLERY - In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, Marine biologists Andreas Pistentis holds a bucket in each hand as he walks among sea turtle nests on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Turtles have been around for around 200 million years though the Loggerhead and Green turtles were hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century, they are now making a dramatic comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts on Cyprus. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) PHOTO GALLERY - In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, a beachgoer stands in front of his umbrella and other personal items that are surrounded by fenced-off Loggerhead and Green turtle nests on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, and the increase in numbers is all the more remarkable for the Green turtle given that it only lays eggs in Cyprus and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) PHOTO GALLERY - In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, young onlookers observe a tiny turtle that just hatched trying to reach the waters of the Mediterranean on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Turtles have been around for around 200 million years though the Loggerhead and Green turtles were hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century, they are now making a dramatic comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts on Cyprus. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) PHOTO GALLERY - In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, a tiny sea turtle that just hatched makes a trail on the wet sand as it tries to reach the warm waters of the Mediterranean along Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Turtles have been around for around 200 million years though the Loggerhead and Green turtles were hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century, they are now making a dramatic comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts on Cyprus. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) PHOTO GALLERY - In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, Onlookers surround marine biologists Andreas Demetropoulos, kneeling, center, and Myroula Hadjichristophorou, seated, right, as they try to pull out sea turtles that just hatched from a nest on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Turtles have been around for around 200 million years though the Loggerhead and Green turtles were hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century, they are now making a dramatic comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts on Cyprus. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) PHOTO GALLERY - In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, Onlookers surround marine biologists Andreas Demetropoulos, kneeling, center, and Myroula Hadjichristophorou, seated, right, as they try to pull out sea turtles that just hatched from a nest on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades. The increase in numbers is all the more remarkable for the Green turtle given that it only lays eggs in Cyprus and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) PHOTO GALLERY - In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, Visitors observe a tiny sea turtle that just hatched on Cyprus' protected Lara beach heading toward the Mediterranean sea. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, after being hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century.(AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) The programme is co-organised by the Hanoi Promotion Agency and the city Department of Industry and Trade. The programme will include a sales promotion month, a tourism promotion day, a golden week for customers, and a voting programme on the favourite made-in-Vietnam goods. Visitors at the programme will have access to a wide range of products at discounted prices of 20% to 50%. The previous event in 2017 attracted 500 retailers and businesses in Hanoi, who offered customers discounted products at around 1,000 locations in both the urban and rural areas of the capital city. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - A special United Nations panel is urging Bahrain to immediately release imprisoned activist Nabeel Rajab, describing him as the victim of government-sponsored "persecution" for his political views in the island kingdom. The statement by the U.N.'s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention comes as Rajab is serving a five-year prison sentence for tweets he sent, a case widely criticized internationally as the kingdom's government continues a crackdown on dissent. He faces further time in prison on other charges similarly denounced abroad. "Mr. Rajab's political views and convictions are clearly at the center of the present case and that the authorities have displayed an attitude towards him that can only be characterized as discriminatory," the panel said. "He has been the target of persecution, including deprivation of liberty, for many years and there is no other explanation for this except that he is exercising his right to express such views and convictions." FILE - In this May 28, 2012 file photo, human rights activist Nabeel Rajab gestures as he leaves a police station in Manama, Bahrain. A United Nations panel said Thursday Aug. 16, 2018, Bahrain should immediately release imprisoned activist Nabeel Rajab. Rajab is serving a five-year prison sentence for tweets he sent in a case widely criticized internationally as the kingdom's government continues a crackdown on dissent. Images on the building at rear shows, clockwise from top, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali, File) Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet and a British naval base, disputed the U.N. panel's findings. It described Rajab's court hearings as "independent, transparent and attended by numerous international observers." "As in all countries, there is a distinct difference between legitimate criticism of government and attempts to incite public disorder," the government said in a statement, without elaborating. Rajab has faced years of imprisonment and a government campaign coordinated against him for backing the island's 2011 Arab Spring protests. Then, the island's Shiite majority and others demanded more political freedoms from the kingdom's ruling Sunni family, the Al Khalifa. Bahrain ultimately put down the demonstrations, relying on reinforcements from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Rajab was sentenced in August 2012 to three years in prison for allegedly fomenting clashes between police and protesters, a case similarly criticized by the U.N. panel. At the time, he was already serving a three-month sentence for posting anti-government comments on Twitter. He was released in May 2014 after serving two years, but was detained again over his comments on Twitter. Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa pardoned Rajab in July 2015 over concerns about his health after the activist served some three months in prison. But Rajab was again arrested in June 2016 over his tweets alleging abuse at Bahrain's Jaw prison and criticizing civilian casualties in the Yemen war waged by a Saudi-led coalition, of which Bahrain is a member. Prosecutors also investigated the 53-year-old activist for letters he wrote while imprisoned that were later published by newspapers Le Monde and The New York Times. Bahrain's constitution guarantees its citizens freedom of speech. However, Rajab was prosecuted under laws making it illegal to offend a foreign country, spread rumors at wartime or "insult" a government agency. The U.N. panel criticized those laws being as "vague and overly broad." "Denials of a universally accepted human right to freedom of opinion and expression should not be meekly condoned by a domestic court," the panel said. The panel's appeal is unlikely to sway the rulers of Bahrain, an island off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf. The United States previously publicly pushed back against Bahrain on human rights matters, using its influence as the island's defense guarantor with over 7,000 U.S. troops attached to a sprawling base in Manama that hosts the 5th Fleet. However, President Donald Trump's administration has approved a multibillion-dollar sale of F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain without the human rights conditions imposed by the State Department under President Barack Obama. Trump himself told also King Hamad in May 2017 "there won't be strain with this administration." ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap . His work can be found at http://apne.ws/2galNpz . Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. HOW PRIESTS 'WEAPONIZED' THEIR FAITH Roman Catholic priests across Pennsylvania used religious rituals, symbols of the faith and the threat of eternity in hell to groom, molest and rape children, a grand jury found , in what the state's top prosecutor called the "weaponization of faith." FILE - In a Sept. 21, 1979 file photo, the Most Rev. William H. Keeler, left, is shown prior to his ordination as auxiliary bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg in the rectory of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Harrisburg, Pa. Standing at center is John Cardinal Krol of Philadelphia, and at right is Archbishop Jean Jadot, the pope's apostolic delegate to the United States. A new Catholic school in Baltimore will no longer feature the name of the late cardinal Keeler, who is accused of failing to act in the case of priests who abused children in Pennsylvania. News outlets report a grand jury report released Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, detailing widespread sexual abuse in six of Pennsylvania's Roman Catholic dioceses says Cardinal William H. Keeler covered up sexual abuse allegations while serving as bishop of Harrisburg. (AP Photo, File) 2. WHY TRUMP ABRUPTLY REVOKED THE SECURITY CLEARANCE OF EX-CIA DIRECTOR In an interview, Trump drew a direct connection between the Russia investigation and his unprecedented decision, citing John Brennan as among those he held responsible for the investigation. 3. HOW ITALY SPAN'S COLLAPSE POINTS TO DIFFICULTIES WITH AGING BRIDGE The bridge that collapsed in the Italian port city of Genoa, considered a feat of engineering innovation when it was built five decades ago, required constant maintenance over the years. Its design is now being investigated as a possible contributor to its stunning collapse. 4. WHERE GUNMEN HAVE STRUCK IN AFGHANISTAN Gunmen besieged a compound belonging to the Afghan intelligence service in Kabul, police said, as the city's Shiite residents held funeral services for the victims of a horrific suicide bombing the previous day that left 34 dead. 5. JURY TO BEGIN DELIBERATING IN MANAFORT FINANCIAL FRAUD TRIAL 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 in closing arguments at the former Trump campaign chairman's financial fraud trial. Jurors begin deliberations Thursday. 6. WHAT NEWSPAPERS ARE TELLING TRUMP U.S. newsrooms are pushing back against President Donald Trump with a coordinated series of newspaper editorials condemning his attacks on "fake news" and suggestion that journalists are the enemy. 7. WHY WOMEN'S TRIAL IN KIM JONG NAM KILLING WILL EXTEND UNTIL NEXT YEAR Two women on trial for the brazen assassination of the North Korean leader's half brother were told to make their defense after the judge found evidence of a "well-planned conspiracy." 8. WHERE 46 PEOPLE OVERDOSED FROM SUSPECTED SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA They overdoes at or near the New Haven Green, a popular, historic downtown park that borders part of Yale University, from a suspected bad batch of "K2" synthetic marijuana, requiring paramedics to be stationed there to provide treatment. 9. WHY TURKISH LIRA IS REBOUNDING The Turkish lira continued to rebound from record losses a day after Qatar pledged $15 billion in investments to help Turkey's economy. 10. HOW ALEX JONES PROMPTED TWITTER CEO TO MULL DEEPER CHANGES After Twitter gave the right-wing conspiratorialist a weeklong timeout, CEO Jack Dorsey is mulling deeper changes to the social media service that might limit the spread of fake news, misinformation and hate speech. These file photos, top row from left are former CIA Director Michael Hayden, former FBI Director James Comey, former acting FBI director Andrew McCabe and former national security adviser Susan Rice. Bottom row from left are former FBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok, former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and former National Intelligence Director James Clapper. President Donald Trump acted Aug. 15, 2018, on a threat and revoked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, citing a constitutional responsibility to protect classified information. Trump says he is reviewing security clearances for nine other individuals, including the eight pictured. (AP Photo/Files) HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - A court in central Vietnam sentenced an activist to 20 years in prison Thursday after finding him guilty of attempting to overthrow the Communist government, his lawyer said, in a case decried by international rights groups. The court also sentenced Le Dinh Luong, 53, to five years of house arrest, said his lawyer Ha Huy Son. Son said Luong was convicted of encouraging others to join the Viet Tan group in exile in the United States. Vietnam brands the group a terrorist organization. "I think the sentence against Mr. Luong is too harsh," Son said after the half-day trial in Nghe An province. Activist Le Dinh Luong, center, stands trial in central province of Nghe An, Vietnam, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. Luong was sentenced to 20 years in prison after the court found him guilty of attempting to overthrow the government at the one-day trial. It was one of the toughest sentences in years for national security crimes. International human rights groups have called for his release. (Bich Hue/Vietnam News Agency) Despite sweeping economic reforms over the past 30 years that opened Vietnam to international trade and investment and made it one of the fasting growing economies in the world, Vietnam tolerates no challenge to its one-party rule. Luong's sentence was the toughest in years for national security crimes. The online version of the Nghe An newspaper reported that Luong was a "particularly dangerous" member of Viet Tan and that he had called on people to boycott National Assembly elections in 2016. Luong had also participated in and instigated others to join protests against environmental pollution by a steel complex owned by Taiwan's Formosa Plastic Group in several central provinces in 2016. The pollution, released in one of Vietnam's worst environmental disasters, killed tons of fish along 200 kilometers (124 miles) of coastline in four central provinces and caused big losses for the region's fishing and tourism industries. International human rights groups called for Luong's immediate release. "Vietnam's systemic crackdown against critics and activists has not deterred brave activists like Le Dinh Luong from campaigning for human rights and democracy," Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement Thursday. "The government should understand that locking people up for simply exercising their rights isn't working, and more activists will continue to step forward to speak their mind and hold protests against government injustices." Meanwhile Clare Algar, Amnesty International's director of global operations, said Luong was being targeted for simply "peacefully campaigning on behalf of fishermen affected by an environmental disaster." "This is a patently unjust and politically motivated case that should be dropped and Le Dinh Luong must be released immediately and unconditionally," Algar said. Amnesty International says 97 people are serving prison sentences in Vietnam for violating national security laws, while Human Rights Watch counts 119. TRURO, Mass. (AP) - On a windswept dune overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, hastily erected signs warned Cape Cod beachgoers to stay out of the water on Thursday, a day after a New York man became the first person to be attacked by a shark off the coast of Massachusetts since 2012. The victim, William Lytton, of Scarsdale, New York, was airlifted to a hospital in Boston, where he was being treated for deep puncture wounds to his torso and leg after staggering to shore, dazed and bleeding. The hospital said Lytton, 61, remained in serious condition, and his family asked for privacy. Police said Lytton was bitten by a shark while wading about 30 yards (27 meters) off Long Nook Beach in Truro, on the outer coastline of the peninsula. The area is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, a major summer tourism destination. Steve McFadden, 49, of Plattsburgh, N.Y. gazes at Long Nook Beach in Truro, Mass., on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. Authorities closed the Cape Cod beach to swimmers after a man was attacked by a shark on Wednesday, the first attack on a person in Massachusetts since 2012. The unidentified victim survived the attack and was airlifted to a Boston hospital. (AP Photo/William J. Kole) In a scene reminiscent of the movie "Jaws," Massachusetts' foremost shark expert, Greg Skomal, planned to speak with Lytton and examine his wounds to see if he was bitten by a great white shark. Numerous great white sightings have been reported in the area, which is frequented by seals, and witnesses reported seeing seals in the water just before the attack. Truro was the site of the last shark attack in Massachusetts, in July 2012, when a Colorado man on nearby Ballston Beach suffered a bite that required 47 stitches. The state's last shark attack fatality was in 1936. "They're there, just as much as the sunrise and sunset. We're just guests," vacationer Steven McFadden, of Plattsburgh, New York, said as he watched waves break on the deserted beach at dawn. "I'll cool my feet off sometimes, but I'm not going to swim. I don't want to be that guy." Town officials said the beach would be closed to swimming at least through Friday, and they put up signs that read, "Danger, No Swimming." A few of the nearly 40 miles (65 kilometers) of coast that comprise the Cape Cod National Shoreline will be off limits. Town manager Rae Ann Palmer said several shark sightings were reported Thursday, but she did not have details. The area is a feeding ground for seals, which draw sharks, and authorities regularly caution people to avoid the water whenever seals are present. "We hope people understand sharks are part of the ecosystem on Cape Cod," said Brian Carlstrom, superintendent of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Despite the public's primal fear of sharks, the odds of being killed by one are roughly 1 in 3.7 million, according to the National Aquarium in Baltimore. An organization that studies sharks, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, said shark encounters in which people are injured are as "terrifying as they are rare." "While we still don't know all of the details of this particular bite, sharks are not known to target people specifically and when they do bite people it's usually a case of mistaken identity," the group said in a statement. "Sharks 'test the waters' with their teeth, much like we use our hands. It's how they determine if what they encounter is prey or something to avoid." Andrea Worthington, of Schenectady, New York, and her husband, Rob Olberg, walked their dogs on Long Nook Beach at sunrise on Thursday but heeded the warnings not to swim. They said they were swimming about 20 yards (18 meters) offshore just a few hours before the attack and later were chilled to realize they'd shared the waters with a shark. "We saw the seals and came in," Worthington said. "It's never a good time to be in the water." ___ Associated Press writer Philip Marcelo contributed from Boston. Steve McFadden, 49, of Plattsburgh, N.Y., gazes at Long Nook Beach in Truro, Mass., on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. Authorities closed the Cape Cod beach to swimmers after a man was attacked by a shark on Wednesday - the first attack on a person in Massachusetts since 2012. The unidentified victim survived the attack and was airlifted to a Boston hospital. (AP Photo/William J. Kole) A man is transferred from a Truro ambulance to a MedFlight helicopter after being attacked by a shark, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 in South Wellfleet, Mass. A man swimming off Cape Cod was attacked by a shark on Wednesday and was airlifted to a hospital. It was the first shark attack on a human on the popular summer tourist destination since 2012. (Merrily Cassidy A sign warns visitors to Long Nook Beach of recent shark sightings, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 in Truro, Mass. A man swimming off Cape Cod was attacked by a shark on Wednesday and was airlifted to a hospital. It was the first shark attack on a human on the popular summer tourist destination since 2012. (Merrily Cassidy/The Cape Cod Times via AP) A MedFlight helicopter takes off from behind Cape Cod National Seashore headquarters with a man who was attacked by a shark, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 in South Wellfleet, Mass. A man swimming off Cape Cod was attacked by a shark on Wednesday and was airlifted to a hospital. It was the first shark attack on a human on the popular summer tourist destination since 2012. (Merrily Cassidy/The Cape Cod Times via AP) BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) - A Libyan court has sentenced 45 people to death by firing squad over killings during the 2011 uprising that evolved into civil war. The conflict toppled and later killing the country's longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Wednesday's statement by the Justice Ministry says another 54 suspects in the case were sentenced to five years in prison while 22 people were acquitted. The case dates back to August 2011 when Gadhafi's supporters and opponents clashed in the capital, Tripoli. The ministry's media office says the defendants have been held in custody since 2011. The verdicts were handed down in the presence of the defendants' lawyers and families but the defendants were not in the courtroom. Libya descended into chaos after 2011 and is now split between rival governments, each backed by militias. CHESTERFIELD, Mo. (AP) - A suburban St. Louis clinic that treats men with low testosterone is blaming a hacker after a jobseeker was told her name was too "ghetto." The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the situation gained attention after Hermeisha Robinson, of Bellefontaine Neighbors, posted on Facebook an email she received from Mantality Health in response to her application. The email said that the Chesterfield clinic doesn't "consider candidates that have suggestive 'ghetto' names." Company owner Kevin Meuret told the newspaper that the email was "horrible" and that law enforcement has been contacted. The company is seeking information from the job-finding site where Robinson submitted her application. Meuret says a former employee from outside Missouri is believed to have hacked the company's email system. He says about 20 prospective employees received emails from the hacker. ___ Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com Twelve former senior intelligence officials issued a joint statement Thursday evening decrying President Donald Trump's decision to revoke former CIA Director John Brennan's security clearance (Brennan pictured above) Twelve former senior intelligence officials have issued a joint statement attacking President Donald Trump for his decision to yank former CIA Director John Brennan's security clearance, calling it 'ill-considered and unprecedented'. Trump revoked Brennan's security clearance on Wednesday, accusing him of throwing around 'unfounded and outrageous allegations about this administration' and engaging in 'increasingly frenzied commentary' after the former spy chief called the president's behavior at last month's Russia summit 'nothing short of treasonous'. In a letter released Thursday night, the ex-officials wrote: 'The president's action regarding John Brennan and the threats of similar action against other former officials has nothing to do with who should and should not hold security clearances - and everything to do with an attempt to stifle free speech.' The signees include six former CIA directors, five former deputy directors and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. Two of the signees - Clapper and former CIA Director Michael Hayden - have appeared on a White House list of people who may also have their security clearances revoked. The statement came shortly after the president unleashed a Twitter tirade against Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal for making similar statements about the revocation, calling the Democratic politician a 'fake war hero'. Trump has accused Brennan of tossing out 'unfounded and outrageous allegations about this administration' and engaging in 'increasingly frenzied commentary' after the former spy chief called the president's behavior at last month's Russia summit 'nothing short of treasonous' Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal joined many others in attacking the revocation, saying Wednesday night that it was an illegal breach of the first amendment Trump quoted Fox News host Tucker Carlson in a tweet Thursday night slamming both Brennan and Blumenthal Trump has on multiple occasions in the last year brought up Blumenthal's military record During an appearance on CNN's The Situation Room Wednesday evening Sen Richard Blumenthal called Trump's revoking of Brennan's clearance 'not only an abuse of power, it is illegal'. 'To use this kind of punishment is a violation of the First Amendment. It is the reason we have the First Amendment. This kind of criticism is core protected speech,' the senator said. Trump hit back at Blumenthal on Twitter, writing: 'How can "Senator" Richard Blumenthal, who went around for twenty years as a Connecticut politician bragging that he was a great Marine war hero in Vietnam (then got caught and sobbingly admitted he was neither a Marine nor ever in Vietnam), pass judgement on anyone? Loser!' In another tweet he quoted Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson, writing: @TuckerCarlson speaking of John Brennan: "How did somebody so obviously limited intellectually get to be CIA Director in the first place?" 'Now that is a really good question! Then followed by "Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut is a FAKE War Hero..." So true, a total Fake!' This is not the first time Trump has gone after Blumenthal's military record. The Democratic senator was found to have made misleading - although not entirely untrue - statements about his service while on the campaign trail in 2010. Trump has said he is reviewing security clearances for nine individuals including the eight pictured above. Top from left: Former CIA Director Michael Hayden, former FBI Director James Comey, former acting FBI director Andrew McCabe and former national security adviser Susan Rice. Bottom from left: Former FBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok, former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and former National Intelligence Director James Clapper White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders reads Trump's statement about the removal of Brennan's security statement at a briefing Wednesday A furious Brennan alleged Thursday in a separate New York Times essay that Trump yanked his security clearance because he's 'desperate' to keep a lid on his presidential campaign's collusion with agents of the Kremlin. 'Mr. Trump's claims of no collusion are, in a word, hogwash,' the former CIA director wrote. Brennan, a fierce public Trump critic, had already fired back at the White House on Wednesday, comparing the president to 'despots and autocrats.' In his Times op-ed, he contended that 'Mr. Trump clearly has become more desperate to protect himself and those close to him, which is why he made the politically motivated decision to revoke my security clearance in an attempt to scare into silence others who might dare to challenge him.' Brennan recalled a July 2016 press conference in which then-candidate Trump called on Moscow to 'find,' and presumably release, an estimated 30,000 emails that his opponent Hillary Clinton and her lawyers had erased from a private server before releasing the rest of its contents to the State Department for public release. 'Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,' Trump said at the time. 'I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.' Some observers saw Trump asking the Kremlin to publish anything its cyber-warriors had already harvested from what turned out to be an unsecured online server that had hosted classified information for years. Others, including Brennan and the Clinton campaign, believed he was calling on Vladimir Putin's government to launch a new hacking spree on a server which, the FBI confirmed, had been offline for a year. By then a mad chase was already underway to find out if additional copies of the data had been stored elsewhere. It's unclear what Trump may have known about that at the time. Campaign aides later told DailyMail.com that Trump was joking. BRUSSELS (AP) - Brussels is highlighting its sun-splashed summer with a Mexican-themed carpet of over half a million flowers on its historic Grand-Place. The UNESCO World Heritage site on Thursday opened up the cobblestones of its market square for a giant display of flowers depicting scenes and symbols from Guanajuato, a Mexican region with an exceptionally rich culture and flower tradition. The city lays down such a flower carpet every two years but the extreme heat of this summer posed special challenges. The Brussels Flower Carpet, laid out in its entirety, on the Grand Place in Brussels, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. More than 500,000 flowers were used to create the Latin American theme, devoted to the Mexican region of Guanajuato which has an exceptionally rich culture and flower tradition. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) Brussels Culture alderwoman Karine Lalieux says that beyond the traditional use of Belgian begonias, dahlias also were used "as this year was very, very hot." The carpet, measuring 75 by 24 meters (246 by 79 feet), will be on view until Sunday. A volunteer lays out a section of the Brussels Flower Carpet on the Grand Place in Brussels, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. More than 500,000 flowers were used to create the Latin American theme, devoted to the Mexican region of Guanajuato which has an exceptionally rich culture and flower tradition. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) A volunteer lays out a section of the Brussels Flower Carpet on the Grand Place in Brussels, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. More than 500,000 flowers were used to create the Latin American theme, devoted to the Mexican region of Guanajuato which has an exceptionally rich culture and flower tradition. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) Volunteers lay out a section of the Brussels Flower Carpet on the Grand Place in Brussels, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. More than 500,000 flowers were used to create the Latin American theme, devoted to the Mexican region of Guanajuato which has an exceptionally rich culture and flower tradition. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) The Brussels Flower Carpet, laid out in its entirety, on the Grand Place in Brussels, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. More than 500,000 flowers were used to create the Latin American theme, devoted to the Mexican region of Guanajuato which has an exceptionally rich culture and flower tradition. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) A group of volunteers lay out a section of the Brussels Flower Carpet on the Grand Place in Brussels, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. More than 500,000 flowers were used to create the Latin American theme, devoted to the Mexican region of Guanajuato which has an exceptionally rich culture and flower tradition. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) JOHANNESBURG (AP) - The new leader of Amnesty International says many world leaders, especially President Donald Trump, are rolling back gains made in respecting human rights, with the Trump administration's separation of families at U.S. borders "one of the worst atrocities" seen in a long time. "The presidency of Donald Trump is a major challenge for the people of the U.S. and the people of the world," Kumi Naidoo told The Associated Press on Thursday, saying the psychological damage of the border separation policy alone could be long-lasting. "Overall on human rights he has set us back ... and it should be no surprise that Donald Trump will be in my vision of activism and will be somebody who will receive quite close focus by Amnesty as a global movement." Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General of Amnesty International, gestures while speaking during a news conference at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. The new leader of Amnesty International says that many world leaders, especially U.S. President Donald Trump, are rolling back gains made in respecting human rights. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) With a background of activism against apartheid in his native South Africa and for environmental issues as a director of Greenpeace, Naidoo said he intends to make Amnesty "bigger, bolder and more inclusive." He began a four-year term at the helm of the London-based rights group this week. "What I hope to do at Amnesty is to intensify our appetite for peaceful civil disobedience," he said. Although world leaders often ignore letters and meetings, he said that "when you mobilize thousands of people on their doorstep ... that seems to work much better." He added: "We should not allow the shrinking democratic space to prevent us from having a more robust and more courageous activism that will include peacefully resisting unjust laws and breaking unjust laws where necessary." Despite the recent setbacks for human rights, Naidoo said he is optimistic. Amnesty currently has a global membership of 7 million people and he said he would like to see that increase to 70 million, especially among younger people. "Young people will not accept wisdom that they are the leaders of tomorrow, they will assert their leadership now," he said. ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General of Amnesty International, takes a question during a media briefing at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. The new leader of Amnesty International says that many world leaders, especially U.S. President Donald Trump, are rolling back gains made in respecting human rights. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General of Amnesty International, gestures while speaking during a news conference at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. The new leader of Amnesty International says that many world leaders, especially U.S. President Donald Trump, are rolling back gains made in respecting human rights. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) During the event, Thai companies and business associations will directly meet Vietnamese importers in order to seek partners and business opportunities. Stalls by over 130 Thai companies and Vietnamese agents of Thai products are showcasing food and beverages, household appliances, apparel and accessories, household electrical appliances, health care products, and several other services. Co-hosted by the Thai Ministry of Commerces Department of International Trade Promotion, the Trade Office of the Embassy of Thailand in Hanoi and Vinexad, the exhibition will run until August 19. In 2017, two-way trade hit US$15 billion, an annual increase of 20%. Particularly, Thailand is Vietnams largest trade partner in ASEAN and the 10th leading investor in the country. Vietnam and Thailand have worked closely with the other ASEAN members to build the ASEAN Economic Community. In addition, the two countries stronger participation in regional and international economy offers various opportunities to promote trade cooperation and investment. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Kabul police say two gunmen who attacked an intelligence service compound in the city's northwest have been killed by security forces and that the siege is over. Kabul police chief spokesman Hekmat Stanikzai says the standoff lasted nearly six hours on Thursday as police moved in to cut the gunmen off. He says police finally took control of the partially constructed building where the gunmen had holed up in and from where they were opening fire at the nearby intel compound. Security personnel arrived at the site of a deadly suicide bombing that targeted a training class in a private building in the Shiite neighbourhood of Dasht-i Barcha, in western Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. Both the resurgent Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan have targeted Shiites in the past, considering them to be heretics. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) A private university located nearby was put on lockdown but there were no injuries among the students during the shootout. Police officers went floor by floor through to building to make sure no attackers remained there. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Relatives pray near to the dead bodies of civilians after Wednesday's deadly suicide bombing that targeted a training class in a private building in the Shiite neighborhood of Dasht-i Barcha, in western Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan men stand in front of burned out shops following a Taliban attack in Ghazni, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. A Taliban assault on two adjacent checkpoints in northern Afghanistan killed at least 30 soldiers and police, officials said Wednesday. 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. (AP Photo/Rahmatullah Nikzad) BERLIN (AP) - Authorities in Vienna have decided to ban passengers from eating in the Austrian capital's subway trains. But they don't plan to punish offenders, at least to start with. The Austria Press Agency reported that city councilor Ulli Sima announced the blanket ban Thursday. It will be introduced Sept. 1 on the U6 line and extended to the other four lines on Jan. 15. Authorities initially considered banning only specific strong-smelling foods, such as pizza, kebabs and noodles. However, a majority of people who took part in a local transport authority survey backed a ban on all eating. Passengers will still be allowed to snack on the platforms. Sima left open whether authorities will eventually impose penalties, saying "that depends what experience we have with the ban." NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Passengers on an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles were held on arrival at the Nashville International Airport for about an hour due to a sick traveler. Airport spokeswoman Shannon Sumrall says the passenger had been cleared to fly by a doctor, but didn't have paperwork. Sumrall said passengers were held for about an hour Thursday morning until officials were able to confirm the passenger had medical clearance to fly. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was on the flight and tweeted about being held on the plane and then being towed to another gate and quarantined until everything could get checked out. The airport says all passengers have been released to continue their travels. FREDERICK, Colo. (AP) - The Latest on the arrest of a Colorado man in the disappearance of his family (all times local): 7 p.m. Investigators who found the body of a pregnant Colorado woman reported missing this week have discovered what they believe are the bodies of her two young daughters. Ashley Bell reacts after leaving flowers among the tributes growing outside the home where a pregnant woman and her two daughters lived Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Frederick, Colo. The woman's husband has been arrested in the disappearance of the woman and children. Authorities say that they have found the woman's body and believe to know the whereabouts of the two girls. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Searchers on Thursday afternoon found what appear to be the bodies of 4-year-old Bella Watts and 3-year-old Celeste Watts. The remains of their mother, 34-year-old Shanann Watts, were found earlier on property in northern Colorado owned by Anadarko Petroleum Corp. The father, 33-year-old Christopher Watts, is being held without bail on suspicion of killing his wife and daughters. He is expected to be formally charged Monday. Investigators have not said how the three died. ___ 4:15 p.m. Colorado prosecutors say they believe a Colorado man killed his pregnant wife and two daughters in their home. Christopher Watts was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of killing his wife and daughters. He was ordered held without bail ahead of hearing next Tuesday to discuss formal charges. The comments came during a brief court hearing on Thursday as Judge Marcelo Kopcow considered several requests on preservation of evidence made by Watts' attorney. The attorney left the court without commenting. After Thursday's hearing, District Attorney Michael Rourke said he could not discuss what led authorities to believe the three died in their home. Authorities say they have found the body of Shanann Watts and believe they know the location of the girls' bodies and are working to recover them. ___ 3:40 p.m. A judge has ordered a Colorado man accused of killing his pregnant wife and two young daughters held in jail without bail. Christopher Watts, 33, could face three charges of murder and three charges of tampering with evidence. Judge Marcelo Kopcow told prosecutors to file formal charges by Monday and set a Tuesday hearing to review the charges with Watts. Watts didn't speak as he was escorted into the courtroom. He looked down for much of the hearing but made eye contact as the judge reviewed his rights. Kopcow approved a request by Watts' attorney that police preserve all written notes and notify the defense team before autopsies are performed. Prosecutors said it's not clear when that will happen. Authorities say they have found the body of Shanann Watts and believe they know the location of the girls' bodies and are working to recover them. ___ 2:50 p.m. A friend of a pregnant Colorado woman whose husband is accused of killing her and their two young daughters says she never noticed anything wrong between the couple. Ashley Bell says she became close friends with Shanann Watts after Watts visited Bell's tanning salon two years ago. Bell, her husband, Steve, and their 4-year-old daughter, Liberty, on Thursday added to a memorial of stuffed toys, candles and flowers outside the Watts family home. Bell said she had not slept the night before, in disbelief and shock as news spread that Christopher Watts had been arrested. She also got to know him, describing him as a loving father and saying she can't understand it. Bells says Shanann took 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste everywhere and was excited about being pregnant. ___ 2:50 p.m. A 2015 bankruptcy filing for a Colorado couple captures a picture of a family caught between a promising future and financial strain. It came three years before authorities accused Christopher Watts of killing his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two young daughters. The June 2015 filing notes that Chris Watts had gotten a job six months earlier as an operator for Anadarko, and paystubs indicate his salary was about $61,500 per year. Shanann was working at the time in a call center at a children's hospital earning about $18 per hour. Combined, they had earned $90,000 in 2014. But they also had tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt, along with some student loans and medical bills - for a total of $70,000 in unsecured claims on top of a sizable mortgage. They said their nearly $3,000 mortgage and $600 in monthly car payments formed the bulk of their $4,900 in monthly expenses. ___ 12:05 p.m. Authorities say bodies believed to be a pregnant woman and her two young children were found on the property of one of Colorado's largest oil and gas drillers where her husband used to work. John Camper, director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, told reporters Thursday that investigators have found Shanann Watts' body and were trying to recover what they believe are the bodies of 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste from Anadarko Petroleum Corp. property. Chris Watts has been arrested in the disappearance of his family. His paystubs show he was working for Anadarko in 2015. Company spokeswoman Jennifer Brice said he's no longer employed there. She declined to provide any other information, citing the active investigation. She says the company is heartbroken and is supporting investigators. ___ 12:05 p.m. A woman whose body was found after her husband was arrested in the disappearance of her and their two young daughters had just visited her hometown in North Carolina and a neighbor said she seemed happy. Her parents' next-door neighbor, Joe Beach, said he had seen Shanann Watts when she visited the neighborhood of modest homes in Aberdeen for three weeks. He thought she went back to Colorado within the last week. Beach says he talked to her a couple of times about her daughters and life in Colorado. He says that "she didn't give me an indication that there was anything wrong. She seemed pretty happy." He said he knew her parents well and had known Shanann since she was a teenager. Beach said she was a nice person with two lovely children, both of whom he had seen on the recent visit. He said he hasn't spoken to her parents since the tragedy, but a neighbor told him they flew to Colorado. ___ 10:55 a.m. Authorities say they have found the body of a pregnant Colorado woman reported missing this week and believe they know where the bodies of her two children are. The announcement Thursday came a few hours after police said they had arrested 33-year-old Christopher Watts in the disappearance of his 34-year-old wife, Shanann, and their two daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste. John Camper, director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, said investigators have strong reason to believe they know where the girls' bodies are and are trying to recover them. Watts was arrested Wednesday night and is due to appear in court Thursday. He hasn't been charged yet, and it isn't known if he has a lawyer who can speak on his behalf. ____ 9:10 a.m. Property records say a woman whose husband has been arrested in the disappearance of her and their two young daughters appears to have moved to Colorado from North Carolina with her husband around 2012. Byron Falls, who bought Shanann Watts' house in Belmont, west of Charlotte, said Thursday that she had been in a hurry to sell and left behind the furniture as part of the sale. Falls says he and his wife bought the house in 2012. The August 2012 deed shows that Watts signed it while already living in Colorado. Records say she had bought it in 2009. Falls said he didn't meet Watts and that an agent handled the closing for her. Watts and her daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste, were reported missing Monday. Police say they arrested her husband, Chris Watts, on Wednesday. ___ 8:30 a.m. A social media account of a pregnant Colorado woman whose husband has been arrested in the disappearance of her and their two young daughters paints a portrait of a happy family. Shanann Watts often posts photos and videos on Facebook of her family, friends and herself. Her comments are typically upbeat and say how happy she is, whether she's running errands, playing with her kids or promoting a health program. She and 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste were reported missing Monday. Police say they arrested her husband, Chris Watts, on Wednesday in connection with the case. Shanann Watts posted selfies of her and her husband smiling in restaurants, in front of the ocean on vacation and at their house. On one from May 5, she wrote: "I love this man! He's my ROCK!" ___ 7:35 a.m. Authorities say a Colorado man has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of his pregnant wife and their two young children. Police in the town of Frederick said Chris Watts was taken into custody Wednesday. His 34-year-old wife, Shanann Watts, and their two daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste, were reported missing Monday. The police said on Twitter early Thursday that Chris Watts will be held at the Weld County Jail. He has not yet been charged. It wasn't immediately known if he had a lawyer. Chris Watts spoke previously with The Denver Channel and pleaded for his family's safe return. Authorities did not release any information on the whereabouts or conditions of Shanann or her daughters. Police say they plan to release more information at a morning news conference. This photo combo of images provided by The Colorado Bureau of Investigation shows, from left, Bella Watts, Celeste Watts and Shanann Watts. The Frederick Police Department said Chris Watts was taken into custody. Watt's pregnant wife, 34-year-old Shanann Watts, and their two daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste were reported missing Monday, Aug. 13, 2018. The police said on Twitter early Thursday that Chris Watts will be held at the Weld County Jail. He has not yet been charged. (The Colorado Bureau of Investigation via AP) From left, 4-year-old Liberty Bell joins her mother, Ashley, and father Steven as they put a tribute with others outside the home where a pregnant woman and her two daughters lived Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Frederick, Colo. The woman's husband has been arrested in the disappearance of the woman and children. Authorities say that they have found the woman's body and believe to know the whereabouts of the two girls. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) HEMEIMEEM AIR BASE, Syria (AP) - Russian air defense assets in Syria have downed 45 drones targeting their main base in the country, its military said Thursday, after an attack by the Islamic State group on a Syrian army base a day earlier killed seven troops. The Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said that five of them were shot down in the last three days near the Hemeimeem air base. The base in the province of Latakia serves as the main hub for Russian operations in Syria. Konashenkov said that while the drones appear primitive, they use sophisticated technologies and have a range of up to 100 kilometers (60 miles). He charged that the militants wouldn't have been able to assemble the drones without outside help, but didn't specify who might have assisted them. A local resident rides his motorcycle near portraits of Syrian President Bashar al-Asad, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) The Russian general noted that the number of drone attacks have increased recently, adding that all of them were launched by militants based in the northern province of Idlib. Idlib has become the main base for President Bashar Assad's foes, which moved there after being forced out from other areas across Syria as part of surrender deals often negotiated with the Russians on behalf of the Syrian government. With Russia's support, Assad's forces have regained control over key cities, like Aleppo, Homs and Daraa, the southern city where the uprising against the government began in March 2011. The authorities also have restored control over key highways, allowing safe travel all the way form the Jordanian border in the south to the central province of Hama. In Homs, regional Gov. Talal Barazi told international reporters during a trip organized by the Russian Defense Ministry that a key bridge on a highway linking the Homs and Hama provinces that was destroyed in 2012 has been restored. Barazi said that later this year his administration plans to start restoring the old part of Homs that was ravaged by fierce fighting in 2014. He said that about 650 rebels who had left the province and moved to Idlib have come back to Homs and agreed to lay down their arms. Barazi said that the historic city of Palmyra, home to one of the Middle East's most spectacular archaeological sites, could be open for tourist visits by next summer. Many of the city's archaeological treasures were badly damaged by the Islamic State group in 2015. Palmyra is a world heritage site protected by the United Nation's cultural agency. In Aleppo, Hazem Ajan, the director of the city's industrial cluster, told reporters that about 500 companies have resumed operations in the area since the government reclaimed control in 2016. Meanwhile, in eastern Syria, at least seven soldiers were killed with the Islamic State group attacked an army position near the city of Deir el-Zour, a monitoring group said Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack on Wednesday near the Taim oil field was the militants' closest approach to the Deir el-Zour air base since the government recaptured it from the group last year. Mohammad Hassan, a media coordinator for the activist-run Deir Ezzor 24, said at least 12 soldiers and five IS militants were killed in the clashes. A recent U.N. report warned that IS, which once boasted of commanding a caliphate stretching across northern Syria and Iraq, is adopting a guerrilla profile. The group may still have up to 30,000 members distributed between Syria and Iraq, according to the U.N. report. Also Thursday, Assad and his wife Asma visited one of the tunnels once used by rebels outside Damascus to move vehicles, weapons, and fighters while they were under siege, the president's office said. Government forces have uncovered a network of tunnels underneath the Eastern Ghouta suburbs of the capital since they seized the area from opposition forces in a fierce campaign earlier this year. The tunnel visited by the Assads was decorated with reliefs sculpted by a team of artists supervised by the government showing soldiers fighting and triumphing over their opponents. ___ Associated Press writer Philip Issa in Beirut contributed to this report. A man rides his bicycle by damaged buildings in the old town of Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) A man walks next to damaged buildings in the old town of Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) A portrait of Syrian President Bashar Assad is fastened on the pillar in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Buildings are in ruins in the old city of Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Buildings are in ruins in the old city of Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) People walk amid damaged buildings in the old city of Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) People congregate at the square, with damaged buildings in the background, in the old town of Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) People ride their motorcycle by damaged buildings in the old town of Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) A woman talks with a soldier of the Syrian army during distribution of humanitarian aid from the Russian military in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Syrians line up to receive humanitarian aid in the Syrian town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Local residents receive humanitarian aid from the Russian military in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) A Syrian army soldier patrols on the bridge in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Russian soldier keeps watch as local residents receive humanitarian aid in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Local residents receive humanitarian aid from the Russian military in the town of Al-Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) An elderly man walks by damaged buildings in the town of Douma, near Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) A soldier of Syrian army blocks a way for local children during distribution of humanitarian aid from the Russian military in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Workers produce ice creams on the assembly line at a factory in the city of Adra, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) A worker assembles a transformer at the plant in the city of Adra, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) WASHINGTON (AP) - Melania Trump plans to address a cyberbullying summit in Maryland next week. The White House says the first lady will deliver remarks "addressing the positive and negative effects of social media on youth." She'll also attend a panel discussion with representatives from various social media platforms participating in the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Cyberbullying Prevention Summit, which is being held Monday in Rockville. The White House did not identify the social media outlets. FILE - In this June 21, 2018, photo, first lady Melania Trump visits the Upbring New Hope Children Center run by the Lutheran Social Services of the South in McAllen, Texas. Melania Trump plans to address a cyberbullying summit in Maryland next week. The White House says the first lady will deliver remarks "addressing the positive and negative effects of social media on youth." She has been criticized for highlighting the issue while the president regularly uses Twitter to berate foes and call them names. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) The first lady is focusing on cyberbullying among young people as part of her "Be Best" initiative. The campaign also includes opioid abuse and overall child well-being. Mrs. Trump has been criticized for highlighting cyberbullying while President Donald Trump regularly uses Twitter to berate his foes and call them names. A boy has repeatedly stabbed a 14-year-old girl at an Oklahoma high school on the first day of classes Thursday. The unidentified teen stood up during the orientation assembly Thursday and stabbed the unidentified female student 'seven times' around 8.30am, according to police. The freshman was airlifted from Luther High School to a hospital where reportedly remains in stable condition. Mark Opgrande, spokesman for the Oklahoma County sheriff, said the suspect is in custody. Luther High School in Oklahoma held an assembly for the first day Thursday where a 14-year-old male student stood up and began stabbing another female student The girl was airlifted to the hospital and is reportedly in stable condition The school posted a status to let the public know all students are safe after the boy was arrested 'They were having an all-school assembly ... when for some reason a male student allegedly stood up and started stabbing a female student. Right now we don't have a motive,' Opgrande said. Senior Wayne Smith witnessed the stabbing and said his peers immediately jumped on the suspect and pulled him off of the victim and threw him against the wall. 'They had their hands around her neck and [teachers] escorted her out,' he said. Inside on locked down and checked their bags. 'I was shocked. I definitely wasn't expecting anything like that. It was scary,' Smith said. Opgrande said he did not know what weapon was used. Investigators are now trying to determine what, if any, prior relationship the two students had. School officials did not immediately return phone calls for comment, but the school posted a brief statement on its Facebook page . 'There was an incident at the High School Assembly this morning at the Auditorium. The situation is under control, all students are safe,' the statement said. The school has just over than 800 students, according to Oklahoma State Department of Education online records. Luther is a town of about 1,200 people about 25 miles northeast of Oklahoma City. BEIRUT (AP) - The Latest on the conflict in Syria (all times local): 7:10 p.m. A Syrian war monitoring group says at least seven soldiers were killed when the Islamic State group attacked an army position near the eastern city of Deir el-Zour. A local resident rides his motorcycle near portraits of Syrian President Bashar al-Asad, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says it was the closest the militants' closest approach to the Deir el-Zour air base since the government recaptured it from the group last year. The Observatory reported the attack Thursday, saying it took place Wednesday near the Taim oil field. Mohammad Hassan, a media coordinator for the activist-run Deir Ezzor 24, says at least 12 soldiers and five IS militants were killed in the clashes. A recent U.N. report warns that IS, which once controlled large swathes of northeastern Syria and northwest Iraq, is adopting a guerrilla profile. The group may still have up to 30,000 members distributed between Syria and Iraq, according to the U.N. report. ___ 6:15 p.m. Russian air defense assets in Syria have downed 45 drones targeting their main base in the country, its military said Thursday. The Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said that five of them were shot down in the last three days near the Hemeimeem air base. The base in the province of Latakia serves as the main hub for Russian operations in Syria. Konashenkov said that while the drones appear primitive, they use sophisticated technologies and have a range of up to 100 kilometers (60 miles). He charged that the militants wouldn't have been able to assemble the drones without outside help, but didn't specify who might have assisted them. The Russian general noted that the number of drone attacks have increased recently, adding that all of them were launched by militants based in the northern province of Idlib. A man rides his bicycle by damaged buildings in the old town of Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) A man walks next to damaged buildings in the old town of Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) A portrait of Syrian President Bashar Assad is fastened on the pillar in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Buildings are in ruins in the old city of Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Buildings are in ruins in the old city of Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) People walk amid damaged buildings in the old city of Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) People congregate at the square, with damaged buildings in the background, in the old town of Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) People ride their motorcycle by damaged buildings in the old town of Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) A woman talks with a soldier of the Syrian army during distribution of humanitarian aid from the Russian military in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Syrians line up to receive humanitarian aid in the Syrian town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Local residents receive humanitarian aid from the Russian military in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) A Syrian army soldier patrols on the bridge in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Russian soldier keeps watch as local residents receive humanitarian aid in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Local residents receive humanitarian aid from the Russian military in the town of Al-Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) An elderly man walks by damaged buildings in the town of Douma, near Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) A soldier of Syrian army blocks a way for local children during distribution of humanitarian aid from the Russian military in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Workers produce ice creams on the assembly line at a factory in the city of Adra, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is coordinating efforts to help Syrian refugees return home and rebuild the country's infrastructure destroyed by the civil war. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A federal judge has ordered the U.S. State Department to conduct a more thorough review of the Keystone XL oil pipeline's proposed pathway after Nebraska state regulators changed the route, raising the possibility of further delays to a project first proposed in 2008. U.S. District Judge Brian Morris of Montana said in a ruling Wednesday that the State Department must supplement its 2014 environmental impact study of the project to consider the new route. Morris declined to strike down the federal permit for the project, approved by President Donald Trump in March 2017. The Nebraska Public Service Commission rejected pipeline developer TransCanada's preferred route in November 2017, but approved a different pathway that stretches farther to the east. The "mainline alternative" route is five miles longer than the company's preferred route, cuts through six different Nebraska counties and runs parallel to an existing TransCanada-owned pipeline for 89 miles. FILE - In this Nov. 3, 2015 file photo, the Keystone Steele City pumping station, into which the planned Keystone XL pipeline is to connect to, is seen in Steele City, Neb. A federal judge on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, ordered the U.S. State Department to conduct a more thorough review of the Keystone XL pipeline's proposed pathway after Nebraska state regulators changed the route, raising the possibility of further delays to a project first proposed in 2008. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File) State Department officials "have yet to analyze the mainline alternative route," Morris wrote in his ruling. The State Department has "the obligation to analyze new information relevant to the environmental impacts of its decision." Last month, the State Department declared the pipeline would not have a major impact on Nebraska's water, land or wildlife. The report said the company could mitigate any damage caused. It's not clear whether the additional review will delay the 1,184-mile project. TransCanada spokesman Matthew John said company officials are reviewing the judge's decision, and noted that the project has already faced numerous federal reviews. He said company officials are still working with local, state and federal stakeholders. "We do not anticipate that the ruling will impact the current construction preparation activities we are currently undertaking," John said in an email. Environmentalists, Native American tribes and a coalition of landowners have prevented the company from moving ahead with construction. In addition to the federal lawsuit in Montana that seeks to halt the project, opponents also have a lawsuit pending before the Nebraska Supreme Court. Oral arguments in the Nebraska case aren't expected until October. Critics of the project have raised concerns about spills that could contaminate groundwater and the property rights of affected landowners. Pipeline opponents cheered the decision and said they were confident that the courts would find other violations of federal law raised in the lawsuit. "We are pleased that Judge Morris has rejected all of the excuses raised by the Trump administration and TransCanada in attempting to justify the federal government's failure to address TransCanada's new route through Nebraska," said Stephan Volker, an attorney for the environmental and Native American groups that filed the Montana lawsuit. A State Department spokesman said the agency was still reviewing the judge's order but declined to offer additional comments. The pipeline would carry up to 830,000 barrels of crude oil per day from Canada through Montana and South Dakota to Steele City, Nebraska, where it would connect with the original Keystone pipeline that runs down to Texas Gulf Coast refineries. The State Department's new report noted two major spills in South Dakota involving the original Keystone pipeline, which went into operation in 2010, but added that TransCanada has a lower overall spill rate than average in the oil pipeline industry. ___ Associated Press reporter Matthew Lee contributed from Washington. ___ Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte 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. BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Health officials in one Colombian coastal city have a controversial recommendation for residents trying to stay cool during an intense heat wave: Take a break from sex. Santa Marta city health secretary Julio Salas sparked a mix of laughter and disbelief this week when he urged residents of the Caribbean tourist mecca to refrain from sex during the day as part of a list of recommendations, such as staying hydrated and wearing loose clothing to prevent overheating. Sex is considered only a moderate physical activity, as much of a strain on the heart as walking up two flights of stairs, according to the American Heart Association. Temperatures in Santa Marta have soared past 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) and Salas says medical facilities in the city of 600,000 have been overwhelmed with patients complaining of symptoms of heat stroke such as nausea and headaches. The stepmother of a 15-year-old fatally shot by a Texas police officer last year while in vehicle with other teens says he played football from the age of six and was also 'really into his academics.' Charmaine Edwards testified Thursday that Jordan Edwards got A's and B's in school. Ex-Balch Springs officer Roy Oliver, who is white, is on trial for the fatal shooting of Edwards, who was black. She said her stepson was going to 'go somewhere' in life. She also described him as a people person and said he was close to his brothers. Charmaine Edwards testified Thursday that Jordan Edwards got A's and B's in school She said her stepson was going to 'go somewhere' in life. She also described him as a people person and said he was close to his brothers Edwards' two brothers and two other teens were in the vehicle the night Edwards was killed. Oliver fired his gun into their moving car while responding to a report of underage drinking at a house party. Ex-Balch Springs officer Roy Oliver, who is white, is on trial for the fatal shooting of Edwards, who was black Jurors are seeing body camera footage from a former Texas police officer who fired into a car full of black teenagers and fatally shot a 15-year-old boy. Body camera footage was shown Thursday during the murder trial of former Balch Springs officer Roy Oliver. In Oliver's body camera video, screams and honks can be heard after gunfire rings out near a nursing home. The video then shows Oliver getting a rifle from his patrol car. After the shooting, Oliver can be heard asking his partner if he's all right. Oliver then says the car's driver tried to hit his partner. Oliver has said he feared for his and his partner's safety as the car sped by. Prosecutors say Oliver fired after the car passed and his partner wasn't in danger Oliver told investigators he and his partner feared for their lives when the car carrying the teens sped past them. But Gross told jurors he never felt the need the fire his weapon. He says there were 100 to 150 kids coming out of the house, and that officertalked to the host about not having such a big party. Prosecutors say Oliver fired at the car after it passed and Gross wasn't in danger Prosecutors say Oliver fired at the car after it passed and Gross wasn't in danger. Prosecutor Michael Snipes told jurors on Thursday that Jordan Edwards was an 'innocent child' when he was killed last year. Snipes says the white former officer was angry, out of control and 'trigger happy.' No guns were found inside the teens' car. The shooting occurred as officers responded to a report of underage drinking at a house party. The 38-year-old Oliver was fired from the police force after the shooting. The murder trial for the former Texas police officer highlights the heightened role that video evidence plays in high-profile police shootings. Jurors are seeing body camera footage from a former Texas police officer who fired into a car full of black teenagers and fatally shot a 15-year-old boy ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - The Latest on Gary Johnson running for U.S. Senate in New Mexico (all times local): 11:45 a.m. Former Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson says he likely would vote to confirm President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh if he was in the U.S. Senate now. FILE - This Oct. 10, 2016 file photo taken from a video screen grab shows then-Libertarian presidential candidate and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson being interviewed in Santa Fe, N.M. Former Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson is campaigning to unseat New Mexico's junior Democratic U.S. senator, seeking political opportunity in the space between Democrats and voters loyal to President Donald Trump. Johnson's name appeared Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, on the state's list of Senate candidates. Johnson still holds a vaunted place in New Mexico politics as a former two-term governor. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras, File) Johnson told reporters Thursday in Albuquerque at his announcement to run for New Mexico's U.S. Senate seat that he would "probably" support the conservative Trump nominee. But Johnson made it clear that he didn't like Trump or his policies on immigration and free trade. The Libertarian Party icon and former New Mexico governor is challenging Democratic U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich and Republican Mark Rich. Democrats aim to recapture the GOP's thin Senate majority during elections in November. Democratic Party of New Mexico chair Marg Elliston says Johnson was one the state's "most harmful former governors" and would join Republicans in cutting Medicare and Medicaid. ___ 10:50 a.m. Former Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson says he's jumping into a U.S. Senate race in New Mexico because he wants to hold the nation's "most powerful Senate seat" to provide an independent swing vote. The Libertarian Party icon and former New Mexico governor said Thursday that he's disturbed by President Donald Trump's actions on immigration and free trade. Johnson says he still supports cutting military spending but believes more military assets should be moved to New Mexico. Johnson spoke to reporters in Albuquerque on his decision to join the race and how he would represent a state dependent on three military bases and two national labs. Elected and re-elected governor as a Republican, Johnson stayed true to a small-government philosophy and openly advocated for legalized marijuana in the 1990s before such a stance was mainstream. ___ 12:30 a.m. Former Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson is expected to give details about why he's jumping in a race to unseat New Mexico's junior U.S. senator. Johnson, who served two terms as governor, is scheduled Thursday to speak to reporters in Albuquerque on his decision to join the race and how he would represent a state dependent on three military bases and two national labs. Democrats saw his most recent presidential run, with currents of social liberalism, as a bane to their party. Elected and re-elected governor as a Republican, Johnson stayed true to a small-government philosophy while vetoing more than 700 bills. His open advocacy for legalized marijuana broke mainstream 1990s political taboos and made him a national curiosity. Former Libertarian presidential candidate and New Mexico U.S. Senate race candidate Gary Johnson talks to reporters Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, during a media availability in Albuquerque, N.M. Johnson talked about his decision to join the race and how he would represent a state dependent on three military bases and two national labs. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras) ATLANTA (AP) - In a story Aug. 16, The Associated Press reported that voting-integrity advocates have asked a federal judge to force Kemp to use a new paper-based balloting system in time for the November midterms. The story should have specified that the plaintiffs say they are asking that a system already in place that uses paper ballots and scanners under some circumstances be expanded provisionally across the state. They say it would cost less than the current electronic system and would be feasible to install by November. TRURO, Mass. (AP) - The Latest on a Cape Cod shark attack (all times local): 1:45 p.m. A Massachusetts beach where a New York man was attacked by a shark this week will be closed to swimmers at least through Friday. Steve McFadden, 49, of Plattsburgh, N.Y., gazes at Long Nook Beach in Truro, Mass., on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. Authorities closed the Cape Cod beach to swimmers after a man was attacked by a shark on Wednesday - the first attack on a person in Massachusetts since 2012. The unidentified victim survived the attack and was airlifted to a Boston hospital. (AP Photo/William J. Kole) Town officials in Truro have put up signs saying, "Danger, No Swimming." Town manager Rae Ann Palmer says several shark sightings were reported Thursday. The area is a feeding ground for seals, which draw sharks. Authorities regularly caution people to avoid the water whenever seals are present. Victim William Lytton, of Scarsdale, New York, staggered to shore Wednesday and was airlifted to a Boston hospital for treatment of deep puncture wounds to his torso and leg. Beachgoer Andrea Worthington, of Schenectady, New York, says she and her husband were swimming just a few hours before the attack but left the water when they saw seals. ___ 9:45 a.m. Massachusetts' leading shark expert is trying to determine if the first person to be attacked in waters off the state since 2012 was bitten by a great white shark. State marine fisheries senior biologist Greg Skomal will try to confirm if the 61-year-old victim's wounds are consistent with that kind of bite. Authorities identified him Thursday as William Lytton, of Scarsdale, New York. He survived Wednesday's afternoon's attack off Long Nook Beach on the Atlantic Ocean side of Cape Cod. Authorities say Lytton was bitten while standing about 30 yards offshore. He was airlifted to a Boston hospital. Officials ordered the beach closed, and witnesses reported seeing seals in the water just before the attack. Numerous shark sightings have been reported in the area this summer, including several involving great whites. ___ 6:35 a.m. Massachusetts' leading shark expert is trying to determine if the first person to be attacked in waters off the state since 2012 was bitten by a great white shark. State marine fisheries senior biologist Greg Skomal will try to confirm Thursday if the 61-year-old victim's wounds are consistent with the kind of bite a great white would inflict. The unidentified man survived Wednesday's afternoon's attack off Long Nook Beach in Truro, on the Atlantic Ocean side of Cape Cod. Authorities say he was bitten while standing about 30 yards offshore. He was airlifted to a Boston hospital. Officials ordered the beach closed, and witnesses reported seeing seals in the water just before the attack. Numerous shark sightings have been reported in the area this summer, including several involving great whites. Steve McFadden, 49, of Plattsburgh, N.Y. gazes at Long Nook Beach in Truro, Mass., on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. Authorities closed the Cape Cod beach to swimmers after a man was attacked by a shark on Wednesday, the first attack on a person in Massachusetts since 2012. The unidentified victim survived the attack and was airlifted to a Boston hospital. (AP Photo/William J. Kole) A sign warns visitors to Long Nook Beach of recent shark sightings, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 in Truro, Mass. A man swimming off Cape Cod was attacked by a shark on Wednesday and was airlifted to a hospital. It was the first shark attack on a human on the popular summer tourist destination since 2012. (Merrily Cassidy/The Cape Cod Times via AP) A MedFlight helicopter takes off from behind Cape Cod National Seashore headquarters with a man who was attacked by a shark, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 in South Wellfleet, Mass. A man swimming off Cape Cod was attacked by a shark on Wednesday and was airlifted to a hospital. It was the first shark attack on a human on the popular summer tourist destination since 2012. (Merrily Cassidy/The Cape Cod Times via AP) BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - Matias Messi, brother of Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi, has been sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm. Messi received a 2 -year prison sentence on Thursday but will not go to jail. He was instead ordered to perform community service. La Capital newspaper in the Argentine city of Rosario says that the decision was reached under a deal with investigating prosecutors. The weapon was found late last year inside a blood-stained boat which Messi crashed in the Parana River. Matias Messi is escort outside the Criminal Justice Center in Rosario, Argentina Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. One of Lionel Messi's brothers has been sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm, to two and a half years in prison. Matias Messi will not go to jail and was instead ordered to perform community service. (AP Photo/Alan Monzon) The 35-year-old Messi was held under preventive arrest and later released while he recovered from a fractured jaw and other injuries at a hospital in Argentina's Santa Fe province. Messi's attorney has originally said his client crashed into a sandbank and denied that he owned the gun. NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on U.S. newsrooms coordinating a series of editorials speaking up for a free press (all times local): 2:05 p.m. The Senate has unanimously approved a resolution affirming that "the press is not the enemy of the people." 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) The resolution Thursday offered by Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz, of Hawaii, drew on the words of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and President Ronald Reagan, among others, to champion the role of the free press, which it said is "integral to the democratic foundations of the United States." The resolution condemns attacks on the press "as an attack on our democratic institutions." It noted that the First Amendment "protects the press from government control and suppression." No senator raised objections to resolution. Newspapers across the U.S. are pushing back against President Donald Trump's attacks on "fake news" with a coordinated series of editorials speaking up for a free and vigorous press. __ 8:30 a.m. Newspapers from Maine to Hawaii are pushing back against President Donald Trump's attacks on "fake news" with a coordinated series of editorials speaking up for a free and vigorous press. The Boston Globe, which set the campaign in motion by urging the unified voice, had estimated that some 350 newspapers would participate Thursday. They did across the breadth of the country. The Portland, Maine Press-Herald said a free and independent press is the best defense against tyranny, while the Honolulu, Hawaii Star-Advertiser emphasized democracy's need for a free press. "The true enemies of the people - and democracy - are those who try to suffocate truth by vilifying and demonizing the messenger," wrote the Des Moines Register in Iowa. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - An Iraqi man accused of killing for the Islamic State entered the U.S. as a refugee after claiming to be a victim of terrorism, in a case drawing attention amid the Trump administration's criticism of the resettlement program's vetting process. Omar Abdulsattar Ameen, 45, was arrested in California on Wednesday and will be extradited to Iraq under a treaty with that nation, U.S. officials said. He made his first appearance in federal court in Sacramento after his arrest at an apartment building in the state capital. A federal agent removes items from an apartment following the arrest of Omar Ameen, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Ameen, a 45-year-old Iraqi refugee, was arrested on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman in 2014 while serving with the Islamic State terror organization. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Ameen left Iraq and fled in 2012 to Turkey, where he applied to be accepted as a refugee to the U.S., according to court documents. He was granted that status in June 2014. That same month, prosecutors say he returned to Iraq, where he killed a police officer in the town of Rawah after it fell to the Islamic State. Five months later, Ameen traveled to the United States to be resettled as a refugee. Ameen was arrested by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force based on a warrant issued in May by an Iraqi federal court in Baghdad. Ameen could face execution for the "organized killing by an armed group," according to Iraqi documents filed in U.S. federal court. Benjamin Galloway, one of Ameen's public defenders, said he had only 10 minutes to meet with his client prior to his initial court appearance, and attorneys hadn't decided whether to contest that Ameen is the man wanted by Iraqi authorities. Ameen did not disclose his membership in two terrorist groups when he later applied for a green card in the United States, officials said. The Trump administration has sharply criticized the Obama-era resettlement program for not doing enough to keep out terrorists. The State Department said additional checks have since been implemented. "The U.S. government identified and implemented additional security screening procedures to enable departments and agencies to more thoroughly review refugee applicants to identify potential threats to public safety and national security, with additional vetting for certain nationals of certain high-risk countries," the State Department said in a statement. Seamus Hughes, of George Washington University's Program on Extremism, said most IS cases in the United States have involved U.S.-born citizens and that the case should be considered rare but illustrates holes in the system. "There was clearly a number of tripwires that didn't go off in this vetting process," he said. According to resettlement agencies in the United States, the U.S. vetting process is one of the world's toughest that has allowed in 3 million refugees since 1975 with not one arrested for carrying out a lethal terror attack on U.S. soil. Most applicants spend at least three years being interviewed, undergoing biometric checks, medical exams, and filling out paperwork. Cases are screened by the Department of Defense, FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies. After they are resettled, refugees continue to undergo security checks in the United States for five years or more. The Trump administration added requirements, including longer background checks and additional screenings for females and males between 14 and 50 from certain countries, including Iraq. It also drastically reduced the annual ceiling of refugee arrivals to the U.S. from 110,000 to 45,000. Nayla Rush at the Center for Immigration Studies said nothing will make the program 100 percent safe. "But improved vetting can ensure people like this Iraqi terrorist wearing a fake refugee hat have a lesser chance of being welcomed into the United States," she wrote in an email. Ameen was identified by a witness to the slaying, according to the Iraqi documents. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force has been investigating Ameen since 2016, according to a court filing, and independently corroborated Ameen's involvement. Ameen was part of a four-vehicle IS caravan that opened fire on the home of the Rawah police officer, Ihsan Abdulhafiz Jasim. Ameen fired the fatal shot into the man's chest as he lay on the ground, according to Iraqi documents. IS later claimed responsibility for the slaying on social media. Ameen also helped plant improvised bombs, transported militants, solicited funds, robbed supply trucks and kidnapped drivers on behalf of al-Qaida, according to court documents. He was ordered held until his next court appearance on Monday. ___ Associated Press reporters Sophia Bollag in Sacramento and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this story. Watson reported from San Diego. A federal agent removes items from an apartment following the arrest of a 45-year-old Iraqi refugee, Omar Ameen, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Ameen was arrested on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman in 2014 while serving with the Islamic State terror organization. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) A federal agent makes a call outside the apartment following the arrest of a 45-year-old Iraqi refugee, Omar Ameen, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Ameen was arrested on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman in 2014 while serving with the Islamic State terror organization. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Crime scene tape blocks the entrance to an apartment complex following the arrest of a 45-year-old Iraqi refugee, Omar Ameen, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Ameen was arrested on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman in 2014 while serving with the Islamic State terror organization. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) A woman carrying a child is escorted by authorities to an apartment following the arrest of a 45-year-old Iraqi refugee, Omar Ameen, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Ameen was arrested on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman in 2014 while serving with the Islamic State terror organization. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) A federal agent removes items from an apartment following the arrest of Omar Ameen, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Ameen, a 45-year-old Iraqi refugee, was arrested on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman in 2014 while serving with the Islamic State terror organization. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) A federal agent removes items from an apartment following the arrest of a 45-year-old Iraqi refugee, Omar Ameen, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Ameen was arrested on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman in 2014 while serving with the Islamic State terror organization. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) A federal agent makes a call outside the apartment following the arrest of a 45-year-old Iraqi refugee, Omar Ameen, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Ameen was arrested on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman in 2014 while serving with the Islamic State terror organization. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Crime scene tape blocks the entrance to an apartment complex following the arrest of a 45-year-old Iraqi refugee, Omar Ameen, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Ameen was arrested on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman in 2014 while serving with the Islamic State terror organization. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) A woman carrying a child is escorted by authorities to an apartment following the arrest of a 45-year-old Iraqi refugee, Omar Ameen, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Ameen was arrested on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman in 2014 while serving with the Islamic State terror organization. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) WASHINGTON (AP) - The Defense Department said Thursday that the Veterans Day military parade ordered up by President Donald Trump won't happen in 2018. Col. Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman, said the military and the White House "have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019." The announcement came several hours after reports that the parade would cost about $92 million, according to U.S. officials citing preliminary estimates more than three times the price first suggested by the White House. FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2017, file photo, military units participate in the inaugural parade from the Capitol to the White House in Washington, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. A U.S. official says the 2018 Veterans Day military parade ordered up by President Donald Trump would cost about $92 million _ more than three times the maximum initial estimate. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File) According to the officials, roughly $50 million would cover Pentagon costs for aircraft, equipment, personnel and other support for the November parade in Washington. The remainder would be borne by other agencies and largely involve security costs. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss early planning estimates that have not yet been finalized or released publicly. The estimate was first reported by CNBC. Officials said the plans had not yet been approved by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Mattis himself said late Thursday that he had seen no such estimate and questioned the media reports. The Pentagon chief told reporters traveling with him to Bogota, Colombia, that whoever leaked the number to the press was "probably smoking something that is legal in my state but not in most" - a reference to his home state of Washington, where marijuana use is legal. He added: "I'm not dignifying that number ($92 million) with a reply. I would discount that, and anybody who said (that number), I'll almost guarantee you one thing: They probably said, 'I need to stay anonymous.' No kidding, because you look like an idiot. And No. 2, whoever wrote it needs to get better sources. I'll just leave it at that." The parade's cost, which was confirmed by multiple officials, has become a politically charged issue, particularly after the Pentagon canceled a major military exercise planned for August with South Korea, in the wake of Trump's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump said the drills were provocative and that dumping them would save the U.S. "a tremendous amount of money." The Pentagon later said the Korea drills would have cost $14 million. Lt. Col. Jamie Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said earlier Thursday that Defense Department planning for the parade "continues and final details are still being developed. Any cost estimates are pre-decisional." The parade was expected to include troops from all five armed services - the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard - as well as units in period uniforms representing earlier times in the nation's history. It also was expected to involve a number of military aircraft flyovers. A Pentagon planning memo released in March said the parade would feature a "heavy air component," likely including older, vintage aircraft. It also said there would be "wheeled vehicles only, no tanks - consideration must be given to minimize damage to local infrastructure." Big, heavy tanks could tear up streets in the District of Columbia. The memo from Mattis' office provided initial planning guidance to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His staff is planning the parade along a route from the White House to the Capitol and would integrate it with the city's annual veterans' parade. U.S. Northern Command, which oversees U.S. troops in North America, is responsible for the actual execution of the parade. Earlier this year, the White House budget director told Congress that the cost to taxpayers could be $10 million to $30 million. Those estimates were likely based on the cost of previous military parades, such as the one in the nation's capital in 1991 celebrating the end of the first Gulf War, and factored in some additional increase for inflation. One veterans group weighed in Thursday against the parade. "The American Legion appreciates that our President wants to show in a dramatic fashion our nation's support for our troops," National Commander Denise Rohan said. However, she added, "we think the parade money would be better spent fully funding the Department of Veteran Affairs and giving our troops and their families the best care possible." Trump decided he wanted a military parade in Washington after he attended France's Bastille Day celebration in the center of Paris last year. As the invited guest of French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump watched enthusiastically from a reviewing stand as the French military showcased its tanks and fighter jets, including many U.S.-made planes, along the famed Champs-Elysees. Several months later Trump praised the French parade, saying, "We're going to have to try and top it." __ AP National Security Writer Robert Burns contributed to this report from Bogota, Colombia. NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - The Latest on more than 70 synthetic marijuana overdoses in New Haven, Connecticut (all times local): 2:30 p.m. Police in Connecticut are swarming a city park near Yale University and searching people's homes for drugs in an effort to prevent more overdoses from a batch of synthetic marijuana. More than 70 people were hospitalized in a 24-hour period in New Haven. City Police Chief Anthony Campbell says increased patrols are on the New Haven Green, where most of the overdoses occurred Wednesday. Campbell said Thursday that officers are executing search warrants in an effort to get all the bad "K2" off the streets. Campbell said it appears one of three suspects who were arrested was giving the drug away for free in an effort to get people hooked. Mayor Toni Harp says plans are being finalized for President Trump's drug czar nominee, Jim Carroll, to visit New Haven on Monday. ____ 10:46 a.m. Officials say the number of victims from a rash of overdoses on a suspected bad batch of synthetic marijuana has risen to 76 in New Haven, Connecticut. The overdoses were reported over a 24-hour period and investigators are trying to determine what exactly sickened the victims. People started falling ill Wednesday morning, mostly on the New Haven Green near Yale University. No deaths have been reported, and officials said most patients have been discharged from hospitals. A doctor at one hospital says some patients tested positive for the powerful opioid fentanyl, but it appears most of the overdoses were caused by a potent batch of straight "K2" synthetic marijuana. Police have arrested a man who they say may have passed out free samples of synthetic marijuana. The top legislator hailed the support of the UN and UNDP for socio-economic development in Vietnam, as well as the contributions of UNICEF to the sustainable growth and the protection of childrens rights in the country. Kamal Malhotra congratulated Vietnam on being the first country in Asia and second in the world to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (in 1990). Since then, the NA and relevant agencies of Vietnam have exerted various efforts to protect and take care of children. He expressed his hope that Vietnam will continue the work towards changing the definition of a childs ceiling age to that of 18 years old, as stated in the convention. The NA Chairwoman agreed with Malhotras proposal, stressing that Vietnam has rolled out specific measures to ensure childrens rights, including building its legal system and the formation of a National Committee on Children. In order to better respond to realistic requirements amidst international integration, as well as fully promote childrens rights, the NA has made comprehensively adjustments to and approved the Child Law 2016, making it coherent with regulations in the convention and other relevant international commitments, she noted. She said that the Children Law 2016 regulates that children are those under the age of 16, but the countrys law defines that only citizens from the age of 18 years old and up can bear full responsibility before the law. Those aged between 16 and 18 are adolescences and still protected by the law, she added. The NA of Vietnam has regularly supervised the implementation of the Child Law 2016, while continuing to research theoretical, scientific and realistic foundations to consider the change in defining the age of children, said the top legislator. UNICEF representative Abdel-Jelil also spoke in recognition of Vietnams special policies to protect citizens aged between 16-18 years old, while also applauding the NAs role in safeguarding and caring for children. The Vietnamese Government has shown strong determination in the work, evidenced through the national online conference on August 6 on the protection of children against violence, abuse, and risks to their life and health, he noted. The UNICEF representative said that the fund is working with the Vietnamese NA Standing Committees Institute for Law-Building Research to study the social impacts once the change in definition of childrens age is applied. The study, which is scheduled to conclude in late 2018, is expected to provide useful information assisting the completion of the law and relevant policies of Vietnam, he said. He also showed his pleasure at the partnership between UNICEF and the NA, pledging to continue offering financial support to the process, which he described as a priority for UNICEF in 2019. CONCORD, N.C. (AP) - Kasey Kahne announced Thursday that he will retire from full-time racing in NASCAR and plans to focus on the sprint car team he owns. Kahne said in a Twitter post that he is at ease with the decision after 15 years racing in NASCAR. Kahne, from Enumclaw, Washington, made it to NASCAR via sprint car racing and his Kasey Kahne Racing team competes in the World of Outlaws series. KKR driver Brad Sweet won the prestigious Knoxville (Iowa) Nationals last weekend and the 38-year-old Kahne was present for the victory. FILE - In this July 23, 2017, file photo, Kasey Kahne (5) celebrates winning the NASCAR Brickyard 400 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. Kahne says he is retiring from full-time racing. The 38-year-old Kahne announced his intentions Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, file photo on Twitter, saying "I'm not sure what the future holds for me, but I'm at ease with the decision that I have made."(AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File) "I'm not sure what the future holds for me," Kahne said. "The highs don't outweigh the lows and the grueling schedule takes a toll on your quality of life. I need to spend more time doing the things I enjoy and love and that's spending time with (son) Tanner and my sprint car teams." The former Hendrick Motorsports driver has 18 victories, including a playoff-clinching win last season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That win came amid speculation that Hendrick would part ways with Kahne following six seasons, and Hendrick made it official two weeks later. Kahne signed with Leavine Family Racing for 2018. He has one top-five finish in 23 starts for Leavine, and said the team offered him a ride for next year but Kahne did not want to commit to NASCAR. The Cup schedule is 38 weekends. Kahne's announcement came one day after 43-year-old Elliott Sadler said he will walk away from NASCAR after 21 seasons. Sadler is 43 and currently drives for JR Motorsports in the second-tier Xfinity Series. He spent 12 full-time seasons in the Cup Series driving for Wood Brothers Racing, Robert Yates Racing, Evernham Motorsports and Richard Petty Motorsports. He is retiring to spend more time with his two young children. They are the latest in a growing list of NASCAR drivers who have hanged up their helmets in recent years, following Danica Patrick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, three-time champion Tony Stewart and four-time champ Jeff Gordon. ___ More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) - Federal and state authorities are investigating after a black mayoral candidate in Shreveport, Louisiana, said he was threatened with lynching if he didn't drop out of the race. Louisiana State Police trooper Glenn Younger told the Shreveport Times on Thursday an investigation was opened after Caddo Parish Commissioner Steven Jackson said he received the anonymous threat. At a news conference, Jackson said an envelope containing the threat inside was left at his home. He showed a piece of paper depicting his face on top of a head in a noose with the word "Rope" below. Under the image, Jackson was called a racial slur and urged to stop trying to remove a Confederate monument from the grounds of a local courthouse. The commission voted last fall 7-5 to remove the monument, with Jackson supporting the move. The monument's removal has been blocked by a lawsuit although a federal judge in July ruled that the parish could go forward with the removal. Shreveport is about 330 miles northwest of New Orleans. PHOENIX (AP) - A judge has rejected a bid by an immigration advocate to move his upcoming trial on federal tax charges outside of Phoenix because of publicity about the case and his long record of speaking up for people in the country illegally. U.S. District Judge Diane Humetewa said Thursday that the attorney for Elias Bermudez didn't prove there was presumed prejudice against her client, concluding the small number of stories about the case and the sporadic articles in the past about his advocacy on behalf of immigrants didn't amount to saturation news coverage. Bermudez led protests more than a decade ago against Arizona's immigration laws and then-Sheriff Joe Arpaio's crackdowns on immigrants. He is known for kneeling down in front of Arpaio at a 2006 demonstration to ask the lawman to stop arresting immigrants, a request the sheriff denied. FILE _ In this July 14, 2006, file photo, Elias Bermudez kneels before then-Sheriff Joe Arpaio at a protest over the lawman's immigration crackdowns. Bermudez, who led the pro-immigrant group Immigrants Without Borders, lost a bid Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, to move his Sept. 5 trial on federal tax charges out of Phoenix. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. (AP Photo/Matt York,File) Bermudez, who owned a business that helped immigrants prepare immigration and tax documents, is accused of preparing income tax documents from 2010 through 2012 that falsely added dependents to his clients' returns to maximize refundable credits. Federal authorities say his clients, at the direction of Bermudez, listed people who lived in Mexico as dependents. They say they recorded Bermudez, while meeting with a confidential informant and two undercover agents, telling agents they should include false dependents on their returns to reduce their tax liability. Bermudez, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, is scheduled for trial on Sept. 5. Attorney Kristina Sitton Matthews, who represents Bermudez, suggested that the court draw its pool of prospective jurors from the Prescott area, where she said people might not be as knowledgeable about her client. Matthews argued Bermudez can't receive a fair trial because he is a controversial figure whose advocacy efforts and criminal case have been exhaustively covered by reporters. Prosecutor Andrew Stone said the six news stories about the case that were cited by Matthews don't rise to the level of being a barrage of publicity. Humetewa said the coverage of the case doesn't appear to be biased, noting that some of the coverage reported that Bermudez maintained his innocence on the charges. Bermudez has previously worked as a talk show host for a Spanish-language radio show in Phoenix and served as a leader of the group Immigrants Without Borders and as vice mayor of San Luis, Arizona. He was sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison in 1996 for a money laundering conviction. In addition, a county judge in Arizona ordered him to stop offering immigration services after clients alleged they paid for services they never received. Bermudez moved to New Mexico in 2012 but his business was shut down by the attorney general because he wasn't authorized to provide immigration consulting services. ___ Follow Jacques Billeaud at twitter.com/jacquesbilleaud. His work can be found at https://bit.ly/2GGWEPO. FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Justice is supposed to be blind. But it can sometimes be oblivious. The Kentucky Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a new sentencing trial for a man serving time for robbery because one of his previous victims unknowingly was on the jury that convicted him. In 2006, Johnnie Ray Douglas was about to go on trial for stealing thousands of dollars from several check advance business in Louisville and leaving one employee handcuffed to a pipe. A prospective juror told the judge he had been the victim of an armed robbery in 1985 while working as a bank teller. The man promised he could still be fair in the trial, adding with a laugh the only consequence from his ordeal was it made him avoid a career in retail banking. Still, Douglas' attorney thought it best to strike the man from the jury. But he made a mistake and struck the wrong person. The jury convicted Douglas on one count of robbery and two counts of kidnapping. Prosecutors then asked the jury to label Douglas a "persistent felony offender," a designation that would allow for a longer prison sentence. They showed the jury evidence of Douglas' past crimes, including a 1985 indictment for armed robbery. The juror -- identified only as juror 151651 -- read the indictment and saw his name listed as the victim. It "refreshed his recollection" and he suddenly remembered Douglas. It appears the juror did not tell the judge right away. The jury decided Douglas was a persistent felony offender and recommended a 35-year sentence. Afterward, the juror told the judge what happened. The judge told Douglas and his lawyers, who decided not to ask for a new trial. Instead, they decided to ask the appellate courts to overturn the conviction. They lost. The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld the robbery conviction in 2007. But in 2009, Douglas tried again. He got new lawyers, who filed a lawsuit alleging Douglas' previous lawyers were ineffective because they did not question the juror enough and they did not ask for a new trial once they discovered the juror's connection to their client. Thursday, 12 years after his original conviction, the high court justices partially agreed with Douglas. They did not overturn his robbery conviction, but they said he must get a new sentencing trial. "Prejudice could not be presumed from the juror's presence on the jury (during the guilt phase of the trial) because no one knew of his bias toward Douglas ... including the juror himself," Justice Bill Cunningham wrote for the court. But once the juror realized who Douglas was, "prejudice could be presumed." "Those proceedings were fundamentally unfair," Cunningham wrote. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, considering a 2020 presidential run, said Thursday that President Donald Trump has done "plenty of racist things" to divide the nation while failing to deliver on health care reform and other promises. In an interview with The Associated Press, the two-term Democratic mayor who already has visited the important presidential election states of Iowa and New Hampshire said he intends to make a decision on his candidacy by March. To oust the president in a 2020 campaign, Garcetti said his party needs to show Trump doesn't back up his words. He pointed to Trump's promise to deliver a better health care plan than President Barack Obama's model. "How's that going?" he asked. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti talks during an interview with The Associated Press in Los Angeles on Thursday Aug. 16, 2018. Garcetti, who already has visited the important presidential election states of Iowa and New Hampshire, said that he intends to make a decision on his candidacy by March 2019. In a wide-ranging interview, the mayor touched on issues from the city's homelessness crisis to immigration. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) "We need to show this is not a strong man, this is a thin-skinned and ineffective person who isn't saying everything wrong, he's bringing up some good points, but he's not producing anything," Garcetti said. "And then the rest of the time he's dividing us and trying to take things away from us." The mayor said that while "racism is something that lives in everybody," Trump "seems to be much more comfortable with his racism, letting it out." "We do have a president, a commander in chief, who is using race to divide us. And not just race - immigration status, geography. He wants to divide us by these kind of essential categories, to point fingers," Garcetti said. He stopped short of calling Trump a racist but said "he certainly has done plenty of racist things." Garcetti said it's important for the public to know if Trump used the N-word as alleged by fired White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman. In the wide-ranging interview, the mayor touched on issues from the city's homelessness crisis to immigration. He did not join some other Democrats in calling for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement but said its mission must be changed. "We have political leadership that has given ICE this mission that is destructive to families, to economies and to even the safety on our streets," he said. No candidate has ever ascended directly from a mayor's office to the presidency, but Garcetti has argued that the work of mayors is essentially the type of chief executive work a president does. And in his case, he's overseen a city in a metropolitan area that has a roughly trillion-dollar economy, behind only Tokyo and New York. When asked about the characteristics a candidate would need to topple Trump in 2020, he appeared to describe himself in saying America needs someone not prone to theatrics and who listens more than speaks. "President Trump is a great insulter. He's a pretty practiced bully. But I think American people don't want just somebody fighting with President Trump. They want somebody listening to them," he said. "Average American people are just looking to connect with someone they trust. I don't think they trust Trump at the level that they did, even those who like him," he said. Garcetti added he "can fire it up too," though he's known for a polished, mannerly disposition. Strongly Democratic California has been a mainstay in the so-called Trump resistance, but Garcetti said Trump's tenure has amounted to more threats than any broad change in the way the city conducts business. Should he run for president, the expected crowded Democratic field could include fellow Californian Kamala Harris, a first-term U.S. senator and former state attorney general. Garcetti called her a dear friend and said what she does won't influence his decision. One of Garcetti's signature accomplishments as mayor was helping craft a successful plan to bring the 2028 Summer Olympics to Los Angeles, after ceding the 2024 Games to rival Paris. He predicts the transportation improvements and construction in advance of the Games will change the face of the city. He said development around the 1932 and 1984 Games in LA were "the times when we really rebuilt" Los Angeles. Even as he heralds the Olympics, an expanded commuter rail system and a revitalized downtown, Garcetti faces a homeless crisis that is vast, costly and heart-wrenching. Thousands of transients, most addicted to drugs or mentally ill, regularly camp on sidewalks in an area of town known as Skid Row. Homeless people often sprawl on the lawn outside City Hall. Garcetti said he was awakened Thursday by an apparently homeless person screaming on his block. He blames the state and federal governments for not doing more to help cities like Los Angeles develop innovative ways to get homeless the help they need. In one case, he said an alcoholic homeless woman was picked up by LA authorities 155 times and simply recycled back onto the streets until she was moved into a city program in March that aims to get people like her funneled into treatment programs tailored to their needs. Los Angeles voters have approved spending over $1 billion to construct housing for the homeless, but when will residents begin to see a change? "Not soon enough for me," the mayor said, without providing any date. ___ AP Writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti talks during an interview with the Associated Press in Los Angeles on Thursday Aug. 16, 2018. Garcetti, who already has visited the important presidential states of Iowa and New Hampshire, told The Associated Press he'll likely make a decision on his candidacy in the first three months of 2019. He also talked about his efforts to resolve chronic issues LA issues of traffic and homelessness. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti talks during an interview with the Associated Press in Los Angeles on Thursday Aug. 16, 2018. Garcetti, who already has visited the important presidential states of Iowa and New Hampshire, told The Associated Press he'll likely make a decision on his candidacy in the first three months of 2019. He also talked about his efforts to resolve chronic issues LA issues of traffic and homelessness. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti talks during an interview with the Associated Press in Los Angeles on Thursday Aug. 16, 2018. Garcetti, who already has visited the important presidential states of Iowa and New Hampshire, told The Associated Press he'll likely make a decision on his candidacy in the first three months of 2019. He also talked about his efforts to resolve chronic issues LA issues of traffic and homelessness. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti talks during an interview with the Associated Press in Los Angeles on Thursday Aug. 16, 2018. Garcetti, who already has visited the important presidential states of Iowa and New Hampshire, told The Associated Press he'll likely make a decision on his candidacy in the first three months of 2019. He also talked about his efforts to resolve chronic issues LA issues of traffic and homelessness. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti talks during an interview with the Associated Press in Los Angeles on Thursday Aug. 16, 2018. Garcetti, who already has visited the important presidential states of Iowa and New Hampshire, told The Associated Press he'll likely make a decision on his candidacy in the first three months of 2019. He also talked about his efforts to resolve chronic issues LA issues of traffic and homelessness. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Democrats said Thursday they will file a federal lawsuit next month if government agencies deny their requests for documents from Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's days as an aide to President George W. Bush. The threat represents Democrats' latest attempt to focus the public - and perhaps more importantly, senators - on potential game-changers they hope are hidden in millions of unreleased pages from Kavanaugh's White House days. So far, Republican leaders have said they expect Senate approval of Kavanaugh by the Oct. 1 start of the court's new term. Democrats' effort to head that off has so far seemed uphill. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., joined at right by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., says Senate Democrats will initiate a federal lawsuit if their requests for documents from Brett Kavanaugh's days as a White House aide are denied, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The GOP has a slender 50-49 Senate majority, due to ailing GOP Arizona Sen. John McCain's absence. The votes of two Republican and at least six Democratic senators remain unclear, with a simple majority required for Kavanaugh's approval. "We don't know if there's some sort of revelatory bombshell," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. Kavanaugh served under Bush from 2001 to 2006. Democrats hope to find documents that would reveal his views on high-profile issues including the torture of terrorism suspects and abortion rights. Blumenthal said Democratic senators who would file the suit, all of them members of the Judiciary Committee, would pay its costs from "our own pockets" and not use taxpayers' money. He said they are also allowed to use campaign funds for this expense. Republicans have allowed the release of well over 100,000 pages of Kavanaugh's papers, including papers from his time as a White House counsel to Bush, his later work as an appellate judge and his earlier time as aide to special counsel Kenneth Starr, who investigated President Bill Clinton. More are on track to be released. Democrats want the release of all Kavanaugh documents, including his three years as White House staff secretary, which Republicans have refused to request from the National Archives. The Archives says those alone could total several million pages. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the GOP's refusal to seek those papers is "one of the worst moments" in Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's time as Senate leader, "and history will show it." Democrats have complained that most of the released documents have come from Bush's lawyer, Bill Burck, who is vetting them, rather than the traditional process conducted by the National Archives. They say Burck could well be withholding potentially embarrassing items. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has said he's not asked the Archives to provide documents from Kavanaugh's time as White House secretary because they are sensitive and "at the heart of executive privilege." Democrats filed Freedom of Information Act requests last week with four federal agencies requesting the papers. They say they'll file their lawsuit if those documents aren't provided within the legal deadline of 20 days. Grassley has scheduled four days of confirmation hearings beginning Sept. 4. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh shakes hands as he meets with Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., right, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Montana's Democratic governor was in Iowa on Thursday railing against money's corrupting influence in government and talking up his ability to win in Trump country, but he continued to deflect questions about his plans for a 2020 presidential run. Gov. Steve Bullock's speech at the Iowa State Fair marked his third trip to the Hawkeye State this year and comes a week before he travels to another early-voting state, New Hampshire, as he explores a potential campaign. The two-term governor lacks the national name recognition of some of the top-tier Democrats considering a challenge to President Donald Trump, such as Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders or former Vice President Joe Biden. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock speaks at the Des Moines Register Soapbox during a visit to the Iowa State Fair, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Bullock's trying to change that with trips to Iowa and New Hampshire, where he is introducing himself as both a politician with bipartisan appeal and as a crusader against dark money in election campaigns. "I think that I do have a story about how I've been able to bring people together and I think that's in part what our country desperately needs," Bullock said to a smattering of applause. He sidestepped a direct question about when he'll decide whether to run. "Right now, what I'm doing is listening and that's honestly as far as it goes," he said. Bullock spoke at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox, which features speeches by candidates running for state and federal offices. Other scheduled speakers considering presidential bids include former Housing and Urban Development secretary Julian Castro, U.S. Rep. John Delaney, D-Maryland, U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-California, hedge fund manager Tom Steyer and entrepreneur Andrew Yang. David Parker, a political science professor at Montana State University, called Bullock a second-tier candidate with clear strengths but with a major weakness in that "no one knows who he is." He said Bullock is a potential dark-horse candidate comparable to former President Bill Clinton's rise in 1992 from relative obscurity as Arkansas governor. "I think his strength and ability is largely dependent on what the rest of the field looks like," Parker said. "Nineteen-ninety-two was a weak field. This field is stronger, but with a number of candidates with serious flaws." Bullock spent much of his 20-minute speech talking about how the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens' United decision that allowed corporate spending in elections has led to Americans' fading trust in elections and government. He also criticized Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin's decision a month ago to lift disclosure requirements for some tax-exempt groups that spend money on political ads. "Think about this: Now, truly, a Russian could write a check and influence our elections - we would never know," Bullock said. He told the audience that he won re-election as a Democrat in 2016 in a state that President Donald Trump won by 20 percentage points, and that he pushed bills through a Republican-led legislature on campaign finance reform, Medicaid expansion and increased public school spending. The key is to show up where Democrats don't usually go, engage the people there and listen to them, he said. "If you can do that in Montana, you can do that in Iowa, you can do that anywhere in the country," Bullock said. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock talks with Erich Schmidt, of Des Moines, Iowa, right, during a visit to the Iowa State Fair, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Montana Gov. Steve Bullock waits in line at the Iowa Pork Producers tent during a visit to the Iowa State Fair, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Montana Gov. Steve Bullock talks with Richard Juel, of Pittsburgh, Penn., left, during a visit to the Iowa State Fair, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, center, walks down the main concourse during a visit to the Iowa State Fair, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, left, talks with Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, center, and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, right, during a visit to the Iowa State Fair, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Montana Gov. Steve Bullock speaks at the Des Moines Register Soapbox during a visit to the Iowa State Fair, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The California Supreme Court on Thursday made it easier for some immigrant children who are abused or abandoned by a parent to seek a U.S. visa to avoid deportation in a ruling that advocates said would help thousands of children. State judges cannot require that children drag an absentee parent living abroad into court in their visa application process, the justices said in a unanimous decision. Immigration rights advocates had warned that such a requirement would make it nearly impossible for the children to fight deportation. That's because courts in California cannot establish authority over a foreign citizen and the parent may want nothing to do with a child claiming abuse, and would refuse to participate in a court proceeding in the U.S., immigration groups said. The ruling overturned a lower court decision. The California Supreme Court said it was sufficient to adequately notify the absent parent of the court proceedings, but that parent did not have to be a party to the case. FILE - In this Jan. 24, 2018, file photo California Attorney General Xavier Becerra talks during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. The California Supreme Court has made it easier for some immigrant children who are abused or abandoned by a parent to seek a U.S. visa to avoid deportation. Becerra said in court documents that the case affected a "substantial portion" of the thousands of children who have fled to the U.S. from Central America and Mexico and settled in California. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in court documents that the case had implications for a "substantial portion" of the thousands of children who have fled to the U.S. from Central America and Mexico and settled in California. Kristen Jackson, an attorney for the plaintiff in the case, estimated the ruling would affect thousands of children. The decision came in the case of a girl, identified in court documents only as Bianka M., who fled Honduras as a 10-year-old and arrived in the U.S. alone in 2013. Bianka's mother was in the U.S., and the girl sought a state court order granting her mother sole custody. She also asked a state court judge to declare that she could not reunite with her father because he abandoned her and that returning to Honduras was not in her best interest. She sought a special visa that could lead to a green card. A Los Angeles County court, however, said it needed to determine that the man Bianka claimed as her father was in fact her father. The court also raised concerns that awarding custody to Bianka's mother without his involvement could violate his right to determine how she is raised and expose him to child support requirements. Bianka's mother testified that the man left her when she was pregnant with Bianka and said he would rather see Bianka dead than have to support her, according to court documents. Bianka's attorneys noted that California courts could not establish authority over an "unwilling foreign resident," so she would have to convince the man to attest that he was her father. "In her case and a lot of other cases, California family courts were putting up insurmountable barriers to these children," Jackson, an attorney with the law firm Public Counsel, said. "We're thrilled that the California Supreme Court made sure that vulnerable immigrant children in California are able to access the protection they need and which both federal and state law mandate." Queen Elizabeth II has not announced that she will pass the crown directly to her grandson Prince William, despite what articles circulating online claim. The popularity of the younger royals - Prince William, Prince Harry and their wives Kate and Meghan - has spurred speculation that the 92-year-old monarch might make William king rather than her 69-year-old son and heir, Prince Charles. Charles' image is sullied in some eyes by his messy divorce from the late Princess Diana, his second marriage to the also-divorced Camilla Parker Bowles and his tendency to share his strong opinions on everything from the environment to modern architecture. But it's wishful thinking. The line of succession is governed by centuries-old rules, and the deeply traditional queen has no intention of altering it. FILE - In this June 5, 2012 file photo, Queen Elizabeth II, center, accompanied by Prince Charles, left, and Prince William, appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in central London, to conclude the four-day Diamond Jubilee celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne. On Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, The Associated Press has found that stories circulating on the internet that Queen Elizabeth II will pass the crown directly to her grandson Prince William, are untrue. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, File) Even if the queen did want to change it, she doesn't have the power to do so unilaterally. The royal family's official website explains that "the succession to the throne is regulated not only through descent, but also by Parliamentary statute." Altering it would need approval from lawmakers, not only in Britain but in 15 other countries - including Canada, New Zealand and Jamaica - where the British monarch is head of state. Also contrary to some reports, the queen has not announced that William's wife Kate, currently the Duchess of Cambridge, will be known as Queen Consort once her husband takes the throne. The palace has declined to comment on what Kate - and before her, Camilla - will be titled when their husbands are monarchs. ___ This is part of The Associated Press' ongoing effort to fact-check misinformation that is shared widely online, including work with Facebook to identify and reduce the circulation of false stories on the platform. ___ Find all AP Fact Checks here: https://www.apnews.com/tag/APFactCheck ___ Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck Diplomacy must uphold the principle of taking action to boost economic development. It should translate the strong relations between Vietnam and other countries and foreign partners into opportunities for economic cooperation and global integration, the PM added. He expressed his appreciation of many Vietnamese ambassadors efforts in coordinating closely with ministries and local governments to promote trade and expand markets overseas with diversified and effective approaches. PM Phuc urged all diplomats to take more active roles in shaping and promoting multilateral partnerships and, at the same time, guide and foster the expansion of all-round cooperation with a focus on economy. In addition, they must provide accurate and up-to-date information on foreign markets for the government, ministries, localities, and enterprises as well as give advices on foreign economic diplomacy and development, he added. He suggested that diplomats double efforts to search for external resources, promote trade overseas, develop the labour market, call for ODA, and attract more remittance and visitors to Vietnam, all of which will aid the country in striving towards a digital and smart economy. Vietnamese embassies should not only serve the Government and the prime minister, but also localities and both private and State-owned enterprises for the ultimate key goal of developing the national economy, the PM stressed. The government leader also emphasised the importance of information for foreign service, citing 4,000 foreign reporters covering events in Vietnam in 2017. This is an important channel to promote the potential, country and people of Vietnam to the world, he noted. At the event, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc spoke highly of the contribution of diplomacy to the countrys achievements. Resources brought by both internal and external diplomacy have been attributed to the countrys economic restructuring and strong economic growth over recent years, he noted, referring to the fact that Vietnam is the only ASEAN member state to have set up strategic and comprehensive partnerships with five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the entire G7, as well as 13 of the G20 countries. Over the last two years, Vietnam has taken great advantage of ambassadors and delegations missions abroad to organise hundreds of trade and investment promotion events, particularly the promotion of the countrys key agricultural products. Speaking at the conference, Chairman and General Director of the military-run telecom group Viettel Le Dang Dung voiced his hopes to continue receiving enthusiastic support from Vietnamese diplomatic corps overseas. He asked diplomats to put more effort into bridging domestic and foreign businesses, strengthening legal support for Vietnamese enterprises abroad, and facilitating them to seek overseas trade and investment opportunities. ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Greek explosives disposal experts are checking a German Condor Airlines passenger jet flying from Egypt that made a safe unscheduled landing on the southern island of Crete after reporting a potential bomb threat. Military officials say the Boeing 757 jet was escorted to Chania airport by two Greek air force F-16 fighters scrambled after the pilot reported the threat, and landed without incident late Thursday. The airport had been placed on a state of alert. The plane was carrying about 250 passengers from Egypt to Dusseldorf in Germany. Yiannis Papazoglou, spokesman for Fraport Greece which operates the airport, said all passengers and crew on board were safely evacuated in buses to the main airport building. ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - Donald Trump is the phantom of U.S. District Courtroom 900. His name has rarely been uttered during the two-week trial of his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort. References to his campaign and administration have slipped in only through carefully scrubbed exchanges. The Trump name has been so studiously avoided that when the trial judge said "Mr. Trump" during a morning hearing Thursday, courtroom spectators jumped. This is the first major courtroom test of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian contacts with the Trump campaign. But the president's absence is strictly intentional. All sides have feared that too much Trump could prejudice the jury somehow - and they don't know which way - in a case that has little to do with the most polarizing figure in American politics. President Donald Trump listens during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Washington. Trump is the phantom of U.S. District Courtroom 900. His name has rarely been uttered during the trial of his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort. Trump's absence from the first major courtroom test of the special counsel's Russia investigation is strictly intentional. All sides have feared that too much Trump could prejudice the jury somehow in a case that has little to do with the most polarizing figure in American politics.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Mueller's team, Manafort's attorneys and U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis III all took actions - either before trial or during proceedings in the historic Alexandria courthouse - to erase almost all mentions of the president. "There is a very real risk that the jurors in this case - most of whom likely have strong views about President Trump, or have likely formed strong opinions as to the well-publicized allegations that the campaign colluded with Russian officials - will be unable to separate their opinions and beliefs about those matters from the tax and bank fraud matters to be tried before them in this case," Manafort's lawyers said in a June filing. Trump's absence from the trial also has much to do with how the special counsel's team has built its case and the way Manafort's lawyers responded. The prosecution's massive cache of Manafort-related emails and financial documents - and the witnesses that prosecutors put on -were largely designed to establish a narrative that Manafort's crimes were of his own making and committed long before he took over Trump's campaign in April 2016. In any case, the trial does not involve allegations of Russian election interference or possible coordination with the Trump campaign. But the president has been watching it closely as he seeks to publicly undermine Mueller's probe. In recent weeks, Trump has blasted out tweets minimizing Manafort's campaign role and comparing him - sympathetically - with mobster Al Capone. Manafort's attorneys, too, have mostly steered clear of Trump references, preferring to go after the prosecution's star witness, Rick Gates - who also worked for Trump - and chip away at the government's hundreds of emails, tax documents and financial records. The trial's Trump sensitivity held to the end. In closing arguments, defense attorney Richard Westling listed all of the Republican presidents and national candidates that Manafort had advised to show his bona fides as a "highly regarded political consultant." They included "Trump" but said no more about him. So it was no surprise Thursday morning when courtroom spectators waiting for Ellis to send jurors to deliberate on Manafort's fate suddenly looked up, startled. Ellis had addressed a well-coiffed man in a dark suit sitting in a back row about a routine criminal case. "Mr. Trump." For a moment, as spectators swiveled around, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Trump, no relation, had the courtroom's rapt attention. Then, grinning, he answered the judge's question. President Trump's role - or lack thereof - in the case has been an issue from the outset. In a filing last June, the defense had submitted a formal motion asking Ellis to prohibit any evidence concerning "Manafort's or the Trump campaign's alleged collusion with the Russian government." Prosecutors agreed to limit their references to the Trump campaign but said they wanted to make reference to it during testimony concerning Manafort's bank fraud charges. "We'll try to do it in a discreet way, but it's hard to take out those facts, if not impossible," prosecutor Greg Andres said during a later hearing. Ellis agreed to restrict references to Trump, but gave prosecutors leeway to carefully use them in the bank fraud evidence. At trial, prosecutors flashed an image on courtroom wall screens of a note between Manafort and Gates documenting a 2013 meeting and a request to leave a group of tickets "for Trump." The reference was never explained in testimony. Defense lawyers also ventured into Trump territory as they tried to sting at prosecution witness Gates. Lawyer Kevin Downing asked whether Mueller's investigators had interviewed Gates about his role in the Trump campaign. That prompted an immediate objection from prosecutors and a sidebar conference with Ellis. ___ Associated Press writer Matthew Barakat contributed to this report. Members of the media as set up outside of federal court as jury deliberations are set to begin in the trial of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, in Alexandria, Va., Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump has said he's yanking former CIA Director John Brennan's security clearance and threatened to do the same to other current and former officials tied to the federal investigation into Russian election interference. Trump told The Wall Street Journal he made the move because he believes the probe is "rigged" and he felt he had to act. The decision has drawn sharp criticism as an extraordinary act of retribution. But what is the practical impact? And what can Brennan do about it? Here's a look at the controversy surrounding Trump's move: President Donald Trump, accompanied by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, looks around the room during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) ___ Q: WHY DID TRUMP REVOKE BRENNAN'S SECURITY CLEARANCE? A: Historically, former heads of intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been allowed to retain access to classified information after they leave government service as a professional courtesy and so they can provide counsel to their successors. But Trump decided that any benefits that current senior officers might glean from Brennan's counsel "are now outweighed by the risks posed by his erratic conduct and behavior." Trump accused Brennan, who has criticized Trump's statement and policies, of leveraging his status as a former top intelligence official to make "unfounded and outrageous allegations" about his administration. That was Wednesday afternoon. Hours later, Trump directly linked his action to the Russia probe, telling The Wall Street Journal that the investigation is a "sham" and that "these people led it!" He said pulling Brennan's clearance is "something that had to be done." ___ Q: WHY DOES THIS MATTER? A: Critics see this as an example of politics seeping into intelligence and national security. Intelligence officials are asked to shun politics while collecting and distributing unvarnished information to top U.S. policymakers. They see their mission as "speaking truth to power," a mantra often used in describing the intelligence agencies' historical relationship with any president. In punishing a former official, who was also a public critic, Trump could send a message to current officials that he does not want to be challenged. "Disastrously, the president's openly retaliatory actions could reverberate throughout the government, silencing whistleblowers and potentially giving other officials a carte blanche to do the same," said Danielle Brian, director of the Project On Government Oversight, a nonpartisan government watchdog. Trump said in a statement: "Any access granted to our Nation's secrets should be in furtherance of national, not personal, interests. For this reason, I have also begun to review the more general question of the access to classified information by former Government officials." ___ Q: WHY DO FORMER OFFICIALS RETAIN ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION ANYWAY? A: Mostly so they can give advice. The government keeps the clearances active for some former high-ranking officials only so they can be consulted on specialized or secret matters, said John Sipher, former deputy group chief of Russian operations in the CIA's Central Eurasia Division. For example, Michael Morell, former deputy and acting director of the CIA, headed a review on the National Security Agency after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden released classified documents, he said. These former officials don't have access unless the U.S. government needs them for something, Sipher said. They do not retain unfettered access to classified computer systems. California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said there's a good reason that former national security officials are granted continued access to sensitive information. "Their knowledge and understanding - and, in many cases, direct involvement - of complex global issues is second to none, and they offer invaluable service by collaborating with current national security leaders," she said. But many former officials use their clearances to help secure positions in the private sector or at federal contractors or security firms where clearances are required. If Trump followed through on his threat to revoke the other officials' clearances, it could mean a financial hit for them. ___ Q: CAN BRENNAN CONTEST THE PRESIDENT'S ACTION? A: It's still unclear whether Trump's pulling of Brennan's clearance was an official "revocation" or an "administrative termination." When asked, the White House referred questions to the CIA, which holds Brennan's clearance. The CIA said it does not comment on individuals' security clearance matters and referred calls back to the White House. The difference matters. Administrative terminations are common and typically occur when a security clearance holder leaves one job and could end up working in another agency or company that requires one, according to John V. Berry, an attorney who represents federal intelligence employees on security clearance issues. In these cases, the clearance is deactivated until it is reactivated at a later time. Official revocations are different. A person whose clearance has been revoked typically can appeal the decision. But it's unclear if that due process applies to Brennan and how an appeal would work. "This has never really been done before. There's the question of who is going to hear the case? The White House? The president could designate someone to do it or hear it himself," Berry said. Steven Aftergood at the Federation of American Scientists' Project on Government Secrecy said he doubts that the right to appeal included in the executive order would be available in Brennan's case. "Brennan's clearance was not revoked by an agency head, but by the president," Aftergood said. "There is no higher authority in the executive branch to whom Brennan could appeal." Brennan has not said what he'll do next. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders reads a statement from President Donald Trump announcing that he will remove the security clearance from former CIA Director John Brennan during the daily press briefing at the White House, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Washington. Sanders said the president will be reviewing the security clearances for a number of other former officials. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota Democrats are cautiously standing by Rep. Keith Ellison amid allegations from an ex-girlfriend that he once physically abused her, as the state's party chairman said Thursday he supported Ellison "at this point." Ellison won a crowded primary for attorney general just days after the accusation surfaced. Karen Monahan said Ellison dragged her off a bed by her feet while screaming. Ellison has called that allegation false and said he still plans to run in November. The episode has unsettled Democrats nationally and in Minnesota, where they'd rather focus on a pivotal midterm election where the governor's office, two U.S. Senate seats, four competitive congressional districts and control of the state House are up for grabs. "This is a developing story, and we don't know where it's going," Democratic-Farmer-Labor party chairman Ken Martin said. "Keith is our nominee. We stand with Keith at this point." Martin said the party takes the allegations seriously and has a team of lawyers looking into the accusations. He said the investigation includes text messages that Monahan and Ellison exchanged in the days and months leading up to his attorney general campaign launch in June. His comments come just a day after Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez also said the party is investigating the allegations. Ellison is a deputy chairman with the national party. A Thursday appearance at the state Capitol had initially been scheduled as a "unity rally" for Democratic candidates, and Ellison was expected to attend. But that was shelved in favor of a smaller crowd focused on the governor's race, with outdoing Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton throwing his support behind U.S. Rep. Tim Walz after he won the primary on Tuesday. Dayton said the allegations are serious but that he still supported him over the GOP's endorsed candidate, Doug Wardlow. "I have no reservations about saying that Keith Ellison will be a vastly superior candidate," Dayton said. Ellison has strenuously denied the allegations, saying a supposed video of the incident does not exist "because I never behaved in this way." Though organizations like the National Organization for Women and women's rights group Ultraviolet have called on Ellison to exit the race, few prominent Democrats have followed suit. Minnesota Democrats would be left with few options to replace Ellison on the ballot if he leaves the race. State law only allows political parties to replace candidates if they die, become seriously ill or are declared ineligible for the election. WASHINGTON (AP) - As wildfires choke California and other Western states, the Trump administration pledged Thursday to work more closely with state and local officials to prevent wildfires from ever starting. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said the Forest Service and other agencies will step up efforts to cut down small trees and underbrush and set controlled fires to remove trees that serve as fuel for catastrophic blazes, including a series of deadly fires that have spread through drought-parched forests and rural communities in California. Six firefighters have died in those wildfires. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, joined at right by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., discuss ways to improve the health of the forests and how to reduce wildfires, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Perdue, who toured the California fires this week, said they were "stark reminders of the immense forest-fire health crisis in this country, and the urgent need to dramatically increase our preventative forest treatments." While officials have boosted forest management efforts in recent years, more needs to be done, Perdue said. "To truly protect our forests, we must increase the number and the size of our (prevention) projects across the local landscape and across boundaries, and frankly we can't do this by ourselves," Perdue said at a news conference at the Capitol. Perdue pledged a "shared stewardship" approach in which the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and other federal agencies work with state, local and tribal officials to fight and prevent wildfires. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, meanwhile, said national forests have suffered from "gross mismanagement" for decades. "The fuel loads are up. The density of our forests is historical. We have dead and dying timber," Zinke said at a Cabinet meeting at the White House. "This is unacceptable that year after year we're watching our forests burn, our habitat destroyed and our communities devastated," Zinke added. "And it is absolutely preventable. Public lands are for everybody to enjoy and not just held hostage by these special-interest groups." Zinke has long complained that environmental "extremists" make it difficult for trees to be logged to reduce fire risk. "Whether you're a global warmist advocate or denier, it doesn't make a difference when you have rotting timber, when housing prices are going up ... yet we are wasting billions of board feet" of timber that could go to local lumber mills, he said. The focus on wildfire comes as California and other states face longer and more destructive wildfire seasons because of drought, warmer weather attributed to climate change and homes built deeper into forests. Yosemite National Park's scenic valley in Northern California reopened Tuesday after a 20-day, smoked-forced closure, and hundreds of people were evacuated from Glacier National Park in Montana after a wildfire destroyed at least nine homes and cabins in one of the park's historic districts. In Washington state, meanwhile, officials have distributed masks to combat unhealthy air filled with smoke from wildfires that have blanketed the Northwest. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said the current crisis underscores the importance of preventing wildfires. "It is unacceptable to me to have Northwest seniors and young people being afraid to open their doors in the morning because they are afraid of smoke," he said. Longer and hotter wildfire seasons are the "new normal," said Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., "and we have to meet it with a very, very aggressive response" that includes drones, satellites and other technology. Not all efforts will be popular, Cantwell said, noting that some Seattle-area residents opposed controlled burns this spring because they feared the smoke. "I guarantee you now, Seattle would definitely take a little bit of smoke instead of the eventual, all-summer-long smoke that we're getting," she said. Perdue and other officials said the focus on prevention could save money, noting that federal wildfire costs approached a record $3 billion last year. "There's no quick fix," Perdue said, but increased collaboration could eventually save money or at least "get more done with the same costs." Congress earlier this year created a wildfire disaster fund to help combat increasingly severe wildfires. The law sets aside more than $20 billion over eight years to allow the Forest Service and other federal agencies to end a practice of raiding non-fire-related accounts to cover wildfire costs. The plan takes effect in October 2019. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the law sets aside more than $20 billion over eight years, not 10 years. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., left, and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., attend a news conference with Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to discuss ways to improve the health of the forests and how to reduce wildfires on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Cal Fire bulldozer 2341 pushes through a mound of burning vegetation due to a wildfire in Grass Valley, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. (Elias Funez/The Union via AP) PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The remains of a Marine lost since the early days of World War II have been buried in Philadelphia, more than 70 years after he was killed. Dominic Ragucci had thought that the body of brother Emil was swept out to sea during a battle on the Pacific atoll of Tarawa. On Tuesday, the 86-year-old and his family finally held a funeral after the remains were recovered and brought back to the U.S. He was laid to rest in the family's plot in Philadelphia, near his parents and his brother Nicholas, who was killed in Italy less than 90 days after Emil's death. A Marine honor guard carries the remains of Emil Ragucci at the Holy Sepulcher cemetery Tuesday Aug. 14, 2018, in Philadelphia. Nearly 70 years after Ragucci was killed in WWII on the Pacific atoll of Tarawa, his remains were returned home to the Philadelphia area for burial. Two of Emil's brothers, Dominic and Victor Ragucci, attended the service. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma) Dominic and 91-year-old brother Victor Ragucci stood on the tarmac Monday as Emil's body was returned. Emil was 19 when he was killed during a bloody three-day battle. In this July 31, 2018 photo, Dominic Ragucci poses for a portrait in Philadelphia with a photo of his brother, Emil, who was killed in action during World War II. Nearly 70 years after Emil's death in the South Pacific Battle of Tarawa, his remains are scheduled to return home to Philadelphia on Monday, Aug. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) This undated photo provided by the United States Marine Corps shows Emil Ragucci, who was killed in action during World War II. Decades after his death in the South Pacific Battle of Tarawa, Ragucci's remains are scheduled to return home to Philadelphia on Monday, Aug. 13, 2018. (United States Marine Corps via AP) This image shows a Western Union Telegram dated Dec. 23, 1943, announcing that United States Marine Corps Private Emil Ragucci was killed in action during World War II. Decades after his death in the South Pacific Battle of Tarawa, Ragucci's remains are scheduled to return home to Philadelphia on Monday, Aug. 13, 2018. (Courtesy of the Ragucci family via AP) In this early 1940s photo provided by the United States Marine Corps, Emil Ragucci poses with a rifle. Decades after his death in the World War II Battle of Tarawa in the South Pacific, Ragucci's remains are scheduled to return home to Philadelphia on Monday, Aug. 13, 2018. (United States Marine Corps via AP) This combination of undated photos shows five of the Ragucci brothers, from left: Anthony, Emil, Joseph, Nicholas, and Dante, all of whom served in the United States armed services during World War II. Nearly 70 years after Emil's death in the South Pacific Battle of Tarawa, his remains are scheduled to return home to Philadelphia on Monday, Aug. 13, 2018. (Courtesy of the Ragucci family via AP) In this July 31, 2018 photo, Dominic Ragucci points to a photo of himself, top left, and his brothers Gus, center, and Victor during a interview with The Associated Press in Philadelphia. The three siblings were all members of the United States armed services. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (AP) - Police say a Georgia man accused of crawling into bed with his son's girlfriend and attempting to have sex with her said he'd been sleepwalking. Citing a police report, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports 54-year-old Ricardo Arturo Cole Sr. was arrested on a rape charge Wednesday. The victim was asleep April 8 in a home that her boyfriend and Cole shared. The report says she felt someone get into bed and assumed it was her boyfriend. It says the person rolled down the woman's pants and attempted intercourse. She turned around, saw that it was Cole and pushed him away. Police say Cole apologized and said he'd been sleepwalking. She cut off contact with the pair and reported the incident to police in May. It's unclear if Cole has a lawyer. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump has put more judges on the circuit courts this far into his first two years than other administrations had, thanks to Senate Republicans. The Senate on Thursday confirmed two more of Trump's nominees, bringing to 26 the number of new appellate judges that have been approved this session of Congress. The judges confirmed Thursday - U.S. District Judge A. Marvin Quattlebaum Jr. and U.S. Attorney's Office Deputy Chief Jay Richardson - will fill seats on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in South Carolina. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., arrives at the chamber to begin work on a judicial confirmation, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) A Trump-nominated judge now holds one out every seven seats on the circuit courts, according to the office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Republicans have made a priority of confirming judges in their fight to hold the Senate majority ahead of the fall midterm election. Democrats have stalled many of Trump's picks. Conservatives have long taken an interest in the judiciary. McConnell leads a narrowly divided Senate, 51-49, which makes it difficult to pass legislation. But he has seized on the chance to reshape the courts in the Trump era. Judges can be confirmed with a simple majority of senators. Some Democrats have complained that Trump and Republicans are stacking the courts with some of the more conservative jurists in the nation. They point to cases when nominees were pushed forward for confirmation without backing from a nominee's home-state senators. Other court picks from Trump are getting bipartisan support. Democrats had changed the rules several years ago, when they had control, to allow judicial nominees to be confirmed with a majority vote. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., praised the Trump nominees from his state Thursday in a floor speech ahead of the vote. He called Quattelbaum "one of the most capable lawyers I've ever met." And he called Richardson, who successfully prosecuted Dylann Roof in the Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting in South Carolina, "one of the great legal minds of our time." Both judges were overwhelmingly approved by the Senate. ___ Follow Mascaro on Twitter at https://twitter.com/lisamascaro OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A boy stood up and repeatedly stabbed a 14-year-old girl during an assembly at an Oklahoma high school on the first day of classes Thursday and she was airlifted to a hospital, a local sheriff's spokesman said. Mark Opgrande, spokesman for the Oklahoma County sheriff, said the unidentified 14-year-old suspect is in custody. "They were having an all-school assembly ... when for some reason a male student allegedly stood up and started stabbing a female student. Right now we don't have a motive," Opgrande said. Opgrande said the girl, who also was not identified, was in stable condition after being stabbed "multiple times ... five, six, seven times" by the boy at Luther High School. Opgrande said he did not know what weapon was used. Luther Police Chief David Randall said there was no known relationship between the boy and girl or any indication that they knew each other. Randall said the boy "was stopped and detained by students and staff" following the incident and was later arrested for assault and battery with a deadly weapon. He said the boy was transported to the Luther Police Department and that his father asked that an attorney be present before he was questioned. However, Randall said that the boy made statements while he was being transported. "During the drive he blurted out some statements that made no sense," Randall said. "He said he was hired by someone but that he could not discuss it." School officials did not immediately return phone calls for comment. The school has just over than 800 students, according to Oklahoma State Department of Education online records. Luther is a town of about 1,200 people about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Oklahoma City. Indonesian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanif Salim, thanked the HUFO and VIFA for their sentiments, while expressing his delight at the similarities in culture and the history of national liberation between the two countries. The Consul General expressed his wish that the Indonesian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City would receive more support from HUFO in order to promote the cooperation and friendship between Indonesia and Ho Chi Minh City. Hanif Salim pledged to make every effort to bring about benefits for the diplomatic and economic ties between the two sides for the prosperity of each country and the region as a whole. President of the VIFA chapter in Ho Chi Minh City, Le Ton Thanh, said that Vietnam and Indonesia have gained many achievements in various areas since they upgraded their relations to a strategic partnership in June 2013. The two countries posted two-way trade revenue of US$6.4 billion in 2017, an increase of 20% over 2016. Thanh noted that through regular visits, exchanges of delegations and partnerships in a wide range of areas, the people of Ho Chi Minh City have gained a better understanding of the economics, culture and society of Indonesia, contributing to enhancing the bilateral relations in the future. VATICAN CITY (AP) - The Vatican expressed "shame and sorrow" Thursday over a scathing Pennsylvania grand jury report about clergy who raped and molested children in six dioceses in that state, calling the abuse "criminally and morally reprehensible" and says Pope Francis wants to eradicate "this tragic horror." In a written statement using uncharacteristically strong language for the Holy See even in matters like the long-running abuse scandals staining the U.S. church, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke sought to assure victims that "the pope is on their side." Pope Francis himself wasn't quoted in the statement, and there was no mention of demands in the United States among some Roman Catholics for the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington. FILE - In this Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010 file photo, Pope Francis, left, talks with Papal Foundation Chairman Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washinghton, D.C., during a meeting with members of the Papal Foundation at the Vatican. On Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2018, a Pennsylvania grand jury accused Cardinal Wuerl of helping to protect abusive priests when he was Pittsburgh's bishop. (L'Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP) The grand jury report made public this week accused the cardinal of helping to protect some molester priests while he was bishop of the Pennsylvania city of Pittsburgh. Wuerl has defended his actions in Pittsburgh while apologizing for the damage inflicted on victims. Burke said the incidents of abuse graphically documented in the report were "betrayals of trust that robbed survivors of their dignity and their faith." "The church must learn hard lessons from its past, and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur," he said. Victims and their advocates for decades have lamented that top Catholic churchmen repeatedly put the reputation of the church ahead of obligations to protect children from harm from pedophile priests. In a sign that Pope Francis wants to end that pervasive mind set among church hierachy, including bishops and cardinals, he recently accepted the resignation from cardinal's rank of former Washington archbishop Theodore McCarrick amid allegations that the American prelate had engaged in sexual misconduct. Resignations by cardinals are extremely rare, and McCarrick's was the first time a prelate lost his cardinal's rank in a sexual abuse scandal. Burke said Francis "understands well how much these crimes can shake the faith and the spirit of believers and reiterates the call to make every effort to create a safe environment for minors and vulnerable adults in the church and in all of society." The grand jury report documented how pedophile priests were often protected by church hierarchy or moved to other postings without the faithful being told of the priests' sexual predatory history. The long-awaited grand jury report was full of vivid examples of horrendous abuse. In one such example, a young girl was raped by a priest visiting her while she was in a hospital following surgery to remove her tonsils. In another, a priest tied up a victim with a rope in a confessional booth, and when the victim refused to perform sex, the priest assaulted him with a crucifix. Speaking about Francis, Burke said: "Those who have suffered are his priority, and the church wants to listen to them to root out this tragic horror that destroys the lives of the innocent." Even before the report was released, a series of scandals over the last few decades involving pedophile priests and systematic attempts by pastors and bishops to cover up the abuse by shuttling offenders to new parishes had rocked the faith of many Catholics in the United States. Similar abuse and determination by protect abusers had also stained the reputation of the Catholic Church in many other countries. Francis recently did a turnaround on how accusations by victims in Chile were viewed by the Vatican. After casting doubt on the victims' accounts during his visit to Chile earlier this year, Francis apologized to them, hosted the victims at the Vatican and later accepted the resignations of some of the country's bishops, who offered en masse to step down. On Thursday, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops invited the Vatican to play a key role in investigating the scandal involving McCarrick, who allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct with minors and adult seminarians. The conference's president, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, said he would go to Rome to ask the Vatican to conduct a high-level investigation known as an "apostolic visitation" to deal with McCarrick's case, working together with a group of predominantly lay experts. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - The Latest on the identification of a boy's body found at a makeshift living compound in New Mexico (all times local): 5:45 p.m. A prosecutor says no new charges are imminent because of the identification of a boy who was found dead at a remote compound in northern New Mexico. FILE - In this Monday, Aug. 13, 2018, file photo defendant Siraj Ibn Wahhaj sits in court in Taos, N.M., during a detention hearing. New Mexico forensic investigators announced Thursday, Aug. 16, that a highly decomposed body found at a desert compound in New Mexico has been identified as a missing Georgia boy with severe disabilities. The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator said Thursday that the remains were those of Abdul-ghani Wahhaj. (Roberto E. Rosales/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, Pool, File) District Attorney Donald Gallegos said Thursday in an interview that authorities "need something else, actual cause of death, manner of death." Abdul-ghani Wahhaj (ahb-DOOL' GAH'-nee wah-HAJ') went missing in December and authorities say he was taken from Georgia to New Mexico by his father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj (see-DAHJ' IBN wah-HAJ'). Authorities have said they believe the child died in February, when he was three. Charges of child neglect were filed against the father and four other adults after a raid at the compound turned up 11 children living in filth with the adults. The boy's body was found on Aug. 6. His father is being held on a warrant from Georgia that accuses him of abducting his son. ___ 4:15 p.m. A lawyer who represents the Georgia mother of a boy who authorities say was abducted and identified from human remains at a remote New Mexico compound says she now has "some sense of closure in this matter." The lawyer for Hakima Ramzi, M. Khurram Baig, said Thursday in a statement that she will now turn her attention "toward giving her son a proper burial in accordance with Islamic traditions." He also says she will cooperate with authorities in their investigation into the death of Abdul-ghani Wahhaj (ahb-DOOL' GAH'-nee wah-HAJ'). Authorities say he was three when he died and was discovered on what would have been his fourth birthday. The boy went missing in December in Jonesboro, Georgia. Authorities say his, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj (see-DAHJ' IBN wah-HAJ'), had told his wife he wanted to perform a ritual on the child, later said he was taking the boy to a park and didn't return. ___ 4 p.m. A prosecutor in northern New Mexico says his office will appeal a state judge's decision allowing the release of defendants accused of child neglect at a desert compound where 11 children were found living in squalor. Taos-area District Attorney Donald Gallegos said Thursday that he thought the judge received all the information necessary to hold all five defendants in jail pending trial and that he wants another "set of eyes and ears" to consider the case. The appeal has not yet been filed. Judge Sarah Backus said that prosecutors failed to prove any specific threat to public safety or 11 children now in state custody. Three of the five defendants, all women, were ordered released but are still in custody because of safety concerns regarding their release. Siraj Ibn Wahhaj (see-DAHJ' IBN wah-HAJ') will continue to be held on a warrant from Georgia that accuses him of abducting his son from the boy's mother. Another woman who is from Haiti was turned over to federal immigration officials. Prosecutors have said the group was training children to use firearms for an anti-government mission and should remain in jail pending trial. Defense attorneys disputed accusations of neglect and said guns on the property were legally owned. ___ 3:20 p.m. Authorities say human remains found at a New Mexico desert compound have been identified as those of a missing Georgia boy with severe disabilities. The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator said Thursday that the remains were those of Abdul-ghani Wahhaj (ahb-DOOL' GAH'-nee wah-HAJ'). He was found Aug. 6 after he went missing in December in Jonesboro, Georgia. Authorities say the boy's father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj (see-DAHJ' IBN wah-HAJ'), had told his wife he wanted to perform a ritual on the child, later said he was taking the boy to a park and didn't return. An arrest warrant was issued for the father. The search for the boy led authorities to the compound this month. Wahhaj faces child abuse charges along with four other adults arrested at the compound. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - In a story Aug. 16 about child sex abuse allegations in six Roman Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania, The Associated Press erroneously reported how a bill passed by the Pennsylvania House in 2016 would have changed state law. The legislation would have allowed lawsuits to be filed on decades-old abuse claims now barred by statutes of limitations, but it would not have required those lawsuits to be filed within a new two-year window. The AP also erroneously reported the title for a religious studies professor at the University of Pittsburgh. She is the John and Lucine O'Brien Marous Chair of Contemporary Catholic Studies, not the O'Brien Chair of Catholic Studies. A corrected version of the story is below: Pennsylvania bishops mostly silent on prosecutor's challenge The leadership of Pennsylvania's Roman Catholic Church is under pressure to support a change in state law to give those victims a temporary opportunity to file lawsuits on decades-old abuse claims By MARC LEVY Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Reeling from a landmark grand jury report on child sexual abuse, the leadership of Pennsylvania's Roman Catholic Church is under pressure to support a change in state law to give those victims - now adults - a temporary opportunity to file lawsuits on decades-old abuse claims. So far, it has been avoiding the topic. It is a change in state law that bishops have successfully fought in recent years even as a handful of other states have opened such windows to let victims sue the church, raising the prospect of massive payouts. In a report released Tuesday, a state grand jury said it found that more than 1,000 children were molested or raped by over 300 "predator priests" in six Pennsylvania dioceses since the 1940s. It said a succession of bishops and other diocesan leaders worked to shield the church from bad publicity and financial liability by shuffling abusive priests around parishes rather than reporting complaints to police, permitting hundreds of known offenders to return to ministry. Attorney General Josh Shapiro issued a challenge to the bishops. If they truly have changed and no longer tolerate sexual abuse, Shapiro said, they should immediately support several changes in law recommended by the grand jury, including one allowing a new two-year window to bring claims regardless how old the cases are. In the days since the report was made public, the bishops have expressed sorrow about the horrific findings of the grand jury and said the church today deals swiftly with priests who abuse children. But they have been nearly silent about Shapiro's request. The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, which speaks for all the state's dioceses, said it was "devastated and outraged by the revelations of terrible sexual abuse crimes committed in the Catholic Church." But, it said, "the time to discuss legislation will come later." The church may have a difficult path forward as it seeks to restore public trust and also ensure the financial viability of its ministries. Erie Bishop Lawrence Persico, singled out for praise by the attorney general for his response to the investigation, told The Associated Press on Thursday that bishops are reviewing the grand jury's recommendations, which also include wiping out time limits for prosecutors to pursue criminal charges in older child sex abuse cases. Persico acknowledged there is concern about how lawsuits would affect church finances, "but there's also a concern for the victims, that they get justice." "It's a two-edged sword isn't it? You have to be concerned about the victim and the church's ministries," said Persico, the only bishop who agreed to testify in person to the grand jury. Dioceses across the country have paid more than $3 billion in settlements with victims since 1950, according to the bishops' own studies and news reports. Liability insurance covered some of the payouts, but many dioceses have had to sell off major properties to help cover the costs and about a dozen of the 197 U.S. dioceses have sought bankruptcy protection in the face of abuse claims. Childhood victims rarely report the abuse until years later, and few, if any, of the victims cited in the grand jury report can sue today because they've exceeded time limits under Pennsylvania law. Timothy Hale, a California lawyer who represents child sex abuse victims and helped successfully sue the Los Angeles Archdiocese and the San Diego Diocese for a combined $858 million, dismissed concerns about dioceses being bankrupted. Seeking bankruptcy protection is a strategic move dioceses make to limit their financial exposure, and the vast majority of dioceses have insurance coverage and extensive financial assets that the public knows nothing about, Hale said. In any case, the greatest value of civil lawsuits is forcing dioceses to improve how they protect children and uncovering more abusers, Hale said. Paula Kane, a professor of religious studies and the John and Lucine O'Brien Marous Chair of Contemporary Catholic Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, said the church has long made secret payments - to victims and abusive priests - to hush up the scandal. If it needs to, the church can take up collections for its ministries, Kane said. Legal scholars disagree over whether creating a two-year window to sue in Pennsylvania would even be constitutional. Currently, a 2002 Pennsylvania law gives victims of childhood sexual abuse until they turn 30 to sue. Before that, victims had to file suit within two years of an alleged incident. The Pennsylvania House in 2016 voted to retroactively restore the ability for victims to sue the church if they had been barred by a prior time limit in law, but the measure was blocked in the Senate. The Republican House majority leader, Dave Reed, said Thursday that he plans to try again as early as next month. "If not now, then what would force people to deal with this issue head on," Reed said. "I don't think there is one, if this is not it." ___ Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/timelywriter. EL ALTO, Bolivia (AP) - Many Bolivians brought their dogs, often freshly groomed and dressed in costumes, to the parish of Villa Adela near the capital Thursday for a Mass honoring the patron saint of dogs. Every Aug. 16, the church holds the feast of San Roque, or Saint Roch, who legend has it was a 14th century French noble who traveled to Italy to care for plague victims and became the patron of dogs. He appears in images accompanied by a dog. In the city of El Alto, which neighbors La Paz, people walked their dogs to the parish church while other sent greetings and messages to dogs on social media. A woman and her dog, wearing a dress, attend a Catholic Mass to celebrate the feast of San Roque, the patron saint of dogs, in El Alto, Bolivia, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Juan Karita) "Dogs are creatures of God and must be cared for," said Villa Adela's priest, Justino Limachi. "First we vaccinate them and then we give blessings starting with the owners for them to take care of the dogs because we see so many street dogs suffering hunger and cold." While owners brought their groomed pooches for the Mass, nearby street dogs fought over scraps in garbage dumps. There is no census of dogs in Bolivia, but the Ministry of Health estimates there is an overpopulation of 3 million dogs, with about a half million living on the streets. A dog owner and her pet, in matching costumes, attend Catholic Mass that celebrates the feast of San Roque, the patron saint of dogs, in El Alto, Bolivia, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Juan Karita) A dog in costume is held still by children during a Catholic Mass to celebrate the feast of San Roque, the patron saint of dogs, in El Alto, Bolivia, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Juan Karita) A variety of stories make headlines on Thursday, including the arrest of England rugby star Danny Cipriani for allegedly assaulting a police officer. The fly-half, 30, appears on a number of front and back pages after he was charged in connection with an incident at a nightclub on Jersey in the early hours of Wednesday. The Sun leads with Cipriani, who was also charged with resisting arrest, larceny and being disorderly on licensed premises. What the papers say - August 16 Tomorrow's front page: Rugby bad boy Danny Cipriani was charged with assaulting police after an alleged boozy row with a bouncer pic.twitter.com/ynDSCQhcbu The Sun (@TheSun) August 15, 2018 The story also tops the Metro, ahead of the Gloucesters summer signings appearance in court on the Channel Island. A British familys account of surviving the Genoa bridge disaster leads the Daily Express. Thursdays EXPRESS: We just ran for our lives #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/kacqq0M4ks Helen Miller (@MsHelicat) August 15, 2018 Italian politicians have blamed the tragedy on corporate greed and the EUs economic controls, The Times reports. Tomorrow's front page: Italy blames Brussels and big business for tragedy #tomorrowspapertoday pic.twitter.com/Z1xT93MPFw The Times (@thetimes) August 15, 2018 As students prepare to receive their A-level results on Thursday, universities are offering 1,000 bribes to students as part of a bid to get bums on seats, the i says. Thursdays THE i PAPER: Unis offer 1,000 bribes to smart students #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/hvVup3EMYk Helen Miller (@MsHelicat) August 15, 2018 Brussels officials fear British intelligence are spying on their Brexit activities, the Daily Telegraph reports. The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph: 'EU fears Brexit talks are being bugged' #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/mXlJpS5Bzl The Telegraph (@Telegraph) August 15, 2018 Doctors have warned a no-deal Brexit would raise the risk of pandemics, The Independent says. The Financial Times leads with continuing falls in emerging markets, despite efforts by Turkey to stabilise its currency. Just published: front page of the Financial Times UK edition Thursday August 16 https://t.co/VW9D1pZs7U pic.twitter.com/vNkV0ahwjd Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) August 15, 2018 The Guardian puts on its front page the BBCs decision not to appeal the High Courts privacy ruling from its legal battle with Sir Cliff Richard. The Guardian front page, Thursday 16 August 2018: BBC faces bill for millions after dropping Cliff Richard appeal pic.twitter.com/0Qy8XlY07f The Guardian (@guardian) August 15, 2018 Concerns over house prices lead the Daily Mail. Thursdays MAIL: Are house prices set to take a tumble? #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/hsRdHm1dLS Helen Miller (@MsHelicat) August 15, 2018 And the Daily Mirror reports on claims by Thomas Markle Sr. President Donald Trump has abruptly revoked the security clearance of ex-CIA director John Brennan, an unprecedented act of retribution against a vocally critical former top US official. Later, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Mr Trump drew a direct connection between the Russia investigation and his decision, citing Mr Brennan as among those he held responsible for the investigation. I call it the rigged witch hunt, (it) is a sham, Mr Trump told the Journal, which posted its story on its website on Wednesday night. And these people led it! He added: So I think its something that had to be done. That connection was not in a statement issued earlier on Wednesday in which Mr Trump denounced Mr Brennans criticism of him and spoke anxiously of the risks posed by his erratic conduct and behaviour. The president said he was fulfilling his constitutional responsibility to protect the nations classified information. Mr Trump also threatened to yank the clearances of a handful of individuals, including former top intelligence and law enforcement officials, as well as a current member of the Justice Department. All are critics of the president or are people whom Mr Trump appears to believe are against him. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announces that President Donald Trump will remove the security clearance from former CIA director John Brennan (Andrew Harnik/AP) However, Democratic members of Congress said it smacked of an enemies list among fellow Americans and the behaviour of leaders in dictatorships, not democracies. Mr Brennan, in a phone interview with MSNBC, called the move an abuse of power by Mr Trump. I do believe that Mr Trump decided to take this action, as hes done with others, to try to intimidate and suppress any criticism of him or his administration, he said. He later added on Twitter that he would not be deterred from speaking out. He said: 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 Mr Trumps action, critics and nonpartisan experts said, marked an unprecedented politicisation of the federal governments security clearance process. It also was a clear escalation in Mr Trumps battle with members of the US intelligence community as the investigation into Russia election meddling and possible collusion and obstruction of justice continues. And it came in the middle of the presidents latest controversy accusations of racism by former adviser Omarosa Manigault Newman and his bitter reaction to them. Mr Trumps statement, distributed to reporters, was dated July 26, 2018, suggesting it could have been held and then released when needed to change a damaging subject. The White House later released a new version without the date. Mr Trump, his statement read by his press secretary, accused Mr Brennan of having 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. Mr Brennans lying and recent conduct characterised by increasingly frenzied commentary is wholly inconsistent with access to the nations most closely held secrets, Mr Trump said. In the Journal interview, Mr Trump said he was prepared to yank Mr Brennans clearance last week but that it was too hectic. The president was on an extended working vacation at his New Jersey golf club last week. Former CIA director John Brennan (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) Mr Brennan has indeed been deeply critical of Mr Trumps conduct, calling his performance at a press conference last month with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Finland nothing short of treasonous. Mr Brennan continued that criticism on Wednesday. Ive seen this type of behaviour and actions on the part of foreign tyrants and despots and autocrats for many, many years during my CIA and national security career. I never, ever thought that I would see it here in the United States, he said. Mr Brennan said he had not heard from the CIA or the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) that his security clearance was being revoked, but learned it when the White House announced it. There is no requirement that a president has to notify top intelligence officials of his plan to revoke a security clearance. The president has the ultimate authority to decide who holds a security clearance, the ODNI said in a statement. 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. https://t.co/eI9HaCec1m John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) August 14, 2018 Former CIA directors and other top national security officials are typically allowed to keep their clearances, at least for some period, so they can be in a position to advise their successors and to hold certain jobs. Mr Trumps statement said the Brennan issue raises larger questions about the practice of allowing former officials to maintain their security clearances, and said that others officials were under review. They include former FBI director James Comey; James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence; former CIA director Michael Hayden; former national security adviser Susan Rice; and Andrew McCabe, who served as Mr Trumps deputy FBI director until he was fired in March. Also on the list: fired FBI agent Peter Strzok, who was removed from the Russia investigation over anti-Trump text messages; former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, with whom Mr Strzok exchanged messages; and senior Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, whom Mr Trump recently accused on Twitter of helping disgraced Christopher Steele find dirt on Trump. Mr Ohr was friends with Mr Steele, the former British intelligence officer commissioned by an American political research firm to explore Mr Trumps alleged ties with the Russian government. He is the only current government employee on the list. At least two of the former officials, Mr Comey and Mr McCabe, do not currently have security clearances, and none of the eight receive intelligence briefings. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Mr Trumps press secretary, insisted the White House was not targeting only Trump critics. But Mr Trump did not order a review of the clearance held by former national security adviser Mike Flynn, who was fired from the White House for lying to vice president Mike Pence about his conversations with Russian officials and later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. 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. An enemies list is ugly, undemocratic and un-American. I also believe this action to silence a critic is unlawful. https://t.co/bfOhThIWfq Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) August 15, 2018 Democrats, and even some Republicans, lined up to denounce the presidents move, with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi slamming it as a stunning abuse of power. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, warned that a dangerous precedent was being set by politicising the way we guard our national secrets just to punish the presidents critics. And California Representative Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, tweeted, An enemies list is ugly, undemocratic and un-American. Several Republicans also weighed in, with Senator Bob Corker saying, Unless theres something tangible that Im unaware of, it just, as Ive said before, feels like a banana republic kind of thing. Famous faces have sent messages of support to students receiving their A-level results today, reassuring them that it is not the end of the world if they do not get what they hoped for. British Olympian Samantha Quek told followers waiting to receive their grades that time is on your side and highlighted her own achievements despite receiving crap results from her exams. The 29-year-old, who won gold with Team GB at the 2016 Rio Olympics, said told one sleepless Twitter follower: I cocked up my A-Levels & within 10 years had an Olympic Gold Medal and ended up in Buckingham Palace receiving an MBE. Samantha Quek sent a message of support on Twitter (Anthony Devlin/PA) I assure you, on neither occasion was I thinking about my crap A-Level results. No one moment in time defines you. Relax. Best of luck, & go back to sleep! X Im not a fan of telling students that A-Level results mean nothing. If they arent what you hoped for, time is on your side & these results WONT DEFINE YOU! But equally...if you worked hard & got the results you deserved, HUGE CONGRATULATIONS! BE PROUD! #alevelresults2018 pic.twitter.com/evrXd321Dm Sam Quek (@SamanthaQuek) August 16, 2018 Quek said that she was not a fan of telling students that A-Level results mean nothing', but added: If they arent what you hoped for, time is on your side & these results WONT DEFINE YOU! ITV news anchor Alastair Stewart also wished students good luck and offered a few words of wisdom. He tweeted: However you do, remember: in 5 years they wont matter too much; in ten, not at all; in 20, theyll probably be called something else. Labour MP David Lammy tweeted: Best of luck to those receiving A-level results Even if they arent what you hoped for, keep your head up and dream big because the world is just about to open up for you. Newsrooms across the US are hitting back against President Donald Trump with a co-ordinated series of editorials condemning his attacks on fake news and suggesting that journalists are the enemy. The Boston Globe invited newspapers across the country to stand up for the press with editorials on Thursday, and several began appearing online a day earlier. Nearly 350 news organisations have pledged to participate, according to Marjorie Pritchard, op-ed editor at the Globe. The New York Times urged people to support the newspaper industry (AP) In St Louis, the Post-Dispatch called journalists the truest of patriots, while the Chicago Sun-Times said it believes most Americans know Mr Trump is talking nonsense. The Globe editorial board called for an end to President Trumps sustained assault on the #FreePress. Hundreds of publishers around the US answered that call https://t.co/XpgjyrODMp pic.twitter.com/7lnSTlE6Sh The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) August 15, 2018 The Fayetteville Observer said it hopes Mr Trump will stop making such accusations, but were not holding our breath. The North Carolina newspaper added: Rather, we hope all the presidents supporters will recognise what hes doing manipulating reality to get what he wants. Some newspapers used history lessons to state their case. The Elizabethtown Advocate in Pennsylvania compared free press in the United States to such rights promised but not delivered in the former Soviet Union. The New York Times added a pitch. If you havent already, please subscribe to your local papers, said the Times, whose opinion section also summarised other editorials across the country. From @GlobeOpinion: President Trump says the #FreePress is the enemy of the people. That dangerous rhetoric is leading the president and his supporters into undemocratic territory. https://t.co/pXHa55uELM pic.twitter.com/KrIPD4rpuS The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) August 16, 2018 Praise them when you think theyve done a good job and criticise them when you think they could do better. Were all in this together. That last sentiment made some journalists skittish. The Wall Street Journal, which said it was not participating, noted in a column by James Freeman that the Globes effort ran counter to the independence that editorial boards claim to seek. Mr Freeman wrote that the president has the right to free speech as much as his media adversaries. Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome will line up for Team Sky in the Tour of Britain next month. In a major coup for organisers, Froome will ride his first Tour of Britain since 2009, with the six-time Grand Tour winner making a rare appearance of any kind in a British race. Thomas was once a regular in the Tour of Britain, but his appearance last year, when he finished seventh overall, was his first since 2011. Team Skys Geraint Thomas (right) and Chris Froome (second right) will race in the Tour of Britain (Chris Wallis/PA) Aside from a handful of low-level criteriums on the continent, Thomas has not raced since becoming the third Briton to win the Tour de France in July. The Welshman was drawn to last years Tour of Britain by its finish in his native Cardiff, and will again be on home soil when this years event begins in Pembrey Country Park, Carmarthenshire, on Sunday September 2. Thomas said: As soon as Id finished the Tour I knew I wanted to ride the Tour of Britain and race on home roads. It starts in Wales which will be special, and then I get to go and race across the whole of the UK. I cant wait. I want to go to the race in the shape to compete and enjoy it. Well have to see how the next few weeks go but Im looking forward to it and I know we will have a strong team there. Froomes only previous participations in the Tour of Britain came in 2007 and 2009, and his appearance in the RideLondon Classic in 2016 was his only race to date in the UK since the London Olympics. Its been a long time since Ive raced the Tour of Britain, said Froome, who has focused instead on La Vuelta in the past four seasons, winning the Spanish Grand Tour for the first time last year. The Vuelta a Espana has always been such a big goal and sadly coincided with the Tour of Britain, but not doing La Vuelta this year gives me the chance to come back to the UK and race on what looks like a great parcours. Im really looking forward to riding. I always remember there being a great atmosphere at the Tour of Britain and the race has only got bigger over the years. Im really looking forward to coming back. Following the start in Wales, this years Tour of Britain will take riders into the West Country and up to Cumbria before returning to its regular finishing circuit in central London on September 9. Armed police were deployed after two Birmingham mosques were attacked with catapults. Officers were called to the Masjid Qamarul Islam mosque on Fosbrooke Road, Small Heath, at around 10pm on Wednesday and the Al-Hijrah mosque on Hob Moor Road 20 minutes later. West Midlands Police said the motive for the attacks is unclear at this stage. The attacks occurred on two mosques in Birmingham (Peter Byrne/PA) Both mosques were hit by catapult ball bearings which smashed windows during evening prayers. The force said firearms officers were deployed as a precaution and the bearings recovered are thought to be from a heavy duty catapult. Two mosques in Small Heath hit by catapult bearings, breaking windows during evening prayers tonight - Masjid Qamarul Islam mosque on Fosbrooke Road around 10pm & Al-Hijrah mosque on Hob Moor Road 20 mins later. Firearms officers deployed as a precaution. Ring 101 with any info. pic.twitter.com/JLtBghVujP Birmingham Police (@brumpolice) August 15, 2018 Police are continuing to patrol the area to reassure worshippers and local residents. The incidents came just days after 29-year-old Salih Khater, from the city, was arrested when a silver Ford Fiesta crashed into a security barrier in Westminster after it hit cyclists and pedestrians. Nassar Mahmood, a trustee of Birmingham Central Mosque, said Muslims are facing unprecedented levels of Islamophobia. Speaking after the incident in Westminster on Tuesday, he said attacks have particularly affected women because they are quite visible due to the dress they wear. Urging the media not to speculate on any motive for the Westminster incident, Mr Mahmood said: We would ask you to be cautious of apportioning blame to the Muslim community. We are shocked and saddened by this just the same as everybody else. Anthea McIntyre, co-founder of the campaign group West Midlands Together, condemned the attacks. The Conservative West Midlands MEP said: These despicable attacks on people at worship were designed to provoke fear and anger. Happily the communities targeted showed admirable restraint and dignity, but that does not take away from the nastiness of the hate crime committed. This was an act of unreasoning hatred and we can only hope that those responsible are traced and feel the full weight of the law. Two side windows were damaged in the attack at the Masjid Qamarul Islam mosque, while a bearing passed through a section of double-glazing near a front entrance to the Al-Hijrah mosque. A further pair of windows were also damaged at an Islamic school adjoining one of the places of worship. An official at the Masjid Qamarul Islam mosque, Mohammed Khalil Mirza, said the idiots responsible for the attacks could have caused serious injury. Mr Mirza said: It is really bad. Attacking any building is really dangerous and there were children and old people here as it was prayer time. We heard a big bang. We thought somebody had thrown a stone but when we looked at it, it was a big piece of metal lodged inside the second layer of glass. Witnesses at the Al-Hijrah mosque said one bearing had passed through a double-glazed pane into the building, prompting initial fears that a shot had been fired. The fourth storm to affect Vietnam this year is forecast to make landfall on August 17, according to the national meteorological service. As of 7h00 on the morning of August 15, Bebinca was located at 20.9 degrees north latitude and 112 degrees east longitude with a maximum wind speed of 76 kilometres per hour. Due to the impact of the tropical storm, medium to heavy rains are expected in the northern and north-central regions from the night of August 15 to August 17, which could trigger flash floods and landslides in mountainous provinces. The provinces most vulnerable to landslides and flash floods are Lai Chau, Son La, Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An. Meanwhile, low-lying areas in the Red River Delta are at risk of being inundated. Ahead of Bebincas landfall, the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention visited the provinces of Hoa Binh, Son La, Dien Bien and Lai Chau to inspect their preparation. The authorities in Quang Ninh province have asked local vessel owners to securely anchor their ships and for aquaculture farmers to reinforce their installations, while not allowing anyone to remain on the ships or farms when the storm makes landfall. A Muslim Tory peer has said he is the victim of a politically motivated attack from within his own party over his attendance at a controversial Palestine conference because he criticised Boris Johnson. Lord Sheikh hit out after two Conservative MPs demanded an immediate investigation into his attendance at an event in Tunis in 2014 also attended by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and reportedly senior Hamas officials. The peer has admitted attending and speaking at the International Conference On Monitoring The Palestinian Political And Legal Situation In The Light Of Israeli Aggression, but denies meeting anyone from Hamas. Lord Sheikh, founder of the Conservative Muslim Forum, criticised Mr Johnson earlier in August after the former foreign secretary used a newspaper column to compare Muslim women in face-covering veils to letter-boxes and bank robbers. Lord Sheikh told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that he was against terrorism and attended the event in good faith, saying: I think the complaints against me are politically motivated, I think the complaint against me is totally trivial. I think these people who are trying to complain about me are perhaps doing this because I have talked about what Boris Johnson has said being wrong. MPs Robert Halfon and Zac Goldsmith complained to party HQ, claiming that attending the 2014 conference was in itself a breach of the partys code of conduct and does nothing to combat the scourge of anti-Semitism. Quite the reverse. In the letter, which has been seen by the Press Association, Mr Goldsmith and Mr Halfon, a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel, said the event was no ordinary conference as evidence suggests this conference was addressed by anti-Semites and terrorists. Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis has previously condemned Mr Corbyns attendance at the conference after pictures emerged of him at a wreath-laying ceremony at the Palestinian Martyrs Cemetery in Tunis. Zac Goldsmith, who lost out to Labours Sadiq Khan in the battle to be London Mayor in 2016, was one of those who urged the party to investigate Lord Sheikh (Dominic Lipinski/PA) The Tory MPs said: 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. Lord Sheikh insisted he had done everything by the book and criticised Mr Goldsmith, who stood unsuccessfully against Labours Sadiq Khan, a Muslim of Pakistani heritage, to become London Mayor in 2016. The peer told Today: I was very surprised about the fact that Zac Goldsmith has made a complaint. When Zac Goldsmith was standing for mayor in the election, he made some unsavoury remarks about Sadiq Khan. Than campaign backfired and I feel that Zac Goldsmith should have learned following his failure to be elected as Mayor of London. England and Gloucester fly-half Danny Cipriani has been fined 2,000 over an assault at a Jersey bar. The 30-year-old pleaded guilty at Jersey Magistrates Court on Thursday to resisting arrest and common assault. A female police officer suffered bruising to her neck in the incident at the Royal Yacht Hotel in St Helier on Wednesday, the court was told. England rugby player Danny Cipriani leaves Jersey Magistrates Court, Saint Helier, where he pleaded guilty to charges of common assault and resisting arrest following an incident in a nightclub on the island. Cipriani was fined 1,500 for resisting arrest and 500 for assault. He was also ordered to pay 250 compensation to the police officer. The 27-year-old was recalled to Englands Test squad after he was acquitted of affray by a jury following a trial at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday. Cipriani has been in court before. He was convicted of drink-driving after he crashed his black Mercedes into a taxi in London on June 1 2015. He was ordered to pay a total of 7,620 in fines and costs and banned from driving for 18 months. The bridge that collapsed in the Italian port city of Genoa was considered a feat of engineering innovation when it was built five decades ago, but it came to require constant maintenance over the years. The Morandi Bridges design is now being investigated as a possible contributor to its stunning collapse. The structure was severed in its mid-section during a heavy downpour on Tuesday, killing at least 39 people. Italian prosecutors focused their investigation into possible design flaws or inadequate maintenance of the 1967 bridge. Engineering experts said the disaster points to the challenges of maintaining any ageing bridge, regardless of its design. Neil Hawkins, a professor of engineering at the University of Illinois, said: What the general public does not comprehend is that bridges have been traditionally designed in the past for a life span of 50 years. Dozens of people were killed in the tragedy (AP) The environment in which the bridge exists can have a major effect on how much it can last beyond that 50-year design life span. The structure is a cable stayed bridge designed by Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi, who died in 1989. Among its unusual features were its concrete-encased stay cables, which Mr Morandi used in several of his bridge designs instead of the more common steel cables. There are two similar bridges in the world, in Libya and Venezuela. Workers inspect the the area around the collapsed structure in north-west Italy (AP) Experts have said a number of factors could have contributed to the collapse, including wear and tear from weather and levels of traffic that surpassed what the bridge was originally built to sustain. Professor Hawkins said: Genoa is a port city so there can be marine effects, and also it is a major industrial centre, so that there can be air pollution that impairs the concrete. Whether any of these effects or other major deficiencies in the foundations were present, I have no knowledge. But all can contribute to a bridge failure. Wear and tear and design faults are being examined as possible causes for the disaster (AP) Antonio Brencich, a professor of construction at the University of Genoa, said the design lent itself to swift corrosion and the bridge was in constant need of maintenance. Most recently, a 20 million euro (17.8 million) project to upgrade the bridges safety had been approved before its collapse, with public bids to be submitted by September. According to the business daily Il Sole 24 Ore, the improvement work involved two weight-bearing columns that support the bridge including one that collapsed on Tuesday. Interior minister Matteo Salvini inspects the site (AP) But Mr Brencich, who warned two years ago that the design of the bridge was a failure, said the structure should have been destroyed rather than subjected to more repairs. He told Sky News that the Genoa bridge, along with the two similar bridges in Libya and Venezuela, have deteriorated at unimaginable speeds. Since this bridge was under constant maintenance, the time had come to consider a replacement for the bridge, he added. This truck came to a stop on the very edge of the collapsed mid-section of the bridge (AP) The Italian CNR civil engineering society said structures as old as the Morandi Bridge had surpassed their lifespans. It called for an ambitious plan to repair or replace tens of thousands of Italian bridges and viaducts built in the 1950s and 1960s, citing a series of collapses in recent years, not all fatal. The collapse of a freeway bridge in Minneapolis in 2007 drew similar alarm bells about ageing infrastructure in the US. The Interstate 35W bridge, whose collapse into the Mississippi river killed 13 people, was also built in the 1960s, though federal investigators ultimately concluded that poor maintenance was not the main cause of the disaster. Many local residents were evacuated after the collapse (AP) Instead, they pointed to a design defect, saying crucial gusset plates that held the beams together were only half as thick as they should have been. Since then, there has been a push to improve bridge designs and make changes to the way they are inspected. A more recent fatal collapse involved a newly constructed pedestrian bridge in Florida. US investigators have said they are looking at the emergence of cracks in the structure before the collapse of the bridge near Florida International University, which killed six people. Matteo Pozzi, an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, said the bridge in Italy was known to have problems, as evidenced by the upcoming upgrades. But he said older bridges can often be sustained with maintenance and repairs and collapses are rare. A 260ft section in the middle of the bridge fell during sudden stormy weather (AP) Professor Pozzi added: Its still a challenge to predict exactly when, or if, a bridge will collapse. Overall, we are doing a good job because a failure of this kind is rare. But we are trying to improve the ways in which we understand and monitor these bridges. Of the bridges design, Prof Hawkins said the concrete encasement improves the anchorage of the cables, but in a marine environment there can be a build-up of chloride in the concrete and that can lead to cable corrosion. He said any broken cables would have to be examined to determine whether that was the case in the Morandi bridge. The incident has sparked concerns over the upkeep of other bridges which were designed to have a lifespan of 50 years (AP) The bridge in Venezuela, which is much larger and spans Lake Maracaibo, has also had mishaps. In 1979, corrosion caused the rupture of one of the concrete-encased cables, forcing a complicated effort to replace it. Prof Pozzi said use of concrete-encased cables for bridges was considered a pioneering technique at the time but it was never widely adopted and came to be considered problematic. However, he said there are many bridges around the world whose original technology has been abandoned, and he cautioned against concluding that any are in danger of collapse. More often, it means there is a maintenance cost, he said. The question is for how long, and in what way. As many as 20 people could still be missing in the rubble of the collapsed Morandi Bridge in Genoa, the citys chief prosecutor said. Searchers have been combing through tonnes of debris since the collapse of the structure on Tuesday which left 38 people confirmed dead. Italian authorities lowered the death toll by one following a misunderstanding about information from ambulance dispatchers. Genoa chief prosecutor Francesco Cozzi told reporters that there could be 10 to 20 persons still missing. Interior minister Matteo Salvini said it has been difficult to come up with an exact number as some of those reported missing by loved ones might actually be holidaymakers who reached their destination and have not contacted family or friends in recent days. Authorities have announced plans for a state funeral for the victims to be held on Saturday morning in the north-western city, with the day designated one of national mourning. The ceremony will be presided over by Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, the Genoa archbishop. A green truck managed to stop perilously close to the edge (Antonio Calanni/AP) A day earlier, the Italian cabinet approved a 12-month state of emergency for the area, and Italian premier Giuseppe Conte said his government will not wait until prosecutors finish investigating the collapse to withdraw the concession from the main private company that maintains Italys highways, Atlantia. The company responsible for the bridge said it would take rigorous action if it emerges that any of its staff were in any way responsible for the fatal incident. Autostrade per lItalia said it is cooperating with authorities on the investigation and conducting its own internal inquiry into the collapse. The company responsible for the bridge promised a swift inquiry (AP) Responding to interior minister Matteo Salvinis appeal for the company to give the families of victims a concrete response, the company said our apologies are in our words and deeds. It added that managers are working to facilitate rescue operations, restore traffic circulation to an acceptable level and come up with a plan to reconstruct the bridge as soon as possible. The European Union has hit back at an Italian claim that the collapse was somehow linked to budget restraints imposed from outside Italy. EU spokesman Christian Spahr reacted after Mr Salvini criticised rules that limit budgetary spending, and linked them to the safety of infrastructure. Italy has been criticised by the eurozone for budgetary gaps and had been called on to rein in spending. Interior minister Matteo Salvini had hinted at EU restrictions having had a part to play (AP) Mr Spahr said that the time has come to make a few things clear, insisting that in the 2014-2020 EU budget plan, Italy is set to receive around 2.5 billion euro (2.23 billion) under EU investment plans for network infrastructures including roads. He added that in April, the EU also approved under EU state aid rules an investment plan for Italian motorways which will enable around 8.5 billion euro (7.5 billion) of investments to go ahead, including in the Genoa region. In fact, Mr Spahr said, the EU has encouraged investment in infrastructure in Italy. Survivors of the collapse have described the moment the road fell away beneath them. Davide Capello said he was driving across the bridge on Tuesday when I heard a heavy sound, and I saw cars in front of me falling. He added: I saw the road collapse then I fell with them. I thought it was all over for me. A worker is lifted by a crane in front of the collapsed bridge (Alessandro Di Marco/ANSA via AP) But he said he suffered only minor injuries because his car fell between concrete blocks that formed a sort of protection from further damage. A French woman, identified only as Leonine, said she was travelling across the bridge with her husband and three-year-old son at the time of the collapse. She said: We saw the pylon go completely to the right, and we realised what was happening. They tried to reverse the car, then opened our doors, took our son out of his car seat and then left, running until the tunnel. Worker inspect the the area around the collapsed structure (AP) The collapse occurred at about noon on Tuesday, on the eve of Italys biggest summer holiday, when traffic was particularly busy on the 51-year-old span that links two major roads one leading to France, the other to Milan. A 20 million-euro (17.8 million) project to upgrade the bridges safety had already been approved prior to the collapse, 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 on 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 carried more traffic than its designers had envisioned. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that targeted a Shia area of the Afghan capital, killing 34 students. IS said through its affiliated news agency that its bomber, identified as martyrdom-seeking brother Abdul Raouf al-Khorasani carried out the attack in Kabul. Afghanistans health ministry has released a revised casualty toll, saying 34 students were killed and 57 were wounded. A grief-stricken relative bids farewell to one of the victims (AP) The incident targeted a building where students were preparing to sit university entrance exams. The bomber had walked into a classroom at a Shia educational centre in Dasht-e-Barchi. Most of the victims were young men and women who had recently graduated from high school. Authorities launched an investigation to determine how the bomber had managed to sneak into the compound in the area, which has its own guards. Afghan president Ashraf Ghani condemned the terrorist attack, saying it martyred and wounded the innocent. Afghan men bury a victim of the deadly suicide bombing (AP) The Dasht-e-Barchi area is populated by members of Afghanistans minority ethnic Hazaras a Shia community that has in the past been targeted by similar large-scale attacks. IS, which considers Shias to be heretics, frequently targets them, attacking their mosques, schools and cultural centres. In the past two years, there have been at least 13 attacks on the Shia community in Kabul alone. Grieving families have gathered to bury their dead after the atrocity, but even amid the sombre atmosphere there was no respite from violence in the city. Gunmen besieged a compound belonging to the Afghan intelligence service in a north-western Kabul area, opening fire as Afghan security forces moved in to cut them off. President Ghani said the attack had martyred the innocent (AP) Two gunmen who attacked the compound were killed by security forces after a six-hour siege. A spokesman said police finally took control of a partially constructed building where the gunmen had holed up in order to shoot at the nearby compound. The attacks, which come at the end of more than a week of assaults that have left scores of Afghan troops and civilians dead, show how militants are still able to stage large-scale attacks even in the capital, Kabul and undermine efforts by Afghan forces to provide security and stability on their own. Afghanistans IS affiliate is known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province. Khorasan is the ancient name for an area that encompassed parts of present-day Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia. The head of the Prison Service in Northern Ireland has condemned the disgraceful decision to light a bonfire emblazoned with the names of murdered officers. The pyre, set alight on Wednesday evening in the Bogside area of Londonderry, included references to late police officers Ronan Kerr and Stephen Carroll and prison officers David Black and Adrian Ismay. Three petrol bombs were also thrown at police near the citys walls which overlook the Bogside. David Black was killed in 2012 (PSNI/PA) A 35-year-old man was arrested and charged with making, possessing and throwing a petrol bomb and is due to appear in court next month. Fires are lit at this time of year to mark the anniversary of the introduction of internment of republican suspects without trial in 1971 and police are treating the incident as a hate crime. Prison Service director-general Ronnie Armour, in a message to staff, said: Using the names of our murdered friends and colleagues, and those of PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) colleagues, in this way has caused great hurt and distress to their families, to the Prison Service, and the wider community. David Black, 52, was killed by dissident republicans opposed to the peace process during a motorway drive-by shooting in Co Armagh in 2012. His son Kyle said Wednesday evenings bonfire-makers were disgusting. Appalled + saddened by this hatred. David Black,Stephen Carroll, Adrian Ismay+ Ronan Kerr lived lives of true public service, devoted to protecting community. Those who murdered them or disrespect their memory will not succeed in undermining those values. https://t.co/v18DP7SO0d Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) August 16, 2018 Mr Armour also disclosed messages of support received from Londonderry, or Derry as many refer to it. One said: Please accept my sincere apologies for the most disgraceful, hurtful and hate-filled scenes that we witnessed last night at the bonfire in the Bogside. I know that I speak for the vast, vast majority of people from this wonderful City (Derry/Londonderry) when I say that this is not in our name and we stand with the families of Ronan, Stephen, Adrian and David at this most distressing time. Please pass on my thoughts to the families of Adrian, David and all your fellow officers. Mr Armour said Mr Black and Mr Ismay served the entire community with commitment, integrity and dignity. He added: As a service we will continue to serve all the people of Northern Ireland with professionalism. Poppy wreaths were also put on the bonfire. PSNI Chief Inspector Paul McCracken said: We are treating this as a hate crime and we are seeking to identify those responsible, and I would ask anyone with information that can help identify the perpetrators to contact us. Sinn Fein has condemned the display of hate, saying it had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with republicanism, while DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson decried the inhumane and pure evil placing of the mens names on the bonfire. Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said he was appalled and saddened. Kyle Black criticised those involved. My dad, along with the other brave men named, served their community with dignity and respect. This in complete contrast to those responsible for this. Absolutely sickened. pic.twitter.com/zzos0D0IpA Kyle Black (@Kyleblack91) August 15, 2018 He wrote on Twitter: Absolutely disgusting! The people responsible for these vile actions have absolutely nothing to offer our society. #somuchforrespectandequality My dad, along with the other brave men named, served their community with dignity and respect. This in complete contrast to those responsible for this. Absolutely sickened. The bonfire was also draped in Union flags, British Army flags and a Donald Trump election sign. Kate Carroll, widow of Constable Carroll, who was murdered by dissident republicans in 2009, expressed disappointment that his name was included on the bonfire. I try to not let it affect me anymore because it is a lost emotion, there are always going to be people in this country who still believe in the cause and the divide-and-conquer mindset, she told BBC Radio 2s Jeremy Vine show on Thursday. I try not to get stuck in a futile past. But I think most people in this country would prefer to live and let live, and move on from the past. Massachusetts leading shark expert is trying to determine if the first person to be attacked in waters off the state since 2012 was bitten by a great white shark. Senior biologist Greg Skomal will try to confirm if the 61-year-old victims wounds are consistent with the kind of bite a great white would inflict. The unidentified man survived the attack off Long Nook Beach in Truro, on the Atlantic Ocean side of Cape Cod. A sign warns visitors to Long Nook Beach of recent shark sightings (AP) Authorities say he was bitten while standing about 30 yards offshore. He was airlifted to a Boston hospital. Officials ordered the beach closed. Witnesses reported seeing seals in the water just before the attack. Numerous shark sightings have been reported in the area this summer, including several involving great whites. Brussels has refused to deny reports that its Brexit negotiators fear they are being bugged by British spies. Officials raised security concerns after the UK obtained sensitive documents within hours of them being discussed, according to the Daily Telegraph. Sabine Weyand, the EUs deputy chief Brexit negotiator, reportedly told officials at a European Council working party on exit talks that it could not be excluded that British intelligence had penetrated their meetings. British negotiators were said to have obtained the contents of a slide presentation that set out the European Commissions negative economic assessments of UK plans to remain in a single market for goods. Theresa May speaking during the Cabinet meeting at Chequers on July 6 (Joel Rouse/Crown Copyright/PA) The contents were shared on July 5, the day before Prime Minister Theresa May gathered the Cabinet at Chequers to sign off her Brexit blueprint. Hours after the presentation, the UK lobbied at the highest level to block plans to publish the slides, according to the newspaper. A European Commission spokesman told journalists in Brussels at a regular briefing: The commissions position today is that we cannot comment on this press report. It comes as Brexit talks resumed in Brussels between UK and EU officials. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier are not involved in the latest round of discussions, which are focused on the Irish border and future relations, and are due to finish on Friday. The spokesman said: As this weeks round is at technical level there wont be a meeting between Michel Barnier and Dominic Raab. We will confirm in due course whether a subsequent meeting has been arranged. A 57-year-old man has been spared jail after filming up womens skirts near Buckingham Palace. Richard Sivier was spotted by police using a camera to record under the clothing of women, including one who was pushing a pram, in and around the popular tourist area in June. He admitted to officers when arrested that he had also recorded upskirt footage at Trooping the Colour. Sentencing him at Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday, Jane Smith said: It is a serious offence. You were uploading the images on to a website. You were recording them and there were several victims. Sivier, of Warren Road, Cambridge, admitted at a hearing earlier this month outraging public decency. The charge stated that on June 20 at Horse Guards Parade in London he had used a camera while walking along to film under females skirts. Richard Sivier leaves Westminster Magistrates Court (Kirsty OConnor/PA) At around noon on the day of the incident he was seen by police at the end of the Mall nearest to Buckingham Palace with a camera bag dangling near his ankles. The lens of the camera was poking out and pointing upwards, prosecutor Trevor Green told the court, while the rest of the camera was zipped away in the bag. Police saw him up close behind a woman at that point and followed him as he made his way towards St James Park where he was seen filming up another womans dress. Sivier was also seen on a grassy area opposite Horse Guards Parade square trying to film under the dress of a woman pushing a pram, the court heard. Mr Green said: He followed behind her holding out the camera bag trying to film up her skirt. He added: Whilst under arrest he (Sivier) said I have recordings of upskirts from the Trooping of the Colour. He was sentenced to eight weeks in jail, suspended for two years and ordered to pay costs totalling 200. He was also banned for the next 24 months from having in a public place a camera capable of recording. Ms Smith said she had stopped short of preventing him from having a phone in a public place given your work and the fact that mobile phones are an essential part of daily life. Sivier, whose occupation was not given in court, will also be required to do 100 days of the Horizon sex offending programme and 20 days of rehabilitation. Paul Dillon, mitigating, said Sivier had difficulty coming to terms with his behaviour, was embarrassed by what he had done and realised it had put his marriage in jeopardy. But he said his client was taking steps to change, including seeing a therapist. One lower sixth form student achieved perfect marks in her AS religious philosophy exam but plans on dropping the subject. Ezgi Aldemir, 17, was getting in some practice ahead of her A-levels next year and when she opened her results at Truro High School for Girls in Truro, Cornwall she discovered she had not dropped a single mark. But she is giving up religious philosophy to continue with her strongest subjects of biology, chemistry and maths to A-level. Im so happy I could almost scream. I want to study medicine at university so the work I have done on ethics has given me a fantastic foundation for the studies that lie ahead, she said. Meanwhile at the school, one student who was unable to pick up her results in person was 18-year-old Rosalind Williams. Rosalind Williams did not collect her results in person as she is working in Hannover learning to speak German fluently (Truro High School for Girls/PA). Miss Williams picked up A*s in English, maths and physics as well as an A grade in Latin. After completing her exams she set herself the challenge of learning to speak German fluently and she is currently working in Hamburg for a month. The teenager plans on spending the next 12 months travelling and teaching English abroad before applying to university. At least 35 people were killed on August 15 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. Huge slabs of reinforced concrete plunged onto two warehouses, train tracks and a riverbed. 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. 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. A headmaster has called for the reintroduction of compulsory language classes in schools to prevent what he called the worrying insularity of society getting worse. Richard Cairns, headmaster of Brighton College, said the sorry decline in the number of students studying languages is damaging on so many levels and that the Government needs a plan to reverse the problem. Brighton College headmaster Richard Cairns said that `contrary to what seems to be happening nationally he has seen pupils show a real interest in studying languages (Gareth Fuller/PA) His comments came as several of his students at the independent school in East Sussex achieved top marks in a range of languages at A-level, including Mandarin. Experts have raised concerns because the number of students studying languages at state schools has dropped, and recent Press Association analysis of Ucas data revealed the number of applications for foreign language degrees plummeted in the last decade. More students took A-level Chinese than German this year, according to data from the Joint Council for Qualifications released on Thursday, sparking fears that the European language is heading for extinction. "With 99% of grades at A*-B these results are better than any school in England achieved last year. What is so impressive is that they put so much energy into life beyond school and in particular their charitable goals raising 150,000 for charity. Richard Cairns #ALevelResults pic.twitter.com/KN774gE3nS Brighton College (@BrightonCollege) August 16, 2018 Mr Cairns said: The sorry decline in numbers studying languages is damaging on so many levels but must be of particular concern to a Government that espouses a vision of Britain as open for business with the world. Compulsory language education needs to be reintroduced, with a national strategy emulating the success of those in the Netherlands or Scandinavia. Otherwise, the worrying insularity in our society will only deepen. Contrary to what seems to be happening nationally with pupils choosing not to study languages any more, we have seen a real interest in pursuing languages. Pupils can study French, German, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Russian and Mandarin here. Back in 2006, we introduced Mandarin for our pupils from the age of four and the culture of language learning and its benefits are instilled early. Brighton College A-level student George Cook believes it is important to study languages in order to understand other cultures (Gareth Fuller/PA) George Cook, who plays in the under-18 England rugby counties squad, transferred from Hazelwick School in Crawley to join Brighton Colleges sixth form and is a head boy. The 18-year-old got A*s in French, German, Latin and maths, and will now study French and German at Cambridge, hoping languages will help his career prospects, whatever he chooses to do. He said: I just picked languages up and enjoyed them. I found German the hardest, because of the order of the words, and enjoyed French the most. Its really important to study languages so you can understand other cultures. When you go abroad there is a widespread belief everyone should speak English but we should try and understand what we can. (L-R) Will Oliviero, Tom Burke, Maddie Gibson, James Dart and Moyo Oloko celebrate their Mandarin A-level results at Brighton College (Gareth Fuller/PA) All five students who studied Mandarin at Brighton College gained the highest possible mark when they received their results on Thursday a D1 which is the equivalent of an A* under A-level alternative test the Cambridge Pre-U. Four of them will study Mandarin at university, including two at Oxbridge. Moyo Oloko, 18, who lives in Sussex, also gained As in French and maths. In September she starts a degree in French and Chinese at Edinburgh University and is eager to travel as part of any future career plans. She said: Im really overwhelmed. I didnt expect to do so well. It was compulsory in Year 7 and once I got into it I was intrigued. Then I visited China on an exchange and loved being there. I think learning a language is really important because you dont just learn to speak the language, you learn a new skill set, you learn about linguistics, you learn about a different culture. I did find it quite difficult but it was fun. Moyo Oloko said she was `overwhelmed at her results (Flora Thompson/PA) Her fellow Mandarin classmates who also achieved the top grade were Will Oliviero, who also gained As in chemistry and maths; Tom Burke, who also got A*s in economics, maths and further maths; Madeleine Gibson, who also gained As in history and Spanish; and James Dart, who also achieved A*s in economics and maths. A Department for Education spokeswoman said: It has never been more important for young people to learn a language in an increasingly global community. This is why we recently announced a new national centre of excellence alongside nine hubs across the country to drive up standards in the teaching of languages by sharing resources and best practice, backed by 4.8 million. In addition, we offer generous financial incentives worth up to 28,000 to recruit talented languages teachers. Todays A-level results show the proportion of entries to modern foreign languages at A Level remains broadly stable. On top of this, since the introduction of the English baccalaureate weve seen an increase in the proportion of pupils taking a language, up from 40% in 2010 to 47% in 2017, and 5,000 pupils are on track to be fluent in Mandarin Chinese by 2020. Former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has died after a prolonged illness at the age of 93. Mr Vajpayee was a Hindu nationalist who in 1998 ordered nuclear weapons tests which stoked fears of an atomic war with rival Pakistan. However, he later launched a ground-breaking peace process with Islamabad. Mr Vajpayee launched a ground-breaking peace initiative with Pakistan (AP) That was not the only way in which Mr Vajpayee seemed to be a political contradiction. He was a moderate leader of an often-strident Hindu nationalist movement, and a lifelong poet who revered nature but who oversaw Indias growth into a swaggering regional economic power. Mr Vajpayees supporters saw him as a skilled politician, while critics accused him and his party of stoking public fears of Indias large Muslim minority. However, both sides agreed he was that rare thing in Indian politics: a man untainted by corruption scandals. The new leader of Amnesty International has said the Trump administrations separation of families at US borders is one of the worst atrocities the world has seen in a long time. Kumi Naidoo said many world leaders especially US president Donald Trump are reversing hard-won human rights gains. Preparing for my first press conference as Secretary General while sitting in the very chair where I decided to apply for the job, inspired by #Mandelas letter to @amnesty directly opposite me pic.twitter.com/RXXN77gbYf Kumi Naidoo (@kuminaidoo) August 16, 2018 The South African-born former anti-apartheid activist began a four-year term at the helm of the human rights group on Wednesday. He said the challenges to human rights in the world today mean that his organisation must show maximum courage. Mr Naidoo singled out the governments of Saudi Arabia, Hungary, Yemen and the Philippines as ones he says are failing to respect human rights. The new Amnesty chief said: The presidency of Donald Trump is a major challenge for the people of the US and the people of the world. I am so thrilled #TanerKilic is free at last. Taner, I look forward to the honour of meeting you, not in prison but with your family where you belong pic.twitter.com/O4NHjLNBcO Kumi Naidoo (@kuminaidoo) August 15, 2018 Saying the psychological damage of the border separation policy alone could be long-lasting, he added: Overall on human rights he has set us back and it should be no surprise that Donald Trump will be in my vision of activism and will be somebody who will receive quite close focus by Amnesty as a global movement. With a background of activism against apartheid in his native South Africa and for environmental issues as a director of Greenpeace, Mr Naidoo said he intends to make Amnesty bigger, bolder and more inclusive. He added: What I hope to do at Amnesty is to intensify our appetite for peaceful civil disobedience. Mr Naidoo has said he wants to encourage civil disobedience (AP) Although world leaders often ignore letters and meetings, he said that when you mobilise thousands of people on their doorstep that seems to work much better. Mr Naidoo added: We should not allow the shrinking democratic space to prevent us from having a more robust and more courageous activism that will include peacefully resisting unjust laws and breaking unjust laws where necessary. Despite the recent setbacks for human rights, Mr Naidoo said he is optimistic. Amnesty currently has a global membership of seven million people and he said he would like to see that increase to 70 million, especially among younger people. He said: Young people will not accept wisdom that they are the leaders of tomorrow, they will assert their leadership now. Ferries being built on the Clyde have been hit by further delays, the Transport Minister has confirmed. Michael Matheson said the latest postponement to next summer is disappointing. The two ships for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network are being built at Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd at Port Glasgow. Opposition politicians have criticised the latest delay on the 97m contract (Andrew Milligan/PA) The first ferry, the MV Glen Sannox, which was launched in 2017, was initially due to be delivered in May, later pushed back to this winter. Now, the delivery date for the ship is summer 2019. The SNP MSP has claimed it is expected to be delivered in June and enter service on the Ardrossan-Arran route around two months later after sea trials. The second ferry is expected to be complete the following spring. Mr Matheson said: Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd has advised us that the first vessel, the MV Glen Sannox, will now be delivered during summer 2019, and the second vessel in spring 2020. While this further delay is disappointing, it is important to focus on the fact that we will have two new ships joining the fleet serving the Clyde and Hebrides network that have been built in Scotland, providing vital support to our ship building industry. Opposition politicians have criticised the latest delay on the 97 million contract for the dual-fuel diesel and liquified natural gas ferries. Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Jamie Greene said: Far from disappointing, this is a complete shambles. Numerous stakeholders have long been warning about a catalogue of issues with the build of the new ferries. Only recently the Scottish Government had to bail out Ferguson Marine with substantial money. This is another entry in a catalogue of failures on Scotlands ferry networks, once again letting island communities down and impacting tourism, businesses and connectivity. His Liberal Democrat counterpart Mike Rumbles added: Passengers on the west coast will have a sinking feeling once again when they find out these ferries are delayed. Callum Fitzgerald is hoping that his top grades will lead to a career as an investment banker. The 18-year-old is heading to Nottingham University after achieving A-level A grades in maths, physics and economics and an A grade in AS-level further maths at South Gloucestershire and Stroud (SGS) College. Ive always wanted to go to one of the UKs top universities as I want to become an investment banker, the teenager, from Bristol, said. When I was younger my brother gave me a book, The Undercover Economist, and it really spoke to me. Ive always loved maths so working in finance seemed like the perfect fit. The teaching at SGS has been really good. They really cared and supported us. I feel so relieved. I couldnt sleep last night. Its great that I can now stop worrying. Really happy with my results. William Townsley is joining the Royal Navy and wants to become a pilot (South Gloucestershire and Stroud College/PA) Fellow college student William Townsley plans on joining the Royal Navy and aims to become a pilot. The 20-year-old achieved a B in maths and Cs in politics and sociology. I did A-levels before SGS at sixth form but didnt do well. I wanted to try again so I enrolled at SGS as I needed the grades for the Royal Navy. Having an end goal really focused my mind and this time around I was determined to succeed. My teachers were all very good but my maths teacher was the best teacher Ive ever had. Im really happy with my results. I was preparing for the worst but Ive done what I set out to do. Boys have outperformed girls at the top A-level grade for the first time since it was introduced in Northern Ireland. They overtook girls by 0.4% at A*, which was first awarded in 2010. The performance gap between the genders also narrowed at the A*-A boundary, and it follows concerted efforts to address the disparity by education authorities. Robert Robinson, the head of Campbell College, an all-boys grammar school in east Belfast, said: The nature of the exams has been tweaked slightly, a reduction in reliance on coursework suits boys better. The exams themselves have been given more of an edge, challenging boys on the day and bringing out the competitive nature that is inherent in them. In addition, the increased diversity in subject choice at sixth form benefits boys offering a broader, more versatile range of pathways for them to choose from. Campbell College pupils opened their A-Level results. Pictured is Cellist, Gary Hunt who is heading to the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire for Music to study with Julian Lloyd Webber. Michael Cooper/PA Wire There was a small increase in those awarded the top grade, with just under a 10th earning an A*. Around 30,000 pupils received their A-level and AS results on Thursday morning. Among them were Northern Irelands oldest mature student, grandfather Ken Humes, aged 70, who spent his career working in accounts and took a degree in maths. He said: I am pleased and relieved that I have done it. I set myself up to be knocked down. The sister-in-law of a former loyalist leader achieved an A in Irish language. Linda Ervine said she did not speak a word of Irish seven years ago, and was delighted with her result. She tweeted: Over the moon! Got an A in my A-Level Irish. 7 years ago I hadnt a focal and struggled with Cad e mar ata tu. Over the moon! Got an A in my A-Level Irish. 7 years ago I hadnt a focal and struggled with Cad e mar ata tu. #Gaeilge Linda Ervine MBE (@ErvineLinda) August 16, 2018 The number of A-level entries declined this year by 5.8%, in line with demographics. Maths was the most popular subject, with one in 10 studying it, closely followed by biology, religious studies, English literature and history. More than a third of entries involved science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects. There was a small increase in the overall proportion of Stem entries, up to 40.1% this year. The proportion taking languages decreased slightly, mainly due to a fall in Spanish entries. Music and performing arts saw an increase. At 07.45 this morning, over 17,500 NI learners had already accessed their CCEA A Level results online - and as the picture shows, they did so from all around the world! Good luck everyone! #alevelresultsday2018 pic.twitter.com/eUG1RvOuyS CCEA (@CCEA_info) August 16, 2018 A new life and health sciences qualification proved popular, particularly with girls, and computing subjects saw a rise. Justin Edwards, chief executive of the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland, said: Once again, Northern Irelands students have performed well, with a steady and strong performance across all grades. The results are also recognition of the dedication and support provided by teachers and schools. Runrig have paid tribute to their legion of fans as they prepare to bring down the curtain on 45 years of performing. The Celtic rockers will play to a total crowd of 47,000 at two farewell concerts in Stirling on Friday and Saturday. The six-piece added a second show after the Last Dance became the UKs fastest-selling concert last year. Fans will hear the classic Loch Lomond played live by the band for the last time at the City Park against the backdrop of Stirling Castle. Speaking to the media ahead of #TheLastDance this weekend. pic.twitter.com/W49KZ2BDHq Runrig (@Runrig1973) August 16, 2018 Vocalist Bruce Guthro said: I think were ready. I think were very proud of what weve accomplished and were ready to give Scotland the show of a lifetime. The Canadian, who has been touring with Runrig for 20 years, said of his time with the group: All of it has been special. Its almost impossible to pick certain highlights its just been a great journey. The fans are are a family unto themselves and they are without question the driving force behind this band. Since forming on Skye in 1973, Runrig have produced 14 studio albums and performed at Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Albert Hall and in New Yorks Times Square. They are hailed for their contribution to Scottish music, the Gaelic language and Scotlands cultural identity. The band will play to around 47,000 fans over two nights (Whyler Photos/PA) Founding member Rory MacDonald said it is a love of performing that has kept the group going through the decades. The bass player said: Weve tended just to go from album to album, weve never had a grand plan, or the idea were going to take over the world none of that stuff. Very early on, maybe after the third album, we knew very much that this was what we wanted to do with our lives. It wasnt for fame or fortune, it was just that we loved playing music and playing together. Weve always had that sense of being comfortable with what were doing. Thats the way it has worked for us. Guitarist Malcolm Jones added: If youd said then that 45 years later wed still be doing this, youd have thought no way, not a chance. Jones said the Last Dance marked the end of an era for the band but other projects would continue, including looking after the groups legacy. Keyboard player Brian Hurren admitted there has been nerves ahead of the final concerts. He said: I would say its unlike any other show Ive experienced with the band. Ive had sleepless nights and Ive had elation and excitement, sadness everything. Its been an incredible journey. There are a lot of fans that cant get to see us because theyre in Australia or places that are just too far away, but they have been trying to make it over for this show, which is amazing. A very special privilege to thank @Runrig1973 on behalf of @scotgov for all they have done to strengthen Scottish traditional music, the Gaelic language and Scotland in 45 years of amazing music. They have been such an important part of Scotlands incredible journey. pic.twitter.com/ePNTa3wBBH John Swinney (@JohnSwinney) August 16, 2018 Meeting the band ahead of the concerts, Scotlands Deputy First Minister John Swinney thanked Runrig for their extraordinary contribution to Scotlands cultural life. He tweeted: A very special privilege to thank @Runrig1973 on behalf of @scotgov for all they have done to strengthen Scottish traditional music, the Gaelic language and Scotland in 45 years of amazing music. They have been such an important part of Scotlands incredible journey. Mr Swinneys SNP colleague Pete Wishart MP formerly played keyboards for the band. Stirling Council Provost Christine Simpson said: This is an absolutely wonderful event for Stirling and it will really help put the city on the map for hosting major events in future. It is pleasing to hear that so many of our hotels, restaurants, shops and local businesses are doing a roaring trade off the back of this prestigious event attracting 45,000 visitors to Stirling. It is anticipated that Runrigs farewell concerts will generate a 7.25 million boost to the local economy, which is always welcome. Union boss Len McCluskey has called on the Labour Party to adopt the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism. Mr McCluskey, who is a close ally of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, said the party had been insensitive in not adopting the definition. But the Unite general secretary, writing for HuffPost UK, prefaced his comments with a blistering attack on Jewish community leaders for what he called their intransigent hostility to Mr Corbyn. Len McCluskey is a close ally of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (Gareth Fuller/PA) Mr McCluskey said the problem of anti-Semitism in the party was not manufactured but had certainly been wildly exaggerated. He said: I am at a loss to understand the motives of the leadership of the Jewish community the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Jewish Labour Movement. They raised entirely proper concerns, but have simply refused to take yes for an answer. Mr McCluskey said the more Corbyn has personally sought to build bridges with the Jewish community, the worse the rhetoric has become. He added: What is the response from the leading Jewish community organisations to this record of reaching out, of understanding, and of action? Intransigent hostility and an utter refusal to engage in dialogue about building on what has been done and resolving outstanding difficulties. I therefore appeal to the leadership of the Jewish community to abandon their truculent hostility, engage in dialogue and dial down the rhetoric, before the political estrangement between them and the Labour Party becomes entrenched. Mr McCluskey, calling for the IHRA definition to be adopted, said: Clearly, it would have been far better for the party to have adopted at least ten of the eleven IHRA examples in their original wording. Not doing so and particularly without adequate consultation was insensitive and bound to lead to misunderstanding, and also served to distract attention from the real issues at stake. It would be for the best if all eleven were now agreed, so the party can move on. But he warned there remained free-speech problems with the example concerning Israel as a racist endeavour. He said: That very example has been explicitly cited by pro-Israel campaigners, including Labour MPs, in urging the government to ban Israeli apartheid events at colleges. The House of Commons Home Affairs Committee expressed free speech concerns about it too. Mr McCluskey went on to warn against the party descending into a vortex of McCarthyism in a bid to root out anti-Semites. The Unite leader used his blog to accuse certain Labour MPs of using the row over anti-Semitism as a method to provide rocket fuel for a split in the Party. He said: Let those few Labour MPs looking to break away from the Party do so on an honest basis, embracing capitalism, the free market and the alliance with Trumps America, and not pretend that Labour is something it is not, an institutionally racist party. In response to the blog the Board of Deputies, which is the main representative body of British Jews, said: We note that Len McCluskey has advocated the adoption of the full IHRA definition of anti-Semitism and its illustrative examples. However, his attack on the Jewish community is both unfair and unwarranted. The spokesman added: We have had a deluge of words from the Labour leadership. It is about time that the party resolved this crisis by taking the firm and decisive action which the communal leadership set out for them in detail months ago. They have so far failed to do what is right. Veteran Ulster Unionist councillor Jim Rodgers is set to face a vote of no confidence over his chairing of a key Belfast City Council committee. The motion has been proposed by Alliance Party councillor Michael Long over events surrounding bonfires in east Belfast in July. There were rows over the height of a bonfire on the Bloomfield Walkway site in the run-up to July 11, when pyres across Northern Ireland are traditionally lit. Belfast City Council took a high court action against the Department for Infrastructure, which owns the land, to compel it to remove the pyre. However amid tense scenes, bonfire builders set it alight before police and contractors could move in to remove it. Later, another bonfire at nearby Cluan Place was removed by contractors with police protection. The Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast (PA) Mr Long has claimed that during that period, Mr Rodgers made negative comments in media interviews about council staff. He has called on Mr Rodgers to apologise to them. Mr Rodgers is the chairman of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee on the council. Mr Long said his party was also concerned about the number of special meetings of the committee that were called during the same period. He has claimed that the number of meetings caused delays which made it increasingly difficult to get decisions around controversial issues taken. The feedback I have received from both staff and councillors has been one of great disappointment in Councillor Rodgers, especially given the huge efforts staff members made during the period, he said. I therefore have decided to seek a vote of no confidence in the chair. If it passes, he should consider his position. The motion of no confidence is set to be proposed at the next meeting of the committee, scheduled to take place on Friday morning. Mr Rodgers has been elected to Belfast City Council since 1993 and has served as Lord Mayor twice. He responded to the Press Associations request for a response by saying he does not feel it would be appropriate for him to comment. The Vatican has called the sex abuse described in a grand jury report in Pennsylvania criminal and morally reprehensible. In a statement released late on Thursday, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said those acts were betrayals of trust that robbed survivors of their dignity and faith. He said that victims should know that Pope Francis is on their side. Full text of #Vatican response to #Pennsylvania Grand Jury report, issued by @GregBurkeRome Director of the Holy See Press Office: pic.twitter.com/GuTmh8rEom Vatican News (@VaticanNews) August 16, 2018 Pope Francis himself was not quoted in the statement, and there was no mention of demands in the United States among some Catholics for the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington. The grand jury report made public this week accused the cardinal of helping to protect some molester priests while he was previously bishop of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, with Pope Francis (David Goldman/AP) Mr Burke, in the statement, said the church must learn hard lessons from its past, and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur, he said. Pope Francis had recently accepted the resignation from cardinals rank of former Washington archbishop Theodore McCarrick for alleged sexual misconduct. It was the first time a prelate had lost his cardinals rank in a sexual abuse scandal, and Francis was stepping up his crackdown on the abuse to include some of the highest ranking churchmen. Mr Burke said Francis understands well how much these crimes can shake the faith and the spirit of believers and reiterates the call to make every effort to create a safe environment for minors and vulnerable adults in the church and in all of society. The grand jury report documented how paedophile priests were often protected by church hierarchy or moved to other postings without the faithful being told of the priests sexual predatory history. BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The media registration system for the upcoming China International Import Expo (CIIE) was launched on Wednesday as preparations for the event are proceeding smoothly. Registration will be open until September 15 and media services can register online at media.ciie.org, according to the CIIE news center. Further information for journalist approvals will be released on www.ciie.org. The CIIE will be held in Shanghai from Nov. 5 to 10. So far, more than 160,000 agents from over 80,000 businesses have registered to attend the expo. China has been the world's second largest importer of goods for nine consecutive years and made up 10.2 percent of global imports last year. Chinese authorities expect the country to import goods worth 24 trillion U.S. dollars in the next 15 years. As an upgrading consumption sector reshapes China's economic and trade structure, the CIIE is expected to give new impetus to such a transition and make China's market more accessible than ever. Riot police have blocked hundreds of doctors and nurses from marching to Venezuelas presidential palace to protest against low pay and shortages of medical supplies amid the nations deepening crisis. Thursdays demonstration in Caracas was the first attempt by protesters to reach the presidential palace since massive anti-government protests last year. The medical professionals are demanding action by President Nicolas Maduro, who is overseeing a crisis marked by widespread shortages and mass migration from the country. A woman holds up a sign in front of a line of police officers during a protest against the government of President Nicolas Maduro (Ariana Cubillos/AP) The once-wealthy oil-producing nation is in crisis economically and politically after two decades of socialist rule. Rows of heavily armed riot police blocked roughly 400 medical professionals shortly after launching their march. Ana Rosario Contreras of the Association of Illnesses says they are demanding the government provide basic supplies to treat patients. The protest ended without violence. Social media giants should give free adverts to mental health services because local providers are failing to reach young people, according to a report. Some 134,000 young people looked for mental health support online from friends, peers or professionals in the last year, a study by the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) found. However, the RSA said social media platforms appeared to be a driver of ill health as users turned to each other in place of seeking help from professional mental health services. The study recommends that public services must make greater efforts to proactively reach young people (David Cheskin/PA) It also warned that unmoderated platforms risked directing young people to inappropriate sources of information and support. Forums such as the Student Room were often commonly-used platforms for young people seeking to access peer-to-peer support, but researchers found impartial advice about treatment and signs and symptoms of mental illnesses were hard to come by for users. The Manchester Resilience Hub set up after the #ManchesterArena Attack last year provides a central point for mental health advice and support for anyone affected no matter where you live in the UK. #WeStandTogether #ManchesterTogether #RememberingTogether pic.twitter.com/f0NLQl8Uow GMHSC Partnership (@GM_HSC) May 22, 2018 The study, which looked at the issue both nationally and within Greater Manchester, noted that the Manchester Resilience Hub set up in the wake of the May 2017 Manchester Arena attack had been particularly effective at communication and engagement outreach to young people. But beyond this, the report said there was a noticeable difference in Greater Manchester between the use of social media by support services and young people themselves, with popular bloggers and forums rather than formal service providers being actively responsive with young people talking about mental health concerns. The study recommends that public services must make greater efforts to proactively reach young people starting a conversation about mental health online. It has called for health bodies and social media companies to work together to develop a co-ordinated approach to tackling mental ill-health online, and suggested free targeted advertising for mental health services on social platforms. a culture of openness among young people can lead us to being hostages to fortune as more awareness leads to more conversations that risk confusing and misdirecting young people to sources of information and advice which lack credibility It also wants a pilot of an NHS online 111 service in selected local authority areas to proactively work across platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and Instagram and through forums, to respond to mental health concerns. RSA researcher Tom Harrison said: Our study estimates through analysing conversations online that 134,000 young people looked online to access mental health support last year much of which came from supporting one another. However, a culture of openness among young people can lead us to being hostages to fortune as more awareness leads to more conversations that risk confusing and misdirecting young people to sources of information and advice which lack credibility. But social media is not only a platform for people to access mental health services increasingly it appears to be a driver of ill-health in itself. This places a moral duty on still commonly-used platforms like Instagram and Facebook to help cash-strapped mental health providers reach the people who will benefit the most from professional advice and support. We also argue strongly that this would need to be matched with rapid and tangible improvements to access to treatment for young people. Dr Louise Theodosiou from the Royal College of Psychiatrists said: Online platforms can be places where young people are able to speak openly about their unmet mental health needs in a way that they may not feel comfortable doing offline. But the high number of young people discussing such things as suicide online shows there is clearly an unmet need for services to work creatively with online providers to ensure young people know how to access professional help. We also have a lot of work to do in understanding the words young people use to describe their wellbeing needs. Understanding the meaning behind words such as stress, tired and help used by young men online could be key to this. WASHINGTON, Aug 15 (Reuters) - The United States imposed sanctions on a Russian port service agency and Chinese firms for aiding North Korean ships and selling alcohol and tobacco to Pyongyang in breach of U.S. sanctions. The U.S. Treasury said in a statement on Wednesday that China-based Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co. Ltd and its Singapore-based affiliate SINSMS Pte. Ltd had netted more than $1 billion a year by exporting alcohol and cigarette products to North Korea. The department also sanctioned Russian-based Profinet Pte Ltd and its director general, Vasili Aleksandrovich Kolchanov, for providing port services on at least six occasions to North Korean-flagged ships. Kolchanov was personally involved in North Korea-related deals and interacted directly with North Korean representatives in Russia, the department said. "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," U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement. The sanctions mandate that no U.S. citizen can deal with any of those designated in the order, and any of their properties in the United States "must be blocked", the Treasury said. The United States has been pressuring North Korea via sanctions to give up its nuclear weapons programme. BEIJING AND MOSCOW PROTEST Chinas Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Beijing has always strictly enforced United Nations Security Council resolutions on North Korea and did not allow Chinese firms or individuals to engage in activities that violated them. "At the same time, China's position on opposing countries enacting unilateral sanctions on other countries and `long-armed jurisdiction is consistent and clear," it added, without elaborating. When asked for comment, Liang Ye, a legal representative of Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading, said the matter was still unclear and that the Chinese company had not received any notification. China's official Xinhua news agency said the United States needed to back off pressuring North Korea if it was serious about wanting lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. "Washington should be reminded that the 'maximum pressure' approach on Pyongyang is not in keeping with the current situation on the Korean Peninsula and it needs to consider easing sanctions," Xinhua said in a commentary. Such commentaries are not statements or official positions, but can be read as a reflection of government thinking. Though China has repeatedly said it enforces U.N. resolutions on North Korea, it has also said it has the right to conduct what it calls "normal trade" with the country in areas that fall outside the scope of the sanctions. It has been angered in the past by unilateral U.S. sanctions on Chinese firms and individuals. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Thursday that the United States had acted without evidence on the basis of groundless accusations when imposing sanctions on the Russian company. Moscow was working on retaliatory measures, added Ryabkov, saying the Russian leadership would decide whether to hit back. Vasili Kolchanov, the head of the port services agency affected, told Reuters he had worked with North Korean vessels as a transport agent, but said the sanctions against him and his firm were illegal. He only helped prepare documents for the vessels, he said, and was not involved in trading anything. "It's not our concern who fuels the vessels, who sells that fuel, who they buy the cargo and oil products from," he said. "We do not load vessels. As an agent, I only need to check that they have permission from customs." (Reporting by Tim Ahmann and Lesley Wroughton Additional reporting by Liangping Gao, Ben Blanchard and Ryan Woo in BEIJING, Polina Nikolskaya in MOSCOW Editing by Catherine Evans) By Ori Lewis JERUSALEM, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Israel will not conduct a criminal investigation into a deadly raid in Rafah during the 2014 Gaza war, the military's judicial arm said on Wednesday after a "comprehensive examination" of events, prompting condemnation from the Palestinian group Hamas. Israel launched its raid after Hamas militants, emerging from a tunnel inside Gaza, ambushed three Israeli soldiers, killing two and seizing the third. In their air and artillery bombardment Israeli forces killed 150 people in a matter of hours as they tried to retrieve the third soldier who was also killed. "The findings clearly provide that the Israel Defence Force's (IDF) actions were aimed to serve a clear military purpose - to thwart the abduction of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin and attack the terror organizations in the area, by targeting military targets and military operatives," the judicial body, the Military Advocate General, said in a statement. Goldin was believed at the time of the raid to still be alive, it said, adding that operations had been conducted "with an effort to mitigate, as much as possible, harm to civilians". The investigation found no evidence to suggest the IDF had intended to exact revenge for the abduction, it said. Hamas condemned the decision. "This emphasises the unfairness of the Israeli inquiry and the need for an international investigation committee to probe Israel's crimes in Rafah and in all the Gaza Strip and Palestinian lands," Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters. As well as the 150 people killed on August 1, 2014, medics in Gaza said around 200 were wounded, the majority civilians. It was the deadliest day of the seven-week conflict, in which more than 2,100 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were killed, as well as 67 Israeli soldiers and six civilians in Israel. Hamas has still not returned the remains of Goldin and another soldier killed in the 2014 war. Israel is also demanding the release of two civilians whose fate is unknown and who it says are being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. A detailed report on the incident can be found on the following link: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-gaza-warcrime-insight/did-israels-hannibal-directive-lead-to-a-war-crime-in-gaza-idUSKCN0I20FN20141013 (Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Writing by Ori Lewis, Editing by Gareth Jones) Drowned in sordid socio-political culture, Sri Lanka not geared for a better future In post WW II modern world, democracy is accepted as an uncompromising way of private and public life. During the half Century we spent after WW II, the modern world has universally accepted Democratic Rights of all people. Declared Human Rights in a well-defined Charter that in its preamble says .recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. accepted by all member States as a primary Constitutive document of the UN adopted by the General Assembly in 1948. Thereafter the ILO, the Tri partite (States, Employers and Employees) global body of the UN system, diligently worked out and adopted Conventions that further explained human rights in terms of employment that in general are called Labour Rights. Together the Declaration of Human Rights and the ILO Charters lay down principled conditions that guarantee the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family. A human family that includes children, adults, ageing populations, gender, all ethnic and religious communities, youth and employees, leaving out none. "Sri Lanka as a UN member bound to treat all its 20 million plus people without divisions and discrimination" Sri Lanka is a member State of the UN from December 1955 and is bound to treat all its 20 million plus people as members of the human family without demarcations, divisions and without any form of discrimination.Yet the problem remains, that we dont have a social and a political culture with long and established traditions to uphold such Rights andValues and we lack social structures that can hold people and organisations accountable and responsible in honouring those Rights and Values. Most recent exhibition of such arrogance against people was the intimidating selfish behaviour of the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA).With total disrespect for human life, threatening with strike action and then though unsuccessful, resorting to strike action over 05 times during the past 24 months,their attitudes and approach in gaining what they wanted, displayed how low even the once respected noble medical profession has descended to. They worked in tandem with the Faculty of Medical Teachers Association that promoted student protests for 10 long months, encouraging and supporting student boycott of lectures and protests on Colombo roads. The elite professionals and the university academia being so, the Railway employees or any other cannot be expected to be any better. All live in a socio-political culture of threats, power and force thats taken for granted as the shortest route toanswers. This gets more chaotic with the populist albeit foolish stand of President Sirisena reversing most decisions arrived at even in Cabinet meetings. When the Finance Minister stood his ground as per the decision at the Cabinet meeting, President Sirisena hastened to give striking Railway unions a hearing and a promise to increase their salaries. On Monday last, they declared the strike called off on Presidents promise. The irony is the absence of People as the most important factor in any of these decisions. On the flipside of these irresponsible and anarchic protests and strike actions, this Yahapalana government led by the UNP, ignored their responsibility in resolving issues and allowed them to drag on at the inconvenience of people. The SAITM medical degree issue was thus muddled up for over 02 whole years, allowing street protests over weeks and months.Though people blamed the government for all that as inefficiencyof an ineffective, spineless government, the political leadership of the UNP enjoyed the growing public anger against medical doctors, the university students and striking railway unions that demanded suppression, use of force and called for privatisation without trade unions. While the JO led by Mahinda Rajapaksa expect to politically gain from the chaotic instability they plan, demanding this government should be dissolved for their inability to provide answers, the UNP leadership tend to believe the anti-union, pro privatisation social psyche goes well with their investor led completely liberalised free market economy. "The tug of war between Rajapaksa campaigns and UNP politics is not about politics for democracy" The tug of war between Rajapaksa campaigns and UNP politics is not about politics for democracy. It is not about restoring a democratic society that guarantees the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family. No, it is not. Its about regaining political power for all members of the Rajapaksa family at the cost of democracy and for businessmen with the UNP leadership, it is about unrestricted exploitation of labour without union rights. Ever since the economy was turned into an export manufacture economy with FDIs by Jayawardenes UNP government 40 years ago, businessmen have been asking for relaxing of labour laws on the argument, investors cannot be attracted with a labour law regime that protects labour rights.They dont face the fact that with all the 55 pieces of law the Labour Department works with, there are multi-national corporations like Uni Levers and CTC in this country that worked for good profits, negotiating and working with trade unions. Yet the BOI was established to curb Right to association and collective bargaining through administrative mechanisms and for 40 years with all incentives given for FDIs, there is no development for over 90 per cent of the people. Janavasiya was brought in for poverty alleviation and was expanded as Samurdhi thats still running and this government is promising development with Grama Shakthi, Gamperaliya and with many different policy statements by both the President and the PM, each on his own. Politics of this government that live on the mystic belief that development and FDIs are inseparable twins, allowed employers to resort to extremely uncivilised labour practises in busting trade unions. This was highlighted in a letter addressed by the FTZ & GSE Union to PM Wickremesinghe on 10 August 2018.The letter reveals how this yahapalana government keeps mum over such issues. Reminding past complaints it says, With almost 2 months without any measures taken to mitigate issues mentioned in our letter addressed to you, one of the issues raised therein, has taken a very serious turn of events with the top management of one of the companies deciding to hunt down employees they arbitrarily sacked from one of their factories. And it goes on to say, the company has resorted to lifetime revenge from employees sacked for organising a trade union. The FTZ & GSE Union letter says, Addressing letters to other employers, the company has requested them, not to employ workers sacked from the factory for organizing a trade union. This they say, is how a garment factory then owned by leading politician arbitrarily sacked workers for collectively raising their grievances,with an e-mail sent to all employers in the EPZ by an unknown sender Protect Apparel Industry with photos and names of all sacked employees carrying one of the most disgusting captions Beware of this kind of Dogs. It is for such ruthless exploitation of labour this government accepts social chaos in developing a social psyche that allows de-unionising and suppressing of democratic and labour rights.A social psyche that allows destroying of universally accepted principles of human and labour rights. A government economic policy that demands investor friendly rule in violation of decent civilised life in a democracy. "Its about regaining political power for all members of the Rajapaksa family at the cost of democracy and for the businessmen with the UNP leadership" We are no more in a world that accept slave employment. Today employment comes with accepted rights and decent working conditions, Sri Lanka is bound by ILO Conventions 87 and 93 and by its own Constitution that guarantees human rights including right to association.Thus Decent Work is not about wages alone. It is about human dignity in employment. In polar opposite to union busting and de unionising the labour force this Yahapalana government promotes as necessary for economic growth,In Europe, unions werent destroyed they thrived. Deals between unions and companies are brokered formally or informally by governments. But thats just the beginning. In Germany, for example, workers representatives sit on company boards. In France, collective bargaining is a right, negotiated by sectors, for example, among all waiters and restauranteurs not individual companies and employers. In Scandinavia, companies have to account for their social costs and benefits. [Umair Haque on How Capitalist Utopia became Everyone Elses Dystopia -https://eand.co/ July 2018] The point is Haque says,Europe developed better mechanisms for economic interaction fuller ones, if you like, which ensured more stable, opportune, and empowered societies. Average people had genuine power to demand a fairer more of an economys gains as they should, not just for moral reasons, but also socio-political ones. Drowned in a sordid socio-political culture, present day Sri Lanka is not geared for a better future that ensures a more stable, opportune, and an empowered society. Politics in Sri Lanka is on reverse gear. Political campaigns are sadly mobilising people to destroy their own democracy and social stability.In allowing industrial arrogance for looting and not industrial peace for growth. In short, we are heading towards socio economic anarchy, with no alternate political discourse. The two major political players wanting power at the expense of the people and their future. The people too joining in to help create despots on the way. The bus strike launched on last night by the All Ceylon Private Bus Workers Association (ACPBWA) against the new spot fines is a failure, Transport Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva said today. But the ACPBWA claimed that 80 per cent of buses had stopped operating their services. The minister told a media briefing that no one could oppose the new traffic fines once they were passed in Parliament and gazetted. The ministry had given the stakeholders sufficient time to raise objections but several bus associations agreed with the new traffic rules, the minister said and added that an Act approved by parliament could not be changed. The bus strike was effective to some extent only on certain routes in the Western and the Southern Provinces though it was earlier planned to cover the nine provinces, he said. The minister said more Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses would be deployed in the evening for the convenience of the people. If the SLTB buses were not sufficient, we would request the Army to provide buses, he said. Traffic fines were amended in 2005 and the recent amendment was effected after 13 years. During the 13 years the economy developed and salaries increased. As such the traffic fines revision was fair, the minister said. Those who object to the new traffic fines want to get away from being punished after committing traffic offences. Therefore, traffic fines are reasonable and there is no need to change them." Meanwhile, ACPBWA convener U.K. Kumararatna Renuka said 80 per cent of the private buses stopped work. Only 20 per cent of the private buses were operated. Ten per cent were operated under the influence of bus owners and the remaining ten per cent was operated to earn their daily income. Most of the buses were operated by the bus owners, he said. Mr. Renuka said the private buses which were operated by the owners, were not concerned about the new traffic fines and pointed out the people in nine districts, including Galle, Matara, Aluthgama and Matugama, were affected by the work stoppage. He said they will continue with the work stoppage until the President intervenes in resolving this matter. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama) Video by Susantha, Damith Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana Pix by Kushan Pathiraja Britain, the most powerful industrial nation was a pioneer in protectionism Economics is not an easy discipline. As a friend recently pointed out, take out the references to real world examples and all you are left with are hard to remember, harder to apply equations. Sure, thats a given in any profession (its the job of the professional to appear smarter than his/her client, lets not forget), but its particularly infuriating in economics owing to the fact that this is, after all, a field that has real world implications. Foggy, obscure, sometimes obscurantist, as a discipline it has been subjected to myths and falsities which by being repeated and promoted over and over again have acquired the status of honest-to-god-truth. Probably thats why Ive learnt to put up with my distrust of economists. On June 19, Advocata Institute, an independent policy think tank based in Colombo, dedicated to economic development through free markets, hosted a lecture titled Capitalism in Asia and What It Means for Sri Lanka delivered by the inimitable Razeen Sally. Professor Sally, as those who have attended his seminars (in particular, his Night Watchman lecture, What makes a classical liberal?), is in favour of free markets and less red tape and has displayed a general aversion to the Left (which explains his belief that in Sri Lanka, public and economic policy has been permeated by socialism). The June 19 lecture was no different, and it was more of the same, but it compelled an interesting riposte from an outfit calling itself (tongue-in-cheek) the Avacado Collective, which challenged the Professors worldview in clear, concise, convincing terms. Advocata is dedicated to free markets. So is Professor Sally. Like all advocates of free markets in the subcontinent and the developing world in general, they espouse the gospel according to Smith, Ricardo, Say, and Malthus, the fathers of classical political economy, believing it to be the only way out for the problems of our societies. But free markets are not always free and free trade is not always fair. There are myths attached to these theories and philosophies which have come to define the trajectory of economic history in the West. Myths paraded as truth The Sri Lankan economic experience, post-1977, has mostly been that of promises made and broken by administrators, of powerful industries being sold to the free market in the name of efficiency and eventually being turned into worthless replicas of their former selves. (Does anyone remember, as the Avacado Collective does, the Werahera CTB Workshop and the Thulhiriya textile complex?) But consider that it is not just in policy seminars that myths have been paraded as truths, and that they have formed what we assume to be the only economic reality, one which a good part of the world has rejected. We are still stuck in the golden era of classical liberalism. Of course, this is just one way of looking at the issue. There is another way. A recounting of history. The history of capitalism, free markets, political economy, and classical liberalism, as gleaned from the transition from the manor to the market. Why capitalism developed in Western Europe, no one has fully ascertained. It was born in the 16th century and was the child of the Reformation and the Enlightenment. It accelerated in the 18th century through the use of technologies that were invented by, as Professor Ha-Joon Chang points out in his perceptive work Economics: The Users Guide, practical men of good intuition. It accelerated more so when Europe began colonising the rest of the world, forcing the conquered countries to enter into trade agreements. India was virtually castrated here; as Will Durant once wrote, there would not have been an Industrial Revolution were it not for the resources plundered from the Crown Colony of the Empire: From Plassey to Waterloo, 57 years, the drain of Indias wealth to England is computed by Brooks Adams at two-and-a-half to five billion dollars. This dualistic economy, of mass exploitation on the one hand and minority privilege on the other, was supplemented by a State that was all powerful and had a vested interest in the continuation of unfettered industrialisation (given that the parliament was populated by industrialists). In fact there was very little that was free in the market: as Fernand Braudel, the eminent historian, has observed more than once, capitalism was the product of large corporations and monopolies vying for power against each other, and not of the eternally touted image, projected in textbooks today, of islands of small shopkeepers in a perfectly competitive market. Britain, the most powerful industrial nation was a pioneer in protectionism. British Government intervention Paradoxically, then, there wouldnt have been capitalism in Western Europe without the State, that harbinger of bureaucracy which horrifies free market advocates today. British Government intervention, which picked up after Robert Walpole became the first Prime Minister, provided tariff protection and subsidies to strategic industries, a method resorted to by the Miracle Economies of the 20th century. (When I come across tirades hurled at the land ownership scheme of the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Government, I can only smile at the irony, given that while that regime limited land ownership to 10 hectares, Japan, Taiwan, and Korea, which were geographically larger than ours, limited it to as little as two or three hectares) Classical liberalism, with its emphasis on property rights and economic freedom, was born of all this. But liberalism, more specifically liberty, is a notoriously hard to define term, and in the early days, it had a different connotation. Again, I refer to Braudel; he traced its evolution from liberties, which was the liberty of powerful groups wielding hegemonic power over a multitude to liberty. Unfettered capitalism, through this, gave rise to unfettered individualism, which then gave rise to a dilemma: if everyone is free, how will society survive? "Why capitalism developed in Western Europe, no one has fully ascertained. It was born in the 16th century and was the child of the Reformation and the Enlightenment" Rene Descartes seemingly resolved the issue as follows: individuals are parts of a whole, and so, if the part is to survive, the whole must too. The interests of the part had to, in other words, coincide with the interests of the whole. From the 17th century then, Western society not surprisingly hardened its attitudes towards elements of society which could not maintain the unity between the one and the other: right until the Middle Ages, the peasantry had been sanctified (Christ, after all, was the son of a carpenter), but in the heydays of capitalism, they would be demonised. Hence the workhouses, capitalisms equivalent of Stalinist gulags, which crop up so harrowingly in Dickenss novels. The rise of classical liberalism over these decades could not have been a random affair. Sri Lankas largest shipbuilder, Colombo Dockyard PLC (DOCK), which operates in collaboration with Japans Onomichi Dockyard, saw its net losses widening during the April-June quarter (2Q18) amid rise in costs and slowdown in income from its main business activitiesshipbuilding and repairing. The net loss for 2Q18 widened to Rs.142.1 million from a net loss of Rs.36.5 million reported for the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The loss per share further deteriorated to Rs.1.98 from 51 cents. On quarter-on-quarter basis also the losses widened as the net loss for 1Q18 stood at little over Rs.120 million. But DOCK was able to narrow its losses significantly during the December quarter (4Q17) to just Rs.192, 000. However, during 2Q18 the group was able to increase its top line by 11 percent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs.3.5 billion, although gross profit fell 34 percent YoY to Rs.279.9 million due to higher cost of sales which rose 18 percent YoY to Rs.3.2 billion. The fall in the global oil price hit DOCK hard as building of offshore support vessels for oil platforms was the companys specialty. DOCK had to cancel or renegotiate most of the orders placed for such vessels by customers with the fall in oil prices. DOCK Chairman Toru Takehara in last years annual report said he didnt expect a recovery in the shipbuilding market over the short and medium-term. He said DOCK would focus on building niche, high-tech ships as a coping strategy, until the demand for its popular offshore support vessels return to normalcy. He also noted that despite the recent uptick in oil prices, which is largely due to production cuts from OPEC countries, another year or two would pass before the demand picks up again globally for offshore support vessels. The company is also aiming to bag contracts for cable laying vessels for telecommunication and power transmission, wind farm support vessels, liquefied natural gas storage, bunkering and re-gasification vessels and pilot station vessels. DOCK celebrated its 44th anniversary on August 1, this year and the company said its shipyard has repaired over 10, 000 vessels and build 245 new ships since its inception in 1974. Meanwhile, a segmental breakdown of business activities during the first six months of the year (1H18) showed both shipbuilding and repair segments recording lower revenues compared with the previous year. The shipbuilding business recorded revenue of Rs.2.6 billion for 1H18, down from Rs.3.8 billion reported for the same year last year. The segment reported an operating loss of Rs.39.9 million against an operating profit of Rs. 113 million. The ship repair segment reported revenue of Rs.2.5 billion against Rs.2.8 billion a year ago and saw its operating profit coming down to Rs.374.6 million from Rs.731.9 million. The heavy engineering was the only business segment that reported positive growth during the quarter under review, with revenues of Rs.621.2 million, up from Rs.360.7 million a year ago and, operating profit of Rs.160.6 million up from Rs.98 million. Japans Onomichi Dockyard has 51 percent stake in DOCK and the government collectively own about 35 percent of the company through various state-owned institutions. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Indian prime minister and BJP stalwart, passed away on Thursday. He was 93. Vajpayee was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in June. Vajpayee, who had been ailing for long, retreated from active public life over the last decade following the deterioration of his health and remained restricted to his residence. In a medical bulletin, AIIMS said: It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former prime minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at 5.05 pm on 16.08.2018. Shri Vajpayee was admitted in AIIMS on 11.06.2018 and was stable in the last 9 weeks under the care of a team of AIIMS doctors. Unfortunately his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems. Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today. We join the Nation in deeply mourning this great loss. A host of leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the BJP patriarch at AIIMS. Modi met the doctors and enquired about the well-being of Vajpayee. He also met his family members, according to an official statement. BJP veteran L K Advani, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Amit Shah, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Health Minister J P Nadda and Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan were among those who paid a visit to the ailing leader. Born in 1924 in Gwalior, Vajpayee became the first non-Indian National Congress PM to serve a full five-year term. He was first exposed to the political sphere during the Quit India movement in 1942. Within five years since then, he became a full-time RSS Pracharak and, due to his oratory skills, he soon became the face of the Jana Sangh (which is today known as the BJP). Vajpayee was arrested between 1975 to 1977 during the Emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. In 1977, Vajpayee became the external affairs minister in former PM Moraji Desais Cabinet. Even in those days, he was the partys star speaker. His first stint as Prime Minister lasted only for 16 days (from May 16-31, 1996) and then again from March 19, 1998 to May 13, 2004. Vajpayee, whose parliamentary experience spanned over four decades, had been a Member of Parliament since 1957. He was elected to the Lok Sabha ten times, and twice to the Rajya Sabha. In late 1998 and early 1999, ex-PM Vajpayee tried to mend differences with Pakistan by pushing for a full-scale diplomatic peace process with its neighbour. With the historic inauguration of the Delhi-Lahore bus service in February 1999, Vajpayee initiated a new peace process aimed towards permanently resolving the Kashmir dispute and other conflicts with Pakistan. The 1999 Kargil war proved to be vital for the Vajpayee-led government. Pakistan troops infiltrated into Indias territory in Kashmir valley and captured the control of unmanned border posts in 1999. Vajpayee took a firm stand, leading India to victory in Kargil and forcing Pakistan to withdraw their troops from Indias territory. In 2002, a US diplomat revealed that Vajpayee stood firm on Indias demand for unconditional withdrawal of Pakistani troops and his then counterpart Nawaz Sharif buckled to Washingtons diktat. In spite of the war, Vajpayee also made efforts to boost the bilateral ties with Pakistan. A voracious reader, Vajpayee was widely known and respected for his love for poetry and as an eloquent speaker. He was conferred Padma Vibhushan in 1992 in recognition of his services to the nation. He was subsequently awarded the Bharat Ratna, Indias highest civilian award, in 2015. (The Indian Express) Vajirarama Dhamma School in 1920s seed that was planted with good intentions as far back as 1895 has grown into an impressive tree today. It is one of the biggest assets this country possesses and needs grooming. No other Buddhist country could claim what Sri Lanka offers in this regard. The system of temple based formal Dhamma education for school-going children started with Vijayananda Dhamma School, established at Weliwatta, Galle on August 03, 1895. It was a felt need at the time because Buddhist children were left in the lurch even in general education by both the colonial Government and the Christian missionaries. Since then we saw a steady growth in the number of temple based Dhamma schools during the 20th century. According to the Performance Report (2016) of the Department of Buddhist Affairs there are 10,712 Dhamma Schools registered with the Department, with 2,195,956 students and 124,817 volunteer teachers, a ratio of one teacher for eighteen students. I find that the student teacher ratio is the same as in Government Schools. The table below gives details of the student population according to grade with aggregation at Kindergarten (Grades 1 and 2) Primary (Grades 3-5), Junior Secondary (Grades 6-9) and Senior Secondary (Grades 10 and 11) levels according to published data provided by the Statistics Division of the Ministry of Education and the Performance Report of the Department of Buddhist Affairs for the year 2016. The strength of Dhamma School education is very evident from this data. As is evident from the Table above, it is very heartening that 84% of Buddhist children in the Kindergarten, Primary, Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary levels (i.e. grades 1-11) are enrolled in Dhamma schools. A micro-study in a few Dhamma schools indicated, however, that there is a disparity between the number enrolled and the number attending, which is far less. Moreover, when we take absolute figures the number of children in grades 1-11 not even enrolled in Dhamma Schools is nearly 400,000. The number not enrolled has been analysed further in the Table above for any remedial action. Accordingly, the highest percent not even enrolled were from Senior Secondary grade (30%) followed by Junior Secondary (28%). The highest enrolment was in the primary level, viz., grades 3, 4 and 5. Religious education, unlike when the writer was attending school, is compulsory in all government schools. Besides, some major religions have their own religious schools. However, when one appraises what is happening today in the society outside one gets the feeling that something, somewhere is wrong. Many may be more knowledgeable of their religion but could we state with all sincerity that we have achieved the objectives of religious education. The Most Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera in his writings had emphasised that more than imparting knowledge, what was required in a Dhamma School was character building of the children. Towards this the Ven. Mahanayaka Thera formulated five principles, which are reproduced below: 1.Observe the five precepts always and endeavour to observe the Eight Precepts on full-moon Poya days; 2.Encourage to respect the Sangha, parents, teachers, and elders; 3.Train to sustain a simple lifestyle and to promote good neighbourliness; 4.Develop restraint, good behaviour, and a sound knowledge of the Dhamma; 5.Produce a generation of students who are kindled by devotion to the Buddha-Dhamma, inspired by what is indigenous, motivated by national pride, and enlivened by a love for ones language. Staff of Vajirarama Dhamma School The bane of this pleasant land of ours is not the dearth of good people, nor the dearth of good ideas and proposals. These are in plenty. It has been a good practice to appoint special committees and Presidential Commissions to study specific issues or problems and make recommendations. However, when recommendations are made after spending much time, energy and resources they are usually pigeonholed for all times. No one cares even to read them, far from implementation. With changes in government, or even ministerial portfolios and officers, these reports are buried forever. Presidential Commission In 2001, a Presidential Commission was appointed of members of the Sangha and lay persons to make recommendations for the uplift of the Buddha Sasana. I too was a lay member of that Commission. Item (i) of the terms of reference was to make appropriate recommendations for a positive change of direction after comprehending the current situation relating to Buddhist bhikkhus and lay society, which is often stated to be in the decline. A comprehensive study was made and its recommendations are at Chapter 8 of the Commission report. Among the many recommendations made were those pertaining to Dhamma education in ordinary schools and Temple based Dhamma schools. A translation of three relevant paragraphs is given below. 8.14 We recommend that there should be very close relationship between the teaching of Buddha Dhamma in daily schools and Dhamma schools. The Commission is of the view that a suitable solution could be found if this issue is addressed not from the point of view of institutions but from that of students. We recommend very broadly that a common syllabus should be developed giving priority to imparting Dhamma knowledge in the daily schools and on developing Buddhist practices and wholesome life-skills for leading a moral life in the Dhamma schools (Emphasis mine). If this recommendation is implemented the Buddhist children in daily schools will attend Dhamma schools without fail. Vajirarama Dhamma School. "Religious education, unlike when the writer was attending school, is compulsory in all government schools. Besides, some major religions have their own religious schools" Moreover, it will be possible for daily schools to continue having two periods for religious education without increasing the number of periods as is recommended in paragraph 8.12 above. Another positive outcome would be to improve the subject knowledge received from text books used in daily schools. When preparing the text books for respective grades it will be possible to do it in an integrated manner. Children will also get an opportunity to enhance their Dhamma knowledge and be of service to others by activities like receiving basic knowledge of the Pali language, by reading additional books relevant to Buddha Dhamma and practicing meditation. 8.15 As a corollary to the recommendation made above, we recommend that there should be a revision of the scheme of examinations for Dhamma schools. Holding of examinations for all grades above grade six annually by the Colombo YMBA and issuance of certificates has resulted in students developing a sort of examination phobia. Compulsory schooling ends at the age of 14. Taking this factor also into consideration we recommend that it will suffice if the Colombo YMBA holds only the examination for the 9th grade of Dhamma schools. Like at present the Dhamma School Final Examination and the Dharmacarya examination should continue to be held by the Commissioner General of Examinations. 8.16 As a motivation for students to attend Dhamma schools, it is recommended that Principals of Dhamma schools should allocate about one hour, divided into periods, to impart Dhamma education in the English language. This should be done after grading the students according to their proficiency of English. If there is a difficulty in obtaining services of a competent English teacher on a voluntary basis, a fund may be created with contributions by parents to pay such a teacher. Sixteen years have lapsed since the recommendations of the Buddha Sasana Presidential Commission. With regard to grade examinations of Dhamma Schools the Department of Buddhist Affairs and the Sasanarakshaka Mandalaya have replaced the Colombo YMBA in conducting the examinations. According to the Performance Report (2016) of the Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs, Rs. 17.5 million has been spent on holding examinations that year. For printing of Dhamma School text books the expenditure has been Rs. 150 million. These are only direct costs. A similar amount or more would be the expenditure by the Ministry of Education. Dhamma education has become a mere subject that is assessed by a system of examinations at great expense both in time and money. Change The time for change has come and the responsibility to bring about that change is not that of ministries or departments, but the members of the Maha Sangha who invariably are Principals or Advisors of Dhamma Schools. The Ministry and the Department should be facilitators of that process. One area they could concentrate on and find resources is to establish in every district in collaboration with all other stakeholders a residential training facility for volunteer teachers of Dhamma schools. A ten-day training module should be developed to enhance training skills according to age of students, for building up awareness of the role of Dhamma School teachers in society and for providing a good grounding on Buddhist practices and wholesome life-skills for leading a moral life, a challenge faced by modern day school-going children. The management of the Siri Vajirararamaya Dhamma School, celebrating its centenary year under the stewardship of the Most Venerable Titikunamale Ananda .Mahanayaka Thera has pioneered measures to orient the Dhamma School in the required direction. The structure of the Dhamma School was examined and a new constitution was adopted with a clear vision and a mission based on the five principles enunciated by the Most Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera referred to earlier. Programmes are being conducted for teachers, parents, and students separately to build awareness of their respective roles. 26 teachers were provided a three day befriending programme to build competency in understanding the problems faced by children. Teachers in the primary and the junior secondary and senior secondary sections were provided training separately on the psychiatric needs of a growing child and the use and abuse of modern technology. A counselling / befriending unit was set up since with free access to students and parents. We believe that Dhamma education should be built on a firm foundation and this should be the focus of early education. Accordingly, the first two grades of the primary section are taken as a separate unit. A syllabus was developed after identifying the skills a Buddhist child in the 5-7 age group should be having through guided practice e.g. correct way of salutation to the Buddha, parents, elders etc., correct way of addressing elders, importance of sharing with others and good neighbourliness, undertaking small tasks with responsibility, use of Buddhist terms, good health practices, ability to identify good and bad actions. There are no tests, written or otherwise, but the development of the child to meet basic standards of competence with individual attention will be the responsibility of the teacher in charge. Teachers are expected to build correct rapport with the children in their respective classes and monitor progress after identifying each childs strengths. Another important event was the introduction of the Sati Pasala, which has been translated into English by its initiators as Mindful School, into the morning Buddha vandana session of the Dhamma School. Several training sessions were held at the Siri Vajirarama temple of which one was conducted by Most Venerable Uda Eriyagama Dhammajiva Maha Thero himself, the initiator of the Sati Pasala programme. In the Foreword to the book Mindful School introducing this concept, the Maha Thera has made the following remark. We wish to introduce Mindfulness as a wholesome life skill that will benefit students in the classroom, when interacting with teachers and other school authorities and with their families, neighbours and friends. We should not confuse mindfulness in this training exercise with developing mindfulness as a factor of enlightenment. But as the Most Venerable Thera has pointed out it is a wholesome life skill that could be further developed and will always stand in good stead. Life as a child is undoubtedly the best part of a persons life. Dhamma education is to relieve stress. If on the other hand it makes a childs life more stressful with examinations and competitions, I feel that we have lost our mark. We should aim at making the life of a child richer through Dhamma education. It should be a via media between formal and nonformal education, with a bias towards nonformality. 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." Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attend the ceremony marking the 73rd anniversary of Japan's unconditional surrender in World War II in Tokyo, Japan, Aug. 15, 2018. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) Eriko Ikeda, chairwoman of Women's Active Museum on War and Peace (WAM), Japan's only museum focused on wartime sexual violence against women, receives an interview with Xinhua News Agency in Tokyo, Japan, Dec. 19, 2016. (Xinhua/Yan Lei) Nobuo Okimatsu , a 93-year-old World War II veteran, receives an interview with Xinhua News Agency in Kumagaya, Saitama, Japan, Aug. 22, 2017. (Xinhua/Deng Min) On a proposal made last month by Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake, the Colombo Municipal Councils Standing Committee on Finance has approved a 125% increase on the basic allowance being paid to councillors, CMC member Sharmila Gonawala said yesterday. She told Daily Mirror that the basic allowance of the 119 councillors would be increased to Rs.45 000 from the previous Rs.20 000. It is unfair to double the basic allowance of councillors because finally it is the people who have to foot the bill through their taxes. While there are many burning issues such as dengue and garbage disposal in the Colombo Municipal limits, it is unjust to increase the allowances of councillors, she said. Ms.Senanayake rejected these claims and said she had proposed an increase on the basic allowance of councillors by Rs.25,000 considering the issues faced by them having considered the low salaries being paid as peoples representatives. She said in making this proposal she had considered the less privileged councillors which mainly included youth and women who were willing to work hard to improve the Colombo MC limits. Rs. 20,000 is a small amount. A member cannot even pay his or her public transport for a month with this. It is necessary to provide these members with a sufficient allowance to be motivated to work more efficiently, Ms. Senanayake said. (Kalathma Jayawardhane) The Joint Opposition (JO) yesterday said it was ready to take legal action against UPFA Secretary and Minister Mahinda Amaraweera for giving his 'personal' opinion on the Opposition Leader's post claiming it as the party's opinion. Addressing a news briefing, MP C.B. Ratnayake said Minister Amaraweera had given his personal opinion to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on the matter of Opposition Leader's post without consulting the UPFAs Executive Council. This is a personal opinion of the UPFA Secretary as other Executive Council members have not been consulted. We are ready to take legal action in this regard, he said. Meanwhile, MP Udaya Gammanpila who addressed the briefing said the UPFA Executive Council had not been convened in over a year. He said JO Leader Dinesh Gunawardane and UPFA MPs Susil Premajayantha also represent the Executive Council but they had not been consulted over the decision taken with regard to Opposition Leaders Post. (Lahiru Pothmulla) Military strength should be maintained above 150,000 Countrys military needed to face not only internal threat but also external threat PM should be next candidate There are corrupt Police officers harassing my people No point in complaining to Law and Order Minister Just because these people are doing political work for us, the Police are throwing them behind bars. They are innocent, having families with children. The Police get hold of them, plant some drugs or cartridges and arrest them. If it is more than two grams of drugs, they will end up in jail for life. That is very sad When I undertake visits to the national parks as the Subject Minister, a lot of my constituents seek to come with me to see wild animals. Then, a few youths get into a vehicle and follow us. A group came with me to Wilpattu recently in this manner. There was an accusation made by one media channel. I was accused of keeping underworld figures as my bodyguards. That is nonsense. After that, the Police started going after these people. I know for sure these people are not involved in any criminal act now. If they wanted to do what the Police do now, they could have introduced some drugs and sentenced my people to life. It never happened. Today, we are unable to control these corrupt Police officers. Wildlife and Sustainable Development Minister Sarath Fonseka shares his views on politics and responds to allegations about harbouring underworld criminals. Excerpts: Q How do you view the current political situation? The political situation continues without any major event. The Government will continue to operate. The Opposition is also weak although they try to make a hue and cry, criticizing the Government. They have their own skeletons in the cupboard. They cannot forget what they have been doing in the past. The Government can continue. There is no problem in the United National Party (UNP). Yet, the Government will have to deliver during the next one-and-half years. People are not happy about what has been going on for the last three years. People indicated their displeasure at the last Local Government Elections. Q In what areas did the Government fail in your view? The Government was unable to look after the interests of their supporters, who were ill-treated during the previous regime. They were expecting job opportunities, grassroots level development work etc. There are people who put their maximum effort to unseat the previous regime. If these people cannot get their problems solved, they will not be happy. Q The Government is to launch Gam Peraliya Programme to revive the rural economy. Are you happy about it? Gam Peraliya is ok. We are trying to fathom what kind of development work we can do. There are some suggestions from the Treasury and the Finance Ministry. Some of these things are not applicable to our areas. Q Like what? If you take the Western Province, projects such as electrification and tank renovation are not applicable. Here, the requirements are different. In Gampaha, we do not want electricity. We want water. We cannot renovate even playgrounds in our area with just Rs.1 million allocated. We can only mow grass with that amount of money at a playground here. Any repair will cost at least Rs. 10 million. Q You broke ranks with the previous ruler citing several reasons. Today, you sound unhappy with the present system as well. Not that I am unhappy. Everybody in the Government is unhappy. Everybody has understood the shortcomings I just mentioned. Our complaint against the last Government was that they were corrupt. There were a family rule, dictatorship, and nepotism. There was no freedom for the Judiciary, the Police, and the Elections Commission. We have to put these things on right track. Actually, there are problems at the grassroots level. Q I am asking about your concerns then and now. How do you compare and contrast? What I just mentioned are the complaints against the previous regime. Q The present Government is also facing corruption charges. Isnt it? The bond issue is the only thing against the present Government. We cannot go on talking about it the whole time. It is one case. Action has been taken against it. Just because of one case, we cannot say the whole Government is corrupt. There was unlimited corruption at that time under the last Government. Q Recently, you told the media that the Rajapaksas did not arrest your supporters on false charges of keeping drugs, but on the contrary, it happened today. What is the message you tried to convey? We have given freedom to the Police. There is the Police Commission. There is no political interference. But, we have lost control over the Police. As a government, we have to ensure that the Police, Judiciary or any organization operate in the right direction if we give them freedom. If some corrupt DIGs are doing all sort of irregular, unruly things, it will have a lot of adverse effects. There is a bunch of Policemen. They are trying to do politics. They are harassing our supporters. They are on a political agenda. The Government should be able to stop this nonsense. If the Government cannot stop these things, I will say, at least, the Rajapaksas had control over the Police, though they did some wrong things. For the right thing or the wrong thing, they had control over it. We have lost control over it. That is what I am complaining about. Q Does it mean that the Rajapaksas were better than the present ones? They had control. Whatever it is, we were the opponents of the Rajapaksas. They arrested a lot of my people. Some people were kept behind bars for four months, others for 400 days. But, if they wanted to do what the Police do now, they could have introduced some drugs and sentenced my people to life. It never happened. Today, we are unable to control these corrupt Police officers. Just because these people are doing political work for us, the Police are throwing them behind bars. They are innocent, having families with children. The Police get hold of them, plant some drugs or cartridges and arrest them. If it is more than two grams of drugs, they will end up in jail for life. That is very sad. If the Government cannot stop it, then there is a problem with the Government. Q In your view, who is instigating these things in the Government? I have not suspected anyone in the Government so far. There are political forces in my area that is Kelaniya. I am suspecting an SLFPer there. He has got hold of some corrupt Police officers ranging from the DIGs to Inspectors. Already, there is a DIG, who was sentenced to death. Two other DIGs are in remand jail. I am not blaming the whole of the Police Department. There is 10-15per cent of corrupt people there. They will do anything for money, alcohol and food. Q The present Inspector General of Police (IGP) is accused of doing politics by the Opposition. What is your view of him? I do not know whether he is politically biased. I know there have been some complaints against him. If these sorts of things happen in the Police, the IGP has to take the blame. He is not controlling it properly. Q Is it because he is inefficient or politically biased? I know him as a middle-rung Police Officer at that time-in 1990s; he had worked as an SSP. He was a very good Police Officer at that time. Yet, in his present status, there are people critical of him obviously. Some people must be having valid reasons to be critical. If the Policemen behave like this, I have to blame the IGP and others down the rank. He is a good man. I have nothing against him. qAt that time, you were surrounded by the Army Commandos as your guards. Now, some politicians accuse you of hiring underworld criminals to guard you. What do you feel in this regard? No civilian is guarding me. I have the Police guard for me. There are 17 Policemen. Five of them are from the Special Task Force (STF). They give me security wherever I go. In the Kelaniya area, there are some elderly and young people. They had faced charges in the past. Some had been exonerated even. None of these charges are related to drug dealing or anything. Some people had been involved in cases like fisticuffs and shootouts. That is the past. Once I went to Kelaniya, people of all sorts are supporting me. There are criminally charged persons, who contested the elections from the UNP and got the highest number of preferential votes once. There is one in Ratnapura. After that, he was sent to the gallows. There are MPs against whom there are numerous charges. Everybody has the right to do politics. We cannot chase them out. Interestingly, when I undertake visits to the national parks as the Subject Minister, a lot of my constituents seek to come with me to see wild animals. Then, a few youths get into a vehicle and follow us. A group came with me to Wilpattu recently in this manner. There was an accusation made by one media channel. I was accused of keeping underworld figures as my bodyguards. That is nonsense. After that, the Police started going after these people. I know for sure these people are not involved in any criminal act now. Q Didnt you raise this matter at the Cabinet or with Law and Order Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara? I spoke to the Minister on a number of times. One day, he got down STF DIG M.R. Latheef and told him about this. The very same day, Latheef went and arrested a person. Another one was arrested after four or five days later. Complaining to the Minister did not do any good for me. I had made complaints to the Minister four times. Today I met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and complained to him. I requested the Prime Minister to assign the CID to do investigations. The Prime Minister asked me to give it in writing. I will give a letter to him. The Prime Minister promised me to direct the CID. I have faith in the CID. Q In your view, who should be the next presidential candidate? It must be Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. He is our party leader. I was fielded in 2010 as the candidate. That was soon after the war. The UNP was down at that time. Nobody had the courage to contest at that time. If I did not come forward, Mahinda Rajapaksa would have won uncontested virtually. Last time, I had a discussion with Mr. Wickremesinghe. Every time, I met him, I asked him to contest. He did not contest. He wanted the common candidate for his own reasons. I had 375,000 votes for my party at that time. I had 17 Provincial Councilors. Q What are the chances of winning? If the party works hard, it is possible. I have told the Prime Minister. In certain areas, he has to change his attitudes. Q Like what? He must get involved with grassroots level politics. He should look into the interests of electoral organizers. If he does that, he can ensure that he will win. Q The UNP is relatively weak in the Sinhala majority areas. What do you propose to correct it? The UNP must start improving certain areas. We must have the Buddhist monks organization and get it more and more involved in the party matters. Some of our organizers are not active in villages. Q President Maithripala Sirisena is also interested in contesting next time. What do you think of him? If he is interested, he will be contesting representing his party. We cannot support that party anyway. We have to support the UNP candidate. Q In the north, there are talks about the possible resurgence of the LTTE. As the Army Commander who led the military to win against the LTTE, what is your assessment? We eliminated the LTTE. We created the background for peace and reconciliation and to develop those areas. Some development has taken place. It is not enough. There are some Tamil politicians trying to play it to the gallery. They still try to talk about separatism. That cannot be allowed. Sinhala people in the south will not agree to that. As for power devolution, we will have to go for a referendum if it is to be done. The majority of the people are against it. Tamil people are interested in economic development not in politics. We have to know what the people are asking for. We should meet the requirements of people, not of the politicians. Some Tamil politicians talk about removing the military from the north. We cannot give into such pressure without any basis. You cannot remove the military from the country. Q Is there any need to downsize the military? The military needs presence everywhere in the country. You cannot say the military must be in the south not in the north. Downsizing is not required in my opinion. In my personal view, the minimum strength of the Army should be maintained above 150,000. It is not only an internal problem. The countrys military must be ready to face any threat including the external threat. Singapore is a very small country. They have a military force of three million personnel though. Every citizen is trained to fight. They are not mobilized, though. The total removal of the military from some areas in the north should not be done. I have heard the Army Commander boasting about the reduction of land occupied by the military, handing over land back to people and closing down so many camps. That is stupid. You cannot be so proud that you close down every camp and hand over every inch of land back to people. We must study, listen to people on the ground and do a proper assessment. Q Does it mean that you are not in agreement with the latest release of militaryoccupied lands? You must not do it due to political pressure. You must do it methodically. Now the Army Commander is trying to please the politicians by pulling out the military. I hear from some of the ground Commanders that some are not happy about the way he is closing down camps. That is a problem. Q The Army Commander must be doing it at the orders of the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces who is the President. Isnt it? It is not the duty of the Army Commander to please the bosses all the time. The Army Commander is responsible for the security of the country. Q Can he ignore or disregard the President as the Defence Minister? Politicians are not educated on military deployment. They do not understand it. Long ago, in 2002, I was the Jaffna Commander. I was asked by the Government to close down some areas of the High Security Zones. I was a Major General at that time. I refused it considering the security situation. Q Today, you are with those who governed at that time.. That is a different thing. Now, they have accepted my way of doing things. President Maithripala Sirisena in his discussion with railway TUs had stated that a Special Commission would be appointed to review the salaries in the entire Public Sector, not just the Railways Department, Cabinet Co-Spokesman Minister Rajitha Senaratne said yesterday. Accordingly, the proposal made to President Sirisena by Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera to appoint a Commission, which includes experts of each sector, was approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday. Minister Senaratne told the Cabinet briefing that said the commission should be appointed immediately and added that issues relating to the salaries of Public Service would be solved through the Commission within two months. Q: The Railway trade unions are saying the Governments decision to establish a Commission without giving a specific solution to their issue, is a wrong decision. They are also warning another strike. A: This is what stated by President Sirisena during the discussion with them. They had called off the work stoppage accordingly. Q: Is it fine if Cabinet decision is not be implemented upon the rejection of the Ministers? A: The Cabinet has taken a policy decision. However, according to that mechanism, a salary hike should be given to the other sectors of Public Service, which are of the same grading. Q: Will there be no salary hike in the middle of the year? Has the Government decided to increase salaries only through a Budget? The Finance Minister has said so. A: The government has not taken such a decision. Maybe he is referring to a ministerial decision. Q: Will Railways employees wait for two months to get their issues resolved? A: Is not it possible to wait for another two months as they stayed up until now? Q: Will 6/2006 circular be changed in this procedure? A: Many issues have been created due to it. The salaries of all the sectors in public service should be increased if salaries of one sector are increasing. It is very unsuccessful. Q: Have calculations been made on the loss incurred due to strike by Railways Department? Can it be recovered? A: It cannot be recovered in such a way. However, media has made some calculations on the loss and had published them. Q: What will happen to the National Salaries and Cadre Commission with the establishment of this new Commission? A: The new Commission will be appointed temporarily. (Dayana Udayangani) The Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) has called for an explanation from its former chairman Prof. Colvin Gunaratne in connection with the baseless statements he had made against the functioning of the SLMC, the GMOA said today. GMOA Secretary Haritha Aluthge told a news conference that the SLMC had written to Prof. Gunaratne asking him to clarify the statements he had made to the media. He said Prof. Gunaratne should do so immediately and pointed out that all the allegations he had levelled were false and baseless. He claimed the primary objective of the Medical Ordinance was to safeguard the rights of patients, but however it was catering to the needs of the doctors because of the SLMCs composition and that 16 out of the 25 members of the SLMC were elected from trade unions of doctors, Dr. Aluthge said. These statements are not true. Prof. Gunaratne has been a member of the SLMC for many years, even before his appointment as its chairman. However, he kept silent all these years despite having had the opportunity to correct whatever shortcomings if any, he said. Meanwhile, GMOA Assistant Secretary Naveen de Soyza asked why there was a delay in appointing a new chairman for the SLMC even though the resignation of Prof. Gunaratne had been approved. (Kalathma Jayawardhane) UDA Chairman Dr. Jagath Munasinghe and SLTDA Chairman Kavan Ratnayaka exchange MoUs in the presence of SLTDA Director General P.U. Rathnayake (extreme right) and USAID Acting Mission Director Elizabeth Davine-Easton (third from right) Pic by Waruna Wanniarachchi Plans to cut investment approval time by half SLTDA plans to partner with over 40 State agencies By Nishel Fernando The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) this week partnered with the Urban Development Authority (UDA) to expedite the investment approval process by streaming it to cut down the project approval time period by half and reduce costs. SLTDA Chairman Kavan Ratnayaka and UDA Chairman Dr. Jagath Munasinghe formalised the agreement on behalf of the two entities at Ramada hotel Colombo. Despite the establishment of a one-stop shop at the SLTDA in 2010 to facilitate tourism projects, the investment approval time period remains excessively lengthy, where an investor would have to wait 244 days on average to receive the approval for a project. In addition, the approval process of tourism projects includes 12 line agencies, such as the UDA, Central Environmental Authority (CEA), Coast Conservation and Coastal Resources Management Department (CC and CRMD), in addition to 31 other state agencies, local authorities and Divisional Secretariats. The SLTDA data indicated that its one-stop shop was only able to successfully facilitate 326 tourism projects between September 2010 and June 2018, out of 604 processed projects, while 10 to 20 projects have been rejected. When you see the number of approvals with various agencies, some investors run away, said SLTDA Director General P.U. Ratnayake. He noted that the UDA was the first entity partner, which would be followed by the CEA, CC and CRMD and others. Under the agreement with the SLTDA and UDA, the two agencies are expected to re-engineer the existing process of both agencies targeting investor convenience, enhanced efficiency and effectiveness under two phases: interim solutions with possible improvements and fully re-engineered automated process. He said that the IT departments of the SLTDA and UDA would commence working on setting up a common online platform to streamline the approval process. He noted that once the approval process is fully streamlined according to the agreement, the average number of days required for the preliminary clearance would reduce from 59 days to 25 days, while the number of days required for the development permit process would reduce from 100 days to 30 days and the number of days required for certificate of conformity would reduce from 85 days to 30 days. Dr. Munasinghe emphasised that the UDA is leading the way in terms of efficiency, granting the approval for physical developments and noted that the UDA has fully automated its processes as the UDA only accepts online applications from May onwards. The initiative was facilitated by the USAIDs Supporting Accelerated Investment in Sri Lanka project, which has been closely working with the SLTDA and UDA to support development of the agreement and the streamlining of overall investment process, in an effort to improve efficiency and reduce the time and costs for investors to obtain the approval for their projects. Sri Lanka set a target to increase the room capacity to 80,000, from 37,929 rooms as of 2017, nearly doubling the number of rooms, as the country expects to welcome 4.5 million tourists by 2020. The SLTDA expects 5500 new rooms would come into the market this year, while around 3500 rooms have been added to the existing stock so far this year. Yatila Wijemanne, Chairman & Co-Founder, and Manjarie Tissera Wijemanne, Deputy Chairman & Co Founder of CBH Lands (Pvt) Ltd Land as an asset has been valued for centuries. Property ownership is seen as a social status marker as well as a secure investment at times of need. Real Estate is increasingly becoming the most attractive investment option, as the land value continues to rise not only in the urban areas but also expanding to the rural areas. However, the predicaments of investing in land is the strenuous process of finding the most suitable land for ones need, the legal and documentation process as well as the credibility of the company and the assurance of value for money. This hardship is completely addressed by CBH Lands through their in-depth knowledge of real estate, commitment to offer the best in the market and highly skilled teams who efficiently handle every step of the process. Mainly based in Kurunegala and Homagama, CBH Lands are also available in other suburbs. The main plots in Kurunegala are diverse in landscape which also include paddy field - facing plots and river - facing plots. The lands are selected at rapidly growing real estate hot spots that will ensure an increment of land value over the years. For instance, Kurunegala will be a focal location in the Central Expressway which is due to be completed by 2019, reducing travel time to Kurunegala to a mere 1 hour from Colombo, thus ensuring a high return on investment to buyers. CBH Lands is probably the only real estate investment house in the country, which is not only involved in the sale of land, but also in real estate investment consulting. The company conducts the total process of purchasing, developing, plotting and selling real estate sites which are handpicked by the experts. Each land undergoes a process of thorough legal scrutiny and documentation clearance. The company also takes care of infrastructure which includes constructing the roads, tarring, constructing the drainage and sewerage systems, and obtaining electricity and water. CBH Lands goes the extra length to clear all documentation and approvals, which at certain points involve around 21 government institutions, thus providing the buyer with a completely clear land purchase. However, this does not sky rocket the land value, as plots are even available from Rs. 65,000/- per perch onwards at CBH Lands, which is made possible through the wide range of land options spread across the Kurunegala district. Purchasing land is a decision made with high consideration. Unfortunately the whole process discourages many potential investors. Therefore we established ourselves as a consulting house for real estate, and invest largely on obtaining the best lands and developing them to the highest capacity before sale, stated Yatila Wijemanne, Chairman and Co-Founderof CBH Lands (Pvt) Ltd. The wealth of experience owned by CBH Lands provides buyers with the kind of consultancy unavailable elsewhere. For instance, bulk buying of property for future disposal is a common real estate investment trend. However, most property owners face issues at the point of disposal due to unplanned fragmentation. CBH Lands offers guidance and a systematic block out system which ensures that the land does not lose its value to factors such as in-roads. Furthermore, CBH Lands has fast become a preferred company for first time investors, who seek advocacy in making the correct decision in their first real estate investment. All land plots available through CBH Lands are pre-facilitated, as they are invested upon by the company and further developed. The process is looked into much detail to the point where certain land plots have been declined at the time of transfer due to unavailability of clear documents. Moreover, lands that come through individuals claiming power-of-attorney are not facilitated by the company. These processes are in place to ensure the buyer with the much needed assurance of credibility and purchasing a clear land. Throughout the years of experience in the industry, CBH Lands has also initiated two schemes to benefit women working overseas and tri forces current and retired. We used to come across instances where the women working abroad, especially in the Middle Eastern countries, send money to purchase land, but when the final transaction is complete, often the husband or another family member requests the land to be written under their name. It also happens with the tri forces. We directly discourage this and take extra steps to ensure that the land is transferred to the person who actually pays for it. It is for these reasons that we established the Ranliyaand Ranawiruschemes, added Manjarie Tissera Wijemanne Deputy Chairman and Co Founder of CBH Lands (Pvt) Ltd. Investment in real estate out of Colombo is increasingly proving to be profitable, the best example being Galle. The wealth of CBH Lands in Kurunegala and other areas have attracted many potential investors who have seen the timely opportunity and promising rise of land value. The lands can be utilized as future endowments, second or holiday homes, development and re-selling or leasing, or as basic assets. CBH Lands attention to detail in documentation, skills and experience in development, excessive knowledge of the industry together with their consultancy offers a complete and seamless purchase of the best quality land. The Government of the United Kingdom in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched a project worth US$ 1.3 Million to support more than 2,500 people returning to their homes in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Batticaloa Districts. The UNDP in Sri Lanka recently entered into a partnership agreement with the Government of the United Kingdom to extend support for Sustainable Resettlement of recently released lands in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka, a statement issued by the UNDP said. Under this agreement, UNDP Sri Lanka will work in close collaboration with the Government of Sri Lanka to facilitate sustainable return, resettlement and integration of conflict-displaced persons, whilst strengthening institutions for equal and transparent access to services. The overall intended impact is to improve the wellbeing of conflict-affected communities in line with the Sri Lanka Peacebuilding Priority Plan, agreed by the Government of Sri Lanka and the UN to support long term peacebuilding and reconciliation, and the National Policy on Durable Solutions for Conflict Affected Displacement, he said. It said the project will help those returning to their homes in the Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Batticaloa districts by supporting livelihood opportunities in fisheries, agriculture and livestock, and facilitating access to local government services. It will also help families to rebuild their lives by promoting entrepreneurship through training in small business management, and by assisting in re-establishing community support structures and local civil society organizations, the statement added. Commenting on this project, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, James Dauris said The UK is very pleased to support the return by families to their villages. This is a crucial element of addressing the legacy of the conflict and contributes to the steady progress being made. There remains a lot to do and, as a partner with a firm commitment to working with Sri Lanka, the UK is supporting the rebuilding process as well as encouraging the Government to deliver on its commitments to the people of this country and to the international community, he said. The Sustainable Resettlement project will prioritise empowering women and youth, promoting diversity and inclusion, and reaching vulnerable and marginalised communities. Sri Lankas only natural flip-flop brand, Waves, opened its very first concept store at Colombos latest premium shopping destination, Marino Mall Colombo 3. The brand which brought flip-flops back to fashion, has carved a name for its trendy and colorful footwear. Not limiting to it, Waves has now added fashionable beachwear and unique beach accessories to their range of categories. Beach dates become much better with the new products which include Swim shorts and skinnies for ladies and men, jewelry, shawls, sunglasses, beach bags, beach spikers and inflatable floating holders. Styling up ones beach attire from tip to toe could not get more exciting and creative with the numerous patterns, colours and accessories available at Waves. The Make your Waves corner allows customers to create their own flip-flops, to highlight their unique personality. A variety of soles and straps are available to choose from, which one can mix and match to suit ones taste. The Waves concept store is open from 10 am to 8 pm at the Marino Mall 590 Galle Road, Colombo 3. White House says U.S. not to lift tariffs on Turkey even Brunson released 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. Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng on Wednesday stressed efforts to build the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area into a vibrant world-class bay area. Han, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the leading group on construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, made the remarks at a meeting of the group. "China should strengthen planning and guidance in the construction of the area to combine the advantages of different cities, and push for coordinated regional development," Han said. Policies that bring people benefits should be implemented, including providing better environment for Hong Kong and Macao residents to start businesses in the mainland, and reducing roaming fees by big margins in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao area, he said. Efforts should be made to attract global innovation resources into the area and build an international tech innovation center at the area, Han said. "Authorities should push the construction of the greater bay area within the framework of the 'one country, two systems' principle and strictly abide by the Constitution and Basic Law," he stressed. 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. Chinese delegation to visit US late August for trade talks China's Ministry of Commerce has announced that senior economic officials are set to visit the United States for talks on trade issues later this month. It says Chinese vice commerce minister Wang Shouwen will lead a delegation and meet with U.S. under-secretary of the Treasury David Malpass. Chinese authorities reiterated their stance of opposing unilateralism and protectionism in global trade and refuse to accept unilateral trade restrictions. Chinese officials called for talks and negotiations based on equality and mutual trust to ease the current trade tensions. By Imogen Birchard and John McGill 15 August 2018(CBC Radio) Trevor Chapman was forced to abandon his trailer park in Fraser Lake, B.C., as the wildfires around his home grew.On Wednesday, the British Columbia government declared a state of emergency. Over 560 fires are burning across the province and thousands of people are under evacuation orders.Chapmanspoke with As It Happens guest host Matt Galloway. Here is part of their conversation.Here is part of their conversation.At what point, Trevor, did you decide this is it, I got to get out of here?My son had called me and basically told me to get myself a truck and get out.What did it look like at that time?Once it flared up, it was really bad. And you know, living in a trailer park, where you cant get insurance on your belongings or anything like that, you basically have no choice but to pack and leave and hopefully its still standing when you return.What does really bad look like?Well, at 3 oclock in the afternoon its suppose to be sunny and 27 degrees. Well, it looked like midnight. The awful pink and red glow in the sky was enough to give your head a shake and go, Yeah okay, its time to go. [more] By Tom Whyman 15 August 2018 (VICE) What a gorgeous summer its been! What lovely, pleasant weather weve had! Normally the UK is aha wet and overcast, so its a lovely change that this summer will be remembered for horrible sickly yellow red beating down on you, stopping you from working, sleeping, eating, walking anywhere, doing anything, thinking straight; my muscles always ache, my skin itches, I cant think. Fuck off with it being this hot, fuck off.Anyway, long story short, Im glad the weather seems to have changed now. But perhaps, in a way, the heat is continuing to dominate. I dont know if youve noticed, but accompanying the recent heatwave there seems to have been a sort of upsurge in stupidity. Im not saying the UK was exactly a brilliant, gifted child before this, after all, is the country that did Brexit, that welcomed austerity, that voted David Cameron in as Prime Minister, twice. But over the last few weeks, things in British public discourse have been getting, astonishingly, even more stupid than they were before.Just try looking at the news, if you can bear it (at this point, its like watching a couple have a fight a few places across from you in a train carriage). Yes, I know that technically its silly season, so all the political journalists are pacing around their cells (or wherever they work) like hungry dogs looking for something to gnaw on, but Jesus fucking Christ if it hasnt been an unedifying spectacle recently. []There has been the odd noble exception, but in general, no one in the media seems capable of treating any of the issues they are dealing with, with the real seriousness they in fact deserve. And this is particularly frustrating given that all this has been unfolding against a backdrop where complete disaster for humanity as a species seems to be lurking just around the corner.Because as already noted above its been hot. Its been really fucking hot. Its been record temperatures in Europe hot. Its been 93 dead from fires in Greece hot. Its been Arctic Circle on fire hot. Its no longer possible to claim that man-made climate change is a problem were only going to have to worry about in a hypothetical future. Its here right now, and we are experiencing it. []Elevated CO2 levels arent even the only threat. Studies have shown that elevated heat levels impair cognitive performance as well.And so, it seems, we are becoming trapped in a sort of endless feedback loop of stupidity. Weve done one very stupid thing (wrecked the environment by burning fossil fuels), and this in turn is making us even stupider. That will breed more stupidity, which will presumably cause us to accelerate climate change further, which will make us still stupider, and so on, until eventually the stupidity becomes so intense that we all simply die. [more] By Clare Hennig 15 August 2018 (CBC News) Nearly 600 fires are burning across British Columbia, covering the sky in flame-coloured haze and blanketing the air with smoke.A provincial state of emergency has been declared.Dozens of evacuation orders and alerts are in effect in the north and central regions, affecting more than 20,000 people.In Burns Lake, in the central Interior, hotels are at zero vacancy, so anyone without a place to stay is being told to drive to Prince George, over 200 kilometres away.Fraser Lake Mayor Dwayne Lindstrom said Tuesday the smoky conditions and dark skies were unlike any hed experienced in decades living in the village, some 130 kilometres west of Prince George. By Ned Rozell 21 June 2018 FAIRBANKS (Daily News-Miner) Just outside my window here at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, workers are drilling into the asphalt of a parking lot using a truck-mounted rig. They twist a hollow bit 25 feet into the ground and pull up hard, clear evidence of why the blacktop is sinking.A few days ago, John Walsh gave a talk a few hundred steps from that parking lot. Walsh has spent 17 years in Fairbanks studying Arctic climate and learning about the latest physical changes in the far north. He is the chief scientist of the International Arctic Research Center and an expert on global warming as it applies to the Arctic and subarctic.Back in the parking lot, an engineer guiding the work watches the drillers hit clear discs of ice, about 7 feet below car level. The ice had been solid for centuries, maybe thousands of years, but the construction of a parking lot in the late 1990s is making it shrink. What used to be spruce trees and an insulating carpet of forest floor is now a layer of warm asphalt.Human-assisted or not, thawing permafrost is a slow-motion disaster happening now in most of northern Alaska. Unlike a hurricane or a flood, the loss of permafrost is silent, rarely dramatic, and never fatal. In the back parking lot, university secretaries and grounds crew workers will steer into different parking spaces and go on with their days.Even though they are dramatic in scale, the northern changes John Walsh described have the same subtlety. They happen far from where most people live and have not yet resulted in an emergency for most of the worlds billions.For example, sea ice was just not there in the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean this spring.That was new territory for open water, Walsh said. []One of the ironies is that it takes a disaster to wake people up, Walsh said, noting that climate researchers in Canada got a funding bump after a wildfire flashed through Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada, in 2016. [more] By Edwin Dobb 4 August 2018 (National Geographic) Two male lions had been killing cattle and goats for weeks. The Maasai herdsmen in Kenyas Osewan region had seen enough.Solve the problem by Christmas, the Maasai told the Kenya Wildlife Service in late December last year, or well solve it for you. We know how to kill lions, one young Maasai warrior said in Swahili during a heated community meeting, and he didnt mean only the spears that he and his fellow Maasai carry. He also meant poison, now a weapon of choice for herders who see lions as threats to their livelihood rather than the national symbols the wildlife service tries to protect.Kenneth Ole Nashuu, a senior warden with KWS, as people call the wildlife service, decided that the best solution was to relocate the lions from Osewan, north of Amboseli National Park, where theyd come in contact with grazing livestock, to a neighboring national park, Tsavo West. But first they had to be tranquilized.On Christmas Eve night Ole Nashuu and other rangers were joined by Luke Maamai, from the conservation group Lion Guardians. They climbed into a Land Cruiser, drove to a clearing in the bush, and parked. Under a big, bright moon, with lights off, they waited for the rogue predatorsyoung brothersto appear. []Contrary to the wardens theory about disrupted prides, the remaining male continued to prey on livestock. This time herdsmenpossibly not localdidnt seek outside help. They poisoned the male and the other female by lacing a goat or cow carcass with chemicals that killed the lions after they fed on the dead animal. By the time KWS heard about it and sent a veterinarian to investigate, the lions bodies had rotted. [more] 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 The 1967 bridge was considered innovative in its time, with its use of concrete around the cables. GENOA, Italy (AP) 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. . . . File photo/Xinhua The trade frictions with China initiated by the US administration will hurt other countries, and ultimately lead to a vicious tariff barrier that undermines global trading system, an official with Arkansas state in southern US warned, calling on both sides to double cherish the hard-won cooperation and properly handle the disputes. Arkansas has always been committed to fostering a good partnership with Chinese enterprises, Mike Preston, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, told the Peoples Daily. China is now the 5th largest export destination and the biggest source of imports for Arkansas, who has witnessed rapid development of economic and trade relations with China in recent years. We do our best to attract the Chinese investors and encourage our companies to invest in China. Walmart, the largest firm in Arkansas as well as the US, now owns more than 300 stores in China. Tyson Foods, also based in Arkansas, enjoys business prosperity in China as well, he said, adding that the commission is also pushing for more agricultural exports to China. The US official is very concerned about the US-started trade frictions, saying the US tariff policy could place negative impact on other countries and ultimately lead to a vicious tariff barrier that hurts global trading system. Arkansas agricultural exports will inevitably be severely impacted. With the rise in export prices of agriculture products, the farmers income will be reduced, Preston said, explaining that it is why they are paying close attention to the tariff policy of the federal government. The tariff policy will bring negative influence to multiple sectors, including trade relations, employment, consumption, commodity prices and peoples livelihood, Preston noted, adding the US-China trade frictions will hurt the interests of other countries as well. It has been proved by history that a trade war does no good to the economy of any country or the world, he said. There is no reason to start a trade war when interdependence matters so much, he pointed out. In recent years, more and more Chinese enterprises are investing in Arkansas, such as Shandong Sun Paper, as well as Suzhou-based textiles and clothing companies Ruyi and Tianyuan Garments Company. Over the past two years, these companies have invested a total of more than $1.4 billion in the state and created more than 1,500 jobs for local community, which is significant for Arkansas, a state with a population of about 3 million. In a belief that the priority of the state government is to introduce investment and create employment, Preston said Chinese enterprises have promoted Arkansas employment and economic growth, which is a win-win choice. The two countries should cherish the valuable close bilateral cooperation they developed over the past 40-some years, since they barely had economic or trade exchanges when the late US President Richard Nixon visited China in 1972, Preston remarked. I hope that China and the US could properly solve the trade frictions, and that would be the best for both economies, he said. As an important pivot connecting East Coast and the Midwest of the US, Pittsburgh in the state of Pennsylvania recently launched a direct flight route to Shanghai. To cater for Chinese passengers, the US airport not only specifically adds Chinese signs and prepares hot water, but also offers travel guidebooks and souvenirs to every Chinese tourist. In addition, Chinese-speaking volunteers are available at the airport, and Chinese tourists can take the tour buses immediately after landing at the parking apron. The Pittsburgh International Airport is the first US airport to exploit the fast-growing Chinese tourism market by opening regular chartered direct flights, according to CEO of the airport Christina Cassotis. This year, Pittsburgh has even launched a campaign to make itself better prepared for Chinese tourists. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald told Peoples Daily that Pittsburgh is the first medium-sized US city to launch a direct flight route to China. He believes that the cooperation will benefit not only the airport and the tourism sector, but also all business segments of the city. Speaking of the China-US trade frictions, the county executive admitted that they have no control over the White House decisions, but he believes economic and trade cooperation will benefit both sides. Michael Matesic, CEO of a foreign cooperation accelerator in Pittsburgh also expressed his hope that China and the US can properly handle the current difficulty. My Favorite Quotes Recent Quotes Portfolio Summary Your most recently viewed tickers will automatically show up here if you type a ticker in the Get Quotes box on the top of the page. A lot of my blog readers and social media followers know how I raved about the Dr. Morita sheet masks I hoarded from my Taiwan trip last April 2018. Along with sharing how I love these masks I also wished the brand will come to the country. Fast forward to 4 months later, Dr. Morita sheet masks is officially being sold here in the Philippines. A #drmoritamasksbuffet was held at the Manila House in BGC with beauty bloggers and vloggers going gaga over the masks. I was late so I wasnt able to join the fanfare but glad they saved me a pack of he best-selling Dr. Morita Hyaluronic Acid Essence Masks with collagen from Japan Aside from that here are the five other facial sheet masks available in the Philippines : Dr . Morita Intense Hydrating Serum Facial Mask sustains long-lasting skin moisturization afforded by Japanese Hyaluronic Acid. Hydration is delivered efficiently to the different layers of the skin thanks to large, medium, and small Hyaluronic Acid molecules. This makes sure even dry skin types get the moisture it needs for a longer time. It also contains skin-caring Niacinamide, Allantoin, Squalane, and Ceramides. Morita Intense Hydrating Serum Facial Mask sustains long-lasting skin moisturization afforded by Japanese Hyaluronic Acid. Hydration is delivered efficiently to the different layers of the skin thanks to large, medium, and small Hyaluronic Acid molecules. This makes sure even dry skin types get the moisture it needs for a longer time. It also contains skin-caring Niacinamide, Allantoin, Squalane, and Ceramides. Get multiple skin care benefits with Dr. Morita Triple Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Essence Facial Mask. Its large, medium, and small Hyaluronic Acid molecules deliver lasting hydration to all layers of the skin. Its also a great anti-aging and brightening treat for your skin. Among its 11 Amino Acids are Arginine, which brightens skin by repairing visible skin damage, and Glycine and Proline which help smooth fine lines and wrinkles. Dr. Morita Whitening & Moisturizing Essence Facial Mask makes it possible to whiten your skin without drying it out! Hydrating Japanese Hyaluronic Acid combines with Mandelic Acid imported from Germany. Mandelic Acid is one of the gentler Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) around, making it a great option for easily sensitized skin. This also contains various plant, flower, and root extracts to soothe, hydrate, and brighten skin.. Looking for something new? Try Dr. Morita Platinum Colloid & Hematite Extraction Whitening Black Facial Mask. Japanese Tranexamic Acid and multiple herb extracts whiten while Hyaluronic Acid gives deep hydration. Treat your skin to Iron-rich Hematite and Obsidian Extracts, known to have toning, regenerating, and strengthening properties. Antioxidant-rich Platinum Colloid helps your skin fight aging. Give your face a luxury treatment with Dr. Morita Platinum Colloid & Black Pearl Extraction Moisturizing & Whitening Black Facial Mask. Hyaluronic Acid hydrates while Platinum Colloids antioxidant content prevents skin from premature aging. Black Pearl Extract has been part of ancient Chinese medicine and skin care for good reason: calcium-rich pearl powder has been known to help detoxify, promote cell renewal, and enhance skin elasticity. Care for your skin while getting whitening benefits from Tranexamic Acid and multiple herb extracts. You can find Dr. Morita sheet masks in Watsons and SM Beauty for Php74.00 each locally distributed by Gentro International Products, Inc. Stay gorgeous everyone! Sharing is caring ! Facebook Pinterest Twitter LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Skype Reddit Tumblr Print Email If you were looking for a more reprehensible proponent of the worst of Republican ideology than Michigan Attorney General and Republican nominee for governor Bill Schuette, youd have to work pretty hard. But Bill Schuette, who seems to spend more time off the job than on, apparently used that free time to come up with someone who is a perfect match for his extreme conservative demagoguery to be his running mate. Yesterday, Schuette announced that he has selected Kent County Clerk and former State House Representative (2011-2016) Lisa Posthumus Lyons to be the candidate for Lt. Governor. Who is Lisa Posthumus Lyons (other than the daughter of former Lt. Governor Dick Posthumus)? Well, by now, youve probably heard about her characterization of public school teachers as pigs and hogs that should be slaughtered. But theres ooo-ooh so much more. So, lets take a look at some of her greatest hits. Wanted to exempt her husband from the new right to work law First, lets go back to 2012 when Michigan Republicans rammed through legislation during the lame duck session to make Michigan, the birthplace of the modern labor movement, a right to work (aka, Right to Freeload) state. Lyons, of course, voted for this terrible bill that was intended to kneecap workers and their ability to organize collectively for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. But she went further than that. She introduced an amendment that would have exempted her husband, a corrections officer, from the new law: State Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons, R-Alto, was among right-to-work supporters quoted in The New York Times on Tuesday, Dec. 11, saying this is the day that Michigan freed its workers. But she also proposed to add corrections officers to the list of public employees including police and fire not covered by the right-to-work law. The amendment was gaveled down and did not come up for a vote. When we talk about the brave women in police and fire we need to remember people in corrections, said Lyons, whose husband, Brad Lyons, is a corrections officer. These guys work in conditions that we cant even begin to imagine. Its not financial. Its philosophy. I am saying we need to treat our corrections officers that way we treat our police men and women and firefighter men and women. If youre confused about this, let me explain: Lyons lauded the bill as freeing workers but wanted to shield her husband from all of this wonderful freedom. Her reference to police and firefighters refers to the fact that they were already shielded from freedom, ostensibly because they have a powerful, unified voice that voters are sympathetic to, something that Republicans fear. If the words hypocrisy or liar pop into your head, youre on the right track. Supported guns in schools, daycare centers, churches, bars, and stadiums During that same lame duck session, Republicans went where few had ever thought to go before and passed legislation to allow the carrying of weapons in schools, daycare centers, churches, bars, and stadiums. Lyons, of course, voted to support that bill which was subsequently vetoed by Gov. Rick Snyder. Pushed hard to expand the Education Achievement Authority, the corporatist experiment on Detroit school kids Lyons, who has received $16,000 from the DeVos family during her time in office, once Chaired the influential House Education Committee. During that time, Lyons was one of the chief proponents of expanding the now-defunct Education Achievement Authority. Long-time readers of Eclectablog will recall that we blew the lid off of what was happening inside the EAA, the so-called school district for misfit schools, an education experiment on Detroit school children that was a catastrophic failure and that set back education in our largest city by decades. In an interview on WKAR, Lyons told the host that people opposing taking this tragically failed experiment on poor kids statewide were defenders of the status quo. In her rush to get this law passed (it never did), Lyons tried to hold the vote before MEAP testing scores were released, a move most saw as an effort to pass the bill before the continued failure of the EAA was documented even further through terrible MEAP results. In the WKAR interview, Lyons declared that its universally accepted that MEAP scores just dont adequately reflect student growth. Not only was this idea not universally accepted, MEAP scores were the yardstick by which schools were measured to see if they should be dumped into the EAA. Helped pass a law to benefit wealthy Republican donors During her time as a House Representative, Lyons also chaired the Elections Committee. In 2015, her committee passed a routine housekeeping bill that ended up becoming the vehicle for a new law benefiting Republican campaign donors. Heres how Brian Dickerson from the Detroit Free Press explained what went down: When Lyons committee voted unanimously to recommend its passage a week ago, SB 571 was a 12-page bill that reduced paperwork, but not disclosure requirements, for political action committees across the state. It had breezed through the state Senate with nary an objection from lawmakers of either party. But when it emerged from a Republican caucus room Wednesday evening, SB 571 had metastasized into a 53-page behemoth that included GOP-friendly amendments to 10 different sections of Michigans Campaign Finance Act. It was adopted by both houses late Wednesday night without a single Democratic vote or amendment, and after the Republican majority voted to clear the Senate chamber of Democratic staffers and lock the senators themselves inside. Gretchen Driskell, former State House Rep. and candidate for Congress in the 7th District, described it this way: Driskell said that SB 571 was a 12-page bill that grew into a 53-page bill in 10 minutes. We (Democratic legislators) had to pull our names off the bill because we didnt know what was in it, Driskell said. She said legislators learned the proposal will prevent local governments, school boards and library boards from providing information about bond and millage proposals. Its a huge problem when youre working on a local project. Citizens need to know whats going on, Driskell said. We tried to the block the bill but the rules were suspended and we werent able. Lyons, of course, voted for the bill. Made it harder for citizens to put things on the ballot Using her power in her position as the Elections Committee Chair, Lyons also championed a bill to make it more difficult for citizen-initiated referendums that allow citizens to make changes to the state constitution and to pass legislation when their elected officials refuse to do so. Heres Brian Dickerson again, describing how it was big oil and gas companies who were driving the anti-democratic legislation back in 2016: Current Michigan law gives such petitioners 180 days to collect the requisite signatures, but requires the state to recognize older signatures if a petitioner can prove the signer is still a registered voter. SB 776 would abolish the procedure for rehabilitating such stale signatures, making it more difficult and expensive for petitioners to meet the ballot initiative requirements. Who would want to make it harder for voters to place an initiative on the ballot? Environmentalists say the effort is being spearheaded by Michigans gas and oil industry, which wants to head off a petition drive that would ask Michigan voters to ban the use of horizontal hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, and prohibit the storage and disposal of fracking waste products. Indeed, four organizations associated with that industry the Michigan Oil and Gas Association, the Michigan Chemistry Council, the Michigan Manufacturers Association and the American Petroleum Industry provided the only testimony in support of SB 776 at a hearing held earlier this month shortly after Robertson introduced the bill (although Republicans are also interested in blocking a marijuana legalization initiative that threatens to draw young voters to the polls if it makes the November ballot). Republicans on Robertsons committee green-lighted the bill on March 8, and the full Senate passed it two days later on a straight party-line vote. Lyons committee took up SB 776 a week later, and it appears to be on a similar rocket sled in the House. Thanks, to Lisa Posthumus Lyons leadership, the legislation passed and was signed into law by Gov. Snyder on June 9th. Introduced a package of voter suppression bills And finally, right before leaving office in 2016, Lyons introduced a package of voter suppression bills during that years lame duck session that would require a photo ID to vote and eliminate the ability of those without a valid photo ID to vote a provisional ballot. Lyons introduced the three bills on November 29th, a hearing was held the next day, and then her committee passed it the day after that. The final version contained an appropriation which prevents voters from overturning through a ballot proposal making it democracy-proof. Fortunately, that bill did not become law because, if it had, it would put Michigan among the most regressive states in the country with regard to making it harder, rather than EASIER, for citizens to vote. So, there you have it. Bill Schuettes running mate Lisa Posthumus Lyons, a woman with a long legacy of some of the most reprehensible actions by a state legislator that you can find. Like I said, Bill Schuette chose someone who is a perfect match to his extreme conservative worldview. Its worth noting that Trump-loving Republicans are none too pleased by this choice. While Bill Schuette is an Ever Trumper who has been endorsed (in a tweet that misspelled Schuettes name) by Trump, Lyons, on the other hand, was once a Never Trumper. Heres what she wrote in a now-deleted a Facebook post in 2016: 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. Now that shes on the ticket, however, shes changed her mind. [CC image credit: Gage Skidmore | Flickr] A new way to think about time: Last week, fifteen newly arrived apprentices took up their studies at Glashutte Original's Alfred Helwig School of Watchmaking. They will focus on two major areas of interest: along with twelve students of watchmaking, three future toolmakers are looking forward to their initiation into an art that is both modern and rich in tradition at once. The new arrivals were offered a warm welcome at a festive inaugural event in Glashutte. The newcomers bring the number of apprentices learning their trade at Glashutte Original next year to more than 40. They follow in the footsteps of some 250 successful graduates who began their careers here in the years since 2001. In their first few days the members of the class of 2018 were introduced to the persons responsible for their training, and to characteristic features of the school. They also gained inspirational insight into the past and present of their craft, thanks to tours of the German Watch Museum Glashutte and the Glashutte Original manufactory. Glashutte Original This year's class is a colourful mix, as diverse as the tasks that await them: young women five watchmakers-to-be and one future toolmaker and young men from different regions in Germany chose the renowned training programme at Glashutte Original. One new student in particular, however, had to overcome a daunting challenge in order to join her classmates: an applicant from Taiwan had to sit a special examination in the German language before she could register for her apprenticeship at the renowned watchmaking school. Having cleared that first hurdle, she can now look forward, along with her 14 new colleagues, to taking the future of the art of watchmaking into her own hands. To secure the future of the craft, the Glashutte watchmaking industry has always placed great importance on comprehensive theoretical and practical training. Aware of its responsibilities in this regard, Glashutte Original committed to continuing this tradition with its own Alfred Helwig School of Watchmaking. In bright, well-lit classrooms, experienced instructors take advantage of state-of-the-art technology to pass on their tradecraft to their students. Glashutte Original Tomorrow's watch and tool experts also take part in a regular series of hands-on training sessions in selected departments of the manufactory, where they learn to make practical use of the knowledge and skills they have acquired. Thanks to the school's partnership with WOSTEP (Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program) the young graduates can also earn, in addition to their German leaving certificate, a Swiss diploma thus opening up international career prospects. In the coming months Glashutte Original will present its exceptional training programme to the public, once again in a variety of ways, so that in August 2019 the school can again welcome a great number of highly-motivated young people to the start of a new school year. 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 Ukraine's exports wheat mostly to Asia and the Middle East According to data by UkrAgroConsult, Asian and Middle East countries were leading buyers of Ukraine wheat in July, the first month of the new 2018/19 season. Positioned as one of the world's top wheat exporters, Ukraine sold a total of 17.2 million tonnes of wheat abroad in the previous 2017/18 season. Last month, Ukraine exported a total of 959,960 tonnes of wheat. The data also concluded that among the total volume of wheat exports, 103,973 tonnes went to Israel, who was the leading importer of Ukraine wheat in July. 90,650 tonnes of wheat went to the Philippines, 74,957 tonnes went to Egypt and 63,070 went to Italy. Additionally, Ukraine also exported significant volumes of wheat to Korea, Thailand, Morocco and Japan. Ukraine has almost completed the 2018 wheat harvest, threshing around 24.5 million tonnes of the commodity and the agriculture ministry has said the export of wheat is likely to total up to 16 million tonnes in the 2018/19 July-June season. Source: Reuters Russian-based companiesto increase beef exports from Mongolia As part of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI) and Tomsk Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a business meeting on was held on August 14. The meeting, which was held for the fourth time, took place at MNCCI and discussed opportunities in expanding cooperation and increasing export volumes between the two countries. General Secretary of MNCCI, E. Oyuntegsh said, "We are mostly exporting beef and horse meat to Russia. The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry reported that Russian import tariff on meat and value-added tax will be raised to 70% from January 2019 onwards." "We believe that the heads of our two countries will meet at Eastern Economic Forum that will be held in September and will an agreement on reducing tariffs on meat export and establishing a free trade zone," he added. Representatives from Tomsk city presented activities of their companies, business opportunities and expressed willingness to cooperate with Mongolia entities in the supply of wheat, seam, pastry and cabel. "The two Chambers of Commerce and Industry have been developing mutually beneficial cooperation for many years. At the meeting with the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry held on August 14, we expressed our interest to import beef from Mongolia," A.N. Belyaev, Head of Foreign Relations Department of Tomsk Chamber of Commerce and Industry, shared. He also noted, "Although there are barriers in import and export of meat and meat products, the issue is in consideration of the Governments of the two countries." Source: The Cattle Site Singapore firm plans to invest in Cambodia's aquaculture Lush Food Pte Ltd., a Singapore-based firm, has announced its intentions to build fish farms in Cambodia. Patrick Yap, managing director of Lush Food held a meeting this week, with Say Sam Al, Minister of Environment, to discuss an investment proposal. According to Mr. Yap, his intent is to breed quality fish to meet both local and international demands. "The project focuses on aquaculture, particularly national species as well as endangered ones, which will contribute to the preservation of the country's biodiversity," he explained during the meeting. Agreeing with Mr. Yap's sentiments, Mr. Sam Al alsoindicated his support for the project as long as it complies with national and international laws, specifically referring to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The minister added that the investment makes good business sense because of local fish demands and would aid the national economy while creating more jobs. In April this year, a Chinese-owned company, Jin Yu Tang Aquaculture (Cambodia) Co. announced plans to invest $100 million in freshwater and seawater aquaculture projects in Preah Sihanouk and Koh Kong provinces. The investment plan includes building fish farms in Koh Kong's SreAmbel district, which will spread over an area of 240 hectares and deep-sea breeding and hatching projects in Sihanouville'sKohRongSamloem island, which will cover 2,000 hectares. Last year, Cambodia's total fish catch equalled 856 tonnes, an increase of 6.7% from the previous year. Source: KHMER TIMES Talk of extending the length of the presidential term is gaining traction despite parliament recess Osama Heikal, head of Egypt parliaments Media, Culture and Antiquities Committee and a former minister of information, said in a recent interview he would support amending the constitution to extend the presidential term from four to six years. Heikal, who is also head of Media Production City, told CBC Extra News Channel last week that he would like to see a number of articles in the constitution changed. A number of articles need to be reconsidered. But when I and others say this we are immediately accused of wanting only to revise the length of the presidential term, said Heikal. The fact is the constitution has a lot of flawed articles, not just the one setting the length of the presidents time in office. According to Heikal, articles such as that stipulating the government spend at least 10 per cent of GDP on education, health and scientific research, are ill-conceived. Policies change and the government must be free to reduce spending on one sector in favour of another, said Heikal. Heikal said he has no objection to individuals holding the office of president for a maximum of two terms but wants to see the length of a term extended to six years. A four-year presidential term is all very well for a superpower like the US, but it is bad for a country like Egypt which lies in a very volatile region replete with terrorist threats and economic troubles, said Heikal. Egypt fell into a state of chaos in 2011, says Heikal, and the government was in disarray until 2014, the year when President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi was elected. Yet the constitution, which was also compiled in 2014, ignored this history. Instead of writing the constitution to reinforce stability, it was drafted with Article 140 on presidential terms which could cause instability in the future. Ashraf Rashad, head of the Future of Homeland Party, would also like to see the presidential term extended to six years. Parliamentary Spokesperson Salah Hassaballah told reporters that many MPs support the amendment of Article 140 and also the repeal of Article 103 which requires MPs to devote all their time to parliamentary work and prevents them from pursuing other activities. Salah Fawzi, a professor of constitutional law at Mansoura University and advisor to Parliamentary Speaker Ali Abdel-Aal, told reporters that no official requests had been submitted to amend the constitution. Those who support amending Article 140 believe that extending the presidential term will enhance economic and political stability and provide a better opportunity for the president to implement his development programme in a timely fashion, said Fawzi. Opposition leftist MPs oppose any changes to the constitution. They argue the real aim of any amendments is to strengthen the powers of President Al-Sisi and help him stay in office for as long as possible. Other MPs agree with Margaret Azer, deputy head of the Human Rights Committee, who argues that amending any of the constitutions articles is a sensitive issue and must be studied carefully. MP Ismail Nasreddin, a supporter of longer presidential terms, says that although many MPs would back the move there is as yet no organised campaign among them to force the issue. In an interview with CNBC in November 2017 President Al-Sisi said he is against any changes to the constitution. I am in favour of the two-term limit, with each term set at four years. Right now we have a functioning constitution and I am not for it being changed, said Al-Sisi. *A version of this article appears in print in the 16 August 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Four years or six? Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi approved a US grant on Thursday for boosting water security and improving water sanitation services across Egypt. Under the deal, signed in September 2017, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will offer Egypt a grant of around EGP 51 million to improve the country's freshwater and sanitation systems. The decree was published in the Official Gazette on Thursday. Search Keywords: Short link: By Jonathan Berr Extremely hot summers and brutally cold winterswidely understood to be effects of climate changeare likely to have a huge impact on the U.S. economy in the coming decades, according to a new analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond that overturns previous thinking on the topic. "[It] has generally been assumed that the economic effects of global warming for the United States would be relatively small," the Fed paper says. "[However,] rising temperatures could reduce overall growth of U.S. economic output by as much as one-third by 2100." To put that in perspective, the hundreds of billions in tariffs currently being imposed by the U.S., China and the European Union are estimated to reduce the U.S. economic product somewhere between 0.06 and 0.25 percent. A reduction in the economic growth rate is more damaging in the long run than a drop in economic output, the Richmond Fed writes, because "changes to the growth rate compound over time and, as a result, are more lasting." Southern states are the most sensitive to changes in summer and fall temperatures, the paper's authors found. Auto plants reduce production when temperatures rise above 90 degree, they noted. Services and the finance, insurance and real estate industries -- the two largest sectors in the U.S. economy -- are also hurt by higher summer temperatures. "More housing transactions take place in the spring and summer, perhaps because house shopping involves travel and outdoor activity," the paper said. "As temperatures rise, potential homebuyers may tend to stay inside, which could help explain the finding that higher summer temperatures negatively impact the real estate sector. Warmer-than-normal temperatures result in increased hospitalizations, creating more work and expense for the insurance industries, and also hurt agriculture, forestry, and fishing. But they can benefit other industries such as utilities and mining, which profit from increased energy use. The Fed's paper came to a similar conclusion as research published earlier this year in Science, which estimated that climate change could erase as much as 6 points off U.S. GDP by the end of the century. Climate change will also redistribute wealth as workers flee from hard-hit areas to more resilient ones. Temperatures this summer have continued to move higher. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, July was the third-warmest on average in the 48 contiguous states since record keeping began in 1895. Only 1933 and 2016 were warmer. The Carr Fire and Mendocino Complex fires in California have left a path of death and destruction in their wakes. After it ignited near Redding, Carr has destroyed 1,600 structures, damaged hundreds more and left six dead, causing more than $1 billion in total economic costs. Mendocino, the state's largest fire since 1932, has destroyed 143 structures. Greece and Sweden have also battled deadly wildfires this summer. Regions typically known for their temperate climates including Ireland, Scotland and Canada have also been battered this summer by higher-than-normal temperatures. Record highs have been recorded in Glasgow, Scotland, Denver, and Tbilisi, Georgia. "No single record, in isolation, can be attributed to global warming," according to the Washington Post. "But collectively, these heat records are consistent with the kind of extremes we expect to see increase in a warming world." Source: cbsnews.com 26 This Page Is Under Construction - Coming Soon! Why am I seeing this 'Under Construction' page? Gaza and Yemen emerge as Egypts major political and security concern in the weeks leading up to the UN General Assembly, set to convene next month in New York As the Eid holiday approaches Cairo is working to manage parallel conflicts in Gaza and Yemen. In recent days Cairo has been playing host to representatives of leading Palestinian factions with the aim of managing chronic Palestinian divisions and building a solid base for a sustainable truce between Israel and Hamas. Informed Hamas sources say some advances have already been made in bridging the gap between Hamas in Gaza and the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA). Egyptian and PA sources, however, are less forthcoming over the possibility of Egypt securing a deal between Hamas and the PA. We are working in good faith with the Egyptians and we are hoping that the PA will also be forthcoming. We are hoping to see a comprehensive agreement sometime soon, said Ahmed Youssef, a Hamas leader who spoke to Al-Ahram Weekly on the phone from Gaza. The most contentious point in the deal, according to both Hamas and PA sources, revolves around power sharing mechanisms between the two sides. According to Youssef, Cairo is working out the details bit by bit. Some points, he said, have been settled while others remain pending. A deal between Hamas and the PA is essential in the long term but not necessarily a prerequisite for the initial truce envisaged to be in force for five years between Israel and Hamas that Egypt is working on, say Egyptian sources. In the words of one Egyptian source, the priority is to make sure that Hamas and Israel are committed to a truce and of course we want to have the PA on board. However, we cannot keep this truce on hold while waiting for a full PA-Hamas agreement because, as is very obvious, the situation between Gaza and Israel is highly volatile. On Monday Israeli Minister of Defence Avigdor Lieberman said a conflict with Gaza is not about whether but rather about when. The past few days have seen high levels of tension that only declined after a speedy Egyptian intervention with the direct involvement of the UN. Regional and UN sources say that the situation remains very fragile. Egypt has been working hard, with an apparent green light from the US, to secure a long-term truce between Hamas and Israel in anticipation of the launch of a major economic/humanitarian plan to relieve conditions in the overpopulated and impoverished Gaza Strip. Exhaustive discussions were conducted in Washington in August during consecutive visits by the head of Egyptian Intelligence and the foreign minister. The economic/humanitarian plan is part of a larger political scheme that the US administration has been working on with its regional allies to end the Palestinian-Israeli struggle. However, due to the state of unpreparedness on the part of all the concerned parties it has been agreed to start with Gaza. I cannot say that the so-called deal of the century is off or that it is on the backburner. What is clear is more work is still required. It might come shortly before the UN General Assembly or it might not. Things are still cooking, said an informed regional diplomat. Egypt remains adamant in its refusal of the repeated Israeli suggestion Cairo take administrative control of Gaza. According to the same diplomat it has shown more openness, however, on what it could do alongside the UN and Hamas in connection to administrative and security arrangements related to the Gaza deal. Meanwhile, President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi has met with both the Yemeni President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Mohamed bin Zayed to discuss the situation in Yemen. On Tuesday Al-Sisi travelled to Saudi Arabia to meet King Salman and Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman in the city of Neom. Egyptian diplomatic sources say the meetings come against the backdrop of increased Houthi attacks against the Arab coalition supporting Hadis forces. Sources say Egypt is still committed to keeping Egyptian troops out of Yemen. The agreement now is that Egypt will have a bigger role in managing Red Sea security but the details will have to be discussed in the next few days, said an informed Yemeni source who asked for his name to be withheld. Egypt is a member of the Saudi-led Arab coalition that for four years has been fighting to reinstall Hadi and end the insurgency of the Yemeni Houthis who are supported by Iran. However, unlike other Arab partners, Egypt has no troops on the ground in Yemen though President Al-Sisi has repeatedly reaffirmed Egypts commitment to the security of its Arab Gulf allies, especially its closest political partners the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Riyadh has regularly been the focus of international criticism for its actions in Yemen. Last week it was accused of responsibility for an air strike that killed over 40 Yemeni children on a school bus. Saudi Arabia, says an informed Riyadh-based European diplomat, really wants to see an end to this four-year war but as far as the Saudis are concerned that can only come when Hadi is firmly ensconced in power. Saudi Arabia is particularly worried about the conflict ending while the Houthis are still in a position to challenge Hadi. It is not something the Saudis could countenance, given that Riyadh views the Houthis as the cats paw of its archenemy, Tehran. The Saudis have always been concerned about the influence of Iran in Yemen, which it sees as its backyard. Now, with the increased pressure the US is putting on Iran, the Saudis are growing concerned about how the Houthis will act against Saudi Arabia not only in its capacity as a regional adversary but also as a close ally of the US. Recent Houthi attacks and threats against Red Sea security are taken very seriously by the Saudis, said a Riyadh-based European diplomat. In a joint press conference with Hadi in Cairo on Monday Al-Sisi said that Egypt would not allow Yemen to be used as a power base for non-Arab forces. *A version of this article appears in print in the 16 August 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Dual focus conflicts Search Keywords: Short link: Morawa farmer and Nuffield scholar Katrina Sasse farms with her sister and brother-in-law on the family's 10,000 hectare property at Canna, growing wheat, lupins and canola. MORAWA farmer and Nuffield scholar Katrina Sasse spoke to a receptive male-dominated audience at the recent Farm Machinery & Industry Association (FMIA) annual general meeting and conference. Her comments on the challenges and opportunities for women in agriculture sparked a positive response from dealers keen to embrace women in all facets of machinery dealerships. According to Ms Sasse, speaking through the lens of a daughter in farming, daughters have an image problem. Theyre seen as daddys little girl who would make a farmers wife and be a mother, but not a real farmer, she said. From birth, girls are not socialised to become farmers and are pigeon-holed into a stereotype. The perception is that boys are born farmers and girls will marry, so who can blame you for asking: Do you have any sons to come back to the farm? Its an outrageous assumption because we need gender diversity in agriculture and for the family farm to be gender-neutral, where daughters get the opportunities to tinker with their dads and be taught about machinery and the farming enterprise. Ms Sasse gender equality for women included: To receive a fair-go; To have people talk business with them; To take an equal share of responsibilities; To be involved in decision-making; To remain flexible and able to manage domestic and family responsibilities as a team. She questioned whether there was an unconscious bias in the industry, citing an example of a female sales person struggling with the (male) perception that she doesnt know what shes talking about. One dealer replied to that remark saying he had a female employee from a farm who was very competent with product knowledge. Other dealers also commented about the competency of females they employ and expressed a willingness to employ more females, including as precision ag specialists. Ms Sasse said her overall aim was to build awareness about women in agriculture and break down stereotypes. PARENTS campaigning to save Moora Residential College (MRC) have cautiously welcomed the Liberal Party of WA's announcement it will keep the facility open if it wins the next State election. The Wheatbelt community began its relentless Save Moora College campaign in December last year following the State government's announcement it would shut the doors of the residential facility in 2019 due to budgetary constraints. State opposition leader Mike Nahan threw his support behind the MRC - the only country residential facility between Perth and Geraldton - at the WA Liberal Conference over the weekend, vowing to re-open the residential facility if the party gained power at the next election. Following Labor's backflip on its cuts to Community Resource Centres last week, Dr Nahan urged Premier Mark McGowan to reconsider his decision to close the college. "The McGowan government has been doing its level best to take the education sector backwards, with its cuts to Community Kindergartens, cuts to funding for the Landsdale Farm School and Herdsman Wildlife Centre, cuts to funding for a range of high schools across the state and closing the Moora Residential College," Dr Nahan said. "Just this week Education Minister Sue Ellery said parents should be able to choose where they send their children to school, while Minister MacTiernan claimed the government had listened to regional community concerns about the future of Community Resource Centres. "It's now time for the McGowan government to listen to the parents of the students of Moora Residential College, reverse their rushed decision and announce that it will be kept open." Central Midlands Senior High School P&C president Tracey Errington welcomed Dr Nahan's election promise, and said while the campaign was not aligned with any political party it was pleasing to have support from the opposition. However, Ms Errington said the decision was ultimately in the hands of the Labor Party, with the State election still several years away. "It's a good thing, at least we're getting support from the other parties in keeping it open," Ms Errington said. "Obviously they can see what a ridiculous decision it is to close it in the first place. "But we're not pinning our hopes on that because that's virtually three years down the track; if they get re-elected it's a promise that may or may not eventuate in three years time, but to come out publicly and say that they're going to commit that now is great. "We still have to get the current government to overturn the decision to make sure it's still there through continued funding." Ms Errington said the State government's decision to continue funding CRC's had given Moora campaigners some optimism on the future of the MRC. With the cost to keep the college open estimated to be in the vicinity of $500,000 according to Ms Errington, she hoped the government could find the funds to keep open the residential facility, which at present was home to 25 students. "It does give us hope, that CRC decision has taken 12 months to overturn and there are other decisions that have been overturned a lot quicker than that," Ms Errington said. "They really don't have any arguments left to close it." Education Minister Sue Ellery has hit back at Dr Nahan, blaming the Liberal Party of WA for not investing in the college when it held government. Ms Ellery said it would cost between $7 million and $11m to keep the MRC open, a price the government was not willing to pay. "Mike Nahan's costings are out of whack, his policy is out of whack, he is out of whack," Ms Ellery said. "Mike Nahan and the Liberal National government had more than eight years in which they could have funded and upgraded Moora Residential College, but it wasn't considered a priority. "He was happy to throw cash around - in fact his spending left us with the worst set of finances in history - but when it came to Moora Residential College he turned a blind eye." THE sheep industry has a phenomenal opportunity ahead of it to really establish Australian lamb as the premium red meat, according to Grower Group Alliance chairwoman Kelly Manton-Pearce. Ms Manton-Pearce made the declaration during her presentation at LambEx 2018 in Perth last week. But the opportunity had a few clauses. We need a whole of supply chain approach to ensure that we are producing the highest quality product possible, Ms Manton-Pearce said. We need the objective individual carcase measurement (that can be available through new technological advances) and we need really good quality feedback from our processors. We need to be doing everything right on farm and we need the financial incentives to do it. Ms Manton-Pearce discussed the importance of processors adopting the new technology to assist producers produce the best quality product for their markets. She said there were some trust issues between producers and processors and they could be resolved if there was more transparency and better communication and data sharing from processors to their suppliers. Its really exciting to hear that our industry is edging closer to having these devices to measure intramuscular fat and therefore eating quality and lean meat yield for individual carcases, Ms Manton-Pearce said. As processors actively embrace this technology the upside for us as producers is huge. Well go from just whole carcase weight and fat score data to getting lean meat yield, and eating quality data so data for traits that will truly make the carcase valuable. And if our processors implement these technologies we can get standardised feedback for our carcases. Ms Manton-Pearce said the technology would bring industry-wide conformity for carcase grading making it fairer and better for everyone involved. We shouldnt underestimate the power of this individual carcase feedback for our lambs for our business, she said. Well see how the lambs are performing, and we can use it to make and fine tune our breeding decisions and improve quality and productivity. The processors will be able to use it to determine the true value of our lamb carcases. If the processors can determine the economic benefit of rewarding and trading and marketing high-end lean meat yield lambs they can potentially start to upgrade their plant systems to incentivise the quality and perhaps market the brand quality based on these attributes too. Until the processors have this information and can demonstrate clear economic gain for trading and rewarding for quality we as an industry will not change. Ms Manton-Pearce was concerned about the industry maintaining its status quo. If that happened farmers would continue producing the biggest carcases that we can because thats obviously how we get paid the most money, she said. As farmers you are all acutely aware of the market fundamentals of our product right now its expensive, its not a stable food, its not an everyday purchase. But what is great about our product is the high regard that consumers have for our product, they are willing to pay for quality. Ms Manton-Pearce said lamb had no room for failure because it was too expensive not to perform. She said despite all the research and implementation of best practice principles, seven per cent of lambs were still failing to meet specifications. Forty per cent are either a good everyday, or failing and 59pc are a four or a five star, which is where our product needs to be and is guaranteed not to fail according to consumers, she said. Demand for lamb is growing the premium end of the market and consumers are demanding healthy, differentiated lamb with attributes. These are expensive products, they must be accurately graded and quality assured. At WAMMCO we cant actually meet the demand for antibiotic free lamb and we are increasingly being asked to provide grass fed product. They are actually two production systems that are quite hard to achieve in WA. For us (at WAMMCO) the high value market is the North American trade so for us to be able to use these devices will hugely benefit our core group members and confirm what we already believe is a really high level of satisfaction for WA lamb. Ms Manton-Pearce said in the future, with the implementation of the new technology, there could be a situation where there was no longer a premium price paid for the product, because the high-end became the new norm. There was also concern that processors might not use it to the benefit of producers and the only example to work off was the beef industry which had been measuring individual carcases for 20 years. Whatever these plants decide to do in the future it is going to be individualised for the plant, she said. It will depend on their markets, their supply, whether they are MSA. The second concern and this is wearing my processor hat is that we may see a potential backlash from producers not wanting to sell into these rewarding systems, instead selling in non-reward systems such as saleyards. This is, for me, due to a lack of confidence and trust between processors and producers mostly due to perceived high risk of penalties. So we as producers are going to need to see our data. We need to see how our lambs are performing, we need our feedback, we need to know if we need to make changes in our production systems so we dont occur penalties, just premiums, into the future. I think there will be a very good extension network around this data. When the industry starts giving it to us we are going to need to really understand how to use it properly. A Cairo Criminal court upheld on Thursday the decision to release satirical blogger Islam Refeai on bail pending investigation. Refeai was released by the court on EGP 2000 bail on Wednesday but the prosecution appealed the decision. A video editor known in the Egyptian social media as "Khorm or 7orm", Refeai is popular for his (+18) satirical posts. He was arrested in November 2017 by security forces and charged with spreading false news and joining the banned Muslim Brotherhood. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed with his French counterpart President Emmanuel Macron bilateral relations and the latest developments in the Middle East in a telephone call on Thursday, the Egyptian Presidency said. El-Sisi discussed with Macron a number of issues including the conflicts in Libya and Syria. The two presidents agreed on the need to achieve Libyan national recociliation in order to reach a political settlement through the efforts of the UN special envoy. El-Sisi and Macron also discussed the situation in Syria and agreed that the international community should work on finding a solution to end the civil war and safeguard the interests of the Syrian people. Search Keywords: Short link: Arcadia Power, a Washington DC-based developer of a nationwide digital utility, closed a $25m Series B funding round. The round was led by G2VP, with participation from ValueAct Spring Fund, McKnight Foundation, Energy Impact Partners, Cendana Capital, Wonder Ventures, BoxGroup, and existing investors. The company intends to use the new funds for the rapid growth in all 50 states, the expansion of its data science and engineering teams, and an acceleration of new flexibility services for utilities and smart home technology companies. Led by CEO Kiran Bhatraju, Arcadia Power operates a nationwide digital utility that connects everyone to clean energy and energy efficiency choices. The members have access to a mobile-optimized online dashboard where they can enroll in clean energy programs (Wind Energy, Community Solar, Price Alerts, Home Efficiency, Bill Pay), track their account activity, and view their energy usage all in one place. Founded in 2014, the companys a direct-to-consumer platform now integrates with more than 100 utilities in all 50 states and is used by more than 175,000 people. FinSMEs 16/08/2018 WebLinc, a Philadelphia, PA-based provider of commerce and operations management systems for high growth retailers, raised $6m in funding. The round was led by Montage Capital and Partners for Growth (PFG). The company will use the funds to expedite the scale required to meet the increasing demand for Workarea and Orderbot in North America and beyond, both from brands and top-tier commerce agencies which want to implement the products. Led by Darren C. Hill, CEO and co-founder, WebLinc develops digital commerce technologies for ecommerce-focused teams. Its cloud SaaS products, Workarea and Orderbot, power commerce experiences for retailers including Lonely Planet, Urban Outfitters, Inc.s brands Terrain and BHLDN, Reformation, The Bouqs, Do it Best Corp, Woodcraft and others. The company also has satellite offices in New York, Los Angeles, Vancouver and Toronto. FinSMEs 16/08/2018 RollKall, a Dallas, TX-based platform for managing and scheduling off-duty security officers, closed a $1.5m seed funding. The round was led by Founder Equity Fund and The Athos Group. The company intends to use the funds to expand its partner ecosystem, implement a new payment platform called RKPay, and fast-track strategic acquisitions. Founded in 2013 by Ben Poch, CEO, RollKall provides an off-duty management platform for security providers, independent coordinators, and law enforcement agencies. It connects off-duty officers to freelance security jobs to include thousands of officers from over 900 law enforcement departments across the United States. The platform allows them to work for multiple entities while ensuring compliance with their respective agencies and allowing full reporting back to the agency. FinSMEs 16/08/2018 . , . , 24 , , . . , , , ... By continuing to browse our site you agree to our Privacy & Cookie Policy. > Privacy & Cookie Policy I Agree 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 The United States imposed sanctions on a Russian port service agency and Chinese firms on Wednesday for aiding North Korean ships and selling alcohol and tobacco to North Korea in breach of U.S. sanctions aimed at pressuring it to end its nuclear programs. The U.S. Treasury said in a statement China-based Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co. Ltd and its Singapore-based affiliate SINSMS Pte. Ltd had netted more than $1 billion a year by exporting alcohol and cigarette products to North Korea. The department also sanctioned Russian-based Profinet Pte Ltd and its director general, Vasili Aleksandrovich Kolchanov, for providing port services on at least six occasions to North Korean-flagged ships. Kolchanov was personally involved in North Korea-related deals and interacted directly with North Korean representatives in Russia, the department said. "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," U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. The sanctions mandate that no U.S. citizen can deal with any of those designated in the order, and any of their properties in the United States "must be blocked", Treasury said. The United States has been pressuring North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program. Gao Ye, legal representative of Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading, said when asked for comment on the U.S. Treasury statement the matter was still unclear and the Chinese company had not received any notice. China's official Xinhua news agency said the United States needed to back off with the pressure on North Korea if it was serious about wanting lasting peace on the Korean peninsula. "Washington should be reminded that the 'maximum pressure' approach on Pyongyang is not in keeping with the current situation on the Korean Peninsula and it needs to consider easing sanctions," Xinhua said in a commentary. Such commentaries are not statements on official positions, but can be read as a reflection of government thinking. China has repeatedly said it fully and strictly enforces U.N. resolutions on North Korea, but that it also has a right to conduct what it calls "normal trade" with the country in areas outside the scope of the sanctions. China has also been angered by unilateral U.S. sanctions on Chinese firms and individuals. Search Keywords: Short link: 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. Related Newspaper editorials across US rebuke Trump for attacks on media The U.S. Senate on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution affirming support for a free press and declaring that "the press is not the enemy of the people." The non-binding resolution approved by voice vote was a rebuke to President Donald Trump who for more than 18 months has frequently called reporters "the enemy of the people." The resolution "reaffirms the vital and indispensable role that the free press serves to inform the electorate, uncover the truth, act as a check on the inherent power of the government, further national discourse and debate, and otherwise advance the most basic and cherished democratic norms and freedoms of the United States." The vote comes after more than 300 hundred U.S. newspapers on Thursday launched a coordinated defense of press freedom and a rebuke of President Donald Trump for denouncing some media organizations as enemies of the American people. "A central pillar of President Trump's politics is a sustained assault on the free press," said the editorial by the Boston Globe, which coordinated publication among more than 350 newspapers. Trump has frequently criticized journalists and described news reports that contradict his opinion or policy positions as fake news. He lashed out again on Thursday, tweeting "THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country....BUT WE ARE WINNING!" At a Senate hearing, Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai again said he did not agree that the press was "the enemy of the people" but declined to offer a view of Trump's anti-press rhetoric. "We swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution, including the First Amendment, said Senator Brian Schatz, a Democrat and an author of the resolution. "Today, every senator upheld that oath by sending a message that we support the First Amendment, and we support the freedom of the press in the face of these attacks." The White House did not immediately comment on the Senate action. Search Keywords: Short link: Police in the Milwaukee suburb of Cudahy had no idea what they were getting into when they pulled over a speeder on Aug. 9. But when they did a background check on the name that she gave them, Latoya Watson, it came up as the alias of Laquita Watson, 27, who was wanted for prostitution and contempt of court. And then things got wild. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the officers returned to the car to confront Watson and she took off, driving up to 80 mph through residential streets and swerving into oncoming traffic. Watson then made her way to Highway 794, made two illegal U-turns and hit 108 mph when other units joined in the pursuit. Watson then exited back onto local roads and continued driving at 90 mph and got away as police gave up the chase out of a concern for safety. The Journal reported that citations were issued in absentia and mailed to her last known address for driving without a valid license, insurance or seat belt, speeding, and both obstructing and fleeing from an officer. A district attorney will also consider a reckless endangerment charge and a new warrant for her arrest. Watsons not the first speeder on the run from Cudahy police. In July, officers pursued, but were unable to catch, another driver on a suspended license that ran from a traffic stop and followed a similar route to Watsons. Police were eventually able to find the car, whose owner, Charles Gereaux, told them hed lent it to Juan from the block for $150 for a trip to Chicago. After an investigation into the mysterious Juan turned up nothing, police decided to charge Gereaux instead. Massachusetts police are on the lookout for a stolen car that should be easy to spot. The distinctive 1932 Ford Tudor, black with red wheels and grille, was taken from a Dartmouth garage sometime between July 31 and Aug. 3, when its owner, Paul Levasseur, went inside and discovered it was gone. The crook or crooks likely slipped in through a window or door, according to Dartmouth police, who did not say if the structure had a security system. The owners wife, Brenda, told The Boston Globe that Paul purchased it about four years ago for $66,000. Even if there are a lot of 1932 Fords in your neighborhood, it wont be too hard to pick this one out. It also has red undercoating and a license plate that reads 88888. One woman posted to Brendas Facebook page that she thinks she saw it in a nearby town, noticing the tag number, but couldnt recall exactly where. Aside from that, the only other clue to its disappearance was a suspicious car with two men in it that was eyed by one of the Levasseurs neighbors around the time of the theft and pulled away as he approached it, according to South Coast Today. Dartmouth police are asking the public for any information about the crime. Mark Wahlberg was recently in Columbus, Ohio, to talk about his new Chevrolet dealership. While there, the actor met with media and shared his lifelong passion for cars. In fact, one of his first jobs was as an auto mechanic. As a teenager, Wahlberg did oil changes and tune-ups and even drove a tow-truck. Wahlberg also started fixing and flipping cars when he got his license. Wahlberg explained: "I had quite a few cars on my first policy when I was 16 1/2my insurance policybecause I bought a car for $200, fixed it up a little bit, sold that car, bought another car. And my mother was like 'What is going on? How are you getting all these cars?' " Wahlberg opened the Chevrolet dealership with business partner Jay Fieldman. Adding a Chevy dealership makes good sense for the actor. He's worked with Chevy on a number of his films, most notably as a star in the "Transformers" franchise. Wahlberg has also been making the rounds of the television talk shows, where he has tried to sell the hosts new cars. The story of his teen auto mechanic work has also been a topic of discussion on the talk shows. As for the first new car Wahlberg purchased when he started to make money with a recording contract as Marky Mark, he says it was a bad idea. While he could afford the Mercedes-Benz, he couldn't afford to insure the car. He still lived in a tough Boston neighborhood, and the locals enjoyed vandalizing the fancy ride. That included cutting open his roof and stealing his radio. That's less than ideal even with a proper insurance policy. Eventually Wahlberg could afford insurance, though, as his career took off rapidly from there. The rapper became a global sensation and also served as a model for Calvin Klein. Eventually he transitioned to acting, and he's been banging out feature films ever since. His latest is called "Mile 22" and is in theaters now. In it, Wahlberg plays an American intelligence officer on a dangerous mission. We don't think any Chevrolets are featured in the movie, but Chevy has an in for product placement in future Wahlberg films. The late Hugh Hefner lauded Playboy for promoting progressive causes, including sexual liberation, freedom of speech and transcendence from religious repression but life for his coveted Playmates wasn't always picture-perfect. Here are the once shining stars that fell hard by scandal and tragedy: Dani Mathers Theres an established concept that whatever you post online lasts forever. Mathers, the 2015 Playmate of the Year, clearly forgot about this rule when she posted a photo of a 71-year-old naked woman in an LA Fitness shower on her Snapchat story with the caption, If I cant unsee this then you cant either. Although Mathers quickly deleted the post and issued an apology soon after initial negative reactions, the story exploded and the social media mob consumed her alive. Aside from her thoroughly tainted reputation as a body-shamer, other elements of the fallout include a ban from all LA Fitness locations, three years of probation and relentless death threats. Stephanie Adams It was an unquestionable tragedy when Adams brought her 7-year-old son along for the fatal 25-story plunge from her penthouse room in Manhattans Gotham hotel in May 2018. She was 46-years-old. In the background of her fateful decision, the Miss November 1992 was plagued with personal woes, particularly a toxic relationship with her ex-husband from whom she was seeking child support. The final straw came two days before her death when she was in court with Nicolai and asked the judge if she could bring Vincent to Europe, where her boyfriend reportedly lived. The judge sided with Nicolai, who opposed the getaway and ordered her to turn over Vincents passport. Adams did not leave a note before pushing Vincent from atop the Midtown hotel and leaping after him. Dorothy Stratten Like any other Playmate, 20-year-old Stratten had the looks and the charm, but her ambition to make it big in Hollywood set her apart. Nothing could come of it, however, because her life was cut short when her estranged husband, Paul Snider, shot and killed her in 1980. Snider also shot himself. While Stratten only landed a few movie roles, she was the treasure of both filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich, with whom she had a romantic relationship with at the time of her death. [Playboy] thought she was going to be the biggest thing they ever had, said Dave Wilder, Strattens agent, in the Pulitzer Prize-winning feature on her death by Teresa Carpenter called Death of a Playmate. Carpenter personified Sniders predisposition to kill Stratten eloquently: One of the tacit tenets of Playboy philosophy that women can be possessed had found a fervent adherent in Paul Snider. She was Playmate of the Year in 1980 the same year she died. Cassandra Lynn When he first heard that his wife died after a night of binge drinking and cocaine use, Gary Hensley couldnt help but feel angry. What am I going to do? How am I going to raise the kids? Hensley asked. The circumstances of Lynns death in 2014 had little detail until Hensleys 2015 feature in the Washington Post. Hensley immediately went from stepdad to single dad as Lynn left him to raise two children who were not his biologically. The fact that Lynn was with the man shed been having an affair with for a while the night she died did not make coping any easier. Although Hensley seemed fairly adjusted to his newfound title, Dad, his emotions were still raw. I feel like theres this expectation, especially at 37, that youre going to, at some point, not miss her anymore, Hensley said. And I dont think thats the case. Ill always miss her. Anna Nicole Smith Eyebrows were raised in 1994 when a then 26-year-old Anna Nicole Smith married 89-year-old J. Howard Marshall, a billionaire as a result of his 16 percent stake in private conglomerate Koch Industries. The relationship was highly publicized, mainly because of speculation that she married him for his money, but Smith vehemently defended their courtship as genuine. When Marshall died the following year, a legal battle ensued for her claim of his estate against her stepson, E. Pierce Marshall. The case eventually led to two separate Supreme Court decisions supporting the ultimate ruling in 2010 that Smith had no right to her purported inheritance, which was originally valued at half-a-billion dollars. Even if Smith was awarded the money, she never wouldve seen it, however. In 2007, at 39-years-old, she died from a prescription drug overdose. Smiths passing came just five months after the death of her son from her first marriage, Daniel, which was also the result of an overdose. Daniels death reportedly hit Smith very hard, especially because it happened three days after the birth of her second child, Daniellynn. Yvette Vickers Besides being featured as the centerfold in the July 1959 issue, Vickers was known for starring in cult sci-fi B films Attack of the 50 Foot Woman and Attack of The Giant Leeches. She made headlines for a final time in 2011 when a neighbor found her mummified body in her Los Angeles home. "We've all been crying about this, said the neighbor. Nobody should be left alone like that." Police speculated she had been dead for around a year when they found her. Crystal Harris Like the broader modeling industry, the Playboy Mansion had significant turnover. In 2009, Harris moved into Hefners mansion to fill the void left by Hefners three previous high-profile girlfriends featured in reality television series, The Girls Next Door. Two years later, Harris was set to become his third wife but five days before the July 2011 wedding, Harris got cold feet. "The wedding is off. Crystal has had a change of heart," Hefner tweeted. The pair later reconciled and married on 2012 New Years Eve. Victoria Vetri Vetris Playboy days were a distant memory when she was charged with attempted murder in 2010 for shooting her husband, Bruce Rathgeb, in the back from close range. In her heyday, the 1968 Playmate of the Year was best friends with actress Sharon Tate, the most notorious victim of Charles Mansons cult killing spree in 1969. After the murder, renowned filmmaker Roman Polanski, Tates widower, was worried for Vetris safety and gave her a gun to protect herself from the elusive Manson family. Vetri was supposed to be at the Tate residence the night of the massacre but was not and therefore suffered life-consuming guilt as a result. Vetri used that very gun Polanski gave her 31 years later to shoot Rathgeb, who survived to share his now ex-wifes fascinating story of calamitous delusion. She thought I was Charles Manson, Rathgeb said in an interview with the Daily Mail. The now 73-year-old Vetri was convicted of attempted voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 9 years in prison. She could be released as early as May next year. Reality TV star Bethenny Frankels ex-husband questioned her parental judgment in the wake of the suspected drug overdose death of her boyfriend Dennis Shields and even suggested at a custody hearing Thursday that she may have her own substance abuse problems. It was reported that he died of an Oxycodone overdose. Our concern is while his death is very sad this raises serious concerns about Ms. Frankels parental judgment, said Robert Wallack, attorney for Jason Hoppy. Hoppy and Frankel divorced in 2016 and shared parenting time with their 8-year-old daughter Bryn. But Frankel has recently asked the judge for full custody of Bryn after Hoppy was charged with stalking his ex-wife. Wallack told Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Michael Katz that Dennis Shields spent a great deal of time with Bryn and even cared for Bryn at times when Ms. Frankel wasnt around. Considering Mr. Shields addiction what does that say about Ms. Frankels parenting that she would allow this person to care for her daughter? This doesnt just constitute a lapse in judgment this was just downright dangerous parenting, Wallack said. Meanwhile, Frankels eyes welled up with tears as she sat just a few feet away from her ex in the courtroom. Then Wallack referenced the Holidazed and Confused episode of Frankels Bravo show, The Real Housewives of New York that aired on May 30. There was a recent episode in which she appeared to be intoxicated, Wallack told the judge. She was running around without clothes on and then she passed out and it was said she passed out from mixing Ambien with alcohol. Our concerns are whether Ms. Frankel may have some type of substance abuse problems so we would ask the court to order drug testing of Ms. Frankel to find out whether thats an issue, Wallack said. The judge was skeptical of the claims noting that Hoppy had previously said he wanted to continue sharing custody of Bryn with Frankel. Now youre throwing grenades across the table, Judge Katz said. Still, he set a hearing to determine custody for the mid-March. Frankel, dressed in black, was wearing a large diamond ring on her right finger. Its been reported that it may have been an engagement ring from Shields, her longtime on-again, off-again boyfriend. Shields, 51, was found dead last week in his Trump Tower apartment. Sources said he lost consciousness after asking his assistant to administer Narcan an emergency antidote used to reverse an opioid overdose. This article originally appeared on Page Six. "Jane the Virgin" star Gina Rodriguez wants to use her fame for promoting causes that are close to her heart. The 34-year-old actress, born to Puerto Rican parents, opened up to Fox News about the importance of empowering women at the height of the #MeToo movement and how she is working to protect the rights of immigrants. I am all about human rights and thats what I stand for, Rodriguez told us at the P.S. 142 School in New York City. Every country has immigration rights, every country has borders every country does what America does, but we need to be humane. Rodriguez called the Trump administration's handling of immigration issues "devastating." "I am very vocal about being good to the human race, no matter where you come from, no matter what color or culture you are," she shared. The Chicago native recently made headlines after announcing she would be using her 2018 For Your Consideration Emmy campaign money to send an undocumented high school student to college. The CW star said she convinced her studio to turn the promotional cash into a four-year college scholarship for the young woman, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She got into Princeton! Shes incredible, Rodriguez said of the unnamed student who will now receive an Ivy League education. I have been very vocal about protecting immigrant rights... We have to create a space that is equivalent to what they say America is supposed to be. Rodriguez made history for the CW in 2015 after winning the network's first-ever Golden Globe for her starring role in Jane the Virgin. In the popular series, Rodriguez stars as Jane, a woman who has sworn off sex until marriage but finds herself pregnant after her gynocologist confuses her with another patient and artifically inseminates her. Rodriguez, who has previously said her character is "funny and brave," said Jane, like herself, would vocalize support for the current female-driven #MeToo movement in Hollywood. Prior to Times Up... we just didnt have any voice, she explained. Now we have a voice of all the women who are rising up and saying Youre not alone in this fight. And as a staunch supporter for both immigrant and female rights, the star recently partnered with Always Brand to help end period poverty, a crisis resulting in women not having access to the feminine product resources they need. I was aware of period poverty and I was aware of how it affected girls everywhere else in the world because there are third world countries that suffer immensely, but when I found that one in every five American girls leave school or miss out on school because they dont have period products I said that is bananas, she shared. Even $5 million wasn't enough to entice Jerry Seinfeld to return to TV. The comedian explained why he turned down NBC's offer of $5 million-per-episode to return for a new season of his beloved sitcom "Seinfeld." "The most important word in art is 'proportion,'" Seinfeld explained to the New York Times when asked if he regretted his decision to turn down the Peacock Network's generous offer. "How much? How long is this joke going to be? How many words? How many minutes? And getting that right is what makes it art or what makes it mediocre," the 64-year-old shared. The comedian has put his "Seinfeld" days behind him and prefers to focus on his new series "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee." When he's flipping through channels, he skips over a "Seinfeld" rerun. "I think theres a level of focus you need to get something to a certain point creatively, and you pay a price for that, which is you cant ever look at it again," he explained. The veteran comic also spoke about never apologizing for a joke in this era of political correctness. "Jokes are not real. People assume that when you say something that you believe it. Its purely comedic invention," Seinfeld said. "You know, I do this whole bit about Pop-Tarts and how much I love them. I dont love Pop-Tarts. Its just funny. Its funny to say it, so I say it." When asked about the controversy over "Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn's tweets about pedophilia, Seinfeld said we should forgive and forget -- if he was joking. "I didnt read the jokes, but if theyre jokes, it doesnt matter. I guess Roseanne Barr thought she was being funny, but it wasnt funny and if its offensive and not funny, then its not a joke. But any comedian that doesnt understand that dynamic, youre finished anyway." Jim Carrey opened up about his hiatus from Hollywood on Wednesday and said his plan was never to join the industry, but to destroy it. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Carrey said he faded from the spotlight for years because he just didnt want to be in the business anymore. I didn't like what was happening, the corporations taking over and all that. And maybe it's because I felt pulled toward a different type of creative outlet and I really liked the control of painting of not having a committee in the way telling me what the idea must be to appeal to a four-quadrant whatever, Carrey said while promoting his new Showtime series Kidding. JIM CARREY SPEAKS OUT ABOUT HIS TRUMP PAINTINGS AND POLITICALLY-CHARGED ARTWORK: 'I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'LL STOP' Carrey appeared in a slew of movies and television shows over the years, but the actor said his role in the 1994 comedy hit Ace Ventura was what really stood out. He recalled playing Ace Ventura for a purpose. "My plan was not to join Hollywood, it was to destroy it," Carrey said. "Like, take a gigantic sledgehammer to the leading man and to all the seriousness." The movie, however, propelled his fame an aspect the 56-year-old claims he didnt enjoy. "There's a weightlessness to it," the actor said. "You can dream about it all you want, but until you get it, you don't realize that it's really not a place that's very comfortable for very long." Carrey has stayed relatively out of the Hollywood spotlight. His recent work included a Netflix special on Andy Kaufman and an appearance on "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee." He's also put out politically charged paintings that criticize President Trump. Upon his return to television, Carrey said hes doing it on his own terms. "I'm not back in the same way," Carrey said. "I don't feel I'm little Jim trying to hang on to a place in the stratosphere anymore I don't feel like I'm trying to hold on to anything. Egypt's Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly has granted a license to the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) to contribute EGP 600 million to Silicon Wahas technology parks. The license is governed by the law that regulates work of joint-stock companies, limited by shares companies, limited liability companies, and one person companies, the cabinet's media office said in a press release on Thursday. Silicon Waha is a leading joint-stock company that aims to create a series of specialized business and technology parks across second-tier cities in Egyptian governorates. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) and New Urban Communities Authority are stakeholders in the company. Established in 2016, Silicon Waha is a regional hub disseminating technology innovation in Egypt. Egypt is considered a primary destination for sourcing and IT services for the European, Middle Eastern and African regions. Cairo ranked eighth among the top ten countries around the world for launching start-ups, according to a Forbes report in 2015. Search Keywords: Short link: The Kardashian matriarch, Kris Jenner, has spoken out about the incident involving Instagram model, Tammy Hembrow, who was wheeled out of Kylie Jenner's 21st birthday on a stretcher last week. Jenner addressed the model's EMT evacuation and hospitalization during the big Hollywood bash on the Australian Radio show "Kyle and Jackie O." "I hope she's OK," Kris told the radio hosts but admitted to them that she was not present at the time the ambulances arrived at the nightclub. "I actually left before any of that happened. I typically go to bed at nine o'clock so it was way past my bedtime." Kylie's 21st birthday, which was held at Los Angeles' hot spot Deliah's, got a little out of hand on Aug. 9. Not only was the reality-star-turned-makeup mogul's party shut down by cops at 2 a.m. Some time before that, Hembrow, who according to the Daily Mail is a "casual" friend of the Kardashians and has been seen in Khloe's Good American clothing line ads, was carried out of the trendy club facedown on a stretcher. The Instagram model had blackened feet and reportedly had bruises on her face. The Blast reported that the paramedics arrived on the scene just before midnight. And while Jenner was not present for the incident, her ex, Caitlyn Jenner, was snapped outside of the incident with her reported partner, Sophia Hutchinson, looking shocked. Following the crazy celebration, Hembrow spoke out about her infamous exit from Kylie's birthday in a You Tube video. "So, basically what happened was I was in L.A. I was running off pretty much 30 hours no sleep. I was struggling to stay awake even when I was getting my hair and makeup done. I was literally sitting there, like, falling asleep. Like, I could barely keep my eyes open," the model with a following of 8 million on Instagram went to explain that in addition to over-working herself, she was also distracted and recovering from a break up with her finance, Reece Hawkins. "I probably, definitely shouldn't have been drinking because of how jet-lagged I was, because of how exhausted I was, and I already wasn't feeling well at all...I pretty much collapsed." The mother of two concluded her statement by saying she was "super, super embarrassed" about her actions. But despite the birthday party drama, Kylie kept her 21st festivities going and took the celebration from Los Angeles to Vegas where she finished out the weekend with close friend Jordyn Woods and her boyfriend, Travis Scott. Rapper Juelz Santana admitted in court Thursday that he tried to get a gun onto a plane at a New York-area airport earlier this year. Santana, whose real name is LaRon James, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and carrying a weapon on an aircraft. The 36-year-old Totowa resident faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced Dec. 12. Santana was arrested in March after security staff at New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport found a loaded .38-caliber handgun and nonprescription oxycodone pills in a carry-on bag containing his identification on March 9. Santana left the area, leaving two bags behind, but turned himself in three days later. He has been free on bail while awaiting trial. In June, a judge modified his bail so that he could perform concerts in New Hampshire, Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina. Among the conditions were that Santana's mother accompany him on the trips, that he drive instead of fly and that he not travel with other members of the tour. While on bail, Santana also was allowed by the court to tape an episode of the VH-1 show "Love and Hip Hop" in Hoboken and New York. This month, a judge postponed Santana's original trial date of Sept. 4 so the rapper and his attorneys could continue negotiations on a plea deal. Sophia Loren has finally spoken out about the #MeToo movement. The Italian actress, who became an international star at the height of Hollywoods golden era, told the U.K.s Evening Standard Thursday it was difficult for her to weigh in on the recent sexual harassment scandals that have rocked the film industry. Its very difficult to talk about this [scandal] and it does give me the chills thinking about it, said the 83-year-old, as reported by The Daily Mail. Loren believed she met her late film producer husband, Carlo Ponti, at the right time, which led to her serene experience as an actress. The screen siren insisted she never faced sexual harassment during her time in Hollywood because her husband was often by her side. Maybe I was lucky to have met the right person at the right time, she said. My life has been very serene. Loren advised other young stars to get to know the right people while they attempt to navigate their careers. When you find yourself in a difficult position you just have to go on and dont trust the people that you shouldnt, she said. Loren married Ponti, who was 21 years her senior, in 1966. They remained together until his death in 2007 at age 94. In December 2017, film historian and Running Press Senior Editor Cindy De La Hoz, who published a book in partnership with Turner Classic Movies, titled Sophia Loren: Movie Star Italian Style, told Fox News it was Ponti who first spotted the future movie icon from war-torn Pozzuoli. Ponti, a judge at a beauty pageant in Rome, spotted the then-19-year-old in the audience and sent her a note, suggesting she should participate. That ultimately led to a lasting relationship. It was Ponti who also recommended Loren to American director Stanley Kramer for 1957s The Pride and the Passion, leading to a Hollywood crossover. They kept a sense of ease and relaxation in their relationship, rather than putting a microscope to it and overthinking things, overanalyzing things, said De La Hoz about their lasting marriage. Loren also found success in Hollywood on her own terms. Throughout her career, she remained devoted to her husband and children, all while taking on various roles. In 2015, Loren told the Associated Press the word retirement wasnt in her vocabulary. Travis Scott wants his fans to share in his big moment. In celebration of his third album, Astroworld, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard charts, Kylie Jenners beau, 26, gave $100,000 via Cash App to select fans who tweeted lyrics from the album at him. SO I KNOW ITS HARD FOR THE KIDS, he tweeted Tuesday evening. SO I DECIDED TO UNLOAD MY BANK ACCOUNT ON U GUYS. IM BUSTING DOWN $100,000 AND GIVING AWAY TO ANY FANS THAT CAN TWEET ME THERE CASH TAG WITH LYRICS FROM ASTRO. GANG !! Between then and Wednesday morning, the rapper picked dozens of fans at random and deposited between $50 and $1,000 into their accounts. One particularly lucky fan could barely contain his excitement upon receiving a grand from Scott and took a break from yelling brooooo! to ask his friends if he should quit his job at Target (they said no). The giveaway isnt the only way the rapper has celebrated the release of Astroworld. Last week he announced the Astroworld Festival, which will be held in his native Houston in October. But the albums release hasnt been without controversy. Days before its drop, Scott was accused of transphobia after it came out that Amanda Lepore had been excluded from the final version of the albums Night cover, even though she had originally been part of the photograph. Sources close to the rapper claimed to TMZ he never even knew Lepore was in the photo since she had been edited out of it by the time photographer David LaChapelle showed it to Scott. A rep for Scott did not respond to a request for comment about the giveaway. This story originally appeared in the New York Post. A restaurant in Maine has responded to the harsh backlash they say they have received from customers after changing the shape of their french fries from crinkle cut to straight cut. Leslie and Jim Parsons, owners of Bolleys Famous Franks in Waterville, made a statement on their restaurants Facebook page announcing that they have received comments from disturbing and hostile customers over the change of their french-fry shape. So recently, within the last week, we have encountered some pretty disturbing and hostile customers apparently very unhappy with our straight cut french fries, Leslie wrote on Facebook, saying that customers have sworn at [them], threatened physical harm to her, her husband and her children. 'TONE-DEAF' JACK IN THE BOX TERIYAKI BOWL AD SPARKS BACKLASH FOR SEXUAL INNUENDOS Leslie, who took over the restaurant with her husband in 2017, said the business was forced to make the decision based on finances. The blades are ridiculously pricey and flimsy. It takes many blades to operate the cutter and after sinking thousands, yes thousands, I chose to go with an alternative cut. They are still [fresh-cut] daily. We still use the best potato in Maine. It is still a very expensive french fries and our process minus the crinkle cut is still the same, Leslie wrote. Though the change was made in late June, the backlash over the new shape escalated over the past month. Jim told the Kennebec Journal that a man threatened to fight him at the store after becoming angry about the new french fries. People come in with a negative attitude that the fries arent going to be the same, Jim Parsons said to the Journal. Thats a tough sale for us. WENDY'S, DENNY'S AND MORE TROLLING IHOP OVER BURGER ANNOUNCEMENT Since posting the statement last week, the controversy seems to still be carrying on though at a much more civilized level. I thought the fries were very good. Glad to see Jim after all these years yesterday, Willie Thomas Grenier said, in support of the change. Still shouldn't have changed it. You put price over your customers. That would send me to another place for sure. I wouldn't swear at you or be rude. That's just wrong but I as a customer would go elsewhere, Tony Clewley wrote, criticizing the owners decision. I had the new cut fries. Like them better anyway. They were good, a straight-cut enthusiast wrote. Nathan Belcher argued, I was a fan of the thick crinkle cut. There is definitely a difference. I came in once and got the new fries and have not been back since. Way too thin. That being said Im not about to threaten someone over french fries. I just go other places for lunch now. Almost all agreed that there was no need for violence over a french fry's shape. Sworn at? Threatened? Are you KIDDING me? If you don't like the change, go elsewhere. I haven't tried the new fries yet but will gladly check them out, Tammy Jo LaCroix wrote. The new fries are delicious, and you can't please everyone, but there is no excuse for harrassment or threats of violence from any customer for any changes you may need to make, Jane Paradis Govostes said. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Even the Bangor Maine Police Department weighed in on the issue, imploring citizens to accept the french fries and be kind to one another. I am not going to judge the folks who are steeped in the tradition of crinkle-cut, but I will say we all need to get a grip on being angry with changes which displease us. We can argue the benefits, we can whisper quietly amongst ourselves about how we liked the old way better. "But we really cannot be fighting or throat-punching people over our differences, or the differences between straight and crinkle-cut, the Bangor Police shared on Facebook. Bolleys Famous Franks has been in Waterville, Maine, since 1962 when the Genest family started the business. The Parsons took over in 2017. The restaurant did not respond to Fox News request for comment. Men and women across the world use beer to bond with their friends and loved ones, but it's a quite rare occurrence to see the beverage being used to save a life. Jason Gabel and Kwame Anderson, two beer delivery men in St. Paul, Minn., are being credited with just that. While making their rounds on Wednesday, the pair spotted a man hanging onto an overpass fence, Fox 9 reported. They believed the man was suicidal, prompting Anderson to call 911 as he tried to talk him into stepping off the ledge. BUD LIGHT PROMISES FREE BEER TO CLEVELAND BROWNS FANS, IF BROWNS CAN WIN JUST ONE GAME I thought about Denzel Washington when he's acting as a cop in movies. I said, 'Well, I gotta keep this guy entertained somehow because if I wait for police, this thing may be over,' Anderson told the station. Gabel said he had a feeling the man was intimidated by white cops, so he and his partner hatched an idea: Anderson offered the man a drink, and rushed back to the beer truck to grab a 12-pack to lure him to safety. I felt relieved. I didn't plan on saving anybody, but I knew when I saw him standing there I wasn't going to leave until he came off, Anderson said. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Police praised the quick-thinking duo for helping talk the man down. The really good thing is the [delivery driver] saw what was going on, recognized a person in crisis and realized he could make a difference for him by stopping and talking, St. Paul Police Sgt. Mike Ernster said. 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. Conflicting reports out of Connecticut suggest that at least some of the 76 patients who overdosed on synthetic marijuana in a New Haven park may have also ingested fentanyl. Dr. Katheryn Hawk, an emergency room physician at Yale New Haven Hospital, where many victims were treated, told the New Haven Register that the Drug Enforcement Administration confirmed the presence of fentanyl. However, an official with the Office of Emergency Management told the news outlet that one joint taken from a victim was not laced with any opioid. Hawk said the DEA had used toxidrome to determine whether fentanyl was present, which is what a person looks like rather than what they think they took. MORE THAN 70 PEOPLE OVERDOSE IN NEW HAVEN PARK AS VISITORS WATCH IN HORROR Fentanyl is about 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent that morphine. It is believed to have played a part in the more than 27,000 synthetic drug overdose deaths recorded in 2017. Synthetic marijuana which is generally a plant material sprayed with chemicals that mimic a high from real marijuana, has been blamed for a rash over overdoses across the country, including another incident at The Green on July 4. Theres so much garbage thats being sold and you can call it whatever you want to call it, Dr. Sten Vermund, dean of Yale School of Public Health, told the New Haven Register. Even the drug dealers dont know. The first of the overdoses occurred on the New Haven Green Tuesday night, but carried through Wednesday in broad daylight. Parkgoers watched in horror as victims collapsed. No deaths were reported, but two people suffered life-threatening symptoms while others fell unconscious. Do not come down to the Green and purchase this K2, New Haven Police Chief Anthony Campbell told WVIT-TV. It is taking people out very quickly, people having respiratory failure. Dont put your life in harm. Police said they arrested 37-year-old Felix Melendez, who was out on parole prior to his arrest, according to the New Haven Register; hes believed to be connected to at least some of the overdoses in the park. Paramedics and police remained in the park Wednesday, while officials said victims blood samples were being tested to see exactly what they had ingested. Rick Fontana, the citys emergency operations director, said that an antidote widely used in opioid overdoses was given to some victims at the park but did not seem to be effective, while the same drug did help others when given in higher doses at the hospital. The Green, which according to the New York Post attracts homeless people and drug users, is located in downtown New Haven to the south and west of Yale University. Fox News' Frank Miles and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A New Jersey man who got infected with flesh-eating bacteria while crabbing in early July underwent surgery this week to have his forearms and hands amputated, his family said. Angel Perezs operation comes about two weeks after the fisherman opted out of hospice care because he wants to continue to fight for his life despite his dire condition, his family told Fox 29. Perezs forearms and hands were amputated due to the gangrene that had been spreading on his limbs in the last few weeks, the family wrote on its GoFundMe page. Perezs daughter, Dilena Perez-Dilan, told the news station that the operation went well. Doctors are looking to move Perez into rehabilitation and potentially have him fitted for prosthetics. The 60-year-old father was crabbing in the waters off Matts Landing in the Maurice River on July 2, and a day later noticed swelling and growing pain in his right leg. Perez began breaking out in blisters and his limbs began to change color. NEW JERSEY FISHERMAN WITH FLESH-EATING INFECTION OPTING OUT OF HOSPICE CARE: HE 'WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT' Perez was eventually hospitalized, and doctors have been treating him for about a month. They believe Vibrio bacteria, which is often found in warmer waters where the river meets the sea, is behind the aggressive infection. And it's even more dangerous for Perez, who has a weakened immune system due to Parkinsons disease. Last month, Perez had some of his fingers and toes amputated in hopes of stopping the spread of infection. But complications arose, including some that affected his kidney function. Perez has also been placed on dialysis. Perez-Dilan said her father is in good spirits since the surgery this week. She added that Perez has even been joking with his caretakers. The family told NJ.com Perez may need more amputations in the future. Doctors are currently monitoring the infections on his legs. New York University said Thursday that it will cover tuition for all its medical students regardless of their financial situation, a first among the nations major medical schools and an attempt to expand career options for graduates who wont be saddled with six-figure debt. School officials worry that rising tuition and soaring loan balances are pushing new doctors into high-paying fields and contributing to a shortage of researchers and primary care physicians. Medical schools nationwide have been conducting aggressive fundraising campaigns to compete for top prospects, alleviate the debt burden and give graduates more career choices. NYU raised more than $450 million of the roughly $600 million it estimates it will need to fund the tuition package in perpetuity, including $100 million from Home Depot founder Kenneth Langone and his wife, Elaine. The school will provide full-tuition scholarships for 92 first-year studentsanother 10 are already covered through M.D./PhD programsas well as 350 students already partway through the M.D.-only degree program. This is going to be a huge game-changer for us, for our students and for our patients, said Dr. Rafael Rivera, associate dean for admission and financial aid. The school will refund out-of-pocket tuition payments already made for the current year, and return loans students may have taken out. The move dwarfs efforts by other schools, including Columbia University and the University of California, Los Angeles, to alleviate the financial strain of a medical education. Earlier this year Columbias Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons announced it would eliminate loans for all students who qualify for financial aid, while UCLAs David Geffen School of Medicine expects to provide more than 300 full scholarships between 2012 and 2022, based on merit. The Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western University, with just 32 students a year, has paid full tuition and fees since 2008 in an effort to encourage graduates to pursue academic and research careers. Nationally, 72 percent of graduates from the class of 2018 had debt from medical school, with a median of $195,000 in loans, according to student surveys by the Association of American Medical Colleges. More than one-third of medical students also have student loans from prior academic programs. Click for more from The Wall Street Journal. The Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr signed the regulatory framework for licensing single-shareholder companies, according to a ministry statement on Wednesday. Nasr stated that the sole proprietorship was the result of the most comprehensive amendment of its kind to the Companies Law, a step to improve the economic legislative structure. The minister said that such a step should incentivize Small and Medium Enterprises (SME's) and entrepreneurship to benefit from the limited liability clauses stipulated in the Companies Law to sole proprietorship companies. She added that these companies would have a statute including their name, purposes, data of their founder, way of management, duration, headquarter address, branches (if any), and their liquidation rules, as well as any other data defined by the executive regulations. In the statement, General Authority for Investment (GAFI) CEO Mohsen Adel indicated that one of the advantages of single shareholder companies is the limited liability of the value of capital needed to be submitted by the owner, providing incentives to potential investors to incorporate such companies. The sole proprietorship regulatory framework whould go into effect on 16 August 2018, according to the ministry statement. Search Keywords: Short link: Gaps latest statement-making ad campaign featuring a diverse group of young artists, musicians and activists including deaf transgender model Chella Man is being praised online. Man is joined by writer, art curator and activist Kimberly Drew; violinist and activist Enzima; artist Carlotta Kohl, model Kevlin Davis and rapper SuperDuperKyle in photos for the American clothing companys new Soft Wear Denim line. Man, 19, has amassed a large social media following for documenting his transition and sharing resourceful videos on the trans experience. TENNESSEE MOM'S SCHOOL DROP-OFF PARODY VIDEO GOES VIRAL The model posted a photo of the Gap ad on Twitter, along with a throwback picture from when he was a young child and wearing a sweatshirt from the brand. WE ARE THE FUTURE! It was my honor to be a part of this beautiful casting with @gap! Man wrote. I ALSO DISCOVERED this highly classified photo of me wearing my favorite Gap sweatshirt back in the day. The ad has been largely met with positive feedback from those who support the brands messaging. Thank you SO much, for featuring him! Im a big fan of Gap and Chella. We need more trans representation (with both binary & non-binary trans folks). Cant wait to see more from you all, in the future! This means a lot, to our community, one person commented on the ad. Such an inspirational person, someone wrote. Your art is beautiful and you showed me that its ok not to fit into gender binary, another person commented. I love this so much! another person commented. Man, whose personal motto is Be your own representation, told Yahoo Lifestyle in May that 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. Gaps decision to cast such a diverse range of people in the campaign was about choosing talent that strongly aligned with Gaps core brand values and overall positive influence and impact in the world, according to a press release per Yahoo Lifestyle. 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, the statement read. However, Mans appearance in the national campaign wasnt supported by everyone. A small amount of commenters on social media expressed anger over the brands statement-making ad. brands definitely shouldn't make political statements like this. Keep your business about the product, not politics, one person wrote. Why cant you just stick with selling cool clothes?! Its what youre actually good at! another commented. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Gap joins the ranks of other brands whove recently made a push toward promoting more diversity and inclusiveness in advertising. Last month, Aerie, American Eagles lingerie and intimate apparel brand, was widely praised for featuring real and unretouched models, including those in wheelchairs, with crutches, insulin pumps, hearing aids, vitiligo, Down syndrome, fibromyalgia, cancer and more. A 5-year-old Tennessee boy made a grand entrance on his first day at kindergarten riding in on a firetruck in honor of his late father. Cooper Brooks was smiling ear to ear as he rode alongside dad Christophers colleagues from the Sullivan County Volunteer Fire Department for the momentous occasion. GAP'S LATEST AD FEATURING DEAF TRANSGENDER MODEL AND ACTIVIST CHELLA MAN BEING LAUDED Christopher, a husband, father of three and volunteer firefighter, died just over three months ago, on May 7, in a motorcycle accident. As a young boy, Christophers own father had taken him to school in a firetruck and he wanted to share the same experience with his son. "He never forgot it, and his friends thought it was so cool that he and his twin brother got to ride the fire truck to school," Coopers mom, Jessica Brooks, told "Good Morning America." "He hoped we could make that happen for Cooper," she said. Assistant Fire Chief Josh Kemp said he jumped at the chance to take Cooper to school, who was also accompanied by firefighter Ty Wallace for the ride. I feel we are all one big family," Kemp told "GMA." "We were in the truck just filled with joy." Kemp said Christopher wouldve been extremely proud of the moment, and Coopers mom was happy to see Christophers dream come true. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS "It melted my heart just to see my husband's wishes being fulfilled, and just remembering him how much it meant to him," Jessica told GMA. "Cooper is able to extend that memory. It's bittersweet." NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Closing arguments ended Wednesday in the federal court trial of Paul Manafort on 18 bank and tax fraud charges. If youve been following most media coverage of the trial, you may think its somehow connected to Special Counsel Robert Muellers seemingly endless investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and possible collusion with the Trump presidential campaign. After all, Mueller filed the charges against Manafort, who was Donald Trumps presidential campaign chairman. And, aside from the charges of lying on bank-loan applications, Manafort is charged with failing to pay taxes stemming from his work for a Russian-backed Ukrainian president. Meanwhile, international media attention is focused on this case like it is the trial of the century. So it must be a really big deal and somehow involve Donald Trump or at least his campaign, right? Wrong. The trial involves Manaforts business dealings and tax filings going back to 2006 long before he ever signed on as a volunteer on the Trump presidential campaign. When jurors, who begin deliberations Thursday, hand down a verdict regardless of what it is the verdict will deal with the conduct of Paul Manafort, not President Trump or his campaign. Look at it this way: imagine someone worked for you on a project for several months. And then suppose you learn two years later that this person committed crimes 12 years ago crimes you never knew about. Would you be guilty for allowing the volunteer to do work for you, even if it was on a high-level? Of course you wouldnt. Even asking the question seems absurd. The other media narrative is that the Manafort case is open and shut: members of Manaforts defense team only took one day to make their case, and Manafort didnt even take the stand to testify in his own defense. In contrast, Muellers prosecutors took 10 days and 27 witnesses to lay out their case. But Manafort not taking the stand was a strategic decision made by his defense team. His testimony could be used against him in his upcoming September trial on charges of failing to register as a foreign agent when lobbying Congress. The decision by the defense team to not drag out their case was strategic as well. Manaforts defense blames the fraud on Manaforts former employee Rick Gates, the prosecutions star witness, who admitted in sworn testimony to stealing money from Manafort. On the other hand, Gates who has pleaded guilty in a deal with prosecutors to get off with a light sentence says he conducted the fraud at the direction of Manafort. Right or wrong, the defenses argument revolves around discrediting Rick Gates. And Manaforts attorneys have already done this during cross-examination of Gates, while the prosecution was making its case. As for Manaforts supposed ties to Russia, the media once again leave out a big part of the story. The usual narrative sticks closely to the words of NPRs Ron Elving: Manafort has been shown to have extensive entanglements with Russians, including debts to Oleg Deripaska, a member of Putins inner-circle of associates. It sounds pretty clear-cut, except it isnt. Recent reporting suggests that Oleg Deripaska was possibly employing both Christopher Steele and Glenn Simpson, the two Democratic-funded operatives behind the Steele dossier alleging ties between Trump and Russia. This narrative also forgets to mention that Manaforts 2013 lobbying for the then-president of Ukraine, directed at both European and American politicians, included efforts to bring Ukraine closer to the European Union and ostensibly away from Moscow by means of an economic cooperation agreement. The lobbying effort was unsuccessful to say the least. But interestingly enough, Manafort was working on this failed project with Democrat Tony Podesta, the brother of John Podesta, the chair of the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. Yes, Manaforts lobbying for Ukraines Russia-backed former president Viktor Yanukovych is the stated reason why Mueller has taken the case in lieu of a normal federal prosecutor. But Manafort is not being charged with lobbying for Yanukovychs government. That isnt a crime. Rather, Manaforts upcoming trial in September surrounds the charge that he failed to register as a foreign agent while lobbying for Yanukovych. But violations of this law are rarely prosecuted, and loads of D.C. lobbyists routinely run afoul of this law without consequence. In the last 50 years, there has been just one conviction for failing to file under the foreign agents registration law. Thats why the judge in the current case has accused Muellers team of only going after Manafort to get to President Trump. Worse, the only way Mueller tasked with investigating and prosecuting Russian interference in the 2016 election can possibly say that the Manafort case relates to his investigation is if Manafort served as a conduit between the Trump campaign and the Russians. After years of investigation, this allegation remains unproven. And this conspiracy theory is uniquely alleged by none other than Clinton campaign operatives Christopher Steele and Glenn Simpson. There is also a simple explanation for why Manafort was brought into the Trump campaign. Leading up the 2016 Republican National Convention, Trump needed someone who actually understood the Byzantine GOP convention rules. Manafort, who worked on the Ford, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Dole presidential campaigns, understood the rules. Once it emerged that Manafort had worked for Ukraines Russia-backed government, Trump dropped him like a hot potato. In other words, the Manafort trial is a media spectacle, and a distraction. Mueller is only going after Manafort to get to President Trump. One wonders if Manafort would even have been charged with any crimes if he was never Trumps campaign chairman. But Paul Manafort has already been tried and convicted in the U.S. media, precisely because he worked on the Trump presidential campaign. Thats wrong. Whether Republican or Democrat, we all need to stand up against the politicization of justice, or we will end up living in a banana republic. The rule of law should be blind, and it shouldnt matter what campaign you worked on, or which candidate you supported. Once the government (Muellers office in this case) starts targeting people for criminal prosecution because of their legitimate political activities all our freedoms are endangered. That puts us on a dangerous path that would change the very nature of our country. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, facing a Democratic primary for re-election Sept. 13 against far-left Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon and no doubt considering a race for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, wants you to know America isnt great, its never been great and its not going to be great again. In an apparent attempt to polish his credentials as a member of the anti-Trump resistance, Cuomo took a verbal jab at President Trumps Make America Great slogan at a bill-signing ceremony in New York Wednesday and wound up punching himself in the face, drawing gasps from the audience for the absurdity of his statement. We are not going to make America great, America. It was never that great, Cuomo said. We have not reached greatness. We will reach greatness when every American is fully engaged. You can be sure Republicans will keep that incredible comment alive for as long as Cuomo remains active in politics. In fact, they owe the governor a debt of gratitude for giving them a video clip they can use in attack ads for years to come. The New York Times reported: The clip was quickly packaged by Republicans, and Marcus Molinaro, the Republican candidate for governor, said that Mr. Cuomo owed the nation an apology. America, with its imperfections, has always been great, Mr. Molinaro said. And President Trump weighed in on Twitter, writing: WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, IT WAS NEVER THAT GREAT. Can you believe this is the Governor of the Highest Taxed State in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown! Cuomos statement creates all sort of possibilities for memorable campaign slogans for his current campaign and possible run for president: Make America Unexceptional Again. Make America Less Awful. Americas a Lousy Place, But Its Home. Why is it that people who hold such contempt for this country want to represent it? Arent they the ones who say hate isnt an American value? Clearly, Cuomo has a lot to complain about in America under President Trump. Those federal tax cuts that have supercharged our economy mere crumbs. The near record-low unemployment for Hispanic-Americans, African-Americans, and Asian-Americans no biggie. The unemployment rate for women thats at the lowest its been since 1953 small potatoes. What about an economy that grew by a booming annualized rate of 4.1 percent in the last quarter? FUGGEDDABOUTIT. After Cuomo dug himself into a hole with his silly comment, his press secretary, Dani Lever, tried to dig him out of it with a mea culpa, saying in a statement: 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. Hmm ... theres another winning slogan in there somewhere: Make America Maximumly Great! Yeah, go with that. Andrew Cuomos comments contradict what his father the far more eloquent and politically savvy then-Gov. Mario Cuomo said at the Democratic National Convention in 1984. The elder Cuomo lauded America as the greatest nation while telling the story of his parents, who came to the U.S. from Italy, learned English, worked hard and watched him go on to become governor. Mario Cuomo said his parents were able to build a family and live in dignity and see one of their children go from behind their little grocery store in South Jamaica on the other side of the tracks where he was born, to occupy the highest seat, in the greatest state, in the greatest nation, in the only world we would know, is an ineffably beautiful tribute to the democratic process. Andrew Cuomos not in the same league as his late father. Where Mario Cuomo praised the greatness of our great nation, Andrew Cuomo says hey, its not so hot. Andrew Cuomo and other Democrats are absolutely desperate to bring down President Trump. So theyre falling back on a strategy of the same old stale liberal talking points the president is sexist, racist, unhinged, whatever. Basically hes just an awful human being who hates everybody so all Americans should hate him. Get it? However, that spin isnt as effective as the Democrats would like. A new CNN poll showed that President Trump's approval rating of 42 percent is higher than the 39 percent rating for former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton in August of their second year in office, and its even slightly above the 41 percent rating for President Reagan in August of 1982. The younger Cuomo, like most members of the liberal elite today, just hates President Trump but thats not exactly a political philosophy or campaign theme that will win elections. The scary truth is that their hatred for Trump is greater than their love for America. The president could cure cancer, save all the baby whales and feed every homeless person and theyd still criticize him and be ashamed of our country and want it to fail. Remember when comedian Bill Maher said he was rooting for a recession? Nothing like another 10 or 20 million people on food stamps. But hey, the end justifies the means, right Mr. Marx, uh, Maher? Im hoping for it because one way you get rid of Trump is a crashing economy. So please, bring on the recession, the oh-so compassionate Maher mused. Sorry if that hurts people but its either root for a recession or you lose your democracy. How warm, sensitive and caring of the millionaire celebrity. Cuomo is in good company with his arrogant attitude toward our great nation. In February 2008, during her husbands presidential campaign Michelle Obama said: For the first time in my adult lifetime, Im really proud of my country. For the first time? She was 44 years old in 2008. And she only came around to being proud of her country because her husband was running for president? The message we can take from Democrats is that when the political pendulum is swinging their way, America is great and they are proud of their country. However when it swings the other direction, our country quickly becomes a deplorable, shameful place and we should root for its failure, no matter how much were thriving. This week in New York, President Trump challenged Cuomo to run against him in 2020: Please do it. Please. Yes, please do it, governor. Most Americans vote for the things that make their lives better, the things that make our country succeed the things that make America great. They reject bitterness and malaise, but if thats what you want to sell as your campaign platform, Gov. Cuomo, good luck with that. Youll need it. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Former CIA Director John Brennan is a serious national security risk, and President Trump was wise and correct to revoke his security clearance Wednesday. Brennan has repeatedly shown he cannot be trusted with classified or top-secret information. He has a history of leaking and exploiting confidential material for partisan reasons. Maybe it keeps him on TV, but it also jeopardizes national security. The primary job of the agency Brennan ran for President Obama is to collect, process, and analyze intelligence information from all over the world. This valuable material is then utilized to protect Americans from harm. However, Brennan has demonstrated that he is all too willing to use this information to harm Americans, including President Trump. He did so in the 2016 presidential election. As I explain in Chapter 6 of my new book, The Russia Hoax, Brennan politicized and weaponized what was false intelligence to damage the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump. Brennan surely knew that the anti-Trump dossier paid for by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign was nothing more than a preposterous collection of rumors, innuendo, supposition and wild speculation. He knew it was derived from multiple hearsay accounts from inherently unreliable and anonymous sources in Russia who specialize in lies and disinformation. Yet Brennan did more than anyone to promulgate the fabricated and uncorroborated dossier. The author of the document, former British spy Christopher Steele, was trained in deception and chicanery, and was inherently untrustworthy. Steele was on the record telling the U.S. Justice Department that he was desperate that Donald Trump not get elected and passionate about his not being president. It is improper to use a discredited source with such severe and pervasive bias. Yet Brennan and his FBI counterparts didnt care. Even after Steele was fired for lying, they continued to use him as a covert source in their illicit scheme to frame Trump for crimes he never committed. Brennan was the instigator. By advocating the use of the dossier, he managed to orchestrate the investigation of Trump that was formally launched by FBI Director James Comey and his underlings, including Peter Strzok and Andrew McCabe. All three have since been fired for their egregious misconduct. But it was Brennan who played a central role in promoting the fictitious Trump-Russia collusion narrative. There is no good or legitimate reason for Brennan to maintain a security clearance. We expect CIA directors to be nonpartisan and apolitical. Brennan, always the devoted Clinton acolyte and sycophant, was not. Brennans constant political and personal condemnation of President Trump only underscores his devious motivations for misusing classified information and disseminating false intelligence. Consider this Brennan Twitter rant aimed at President Trump: 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. Tired cliches aside, is this the kind of person who should have access to classified information during a Trump presidency or any presidency? Consider also the ominous warning issued by President Obamas United Nations ambassador, Samantha Power: Not a good idea to piss off John Brennan. The former CIA director is clearly capable of malevolent action. He should not be armed with the nations secrets to inflict even more damage than he has already wrought. Editor's note: This article is partly adapted from the author's new book "The Russia Hoax: The Illicit Scheme to Clear Hillary Clinton and Frame Donald Trump." (Broadside Books -- an imprint of HarperCollins, July 24, 2018). NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! The sisterhood is not amused. A lesbian feminist has been suspended from her teaching post at New York University for a year, judged to have sexually harassed a gay man who was formerly her graduate student. (Yes, this is a bit confusing.) The accused, Avital Ronell, is described by The New York Times as a world-renowned female professor of German and Comparative Literature and by a colleague as one of the very few philosopher-stars of this world. In academic circles, in other words, she is a big deal. She is also now considered by many to be a victim of Title IX, the very law that she and so many other like-minded women have championed. A group of well-known feminists and academics have rallied to her defense, talking of her good character and record, and also trying to besmirch the reputation of Nimrod Reitman, the young man who filed charges of not only harassment against Ronell, but also sexual assault. Supporters of Ronell have, of course, attracted charges of hypocrisy by adopting the very same playbook used by friends of people like former TV morning show hosts Matt Lauer of NBC and Charlie Rose of CBS, who lost their jobs after being accused of mistreating women. But the situation involving Ronell is more fraught, because in the rarified world of academia, charges of sexual assault are treated in a manner many think unfair. The approach, widely backed by feminists like Ronell, has been dictated by the terms of Title IX and also politicized by President Obama. In 2011, Obama sent a Dear Colleague letter to colleges and universities that receive federal funds, reminding them that under Title IX, initially passed as a civil rights measure, they must use a standard of proof called preponderance of evidence in judging complaints of sexual misconduct. That requirement much less onerous that proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt tends to favor the accuser. Critics say it denies those accused of wrongdoing their rights to due process under law. Asked about the policy, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg told The Atlantics Jeffrey Rosen: There's been criticism of some college codes of conduct for not giving the accused person a fair opportunity to be heard, and that's one of the basic tenets of our system. Asked if she considered those criticisms valid, Ginsburg said she did. Mostly, of course, it has been young men who have been accused of sexual misconduct and who have, in many cases, been railroaded out of school their lives and reputations in tatters. They claim they have not been given the right to defend themselves, and say that in many instances it is simply their word against that of their accuser. Some are undoubtedly guilty of sexual misconduct, but some are not. Defenders of the Title IX directive argue that drastic measures are required, given that sexual assault on college campuses is rampant. President Obama (and others) have claimed: It is estimated that 1 in 5 women on college campuses has been sexually assaulted during their time there 1 in 5. That statistic figure stemmed from a 2007 survey of women at two universities conducted by the Justice Department and it has been widely disputed. Among other flaws, the study had a low response rate and the definition of sexual assault was overly expansive. The study said sexual assault included forced touching of a sexual nature (forced kissing, touching of private parts, grabbing, fondling, rubbing up against you in a sexual way, even if it is over your clothes). That could encompass any number of encounters that in more innocent days might have been dismissed as an unpleasant come-on. Why would President Obama or anyone else want to sensationalize the rate of sexual misconduct on college campuses? For the same reason that he and many other Democratic politicians continue to denounce the overstated gender gap in wages and portray judges nominated by Republicans as eager to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. These positions cast Democrats as protectors of women and win them votes. Democrats have successfully used the war on women theme; the results speak for themselves. In 2016, 54 percent of women voted for Hillary Clinton. In 2012, 55 percent voted for President Obama, down from 56 percent in 2008. But it serves no ones best interests to promote the wellbeing of women at the expense of men. That can only lead to even more divisions in our society, and raise not lower the actual barriers to success encountered by women. Moreover, sexual assault is a serious matter. Blowing it out of proportion will turn it into another political battlefield, with real victims becoming collateral damage. Men and women harmed by sexual assault deserve every opportunity to seek redress, but as happens whenever someone is accused of criminal conduct our legal system requires that the accused must be considered innocent until proven guilty. To do otherwise to erect virtual kangaroo courts on college campuses is to sour young people on our justice system and can result in some innocent people being punished for actions they did not commit. That is too high a price to pay. In 2014, dozens of Harvard Law School professors sent an open letter to The Boston Globe decrying Harvards implementation of the Obama-favored policy, which they called overwhelmingly stacked against the accused. Following up last year, four highly regarded feminists at Harvard who have taught Title IX law and written on feminist legal reform and who signed onto that earlier letter wrote to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, asking her to revamp the policy. Among other things, the four feminists charged that school administrators were terrified and consequently not only complied; they over-complied with the Obama directives. They wrote: Definitions of sexual wrongdoing on college campuses are now seriously overbroad. DeVos rolled back the Obama guidance last September, allowing colleges to set their own standards. Unhappily, many schools continue to use the preponderance of evidence approach, afraid to be seen taking a more permissive stand. Presumably, as students on more campuses demand due process, this will change. Also, situations like that of Ronell should cause members of the sisterhood to rethink their advocacy. It cant happen soon enough. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! President Trump was right to revoke the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan on Wednesday. Brennan, who now works as a national security analyst for MSNBC and NBC News and frequently appears on TV, has no business browsing through our countrys most important and sensitive national security secrets. Clearance to classified information is granted based on a need to know. Brennan has none, so there was no reason to allow him continued access. He does have a long pattern of misuse of his authority and lying about it. It has been customary to allow former senior officials to keep their clearances so current officials can consult with them. No one in the Trump administration is or should be consulting with someone as partisan as Brennan, so pulling his clearance was right and proper. Some are claiming this is political retribution, but the overtly political nature of Brennans attempts to undermine the Trump administration are a real problem. And even if he had a reason to keep his clearance, his actions and statements are grounds to cut him off. Extending Brennans clearance was a privilege no longer justified by any value he provides to the government. His unhinged rants against President Trump would land any serving clearance holder with a suspension and possibly even a referral for psychiatric evaluation. These include an unfounded claim on television that President Trump is being blackmailed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the Russians may have something on President Trump, and tweets that do not represent the communications of a stable person. To cite just one example, Brennan tweeted in March, directing his comments to President Trump: 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. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., pointed out that Brennan has a history of unethical actions around classified information and has lied to Congress. Paul stated: I filibustered Brennans nomination to head the CIA in 2013, and his behavior in government and out of it demonstrate why he should not be allowed near classified information Paul also questioned Brennans role as a paid TV commentator, tweeting last month: Is John Brennan monetizing his security clearance? Is John Brennan making millions of dollars divulging secrets to the mainstream media with his attacks on @realDonaldTrump? I recognize that revoking security clearances could set a bad precedent for future administrations. A Democratic president could pull clearances of former officials who worked under a Republican president. But the blame for the revocation of Brennans clearance lies with Brennan not President Trump. Brennan is not being punished for his political views. He is being removed from any proximity to vital information because he has shown clearly he cannot be trusted with it. Brennan is widely believed to have been a source for media outlets reporting on the Trump-Russia faux scandal. If Brennan leaked classified information, that would be cause enough take away his clearance. It is almost certain that the Trump administration is conducting a counterintelligence investigation of Brennan to ascertain if or more likely, how much he leaked classified information. This investigation may have already led to more reasons to revoke his clearance than officials can make public. Brennan is dedicated member of the anti-Trump resistance, which is chock full of people who actively oppose Americas very nature. If he has shared his inside information with them, we have no idea where it could have spread. We need a full accounting of all his actions and if there were crimes committed he should feel the full weight of the criminal justice system. Brennan had every right to oppose the Trump administration and speak publicly about it. No one has limited his freedom of speech or ability to criticize. But the former government official and current TV commentator and activist has lost a security clearance he no longer has any reason to be enjoying. His handling of classified information deserves a full and through investigation. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told Fox News on Wednesday that President Trump's tariffs on imports from China, the European Union and other nations are "a little bit like weight loss ... it's kind of painful to start with, but you're healthier in the end." However, Perdue also acknowledged "legitimate anxiety over the tariffs and the pain they've caused." The secretary spoke to Fox News as a set of 10-percent tariffs on $200 billion worth of imported Chinese goods is due to take effect Aug. 23. The proposed tariffs affect more than 6,000 product lines, including seafood, tobacco and components used in products such as car rear-view mirrors and burglar alarms. Beijing has responded by threatening new tariffs of 5 to 25 percent on roughly 5,000 U.S. products. Last month, the Trump administration slapped 25-percent taxes on $34 billion in Chinese imports, most of them industrial goods that U.S. officials said received subsidies or other unfair support from Beijing. China quickly responded by imposing tariffs on $34 billion in U.S. products. "China has not been playing by the rules for years and weve allowed for them year after year to get away with that," Perdue told Fox News. "And frankly, weve got barriers across the world, not just in China, but in the European Union. If we turned our farmers loose in America they would own the market internationally." HERE'S WHAT HARLEY-DAVIDSON CEO TOLD EMPLOYEES ABOUT TRUMP TRADE CONTROVERSY Earlier this year, the Trump administration levied a 25-percent tariff on steel imported from the European Union, as well as a 10-percent tariff on aluminum. Brussels responded with tariffs on a number of U.S. goods. In July, Trump announced that the EU had agreed to increase soybean and natural gas imports from the U.S., while European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker promised that further steel and aluminum tariffs would be put on hold and existing tariffs reassessed. President Trump has shown no sign of stopping the use of tariffs as an economic weapon. On Wednesday morning, he tweeted: "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." Trump has also been attempting to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and Canada. On Friday, Trump tweeted that a trade deal with Mexico was "coming along nicely," but threatened Canada with auto tariffs if Washington and Ottawa can't forge an agreement. TRADE WAR SPOOKS RETAIL INDUSTRY LEADERS "President Trump is saying 'enough is enough. If you want free trade let's have fair trade,'" Perdue said. "And thats the ultimate goal ... to say - even to our friends like Mexico and Canada -- [to] bring them to the table and say, 'You know, it's kind of tilted here, let's level this playing field and allow our producers to compete competitively with yours and well be fine.'" The escalating trade war has jangled nerves among farmers in California, where the European Union, Canada and China are the three largest export markets for agricultural goods. Perdue, who was in California this week to tour areas affected by wildfires that have ravaged The Golden State, told Fox News that farmers "will know that President Trumps strategy [is] to make it better in the end." "Farmers get that. Theyre patriots. They understand when people dont play by the rules," Perdue said. "We've been the Boy Scouts internationally on the trade area and weve played by the rules and President Trump is trying to make sure that in this game of international trade others play by the rules too." Fox News' Lee Ross and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Most political analysts can usually agree on one thing: Texas is a state that practically "bleeds red," as it has for decades. But in recent election cycles, there's been much talk about the Lone Star State potentially going purple. And now, a Texas congressman is trying to do what no Democrat has been able to do here in nearly 25 years -- win statewide office. Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke from El Paso, elected in 2012 to serve Texas 16th Congressional District, is battling it out with Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, aiming to capture Cruz's seat come November. "We're listening to and bringing in everyone -- Republican, Democrat, independent -- everyone in Texas is important," ORourke tells Fox News. His message appears to have some resonance with voters, with polling data showing ORourke within striking distance of Cruz. According to the latest Quinnipiac poll, Cruz has a six-percentage-point lead -- 49 percent to 43 percent. But some polls suggest a tighter race. A recent Texas Lyceum poll put the spread at just two points. That's unusual, analysts say, and some now wonder if its the first sign of Texas beginning to make that political shift. "The normal Republican margin in Texas these days is somewhere [around] 14, 15 points," says Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. "Senator Cruz is awake, at this point," Jillson adds. The incumbent himself says he doesnt get too wrapped up in the noise because hes been on the bottom before. "When I ran in 2012, nobody in the state thought I could win," Cruz explains. I told the people in Texas, 'If you elect me, i will fight for you.' And I believe I've kept that promise. Now the mudslinging has ensued. Cruz's first TV ads came out at the beginning of this month accusing ORourke of being extreme and reckless. The Democratic challenger countered with a fundraising drive -- raking in more than $1 million in a few days -- to help fund ads with a more "positive" spin. In the meantime, both continue crisscrossing the state, trying to win over voters. A series of debates will be held in the coming months. Everyone in Texas is important. Everyone has a place in this campaign, ORourke says. The junior congressman has also consistently outraised Cruz on campaign cash. In the most recent quarter alone he raked in $10.4 million in contributions compared with Cruz's $4.6 million over the same period. With the November elections inching closer and closer, all of the stops are being pulled out. Cruz is even trying to get his former rival, President Trump, to campaign for him. The two had a rocky relationship during the GOP presidential primaries in 2016, when Trump nicknamed Cruz "Lyin' Ted." And the Texas senator called then-candidate Trump a "narcissist," among other things. 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. EXTRADITED FROM MEXICO, CARTEL LEADER GETS NEARLY 50 YEARS 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." CARTELS RECRUITING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO SMUGGLE DRUGS, PEOPLE, INTO THE US, FEDS SAY 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. Ambassadors of Mexico, Bolivia and Chile attended the concert of the Mexican Ensemble Ikal at the 27th Citadel International Music and Singing Festival The Embassy of Mexico in Egypt, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture of Egypt and the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation, participated for the first time at the 27th Citadel International Music and Singing Festival, which ends on 17 August, by attending its most popular folk music ensemble Ikal to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the bilateral relationship between Mexico and Egypt. Mexican ambassador to Egypt Jose Octavio Tripp and his wife Adriana Macias de Tripp, Ambassador of Bolivia to Egypt Ruben Vidaurre and Ambassador of Chile in Cairo Fernando Zalaquett Sepulveda were present for the festival. At the Citadel's Al-Mahka I Theatre, Ikal performed prestigious musical pieces from the Mexican traditional folklore, presenting them as a renovated and rich musical work with diversity of musical languages and the original and cheerful spirit of the Mexican folklore. The five members of the ensemble, a pianist, a soprano, a violinist, a double bassist and a percussionist, are from San Luis Potosi City, Mexico. Their diverse professional career has allowed them to explore different musical styles ranging from jazz to pop, and boleros to classical music. Search Keywords: Short link: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is facing a deluge of criticism for declaring America "was never that great" with even liberal gubernatorial rival Cynthia Nixon mocking him for what she called a ham-fisted attempt to sound like a progressive. Cuomo sparked gasps from supporters at a bill-signing ceremony on Wednesday when he took a shot at President Trumps Make America Great Again slogan, saying: Were not going to make America great again. It was never that great. We have not reached greatness, we will reach greatness when every America is fully engaged, we will reach greatness when discrimination and stereotyping against women, 51 percent of our population, is gone, he said. ANDREW CUOMO SHOCKS CROWD, SAYS AMERICA WAS 'NEVER THAT GREAT' The remark zipped around social media within minutes, leading to an avalanche of criticism from commentators and political rivals. Nixon, who is trying to unseat Cuomo in the primary, mocked the establishment Democrat by suggesting it was part of his efforts to fend off her left-wing challenge; she has previously claimed The Cynthia Effect has pressured Cuomo to adopt more left-wing stances. "I think this is just another example of Andrew Cuomo trying to figure out what a progressive sounds like and missing by a mile," the activist and Sex and the City actress told NY1 on Wednesday. 'SEX AND THE CITY' STAR CYNTHIA NIXON BOASTS CUOMO BEING DRAGGED TO THE LEFT BY 'THE CYNTHIA EFFECT' Cuomo was also hit from the right, where longshot Republican challenger Marc Molinaro said he was ashamed and shocked at the remarks and called on Cuomo to apologize. Even with our imperfections, this nation, its promise, its purpose, its principles and its people have always been great and that determined march toward making things better, thats what has always made America great, he said on Fox & Friends Thursday. Im ashamed to think my governor doesnt know that. The controversy stirred up New York politics, but with Cuomos presence as a nationally known figure and amid rumors of a 2020 Democratic presidential run, it also took a national turn. President Trump accused Cuomo of having a total meltdown. Can you believe this is the Governor of the Highest Taxed State in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown! he tweeted. Cuomo responded by tweeting to Trump: "What you say would be 'great again' would not be great at all...We will not go back to discrimination, segregation, sexism, isolationism, racism or the KKK." Cuomos office, meanwhile, was walking back his statement, saying that Cuomo does in fact believe America to be great. The governor believes America is great and that her full greatness will be fully realized when every man, woman and child has full equality, his office said in a statement. America has not yet reached its maximum potential. While Cuomos remarks may represent part of a broader tilt by Democratic candidates toward more open statements about America's alleged failings, it also has echoes of his late father Mario Cuomos speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention. In that address, the senior Cuomo took issue with then-President Ronald Reagan calling America a shining city on a hill. While the elder Cuomo -- also a New York governor -- accepted that in many ways we are a shining city on a hill, he said that not everyone shares in its splendor. He spoke of a second city, in which people cant pay mortgages, students cant afford education, the elderly tremble in the basements and people sleep in the streets where the glitter doesnt show. Mr. President you ought to know that this nation is more a Tale of Two Cities than it is just a Shining City on a Hill, he said in a Dickensian flourish. Yet he described himself as occupying the highest seat in the greatest state, in the greatest nation in the world. Claiming that FBI investigations into Hillary Clinton's emails and the Carter Page FISA warrant were "corrupt to the core," U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham on Wednesday called for the appointment of a special prosecutor to handle both probes. Graham, a South Carolina Republican, said FBI investigators were in the tank for Clinton and the FISA warrant process was abused -- possibly in a criminal fashion. What do you think Democrats would be saying if a Republican if the RNC [Republican National Committee] -- hired a former British agent to go to Russia to get dirt on [Hillary] Clinton? Graham asked Fox News' Laura Ingraham, host of The Ingraham Angle. Graham said he's grown tired of talking about the Clinton email investigation and the 2016 FISA warrant to wiretap Page, the former Trump campaign adviser. He said an outside investigator could hopefully approach the issue with a nonpartisan perspective. TRUMP REVOKES EX-CIA DIRECTOR'S SECURITY CLEARANCE Democrats have said the FISA warrant application shows the Justice Department acted correctly in its probe. Democrats also point to ex-FBI Director James Comey's decision to announce the reopening of the Clnton email probe just days before the 2016 presidential election as an example of no bias. Comey has since said that he was operating at the time in a world "where Hillary Clinton was going to beat Donald Trump." Graham's remarks came a day after former FBI agent Peter Strzok was fired over text messages that were critical of Trump. Strzok vigorously defended himself at a combative House hearing in July, speaking publicly for the first time since the texts were revealed. He insisted that the texts including ones in which he called Trump a disaster and said Well stop a Trump candidacy did not reflect political bias and had not affected his investigations. Strzok was also a lead investigator on the probe into Democrat Clintons email server in 2016. Trump has repeatedly taken aim at Strzok on Twitter, saying his critical text messages showed that Muellers investigation is a hoax. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The jury in the federal trial of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort ended the first day of deliberations Thursday without a verdict, but did ask the judge a series of questions before breaking -- a development the defense took as good news. One source close to the Manafort team told Fox News, Were in the game. Before court was adjourned in the afternoon, U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III announced that jurors would continue their work on Friday morning. Ellis read aloud a note detailing four questions from the jury, which covered foreign financial accounts, shell companies, the definition of reasonable doubt and other evidence in the case. Outside court on Thursday, Manaforts defense attorney, Kevin Downing, called the questions from the jury -- especially the one about reasonable doubt -- a good sign. So, overall a very good day for Mr. Manafort, Downing told reporters. After a trial spanning nearly three weeks, Manafort, 69, is awaiting a verdict on tax evasion and bank fraud charges. He has been 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. A humorous moment occurred earlier Thursday after Ellis excused the jury from the courtroom. Mr. Trump, are you here? the judge asked, eliciting an audible gasp from the many reporters in the room. It turned out the judge was referring to a man named Jim Trump, a prosecutor who was present in court for the next case and has no relation to President Trump. The moment resulted in a smile and a laugh from Manafort. Before deliberations started, Ellis acknowledged that the jury room is small. He offered to let the jurors use his conference room to deliberate instead. The jury, though, informed the judge that the members would prefer to deliberate in the break room, where they eat lunch. Ellis granted the request. PROSECUTORS BLAST MANAFORTS LIES IN CLOSING A unanimous verdict from the 12 jurors is required to convict Manafort on each of the 18 counts against him. During closing arguments on Wednesday, attorneys for Manafort suggested that Special Counsel Robert Muellers team had improperly ensnared their client in his ongoing probe of alleged Russian influence in U.S. politics. Manafort attorney Richard Westling told jurors that banks had not reported any problems with Manafort to regulators "until the special counsel came and asked questions," and he accused prosecutors of "stacking" charges against Manafort. And Downing, the other defense attorney, said several times the prosecution should have been handled by an IRS audit, rather than through 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, Ellis told jurors to ignore the defense team's suggestion that the Mueller prosecution was politically motivated. Throughout their closing arguments during the day, defense attorneys claimed prosecutors had produced "not a single bit" of evidence in support of their charges. On Wednesday, prosecutors used their closing arguments to paint the former Trump campaign chairman as a chronic liar, telling jurors Manafort is not above the law. 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 allegations of 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 Peter Doocy, Meghan Welsh, Lucas Tomlinson and Gregg Re contributed to this report. Lara Trump tore into her old friend Omarosa Manigault Newman on Thursday after she released a tape of the president's daughter-in-law offering her a job on the 2020 campaign shortly after being fired from the White House. I hope its all worth it for you, Omarosa, because some things you just cant put a price on, Trump, a senior campaign adviser, said in a statement. She fired back after Manigault Newman appeared on MSNBC and aired excerpts from a tape that appeared to show Lara Trump offering her a job at $180,000 a year to join President Trumps 2020 re-election campaign, after she was fired in December 2017. On the tape, Lara Trump appears to make reference to a New York Times story that reported Manigault Newman was preparing to tell her story, and tells her that could not happen if she joined the campaign. "It sounds a little like, obviously, that there are some things you've got in the back pocket to pull out, Trump is heard saying. Clearly, if you come on board the campaign, like, we can't have, we got to," she continues, before Manigault Newman cuts her off: "Oh, God no." OMAROSA BOOK RAISES QUESTIONS ON WHAT THE TOP-PAID WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL ACTUALLY DID Trump, who is married to Eric Trump, is heard saying that I would love if you could, you know, occasionally go do speaking engagements and that sort of thing for us -- I think youd be awesome doing that. Manigault Newman told MSNBC she saw it as an attempt to buy my silence, to censor me and claimed it is more proof that what she details in her new book, "Unhinged: An Insider's Account of the Trump White House, is accurate. But in a lengthy statement, Lara Trump described the airing of the tape as a betrayal -- coming after Manigault Newman was welcomed into our family as a trusted friend and confidant. When Omarosa was fired by the White House Chief of Staff in December of 2017, my entire family was concerned for her because we had no idea about the basis of her dismissal, she said. We still wanted her on our team because we cared so much about her personally. She also challenged the significance and framing of the audio: Another one of Omarosas bombshell tapes is a fraud. The discussions about a position with the campaign took place in numerous phone calls over the course of several weeks. Woman to woman, I shared a connection with Omarosa as a friend and a campaign sister, and I am absolutely shocked and saddened by her betrayal and violation on a deeply personal level, she said. Manigault Newmans latest leak comes after an onslaught of criticism from President Trump and other White House officials over the book, in which she said she has a number of tapes backing her claims. She already released tapes of discussions with the president and Chief of Staff John Kelly. She has also portrayed Trump as being both racist and mentally unstable. Along with criticism of Manigault Newman by both Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani and White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, Trump himself has weighed in on the book tour, describing Manigault Newman as a crazed, crying lowlife and congratulating Kelly for quickly firing that dog! After Lara Trumps statement, Trump retweeted a video that showed Manigault Newman praising Trump when she worked for him. Thank you for the kind words Omarosa, he tweeted. Fox News' Kelly Chernenkoff contributed to this report. Election ballots should be printed in English only, a Republican running to be Arizona's next secretary of state said last weekend in a comment that drew pushback from both sides of the aisle. Candidate Steve Gaynor's remarks came during a GOP candidate forum in Wickenburg last Saturday, the Arizona Republic reported. "My printing plant in L.A. printed an information pamphlet not too long ago. It had 18 languages on it," Gaynor, the owner of a printing business in Southern California, said, according to the paper. "I would be the first to say it should be -- ballots, information pamphlets, all the material in our country -- should be in English." "My printing plant in L.A. printed an information pamphlet not too long ago. It had 18 languages on it." Steve Gaynor, GOP candidate for Arizona secretary of state Many in the crowd booed, the report said. Incumbent Secretary of State Michele Reagan, who is among Gaynor's opponents in the state's GOP primary Aug. 28, accused Gaynor of "pandering" to far right-wing groups, the Republic reported. Another candidate for secretary of state, state Sen. Katie Hobbs, D-Phoenix, said Gaynor's remarks were worrisome, the report said. Maggie Acosta, lead canvasser for a progressive voter advocacy group, told the Republic that Spanish-language materials were crucial in Arizona because many of the state's voters who speak and read English still prefer to cast a ballot in their first language, to make sure they cast their votes correctly. A lot of the people are willing to (vote), yet they are afraid that theyre going to make a mistake on something," Acosta said. "They get discouraged and theyd just rather not vote." The federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 requires that some districts provide election materials in other languages for minority citizen groups who speak different languages, according to the report. A lot of the people are willing to (vote), yet they are afraid that theyre going to make a mistake on something. ... They get discouraged and theyd just rather not vote." Maggie Acosta, leader canvasser Based on U.S. Census data demographics, 10 of Arizona's 15 counties must provide voting materials in languages other than English, the Republic reported. About 900,000 Arizona voters are eligible to receive translated ballots under the law, the report said, citing Census data. Gaynor said the counties should be able to decide if they want to print materials in Spanish. He added that learning English would help immigrants "assimilate into American society," the Republic reported. Click here for more from the Arizona Republic. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg would pose the toughest challenge to President Trumps re-election bid in 2020, a former Trump campaign manager said Wednesday. Corey Lewandowski said he believes that Bloomberg, a billionaire media mogul, would be a serious threat to win the White House if he ran as a Democrat because of his vast fortune, name recognition and reputation as a job creator. Mike Bloomberg created tens of thousands of jobs over the course of his lifetime, Lewandowski told reporters at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast in Washington, the New York Post reported. That is a story the American people like -- and hes an outsider. I think it would be a very competitive race. Lewandowski, now an adviser to Vice President Mike Pence's Great America PAC, said the self-made billionaire was "an American success story whose ability to self-fund would benefit his campaign. Bloomberg's net worth is $52 billion, according to Forbes. He said another advantage was Bloomberg's history of running the nations largest city. Bloomberg, 76, is founder and CEO of Bloomberg LP, a global media company. The three-term New York City mayor initially ran and served as a Republican before becoming an independent after his second term. He was a Democrat prior to running for office. Mike Bloomberg created tens of thousands of jobs over the course of his lifetime. That is a story the American people like -- and hes an outsider." Corey Lewandowski, former Trump campaign manager Lewandowski also said Bloomberg held enough clout on progressive issues to win presidential primaries and make a close general election, according to the Hill. Bloomberg, an outspoken critic of Trump, has said he plans to spend at least $80 million on this year's midterm elections to help the Democratic Party gain a majority in the U.S. House. He twice flirted with running for president as an independent candidate, but ruled it out in 2016, believing he wouldnt win on a third-party ticket, the New York Post reported. Other rumored contenders for the Democratic Party's 2020 presidential nomination include U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and former Vice President Joe Biden. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Rep. Jim Clyburn, the third-ranking House Democrat, confirmed his intention to run for speaker of the House if his party takes the chamber in November and Nancy Pelosi struggles for support. The statement, made in an interview with The New York Times, marks another public challenge to the House minority leader's grip on power. Dozens of Democratic candidates, including some sitting lawmakers, have already refused to commit to supporting Pelosi for speaker if their party takes back the majority. Clyburn, D-S.C., reportedly came under pressure at a Congressional Black Caucus retreat last week to compete against Pelosi for the speakership should she struggle to garner the 218 votes necessary to lock in the post. In an interview with The New York Times, Clyburn, 78, said he still supports Pelosi, but intends to run if she cannot gain the support. If the opportunity is there I would absolutely do it, Clyburn told the Times, adding that an African-American speaker would put to bed forever the notion that the Democratic caucus is taking black voters for granted. 'If the opportunity is there I would absolutely do it.' Rep. Jim Clyburn, on a run for speaker Pelosi, though, told the Times that she was not troubled by Clyburns plans and called him a beautiful, lovely member of Congress whom she sees as a brother. She also suggested she could serve as a "bridge to the future," but cautioned that any potential successor would have to prove they have a following and a "vision" and fundraising ability. Clyburns announcement comes amid internal worries that Pelosi's presence could hurt the partys chances in the midterms and hold back its next generation of leaders. DEM REVOLT AGAINST PELOSI GROWS, AMID FEARS HER SHADOW COULD CAST PALL OVER MIDTERM HOPES The list of candidates refusing to support Pelosi for speaker has steadily grown. The Washington Post last week counted at least 27 Democratic House candidates who would not commit their support for the California Democrat. Another count published by NBC News last week said over 50 Democratic candidates and incumbents would not support Pelosi. The conversation is premature, as serious consideration of Pelosi for speaker would only happen if the party takes back the 23-seat majority from the Republicans in Novembers elections. A spokesman for Pelosi told Fox News in an email that she has not even sought votes for the post. Pelosi has said that shes not asked for a vote and will not do so until after the election, Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill wrote to Fox News Thursday. Her focus is on winning. President Trump, who has endorsed dozens of Republican candidates in the primaries, has sought to liken most of their Democratic opponents to Pelosi. The National Republican Congressional Committee has followed suit. Democrats cannot escape the Nancy Pelosi leadership conundrum. Her potential return to the speakership should be a rallying cry for every Republican to get out and vote in November, Republican National Committee spokesman Steve Guest told Fox News in a statement Friday. Her number one priority would be to reverse the great American comeback ushered in by President Trump and Congressional Republicans. But Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton urged Pelosi to step down ahead of the midterms, so that Republicans couldn't use her expected candidacy for the speakership against the party. "Its far better for her to graciously step down before the election, so that Republicans cant use that attack against Democrats, than to wait until after the election," Moulton told the Times. Pelosi, meanwhile, is hosting an upcoming gathering of donors in Napa Valley. A spokesperson told the Times that nearly 300 people are expected to attend, including Californias Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown and former Secretary of State John Kerry. President Trump on Wednesday appeared to hold former CIA Director John Brennan partly responsible for the investigation into alleged collusion between his campaign and Russia in the 2016 election. Trump revoked Brennans security clearance, the White House announced. It was the first decision to come from a review of access for several officials who served under President Obama. I call it the rigged witch hunt, [it] is a sham, Trump told The Wall Street Journal hours after the announcement was made. And these people led it. So I think its something that had to be done. Brennan fired back in a blistering op-ed in The New York Times, describing the president as desperate. "Mr. Trump clearly has become more desperate to protect himself and those close to him, which is why he made the politically motivated decision to revoke my security clearance in an attempt to scare into silence others who might dare to challenge him," Brennan wrote. "Now more than ever, it is critically important that the special counsel, Robert Mueller, and his team of investigators be allowed to complete their work without interference from Mr. Trump or anyone else so that all Americans can get the answers they so rightly deserve." In a tweet, Brennan also said the White Houses decision was part of a broader attack against the freedom of American citizens. TRUMP REVOKES EX-CIA DIRECTOR JOHN BRENNANS SECURITY CLEARANCE This action is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics, Brennan wrote. 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. "I call it the rigged witch hunt, [it] is a sham." President Trump to the Wall Street Journal Earlier in the day, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders read a statement on the presidents behalf during the press briefing and said 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. 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). Fox News Brooke Singman and Elizabeth Zwirz contributed to this report. At the request of local and international companies and consortia, Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities extended the pre-qualification period for interested parties to submit documents in the open tender to manage the facilities of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) complex, scheduled to open in 2020. Tarek Tawfik, supervisor general of the GEM, told Ahram Online that the new deadline for pre-qualification submissions would be Tuesday, 25 September. The deadline for receiving site visit requests has been extended to 6 September. Tawfik said that pre-qualification documents received will be opened in a public session Wednesday, 26 September, at the GEM. Tawfik explained that facilities include a 1,000-seat conference centre, a 500-seat cinema, 10 restaurants, with two overlooking the Giza Pyramids, food courts, bookshops and other retail outlets, a traditional arts and crafts centre, and a multifunctional building that could be for administrative purposes or as a boutique hotel. He underlined that the Ministry of Antiquities is the only authority responsible for the management and security of GEMs treasured collection, as well as anything related to antiquities, such as exhibition halls, the maintenance and restoration centre, and the childrens museum. The GEM complex is a cultural institution located on an area of approximately 500,000 m2 adjacent to the Giza Pyramids. By time of opening it will constitute one of the largest museums in the world displaying the heritage of a single civilisation. The museum will contain over 100,000 artifacts, reflecting Egypt's past from prehistory through the Greek and Roman periods, in an area of 92,000 m2. Search Keywords: Short link: Calling opioids coming into the U.S. from China and Mexico "almost a form of warfare," President Trump on Thursday urged Attorney General Jeff Sessions to investigate foreign sources of fentanyl that he said are "killing our people." Speaking during a Cabinet meeting Thursday, Trump also took the unusual step of urging Sessions to file a "major" new lawsuit against opioid suppliers and manufacturers, rather than join existing lawsuits filed by states affected by the spread of the highly addictive, deadly drugs. Its almost a form of warfare, Trump said, referring to the drugs he called "garbage" that are flowing into the country. "Id be very firm on that. Its a disgrace and we can stop it. TRUMP DECLARES WAR ON OPIOID ABUSE, CALLS FOR DEATH PENALTY FOR TRAFFICKERS Trump added: "I'd also like to ask you to bring a major lawsuit against the drug companies on opioids. Some states have done it, but I'd like a lawsuit to be brought against these companies that are really sending opioids at a level that -- it really shouldn't be happening. ... People go into a hospital with a broken arm, they come out, they're a drug addict." More than 1,000 lawsuits by more than a dozen states have already been filed nationwide against distributors and manufacturers in recent months amid the opioid epidemic. Earlier this week, New York sued the maker of the prescription opioid painkiller OxyContin, saying Purdue Pharma has misled both patients and doctors about the dangers of their drug. In June, Massachusetts also sued Purdue and its executives, accusing the company of fueling the deadly drug abuse crisis by spinning a web of illegal deceit to boost profits. The lawsuit, which the state's attorney general said was the first to call out the names of company executives in connection with opioid deaths, came as Purdue was already defending against lawsuits from several other states and local governments. Other companies involved in litigation with states include manufacturers Johnson & Johnson and Teva Pharmaceuticals, as well as distributors. The suits generally involve claims that the drug makers have improperly downplayed the addictive qualities of their drugs, and that distributors have negligently handled their shipments. Sessions said he would comply with the president's requests. "We absolutely will," Sessions said Thursday. "We are returning indictments now against distributors from China; we've identified certain companies that are moving drugs from China, fentanyl in particular. We have confronted China about it ... Most of it is going to Mexico and then crossing the border, unlawfully, from Mexico." There were no signs of tension in the room, even though the attorney general has been a target of Trump's ire in recent days. On Saturday, Trump called Sessions "scared stiff and missing in action," amid his ongoing frustration with the Russia probe and related inquiries. HOW TO SAVE SOMEONE FROM AN OPIOID OVERDOSE "In China, you have some pretty big companies sending that garbage and killing our people." President Trump Last October, the White House declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency, and the Trump administration has since taken steps to combat the national problem. Trump's plan, which he discussed in March, includes harsher penalties for drug traffickers and lowering the amount of drugs needed to trigger mandatory minimum sentences for dealers. The president specifically asked the DOJ to pursue more death penalty cases against drug traffickers, and also pushed for more federal support for medications that can reverse the effects of opioid overdoses. Last year, Trump reportedly praised Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for his government's violent crackdown on drug users, saying he has done an "unbelievable job on the drug problem." Human Rights organizations have reported that more than 10,000 people have been killed as part of the Duterte's efforts to halt the spread of lethal narcotics in the country, which observers say has proceeded without regard for due process rights. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 115 Americans die daily from opioid-involved deaths. Opioids, including prescriptions and heroin, killed 42,000 people in the U.S. in 2016. Overall drug overdose deaths in 2017 increased to 72,000, up nearly 6,000 from 2016. Preliminary data from 2018, however, suggested that the numbers may be trending downward in the wake of the Trump administration's efforts to curb the epidemic. Fox News' Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Bradford Betz, and The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Trump on Thursday accused The Boston Globe of COLLUSION with other newspapers, as hundreds of outlets launched coordinated editorials hitting back at his attacks on members of the press. The Boston Globe, which was sold to the the Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses & investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT! Trump tweeted. Minutes later, Trump seemed to soften his tone, but maintained his accusations that the press pushes a political agenda. There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS! The presidents tweets came as more than 300 publications across the country -- most of which supported Hillary Clinton in 2016 -- participated in the effort, initially organized by The Boston Globe. The Globe urged editorial boards of major and local newspapers to publish columns promoting freedom of the press. THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country.BUT WE ARE WINNING! Trump tweeted earlier Thursday morning. The Globes piece, published Thursday, titled JOURNALISTS ARE NOT THE ENEMY, said replacing a free media with a state-run media is the first order of business for any corrupt regime taking over a country. Today in the United States we have a president who has created a mantra that members of the media who do not blatantly support the policies of the current U.S. administration are the enemy of the people, the editorial board wrote. This is one of the many lies that have been thrown out by this president much like an old-time charlatan threw out magic dust or water on a hopeful crowd. The Globes editorial board wrote that press freedom is under serious threat. And it sends an alarming signal to despots from Ankara to Moscow, Beijing to Baghdad, that journalists can be treated as a domestic enemy. The Globe, on Thursday, also changed its Twitter avatar to an image of a hashtag in red, all-capital letters: #FREEPRESS. The Globes column was one of hundreds circulating throughout the U.S. on Thursday. The president has routinely mocked and attacked media outletslike CNN, NBC, The New York Times, and The Washington Postover critical stories that he often disputes. The tensions between Trump and the media, though, have been flaring ever since the campaign. By one count, of the 100 biggest newspapers in the U.S., 57 endorsed Clinton for president, four endorsed Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson, and only two endorsed Trump. Politicos senior media writer Jack Shafer wrote in his own op-ed that the coordinated editorial attack Thursday is sure to backfire, and likely will provide extra ammunition for Trump. It will provide Trump with the circumstantial evidence of the existence of a national press cabal that has been convened solely [to] oppose him, Shafer wrote. Trump will reap enough fresh material to wale on the media for at least a month. Shafer pointed out that most editorial boards didnt support Trump in the first place. Editorial-page sentiment against Trump remains largely unchanged since the election, making the call for a collective reprimand all the more pointless, he wrote. Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report. An extremely rare nickel up for auction in Philadelphia fetched $4.56 million from an anonymous buyer Wednesday. The Stacks Bowers Galleries offered the Eliasberg 1913 Liberty Head Nickel for auction during the American Numismatic Associations Worlds Fair of Money. This is truly a momentous sale and one for the history books, Brian Kendrella, president of Stacks Bowers Galleries, told WPVI. The new owner of the Eliasberg nickel now possesses one of the rarest, most valuable United States coins, and one of only three examples of this coveted coin in private hands. The coin is named for financier Louis E. Eliasberg, who bought the coin in 1948, and amassed one of the greatest coin collections in U.S. history. This special nickel is one of only five ever produced at the Third Philadelphia Mint. No one really knows the circumstances of their production, Vicken Yegparian, vice president of numismatics at Stacks Bowers Galleries, said. This is the best of the five its known as the Eliasberg specimen. As Fox News previously reported, Yegparian said that the five Liberty Head nickels were produced just before the U.S. Mint started producing nickels with a Buffalo Head design. Of the remaining four, two are off the market one was donated to the Smithsonian in the 70s, and one was donated to the American Numismatic Association in the 1980s, he said. There remain two other ones in private hands. Rare coins are big business. Earlier this year, a small $5 gold coin produced by the San Francisco Mint during the height of the California Gold Rush was estimated to be worth millions of dollars. The coins owner initially had thought that the money was fake. Fox News James Rogers, Chris Ciaccia and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. Original article on Space.com. Is it the remains of a woolly mammoth or a decaying whale? Those were the questions on beachgoers' minds as they gathered around a giant, hairy sea creature that was beached in Siberia. The mysterious creature, which doesn't appear to have a prominent face with eyes, recently washed up from the Bering Sea. "The most interesting thing to me is that the creature is covered with tubular fur. Could it be some ancient creature?" local Svetlana Dyadenko asked, according to The Siberian Times. "I wish scientists could inspect this enigma that [the] ocean threw at us." MYSTERIOUS 20-FOOT SEA CREATURE COVERED IN SHAGGY HAIR WASHES UP ON PHILIPPINES BEACH The creature is about three times as big as an average man and some reported seeing at least one tentacle, prompting some to question whether it was a huge octopus. The carcass had a pungent odor. Marine biologist Sergei Kornev, who works at the Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO), told the newspaper the "globster" was most likely a piece of a whale that had been dead for a while. "Under the influence of the sea, time and various animals, from the smallest to the largest, a whale often takes on bizarre forms," he explained. "This is only a part of a whale, not a whole one." It's currently unclear whether researchers will take tissue or DNA samples from the creature. This isn't the first time a shaggy-haired "monster" has been spotted on a beach. A similar creature washed up on a Philippines beach in May, causing chaos in the San Antonio area. A video of the massive greyish white creature was posted to YouTube, showing two men with ropes working together to pull the monster out of the water. MUPPET ON MARS? NASA IMAGE FROM THE RED PLANET SPARKS COMPARISONS TO FAMOUS PUPPET Based on the size and shape of the creature, and what marine experts observed, fishery experts confirmed it was the body of a whale. In February 2017, another odd creature washed ashore in the Philippines, just off the Dinagat Islands. Similarly, the animal was 20 feet long, weighed around 4,000 pounds and had "long, shaggy white hair," according to a National Geographic report at the time. 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. Originally published on Space.com. A 61-year-old swimmer was airlifted to a Boston hospital Wednesday after suffering a shark bite off Cape Cod that resulted in deep puncture wounds to his torso and legs. The swimmer, who was not identified, was attacked around 4 p.m. at Long Nook Beach in Truro, near the north end of the peninsulas Atlantic side, assistant harbormaster Gary Sharpless told the Associated Press. Witnesses told FOX25 Boston that the victim was yelling, Get me out of the water! Shark! Shark! as rescuers dragged him to shore. There was definitely a trail of blood, Aiden Rodriguez told the Cape Cod Times. It was split apart, he said of the wound. There was definitely a trail of blood. Aiden Rodriguez, witness to shark attack The man remained conscious and talking as he was airlifted for treatment, officials said. "We're hoping for the best," Truro fire Chief Timothy Collins told the paper. The man had reportedly been swimming way off shore at the time of the attack, FOX25 reported. A group of seals was reportedly spotted near the area. Officials closed the beach following the attack and posted warnings, but swimmers were still seen entering the water, according to the station. The type of shark that attacked the victim was not confirmed. Numerous sharks have been spotted in the area, including several great whites, the Times reported. The last shark attack in Cape Cod occurred in 2012, also in Truro, according to the paper. The victim suffered a bite from a great white that required 47 stitches. Massachusetts' last fatal shark attack was in 1936. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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 Britains largest-ever warship, the HMS Queen Elizabeth, is joining forces with the American-made most powerful stealth fighter jets in the world. The ship is the first of the Queen Elizabeth (QE) Class aircraft carriers and is embarking on its very first transatlantic journey. The giant warship will arrive off the eastern coast of the United States where it will start the first flight trials with the fifth generation Lightning II Joint Strike fighter jets. Three times the size of the Royal Navys previous Invincible Class Aircraft Carriers, the HMS Queen Elizabeth is an approximately 65,000-ton, four-acre flight decked, mobile floating military platform which will allow Americas steadfast ally to contribute even more power to future combat. HMS Queen Elizabeth and the HMS Prince of Wales represent 6.2 billion worth of new, futuristic, state of the art, warships that this key ally can soon bring to the table should the need for joint-action arise. With the HMS Queen Elizabeth, the British military will be able to bring even more aircraft to a situation and significantly boost the number of sorties. EXCLUSIVE LOOK: F-35 STEALTH FIGHTER JET The U.S. Marine Corps also flies the F-35B. As part of joint-action, U.S. Marine pilots and aircraft will be able to easily fly missions together from the HMS Queen Elizabeth. With the threat of adversaries with advanced technology looming, seamless, smart collaboration between allies like the combined might of the HMS Queen Elizabeth and the F-35 fighters is increasingly vital and urgent. Giant warship, huge capabilities Even though it is a giant warship, the Queen Elizabeths design is so advanced it can be run with a surprisingly small crew compared to previous U.K. aircraft carriers. Take the weapons handling onboard, for example this system is designed to move armaments to the flight deck six times faster than before while requiring only about a third of the crew. Overall, the HMS Queen Elizabeth carries a crew of 679 and embarked forces up to 921. Month by month, the HMS Queen Elizabeth continues to rapidly expand the capabilities the warship can bring to the fight. The carrier has already finished completed rotary wing trials with more than one thousand helicopter deck landings with Chinook Mk 5 helicopters and Merlin Mk 2s in all sorts of weather conditions. NEW F-35A FIGHTER JET GETS A NEW POWERFUL BOMB Royal Marine commandos have also already conducted amphibious warfare trials including an air assault from the HMS Queen Elizabeth. In 2014, lead ship HMS Queen Elizabeth first left her Scottish dockyard soon followed by the HMS Prince of Wales two weeks later. Just four years later, the futuristic aircraft carrier has already conducted sea trials, been commissioned into the Royal Navy and now will integrate the most advanced fighter jets in the world further augmenting the power it can project. Once HMS Queen Elizabeth reaches the United States the Royal Navy will be collaborating with the U.S. military to run the very first trials of F-35B carrier landings. PODCAST: MEET THIS ALL-AMERICAN FARM BOY WHO BECAME AN ACE FIGHTER PILOT What will the American-designed fighters provide? The worlds most powerful stealth fighter jet, the F-35 Lightning II Joint-Strike Fighter is a result of teamwork and astonishing innovation from a number of American companies with Lockheed Martin at the lead. These fighters have a slew of extremely advanced unprecedented capabilities. There are three variants and each provides its own unique advantages. A CLOSE-UP LOOK AT THE F-35A, THE AIR FORCE'S NEXT-GEN JET Incredibly fast, it flies at supersonic speeds of Mach 1.6. The situational awareness is truly remarkable. These fighters have astounding stealth, allowing them to penetrate deep into enemy territory and never be detected. The British military has opted to buy and fly the F-35B variant also flown by the U.S. Marine Corps. The F-35B variant is just over 51 feet long with a wingspan of 35 feet. It has a combat radius of greater than 450 nautical miles. To give you a sense of the power, this fighter has a vertical thrust of 40,500 pounds. These fighters are powerfully armed and able to carry 15,000 pounds of weapons. For example, they can carry extremely destructive and lethal weapons like two AIM-120C/D air-to-air missiles and two 1,000-pound GBU-32 JDAM guided bombs. The British will fly the variant that provides short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL), which is ideal for aircraft carriers. Even though the HMS Queen Elizabeth is 280 meters (919 feet) long, it is still very challenging to land one of the worlds fastest fighters on aircraft carrier runways that are quite short compared to those available at bases not to mention ocean conditions that create constantly shifting and unpredictably moving runways. HOW F-35A FIGHTER PILOTS ARE HARNESSING HIGH-TECH 'SEE-THROUGH' HELMETS The unique STOVL also provides the added advantage that both militaries will be able to land at rudimentary bases in war zones without proper runways. Seems mind-boggling that such a powerful, supersonic speed fighter can also land vertically sort of like a helicopter does- but it has been achieved. The F-35B has a very special shaft-driven lift fan propulsion system instead of a conventional direct-lift approach. HMS Queen Elizabeth F-35B landing testing A special approach to landing, called the SRVL, is being developed for the Royal Navy to use for their fighters on the HMS Queen Elizabeth class carriers. Shipborne Rolling Vertical Landing uses both the vertical thrust from the jet engine and lift from the wings. The goal is for these rolling landings to enable the fighters to land on the HMS Queen Elizabeth carriers with a bigger weapon load as well as with more fuel. PODCAST: WHATS THE SECRET TO ACHIEVING TOP GUN? FIND OUT FROM THIS FASCINATING TOP GUN PILOT More exciting advances HMS Queen Elizabeth brings to the fight The HMS Queen Elizabeth can reach speeds of 25 knots with a range of about 10,000 miles but speed and range is nothing compared to the astonishing cutting-edge tech, advanced weaponry and powerful capabilities this floating military platform can bring anywhere in the world. In addition to the fifth-generation fighter jets, the HMS Queen Elizabeth incorporates a wide array of other cutting-edge advances - including some more American-designed ones. American Phalanx close-in weapon systems Another American companys innovation found on the HMS Queen Elizabeth is the Raytheon Phalanx Close-In weapon system. There are three Phalanxes that can be used to shoot down aircraft, drones, swarming small attack boats and even incoming missiles as a last-ditch effort to protect the carrier. NAVY TAPS RAYTHEON FOR SOPHISTICATED 'LAST CHANCE' GUN SYSTEM American ultra-advanced landing system To help pilots land, the HMS Queen Elizabeth uses the American-designed AN/SPN-41/41A Instrument Carrier Landing System that transmits flight path information to the aircraft as they approach the warship. In fact, the fighter pilots will be able to see this data in their incredibly futuristic head-up display. F-35 pilots wear astonishing helmets that even allow them to see through the floor of their aircraft straight through to the sea or ground below. Thermal metal spray coating to protect it from jet blast Jet blast temperatures can reach a staggering 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit. Picture the giant, powerful, fiery blasts aimed toward the deck as the fighters execute their vertical landings it could very easily burn through multiple floors of a ship. A remarkable thermal metal coating was developed to shield flight decks from jet blast and this has been sprayed on sections of the HMS Queen Elizabeths flight deck. When will it be up and running? Ultimately, it is expected a total of 138 F-35B fighter jets will eventually join the British military. So far, they have fifteen of the current order for 48 aircraft. Within a mere two years, the HMS Queen Elizabeth will reach carrier strike full operational capability with its first operational deployment expected the following year. Aviation pioneers are developing a new way to soar through skies using electric-powered planes to battle rising jet fuel prices. Having a smaller plane that's more environmentally friendly - that has to be a good thing right? Mathew Hare said while visiting downtown Chicago from Cambridge, England. There are many people in downtown Chicago who like the idea of an eco-friendly aircraft. I think that's a very innovative and great idea, businessman Boris Chumak told Fox News. As long as it, you know, passed all the safety concerns, all the safety regulations, why not? Dozens of companies are designing this new type of electric powered aircraft. But ZUNUM Aero, a startup with a facility in Elgin, Illinois hopes to be the first to fly commercial regional flights in the U.S. AI TOOL 'AS GOOD AS EXPERTS' AT DETECTING EYE PROBLEMS, SCIENTISTS SAY "We have studies. We have trends. We're monitoring what the electric vehicles are doing on the ground ... all we need to do is convert that to flight, ZUNUM power chief technology officer Waleed Said said. ZUNUMs 10-to-12-passenger hybrid plane is designed to fly up to 1,000 miles per charge. Travel from the Boston area to the Washington, DC area could be as quick as two hours, 30 minutes door-to-door compared to four hours, 50 minutes today, ZUNUM representative Meaghan Shields said in a statement. Funded by Boeing HorizonX, Jet Blue Technology Ventures, and the State of Washington Clean Energy Fund, the company claims its aircraft will reduce carbon emissions and noise by up to 80 percent. They really will have zero emissions. There wont be any kind of pollutants, really at all, that will come from a battery-powered airplane, Flying Magazine Senior Editor Robert Mark said. There is that motive that we want to clean up the environment as well and again fuel is very, very, expensive right now ... electricity costs, but it doesnt cost as much as fossil fuels. MAGIC LEAP'S MIXED REALITY HEADSET IS FINALLY ON SALE Shields says customers can expect to pay eight cents per seat mile, or $250 per hour for the aircraft. So, a flight from San Jose to the Los Angeles area could cost an average fare of $120 one-way. Airline Weeklys Seth Kaplan says that, for now, the technology is most applicable to business jets and airlines that fly to smaller, lesser-known cities. If this can become something thats an alternative on large airplanes the consumer benefit that potentially, the price of oil starts to matter less, Kaplan said. Right now when jet fuel prices surge, that usually ends up meaning more expensive airline tickets for all of us. With any new technology there are those who are skeptical. Jimmy Scardina, a Chicago resident, says he would not fly on electric-powered aircraft. He thinks its suicidal. I think that people, as things are developing, they need to get more knowledge about what they're doing, Scardina said. Sometimes they can get into something and it turns out to not be so good as they thought and cause damage in other ways. Sheri Hegseth, from Alberta, Canada, says she finds the idea of a plane using a battery for power concerning. I don't really know how far electricity can carry you on a plane when a car can only go a couple of hours. I don't like crashing," Hegseth said. Aviation analysts argue there will always be a back-up power source. No ones going to drain the battery completely until the motor stops turning and then say 'ugh I guess we have a problem.' There will always be reserves, Mark said. The aircraft uses a generator powered by jet fuel and two electric battery packs, located in each wing. The batteries have to be charged before we start and therefore chargers are needed in the airports ...we may either fly with batteries only or fire a small engine to provide extra power to fly the airplane, Said said. The challenge they are now trying to overcome is the batteries weight - it has to be both light enough for the plane to take off and powerful enough to fly for a long period of time. Once we are in the air we turn the engine off, fly exclusively with batteries and land from there, Said said. He believes they will have the right metrics for the batteries by 2022. I think its important that we realize we are not going to be seeing United Airlines flying electric airplanes in the next couple of years, Mark said. Id say we probably have a good decade of starts and stop ahead of us before we are really going to find something practical for a large cabin kind of airplane. The company is currently working to get the plane certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. Its first scheduled test flight will be in the summer of 2019. Google employees have written a letter to company management expressing their displeasure with the tech giant's proposed search engine for China, which would see certain search results be censored at the Chinese government's request. Employees have demanded that the company be more transparent about its decisions, and the letter also calls the project's ethics into question. The letter, obtained by BuzzFeed News, states that the Mountain View, Calif.-based search giant needs to have more transparency about how it operates and relay that to its employees. "Our industry has entered a new era of ethical responsibility: the choices we make matter on a global scale," the letter states, specifically referencing the Chinese search engine project, codenamed Dragonfly. The letter continues: "Yet most of us only learned about project Dragonfly through news reports in early August. Dragonfly is reported to be an effort to provide search and personalized mobile news to China, in compliance with Chinese government censorship and surveillance requirements. Eight year ago, after Google Pulled censored websearch out of China, Sergey Brin explained the decision, saying: 'In some aspects of [government] policy, particularly with respect to censorship, with respect to surveillance of dissidents, I see some earmarks of totalitarianism.' Dragonfly and Googles return to China raise urgent moral and ethical issues, the substance of which we are discussing elsewhere." REPORT REVEALS GOOGLE IS TRACKING YOU IF YOU LIKE IT OR NOT The letter has been signed by approximately 1,000 people at the company, according to The New York Times, which first reported the dissent. In addition, the letter also asks management to satisfy four conditions regarding ethics and transparency: 1. An ethics review structure that includes rank and file employee representatives 2. The appointment of ombudspeople with meaningful employee input into their selection 3. A clear plan for transparency sufficient to enable Googlers an individual ethical choice about what they work on; and 4. The publication of ethical test cases; an ethical assessment of Dragonfly, Maven, and Airgap GCP with respect to the AI principles; and regular, official, internally visible communication and assessments regarding any new areas of substantial ethical concern. Fox News has reached out to Google with a request for comment on this story. HOW TO FIND AND DELETE WHERE GOOGLE KNOWS YOU'VE BEEN Google's rocky history in China Rumors of the Chinese-based search engine have circulated over the past few weeks after The Intercept reported that it had seen leaked documents, suggesting the Sundar Pichai-led Google was planning to re-enter China, nearly 8 years after leaving the country. The search engine, which would be app-based, would remove items that contain certain words or phrases and would apply to image search, suggested search features and automatic spell check. It would also blacklist sensitive queries so no results are shown when a person looks for a specific word or phrase, The Intercept added. The app will also identify topics and websites that are blocked by China's Great Firewall, according to the documents. According to the documents seen by The Intercept, examples that will be censored include British broadcaster BBC and Wikipedia. In 2010, Google famously announced it was leaving China, specifically mentioning China's censoring tactics as a reason for pulling out of the country. GOOGLE IS FINED $5B BY EU IN ANDROID ANTITRUST CASE Negative reaction to Dragonfly As rumors of the China-based search engine have trickled out in the press, reaction on social media has been negative, with many calling the company's infamous "Don't be evil" motto into question. "Its quite ridiculous that in the 21st century one of the most powerful countries in the world denies its citizens access to common knowledge," one user wrote. "If Google cares about its reputation (at the very least) then it should definitely reconsider project Dragonfly." Another person, a self-described "Silicon Valley refugee," simply said that Project Dragonfly is EVIL Earlier this year, Google dropped Dont be evil from its official code of conduct. The Intercept notes that only a "few hundred" employees at the company know about the project. According to its most recent quarterly report, Alphabet (Google's parent company), employed 89,058 people as of June 30. Earlier this year company employees also protested Google's work with the U.S. military, known as Project Maven, a controversial program that uses artificial intelligence to improve drone targeting. Several employees even resigned in protest at the company's work, with a number of employees writing a letter to Pichai that the company should not be in the business of war. According to media reports, Google will not seek another contract when the current Project Maven contract expires in 2019. Fox News' Christopher Carbone and James Rogers contributed to this report. Follow Chris Ciaccia on Twitter @Chris_Ciaccia A stinky situation aboard an Alaska Airlines flight forced the plane to make an uncheduled landing on Sunday but the airline isn't about to take blame for the stench. Following an earlier statement in which Alaska Airlines confirmed a "strong odor" was responsible for forcing a flight from San Francisco to New Orleans to divert to Los Angeles on Sunday, the company now says the smell was not caused by the aircraft itself, but rather "someone or something in the cabin." PARENTS CALL OUT FRONTIER AIRLINES FOR TREATMENT OF THEIR KIDS "After a maintenance inspection of [the plane], it was determined the odor was not caused by the aircraft," a spokesperson for Alaska Airlines told KCRA. "The cause of the odor is believed to have emanated from someone or something in the cabin. The aircraft is back in service." In an earlier statement shared with Fox News, Alaska Airlines had simply said "strong odor was detected onboard during the flight in the aft cabin." The plane landed safely at LAX around noon on Sunday, and the 136 passengers were reaccommodated on other flights, according to The San Francisco Gate. At the time, the airline had also confirmed that the plane was being inspected by technicians to pinpoint the cause. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE TRAVEL NEWS The Alaska Airlines flights unscheduled stop follows news of a Spirit Airlines flight that was forced to make an emergency landing on July 26, after passengers detected an unusual odor that one likened to dirty socks. A hazmat team was called in to inspect the plane, and several passengers were treated on the scene for symptoms including headache, nausea and difficulty breathing. Michelle Gant contributed to this report. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was detained on an American Airlines flight at Nashville International Airport on Thursday morning, but he appeared to have a sense of humor about it. The flight, which had arrived at the airport from Los Angeles at 5 a.m., was moved to a remote area of the airport while one of the passengers was evaluated, a representative for American Airlines (BNA) told The Tennessean. ALASKA AIRLINES BLAMES ODOR THAT FORCED PLANE TO LAND ON 'SOMEONE OR SOMETHING IN THE CABIN' Huckabee confirmed via Twitter at around 5:30 a.m. CST that he wasnt allowed to get off the plane, but also claimed no one was being allowed use of the bathroom, and that passengers had been quarantined on the aircraft. 5 hr red eye flight on @AmericanAir Nashville from LA. On ground for 40 min and now told someone on board is sick & we are being towed to other gate and quarantined until all checked out. Cant get up to go to bathroom or get off plane. Its the Russians! I just know it! he wrote. About a half hour later, he followed up with a photo of what appeared to be an ambulance and a fire truck surrounding the plane. 1 hr after landing got to far away gate where @AmericanAir will hopefully get us off this plane! Medical personal at gate. Hope its not because I got that straw in CA! wrote. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE TRAVEL NEWS A representative for American Airlines confirmed that the situation had been cleared as of 7 a.m. CST. The Nashville International Airport (BNA) also confirmed to The Tennessean that all passengers were eventually allowed to deplane. The condition of the ill passenger is not clear, but a BNA spokesperson said the traveler had been medically cleared prior to the flight, but was talking about the recent illness and other passengers on board became worried of exposure, according to The Tennessean. "For safety, passengers were held by BNA Police until contact was made with the physician to confirm clearance, which it was," said the airport spokesperson. Andy Cohen, who never shies away from speaking his mind, took to Instagram to detail the saga his France-bound Delta flight making a U-turn almost halfway through the trip and returning to New York City due to inoperative lavatories. On Aug. 14, the Bravo TV host was aboard Flight 412 en route to the city of Nice. Three and a half hours into the transatlantic trip, the pilots made a U-turn back to the States after the lavatories became "inoperative," a Delta rep confirmed to Fox News. According to The Daily Mail, the captain decided to turn the plane around as Delta had more staff available in the U.S. to fix the issue. According to Cohen, a passenger onboard apparently broke the planes toilets. TWO UNITED AIRLINES PLANES COLLIDE ON THE GROUND AT CHICAGO O'HARE AIRPORT Hows this? We were two hours outside of Europe, somebody pooped or put something down the toilet that it didnt go and broke the toilets. We had to turn around to fix the f------ toilet, 50-year-old Cohen wrote on Instagram Stories to his 2.6 million followers, People reported. To the person on the Delta flight to Nice that put a foreign object down the toilet tell me who you are because were going to find you I think they should sacrifice themselves at the beginning of the flight, he added. Touching down on JFK Airport, the flight was rescheduled for the following day. Cohen and his friend Bruce Bozzi boarded again, and the flight went on to land in France without issue. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Representatives for Delta returned Fox News request for comment on the story with the following statement: 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, a spokesperson confirmed. 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. Two United Airlines planes collided on the airfield at Chicagos OHare International Airport on Wednesday afternoon, but thankfully no injuries were reported. Around 4:20 p.m., Flight 645 was taxiing from Gate C30 when the aircrafts left wing clipped the left wing of Flight 2746, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Federal Aviation Administration rep Tony Molinaro confirmed that both United planes sustained damage to their wings in the accident. According to CBS Chicago, the Portland-bound Flight 645 had passengers on board and the incident ultimately delayed their trip by two hours. Flight 2746, bound for Cleveland, was eventually canceled. ALASKA AIRLINES BLAMES ODOR THAT FORCED PLANE TO LAND ON 'SOMEONE OR SOMETHING' IN THE CABIN The FAA is investigating, the Sun-Times reported. I noticed a lot of people over by the windows looking out, wondering what was going on. A lot of airport employees, people with their cameras up, witness Alexandra Carley told CBS. Our plane that was supposed to come into OHare had to circle around for a while after the accident and by that point, the weather got bad, United passenger Melissa Wester said. This many planes in this area, this many times a week. Something is bound to happen at some point. Id call that a minor accident, United passenger Mark Ritchie, who witnessed the accident from a flight nearby, told the outlet. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS United returned Fox News request for comment with the following statement: Prior to its departure on Wednesday afternoon for Portland, Oregon, United flight 645s wingtip came into contact with the wingtip of another aircraft parked at a nearby gate. There were no customers on board the parked aircraft at the time of the incident and no reported injuries on either aircraft," a spokesperson said. "We assisted our customers and operated the flight to Portland with a different aircraft. The flight departed at 6:32 p.m. yesterday. A Florida teen who vanished from her home five years ago, and who was recently believed to have sent a letter to her family, contacted authorities Tuesday and told them "she was safe," the sheriffs office handling the investigation said. Emily Wynell Paul, now 19, took off from her Southport home on April 13, 2013 at the age of 14, according to the Bay County Sheriffs Office. Paul reportedly only left a note stating her intention to leave. The teens mother, Pam Massimiani, said last month that she had recently received a letter and, based on the contents, believed it to be from her daughter, the Panama City News Herald reported. The sheriff's office learned that the teens family had received letters in the mail from her, prompting Captain Jason Daffin to post a video on Facebook earlier this month asking her to get in touch with authorities, according to a Facebook post from the Criminal Investigations Division of the Bay County Sheriffs Office (BCSO). Paul phoned the sheriffs office on Tuesday, and upon their request, went to a separate, unidentified police department a half hour later, authorities said. That police department notified the BCSO that a woman claiming to be Emily Paul had arrived. The sheriffs office wanted to confirm she was safe and ensure the call was not being made under duress, they said. The police department gathered evidence, such as photographs, to confirm Pauls identity and spoke with her privately. Emily stated that she was safe, she had a support system and she was happy where she was, the sheriffs office said. She appeared to be in good health and she had arrived at the police station by herself and left by herself. With Pauls reappearance, the sheriffs office officially closed her missing persons case. Fox News Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report. An alleged ISIS member was apprehended in northern California on Wednesday after being accused in the 2014 murder of a police officer in Iraq, officials announced. The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested Omar Ameen, 45, following an Iraqi warrant for his arrest and extradition request, officials said in a news release from the Justice Department. Ameen allegedly arrived in Rawah, Iraq with a caravan of ISIS vehicles -- after the organization gained control of the town on June 21, 2014 -- and made their way to the Rawah police officer's home, officials said. The following day, multiple group members, including Ameen, allegedly shot the officer. ISIS TERRORISTS SEEN LAUGHING IN PHOTOS BEFORE BARCELONA TERROR ATTACK Ameen then allegedly fired his weapon at the victim while the victim was on the ground, killing him, officials said. The suspect is accused of being a member of ISIS and al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), as well as carrying out tasks for the groups, including helping to plant improvised explosive devices, according to the news release. Following the alleged incident, Ameen relocated to Sacramento from Iraq as a purported refugee and did not mention his alleged ties to the terrorist organizations when seeking refugee status and a green card in the U.S., officials said. ISIS RAMPS UP VIOLENCE AS IT PREPARES TO PULL OUT OF SYRIA Ameen appeared in a Sacramento court on Wednesday in relation to his pending extradition to face trial in Iraq, officials said. The Iraq warrant for his arrest was initially issued on May 16 and a subsequent warrant requested in Sacramento was issued by a judge on Tuesday, according to officials. In accordance with its treaty obligations with Iraq, the United States filed a complaint in the Sacramento seeking a warrant for Ameens arrest based on the extradition request, the news release said. A near-death experience that left an Idaho couple fighting for their lives inside a cave in western Wyoming hasnt deterred the self-described adrenaline junkies from wanting to explore the same area again. We dont want to be seen as victims, we were up there doing amazing things that we love to do, Spencer Christiansen, 31, told Fox News on Thursday. The cave was beautiful, I want to explore it again. That trip is burnt into my memory he added. Spencers wife, Jessica, echoed this sentiment, though noted she would only return to the Darby Canyon Ice Cave with proper equipment, warmer clothing and most importantly, a guide and more people. COUPLE TRAPPED IN CAVE BURN EVERYTHING INCLUDING THEIR HAIR TO KEEP WARM: 'WE KNEW WE WERE IN SOME DEEP TROUBLE' It's one of those things where you have to jump back on the horse to conquer your fear, the 24-year-old told Fox News. This experience created a new connection and respect for death. The couple, of Idaho Falls, made national headlines this week when they were rescued Sunday after being trapped inside the cave for nearly two days. What they expected to be a one day trip to celebrate Spencers birthday turned into a fight for survival. Spencer and Jessica both experienced hikers and rock climbers ran out of food and burned many of their belongings (including a clump of Jessicas hair) to stay warm. They were experiencing early stages of hypothermia by the time volunteers with Teton County Search and Rescue made their way to them. It was only a lack of good information that caused the issue in the first place, Spencer said, explaining he had researched the cave before the two set out but now realizes that much of the information was misleading. We are adrenaline junkies. This experience created a new connection and respect for death. Jessica Christiansen The couple became trapped in what Spencer described as a dead room after they spent hours making their way through narrow passageways, over rocks and through freezing water. At one point, they saw a rope hanging down from the ceiling and were hopeful that, despite their lethargy and numbing temperatures, they would garner the strength to climb the rope and find a way out. HIKER LOST ON MOUNT ST. HELENS SURVIVED BY EATING BEES AND BERRIES: REPORTS Eventually, they made it to the top but it wasnt an exit as they had hoped. We were fighting for our lives at that point, Spencer said. We got all the way to the top and discovered that it wasnt the way out. Soon after, they heard voices. We couldnt believe it, Spencer recalled thinking. "I thought, 'Holy cow were going to be saved, were going to get out of here.'" Jessicas mother called a search and rescue team after the two didnt return to pick up their 1-year-old daughter, who was staying with her grandparents while they were away. Spencer said he told his mother-in-law before they embarked on the trip to call for help if she didnt hear from them by a certain time. The rescuers eventually made their way up to the couple, who were shivering and weak." The rescuers, who have not yet been identified, were light-hearted the whole time, making jokes and stayed positive, Spencer said, adding that he was flattered when they praised him and Jessica for their survival techniques. We made it as easy as possible to be found, Spencer said, explaining that he used charcoal to draw arrows on the cave walls to help rescuers locate them. We werent giving up or sitting around waiting to die. We wanted give search and rescue the proper chance to find us. With help from the volunteers, the couple eventually made their way out of the cave, only to have to hike a few hours back down to the parking lot. Eventually, they made it back. While they're sore and tired, both Spencer and Jessica are in good health and back home with their daughter. This is not some terrible tragedy, Spencer said of the event. We love to do this type of adventure; this our first really bad experience doing anything like this. MARYLAND FISHERMAN 'ACCIDENTALLY' CATCHES BULL SHARK WEIGHING 310-POUNDS: 'I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE THAT BIG' For anyone hoping to embark on an adventure whether its a simple hike or exploring a cave Spencer recommends taking proper precautions. You have to let your family know where you are and when you're supposed to be back. Its an adrenaline rush, Spencer said, adding that he and Jessica bonded over their love of adventure. A lot of people find it crazy, but we don't like to live our life on the couch, he said. The space where a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee once stood at Duke University's famous chapel will remain permanently empty, the university's president announced Thursday. In a statement on Duke's website, Vincent E. Price said the university planned to install a plaque in the foyer of Duke Chapel explaining why the statue was removed. "It will provide a powerful statement about the past, the present and our values," Price wrote. He added that the chapel's dean, the Rev. Dr. Luke Powery, originally suggested keeping the space empty so that it "might represent 'a hole that is in the heart of the United States of America, and perhaps in our own human hearts that hole that is from the sin of racism and hatred of any kind.'" Lee was among 10 figures depicted at or near the Gothic-style chapel's entrance; the statue was vandalized and removed last year. The vandalism came days after deadly violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, spawned by white nationalists protesting the removal of another Lee monument. At the time, Price said that he'd ordered the statue's removal "to protect Duke Chapel, to ensure the vital safety of students and community members who worship there, and above all to express the deep and abiding values of our university." In his message on Thursday, Price said he would recommend that the university "identify a location and appropriate form" to honor the first African-American students to attend Duke. The first black undergraduates to enroll at the private university did so in 1963. Price said their "courage and initiative marked a turning point in Dukes history, helping the university to grow into the diverse community that it is today." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Authorities in Florida said they are working to identify the driver of a light blue or silver sedan who was seen on video purposely running over a beloved tortoise outside an elementary school near Tampa. Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies are investigating. Gopher tortoises are a threatened species under state law. The vehicle could be seen entering a bus circle at the San Jose Elementary School in Dunedin, and stopped as the slow-moving tortoise meandered into the street. The car could be seen accelerating and rolling over the reptile, Fox 13 Tampa reported. "I would not have words [for the driver]," Amanda Knapp, who discovered the badly injured gopher tortoise, told the station. I am angry. I am very angry with the person. The tortoise, named Jose, was barely alive with his shell cracked, the report said. A local sanctuary could not save him. Jose lived with his mate, Sandy, named after the school. Students there loved him. A great white shark is being eyed in a close-to-shore attack at a Cape Cod beach that left a New York man injured. William Lytton, 61, of Scarsdale, NY, was airlifted to Tufts Medical Center in Boston after he was bitten by a shark while wading about 30 yards off Long Nook Beach in Truro, Massachusetts. He was being treated for puncture wounds to his torso and leg. The hospital said he remained in serious condition and his family has asked for privacy. The beach was closed and will remain closed until the weekend, officials said. US OFFICIALS: EX-ISIS FIGHTER ENTERED US AS A REFUGEE Greg Skomal, a shark expert, said he planned to speak with Lytton and examine his wounds to determine if he was bitten by a great white shark. Numerous great white sightings have been reported in the area. The last shark attack that occurred in Truro was in 2012 when a Colorado man in Ballston Beach was bitten. He was treated and received 47 stitches. Town manager Rae Ann Palmer said several shark sightings were reported Thursday, but she did not have details. The area is a feeding ground for seals, which draw sharks. A few witnesses reported seeing seals before the attack. ALLEGED PROSTITUTE ESCAPES WISCONSIN POLICE AT 108 MPH Despite the public's fear of sharks, the odds of being killed by one are roughly 1 in 3.7 million, according to the National Aquarium in Baltimore. The Associated Press contributed to this report. An Ohio man who went missing last week after setting out on a hike on Mount St. Helens in Washington state, was found alive Wednesday -- having survived by eating bees and berries, authorities and the mans relatives said. Matthew B. Matheny, 40, of Warren, Ohio, was reported missing by friends after he failed to return from his hike along Blue Lake Trail on the southwest side of St. Helens. His parents told reporters that he was not familiar with the terrain and got lost. They said he had not seen anyone since Aug. 9. Dozens of search-and-rescue personnel, assisted by helicopters, tracking dogs and a drone operated by the local sheriffs office searched daily for Matheny. On Saturday, a sheriffs deputy found the borrowed Subaru Outback Matheny used to take himself to the trailhead. The search narrowed Tuesday to a 1-square-mile area using cellphone signals and a computer model that aimed to predict Mathenys movements. Matheny was found Wednesday below a different trail, authorities said. He was talking and appeared to be in good health, but was flown to a hospital to spend the night for precautionary reasons, the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. "He knew it was a tough situation," said Linda Matheny, who arrived in Washington with her husband Sunday, according to the Oregonian. "But everyone who has encountered him have told us it's remarkable the condition he's in." Mathenys parents described their son as a former Boy Scout, who frequently found himself in precarious positions, the paper reported. The trail Matheny got lost on is a short walk through meadows and tall fir trees to Blue Lake, according to the Washington Trails Association, where hikers can access other trails and ridges that lead to views of Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The body of a pregnant Colorado mom who was killed along with her young daughters was recovered Thursday at the place of work of Chris Watts the woman's husband, the children's father and the man accused of killing them all. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation said authorities found the body of 34-year-old Shanann Watts three days after she was reported missing. Her body was found on the property owned by Anadarko Petroleum, where her husband worked. John Camper, director for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, said cops have strong reason to believe they know where the bodies of her two daughters, 3-year-old Celeste and 4-year-old Bella, may be and are trying to recover them. This is absolutely the worst possible outcome that anyone could imagine, he said. "As horrible as this outcome is, our role now is to do everything we can to determine exactly what occurred." Chris Watts, 33, has reportedly admitted to killing his wife and their two daughters. He is being held in the Weld County Jail on three counts of first-degree murder and three charges of tampering with physical evidence. He is due in court on Thursday afternoon. District Attorney Michael Rourke said charges could be filed by Monday afternoon. It wasnt immediately known if Watts had an attorney. It was unclear if Watts could face charges in connection with the fate of his unborn child. Shanann Watts, who was 15 weeks pregnant, and her two daughters were reported missing Monday after she didn't show up for a doctors appointment and didn't answer her phone. A friend called police, who found her cellphone, purse and keys inside the home during a welfare check. On Wednesday, as the FBI and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation were brought in to help with the search, Chris Watts told reporters he was traumatized by the disappearance and was hoping for his familys safe return. He told The Denver Channel he wanted his wife and children back, adding they were his life and their smiles light up my life. Hours later, police executed a search warrant at the Watts home. Investigators were seen removing bags of evidence and towing a pickup truck from the scene, FOX31 reported. Police tweeted early Thursday that Watts was placed in custody. Rourke said Thursday that the affidavit for a warrant-less arrest was sealed by a judge at their request. Once charges are formally filed against Watts, they will request it be unsealed and be made a public record. Law enforcement officials told The Denver Channel that Watts had confessed to killing his family. In his interview with The Denver Channel on Wednesday, the man said he had an emotional conversation with his wife the night before she vanished, but he didn't elaborate as to the subject or if it developed into an argument. Shanann Watts' Facebook account paints a portrait of a happy family, with a constant feed of photos and videos of her family, friends and herself. Her comments are typically upbeat and say how happy she is, whether she's running errands, playing with her kids or promoting a health program. She posted a photo on June 19 of some texts with her husband after sending him a sonogram. He replied that he loved the baby already. She posted: "I love Chris! He's the best dad us girls could ask for." Shanann Watts moved to Colorado from North Carolina with her husband in 2012, according to property records and her social media accounts. Anadarko spokeswoman Jennifer Brice confirmed to The Denver Channel that Chris Watts was employed at the company. We are heart-broken by this, and our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones and friends of the Watts family. We will continue to support law enforcement in its investigation, Brice said. Frederick is about 28 miles north of Denver. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Latest on the murder trial of a former Texas police officer who fatally shot a teenager in a car (all times local): 2:10 p.m. Jurors are seeing body camera footage from a former Texas police officer who fired into a car full of black teenagers and fatally shot a 15-year-old boy. The footage was shown Thursday during the murder trial of former Balch Springs officer Roy Oliver. He killed Jordan Edwards last year as officers responded to a report of underage drinking at a house party. Oliver, who is white, has said he feared for his and his partner's safety as the car sped by. Prosecutors say Oliver fired after the car passed and his partner wasn't in danger. In his Oliver's body camera video, screams and honks can be heard after gunfire rings out. The video then shows Oliver getting a rifle from his patrol car. After the shooting, Oliver can be heard asking his partner if he's all right. Oliver then says the car's driver tried to hit his partner. ___ 1:45 p.m. The partner of a former Texas police officer accused of firing into a car full of black teenagers and killing a 15-year-old boy says he didn't fear for his life as the vehicle went by. Tyler Gross testified Thursday during the murder trial of his former partner, Roy Oliver. The shooting occurred last year when the Balch Springs officers responded to a report of underage drinking at a house party. Oliver told investigators he and his partner feared for their lives when the car carrying the teens sped past them. But Gross told jurors he never felt the need the fire his weapon. He says there were 100 to 150 kids coming out of the house, and that officers talked to the host about not having such a big party. Prosecutors say Oliver fired at the car after it passed and Gross wasn't in danger. ___ 12:15 p.m. Opening statements are underway in murder trial of a former Texas police officer accused of firing into a car full of black teenagers and killing a 15-year-old boy. Prosecutor Michael Snipes told jurors on Thursday that Jordan Edwards was an "innocent child" when he was killed last year by then-Balch Springs Officer Roy Oliver. Snipes says the white former officer was angry, out of control and "trigger happy." No guns were found inside the teens' car. The shooting occurred as officers responded to a report of underage drinking at a house party. According to court records, Oliver said he and his partner feared for their lives when the car carrying the teens sped past them. But the prosecutor says Oliver fired at the car after it passed. The 38-year-old Oliver was fired from the police force after the shooting. ___ 12:30 a.m. A murder trial for a former Texas police officer who killed a black teenager highlights the heightened role that video evidence plays in high-profile police shootings. Former Balch Springs officer Roy Oliver, who is white, opened fire last year into a moving car filled with five black teens and killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards. The 38-year-old Oliver was fired after the shooting. His jury trial is scheduled to begin Thursday in Dallas, but defense attorneys filed an emergency stay Wednesday to delay its start. Oliver's attorneys say evidence will show Oliver "reacted properly." According to court records, Oliver said he and his partner feared for their lives when the car carrying the teens sped past them. The officers were responding to a report of underage drinking at a house party. A Massachusetts man suspected of killing three women whose remains were found at his Springfield home was indicted on multiple charges by a grand jury Thursday -- including first-degree murder, aggravated rape, and aggravated kidnapping. The 52-count indictment against Stewart Weldon, 41, included three counts of first-degree murder, nine counts of aggravated rape, eight counts of strangulation, two counts of rape, five counts of aggravated kidnapping, four counts of kidnapping and two counts of assault with intent to rape. According to the Boston Herald, Weldon was arrested on May 27 by Springfield police after he was pulled over for a broken taillight. A woman in the vehicle told police that Weldon had held her captive for the previous month, repeatedly raping and beating her. "Thank you guys for saving my life," the woman reportedly told police as she was taken to an ambulance. "I didn't ever think I was going to get away." Police said the woman suffered "grotesque and violent" injuries, including a possible fractured jaw, stab wounds to her abdomen, marks from being hit with a blunt object and a leg infection. When police went to Weldon's home, they found the bodies of three women "in and around" the property, according to Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni. They have since been identified as 47-year-old Ernestine Ryans and 34-year-old America Lyden, both of Springfield; and 27-year-old Kayla Escalante of Ludlow, Mass. In addition to the three women, the indictment covers alleged crimes committed by Weldon against eight other people. At the time of his arrest, Weldon was wanted on a warrant for assault and battery of a police officer and numerous traffic violations. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from the Boston Herald. Two North Carolina children got ahold of a gun and fatally shot a man police said was assaulting and strangling their mother. During the attack, Steven Kelley, 46, said he was going to cut the throat of Chandra Nierman, his girlfriend, and kill everyone in the home, the Rutherford County Sheriffs Office said. Police said Niermans 12-year-old son obtained a gun, and her 15-year-old daughter used it to shoot Kelley in the chest twice. Niermans 16-year-old daughter was injured in the shooting after a bullet grazed her leg. Shes since been released from the hospital, according to police. Nierman also suffered significant bruises and contusions from the assault, police said. Police were called to the home just after midnight on August 8 and found Kelley already dead. Kelley was a convicted felon who had two active domestic violence protection orders against him from women in Indiana and Ohio, the Rutherford County Sheriffs Office said. He also assaulted Nierman just days before his death, police said. Then, investigators said, he fired a gun inside the house multiple times to threaten and terrorize Nierman. Police said they found multiple guns in the house and on Kelleys body that belonged to him. Authorities have said that no charges will be filed against the children as the shooting is considered justified. The children have not been named because they are minors. Forest City is about 65 miles west of Charlotte, North Carolina. Vice President Mike Pence met with the family of Mollie Tibbetts after a speech in Des Moines, Iowa, Wednesday in which he said the family is on the hearts of every American. Pence was at the states capital to promote President Donald Trumps tax cuts, The Des Moines Register reported. Rob Tibbetts, Mollies father, told Fox News he met with the Pence at the Iowa Air National Guard wing of the Des Moines International Airport after the speech. Tibbetts, who was accompanied by his two sons and her boyfriend, said it was an off-camera meeting per Pences request. There was no political agenda, just a heartfelt gesture on his part, Tibbetts said, adding that Pence said he had spoken with FBI Director Christopher Wray about the investigation. Nick Ayers, Pences chief of staff, reportedly said a prayer for Mollie before they left, Rob Tibbetts said. Pence earlier told an audience at a community convention center that we will continue to work and we will continue to pray for Mollies safe return. Tibbetts, 20, made national headlines when she disappeared on July 18 from her hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa. Brooklyn has about 1,500 residents and is located 70 miles east of Des Moines. Tibbetts was dog-sitting at her boyfriends home the night she disappeared. She was last seen going for a jog. A reward fund for her safe return has topped more than $360,000. During his remarks, Pence reportedly thanked law enforcement for their efforts, and told the crowd the administration would provide any and all federal support. Fox News' Matt Finn contributed to this report. A Georgia police chief is defending his officers decision to use a stun gun to subdue an 87-year-old woman who, he said, disobeyed their commands to drop a knife. However, family members said that Martha Al-Bishara was simply cutting dandelions with a kitchen knife last week, and that the officers should have been more patient. Chatsworth Police Chief Josh Etheridge said he and two other officers at the scene used the "lowest use of force" they could when dealing with the woman who would not comply. "An 87-year-old woman with a knife still has the ability to hurt an officer," he said. "In my opinion, it was the lowest use of force we could have used to simply stop that threat at the time." Police received a 911 call on Friday from an employee of a local Boys and Girls Club who reported a woman with a knife was walking outside and would not leave. "She's old so she can't get around too well, but ... " the employee said on the 911 recording. "Looks like she's walking around looking for something, like, vegetation to cut down or something. There's a bag, too." Police said they found Al-Bishara and, after she refused to drop the knife, one officer deployed the stun gun. Etheridge said he even tried to communicate with her by taking his own pocket knife and throwing it on the ground. Al-Bishara was charged with criminal trespass and obstructing an officer and released from jail in Murray County later that day. But Al-Bishara's relatives said the officers should have shown more patience. "If three police officers couldn't handle an 87-year-old woman, you might want to reconsider hanging up your badge," said Solomon Douhne, the woman's great-nephew. Etheridge said the police department was conducting an internal use-of-force review. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Authorities in the nation's capital are investigating whether a serial killer may be responsible for the deaths of three women who disappeared months apart in 2006 -- and whose remains were identified after being found buried near an apartment building Wednesday. Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham announced the IDs during a news conference, naming the three women as 48-year-old Jewel King, who vanished in April 2006; 41-year-old Verdell Jefferson, who was reported missing in August 2006; and 43-year-old Dorothy Botts, who was last seen on Christmas Day of that year. In response to a question from FOX5, Newsham said detectives weren't ruling out any possible motives -- including that the trio may have been victims of a serial killer. "We would always consider that to be a potential in this case but at this point, we don't even know," Newsham said. King and Jefferson died of gunshot wounds and were buried close together, officials said. The two were likely killed in "one suspected circumstance," because there was not enough dirt discovered between their bodies to indicate they were interred at separate times. "We believe they were at least put in there at the same time, and are probably associated," he said. Jefferson, who lived on the same block where her body was found, died of blunt force trauma, police said. Her body was found in a crawlspace at 113 Wayne Place SE, while the bodies of King and Jefferson were found buried in a shallow grave at an adjacent property, 111 Wayne Place SE.. REMAINS FOUND IN SHALLOW GRAVE AT DC APARTMENT BUILDING ID'D AS WOMEN WHO VANISHED IN 2006 The three women were mothers, and authorities are trying to find any other links between them, besides that they lived in "close proximity" to where their remains were eventually found. Police identified the victims by using DNA to determine they were between the ages of 30 and 60, and then checking missing persons reports to collect DNA samples from potential family members. "Whenever you have a family member who goes missing, I am sure, regardless of how much time has passed, you are always hopeful that they will return," Newsham said. "I am certain that this news is devastating to these families." A relative of Verdell Jefferson who spoke to FOX5 on the condition she not be identified said the family is upset her remains were found so close to her home after a fruitless 12-year search, and said she felt police should have done more. She did not know how Jefferson may have known the other women. I think D.C. police failed her, the relative told FOX5. They looked into her past of drug usage, prostitution and those things and they just swept it under the rug." Police are hoping the identification of the remains helps "jog people's memories" and someone will remember something suspicious from the Southeast D.C. neighborhood in 2006. Officials are offering $25,000 for information that leads to an arrest in connection with the killings, and are asking anyone with information to call the Metropolitan Police Department at 202-727-9099. One of five suspects arrested at an extremist Muslim compound in northern New Mexico is originally from Haiti -- and has lived in the U.S. illegally for more than 20 years, federal officials said Wednesday. Jany Leveille, 35, was detained by immigration officials Tuesday and soon must appear before a judge to resolve her immigration status, which could lead to her deportation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials said in a statement. Leveille has been unlawfully present in the U.S. for more than 20 years after overstaying the validity of her non-immigrant visitor visa, ICE said. NEW MEXICO COMPOUND JUDGE HAS HISTORY OF ISSUING LOW BAIL TO VIOLENT OFFENDERS Leveille moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., from Haiti in 1998 after her father died, Von Cehelet Leveille, the womans brother, told Reuters. She has moved several times since coming to the U.S., living in Georgia, Philadelphia and New York after separating from her husband, the brother said. Leveille lived at the New Mexico compound with her current husband Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and their children since January, prosecutors said. She has six children, ages 1 to 15, her brother told Reuters. The couple and two others were arrested during an Aug. 4 raid. Wahhaj was still being held on an outstanding warrant from Georgia, while the two others remained in custody. "Leveille has been unlawfully present in the U.S. for more than 20 years after overstaying the validity of her non-immigrant visitor visa." ICE 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 officers and other representatives of institutions they found corrupt, state prosecutors said on Monday. Three-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. Fox News Matt Richardson contributed to this report. A Texas woman, fighting with a friend about money, recruited a man and his teenage girlfriend to help her stage a robbery during which the trio beat and stabbed the mother of three to death, cops said. Amy Medina, 37, was arrested in connection with the death of Lucy Bertrand, 33, who was found dead in her Texas City apartment last Thursday, KHOU11 reported. Police initially believed Bertrand died during a home invasion. But then investigators found evidence showing Medina plotted the death of her former friend. Medina allegedly recruited Cory McCray, 19, and his teenage girlfriend -- who was not identified due to her age -- to stage a robbery during which Bertrand was killed. Medina and Bertrand were involved in a dispute about money, officials said. Medina and McCray beat the mother with a pistol before the teen stabbed Bertrand to death, KPRC reported, citing documents. McCray and the teen were arrested on Wednesday. Medina was already in police custody and faces a murder charge. Medina and McCray were each being held on a $250,000 bond. Jason Kessler, the nationalist organizer of the highly controversial Unite the Right rallies, has endured plenty of angry people screaming at him as he spouts his brand of shocking rhetoric -- such as a belief the History Channel shows "constant anti-German propaganda." But his most humiliating detractor may be the one closest to home: His dad. WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT Kessler's father was caught on video yelling at his infamous son during a live stream with white nationalist Patrick Little -- that happened to be filming from the elder Kessler's bedroom. Kessler and Little were discussing Israel, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and sex slavery when an irritated voice was heard in the background. Hey, you get out of my room! Kesslers father was heard saying. Little asked Kessler if there was a drunk roommate in there. UNITE THE RIGHT MARCH TRIGGERS TENSION, ANTIFA CLASHES, HUNDREDS OF COUNTERPROTESTERS Kessler, 34, replied, Something like that before saying the person was somebody who supports Orthodox, uh, Israeli, like, is were at a crosshairs on that stuff. I want this to stop in my room, Jason. This is my room, Kesslers father was heard saying. Little laughed and told Kessler to clean his room, saying he assumed thats a parent there before asking if he was staying with an Orthodox Jew. No, its my father, Kessler explained before saying his family watches the American history channel, which, Kessler complained, showed constant anti-German propaganda. Im stuck in a situation where I have to stay with my family because Im paying for all these lawsuits, and I cant afford to do that without staying with my family, Kessler explained. It was not immediately clear where Kessler's family lived. Little said he was currently live-streaming from a boat he had just in case he was evicted from his residence. He boasted the boat had a king-size bed and hot water. SUSPECT FROM EXTREMIST MUSLIM COMPOUND LIVED IN US ILLEGALLY FOR OVER 20 YEARS: OFFICIALS Though video of the interaction went viral on Twitter this week, the full video was posted by Little in June. Kesslers father, Eric Kessler, told the Washington Post he stopped speaking to his son since he learned about his views. He added the family was dismayed across the board about this situation. Weve never identified with racial politics. On Sunday, Kessler organized another Unite the Right in Lafayette Park, near the White House. He said he expected 100 to 400 people to show up -- but the crowd had far fewer people. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Virginia man was arrested Monday after he allegedly threw a toddler in a creek while fleeing police, authorities said. The man, identified as 28-year-old Kyle Steven Sunday, was allegedly driving with his 2-year-old son on his lap around 5 p.m. on Monday evening. A police officer with the Strasburg Police Department reportedly spotted the duo and attempted to pull Sunday over. But when Sunday stopped the car, he got out and fled, allegedly tossing the toddler over an embankment and into a creek as he ran, a different officer saw, NBC4 reported. BODY OF MISSING COLORADO WOMAN FOUND AT HUSBAND'S PLACE OF WORK, POLICE SAY An officer ran to rescue the child, who was later treated for "several lacerations" the news station reported. Then, with the help of authorities with the Shenandoah County Sheriff's Office and Warren County Sheriff's Office, Sunday was later found hiding in the attic of a home on Fairchild Drive. He was arrested and charged with felony counts such as child abuse, reckless driving and eluding police, according to CBS 6. TEXAS MOTHER OF 3 MURDERED BY EX-FRIEND WHO STAGED ROBBERY, COPS SAY The childs mother, Kristi Ann Letima, 27, was also charged with child neglect and endangerment, obstruction of justice and making a false report to law enforcement. She allegedly told authorities that Sunday had stolen the car with the child inside, WHSV News reported, but failed to tell police that she was in a relationship with Sunday and that the toddler is their son, according to NBC 4. A 19-year-old Kentucky woman who police said wanted to make some quick money faked her kidnapping, even writing her own ransom notes to her family. Abbygail Farley, of Corbin, was reported missing by her father Mark after he received various text messages saying she had been kidnapped and that her alleged abductors wanted $400 for her release or she would be killed, according to court records. [He] said he was receiving messages from her phone saying she had been abducted for money because she owed some money, Lt. Coy Wilson told WYMT-TV. WOMAN FAKED KIDNAPPING TO COVER UP BOYFRIEND'S KILLING, POLICE SAY Court documents show that he also received text messages from another number. Farleys father, who was given a drop-off location to leave the money, contacted police, who then reached out to the FBI for help. Corbin police said Farley was actually pretending to be her abductor and was using a texting app to send the random notes. When her father dropped off $400, police pinged her phone and discovered her inside an apartment. KIDNAPPED MODEL HITS BACK AT ABDUCTION DOUBTERS, SAYS SHE WAS WILLING TO HAVE SEX WITH KIDNAPPER TO STAY ALIVE After dropping it off, we went and searched all the residences and after a couple we found her, Wilson said. The 19-year-old admitted to police that she made it all up and just wanted her father to pay up, WYMT-TV reported. Farley was charged with falsely reporting an incident, theft by extortion and disorderly conduct. Wilson said Farley gave various reasons as to why he wanted the money and believe a possible drug problem is the reason behind all of this. A group of New Jersey vandals this weekend did what the Nazis couldn't sink the USS Ling. At least partially. The intruders boarded the World War II-era vessel, which is berthed in a New Jersey river, and opened underwater hatches, flooding the sub. The thieves also stole several plaques. Navy veteran Jack Brown, a trustee on the Submarine Memorial Association, which is responsible for maintaining the USS Ling, told FOX5 he was at the New Jersey Naval Museum in Hackensack on Sunday when he noticed something was off. "I noticed the boat looked very low in the water," Brown said. "[Vandals] cut through with bolt cutters, I guess, got in and opened all the hatches. The equipment and artifacts inside are ruined." The Ling, a Balao class-submarine, was commissioned on June 8, 1945 and was the last of the fleet boats that patrolled U.S. shores during World War II, according to the Historic Naval Ships Association. "Ling made one Atlantic patrol before the war ended," the group notes. "Decommissioned in 1946, Ling became part of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet until reactivation as a submarine training vessel in 1960." Besides having the Ling inundated with 10 feet of water, officials said four bronze plaques that commemorated the more than 3,000 Navy officers who died on U.S. submarines during World War II were also taken. Hackensack Police have launched an investigation into the incident. "Taking those plaques, dedicated to people who never came back from war, lost in submarines, is just deplorable," Army veteran Joe Schuler told FOX5. NEW JERSEY FLASH FLOODS SEND CARS FLOATING DOWN RIVER, PILING UP AGAINST BRIDGE The vandalism came as the group was planning to move the artifacts after being evicted from the site due to a nearby development project. The museum's president, Gilbert De Laat, said volunteers are still trying to figure out how to clean up the vessel, which could cost thousands of dollars just to drain. "People today aren't recognizing the value of artifacts that represent our history," he told FOX5. "Three thousand lives were lost in submarine service it was really the thing that changed the outcome of World War II." Hackensack City Councilman Leonardo Battaglia told NorthJersey.com the city doesn't have the financial resources to move the vessel. "I don't know if the city is in the position to spend millions of dollars to do something," he said. "The city doesn't have the money. We're trying to get tax relief for residents." Supporters of Andrew Brunson, the American pastor at the center of an escalating international dispute between Turkey and the United States, continue to press for his freedom but concede they don't know what next steps might secure his freedom. "We are still working and still hopeful. There are ongoing discussions, but no updates yet," said a Turkey-based U.S. official on Wednesday, after a Turkish appeals court rejected a request by Brunson's lawyers to free him from what most observers regard as trumped-up terrorism charges. Officials closely tied to the case fear the rift between the two NATO allies will only liken deepen in coming days, as neither side shows signs of backing down. Pastor Andrew Brunson is an innocent man held in Turkey & justice demands that he be released. Turkey would do well not to test President Trumps resolve to see Americans who are wrongfully imprisoned in foreign lands returned home to the United States, Vice President Mike Pence tweeted on Wednesday. Pence's tweet followed President Donald Trump's announcement last week that he was doubling tariffs on metal imports from Turkey on top of already-imposed sanctions. The sanctions announcement contributed to the sharp decline of the Turkish lira, which has sparked fears in the international finance community of an impending Turkish economic crisis. U.S. officials are now cautioning that further economic strains may be on the way for the once critical strategic partner if Brunson is not released, with White House national security adviser John Bolton cautioning the Turkish ambassador Serdar Kilic that the U.S would not give any ground. Brunson a native of North Carolina had lived in Turkey as a missionary for more than 20 years, and led the small Izmir-based Resurrection Church before being swept up in Turkish President Tayyip Erdogans crackdown following a failed coup in July 2016. Brunson was held without charges until five months ago, when the terrorism indictment was handed down. Turkish prosecutors accuse the pastor of terrorist ties to both the Islamist Gulen movement, which Ankara blames for the failed coup attempt, as well as to the outlawed PKK Kurdish separatist movement. Brunson, who has denied all charges, was moved to house arrest on July 25 due to ailing health, but was ordered to wear an electronic bracelet at all times. He is also forbidden from traveling outside Turkey. Several sources closely connected to the negotiations said there was a sense among Brunson's family that he would be released in July. But that didn't happen, much to the frustration with U.S. officials when he was instead shifted to house arrest. The U.S had for months crafted an array of incentives for Turkey to release Brunson, officials said, with the expectation of release. We welcomed the move to house arrest, but this is not enough, said one official. Time will tell how this plays out, but there has been high-level concern for quite some time. But it has been running slow. Brunsons next hearing as part of the trial is scheduled for October 12. He faces up to 35 years behind bars if found guilty. Erdogan seems unfazed by the U.S. moves, even as the Turkish economy suffers.His government responded by doubling tariffs on U.S imports in Turkey on tobacco, alcohol, and cars. Erdogan has also called on Turks to not use American electronic goods if the sanctions are sustained. US PASTOR IN TURKEY TOPS LIST OF AMERICANS JAILED, SENTENCED ON DUBIOUS CHARGES WIVES AND MOTHERS ON YEMEN'S FRONTLINE FIGHT TO FREE THOUSANDS OF MEN FROM PRISON HELL An attorney for Brunson told Fox News there were no developments in the case this week outside of the appeals court action. Aykan Erdemir, a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD), said that the appeal refusal was yet another indication that Erdogan is doubling down against the U.S pressure to free the pastor. The Turkish president "seems to be recalibrating his hostage diplomacy, by differentiating his attitude toward U.S and European Union detainees," said Erdemir, citing Turkey's decision this week to release two Greek soldiers who were being held on suspicion of espionage, as well as the top Turkish representative of the London-based Amnesty International. Erdogan is trying to win the support of European governments in his ongoing Washington spat. His hardline stance on Pastor Brunson and the other U.S. detainees, in stark contrast to European hostages, will likely trigger further sanctions from Washington, Erdemir predicted. Jim Phillips, a senior research fellow for Middle Eastern affairs at the Heritage Foundation, anticipates the next moves will be for Washington to pull the plug on the delivery of F-35 stealth fighters and other arms sales, and lobby against loans for Turkey at international financial institutions. Other U.S government and intelligence sources lament the situation has come to this point, and fear it will jeopardize the fight against terrorism in the Middle East. Both sides are making more of it than should be made, said one source. Others have expressed frustration the Trump administration has taken such a vocal and public approach, particularly when Turkey had already taken the positive step of moving Brunson to house arrest. But others disagreed. The Trump administration initially tried to resolve the Brunson hostage situation through quiet diplomacy. But President Erdogans stubbornness and continued provocations led President Trump to brush him back with the tariff announcement, which has made Turkeys self-inflicted economic problems much worse, Phillips said. President Erdogan has fallen back on hostage-taking to pressure the United States. This is a tactic adopted by enemies, not allies. The crisis over Brunsons persecution has underscored the degree to which Turkey has drifted away from the West under Erdogans leadership. While Brunsons case is the most visible, the U.S State Department is also working to release a handful of other Turkish-American citizens - all of whom have dual citizenship - who have also been detained in what is deemed to be political hostage taking. One case, NASA scientist Serkan Golge, has received some attention in the U.S., as has the arrest of several Turkish employees of the U.S. embassy in Turkey. But more than a dozen other Turkish-Americans remain in the Turkish criminal justice system. The Turkey-US relationship has very deep and historical ties, and there is no doubt that there are several obstacles now in that relationship, said the Turkey-based U.S. official. And the release of all these Americans is an important part of that relationship. The parents of freelance journalist Austin Tice told Fox News Wednesday night that they have confidence that their son is still alive, six years after he vanished under frightening circumstances in Syria. Tice, who would now be 37 years old, disappeared in 2012 after stopping at a checkpoint in Syria while on his way into Lebanon. Five weeks after his disappearance, a video surfaced showing Tice blindfolded and being held by armed men. That was the last time Tice was seen alive. Marc and Debra Tice told Fox News Martha MacCallum they have confidence that their son is still alive and waiting to come home. We know hes waiting for us to do whatever it takes to get him home free, we just cant wait for that day, Marc said on The Story. He also said that those involved with bringing Tice home also have that same confidence that hes still alive. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on Tuesday at a briefing that U.S. investigators believe him to be alive. Nauert continued, We remain deeply concerned about his well-being and were actively working to bring Austin Tice home. While the identities of his apparent kidnappers remain murky, investigators fear they may have links to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's murderous regime, as The Washington Post noted. Tice's parents also praised the current administrations efforts to find their son. We really do admire this administrations commitment to bringing Americans home, they certainly got a good track record so far and we really look forward to the day where we see Austin be another one of their wins, Debra said. We have a high level of confidence in the current administration, Marc added. Further information regarding Tices whereabouts and the identity of his captures has remained intentionally unknown. The FBI recently offered a $1 million ewward for information leading directly to his safe location, recovery and return. Syria has proven to be an especially dangerous country for reporters. Of the 54 journalists believed to be held hostage around the world, 29 are in Syria, according to Reporters Without Borders. Fox News Martha MacCallum contributed to this report. Three flights were forced to make emergency landings after Chilean officials reported receiving several bomb threats on Thursday. The planes made landings in Chile and Peru following the telephoned threats, Reuters reported citing Chilean aviation officials. The news agency initially reported four flights landed in three countries before revising the numbers. According to a press release from LATAM Airlines, a passenger plane was traveling to Santiago, Chile, when it received a bomb threat at around 2:48 p.m. LATAM flight 2369 landed over an hour later at Pisco International Airport where authorities were alerted to the scene. An explosive unit also was sent out. The passengers are being transported by land to the city of Lima, Peru and there, they will be routed to their final destination with the airline, a translation of the press release reads. There were no immediate reports of injuries on the LATAM flight 2369. A team for deactivating explosives, meantime, has been notified, the ministry said, adding that right now the situation is under control. Two planes operated by Chile-based Sky Airlines bound for Rosario, Argentina, and the northern Chilean city of Calama returned to Santiago without incident. Chile's civil aviation agency says all three planes were inspected and it was determined there were no explosives on board. There were no immediate details about the threats except that they were phoned in. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Brazilian President Michel Temer is endorsing another party's candidate as well as his own in October's presidential election. Temer said in an interview published Thursday by the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper that he sees former Sao Paulo Gov. Geraldo Alckmin of the right-leaning Brazilian Social Democracy Party as a candidate who would carry on with his work. Temer's own centrist Brazilian Democratic Movement has nominated former Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles, who has appeared to be trying to distance himself from the unpopular president. Several of the parties that support Temer in Congress have joined Alckmin's bid for the election. "If you said: 'Who does the administration endorse?' It seems it is Geraldo Alckmin, doesn't it? The (Temer) administration's political base, including his party, is with him," he said. Asked whether an Alckmin victory would mean the continuation of his administration, Temer replied: "That can be true. Firstly for what I hear him say. Secondly because those that helped us make reforms will be in the Cabinet if he wins." It's not clear either candidate would welcome Temer's endorsement. A Datafolha poll in June found that 82 percent of Brazilians believed their president was doing a poor job, the highest figure since the institute began asking the question in 1989. "I will be cautious not to campaign for either (Alckmin or Meirelles)," said Temer, who took office in 2016 after Dilma Rousseff was impeached. Both of the candidates themselves are also running far behind in the polls so far. The leader is jailed former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is likely going to be barred from running. Also on Thursday, another prominent presidential candidate filed a request for Brazil's top electoral court to bar da Silva's bid. Conservative congressman Jair Bolsonaro, who polls second, made the move after the Workers' Party registered the former president's run on Wednesday. Brazil's Attorney General Raquel Dogde made the same request hours after da Silva's ticket was registered at the court. Thursday marks the first official day of campaigning for all 13 presidential candidates. As migrants continue to spill over the porous southern border, many politicians are calling the situation a crisis and are urging the government to do more. Some have even proposed putting up a fence along one of the longest borders in the world. The border in question, however, is not Americas border with Mexico, but Canadas with the United States. Some estimate that as many as 400 a day are crossing the 5,525 mile border between Canada and the U.S. through non-official ports of entry and with provincial elections looming, the issue is causing political ramifications. As the Trump Administration has cancelled Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for several nationalities with large immigrant communities in the U.S. - notably Haitians and Salvadorans - many of those people have felt they have little option but to flee to Canada for safety. Under a refugee agreement known as the Safe Third Country Agreement that both the U.S. and Canada are party to, a person with protected status in a country that is deemed safe for refugees (in this case, the United States) cannot leave the country and apply for asylum in another safe country at an official port of entry. A loophole in the agreement, however, allows these refugees to apply for asylum in another country if theyre already inside that country. This has led to thousands of asylum-seekers crossing into Canada from gaps in the border with the U.S. over the past two years, almost all of them into the province of Quebec from upstate New York. This situation has created political tension across Canada, with conservatives laying blame for the crisis squarely at the feet of Justin Trudeaus government. Shortly after President Trump took office, the Canadian prime minister issued a now-infamous Tweet saying that all refugees would be welcome in his country, with the hashtag #WelcomeToCanada. Many, such as the opposition Conservative Partys shadow Minister for Immigration, Michelle Rempel, have said that this created an unrealistic expectation that anyone could come to Canada. During emergency meetings in Parliament this summer on the issue, Rempel said she doesnt think thats sustainable, and added that she thought the situation is going to get worse. Those feelings have been echoed by leaders in the province of Ontario, who have called on the Trudeau government to do come up with a plan on how to deal with asylum-seekers, who continue to cross into the country in significant numbers. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police intercepted 7,326 people at the border between April and July. ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSINGS IN CANADA RISE FROM JUNE TO JULY Nowhere has this tension over migration been felt more keenly than Quebec, the only Canadian province that has partial control over who immigrates there, and the province of arrival for an estimated 96% of irregular border crossers (the Canadian government actively discourages the use of the term illegal to describe asylum-seekers that have entered the country by straying across the border). Many in the predominantly French-speaking province consider immigration to be a process that dilutes Quebecs unique linguistic and cultural identity in North America. The province is facing an election on October 1st in which immigration is already proving to be a hot-button issue. The governing Liberal Party led by Premier Philippe Couillard has worked closely with the federal government to accommodate asylum seekers, allowing most of those who want to remain in the province to stay while helping those who do not get settled in Toronto and other locales that can accommodate them. However, even the Liberal government in the province declared earlier this summer that they, along with the province of Ontario, have run out of room. CANADIAN IMMIGRATION WEBSITE CRASHES DURING ELECTION The party is trailing in opinion polls to a nationalist opposition party known as the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ), which has promised to slash even legal immigration by as much as 20%, and to force all new immigrants to learn French. Currently, most immigrants are given the option of learning either English or French. In an interview with the Montreal Gazette earlier this year, the partys immigration spokeswoman Nathalie Roy accused the Liberal government of trying to hide the problem [of immigration] under the carpet. In response, Premier Couillard accused the CAQ of considering immigrants to be problems that need solving. CHICK-FIL-A'S CANADIAN EXPANSION SPARKS PRO-LGBTQ PROTESTS The CAQ, led by former businessman Francois Legault, has also proposed taking strong action to protect the secular nature of the state, by banning overt religious symbols such as hijabs and yarmulkes. Legaults party has been far from the only one proposing tough solutions to immigration problems in Quebec. In a move that may sound familiar to Americans, another opposition party, the Parti Quebecois (PQ) proposed earlier this year to construct a fence along stretches of the provinces border with New York that have seen large numbers of asylum seekers enter the country. The PQs leader, Jean-Francois Lisee, has since walked back those comments somewhat but the idea sparked a conversation about what can be done to discourage refugees from making the journey. Currently, as provincial politicians have begun to distance themselves from open-arms immigration policies, the staunchest champion of Canadas surging population of asylum-seekers is still Trudeau. But polls have shown that most Canadians would prefer a stronger line, like that espoused by the opposition Conservative Party, be taken instead. With a federal election in the country scheduled for next October, Quebecs election could be a bellwether for Trudeau. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 The Latest on developments in Afghanistan after a deadly suicide bombing in a Shiite area of Kabul (all times local): 4:30 p.m. An Afghan official says four policemen were killed and four were seriously wounded as they were trying to defuse a car bomb in southern Kandahar province. Provincial police spokesman Zia Durrani says the policemen discovered the car packed with explosives late on Wednesday. He says that when they tried to defuse it, the car detonated. No one has taken responsibility for the car bomb. Kandahar was the spiritual heartland of the Taliban during their five-year rule of Afghanistan that ended with the 2001 invasion by U.S. and NATO forces following the 9/11 attacks in the United States. ___ 2:40 p.m. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the horrific suicide bombing the previous day that targeted a Shiite area of the Afghan capital, killing 34 students. The claim of responsibility was posted on Thursday on the IS-affiliated Aamaq news agency. IS says its bomber, identified as "martyrdom-seeking brother Abdul Raouf al-Khorasani" carried out the attack, allegedly killing or wounding more than 200 students. Afghanistan's Health Ministry has released a revised casualty toll, saying 34 students were killed and 57 were wounded. Afghanistan's IS affiliate is known as The Islamic State in Khorasan Province. Khorasan is the ancient name for an area that encompassed parts of present-day Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia. ___ 10:45 a.m. Police say gunmen have launched an attack on a compound belonging to the Afghan intelligence service in the capital of Kabul. Officer Abdul Rahman told The Associated Press from the location of the attack on Thursday morning that the gunmen are holed up in a building near the compound from where they are shooting. He says the shooting is sporadic and it wasn't immediately clear how many gunmen are involved in the assault in a western neighborhood of Kabul. The attack comes as the city's Shiites prepare to hold funeral prayers for those killed in a deadly suicide bombing the previous day. ___ 10:30 a.m. The Afghan authorities have revised the death toll from the previous day's horrific suicide bombing in a Shite area of Kabul to 34 killed, not 48. Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majroh said on Thursday that 56 people were also wounded in the bombing in the neighborhood of Dasht-e-Barchi when the bomber walked into a building where high school graduates were preparing for university entrance exams and blew himself up. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but officials blame the Islamic State group, which has targeted Shiites in the past. The city's hospitals were overwhelmed in the immediate aftermath of Wednesday's bombing as officials collected data on the casualties, leading to the confusion and the wrong toll. Funeral prayers were to be held later Thursday for the dead. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Members of a commission established by Myanmar's government to investigate human rights violations in western Rakhine state, where 700,000 members of the Muslim Rohingya minority fled brutal army operations, addressed critics Thursday with a pledge to be impartial. The Independent Commission of Enquiry held its first formal meeting Thursday in the capital, Naypyitaw, a day after holding talks with the country's leader, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. The commission's chairwoman, former Philippine diplomat Rosario Manolo, said at a news conference that the panel will be "independent, impartial and neutral." She said it will "seek accountability" and deliver its recommendations for steps to be taken to ensure peace and stability in the state to Myanmar's president by Aug.15, 2019. The commission stressed that its investigation would "abide by the laws of Myanmar," taking international law into consideration "where applicable" during its investigation. The commission was established after rights groups called for the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged abuses by the army against the Rohingya, including murder, mass rape and the destruction of villages. The government which is not a member of the court last week rejected any participation in its proceedings, and included the establishment of the commission as one of the reasons there was no justification for the court in The Hague to take up the issue. The military operation last year followed attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya villagers fled to neighboring Bangladesh, where they are staying in squalid refugee camps while arrangements for them to return to Myanmar proceed at a snail's pace, with continuing concerns that their safety will not be guaranteed. Myanmar authorities, including the army, have already conducted their own inquiries and declared their forces free of criminal actions, leading critics to treat the latest government-formed commission as an effort to whitewash what U.N. officials have characterized as ethnic cleaning of the Rohingya community by Buddhist-dominated Myanmar. Manolo hit back at the skeptics, castigating those who "think maliciously." "What I can assure you is we are going to be independent, impartial and neutral because truth is the only way forward," she said. The three other people on the panel are former Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations Kenzo Oshima and two Myanmar officials. "I imagine that the government has felt a need to set up a commission such as this one with the participation of foreign members with the desire to bring in more balance, set the record straight," Oshima said, referring to reports previously released by both the Myanmar government and international organizations. "There are still some facts and information that have not fully come out." The Rohingya have long faced severe discrimination and were the target of violence in 2012 that killed hundreds and drove over 140,000 people predominantly Rohingya from their homes to camps for the internally displaced, where most remained until last year's violence. The government refuses to recognize the Rohingya as a legitimate native ethnic minority and most Rohingya are denied citizenship and other rights. The panel said it would travel to Rakhine state, with the military providing security, to talk to affected communities. But it said it had not yet decided whether its members would travel to Bangladesh to talk to refugees in the camps. Leaving the hundreds of thousands of refugees out of their investigations could fuel skepticism over how independent and credible their findings can be. ___ Milko reported from Yangon, Myanmar. A team of thieves smashed the window of an ambulance and made off with several pieces of lifesaving equipment -- all while emergency workers were responding to a call, British authorities said Thursday. Paramedics were returning to their ambulance in Hanley, Stroke-on-Trent, U.K., at approximately 1:30 am when they spotted the broken window, The London Economic reported. Stolen from the ambulance were equipment including oxygen tanks, a stethoscope, a life support response bag and protective clothing, The Sun reported. The thieves also took several personal belongings including keys and a purse. Police were on the hunt for possible suspects Thursday. Emergency operations manager Steve Rust told The London Economic that no paramedics were harmed -- but he could not understand why someone would do this to an emergency vehicle. Chief Inspector John Owen also told the paper that the robbery simply was not acceptable. He continued, Ambulance staff are there to help those in need, and for their own personal belongings to be stolen whilst they potentially save a life is just not acceptable. He urged anyone who may be offered the supplies to contact authorities. Staffordshire Police were investigating the theft. The Vatican responded Thursday to the report of hundreds of Pennsylvania priests abusing children, saying in a statement: "There are two words that can express the feelings faced with these horrible crimes: shame and sorrow." "The abuses described in the report are criminal and morally reprehensible," the statement read. "Those acts were betrayals of trust that robbed survivors of their dignity and their faith." More than 1,000 children were allegedly abused by more than 300 "predator priests" and church officials were accused of covering up the allegations, a grand jury's report released Tuesday said. "The Church must learn hard lessons from its past, and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur," the Vatican said. Pope Francis himself wasn't quoted in the statement, and there was no mention of demands in the United States among some Catholics for the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington. Tuesday's report accused Wuerl of helping to protect some child-molesting priests while he was bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006. Over the course of a two year investigation, launched by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro's office, a grand jury heard several witness statements and reviewed documents from six dioceses in the state. 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 Shapiro said produced and shared child pornography on church grounds. 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. STUNNING FINDINGS ON REPORT OF CATHOLIC CHURCH ABUSE: PA. PRIESTS MOLESTED MORE THAN 1,000 CHILDREN "The cover-up was sophisticated. And all the while, shockingly, church leadership kept records of the abuse and the cover-up," Shapiro said at a Tuesday news conference. "These documents, from the dioceses' own 'Secret Archives,' formed the backbone of this investigation." It's possible that the "real number" of abused children could be "in the thousands" due to missing records or other victims who feared speaking about the allegations, according to the grand jury's report. The report is taken "with great seriousness," the Vatican said Thursday, adding that they "unequivocally" condemn "the sexual abuse of minors." "Victims should know that the Pope is on their side," the statement continued. "The Holy Father understands well how much these crimes can shake the faith and the spirit of believers and reiterates the call to make every effort to create a safe environment for minors and vulnerable adults in the Church and in all of society." Fox News' Frank Miles and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A court in central Vietnam sentenced an activist to 20 years in prison Thursday after finding him guilty of attempting to overthrow the Communist government, his lawyer said, in a case decried by international rights groups. The court also sentenced Le Dinh Luong, 53, to five years of house arrest, said his lawyer Ha Huy Son. Son said Luong was convicted of encouraging others to join the Viet Tan group in exile in the United States. Vietnam brands the group a terrorist organization. "I think the sentence against Mr. Luong is too harsh," Son said after the half-day trial in Nghe An province. Despite sweeping economic reforms over the past 30 years that opened Vietnam to international trade and investment and made it one of the fasting growing economies in the world, Vietnam tolerates no challenge to its one-party rule. Luong's sentence was the toughest in years for national security crimes. The online version of the Nghe An newspaper reported that Luong was a "particularly dangerous" member of Viet Tan and that he had called on people to boycott National Assembly elections in 2016. Luong had also participated in and instigated others to join protests against environmental pollution by a steel complex owned by Taiwan's Formosa Plastic Group in several central provinces in 2016. The pollution, released in one of Vietnam's worst environmental disasters, killed tons of fish along 200 kilometers (124 miles) of coastline in four central provinces and caused big losses for the region's fishing and tourism industries. International human rights groups called for Luong's immediate release. "Vietnam's systemic crackdown against critics and activists has not deterred brave activists like Le Dinh Luong from campaigning for human rights and democracy," Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement Thursday. "The government should understand that locking people up for simply exercising their rights isn't working, and more activists will continue to step forward to speak their mind and hold protests against government injustices." Meanwhile Clare Algar, Amnesty International's director of global operations, said Luong was being targeted for simply "peacefully campaigning on behalf of fishermen affected by an environmental disaster." "This is a patently unjust and politically motivated case that should be dropped and Le Dinh Luong must be released immediately and unconditionally," Algar said. Amnesty International says 97 people are serving prison sentences in Vietnam for violating national security laws, while Human Rights Watch counts 119. 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. Long Beach will open a new drive-up vaccine clinic for booster shots at its Main Health Department facility. New cases are up by 283. Camping ground closed to nomadic group : Authorities escort Irish Travellers from the city BONN Law enforcement officers in Bonn escorted Irish Travellers from a Beuel caravan grounds where they wanted to stay last week. Two years ago, a larger group came and caused a bit of a stir. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken The City of Bonn does not expect many Irish Travellers this year. A clan of the traditionally nomadic ethnic group caused somewhat of a stir in Bonn and the region in 2016. Two years ago in February, the police had to clear out a plot of land in Beuel because the Travellers, who live in caravans, did not adhere to an ultimatum to leave. They also stayed on in Sankt Augustin in large numbers, although they remained peaceful. The caravan grounds in Vilich-Muldorf is currently closed because of repairs, according to the City of Bonn. The officers responsible for keeping public order coordinated with police to escort the Travellers away from the town a week ago because there is no area available, said spokeswoman Stefanie Zienitz to GA. The city remains in contact with police about the situation. They want to inform us, in the event that the Travellers would surface. According to police spokesman Robert Scholten, this has not been the case: "So far, it does not look like many will come this year," he told GA in response to an inquiry, "but we will keep an eye on that." In Kevelaer on the Lower Rhine, caravans of the Irish Travellers showed up on August 15, which is Assumption Day. Many of the families are very religious and worship Mary, which is why they regularly make pilgrimages to shrines of Mary. Currently, we have around 20 caravans/campers here, said Manuela Schmickler from the Kleve county police. Last year, there were nearly 100. So far, there have been no problems with the Travellers and no complaints, she emphasized. 550 parking spaces : New bike station inaugurated in Bonn At the new bicycle station: Mayor Ashok Sridharan (from left), Bettina Kunze, Carolin Krause, Robert Pierre Schneider. Foto: Benjamin Westhoff Bonn A new bicycle station in Bonn city center offers not only secure parking spaces but bike services as well. It contributes to bicycle mobility in Bonn and gives young, unemployed people job training and qualifications. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken Bernd Kemmerling has already had his bike stolen three times in Bonn's city center. On Wednesday morning, the pastor of the Church of St. Sebastian in Poppelsdorf decided to venture by bicycle into the city anyway. This time he was able to safely park his bike: in the new Caritas bike station on Quantius Strae. In fact, the clergyman gave his blessings to the new bike facility, with numerous guests in attendance at an opening ceremony. The new bike station opened four weeks ago on the ground level of a student apartment building, and it appears bright and friendly. We have been longing for this move, said Bettina Kunze who runs the bike station. She recalled the many years employees spent in some fairly drafty temporary quarters behind the main train station. Mayor Ashok Sridharan praised the new bicycle parking station, which now offers high-quality bike storage with bike-related services. "A great offer," said the mayor. But although the new facility offers significantly more parking spaces than the previous one, Sridharan also admits that the 550 spaces are not enough. "Thats why in the long term, we are also planning a bike station in front of the main train station," he said. Jean-Pierre Schneider is director of the Catholic relief and social services organization Caritas and pointed out that the bike station is sustainable in two ways. It promotes bicycle mobility in the city of Bonn and it also contributes to the preservation of creation. At the same time, it offers young people in difficult life situations a new perspective. Currently, the bike station offers 24 young unemployed people under the age of 25 training and preparation for the labor market. According to Schneider, about 1,200 young people have trained there since the founding of the bicycle station 18 years ago. The operation of the bike station and the qualifications that the young people receive are coordinated with the city of Bonn and the job center. 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. It isnt 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. 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. Note: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Local artist Cathryn Reitler, who has since married and now goes by McIntyre, was a featured artist in the #MeToo: A Visual Dialogue group show at Green Door Gallery in Livingston, Mont. The reception was held July 27, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Reitler... Tom Boyer Files Write-In For Valley County Sheriff; Strommen Withdraws From Race According to the Valley County Clerk and Recorder's Office as of Monday, Aug. 13, Luke Strommen had removed his name from the running for Valley County Sheriff. Strommen was unable to be reached for comment as to why he pulled out of the race. St... Madelyn House poses for a picture during the Northeast Montana Fair where she was attempting to educate residents on her campaign to allow chickens in city limits. With the city of Glasgow's ordinance to allow chickens set for the first reading next Monday, Aug. 20, the Courier sat down with the person behind the push to end the prohibition on the birds in backyards. Madelyn House says that when she moved in... Why You Should Say No to Chickens Dear Editor, On Monday, Aug. 20, 5:30 p.m., the Glasgow City Council will have a first reading of referendum 959, Chickens in Glasgow City Limits. At that time, there will be open forum for comments, pro and con... SEATTLE, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CFN Media Group (CFN Media), the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the North American cannabis industry, announces publication of an article discussing The Supreme Cannabis Company (TSX-V: FIRE) (OTC: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1). The company is unique as they have not tried to make headline splashing newsinstead theyve been working quietly behind-the-scenes to ensure their core business is a success. Supreme Cannabis is building a proprietary competitive advantage as it seeks to become the leading premium cannabis flower brand in the Canadian market. Investors in the cannabis industry have been inundated with major transactions, large expansions, and new product launches over the past year. While Canadas market is projected to reach C$22.6 billion over the coming years, according to Deloitte, many licensed producers have never operated at the scale needed to serve the countrys recreational marketeven the largest companies have only been around for a few years. Growing, producing, and selling cannabis in a new and highly-regulated market is challenging enough before considering the fact that these companies are expanding into new market verticals and geographies, as well as entering the brick-and-mortar retail business. The execution risks are not insignificant. Prudently Scaling Up Production Supreme Cannabis has been scaling up production without compromising its industry-leading quality. On July 11, the company announced that it received approval from Health Canada to commence cultivation on an additional 30,000 sq. ft. of flowering rooms at 7ACRES 342,000 sq. ft. facility located in Kincardine, Ontario, which will double its annual production run rate from 5,000 kg. to 10,000 kg. of dried cannabis per year. "Since receiving its license just over 24 months ago, 7ACRES has demonstrated that it is one of the fastest scaling producers in the industry, having added more than 60,000 square feet of flowering capacity over this brief period," said John Fowler, CEO of Supreme. "With this capacity expansion, 7ACRES is positioned as a top producer and the leading recreational brand for adult consumers seeking a high-quality product." Management expects to complete production of the 342,000 sq. ft. 7ACRES facility by the end of this year and hit an annual production run rate of 50,000 kg. per year by the first half of 2019. The revenue growth from their ability to scale at quality have made it one of the fastest growing licensed producers in the industry, with revenue hitting more than C$5 million during the nine month period ended March 31, 2018. It is noteworthy that 7ACRES only received their sales license about a year ago (June 28, 2017). Securing Distribution Channels for Day 1 Supreme Cannabis has been equally focused on securing distribution channels for its growing production. On July 11, the company announced that it entered into supply agreements with the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Board to supply recreational cannabis to British Columbias private cannabis retailers. "British Columbia is a bellwether province for the recreational cannabis space we consider it one of the most informed and discerning consumer markets for cannabis in the country. It is a testament to our brand, culture and our people that we will be listed in the highest brand category in BC," said John Fowler, CEO of Supreme Cannabis. The new agreement marks the companys third provincial distribution agreement, alongside Manitoba and Alberta. In each of these provinces, the companys products are being listed in the highest brand category an obvious indicator of pricing. Management will provide updates on further provincial partners as over time but anticipates being listed on shelves from coast-to-coast in the first year of the Canadian recreational market. Looking Ahead The Supreme Cannabis Company (TSX-V: FIRE) (OTC: SPRWF) (FRA: 53S1) has been very successful in tangibly growing its production and distribution footprint across Canada rather than simply announcing new plans for expansion, letters of intent, or just aspirational objectives. By building these strong roots, the company is well positioned to move into other areas, such as new product categories that are expected to become legal next year (e.g. edibles, concentrates, and drinks), when it makes sense to do so. The concentrates market, in particular, has been a significant segment of the recreational cannabis market in the US and that product is driven by the quality of the input flower Supreme Cannabis premium quality products provides an obvious advantage when that market comes online in the country. In addition to the recreational market, the company offers investors exposure to the medical market through its investment in Medigrowa Lesotho cannabis oil producer. It is worth noting that Supreme Cannabis was the first LP to make a deal in the country of Lesotho - Canopy and Aphria quickly followed in Supremes footsteps shortly after. Lesotho has a culture thats supportive of medical cannabis without the baggage that other jurisdictions have in the narco business. The commonwealths language, laws, and stability are all favorable, and several other licensed producers have followed suit in the region, said John Fowler in an interview with the Globe & Mail. The company has been building out its team as it executes on its strategic growth plans. Recently, the former President of Starbucks Canada joined Supreme Cannabis board, bringing extensive branded consumer and global expansion experience to a team that already features veterans from the tobacco and alcohol beverage industries. Investors may want to take a closer look at the stock given these many catalysts and its growth trajectory moving forward. Management has a proven track record of executing on their simple plan, theyve shown how to prudently deploy capital, and they have a management team that has successfully navigated highly regulated consumer product industries. At the same time, their valuation is significantly lower than many peers likely reflecting the fact they have maintained a low profile as they built out a core business For more information, visit the companys website at www.supreme.ca. Please Click Here To See CTVs Exclusive Video On The Supreme Cannabis Company Please follow the link to read the full article: http://www.cannabisfn.com/working-behind-scenes-supreme-cannabis-builds-strong-core-business/ About CFN Media CFN Media (CannabisFN) is the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the global cannabis industry, helps companies operating in the space attract investors, capital, and publicity. 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Please follow the link below to view our full disclosure outlining our compensation: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/ Contact: Frank Lane 206-369-7050 Flane@cannabisfn.com China Aid is calling for the release of a North Carolina pastor who has been imprisoned in China for one year on what the persecution watchdog calls a "trumped up charge." Earlier this month, China Aid launched petition on the We the People website in support of John Cao, who was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined a hefty charge after he allegedly "organized an illegal border crossing." "While working to build schools for impoverished children in Myanmar, John was detained at the Chinese border on March 5, 2017. Twenty days later, he was charged with 'organizing illegal border crossing,' despite the fact that he had used the same route between China and Myanmar for this humanitarian work for years," explains in the petition ChinaAid, the watchdog group. "In three years, John helped build 16 schools that serve more than 2,000 children. He was unfairly sentenced to seven years in a Chinese prison." The petition urges the White House to "pressure the Communist Party to unconditionally release Pastor John Cao and allow him to return home to America to see his wife and sons again." Cao's problems with Chinese authorities began last year as government scrutiny against Christians intensified. Prior to his arrest, police closed local Chinese Bible schools, questioned his co-workers, and forbade him from speaking at a conference in Hong Kong. Cao has held U.S. permanent residency since 1990 but kept his Chinese citizenship so that he could continue entering China for his mission work. He pastored a church in Greensboro, N.C. and is married to an American citizen. Cao and his wife have two sons, who still reside in the United States. Jamie Powell, Coa's wife, recently spoke at the State Department's first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom in Washington, D.C. "It appears to me that John was set up for his arrest because of his faith-driven work," Powell said at the ministerial. "Since his detainment, my husband has suffered a rapid decline in his health. He has lost 50 pounds. He has not been able to communicate with me and my children. My sons and I traveled there - 10,000 miles - and we were not allowed to see him," she added. "The seven years he has unjustly received now becomes a matter of health and survival." Last year, China Aid president Bob Fu expressed a belief that U.S. President Donald Trump should "loudly urge China to free [Cao]. It will set a bad precedent if China is allowed to deal with Pastor John in this way when he should be awarded for his work," he said. He warned that in recent years, China has already become an "uncontrollable dragon," and under Chinese President Xi Jinping, the country increasingly resembles the police state in North Korea. So far, China Aid's petition has 5, 444 signatures. It still needs 100,000 in total by Sept. 1 to get a response from the White House. 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. School Spending Disparities The Hopatcong School District, serving a solidly middle-class borough of Sussex County, N.J., has a lot of money to work with. It spent approximately $40,000 per student in fiscal 2016 -- more than any other school district in the country with at least 1,000 students. A few other New Jersey districts of similar size were spending less than a third of that.Such vast differences in education spending are common across districts, and come as debates over teacher pay and demands for more overall state support have garnered a lot of attention this year.Looking at how spending varies across individual districts,calculated per pupil current spending for all school districts in the nation with 100 students or more, using data from the Census Bureaus 2016 Annual Survey of School System Finances. In most states, as in New Jersey, the top elementary-secondary school districts reported spending from two to six times more than those near the bottom.One measure frequently used to assess education spending disparities is the coefficient of variation, calculated using districts financial numbers. When weighted for enrollment, per pupil spending discrepancies were largest in Alaska, Illinois and Vermont -- more than three times as much as in states with more uniformity across their districts.Many factors explain such wide variations. One of the biggest is property taxes, which typically provide much of a school districts budget. Wealthy enclaves with million-dollar homes tend to contribute tax revenues not available in poorer parts of a state. All states make an effort to offset local disparities by kicking in a portion of school funding, but just how far they go in equalizing the budgets varies considerably. The states that do it really well, says Lawrence Picus, a professor at the University of Southern California, also provide additional money for children with extra needs.Districts in a state with the steepest per pupil costs are typically serving more students living in poverty or with additional needs. Research suggests that educating special needs students costs roughly twice as much as providing education to those without disabilities.Geography also matters. In Alaska, several small districts in outlying areas recorded some of the highest expenses nationally. They serve many students living in poverty and must pay high costs for bus transportation, heating and flying in supplies.States with a large roster of small districts also tend to show greater cost differences. On average, districts with 100 to 500 students reported the highest per pupil spending, about $3,000 per pupil more than those with over 10,000 students. The state with the most equalized district spending by our calculations was Florida, where entire counties make up school districts. Some others show little inequity in part because of relative uniformity across their local tax bases.New York, meanwhile, spends more per student than any other state. Along with its high cost of living, it has a heavily unionized and costly school workforce. Michael Borges, executive director of the New York State Association of School Business Officials, says state requirements, such as special education funding obligations that exceed federal requirements, drive up expenses further. There are a lot of state mandates that prevent us from reducing costs, he says. Even when we want to reduce them, our hands are tied.Absent high poverty, geographical issues or other special circumstances, unusually high spending in a district may signal inefficiency. A recent audit identified nearly $800,000 in potential annual savings for the Hopatcong district, recommending a restructuring of its facilities department and hiring of an internal auditor.Research attempting to gauge the effects of spending on student performance has produced mixed results. Recent studies, though, suggest that increases in per pupil spending yield improved scores on standardized tests and higher wages after leaving school. In 40 cases where state courts have assessed a relationship between spending and student outcomes, 35 concluded a substantial correlation exists between funding and performance, according to the Center for Educational Equity at Columbia University Inequity could be intensifying in some places. In its annual report card , the Education Law Center determined that fewer states allocate higher poverty districts additional funding to mitigate local disparities than a decade ago.Regional funding differences are a perennial issue in New Hampshire, which contributes relatively little from state sources, largely because there is no state income tax. A number of recent events have exacerbated the states funding inequities, says Nathan Greenberg of the New Hampshire School Administrators Association. He points to a sharp reduction in property values, a major source of school funding that was hit hard in the last recession. Lawmakers then eliminated the states contribution to teachers pensions in 2011, shifting the cost to localities. Taken together, equity isnt getting any better, says Greenberg. Were back to where we were when the first [education funding] lawsuit was filed." 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. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jared Polis just showed the perks of being rich. The self-funding tech millionaire Wednesday announced his first jaw-dropping television ad buy: $3 million for October.For perspective on how much campaign money that is, Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper raised a total war chest of $5.4 million for his tougher-than-expected re-election run in 2014. Republican Bob Beauprez raised a total of just $2.6 million, including about $900,000 of his own money.The ad buy will blanket airwaves for the final weeks of the campaign in the Denver, Colorado Springs/Pueblo and Grand Junction/Montrose television markets.Throughout Colorado, there is already incredible excitement for Jareds bold plans to reduce the cost of health care, invest in our public schools, and tackle the rising cost of living so that Colorado families can get ahead, Jenn Ridder, Polis campaign manager, said in a statement.She said the campaign has more than 3,000 volunteers who have knocked on 120,000 doors the past month alone. Former Kasim Reed aide Katrina Taylor-Parks became the second high-ranking Atlanta official to plead guilty in the federal corruption investigation of City Hall Wednesday.Taylor-Parks, Reed's former deputy chief of staff and a 23-year City Hall veteran, pleaded guilty to accepting $4,000 in bribes from a city vendor and agreed to cooperate with the government's investigation. She faces up to five years in prison when sentenced in November."I'm being charged with using influence to benefit a vendor that would have been in conflict with my role with the city of Atlanta," Taylor-Parks told the judge. "At the time, I did not believe what I did was wrong."Reed's former chief procurement officer, Adam Smith, is already serving a federal prison sentence after having pleaded guilty to accepting more than $30,000 from another city vendor.Separately, Rev. Mitzi Bickers, who served as Reed's director of human services, attended status hearing in a different courtroom for her case, which includes charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, money laundering, wire fraud, tampering with a witness or informant, and filing false tax returns.Bickers was indicted in April and is free on $50,000 bond. Her status conference was scheduled for July 9, but Bickers attorney requested a delay after receiving more than 1 million documents and 40 audio recordings as part of the potential evidence in her case.The judge granted Bickers' legal defense team three more months to examine documents and other evidence related to her case."The discovery is voluminous in this case," attorney Drew Findling said after the hearing. "We've got to go through the documents."Findling declined to comment on the strength of the government's case, but added:"We believe in our client's innocence."Four other defendants in the City Hall case -- including Smith, two contractors and a former low-level city employee who worked for Bickers -- pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the investigation in exchange for reduced sentences.At a press conference after the hearings, U.S. Attorney Byung J. "BJay" Pak urged other potential City Hall insiders to come forward."As you know, each step of this investigation probably causes them to lose sleep," Pak said. "They may worry the next knock on their door may be federal agents. To them, the question is not if, but when we're coming. So you can help yourself right now. If you're on the fence about coming in and cooperating with the government, I'd advise you to do it immediately." A federal judge has struck down as unconstitutional a 40-year-old election law that allowed local moderators in New Hampshire to toss out the absentee ballot of someone whose signature on an affidavit failed to match their completed ballot.In a 49-page ruling, the judge said it was constitutionally flawed that the state could reject these votes without prior notice to the voter or giving that person the right to contest the decision.U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty ruled in favor of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire and three voters who had their ballots rejected in 2016.The civil liberties group had identified nearly 800 voters who had their ballots rejected in this way in the last three general elections.The law violates the 14th Amendment of the federal Constitution that prevents any state from depriving someone of life, liberty or property without due process of law, the judge decided."As will become evident, this signature-matching process is fundamentally flawed. Not only is the disenfranchised voter given no right to participate in this process, but the voter is not even given notice that her ballot has been rejected due to a signature mismatch," Judge McCafferty wrote."Moreover, moderators receive no training in handwriting analysis or signature comparison; no statute, regulation, or guidance from the state provides functional standards to distinguish the natural variations of one writer from other variations that suggest two different writers; and the moderator's assessment is final, without any review or appeal."Mary Saucedo, a 94-year-old Manchester woman who spent her career working for the federal Department of Veterans Affairs, is legally blind and had been casting her ballot for the last 12 years with the help of her husband. Her ballot was thrown out due to signature mismatch in 2016.Judge McCafferty noted that Saucedo's case moved the New Hampshire Legislature to change the law in 2017 so in the future this signature scrutiny could not apply to any voter who is "legally blind or has a disability.""It shakes your very confidence in the process," said Gilles Bissonnette, legal director for the ACLU NH and the lead lawyer for those bringing the lawsuit. "None of these individuals knew they were disenfranchised until we told them. I can tell you when they learned that there was outrage and rightfully so."Bissonnette noted: "This regime puts moderators in a very difficult situation. They have a very difficult job to begin with and this statute puts them in a real tenuous position."Assistant Attorney General Matthew Broadhead argued that the state process for absentee voting is constitutionally sound, and that "erroneous disenfranchisement" is extremely rare, given the hundreds of thousands of ballots that are cast.State prosecutors are reviewing the ruling and did not immediately have further comment on it. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Wednesday sought to deride President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan, saying the nation "was never that great."Cuomo, who is facing a Democratic primary in less than a month, increasingly has made Trump a campaign issue. At a Manhattan event to sign a law to reduce sex trafficking, Cuomo highlighted what he saw as Trump's derisive treatment of women."We're not going to make America great again. It was never that great. We have not reached greatness," Cuomo said at the close of his speech. "We will reach greatness when every American is fully engaged. We will reach greatness when discrimination and stereotyping against women ... is gone."Republicans pounced on Cuomo's remarks. The GOP state committee said Cuomo's "statement that America was never that great is a shocking insult to the people of our country." Republican gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro said Cuomo "should be ashamed of himself.""America, with its imperfections, has always been great," Molinaro said in statement issued shortly after Cuomo's news conference. "This governor is so determined to distract voters from his failed policies and corrupted administration that he's 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."Around 10 p.m. Wednesday, President Donald Trump tweeted: " "WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, IT WAS NEVER THAT GREAT." Can you believe this is the Governor of the Highest Taxed State in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown!"About 30 minutes later, Cuomo responded in a tweet: "@RealDonaldTrump: What you say would be 'great again' would not be great at all...We will not go back to discrimination, segregation, sexism, isolationism, racism or the KKK. Like NY's motto says: Excelsior -- Ever Upward (not backward)"After a Twitter backlash earlier in the day, Cuomo press secretary Dani Lever issued a statement backtracking slightly and attempting to underscore Cuomo's point."The governor believes America is great and that her full greatness will be fully realized when every man, woman and child has full equality," Lever said. "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."Earlier in his remarks, Cuomo said Trump's ubiquitous slogan was about returning to a time of greater racism and sexism and fewer protections for gay people, immigrants and the environment."He has it on his hat: 'Make America great again.' What does that mean?" Cuomo, considered by some a 2020 presidential contender, said. "The whole concept is retrospective. What do you want to go back to, Mr. President?"Notably, Cuomo's ridiculing of Trump came just two days after the president mocked the governor during a campaign stop in Utica. Besides disparaging Cuomo's record, Trump claimed the New York governor "called me and said I'll never run for president against you." Cuomo disputed the story, saying he never has "personal, political conversations" with Trump. Death penalty opponents were horrified on Tuesday when Nebraska became the first state in the union to carry out an execution using the painkiller fentanyl, which has been a driving force of the deadly opioid epidemic.Some critics objected to the use of a drug thats currently ravaging our communities and killing thousands of Americans a year, as Democratic New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson put it on Twitter. Others, like American Civil Liberties Union attorney Brian Stull, argued that the lethal protocol for Carey Dean Moores death was cruel and unusual punishment since the state paralyzed him before injecting the fentanyl, making it harder to know if Moore felt pain.Nebraska's unprecedented move is part of a broader pattern of states turning to new methods of execution, or reviving old ones, as a backup. This is happening because more and more of the companies producing and supplying traditional lethal injection drugs want to keep their products from being used for capital punishment.The Nebraska development reflects the trend among states that want the death penalty to be carried out at any cost, says Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. As states have become increasingly desperate to carry out executions, theyve been going to whatever drugs they can get their hands on.All 31 death penalty states have lethal injection as their default method of execution, but some have recently legalized backup methods. In March, Alabama approved nitrogen gas, which was already allowed in Oklahoma and Mississippi for cases where lethal injection is unconstitutional or unavailable. In 2015, Utah brought back the firing squad, which is also permitted in Oklahoma and Mississippi as a last resort after lethal injection, nitrogen and electrocution.A decade ago, executions almost uniformly involved the anesthetic sodium thiopental. But then the drugs sole manufacturer, Hospira, discontinued the product so it couldnt be used on death-row inmates. Many states turned to pentobarbital -- until the company supplying that drug, Lundbeck, stopped shipping it to prisons.They dont want the drugs theyve developed to help people to kill people, Dunham says of these companies. The marketers want the drugs to be known for healing and saving lives.Some companies are waging legal battles , arguing that states have obtained their products improperly or illegally. Nevada, for instance, would have been the first state to administer a death sentence with fentanyl, but a judge halted the execution following the objections of a drug company earlier this summer.Echoing the drug companies' concerns, Dunham says there is a dangerous, anti-democratic trend in which states are making the process less transparent, preventing the public and drug companies from learning how theyre obtaining the drugs.Nebraska officials havent explained how they arrived at using fentanyl, but they have stressed how hard it is to buy execution drugs, reports The Washington Post. Lethal substances used in a lethal injection execution are difficult, if nearly impossible, to obtain, Nebraska Department of Correctional Services Director Scott R. Frakes said in an affidavit filed in federal court, according to theMany conservatives are frustrated by the drug companies' crusade against capital punishment. In 2015, conservative Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito asked whether it was appropriate for the judiciary to countenance what amounts to a guerrilla war against the death penalty, which consists of efforts to make it impossible for the states to obtain drugs that could be used to carry out capital punishment with little, if any, pain?Indeed, part of the appeal of lethal injections is that theyre supposed to be humane. But many of the procedures have been botched in recent years, putting condemned prisoners through excruciating pain in their last moments. Alternatives, like gassing, present their own problems, says Dunham.Whatever gas chamber you use will always invoke the spectre of the Nazis," he says, "which is why that method is so unpalatable to much of the public." (States that have legalized nitrogen gas as an execution method have yet to set their protocols for administering it, including whether to use sealed chambers or death masks.)This weeks fentanyl execution came as nationwide support for the death penalty is on the rise -- though still lower than its been for most of the past two decades. In June, the Pew Research Center found that 54 percent of Americans favor the death penalty for people convicted of murder. That number was 49 percent in 2016, the lowest level of support in four decades.Six states have outlawed the practice since 2007. Despite that, the Trump administration has responded to the opioid crisis in part by directing federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for some drug dealers. If they live in Nebraska, what lands them on death row could be what is used to kill them. 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 state's 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 Commission's consideration of this case was inconsistent with the state's obligation of religious neutrality." The justices stopped short of a sweeping declaration about whether there's 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 artists _ including 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. A selection of recent media releases, and news stories is available in the database below and can be searched for by year and month. Friday 17 August 2018 Government House operations will be relocated from Fernberg in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington for the six-day Regional Government House program beginning next week. The fourth annual event will be held from Monday, 20 August to Saturday, 25 August, with His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, joined by Mrs Kaye de Jersey, fulfilling his constitutional, ceremonial and community duties from Cairns and Weipa. It will include stops in Georgetown, Palm Island, Pormpuraaw, Kowanyama and Blackall, with official visits to local councils, schools and major industries, infrastructure and attractions. His Excellency said Regional Government House was part of an ongoing commitment to be a Governor for all Queenslanders. The program provides an opportunity for Kaye and me to gain an increased understanding of the challenges facing our Queensland communities, and also to join them in celebrating their many successes, His Excellency said. It is a wonderful way to engage with our regional shires, towns and cities. Regional Government House by the numbers: (TNS) On Monday, Aug. 13, President Donald Trump signed a $717 billion military bill that authorizes the U.S. Department of Defense to establish a cyber institute at the University of North Georgia and other senior military colleges with Reserve Officers Training Corps.We are very pleased with this recent step in the process, UNG spokeswoman Sylvia Carson toldin an email.UNG offers a bachelors degree in cybersecurity and a graduate-level certificate.We also have a number of cadets who have graduated and secured positions within the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence and U.S. Army Cyber School, notably UNG alumnus Maj. Gen. Stephen Fogarty, chief of staff of the U.S. Cyber Command, Carson said.The John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act will also boost military pay by 2.6 percent, giving service members their largest increase in nine years, and authorizes billions of dollars for military construction, including family housing.It also includes a military parade Trump requested in Washington this November.The bill, however, does not earmark money for the presidents desired Space Force.The cyber institutes initiative is designed to prepare active-duty personnel, National Guard members and reservists with the education and training to protect U.S. intelligence and public infrastructure from cyberattacks.This defense bill delivers the tools we need to protect Americans at home and abroad ... against evolving threats around the globe, U.S. Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a press release.Americas senior military colleges include UNG, The Citadel, Norwich University in Vermont, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech and Virginia Military Institute.The annual defense bill sets policies and a budget outline for the Pentagon and will be followed later by an appropriations bill.Carson said its important to note that the cyber institute component is a multi-step process, but UNG is excited by the progress the initiative is making so far.The Associated Press contributed to this report. If theres false or misleading information circulating about Californias voting system, the states registered voters could get an email warning them about it in November.Its part of the new authority lawmakers have given the California Secretary of States Office as part of its stepped-up cybersecurity mission. AB 3075 cleared its final legislative hurdle Monday when the state Assembly voted 57-19 to create the Office of Elections Cybersecurity within the Secretary of States Office. The bill codifies into law a new cybersecurity office that lawmakers set aside $2 million for in the fiscal 2017-18 state budget. It now heads to Gov. Jerry Browns desk for his signature, and assuming he signs it, state election officials say it will be staffed before the November elections.Under the bill, the cybersecurity office will have three employees responsible for combating potential cyberattacks, as well as coordinating with federal, state and local agencies to share information and develop best practices to protect against threats to election security.The office will also monitor social media websites and rebut misleading information intended to suppress voter participation or disrupt the vote a key priority of Democratic lawmakers angered by reports that Russian hackers sought to subvert the 2016 presidential election.The Secretary of State has never had marketing dollars, Deputy Secretary of State Jesse Melgar toldIts the first time we will have a budget to promote good information and link to Secretary of State websites.The bill drew little debate, but a bloc of lawmakers voted no after one Republican lawmaker questioned whether the Secretary of State's Office, led by an elected official, should be allowed to run a campaign-orientated communication process as part of state elections.Protecting our elections from hacking is important; however, adding this new government agency to do so is not, Assemblyman Matthew Harper, R-Huntington Beach, argued during the floor debate. We do not need to add to the bureaucracy to protect our election system. We should not give the Secretary of State the authority to decide subjectively what is false or misleading information in the election.Although there has been no evidence that Californias election systems have been tampered with, Secretary of State Alex Padilla, who supports the bill, says Californias cyberdefenses must become more sophisticated.Its no longer just securing voting machines, Padilla told a DefCon security conference in Las Vegas on Friday. Its also state and county databases and even the information voters are consuming.California lawmakers this summer also set aside $134 million in the state budget for counties to modernize aging voting equipment, as well as $1 million to create the Office of Enterprise Risk Management, which will be staffed with three cybersecurity IT employees. (TNS) WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. Next month, some California-based acoustic experts will be helping West Palm Beach police curb the citys gun violence.City police Chief Sarah Mooney and Mayor Jeri Muoio announced at a news conference Tuesday the citys plan to roll out ShotSpotter technology in September throughout its more crime-prone areas.That sensor-based system is part of the departments larger technologically based plan to tackle crime.The city commission recently committed $1.2 million to pay for those gunfire-locator sensors, license-plate readers and analytic systems thatll tap into police and private-security cameras when a shooting is reported.The departments three-year contract with ShotSpotter will require an additional $1 million to maintain the systems, which the city likely will pay for from its annual budget, Muoio said.The department plans to have the other technologies up and running by January, according to Mooney. Those systems will be combined at a Real Time Crime Center in the police department and monitored 24/7.The ShotSpotter alerts will be forwarded directly to patrol officers, Mooney said.Acoustic experts in California will be listening for impulsive noises in real time picked up by sensors in select West Palm neighborhoods and determine whether the noise is from a gun, as opposed to a car backfiring or fireworks.The system pinpoints from where the shot was fired and notifies law enforcement within 45 seconds of the trigger being pulled, the company said. Cities that used the system for two years saw, on average, a 35 percent decrease in gunfire, according to the Newark, Calif.- based company.The system pinpoints from where the shot was fired and notifies law enforcement within 45 seconds of the trigger being pulled, the company said.Mooney wouldnt specify how many sensors would be in the city though she stressed therell be a lot. The chief also declined to comment on where exactly the technology will be set up, beyond saying that the department has used years of crime data to determine where theyd make the most sense.Most of the citys reported homicide victims since 2009 were killed east of Interstate 95, in the neighborhoods north of downtown and south of 25th Street, according to a Palm Beach Post database . And most were shot to death.Phil Dailly, a salesman for ShotSpotter, said at the news conference Tuesday that hes been in talks with the department about the technology for about eight years.According to Mooney, the city decided to pay for the technology now as opposed to when crime rates were higher because the department pitched a comprehensive plan as opposed to asking only for the ShotSpotter technology.The city will become at least the third in Palm Beach County to use the technology. Riviera Beach and Belle Glade have the system in their cities. The city of Boynton Beach has considered adding it as well.When Riviera Beach started using the technology in 2010, police saw a spike in reported gunfire, according to a police spokeswoman. The technology was calling in shootings that neighbors werent, said city police spokeswoman Rose Anne Brown.Some people just dont want to be involved, Brown said. She added that others arent sure whether what they heard was a bullet or where it came from, two areas in which the technology excels.The ShotSpotter system alerted Riviera Beach police last month to gunfire on West 28th Street that injured two people. Both people tried to take themselves in private cars to a hospital. The technology allowed police to pinpoint where and when the shooting occurred.Nationwide, in vulnerable communities, residents dont call police when they hear gunfire, Dailly said. ShotSpotter helps lessen the gap in reporting.However, Mooney cautioned that technology alone will not quell the citys gun violence.The system does not replace our citizens, she said, adding that witness and victim cooperation still will be crucial for solving crimes and ensuring convictions.We want to be No. 1 in solving crimes and preventing crimes, Mooney said. We want to make sure the citys safe and we want to use any tool and every tool thats available to us. Six states accounted for 72% of US fuel ethanol production in 2016, according to the most recent estimates from EIAs State Energy Data System. Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, and South Dakota collectively produced 265 million barrels of fuel ethanol out of the US total of 367 million barrels. All 6 states are among the top 10 US producers of corn, the primary feedstock for ethanol plants, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Source: US EIA. US fuel ethanol production more than doubled from 2006 to 2016. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 created the Renewable Fuel Standard, and by the end of that decade, most motor gasoline sold in the United States was blended with 10% fuel ethanol by volume. In recent years, growth in export markets has contributed to further increases in domestic fuel ethanol production. Iowas 41 ethanol plants have a capacity of more than 102 million barrels of fuel ethanol per year. The states capacity is nearly twice that of the next-highest state and represents about 19% of total US ethanol production capacity. The state has also received grant money from the USDAs Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) and now has 256 public E85 stations, the third-most in the nation, according to the US Department of Energys Alternative Fuels Data Center. Nebraskas 26 ethanol plants have a combined nameplate capacity of more than 50 million barrels per year, the second-highest level in the nation. The plants use more than 700 million bushels of corn per year and annually produce more than 6 million tons of distillers grains, which are used to feed cattle. Illinois, with 13 ethanol plants capable of producing 40 million barrels per year, has the third-highest annual fuel ethanol nameplate capacity in the nation. The states farmland, which covers about three-quarters of the states total land area, provides most of the corn used as the feedstock for the plants. Illinois has also received grant money from the BIP and has the second-highest number of public E85 stations, at 262. Minnesotas 19 ethanol plants have a nameplate capacity of 28 million barrels per year. In 2007, the Minnesota legislature created a four-year grant program that offered incentives to encourage the adoption of E85. By the end of the program in 2011, Minnesota had 78 public E85 stations. The state has since received BIP grant money and now leads the nation with almost 400 public E85 refueling stations, more than one-tenth of the US total. Indiana and South Dakota each have more than 27 million barrels of annual nameplate capacity, at 14 and 15 plants, respectively. Although it is one of the top national ethanol producers, South Dakota consumes only about 50 million gallons of fuel ethanol per year, making it a major supplier to other states. The City of London Corporation is introducing new charges for on-street parking in the Citya city and county that contains the historic center and the primary central business district (CBD) of London, and known colloquially as the Square Milestarting 20 August 2018. The new parking charges will use RingGos Emissions-Based Parking product, which will target high polluting transport with higher charges while rewarding drivers of low emission vehicles with lower tariffs. The initiative aims to incentivize motorists to make more environmentally friendly choices and improve air quality across the Square Mile by reducing NO x and particulates. RingGos Emissions Based Parking product will automatically assess the type of vehicle being parked and charge tariffs based on the level of pollution emitted by the vehicle. Although the product is being used elsewhere in London, the City Corporation is the first to offer a range of charges dependent on the vehicles fuel type. The following tariff bands will operate on weekdays from 8am to 7pm when air quality is at its worst: Type of vehicle Cost/15 mins Cost/hour Low emission (EV, hybrid) 1.00 4.00 Gasoline from 2005 on 1.30 5.20 Diesel from 2015 on 1.30 5.20 Other 1.70 6.80 The RingGo app is a cashless parking solution. Motorists still choosing to use cash at a machine, rather than paying with RingGo, will pay the highest rate. The introduction of emissions-tiered tariffs for on-street parking charges is one of the many measures being introduced by the City Corporation to improve air quality in the Square Mile. City residents in the Barbican who use an electric vehicle now have access to 30 permanent charging points across the iconic Grade II-listed estate. The Lower Emission Neighborhood project works with businesses through its CityAir Program while leading a London-wide crackdown on drivers who leave their engines idling. The City Corporations CityAir app provides more than 27,000 Londoners with low pollution travel routes across the capital, with advice and alerts when air pollution is high. This year, the City Corporation launched a clean air cargo bike delivery scheme which helps the Square Miles businesses tackle toxic air pollution by shifting deliveries from diesel and petrol vans to cargo bicycles. In 2016, the City Corporation agreed a deal with Addison LeeLondons biggest private hire taxi firmto switch hybrid taxis to electric mode automatically in key areas of the Square Mile. The City Corporation has banned the purchase of diesel vehicles from its own fleet of 300 vehicles, where there is a clean market alternative. It has also introduced a City-wide 20 mph zone, and its new procurement rules have brought in tight restrictions on harmful emissions from bulldozers and generators. The Wyoming Highway Patrol awarded a Utah man the Colonels Commendation Award for helping to subdue a suspect who was attempting to get a troopers gun during an altercation on Interstate 80 in May. Darren Phillips, of Taylorsville, Utah, received the award during a ceremony in Cheyenne on Aug. 13. Gov. Matt Mead, Wyoming Department of Transportation Director Bill Panos, WHP Col. Kebin Haller, and Trooper Josh Carris, whom Phillips assisted, attended the event to honor Phillips. You saved one person from sustaining severe injuries and you saved not only one life but possible two liv... A new transmission line project cutting through southwest Wyoming will bring workers to the area, as well as impact funding to four counties. Last week, representatives of various local governments and agencies met to discuss their plan to claim a piece of the $7.9 million in impact funds the Gateway West Transmission Line project will bring. In total, county agencies seek $4.1 million. Construction on the transmission project is scheduled to start in April and will connect the Jim Bridger Power Plant to the planned Aeolus Substation near Medicine Bow with 140 miles of 500-kilovolt transmis... Treasurer threatens to pull state monies The Sweetwater County Commissioners arent the only ones upset with Bank of the Wests announcement to not fund certain oil-and-gas industry businesses. U.S. Sen. John Barrasso and Wyoming Treasurer Mark Gordon have added pressure on the bank over its corporate announcement. The two, along with the county commissioners, considered the banks corporate stance of not doing business with companies engaged in drilling shale for oil and gas, or mining or burning coal in power plants. The bank will continue to work with oil, gas and coal companies only if theyre showing an active commitm... Headlines About Medical Studies May Be More Enthusiastic Than Accurate Lowering Your Blood Pressure Could Stave Off Dementia, heralded the headline from Bloomberg, which was not alone in delivering the good news. Time advised, There May Finally Be Something You Can Do to Lower Your Risk of Dementia. Reuters headline was even more definitive. Lowering Blood Pressure Cuts Risk of Memory Decline: US Study. Readers can be forgiven if they rushed to their doctors to discuss more aggressive blood pressure treatment. Who wouldnt want to escape the scourge of dementi... Wyomingites have to look no further than 2016 to remember the last time they were asked to vote the Political Party Purity Test over their own interests. Even though Donald Trump had given 38 percent of his donations to Democrats, voted in the Democratic primary in New York for exactly the same reason I did in Massachusetts, and had second homes in blue states, we stood up and voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump. We elected Donald Trump not because he prepared himself since adolescence to be a politician, but because he promised to work hard for us and make our lives better. He told us t... Cutline: Mary Harris is happy to accept Congressional Award Gold Medal at a ceremony in Washington D.C. She is joined by from left to right Sen. John Barrasso, Sen. Mike Enzi, Harris and Wyoming U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney. A Green River High School student recently traveled to Washington D.C., to attend the Congressional Award Gold Medal Ceremony. Mary Harris joined 441 youth from across 41 states to received the medal. According to the website congressional award.org, "For a minimum of two years, each Gold Medalist has logged at least 800 hours across four program areas: voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness and expedition and exploration. The 2018 Gold Medal class is the largest in the program's 39-year history." Harris said there were six different award levels, but she chose to... Photo: Bryan Thomas/Getty Images Back in March, coffee retailers in California took a major L when a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled that coffee retailers from small, third-wave outfits to Starbucks and 7-Eleven must put a cancer warning on their coffee cups, after finding that these retailers were unable to prove that coffee only contains a negligible amount of the carcinogen acrylamide. But now, the L.A. Times reports that Californias Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has stepped in to say that coffee has no significant cancer risk and that state regulations should be updated accordingly. The OEHHAs decision to go to bat for coffee and coffee-loving mankind came after an arm of the World Health Organization could not prove that coffee is carcinogenic while the American Institute for Cancer Research found that coffee may reduce the risk of developing certain cancers. The whole thing will come to a head today when parties on both sides of the issue assemble in Sacramento for a public hearing. If Californias regulators side with the OEHHA, the initial ruling from the L.A. Superior Court will be null and void. News Prevent mass starving in Afghanistan, UN aid chief urges G20 Half the Afghan children under age five are at risk of acute malnutrition and there is an outbreak of measles in every single province which is "a red light and "the canary in the mine for whats happening in society, he said. Haiti - Cap-Haitien : President Moise, celebrates the feast of Our Lady of the Assumption Wednesday in Cap-Haitien, President Jovenel Moise accompanied by several members of his ministerial cabinet, participated in the solemn mass sung in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption to celebrate the patron saint's day of the second city of the country. Well decorated for the occasion, the Cathedral Notre Dame of the Assumption of Cap-Haitien gathered in its enclosure, several parliamentarians, a large number of civil, judicial and police authorities, great clerks of the State, several personalities of the civil service, pilgrims and many parish faithful. The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by the diocesan administrator, Bishop Julmiste Gabriel, surrounded by several priests of the archdiocese while the homily was pronounced by the parish priest of Petite-Anse, the Rev. Father Acnis Derosin who launched a message for an awakening of our patriotic conscience in order to save Haiti. The Notre-Dame Feast, which is important in the country, is also celebrated in Port-au-Prince, Les Cayes and several other towns and localities in the country including : Petit-Goave, Ouanaminthe, Domond, Difailly, Anse-Rouge, Lamardelle / Cross-Bouquets and Passe-Reine. This feast is the occasion of festivities that attract residents and local and international tourists. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politic : The Committee of the States General consults the youth Tuesday, as part of the preparatory meetings with the various sectors of the country, the Technical Secretariat of Organization of the Sectoral General States of the Nation (EGSN) met with leaders of Youth Associations and members of the Government Youth of Haiti (GJH). This working session allowed the Technical Secretariat, accompanied by the members of the Steering Committee, to present the objectives of these Estates General and to gather the opinions of these groups of young people. Questions related to the purpose of these Estates General, the lack of public policies for young people, the functioning of public institutions, were discussed during this meeting. Young people also discussed the problems of corruption, political instability, poor distribution of the country's wealth, accountability and loss of confidence in the authorities. Young people have pointed out that this loss of trust and credibility in public institutions discourages some honest citizens from serving the State. They also believe that the State stands up against the Nation and that it is more than necessary to establish a political agreement to solve the problems of political instability that the country has been facing for several decades. The representatives of these youth organizations also spoke of the need to put in place legal provisions that will enable citizens with a solid academic background to access positions of responsibility at the state level. According to these young people, it is not normal to continue electing senators and deputies who have no university education. See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25225-icihaiti-politic-the-committee-of-the-states-general-needs-more-time.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25217-icihaiti-politic-the-committee-of-the-states-general-meets-artists.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25208-haiti-politic-the-committee-of-the-states-general-meets-leaders-of-disadvantaged-neighborhoods.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25113-haiti-politic-on-monday-the-steering-committee-and-the-technical-secretariat-fohe-committee-of-the-sectoral-general-states-consults-the-religious-sectors.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-24777-icihaiti-social-a-member-of-the-committee-of-the-states-general-victim-of-a-crime-of-passion.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-24548-icihaiti-estates-general-preparatory-meeting-with-actors-of-vocational-training.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-24428-icihaiti-estates-general-first-preparatory-forum.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24358-haiti-news-zapping.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24300-haiti-news-zapping.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24160-haiti-flash-mgr-louis-kebreau-resigns-from-the-steering-committee-of-the-estates-general.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24014-haiti-politic-meeting-of-the-steering-committee-of-the-sectoral-general-states-at-the-national-palace.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23948-haiti-flash-sectoral-general-states-of-the-nation-installation-of-the-members-of-the-steering-committee.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Heritage : Bois-Caiman, a beautiful show to remember The Ministry of Culture, together with the National Bureau of Ethnology (BNE) and the National School of Arts (ENARTS) organized a great show on the night of August 14, to mark the 227th anniversary of the ceremony of the Bois Caiman, symbolic and decisive event in the fight against the slave system of the end of the Eighteenth century in Haiti (called Santo Domingo at the time) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25255-haiti-heritage-227th-anniversary-of-the-ceremony-of-bois-caiman.html National and even international artists such as Eddy Francois, Carole Demesmin and Erol Josue performed in front of a large audience, where traditional songs and choreographies punctuated the evening and night of residents of the community of Bois-Caiman ( Northern Plain). In addition, as a prelude to this celebration, the Ministry of Culture took the opportunity to start small structural works on the site of Bois-Caiman "Our intervention on this site is a gesture that proves that now Bois-Caiman does not will never be neglected again. It is a cultural, historical, tourist and religious site to promote and it is a heritage for all humanity," said Guyler C. Delva, the resigning Minister of Culture. Recall that the ceremony of Bois-Caiman in the night of 14 August 1791, composed of runaway slaves, is considered in Haiti as the founding act of the revolution and the war of independence. This is the first major collective uprising of Haiti against slavery. In reference to the uprising that followed this ceremony, UNESCO chose August 23 as "International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition". See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25255-haiti-heritage-227th-anniversary-of-the-ceremony-of-bois-caiman.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politic : The Ambassador of Haiti in Mexico alongside the Haitians of Tijuana On a recent visit to Tijuana (Baja California, Mexico) to take part in the installation of the Belize Consul, a friend of Haiti, Haiti's Ambassador to Mexico Guy G. Lamothe took the opportunity to visit Haitians from Tijuana. Ambassador Lamothe met with Haitian (Amos Carrier) and Mexican (Manuel Serrano Nunez) pastors from the first Baptist Church in downtown Tijuana, which was the first to accompany the Embassy of Haiti in the documentation process of compatriots who wish to have a legal residence in Mexico. For over 10 months this church has been graciously serving Haitians, for the procedures for obtaining passports near the diplomatic mission in Mexico City and the passport unit of Washington. To this end, Ambassador Lamothe presented a plaque of "Recognition" to these two representatives of the great architect of the universe, in the presence of nearly 200 faithful of the Church. Subsequently, the Ambassador visited a Haitian Rights Association led by Frantz Delice and in the late evening he spoke with the faithful of the "iglesia del cristo" led by Pastor Francois Navius, a young Haitian who lives in Tijuana for almost two years ... During his meetings, Guy G. Lamothe oriented and sensitized his compatriots while exhorting them to value the work of the Mexican administration, who kindly allowed them to reside legally on its territory. Aware that many Haitians are not registered in the Register of Unique Identifiers of the Population (CURP) and receive a unique number like every Mexican citizen, which is essential to enjoy the benefits of formal jobs and be able to enroll in Mexican Institute of Security Social (IMSS) to benefit from the health program planned by the Mexican administration, he promised his compatriots to continue to negotiate with the Mexican administration for having registration at the CURP. Ambassador Lamothe took the opportunity to recall that the Mexican private sector of Tijana will also have its role to play in this request and informed that he had already met with the President of the "Asociacion de los industriales de la mesa" of Otay (a Neighborhood District in San Diego) on this topic. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25238-haiti-news-zapping.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21654-haiti-mexico-in-tijuana-and-mexicali-nearly-77-of-haitians-regularized.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21558-haiti-flash-good-news-for-haitians-in-tijuana.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21536-haiti-flash-delivery-of-600-haitian-passports-to-mexico.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20907-haiti-flash-regularization-of-haitians-blocked-in-mexico.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20748-haiti-mexico-more-than-1-000-haitians-already-regularized.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20256-haiti-flash-mexico-offers-assisted-return-to-haitians.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20238-haiti-flash-30-000-haitian-migrants-on-the-mexican-border-targeted-by-scammers.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-19691-haiti-mexicoto-tijuana-of-haitians-celebrates-the-independence-of-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19478-haiti-flash-thousands-of-haitians-seek-refuge-in-mexico.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18704-haiti-flash-tens-of-thousands-of-haitians-en-route-to-usa.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18700-haiti-flash-usa-resumption-of-regular-deportations-to-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18659-haiti-flash-haitians-are-fleeing-in-large-numbers-brazil-for-usa.html HL/ S/ HaitiLibre (HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission has 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 SECs 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 SECs 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 SECs Division of Enforcement. Ameriprise failed to meet that obligation and as a consequence was unable to prevent the theft of its clients assets. The SECs 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. (Bloomberg) A number of hedge fund firms have a hot product. Its not their hedge funds. Och-Ziff Capital Managements investors withdrew $418 million from its hedge funds in the second quarter. Total inflow of assets under management, however, were $1.2 billion, its largest increase in assets in four years. The firms hot product: Collateralized loan obligations a derivative debt investment that invests in leveraged loans and is a cousin of the type of funds that blew up in the housing bubble. To read this article: Teuvo Hakkarainen and Ville Vahamaki of the Finns Party have asked for more time to submit their reports about their controversial housing arrangements in Helsinki to the Finnish Parliament, reports YLE . Iltalehti in July reported that Hakkarainen and Vahamaki have received a raised, tax-free expense allowance for the rent of a basement unit that is not designated as a residential unit in the articles of association. Vahamaki lived in the unit in 20132015, while Hakkarainen continues to maintain it as his home in Helsinki. The duo were asked last week to disclose what they have agreed on in regards to the housing arrangement and what kind of information they have had about the property in question. The lessor of the basement unit is Dennis Pasterstein (NCP), a deputy councillor for the City of Helsinki. He confirmed to Iltalehti that the 62-square-metre unit is effectively a sauna. The Finnish Parliament is investigating whether Hakkarainen and Vahamaki have received the raised expense allowance on false grounds. Members of Parliament from outside Uusimaa are entitled to a monthly expense allowance of up to 1,809.15 euros as long as they own or rent a second home in Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen or Vantaa. Pertti Rauhio, the administrative director at the Parliament, told YLE that the next steps will depend on the reports of Hakkarainen and Vahamaki. If its their view that the raised expense allowance shouldnt have been paid, then well agree on how itll be repaid. If they think theyve been entitled to the raised allowance, I wont make a decision, but Ill bring the matter to the parliamentary office. The office will then decide whether the allowances should be collected." Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Kimmo Mantyla Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Kalle Jokinen, the chairperson of the National Coalition Parliamentary Group, declared on Wednesday that Antti Rinne, the chairperson of the Social Democrats, and his billion-euro populism are presently the most serious threats to the Finnish economy. The National Coalition and Social Democrats are embroiled in a spirited debate over the direction of economic policy making in Finland. His statement was a response to remarks made by Rinne on Tuesday. Rinne accused the National Coalition of debt populism and argued that the party has sought to profile itself as a stringent economic agent while being the single biggest contributor to the debt burden of the central government. The National Coalition has raised Finlands central government debt more than any other party. The sum stands at well over 100 billion euros, and itll grow again next year, he was quoted as saying in the summer meeting of the Social Democrats by Iltalehti. The National Coalition, he added, has demonstrated a willingness to increase the debt burden, while regularly claiming that there is no funding for forward-looking investments. The National Coalition is spending funds on the tax cuts of high-income earners its own buddies. Whenever were talking about improving the position of low and middle-income earners, the National Coalition views that were out of funds, slammed Rinne. Such claims are simply not accurate, retorted Jokinen. Rinnes logic is that because the National Coalition has been part of the government for 27 of the past 31 years, the increase in central government debt is because of the National Coalition. Rinne completely pushes aside the fact that numerous recessions have taken place over that period of time. Jokinen also pointed out that the government has introduced cuts worth approximately 1.3 billion euros in labour taxation during this electoral term, focusing particularly on low and middle-income earners. The cuts were introduced to promote growth, employment and competitiveness, he added. The Parliaments Information Service has calculated that the earnings of low-income earners have decreased in spite of the cuts in income tax rates, while those of earners in higher income deciles have crept up due to measures introduced by the government of Prime Minister Juha Sipila (Centre). A similar conclusion has been reached by the Finnish Federation for Social Affairs and Health (SOSTE). Rinne on Tuesday also reiterated his promise to raise pensions not exceeding 1,400 euros a month. Jokinen argued that it is populist to make such promises at a time when the central government debt continues to increase despite the positive economic situation in Finland. He also reminded that the cyclical situation does not eliminate the need for additional structural economic reforms. I think Rinnes billion-euro populism is the most serious threat to the Finnish economy today, he said. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Mikko Stig, Antti Aimo-Koivisto Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi At about 0830 on April 16, 1975, a reinforced mechanized infantry battalion of North Vietnamese Army troops hit the Army of the Republic of Vietnams 5th Infantry Regiment defending Thanh Son Air Bases main gate. Demoralized South Vietnamese troops fed as tanks crashed through the gates and supporting infantry surged toward the bases control tower. By 1100, Thanh Son and two thirds of its aircraft and helicopters were in NVA hands. Nearby Phan Rang fell the next day. News footage of Saigons fall to Communist forces 13 days later showed a T-59 tank smashing down the Presidential Palace gates. A North Vietnamese T-54 tank crashes through the gate of the Presidential Palace in Saigoin, signaling end of military conflict. (Time Life Pictures/Getty Images) A North Vietnamese T-54 tank crashes through the gate of the Presidential Palace in Saigoin, signaling end of military conflict. (Time Life Pictures/Getty Images) The tank was the Chinese version of the Soviet T-54A. The T-54, a follow-on to the famous T-34/85 of World War II, entered production in 1948. It received regular upgrades using American tanks captured in Korea. Those improvementsincluding a bore evacua- tor to reduce smoke buildup inside the turretbegan with the 1954 model, the T-54A. A gun stabilization system based on that of a captured U.S. M-47 tank was added after 1957, and the tank was designated T-54B. Its diesel engine provided good speed and range. The armor protection, with a maximum thickness of 205mm, exceeded that of most early postwar Western tanks. The Soviet Union gave China licensing rights to produce the T-54A in 1958-59. The Chinese designated it Type 59, or T-59. The Soviet Union frst shipped T-54s to Haiphong in 1967. China began delivering T-59s by 1968. T-54 crews frst saw action during South Vietnams 1971 Operation Lam Son 719 in Laos. 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. 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. Source: UrduPoint MINSK, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News, app - 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. Benjamin Lamb cuts the ribbon on the NAMAzing Eagle Street Initiative on Wednesday night. PreviousNext North Adams Eagle Street Project Celebrated NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The park's still a bit under construction but the signs are up and the major work has a been completed for the NAMAzing Eagle Street Initiative. On Wednesday evening during the annual Downtown Celebration, there was a pause to cut a blue ribbon strung between the brand-new eagle medallions marking the exit of the historic street. "This has been a labor of love for literally hundreds of people," said project founder Benjamin Lamb, a city councilor. "Fifteen months ago, the NAMAzing Eagle Street Initiative embarked on a campaign to fundraise money to do a project to help invigorate Eagle Street. That meant everything from signage as you see these Eagle Street medallions, all the way to a park and a parklet to garbage cans. "Everything you can imagine to help to make a place more usable and friendly to visitors and residents of the city." The effort grew out of conversations between business, residents and supporters of Eagle Street and was funded with $35,871 in donations and a $25,000 matching MassDevelopment grant. The fundraising effort, done online through Patronicity, raised about $10,000 above its $25,000 goal. Lamb said 225 people donated to the project, far more than expected, and even more gave hours and labor as volunteers whose "amount of time and energy is infinite." The project included the just installed medallions designed and created by Neathawk Designs, which also did the hanging signs for businesses along the street. A popular portable parklet that's sparked a weekly coffee klatsch on Friday mornings was built by B&B Micro Manufacturing. Volunteers, including Rob Lyons and his family, helped with digging out the unused park where a building had burned and put in plantings and cobblestones from North Adams. There are several arts installations, with a few yet to be put in, lighting, benches and new containers for trash and recyclables. The city's Department of Public Works aided in the installation of some of the fixtures, including the posts for the two medallions. North Adams also received a 2018 Massachusetts Downtown Initiative award of $15,000 to bring in a consultant to work with all the Eagle Street businesses on retail visioning earlier this summer. Though not part of the initiative, it was done with the ongoing work in mind. The city is also planning to use Community Development Block Grant funds to study if Eagle Street would be suitable to be a woonerf, shared pedestrian-vehicle street. The goal was to bring some life to the historic but somewhat rundown one-way street. "From the businesses who came together to make this a reality, from the parklet to the new signs to the art installations, it's all remarkable and it's evidence of a public/private partnership in the city of North Adams," said Mayor Thomas Bernard. "It's especially appropriate we do this today on a day when we celebrate our downtown and extend that celebration on to Eagle Street." The occasion was the 22nd annual Downtown Celebration, when Main, Holden and Eagle streets are closed to traffic to make way for musicians, performances, vendors, food and fun. It was also, the mayor pointed out, the same time as the city's first Bike Rodeo and only days from the UNO Park celebration. "It's a demonstration of what happens when people come together in community," he said. The evening also featured a mixer for donors at Desperados and a free feasting table in the alleyway outside the restaurant for the community and provided by Desperados, Village Pizza and Jack's Hot Dogs. The band Bad Art played at the end of Eagle Street. "We're very excited to see how far this project goes," Lamb said before snipping the ribbon. "This is not the end, this is the beginning. "This is your Eagle Street, this my Eagle Street. Everyone belongs here, everyone is welcome to enjoy everything we can offer." Regional representatives from Spectrum was available to answer questions but much of the City Council's concerns were nationwide policies. Pittsfield Council Has Little Luck With Spectrum Cable PITTSFIELD, Mass. No matter how much the City Council and residents complain about the loss of local programming, Spectrum Cable will not be bringing it back. Melinda Kinney of Charter Communications told the council Wednesday night that WWLP 22 and WCVB 5 Boston cost too much to bring back to the area. The national company had made a decision that it will not pay extra to carry the channels that are considered "out of market." "There is a cost issue associated with carrying an out-of-market broadcast," she said. Kinney told the council that the channels were pulled for two reasons -- cost and that often there were multiple channels showing the same show at the same time, leading to blackouts. Considering those two factors, the corporation decided it wasn't worth the money to keep those stations on the air in the Berkshires. Much of the issue stems from the city being in the Albany, N.Y., television market. Time Warner Cable paid extra to carry those two "out of market" stations in the Berkshires for years -- though it certainly tried on multiple occasions not to but was faced with opposition. Spectrum, which took over Time Warner in 2016, has cut them and hasn't cracked to public pressure to bring them back. It also hasn't bowed to pressure put on by members of Congress, members of the state Legislature, individual towns throughout the county, the mayor, or numerous residents. The City Council was added to that list on Wednesday. That seems to be the City Council's biggest issue with the county's sole cable provider. "I think you guys can afford it," Councilor at Large Earl Persip said, adding that if the company could only provide those channels and bring the public access stations back to lower number channels it would do a lot of good for its standing in the community. "We had the channels. You said the channels could happen but it cost Spectrum more money. If you want to be our community partner, be our service provider, give us our news back." At this point, Kinney said the only likely way those channels would be coming back would be if the Federal Communications Commision places the city in the Massachusetts market, which would lead to the Berkshires losing the New York stations. "They define the designated market area. We did carry some of those legacy Boston broadcast channels but there is a significant cost to carry those when they are considered out of market," Kinney said. The City Council will also be unsuccessful in its request to move the local public access channels back to the lower stations. Kinney said the stations were moved as part of the national model that sorts channels by genre. The channels moved from 16,17 and 18 to 1301,1302 and 1303. Those were really the two most pressing issues for city councilors. After an hour and half of back and forth in a wide-ranging conversation about those two main topics, Ward 5 Councilor Donna Todd Rivers asked directly if there is any hope for a change. And the company's answer is no. Kinney said she had taken those concerns up the ladder to decision makers on a national level but those decisions have been made. And the City Council doesn't have the authority to make such demands, even when it negotiates a new franchise agreement in 2024. The issues aren't something Spectrum officials haven't heard. Ever since the stations were pulled cities and towns - and even federal officials -- have been putting the company's feet to the fire over it. That was on top of pricing changes, the switch to encrypted signals, and the requirement that customers rent a cable box. The company had already fielded an array of questions during a hearing but the City Council wanted its own shot to speak to the company. Many of the City Councilors had constituent-specific related questions most of which the representatives couldn't answer without being able to see the actual plans and services the customer is provided. There were questions about the move away from analog to digital and the associated boxes. Spectrum officials said since that first meeting they have fielded the concerned of the citizens here and have done what they could, but much of what is happening is because of corporate decisions made across the chain nationally, such a Spectrum moving its pricing to a national model as well. Anna Lucey, director of governmental affairs for Spectrum, said the company developed public service announcements which it will play on some 50 networks to inform people where the stations are now located. She said in response to customer service issues the company moved more employees to the area to assist. We understand things don't always change in a major corporation but we are here to try to work with you and make improvements if we can," Lucey said. Berkshire residents and government officials at all levels have been increasingly frustrated with Spectrum since the merger, feeling the company is providing less and less for service. Time Warner wasn't much better as the same issues cropped up in the past. Nor was the predecessor, which felt the brunt of much anger from the residents and officials before Time Warner had. Five representatives answered questions and fielded complaints from the City Council for more than two hours Wednesday. Pittsfield Police Unions Respond to Allegations Made During Council Meeting PITTSFIELD, Mass. As the job of a police officer becomes "more dangerous and thankless each and every day," Igor Greenwald "belittled" the good work officers do, says the local police unions. Greenwald has been behind an effort to create a Police Oversight Committee and at a recent subcommittee he and others testified about negative interactions with police. Greenwald contends there is "a whole basket of bad apples" in the Police Department and an oversight committee to handle complaints of officer misconduct is needed. Pittsfield Police Patrolmen Union (International Brotherhood of Police Officers) 447 and Pittsfield Police Superior Officers Union IBPO 447S responded on Thursday saying Greenwald's presentation of the department is misleading and that in nearly every example of misconduct Greenwald presented there had been a disciplinary action. "Lately there have been some calls in both the press and public meetings regarding the creation of a Police Advisory Committee to oversee the Pittsfield Police Department. Interestingly enough, the loudest and most frequent critic is one man, Mr. Igor Greenwald. But after several attacks against the department by Mr. Greenwald, his comments can no longer go unaddressed," reads a letter penned by patrolman union President Andrew Couture and supervisory union President Matthew Hill. "To listen to Mr. Greenwald, you'd think that Pittsfield's biggest problems are not the increase in violence, of guns and drugs on the street, a growing homeless problem, or even the city's lack of economic development, but instead the Police Department itself. At a recent meeting of the City Council Committee on Ordinances and Rules, Mr. Greenwald presented a list of negative police matters to support his premise that there is zero accountability within the department. However, in almost every example he cited, the officers involved had received punishment, suspensions, or in egregious cases, were fired and/or criminally charged." The union says "good deeds" being done by members of the department have been ignored. "There are many good deeds done by many members of the department each and every day that are not seen in the paper or viewed on social media. Ask an officer why they chose this line of work and the majority will answer, 'To help people.' " the letter reads. "This, in a job that continues to become more dangerous and thankless each and every day. Mr. Greenwald belittled some of the good work done by officers as 'simple photo opps' and used national statistics to downplay officers shot in the line of duty. The latter is a particular slap in the face as Massachusetts has seen four officers shot since April including the two officers in Falmouth only weeks prior." The union says the department "is not full of bad apples," as Greenwald had contended and that the City Council should not make a decision without hearing another viewpoint. "One of the great things about a democracy is the freedom of citizens to speak before their elected officials, bringing forth their questions, concerns and grievances. However, it is also completely irresponsible when elected officials armed with only that one side of a story or event make a public judgment based solely on those single-sided accounts," the union wrote. The unions contest that Greenwald may have a personal animus against the Police Department. Greenwald had shared his own story in which he felt the department overstepped when it brought his son to the hospital based on a report that he made threats on social media. "Any real open and honest discussion about policing in the city and the concept of a police advisory committee (in any form) should involve parties that come to the table unbiased and without personal agendas against the police department which it is becoming increasingly obvious that Mr. Greenwald strongly bears," the union wrote. In prepared statements, Greenwald was joined by two others at the podium last week sharing the stories in an attempt to argue that an oversight committee would provide an accountability he believes the department is lacking. Greenwald had originally started crafting the idea last fall but said he was cut out of the conversations with Mayor Linda Tyer, Police Chief Michael Wynn, and City Solicitor Richard Dohoney. Tyer brought forth the petition earlier this year but Greenwald said it lacked the teeth that such a commission needed. Greenwald wants the group to have the ability to independently investigate complaints of misconduct and recommend a discipline for an officer found of such violation that will stick. Tyer, however, said discipline is performed through the Civil Service process and therefore such a committee couldn't have that role. Instead, she offered the committee to review the internal affairs reports. Greenwald, however, said that still leaves law enforcement investigating law enforcement, rather than an independent review. The mayor is sticking with her proposal, feeling it provides an additional level of oversight without overstepping the disciplinary process. "I do think what we proposed does offer a fair and balanced approach to strengthening relationships with the police and public. We're going to continue to advocate for the proposal we submitted," Tyer said this week when asked about her opinion on the matter moving forward. "We are more than happy to open up those internal affairs reports and have those conversations. We agree on the idea that it matters." Related Stories: iciHaiti - Peguy-Ville : Towards a Task Force for the judicial follow-up of cases of gender violence Gouvernance Group (GG) informs that this Thursday morning in Peguy-Ville, to the Center for the Promotion of Democracy and Participative Education, will be held the launching ceremony of the Awareness and Community Mobilization Project on sexual violence based on gender, in partnership with the Ministry of the Status of Women and the United Nations Mission for Support to Justice in Haiti (Minujusth). This ceremony is part of the launch of the project activities, oriented towards the strengthening of capacity of the members of the organizations to sensitize and mobilize the local populations around the setting up of a Task Force for judicial monitoring of gender-based violence cases in the departments of Artibonite, South and Grand'Anse. IH/ iciHaiti iciHaiti - Politic : New Representative of UNICEF in Haiti UNICEF announces that Maria Luisa Fornara is the new representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Haiti. She replaces Marc Vincent who spent nearly 3 1/2 in this position serving Haitian children. Ms. Fornara arrived in Haiti on August 2, 2018, after three years of service as UNICEF Representative in Peru. There, she managed the design and implementation of the 2017-2021 Cooperation Program, which led Haiti, among other things, to put violence against children and adolescents at the top of the public agenda. Learn more about Maria Luisa Fornara: Maria Luisa Fornara holds a Master's Degree in Social Sciences from Ecoles de Hautes Etudes in Paris (1994), a Diploma in Public Policy and Promotion of Children's Rights from the University of Maastricht in Holland (2007) and has completed studies and specializations in Oxford Policy Management and the World Bank Institute. Maria Luisa Fornara was Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Tunisia and Serbia. She has extensive experience working in international cooperation. She has been program officer at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), a consultant for the World Bank in Lebanon, and a researcher at the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI). From 2009 to 2015, she represented UNICEF Tunisia where she helped to focus national efforts on public policies to promote and protect the rights of Tunisian children. Italian-born, Ms. Fornara is fluent in Italian, English, French and Spanish and also has basic knowledge of Arabic. IH/ iciHaiti Army jawans at Polo Ground, in Allahabad on Tuesday, Aug 14, 2018. Representative picture. Source: The Economic Times NEW DELHI: 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. In a novel experiment, doctors got a letter from the medical examiners office telling them of their patients fatal overdose. The response: They started prescribing fewer opioids. Other doctors, whose patients also overdosed, didnt get letters. Their opioid prescribing didnt change. More than 400 Dear Doctor letters, sent last year in San Diego County, were part of a study that, researchers say, put a human face on the U.S. opioid crisis for many doctors. Its a powerful thing to learn, said University of Southern California public policy researcher Jason Doctor, lead author of the paper published Aug. 9 in the journal Science. Researchers used a state database to find 861 doctors, dentists and others who had prescribed opioids and other risky medications to 170 people who died of an overdose involving prescription medicines. Most states have similar databases to track prescribing of dangerous drugs, where doctors can check patients previous prescriptions. Most of the deaths involved opioid painkillers, many taken in combination with anti-anxiety drugs. On average, each person who died had filled prescriptions for dangerous drugs from five to six prescribers in the year before they died. Half the prescribers received letters that began: This is a courtesy communication to inform you that your patient (name, date of birth) died on (date). Prescription drug overdose was either the primary cause of death or contributed to the death. The letters offered guidance for safer prescribing. The tone was supportive: Learning of your patients death can be difficult. We hope that you will take this as an opportunity to prevent future deaths. Then the researchers watched what happened over three months. Letter recipients reduced their average daily opioid prescribing measured in a standard way, morphine milligram equivalents by nearly 10 percent compared to prescribers who didnt get letters. Opioid prescribing in the no-letter group didnt change. Recipients put fewer new patients on opioids than those who didnt get letters. They wrote fewer prescriptions for high-dose opioids. The strategy is original, helpful and could be duplicated elsewhere, said pain medicine expert Dr. David Clark of Stanford University, who wasnt involved in the study. He was surprised the letters effect wasnt larger. It may have been easy for physicians to feel it was somebody else prescribing who got the patient in trouble, Clark said, adding that changing even one patients care takes time, requiring very difficult conversations. Opioid prescribing has been declining in the U.S. for several years in response to pressure from health systems, insurers and regulators. Yet deaths keep rising. Nearly 48,000 Americans died of opioid overdoses last year, according to preliminary numbers released last month, a 12 percent increase from a year before. Now illegal fentanyl, another opioid, is the top killer, surpassing pain pills and heroin. Lead author Doctor said reducing the number of prescribed opioids will, over time, close off a gateway to illicit drugs by shrinking the pool of dependent people. The study didnt analyze whether the deaths were caused by inappropriate prescribing or whether the prescribing changes resulted in patients doing better or worse. Thats a flaw in an otherwise careful study, said addiction researcher Dr. Stefan Kertesz of University of Alabama at Birmingham, who has raised red flags about policies that cause doctors to take patients off opioids too fast and without a plan for treating addiction. Patients can fall into despair or contemplate suicide if they are involuntarily tapered off opioids without support, he said. What actually happens to patients should be our concern, rather than just making a number go down, Kertesz said. Study co-author Dr. Roneet Lev, chief of emergency medicine at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, discovered her own name in the data. Lev prescribed 15 opioid pain pills to an ER patient with a broken eye socket, without knowing the patient got 300 painkillers from another doctor a day earlier. Lev didnt get a Dear Doctor letter because the patients death fell outside the timeline of the study, July 2015-June 2016. Still, she felt the impact and believes she could have done better. Said Lev: It was an opportunity to look at all the records on that patient and say, Wow, Im really worried about you. Kahnawa:ke Grand Chief Joseph Tokwiro Norton welcomed Grammy award winning band, Portugal. The Man to traditional Kanienkeha:ka Territory when they performed at the Osheaga Music Festival in Montreal on Friday, August 3, 2018. Accordi... Settlement of Sixties Scoop Class Action TORONTO, Aug. 9, 2018 /CNW/ - The courts have approved a settlement between representatives of certain survivors of the Sixties Scoop and the Federal Government of Canada (Canada) that provides compensation for loss of cultural identity to c... Voices raised over several issues By Kaniehtonkie The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal August monthly meeting was called to order promptly at 10:00am and chaired by Chief Michael Conners Jr. Review of previous action items were read. Tribal Council completed the investigation (fact fin... 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. Anjali Banerjee, an Indian undergraduate at U.C. Berkeley, and her fellow classmates started Archer in the wake of the 2016 terror attack in France, where Banerjee was at and survived, to builds digital tools to help journalists, investigators and human rights workers tackle terrorism, sanctions evasion, corruption and other global violence. (Anjali Banerjee/Twitter photo) File photo of Indian Americans Amrik Sidhu (right) and his wife Harjinder Sidhu seen applying for their passports after gaining U.S. citizenship during naturalization ceremonies at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Aug. 28, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. The White House has floated a proposal making legal immigrants who have received any sort of federal aid ineligible to become citizens. The evidence is overwhelming that the administration is anti-immigrant, Manju Kulkarni, Indian American executive director of the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, told India-West. (David McNew/Getty Images) The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. ====== 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 Home Search ICH White House Revokes Security Clearance of ex-CIA Chief John Brennan Sarah Sanders attacks Brennans erratic conduct and behavior Access to classified information for James Comey under review By Ben Jacobs August 15, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Donald Trump has revoked the security clearance of John Brennan, the CIA director in the Obama administration, citing erratic conduct and behavior. Brennan has been a vocal critic of Trump. The move comes as the White House has been rocked by allegations against the president by former aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, including the claim thatan audio tape exists of Trump using the N-word. Reading a prepared statement from President Trump in the White House briefing room, the press secretary, Sarah Sanders, railed against Brennan. She claimed he has leveraged his status as a former high-ranking official with access to highly sensitive info to make a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations, wild outbursts on internet and television about this administration. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Sanders also said Brennans lying and recent conduct, characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary, is wholly inconsistent with access to the nations most closely held secrets. Sanders had in July floated removing Brennans clearance along with a number of other Obama administration officials. At the time, the House speaker, Paul Ryan, laughed off the threat, telling reporters of Trump: I think hes trolling people, honestly. A spokesperson for Ryan declined to comment on Wednesday. On Wednesday, Sanders repeated a long list of others from whom the White House was considering revoking security clearances. They were: James Comey, former FBI director James Clapper, former director of national intelligence Sally Yates, former acting attorney general Michael Hayden, former director of national intelligence Susan Rice, former national security adviser Andrew McCabe, former deputy FBI director Peter Strzok, former FBI agent Lisa Page, former FBI attorney Bruce Ohr, former associate deputy attorney general All but Ohr, who is still serving in the federal government, have criticized Trump. Most recently, Brennan condemned Trumps characterization of Manigault Newman as that dog. Brennan said: Its astounding how often you fail to live up to minimum standards of decency, civility and probity. Seems like you will never understand what it means to be president, nor what it takes to be a good, decent and honest person. So disheartening, so dangerous for our nation. Hayden shrugged off the announcement that his clearance was under review. In a statement to CNN, he said 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. On Twitter, the Virginia senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, said: This might be a convenient way to distract attention, say from a damaging news story or two. But politicizing the way we guard our nations secrets just to punish the presidents critics is a dangerous precedent. John McLaughlin, the former deputy director of the CIA under George W Bush, called the decision ridiculous and said in an interview with MSNBC that it indicated an authoritarian attitude in [Trumps] governing style. This article was originally published by " The Guardian " - The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. ==See Also== Democrats rush to back Brennan - who spied on them 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. By Dmitry Orlov August 15, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Something happened recently that made me feel like a bit of an endangered species. A set of transnational internet companies, including Google, Facebook, Apple and several others, all synchronously removed content belonging to infowars.com, which is run by Alex Jones. Such synchronicity is a sure sign of conspiracysomething that Alex Jones harps on a lot. I once appeared on a radio show run by Alex Jones, and he did manage to boil down what I had to say to the USA is going to collapse like the USSR did, which is pretty good, considering how poorly we managed to connect, having so little in common. He is a conservative and a libertarian whereas I think that conservatives dont exist in the US.What have they conserved latelyother than the right to bear small arms? As far as libertarianism, I consider proper historical libertarianism as a strain of socialism while its American cooptation is just plain funny: these ones remain libertarian only until they need the services of an ambulance or a fire engine, at which point they turn socialist. To boot, American libertarians like Ayn Rand, who to me was a relentlessly bad writer full of faulty thinking. However, I find her useful as a litmus test for mediocre minds. Moreover, Jones is political while I remain convinced that national politics in the US is a waste of time. It has been statistically proven that the US is not a democracy: popular will has precisely zero effect on public policy. It doesnt matter who is president; the difference is a matter of style. Trump is a bull in a China shop while Clinton would have been a deer in the headlights. The result is the same: the US is bankrupt and its empire is over. There is also the mismatch of genre between Jones and me. I am first of all an experimenter and an essayist, and to me personal experience and literary form are vitally important, while Jones is light on research and happy to work with hearsay, and is rather hackneyed and repetitive, but has the right instincts for a rabble-rouser. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter He harkens from a long American tradition of itinerant preachers spouting jeremiads, thumping the bible and hurling fire and brimstone. His content is secular, but his rhetorical techniques are revivalist. He is preachy, screechy and emotional. There is some carnival cryer in his cultural makeup as well, and he is not above peddling some survivalist/prepper snake oil That said, we share certain important similarities. Neither of us is part of the official narrative that is endlessly being hammered home by US mass media with increasingly poor results. Thinking Americans are just not gullible enough any more. Jones has exploited this gullibility shortfall in the general public for all its worth by going after every conspiracy theory out there, while I am just like yougullible. Sure, a few Arab tourists armed with box cutters destroyed three steel skyscrapers by flying two aluminum planes into them. Do your own math, but thats just 2/3 of a plane per skyscraperought to be enough, right? Jet fuel, which burns at 800 to 1500F, melted steel columns. (Steel melts at 2750F.) Two aluminum cans packed with kerosene, meat and luggage destroyed three steel structures. I find this explanation perfectly satisfactory; do you? If you need to know more, its easy to find out, but dont wait on me because, being so gullible, I am perfectly satisfied. Jones and I are also different in that he is hugely popular whereas I am popular enough for me and generally lacking in worldly ambition. I enjoy writing, my readers enjoy what I write, and everyone is happy except the kids, because while I am writing I am not playing with them. But Jones is becoming hugepopular enough to displace mass media, which is continuously losing mind share. In part, that is its own fault: how long do they think they can they go on flogging the dead horses of Russian collusion and Russian meddling before people start shaking their heads and walking away? In part, the verbal diarrhea that we hear on CNN or read on nytimes.com is intended as a smokescreen because the truth has become toxic to the interests of those who are in charge mass media in the US. I will delve into this subject further on Thursday. The political decision to censor Jones was a sign of desperation: the verbal diarrhea is not working, and so its time for Plan B, which is simply to scream Shut up! as loudly as possible. Due to his huge and burgeoning popularity (which these latest attacks on him have actually served to enhance) Jones is a huge target, whereas I am but a tiny one. Still, first they came for Alex Jones, and then they may very well come for me, and so the time to start paying attention and pushing back is now. These internet entitiesGoogle, Facebook, Apple, Google Podcast, Spotify, iHeartRadio, MailChimp, Disqus, LinkedIn, Flickr, Pinterest and several othershave no more right to censor him than does your phone company to screen your calls for you or to determine whose number you should be allowed to dial. What was done to Jones was blatantly illegal under both US and international law, and while these companies dont have much to fear in the US, where they are politically protected, they have a great deal more to fear internationally. Jones did not, as far as anyone can tell, violate the terms of use of any of these internet services, yet they shut him down. In the public discussions that preceded this event, including in the US Congress, terms such as hate speech and inciting violence were thrown about. These terms are defined sufficiently vaguely to make them useful for arbitrarily throwing at ones enemies while ones friends are granted full immunity, all in an entirely context-free, fact-free manner. For example, two years ago on PBS the following exchange took place between the former acting CIA director Michael Morell and Charlie Rose: Morell: We need to make the Russians pay a price in Syria. Rose: We make them pay the price by killing Russians? Morell: Yeah. The context and the facts are: the Russians were in Syria by official invitation from the internationally recognized Syrian government to defeat terrorists and foreign mercenaries and to reestablish Syrias control over its sovereign territory. The US forces werent doing much of anything helpful in Syria, but whatever it was, it was illegal: they were an invading force. And here is Morrell proposing that we kill Russian troops who are fighting terrorists, just to send a message. If thats not inciting violence, it is really difficult to imagine what would be. And yet a full two years after this outrage PBS remains on the air; what gives? Spurious claims of hate speech and inciting violence aside, what happened is that an order to shut down Jones was issued from Washington, DC. In response an impressively large group of transnational internet companies saluted and marched off to carry out the order, thereby making it perfectly obvious who they work for. And that is likely to become a big problem for them. First, these transnational companies are allowed to provide services around the world based on international law. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights defends the right to freedom of opinion and expression: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. Jones should sue the US and the companies that censored him in the European Court of Human rights in Strasbourg, France and seek redress both against entities within the US government which issued the illegal order (to be ferreted out in the course of discovery) and against the transnational companies that carried it out. Second, these transnational companies operate around the world based on local law which in many cases prevents them from acting as agents of foreign governments without first registering as such. If Google and Facebook execute orders issued by the US government, then they are acting not as businesses but as clandestine representatives of a foreign power. Being recognized as such would significantly curtail these companies international reach, growth potential and valuations. And since Google, Facebook and Apple are public companies committed to the pursuit of shareholder value, it would be time for their shareholders to get involved and replace the management teams. After all, what would be more profitable for them: illegally conspiring with the US government while becoming pariahs and losing the world market, or scrupulously maintaining arms-length relationships with all governments while working to uphold international law? There is still the opportunity for them to defuse the whole situation: call it a mistake, restore the services, compensate Jones for lost revenue and promise to never do it again. Dmitry Orlov was born in Leningrad and immigrated to the United States in the 1970s. He is the author of Reinventing Collapse, Hold Your Applause! and Absolutely Positive, and publishes weekly at the phenomenally popular blog www.ClubOrlov.com . August 15, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - It's beginning to look as if claims of monstrous collusion between Russian officials and U.S. political operatives were true. But it wasn't Donald Trump who was guilty of Russian collusion. It was Hillary Clinton and U.S. intelligence officials who worked with Russians and others to entrap Trump. That's the stunning conclusion of a RealClear Investigations report by Lee Smith, who looked in-depth at the controversial June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between officials of then-candidate Donald Trump's campaign staff and a Russian lawyer known to have ties with high-level officials in Vladimir Putin's government. The media have spun a tale of Trump selling his soul to the Russians for campaign dirt to use against Hillary, beginning with the now-infamous Trump Tower meeting. But "a growing body of evidence ... indicates that the meeting may have been a setup part of a broad effort to tarnish the Trump campaign involving Hillary Clinton operatives employed by Kremlin-linked figures and Department of Justice officials," wrote Smith. Smith painstakingly weaves together the evidence that's already out there but has been largely ignored by the mainstream media, which have become so seized with Trump-hatred that their reporting even on routine matters can no longer be trusted. But he adds in more evidence that the Justice Department only recently handed over to Congress. And It's damning. Memos, emails and texts now in Congress' possession show that the Justice Department and the FBI worked together both before and after the election with Fusion GPS and their main link to the scandal, former British spy and longtime FBI informant Chris Steele. As a former British spook in Moscow, Steele had extensive ties to Russia. That's why he was picked as the primary researcher to compile the "unverified and salacious" Trump dossier, as former FBI Director James Comey once described it. Steele's dossier, for which Fusion reportedly received $1 million, was largely based on interviews with Russian officials. And who paid that $1 million? As we and others have reported, it was Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee, then under Hillary's control. The media knew all this, of course, but largely ignored it. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter The great irony here is that, after more than two years of investigating, the only real evidence of collusion with Russians at all points to Hillary Clinton. It was she who hired Steele to dig up dirt on Trump using Russian sources. But now, it turns out, it goes even deeper than that. Events surrounding that now-famous June 2016 Trump meeting suggest it, too, was a concoction of Hillary Clinton and her deep-state allies. And that meeting was the basis for much of the later Russian collusion "investigation," if it can even be called that. Bruce Ohr, the No. 4-ranking official at the Justice Department, "coordinated before, during and after the election" with both Fusion GPS founder Glenn Simpson and with Steele, notes Smith. This shouldn't come as a surprise, given that Ohr's wife Nellie, a sometime employee of the CIA, was also working for Fusion GPS. The FBI fired Steele in October 2016 after it discovered that he leaked information to the press. But that meant nothing. Bruce Ohr merely continued as the conduit from Fusion GPS for information related to Steele's bogus Trump dossier. The FBI and Justice used information from that 35-page document as the pretense for the FISA wiretap on Trump aide Carter Page. Far from being limited in scope, those wiretaps in essence provided a backdoor key to the entire Trump campaign and the basis for the Russian investigation. So far so good. But an earlier investigation by RealClearPolitics showed that as early as March 2016, the FBI, other Western intelligence sources and Clinton campaign operatives contacted the Trump campaign about potentially damaging information about Clinton. They were in effect live-trolling the campaign. This is significant. Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Putin-connected lawyer who contacted the Trump campaign about having dirt on Hillary Clinton, was a client of Fusion GPS when she met with Donald Trump Jr. and others in the Trump campaign. And she was accompanied by a former Soviet military counterintelligence official, now working as a lobbyist, named Rinat Akhmetshin. Let that sink in for a moment. What's especially curious is that GPS' Glenn Simpson admits he had dinner with Veselnitskaya both the night before and the night after the Trump Tower meeting. Any possibility there was no discussion of the meeting between the two? Seems highly unlikely. Veselnitskaya herself subsequently claimed that the talking points for her meeting with the Trump people were provided to her by Simpson. Once in the meeting, she quickly dropped the promises of having dirt on Hillary Clinton and instead brought up Russia's long-standing desire to get rid of the Magnitsky Act, under which the U.S. imposed sanctions on a number of Russian moguls and government officials. In short, they were baiting a trap for the Trump campaign to make it appear as if they were colluding with Russian officials. Given the nonstop media coverage following leaks by the FBI and Justice, it seems the meeting served its purpose: It sowed the seeds of suspicion about the Trump campaign's supposed Russian collusion. The evidence goes even deeper than what we have summarized here. We suggest you read Smith's piece, linked above. Congress, using the documents it pried out of the Justice Department after repeated requests, is busy getting at what might turn out to be the scandal of the century. And Congress is now doing the work the Justice Department and FBI won't. "So here you have information flowing from the Clinton campaign from the Russians," House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes told Fox News on Sunday. Was Hillary The Real Colluder? Nunes, who heads Congress' investigation into the matter, said it was likely that information "was handed directly from Russian propaganda arms to the Clinton campaign, fed into the top levels of the FBI and Department of Justice to open up a counterintelligence investigation into a political campaign that has now colluded (with) nearly every top official at the DOJ and FBI over the course of the last couple years. Absolutely amazing." We have to agree. If all that is true, it is absolutely amazing. After all, these are serious felonies, using the federal agencies to spy on a political opponent in league with a hostile foreign power. As we said, the only real collusion appears to be on the part of the Clinton campaign aided by the Obama administration, CIA chief John Brennan and a handful of high-level officials at the Department of Justice and FBI. What's next? It's possible the collusion investigation soon will turn from Trump to Clinton. If so, it could lead to more resignations and possibly jail time for those involved. That includes perhaps even Hillary Clinton, who sits at the political epicenter of all this illegality. This article was originally published by " Investor's Business Daily " - Ed Note Published By Yahoo Source newspaper (Investor's Business Daily) is not a conspiracy site: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investor%27s_Business_Daily Source of investigation (RealClear Investigations) also not a conspiracy site: http://observer.com/2016/10/realclearinvestigations-wants-to-be-the-medias-aggregator-and-ombudsman/ Why Confronting Israel Is Important - The Jewish State is no Friend By Philip Giraldi August 15, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - I am often asked why I have this thing about Israel, with friends suggesting that I would be much more respected as a pundit if I were to instead concentrate on national security and political corruption. The problem with that formulation is that the so-called special relationship with Israel is itself the result of terrible national security and foreign policy choices that is sustained by pervasive political and media corruption, so any honest attempt to examine the one inevitably leads to the other. Most talking heads in the media avoid that dilemma by choosing to completely ignore the dark side of Israel. Israel not Russia is the one foreign country that can interfere with impunity with the political processes in the United States yet it is immune from criticism. It is also the single most significant threat to genuine national security as it and its powerful domestic lobby have been major advocates for the continuation of Americas interventionist warfare state. The decision to go to war on false pretenses against Iraq, largely promoted by a cabal of prominent American Jews in the Pentagon and in the media, killed 4,424 Americans as well as hundreds of thousands Iraqis and will wind up costing the American taxpayer $7 trillion dollars when all the bills are paid. That same group of mostly Jewish neocons more-or-less is now agitating to go to war with Iran using a game plan for escalation prepared by Israel which will, if anything, prove even more catastrophic. And I can go on from there. According to the FBI, Israel runs the most aggressive spying operations against the U.S. among ostensibly friendly nations, frequently stealing our military technology for resale by its own arms merchants. Its notable successes in espionage have included the most devastating spy in U.S. history Jonathan Pollard, while it has also penetrated American communications systems and illegally obtained both the fuel and the triggers for its own secret nuclear weapons arsenal. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Israel cares little for American sovereignty. Its prime ministers Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanyahu have both boasted how they control the United States. In 2001, Israel was running a massive secret spying operation directed against Arabs in the U.S. Many in the intelligence and law enforcement communities suspect that it had considerable prior intelligence regarding the 9/11 plot but did not share it with Washington. There was the spectacle of the dancing Shlomos, Israeli movers from a company in New Jersey who apparently had advanced knowledge of the terrorist attack and danced and celebrated as they watched the Twin Towers go down. Jewish power, both in terms of money and of access to people and mechanisms that really matter, is what allows Israel to act with impunity, making the United States both poorer and more insecure. A well-funded massive lobbying effort involving hundreds of groups and thousands of individuals in the U.S. has worked to the detriment of actual American interests, in part by creating a permanent annual gift of billions of dollars to Israel for no other reason but that it is Israel and can get anything it wants from a servile Congress and White House without any objection from a controlled media. Israel has also obtained carte blanche political protection from the U.S. in fora like the United Nations, which is damaging to Americas reputation and its actual interests. This protection now extends to the basing of U.S. troops in Israel to serve as a tripwire, guaranteeing that Washington will become involved if Israel is ever attacked or even if Israel itself starts a war. The current U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley is little more than a shill for Israel while Americas Ambassador in Israel David Friedman is an open supporter of Israels illegal settlements, which the U.S. opposes, who spends much of his time defending Israeli war crimes. And here on the home front Israel is doing damage that might be viewed as even more grave in Senator Ben Cardins attempt to destroy First Amendment rights by making any criticism of Israel illegal. The non-violent Israel Boycott movement (BDS) has already been sanctioned in many states, the result of intensive and successful lobbying by the Israeli government and its powerful friends. So if there is a real enemy of the United States in terms of the actual damage being inflicted by a foreign power, it is Israel. In the recent Russiagate investigations it was revealed that it was Israel, not Russia, that sought favors from Michael Flynn and the incoming Trump Administration yet Special Counsel Robert Mueller has evidently not chosen to go down that road with his investigations, which should surprise no one. Noam Chomsky, iconic progressive intellectual, has finally come around on the issue of Israel and what it means. He has always argued somewhat incoherently that Israeli misbehavior has been due to its role as a tool of American imperialism and capitalism. At age 89, he has finally figured out that it is actually all about what a parasitic Israel wants without any regard for its American host, observing on Democracy Now that ..take, say, the huge issue of interference in our pristine elections. Did the Russians interfere in our elections? An issue of overwhelming concern in the media. I mean, in most of the world, thats almost a joke. First of all, if youre interested in foreign interference in our elections, whatever the Russians may have done barely counts or weighs in the balance as compared with what another state does, openly, brazenly and with enormous support. Israeli intervention in U.S. elections vastly overwhelms anything the Russians may have done I mean, even to the point where the prime minister of Israel, Netanyahu, goes directly to Congress, without even informing the president, and speaks to Congress, with overwhelming applause, to try to undermine the presidents policies what happened with Obama and Netanyahu in 2015. Politicians are terrified of crossing the Jewish lobby by saying anything negative about Israel, which means that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu always gets a pass from the American government, even when he starves civilians and bombs hospitals and schools. Netanyahu uses snipers to shoot dead scores of unarmed demonstrators and the snipers themselves joke about their kills without a peep from Washington, which styles itself the leader of the free world. Just recently, Israel has declared itself a Jewish State with all that implies. To be sure, Israeli Christians and Muslims were already subject to a battery of laws and regulations that empowered Jews at their expense but now it is the guiding principle that Israel will be run for the benefit of Jews and Jews alone. And it still likes to call itself a democracy. A recent television program illustrates just how far the subjugation of Americas elected leaders by Israel has gone. British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen is featured on a new show called Who is America? in which he uses disguises and aliases to engage politicians and other luminaries in unscripted interviews that reveal just how ignorant or mendacious they actually are. Several recent episodes remind one of a February 2013 Saturday Night Live skit on the impending confirmation of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense. A Senator asks Hagel. It is vital to Israels security for you to go on national television and perform oral sex on a donkey Would you do THAT for Israel? A yes answer was, of course, expected from Hagel. The skit was never aired after objections from the usual suspects. Baron Cohen, who confronted several GOP notables in the guise of Colonel Erran Morad, an Israeli security specialist, provided a number of clues that his interview was a sham but none of the victims were smart enough to pick up on them. Cohen, wearing an Israeli military uniform and calling himself a colonel, clearly displayed sergeants stripes. Hinting that he might actually be a Mossad agent, Cohen also sported a T-shirt on which the Hebrew text was printed backwards and he claimed that the Israeli spy agencys motto was if you want to win, show some skin. Cohen set up Dick Cheney by complimenting him on being the the king of terrorist killers before commenting that my neighbor in Tel Aviv is in jail for murder, or, as we call it, enhanced tickling. Morad went on to tell Cheney that he once waterboarded his wife to check for infidelity and then convinced the former Vice President to sign a waterboarding kit that already had the signatures of Benjamin Netanyahu, Ariel Sharon and Demi Lovato. Another more spectacular sketch included a Georgia state senator Jason Spencer who was convinced to shout out the n-word as part of an alleged video being made to fight terrorism. After Cohen told Spencer that it was necessary to incite fear in homophobic jihadists, Spencer dropped his pants and underwear, before backing up with his exposed rear end while shouting USA! and America! Spencer also spoke with a phony Asian accent while simulating using a selfie-stick to secretly insert a camera phone inside a Muslim womans burqa. In another series of encounters, Cohen as Morad managed to convince current and ex-Republican members of Congress to include former Senate majority leader Trent Lott to endorse a fictional Israeli program to arm grade school children for self-defense. Cohens footage included a former Illinois congressman and talk radio host named Joe Walsh saying: The intensive three-week Kinderguardian course introduces specially selected children from 12 to 4 years old to pistols, rifles, semiautomatics and a rudimentary knowledge of mortars. In less than a month less than a month a first-grader can become a first grenade-er. Both controversial Alabama judge Roy Moore and Walsh were fooled into meeting Cohen to attend a non-existent pro-Israel conference to accept an award for significant contributions to the state of Israel. Representative Dana Rohrabacher, meanwhile, also was interviewed and he commented that, Maybe having young people trained and understand how to defend themselves and their school might actually make us safer here. And Congressman Joe Wilson observed that A 3-year-old cannot defend itself from an assault rifle by throwing a Hello Kitty pencil case at it. Cohens performance is instructive. A man shows up in Israeli uniform, claims to be a terrorism expert or even a Mossad agent, and he gains access to powerful Americans who are willing to do anything he says. How Cohen did it says a lot about the reflexive and completely uncritical support for Israel that many American politicians particularly Republicans now embrace. This, in a nutshell, is the damage that Israel and its Lobby have done to the United States. Israel is always right for many policymakers and even palpably phony Jews like Colonel Morad are instantly perceived as smarter than the rest of us so wed better do what they say. That kind of thinking has brought us Iraq, Libya, Syria and the possibility of something far worse with Iran. Israel routinely interferes in American politics and corrupts our institutions without any cost to itself and that is why I write and speak frequently regarding the danger to our Republic that it poses. It is past time to change the essentially phony narrative. Israel is nothing but trouble. It has the right to defend itself and protect its interests but that should not involve the United States. One can only hope that eventually a majority of my fellow American citizens will also figure things out. It might take a while, but the ruthless way Israel openly operates with no concern for anyone but itself provides a measure of optimism that that day is surely coming. Philip M. Giraldi, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest, a 501(c)3 tax deductible educational foundation that seeks a more interests-based U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Website is www.councilforthenationalinterest.org, address is P.O. Box 2157, Purcellville VA 20134 and its email is inform@cnionline.org. By Zhang Yongxing and Jiang Shan PORT of NUKUALOFA, TONGA, Aug. 16 (ChinaMil) -- Akilisi Pohiva, Tongan Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, boarded the Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark on Wednesday, expressing his appreciation for the selfless assistance rendered by the Chinese government and its people. Aboard the Peace Ark, Akilisi Pohiva reviewed the honor guard of Chinese sailors, toured the medical facilities and visited the medical staff and local patients. He praised the advanced facilities and medical equipment onboard and the Chinese medical personnel's excellent skills, especially the humanitarian spirit reflected by the Peace Ark. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Tonga and China, Peace Arks visit to Tonga demonstrates and enhances the friendship between the two countries, Akilisi Pohiva said, adding that he hopes Tonga-China strategic partnership will keep moving forward. The Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark (Hull 866) arrived on Monday at the Port of Nukualofa to provide medical service for local citizens, overseas Chinese and personnel of the Chinese institutions in Tonga. Up to 16:30 on August 15, local time, medical personnel of the Peace Ark had provided diagnosis and treatment for totally 2588 persons and auxiliary examinations for 1204 persons, with 13 inpatients and 14 cases of surgery. Home Search ICH F ight The Net By Rand Clifford August 15, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - You are now accessing what our Department of Defense (DOD) considers an "enemy weapons system". The Internet in its present form is rife with "uncontrolled information", also known as free speech, therefore directly opposing the Pentagons goals. The main purpose of this article is not to announce new developments, but rather, to encourage reflection on DOD "progress", and where it might land us. Using the Freedom of Information Act, the National Security Archive at George Washington University obtained, in 2006, the Pentagons "Information Operations Roadmap" (IOR). Written in 2003, signed by then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, this 78-page document is a call for extreme advancement of the militarys information operations and electronic warfare capabilities. Included is a virtual declaration of war against the Internet; their plan is to "ensure the graceful degradation of the network rather than its collapse". Apparently, the next "phase" of the Internet will involve an online caste system where, as the degradation progresses, people will be forced into a new taxable, regulated and censored Internet. "Fight the net" is a phrase that rings throughout the IOR. Detailed recommendations of the document involve the United States seeking "maximum control of the entire electromagnetic spectrum". Every networked computer, phone, radio, television...the IOR calls for the ability to, first, knock out every type of system on the planet. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Of course it all gets back to free speech. The "Information Superhighway" is an enemy to those who consider controlled information the only friendly kind. Americans by and large have no idea how malevolent they have allowed their government to become, and how much of the taxes they bleed from us go toward fighting us. "Oh, theyd never do that...?" 9-11 provides vast and clear evidence that a new threshold has been crossed. Our corporate-controlled government (CorpoGov) meticulously planned and executed the unforgettable spectacle of 9-11, classic false flag terror to launch the War on Terror, excuse for attacking the rest of the world for control of strategic natural resources. Not complicated, simply malevolent, and supported by virtually all uncontrolled facts. Founded in 1997, the neocon Project for the New American Century (PNAC), despite all of its tender euphemisms, is very clear about the power configuration currently controlling the United States seeking world domination at any cost. The disconnect between the US power configuration and the welfare of average American citizens has become so profound it exceeds the imagination of most of those citizens. PNAC documents all but begged for 9-11for a "new Pearl Harbor" to expedite their plans. 9-11 damaged Americans in so many ways; perhaps among the most serious being destruction of the masses ability to discern evidence. It seems the distinction between evidence and opinion collapsed along with the WTC towersbrought down in the same fashion; inside job, self infliction. When people stop believing what they see, they become ultimately vulnerable. When what they want to believe trumps evidence, becoming a product of CorpoMedia inculcation, even such as 9-11 can be done to them. They stop fighting for truth, looking for authority to believe in, and save them. Think how many times you now hear people in news coverage of various kinds of disasters say, "I thought it was a terrorist attack." CorpoGovs primary gifts to The People are ignorance, and fear. The Internet is our final major bastion of freethinking, of truth, a place where there remains that crucial distinction between evidence, and opinion, where reality and belief still tend to converge. As a direct reflection of humanity, the Internet has no shortage of crass vulgarity and deceit...all forms of wickedness that hounds humanity. But the beauty and grace are also there, along with something becoming so rare in all forms of CorpoMedia: uncontrolled truth. A superb example of the difference between CorpoMedia, and the Internet is the recent crucifixion of Eliot Spitzer. CorpoMedia have left the masses largely thinking that Spitzer got what he deserved for lewd behavior...and that Ms. Dupre (the prostitute "Kristen") should not make a dime out of this. Of course, thanks to CorpoMedia, Ms. Dupre will probably make a millionfurther distracting the masses from matters of meaning. The distraction potential is fairly high, so we should see CorpoMedia "hustle" her story extensively to help keep people from thinking about the $200 billion dollars of taxpayer money just "loaned" to bail out predatory lenders whose greed very well might end up collapsing our economy, soon. The bottom line is over $600 bled from every taxpayer, for starters. Dont expect CorpoMedia to burden their Big Banker party with that last bit of information. Go to the Internet for the real storynot only on that part, but for the whole truth about taxpayers actually paying predatory bankers to bleed them to death. And the truth about Elliot Spitzer...how he was known in mega-financial circles as "The Sheriff of Wall Street". He was a champion of The People fightingactually trying to enforce the lawagainst predatory bankers. One headline in the financial press: "Wall Street Declares War on Spitzer". And Spitzer wrote, "Not only did the Bush Administration do nothing to protect consumers, it embarked on an aggressive and unprecedented campaign to prevent states from protecting their residents from the very problems to which the feds were turning a blind eye". Spitzer called Bush the predatory lenders partner in crime...a fugitive from justice. The payback certainly beats American anthrax. Ironically, the DOD is who essentially gave us the Internet, through their Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). For tracking users and developing their psychological profiles, it was a tool the Pentagon adored. But now, freethinking has created an Internet full of ideas and information inconsistent with messages and themes of CorpoGov. Freedom of speech has infected the Internet to such a degree to make it an enemy weapons platform. So, along with evidence, truth, justice and free speech, the Internet is a primary DOD enemy. Regarding our losing of the Internet we know...on these matters vital to preserving freedom of speechespecially free flow of information over the Internet, what have we heard from CorpoMedia? Virtually nothing. The only "majors" to even mention this story were Newsday, the Los Angeles Times, and ABC; mentioned, but you wont find details. Imagine CorpoMedia being our only major source of information, propaganda being our "news". Are we really only a few key technological breakthroughs away from free speech, the free exchange of ideas, being replaced by a system for controlling virtually every aspect of human existence? 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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. By Caitlin Johnstone August 15, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - In the controversy surrounding the coordinated corporate censorship of Alex Jones notorious Infowars franchise across multiple online platforms, journalist Glenn Greenwald made an under-appreciated tweet in response to the various leftists and Democrats whove attacked anyone objecting to the censorship as defending Alex Jones. The worlds dumbest and/or most deceitful people have always been those who equate I defend Xs right to speak with I defend X and their ideas, wrote Greenwald. Its the scummiest tactic there is. They did it to Chomsky when he opposed prosecuting a Holocaust denier. I've been accused countless times over the past 24 hours of "defending Alex Jones" -- again, it's so much easier to scream about how horrible he is than to grapple with the grave implications of his sudden cross-platform banishment https://t.co/hrObdp7ya5 @mtracey * @mtracey The world's dumbest and/or most deceitful people have always been those who equate "I defend X's right to speak" with "I defend X and their ideas." It's the scummiest tactic there is. They did it to Chomsky when he opposed prosecuting a Holocaust denier https://t.co/LkG4uO8FoO @ggreenwald The tweet got mostly lost in the shuffle of warring opinions at the time, but it so perfectly summed up the general gist of the debate. Principled leftists have objected to the way a handful of Silicon Valley plutocrats have been handed unlimited authority to determine what ideas and information are suitable for public consumption and coordinate to remove the online audiences of any speaker deemed unsuitable. The fact that they started with a widely reviled speaker shouldnt matter, the argument goes, because sooner or later the powerful people who are able to censor will begin censoring in the interests of power. This always ends up hurting the left (the actual left, not the McResistance rainbow-flag-on-a Reaper-drone left that is permitted a platform in mainstream America), because leftists are the political faction that stands in the most stark opposition to the status quo which holds existing power structures in place. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter These few principled leftists brave enough to take a strong stand on the issue have been attacked and smeared with amazing viciousness by leftists who are blinded by their hatred of Jones, and by Democrats who know that censorship will never hurt their power-enabling faction. The position that the left is always the real target of censorship was ignored and replaced with the absurd straw man argument that anyone objecting to the coordinated de-platforming is defending Alex Jones because they love him and think Infowars is awesome. And now, just days after these foam-brained livestock applauded the removal of Alex Jones audience by their beneficent Silicon Valley overlords, we are already seeing Facebook deleting the pages of leftist outlets. Imagine that. Inevitably, the lack of pushback against the banning of Alex Jones from most of the internet has only emboldened social media sites to expand their censorship. Now Latin America news site Telesur has been banned from Facebook - without explanation https://t.co/IyepS3baqN @Jonathan_K_Cook TeleSUR English, the English version of a prominent left-leaning Latin American publication, has had its Facebook page deleted without explanation. This is the second time that Facebook has done this, and as of this writing, more than 24 hours after it was initially reported, the page is still gone. Five days earlier, the left-leaning Facebook page of Venezuela Analysis was temporarily unpublished, reportedly just as it had a story getting high-performing circulation regarding The Guardians fact-free conspiratorial false flag allegations about the attempt on President Maduros life. TeleSUR, incidentally, happens to be headquartered in Venezuela, which is of course the primary topic covered by the unaffiliated Venezuela Analysis. Venezuela, incidentally, happens to have the single largest confirmed oil reserve of any nation on planet earth. It also, incidentally, happens to be the target of relentless imperialist sabotage attempts by the US-centralized power alliance. The propaganda arm of that same power alliance, incidentally, just so happens to be regulating Facebooks content. Oh yes indeed. What's also disturbing about this is Facebook outsourced its Venezuela censorship to a dark money NATO front group, Atlantic Council, which also funds reactionary Venezuelan regime-change figures. This is rank conflict-of-interest, imperial corruption https://t.co/trRWmF8fCT @MarkAmesExiled The Atlantic Council is an extremely shady NATO-aligned think tank with ties to powerful oligarchs. Its an organization with tentacles in world-shaping events like the international response to the establishment Russia narrative, from the DNC hack to the discredited war propaganda firm Bellingcat to Russian trolls to the notorious PropOrNot blacklist publicized by the Washington Post. A couple of its lackeys happen to have attacked yours truly with a Twitter-based smear today, but no hard feelings, moving on. Two weeks after an Atlantic Council fellow published a bizarre screed in Defense One explaining why there needs to be a NATO of infowar to propagandize westerners for their own good, Facebook announced that it was forming a partnership with the Atlantic Council to fight disinformation on the platform. And now here they are, shutting down pages which dispute the official imperial narrative about a nation that sits firmly in the crosshairs of the US-centralized empire, and doing so with absolute impunity. But hey, at least we shut down Alex Jones! Right guys? The good Lord didn't see fit to put oil and gas only where there are democratically elected regimes friendly to the United States." ~ Dick Cheney Pay very close attention to how the MSM differs on its coverage of the "regimes" on this list. Particularly #1 and #4. @caitoz I talk about narrative all the time because that really is what its all about. Humans are storytelling animals; if you can control the stories you can control the humans. The problem we face is that those who are controlling our stories are using them to advance power-hungry agendas that happen to be killing our ecosystem while driving us toward Orwellian dystopia and escalating tensions between two nuclear superpowers. The plutocratic empire is held together by sheer narrative control, by the ability of ruling oligarchs to control the stories people tell each other about whats going on in the world. The fact that trust in plutocrat-owned media is at an all-time low and peoples ability to network and share information is at an all-time high has not escaped the attention of our rulers, and they are doing everything in their power to stop us from sharing unauthorized ideas and information with each other. This isnt a game. We have no time to be playing around cheering for the silencing of political opponents while the noose gets tighter and tighter. In a corporate system of government, corporate censorship is state censorship, and censorship is never a friend of the left. Ever. The reality of our situation is that online dialogue has been funneled into platforms owned by billionaires with clear, demonstrable ties to government agencies, and now theyre beginning to censor that dialogue. The longer we wait to fight this, the weaker we become and the more tightly constricted our voices get. Act now. Caitlin's articles are entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, liking her on Facebook, following her antics on Twitter, checking out her podcast, throwing some money into her hat on Patreon or Paypal, or buying her book Woke: A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers. By Will Bunch August 15, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - It must have been a moment of unspeakable shock, terror and pain. But its hard to know exactly what it was like at the moment last Thursday when a school bus packed with Yemeni schoolchildren summer campers coming back from a picnic was struck from the skies by a powerful bomb, because so few of these innocent kids survived to tell about it, and because those who did are mostly clinging to life, maimed or badly burned by the blast. Instead, we can only gape at pictures of a twisted metal frame that hardly resembles the bus that was once filled with happy, singing children, or watch the widely circulated video of the aftermath of what happened in the market district of Saada in northern Yemen, in which a distraught, failing man raises the blue tarp of a pickup truck to reveal a tangle of young bodies as he lifts up the limp arm of one of the dead schoolkids. At least 29 people according to the International Committee of the Red Cross and quite possibly 40 or 50, according to Yemeni estimates, were killed in the airstrike by jets in the Saudi-led coalition thats been waging a brutal war against the Saudis next-door neighbor on the Arabian Peninsula for the last four years. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter A spokesman for the Saudi coalition called it a legitimate military operation in its campaign against Houthi rebels that operate in northern Yemen a claim that was scoffed at by most of the rest of the world, alarmed at the growing humanitarian crisis in the region. Does the world really need more innocent childrens lives to stop the cruel war on children in Yemen? asked Geert Cappalaere, the regional director for the Middle East and Northern Africa of the aid group UNICEF. Many of the kids killed or wounded in the attack were carrying bright blue UNICEF school bags, now shredded and burned. A collection of UNICEF school bags were in the possession of the children killed in the air raids of the US-Saudi aggression in Dahyan, #Saada, #Yemen on 09 August 2018 #Saada_Students_Massacre#__ pic.twitter.com/Jj82qVpKVF Mehdi Rizvi (@MehdiRizvi123) August 11, 2018 The merciless Saudi-led war in Yemen which has not only claimed 13,500 lives but triggered a humanitarian crisis in which some 20 million Yemenis, out of a nation of just 29 million, are scrambling for food and other basic necessities and as many as 900,000 people are suffering from cholera is what it is today because of help from the United States. America offers the Saudis and its allies in the region the intelligence used to carry out the nonstop airstrikes and other military operations. The planes that conduct the bombing runs are refueled by American forces in the region. And many of the bombs that have been dropped on Yemen including those that have struck hospitals and other civilian targets were manufactured and supplied by the United States. Its very likely the bomb that obliterated the school bus last week was an American bomb; a Pentagon spokesman conceded that, because of the lengths to which U.S. forces go to avoid operational knowledge of the war for which we otherwise provide such critical support, it officially doesnt know whether we supplied these particular munitions. We may never know if the munition [used] was one that the U.S. sold to them, Army Maj. Josh Jacques, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command, told Vox a classic case of American plausible deniability. But people on the ground in Yemen say they can link American-made bombs to Thursdays airstrike and other attacks on innocent civilians. The remnants of the US bombs that killed Yemen children in the latest US-Saudi massare and war crime of August 9th, 2018 In Saada north Yemen. pic.twitter.com/z8bvadwncG Nasser Arrabyee (@narrabyee) August 11, 2018 Thursdays school bus bombing did accomplish one thing: The unavoidable carnage forced American media which has all but ignored the conflict in Yemen, and our role in supporting it to pay at least a little bit of attention, cramming a few minutes of coverage into the end of the hour, after all the latest inane tweets from the Madman Across the Fairway had been regurgitated and dissected. It shouldnt have taken so long. There was no outcry a week earlier when a Saudi airstrike devastated one of Yemens largest hospitals, which houses a large cholera treatment center, or after scores of other attacks that have killed so many civilians, including according to the UN some 2,400 children, with an additional 3,600 whove been maimed for life. This blood is on Americas hands, as long as we keep sending the bombs that kill so many Yemenis, and as long as we give the Saudis our unqualified diplomatic support in a messy regional conflict. And yet theres been no public debate about the murky U.S. role out of this, and no clarification from the White House or the Pentagon over what we hope to accomplish by our support of the mayhem. There are, however, a few members of Congress demanding answers. U.S. bombs. U.S. targeting. U.S. mid air support. And we just bombed a SCHOOL BUS. The Saudi/UAE/U.S. bombing campaign is getting more reckless, killing more civilians, and strengthening terrorists inside Yemen. We need to end this NOW. https://t.co/P8V2L6Crgi Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) August 9, 2018 But efforts by Congress to end Americas role in the seemingly endless conflict have gone nowhere. In March, a bipartisan group of senators sought to invoke the Vietnam-era War Powers Act to limit U.S. involvement The Founding Fathers gave the power to authorize military conflicts to Congress, the branch most accountable to the people, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders declared but were blocked on a procedural move. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell insisted that American involvement is somehow limiting civilian deaths, a ridiculous claim that defies all available information, not to mention logic. Americas entanglement in Yemen is so emblematic of the broader debacle that was once known as the war on terror but now has simply become the forever war, spanning the globe from Africa to the Middle East to Asia, with America firing missiles from drones or going on secret raids or lining up with butchering autocrats like the Saudis for nebulous and sometimes shifting aims. This all happens without legal authorization from Congress, or anything resembling an open democratic debate, and with seemingly no expiration date. Like the rest of the forever war, Yemen is the fault of both parties Democrat Barack Obama was the president who launched it, reportedly to keep the Saudis on board as he negotiated the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Republican Donald Trump, who rabidly favors all things Saudi Arabia while opposing all things Iran, even if that risks World War III, is only escalating matters. Like other military engagements, we were told it would only last months, only to see it drag on for years. Indeed, civilian deaths linked to U.S. involvement in the forever war on a variety of fronts, most notably in parts of Syria and Iraq, have spiked dramatically since Trump became president but few Americans even know this, because there is such little news coverage of what is being done in our name. We also dont know how much of Team Trumps pronounced tilt to the Saudis including moving to kill the Iran deal is the result of legitimate American geopolitical interests and how much is the result of corruption, given reports that an emissary of the Saudis and its close ally, the United Arab Emirates, came to Trump Tower in 2016 promising support for Trumps campaign. The best role for the United States in Yemen would be as honest broker for peace between the warring factions seeking an end to a humanitarian crisis that not only could ultimately hurt American interests in the long run but which is flat-out immoral. And yet thats the role weve shown zero interest in taking on. You can judge a society on how much it cares for children and America is failing abysmally right now. Its impossible to look at the picture at the top of this post, of a badly wounded child in his tinfoil blanket, and not think of the hundreds of kids sleeping in cages, in those exact same blankets, in detention centers on Americas southern border. With cuts to the social safety net from Obamacare to food stamps some proposed, some successfully carried out were not doing much better by American-born kids. Saada, Yemen, may be halfway around the world, but its as good a place as any to stop the shameful treatment of Gods children. We all can do better. The news media needs to do a much better job keeping American citizens informed about whats happening in Yemen and all the other outposts of the forever war and how U.S. dollars and U.S. bombs are making these conflicts happen. The midterm candidates for Congress from both parties need to address this issue and tell voters how they plan to make this carnage stop, and be prepared to use the War Powers Act to block this administration from waging a war thats not just ill-advised but which should be considered illegal. If the American people can take back control of what is being done in our name, maybe we can finally begin washing away this spreading moral stain. A speech made by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday caught the attention of the Western media. Duterte said that China's claim of sovereignty over the waters surrounding and airspace above newly-built islands in the South China Sea "is wrong" and Beijing should not urge others to leave those areas to avoid possible clashes. Western media reported that Duterte's remarks in a speech to the audience that included the American ambassador and other foreign guests were rare public criticism of China. From the Western media's reports on Duterte's speech, it was apparent to us that Duterte was merely elaborating on Manila's consistent attitude. There are disputes over territorial sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea and the positions of the involving parties have been remaining unchanged. However, the Philippines has changed its radical approach to disputes with China since Duterte took office. It has shown the willingness to water down the differences and make bilateral cooperation the main theme of the China-Philippine relations. We noticed that Duterte praised the China-Philippine economic cooperation in his speech on Tuesday. He said that the Philippines has improved its economic relations with China, and China has not asked for anything from the Philippines. Duterte's speech showed no signs of intensifying the territorial disputes with China or placing such disputes above the promotion of economic cooperation between the two countries. If Duterte merely explained his attitude on the territorial issues to the American ambassador and business leaders, the impact and consequences would be different from the Philippines readiness to put this attitude into new action. Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Alan Cayetano explained Duterte's speech on Wednesday. He said that Duterte's speech shows the Philippines feels closer to China, because the two sides can express each others feeling better with closer relations. He also said that Duterte hopes the disputes over the South China Sea are only part of China-Philippine relations. Still, President Dutertes speech is confusing. Instead of building new islands in the South China Sea, China only expanded the original islands and reefs and built necessary infrastructure on them. Vietnam and the Philippines took similar actions in the Nansha Islands in a smaller scale due to their limited technical capabilities. There is no problem with free navigation in the South China Sea. The problem is that the US military aircraft and ships always harass the adjacent airspace and waters of the Chinese islands though the South China Sea is massive. This is a deliberately targeted and provocative action. For example, would you feel annoying if someone constantly waves in front of your eyes and nearly touches your face? Duterte was worried that "one of these days a hothead commander there will just press a trigger." We think it is appropriate to send his warning to the US military. China's islands and reefs are already there. It is the most important to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea if the US military can stop showing off muscles and playing edge ball. At present, the situation in the South China Sea has been effectively controlled under the joint efforts of the surrounding countries. The situation will become dangerous if extra territorial countries, especially the US, implement risky South China Sea policy. Countries in the region will benefit the most from the peace and stability in the South China Sea. On the contrary, all countries in the region will lose in the event of new turmoil. Countries outside the region such as the US can leverage the region with the intensified disputes in the South China Sea to maximize their interests. All countries in the region are aware of this. Some countries in the South China Sea have always been tempted to use the US' strategic conception of the South China Sea to engage in a "balance" between China and the US. By doing so, they can attract the US to offer more support and assistance and gain the maximum benefits from major powers. But it is very difficult to strike such "balance" and in some cases its like to pull the chestnut out of fire. All countries in the region should neither provide any opportunity for countries outside the regions to add military tension in the South China by leverage, nor encourage those countries to conduct military activities in the South China Sea. This should be the bottom line for all parties to promote a balanced strategy among major powers. This is also the common interest of all countries in the South China Sea. President Duterte has long demonstrated the rationality in dealing with the territorial disputes between China and the Philippines and the friendly cooperation between the two countries. We believe his wisdom will continue and flourish in the future. Disclaimer: The article is an editorial of the Global Times. It is 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. 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. Apple Maps has been expanding its transit support for quite some time, and it continues to grow in its usefulness. Beginning this week, Apple Maps now supports transit information in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and it is expanding its data in Michigan. Transit information actually launched in Detroit, Michigan, back in February of this year, so the Maps app is broadening its range to help even more Maps users when they take public transportation. The specific public transport systems that are covered arent known at this point. However, if you are in these areas and try to use the Transit option while in Apple Maps, it should populate the data you need to get to where you need to go. Transit data is a new feature in the Maps app for those in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Apple introduced transit data in Apple Maps back with the launch of iOS 9, and, since then, the company has been rolling out coverage support for new cities all across the globe. The expansion was going along quite nicely throughout 2017, but near the end of the year the updates slowed down. Apple is starting to pick up the pace in 2018, though. That includes the most recent rollout in Luxembourg, while also expanding to even more areas in the United States and Canada. Back in June it was reported that Apple is working on a massive rebuild of Apple Maps, with the service being built from the ground up with first-party data. This is primarily going to be for showing real-time information for traffic, road systems, construction, and other elements of that nature. However, it should also provide even more detailed neighborhood information as well. Unfortunately, those changes wont be around for quite some time. [via MacRumors The income gap in Korea has been growing at an accelerating pace over the last 20 years. In 2012, the top one percent income group earned around US$285,000 a year, 17.5 times more than the nation's middle income earners. A report from the Asian Development Bank shows that Korea's Gini coefficient -- one of the main measures used to gauge the income gap -- grew at the fifth fastest rate among 28 Asian countries. Experts say massive layoffs during the Asian financial crisis in 1997 decimated the middle class. One of the priorities for the current administration is pulling Korea out of the low-growth trap and boost domestic demand. Experts say active private consumption comes from a large and healthy middle-income group. While there is no clear-cut answer to the issue, experts do agree on the need to create more stable jobs. They add that structural reforms of employment and hiring processes, which would include raising the minimum wage and creating more equal opportunities, is equally critical. BOUNCING BACK Second-grader Wyatt Hipp blows into an empty bottle, which is floating in a bucket of water, while Cora Weiner looks on during a lesson on buoyancy Friday at Melrose School.... School meetings relocating to Town Hall Parents interested in the policy making process of their childrens education now will be able to livestream those discussions from their homes. The school committee permanently will move its meetings... A FRIGHTFULLY GOOD NIGHT AT FORT GETTY Dozens of costumed children attended Fright Night at Fort Getty at the park Saturday along the West Passage. The first-time event, which was conceived by Ray DeFalco, director of parks... Brennan, on Twitter, termed Trump's action on 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." Brennan has been extremely critical and outspoken about the president's conduct, for example, calling Trump's performance at a joint press conference last month with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland "nothing short of treasonous." The president's statement accuses 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 accuses Brennan of "a history that calls into question his objectivity and credibility." "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 on Wednesday, reading out the statement in the president's name. Sanders, responding to reporters' questions, denied that Brennan and others are being singled out because they are critics of Trump. The clearances of other former officials also are 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. The security clearance of a former Central Intelligence Agency director has been revoked by U.S. President Donald Trump, who said in a statement that John Brennan has been sowing "division and chaos" about his administration. "Two things, in my view, are true at the same time," former CIA deputy director of intelligence Carmen Medina 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 tells 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. Clapper: 'An Infringement of Our Right to Speak' "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 party presidents, calls Trump's action "an infringement of our right to speak and apparently the appropriateness of being criticism of this president in which one degree or another all of us have been." Clapper noted he has 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, will not silence him. "I don't plan to stop speaking when I'm asked my views on this administration," said Clapper on CNN. Most of the names on the list, read out by White House Press Secretary Sarah during a briefing on Wednesday "have been open or outspoken about the administration or have directly run afoul of it," noted Clapper. 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. One name on the list is that of a current high-ranking Justice Department official, Bruce Ohr. The president has criticized him on Twitter because of his connection to former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, who compiled a dossier containing damaging information about then-candidate Trump. A former CIA deputy director, John McLaughlin, speaking on MSNBC after Sanders read out the names, said, "the message that goes out is be careful what you say" about Trump. McLaughlin said it is critical for intelligence professional, especially those still in their jobs, to be able to deliver unpleasant news to a president, and he expressed hope that Trumps action does 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. 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. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations is trying to determine how a 10-month-old baby died after she was found in the back seat of a car. Greenville police said officers pulled over Cameron Ramon Reese, 22, for speeding Wednesday morning. Reese ran from the vehicle and officers who looked in the back seat found Ayla Reese's body. Police said Reese had been watching the baby at home when he contacted Ayla's mother, Nikia Reese, 19, to say the child wasn't breathing. When Nikia Reese arrived, the three left in a car. Police said when Nikia Reese questioned Cameron Reese about a mark under her daughter's eye, the man pulled a steak knife on her and she jumped from the car. Reese was tracked down by K-9s after the traffic stop. He faces charges including concealing the death of another. The baby's cause of death is pending a GBI autopsy. Korea beat Bahrain 6-0 in the first match at the Asian Games in Indonesia on Wednesday. Korea displayed strong offensive skills, with Gamba Osaka striker Hwang Ui-jo scoring a hat trick. Some of Korea's better-known players such as Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan and Lee Seung-woo started on the bench. The starting squad for Bahrain consisted mostly of young players aged under 21, as the country is looking to build a strong side ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The remains of some purported American soldiers who died in the Korean War and were returned to the U.S. by North Korea in the 1990s were in fact South Koreans. The Defense Ministry said Wednesday that U.S. and South Korean officials are currently discussing their return home. "We were recently informed by the U.S. that it is holding the remains of 35 South Korean soldiers and we are discussing their return," a ministry official said. The remains were among 400 sets of bones that North Korea sent to the U.S. in the 1990s. But about 180 of them were identified as Asian soldiers and are now housed at the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in Hawaii. Some 35 of them are believed to be South Korean soldiers who died in the 1950-53 War. It sits on a piece of land that is equivalent to 85 percent the area of Seoul's Yeouido. Although the number of tourists to Jeju dropped sharply since China's unofficial boycott, Shinwha World seems impervious. Some 350,000 foreigners have stayed at the resort so far, and 115,000 of them visited the casino. Construction of the resort started in 2014 with a W2 trillion investment from Hong Kong's Landing International Development. It contains a hotel, convention center and shopping mall. A theme park, duty-free shop, water park and concert hall opened in April. Since opening its doors in February, Shinwha World has raked in W369.4 billion in revenues (US$1=W1,130). Over the whole of last year, the other eight casinos in Jeju only made a combined W136.5 billion. Shinwha World made five times more than Korea's biggest casino, Paradise City in Incheon. The massive Jeju Shinwha World gambling resort is raking in huge cash from gambling-obsessed Chinese tourists even as other businesses on the island are floundering. The casino focused on VIP marketing, which draws 80 percent of its revenues from the top five percent of spenders. The casino has 165 gaming tables. Song Woo-seok, who is in charge of casino operations, said, "In other casinos, only 15 percent of the tables are for VIPs, but at Shinwha it's half." High rollers are offered free air tickets and hotel rooms as well as limousine pick-up service at the airport. Unlike other casinos, Shinwha World managed to reduce the proportion of customers from mainland China to 50 percent, compared to 90 percent elsewhere in Asia. Parts of Shinwha World opened in April last year, just when Beijing started its unofficial boycott of Korean products and services, while banning group tours to Korea. That resulted in a sharp decline in the number of mainland Chinese visitors to Jeju. But Serena Eng, the vice president of marketing at the casino, said, "We put together teams to handle VIP guests from Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong and Macao and hired more staff who can speak Cantonese and Taiwanese Mandarin rather than Beijing-style Mandarin." Korea needs big resort complexes to attract tourists since it does not have a wide variety of attractions other than shopping districts and sights related to the Korean Wave. Since Singapore opened the glitzy Marina Bay Sands resort in 2010, the number of tourists rose 69 percent from 9.68 million in 2009 to 16.4 million last year. Tourism industry insiders in Singapore say that a resort complex that generates US$7 billion in annual revenues results in almost a 1.5 percent rise in GDP over five years. Lee Ki-jong at Kyunghee University said, "We need to change our negative view of casinos as being simply gambling dens. Resort complexes will not only aid the tourism industry but also stimulate private spending." MEDFORD, Ore. Poor air quality from smoke in Southern Oregon and Siskiyou County persists, in large part, because of stagnant weather patterns in the area that have lasted almost unbroken for weeks now. Without significant wind or rain, the smoke is sure to linger. However, the one major weather pattern that our area has observed in the past several weeks sounds like a misnomerdry thunderstorms. According to our StormWatch 12 meteorologists, dry thunderstorms occur when storm systems pass over that produce thunder and lightning, but nearly all of the precipitation (rain) evaporates before it has a chance to fall to the surface [pictured]. With near-drought conditions, dry thunderstorms are a very real threat. The thunderstorms that started a flurry of wildfires on July 15 and still persist over one month later (e.g. the Taylor Creek Fire, Miles Fire, Klondike Fire, or Garner Complex) were a particularly extreme example. Thousands of lightning strikes hit Southern Oregon with no precipitation to put out the flames or contribute moisture to dry foliage. StormWatch 12 meteorologists continue to track dry thunderstorms in our area on Thursday, primarily along the Cascades and into the upper Klamath Basin. A Red Flag Warning has been issued for the Cascades, Klamath and Lake Counties from 11 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Thursday due to the threat of lightning. So far, our meteorologists have observed two lightning strikes in north-central Lake County since 7 a.m. Thursday morning. Check out our Weather page for the most up-to-date forecasts, plus updates on air quality and extreme weather warnings. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) A wolf known as OR-7 that established the first gray wolf pack in western Oregon in six decades has sired at least one pup for his fifth consecutive year, wildlife biologists said Wednesday. Three wolf pups were captured frolicking in front of a remote camera set up in southwest Oregon by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said Amaroq Weiss, of the Center for Biological Diversity. The footage was recorded in early July and released this week. "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," Weiss said. The footage was captured in the Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest, just north of the California border. The 30-second clip shows two pups bouncing in front of the hidden camera and a third runs by a short distance away. OR-7 made international headlines in 2011 when he traveled across Oregon and ventured into California, making him the first known wolf in that state since 1924. He returned to Oregon three years later and has successfully reproduced each year since. One of his offspring has become the breeding male of the only known wolf pack in California. Two of his female pups have also ventured into the Golden State, and one has traveled as far as Lake Tahoe. OR-7 was so-named because he was the seventh wolf captured and collared in Oregon. There are 124 wolves in Oregon now after they crossed into the state about two decades ago from Idaho. Gray wolves were taken off the state endangered species list in 2015. The species remains protected under federal law in western Oregon. The animals have come into increasing conflict with ranchers as their numbers grow and in the past year, there have been several instances of wolves being poached. WASHINGTON, D.C. In a process that has been several years in the making, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced on Thursday that they have approved the first generic version of the EpiPen, the once-singular epinephrine injector that has proven invaluable in preventing severe allergic reactions for many. The Epi-Pen, though near-ubiquitous, has been subject to price increases and shortages that have alarmed and angered many users who rely upon the product. Todays approval of the first generic version of the most-widely prescribed epinephrine auto-injector in the U.S. is part of our longstanding commitment to advance access to lower cost, safe and effective generic alternatives once patents and other exclusivities no longer prevent approval, said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. This approval means patients living with severe allergies who require constant access to life-saving epinephrine should have a lower-cost option, as well as another approved product to help protect against potential drug shortages." Todays approval of the first generic version of the most-widely prescribed epinephrine auto-injector in the U.S. is part of our commitment to making lower cost, safe, and effective generic alternatives available to patients. https://t.co/D2xkAYFKKQ Scott Gottlieb, M.D. (@SGottliebFDA) August 16, 2018 Oregon Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) praised the approval of a generic alternative in a statement on Thursday: "Patients are tired of the sharp increases in prices for drugs and devices," said Walden. "For families across the country, the EpiPen is a lifesaving drug, but it comes at a cost. This generic alternative is a welcome move." MEDFORD, Ore. -- The Medford School District is spending $100,000 on new security systems to be at the entrance of every building in the district. Natalie Hurd, Communications Specialist, said in light of recent school shootings, the district wanted to look hard at current security systems. After community meetings and public forums, the district decided to invest in a new doorbell and video camera system at every one of the district's 19 schools. "They are really state-of-the-art, they come equipped with a big TV screen that will go in our front offices so that our office staff will see who is at the front door. They can also hear who is out there so a person would identify themselves prior to the office staff buzzing them in," Hurd said. Washington Elementary parent Magan Hassell was one of the parents who pushed the hardest to get the new systems installed. She said the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School had a lasting effect on him. "My son was having so much anxiety, he did not feel safe to come to school and I wasn't feeling safe about it myself," Hassell said. She worked to get community support for the tighter security. Meanwhile, her 12-year-old son, Isaiah, had work sent home to him for about two months. Hassell said the school had the system installed and Isaiah immediately felt ready to go back to school. Hurd said schools front doors will be open during drop-off and pickup times and the buzzers may be activated or de-activated at strategic times depending on the events during the school day. All doorbells are expected to be installed by end of September. In addition to the new doorbell system, the district is adding a fifth Medford Police Department School Resource Officer (SRO). The five SROs will be primarily stationed at each of the secondary schools (Hedrick, McLoughlin, Central, North and South) and each officer will have 2-3 elementary schools to serve when needed. The Republic of Korea was founded on Aug. 15, 1948. President Moon Jae-in, however, said two years ago that this fact was a "silly claim that denies the legitimacy of the Republic of Korea." After becoming president, Moon also said that March 1, 2019 should be the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic, commemorating as it does the birth of the Independence Movement. The March 1 Independence Movement and the Korean government-in-exile are undoubtedly significant, and the Constitution traces the republic's legitimacy to these historical events. Nonetheless, the Republic of Korea was not born until Aug. 15, 1948 from the efforts of those independence fighters and in the vortex of global politics. There should be no disagreements over this fact, and no need to denigrate the significance of Aug. 15, only because one is praising and appreciating the March 1 Independence Movement more. Unfortunately, that is precisely what the Moon Jae-in administration is doing, just as it refuses to acknowledge Syngman Rhee as the country's first president. That stubbornness has erased the meaning of the country's 70th anniversary. North Korea is in a sense filling that void by putting on a massive celebration of its own 70th anniversary less than a month later, on Sept. 9. Kim Jong-un announced in his New Year's address that he plans to treat this year's Sept. 9 anniversary as a "major cause for celebration" and referred to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang as a "good opportunity to show off our proud heritage." The North sent its athletes with a big entourage of cheerleaders to Pyeongchang, and there is no doubt that North Korea's participation in the Winter Olympics eased cross-border tensions. Now it is hijacking South Korea's 70th anniversary as well. Diplomacy is a constant tug of war. If you lose, you end up getting dragged around by the victor. The most effective card South Korea had, in order to deal effectively with North Korea's massive celebrations, would have been to counter them with its own. It could even have invited Kim Jong-il to Seoul to attend Liberation Day celebrations. That opportunity is now forever lost. Moon seems stuck in his views when it comes to setting the national foundation day, possibly patting himself on the back for defeating conservatives at home. But from a diplomatic standpoint, he has shot himself in the foot. What would it ever mean to foreign governments to make such a distinction about the legitimacy of Syngman Rhee or Kim Gu of the provisional government? They were both leaders of the nation. The ruling party is wasting invaluable national resources in its attempts to divide the public. The shameful treatment the government suffered, when it turned out that North Korea did not want another summit at the end of this month since it is busy with something else, can be directly attributed to this foolish approach. Unless South Korea gains the upper hand in big diplomatic gestures, it will continue to be dragged around by North Korea. All this means that many of the leaders in the Moon administration and the ruling party have a skewed view of the country's history. Instead of admitting that it has achieved miraculous economic growth from the ashes of the Korean War, whatever trials and tribulations it went through, they have been busy debating whether it is capitalism or neo-colonialism, or quasi-feudalism that plagued this country. It is total nonsense. It was the patriots who built the Republic of Korea. This country was the first among the newly established nations to institute agrarian reforms. Innovative entrepreneurs and patriotic bureaucrats spearheaded its drive toward economic independence. Today it is a shining example of democracy. That success was only possible because it was based on the principles of democracy and free market economy, and its national security is firmly anchored in its steadfast alliance with the United States. Even a middle-schooler knows these facts. The leaders of the Moon administration are unable to send truckloads of cash to North Korea, although they are eager to do so, thanks to the rules wisely set up by the nation-building heroes. Those without a clear view of their nation's history had better not attempt to dabble in diplomacy. They would be nothing but squatters on the international stage. Typhoon heads toward Shanghai From:Shine | 2018-08-16 02:29 Shanghai was put on a blue typhoon alert, the lowest on a four-tier system, at 8pm yesterday as Typhoon Rumbia heads toward eastern China. The typhoon will bring gusty winds and heavy rainfall from late today into tomorrow, local weather authority said. A tropical depression, which formed on waters northeast of Taiwan Island at 8am yesterday, quickly developed into this years 18th typhoon. It was located on waters 465 kilometers southeast of Xiangshan County, in Zhejiang Province, as of 3pm yesterday. Moving at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour, it is set to make landfall on Chinas eastern coastline, somewhere between Zhejiang and Shanghai, either late today or early tomorrow, according to the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau. The storm could bring 50 to 80 millimeters of precipitation to the city, with some hard hit areas possibly receiving rainfalls up to 200 millimeters, according to the weather authority. Today and tomorrow, the high temperature is forecast to fall to around 30 degrees Celsius. The weekend will be overcast to cloudy, with scattered showers and thunderstorms. The high could rise to 32 degrees, forecasters said. Rumbia will be this years fourth typhoon to hit eastern China. Since 1949, the area has received an average of just one typhoon landfall per year. The citys flood prevention headquarters issued a notice yesterday ordering all official bodies to take precautions against rainstorms and high sea levels. Pump station operators were urged to examine their emergency equipment and be prepared to drain water at any moment after the rains arrive. The notice also asked sanitation workers to clear street drains to prevent flooding. The notice further stressed that authorities should take precautions against falling objects. Those who failed to carry out such inspections would be held accountable for mishaps. Boats offshore are urged to return to safety when necessary, while construction workers at or near the sea should retreat immediately if an order to do so is given. MEDFORD, Ore. -- Environmental activists gathered in Medford Thursday morning to protest a proposed natural gas export terminal and fracked gas pipeline. The protestors rallied at the Medford branch of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on Stewart Road just days before the end of a public comment period about the Jordan Cove liquified natural gas export terminal and Pacific Connector fracked gas pipeline. RELATED: Senator Ron Wyden holds town hall meetings on Oregon coast After the public comment period, the Oregon DEQ will decide on whether or not to approve Clean Water Act permits for the two proposals for Coos County. Klamath tribal member Taylor Tupper spoke at the rally. This pipeline and all that it represents is not for the people, it is not for the animals and it does not provide a healthy environment for our future generations, Tupper said. READ MORE: Report: Oregon LNG pipeline would produce high emissions Rogue Climate, a group of environmental activists, said more than 25,000 comments have been submitted in opposition to the project. The group said the state of Oregon has denied similar permits in the past and the Pacific Connector pipeline would impact 485 waterways, including: Rogue River Klamath River Umpqua River Coquille River Coos River Pembina, the Canadian company behind the Jordan Cove project, says on their website the pipeline will provide access to long-term and diverse natural gas supply from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and the Rocky Mountains. Pembina says they filed applications with the United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last September. BUNKER HILL, Ore. A man in Coos County is accused of attacking an employee at a 7-Eleven. The Coos County Sheriffs Office responded to the store in Bunker Hill near Coos Bay Tuesday around 4 p.m. Deputies said Nehemiah Statzer followed a woman working in the store into a back office before grabbing her by her hair and throat. The woman was not hurt. Deputies said Statzer left the store before they arrived. They later arrested him at his workplace at Georgia Pacific. Final straw for Jingans Urban Fox From:Shanghai Daily | 2018-08-16 02:29 THE citys Urban Fox has finally said goodbye after a four-year residency in Jingan Sculpture Park. The metal-and-straw creation, 7 meters high and 10 meters long, was pulled down yesterday morning. Workers dismantled the fox and packed its head, body and tail in three containers. They were sent to a workshop in Fengxian District to be further taken apart. We will remove the straw covering the metal structure in the workshop as to avoid straw pieces flying over the park and affecting visitors, said demolition team head Mao Wenfeng. He added: Also, the sun-scorched and rain-drenched installation has been slightly rotting inside. It is bad for the grass if we just leave the rotten straw on the ground. The metal structure will remain in case the sculptor wants to build a new fox in the future, said Li Ying of the Purple Roof Gallery. It had introduced the sculpture to the park. Nearby resident Yu Ming said she often passed the giant fox and was taken aback when she heard it was being taken down. She used her mobile phone to record the scene. I want to record a last image of the fox, and I can still see it from time to time if I miss it, Yu said. Park security guard Shi Zhongshan got a colleague to take a photo of him with the fox before it went. We all welcomed it when it arrived four years ago. It was so cute and for years it seemed to become part of us. Many visitors came to ask us to take photos of them and the fox. Today, it was finally my turn, but I really felt bad, he said. In 2014, the installation became the star attraction at the biennale sculpture exhibition held at the sculpture park. Sculptor Alex Rinsler, from Manchester in the UK, said he wanted to reveal the relationship between humans and animals in urban areas. According to one news report, there are around 150,000 foxes living in cities in the UK. In an interview with Shanghai Television Station, Rinser said: In the last 60 years, foxes have moved into our cities, pretty much in the UK. We see them everywhere. They really represented the story of what it means to live in London in particular. He added: Foxes are moving in cities but at the same time they live under very difficult pressures, which is also a symbol of how we live now in a city. So, for me, the fox really represents the good things and bad things about living in a 21st-century city. Winged additions The installation should have been pulled down after the exhibition ended, but it escaped demolition when birds were found to be nesting in it. In 2016, Rinsler returned to Shanghai to repair the installation. In two months, he and his team tore it apart, cleaned it and reassembled it in a slightly different way. They attached more than 150 wooden birdhouses to its body to hold nests removed from inside the structure. Cameras were installed to record the bird life. Originally, the fox had worn a somewhat melancholy expression, but the new one had eyes that sparkled. Shanghai Natural History Museum, which is also in the park, would play the videos of birds hatching their eggs and raising their young on a big screen on the museums facade. However, almost none of the original inhabitants returned. According to the Jingan greenery authority, birds like to build nests on their own and didnt like the wooden nests. They found new homes in nearby trees and bushes. The Purple Roof Gallery said an upside-down truck sculpture would take the place of the fox in September for this years sculpture exhibition. MASON CITY, Iowa The road to revitalizing Mason Citys downtown area has just taken another turn. The River City Renaissance Project had been on the agenda for Fridays meeting of the Iowa Economic Development Authority. That is no longer the case. City officials say its because G8 Development does not yet have full documentation of the financial backing for the project. It was announced in July that G8 had secured financing for the project from Byline Bank. Mason City representatives will now be in Des Moines Friday to update state officials and say they expected to get a new deadline for submitting the completed paperwork in order to receive state funding. HAMPTON, Iowa A trial has been scheduled in a Franklin County house fire. Dawn Renae Debell, 50 of Hampton, is pleading not guilty to 1st degree arson. Shes accused of setting fire to a home in the 200 block of North 5th Street in Sheffield on July 7. Police say there is video evidence of Debell leaving the scene. Her trial is set to begin on October 2. 1st degree arson is a class B felony in Iowa, punishable by up to 25 years in prison. MASON CITY, Iowa Its 60 days in jail and a $315 fine for the former janitor who secretly recorded people in a school bathroom. David Joe Bemis, 47 of Mason City, was sentenced Wednesday on four counts of invasion of privacy. He pleaded guilty to putting a video camera in a staff restroom at Clear Creek Elementary in May 2013 and recording four female employees in states of partial nudity. Bemis received 365 days in jail on each count, with all but 60 days suspended, and all sentences will be served concurrently. In addition. Bemis will serve one year on supervised probation and must sign up with the Iowa Sex Offender Registry. STILLWATER, Minn. (AP) An inmate accused of using a hammer to kill a Minnesota prison guard has been indicted on first-degree murder charges. A grand jury in Washington County returned the indictment Tuesday against 42-year-old Edward Muhammad Johnson. He's accused of killing Department of Corrections Officer Joseph Gomm at the Stillwater prison on July 18. According to the new charges, Johnson repeatedly struck Gomm in the head and face with a hammer that he checked out from an industrial workshop on the third floor of the correctional facility. Johnson was initially charged with second-degree murder and assault. He's now charged with first-degree premediated murder and first-degree murder of a prison guard. Minnesota Public Radio reports that state law requires a grand jury to approve the more serious charges. Johnson is serving a 29-year sentence for a fatal stabbing in 2002. HAYFIELD, Minn. - There's a serious staffing crisis in the field of Emergency Medical Services (EMS). It's especially impacting rural ambulance services which are struggling to recruit and retain qualified EMTs. Among the local departments with immediate needs is The Hayfield Community Ambulance. Capt. Mike Woslager tells us they need to fill 2-3 full-time EMT positions. The positions are 24-hour rotating block schedule with duty pay and on call pay, every other weekend and holidays included. But finding experienced applicants willing to work in a rural community like Hayfield is no easy task. "The people today don't volunteer," says Capt. Woslager. "To become EMTs it's a lot of hours and people just don't have that kind of time in their lives." He explains that in the last 3-4 years Hayfield Ambulance Service has had to turn to hiring contracted full-time EMTs. So why has the rural EMS workforce been decreasing nationwide? Beyond the shortage of willing volunteers, the responsibilities and education requirements for these positions has increased. Full-time Hayfield Ambulance EMT John Bacigalupo says when he started as a volunteer ten years ago, the EMT training requirement was 120 hours, but its since gone up to 160 hours. What has also increased is the demand for emergency services, which has EMTs like Bacigalupo spread pretty thin. "I'm doing the work of two full-time EMTs right now," he explains. "People take for granted when they call 911 that somebody will show up, that time has come and gone. We need people to step up and we need applicants to come here." Bacigalupo says the problem is not unique to Hayfield. A lot of emergency services in large and small communities are suffering from the same staffing struggles. If this trend continues much longer, services like Hayfield Ambulance could be in jeopardy. "This is absolutely life or death," Bacigalupo adds. "I can't underscore the importance of close emergency care in an area like this. We have had countless calls where I can say beyond a reasonable doubt if somebody was waiting for an ambulance for any longer than it took us to get there, they would have died." Southeastern Minnesota Emergency Medical Services has a list of current EMS job postings in the area including the positions in Hayfield. Those at Hayfield Ambulance say they're happy to answer any questions or provide more information on educational requirements, which Capt. Woslager says they're willing to pay for. Feel free to contact them online or call (507) 477-2234. DECORAH, Iowa A wanted man has been arrested in Winneshiek County. Abdihakim Osman, 19 of Postville, is charged with identity theft and authorized use of a credit card. The Winneshiek County Sheriffs Office says Osman is the suspect in a Calmar burglary they sought the publics help with on August 5. Authorities say he broke into a car and stole a womans purse and wallet. The Sheriffs Office says video from an ATM machine in Ossian showed Osman using the womans debit card, withdrawing $425. Osman was arrested in Frankville and the Sheriffs Office says there are additional persons of interest in this case and more charges and pending. ROCHESTER, Minn. A woman is accused of attacking a police officer. Bonnie Booth, 28 of Rochester, is facing charges of 4th degree assault, objection, disorderly conduct, and providing a false name to police. Officers were called to the South Broadway Walmart Wednesday evening to collect some found property. As police walked into the store, they say they saw a commotion with employees detaining a female. As officers intervened, they say Booth punched an officer in the face and bit his hand, drawing blood. WEBSTER COUNTY, Iowa A Wright County man is dead after a two-vehicle collision Wednesday morning. T he Iowa State Patrol says the crash took place around 7:19 am. Robert Rauch, 24 of Clarion, was driving a Sierra pickup truck west on 200th Street while Jason Spicer, 33 of Ames, was westbound in a Peterbilt rollback truck. The State Patrol says Rauch drifted across the center line east of Samson Avenue and hit the left side of Spicers truck. Both vehicles ended up in the south ditch. The State patrol says Rauch was transported by helicopter to the hospital but died while Spicer was injured. Both men were wearing their seat belts. The Webster County Sheriffs Office, Duncombe Fire Department, Vincent Fire Department, and Fort Dodge Ambulance assisted at the scene. (Recasts throughout, adds company statement) SANTIAGO, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Management at the world's largest copper mine, Chile's Escondida, said it struck a deal on Wednesday on a new labor contract with the union representing most of its workers. Union officials could not be reached for immediate comment on the agreement, which could signal labor peace after last year's historic 44-day strike at Escondida. But the deal terms offered by mine operator BHP must still be put to rank-and-file members of the union for a vote. Earlier on Wednesday, the union had said it was putting a planned strike on hold. "We are pleased to have taken this step," Patricio Vilaplana, Escondida's vice president for corporate affairs, said in a statement. He provided no further details, but news of the deal followed six days of government-mediated negotiations, aimed at quelling labor unrest after last year's strike, which rocked the global copper market and dragged on Chile's economic growth. Negotiations continued into the early hours on Wednesday morning when Patricio Tapia, the union's president, told Reuters the union had "received a new offer." The union said on Tuesday it had moved past most sticking points over a new contract with the company but would need the rest of the day to iron out remaining issues. Reporting By Antonio de la Jara, Writing By Mitra Taj and Luc Cohen, Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Tom Brown) 4203; Reuters Messaging: luc.cohen.thomsonreuters@reuters.net; Twitter: @cohenluc)) City set to tackle price gouging during expo From:Shanghai Daily | 2018-08-16 02:29 THE Shanghai government will launch price control measures involving local hotels, online car hailing and public parking lots during the China International Import Expo in a bid to stymie the price gouging of visitors. According to the government announcement, the price intervention will be carried out between October 26 and November 14. During this period, the prices of hotel rooms should never exceed the highest price of similar rooms between October 1 and November 30 last year. Newly opened hotels should set their prices by referencing those of hotels of the same standard and in similar areas. Local hotels are also told they need to report their prices to related authorities. For local online car-hailing service providers, the prices of different car types should never surpass those of the day before the controls take effect. These companies should also not add new service items to charge passengers. Moreover, public parking lots in the six districts neighboring the National Exhibition and Convention Center Qingpu, Minhang, Changning, Jiading, Putuo and Songjiang should not charge prices higher than what they reported to authorities before the intervention. Related city or district-level departments should conduct checks on local hotels and transport providers and those who refuse to obey the price control and violate the market price order will be punished. Individuals and organizations can report rule breakers by calling the price hotline at 12358, or by going online to http://12358.ndrc.gov.cn. Meanwhile, media registration for the upcoming expo was opened yesterday as well, as preparations for the event are proceeding smoothly. Registration will be open until September 15 and media services can register online at media.ciie.org, according to the CIIE news center. Further information for journalist approvals will be released on www.ciie.org. The CIIE will be held in Shanghai from November 5 to 10. So far, more than 160,000 agents from over 80,000 businesses have registered to attend the international trade event. China has been the worlds second largest importer of goods for nine consecutive years and accounted for 10.2 percent of global imports last year. Chinese authorities expect the country to import goods worth US$24 trillion in the next 15 years. As an upgrading consumption sector reshapes Chinas economic and trade structure, the CIIE is expected to give new impetus to such a transition and make Chinas market more accessible than ever. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Citigroup has agreed to pay $10.5 million to settle charges related to bad loans made by its Mexican subsidiary, Banamex, between 2008 and 2014, and to trader mismarking and unauthorized proprietary trading by Citigroup Global Markets Inc. from 2013 to 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission said on Wednesday. The SEC said the fraudulently-induced loans to Oceanografia that led to $475 million in losses were the result of inadequate controls that prevented them from registering numerous red flags in the borrowers documents. Similarly, it said that inadequate supervision allowed the CGMI traders to mismark illiquid positions and cover up $81 million in losses. Citigroup and CGMI settled the allegations without admitting or denying the SECs findings. BRUSSELS, Aug 16 (Reuters) - The euro zone's surplus for goods traded with the rest of the world fell by less than forecast in June, European statistics office Eurostat said on Thursday, suggesting the bloc may be weathering international trade frictions better than expected. While fears of a disruptive trade war between the EU and the United States spooked markets in the second quarter of the year, such concerns subsided after U.S. President Donald Trump and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker struck a deal last month. Eurostat said the 19-country currency bloc had a goods trade surplus of 22.5 billion euros ($25.59 billion) in June, down from 25.7 billion a year earlier, but well above the 18 billion euros expected in a Reuters poll of seven economists. While imports into the euro zone increased by 8.6 percent in June, exports were 5.7 percent higher. For the European Union as a whole, exports to the United States increased by 3.9 percent in the first half of 2018, while imports fell by 2.4, widening the EU's trade surplus with its largest trading partner. The data adds to a string of better economic news for the bloc after some downbeat signals earlier. On Tuesday, Eurostat revised up its estimate for economic growth in the euro zone in the second quarter. For Eurostat release, click on: ($1 = 0.8792 euros) Reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek; editing by Foo Yun Chee) JAKARTA, Aug 16 (Reuters) - * Indonesian government temporarily revoked nickel ore and bauxite export permits of four companies citing zero progress in smelter development, energy ministry data showed on Thursday. * Export permits for a combined 4,222,119 tonnes of nickel ore were revoked from PT Surya Saga Utama, PT Modern Cahaya Makmur and PT Integra Mining Nusantara, the data showed. * The government also temporarily revoked permit for PT Lobindo Nusa Persada to export 1.5 million tonnes of bauxite. * Indonesian government grants mineral ore export permits to companies which are building smelters and review the constructions every six months. * Throughout 2017, the country issued permits to export more than 22 million tonnes of nickel ore and nearly 15 million tonnes of bauxite. Permits typically stand for one year and companies are allowed to renew them. Reporting by Wilda Asmarini; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier) Reuters Messaging: fransiska.nangoy.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) Reuters Messaging: fransiska.nangoy.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 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. LONDON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Turkeys sovereign dollar bonds extended gains across the curve on Thursday after Finance Minister Berat Albayrak assured international investors that the country would emerge stronger from its currency crisis and its banks were healthy. The 2045 issue chalked up some of the biggest gains, adding 3.7 cents to trade at 81.95 cents, its strongest level since last Friday, according to Tradeweb data. Reporting by Karin Strohecker, editing by Jamie McGeever 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. * Turkey relief improves risk sentiment * Demand for safe-haven German Bunds recedes * Euro zone yields up 1-2 bps across the board * Euro zone periphery govt bond yields tmsnrt.rs/2ii2Bqr (Updates pricing) By Abhinav Ramnarayan LONDON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Euro zone bond yields rose from one-month lows on Thursday as a currency crisis in Turkey eased, reducing demand for safe-haven assets such as government debt. Yields on German bonds, considered one of the safest and most liquid assets in the world, had fallen to their lowest level in a month on Wednesday as Turkeys currency crisis led to a global market selloff and boosted demand for safe assets. But supportive measures from the Turkish central bank and key ally Qatar have helped the Turkish lira strengthen. The Turkish central bank and the Qatar news has helped, said ING strategist Martin van Vliet. The overnight news that the Chinese are sending a delegation to the U.S. is also helping support risk sentiment. China said on Thursday it would hold a fresh round of trade talks with the United States later this month, offering hope for progress in resolving a conflict that has put world markets on edge. Germanys 10-year bond yield, the benchmark for the euro zone, was up 2 bps at 3.20 percent. Other high-grade euro zone bond yields also rose 1 to 2 bps on the day. Italian bonds were hit particularly hard by the Turkish currency crisis, so a recovery by the Turkish lira supported Italian spreads in early trade. With the caveat that much of Europe was on holiday, making prices more volatile than usual, Italys 10-year bond jumped five basis points after opening at 3.14 percent, but then fell to 3.10 percent by mid-morning. Italian 10-year yields hit a 2 1/2-month high of 3.20 percent on Wednesday. The spread over Germany was 289 bps, also the widest since late May. The Italy/Germany 10-year bond yield spread tightened over 5 basis points to 282 bps from the previous days close, then widened to 287 bps later in the session. Italys two-year and five-year bond yields also dropped, by around nine bps. The Italy/Spain 10-year spread on Wednesday stretched to 183 bps, the widest since January 2012, the depths of the euro zone debt crisis, before recovering to 168 bps by mid-morning. . I would say the market is in wait-and-see mode at the moment, waiting for the outcome of the budget talks, said Van Vliet of ING, referring to the Italian governments attempts to push back on EU rules on public spending. Kathmandu, August 16 The government has commission an environmental impact assessment for the second domestic airport in Kathmandu, proposed to be built in Nagi Danda, Kavre. The government has allocated Rs 250 million this fiscal for the project, says Civil Aviation Authority Spokesperson Birendra Shrestha. According to Shrestha, the EIA report will be available within a few months. The EIA report will tell us how much land is needed and we will also find out how much money is needed to acquire private land, he added. After the EIA is ready, a detailed project report will be commissioned. The airport is expected to be completed in five years. Officials want at least 20-30 per cent of flights now operating from the Tribhuwan International Airport to shift to the new airport. Although the government is preparing to invest in the project, the airport will not be suitable for planes such as the Bombardier, MA-60, ATR and Jetstream planes. The new facility will only be suitable for smaller aircraft such as the Twin Otter , Dornier and the Y-12. Home Just In China-bound rhinos get to stay for one more day in Nepal Kathmandu, August 16 A pair of female one-horned rhinos being sent to China as a gift from Nepal will stay in Kathmandu for the night, officials said as an airplane that was to pick them up did not show up on Thursday. According to officials, the flight from Guangzhou had to be called off due to adverese weather conditions. The two rhinos, Soltinee and Mitineee, were brought to Kathmandu from their home in Chitwan, on Wednesday. Nepali officials were preparing to hand-over the rhinos to their Chinese conterparts on Thursday. The program has now been scheduled for Friday evening. Nepal has already gifted a pair of rhinos, Bhadra and Rupasi, to China. Caris Healthcare hires Cindy Jacquemin as vice president of patient care Cindy Jacquemin KNOXVILLE - Cindy Jacquemin has returned to Caris Healthcare as vice president of patient care after working in a leadership role at a hospice care facility in Florida, where she oversaw operations and hands-on care of patients. Jacquemin has dedicated her 28-year nursing career to hospice care. Her career started in 1990 in Florida, where she worked for 17 years as a registered nurse, patient family care coordinator, clinical trainer, and director of information systems training and clinical services. That was followed by a career at Caris Healthcare in 2007 as an admissions registered nurse. Jacquemin earned promotions to patient care manager, administrator and East Regional director of clinical care. In 2015, she returned to her home state of Florida to be closer to family and served as a care team manager at Suncoast Hospice. Caris welcomes Cindy back as vice president of patient care, Caris Healthcare President and CEO Paul Saylor said. Cindys attention to detail and passion for excellent patient care will help Caris Healthcare reach our vision of being a world-class hospice company. Jacquemin earned an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) from Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth, Florida, and Bachelor of Arts in health care administration from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. In 2004, Jacquemin earned the Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) designation from the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association. Hospice care is my calling, Jacquemin said. Im thrilled for the opportunity to serve as Caris Healthcares vice president of patient care. I look forward to working with the Caris team. About Caris Healthcare Founded in 2003, Caris Healthcare provides high-quality hospice care in 28 offices across Tennessee, Virginia, Missouri, South Carolina and Georgia. Published August 15, 2018 Chad Kiger of AMS receives Early Career Award from the American Nuclear Society Chad J. Kiger KNOXVILLE Chad J. Kiger, EMC Engineering Manager at Analysis and Measurement Services Corporation (AMS), has received the 2018 Ted Quinn Early Career Award from the Human Factors, Instrumentation and Controls Division (HFICD) of the American Nuclear Society (ANS). Mr. Kiger is responsible for overseeing the development of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) capabilities of AMS, as well as identifying and procuring the test equipment necessary to perform all facets of EMC and electromagnetic interference (EMI) testing for private clients, utilities, and nuclear power plants throughout the world. Currently, Mr. Kiger is facilitating the construction of a $5 million state-of-the-art EMC facility, as part of a new lab and office building addition to the AMS technology campus, slated to open summer 2018. Established in 2017 by the ANS HFICD, the Ted Quinn Early Career Award recognizes an individual for outstanding career contribution to nuclear instrumentation and control (I&C) or humanmachine interface technologies. The award, which honors Mr. Ted Quinn, a noted expert in nuclear I&C and past president of ANS, highlights the importance of young members in the future developments of nuclear I&C and human factors research, development, and deployment. The HFICD has been an important division of ANS since 1979, and is devoted to the human component of nuclear technology, along with the underlying instrumentation, control, and humanmachine interface technologies that support the safe operation of nuclear facilities. The HFICD focuses on the information processing, control, and human system interaction aspects of nuclear systems. Published August 15, 2018 Trade agreement with Japan is crucial for U.S. beef industry By Tina M. Johnson, tjohnson@utk.edu KNOXVILLE University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture projections indicate that the signing of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in March 2018 could disadvantage U.S. beef exports to Japan, a stumbling block that U.S. beef producers can ill afford. Research from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture indicates that a trade agreement with Japan is crucial for the U.S. beef industry. Photo of cattle on a Tennessee farm by T. Johnson, courtesy UTIA. Beef-exporting countries party to the trade agreement, such as Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Canada, will benefit from an immediate reduction and phase-down of tariffs from their current levels over a 15-year period. The U.S. was once a CPTPP member, but in January 2017, President Donald Trump signed a memorandum officially withdrawing from the trade agreement. Under the CPTPP, Japan agreed to significant tariff reductions on beef, with reductions from 38.5 percent to 9 percent for muscle cuts. Tariff reductions for select offal products will be phased out completely. Meanwhile, U.S. beef will continue to face tariffs of 38.5 percent to 50 percent, as well as a global safeguard tariff of 50 percent when imports exceed a specified level. Understandably, the tariff advantage for CPTPP countries has raised concerns in the U.S. beef industry about its future in Japan. Although the U.S. has free trade agreements with several CPTPP countries, it does not have one with Japan, which is the leading market for U.S. beef exports. In 2017, U.S. beef exports totaled $7.3 billion, with Japan accounting for more than 25 percent of this total. Projected import shifts due to tariff reductions are substantial. For chilled beef, lower tariffs appear to benefit Australian beef, at the expense of U.S. beef. The projection range suggests that Australian beef could increase by as much as $139 million, while U.S. beef could decrease by as much as $143 million. Although Canada, Mexico and New Zealand also face lower tariffs, the projected increase for these countries is small at $4 million. Australia also gains in the frozen beef market at $162 million. Prior to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) ban in the early 2000s, U.S. beef exports were comparable to, and at times exceeded, Australian exports. Following the BSE ban, U.S. beef exports declined 74.7 percent, taking the industry eight years to rebound. While U.S. beef exports have since recovered, Australia now accounts for the greater share of Japanese beef imports. The research indicates that CPTPP will result in considerable increases in Australian beef exports to Japan, largely at the expense of U.S. beef. However, similar tariff reductions for U.S. beef could eliminate these negative effects and even result in an increase in beef imports from both countries. If the U.S. also received tariff reductions, the total benefit is $287 million, which is the avoided export loss of $70 million and the export gain of $217 million. UTIA research indicates that market access for U.S. beef in Japan is needed to counterbalance the effects of the CPTPP. As exporting countries, other than the U.S., aggressively pursue free trade agreements or FTAs, U.S. agricultural sectors such as beef could be disadvantaged, if we stay out of the FTA game, says UTIA trade expert and Blasingame Chair of Excellence Andrew Muhammad. Overall, the report highlights why it is important for the U.S. to stay engaged in international trade negotiations in order to maintain its competitive edge in global markets. The UTIA report, which was authored by Muhammad and his colleague Andrew Griffith, is available online as UT Extension publication W 656. At the farm level, higher tariffs will likely cause a decline in U.S. beef exports to Japan that could negatively impact returns to every segment of the industry, from the cow-calf producers to the packer. Alternatively, if the U.S. is able to establish a trade agreement with Japan that is identical to competing countries, then returns at the farm level should be influenced positively. Tennessee has consistently accounted for 1 percent of U.S. beef and veal exports. UTIA projects that Tennessees beef industry stands to lose $700,000 or gain $2.17 million, depending on whether the U.S. attains tariff reductions on par with CPTPP countries. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture celebrates 50 years of excellence in providing Real. Life. Solutions. through teaching, discovery and service. ag.tennessee.edu. Kathmandu, August 16 Ministry of Tourism has proposed that police personnel be deployed to rescue mountaineers and tourists who fall sick or are injured during their expeditions. The proposal, prepared by a government-formed committee to look into allegations of fake rescue, says that tourism entrepreneurs, who intentionally make tourists fall ill and call in rescue choppers to claim hefty sums from insurance companies, will be tried on organised crime charges. According to sources, three chopper companies, six hospitals and eight travel agencies are suspected to have been involved in the scandal. However, Nepal Police does not have the required helicopters nor the rescuers to carry out operations. Officials say a plan is being drafted to boost the capacity of the police in this regard. The proposal says that police personnel should be given the reigns of rescue missions from this September, but that seems to be far-fetched. Watch craftsman Jang Chung-rak holds an escapement and balance wheel of a watch. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul By Kwak Yeon-soo "Fancy and extravagant watches catch most people's attention these days, but sometimes gazing at simple, yet classic timepieces can be just as enchanting," said Yoon Hyung-sik, a vintage watch collector and a regular visitor to the backstreet of Yeji-dong, a narrow alley lined with watchmakers' workrooms and vintage boutiques. Yoon said that he's fascinated by the color, history and individuality of vintage watches, and these factors arouse nostalgia in him. "They bring back memories of when I was in my 20s and 30s, so it's a nice feeling. It's all associated with memories that are important to me. Trends come and go, but I can't help but smile any time a classic watch gets a revamp," he said. While many people such as Yoon in Korea relish their mechanical watches, getting them fixed may become difficult in the coming years: The older generation of watch craftsmen, skilled in repairs, is retiring, and few of the younger generations are taking their places. In addition, many have left the alley since it was earmarked for redevelopment in 2006. The proposed urban development of Seun District 4 will see the razing of today's Yeji-dong, a dense neighborhood in Jongno-gu of low-rise buildings and narrow streets. The district has traditionally been a low-income area where it stood at the forefront of the country's electronics, jewelry and watch industries for decades. Nonetheless, watch craftsmen with more than 30 years of experience in repairing heirloom grandfather timepieces and fob watches still work around the clock to keep their legacy. Watch craftsmanship Park Jong-hyun, 73, opened his workroom "Youngsinsa" in the backstreet of Yeji-dong in 1986, and since then is keeping the craft of watchmaking alive. Craftsman Park Jong-hyun closely examines a watch. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul Having lost both his parents during the 1950-53 Korean War, the war orphan moved to Seoul to make a living in 1962. "I worked as a farmhand, but later began my apprentice at a watchmaker's shop," said Park. There were few manufacturers that boomed in the 1960s, such as the electronic wave, textile and watch industries, but he accidentally entered into the watchmaking business. And thus Park has become one of the country's few masters of watchmaking, a career he began when he was 17. Before opening his own workroom, Park worked at an independent clock repair department at a company named "Hwashin" for seven years. "By the time I arrived here, the clock repair market was in decline due to the emergence of digital and LED time displays. But I was confident about my techniques, ranging from simple battery replacement to a complete restructuring of a watch," he said. His passion lies in quartz watches (in analog and digital forms). "Pieces like that, they are beautiful to work on. They are often heirlooms, something special you get for your spouse, inherit from your parents and they all need service," Park said. "Anything mechanical I like, but I don't fix wall clocks." Lee Hyang-sook, 60, is a regular customer who comes by Youngsinsa once in awhile. She asked him to replace the batteries for seven wristwatches owned by her family. "I've been coming to this place since the early 1990s when I was a newlywed," Lee said. "My daughters love to wear wristwatches as fashion accessories, and they have several watches of different styles and sizes. So I told them to put out their broken watches before I came here." While replacing batteries for Lee's bundle of watches, Park shared his most memorable time working on a golden timepiece with Kim Ku's face embedded on it. Kim Ku was the president of the Provisional Government of Korea, which was established in China after the March 1st Movement in 1919. "The man who brought it to me said that the watch had belonged to Chang Taek-sang," he said. Chang was an independence activist who served as the first foreign minister in the late 1940s and the third prime minister in the 1950s. Park added that timepieces with presidents' signatures are fairly common, unlike the watch with Kim Ku's face on it. When asked about his determination to pass on his skills to the next generation, he flatly declined, saying that young people should look for more profitable jobs. "Repairing a watch is not something you can make a lot of money at. It's also labor intensive, so I don't recommend it to anybody," he said. Despite his age, Park has no plans to retire but might consider it in 10 years. "In the past, I was so busy that I never had the breadth of mind to look back. As I grew older, I came to appreciate restoring watches because I can live by this profession as long as my eyes and hands are good." Clocks with stories Seoul _ where tradition often blends with the modern _ is one of the best places in the world to hunt for classic timepieces, according to Lee Jong-hoon, the owner of "Haesigae." "Most of the pre-owned timepieces on sale are in immaculate condition," he said. Lee, who opened his workroom five years ago, recounts that it all started as a hobby. "Clock repairing was my hobby. When I was in another profession, I came to Yeji-dong on the weekends to learn techniques from several watch craftsmen." A Soviet-era submarine clock, which weighs about 2 kilograms and is believed to be manufactured between 1965 and 1970, is Lee's favorite clock among his vintage collection. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul He mentioned that his interests extend to collecting vintage watches, showing off some of his own in wooden cases. Of them, a Soviet-era submarine clock is his favorite. "I bought this from a friend of mine who lives in Busan. He told me he exchanged it with a Russian mariner for a pair of binoculars," he said. Lee went on to explain that the submarine clock weighs about 2 kilograms and the winding key unlatches the heavy frame holding the crystal in the center. It's believed to have been made between 1965 and 1970, when many German and Swiss watch craftsmen moved to Russia. The clock is available for around $1,300, according to him. "My goal is to create a social hub where people can talk and exchange information about vintage watches. That's why I recently opened a Naver Band page titled 'Clock Stories,'" he said. On the topic of why he chose to enter into a fading industry, where established craftsmen are trying to leave, he said "I'm filling a niche. I heard they are going to redevelop this area, but I hope they don't. People still come here because of sentimentality." Jang shows off a clock he restored recently. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul (From top) Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong (C) and Indonesian Siti Aisyah (C), who were detained in connection with the death of Kim Jong-Nam, are escorted by Malaysian police officers out of the Shah Alam High Court in Shah Alam, Malaysia, 16 August 2018. Kim Jong Nam murder trial continued after Malaysia court found sufficient evidence against the two suspects. Doan Thi Huong from Vietnam and Siti Aisyah from Indonesia were charged with murder under Section 302 of the penal code, which carries mandatory death sentence if found guilty. Both pleaded not guilty during the murder trial. Photos from EPA-Yonhap A man believed to be North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il's eldest son, Kim Jong-Nam, is surrounded by journalists upon his arrival at Beijing's capital airport, 11 February 2007. Wearing a cap, sunglasses and jeans, the man who Japanese television crew described as Kim Jong-Nam arrived at Beijing's airport from Macau in the afternoon, as six-nation talks on ending North Korea's nuclear weapons programme were underway in the Chinese capital. Kim Jong-Nam, 35, was recently reported to have been living the high life in Macau, a southern China casino haven, for most of the past three years. Korea Times file Two Southeast Asian women on trial for the brazen assassination of the North Korean leader's half brother were told to begin their defense Thursday, extending the trial for several more months. Indonesia's Siti Aisyah and Vietnam's Doan Thi Huong are accused of smearing VX nerve agent on Kim Jong Nam's face in an airport terminal in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 13, 2017. High Court Judge Azmi Ariffin said he was not persuaded by the defense argument that the women thought they were taking part in a prank for a hidden-camera show. He said enough evidence had been presented in the six-month trial so far to infer the women and four North Korean suspects had engaged in a ''well-planned conspiracy'' to kill Kim ''systemically.'' The prosecution laid out enough evidence of the women's guilt for the case against them to proceed, ''I therefore call upon them to enter their defense,'' the judge said after reading his ruling for more than two hours. Indonesian Ambassador Rusdi Kirana told reporters outside court that he was shocked by the ruling but his government will abide by it. The judge could have acquitted the women. Aisyah, 25, and Huong, 29, appeared to be calm and told the judge they would testify under oath in their defense. They are the only suspects in custody and face the death penalty if convicted. The four North Korean suspects fled the country the same morning Kim was killed. According to the case presented so far, the four men known to Aisyah and Huong by code names recruited and trained the two women to accost strangers in a similar fashion to the day they attacked Kim, and they provided the women with the banned chemical weapon that they smeared on his face. Airport security footage shown in court captured the moment of the attack and prosecutors also said the camera images linked the women to the four male 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. Kim died within two hours of the attack. This screengrab made from CCTV footage obtained by Fuji TV and taken on February 13, 2017 shows Kim Jong-Nam (C in grey suit), half-brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un, speaking to airport authorities at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian investigators want to question a North Korean diplomat over the assassination of Kim Jong-Un's half-brother in Kuala Lumpur, national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said on February 22. Korea Times file Kathmandu, August 16 For the first time, the government of Nepal has begun keeping records of the citizens who returned home after working abroad. The government has been consistently keeping records of people going abroad for jobs; but it did not have any record of people returning home after work. Stakeholders were insisting that such date would also be significant to develop employment policies for the country. They say those returning home from foreign jobs can be mobilised to generate self employment opportunities for youth here as they have many skills and ideas which function as social remittances. We should not explain how important the remittance to be sent by these workers is, an official at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security says, Their skills and experiences are more valuable than the remittance. The state is concerned about them so as to create an conducive environment to properly utilise them. The Ministry has developed an online system to keep records of foreign employment returnees. Minister Gokarna Bista says the system will be launched within next 10 days. We will put all information including personal details, passport number, their employment companies, their job, their work duration, salary and benefits in such a way that they can be traced with a single click, Bista says, Similar system will be followed for those returning home as well. By Lee Min-hyung T-50A trainer jet By Robert Skidelsky LONDON Liberal revulsion at U.S. President Donald Trump's mendacious and uncouth politics has spilled over into a rigid defense of market-led globalization. To the liberal, free trade in goods and services and free movement of capital and labor are integrally linked to liberal politics. Trump's "America first" protectionism is inseparable from his diseased politics. But this is a dangerous misconception. In fact, nothing is more likely to destroy liberal politics than inflexible hostility to trade protection. The upsurge of "illiberal democracy" in the West is, after all, the direct result of the losses suffered by Western workers (absolutely and relatively) as a result of the relentless pursuit of globalization. Liberal opinion on these matters is based on two widespread beliefs: that free trade is good for all partners (so that countries that embrace it outperform those that restrict imports and limit contact with the rest of the world), and that freedom to trade goods and export capital is part of the constitution of liberty. Liberals typically ignore the shaky intellectual and historical evidence for the first belief and the damage to governments' political legitimacy wrought by their commitment to the second. Countries have always traded with each other, because natural resources are not equally distributed round the world. "Would it be a reasonable law," asked Adam Smith, "to prohibit the importation of all foreign wines, merely to encourage the making of claret and burgundy in Scotland?" Historically, absolute advantage a country importing what it cannot produce itself, or can only produce at inordinate cost has always been the main motive for trade. But the scientific case for free trade rests on David Ricardo's far more subtle, counterintuitive doctrine of comparative advantage. Countries with no coal deposits obviously cannot produce coal. But assuming that some production of a naturally disadvantaged good (like wine in Scotland) is possible, Ricardo demonstrated that total welfare is increased if countries with absolute disadvantages specialize in producing goods in which they are least disadvantaged. The theory of comparative advantage greatly widened the potential scope of beneficial trade. But it also increased the likelihood that less efficient domestic production would be destroyed by imports. This loss to a country's production was brushed aside by the assumption that free trade would allocate resources more efficiently and raise productivity, and thus the growth rate, "in the long run." But this is not the whole story. Ricardo also believed that land, capital, and labor what economists call the "factors of production" were intrinsic to a country and could not be moved round the world like actual commodities. "Experience ... shows," Ricardo wrote, "that the fancied or real insecurity of capital, when not under the immediate control of its owner, together with the natural disinclination which every man has to quit the country of his birth and connections, and entrust himself, with all his habits fixed, to a strange government and new laws, check the emigration of capital. These feelings, which I should be sorry to see weakened, induce most men of property to be satisfied with a low rate of profits in their own country, rather than seek a more advantageous employment for their wealth in foreign nations." This prudential barrier to capital export fell as secure conditions emerged in more parts of the world. In our own time, the emigration of capital has led to the emigration of jobs, as technology transfer has made possible the reallocation of domestic production to foreign locations thus compounding the potential for job losses. The economist Thomas Palley sees the reallocation of production abroad as the distinguishing feature of the current phase of globalization. He calls it "barge economics." Factories float between countries to take advantage of lower costs. A legal and policy infrastructure has been built to support offshore production that is then imported to the capital-exporting country. Palley rightly sees offshoring as a deliberate policy of multinational corporations to weaken domestic labor and boost profits. The ability of companies to allocate jobs globally changes the nature of the discussion about the "gains from trade." In fact, there are no longer guaranteed "gains," even in the long run, to those countries that export technology and jobs. At the end of his life, Paul Samuelson, the doyen of American economists and co-author of the famous Stolper-Samuelson theorem of trade, admitted that if countries like China combine Western technology with lower labor costs, trade with them will depress Western wages. True, citizens of the West will have cheaper goods, but being able to purchase groceries 20 percent cheaper at Wal-Mart does not necessarily make up for wage losses. There is no assured "pot of gold" at the end of the free-trade tunnel. Samuelson even wondered whether "a little inefficiency" was worth suffering to protect things which were "worth doing." In 2016, The Economist conceded that "short-term costs and benefits" from globalization are "more finely balanced than textbooks assume." Between 1991 and 2013, China's share of global manufacturing exports increased from 2.3 percent to 18.8 percent. Some categories of American manufacturing production were wiped out. The United States, the authors averred, would gain "eventually." But the gains might take "decades" to be realized, and would not be equally shared. Even economists who concede the losses that come with globalization reject protectionism as an answer. But what is their alternative? The favored remedies are somehow to slow down globalization, giving labor time to re-skill or move to more productive activities. But this is scant comfort to those stuck in the rust belts or decanted into low-productivity, low-paid jobs. Liberals should certainly exercise their right to attack Trumpian politics. But they should refrain from criticizing Trumpian protectionism until they have something better to offer. Robert Skidelsky, a member of the British House of Lords, is professor emeritus of political economy at Warwick University. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate ( By Donald Kirk Summit fever these days is as hot as the weather. We face weeks of heated debate in the run-up to a third summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korea's Kim Jong-un and maybe a second summit between President Donald Trump and Kim. The Moon-Kim summit is going to test Moon's willingness to stand up to Kim. The overriding North Korean demands are for the South to get the U.S. and the U.N. to do away with sanctions and for the U.S. to fall for a "peace declaration" before the North does a thing about "denuclearization," however that word is defined. Moon has agreed to see Kim in Pyongyang in September, but he's avoided setting a date. His hesitation about when to go to Pyongyang adds to uncertainty about how to respond to the North's demands. Contrary to what his critics may say, Moon may not be a pushover for Kim. Yes, he would like nothing better than to go down in Korean history as the South Korean leader who brought about reconciliation with the North. No, he doesn't want to achieve that goal by betraying the U.S.-South Korean alliance, by coming up with a deal with the North that would compromise South Korea's defenses and by giving up all bargaining power on denuclearization. Moon would love to have it both ways, to sign a statement in Pyongyang on general principles for peace that still does not yield totally to all that Kim wants. Above all, he's got to make it clear that North Korea has to take significant steps toward giving up its nuclear program. In deference to the North's sensitivities, the U.S. seems to have dropped the term, "complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization," but derogatory allusions to plain old denuclearization in the North's state media indicate they don't care much for that idea either. That's because the North remains deeply committed to its status as the world's ninth nuclear weapons state and is not going to climb down regardless of whatever deal is reached. If the U.S. were to go along with a "peace declaration," accepting some vague ambivalent assurances about denuclearization, there would be no way to bring the North to terms. For the U.S. and South Korea, their bargaining power rests on the sanctions adopted by the U.S. and U.N. after the North's missile and nuclear tests, most recently last September. There is, however, a counter-argument. So what if the North has a few dozen nuclear warheads in storage? What does it matter if they're still developing the long-range missiles to "deliver" them to distant targets, and who cares if they've got biological and chemical weapons too? You don't hear too many people in South Korea, or the U.S., worrying about imminent nuclear attack. The reason for the lack of urgency is that no one quite believes Kim is going to fire away for real knowing the holy hell that would descend on him if he did. North Korea, however, has other ways of undermining South Korean and American resolve, notably by unending emphasis on a "peace declaration" that would wind up jeopardizing the peace that's prevailed over the Korean Peninsula since the armistice was signed at Panmunjom more than 65 years ago. The reason the North wants this otherwise meaningless statement is that it would lead to a "peace treaty" under which the U.S. would have to withdraw most of the 28,500 troops it's still got in South Korea. No, North Korea would definitely not begin to pull back the thousands of artillery pieces or hundreds of thousands of troops poised within striking distance of the South. In fact, their capacity to attack the South, as they did in 1950, would be enhanced as the South follows through on the idea of abandoning its 60 or so guard posts south of the DMZ. That done, does anyone think the North would give up its 160 guard posts on the other side of the line? These are some of issues and questions Moon and his advisers may be asking as Moon thinks about going to Pyongyang, paying obeisance to the ruler from the North who believes he can force his hand with sweet talk and dire warnings. For Moon, the challenge will be to walk through this minefield without stepping on any mines, as Trump did in Singapore when he was led to believe he and Kim had resolved the whole nuclear issue. Donald Kirk, www,donaldkirk.com, has been covering the ups and downs of the nuclear issue for decades. Toyota Camry By Nam Hyun-woo Toyota Motor Korea CEO Nobuyuki Takemura By Eric Chan At least one person was killed and 10 others injured in northeast China on Wednesday when a liquefied gas tank exploded in a restaurant that was being renovated, a local newspaper reported. The blast, which happened about 8.10 a.m. at a Korean barbecue restaurant in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, caused significant structural damage not only to the eatery but also several neighbouring buildings, The Beijing News reported. At least five parked cars were also hit by flying debris, the report said. The person killed was identified as a 30-year-old woman. The details of the other victims' injuries were not given. People living nearby said they were shocked by the force of the blast. "I was watching television at home and almost jumped out of my seat when I heard a really loud bang," one person was quoted as saying. "When I turned round I saw dense smoke coming through my window and then it shattered into pieces." The city's fire service dispatched eight trucks and sniffer dogs to help with the search and rescue effort, while the local gas company sent seven vehicles to assist, the report said. Officials said an investigation had been started to determine the exact cause of the blast. Investigators are still piecing together the facts of a hostage situation in Box Elder. Tuesday afternoon, the Special Response Team took 31-year-old Justin Grant Littrell of Yankton into custody after shooting at police earlier that morning. He briefly took two hostages before they were able to escape. Despite a gun battle with police, no one was injured. Meanwhile, A little girl was caught up in the in action, but quick thinking from officers with the Pennington County Sheriff's Office prevented her from becoming a third hostage. Sergeant Ryan Cook and Deputies Tana Tallon, and Rusty Schmidt jumped into action to rescue a 10-year-old-girl from the house before she could be taken hostage. According to law enforcement, the girl's mother was stopped by an officer on the perimeter. After explaining the situation, two officers near the house were contacted while the mother called her daughter and talked her through opening the window and removing the screen. The two officers on the ground worked together retrieve the child from a second floor window. Captain Tony Harrison says, as a commander, he's extremely proud of his team. "The decisions that deputies made was quick and it was the right one because it saved a potential hostage situation that would have totally possibly changed the outcome of this event," Harrison said. Because she is a minor, the Sheriff's Office did not release her name. We expect to find out more about the suspect when he makes his first court appearance. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Rain showers this morning with overcast skies during the afternoon hours. High 51F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 44F. Winds light and variable. 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. Kathmandu, August 16 The main opposition party, Nepali Congress, has accused the incumbent KP Sharma Oli-led government of discouraging the involvement of private sector in the national economy. The partys Central Working Committee member Ram Sharan Mahat, who led the Ministry of Finance several times over past three decades, says such a policy of the government would not lead the country towards prosperity. The government made people dream economic prosperity, but could not create an environment needed for that, Mahat said while speaking at a function organised by the partys Policy and Training Academy in Kathmandu today, The governments at central, provincial and local levels have haphazardly expanded the reach of taxation. He questioned, How can the private sector get attracted after you increase the tax? Mahat suggested the governments at three levels have a strong coordination to take the country towards prosperity. LAHAINA Habitat for Humanity Maui will hold its 11th annual Build-a-Thon fundraiser on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 28-29, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participants will be working in the Kahoma Residential Subdivision in Lahaina, where Habitat Maui is building ten single-family homes. Participants are asked to have a personal goal of raising at least $100 in pledges or donations. Corporate sponsorship opportunities are available to support the event. All money raised will go toward building these ten homes. The Build-a-Thon is a public awareness and fundraising event in which Habitat supporters raise money and help build homes for people in low-income households. Lunches, snacks and door prizes will be provided. While the need for truly affordable housing options is extreme in all parts of Maui, it is especially acute in Lahaina; according to the Realtors Association of Mauis June 2018 report, the median sales price for a single-family home in Lahaina was $989,000. In a November 2015 report by the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, data shows that between January 2008 and October 2015, only 27 percent of home buyers in West Maui were local residents the lowest percentage of local buyers in the state. For more information about the 2018 Build-a-Thon, or any of Habitat for Humanity Mauis programs or events, call 242-1140 or visit http://www.habitat-maui.org>www.habitat-maui.org. Habitat for Humanity Maui was incorporated in 1996 and officially became an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International in 1997. To date, Habitat has built and renovated 117 houses on Maui, providing safe and affordable homes for over 500 people in our local community. Habitat Maui serves individuals and families earning between 25 and 80 percent of the median income of Maui County. Its mission is to build decent housing and to renovate substandard housing on Maui in partnership with community volunteers and potential homeowners, so that homelessness and substandard housing on Maui is eliminated. Students and parents alike often ask this question of me. I like to frame a college search differently that is, to ask what does a student want from a college? But alas, it always turns back to what colleges want to see in their applicants. Over the years, I have met with many admissions counselors at both public and private colleges and universities. What I hear overwhelmingly is that they want well-rounded students who demonstrate a passion for learning. That may sound a bit vague, so to fully understand what they want, it is important to understand how they view and analyze each and every application. For this article, I interviewed college admissions counselors from University of Portland, a small private school, and University of Washington, Seattle, a large public school. College Auntie: You receive applications from all over the world. Is there anything in particular that makes a student stand out to you when you are reading an application? UW: Academic factors are always the foundation of a decision. I encourage students to take five or six academic core courses, particularly during junior and senior year. Going beyond minimum requirements and taking AP courses is great. UP: Demonstrated interest is important, and because we function on rolling admission, timing is key. CA: Can you give a quick explanation of the application process from your side of the process? How is it reviewed and how many people read the application? UP: We review in committees, with a dean, counselor and faculty member. We evaluate transcripts, test scores and all content in the application and letters of recommendation. UW: We get about 45,000 applications, and each one is holistically reviewed. We have a group of staff and graduate students who help us evaluate those in about three-and-a-half months. When an application is submitted, it is reviewed by our processing staff to ensure that all minimum requirements are met, and then it is forwarded to the readers. CA: Students from Maui are not always able to visit colleges to demonstrate their interest due to costs associated with travel; does that put them at a disadvantage? UW: Not at all. Demonstrated interest is not a factor in UW freshman process. UP: No, we visit Maui schools so students can demonstrate interest by coming to our high school visits and college fairs. CA: Can you explain what is meant by the term holistic review and how is that applied at your school? UP: We consider all angles high school, curriculum, test scores, grades, college-level coursework and letters of recommendation. UW: We break our review factors into two categories: academic accomplishments (GPA, test scores, grade trends and rigor) and personal achievements (leadership, community service, overcoming adversity, unique cultural perspective). CA: A college education is not inexpensive. Can you speak to the ways that your school provides financial aid, and is a student at a disadvantage when applying if they are going to need financial aid? UW: Financial need is not a factor in the admissions review. UW has specific merit scholarships for nonresident freshmen called the Purple and Gold Scholarship. UP: We offer merit-based aid based on grades and test scores, and make sure to complete the FAFSA early for additional consideration based on need. CA: Are you open to students contacting you directly if they have questions about your school or the application process, or do you prefer them to find answers on your website? UP: Both. Make sure to check the website for basic information, but ask us questions if you need clarification. UW: Students can absolutely contact us directly! CA: If you have one piece of advice for applicants, what would it be? UW: One factor that may surprise students that can be influential is the strength of the senior year curriculum. A strong GPA may not be enough to make a student competitive if they take a weak senior year. I recommend at least four strong academic core courses in the senior year, and take AP classes that you think you can do well in. UP: APPLY EARLY and DEMONSTRATE INTEREST! So, there you have it, straight from the colleges themselves! Two different approaches to the application process but offering advice that can be used at all. Good luck with your application season! (Maryanne Hogan is an Independent College Admissions Consultant working with students on Maui. Visit her website, thecollegeauntie.com, for more information or to make an appointment.) A 2015 Lahaina Restoration Foundation guide to help Front Street merchants design signs suitable for the prestigious Historic Districts states: For any commercial district to maintain its viability, it is essential that the district as a whole delivers a consistently pleasant experience to the visitor. When shoppers are visually and audibly accosted while trying to enjoy the Lahaina Historic Districts, they are less likely to spend money and certainly less likely to return. The educational document also cites the Maui County Code on the same issue: Persons employed by or associated with a business shall not speak to or otherwise communicate with individuals on public property. So, County of Maui, why are cosmetics store employees allowed to pester visitors on Lahaina Towns sidewalks? Quick web searches show complaints registered with the Hawaii Better Business Bureau, as well as postings by unhappy visitors on TripAdvisor and Yelp. A California woman wrote, Harassment at its best. Ive never seen such obnoxious, harassing sales boys in my life. These employees need to learn how to treat people. If police are frequently in town writing tickets for people smoking in Banyan Tree Park, they can walk a little farther and cite these sometimes obnoxious sidewalk hawkers. Most leaders are corporate owned It makes me sad when I talk to people who were born here and they share with me the ways things used to be. A way of life when people used to care about each other. Do you remember when pono meant something? When aloha had meaning. Recently, I spoke with a local Hawaiian woman who was selling timeshares. After speaking to her and getting her to open up to me, she said, Do you see this smile on my face? Its fake. I put it on every day and take it off after work. My heart bleeds for the way it used to be but is no longer. I asked her what I can do to help. She simply said, It is too late. Now big money is changing Hawaii forever. Development hurts more than it helps the people. We should stop development now! It is out of control. Our infrastructure is fragile and overburdened. Sadly, its our environment that pays the highest cost. Politicians who are endorsed by real estate developers are endorsed for a reason can you guess what it might be? The answer is FAVORS. Real estate developers are takers, not givers. Next time you see a candidate picture along with all the endorsements, remember that each endorsement is a special interest with their own agenda, and it will most likely not help you. Unfortunately, most of our leaders are corporate owned. As for me, as long as I have air in my lungs, I will also fight not for power or prestige, but to give the people a future and a hope. CHAYNE MARTEN, State House District 10 Candidate Take action on cosmetic creeps Thank you for publishing letters about Lahainas cosmetic creeps. There are six locations with six different names. Samples are forced into pedestrians hands. The non-compostable packets litter Front Street. Street solicitation laws are not enforced, and fines are not being issued. We are missing County of Maui income because they are not issuing tickets. The income on these store fines could be $1,000 per violation, times three employees per store, times six stores in historic Lahaina, times 365 days a year equals $6,570,000. Why are officials not levying fines? Why arent street solicitation laws enforced? Why arent cruise directors warning their passengers? How can we get them removed from the sidewalks? How can a cosmetics store afford $20,000 per month rent? What is their cosmetology status? Temporary solutions include refusing samples, honking your car horn to interrupt street sales and filming warnings and posting them on YouTube and travel sites. Lahaina is a loving and strong historic town that will positively take action! NAME WITHHELD BY REQUEST Support federal funding for arts and culture Congratulations to those who e-mailed or called their U.S. Congressional representation in support of federal arts and cultural funding. These past weeks, events in Washington have brought history to the arts and federal cultural funding of agencies in America. For many reasons which included a no-cut funding vote of 297 to 114 in the House of Representatives, and a vote in support of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities the issue now moves on to the U.S. Senate floor. Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA) said, I certainly urge members to support the innovative work the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities are providing our men and woman in uniform, our veterans and families. Obviously, Calvert is uneducated on why in fact these agencies of the government came into existence. Sounds as if Chair Calvert picked up a copy of The War of Art. He is a bit behind, but not the cultural intellectuals. The cultural arts bring America $166 billion annually in economic activity and bring $27.5 billion to our federal, state and local governments. Spending $155 million to cultural arts agencies is a small amount in regard to the financial return. Some have called state and local government cultural funding a net number; there is no net number. Federal arts and cultural funding is a small amount with a large return, not only for Hawaii but also our visitors here. Advocate for the arts and cultural funding of Hawaii. LEO THINER-BRICKEY, Honokowai Farmers markets harvest demand for healthy food Large, hand-painted signs lean against a tent, the buzz of friendly conversation cuts through the humid air and the smell of fresh produce drifts in the breeze youve found yourself at a farmers market. Farmers markets are common in urban and rural communities around the nation. In urban areas, they provide an authentic, natural alternative for consumers to connect with those who produce their food. In rural areas, farmers markets provide these same opportunities, among many others. They serve as a stimulant for local businesses and farmers, an attraction for strangers and locals alike, and, perhaps most importantly, they offer direct, secure access to nutritious food for rural Americans. Food security defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as having access to enough food to maintain an active, healthy lifestyle is an ever-present challenge in rural communities. According to Feeding America, 12.9 percent of Americans were food insecure in 2016, and three-fourths of counties with the highest rates of food insecurity were in rural areas. There are programs designed to help alleviate food insecurity, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). However, research suggests that rural participation in SNAP is significantly lower for eligible recipients in rural areas than in urban ones. Policies that support SNAP acceptance at more farmers markets are a proven way to make progress. As we celebrated National Farmers Market Week from Aug. 5-11, we praised these events that serve a key role in feeding rural communities nationwide. CODY SMITH, Center for Rural Affairs MAKAWAO Haleakala Ranch in Makawao has been selected as one of six regional honorees of the Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). The award, announced during the 2018 Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting on Aug. 1 in Denver, Colorado, recognizes the operations outstanding stewardship and conservation efforts. This years regional winners will compete for the national award, which will be announced during the Annual Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans in February 2019. Established in 1991 by the National Cattlemens Beef Association to recognize outstanding land stewards in the cattle industry, ESAP is sponsored by Corteva Agriscience, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont, McDonalds, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Cattlemens Foundation. Cattlemen and women everywhere understand that the land, air and water resources in their care are the cornerstone of their success, and they are only stewards of those resources for a short time, said NCBA President Kevin Kester. Each of us understands the importance of improving those resources and leaving them better for future generations. This years nominees are outstanding examples of what is possible for the beef industry, and they serve as an inspiration for producers everywhere to continue improving their stewardship practices. Owned by the Baldwin family for nearly six generations, Haleakala Ranch is a family held corporation with about 100 shareholders that are all family members. The ranch covers nearly 30,000 acres on Maui. Over time the ranch has evolved, and lands that once belonged to Haleakala Ranch are now part of Haleakala National Park, with nearly one million visitors annually traveling through the ranch to get to the summit of Haleakala. In the late 1920s, there was an exchange, and that beautiful, world-class crater area was conveyed to become a national park, said Jordan Jokiel, a land manager for Haleakala Ranch. To me, that speaks to the commitment and history of land stewardship at Haleakala Ranch. Haleakala Ranch covers a diverse climate, with some of the herd of 1,200 cattle foraging in drier country near the ocean, while other parts of the herd are rotated through mountain pastures at higher elevations. Cattle and rotational grazing play a key role in the fight against a wide variety of invasive species on Maui. Gorse is a weed in Hawaii. Its native to Western Europe and the British Isles and was brought in the late 1800s to Hawaii. Like everything else, the genie got out of the bottle once it arrived to Hawaii, and its spread across Haleakala Ranch, covering a couple thousand acres of high-quality pasture. The team at Haleakala Ranch works with conservation partners to protect the watershed and improve their natural resources, including restoring native rainforests. Haleakala Ranch is also a member of the Maui Cattle Company, finishing their cattle to be sold as local beef. Each year, the ranch hosts a variety of groups, including the Ag in the Classroom program. Its a very important program that Haleakala Ranch and the rest of the community gets involved with, because these kids are very disconnected from where their food comes from, said Greg Friel, livestock operations at Haleakala Ranch, and the more we can get involved with exposing them to [the ranch], the better it is for them and for us as the agriculture community. The family has the same goals that I have, said Friel. They want to see this ranch get better and better every year. We just celebrated 130 years of this ranch being founded. Were looking forward to that 150th anniversary and that 200th anniversary. KAANAPALI Dukes Beach Houses seventh annual Holiday T-Shirt Design Contest starts on Aug. 13 and offers the chance for artists work to be featured on a limited edition Dukes T-shirt design and win some great prizes. The winner will have his/her art featured on Dukes 2018 Holiday T-shirts and receive a $300 cash prize. A Fan Favorite will also be selected on the Dukes Beach House Facebook page, and the winner will receive a $150 cash prize. Each of the finalists will receive a $50 restaurant voucher. Now through Sept. 14, contestants can enter the contest by mailing their designs along with the completed entry form to Dukes Beach House, 130 Kai Malina Parkway, Lahaina, HI 96761. Entries may be submitted as hard copies or as digital files on discs. The annual Dukes T-Shirt Design Contest allows us to showcase the incredible work of local artists and incorporate their designs into our holiday celebration, said Nick Ware, Dukes general manager. We are thrilled to be able to continue this tradition and look forward to seeing this years entries. Dukes is seeking designs for mens, womens and unisex shirts. The design should incorporate Dukes Beach House and the holiday season on Maui. The finalists designs will be posted at www.facebook.com/DukesBeachHouse on Sept. 24, 2018. Facebook fans of Dukes Beach House Maui will have a chance to vote for their favorite designs until Sept. 28. The winners of both the Fan Favorite and Dukes Beach House Favorite will be posted on Oct. 15, 2018 at www.dukesmaui.com and on the Facebook page. For more information, including all contest rules and the entry form, visit www.dukesmaui.com/t-shirt-contest. 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 Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore was in his new role as the city's top cop for less than a month when a shootout and standoff at the Trader Joe's in Silver Lake claimed the life of an innocent civilian, who was fatally shot by an officer. Ten days later, Moore stood before the press again to give details and release video of another fatal police shooting of an innocent civilian -- this one in June, and this time a woman who was being held hostage by a man with a knife. The victim's adult children are now suing the LAPD and the city. Then, this past weekend, the Los Angeles Times reported that Moore had received $1.27 million thanks to a controversial retirement program in which he retired from the LAPD, then was rehired in his former role before being named the new chief a few months later. The retire-but-not-really move, which Moore told the Times was an idea by former LAPD Chief Charlie Beck and approved by Mayor Eric Garcetti, has raised concern among government watchdogs. On Wednesday, Moore sat down with AirTalk's Larry Mantle to discuss the recent shootings and resulting policy changes, the controversy over the police retirement program and more. .@LarryMantle is a true professional, and Im glad to continue the tradition of sitting down with him on the @KPCC program- @AirTalk. Covered many of the changes we are implementing within the organization, and how the men and women of the LAPD are committed to keeping LA safe pic.twitter.com/aRMcRn49hY Chief Michel Moore (@LAPDChiefMoore) August 15, 2018 Here is some of their conversation, edited for clarity (you can listen to the full interview here). ON THE RECENT POLICE SHOOTINGS IN VAN NUYS AND SILVER LAKE Moore: A complete investigation is still months out. I have not made a determination on the actions of [the officers in] either one of those instances. We did go out last week and make announcements relative to changes in our training, and that was taken in part because of things that I saw, particularly in the Van Nuys incident, but also in looking at our use of force -- particularly deadly force -- in 2017, and the frequency in which the number of officers seemingly increased relying on deadly force as a force option, but also in the impact that our less-lethal weapons -- our bean bag shotguns and Tazers -- were having in order to overcome the resistance or to gain control of the circumstance. I encourage the public to go online to LAPDonline.org, where we are now posting videos within 45 days of critical incidences of officer-involved shootings with what we have and what we know (at the time). I want to talk about this new policy that instead of 72 hours for an officer involved in an injurious or fatal shooting being off the job, that being extended to a 14-day period. What's the necessity of that particularly if you've got a shooting where the injury is minor? Moore: The use of deadly force by an officer is the most critical decision that an officer can make, and in such an incident, the dynamics -- not just once they make that decision but the outcome -- has an absolute immediate effect on an officer and can be a lasting effect over the course of their career. It's a traumatic event and it's one that for decades we have involved our psychologist to sit down and debrief officers to normalize, if you will, their emotions and processing of such a traumatic event, and monitor them to see how they are coping. Historically that period or the initial session [with the psychologist] has occurred usually within two to three days after the event, allowing the officer a few sleep cycles to get some rest in order to collect their thoughts. What we looked at in the last couple of years is whether that decision or session is sufficient. And when we came back after looking at the field of study with agencies across the country -- talking to academia as well as the psychology field -- we've determined that we need to have more sessions. Not just sessions that the officer was always allowed to ask for and engage in, but we need to check in with that officer months after the event to see how they're doing. In that process also was this 72-hour notion that an officer would be pulled off the field and would not be allowed to work the field because they've been just exposed to this traumatic event. We want to give a little time and distance from that, and what we found was that, why not extend that to a longer period of time to allow the officer more time to recover and to collect themselves. [We want to] give them the assurance that they would not be thrusted back in a situation where they would again be called on to make a similar life or death decision with only moments of consideration. Moore: It may be that there are portions of Los Angeles where that form of transportation is more viable. There is existing state law in regards to the conduct of individuals on those scooters. We're involved in an outreach and education campaign reminding the people who operate those scooters about the laws and the dangers that they represent not only to the operator, but to pedestrians and motorists. I'm very concerned -- because this is one of those emerging technologies -- that as it comes out, the rest of the community is not well prepared. I was down in the Venice Beach area just last week. Tourists, people who are coming from outside the region, see them and think "I can use these and I can use them on the boardwalk" when in fact they can't. We're going to seek compliance and we're going to achieve it, but not just with heavy-handed enforcement. We want to have a balancing act of informing the public to act responsively. If [riders] act responsibly on roadways, with helmets, obeying the traffic laws, I think they can be a safe and efficient means of moving about this city. One of the things we've heard from both supporters and opponents of the scooters is about a lack of enforcement. They said there are laws people are just flagrantly flouting because they don't know or they don't care and that there's really no one there to rein in on that behavior. At some point does this switch from education to an enforcement citation law? Moore: I know that our men and women are out there both educating and, when appropriate, taking enforcement action including the issuing of a citation. Mantle: There was a very nice payout for you under the [Deferred Retirement Option Plan]. What do you think needs to be changed in DROP? Moore: Our ability to retain a senior officer and having them continue versus otherwise leave the force is something I've experienced -- and we have hundreds of personnel in our department who could leave tomorrow. But with the presence of DROP they're incentivized to stay, and that helps me with retention and it helps me keep staffing at the levels that I need for the policing in Los Angeles. But it needs to be cost neutral and the public needs to have faith and confidence that it is not being abused. The cost neutrality is something that is being looked at yet again. Are the officers' pensions -- that would otherwise go to the officer -- funding this account, or is the public having to reach into its pocket more? Secondly, is it being abused? In this instance I am particularly interested, as Chief Beck was and I know as our city leaders are. We've had some instances where we've had officers who we've meant to maintain by DROP have entered into the program and then suffered an injury where they have been absent on the job for an extended period of time -- months or years. So in effect, the desire of why DROP was initiated hasn't been accomplished. We need to change that, because it undermines the confidence in the system and jeopardizes my ability to have an important tool to retain employees that keep the service levels in Los Angeles high. Could you legally, for any of the officers who leave because of injury, remove that as part of the five-year time credited toward their retirement payment? Moore: That is what the question is, and I believe that's what our elected officials in City Hall are working through now, with rep of our Los Angeles Police Protective League as well as our Command Officers Association. Officially, when you go into DROP, you retire. You no longer have all the benefits of an active employee and you have a date certain that you can only stay until, then you must leave. And during that period of time when you would otherwise receive your pension check, it's put into a separate account that has to be cost neutral to the city. Many of these employees continue to actually pay into the retirement program during that time. The challenge with this is that if we're going to now do a timeout -- an officer has left because of a knee injury or suffered a back injury and now they can no longer come to work -- should they be allowed to collect that DROP payment in addition to their normal salary? I believe we have some very sharp minds and people that recognize the need to build confidence in this program that are going at it full bore. And I believe that senior representatives of the police league and our labor units recognize the need for this as well. If you can't legally exclude those periods of injury, can you really keep the DROP program going given the cost? Moore: I think that you have a very valid point. The vast majority of people in DROP -- on the police side -- are giving us what we asked for, which is an extended amount of their time, and they're doing it in a manner that doesn't cost the city any additional funds and allows me the benefit of not having to retrain and replace them. If we can't accomplish that because people are able to game the system, then I understand your point. News happens every day. Here at LAist, our goal is to cover the stories that matter to you and the community you live in. Now that we're part of KPCC, those stories (including this one you're on right now!) are made possible by generous people like you. Independent, local journalism isn't cheap, but with your support we can keep delivering it. Donate now. 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 Metro has its Dodger Stadium Express bus. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti pitched building an aerial gondola. Someone even had the idea of building a monorail. Now, tech billionaire Elon Musk wants to bring his Loop system to the ballpark. Musk's Boring Company is proposing to build a roughly 3.6-mile "zero-emissions, high-speed, underground public transportation system" to ferry fans up to Chavez Ravine. It's been dubbed The Dugout Loop. The system would transport eight to 16 passengers per vehicle in what the company calls "electric skates," which are capable of reaching speeds up to 150 miles per hour. The Boring Co. announces plans to build "Dugout Loop" transit system between Dodger Stadium and Red Line. The more mobility options, the better, says Metro. https://t.co/nbob6D44r4 pic.twitter.com/nY0sY6tUrT LA Metro (@metrolosangeles) August 16, 2018 The Boring Co. said construction would not affect Metro stations or lead to any road closures. Here are some of the key points of the proposal: The Loop would start in either the Los Feliz, East Hollywood, or Rampart Village neighborhood. The west-to-east route to the stadium would begin near existing Metro stations at "Loop Lifts," which would use elevators or ramps to get passenger cars into the tunnel. The trip will take about 4 minutes, according to the company. The projected fare for riders is roughly $1, but that number is not finalized. They plan to cap the number of riders to 1,400 people per ballgame or event. That's about 2.5 percent of Dodger Stadium's capacity. The Boring Co. says that number could increase based on city and community feedback. The company says construction of the tunnel and loop lifts would take about 14 months, but gave no estimate on when buulding could start if approved. The project would be "100% privately funded" and "require zero taxpayer dollars." Always exciting to see innovative ideas like the proposed Dugout Loop to @Dodgers Stadium that could help ease congestion on our roads and make our most iconic destinations more accessible to everyone. https://t.co/vleQtpUqnt MayorOfLA (@MayorOfLA) August 16, 2018 The company said it's working with L.A's Bureau of Engineering to start an environmental impact report. The public will get a chance to learn more about the project and weigh in at a meeting to be held at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 28 from 6:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. More on that meeting can be found here. For an idea of how the technology is expected to work, check out this video from The Boring Company: News happens every day. Here at LAist, our goal is to cover the stories that matter to you and the community you live in. Now that we're part of KPCC, those stories (including this one you're on right now!) are made possible by generous people like you. Independent, local journalism isn't cheap, but with your support we can keep delivering it. Donate now. 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 With the clock ticking toward a possible strike authorization vote, the leaders of the Los Angeles Unified School District and its teachers union sat down this week. What happened behind closed doors depends on whose account you believe: Either they met to discuss a possible deal, or they met to discuss why the district would not set a date to mediate a new deal. At stake is whether the more than 30,000 members of United Teachers Los Angeles stay on the job or ultimately decide to walk out of the nation's second largest school district, which serves nearly half a million students. The district's teachers already have been working without a contract for a year. Seventeen months of talks on a new contract with the district recently ended in impasse. Los Angeles Unified school superintendent Austin Beutner met with the president of the district's teachers union on Wednesday morning, according to a letter obtained by KPCC/LAist. Beutner's letter gives the impression that the meeting went very well -- and even hinted at the parameters of a possible resolution of a lengthy dispute over a new teacher contract. But United Teachers Los Angeles president Alex Caputo-Pearl said late Wednesday that the letter papered-over bigger problems in the bargaining process. "It's deceitful sleight-of-hand on [Beutner's] part, unfortunately," Caputo-Pearl said of the letter. The encounter between UTLA and LAUSD's leaders -- and an apparent he-said he-said about what took place during the conversation -- comes about a week before teachers begin a vote to authorize a possible strike. Read that letter here: In his letter, Beutner said he and UTLA president Alex Caputo-Pearl were able to "find common ground" during their meeting "on a number of issues, and we need to build on that." Beutner even strongly hinted at a salary offer on which district officials might be willing to close a contract deal -- something "similar" to what Beutner characterized as 6 percent raises that other LAUSD employee unions have already accepted. But in an interview, Caputo-Pearl said this discussion of salary figures never came up in the meeting. Caputo-Pearl also said he went to the meeting to express frustration that district negotiators have not agreed to begin mediation until September 27 -- too late, in the union's view. "It's a deceitful letter covering over the fact that the district is stalling," Caputo-Pearl said. While Caputo-Pearl said Beutner did express agreement with some of UTLA's proposals during Wednesday's meeting, he also urged Beutner to allow mediation to begin immediately so the two sides could discuss it in a formal setting. In his letter, Beutner said he is "available to meet with you at any time in advance of the mediation date if you feel we can chart a quicker path to an agreement." But Caputo-Pearl said the best course for resolving the dispute was through formal talks. "When you go outside the bargaining process," the union leader said, "things can get pretty fast and loose." Beutner's letter urged Caputo-Pearl to "minimize any disruption to students." "We hope UTLA shares this goal," the superintendent wrote. "I am reminded of an old adage, 'when elephants fight, the grass gets trampled.' It is a responsibility we share, despite our differences, to make sure students are protected." The teachers union's strike authorization vote begins on Aug. 23 and lasts until Aug. 30. UPDATE: On Thursday, Caputo-Pearl responded with a letter of his own. At the outset, lets stipulate as the lawyers might say that the chemical giant Monsanto is not well cast as a victim. The company has spent an average of almost $6 million a year since 2010 on lobbying in Washington. It has insinuated itself deeply into deliberations at the Environmental Protection Agency over the safety of its products, and its executives smear scientists who raise questions about those products. The company has been accused of ghost-writing scientific reports so they hew to the company line. Internal documents unsealed by a judge show Monsanto taking strong steps to massage data to portray one of its key products, the weed killer glyphosate, as safe for human use. Thats become relevant to the question of whether glyphosate or its blockbuster formulation, Roundup, causes cancer in humans or more specifically, whether it caused the non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a blood cancer, that is killing DeWayne Johnson. Hes the 46-year-old Vallejo groundskeeper who won a $289-million verdict against Monsanto on Friday, when a San Francisco County Superior Court jury found that the company knowingly marketed a dangerous chemical and kept the facts from the public and from Johnson, who used a glyphosate formulation called Ranger Pro on the job. Its unfortunate that junk science and this kind of mischief creates so much confusion for consumers. Former Monsanto CEO Hugh M. Grant Advertisement The verdict looks like a boon for thousands of similar lawsuits already filed across the country, including more than 400 in federal court. The award was a crushing blow for the German company Bayer, which closed its purchase of Monsanto for $60 billion only two months ago. Bayer shares have lost more than 17% in the few days since the verdict was issued. But theres another sense in which the verdict is bad news: Its a sign that juries are unable to weigh scientific evidence in cases where that evidence is key. On the surface, the Johnson jury found that glyphosate more likely than not contributed to Johnsons cancer. But thats a questionable conclusion, for the simple reason that the scientific evidence that glyphosate can cause cancer, especially lymphatic cancer, is sketchy at best and, according to one huge study of herbicide use in the U.S., nonexistent. Medical science doesnt actually know what causes non-Hodgkins lymphoma, which means that tying it to glyphosate could hardly be a scientific judgment. Johnson deserves some succor for his terminal illness. The issue is whether Monsanto is the right source. A $289-million verdict might be justified if the evidence showed that Monsanto was directly responsible for Johnsons sickness. The evidence didnt come close to showing that. One can applaud a judicial system that delivers redress to a sick patient. But this case demonstrates the profound flaws of a system that can deliver a sizable hit on a corporation despite the lack of hard evidence. Its not unusual for the scientific evidence in a product liability case, especially one focused on a disease cause, to be equivocal. But the legal system isnt oriented to equivocal outcomes a defendant is either guilty or not guilty, responsible or not. That might not matter when the question is whether a plaintiff got run over by a defendant driving a car. But pinpointing one culprit is virtually impossible when a disease could have untold possible causes. Epidemiological studies like those at the heart of the Johnson lawsuit can be as much art as science, says Richard G. Stevens, a medical professor at the University of Connecticut who followed the case. Its easy to do it badly, and a bad study is worse than no study at all. If the Johnson verdict stands, that isnt good for the credibility of the system. And its not good for anyone who depends on the systems credibility, which includes almost everyone. Its also not good for the farmers who use glyphosate, which has become the leading weed killer in the world since Monsanto introduced it in the 1970s. The product is popular for several reasons its considered less toxic than the herbicides it has displaced, and the crops on which its most commonly used have been genetically modified (by Monsanto, their marketer) to resist it. With that in mind, lets look at the scientific record on glyphosate and see how its getting weighed in court. Epidemiological studies of the causes of disease fall into two major categories. Case-control studies take a group of people with a given condition and check for their past exposure to a chemical or other possible cause, comparing it with a control group of subjects that have not developed the condition. Cohort studies start with a population, separate them into exposed and non-exposed groups, and track them over time to see what develops. Case-control studies are cheaper but generally less reliable because disease sufferers tend to think back to their possible exposures and may overstate them. With glyphosate, the studies suggesting its linked to cancer are chiefly case-control studies. On the other side is the Agricultural Health Study, a federally financed cohort study that has kept an eye on 57,000 pesticide users in Iowa and North Carolina since the 1990s. The study, according to the most recent analysis, has found no statistically significant associations with glyphosate use and cancer. Unsurprisingly, plaintiffs and their experts think very highly of the case-control studies and try to knock down the Agricultural Health Study. Monsanto takes the opposite view. Theres one other wrinkle. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a unit of the World Health Organization, designated glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans. That sounds bad, but its not quite as definitive as it sounds. According to IARC classifications, it means that the evidence that it causes cancer in humans is limited and that explanations including chance, bias or confounding [meaning an unrelated factor] could not be ruled out, but that some evidence also exists from animal experiments. Monsanto hasnt be shy about spreading lobbying millions around in Washington. (Opensecrets.org) Plaintiffs suing Monsanto typically depict the IARC paper as tantamount to proof that glyphosate causes cancer. But thats not how its viewed by Vince Chhabria, the federal judge overseeing the more than 400 Monsanto lawsuits in federal courts. In a pretrial ruling in July, Chhabria observed that IARC doesnt intend the term probably to have any quantitative significance. He warned that any plaintiff expert relying on IARC alone to make the case that glyphosate causes cancer would be unlikely to be admitted to testify in his courtroom. Chhabria also said the evidence of a connection between glyphosate and lymphoma seems rather weak, to the extent that he questioned the credibility of experts who have confidently identified a causal link. The history of the IARC paper does point to the lengths to which Monsanto has gone to protect its star product. Monsanto was openly furious about the paper. Its unfortunate that junk science and this kind of mischief creates so much confusion for consumers, then-company CEO Hugh M. Grant said on a conference call with investment analysts a few weeks after it appeared. This was a crass and stupid remark, which Monsanto has been unable to live down. The IARC paper was not junk science, but a painstakingly developed finding by a panel of qualified scientists. Nevertheless, an army of corporate henchmen mobilized in Washington to pick it apart. In a letter to IARC Director Christopher Wild, for instance, Reps. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), two of the leading science deniers in the House, accused IARC of manipulating data to reach its conclusions. Wild slapped them down. Given the dearth of firm scientific evidence of glyphosates role in DeWayne Johnsons illness, his case turned more on whether Monsanto should have posted warning labels on its glyphosate products. Although Judge Suzanne Bolanos instructed the jury that a big corporation is entitled to the same fair and impartial treatment that you would give to an individual, one of the jobs of plaintiff attorneys is to paint the picture of a lone cancer patient battling a soulless behemoth just as its the defenses job to offer an alternative. (For a vivid and entertaining day-by-day account of the theater in the courtroom, we recommend a blog by Kelly Ryerson, a former investment banker and unapologetic critic of Monsanto, writing under the pseudonym Glyphosate Girl.) In his closing argument Aug. 7, R. Brent Wisner, Johnsons attorney, made much of the fact that Monsanto didnt call Johnson back when he phoned to inquire about the hazard of the product he was using. Wisner urged the jury to issue a verdict that says, Monsanto, no more. Warn. Call people back....If you return a verdict that does that, that actually changes the world. As for the science, he pointed to the preponderance of evidence standard in a civil trialif the jury weighed both sides and thought there was even a feathers weight more on Johnsons, that was enough. What we have to prove to you is not, yes, absolutely, it causes cancer. If the jurors could conclude, Im not so sure, but I think so, he said, weve met our burden. Against this reality, Monsantos defense couldnt help but seem a little wan. Monsanto lawyer George Lombardi said in his summation that the case was simply about whether Mr. Johnsons cancer was caused by Ranger Pro. The evidence is clear that it was not. Its not my burden to show you that, he said. Its the plaintiffs burden. If this were an Olympic skating competition, Lombardi would get laughed off the ice on artistic merit alone. The jury awarded Johnson $39.2 million in straight damages, and $250 million in punitive damages. This is the right outcome within the limits of the court system. But is it the right outcome in a scientific debate? Thats doubtful. The problem is that alternatives are hard to identify. Bringing these cases before specialized tribunals or setting up public funds for victims of certain products all have their own flaws. The jury trial is a highly imperfect process, says UConns Stevens. But like democracy, its the best we have. Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. Return to Michael Hiltziks blog. UPDATES: 11:24 a.m., Aug. 19: This post has been updated to clarify the procedures utilized in case-control studies. Aerospace giant Boeing Co. said Thursday it will acquire Millennium Space Systems of El Segundo, a maker of small satellites, in the latest indication that tiny spacecraft are upending the industry. Boeing is already well known for its work in assembling school bus-sized satellites in its El Segundo facility. Once the deal closes, which is expected by the third quarter, Millennium Space Systems will become a Boeing subsidiary and will report to the general manager of the companys Phantom Works research division. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Millennium Space Systems expertise in small-satellite development perfectly complements Boeings existing satellite portfolio and will allow us to meet the needs of a diverse customer set, Leanne Caret, chief executive of Boeings defense, space and security sector, said in a statement Thursday. Advertisement Millennium Space Systems was founded in 2001 and develops satellites that weigh as little as 110 pounds or as much as 13,000 pounds. Most of its work has been for national security customers. Small satellites, which are cheaper to make and launch, are increasingly being used for commercial purposes, such as capturing Earth imagery and providing broadband internet. Earth imaging firm Planet Labs Inc. of San Francisco can crank out and test 25 satellites the size of a loaf of bread in one week. But the U.S. military is also starting to evaluate the small spacecraft. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has launched a new challenge that would reward commercial companies that can launch at a moments notice smaller rockets that give tiny satellites a dedicated ride to space. In August 2017, SpaceX launched a dorm fridge-sized satellite called Kestrel Eye for the U.S. Army that is designed to provide real-time imaging information to troops on the ground. samantha.masunaga@latimes.com Twitter: @smasunaga The Trump administration is close to striking a deal with Mexico on a revamped North American Free Trade Agreement, analysts said, but thorny issues are yet to be resolved with Canada, the third party in the trilateral pact. Reaching an agreement with Mexico would mark a breakthrough for the administration after a year of roller-coaster talks and tension with its longtime North American trading partners. President Trump has frequently threatened to withdraw from NAFTA, linked the renegotiations to his call for a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border and slapped tariffs on Mexican and Canadian steel to apply pressure to make concessions. But both Mexico and the U.S. have strong incentives to push through a deal quickly. Mexico wants to lock in an agreement before its new leftist president takes office, and the White House is keen on achieving a win on trade ahead of the midterm elections. Canada, meanwhile, has shown less urgency to complete a revision of the 24-year-old pact, but is expected to return to the bargaining table once the U.S. and Mexico settle their differences. Advertisement And then the question will be whether Canada is finally willing to reengage in the process, sign off on what has been agreed and quickly resolve any key outstanding issues of concern to Canada, said Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizens Global Trade Watch. Trumps trade negotiators this week have been meeting with senior Mexican officials in Washington, and sources familiar with the discussions say the two sides have largely agreed to new rules on auto trade a top priority for the White House that could boost investment in the U.S. and curb a flight of domestic production and jobs to Mexico. In exchange, the United States trade representative, Robert Lighthizer, appears to be showing flexibility on an earlier demand for an automatic five-year termination of NAFTA and a proposal to make it easier for the U.S. to press anti-dumping claims against seasonal produce like tomatoes from Mexico. Multilateral trade negotiations typically include bilateral talks between nations, but the administrations strategy to close a deal first with Mexico without parallel discussions with Canadian officials is unusual and could backfire. I think the Trump administration is playing a risky game if you have a final deal with Mexico and you present it [to Canada] as a fait accompli, said Daniel Ujczo, an international trade lawyer who specializes in Canada-U.S. affairs at the law firm Dickinson Wright. Its all the more risky because of the short time frame in which Mexico and the U.S. are looking to seal a trilateral agreement. U.S. congressional rules on trade require that there be a 90-day period between the administrations notification of a deal and the actual signing of an agreement. Mexicos new president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, was elected in July and takes the oath of office Dec. 1. That means a NAFTA agreement would need to be announced by the end of August to allow for the 90 days to pass and for the current Mexican president, Enrique Pena Nieto, to sign the pact before Lopez Obrador takes office. But that leaves only about two weeks for Lighthizer and his team to reach an accord with their Canadian counterparts. And by most accounts, that will be tough to do. Even if Canada signs on by months end and theres a three-way preliminary agreement, in the U.S., that would only begin a lengthy process that includes a period of public review and economic assessment by the U.S. International Trade Commission. A revised NAFTA wouldnt be voted on by lawmakers until next year at the earliest, when a new Congress is seated. Canada isnt likely to have a major issue on the new auto rules, but is expected to go to the mat on at least two U.S. demands. Trump administration officials want to pry open Canadas restricted dairy market and do away with an existing NAFTA provision that allows Canada to challenge U.S. anti-dumping claims through an independent panel. U.S.-Canada negotiations will have to overcome the recent deterioration in bilateral relations following Trumps refusal to give Canada an exemption from steel and aluminum tariffs, and harsh criticisms directed at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by Trump and his trade advisor, Peter Navarro. Trudeau faces considerable domestic political pressure to stand up to Trump unpopular in Canada and his strong-arm tactics to extract trade concessions. At the same time, Lighthizer and his negotiating team have shown they are not going to take a deal that maintains the status quo, said Stephen Orava, a trade lawyer at King & Spalding in Washington. Regardless of whether one agrees with Trumps negotiating tactics, Orava said, if the administration can land a good agreement on a new NAFTA, it will validate their approach to U.S. trade policy is effective and generating results and worthwhile. Analysts who have been closely monitoring the talks say that U.S. and Mexican trade officials are working out details and that a deal still could unravel. No issue has occupied as much time as NAFTAs auto rules. Cars account for the biggest trade among the three countries, and Trump and other critics blame NAFTA for the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico and the loss of domestic manufacturing jobs. NAFTAs current rules specify that at least 62.5% of the content of cars come from North America to qualify for zero tariffs; anything lower than that threshold subjects a vehicle to a 2.5% duty for cars and 25% for trucks and sport utility vehicles. The understanding with Mexico would raise the regional-content level to 70% or higher and set a similar rule of origin for steel and aluminum in vehicles. The new rules also would include language aimed at having more cars and parts produced by workers who make wages well above the average low rates in Mexico. The hope is that more jobs would stay in the U.S. and that European and Japanese automakers would source more parts in the U.S. to avoid the tariffs. Lawyer Ujczo said those changes and a broader deal on NAFTA will play very well to Trumps base. It would be political gold going into the midterms, he said. The latest from Washington More stories from Don Lee don.lee@latimes.com Follow me at @dleelatimes Doug Saathoff, whose great-grandfather began farming around Trumbull, Neb., in the late 1800s, planted his first soybean in 1996 and hasnt lost money since. Even droughts havent hurt because theres plenty of underground water. But that streak is in jeopardy, thanks to President Trumps trade war with China, which has pummeled soybean exports and prices. Increasingly anxious about his familys livelihood, the 44-year-old has taken small steps to save money, such as canceling satellite television and buying a used combine harvester rather than a new one. One thing hasnt changed: his support for Trump, whom Saathoff credits for taking China to task for its unfair trading behavior. He and some of his fellow farmers are willing to give the president more time to win concessions, betting that Trump wont let things get really bad for American soybean farmers, who export about one-fourth of their crops to the Chinese market. But he also warned that their patience wont last forever. Hes probably the only president who knew soybean farmers exist, said the soft-spoken Saathoff. I dont know if were ready to rebel or not. But lets just get the trade policy done. Advertisement Saathoff can wait it out for at least a few more months partly because he was able to sell some of his fall harvest in advance, before soybean prices dropped. The question is: Will he and other farmers stick with Trump when they really start to feel the pain? The economics and attitudes in this corner of the Nebraska plains provide some clues. As in other parts of the nations farm belt, most of these farmers have voted Republican for generations. Theyre highly unlikely to abandon the party in droves. Even so, Trumps trade policies have sparked tensions in farm communities, in some cases dividing fathers and sons. And many farmers are getting restless as harvest season nears. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) has been a frequent critic of Trumps trade actions, calling some of his moves dumb and saying Trump is threatening to light American agriculture on fire. Recent polls show an erosion of popular support for Trump from 2016, particularly in the Midwest and Great Plains. Just how upset farmers and others are may be revealed in some tight congressional races in the midterm elections. With Trump, we certainly do have a situation where that party loyalty is being tested, said John Mark Hansen, a University of Chicago political science professor who has studied farm interest groups. Few things are as important to Americas heartland economy as soybeans, whose growers stand to be among the biggest losers in a protracted trade fight with China. U.S. farmers shipped about $14 billion in soybeans to China in 2016, up from $1 billion in 2001. That makes soybeans one of the two top U.S. exports to China the other is aircraft and parts. As rising incomes in China have boosted that nations appetite for meat, the Chinese mostly use American soybeans as feed for livestock. After Trump slapped tariffs on Chinese products this summer, Beijing fired back with retaliatory levies on U.S. soybeans and many other farm goods. In recent weeks, China has essentially halted new purchases of soybeans while moving to shift orders to other countries and providing incentives to its domestic farmers to produce more beans. One result has been a drop in soybean prices, from about $11 a bushel earlier in the year to less than $9 today the break-even point for many farmers. Their worst fear is a permanent loss of the China business. Some of the older farmers remember what happened after Washington imposed a broad embargo of grain exports in 1973. Japan, worried about a stable supply of soybeans, reacted by making big investments in Brazils then-small soybean industry. Today, Brazil and the United States are the worlds two largest exporters of soybeans. In speeches, Trump has called for patience, and has sought to soften the blow to farmers by offering $12 billion in emergency relief. Farmers here and throughout the country largely dismissed Trumps offer as a handout that wouldnt go very far, politically or financially. Doug Saathoff, a fourth-generation Nebraska farmer, looks over his soybean field as a thick fog obscures an irrigation pivot in the background. (Don Lee / Los Angeles Times) I dont care what aid they give us, said Merlin Radar, 83, who has been farming in the Trumbull area for more than 60 years. We dont want aid. We want trade. Radar, who said he remains a Trump supporter, meets regularly with his fellow farmers inside a former grain-elevator office in Trumbull, dubbed the Sugar Shack, to drink soda, play cards and shoot the breeze. On a hot August afternoon, the mention of Trump and his trade policies brought out a torrent of emotions. Hes gonna kill us, groused Joel Samuleson, 81, noting the recent drop in soybeans. What good is $2 off on bean price? Samuelsons 56-year-old son, Eric, sat at the other end of a table looking askance at his father. Yeah, its gonna hurt us for a while, but those beans gotta go somewhere, he said, before turning to his feelings about Trump. I dont like his persona necessarily, but hes getting things done. The economy is going well, industry is growing, stock market is good, Eric said. I dont like all his tweets; hes kind of crude. But Id rather have a person say what he thinks than what hes supposed to say and lie through his teeth. You dont think Trump lies to us? the elder Samuelson scoffed. They all lie, Eric said. About the only thing they all agreed on was their collective disdain for the administrations plan to provide aid to farmers. It was only about 20 miles from the Sugar Shack where Saathoffs great-grandfather, who left Germany in 1877, took up farming, according to a family history by Saathoffs grandfather, in which he writes about his fathers clan being more of the rough type. Today, three generations of the Saathoffs work on a combined 3,500 acres, growing mostly corn and soybeans. Although the soil isnt as dark and moisture-rich as in Iowa and Illinois, the two biggest soybean producers, Nebraska ranks in the top five, with its big aquifers helping produce far higher yields than the national average. When a severe drought withered many soybean farmlands in 2012-13, Saathoff remembers the supply shortage, coupled with Chinas growing appetite, pushing up bean prices to $17 a bushel for what turned out to be a bonanza for growers such as him. For me, its kind of nice to have a businessman in the Oval Office, said Saathoff, a graduate of the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, where he met his wife, Gail. The couple and their two daughters, 11 and 14, live in a ranch-style house with a few cedar trees around it to provide a windbreak during Nebraskas harsh winters. Saathoff remains hopeful that Trump can improve the trade imbalance with China, but worries about the presidents erratic strategy: One day it seems like things are going to get worked out. The next day they put more tariffs. Dawn was breaking as he drove his white Ford truck along a rocky, dirt road, past endless fields of soybeans. At one point, he stopped the pickup, pulled out his phone and checked the latest soybean price $8.51, down a nickel, he said with a shrug. Then he peered outside into the thick mist covering the area. How long can I hold out? he asked. I dont know. don.lee@latimes.com Twitter: @dleelatimes With the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers forthcoming stadium certain to transform Inglewood, a $14.5-million renovation of an abandoned bank building a mile away may seem a smaller emblem of civic renewal. But at a ceremony Wednesday unveiling architect Frank Gehrys design for the Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center at Inglewood, Mayor James T. Butts noted that there are lots of stadiums and that every year, there is a Super Bowl somewhere. But this new home for the L.A. Philharmonics signature music education program, Youth Orchestra Los Angeles, he said, is what has me most excited and proud. Gustavo Dudamel proposed training young musicians in underserved communities when he was appointed the L.A. Phils music director in 2007, and YOLA will continue to operate in various youth centers in Central and South L.A. But the Gehry building will be its first dedicated facility. Fronting Inglewood City Hall, the center will primarily serve local students while also providing a gathering and performance space for other YOLA students and faculty, including L.A. Phil musicians. Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts during the unveiling of the design Wednesday for the Judith and Thomas L. Beckman YOLA Center in Inglewood (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement The project is but one part of the orchestras ambitious centennial season that will include the commissioning of more than 50 new works, a string of special dance, music theater and opera events, as well as a miles-long street party and a free Hollywood Bowl concert with superstars from classical music and pop (Katy Perry has just been announced). Forging compellingly into the life of its city, the L.A. Phil will hang onto its reputation for being the orchestra of the future. But it is the YOLA Center, which will take about two years to complete, that stands to make the most difference. Not only will it be a way to produce an unprecedented ethnically diverse new generation of musicians but it also promises to be a new model for ways a cultural institution can serve a community, with the added cachet of it being designed by the architect behind Walt Disney Concert Hall. In a conversation before unveiling his design Wednesday, Gehry said his initial ideas came from the Pierre Boulez Saal he built for the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, the ensemble Daniel Barenboim created to train young Israeli and Arab musicians together. That small, oval-shaped hall inside an old East Berlin warehouse has proved to be a magical space; overnight, it became one of the German capitals most important and artistically transformative concert halls. A model shows Frank Gehrys design for the Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center @ Inglewood, with a glass pop-up that will let natural light fill the concert hall. (Gehry Partners) THE DESIGN: More views of Gehrys plan for YOLA Center At the urging of Yasuhisa Toyota, the Japanese acoustician of Disney Hall who also will work on the YOLA Center, Gehry will drop the floor and raise the ceiling, so that the orchestra will have the 45 feet of requisite acoustic space above it. Large windows will flood the room with light. Retractable walls, as in the Boulez Saal, will allow the building to be broken up quickly into concert, rehearsal and teaching areas. Named after donors Judith Beckmen and her husband, Thomas, an L.A. Phil board member and founder of Roland Corp., the 260-seat concert hall will occupy the former Security Pacific Bank building at 101 S. La Brea Ave. It will include a choir room, an ensemble room and a practice studio, with all spaces totaling about 25,000 square feet. Groundbreaking is expected in spring. L.A. Phil conductor Gustavo Dudamel, left, architect Frank Gehry and YOLA Center donors Thomas and Judith Beckmen at the design unveiling Wednesday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Begun in 2007 with just a handful of students in a facility near the L.A. Coliseum, YOLA provides free instruments, music training and academic support to children in central, southern and eastern portions of Los Angeles. Nearly all the students who have gone through the program from the start have gone on to college, some becoming music majors. Today YOLA serves about 1,200 young musicians, and with the new YOLA Center, the L.A. Phil hopes to double that number. The center will not be fancy and will retain its essential 1960s modernist roughness. Meant for the community Gehry calls it anti-gentrification the the building will be available to Inglewood to use during the day, before the kids arrive for their after-school classes and rehearsals. Edson Nazareno, left, and Dameon Williams, both graduates of the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles program, look at the model for YOLAs future home in Inglewood. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Still, it will become an unmistakable Gehry building, with an openness that invites experimentation. For Dudamel, this is key. Its incredible how much the physical space raises the level, he said. Having grown up in El Sistema, the music education program in Venezuela, Dudamel noted just how much changed when a modern new center opened in Caracas. This changed the whole ambition of El Sistema, allowing it to grow enormously, he said, adding that the program ultimately reached more than 700,000 students a year. Gehry had even been brought in to design a major concert hall and education center in Dudamels hometown of Barquisimeto, though that is hardly possible any longer given the countrys economic, political and humanitarian crises. President Nicolas Maduro has placed Dudamel on his enemies list, but Dudamel and Gehry insist the project is not dead. We never stop talking and dreaming, Dudamel said, optimistic that Venezuela will overcome its current problems. An interior view of Gehrys model for YOLA Center, which also will include a choir room, ensemble room, practice studio and other spaces totaling 25,000 square feet. (Gehry Partners) All of that, Dudamel contends, makes the YOLA Center a symbol a sign that El Sistemas model remains vital and that it can continue the growth of its basic ideals. Indeed, Dudamel and Gehry are cooking up another YOLA Center in South Gate that will be part of a cultural center that the architect intends to include in his massive project transforming the Los Angeles River. For now, though, the L.A. Phils new chief executive, Simon Woods, noted at the YOLA Center unveiling that the L.A. Phil will no longer be an orchestra with two iconic homes. Along with Disney Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, there will be a third. mark.swed@latimes.com The Little Mermaid, a middling, live-action fantasy film inspired by Hans Christian Andersens fairy tale (also the basis of Disneys 1989 animated megahit), involves skeptical 1930s-era newspaperman Cam Harrison (William Moseley), who travels to Mississippi with his ailing young niece, Elle (Loreto Peralta), to report on a supposed mermaid and her magical cure-all water. Once there, Cam discovers that the healing elixir may be fake but that the enchanting mermaid, Elizabeth (Poppy Drayton), is real and under the cruel thumb of a sinister traveling circus magician, Locke (producer Armando Gutierrez), to whom she sold her soul in return for human legs. Meantime, Elle befriends Elizabeth and becomes intrigued by Lockes powers, Cam and the mermaid dance with romance, and when Elizabeths life is imperiled, good must triumph over evil to save her soul. Its all told in flashback as a present-day grandma (Shirley MacLaine) recounts the tale to her little granddaughters. Although its a serviceable enough story, the script by Blake Harris, who co-directed with Chris Bouchard, is often too earnest and forced to prove sufficiently fun or wondrous. Advertisement Theres also a hemmed-in feel to much of the action, which relies on lighting, an urgent score and modest visual effects to sell this tightly budgeted films greater ambitions. Still, there are likely enough sweet, effective moments to engage kids and their parents looking for a safe escape. ------------- The Little Mermaid Rating: PG, for action Running time: 1 hour, 25 minutes Playing: Starts Aug. 17 in general release See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com @LATimesMovies A young person on a skateboard becomes a precious, fleeting image of liberation in Crystal Moselles Skate Kitchen and Bing Lius Minding the Gap. Both these movies one a drama, the other a documentary, each superbly shot and richly informed by the grit and agony of real life premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, and now, by coincidence or design, they are arriving the same Friday on Los Angeles screens. A more rewarding double bill this weekend would be hard to imagine, provided you dont mind making the trek between the ArcLight Hollywood and Laemmles Monica Film Center. Skating from one theater to another would be appropriate, of course, but is mercifully optional for the less coordinated among us. Thats a relief, especially in light of the gruesome fall that kicks off the otherwise exhilarating Skate Kitchen, as Camille (Rachelle Vinberg), a shy, sensitive 18-year-old from Long Island, tackles a mean little outdoor staircase and winds up shedding blood on the pavement. (If you must know more, you might find a Google search for skateboarding credit card informative.) Camilles single mother (Elizabeth Rodriguez) urges her never to get on a board again. But her injury is hailed as a rite of passage and a badge of honor by the girls who make up the New York collective Skate Kitchen, whom she begins hanging and rolling with. Flipping, tripping and quickly getting back on their feet comes naturally to these high-spirited young women as they navigate their skate parks curving slopes, which are invariably crowded with boy skaters. The acrobatics get more daring when the girls take their boards to the streets of Manhattan, where they turn plazas into personal playgrounds and get yelled at by the occasional security guard. Advertisement Moselle and her cinematographer, Shabier Kirchner, capture their characters moves with a fluidity that toggles between the visceral and the lyrical. Sometimes the vibe is blissfully laid-back; sometimes the cameras concentration matches the skaters own. What Moselle is after is in some ways a longer, more sustained version of what the girls are already doing: With a designated photographer, Ruby (Kabrina Adams), among them, theyre constantly taking pictures and videos of each other and sharing their best moves on social media. Skate Kitchen is Moselles first fiction feature, though with its artfully rough edges and its intrinsic feel for group dynamics, it shows much of the same skill that the director brought to her 2015 documentary, The Wolfpack. As it happens, Skate Kitchen is a real collective, and Moselle initially toyed with the idea of making a nonfiction work about Vinberg and her friends, until she decided instead to work with them to create their own characters and shape the material into a dramatic narrative. What has emerged is a touching ode to the rewards and challenges of female friendship, one that becomes particularly poignant when Camille leaves home and begins crashing with the warm, sensitive Janay (Dede Lovelace). The most raucous of the bunch is Kurt (an irrepressible Nina Moran), gleefully thumbing her nose at the male skaters who regard her and her posse with barely veiled contempt. Not everyone is as committed to this battle of the sexes, however, and when Camille finds herself getting close to Devon (Jaden Smith, blending in nicely), one of the parks male regulars, the specter of rivalry and betrayal threatens to unravel her connection to her new community. Moselle proves acutely sensitive to Camilles emotional confusion, as well as her natural introversion. Vinberg, sometimes seeming to hide behind her long hair and translucent-rimmed glasses, makes her characters discomfort quietly palpable at friendly gatherings whenever the conversation (among other things) turns to sex. We see the human body do some remarkable things in Skate Kitchen, but that doesnt exempt it from the universal indignities and anxieties of early adulthood. Moselles movie is an empowering portrait of young women on wheels, but it proves no less surefooted when the wheels come off. Keire Johnson, from left, Bing Liu and Zack Mulligan from the documentary Minding the Gap. (Hulu) The extraordinary Minding the Gap takes that accomplishment still further. This deeply moving documentary emerged from several years worth of skateboard videos that Liu shot of himself and his buddies Zack Mulligan and Keire Johnson, whom he grew up with in Rockford, Ill. (Liu, who won a special jury award at Sundance, is also credited as the films cinematographer and co-editor.) But for all the gorgeous virtuosity of the skating footage one swift Steadicam shot, in which the camera passes through a parking structure and underneath a boom gate, will stay with you for days the sight of these young men in action feels, by the end, like a gateway into the films true subject. One of Johnsons skateboards (he breaks a couple) is emblazoned with the words This device cures heartache, and amid its montages of boyish banter and play, drinking and roughhousing, Minding the Gap sets itself to carefully unpacking the nature of that heartache. Even more intently than Skate Kitchen, the movie sifts through the emotional wreckage of estranged parents, broken families and uncertain futures. It also uncovers the personal traumas and cycles of abuse that spurred Liu, Mulligan and Johnson to seek out the refuge and rag-tag family of skating culture. Although the accumulated footage spans years, we meet the three men as they are taking their first steps into the world of grown-up responsibility. Johnson adjusts to a job he hates, washing dishes and taking out garbage at a restaurant. Hes gentle and reflective, regretting never having reconciled with the strict disciplinarian father who died years ago, but extending love and forgiveness beyond the grave. He ponders the difficulties and rewards of being a black man in America, optimistically noting that its cool because you get a chance to prove people wrong everyday. The more gregarious, outspoken Mulligan is also a more complicated study. We meet him not long after the birth of his first child, a responsibility for which he and his girlfriend, Nina, both in their early 20s, seem woefully unprepared. Its a measure of the trust and intimacy that Liu has fostered with his subjects that so many scenes here show the couple angrily arguing over work hours and child-care duties. But as we learn, not all the blows have been verbal ones, and Liu, to his credit, doesnt allow his friendship with Mulligan to cloud his judgment. He lets Nina share her experience and revisits her throughout the movie, effectively making her one of his primary subjects. You come to understand why an account of physical abuse would cut so deeply with Liu, who remains behind the camera for much of the film but steps in front of it at one point to recall the violent beatings he endured at the hands of his late stepfather. Liu even films himself interviewing his mother, whose deep, irreconcilable anguish over what her son went through years ago lends the film its most wrenching moments. Minding the Gap is an essay that never feels like an essay, an intelligent and compassionate grappling with some of the most painful issues presently haunting the body politic: toxic masculinity and domestic violence, economic depression and a deep, existential despair. But Liu doesnt contrive a simplistic thesis on Middle American misery to suit himself and his friends. His engagement with them is principled, considered and powerfully specific, and they emerge from the film not with problems solved, but with their attitudes shaped in a hopeful new direction. By the end, the sight of them skating together isnt just a beautiful image of friendship and escape. It feels like a metaphor for the difficult, halting but finally unstoppable progression of life itself. ------------ Skate Kitchen Rating: R, for drug use and language throughout, strong sexual content and some nudity, all involving teens Running time: 1 hour, 46 minutes Playing: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood ------------ Minding the Gap (Not rated) Running time: 1 hour, 33 minutes Playing: Laemmles Monica Film Center, Santa Monica See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour justin.chang@latimes.com @JustinCChang Made by adults for adults, The Wife is an intimate drama that offers an inside look at a marriage and the dark bargains couples sometimes have to make with each other. Expertly pared down by screenwriter Jane Anderson from Meg Wolitzers celebrated novel and sensitively directed by Swedish filmmaker Bjorn Runge The Wife features Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce, two fine actors who can convey a lot without doing too much. This strong acting, especially by Close, helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely. The Wife is a revealing look into the 40-year relationship of Joan and Joe Castleman, played by Close and Pryce. When Joe wins the Nobel Prize for literature, the award exacerbates strains in the marriage and exposes arrangements that may have outlived their usefulness. Advertisement But, as its title indicates, The Wife is not a portrait of a marriage so much as a compassionate portrait of a mid-20th century creative woman and the compromises she felt she had to make to survive. The films success is impressive because of two obstacles it had to overcome, starting with the absence of the witty, acerbic language Wolitzer created for Joan as the novels narrator. Also, because the book is something of an extended metaphor about the societal position of women, putting its story squarely in the real world by having Joe win the Nobel instead of the novels fictitious Helsinki Prize makes the movies underlining plot point more of a stretch than it otherwise would be. But when Close and her costars command the screen, we can forgive problems and simply enjoy the proceedings. Glenn Close as Joan and Jonathan Pryce as Joe in a scene from The Wife. (Graeme Hunter / Sony Pictures Classics) Its very late at night in 1992 when we meet the Castleman couple in their Connecticut bedroom. Joan is trying to sleep but Joe is nervously awaiting an anticipated phone call. If it doesnt happen, he says crankily before he attempts to badger his wife into unwanted sex, I dont want to be around for the sympathy calls. The announcement, which of course does arrive, is from the Nobel Foundation, and Joe is congratulated for writing with intimacy and depth, and changing the form. Joan, in a division of labor and praise that is one of the films themes, is merely asked to monitor Joes calls. In effect, she is asked to be a good wife. In the time leading up to their trip to Stockholm, Joe, convincingly played by Pryce, is revealed to be an arrogant and self-centered individual with blowhard tendencies. He may be one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, but he is also something of a big baby. As masterfully played by Close, Joan is something else again. An enigmatic woman of great personal dignity who keeps her own counsel, Joan always says and does just the right thing. But despite her husbands seeming affection for her, there is an almost indefinable air about Joan in the face of this great news, the troubling sense that all is not right. Unhappy in a more pronounced way is the couples son David (played by Max Irons, son of actor Jeremy Irons), an aspiring but antagonistic writer who yearns for good words from this father that never seem to be forthcoming. On the Concorde flight to Stockholm, things heat up when Joes would-be biographer, Nathaniel Bone (played by an engaging Christian Slater), makes his presence known. Joe wants to blow him off, but Joan, always the diplomat, reminds Joe that there is nothing more dangerous than a writer whose feelings are hurt. In Stockholm, Joes womanizing tendencies become apparent, as does Joans insistence that she does not want to be thanked for being the classic help meet. In fact, she would rather not be thanked at all. What Joans bleak mood stems from what precisely is bothering her is revealed in a series of flashbacks that alternate with scenes leading up to the Nobel ceremony. These sequences in which a young Joan is well-played by Annie Starke (Closes actual daughter) and a young Joe by Harry Lloyd show Joan as a promising writing student at Smith College and Joe as her unhappily married professor. We also see Joans meeting with disenchanted novelist Elaine Mozell (an effective Elizabeth McGovern cameo) and how that conversation played out. Many of these situations come to a head in Stockholm, and the adult Joan and Joe go at each other hammer and tongs in scenes of satisfying intensity that have been years in the making. The plot reveals may not always be convincing, but the emotions certainly are. --- The Wife Rating: R, for language and some sexual content Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes Playing: Opens Aug. 17, Landmark, West Los Angeles; Arclight Hollywood kenneth.turan@latimes.com @KennethTuran The Toronto International Film Festival will be getting even more star power come September with the addition of the Julia Roberts-led Homecoming. The festival announced Thursday that the Amazon Studios series was part of its Primetime programming along with projects starring Elizabeth Olsen and Ethan Hawke. Cinematic television has provided a new lane for the consumers experience of cinematic art, said Michael Lerman, primetime programmer at TIFF, in a statement. These series not only push the boundaries of what can be presented, but also demonstrate how it can transcend culture, visual arts, and communications. Homecoming, based on the podcast by creators and showrunners Eli Horowitz and Micah Bloomberg, is a psychological thriller that uncovers the truth behind a military reintegration facilitys questionable motives. Four of the shows 10 episodes will world premiere at the festival. Also in the lineup is Sorry For Your Loss, a new series from Facebook Watch. From creator Kit Steinkellner and director James Ponsoldt, the show explores the life of a young widow as she grieves the loss of her husband while being forced to deal with the truth of her past. Olsen stars along with Jovan Adepo (Fences), Mamoudou Athie (Patti Cake$, The Get Down), Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: The Last Jedi) and Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs, Tumbleweeds). Advertisement Daniel Syrkins comedy Stockholm, about four friends covering up the death of their friend, who was nominated for a Nobel Prize, will also screen four episodes as part of its international premiere. The festival also announced headliners for its industry conference, which include Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi, Canadian screen icon Tantoo Cardinal, The Black List Franklin Leonard, USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiatives Stacy L. Smith and #OscarsSoWhite creator April Reign. Check out the full lineup at www.tiff.net. Get your life! Follow me on Twitter (@TrevellAnderson) or email me: trevell.anderson@latimes.com. After picking up Justin Torres debut novel We the Animals in the recommended section of a Manhattan bookstore, director Jeremiah Zagar knew almost immediately that he wanted to adapt it for film. Its got an amazing first page, he said. I was blown away. I went to the stores cafe, and I just read the whole book. Its like 100 pages, so its like reading an article. Over the course of a couple hours, he found himself moved by the story, which centers around the coming of age of a young boy growing up with three rough and tumble brothers in upstate New York. Zagar bought the book, plus seven or eight copies for his producers and other members of the team hed begun forming in his head. Thats the short story, he said. Advertisement The long story is, after working on the editing team of the Oscar-nominated documentary The Square, about the Egyptian revolution, I had decided I was a revolutionary and was going to move to Egypt and be a revolutionary, he said. But life had other plans. I got back to the States, and I got married and things didnt work out, he said. Though he never returned to Egypt to finish editing the film, the spirit of revolution stuck. I think because I was in this excitement of these people who are so deeply passionate about something, I was questioning what I was deeply passionate about at that time in my life, he said. And so when I picked up the book, it was like, Oh, this is my revolution ... Im going to tell this story onscreen. Thats what Im going to devote the rest of my life to now. From left, actors Isaiah Kristian, Sheila Vand, Evan Rosado, Raul Castillo and Josiah Santiago, stars of the film We The Animals, photographed in the L.A. Times Studio during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) The devotion paid off faster than expected. We the Animals marks Zagars narrative filmmaking debut and tied for the Next Innovator prize at this years Sundance Film Festival an award bestowed by a jury of one (this year, that judge was RuPaul Charles). The film stars Sheila Vand and Raul Castillo as Ma and Pops, a white mother and working-class Puerto Rican father raising three young sons in upstate New York. The boys are played by newcomers Isaiah Kristian, Josiah Santiago and Evan Rosado, whose character, Jonah, becomes the lens through which viewers experience the story. It was actually maybe the hardest editorial thing we did in the movie, said Zagar of shooting from Jonahs point of view. Hes not named in the book, but in the movie, we needed to give that young boy a face and a voice. He doesnt say much so its like, how do you make sure that his point of view is communicated when really what hes doing is watching? Though the filmmaker briefly toyed with the idea of using trained actors, we looked at actors [who] were kids, and we knew right away that they were wrong, he said. They just come in with too much training. The characters needed to bend to the people that we were casting; we needed to find them. After auditioning a thousand kids and delaying production for a year, Zagar tapped Rosado to bring Jonah to life after discovering him at New Yorks Puerto Rican Day parade. When you see that many [kids], you know when its really special, he said. He just was that kid. He walked in, and he was so shy and so beautiful and so natural. I didnt really want to be an actor, the 11-year-old Rosado said. I kind of got into it. I went to this parade and my mom kind of forced me to. And I ended up at this audition, and they made me scream at the top of my lungs. Hed never yelled in his life, said Zagar. Hed never actually enunciated that loudly. And so you knew he was the right kid, but it was like, Can he do this? Can he carry this really intense emotional role? He just rose to the occasion. When his family first saw the film at Sundance, They were crying, Rosado said. They cried when they saw the film, and they cried at the end. Theyre really proud of me. His friends, on the other hand, took a bit more convincing. Some of them found out about it at school, he said. Mostly, my mom tells them, and my brother. They didnt believe me at first, but once they saw me on social media and stuff they were like, Oh my god! Youre in this movie? Thats cool. Rosado, who originally wanted to be a police officer, says he got bitten by the acting bug after working on this film. I think Ill stick to acting, he said, when asked of his current career aspirations. Maybe Ill do both. Isaiah Kristian, Evan Rosado and Josiah Santiago from the film, We The Animals, photographed in the L.A. Times Studio at Chase Sapphire on Main, during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, Jan. 20, 2018. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Zagar, who has a background in documentary filmmaking, wanted the family dynamic to appear as authentic as possible and encouraged the cast to live together as a family in the same house prior to shooting. The documentary background I think was my fallback because I didnt know how to make a narrative necessarily, but I knew that if we could make it be as real as possible, it would feel as real as possible, he said. It was also important to him to offer an accurate representation of a complex, flawed family that felt true to life. I think that what I was drawn to about the book and what we tried to do in the movie is to say that love is not so simple as black and white, he said. Love and abuse and sexuality and youth and age are all very gray in terms of the way we understand them and think about them. When we purify love, it becomes something false. This is about the kind of love that families really experience, which is much more complicated, brutal, painful, joyous ... thats what makes it love. I made the movie because that family reminded me of my family, he continued. I made the movie because I never see love like that onscreen. Its never that nuanced. The film plays like an extended music video, with several seemingly formative experiences of Jonahs intermingling with illustrations straight out of his journal, and dreamy shots of the countryside where the boys grow up. Zagar says that was inspired by the poetic social realism style of auteurs like Lynne Ramsay and Ken Loach. I wanted to do something that felt like, instead of poetic social realism, more like poetic commercial social realism, said Zagar, co-owner of the Brooklyn-based production company Public Record, which has numerous commercials to its credit. I love commercial techniques or music video techniques: that super fast, music-driven editing. Why not employ those for a poetic, expressive artistic thing instead of for selling candy or whatever? Cinematographer Zak Mulligan aided in conveying Jonahs point of view through camera technique. We put the camera at [Jonahs] perspective, follow the action from where he would see it and also keep the camera at eye-level, so were experiencing the world as much as possible as if we were ... seeing it through his eyes, Mulligan said. I think it creates an immediacy to the image and it puts us inside Jonahs head and what hes thinking. That meandering, abstract style is a visceral lead up to the final reveal when Jonahs exploration of queerness is uncovered. I was so moved by the book, all I really wanted to do was get the book right, Zagar said. Theres subtle hints of his sexuality throughout the book, but theyre not clear until the very end. When I read the book, I loved that because it allowed anyone to enter the story from a universal perspective of youth, without sexuality, and then it allowed for you to understand the discovery of sexuality from another persons point of view. Zagar, who is straight, tapped Torres and his co-screenwriter Dan Kitrosser for help accurately portraying the LGBTQ experience. I knew that I wasnt going to get it right without them and without their input, he said. Justin was on set every day and was involved in every draft of the script. In addition to its Sundance prize, the film is already drawing comparisons to Oscar winner Moonlight, which Zagar doesnt mind one bit. I think its an honor, he said. I think Moonlight is a masterpiece. I think its as good as a movie can get. The Oscar-winning film had just come out while Zagar was in the middle of editing, and I remember being like, Whoa, I dont need to do anything, I can just stop, he said with a laugh. I think that the film, stylistically, is very, very different, he continued. And storywise, its very, very different. But what I would hope that the comparison says is that this movie, though its small and personal, is vital in the way that Moonlight is. And I hope that drives people to the movies. sonaiya.kelley@latimes.com follow me on twitter @sonaiyak The Grammy Awards ceremony has never suffered a shortage of drama during the annual telecast. But there probably was never a more heart-stopping turn of events than on the night of Feb. 25, 1998, when the 40th Grammys were put on at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The shows longtime executive producer Ken Ehrlich often cites that evening among the most memorable, if not the highlight, of his long association with the affair. Opera superstar Luciano Pavarotti had been scheduled to represent the classical music nominees that year by performing the aria Nessun Dorma, from Puccinis Turandot, an emotional and technical showcase for which the celebrated Italian tenor had become internationally renowned long ago. Advertisement But about 30 minutes after the show had begun , a production assistant answered his phone and heard an Italian voice on the other end. I dont feel well. I cant come. I sing for you next year, co-producer Tisha Fein recalled to Billboard, telling the publication of the phone call her assistant, Gary Simmons, fielded from Pavarotti in a trailer outside the venue. RELATED: When Aretha sang opera at the Grammys, she renewed a beloved aria that had become a cliche Aretha Franklin was booked to appear that evening in a Blues Brothers-themed number, along with Dan Aykroyd, John Goodman and Jim Belushi, the brother of Aykroyds original Blues Brothers partner, John. I remembered she had sung Nessun Dorma two nights before for MusiCares [the Recording Academy philanthropic wing] and Pavarotti, Ehrlich told Billboard shortly after the show. I just ran up to her dressing room and asked her if she would do it. She said she wanted to hear the dress rehearsal. In those days, we had a boombox with a cassette. And I brought it to her and played it for her. When she heard it, she said, Yeah, I can do this. Ehrlich has often credited Franklin with saving the show, and, in the process, creating an indelible memory with one of the great performances in the history of the awards. It was amazing, amazing what she did, said Jeff Scheftel, then the academys media productions director. Personally, I thought, Yknow, theres still time if youre gonna ask Aretha Franklin, let her do Natural Woman. Everybody would love that; she can do it in her sleep! But [her Nessun Dorma] was amazing, and shes an extraordinary performer, and she rose to the occasion on gameday like no one else. randy.lewis@latimes.com Follow @RandyLewis2 on Twitter.com For Classic Rock coverage, join us on Facebook Its official: Kenya Barris is moving to Netflix. In a multi-year deal that began Thursday, the creator of the ABC sitcom black-ish will write and produce series exclusively for Netflix. In a statement, Cindy Holland, Netflixs vice president of original content, praised Barris as one of our great modern storytellers. Kenya uses his voice to make audiences more aware of the world around them, while simultaneously making them laugh, she said. Advertisement When my agents reached out to me about this little garage start-up called Netflix, I wasnt sure what to think, said Barris, who will produce through his production company Khalabo Ink Society. But after I talked to Ted and Cindy, I started to believe that maybe this mom-and-pop shop with only 130 million subscribers might just be something... so I decided to take a swing... a leap of faith, if you will, and take a chance with the new kids on the block. The deal had been rumored for months, with talk heating up in late July when Barris confirmed he would be leaving ABC Studios three years before his contract was up and relinquishing showrunning duties on black-ish. Barris is the latest A-list writer-producer to defect to Netflix, following Shonda Rhimes, who also left ABC, and Ryan Murphy, who was lured away from Fox. black-ish, which premiered in 2014 and follows a prosperous African American family, has earned critical acclaim for its humorous, heartfelt approach to race and other contentious social issues. Episodes of the single-camera comedy have dealt with police violence against African Americans, the use of the N-word and the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election. But in March, Barris and ABC ran into creative differences over an episode that touched on a debate about professional athletes kneeling during the national anthem and was ultimately pulled from the schedule. In addition to black-ish, Barris created the spin-off Grown-ish, which airs on Freeform and stars Yara Shahidi, and wrote the screenplay for last years comedy hit Girls Trip. He also co-created the reality competition series Americas Next Top Model. Staff writer Yvonne Villarreal contributed to this report. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour meredith.blake@latimes.com Follow me @MeredithBlake The Los Angeles Times will honor late restaurant critic Jonathan Gold with several tributes at its upcoming Taste food festival during Labor Day weekend. Held annually over three nights at the Paramount Pictures lot in Hollywood, the Taste was previously co-hosted by Gold, who died July 21 of pancreatic cancer. At this years event, which kicks off on Friday, Aug. 31, attendees can take photos in front of a silhouette of Gold at Cafe L.A. Times. There will also be a light installation displaying his Five Rules for Dining in Los Angeles (One: If the restaurant you have been directed to lies between the 7-Eleven and the dry cleaners in a dusty strip mall, then youre probably at the right place.) Many participating restaurants, including Faith & Flower, Pacific Dining Car, Herringbone and Chiguacle Sabor Ancestral de Mexico, will honor Gold at the Taste with special dishes inspired by him. Advertisement Remembrances and tributes to Gold have been appearing all over the L.A. area in recent weeks. Several landmarks and buildings lit up in gold lights on July 28, what would have been his 58th birthday. Guerrilla Tacos unveiled a silhouette of Gold in its new Arts District restaurant. Baco Mercat made hand-dyed T-shirts, with all proceeds donated to Golds family. And theres a new street art mural at Pico Boulevard and South Barrington Avenue in West L.A. A separate event dedicated solely to Gold is being planned for Sunday, Aug. 26, in downtown L.A. More details on that gathering will be announced soon. andrea.chang@latimes.com Twitter: @byandreachang When it was announced that the Hotel Figueroa was going to receive a multimillion-dollar makeover in 2015, many people worried that the quirky boutique hotel would lose its bold, Moroccan charm. Created by the Young Womens Christian Assn., the 12-story hotel originally opened in 1926 as an exclusive womens hostelry that catered to female travelers. Following a lengthy two-year renovation, the hotels redesign honors the hotels history with stylish feminine touches and 21st century luxuries that meet the needs of modern travelers. Curious to know more? Tour the hotel with architects Rocky Rockefeller and Keith Ireland of Rockefeller Kempel Architects when the Los Angeles chapter of the American Institute of Architects hosts a tour of the hotel on Aug. 23. Advertisement Hotel Figueroa tour When: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday Aug. 23 Where: 939 S. Figueroa St., downtown Los Angeles Tickets: $25 to $35 Info: aialosangeles.org ALSO: The subtle ways the Hotel Figueroas redesign is a tribute to women Go inside four DTLA boutique hotels where style is the thing More Southern California home tours lisa.boone@latimes.com Twitter: @lisaboone19 For an easy way to follow the L.A. scene, bookmark L.A. at Home and join us on our Facebook page for home design, Twitter and Pinterest. In 2013, Veronica Pratt, a transgender woman, was arrested and booked into the Alternative Lifestyle Tank at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga. There, along with other gay, bisexual and transgender inmates, Pratt was kept in her cell for about 23 hours a day. She was not allowed to work, take vocational classes or participate in religious services, according to allegations described in a federal class-action lawsuit filed four years ago by the American Civil Liberties Union and the law firm of Kaye, McLane, Bednarski & Litt LLP. It was just depressing. It was demeaning, Pratt, 33, of San Bernardino said Wednesday. Advertisement Its a struggle being incarcerated and then to have someone tell you ... You cant go to classes, you cant try to better yourself because of your sexual orientation. Its degrading. This week, attorneys involved in the case announced they had reached a proposed settlement agreement with the county that would compel the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department to change the way it treats gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex inmates. In their complaint, inmates described numerous cases in which they were subjected to hateful speech from deputies who called them and the detention unit by slurs and derogatory terms. Numerous inmates said they, like Pratt, were let out of their cells for only about one hour a day, were denied equal access to drug rehabilitation and educational programs, and were unable to participate in work programs that could potentially help reduce their sentences. Dan McKibben, a former sheriffs deputy from Indiana, was one of those inmates. In 2014, he was arrested on a parole violation and taken to the Alternative Lifestyle Tank after he told deputies he was gay when he was being booked. When youre sworn, youre sworn. And I took that oath, McKibben said at a news conference when the lawsuit was filed. These guys, every other minute, were violating that. McKibben, who became the lead plaintiff in the case, died in 2016. The settlement agreement, which was filed in federal court in Riverside, would compel the county to offer more housing options for gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex inmates; lift restrictions on participation in work, educational, religious and community reentry programs; and establish a committee that will meet regularly with incarcerated gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people to discuss their housing options. Transgender and intersex inmates will also have the opportunity to be housed based on their gender identity. The settlement also includes a nearly $1-million payment that will be divided among class members. And the Alternative Lifestyle Tank will be renamed the GBTI Unit gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex. Inmates will still have the option of being housed in that unit. But when they are, they will have equal access to classes, time out of their cells, rehabilitation courses and other programs that other inmates are able to take advantage of, said ACLU of Southern California staff attorney Brendan Hamme. Nobody should have to suffer discrimination while they are incarcerated, Hamme said. Its detrimental to their emotional well-being and their prospects for rehabilitation. Jodi Miller, spokeswoman for the Sheriffs Department, declined to comment because the settlement has not been approved by the judge. A hearing in the case is scheduled in September. paloma.esquivel@latimes.com For more Inland Empire news follow me @palomaesquivel Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musks tunneling company on Wednesday announced a proposal to build another tunnel in Los Angeles, a 3.6-mile underground route that would carry fans between Dodger Stadium and a nearby Metro subway station. The Boring Co. said the Dugout Loop would be a zero-emissions, high-speed transportation system that could carry fans in about four minutes between Elysian Park and a Metro station along Vermont Avenue, at Beverly Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard or Sunset Boulevard. Pods carrying passengers would whiz through the tunnel at speeds of up to 150 mph, resting on self-driving platforms called skates, the Boring Co. said. The trip would cost about $1, and riders would purchase tickets in advance through a mobile app. Mayor Eric Garcetti called the plan innovative on Wednesday. Tucker Kain, chief financial officer of the Dodgers, said in a statement that the organization is committed to working with our neighbors and fans as the project moves forward. Advertisement The tunnel proposal comes months after a company funded by former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt suggested a $125-million plan to build an aerial gondola route between Union Station and the stadium. Well race you there, said the companys founder, Drew McCourt, in a statement Wednesday. The tunnel would be initially limited to 1,400 riders per day, or about 3% of the average attendance at a Dodgers game, but could be increased to allow 2,800 passengers based on demand, according to preliminary environmental documents filed with the city of Los Angeles this week. With a daily capacity of 2,800 riders, Musks tunnel could carry a similar number of riders as the Metro express bus from Union Station to Dodger Stadium. The bus, which runs on bus-only lanes on Sunset Boulevard, carried 241,000 fans to 81 home games in 2017 during the regular season and the playoffs, an average of 2,975 riders per game. It doesnt seem like Dodger Stadiums traffic problems have been solved as a result of the bus-only lanes, said Juan Matute, a UCLA lecturer in urban planning. It seems like people have a different available option to get there, and this could be another different viable option. The system could also operate at a lower frequency on days without a Dodgers game, the company said, although how transit service would work in a tunnel that allows one direction of travel at a time is not clear. Construction would not begin until the proposal is fully approved. The Boring Co. said work would take up to 14 months. The proposal will face a thicket of requirements and approvals from regulators in California and Washington, D.C., before construction could begin. That includes certification from the Federal Railroad Administration that the skate method of transportation is safe. The Dodgers tunnel plan follows a proposed a 2.7-mile tunnel parallel to Sepulveda Boulevard in West L.A., where Musk had proposed allowing his engineers to hone their digging techniques and test the proposed skate technology. The City Councils public works committee agreed in April to exempt the tunnels construction from Californias rigorous environmental review process. Weeks later, two neighborhood groups sued L.A. over the waiver, blocking the tunnels progress. Boring Co. officials wrote on their website this week that the company has made technical progress much faster than expected and has decided to make its first tunnel in Los Angeles an operational one, rather than a test. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek UPDATES: 5:45 p.m., Aug. 16: This article was updated with reaction and additional details of the tunnel proposal. This article was originally published at 9:50 p.m. on Aug. 15. Each day on the front lines of Californias largest wildfire, firefighters start their shifts noting their safety zones and escape routes. Flames from the Mendocino Complex are still ripping through thousands of acres a day of steep, mountainous terrain packed with dead oak trees standing and fallen and littered with leaves and pine needles. 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. Every five or 10 minutes, theyre encouraged to look up, look around and make a sound. 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. Conditions have been ripe for the erratic fire behavior that has led to explosive growth of the Ranch fire, which along with the River fire makes up the 364,145-acre Mendocino Complex. 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 between 15 mph and 25 mph. Advertisement 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, presenting another challenge for firefighters. Unlike the Clear Lake area, which is fairly accessible by road, these communities are farther into the forest, which is so dense that its difficult to get in along the bumpy dirt roads. Its hard for us to get crews in there to be safe. As you know, we lost a firefighter two days ago, which kind of made us step back and reevaluate, Pappas said. You could be doing everything right and still stuff goes wrong. Cal Fire spokesman Cary Wright said the persistent low humidity has allowed the fires to continue growing once by 9,400 acres in just 24 hours. Temperatures were expected to drop and humidity levels to increase this week. 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. Nighttime humidity levels have consistently been in the teens to 30% range. Tuesday night, the humidity reached 80%. 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 the Snow Mountain Wilderness. They are using natural and man-made 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. Wright said the Mendocino Complex has expanded to four counties: Mendocino, Lake, Glenn and Colusa. And on Aug. 11, the Ranch fire surpassed the size of Decembers 281,893-acre Thomas fire, making it the largest single fire in recorded California history. Prosecutors on Thursday announced additional felony charges against a man accused of holding customers hostage inside a Trader Joes market last month and engaging in a gun battle with Los Angeles police officers one of whom mistakenly shot and killed a store manager. Gene Evin Atkins, who appeared in a downtown courtroom dressed in blue jail scrubs for a hearing in his murder case, stared ahead as a prosecutor announced 20 new criminal counts against him, bringing the total to 51. The new counts include false imprisonment of a hostage, mayhem and assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury. His bail, which had been set at $18.7 million, was increased to $23 million. A judge postponed Atkins arraignment until Sept. 19, allowing the defense more time to review evidence. On July 21, investigators said, Atkins shot his grandmother, kidnapped his girlfriend and fired a gun at police officers from his car during a frenzied chase from Hollywood to Silver Lake, where he rammed into a light post on Hyperion Avenue. Advertisement As he sprinted toward the grocery stores entrance, Atkins fired from his hip and police returned a barrage of bullets, according to dashboard video footage released by the Los Angeles Police Department a few days after the shooting. During the confrontation, store manager Melyda Maricela Corado, 27, whom customers remembered for her constant smile and eagerness to help, was killed. At a news conference, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore announced that a bullet from an officers gun had killed Corado and offered condolences to her family. Its every officers worst nightmare, Moore said. While Atkins, 28, did not fire the fatal round, prosecutors charged him under the legal theory known as the provocative act murder doctrine, which says that he can be held responsible if prosecutors prove that his alleged criminal acts set off a series of events that led to the death. Once inside the store, Atkins who was struck in the arm during the firefight held a group of shoppers and employees hostage for three hours, according to eyewitness accounts relayed to The Times. As they waited, hostage MaryLinda Moss recounted, she used her shirt to wrap Atkins bleeding arm and rested her hand on his heart. Theres always hope, Moss recalled telling him. I know you have a good heart, and I know you dont want to hurt anybody. You dont know what Ive done, Atkins responded, according to the hostage. If convicted of all charges, including kidnapping, attempted murder of a police officer and driving recklessly while fleeing authorities, Atkins faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. marisa.gerber@latimes.com For more news from the Los Angeles County courts, follow me on Twitter: @marisagerber An additional 30 women sued USC on Wednesday, claiming that the university failed to protect them from abuse and mistreatment by the longtime campus gynecologist, Dr. George Tyndall. The new claims bring the total number of patients suing USC to more than 340 and come as students return to the Los Angeles campus for the start of the fall semester. Interim President Wanda Austin, a graduate of USCs engineering school who was selected last week to steer the university during a search for a permanent successor to C.L. Max Nikias, was set to address incoming students Thursday. I will tell everyone gathered that the universitys senior leadership is fully committed to bringing about change that will renew us in both purpose and action, Austin wrote in a letter issued Wednesday to alumni, students and staff. My decision to serve as interim president was motivated by my love for, and dedication to, our great university. Advertisement In the latest lawsuit, former patients ranging in age from 22 to 52 accused Tyndall of touching them inappropriately, making lewd remarks and performing vaginal exams without gloves. Among the plaintiffs, all of whom were anonymous in court papers, a former graduate student now living in Taiwan alleged that around 2014 and 2015, Tyndall groped her breasts and made harassing comments. The doctor told her, Taiwans ob-gyn doctors always have a lot of fun with girls, according to the lawsuit. Another former patient said that during a 1998 pelvic exam, Tyndall probed her vagina for several minutes and told her that she would need a man with a big penis to satisfy her, according to the lawsuit. FULL COVERAGE: USC former gynecologist Dr. George Tyndall accused of inappropriate behavior Tyndall, 71, has denied any wrongdoing and said his exams were always appropriate. His defense attorneys echoed his denials in statements to The Times. Dr. Tyndall takes all allegations seriously, but he continues to maintain that he engaged in no criminal conduct, and that his medical examinations were always within the standard of care for such examinations, said Leonard Levine, a criminal defense lawyer. N. Denise Taylor, who is representing Tyndall in scores of civil lawsuits, said she was confident that her clients exams were within the standard of care in the community during the relevant time periods. USC has indicated it wants to resolve the cases as a group and without a lot of legal wrangling. Chairman Rick Caruso of the universitys board of trustees recently told The Times he wanted to see the cases settled as quickly as possible. Allegations of misconduct by Tyndall were brought to light by a Times investigation published in May. The Times reported that an internal USC investigation concluded that Tyndalls behavior during pelvic exams was outside the scope of current medical practice and amounted to sexual harassment of patients. But in a secret deal last summer, top administrators allowed Tyndall to resign quietly with a financial payout. The university did not inform Tyndalls patients. Nor did USC report him at the time to the Medical Board of California, the agency responsible for protecting the public from problem doctors. USC contended that it was under no legal obligation to report Tyndall but did so in March. A statement from the university said that in hindsight, USC should have reported him earlier. The allegations against Tyndall prompted hundreds of former patients to come forward and recount their experiences with the gynecologist. USCs handling of Tyndall also sparked a faculty uprising against Nikias, leading to his formal resignation last week. matt.hamilton@latimes.com Twitter: @MattHjourno When the Trump administration proposed opening California waters to drilling on an unprecedented scale, state leaders said they would do whatever it takes to keep new oil operations at bay. But promises only go so far. For the record: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsoms current role with the State Lands Commission. He is no longer chairman. So some in Sacramento now are trying to lock those pledges into law safeguarding the coast from offshore drilling no matter the whims of future administrations. Despite decades of lawsuits and regulations, the states ability to block offshore drilling hinges largely on whos in power in the state Capitol. Even with staunch opposition by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown and pledges from both candidates vying to be the next governor, future leaders could still allow new drilling if they choose. Advertisement Two bills that could live or die Thursday would close that possibility by barring state land managers from allowing the construction of new pipelines, piers, wharves or other infrastructure necessary to transport the oil and gas from water to land. In a state where polls show 69% of residents oppose more drilling off their coast, such legislation may seem like a shoo-in. But unfortunately its not, said Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), acting chair of the Assemblys Natural Resources Committee. A similar Senate bill last year failed amid pressure from powerful oil and business interests that said stripping the state of this decision-making authority could do more harm than good. Muratsuchi said he agreed to team up with state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) and seven coauthors this year to reintroduce the issue as nearly identical bills in the Assembly and the Senate, and overcome what he said were the key challenges: Oily Democrats, a more business-friendly Assembly than in years past, and powerful lobbying alliances in Sacramento. The stalling of the legislation last year marked an instance in which California, famous for leading the charge on environmental laws, left other states to pave the way. New Jersey and New York picked up and adopted similar legislation this year. Delaware and Maryland are also looking to pass laws that would bar new drilling in state waters. But with mounting public pushback against the Trump administrations efforts to upend Californias environmental protections, backers say the bills have a new urgency this year. We need to take control of what we can control and what we can control is our state land and waters, said Richard Charter, a senior fellow at the Ocean Foundation who has worked on oil issues for 40 years. I have never seen this level of danger to Californias coastline. Read more: Here is where the Trump administration wants to expand offshore oil and gas drilling (Los Angeles Times) Bills AB 1775 and SB 834 would prohibit the State Lands Commission, which has jurisdiction over tidelands and waters extending roughly three miles offshore, from granting leases for new pipelines and infrastructure the most economical way to transport oil and gas to land. The Senate version of the bill goes a step further, banning the commission from renewing an existing lease if that action will result in increased oil or natural gas production from federal waters. Currently, the commissions oil decisions are subject to the vote of two elected officials, the lieutenant governor and the state controller, and one appointee of the governor, the director of the state Department of Finance. Both Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Democratic candidate for governor, and John Cox, the Republican candidate who has Trumps backing, have declared that the commissions current commitment to barring new leases would not change under their leadership. I oppose any new offshore oil drilling or expansion in Californias coastal waters, Cox said in a statement to The Times. As Governor, I would look actively for potential appointees to the State Lands Commission who reflect this important view and will actively work to find new or creative solutions instead of expanding drilling off of California. The State Lands Commission has not taken a public stance on the bills. But Newsom has vowed that under his watch, not a single drop from Trumps new oil plan ever makes landfall in California. But the commission has not always taken that position. Richard Frank, director of the California Environmental Law and Policy Center at UC Davis, said perspectives can shift, as they did in the 1980s when the commission supported developing oil and gas in state tidelands off the Santa Barbara coast. Amid mounting protest, he said, the commission ultimately voted 2 to 1 to reject Arcos Coal Oil Point project. Locking a policy into state law which individual gubernatorial appointees or independently elected constitutional officers cannot change really is the best, most effective tool in the toolbox, he said. The bills have sparked opposition by a coalition of business, manufacturing and oil groups. Republicans in Congress have also proposed financial penalties for states that try to block offshore drilling. The Western States Petroleum Assn., which has spent more than $11.5 million for lobbying on a variety of bills during this legislative session, said the offshore drilling legislation could force unintended fiscal and environmental consequences. The measures would remove the commissions authority to ensure that oil is transported by the safest methods available, said Catherine Reheis-Boyd, the groups president. Rock Zierman, chief executive officer of the California Independent Petroleum Assn., called the bills misguided measures that would further threaten our states energy security and affordability. California has the nations strongest environmental safeguards, Zierman said, so it makes sense to meet our energy needs here under these strict standards, instead of relying upon more imported oil that is produced without these protections and impacts the environment when it is transported here by tanker ship or rail car. Pushback isnt coming solely from oil interests, whose money has influence across party lines. Opponents include the California Manufacturers & Technology Assn., the Orange County Business Council and the California Chamber of Commerce. In letters against the legislation, the chamber cited concerns raised over last years bill by the Department of Finance, which warned of increased litigation and estimated the legislation would result in General Fund losses of $1 million to $5 million. It is in the states best interest to keep the evaluation and decision-making for leases in public lands and tidelands in the hands of state experts with a proven track record of environmental protection, the business groups letter said. Oil and gas production from the states tidelands peaked in the 1960s and has been more or less declining ever since. The state has not issued a new offshore oil and gas lease since a devastating 1969 spill in Santa Barbara turned public sentiment against offshore drilling. In 1994, the state Legislature passed the California Coastal Sanctuary Act, which prohibits new leasing in state waters. Workers try to soak up oil in Santa Barbara Harbor after a devastating spill in 1969 that sparked Californias decades-long distaste for offshore drilling. (Don Cormier / Los Angeles Times) Over the decades, governors across party lines, State Lands and the California Coastal Commission have fought off additional offshore drilling challenging federal efforts in court when necessary. When the Reagan administration sought to open much of the nations outer continental shelves, 24 cities and counties across California passed local laws banning new infrastructure that would support offshore drilling. Seventeen were sued by oil companies, but the local ordinances all still exist in some form today. Now, with the Trump administration proposing to open vast areas off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to oil and gas exploration and drilling through a leasing program beginning as early as 2019, state lawmakers say California needs to wake up to a new reality. Read more: Trump administration steps up war with California over environmental protections We here in California need to be speaking loud and clear about our opposition to these kinds of reckless, destructive and absolutely inexplicable efforts to undermine our planet and our environment and our public health, said Jackson, who wrote the Senate bills last year and this year. And the most effective way is to make it a state law. Whether the bills move forward hinges this week on whether they move out of the appropriations committees in both houses of the Legislature. Last years bill got stuck at this step. If either of the bills pass, Brown would have until the end of September to take action. Trump, many say, has galvanized a state that may have gotten complacent about fighting to protect its coastline. Even last year when the Senate bill died, the threat of new offshore drilling didnt feel imminent, said Linda Krop, chief counsel of the Environmental Defense Center. Its pretty scary what this administration can do, she said. Everyone finally woke up and said, Oh my God, this threat is real. rosanna.xia@latimes.com Interested in coastal issues? Follow @RosannaXia on Twitter. Garry Twin Dorton tried to keep young people in South Los Angeles from making the same mistakes he did when he was an active gang member. He helped them get jobs and stay out of trouble. After a killing, he talked them out of retaliating. He led his neighborhood in a softball league that aimed to build peace among Crips gangs. But mediating disputes between gangs can be dangerous work. On July 1, Dorton was fatally shot outside a friends house on the 4500 block of South Van Ness Avenue. The peacemaker had become a target. Advertisement Los Angeles police Wednesday announced the arrest of three men in their teens and early 20s the very group that Dorton, 48, devoted his life to saving in connection with his death. The suspects, who were arrested between July 13 and Aug. 13, are Brandon Dixon, 22; Dejone Wright, 20; and Omario Guerrero, 18. Each has been charged with one count of murder and four counts of attempted murder. At about 8 p.m., detectives said, three men drove by the house on Van Ness, then parked. Two of them walked up and opened fire on Dorton and five others. Another man was seriously injured and spent weeks in the hospital but is expected to survive. Detectives believe Wright and Guerrero were the shooters. The shooters were from a rival gang, and they came looking for Dorton, Capt. Peter Whittingham, head of the South Bureau Homicide Division, said at a news conference. We believe that this was deliberate, determined, Whittingham said. The killers knew who they were looking for, and we believe Garry was among the people they were looking for. But Whittingham said he did not know why the young men were angry at Dorton, a father of five who was a gang interventionist for the mayors Gang Reduction and Youth Development program. Whittingham called Dorton one of the good guys. To the extent that you have people like Garry who try to find different ways to bring rival communities together, to find common ways they can come together and break bread and play games and enjoy, as opposed to shooting at each other thats what he and others were doing, Whittingham said. Its a tragic situation that some of the very people who he was trying to save, trying to bring prosperity to, trying to motivate and mentor, unfortunately those were some of the same people who took his life. Dortons grandmother, Eula Montgomery, said that shortly before his death, he came by to wish her a happy birthday. She urged him to go home, but he made a stop at his friends house on the same block. I always tried to get him to move out of the community, but he loved that community, she said. You could always find Garry on that street where he was raised and born. At the news conference, many of Dortons friends and relatives wore shirts with his photograph embedded in a Milwaukee Brewers glove logo, with Twin 1 on the back, to honor his leading role in the Crips softball league. Ive been hurting ever since this happened. Ive not been the same since, said Dortons identical twin, Jerry Dorton. Maybe Ill have some closure now. cindy.chang@latimes.com Twitter: @cindychangLA Hundreds of newspapers nationwide pushed back Thursday against President Trumps frequent attacks on the press and his assertion that the news media is the enemy of the people. In a coordinated campaign, the newspapers from Massachusetts to Hawaii released editorials calling on Trump to curb his rhetoric about the news media. While presidents have long complained about the press, none went as far as Trump in his public derision. Trump often repeats the same words to describe the media dishonest, disgusting, fake, opposition party. We all as citizens have a stake in this fight, and the battle lines seem pretty clear, wrote the Miami Heralds editorial board. If one first comes successfully for the press as an enemy of the American People, what stops someone coming next for your friends? Your family? Or you? Not all editorial boards heeded the call. Among the abstainers were the Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Los Angeles Times. Advertisement Nicholas Goldberg, editorial page editor for The Times, noted past editorials that the newspaper has run on freedom of the press and the current administration. The editorial board decided not to write about the subject on this particular Thursday because we cherish our independence, Goldberg wrote. We would not want to leave the impression that we take our lead from others, or that we engage in groupthink. Among those that did join the campaign, the Denver Post argued that Trump is a difficult politician to cover. His tweets and factually inaccurate statements frequently put him at loggerheads with the media. In a vacuum void of his outlandish statements, some of Trumps policies would earn more straightforward media coverage, wrote the Post. It has become a destructive cycle where the media covers Trumps words and instead of self-reflection following scathing media reports, Trump cries fake news. On Twitter, the hashtag #freepress trended nationwide. Trump quickly hit back against the editorials, assailing the news media as the opposition party. THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country....BUT WE ARE WINNING! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018 He added: There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018 The release of roughly 300 editorials on Thursday was spearheaded by editorial page editors at the Boston Globe, which last week urged newspaper editorial boards to produce opinion pieces about Trumps attacks on the media. The news outlets participating included large papers the Globe, the New York Times, the Houston Chronicle and the very, very small, such as the Swellesley Report, which claims to offer more than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass. Because were so very local, the news we cover is about as real as it gets. Were fly-under-the radar types who post about school events and other around-town doings, the online publication wrote. As you already know, nothing much happens in Wellesley. To the extent that anything does happen, the editorial went on, it is the 1st Amendment that ensures that no one tries to stop us from publishing the weekly police log, or about car crashes, or the occasional tragedy that of course touches even our quiet corner of the world. kurtis.lee@latimes.com Twitter: @kurtisalee In an effort to ramp up pressure for political changes in Iran, the State Department has set up a task force to coordinate punitive measures, including sanctions and oil boycotts, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo said Thursday. Pompeo said the Iran Action Group would closely synchronize policy across the government, the latest step the Trump administration has taken since it withdrew from the landmark Iran nuclear deal in May with the stated goal of ending Tehrans support for militant groups in the Middle East, among other malign behavior. Pompeo said the administration is willing to talk to Iranian leaders, but we must see major changes in the regimes behavior, both inside and outside of its borders. He said the new task force will reach out to other countries to create a true multinational undertaking in pressuring Iran. That may prove difficult since Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and Germany, the other signatories to the nuclear deal, all still support the accord. Advertisement The administration has said it is not trying to overthrow the Islamic government in Tehran. But critics and those who favored the nuclear accord argue that the White House demands would require a new leadership and even a different political system in Iran. Pompeo recently issued a 12-point list that demands Iran curtail production of ballistic missiles, withdraw forces from Syria, disarm Shiite militias in Iraq, and end support for Houthi rebels in Yemen and the ruling Hezbollah organization in Lebanon. He also said Iran must never acquire a nuclear bomb, and must stop all enrichment of uranium and allow unfettered access to all sites by U.N. inspectors two demands that Iran was already largely meeting under the 2015 nuclear deal that President Trump jettisoned. The new action group will be led by Brian Hook, who was director of policy planning at the State Department and one of the few survivors of the team that worked closely with Pompeos predecessor, Rex Tillerson. Trump fired Tillerson, former CEO of ExxonMobil, in March over several policy disagreements, including whether to stay in the Iran nuclear pact. Pompeo and Trumps national security advisor, John Bolton, are arguably more hawkish on Iran than the president. When he was in Congress, Pompeo suggested bombing Irans nuclear facilities, although he disavowed that during his confirmation hearing. Unlike with policy on Russia or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Trump and his administration appear united when it comes to challenging Iran. Hook cited his work with Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, as part of his expertise on Iran. Hook, who will become special representative for Iran, already was leading negotiations with allies to muster support for the administrations approach to Iran. The National Iranian American Council, which advocates for a detente with Tehran, likened the creation of the action group to the run-up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, when flawed intelligence and poor policy were used to make the case for war. The new group is an attempt to bypass normal channels at the State Department to implement Pompeos dangerous vision to destabilize Iran and close diplomatic options, said Jamal Abdi, the councils president. But critics of the Iran nuclear deal praised the decision, saying the new group establishes Iran as a major priority and will make it possible to marshal resources to squeeze its government. This is a strong rebuke to the mullahs who are betting that the Trump administration may become weaker over time, too preoccupied with domestic politics to pay much attention to Iran, said Mark Dubowitz, chief executive of the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, which advocates a hard line on Iran. The Trump administration already has revived economic sanctions that were lifted as part of the nuclear agreement and called for a boycott of Iranian oil. Most countries have not complied, risking secondary sanctions that Washington could impose to restrict their access to U.S. markets. The United States certainly hopes for full compliance with the sanctions, Hook said after Pompeo announced the new group. He added: We are prepared to impose secondary sanctions on other governments that continue this sort of trade with Iran. In response to a question, Hook said it was pure coincidence that the announcement came on the anniversary of the CIA-backed coup in 1953 that ousted Irans democratically elected government in favor of a pro-Western monarchy. The current government dates back to the 1979 Iranian Revolution. tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter. West Virginias House of Delegates made history this week when it voted to impeach every sitting Supreme Court justice in the state. Republicans cheered, saying they were one step closer to removing an unethical bench prone to excessive spending. Democrats complained, with one calling the move a witch hunt designed to push the court rightward with Republican replacements. The 11 articles of impeachment that passed Monday against four justices in West Virginia after hours of debate set the stage for a showdown in the state Senate, which will try the judges and decide whether to remove them from office. Advertisement No date has been set for trial. In the meantime, two judges have quit and legislators are making their cases for or against the remaining jurists in an attempt to sway a case that could have long-lasting effects on one of the countrys poorest states. Who was impeached? The House of Delegates, which is made up mostly of Republicans, voted to remove two Democratic and two Republican justices. The Democrats are Chief Justice Margaret Workman and Justice Robin Davis. The Republicans are Justice Allen Loughry who is also named in a federal indictment on charges related to those made in the impeachment and Justice Beth Walker. On Tuesday, Davis announced her resignation and accused Republicans of plotting against Democrats. Another Democrat, Justice Menis Ketchum, resigned last month and admitted to charges of wire fraud. Justice Robin Davis announced her retirement at a news conference on Tuesday. (Craig Hudson / Associated Press) Whats the back story? Local TV news journalists last year investigated the court and found that Loughry and other justices spent excessively on office renovations and furniture and failed to call each other out on the spending. The purchases included a $32,000 couch and a $7,500 wooden floor medallion for Loughrys office, as well as an $8,000 chair for Davis. In total, the judges spending on high-priced furniture and decor added up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Walker and Workman also stand accused of spending more than a $100,000 each. Davis was impeached because of office renovations that cost $500,000 and Loughry for $363,000 in similar spending. Loughry, Workman and Davis also were charged with letting some judges get paid more than they are legally allowed. Loughry is under a 25-count federal indictment accusing him of making false statements and tampering with witnesses. He has an October trial date. He is said to have requested that state workers move furniture to his home. He is also accused of taking a state car to signings he conducted for his book, Dont Buy Another Vote, I Wont Pay for a Landslide: The Sordid And Continuing History of Political Corruption in West Virginia. Members of the West Virginia House Judiciary Committee examined a $7,500 floor map in the office of Justice Allen Loughry earlier this month. (Perry Bennett / Associated Press) Is the spending illegal? Federal prosecutors are preparing a case against Loughry to say he violated federal law. The FBI monitored the now-suspended judge after suspicions arose that he was defrauding the state. The alleged fraud included misuse of official cars and credit cards for nonwork business and lying to other judges about the matter, knowingly making false mileage claims when he was using a state car, and the illegal conversion to his own personal use of a valuable and historic desk that belonged to the Supreme Court. Loughry is also accused of intentionally misleading government investigators and trying to influence a court employees testimony amid an investigation into his office renovations. Under West Virginia law, the legality of spending by the judges is murkier. The state is atypical for allowing the Supreme Court to set and manage its budget. On Monday, legislators spent much of their time debating whether excessive spending among the judges was illegal or simply in bad taste. An amendment up for vote in the fall will give the Legislature the power to oversee the judicial budget. The state Capitol in Charleston, W.Va. (Christian Tyler Randolph / Associated Press) Why do many Republicans and Democrats disagree on impeachment? Democrats largely supported the impeachment of Loughry, who was elected in 2012. But they came out strongly against impeaching members of their own party. Thats because if judges are removed, their replacements would be appointed by Republican Gov. Jim Justice. Those new justices would be in place until 2020. The Legislature could also decide to call for special elections before then. Impeaching judges other than Loughry was a power grab, was a takeover of the court and using the impeachment process to take over another branch of government, said Delegate Barbara Evans, a Democrat, in a statement to the Associated Press. Republicans disagreed. It has become clear that our Supreme Court has breached the public trust and lost the confidence of our citizens, House Speaker Pro Tempore John Overington, a Republican, said in a statement. This somber action today is an essential step toward restoring the integrity of our states highest court. Legislators inspected the office of Justice Robin Davis at the West Virginia Supreme Court this month. (Perry Bennett / Associated Press) What do the justices say? Davis, who was on the court for 21 years, said she resigned only so her seat would be up for election in November instead of it being filled by a Republican appointee. Ketchum, who pleaded guilty to federal charges last month, will also see his replacement elected in November. Elected justices serve for 12 years. Other judges have largely denied wrongdoing or not commented. Walker, who joined the court last year, defended herself this week by saying spending patterns predated her time on the bench. Workman said in a statement that she would place all the facts before the Senate in the next phase of this process. Loughry did not comment after his impeachment. What happens to court cases? The court completed the cases on its schedule before the summer break. Its next term starts in September. jaweed.kaleem@latimes.com Twitter: @jaweedkaleem Democrats are complaining that Republicans who control the U.S. Senate are in a rush to confirm Brett Kavanaugh for a seat on the Supreme Court without an adequate airing of his record. Republicans respond that Democrats are demanding documents from Kavanaughs days in the George W. Bush administration in order to derail a nominee they consider eminently well qualified who would move the court to the right. Theyre both right. Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, scheduled Kavanaughs confirmation hearings to start Sept. 4, potentially putting him on the court before the committee has acquired even the information Republicans acknowledge they need to fairly evaluate him. At the same time, its unlikely that many of the Democrats who are demanding to see papers from Kavanaughs service as Bushs staff secretary more than a decade ago are open-minded and looking for information to enable them to make a decision; rather, theyre hoping to find a smoking gun that will doom a nomination they never were going to support. Advertisement Yet the possibility that the Democrats have an ulterior motive doesnt alter the fact that they are right to insist that the Senate and the public be given the fullest possible picture of Kavanaughs legal views and character before he is confirmed to a lifetime appointment. The committee should insist on seeing any documents with a bearing on Kavanaughs credentials. Its true, as Republicans argue, that the most important window on how Kavanaugh would perform on the Supreme Court is provided by the hundreds of opinions he has written in 12 years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. But that doesnt mean the Senate shouldnt see relevant documents from the nonjudicial positions he has occupied. Heres why: Appeals court judges such as Kavanaugh are bound by precedents of the Supreme Court. But Supreme Court justices are free to overturn those precedents and apply their own views of the Constitution. Positions Kavanaugh took as a lawyer and staff member in the Bush administration could shed light on how he might rule when unconstrained by a higher authority. Grassley requested that the George W. Bush Presidential Library, part of the National Archives and Records Administration, provide records from Kavanaughs service in the White House counsels office (along with documents relating to his nomination as an appeals court judge). But he didnt ask for paperwork Kavanaugh handled as Bushs staff secretary, as Democrats have urged. Grassley has scoffed that those documents are the least probative of Judge Kavanaughs legal thinking and the most sensitive to the executive branch. Other Republicans have argued that as staff secretary Kavanaughs role was simply that of a traffic cop. Yet Kavanaugh himself, when asked what prior experiences helped prepare him to be a judge, said his time as staff secretary had been the most interesting and formative for me. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion It ought to be possible to distinguish documents that Kavanaugh merely forwarded to the president from those he wrote or commented on. And Democrats have offered to narrow the scope of the document hunt by supplying the archives with search terms that would exclude material not relevant to Kavanaughs views. Finally, in seeking additional documents from Kavanaughs White House service, Democrats arent interested only in gleaning his legal opinions. They also contend that Kavanaugh might have misled the Judiciary Committee in his 2006 confirmation hearings for the appeals court when he testified that he was unaware of Bush administration policies on warrantless wiretapping and the detention and torture of enemy combatants. These inquiries may be politically motivated, but producing the documents Democrats are seeking could settle the issue. Unfortunately, unless the Republicans have a change of heart, Kavanaughs record might not be fully ventilated before he goes before the Senate. The National Archives has warned that it might not be able to review all of the material until late October, weeks after Kavanaughs hearings are due to end. Committee Republicans hope to receive copies of the documents more quickly from a separate team headed by William Burck, a lawyer who served as Kavanaughs deputy in the Bush White House. But Democrats have questioned that arrangement, arguing that Burcks ties to Kavanaugh and figures close to President Trump could lead him to hold back documents harmful to the nominee. Grassley might not want to make concessions to Democratic senators who are likely to vote against Kavanaugh regardless of what documents are produced. But its also in the nominees interest for the confirmation process to be thorough, transparent and credible. The committee should insist on seeing any documents with a bearing on Kavanaughs credentials. If obtaining them requires that the hearings be delayed, so be it. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook Police officers should use deadly force only when they have no reasonable alternative. But that easy and obvious statement necessarily raises two questions: Who is to decide whether there were alternatives and they were reasonable? And what should be the consequences for police who fail to meet the standard? These questions are at the core of a nationwide discussion over policing and the troubling, and continuing, reports of fatal police shootings of unarmed Americans often African American men and boys. The somber roll call includes Ezell Ford in Los Angeles in 2014 and Stephon Clark in Sacramento earlier this year. In between there have been far too many, beyond merely those whose names have become headlines: Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and Laquan McDonald in Chicago in 2014. Tamir Rice in Cleveland the same year. Tony Robinson in Madison, Wis., and Walter Scott in North Charleston, S.C., in 2015. Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Okla., Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, La., in 2016. Changes in police practice are frustratingly slow, and local governments have struggled to raise standards while still acknowledging the very difficult, dangerous and necessary work that law enforcement officers perform. For the record: An earlier version of this editorial referred to the death of an unarmed black man in Ferguson, Mo., named Eric Garner. It should have said Michael Brown. After the fact, departments can fire or otherwise discipline police who were too quick to pull the trigger. But do they? In California, confidentiality laws make it virtually impossible for the public to find out. Survivors might sue those officers, but immunity laws often prevent compensation. When lawsuits do go forward, cities and counties may pay huge damage awards, which drain the treasury (and the taxpayers pockets) without necessarily changing the behavior of police. Activists can demand criminal prosecution of individual officers but district attorneys seldom bring charges because laws grant police officers wide latitude in performing their duties. Departments can fire or otherwise discipline police who were too quick to pull the trigger. But do they? Advertisement In Los Angeles County, for example, Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey declined to file criminal charges against LAPD Officer Clifford Proctor for fatally shooting Brendon Glenn near the Venice boardwalk in 2015, though even then-Chief Charlie Beck said Glenn should be prosecuted. Protesters have called for Laceys ouster over that decision and others, but at some point its not enough to change the officials. Its necessary to change the law. To that end, the Legislature is considering AB 931, a bill to tighten Californias laws on justifiable homicide and use of force by law enforcement officers. Its a timely and appropriate measure and deserves approval. Boiled down to its essence, police deadly force would be justified only when it is necessary to prevent imminent serious injury or death, and when there are no reasonable alternatives. What sorts of alternatives? Police would have to try to de-escalate situations, whether by moving, communicating or taking some other steps, when doing so is safe. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Now, police may use deadly force in situations in which a reasonable police officer would do so. The problem with that standard is that it is a sort of tautology. When is it reasonable for a police officer to use deadly force? Whenever other reasonable police officers would have done the same thing. Its a rule that slows the effect of rising standards in more forward-looking departments. The much-criticized LAPD, incidentally, is one of those more forward-looking departments. It has incorporated into its training the importance of de-escalation. It includes in its disciplinary process consideration of whether officers poor decisions unnecessarily put them in a situation in which they had to fire to protect their own lives. It emphasizes preservation of human life as the top goal in dangerous police encounters. A number of other departments have done the same thing. But those higher standards fall by the wayside when the case comes to a district attorney because neither police agencies nor the cities and counties of which they are a part can deviate from the states criminal laws. The bill would incorporate the higher standard of conduct into that criminal law. Officers whose gross negligence put them in a situation they had to shoot their way out of, or who shot when they could have employed nonlethal alternatives, could be charged with manslaughter. Its closer to the standard that every other Californian has to meet. Because we call on police to do dangerous work, they would still be left with a great deal of leeway just not quite as much as their colleagues nationwide have accorded themselves. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Its the meme that wont die: California as rotting husk. Rich businessman Tim Draper employed it to back his Cal 3 ballot measure, now disqualified. He collected hundreds of thousands of signatures from people who apparently bought the idea that California is in such dreadful shape it should be abolished, replaced by three new, smaller states. Drapers alarmism knows no bounds. He once said that the alternative to his proposal was to let the state flop around and die or wait until theres some sort of violent revolution. But California as the first failed state, which was a topic of national debate as the Great Recession ebbed, is nothing more than a durable myth. Our famously sunny skies are not falling. The Measure of America, a national human development index developed by the Social Science Research Council, combines data on life expectancy, income and educational attainment into a single score. (You can quibble with some parts of its methodology, but the basic criteria are sound nobody hopes their children die young amid poverty and ignorance.) Advertisement Measure of America researchers have found that California consistently outscores most other states, and the states development index ranking was higher in 2014, the last time they produced a full report on California, than it was in 2000. The numbers reveal stark inequalities within the state the San Jose area outperforms rich Connecticut while Bakersfield scores worse than poor Mississippi but overall, the metrics suggest that life in California is better than in most of the country, and better than it was here 20 years ago. Life in California is better than in most of the country, and better than it was here 20 years ago. Doomsayers like Draper often pick on the states size a sort of geographic fat-shaming and say that California is too big to function. In fact, economies of scale mean that we have a relatively lean state government, with fewer state employees as a share of population than most states. Being big also helps in addressing regional inequalities because rich parts of the state provide tax dollars to fund public services in the poor parts. Silicon Valley helps the Central Valley. Its tiny states that dont make much sense, not big ones. Start off with a blank map of North America and brainstorm a new system of optimal regional governments. Youll never come up with Rhode Island, but you might create California. Or consider the states public policy successes. When Californias financial crisis was at its worst, alarmists repeated the silly claim that California was ungovernable. It was a pamphleteers slogan fobbed off as a thinkers analysis. Even in hard times, the states policymaking process, goosed by ballot propositions in some cases, was getting things done. In the last 15 years, we have become a global leader in seeking to reduce carbon emissions, arguably the most important long-term issue facing humanity. We have enacted humane and economically sensible measures to provide public services for undocumented immigrants. The annual state budget deficits and delays that were once Exhibit A for California dysfunction have been transformed into surpluses, thanks in part to a better economy but also because of public policy decisions such as a tax increase focused on the wealthy and a revised budgetary process in the Legislature. Obviously Californians may disagree with specific policies, but its nonsense to claim that the state cant tackle big issues. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Finally, Chicken Littles like to note that more people are now leaving for other states than arriving from them. Then they stretch the truth to say that the state is depopulating, conjuring future visions of an empty land. But that claim ignores our attractiveness to foreign rather than state-to-state immigrants. California has about a quarter of the countrys foreign immigrant population, and although this kind of in-migration is slowing, the fact remains that California will have more people in the future, not fewer. Some California critics even argue that rich people and businesses are fleeing the state in droves, but thats false. One recent study of millionaire tax flight agreed with earlier research when it concluded that the most striking finding ... is how little elites seem willing to move to exploit tax advantages across state lines. The same thing is true of businesses. In 2015 researchers found that more businesses move into the state than move out, which also echoed previous studies. The Golden State has its problems, some of which are California-sized. The obscenely high cost of housing, for example, is far worse here than in other states, and it cries out for a statewide policy solution that has yet to be successfully articulated or passed into law. Others, such as excessive and increasing economic inequality, are more rooted in national trends. But acknowledging our challenges hardly means that the state should be given up for dead, or cut into pieces. Perhaps if people better understood that California is not falling apart, they would be less inclined to want to rip it apart. Ethan Rarick is the author of California Rising: The Life and Times of Pat Brown. He is the director of the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service at UC Berkeley. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand 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 When a fire alarm jarred Patrick McCallum from a deep slumber at 4 a.m., he tried to ignore it. He told himself that a stiff wind outside must have set it off. But McCallums wife, Sonoma State University President Judy Sakaki, got up and opened the bedroom door. She screamed, recalls McCallum, a community college lobbyist. I jumped out of bed and saw flames coming into the house. I was in boxer shorts, Judy in a robe. I grabbed my cellphone and we ran for our lives. It was indescribable. Dantes inferno 100-foot flames everywhere, trees exploding. The house was completely on fire. We headed uphill. Every place we stepped there were embers. We didnt have shoes. The smoke got thicker. We were hallucinating and dizzy. Advertisement Two off-duty firemen in a SUV rescued them. Without them, I wouldnt be talking to you now, McCallum told me the other day. That and the fact he had just changed the smoke alarm batteries a week earlier. If the couple had awakened a few seconds later, theyd probably have perished. McCallum and Sakaki were among the thousands of wine country fire victims who werent warned that a firestorm was headed their way last October. The lack of a good emergency warning system in California is one of the wildfire problems the Legislature is grappling with as it winds up its two-year session. Cellphone and TV emergency alerts dont reach many people at 4 a.m. or anytime, if the fire has killed cell service or electric power. How about the old-fashioned way? McCallum says. Police officers and firetrucks with bullhorns shouting, Evacuate now. McCallum is lobbying for homeowners and local governments in the current legislative debate. Sen. Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg), who represents part of wine country, is sponsoring a bill to require a statewide uniform alert system. More from George Skelton Were over-relying on cellphone technology, McGuire says. Its not acceptable that here in California, the land of innovation, we dont have a universal emergency alert system. Im tired of the excuse, It costs too much. Wildfires are costing lives. McGuires bill is expected to be included in a package of wildfire legislation that will be sent to Gov. Jerry Brown in the next two weeks. The Legislature is struggling with how to better prevent and deal with wildfires. It will pass something significant because this isnt a subject that lawmakers can kiss off as too tough. They cant procrastinate until next year. Voters would consider that unacceptable and could retaliate in the November election or at least should. Another expected piece of the legislative package will greatly increase forest thinning and brush clearance to reduce fire fuel. But there apparently wont be an all-out effort to beef up firefighting capabilities. The Brown administration says the firefighting force is already being gradually strengthened with modern helicopters and air tankers. But its not happening as quickly and extensively as one might think is needed given this summers record-breaking wildfires that have soiled our skies with unhealthful smoke especially if its the new normal, as Brown says. Coverage of California politics The most fiercely fought proposal has been pushed by utilities. Theyve been seeking some slack in financial liability when fires are started by their equipment, such as power lines blown down by wind. In the new normal of constant wildfires, they could go broke, the utilities argue. This has been a classic battle of powerful special interests mainly utilities versus insurance companies, both heavy campaign contributors. Unions and trial lawyers also are warring the former on the side of utilities, the latter allied with insurers. Local governments are fighting the utilities. Brown tried to help the utilities with a compromise proposal, but hardly anyone liked it. The utilities including Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Gas & Electric apparently have given up on changing the liability law. Theyre now asking for much less. On Tuesday, a legislative conference committee held a three-hour hearing on forest thinning and brush clearance. This is an unusual subject because its nonpartisan. Practically no one is against reducing fire fuel. President Trump, however, has tried to politicize it by claiming that Californias bad environmental laws have blocked forest thinning. There might be a smidgen of truth in that for state and private property. But the federal government owns 46% of California and needs to clean up its own forests. At the legislative hearing, UC Berkeley fire science professor Scott Stephens objected to calling wildfires the new normal. The idea of new normal to me means were actually giving up, Stephens told the lawmakers. He said that California needs to increase its forest thinning by five- to tenfold. The Brown administration, it seems to me, missed a golden opportunity to make the case for higher state investment in fire prevention and fighting. The Legislature this year allocated $160 million in cap-and-trade money derived from selling greenhouse gas emission permits for fire prevention. But Republicans practically begged for a reason to authorize more. Sen. Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres) repeatedly asked Cal Fire Director Ken Pimlott whether he was satisfied with his budget, and kept receiving non-answers. We sure the heck dont know what the proper funding is, the lawmaker said. They definitely dont have proper funding for a life-saving emergency alert system, and badly need it. george.skelton@latimes.com Follow @LATimesSkelton on Twitter Two local hospitals were recently recognized as being among the best hospitals in the state and the Los Angeles region. U.S. News and World Report Tuesday announced its annual Best Hospitals Honor Roll and ranked Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank and Adventist Health Glendale in Glendale to be two of the top 30 hospitals in the state due to their high procedure performance and medical specialties. Providence St. Joseph, which ranked 16th in Los Angeles and 30th in the state, received high marks for performing well during abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, colon cancer surgery, heart bypass surgery and heart failure treatment. Betsy Hart, a registered nurse and the chief nursing officer at St. Joes, said the hospitals success can be attributed to the strong partnership between the medical staff and the clinicians. The success comes from a team approach to patient care, she said. We have a fantastic group of physicians in many of the areas we were recognized for, but we still need to have a great group of primary care physicians on the case and excellent emergency room physicians who are seeing those patients. It does not end there. Hart said Providence St. Joseph has a great nursing staff that cares for the patients during their stay and after they are discharged and back home. The hospital has also been proactive in preventive healthcare, attending community events and educating the public about a healthier lifestyle, Hart said. Dr. Sue Melvin, the chief medical officer at St. Joes, said though its an honor to be recognized as one of the best hospitals in the region, what matters most to her and the staff there is the health of their patients and community. Its always wonderful to place high in a ranking, but the reality is that every day we want to take the best possible care of our patients. Its not for the ranking. Its because thats what we want to provide to the community. Adventist Health Glendale, which was previously known as Glendale Adventist Medical Center, also did well in the rankings, placing 15th in Los Angeles and 28th in the state. Alice Issai, the new president at Adventist Glendale, said it was a great accomplishment to see the hospital recognized along with other prestigious healthcare facilities in the region. Adventist Health Glendale performed well in several areas, including colon cancer surgery, heart failure treatment and addressing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It also was recognized for its specialties in geriatrics, neurology and orthopedics. The recognition is a result of having a comprehensive program around those specialties, Issai said. We have very talented physicians that are taking care of our patients and theres great collaboration with the physicians and the programs. She said her hospitals program for outpatient care is robust and makes sure each patient is taken well care of from the beginning of their stay to when theyre released. Having joined Adventist Health Glendale in July, Issai said she is impressed with how the healthcare facility has been managed. She hopes she can continue to guide the hospital toward providing the high level of care its known for. The challenge is to keep a relentless focus on healthcare and not slow down and say were at a good place, Issai said. We have to keep up with the work and continue our focus on care. anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio After six months of additional time, an economic development strategic plan that will help guide the city will now be put into place. Council members unanimously voted on Tuesday to support the five-year plan aimed at creating jobs, enticing and retaining businesses and luring travelers to the city, as well as providing amenities for residents and visitors. Staff initially presented the economic plan in February but was directed by the City Council to clarify information regarding the citys demographics and economic indicators. Mary Hamzoian, the citys economic development manager, outlined the strategies her department will be taking in the coming years to continue building the citys economy. She said much has already been done to attract new businesses to Burbank, including creating an economic development website, which is kept up to date about the current economic climate and city regulations, as well as offering a promotional video. Using demographic analytics, Hamzoian said her staff members have been able to identify the needs of residents and visitors, and in turn pursue businesses that could best address those requests. We attend trade shows and conventions to market and promote available properties and opportunity sites to potential businesses that are looking to come to Burbank, and we market and promote the city to decision-makers, developers and businesses looking to relocate, she said. Along with attracting new businesses, Hamzoian said it is more important to keep existing companies in town. Even greater than business attraction, retention of existing businesses and jobs is key to the economic vitality of a city, she said. If your existing businesses are happy and thriving, then more businesses will want to locate to your area. To make that they stay put and are happy, Hamzoian and her team meet with local business representatives to discuss how well they are doing and address any issues they might have. Councilman Bob Frutos conveyed concerns that many businesses in Magnolia Park have expressed, the biggest of which is increasing rents. When asked what was being done for mom-and-pop merchants like the ones in Magnolia Park, Hamzoian said the city can bring in consultants who can work with those specific businesses to help them with marketing, integrating technology to their stores and lease negotiations. Hamzoian also said the city organizes events called Burbank Tech Talks throughout the year, in which both experienced and new entrepreneurs can network and learn from one another. Hamzoian said she and her staff have been focusing on developing the citys tourism market, which she said has been a success so far. She has hired social media influencers from various mediums, mainly Instagram users, to help promote Burbank through their posts. Hamzoian added a downtown art and mural program was created to entice people to visit that area. Additionally, events such as the Burbank Car Classic, Burbank Beer Festival and Burbank Winter Wine Walk have drawn thousands of people to the downtown area, boosting activity for local businesses. anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio The Burbank City Council decided this week to keep its seat at the table where talks about the future of a coal-fired power plant are taking place. Council members voted unanimously on Tuesday to have the general manager of Burbank Water and Power submit a compliance filing with the California Energy Commission that would allow the city to participate in discussions regarding the Intermountain Power Plant in Delta, Utah. Lincoln Bleveans, assistant general manager of power supply for the local utility, said during a town hall meeting on Aug. 6 there is no shortage of power in Burbank, and he told the City Council on Tuesday the main reason to remain in the arrangement is to have access to the Southern Transmission System, the transmission line that currently transports power from the Utah plant into Southern California. He added that, although natural gas is what some of the cities and agencies want Intermountain to cover in its operations, other types of renewable energy solar, wind, geothermal or a mixture of those resources could be available at the site in the future. I see it as a renewable [energy] superhighway, Bleveans said. While the compliance filing would allow Burbank officials to have a say in what Intermountain becomes, Bleveans emphasized that it is not a commitment to purchase power from the Utah plant. He said a decision about whether the city should enter into a deal with the updated facility might happen in November 2019. When asked if the city could just have access to the transmission line, Bleveans said the current deal on the table would require cities and agencies to purchase energy from the power plant in order to use the line. However, he added that some agencies, including Burbank Water and Power, are trying to negotiate a deal that would allow the city-owned utility to opt out of its contract early but still maintain access to the transmission line. Bleveans said its important the city has access to the transmission line because its an existing infrastructure. Constructing new lines would be expensive and time intensive, he added. The Utah power plant will be ending its coal-powered operations by 2025 and was proposed to be converted into a natural gas-fired facility similar to the Magnolia Power Plant in Burbank with about four times the capacity, Bleveans said. The original plan for the natural gas-fired plant in Utah was to produce about 1,200 megawatts of energy but was recently scaled down to 840 megawatts, Bleveans said. The Intermountain plant has been losing many of its customers from California due to California Senate Bill 1368, which bars cities from buying or renewing long-term contracts with energy projects that produce too much pollution. Besides Burbank Water and Power, other participating utilities in the Intermountain project are in Glendale, Pasadena, Anaheim, Riverside and Los Angeles. anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio Laguna Beach is known far and wide as an art town. That reputation stems from its establishment as an art colony in the early 1900s, with artists Norman St. Clair, William Swift Daniell and Gardner Symons buying and building properties there. The artists who settled in the sleepy beach community were mostly transplants from the East Coast and Midwest. Many of them would go on to form the influential Laguna Beach Art Assn. in 1918. Through Jan. 13, the Laguna Art Museum is presenting Art Colony: The Laguna Beach Art Association, 1918-1935, an exhibition that looks back at the organization that would evolve into the art museum. Its also the cornerstone presentation of the museums centennial celebration, which has been taking place since the beginning of the year. Without those artists of a hundred years ago, we wouldnt even exist, said Malcolm Warner, the museums executive director since 2012. We try to keep up the traditions of openness and outreach that were part of their mission from the beginning, and will continue to pay homage to them by showing their work in our galleries. The Laguna Beach Art Assn.s first exhibit was in July 1918. The group officially formed in August that year with 150 charter members, of whom only 35 were artists. Janet Blake and Deborah Epstein Solon co-curated Art Colony, which features about 100 paintings, plus photos, ephemera and lots of historical information about individual artists. Blake is curator of historical art at the museum; Solon is an adjunct professor of art history at Saddleback College, Santa Ana College and Cal State Fullerton. Charles Percy Austins La Buenaventura is one of the works in the Laguna Art Museums current exhibition, Art Colony: The Laguna Beach Art Association, 1918-1935. The piece is on loan from the Bowers Museum. (Courtesy of Laguna Art Museum) Blake says she organized a similar show in 1986, celebrating the establishment of the Laguna art colony. But in this day and age, with the internet and computers ubiquitous and uber-powerful in research, the two found much more about the artists than had been unearthed in previous efforts. When I did this show in 1986, there was no internet, Blake said. There were none of the tools available today to research. Both Deb Solon and I learned so much more about the impact of the artists on this community and how it literally shaped the community as an American art colony and as a community whose focus remains today on the arts. Among the Laguna Beach Art Assn. founders were Anna Hills, Edgar Payne, Frank Cuprien, William Wendt, Marion and Elmer Wachtel and Conway Griffith. Works by each of those artists are featured in the current show. Over time, it became clear that many of the association members were not just artists but also environmental conservationists. They pushed for the preservation of the coastline and Laguna Canyon from massive development, and to a large extent succeeded, Blake said. The art association implored developers not to develop the ocean side of Cliff Drive, she said. Heisler Park exists partly because the artists really pushed to keep it undeveloped. From its start, the association also had a significant number of female members and artists in an era before womens suffrage. Many important women Hills, Mabel Alvarez, Donna Schuster, Julia Bracken Wendt, Marion Kavanagh Wachtel, Marion George were associated with the group. Inside the Art Colony The museum exhibit features dozens of significant artworks, including paintings by major artists who were seen in the Laguna Beach Art Assn.s original exhibits. William Wendt might be one of the best known of that group, and the exhibit features several of his grand, picturesque California Impressionist paintings, including Old Coast Road (1916), The Mantle of Spring (1917) and Laguna Coast (1930). Joseph Kleitschs The White House" is on display in Art Colony: The Laguna Beach Art Association, 1918-1935" at the Laguna Art Museum. The painting is on loan from the city of Laguna Beach. (Courtesy of Laguna Art Museum) Joseph Kleitsch also is well-represented in the show, which is fitting because he may be best recognized for his nostalgic depictions of old Laguna. His oil on canvas The Old Post Office (circa 1922-23) has become a mainstay at the Laguna Art Museum, which owns the work in its permanent collection. There also are notable works by Alvarez, Cuprien, Clarence Hinkle, Edouard Vysekal, Lorser Feitelson and George Hurrell, a onetime Laguna resident who photographed many Hollywood stars during his career, including Bette Davis, Clarke Gable, Joan Crawford, Humphrey Bogart and Rita Hayworth. He also photographed members of the art association, and one gallery is dedicated to their portraits. Interesting trivia is sprinkled throughout the show and its accompanying catalog. The first art association gallery was a ramshackle old building on the grounds of the Laguna Beach Hotel that presented the first exhibit in 1918. Ten years later, a groundbreaking at the corner of Coast Boulevard and Cliff Drive initiated the construction of the LBAA Gallery. It opened its first exhibition in February 1929 at 307 Cliff Drive, where the museum now stands. Organizers of the current exhibit have decorated the main Steele Gallery to look as close as possible to how it appeared in 1929. The Red Planet, painted by Helen Lundeberg in 1934, is shown in Art Colony: The Laguna Beach Art Association, 1918-1935" at the Laguna Art Museum. The work is on loan from a private collection. (Courtesy of Laguna Art Museum) Racial diversity lacking in the group One thing a visitor might notice is that all the artists from the establishment of Laguna Beach as an art colony and the early days of LBAA were white. The same goes for all 66 artists in the exhibit. Apparently that was simply the racial consistency of the group that settled the art colony in the early 1900s, though the land had been occupied by the Spanish and by Native Americans for generations. This was a pretty much lily white organization, Blake said of the art association. In 1900, when people first started coming to Laguna Beach and painting, thats the way it was. Almost all the associations members came from European backgrounds, and some were first-generation immigrants, Warner said. The phenomenon of the artists colony started in Europe, so maybe its not so surprising. The 1920s and 30s saw some stylistic diversity, with modernist works from more avant-garde perspectives making their way into LBAA shows. Ultimately, though, the members of LBAA reflect the Laguna Beach population through the years and today. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, whites made up 90.9% of the citys population. A 2017 Census Bureau estimate placed the number at 90.3%. The exhibit includes portraits of people of color, including John Hubbard Richs Mme. Yup See (1919), Charles Percy Austins La Buenaventura (circa 1927) and Edgar Paynes Untitled, Navajo riders (circa 1929). IF YOU GO What: Art Colony: The Laguna Beach Art Association, 1918-1935 When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (closed Wednesdays), through Jan. 13; open until 9 p.m. Thursdays Where: Laguna Art Museum, 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach Cost: $7 general; $5 students, senior citizens and active military; free for children younger than 12 Information: (949) 494-8971, lagunaartmuseum.org Richard Chang is a contributor to Times Community News. UPDATES: 5:20 p.m.: This article was updated with information about the exhibits portraits of people of color. This article was originally published at 2:10 p.m. An Orange County Sheriffs Department employee revealed this week during a court hearing that the department improperly recorded more than 1,000 privileged phone calls between county jail inmates and their attorneys over a three-year period. An employee with Global Tel Link Corp., a contractor that oversees the jail phone system, wrote in a July 27 letter to Sheriff Sandra Hutchens obtained by the Daily Pilot on Thursday that an update in the companys system in January 2015 caused a technical error that led to 1,079 such phone calls being recorded, in violation of state law. After conducting research, we have determined that the Sheriffs Department staff, and in certain circumstances [Global Tel Link] for investigative or technical purposes, accessed 58 of those 1,079 recorded calls a total of 87 times, Darren Wallace, executive vice president of operations for Global Tel Link, wrote in the letter. The company corrected the error in July and is no longer recording attorney-client phone calls, Global Tel Link and Sheriffs Department officials said. The information came to light Monday when Greg Boston, director of inmate services for the county, testified about it in a court hearing in the attempted-murder case of Joshua Waring, son of former Real Housewives of Orange County cast member Lauri Peterson. Warings defense attorney, Joel Garson, has been digging into allegations that law enforcement monitored and shared Warings phone calls in Orange County Jail while he was representing himself in his criminal case. Garson is trying to have the case against Waring dismissed on grounds of outrageous governmental conduct. It isnt clear whether any of Warings phone calls were improperly recorded and accessed when he had an attorney. Waring, 29, is facing three counts of attempted murder and other felony and misdemeanor charges in connection with a shooting at a former sober-living home in Costa Mesa in June 2016. He could face multiple life sentences if convicted. Garson said the Global Tel Link breach could cause convictions or charges to be dismissed in dozens of serious criminal cases, including murder and gang-related offenses. All of those cases are in jeopardy, Garson said. Since we know its only serious cases that law enforcement is bothering to listen to phone calls about, theres a good chance the majority of them are serious cases. Senior Deputy District Atty. Cynthia Nichols, the prosecutor in Warings case, became aware of the issue during Bostons testimony Monday in Orange County Superior Court. Nichols asked him during the hearing whether the Sheriffs Department has made any effort to contact the district attorney or defense attorneys whose phone numbers and client communications were compromised. Not to my knowledge, Boston responded. Hutchens said in a statement Thursday that she is deeply disappointed that this technical glitch by [Global Tel Link] occurred and is concerned about the serious consequences it may bring. Although each call was prefaced with a warning that calls were subject to monitoring and recording, we know that these calls never should have been recorded by [Global Tel Link], Hutchens wrote, adding that Sheriffs Department staff directed the company to fix the issue when it was discovered in June. We rely on many third-party vendors to provide vital services to our department, Hutchens wrote. It is my expectation that the vendors comply with the requirements of the contracts they agree to and that they meet the requirements of those contracts. Hutchens wrote that she plans to ask the county Office of Independent Review to investigate the issue. Orange County district attorneys office spokeswoman Michelle Van Der Linden said Thursday that it is our understanding that the Orange County Sheriffs Department is looking into the matter further to better understand the scope of the issue and will be providing more detail to the court. We will review that information and any impacts it may have, she said, adding that the district attorneys office is committed to taking any and all appropriate discovery-related actions on all impacted cases, depending on the information received from the Orange County Sheriffs Department. It isnt clear which of the 58 accessed phone calls were listened to by sheriffs officials or burned to disks at the request of police agencies to aid in their investigations. That information likely will be gleaned at future court hearings, Garson said. Its been going on for three years, he said. Someone along the line in law enforcement should have realized and thought Why did we get this on tape? and notified the Sheriffs Department that something was wrong with their phone system. Its hard to believe that nobody knew. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @HannahFryTCN UPDATES: 4:25 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Sheriff Sandra Hutchens. This article was originally published at 3:05 p.m. If you peek through the windows of Catmosphere Laguna at any given moment, youll find 10 to 12 adoptable cats sleeping, pouncing or stalking one another. If you walk in between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., you can sit down and play with them. The cafe opened to the public Monday and doubles as a rescue organization for homeless cats and kittens across Orange County. The idea behind a cat cafe is simple: order food or coffee and pet some felines. The concept originated in Taiwan in the late 1990s and grew popular in Japan and China before crossing into the United States. Now, cat cafes are in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Seattle, among other cities. Before Catmospheres opening at 381 Forest Ave. in Laguna Beach, the only cat cafes in Southern California were Woodcat Coffee Bar near Chinatown in Los Angeles and Crumbs & Whiskers near Beverly Hills. Catmosphere Laguna is the first of its kind in Orange County, and founder Gail Allyn Landau couldnt have been happier with the turnout on opening day. We were feline the love, she joked. We were overwhelmed with love, with support and with walk-ins. Helena de Bretteuille, 12, of Laguna Beach plays with one of the adoptable kittens in the cat lounge at Catmosphere Laguna on Forest Avenue. (Photo by Miranda Andrade) Landau, a 63-year-old Laguna Beach resident and feline enthusiast, has never been without a cat. As she was growing up in Illinois, her mother sheltered animals from all walks of life, Landau said. Her upbringing motivated her to advocate for animal rescue and adoption, leading her to volunteer at the Laguna Beach Animal Shelter and the Blue Bell Foundation for Cats. Catmosphere Laguna is divided into two sections: the cafe area (which is free to enter) and the cat lounge (which requires payment). Large glass windows separate the cafe and cat lounge so cafe-goers can watch the cats while snacking on a plate of cheese or sipping from a glass of wine. Landau believes that by giving adoptable kitties a comfortable environment where they have plenty of toys and other cats to play with, their chances of adoption are higher. After two days of being open, Catmosphere Laguna already had two pending adoptions, she said. What I do here is I think about adoption differently, Landau said. Adoption comes from a place of quiet and comfort for the kitties. Theyre acclimated, theyre completely socialized here. They dont have the trauma of being in a cage in a shelter. Theyre free to roam, and whenever they want, they can get away from the humans and go back into the Surf and Sand kitty condo area. The cafe area at Catmosphere Laguna is free to enter, and glass windows provide a view of the cat lounge. (Photo by Miranda Andrade) People who want to visit Landaus kitty haven are encouraged to make reservations at catmospherelaguna.com, though walk-ins are welcome. The cost for children ages 6-17 is $12 per hour, while adults 18 and older pay $22 hourly. There is a two-hour maximum, and children younger than 6 are not permitted. All proceeds from the lounge go to the Catmosphere Laguna Foundation, which funds medical care for the cats. The cat adoption fee is $200. To let the curious get a peek at the cat lounge from a phone or computer, Catmosphere Laguna has a livestream every day on its website. Landau said Catmosphere Laguna accepts donations of fresh cat toys and newspapers, which are used to line the cats litter boxes. The foundation also accepts monetary donations to help get all cats spayed or neutered, microchipped and dewormed. Catmosphere Laguna is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The last lounge reservations and walk-ins are accepted at 5 p.m. The Newport Beach City Council is skeptical of Bird and other popular rental services that provide dockless electric scooters and bicycles, but not enough to put them under a moratorium. The council decided Tuesday night to take no action on banning or accommodating the devices, unless city staff proposes a permit. That would indicate a company is willing to work within Newports existing rules for business operations and try to keep the devices out of areas where motorized vehicles arent allowed, like boardwalks. Any permit would have to be approved by the Planning Commission. Councilwoman Diane Dixon, whose district includes the congested ocean-facing Balboa Peninsula boardwalk, said she has an open mind but wanted a temporary ban. She suggested Newport follow developments in Santa Monica, which will launch a pilot program in September requiring e-scooter companies to pay higher fees and share real-time data, among other conditions. However, Santa Monica did not recommend that Bird or the similar Lime be part of the program, leading the companies to turn off their devices there Tuesday in protest. I personally dont believe that we have to say yes to everything, Dixon said. We dont have the room. The boardwalk is at full capacity with even things that are regulated but not enforced, such as skateboards. The council voted 5-1 on Tuesday to take the wait-and-see approach, with Dixon voting no and Councilman Kevin Muldoon recusing himself because of his work in the wireless telecommunications industry. Bird, one of the more popular motorized scooter-sharing start-ups, deployed a fleet of its scooters around the Balboa Peninsula on July 28. But the city said it did so without notice or permits and ordered the company to remove all its scooters by July 31. Public Works Director Dave Webb said Bird users can legally ride on the street, in bike lanes and on designated bike paths where motorized vehicles are not banned. A dockless device company also could set up a base in another city to avoid needing a specific Newport permit. Brad Sommers, a Newport traffic engineer, said the city got an immediate and somewhat negative response from the community during Birds brief run, and city staff promptly let the company know it was violating local codes. Residents complained about the scooters being left on sidewalks one of Birds key features is that riders can pick up and leave the pay-per-minute scooters anywhere. Riders find and unlock available scooters by using a mobile app. Some of the scooters drifted into Costa Mesa, Irvine and other Newport neighborhoods besides the Balboa Peninsula, Sommers said. Councilman Jeff Herdman said he was surprised but not upset that the scooters didnt also roll out on Balboa Island. Theres a part of me that really resents their whole marketing strategy by dumping and getting a lot of free publicity and free advertising out of the act of having dumped their product on our streets, creating a great deal of havoc and then forcing the issue, Herdman said. Its not a good way to get started in terms of doing business in our city. Mayor Pro Tem Will ONeill said he was hesitant to issue a blanket ban because, in theory, Bird and similar companies could find a way to operate within Newports existing rules. If there is a possibility that a company can adequately comply with our laws, I dont think its appropriate for us to tell them they cannot even try to get a permit, he said. If, on the other hand, we decided that we wanted to just straight up ban them and never allow any of this to ever come into our city, wed have to modify our laws, I think, as part of a moratorium. He added that if the city wanted to change its laws, that would mean trying to get ahead of an unknown technological curve, and he said he wasnt keen on that either. Newport resident Don DiCostanzo, who co-founded the Fountain Valley-based Pedego electric bicycle company, said Bird and similar companies shouldnt get special treatment that he didnt when he got into the electric bike business 13 years ago. Pedego runs under a more traditional distribution model in which customers pick up and return bikes at a brick-and-mortar shop. I tried to follow all the rules, and I just want to make sure that other businesses that come here have to follow the same rules that we did, DiCostanzo said. He said the owner of a Pedego store in Venice recently asked him what he should do about three scooters he found on the sidewalk outside his shop, where he said he isnt allowed to display his own inventory. DiCostanzo said he should consider them litter and put them in the trash. They came by a little later with their app and picked them up from the Dumpster, he said. Newport resident Judy Cole, who lives in the Lido Village area, said there are too many motorized vehicles around town. I just dont understand how we can even consider adding more to the mix when we cant handle the issues that we have today, Cole said. Its a quality-of-life issue for our residents. Its not the right to be able to do something or to have something. Im tired of not being able to enjoy our boardwalk and our city streets. Webb said Lime and Razor, another Bird competitor, have contacted Newport Beach to make arrangements before potentially entering the local market. Dixon said she appreciated that. Thats how it should be done in any professional, respectable way, she said. hillary.davis@latimes.com Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD A jury convicted two men on Wednesday for the 2017 killing of a 67-year-old woman outside her La Crescenta home. It took the jury only two days of deliberation before finding 21-year-old Devon White of Lynwood and 22-year-old James Trotter of Long Beach guilty of murdering Hye Soon Oh. The verdict came a year after Oh was shot in the parking garage of her apartment complex in the 2900 block of Montrose Avenue. The men were also found guilty of second-degree robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Security camera footage screened for the jury showed a car associated with the men following Ohs vehicle from her business at a Lynwood shopping center on the night of Aug. 8, 2017. Prosecutors said the pair followed Oh back to her La Crescenta apartment where she was robbed and gunned down. Forensic evidence collected at the scene linked White, who was on probation at the time, to the murder, according to the Glendale Police Department. It was revealed during the trial Whites DNA was found on a purse belonging to Oh. He was then subsequently tracked down to Los Angeles and was arrested by authorities on Aug. 17. Trotter was taken into custody soon after. A third co-defendant involved in the crime, 23-year-old Tonaye James of Las Vegas, pleaded no contest in July to one count of second-degree robbery. White is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 29 while Trotters sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 25. The pair face life in prison without the possibility of parole for Ohs murder. andy.nguyen@latimes.com Twitter: @Andy_Truc Almost every day, the majority of Californians face new reminders that we are in the grips of a housing crisis. Skyrocketing residential and commercial rents put tremendous pressures on local governments, businesses and residents. Our communities wrestle with how to respond, with little agreement over the best solutions. In the wake of the housing crisis, battle lines have been drawn within California cities, sometimes pitting a neighborhoods character and residents quality of life against the regions demand for growth and adequate housing supply. It can often feel like we cant satisfy both goals. However, I believe that smart policy can offer a consensus-building solution. For this reason, I introduced Assembly Bill 2263, my bill to help maintain neighborhoods historic character and sense of place, while incentivizing the adaptive reuse of existing historical structures for much needed new uses, such as housing. This is an issue that has been a focus of mine for a long time my career in politics began with historical preservation as one of my key issues. I was heavily involved with the Los Angeles Conservancys Modern Committee (ModCom) for many years, which led to me serving as a commissioner on Glendales Design Review Board. It was through this work that I learned to appreciate the intersection between the preservation of our character-defining structures and smart growth. Ive held onto that belief through my tenure on the Glendale City Council, as mayor, and now as your Assembly member. I remain dedicated to historic preservation in my community and state but it needs to be balanced with a communitys need for more spaces to live, work and play. Development can be disruptive, especially when buildings that give a sense of place are demolished. On the other hand, forcing old buildings to stand vacant threatens those structures and the economic stability and livability of a community. AB 2263 will incentivize the preservation and reuse of registered historic structures by eliminating additional parking requirements for residential use when located within half a mile of a major transit corridor, or allowing for a 25% reduction in required parking for nonresidential commercial uses. These reductions can go a long way. The planning, development, and construction of parking spaces can add upwards of $40,000 to a projects cost an expense many projects cannot withstand. And of course many historical properties dont have space available to add new parking. Its often the lack of existing parking that dooms historic structures, rendering them obsolete and unusable. AB 2263 encourages the protection of our historic resources, while making their reuse economically viable. It gives the owners of these buildings less reason to tear them down and a huge reason to list them on historic registers. This piece of legislation is the result of months of diligent work with historic preservation experts in our community and across our state, with the goal of incentivizing the reuse and adaptation of historic resources in our communities. It is modeled off of the city of Los Angeles adaptive reuse ordinance and one of Glendales historic preservation incentives. This approach works. Weve seen it succeed in our district. Back in 2016, in the heart of Downtown Glendale, the historic Masonic temple building was given new life when it was rehabilitated and adapted for much-needed office space. Prior to its reuse, the building had dominated the Glendale skyline but had remained mostly vacant for decades. It was literally disintegrating from neglect. With an ever-growing demand for real estate in Glendales bustling downtown, it would have been probable that this beautiful, officially designated structure built in the 1920s would have been torn down if held to the same requirements as the majority of new buildings especially the parking requirements. This incentive, when used throughout California cities, can play a vital role in moving us into the future without us forgetting our past. It would establish another direly needed avenue to incentivizing the addition of affordable and middle-income housing to neighborhoods. It will allow a way for communities to address some of their demand for growth while maintaining the character of the neighborhoods they love. I am proud that my colleagues in Sacramento agreed with me and passed this bill earlier in the week. Now AB 2263 sits on the governors desk waiting for his signature. I hope he will agree this is a proven solution that will bring great benefit to communities across our state. LAURA FRIEDMAN (D-Glendale) represents La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, Glendale, Burbank and neighboring communities in the the 43rd Assembly District. For the past few weeks, La Canada residents and others passing by USC Verdugo Hills Hospital have watched with interest as a stretch of landscaping along Verdugo Boulevard was excavated and then began showing signs of new plant life. Originally installed by local landscaping architectural firm Lawrence R. Moss and Associates around the time Verdugo Hills Hospital first opened in 1972, the nearly 16,000-square-foot patch of land was beginning to show signs of wear as shrubs grew out of control and trees withered from years of drought. When hospital officials cut back on irrigation to comply with a 2014 state water conservation mandate, plants there took a turn for the worse, according to Bron Ruf, vice president of Moss and Associates. That landscaping had pretty much run its course, Ruf said in an interview Monday. When they turned the water off, that was the last straw. So late last month, Ruf and colleagues from the same firm that originally landscaped the area decades earlier set to work on its renovation, demolishing the site down to the soil. Their new vision a vibrant yet drought-tolerant mix of trees, plants and ground cover fed by a water-efficient irrigation system should be installed by early September, according to USC Verdugo Hills Hospital Chief Operations Officer Kenny Pawlek. We wanted something that was easier to maintain and something better suited to the climate here, Pawlek said of the plan. Focusing more on Mediterranean and California-friendly plants will allow the facility to still be green and have a nice look but also gives us an opportunity to use less water. In place of the shrubs, deodar cedars and liquidambar trees of yore, the new landscape will feature silk trees and fruitless olive trees, which will grow up to 30 feet tall, mixed with succulents like blue agave and aloe. The plantings will be perched among low-growing Dallas Red lantana whose blooms resemble USCs signature colors, cardinal and gold. It will be clean, elegant and colorful not like a burned up forest, which is what was there before, Ruf said, adding the new design will have a more manicured look to show off the hospitals northern profile. Landscaping in front of USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, along the 1800 block of Verdugo Boulevard, as seen from the street on May 7. (Photo by Sara Cardine) Miguel Gonzalez, administrative director of support services for the hospital, said officials had been thinking of reconfiguring the Verdugo Boulevard landscaping last October, when Moss personally reached out and offered to help. He put together a design for us that was presented to our administrators and it was approved, Gonzalez recalled. Pawlek acknowledged while some local residents were concerned by the presence of a bare dirt hill, whats in the works will be a definite improvement. The community here is very proud of having beautiful looking yards. We want to be participants in that as well, he said. sara.cardine@latimes.com Twitter: @SaraCardine In the years following their 2010 graduation from La Canada High School, Kate Cullen and Josh Hanson tried their hand at several jobs in Los Angeles business sector bookkeeping and finance, management and IT but nothing seemed to stick. In 2016 the couple, who began dating as high school seniors and had stayed together through college, started to talk about leaving L.A. for someplace more secluded and outdoorsy. Our drives really kicked up to leave Southern California and the rat race, Hanson recalled. We were looking for something slower. They considered locales in Wyoming and Northern California. But a visit to a friend who lived in Idahos Sun Valley ski country sealed the deal, so that October they took the leap. Though Hanson and Cullen, both 26, had chosen Idaho for its wide open spaces, outdoor recreational opportunities and a change of scenery, it wasnt until they took a tour of a brewery and distillery in the small city of Ketchum they would become inspired to embark on a business venture of a lifetime. In February, the pair officially launched Party Animal Vodka, a gluten-free distillation made from Idaho Russet potatoes that is now on the shelves of liquor stores, bars and restaurants in Idaho and California, including local spots like Vendome Wine & Spirits, Ocean View Liquor, Dona Maria Mexican Restaurant and Ocean View Bar & Grill in Montrose. Party Animal Vodka was created by La Canada High School graduates Kate Cullen and Josh Hanson (Photo by Meredith Dean) The label is moderately priced and intended to connect with the lifestyles and priorities of a younger consumer market. There are a ton of brands out here, but what I saw was there wasnt really a brand that told the story of the consumer, said Cullen. We wanted to have a fun name that played on what consumers wantsomething kind of unique and cheeky. Contributing to Party Animals charm is the fact that 10% of the companys profits will be continually donated to animal-related charities and conservation efforts. But charm aside, the vodka itself is getting a warm reception from those willing to try a new label. In April, Cullen and Hanson took home a double gold medal at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. A month later, Party Animal won a platinum medal at the SIP Awards, an international spirits competition judged by consumers in a blind tasting. The pair estimates fewer than 3% of the vodkas produced worldwide is derived from potatoes, as most brands use variations of wheat and rye or corn. Potato, by contrast, lends a subtler taste, but its also a no-brainer when living in Idaho. When life gives you potatoes, you make vodka, Hanson joked. Now, with fellow LCHS alum Mike Magnuson acting as regional sales manager for California, Cullen and Hanson are putting long hours into promoting the Party Animal brand and seeing it catches the attention of millennial consumers and beyond. Magnuson said the strategy in California is targeting bars, restaurants and tastings where potential customers are willing to try something new. With a new brand, its just getting past a name these guys dont know, he said. The more and more exposure we get, the better the response has been were kind of just taking it step by step. Cullen and Hanson say theyre happy to go along for the ride. Its not easy at all, Cullen said of the process. Its definitely been very exciting and very scary but very fulfilling. Our life is pretty incredible at the moment, Hanson agreed. sara.cardine@latimes.com Twitter: @SaraCardine The iconic Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle, drained and closed for four years to repair leaks and restore statues, is once again ready for its closeup. Workers began refilling the pool with water Tuesday, marking the end of a $10-million renovation at the 115-room former San Simeon home of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. The pool, undoubtedly one of the most photographed sites at Hearst Castle, was drained in 2014 after cracks were found to be leaking up to 5,000 gallons of water a day, a California State Parks news release said. The Neptune Pool was drained in 2014 after serious leaks were detected. (California State Parks) Advertisement Restoration of the pool was extensive. Workers removed 9,000 square feet of original marble tiles and replaced them with new ones, using material from the same Vermont quarry where the originals were made. Repairs were made to the pools concrete shell, and three layers of waterproofing materials were installed underground. Art Deco sculptures around the pool also were restored. The pool, which reflects elements of Roman and Greek styles, holds 345,000 gallons of water. Its one of two pools at Hearst Castle. The other is the Roman Pool, a smaller indoor pool ringed by statues of gods and goddesses. Tours of Hearst Castle start at $25 per person and should be reserved in advance. The California historical monument receives about 750,000 visitors every year. Info: Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument, 750 Hearst Castle Road, San Simeon; (805) 927-2115 travel@latimes.com @latimestravel As pleasurable as it is, travel is not without its conundrums. We love beautiful places Santa Barbara is certainly one of them but are we being priced out of spending time on the American Riviera because of high hotel rates, especially among new and renovated properties? Meanwhile, budget airlines have opened a world of travel to many people, and they have put pressure on legacy airlines to keep their prices low, but can you still get a good fare if demand is high, never mind fuel prices that are creeping up? Many of us love the idea of climbing mountains, but is the artificial assistance that allows the unskilled to do so mucking up nature and turning us into, essentially, cheaters? Advertisement My name is Catharine Hamm, and Im the travel editor for the Los Angeles Times. Im posing the questions, but Im leaving the answers to you. This weeks newsletter touches on some of the ways travel puts you at the heart of psychic conflict that threatens the perfect trip. (Yosemite has reopened, but what kind of issues will you encounter that will keep it from being the park perfection we expect?) For more grit: We have an article that talks about all the stuff you do that drives your fellow travelers crazy. Its so much easier just to flop down on a beach. Or it used to be before we realized certain kinds of sunscreen damage coral. Travel is a giant classroom that opens the world to us. When you come home and open the door and the house smells stuffy after two weeks on its own, you will be a changed person in ways that will become apparent with time. Travel really is the gift that keeps on giving. Catharine Hamm Super chic Santa Barbara The lovely, lively coastal town has had its share of troubles recently, including damage to some of its hotel properties. Writer Rosemary McClure looks at new, renovated and newly reopened accommodations that have upped their game. Alas, many have also upped their prices, which puts them out of reach of many travelers. The Bilt is back: Spanish Colonial Revival architecture at the Four Seasons Resort the Biltmore Santa Barbara. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) All is not lost Has one of your favorite places priced itself out of your range? Dont despair. In the Money Matters column, writer Terry Gardner gives us easy-on-the-wallet ideas for alternatives to the uber-luxe destinations that can prove just as satisfying. First up on the list: Ventura, Santa Barbaras equally enjoyable coastal sister. Ventura can be an excellent and affordable alternative to Santa Barbara, its pricier coastal sister. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) A quiet kind of love Speaking of great beach spots, Cayucos certainly qualifies for its away-from-under the-chaos quality. Its the kind of place whose embrace you need when the world is too much with you. Read Deborah Gibsons take on this little slice of solitude on the Central Coast. Sunset in Cayucos. (Kristin Amundsen Cubanski / Getty Images) Europes peaks of perfection For a slightly more frenetic journey, consider this alpine adventure. Writer Charles Fleming took in five European countries in six days, all on two wheels. His 1,000-mile motorcycle adventure had him crisscrossing the Alps on a trip that you could do in a car, if you chose. But then you might miss that fresh mountain air You can take a two-wheel or four-wheel trip that crisscrosses the Alps, navigating such passes as the Stelvio in Italy. (Tim Graham / Getty Images) Guilty as charged? When youre on a trip like the one above, you dont want to miss any photographic opportunity, but you risk becoming a travel pariah. A survey by Agoda, a Singapore-based online travel company, revealed what irritates other travelers the most, and guess what scored high on the list? You got it, screen queen: total addiction to your electronics. Mary Forgione reports the other things that push your travel peers buttons. A survey calls out behaviors that annoy your fellow travelers. Are you guilty of these? (Brais Lorenzo/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutte) Up in the air What if some of the worlds high-altitude attractions were no longer off-limits to you? Why not see it from the perspective of an experienced climber? And thats the dilemma of via ferrata, or iron path or road. Climbing aids are added to rock face that mean you can ascend to lofty heights. Those little boosts were big during World War I when the Italians used them to scale the Dolomites. John Flinn, formerly travel editor for the San Francisco Chronicle, wrote in a 2010 L.A. Times Travel story about the vie ferrate in the Purcell Mountains of Canada. Now you can find them in Mammoth, where they help you scale some lofty heights, writer Chris Erskine reports. Once at the top, thanks to help, climbers at a new Mammoth attraction can either climb down or hike back. (Mammoth Mountain) Also going up Airfares. And the real ouch of this? Youll most likely see it in the third quarter, airline experts told me in interviews for my On the Spot column. When fuel, then fares rose in 2011, you had little recourse. Now you do. Is it worth giving up comfort and control to save money? Higher fares may be on the horizon for fliers. (Catharine Hamm/Los Angeles Times) A sign of the times in Vegas Fabulous Las Vegas. We all know the sign that, at 60, has moved from new to tacky to retro to iconic. Now it has a younger sister. Say hello to the 26-foot-tall showgirls that frame the 12-foot-tall words Las Vegas. It may be ready to take center stage in the contest for the best selfie spot in Sin City. And its already catching on. The new Las Vegas gateway sign. (Sam Morris / Las Vegas News Bureau) What were reading This is kind of genius, so thank you, Quartz Daily Brief. You know all the trash that collects at amusement parks? A theme park in Frances western Vendee region about 275 miles southwest of Paris has a solution and its wait for it crows. They are trained to pick up the detritus that park-goers leave behind and carry it to the trash. Where do we find crows that thoughtful? Although theyre not doing it because theyre selfless: They get food rewards for their good works. The Week magazine pointed me to two stories I would have hated to miss. First was Helene Stapinskis urban glamping story in the New York Times. How urban? How about Governors Island in New York Harbor? The tent stay is not inexpensive, but its also not an hours-long car ride lugging tons of gear, either. Because I could not stop for Death, Emily Dickinson wrote, He kindly stopped for me. Maybe she was busy that day and couldnt stop, but you can. A second Museum of Death has opened in New Orleans, not far from Bourbon Street, Mary Beth McAndrews writes in National Geographic. Its the younger sibling of our Museum of Death in Hollywood. McAndrews describes the NOLA museum as surprisingly welcoming. Its not designed to shock (although it may); its supposed to educate about the inevitable. (Wonder if its affiliated with the Museum of Taxes in Jerusalem?) And finally, Travel & Leisures August issue presents The Worlds Best Awards 2018. Best U.S. city: Charleston, S.C. (Not on the list: Los Angeles.) Best cities overall: No. 1 and No. 2, San Miguel de Allende and Oaxaca, both in Mexico. (Not on the list: Los Angeles.) Top city hotel: The Lowell in New York. (Definitely on the list: Viceroy LErmitage in Beverly Hills; London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills; Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.) Best domestic airport: Portland, Ore. (Not on the list: LAX, but John Wayne landed at No. 8.) These are reader-driven choices, which include cruise lines, safaris and other cities and resorts around the world, and will send you into that place where you picture yourself in (fill in the blank) mode. End of the road Send us your thoughts, your concerns and, of course, compliments about this newsletter, along with your opinion on Las Vegas new sign, whether your holiday travel plans are influenced by price and whats the best hotel youve ever stayed in to travel@latimes.com. Until next week, travel smartly and safely. Well be here to welcome you home. All-star player Jimmy Piersall was already known for his outrageous antics. Piersall was fined $50 for thumbing his nose at a fan in the stands at Dodger Stadium during an Aug. 17, 1962, game against the Angels. A Los Angeles Times staff photographer won $250 for this image in a Theo. Hamm Brewing Co. photo contest. Twice an All-Star, Piersall won two Gold Gloves and, in 2010, was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame. He played for the Angels from 1963-67. Piersall's battle with bipolar disorder was documented in the book and movie "Fear Strikes Out." Watching Piersall, then with the Washington Senators, in the above image are Angels catcher Bob Rodgers and umpire Cal Drummond. Times staff writer Julie Cart interviewed Piersall in this 1986 article. This post was originally published on Aug. 2, 2011. See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here It was South Asias version of Nixon going to China: the ardent Hindu nationalist leader of India riding a golden-colored bus across the border into Pakistan, less than a year after the archrivals had conducted tit-for-tat nuclear tests that pushed the region to the brink of atomic war. The February 1999 bus ride cemented former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayees stature as a peacemaker even though he had set off the nuclear arms race. The rapprochement ended three months later when the two countries fought a brief conflict in the disputed Kashmir region, but Vajpayees reputation endured. Vajpayee had been out of the public eye since losing power in 2004, but his name has been invoked often in recent years in comparison with another Hindu nationalist prime minister, Narendra Modi. Since Modi took office in 2014, prospects for peace with Pakistan have dimmed, and the Indian military has pursued a bloody campaign against Muslim militants in Kashmir. Advertisement Vajpayee died Thursday at 93 after a lengthy illness, according to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, where he was being treated for a kidney infection. As India announced a seven-day mourning period, Vajpayee, prime minister from 1998 to 2004, was remembered as a humble leader and lifelong poet who rose through the ranks of a hard-line Hindu revivalist organization but later displayed a penchant for inclusivity. Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee greets the audience as he arrives for a ceremony at the presidential palace in New Delhi on May 2, 2004. (Gurinder Osan / Associated Press) The son of a high school teacher, Vajpayee was a longtime politician who in 1980 helped found the Bharatiya Janata Party, a national party with roots in right-wing groups that believed India should be a Hindu country. The BJP emerged as the biggest challenger to the secular ideals of the Congress Party of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, which had led the country for most of the years since independence in 1947. Modi, the BJPs most powerful leader since Vajpayee, called his death a personal and irreplaceable loss for me. It was Atal Jis exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century, Modi tweeted, using an honorific for Vajpayee. It was Atal Ji's exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century. His futuristic policies across various sectors touched the lives of each and every citizen of India. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2018 But Vajpayee had misgivings about Modi, particularly after 2002, when Muslims attacked a train car carrying Hindu pilgrims in the western state of Gujarat, touching off religious riots that left 1,000 people dead, most of them Muslims. As prime minister, Vajpayee was said to have been displeased at how Modi, then the states chief minister, failed to stop the bloodshed. Modi remained in office thanks to the support of hard-line elements of the party. In 2004, after he was unseated as prime minister, Vajpayee said it was a mistake not to have fired Modi. But before developing a grandfatherly persona as prime minister, Vajpayee was, like Modi, a powerful orator with a rabble-rousing streak. In 1992, speaking about the site of a mosque in the northern city of Ayodhya where Hindu hard-liners wanted to build a temple to the god Ram, Vajpayee, then a BJP parliamentarian, told a crowd that the ground has to be leveled. The next day, mobs tore down the mosque, sparking religious riots that left 2,000 people dead. Vajpayee later apologized for the demolition of the mosque, saying it should not have happened. But some BJP leaders say they remain committed to building the temple on that site, now the subject of a legal dispute. It was one of several instances in which Vajpayees moderate persona placed him out of step with conservative Hindus in the BJP, leading some admirers to call him the right man in the wrong party. He was a man of dialogue who could talk to people, historian Irfan Habib said. That is why he is missed today when we recall his initiatives with Pakistan and Kashmir. Vajpayee had been prime minister for just weeks when India conducted five underground nuclear tests, provoking harsh condemnations and sanctions from the U.S., Britain, Canada and other Western nations. Months later Vajpayee began a push to engage Pakistan in peace talks, beginning with a historic February 1999 summit where the rivals committed to resolving all their disputes including Kashmir, the divided Himalayan territory that both countries claim in its entirety. The brief conflict in 2000, followed by a 2001 attack on the Parliament building in New Delhi that India blamed on Pakistan, derailed hopes for peace. But Vajpayee continued his outreach until his party suffered a surprising defeat in 2004 elections. You can decide when to start a war, Vajpayee told the journalist Shekhar Gupta in 2001. But once started, when it will end, how it will end, nobody knows. Pakistans government praised Vajpayee on Thursday as a renowned statesman who contributed to bringing a change in India-Pakistan relations. President Clinton shakes hands with former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi, India, in 2005. (EPA/Shutterstock) Vajpayee also cultivated ties with the United States, hosting President Clinton for a state visit in 2000 the first by a U.S. leader to India in more than two decades. Coming just two years after the nuclear tests, the visit was a coup for Vajpayee and marked the beginning of warmer ties with Washington led by stronger economic and trade links. Vajpayee will be remembered for his immense contribution in bolstering U.S.-India relations, the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi said. Historian Ramachandra Guha said Vajpayee is judged fondly in part because his gentleness stands apart from the coarser political culture of todays India. Vajpayee had a certain humanity about him; he had relationships, Guha said. He fell in love, he had a child, he had friends, he wrote his own poetry. And I think we miss that. Parth M.N. is a special correspondent. shashank.bengali@latimes.com Shashank Bengali is The Times South Asia correspondent. Follow him on Twitter at @SBengali UPDATES: 12:15 p.m.: This article was updated throughout with staff reporting. This article was originally published at 8:50 a.m. Elias Rivera didnt plan it this way, but one of Asias thorniest political disputes is giving his coffee bean startup a serious business jolt. The 32-year-old Honduran national, who moved to Taiwan for a university degree and then stayed on to open a coffee bean import company, is breaking even in just his second year, thanks in part to the bitter relations between Taiwan and China as they battle for diplomatic recognition from countries around the globe. Honduras is one of just 18 countries that recognize Taiwan as an autonomous nation, a fact that gives entrepreneurs such as Rivera preferred status here. Though Honduran coffee beans are relatively new and a bit on the strong side to Taiwanese cafe operators, Rivera is exempt from the steep tariffs usually slapped on importers and the government happily lets him attend food shows and coffee expos free of charge. Even getting a visa turned into a painless process. Taiwan has created a friendly and flexible business environment for us to operate, Rivera said. Advertisement But, as the geopolitical tug of war continues to play out, Rivera is the first to admit that his Taipei-based business Zircle Coffee may eventually have to turn to China to peddle its coffee beans. If Taiwan and Honduras reach a diplomatic break at some point, Rivera imagines that China will pick up the slack with its own aid to the Central American country and that hell get a piece of the giant Chinese coffee-drinking market. China is the place were headed to eventually, Rivera said while attending a recent Taipei food show where Zircles coffee beans were featured inside a Central American pavilion. If you want to build a sustainable business, China is the place to go. Elias Rivera, the CEO and a founder of Zircle Coffee at a trade show in Taiwan (Zircle Coffee) Yet its a complicated gameboard. China and Taiwan have been self-ruled since the Chinese civil war of the 1940s, but officials in Beijing continue to claim sovereignty over the island and insist that under its one-China policy, Taiwan must unite with the massive country. Polls in Taiwan show the islanders strongly favor autonomy, but finding support for that status beyond its borders has been difficult. While it clings to 18 allies, more than 170 countries have diplomatic relations with China. Since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016, China has pressured four countries to sever diplomatic relations with the island in favor of Beijing. Chinas pressure campaign is so intense that it has even leaned on airlines to stop referring to Taiwan as a country. China has also protested Tsais foreign travel agenda, such as her current tour of the U.S., Paraguay and Belize all allies. During an appearance at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, she declared that Taiwans freedom and future were not negotiable. Despite the political noise, Rivera said his interests are simple to do something for his homeland, which is a poor country but, he believes, filled with potential. Rivera, who earned a degree in marketing and logistics in Taiwan and went on to get an MBA, launched Zircle in 2017 with two partners. A series of taste tests helped Taiwanese coffee drinkers overcome suspicions that Honduran coffee was inferior to the blends they were used to, he said. Now 50 cafes buy his firms beans, and more than 100 others are trying them out. Taiwans diplomatic outreach has helped farmers develop in Honduras while cutting tariffs on bean shipments. Taiwan has separately given $10 million to help finance infrastructure in Central America, including funding for agriculture in the region. We hope we can expand our import sources and hope that through those imports we can assist our diplomatic allies in adding to their foreign exchange income, using trade to strengthen and deepen our bilateral relations, Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrew Lee said. Taiwans free-trade agreement with Honduras lets Zircle and others import coffee beans tariff-free, Rivera says, compared with tariffs of around 30% that he would pay in China. Revenue from Honduran coffee sold in Taiwan increased steadily from 2010 through 2015 to more than $2 million a year, according to the most recent figures available. Imports from all of Latin America came to about $11 million in 2010. Six years later, it totaled $16 million, according to the semi-governmental Central America Trade Office in Taipei. Zircles slice of the market is expected to reach about $130,000 this year, enough to break even, Rivera said. Coffee-producing countries such as Honduras prefer export destinations with free-trade agreements or other incentives as a way to stay competitive, said Gratiana Jung, senior political researcher with the Yuanta-Polaris Research Institute think tank in Taipei. And Taiwan, for its part, needs to keep its allies happy. From the policy side, I should think theres no problem, Jung said. Honduras has been a Taiwan ally since 1965. Riveras firm and a handful of other traders based in Honduras are banking on Taiwans thirst for coffee despite its small market size and historic preference for beans from mainstream sources such as Colombia and Indonesia. But competition hampers the Taiwan business for Central American bean traders, said Gildardo Rivas, general manager of a Guatemalan plantation that also ships to Taiwan. Some of Taiwans major cafe chains do their own sourcing, leaving traders to fight over indie coffeehouses and individual supermarket consumers, Rivera said. And one Taiwan chain with locations in Southern California 85C is the target of a boycott launched by netizens in China who believe the cafe has become too close to Taiwan. Rivera is already eyeing China for its market size and hopes to expand there once hes established a solid base in Taiwan. Coffee consumption has grown quickly in China, bounding upward by about 16% a year since 2004. And, with 1.3 billions citizens, China simply has more potential coffee drinkers than Taiwan, which has a population of 23 million. Though tariffs in China along with the lack of a Honduran Embassy in Beijing make the coffee market there tough, China often rewards Taiwan allies economically for switching sides. Coffee bean exports from Costa Rica to China, for instance, rose from one to 96 tons a year after Costa Rica cut ties with Taiwan in 2007. Jennings is a special correspondent. The city is partnering with Waste Pro to offer Cape Coral residents free Bulk Item Drop Off Events on Saturday, Aug. 18, and Saturday, Nov. 17. Collection hours will be from 7-11 a.m. Residents can bring unwanted items to one of the following locations: Moose Lodge #2199, 155 Santa Barbara Blvd., North Parking lot near the Cape Coral Police Department building, 1020 Cultural Park Blvd. While Waste Pro picks up bulk items curbside at no charge, this is another opportunity for residents to dispose of these items. Proof of residency is required to drop off items during the event. Photo identification with a Cape Coral address is sufficient. Residents may also bring photo identification with a utility bill displaying an active Cape Coral utility account. Waste Pro will have staff available at each location if any resident needs assistance unloading items for disposal. This is a residential program and commercial building materials will not be accepted. Household chemical waste (fuel, paint, solvents, propane tanks) will not be accepted and should be taken to the Lee County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility located at 6441 Topaz Court, Fort Myers. Acceptable Items for Bulk Item Drop Off Day include: Construction debris (less than 2 yards) Appliances Furniture Electronics Two community forums to be held for superintendent search Another opportunity for the public to provide input in what they hope the next superintendent will posses, will ... The value of community centres recognised Western Australian Regional Development Minister, Alannah MacTiernan, has announced a decision to reinstates $13 million in funding for 105 regional community centres across the State. A vital resource for regional communities, the decision to retain the centres is the result of a united effort by the Local Government sector. Western Australia Local Government Association (WALGA) President, Lynne Craigie, has applauded the decision to reinstate the funding. Councillor Craigie said the Minister should be recognised for genuinely considering the representations made by WALGA and Local Governments to retain the funding. Located throughout WA, Community Resource Centres support local social and economic activity with 395 staff and more than 1000 volunteers. Cr Craigie said, It is understandable that when faced with the challenge of budget repair the State Government would look at making savings across programs. It was unfortunate that the Community Resource Centres were caught up in this process but fortunate that the Minister was prepared to listen to the community and reverse the decision. It takes decisive leadership to terminate a program but even stronger leadership to genuinely consider the arguments from stakeholders and then change your position. Cr Craigie said WALGA and individual Local Governments had made strong representations to the Minister to retain the centres as they provided vital community support. She said Community Resource Centres were critical in helping deliver the State Governments focus on traineeships and creating jobs in regional WA. The decision by the Minister to consult with the sector in a meaningful way is, I believe, a direct consequence of the State Governments partnership agreement with the Local Government sector and is a welcome change to addressing critical issues, Cr Craigie said. Industries GlacialLight Announces New Dimmable GL-FL190 LED Flood Light 16.08.2018 08:16:16 - (live-PR.com) - Taipei, Taiwan - GlacialLight, the LED lighting division of GlacialTech Inc., announces the new dimmable 185W outdoor LED Flood Light - GL-FL190. It combines the latest single CoB with GlacialTech thermal technology to produce system efficiency up to 124 lm/W. The GL-FL190 comes in 70 or 120 degree beam angles to suit various lighting applications, and features an outdoor ready - Taipei, Taiwan - GlacialLight, the LED lighting division of GlacialTech Inc., announces the new dimmable 185W outdoor LED Flood Light - GL-FL190. It combines the latest single CoB with GlacialTech thermal technology to produce system efficiency up to 124 lm/W. The GL-FL190 comes in 70 or 120 degree beam angles to suit various lighting applications, and features an outdoor ready stainless steel mounting bracket with 360 degree vertical adjustability. The GL-FL190 is designed with the superior GlacialTech Igloo SS heat pipes thermal module to offer up to 23000 lumens. The fixture is rated a rugged IP66 for outdoor use. In order to support a wide variety of lighting scenarios, the GL-FL190 also provides 3-in-1 optional dimming model. The GL-FL190 comes in 3 color temperatures: 3000K Warm White, 4000K Neutral White, and 5000K Cool White. As well as offers blue and amber colors for option. GL-FL190 is composed of few components including LED CoB, glass lens, GlacialTech thermal module and GlacialPower LED driver. Such kind of design is very easily for worldwide factories to do assemble locally. Also to save maintenance time and costs, GlacialPower LED driver with the IP68 waterproof connector can be connected easily. An outdoor stake light bracket is also available for mounting in soft ground. The stainless steel mounting bracket can adjustable the location depends on the lighting fixture rotation in application. The single CoB has much smaller surface area if compare with the multiple LED lighting module. Go through GlacialLight unique design of lux enhancer series, it can throw and focus the light at long distance target even the luminaires power consumption less than 200W. GlacialLight will launch the next generation lux enhancer (Tulip II) in this Q4 to explain such kind of application. CoB will not only be popular in the low power spot light and down light, but also get the majority high power luminaires market finally. Features: High system efficacy up to 124 lm/W. 23000 lumen output for flood lighting. IP66 rated rugged for outdoor use. 3-in-1 dimming functions available. 70 degree lens and 120 degree lens are available. Outdoor-ready 360 degree rotating stainless steel mounting bracket. Corrosion-resistant aluminum outdoor stake light bracket available. Specifications: Type GL-FL190-WW GL-FL190DA-WW / GL- FL190-NW GL- FL190DA-NW / GL- FL190-CW GL- FL190DA-CW Energy Used 185W Rated Life 30,000 Hours Input Voltage 100-240V AC Support 277V AC for North America only *(Note 1) Power Factor (PF) 0.98 @120V AC, 0.96 @240V AC CCT (color) 3000K 4000K 5000K Luminous Flux 21400 lm 22200 lm 23000 lm System Efficacy 116 lm/W 120 lm/W 124 lm/W CRI (Minimum) 80 Beam Angle 70 / 120 (Without Lampshade) Dimension Adjustable height L 320 x W 200 x H 290 ~ 355 mm (With Lampshade) IP Rating IP66 Operation Temperature 40C ~ +50C *(Note 2) Bundled Driver GP-LS200P-60 1E for GL-FL190 (Driver Output : Constant Current 3.2A, 48~60V) GP-LS240P-60CA-1E for GL-FL190DA (Driver Output : Constant Current 3.2A, 30~60Vdc) Net Weight 6.4 kg (With Lampshade) *Note 1 : Input Voltage Range (90-295 VAC) *Note 2 : 40C ~20C (Support for 200-240V AC Input Voltage) For more information about the GL-FL190, please visit: http://www.glaciallight.com/products/FL190_CoB-led-floodlight.htm About GlacialLight GlacialLight, the lighting division of GlacialTech, manufactures LED lighting solutions for indoor/outdoor applications and both residential and commercial uses. As well as having a wide range of finished LED lighting products, GlacialLight also offers its clients the option of customizing products for specific needs. Please visit the company homepage at www.GlacialLight.com. stainless steel mounting bracket with 360 degree vertical adjustability.The GL-FL190 is designed with the superior GlacialTech Igloo SS heat pipes thermal module to offer up to 23000 lumens. The fixture is rated a rugged IP66 for outdoor use. In order to support a wide variety of lighting scenarios, the GL-FL190 also provides 3-in-1 optional dimming model. The GL-FL190 comes in 3 color temperatures: 3000K Warm White, 4000K Neutral White, and 5000K Cool White. As well as offers blue and amber colors for option.GL-FL190 is composed of few components including LED CoB, glass lens, GlacialTech thermal module and GlacialPower LED driver. Such kind of design is very easily for worldwide factories to do assemble locally. Also to save maintenance time and costs, GlacialPower LED driver with the IP68 waterproof connector can be connected easily. An outdoor stake light bracket is also available for mounting in soft ground. The stainless steel mounting bracket can adjustable the location depends on the lighting fixture rotation in application.The single CoB has much smaller surface area if compare with the multiple LED lighting module. Go through GlacialLight unique design of lux enhancer series, it can throw and focus the light at long distance target even the luminaires power consumption less than 200W. GlacialLight will launch the next generation lux enhancer (Tulip II) in this Q4 to explain such kind of application. CoB will not only be popular in the low power spot light and down light, but also get the majority high power luminaires market finally.Features: High system efficacy up to 124 lm/W. 23000 lumen output for flood lighting. IP66 rated rugged for outdoor use. 3-in-1 dimming functions available. 70 degree lens and 120 degree lens are available. Outdoor-ready 360 degree rotating stainless steel mounting bracket. Corrosion-resistant aluminum outdoor stake light bracket available.Specifications:TypeGL-FL190-WW GL-FL190DA-WW / GL- FL190-NW GL- FL190DA-NW / GL- FL190-CW GL- FL190DA-CWEnergy Used 185WRated Life 30,000 HoursInput Voltage 100-240V ACSupport 277V AC for North America only *(Note 1)Power Factor (PF) 0.98 @120V AC, 0.96 @240V ACCCT (color) 3000K 4000K 5000KLuminous Flux 21400 lm 22200 lm 23000 lmSystem Efficacy 116 lm/W 120 lm/W 124 lm/WCRI (Minimum) 80Beam Angle 70 / 120 (Without Lampshade)Dimension Adjustable heightL 320 x W 200 x H 290 ~ 355 mm (With Lampshade)IP Rating IP66Operation Temperature 40C ~ +50C *(Note 2)Bundled Driver GP-LS200P-60 1E for GL-FL190(Driver Output : Constant Current 3.2A, 48~60V)GP-LS240P-60CA-1E for GL-FL190DA(Driver Output : Constant Current 3.2A, 30~60Vdc)Net Weight 6.4 kg (With Lampshade)*Note 1 : Input Voltage Range (90-295 VAC)*Note 2 : 40C ~20C (Support for 200-240V AC Input Voltage)For more information about the GL-FL190, please visit:http://www.glaciallight.com/products/FL190_CoB-led-floodlight.htmAbout GlacialLightGlacialLight, the lighting division of GlacialTech, manufactures LED lighting solutions for indoor/outdoor applications and both residential and commercial uses. As well as having a wide range of finished LED lighting products, GlacialLight also offers its clients the option of customizing products for specific needs. Please visit the company homepage at www.GlacialLight.com. Press Information: GlacialTech Inc. Contact Person: eMail: eMail 16.08.2018 08:16:16 - Disclaimer: If you have any questions regarding information in this article please contact the author. Please do not contact Live-PR.com. We are not able to assist you. Live-PR.com disclaims content contained in this article. Live-PR.com is not authorized to give any information about content and not responsible for content posted by third party. Stock Market News London Market Today - Buckley London breaks into burgeoning mens jewellery market 16-08-2018 03:06 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk Stock Market News UK Market Open - EU preparing contingency plans to keep trade with UK open in case of no-deal Brexit 16-08-2018 03:30 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > Helsinki Summits positive fallouts on Syria In the debris of the Trump-Putin summit at Helsinki on July 16, the understanding reached on the Syrian conflict stands out as a positive outcome. The steady improvement in the politico-military situation in Syria and the easing of rivalries involving the external parties bears this out. Interestingly, a Xinhua report with Damascus dateline on Sunday (August 5) highlights this happy outcome of the Helsinki summit, citing Syrian experts. The big picture is that there seems to be an understanding between Washington and Moscow that in the interests of the stabilisation of Syria, the Assad administration regains control of the entire country. Secondly, having realised that the regime-change agenda in Syria has floundered, the US and other Western powers see the need to secure their interests through negotiations with Russia. The Russians not only spearheaded virtually all the initiatives so far to strike deals with the rebel groups (and thereby avoided use of military force as far as possible to liberate territories from rebel occupation) but also acted as a bridge between the Syrian Government and rebel groups. Indeed, the Russian credibility as reliable negotiators and guarantors has soared. Thirdly, what emerges in the downstream of the Helsinki summit is that the US desires to withdraw forces from Syria while maintaining its interests in the Kurdish-controlled areas of northern Syria. The above broad trends find refection in the developments through the past three-week period both in southern and northern Syria. Thus, the situation on Syrias southern border with Israel, which had assumed dangerous proportions, has calmed down on the lines that Russian President Vladimir Putin had outlined at the press conference with President Trump in Helsinki on July 16. That is to say, the terrorist groups controlling the border region with Golan Heights have been vanquished, Syrian forces have gained control of Quneitra province (including the border crossing with Golan Heights) and, most importantly, on August 2, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force returned to its positions on the line of separation between Syria and the Israeli-occupied territories in the Golan Heights (which it had to leave in 2014 following Israeli pressure tactic to create conditions for Israels covert nexus with the terrorist groups.) Besides, Russian Military Police has also been deployed to Quneitra as guarantors. All in all, suffice to say, the most dangerous front in the conflict has calmed down appreciably in a matter of a fortnight since the Helsinki summit. Similarly, in northeastern Syria, which is dominated by the Kurdish militia (supported by the US), there are new stirrings. Presumably with the knowledge and concurrence of their US mentors, Kurdish groups have begun talks with Damascus to negotiate the future of their traditional homelands in northeastern regions. The Kurdish groups have claimed that an agreement has been reached with Damascus to draw a roadmap that would lead to a democratic, decentralised Syria. The Kurdish groups will explore the possibility of gaining some measure of local autonomy in the areas they control (a quarter of Syrian territory), whereas Damascus will prioritise regaining the territories. Clearly, further negotiations are expected and the advantage lies with the Syrian Government. Looking ahead, these substantial achieve-ments and the fact that the Syrian Government has become more stable and is in greater control will give impetus to the efforts at finding a political solution to the conflict. Therefore, the fate of the terrorist groups ensconced in northern Latakia and Idlib in northwestern Syria bordering Turkey is fast becoming a residual issue. Russia has given more time to Turkey to rein in these groups. The idea is to work out a deal for the terrorist groups to surrender, as has happened in southern Syria, so that fighting and bloodshed can be avoided. A deal may be in the works by the time the planned summit meeting of Turkey, Russia, France and Germany is held in Istanbul on September 7. Ambassador M.K. Bhadrakumar served as a career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service for over 29 years, with postings including Indias ambassador to Uzbekistan (1995-1998) and to Turkey (1998-2001). Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > Narratives of Fake News, Lynchings and Mobocracy in India by Abid Ahmad Shah India is a country of people belonging to varied regions, religions, sects, communities, castes; etc. From the past times till date, the multiculturalism and plural ethos of this country has set a strong precedent to the world about this land of diversity. This country is the country of its natives, be it Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Buddhists, etc. No one can escape its identity at the same time. This belongs to as much to one and sundry. Gone are the days when there was narrow communication in the world due to a number of varied factors and barriers. However, it was the medium of communication which brought to the fore the exchanges between the masses down human history. Down the phases of passing times, communication surged to a remarkable extent and with the arrival of new scientific inventions and discoveries and paraphernalia, day in and day out, the channels of communication widened the world over and narrowed the communication gap with a renewed sway after the inroads of the media in the world of nation-states. The media is considered to be the third eye and fourth pillar of a democracy. The recent century has seen a surge in the ascendency of media in general and social media in particular, like, facebook, whatsapp, instagram, orkut, etc. Today, there are millions of users of the social networking sites in the world and in India as well. Today, the news in a buzz becomes rapidly rampant and circulates at the skyrocket speed due to the increased delivery over mass media platforms. News that originates in one part of the globe spreads like wildfire and it is the common man who is the sole player in the whole process. The post-truth era has even added a new framework of news analysis. However, one cannot blindly believe in what one reads, hears or has a say about. Reality- check is must for the same. Nowadays, the increase in the news platforms has seen such an upswing that it becomes a problematic affair for the common man to differentiate between reality and virtuality, that is, real news and fake news. A single fake news generated and forwarded by a single foe of humanity destroys the whole fabric of the society and leads to ultimate social disorder and chaos. Fake news is the new buzzword of the current times which has created an unhealthy atmosphere and given impetus to the anti-democratic and anti-human forces to run amuck and create fake and false narratives on the social networking sites or thereto so on and so forth about the people, which cause ultimately lynching of the people under the guise of wrong information and mere suspicion in India. This has wreaked havoc in the country and snatched the precious lives of the innocent persons who have become victims of these unruly mobs. This problem of lynch mobs is not only a law and order problem of the current times, but a major challenge to the democratic credentials of the rule of law which has brought disrepute to India the world over in general and the constitutional provisions in particular. Article 21 guarantees right to life to every tom, dick and harry of India. To snatch the life of a common Indian citizen through the vehicle of mobocracy is not only a violation of democracy, but also tantamount to the murder of democracy. India, which is the largest democracy in the world, is unfortunately metamorphosing into mobocracy. The recent killings of innocent victims at the behest of lynching mobs through brutal beating with rods, sticks and bricks is a tragic phase in our democratic slump. It was the tool of the messenger which created the fake news and a wrong narrative of child-lifters in one part of the country, leading to the bloodbath of innocent victims and added a bad and an unholy chapter to the historical chronicles of the times in India. Muslims are also the soft targets of these goons under the facade of beef- mania. The overt and covert attempts of the cow vigilantes have already snatched the life of a number of Muslims, be it Ikhlaq of Dadri, or someone else. The recent lynching of Akbar Khan, a Muslim in Alwar, Rajasthan by cow vigilantes has opened another gory chapter of brutalism in the name of vigilantism, which invited the ire of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The near-lynching attempt of a Muslim man under the wrong information of cow-slaughter is a blot on our composite culture-laden Jammu and Kashmir, particularly those who have no regard of the old aged persons and cannot differentiate between cattle-herders and slaugh-terers. Meanwhile, the UP Chief Minister has recently in an interview to a national channel said that there must be respect for the religious sentiments so far as faith is concerned. The weird mob mentality of the masses and wrong and fake narratives about the people add fuel to the fire. In India, a single encounter of the people with a Kashmiri person be it a student, researcher, job-aspirant, intellectual, tourist, patient etc. leads to the taunt of a Pakistani narrative and militant name from citizens of mainland India about the same fellow. Who has given the people the right to call names to Kashmiris with such utterances? It is the media with a biased attitude that has constructed such fake-cum-false narratives about the people of Kashmir and treated people from that part with suspicion wherever they go. Last year, a video over social media appeared, wherein an old man of district Anantnag was seen saying that he along with another Kashmiri fellow were subjected to invectives and abuses while travelling in some part of the country and people had called them atankwadi (terrorists) being Kashmiris. Not only this, the people of the North-East are also taunted everywhere, even in Delhi metros, with names. The attack by goons in Haryana last year on Kashmiri students who were studying in the States Central University has time and again raised the question about the safety and security of the Valley students studying in various regions of mainland India. Even, people from Bihar are seen from a narrow and different perspective. How sad and pathetic! While travelling in a DTC bus in New Delhi way back in 2011, a woman hurled invectives on a person, calling him Bihari with ensuing taunts, even as the latter remained a mute spectator. This can be called as the oral lynching of the conscience of people from other parts of the country. Cutting a long story short, the problem of lynching has to cease, once and for all in India. The role of the government is mandatory and primary and that of the people secondary. Without the intervention of a strong law or a strong ordinance, the problem will continue to persist and loom largely in the land of Sufis, sages, saints, seculars and what not and haunt the memories of people in the days to come. The government needs to frame effective laws to neutralise the menace of mobocracy and lynchings in India. Also, social networking sites need to introspect and doubly-verify the news, before they forward it to the users. If the same situation persists in the near future, India will be under the grip of complete mobocracy with mobs operating without any fear of law and justice, where the rule of law will be sidelined to the margins of the written Constitution, without any value in the country. The author has done M.Sc. in Bio-Chemistry and B.Ed. from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi and also qualified in CTET from CBSE. Earlier he worked as a project trainee at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > Swachh Panchayat, Swachh Bharat: A Testimony of Twentyfive Years of (...) The year 2018 is being celebrated as the twentyfifth year of decentralisation at the grass-roots level all over India. The 73rd Constitution Amendment Act 1993 was enacted with a vision of achieving three objectives through the path of participatory grassroots democracy: a. Equitable economic growth. By this, it was envisaged that all sections of the Indian society, irrespective of caste, creed, gender, and religion will get relatively equal share of the fruits of growth. b. Empowerment to women, Dalits and Adivasis. This was done by reserving seats for them in the three tiers of grassroots democracy: District, Block and Panchayats. Before the Act was passed women, Dalits and Adivasis were completely excluded from the local governmental process. By including them in the grassroots political institutions, it was visualised that these sections would take charge of good governance and will be in the decision-making position to pursue the welfare of these marginalised sections. c. Social Justice for all. Once political participation and access to the growth process were ensured it would pave the way for greater conditions of social justice for everybody; hence inclusive development. The Silver Jubilee of the statutory Panchayati Raj evoked much serious stocktaking. Some celebrated the great achievements of the decentralisation scheme and highlighted the gains, especially of women and the poorer sections of society. Others regretted that this crucial step in democratisation of the Indian polity and society had experienced enormous number of setbacks and even political betrayals. Many other commentaries saw both sides while pointing to the peoples determination to pursue the main objectives through persistent initiatives. Let us take two major assessments, one by a former Minister of Panchayat Raj, a great champion of the concept and ideology of Panchayat Raj, Mani Shankar Aiyar who pointed out its glorious achievements, and the other by a well-known economist who, while also being a champion of the philosophy of Panchayati Raj, bemoaned how this experiment had become a product of systemic failure. According to Mani Shankar Aiyar,1 all the State governments had fulfilled their commit-ments towards the panchayats. Substantiating his views he observed that the State govern-ments had devolved 18 of the 29 development subjects to local bodies. The Fourteenth Finance Commission had awarded 35 per cent additional, untied grant to be spent by the panchayats alone. The Commission had put two conditions, namely, undertaking comprehensive micro-planning with the help of members of the Standing Committees and also the constitution of District Planning Committees (DPCs) which should be active.The untied fund would be spent in creating the necessary infrastructure at the grassroots level. Further, Aiyar hoped that the Fifteenth Finance Commission would increase the funding by another two per cent and thereby the panchayats would have more resources. Aiyar emphasised that the institutions had completed the first generation of governance and in order to achieve the success of the second generation of Panchayat Raj, three goals had to be fulfilled. Incidentally, he was clearly referring to Rajiv Gandhis remarks that twentyfive years or a generation of practice was needed to achieve substantial results and proper functioning of Panchayati Raj. Aiyar observed that at the end of the first generation, the panchayats can be more effective provided three conditions were fulfilled. Those are: the activity mapping through DPCs of all the Centrally initiated welfare and rights-based schemes. Further all three functions such as fund, functions and functionaries have to come under the panchayats. Lastly, a separate cadre of officials should be created for serving at the panchayat level. Aiyar was very optimistic and thought that already the marginalised sections of the society had been active and were reaping the fruits of growth. It is true that due to seat reservations for the women, Dalits and Adivasis, many grassroots leaders were getting elected from these sections. But whether these sections were indeed getting substantial benefits from the welfare programmes was open to question. The other assessment was written by M.A. Oommen2 to evaluate the performance of the three tiers of grassroots governance. He pointed out that the Panchayti Raj at 25 was making progress in every State but at snails pace. As to the question if women, Dalits and Adivasis had been integrated into the growth process as a result of this, M.A. Oommen made a sharp comment in his rather hard-hitting article: that it was still a distant dream. In his opinion, the decentralisation effort was facing a systemic failure. According to him, the marginalised sections of the society had still not been included nor was the activity-mapping through DPCs done in most of the States keeping that goal in view. Besides, many States had constituted parallel bodies that denuded the authority of the Panchayats. Both MPs and MLAs used funds given through the MPLAD or MLALAD to nurture their constituency. In the process the panchayats were sidelined.3 Thus all the three functions crucial for the effective participation of the PRIs in the development process were clearly lacking. Seen together, one can easily notice that the optimistic note of Aiyar is nearly destroyed by Oommens assessment. In both the articles, however, the most important factor identified for effective functioning of the panchayats was the lack of political will that was evident. But what does the ground reality tell us? That is what we would like to discuss. However, we would take up one of the missions of the present government, namely, Swachh Bharat, as the vantage point to assess the role and performance of panchayati raj. Relevance of Swachh Bharat In 2015, the United Nations (UN) fixed a new set of goals, SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), in which the well-being of people of all ages was the main concern. The UN categorically pointed to the important role of the local government bodies for the success of the goals. There are 17 goals and 169 targets.4 Along with ending hunger by 2030, one of the goalsgoal no. 3is to ensure Healthy Lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. This should be done by providing as well as utilising clean drinking water, and sanitation to all the citizens to live with dignity. The set of targets to be achieved are: 1. By 2030, the maternal mortality should be reduced to 70 per 1,00,00 live births. 2. Prevent child mortality under five by 2030. There are other targets as well. But these are the ones that have a special relevance for us. In India the problems of providing clean drinking water and sanitation still remain to be achieved for a substantial population. The government has declared its goal of making India free from open defecation by 2019. The challenges of curbing the phenomenon of open drainage and improving the management of solid waste are huge. In fact in 2016-7 it is estimated that out of 67 per cent people living in the rural areas, seven per cent did not have access to safe drinking water.5 The status of sanitation is equally pathetic. In 2017 it was estimated that at least 730 million people did not have access to toilets.6 Coupled with that the high rates infant mortality and maternal mortality indicate the extent of poor state of our health scenario. In fact, as per the latest report, India fared very badly compared to other developing countries. Even Bangladesh having lower per capita income is doing much better than India in terms of infant mortality rate, though it is slightly higher than that of India in terms of maternal mortality ratio. Similarly Bhutan is also following the path of Bangladesh in reducing infant mortality. But China has excelled in both the indicators. Pakistan, with lower indicators, of course shows all the signs of being a developing country with relatively low human development index. (Table-1) But the distressing fact is that India boasts of being the third largest economy of the world having six to seven per cent annual growth rate, yet its basic health statistics do not match with its growth rate! Since there is a lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, the disease burden is very high in India. For example, preventable diseases like diarrhea and other infectious diseases contribute 16 per cent and malaria contributes 0.8 per cent to the total deaths and this is associated with unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation.7 Lack of sanitation and safe drinking water have partly led to a huge percentage of stunting, under-nourishment, wasting and malnourishment among the children as is seen from the evidence for 2016.8 It is in this situation that the Flagship Scheme of the Central Government, called Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, acquires special significance. Irrespective of parties everybody has taken the question seriously. Even the so-called dormant panchayat bodies have been mobilised. More so the elected women members are quite enthusiastic about constructing the toilets since they are the ones who suffer most! Status of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2017-18: So far only 214 out of 712 districts (seven per cent), 113,514 out of 2.6 lakh panchayats and 257,259 out of 650,244 villages have been covered under the scheme.9 In other words, an estimated 69 per cent of the total rural area has been covered but 31 per cent is yet to be covered.10 Secondly, even though on paper it looks promising, one does not know to what extent the toilets are being used by the people. Because it is also noted that at least 66 per cent of the rural population use open defecation.11 In 2017-18, a sum of 1.22 lakh crore rupees was allocated that was lower than the previous years allocation, but it was raised to 1.38 lakh crore rupees in 2018-19 with a raise of 13 per cent. However, on a close analysis it is noticed that the allocation was lower by seven per cent than the revised actual expenditure of the previous year. More importantly, there was a decline of 2.1 per cent in the allocation for the National Health MissionIndias largest progrogramme for primary health infra-structure. Further, the Budget allocation for Human Resource Development as a whole showed a decline of 0.23 per centthe allocation being the lowest since 2014-15.12 Factors inhibiting use of the toilets: An important cause of poor sanitation in rural areas is that people are not used to the indoor toilets and considerable cultural hesitations still persist. Secondly, a number of schemes which were in operation earlier such as the Nirmal gram yojana, could not take off because of not only cultural factors but also the lack of adequate supply of water. The pheno-menon of corruption at the execution level was also a relevant factor. Many other aspects should also be kept in mind. Some men think that the use of toilet is an item of luxury and prefer to use the open field. Notions of purity and pollution connected with the use of toilets matter a lot, particularly among women. At the same time it is also true that women and young girls need privacy; hence they prefer the indoor toilets. The lack of political will and poor planning were evident for all these years as even though many toilets were built, supply of water was not ensured. In many schools toilets were built, but not the water tanks over them; as a result children had to draw water from a well or a pond. The same was true of community toilets particularly in West Bengal. The New Drive Since 2014 there is in operation a fresh drive showing a degree of political will to implement the universal toilet coverage. However, manage-ment of solid waste and provision of safe drinking water are still not addressed seriously. As for sanitation, an important factor acting against its success is the milieu of cultural practices at the local level. There are persistent advertisements attacking many prejudices. Some NGOs also work to change the unhealthy social habits. Unfortunately, however, nobody high-lights the concerns of the UNICEF, namely, open defecation is the cause of many diseases! Until the villagers are motivated, no Abhiyan would be successful. Within that women have to be motivated to use the toilets since they are the ones who bear the brunt of the problem. Even now in many areas they have to wait till night- fall to attend to the call of nature. Such a situation makes them vulnerable to sexual harassment and other hazards. They encounter situations such as rape and molestation. Snake- bites in the dark are not unknown. It is well-known that such situations make them victims of many diseases. Thus villagers or gram sabha in general and women in particular have to take interest in planning, executing and monitoring completion of the sanitation projects. Unless they are involved fully, the Abhiyan will not be a success. One wishes that the programme had even greater focus and fuller attention to the womens role in conceptualising the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Even then women members of panchayats all over the country have taken up the challenge on their own taking advantage of the role assigned to panchayats in the sanitation drive. After all, one of the 29 subjectsitem 23 assigned by the Constitution in the Eleventh Schedule is promotion of health and sanitation. This was evident at the Twentyfifth Annual Celebration of the Womens Political Empower-ment Day on April 24-25, 2018 organised by the Institute of Social Sciences (ISS) in New Delhi. This year the Panchayat women leaders had a slogan, Make Panchayats free from open defecation; Build Swachh Panchayats. This years award-winning women leaders had undertaken many unique initiatives in their areas in different parts of India to achieve that goal. The elected women representatives had insightful suggestions not only on how to make the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan more realistic and successful, but also on taking the Panchayat movement forward, summing up their experiences over the last twentyfive years. Voices from the FieldHopes and Challenges Starting from 1993 the Institute of Social Sciences (ISS), New Delhi has been observing the Womens Political Empowerment Day every year on April 24 inviting women grassroots leaders from different parts of India to exchange experiences, discuss a specific theme and formulate the plan of action to take fresh initiatives to make the Panchayats more effective. A few women leaders are selected for awards to highlight their contributions. This year about 200 elected women representatives from nine States assembled in Delhi at the ISS Abbdul Nazir Saab Hall for two days. The annual stocktaking exercise this time on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee had a special significance. Further, the objective was also to assess the implementation of the Central Governments flagship scheme, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, in the rural areas. It should be noted that besides the increased allocation of funds, the extensive government publicity and media coverage about this scheme showed that perhaps on this scheme there was no lack of political will as was the case earlier. Let us note the social composition of the women representatives who attended this meeting in Delhi which may be relevant to this discussion. Interestingly, these women represen-tatives did not come from the marginalised sections of the society but from the elite sections of the village even if they were elected as the SC and ST members. My own fieldwork as well as being involved in organising the annual celebrations at the ISS for the last twentyfive years showed that this phenomenon tragically had not changed all these years. The main reason was that fighting elections even at the panchayat level required huge amount of money which a poor woman or man could not afford. Moreover the role of muscle power has continued to increase causing intra-party as well as inter-party violence. In such a situation sometimes many poor women remain content with membership of the ward only.13 Some of the elected women are now college graduates. This is partly due to the legislative initiatives and policy drives in States and partly it is due to the fact that female literacy has jumped to 65 per cent and more girls go to college today than before. Twentyfive years ago many of the sarpanches were barely literate or had only primary school education. Many young women, in the age-group of 25 to 35, now entered the political arena compared to the situation in the 1990s. Many women leaders get re-elected and continue in a political role. One positive point to be noted was that over the years these women had become smarter, more articulate, aware of their duties under the present circumstances to serve the community and were trying to execute schemes such as the Swachh Bharat scheme enthusiastically. It is true that even though most of them came from the elite class, nonetheless as women they spoke freely on how they were discriminated against in society and politics. Now one could clearly see a sense of empowerment in the behaviour of the women representatives. Such women take full advantage of the women collectivesself-help groups, womens movement and civil society organi-sationsand their legal rights to function as independent political agency. Some of them admitted the positive help they received from their husbands and other family members. However, there were also other instances where they depended heavily on their family members and male leaders of parties in playing their political role thus showing that there was still a long way to go to see the emergence of the autonomous political woman. Over the years, not only more educated women have come forward to contest elections, they demonstrate a new level of public awareness with more knowledge of the dynamics of panchayats as a political institution, their powers and responsibilities vis-a-vis the administrative set-up showing greater concern about the problems of the village. The women leaders are keen to make a difference; after all, They call me Member Saab14 is not only in imagination but a reality. The participants were well informed about the various government schemes which came down from the above for implementation by them. They complained that they did not have any role in making policies and plans for the development of their villages. In other words, as leaders, they did not have the power to decide and execute developmental plans with the untied resources. This is the greatest challenge a systemic oneto the success of grassroots democracy in contemporary India. The women leaders spoke eloquently about the many concrete problems they face in performing their role. They not only had to play the role of the political leader in the panchayat but also had to fulfil their obligations in the family as mother, wife, daughter-in-law performing traditional family tasks of cooking, childcare and other domestic work. In the rural society they had to take part in many rituals involving births, deaths, marriages, festivals and so on. Occurrence of various forms of domestic violence was widespread. Besides, male domination was evident in the social sphere. Serious problems of liquor addiction posed another challenge. Government officials pay little respect to women panchayat leaders besides being indifferent to most of these issues. Male colleagues in the panchayat also often disregard the women leaders. The phenomenon of corruption involving the nexus of contractors, politicians and bureaucrats not only leads to leakages of funds but also results in substandard infrastructure and services. Even in the face of such challenges some women leaders persist in their efforts to make a difference. The three awardees this year belong to that category. Ms Prema M. Timmanagoudar, President, Gram Panchayat Raddernagnur, Gadag Distt., Karnataka, has worked a great deal to make her panchayats free of open defecation. Ms Madhu Devi Upadhyay, Upa-Pramukh, Chandi English Panchayat, Rohtas Distt., Bihar, Ms Mukti Devi, Sarpanch, Bataikela village Panchayat, Jashpur Distt., Chhattisgarh also took similar initiatives. Prema Timmana-goudar started building toilets for the neigh-bours investing her own moneya small amount to Rs 800/- to start the campaign until the government grant arrived. She even started construction of village roads in the same way to develop her panchayat. She felt women sarpanches were facing a number of problems such as their invisibility in the panchayat decision-making. She noticed that in many cases when women got elected their husbands took over. She took many steps to make women colleagues visible and assertive. She also created a community fund to help out the poor facing emergency needs. For all these initiatives she had been awarded earlier by the State Govern-ment of Karnataka. Ms Mukti Devi has a different profile as a consensus-builder among villagers. She takes consent of all the villagers to chalk out the annual development plan and prepare the budget. Ms Madhu Uppadhyay acquired her reputation by building a wholesale marketplace for selling the agricultural products of the farmers by using the MGNREGS money. She constantly emphasised the goal of the panchayat to promote social justice and empower women. It had not been easy though. In spite of having two children to look after, she was still fully involved in the panchayat work. Functioning of the Nyaya Panchayat was yet another issue raised by the delegates from Bihar. They pointed out that the Nyaya Panchayat took up the village disputes for settlement. They observed that the most important problem facing women was the problem of liquor. Of course the State Government had taken the bold step to ban the drinking of liquor. As a result women felt relieved. Other women were equally candid in expressing their views on such issues. Delegates from Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra pointed out that they had achieved some success in making their villages Open Defecation Free (ODF) by providing toilets to every household, because the government officials supported them. One of the zilla parishad members of Chhatisgarh Leela Devi informed the gathering that she had encouraged as many as 5000 women to form the self-help groups. In her panchayat, in the past people used to engage the girl child in domestic work. But she persuaded the village women to send her to school. She stressed that the community should come forward to support the village activities. Unless one gets support from them nothing can be done. Further, she pointed out that all her male family members were in politics, they encouraged her to contest. But the condition was that she had also to look after the children, elderly, and cook for them! And yet be a good leader. In case of character assassination one should ignorethat was their advice. Some of the delegates were off-beat with excitement over fulfilling the target in ODF with the active support of the government officials. Through drum-beating and other forms of public campaign the message to achieve ODF was spread widely. Delegates from Maharashtra shared their achievements and problems quite articulately. All the eight sarpanches said that their panchayats have already achieved the ODF under the Nirmal gram yojana. They also pointed out that people have ATM to get twenty liters of water everyday. Seema Dongree, sarpanch of Arbi panchayat, said that their MLA donated five lakh rupees to be used for drinking water purposes. The panchayat used that money to install an RO plant to purify the drinking water. Yet another sarpanch, Pramila Babasaheb Sinde, Udaipur panchayat, came forward to share her story. Her panchayat used the money which it received for the Nirmal gram yojana for buying sanitary napkins to be distributed to the young women. Many panchayat leaders reported their experience in solving the problem of the migrants. This was a problem faced by panchayats of Himachal Pradesh. A row of community toilets was built for them. Savita Naik, sarpanch, Arbi panchayat of the same State, complained about the lack of funds. She said that the villagers are excited about he Swachh Bharat scheme but the government does not allocate sufficient funding. She proudly pointed out that her panchayat was paying a lot of attention to protect the environment. They were using organic manure by employing the paddy stack. They also have an ambitious plan to build a water harvesting plant but for the lack of money they are unable to do so. By the way, she concluded, the villagers contribute voluntary labour to get things done. She also narrated the share of each claimant for the grant assigned by the Finance Commission. She said that the panchayat got eight lakh rupees out of which the district took ten per cent, SC/ST got fifteen per cent, disableds share came to 0.3 per cent leaving 0.25 per cent for education and health. She impressed everyone by reeling out statistics on the allocation of funding. Had it been in 1995, she would have faltered to tell about the budget for the Indira Awas Yojana. Clearly women had made some progress over the past twentyfive years despite the double burden they carried in the public and private spheres. On the other hand, women from Odisha faced different kinds of problems. For example, Tanushree Priyadarshini, Zila parishad member of Jagatsinghpur, said that there had been a rift between the State Government and the Centre as a result of which money did not come in sufficient amount to carry out the construction of toilets. Such situtions arise when the regional political parties in power may not get the full cooperation of the Centre. She also pointed out that her panchayat got an award under Adarsh Gram Yojana. With that money, her panchayat helped to form self-help groups and started a Biogas plant. Babita Raut, sarpanch, Kujang panchayat, shared her views quite excitedly. She said that they have prepared 100 volunteers to spread the message of hygiene. Her panchayat distributes bleaching powder and dustbins to people to clean their toilets and not to throw the garbage outside. Regular orientation classes for villagers are held to create an awareness among the villagers to keep the panchayat clean. However, a two-term sarpanch, Nandini Panda, smartly shared her views in telling that she approached the corporate sector to extend financial help in order to construct the toilets and she could help needy people to construct the same. Most of them stated that they took the community help to complete the task. Asked about the extent of help from their husbands, the women leaders pointed out that generally their husbands were not interested in panchayat. For example, Meena Pradhan, a sarpanch, Anugul district, said that her husband is a teacher. But she takes the help of the CEO to prepare the budget. Puspa Swain, sarpanch from the same district, observed that her husband is a contractor busy with his own business and does not help her! But interestingly she did not say if he gets all the contract jobs of the panchayat or not! All of them asserted that they have a womens group which took the decision and they dont go by any party. All of them pitch in to do the collective work. In Himachal Pradesh the migrants are devoid of all facilities and hence they pose problems of open defecation. All of them agreed that social habits are hard to change. Insufficient money, delay in payment, lack of space, water scarcity besides corruption etc. pose as constraints and many toilets remained half-built. As a result, toilets are being used as storage place in many places or never used. Asha Devi from Rajasthan, a veteran of local government since 1995, opined that in 2009 the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi marched to Nagaur panchayat in Rajasthan to commemo-rate the first panchayat set up by Nehru in 1955. There a group of Bishnoi women formed a circle to prevent the felling of a date tree. Not only that, they lighted lamps to worship the tree, saying that the tree is invaluable to them since its fruits are used in preparing many medicines. But also the leaves are used as brooms and it is a source of earning for them too. The delegate has been working for panchayats for the last twentyfive years. She felt that the present method of preparing the plans for the panchayats is faulty since Dalits and Adivasis dont take part in the process. Secondly, the planning is not done in a holistic manner. For example, the DPC talks about the problem of cattle economy but never discusses the fodder issue. Insofar as efficiency of the woman is concerned she felt that it is the husband who takes over once she is elected. Further, the present form of announcing tender for getting the work done in panchayat is cumbersome and it is beyond the womens capacity to get it done. Hence they face corruption. Other delegates also joined her in narrating similar problems. Some of them were of the opinion that managing the hospital waste as well as those of hotels, factories are difficult to manage because they face a lot of resistance from their staff. Rajasthan faces acute water shortage. The government gives money to construct toilets but there is no provision for solving the water shortage. Hence the toilets are never used. The panchayat people face a lot of problem since people use polluting water from the factories to irrigate their crops. The villagers suffer from various types of skin diseases. The women recommended that the government should not only ban the use of polythene but also try to monitor its implementation. Women from Telangana too are busy in completing the building of toilets by taking the help of the community. One panchayat has employed three rickshaws to pick up the garbage from the village. Sarpanch Nagamani Devender, from Kompally panchayat had a different story to tell. Her panchayat got best award twice for having built the best infrastructure. Her panchayat was depending on bore-well for drinking water. After several representations to the State Government the government approved the provision for piped water. She also got best award for helping the self-help groups to start small business smoothly. Interestingly, the State Government is not conducting election to the panchayats and they are devoid of any funding. The problem of liquor is very acute in the State and women are fighting against that. Some of the sarpanches could not attend the celebrations but replied to our detailed question-naire for the nomination of the award, distributed on the occasion of the Political Empowerment Day Celebrations. The replies we got also shed very interesting light on their performance. Of course one may say that somebody else might have written for them. But the replies were also authenticated by a reliable source. Arpita Dhali, sarpanch from West Bardhman, West Bengal, observed that the development plans are made by the villagers in gram sansad in consultation with Gram Panchayat Develop-ment Plans (GPDP) and implemented by the different standing committees under the guidance of the sarpanch. In order to eradicate poverty the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is used effectively. Within five years the panchayat received seven crore rupees and has spent in generating income-yielding activities such as plantation of fruit trees and rose cultivation. Along with that a kishan mandi has been constructed to store the vegetables. Roadside tree plantation has been done to protect environment and supply of fuel. Besides, under the National Livelihood Mission 213 self-help groups have been formed. The members are engaged in income generating activities as well. Activities like pisciculture, animal husbandry, poultry, paddy husking and preparing mid-day meals have been taken up by them. Unlike other States their panchayat could generate some resources on its own. Within five years of her tenure her panchayat has been able to generate two crore rupees for doing various welfare activities such as piped water supply for each ward, roadside community toilets and toilets for the schools. The replies of a three-time sarpanch, Michael Kuttiyamma, from Idduki district, Kerala, showed that the panchayats there are relatively powerful compared to those in other States. Insofar as formulation of developmental plans is concerned, she reported that a District Planning Committee has been formed in each district. With the help of the District Collector and district panchayat president the plans are formulated. There are twelve planning committees to help the panchayat to carry out the activities. In order to identify the true beneficiaries a survey was conducted by the members of Kudumbashreethe well-known womens cooperativeand homeless people were identified. Plans have been chalked out to sanction grants to provide them habitation. For poverty alleviation activities like helping the villagers to link the aadhar card with the bank, owning a mobile phone and encouraging to save have also been taken up. Besides, Kudumbashree group members are leasing in land for joint cultivation. Others have taken up activities such as tailoring, goat keeping, bakery, poultry and piggery. Interestingly, there is no mention of employment guarantee scheme. Girl child issues are also taken up by her. She encouraged girl children of the SC and ST community to attend the school. Under her innovative work her panchayat conducted a tourism festival to attract tourists. The MLA, MP and Ministers encouraged her. She might get elected again. Where are we today? Twentyfive years ago the Constitution passed an Act in 1993 to give political space to women, Dalits and Adivasis at the grassroots level of institutions since they lacked political power and were not included in the growth process. By doing so it was envisaged that leaders from that section would be in the position of decision-making. Hence not only the path to development would be oriented towards bottom-up serving the cause of the masses of the deprived, but also governance would be transparent and parti-cipatory. Consequently, members of women, Dalits and Adivasis will reap the fruits of growth and be empowered. However, even though the structures have been formed, the real power still evades the grassroots leaders. None of the three Fs: function, functionaries, or finance is under their control. The lack of a comprehensive strategy is evident in the entire process. This is often stated as the absence of political will, but will for doing what? Will to secure social justice for the marginalised has to be a multipronged project essentially based on power exercised by the common masses who have to plan the transformation process of their miserable condition. Currently, the goal of achieving social justice still eludes us in the caste-ridden and patriarchal society. Yet as the narratives showed there were many positive trends. No doubt the panchayat women leaders have shown great promise despite the hurdles and have created the environment for pursuing the struggle for empowerment and social justice. But much more needed to be done not only by further institutional measures and appropriate development policies but also by womens groups themselves who have to address not only economic and political issues but also the cultural milieu of patriarchy and caste. In this men have an equal role to achieve. At this rate, Swachh Panchayat in a narrow physical sense may not be far off, but a Swachh Panchayat, that is Swachh with justice, equality and well-being, is still a long distance away. Table.1 Access to Sanitation in 2015 in some of the developing countries (percentage) and Infant Mortality Rate per 1000 live births (2016), Maternal Mortality Ratio per 100,000 live births (2015) India 41 35 174 Bangladesh 61 28 176 Pakistan 60 64 178 Bhutan 50 35 148 China 77 9 27 Source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.ACSN https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.IMRT.IN https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.MMRT Endnotes 1. http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/panchayati-raj-act-sc-st-population-village-self-governance-gram-panchayats-5150449/ 2. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/local-democracy-in-disarray/article23734143.ece 3. Ray, Suranjita, 2018, Twentyfive years of PRIs:A Few Disquiets, Mainstream, June 8-14, pp. 9-14. 4. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2014/nov/26/implementing-sustainable-development-goals 5. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/6-3-crore-indians-do-not-have-access-to-clean-drinking-water/story-dWIEyP962FnM8Mturbc52N.html 6. https://thewire.in/health/732-million-india-tops-list-num ber-people-without-access-toilets-report 7. http://www.healthdata.org/sites/default/files/files/policy_report/2017/India_Health_of_the_Nation%27s_ States_Report_2017.pdf 8. https://www.livemint.com/Politics/OIdNvn30nqdrGQC6pARu3J/India-has-largest-number-of-malnourished-children-in-the-wor.html 9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_districts_in_India 10. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/gandhi-jayanti-2017-swachh-bharat-mission-a-status-check-of-pm-modis-pet-project-4871145/ 11. http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/factors-affecting-toilet-adoption-rural-india 12. http://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/budget-2018-swachh-bharat-mission-funds-cut-down-59596,www.firstpost.comaccessed on 20/06/2018. 13. In fact Sidharth Mukherjis latest finding on the election of Gram pradhani reveals the same pattern, namely, only prosperous candidates are contesting the election. Mukherji, Sidharth, 2018, The Gram Pradhan Elections in Uttar Pradesh in Uttar Pradesh, Money, Power and Violence, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. LIII, No. 24, June 16, pp. 58-63. 14. MARG, 1997, They call me Member Saab: Women in Haryana Panchayti Raj (New Delhi, MARG) The author is the Head, Womens Studies, Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > Subverting Democracy without Vote-rigging by L.K. Sharma Recent events in some prominent democratic nations have highlighted the internal threats that are hard to see and even harder to counter. A military dictator can be identified. Democracy is in the news in a Pakistan that has held controversial elections and an India that is gripped by hectic preparations for the elections next year. True democrats are wary of the role of Pakistans Army that has directly ruled the country for half the period during 70 years of the nations history. And they are also getting alarm signals from India, a well-established democracy. India has become an area of their concern because of the outbreak of hyper-nationalism, mobocracy, sectarian hatred, religious violence, bigotry and suppression of dissent. These are not natural disasters but man-made election-linked events and hence critical for the health of democracy. Multi-disciplinary experts will be needed to study the voting behaviour in new India, the cultural war started by the Modi Government and religious conflict unleashed by the ruling partys associates. The polarisation of voters along sectarian lines and the use of religion for political mobilisation have been incorporated into electoral battle plans. Identity politics has come to play a more and more significant role in Indian elections. Degrading the Political Culture Indias democratically elected government has created conditions in which democracy or the lack of it has become the topic of a dismal discourse. Writer and commentator Gopal Gandhi asks the question: Is India being manipulated by the religious bigot, the political bully and the techno-commercial behemoth? The answer is implied in the question. India does not face any danger of a military coup. However, democracy can be subverted by degrading the political culture and manipulating the democratic process. Communication technologies facilitate the manufacture of consent and dissent. Fake news and vicious propaganda can be used to create mass upsurges. This new subversive capability has made ballot-rigging unnecessary. Booth-capturing seems to be an outdated technique for ensuring favourable election outcomes. However, reports of the recent village council elections in the State of West Bengal suggest that it is still in use. The Modi Government is being blamed for subjecting the country to an undeclared Emergency. Suppression of dissent by using informal actors has become a standard technique. Freedom of expression gets curtailed not by the police but by violent groups who feel empowered by the state. In political, judicial and intellectual circles, daily references crop up to self-censorship and mobocracy and to an undeclared Emergency. Undeclared Emergency The reference is to the state of Emergency imposed constitutionally by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. That was the time when she became politically vulnerable and her opponents caused countrywide chaos. A respected non-politician leading the protest called on the Army and the police to revolt! The Emergency, involving the arrest of the Opposition leaders and curtailment of civil liberties, brought the situation under control, but the dark period continued for 22 months. It ended only when Indira Gandhi announced fresh elections and her party got defeated. Barring that blemish, Indias record has been outstanding. Democracy was always taken for granted. Not anymore. The words that sum up the present situation are undeclared Emergency. This government cannot declare an Emergency since that enabling law was repealed. So, it depends on informal actors to restrain dissidence and punish dissenters. Violent groups spreading sectarian hatred and killing defenceless people feel empowered by the state. Muslims are politically marginalised and demonised. Intellectuals get threatened openly by the ruling party functionaries. Journalists critical of the Prime Minister are abused on social media. Women journalists face threats. Most media moguls have turned their journals and TV channels into the Prime Ministers PR outfits. Pratap Bhanu Mehta, a noted academic, writes that a shockingly large section of the private media is now the ideological vanguard of the state, its rhetorical stormtroopers in a politics of communalism, polarisation and distraction, anti-intellectualism, mendacity and hate. Economic Growth? The social democrats have always maintained that capitalism is essentially anti-democratic. In a rational world, capitalism and communalism would not go together. The establishment of the London Stock Exchange is known to have dampened the religious violence in Great Britain. Sectarian strife is not in the interests of business and industry. Experts with tunnel vision urge others to ignore the sectarian strife and applaud the government for economic growth. Just like some economists want the people to put up with growing inequalities. Some may even argue that growing corruption is a manifestation of economic growth! In India an extraordinary nexus of capitalism and communalism has developed because of the inducements and threats given by the government. Promoting crony capitalism is one of the charges that the Prime Minister faces. Pratap Bhanu Mehta points out that private capital has been enlisted in a project of unprecedented alignment with state goals and policies. He cant think of any liberal democracy where so much private capital has been enlisted in not just supporting the government, but also its whole ideological agenda. Mass Hysteria and Adoration Democracy finds a favourable climate in some countries and faces adverse social and cultural conditions in others. Peoples behaviour impacts political culture. Those given to mass hysteria tend to overlook rational choices. India has characteristics that promote and sustain democracy, but one cultural factor is not conducive. Indians generally revere charismatic leaders and many prostrate before such men as they do before Gods. This tempts politicians to be populist and dictatorial. A strong leader thus finds his going easy. This internal threat to democracy was understood by Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He saw the danger of mass adoration encouraging him to act undemo-cratically. As a great democrat, Nehru adopted a pen name to write about this danger and even directed criticism against himself. He never strayed from the democratic path and respected his critics and the cartoonists lampooning him. A strong leader tinkers with social engineering. The people may think they change the government but at times it is the government that changes the people. Prime Minister Modis project to transform India is producing a new breed of people. Through a major social engineering project, the Prime Minister is trying to limit the influence of secularism and make his version of Hinduism respectable and more acceptable. Many academics see it as a conspiracy to demolish the very idea of India against which a certain political force has been campaigning since the first national elections. Historian-politician Sugata Bose says the next election is not about who will be the Prime Minister; it is about what kind of India we want. Some leaders the world over tried social engineering. Margaret Thatcher, the iron lady, made the people greedier, less compassionate and more self-centred. Tony Blair of Labour sold the slogan Cool Britannia to make Britain a cultural power house. (V. S. Naipaul criticised him for turning Britain into a nation of philistines!) Harold Wilson wanted his countrymen to be friendlier to technology. Prime Minister Nehru tried to lessen the hold of orthodoxy and superstitions. In mass meetings, he talked about science and technology and of democracy. He called mega projects new temples of India! He was applauded. Today a leader calling a multi-purpose irrigation project a temple will hurt the religious feelings of a community and will be punished politically. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi popularised computerisation in a bid to push India into the 21st century. Prime Minister Narasimha Rao ushered in economic liberalisation that in turn led to social changes. Consumerism can be fuelled or kept under check through official policies. The introduction of the modern Suzuki car in an India that was still grinding out the old Morris parts led to more aggressive behaviour by its new young owners. A charismatic leader can bring out the best in the people or encourage them to attack the others. The latter kind fuel divisiveness. A decent democratic leader checks ugly public behaviour by setting a noble example and preaching brotherhood. He provides a just and fair administration that acts promptly to avert sectarian violence. The leaders statements send the right signals to the district administration. The day Indira Gandhi was defeated, several Dalit homes in a Gujarat district were burnt down, with the oppressors shouting: We will show you, now that your mother has gone! Sectarian Conflict While an elected Western leader set a world record in getting the minority people killed, some dictators have kept sectarian conflict under control by inculcating fear. Saddam Hussein ensured that in his Iraq, the Shias and Sunnis lived in harmony. When the communist German Democratic Republic collapsed, the African immigrants in East Berlin running shops on the footpaths were attacked. In some democracies, sectarian conflict is used for political mobilisation. Inter-religious violence is perpetrated to win votes for the majority community. Subservient bureaucrats let the law-and-order machinery collapse in deference to the ruling party. Most of the people keep mum because of fear or due to indifference towards human suffering. Many are brainwashed to justify mob violence caused by identity politics or hurt religious feelings. In the Indian context, commentator Monobina Gupta raises a critical question: Why has this continuing bloodshed and mayhem not caused public outrage? She then refers to deeper psychological disorders within a society. She points out that the every-day violence directed towards Muslims, Dalits or any and everybody who doesnt fit the mobs notion of mainstream has not suddenly appeared. Rather, the Narendra Modi Government has merely dipped into the reservoir of prejudice waiting to come to the surface and take on a life of its own. These clearly are not aberrant tendencies. What can be counted as an aberration perhaps is the audacious official legitimacy offered from the very top of the chain of political command. Reservoir of Prejudice This a frightful scenario. The poison once injected into society cannot be sucked out. The genie cannot be pushed back into the bottle. If polarisation becomes part of the electoral strategy, sectarian strife becomes an essential element of a grand victory plan. A clever and cynical politician knows how to tap the hidden reservoir of ill-feeling and prejudices. Only todays America could have produced Trump. So, it becomes clear that the democratic process alone cannot ensure democracy. It can throw up as the leader a scoundrel, a bigot, a stooge of the sponsoring business house, a nincompoop, a shallow public entertainer or a wise public-spirited activist! Democracy dies when even sponsored violence fails to outrage the public. Of course, newspaper articles are written and drawing room discussions take place. These do not threaten the regime that remains assured of public support. It can afford to ignore the voices of sanity and gets busy silencing these. The post-independent India has rarely seen a spontaneous mass upsurge. The huge political rallies include hired participants transported free in buses provided to the parties by businessmen. Public outrage is generated if economic interests are hit and not due to humanitarian concerns or because of atrocities against an unprivileged section. A street-smart politician conjures up a mass upsurge and public outrage with the help of money, and muscle power. He can manufacture moral panic and raise a disruptive force to serve his partys political ends. All political parties are not all that competent to do so. Hence a small scandal causes a political earthquake while a bigger scandal merely creates a ripple. Even a mature electorate can be trapped in a situation created by an unholy coalition of a few capitalists, media moguls, serving or retired intelligence officers, hired political consultants, ad agencies, co-opted goons and social media. Such ventures can create an atmosphere hostile for the political enemy and favourable for the operator. Volumes have been written on Facebook and WhatsApp targeting voters and an Indian political party deploying an army of trollers. Cyber warfare will figure prominently in the next Indian elections. The electorate will have to cope with massive information and misinfor-mation campaigns. Democratic Dystopia As this article is being written, a minor British political party is transmitting a social media message that some malicious force has hijacked its website and it may get the contact addresses of those subscribing to the newsletter! The democratic dystopia will gradually feature in poems, plays and novels by Indian writers who along with intellectuals face an unprecedented threat to freedom of expression and to their personal safety. But cartoonists, music bands and stand-up comedians react promptly. One can hear on social media protest songs under the label Aisi, Taisi Democracy, roughly translated as Down with Democracy. At some stage all this will lead to total popular disenchantment with democracy. The peoples indifference to voting reduces elections to a sham exercise. This is not a healthy development. In the olden days, a partys ideology and election manifesto mattered. All that has become more or less irrelevant. The voters hand victory to one political party but get ruled by a different coalition. Some critical editorials appear on horse-trading of the elected legislators ready to switch loyalties for power or money. The end of ideology has hit even the Leftist parties in India. They also lose their cadres and leaders to the rival party that comes to power. Bihars Chief Minister assumed office with the support of his electoral allies and ditched them later to continue in power in coalition with the party of the Indian Prime Minster whom he had condemned relentlessly during the election campaign! Electable candidates are in great demand by all parties. They are imported and fielded by a party that ignores their past hostile campaign and the claims for the ticket by its own original members. Some candidates move to an electable party before the polls. Some switch over to the ruling party after elections and that is how a party defeated in the polls forms the government. That too may be called stealing the elections. Democratic India is seething with anger and hatred. One does not need a sophisticated sensor to measure the hate index. Enough is revealed daily by the newspaper headlines. Incidents of lynching get reported quite regularly. The ruling party functionaries respond with preposterous, heartless and violent statements. Those making inflammatory speeches go unpunished and unreprimanded by the police and the party. One said that had he been the Home Minister, he would have shot the intellectuals, seculars and liberals! Any one condemning such statements gets attacked by the army of trollers. Government leaders resort to whataboutry and keep recalling the violent incidents of the past when Narendra Modi was not Prime Minister! It may be interesting to study the ongoing sectarian violence and the Gujarat killings of 2002 in the context of the partition riots, even though in terms of the scale of violence the past was a million times more horrendous. However, one may note Ayesha Jalals analysis of the partition riots. She says the killings then were carried out not by communities at large but only by bands of individuals. They had no public support but were able to hold the public hostage with the help of weapons they carried. Was it the same during the Ahmedabad riots and during the recent mob violence? Politics starts out as a type of public service and as a forum for dialogue and the conciliation of conflicting interests. It becomes a playing-field for opportunists, careerists and those seeking quick money or protection from law. Logical arguments in parliamentary debates are replaced by senseless noise and chaotic confrontation. Recent events in some prominent democratic nations have highlighted the internal threats that are hard to see and even harder to counter. A military dictator can be identified. But an elected leader can assume the mantle of a dictator or act like a stooge of the military that ensured his electoral success. The spirit of democracy is demolished by populist leaders with authoritarian instincts making false promises and by the purveyors of fake news through social media. Those commanding the media, money, muscle power, mobs, intelligence and advertising resources are always ready to provide a helping hand for a bargain. And then there is the domestic dark deep state ever ready to run a controlled democracy. The proverbial foreign hand can export a democratic spring in an unfriendly country. It now commands the remotely-controlled weapon of social media about which extensive reporting has been done in relation to the US presidential elections and the Brexit referendum. Democracy appears besieged by multiple challenges. In many cases, the form survives but the spirit has vanished. The stench of democracys decay emanates from different parts of the world. Reports of the impending death of democracy are coming from America and some other countries. All of whom have held elections and are now ruled by a dictator. Like America Turkey, Hungary and Russia have not set examples worthy of emulation. (Courtesy: www.opendemocracy.net) The author is a senior journalist and writer who worked in India and abroad (notably Britain) in several major newspapers. Now retired, he is a free- lancer. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > India - Pakistan: Seventyone Years On, Frosty Relations Continue It was August 12, 1947, three days before India became free. My father, a practising doctor, summoned us, three brothers and asked what our programme was. I told him that I wanted to stay in Pakistan just as the Muslims would in India. My elder brother, who was studying medicine at Amritsar, intervened to say that Muslims would ask the Hindus to vacate the house in West Punjab just as the Muslims living in East Punjab would be asked to leave. I asked how that could be possible if the Hindus did not agree to quit. He replied that we would be forcibly ousted. This was precisely what happened. On August 17, two days after independence, some Muslim gentlemen came to us and made the request to leave the house. I asked one of them: where do we go? He gave the keys of his house at Jalandhar and said that we would not have to do anything because his house was well-furnished and ready for occupation. We declined the offer. But after they left, all of us sat around the dining table to decide on the future. I told them that I was staying back in Pakistan and they said they would be going to Amritsar and come back once the disturbances were over. We agreed that the scenario, however dismal, we could be back, at the most after a month. My mother remarked when she was locking the house that she had a strange feeling as if we were not coming back. My elder brother agreed with her. I packed one traveller and a shirt in a blue canvas bag and parted saying that we would meet at our maternal uncles place at Darya Ganj in Delhi. My mother gave me Rs 120 to sustain myself until we met in Delhi. My father had made my journey easier. He told a Brigadier, who was his patient, to take his three sons across the border. He said he had no space in his Jonga and he can accommodate only one of us. The following morning I was pushed into his vehicle. I could not conceal my tears and wondered whether we would all meet again. The journey from Sialkot to Sambrawal was uneventful. But from there the caravans of people from either side, the Hindus moving to the Indian side and the Muslims to the Pakistani part, were on the move. Suddenly, our Jonga was stopped. An old Sikh stood on the way and begged us to take his grandchild to India. I told him politely that I was still studying and would not be able to carry his grandson, however fair his request was. The old man said that he had lost all his family members and the only survivor was his grandson. And he wanted him to live. I still recall his tearful face but I had told him the facts. How would I bring up the child when I myself was not sure about my future? Then we moved on. And, as we travelled, we could see the scattered luggage all over but the bodies had been removed by the time. The stench, however, was very much in the air. At that time I promised myself that I would try to foster good relations between the two countries. That was the main reason why I started lighting candles on the Wagha border, a process that began some 20 years ago. It was a small movement with just 15-20 people to begin with. Now roughly one lakh people on this side and the people of Pakistan, though in limited number, followed suit; they have also joined the cause. Peoples enthusiasm knows no bounds. But the governments are in the way. There is curfew in the entire area and one has to take permit to reach the border. I have written to Home Minister Rajnath Singh to instruct the authorities, both Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force, to allow us to reach the zero point, where the steel gates check the movement into either side, for lighting candles. This exercise is confined to a few individuals. I wish that the border could be made soft and the situation became calm so that enmity between the two countries is banished. I was on the bus on which Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee rode to Lahore. There was bonhomie on both sides and I thought that the trip would resume a regular exchange of trade, joint ventures and people-to-people contacts between the two nations. But I feel disappointed when I see the barbed wires on either side of the border preventing peoples passage into each others country with so much of visa restrictions. In the past, intellectuals, musicians and artists could meet and hold joint programmes. But today, even that has got stopped, with the governments showing rigidity in issuing visas. There is practically no contact on official and even non-officials sides. New Prime Minister-designate of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has said in an interview that he would ensure trade and business. My only worry is that his proximity to the Army may not allow him to carry out his promises. But, maybe, the Army angle is being exaggerated. It also wants to have peace because its their men who have to fight the war and all that it entails. The sticking point is that the decision in India is taken by the elected Members of Parliament and unlike Pakistan, where the Army has the last word. Thats where the problem comes. Whether or not Imran Khan will be able to convince the Army top brass to allow the people to have there is difficult to imagine. New Delhi should make an effort. But it has adopted a harsh stand not to negotiate with Islamabad until Pakistan stopped providing shelters to the terrorists and punishing those who were instrumental in the Mumbai blasts. Imran Khan should take the initiative, keeping in view Indias demands for any cordial relations between the two countries. The author is a veteran journalist renowned not only in this country but also in our neighbouring states of Pakistan and Bangladesh where his columns are widely read. His website is www.kuldipnayar.com Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > The Coming Struggle Editorial In four days time, on August 15, 2018, we will be celebrating our seventysecond Independence Day. And within less than a year the country will be holding its next general elections to elect the seventeenth Lok Sabha. Today itself has appeared in one of the leading national dailies of the Capital a detailed interview of our Prime Minister. While completely dismissing the Oppositions campaign against him and his regime and ridiculing the mahagathbandhan the Opposition parties were trying to forge against him in the coming elections, he asserted how the poor people who had benefited from his governments policies would campaign for him, Narendra Modi. But what he said in reply to another question was startling indeed. Nobody can deny Indias status has improved in the eyes of the world since this government came to power. After 30 years, a performing, strong and stable government is in power at the Centre. What does this mean? The 30 years would include the six years of the Vajpayee Government1998 to 2004. So Narendra Modi was implying that the Vajpayee Government too was a non-performing, weak and unstable government! As for his views on cow vigilantism, the fact that he condemned such incidents was definitely welcome, even if it was belated. But at the same time he failed to unequivocally denounce the recent fate that befell the injured Rakbar Khan who was taken to the hospital after attending to the cows that led to considerable delay which cost his life: he was declared brought dead when he reached the hospital. On the occasion of this Independence Day we are once again reminded of what our first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, had thoughtfully conveyed in a message on August 15, 1947 soon after we became free from imperialist bondage: We are citizens of a great country on the verge of bold advance... All of us, to whatever religion we may belong, are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges and obligations. We cannot encourage communalism or narrow-mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought or in action. Those in power today totally reject the views articulated by Nehru due to their intense hatred of our first PM. However, his words have acquired added significance in todays environment. At this hour it is incumbent on us to remember the countless soldiers of our freedom struggle; they had laid down their lives for the countrys emancipation from foreign yoke. In fact in view of the prevailing socio-economic conditions and the depredations of the communal forces which are increasingly on the rampage, the spirit of the independence movement needs to be revived at the earliest in order to preserve the India of our dreams, especially its secular, pluralist ethos that is under vicious attack from those striving to turn this nation into a Hindu Rashtra. The battle-lines have already been drawn. We cannot escape the coming struggle in defence of national freedom and the basic values enshrined in our Constitution. The ensuing parliamentary elections offer us a unique opportunity to do the needful to save India and its polity. That is the task before us on this Independence Day. August 12 S.C. The Judicial and Bar Council on Thursday started vetting the five nominees aspiring for the most coveted post in the judiciary, which was left vacant following the ouster of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno through quo warranto proceedings. The seven-member council led by Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio subjected the aspirants to questioning, including how they accumulated their high incomes as reflected in their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. Supreme Court Associate Justices Lucas Bersamin and Diosdado Peralta attributed the increase in their incomes to their allowances and their wives incomes. Besides Bersamin and Peralta, also vying for chief justice post are high court Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Andres Reyes Jr. and Judge Virginia Tejano-Ang of Tagum City, Davao del Norte Regional Trial Court Branch 1. Maria Milagros N. Fernan-Cayosa, a JBC regular member representing the IBP, noted that Bersamins SALN had a remarkable increase of P2 million from 2014 to 2015, and by P3 million from 2016 to 2017. On the other hand, Peraltas SALN increased by more than P5 million from 2015 to 2017. Bersamin said his SALN was a joint declaration with his wife. The jump in my SALN was caused by the cash deposit made by my wife, he said, noting that his wife is a businesswoman importing and selling high-end movie-making equipment. She deals with the government sporadically but I told her not to offer anything to the Supreme Court, Bersamin said. Peralta said he also submitted a joint declaration with his wife, Court of Appeals Associate Justice Fernanda Lampas-Peralta. Bersamin and Peralta added that they both receive allowances as members of the electoral tribunal. Both justices also said they also receive remuneration when they became head of the Bar Examination Committee. Peralta was chairman of the Bar Committee in 2014 while Bersamin was chairman in 2017. Because of my Bar chairmanship, perhaps I will report another jump in my SALN next year, Bersamin said. Peralta said he also received a lump sum from the Social Security System after he reached the age of 65 because, before his entry to the judiciary, he was a lawyer in the private sector and a law professor. He said the amount he received, which was more than P1 million, was also reflected in his SALN. If he was named chief justice, Bersamin vowed to grant more powers to the JBC to avoid making appointment mistakes to the judiciary. The JBC will need a lot more muscle to look into the qualifications of aspirants for judicial positions, Bersamin said. Bersamin was among the eight high court magistrates who voted to nullify the appointment of Maria Lourdes Sereno as Chief Justice in May due to her alleged lack of qualification for the post.It seems to me that somehow there are still people who did not deserve [but] managed to be appointed to these positions, Bersamin said. While he did not elaborate on what additional powers he intended to give the JBC if appointed, Bersamin said the selection process needed to be improved. ` There is no insurance to these kinds of mistakes. I do not ascribe that to the JBC. I rather ascribe that to the shortcomings of the pre-vetting process, he said. Bersamin also vowed to advocate judicial independence, saying a courts independence was demonstrated by how it arrived at a decision in sensitive cases, such as the rulings declaring as unconstitutional the Disbursement Acceleration Program and the Priority Development Assistance Fund. There will always be pressure in the sense that we may be concerned about how the other branches of government would react to our decisions, but that is personal on the part of justices, he said. Bersamin also brushed aside the accusations he lacked of delicadeza when he accepted the nomination for the post of chief justice despite being one of those who voted for Serenos ouster. De Castro was asked on whether she would be able to make a difference in terms of reforms and accomplishments in the judiciary considering that she only had two months left before she retired from her post. She said she had embarked on several judicial reform programs since 2007, which she hoped to continue if she got appointed as Chief Justice. De Castro, who is set to retire in October 2018 when she reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70, said: I believe it will not pose any problem because Ive been working with my colleague since 2007. From 2010, Ive been the working chair of the First Division, so for a period of eight years I have worked with them and theyve always supported my recommendation not only on judicial cases but also on administrative matters that I bring up to the Court. So I see no reason that I wont be getting their support, De Castro said. Im optimistic that whatever proposal I will make in this short period of time will get the support of my colleagues. Meanwhile, JBC has tapped the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to assist it in determining the fitness of those aspiring to be part of the judiciary. Cayosa, a JBC regular member representing the IBP, said the JBC and IBP had inked a memorandum of agreement for a pillar assessment program. In 2017 alone, Cayosa said, the JBC had processed over 15,000 applications with only 70 personnel to complement it. According to Cayosa, with the memorandum of agreement, the IBP would help determine the fitness of these applying for a regular post. The IBP is familiar with the work on judges. The IBP is the mandatory organization of lawyers with over 55,000 members, while the JBC is constitutionally mandated to screen applicants to enter the judiciary and the top Ombudsman positions. The JBC vets the names, comes up with a shortlist and submits it to Malacanang. Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Thursday vowed to facilitate discussions on Charter change at the House of Representatives but said she doubts if the proposed shift to a federal form of government would take place during her term as Speaker. It might not... be completed in my remaining time in office, especially [since] there will still be a plebiscite, Arroyo said in a TV interview. But I hope to move it forward as far as I can during my time as Speaker. And so I hope that those who follow after will pick up from where we left off in this Congress, she said. At the same time, the former president played down speculation that she would become the prime minister under a federal system, saying the federal constitution submitted by the consultative commission to the President and Congress advocates a presidential system of government. So there is no Prime Minister to speak of, she said. Arroyo also said she opposed term extensions for elected officials as well as the cancellation of May 2019 electionswhich her predecessor, Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, had pushed. Meanwhile, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said a shift to a federal form of government would fortify the competitiveness of local government units and create a better environment for investors. During the 6th Regional Competitiveness Summit held at the Philippine International Convention Center, Lopez agreed with Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III that a review of the financial implications of shifting to a federal system is imperative. Nobody can dispute that. In the end, that will still be considered. But from our end, we are are looking more at the functions that will be devolve, those that will go the federal states and those that will be left for the federal government. Im looking at the [operability] rather than the risks and costs, he said. He said once the shift is approved, LGUs would be in a better position to attract more investments and decide the kind of incentives they can offer, such as lower property taxes or corporate taxes.Foreign investors, he said, did not seem concerned about the political issues surrounding the shift to federalism. Influential business groups led by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed concern about the shift, and agreed with Dominguez that the financial impact of the move should be thoroughly examined and discussed. A member of the consultative committee, Edmund Tayao, said Thursday the shift to a federal form of government would pump prime the economy, comparing the shift to moving to a new house. The move would entail additional expenses at the start, but would generally improve the stature and condition of the occupants. Just because you have additional expense when changing the form of government doesnt mean that additional expense will be there forever. Additional costs in federalizing the country is an investment that would boost the countrys economic activity later on, Tayao said. Tayao, one of the resource persons during a Department of the Interior and Local Government-organized media forum in Tacloban City, was reacting to criticisms from the countrys economic managers that federalism could derail economic growth. Tayao said Ethiopia and Kenya have been performing well economically since they federalized. Ethiopia adopted a federal system in 1995 and has since experienced a 10.2 percent rise in its gross domestic product, an improvement from its 3.2-percent growth in 2014, the year before it shifted to federalism. Kenyas economy, on the other hand, shot up in 2010, the year it federalized, but experienced a slowdown in 2017 because of a drought. Thereafter, growth has recovered and stabilized, he said. A strong case can be built on political or legal or administrative grounds against the Duterte administrations proposed shift from the unitary form of government to the federal. But the economic case is the most powerful of the cases that can be brought against the idea of federalism in the Philippines. The economic case against federalism has many parts, but the most important relate to the composition of the 20 political entities18 federal states and two autonomous regionsinto which the Duterte-created Consultative Committee wants to divide this country, the cost and administrative impact of creating what will in effect be a second bureaucracy and the effect on the nations macro-economic fundamentals of the additional fiscal burden that the central government will be called upon to bear. First, the composition of the proposed 18 federated states. The federated states should, nay must, be composed of provinces that will be more or less economically balanced. Each component province must be able to make a proportionate contribution to the economy of the state and must not be a drag on its finances. The merging of prosperous provinces with provinces that are fiscally weak will lead to resentment and frustration and in time will produce a clamor for disengagement and more equitable partnering. The first-class provinces will soon tire of subsidizing second-class and third-class provincial parties. There is widespread agreement that the areas that will make sense as federated states are NCR (National Capital Region), Central Luzon, Calabarzon, the Ilocos corridor, Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Davao City. The second part of the case against federalism is the economic logic, in a Third World setting, in creating what in effect is a second bureaucracy below the national/central bureaucracy. A whole army of elected and appointive officials will be put in place to perform the few functions that will not be reserved to the central government (viz., defense, internal security, foreign affairs, monetary policymaking and justice). In recent testimony before the Senate, the nations chief fiscal policymaker, the Secretary of Finance, stated that all the new fiscal obligations that DOF (Department of Finance) is being made to shoulder will cost approximately P120 billion, which he said, pointedly, represented the combined salaries of 95 percent of the present government workforce. All told, Carlos Dominguez III, said that the government would see one of the key macro-economic fundamentals, the budget-deficit-to-GDP ratio, rise to 6.7 percent, as against the 3 percent that the government is trying to maintain.As the leader of the team of economic managers, the Secretary of Finance is concernedas he must ever beabout the impact of a sharply higher budget-deficit-to-GDP ratio on the Philippines credit rating, which influences the rates of interest that foreign lenders charge on loans to this country. Asked by the Senators what would happen to the Philippines credit rating if the budget-deficit-to-GDP ratio will rise to 6.7 percent, Mr. Dominguez curtly replied, It will go to hell. The Secretary of Finance summed up his Senate testimony thus: The draft federal charter could lead to massive job losses in the public sector, reduce funds for the governments ambitious infrastructure program, widen the budget deficit and downgrade this countrys credit ratings (It) could result in dire, irreversible economic consequences. This is the economic case against the proposed shift from unitary government to federalism. It is a very powerful case. Effectively communicated to the people of this countryespecially to the millions of Filipinos who attach the highest value to economic growth and political progressit is a winning case. It might be helpful, as we take up the pesky issue of the wherewithal of federalizing, to find out how others have divided the pie and allocated resources between the central government and the sub-national entities. Khairil Azmin Mokhtar did an interesting study that he titled Federalism in Malaysia: A Constitutional Study of the Federal Institutions Established by the Federal Constitution of Malaysia and their Relationships with the Traditional Institutions in the Constitution. For a federal state to exist both in law and in fact, Mokhtar argues, both the federation and the sub-national governments should be guaranteed financial independence, to enable each level of government to perform its constitutionally ordained functions. By this premise, it will not be correct to ask how the central government will finance the regions. The very question suggests that one is still confined to the unitary paradigm of a central government allocating funds to local governments. Rather sub-national units should have revenue generating power to a degree markedly greater than that conceded either by constitutional provision or by statute (largely the latter) to local government units. States or regions constituting the federation should not await the goodwill or the benevolence of the grantor. Says Mokhtar: The grant is a constitutional right of the receiving government, and the right is essential to maintaining its sovereignty and independence as an equal partner in the federation. But Mokhtar admits that in Malaysia, that fiscal and monetary policy are federal concerns entrenches the strength and the centralized position of the federal government, and although the states of Malaysia are given the means by which to raise their own revenues, they are still chiefly dependent on the federal government. And so he laments that prosperity and woe on the state (sub-national) level depend on alliances and allegiances. Good and cordial relations exist between federation and state if they are of the same party, however the relationship between federation and states governed by the opposition party is to the contrary. One experience is instructive. There was nothing in the Malaysian Constitution that stood in the way of states entering into financial arrangements with a company. And when one state demanded advance payment of royalties, this certainly afforded the contracting state some relief. But the question was soon raised as an issue of law whether advance payment of royalties constituted a loan that states were forbidden from contracting. While the Federal Court held that such payments did not bear the character of loans, Parliament was unhappy about the derogation of its fiscal supremacy and the diminution of its controland it amended the law in such wise as to make such payments subject to the approval of the federal government. For German federalism, an elementary principle is fiscal equalization which includes both vertical equalizationequalization between different levelsand horizontal fiscal equalization which refers to transfers within the same level. Arthur Gunlinks study entitled The Lander and German Federalism in the Issues in German Politics series, identifies five stages of fiscal equalization. There is first the vertical distribution of separate and joint tax ventures. The Federation and the Lander have an equal claim to current revenue to cover costs of government on their levels, endeavoring, as far as practicable, at a fair balance, avoiding an overburdening of taxpayers and providing uniformity of living conditions in the territory of the federation. The general rule is that one source of funds can be taxed on only one level. But it is also clear that German federalism eschews the principle that the federation has the principal right to income generation only with the attendant obligation to share the Lander. The second stage of the equalization scheme is horizontal distribution of joint tax revenues. The Lander derive their income principally from personal income tax and corporate taxwith corporations taxed at the place where the production facilities are to be found, rather than at the location of the head office. Under this stage, the local yield principle also obtains: the Lander keep what they yield. Obviously, this means that the rich sub-national entities remain rich, while the poor continue to chafe in their misery, although the poorer Lander have consistently argued that the funds should be distributed on the basis of need or population. The third stage, horizontal distribution based on tax capacity where the needs of the Lander that have revenue below the per capita average receive supplementary funds from what is left of the VAT, after 75 percent has been distributed to the different Lander. In other words, 75 percent of VAT is distributed to the Lander on the basis of populationand when the revenue of the unit still remains lower than the per capita average, from the remaining 25 percent of the VAT is taken what is needed to approximate equalization of Lander share. Horizontal fiscal equalization refers to same-level transfers from richer units to poorer units, allowing for differentiated assistance. This allows the Lander to provide as far as possible the same services to all Germans. Finally there are federal supplementary grantstransfers from the federal government designed to diminish disparity between the sub-national units. Under the Constitution of India, there are two gigantic consolidated funds: the Consolidated Fund of India consisting of all revenues received by India and loans raised through the issuance of treasury bills and all moneys received by the national government. By contrast the Consolidated Fund of the State consists of revenues received by the Government of a State as well as loans it raises by the issuance of similar bills. Instructively for us, Shukla (updated by Pal Singh), writing on the constitutional law of India wryly comments: In any Federation, the problem of allocation of resources is necessarily difficult, since two different authorities (the national and the regional governments each with independent powers) are raising money from the same body of taxpayers. The constitutional problem is simplified if it is possible to allocate separate fields of taxation to two authorities. But the revenues derived from such a division, even where it is practicable, may not fit the economic and financial requirements of each authority. Thus it is that the Constitution of India attempts a solution to the problem by itemizing what revenues from which sources the federation may raise and which, in respect to the States. What is clear however is the necessity of some central coordinating body that constantly calibrates the delicate balance between the needs of the federation as such and the regions or the states. Equally important is the role of the Supreme Court of the Constitutional Court (in the case of the ConCom Draft, the Supreme Court) that will rule with definitiveness on which revenues are properly federal, which are regional. Ratnapala and Crowe, commenting on the Australian Constitution, teach, like the Germans, that the balancing act must involve vertical fiscal balance which occurs when regional units have flexible sources of revenue that allow them to deliver the services they are obligated to render, and horizontal fiscal balance which is disturbed when there is gross disparity between the incomes and the revenue of sub-national entities. They propose four conditions for the economic viability of a federation: the free movement of goods and services, capital and people across borders; the grant of power to the central government to legislate with respect to interstate and overseas trade and commerce compatible nonetheless with the autonomy of the regions; the grant of power to state governments to legislate with respect to trade within the state; finally, the grant of fiscal power to the central and state governments in proportion to their need to carry out their administrative operations and provide essential public goods within their levels. Two things are clear: It is not reasonable to expect a hard and fixed formula for the minutiae of allocation at the very outset, although general parameters and margins must be set. Also, the allocation of resources, the sharing of revenue and the distribution of fiscal powers will be as analogous as the very concept of federalismsince, I have always maintained, that while there are some elements that mark a federation in contrast to a unitary state, federalism takes many forms and admits of different permutations.We cannot be spared these shadows that presage the dawning of a different day. Is Solar Energy Rising From The Ashes Again? Recently, the Solar Energy sector has popped up on our watch-list of potential sectors to pay attention to. Over the past few weeks, the Solar Energy sector has been under some pricing pressure and has retraced nearly 50% of the previous trend across the sector. We, the research team at Technical Traders Ltd. understand the Trade War and uncertainty resulting from geopolitical tensions can sometimes create opportunities in the markets for all traders/investors. We just have to be smart enough to find them end execute them efficiently. Is Solar Energy the next big trend to hit in the Energy sector? What is the potential for these stocks to move 10%, 20% or even 30%+ higher? Lets take a look. This first chart, a Weekly chart of First Solar (FSLR) presents us with an interesting price setup. After a dramatic price decline in May and June of 2018, the price decline abruptly halted near $52.00. In fact, this downside move ended almost as if prices legged down to the last known true support level. Historically, looking all the way back to the lows of 2012, this downside move represents just a little over a 38.2% retracement from the highs and coincides almost perfectly with a 50% retracement from the lows in 2017. These two numbers interest us because they show us that $53.50~55.00 is very likely a strong support level that is currently being tested. Simple Fibonacci expansion analysis tells us any upside potential could target $61.35 (+12.65%), 69.95 (+28.44%) & 76.20 (+39.99%). These levels dont take into consideration the potential for new breakout highs above $82.50. If this were to happen, we could see a +50% or more price upside happen. Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, what would cause the Solar sector to begin a price advance at this stage in the economy? Renewed interest in the new technology of new infrastructure/government contracts? Replacing older technology with newer, higher performance, technology? Renewed interest from personal and corporate clients? What could cause this move? You may remember that weve been suggesting that capital, cash, is always attempting to find solid sources of growth and opportunity while avoiding risk and depreciation. Weve been suggesting that the spare cash on the planet has been rushing into the US stock markets by the boatload to take advantage of the strong dollar and the strong US stock market values. Could it be time for that capital to shift away from the FANGs and other leaders and move back into opportunistic equities that are somewhat off the radar? Earnings for these companies for Q3 are set to be announced near October 28, 2018. With FSLR, the Q3 earnings have typically been fairly strong. One could attempt to assume Q3 2018 sales value may surprise the markets again and this could be a good time to consider the Solar Sector as an opportunity. Our next chart is a Weekly ETF chart of INVESCO SOLAR (TAN). This chart presents a similar picture as the previous chart a relatively strong pullback from April~June of 2018. The price pullback ends near a 50% Fibonacci retracement level and coincides quite nicely with our Tesla Vibrational Price Arc. Weve drawn an arrow on the chart that suggests where we believe prices could be headed as long at this $21.75 support level holds. Again, it does not take a genius to understand that any price advance from the $22.70 level to above $26.00 (or higher) would represent an almost +15% move. Any move above $28.00 from current levels would represent a +23.34% move. There is room for profits if our analysis is correct. Lastly, we want to highlight what might be the most interesting setup in the Solar sector so far Canadian Solar Inc (CSIQ). This Monthly chart attempt to show our readers exactly what has been transpiring in the Solar Sector for the past 5+ years. After peaking in early 2014, Solar technology lost its sparkle with investors. Slowly, over time, prices waned and dropped while attempting to find support. Technically, we view that support as the lows established in 2016 (prior to and near the US Presidential elections). After that point it time, it is pretty clear to see that some renewed interest in the Solar Sector began to take place. Slowly, price advanced from the low as volume stayed somewhat muted. New rotational highs were established while the most recent low is still testing the 2016 lows. This tells us that the price trend, at least until we see a new breakdown low, is attempting to move higher. CSIQ is currently trading near $14.75 and has upside potential above $21.00 on a breakout move. We are not saying this is definitely going to happen, but we do believe the Solar sector is setting up for an upside move and we do believe the potential for a new rotational high price to be established is quite strong. This means, finding the proper entry point and understanding the downside risk of these trades is critical. Once CSIQ breaks our Red downward price sloping line, we would assume the price channel has been broken and we would expect the price to begin to rise dramatically. As a member of our subscription services, you will be alerted to these, and other triggers, as our research team identifies them for the best chances at future success. Please take a minute to visit www.TheTechnicalTraders.com to learn how we can help you find new opportunities in the markets and stay ahead of these trends. Our most recent trade in UDOW returned 12.6% for our members last week. Please take a few minutes to understand how a small, dedicated, team of researchers with 53+ years of experience can make a difference in your future. Chris Vermeulen www.TheTechnicalTraders.com Chris Vermeulen has been involved in the markets since 1997 and is the founder of Technical Traders Ltd. He is an internationally recognized technical analyst, trader, and is the author of the book: 7 Steps to Win With Logic Through years of research, trading and helping individual traders around the world. He learned that many traders have great trading ideas, but they lack one thing, they struggle to execute trades in a systematic way for consistent results. Chris helps educate traders with a three-hour video course that can change your trading results for the better. His mission is to help his clients boost their trading performance while reducing market exposure and portfolio volatility. He is a regular speaker on HoweStreet.com, and the FinancialSurvivorNetwork radio shows. Chris was also featured on the cover of AmalgaTrader Magazine, and contributes articles to several leading financial hubs like MarketOracle.co.uk Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect. Chris Vermeulen Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Controlled Virtual Reality by Algorithms The backlash against the high tech mob is so obvious that no sane person can deny that their version of acceptable thinking requires banning Free Speech. The genie is out of the lamp and the only way to prevent these demons from repeating their censorship is to cork the bottle of any product offered by these companies. Utopia for the authoritarian collectivists necessitates that they conjure up twisted and absurd content targets as hate speech in a desperate attempt to rationalize the purging of counter opinions to their orthodox "PC" Communist Manifesto. In essence, the "so called" left has become the model of fascism by and under Silicon Valley's techno plutocrats. Merging Fabian ideals with state/corporatist absolutism produces a deformed corporeality by algorithms in an artificial intelligence society. Algorithms function as filters to identify dangerous voices of reason and common sense. Eradicating any kind of dissent or historic cultural viewpoints is automated in the digital cloud of approved thinking. The canard that the masters of artificial truth are private companies and are not subject to Bill of Right protections is an insult to anyone who is committed to the building of a free society. Google, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have emerged as monopolies that restrict speech and excel at censorship. Several years ago Jane Wakefield's article in the BCC When algorithms control the world cited the following. "In his book, The Filter Bubble, Eli Pariser questions how far Google's data-crunching algorithm go in harvesting our personal data and shaping the web we see accordingly. Meanwhile, a recent study by psychologists at Columbia University found that reliance on search engines for answers is actually changing the way humans think." Gathering personal data and online habits allow for the assignment of a social score based upon factors and behavior that the monolithic gatekeepers are establishing. If this is not the formula for the apocalyptic "Mark of the Beast" then what would you call it? Who can forget when Eric Schmidt set into motion the removal of troublesome digital identities? Googles chairman wants algorithms to censor the internet for hate speech makes the following point. Its our responsibility to demonstrate that stability and free expression go hand in hand, he writes. We should build tools to help de-escalate tensions on social mediasort of like spell-checkers, but for hate and harassment. Gee, how did this approach work out? While the targeting of conservative, libertarian and pro Trump sites have been getting the most attention, the folks over at AIWAREFARE.TECH provide some basic trends about Social Media Algorithms. Fake News used as a rational but false explanation (cover story) for censorship of damning truths Facebook is more or less an intelligence operation, while Facebook algorithms are notably suspect [2] Twitter algorithm's allegedly to curtail hate speech can be weaponized against legitimate free speech Twitter algorithms to label a tweet under the wrong language and inherently cut off the proper language demographic from seeing the tweet Instagram algorithms appear to shadow ban those who use CIA assassination hashtags (Perhaps lumped into the terrorist category) However I have noticed unfair censorship of conservative and the alt right in social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. An entire popular social media platform itself appears to have spawned out of the ashes of social media censorship (Gab.ai). Google would appear to be the prime target for sources like the CIA to infiltrate with agenda oriented algorithms Algorithmic censorship is just coming to into the picture compared to the progression we may see in the next 10-20 years As the midterm elections approach, the tech globalists are pulling out all the stops to silence and remove from the web voices which defend the America First philosophy that the Trump administration is implementing. The safe space snowflakes who write and execute their suppressive programming act as establishment guardians for their totalitarian masters. Notwithstanding, push back is growing and the public needs to apply their constitutional community standards to demand that censorship of political discourse is utterly un-American. Michael Snyder observes: Is The Censorship Of Conservatives Part Of The Reason Why Facebook Is Losing Massive Amounts Of Traffic? "The amount of website traffic that Facebook receives in the United States has fallen by about half since 2016, and it is anticipated that this decline in traffic will not end any time soon. Coincidentally (or perhaps not), 2016 also happened to be the year when the censorship of conservatives on Facebook really became noticeable. The events of this week made headlines all over the globe, but the truth is that Facebook has been an egregious censor of conservative viewpoints for a very long time, and it appears that it is really taking a toll on the company. In business, one of the golden rules is to never make your customers angry, but Facebook has chosen to make conservatives very angry over and over again. It was inevitable that many of them would begin to leave, and that is perhaps part of the reason why monthly page visits are down by about four billion over the past two years" Unfortunately, sitting back and watching the internal meltdown of the most egregious social network blacklisters does not eliminate the problem of high tech lynching. Experience the latest Google search and the results prove just how biased their version of virtual reality has become. Add to their controlled and malformed correctness is their acceptance into the Chi-Coms sphere of regimentation. Education has been an indoctrination chamber for well over a century. The old internet provided a real alternative to sanctioned conformity. Now the algorithm dreamland serenity that the millennium autocrats seek requires imposing, on any point of view that differs from theirs, banishment from social networks and ultimately the web itself. The internet is rapidly building an iron curtain of a NKVD neo-Stalinism. In the vanguard of perfecting the computerization of censorship, the despots of allowable compliance will soon require acceptance of their political and social culture to gain access to what remains and is worth viewing on the internet. SARTRE Source: http://batr.org/utopia/081418.html Discuss or comment about this essay on the BATR Forum http://www.batr.org "Many seek to become a Syndicated Columnist, while the few strive to be a Vindicated Publisher" 2018 Copyright BATR - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Best Merlin UK Theme Park Summer Holiday 2018 - Thorpe, Alton Towers, LegoLand or Chessington? We are now well into the UK school summer holidays so families are busy planning where to go next, which usually includes trips to Britain's Theme parks where the king of UK attractions is Merlin with it's 32 theme parks spread out across the UK. And so with so much choice many are asking which is Britians' best theme park as this video after multiple visits to Merlin's largest and most popular theme parks i.e. Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures and of course probably the best known LegoLand Windsor. We rate the parks out of 10 both from a child's perspective and an teen / adults perspective so as to give a better view of which theme parks are suitable for which age group as well as how well each theme park has managed to stand the test of time in keeping up with park visitors changing demands. So watch our video to find out which is Merlin's best UK theme park to visit Summer Holidays 2018 https://youtu.be/wlAKtpwzO8U And ensure to subscribe to our youtube channel for new UK theme park videos. By Anika Walayat http://www.howtoguidesandreviews.com http://www.marketoracle.co.uk Copyright 2005-2018 Marketoracle.co.uk (Market Oracle Ltd). All rights reserved. Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes. 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Bozeman is a rapidly growing city with a high quality of life in part due to the easy access to the outdoors, burgeoning tech industry, and cultural experiences it offers. It has been six years since the states "smart grid" law handed Commonwealth Edison formulaic rate hikes nearly every year to finance a $2.6 billion modernization program that the utility promised would make its power grid more reliable. ComEd has completed the reliability work now. And the results? The news largely is good, which should make residents and business people feel better about the rate increases that funded the investment. But in a way the upgraded grid hasnt yet been tested because the period since the 2011 Electricity Infrastructure Modernization Act (EIMA) was enacted over then-Gov. Pat Quinns veto has coincided with a relatively calm period of summer weather in Chicago. Summer means many things to different people, but to everyone it means severe thunderstorms and sometimes tornadoes. Those wreak havoc on overhead power lines, creating mass outages than can take hours or sometimes days to restore. From 2012 until 2017, the years after the laws passage, ComEds northern Illinois service territory has averaged nearly 19 storms a year, with a little more than eight of those causing at least 10,000 outages lasting at least three hours, according to a report the utility submitted earlier this year to the Illinois Commerce Commission, which only recently was made public. In the five years preceding that and leading up to EIMAs passage, there were an average of 24 storms annually, with 12 of those of the more severe variety. The worst by far was 2011 itself, when a string of intense summer storms knocked out the lights for millions. Over the course of that whole year, 14 major storms caused a total of 2.8 million outages. ComEd struggled to respond. On average, it took the utility 366 minutes to restore power for each customer that year, which provoked widespread outrage but also helped buttress ComEds arguments in Springfield for rate hikes and upgrades. In 2017, by contrast, it took 116 minutes on average to restore power. Of course, there were "only" 901,000 outages caused by 14 storms, 10 of which resulted in at least 10,000 outages lasting at least three hours. If the record on how long it takes to restore power isnt totally clear, thats not the case for the number of outages on the system overall. Those undeniably are fewerand significantly. Each storm in the five years leading up to the law knocked out power to 88,000 customers on average. In the most recent five years, thats down to an average of 60,000 per storm. ComEds moves to automatically reroute power from working equipment to customers affected by damaged equipment when its possible to do so clearly have had a beneficial effect. In addition, total number of outages, whether caused by storms, squirrels or anything else, are way down per customer. The improvement in restoration times isnt nearly as dramatic. In 2009, a pre-EIMA year that was a particularly light summer storm season, there were more than 650,000 total outages caused by seven serious storms. System-wide, it took ComEd 112 minutes on average to restore power. That year was more benign than 2017, but still the 116 minutes last year at least raises questions about how much restoration times would improve in a really severe season like 2011. In an email, a ComEd spokesman expresses confidence. "The smart grid law is working, and the investments weve made to strengthen and modernize the electric grid are proving their value every day with record reliability for our customers, including a 46 percent decrease in the frequency and length of power outages," he said. "Today, families and businesses across northern Illinois enjoy electric service that is more reliable by every key measure, and the smart grid is well positioned to respond to storms and other weather events." Smart grid has passed many tests, but it awaits the ultimate one. Steve Daniels When a new academic year begins in Wisconsin a few weeks from now, the only school in Darien, a small community near the Illinois border, will remain empty. In January, local school officials proposed raising property taxes to bring in three and a half million dollars. Voters rejected the ideait would have been the second property-tax increase in three yearsforcing the district to make drastic cuts to its budget. Darien Elementary School was one of those cuts. Its teachers were laid off, and its students will be sent to other schools in the area. Similar school closings have, in recent years, occurred in a number of other rural Wisconsin towns. It has been nearly a decade since Governor Scott Walkerwho grew up near Darienand his fellow-Republicans began implementing their vision of conservative austerity and privatization in Wisconsin. The result has been a state more attractive to corporations, with a smaller middle class and deteriorating public infrastructure and institutionsfrom roads to the University of Wisconsin system to public schools. During this period, Republicans have maintained nearly unbroken control of the states government, and Walker has become a conservative hero. This year, as he seeks reelection to a third term, he has expressed pride about his record and has been typically implacable on most issuesexcept, notably, education. After the state cut more than a billion dollars in spending on schools and universities between 2011the year Walker took officeand 2017, Walker signed a budget last year that included an increase of some six hundred and forty million dollars in K-12 spending. "Im being aggressive on this," Walker told the Wisconsin State Journal, in June. "Were proclaiming proudly that Im the pro-education governor and I want to continue to be the pro-education governor." By Dan Kaufman https://www.newyorker.com/news/dispatch/why-education-may-be-the-issue-that-breaks-republicans-decade-long-grip-on-wisconsin?mbid=nl_Daily%20081518&CNDID=16995418&utm_source=Silverpop&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20081518&utm_content=&spMailingID=14068401&spUserID=MTMzMTc5NjQ5MTY3S0&spJobID=1461373213&spReportId=MTQ2MTM3MzIxMwS2 The Montana Department of Commerces Office of Tourism and Business Development and its advertising and marketing agency, Hoffman York, took home three prestigious Mercury Awards at the U.S. Travel Associations annual Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO) Conference held in Phoenix on Tuesday, August 14. The Mercury awards, presented by the National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD), recognize excellence and creative accomplishments in state destination marketing in 13 categories. Montana and Hoffman York were awarded in the categories of Integrated Marketing Campaign, Printed Collateral Materials and Social Media Campaign. "The awards cap off a record-breaking year for Montana Tourism in terms of attracting visitors to the state," said Montana Department of Commerce Director Pam Haxby-Cote. "Over the past year, weve taken a data-driven approach to increase awareness of what Montana has to offer, and the results show were on the right track." And now, a little bit more on the award-winning campaigns. http://marketmt.com/News/montana-tourism-campaign-wins-big-at-esto Montana ranks 6th in the nation for enrolling AmeriCorps members Governor Steve Bullock today announced that Montana has received $688,526 from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to fund three AmeriCorps state programs. "AmeriCorps members are critical to the fabric of our communities," said Governor Bullock. "I know these leaders will strive to do good for others and make a meaningful difference in the lives of Montanans. I look forward to all they will accomplish for this great state." http://governor.mt.gov/Newsroom/governor-bullock-announces-over-680000-in-americorps-grants Les membres du cabinet ont pris note de la performance des compagnies qui sont dans lexportation, de la promulgation du Declaration of Assets (Amendment) Act 2019, de la preparation du Skills Development Authority Bill, du Mauritius Meteorological Services Bill entre autres. 1. Cabinet has taken note of the performance of the Export-Oriented Enterprises (EOE) Sector over the period January to May 2019 as compared to the corresponding period in 2018. The total exports of the EOE sector has increased by 4.6% to reach Rs18.1 billion as compared to Rs17.3 billion in the corresponding period in 2018. Increase has been recorded in the value of exports of Textiles & Clothing, Jewellery, Precious and Semi-precious Stones and Medical Devices. Growth has been recorded in exports to UK, Belgium, Netherlands, USA, South Africa and Madagascar. 2. Cabinet has taken note that the official launching of the new offices of the Mauritius International Arbitration Centre and of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Coaster Shed, Caudan Waterfront would be held on 12 November 2019. 3. Cabinet has agreed to the proclamation of the Declaration of Assets (Amendment) Act 2019 and to the promulgation of the Declaration of Assets (State-Owned Enterprises) Regulations and the Declaration of Assets (Declaration Forms) Regulations. 4. Cabinet has agreed to the proposed membership of Mauritius to the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and the ratification of its Establishment Agreement and Charter. The AFC is a Pan-African multilateral development financial institution established by a treaty among sovereign African States and currently 21 African countries are members of the Corporation. The AFC was created to provide leadership in addressing Africas infrastructure challenges. It focuses essentially on the development, financing, and delivery of infrastructure and industrial projects, as well as advisory services across the whole continent. 5. Cabinet has agreed to drafting instructions being given to the Attorney Generals Office for the preparation of a Skills Development Authority Bill. The objects of the Skills Development Authority would be, inter alia, to: (a) regulate the TVET Sector; (b) ensure quality assurance in the TVET sector; (c) confer awarding powers to training institutions; (d) develop a Skills Framework; and (e) maintain a Skills Development Fund. 6. Cabinet has agreed to the Mauritius Meteorological Services Bill being circulated to Honourable Members of the National Assembly and to the Bill being published in the Government Gazette, pending its introduction into the National Assembly. The object of the Bill is to provide a regulatory framework for the establishment and operation of the Mauritius Meteorological Services. The Mauritius Meteorological Services shall, inter alia: (a) take over the functions and powers of the existing Mauritius Meteorological Services which has so far been operating administratively without a regulatory framework; (b) be the sole official authority responsible for monitoring the general weather and climate conditions, including extreme weather events, throughout Mauritius and for providing weather forecasts, warnings and advisories for the welfare and safety of the general public and for the protection and safety of maritime and aeronautical navigation; and (c) act as the National Tsunami Warning Centre for Mauritius. 7. Cabinet has agreed to the promulgation of the Fisheries and Marine Resources (Import of Fish and Fish Products) (Amendment) Regulations and the Fisheries and Marine Resources (Export of Fish and Fish Products) (Amendment) Regulations under the Fisheries and Marine Resources Act. The existing Regulations governing import and export of fish and fish products would, inter alia, be amended with a view to making provisions for the submission of applications and issuance of registration certificates/permits through the Single Window TradeNet System and facilitating trade. 8. Cabinet has taken note that the Income Tax (Amendment No. 2) Regulations would be promulgated. The amendments include the following: (a) the introduction of clear substance requirements for manufacturing activities conducted under the Freeport as well as for all activities entitled to the 80% tax exemption regime; and (b) the reinforcement of the anti-abuse provisions under the Income Tax Act by introducing appropriate rules, known as Controlled-Foreign-Company (CFC) rules, to discourage resident companies from shifting income to jurisdictions that do not impose tax or that impose tax at low rates. 9. Cabinet has taken note that the Regional Electricity Regulators Association of Southern Africa (RERA) would hold two meetings in Mauritius, namely a Sub Committee meeting from 26 to 30 August 2019 and the Portfolio Committee from 24 to 27 September 2019. The RERA was established by the SADC Energy Ministers in July 2002 to promote capacity building and information sharing and cooperation in the field of electricity regulation and to facilitate harmonisation of regulatory policies, legislation, standards and practices among regulators in SADC. Some 120 participants from SADC Member States would attend the Sub Committee meeting and 40 would attend the Portfolio Committee meeting. 10. Cabinet has taken note that according to the last monthly report published by the Statistics Unit of the Ministry of Tourism, some 765,530 tourists visited Mauritius for the period of January to July 2019 as compared to 762,746 for the corresponding period in year 2018, representing an overall increase of 0.4%. Growth has been registered in arrivals from Italy (+14.8%), France (+4.1%), Reunion Island (+5.0%), Belgium (+12.1%), Czech Republic (+12.2%), Switzerland (+18.3%) and Saudi Arabia (+12.3%). 11. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities issuing to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an official expression of the political commitment of Mauritius to act in accordance with IAEAs Guidance on the Management of Disused Radioactive Sources. The Guidance requires that States should establish a national policy and strategy for the management of disused sources. It also provides guidance on the implementation of options such as recycling and reuse as well as long term storage pending disposal and return to a supplier of disused radioactive sources. The Radiation Safety and Nuclear Security Authority would be responsible for the implementation of the Guidance in collaboration with relevant institutions. 12. Cabinet has taken note of the appointment of Mr Beejhaye Ramdenee as Director-General of the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and Mr Premode Neerunjun, as Chairperson of the Board of the MBC. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn World-class advice, portfolio reviews and one-on-one mentorship from esteemed industry professionals; unrivalled access to inspirational lectures, talks and speakers, all taking place digitally for the second year in a row. Canon Europe is excited to announce the 2021 Canon Student Development Programme, now in its fifth consecutive year. Running from 1st 4th September 2021, Canon will offer 250 students from across Europe, Middle East and Africa the exclusive opportunity to participate in its bespoke educational programme designed to enhance students visual storytelling skills and advance their careers. The importance of photography and supporting its rising stars has become more apparent than ever this year, as it has the power to shape the worlds perceptions, tell stories and make history. With applications opening on 1st April 2021, the second digital edition of the Canon Student Development Programme will offer successful participants the chance to have their portfolio reviewed by some of the most influential names in the world of photography to help them on their journey to becoming young professionals. Each student will be partnered with a mentor over the summer from whom they will receive one-on-one preparation time, ahead of having their curated portfolios reviewed within a group review session in September. This year, expert coaching will be provided by some of the worlds leading photo professionals, including Canon Ambassadors such as visual artist Laura El-Tantawy and two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Muhammed Muheisen . Alongside the portfolio reviews the Programme will also include a series of inspirational lectures, taking place digitally from world-renowned experts including photographers, picture editors and publishers, who will share practical advice as well as their thoughts and perspectives over trends and developments in the industry. Since 2017, over 800 students have attended the Programme, resulting in real success stories of talents that have gone on to establish incredible careers. Alumni such as Ksenia Kuleshova (2017) , who has since gone on to become a successful photojournalist, works regularly for publications including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal; while Michele Spatari (2018) is an award-winning documentary and news photographer for AFP who has captured some of the most significant events in recent history, including the Covid-19 pandemic. Since attending the Programme, both photographers have also gone on to become Canon Ambassadors. Ksenia Kuleshova, Programme Alumni and Canon Ambassador said: The Canon Student Development Programme is a great way for aspiring photographers to gain invaluable experience, learning from and mixing with professionals in the industry. During my time on the Programme, I learned not only how to better present and promote my work but was also able to use it to reflect on my experience and motivate myself when the week ended. Amine Djouahra, Sales and Marketing Director at Canon Central and North Africa said: As we approach our fifth year of the Canon Student Development Programme, were excited to welcome the next generation of creative storytellers onboard. Part of Future Focus, Canons dedicated programme for turning young talent into professionals, we look forward to championing future photographers by giving them the tools, knowledge and opportunity to advance their careers and build on their skills. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Education Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu. Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu. Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events: International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu. EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu. Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets June Homecoming: Participant $18 per person; Sustainer $25 per person; Benefactor $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events: SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available for information call 610-275-1960 Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above) SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m. Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. 4 p.m. computers are available during those hours. Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863. Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376. Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com. The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes: Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020. CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313. The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events: Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m. Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m. Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30. Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301. For Kids & Families The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443. Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950. Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required. The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950. Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus. Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage. Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun. Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train. Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world! Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class. Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org. Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583. Community Events at the Ambler Y: -YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register. Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org. Health Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot. The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information. Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245. Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net. Spring Aquatic Programs UDHS Pool: -Summer is just around the corner Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required. Shallow Water Aerobics Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR. Adult Swim Instructions Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR -Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21. -Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m. -Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons. -Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates. Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994. SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com. Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org. Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs: FITNESS CLASSES Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month. Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30 9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly. SUPPORT GROUPS Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000. Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30 7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047. New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30 4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931. Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325. Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes. Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com. Librarytalk Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744 www.upperdublinlibrary.org APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS: Storytimes: Please register in the library. o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m. o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m. o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6. APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS: North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS: NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org. One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register contact info above. Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744. o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register. Meetings: Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m. Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m. Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org. For children and teens at Blue Bell: * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m. * May 14 Despicable Me * June 11 Alpha and Omega * Special Events * April watch for date of spring/Easter events * April 14 at 4:30 p.m. Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children. * April 14 at 7 p.m. Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided. * April 16 at 1 p.m. Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King. * April 16 at 1:30 p.m. Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes? * April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button. * April 30 through May 3 Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults. * May sign up for Science in the Summer * June sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children * June sign up for Summer Reading, all ages For adults at Blue Bell: * Daytime Book Discussion Group fourth Tuesday, Jan April at 1:30 p.m. * April 26 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Night-time Book Discussion Group third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. o April 19 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked? *Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs * Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class. * Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class. * Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m. * Giant Book Sale, April 29 May 3 o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults! o Held during library hours. o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m. o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join. * Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series o May 11 at 1 p.m. Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society * Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room. * Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read. * Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome. * Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome. *Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older. * Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours * Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours * Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday! Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library. * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * For adults: * Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn. * Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net * Special Events: * April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian. * April 19 at 7 p.m. Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m. * April 21 at 7 p.m. Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades. *May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. *May 10 Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *May 12 at 1:30p.m. Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. *May 17 Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. Meetings and Lectures The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833. The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313. Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200. The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/. LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings. Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org. Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org) -Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them. The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter. For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps. Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin. Special Events The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County. The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065. Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members. Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex. The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com. The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348. The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org. Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163. The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu. The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com. The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net. Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages. 13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries. Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family. The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler. JPRN Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike. Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately. Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways. Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table. Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374 Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall: -Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store. Music and Theater The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html. Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free. The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org Religious News The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276. Reunions St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net. Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572. Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779. Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411. Support New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149. PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931. The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296. Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656. Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group every other Wednesday, 7 8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information. CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7 8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich, Its Halloween, which means we must be talking about Christmas. And one of the most enduring songs of the season, Jose Felicianos bilingual classic Feliz Navidad. Since last year was completely shut down, now is the time to celebrate the... Photo and posters: Pictoral prism into the past August 16, 2018 Syria - Pentagon Plants High ISIS Numbers To Justify Occupation The U.S. aim in Syria is still 'regime change'. The Pentagon has made it clear that it wants to stay in the country even after the Islamic State vanished. A little propaganda trick is now used to create a justification for its continuing occupation. The report by the UN Security Council's Sanctions Monitoring Team on ISIS, in parts discussed here, includes a number that smells of bullshit and manipulation: 3. Some Member States estimate the total current ISIL membership in Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic to be between 20,000 and 30,000 individuals, roughly equally distributed between the two countries. Among these is still a significant component of the many thousands of active foreign terrorist fighters.2 Footnote 2 gives as source: 2 Member State information. The high number given by a "Member State" exceed all prior assessments. The original strength of ISIS was estimated as a few thousand and it swelled as it took more land and incorporated local auxiliary forces and newly arriving foreign fighters. In September 2014, when ISIS was near its peak, the CIA estimated a total of 31,000 ISIS fighters in Syria and Iraq. The number shrank as ISIS was kicked out of more places it earlier occupied while it lost ten thousands of its fighters to Russian, Syrian, Iraqi and U.S. bombs, artillery and other military means. In July 2017 the commanding general of U.S. Special Forces said that 60 to 70,000 ISIS fighters had been killed. The numbers in the UN Sanctions Monitor report simply make no logical sense. It is also contradicted by earlier estimates that put the number of current ISIS fighters in the low thousands. In December 2017 President Trump claimed that only "1,000 or so" fighters remained in Iraq and Syria. In a June 5 Pentagon press conference the spokesman was asked about the number of ISIS fighters left in Syria. He responded: As far as the numbers, there's -- there's been some numbers thrown out there over the past few months. You've heard the previous spokesmen range from 1,000 to 3,000. You've seen a lot of subject matter experts say something like that. I have nothing to add to that. What I will say is one ISIS fighter is one too many, and that's what we're pursuing. We're pursuing their defeat. But there must of course be a reason why "some Member States" would give the UN Monitor team such an absurdly high number. The U.S. is justifying its occupation of north-east Syria by claiming to fight ISIS under the legal cover of two UN Security Council resolutions. Now, as ISIS in Syria has shrunk to a few dozens of fighters, that justification is wearing thin. It is immensely important for the Pentagon to present a high number, as ISIS is its only legal justification to stay in Syria. It is doubtful that Congress would agree to a prolonged occupation if ISIS vanished. To publicize a high number the Pentagon used an old propaganda trick, fake "multi-sourcing". This trick was extensively used in the run up to the war on Iraq. Scooter Libby, the chief of staff of Vice President Dick Cheney, would call up pliant journalists, Judith Miller of the New York Times comes to mind, and tell them about a "top secret" assessment that Iraq bought aluminum tubes to build centrifuges for Uranium enrichment. (Experts knew that Iraq bought these tubes to make military mortars.) But the New York Times printed the 'nuclear' nonsense on page one of its Sunday edition. A few hours later Dick Cheney and other Bush administration members appeared on the Sunday morning talk shows and confirmed the story they had planted. The tale of the 'nuclear' aluminum tubes was then perceived to have come from two independent entities and sources, the New York Times, and Vice President Cheney and other members of the Bush administration. It was thus widely believed. We now see a similar scheme. A dubious fact, coming from a single source, is depicted as being multi-sourced. Another pliant journalist, this time Liz Sly of the Washington Post, is used to spread the fake news: The Islamic State may still have in excess of 30,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq and appears to have rebounded from some of its worst setbacks, according to two new reports that call into question whether the militants are as close to defeat as the U.S. military has suggested. ... The U.S. government report attributed its numbers to the Defense Department but acknowledged that such estimates have varied sharply among sources and over time. The report was delivered to Congress by the Lead Inspector General, an office created in 2013 to oversee the U.S. militarys operations overseas against the Islamic State. Quoting Defense Department officials, the report put the number of fighters in Iraq at between 15,500 and 17,100 and in Syria at 14,000. The second report was written by the U.N. Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which monitors the impact of U.N. sanctions, and offered a similar figure. Quoting unnamed member states, it said there are believed to be between 20,000 and 30,000 Islamic State fighters across Iraq and Syria, divided roughly equally between the two countries. The Lead Inspector General report (pdf) says: The DoD estimated that 15,500 to 17,100 ISIS fighters remained in Iraq, although estimates of the numbers of ISIS fighters have varied sharply among sources and over time. ... 5 ... [B]y the end of the [2nd] quarter, ISIS was estimated to still control about 5 percent of Syria and to have roughly 14,000 fighters in the country, although estimates of ISIS force strength vary greatly depending on the source. 38 The footnote gives as sources: 5 DoD response to DoD OIG request for information, 7/11/2018. ... 38 DoD, response to DoD OIG request for information, 7/5/2018 The Inspector General is just repeating numbers the Department of Defense claims. A writeup on the IG report by AL-Monitor says that these numbers come from the Defense Intelligence Agency. It does not give any source for that claim. The numbers in the UN Sanction Monitor team report are sourced to a "Member State" which is most likely the United States. It is the only one that operates against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The numbers in its report are astonishing similar to the numbers the Department of Defense gave to the Lead Inspector General. Both reports were published in the same week. It is extremely likely that these numbers comes from the very same source, the Defense Intelligence Agency or someone else in the Pentagon who pulled it from Secretary Mattis' ass. It is well known that Mattis wants the U.S. to stay in Syria as long as possible to eventually achieve regime change by 'diplomatic' pressure means: In Syria, "We do not want to simply pull out before the diplomats have won the peace," Mattis said. "You win the fight, and then you win the peace. The Washington Post now sells these numbers, which contradict all numbers the Pentagon has previously given, as coming from "two new reports", when it is pretty obvious that they come from a single source. Some Post readers will see it as 'confirmed' information even though it is likely a wild ass guestimate which is based more on Mattis' wishes and intent than on logical thought or analytical rigor. The U.S. is expanding its military infrastructure and personal in Syria despite the ever shrinking ground ISIS holds: [T]he last hours witnessed the entry of more than 250 trucks carrying weapons, equipment, armored vehicles and machinery to areas controlled by the Syria Democratic Forces, where these shipments came from the Syrian-Iraqi border and headed to the military bases of the United States and the western forces in several areas east of Euphrates River, and the entry of more arms shipments comes after entering large quantities of similar shipments to the same areas during the past days and weeks, in addition to expanding the Coalitions military bases in the area. It will only take days until the freshly planted, confirmed but fake ISIS number will be cited as justification for these moves. Posted by b on August 16, 2018 at 17:21 UTC | Permalink Comments Continue reporting on mosque concerns Judging from the editors picks, you are in support of the Cordoba Center project. There has been a mosque in San Martin for many years. I live across the street from it. Ive never seen 400 families there simultaneously. If there were, it would likely be in violation since this area is zoned rural residential. It is interesting that people who do not live in San Martin have free rein in your paper to tell us how we should live. Please stop making this about religion and provide equal comment on what a lot of San Martin residents care about: water, land use, encroachment and the paving over of this rural community. San Martin residents have genuine concerns, having been through water contamination at least twice in recent history. Zoning violations are rampant in this unincorporated town, and the county doesnt have the manpower to deal with the problem. I suggest you read the San Martin Neighborhood Alliances document addressing the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Cordoba Center. It came out yesterday, and Id be happy to forward it to you. Thank you, Dawn Peru San Martin It is common for companies to organize various informal events where workers can come with their partners. One of those... SOUTHINGTON It was 1998 and longtime resident Michelle Allaire lived on Lazy Lane, directly across from a 73-acre site inhabited by woods and wildlife. When she learned the town was considering letting AES Enterprises, a Massachusetts company, build a 720-megawatt gas-fired generating plant on the land, she jumped into action. Her efforts, along with hundreds of other residents, ultimately contributed to blocking the plant, but not without almost a year of fighting. Now 20 years later, she stands by the effort with pride. Our community wouldnt be what it is today if it had been built, Allaire said Wednesday. She said she still lives on Lazy Lane and enjoys being able to look out at the woods where the plant would have been. Back in 1998, the Town Council unanimously approved the first step toward constructing the $200 million plant. When it was first proposed, the economic development coordinator at the time, Michelle Stronz, estimated the plant would generate $6 million to $9 million a year in tax revenue after a five-year tax abatement period, though other estimates put the figure between $2 million and $3 million. The plant was supported by town officials largely for its potential to generate tax revenue, which was appealing after losing substantial tax revenue from Pratt and Whitney not long before. AES proposed to occupy 12 acres of the land, which officials said would leave much of the site undisturbed. But the project also included two 155-foot-tall exhaust stacks, which would have been visible from Interstate 84 and likely Route 10 nearby. Hundreds of residents objected, citing disruption of their neighborhood, falling property values, traffic, noise, pollution, and the loss of woodlands. Allaire said they held rallies on the Town Green. Some attended every relevant town meeting to voice opposition. The outrage was just unbelievable, Allaire said. The whole town pulled together to get this thing not here, except for town officials. Despite wide opposition from residents, the Town Council, Planning and Zoning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals and other boards and commissions continued to approve construction. The proposal was finally halted by the Connecticut Siting Council in 1999. One of the reasons was because the plant called for using up to 3.2 million gallons of water a day for cooling. We were just so ecstatic ... happy ... and exhausted at that point, Allaire said. The controversy ended up sparking the formation of an Independent Party in town that was credited for playing a large part in the 1999 town election. Democrat Chris Murphy served on the Southington PZC when the power plant was proposed. As a freshman state lawmaker the next year, the first bill Murphy sponsored was to double the amount of time cities and towns have to consider power plant applications. "We should make sure towns have the complete opportunity to make a reasoned and informed recommendation, said Murphy, now a U.S. Senator. bwright@record-journal.com 203-317-2316 Twitter: @baileyfaywright MERIDEN The City Council will vote Thursday on roughly $1.4 million in proposed cuts to the city budget, reducing the previously adopted tax increase from 4.53 percent to 3.36 percent. The recommended cuts, approved unanimously Tuesday by the Finance Committee, include $250,000 reductions each to the police, fire and education budgets. The committee also recommended making a cut to all other non-public safety departments that would amount to three furlough days for all employees. If those departments are not able to negotiate furlough days with employees, the departments would have to find the savings elsewhere, possibly by eliminating positions, committee Chairman Brian Daniels said Wednesday. Total savings from the furlough days would amount to $228,000, Finance Director Michael Lupkas said. The council will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the Board of Education building, 22 Liberty St., to pass a new budget. Residents rejected the councils budget in a referendum last month because they felt the previously adopted tax increase was too high. The average city homeowner would have paid roughly an additional $200 as a result of the increase. The average homeowner will pay an additional $150 under the committees recommended budget, Lupkas said. Other changes recommended by the committee, Lupkas said, include: a $250,000 cut to employee health insurance, a $25,000 cut to the workers compensation line, a $15,000 cut to the special events line, and a $17,000 cut to the citys Daffodil Festival contribution. The council also opted not to fill some vacant positions, including the communications director position, with a salary of about $75,000 and a HVAC technician, paid about $61,000. The City Council has until Friday to adopt a new budget, and can accept or reject the subcommittees recommendations. Daniels said the fire and police departments will decide where the $250,000 in cuts come from. Daniels said fire and police have very sizable budgets and he believes cuts needed to be made to those departments to significantly reduce the tax increase. The referendum passed. I think people clearly understand public safety and education (constitute the majority of city spending), Daniels said. If you want meaningful reductions, you know those pots are going to be hit. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Council Minority Leader Dan Brunet, who sits on the finance committee, said hes happy with the approved recommendations. I believe we produced some meaningful reductions that were asked of the council, Brunet said. ...It may not have been as much as some anticipated, but theres many moving parts to a budget and we had a very small time frame to work with and the end result is good. Police Chief Jeffry Cossette said his department would meet the cut by reducing six proactive assignments and returning those officers to patrol, which would help cut the departments overtime line from about $1.5 million to $1.25 million. The proactive assignments include neighborhood initiative officers and school resource officers. Cuts would affect Officer Kenneth Egan, an elementary school resource officer; Officer Mike Ford, a neighborhood initiative officer assigned to the Meriden Green and train station area; Officer Fred Rivera, an NI officer assigned to the South Meriden area; Officer Adam Kery; an NI officer assigned to the Washington Park area; Lt. George DelMastro, a commander of the NI unit; and Sgt. Darrin McKay of the Internal Affairs unit. Those officers would be assigned to patrol, Cossette wrote in a letter to the council. Cossette said the department's proactive policing model has helped significantly reduce crime rates over the years. Holly Wills, president of the Meriden Council of Neighborhoods, said she has grave concerns about the changes. The moves outlined by Cossette would reduce the departments neighborhood initiative unit from nine officers to six. This will really negatively affect our neighborhoods, and were envisioning increased crime, Wills said. Its disheartening, it really is. Fire Chief Ken Morgan couldnt be reached for comment on the proposed cuts to his department. Lupkas said officials learned after the budget was adopted that $250,000 of the $900,000 in state aid to the Board of Education came from funding meant to pay back money held from the city last year, prompting the Finance Committee to recommend the school budget cut. While the city will keep the $250,000, the school board will still receive the remaining $650,000, meaning the board will still have an increase in funding from the prior year, Daniels said. Board of Education president Mark Hughes said education officials are frustrated the council chose to cut the board because the board has been flat-funded by the city for the past eight years. Hughes also noted the board didnt contribute to this years tax increase because the only additional funds it received were from the state. From my standpoint, when they looked at the budget and they said, Whats causing this mill rate increase?, they didnt need to talk about the Board of Education, Hughes said. Education dollars did not cause the mill rate increase. The City Council gave the Board of Education a $250,000 discount on its health insurance costs as part of the previously adopted budget. Lupkas said the council would have needed to rescind the discount if it didnt withhold the $250,000. Party endorsed candidates for statewide and federal offices fared well in Tuesdays primary, winning nine of the 11 races on the ballot. Political scientists see cause for concern, though, saying the results also hint at possible difficulties for both parties in unifying their bases going forward. Id like to think this can all go away, but what Im petrified of is that this will be long lasting, Southern Connecticut State University political science professor Jonathan Wharton said about some of the rivalries and divisions formed in the primaries. Wharton said he was more concerned about lingering friction resurfacing once the elections are over, but University of Connecticut political science professor Ronald Schurin said both parties may find some more immediate difficulty in unifying their bases for the general election. Schurin pointed to tight, and at times contentious, races on the Republican side, and noted some of the losing Democrats were able to generate more enthusiasm than the candidate who ultimately prevailed. Nominated candidates may need to do extra work to win over those voters and harness that same energy, he said. Republicans did opt for outsider Bob Stefanowski for governor, with endorsed candidate and Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton finishing second. Party endorsed candidates for Congress and other statewide offices won their nominations, though. Likewise, Jahana Hayes was the only Democrat to beat an endorsed candidate. Schurin said the rest of the nights primaries were kind of an affirmation of the convention process. That might seem like a sign that party endorsements still carry a lot of weight, despite national narratives about friction, particularly within the Democratic party, and a growing number of voters looking for so-called party outsiders. Wharton, though, said some of the races finished with vote tallies that were damn close, a sign that divisions still linger. He noted that comptroller candidate Kurt Miller he works on Millers campaign and treasurer candidate Thad Gray both won nominations, but Tuesdays results were closer than endorsement votes at Mays convention. Wharton also said that legislative races, which saw more mixed results for endorsed candidates, showed deeper divides. Some GOP races showed divisions among geography, while Democratic races showed generational tensions. Schurin, meanwhile, said Stefanowski won the nomination with only 30 percent of the vote, meaning he now needs to win over the majority of the base. The other four candidates endorsed him, but Schurin said the key will be whether Republicans can be enthusiastic about supporting Stefanowski. He also said Democrats, particularly lieutenant governor Susan Bysiewicz, could also face problems with enthusiasm. While she easily defeated Eva Bermudez Zimmerman, Schurain said Bermudez Zimmermans supporters were more active and energetic, and Bysiewicz will need those same voters for her campaign. Wharton said the Bysiewicz-Bermudez Zimmerman battle is part of a generational struggle, and said that the race is bizarrely mirroring whats going on nationally with the Democratic party. msavino@record-journal.com 203-317-2266 Twitter: @reporter_savino WALLINGFORD A day after securing the Democratic nomination in the 34th Senate District, Aili McKeen said that Sen. Len Fasano has little to show for his decades in the legislature. Her comments on Wednesday came after Fasano, the North Haven Republican who leads his partys senate caucus, said in a statement Tuesday evening that the Democrats chose candidates across their primaries who not only embrace (Gov. Dannel P.) Malloy's policies, but who want to advance those failed policies even further. Fasano also said that McKeen and other Democratic candidates have a far-left, even socialist agenda. We certainly cannot move further into his world of a failed progressive approach, Fasanos statement said, that has weakened our economy, threatened core social services and held back Connecticut from the level of growth neighboring states have experienced. Republicans, he said, are the ones fighting for a new direction and new opportunities. From last night's results, it's clear Democrats don't feel the same," he said. McKeen, a Wallingford resident, responded by saying Fasano is a part of Connecticut's problem. Fasano is yet another millionaire career politician who has little to show for his decades in the legislature, McKeen said via email. People are fed up with that. He's had 16 years, twice longer than (Malloy), to make a difference, and he has failed to better our state. Fasano responded to McKeen Wednesday, saying McKeen will double down on Malloys progressive agenda. I am not a millionaire, he added via email, but if she has a class issue does she reject her partys nominee Ned Lamont? Lamont won the Democratic nomination for Connecticut governor Tuesday, defeating Bridgeport mayor and ex-convict Joe Ganim. The 34th District covers parts of Wallingford, Durham, East Haven and North Haven. Fasano, of North Haven, has not been challenged for the seat since 2012, when he garnered 58 percent of the vote defeating Democrat Steve Fontana. Democracy is not served without choice, McKeen said. This will be the first time since 2012 that people will have a choice. McKeen works as an inventory specialist for a public insurance adjuster and is running for office for the first time. She defeated East Haven lawyer Josh Balter in the Democratic primary vote Tuesday, with 70.88 percent of votes to Balters 29.12 percent. Balter could not be reached for comment Wednesday. McKeen said that on primary night, she was fairly confident that I had a win. I wasnt sure by how much, but I got some really good responses on doors. McKeen said earlier this month that she and her campaign team of about 30 volunteers has knocked on approximately 5,000 doors while canvassing in the districts four towns. McKeen said during the primary she wants to bring more female voices to the state legislature, and while she doesnt expect people to vote for her because shes a woman, women deserve a seat at the table. The percent of women in the legislature has held steady, she said, and we should have more diversity. According to the Secretary of the States election results, voter turnout statewide for the Democratic primary was 29.5 percent. In Wallingford, Democratic voter turnout was 30.23 percent. In East Haven, Balters turf, it was 20.86 percent. LTakores@record-journal.com 203-317-2212 Twitter: @LCTakores Bob Stefanowski won the five-way Republican primary for governor Tuesday night after ignoring Connecticuts GOP establishment, opting out of the states public-financing program and repeating one outlandish campaign promise like a daily affirmation: He will rip costs from state government and make its income tax disappear over eight years. I have a plan, I have a focus and I have an interest in putting Connecticuts families first, not the special interests in Hartford. Those days are over, Stefanowski said while accepting the nomination at a beachfront hotel in his hometown of Madison. Unofficial results showed Stefanowski with nearly 30 percent of the vote. His closest competitor was Danbury Mayor Mark D. Boughton, the party-endorsed candidate making his third try for the GOP nomination. Boughton, who won 21 percent of the vote, conceded at 10:39 p.m., promising to support the ticket. Hedge-fund founder David Stemerman and former Trumbull First Selectman Timothy Herbst vied for third, each with about 18 percent, with tech entrepreneur Steve Obsitnik of Westport out of the running early at 13 percent. The turnout was 32 percent, according to the secretary of the states unofficial results. Stefanowskis running mate will be Joe Markley, a conservative state senator who won nearly nearly 50 percent of the vote in a three-way primary for lieutenant governor with New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart and Darien First Selectman Jayme Stevenson. Republicans chose Susan Hatfield for attorney general, Thad Gray for treasurer and Kurt Miller for comptroller. Stefanowski, 56, a former CEO of a global payday loan company whose disinterest in politics was measured in his failure to vote for 16 years, not bothering to choose in 2016 between Donald J. Trump and Hillary Clinton, had to overcome skepticism over his income-tax promise, spotty voting records and an unexplained nine-month dalliance as a Democrat that ended only a year ago. I think its fair to say this campaign has been underestimated from the start, Stefanowski said. We proved them wrong, and we will prove them wrong again in November. His victory could change gubernatorial politics in two ways: If elected in November, he would be the first governor to bypass the convention system in Connecticut, a hidebound state when it comes to ballot access; and Stefanowskis allies emulated presidential politics, helping him with a free-spending super PAC that collected $730,000 from one donor. Despite not voting for Trump, Stefanowski offered himself to the GOP base as a fan of an unconventional president who won office with no elective experience. Democrats were happy to associate him with the president. Stefanowski was one of two wealthy businessmen who blazed an untested path to the primary. He and Stemerman petitioned their way on the ballot, and both opted out of the Citizens Election Program, the states voluntary system of publicly financing campaigns. Boughton, Herbst and Obsitnik accepted $1.35 million in public funds. With the rules limiting them to $250,000 in private funds, raised in increments of no more than $100, the trio had budgets of about $1.6 million. Stemerman spent at least $6.2 million, nearly all of it from the personal fortune he amassed as the founder of Conatus Capital. Stefanowski spent $2.9 million, but was helped by a super PAC that backed him with another $1.2 million in independent expenditures. Stefanowski could be challenged to unite a party whose electorate split five ways. Boughton, Herbst and Stemerman quickly promised to back the winner, but their supporters might take more time. On Tuesday night, Stefanowski quickly turned the focus back to his claim that Connecticut is ready for a business leader, even one brand new to politics. For the first time in decades, Connecticut will finally have a real CEO, said Stefanowski, who ran business units for GE and was chief financial officer of UBS before becoming chief executive of DFC Global. Connecticuts families will be able to stay here and grandparents can afford to retire here. msavino@record-journal.com 203-317-2266 Twitter: @reporter_savino State Gov, CM lead the state in mourning DIMAPUR, AUG 16 (NPN) | Publish Date: 8/16/2018 12:51:27 PM IST Nagaland governor, PB, Acharya, and chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, today led the state in mourning and paying rich tribute to former prime minister of India, late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away at AIIMS hospital, New Delhi where he was admitted on June 11 with a variety of ailments. In his condolence message, Acharya described late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as a Statesman, great human being, a poet at heart, an extraordinary orator and an outstanding parliamentarian. He personified a true Indian leader, Acharya said. Governor said he was fortunate and blessed as party worker to have close contact and had guidance for a long period of 20 years with late Vajpayee. Recalling Vajpayee as a renowned poet, Acharya said former prime minister wrote with regard to his poetry, My poetry is a declaration of war, not an exordium to defeat. It is not the defeated soldiers drumbeat of despair, but the fighting warriors will to win. It is not the dispirited voice of dejection but the stirring shout of victory. In his passing away, the governor said the nation has lost a statesman, a great human being, a poet, tall leader and above all a patriot. The governor, on behalf of the people of Nagaland and on his own behalf, offered homage to the great soul and condole his death. He further prayed that the departed soul rest in peace. CM: Expressing deep suddenness over the demise of former Prime Minister of India, Atal Behari Vajpayee, the chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, said late Vajpayee was a towering personality of modern India and would be remembered as one of the most popular Prime Ministers of the country. In his condolence message, Rio said India has lost one of its great sons and the entire nation is bereaved. He said people of Nagaland have a special place for the former prime minister in their hearts. In October 2003, during his three-day visit to Nagaland, Rio said the then prime minister made a historic statement at Kohima, which he said was a defining moment in the relationship between Nagas and the rest of the country. According to chief minister, the former prime minister stated that It is true that, of all the States in India, Nagaland has a unique history. We are sensitive to this historical fact. He further said, We do not wish to impose any external customs on you. India has a long tradition of tolerating diverse customs and ways of life. You have nothing to fear. In the same address, Vajpayee said, I wish to assure you on another score, India is a secular nation, both because of our Constitution and, more importantly, because of our civilizational ethos. As you know, India is home to all faiths in the world. India has respected and protected all faiths. Rio stated that such an approach and such reassuring statements won the hearts of the Naga people and greatly contributed towards taking the peace process forward. Rio recalled that former prime minister also had a serious concern for the development of Nagaland with the announcement of the Prime Ministers package for development of Nagaland and for empowerment of the youth. During his visit, Rio said the then prime minister spent three days in Nagaland and interacted with all sections of the people late into every night. His visit is still remembered in a fond manner and I can say with confidence that late Vajpayee was largely responsible for making Nagas have trust and confidence with the rest of the country at a crucial juncture, he said. The chief minister said Vajpayees visit resulted in a generous economic package, the launching of mobile telecommunications and most importantly positive confidence building measures in the Indo-Naga political scenario. Late Atal Behari Vajpayee will remain as one of our favorite Prime Ministers. I looked up to him in every way and was privileged to have worked under his leadership during one of the most exciting times of our nations journey, Rio said. While the nation is saddened by his demise, Rio said it was also an occasion to celebrate the life of Late Atal Behari Vajpayee, who was a towering leader and a shining star who stood tall and served the nation with everything he had. He said Nagaland joins the rest of the country in bereavement and in paying respect to the departed leader. Even as we pray to Almighty God to let his soul rest in peace, we rededicate ourselves in carrying out the beliefs and principles of late Vajpayee in our everyday lives, Rio stated. Dy.CM: State deputy chief minister, Y Patton, who is also the leader BJP legislature party, on behalf of all BJP legislators and the entire BJP Karyakartas, has expressed grief and conveyed condolences over the demise of three-time Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee on August 16 at AIIMS New Delhi. In his condolence message, Patton said late Vajpayee won the hearts of the Nagas when he recognised the unique history of the Nagas during his visit to Kohima in October 2003. Describing the late leader as an outstanding parliamentarian, master orator, poet and a liberal, the deputy chief minister said Vajpayee was also remembered for announcing special package for Nagaland and launching mobile services in the state. Vajpayee will be fondly remembered by the Naga people, Patton said. He said stated that late Vajpayees contributions to the BJP was immense and the party feels the deep void left by his demise. He said the vacuum created would be difficult to fill. Joining the nation in mourning the demise of Vajpayee, Patton prayed for the departed soul to rest in peace. NSCN(I-M): NSCN (I-M) through its MIP has expressed deep sorrow over the demise of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister of India. NSCN (I-M) described former prime minister as a great leader who could understand the Nagas and committed to finding an honourable settlement of Naga problem. It was during his leadership the unique history and situation of the Nagas was officially recognized by the Government of India on July 11, 2002, it stated. Paying profound homage to the departed soul, NSCN (I-M) said he would be ever remembered for his valuable contribution towards resolving the political problem of the Nagas. It is indeed a great loss not only for India but also for Naga people and the world, NSCN (I-M) said. Further, NSCN (I-M) prayed that the Almighty God grant eternal rest to the departed soul and give solace to the bereaved family. NDPP: Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) has expressed grief over the demise of former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In a condolence message, NDPP president, Chingwang Konyak, said late Vajpayees illustrious journey as a poet, writer, politician and three-time Prime Minister of India culminated with the Nations highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, which was conferred on him in 2015. Konyak said Vajpayee was a shrewd politician who minced no words, yet at the same time behaved with impeccable discipline, giving respect and due regard to all adversaries, both inside and outside Parliament, which won him the hearts of the entire Nation. NDPP president said Vajpayees life inspired and impacted not only country men and women, but internationally, adding that his legacy will continue to live through the footprints and benchmarks he leaves behind. He also said that late Vajpayee was a dear friend of the Naga people, who understood the uniqueness of Naga history and never hesitated to ensure that the Nagas were never left wanting. His demise is a loss for all Nagas, as we have lost a friend, a mentor and a leader, Konyak said. NDPP president, on behalf of the party and all its rank and file, deeply mourned the demise and expressed deepest condolences to the family and prayed that the departed soul rest in eternal peace. BJP state unit: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Nagaland state unit has deeply mourned the demise of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In a condolence message, BJP Nagaland state unit president, Temjen Imna Along, said late Vajpayees historic visit to Nagaland in 2003 would stay etched forever in the annals of Naga history. BJP state unit said it was through Vajpayees recognition of the uniqueness of political identity and history of the Nagas that gave impetus and meaning to the Naga political process and also for maintaining a peaceful Indo-Naga relationship. Further, BJP state unit said Nagas would remember Vajpayee for recognising and acknowledging the political history of the Nagar as unique. The party also said former prime ministers death has left a huge void in Indian politics, adding that the vision he had for India and the democratic ideals would continue to bind India together. BJP state unit president, on behalf of the party and all its rank and file, expressed deepest sympathy and condolences. NEEC JD(U): Expressing shock over the demise of Atal Biharii Vajpayee, the North East Executive Council (NEEC) Janata Dal (U) described late Vajpayee as one of the most dynamic prime ministers of India who had served the country with unflinching love for democracy and utmost grace. In a condolence message, NEEC JD(U) chairman Senchumo (NSN) Lotha and co-ordinator Afaqueji Ahmad Khan said late Vajpayee had unwavering support for secularism and he fondly loved the people of northeast and took up various initiatives for the welfare of its people. For Nagaland, they said he was greatly remembered for having journeyed by road from Dimapur to Kohima despite medical conditions. They said he was the only prime minister who had announced the biggest numbers of various packages for Nagaland. NEEC JD(U) expressed its deepest condolences to all the dear and near ones of late Vajpayee and prayed for his soul to rest in peace. NPP: National Peoples Party Nagaland has expressed deep sorrow at the demise of former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee in New Delhi Thursday evening. State NPP president Ato Yepthomi, in a message described A.B.Vajpayee as a kind hearted soul who understood the nations diverse race and cultures. In his death, India has lost its most popular and respected leader, he said. BJYM Nagaland state: State BJYM president, Benjamin Yeputhomi and party members have expressed sadness over the demise of former prime Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who they described as great hero of Indian political arena and a great political thinker. BJYM Nagaland state said late Vajpayee never reacted sharply on his critical political opponents and was never tired of serving the great nation. It said all the party workers were saddened over his demise and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for the departed soul to rest in peace. J Deepthi Nandan Reddy By Express News Service HYDERABAD : Though the exhibition and events industry is growing in India, there are several issues such as rationalisation of GST and easing of permission processes that need to be addressed to enable growth of the sector. Currently, about 18 per cent GST is levied on companies or entrepreneurs participating in any trade exhibition. Generally, 80 per cent of businesses participating in trade and other exhibitions in India are MSMEs, for whom 18 per cent GST is high. There are also issues regarding availing input credit. There are instances where the event organisers set up offices in the states where they hold exhibitions, just to ensure that the input tax credit is availed smoothly. The exhibition space is growing in India, and to enable growth of the sector, the government should levy 5 per cent GST on MSMEs participating in trade expos and permit venues to levy IGST (instead of CGST) on event organisers from other states, said KV Nagendra Prasad, president, Indian Exhibition Industry Association. Representatives of the exhibition industry have been demanding that the government include it in the list of Champion Sectors identified by the Department of Commerce. This will aid the growth of the industry by easing and streamlining permission processes for conducting expos, provide them incentives, increase their access to capital and other benefits, insiders believe. When we approached the government, they were of the opinion that as tourism and hospitality sectors have been included in the Champion Sectors plan, there is no need for the exhibition industry. But the exhibitions industry is a completely different one, which requires special focus to develop, Prasad added. ENS Economic Bureau By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Financial Services secretary Rajiv Kumar on Thursday said that with the pace and quantum of recovery of bad loans gathering pace, the worst was behind the banking sector. He also stated that he expected banks under the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework of the RBI to get out of it by the end of this fiscal year. At last count, 11 of 21 public sector lenders are under the framework, with two banks -- Dena Bank and Allahabad Bank -- facing restrictions on business expansion. In its current form, the PCA framework imposes a range of restrictions depending on the risk assessment. Banks placed under it can be restricted from expanding the number of branches, staff recruitment and increasing the size of their loan book. Higher provision requirements for bad loans may also be imposed. However, Kumar told reporters that he believed the worst was behind. According to the secretary, banks have made recovery of Rs 36,551 crore during the first quarter registering a 49 per cent growth over the last fiscal. He also pointed out that operating profits of PSBs have risen 11.5 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter and losses reduced by 73. 5 per cent sequentially. Asset quality concerns, he added, had been addressed through falling NPA slippage, while provision coverage ratio (PCR) has improved by 2.2 per cent to 63.8 per cent. In tandem with measures like the implementation of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), Kumar stated that these factors would see banks exiting the PCA framework by the end of the fiscal year. However, those who are not prudently behaving will have to face the consequences," he pointed out. Kumar also observed that capital would be infused by the government as and when they (banks) required. Some of it has already been given. As recoveries are taking place, there is a possibility that some banks will not need it. As of now, there is nobody breaching the regulatory norms. We are committed to maintaining their regulatory capital, Kumar said. Tushar Kaushik By Express News Service BENGALURU: Turahalli, a 600-acre protected forest located off Kanakapura Road, is facing threats from the construction workers and the longtime residents of the nearby villages, allege the residents residing near the forest. According to the residents, until about three years ago, encroachment of lands inside the forest and littering were rampant. That is when the people residing in the apartments around the forest, in coordination with the forest department, began efforts to stop such activities and simultaneously began plantation drives too. As a result, such offences have come down now. But, residents say several construction workers, camped around the forest, are allegedly chopping the forests trees for firewood. Construction workers who have camped around the forest cut the trees for firewood. There are only 2 or 3 guards on patrol and they cannot take care of the entire 600 acres. Many workers chop trees as they look dry. Construction firms should provide the firewood to the workers, a resident of an apartment near the forest said. Another resident said, Villagers from around the forest regularly celebrate festivals inside the forest. As they have been following these practices since a long time, we do not stop them. Instead we try to educate them to not cause any harm to the forest, the resident said. However, ACF Ravindra Kumar claimed that construction workers only took the fallen, dried up branches from the forest, which was allowed. By Express News Service CHENNAI : Rainy days for Chennaites are likely to end from Thursday. Having received daily dosage of sharp spells of rain for the past one week, the regional meteorological center has forecast that dry condition will return to the city, and extreme rain in ghat region for another 24 hours. Overcast conditions prevailed for the most part of the day on Wednesday with isolated showers. The maximum temperature dropped close to four degrees below normal. Nungambakkam recorded 31.1 degree Celsius and Meenambakkam 31.2 degrees Celsius, which is 3.6 degrees and 3.7 degrees below normal. ALSO ROAD | No waterlogging on arterial roads despite heavy rain S Balachandran, Deputy Director-General of Meteorology (DDGM), Regional Meteorological Centre, told Express that the southwest monsoon has been vigorous over Kerala because of which Tamil Nadu ghat region will be receiving extreme rainfall. Heavy rainfall warning message of the Meteorological department says isolated extremely heavy rain is likely to occur over ghat areas of The Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts and isolated heavy to very heavy rain likely over ghat areas of Theni, Dindigul, and Tirunelveli districts. Isolated heavy rain is likely to occur over Rayalaseema, and Kanniyakumari district. Weather blogger Pradeep John said the rain in ghat region may continue till August 19. The well marked low pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal, off West Bengal- North Odisha coasts has concentrated into a depression and lay centred over coastal Odisha and neighbourhood. A low-pressure area is likely to develop over north Bay of Bengal around August 18. Sadaf Aman By Express News Service HYDERABAD: The need to improve the academic profession and to uphold the standard of education has necessitated the need for a PhD degree, making it a prerequisite for teaching in higher education. This, some allege, has turned universities into PhD churning factories where the quality of output - both of the research scholars and their bodies of work - has been dwindling. To produce quality research, academicians feel there is a need to retrospect the rigour with which the supervision is being done. Prof BP Sanjay, Department of Communication, University of Hyderabad, said that universities need to have provisions like a related doctoral committee, which would create a kind of intellectual resource to help the students. Contextual and applied knowledge is essential and they come with some degree of quality supervision. Intellectual resources to strengthen the understanding of the topic by the scholar, coupled with basic articulation, writing, logic, argument, etc. are requisite. Any gaps in these linkages is bound to have a cascading effect, since PhD is the highest level of educational qualification, he said. Obtaining the doctoral degree, which requires years of research and fieldwork, has become a tad bit easier with a large number of student-researchers seeking the help of ghostwriters to write their thesis. This, experts say, is producing substandard professors with poor language and communication skills in the universities. They are often unable to explain their own thesis properly. This trend is bound to adversely affect the quality of the countrys academia. Consultants, who have left their teaching jobs in degree colleges to take up the job of aiding PhD scholars, charge around Rs 3,000 for a proposal, Rs 5,000 for a synopsis and Rs 30,000 - Rs 50,000 for a dissertation.With the PhD degree becoming mandatory to pursue teaching, students have started seeing it as a way to get fellowships for years. Then it becomes a mere road to get a job, said the VC of a varsity, who requested anonymity. Despite the UGC norms limiting the number of scholars per guide to a maximum of eight in the case of a professor, universities with just a couple of faculty members offer 30-40 seats under the PhD course. If action is not taken now, many PhD scholars from Telangana will soon be blacklisted like the students of Osmania University were during the first Telangana agitation, he said. Prof T Tirupathi Rao, former VC of Osmania University, however, is hopeful that with the UGC now cracking a whip on plagiarism and all universities installing anti-plagiarism software to run the doctoral works (UoH even runs assignments through the checker), not only will incidents of cut-copy-paste thesis reduce, but it is also bound to improve the quality of output. STATISTICS SPEAK... According to the AISHE 2018 report, for the first time in over seven years, enrolment of research scholars have recorded an increase of 684 in 22 of Telangana universities and its constituent colleges. Currently, 4,884 candidates are enrolled in research courses Governors guidelines to VCs Governor ESL Narasimhan, who is also the chancellor of all universities in the State, had admonished the vice-chancellors at a meeting last week, over the off-the-wall research topics that earn the students their doctoral degrees these days. Stating that it was the supervisors job to approve socially relevant subjects as topics, he instructed the VCs to not bow before students groups and take note of controversies and delays in PhD admissions. He also directed the VCs to follow a common academic calendar for PhD admissions, from the notification to the announcement of results and enrollment. He also pointed out that the universities hardly follow the norms regarding the number of scholars per guide, as some professors end up having very few, and others too many scholars to supervise TSCHE seeks detailed databases on PhD scholars TSCHE has asked all universities in the State to submit department-wise lists of research scholars for the last 4 years, along with their thesis topics and names of their mentors. The information will be forwarded to the governor by next week Reference over merit in OU admissions Students of Osmania University have alleged that the university administration is giving preference to reference over merit in PhD admissions. At present, interviews for 15 PhD seats are ongoing, the notification for which was released in 2015. Interviews have been ongoing for over two months and out of the 24 departments, results have been declared only for four departments so far -- Political Science, Public administration, Science and Technology, and Business Management. Calling for the need to make the admission process more transparent, a student Bhim Rao Naik said, We want OU to reveal the marks of both the written test and interview. We suspect that people sitting in the panel are giving more marks to some students as per preference. Aihik Sur By Express News Service HYDERABAD: All that we know about the heritage of Hyderabad is restricted to certain areas -- Old City, Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The culture, history and heritage of the now fast-growing Cyberabad or Financial District are barely known or documented. At least not till now. To bridge that gap, former UoH professor Aloka Parasher Sen has conducted a study placing on record the historical and cultural values of this part of the city. The study also focuses on the cultural loss caused due to the current transformation. The study, rather a survey, used revenue maps to document highly-deteriorated 16th century historical and religious monuments, natural heritage structures like megaliths and also collected oral histories. It gives an inkling into the rich heritage and social configuration of areas like Gachibowli, Gopanpally, Hafizpet, Khajaguda, Kothaguda, Lingampally, Masjid Banda, Nallagandla, Nanakaramguda, Pantancheru, Raidurgam/Dargah and Tellapur. For instance, Nanakramguda, a flourishing locality in middle of the Financial District, was once an agricultural village belonging to Manikonda Zamindari. Fifty per cent of its population here were outsiders, likely Lodha Khatris, who migrated during the period of Nizams to work as security guards. They still practice the customs and traditions that they used to in Uttar Pradesh, from where they originally came, says the study. A similar study done by Sen in Tellapur reveals the place was an agricultural settlement, with just about 100 households, during the Nizam period. It was predominantly a Hindu multi-caste village substantially inhabited by artisanal and service caste households belonging to SC and OBC castes, it says. The population boomed here after the digging of Gandipeta Cheruvu, the study notes. The study also found that Tellapur was originally a forest developed by a Golkonda Nawab for his hunting expeditions. The place also has some of the oldest temples, mostly of local deities, that are about 300 years old. Did you know? What is now called the Hi-tech City region was, in medieval times, a major destination for the shrine of Hussaini Shah Wali, popularly known as the Dargah that came up around the village of Raidurgam. The University of Hyderabad Campus, in near Gachibowli, was home to one of the first Megalithic people, going back to the early centuries BCE Sistla Dakshina Murthy By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: With air pollution levels increasing alarmingly in the city, the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) officials have decided to establish three more air quality monitoring stations at NTR College of Veterinary Science, Gannavaram, VR Siddhartha Engineering College, Kanuru and Andhra Loyola Institute of Engineering and Technology (ALIET). As per the National Ambient Air Quality standards, respirable suspended particulate matter (SPM) should be around 60 microgram/cubic metre annually but in the city, it is more than 100 microgram/cubic metre and sometimes, reaching 110 microgram/cubic metre. On averages, it settles between 90-110 microgram/cubic metre on a busy day. Total Suspended Particulate Matter (TSPM) is also registered high and disturbing the public health in the city, the PCB officials said. Though dust and smoke in the city may be at the moderate levels at present when compared to larger cities like Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam, the number of residents in Vijayawada approaching the pulmonologists has increased drastically with infections caused by air pollution. About 30 to 40 patients are visiting my hospital every day for treatment to wheezing caused by exposure to polluted air in the city, said a pulmonologist at a super speciality hospital. He suggested that reduction in use of vehicles and keeping the premises clean are the prevailing ways of avoiding exposure to air pollution. The pulmonologist pointed out that vehicle smoke and dust are major pollutants increasing in the city apart from industries. Speaking to TNIE, APPCB Senior Environmental Scientist K Srinivas said as per the data, air pollution levels in the city decreased during monsoon, when compared to summer months. However, PM10 levels (Coarse dust particles) have increased in the city by 10 per cent when compared to the figure in 2014, after construction activity picking up momentum in the city and its suburbs. Particulate matter such as PM10 are high at Benz circle, Police Control Room and Autonagar during January-July when compared with other locations in the city. Recently, the department has also set up necessary infrastructure to calculate the PM 2.5 levels in the city, henceforth from this August, he said. By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: Condoling the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said that the demise of the former Prime Minister was a great loss to the nation. Describing Vajpayee as a great humanitarian, statesman, poet, ideologist, orator, who followed the principles he believed in until his last breath, Naidu said that as an MP, Leader of the Opposition, External Affairs Minister and Prime Minister, Vajpayee played a crucial role and stood as role model for several leaders. Naidu described Vajpayee as a great parliamentarian who served for four decades. Asserting that Vajpayee developed infrastructure in all States, Naidu said half of the roads that were laid during the last 32 years were laid during the five-year tenure of Vajpayee. Stating that Vajpayee was instrumental in strengthening the BJP which was confined to two seats in 1984 to 270 seats at present, he recalled that though Vajpayee offered eight cabinet berths to the TDP in his government, the party stayed away from the Union Cabinet and extended support from outside. With regard to the support extended by Vajpayee towards the combined AP, Naidu mentioned that development of National Highway from Tada to Ichapuram happened during the regime of Vajpayee. He was also instrumental in sanctioning of World Bank funds to Velugu project, 50,000 tonnes rice under food for work scheme, micro-irrigation, Information Technology development in Hyderabad, the international airport at Shamshabad, outer ring road and Golden Quadrilateral. Naidu recalled that he played key role in selecting APJ Abdul Kalam as a Presidential candidate by discussing with Vajpayee. Initially, Vajpayee differed with my suggestion and favoured the candidature of PC Alexander. However, later, he agreed with my opinion and accepted Kalams candidature for the President post, he said. The Chief Minister said that personally and politically, he had strong attachment with Vajpayee. He respected me and I never misused it, he said. Though the TDP and BJP are at loggerheads for some months, leaders of the yellow party were seen offering tributes to the former Prime Minister at their party offices in Guntur and other parts of the State. Naidu tweets: We have lost one of the greatest visionaries the nation has seen, on this unfortunate day. The beloved former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji will continue to inspire us and the generations to come. May he rest in peace. TDP general secretary and Information Technology Minister Nara Lokesh, condoling the death of Vajpayee, said that India had lost one of its greatest sons with the demise of Vajpayee, whose contribution to politics, literature and diplomacy remains unmatched. He said that people of Telugu States have lost their friend Vajpayee, who along with Chandrababu Naidu played a key role in shaping their aspirations. In the condolence message, Lokesh, quoting a poem penned by Vajpayee, said that it is rare to have poetry and politics in one person.But, Vajpayee, who won the hearts of people as best Parliamentarian and best poet, stood exceptionally, Lokesh said. 7-day mourning in State Naidu to leave for Delhi on Friday to offer tributes to Vajpayee AP government announces 7 mourning days Avinash Ramachandran By Express News Service In the National Award-winning R Parthiepan-directed 1999 film, Housefull, Suvalakshmis character, a Hindu, is in love with a Muslim named Hamid (Vikram). She expresses her trepidation over the perception of this difference in religion, and says, Un kooda irukra ovvoru nimishamum enakku sandhoshama irukku da. Aana naan oru Hindu. Hamid makes light of this: Appo naa enna Indian Express ah? Parthiepan by making this casual joke shows an admirable reluctance to milk the Muslim identity for drama. The emphasis is on the person, not on his religion. Its almost been 20 years since, and Tamil cinema is still astonishingly bereft of Muslim characters. Actor Vikram played this role before he would get set on the path to superstardom by another release that same year, Sethu. Barely days after the release of Vishwaroopam 2 in which Kamal Haasan plays a Muslim protagonist named Wisam Ahmed Kashmiri, its time to ask a pertinent question: Why does our cinema avoid Muslim protagonists? Its important to not confuse this Muslim representation in character roles, for there have been a few there, including Charan Rajs role in Baasha and Shah Rukh Khan playing Amjad Ali Khan in Kamal Hasans Hey Raam. These were important characters, no doubt, but they are a far cry from the romanticisation and heroism that comes from being a hero in a commercial potboiler. On the other hand, we have had a few Muslim lead roles for women, including in Mani Ratnams poignant Bombay. Kamal himself has played a Muslim lead character more than once (Alaavudinum Arputha Vilakkum in which he shared screen space with Rajinikanth for example). The latter, meanwhile, has featured in a number of Hindi films playing a Muslim character. Yesteryear superstars like MGR and Sivaji Ganesan did star as Muslim characters, but typically and in keeping with those times, these strictly belonged to period films or historical dramas like Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum and Raja Thesingu. Sivaji Ganesan played a Muslim character in Paava Mannippu, remembers film historian Mohan Raman, who believes that the lack of Muslim lead roles may have something to do with the filmmakers belief that audience may not really identify with such characters. Citing yesteryear films as examples of filmmakers choosing reach over reality, he says, There is a reason why in older films, irrespective of the setting of the film, the characters always stuck to speaking neutral Tamil. This was to try and reach out to a large number of people. This, unfortunately, comes at the cost of some necessary sensitisation about Islam. Filmmaker Thamira of Rettaisuzhi fame, says, When it comes to Seth Tamil, for instance, we still get fake and comical lines, despite the community having become much better at speaking the language. Muslims typically get portrayed as the others, and generally in a unidimensional way. Even with respect to minority religion portrayal, theres a gap. A 2011 census revealed that Muslims constituted 5.86 per cent of the population, merely a fraction less than the Christian population that stood at 6.12 per cent. And yet, curiously, the number of Muslim roles played by our top actors pale in comparison with the Christian characters. Mohan Raman has an explanation: I think its probably because many directors are more familiar with convent schools and missionary-run education centres. They typically arent exposed to Islam culture as much as they are to Christianity. I think thats why its easier for them to write something they are more familiar with.Thamira agrees, Most of our filmmakers fail to understand Tamil Muslims. They think Muslims in our State speak Urdu and dont get that they have a strong connection with Tamil. He further believes that perhaps part of this under-representation could have to do with the protests that often spring when theres belief that the religion has been misrepresented. Its all in stark contrast to the Malayalam film industry and Bollywood where filmmakers constantly churn out films with Muslim characters as leads, which goes some way in creating an atmosphere of belonging and understanding. Tamil industrys under-representation of Muslims when it comes to lead roles is despite the increasing number of Muslim directors and actors. Thamira philosophises, Art and money have to go hand-in-hand. Today, money and good art are in two different places. Meanwhile, an Islamic Studies academician (on condition of anonymity) questions why so many memorable Muslim characters played by major stars are painted with a grey shade. In Baasha, for instance, the adopted identity is that of a gangster. One of the roles played by Ajith Kumar in the 2001-movie Citizen is of Abdullah, who assumes this identity to avenge the injustice meted out to his village. Here too, hes a law-breaker, even if faithful to his adopted religion. We reached out to the director of the film, Saravana Subbaiah, who says that there was some concern over how a Muslim character would be received. The producer of the film, a Muslim himself, was worried about how the scenes would be received. Thankfully, the audience had no problem at all. Being sensitive when it comes to the portrayal of a Muslim character is enough to win audience approval. Thamira also believes that another problem is our filmmakers sticking to safe genres like romance, comedy, and horror. Calling other film industries like Malayalam and Hindi as more liberated, Thamira cites the examples of Anurag Kashyaps Black Friday and Anubhav Sinhas Mulk. Compare this with Tamil cinema where filmmakers shirk from making films based on real-life incidents like the Coimbatore bomb blasts. The repercussions of the wrong portrayal deter people from funding such films, he says. While directors and producers typically blame any potential loss of business, in explaining such under-representation, distributor Tiruppur Subramanian will have none of it. We are only interested in quality content, regardless of what it is. Kamal himself, after facing stiff opposition to Vishwaroopam, decided to compensate by having both good and bad Hindu-Muslim characters. Typically, the audience doesnt make a difference between a Hindu and a Muslim character. They see it as just good and bad cinema. Irrespective of the merits and demerits of Vishwaroopam 2 and the pressure on its lead Muslim to be the saviour of the country to be a good Muslim the film does have a Muslim protagonist and that counts for something. Thamira wishes its lead character was more rooted. Vishwaroopam does not talk about Tamil Muslims. It is a story set in Afghanistan and hardly a story about our lives. It will make no change as our community is still not accurately represented. Our way of life, culture, and language continue to be barely represented in our films, he says, and adds, But when there is too much oppression, the dam will finally give away and such stories will eventually flow. Director Saravana Subbaiah urges stars to use their reach to represent Islam people in films. A police officer role like Alex Pandian is still remembered with fondness in Tamil Nadu. Isnt it time we had such an adored Muslim hero too he asks.For starters, our stories need to start showing Muslim characters as regular people police officers, bank employees, IT professionals, unemployed engineers, and entrepreneurs. And its perfectly all right to show both good and bad individuals, like people of any community. As Wisam says in Vishwaroopam, Rendum saerndhadhu dhaan naan. I am a hero and a villain. Im good and bad. Vaishali Vijaykumar By Express News Service CHENNAI : Put your mind, and soul into anything and it will turn out to be good. This has been Veena Khemkas principle for cooking for the last 50 years. It was her mother, Sita Motani, who inculcated this life skill in Veena and her two brothers. Her mother often reminded them, never be hungry in life or depend on anyone.Born and raised in Kolkata, Veenas roots can be traced to Rajasthan. When she was a young girl, Veena was always intrigued by the ingredients used in every cuisine. My relatives would make fun of my analysing skills. It continues till date. I love traveling and exploring food from different regions. Chefs are my best friends. Theres always an interactive session after every meal. My husband and two daughters admire this quality and laugh at me at the same time, shares the 58-year-old, who settled in Chennai 36 years ago, after her marriage. She has a bachelors in English literature.Veenas early days of cooking began when she was eight years old. Her first attempt was poori bhaji. Her mother and grandmother would constantly goad her to cook one item every day. Veena specialises in cooking Rajasthani, Gujarati, Punjabi, Maharashtrian, Thai, Chinese, and Mexican delicacies. She recently started making dips, sauces and has adopted a healthy way of cooking. Mild spices and salt are a must in her cooking. But she never samples the food while cooking. While Veena is a vegetarian, her family members are non-veg food lovers. Veena suffered a culture shock during her initial years in Chennai. Being foodies, Veena and her husband did not have many options to explore. One day we were craving for Chinese food. A food joint served us fried rice with curry leaves. Who does that? Well, those were the initial days. The city has completely transformed now. Idli is my 365-day food. I have to pack dosa batter for my daughters living abroad, shares Veena, whose inspiration is the late chef Tarla Dalal. Whenever she goes to meet her daughters, dinner is a lavish spread. And before she returns to Chennai, she deep freezes dal makhni and other gravies. Passion, good mood, and positive energy is my secret recipe. It makes people happier, and food tastier, she adds. No one goes unfed when at Veenas place. Its support from her family, and unconditional love from her social circle that keeps her going. She aspires to write her own cookbook. Ingredients Maida: 1cup, Rawa: half cup, Salt: half tsp, Kala jeera: 1/4 tsp, Oil: 1tbs,Mix maida and rawa, add salt, kala jeera and oil. Make very soft dough. Let it rest for 1/2 an hour For stuffing : Urad dal powder: 3/4 cup, Ginger chilli paste: 2 tsp, Kala jeera: 1/2 tsp, Salt: 1/4tsp, Hing: one pinch, Baking soda: 1/2 tsp Method Mix everything and make soft dough. Leave for 10 minutes Make equal portion of balls from maida dough. Stuff urad dal in the maida balls and roll it about 2 diameter Half fry and let it cool. Fry it again till it is golden brown. Serve it hot with potato subzi By Online Desk Torrential rains, overflowing rivers and a series of landslides have resulted in the deaths of nearly 100 people in the state. Kerala has been reeling under one of the worst floods in its history since August 8. Overall, 97 people have died in rain-related incidents since the second spell of monsoon fury got unleashed on August 8. KERALA FLOODS | FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES The Met department has predicted continuous rains till Saturday. A red alert has been issued in all the 14 districts of the state since Wednesday. From Kasargod in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south, all rivers are in spate and shutters of 35 dams (out of a total of 39 dams in the state), including Mullaperiyar, have been opened. Meanwhile, the Education Department has rescheduled Onam vacation for schools in the state. The holiday will be from 17 August to 29th August. By PTI AHMEDABAD: The Delhi police have recorded statements of employees of an Aadhaar centre, which is running from the Surat Collector's office in Gujarat, in connection to the alleged Aadhaar data breach case, officials said today. Surat's Resident Additional Collector S D Vasava told PTI that a Delhi Police team visited the district around two weeks ago. During the visit, the Delhi Police personnel did not contact any senior official of the Surat collectorate and left after taking statements of the staff working at the Aadhaar centre, he said. "Some police officials from Delhi visited Surat around two weeks ago in connection to the probe. They took copies of government documents related to private agencies which were hired by us for posting supervisors and operators for Aadhaar centres," Deputy Mamlatdar (Planning) Mahendra Dave said. The revenue department official claimed that he did not know whether the police took any private staffer of the Aadhaar centre to Delhi for questioning. "Supervisors and operators are usually hired through outsourcing. They are not government employees. That might be the reason why the police collected those documents to find out the agency which had deployed its men," said Dave. He said the password to open the 'Aadhaar registration kit' usually remains with a senior official. Vasava also said he was not aware if anyone was summoned for questioning by the Delhi Police. "They left after taking statements of some persons working in the office. They have not contacted us or given details about the probe. They did not meet us. I am not aware if anyone was served notice to present himself before the Delhi police," he said. Vasava said the Delhi police did not mention anything about the misuse of password or involvement of any staff member working at the centre inside the collectorate. In January this year, the Delhi Police had registered an FIR based on UIDAI official's complaint in connection with a report published in Chandigarh-based 'The Tribune' newspaper on the breach of details of the over one billion Aadhaar cards. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) manages the Aadhaar project under which individuals are allotted a 12-digit unique identification number. Manish Anand By Express News Service NEW DELHI: With big-ticket electoral battles just months away, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday portrayed himself as one who is restless, agitated and impatient in the pursuit of a transformed India. Countering charges of unkept promises, he said, hum makkhan par lakir nahi, patthar par lakeer kheenchne wale haen (we dont promise things lightly, we mean to keep our words). In his final speech from the ramparts of Red Fort here in the NDAs current term, Modi portrayed an India on the move, fuelling aspirations of the poor - from offering healthcare benefits to scores of other entitlements - and connecting with the middle class by lauding them for honesty in paying taxes. Modi, in his 82-minute speech, invoked 2013 to contrast the achievements of his government and burnish his credentials before the 2019 general elections. He, however, skipped contentious issues like demonetisation and lynching. The Prime Ministers Office (PMO) took special care to get the content right, with Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari vetting the speech, sources said, indicating the importance Modi attached to his message to the masses.You may recall the comments made about India prior to 2014, by eminent international institutions, top economists of the world, and by those considered authorities on the subject. This was a time when the Indian economy was considered risky. But now the same experts and institutions say that our reform momentum has strengthened the economic fundamentals. They talk of our focus on reform, perform, and transform, Modi underlined. He then rolled out the NDAs achievement canvas. Among the points he ticked were the 13 crore Mudra loans, including four crore first time youth who availed the benefits, three lakh villages where young men and women are providing digital services, Gram Swaraj Abhiyan reaching 65,000 aspirational villages, WHOs statement that three lakh children were saved because of the cleanliness campaign, and five crore poor lifted above the poverty line in the last two years. He also announced a manned space mission plan by 2022. Healthcare plan rollout on Sept 25 The flagship Ayushman Bharat healthcare scheme will be rolled out on Sept 25 to coincide with BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyays birth anniversary, covering 10 crore families or 50 crore population in the initial stage | Wooing the middle class Apparently aware of the challenge to rediscover his 2014 appeal among the middle class, Modi talked at length about their service to society by honestly paying taxes, which went into feeding the poor By Online Desk When asked why he never chose to marry, former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had said, I didnt find the time. It is perhaps rare for politicians to separate their personal and public lives, but the three-time Prime Minister, who passed away today due to prolonged illness , managed to do so, triumphantly. Throughout the 1960s, Vajpayee lived with the Kaul family for several years in Delhi, adopting their daughters, Nandita and Namita, as his own. Rajkumari Kaul, in particular, was an indispensable figure throughout his life, yet the details of their friendship continue to endure speculation. In an article for The Telegraph, K.P. Nayer writes, Of all the members of every prime ministerial household since freedom put together, Auntie (as she was known by those who had access to her home) was the most understated, but her worth was known to those who knew the intricacies and organigram of Vajpayees private life. In the late 1970s when Vajpayee was appointed as the External Affairs Minister in Morarji Desais Janata government, the Kaul family moved into his home in Lutyens Delhi. Their unique living situation sparked quite a few rumours, which multiplied after the untimely demise of Mr. Kaul. IN PICS | Rare images from former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's political career Nonetheless, Vajpayees immense popularity and political influence meant that the press never treated his relationship with the Kauls as a significant problem. Besides, he was known to intervene whenever anybody slandered the familys reputation. One such example includes the time when a BJP leader allegedly referred to Rajkumari as the Kaul girl. At the time, his remarks cost him little influence or power within the BJP party, and Vajpayees private life remained unscathed. Nandita went on to become a doctor and relocated to New York. Namita, however, along with her husband, Ranjan Bhattacharya, continued to live with him even after Mrs. Kaul passed away. While Ranjan held no official title, he held a prominent role in politics, most notably in 1996, during Vajpayees election campaign. Despite any dedication and service to his country, it is clear that the BJP veteran's adopted family was the real centre of his world. By PTI NEW DELHI: Statesman and pragmatist, orator and poet, a man of peace and conviction. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a towering nationalist who softened the often sharp edge of his party's politics with a gentle sophistry of words, earning him the sobriquet "ajaat shatru" or the man with no enemies. The first prime minister from a non-Congress party to complete a full term in office, Vajpayee began shakily -- his first stint as prime minister in 1996 lasted only 13 days when his unlikely coalition government failed to get support from other parties. ALSO READ | Will miss my closest friend for 65 years immensely: L K Advani on Vajpayee's death The BJP-led coalition government came back to power in 1998, and this time Vajpayee stayed in office for 13 months before losing a no-confidence motion by one vote. The National Democratic Alliance returned to power in October 1999 with Vajpayee as prime minister once again. This time he lasted the entire term, capping a glorious career that saw him go from student activist to journalist, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh pracharak, Member of Parliament, foreign minister, opposition leader and finally a much-loved leader of the nation. Like many of his generation, Vajpayee _ who died today at age 93 _ came into politics as an 18-year old during the Independence movement in 1942 when the Quit India movement was going on. A lifelong bachelor, Vajpayee was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1957 from Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh in India's second general elections. His maiden speech in Parliament so impressed his peers and colleagues that the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru introduced Vajpayee to a visiting foreign dignitary thus: "This young man one day will become the country's prime minister." ALSO READ | Atal Bihari Vajpayee upped BJP's fortunes with his historical 1996 general election win He remained a member of Parliament for 47 years -- elected 10 times to the Lok Sabha and twice to Rajya Sabha. Vajpayee's signature in politics was achieving pragmatic consensus, and in this process he earned the respect of his party, allies and opponents. Abroad, he projected a harmonious image of India and connected it to the world through his foreign policy outreach. Fluent in English, his oratory was at its best in Hindi. With his well-timed wit, and carefully-chosen words delivered with trademark long pauses, Vajpayee immediately connected with all those who came in contact with him -- the common man, politicians, bureaucrats, students and world leaders. As foreign minister under the Janata Party government headed by Morarji Desai in 1977, Vajpayee was the first leader to deliver a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi. ALSO READ | Kashmir remembers Atal Bihari Vajpayee as PM who looked beyond politics to end Valley's woes He was awarded India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in March 2015. While his six years in office were defined by several crises _ including the hijacking of an Indian Airlines jetliner to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 1999, an attack on the Parliament building in 2001, communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 _ he also left a mark with peace initiatives and infrastructural projects. Chief among them is the Golden Quadrilateral Highway network, connecting India's four major metropolises with 5,846 kilometers of roads. During his second term as prime minister, Vajpayee ordered nuclear tests in May 1998 in a strategic masterstroke to blunt Pakistan's nuclear ambitions while at the same time announcing a moratorium on future testing. He followed this up with peace overtures to Pakistan, riding on the first direct bus from India to Pakistan in February 1999. Undeterred by party hawks, Vajpayee arrived in Lahore on the bus, accompanied among others by legendary actor Dev Anand. ALSO READ | A thaw that didn't last: When Atal Bihari Vajpayee took bus to Lahore and hugged Nawaz Sharif Vajpayee met with then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in what was hailed as the dawn of a new era in India-Pakistan relations. However, then army chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf did not turn up to greet him at the Wagah border. It soon became clear why. Only months later, in June 1999, Pakistan began hostilities in Kargil that took the two countries to the brink of a full-scale war. Vajpayee felt betrayed and never hid his bitterness whenever Kargil was mentioned. He tried again to build peace with Pakistan -- which people close to him say was the mission of his life -- by holding a historic summit in Agra with Musharraf in 2001, who by then had become the president. But the summit too failed spectacularly. Another historic event that he expressed anguish about was the post-Godhra communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 when Prime minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister. Unwilling to hide his feelings over the riots, Prime Minister Vajpayee said the government must follow "raj dharma". In his autobiography, former President Pranab Mukherjee wrote that the Gujarat riots were "possibly the biggest blot" on Vajpayee's government that could have cost the Bharatiya Janata Party the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. After the NDA was routed in the elections, Vajpayee announced his retirement from politics in 2005 and slipped into relative political oblivion. He was rarely seen in public after suffering a stroke in 2009, and subsequently developed dementia. However, his influence loomed large over the party, which often quoted him and his policies. In his Independence Day speech yesterday, Modi said he wants to resolve the Kashmir issue through Vajpayee's doctrine of "Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, Jamhooriyat", which seeks to preserve the composite Kashmiri culture while ensuring democracy in a humane manner. When he assumed office for the second time in 1999 as the head of a more stable coalition, Vajpayee had to abandon some of the cornerstones of BJP's policies to get the backing of more secular groups. This included the BJP's demands for scrapping the special status for Jammu and Kashmir, building a Hindu temple on the site of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya and abolishing the separate civil code for Muslims. The demolition of Babri Masjid by kar sewaks in December 1992, when he was the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, was an acid test for Vajpayee's secular agenda and his stand within the party. Vajpayee's trusted lieutenant L K Advani and most BJP politicians supported the demolition but Vajpayee condemned the attack unequivocally. At times he tried to appeal to Muslims and other minority groups and was seen as a reassuring figure for India's mainly secular establishment. His personal integrity was never seriously questioned but arms bribery scandals exposed corruption in his government and at times cast doubts on his judgment. A romantic at heart, Vajpayee wrote poetry in his spare time and was a connoisseur of good food. Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh to a schoolteacher, Krishna Bihari Vajpayee, and Krishna Devi. Today, his birthday is celebrated as 'Good Governance Day'. After schooling, he graduated from Victoria College in Gwalior, now known as Laxmi Bai College. He did his M.A. in political science from DAV College in Kanpur. Following a brief flirtation with communism, he became a full-time worker of RSS in 1947. Vajpayee subsequently entered journalism and was editor of Rashtradharma, a Hindi monthly, the Panchjanya Hindi weekly and the dailies, Swadesh and Veer Arjun. He became a close follower of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the precursor to Jana Sangh and later the BJP. Under Mookerjee's tutelage, Vajpayee's right-wing philosophy shaped. Vajpayee accompanied Mookerjee to Kashmir in early 1950s during the BJS leader's fast-unto-death to protest the identity card requirement for Indian citizens visiting the state. It was Vajpayee's first insight into the Kashmir problem, which decades later he addressed in 2003 with the "Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, Jamhooriyat" doctrine. Vajpayee is survived by his adopted daughter, Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. By Online Desk Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the first non-Congress Prime Minister of India to serve a full term. Before the complete term between 1999 and 2004, Vajpayee had two brief terms as premier in 1996 and 1998. READ | Pragmatist, orator and statesman who went beyond BJP's nationalist political agenda While the former Prime Minister breathed his last on Thursday, here's a look back at his three terms: 1996 elections P V Narasimha Rao was the PM before this election and was accused of several scandals and mishandling of the government. There were also internal disputes in Congress which gave BJP an upper hand at that time. From highways to overseas oilfield acquisition: Vajpayee a bellwether policy reformer Another scandal that weakened the Congress government was one where Sushil Sharma, a Congress leader murdered his wife and stuffed the body in a tandoor to hide the crime. BJP leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani (File | EPS) BJP campaigns were taken over by Vajpayee from LK Advani and the party was up against Congress, and a special 'Third Front' or the 'National Front' -- a coalition which included the Left Front, Janata Dal, Telugu Desam and Samajwadi Party. The results ended up in a hung parliament as Congress could not get majority due to the rising unpopularity. BJP had become the largest party in Lok Sabha, despite not winning the popular vote. The then President Shankar Dayal Sharma invited Vajpayee to form the government, and the BJP leader had to show a majority within two weeks. But on the 13th day after swearing in as PM, Vajpayee announced his resignation saying that he could not gain enough support for the majority. HD Deve Gowda from Janata Dal took over as PM as the 'United Front' leader, with support from Congress. 1998 elections Two years later, the United Front government fell apart due to instability, when the Congress left the alliance. Lotus will bloom: Vajpayee in 1980 Mumbai rally In this election, Vajpayee was up against Congress' Sitaram Kesri and Inder Kumar Gujral from the United Front. Again the BJP and Congress did not win the majority. However, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was formed with the coalition of BJP, AIADMK, Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, Janata Party and Telugu Desam Party amongst others. AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa and Atal Bihari Vajpayee (File | EPS) Nine months later, Vajpayee stepped down after losing the trust vote in a no-confidence motion. This was due to the withdrawal of support from AIADMK led by Jayalalithaa. 1999 elections After losing the trust vote in April 1999, President KR Narayanan called for fresh elections. Vajpayee acted as the caretaker prime minister till then. ALSO READ | Kashmir remembers Atal Bihari Vajpayee as PM who looked beyond politics to end Valley's woes These elections were held in September-October 1999 right after the Kargil War. BJP formed the NDA again, including over 20 regional and small parties. Congress had Sonia Gandhi in the lead. Her leadership was relatively new and was challenged by the Maharashtrian Congress leader Sharad Pawar due to her Italian background. The United Front consisted of left parties that were not strong enough. The BJP-led NDA strategically won as it covered many regional issues during the campaigning. The NDA stayed strong till the end of its term in May 2004. By PTI NEW DELHI: Atal Bihari Vajpayee would have ordered the nuclear tests in 1996 when he became prime minister the first time, but his government lasted only 13 days which delayed India's journey to becoming a nuclear weapon state, experts said today. When he assumed the prime ministership for the second time in March 1998, he immediately ordered the tests, following which India declared itself as a nuclear weapon state. Under Vajpayee's leadership, India successfully carried out three underground nuclear tests on May 11, 1998. Two more underground tests on May 13 completed the planned series of tests. Following the tests, India declared itself a nuclear weapon state. The decision to conduct tests was taken by Vajpayee's predecessor P V Narasimha Rao, but could not be executed as he lost the 1996 polls. In the polls, the BJP, under the leadership of Vajpayee, emerged as the single largest party. Vajpayee formed a minority government, which barely lasted a fortnight (from May 16, 1996 to June 1, 1996) as it failed the floor test. "Had Vajpayee been confirmed as the prime minister in 1996, he would have ordered the tests at that point because the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty negotiations were moving forward," said former diplomat Rakesh Sood. When Vajpayee became the prime minister for the second time in March 1998, he immediately ordered the tests that were executed in less than two months after coming to power. The former prime minister, who passed away this evening, had also announced a moratorium on future testing at that time. "He did it (ordered nuclear tests) as soon as he could when he returned to power (in 1998). He was convinced of its necessity and also that India could weather the storm. We are lucky he decided so, because it was already very late, and couldn't be delayed any more," Rajeshwari Pillai Rajagoplan, distinguished fellow and in-charge of nuclear and space initiative at the Observer Research Foundation, said. Following the tests, the West, led by the US, imposed sanctions against India. "After the 1974 test, India did not declare itself a nuclear weapon state because the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had described the test as a peaceful nuclear explosion (PNE). The 1998 tests reflected both a technical imperative to test as well as a political decision to declare India as a responsible nuclear weapon state," Sood, who was the special envoy of the then prime minister for disarmament and non-proliferation from 2013-14, said. Vajpayee faced immense international pressure during the time but ensured that scientists had a free hand. "His was a very decisive and strong leadership. He would state whatever he wanted to say very firmly. He never allowed the pressure to percolate," Anil Kakodkar, former director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), told PTI. The Centre was one of the key institutes under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) that shouldered the responsibility of carrying out the tests. Kakodkar later became the secretary of the DAE and chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission. He was also one of the key persons involved in the negotiations for the Indo-US nuclear deal. Vajpayee is also the only non-Congress prime minister to have taken crucial decisions on defining the nuclear policy of the country. While Nehru and Indira Gandhi were known for starting the atomic programme and displaying India's nuclear capabilities in 1974 tests respectively, the Indo-US nuclear deal was signed in the tenure of Vajpayee's successor Manmohan Singh. The deal is considered as a watershed moment for India's nuclear energy programme. By PTI MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court today slammed the Mumbai civic body's "erroneous" online system for granting permission for animal slaughter in the city this Bakr-Eid after a petitioner claimed that some lawyers had managed to secure nod under fictitious names to sacrifice five goats inside a courtroom. The high court observed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's online mechanism was "ridiculous" as it was granting permission "without any verification and application of mind" and directed it to take corrective steps, following which the civic body told the court that it will stop the process till Monday, the next day of hearing. The BMC made the submission after a petition by a local trust questioned the way in which the civic body had been granting permission through an online system this year for the slaughter of goats and sheep. To prove the point, the petitioner's lawyer, advocate Sujay Kantawalla, produced copies of such permissions for Bakr-Eid that some lawyers from the court had secured against fictitious names and addresses. One of the lawyers had posed as Neil Armstrong, and secured permission to slaughter five goats inside courtroom Number 13 of the HC, where the present petition is being heard by a bench of justices A S Oka and R I Chagla. Kantawalla also informed the bench that lawyers had secured permission for the slaughter of animals inside four more courtrooms in the HC, including the courtroom of the Acting Chief Justice. On perusal of such permissions, the bench observed that the civic body's online mechanism for grant of such permission was indeed erroneous, and "ridiculous". "Thankfully, the permissions have not been sought in our names," Justice Oka quipped in a lighter vein. "We have been accused of many things in the past, but never for this (slaughter of animals)," he added. The bench also observed that the civic body needed to take immediate corrective steps to set in order its system for granting permission for animal slaughter. "This is ridiculous. Some members of the bar applied for permission for slaughter at various office places and shockingly, were granted permission. Permission was even granted for slaughter inside this courtroom," the bench said. "This shows that the BMC has been granting permission without any verification and application of mind. "Our attention is also brought to the consequent violations under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, (which mandates that slaughter of animals can be carried out only at licensed abattoirs)" the Judges said. The bench also observed that the corporation needed to scrutinise or re-verify the applications for which permission had already been granted through the online system. It directed the civic body to file a reply by Saturday explaining the corrective steps it plans to take. The corporation initially defended the online system, saying all applicants had to pass through the second stage of verification at the time of taking the animals out of the abattoir for slaughter. It also questioned why the petitioners had approached the court just weeks before Bakr-Eid (which falls on August 22) when the online system became operational last month? The civic body, however, later relented and said the online system would be stopped till the next hearing after the bench said that the civic body must concentrate on taking corrective steps instead of finding faults with the petition. As per the plea filed by the Jiv Maitri Trust, the online mechanism allows citizens to fill up a form online specifying the number of goats or sheep they desire to sacrifice, their names, addresses, and some other details. And once the applicants hit the `submit button', the BMC immediately issues a pdf document granting them permission and a temporary license for such slaughter without any actual verification of the details submitted in the applications. On the previous hearing, Kantawalla had informed the court that two local lawyers had applied for and secured permission from the BMC to slaughter five goats each in the Esplanade Mansion, a heritage structure in South Mumbai. The petition also stated that the abattoir at Deonar in suburbs is the only place in Mumbai with the licence and facilities to carry out the slaughter of animals. However, the BMC has been granting permission to individuals for the slaughter of animals for Bakr-Eid at any place in the city without any "application of mind", it added. By PTI SRINAGAR: With his mantra of 'Insaniyat, 'Jamhooriyat' and 'Kashmiriyat', former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee endeared himself to the people of Kashmir who finally saw a leader willing to look beyond political calculations in his attempt to solve the vexed problems of the strife-torn valley. Kashmiris vividly remember Vajpayee as the man, who despite his Jan Sangh past, extended a hand of friendship to Pakistan and offered dialogue to the separatists in a historic speech here in April 2003. "We are again extending the hand of friendship, but hands should be extended by both sides," Vajpayee said, the first such initiative by a prime minister of the country in many many years following the eruption of militancy in the state. The 'hand of friendship' to Pakistan was a complete reversal to the earlier stand of his government of not engaging with Islamabad till cross-border terrorism continued. At the same rally, Vajpayee extended an olive branch to the separatists saying dialogue was the only way to resolve issues. The sincerity of the effort immediately elevated Vajpayee's stature in the eyes of the common Kashmiri, who bore the brunt of decades of violence in the state. Days later, Vajpayee elaborated on his Srinagar speech in the Lok Sabha. "Issues can be resolved if we move forward guided by the three principles of Insaniyat (Humanity), Jamhooriyat (Democracy) and Kashmiriyat (Kashmiri values)," he said. The peace overture was all the more a surprise as it came just over two years after the Parliament was attacked by Jaish-e-Mohammad militants. Vajpayee had, however, made efforts to foster friendly relations with Pakistan, earlier as well. He travelled to the neighbouring country in the inaugural Delhi-Lahore bus in 1999, the efforts of which were negated by the Kargil intrusion later that year. Senior PDP leader Naeem Akhtar said Vajpayee has become a reference point "in Kashmir and about Kashmir". "His electoral loss in 2004 (Lok Sabha polls) is considered a loss for Kashmir and south Asia. He was one PM who bonded with the sentiments of Kashmiris and scripted a new peace agenda for south Asia, establishing in the process the centrality of the sentiment of the people of Kashmir and that Kashmir can be resolved without the use of force and without redrawing borders," Akhtar told PTI. CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said Vajpayee had tried to reach to the people of Kashmir by initiating important initiatives which helped in creating hope. "Opening of dialogue with stake holders including Pakistan and other dissenting voices were meaningful steps," Tarigami said. The ground work for opening of trade and people-to-people contact across LoC were seen as major confidence building measures. "Despite severe limitations of the BJP's policies, he will be remembered for not following the beaten tracks," Tarigami asserted. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, who was a minister of state in the Vajpayee-led government at the Centre, said the passing away of the former PM was a personal loss to him. "Vajpayee Sahib is no more & I feel a personal sense of loss at his passing. Thank you sir for the opportunities, for the trust you reposed in me, for the opportunities to travel with you & to learn from you. You will be greatly missed," Abdullah tweeted. Not just politicians, even the man of the street in Kashmir is full of admiration for the former prime minister. "While every Prime Minister in India has always worried about the next election and used Kashmir as an issue to win the polls, Vajpayee was different as he made sincere efforts to initiate a process that could lead to a resolution," Abdul Rehman Khan (75), a retired government employee, said. Often Vajpayee's out of the box thinking surprised even the Pakistani establishment. Reacting to his unexpected 'hand of friendship', the then Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri said he was hopeful that there will be no "clarification" from India or even from Vajpayee on the statement. Kasuri had said he was "thrilled" over the development and termed Vajpayee's statement as a positive movement forward in India-Pakistan relations. Such was Vajpayee's charm that he draws praise even from the separatists. "I am sad to hear about the demise of A B Vajpayee ji. Atalji was indeed a rare Indian leader who had the humaneness to seek the resolution of the festering Kashmir dispute in the wide ambit of humanity and not within the confines of a constitution," chairman of moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq told PTI. He said the former prime minister made sincere efforts to walk his talk when he initiated talks with the Hurriyat Conference. Former Hurriyat chairman Professor Abdul Gani Bhat said Vajpayee was "a great man" in many ways. Bhat said Vajpayee's efforts to improve relations with Pakistan and settle the dispute in Jammu and Kashmir will go down in the annals of history as an effort to build a stable, prosperous and peaceful south Asia. "Now is the time, while paying tributes to the great man, for the leadership of the sub-continent to follow his vision of a peaceful region. Initiate a dialogue and resolve all disputes including the dispute of Jammu and Kashmir in the interests of peace, prosperity and development," he said. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Urging the judiciary to have some kind of regulation on frivolous public interest litigation, Minister of Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said that though imposing huge amounts as costs in PILs was right, the larger perspective on PILs should not be lost. We need to have some kind of audit or some kind of understanding so that the larger perspective of PIL is not lost, Prasad said. The minister was speaking during an Independence Day celebration organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association. On constant criticism of the government by the bench on multiple issues, Prasad urged the judiciary to let governance be done by those elected to govern, while the judiciary could intervene when the government had not done enough. The remarks came a week after the Attorney General pointed out to a bench that judges may not know every aspect of every problem and should refrain from making comments against the government. Echoing the same sentiments, SCBA President Vikas Singh said that lawyers and judges should not pass any oral observations while hearing cases as that could damage the institution, and said, Every word spoken in the court is reported in the media and these observations cant be expunged. No oral observations should be made which would damage or lower the prestige of this institution. He said that though the judiciary had always ensured that the separation of powers remained intact, our experience is that in the day-to-day functioning of the court, this line is getting a little blurred.Expressing concern over overcrowding in the courtroom and emphasizing the need to have live streaming of court proceedings, Attorney General K K Venugopal asked the Chief Justice of India and the law minister to examine the issue and find a solution. He said, Sometimes it becomes impossible to enter the courtroom in SC and I have to shout to go to the front. I wonder what women lawyers have to go through in courtroom. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent out a strong message on the increasing incidents of rape during his Independence Day speech. Stressing that the rule of law is supreme for his government, the Prime Minister said its important to instill fear in people with demonic mindset. He emphasised that we have to free our society from the disgusting mentality of rape.The rule of law is supreme for us and there can be absolutely no compromise on this. Demonic mentalities are being handled in a very stern manner and rapists are getting the severest punishment possible, Modi said. He cited the examples of fast-track trials in rape cases in Madhya Pardesh and Rajasthan where the convicts were awarded death sentences within days of crime, and said that such cases needed to be given wide publicity to deter people from committing such crimes. The more the publicity, the more will be the fear. The hanging of the rapists should be widely reported to spread awareness and to scare and deter those who intend to assault women. We must collectively prevent crimes against women, the PM said, adding that society and the nation need to feel the pain that a rape survivor endures. By PTI NEW DELHI: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi today took on the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at a meet of the united opposition here, hitting out at the dispensation on the contentious Rafale deal and resolved to dislodge it. He claimed while his party viewed the country as pure as Ganga river, where people amalgamate with each other, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) viewed it from the prism of 'sone ki chidiya' (golden bird) to make money out of it and favour their friends and crony capitalists. "Today while they are busy in making that cage, we will try to stop them from making it," he said. He was speaking at the sixth edition of the 'Sanjhi Virasat Bachao Sammelan' (Save composite culture convention), a platform of more than 15 opposition parties. The event today was attended by leaders from the major opposition parties such as the Left, RJD, JD-S, SP, DMK, RLD, NCP among others. The forum was being piloted by estranged JDU leader Sharad Yadav to put up a united fight against the BJP-ruled government. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh also attended the event. "For us where rain takes place, it becomes a river and everyone gets associated with it. For them (BJP) it is a sone ki chidiya," he said. Gandhi said they did not want a "BJP mukt Bharat" nor did they want to destroy the BJP but they wanted to tell them that "our ideology is stronger and we will defeat their ideology". "In the end, we will together remove the BJP from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and then from the rest of the country," Gandhi said. The Congress chief, who has been quite vocal about the Rafale deal, targeted the government at the meet, alleging that jets worth Rs 524 crore were purchased at an inflated rate of Rs 1,600 crore. Gandhi said he met the French president here during his visit, the president said there was no secrecy which binds the government from disclosing the prices of the jets to the people of the country. He said when he raised this issue in Parliament during the no trust vote, the prime minister remained silent but spoke at length on "useless" issues. Gandhi alleged during the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort yesterday he observed the PM point out to teachers after completing a sentence who would then ask the children to cheer and clap for the him. "This was a show, a drama," he alleged. He said while the government was busy benefiting "friends and industrialists", it had least regard for the farmers. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said the aim of the Sanjhi Virasat Bachao Sammelan was to save the democracy. The BJP-led government, he alleged, was misusing governance and had ruined the life of the common man with demonetisation and then with the implementation of the GST. Referring to the prime minister's Independence Day speech, he accused Modi of misleading the nation by announcing that the country would send a manned mission to space by 2022. Yechury reminded of Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to go to space in 1984. He also criticised the Modi for "failing" to speak against incidents of mob lynching and lamented that the accused in rape of minors are still at large. He accused the government of systematically muzzling the freedom of expression and imposing its ideology on educational institutes and other bodies. JD(S) spokesperson Danish Ali alleged the BJP government was misleading the nation on issues and there was an attempt to disturb the communal harmony in the country. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah attacked at the government saying, they would not tolerate any religious discrimination in the country. "Today the fight is to live in dignity," he said. Senior NCP leader Tariq Anwar claimed there was a sense of fear among the citizens in the country today and Modi's slogan of 'sab ka saath and sab ka vikas' was a big "lie". Tiruchi Shiva (DMK) described Gandhi as the future of India and the light of secular India. He said certain mischievous elements had become "hyperactive" in the country and slammed attempts to divide it in the name of religion. TMC leader Chan Mitra, who quit the BJP recently to join the Mamata Banerjee's party, said he felt "bad" observing certain things in the BJP, claiming there was a sense of "disillusionment" in the society today. By PTI NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of India's most charismatic leaders who led the nation through several crises and held together a tenuous coalition with his inclusive politics, died here today. He was 93. Vajpayee, a bachelor, is survived by his adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. His death was announced by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital where he was admitted June 11 with a variety of ailments. "It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of Former Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, at 05:05 PM," the AIIMS said in a statement. It said his condition was stable for the last nine weeks, but "unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems." Former Prime Minister & Bharat Ratna #AtalBihariVaajpayee passes away in AIIMS. He was 93. pic.twitter.com/r12aIPF5G0 ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018 "Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today. We join the Nation in deeply mourning this great loss," said the statement by Dr (Prof) Aarti Vij. Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of other BJP as well as opposition leaders drove to AIIMS as it became clear that the end was near. "It was Atalji's exemplary leadership that set the foundations for prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century," Modi said. India grieves the demise of our beloved Atal Ji. His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP Karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness. Om Shanti. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2018 Vajpayee, who joined the Rashtriya Swamsevak Sangha (RSS) in 1947 rose through ranks to become a stalwart of the BJP and was the first non-Congress prime minister to complete a full term in office. "It was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atal Ji that the BJP was built brick by brick," Modi said in a tweet. "He travelled across the length and breadth of India to spread the BJP's message, which led to the BJP becoming a strong force in our national polity and in several states," he added. Seen as a moderate face of BJP, Vajpayee's first became prime minister in 1996, leading a shaky coalition whose members were suspicious of the BJP's right-wing politics. It lasted for 13 days and collapsed after losing a vote of no-confidence. His second stint as prime minister was in 1998 when the National Democratic Alliance again came to power but that lasted for just 13 months. Finally, the NDA with Vajpayee as PM returned to power in 1999 and was voted out in 2004. A 10-time MP of the Lok Sabha, Vajpayee announced his retirement from politics in 2005. He was also a member of the Rajya Sabha twice. The former prime minister was admitted to the hospital on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. Vajpayee, a diabetic, had only one functional kidney. He suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia. Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh to a schoolteacher, Krishna Bihari Vajpayee, and Krishna Devi. Today, his birthday is celebrated as 'Good Governance Day'. After schooling, he graduated from Victoria College in Gwalior, now known as Laxmi Bai College. He did his M.A. in political science from DAV College in Kanpur. Following a brief flirtation with communism, he became a full-time worker of RSS in 1947. Officials said the Union Cabinet will meet shortly to pass a resolution to condole Vajpayee's demise. They said modalities about the funeral and the mourning period would be discussed. In his tribute, BJP president Amit Shah said he was a "rare politician, brilliant speaker, poet and patriot, his demise is not just an irreparable loss for the BJP but also for the entire country." Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter: "Today India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family and all his admirers. We will miss him." By PTI NEW DELHI: In a video uploaded on social media, two men have claimed responsibility for the attack on JNU student leader Umar Khalid in an upmarket area in Delhi on Monday, and said they would surrender before police tomorrow. Police are on the lookout for the two men seen in the video uploaded on Facebook yesterday. In the video, the duo, who identified themselves as Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal, claimed the attack was supposed to be an "Independence Day gift" to the citizens. Police are verifying the authenticity of the video and trying to trace the IP address from where it was uploaded. "We respect our Constitution. But there is no provision in our Constitution to punish mad dogs. By mad dogs, we mean the JNU gang that is making the country weaker and their number is increasing. Our elders in Haryana have taught us that such people should be taught a lesson," Shahpur said in the video message. The duo also requested the police to not trouble anyone and said they would surrender at the village of Sikh revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha on August 17. A police team has been sent to the village. The city police has contacted its counterparts in Punjab and Haryana to trace the two. Meanwhile, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students and teachers along with Khalid held a protest at Parliament Street today against the incident. The protest was earlier planned at Jantar Mantar, but after the police informed the participants that guidelines for protests at the venue were yet to be framed, the protesters moved near Palika Kendra. From Palika Kendra, they marched till the Parliament Street police station demanding the arrest of the accused in the case. "I would like to thank the Modi government for killing fear inside us. There is no fear inside us now because of what we have faced in the last four years. From a media trial against us to sending us to jail, you have done everything you can," Khalid said at the protest site. He said even if he died, the battle would go on. "I have no personal hatred against those who tried to kill me. I pity those people who tried to kill me because they are being used by the government, that is also troubling their families. You are being used," the JNU student said. "The real culprits are those who have been running a campaign against me for the last two-and-a-half years, branding me 'anti-national' and these include spokespersons, certain news anchors and channels," he said. Khalid was attacked on Monday when he was on his way to take part in an event at the Constitution Club here. He, however, escaped unhurt. On Tuesday, the Delhi Police handed over the case to its Special Cell, which incidentally is already probing a sedition case against Khalid and two other JNU students. The police had also said that they were not "intimated" about Monday's event attended by Khalid. A police officer, privy to the probe, said the police had seized the weapon used in the crime and preliminary forensic examination suggested that the pistol had jammed when it was used against Khalid. He said they were yet to ascertain whether shots were fired as no empty cartridges were found at the spot. A case of attempt to murder has been registered by police in the incident. By PTI (This is a first-person account by Ashok Kumar Tandon, a former PTI Special Correspondent who was also posted to London, was the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee's media adviser from 1998 to 2004. He is currently the media adviser to Union minister Nitin Gadkari, and wrote this first-person account for PTI of his impressions working with Vajpayee.) NEW DELHI: If his popularity helped him win Parliamentary elections 12 times in India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's oratory passion in words and sincerity in messages, endeared him to people in Pakistan as well. So much so that after a powerful appeal for peace by Vajpayee in a speech during a historic visit to Lahore in 1999, then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif quipped: "Vajpayee ji ab to aap Pakistan me bhi election jeet sakte hain" (Vajpayee ji now you can win elections in Pakistan also). Such was the charisma of Atal-ji for whom I had the privilege of working. I had accompanied Atal-ji on his historic bus trip from Amritsar to Lahore, on the first ever direct bus service between India and Pakistan, as part of his effort to build peace with Pakistan, a goal that remained close to his heart. As we all know, he signed the Lahore declaration with Nawaz Sharif. I remember in his speech from the lawns of Lahore Governor's House he literally engaged the people of Pakistan in a sort of a dialogue and he made a very passionate appeal for peace which was broadcast live by Pakistan Television. Besides achieving peace with Pakistan, Atal-ji's dearest wish was to restore normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir. Once we were on a holiday in Manali immediately after the 1998 government was formed. At a brainstorming session Atal-ji indicated his mind about his priorities and said his topmost priority would be to improve relations with all our neighbours including Pakistan in a peaceful manner through bilateral dialogues and other priority set was if he could resolve the Jammu & Kashmir issue. ALSO READ | A thaw that didn't last: When Atal Bihari Vajpayee took bus to Lahore and hugged Nawaz Sharif He said both the issues were inter-related and then started working in that direction because when he met Mr.Sharif at the Colombo SAARC summit they had one on one talks on the sidelines. He broke the ice and there and I think the dialogue also started there. Then we went on the Lahore Bus peace mission and then the Lahore Declaration followed. Mr.Sharif's comment on Atal-ji's popularity was not only interesting but spoke volumes of his charisma. The Lahore Bus initiative failed and we had to face Kargil. There again he showed his leadership and encouraged the armed forces. India literally emerged victorious in the Kargil war. And his party returned in a big way and NDA got majority. During Atal-ji's first visit to the Kashmir Valley he again touched the chord with the people when he declared that "we want peace in the Valley, we want to resolve all your problems in the spirit of "Jamhuriyat, Insaniyat and Kashmiriyat." His use of expression Kashmiriyat and that the Kashmiri identity would be preserved appealed tremendously to the agitating minds of people in Kashmir. In this Jan 4 2004 file photo, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is seen with the then Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Pakistani Zafarullha Khan Jamali at a meeting in Islamabad. | (File | PTI) When he talked of the Kashmiriyat and the spirit of Insaniyat that again was an appeal that "we want to solve all your problems without resorting to force and then of course when he said democracy, that means within the framework of the Indian Constitution. So all these terms coined as Vajpayee doctrine on Jammu & Kashmir remain relevant even today. And yesterday also Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the ramparts of the Red Fort made an appeal in the spirit of the same doctrine of Kashiriyat, Jamhuriyat and Insaniyat. That was one dimension of Vajpayee ji-s personality. Atal-ji used to work till late in the night and after the office work, he would retire to his Race Course Road residence and then go through his programme for the next day, go over the speeches he had to deliver. He himself would go through that text. Sometimes he would call one of us, suggesting something in his draft speech. He would work till midnight. He used to take his engagements very seriously. If necessary he would stay up beyond midnight also. He used to do his homework. For that he could find time only in the night. Atal-ji began his day with some kind of physical exercise, sometimes using the treadmill and regular walks on the track. Because he wanted to be fit as early as possible after the knee transplant surgery, he used to do extensive physiotherapy. Then he would be meet with the Principal Secretary, PS etc. Atal-ji was very fond of spicy food and sweets, and would order these from special food chains of Lucknow as well as Chandni Chowk. He loved chaat, pakori, kachori. Sweets also. He was very fond of chatpata food. Besides, Atal-ji was very particular about taking care of his guests and would take personal interest in ensuring that visitors were served food of their choice. He would tell the staff that such and such person should be served such and such dishes! Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: An acclaimed poet, journalist and a brilliant orator, Atal Bihari Vajpayee not only nurtured the BJP as a national party but also rose above the caste, community and party affiliations to emerge as one of the tallest leaders of the country. His popularity among Muslims was a bonus for the party. A large number of Muslim men and burqa-clad women could be seen voluntarily taking part in his nomination processions. His close aide, an old friend and senior BJP leader Lalji Tandon, who succeeded him in Lucknow as MP, remembers him as a fighter to the core and a great visionary who had a never say die approach to life. Atalji has been a great inspiration for the entire nation. As Lucknow is also called his home, people here share a special bond with him. His lines, 'chhote mann se koi bada nahi hota, toote tan se koi khada nahi hota', define his persona. People from all walks of life, irrespective of political affiliation, address him with respect, said an emotional Tandon. In Lucknow, Vajpayee first campaigned door-to-door for friend Lalji who was contesting his first election as a corporator in 1960. A top Bharatiya Jan Sangh leader then and MP from Balrampur, Vajpayee ensured Lalajis victory to counter the open challenge thrown to Jan Sangh by then Congress MLA, Ali Zaheer. After the 74th amendment to Constitution making civic polls direct in 1992, Vajpayee, then Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, campaigned extensively for Dr S C Rai, the first publically elected BJP mayor of Lucknow in 1995. Even the present Deputy CM Dr Dinesh Sharma, who was Lucknows mayor in 2006, had once shared how he was initially reluctant to fight the mayoral election and consented only after Vajpayee told him, Yeh mera aadesh hai (this is my order). The charismatic politician won the hearts of friends and foes alike. But his ties with Lucknowites were very special and they regard him as a common mans leader. City residents have many anecdotes to share on the man who loved to mingle with people and enjoy Old Lucknows street food. Pradeep Bhargava, 62, whom Vajpayee fondly called his saarthi, recalls how he was chosen by the leader himself to be ferried in his car every time he was in Lucknow. Bhargava says when the former PM decided to contest Lok Sabha poll from Lucknow in 1991, he sought help from his father, a close friend. His father offered Vajpayee two things -- his Fiat Anny and son (Pradeep), who was 25 then. SD Shukla, a retired central government official, said, I came in touch with him during a meeting of Jan Sangh when Atalji was living the life of a journalist and editing Panchjanya in Lucknow. On my invitation, he visited my residence and after that, it became a practice. He loved dishes like dal bhari kachauri and kheer prepared by my mother. By Express News Service BHOPAL: In 1984, Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia defeated BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee from Gwalior Lok Sabha seat of Madhya Pradesh. More than three decades later, Scindia's son and former union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who heads the opposition party's state election campaign committee in MP, cancelled on Thursday the three-day tour to his parliamentary constituency Guna. He will fly to New Delhi in the night to offer tributes to the departed leader. According to state Congress sources, Scindia was addressing a public rally in Gairatganj area of Raisen district, when the news of Vajpayee's demise reached him. He stopped his speech mid-day and offered tributes to the ex-PM, describing his demise as a personal loss to him. He subsequently announced cancelling the three-day tour to his parliamentary constituency Guna, starting from Friday. Back in Bhopal, the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee cancelled the first meeting of its newly constituted State Election Committee due to Vajpayee's demise. The meeting was scheduled to start at 7 pm at the state Congress headquarters on Thursday. Senior leaders, including national general in-charge for MP Deepak Babaria and MPCC chief Kamal Nath, condoled Vajpayee's death. Nath, the nine-time Lok Sabha member from Chhindwara, particularly remembered his long association with Vajpayee as a parliamentarian. Nath recounted Vajpayee's particular concern about threats to the Taj Mahal from environmental hazards. The Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also announced stopping his ongoing statewide Jan Ashirwad Yatra over the sad demise of the ex-PM. "I had to go to Chhindwara today, but I apologise to the people in that district for not being able to be there," said Chouhan before flying to New Delhi. Chouhan remembered his long association with Vajpayee and particularly reminisced being part of Vajpayee's election campaign for the 1991 Lok Sabha polls from Vidisha seat, which Chouhan won five times after it was vacated by Vajpayee in 1991 only. "I was fortunate to be part of that memorable 1991 election campaign in Vidisha as the state president of the Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM). When I won the Vidisha seat after it was vacated by Atalji, he gave me the blessings addressing me as Vidishapati, it's the biggest appreciation and blessing in my life," said Chouhan in Bhopal. The state government, meanwhile, declared seven days state mourning from August 16 to August 22 across the state. The government circular read that all state government offices and institutions will remain closed on Friday. In Indore, the trader associations decided to observe a total shutdown as a mark of respect to the departed soul on Friday. By PTI NEW DELHI: Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure as prime minister saw India face several security challenges such as the Kargil conflict, the Kandahar hijacking and the Parliament attack, but he steered the country through them, using diplomacy and military force in equal measure. After being sworn in as prime minister for a second time in 1998, Vajpayee travelled on a bus from Amritsar to Lahore for a visit the next year which was widely acclaimed as the start of a new era in Indo-Pakistan relations. However, despite the Lahore Declaration, the bonhomie between India and Pakistan did not last long as just months after the visit, the Pakistan Army undertook a covert operation to send its troops into Kargil that led to a limited conflict that Pakistan lost. Vajpayee was desirous of peace with Pakistan and prepared to go the extra mile, but he did not hesitate in taking military action as well. "I recall that when it (the Kargil conflict) broke, I was asked to come to Delhi and it was at a briefing at the Army headquarters that Mr Vajpayee sanctioned the use of airpower. It was personally sanctioned by him and the cabinet committee on security," said Gopalaswami Parthasarathy, who was India's High Commissioner to Pakistan at the time. "He (Vajpayee) told them that you will not cross the Line of Control because we are fighting Pakistan as they have crossed the Line of Control, we should not do the same thing. And yes we emerged successful at the end of it," he said. The Vajpayee government lost the trust vote in 1999 and came back to power in October with Vajpayee as prime minister once again. This time, the first major challenge his government faced was in December 1999, when an Indian Airlines flight IC 814, with nearly 190 people on board, coming from Kathmandu to New Delhi was hijacked by five terrorists and flown to Kandahar in the then Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The Vajpayee government agreed to the hijackers' demands and the then foreign minister Jaswant Singh escorted the terrorists -- Masood Azhar, Omar Saeed Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar -- to Kandahar and exchanged them for the captive passengers. Another security crisis that his government faced was the attack on Parliament on December 13, 2001 by Pakistan-based terror outfits. Five heavily terrorists stormed the Parliament complex and opened indiscriminate fire killing nine people. The dastardly attack on Parliament led to India mobilising its troops on the border with Pakistan under 'Operation Parakram' for nearly 11 months. Talking about the troop mobilisation, Parthasarathy said, "When the Parliament attack took place, he (Vajpayee) mobilised forces on the border and put huge pressure on Pakistan. The net result was that Pakistan was forced to a ceasefire and dialogue was resumed only after President Musharraf said territory under Pakistan's control would not be used for terrorism. "He (Vajpayee) was prepared to go the extra mile for peace, but he was also prepared to use military force in defence of the country as he did during Kargil and thereafter the military deployment after the Parliament attack," he said. Ayaz Amir By Express News Service I think that Atal Bihari Vajpayee was an outstanding man. Being from the right wing of the Indian political spectrum, the kind of realistic appreciation of relations with Pakistan he had can only be lauded. The bus journey to Lahore, the things he said in front of the Pakistan Minar. That could have been the beginning of a new relationship. This was really screwed up by Kargil. But knowing that the person responsible for Kargil is now the head of Pakistan, yet to invite him for the Agra summit, that was again something commendable. Something could have come out of the Agra summit if we subcontinentals, both Pakistanis and Indianssometimes we take pride in displaying our small-mindedness. It was the smallness of our minds which led to the sabotaging of the Agra summit. The breakfast remarks that Pervez Musharraf made in Agra about Kashmir, the way Prannoy Roy made those remarks public, and what Sushma Swaraj said (there was not a word on Kashmir during the discussions). Those remarks were taken amiss by the Pakistani side. The whole right wing of the BJP, including Advani, werent happy with Vajpayees outreach. The excuse came in the form, not because of Musharrafs breakfast remarks, but because of what Prannoy did. Prannoy did ask Pakistan TV for permission to play the quotes, which they refused, which was very foolish on their part. Then Sushma weighed in with her remarks, and by the evening the whole thing was screwed. Vajpayee was able to transcend narrow political boundaries from which he arose as a political leader. In Pakistan, Vajpayee was not seen as a BJP leader, he was not seen as an RSS product. Narendra Modi is seen as one. If the history of India-Pakistan relations is written, among the blunders made from our side, the biggest was Kargil. If there was any good to come out of Vajpayees journey to Lahore, that was completely sabotaged. I think a lesser man would not have agreed to Musharraf coming to Agra after that. On the other side, Musharraf made amends, which opened him to the charge in Pakistan that the military regime was giving open-sided concessions to India. Then, during the Saarc summit in Islamabad, Indias NSA and Musharrafs aide Tariq Aziz signed a declaration about terrorism. That wasnt liked in Pakistan. Vajpayee was also a great orator. He had a way of putting across complex ideas in a manner that would connect with his audiences. He was an orator in the subcontinental tradition of great orators, a breed that is dying now. It was a breath of fresh air to know that he liked his evening drink. We need more people like him. (As told to Ramananda Sengupta) Jyoti Punwani By When the seniormost law officer of the government expresses anguish in open court at the lawlessness in the country, what should citizens infer? Last week, the Supreme Court heard Attorney General K K Venugopal refer to Kanwariyas in Delhi vandalising a car after it brushed against them and Marathas in Maharashtra attacking factories during their agitation for reservations. The police did nothing in either case, he said. It would be difficult to stop these incidents unless responsibility was fixed on a senior police officer, say the districts superintendent of police, whom the courts could haul up for inaction, the A-G suggested. This is a sure-fire solution, because it will end the impunity with which our policemen function. This impunity is one of the major reasons for the common citizens feeling of defencelessness in the face of mob violence. We know from bitter experience that the cops wont act when mobs run amok. Judicial commissions have invariably indicted the police for their failure a better word would be refusalto take necessary action against rioters. Had police officers who abdicated their responsibility been punished, if not in courts, then at least by strict departmental actionnot in the form of transfers but inquiries, demotions and stoppage of incrementswe wouldnt have reached a stage where the A-G has to express despair at the phenomenon of uncontrolled mob violence. But who will fix responsibility on the local officer? His ultimate boss, the states police chief? That should have been the norm anywaywhen a situation goes out of control anywhere, the person in charge seeks to find out why and fixes blame so that it doesnt happen again. But this common-sense principle has never been used by those who head our police forces. The obvious reason is that their bosses, the home minister and chief minister, have never held them responsible for their inaction during riots. Innocents are killed by mobs only because of their religion or caste; shopkeepers have their stores vandalised and commuters are stoned at random by agitators. But no one who had the power to prevent and stop the mayhem is punished. Rioters are arrested, but more often than not let off because the police dont care to build a substantial case against them. Why take the trouble to investigate when none of their seniors is losing sleep over rioters being acquitted? Indeed, one could go so far as to assertgiven the pattern seen in riot after riotthat when rioters belong to any of the following categories: the ruling party, a Hindutva organisation or a dominant caste (and the victim belongs to a lower caste or the violence is part of a caste agitation), the police rarely arrest them. When they must, they make sure the case against them is so lax that the court has to acquit these accused. In Maharashtra, one more category qualifies for this special treatment: those who belong to the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, a party not known for peace-ful agitations. Indulgence towards rioters of the ruling party is understandable. But police indulgence towards dominant castes, Hindutva organisations and Raj Thackerays followers can be ascribed to two factors. The first is that the latter groups enjoy the ruling partys favour. The Delhi police, who neither fired in the air nor swung a lathi at the Kanwariyas smashing a car, may not have seen Uttar Pradeshs top police and civil officers showering petals on these pilgrims from a helicopter. But they must have known of the UP CMs special interest in them. Last year, he ordered the trimming of inauspicious fig trees that fell on their route. This year, the UP police ensured only vegetarian food was served by dhabas wherever the Kanwariyas passed. The second reason for such indulgence towards these special categories is what judicial commissions have conclusively established: the police themselves share their world view, be it contempt for lower castes, or hostility towards non-Hindus. That is why they seem to find nothing wrong in the actions of these rioters. If the police themselves tell Muslims: You circumcised fellows, go to Pakistan, as was reported in the proceedings of the Srikrishna Commission inquiring into Mumbais 92-93 riots (and has been reported in many riots elsewhere), how are they likely to act against those who shout the same slogan and follow it up with physical violence? Today, its not just Shiv Sainiks or Bajrang Dal rioters who are saying this. A survey by a TV channel brought up 124 instances of hate speech by 45 politicians since this government took over35 of them were from the BJP. These politicians are the polices ultimate masters. Theres one more reason the police wink at certain categories of rioters. They know their political masters will not only overlook their criminal dereliction of duty, but will actually protect them if citizens initiate action against them. In Mumbai, policemen indicted for crimes ranging from murder of innocent Muslims to shielding rioters in the 92-93 riots, were protected from prosecution by the government. And this wasnt a Hindutva government.The lives of ordinary citizens matter less to our governments than does the goodwill of upper caste and Hindutva organisations, and last but not the least, the morale of the police. Thats the reality we have to keep in mind. By Express News Service VISAKHAPATNAM: With the monsoon reaching its peak, coastal erosion, it seems, has made a comeback in the city and not only the morning walkers but also the tourists have become a worried lot. However, scientists point out that erosion is a common phenomenon during monsoons because of cyclonic circulation of wind and larger than normal waves hitting the city beaches. READ| Flood-like situation in north Andhra Pradesh, Seven fishermen from Kakinada missing Over and above the problem of erosion, the beaches of the city have another problem, pollution, which is turning the colour of the sand into black. Experts say that untreated drain water that is being released into the sea at some areas is spoiling the tourist spots, turning the colour of the sand there into black. Across the stretch from Coastal Battery to YMCA, sand is turning black in colour due to drain water that is getting released into the sea from some areas in Kirlampudi Layout, Pandurangapuram, Daspalla Layout and a few other places. According to some of the studies done on coastal erosion, the city beaches used to be much safer in the 1970s, than those were now, as the sea waves, especially during the monsoons, were not as high as those were at present. In a word, the sea used to be a lot more calmer in the 1970s. Former chief scientist of National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) VSN Murthy said that compared to the waves during the 1970s, the current ones were stronger and that the coastal stretch of AP had diagonal tides. For every six hours the waves rise high, almost two times (than the normal waves) and every 12 hours, the water level increases with tidal height reaching 1.5 to two metres. During Monsoons the tidal height is four metres, Murthy said. Erosions are common during monsoons. During our study we have witnessed that there are red sands in the bottom area of the places where erosions are taking place and those red sands are getting thrown up. Black colour sand is due to the untreated drain water that is getting discharged into sea, said Murthy. Further, though the beach restoration works are done regularly, yet sand input has become less likely due to the large number of construction works, the scientist said. By Express News Service MANGALURU, MADIKERI: Unrelenting rains in parts of Karnataka continue to wreak havoc with incidents of landslides, flooding of several villages and stranded people being reported from across the state. Three people were killed after a tanker fell into a 30-foot ditch in Shiradi Ghat on Tuesday. Officials pointed to a landslide caused by continuous rains as the cause of the accident. Owing to multiple landslides at Shiradi Ghat, all luxury buses between Bengaluru and Mangaluru have been cancelled. Hassan district administration has decided to restrict the movement of heavy vehicles on the ghat section up to August 25. All vehicles were advised to avoid Shiradi and instead take the Charmadi Ghat route. READ| Heavy rainfall: 14 Karnataka districts on high alert Numerous landslides were witnessed across Kodagu district too, blocking all roads to Madikeri. As a result, many locals and tourists were stranded near Kushalnagar and on Mangaluru-Madikeri highway. At least seven families lost their houses to massive landslides at Kaluru village. National Disaster Response Force was pressed into action for relief work at Kushalnagar. Flash floods were witnessed in several villages of Davangere, Honnali and Harihar after water was released from Tunga and Bhadra dams. Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister U T Khader on Wednesday said that a Rs 100 crore package will be sought from the Chief Minister to carry out rehabilitation works. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, meanwhile, has directed all DCs to be in high alert and take preventive measures to avoid mishaps in rain-hit districts of Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, DK and Hassan. Clockwise from top: Wellesley Bridge in Srirangapatna submerges following discharge of 1.5 lakh cusecs on Wednesday; a picture captured by a drone shows water being released from Linganamakki dam; Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar and his wife Trishika Kumari Devi visit Krishna Raja Sagar Dam on Wednesday; Bisle Ghat road near Sakleshpura that caved in following heavy rains | Shimoga Nandan; Express Water, water everywhere Rain fury: CM directs officers to be on high alert Bengaluru: As heavy rain continues to disrupt normal life in many parts of the state, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has directed the Deputy Commissioners in rain-hit districts to be on high alert. While connectivity from Mangaluru to Bengaluru and Madikeri has been hit due to landslides in Shiradi and Sampaje ghats, three persons, including the driver and cleaner of a gas tanker, died after the vehicle fell into a 30-foot-deep gorge, near Doddatappalu on Bengaluru-Mangaluru NH 75. "After taking stock of the situation, Chief Minister directed the DCs to take preventive measures to avoid major mishaps due to flood and landslide. He also told them to be prepared to take up relief works on time," said an official in the Chief Minister office (CMO). Directions have been issued to DCs of Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga districts, where it is raining heavily for the last few days. The government gets ready for emergencies Bengaluru: The state government has initiated steps to tackle emergencies rising from flood like situations across the state, Minister for Revenue, Skill development and Livelihood R V Deshpande, informed on Wednesday. Deshpande, in a press release, stated that he had directed officials to release compensation to those who had lost livestock, lives and houses. "A total amount of Rs 200 crore has been deposited in PD accounts of deputy commissioners,'' he stated and urged people residing on banks of rivers, to be cautious. Timely plan of dam authorities prevents floods in Honnavar Karwar: In Uttara Kannada district, whenever the water from Linganamakki dam in Shivamogga is released, many villages on the bank of Sharavathi river in Honnavar taluk are flooded. The rise in river water affect normal life along the bank. But this time, the advance planning from the dam authorities of Gerusoppa, a possible flood was successfully prevented. The dam authorities prevented flood like situation on the downstream of Sharavathi river in Honnavar taluk by maintaining low water level at the dam few days before the Linganamakki dam started filling. The dam water was released in advance so that there is ample space for the access water that was released from Linganamakki dam on Tuesday. Good Samaritans rescue KSRTC bus passengers after landslide Hassan: Good Samaritans rescued the passengers who spent whole night in a KSRTC bus which got stuck near Bisle Ghat on Bisle-Subramanya road due to landslide on Wednesday. The locals rushed to the spot and helped the commuters reach their destinations on Wednesday. The KSRTC bus heading to Bengaluru from Subramanya was stuck following landslide near Bisle on Tuesday night. Several trees were uprooted and fell across the same stretch. Prasanna Bakalli, Pradeep, Chandru, Gagan and Rohith of Palahalli visited the spot on Wednesday morning and helped the passengers reach their destinations taking the help of Madikeri Bus depot officials who sent spare bus to nearby village. The youths carried the elders to safer place on their shoulders. Sources said one of the miscreants allegedly collected D2,000 from the passengers citing tree cutting charges and escaped on Tuesday. Taking the advantage of the situation some people allegedly sold the eatables and water for higher prices to the passengers. Madikeri blocked following several dangerous landslides Madikeri: Numerous landslides were witnessed across Kodagu district, blocking all roads to Madikeri. Many were stranded near Kushalnagar as heavy rains lashed the region. The situation on Mangaluru-Madikeri highway worsened with more landslides on the stretch. A tourist vehicle was hit by a landslide on Mangaluru-Madikeri highway, 11 km from Madikeri. However, the passengers and driver escaped unhurt. The relief work at the massive landslide near Madenadu on the highway continued despite heavy rains. JCBs are constantly at work on Mangaluru-Madikeri highway. It might take a few more days to restore traffic on this stretch, confirmed Kodagu DC Sreevidya P I. Shiradi Ghat may take five days to be declared safe: DC Mangaluru: Heavy rains continued to lash the district on Wednesday, causing floods and landslides. Following repeated landslides at Shiradi Ghat and a fuel tanker overturning on Tuesday night leading to massive traffic jam, Hassan district administration decided to restrict the movement of heavy vehicles on the ghat section up to August 25. All vehicles were advised to avoid Shirady and instead take the Charmadi Ghat route. Deputy Commissioner S Sasikanth Senthil issued a notice that Shiradi Ghats will be closed for some more time until safety is ascertained. He told Express that it might take anywhere between five and 10 days to declare the stretch safe for any vehicular movement. By Express News Service KOCHI: The 72nd Independence Day turned out to be one that Kerala would want to forget as torrential rains battered the state on Wednesday triggering widespread floods, landslides, death and destruction. As many as 29 people were killed on Wednesday, making it the worst natural calamity the state has seen in recent times. Over 67 lives perished in the past week alone in rain-related incidents. Toll could rise further as many are still missing. Several towns including Cheruthoni, Ranni, Aranmula, Thiruvalla, Kozhenchery, Aluva, Paravur and parts of Wayanad district remained cut off from the other parts of the state as flood water entered roads. The Cochin International Airport, the busiest in the state, had to be closed as runways were flooded. Trains were running at low speeds as Periyar water was rising dangerously close to the railway bridge at Aluva. The Ernakulam district bore the brunt of natures fury as downstream areas of Periyar were flooded. IN PICTURES | Rain fury continues to haunt Kerala as red alert issued in 12 districts The army, navy, air force and a team of National Disaster Response Force from Pune pitched in to rescue thousands of people stranded in various parts of the state. Water level in rivers kept rising as the shutters of 33 of the 39 dams in the state were opened. After the Mullaperiyar dam water level breached 142 metres, the maximum level permitted by the Supreme Court, in the wee hours of Wednesday, the Tamil Nadu Irrigation Department opened all 13 shutters of the dam. This led to flooding of areas between Mullaperiyar and Idukki dams. Around 4,000 people in downstream areas were evacuated ahead of the water release. ALSO READ | Kerala rains: Kochi airport shut till Saturday, flights diverted to Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode Meanwhile, the water level in Idukki dam was rising at an alarming rate touching 2,399.32 feet as of Wednesday evening. All five shutters were raised to a height of 3.2 metres releasing a whopping 15 lakh liters of water per second. The heavy flow of water led to flooding of Cheruthoni town, located near the Idukki dam. At least four shops were swept away as water gushed through the town inundating several houses and forcing over 2,000 people in five panchayats adjoining Cheruthoni to shift to relief camps. There were three incidents of landslide in Cheruthoni itself.Munnar was cut off from other parts of the state as vehicle traffic on the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway came to a halt due to land slides. By Express News Service TRIVANDRUM: Rejecting the demand from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to lower the storage level of Mullaiperiyar dam to 139 feet, his Tamil Nadu counterpart Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday said that Kerala was not permitting TN officials to gauge the rainfall in the catchments and Tamil Nadu officials were compelled to assess the inflow based only on the actual rate of rise in water level in the dam. Palaniswami also requested Vijayan to inform his officials to share the rainfall data in the catchment of Mullaiperiyar dam with Tamil Nadu officials on a real time basis. The dam is safe and Tamil Nadu government is maintaining the releases through the spillways so as not to exceed the permitted water storage level at 142 feet, Palaniswami said responding to a letter of Vijayan dated August 15, after chairing a high-level meeting. ALSO READ | 10 killed in landslides in Idukki; many low-lying areas flooded He said the Supreme Court (SC) appointed supervisory committee had been inspecting the dam periodically and in the last inspection carried out on August 4, the panel found that the dam was safe to store water up to 142 ft. Therefore, there is no threat to the safety of the dam and water is being stored at the permitted level of 142 feet as per orders of the SC, he added. Meanwhile, the SC asked National Crisis Management Disaster sub-committee of Mullaiperiyar dam to consider reducing water levels to 139 ft. Mullaiperiyar dam is safe in all respects viz., hydrologically, seismically and structurally as per the SC order dated May 7, 2014, said the CM. During the past, the dam was inspected by many experts on several occasions and they had also found that the dam is safe in all aspects. The chairman, sub-committee of Mullai Periyar dam during the inspection on August 15 has found that the Digital Water Level Recorder is functioning well. In addition, there are several gauge plates installed to ascertain the water level of the dam, Palaniswami said. The Chief Minister also said water had been transferred from Mullaiperiyar dam to Vaigai basin to the maximum extent possible through the tunnel. When inflows started to increase in the dam, there had been continuous co-ordination between the engineers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and the respective district Collectors. Palaniswami said the Water Resources Department of TN had been maintaining the releases through the spillways so as not to exceed the permitted water storage level at 142 feet duly giving periodical warnings to all concerned in Kerala. Drawing the attention of Kerala Chief Minister to the issue of restoration of power supply to Mullaiperiyar dam and its appurtenant structures, Palaniswami recalled that as agreed to by Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Rs 1.65 crore had been deposited by Tamil Nadu with Kerala State Electricity Board to restore power. ALSO READ | Kerala Floods: 200 people rescued, Several stranded in Pathanamthitta Stating that the TN government had been in constant touch with Kerala Kerala State Electricity Board for restoring power supply to the dam, but of no avail. I would request you to kindly issue instructions to the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to restore the power supply to the dam and its appurtenant structures, he said. Warning signs The Central Water Commission (CWC) issued warning No 4 on Thursday, saying that over 2.1 lakh cusecs of water is expected to reach the Mettur dam within two days. The statement said rains in Karnataka and Kerala were likely to result in release of water from the Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagar dams and that the downstream areas should be informed. Areas of Bhavani in Erode district shall be informed of a combined release of 2.5 lakh to 2.6 lakh cusecs and Bhavanisagar dams and the downstream areas of Thirumukkudal (Karur) shall be informed of the combined release in the range of 2.6 lakh to 2.8 lakh cusecs from the Mettur, Bhavanisagar and Amaravathi dams, the release said. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister RB Udhayakumar has asked residents of Srirangam, Tiruchy, Mukkombu, Thottiyam, and Komarapalayam to exercise caution. He said that relief centres in the above areas have been opened. overflowing dams submerge Kumari Nagercoil: A 100-odd families at Kaliyal near Kulasekaram and Mangadu at Kuzhithurai in the district were cut off from the mainland for the second day on a trot as copious reception at Chittar 1 and 2 dams forced water managers to release water. The gushing water from the dams flooded 60 houses near Kaliyal. Around 45 residents of Nattamoodu and Karunchirai were evacuated. The situation was none too different in Keeriparai, where 167 families of Government Rubber Corporation workers remained marooned in their labour camps as Perunchani dam continued to wreak havoc By Express News Service KOCHI: An atmosphere of panic, fear and anxiety prevailed in Kerala on Thursday, as rain continued its destructive dance, shattering lives across the state. As many as 46 people died on Thursday alone, as downpour triggered landslides and inundated houses, hospitals, roads and commercial spaces. More than 100 people have died in the last two days. The situation in Idukki, Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta, Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram continued to be grave and the government issued a direction to observe utmost caution in these districts. Towns like Aluva, Muvattupuzha, Paravur, Kadungalloor, Ranni, Kozhencherry, Chengannur, Chalakkudy, Kalady, Munnar and Cheruthoni are submerged and vehicular traffic came to a grinding halt in these areas. Rivers Periyar, Pampa, Chalakkudypuzha, Bharathappuzha, Kabani, Neyyar and Karamana were in full spate. The government has issued directions to evacuate people living at a distance of 1 km from Periyar and Chalakkudy river as the water level is expected to rise further. ALSO READ | Kerala Floods: Kochi Metro resumes service to fasten rescue operations Power was disrupted in Pathanamthitta and Idukki, making lives hectic not only for flood victims, but the rescue workers as well as their gadgets ran out of power. It made communication even more difficult. As water level rose by around four metres, many houses on the banks of the rivers got fully submerged. People who took refuge in the first floor of the houses on Wednesday started sending frantic messages on WhatsApp and Facebook seeking help from rescue teams. As thousands were stranded in flats, houses and buildings, the rescue teams brought in more boats and helicopters. However, the control rooms were overwhelmed by a deluge of distress calls and trapped flood victims complained the authorities were not answering the calls. IN PICTURES | Rain fury continues to haunt Kerala as red alert issued in 12 districts Many hospitals including Kozhenchery Muthoot Hospital, Aranmula Malakkara St Thomas Hospital and Malayattoor St Thomas Hospital had to evacuate patients as flood water damaged the equipment. There was no food or water available and power breakdown affected ventilators functioning as well. The Air Force has deployed 10 more helicopters while Navy arranged four more helicopters to rescue the trapped denizens. The NDRF will be sending 40 more teams with boats and life jackets for rescue operations. Major parts of the state remained cut off as landslides and waterlogging blocked traffic on NH 544 at Kuthiran between Palakkad and Thrissur. Munnar town remained inaccessible as traffic was affected on the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway. Traffic on Kannur-Wayanad Road, Tiruvalla Chengannur Road and MC Road at Kalady was also disrupted. Train traffic from Kochi to North Kerala was stopped after the gushing waters of Periyar started brushing the railway bridge. ALSO READ | PM Narendra Modi to visit flood-hit Kerala on Friday Sabarimala remained cut off from the outside world as water level had risen by around four metres, submerging the connecting Triveni bridge. There was landslide on the Pampa Hilltop parking ground which brought huge mass of land to the river. Eight people died at Cherumkadu in Nenmara, Palakkad, due to landslide. Eight people died and 15 others went missing at Kuranchery in Athani of Thrissur district. Ashis Senapati By Express News Service KENDRAPARA: The fall of Indian rupee to a record low of 70.32 against the US dollar may have been a headache for economists but for families of 35,000 plumbers working overseas, this has come as a good news. It is a windfall for those sending money from abroad to their families in India due to fall in the rupee. Weak rupee helps overseas workers and their families fill up their coffers. The sharp decline means the expatriates will get more Indian rupees. Every month, people working in Gulf countries send around `five crore to their family members in the district through Western Union Money Transfer service of the Postal department. Due to the record fall of Indian rupee, foreign-based workers get more benefit, said Prafulla Naik of Patarapur village. A bank official of the district said, The depreciating rupee is bad for our economy. But it also provides an opportunity for people of the district, who work in the UAE, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to earn more. Basanta Pradhan of Aul, whose son works in the UAE as a plumber, said for every Dirham, a plumber working in the UAE is now getting 19.14 Indian rupees. Last year, one Dirham was worth `17, he said. Haribandhu Nayak (62) of Pattamundai, who worked in Dubai as a plumber for 30 years and now resides in his village, said this is the opportune time for overseas workers to earn huge money. My son Bijaya has been working in Dubai as a plumber in a construction company for the last five years and sends money to me every month. With the rupee hitting a record low, I am hopeful of getting more money, Nayak added. A large number of people in the district attribute their prosperity to their expertise in plumbing and sanitary fitting in the Gulf countries and other nations. The palatial houses and sky-rocketing price of land in many villages of the district bear testimony to the prosperity of the overseas plumbers. Rajnagar, Aul and Pattamundai are the prominent grooming centres for people engaged in plumbing. Every youth in these areas and nearby villages dreams of striking it rich with the trade. The men in this coastal region have been dominating the sanitary business both in India and abroad for decades. There have been many instances of people returning to their villages after a decade with a huge amount of money, said Jagabandhu Das of Rajnagar. By Express News Service CHENNAI/MADURAI : Tamil Nadu increased the discharge from the Mullaiperiyar Dam on Wednesday after the Kerala Chief Minister Pinayarayi Vijayan wrote to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on the matter. The dam, located in Kerala, but owned and operated by Tamil Nadu reached 142 feet on Wednesday, which is the maximum level of water that can be stored as per the Supreme Court order. Vijayan on Wednesday had written to his Tamil Nadu counterpart seeking his intervention to to reduce the water level in the dam in Idukki district to 139 feet. ALSO READ | Supervisory panel assesses Mullaiperiyar dams stability Vijayan charged that the Tamil Nadu engineers in charge of the dam were not cooperating with Kerala on this matter. Further, he noted that the catchment areas of the dam were continuing to receive heavy rainfall. The water level in the dam, now at 142 feet, had to be regulated taking into account the safety of the structure. Moreover, abrupt release of water from the 142-level mark would lead to large-scale destruction in the downstream areas, he said. Kerala also raised the issue with the Union Home Ministry. ALSO READ | Open dams spike flood threat, landslides in Wayanad Public Works Department officials in Chennai had first told Express that there was no question of reduction in water level and claimed that they had received no communication requesting them to do so. We will maintain the water level at 142 feet. So far, no one has contacted the Tamil Nadu government on this. We will convey our stand if contacted, senior officials said on Wednesday evening. However, later in the evening, Theni district officials told Express that they had received oral instructions to reduce the water level and had subsequently increased the discharge of water from the dam. Although the Supreme Court had permitted Tamil Nadu to raise the water level up to 152 feet, the State government has been unable to complete strengthening works on the dam as Kerala continues to oppose any moves to do so despite the apex courts final verdict. The Supreme Court had permitted raising of the level of water till 142 feet and, on completion of the strengthening works, to up to 152 feet. By Express News Service CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday rejected the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's demand to lower the storage level of Mullaperiyar dam to 139 ft from 142ft. Palaniswami charged that Kerala was not permitting Tamil Nadu officials to gauge the rainfall in the catchment area and Tamil Nadu officials were compelled to assess the inflow only based on the actual rate of rise in water level in the dam. The Tamil Nadu chief minister has also requested his Kerala counterpart to inform his officials to share the rainfall data in the catchment of Mullaiperiyar dam with Tamil Nadu officials on a real time basis. "The dam is safe and Tamil Nadu government is maintaining the releases through the spillways so as not to exceed the permitted water storage level at 142 feet," Palaniswami said responding the letter of Vijayan dated August 15, after chairing a high-level meeting at the secretariat. He said the Supreme Court (SC) appointed supervisory committee had been inspecting the dam periodically and in the last inspection carried out on August 4, the committee found that the dam was safe to store water up to 142 ft. Kerala floods UPDATES: Toll touches 79 as 12 more die; Supreme Court directs reducing water level at Mullaperiyar Dam by 3 feet "Therefore, there is no threat to the safety of the dam and water is being stored at the permitted level of 142 feet as per the orders of the SC," he added. "Mullaiperiyar dam is safe in all respects viz., hydrologically, seismically and structurally as per the SC order dated May 7, 2014. During the past, the dam was inspected by many experts on several occasions and they had also found that the dam is safe in all aspects. Mullaperiyar Dam. (Photo | PTI) The chairman, sub-committee of Mullai Periyar dam during the inspection on August 15 has found that the Digital Water Level Recorder is functioning well. In addition, there are several gauge plates installed to ascertain the water level of the Dam," Palaniswami pointed out. The chief minister also said water had been transferred from Mullaiperiyar dam to Vaigai basin to the maximum extent possible through the tunnel. When the inflows started to increase in the dam, there had been continuous co-ordination between the engineers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and the respective district collectors. Palaniswami said the Water Resources Department of Tamil Nadu had been maintaining the releases through the spillways so as not to exceed the permitted water storage level at 142 feet duly giving periodical warnings to all concerned in Kerala. Drawing the attention of Kerala chief minister to the issue of restoration of power supply to Mullaiperiyar dam and its appurtenant structures, Palaniswami recalled that as agreed to by Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Rs.1.65 crore had been deposited by Tamil Nadu with the Kerala State Electricity Board to restore the power supply. Stating that the Tamil Nadu government had been in constant touch with the Kerala government and the Kerala State Electricity Board for restoring the power supply to the dam, but of no avail. "I would request you to kindly issue instructions to the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to restore the power supply to the dam and its appurtenant structures," he added. By PTI CHENNAI: Several low-lying areas were inundated along the banks of Cauvery river and its tributary Bhavani in various parts of Tamil Nadu today in view of discharge of 1.60 lakh cusecs of water from the Mettur dam following heavy inflows from Karnataka. Chief Minister K Palaniswami chaired a high-level meeting here to review the situation as a flood alert was sounded in 11 districts. Water from Cauvery and Bhavani rivers entered some villages in Dharmapuri, Salem and Erode districts and people had been shifted to safer places, reports received here said. Meanwhile, rains lashed parts of the state and two people died in rain related incidents in Valparai in Coimbatore district, officials said. The water level in the Mettur dam today stood at 120.29 feet as against its maximum of 120 feet and the storage 93.9 tmc against the capacity of 93.4 tmc, prompting authorities to discharge marginally higher than the inflow. At 8 pm, the inflow into the reservoir was 1,65,000 cusecs and the discharge 1,65,800 cusecs. The dam has already surplussed twice this month in the wake of the copious inflows triggered by heavy rains in Karnataka. The flood alert has been sounded in 11 districts as the discharge from Mettur, Bhavanisagar and Amaravati dams were further expected to go up with Karnataka releasing 2.1 lakh cusecs from Kabini and KRS dams into Cauvery. The Central Water Commission's Southern Rivers Division, in an advisory, said a combined release of about 2.5 lakh cusecs was expected to be made from Mettur and Bhavanisagar dams and asked the state government to take precautionary steps. Also, the downstream areas of Thirumukkudal in Karur district was expected to see a combined release of about 2.6- to 2.8 lakh cusecs, it said. State Revenue Minister R B Udayakumar said people living in low-lying areas of the districts, including Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur in the Cauvery Delta region, have been advised to move to the relief centres. As many as 492 personnel of State Disaster Response Force have been deployed in districts along the banks of Cauvery, he told reporters here. A total of 3,956 people have been accommodated in 46 relief centres in six districts including Namakkal, Erode and Karur, an official said. A report from Kanyakumari said about 100 villages were hit by inundation following breaches in tanks and ponds besides the release of water from Pechiparai and Perunchani dams. The swelling Cauvery caused inundation of low-lying areas in several districts, including Dharmapuri and Erode, with people being shifted to relief centres. In Coimbatore district's hilly Valparai area, normalcy was affected as rain waters entered nearly 500 houses. A holiday was declared for schools in Valparai and Pollachi taluk in the district and Kanyakumari district today. A 17-member NDRF team is on stand-by at Mettur to meet any eventuality, officials said. By PTI CHENNAI: The Madras High Court today observed that mere granting of awards to honour persons for their contribution to an industry would not make sense, if no helping hand is extended to their kin. Justice R Mahadevan made the observation on a petition by Punniavathi, wife of late comedian Kumarimuthu, seeking to restrain the authorities from evicting her from the house allotted to her husband, who was a Kalaimamani awardee. The petitioner submitted that the Tamil Nadu government had allotted a house in Nandanam here to Kumarimuthu under discretionary quota in 2001, honoring his contribution as comedian, to the Tamil film industry. However, after he died in 2016, the petitioner claimed that on October 24, 2016 the housing and urban development department authorities had issued a notice to her seeking an explanation as to why the allotment should not be cancelled since the original allottee has died. Challenging the move, she moved the high court which had in March 3, 2017 directed the department to take a decision on her representation and restrained the authorities from disturbing her possession till a final decision is made. On June 27 this year, the department had passed a final order directing the petitioner to vacate the premises claiming that they were going to demolish the existing building, following which she approached the court again. Admitting her plea, the court asked the department to find out whether an alternative residence could be allotted to her in the department's housing complex in Thirumangalam. During the hearing, the judge observed that mere granting of awards in a paper honouring persons for their contribution to an industry would not make sense, if no helping hand is extended to the family members of the honoured persons. T Muruganandham By Express News Service CHENNAI : Late Prime Minister and BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee connected himself to many issues relating to Tamil Nadu for over five decades. He had friends in all political parties in the State. He was a peer of DMK founder and late Chief Minister CN Annadurai when he was a member of Rajya Sabha in early 1960s and a good friend of the late president of DMK, M Karunanidhi, MDMK general secretary Vaiko and many others in the State. ALSO READ | Vajpayee suffered pneumonia, multi-organ failure; was put on ECMO: Doctors Vajpayee was the first leader to condemn in Parliament the Central governments decision to cede Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka in 1974. As the then leader of Jan Sangh, he even declared that he would move the Supreme Court against ceding the island to Sri Lanka. One of the MPs of Jan Sangh even tore the agreement signed for ceding the island to the neighbouring country. ALSO READ | Atal Bihari Vajpayee: A Poet-politician whose words had fire and magic Vajpayees friendship with Karunanidhi too was strong. In early 1970s, when he was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the State faced floods and when DMK MPs explained the plight of the State in Parliament, Vajpayee came to their help and said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has lot of Karuna (compassion), but he is short of nidhi (money) to cope with the flood situation. Please extend more funds. The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi obliged. Vajpayee and the then BJP President L K Advani being honoured with flower crowns Once Karunanidhi described Vajpayee as a right man in the wrong party. When mass conversion of Dalits took place at Meenakshipuram in Tirunelveli district, Vajpayee visited that village to study the situation and later visited some other villages in Tamil Nadu by bus and train. Senior BJP leader L Ganesan shares his memoirs with Vajpayee and recalled how the late leader was simple and down to earth personality throughout his life. ALSO READ | From Kargil to Kandahar, Vajpayee steered India through major security challenges Just after the mass conversion of Dalits in Meenakshipuram village, Vajpayee visited the village to study the situation. Later, he also visited many villages in other districts, including Ramanathapuram and addressed people there on the issues behind conversion. The then Chief Minister MG Ramachandran offered to provide vehicle etc., to Vajpayee, but he declined it and chose to travel by car, train and even by bus on many occasions, Ganesan recalls. Ganesan also narrated an experience with Vajpayee to show how the late leader was a down to earth personality. In 1991, I was deputed to BJP from RSS. I assumed charge as the general secretary of the party in the State and a member of the national executive committee. At that time, when I attended a party meeting, I conveyed as to how many seats the party could contest in Tamil Nadu in my broken Hindi and used a word gadenge which is not in Hindi dictionary. Many members laughed at it. After the meeting was over, when I was coming down the stairs, someone patted my shoulder gently and to my surprise, it was Vajpayee. With a smile, he said Today, you have added a new word to Hindi language. He did not say I used a wrong word, but made it a memorable moment in my life. IN PICTURES| Rare images from former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's political career When MDMK was part of the NDA government in 1998, addressing a public meeting to mark the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister CN Annadurai on September 15, the then Prime Minister Vajpayee announced that his government would implement the Sethusamudram project. Accordingly, a survey was conducted by National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) which suggested alignment no.4 as the best one. It was subsequently accepted by Vajpayee government. But later, the BJP opposed this project stating that project would damage Ram Sethu, believed to have built by Lord Rama between Rameswaram and Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka. Later, Karunanidhi condemned the change of stand of BJP.However, Ganesan clarifies: BJP opposed it because the UPA government changed the alignment in which the Sethusamudram project had to be implemented. The NDA government had decided to implement it in the fourth alignment. But the UPA government decided to implement it in sixth alignment destroying the Ram Sethu. Even the present NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to implement the project without touching the Ram Sethu.In 1986, Karunanidhi took the initiative to convene a national conference in Madurai under the auspices of the Tamil Eelam Solidarity Organisation (TESO). Participating in it, Vajpayee underscored the point that Tamils could secure their Eelam only if they were united. ALSO READ | Babri Masjid to Gujarat riots: Vajpayee rose above ideology to speak his mind CM has a lot of Karuna, but is short of nidhi In early 1970s, when Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister, the State faced floods and when DMK MPs explained the plight of the State in Parliament, Vajpayee came to their help and said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has lot of Karuna (compassion), but he is short of nidhi (money) to cope with the flood situation. Please extend more funds. The then PM Indira Gandhi obliged. CM deems demise a loss for the nation Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami condoled the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and deemed his demise as a loss for the entire nation. Former PM Vajpayee was a great speaker and a hard worker who interacted with everyone lovingly, he said in a release. Recalling how Vajpayee has served as the Foreign Minister and as a parliamentarian for over 50 years, the CM said the former PM had dedicated his whole life to the nation. He expressed his condolences to the Vajpayees family. Guv, CM go to New Delhi Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam will rush to New Delhi on Friday to pay homage to former PM Vajpayee who died in AIIMS on Thursday. BJP state president Tamilisai Soundarrajan, Leader of Opposition MK Stalin, Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi and former union ministers A Raja and TR Balu will also pay their last respects to Vajpayee in New Delhi. Stalin, other State leaders condole death DMK working president MK Stalin has expressed grief over the death of former Prime Minister AB Vajpayee and offered his condolences to his family members. In a release, he said the former PM and his late father and DMK president M Karunanidhi enjoyed a friendship despite ideological differences. Stalin also recalled how Vajpayee took part in the Madurai TESO conference State holiday today State government has announced a holiday for Friday as a mark of respect for former PM AB Vajpayee, who passed away on Thursday. All educational institutions, offices of government, public sector undertakings and government-controlled bodies will remain shut By Express News Service KARIMNAGAR: A day after Congress chief Rahul Gandhi made serious allegations of corruption against Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, municipal administration minister KT Rama Rao called the charges baseless. Congress which has institutionalised corruption in the country has no moral right to talk about corruption. All major scams in the country took place during the Congress regime. Today, half of the Congress leaders are out on bail, he alleged. Speaking to media persons along with finance minister Etela Rajender here on Wednesday, KTR took a strong objection to Rahul Gandhi describing his government as corrupt and stated that the Congress chief should see his partys track record before commenting on TRS government. Rahul read the script written by local leaders, he alleged. Accusing Rahul Gandhi of adopting double standards, the minister said that the Congress chief was promising special status for Andhra Pradesh, but was not saying a word on Telanganas development. Rahul is promising loan waiver for farmers in Telangana, whereas his party government in Karnataka did not implement it during its tenure, he alleged. Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhis claim that Congress will be coming to power in Telangana, he said that Rahul was not able to win local bodies polls even in his Lok Sabha constituency Amethi, and he was dreaming of coming to power in Telangana. He ridiculed the AICC president for trying to befriend TDP, and recalled that it was the TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu who released a book on former CM Rajashekar Reddys corruption. The minister said that local Congress leaders were creating hurdles in the development of the state. The Congress could not finish underground work even in 10 years. TRS has done it in four years, he said. He appreciated MLA Gangula Kamalakar, MCK mayor S Ravinder Singh and commissioner K Shashanka on Karimnagar securing rank 11 in the Ease of Living Index Survey. By Express News Service WARANGAL: The 72nd Independence Day was celebrated with gaiety and patriotic fervour in all the districts of Northern Telangana. The National flag was hoisted amidst a glittering march past by the police and colourful dance performances by students. Deputy chief minister Kadiyam Srihari hoisted the National flag and reviewed the parade at the police parade grounds, which was organised by Warangal urban district administration. Delivering the Independence Day speech, the deputy chief minister stated that his government was working for the overall development of the state. Describing his government as pro-farmers, Srihari stated that realising that the farmers need helping hand, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao not only waived the loans taken by the farmers, he has also provided Rs 4,000 per acre under Rythu Bandu and life insurance schemes to them. In Bhupalpally, Assembly Speaker S Madhusudana Chary hoisted the national flag and reviewed the guard of honour. Similarly, tourism minister Azmeera Chandulal took part in the celebrations in Mahabubabad. In Karimnagar, Finance Minister Eatela Rajender hoisted the National flag at the police parade grounds.In Adilabad, Forest Minister Jogu Ramanna felicitated the people who strived for separate Telangana. iPASS a boost to industries in TS Sangareddy: Deputy Chief Minister Mahamood Ali said more industries have come up with the implementation of TS-iPASS in the state. Speaking after hoisting the National flag at parade grounds, he said many industries have been set up in Sangareddy after the formation of state. He said permissions have been given to 352 industries in the district through TS-iPASS. Awareness prog on pheromone traps held Adilabad: Cultural teams from about 11 schools including the schools located in the agency mandals took part in the Independence Day programmes. On the occasion, agriculture officials have set up a stall to create awareness about pheromone traps, which plays a vital role in keeping away pink bollworms from cotton fields. Since last three years farmers are losing their crops due to pink bollworm pest. Starting today, Yadadri to turn plastic-free zone Nalgonda: Yadagirigutta temple authorities on the occasion of Independence Day said that they would make the temple free of plastic. This rather ambitious decision comes in line with the Telangana governments idea of developing the temple town in competition with Tirumala in AP. Recently, the temples authorities met with traders in the town regarding use of plastic bags and covers. They directed them to use bags made of paper, jute or cloth instead from Wednesday. The traders are also reportedly asking devotees to get their own cloth bags. The temples executive officer Geetha Reddy said, We warned traders against using them but there was no change. We have held discussions with them and they finally agreed to discontinue the use of plastic, she said. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Due to heavy rains, Krishna and Godavari rivers are receiving huge inflows in the state. While Srisailam is getting more than 2 lakh cusecs, with heavy rains in Adilabad, the Yellampally project received over 3 lakh cusecs water on Thursday. The inflows into Srisailam dam will further increase over 3 lakh cusecs in the coming days as the outflows from the Tungabhadra dam were 2 lakh cusecs and over 1.5 lakh cusecs from Almatti reservoir. With heavy inflows into Srisailam, the officials released one lakh cusecs of water to Nagarjuna Sagar project. The deficit in Srisailam was just 52 tmc at 6 pm on Thursday. The present storage in Srisailam is 163 tmc, against the full reservoir level of 215 tmc. We are releasing 2 lakh cusecs from Kaddam project and 3 lakh cusecs of flood water from Yellampally project, irrigation engineer-in-chief C Muralidhar said. Currently, NSP is receiving one lakh cusecs and Srisailam is receiving 3 lakh cusecs. We are expecting that the current trend will continue for next few days. We are expecting more water by this month, as there is forecast of two to three rain spells, Nagarjuna Sagar Project chief engineer S Sunil told Express. Water to standing crops According to official sources, the state government is contemplating releasing water to standing Kharif crops in Krishna river basin. We are expecting that Srisailam will become surplus this week. Around 40 tmc water will be released from Srisailam to Nagarjuna Sagar Project. The floods in Krishna river will be useful for the standing crops in Zone-1 and Zone-2 areas up to Palair area, official sources explained. Be alert, says CM Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday instructed the official machinery to be on alert and vigilant in view of the heavy rains. The CM directed the special officers appointed to the districts to monitor the situation regularly. Rao also wanted all the MPs, MLAs and MLCs to be available to the people locally and monitor the situation. Be available to people and coordinate with police and other officials in districts, the CM directed the legislators. TRSLP meet cancelled As the CM directed MPs, MLAs and MLCs to be available to the people locally, the proposed joint meeting of TRS Legislature Party and TRS Parliamentary Party on Friday was cancelled. Provide rehabilitation to villagers: harish At a review, Irrigation Minister Harish Rao wanted the officials to provide rehabilitation to those villagers, whose houses were submerged in rainwater in Adilabad district. He also directed the officials to shift machinery and labourers from Kaleshwaram work sites of Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages. No single person should stay at these sites, Harish said. By UNI HAVANA: A leading Cuban dissident said he was freed from jail on Wednesday, 12 days after his arrest for attempted murder following a car crash in which he hit and injured an official from the Communist-run island's interior ministry. Jose Daniel Ferrer, leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), told Reuters he had been held incommunicado since his arrest over the traffic incident on Aug.3. Ferrer is accused of deliberately trying to run over a government official. Amnesty International, the U.S.State Department and others had demanded his release. "They have not taken away the charge of attempted murder. They simply lifted my preventive detention," Ferrer said in a telephone interview. Based on previous experience, he suggested it could be months or even years before authorities offer any clarity about his legal status and how the case against him might end. "The investigation is continuing to decide if it goes to court. In 2012 they charged me with organizing public disturbances and six years later they have not brought me before the court," he said. Ferrer claims the incident was an accident and the official was only slightly injured. Ferrer was on his way to visit his daughter with UNPACU member Ebert Hidalgo Cruz when the vehicle he was driving struck the government official, according to a statement UNPACU posted on YouTube. It said he has no license to drive but had taken the wheel to practice, when the official suddenly drove his motorcycle in front of the vehicle. Hildago, who was also arrested but freed earlier this week, said Ferrer swerved to avoid the official, who was only slightly injured and drove away from the scene. The two men were arrested in their Santiago homes later in the day. Government officials were not immediately available to comment on Ferrer's release and the status of the case against him. The Cuban government considers all dissidents to be agents of the United States. It regularly detains them for a few hours or days, as part of what critics and human rights groups describe as a long-running campaign of harassment and repression. Ferrer was imprisoned in 2003, along with 74 other dissidents in a nationwide crackdown. He was released on parole in 2011 and soon after formed UNPACU, which has become one of Cuba's largest and most active opposition organizations. By AFP KABUL: Gunmen launched an attack on an intelligence training centre in Kabul Thursday, officials said, just a day after a suicide bomber killed dozens of students in the war-weary Afghan capital. It was the latest incident in a blood-soaked week that saw militants deliver crippling blows to government forces across Afghanistan. "Clashes are ongoing and the area is cordoned off by the Afghan security forces," said Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai. The firefight erupted near a training facility overseen by the National Security Directorate -- Afghanistan's intelligence agency -- with the gunmen holed up in a construction site near residential homes, an official at the scene said. A live feed on local broadcaster Tolonews showed the area cordoned off with gunfire echoing through the empty streets. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the incident. The attack comes just hours after a suicide bomber detonated explosives inside an education centre in western Kabul, where students were studying for college entrance exams, killing at least 37 people. The school bombing underscored the price that ordinary Afghans have paid in the grinding conflict as the country reels from a recent uptick in violence, including a massive, days-long Taliban onslaught on the eastern city of Ghazni. Afghan forces appear to have finally pushed Taliban fighters from the strategic provincial capital. Small pockets of the city began opening up to humanitarian aid Thursday, while partial mobile service returned after telecommunications infrastructure and government buildings were destroyed during the fighting. The surge in violence comes weeks after Afghans marked an unprecedented country-wide ceasefire between the Taliban and government forces in June, giving some relief to civilians. Militant attacks and suicide bombings were the leading causes of civilian deaths in the first half of 2018, a recent UN report showed. Fighting has intensified in recent months as US and Afghan forces ramp up 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 sites ranging from government ministries to a midwife training centre. By PTI BANGKOK: A Malaysian drug dealer dubbed the "Iceman" was sentenced to death today by a court in Thailand after he was convicted of running a narcotics network that funnelled huge profits into legitimate businesses. Tun Hung Seong was arrested in April last year after a tip-off that he had hired a man to smuggle nearly 300 kilogrammes of crystal meth -- known as ice -- through the violence-scarred south. Investigators believe he acted as a gatekeeper to the Malaysian drug market just over the border and laundered money through karaoke bars, hotels and restaurants. The Bangkok court convicted Tun, 65, on drug trafficking charges alongside two Thai women and a Taiwanese man. All four were sentenced to death, although the sentences of the Taiwanese man and one of the Thai women were reduced to life imprisonment due to their "useful" confessions. Situated along the drug-running routes of the "Golden Triangle," Thailand provides overland routes for the smuggling of meth from factories in lawless parts of neighbouring Myanmar and Laos, in a trade estimated to be worth USD 40 billion a year. Drug seizures across the region have shot up to record levels in recent months. Malaysian authorities in May said they seized a record 1. 2 tonnes of crystal meth from Myanmar hidden in tea packets, believed to be the largest ever in the country in terms of value and weight. Thailand torched more than six tonnes of narcotics in June, most of it meth. From October to July this year, some 1,705 drug cases were reported in the kingdom, compared to 453 in the same period the year before. Suspects convicted of serious drug offences face harsh sentences in Thailand in one of its many overcrowded prisons. The country carried out its first execution since 2009 in June, after previously sending signals it would abolish the practice. By AFP WELLINGTON: New Zealand has passed legislation curbing foreigners' ability to buy residential property in a bid to rein in the South Pacific nation's booming housing prices. The law, which passed late Wednesday, meets a key campaign pledge from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who vowed to make housing more affordable before her election last year. The new restrictions mean an almost complete ban on non-nationals buying residential property in New Zealand, with only a couple of exemptions. "This is a significant milestone and demonstrates this government's commitment to making the dream of homeownership a reality for more New Zealanders," Associate Finance Minister David Parker said. He added that the change "ensures that the market for our homes is set in NewZealand, not on the international markets". New Zealanders generally prefer to own their own homes, rather than rent, but record migration levels and a shortage of housing stock have driven up prices. A government report earlier this year found house prices had risen 30 percent in the past five years, outstripping income increases by two-to-one, rising to four-to-one in the country's largest city Auckland. As a result, it said home ownership had slipped to a 60-year low. Ardern's centre-left government says foreign buyers are a large part of the problem because they outbid locals. In the past, it has singled out Chinese buyers as a major driver in the Auckland market, sparking allegations of racism from critics. The new rules will prevent foreigners living in countries such as China, the main source of foreign buyers, from buying homes in New Zealand. However, Australians, the second most common foreign buyers, will be exempt due to free trade agreements, as will Singaporeans. New Zealand's remoteness, once considered a hurdle for buyers, has also made it popular for ultra-rich foreigners looking for a bolthole. They include US tech titan Peter Thiel, director James Cameron, Russian steel magnate Alexander Abramov and US broadcaster Matt Lauer. Parker specified the new rules would apply "whether it's a beautiful lakeside or oceanfront estate, or a modest suburban house". Real Estate Institute of New Zealand chief executive Bindi Norwell questioned the need for the new rules, saying foreign buyers only made up a small portion of the market. "We don't believe that banning foreign buyers from purchasing property in NewZealand is going to have any impact on house prices, nor will it help young people into their first homes," she told stuff.co.nz. By ANI WASHINGTON D.C.: 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. By PTI HANOI: An outspoken activist in Vietnam was jailed for 20 years today for allegedly calling for an election boycott and inciting environmental protests in the one-party state that has little tolerance for dissent. The communist country is notorious for jailing its critics but the harsh sentence was the heaviest in years as a hardline administration in charge since 2016 intensifies its crackdown against activists. Le Dinh Luong was convicted for "attempting to overthrow the state" in a half-day trial against the 52-year-old who appeared gaunt and grey-haired in court in central Nghe An province. The swift trial was conducted with none of his witnesses allowed to testify, which the court mysteriously blamed on "health reasons", his lawyer Ha Huy Son told AFP. "I asked for a cancellation because witnesses were not allowed to speak, but they were not brought to court," Son said, confirming the 20-year jail term. A prominent activist in the region, Luong was accused of posting clips online inciting people to join months-long protests following a toxic leak by a Taiwanese steel firm that caused mass fish deaths in 2016. Luong was also blamed for calling for an election boycott that year, according to state media. His wife told AFP today that he had been unfairly targeted for trying to help people. "My husband is innocent. He has only acted on behalf of the poor and victims of injustices," Nguyen Thi Quy said. Luong joins scores of dissidents, bloggers and lawyers behind bars in Vietnam, where public protests of any kind are banned and political parties prohibited from forming. All media is state-run in the country and many activists like Luong have turned to social media to air grievances. But a new cybersecurity bill that requires Facebook and others to hand over user data and remove "offensive" content if requested by the government threatens to censor one of the few remaining platforms available to activists in the country. Human Rights Watch slammed the charges against Luong ahead of Thursday's verdict. "Locking people up for simply exercising their rights isn't working, and more activists will continue to step forward," deputy Asia director Phil Robertson said. By PTI ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's prime minister-in-waiting Imran Khan today expressed condolences over the demise of former premier Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying his efforts for India-Pakistan peace will always be remembered. Khan said in a statement that Vajpayee was a prominent political personality of the sub-continent and his death has created a big void. Also Read | When Vajpayee was told he could win elections in Pakistan Vajpayee died aged 93 in New Delhi today. "Efforts of Mr Vajpayee for improvement in relations between Pakistan and India will be remembered forever," said Khan. He said Vajpayee started efforts for improving Indo-Pak ties and continued them after becoming prime minister. "As foreign minister Vajpayee strived to open up ways towards normalisation of relations among neighbouring states and had successfully taken this agenda to new heights after assuming the office of prime minister," the statement read. Khan said, "I extend sympathies to the people of India in this hour of grief". He further said that by creating peace between the two countries, "we can truly recognise the service of Vajpayee". Khan said both countries have just celebrated their independence and there is also a desire for peace on both sides of the border despite political differences. Seasonal Creations Dotting the fall landscape are dozens of whimsical scarecrows created by local Halloween fans, young and old that were entered into the Norman Bird Sanctuarys scarecrow competition. This is the... Student Homelessness Doubles in Middletown The number of Middletown students classified as homeless has nearly doubled over the past year, accounting for 8 percent of the student population, according to Supt. Rosemarie Kraeger, who presented... Entrepreneurs Make Their Pitch As part of RI Startup week, the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce sponsored a Quick Pitch contest at Innovate Newport on Oct. 22, where 12 local entrepreneurs and business owners... Newport Considers Ban on Short-Term Rentals Newport officials have proposed banning short-term rentals in all residential districts. The City Council must decide on the issue in the next few months. The question is: should these short-term... Reporter Noelle McGee is a Danville-based reporter at The News-Gazette. Her email is nmcgee@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@n_mcgee). Reporter Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey). One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 Chief Executive Carrie Lam today welcomed the Central Government's announcement of the Regulations for Application of Residence Permit for Hong Kong, Macao & Taiwan Residents. According to the regulations, Hong Kong residents living in the Mainland who meet the relevant criteria can apply for residence permits. Residence permit holders can enjoy three categories of rights, six basic public services and nine facilitation measures in places where they are residing, covering areas including employment, education, medical care, travel and financial services. The regulations will be implemented on September 1. Mrs Lam thanked the Central Government for its continuous effort in introducing measures in the past year to assist Hong Kong residents in the Mainland. "The regulations will provide convenience for Hong Kong residents who are studying, working and living on the Mainland on a long-term basis, and provide them with more opportunities to participate in the country's development, including the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development. "It fully reflects President Xi Jinping's people-centred development approach, as well as the Central Government's care and concern for the people of Hong Kong." President Xi had previously said Central Government departments would actively consider adopting measures to make it more convenient for Hong Kong people to study and work in the Mainland. A series of concrete measures have been subsequently introduced, including installing ticket machines which can read Home Visit Permits in railway stations, allowing Hong Kong and Macau residents working in the Mainland to join the Housing Provident Fund and removing the requirement for those people to apply for employment permits. Chief Executive Carrie Lam met Japans Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology Yoshimasa Hayashi at the Chief Executive's Office today. Mrs Lam welcomed Mr Hayashi's visit to Hong Kong again, saying she was pleased to meet with him in different capacities since they met in Hong Kong three years ago. He was the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries at the time. She highlighted the close relationship between Hong Kong and Japan, saying the city has been Japan's largest export market for food and agricultural products over the past 10 years. The number of Hong Kong visitors to Japan hit a record high last year, with about 450 flights between the two places every week, she added. Mrs Lam noted the policy areas under Mr Hayashi, including education, culture, sports, science and technology, are areas which Hong Kong is committed to developing and exploring collaboration opportunites. She said she will visit Japan later this year and hopes the trip will foster further bilateral collaboration, especially in gerontechnology. Mrs Lam also welcomed more students from Japan to study in Hong Kong and encouraged Japanese scientific and research institutions to establish a presence in Hong Kong to tap into the opportunities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Pilot at LAX: 'We Believe There Is a Shooter in the Terminal' (Newser) Power has been restored to all of Puerto Rico for the first time since Hurricane Maria struck nearly 11 months ago, the AP reports. The island's electric utility announced that crews working in the southern city of Ponce reconnected the last neighborhood that had been offline since the Sept. 20 storm knocked out the U.S. territory's power grid. Ponce resident Charlie Colon Nazario tells El Nuevo Dia that he was looking forward to no longer having to use a generator to light his house. "No more lamps, no more candles, no more extension cords," he says. story continues below The Ponce neighborhood was the last to be reconnected to the grid because landslides and rough terrain made it difficult for crews from the electrical authority or contractors to reach the area to make repairs, an official says. Utility crews used a helicopter to replace wooden power poles knocked down in the storm with steel ones that officials hope will do a better job staying up during future storms. Power company spokesman Gerardo Quinones said that some individual homes around Puerto Rico may still be without power because of repairs residents need to make and that the island of Vieques continues to rely on generators. The island-wide outage was the longest continuous blackout in U.S. history. Repair crews are still working to make upgrades and outages are regular occurrences. (Read more Puerto Rico stories.) (Newser) "It's like a nightmare I can't wake up from," says the husband of a pregnant woman who, along with the couple's two young daughters, has been missing since Monday. Authorities believe that Shannan Watts, 34, and daughters Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, are in danger, NBC reports. Shannan is 15 weeks pregnant. Husband Chris Watts tells Today that he and his wife, who reside in Frederick, about 30 miles north of Denver, had an "emotional" conversation early Monday before he went to work, and that he hasn't heard from her since. He didn't provide any more details about the conversation. He says he received no response to texts and a call that he made to his wife later in the day. "That was a little off," he says. story continues below Nickole Utoft, a friend of Shannan Watts, tells FOX31 that she called police after Shannan did not answer her phone. The two had returned early Monday from a business trip and had planned to meet up later. I called her and texted her several times, she says, adding that when Shannan missed a doctor's appointment, "I was even more concerned." Officers doing a welfare check found that Shannan's keys, purse, and phone, as well as her car, were still at the house. In addition to local authorities, the FBI and Colorado Bureau of Investigations have joined the search, the Denver Channel reports. Anyone with information is asked to call 303-652-4222 or 720-382-5700. (Read more missing person stories.) (Newser) You could be ingesting the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup for breakfast, per a report identifying traces of the chemical glyphosate in Cheerios, Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, and Great Value Instant Oats, plus more products marketed to kids. The nonprofit Environmental Working Group tested 45 oat-based products like granolas and snack bars and found glyphosate in all but two, including organic products. Thirty-one exceeded 160 parts of glyphosate per billion, a level the EWG considers unsafe for children, per CNN, though the EPA's standard is far lower, with its range topping out at 310 parts per million. "Even at the highest level reported an adult would have to eat 118 pounds of the food item every day for the rest of their life in order to reach the EPA's limit," Monsanto tells CBS News. story continues below EWG President Ken Cook has a political response, saying this shows the EPA's "lawless" nature under President Trump. Its standards "pose real health risks to Americansparticularly children," he tells the Guardian, which hints at a larger issue, noting internal emails show the FDA has had a hard time finding food without traces of the nation's most widely used herbicide, labeled a "probable carcinogen" by the World Health Organization. (Ice cream has it, too.) Cook says he'll push the EPA to limit glyphosate use on food crops but companies "relying on outdated safety standards" should also "step up." Quaker, Kellogg's and General Mills each maintain their products are safe, with glyphosate levels below EPA limits. (Monsanto was just dealt a heavy blow regarding the chemical.) (Newser) Matthew Matheny went for what was supposed to be a brief hike on Mount St. Helens on Thursday last weekand was airlifted to a Vancouver, Wash., hospital Wednesday when search and rescue teams finally found him. The 40-year-old Warren, Ohio, resident, who was in the state visiting friends, had borrowed a buddy's Subaru Outback to go to the trail, but he became lost in the wilderness and could't find his way back to the vehicle, the Oregonian reports. The search began after Matheny was reported missing and authorities discovered the unoccupied Subaru at the entrance to the Blue Lake Trail on the side of the mountain. He was treated overnight for dehydration, but authorities say he doesn't have life-threatening injuriesand he's lucky to be alive at all. story continues below Around 30 searchers took part in the rescue operation, which located Matheny in the general area of the trail, ABC News reports. Authorities zeroed in on a small area Tuesday using cellphone signals and a computer model that tried to predict his movements, the AP reports. His parents, who flew to the state days ago and are ecstatic that he has been found, say he apparently survived by eating berriesand by killing and eating some bees that had been chasing him. "He knew it was a tough situation," mother Linda Matheny tells the Oregonian. "But everyone who has encountered him [has] told us it's remarkable the condition he's in." She adds that she wants to "wring his neck" for his choice of hiking footwear: sandals. (Read more survival stories.) (Newser) A former Tesla technician continues to cause headaches for CEO Elon Musk. "Are you ready?" Martin Tripp tweeted Wednesday before unleashing internal documents and photos he alleges show scrap piles, "bent" cooling tubes, and "reworked" M3 battery modules at Tesla's battery factory in Nevada, backing his claims of dangerous practices, per Business Insider. (His Twitter account was down as of Thursday morning, with Gizmodo reporting he had received a 12-hour suspension, ostensibly after tweeting Elon Musk's email address.) Before his account was suspended, Tripp also shared dozens of vehicle identification numbers of cars built with what he says are "punctured/dented/damaged" battery cells, allegedly the result of a robot that malfunctioned in February. story continues below "This is how @elonmusk and his business operates. He's taking money and fooling everyone," added Tripp, who is suing his former employer for defamation. "As we've said before, these claims are false," a Tesla rep tells CNBC. "No punctured cells have ever been used in any Model 3 vehicles in any way, and all VINs that have been identified have safe batteries." Yet Tripp isnt the only ex-employee making such claims. Per Business Insider, former Tesla engineer Cristina Balan says she was silenced and left the company in 2014 after airing concerns about design flaws, part defects, and waste. "As soon as the Model S came out the door and Elon realized how cool he'd become, everything went down the drain," she says. (Read more Tesla stories.) (Newser) Dave Dave, a respected Las Vegas artist who was badly scarred as a boy when his father tried to burn him to death in Southern California, has died. He was 42. Dave, born David Rothenberg, died on July 15 at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, Clark County Coroner John Fudenberg said Wednesday, per the AP, adding the cause of his death awaited results of toxicology and other tests and a police investigation. Dave was a close friend of Michael Jackson, who met him after the boy survived a 1983 attack that left him with burns over 90% of his body. Dave was 6 years old when his father, Charles Rothenberg, gave him a sleeping pill, doused his bed with kerosene and lit it in a Buena Park motel room near Disneyland during a bitter custody fight. The father spent less than seven years of a 13-year sentence in prison for attempted murder. story continues below The boy underwent numerous skin grafts and was left disfigured but refused to define himself as a victim. "There is a lot that happens in people's lives, but that doesn't define them as a human being, it makes them stronger," Dave told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2016. Of confronting his father in prison at 19, he added, "it was very cathartic to be able to look my dad in the face and tell him exactly what was on my mind." "To have gone through what he had gone through as a child at the hands of his father, and to lead a life as rich as he did and as creative and as caring and as giving as he did, I think is amazing," a family friend tells the Orange County Register, speaking on behalf of Dave's mother, Marie. His father went on to amass a criminal record for robbery and other crimes and was sentenced in 2007 to 25 years to life in California. (Read more obituary stories.) (Newser) Authorities say the husband of a missing family in Colorado has been arrested in connection with the case. The Frederick Police Department says Chris Watts was taken into custody, reports the AP. Watt's pregnant wife, 34-year-old Shanann Watts, and their two daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste, were reported missing Monday. In the aftermath, Watts told reporters he was in a 'nightmare' he couldn't wake up from. Now, 9News reports its law enforcement source says Watts confessed to killing his wife and girls. It adds a man who said he was Shanann's brother had this to say on Facebook: "That piece of s--- may he rot in hell. He killed my pregnant sister and my two nieces. Her husband Chris Watts." story continues below Police tweeted early Thursday that Chris Watts will be held at the Weld County Jail. He has not yet been charged. Chris Watts spoke previously with The Denver Channel and pleaded for his family's safe return. The FBI and Colorado Bureau of Investigation are also investigating. Authorities did not release any information on the whereabouts or conditions of Shanann or her daughters. A news conference is planned for 10:30am local time. (Read more Colorado stories.) (Newser) Three letters over the last three days. That's how many messages House and Senate Democrats have penned this week demanding the US be forthcoming with information on its involvement in Yemen after an airstrike there last week killed at least 40 kids. Critics say there could be thousands of civilian deaths that the US could be tied to, spurring the Dems' notes to officials at the DOD and State Department and in US intelligence, the Washington Post reports. The letters, including one written Tuesday by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, request details on US involvement in the conflict that has pitted Shiite Houthi rebels against a Saudi-led coalition that's in support of the Yemeni government. In her letter, Warren pressed Gen. Joseph Votel, the chief of US Central Command, on whether the US has been lending a hand in any airstrikes that have resulted in civilian deaths. story continues below A second letter by 30 House Democrats has also demanded a briefing of the war from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and DNI chief Dan Coats, while a third letter by Rep. Ted Lieu wonders whether the US has violated any US or international laws. New data cited by the Guardian says there have been more than 50 strikes against civilian vehicles in Yemen so far in 2018. The New York Times calls the latest airstrike that resulted in "44 small graves" "particularly shocking," and frames US military leaders as "exasperated" by the civilian toll and insistent that "the United States is not a party to the war"; critics counter that the US has sold the coalition weapons and given it intel. The Times notes that both Mattis and Pompeo took action to press Saudi officials on the attack, including a call from Mattis to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (Read more Yemen stories.) (Newser) Insult the Danes, and expect the Danes to return fire. Fox Business Network host Trish Regan learned this after she held up the nation as an example of the dangers of socialism with the most unflattering of comparisons, reports the New York Times. "Denmark, like Venezuela, has stripped people of their opportunities," said Regan. "Nobody is incentivized to do anything because theyre not going to be rewarded." That set off a social media storm in the nation, with Finance Minister Kristian Jensen leading the way with a tweet showing how Denmark ranks 11 places ahead of the US in employment stats. "We are working much more than Americans and at the same time ranking as the world's best in Work-Life-Balance," he adds. "You should come to Denmark if you dare be confronted with facts." story continues below As for the big comparison, "Venezuela is a socialist dictatorship. Denmark is a free, regulated market economy," he said, per the Local. Other government officials chimed in, and a former government minister issued a rebuttal in this video, reports Business Insider. In a followup video, Regan clarified: I was never implying that conditions in Denmark were similar in any way to the current tragedy on the ground there in Venezuela," she said. "I was merely pointing out ... that socialism is not the way." Jensen, for his part, took that as a victory. "Thanks to all who helped put pressure on Trish and Fox to have them correct their claim," he wrote, with translation from the Times. In Regan's defense, a Danish media exec says taxes in Denmark are too high, and thus "the reward of making an extra effort for oneself or for society is very diminished compared to other countries." (Read more Denmark stories.) (Newser) Authorities near Denver think they've recovered the body of a missing Colorado woman believed to have been killed along with her two young daughters by her husband. Police are "quite certain" that the body they found is that of the pregnant Shanann Watts, 34, reports Denver's ABC 7. They found the remains on land owned by Anadarko Petroleum, the employernow former employerof husband Chris Watts, 33. Police have not recovered the bodies of 4-year-old Bella or 3-year-old Celeste, or "Cece," but say they have a good idea of where they are. Related coverage: Husband and father: Chris Watts remains jailed on three charges of first-degree murder and three charges of tampering with physical evidence. Police have not discussed a motive. His wife was 15 weeks pregnant, notes CNN, which adds that authorities towed his pickup truck from the family home in Frederick overnight. story continues below Money trouble, a $5 dog: Chris and Shanann Watts filed for bankruptcy in 2015, with their liabilities (including student loans) pegged at more than $400,000, reports the Denver Post. Among listed assets: their home, worth $400,000, and their dog, valued at $5. Chris and Shanann Watts filed for bankruptcy in 2015, with their liabilities (including student loans) pegged at more than $400,000, reports the Denver Post. Among listed assets: their home, worth $400,000, and their dog, valued at $5. Change in fortune? The same Post story notes that the couple's fortunes seemed to turn when Shanann landed a job with nutrition company LeVel. Her social media posts showed exotic family vacations, apparently at company expense. Still, in July of this year, the Wyndham Hill Master Association, a neighborhood association, filed a civil claim against the couple. (It's not clear why.) The same Post story notes that the couple's fortunes seemed to turn when Shanann landed a job with nutrition company LeVel. Her social media posts showed exotic family vacations, apparently at company expense. Still, in July of this year, the Wyndham Hill Master Association, a neighborhood association, filed a civil claim against the couple. (It's not clear why.) Seemingly happy: Shanann's social media posts depicted a happy family, reports Fox Denver. She frequently posted about her husband, daughters, and her busy life. "I love this man!" she wrote of her husband on May 5. "Hes my ROCK! Shanann's social media posts depicted a happy family, reports Fox Denver. She frequently posted about her husband, daughters, and her busy life. "I love this man!" she wrote of her husband on May 5. "Hes my ROCK! Recent visit: Shanann had recently returned from a visit to her hometown of Aberdeen, North Carolina, and her parents' next-door neighbor says she gave no sign that anything was wrong, reports the AP. In fact, "she seemed pretty happy," the neighbor says. Shanann had recently returned from a visit to her hometown of Aberdeen, North Carolina, and her parents' next-door neighbor says she gave no sign that anything was wrong, reports the AP. In fact, "she seemed pretty happy," the neighbor says. Last seen: A friend tells Fox 31 that she dropped Shanann off at home at 2am Monday following a work trip. They were to meet up again later that day, but Shanann did not answer her phone. A friend tells Fox 31 that she dropped Shanann off at home at 2am Monday following a work trip. They were to meet up again later that day, but Shanann did not answer her phone. False plea? A day before his arrest, Chris Watts pleaded for the safe return of his family, and Fox Denver has a full interview here. (Read more murder stories.) (Newser) Susan Rainwater was riding her bicycle in Eatonville, Wash., last Thursday morning when a vehicle came up from behind, veered off the road, and fatally struck the 66-year-old. The driver then left her for dead, police say; a passerby later found her body in a ditch after spotting her crumpled bike. Authorities pleaded for the public's help, tweeting a photo of a black car part the vehicle left behind in the hopes someone could identify it. That's when Reddit stepped in: The photo was posted on the subreddit /r/whatisthisthing, leading to hundreds of comments, Yahoo News reports. Car enthusiasts, mechanics, and other experts weighed in; ultimately, someone identifying himself as a Maryland State Vehicle Inspector determined it was a headlight part from a 1980s Chevrolet truck, KOMO News reports. story continues below Then police received an anonymous tip with the license plate number of a 1980s Chevy pickup truck with front end damage to the right-side headlight assembly. Investigators ultimately found and arrested Jeremy Simon, who drives a 1986 Chevrolet K-10; police say he confessed to hitting Rainwater. Simon, 37, allegedly told police he fell asleep at the wheel, thought he hit a mailbox and pulled over, but drove off in a panic when he saw the mangled bicycle because he didn't want to see a dead body, the News Tribune reports. Troopers allegedly found a small bag of heroin and a plastic straw in his pocket when he was arrested. He has been charged with vehicular homicide, hit-and-run resulting in death, and unlawful possession of a controlled substance. Washington State Police credited the Reddit tipsters on Twitter. (Read more Reddit stories.) (Newser) One of al-Qaeda's master bombmakers may have been killed in Yemen last year, according to a UN report. If Ibrahim al-Asiriwho was believed to have been involved in an unsuccessful 2009 plot to blow up an aircraft over Detroit on Christmas Day with an underwear bombis dead, it would "represent a serious blow to operational capability" for al-Qaeda, the UN says. The report does not detail how al-Asiri may have died. Government officials in the US are now looking into evidence that the Saudi-born terrorist is, in fact, dead, CNN reports. But some analysts say that reports of al-Asiri's death should be received with skepticism because al-Qaeda has yet to acknowledge it. story continues below One former British spy tells CNN that "it would be extremely out of the ordinary" for al-Qaeda not to release a eulogy for such a senior leader. In addition to the Christmas Day plot that failed due to a malfunction, al-Asiri, born in 1982, is believed to have built a bomb used in a 2009 attempt to assassinate a Saudi official (the bomber, al-Asiri's brother, was killed in the attempt), according to a 2014 BBC profile. In 2010, al-Asiri built bombs disguised as printer cartridges that were intended to be shipped to Chicago, the Washington Post reported in 2012. This plot was foiled thanks to a tip from Saudi intelligence. "Asiri is an evil genius," a lawmaker told the Post at the time. (Read more terrorism stories.) (Newser) Omarosa Manigault Newman on Thursday released another secret audio recording that she says proves President Trump wanted to silence her after firing her from the White House. In the recording played on MSNBC, Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump offers Manigault Newman a job earning $15,000 a month, the AP reports. The job wouldn't require her to report to any particular office or have a specific set of duties, other than to speak positively on Trump's behalf as part of his re-election campaign. Lara Trump, married to Eric Trump, can be heard on the tape noting a New York Times report that suggested Manigault Newman had inside information that could be damaging to Trump. story continues below "It sounds a little like, obviously, that there are some things you've got in the back pocket to pull out," Lara Trump said. "Clearly, if you come on board the campaign, like, we can't have, we got to... " Manigault Newman interjects: "Oh, God, no." "Everything, everybody, positive, right?" Lara Trump asks. In a written response, Trump's daughter-in-law says the latest tape is a "fraud" and that the snippets of discussion aired by MSNBC "took place in numerous phone calls over the course of several weeks." She says the family cared about Manigault Newman and didn't know why she was fired from the White House, and that she offered her a job "before we knew anything about the gross violations of ethics and integrity during her White House tenure." "Woman to woman, I shared a connection with Omarosa as a friend and a campaign sister, and I am absolutely shocked and saddened by her betrayal and violation on a deeply personal level," she adds. (Read more Donald Trump stories.) 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. Also Read | DMK Succession War: Alagiri mounts challenge against Stalin for Karunanidhis political legacy 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 Nadus main opposition party, has raised a banner of revolt. The DMKs 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 Karunanidhis funeral. On Monday, days after Karunanidhis 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 states rights. Political rivals are showing more concern than us to know what is happening in our party in the wake of Thalaivars (leader - Karunanidhi) loss, he said. Read More | MK Stalin chairs DMK Emergency Executive meeting; says 'I have lost the leader as well as my father' 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 Karunanidhis demise with the unshakable confidence that the supporters will be with him. Yesterday, at an urgent meeting of the DMKs executive committee, the party rallied behind Stalin. Long time aide of Karunanidhi and DMK principal secretary Duraimurugan had insisted that Stalin would soon take over the partys reins as he had traits like concern, skills and hard work. Read More | DMK under strain a challenge for Stalin Though Stalin sits firmly in the saddle and his ascension as DMK president appears to be only a matter of time, Alagiris 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. New Delhi: A man carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his arrest was held for allegedly robbing a cash van and killing two men at Narela in April, police said on Thursday. Jitender alias Jeetu (29) was wanted in several murder-cum-robbery cases in the National Capital Region (NCR), Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said. Cash van robberies were reported in Delhi earlier in 2017. One such incident had taken place at Narela on April 26. Three bike-borne men had allegedly robbed the cash van of a company, after killing two of its employees who had come to collect cash from a wine shop in Vardhman Mall. Also Read |A There should be no politics over NRC: RajnathA The accused had decamped with Rs 12 lakh in cash. Three men were arrested in connection with the incident, but Jitender was absconding. Subsequently, Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his arrest. The accused kept changing his hideouts frequently, but the police got to know that he would come to meet some of his associates on a white motorcycle in the early hours of August 11, Yadav said. Read More |A Assam NRC: TMC delegation stopped at Silchar airport; alleges violation of democratic rightA Accordingly, a trap was laid. When the police tried to nab Jitender, he sped away with the men in uniform on his trail. During the chase of about 10 kilometers, the accused tried to hit the motorcycles of the Special Cell sleuths, who finally managed to intercept him in the Goga Dairy area. The accused tried to flee, leaving his motorcycle behind. He whipped out his pistol and made an attempt to fire at the policemen, but was overpowered. A pistol with four bullets in its magazine and another one in the chamber was seized from him, Yadav said.A New Delhi: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former prime minister of India and one of the countrys most respected leaders, breathed his last on Thursday at Delhi's AIIMS hospital. With Vajpayees passing away, an era of Indian politics ended. The charismatic leader was the first non-Congress politician to complete a five-year tenure as Prime Minister of India. He was lauded as a statesman politician whose acceptability across the party lines brought the once untouchable, the BJP to the centre stage of politics in the late 90s. Vajpayee was an orator par excellence, who never hesitated in taking bold decisions. His Insaniyat (Humanity), Jamhuriyat (Democracy) and Kashmiriyat (Identity of the people of Kashmir) doctrine on Kashmir paved the way of peace in the Valley. Vajpayee was the leader, who ended BJPs political untouchability due to its extreme rightist leanings and the Babari Masjid demolition and brought new allies to the BJPs kitty. Despite being an RSS loyalist, Vajpayee never compromised with the countrys social harmony and even asked Narendra Modi, the then Gujarat PM, to follow his Rajdharma during the 2002 riots. Also Read | 10 facts you should know about Atal Bihari Vajpayee Regarded as one of the most shrewd politicians of the country, Vajpayee took an extremely bold decision to visit Pakistan in 1999 to usher in a new era in India-Pakistan bilateral ties. Pakistan, however, backstabbed and sent its troops into Kargil that led to a war between the countries. Vajpayee was elected as the prime minister of India thrice. He first became the PM in 1996. However, his minority government could only last for 13 days due to lack of majority. He returned to power in 1998 but his 13-month-old government collapsed after AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa pulled out her support from the coalition. He was again re-elected as PM in 1999 and became the first non-Congress leader to complete his full five-year tenure as PM. Unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who talks about a Congress-free nation, Vajpayee, a Bharat Ratna awardee respected Opposition leaders and knew the importance of the Opposition in a democracy. After the end of 30-year Congress rule in 1977, Vajpayee became the foreign minister. When he entered his new office, he noticed that a portrait of Nehru was missing from its place. He asked his secretary where the portrait had gone. His secretary told him that Nehru's portrait was removed after the new government came to power. Vajpayee, who had many reasons to dislike Nehru, however, directed the secretary to reinstate the portrait in his office. Apart from being a shrewd politician, Vajpayee was also a passionate poet of repute. His poetry was full of passion and patriotism and inspired thousands. Vajpayee described life and death through his poetry -- The cycle of being and not being Will continue till eternity So will our illusion, That we are, we will be. Another famous poetry Har Nahi Manunga, Raar Nahi Thanunga (Will never accept defeat, will never have enmity) is often recited by politicians to motivate party workers. Its dark in the middle of the day The sun is defeated by its shadow Squeeze the oil from your soul and light the wick, Come lets light a lamp again! ~ Atal Bihar Vajpayee (25 December 1924 16 August 1924) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Former Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi paid a warm tribute to former prime minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the later breathed his last at AIIMS, Delhi on Thursday, August 16, 2018. The BJP stalwart was battling several kidney related ailments ever since he was admitted to the hospital on June 11. He was 93. Being emotionally drained, Sonia Gandhi, who was one of the key opponents of Vajpayee for years, in a statement said, "I am deeply saddened by the passing away of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Shri Vajpayee was a towering figure in our national life". "Throughout his life, he stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts, whether as a parliamentarian, a cabinet minister, or Prime Minister of India," Gandhi added. "His warm personality and his gift of friendship won him admirers and friends across the political spectrum and from every walk of life," the senior Congress leader went on to lament farther. "His death leaves behind a huge void. I join millions of our fellow Indians in mourning his loss and pray for the departed soul," Sonia concluded. Read | Atalji Forever: Glimpses of those little rippling moments that made the nation smile Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi pays tribute to former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee at his residence in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/r7Nuadwo8x ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018 As Vajpayee, one of the tallest leaders of all time left behind a lasting legacy in the arena of politics, several national leaders cutting across party lines continued to throng AIIMS and his Delhi residence to bid adieu to their beloved Atalji. Earlier in the day Vajpayee's successor Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress president Rahul Gandhi also paid heart-touching tributes to the leader. While Manmohan described Vajpayee as one of "the tallest leaders of modern India", according to Rahul it was a great loss for the entire nation. Read | BJP cancels National Executive meeting as Vajpayee breathed his last at Delhi AIIMS Vajpayee, who served as the prime minister of India between 1998 and 2004, will be laid to rest at the Smriti Sthal on Friday afternoon. The Central and all state governments have declared a seven-day state mourning and public holiday on Friday. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: As former prime minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee breathed his last at Delhi AIIMS, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday cancelled its National Executive meeting, which was scheduled to take place on August 18-19 in New Delhi. "As of now, the national executive has been postponed, and its dates will be finalised later," according to party sources. The National Executive meeting, which was long due since September 2017, was expected to formulate poll strategies ahead of the crucial Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram later this year. Other key discussions include the national poll agenda for upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2019, the sources said. National Executive meeting of the BJP which was scheduled to be held on August 18-19 has been cancelled. #AtalBihariVajpayee pic.twitter.com/mAR5N0Sj1x ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018 Read | Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee no more As per the BJP constitution, the National Executive should meet in every three months but was delayed owing to party president Amit Shahs nationwide tour to gear up the organisational machinery for the forthcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Earlier in the day, several top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah and Home Minister Rajnath Singh rushed to AIIMS to enquire about Vajpayee, who was put on life-support system following a drop in his condition on Wednesday. The former prime minister was admitted to the hospital on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, and low urine output and chest congestion. Read | Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Inspiring quotes from the poet-politician who motivate India for years On Thursday, Vajpayee's health condition took a turn for the worst and he succeumed to death after a prolonged battle on advanced life support at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: At least 11 people were feared dead after being washed away while they were bathing in a stream near Sultangarh Waterfall in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh. As many as 45 others, who were stranded downstream after the sudden rise of water level, were rescued by the teams of Police, BSF, SDRF and the Navy. We have rescued 40 people and five people were rescued earlier by a helicopter. All these 45 people are safe now, ANI quoted Shivpuri district Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Hingankar as saying. The helicopter, in its first sortie, rescued five persons who were stranded on a rock in the water downstream, while two more were saved by locals. So far, no bodies have been recovered. Also Read | Kerala Floods: Kochi Airport suspends all flight operations till Saturday; death toll rises to 67 The water in Shivpuri is a famous picnic spot in the area. People washed away had gone there for a picnic on Independence Day holiday. Heavy downpour in the area was possibly the reason behind the sudden increase in the water level. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan personally monitored the rescue operation. His cabinet minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia congratulated the local administration for acting swiftly to rescue people. As of now, we don't know how many people have been washed away. I would like to congratulate the administration for acting swiftly & rescuing people, ANI quoted Scindia as saying. Also Read | Monsoon havoc in Himachal Pradesh: Heavy showers, landslides claim 19 lives Senior Congress leader and Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia also spoke to senior officials over the phone and inquired about the rescue operations. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Following the demise of former Prime Minister and BJP veteran Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who died at the age of 93 on Thursday at Delhis AIIMS hospital in New Delhi, PM Narendra Modi took to micro-blogging platform Twitter to express his emotions. ALSO READ: 10 facts you should know about Atal Bihari Vajpayee "India grieves the demise of our beloved Atal Ji. His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP Karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness. Om Shanti," PM Modi tweeted. ALSO READ: Atal Bihari Vajpayee: A statesman politician and passionate poet India grieves the demise of our beloved Atal Ji. His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP Karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness. Om Shanti. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2018 "It was Atal Ji's exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century. His futuristic policies across various sectors touched the lives of each and every citizen of India," he said. It was Atal Ji's exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century. His futuristic policies across various sectors touched the lives of each and every citizen of India. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2018 "Atal Ji's passing away is a personal and irreplaceable loss for me. I have countless fond memories with him. He was an inspiration to Karyakartas like me. I will particularly remember his sharp intellect and outstanding wit," he said. Atal Ji's passing away is a personal and irreplaceable loss for me. I have countless fond memories with him. He was an inspiration to Karyakartas like me. I will particularly remember his sharp intellect and outstanding wit. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2018 "It was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atal Ji that the BJP was built brick by brick. He travelled across the length and breadth of India to spread the BJP's message, which led to the BJP becoming a strong force in our national polity and in several states," he added. It was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atal Ji that the BJP was built brick by brick. He travelled across the length and breadth of India to spread the BJP's message, which led to the BJP becoming a strong force in our national polity and in several states. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2018 Atal Bihari Vajpayee died following multiple organs failure. He was undergoing treatment for kidney tract infection, chest congestion, urinary tract infection and reduced urine output and was kept on life support for the last four days. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away in New Delhi on , was an extraordinary political leader who exemplified decency in public life. He was an icon whose memory will never fade away--a statesman who had few parallels in the world. Vajpayee was an able administrator, a deeply impactful orator and a sensitive poet. It was his penchant for evolving consensus that led to a successful political career and a brilliant stewardship of the country as prime minister which is remembered and appreciated by his political adversaries as much as by his party-men. ALSO READ: Atal Bihari Vajpayee - Bharat Ratna of Indian politics Atalji thrice served as the Prime Minister of India, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 11 months from 1998 to 1999, and finally for a full term from 1999 to 2004. The coalition that he led at the Centre for a full term reflected his ability to weld together 13 parties in a coalition experiment that set the path for future coalitions in Indian politics. The BJP, which was until then treated as a pariah among parties, came to be respected under his dynamic and congenial but firm leadership. When Vajpayee was conferred the countrys highest civilian honour - the Bharat Ratna in 2015 - accolades were showered on him by the entire galaxy of leaders within the country and abroad. Atalji lent lustre to Indias image in international forums, mesmerising audiences with his powerful and persuasive oratory. When India exploded a nuclear device in Pokharan in the desert of Rajasthan, there were criticisms voiced abroad but he took them in his stride without losing his cool. His bus diplomacy when he took along a team to Pakistan for peace talks was much acclaimed. But to the Pakistan Army peace, which was not on their terms, was anathema and the army promptly sabotaged it. ALSO READ: Amit Shah gives fitting tribute Atal Bihari Vajpayee When India discovered that the Pakistanis had established bases in thesnow-clad Kargil heights, Atalji was firm and decisive in throwing the aggressor out lock stock and barrel. Atalji was a member of the Indian Parliament for over four decades, being elected to the Lok Sabha 10 times, and twice to the Rajya Sabha. When he was in the Rajya Sabha this writer met him in Vijaywada. In his trademark witty style, he said he was bored in the Upper House because the House was too sober and there were few theatrics. During his career, Vajpayee served as a Member of Parliament from four states at different times, a record by itself reflecting his wide acceptability. Finally, Vajpayee retired from active politics in 2009 on health concerns when he was representing Lucknow. Atalji was among the founding members of the erstwhile Bharatiya Jana Sangh which he also headed from 1968 to 1972. He was the Minister of External Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Morarji Desai when, while his other Cabinet colleagues were wary of admitting that they consumed liquor, he was far from being a hypocrite and made no bones about his evening drink. ALSO READ: Atal Bihari Vajpayee: A statesman politician and passionate poet Ataljis mood swings were also a reflection of his abhorrence of hypocrisy. Once on an overseas run of State visits, this writer saw how he looked utterly bored and listless towards the fag end of his stint as prime minister in Copenhagen. His next stop was London where he was in his element, reciting his poems in his inimitable style with an audience of ethnic Indians. One felt that the old Atal Bihari Vajpayee was back in full form. In s times of bad blood between ruling party and Opposition leaders and MPs and frequent unruly behaviour in Parliament, Atalji would have managed things with felicity. But after his retirement and partial paralysis which rendered him inactive he was not his former self. But this great man of peace and congeniality would be remembered with great nostalgia. His contribution to public life would inspire generations. One only wishes his parliamentary life will inspire others to emulate him. New Delhi: Chinas space agency is on a new task, the Change-4 mission for exploring the farthest side of the moon. The mission aims to launch two robots in December 2018. The new mission is named after Chinas mythical goddess - Change-4 and is Chinas fourth effort in the ongoing lunar exploration program. China aims at crewed lunar landing if the technological process of Change-4 ends in a success. This will be worlds second lunar landing after NASAs Apollo program in 1972. ALSO READ | ISRO on Gaganyaan: Technology to send astronauts to space already developed Landing on the moon will also be seen as domination around moons space. Chinas National Defence Science and Technology Bureau in Beijing on Wednesday said Change-4 will rocket toward the moon in December. It will be the first to realize a soft landing on the moon and inspection of the far side of the moon. Change-4 has been made from the backup hardware of Change-3 which was the Chinas similar mission that launched the Yutu or Jade Rabbit rover along with a stationary probe to the moons near side in 2013. According to Air and Space magazine, Change-4 is being done so as study moons most ancient rocks - which could help scientists understand the moons extremely violent history. It will also help in searching for a site to build a first ever telescope to study the universe. ALSO READ | SpaceX prepares astronauts for Commercial Crew Program, will now fly to the International Space Station After mission Change-4, China is planning to launch Change-5 which would help in collecting about 4.4 lbs of dust and rocks from moons northwest part. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Lenovo-owned smartphone maker Motorola has come up with its new handset Motorola P30. The smartphone will be arriving in India soon. The device will be displaying an iPhone-X type notch along with edge-to-edge display and a ceramic design. Motorola P30 will be the first smartphone by Motorola to have an in-display notch. It has the AI smart sensor with face lock feature. The Motorola P30 is the first smartphone in the new P-series that has been launched. The device looks quite similar to Huawei P20 Pro and Honor 10. ALSO READ | JioPhone 2 flash sale starts from 12pm today: Know how to buy, specs Motorola P30 Specifications: 1. Display: 6.2-inch FHD+ (22481080) display with a 19:9 aspect ratio 2. Battery: 3,000mAh with fast charging support 3. Storage: 64 GB, 128 GB internal storage 4. RAM: 6 GB 5. Processor: Octa-core Snapdragon 636 chipset with Adreno 509 GPU 6. Operating system: Motorola P30 runs on Lenovo's ZUI 4.0 skin on top of Android Oreo 7. Camera:16-megapixel primary sensor and a 5-megapixel secondary sensor - along with an f/1.8 aperture, and for selfies, there is a 12-megapixel sensor along with the same f/1.8 aperture. 8. Colour: White, black and a purple + blue gradient colour option ALSO READ | Oppo F9 with VOOC flash charge launched; Know specs, price and more Motorola P30 Price: Motorola P30, 64 GB variant comes at roughly Rs. 20,300 whereas the 128 GB storage variant is priced at around Rs. 23,300. A Bahraini religious figure accused of insulting the symbol of a Muslim sect online was granted bail by the Lower Criminal Court. The defendant was detained after he tweeted a comment which was deemed defamatory against the symbol of a Muslim sect but his lawyer Fatima Al Hawaj told the court that he was only sharing the opinions of scholars. My client was only passing some scholars point of view on the symbol, which wasnt his. He simply didnt mean to insult anybody, Ms Al Hawaj said in her arguments yesterday. My client has decided to take part in the next parliamentary elections, and there are many trouble-makers trying to set up traps on his way to obstruct him. I dont believe there is any harm on sharing other scholars opinions on anything because there is no article in our penal law criminalising such an act, she added. Bahrain Financing Company has donated Rs 3.5 Million (nearly BD 19,500) towards Kerala's Chief Minister's Relief Fund in an act to assist the people of Kerala following the disastrous floods over the past week. Delegates of the Bahrain Financing Company include General Manager Mr Pancily Varkey, Head of Retail Sales Mr Deepak Nair and Head of Dealings Mr. Somanathan. The floods have claimed the lives of numerous residents and caused immense destruction to infrastructure and is reported to continue in the following week. Bahrain, 16 August 2018: Leading money transfer, foreign exchange and payment solutions brands, UAE Exchange and Unimoni, have waived service fee on remittances to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund in the wake of the catastrophic floods that has ravaged the Indian state of Kerala. The initiative which enables the global Indian diaspora to contribute to the relief efforts, follows a personal contribution of two crore rupees made by the Group Chairman and noted UAE-based businessman and philanthropist, Dr. Bavaguthu Raghuram Shetty, to help those affected by the floods. Promoth Manghat, Executive Director, Finablr and Group CEO, said, As a committed corporate citizen, who firmly believes in helping communities in times of need, it was our responsibility to do all that is in our power to aid the people of Kerala, who are facing this unprecedented natural calamity. Besides waiving off service fee on remittances to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund, we have also mobilised the India Unit of Unimoni to extend on-ground support to the ongoing relief efforts. With support pouring in from all quarters, we are confident that Kerala will soon recover from this disaster. We are also thankful to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan & his cabinet for allowing us to support the community in need. Those seeking to support the relief efforts can walk into their nearest UAE Exchange or Unimoni branches or log on to the website/mobile application and transfer money to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) at zero transfer fees. Contributions to CMDRF are completely tax exempt. A total amount of Rs 25 lakhs too has been provided by UAE Exchange and NMC to support the flood-affected victims with the help of select media houses. The account details for the same are as stated below. Name of Donee: CMDRF Account Number: 67319948232 Bank Name: State Bank of India Bank Branch: City Branch, Trivandrum, Kerala IFSC: SBIN0070028 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." 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 The number of foreign visitors to Japan in July hit a record for the month, supported by growing ranks of individual travelers from China. The Japan National Tourism Organization says an estimated 2.8 million foreign nationals visited the country last month, up 5.6 percent from a year earlier. Officials say visitors from mainland China made up the largest group at 880,000. They say more flights from Thailand and Vietnam operated by low-cost carriers also helped. The number of travelers from South Korea was down 5.6 percent to 610,000, making the first decline in 26 months. The number from Hong Kong dropped 3.3 percent. Officials say despite the overall increase, some tourists apparently decided not to come to Japan after torrential rain caused disasters in the western parts of the country. The officials say they will work to provide accurate information about the aftermath of the disasters through events abroad and social media. Police are continuing to search for a man facing multiple charges who escaped from a police station in western Japan. 30-year-old Junya Hida broke out of the Tondabayashi police station in Osaka Prefecture on Sunday night. Sources close to investigators say security camera footage taken nearby shows a man who looks like Hida riding a red bicycle. They say the footage shows the suspect heading north, and that he may already be out of Tondabayashi City. Police have mobilized 3,000 officers in the manhunt for Hida. He had earlier been indicted on charges including burglary causing injury or theft. He was also arrested for an attempted sexual assault last week. Police are analyzing security camera footage and searching absent and vacant houses. They believe Hida escaped from the police station after he met with a lawyer by breaking an acrylic partition that separates detainees and visitors. Investigative sources say he likely climbed over a wall after sneaking out of a backdoor. In his last official appearance at the annual ceremony commemorating the end of World War II, Emperor Akihito on Wednesday repeated his adeep remorsea over the conflict that led to the deaths of tens of millions of people in Asia and elsewhere. aReflecting on our past and bearing in mind the feelings of deep remorse, I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never be repeated,a the Emperor said in his speech during the event marking Japanas Aug. 15, 1945, surrender held at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyoas Chiyoda Ward, where he employed the key phrase adeep remorsea for the fourth consecutive year. To the surprise of many, the Emperor first inserted the phrase into his annual speech in 2015, when the nation marked the 70th anniversary of the end of the conflict. He also slightly tweaked his annual message to add for the first time ever his areflection on years of peace long observed after the end of the war.a The Emperor, who is set to abdicate on April 30 next year, becoming Japanas first sitting emperor in more than 200 years to relinquish the throne while alive, then concluded with the usual vow: aTogether with all of our people, I now pay my heartfelt tribute to all those who lost their lives in the war, both on the battlefield and elsewhere, and pray for world peace and for the continuing development of our country.a The Emperoras mention of deep remorse put him in sharp contrast with Abe, who continued to circumvent acknowledgement of Japanas wartime responsibilities in his speech. But on the 73rd anniversary of Japanas defeat, the prime minister did refrain from paying a visit to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, long considered a symbol of the nationas wartime militarism. His decision not to visit the controversial Shinto shrine, which enshrines Class-A war criminals as well as millions of war dead, was apparently meant to avoid complicating relations with China and South Korea, where bitter memories of Japanas wartime past persist. The two nations have long blasted official visits by Japanese prime ministers to the shrine as a sign that Tokyo remains unrepentant. Abe is reportedly eyeing a trip to China in October. Abe instead sent Masahiko Shibayama, an aide and a lawmaker in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, to Yasukuni to proffer a monetary donation called tamagushi-ryA out of his own pocket. China is expected to surpass Japan as the second-largest contributor to the general United Nations budget starting in 2019, according to the latest U.N. report on contributions. According to a U.N. General Assembly report of the committee on contributions, China is expected to overtake Japan with its estimated contribution rising to 12.01 percent while Japan's falls to 8.56 percent for the 2019-2021 period. The shift in power could fuel fears that Tokyo's aspiration to become a new permanent member of a revamped U.N. Security Council may fall out of reach. For the 2016-2018 period, the scale of assessments adopted for China was 7.921 percent, while Japan is paying almost 2 percentage points more at 9.680 percent. The scale of assessments is determined by a number of factors, including the "most current, comprehensive and comparable data" available for gross national income. However, other variables such as conversion rates and debt-burden adjustments are also factored into the determination of how much each country will pay into the budget for the world body. A report by the United Nations (UN) has claimed that the federal government paid huge ransom for the release of Dapchi school girls kidnapp... Released Dapchi girls A report by the United Nations (UN) has claimed that the federal government paid huge ransom for the release of Dapchi school girls kidnapped in February.Titled Letter dated 16 July 2018 from the Chair of the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Daesh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities addressed to the President of the Security Council, was obtained from the UNs official website on Thursday.Signed by the Coordinator, Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, Edmund Fitton-Brown, and the Chair, Security Council Committee, it stated that Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have had similar impact in their areas of control, including the Lake Chad basin.In paragraph 43 of the 25-page report, the UN said: The predominance in the region of the cash economy, without controls, is conducive to terrorist groups funded by extortion, charitable donations, smuggling, remittances and kidnapping.In Nigeria, 111 schoolgirls from the town of Dapchi were kidnapped on 18 February 2018 and released by ISWAP on 21 March 2018 in exchange for a large ransom payment.This is coming months after the federal government refuted reports that ransom was paid to the extremist sect for the release of the student hostages.According to the report, the number of doctrinally based non-governmental organizations sending funds to local terrorist groups was growing, and Member States were concerned that radicalization was increasing the threat level in the Sahel region and Lake Chad Basin.It said Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) successfully combined regional terrorist groups in an Al-Qaida-affiliated coalition in West Africa, which increased attacks and propaganda against French, United States of America and others.In Lybia, the report said the numerical strength of ISIL was estimated to vary between 3,000 and 4,000 individuals dispersed across the country.Its central command in Libya may lie in the triangle between Bani Walid, southern Sirte and Jufrah district. The leadership structure is headed by Abu Moaz Al-Tikriti (not listed), an Iraqi national who is reportedly still alive despite reports of his death in an airstrike.Al-Qaida continues to resurge in Libya, its ranks composed of elements of its historical component, the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, as well as Shura councils in Darnah, Benghazi and Ajdabiya.AQIM in the Sahel, led by Yahya Abu al-Hamam (not listed), maintains networks of mutual financial support and arms supply with Al-Qaida in Libya. The mountainous areas in the west of Tunisia continue to harbour elements of ISIL and Al-Qaida. The country is affected by the fluid situation in Libya.In April 2018, the Tunisian Armed Forces began counter-terrorism operations around Kasserine against the AQIM affiliate Uqba Ibn Nafi Battalion and Jund al-Khilafah in Tunisia, during which it dismantled several ISIL sleeper cells in the region.In Egypt, military operations, which began in Sinai in February 2018, continue against Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (ABM). The group pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in November 2014. Some Member States assess that the group may consist of up to 1,000 fighters and are concerned that it continues to exhibit signs of resilience.Member States assess that returning foreign terrorist fighters, particularly those of North African origin, continue to pose a threat to the region. One Member State in the region noted that those returnees buoyed the ranks of Jund al-Khilafa in Algeria and Al Mourabitoun, renewing the ability of those organizations to carry out operations. Yenagoa immediate past President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide, Engr. Udengs Eradiri has slammed the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari over the delay in the presentation of the budget proposal on the conduct of the 2019 elections to the National Assembly.He described the delay as ridiculous and gross misconduct that could be sanctioned with impeachment.Eradiri, an aspirant for the House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State, blamed the delay in the election budget presentation on irresponsibility on the part of the executive arms not to have prepared the budget or even include it in the 2018 budget.The former youth activist added that disciplinary measures should be put in place to checkmate activities of the executives.He said: It is not about INEC, it is the irresponsibility of the executives. They knew that in 2019 there will be an election and no preparation for the budget until now, which means that they are not serious. I think disciplinary measures should be put in place to check their activities and not the other way round of acussing the legislatures.The executive arm has been so mischievous in place recent times, and I dont know why they are afraid of using the word impeachment in the National Assembly. The Presidents conduct from economy, insecurity and now the INEC issues are all impeachable offences.The President did not in the first place send the budget with clear conscience by asking them to fund the budget with their constituency allowance, that alone was enough for conflicts, that was enough a recipe for war.He noted that the composition of the commission at the first instance was a threat to democracy, then couple with inconclusive elections, to massive rigging and then vote-buying which has become a constitutional matter.He added that what happened in Ekiti State was a threat to stability of the country and to the democratic institutions.On the recent INEC registration of additional 23 political parties, Eradiri described the action as ridiculous, noting that the logistics for the forthcoming elections in the country will be so cumbersome.He cautioned INEC to avoid unnecessary registration of parties that have no spread across the country, adding that this shows that the entire electioneering process and institutions is being managed by people who are not doing their jobs.Eradiri argued that registration of a party should be beyond just having an office in Abuja, but rather have a reach out in the entire country.He noted that a two-party system like what we had in the past years would have been the best for the country to avoid unnecessary wastage of resources for elections. Bayelsa-based journalist and publisher of the Weekly Source Magazine, Mr. Jones Abiri has been released by the Department of State Service... Bayelsa-based journalist and publisher of the Weekly Source Magazine, Mr. Jones Abiri has been released by the Department of State Services, DSS. The journalist was released on Wednesday after he was said to have met his bail conditions. He had been in detention for over two years without being charged to court. Abiri was arrested on July 21, 2016 at his office in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, over an alleged link to armed militancy in the Niger Delta region, an allegation which he denied. Abiri was however charged to court on July 27, 2018, being two years after his arrest and detention. He was initially granted bail in the sum of N2 million and two sureties who must be civil servants not lower than level 12. The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Benin Zone, has called for the resignation of the Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, and his Osun State counterpart, Rauf Aregbesola, over their alleged failure to address the challenges facing the Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomoso.It also said that it would join other zones from the different parts of the country in a peaceful protest to draw public attention to the plight of the university, which it said could face extinction.The zonal leadership accused the two governors of alleged neglect of their constitutional responsibilities of providing quality education and alleged conspiracy to deny the workers of the institution their right to wages.Addressing journalists in Benin, the Edo State capital, on Thursday, the zone described the deplorable condition of LAUTECH as pathetic, adding that the university had continued to deteriorate, despite being owned by two state governments.The Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Fred Esumeh, stated that the non-payment of the outstanding 10-month salaries of the workers, poor infrastructure, over-bloated population, outrageous fee regimes and inadequate staff development were unacceptable.Esumeh also lamented that, in spite of its important role as a fulcrum upon which growth and development revolved, education in Nigeria had continued to suffer neglect by political leaders.He stated, One would have thought that in an ideal situation when a government and, indeed, any establishment engages workers, the workers deserve to be paid their wages. This is not the case in LAUTECH, where the two visitors have shied away from their responsibilities and have conspired to deny the workers in that university their right to wages.It is, therefore, our view that what is left for these visitors (governors) is to honourably resign for not meeting up with what is expected of their offices. Samuel Ogundipe, the Premium Times journalist arrested on Tuesday, says he was accused of stealing secret documents. Samuel Ogundipe, the Premium Times journalist arrested on Tuesday, says he was accused of stealing secret documents. Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police, reportedly ordered his arrest over a story on Lawal Daura, sacked director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS). The police had reportedly asked Ogundipe to disclose how he obtained the letter IGP wrote to Acting President Yemi Osinnajo on Daura but the journalist declined in line with the ethics of the profession. According to Premium Times, the journalist was secretly arraigned before a magistrate court in Kubwa, Abuja, on Wednesday, without being grantee access to his lawyers. He was reportedly charged with criminal trespass and theft of police document. The newspaper said though Ogundipes lawyer was allowed access to him at the facility of the special anti-robbery squad (SARS) in Abuja on Wednesday morning, the lawyer was asked to leave only for him (Ogundipe) to be later taken to court without prior notice. It was at the court that the journalist reportedly got a phone to inform the newspaper of the new development. He was quoted as saying: 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. The magistrate was said to have given an order that he be detained for five more days. A post shared by Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) on Aug 16, 2018 at 5:30am PDT Reuben Abati says former President Goodluck Jonat... Reuben Abati says former President Goodluck Jonathan secured the release of some Chibok girls but did not to publicise it. The former media aide to Jonathan disclosed this on Wednesday during a show he anchored on ARISE TV. Abati interviewed Femi Adesina, spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari, on the show. He said Sambo Dasuki, the then national security adviser (NSA), advised the government against making the release public in order to protect the identities of the freed girls. Abati urged Adesina to confirm the information from the Department of State Services (DSS) and National Intelligence Agency (NIA). He said: There was headway. We rescued many of the girls but the advice from the NSA at the time was that we should not publicise it because of the identities of those girls. I witnessed it on many occasions. Those girls were brought to the president. He met with them. In fact, some of them were sent to schools in the United States and United Kingdom. There were strict instructions not to publicise it because government thought that the identities of those girls should not be exposed. But l saw you guys making a dance out of the ones you rescued. In our time, we rescued some girls but we were under strict instruction not to publicise it. Check the records. The DSS, the intelligence agency, you should ask them. They will have the records. Boko Haram insurgents kidnapped 276 girls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, in Borno state on April 14, 2014. The leader of the out-phased Reformed All Progressives Congress, Kawu Baraje, has defected from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party.Baraje, during a media conference in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Thursday, said he will soon make a formal and celebrational defection in his ward, Baboko in Ilorin.He stated that he belongs to the party where his leader, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, defected to.He lauded PDP where he had been the Secretary and acting Chairman before he defected to APC. The building housing a radio station and music studios belonging to a musician, Yinka Ayefele, is on the verge of being demolished by the ... The building housing a radio station and music studios belonging to a musician, Yinka Ayefele, is on the verge of being demolished by the Oyo State Government for contravening physical planning laws of the state.A demolition notice with reference number TF20181308/002 pasted on the wall of the building on the Lagos bypass, after Challenge bus stop in Ibadan by a task force officer from the state governors office, said that the structure should be removed in three days and that failure to do so would warrant government action to remove the structure.As contained in the notice, the grace granted by the government expired on Wednesday so the order could be carried out on Thursday (today).The notice, which was addressed to the owner, Ayefele, read, Having failed to comply with the earlier stop work/quit/contravention notice(s) served on your development or as your structure is found to be structurally defective/poses danger or constitutes a nuisance to the occupier or the general public, you are hereby ordered to vacate the site and remove the structure thereon within three days, failure of which the government shall effect the removal and commence legal action against you in accordance with Section 43 of the law.Our source gathered that the notice was the second sent to the owner of the radio station, Fresh FM, in 10 years. The building, which has four studios for radio broadcasting and music production, is said to worth around N800m. It is also understood that the station has a staff strength of 150.A news director at the station, Samson Akindele, wrote on his Facebook wall that in 2012, the building was marked for demolition but was spared when Governor Abiola Ajimobi intervened.Some sympathisers of the station and Ayefele said the building was targeted because of some of the programmes aired by the station, which were considered anti-government.Our dear governor even visited our studio about two years ago and appreciated the fact that he was not led into demolishing the building, paying glowing tributes to the aesthetics of the studios and the richness of our programming, some of the reasons he accepted our invitation to appear live on the special interview programme.He also clearly stated on that show that words had reached him that he should not allow the building to stand because Dr Yinka Ayefele was not a friend of his administration but he told them that someone who is not a friend today could (be) one tomorrow.Between then and now, what has changed? No new road being constructed or a road expansion being executed. But the relationship between Fresh FM and the state government has been anything but cordial, even as we have, on several occasions, acknowledged the giant strides of the administration in security and infrastructural developments, he said.Reacting to the demolition notice, the state government, through the state Commissioner for Information and Culture, Toye Arulogun, said Ayefeles building was only one of many others served. The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus is, as at press time, meeting with former military presid... The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus is, as at press time, meeting with former military president, Ibrahim Babaginda. The meeting is holding at Babangidas hilltop mansion in Minna, the Niger State capital. The reason for the meeting is yet to be made known. However, it may be related to the forthcoming 2019 elections and political developments in the country. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday said no threats or smear campaign will make it buckle on its resolve to contend with the ... The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday said no threats or smear campaign will make it buckle on its resolve to contend with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and dismantle its rigging machinery in all future elections. The oppositions partys challenge is coming barely 24 hours after it vowed to dismantle APCs rigging machine. Responding to PDPs claim, APC had alleged that the opposition party had laid out plans to deploy political thugs and use cloned permanent voters cards to rig itself to victory in the 2019 general elections, starting from Osun governorship election. However, PDP, in its reaction, noted that the APC in its statement on Wednesday, already admitted that it had been engaged in rigging of elections, sponsoring of violence, ballot snatching and announcing of fake results, for which it has become notorious among Nigerians. A statement by PDPs spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, said: It is a settled fact that though truth can be suppressed for a season, it will always have a way of showing itself to the light. The APC, in its own statement, has owned up to electoral contrivances and openly admitted that it blatantly rigged last Saturdays National Assembly bye-election where results were altered in its favour, ballot boxes were snatched, Nigerians were harassed, intimidated and even killed. The APC in its own words alluded to crude election rigging methods such as ballot snatching and announcement of concocted election results which it confirmed as recently displayed during last weekend bye-election in Kogi state, where it was illegally declared winner. We are therefore happy that having called them out, the APC leaders, apart from admitting their guilt of electoral malfeasance, have demanded for a probe into our move to dismantle their rigging machine. We welcome this demand and further request that the probe should be done in the open, so that we can expose APCs rigging machine for the world to see. Such a probe will also provide the PDP our long awaited opportunity to expose the compromised INEC officials, security agents and agencies as well as fake observers used by the APC to rig elections. The PDP will show evidence of how the APC deployed thugs to unleash violence; used security forces to intimidate, arrest and detain PDP supporters; the cancellation and alteration of results where PDP won, allocation of fake results for the APC and outright declaration of concocted results to suit the whims of APC. The PDP has all the facts and will never allow them to play out again. Regarding Osun governorship election, the PDP maintains that it will not allow the APC to freely use its Ekiti and Edo rigging templates to manipulate the process to its favour. No amount of propaganda and distortion of our statement will deter the PDP from its stand to confront and resist the APC, head to head and ensure that only the will of the people prevail. PDP also noted that it has resolved to set up monitoring teams in all polling centres and we will end all attempts by the APC to buy votes or snatch ballot boxes as they did in Ekiti and the just concluded bye-elections. Protesters were on Thursday teargassed at the force headquarters, Abuja, during a protest to demand the release of Premium Times reporter,... Protesters were on Thursday teargassed at the force headquarters, Abuja, during a protest to demand the release of Premium Times reporter, Samuel Ogundipe. The journalist was on Tuesday arrested for writing a story based on a letter written by Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police (IGP), to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo. Members of the OurMumuDonDo Movement and other civil society organisation were among the protesters teargassed by the police. The protesters arrived the headquarters of the force as early as 9am to protest the arrest and detention of Ogundipe with the hashtag #FreeSamuelOgundipe. However, police officers formed a ring at the gate to prevent the protesters from gaining entry into the building. Subsequently, they sprayed teargas at the protesters, causing a number of them to scurry for safety. Some of the protesters who inhaled the teargas became unconscious. Charles Oputa, better known as Charly Boy, Deji Adeyanju, and Omoyele Sowore were among the activists at the protest. Jimoh Moshood, police spokesman, said Ogundipe is not being persecuted, adding that the police have the right to investigate any allegation. Even though we have the Freedom of Information Act (FOI), the act itself is restricted to some classified documents and that is what we are investigating, he said. The document in question does not fall under the FOI act therefore we are not asking him about the source of the information but the source of the document. The police have alleged that the Premium Times Security reporter, Samuel Ogundipe, violated the Official Secret Act and the Cyber Crime Act, adding that he was also being tried for theft of classified document.The Force insisted that Ogundipes action was detrimental to national security, noting that it could jeopardise peace and was capable of causing crisis in the country.Ogundipe was arrested on Tuesday by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad operatives over the publication of the report of Police investigation into the invasion of the National Assembly by the Department of State Services, and a Kubwa magistrate court had ordered he be remanded in Police custody till August 20.In a statement in Abuja on Thursday, the Force Spokesman, acting DCP Jimoh Moshood, also stated that the accused journalist had volunteered statements and he is standing trial.It said, The Force is categorically stating that Ogundipe is being investigated and prosecuted for the offences of theft and unlawful possession of restricted and classified documents inimical to State/National Security that can jeopardise peace, breakdown of law and order capable of precipitating crisis in the country.Ogundipe is also being investigated and prosecuted under other offences which violate Official Secret Act, Cyber Crime Act, and the Penal Code for which he has volunteered statements and is standing trial.Moshood stated that Ogundipe was arraigned in court in less than 24 hours of his arrest, adding that the police as a law abiding organization will continue to ensure that the Rule of Law and its supremacy which are essentials of democracy prevail at all times.The Nigeria Police Force and the media are veritable partners in ensuring peace, law and order in the country, but the Force will not compromise or allow an offender to go scot free or pervert the end of justice, he added.A coalition of civil society groups, #OurMumuDondo, had earlier in the morning stormed the force headquarters, Abuja to demand the release of the Premium Times reporter.Led by popular musician, Charlie boy, the protesters insisted on the release of the reporter, noting that they would not leave until he is freed.The activists briefly barricaded the Shehu Shagari Way, forcing motorists to ply alternative routes.Presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, knocked the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris for pressurizing Ogundipe to disclose his source.Another activist, Ralph Adebayo described the IG as ignorant, noting that he has been transmitting confusion since he became the police boss, stumbling from one controversy to another.The convener, Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju said the group would continue to besiege the police headquarters daily until their demand is met.Addressing the protesters, Moshood said the detention of the journalist was not a punishment, a claim that annoyed the campaigners who objected loudly.Asked why Ogundipes bank account was frozen,the force spokesman said,It is part of investigation; We should try to educate ourselves. The Judges rule permit the police if an offence is committed in Abuja to go far to Lagos to get anywhere to get evidence in resolution of the matter. The presidency on Wednesday spoke on the true status of the electoral act amendment bill, maintaining that President Muhammadu Buhari ha... The presidency on Wednesday spoke on the true status of the electoral act amendment bill, maintaining that President Muhammadu Buhari has not declined assent. Garba Shehu, the presidents senior special assistant on media and publicity, said Buhari does not object the use of card readers in the 2019 elections. He described allegation suggesting otherwise as wild and baseless. Shehu said in a statement: Our attention has been drawn to incorrect and misleading reporting in several newspapers regarding the status of the electoral act (amendment) bill, 2018. The presidency would like to set out the true status of the bill. The electoral act (amendment) bill, 2018, was sent by the national assembly to the presidency at the end of June 2018, for assent. Following extensive consideration, the presidency engaged with the national assembly to raise concerns regarding errors and inconsistencies found in the submitted version. Following this, the national assembly, on July 24, 2018, met to review and correct the bill. The bill was given on July 24, 2018, a clause by clause consideration by the senate. The votes and proceedings from the senate on July 24, 2018, attest to this. The senate resolved to rescind its decision on a number of clauses included in the version they had earlier sent for consideration by the president and to reconsider these clauses. According to the senate votes and proceedings of Tuesday July 24, 2018: The Senate: notes that in the course of final cleaning of the Bill as passed, some provisions were found to negate the essence of the amendment; [and] Resolves to: Rescind its decision on Clauses 3,5,8,11(2), 13(b), 14 (4), 15(3), 18,21,23,24,28,32 and 38 of the Bill as passed, and recommit same to Committee of the whole for reconsideration and passage. The presidential aide further explained that the re-considered bill was passed by the senate on July 24, the same day that plenary was adjourned to September 25. He disclosed that the revised version of the electoral act (amendment) bill, 2018, with corrections by the national assembly, and dated August 2, was received by the presidency on August 3 2018. According to him, the president has 30 days from the date of receipt, to assent to or decline the bill. Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has told the All Progressives Congress, APC, to stop acting as if the removal of the Senate Preside... Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has told the All Progressives Congress, APC, to stop acting as if the removal of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki will reduce the price of foodstuff in the market. Fayose said the ruling party was only heating the polity by making Sarakis impeachment its main agenda. In a series of tweets, the Governor also noted that the ruling party had shifted its blames from former President, Goodluck Jonathan to Saraki. Fayose wrote, When a ruling party turns the removal of Senate President to its main agenda, the result is a heated polity. They are holding meetings upon meetings on Sarakis impeachment as if removing the Senate President will reduce the price of rice to N7, 000 per bag that it was in 2015. Sule Lamido, former governor of Jigawa state, says there is massive corruption in Aso Rock. Sule Lamido, former governor of Jigawa state, says there is massive corruption in Aso Rock. Lamido said this in Lokoja, Kogi state capital, during a meeting with the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday. The PDP presidential aspirant, who sought the support of members of the partys exco ahead of the PDP convention, said the ruling party is bereft of agenda for the people it is governing. He alleged that the party had succeeded in impoverishing many Nigerians within three years. I was ashamed when I entered Kogi state; when I look into the eyes of many Kogites and Nigerians, it was clearly written in their faces that all is not well, he said. They said they are fighting corruption in this government, which is not true. I can tell you that there is massive corruption at the presidential villa. What our party succeeded in building for our nation, Nigeria, in the last 16 years is currently under threat, all because of the APC-led government. PDP remains the party to contend with come 2019. The party respects the right of every Nigerian, unlike what we are having now. He promised to run an all-inclusive government if voted into power come 2019. 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. Patently Apple was first to report last week that TrendForce had taken a Leap by claiming that Apple Pencil would be an option for new 2018 iPhones. While we've been reporting on such a possible development in the future via Apple patents (One and Two), you could never forecast the timing of a product to market based on patents. Today, a vague report from China's Economic Daily News (Chinese report) via MacRumors claims that only the new iPhone models using OLED displays will support Apple Pencil. That's an interesting twist, if true. At the moment I'm not sure that the report is really a rumor. It sounds more like the article is reflecting past news. The report translated states that "Industry insiders pointed out that the touch-enabled electronic terminal products equipped with stylus is a "reasonable configuration." That doesn't sound definitive in any way. At another point at the end of the report it notes: "Even if the phone is equipped with the stylus chip." Again, I think the article is just excited about the prospects of an Apple Pencil working with the iPhone as it would be good news for Taiwan's IC suppliers. On the flip side, MacRumors thinks that this is a solid rumor and for that reason alone we're covering this story as rumors is their specialty. While the eventual move by Apple to support Apple Pencil for any iPhone would be another hammer in Samsung's face, it's just the timing that's still in question. The one minor advantage that Samsung held in the smartphone arena would evaporate rather quickly. The Economic Daily News article does make a valid point that should Apple make that leap, the whole industry would run to copy them which would virtually wipe out Samsung's Note lineup advantage in any market in short order. Perhaps this is why Samsung is now preparing to launch the world's first dual display smartphone. They may want to quickly replace the volume carved out by the Note smartphone that could erode with a move by Apple and others to support pens for smartphones going forward. Will this be the year that Apple Pencil comes to the iPhone? Only time will tell. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus. Theyve issued a statement now. Its as trite and useless as youd expect from a corporation, from bureaucrats, from a Hollywood celebrity hoping that some minor scandal will blow over soon enough and theyll be able to resume business as usual. But its not from any of these groups; its from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and it reads, in part: As a body of bishops, we are shamed by and sorry for the sins and omissions by Catholic priests and Catholic bishops. . . . We are committed to work in determined ways so that such abuse cannot happen. . . . We pledge to maintain transparency and to provide for the permanent removal of offenders from ministry and to maintain safe environments for everyone. . . . We pray that all survivors of sexual abuse find healing, comfort and strength in Gods loving presence as the Church pledges to continue to restore trust through accompaniment, communion, accountability and justice. Notice what they did not say: They did not say, We call upon all bishops who have at any point in the past, whether before or after the institution of our new protocols, turned a blind eye to reports of such abuse, whether because those reports didnt follow bureaucratic protocol, or because acting on them would have been a source of embarrassment, or for any other reason, to resign. They did not even call for any such bishops to disclose what they knew and seek counsel from the community as to whether he ought to continue in office. And we are still missing the acknowledgment from the bishops collectively or from individual bishops that this is not a matter of having the right bureaucracy in place, and making statements as a collective, but of individual sins by individual people who need to confess their sins and be held to account and a matter of bishops holding each other accountable rather than creating new forms of bureaucracy while they hang out with rich prospective donors and celebrities and politicians and promote their favored politics (as long as those politics are sufficiently progressive, e.g., climate change and immigration reform). (Is that last line uncalled for? Is the impression the bishops give of caring more about being celebrities and using their platforms to promote their preferred political policies than actually ministering, derived from news coverage of the former rather than the latter? Maybe so. But Chicagos Cardinal Cupich certainly appears in the news often enough in a manner that suggests that he thinks his job is some sort of honorary appointment to work for social justice, as if hes the head of some sort of foundation that just got a big grant for the purpose.) I am angry. I feel like the bishops are all playing us for suckers, thinking if they issue enough bland statements as a whole then they can protect each other, and that school will start up again and well be too busy supervising homework and volunteering to stay up late scrutinizing the local Greek Orthodox churchs website for any clear indicator of whether liturgies are in Greek or English. Do they not have any sense of public opinion? Do they not read, for instance, Megan McArdles scathing response (knowing that her usual topics are business and economics, so if shes addressing this, you can tell that shes angry)? Are they really going to delude themselves into thinking that its all about bureaucracy, that they can appoint another commission to tell them about more bureaucratic structures, and that, heck, none of them individually have any ability to do anything about the behavior of any other bishop (neither formally nor informally by private persuasion or public shaming), so its completely out of their hands? McCarrick was an a** when he said, I apologize, and, by the way, I didnt do anything wrong at the start of this chain of events. Are we going to get the same c*** from the bishops, collectively and individually? And do they think that they can get away with it, that parishioner numbers will be unchanged, because those of us who have stayed, what with the major loss in religious identification numbers over the past two decades or so, feel ourselves committed and stuck, anyway? Or have they all given up already anyway, and begun to see themselves as charged with best managing the decline, so as to preserve the best architectural exemplars for a much smaller denomination? . . . . . . . . Sigh. Just as I was about to click publish a new statement came across my twitter feed, the announcement by the USCCB in the name of Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, President of the USCCB, that they have, yes, created some new bureaucratic processes. Oh, boy. Because, again, they say, Because only the Pope has authority to discipline or remove bishops, we will assure that our measures will both respect that authority and protect the vulnerable from the abuse of ecclesial power. Each and every bishop has the ability to call out other bishops and shame them for their misdeeds. You dont need the Pope for this. And again, Finally, I apologize and humbly ask your forgiveness for what my brother bishops and I have done and failed to do. Enough with the collective and vague apologies. If you did something wrong, apologize for it directly, personally, and specifically. If youre going to stick to your guns and say you knew absolutely nothing at any time and never did anything wrong, then urge the other American Catholic bishops (and stop calling them brother bishops when everyone feels that this sense of brotherhood is part of the problem) to apologize for their own failings. Yes, I know it sounds like something from a Maoist collective struggle session. Confess your faults. Not good enough, confess some more. Well, there was this one time when my mother complained we didnt have enough to eat, and I didnt turn her in. But we have had so many of these idiotic garbage apologies, that I have no tolerance for anything that remotely resembles them any longer. Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_Conference_of_Catholic_Bishops.svg; By Ng556 [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons In Japan today, the 15th of August, is marked as a time to celebrate the life of the second founder of Soto Zen in that country, Keizan Jokin. Seems important to me. Keizan was born on the 13th of November, 1264 and died on the 22nd of September. His mother was a devote of Eihei Dogen, eventually establishing two convents, one of which she served as abbess. At the age of eight Keizan entered Eiheiji, the monastery Dogen had founded. He would study with four of Dogens senior disciples, Ejo, Jakuen, Gien, and Gikai. He received dharma transmission in Dogens lineage from Gikai and succeeded Gikai as head of Daijoji in Kaga province. From there Keizan began to establish training temples including the first Soto convent and Sojiji, which would eventually rival Eiheiji as the center for the Soto school. Many scholars believe without Keizan, Soto may never have achieved the prominence it holds within Japanese Buddhism. He preached a more popular form of Soto. He was a visionary and ecstatic. While my tastebuds often go to Dogen and his adamantine analysis, Keizans visionary Zen brings a level of heart that I think our tradition desperately needs. Keizan encouraged both lay practice and the place of women within Zen, whom he held up as equal practitioners with men. The first record of a woman receiving dharma transmission in Japanese Soto occurred when he passed the dharma to his disciple the nun Ekyu. Here is a wonderful archive of materials by and about the master. Iran's President Rouhani Defends Caspian Sea Convention, Saying No Sell-Out 08/16/18 Source: Radio Farda 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. Satire criticizing Iran's share of Caspian Sea by Sana Hosseinpour, Iranian daily Ghanoon 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 Iran's 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 Iran's "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, BBC's 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. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Qassemi, denied as invalid the comments by Rajab Safarov about Iran's 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. Tehran's Armenian archbishop denounces Trump's JCPOA exit 08/16/18 Source: Tehran Times TEHRAN - Sebouh Sarkissian, the Armenian archbishop of Tehran, has condemned Donald Trump's behavior toward Iran including his exit from the 2015 nuclear agreement that Tehran signed with the 5+1 nations, ISNA reported on Wednesday. Sebouh Sarkissian, The Armenian Archbishop Of Tehran "In a move earlier in August which showed his unreliable and unstable personality, Trump announced the re-imposition of nuclear sanctions against Iran with the aim of opposing the defiant and persistent will of the Iranian nation," Sarkissian remarked. He also denounced Trump's actions as "unethical", saying the U.S. president's mottos, including "America first" and "America before anything", incite nationalism, prejudice and xenophobia which violate the most basic human rights. The governing council of the University of Education, Winneba, has dismissed five principal officers of the institution following an emergency meeting on Monday. One other official has had her appointment terminated. The five are the Vice-Chancellor who was serving a suspension, Professor Mawutor Avoke, Finance Officer, Dr. Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, Daniel Tetteh, Mary Dzimey and Frank Owusu Boateng. They were interdicted in July 2017 by the UEW governing council to allow for investigations after it emerged that some vital documents at some offices at the centre of an ongoing investigation had gone missing. Subsequently, in January 2018, lawyers of the five wrote to the University Council, demanding their immediate reinstatement. Meanwhile, the Principal at the College of languages, Professor Avea Nsoh, in a Citi News interview described the latest development as unfortunate. It is very disturbing indeed. Its very unfortunate and a tragic loss. Im hoping that they can fight it back to get what they have been due for over 20 years. I know the Vice-Chancellor is a well-composed person who started from the unit level through all the ranks up to the role of Pro-Vice-Chancellor and then the Vice Chancellor. I know the Finance Officer, he is very prolific. He has a lot of networks. Ive worked with all of those affected, he added. Background A Winneba High Court in 2017 ordered Professor Mawutor Avoke, to step aside until a case brought against him and the Universitys Governing Council is determined. The order was made in a case brought before the court by one Supi Kofi Kwayera, who insisted that the Vice Chancellor and the Finance Officer, were operating under the institutions defunct governing council. The plaintiff adduced that the Universitys Councils mandate had expired in November 2013, but the Education Ministry failed to constitute a new Governing Council for the university, and rather allowed and permitted the defunct Governing Council which had no mandate whatsoever to continue the functions of a properly constituted Governing Council as if same had been properly constituted. This, Mr. Kwayera insisted was unlawful, and hence his legal action against the University of Education, Winneba. However, before the substantive claims were looked into, the University, through its lawyers, applied to the court to dismiss the suit on the three counts, but the application was dismissed. The High Court subsequently found Professor Avoke, and the schools Finance Officer, Dr. Theopholus Senyo Ackorlie, guilty of procurement and other financial irregularities. The court subsequently ordered the retrieval of all monies paid to the contractors of the North Campus Roads and a forensic audit of the project. Source: citinewsroom.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Second Lady of the Republic, Samira Bawumia, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Ghana, has launched the Coalition of People against Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and Harmful Practices (CoPASH). The coalition will spearhead a national response on the issues of SGBV/HPs including case management and increasing prevention efforts in Ghana. The mandate of CoPASH is to bring together a group of agencies, organizations and individuals, who are passionate about the rights of women and girls, to advocate better resources for SGBV survivors throughout the nation. Speaking at the launch of the coalition, Madam Samira indicated that a lot had been done to address the menace. However, she noted that the interventions had been in different directions which did not suffice to bring efficient results. She said the coalition would therefore bring together people with strong interests in the issues of SGBV in order to learn and harmonize to create a more concerted approach to achieve efficient results. The ball has been rolling but a lot of them have also been rolling in different directions. So then we think lets bring everybody together; lets have a concerted approach. Lets involve people; lets know what peoples interests are . . . She noted that the commitment of government appointees and functionaries to the cause of addressing issues of SGBV was the starting point. However, she bemoaned the poor implementation of the laws concerning SGBV in the country. We have the regulations but they are not being implemented. It is how we implement them and make them function effectively . . . she said. Those in charge have to make sure that what is supposed to happen happens and we have to make sure that we provide the amenities they need in order to function properly . . . she added. The second lady indicated that the coalition was going to undertake a series of projects including rolling out a database management system to keep information of victims such that accessing information would be much easier . . . whiles ensuring confidentiality. Chief Superintendent Owusuwaa Kyereneh, National Coordinator of DOVVSU in a presentation on The One Stop Centre, a Must Have indicated that the one-stop centre would bring all relevant service providers under one roof such that when a victim walks in, all their needs would be met on the premises. She noted that the DOVVSU one-stop centre has been under construction for the past 10 years and therefore called on the government and other stakeholders to ensure an immediate and successful completion of the building to enhance their work. Madam Kyeremeh noted that the building when completed would have facilities such as a temporal shelter, private interview rooms, conference centre, adult cells, juvenile cells, court, children play area, cafeteria, among others, which would help prevent re-victimization and ensure efficient service delivery, guaranteed privacy, free medical and counselling services. She charged the second lady to use her influence to help raise funds for the successful completion of the centre which started almost a decade ago. 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 The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is to launch a Human Development Report on Northern Ghana entitled Bridging the Poverty Gap and Fostering Socio-Economic Transformation for All. The report explores development challenges and opportunities in Northern Ghana and offers suggestions for poverty eradication in the zone. The Northern Ghana Human Development Report (NG-HDR) is based on a study that investigated livelihood issues relating to health, education and infrastructure gaps, as well as governance and environmental issues. The findings suggest that the pattern of poverty in Northern Ghana is changing. It revealed that though the northern zone has witnessed good development over the years, more effort is required to transform the zone for the country to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 1 which aims to eradicate poverty in all its forms everywhere. To ensure inclusive growth, the report recommends the need for a coordinated stakeholder approach to address development gaps in road infrastructure; in information, communications and technology (ICT); education and healthcare delivery; youth unemployment; energy access; data gaps for development planning; gender inequity; as well as high climate change impact on agriculture and livelihoods. The report suggests massive investments in infrastructure development and recognizes the importance of complementing the Governments One Village One Dam Initiative to boost agriculture production in the northern zone. It highlights how improvement in road and water transport networks; and investment in warehousing, cold chains and processing infrastructure will help increase value additions and reduce post-harvest losses, to facilitate industrialization in the zone. Moreover, the importance of resource mobilization and equitable allocation to help address the Human Development deficits in Northern Ghana to ensure that No One Is Left Behind, is emphasized by the report. The report therefore calls for strong partnerships among stakeholders to leverage synergies and ensure that local people are empowered to benefit and to drive transformation in the zone. To improve quality education and healthcare delivery, the Human Development Report recommends innovative Public Private Partnerships to facilitate access to housing for health and education staff to attract and retain staff in the education and health sectors especially in rural communities in the northern zone. In addition, the report identifies the promotion of conservation and climate change adaptation best practices including tree planting to reduce soil degradation and promote water conservation particularly along streams and waterways; encouraging local community seed banks and nurseries; and scaling up agricultural extension services to support farmers. Commenting on the report ahead of the launch, Ms. Gita Honwana Welch, UNDP Ghana Country Director noted that, the Northern Ghana Human Development Report, like other Human Development Reports produced by UNDP, provides baseline information on areas requiring development attention in the North. UNDP collaborated with the University for Development Studies (UDS), the University of Ghana and Northern Development Authority (then Savanah Accelerated Development Authority) to produce this report. The findings and recommendations from the report are to inform and shape policy decisions that will propel transformational development in the north, noted Ms. Welch. UNDP Ghana, has over the years, produced national, district and regional reports for the country. The first regional Human Development Report was for the Western Region on the theme Managing Development Opportunities for a Secure Future. The Northern Ghana Human Development Report (HDR) is the second regional report developed by UNDP Ghana, but this is for the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone (Upper East, Upper West, Northern Region and some parts of the Brong Ahafo and the Volta regions). The report will be launched at the University for Development Studies in Tamale on 17th August 2018, under the auspices of the Honorable Minister of Planning, Prof. George Gyan-Baffour, who will be giving the keynote address, and Dr. Alhaji Abdel-Majeed Haroun, the Chief Executive Officer of the newly established Northern Development Authority, who will chair the launch. About United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. Kindly visit www.gh.undp.org for further information on UNDP Ghana. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) will hold its 18th General Assembly at the Christ Congregation at Akropong Akuapem in the Eastern Region from August 17th to 23rd, 2018 under the theme: Go and Make Disciples of All Nations(Mathew 28:19). The General Assembly, which is the highest decision making body of the PCG, is expected to attract about 250 Commissioners, and Corresponding Members from all the 21 Presbyteries, both home and abroad. Major highlights of the Assembly would include the Official Opening Ceremony which the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Kofi Dzamesi is expected be the Special Guest of Honour, Divine Service, Service to Commemorate the Faithful Departed and Plenary Sessions from Monday 20th August 2017. The Assembly will also take decisions that will guide the activities of the Church in the coming years. Ministers retiring from the active service of the Church would also be presented to General Assembly. The General Assembly, will review activities of the Church in the previous year, plan for the ensuing year, and also serve as a platform for fellowship, interactions and networking among Commissioners and Corresponding Members. The Official Opening Ceremony will be performed by the Acting Moderator of the General Assembly Rev Dr Victor Okoe Abbey. One significant thing about this years General Assembly is that it marks one hundred years of Synod/ General Assembly System of the Churchs governance. It was in 1918 at Akropong Akuapem where the first Synod of the then Presbyterian Church of Gold Coast now Presbyterian Church of Ghana was held and the first Moderator and the Clerk were also appointed in the person of the late Very Revs. Peter Hall and Nicholas Timothy Clerk respectively. We appeal to all Presbyterians and the Christian community both home and abroad to pray for successful General Assembly. Source: Rev George Larbi/Public Relations Officer, Presbyterian Church of Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A North Carolina man who sexually abused his stepdaughter two decades ago has been stripped of his US citizenship and will now be deported to his native Ghana. Prempeh Ernest Agyemang, 58, had his citizenship revoked on August 8 for lying during his naturalization interview 17 years ago when asked if he had committed a crime for which he hadn't been arrested. Agyemang, who moved to the US from Ghana back in 1989, ended up marrying a woman with US citizenship who had a young daughter. He started sexually abusing the girl when she was in the fourth grade in late 1999 or early 2000. After the abuse began, Agyemang lied during his naturalization interview in 2000 and stated that he had never committed a crime or offense for which he was not arrested. Based on his answers, the Justice Department said Agyemang had his naturalization application approved and was able to become a US citizen later that year. Agyemang pleaded guilty three years later to sexually abusing his stepdaughter. He has been on the state sex offender registry ever since he was released from prison in 2007. The Justice Department issued a statement on Monday announcing that Agyemang would be deported and said it would 'aggressively pursue' others who have lied as part of their naturalization interviews. 'Under our laws, United States citizenship is conferred on those who demonstrate honesty and integrity, who respect our laws, and who can demonstrate the moral character necessary to be a positive and cultivating member of American society,' United States Attorney Robert, J. Higdon, Jr. said. 'The defendant fell short of that mark in every regard and we are satisfied that this Court saw fit to revoke his naturalized citizenship. 'As part of the Justice Department's mission to enforce the nation's immigration laws, we will seek denaturalizations in cases where individuals are dishonest and where criminal activity demonstrated the lack of moral character necessary for American citizenship.' Source: Dailymail 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 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. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) Alaska authorities say two men skied to a remote bear den on an island, pulled out their weapons and shot a mother bear in front of her two newborns. They say one of the men then turned his weapon and killed the shrieking newborn bear cubs. Alaska State Troopers say the men didnt know it but the bears were part of an observation program. The area outside the den had a motion-activated camera equipped with sound, and the slaughter was caught on camera. Authorities announced Wednesday that Andrew Renner and Owen Renner have been charged with multiple counts... Jill Stein holds a press conference at the federal courthouse in Philadelphia after a hearing on the Green Party's request for a statewide recount. Lawyers for the state, the Pennsylvania GOP and President-elect Donald Trump were lined up to oppose any review that might delay the certification of the state's vote. Read more If you're looking to assign culpability for the election of President Trump, stop blaming Jill Stein, Gary Johnson, and those who voted for either. Focus instead on the four in 10 Americans who were eligible to vote and did not do so in 2016 a higher percentage than the portion of the country who voted for either Trump or Hillary Clinton. That's the takeaway from a new analysis from Pew Research Service. Pew's release last week coincided with votes being counted in close races in Ohio and Kansas, where similar criticisms of "long-shot candidates" abounded. In Ohio's 12th Congressional District, a usually "deep red" district, the latest vote count has Republican Troy Balderson leading Democrat Danny O'Connor by only 1,564 votes. When the election night returns rolled in, many O'Connor supporters castigated Green Party candidate Joe Manchik, an easy foil because he'd once written that he descended "from a planet orbiting a star in the Pleiades star cluster." Manchik garnered 1,129 votes, and some were quick to blame him for O'Connor's apparent loss. In the Kansas Republican gubernatorial primary, acting Gov. Jeff Colyer waited a week before conceding to Secretary of State Kris Kobach. There the final margin was just 345 votes, which is far less than the vote total obtained by a GOP candidate too young to even vote for himself 17-year-old Tyler Ruzich, who amassed over 2,000 votes. Again, some said Ruzich was a spoiler for the outcome in the GOP primary. But that's not fair, either. Blame doesn't properly rest with either Manchik or Ruzich, two combatants like those Theodore Roosevelt had in mind when saluting those willing to enter the arena with faces marred by dust, sweat, and blood. Nor is anyone who voted for either at fault with regard to the election result. If you don't like the outcomes in Ohio or Kansas, blame those who didn't vote, not the predilection of those who did. It's the same story with the 2016 presidential results. If more nonvoters had voted, Hillary Clinton would have won the election, according to the Pew analysis. Simply stated, the demographic groups supportive of Trump turned out; those that supported Clinton made up a much greater share of nonvoters. As noted by Pew: "Compared with validated voters, nonvoters were more likely to be younger, less educated, less affluent and nonwhite. And nonvoters were much more Democratic. "Thirty-seven percent expressed a preference for Hillary Clinton, 30 percent for Donald Trump and 9 percent for Gary Johnson or Jill Stein; 14 percent preferred another candidate or declined to express a preference. Party affiliation among nonvoters skewed even more Democratic than did candidate preferences. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents made up a 55 percent majority of nonvoters; about four-in-ten (41%) nonvoters were Republicans and Republican leaners. Voters were split almost evenly between Democrats and Democratic leaners (51 percent) and Republicans and Republican leaners (48 percent)." Passion won the election. Trump's electorate, whether motivated by genuine support for his candidacy or by the opportunity to vote against Clinton, was more committed to showing up in those states critical to victory in the Electoral College, even if they were outnumbered among all who voted and the general populace. That's got nothing to do with third-party or other long-shot candidates and their supporters. Not surprisingly, that's how Jill Stein sees it. On CNN last week, she said that 60 percent of Americans have concluded that the two-party system has failed and she now supports a voting reform movement gaining traction in many American cities and one state's election. "There's a small, simple voting reform that actually changes the way our votes are counted. It's called rank-choice voting," she said. "It was just passed by the state of Maine. Used in their primary, they had a bigger turnout than ever. It makes the point that people don't show up to vote or they don't vote for the establishment candidates because they don't speak to their needs." Voters in Maine's statewide elections will now follow a system that is already utilized in elections in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand, as well as in Minneapolis and St. Paul, and for the tabulation of military and overseas ballots in five states, plus numerous collegiate elections. Instead of facing a binary choice, these voters will rank the entire field of candidates by preference. Unless a candidate secures a majority of "first choice" votes, the candidate with the least number of votes will be dropped and his/her votes reallocated to the voters' "second choice". The process continues until one candidate gets a majority of all votes. Of course, if instead you'd rather blame those who ran as long shots, or those who voted for them, you would be pleasing two constituencies the major parties that want to continue the status quo. Kevin Bean, a grade-school teacher in Montgomery County, will keep his job after a video of his performance as "Blitzkrieg" for a professional wrestling organization based in Pennsylvania was shared online. Read more Kevin Bean, an elementary teacher in Montgomery County who moonlighted as a local professional wrestler under the name Blitzkrieg, will keep his education job following an investigation by the school district. "Based on the investigation completed, we have found no evidence indicating violation of board policies by Mr. Bean," David R. Goodin, the superintendent of the Spring-Ford Area School District, wrote in a letter to parents that was obtained by multiple media outlets and confirmed by the district. "As such, Mr. Bean will continue to remain a teacher within the district." Bean's role as a wrestler using a Nazi gimmick garnered controversy in the district after a video from a World Wide Wrestling Alliance show in Quakertown on July 23 revealed the 36-year-old educator raising his hand in a Nazi salute and shouting "Sieg heil!" "A wrestler named Blitzkrieg 'The German Juggernaut' using a nazi gimmick at a recent local show in Pennsylvania. This video makes me sick," Ryan Satin, the editor of Collider's Pro Wrestling Sheet, wrote on Twitter. "Watching the guy do nazi salutes on his way to the ring while children in the crowd cheer him on like a good guy is terrifying." "The character I portrayed did not reflect my personal feelings or beliefs, and I do apologize to those in the community who were offended by such actions," Bean wrote in the letter to parents. "I have spent many years working in the Spring-Ford community, and pride myself in providing an exceptional education to my students over the course of 14 years." Bean could not be reached for comment, and it's unclear if he is continuing to wrestle in the WWWA. Bean's character is no longer listed on the wrestling organization's website, and the video of his Quakertown match has been removed from the organization's YouTube channel. Readers had some strong opinions about Bean's character after the story surfaced last month, leaving many comments on Philly.com's Facebook page. "Wrestling can't even have a heel now?" Anthony Natalini wrote. Damon Williams wondered "why THAT character," and suggested that Bean should "do better." John Petrini thought the core issue was compensation, writing, "Pay teachers what they're worth and they won't have to do part time gigs." The WWWA did not respond to a request for comment. Dino Sanna, owner of the WWWA, told the Blast news site in July that Bean was a "good guy and not a hateful person," adding that he was religious, with close ties to his local church. "Everyone has a gimmick. It's wrestling," Sanna said. When we recall that traumatic year 1968, some events and places stand out. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gunned down in Memphis. Robert F. Kennedy killed in Los Angeles after an election win. The Tet Offensive in Vietnam cast doubt on America's ability to win that war. In Prague, hopes for liberalization were crushed by Soviet tanks. In the streets and parks of Chicago, law enforcement clamped down on antiwar protesters at the Democratic National Convention in what became known as a police riot. One event that probably does not spring immediately to mind, unless you were there, was the occupation of the city of Wilmington by the National Guard. Troops were called in on April 8, 1968, in response to rioting that followed the King assassination. They stayed until Jan. 21, 1969 the longest period of military rule in an American city since the Civil War. >> READ MORE: Will Bunch on the occupation and its aftermath The National Guard was called in to more than 120 U.S. cities in response to racial unrest during the 1960s and generally stayed for days or even hours. There seemed to be no good reason to keep the National Guard in Wilmington for more than nine months except that Delaware Gov. Charles Terry insisted on it. The occupation ended the day his successor was inaugurated. Over the last several months, 20 organizations and institutions have worked together as Wilmington 1968 to commemorate and investigate the 50th anniversary of this dark chapter in the city's history. As part of it, the Delaware Art Museum commissioned the artist Hank Willis Thomas (born 1976) to create a set of works directly inspired by the occupation, which it is showing in conjunction with two exhibitions on the civil rights movement. The Delaware Art Museum has had some success with hyper-local shows like this, notably a 2015 deep dive into the Wilmington arts scene of the 1970s. Unlike that show, which was deeply researched and filled with works that provided a real sense of an era, the three current shows two of which have only a peripheral connection with the local events feel like a mere gesture to mark this big anniversary. And though Thomas incorporates some materials from the time in his new work, we do not see any other art or graphics made in Wilmington in 1968 that reflect life in the occupied city. Moreover, by situating the event entirely within the context of the civil rights movement, the trio of exhibitions ignores other strains of social upheaval from that pivotal year, from psychedelics to the antiwar movement, that threatened established norms and sometimes provoked disproportionate responses. The shows' focus is not specific enough to be memorable, and not broad enough to be meaningful. You will see some good photographs and drawings, but you will more than likely leave wondering what it was all about. Thomas' Black Survival Guide, or How to Live Through a Police Riot, a sequence of 14 panels, is intended to demonstrate the difficulty of seeing what is right in front of you. Each panel consists of two images printed on retroreflective vinyl of the sort used on highway signs. The image visible to the naked eye shows a page from the mimeographed pamphlet named in the title, which was circulated in the area in 1968. The words combine advice about dealing with disasters in general, and admonitions to the pamphlet's readers. "Because you are black this is important to you," one reads. "If you think they will not be after you, you are wrong." The same panels contain images taken by several photographers from the Wilmington newspaper the News Journal showing scenes of the National Guardsmen interacting with local residents. In order to see these images, you need to look through special viewers essentially clear eyeglasses with little headlights near the hinges. (There is something silly, very '60s and Jetson-ish about these glasses; they are perhaps the most engaging aspect of the show.) As you look across each panel with your headlights on, the news photographs appear, but incomplete and with a certain ghostly quality. It's a great gimmick. But what is it supposed to mean? The words of the pamphlet certainly express the simultaneous fear of and hunger for apocalypse that was evident at the time. But when we don the glasses to look past the words, we don't see any greater truth. Indeed, the photographs that become visible border on propaganda. The first shows a fully armed soldier with a little girl standing nearby. It is exactly the kind of "keep calm and carry on" message one would expect in the daily newspaper in 1968. You could argue, I suppose, that the words about struggle, emergency, and violence gave way, in the end, to the bland repression depicted in the photographs. The artist seems, however, to be suggesting that the National Guard's occupation amounted to the kind of police riot warned about in the pamphlet. It seems rather to have been the over-response of a governor seeking reelection by stoking suburbanites' fears that the unrest of the city would spread if left unchecked. Racist pandering is still part of our politics, and perhaps more of a threat than a police riot. The two other shows deal with earlier and better-known events in the history of American race relations. "The Montgomery Bus Boycott: Drawings by Harvey Dinnerstein and Burton Silverman," consists of 30 works, mostly in pencil, by two friends who went to Alabama to document what proved to be a turning point in the civil rights movement. The drawings depict many of the participants in the yearlong drama, including Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat on a bus, and a 26-year old King, first coming into the public eye. But the ones that show the boycotters, walking for miles to win their struggle for simple human dignity, have the greatest impact. "Danny Lyon: Civil Rights" is a traveling show of photographs by a New York-born photographer who became involved with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee while he was a student at the University of Chicago and later became the organization's staff photographer. The 57 photographs, all from the early 1960s are, unlike many of the familiar and often-reprinted photos from that era, inside views of the movement. A few were intended for use on posters, but most simply document organizing, demonstrating, getting arrested, and relaxing, the day-to-day life of a movement. They are well worth seeing. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, center, speaks on the findings of the grand jury report on Catholic clergy sexual abuse. The report recommends changing the law to allow older victims to sue. (Michael Bryant/Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS) Read more HARRISBURG At the end of its devastating report finding that Roman Catholic bishops across Pennsylvania covered up decades of child sex abuse at the hands of priests, involving more than 1,000 victims, the state grand jury drew lawmakers a road map toward justice. Among its recommendations was the idea of giving older adults the right to file lawsuits for abuse they suffered as children, a proposed change that has paralyzed the legislature for years, leading to questions of whether the new findings would change the politics of the issue enough to bring a different result. Political disagreements and backroom lobbying have repeatedly stalled bills that would have retroactively loosened the statute of limitations for claims against the church, even as prosecutors have produced one damning report after another. With the latest report, every Roman Catholic diocese in the state has been implicated, thus highlighting abuse in nearly every legislator's district. That brings the potential for public outrage and pressure on lawmakers. Yet the entire House and half the Senate is up for reelection, there are few legislative voting days left in the year, and powerful opposition to change remains. "I don't know how anybody could read the report and not want to take action," said House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R., Indiana), who has supported allowing victims who have aged out of the civil statute of limitations to sue. But he acknowledges it will be difficult, noting that some religious groups have already begun contacting legislators. "What makes me crazy is that you have these sort of crimes committed. And it seems like the number-one goal of individuals associated with it is to kill policy changes," he said. Reed called that "politics and inhumanity at its worst." The latest grand jury report investigated six of the state's eight Roman Catholic dioceses, including Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Allentown. It ended by recommending that the legislature change the law to, among other things, create a two-year window to allow for civil suits by older victims. While victims say the ability to sue could help them access services to cope with the trauma, lobbyists for the Catholic Church and the insurance industry have opposed such legislation, saying a flood of lawsuits would deliver a crushing financial blow. Those two influential forces have found a receptive ear in Republicans who control the Senate. Led by President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R., Jefferson), GOP senators gutted legislation in the 2015-16 session that would have allowed older victims to sue, even if the statute of limitations had expired in their cases. As it stands, abuse victims can file civil claims only until they are 30. >> READ MORE: If the grand jury report doesn't force a reckoning in the Catholic Church, it's time to walk away | Mike Newall In blocking the measure, Scarnati said that he and many in his chamber supported extending the civil and criminal statute of limitations for future victims but that it would be unconstitutional to make the change retroactive. At the time, many legal experts argued that the constitutionality of such a measure was an issue for the courts, not the legislature, and that similar efforts had survived legal challenges in other states. The GOP-controlled House supported the retroactivity clause, which was championed by State Rep. Mark Rozzi (D., Berks), a victim of clergy sexual abuse. Rozzi and some victim advocates blamed lobbying and campaign cash for torpedoing the reform effort, which has carried over to this legislative session. "To me, they are just playing politics, they are politicians," Rozzi said after the grand jury's report was released Tuesday. "I didn't come to Harrisburg to be a [lying] politician." State records show that the Catholic Conference of Pennsylvania, the lobbying arm of the church, and the Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania have spent a combined $6.5 million to try to influence lawmakers since the start of 2016. It is not clear how much of that money went specifically to kill retroactivity measures because the state does not require lobbyists to release detailed breakdowns of their spending. The Insurance Federation also is a generous campaign donor, giving $30,000 to Scarnati alone during that same time. While Scarnati has blocked retroactivity, he is the prime sponsor of a bill to eliminate the civil and criminal statute of limitations for child sex abuse claims in most future cases. Scarnati did not respond to an interview request made through his spokesperson. The Insurance Federation's president and CEO, Samuel R. Marshall, in a statement said the group supports Scarnati's bill and agrees with Scarnati's assessment that retroactivity measures raise constitutional concerns. "There are also unique insurance considerations in trying to retroactively create liability long after a statute of limitations has passed, but today is not the time for a discussion of insurance economics and the limits of coverage," Marshall said. A spokeswoman for the Catholic Conference did not respond to a message. Already, legislators are receiving emails from organizations supportive of the church, Reed said. That pressure is only likely to ramp up as the legislature returns to the Capitol next month for a whirlwind series of votes; the House has 11 scheduled voting days left and the Senate has 10 before the legislative session expires at the end of November. Any bill that does not pass before then has to be reintroduced in January, and start its legislative arc from scratch. Complicating matters between now and then is a high-stakes election in which all 203 seats in the House, and 25 seats in the Senate, are up for grabs. Legislators have historically avoiding taking hot-button votes during that time, making a quick resolution on statute of limitations reform less likely. Still, Reed said he was optimistic. Although official negotiations haven't been scheduled, Reed said he intends to bring Scarnati's bill, which passed the Senate last year, up for a vote in his chamber. He expects, however, that the bill will be changed to reflect the grand jury's recommendations. "If folks are not spurred to do something after reading these reports, I cannot imagine anything else that would get their attention," he said. Ushers wait to collect donations during a mass for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia, PA on August 15, 2018. This week, a Pennsylvania grand jury released a report that reveals sexual abuse allegations against more than 300 priests in six Pennsylvania dioceses. Read more Oh my God, I am heartily sorry, for having offended thee And I detest, all my sins, because I dread The loss of Heaven, and the Pains of Hell I recited these words for the first time in the spring of 1968, to a dark screen in a cramped cubicle at Holy Child church in Logan. I believed in the depths of my six-year-old soul that the man on the other side of that screen could grant me absolution. I wasn't sure what I was guilty of having done but I knew that when I left that curtain-draped space, I would be forgiven. Catholics are big about seeking forgiveness. We are taught that humans err, but that there is always the hope of a new beginning. I always held tightly to that most precious of sacraments, fully prepared to sin repeatedly over the course of my lifetime. That spiritual insurance was necessary. Little did I know that it was the church that would one day need to seek absolution. Philadelphia was the focus of a devastating grand jury report in 2005 and again in 2011. This week, the rest of Pennsylvania came under the critical lens of history. Attorney General Josh Shapiro issued an almost 900-page report, two years in the making. If you love children, you must read this story of promises broken, innocence shattered and obligations violated. It is hard for me to write these sentences through the blur of tears. People who have read what I have written in the past would not expect that of me, since I have often voiced my concerns over due process and the unfairness of a system that takes accusations and turns them into legal truths. And yet, I am a child of a church that helps me tolerate the loss of my mother with the promise of seeing her again. I have spent decades among nuns who taught me strength, resilience and kindness. The saints are not myths or stained-glass decorations for me, but rather the embodiment of mercy (St. Francis), courage (St. Thomas More), scholarship (St. Augustine), and what I can only call "bad-assery" (St. Michael). Like Father James Martin who wrote about his own relationship with the saints, they are always with me. And now, so is this blight on my beloved church. I spent Wednesday reading the Grand Jury report, and it is a sordid story rooted in decades of cover-ups, predatory men and broken boys. I have no doubt that most of it is the truth, although we will never know for sure since many of the accused are dead. But there is enough in that report to make me shudder at the way children were sacrificed so that institutions could be protected. There is something more, though. One of the reasons that the church failed so miserably in its duty to the children is bitterly ironic: misplaced forgiveness. The driving desire to redeem the sins of these criminal priests played a part in the shuffling around from rehab, to Rome, and to parishes ignorant of their sordid pasts. Despite this, good priests desperately tried to bring attention to the abuse, writing letters to their superiors, only to have the door shut in their faces. And so the sorrow is tinged with anger. Anger at men like Anthony Bevilacqua and Theodore McCarrick, who abetted predators. Anger at fellow Catholics, who lashed out at Josh Shapiro on social media with veiled anti-Semitism, wondering why the "non-Catholic" lawyer is persecuting us. That is a sick echo of the attacks on Lynne Abraham over a decade ago. Anger at the refusal to consider the role that non-celibate homosexuals played in the crisis. Anger at advocacy groups who push for laws that will strip the church of legal protections while leaving secular institutions unscathed. Why should the wearing of a Roman collar deprive a man of his constitutional rights, as if citizenship and a certain religious identity are incompatible? And finally, my anger extends to Catholics who, under the guise of protecting children, push for changes that are entirely irrelevant to the issue. Married priests won't make things safer for kids in a world where married men and women commit atrocities. Nor will a female priesthood. The opportunists are using our Catholic agony to gain ground. We can't let them, even as we seek absolution. I firmly resolve, with the help of thy grace To do penance And sin no more Brian Fallon performs with New Jersey band Gaslight Anthem at their soldout Fillmore show on August 15, 2018. (ED NEWTON / For the Inquirer) Read more As 2018 has proven over and over again, change is one of the few constants in life. From social attitudes to laws and leaders, almost everything evolves. But, if we're lucky, a few things we love stay the same for us, no matter how many times we keep coming back to them. New Jersey rockers The Gaslight Anthem fall into that category, as Wednesday's tenth anniversary show of the band's sophomore album, The '59 Sound, proved. While the guys in the band may be older, the music itself is as tight and sentimental as ever and the fans love it just as much, even if they're older, too. Launched by vocalist/guitarist Brian Fallon, lead guitarist Alex Rosamilia, drummer Benny Horowitz, and bassist Alex Levine, The Gaslight Anthem came out of New Brunswick, New Jersey in 2006 with a chip on their shoulder. Heavy with references to rock heroes like Joe Strummer, Bruce Springsteen, and Bob Dylan, the band's 2007 debut, Sink or Swim a delightfully rough-around-the-edges release grounded solidly in punk rock put them on the map for modern punk fans that year. The '59 Sound, however, became Gaslight's seminal album. Heavily nostalgic, the release feels like a modern classic, thanks to tape echo effects on Fallon's vocals, vintage equipment, and lyrical and musical references to an era long-since passed in America. Ten years later, fans' love for the album hasn't faded in fact, the band's absence has only fueled that nostalgia after a years-long indefinite hiatus that began in 2015. The band returned in January with an announcement about their tour for The '59 Sound. On Wednesday, few songs got as big a reaction from the crowd as tracks from the album, which Gaslight played through in full, in order. From the album's kickoff with "Great Expectations," a song that references Charles Dickens, to "The Backseat," a bittersweet take on the fade of summer and youth, Fallon could hardly be heard over the crowd. Oddly, though, unlike with most Gaslight Anthem shows from the past, this one included no notable mosh pits. Instead, fans remained mostly relaxed, going only so far as to pump their fists along with songs, or dance around a little. Life experience, after all, tends to bring maturity, and most aging punk rockers (myself included) hung out in the back of the crowd. Standouts from The '59 Sound included "Old White Lincoln," "High Lonesome," and "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues," which includes a nod to Tom Petty in the chorus. For the latter track, Fallon worked in a portion of Petty's "Yer So Bad" from 1989's Full Moon Fever to the delight of the audience. Instead of ending their set with "The Backseat," the band pushed further into tracks from other releases, including Sink or Swim's "Boomboxes and Dictionaries," a heavy, rock-forward song that had Gaslight sounding a little tired, and "The Diamond Church Street Choir," an excellent, upbeat track from 2010's American Slang. Throughout the night, at least one song from each of the band's five studio album's got some stage time. The band went 19 songs before frontman Fallon finally addressed the Philly audience, with the band taking a break after "Underneath the Ground" the only track to be played from 2014's divisive Get Hurt on Wednesday. But rather than reflect on the 10 years that have passed since the release of The '59 Sound, or pander to Philly's love of the Eagles as is standard for touring acts, he told the audience about the time he met fellow New Jersey native Danny DeVito at an unspecified event. "It was a weird interaction because I didn't know what to say," Fallon said. "I wanted to say, 'You're really funny on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia,' but I think he knows that." Following the story, an audience member asked Fallon if the band would be playing any covers, and suggested an Ed Sheeran tune. Fallon jokingly bristled at the suggestion, and instructed the audience to boo the show-goer after he played a riff from Prince's "When Doves Cry." "Here's $10," Fallon said, reaching into his pocket for a wad of cash to hand some bills to the heckler. "Go buy Prince's greatest hits." The audience member, however, threw the money back. "You don't throw money back," Fallon said. "I was doing you a favor. Where's [Social Distortion frontman] Mike Ness when you need him? What are you, writing for Pitchfork? You're miserable." Most other folks at the Fillmore on Wednesday, however, seemed pretty happy members of the Gaslight Anthem included. The band went on to play several more songs for the set, including "45," "Howl," and "National Anthem" from 2012's Handwritten, the latter of which included an appearance from opener Matty Mays on vocals. Fellow opener Jared Hart, also from New Jersey, joined the band onstage for "We're Getting a Divorce, You Keep the Diner" from Sink or Swim. The band ended the night with a particularly heartfelt performance of the eponymous track from 2010's American Slang, which has taken on a different, bleaker meaning in 2018 in Donald Trump's America. "Look at the damage" Fallon sang. "The fortunes came for the richer men. While we're left with gallows, waiting for us liars to come down and hang. And when it was over, I woke up alone." And with that, it was over. No encore, no lingering just a "thank you" and "good night" from the band like they never left. In some ways, despite that 2015 hiatus, they never did, at least when it comes to their fans hearts and minds, judging by the packed house on Wednesday singing along to every track. But despite how well the band was received on tour, the Gaslight Anthem's reunion run is coming to an end. This weekend, the band will play a few final shows bin Asbury Park, where they cut their teeth as a budding punk band back in 2006. After that, the band has said, it will be all over no new material is planned. "You take any band, you look at the Replacements or look at various other bands who kind of, at a point, go, 'All right, well that's pretty good, let's maybe leave it there,'" Fallon said on the Fan Theory podcast earlier this year. "But then they still go and they can play shows and celebrate what they've done while they maybe feel like they don't have anything else to add to it. There's kind of a ceremonial beauty in that. You can look at it and go, 'Oh, remember this? This is cool.'" For the foreseeable future, that's what Gaslight Anthem fans will have to do. Until the next reunion, at least. Full setlist: 1. "Handwritten" 2. "Old Haunts" 3. "Wooderson" 4. "Mae" 5. "Great Expectations" Start of The '59 Sound play-through. 6. "The '59 Sound" 7. "Old White Lincoln" 8. "High Lonesome" 9. "Film Noir" 10. "Miles Davis & The Cool" 11. "The Patient Ferris Wheel" 12. "Casanova, Baby! " 13. "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" Included part of Tom Petty's "Yer So Bad." 14. "Meet Me By the River's Edge" 15. "Here's Looking At You Kid" 16. "The Backseat" End of The '59 Sound play-through. 17. "Boomboxes and Dictionaries" 18. "The Diamond Church Street Choir" 19. " Underneath the Ground" Included riff from Prince's "When Doves Cry." 20. "45" 21. "Howl" 22. "The Queen of Lower Chelsea" 23. "National Anthem" With Matty Mays on vocals. 24. "We're Getting A Divorce, You Keep the Diner" With Jared Hart on vocals. 25. "American Slang" A man puts a shirt on before leaving Higbee Beach in West Cape May, NJ on Aug. 15, 2018. ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer Read more WEST CAPE MAY The nude man walks along the shoreline at the edge of Cape May County on this perfect beach day, the breeze off the water keeping the greenheads away. As he gets closer to another person on the beach, not nude, he unfurls a black Speedo from his hand and slips it on without missing a step. "If it were polite, everybody would be naked," the 62-year-old Collingswood man explains about why he covers up in mixed beach company. "That's the way I look at it." At Higbee Beach, a once-nude beach that is no longer officially a nude beach, except that it is basically still a nude beach in spots, the nude sunbathers are nothing if not polite. "Just as I walked by, everybody rolled over," noted Drew Pearsall, 63, of West Chester, Pa., retired from quality control at Johnson & Johnson, who came down for the day to his favorite beach and was content in a bathing suit and a green Phillies cap, his torso a deeply contented shade of well done. "It's secluded and quiet." This is Higbee Beach 17 years after a ticket written by Lower Township Capt. Martin Biersbach for public nudity found its way to the state Appellate Division and nudist history, when that court ruled that townships could enforce ordinances against public nudity on state-run land. That ended Higbee's run as an official nude beach, but really, being an official anything beach was never Higbee's thing. It's not officially a dog beach. It's not officially even a swimming beach, or an anchor-your-boat beach. Or a horse beach. Or a gay beach. Or a hippie beach. Officially, it's a Wildlife Management Area run by the State of New Jersey, with excellent trails and birding. But head up through those trails that traverse the amazingly lush, rolling, tree-canopied dunes to this secluded beach most any day of the summer, and it's dogs, boats, swimmers, gays, straights, sometimes people on horses, and, heading south toward Daveys Lake, in the direction of Sunset Beach, still an (unofficial) nude beach. Though the naturists tend to be discreet when warranted. "It's kind of an anything goes beach," said Adam Keilbaugh, a yoga instructor from Philadelphia who was spending the day idyllically under an umbrella with his 13-year-old dog, Luna, equally content nearby, leaving the nudists to another more remote section farther up the beach. He's been going to Higbee for more than a decade. Most people seem to know the ropes, and the various constituencies seem to sort themselves out peaceably, but a few are surprised. "As the beach narrows, there was a congregation. It changes where it narrows down there," said Pearsall in amusement. "It was a surprise to me." The beach's seclusion, fresh water lakes and springs, pathways up in the dunes and quiet all make Higbee a seriously atypical Jersey Shore beach no beach tag checkers, no lifeguards, no amenities but the ones you bring in. This is what drew Pearsall back, he said, albeit a bit more enlightened as to where to set down his chair. "When I came back, I didn't want to encroach on the guys who were rolling over," he said. Higbee's curving geography gives it the feel of a tropical beach, say St. Thomas without a dive beachside bar, with the Cape May Ferry boats filling in for the cruise ships. Some people think it's haunted, and its so-called ghost tracks emerge every few years, a relic of a rail line built for the sand mining and munitions testing facilities during World War I. The hauntings date to the late 19th century, when Thomas Higbee, part of a family that owned a hotel on the land, was buried there at his request. His body was later moved to Cold Spring Cemetery, but local lore recounts sightings of old Tom walking the beach in a long coat, with a dog, as he never wanted to leave. Highbee also had a reputation as a gay meeting place, but these days, that distinction mostly belongs to Rehoboth Beach, a ferry ride away in Delaware. At least officially. And for an official nude beach, head to Gunnison Beach on National Park Service land in Sandy Hook in North Jersey. There, clothing is optional and signs are posted. At Higbee, the dog people, the boat people, the seclusion is my thing people, and the naturalist people appear to have settled into an amiable co-existence. "It's a sacred kind of place," said one topless woman who's been coming to Higbee for 30 years. "It's been a nude beach since the 1930s." Keilbaugh says the beach sorts itself out naturally the farther away one gets from the parking lot at the end of New England Road. It makes sense that anyone with kids or a lot of stuff won't bother walking that far from the parking lot. "It isn't officially a dog beach, but it's a dog beach," said Keilbaugh. "It's not built up. We've seen bald eagles, people riding on horseback. This is wonderful. I do back bends and stretches." Keilbaugh's been coming to Higbee for about 15 years. He says he sees the same regulars who go low-key nude. The boaters anchor like they're in the tropics, wading onto the shore like they're on Survivor. "We live real close to the beach, but we'd rather come here," said Jolene Mizsak. She and her husband, John, bring their boat, the Pinch Me, from Stone Harbor to Higbee for idyllic beach days. "It's not crowded. Nobody bothers anybody. They do their things, we do ours." Pinch Me indeed. The Mizsaks say Higbee provides a nice beach walk that is a bit more interesting than your typical Stone Harbor, or even North Wildwood, stroll. "They're happy to show their stuff," jokes John. "The closer you stay to the [Cape May] Canal, the less nudity." More dogs, more bathing suits, basically. And on some days, hundreds of horseshoe crabs wash up. The beach was ripped apart during Hurricane Sandy, mostly overwhelming its weird landmarks, like South Voodoo Tree, which Keilbaugh says was basically a collection of driftwood stacked up every year with "South Voodoo" carved into a branch. Over at Lower Township police headquarters, Biersbach said he can't remember the last time anyone complained about nude sunbathers at Higbee. He says it's been a few years since any summonses have been written. He recalled the years after the law was upheld, when police formed special details to crack down on the practice, with grants from the state. He said the long walk from the parking lot to where nudists might congregate would tend to keep families from setting up shop nearby. "We don't actually walk the beach," he said. "It's kind of isolated. Like a deserted island." Although park rangers ride up and down the beach periodically, the state seems to have let it go as well. "I thought the nude sunbathing there stopped years ago," said Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the state's Department of Environmental Protection. As you get closer to Sunset Beach at Cape May Point, the spot where the famous flag-raising ceremony takes place at sunset, high tide will fill a little tributary from Daveys Lake and make it impossible to cross, forming a moat of sorts. Towels will emerge on some lounge chairs as a nod to discretion, or not. Bathers will emerge from the sea, nude or not. At Higbee, the sun will set over the Delaware Bay, unceremoniously. The square wooden remains of what looks like a pier carry still yellow painted warnings that in context seem almost assuredly in jest. "No traipsing, no shenanigans, no gallivanting." "No nudes is good nudes." "No sashaying." Officially, anyway. Are you a Shoobie and proud of it? Get the gear to prove it at store.philly.com. Use promo code SHOOBIE for 15% off your entire order. New homeowner Lois Napper (right) talks with Rita Calicat (left), a social worker with Habitat for Humanity, and HOW volunteers and board members Anthony and Dominique Delgott in her new kitchen as they help prep the house for move in. Read more For two years, Lois Napper prayed daily for a house that she could call her own. She prayed for something better for her two children Jade, 3, and Cameren, 9 than the too tight, rundown apartment in West Philadelphia of the last four years, where she says mold has taken over the closets and aggravates her son's asthma, the roof leaks, and cockroaches run roughshod every winter. On Tuesday, the 30-year-old single mother closed on the first house she has ever purchased. The 1,300-square-foot rowhouse in the Carroll Park neighborhood has three bedrooms, one bath and, of course, no mold. Jade cannot wait to move into her own bedroom for the first time; she plans to decorate the walls with princesses. Cameren's room overlooks a small backyard perfect for cookouts and a kiddie pool. The porch has a shiny coat of gray paint and a new roof that extends to the neighbors, whose own has seen better days. The kitchen has granite countertops and brand-new appliances. Throughout, there is laminated hardwood. It's a beaut. "I've literally been praying for two years to get a home in West Philly," Napper said, a few days before last weekend's fanfare-filled dedication. "God answers prayers." So does How Charities, which bought and rehabbed the rowhouse its first project. An arm of the Conshohocken-based How Group, which develops properties, the nonprofit was established in 2017 with the goal of providing affordable housing. "We have it in our core values, giving back," said Gary Jonas, managing member of the How Group. The company has long raised tens of thousands for nonprofits, provided hundreds of Thanksgiving meals, and supported holiday toy drives. It still will do much of that. But, Jonas said, How wanted to "better leverage the money it was giving away. It became super clear that to do that, we needed to do what we're really good at. That's developing properties." For this inaugural house, How partnered with Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia, part of the international nonprofit that builds affordable housing, to select a family. Napper is enrolled in Habitat's Homeownership Program, which prepped her through 350 hours of "sweat equity" at other Habitat properties and classes on all things related to buying and keeping up a house, said Rita Calicat, director of family services for Habitat Philadelphia. "We believe in homeownership," Calicat said, "that everyone deserves a decent, comfortable place to live. "This," she said, taking in Napper's house, the 213th that Habitat Philadelphia has dedicated, "means stability, security, a place to call home. The kids can make lasting memories." When the How Group launched its charity with a $280,000 budget, its goal was ambitious: By 2020, it wanted to rehab and turn over the keys to 10 homes a year. The charity, though, bumped into reality. "It's way harder and more complicated than we thought it was going to be," Jonas said, noting the lengthy process for attaining nonprofit status. How's partnership with Habitat helped smooth the way. Next year, it plans to work with Big Brothers and Big Sisters to identify needy families for two homes. Now, Jonas said, the aim is to deliver 10 homes a year by 2023 putting it on the path to being a significant player in meeting housing needs. By comparison, Habitat Philadelphia built 13 homes in fiscal year 2017, according to its impact report. "There is so much poverty in the city," said Mary Pack, coordinator for How Charities, "so many people struggling to keep a roof over their heads. It's time for us to help out." Nineteen contractors who work with How Group volunteered time and materials to remake the rowhouse, purchased by the charity for $46,000. "They took the house to the bare bones and redid everything," Pack said. Essentially, it is brand new. Pack added that Napper, whom she has gotten to know, "is a wonderful role model for her children and others. It is well-deserved." Harte Electric in Wynnewood handled all the electric work, contributing an estimated $6,000 in labor and materials, owner Turlough Harte said. "I thought it was the right thing to do for Gary and his company. He's always done the right thing by me." A few days before the dedication, several How employees gathered to scrub windows, clean the bathroom, and wipe down the countertops. Katie Donovan, project coordinator for How Charities and senior coordinator for How Group, sprayed a pane and rubbed at a spot with a rag. She said this project differed from How's past community service efforts. "Rather than just donating [money] or showing up to help out, you make it happen," she said. "This being in-house, you really get to see it through, from start to finish." Napper took a break from polishing the doorframe to show off the house her home. "I love the kitchen. I love the backyard. I love the bathroom," she said. She pointed out a large mirror framed in dark wood that hangs over the bathroom vanity. "I love the mirror." Napper walked into the master bedroom. "This is my room," she said, proudly, "and I have two closets." As part of its agreement with Habitat, How sold Napper the house by way of an interest-free mortgage provided through Habitat. Napper said she would pay about $250 a month a total of $600 when taxes and insurance are added. Her apartment, she said, rented for $900 a month. (How Charities will get the mortgage portion each month to help fund future projects.) Napper, who has an associate's degree in human services and works for Habitat's home repair department, allows that she's nervous over the responsibilities of owning a house. She is determined, though, to find success. Her children motivate her. Napper knows from her college studies that children raised in homes owned by parents fare better. She tells her children, "We need to own our home so you guys can be more successful. You all get older, you get up and go wherever you want to go, and you still have a foundation." To that end, Napper says she plans to keep a separate bank account dedicated to home repairs and include reminders for annual maintenance in her calendar. She also talks about building equity exactly the word that Jonas likes to hear. He envisions homeowners such as Napper using that equity to invest in a second property as a rental, a way to "get out of a cycle of just getting by and into a cycle of building wealth." For now, Napper's goal is more modest: Settle in, save toward new furniture, make a home. "I'm going to be cooking, baking," she said, standing in her new kitchen, "and barbecuing while the kids are in the pool." Contact Lini S. Kadaba at LKadaba@gmail.com. Follow @KadabaLini 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. See all of our reporting at https://brokeinphilly.org This story has been updated to correct the number of "sweat equity" hours Lois Napper served with Habitat for Humanity and the financial arrangement between How Charities and Habitat. 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. 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. 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. A Cherry Hill man was sentenced Wednesday in federal court to 34 years in prison for leading a conspiracy to sell nearly 400,000 oxycodone and other prescription pills in the Philadelphia region. Leon Little, 38, was convicted in December 2016 by a jury on 50 counts of drug-related crimes for his role in a pill-peddling operation that was aided by a suburban doctor's secretary and some residents of Raymond Rosen Manor, a North Philadelphia housing project, posing as patients suffering from severe pain. Little took in more than $3 million from the scheme, which he spent on jewelry, flashy clothes, a $17,000 motorcycle, real estate, and a UPS franchise, IRS investigators said. He also gambled more than $1 million of his ill-gotten gains at casinos. "This defendant was the mastermind behind a massive scheme involving highly addictive drugs, and he lived high on the hog at the expense of other people's misery," said U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain in a statement. U.S. District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe also sentenced Little to five years of supervised release. A Delaware County man previously convicted of securities fraud pleaded guilty Wednesday to a scheme to artificially inflate stock prices to make at least $3 million. Howard M. Appel, 57, of Wayne, was ordered detained by U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond in Philadelphia after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. "This habitual fraudster manipulated the markets to further his own self-interest," U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain said in a statement. From 2008 to 2010, Appel was incarcerated in federal prison after pleading guilty in New York to conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and then was under supervised release until June 8, 2013, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission civil complaint filed in connection with the criminal case. In the current cases, Appel orchestrated his fraud from 2012 through 2013, the SEC complaint says. The companies involved were Virtual Piggy Inc., Red Mountain Resources Inc., and Rio Bravo Oil Inc. Appel has agreed to settle the SEC charges and will be barred from serving as an officer or director of a public company. In the criminal case, Appel is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 26 and faces a maximum five years in prison. He also faces a financial penalty that could equal twice the amount of his monetary gain. Kevin Klein, 36, was convicted Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 of simple assault, driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of an accident, according to court records. Read more A fired Philadelphia police officer was convicted Thursday of driving while intoxicated, crashing his car into another vehicle on Christmas Eve 2016, then driving away and pulling his service weapon on a man who chased him down, according to court records. Kevin Klein, 37, was found guilty of simple assault, driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of an accident, the records say. He is scheduled to be sentenced in November. Police said at the time of his arrest last year that Klein, a nine-year veteran of the force, had been off duty when his car struck another on the 6100 block of Passyunk Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia. The driver of the car Klein hit, Steven Gilbert, drove after Klein when Klein fled the scene, according to a grand jury presentment detailing Klein's arrest. After a several-mile chase, the presentment said, Klein stopped and pulled his service weapon on Gilbert, who was with a friend. Police who responded told grand jurors that they believed Klein appeared intoxicated, but they did not arrest him, test him for drugs or alcohol, or seek witnesses, according to the presentment. Instead, the presentment said, Sgt. Thomas Cairns a supervisor called to the scene of the confrontation on the 3000 block of Penrose Avenue "called for an officer from Klein's home district to transport him home." Grand jurors wrote that Carins' testimony was "less than credible" and that it "seemed as if he was attempting to cover up Klein's actions." Cairns remains on the force with a salary of $85,341, according to payroll records. Commissioner Richard Ross said in January that Internal Affairs was investigating the police response to the incident. The status of that probe was not clear Thursday evening. Klein was suspended from the force with intent to dismiss when he was arrested last December. His attorney could not be reached for comment Thursday evening. As a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Margo Davidson is entitled to a $87,180 salary with automatic raises, a generous benefits package, and a state-funded vehicle, with fuel and maintenance included. Thankfully for her, taxpayers also cover the car insurance. Davidson, 55, a Democrat from Delaware County, has had three accidents in two state vehicles over three years, including a hit-and-run fender bender this year while driving with a suspended license. And she has found other costly ways to be careless with her state-owned SUV. Last year, for example, Davidson's vehicle was left parked in her Philadelphia-area driveway unlocked with the keys in the ignition. It was stolen and later was involved in an accident, leading to expensive repairs by the state. State records obtained through a Right-to-Know request show that Davidson's total bill for repairs and insurance claims now surpasses $30,000 and it could keep growing. Davidson, when asked about her driving record, was nonchalant. "Accidents unfortunately happen from time to time when people drive," she said in a statement. To critics, Davidson has become the poster child for ending the state program that provides House members with vehicles leased from the Department of General Services for up to $628 a month. They point to Davidson's extensive accident record and the fact she was driving without a license as evidence of the program's lack of oversight. "I don't even want to say it's loosely controlled, because it's not controlled at all," said Rep. Brad Roae, a Republican from Crawford County who introduced a bill last year to end the practice of providing state cars to members of the General Assembly. Roae said drivers like Davidson represent a "huge liability" to taxpayers if they are involved in a serious accident. The vehicles used by legislators are insured by the state, not an outside agency. Roae said the Department of General Services does not review a legislator's driving history before providing a car. "They just take your word for it," he said. Davidson's run of driving mishaps began in September 2015 when she rear-ended a car in Lansdowne driven by Melita Webb. Davidson was driving her state-issued 2014 Dodge Journey. Webb and her husband later filed a civil complaint. This February, the state paid $12,000 to settle the case. The settlement included a confidentiality agreement. An additional $1,251 was paid to the Webbs in connection with the case, state records show. Two years ago, Davidson was fined $210 for speeding in Virginia while driving a private vehicle. She failed to pay and her license was suspended. That didn't stop her from driving. On Jan. 11 this year, Davidson was on I-476 when she rear-ended a Honda Accord with her state-owned 2017 Jeep Cherokee. She left the scene before police arrived and never reported the accident to state officials, as required. Davidson was found guilty in May of driving without a license and failing to notify police of the accident. She paid $149.50 in fines. On Feb. 2, three weeks after the I-476 collision and still unlicensed, Davidson struck a Buick Regal while backing out of a driveway in Concord Township, sending her and the other driver to the hospital. She said the accident was serious enough that she wore a neck brace for a few days. The other driver claimed an injured neck and left arm. The bill for towing and repairing Davidson's SUV was $10,374, according to Department of General Services records. Davidson at the time blamed the other driver. In July, she was found guilty of entering traffic unsafely or without giving an appropriate signal. She paid $50 in fines. Davidson's state-owned vehicle has been involved in two other incidents where the bill was covered by the state. State records show a June 2015 payment of $1,575 to another state employee. Troy Thompson, spokesman for the Department of General Services, said Davidson apparently opened her door and struck the car parked next to her. "My understanding is that the car that was damaged was a Jaguar," Thompson said in explaining the bill. In October 2017, police records show, Davidson's then-state car, the 2014 Dodge Journey, was stolen from her driveway in Upper Darby. Police say the doors were unlocked with the keys inside. The thief crashed into another driver, causing serious vehicle damage and injuries. Invoices show that the state paid $7,207 to repair and refinish Davidson's SUV. Davidson was also fined $221 in September 2014 for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle while driving her state vehicle in Philadelphia, according to court records. Davidson, who was first elected to the House in 2010 and ran unsuccessfully for Congress this year, declined to discuss specific accidents, settlements, or repairs with the Inquirer and Daily News, but in a statement downplayed her checkered driving record. She said her state-funded repair costs "are not out of the ordinary when someone is involved in an accident." "In 2017, there were 128,188 reportable traffic crashes in Pennsylvania," she said It took the Department of General Services until Feb. 14 to learn that Davidson's license had been suspended. As a result, Thompson said, the department told her that she would not receive a replacement vehicle after the accident in Concord on Feb. 2. Thompson said the Department of General Services does not have the authority to monitor representatives' driving history. "There is a provision that requires self-reporting of accidents and changes in the status of driver's licenses, but there is no automatic mechanism in place to do that monitoring," Thompson said. At an April hearing of the House State Government Committee, Kenneth Hess, deputy secretary for procurement at the Department of General Services, said the agency is "taking steps now to provide access or a path for us to get some sort of updates" to prevent another situation where a lawmaker is driving a state car without a valid license. State Rep. Jerry Knowles, who voted in favor of the bill in committee, said Davidson's recent accidents revealed the lack of oversight in the state car program. "I am baffled," said Knowles, a Schuylkill County Republican, "by the fact there is not a better process in place to deal with people who have their licenses suspended or who have not-real-good driving records." Only 27 representatives in the 203-member House are in the state vehicle program. All are Democrats. Twenty are from the Philadelphia area. Participants are eligible for a taxpayer-funded car with a maximum monthly lease of $628. Members of the Assembly can chose instead to be reimbursed .55 cents per mile for using their personal vehicles. For some, reimbursement for mileage can exceed the cost of leasing a state car. Rep. Matthew Bradford, minority chairman of the House State Government Committee, noted that in those cases, state vehicles save taxpayers money. "Unfortunately, the politics may cloud the economics of it," Bradford, a Democrat from Norristown, said at the April hearing. Roae's bill to end the state car program for legislators cleared the state government committee in May, but has yet to come up for a vote before the full House. Records provided by the state Attorney General's Office revealed another quirk in Davidson's 2015 accident with the Webbs. The settlement agreement in that case included a clause stating that the "terms of this agreement are confidential." "All parties to this agreement expressly agree to decline comment on any aspect of this settlement to any member of the news media," it reads. Attarah Feenane, the lawyer who represented the Webbs in their claim against Davidson and the state, said she could not comment as a result. Joe Grace, a spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, which negotiated the settlement on behalf of the state, said such confidentiality clauses are common for the office. After the Inquirer and Daily News asked about the case, Grace said the office gave permission to the Webbs to discuss the settlement. Feenane did not respond to subsequent requests for comment by phone and email. Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel at the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, said confidentiality clauses are not enforceable when a government agency is a party to the settlement. "The clauses can't be enforced in court to thwart public access," Melewsky said, "but they can still cause confusion and create a barrier to access, which is obviously not in the public interest." For the record, Davidson has had car woes unrelated to her elected position. In 2013, Davidson was named as a defendant in a civil complaint after a motorcyclist said Davidson's personal Cadillac SRX hit him in 2012 in Upper Darby. But, in that case, it was Davidson's son driving her SUV, according to the motorcyclists's attorney, Adam Grutzmacher. Progressive Insurance paid $14,000 to settle the case. "Guess it runs in the family," he said. Staff writers Dylan Purcell and Holly Otterbein contributed to this article. WASHINGTON A day after the release of a grand jury report that blamed him and other bishops for their roles in covering up decades of clergy sex abuse in Pennsylvania, Cardinal Donald Wuerl on Wednesday implored Catholics to pray for abuse victims and said the church needs to "constantly be there" for them. "I think we're all aware of the stories coming out in Pennsylvania dealing with child sexual abuse over the years," Wuerl, a former Pittsburgh bishop who now leads the Archdiocese of Washington, said at a lunch-hour Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. "But here and now, let us turn our prayers to Mary and ask for her intercession." A few hundred people filled the sanctuary on the Catholic feast day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a day of devotion to the mother of Jesus. The report released Tuesday threatens to tarnish the reputation of Wuerl, a close ally of Pope Francis and one of the most influential Roman Catholics in the United States, for his handling of several abuse cases. Wuerl, who led the Pittsburgh Diocese from 1988 to 2006, has long had a reputation as a church leader who championed a zero-tolerance policy long before other bishops did. The criticism of Wuerl also comes one month after his predecessor in Washington, Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, resigned after revelations that McCarrick sexually abused boys and exploited adult seminarians. They also come at a time when the church worldwide is grappling over how to respond to fresh allegations of sexual abuse and cover-ups. After the report's release, Wuerl denied the claims he failed to protect children or withheld key information from parishioners, and his spokesman called the investigation a "flawed process" steered "unwaveringly toward a predetermined result." The archbishop didn't repeat the denials or delve into the details of the report during his appearance on the altar Wednesday. But as the Mass began, he said he wanted first of all to pray for victims of sexual abuse "no matter how long ago abuse may have taken place." He also asked for "Our Lady's intercession for those who may have caused this," and added that "we fervently pray that we will be able to work toward restoring confidence and faith." Later the archbishop said that "we need constantly to be there for the survivors," and that the church also needs to be there for "those whose faith may have been shaken by the activity or inaction of clergy." After that, he made no more allusions to the report. David S. Glosser (left), of Yardley, criticized his nephew, White House adviser Stephen Miller (right), in an op-ed that went viral this week. Read more Few people outside the Philadelphia area had probably heard of David S. Glosser before he wrote an op-ed piece for Politico Magazine this week calling his nephew Stephen Miller, an adviser to President Trump, an "immigration hypocrite." The blunt rebuke in which Glosser accused Miller of dehumanizing refugees and turning his back on their family's immigration story went viral and caused Miller's name to trend on Twitter on Monday afternoon. We talked to Glosser, a neuropsychologist who lives in Yardley, about his motivation for writing the piece, his relationship with his nephew, and how he believes Miller's policies are affecting immigrants. Why he decided to write the op-ed Glosser said he was dismayed by the separation of more than 2,000 immigrant children from their parents at the southern U.S. border earlier this year. The separations were the direct result of a "zero-tolerance" policy that Miller created and the Trump administration implemented. (Trump, facing public outcry, signed an executive order in June to halt the family separations.) "I didn't feel I had the moral right to remain a quiet voice," Glosser, 68, said. "I knew I had the opportunity to get heard more loudly because of my family relationship with Stephen." Glosser also wanted to share the history of their family's ancestors, who fled anti-Jewish violence in Eastern Europe in the early 1900s and eventually settled in Johnstown, in Western Pennsylvania, where the Glossers ran a number of businesses, including a department store. In the op-ed, Glosser wrote that the family would have been "wiped out" had Miller's ideas, such as greatly reducing the number of refugees in the country, been in effect. What his relationship with Miller is like There isn't much of one. "I've met the guy maybe 10 times in my whole life," Glosser said. Most of those encounters were in Miller's early childhood. The last time he spoke to Miller was at least five years ago, when they discussed something political, Glosser said. He declined to go into details. Glosser said he doesn't want people to think he's the family spokesperson. While many relatives have sent him messages supporting the op-ed, he said that he hasn't heard from his sister, who is Miller's mother, and that she and Miller's father tend to stay out of the spotlight. How he thinks the policies created by Miller and the Trump administration are affecting immigrants "People who deserve asylum are being shipped back to hell," Glosser said, pointing to the administration's ruling that victims of domestic abuse and gang violence generally do not qualify for asylum. Glosser, who performs psychological evaluations for clients of HIAS Pennsylvania, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that provides legal services to immigrants, said the rhetoric used by Trump and Miller to target immigrants is dangerous. Trump has used words like "infest" and "crime infested and breeding" to describe illegal immigrants. Miller is also pushing the administration to limit citizenship for another group legal immigrants particularly those who have used public programs such as Obamacare, NBC reported earlier this month. Miller's and Trump's threats to immigrants, Glosser said, are threats to everyone who cares about democracy. "Today it's them," he said. "But it could just as easily be us tomorrow." South Jersey land of the 609 and 856 area codes is getting a new dialing procedure. That's because a new 640 area code is being rolled out in September in the central and southeastern parts of the state as the supply of 609 number combinations runs out. Come Saturday, South Jersey residents will need to change the way they dial numbers on cell phones and landlines. Anyone living in Mercer, Burlington, Camden, Salem, Cumberland, Gloucester, Atlantic, and Cape May Counties will be affected. Three years ago, as 609 combinations started dwindling, New Jersey service providers and the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) began discussing an overlay plan. "Once 609 began reaching exhaustion, we started to plan another area code," said Beth Sprague, industry liaison for the NANP, which was implemented in 1951 in an attempt to simplify long-distance dialing. The new three-digit code will overlay the geographic area from Trenton to Cape May. The same happened in Philadelphia when a third area code rolled out in March. Here's how dialing in South Jersey will work: If you're calling from 609 or 640 to 609 or 640: area code + seven-digit telephone number If you're calling from 609 or 640 to 856 or any area code other than 609 or 640: 1 + area code + seven-digit telephone number If you're calling from 856 to 609 or 640 or any area code other than 856: 1 + area code + seven-digit telephone number If you're calling from 856 to 856: seven-digit telephone number Those who dial incorrectly will hear a recorded message with directions on how to properly make a call. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities hopes the new dialing procedure will become habitual. But to simplify the process, callers can update their contact lists or speed dial with the new dialing combinations. Other equipment, such as fax machines and voicemail services, will need to be reprogrammed. "It is important that all consumers take a moment to understand and implement the new dialing procedures," said Joseph L. Fiordaliso, president of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, in a statement. "Once they get used to the changes, the new dialing procedures should become second nature." The 609 area code was introduced in 1947 as one of New Jersey's two original area codes, and the 856 number was added 50 years later in Camden, Salem, and Gloucester Counties, and parts of Burlington County. Former mayors Nicolas Platt (left) and Jordan Glatt are New Jersey's new "shared-services czars." Read more Their rhyming names make them sound like the stars of a buddy-cop comedy. Nicolas Platt is a Republican. Jordan Glatt is a Democrat. They've known each other for 30 years. Their families once lived on neighboring farms. Both are former New Jersey mayors turned nonprofit administrators. And now they have what is perhaps the most challenging new job in all of New Jersey: trying to persuade local officials in the state's 565 municipalities to work together. As Gov. Murphy's newly appointed "shared-services czars," Platt and Glatt are tasked with helping to implement the governor's call for collaboration to make local governments more efficient, cut costs, and, ultimately, chip away at the property taxes that make the state such an expensive place to live. In the three months since the pair's appointments, local officials have emailed them every day asking for the state's help, they said. Next month, they'll meet with Atlantic City officials eager to find savings. A website will go live in the coming months. They'll host regional conferences across the state starting this fall to show officials how to collaborate. >>READ MORE: New Jersey governor wants 'czar' to encourage towns to share services They've already identified some "low-hanging fruit" ripe for collaboration, including information technology, health inspections, human resources, tax assessing, and trash pickup. "There are some things no one will tend to show up at a town hall meeting and start raising a ruckus" over, Platt said. Of course, one town's vision of collaboration might be another's fear of consolidation: There's the concern about losing identity, control, even jobs. Saving money by sharing services can mean paring personnel. That's not usually a popular choice, especially cutting public-safety positions. Both Platt and Glatt were quick to say local officials will not hear them discuss consolidation of towns or local governments. But most are open to other ideas. "It's something I think, every town, they want to do it, but the devil really is in the details," Glatt said. "As I jokingly said, shared services is like going to heaven. Everybody wants to do it, but nobody wants to do what has to be done to get there." They aren't the only ones talking collaboration. Last week, a task force formed by Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D., Gloucester) recommended that the state require local officials to meet at least twice a year to discuss shared services, require the merger of municipal courts that have small caseloads, and allow counties to provide local police services. Platt said the senator's and the governor's initiatives are complementary and that the czars plan to work with legislators. This is despite the fact that Sweeney who has predicted that some towns won't respond unless they're pushed lamented the lack of authority that Murphy bestowed on the shared-services czar job. >>READ MORE: Want more efficiency in N.J. government? Merge school districts, share municipal services, group says Glatt and Platt report to the governor, but as volunteers (each will be paid $1 per year), they have no power to force collaboration. Most municipalities collaborate with their neighbors in some way, including equipment sharing, police coverage, and personnel. Some counties, including Gloucester, handle certain services for their municipalities. Supporters note the benefits economic and otherwise of sharing services. Local officials caution that shared services won't cure the state's property tax problem, and some collaborations could even cost more money. Platt and Glatt know that. But they tick off the reasons they think they can win over municipal officials: They're not pushy, they're willing to listen, and they have experience both within municipal governments and outside of them. Platt is chairman of the Great Swamp Watershed Association; president of the Hartley Dodge Foundation, a nonprofit that maintains the architectural and historic character of Madison Borough's municipal building; and an elected township leader in Morris County. Glatt is the director of strategic partnerships at the Community Foundation of New Jersey, where he works with people and corporations wanting to make charitable donations in the state. As mayor of Harding Township, Platt helped form a joint district court with four other municipalities. His township saved more than $200,000 per year. As mayor of Summit in Union County, Glatt helped merge health departments with neighboring communities' and reassure residents they would get the same or better service with the creation of a joint emergency dispatch service. Glatt said he anticipates "some hand-holding [and] saying, 'Hey, I've been here before. It's going to be OK.'" They took different paths to the job. Platt said when he heard then-candidate Murphy talk about his idea for a shared-services czar, "I said, 'Oh, my God. That's my job. I was born for that job.'" Platt said some friends knew the governor and got him a meeting with Murphy. Not that Platt thinks it will be easy. "History has not been kind to czars," he recalled joking with the governor. "They usually die painfully.'" Glatt was more hesitant when Murphy asked him to fill the role. "It's a lot of herding of cats," he said. Michael Darcy, executive director of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, said his group looks forward to working with the czars and is glad they have pledged not to force participation. "That was a very refreshing direction for us to hear from them," Darcy said. Often, he said, state task forces and agencies want to "impose a prefabricated framework on everybody." State officials have promoted shared services since at least the 1970s, said Marc Pfeiffer, assistant director of the Bloustein Local Government Research Center at Rutgers University. Legislators also have helped by passing or repealing laws. The state has long published guides and organized seminars and workshops to encourage joint efforts. This initiative "is not something new, but it's: What does the Murphy administration want to do to help local governments do a better job?" Pfeiffer said. For now, Glatt and Platt believe local leaders will at least give them a chance even if it means the occasional bad joke about their rhyming names. "Believe me," Glatt said, laughing, "we've taken some abuse on that." Two girls jump off the rocks at Devil's Pool in the middle of the Wissahickon creek on June 28, 2017. Read more The city is closing Devil's Pool in Wissahickon Valley Park every weekend through Sept. 30, beginning Saturday, to "ensure public safety," the Department of Parks and Recreation said Wednesday. The department did not elaborate on any safety issues, but neighbors have wanted a crackdown on the adventure-seekers who flock to the 15-foot watering hole. The pool, once a hidden gem, has gained popularity due to online articles, YouTube videos, and Facebook groups with directions on how to find the once-unmarked spot. The area off the Livezey Lane trailhead is officially closed to swimming, but few people follow that rule, with up to 400 visitors known to take the plunge on a summer weekend. >> READ MORE: No, you can't swim in Devil's Pool at the Wissahickon. Really. Neighbors have said cars line their streets and the area becomes filled with trash. Residents have also complained of people urinating on lawns, having sex in public, and trying to swim in a neighbor's pool. Friends of the Wissahickon, a nonprofit volunteer group, raised $10,000 to increase police presence over the Fourth of July weekend last year. Police said that they would enforce the long-ignored no-swimming rule but that the extra manpower would only last through the holiday. The group is asking for feedback about the weekend closures. City officials have raised concerns that someone could drown in the pool, because there are no lifeguards or support nearby. Objects submerged in the water also present a danger, and the poor water quality can result in skin infections or gastrointestinal issues. Parks and Rec said its rangers and Philadelphia police will enforce the weekend closures. The Orange Trail and White Trail entrances to the Devil's Pool site will be closed at Livezey Lane and Valley Green Road, the city said. All other trails and parking lots in Wissahickon Valley will remain open. Upper Chichester police have released more details on an incident early Wednesday in which a 41-year-old man shot his wife and then led authorities on a high-speed chase on I-95 from Delaware County into Philadelphia before fatally shooting himself in the head. Gilbert Snowden, whose wife obtained a permanent protection-from-abuse order against him earlier this year, crashed his BMW into the guide rail near the Island Avenue off-ramp after leading police on a 100 mph pursuit about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, Upper Chichester Police Chief Thomas Bush said Thursday. Before the chase, Snowden had shot his wife, 40, in a shoulder, the stomach and a hip, Bush said. The woman, whose name was not released, was in stable condition Thursday at Crozer-Chester Medical Center. Three children, ages 10, 16 and 19, were inside the family's home on Meetinghouse Road when Snowden shot his wife three times, the chief said. When their mother ran outside, he said, Snowden shot her again. The mother yelled to the two younger children to run to the Boothwyn fire station a block away, he said, while the 19-year-old stayed to call 911. The two children banged on the door of the firehouse to be let in, Bush said, and their mother got medical attention. When police arrived at the home at 12:20 a.m, Snowden had already fled Upper Chichester, Bush said, and police officers began to search for him. They found his car at a rest area on I-95 in Delaware County, but Snowden quickly drove back onto I-95 once he saw a marked police car arrive at the rest stop. Police chased Snowden's car on I-95 for several miles, the chief said, with the vehicle reaching a maximum speed of around 100 mph. Snowden was the only person in the car, he said, and no one else was injured and no vehicles were damaged in the chase. The pursuit ended when Snowden's car suddenly slowed and crashed into the guide rail. Officers heard no gunshot as the car slowed, and Bush said police assumed Snowden had shot himself during the chase. Philadelphia police took Snowden to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 3:19 a.m., the chief said. Police recovered a 9 mm handgun. Bush said Snowden was prohibited from owning a firearm because of earlier criminal convictions that included assault. Pope Francis delivers his speech during the Angelus noon prayer he recited from the window of his studio overlooking St.Pter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. The pontiff said his thoughts are with the families of the victims, the wounded and the displaced following deadly bridge collapse in Italy. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Read more The Vatican on Thursday called "criminal and morally reprehensible" the conduct of priests detailed this week in a blistering grand jury report on clergy sex abuse in Pennsylvania. "Those acts were betrayals of trust that robbed survivors of their dignity and their faith," a papal spokesperson said in a statement released two days after the nearly 900-page report was made public. "The church must learn hard lessons from its past, and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur." Released in multiple languages, the statement did not quote Pope Francis directly, but said he "understands well how much these crimes can shake the faith and the spirit of believers, and reiterates the call to make every effort to create a safe environment for minors and vulnerable adults in the church and in all of society. Victims should know that the pope is on their side." The statement represented the first public reaction to the report from Rome, and comes as the Catholic Church has reeled from a fresh wave of clergy sex-abuse cases worldwide and questions over Francis' response to them. Five Chilean bishops have stepped down, and more have offered to join them, amid a widening scandal there about clergy sex abuse. And last month, the pontiff accepted the resignation of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, former archbishop of Washington, who remained a top church leader despite claims that he had preyed on priests or seminarians. READ MORE: >>Read the Vatican statement McCarrick's successor, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, figures prominently in the Pennsylvania grand jury report. Built during a two-year investigation by state prosecutors, it described more than 300 "predator priests" who allegedly abused more than 1,000 victims over seven decades in six of Pennsylvania's eight Roman Catholic dioceses. The grand jury found that church leaders, including bishops, routinely and deliberately covered up the abuse, casting the victims aside in an effort to protect the church from scandal. Among the most notable clerics cited for failing to do enough was Wuerl, the bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006. The pope's name had been invoked weeks ago in the case. When a group of unnamed clergy members mounted a legal battle to block the report's release or redact their names from it arguing that they were denied due process or that their reputations would be unfairly harmed Attorney General Josh Shapiro wrote to the pontiff, imploring him to encourage those clergy members to drop their appeals. "Credible reports indicate that at least two leaders of the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania while not directly challenging the release of this report in court are behind these efforts to silence the victims and avoid accountability," Shapiro wrote. "Your Holiness, I respectfully request that you direct church leaders to follow the path you charted and abandon their destructive efforts to silence the survivors." An attorney for some of the petitioners called the letter an "inappropriate" effort to pressure his clients to back down. The Vatican did not publicly respond to Shapiro. In a statement released after the comments from Rome on Thursday, the attorney general said: "I appreciate the validation of our work in Pennsylvania and the expression of remorse on behalf of Pope Francis. I hope that under the Holy Father's leadership, the church will now embrace and support the grand jury's recommendations." The Vatican remarks noted that many of the instances of abuse detailed in the report are decades old, which spokesman Greg Burke said was a testament to reforms made by the church after what was to become a global focus on clergy sex abuse first flared in Boston in 2002. Late that year, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops adopted a charter aimed at protecting children. The bishops have since revised it multiple times, and cited those improvements this week in the fallout of the Pennsylvania investigation. "We pledge to maintain transparency and to provide for the permanent removal of offenders from ministry, and to maintain safe environments for everyone," said the statement signed by the conference's president, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of the Galveston-Houston Archdiocese, who previously held posts in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. "As a body of bishops, we are shamed by and sorry for the sins and omissions by Catholic priests and Catholic bishops," DiNardo wrote. The grand jury's findings also have drawn criticism. Some of the priests mentioned in the report have challenged their accuracy. The Catholic League, a New York-based advocacy group, issued an 11-page report Thursday attacking the Pennsylvania investigation and its findings. And in Washington, a spokesman for Wuerl, who was cited more than 200 times in the report, sought to counter its depiction of him. His spokesperson, Ed McFadden, also specifically targeted Shapiro, arguing on Tuesday that the attorney general "was more concerned with getting this report out than getting it right." In its aftermath, the archdiocese created a website, TheWuerlRecord.com. McFadden said the site was intended to help inform journalists who do not typically cover the Catholic Church or the cardinal but were writing about the report. But it was quickly criticized by some who thought it was inappropriate or read like a script from a politician. McFadden took the website down late Wednesday, the day before the Vatican statement. "I read the criticism," McFadden said, "and I thought that this is going to be one more distraction." The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has launched an investigation into allegations that a former student at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary sexually harassed a freshman at the Wynnewood school during the 2010-11 academic year, according to a letter sent Tuesday to priests, deacons and others associated with the seminary. The letter, signed by Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Senior, stated that the alleged violations of the seminary's sexual harassment policy have been turned over to the archdiocesan director of investigations. The probe is the result of a series of complaints that "surfaced on social media last week," according to the letter. On Aug. 9, former St. Charles student John Monaco, 25, of Boston, described his experiences of sexual harassment at the seminary in posts published on churchmilitant.com and on his own blog at medium.com. The essays recounted sexual harassment Monaco said he endured as a student at St. Charles beginning in the fall of 2010, and also outlined "abuse and misconduct" he later witnessed at St. John's Seminary in Brighton, Mass. Monaco enrolled in St. John's in 2014 after a year at St. Charles and earning a bachelor's degree at a Connecticut college. He identified the seminaries in the two posts after initially writing about the schools without naming them in an essay posted Aug. 3 on One Peter 5, a Catholic website. Now a graduate student in Boston, Monaco said that as a 17-year-old freshman at St. Charles, he was subjected to sexually inappropriate advances by a fellow student who visited his dorm room. Several months later, he said, he was groped at an off-campus party hosted by a then-seminarian who also gave Monaco a drink that he suspects was spiked because he soon began to feel disoriented and fell asleep. He also saw two seminarians fondling each other at the party, Monaco said. When he told his formation director about the experience, Monaco said he was told that he should be more understanding of his fellow seminarians. The formation director then prayed over him. In a statement late Thursday afternoon, archdiocesan spokesman Ken Gavin said that the seminary only "recently became aware of allegations of sexual harassment by one seminarian of another that is purported to have occurred during the 2010-2011 academic year In keeping with the long-term policy of the seminary and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, this allegation was turned over the Archdiocesan Office of Investigations for appropriate handling in light of policy and applicable law. As it is an active investigation, we are not able to comment upon it further." Monaco said he felt compelled to come forward after reading about Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, former archbishop of Washington, who was forced to resign last month from the College of Cardinals following reports that he had sexually abused minors and adult seminarians over the course of decades. "It was painful to go back and reexperience the memories, but I am glad that I came forward . A seminary should never be a place where a man does not feel that he can be protected and grow in holiness," Monaco said from Boston, where he is studying for a master's degree at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. At St. John's, Monaco said, he witnessed excessive drinking by students and faculty, and seminarians "cuddling" in the "downstairs" common room. He heard about "sexting" by a student who was seeking "hookups," and about priests who would get drunk and invite a special "clique" of seminarians to their rooms for private parties. He was so troubled by his experiences at both schools, he said, that he sought counseling. Cardinal Sean O'Malley, archbishop of Boston, announced an investigation into the allegations at St. John's in a statement released Aug. 10. Another former St. John's student also has come forward with complaints of inappropriate behavior. The seminary's rector has been asked to go on an immediate sabbatical during the investigation, O'Malley's statement said. The allegations come as the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania is reeling from the release of a grand jury report that outlines child sex abuse involving more than 1,000 victims and hundreds of priests in the state over decades. The report includes witness testimony and complaints against priests in the Dioceses of Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Allentown, Scranton, Erie, and Greensburg. >>READ MORE: Pa. Catholic Church sex abuse report names hundreds of priests, accuses leaders of cover-up: 'They hid it all.' The Philadelphia Archdiocese and the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese were not included because they had earlier been the subject of grand juries that examined sex-abuse claims against clergy. St. Charles expects more than 170 seminarians to enter with the start of this school year. About 50 of them are new students, the letter said. The archdiocese distributed the letter to remind priests and deacons about the policies regarding "sexual violence, harassment and stalking," as officials prepare to welcome the incoming classes. The regulations will be reviewed by seminarians and each will be required to sign a form acknowledging that he has been informed of the policy. All allegations are to be reported to the Seminary Department of Safety and Security, which will then turn them over to the archdiocesan director of investigations. Allegations against clergy are reviewed by the Archdiocesan Professional Responsibilities Review Board. Any alleged criminal conduct is reported to law enforcement before an archdiocesan investigation proceeds, according to the letter, which was first posted by Catholics4Change, a group that advocates for church accountability. >>READ MORE: Will blistering Pa. grand jury report on Catholic clergy sex abuse lead to political change? Monaco recalled his time at St. Charles as "toxic" and said he has been contacted by former students who agree with his depiction of seminary culture. He described it as a cloistered, solitary experience that felt like prison at times. He said he no longer wants to be a priest, but remains a devoted Catholic. "There was no real interaction with parishes, the average Catholic person, or other Catholic universities, or other Catholics our age. It was like we were in our own little island in the middle of Wynnewood," said Monaco, who is studying to teach theology. "That's not what you want for your future priests." Firefighters try to rescue a man trapped in a trench in the 100 block of West Walnut Park Drive. Read more A plumber died after a trench he was working in collapsed late Thursday morning in the city's Oak Lane section, a Fire Department spokeswoman said. The man, whom authorities have not officially identified, and two others were working underground at a private residence along the 100 block of West Walnut Park Drive when dirt and concrete fell into their work area around 11:15 a.m., authorities said. Two of the workers escaped, but the third was trapped. "The body has been found, but we are still working to remove it," Fire Department spokeswoman Kathy Matheson said early Thursday evening. Dozens of firefighters worked for hours with crews from the Philadelphia Water Department, Philadelphia Gas Works, and other responders in trying to rescue the man before locating his body, Matheson said. Deputy Fire Commissioner Gary Loesch told reporters at the scene that the hole was about 15 feet deep. "Just a few pounds of dirt can trap somebody where you can't move at all," he said. Loesch said there was no danger to the rest of the neighborhood Police asked news media helicopters to back away around noon because the noise was hindering rescue operations. Staff writer Robert Moran contributed to this article. Due to active support from The Planetary Society and our members, Congress provided an additional $75 million for technology development for the Mars program last year, though NASA has still not requested a "new start" for the next phase of the sample return campaign. Speaking of sample return, the report also examined NASA's progress toward addressing the top recommendation of the decadal survey: a caching rover to start a sample return campaign from Mars. The Mars 2020 rover is deemed to fully meet those recommendations by including a full suite of in-situ scientific instrumentation and a sample caching and preparation system at the cost of the original decadal estimate. As for the follow-on mission necessary to retrieve and launch those samples, NASA has yet to commit to a mission. Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, the Associate Administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, stated last year that NASA's intent is to pursue the next phase of sample return no earlier than 2026, using a "lean" architecture that focuses on returning samples and engaging international partners in the effort. The report blesses this effort, recommending that: The Change-4 spacecraft has completed payload integration and space environment testing. It will launch in December atop a Long March 3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in the southwest part of the countrythe same site used for Chinas five previous lunar-related missions. Change-4 will target the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin on the lunar far side. A landing in the SPA basin is one of lunar researchers top priorities, because it's the oldest lunar basin and may contain material on its floor that came from the lunar mantle. Being the first-ever landing on the farside, the mission is likely to gain a lot of attention and bring prestige to Chinas space program, if all goes according to plan. Change-4 background Change-4 was manufactured at the same time as Change-3, to provide a backup in case of mission failure. Change-3 landed in Mare Imbrium in late 2013 and deployed a little rover named Yutu. Following that successwhich was the first lunar soft-landing by any nation since 1976Change-4 has been repurposed for this new, audacious mission. Because the Moon is tidally locked to the Earth, we never see its far side from the ground. This means the mission requires a relay satellite to facilitate communications between Earth-based ground stations and the spacecraft. The relay satellite, named Queqiao, launched on May 20 and entered orbit around the second Earth-Moon Lagrange point on June 14. According to Wednesdays press event, the satellite and its 4.2-meter antenna are functioning well and are ready to serve as the bridge between the Change-4 and the Earth. You should read Luyuan Xus blog on the relay satellite, which also details the secondary science objective of the Netherlands-China Low-Frequency Explorer (NCLE), the folklore origins of the Queqiao satellite, and more. MBALE- Uganda recently conducted Local Council elections at village level where the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party swept the elections claiming 90 per cent of the village leadership position countrywide. The Mbale District Local Government Chairman Benard Elly Masaba Mujasi spoke to Our Special Correspondent, Julius Odeke-Onyango what it means to the ruling party and to the person of President Yoweri Museveni. LC elections at village level have been concluded with NRM party taking 90% of leadership positions countrywide. What does it mean to the ruling party? As leaders of the ruling party, we have been telling people in our country that NRM has a strong foothold of its support in the population that is close to 40 million people but the opposition leadership was rubbishing us every now and then. This election serves as an opportunity for them to know that they dont have support and this presents to the whole world that President Yoweri Museveni is a leader with a vision for Uganda. Now opposition has realised that what we have been telling them is true. The common person who is at the grassroots knows that President Museveni is a visionary leader who has the country at heart so they cannot afford to vote him out simply because newcomers are propping up with divergent views which seemingly look nice to Ugandans but are baseless and without a backbone to support such views. How come Elgon regions support of the party is waning? Well, its true. It is because there are some people within our party who do not have the party at heart. They too, at times help the opposition to spread malicious propaganda and that is why [the] opposition finds it easy to have their footprint in Elgon region. But in Mbale, where I am the Local Government chairperson, we are looking for young cadres with whom we shall entrust with political leadership positions so that we strongly and firmly hold the ground. Why were dragged to court in 2016? My opponent Vincent Magombe dragged me to court basing on unfounded allegations that I rigged the election. Magombe was simply exercising his democratic right as a bonafide citizen of this country by going to court, but I am happy that Uganda has an efficient judicial system that looked into the allegations keenly and found them malicious and baseless. So, court had to uphold my victory. You know Uganda in East Africa is a democratic country where aggrieved parties are free to go to court at any time they want. At the age of 73 like President Museveni whom Ugandans want to retire. When will you retire from active politics? In Uganda, we have the biggest problem in NRM party that the young cadres who are educated do not want to take up leadership positions and that is why we are still around. For example, in Mbale the urban citizens who are educated are unwilling to contest for political leadership and this has posed a big threat to our party. You find that its the mediocre group of politicians with no education, who tend to show up because they have money but without a political agenda to deliver to the electorate. I am trying to woo the elite class so that we can nurture them but they are not interested in politics. They fear losing in the contest and its affecting the political fabric of the party so much. And people like Magombe, those are wrong people whom we cannot trust with the leadership of this district and since they continue coming to contest for political leadership, I will not retire. Those are the people who want to grab both people and governments land for their personal gain which is very wrong. Mbale has big chunks of land that we are looking for international genuine investors to come and build factories here so that the youth get employment. And above all, for a person to come wanting to contest for the Mbale district leadership, then that person must support President Museveni. If President Museveni is still running then I will also contest so that I can give him the base to do the job properly. The president is a patriotic leader unfortunately it is those whom he appoints who have disappointed him. I have known President Museveni as a leader who means good for Uganda and he wants Uganda to attain middle income status at all costs. You have been singled out as President Musevenis critic in the party opposing his directives all the time. What is your take on this? I am not a critic to President Museveni at all and I have never at any moment opposed his directive. What I know is that one day the president came to Elgon region to meet the party leaders. But he came hurrying that he was going elsewhere to campaign for a party flag bearer in a by-election, I told him that Mr. President these people have gathered here with an aim of talking to you. It is wrong for you to come and quickly leave without listening to them. The president took a long thought and considered remaining to talk to us. But many people said I was opposing the president. I was simply being honest and that is me. I dont pretend. I am an old man, I have learnt not to tell the president what he wants to hear but what the community wants him to hear and I say it in good faith. I thank God that the president has learnt it and that is why he has trusted me and the people around me because we are honest and President Museveni doesnt take offence of my honesty. What have you achieved since 2001 when you were elected into Mbale Local Governments office? I am proud of what I have done since I came to office in 2001. Mbale was the third worst performing district in the whole country. Corruption was at its peak. The leadership in this district before I came in was full of bad leaders, people who stole virtually everything that they could lay their hands on. They were grabbing people and governments land and even houses but when I came in that vice stopped because I dont tolerate corruption. It is only Mbale District in Uganda where pupils do not sit on stones while taking lessons neither do they sit under trees. In other districts pupils still sit under trees and to make it worst they sit on stones instead of sitting on desks or benches. I have fought and wiped out corruption in Mbale. That is my greatest achievement and I am proud of it. And when it comes to the health sector, we have built health facilities in all the sub counties in the district even in the hard to reach mountainous areas like Bufumbo, Busano and Wanale. It is only the three-newly created sub counties of Namabasa, Bunamasikye and Rwaso that have no health facilities but those too shall get the same benefits because we want all our mothers and children not to walk long distances while seeking such basic services. You are a rich man with several businesses and buildings in Mbale city. Many people question your riches. Where did you get your wealth from? I worked in Nairobi, Kenya as a Senior Bank Manager since 1976 before retiring in 1999 and coming back to settle in Uganda. Now if a man retires at the rank of a senior bank manager more so from a foreign country (Kenya) which is the biggest economy in East Africa do you expect such a man to be a poor that he cannot afford to buy a building? I have also been tagged to other peoples buildings in this city just because the owners are my relatives, which to me is wrong but at times I am happy because it makes me prominent although they are not mine. Explain the allegation that you masterminded the killing of Emmanuel Bwayo Wakheya Amins Finance Minister in 1976 and took his wealth. [Pauses for about three minutes, speechless] I wish people knew. I left Uganda for Kenya in 1975 as a refugee. While on my way to Nairobi, I got stranded around Nakuru starving for two weeks but I was only lucky that a relative picked me and took me to Nairobi. The late Wakheya, I knew him as a son of Bugisu region and a minister of Finance in Amins government and that was all. I have never worked in Ugandas civil service so there is no way people can say that I worked in the Ministry of Finance so that I could mastermind the killing of a finance minister. People say [Daniel Arap] Moi used you to steal government funds hence explaining the source of your wealth. What is your comment? I wish you worked in the bank. A bank is a private sector that there is no way one can steal money from it. And more so, as a senior bank manager you do not have any single access to money, its the lower managers who deal in cash transactions but a senior bank managers duty is simply managing the employees. Its worth noting that I was not in politics. I was neither a Member of Parliament nor a councillor in Kenya so that those in political leadership would even come to know me. I left Kenya in 1999, and I dont think President Moi and his senior ministers even came to know that I lived in Kenya but this is the perception of people because I carry myself as a person who is reserved and who can look after myself and my family. Bio Position: Mbale District Local Government Chairman and he is also an elder in Bugisu sub region in Eastern Uganda who is tasked with advising the president on a range of issues that affect the region. He also serves as an elder, who advises the Inzu ya Bamasaba aka, Umukuukha, a cultural institution of the Bamasaba people who constitute a total population of seven million living both on separate borders of Uganda and Kenya in Kitale and Bungoma Counties in western Kenya. Experience: Mujasi, 73, a former senior banker with one of the most reputed banking institutions in Kenya during President Daniel Arap Mois regime retired in 1999 and he returned to his home country Uganda to serve as District Chairman in 2001 and he has never lost an election basing on his honesty and willingness to fight corruption in a district that was at once ranked the third worst in the country and now is one of the best in the country. He has not only fought corruption in the district but strengthened the support of NRM party even with some opposition strongholds in the region. He has the Presidents ear when it comes to decision making of the party on a range of issues to be implemented in the region such as education, health and infrastructure development. Related MBALE Germany and the European Union have jointly opened an office in Mbale that will foster an extension support to Civil Society Organisations in Eastern Uganda focusing on strengthening governance and civil society. The Civil Society in Uganda Support Programme (CUSP) which is co-funded by the European Union and the Federal Republic of Germany, is implemented by GIZ, which stands for Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit, one of the implementing agencies of the German Development Cooperation. The EU has funded CUSP with a 25million Euro grant, while the German Government funding amounts to 5.3million Euros, totalling to Shs128.3 billion. The office was opened by H.E. Dr Albrecht Conze, the German Ambassador to Uganda, and in attendance was the District Chairperson (LC5) for Mbale, Hon. Mujasi Bernard, and Mr Thomas Tiedemann, acting Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Uganda. The ceremony attracted more than 100 guests, mostly from district authorities and civil society organisations in Eastern Uganda and it was graced with a short cultural performance, followed by welcoming remarks by the LC I Chairperson, Nankupa Cell and by Dr Eckart Bode, the GIZ Portfolio Manager in Uganda. Hon. Mujasi, Ambassador Conze and Mr Tiedemann underscored the importance of civil society to Ugandas development, praising the close collaboration between Uganda, Germany and the European Union. Germany, one of the founding members of the European Union has since many years joined hands with the institutions of the European Union in the effort of supporting Ugandas development. This new programme is a further case in point of our long-standing joint engagement for Uganda, said Amb. Conze. The programme has extended financial support to various Civil Society Organisations and the new CUSP hub in Mbale will specifically support such organisations operating in Eastern Uganda. According to the press release, the programme will be implemented nationwide and has a strong focus on technical assistance and capacity development to strengthen Civil Society and to promote its exchange with relevant state institutions. And it will target CSOs providing services in a wide range of sectors, such as; infrastructure, water, energy, rural development, and good governance with a special focus on women and youth. Mr Tiedemann says, The European Union and its member states coordinate their efforts in the sector through the European Union Civil Society Organisation roadmap, which identifies three main areas of intervention: enhancing efforts to promote a conducive environment for Civil Society Organisations, promoting a meaningful and structured participation of Civil Society Organisations in domestic policies and identifying areas of support and capacity building for Civil Society. Related KAMPALA President Museveni has blamed MP Robert Kyagulanyi a.k.a Bobi Wine and Mr Kasiano Wadri, the Independent candidate in the Arua Municipality by-election for the chaos after Mondays campaigns in which a driver to the Kyaddondo East legislator was shot dead. In a statement released on Wednesday, August 15 morning, Mr Museveni hinted that the two leaders would be pursued in relation to the Monday chaos because they had organised hooligans that attacked a vehicle in his convoy. (The) elements of the Opposition, including Kassiano Wadri, Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) and others 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 to the old man with a hat, the president wrote, adding;- 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, the President wrote in a message released by his senior Presidential Press Secretary Don Wanyama. Mr Museveni was on the area to drum up support for NRM candidate Nusura Tiperu in the hotly contested by-election. But after Mondays final campaigns, hell broke loose after supporters of the different candidates colluded with the presidents convoy. The police has since arrested all the opposition MPs including Robert Kyagulanyi (Kyadondo East), Francis Zaake (Mityana), Gerald Karuhanga (Ntungamo), Paul Mwiru (Jinja) and Mike Mabikke (former Makindye East MP) alongside independent candidate Kassiano Wadri and say they are being investigated whether they used the guns during the violence that marked the end of the campaigns ahead of todays polls. ========================================================================== PRESIDENTS FULL STATEMENT ON MONDAY INCIDENTS IN ARUA TOWN 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 to 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 in peoples 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 Related Miami Police Officer L. Gonzalez demonstrates FATS 300LE for media. (Photo courtesy of Miami Police Department) Meggitt Training Systems has announced the launch of test and evaluation with the Miami Police Department for Meggitt Training Systems' FATS 300LE. The FATS 300LE delivers virtual scenarios that train police officers in the split-second, use-of-force evaluations and de-escalation tactics they need to deploy in real-world situations. "We are delighted to partner with the Miami Police Department to provide their officers the FATS 300LE, the next-generation training system to sharpen their decision-making skills and help them make the most appropriate decisions, especially when seconds count in hazardous situations," said Matt Cunningham, Director of Virtual Systems, Meggitt Training Systems. "This system will provide our officers with the absolute best training there is in the country," said Miami Police Department Chief of Police Jorge Colina. The FATS 300LE includes five, free-standing flat screens, each with 150"x84" borderless projection surfaces arranged in a hexagonal format that creates a 300-degree, virtual environment. A small entrance area completes the 360-degree circle. The FATS 300LE's powerful software engine can support up to 20 simulated law enforcement weapons systems concurrently, including rifles, pistols, machine guns, and non-lethal deterrents like a TASER or pepper spray. The system is designed to sync seamlessly with Meggitt's wireless BlueFire simulated weaponswith form, fit, and function exactly like their real-world counterparts, including recoiling when fired. The system tracks weapon movement to provide trainers with detailed information for post-action reports. Through its ability to replicate many different real-world situations, from domestic family disputes and traffic stops to school shootings, the FATS 300LE is designed to provide a next-generation training solution to improve the way law enforcement professionals react and behave in stressful and at times life-threatening situations. For more information, visit www.MeggittTrainingSystems.com. Deputy Brandon Stupka is in stable condition after surgery. Photo: Weld County Sheriff's Department A Weld County, CO, Sheriff's deputy was shot Wednesday night in north Greeley while responding to a report of a disturbance involving a weapon. Brandon Stupka, a 10-year veteran of the Weld County Sheriff's Office assigned to the patrol division, was shot in an exchange of gunfire after arriving at a house in the 2200 block of northwest C Street, according to a Weld County Sheriff's Department news release. Stupka underwent more than two hours of surgery at North Colorado Medical Center following the shooting for wounds to his thigh and abdomen, Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams said Thursday morning. Stupka was in stable condition at the hospital, but had additional surgeries scheduled for today. The additional surgeries are "less significant" than what Stupka endured last night, Reams said. "My deputy is going to be OK, and that's what's most important," Reams said. Deputy Stupka remains at North Colorado Medical Center in stable condition. The sheriff's office is not releasing the suspect's name, nor the identities of the four other responding deputies, until the shoot team has concluded its investigation, reports the Greeley Tribune. The Cleveland (OH) Police Department will not be able to complete reforms outlined in a 2015 consent decree issued by the U.S. Department of Justice, according to Cleveland.com. A report issued on Wednesday which monitor Matthew Barge and his 17-member team puts out twice a year said "the City and Division of Police having made notable and significant progress in a number of critical areas, including, first and foremost, with respect to use of force" but that "significant work undoubtedly remains." The consent decree agreement between the city and the DOJ came after a Justice Department investigation found that police officers had engaged in a pattern or practice of using excessive force and violating people's civil rights. 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. President Andrzej Duda and his wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda are leaving on Thursday afternoon for official visits to Australia and New Zealand on August 18-23. The President is scheduled to take part in the Polish-Australian Energy Forum and to meet with top officials of both countries, as well as with representatives of the Polish diaspora. During a four-day visit to Australia, on August 18-21 the Presidential Couple will visit Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. In New Zealand, where they will spend August 22-23, they are scheduled to visit Wellington and Auckland. See also: President to discuss political, economic issues in Australia and New Zealand The first visit by a Polish President to Australia and New Zealand will "will have four dimensions, covering political, economic, defence issues and the Polish diaspora," the head of the President's Office, Krzysztof Szczerski said earlier. The programme provides for "political talks with all major politicians in both countries" and the signing of "contracts and bilateral documents" concerning, among other things, defence cooperation, the presidential minister pointed out. During the visit to Australia, President Duda will be accompanied by a delegation of the Polish Defence Ministry. "We assume that the effect of the talks will be the signing a letter of intent to purchase Adelaide-type missile frigates, which would strengthen the Polish Navy," Krzysztof Szczerski said. The head of the National Security Bureau (BBN) Pawe Soloch has told PAP that one of the "key dimensions" of the President's visit to Australia will be security-related matters. In the Australian capital, the Presidential Couple will be officially welcomed by the Governor-General of Australia, Peter Cosgrove. The Polish president will also hold face-to-face talks with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. In Canberra, Andrzej Duda will also meet with the leader of the opposition, Bill Shorten, and will take part in a ceremony at the Australian War Memorial. In Melbourne, the Presidential Couple will meet with the state governor of Victoria, Linda Dessau, and in Sydney with the state governor of New South Wales, David Hurley. While in Sydney, on August 21, President Duda will inaugurate the Polish-Australian Energy Forum on cooperation in the field of modern technologies and innovations in the natural resources and energy sector. The event is to be attended by representatives of the biggest Polish and Australian companies in the sector. During his stay in Sydney, the Polish President will also attend the opening of a trade office of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) and meet with start-up entrepreneurs and young businessmen operating in Australia. While in Australia, the Presidential Couple will also meet the representatives of Polish community living there. In Melbourne and Sydney, the President will present state decorations to activists from the Polish diaspora. In Melbourne, the president will attend a ceremony, held at the Memorial Mausoleum, dedicated to the joint struggles of Polish and Australian soldiers at Tobruk. Andrzej Duda and Agata Kornhauser-Duda will also take part in a reception given by the state governor of Victoria on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Poland regaining independence. On August 22, the Polish Presidential Couple will start their visit to New Zealand. In Auckland, they will be welcomed by Governor-General of New Zealand Patricia Lee Reddy. President Duda will also meet with the country's Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, as well as with the leader of the opposition, Simon Bridge. Later, the Presidential Couple are scheduled to attend a ceremony at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. The Polish President will lay a wreath at the World War II Hall of Memories monument. While in Auckland, Andrzej Duda is also expected to meet with representatives of the local businesses, as well of the Polish community living there. The president is planned to present state decorations to the most active members of New Zealand's Polish diaspora. In the capital of New Zealand, Wellington, the Polish President will participate in the official opening of the Polish Children's Square which pays homage to Polish children who lost their families as a result of the annexation of part of Poland by the Soviet Union. Andrzej Duda will also lay flowers at the plaque commemorating Polish Children from the Camp in Pahiatua. On October 31, 1944, as many as 733 Polish refugee children and over 100 adult caregivers arrived at Wellington. They were settled into the Polish Children's Camp at Pahiatua, north of Wellington, establishing the 'Little Poland' community. Poles came to New Zealand at the invitation of the country's government. Most of the children were orphans from Polish families sent by the Soviets to the East. The Pahiatua camp functioned until 1949. After the camp was closed, the children were sent to boarding schools. Most of the children accepted an offer to become New Zealand citizens, some returned to Poland or went to other countries. (PAP) NEW DELHI, August 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Jana Small Finance Bank today celebrated its third Jana Diwas, recognizing its customers' success in achieving financial independence and becoming a force in fostering financial inclusion. Jana Small Finance Bank is deeply committed to financial inclusion through savings and deposit accounts, loan programs, financial education and outreach programs; and has proudly served millions of customers. Thus, every year Jana Diwas is organized to recognize and celebrate the success stories of individuals and their families, who have made considerable progress in transforming their lives and have become financially independent. Jana Small Finance Bank connects nationally with its customers and seeks the best stories of their success. After a careful and diligent process, it identifies select customers and invites them to share their stories. These customers are recognized for the courage and determination shown by them to fight adversity and improve their quality of life. Present at the event, Chief Guest Shri Radha Mohan Singh, Union Cabinet Minister, Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, said, "Financial inclusion is one of the top priorities of the Government and Regulators in the country and banks like Jana Small Finance Bank have a huge role to play in it. By enabling access to financial institutions, Jana Small Finance Bank is empowering people to develop themselves across geographical and social spectrum." Jana Small Finance Bank also organized an in-depth discussion on financial inclusion with Mr. Shobhana Pattanayak, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers' Welfare; Dr. Arun Kumar Panda, Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises; Mr. U.S. Pant, Regional Advisor, South Asia, Public Finance Management, International Monetary Fund; Ms. Anita George, Executive Vice President, Strategic Partnerships - Growth Markets, CDPQ India and Mr. R. Gandhi, Former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India. Jana Small Finance Bank had received many customer stories from across the country. Customers were shortlisted and selected by a panel of jury members which included, Dr. Bimal Jalan, Former RBI Governor; Mr. Subhash Chandra Khuntia, Chairman IRDAI; Mr. Janmejaya Sinha, Chairman, Asia-Pacific, Boston Consulting Group; Mr. Tamal Bandyopadhyay, Consulting editor of Mint, and adviser, strategy, at Bandhan Bank; and Ms. Vijayalatha Reddy, Independent Director, Jana Small Finance Bank. Speaking about the Jana Small Finance Bank customers, Chairman of the jury, Dr. Bimal Jalan said,"As Chairman of the jury panel responsible for selecting the stories for Jana Diwas, I have read these remarkable stories and feel impressed with the progress that our country is making in the direction of financial inclusion. I wish Jana Small Finance Bank all the best." On Jana Diwas, other than the customers, select employees were also felicitated for going the extra mile in ensuring superior customer service. Speaking about the employee awards, Mr. Ramesh Ramanathan, Non-Executive Chairman, Jana Small Finance Bank, said, "Our employees are the most important touch-points. Considering the challenges in catering to the economically weaker segment, their contribution to bring about positive change in customers' lives is pivotal and one that needs recognition. The employees who got recognized today have shown commitment, honesty and passion towards providing superior customer service and I congratulate all of them." Mr. Ajay Kanwal, MD & CEO, Jana Small Finance Bank, said, "Helping a large proportion of our customers elevate themselves from being job seekers to becoming job providers, from being borrowers to capital seekers is key to fast track financial inclusion in our country. This mission of financial inclusion has a crucial and irreplaceable factor - our employees who will usher transition from inclusion to independence. We are committed to creating hundreds of bankers from many small towns across the country which will be transformational in the medium term." In line with the Government of India and Reserve Bank of India's 'financial inclusion' agenda, the transition from a microfinance company to a bank has enabled more than 45 lakh existing loan customers of Jana Small Finance Bank to come into banking ecosystem by the end of 2018. At the onset, catering to the diverse needs of customers, Jana Small Finance Bank will continue with micro lending, savings and deposit accounts, and, in unison, it will extend business loans, agri loans, affordable housing and gold loans. #JanaBank #FinancialInclusion #JanaSmallFinanceBank #FinancialIndependence #JanaDiwas #PaiseKiKadar About Jana Small Finance Bank Jana Small Finance Bank, erstwhile Janalakshmi Financial Services, is headquartered in Bengaluru. It is one of the 10 financial institutions which had received in-principal approval from RBI for setting up a Small Finance Bank in 2015. Established in Bengaluru in 2008, it was the largest Micro Finance Institution (MFI) in India, and was recognized globally as one of the world's innovative financial institutions working on the problem of financial inclusion. Jana Small Finance Bank received final banking license in April 2017 and started banking operations on March 28, 2018. Under the leadership of its MD & CEO, Ajay Kanwal, Jana Small Finance Bank's vision is to become the leading inclusive digitized bank serving all customer segments and communities of an aspirational India. Currently, post transition phase, the bank is enabling its existing 45 lakh customers across 19 states in India to access the banking services. It has Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of about 35 percent and a loan book of INR 76 billion as on March 31, 2018. By 2020, the bank aspires to add four million customers. The bank has deep domain expertise in banking and financial services with the senior management team having 25+ years of average experience in banking sector. Its current employee strength is of 15,000. By end of 2019, Jana Small Finance Bank's 500 branches will be operational in 19 states, post conversion of majority of its micro finance storefronts into bank branches. Bengaluru-headquartered Jana Small Finance Bank is regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). For more details, please visit - https://www.janabank.com/ Awards and recognitions In 2015, Palladium inducted Janalakshmi Financial services into the 2015 Palladium Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame In 2016, VC Circle awarded JFS with the 'Best Financial Services firm in India ' In 2017, JFS was featured in 'Fortune - The Top 500' as the largest corporations in India and was awarded as India's Distinctive Goodwill Brand for 2017. In the same year, CNBC awarded JFS for Best Financial Sector Transaction ADB Private Sector In 2018, Capital Finance International (CFI.co) adjudged the Jana Small Finance Bank as the The Best Inclusive Financial Services - India 2018 in London Media Contact : Girish Jaggi [email protected] +91-7045026522 Genesis Burson Marstellar SOURCE Jana Small Finance Bank Rouault joins Optiva to drive product portfolio of cloud-native software solutions to propel telco customers into the next generation TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Optiva Inc. (TSX: OPT), an innovative software provider of mission-critical, cloud-native monetization and customer management products and solutions to leading communication service providers (CSPs) globally, is pleased to announce that Jason Rouault has joined Optiva as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Rouault, previously as CTO and VP of engineering with Cloudvisory, provided the technical vision, product management and engineering for the Cloudvisory Security Platform, an enterprise-class platform trusted by Fortune 500 companies. His career with Cloudvisory, and before that Time Warner Cable and Hewlett-Packard, has been distinguished by a focus on emerging technologies, product development, security and future technology direction. During his tenure with Hewlett-Packard, where Rouault served for 17 years, in his role as director of engineering for HP Cloud Services, he was one of the original team members who helped build the HP Public Cloud business. Creating the business from the ground up, he was responsible for driving the technical strategy, architecture and business direction for HP Cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). "The goal of Optiva's commitment to invest $100 million in research and development is to equip customers for success today and in the future. Through agile software development and architecture, we can achieve highly scalable and available cloud and big data monetization solutions. The recent announcement of the Optiva Charging Engine becoming available on Kubernetes and Google Cloud Spanner is an example of this," said Rouault. "I look forward to continuing and expanding Optiva's work as a product trailblazer and market disruptor." With over 25 years of technology management experience, Rouault believes cutting-edge solutions, such as cloud-native monetization products, are the key to success for telcos. His priority is the development of products explicitly engineered to solve customers' problems, meet their needs and challenges and sustain them as top competitors in their markets. "Jason's expertise and vision are powerful for our customers and product advancement," said Danielle Royston, CEO of Optiva. "We must rethink the solutions of the past and engineer next-generation, cloud-native software solutions, where telco is going. Jason's product and technology experience will help customers meet the challenges of a competitive, disruptive and constantly-changing market through advancing technologies." About Optiva Inc.: Optiva Inc. is leading the telco industry and its innovative customers around the world by offering next-generation software solutions and helping them monetize today's digital technologies. Our portfolio of revenue and customer management products enables real-time billing, charging, policy management and user experience functionality that is critical to our customers' growth and performance. When deployed in the cloud, Optiva solutions deliver the most impact for the best value. Our vision, market knowledge, analytical insights and unparalleled Customer Success program ensure our customers are equipped to achieve their strategic business goals today and into the future. Established in 1999, Optiva Inc., can be found on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: OPT). For more information, please go to www.optiva.com. Media Inquiries: Kristin Donelson, [email protected], T: (905) 625-2190; Investor Relations: Lana Pisarenko, NATIONAL | Equicom, [email protected], T: (416) 586-1947 SOURCE Optiva Inc. NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Gold Fields Limited. ("Gold Fields" or the "Company") (NYSE: GFI). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980. The investigation concerns whether Gold Fields and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here to join a class action] On August 14, 2018, Gold Fields announced a restructuring at its South Deep mining operation, including cutting 1,100 jobs, or roughly 30% of its workforce. On this news, Gold Fields' American depositary receipt price fell $0.43, or 12.8%, to close at $2.93 on August 14, 2018. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP rswilloughby@pomlaw.com 888-476-6529 ext. 9980 Related Links http://www.pomerantzlaw.com SOURCE Pomerantz LLP LONDON, August 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Leesa's luxury mattresses and pillows can now be experienced in West Elm's stores throughout London Leesa Sleep, the online luxury mattress company and modern home furnishings retailer West Elm today announced an exclusive partnership in the UK, which expands upon the brand alliance which launched in the United States last year. For the first time in the UK, this partnership enables customers to experience the comfort of a beautifully designed and crafted Leesa mattress at any West Elm UK location including Tottenham Court Road, Westfield London and Kingston Upon Thames, before purchasing it. Leesa's recently launched pillow, designed to cool one's head while keeping the neck and spine aligned, will also be available at all three West Elm stores. The pillows combine with the Leesa mattress to deliver the deep restful sleep that has made Leesa one of the largest sleep companies in the U.S. in under 4 years. The mattress features Leesa's proprietary Avena performance foam while the newly-developed pillow incorporates temperature control technology developed for NASA. Both products will be introduced at West Elm's stores and will continue to be available at Leesa.co.uk The mattress and the pillows are manufactured in England, enabling the assurance of outstanding quality and consistency, as well as the minimisation of carbon footprint. Leesa's long-standing policy of providing a 100-night risk free trial will also apply to mattresses and pillows purchased through West Elm stores, giving customers additional peace of mind. "A lasting partnership requires shared values. Both West Elm and Leesa are organisations with a powerful social mission," said David Wolfe, Co-Founder and CEO of Leesa Sleep. "Since day one, Leesa has donated one mattress for every ten sold and to-date we have donated over 30,000 mattresses. Our social impact programs make Leesa a different kind of company and to celebrate our partnership with West Elm, we are making an additional donation in London next month when we will be giving 50 mattresses to London-based charity, the Single Homeless Project." "We share a mission with Leesa of helping our customers make conscious purchase decisions that can shape their communities and make a difference in their everyday lives at home. We are pleased to extend our partnership with Leesa to the UK and offer our customers another compelling reason to shop for change at their local West Elm UK store," said West Elm President Alex Bellos. West Elm is a home furnishings retailer committed to offering unique, approachable designs that make an impact in everyday life, from creating affordable products for modern living to its commitment to Fair Trade Certified, local and handcrafted products to its community-driven collaborations and events. West Elm is a division of Williams-Sonoma, Inc.'s portfolio of brands. This announcement comes after a breakout year for Leesa, which included a 17.6million round of Series B funding, the addition of former Seventh Generation CEO John Replogle and former President and COO of Rent the Runway Beth Kaplan to its Board, and the inclusion in Forbes' list of Next Billion Dollar Startups. As a certified B Corporation, Leesa is one of about 2,500 companies that meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. The company is part of a global movement using business as a force for good and has donated over 30,000 mattresses since launching in 2015. Leesa is excited to continue the momentum and global growth through prestigious partners like West Elm. For more information on Leesa, visit http://www.leesa.co.uk. About West Elm Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY since 2002, West Elm opened its first store in DUMBO, the neighbourhood it still proudly calls home. With a mission of harnessing the power of design and human connection to enrich lives, everything West Elm does is designed to make an impact in everyday life, from creating unique, affordable designs for modern living and commitment to Fair Trade Certified, from LOCAL and handcrafted products to community-driven collaborations and events. The brand operates more than 100 retail stores as well as e-commerce websites in the United States, Australia, Canada and the UK, ships internationally to customers around the world, and has unaffiliated franchisees that operate stores in Mexico, Middle East, Philippines and South Korea. In addition to home furnishings retail, West Elm operates in the commercial furnishings industry and announced its expansion into the travel and hospitality industry with the launch of West Elm Hotels. West Elm publishes the blog Front+Main and is part of an active community on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube. West Elm is a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) portfolio of brands. About Leesa Sleep LTD With its European Headquarters in Manchester, UK, Leesa is a direct-to-consumer online luxury mattress company that offers UK-made mattresses delivered directly to customers' doors. From its start, Leesa has measured its success as much by its impact on the world as by its financial performance. To date, Leesa's One-Ten programme has provided over 30,000 mattresses to those in need. To its customers, Leesa offers a 100-night risk-free trial, free shipping, and no-hassle returns. In 2016, Leesa was recognised as a certified B Corporation, joining forces with more than 2,500 companies using business as a force for good. The company currently offers free shipping to the US, UK, Germany and Canada. For more information visit http://www.leesa.co.uk The Leesa Mattress was awarded a Which? Best Buy, in January 2018, and is Good Housekeeping Institute and Men's Health Lab approved. Media images available to download here. SOURCE Leesa and West Elm 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: Ex-owner of MIEL Group appeals $3 million debt to Moscow bank Fotolia/ Irochka 10:59 16/08/2018 MOSCOW, August 16 (RAPSI) Founder of one of the largest federal chains of real estate agencies in Russia MIEL Group Grigory Kulikov, who stands charged with multi-million embezzlement, has appealed a ruling of the Moscow Commercial Court acknowledging his debt to Bank Red Gates, the court ruling reads. The applicant challenged the ruling including a 207.6 million-ruble ($3 million) debt to the bank into the creditors demands list. In mid-June 2016, Kulikov was declared bankrupt. Bankruptcy procedure has been initiated against Kulikov as an individual entrepreneur. Later, all assets belonging to the businessman must be sold out and the raised funds should be returned to creditors. In early June of the same year, Kulikov was arrested in Latvia by the request of the Russian General Prosecutors Office. He faces extradition to Russia. Russian investigators allege that Kulikov is responsible for large scale embezzlement of funds from investors of the elite settlement Barvikha Village. The cost of the settlement, according to MIEL Group, is estimated at 4.17 billion rubles ($64 million). The Main Investigative Directorate of Moscow police charged Kulikov in absentia. Later, Kulikov was arrested in absentia. He was put on the international wanted list. Former high-ranking investigator Nikandrov gets 5.5 years in prison for corruption RAPSI 12:35 16/08/2018 MOSCOW, August 16 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court on Thursday sentenced former high-ranking investigator of Russias Investigative Committee Denis Nikandrov to 5.5 years in prison for corruption, RAPSI reports from the courtroom. The court also prohibited Nikandrov from holding law enforcement posts for 3 years and deprived him of his General rank. The trial was held behind closed doors because of secret information contained in the case documents. The case was reviewed without evidence examination and witness questioning as the defendant pleaded guilty and made a deal with investigators. Prosecution earlier demanded a 5.5-year prison sentence with a 65-million-ruble ($970,000) fine for Nikandrov. Ex-First Deputy Head of the Investigative Committees Moscow Directorate, General Nikandrov, former Deputy of ex-chief of the Investigative Committees Internal Security Directorate Mikhail Maksimenko, and his deputy Alexander Lamonov have been arrested and detained as part of a case over extortion of 8 million rubles (about $138,000 at the current exchange rate) that involved an alleged gang leader Zakhariy Kalashov. In addition, investigators believe that they extorted 10 million rubles (about $170,000) from a head of a large joint-stock company. The defendants denied their communications with Kalashov. On April 20, Maksimenko was found guilty of taking two bribes and received a 13-year prison sentence. The defendant was also fined 165 million rubles ($2.8 million). According to prosecutors, in 2016, Maksimenko and his accomplice received $500,000 bribe for help with one of criminal cases. He was also charged with taking $50,000 bribe in 2015 for organizing unlawful criminal prosecution of law enforcement officers in the interests of a bribe-giver. On July 26, the court sentenced Lamonov to 5 years in prison for corruption. Additionally, he was also fined 32 million rubles ($508,000) and lost his rank. In August, prosecutor Igor Potapov told RAPSI that new corruption charges were brought against convicted Maksimenko and Nikandrov. According to prosecutors, Maksimenko has organized a criminal group involving Nikandrov, ex-director of the Investigative Committee's Main Investigations Directorate, General Alexander Drymanov and ex-chief of a Moscow directorate of the Investigative Committee Aleksey Kramarenko. The accomplices received $1 million in bribes for assistance in release of two defendants in a case over shooting in central Moscow, the prosecutor said. Gogol Center theater directors house arrest extended until September 19 RIA Novosti, Ramil Sitdikov 13:59 16/08/2018 MOSCOW, August 16 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court on Thursday extended house arrest of the Gogol Center theater director Kirill Serebrennikov charged with embezzling budget funds allocated for arts promotion until September 19, RAPSI reported from the courtroom. During the hearing, the defendants lawyer Renata Litvina said that the case papers contain a falsified protocol of a witness interrogation that makes any court decision illegal. Serebrennikov was arrested in late August 2017 and then placed under house arrest. In early November, Moscows Basmanny District Court seized assets belonging to Serebrennikov including apartment, car, and money in the amount of more than 360,000 rubles ($6,000), over 60,000, and $4,000. Investigators believe that he was an organizer of the budget money embezzlement. The defendant denied wrongdoing. He allegedly created Seventh Studio stage company to actualize the Platforma project for promotion of art and invited other defendants into the organization. Investigators believe that ex-head of Seventh Studio stage company Yury Itin, ex-general producer Alexey Malobrodsky, and former Seventh Studio chief accountant Nina Maslyayeva were falsifying data for the Platforma projects plans in 2011-2014 on request of the theater director. This data was provided to the Ministry of Culture as the rationale for financing from the state budget. Earlier, Maslyayeva has testified against Serebrennikov. She said that Serebrennikov, Malobrodsky and Itin organized embezzlement of money allocated for a cultural event. Serebrennikov and Malobrodsky cashed the money with the assistance of Maslyayeva. The woman also said that she entered falsified data in financial reports. Ex-official of Russias Culture Ministry and current director of the Russian Academic Youth Theater Sophia Apfelbaum has been also arrested and put under house arrest on embezzlement charges. According to investigators, from 2011 to 2014, Apfelbaum signed contracts on state grants in the amount of more than 214 million rubles ($3.7 million) with Serebrennikovs Seventh Studio stage company on behalf of the Russian Culture Ministry, and provided further agreement of received reporting documents, which contained overstated information on quantity and cost of the held events. Thus, she has abetted the embezzlement of about 68 million rubles ($1.2 million) by Serebrennikov and his alleged accomplices, investigators claim. Apfelbaum admitted that she controlled the movement of cash but pleaded not guilty to embezzlement. One more defendant, producer Yekaterina Voronova, has been arrested in absentia and put on the international wanted list. Moscow court upholds detention of Russian lawyer in Roscosmos embezzlement case RIA Novosti, Sergey Mamontov 14:45 16/08/2018 MOSCOW, August 16 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court has upheld detention of the chairman of the law firm Tretyakov & Partners Igor Tretyakov as part of a criminal case over embezzlement of 330 million rubles ($5.2 million) from Roscosmos state space corporation, the press-service of the court has told RAPSI. The court dismissed an appeal against the July 31 ruling of the Babushkinsky District Court. Earlier, the court detained two other defendants in the case, head of the S.A. Lavochkin Scientific Union Sergey Lemeshevsky and head of the Unions legal department Yekaterina Averyanova. All of them are charged with embezzlement. According to investigators, the defendants have stolen assets of Roscosmos by signing fraudulent contracts for provision of legal services with the law firm. Allegedly, all the works were performed by the corporations own specialists. The overall sum of the payments to the firm reached 330 million rubles. Orenburg mayor Arapov detained as part of corruption case / 17:45 16/08/2018 MOSCOW, August 16 (RAPSI) Mayor of Orenburg, a city in Southern Russia, Yevgeny Arapov has been detained on charges of receiving a large-scale bribe, the press-service of the Investigative Committee has stated. The defendant is to stay in detention for two months. Earlier, the deputy head of the construction department for the city Gennady Borisov was charged with receiving a 2-million-ruble bribe ($30,200). According to the law enforcement, on August 8, the official received 2 million rubles from the CEO of a commercial organization, who sought help with construction and sale of real estate in Orenburg. Borisov was apprehended soon afterwards. Also, investigators believe that the mayor and his deputy received 600,000 rubles ($9,000) as a bribe with 400,000 rubles ($6,000) designated for Arapov and 200,000 rubles ($3,000) designated to Borisov. Currently, investigators are establishing the origin of 4.2 million rubles ($63,000) found in the mayors working office. Rough estimates show that at a rate of Rs 1 crore per hospital bed, the investment in India alone would be around Rs 2,000 crore After dropping out of the race to acquire Indias second-largest health care chain Fortis Healthcare, Bengaluru-headquartered Manipal Health Enterprises is now charting out growth plans in domestic as well as overseas markets. Backed by private equity players such as TPG and Temasek, the firm is on the lookout for potential targets to expand. The Ranjan Pai-led health care major now has 2,200 operational beds in India of the total 3,000 capacity it has. It plans to add another 2,000 beds in India in the next five years. Overseas, it plans to add at least 750 to 1,000 beds in the next five years. Rough estimates show that at a rate of Rs 1 crore per hospital bed, the investment in India alone would be around Rs 2,000 crore. Investments could vary if the expansion is through the inorganic route. Manipal already has presence in Malaysia, with a 220-bed hospital in Klang. Besides looking at organic expansion of the existing hospital, Manipal, which lost out to Malaysias IHH Healthcare Bhd in picking up a stake in cash-strapped Fortis, is looking to set up a 300-350 bed greenfield hospital in Malaysia. We are looking for a local developer who will build and lease the building to us. In Malaysia, we are looking at an asset-light model. We would invest in equipment, interiors, manpower etc, said Ranjan Pai, chairman of the Manipal Education and Medical Group. He added that Manipal had explored Singapore and Indonesia markets as well, but did not find any suitable business proposition. It is also looking at the Sri Lanka and Bangladesh markets. As for India, Pai said Manipal was evaluating acquisition opportunities. They might put together a couple of regional chains to build a national presence. At present, Manipals presence is strong in the southern market. We would take a call depending on the quality of the asset, such as revenue per bed, potential for growth in the market it serves, etc. "Mergers and acquisitions are a long cycle. However, we want to close one or two transactions within the next couple of years, Pai said. Temasek, which was not very keen on the Fortis deal, will continue on the board of Manipal Health. The Singapore-based sovereign wealth fund had picked up about an 18 per cent stake in Manipal last year. TPG was backing Manipal to pick up a stake in Fortis. Manipal has now been approached by larger fund houses that are interested in partnering with its expansion plans. Image used for representation purpose only Photograph: Reuters TCS plans to build ignio as a standalone company. Romita Majumdar reports. Photograph: Kind courtesy TCS/Instagram As it prepares for the next phase of growth of its cognitive automation software ignio, TCS is looking to build the product as a standalone company. Developed within TCS Research & Innovation Labs in 2015, ignio has evolved as a top performing software globally, clocking revenue of $31 million in just its third year. Around 50 firms globally, many of which are Fortune 500 companies, use the software at present, with average revenue per customer of $550,000 per annum. However while most of its users are from TCS's existing client base, the software major plans to offer it as a standalone product, even offering the same to rival service providers. "Ignio is a standalone brand and has been built to potentially be a standalone product company, both in terms of business model and architecture," said Rajesh Gopinathan, CEO and MD, TCS. ignio as a product, Gopinathan said, has been able to meet the expectations of clients by delivering value within weeks after deployment, which has made Digitate -- the TCS unit that owns ignio -- "among the best performing software product companies within the first three years". The product has over 75 patents filed in the AI, machine learning and intelligent automation spaces. Ignio competes with Wipro Holmes and Infosys NIA, among others, although the firm said Ignio offers a cross-platform solution including cognitive reasoning as well as contextual automation solutions. IBM Watson also offers automation solutions but combines with a larger spread of technologies for enterprises. According to analysts, for an artificial intelligence-based product like ignio to be successful, enhancing the user base is extremely critical, which TCS is looking to drive now. This is because the product requires a lot of user data to continuously learn and improve the expertise. "In the past, Infosys also carved a separate identity for their banking solution (Finacle) to the extent that even competitors used it. So, if TCS seeks to compete with product companies, a separate identity is likely to boost adoption among competitors," said Pareekh Jain, senior vice-president (research), and managing director (India), HfS Research. Around 83 per cent of ignio's revenue is generated from licensed contracts and the rest contributed by services. ignio clients are largely from retail at 25 per cent, BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance) at 22 per cent, followed by energy and utilities at 14 per cent. North America presently accounts for 61 per cent of ignio's revenues followed by the UK (17 per cent), Europe (12 per cent) and APAC (10 per cent). "Ignio continues to gain traction in the market place, with seven wins in Q1 (June quarter), and aspires to be one of the fastest software products to achieve $100 million in revenue," said Harrick Vin, vice-president of TCS and global head of Digitate. The company added that its sales team is heavily incentivised to offer ignio-specific as well as automation-based services to customers at a strategic level. 'TCS has been expanding its (ignio's) applications across multiple service offerings and over time, its applications have evolved into a full spectrum cognitive automation and orchestration platform,' equity analyst firm Morgan Stanley said in a report. 'We believe products and platforms are becoming a key differentiator for TCS, helping it build a long-term sustainable competitive advantage,' the report added. According to sources, the postal bank will tie up with other banks and financial companies to offer products like loans, mutual funds, and insurance policies to its customers. The launch of the much-delayed India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) promises to be a grand affair. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will do the honours in Delhis Talkatora stadium along with Communications Minister Manoj Sinha on August 21. 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 to leave the country, separate arrangements need to be made, sources clarified. The launch in the districts will be done by the local Member of Parliament (MP) or minister and in those constituencies where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs are not present, a strong BJP leader will do the needful. Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad is going to Kolkata for the unveiling. Sources said he is interested in Patna since the local BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha has not evinced any interest. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi is likely to conduct the programme in Patna. Prasad was set to leave for Argentina on the morning of August 21. Instead he will leave on the night of August 21 from Kolkata. The stadium in Delhi is set to host over 1,500 people, including postal employees, members of the direct benefit transfer mission, banks, etc. This is purported to be one of the biggest launches in the country. The IPPB, which has already been delayed by several months, is currently running pilot services in Raipur and Ranchi. According to sources, the postal bank will tie up with other banks and financial companies to offer products like loans, mutual funds, and insurance policies to its customers. The Department of Posts was one of the 11 entities to get in-principle nod from the Reserve Bank of India in 2015 for setting up a payments bank. Although many other entities, including Airtel, Fino, Paytm, etc, have launched services, the postal bank was yet to commercially roll out its services across the country. The IPPB missed the September 2017 deadline to open 650 branches across the country, primarily because it failed to get a system integrator on board in time. However, with the launch, the IPPB will become one of the largest banking networks in India. India Post has 154,000 post offices, of which 139,000 are in rural areas. The government is planning to utilise the 650 branches to serve as controlling offices to service and monitor all the post offices in the country. All the post office branches will be linked to the IPPB by end of this year. Photograph: PTI Photo Let us see the problem for what it actually is: Illegal Immigration plain and simple, confined to the north east with a definite communal slant that poses a national security risk and one that needs to be dealt with firmly and promptly by stringent identification (and deportation), says Vivek Gumaste. IMAGE: Communist Party of India-Marxist activists protest against Assam's National Register of Citizen draft in Kolkata. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo The current high decibel brouhaha over the release of the final draft of the Assam National Register of Citizens being orchestrated by certain political leaders is an unscrupulous political shenanigan designed to garner transitory electoral advantage at the cost of long term national interest. This malicious campaign, though couched in moral overtones, is basically a deceptive camouflage that attempts to debunk the realities of history, casts logic to the winds and puts the sovereignty of the nation in jeopardy. To comprehend the importance of the NRC we need to go back in time -- to that tumultuous period prior to Partition wherein interests inimical to India jostled with one another to manipulate the demography of Assam by exploiting the widespread penury of the region so that it could be included in Pakistan. In that story lies the genesis and rationale of the NRC. The tragedy of the indigenous people of Assam (or for that matter the people of the north east) is a story of systematic marginalisation that has all the elements of a Shakespearean opus: A tale that has its origin in the economic penury of Bengal of the late 19th century, that metamorphoses into a conspiracy with communal overtones around the time of Partition and then, surprisingly and shockingly, is allowed to go unchecked in Independent India as a result of political expediency and now persists in its distorted form: Being projected post the NRC release as a humanitarian issue that is being unnecessarily communalised by the BJP. In the 1800s, the British administration began transporting indigent Bengali Muslim peasants from the overpopulated regions of Bengal to Assam for labour. The negative impact of this migration was soon realised by the British, prompting the then census superintendent C S Mullen to remark: '... the most important event in the province during the last 25 years which seems likely to alter permanently the whole feature of Assam and to destroy the whole structure of Assamese culture and civilisation has been the invasion of a vast horde of land-hungry immigrants mostly Muslims, from the districts of East Bengal.' (Sanjoy Hazarika, Rites of Passage, Penguin Books, 2000. page 72). The colonial administration did, however, take measures to curb this problem by introducing the 'Line System' that demarcated specific areas for migrant settlers. Muslim leaders of pre-Partition India viewed this uncontrollable deluge with a different perspective. They saw in this a golden opportunity that could be exploited to gain control of Assam with the ultimate aim of its amalgamation into Pakistan. Not only did they encourage migration but consistently opposed moves to evict the illegal settlers in order to keep their plan on track. Prominent among these politicians was Sir Syed Mohammad Saadullah, who was the first premier of Assam in 1935, and Maulana Bhasani, president of the Assam Provincial Muslim League during that period. Find below some excerpts from the book, Assam Muslims: Politics & Cohesion by Bimal J Dev, Dilip Kumar Lahiri (Mittal Publications, 1985) which attest to this scheme: 'Saadulla ministry also found in the 'Grow More Food' campaign a convenient mechanism of striking at the root of the Line System and facilitating the ultimate inclusion of Assam in Eastern Pakistan Zone. In the name of 'Grow More Food' campaign the Muslim League dominated Ministry settled 160,000 bighas of land with immigrants and even the Viceroy of India felt tempted to characterise the ministry's programme as 'Grow More Muslims' programme...' 'In the middle of May 1946, Bhasani resorted to fast unto death 'unless the government of Assam stopped the eviction of immigrants' (page 49). 'Bhasani was elected president of the Assam Provincial Muslim League which marked the beginning of a new era in Assam politics... the Muslim League became increasingly militant for achieving the twin objective of Pakistan and abolition of the Line System' (page 42). Over the years, the orchestrators of this devious game plan have changed labels, but the goal of displacing the natives of Assam by a demographic invasion has remained. With the advent of an apparently friendly Bangladesh, this conspiracy did not fade away. Bangladesh continues to view India's north east, especially Assam, as its lebensraum. Below are excerpts from an article written by prominent columnist Sadeek Khan in the Bangladeshi newspaper Holiday (October 18, 1991) and referred to by Governor S K Sinha in his report (Illegal Migration into Assam. Lt Gen S K Sinha, Nov 8, 1998. Report submitted to President of India) on illegal immigration into Assam: 'The question of lebensraum or living space for the people of Bangladesh has not yet been raised as a moot issue. All projections, however, clearly indicate that by the next decade, that is to say by the first decade of the 21st century, Bangladesh will face a serious crisis of lebensraum. No possible performance of population planning, actual or hypothetical significantly alters that prediction...' 'There is no reason why Bangladesh should not insist on a globalised manpower market. There is no reason why regional and international cooperation could not be worked out to plan and execute population movements and settlements to avoid critical demographic pressures in pockets of high concentration. There is no reason why under-populated regions in the developed world cannot make room for planned colonies to relieve build-up of demographic disasters in countries like Bangladesh.' 'We shall hope for the best in international cooperation. We shall hope for the best in accommodation from the developed world The natural trend of population overflow from Bangladesh is towards the sparsely populated lands of the South East in the Arakan side and of the North East in the Seven Sisters side of the Indian subcontinent.' So, what we see here is an ostensibly rational plea to accommodate the increasing Bangladeshi population, but also a fait accompli that Bangladesh will not attempt to prevent; in other words, India's north east is fair game for the land-strapped Bangladeshis. On the diplomatic front, Bangladesh must be made to officially acknowledge this problem. Pussyfooting to maintain a deceptive harmony with our neighbour may prove costly in the long run. India may not want to appear as the neighbourhood bully, but neither can it allow itself to be taken for a ride by its weaker neighbours. It is imperative that we take adequate measures to ensure the integrity of our borders and secure internal harmony. There are enough illegal immigrants (nearly 40 lakhs not accounted by the NRC) already entrenched in Assam with enough clout to displace locals and transform the area into a fundamentalist terrain; another Kashmir in the making. The writing is on the wall. We need to act now before it is too late. The current political fracas is a calculated exercise in obfuscation; a deliberate attempt to create confusion, perpetuate indecision and maintain the status quo so that the politics of vote bank can continue unhindered. Mamta Banerjee's shameless volte face is a classic example of this dirty vote bank politics. In 2005, when the CPM was in power in Bengal, Banerjee, then an Opposition MP, wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker stating: 'The infiltration in Bengal has become a disaster now... I have both the Bangladeshi and the Indian voters list. This is a very serious matter. I would like to know when would it be discussed in the House.' Today when she speaks of a 'civil war' and 'bloodbath', it must be taken not with a pinch of salt but a tonne of the same. National interest cannot be dictated by fickle politicians driven by parochial interests. While not denying that there is a humanitarian element in the current crisis, it must be balanced against the norms of a nation-State; humanitarian concerns cannot be allowed to overwhelm the requirements of sovereignty to the extent that the fundamental framework of a nation is eroded. The demographic alteration in the north east is a ticking time bomb which when it explodes will blow away the boundaries of a secular democratic nation. The attempt to introduce a Hindu-Muslim element into the problem is repugnant. Hindu immigrants from Bangladesh are not illegal immigrants; by international definition, they are refugees fleeing religious persecution. The same cannot be said of Muslims from Bangladesh who are voluntarily seeking greener pastures across the border. Need I remind the worthies raising the issue of Bangladeshi Hindus that the Hindus of Bangladesh bore the brunt of the Bangladesh genocide of 1971, when close to 3 million people were massacred. Therefore, to tag the Hindus as illegal immigrants is not only immoral, but also barbaric, cruel and callous. We therefore need to crystallise our thoughts and delete those variables that have been deliberately interjected into the equation to skew the perception. We need to see the problem in its pristine form. Let us not give credence to the attempt to make it a wider, pan Hindu-Muslim conflict. Let us see it for what it actually is: Illegal Immigration plain and simple, confined to the north east with a definite communal slant that poses a national security risk and one that needs to be dealt with firmly and promptly by stringent identification (and deportation). Even if deportation is not practical, it will serve as a warning for future illegal migrants. Vivek Gumaste is a US-based academic, political commentator and the author of My India: Musings of a Patriot. Four soldiers were injured in an exchange of fire with terrorists in Nowgam sector of Kupwara district on Thursday, officials said. Army soldiers noticed some suspicious movement near the Line of Control and challenged the suspected terrorists at around 3 am, the officials said. They said the infiltrators started firing towards the position of Army personnel, who retaliated effectively. Four soldiers were injured in the exchange of fire, they said adding the injured personnel were evacuated to a medical facility in Kupwara. Defence and Army officials did not comment on the incident, saying they were ascertaining details from the ground. Meanwhile, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire in Tangdhar sector in Kupwara district, officials in Srinagar said on Thursday. The ceasefire violation took place in Saedapora area along the Line of Control in Tangdhar sector late on Wednesday night as Pakistani troops opened fire towards Indian posts, the officials said. They said the Indian Army retaliated in adequate measure, triggering intermittent exchange of fire between the two sides. The firing stopped at 5 am, the officials said, adding there was no report of any casualty on either side. Defence officials said they were ascertaining the details from the ground. Image used only for representation. Only on Wednesday, in his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Modi said he wants to resolve the Kashmir issue through Vajpayee's doctrine of "Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, Jamhooriyat" a testimony to the former PMs lasting legacy. Statesman and pragmatist, orator and poet, a man of peace and conviction. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a towering nationalist who softened the often sharp edge of his party's politics with sophisticated inclusiveness, earning him the sobriquet Ajaat Shatru or a man with no enemies. The first prime minister from a non-Congress party to complete a full term in office, Vajpayee began shakily -- his first stint as prime minister in 1996 lasted only 13 days when his unlikely coalition government failed to get support from other parties. The BJP-led coalition government came back to power in 1998, and this time Vajpayee stayed in office for 13 months before losing a no-confidence motion by one vote. The National Democratic Alliance returned to power in October 1999 with Vajpayee as prime minister once again. This time he lasted the entire term, capping a glorious career that saw him go from student activist to journalist, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh pracharak, member of Parliament, foreign minister, opposition leader and finally a much-loved leader of the nation. Like many of his generation, Vajpayee -- who died on Thursday at age 93 -- came into politics as an 18-year old during the Independence movement in 1942 when the Quit India movement was going on. A lifelong bachelor, Vajpayee was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1957 from Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh in India's second general elections. His maiden speech in Parliament so impressed his peers and colleagues that the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru introduced Vajpayee to a visiting foreign dignitary thus: "This young man one day will become the country's prime minister." He remained a member of Parliament for 47 years -- elected 10 times to the Lok Sabha and twice to Rajya Sabha. Vajpayee's signature in politics was achieving pragmatic consensus, and in this process he earned the respect of his party, allies and opponents. Abroad, he projected a harmonious image of India and connected it to the world through his foreign policy outreach. Fluent in English, his oratory was at its best in Hindi. With his well-timed wit, and carefully-chosen words delivered with trademark long pauses, Vajpayee immediately connected with all those who came in contact with him -- the common man, politicians, bureaucrats, students and world leaders. As foreign minister under the Janata Party government headed by Morarji Desai in 1977, Vajpayee was the first leader to deliver a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi. He was awarded India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in March 2015. While his six years in office were defined by several crises -- including the hijacking of an Indian Airlines jetliner to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 1999, an attack on the Parliament building in 2001, communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 -- he also left a mark with peace initiatives and infrastructural projects. Chief among them is the Golden Quadrilateral highway network, connecting India's four major metropolises with 5,846 km of roads. During his second term as prime minister, Vajpayee ordered nuclear tests in May 1998 in a strategic masterstroke to blunt Pakistan's nuclear ambitions while at the same time announcing a moratorium on future testing. He followed this up with peace overtures to Pakistan, riding on the first direct bus from India to Pakistan in February 1999. Undeterred by party hawks, Vajpayee arrived in Lahore on the bus, accompanied among others by legendary actor Dev Anand. Vajpayee met with then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in what was hailed as the dawn of a new era in India-Pakistan relations. However, then army chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf did not turn up to greet him at the Wagah border. It soon became clear why. Only months later, in June 1999, Pakistan began hostilities in Kargil that took the two countries to the brink of a full-scale war. Vajpayee felt betrayed and never hid his bitterness whenever Kargil was mentioned. He tried again to build peace with Pakistan -- which people close to him say was the mission of his life -- by holding a historic summit in Agra with Musharraf in 2001, who by then had become the president. But the summit too failed spectacularly. Another historic event that he expressed anguish about was the post-Godhra communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 when Prime minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister. Unwilling to hide his feelings over the riots, Prime Minister Vajpayee said the government must follow "Raj Dharma". In his autobiography, former President Pranab Mukherjee wrote that the Gujarat riots were "possibly the biggest blot" on Vajpayee's government that could have cost the Bharatiya Janata Party the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. After the NDA was routed in the elections, Vajpayee announced his retirement from politics in 2005 and slipped into relative political oblivion. He was rarely seen in public after suffering a stroke in 2009, and subsequently developed dementia. However, his influence loomed large over the party, which often quoted him and his policies. In his Independence Day speech on Wednesday, Modi said he wants to resolve the Kashmir issue through Vajpayee's doctrine of "Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, Jamhooriyat", which seeks to preserve the composite Kashmiri culture while ensuring democracy in a humane manner. When he assumed office for the second time in 1999 as the head of a more stable coalition, Vajpayee had to abandon some of the cornerstones of BJP's policies to get the backing of more secular groups. This included the BJP's demands for scrapping the special status for Jammu and Kashmir, building a Hindu temple on the site of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya and abolishing the separate civil code for Muslims. The demolition of Babri Masjid by kar sewaks in December 1992, when he was the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, was an acid test for Vajpayee's secular agenda and his stand within the party. Vajpayee's trusted lieutenant L K Advani and most BJP politicians supported the demolition but Vajpayee condemned the attack unequivocally. At times he tried to appeal to Muslims and other minority groups, and was seen as a reassuring figure for India's mainly secular establishment. His personal integrity was never seriously questioned but arms bribery scandals exposed corruption in his government and at times cast doubts on his judgment. A romantic at heart, Vajpayee wrote poetry in his spare time, and was a connoisseur of good food. Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, to a school teacher, Krishna Bihari Vajpayee, and Krishna Devi. Today, his birthday is celebrated as Good Governance Day'. After schooling, he graduated from VictoriaCollege in Gwalior, now known as LaxmiBaiCollege. He did his MA in political science from DAVCollege in Kanpur. Following a brief flirtation with communism, he became a full-time worker of RSS in 1947. Vajpayee subsequently entered journalism and was editor of Rashtradharma, a Hindi monthly, the Panchjanya Hindi weekly and the dailies, Swadesh and Veer Arjun. He became a close follower of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the precursor to Jana Sangh and later the BJP. Under Mookerjee's tutelage, Vajpayee's right-wing philosophy shaped. Vajpayee accompanied Mookerjee to Kashmir in early 1950s during the BJS leader's fast-unto-death to protest the identity card requirement for Indian citizens visiting the state. It was Vajpayee's first insight into the Kashmir problem, which decades later he addressed in 2003 with the "Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, Jamhooriyat" doctrine. Vajpayee is survived by his adopted daughter, Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. Photograph: Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters. Torrential rain and floods played havoc in Kerala, claiming 30 lives on Thursday, swamping homes, destroying roads, and disrupting air and rail traffic in many places, officials said. IMAGE: An aerial view of flooded Cochin International Airport. Photograph: ANI Altogether 97 people have died in rain-related incidents since the second spell of monsoon fury got unleashed on August 8. The murderous weather has claimed 55 lives in the last two days alone. Battling savage weather conditions, the Indian navy began airlifting marooned people in Trichur, Aluva and Muvattupuzha. Dramatic videos showed people stranded atop flooded homes and hills being winched up by navy choppers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Kerala and undertake an aerial survey of the flood ravaged areas on Saturday, Union Minister K J Alphons said. Modi was expected to reach Kochi on Friday after attending the funeral of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he told reporters. The funeral of Vajpayee, who passed away on Thursday, has been scheduled for 4 pm on Friday in Delhi. IMAGE: This is what Kochi airport looks like following heavy rains. Photograph: ANI After an overnight stay at Kochi, the prime minister will undertake an aerial survey of the flood affected areas on Saturday, Alphons said. Modi has already been in touch with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and had assured all assistance. Under instructions from Modi, the defence ministry rushed in fresh teams of the three wings of military for relief and rescue operations in the state where over 1.5 lakh homeless and displaced people are taking shelter in relief camps. All but one of the state's 14 districts are on high alert, sources said. Modi spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan again on Thursday morning and assured him of all central help in tackling the situation. "We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked defence ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala," Modi tweeted. IMAGE: People being rescued from a flood-affected region following heavy monsoon rainfall, in Kochi. Photograph: PTI Photo Twelve additional teams of of the National Disaster Response Force comprising about 540 personnel were also rushed to Kerala. The National Crisis Management Committee, the country's apex body for handling emergency situations, met in New Delhi to take stock of the rapidly deteriorating situation caused by the worst floods the state has witnessed in close to a century. The meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha was attended by chiefs of the three services, secretaries of home, defence and other top officials. Taking note of the gravity of the situation, the Supreme Court ordered the disaster management panel of the Mullaperiyar Dam to urgently decide on lowering the water level by three ft to 139 ft. The directive came after Vijayan wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart K Palaniswami seeking release of water from the over 122-year-old dam to ensure its safety. The dam in Kerala's Idukki district is owned and maintained by Tamil Nadu. The Kochi International Airport on Thursday extended the suspension of all services up to 2 pm on August 26, with large parts of the facility flooded. "Kochi Airport operations is temporarily suspended up to 2 pm on August 26 due to very high flood situation and key essential facilities like runway, taxiway and apron are under submerged condition," an airport statement said. IMAGE: Air Force personnel carry out rescue operations at a flood-affected region in Kochi. Photograph: PTI Photo Services on the Kochi Metro were halted for a few hours as water levels rose in the Muttam yard, before resuming in the evening. Train services were also hit due to flooding. Over 25 trains were either cancelled or rescheduled, a Southern Railway statement said. As water levels rose to the height of double-storeyed buildings in some towns and villages in central districts, hundreds of people, including children and elderly, sought refuge on rooftops, and took to social media to make desperate pleas for evacuation and relief. Newborn babies and patients in intensive care units of private hospitals in Aluva town of Ernakulam district were evacuated and shifted to facilities elsewhere. IMAGE: People being rescued from a flood-affected region. Photograph: PTI Photo According to some reports, around 200 patients were stranded at a hospital in Muvattupuzha after rain water swamped the building. "This sort of a situation has never been faced by the state. We are doing all that is humanly possible and rescue efforts are going on," Vijayan told a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, asking people not to panic but take all precautions to keep themselves safe. Fiftyeight dams of the Kerala State Electricity Board and 22 of the Kerala Water Authority were full to the brim. The state cabinet met and decided to raise excise duty on Indian Made Foreign Liquor till November 30 to mop up additional resources for relief and rehabilitation efforts, official sources said. IMAGE: Visuals from Kerala's flooded Pathanamthitta district on Thursday. Photograph: ANI TV channels broadcast a video shared by a Christian priest seeking food and water for about 1500 people stranded at a religious centre in Muringur. Hundreds of students were marooned at the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady near Kochi. As woes rained on Kerala, able-bodied men and women were seen wading through chest-deep water carrying children on their shoulders in a bid to escape the flood fury. Roads and bridges have caved in and developed cracks in many placesmaking rescue efforts difficult. If Advani's ideological leadership galvanised the party's cadres and core support, Vajpayee soaring oratory, common touch and easy charm won over the masses. IMAGE: In this file photo dated September 8, 2003, then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee arrive at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi for his swearing-in ceremony. Photograph: PTI Photo. The Bharatiya Janata Party rode on former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's larger than the party image and avuncular manner to win over new allies and back to back victories in Lok Sabha elections in 1998 and 1999 to become a dominant force, eclipsing the Congress for the first time. Never one who wore the party's core Hindutva ideology on his sleeve, the poet- politician led the party from 1980, when it was founded by leaders of the erstwhile Jana Sangh which was merged with Janata Party briefly, to 1986 but with little electoral success as it won only two seats in the 1984 Lok Sabha elections. However, it was L K Advani who was at the centre of the BJP's rise through the late 80s and early 90s as it rode the Ram Janambhoomi movement pushed by its Hindutva affiliates like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and fuelled by 'rath yatra' in 1990 in support of a temple in Ayodhya. Veteran journalist Radhika Ramaseshan recalls that Vajpayee propounded the idea of "Gandhian socialism" that found little traction with the masses and he was virtually "sidelined" in the organisation as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP's ideological parent, decided that the party must go full throttle on Hindutva. Advani, always seen as a more hardcore ideologue than Vajpayee, took over as the party president in 1986 as the organisation decided to throw its weight behind the 'Ram Janambhoomi' movement and for the first time adopted a resolution in its national executive in 1989 in favour of a temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. "Atalji was kind of marginalised in this whole phase. The story of the BJP really begins from that (Ram temple movement) and he was not present in that phase. He was ideologically very strong but he would not wear it on his jacket, and not chant slogans to prove his pro-Hindutva credentials," Ramaneshan says. Vajpayee was not really the party's mascot during the huge political success of the temple movement as it bounced back strongly in 1989 with 85 seats from the low of two in 1984 and then became the principal opposition party in 1991 with 120 seats. Though Advanis Hindutva push fuelled the party's massive growth from a relatively low base, it was increasingly felt within the organisation and also sections of the RSS that if it has to go to the next level and realise its dream of forming a government, then it needed a face whose appeal rose beyond its ideological call. Vajpayee, who was seen as a peace-maker capable of taking everybody along, was the perfect fit for such a leader, she says. Party veterans said that 90s were an era of coalition politics and the BJP was almost a pariah for regional parties, especially from southern India, outside its traditional partners like Shiv Sena and Akali Dal, following the demolition of Babri mosque in 1992. It was then that in 1995, a year before Lok Sabha elections, that the party, then led by Advani, projected Vajpayee as its prime ministerial candidate, a view also endorsed by the then RSS chief Rajendra Singh, better known as 'Rajju Bhaiyya'. If Advani's ideological leadership galvanised the party's cadres and core support, Vajpayee soaring oratory, common touch and easy charm won over the masses. Critics of BJP would often allege that Vajpayee was just a 'mask' to cover the party's hardline agenda. But there was no denying that he was a true people's leader whose mass appeal cut across divides of caste, language, region and also religion. He led the party to its best ever tally, until then, of 161 in 1996 but his government fell after merely 13 days. However, an unstable coalition government resulted in another poll in 1998. By that time, more and more allies were willing to fall to the appeal of his personable aura and agreeable leadership and he led a government for 13 months before it fell after his Tamil Nadu ally and AIADMK supremo Jayalalitha withdrew her party's support. But he was not to be denied a full term at the Centre and led a much stronger coalition to power in 1999. Such was his pan-India appeal in the late 1990s than even in states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the BJP's allies gained from it. 'He has sacrificed a lot. Always done something for others. But never asked for anything in return.' Union Minister Vijay Goel remembers Atalji. I do not remember when I met Vajpayeeji for the first time. I do remember, however, that when I was in school I used to walk from Roop Nagar in north Delhi to the Ramlila Maidan whenever I came to know that Atalji is going to address a rally. That was the time he used to be leader of the erstwhile Jan Sangh. His speeches made us laugh and cry. His words kept resounding in my ears long after the rallies were over. During the Emergency, Atalji my father Charti Lal Goel, a leader of the Jan Sangh, and I were in prison. When I became president of the Delhi University Students Union years later, I used to get cards printed and then go and tell Atalji, "Cards print ho gaye hain, ab to aap ko aana hi padega (Now that the cards have been printed you will have to come). He never disappointed me. I am indebted to Vajpayeeji because he has always showered his love and affection on me. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who ruled India till May 1964, became India's prime minister because he had sacrificed a lot for the nation during the freedom struggle. Vajpayeeji for 50 years toured the length and breadth of the country to win the love and affection of the people. He is the tallest of all Indian politicians in the country today. There is no one who can match him in statesmanship. I have rarely seen him lose his cool. Once I asked him, aap ko gussa nahin atta? (Don't you get angry?). He said he does get angry, but likes to channelise his anger through something constructive. He is a man with a vision. While making his peace offer at a public rally in Kashmir in April this year (2003), he said this was his last effort. His efforts seem to be paying off. He is the one who can resolve the mandir issue as well. When Musharraf was here to hold talks with Vajpayeeji on Kashmir in Agra and held a press conference, there was a furore. Everyone wanted Vajpayeeji to hold a press conference. But he did not do that. Now look where Vajpayeeji is and where Musharraf is. India as a nation has become a world power under his able leadership. He has taken some bold stands, which at times were not liked by the superpowers. I recall when he and Advaniji walked alongside my mare at my wedding. Vajpayeeji may not be married himself, but he has seen many others get married. I adore him as a politician, prime minister, and elder statesman. He is a simple man. He is what he is. He loves to laugh his heart out, but the position he holds prevents him from doing that now. I will never forget the day when Atalji took along with him Advaniji, Vijay Kumar Malhotra and the late Kanwar Lal Gupta to meet the President of India to register his protest against my expulsion from Delhi University. I had been punished for leading a students movement. That day I realised how much Atalji loved me. IMAGE: Then minister of state in the prime minister's office Vijay Goel, left, with then parliamentary affairs minister Pramod Mahajan welcome then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Parliament House on the first day of the winter session, November 19, 2001 Photograph: Ranjan Basu/Saab Press When he took over as prime minister of India, his first public appearance was at my house where he along with all the members of his Cabinet were present. Very few people know that the poet Atal Bihari Vajpayee loves to listen to other poets as well. Once, when he did not get any other means of transport to go to the Red Fort for a mushaira, he hired a tonga to reach his destination. That is my leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He has sacrificed a lot. Always done something for the others. But never asked for anything in return. This feature was first published on Rediff.com on December 23, 2003. Vijay Goel, then Union minister of state for youth affairs and sports, spoke to Rediff.com's Onkar Singh. Far away from the glare of publicity live Atal Bihari Vajpayee's family -- three sisters, nephews, nieces and their children. A large family proud of its bond with India's leader. Rediff.com's Archana Masih and Photographer Jewella C Miranda travelled to Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh to meet Atalji's friendly family. This feature was first published on Rediff in March 1998. IMAGE: Atal Bihari Vajpayee with his sister Urmila Mishra's daughter-in-law in Manali. Atal Bihari Vajpayee's grandnephews and grandnieces in Gwalior's Sindhi colony finally took a breather. The television showed Bade baba breaking his fast after the Kalyan Singh government was reinstated in Uttar Pradesh. Until then, news of their hungry Baba had proved the biggest distraction in the middle of their preparations for their exams. "The children were so traumatised that they forgot about their studies and kept running to the television to see whether Mamaji was okay," says Shobha Mishra. Shobha, the bubbly eldest daughter-in-law of Vajpayee's younger sister Urmila Mishra, can barely contain her enthusiasm. As a matter of fact, no one in Urmila Mishra's large household in Gwalior can. While the children have not yet figured out how on earth people win elections without participating in any sporting events -- like kushti -- Mishra's husband, three sons, three daughters-in-law and five children were certain that Vajpayee would be the next prime minister. "My brother is the only capable person who can lead this country, and my inner soul says he would definitely become the PM this time," declared 60-year-old Urmila Mishra. The portents were evident for some time now. The huge stack of family albums hardly contain any of Vajpayee's early pictures. Most of them have been taken away by a curious media, investigating his roots, and never returned. "Moreover, in those days there were no photo studios," recalls Urmila Mishra, "I remember there used to be just one shop in Daulatganj, Gwalior." Just back from spending the winter with her daughter in relatively warmer Nagpur, she spent the entire month improving her health so that she could make it to the swearing in ceremony in good shape. Unlike May 1996 when she had to stall her plans because Shobha injured her foot with a piece of glass. Her other two sisters had already reached Delhi before her. So did the prime minister's nephew. "The family entourage is already stationed there," adds Urmila's second daughter-in-law Vinita in a telephone conversation. Caught up with their children's exams, Vinita and her sisters-in-law had to skip their plans of attending the ceremony. Lead by Urmila's eldest son and former BJP MLA Anoop, the Mishra household was a hub of activity at election time. "We all pitch in for the party during elections," says Shobha. Christened Awnija, Shobha's name was changed by her in-laws. "You know that thing of pehli bahu being ghar ki shobha, so that's how I got my name," she explains. IMAGE: Atal Bihari Vajpayee surrounded by his little relatives. She remembers her first meeting with Vajpayee clearly. "Just after my marriage, the first thing that mamaji asked me was whether I knew the meaning of Awnija -- my first name." Though political obligations and security compulsions have reduced his visits to Gwalior, the Mishras have seen much of Vajpayee each time he has visited the town. Especially during the Gwalior trade fair and Raksha Bandhan -- a festival that Vajpayee himself has never wanted to miss. "We all go to the fair with him. He also gives us kharchi (pocket money), and there is one chaatwallah that he particularly likes," points an excited Vinita. However, the threat factor has proved a big deterrent to those free wheeling jaunts; even the chaat is now tasted by Special Protection Group personnel before Vajpayee tucks into it. "He comes by the morning Shatabdi and leaves in the evening," says nephew Abhay. "The last time when he had come for the election campaign, we sent 20 food packets for all of them," adds Urmila, who firmly believes it is not right for the family to encroach upon her brother's time when he comes to meet the public. But the memories remain. Of those days when, free from the trappings of security, Vajpayee would meet with the entire 50 to 60 members of his family at their ancestral home in Shinde-ki-Chavni. Of that day when 62 family members watched Kamal Amrohi's Razia Sultan at a local movie hall. Of that day when he changed the diapers of Urmila's youngest grandson. The women in the family also reveal another aspect of the prime minister's personality -- his cooking skills. "When he is visiting us, Chachaji relishes raw salads, dahi vadas, besan, til and mungare ladoos," says niece Kanti Mishra. The daughter of Vajpayee's second brother Suda, Kanti lives in the family's ancestral home. Bearing a distinct resemblance to Vajpayee, she is a devout believer in the family deity Boode babu, which the Vajpayees brought with them when they moved from Bateshwar near Agra to Gwalior. Vajpayee's father Krishna Bihari shifted to Gwalior after taking on the headmaster's post in Gorkhi in 1935. It was at the Victoria College -- now the Laxmibai College -- that Vajpayee did his graduation before leaving for Kanpur for further studies and a foray into politics. Krishna Bihari had four sons and three daughters. Vajpayee was the youngest son. His brothers have passed away; two of his sisters -- Vimala and Urmila -- live in Gwalior while Kamala stays in Agra. The portion of their ancestral house that belonged to Vajpayee has been transformed into a library in his father's memory. Inaugurated by Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia, it is supervised by niece Veena Dubey and Shashi Vajpayee, daughter-in-law of Vajpayee's other brother Prem. The library also houses toys and is frequented mostly by children and housewives. "Our father was very fond of him," says elder sister Vimala Mishra,"but as a child, we never saw him studying." Two-and-a-half years older than him, she recalls the early days when she threw her brother's RSS khaki shorts over the wall so that he could make it to the sabha on the sly. As their father worked at a government college, the information that his son was an RSS activist could have jeopardised his position if the authorities got wind of it. A widow, Vimala Mishra lives with her son Arun, an engineer in the public works department, and daughter-in-law Manju in Gwalior. Discussing her brother's poetic nature she says it is a trait that has been passed on through generations. "Our grandfather used to conduct even ordinary conversations through shlokas. Our father also wrote poetry," says Vimala Mishra proudly. IMAGE: Atal Bihari Vajpayee at a family wedding in Ajmer. Family members affirm that Vajpayee has always given his family a lot of affection. He has made it a point to attend weddings and always remained very popular in the family. "I remember when we used to ask him to help us get a job," recalls Anoop, "Mamaji would tell us Iif you marry a Muslim girl I will definitely get you a job.'" But it is the daughters-in-law and nieces that are Vajpayee's biggest fans. "If he falls short of gifts for us, he holds a lottery of sorts and gives it to whoever's name is picked," says Shobha explaining the pradhan mantri's modus operandi. "I am fond of collecting autographs," adds a giggly Vinita, "After my marriage when I requested him for one, he asked me, Kya mein kuch hoon? (Am I somebody?)" Family members say Vajpayee has different personalities for the public and in private. "He has a great sense of humour and is very friendly with the kids in the family," says Navin Vajpayee, the son of Vajpayee's elder brother Prem. Navin, who runs a scientific store with his younger brother Deepak, recalls one summer vacation when Vajpayee came to New Delhi station to receive them. "He was prominent in politics while we were a middle class family from Bilaspur," he recalls, explaining how his father sent his elder brother to Vajpayee's house to find out if he was home, while the rest of the family waited in the waiting room. On hearing about their arrival, Vajpayee rushed to the station. "We were carrying a matka of water and felt embarrassed to carry it in the taxi, but chote chachaji himself carried it for us. He told us that fridge water was nothing compared to the coolness of matka water," remembers Navin. Though their ration cards were made out during one of their holidays with Vajpayee, Navin maintains that chote chachanever tried to draw any one of them into politics. Among all of Vajpayee's relatives only three are associated with politics. Elder brother Suda's daughter Karuna Shukle was a MLA from Raipur; Anoop Mishra is a BJP MLA in the Madhya Pradesh assembly; and Deepak Vajpayee is a BJP official in Gwalior. IMAGE: Atal Bihari Vajpayee with the family. But that has hardly stopped Urmila Mishra's family from plunging into party work. With BJP flags popping out of nearly every cupboard in the house, the family was busy campaigning for Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya -- Madhavrao Scindia's rival -- in February. "My blood pressure does not return to normal till I know the children's exam results and the election results," adds Shobha, summing the mood in the household. Their proximity to Vajpayee brings many a favour-seeker to their door. Most with requests for a passport, others asking for admissions at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. "We put in a word for them and leave it to him," says Urmila Mishra. Yet, family members say they resist taking advantage of Vajpayee's position. Vajpayee reportedly did nothing to stop brother Prem's transfer during the first non-Congress government in the state. Even when Arif Baig, then a BJP member, was the minister in charge. "When I did not have a tap in my house, he has even fetched water from outside," adds Vimala Mishra, stressing on her brother's humility. Vajpayee is known to have cycled through the streets of Gwalior in 1971 when he was an MP and president of the Jan Sangh. On the premise that he was first a citizen of Gwalior, Vajpayee has also been spotted many times riding pillion on Anoop's motorbike. "He always referred to my Yezdi as my ghoda," says Anoop pointing at a framed black and white picture of Vajpayee and himself on his bike. IMAGE: Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Pushkar. His sisters say Vajpayee was never interested in marriage. "His interests were books, verse and politics, and since his disinterest was so evident we stopped bothering him," adds Vimala. Vajpayee lives in Delhi with the Kauls, friends of his family from Gwalior. Mrs Kaul and her daughter -- whose husband Ranjan Bhattacharya can often be spotted at the prime minister's side -- have been his companions for many years. Vajpayee is known to be particularly fond of the Bhattacharyas's little daughter Neha whom the newspapers refer to as 'his foster grand-daughter'. Family members say they make it a point to visit Vajpayee whenever they visit Delhi. And although he occasionally gets confused about the grandchildren's names, Vajpayee is known to get upset if his relatives visit Delhi without looking him up. They know that prime ministerial responsibilities will further reduce family interaction. However, that is the last thing on the minds of a family that has waited as long as Vajpayee to reach his moment of glory. And as Atal Bihari Vajpayee takes the oath as India's 14th prime minister, for headmaster Krishna Bihari's family -- it is their finest hour yet. Photographs: Jewella C Miranda. Family photographs: Kind courtesy Anoop Mishra. The tools he uses are logic, the reputations of the sources, and how much emotions influence the content. P Rajendran reports for Rediff.com from New York. IMAGE: Lyric Jain Photograph: Kind courtesy Lyric Jain Fake news has been around a long time. But those who suffer the consequences are condemned to endure it again if they lack the logical arsenal to fight wars about facts. Lyric Jain's LogicAlly aims to do just that -- let people know whether the news they come across is trustworthy or not. The tools he uses are logic, the reputations of the sources, and how much emotions influence the content. Jain felt a need to keep tabs on news that economised on the truth after seeing what it did to push the British to vote their country out of the European Union, and the Americans to vote in Donald J Trump. Still, he said, he should not have been surprised. "We found a satire magazine from 1860 (Puck)," Jain said. "It mentioned 'fake news'. As a term and a concept it's been around for a very long time." Driven by enthusiasm, Jain dove in, but found the problem was a little harder to solve than he had imagined. "At the very start, I approached it a bit too naively. I thought this was just a problem with detection," he said. "It's not quite as simple as that. It's more a combination of how we change how people behave with content, as well as challenges of almost instant verification." "We approached it from a citizen-education perspective in which we try to get people to be as sceptical about information they find online but we also provide them with the tools, and do all the heavy lifting ourselves using our (software)." Funded by an MIT project, Jain and his team attacked the problem more analytically. They see who the domain owner is, how old the domain is, are they credible, are they experts by any chance? Do they have any biases and (have the claims) been debunked by fact-checkers? These are typical procedures a fact-checker or journalist would go through if they had infinite time and resources while encountering every piece of information. "People lead very busy lives and we do all the heavy lifting (for them)." LogicAlly, Jain said, relied on three major models working together to assess credibility. "We've got metadata-based indicators. That would be stuff like the domain, the authors, their historic backgrounds and biases." "There the text itself -- if there is any emotive language or circular logic or logical fallacy, if it contains claims that have been debunked by fact-checkers." "Our third model is social media monitoring. We look at how people are responding to it in monitoring how certain claims and certain stories are passed through different people in different networks on social media." Jain conceded that not every issue could be addressed, and that all logical fallacies were not equally easy to measure. "We've got a knowledge base that contains widely accepted information, stuff that is absolutely fact," he said. "Additionally, we've got access to a statistical database which allows us to verify statistical claims quite easily. "Logical fallacies, in particular, are one of our lower-performing models, but they improve the accuracy of our overall ensemble models." "Stuff like overuse of emotive language, appeals to emotion, circular reasoning, ad hominem attacks, also for straw man fallacies." Ad homimem, for example, involves attacking a person, while a straw man involves arguing against a case the opponent has not made. And given the limited size of the knowledge base, the software may not be informed about what else a person may have done to deserve a label, or have said elsewhere. But together with other information in the media, assessments can be made, Jain pointed out. Frederick Burr, Opper, Puck magazine, volume 35, no 887, (March 7, 1894), centerfold. Kind Courtesy: Library of Congress "We have data sets that are barely consistent... in listing out typical straw man and ad hominem attacks," he said. "(It's) more than using a list, a sort of dictionary -- a finite list. It's more than language and the parsing behind that language that we're able to gauge." "So even if its a type of attack or type of fallacy that hasn't been registered in our existing 700,000 article knowledge base, is not documented in the 700,000 articles that made their knowledge base, it will be able to (make an assessment) by analysing the language.' Jain admitted that some of the assessments worked better than the other. "In some situations, some of these models are less sound, but the idea is that when all three of them are working together, it's a very low chance that misinformation could seep through," he said. Asked about claims of bias against Facebook, YouTube and other outlets when they blocked content they deemed objectionable, Jain said his group was keenly aware of how perceptions worked and have found its own way to address the matter. "We are definitely agnostic in terms of our political affiliations," he said, adding that in urban cities it is natural attract people with liberal sensitivities. "When we recruit people for our company we have passionate people on both sides of the political aisle. That's a good way of making sure that concerns from either side are addressed, specifically in terms of banning content on Logically." "Unless in extreme circumstances -- if it's stuff that can incite violence or if it's terrorist content -- we will not take down content on Logically." "It will only be marked and flagged as potential hate speech or potential misinformation. All we can do is make people aware of the context of the information." "We don't believe in censoring information." Thing is, in December 2016, Facebook itself had tried to flag untruthful content with the ambiguous term 'disputed', explaining that to mean that independent fact-checkers had disputed its accuracy. They stopped it within a year, citing a number of problems, one of which Jain's team was particularly disquieting. With masterly understatement, Jain said, "One of the findings from that is slightly concerning for us: If something is indicated and flagged as misinformation, people were more likely to believe it than if it wasn't tagged", admitting that was a very concerning revelation. "What we hypothesise is that (because) Facebook tags say very few things, tagging anything explicitly draws attention to it," he added. Logically tries to circumvent that by ensuring there is always a tag, so as not to specifically draw attention to it; the tag is just another indicator of what the content is. Of course, considerable evidence suggests that people dealing with information that contradicts their belief just dig in deeper and, perversely enough, become more convinced of their original views. The LogicAlly team is doing a lot of work to ensure accurate tagging, Jain said, describing it as a lot of work, natural language scientists, developers, designers, fact-checkers and journalists. Speaking of the situation in India and the spate of social media rumors, such as on WhatsApp, that have even resulted in murders, Jain says LogicAlly is holding discussions to help address such untruths that pass for information. According to him, "Maharashtra is very active in monitoring things that lead to violence. However, in other parts of India we are not sure what the best course of action is." Still, Jain said, incendiary information is not what he hopes to primarily address. "One thing we are picking up quite significantly in India and other parts of Asia is health misinformation," he said, providing an example of such a questionable idea: 'Drink orange juice and give up your cancer medication.' He cited the example of his grandmother, who was diagnosed with cancer while in the UK. "She used to spend winters in India. Over there, she kind of gave up her cancer meds because of similar kinds of information." Jain was born in Mysore and would perhaps have remained there had his sister Rythm not gone to the UK and got into the habit of collecting degrees -- at last count, six. After coming on trips to visit her, the family decided to settle in the UK, where Jain finished his schooling and went on to more interesting things, including a stint at Cambridge in the UK, and at MIT in the US. "I'd say I wasn't very good at it early on. Especially when I first moved I was still finding my identity. Until last August-September, I hadn't been to India in six-seven years; but since then I've been there -- five times??" Jain said. "I've really enjoyed my time there seeing some of the extended family. I'm definitely enjoying reconnecting with India now." 'It will be a long time before we will see the likes of Vajpayee again.' IMAGE: Then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and then deputy prime minister Lal Kishenchand Advani at Rashtrapati Bhavan, September 8, 2003. Photograph: PTI Photo Former Research and Analysis Wing chief A S Dulat remembers then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in whose office he served as an advisor on Kashmir. Vajpayeeji was ailing for quite some time and when such a great man goes, it is a great moment of sadness. In the family, he was referred to as Baapji. For those who worked in the PMO (prime minister's office), he treated all of us like family. My heart goes to his family, specially his (foster) daughter Gunnu, as we used to call her. May the Almighty give them strength to bear this unbearable loss. Atalji used to speak less and he would hear more. He would listen patiently and would give you time to finish. He would rarely interrupt you. After you finish, he would say what to do. He expected you to understand and not speak too much. He was a great man and today, BJP leaders are mourning his loss. Vajpayee did not belong to the BJP, but to India. Vajpayee was the greatest of our prime ministers, second only to Jawaharlal Nehru. It will be a long time before we will see the likes of Vajpayee again. I saw him closely for five years in the PMO. I recall his poem Hum Haar Na Manegey (We will not accept defeat) and that is something that struck me about this great man. He was always unflappable. He faced maximum crises during his prime ministerial tenure and yet he never deviated from his conviction and beliefs. One of his convictions was that we need to end this permanent confrontation with Pakistan and move forward in Jammu and Kashmir. In Kashmir, Vajpayee will be missed hugely. If there was one leader who was revered in Kashmir it was Atalji. This news of his death will be another heartbreak for Kashmir and Kashmiris and across the political spectrum of Kashmir. Be it Dr Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti or even the separatists for that matter like Yasin Malik, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq or even Syed Ali Shah Geelani. They would have to admit that a very great leader has passed. When he went to Lahore, it was a pathbreaking moment and a defining moment. It was one moment that people on both sides thought that maybe India and Pakistan will come to some kind of proper understanding (on Kashmir). Vajpayeeji had the courage to do it single handed. Sadly, soon after his Lahore visit, the Kargil war broke out. The only time I saw Vajpayeeji troubled a little bit was when the coup took place in Pakistan. He had developed a fantastic chemistry with then Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif. He felt sad for Mian Sahab and he also worried about his safety. Yet, he invited Pakistan's General Pervez Musharraf to Agra for peace talks. And still a terrorist attack took place on Parliament. An Indian Airlines plane was hijacked in his time. He went to Srinagar in April 2003 and told a public meeting that he had tried to reach out to Pakistan two or three times, but he was let down. He then said he would not give up talking peace with Pakistan. He said he would try once more. He then went to Islamabad for the SAARC summit. Vajpayee gave Kashmiris hope. The one thing that Kashmiris resents and grudge is defeat. Vajpayeeji never made them feel a sense of defeat. He always gave Kashmiris a sense of hope and hope was reinforced by engagement with Pakistan. 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About Roofing & Remodeling of Dallas Roofing & Remodeling of Dallas is a locally owned and operated firm that has been founded in the year of 1990. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Japan posted a merchandise trade deficit of 231.2 billion yen in July, the Ministry of Finance said on Thursday. That was shy of expectations for a shortfall of 41.2 billion yen following the downwardly revised 720.8 billion yen surplus in June (originally 721.4 billion yen). Exports were up 3.9 percent on year to 6.747 trillion yen, missing expectations for a gain of 6.3 percent and down from 6.7 percent in the previous month. Exports to all of Asia climbed 8.0 percent on year to 3.774 trillion yen, while exports to China alone jumped 11.9 percent to 1.355 trillion yen. Exports to the United States fell 5.2 percent to 1.250 trillion yen, while exports to the European Union advanced 6.4 percent to 766.848 billion yen. Imports surged an annual 14.6 percent to 6.978 trillion yen versus forecasts for 14.2 percent following the upwardly revised 2.6 percent gain a month earlier (originally 2.5 percent). Imports from Asia added 6.9 percent on year to 3.241 trillion yen, while imports from China advanced 6.7 percent to 1.567 trillion yen, Imports from the United States climbed 11.0 percent to 747.932 billion yen, while imports from the European Union skyrocketed 29.1 percent to 889.624 billion yen. The adjusted trade deficit was 45.6 billion yen, missing forecasts for 20.7 billion yen and down sharply from the 683.1 billion yen surplus a month earlier. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. Editors Pick The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the emergency use of Pfizer (PFE) and BioNTech's (BNTX) Covid-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. The approval is one of the final steps needed to get around 28 million young children vaccinated against the coronavirus. Now, the Centers for... Target is running week-long Holiday Best deals starting this weekend to offer holiday shoppers early access to Black Friday savings all season long. Starting October 31 through to the end of the holiday season, the retailer will unveil new week-long Holiday Best deals every Sunday. Citigroup has mandated vaccination against Covid-19 for its workers in the United States. In a LinkedIn post, Sara Wechter, the company's head of human resources, said the Bank has made the decision to require U.S.-based colleagues to be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment. French stocks bounced back on Thursday after steep losses in the previous session, as worries about Turkey eased and China said it would hold a fresh round of talks with the United States later this month, in an effort to diffuse tensions. The lira extended gains for a third day on news of financial support from Qatar and ahead of a presentation by Finance Minister Berat Albayrak to investors. The benchmark CAC 40 was up 21 points or 0.39 percent at 5,325 in opening deals after tumbling as much as 1.8 percent on Wednesday. Out-of-home advertiser JC Decaux soared almost 8 percent after a ratings upgrade by Berenberg bank. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com U.K. stocks rose on Thursday as worries about Turkey eased and a government report showed U.K. retail sales increased more than expected in July. Retail sales including auto fuel, rose 0.7 percent month-on-month in July, in contrast to a 0.5 percent fall in June. Sales were forecast to increase by 0.2 percent. On a yearly basis, overall retail sales volume growth accelerated to 3.5 percent in July from 2.9 percent a month ago. Meanwhile, the Turkish lira extended gains for a third day on news of financial support from Qatar and ahead of a presentation by Finance Minister Berat Albayrak to investors. The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 43 points or 0.57 percent at 7,540 in late opening deals after losing 1.5 percent the previous day. Mining stocks led the surge after China said it would hold a fresh round of talks with the United States later this month, in an effort to diffuse tensions. Antofagasta rose about 1 percent, Glencore advanced 1.7 percent and Rio Tinto rallied 1.5 percent. British American Tobacco gained 1.3 percent and Imperial Brands added 0.7 percent as the pound hovered near 2018 lows. Barclays shares rose 1 percent. A senior Barclays trader has faced losses of about 15 million pounds or $19 million on Turkish bonds over the past few days, the Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter. Home improvement retailer Kingfisher lost 2.6 percent after quarterly underlying sales at its French Castorama fell 3.8 percent. Wood Group climbed 2 percent after it reached an agreement to dispose of its 50 percent interest in the Voreas S.r.l wind farm joint venture in Italy for a cash consideration of around $27 million. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Canadian shares may open slightly higher on Thursday, tracking a recovery in global and steady commodity prices. Investors will be reacting to the data on manufacturing shipments for the month of June, early on in the session. U.S. jobless claims and conditions reports are also expected to provide some direction. Asian markets trimmed losses and European markets got off to a steady start as U.S.-China trade war worries eased a bit and investors focused on earnings reports. The Turkish lira rebounded on news of financial support from Qatar and ahead of a presentation by Finance Minister Berat Albayrak to investors. Still, Turkey crisis continue to linger with the U.S. ruling out the possibility of removing steel tariffs that have contributed to a currency crisis in Turkey even if Ankara frees a U.S. pastor. Meanwhile, reports quote Canada's economic development minister as saying that Ottawa is considering "every conceivable option," if the Trump administration follows through on its warning of levying tariffs on the auto sector. Navdeep Bains is reported as saying one plan is to continue encouraging the U.S. to back away from the tariff threat, which industry has warned would inflict significant damage on both countries' economies. He is said to have added "We're taking nothing off the table at this stage. We're looking at every tool in our toolbox." On Wednesday, the benchmark S&P/TSX index ended down 182.17 points or 1.12%, at 16,148.50, after scaling a high of 16,260.30 and a low of 16,075.34 intraday. According to a report released by The Canadian Real Estate Association on Wednesday, national home sales rose 1.9% in July 2018, increasing for a third straight month. However, actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity was down 1.3% y-o-y. In company news, Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI.B.TO) announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend totaling 48 cents per share on each of its outstanding Class B Non-Voting shares and Class A Voting shares. Vermilion Energy Inc. (VET.TO) has announced a cash dividend of $0.23 CDN per share payable on September 17, 2018 to all shareholders of record on August 31, 2018. Asian stocks ended mostly weak on Thursday, although markets ended well off their day's lows after China said it has accepted an invitation from the U.S. for a new round of trade talks to be held in late August. Major European markets edged higher as worries about Turkey eased after the lira extended gains for a third day on news of financial support from Qatar and ahead of a presentation by Finance Minister Berat Albayrak to investors. In economic news from Asia, China's Ministry of Commerce said that a Chinese delegation led by vice commerce minister Wang Shouwen will travel to the U.S. in late August for trade talks to be held with U.S. Under Secretary of Treasury for International Affairs David Malpass. In European economic news, euro area trade surplus decreased for a third straight month in June, albeit slightly, to EUR 16.7 billion from EUR 16.9 billion, preliminary data from Eurostat showed. Economists had expected the figure to remain unchanged at May's level. Exports rose 1.6% month-on-month while imports grew 1.8%. Elsewhere, a government report showed that U.K. retail sales increased more than expected in July, rising 0.7% month-on-month, in contrast to a 0.5% fall in June. Sales were forecast to increase by 0.2%. On a yearly basis, overall retail sales volume growth accelerated to 3.5% in July from 2.9% a month ago. Meanwhile, data on U.S. building permits for the month of July, initial U.S. jobless claims and the Philly Fed's Manufacturing Index indicating business conditions, are due at 8:30 AM ET. In commodities, crude oil futures for September are up $0.10, or 0.15%, at $65.11 a barrel. Natural gas futures for September are up marginally at $2.942 per million btu. Gold futures for December edged up $2.90, or 0.24%, to $1,187.90 an ounce. Silver futures for September rose $0.161, or 1.11%, to $14.615 an ounce, while Copper futures gained $0.041, or 1.60%, at $2.601 per pound. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) announced Thursday said it agreed to purchase certain assets of Brzil based Algar Agro, including oilseeds processing facilities in Uberlandia Maranhao. ADM will become owner of integrated crush and oil refining/bottling facilities in Uberlandia and Porto Franco. ADM will also gain access to an extensive network of origination and storage silos throughout northeastern and southeastern Brazil. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year. When the transaction is complete, Algar Agro's approximately 400 employees will transfer to ADM. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG) is hoping to lure students to its restaurants with its buy-one-get-one or BOGO offer amid the back-to-school rush. The Mexican food chain is offering a special, one day BOGO offer for students nationwide on Saturday, August 18 to celebrate the back-to-school season. Chipotle said that as part of the BOGO, students of all ages can receive a free burrito, burrito bowl, salad, order of tacos or a kid's meal with the purchase of an entree of equal or greater value. Chris Brandt, chief marketing officer at Chipotle said, "No matter the time of year, we're committed to providing students - and all of our customers - real ingredients, real cooking and real flavor, and we hope this BOGO will only add to students' back-to-school enthusiasm." The BOGO may be redeemed via a digital order, online or in-app, and in-restaurant. It is valid for all students in-restaurant and via digital orders. To redeem at Chipotle restaurants, students just need to tell the cashier that they are students. While students are not required to show their school ID for in-store orders, customers must request the BOGO deal at the register. Online customers can enter the code 'STUDENT' to redeem their BOGO when placing an order for two or more qualifying menu items. Log in or create an account on the Chipotle Mobile app or chipotle.com, order two entrees, click "view or redeem offers" and choose "add an offer. Then, enter the 7-digit offer code 'STUDENT' and proceed to the checkout. However, Chipotle said that there is a limit of one free entree item per eligible student and one free entree per order. Redemption of the offer requires the purchase of a qualifying entree item of equal or greater value and is subject to availability. The offer cannot be combined with other offers, discounts or coupons and is available in the U.S. only. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Cryptocurrencies are mixed Thursday morning with Bitcoin in the red, while its close rival Ethereum is gaining. As of 11.18 am ET, cryptocurrency market capitalization was $205.91 billion and the Bitcoin dominance rate was 53.2 percent on CoinMarketCap. Here is a wrap of the main news from the cryptocurrency and blockchain space over the past 24 hours. Ethereum Classic Surges On News Of Coinbase Listing Coinbase, a popular cryptocurrency exchange in the US, said Wednesday it will list Ethereum Classic on 5 PM Pacific Time on Thursday. Coinbase Consumer customers will be able to buy, sell, store and use Ethereum Classic (ETC) on the exchange and on the mobile app. As of 11.14 am ET, Ethereum Classic was up 16.04 percent at $13.99 on CoinMarketCap. Barclays' Hackathon For Designing Smarter Derivatives Market On Blockchain British bank Barclays announced a two-day hackathon event dubbed the "2018 Barclays DerivHack" to find the best blockchain-based solutions to increase the efficiency of derivatives contracts processing. Barclays is partnering with Deloitte, International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA), and Thomson Reuters to sponsor the event. BMO, Ontario Teachers' Trial Canadian Dollar Debt Issuance On Blockchain BMO Capital Markets, the investment banking subsidiary of Canada's Bank of Montreal, has partnered Canadian pension fund Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP) to launch a pilot fixed income issuance transaction on a blockchain platform. AAIS Partners IBM To Launch Insurance Regulatory Reporting On Blockchain The American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) entered into a deal with IBM to launch the open Insurance Data Link (openIDL) on IBM Blockchain to automate insurance regulatory reporting. AAIS is a not-for-profit national insurance advisory organization in the U.S. Current Prices As of 11.16 am ET, Bitcoin was down 0.97 percent at $6,397.28 and Ethereum was lower by 0.30 percent at $293.00 on Coinbase. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Air France-KLM Thursday said it has appointed Benjamin Smith as its new Chief Executive Officer. Benjamin Smith recently was Air Canada's President Airlines and Chief Operating Officer. Benjamin Smith will take up his duties at Air France-KLM on September 30, 2018. Smith will take over executive management of the Air-France-KLM Group and will establish its organizational structure. He will be in charge as a priority to revitalize Air France, to give a new strategic impulse to the Group and to work on a new leadership approach with all Air France-KLM's teams. Anne-Marie Couderc said, "The arrival of Benjamin Smith is excellent news for the Group. Benjamin is a world-renowned leader in the airline sector who successfully transformed Air Canada. As a man who prefers dialogue, he developed and implemented the historical long term win-win agreements with the airline's social partners for the benefit of Air Canada's teams, the airline and all other stakeholders." 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 appointment of Smith on the grounds that he would undermine French sovereignty as he is a Canadian. "Other countries and governments show fierce protectionism when it comes to their airlines. How ... could we allow Air France to fall into foreign hands?" the unions said in the statement. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The Canadian stock market ended modestly higher on Thursday, led by gains in financials, consumer staples and energy sections. A firm trend in U.S. and European amid hopes a fresh round of trade talks between the U.S. and China later this month will help diffuse trade-war tensions, contributed to the improved sentiment in the market. Better than expected manufacturing data for the month of June aided sentiment. According to the report released by Statistics Canada, manufacturing sales in Canada climbed 1.1% in June. as against expectations for an increase of 0.9%. The benchmark S&P/TSX index ended up 77.15 points, or 0.48%, at 16,225.65, after scaling a low of 16,214.75 and a high of 16,287.70 intraday. On Wednesday, the index ended down 182.17 points or 1.12%, at 16,148.50. The Capped Financial Index gained 0.62%. Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TO), Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD.TO), Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS.TO), Bank of Montreal (BMO.TO), Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM.TO) and National Bank of Canada (NA.TO) gained 0.35 to 0.85%. Manulife Financial Corporation (MFC.TO) and Sun Life Financial Inc. (SLF.TO) ended higher by 0.75% and 1%, respectively. The Capped Consumer Staples Index climbed up 1.76%. Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (ATD.B.TO), Loblaw Companies (L.TO), Saputo Inc. (SAP.TO), George Weston (WN.TO), Empire Company (EMP.A.TO), Cott Corporation (BCB.TO), Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (MFI.TO) and The North West Company Inc. (NWC.TO) gained 1% - 3%, while Metro Inc. (MET.TO) gained 3.8%. The Capped Energy Index ended up 0.5%. Suncor Energy (SU.TO), Crescent Point Energy (CPG.TO), Husky Energy (HSE.TO) and ARC Resources (ARX.TO) gained 0.8 to 1.7%. Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ.TO) ended modestly higher, while Cenovus Energy (CVE.TO) and Encana Corporation (ECA.TO) closed modestly lower. In the materials space, Franco-Nevada Corporation (FNV.TO) declined nearly 2%, Barrick Gold Corporation (ABX.TO) shed 0.8%, Goldcorp Inc. (G.TO) ended down 3.1%, Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM.TO) declined by 2.5%, Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (WPM.TO) ended lower by 3.5%, Teck Resources (TCK.B.TO) gained 1.5% and Methanex Corporation (MX.TO) moved up 1.8%, while First Quantum Minerals (FM.TO) spurted nearly 5%. Vermilion Energy Inc. (VET.TO) announced a cash dividend of $0.23 CDN per share payable on September 17, 2018 to all shareholders of record on August 31, 2018. The stock failed to retain early gains and ended flat. Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI.B.TO) gained 1.1% after the company announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend totaling 48 cents per share on each of its outstanding Class B Non-Voting shares and Class A Voting shares. In economic news from Asia, China's Ministry of Commerce said that a Chinese delegation led by vice commerce minister Wang Shouwen will travel to the U.S. in late August for trade talks to be held with U.S. Under Secretary of Treasury for International Affairs David Malpass. The Turkish lira rebounded on news of financial support from Qatar and ahead of a presentation by Finance Minister Berat Albayrak to investors. Still, Turkey crisis continue to linger with the U.S. ruling out the possibility of removing steel tariffs that have contributed to a currency crisis in Turkey even if Ankara frees a U.S. pastor. Meanwhile, reports quote Canada's economic development minister as saying that Ottawa is considering "every conceivable option," if the Trump administration follows through on its warning of levying tariffs on the auto sector. Asian stocks ended mostly weak on Thursday, although markets ended well off their day's lows after China said it has accepted an invitation from the U.S. for a new round of trade talks to be held in late August. Major European markets edged higher as worries about Turkey eased after the lira extended gains for a third day on news of financial support from Qatar and ahead of a presentation by Finance Minister Berat Albayrak to investors. Wall Street ended on an upbeat note, with encouraging economic data, some strong earnings reports, including from Walmart and expectations of a solution to the U.S-China trade dispute lifting stock prices higher. In U.S. economic news, Labor Department's report showed first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits unexpectedly edged lower in the week ended August 11th, dipping to 212,000, from the previous week's revised level of 214,000. Growth in Philadelphia-area manufacturing activity slowed by much more than anticipated in the month of August, according to a report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. The Philly Fed said its index for current general activity tumbled to 11.9 in August from 25.7 in July. New residential construction rebounded by much less than expected in the month of July, according to the report released by the Commerce Department. The report said housing starts rose by 0.9% to an annual rate of 1.168 million in July after plunging by 12.9% to a revised rate of 1.158 million in June. The Commerce Department also said building permits climbed by 1.5% to an annual rate of 1.311 million in July after dipping by 0.7% to a revised rate of 1.292 million in June. In commodities, crude oil futures for September delivery ended up $0.45, or 0.7%, to settled at $65.46 a barrel. Natural gas for September was down 0.007 or 0.24% at $2.933 per million btu. Gold futures for December settled down $1, or 0.84%, at $1,184.00 an ounce, after plunging to a low of $1,167.10 earlier in the session. Silver for September settled up $0.259, at $14.713 an ounce. Copper futures for September ended up $0.0565, at $2.616 per pound. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis FM meets UNDP's Director for regional affairs [16/August/2018] SANAA, Aug. 16 (saba)- Foreign Minister Hisham Sharaf met on Wednesday , UNDP's Director for regional Affairs. During the meeting, they discussed the performance and tasks of the United Nations Office for Volunteers. Sharaf stressed on the importance of expanding activities of the office in various fields, especially in the sectors of health, water and education. He stressed the support of the National Salvation Government for the efforts of the United Nations offices and agencies, including the Volunteer Program. The UNDP's official expressed the appreciation for the cooperation of Yemen's foreign affairs ministry aiming to enhancing the office's work. Ahmed Al-Mutawakel saba NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (KSF) and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until September 10, 2018 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Farmland Partners Inc. (NYSE: FPI, FPI-PB), if they purchased the Companys securities or preferred securities between May 9, 2017 and July 10, 2018, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado. What You May Do If you purchased securities or preferred securities of Farmland 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-fpi/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by September 10, 2018. About the Lawsuit Farmland and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On July 11, 2018, a report by Seeking Alpha revealed allegations that the Company had increased its revenues artificially by making loans to related-party tenants who round-trip the cash back to [Farmland] as rent and that 310% of 2017 earnings could be made-up. Further, the Company had allegedly neglected to disclose that the majority of its loans have been made to two members of the management team. On this news, the price of Farmlands 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. Contact: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC FM sends 2 messages to UN general-secretary and to head, members of SC on coalition' crimes [16/August/2018] SANAA, Aug. 16 (saba) Foreign Minister Hisham Sahara on Wednesday met with the UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in Yemen, Liza Grande. During the meeting, Sharaf delivered two messages, the first is addressed to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the other to the head and members of the Security Council over the Saudi-led aggression coalition's crimes against the Yemeni people, the last of which targeting a bus carrying schoolchildren on Thursday by the coalition warplanes in Dahyan district of Saada. The meeting dealt with currently made efforts to re-open the International airport of Sanaa to permit to medical case needing to be treated abroad to travel. Ahmed Al-Mutawakel saba 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. An incessant downpour battered Kerala again on Wednesday, resulting in 28 more deaths and more destruction and forcing authorities to issue a red alert across the southern state. With these deaths on Wednesday, including five of a family, the death toll since August 8 climbed to 67. While a red alert was sounded in 11 of the 14 Kerala districts, including Idukki, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Pathanamthitta, Kannur and Ernakulam, by Wednesday afternoon, it was extended across the state by the evening hours. The state government declared a holiday on Thursday in all educational institutions. Cochin airport was shut till Saturday after water flooded the complex. In a first, the sluices of 33 dams across Kerala have been opened, following incessant rain since late Tuesday. More rain has been forecast till Saturday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan appealed to the people for generous contributions to battle the worst floods faced by Kerala in nearly a century. Vijayan spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi late Wednesday evening and was assured of all necessary help. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh promised to send more forces to help the state. The five family members died in Malappuram, crushed when their house collapsed. Three were reported missing, while one child was rescued. 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 in late evening, killing five people. Four persons were reported missing in the landslips. The situation in Pathanamthitta district, especially Ranni and its surroundings areas, appeared to be bleak since late Wednesday evening as, local CPI-M legislator Raju Abraham, said things were turning from bad to worse and he was receiving frantic calls from his contituents in Ranni. "Many of them are now perched on terraces as hours up to first storey are flooded and water level is still rising. The biggest problem is no power supply in many flooded areas, with mobile phones running low on batteries," said Abraham. Media offices were also flooded with video messages from affected families for help. Pathanamthitta District Collector P.B. Nooh said that a rescue operation involving 28 boats was going on and another 23 boats have reached the affected areas. Indian Air Force personnel used helicopters to airlift people to safety from some areas of Pathanamthitta district in the evening to the state capital. More and more people poured into relief camps, including those who had earlier returned to their homes in Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Wayanad districts. The Navy said that it had rescued more than 80 persons in Kerala. As part of its 'Operation Madad', the Southern Naval Command deployed 21 rescue and diving teams with Gemini boats for the purpose. The capital district on Wednesday witnessed heavy rain which submerged several low-lying areas. Officials hurriedly opened 14 relief camps. Among those who had to be shifted from their homes were veteran Congress leader and former State party President V.M. Sudheeran and his wife. Actor turned BJP Rajya Sabha member Suresh Gopi's house in the city was also flooded. The famed tourist destination in Munnar has been closed for traffic, following flooding of 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 Pamba river was in spate. On Wednesday, Vijayan took the Independence Day salute amid rain here and urged everyone to contribute generously. 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 level crossed 140 feet. People living in and around the dam were evacuated late on Tuesday. The Cochin International Airport was closed till Saturday afternoon as water released from the Idukki dam flooded the area. Airport Director A.C.K. Nair called the development "unprecedented". "We decided to take this step 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 water to our operational area," said Nair. He pointed out that with more rain predicted in the coming days, it was decided to close the airport operations. "Once the water recedes, it will take us 24 hours to clean up. Then only flights will resume. As of now, we have decided to close down till 2 p.m. on August 18," said Nair. Cochin airport is one of the three international airports in the state, and the busiest. Three new teams of Military Engineering Task Force arrived in the state capital in the night. A team of naval officials has already reached Alappuzha district for relief and rescue. Other defence forces and disaster response teams already in the state for the past few days are busy in putting up makeshift bridges and clearing roads in the affected areas in Kozhikode, Wayanad, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Idukki and Kannur districts. The heaviest rains and floods since 1924 have caused massive destruction, leaving more than 75,000 people in relief camps and damage to crops and properties that the state estimated to be over Rs 8,000 crore. 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. A senior New Zealand woman Army Officer whose tour of duties included South Sudan has commended Samoa for appointing women to senior positions in government. Lieutenant Colonel Esther Harrop, who is the accredited New Zealand Defense Advisor Pacific for Samoa, Niue and the Cook Islands, told Samoa Observer in an interview that she experienced a lot of challenges in her 25-year Army career. These included deployment on United Nations (U.N.) humanitarian operations in war-torn countries such as South Sudan in Africa, where she was the only senior female defence officer out of 114 staff. In the United Nations, there are lots of initiatives to get more women to serve because they make huge inroads where often men cant in a conflict or post conflict situation. If you imagine that your village is under threat the men all go out ready to fight but the women want to talk about practical things like, whats going to happen to the kids, what about the schooling, wheres the food, and wheres the medicine, she said. Her deployment as a senior planer on the U.N. humanitarian relief mission had its challenges, where giving directions to male soldiers was difficult, but she worked to win their loyalty by appealing to their sense of honour. When asked if she found that experience a challenge, she said: Oh yes it was crazy and for a start, you got no mates. However, Im not a person who would ever give up and think that something is too hard. When I first got to South Sudan it was difficult for anybody to listen to me. As a senior officer in South Sudan having to tell men what to do, some of them wouldnt even look me in the eye I had to win them over by appealing to their sense of honour about what is the right thing to do. Relating her experiences to the gains that women have made in the Samoa civil service, she said government entities such as the Samoa Police is leading the way in advancing the cause of women. I met Monalisa Tiai Nafoi, the Deputy Police Commission and shes impressive what an amazing career. She said We met yesterday and we all got a long instantly, no drama just straight to work. I think that Samoa is way advanced in that area, theres women in the Samoa Police at every rank up to Deputy Police Commissioner. Finding commonalities and a sense of solidarity with Samoan women go far deeper than meets the eye in the case of Lieutenant Colonel Harrop, but that may be because she is part Samoan herself and has family ties to the village of Lotofaga. Her ancestor, Gustav Kronfeld from Germany settled in Samoa many generations ago with his Samoan wife and the petite, blonde hair, blue eyed Samoan is very proud of that fact. In her late 20s the Lieutenant Colonel came to Samoa for the first time on a journey to connect with a part of her heritage, Growing up I didnt know that much about my Samoan heritage other than my mother would rock out the Samoan siva once in a while but I didnt really understand the genealogy until I was older and I got interested in that. My first trip to Samoa I was in my late 20s when I went to Lotofaga and I had my maps, my pictures. I had my book about the children and grandchildren of Gustav Kronfeld, which the book was so solid and had a great history. I met an elder who was the Matai at the time in the village. He took me down to the family house down by the water where they would have stayed it was beautiful there. He couldnt speak English but he interpreted through his grand-daughter. Having family connections to Samoa gives the Lieutenant Colonel more determination and a sense of obligation to ensure that relations within the Pacific region are strengthened to main that sense of family. In her role, she hopes to make a difference by helping to build capacity in both the Samoa police force and the New Zealand Defense Force by facilitating ways where both countries can work together and share capabilities. A second nurse has been charged in relation to the deaths of two babies in Savaii who died after they were administered the MMR vaccination. The charge against an unnamed nurse was confirmed by the Police. The Samoa Police Service confirms that in relation to the MMR Vaccination investigation whereby two babies died at Safotu hospital, a 52 year old female nurse is the second person to be charged, the Police said in a statement. The woman faces a manslaughter charge in relation to the death of the second baby who received the MMR vaccination. The Police say the woman was arrested and charged yesterday evening. She has been remanded at liberty this morning with conditions to surrender her travel documents and to sign at Vaitoomuli police post every Friday. She is scheduled to appear before Supreme Court mention on the 27th August 2018. Police is not at liberty to release her name until she appears before the courts. A police investigation is continuing. For such a small country, the number of inquiries and investigations launched into claims of wrongdoing on a regular basis really does boggle the mind sometimes. From within Government bodies to the Public Service Commission, Audit Office to the Police, Attorney Generals Office, Ombudsmans Office not to mention special Inquiries ordered by Cabinet for one reason or another, you cannot help but think that we must live in a country where people have an affinity with wrongdoing. Folks, no one launches an investigation for a good reason? Commissions and Inquiries are launched to solve problems? Its only natural that we think that way especially when not a week goes by without some sort of inquiry being launched into one claim or another on these shores. Take for instance some of the stories reported in your newspaper during the last couple of days. On Wednesday, the front-page story titled Audit Office investigates the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly revealed an investigation that is underway against Sefuiva Charlene Malele. The Speaker of Parliament, Leaupepe Toleafoa Faafisi, said the investigation is over minor issues which the Samoa Observer understands were made in a complaint against the Clerk taken up with Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi. Sefuiva declined to comment. She also denied that leave she took last week had anything to do with the investigation. Contacted for a comment, Director Legal, of Samoa Audit Office, Vaipou Fetuliai Lagaaia, said: We regret to advise at this stage that in our line of work we are mandated by law to answer first to the Parliament. As for an update on the investigation, please note that it is still ongoing. Okay then, fair enough. Last night, Prime Minister Tuilaepa said this should be completed this week. So lets wait and see. But thats not the only investigation. On yesterdays front page was a story about another investigation. This time the investigating arm is the Public Service Commission (P.S.C.) which has launched an inquiry into allegations that Land and Titles Court files had been removed from the vicinity of the Court. The investigation is the result of a formal complaint made by M.J.C.A. employee Tulima Pio, in relation to files he allegedly took to the office of the Minister for Justice and Courts Administration (M.J.C.A.), Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu. Now the Minister has vehemently denied the allegations. In the meantime, the Chief Executive Officer of M.J.C.A., Papalii John Taimalelagi, has welcomed the investigation. We welcome the Inquiry by the Public Service Commission to the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration, he said. I do not wish to comment on the issue until the Public Service Commission has completed its inquiry. Ladies and gentlemen, these are just two of many inquiries that have been launched, re-launched and launched again during the course of the past few months. If you have been reading the pages of your newspaper on a daily basis, you would probably be tired of seeing these inquiries. There are tons of them. Come to think of it, its not all that bad. On one hand, its good to see that these claims of wrongdoing are being taken seriously and investigated at least. It is also positive to see that concerns in relation to matters that are pertinent to the development of the country are subjected to such scrutiny through Cabinet ordered inquiries into a number of different issues. There is nothing wrong with that. Its a normal part of democracy. What is not normal though is the fact a lot of these inquiries suddenly fizzle out and nobody seems to know what the outcomes were. Another common occurrence is when taxpayers pay lots and lots of monies for these Commissions and investigations only for leaders to ignore the findings and the recommendations and continue to do whatever suits their political agenda. We have seen this time and time again over the years. These actions make such inquiries and investigations an utter waste of public monies and resources. The point is that it is good to see that there is a long list of inquiries being launched into countless claims of different natures. But whats the point when they amount to nothing, or when the recommendations and findings are ignored? Why bother launching them in the first place? What do you think? Have a fabulous Friday Samoa, God bless! In what may have been a nation first, Apia was witness to a wedding combining two diverse cultures Assyrian and Samoan. The couple, Bonnie and Grey Viane, tied the knot last Saturday at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral followed by a reception at Taumeasina Resort in a mix of cultural traditions. Bonnie is Assyrian, part of an ethnic group from present-day Iraq, and Grey is Samoan. The two were raised in Sydney, Australia, and said their wedding was an opportunity to deep dive into their cultures and celebrate them. Its hard to stay true to culture when the influence of other cultures, of Australian culture is just so big, Bonnie said. On our wedding day we wanted to be true to who our parents were and that set a foundation of who we are going to be as parents. The integration of their two cultures into a seamless wedding was a learning process for them both, as they dug into traditions they did not necessarily learn about when growing up. Grey said the more they incorporated, the more pride they felt. Bonnie and I always remember where we are from and remember our roots. It was important to us to bring it together and incorporate the Assyrian tradition of bringing the bride out of the house when shes going to marry, and bringing Samoan culture of wearing our Ie Faitaga. The wedding festivities began with the Assyrian tradition of the grooms family picking up the bride, who will not be released to the grooms family until the families negotiate a price. Thats what we did here at the Taumeasina, there was a big hoohaa where my brothers and my dad stood at the door negotiating with his family, said Bonnie. They then travelled to the church, where the service was conducted fully in Samoan, and included the Samoan tradition of ifoga. The couple had a fine mat placed over their head and a blessing said over them. There are no words to explain how we felt when they were doing that, said Grey. Following the ceremony, the wedding party travelled in three classic Samoan buses to Greys fathers village in Poutasi Faleili to take memorable photos. Back at Taumeasina Resort, the families were met by the Assur Kings drumming group from Sydney, who performed traditional Assyrian music to the beat of handmade drums. The wedding party danced with Assyrian Yalekhta, beaded scarfs with bells which add noise and delight to the dancing. Assyrians are always holding or waving something, its all about the noise they make with their bells. Grey said the noise making from the Yalekhta and the drums was so fun for the Samoan half of the family that on arrival for photos at Poutasi, the family greeted them by banging on pots and pans. They see us banging drums and here they are banging pots and pans! The grooms party wore traditional Samoan Ie Faitaga, and the brides family wore Assyrian garb. Bonnie and Greys families joined their celebrations here in Samoa, but unfortunately Greys father, Lupeomanu Faaoli Fata Vaegaau Viane, passed away in 2011. Grey said it was always his fathers dream to see his son marry, and so having the celebrations in Samoa brought them closer to him. When they picked the wedding date, they had no idea it would be Fathers Day here. It just tied us back to Greys dad and I get goosebumps just talking about it, said Bonnie. Having the wedding on Fathers Day just meant he was with us the whole time. A hearing date has been set for the matter between Suitupe Misa and the Office of the Attorney General. Misa is a member of the public who was arrested at gunpoint by a contingent of armed Police officers in 2015. He is suing the Ministry of Police for $1million tala. On Monday, this matter was called again for mention before Chief Justice Patu Tiavasue Falefatu Sapolu in the Supreme Court. Misa is represented by lawyer Seuamuli Sarona Ponifasio. She told the court the matter was originally set for hearing this month. Your honor, this matter was set down for special fixture for three days on the week commencing the 24th of September, she said. However, given an advice by your honor that the court does not have a sitting during that week, we approached the registrar to place the matter for mention so we can have a new hearing date. Prosecution Sefo Ainuu of the Attorney Generals Office confirmed this saying they have an available date from November 26. Your honor if we could set this matter as a special fixture for three days, Seuamuli said. Chief Justice Patu granted the application. This matter is adjourned for hearing as a special fixture the week commencing November 26-28. In the year 2016, Mr. Misa lodged a complaint against the Ministry of Police where the matter was then investigated by the Office of the Ombudsman. The findings of the investigation at the time raised serious questions about the actions of the Police and the Commissioner. The Commissioner of Police failed to meet basic investigation principles and placed undue consideration on second hand evidence, leading directly to the wrongful and unlawful arrest of Suitupe, one the reports findings read. The Commissioners decision to arm and allow the use of firearms by his officers contravened the Use of Force policy, was irresponsible, and could negatively impact the overall safety and security within Samoa. The Commissioner failed to take appropriate steps to identify the actions of his officers as being part of a police operation, leading to widespread distress and in one case serious health issues. The investigation also found that the Commissioner does not have an understanding of the basic laws regarding arrest and detention in Samoa. Incidentally, the report says the arrest was unlawful and improperly undertaken and therefore violated his fundamental human right to liberty. According to the Ombudsman, the findings clearly demonstrate a series of errors of judgment and unlawful actions that are nowhere near what we should be able to expect from our Police force. Company announcement Copenhagen, 16 August 2018 No. 07/2018 Solid organic growth and continued impact from contract phasing in H1 2018 ISS (ISS.CO, ISS DC, ISSDY), a leading global provider of facility services, announces its interim financial report for the first six months of 2018: Highlights Organic revenue growth of 3.2% in H1 and Q2 (Q1 2018: 3.1%), supported by contract launches and expansion of Global Key Account contracts as well as continued demand for non-portfolio services. Total revenue decreased by 1.0% in H1 and 1.6% in Q2 (Q1 2018: 0.4%). The decrease in H1 was driven by negative currency effects of 5.0% partly offset by organic growth and a positive net impact from acquisitions and divestments of 0.8%. Operating margin of 4.4% in H1 (H1 2017: 5.0%) and 4.8% in Q2 (Q2 2017: 5.4%) reflecting mainly the impact of contracts phasing in and out, which peaked in H1. The net impact of acquisitions and divestments as well as currency translation effects was negative by 6 bps for H1 and 5 bps for Q2. Operating profit before other items amounted to DKK 1,712 million in H1 (H1 2017: DKK 1,954 million), including negative currency translation effects of DKK 107 million, and DKK 949 million in Q2 (Q2 2017: DKK 1,079 million). Net profit (adjusted) decreased to DKK 703 million in H1 (H1 2017: DKK 1,056 million), mainly due to lower operating profit before other items, higher financial income and expenses, net, and higher other income and expenses, net. Net profit was a loss of DKK 130 million in H1 (H1 2017: positive DKK 839 million) mainly as a consequence of goodwill impairment due to remeasurement of businesses classified as held for sale in the Netherlands, Argentina and Uruguay as well as France. Cash conversion over the last twelve months of 97% (Q1 2018: 102%). Free cash flow was an outflow of DKK 1,401 million for H1 (H1 2017: an outflow of DKK 865 million), mainly driven by lower cash flow from operating activities. Net debt decreased to DKK 14,258 million at 30 June 2018 (30 June 2017: DKK 14,717 million). Leverage at 30 June 2018 was 2.9x (30 June 2017: 2.8x), impacted by lower operating profit before other items mainly driven by negative currency translation effects. Our capital allocation and leverage objectives remain unchanged. Revenue from Key Account customers corresponded to 53% of Group revenue in H1 (Q1 2018: 52%). Revenue from Global Key Accounts increased by 1% in constant currency in H1 and represents 12% of Group revenue (Q1 2018: 13%). Revenue generated from IFS increased by 9% in constant currency in H1 leading to a total share of 39% of Group revenue (Q1 2018: 38%). Sharpening our focus on Key Account customers led to non-core activities in the Netherlands being classified as held for sale at 30 June 2018. In France, we continued the implementation of GREAT and on 30 July 2018, we announced that we entered into exclusive discussions with a view to divest the non-core route-based Hygiene and Prevention business. Further, the transition and mobilisation of the Deutsche Telekom contract remains on track. The Group is committed to maintain a nominal ordinary dividend paid in 2019 at least equal to 2018. The 2018 outlook for organic revenue growth, operating margin and cash conversion remains unchanged. Jeff Gravenhorst, Group CEO, ISS A/S, said: ISSs steady performance continued, delivering solid organic growth, driven by contract start-ups and expansions of Integrated Facility Service contracts with both local and international Key Account customers among others LEGO Group and ABB. As expected, our margin remained impacted by short term headwinds, including contract phasing. We also continued to refine our business platform through commercial focus and divestments in line with our strategy to focus on key accounts. Based on our performance in H1 and our expectations for the rest of the year, we maintain our full-year outlook for organic growth, operating margin and cash conversion. Lord Allen of Kensington Kt CBE Jeff Gravenhorst Chairman Group CEO Conference call details A conference call will be held on 16 August 2018 at 10:00 CEST. Presentation material will be available online prior to the conference call. Dial-in details: Denmark: +45 35445580 UK: +44 2033645374 USA: +1 8557532230 Link: https://edge.media-server.com/m6/p/53ihzvym For investor enquiries Martin Kjr Hansen, Head of Group Investor Relations, +45 3817 6431 Louisa Grue Baruch, Senior Investor Relations Manager, +45 3817 6338 For media enquiries Lena Stennicke, Group Communications Director, +45 38 17 65 03 About ISS The ISS Group was founded in Copenhagen in 1901 and has grown to become one of the world's leading Facility Services companies. ISS offers a wide range of services such as: Cleaning, Catering, Security, property and Support Services as well as Facility Management. Global revenue amounted to DKK 79.9 billion in 2017 and ISS has more than 488,000 employees and activities in more than 70 countries across Europe, Asia, North America, Latin America and Pacific, serving thousands of both public and private sector customers. For more information on the ISS Group, visit www.issworld.com. ISS A/S, ISIN DK0060542181 ISS A/S, ISIN US4651472056 ISS Global A/S, ISIN XS1145526585 ISS Global A/S, ISIN XS1330300341 ISS Global A/S, ISIN XS1145526825 ISS Global A/S, ISIN XS1673102734 ISS A/S, CVR 28 50 47 99 Buddingevej 197 DK-2860 Sborg Denmark Telefax: (+45) 38 17 00 11 Phone: (+45) 38 17 00 00 www.issworld.com Attachments Samoa stands to benefit from $4.5 million ((US$1.8 million) in terms of medical equipment courtesy of the Government of Japan. It follows notes signed and exchanged between the Ambassador of Japan to Samoa, Maugaoleatuolo Shinya Aoki and Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi yesterday. Held at the Office of the Prime Minister, the notes formalised Japans commitment and contribution to promote economic and social development efforts of Samoa through the health sector. The money given as a grant under Japans Grant Aid Assistance will enable the procurement of a much-needed range of medical equipment for the health sector. It is expected that this Grant Aid Assistance will assist in achieving an advance national development framework of Samoa which is included in its Strategy for the Development of Samoa (S.D.S.) 2016/17-2019/20 the core focus to strengthening the health system capacity and sustainability of a healthy Samoa, a statement issued by Japan said. The procurement and installation of the equipment as well as related technical assistance for the maintenance of the equipment will be the main scope of the grant assistance. Moreover, this Grant Aid Assistance is based on the prioritized areas of Japans assistance and was declared by the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Shinzo Abe at the bilateral summit meeting prior to the Eight Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (P.A.L.M.8) in May of this year. This will be the second project in the health sector provided under the grant aid, in addition to the dental equipment donated earlier in February of this year and a dental mobile vehicle soon to be received for the promotion of economic and social development. The digital farmhand is a developing science technology that could revolutionise the profitability and sustainability of small-scale row crop farming in Samoa. A field trial was carried out yesterday by a group of engineers from the University of Sydney, Australia at Charlie Ah Likis commercial farm in Tapatapao. The group is currently investigating further field trials in Fiji and Samoa this year after finding that their initial field trial in Indonesia showed great insights in the challenges faced by farmers in developing countries. Lead Engineer for the Digital Farmhand project from the universitys Centre for Field robotics, Muhammad Esa Attia, said the robot was made to improve food and nutrition security for row crops farmers in Australia and abroad. He pointed out that the robot on display is not the end product but rather an evolving model where Samoan farmers at every level can draw elements from the technology that will suit their specific needs. The whole idea of this project is we want to develop a platform where can empower small farmers and in order to do that we have to look at the design of this robot from the ground up. Also get an understanding of where the key points are for small farmers and test how we can make something sustainable like this for Samoa what elements of the technology we can draw out of the robot. Some farmers are subsistence farmers, and then farms like Ah Likis are a full blown commercial operation, so its about finding solutions that follow these different levels of farming. By me taking the robot into Samoa, Im showing what that future could be, but at the same time show potential farmers that if we think of this problem in a different way, we can take some elements from this robot and apply it to your farm, Mr. Attia said. Among its multiple features, the design of the platform is based on the use of low cost sensors, computing and manufacturing techniques, which will allow the farmer to easily maintain and modify the platform to suit their needs. The platform also has an actuated standard three-point hitch mechanism that allows various implements to be towed by the platform, similar to a tractor. This is not a commercial product, this is a research product, its all hand built. The way we have designed it and manufactured the product is that you can use low cost manufacturing techniques, for example if I damage one of the panels, I could go to a local metal cutting place here and they could cut out a replacement panel rather than having things sent out to the states or Australia where things need to be fixed. If we can make the platform in such way that most of the elements that could potentially need replacing could be done here, he added. Building and operating such advanced scientific technology is going to require certain specialist skills, which is going to change how farmers look at hiring their workers in the future. I mentioned before that we are looking at the I.C.T. and education requirements to get an understanding of what the level of the I.C.T. and education level is to get an idea of where they are at and whether or not they have the skills set to maintain a platform like this and if not how do we make things simpler to cater for that -we are definitely looking into that, Mr. Attia added. The Digital Farmhand is modular and can be quickly dismantled for transport. The design allows the robot to be easily deployed in rural areas. The system is adaptable to small-scale farmers individual needs and reduces time spent on laborious farm duties such as weeding, spraying and crop monitoring. The Samoa Farmers Association hosted the demonstration and is assisting the team form the Australian Centre for Field Robotics. FREDERICK, Colo. (AP) After his pregnant wife and two daughters disappeared, Christopher Watts stood on his porch in Colorado and lamented to reporters how much he missed them. He longed for the simple things, he said, like telling his girls to eat their dinner and gazing at them as they curled up to watch cartoons. "Last night, I had every light in the house on. I was hoping that I would just get ran over by the kids running in the door, just barrel-rushing me, but it didn't happen," he told Denver TV station KMGH. On Thursday, Watts was in jail after being arrested on suspicion of killing his family, probably before he spoke those words. Authorities did not offer a motive. The body of 34-year-old Shanann Watts was found on property owned by Anadarko Petroleum, one of the state's largest oil and gas drillers, where Christopher Watts used to work, police said. Investigators were looking for the bodies of the two girls, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste. "As horrible as this outcome is, our role now is to do everything we can to determine exactly what occurred," John Camper, director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, said at a news conference in Frederick, a small town on the grassy plains north of Denver, where fast-growing subdivisions intermingle with drilling rigs and oil wells. Watts, 33, has not been formally charged. Because he had not yet appeared in court, there was no immediate record of whether he had hired a lawyer. A family friend reported Shanann Watts and her daughters missing on Monday, police said. In his previous interviews with Denver TV outlets, Christopher Watts said his wife of nearly six years returned home about 2 a.m. Monday after a flight for a work trip was delayed. He said the two had an "emotional conversation" before he left for work a few hours later and that he became concerned after she did not return his calls or texts or those of her friends. He said he came home to an empty house after a friend knocked on the door at noon and got no answer. Shanann Watts' Facebook account paints a portrait of a happy married life, with a constant feed of photos and videos of friends, relatives and herself. Her comments were typically upbeat, whether she was running errands, playing with her kids or promoting a health program. She posted selfies of her and her husband smiling in restaurants, at the ocean on vacation and at their house. On May 5, she wrote: "I love this man! He's my ROCK!" On June 19, she posted a photo of some texts with her husband after sending him a picture of a sonogram. He replied that he loved the baby already. She posted: "I love Chris! He's the best dad us girls could ask for." Her page has photo collages and video slide shows praising Chris Watts, describing how their love was growing stronger and how he gave her the strength to have a third child. The two filed for bankruptcy protection in 2015, estimating they had the same range of assets as liabilities, according to court records. At the time, Christopher Watts worked for Anadarko, earning about $61,500 a year as an "operator." The company said Thursday that he no longer works there but did not say when he left. Shanann Watts was one of the first customers to visit Ashley Bell's tanning salon in nearby Dacona two years ago. The two women quickly became friends, and before long they were texting or calling each other almost daily. Their daughters also played together during salon visits. On Thursday, Bell and her family added several items to a memorial of stuffed toys, candles and flowers on the lawn of the Watts family home. Bell said she never detected that anything was wrong between Shanann and her husband. Bell also got to know Christopher Watts and described him as a loving father. "I just don't understand it," she said, reaching out to accept a flower that her daughter picked from a nearby lawn. Shanann worked from home as a saleswoman for a freeze-dried food company and took her two girls everywhere, Bell said. "She was always about her girls," Bell said. "She would do anything for her girls." One day she came into the salon and announced that she couldn't tan for a while, then grinned and confirmed she was pregnant. Shanann Watts was from North Carolina, and her parents' next-door neighbor, Joe Beach, said he saw her recently when she visited the neighborhood of modest homes in Aberdeen. "We were talking about general things, about how her two girls were doing and how life was out in Colorado. She didn't give me an indication that there was anything wrong. She seemed pretty happy." Shanann's father, Frank Rzucek, said on Facebook that the family did not want to talk to the media. She moved to Colorado from North Carolina with her husband in 2012, according to property records and her social media accounts. Last week, The Baltimore Suns editorial board, like many editorial boards across the country, received a message from The Boston Globe asking us to join with them and publish an editorial on August 16 on the dangers of the [Trump] administrations assault on the press. This dirty war on the free press must end, the message read, calling for urgent action by those committed to free speech and the free press to stand against a White House and its allies who are bent on eroding a pillar of an informed democracy. Our emotions, to say the least, were mixed. While we agree that labeling journalists the enemy of the American people and journalism fake news is not only damaging to our industry but destructive to our democracy, a coordinated response from independent dare we say mainstream news organizations feeds a narrative that were somehow aligned against this Republican president. In fact, were sure he will somehow spin it thus, if he even acknowledges the effort. Thats been his ongoing strategy, and we have no reason to believe hell reverse course now. Why should he? Its working for him. Advertisement Still, its our job to hold the powerful accountable. We do that by asking questions and challenging administration after administration be they at the White House or in City Hall (here in Baltimore, the City Council president and mayor, both Democrats, also have complained about press interference). Most of our readers expect that from us, even when they dont agree with us. And so, regardless of how it looks, we ultimately feel the need to point out that a free press is critical to a properly functioning America. Five of our fellow staffers at the Capital Gazette gave their lives for this cause when they were attacked by a gunman in their Annapolis newsroom in June. Our commitment to protecting the First Amendment and resisting any assaults on the free press is stronger than ever. The challenges our industry faces predate Donald Trumps presidency, of course. While our online readership has grown consistently, we steadily have been losing readers and advertisers in print for years some because of our content, others because of our content delivery methods and the populations changing habits. And media have always had contentious relationships with presidents and other government figures. We are the so-called Fourth Estate, after all the watchdogs who dig up the skeletons of those in power. Can you imagine having us barking at your heels all day long? This president, like no other in many ways, has had a particularly hard time with pushback, however. And he deals with it by deflection and deceit, which, frankly, were duty bound to reveal. Theres a meme going around Twitter right now that sums up what we do or should be doing. Its quoting a woman quoting her university journalism professor: If someone says its raining and another person says its dry, its not your job to quote them both. Your job is to look out of the f***ing window and find out which is true. So thats the goal: to assess, analyze and uncover truth. Thats obviously easier said than done, and our professions truths do not always reflect the entire publics particularly those on the right. While we try to keep our personal feelings out of our work, they can still unintentionally influence the things we cover and the way we cover them. And to many, thats a failure on our part one weve largely been given a pass on in the past. But not in todays partisan climate. In early 2016, both Republicans and Democrats believed the news media keep our leaders in line (77 percent and 74 percent respectively), according to a Pew Research Center poll. A little over a year later in May 2017 four months after President Trump took office the believer numbers were up to 89 percent for Democrats and down to an abysmal 42 percent for Republicans. Wed hate to see where they are today. And while its fair to lay much of the blame for that at our presidents fake-news feet, journalists know we bear some responsibility as well. So what do we do? Keep doing what we do best, for one: talking to people, grasping for understanding and trying to determine whats really in the interests of the public good. But maybe we also open our minds a bit further and look a little deeper into our own motivations. And without a doubt, we keep pushing back against this presidents any presidents abuses of power. Because thats what were here to do. Our democracy depends on it. Politics videos Maryland House of Delegates approves legalizing medically assisted suicide Baltimore City Council questions Michael Harrison as part of confirmation process Comptroller Franchot opposes legislation Maryland House of Delegates to vote on whether to censure Harford Democrat who used racial slur Family responds to introduction of "Anton's Law" Sexual assault investigation task force announced in Baltimore County Billionaire anti-Trump businessman in Baltimore to host town hall Michael Busch will withdraw Maryland constitutional amendment for abortion rights Baltimore County executive transition report Mayor Pugh and two aides stayed in $400-a-night-hotel rooms in Washington Become a subscriber today to support editorial writing like this. Start getting full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks. A technology company moving from a dated 9,000 square-foot office to a modern 30,000 square-foot space usually doesnt portend a major shift in San Diegos corporate dynamics. But when that company is the nations largest retailer and its motivation is rooted in out-recruiting its biggest rival, both of which previously ignored the region, then a sea change seems in the works. Such are the talent wars brewing behind the scenes in San Diego with Walmart pumping money into growing its local Walmart Labs office as it combats the threat of employee attrition to seemingly sexier technology outfits in town, namely Amazon. Walmart Labs is the companys technology arm; the under-the-radar San Diego outpost is responsible for a number of processes critical to the retailers online operations. That includes testing any changes to the website, creating a link between the companys in-store and digital assets, and managing a wealth of data. I tell people, if our Carlsbad office goes down, so does Walmart.com and some of the critical store systems, said Claude Jones, site lead and senior director of engineering. We are the teams behind the scene that keep the site running. Advertisement Come October, Walmart Labs current San Diego team of 70 will take over a custom-built venue at Carlsbads premier business address: the Make campus at 5600 Avenida Encinas. Though relocating just three miles southwest, Walmart Labs move smacks of inter-dimensional office travel designed to give the firm an edge over its peers in the recruiting department. Whereas the current office feels dreary and antiquated with corporate stabs at flavor like the so-called game room that has become the room for everything that doesnt fit into the main space the new venue encapsulates the work-hard, play-harder millennial mindset. Bob Lowell, at left, and Claude Jones, at right, both Senior Directors of Engineering for Walmart Labs, try to get a view through the front windows of Walmart Labs San Diego area offices under construction in the Make campus in Carlsbad. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) So familiar tech office amenities such as a supersized kitchen, large game room, lounge areas and dedicated room for new moms will, of course, be included. But beyond those features, the broader Make campus greets workers with an expansive indoor-outdoor gym that accommodates functional fitness enthusiasts and yogis alike. It also boasts a central coffee shop (housed in a shipping container), outdoor amphitheater, surfboard storage area, on-site bikes (for quick jaunts to the beach) and electric car charging stations. Theres even live music and food trucks present on a regular basis. Walmart declined to disclose the cost of the relocation, but it is a substantial undertaking considering that the company plans to grow the labs headcount to 180 people locally. Amazons out here knocking on our door, Jones said, explaining Walmart Labs rationale for the move. Last year, Amazon leased office space in University City with room for more than 500 employees. Since then, the e-commerce giant has been on a hiring spree, scouting for area pros in game development, software engineering and data science. In the process, Walmart Labs, said Jones, lost a few workers to its digital foe. Jones took the losses as an opportunity to sell the higher ups on a much larger, state-of-art office. A pitch deck highlighting the San Diego presence of other power-players Google, ViaSat, ServiceNow, GoDaddy, Evernote successfully demonstrated to execs that San Diego is the real deal as far as talent goes, he said. I think (the tech talent pool in San Diego) has been undervalued for a long time, said Robert Lowell, who runs the Carlsbad site alongside Jones and is focused on the companys data systems. San Diego ranks 16th in the nation on CBREs 2018 tech talent score card, still well behind the No. 1 Bay Area region but also noticeably higher than our neighbor to the north, Los Angeles, which ranked 26th. Heavy-hitters are starting to take notice. In the last five years, San Diego has seen big names in tech put a small team here or turn a local acquisition into a SoCal branch, said Mark Cafferty, the president and chief executive officer for San Diegos Regional Economic Development Corporation. Why? In part because local agencies and startup groups have aligned in getting the word out about the talent pool, he said. His organization is in the midst of a regional branding campaign called San Diego: Life. Changing. for instance. But the other, arguably more important, part is personal. Nate (Wiger, who runs Amazon Fresh in San Diego) had to work very hard to convince Amazon to be here, Cafferty said. The persona of San Diego is very laid back. It was an even harder and longer sell for Walmart Labs Jones and Lowell. The story, as they tell it, goes that Jones and Lowell were approached by Walmart six years ago as it sought to establish a stronger foundation in e-commerce. They were asked to join the new entity Walmart Labs with the condition that they relocate to the Bay Area. Instead, the pair was able to negotiate a trade: Find eight like-minded people in San Diego and they could run their own outpost down south. Lowell and Jones assembled a team of 13 people, many of whom came from a former Yahoo office in town. And so they all stayed put. Six years later, a far more substantial office is on the horizon. Caude Jones, left, and Bob Lowell, right, started the Walmart Labs office in San Diego six years ago with a team of 13. Now theyre preparing for a move to accommodate 180 tech workers. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) Its this micro- to medium-sized office progress that seems to foreshadow an attitude shift, giving hope to large developers that technology unicorns of Facebooks caliber are headed to town. Real estate investment firm Stockdale Capital Partners is in escrow to purchase Horton Plaza and transform the 900,000-square-foot shopping center into a modern tech campus. And, right next door, Bosa Development plans to erect a 162,000 square-foot creative office building to court tech companies. I truly feel the trajectory were on is the right one, Cafferty said, noting that the region is getting better at singing its own praises. One tune getting airtime sounds like this: San Diego software workers stay with companies longer than their Bay Area counterparts, according to EDC data. And science, technology, engineering and math jobs are 34 percent more concentrated in San Diego than the U.S. average, the agency says. Plus, once companies like Amazon and Walmart open up shop, they find that tech talent is readily available, Cafferty said. Thats thanks to the regions proximity to UCSD and its abundance of life science companies, which have seeded the market with the type of data scientists also coveted by consumer tech companies. And so begins the recruiting wars, with trendy office environments the weapon of choice. Of course, an appeal to the ego doesnt hurt either. In that vein, Walmart Labs Carlsbad office likes to tout very large numbers. Jones, the site lead, says, for instance, that the merchant tools his team works on process half a billion requests a day. Were trying to connect e-commerce and physical stores to provide a more streamlined customer experience; thats where our focus is, he said. Amazon is trying to catch up to us to do that. Business jennifer.vangrove@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1840 Twitter: @jbruin El Cajon Councilman Bessmon Ben Kalasho received criticism from Republican and Democratic speakers alike at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, then attempted to join the Federalist Party later in the week. Kalasho has been registered as a Democrat since 2012. Registrar of Voters Michael Vu said that a new registration form received by election officials on Wednesday showed that Kalasho attempted to re-register as a Federalist. Because that party is not qualified in California, Kalasho will now be listed on voter rolls with no party preference, Vu said. The Federalists, closely associated with founding fathers Alexander Hamilton and John Adams, believed in a central bank, liberal interpretation of the Constitution, maintenance of a tariff system and neutrality in foreign affairs. The party largely disbanded in the early 1800s. Kalasho, 35, has become entangled in several legal disputes since he was elected to the council in 2016. He was absent from Tuesdays council meeting, where one resident was planning to serve him with a lawsuit by attorney Cory Briggs alleging Kalasho is violating rights by blocking residents on Facebook. Advertisement Kalasho has also been accused of fraud and sexual harassment in a lawsuit by contestants in a beauty pageant that he runs. He is suing his former attorney in that case. Asked for comment via text message on Wednesday, Kalasho replied, Only one person who spoke yesterday lives in El Cajon (and not in my district), but you probably wont report that. He accused The San Diego Union-Tribune of pushing a radical socialist agenda and added, I look forward to using the UT story as a pee pee pad for my new pet rabbit. Those speaking out against Kalasho at Tuesdays meeting included Jim Kelly of El Cajon and Gary Woods of El Cajon, two Grossmont Union High School District Board members who are prominent Republicans, three members of of San Diegos East County Progressive Democratic Club and James Elia, a Democrat running for the 71st Assembly District. Kelly cited Kalashos boorish behavior, his immaturity, his total selfishness and narcissism. Elia, a resident of El Cajon, said he attended the City Council meeting to present Kalasho with a lawsuit filed by community activist Mark Lane. Lane, a Democrat, was also at the meeting and spoke out against Kalasho and offered to support his opponent, Gary Kendrick, a Republican. Lane sued Kalasho in federal court late last month for allegedly blocking Lane from posting comments on Kalashos official Facebook page in violation of Lanes right to free speech. Elia and several others said they were troubled by the many issues facing Kalasho. I didnt come here today to blast Mr. Kalasho, Elia said. I didnt come here today to call him out. I came here today to plead with him to get some help. Elia cited a recent East County Magazine story about past legal troubles for Kalasho, who is is serving a three-year summary probation term as a result of two guilty pleas he entered in San Diego Superior Court in October 2015. According to court records, the councilman admitted misdemeanor charges of failing to pay workers compensation insurance on behalf of employees and failing to observe whats called a stop order issued by the California Department of Industrial Relations. The same records show Kalasho was ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution and unspecified court fines. He was also ordered to comply with all directions from state labor officials. His probationary term is set to expire in October. The East County Magazine article about the workers compensation case was written by reporter Paul Kruze, who has filed a police complaint of attempted assault against Kalasho based on a run-in with Kalasho and his dog in the Office Depot parking lot. El Cajon City Councilman Ben Kalasho, at a previous meeting when he was in attendance (Karen Pearlman/U-T) Elia said he had been to Kalashos Facebook page earlier that day and saw he had uploaded a photo with a caption that said, These politicians out here playing checkers while Im playing chess. This aint a game, Elia said. This isnt about checkers, this isnt about Republicans vs. Democrats, its about all these people. This is not what my party stands for, its not what I stand for. Its not about ideological politics, its about saying the right thing. At this moment in time, I dont think hes fit to serve. Kalasho, who lives in Fletcher Hills, is running for a seat in El Cajons first by-district election this November. Kalasho is running against incumbent Kendrick, who also lives in Fletcher Hills, to represent the newly drawn 1st District through 2022. San Diego Progressive Democratic Club East Chapter President Myeshia Williams of Lemon Grove as well as the clubs Secretary Lynn Powell-Macklin of Lakeside and member Kilian Colin of El Cajon also called out Kalashos behavior. Referencing Kalashos beauty pageant accusers, Williams said, There is no way we can support such a man. We are here to hold him accountable as an elected official, Williams said. It shows a true nature of a man when he does not show up because he knows we the people will be here to hold him accountable and confront him today. We want him to know and the rest of the council to know that this is unacceptable. El Cajon resident Sunshine Horton has spoken out against Kalasho in the past. She drew laughter from those in the audience after she said, Hes one of those people when he leaves the room, he brightens it. The issue of his heart, soul, spirit, its full of ugly trash and bad emotions, Horton said. I dont know whats wrong with him. Hes intelligent but his character is like a child thats stubborn and wants his way no matter what. And I dont think thats right. If Kalasho loses to Kendrick, he will still keep his current seat on the City Council through 2020. If Kendrick loses, the council will need to appoint someone to fill the seat vacated by Kalasho or hold a special election. Reporter Jeff McDonald contributed to this report. karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com CARLSBAD State of the City The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and the city of Carlsbad invite the public to a progress report on city programs and projects from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Westin Carlsbad Resort and Spa, 5480 Grand Pacific Drive. Registration required at https://www.carlsbad.org/event/state-of-the-city. Tickets from $59 members to $89 nonmembers. Call (760) 931-8400. ESCONDIDO Advertisement Party store opens Discount Party & Costumes holds a ribbon-cutting and grand opening at 4 p.m. Friday at 1702 E. Valley Parkway, next to Kennedys Karne. Enjoy food, drinks, raffles and more. The store offers everything from balloons of all kinds helium-filled, balloon arches, balloon columns to colored plates/napkins/silverware, discounted costumes, party bags, party favors, banners, hats and more. Call (760) 975-3521; visit www.discountpartyandcostumes.com. FALLBROOK Community cleanup The North San Diego County Association of Realtors will participate in a community service cleanup from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Jackie Heyneman Park, 502 S. Mission Road. The public is invited to join the cleanup. Afterward, association members will host a mixer at the NSDCAR Fallbrook Service Center, 126 W. Beech St. Call (760) 734-3971 or visit www.nsdcar.com/calendar. Womens networking Womens Networking After Hours is offered by the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce at 5 p.m. Wednesday at 127 W. Elder St. Cost is $20 and includes no-host bar. Make new contacts and learn more about each other. Reservation and prepayment required to (760) 728-5845 or jackie.toppin@fallbrookchamberofcommerce.org. SAN MARCOS Connect with Capital The San Diego & Imperial Small Business Development Center Networks free Connecting with Capital Expo will be from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday at the San Marcos Community Center, 3 Civic Center Drive. The expo provides small business owners with the information, resources and SBDC consultants to help them access capital at no cost. Partnering organizations include the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce and the city of San Marcos. Check-in at 8:30 a.m. for networking breakfast, sponsored by Pacific Premier Bank. Register at https://www.sdivsbdc.org (Classes and Workshops). VISTA Meet the Buyers The free Meet the Buyers Tour will be open from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Aug. 23 in the Morris B. Vance Community Room, 200 Civic Center Drive. Participants will learn what is expected of vendors; what certifications are and how they work; where to find buyers and opportunities; and how to make an impact marketing their goods and services. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the buyers, advocates and small business experts. Register at https://sandiegosmallbiz.com and click on Register for a Workshop. Walk-ins accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis as seats become available. Call (760) 795-8740. Good Morning Vista Join members of the Vista Chamber of Commerce at 8 a.m. Friday for an affordable network-building event at the chamber office, 127 Main St. Bring your business cards. Please send items to laura.groch@sduniontribune.com at least 10 days before events. laura.groch@sduniontribune.com A 40-acre plot of land along the east side of Bear Valley Parkway in Escondido, vacant for the past 30 years since being retired as a citrus and avocado grove, will become a 55-unit housing development. The Escondido City Council unanimously Wednesday approved the project which also calls for the developer to build a northbound lane of traffic something badly needed along that section of the road. All but roughly 1.5 miles of the busy six-mile-long road is four lanes but narrows to two lanes south of San Pasqual Valley Road (state Route 78). The result is a backup of traffic every workday morning and night as commuters funnel into and out of the area on their way from eastern Escondido to Interstate 15 and Valley Center. In the planning stages for four years, the project will be built across from Encino Drive and between Sunset/Ranchito Drive and Choya Canyon Road on property that is in Escondido but is mostly surrounded by unincorporated county land, much of which is already developed. The homes will be clustered on about half the land with the rest of the property being kept as open space. Advertisement The property has been in the Wohlford family for many generations, family spokeswoman Elizabeth Wohlford told the council, and was an active farm for many decades dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. About 30 years ago the fruit trees were cut down and ever since commuters have been looking at the empty property as they drive by. I think its a great project, said Councilman Mike Morasco. I drive by it every single day. I cant wait for it to get started. I think its going to benefit everyone in the area in particular once we get the county on board to get the completion of that bottleneck actually on their radar. Because most of the two-lane portion of Bear Valley Parkway lies within the countys jurisdiction, the city and the county will need to work together to eventually widen the road to four lanes. Speaking of the bottleneck, Morasco called it horrendous on a daily basis. Councilman Ed Gallo said the property has a great history and I think (the project) will be a great addition for the city and will help out our housing stock. No public opposition to the development was expressed at the meeting. When houses might be built, and who the developer might be, was not addressed. Mayor Sam Abed said the project will compliment another housing development called Rancho Palomar, which is being built less than a mile to the north on county land at the northwest corner of the intersection of Bear Valley and San Pasqual Valley Road. Indeed, eastern Escondido, like much of the city, is seeing a housing boom. Next year the council will decide whether Safari Highlands Ranch, a 550-luxury home project which would be built in the mountains north of the San Diego Zoos Safari Park, should be allowed. Many homeowners in the development would undoubtedly use Bear Valley Parkway for their commutes as well. Im very pleased to have Bear Valley Parkway widened, at least part of it, Abed said. jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones Enough is enough. For nearly a year, the city of Imperial Beach has been asking a resident to stop letting his friends sleep in his junk-filled backyard. The living conditions at 152 Elder Ave. are dangerous, according to city officials. Extension cords running from the house to a backyard shed create a fire hazard, while abandoned cars, motorcycles and boats in the backyard attract vermin to the neighborhood. The citys code enforcement department has received complaints from neighbors, issued verbal notices, conducted on-site visits, and levied fines. But the problem hasnt gone away. Advertisement My understanding is that the owner is permitting people that he knows to stay there, said Imperial Beach Assistant City Manager Steve Dush. The buildings that hes allowing people to stay in are not designed, from a safety perspective, to allow people to occupy them and live there. They are not designed for human occupancy. In their latest move, Imperial Beach took the propertys owner, Bobby Priest, to court. The Defendant has not taken any action to remedy the violations existing on the Property including illegal occupancy and electrical hazards, let alone the ongoing accumulation of trash, debris and junk in the backyard, reads a complaint asking a judge to step in. Imperial Beach is asking a San Diego Superior Court judge to declare the property a public nuisance and to order the homeowner to correct that nuisance. If the court issues such order and Priest fails to comply, the city is asking for an injunction. If that also fails, the court could put a lien on the home. If that lien is not paid, Priest could be forced to sell the property. Imperial Beach officials hope it doesnt get that far, Dush said. This is not a common occurrence, Dush said. It is rare that we have to go to this sort of process. Typically, we are able to achieve compliance. The problem began in August 2017, when code enforcement officials issued violations for illegal occupancy of the backyard shed by various individuals, accumulation of junk, trash and debris, vegetation, construction debris, scrap metal, tires, and vehicles, court records show. Between then and April 2018, city officials conducted nearly a dozen on-site inspections after receiving complaints and video footage of people continuing to live in the backyard, according to court records. One of those complaints was of backyard dwellers lighting a fire near one of the sheds. During the on-site visits, inspectors found sleeping bags, mens and womens clothes in a backyard shed, personal items like toiletries and razors in a boat kept in the backyard, and extension cords for appliances, microwaves and radio equipment running from the house to the backyard. The city also issued several Notice of Vacate orders and $5,700 in fines. Priest paid all but $2,000 of the fines, court documents show. Priest was not immediately available to talk about the code violations when reached at home Friday. For the last two years, Imperial Beach has waged war on blighted property It started with a vacant property across the street from a $35 million beachfront hotel. The city was able to turn the empty lot into a public park. More recently, the city bought a long-vacant building on Palm Avenue and Fifth Street that was notorious for attracting drug dealers and squatters. The buildings parking lot was uneven and formed ponds after the rain, which would attract mosquitoes. Now the city plans to build affordable housing units on that lot. The Elder Avenue case is different in that it doesnt involve an absentee landlord. Priest lives on the property. Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter Bend It Like Oregon If youre heading to central Oregon, dont miss Boneyard Beers new pub in Bend. Just lower your expectations. Youll find a clean, well-lit establishment pouring terrific beer. What you wont find is the original spots feel, with its heavy metal soundtrack and piratical, hold-my-beer-and-watch-this atmosphere. I happened to visit Boneyards birthplace on its final day, and the corrugated metal sheds ramshackle charm was as cheering as the polished, tightly constructed beers. Vacations come and vacations go, but some beery memories of a recent week in Bend and Redmond, Ore., wont leave me. A trio, in alphabetical order: Boneyards scandalously drinkable triple IPA (11.5 percent alcohol by volume), Notorious. Almost made me want to follow the instructions issued to restroom-departing staff: Must Carve Slayer in Forearm Before Returning to Work. Advertisement Lunch at Crux Fermentation Project. The on-site food trucks tacos were surprisingly good, but not nearly as tasty as the beer Play Wave, a Northwest pale ale, and [Banished] In the Pocket, a rustic barrel-aged saison. Bonus: the mesmerizing view of the snow-capped Three Sisters. The art gallery inside Deschutes production brewery. Every year, artists compete to design the label for Deschutes holiday ale, Jubelale, and the originals of the winning entries line the upstairs walls. My favorite: identical twins Lisa and Lori Lubbesmeyers quilt, an image of frosty frolicking created for the 2014 edition of this beer. LChaim! Judaisms contribution to craft beer is not limited to the schtick-happy brewers at New Yorks Shmaltz Brewery, makers of HeBrew, the Chosen Beer. Theres also Joshua M. Bernstein. The San Diego Center for Jewish Culture will host Bernstein, the Brooklyn-based writer of Homebrew World and The Complete Beer Course, 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 22. At Ballast Point Brewing, 9045 Carroll Way, Bernstein will chat about all things beer with homebrewer Nick Corona and a representative from White Labs. Tickets, $15 to $18, are available at my.lfjcc.org. Bay Area Ballast Having lived in the Bay Area, I can testify that beer fans love the NoCal brews. Ballast Point, which will open a brewpub in San Franciscos Mission Bay neighborhood early next year, may have to work to win over local drinkers. But perhaps not too hard. We already sell a lot of beer in the Bay Area, said Hilary Cocalis, the Points vice president of marketing. This seemed like a good next step for us. The operation will include a pilot brewery; a tasting room; and a restaurant, the latter featuring a menu that will blend Northern California ingredients and Southern California flair. Given the brands roots in San Diego, said Ben Dollard, president of Ballast Point, becoming part of the fabric of the local community is what built the Ballast Point brand years ago and we want to continue to introduce new people to Ballast Point in that spirit. Beer Curious, or Random Questions from my Editor Q. How many calories are in my favorite beer? A. That depends on your favorite beer. At popsugar.com, youll find the calories of 12-ounce pours of a few dozen popular beers. (None from San Diego, by the way.) Theres a huge range. One serving of Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine (330 calories) equals an entire six-pack of Budweiser Select 55 (55 calories). Generally, a beers caloric load and, to a degree, the intensity of its flavors rises or falls with its alcohol content. Bud 55, for instance, has a near-beer-ish 2.4 percent alcohol by volume, while Bigfoot boasts a potent 9.6 percent. Kings of Beer How Sweet It Is was the theme of the 2018 San Diego County Fair. How Sweet and Tart It Is could have been the theme of the fairs official beer, Tangerine A-Fair (7.5 percent alcohol by volume). This light-bodied IPA from Mike Hess Brewing acted on me like that madeleine in Marcel Prousts Swanns Way. The sense memory of boyhood summers was so strong, it acted like a time machine, propelling me back a few years OK, more than few to the large, productive tree that shaded the backyard in my parents Encinitas home. Even without this family history, you cant miss the fresh tangerine flavors pushing to the forefront of this beer, without overpowering the biscuity malts or drowning the refreshing hop bite. The label calls this beer summer in a can. That may be overstating the case, but I suspect Proust also exaggerated a bit. Words to Drink By I dont know how many bottles of beer I have consumed while waiting for things to get better I dont know how much wine and whisky and beer mostly beer I have consumed after splits with women from Beer, by Charles Bukowski (1920-1994). The poet, who wrote often about alcohol and women, would have turned 98 today. Beer Videos Twitter: @peterroweut peter.rowe@sduniontribune.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kaneh Bosm BioTechnology Inc. (CSE: KBB)(FWB: 8K51)(OTC: KNHBF)(Kaneh Bosm or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement (the Agreement) with Aricannabis BioTech Corp. (Aricannabis) to acquire 100% of Aricannabis issued and outstanding shares. Aricannabis works on an exclusive basis with NuCare Health ("NuCare") to provide Cannabis products to over 2,800 independent and corporate pharmacies across South Africa. NuCare also provides their medical partners with the following: Access to innovative consumer products; Strategic partnerships with key suppliers; Management of channel pressure; and Educational and training resources. Eugene Beukman, Chief Executive Officer of Kaneh Bosm, states, This agreement provides the Company with access to robust client partnerships. This is strategic and significant given Kaneh Bosms existing licence to cultivate, manufacture, supply, hold, import, export and transport cannabis and derivative products in the Kingdom of Lesotho, Africa. This acquisition reflects the Companys strategy to establish itself as the first vertically integrated pure cannabis play with a true international footprint. The alignment of Kaneh Bosms existing African cultivation capabilities and distribution channels, complemented by these new established marketing and distribution channels, will augment the Companys African seed-to-sale objectives. Under the terms of the Agreement, the Company will issue 2,000,000 common shares to the shareholders of Aricannabis. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Kaneh Bosm BioTechnology Inc. Michael Martinz Michael Martinz President, Director mmartinz@kanehbosmbiotech.com THE CSE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE. This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words anticipate, continue, estimate, expect, may, will, would, 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 statements 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 various risk factors discussed in the Companys disclosure documents which can be found under the Companys profile on www.sedar.com. Watch the classic stories of Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel, A Midsummer Nights Dream and a preview of next years spring ballet, Cinderella, unfold during the San Diego Civic Youth Ballets annual Fairy Tales in the Park performance. The non-profit and resident classical ballet school in Balboa Park presents these familiar tales, narrated by a storyteller and featuring whimsical, interactive dancing. For an added treat either before or after the show (or maybe even both), stop by the sustainable Fairy Tale Village for crafts, food and games. Proceeds from the performance will go toward the ballet schools scholarship fund. Fairy Tales in the Park 2018: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Casa del Prado Theatre, 1600 Village Place, Balboa Park. $12. (619) 233-3060. www.sdcyb.org President Donald Trump uses this nations highest office to attack one of our countrys core principles, and it has to stop. A free press, empowered by the First Amendment, serves as a watchdog over every level of American government, from City Hall to the White House. By labeling news reports he disagrees with as fake news, the president is trying to discredit the journalists this country relies on to keep watch and inform. And even worse, President Trump demonizes journalists, calling them the enemy of the American people and dangerous and sick. Advertisement A president criticizing the press is nothing new. But a president trying to escape scrutiny by declaring the press the nations enemy goes too far. The South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Board is joining others across the country to call on President Trump to stop his assault on the free press. The president attempting to damage the credibility of the press by calling journalists the enemy also risks putting them in danger. The country is still reeling from a gunman killing five people at the Capital Gazette in Maryland. Trump continuing to call the press the enemy could incite more violence against journalists. The presidents rhetoric also increases the danger to journalists, and journalism, worldwide. Dictators are emboldened by our presidents talk about the press being the enemy of the people. President Trumps anti-press statements are close to inciting violence against journalists, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights said Monday. We began to see a campaign against the media that could have potentially, and still can, set in motion a chain of events which could quite easily lead to harm being inflicted on journalists just going about their work and potentially some self-censorship, Zeid Raad al-Hussein, a Jordanian prince and diplomat, told The Guardian. And in that context, its getting very close to incitement to violence. Our countrys leader shouldnt be making it easier for dictators to harass and silence journalists in places where freedom of the press remains a dream. Back at home, the president who two years after beating Hillary Clinton still revels in chants of Lock her up! shouldnt try to make the press another enemy for his crowds. Trumps attack on journalism reaches beyond the national press that follows the president. Fake news is becoming a term lobbed by anyone who wants to discredit reporting that conflicts with their beliefs or self-interests. But this country needs good reporting now more than ever. Concerns about election meddling, racial injustice, the dangers of climate change, the future of health care those issues wont go away by the president demeaning the journalists who pursue them. And locally, reporting about school safety threats, failing infrastructure, sea level rise and other issues are too important to be dismissed as fake news. With elections looming, voters need and deserve more answers about where candidates stand on the issues so they can make informed decisions. The scrutiny, answers and accountability that can come from good reporting are made possible by the First Amendment to the Constitution, which the president, at his inauguration, swore to defend. Good journalists can handle the criticisms that come in reaction to good journalism. Exposing wrongdoing, questioning authority, probing complicated issues that triggers backlash from those in charge as well as others who blame the messengers for the bad news in the world. The criticisms often come from all sides of an issue, with some complaining that the reporting goes too far and others arguing it doesnt go far enough. Thats usually when we know our reporting got closest to the truth. Despite the presidents fake news mantra, accuracy remains the primary mission for journalists. Even in the age of a 24/7 news cycle amplified by social media, getting the story right is more important than getting it first. When journalists get the story wrong, we say so running a correction or retraction to set the record straight and working harder to do better the next time. Can this president say the same thing? The press isnt Americas enemy, Mr. President, its Americas watchdog. Editorials are the opinion of the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board and written by one of its members or a designee. The Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Rosemary OHara, Andy Reid and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Thursday, Aug. 16, and heres whats happening across California: TOP STORIES Former Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas was the subject of two sexual harassment complaints at the time he stepped down from the Legislature last year while citing health problems, according to documents reviewed by The Times and sources familiar with the matter. Ridley-Thomas, who has denied any wrongdoing, went on a few months later to become a professor of social work and public policy at USC. A university source who spoke on the condition of anonymity said USC had found no evidence that Ridley-Thomas informed administrators he was under investigation. USC fired Ridley-Thomas last month amid questions about his appointment and a $100,000 donation to the school from his fathers campaign funds. Los Angeles Times Cadet scandal fallout Advertisement 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 unlawful 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. Los Angeles Times What to do about offshore drilling? When the Trump administration proposed opening California waters to drilling at an unprecedented scale, state leaders said they would do whatever it takes to keep new oil operations at bay. But promises only go so far. Now, some state lawmakers are trying to lock those pledges into law safeguarding the coast from offshore drilling no matter the whims of future administrations. Despite decades of lawsuits and regulations, the states ability to block offshore drilling depends largely on whos in power in Sacramento. Los Angeles Times Get the Essential California newsletter The Los Angeles Philharmonic and architect Frank Gehry unveiled his design Wednesday for the Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center @ Inglewood. (Gehry Partners) L.A. STORIES Scooter wars: L.A. temporarily banned rental scooters in March. So why are they everywhere? Los Angeles Times Exciting times: 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. Los Angeles Times Plus: A video circulating in Inglewood this week appears to capture Mayor James Butts telling an activist to go choke yourself, but the citys original version of the recording posted online has been altered to remove the insult. Daily Breeze Encouraging sign: The campus of the VA West Los Angeles Medical Center has a shameful past. Now its slated to become a haven for homeless veterans. NPR IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER South of the border: Mexicos new president has a radical plan to end the drug war. His slogan on the campaign trail was Hugs, not gunshots. Vox POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT In court: 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. Los Angeles Times The fight over AB 375: Facebook and Google made billions mining personal data, and fought off anyone who threatened to stop them. Then came a challenge in their own backyard. New York Times Magazine Orange County intrigue: FBI agents in California and Washington, D.C., have investigated a series of cyberattacks over the past year that targeted a Democratic opponent of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher. Rolling Stone Tit for tat: Walt Disney Co. has put a hold on plans to build a luxury hotel in the Disneyland Resorts shopping district, citing a feud with Anaheim officials over tax subsidies that the Burbank media giant was expecting to get from operating the hotel. Los Angeles Times The next celebrity president? Harvey Levin is casting the TMZ primary. Bloomberg Businessweek Just asking: What have we done to trigger [Rep. Devin] Nunes into chipping off at least $30,000 from his $7-million war chest in an absurd, desperate attempt to discredit Central Californias leading news organization? Fresno Bee CRIME AND COURTS Judicial appointment watch: Is Trump finally ready to turn his sights to remaking the 9th Circuit Court? Los Angeles Times Bail reform: California lawmakers havent released the details of landmark legislation meant to overhaul the way judges assign bail, but the bills former supporters are raising alarm over possible changes that could give judges more power to incarcerate a wide array of people. Los Angeles Times Got him: A former Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy pleaded guilty Monday to operating a drug trafficking scheme in which he escorted what he thought were large quantities of narcotics into the state in exchange for cash, negotiating payments of up to $250,000 with an undercover federal agent, court documents show. Los Angeles Times Big court decision: Brooke Adams, 5, has suffered from seizures her whole life. On Monday, she attended her first day of kindergarten after a judge issued a ruling that she could be given medical cannabis while at public school. Sacramento Bee THE ENVIRONMENT For the weekend warriors: Tim Palmer wrote the book on California rivers. Here are his eight favorite spots. California Sun CALIFORNIA CULTURE RIP: Aaron Cox, the 24-year-old brother-in-law of Angels star Mike Trout and until recently a pitching prospect in the teams minor league system, died Wednesday morning, the Angels announced. A cause of death was not listed. Los Angeles Times Tesla troubles: Tesla Inc.s stock stumbled Wednesday morning after a report that the Elon Musk-led automaker has been sent subpoenas by the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding plans to take the company private. Los Angeles Times A fun one: How to have bullfights in California? Use Velcro. New York Times A Bay Area brouhaha: Garbage companies are refusing your recycling. The trade war with China will make it worse. San Francisco Chronicle Yum! The improbable rise of Teddys Red Tacos. L.A. Taco CALIFORNIA ALMANAC Los Angeles area: sunny, 85, Thursday; partly cloudy, 86, Friday. San Diego: partly cloudy, 80, Thursday; partly cloudy, 82, Friday. San Francisco area: partly cloudy, 65, Thursday and Friday. San Jose: partly cloudy, 80, Thursday; sunny, 85, Friday. Sacramento: sunny, 92, Thursday; sunny, 96, Friday. More weather is here. AND FINALLY Todays California memory comes from Anthony Amarante: I was a soldier from Burbank stationed in Bamberg, West Germany, back in the 1970s when the Mel Brooks film Blazing Saddles came out. Watching it at the base theater with everybody else was enjoyable, even up to the end of the film when Brooks on a horse goes riding out of the Warner Bros. studio lot and onto Olive Avenue. I stood up and started screaming like an idiot, yeah, Burbank, hey, Olive Avenue, I live four blocks away! Needless to say everybody else in the theater, people from Ohio or Louisiana or Oregon and the like, were not impressed. They threw popcorn at me and told me to shut up and sit down. 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. An appeal in a lawsuit filed by the widows of two Navy pilots killed in a 2013 accident was dismissed by a three-judge panel last week, the latest blow in a three-year legal fight that began shortly after the Navy partially blamed bad judgment and flawed ship design. The pilots, Lt. Cmdr. Landon L. Jones and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jonathan S. Gibson, were lost at sea after landing their MH-60 helicopter aboard the destroyer William P. Lawrence during operations in the Red Sea. They were attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 6 at Naval Air Station North Island. The captain of the Lawrence, Cmdr. Jana Vavasseur, was found by a Navy investigation to have exercised poor judgment pushing the ship hard in rough seas, making it roll and causing a wave to wash over the flight deck. The wave struck the helicopter while Jones and Gibson were still in it. The tail section came apart and the aircraft broke free of the chains that secured it to the deck. It then slid, out of control, across the deck and into the sea. Advertisement The Navy said there were known issues with the flight decks of Arleigh-Burke class destroyers in that their close proximity to the oceans surface increased the likelihood of water washing over them. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower courts decision to dismiss the case in a ruling filed Aug. 9. The case hinged upon the Feres doctrine, a legal precedent that prevents military members and their families from holding the government liable for incidents that occur during military operations. Brian Lawler, the San Diego-based attorney for the plaintiffs, Theresa Jones and Christina Gibson, said the 68-year-old Feres decision was anachronistic. Its been too broadly interpreted, he said. Lawler said the lawsuit was really about a defective product Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The Arleigh Burke destroyer is unreasonably dangerous and the Navy has known this for 30 years, he said. If the Navy were Ford Motor Company and the destroyers were Pintos, theyd have to change them. The Navy offered no comment on the case Wednesday. In a brief submitted to the appeals court, officials argued that Feres was correctly applied to the case. The appeal involves the deaths of two Navy helicopter pilots...engaged in military operations in the Middle East, it said. As such, the district courts ruling applied well-settled law under the Feres doctrine. The circuit panel agreed in its ruling, but expressed reservations about the liberal application of Feres. It would be, they said, up to Congress or the Supreme Court to change it, however. Lawler said he planned on petitioning the 9th Circuit to re-hear the appeal, and, if unsuccessful, that hed petition the U.S. Supreme Court. Contact Andrew Dyer via email or Twitter. August 16, 1996 The San Diego Union-Tribune 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. Friday, August 16, 1996 In 1996, Sen. Robert Dole accepted the Republican presidential nomination as the final act of the first major party convention ever held in San Diego. Here are the first few paragraphs of the story: `Follow me,' Dole urges Americans In crucial speech he terms himself seasoned, tested By George E. Condon Jr., Copley News Service Calling on the nation to "follow me," Bob Dole pledged last night to"restore the promise of America" as president, offering his dramatic life story to vouch for the breadth of his experience and the measure of his resolve. "Tonight, I stand before you tested by adversity, made sensitive by hardship, a fighter by principle and the most optimistic man in America,"Dole said. "My life has taught me that America is a land without limits." With flag-waving Republican convention delegates standing in the aisles and tens of millions of Americans watching on television, Dole cast himself as"just a man" from the nation's heartland who, he said repeatedly, is not afraid to "trust the American people." His speech, formally accepting the Republican presidential nomination he first sought 16 years ago, was the final act of the first major party convention ever held in San Diego. It left Dole strategists and the delegates elated. But even before the first batch of balloons had fallen from the 27-foot ceilings, the White House had fired back. Presidential adviser George Stephanopoulos branded the address the most partisan and divisive seen at any convention since Barry Goldwater's in 1964. Dole campaign manager Scott Reed brushed aside the criticism, exulting that Dole "really hit a home run" and had left himself poised to overtake Clinton on the campaign trail. Dole's warm-up act was vice-presidential nominee Jack Kemp, who roused the crowd to repeated ovations. But the night's spotlight was on Dole, the man who selected Kemp and who now was being called upon by anxious Republicans to give "the speech of his life" to get him within striking distance of Clinton. From the biographical video that introduced him to the way he entered the hall, Dole was depicted as a man of the people. With the delegates revved up by the video which was not aired on the three major broadcast networks Dole entered not from behind the faux marble podium but through the delegates themselves as the theme from the movie "Rocky" reverberated across the jammed convention center. 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. As the Trump administration continues to fortify the fencing between Tijuana and San Diego, U.S. and Mexican authorities on Wednesday celebrated a different kind of border project: a new pedestrian inspection facility for northbound border crossers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The new PedEast entrance exudes openness and light, with 22 inspection lanes inside a structure with high translucent ceilings, tall doors and large windows. Its opening significantly expands the pedestrian processing capacity at San Ysidro, the busiest port of entry in the Western Hemisphere, where some 25,000 northbound crossers are processed on any given day. PedEasts opening marks the latest stage in the multi-phase, multi-year, $741 million expansion and redesign of the San Ysidro Port of Entry overseen by the U.S. General Services Administration. Rising east of the vehicle inspection lanes, the facility replaces an eight-lane temporary structure that had been serving those who cross on the eastern side of the port. As soon as the new lanes opened for business at 2:30 p.m., crossers wasted no time lining up, children and suitcases in tow. Today was really fast, incredible, said Celeste Montano, who has been crossing for seven years and has waited as long as three or four hours. I did it in 10 minutes. Advertisement Its opening comes two years after the inauguration of PedWest, a 14-lane pedestrian inspection facility west of the port. The new pedestrian processing facility will serve as the main northbound crossing point, for pedestrian travelers, according to GSA. This a great day, said U.S. Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, who joined U.S. Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, in praising the new facility. Both Republican and Democratic members of San Diegos congressional delegation joined forces to fight for the reconstruction of San Ysidro which is scheduled for completion next year. We know in San Diego that the border is not a threat, its an opportunity, said Peters. Mexico is part of San Diegos economy, its part of our culture, its part of our life. We understand that very well. 1 / 24 One of three large doors was opened for pedestrians to walk through as they entered the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, PedEast facility that opened on Wednesday to the public. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 24 Pedestrian walk into the new facility that opened on Wednesday to the public. Wednesday afternoon the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, PedEast facility was opened to the public. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 24 Pedestrian walk into the new facility where as many 22 pedestrian primary booths are available. On Wednesday afternoon the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, PedEast facility was opened to the public. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 24 Pete Flores, Director of Field Operations for CBP San Diego (l) and Sidney Aki, Port Director for the San Ysidro Port of Entry, CBP stand just outside the new facility. On Wednesday afternoon the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, PedEast facility was opened to the public. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 24 Pedestrian walk into the new facility where as many 22 pedestrian primary booths are available. On Wednesday afternoon the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, PedEast facility was opened to the public. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 24 Standing inside the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, East Pedestrian facility, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers await the start of the Wednesdays ceremony to officially open the PedEast facility. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 24 Sidney Aki, Port Director for the San Ysidro Port of Entry, U.S. Customs and Border Protection stands just outside the new PedEast facility. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 24 At the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, PedEast facility, Congressman Juan Vargas spoke with officers at the end of the ceremony. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 24 U.S. Customs and Border Protection honor guard officers, R. Dmacali (l) and N. Hernandez (r) wait for the official ribbon cutting ceremony for the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, PedEast facility. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 24 At the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, PedEast facility, Congressman Juan Vargas, Scott Peters, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Tijuana Mayor, Juan Manuel Gastelum Buenrostro look over at the podium following the playing of the national anthem. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 24 At the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, East Pedestrian facility, Congressman Juan Vargas addressed the crowd during the opening ceremony for the PedEast facility. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 24 At the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, PedEast facility, visitors look out the window for view of construction for the southbound pedestrian plaza. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 24 In preparation for the ribbon cutting ceremony, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection honor guard officer holds the ribbon before the start of the ceremony. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 24 At the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, East Pedestrian facility, U.S. Customs and Border Protection honor guard officers arrive with the colors for the playing of the national anthem. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 24 At the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, East Pedestrian facility, U.S. Customs and Border Protection an honor guard officer prepare to present the colors for the playing of the national anthem. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 24 At the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, East Pedestrian facility, U.S. Customs and Border Protection honor guard officers prepare to present the colors for the playing of the national anthem. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 17 / 24 At the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, PedEast facility, U.S. Customs and Border Protection honor guard officers present the colors for the playing of the national anthem. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 18 / 24 At the end of Wednesdays ceremony, U.S. Customs and Border Protection honor guard officers wait near the new pedestrian primary booths at the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, PedEast facility. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 19 / 24 Sidney Aki, Port Director for the San Ysidro Port of Entry, U.S. Customs and Border Protection stands just outside the new PedEast facility. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 20 / 24 Pedestrian walk into the new facility where as many 22 pedestrian primary booths are available to process border crossers. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 21 / 24 Pedestrian walk into the new facility where as many 22 pedestrian primary booths are available to process border crossers. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 24 Pedestrian walk into the new facility where as many 22 pedestrian primary booths are available to process border crossers. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 23 / 24 At the new San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, PedEast facility, Tijuana Mayor, Juan Manuel Gastelum Buenrostro spoke with news reporters at the end of the ceremony. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 24 / 24 At the end of Wednesdays ceremony, U.S. Customs and Border Protection honor guard officers wait near the new pedestrian primary booths at the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, East Pedestrian facility. A total of 22 pedestrian primary booths have been built for the facility. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) Wednesdays inauguration also brought together business and political leaders from Tijuana and San Diego, including San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Tijuana Mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum, who worked to highlight the close relationship between their two cities. We are not only neighbors, our communities are brothers, said Baja California secretary-general Francisco Rueda Gomez, adding, God bless America. But even amid the rejoicing, questions loom about the ability of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to staff the new facility. Business leaders in South County, where many stores are reliant on shoppers from Mexico, worry that without enough officers to operate the lanes, long pedestrian queues will continue. You have the infrastructure, and its fantastic, said Cindy Gompper-Graves, president and CEO of the South County Economic Development Council. But the booths and infrastructure are one thing, the second thing we need is more CBP officers to staff those booths. Along San Ysidro Boulevard, business owners are hopeful the opening of the new facility will bring a return of foot traffic. Were happy to have it, said Jason Wells, executive director of the San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce. At the end of the day, we have to make sure that San Ysidro has the personnel. Sidney Aki, CBPs port director for San Ysidro, said the initial plan is to open 10 of the PedEasts 22 lanes. For two weeks or a month, were going to watch the flow of traffic entering the United States, and depending on what we see, is how were going to maneuver resources back and forth. While varying with traffic and peak travel periods, CBP normally keeps open 10 lanes at PedWest, according to the agency. Like other ports operated by CBP, San Ysidro has suffered from a shortage of manpower in recent years, though Aki and Pete Flores, the agencys director of field operations in San Diego, said staffing at the port has improved in recent months. Were pretty close to what our allocated target number is, Flores said, adding that staffing would always help in regards to what we do at the border, in regards to being able to take care of everything that were asked to take care of. While Flores did not discuss staffing numbers, ports nationwide need another 2,500 officers to meet current workload staffing models, said Tony Reardon, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents CBP officers. The CBP employees at San Ysidro, as well as the people who pass through this port every day, deserve better. The administrations proposed budget for 2019 did not include funding for new hiring at the ports of entry, he said. But Congress has approved funds to hire 375 new CBP officers through Department of Homeland Security funding bills. It is unfortunate that the new PedEast pedestrian entrance will not be able to open 22 lanes because Customs and Border Protection doesnt have enough employees, Reardon said. This is a classic example of how the agency-wide staffing shortage affects international trade and travel. PedEasts 22 lanes include four lanes set aside for bus passengers who come across at San Ysidro. Like PedWest, the new entry has the capacity to process the three main types of pedestrian travelers: holders of SENTRI and Global Entry cards who have undergone previous background checks; those who have cards such as the U.S. passport card and laser visa that can be quickly processed through by RFID readers; and general lanes for the remainder of travelers. The opening of PedEast involved the complete reconstruction of San Ysidros pedestrian and bus inspection facilities. The firms hired by GSA to design and build the facility, Stantec and Hensel Phelps, said the project aims to meet LEED Platinum standards, a seal of approval for environmentally-friendly buildings. Staff photographer Nelvin C. Cepeda contributed to this report. sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com Twitter @sandradibble One person was killed and three others were injured early Thursday when a police pursuit in Culver City ended in a collision, authorities said. Culver City police officers had pulled the driver over just before 1 a.m. As they approached the minivan, the driver sped away, said Culver City police Lt. Aubrey Kellum. The driver pulled onto the northbound 405 Freeway and eventually lost the police. Moments later, there was a report from our dispatchers of a traffic collision, Kellum said. Officers responded there because there was reported entrapment. Advertisement When officers arrived, they found the minivan on fire near the Venice Boulevard offramp. The vehicle had hit a wall. Police removed four people from the car two men and two women, Kellum said. One female passenger was pronounced dead at the scene and the three others were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Police later discovered the minivan was stolen, Kellum said. sarah.parvini@latimes.com For more California news follow me on Twitter: @sarahparvini A rare fire tornado that barreled into Redding during the destructive Carr fire was responsible for killing a firefighter as he raced toward a neighborhood in flames, an investigation has found. The twister may have been Californias strongest on record. It was roughly 1,000 feet in diameter and reached speeds of 136-165 mph, equivalent to a twister with a rating of EF-3 on the five-level Enhanced Fujita scale, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. Not only is it believed to be responsible for the death of Redding fire inspector Jeremy Stoke, but the twister was also in the general area where Melody Bledsoe, 70, and her great-grandchildren, 5-year-old James Roberts and 4-year-old Emily Roberts, died in the blaze. Ed Bledsoe holds a photo of his deceased wife Melody Bledsoe, taken when she was in her 50s. Melody Bledsoe, 70, and great-grandchildren, Emily Roberts, 5, and James Roberts, 4, were killed when their Redding home burned in the Carr fire. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement Stoke died after he became trapped in the fire tornado as he was heading south on Buenaventura Boulevard the only path of escape for residents of the Redding neighborhoods of Land Park and Stanford Hills, which burned. Stoke had been heading to Land Park. The tornado was highly unpredictable, resulting in fire behavior that surprised many highly experienced firefighters, the report said. Stoke was killed on the evening of July 26, when the fire suddenly transformed from a fuel-dominated fire to one that was driven and spread in part by wind generated from the fire itself. (Los Angeles Times) Cal Fire also released dramatic video showing the tornado from a couple of perspectives. In a video shot from a helicopter, the immense twister can be seen glowing orange as gray smoke twists counterclockwise, surrounded by flames all around the vortex. In another video shot from a fire engine in Stanford Hills, a giant spinning vortex can be seen in the background. The tornado was very destructive, causing wind damage to large oak trees, scouring the ground, damaging roofs and throwing high up into the air large steel power-line towers, vehicles and a steel shipping container, the Cal Fire report said. Peak temperatures in the tornado probably exceeded 2,700 degrees, and the strong winds caused the fire to burn all but the smallest vegetation, officials said. The report said that, based on witness observations and other evidence, there were either several fire tornadoes that occurred in different locations and at different times, or one fire twister that formed, waned and waxed, resulting in several separate areas of damage. Ed Bledsoe surveys his home and belongings destroyed by the Carr in Redding. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Stoke was racing to Land Park as the rapidly moving blaze approached the Sacramento River from the west and threatened the neighborhoods east of the river. By 6:38 p.m., firefighters ordered the evacuation of Buenaventura Boulevard. Five minutes later, firefighters determined that the fire was going to cross the river, and by 6:59 they observed smoke just northwest of Land Park. A spot fire was seen west of Buenaventura Boulevard by firefighters at 7:17, and numerous other spot blazes were detected east of the Sacramento River. Minutes later, firefighters sought to evacuate residents and prepared to defend homes. It was around 7:23 that they began to see a large rotating plume of smoke just north of Land Park near Buenaventura Boulevard. The swirling winds at the base of the plume dramatically increased fire intensity. The rotating plume continued to intensify until it developed into a fire tornado, the report said. Winds dramatically increased near the fire tornado, and embers were lofted in many directions. At around 7:35, Stoke was dispatched from a fire station to Land Park just as the blaze reached the area. Three minutes later, a fire captain saw a fire tornado near Buenaventura Boulevard north of Land Park. Stoke was last heard at 7:40 radioing a mayday, calling out for a water drop, and said he was getting burned over, the report said. He said he was in the middle of a road. Another firefighter called out to get Stokes location. There was no response. The report also described the circumstances of the death of Don Ray Smith, 81, a bulldozer operator who was killed while battling the fire. Smith had been traveling downhill while trying to improve a pathway toward Spring Creek Reservoir that had been dozed over as a firebreak when he was overcome by flames. A Cal Fire hand-crew strike team leader who assigned Smith to improve that pathway was unaware that a different dozer earlier that morning had abandoned that pathway because the area was too steep and overgrown with vegetation, and that the firebreak would be left incomplete because it was not viable. Smith proceeded to improve the firebreak after meeting with the team leader around 5:30 p.m. But soon after, the fire had begun to increase in intensity, and winds were gaining strength from the northwest. As Smith traveled down the existing dozer line downhill toward the reservoir, firefighters saw the blaze intensify. By 5:44, the fire jumped the dozer line. The team leader radioed to Smith several times to tell him to get out of there, the report said. Two firefighters near the top of the dozer line tried to chase down the tractor, but couldnt make it through as the flames strengthened. Finally, Smith responded back to the team leader by radio, saying he could not get out because he was cut off by the fire, and he would push down instead. He was heard around 5:50 p.m. asking for a water drop and saying he was trying to make a safety zone. That was his last message. Smiths fire shelter was found behind his seat, and his fire curtains were not deployed. As of Thursday, the Carr fire had burned more than 214,000 acres and was 71% contained. The blaze has destroyed more than 1,000 residences and has been blamed for eight deaths. Besides Stoke, Smith, Bledsoe and her two great-grandchildren, another Redding resident, a Pacific Gas & Electric utility worker and a Cal Fire mechanic have also died in connection with the blaze. joseph.serna@latimes.com | @JosephSerna ron.lin@latimes.com | @ronlin UPDATES: 6:15 p.m.: This article was updated with more details on the circumstances of Smiths death. This article was originally published at 2:40 p.m. A former immigration agent has been accused of sexually assaulting two women after telling them that the police would not respond to a crime report because of his law enforcement position, according to federal court records. Riverside resident John Jacobs Olivas who joined Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2007 and resigned in 2015 after spending six years as a special agent was indicted by a grand jury on three counts of depriving the victims of their constitutional rights under color of law, according to the U.S. attorneys office. Olivas pleaded not guilty Wednesday. Authorities say the allegations involve three encounters two rapes and an attempted rape with two women in 2012. Its unclear how or when Olivas met the women, but he had been in ongoing relationships with both of them. Advertisement These were not people under investigation, for any reason, said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman with the U.S. attorneys office. He did not have details about how Olivas is alleged to have carried out the attacks. According to the indictment, Olivas attempted to rape one victim in January 2012 and the second victim twice in September and November of 2012. He allegedly made it clear to both women that police would not respond to reports of the attacks because of his position. Olivas was ordered released on $50,000 bond and is slated for trial in October. If convicted, he faces up to life in federal prison. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek - Net Profit totaled NIS 920 million; Return on Equity of 10.5% - - The Bank's credit portfolio grew by 2.5% compared with year end 2017- TEL AVIV, Israel, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bank Hapoalim (TASE: POLI) (ADR: BKHYY), Israel's leading financial group, today announced its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2018. Key highlights: Net Profit - totaled NIS 920 million, compared with a net profit of NIS 812 million in the corresponding quarter of 2017. - totaled NIS 920 million, compared with a net profit of NIS 812 million in the corresponding quarter of 2017. Return on Equity - reached 10.52%, compared with 9.51% in the corresponding quarter. - reached 10.52%, compared with 9.51% in the corresponding quarter. In view of the progress made in the separation processes of the Bank from its holdings in the Isracard Group, the activity of the Isracard Group has been classified as a discontinued operation. Accordingly, the statements for comparative periods included in these statements have been restated such that balance sheet balances of assets and liabilities and results attributed to the discontinued operation are presented separately from the continued operations. Net profit from continued operations totaled NIS 827 million this quarter. totaled NIS 827 million this quarter. Credit growth - total credit portfolio grew by 2.5% totaling NIS 272.5 billion compared with NIS 265.9 billion at the end of 2017. - total credit portfolio grew by 2.5% totaling NIS 272.5 billion compared with NIS 265.9 billion at the end of 2017. Retail Deposit base in Israel - increased by 3.1% totaling NIS 176.9 billion compared with NIS 171.5 billion at the end of 2017. - increased by 3.1% totaling NIS 176.9 billion compared with NIS 171.5 billion at the end of 2017. Total income from regular financing activity - totaled NIS 2,470 million compared with NIS 2,274 million in the corresponding quarter of 2017, an increase of 8.6%. - totaled NIS 2,470 million compared with NIS 2,274 million in the corresponding quarter of 2017, an increase of 8.6%. Cost income - totaled 58.0% for the second quarter of 2018, compared with 58.4% in the same quarter last year. - totaled 58.0% for the second quarter of 2018, compared with 58.4% in the same quarter last year. Tier 1 capital ratio - stood at 11.16% as at June 30, 2018, surpassing regulatory and internal capital targets. - stood at 11.16% as at June 30, 2018, surpassing regulatory and internal capital targets. The Bank made no further provisions in the quarter with respect to the investigation of the Bank Groups business with American clients. To date, the Bank provisioned a total of $365 million with respect to the said investigation. Yet, for reasons of conservatism and in coordination with the Bank of Israel, the Board of Directors did not declare a distribution of dividend from second quarter 2018 net profits at the date of the approval of the financial statements. This, without changing the Bank's dividend distribution policy of up to 40% of quarterly net profit. Key developments in the financial statements for the second quarter of 2018: Total income from regular financing activity totaled NIS 2,470 million in the second quarter of 2018 compared with NIS 2,274 million in in the same period last year, an increase of 8.6%. The increase is mainly attributed to the growth in business activity in all segments. totaled NIS 2,470 million in the second quarter of 2018 compared with NIS 2,274 million in in the same period last year, an increase of 8.6%. The increase is mainly attributed to the growth in business activity in all segments. Fees and other income totaled NIS 903 million in the second quarter of 2018 compared with NIS 897 million in the same period last year. totaled NIS 903 million in the second quarter of 2018 compared with NIS 897 million in the same period last year. Net provision for credit losses totaled NIS 90 million in the second quarter of 2018, 0.13% of the average credit to the public, compared with NIS 138 million, 0.21% of the average credit to the public, in the same period last year. totaled NIS 90 million in the second quarter of 2018, 0.13% of the average credit to the public, compared with NIS 138 million, 0.21% of the average credit to the public, in the same period last year. Operating and other expenses, totaled NIS 2,068 million in the second quarter of 2018, compared with NIS 1,869 million in same period last year. The increase is mainly attributed to expenses in connection with the investigation of the Bank Group's business with American clients (including expenses of exchange rate differentials in respect of revaluation of provision). Key developments in Balance Sheet items for the second quarter of 2018: Consolidated balance sheet as at June 30, 2018 totaled NIS 451.4 billion, compared with NIS 454.4 billion at the end of 2017, a decrease of 0.7%. as at June 30, 2018 totaled NIS 451.4 billion, compared with NIS 454.4 billion at the end of 2017, a decrease of 0.7%. Net Credit to the public totaled NIS 272.5 billion, compared with NIS 265.9 billion at the end of 2017, an increase of 2.5%, caused mainly by the increase in corporate lending, commercial customers and housing loans. totaled NIS 272.5 billion, compared with NIS 265.9 billion at the end of 2017, an increase of 2.5%, caused mainly by the increase in corporate lending, commercial customers and housing loans. Consumer credit in Israel totaled NIS 45.4 billion compared with NIS 45.9 billion at the end of 2017, a decrease of 0.9%. totaled NIS 45.4 billion compared with NIS 45.9 billion at the end of 2017, a decrease of 0.9%. Housing loans in Israel totaled NIS 77.5 billion compared with NIS 74.1 billion at the end of 2017, an increase of 4.5%. totaled NIS 77.5 billion compared with NIS 74.1 billion at the end of 2017, an increase of 4.5%. Credit to small businesses in Israel totaled NIS 31.8 billion compared with NIS 32.4 billion at the end of 2017, a decrease of 1.7%. totaled NIS 31.8 billion compared with NIS 32.4 billion at the end of 2017, a decrease of 1.7%. Credit to the commercial segment in Israel totaled NIS 34.7 billion compared with NIS 33.9 billion at the end of 2017, an increase of 2.5%. totaled NIS 34.7 billion compared with NIS 33.9 billion at the end of 2017, an increase of 2.5%. Credit to the corporate segment in Israel totaled NIS 69.4 billion compared with NIS 65.5 billion at the end of 2017, an increase of 6.0%. totaled NIS 69.4 billion compared with NIS 65.5 billion at the end of 2017, an increase of 6.0%. Deposits from the public totaled NIS 345.7 billion compared with NIS 347.3 billion at the end of 2017, a decrease of 0.5%. totaled NIS 345.7 billion compared with NIS 347.3 billion at the end of 2017, a decrease of 0.5%. Retail Deposits in Israel totaled NIS 176.9 billion compared with NIS 171.5 billion at the end of 2017, an increase of 3.1%. totaled NIS 176.9 billion compared with NIS 171.5 billion at the end of 2017, an increase of 3.1%. Small businesses Deposits in Israel totaled NIS 39.4 billion compared with NIS 38.2 billion at the end of 2017, an increase of 3.1%. totaled NIS 39.4 billion compared with NIS 38.2 billion at the end of 2017, an increase of 3.1%. Shareholders' equity totaled NIS 36.7 billion as at June 30, 2018, compared with NIS 35.9 billion at the end of 2017, an increase of 2.2%. totaled NIS 36.7 billion as at June 30, 2018, compared with NIS 35.9 billion at the end of 2017, an increase of 2.2%. Total capital ratio stood at 14.64% as at June 30, 2018, as at December 31, 2017. stood at 14.64% as at June 30, 2018, as at December 31, 2017. Leverage ratio representing the ratio of the capital measurement (Tier 1 capital) to the exposure measurement (total balance sheet exposures, derivatives exposures and securities financing transactions, and off-balance sheet items), stood at 7.39% at the end of the second quarter of 2018. representing the ratio of the capital measurement (Tier 1 capital) to the exposure measurement (total balance sheet exposures, derivatives exposures and securities financing transactions, and off-balance sheet items), stood at 7.39% at the end of the second quarter of 2018. Liquidity coverage ratio representing the ratio between the supply of "high-quality liquid assets to the net expected outgoing cash flow in a stress scenario, stood at 123% at the end of the second quarter of 2018. Conference Call Information Bank Hapoalim will host a conference call today to discuss the results at 4:00 p.m. Israel time/ 2:00 p.m. UK time/ 9:00 a.m. Eastern time. To access the conference call, please dial: 1-888-281-1167 toll free from the United States; 0-800-051-8913 toll free from the United Kingdom; or 972-3-9180685 internationally. No password is required. The call will be accompanied by a slide presentation, which, together with the financial statements, will be available on the Bank's website at www.bankhapoalim.com , under Investor Relations, Financial Information. A replay of the conference call will be available approximately three hours following the completion of the call. To access the replay, please dial 1-888-254-7270 toll free from the United States, 0-800-917-4256 from the United Kingdom, or 972-3-9255918 internationally. The replay will be accessible through August 23, 2018, and an archive of the call will be available on the Bank's website at the above address. Please note: The conference call does not replace the need to peruse the immediate reports and the Financial Statements of the Bank, including all the forward-looking information included therein in accordance with Section 32A of the Israeli Securities Law, 1968. Condensed financial information and principal performance indicators over time(6) For the three months ended For the six months ended For the year ended December 31 June 30, 2018 June 30, 2017 June 30, 2018 June 30, 2017 2017 2016 Main performance indicators Return of net profit on equity attributed to shareholders of the Bank(1) 10.52 % 9.51 % 8.74 % 9.26 % 7.50 % 7.72 % Return of net profit on equity attributed to shareholders of the Bank excluding extraordinary items(1)(2) 10.52 % 9.51 % 9.09 % 9.26 % 9.44 % *10.04% Return of net profit from continued operations on equity attributed to shareholders of the Bank(1)(7) 9.42 % 8.28 % 7.76 % 8.20 % 6.61 % 6.92 % Return of net profit from continued operations on equity attributed to shareholders of the Bank excluding extraordinary items(1)(2)(7) 9.42 % 8.28 % 8.11 % 8.20 % 8.55 % 9.23 % Return on average assets(1) 0.81 % 0.72 % 0.69 % 0.71 % 0.59 % 0.60 % Efficiency ratio - cost-income ratio from continued operations 57.99 % 58.39 % 60.15 % 59.18 % 64.96 % 63.42 % Efficiency ratio - cost-income ratio excluding extraordinary items from continued operations(2) 57.99 % 58.39 % 59.26 % 59.18 % 59.55 % 59.42 % Financing margin from regular activity(1)(3) 2.40 % 2.22 % 2.28 % 2.12 % 2.13 % 2.05 % Liquidity coverage ratio(4) 123 % 127 % 122 % 124 % As at December 31 June 30, 2018 June 30, 2017 2017 2016 Ratio of common equity Tier 1 capital to risk components(5) 11.16 % 11.35 % 11.26 % 11.01 % Ratio of total capital to risk components(5) 14.64 % 14.99 % 14.64 % 15.11 % Leverage ratio(5) 7.39 % 7.36 % 7.37 % 7.25 % * Restated for inclusion of the effects of the reduction of corporate tax as part of profit excluding extraordinary items in 2016. In the Periodic Report for 2017 (and the subsequently published presentation for 2017), net profit and return on equity for 2016 and 2017 were presented excluding expenses in respect of the update of the provision in connection with the investigation of the Bank Groups business with American clients and the discontinuation of activity in Switzerland only. In 2016, net profit and return on equity for 2016 were presented also excluding the effects of the reduction of corporate tax (in addition to the exclusion of the update of the provisions in respect of the investigation, as noted).Within the process of preparation for filing a shelf prospectus of Hapoalim Hanpakot Ltd. (the issuance arm of the Bank, which is a company under full ownership), the Israel Securities Authority requested that the Bank present these data for 2016 in a manner that consistently applies the aforesaid excluded components. (1) Calculated on an annualized basis. (2) Does not include expenses in respect of the update of the provision in connection with the Bank Groups business with American clients, and costs in respect of the discontinuation of activity in Switzerland. (3) Financing profit from regular activity (see the Report of the Board of Directors and Board of Management, in the section Material developments in income, expenses, and other comprehensive income) divided by total financial assets after allowance for credit losses, net of non-interest bearing balances in respect of credit cards. (4) For additional information, see the section "Liquidity and refinancing risk," in the Condensed Financial Statements. (5) For additional information, see the section "Capital, capital adequacy, and leverage," in the Condensed Financial Statements. (6) Comparative figures, including credit of the Isracard Group, were restated in order to present a discontinued operation separately from continued operations. For further details, see Note 1E to the Condensed Financial Statements (7) The return of net profit from continued operations, after separation from Isracard, may be influenced by processes of adjustment of capital in respect of the subtraction of risk-adjusted assets in the amount of approximately NIS 12 billion, as a result of the separation, and additional adjustments. Condensed financial information and principal performance indicators over time(3) (continued) For the three months ended For the six months ended For the year ended December 31 June 30, 2018 June 30, 2017 June 30, 2018 June 30, 2017 2017 2016 Main credit quality indicators Allowance for credit losses as a percentage of credit to the public 1.34 % 1.41 % 1.34 % 1.41 % 1.36 % 1.50 % Impaired debts and debts in arrears of 90 days or more as a percentage of credit to the public 1.41 % 1.54 % 1.41 % 1.54 % 1.31 % 1.83 % Net charge-offs as a percentage of average credit to the public(1) 0.25 % 0.34 % 0.18 % 0.36 % 0.21 % 0.18 % Provision for credit losses as a percentage of average credit to the public(1) 0.13 % 0.21 % 0.22 % 0.17 % 0.08 % 0.07 % Main profit and loss data NIS million Net profit attributed to shareholders of the Bank 920 812 1,548 1,579 2,660 2,628 Net profit attributed to shareholders of the Bank excluding extraordinary items(2) 920 812 1,608 1,579 3,348 *3,417 Net profit from continued operations attributed to shareholders of the Bank 827 710 1,378 1,402 2,346 2,354 Net profit from continued operations attributed to shareholders of the Bank excluding extraordinary items(2) 827 710 1,438 1,402 3,034 3,143 Net interest income 2,302 2,165 4,388 4,172 8,424 7,958 Provision for credit losses 90 138 306 221 202 179 Net financing profit*** 2,663 2,304 4,977 4,496 9,076 9,121 Non-interest income 1,264 1,036 2,375 2,170 4,292 4,982 Of which: fees 878 840 1,739 1,748 3,477 3,682 Operating and other expenses 2,068 1,869 4,068 3,753 8,260 8,207 Of which: salaries and related expenses 1,062 **1,050 2,106 **2,147 **4,209 **4,239 Total income 3,566 3,201 6,763 6,342 12,716 12,940 Net earnings per ordinary share (in NIS) Basic net earnings per share in NIS attributed to shareholders of the Bank from continued operations 0.62 0.53 1.03 1.05 1.76 1.76 * Restated for inclusion of the effects of the reduction of corporate tax as part of profit excluding extraordinary items in 2016. In the Periodic Report for 2017 (and the subsequently published presentation for 2017), net profit and return on equity for 2016 and 2017 were presented excluding expenses in respect of the update of the provision in connection with the investigation of the Bank Groups business with American clients and the discontinuation of activity in Switzerland only. In 2016, net profit and return on equity for 2016 were presented also excluding the effects of the reduction of corporate tax (in addition to the exclusion of the update of the provisions in respect of the investigation, as noted). Within the process of preparation for filing a shelf prospectus of Hapoalim Hanpakot Ltd. (the issuance arm of the Bank, which is a company under full ownership), the Israel Securities Authority requested that the Bank present these data for 2016 in a manner that consistently applies the aforesaid excluded components. ** Reclassification of certain actuarial cost components of employee benefits from salary expenses to other expenses. For further details, see Note 1C(3) to the Condensed Financial Statements. *** Net financing profit includes net interest income and non-interest financing income (expenses). (1) Calculated on an annualized basis. (2) Does not include expenses in respect of the update of the provision in connection with the Bank Groups business with American clients, and costs in respect of the discontinuation of activity in Switzerland. (3) Comparative figures, including credit of the Isracard Group, were restated in order to present a discontinued operation separately from continued operations. For further details, see Note 1E to the Condensed Financial Statements. Condensed financial information and principal performance indicators over time(1) (continued) As at For the year ended December 31 June 30, 2018 June 30, 2017 2017 2016 NIS million Main balance sheet data Total assets 451,366 449,734 454,424 448,105 Of which: cash and deposits with banks 83,261 81,948 86,093 80,367 Securities 59,616 70,479 65,416 71,429 Net credit to the public 272,458 260,249 265,853 258,691 Net problematic credit risk 6,900 7,212 6,822 7,358 Net impaired balance sheet debts 2,388 2,499 2,097 3,094 Total liabilities 414,586 414,105 418,420 413,880 Of which: deposits from the public 345,717 340,761 347,344 338,494 Deposits from banks 3,846 3,979 3,649 4,077 Bonds and subordinated notes 29,949 30,736 29,058 33,560 Shareholders equity 36,654 35,458 35,863 34,047 Impaired credit to the public not accruing interest income (NPL) 2,269 2,571 2,073 3,480 Additional data Share price at end of period (in NIS) 24.8 23.5 25.6 22.9 For the three months ended For the six months ended For the year ended December 31 June 30, 2018 June 30, 2017 June 30, 2018 June 30, 2017 2017 2016 Total dividend per share (in agorot)* 18.83 22.98 37.17 26.08 64.53 51.44 Ratio of fees to average assets 0.19 % 0.28 % 0.39 % 0.39 % 1.14 % 1.18 % * According to the date of declaration. (1) Comparative figures, including credit of the Isracard Group, were restated in order to present a discontinued operation separately from continued operations. For further details, see Note 1E to the Condensed Financial Statements. Contact: Karen Mazor, SVP Head of Investor Relations Bank Hapoalim T: +972 54 228 8039 E: Karen.mazor@poalim.co.il A suspected member of Islamic State accused of killing a police officer in Iraq was arrested Wednesday in Sacramento, where he had settled as a refugee and sought to obtain a green card, federal authorities said. Authorities allege that Omar Ameen, 45, entered his hometown of Rawa, a city of about 20,000 on the Euphrates River, in June 2014 with a caravan of four Islamic State vehicles and opened fire on the officers home. The officer returned fire, and Ameen shot him while he was on the ground, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court. The officer died of a gunshot wound to the chest. After the shooting, a social media post celebrated the officers killing, calling him a criminal who was eliminated at the hands of the Mujahedin, court records allege. Ameen fled Iraq after the attack, authorities said, and settled in Sacramento as a refugee. He allegedly concealed his links to terrorism when he applied for refugee status, and again when he applied for a green card. Instead, authorities said, he claimed on his refugee application that his family was a target of violence in Iraq. Advertisement Authorities allege that Ameen belonged to Al Qaeda and then Islamic State since at least 2004, participating in terrorist activities that included helping plant roadside bombs, killing the officer in Rawa, robbing supply trucks and kidnapping drivers. At least eight witnesses have told the FBI which has been investigating Ameen since 2016 that Ameen and his family are affiliated with terrorist groups. A judge in Iraq issued a warrant for Ameens arrest in May. He appeared Wednesday in federal court in Sacramento and will face extradition proceedings to face trial in Iraq as part of a treaty with the nation. Ameen faces a maximum penalty of death in Iraq. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has selected criminal defense attorney Ricardo Garcia as the countys new public defender. Garcia will take over as head of the oldest and largest public defenders office in the nation, with 700 attorneys who provide criminal defense services for adults and juveniles who cannot afford their own lawyers. The office has been without a permanent head since Ronald Brown retired in 2016. Garcia is a supervising attorney in the San Diego County public defenders office. He started there as a trial attorney in 1995 and was later recruited to the Department of the Alternate Public Defender, which defends cases where the public defender may have a conflict of interest, often because multiple people have been charged in a single case. From 2004 to 2006 Garcia served as the criminal justice director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, according to the news release. In that position he monitored the Los Angeles Police Departments compliance with a federal civil rights consent decree and conditions in L.A. County jails. Advertisement Garcia later returned to the San Diego County public defenders office, most recently supervising in the multiple conflicts office/major cases section. Garcia will take over the office from Interim Public Defender Nicole Davis Tinkham, a former deputy county counsel who has defended sheriffs deputies in lawsuits against the county. Deputy public defenders protested Tinkhams appointment at a rally in February, saying that she lacked the necessary experience representing indigent clients and that her history with the Sheriffs Department represented a conflict of interest. Tiffiny Blacknell, a veteran attorney who helped organize that rally, said she is more than excited about Garcias appointment. We are impressed with the caliber of attorney the board has selected to run our office and optimistic about the era of criminal justice reform we are poised to lead, Blacknell said. All we ever wanted was quality leadership to further our great cause and we believe Ricardo Garcia to be such a leader. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously for Garcia in closed session Tuesday. His salary and start date are expected to be finalized by the board at its next public meeting on Sept. 4. nina.agrawal@latimes.com Twitter: @AgrawalNina The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for parts of Southern California, including areas recently charred by wildfires. The advisory, which goes into effect at noon Thursday for Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties, will last through 8 p.m. Increased monsoonal moisture has created a chance of thunderstorms over the mountains and deserts, and those storms could produce gusty winds, heavy rain and flash floods, the weather service said. Burn areas are particularly susceptible, said Miguel Miller, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego. Advertisement Parts of the San Jacinto Mountains burned by the Cranston fire last month are among the areas most at risk. This is the new normal for probably a couple of years until we can get some vegetation on those hillsides taking root and holding back some of the soil, said Patrick Reitz, chief of the Idyllwild Fire Protection District. The Cranston fire chewed through 13,139 acres, destroyed at least five homes and forced the evacuation of more than 4,000 residences near Idyllwild, according to fire officials. Radar forecast shows potential for heavy t-storms over the #SoCal mountains & deserts this afternoon. Heavy rain could lead to flash flooding esp near recent #wildfire burn scars. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/NcxSo0vZMp NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) August 16, 2018 The weather service warned residents living on or near hillsides or mountain slopes that they should be prepared for possible debris flows, which can occur even when there is little or no rain. Because of the way the Cranston fire burned, Reitz said, the bulk of the mudslide issues will likely be in communities below Idyllwild. But any slides that cause road closures could have a significant impact on residents ability to get on and off the mountain, he said. In the community of Mountain Center, south of Idyllwild, Randall Harris, president of the Living Free Animal Sanctuary, said he spent part of the morning discussing options for stabilizing slopes to prevent mudslides with a former firefighter anything to give the earth something to sit on so it doesnt just slide out from underneath you, he said. During the Cranston fire, Harris and a team of employees and volunteers worked feverishly to evacuate about 200 animals from the shelter. The animals were all safe as was the shelters main campus. But about 40 acres of the shelters 160-acre property burned, creating a significant threat of mudslides. Fires have long legs, Harris said. They cause harm a lot longer than they burn. The area burned by the Valley fire near Forest Falls is also at risk, Miller said. The lack of vegetation to intercept the rain paired with the absence of a soft ground and root system create a risk of debris flow, he said. Youve basically made an absorbent surface into an impermeable surface, Miller said. All the rain that falls converts to runoff, which gathers together and creates flash floods. A thunderstorm in the Valley fire area a few weeks ago already produced debris flow that lead to the closure of Highway 18, he said. And that doesnt mean it cant happen again. Anywhere in the mountains is under the watch today whether in the burn area or not, he added. sarah.parvini@latimes.com For more California news follow me on Twitter: @sarahparvini UPDATES: 12:10 p.m.: This post was updated with comments from Reitz and Harris. This article was originally published at 8:20 a.m. A woman who worked at the Mission Valley office of the California Department of Social Services has sued the state and one of its physicians, alleging sexual harassment and sexual battery. The lawsuit, filed early this week in San Diego Superior Court, accuses Dr. Robert Jacobs of repeatedly hugging the plaintiff against her will, lifting her shirt and squeezing her bare back over a period of more than two years. It also alleges that Jacobs repeatedly and visibly attempted to look under plaintiffs clothes and grabbed the womans breasts while making lewd comments. It doesnt matter what size they are as long as theyre a nice mouthful, the suit alleges that Jacobs told the woman. Advertisement Jacobs, who was hired in 2013 and no longer works for the state of California, could not be reached for comment. The Department of Social Services did not respond to a request for comment. According to the complaint, the harassment began in 2015 and persisted until 2017. Prior to the 2016 holiday party, Jacobs allegedly told the woman to wear something sexy. On another occasion, when she wore a top with a crisscrossed back, he put his hands through the holes and said Ooooh, I like this shirt, the suit said. State officials were alerted to the behavior shortly after it began in 2015, the suit alleges. But officials at the Department of Social Services did not respond until 2017, when Jacobs returned from hip-replacement surgery and asked the plaintiff to touch him inappropriately. As plaintiff attempted to avoid Jacobs, he grabbed her hand, placed it on his hip and attempted to force plaintiff to massage it, the suit states. Jacobs then tried to force plaintiffs hand toward his genitals. The plaintiff, who is not being identified by The San Diego Union-Tribune because she is an alleged victim of sexual battery, was summoned to a meeting with supervisors at the Mission Valley office in September and asked to recount her allegations. Plaintiff was distraught and visibly upset after the meeting, states the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages. Plaintiff feared losing her job. Instead, state officials opened a formal investigation into the allegations, the complaint states, and Jacobs was escorted out of the building shortly thereafter The case was assigned to Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil. A conference has been scheduled for early next year. 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 Jack Tenhulzen probably heard it just before he saw it coming up from behind the car that mowed him down on an Oceanside sidewalk more than two years ago. The impact knocked the 69-year-old out of his pants and shoes, severed one of his legs near the foot and thrust his body through the windshield into the passenger seat. The homeless man died instantly. And on Wednesday, Vista Superior Court Judge Carlos Armour sentenced the drunk driver whod struck and killed Tenhulzen to 15 years to life in prison. Advertisement Esteysi Stacy Sanchez, Armour said, got into the car knowing she was not in a condition to drive. In April, a North County jury found Sanchez, 31, guilty of second-degree murder and other charges in Tenhulzens death on June 27, 2016. Moments before the sentence was handed down, Tenhulzens niece Lisa Francisco spoke in court. Francisco said Tenhulzen had been the cool young uncle when she was just a kid, and the only father figure she and her siblings had. Jack Tenhulzen, my uncle, the man that you murdered, was loved, Francisco said, turning toward Sanchez. He wasnt a faceless person. I loved my Uncle Jack. Jack Tenhulzen in the late 1990s (courtesy photo) As Francisco spoke, Sanchez began to sob, and cried out Im sorry. Her crying intensified, leading the judge to call a brief recess in the hearing. Sanchez was led out of the courtroom, doubled over and sobbing. The crash happened after a night of clubbing followed by an after-party in a motel down the road from the crash. Authorities said Sanchez was driving east on Mission Avenue about 6:15 a.m. when she failed to negotiate a small bend in the road. She ended up driving on sidewalk for about 100 feet, where she struck and killed Tenhulzen. After the crash and with the mans body in the front seat next to her Sanchez continued to drive more than a mile, then parked the car around the block from her house and walked home. At her preliminary hearing, one witness said he heard the car stop outside his home, and that he came out and saw a severed foot on the trunk. As he got closer, he saw the broken windshield and a body in the passengers seat. He also said he saw the driver get out, and that she was panicking and screaming. During the trial, defense attorney Herb Weston had argued that his client, a mother of two, had fallen asleep for a moment out of exhaustion as she made the roughly two-mile drive home. Weston argued to the jury that Sanchez awoke on impact and freaked out when she saw shattered glass, blood and a body in the seat next to her. Sanchez, who authorities have said is suspected of being an unauthorized immigrant, was found and arrested not long after the crash. An Oceanside mother was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years to life in prison for driving drunk and plowing into a man on a sidewalk, thrusting him through the windshield. She drove a mile with the mans body in the front seat next to her. Deadly drunken-driving crashes are often charged as manslaughter. In Sanchezs case, Deputy District Attorney Robert Bruce said she had shown a conscious disregard for life that elevated the matter to the level of murder, because people with her at an after party that night specifically told her not to drive because she was impaired. I dont think there is anyone in California today that would say I dont think drinking and driving isnt dangerous and yet it continues to happen, Bruce said after the hearing. And as long as it continues to happen, more people are going to continue to be killed. teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com (760) 529-4945 Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT A registered sex offender who authorities say broke into his neighbors home in broad daylight, then raped a 3-year-old girl inside pleaded not guilty Wednesday to kidnapping with the intent to molest and other felonies. Francisco Frankie Diaz, 46, is facing life in prison if convicted, said Deputy District Attorney Claudia Grasso. One of the charges, alleging he broke into the home to commit rape, brings a potential sentence of life without the possibility of parole. San Diego Superior Court Judge Maureen Hallahan ordered Diaz to remain jailed without bail, as Grasso had requested. Diaz has been in custody since shortly after the Saturday morning incident. Advertisement This is a parents worst nightmare because your home is supposed to be your sanctuary, your safe place, Grasso said Wednesday. To have something like this to happen to your precious child is so scary, so horrific. According to Grasso, Diaz had gone to his neighbors home and removed a window screen in the room where the child was sleeping. Once inside, Grasso said, he sexually assaulted the little girl. The child woke up and started crying, and Diaz slipped back out of the window, carrying the girl with him, the prosecutor said. Diaz was walking the girl toward his home, where he lived with his mother, when Diazs mother saw her son with the girl. The child was naked from the waist down, Grasso said. Diazs mother wrapped the child in a blanket and returned her to her family, she said. Police were called to the neighborhood on Maple Street near 52nd and Nutmeg Streets, about 9:40 a.m., and arrested Diaz. Before police arrived, the childs father confronted Diaz, who was injured during the ensuing altercation, San Diego police Lt. Jason Weeden said in a statement issued earlier this week. According to Weeden, detectives learned that a male member of the little girls family had seen Diaz looking into his bedroom sliding glass door sometime before the kidnapping. State records indicate Diaz is a registered sex offender who was convicted in 2007 of annoying or molesting a child under 18 years of age. He was in compliance with his annual registration requirement, Weeden said. Diaz is due back in court Aug. 24 for a readiness conference. His preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 28. teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com (760) 529-4945 Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT Three men who were split from their families after they asked for asylum in May at the San Ysidro Port of Entry were released two weeks ago to reunite with their wives and daughters. Their stories of separation are different from the many parents who have been spotlighted in recent headlines through the Trump administrations zero tolerance policy. Though a federal judge in San Diego recently ordered in a class action lawsuit that the government had to reunite families separated at the border, its not clear whether these men count as part of that class or how many others like them are still in custody away from their loved ones. The three Salvadoran families were part of the migrant caravan that drew international attention after President Donald Trump launched an angry tweetstorm over the groups journey north. They were separated because of a long-standing federal policy that began before Trump took office when a family with more than one adult member arrives at the border, one adult goes with the children, and the rest are split off and sent to adult detention centers. Advertisement According to San Diego immigration attorney Tammy Lin, that policy started in 2010. In the class action lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw ordered the federal government to reunify families with children under age five by July 10 and the rest of the families by July 26. If the men count as part of the lawsuit, some of their children would fall under the first deadline. Marios daughter is 3 years old. Sergios daughters are 1 and 9, and Willians daughter is 5. The San Diego Union-Tribune agreed to identify the men by their first names only because they believe the people persecuting them in El Salvador are still looking for them. All three of their families fled for their lives because of gangs targeting them. Mario, Willian and Sergio were released from Otay Mesa Detention Center on August 2, after both deadlines. Their lawyers pushed Immigration and Customs Enforcement to let them be with their families, pointing to the lawsuit requiring reunification. The day after their release, using money raised by an attorney helping them, they traveled to various parts of the U.S. and rejoined their families. Its not clear whether any parents in their situation have been included in any of the governments lists of families to reunite under the lawsuit. In court, officials explained that government staff combed records from the Department of Health and Human Services to identify separated children. HHS is responsible for children who arrive at the border alone and also took custody of children who were separated from a single parent under Trump administration policies. But the children of Mario, Willian and Sergio did not end up in HHS custody because their mothers were kept with them, and they were eventually released to sponsors. ICE declined to comment on the fathers cases, citing the pending lawsuit on family separation. The Department of Justice and HHS also declined to comment. Logistical differences aside, the three men described pain and trauma that have become a familiar refrain in stories about family separation. Being separated from my daughter and my wife was the most painful thing of my life, Mario said in Spanish. I felt powerless. After Willian was separated from his daughter, she would cry herself to sleep asking for him, Willian said. When he told her over the phone that he was getting out, she cried again and told him that shed been saving money to buy him a bicycle. The men, at their first meal outside of the detention center, told one of the attorneys who helped them about the day theyd last seen their families. Theyd camped with other caravan members outside of the port of entry in Tijuana until it was their turn to go in and request asylum. On May 4, they walked up a ramp into a long hallway that stretches from Tijuanas edge to the U.S. Once they reached Customs and Border Protections temporary holding cells inside the port of entry, known as the hielera or icebox because of how cold it is, the men were told they had to go to a different area from the women and children. At first they thought the separation would be short, but a few days later, Marios wife tapped on the window from outside and told her husband she and their daughter were being taken away. Mario tried to catch a glimpse of his daughter before they left, but an official made him back away from the window. He didnt hear from his family for more than two weeks until his wifes aunt made contact with them. They were in Texas at a family detention center. The men went to Otay Mesa Detention Center, which holds adults. While they were there, another detainee made bracelets out of plastic for Sergio with his daughters names on them. He was still wearing them when he got out. Ive never been away from my family this long, Mario said the day he was released. Its been three months since Ive seen my daughter. I dont know how she is. Inside, you cant do anything. Mario said he doesnt understand why they were locked up for so long. They treat us like criminals, he said. They didnt cross illegally, he emphasized. They came to the port of entry to follow the legal process for requesting asylum. We wanted to do things the right way, Mario said. The three men were frustrated with conditions at the detention center. They said the food wasnt good and that they didnt get enough to eat. They received used razors for shaving, they said. They said they were forced to work for $1.50 per day and sometimes werent paid at all. If they refused to work, they were punished, they said. A class-action lawsuit filed in San Diego federal court makes similar allegations about labor at Otay Mesa. ICE takes very seriously the health, safety and welfare of those in our care, said Lauren Mack, a spokeswoman for the agency, when asked about the mens complaints. The agency is committed to ensuring that those in our custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments and under appropriate conditions of confinement. She said that ICE inspects detention facilities and holds them to certain standards. Adult men receive a minimum of 3,500 calories per day, she said. The food must be visually appealing, palatable, and taste good, Mack said, explaining the standards. She said ICE has a hotline available for detainees and community members to report issues. Mario, noting that most of the facility staff work for CoreCivic, the private prison company that owns it, said he didnt believe that the ICE officers who stopped by about his case from time to time noticed or cared how detainees were treated. A government oversight report from June found that ICEs inspections did not ensure compliance with detention standards. Because they were part of the caravan, a Portland-based organization called Innovation Law Lab helped pair the three men with volunteer attorneys who stepped up to help in the midst of public outrage over family separation. The organization connects volunteer attorneys who are not familiar with immigration law with mentors who guide them through working an asylum case. Networking and collaboration helped get the three men out, said Ian Philabaum, program director for Innovation Law Lab. His organization paired Willian and Sergio with Nancy Stagg, a San Diego attorney who specializes in civil litigation and class action. She and her husband Charles Bethel, a bankruptcy attorney who speaks Spanish, went to the detention center to interview people for the Innovation Law Lab. After meeting Willian and Sergio, Stagg decided to take on their cases. I just saw a need and jumped in, Stagg said. Su Barry, a San Diego-based litigator who was eager to learn about the asylum process, got matched with Mario. The experience has been eye-opening, Barry said. These cases are very tough, especially in this climate where the goalposts are shifting, Barry said. A lot of people dont understand how hard it is to get asylum, and a lot of people dont understand that he has a very serious problem if he goes back. These people are fearing for their lives, and the lives of their children and their wives. The two volunteer attorneys ended up working with Mary Lehman, another attorney who has been volunteering at Otay Mesa in recent weeks, to convince ICE to let the men out of detention. Stagg said she appreciates that ICE listened to their request. Lehman picked the three men up from detention, and with money shed raised for them, she took them shopping for clothes and then to dinner. The next morning, the men traveled back to their families. Without the volunteer attorneys who stepped up, Mario said, they would still be inside. Immigration Videos On Now New developments in family separation case 9:53 On Now A San Diego woman volunteered as a medic in Texas helping migrant families 2:35 On Now Immigration policy protests in Carlsbad nearly cancelled after permit issue 1:38 On Now When children are separated from their parents at the border, here is where they go next On Now Prospects of a deal for 'Dreamers' may hinge on separating Trump from hard-liners on his staff On Now What is DACA? On Now Border wall prototype contractors selected On Now Video: Ukrainian boxer wins asylum in U.S. On Now 30 apprehended after Border Patrol agents discover tunnel On Now Video: Kurdish diaspora prepare to vote on independence Follow me on Facebook for live updates about immigration news kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate on Twitter The family stepped warily onto Bourbon Street and hurried past a burlesque joint, an absinthe bar and neon signs touting Leather Lingerie Love Toys and Hunk Oasis Male Strippers. Heather and Chad Bruton, a clean-cut couple from Texas, didnt want to visit this historic city for the first time without witnessing its famed promenade of debauchery. But with three young children in tow, they didnt want to see too much. For the record: This article incorrectly says that Lyn Archer represents the Bourbon Alliance of Responsible Entertainers. Archer co-founded the group in November 2017, but is no longer an active member. How come that guy died on the street? 3-year-old Cooper said as he spotted a barefoot man passed out on a sidewalk. It was still well before noon, and the air reeked of stale beer, grease, vomit and bleach. Advertisement We knew we werent coming to Disney World, said Chad, 40, a director of analytics for a media company in Dallas. But then again it could be cleaner ... couldnt they make it more safe and more clean? Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser wants to do just that. The French Quarter is not the first place many Americans think of as a family tourist destination. For more than a century, it has offered a more risque kind of leisure a nightly spectacle of jaunty Mardi Gras kings, burlesque dancers, jazz musicians, hustlers, drag queens, tap dancers, second-line paraders and revelers strutting and shimmying for beads. But the plain-spoken Republican believes the city, which attracted a record 10.9 million visitors last year, has reached a critical point in its struggle to maintain public safety in the quarter. His prescription: turning the French Quarter into a state park to make it more family friendly. We dont want to attract only people who want to drink daiquiris or go to a strip club, Nungesser said. We want to attract families from all over the world. The idea appears to be a nonstarter because it would require cooperation with the city, and New Orleans Democratic mayor, LaToya Cantrell, has said she has no interest in ceding control of the center of the citys $7.5-billion tourism industry. Still, the proposal, which Nungesser raised this summer in a private meeting with Cantrell, has raised long-standing fears about attempts to sanitize the historic district and prompted plenty of ridicule from locals. The quarter is as clean as it needs to be, said Dr. Brobson Lutz, 70, a prominent socialite and private physician who has lived on Dumaine Street for decades and owns Tennessee Williams former home. The last thing I would want to see it become is a family vacation destination. That would ruin us! Lutz conceded the 78-block area might qualify as a sort of park already. We got a wetland around every bar, he said. You can see gay bears, you can see dancing fairies, predatory rats, the uptown elite, drunk college kids. Lyn Archer, a stripper who represents the Bourbon Alliance of Responsible Entertainers, fears Bourbon Street could eventually become the kind of historical site where workers dress up in period clothing to simulate traditional trades and read diaries to tourists. Is this our future? she said. To perform under a facade of the past for the amusement of visitors? Nungesser put an emphasis on reducing crime in the French Quarter, envisioning more street lights and surveillance cameras, a clampdown on panhandling, and a park ranger on every corner. In fact, the quarter is already one of the safest pockets in New Orleans. Police say violent crime has been falling there, even as the citys homicide rate remains one of the highest in the nation. A family walks down Bourbon Street in New Orleans at dusk. (Jenny Jarvie / Los Angeles Times) Nicholas Gernon, the commander of the police district that includes the quarter, credited the departments efforts to clamp down on illegal guns, the introduction of state troopers to patrol the area, and the creation of the French Quarter Task Force, a patrol that lets citizens report crimes and summon officers through a mobile app. Day and night, officers parade up and down Bourbon Street on horseback and Segways. The city has installed surveillance cameras along Bourbon Street and other areas this year as part of a $40-million public safety plan. Earlier this year several clubs were raided and cited for violations such as prostitution, lewd acts and drug sales, prompting hundreds of people to march through the quarter holding signs saying, No new Bourbon Street and This is NOLA not Disneyland. Thats evident each morning when sanitation crews descend on the strip to sweep, haul and hose away a thick layer of party crud: plastic straws, Mardi Gras beads, vomit, chicken wings, feather boas, sandals, cigarette butts, lime wedges, giant plastic cups shaped as fishbowls, Red Bull cans, carrots, broken glass, pizza crust, orange peel and dollar bills. Not that families arent already visiting the French Quarter. For many, Bourbon Street is just another stop between the aquarium and the insectarium, beignets and shrimp po boys, a swamp tour and a paddle-wheel cruise. Nobody would come here if it wasnt a party, Alicia Allen, 67, said as she walked down Bourbon Street with her daughter after handing her three grandchildren who were tired of walking off to a relative. As they crossed Bourbon Street, a man in a waistcoat and bow tie outside Stilettos Cabaret beckoned them with a flourish of his cigar. Its family day at the cabaret! he hollered in a sing-song voice. Come on in! Almost any time of the day, parents can be seen pushing strollers and clutching toddlers as they pass throngs of bachelorettes in matching hot-pink wigs, drag queens tottering on stilettos, frat boys hollering chug chug chug and gutter punks holding signs saying, Crack Dont Grow on Trees and Too Ugly To Prostitute Too Honest To Steal. At dusk, the crowd got more giddy. A mother grinned as her preteen daughter danced in the middle of the street, waving her arms up at a balcony. Can you imagine letting your kids out in this? a middle-aged woman drawled to her friend as they watched a pair of teenage girls giggle and snap selfies with a group of bare-chested boys playing drums on plastic buckets. Many locals say that when it comes to making the quarter family friendly, the focus shouldnt be on tourists but on residents of the city. A century ago, 20,000 families lived in the quarter. Today that figure is 3,300, and only 1 out of 70 residents is aged 14 or under. Many of the historic homes have been turned into condominiums and sold to outsiders as vacation properties. Its mostly an absent neighborhood, Louis Matassa, the 67-year-old owner of Matassas Market, said as he walked outside his corner grocery store, founded in 1924 by his grandfather Giovanni, and surveyed the stretch of Dauphine Street he grew up on. A block that once bustled with Sicilian and Filipino kids was still, except for a few retirees. Now its all about the tourists, Matassa said. The lieutenant governor might as well put a wall around the quarter and charge admission. Seattle, like Portland, now has a black female chief of police. Danielle Outlaw, 41, a former Oakland police commander, has been the Portland Police Bureaus chief about 10 months, while Carmen Best, 53, a 26-year veteran of the Seattle Police Department, was sworn in this week. Both appointments had an air of promise about them as two of Americas most liberal, and whitest, big cities Seattle is 70% white; Portland, 76% sought solutions to the racial divisions and questionable shootings that plague U.S. communities. Seattle also is hoping to end six years of federally mandated oversight brought on by past civil rights violations, and Best is a semi-expert on the issue. Portland, meanwhile, has been a revolving door for police chiefs in hot water. Outlaw replaced a chief who retired after accidentally wounding a fellow camper during a hunting and beer-drinking outing, then lied about it. But to hire the chiefs they wanted, the two cities new mayors used some unorthodox arm twisting to break through century-old racial and gender barriers. The Seattle department, with about 1,400 sworn personnel today, was founded in 1886, while the Portland Police Bureau, now with roughly 1,000 officers, dates to 1870. No permanent chiefs of either city had been women of color. Advertisement Portland first-term Mayor Ted Wheeler said he wanted to change that. He essentially hand-picked Outlaw after candidly warning chief candidates in an employment ad they would have to deal with the Rose Citys history of racism. The State of Oregon and its largest city, Portland, share a history of legally sanctioned systemic racism with legally enforced exclusionary practice, the job posting emphasized in its opening paragraph. (African Americans were barred by state law from living in Oregon until 1926, and Ku Klux Klan members were welcome. Even today, Census Bureau statistics show, Oregons black population is just over 70,000, constituting less than 2% of state residents.) Given this history, the successful candidate must demonstrate the capacity and commitment to expand on existing strategies to improve relationships with and service provision to Portlands communities of color, ensuring that equity is a bedrock of policing in Portland, the job posting said. Danielle Outlaw was chosen as the new police chief in Portland, Ore. (Alex Milan Tracy / Sipa USA) Though the police union complained about the mayors implication that the Police Bureau and its members have supported a racist culture in the city, new chief Outlaw agreed with Wheeler at her swearing-in ceremony in October. We cannot effectively address crime reduction and community engagement and inclusion or organizational excellence through an equity and inclusion lens if we ignore our history, she said. How can we begin the healing process without first acknowledging what was? In Seattle, former U.S. Atty. Jenny Durkan, who in January became the citys first lesbian mayor, immediately appointed Best acting chief to replace the recently departed Kathleen OToole. Durkan made no secret about wanting Best to become permanent chief. But it took two tries by the mayor-in-training to get there. When a trio of finalists were announced in May, Best didnt make the cut. The selection committee, appointed by the mayor, decided an outsider was needed to continue its use-of-force reforms. Best, upset but cool, wished the finalists success, adding that each of them should know how fortunate they will be to lead officers who have a commitment to public safety and reform. A community uproar of support for Best ensued, with critics claiming it was a secretly decided, race-based decision. Harriett Walden, a leader of a citizens police commission, said the process was flawed, and we know it was anything but the black woman. That was followed by Durkans sly move: One of the three finalists former Pittsburgh Police Chief Cameron McLay was offered a consulting job with the department and dropped out of the chiefs pageant. The committee met anew with the unhappy mayor, presented its new finalists Ely Reyes, assistant chief in Austin, Texas; Eddie Frizell, a former deputy chief in Minneapolis; and Carmen Best. Best was the winner, the mayor announced to the surprise of no one. The new chief got the City Councils unanimous approval this week. She spent Monday meeting with officials and the community at City Hall, trailed by a crowd of supporters. After the councils 8-0 vote, she seemed slightly dazed. I had no idea I had so much support in the community, she said. To underscore that and ensure others get their chance to cheer Best on, the city arranged no fewer than three swearing-in ceremonies for the new chief this week. Anderson is a special correspondent. Dublin, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Forecast In 26 Major Markets 2018-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a disease that contains an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern and is a moderately common transmitted genetic disease. The disease, characterised by hypertrophy in the left ventricle, cannot be explained by the presence of other clinical symptoms, such as hypertension. 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A man who deputies shocked with Taser during a scuffle early Thursday morning later became unresponsive and had to be rushed to a hospital, a sheriffs lieutenant said. Following the struggle, which happened near a convenience store by a freeway in North County, the suspect was placed in a restraint known as The Wrap, homicide Lt. Rich Williams said in a news release. The man who bit a deputy during the struggle was listed in stable condition Thursday afternoon. But his prognosis is uncertain, Williams said. Advertisement Someone called 911 about 4:35 a.m. to report that the man was acting strangely and refusing to exit the Circle K/Mobil gas station in Fallbrook along Interstate 15 at state Route 76, Williams said. The man may have been on drugs, the lieutenant said. Deputies arrived about 10 minutes later. As they tried to evaluate the man, he fought them off. Two passersby saw the struggle and stopped to help the deputies get control of the man, Williams said. In all, eight people struggled to restrain the man, he said. At some point during the scuffle, deputies deployed a department-issued Taser stun gun on the man, who bit a deputy on the hand. Deputies were ultimately able to place a restraint on the man in an attempt to de-escalate the situation and facilitate safe transport, Williams said. Because deputies had used the Taser, they called for medics with North County Fire Protection District to take a look at the man. The man went into medical distress and became unresponsive in the ambulance. He was taken to a hospital, where he remained in stable condition, but with an uncertain prognosis, Williams said. The deputy who was bitten required stitches to close his wound. The investigation is continuing, Williams said. He did not release the identity of the suspect or the deputies involved. The device known as The Wrap is a stiff nylon blanket wrapped around a persons legs, and then strapped to keep the person from kicking. It also has a chest harness, and can keep a person sitting upright, so they can breathe easily. teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com (760) 529-4945 Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT UPDATES: 3:45 p.m.: This story was updated with additional information regarding the details of the incident and the suspects condition. It was originally posted at 10 a.m. A sheriffs deputy who is already facing criminal charges of on-the-job sexual misconduct involving 13 women was re-arrested Thursday morning, this time on suspicion of five new felonies, including suspicion of sexual assault. Richard Fischer, 32, was booked into the Vista jail in lieu of $2 million bail, according to online jail records. He is slated to be arraigned in Vista Superior Court on Friday. For the record: This story has been corrected to reflect the correct number of women who have filed civil suits. The new criminal charges against Fischer involve three additional women, bumping the number of accusers to 16. The new case includes an accusation that Fischer engaged in a forced sexual assault on one victim the most serious of all the criminal charges thus far levied against the deputy. Advertisement The new charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years, eight months, if he his convicted. That is on top of the nearly 15 years that he faces from criminal charges nine felonies and six misdemeanors filed earlier this year. Many of those charges are related to assault and battery under the color of authority. The women said he groped and fondled them while on the job. The deputy has pleaded not guilty in that case. No trial date has been set. Fischer, who was a Marine reservist and who was once deployed to Afghanistan, remains on unpaid administrative leave from the Sheriffs Department pending the outcome of investigations into the allegations. His arrest Thursday came about three weeks after he flanked by his wife and his defense attorney made his first public statements about the allegations. At that July 26 news conference, Fischer called the allegations false and said they run contrary to my DNA as a proud member of law enforcement and the military. At that same news conference, Fischer attorney Manny Medrano questioned the credibility of the accusers. We are unearthing significant ammunition to use when these victims step into a courtroom again, he said. Aside from the criminal cases, a total of 20 women have sued Fischer and the county in civil court. As of early May, the county had reached settlements totaling upwards of $900,000 with four accusers. The remaining claims are on hold until at least December while the criminal case plays out. On Thursday, Medrano did not immediately respond to requests for comment on his clients arrest. Of the three additional accusers in the new charges, two of them recently filed a civil case against Fischer and the county. One of them is a 51-year-old Vista woman who, in a claim filed before the lawsuit, said Fischer had forced her to perform a sex act on him. The woman said Fischer was among several deputies who responded to an emergency call from a group home for mentally ill people on New Years Eve 2016. The woman, who lives near the group home, said Fischer returned to her residence twice that night after the emergency was resolved. She said he hugged and groped her. In the months that followed, she said, the deputy kept coming around, flirting with and groping her. One night in spring 2017, she alleged, Fischer shined a flashlight into her apartment and insisted that she let him inside. Once inside, he pulled her into her bedroom and forced oral sex on her, according to a civil claim the woman filed against the Sheriffs Department earlier this year. Such claims are a precursor to a lawsuit against a government agency. Aside from the new criminal charge of forced oral sex, Fischer faces two new felony counts involving assault and battery by an officer, as alleged by two new accusers. Those incidents happened in September and October of last year, according to the criminal complaint. teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com (760) 529-4945 Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT A 70-year-old supervisory officer with U.S. Customs and Border Protection was arrested Wednesday for allegedly strangling a traveler at the U.S.-Mexico border last month, federal prosecutors said. A federal grand jury indicted Officer Harvey Booker on Tuesday, and he appeared in court after his arrest Wednesday in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen S. Crawford. Booker was indicted on a charge of deprivation of rights under color of law, a crime that carries a potential 10-year maximum prison term. According to the indictment, Booker, a San Diego resident, was working at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on July 8, when he strangled a man identified only as M.N., resulting in injuries to the victim. A federal prosecutor in court Wednesday described the incident as an act of violence against a traveler at the Port of Entry, according to a news release from the office of Adam Braverman, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California. Advertisement There is no excuse for law enforcement officials to abuse the significant trust and power placed in them, Braverman said in the statement. Law enforcement takes great pride in protecting the civil rights of all people. When that trust is betrayed, we must hold that officer accountable. Bookers case was not updated on a federal court online records Wednesday night, and it was not clear who is lawyer was. A phone message left at Bookers home seeking comment Wednesday evening was not immediately returned. The alleged attack was investigated by the FBI and internal investigators with Customs and Border Protection and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security. All DHS law enforcement officers are required and expected to abide by the laws they enforce and protect, said Special Agent Amanda Thandi in a statement. Thandi runs DHS Office of Inspector General for the San Diego field office. (The Office of the Inspector General) is committed to hold anyone who betrays the publics trust accountable for his (or) her actions, Thandi said. Pete Flores, the Customs and Border Protection Director of Field Operations for San Diego, said his agency stresses professionalism, honor and integrity in every aspect of our mission. (CBP) does not tolerate actions by any employee that would tarnish the reputation of our agency, Flores said in a statement. CBP is fully cooperating with the FBI and DHS Office of the Inspector General regarding this investigation. Officials said members of the public could report potential civil rights violations to the Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at dhs.gov/publication/file-civil-rights-complaint. Booker is next due in court on Sept. 7 for a motions hearing before Chief U.S. District Judge Barry T. Moskowitz. Twitter: @Alex_Riggins (619) 293-1710 alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com A man was stabbed twice and left bleeding in a parking lot Wednesday night as officers searched San Diegos Lake Murray community for two men suspected of carrying out the possibly gang-related knifing, police said. The victims girlfriend reported the stabbing just after 9:30 p.m. near Lake Murray Boulevard and Lake Arrowhead Drive, just southwest of Navajo Road and state Route 125, San Diego police Officer John Buttle said. The woman told dispatchers her boyfriend was bleeding profusely and barely conscious. She said at least one of the wounds was to a lung. Officers, firefighters and medics arrived within minutes and rushed the victim to a San Diego hospital. It wasnt immediately known how severe his injuries were, Buttle said. Advertisement Officers were searching for two suspects in the attack, Buttle said. The woman who reported the stabbing said the men claimed a gang affiliation just before attacking her boyfriend, prompting officers at the scene to call for detectives from the departments gang unit. The investigation revealed that, prior to the stabbing, the victim and the assailant had had an argument over space at an apartment complex gym, Buttle said. Both suspects were described as roughly 30-year-old Hispanic men. One was described as 6 feet 3 inches and very muscular. He had a goatee and was wearing a black long sleeve shirt and a dark hat. The other suspect was described as 5 feet 9 inches and wearing a white shirt and blue shorts with a white stripe. It was unknown which of the suspects allegedly stabbed the victim. Twitter: @Alex_Riggins (619) 293-1710 alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com UPDATES: 7:15 am. Aug. 16: This story was updated with additional information. The Union-Tribune profiles a wanted suspect each week in an effort to make our community safer. We partner with Crime Stoppers and local law enforcement to prole known fugitives as well as draw attention to unsolved crimes. This weeks wanted suspect: Kendal Kabande, 30 Wanted: Kabande is wanted by the San Diego Fugitive Task Force on a warrant for assault with a deadly weapon, auto theft and felony evading. His criminal history includes convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, auto theft and evading. Description: White, 6 feet 2 inches, 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Frequented areas: He is not known to frequent any particular area and could be anywhere in San Diego County. Advertisement If you have information about this persons whereabouts, you can report it anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. Anonymous texts or web tips can also be sent at sdcrimestoppers.com. Tipsters may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. An effort to make some internal law enforcement investigations open to the public cleared a key hurdle in the Legislature on Thursday, marking the first time in four decades that lawmakers could vote to meaningfully increase transparency surrounding police misconduct. 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 bills author, Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), said Thursdays decision to send the measure through a legislative fiscal committee is a major step toward building trust between police and the communities they serve. The committee, Skinner said, did the right thing in moving to bring California in line with other states and give access to law enforcement records where the public truly has a right to know. Heres how California became the most secretive state on police misconduct Advertisement California has the strictest laws in the country protecting the confidentiality of police misconduct records. The rules not only prohibit the public from seeing them, but also deny prosecutors direct access. A Times investigation found that past misconduct by law enforcement officers who testify in court is routinely kept hidden by Californias police privacy laws, which were first passed in 1978. Police unions have long argued that the rules protect officer safety and privacy and have successfully lobbied to crush past efforts to change the laws. Skinners bill would mark the first significant unwinding of the confidentiality rules. The bill was changed Thursday in the Assembly Appropriations Committee to allow police departments to withhold records if they determine disclosure would be against the public interest. In addition, disclosure of investigative reports on incidents in which officers used Tasers was dropped from the bill. Robert Harris, a director for the union that represents the Los Angeles Police Departments rank-and-file officers, said law enforcement groups would continue their efforts to defeat the legislation. Its still incumbent upon us to educate lawmakers on what we feel are some of the harmful effects of the bill, Harris said. Should Senate Bill 1421 become law, Californias disclosure rules would still fall short of 21 other states that provide public access to records of all types of misconduct resulting in suspensions and other significant discipline. Still, leaders of activist groups said they were encouraged by the bills progress, noting that it had advanced further than earlier efforts to unwind the states police confidentiality laws. Its a reflection of the demand and pressure from our communities that shows this bill is needed, said George Galvis, executive director of Communities United For Restorative Youth Justice, an Oakland group thats a principal backer of the legislation. We need to hold law enforcement accountable. Thursday marked a busy day for lawmakers debating major bills affecting police issues. In a setback for law enforcement groups, none of the three principal efforts they opposed were defeated. High-profile legislation aiming to make it easier to prosecute police officers who kill civilians, however, was put on hold. That measure, Assembly Bill 931 by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), has been the subject of intense lobbying by civil rights organizations who believe its necessary to hold officers accountable and law enforcement groups who argue the effort is an existential threat. State senators did not advance Webers bill, but instead voted to move it out of a fiscal committee, where it faced a deadline to pass by the end of the week. Now, lawmakers have more time to debate the issue, Weber said. This is good news, Weber said in a statement. This is a critically important discussion that is long overdue in California. Lawmakers also advanced legislation that would lead to the release of police body camera footage of major incidents statewide. That bill, authored by Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), would require police departments to release footage of most shootings by officers and other serious uses of force within 45 days unless it would interfere with an ongoing investigation. Supporters of the bill said they modeled the measure after the LAPDs new policy to release such videos within a similar time frame. Should Tings bill pass, it would also go against historical precedent. In recent years, lawmakers have failed to advance major bills regulating the use of body cameras as their use has proliferated up and down the state. In the statewide vacuum, departments have developed their own policies on disclosing footage that include keeping them private and releasing excerpts of incidents. Despite Thursdays decision to move forward the proposal to open some police personnel records, it still faces a difficult road to passage. The largest remaining hurdle is a vote by the full state Assembly, which has numerous members with strong ties to law enforcement among the ruling Democratic Party. Skinner said she expects strong push-back from police unions. Of course law enforcement, since theyve had the ability to deny access to records, theyre not going to want to give that up, she said. Thats a fundamental challenge here. The bill faces a deadline of the end of the month to pass both houses of the Legislature. To become law, Gov. Jerry Brown would then have to sign it. Brown approved the law that first enshrined the strict confidentiality protections for police records in 1978 during his first term in office. The governor has not taken a position on Skinners bill. Coverage of California politics liam.dillon@latimes.com @dillonliam UPDATES: 4:10 p.m.: This article was updated with a comment from Harris. 3:10 p.m.: This article was updated with comments by Skinner. 2:55 p.m.: This article was updated to add that a body camera bill advanced, a comment from Galvis and additional background about the police transparency bill. This article was originally published at 1:30 p.m. The emotional-support peacock who made headlines earlier this year for getting rejected from a cross-country flight has died. Dexter died suddenly July 22 in the arms of his favorite human, according to his Instagram account. 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, the post read. 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. Advertisement The Bushwick-based bird gained fame in January after United Airlines banned him from a flight out of Newark Liberty International Airport, citing healthy and safety concerns even though owner Ventiko had bought him a seat. But the peacocks airport rejection catapulted him to internet fame, as his Instagram account racked up fowl followers. The page currently has more than 17,000 avid avian admirers. The final picture of Dexter, a closeup glamour shot taken at New Jerseys Grounds for Sculpture, was posted July 7. Ventiko, a conceptual artist and photographer, adopted Dexter in 2014 after finding him on Craigslist. She had been searching for birds to include in an installation at Miamis Art Basel festival, and quickly formed a bond with the fowl, according to the Los Angeles Times. When I take him out, people say, Oh my God, a peacock! And I say, No, it is not. You have got to stop with the acid! It is clearly a blue cat, she joked. HSINCHU, Taiwan, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The replacement of fuel cars with electric vehicles has become an irreversible trend. eTreego, a startup that is poised to enter the huge South East Asia market and founded by Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), announced its car and scooter charging pile built with advanced charging control modules at Automechanic Philippines, the leading auto aftermarket parts trade event, held from August 16th to August 18th in Manila, the Philippines. In compliance with four different specifications from Europe, the United States and Japan, eTreegos charging pile features a temperature range of -40 to 70 and is a total charging solution that has taken the trade show by storm with vendors and buyers making enthusiastic inquiries. Major countries in Europe, and Taiwan, are committed to end the selling of fuel cars by 2040, a goal that has stimulated the sales of electric vehicles worldwide. Figures from ITRI indicate that in 2017, a total of 2.66 million cars were sold in the global electric vehicle market, with sales estimated to grow by 19% and reaching 3.17 million this year. As well, 549,000 electric scooters are expected to be sold across the world in 2018, boasting a 64% increase in sales from 333,000 units last year. As Asia accounts for 76.3% of the global electric scooter market, regions in South East Asia, with scooters as the major mode of transportation, show promising potential for growth. Our attendance at the exhibition in the Philippines not only serves to increase the awareness of eTreego in the international market, but also shows our confidence in the potential of the electric car market in South East Asia. We hope to help with the development of electric cars locally, said Gin-pin Chien, President of eTreego, in response to the Taiwanese governments New Southbound Policy to actively promote industry innovation and discover new blue oceans. A startup of ITRI, eTreegos charging module is crucial to the charging technology for electric vehicles. Products by eTreego include charging control module, charger, charging station and energy management, together providing a total solution for the charging of electric vehicles and scooters. The advantage of the products includes its compliance with four major international standards by Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), Japans CHAdeMO and Chinas GB; furthermore, eTreegos products operate in a wide temperature range of between -40 to 70, which is more superior than the rest of the products on the market that only work between 0 to 60. According to Chien, while serving with ITRI, the eTreego team took part in formulating the charging standard for electric cars and scooters in Taiwan. In 2010, eTreego created the first charging pile for electric cars in Taiwan for the collaborative project between the Taichung government and Yulon Nissan. Currently, more than half of the electric vehicle charging piles in Taiwan are built by eTreego. As of now, eTreegos clients including Yulon Motor and China Motor in Taiwan, and in the foreign market that covers the Greater China region, are in discussions on collaborations and supply in place with international carmakers and related charger vendors. At the same time, eTreego is working with many scooter manufacturers in Taiwan on charging products that comply with the standard of the electric scooter charging industry. In addition to the available charging systems, eTreego is also actively developing an all-in-one network system that is small and allows bi-directional charging, wireless charging and quick charging, to provide a total charging solution for the electric vehicle market in anticipation of booming business opportunities. In 2017, a total of 280 vendors from 11 countries took part in Automechanic Philippines that attracted more than 7,000 attendees. The trade show is a great opportunity for carmakers around the world to gain exposure and build brand awareness, and visitors and buyers such as carmakers, component manufacturers, channel vendors, retailers and transportation service providers. About ITRI Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is one of the worlds leading technology R&D institutions aiming to innovate a better future for society. Founded in 1973, ITRI has played a vital role in transforming Taiwan's industries from labor-intensive into innovation-driven. It focuses on the fields of Smart Living, Quality Health, and Sustainable Environment. Over the years, ITRI has incubated over 270 innovative companies, including well-known names such as UMC and TSMC. In addition to its headquarters in Taiwan, ITRI has branch offices in the U.S., Europe, and Japan in an effort to extend its R&D scope and promote opportunities for international cooperation around the world. For more information, please visit: http://www.itri.org/eng. Media Contact: Kevin Lai Office of Marketing Communications, ITRI +886-981-098-180 kevin.lai@itri.org.tw Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d0c60edb-7b2c-461c-b4ce-5b3290451211 http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bacb2f4d-cf68-44c4-b6a1-29d98a21d89a The murder trial began Thursday for the trigger happy police officer who shot and killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards as he was leaving a Dallas house party last year. The lead prosecutor, First Assistant District Attorney Michael Snipes, said the former officer, Roy Oliver, was angry when he opened fire. He was dangerous, Snipes said as he laid out the facts of the case, The Dallas Morning News reported. Every bullet Oliver shot was fired in less than a second, Snipes said. Oliver claims he acted in defense of his partner, Tyler Gross, court filings show. He said Gross was afraid of being hit by a vehicle Edwards was riding in. Advertisement The officers were responding to a disturbance call at a Balch Springs home when they heard gunshots fired from a nearby nursing home. Gross, who was in the home, ran outside, and Oliver ran to his vehicle and pulled out a rifle as teenagers poured out of the house after they heard sirens. Gross testified that he saw the vehicle Edwards was in back up in the street, at which point he repeatedly ordered the cars driver to stop. As the car pulled forward, he realized the vehicle was attempting to evade, he said, according to the report. Gross said he hit the cars rear passenger window, breaking its glass. He then heard gunshots. Oliver asked him if he was okay, to which he responded he was, according to body-cam footage of the incident. Gross also said he did not fear the vehicle would hit him, according to the report. The prosecutor said that Edwards, his brothers and friends were attempting to leave the alcohol-free party when police arrived. He was an innocent child doing nothing wrong that night, Snipes said, according to the report. The trial started as planned Thursday despite Olivers attempt at halting the trial a day before it began. Vice President Mike Pence said during a visit to Iowa on Wednesday that he is hopeful Mollie Tibbetts will return home, telling her family that youre on the hearts of every American. Pence vowed the administration will continue to provide federal support in the search for the 20-year-old missing college student, who was last seen on July 18 in the small town of Brooklyn in Iowa. Investigators said Wednesday that they are focusing on five areas in and near Brooklyn. They are examining her boyfriends home in Brooklyn, a carwash, a truck stop, a farm 3 miles from downtown Brooklyn and another farm 6 miles away. Authorities have asked anyone who was in any of those areas when Tibbetts disappeared to leave tips on a website if they remember anything. Anyone with information about her disappearance should contact the Poweshiek County Sheriffs Office at (641) 623-5679 or send an email to tips@poweshiekcosheriff.com. Advertisement A reward fund has grown to more than $366,000, and a website launched recently to help in the search. Pence said during his speech in Des Moines that we will continue to work and we will continue to pay for Mollies safe return, according to the Register newspaper. She is in the prayers of millions of Americans and shell remain there until she comes home, Pence told the crowd, according to the paper. He said President Trump has also offered his support. Mollies father Rob Tibbetts met with Pence, who told him that he spoke with FBI Director Christopher Wray about the search for Mollie. Rob Tibbetts told the Register that Pence was sincere in his concern and that the meeting was above politics. He agreed with that wholeheartedly, Mollies father told the Register. With News Wire Services Born into a Kumeyaay family, Larry Banegas believed in preserving history. Making it, too. Activist, social worker, college instructor, Barona tribal council member, musician he spent much of his life exhorting others to seize opportunities for a better life. You dont have to accept the world as it is, he would tell them. You can change things. Known to family and friends as Moto, Banegas died Aug. 10 at Grossmont Hospital after going into cardiac arrest. He was 69. Advertisement I knew him for about 20 years, said Richard Carrico, a lecturer in American Indian Studies at San Diego State University, and the thing about Larry is that he was always, at one level or another, an educator. Born May 19, 1949, at Mercy Hospital, Banegas grew up seeing the consequences of his familys forced relocation from land seized by the government in the 1930s to build El Capitan Reservoir. They wound up on what is today the Barona reservation, and times then well before the arrival of the casino were hard. Poverty. Alcoholism. Illness. He saw the historical trauma of our people, said his son, Ethan, and he was determined to break the cycle. Banegas was among those who occupied Alcatraz Island off San Francisco in the early 1970s, a pivotal, 14-month-long protest that raised public awareness about the struggles of American Indians. In 1974, he graduated from Long Beach State University, one of the first from his tribe to get a degree, according to family members. He helped start the Native American Studies program there. Returning to San Diego, he worked as a youth counselor with students on the verge of dropping out. Encouraged by his success with them, he went to San Diego State and earned a masters degree in social work. He held a variety of child-welfare jobs over the years with the county and other agencies adoptions, foster care, protective services before retiring about five years ago. On the Barona reservation, Banegas was active in numerous ways. He was on the tribal council in the 1990s, when Vegas-style gaming arrived. Barona is now among the top revenue-generating casinos in the country, money that has helped ease the poverty there and provide health care, education and public safety services. Like a lot of tribal leaders, he had mixed feelings about it, Carrico said. On one hand, he saw the good it can do, in terms of better opportunities. On the other, those opportunities contribute to what is called de-tribalization as people leave. Banegas taught humanities at Kumeyaay Community College. He also taught elementary school children about their ancestral past pre-1769, when the Spaniards arrived during a month-long summer class. They burned sage leaves in a purification rite. They made clay pots fired with fuel made from dried yucca plants. What we try to do is instill the culture through experience, he said during one session in 1996. Five years later, he spearheaded the effort to create a website, kumeyaay.com, as a way to preserve history and to re-invigorate communal links between the more than dozen Kumeyaay bands and villages in the county and Baja California. In the beginning, we had our way of networking, Banegas explained at the time. Wed have the runners go out and tell the people theres a big issue we need to talk about. I want to have a place where people can join and continue our customs and traditions. Today, in addition to an extensive section on history, the site tracks local, state and federal news concerning Native Americans and has health information and events listings. He saw that the next generation was less likely to go to the library, less likely to pick up a book, Carrico said. But they would go to the Internet. Off the reservation, Banegas became the first Native American on the board at the Museum of Man in Balboa Park. He loved music a guitarist and accordion-player, he formed one band with his sons and travel. My dad was a healer, Ethan Banegas said. His life growing up was pretty hard, and he figured out a way to help himself, and then to reach back and help others. Survivors include his sons, Brandon, Ethan and Zackary Banegas, all of Barona; his longtime partner, Denise Mahaffey; his brother, Bobby Banegas of Barona; his sisters, Beverly Means of Barona, Velma Schlater, Diane Bojorquez and Doris Magante of the La Jolla Indian Reservation, Linda Sanchez of Reno, and Gwendolyn Sevella of La Posta Reservation; and nine grandchildren. He was predeceased by three siblings, Leon Banegas, Roberta Gitthens and Sylvia Banegas. The tribal community held a traditional funeral service at Barona on Monday. A large pit was dug, and Banegas possessions were burned while elders sang bird songs. Additional services are pending. john.wilkens@sduniontribune.com Pune, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The report provides an in-depth analysis of market size, sales, and includes forecasts of market trends. It analyses the scope of the market, key segments, regional analysis, revenue comparisons, company profiles, market strategies, and industrial challenges. The study guides to gain maximum profit by closely monitoring the market trends, company strategies, and risks in the industry to business analysts and stakeholders. The report is a vital of source of information for stakeholders, business analysts, and entry-level organizations. The summary of the latest trends and major brands in the global intraoral scanners market is provided in the report. The study of market drivers helps in evaluating factors affecting the growth of the market. The report scrutinizes the level of competition in the market and focuses on the growth of market share to recognize more opportunities. Request Sample Report: https://www.progressivemarkets.com/request-sample/intraoral-scanners-market The report includes drivers and restrains of the global intraoral scanner market. The market has grown due to constant technological developments. The inconsistency of the scanners can be overcome by new advanced instruments, which boosted the market growth. Edentulism or toothlessness has increased in recent years, which amplified the demand of quick and precise intraoral scanners. Increase in geriatric population, introduction of digital radiology, and digitalization has improved the quality and efficiency of the scanners, which in turn increased its requirement. However, the industry has many challenges to face such as high costs of the devices, commercialization, and scarcity of skilled professionals. The report provides segmentation of the global intraoral scanner industry based on brand, application, and geography. The report splits the global market of intraoral scanners geographically into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. According to the research, Europe is responsible for the highest sale of intraoral scanners with more than 1,000 units in 2016. The in-depth analysis of the region-wise growth plays an important part in determining the opportunities in the market. The study provides a clear comparison of the market growth by brands in every region. Moreover, the report is segmented by end users such as hospitals and dental clinics, and it provides the statistics of market size and its forecast. The report is fragmented by brand including Cadent iTero, 3M ESPE, CEREC, E4D, TRIOS, and CS. The study shows the market growth, trends, opportunities, and forecasts of every brand. Get 20% Discount On Customization: The study offers a detailed analysis of the key market players in the global intraoral scanner market. It provides a comprehensive analysis of every key market player to determine new opportunities and investments in the industry. In addition, the market players are compared to provide a detailed analysis of sales. The key market players of intraoral scanner industry include 3M Company, 3Shape A/S, Align Technology, Inc., Carestream Health, Inc., Condor International, Densys3D Ltd., Dental Wings Inc., DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc., Planmeca Oy, and Guangdong Launca Medical Device Technology co., ltd 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 Editorial boards face difficult decisions every day, even more so in this divided age: What subjects do we write about when we just have room and time for one or two editorials? How do we express ourselves? What points do we leave in or out? Is today a day for subtlety or to wield a sledge hammer? How hard do we want to make this point? Or that one? How do we solicit opposing views? And a relatively new concern: How often and in what ways do we share all these points of view on social media so we get our and your! points across without overwhelming readers who are busy, increasingly skeptical and absolutely inundated with information? The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board decided to say yes to the suggestion from The Boston Globe that other editorial boards join it in writing editorials that defend a free press on Thursday because, simply, it was the right message at the right time. Thats not to say board members didnt raise concerns about the risks involved in having the president or his supporters who have been so highly critical of the news media seeing more than 350 pro-press editorials printed in one day and dismissing them all as collusion or groupthink or part of the problem in journalism today. Our board has been discussing what to do since an email from Marjorie Pritchard, The Boston Globes Deputy Editorial Page Editor, came to my attention eight days ago, calling for urgent action by those committed to free speech and the free press to stand against a White House and its allies who are bent on eroding a pillar of an informed democracy. We had several conversations about the peril and the necessity of writing this and chose an approach. Which is why I found myself in the office until 11 p.m. on Monday and midnight on Tuesday, writing the editorial that appeared in newspapers on Thursday, taking the time and care to say what the board wanted to say and address concerns head on. You can read the editorial here: How we restore faith in journalism. And you can see a special page on our website that it mentions which tries to more fully explain how our staff works to be fair, accurate and inclusive every day here: Our journalism, explained. Its not as if we dont have other things to editorialize on. California is being ravaged by wildfires. San Diego City Hall has been rocked by one fiasco after another this month. And its not as if dont have competing priorities. Since getting Pritchards email, we have had 10 high-profile editorial board interviews, with a U.S. Senator and a congressional candidate, both state insurance commissioner candidates, two San Diego City Council members, one of their challengers, the mayor of Chula Vista, San Diego Countys second-largest city, and the superintendent of the second-largest school district in the state. We have two more state candidate interviews Friday, including Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who wants to be governor. (Despite fielding numerous requests from our board over the past four weeks, the John Cox campaign has so far not agreed to an interview, but thats another story.) Whew. Preparing for these interviews takes time. The reality is that journalism is a juggling act. The reality is that journalism needs to do more these days to get it right and show how we are getting it right, to acknowledge any criticism and explain how we will restore faith in the work we all do. The reality is also that journalism costs money and less journalism costs society more. A free and fair press is crucial to community, democracy, the future. I say these things often, and they are always worth writing and talking about. But why now? Why in print on this day? Why do so, essentially, on command, as critics will wonder? Under me, The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board has made it a priority to weigh in on issues as they are happening, whether thats in a blog post, a cartoon or an editorial. Weve been successful and are building a bigger audience and a national reputation because of this need for speed and our understanding that timing matters, almost as much as accuracy and fairness and inclusion. Could we have not answered the Globe's call? Sure. Editorial boards at the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle, under the veteran leadership of Nicholas Goldberg and John Diaz, respectively, decided not to write pro-press editorials today on top of many others they have published over the years because they value their independence. We mean no disrespect to those who have decided to write on this important subject today, Goldberg explained. But we will continue to write about the issue on our own schedule. Our editorial page will continue to speak out against this presidents war on the free press, Diaz wrote. Our silence on Thursday is testament to our commitment to do it in our own way, on our own timetable. We, too, could have put down our metaphorical pens today and not joined the chorus criticizing the presidents verbal assaults on the press how he calls the fake news the enemy of the people and very dangerous & sick and how 44 percent of the people who responded in one recent poll said they are concerned that the presidents criticism of the news media will lead to violence against people working in it. But it seemed a call to action was appropriate. Silence would have let our readers down, I think. Sure, there are some who will complain that we have done this. Indeed, one journalist at the Union-Tribune emailed me to complain about this exercise in groupthink. That note said, Allowing yourself to be led by the Boston Globe will only confirm the worst for those already skeptical of the press. So much for independent thought. Its fair criticism. But my response is three-fold. One, we did write this independently. As the editorial said, Individual journalists at individual outlets chose individual words. Two, I actually had several readers call or email me ahead of time to say that they hoped we would participate, that they expected us to take part, they wanted us to stand up for a free press and for San Diego residents. Thinking the editorials would be published on Wednesday, one caller even left me a message to say she was furious we didnt take part. Which brings me to the third thing Ill say about why we wrote this. Third, we did this with our audience in mind. One important question I hope every editorial board asked itself is this: Who is our audience for this editorial? That answer will vary depending on the day or subject. Sometimes an editorial is meant for one person a political leader, say or a group of people elected officials facing an important vote or even the world on pressing matters. I bet different editorial boards had different audiences in mind, but I bet most were meant, like ours, for their readers and potential readers. Our editorial was not written for the president. Or his supporters who may choose not to read it. Were not naive. We dont expect this wave of editorial, or even ours in particular, to change the president's views or rhetoric. The presidents hard-core supporters will see in this what they want to see. But my hope is that our readers San Diegans, especially see in this editorial a pledge to continue to do good journalism, a commitment to a free and importantly fair press. I hope after reading the editorial you click over to sdut.us/whatwedo to see how seriously we take our jobs and how much we value your trust in us. The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board will be writing editorials about the next president, and the one after that, and the one after that. Its what we do. Thank you for supporting a free and fair press and for raising your voice when we get it wrong. Thank you for being a part of our conversation, for your kind words and criticism, for working to make a civil society that much more civil. Thank you for reading this far in a column that went on too long but shows how passionate we are about the work that we do every day and the connections that we build in our community. Thanks. The president of the United States enjoys hurling insults, like a howitzer firing shells, at American institutions. The court system. The FBI. The Justice Department. The media. The U.S. Congress. As is true for all 487 people, places and things that The New York Times says Donald Trump has insulted on Twitter since declaring his presidential candidacy, none of these institutions is perfect. They make mistakes. Like the presidency, they also make a difference in peoples daily lives. Consider the potential of tens of thousands of news media members. Consider the potential of The San Diego Union-Tribunes staff. These journalists seek the truth and report it while minimizing harm every day. They dont promote any single person, ideology or political agenda. Their only agenda is the truth. Just one example? Without the hard work of journalists at several local news outlets, the regions deadly hepatitis A outbreak may have been much worse. When The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board named the 20 unidentified people who died during the crisis as its 2017 people of the year, we wrote, These 20 hepatitis A deaths represent the real cost of a series of public policy errors, missteps and inaction. If not for journalists, these government lapses would have been more egregious. Advertisement Thats why the presidents recent tweet that the fake news is the Enemy of the People and very dangerous & sick is itself dangerous. Flooded with Trumps anti-press sentiments, people increasingly agree with the president; when asked which comes closer to your point of view: the news media is the enemy of the people, or the news media is an important part of democracy? 26 percent said the former in a new Quinnipiac University poll of 1,175 U.S. voters. Forty-four percent said they are concerned Trumps criticism of the news media will lead to violence against people working in it. While his words inflict harm, Trump didnt invent the term fake news. It dates back to the 1800s. He also isnt the first to weaponize media mistrust. When Richard Nixon conceded the California governors race in a speech in 1962, he told reporters, You wont have Nixon to kick around anymore, and he urged editors to put one reporter on the campaign who will report what the candidate says now and then. Eight years later, at a speech in San Diego, then-President Nixons vice president, Spiro Agnew, famously decried the nattering nabobs of negativism who have formed their own 4-H Club the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history. Agnews speechwriter, William Safire, wrote years later that the sweeping indictment decried defeatists in general rather than the press in particular. But less than a year after The New York Times quoted the line in correct context while covering it live, a Newsday columnist cited nattering nabobs as an attack on the press and The Times and Time got it wrong later, too, as writer Norman P. Lewis reported in 2010. By then, Lewis says, veteran journalists from David Broder to Helen Thomas had repeated the line as a classic example of the Nixon administrations assault on the press. In that anecdote can be seen the perils of a press that gets it wrong or even not quite right. As Lewis put it, Journalists who wear the nattering nabobs phrase as a badge of honor are merely proving that Agnew was right about their penchant for repeating inaccurate information. Agnews 50-cent words have given way decades later to blunt Trumpian terms like disgusting, dishonest, phony and fake that play to his bases belief that the news media as an entity is out to get Trump. Just remember, Trump said in Missouri last month, what youre seeing and what youre reading is not whats happening. Yet the news media as a single entity is a myth. Yes, more than 350 newspaper editorial boards chose Thursday, at the suggestion of The Boston Globe, to write a wave of editorials that would criticize Trumps false claims of fake news. But individual journalists at individual outlets chose the individual words. And in a separate effort, The San Diego Union-Tribune added a page to its website this week see it at sdut.us/whatwedo to explain how we seek the truth every day. How we strive for accuracy, fairness and inclusion. How we correct errors and separate news from opinion. How we earn trust one story, one reader at a time. Journalism is a public service, and fewer readers means fewer reporters means fewer stories about how people live and die in San Diego. An investment in the U-T is an investment in community, the future, democracy. The San Diego chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists named U-T Watchdog reporters Jeff McDonald and Morgan Cook as its 2015 and 2017 journalists of the year and editorial cartoonist Steve Breen as its 2018 Excellence in Journalism Award winner. Pursuit of the truth is what motivated all three. McDonald and Cook held government officials accountable. Breens sketches of homeless residents empowered the powerless. Even if sudden violence stuns our industry, the free press safeguarded in the U.S. Constitution will endure. Why? Because there are 7,591 words in the U.S. Constitution but none more important than the first three, We the People. The Constitution doesnt call journalists enemies or divide Americans into us and them. Distrust is not easy to dismantle. But journalists at The San Diego Union-Tribune and nationwide will keep advocating for a free and fair press. With this president. And the next. And the next. And the next. And all who follow. Related: Why The San Diego Union-Tribune echoed the sentiments of 350 other editorial boards today No, not all California newspapers joined pro-press editorials around the country Readers react to free press editorials from nations newspapers Get a digital subscription to the Union-Tribune for 13 weeks for just 99 cents Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion Re How We Restore Faith in Journalism (Aug. 16): I understand that a whole bunch of newspapers around the country (and my own Union-Tribune) have picked today to print anti-Trump editorials. My question: Whats different or unusual about this? Burt Smith Oceanside I love and intend to keep your editorial about the free press which appeared on Thursday, August 16, and it is exciting to know that hundreds of newspapers across the country published their own editorials on the same day. What makes it even better is that these were not identical but written by staff in each location. Advertisement Years ago I watched the film Evita and saw Perons men destroy a newspaper that was critical of the regime, and I thought thank goodness that cant happen here. But we have seen the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette fire a cartoonist because he dared to be critical of the president, the president decry as fake news what is critical of him regardless of whether it is true, and Trump supporters believe him when he says What you are seeing and what you are reading is not whats happening (Ill do my own critical thinking, thank you.) Thank you to all of you at the Union-Tribune for your vital part in our trying to hold onto our precious democracy. May your voices never be silenced. Diane Gustafson Bonita Joining 350 other newspaper boards in publishing a wave of editorials criticizing President Trumps claims of fake news isnt going to suddenly reassure your readers that your newspaper is fair and balanced. Were not lemmings, you know. Youll need to stop burying this presidents accomplishments and start giving some ink to highlighting the good that hes done. That would be fair reporting. And for Gods sake, can you admit that he was not involved with colluding with the Russians? Oh wait, now youve switched it to Russia meddling with our elections. Which we already knew was true, because Obama knew about it and told them to knock it off. But Trump is somehow to blame for it. Ridiculous. Gregory Senoff La Mesa Im a dinosaur... I get your paper in my driveway every morning. I dont think your news is fake but it it definitely biased. Stop conflating legal and illegal immigration as immigration. One can be against illegal and for legal! If you only edited that for clarity in each and every article, perhaps I wouldnt consider cancelling my subscription every time I read your news. Deal? Sandra Slivka University City Thank you, U-T for the editorial How We Restore Faith In Journalism. Two thumbs up. Eva Shaw Carlsbad I kept reading the article thinking I would come to something like Heres the ten things we need to do to restore faith in journalism. In stead I get quotes from Nixon and Spiro. Then towards the end you have to toot your horn about the awards McDonald , Cook, and Breen have received with their motivation being the pursuit of the truth. At the bottom we have a cartoon by Breen showing Trump in a bad light. Your quote We the people maybe should have read We the people notice things like that. John Drumel El Cajon Many thanks to all of you for your editorial in todays paper. In my opinion, we needed that, especially now! Carole Lombardi San Diego Americans find it refreshing that their president calls out the media for their misleading and manipulative left-wing inspired news stories and editorials. The president is not threatening the free press, but instead asserting that free speech belongs to ALL people, not just the press, and that free speech does not stop at the door to the white house. In short, gentlemen, no one buys your brand of baloney. Alan J. Converse Rancho Penasquitos An editorial on how a news organization restores faith in journalism fails to convince when the piece begins with a morally relativistic view of presidential media barbs. Self help 101: if you want to clean up your own back yard, dont worry about what your neighbors looks like. More to the point, Ive yet to see the mainstream media come close to comprehending the reason Trump was elected. Seemingly, not a clue and they dont seem to care. If a media outlet cannot wrap its head around that single issue, it will continue to have to pitch faux integrity. In 2020, your next editorial might be, How we restore relevance in journalism. Robert J. Salvi Rancho Bernardo Your editorial on restoring Faith in Journalism and your statement that you advocate a fair press is discredited by the Steve Breen cartoon that accompanies it. Our President is someone for whom the truth does not seem to matter. But he does have a (limited) justification in his fake news claims. I watch CNN, CBS and ABC news frequently and cannot avoid the conclusion that they must purposely distort some stories to undermine Trump, and they (along with Fox at the other extreme) can hardly be described as fair. And Steve Breen, with his obvious hatred of Trump, is hardly balanced in his sometimes very-slated cartoons. The Fourth Estate needs to look in the mirror a little in this debate. Phillip Hawley La Jolla The editorial collusion spearheaded by the Boston Globe and embraced by the Union-Tribune illustrates conclusively that Russian efforts to divide our country and diminish the presidency have been effective. Perhaps Robert Mueller should expand his investigation to include this obvious collusion. Paul Determan Point Loma Trump keeps calling the Russian meddling investigation of our 2016 election a rigged witch hunt. Why? Does he not want the American voters to know how or why the Russians interfered in the election? One would think that the leader of a country would want to know why a foreign power was intent on disrupting the democratic process of his country, but for some reason our president doesnt. This investigation is about Russian interference. What reason could Trump have for not wanting the truth to be revealed? No matter what Trump & his spokespeople at Fox News say it is not an investigation about Trump but about Russia. He should be welcoming the facts that would erase any doubt of who was behind the medeling if they are indeed as he says & he had nothing to do with the Russian interference. It seems that it is only Trump that doesnt want the facts out, whatever they are. Robert Stewart Oceanside If you want to restore faith in journalism, the first thing you need to do is to separate yourselves from your national news vendors, and reconfigure your offerings in that one section of the paper. DJT has a point because your local journalistic standards are not met by your national news sources. The simplest solution to this problem is to open your paper up to other news sources. They exist, and they can deliver news in as timely a fashion as The Washington Post and the New York times, complete with cites to original video and underlying documents. Another approach could be to assign one person to review and update the major stories from your vendors, with the responses that will appear within the following 3 hours. This could be an enlightening addition to the national conversation. Valerie E. Looper Vista My ego has more than survived my most recent letter being overlooked, having read todays brilliant editorial in defense of the Fourth Estate; The verbiage only exceeded by Steve Breens on-point cartoon. Bravo. Peter Garey Carlsbad So much has been documented on the Trump that it no longer makes any sense. Rather than list the litany of character flaws Trump continues to demonstrate, the real danger here is that there are a bunch of people who chose to remain willfully ignorant to reality and facts that rely on his every word as gospel and truth. This just shows how easily fooled people can be when they chose to not be informed or take a moment to realize they are being played by a crafty con-man. Got to give Trump credit though for his clever use of social media and his bully pulpit for maintaining his spell he casts over the flock and demonstrating that you really can fool some of the people all of the time. Joe Secola Carlsbad How off base can you be, your editorial missed the point completely. There are two spheres of news reporting, local and national. Local news for the most part is honest and accurate, its the national news outlets that when politically driven are often dishonest, and slant the news to their point of view. Albert Aguilar Lakeside Thank you for your editorial in todays paper. We need a free press. We always have. Keep up the good work. Jean Seager Coronado I disagree with and disapprove of the terms fake news and " enemy of the people, infamously used by Trump. However, I do believe selective presentation of news is common in all the progressive leaning mainstream media. Selective choice, placement, headlines, subtlety biased comments in news articles, clearly biased selection of opinion articles and letters to editors, etc. are dismissive and scornful of those of us that are constitutional conservatives. In my opinion the leaders and decision makers of this paper are in that camp, which your self-satisfied editorial amply verifies. Julian D. Stewart Pacific Beach The U.S. media has a liberal bias; that is well documented. But that doesnt mean they traffic in lies and distortions. It is a simple matter to confirm that the vast majority of what they print and broadcast is factual, and so the widely-believed myth that the media isnt trustworthy is a great tragedy. Donald Trump is an ignorant clown, a megalomaniac, and above all - a liar of gargantuan proportions. Americans belief that the media cant be trusted has allowed him to get away with countless attacks on our form of government and way of life. Thank you, U-T, for continuing to stand up to this dangerous man and his spineless Republican backers. Jon Strebler Imperial Beach Although I read the opinion pages every day I never read the editorials. I really dont care to read the opinion of an unnamed newspaper employee who has no real world experience concerning the subjects they are discussing or making recommendations on. Just need unbiased facts to form my own opinions! The paper might want to give that a try. Gary Faunce Spring Valley In many of this mornings letters it seems an accepted assumption that the media (other than Fox News) has a big preference for the left. And why wouldnt these conservative writers think this? They have been told by their party, over and over, that the news is biased against conservatives. The Republicans began this tactic with Lee Atwater, who taught if you dont like the facts, kill the messenger.From that day forward, when Republicans dont like the facts (climate change, immigration, etc.) they claim the media distorts these facts and have the propaganda wing of the party, Fox News, spin it.When the facts dont fit, change the facts. Republicans hate truth. This is why they hate higher education, keeping constant pressure on the place where verified truth is taught.That damn truth. Doug Evenson San Diego After reading the letters to the editor in todays paper its not hard to to figure out who watches Fox News or listens to right wing hate radio vs those who watch and listen to main stream outlets. Les Braund Mira Mesa Both sides scream hysterically. And there in lies the problem, there are only two sides. We are a diverse country. Individually we range from thinking that Hitler was too soft to Marx was a god, yet weve banded together into two camps. This is the sign of an unhealthy democracy. How did we get here? A very greedy manipulative group of people saw the doors to the treasury we left unguarded because we were distracted by our own petty interests; our lack of seeing the big picture. The avaricious saw that as long as we were looking the other way, they could rob our treasury. And that is what they are doing. Russians, Omarosa, Stormy, North Koreans, fake news, and every day idiotic tweets. Knee jerk reactions on one side leading to knee jerk reactions on the other. But dont look at that man behind the curtain. From day one, this administration has been giving to the money interests billions! Yes, billions! The historians will write, In no other time was there a greater transfer of wealth from the poor to the wealthy. Gregg Ferry Carlsbad Thank you for the editorial on honest reporting. Always seemed to me that the only fake news I ever heard was from the guilty dog barking loudly. M. Busse San Diego Breens cartoon on Thursdays editorial page is a good example of why the fourth estate is in jeopardy. It is not just because of projectiles hurled by critics. It is also because facts or information are often deliberately withheld and articles are often written so as to further a narrative rather than transmit information. Breen should have also shown the termites and rot eating away at the foundation of the pillar of virtue termites labeled Bias and Conjecture and Animas. Journalism has reverted to the days of Pulitzer and Hearst sensationalism as opposed to information the hallmark of yellow journalism. Try Joe Fridays recipe - Just the facts, Maam. In spite of what you might believe, we deplorables really can think for ourselves. Max Blumeyer Oceanside Shame on the U-T editorial board for getting psyched out by the Boston Globe. Fake news has nothing to do with Hep-A or homeless empowerment. Rather it has to do with political opinion, which may or may not be biased. It looks like the U-T is guilty of that bias, and not just for falling for the Boston Globe trick. Jim Alsup San Carlos Your editorial letter to the reading public was splendid. I am convinced if there were no free press in our country we as citizens would know nothing of the workings of the elected, appointees, and the causes and policies they would or would not support. Mary Jean Kalin La Mesa I read the comments to your editorial for a democratic country to have a free press. Your opinion, about having freedom because of a free press, is exactly why those who wrote in your opinion page could write what they truly felt without fear of being jailed or killed. Our country is free and we have the right to say what we want without fear for our lives. Trump isnt the first leader to be criticized nor will he be the last. Try criticizing leaders from Russia, China or North Korea. As long as we have letters to the editor with honest opinions from free citizens, we have a free country whether we like what the press prints or not. Jay Warren Escondido Letters and commentary policy The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below. Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook. Some 350 newspaper editorial boards nationwide published pro-press editorials Thursday to rebuke escalating verbal assaults against journalists but, in a show of independence, not all newspapers took part. Editorial page editors at the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle separately explained their boards reasons for not joining an unprecedented coordinated effort led by the Boston Globe to publish pro-press editorials on the same day. The San Diego Union-Tribune, a sister newspaper to the Los Angeles Times, did publish an editorial by its editorial board to defend the importance of a free and fair press, and to explain and extol the kind of journalism the staff tries to produce every day. Read the editorial: How we restore faith in journalism The Union-Tribune also created a special page on its website to more fully explain how its staff works to be fair, accurate and inclusive every day. The Los Angeles Times editorial board does not speak for the New York Times or for the Boston Globe or the Chicago Tribune or the Denver Post, wrote Nicholas Goldberg, editorial page editor for the Times. We would not want to leave the impression that we take our lead from others, or that we engage in groupthink. John Diaz, the editorial page editor for the Chronicle echoed a similar view in a column explaining why his papers editorial board did not join the effort as well: One of our most essential values is independence. 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, Diaz added. Matthew T. Hall, the editorial and opinion director for The San Diego Union-Tribune, wrote a column explaining why the Editorial Board decided to take part. The Times and the Chronicle were not the only ones to take a pass. Most notably missing in the nationwide effort was The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. In California, papers like the Santa Barbara News-Press, the Imperial Valley Press and the Auburn Journal also did not publish editorials on the subject and had also not explained their reasoning. Those that did including the Union-Tribune, the Sacramento Bee, the Modesto Bee, the Orange County Register, the East Bay Times, the Santa Maria Times, the Bakersfield Californian and several others decried President Donald Trumps criticism of the press, which has included calling the fake news the enemy of the people and very dangerous & sick. The editorials drew a wide range of responses. Many applauded the effort, others criticized it, and even some were skeptical that the tactic would be effective. The Editorial Board for the Capital Gazette in Maryland where a gunman entered the newsroom and killed five employees, including journalists, wrote an editorial that stood out from the rest. It said, plainly, the presidents opinion, frankly, is just not that important to us. We are far more concerned about what this community thinks of us, it wrote. Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @RunGomez Read The Conversation on Flipboard. Three things have converged in the news that need some analysis in light of the First Amendment. First, Alex Jones conspiracy-mongering Infowars has been blacklisted in total or in part by Facebook, YouTube, Apple and Spotify. Jones calls the move communist-style censorship. Second, President Donald J. Trump has ratcheted up the frequency and intensity of his rhetoric about the news media being the enemy of the people. Third, Ipsos Public Affairs, a nonpartisan, objective, survey-based research practice made up of seasoned professionals, reports that 26 percent of Americans say the president should have the authority to close news outlets engaged in bad behavior. Advertisement So how does the foregoing relate to the First Amendment, which says: Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press... ? Lets consider a few myths and realities. The First Amendment declares that government shall not be in the business of limiting freedom of expression, whether were talking about speech, print or a variety of other forms of communication that the courts have decided are also protected. As with all freedoms, freedom of expression isnt absolute. There are limits such as the classic example that you cant yell Fire! in a crowded theater, thus endangering lives. You cant defame others. You cant promote crime. You cant incite to riot. But barring such compelling state interests, the government promises not to abridge your right to communicate as you see fit. However, and heres the critical issue: That guarantee applies only to government. It doesnt mean that your employer, your faith group, your professional organization or some other entity with which you wish to affiliate wont take punitive action if your message or manner of presentation contravenes their rules or norms. Nor does it mean that your neighbors wont shun you, your customers wont boycott your business or the electorate wont refuse to vote for you if it doesnt like what youre saying. The amendment is solely about what the government can and cannot do. Furthermore, freedom of the press means merely that if you have a press, youre free to write and print what you want. It doesnt mean that you have any obligation to produce and disseminate what I want promoted. If you refuse to use your press to share my message, its not censorship. Its purely and completely a matter of business. Facebook, YouTube, Apple and Spotify have made just such a business decision concerning Alex Jones and Infowars. Clearly, our nations founders were committed to freedom in the realm of communication. They recognized that a free press inconvenient though journalists and their proclamations can be sometimes be was still one of the best ways to hold government leaders accountable in a free society. Although my exercise of freedom of speech and press might be offensive or disruptive to some, and although some might strongly disagree with my expressed opinions, the fact that Im exercising a constitutional right doesnt make me an enemy of the people. Alex Jones clearly doesnt understand what the First Amendment is and is not! The First Amendment is about what roles government can and cant play. Its not about business decisions by organizations that deal in communication. And President Trump doesnt grasp the depth of wisdom enshrined in the First Amendments protection of a free press. Swamps of political incompetence and corruption are almost never drained by the initiative of politicians. Theyre drained when a free press persists in shining its spotlight on sordid realities. But the biggest and frankly, most disconcerting misunderstanding of all involves the 26 percent of Americans who believe that the president should have the authority to close news outlets engaged in what that individual deems as bad behavior. They dont understand the division of responsibility and the checks and balances on which our constitutional republic is based. The overt and constant attacks leveled by the president at news outlets that report things he doesnt like emboldened the decision coordinated by The Boston Globes Editorial Board of more than 100 publications across the United States to publish editorials today rejecting Trumps repeated attacks on the press. [The Orlando Sentinel joined the message by publishing a guest editorial from its sister news organization, the South Florida Sun Sentinel.] In dictatorships, the supreme leader decides unilaterally whats good, whats bad and what to do about it. But in a government of the people, by the people and for the people, we have such safeguards against tyrants one of the most important is our Constitutions First Amendment. The Rev. Bryan Fulwider, one of the Three Wise Guys on the radio program Friends Talking Faith, is also chair of the Executive Committee of the Interfaith Council of Central Florida. Like us on Facebook at /OrlandoOpinion Trump vs. Obama I would like to respond to the July 26 column by Harvey Levine. He seems to believe that President Trump does not stand-up to the Russians, as President Obama did during his presidency. After Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, Obama did nothing. In contrast, the Trump Administration has approved the largest U.S. commercial sale of lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine since 2014. After Syria used chemical weapons in warfare, Obama did not enforce his own red line. In contrast, Trump has twice struck Syria, an ally of Mr. Putin, to punish the use of chemical weapons Obama cancelled the missile defense shield for Poland which is opposed by Putin. In contrast, under Trump, the U.S. has approved the $10.5 billion sale of a Patriot anti-missile system to NATO ally Poland. Trump opposes the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Germany and Russia, which is an important source of revenue for Putin. This last one is for Obama only: Tell Vladimir I will have more flexibility after the election. Dan Smith Poway All about socialists Democrats running for office under the label democratic socialist are not socialists. In socialist or communist states the government runs the industry and most businesses, something that we never want in the United States. By the way, socialism didnt work, China and Russia now allow free enterprise. Democratic socialists believe in democracies with equality where the majority of the people rule and benefit, not just business and the few. Our country, for all practical purposes, is a social democracy, just like most other developed countries. Capitalism and free enterprise are alive and well, preferably with the proper rules and regulations to protect the general public from poisons in the air, water or land, and to make places of work safe. Sadly, the democratic socialists in Congress have been replaced by representatives that are serving big business and the wealthy. You could say that they were bought. It means that the People lack effective protection from the leaders of industry and business that just want to serve the shareholders. Now is the time to restore the benefits for the people, including healthy air and water and affordable health care - among other things. So, lets go for the Democrats, moderate or progressive, remembering that the democratic socialists are not socialists! Tore Hultgren Rancho Bernardo Why run Levine? Apparently, like a lot of misguided people these days, columnist Harvey Levine (July 26) thinks our president could facilitate agreements with national leaders by denigrating them in public? An even-more-interesting question is why a newspaper thinks it should let a self-described retired project management consultant expound on international relations? Debra Bleile Poway Lyles on mark Columnist Dick Lyles (Aug. 2) is 100 percent right on this one. It is shameful that the public does not know who the congressmen/women and senators are that committed, and were guilty of, acts of sexual harassment, racial or disability discrimination against staffers during the past 22 years. A fund was created to make payoffs to settles these claims at tax payer expense ($17 million so far), and we dont know who got the money. Character counts, and when I cast my vote I would like to know if the candidate that I support is worthy. This smacks of members of the good old boy and girls club covering their you-know-whats. I want my money back! Arthur Pearl Rancho Bernardo Why not stay home? When Sam Conway (Letters, Aug. 2) refers to illegal aliens in his letter to the editor and states believe me, they would prefer to be back home, I have to ask Then why are they here if they prefer to be at home? When I prefer to be home, I stay home. I dont go to a foreign country and expect to be housed and fed. I just stay home. You get to stay with your kids, and its good on gas (the planet). Mark Barry Poway Writer is out of touch Sam Conway is more out of touch than Mr. Lyles. If you were really getting news from more than one source, youd be able to see which ones are putting out fake news and youd see that your statements about the president are inaccurate. As for letter writer Kate Baker Tilton, her denigration of Charles Krauthammer is especially galling. Roland Wiggin Poway Email: editor@pomeradonews.com Help us keep the news real. We approach our work with a commitment to honesty and accuracy. But we recognize that our reporting is subject to the limitations of deadlines, available resources and human error. If you see shortcomings in our work, use this form to let us know. The Readers' Representative will investigate whether we have met our standards. FH Revenues Exceed Previous Best Annual Revenues SAN DIEGO, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Envision Solar International, Inc., (OTCQB: EVSI) (Envision Solar, or the Company), the leading renewably energized EV charging, outdoor media and energy security products company, released financial results for the second quarter, first half of 2018 on Tuesday. In the second quarter of 2018, the Company achieved revenue of $844,495 a 66% increase over the same period in 2017 and the highest second quarter revenue in the Companys history. Second quarter gross profits increased by 243% over the same period in 2017. The Company achieved FH revenues of $3.7M, a 324% increase over 2017 and higher than any full year in the Companys history. FH gross profits increased 413% over the same period in 2017. Revenue was achieved through new and repeat customer orders of the Companys EV ARC products from government and enterprise customers. The Company achieved a gross profit during the first and second quarters, confirming that positive gross profits are achievable at increased sales volumes. Excluding overheads, the direct costs for labor and materials for the Companys flagship EV ARC product are significantly lower than the selling price in most cases. Current contracted backlog exceeds $3 million. The Company expects to convert all current backlog to revenue in 2018 and has a strong qualified pipeline of new business that exceeds $10 million. The Company is achieving consistently higher levels of backlog and pipeline through a combination of contributors including: Record numbers of units shipped YTD Follow-on orders from existing customers Improvements in the Companys selling and marketing activities Increased interest from municipal, state and federal customers Increases in the adoption of electric vehicles Increased legislation and government mandates favoring electrified transportation Additional value stacking on the existing products such as the introduction of emergency power panels on the EV ARC product and the enabling of DC fast charging for electric buses and electric passenger cars without grid connections We have had another record quarter with gross profitability and we have sufficient backlog to continue our best year ever, said Envision Solar CEO, Desmond Wheatley. The whole team is executing from sales through manufacturing to deliveries and we keep getting more orders from top quality customers. We are executing on our plan and the markets we serve continue to show robust growth which we are tracking. Operating expenses for the first half of 2018, including stock-based compensation expenses, were under $1.2M, a 3% decrease over the same period in 2017. About Envision Solar International, Inc. Envision Solar, www.envisionsolar.com, is a sustainable technology innovation company whose unique products include the patented EV ARC, the patented Solar Tree and the patent pending EV-Standard products, with EnvisionTrak patented solar tracking, SunCharge solar Electric Vehicle Charging, ARC technology energy storage, and EnvisionMedia solar advertising displays. Based in San Diego the company employs combat veterans, disabled workers, minorities and other fine contributors to produce Made in America products. Envision Solar is listed on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol [EVSI]. For more information visit www.envisionsolar.com or call (858) 799-4583. Forward-Looking Statements This Press Release may contain forward-looking statements regarding future events or our expected future results that are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. All statements in this Report other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally accompanied by terms or phrases such as estimate, project, predict, believe, expect, anticipate, target, plan, intend, seek, goal, will, should, may, or other words and similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or results. Statements contemplating or making assumptions regarding actual or potential sales, market size, and demand, prospective business contracts, customer orders, trends or operating results also constitute forward-looking statements. Our actual results may differ substantially from those indicated in forwarding looking statements because our business is subject to significant economic, competitive, regulatory, business and industry risks which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Our operating results, financial condition, and business performance may be adversely affected by a general decline in the economy, unavailability of capital or financing for our prospective customers to purchase products and services from us, competition, changes in regulations, a decline in the demand for solar energy, a lack of profitability, a decline in our stock price, and other risks. We may not have adequate capital, financing or cash flow to sustain our business or implement our business plans. Current results and trends are not necessarily indicative of future results that we may achieve. With an optimal location and easy freeway access, Irvine Companys three new acquisitions in Del Mar Heights are especially ideal business destinations. With its recent acquisitions, Irvine Company is helping to establish Del Mar Heights as a vibrant center of connected workplace communities. Del Mar Heights enjoys a premier, central location to Del Mar, La Jolla and Rancho Santa Fe with easy access to Interstate 5 and state Route 56. The convenient location, along with stellar scenery and ocean views, make it a desirable business destination, especially for financial, legal and technology companies. The 198,000-square-foot campus at Gateway at Torrey Hills includes two buildings with Class A office space and a fully equipped fitness center. Irvine Company Office Properties. (Irvine Company Office Properties) Advertisement Gateway at Torrey Hills, acquired in January, is a two-building, 198,000-square-foot campus with Class A office space, stone and glass facades, flexible floor plates, modern interiors and generous on-site parking. The campus also features a fully equipped fitness center with a locker room and showers, art installations, multiple patios and inviting outdoor workspaces. Township 14 was Irvine Companys first acquisition in Del Mar Heights, purchased in September of last year. The two-building, 127,000-square-foot campus, formerly Del Mar Corporate Plaza, has been significantly redeveloped, including the replacement of one of the original buildings with a four-story, 70,000-square-foot building for top-ranked law firm Latham & Watkins. The second building received floor-to-ceiling glass for maximum daylight and cost-saving energy efficiency, a refurbished lobby and other enhancements. Township 14 also offers a KINETIC fitness center, the Come on In! Cafe and regular food trucks. Its also in walking distance to Del Mar Highlands Town Center. Township 14 includes two building on a 127,000-square-foot campus that has been has been significantly redeveloped. One building was replaced completely with a four-story structure. (Irvine Company Office Properties) Torrey View is a three-story building with a two-story parking structure and 72,000 square feet of workspace. Select suites have private balconies and the building features lush, tropical landscaping and outdoor workspaces, perfect for team meetings and events. Amenities at Torrey View include on-site auto detailing, food trucks, lockers and showers. Its located near an access trail that leads to Los Penasquitos Canyon, a popular spot for hiking, mountain biking and trail running. The three-story Torrey View includes 72,000 square feet of workspace, with lush tropical landscaping and outdoor workspace. Some suites have private balconies. (Irvine Company Office Properties) All three Del Mar Heights office properties feature ReadyNow Offices, which are expertly designed suites for fast move-in and limited disruption for growing businesses. Current Del Mar Heights customers include Experian, Citizens Bank, Verifone, BDO USA and MINDBODY Inc. Irvine Company has evolved the traditional office to something much more: a vibrant workplace community a place where collaboration is encouraged and creativity is enabled to elevate business success. The company owns and manages 150 premier coastal California workplace communities in Orange County, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley and San Diego, as well as trophy buildings in Chicago and New York. Its timeless design and quality craftsmanship is consistent with its long-term view and pride of ownership. For more information, visit irvinecompanyoffice.com/locations/san-diego/del-mar-heights. Jesus Angulo jogged back to midfield at a casual pace Wednesday night. The 21-year-old was smiling, wiping some sweat off his face. Not much of a celebration after scoring a goal at Estadio Caliente. It was his first score with Tijuana and it was part of a 3-1 win against visiting FC Juarez in Week 4 Copa MX play. And it was a play that culminated his style of play in the match against Bravos, a team of the Mexican second division, who got a late goal from Jonathan Aranda in stoppage time. Angulo had a hand in each of the Tijuana goals Wednesday. It was a matter of time and chance that the midfielder from Sinaloa found the net. Angulo helped his team win a corner kick that led to the first goal. Gustavo Canto ended up tapping in the corner kick after striker Erick Torres brought it down with his head, helping Tijuana to a 1-0 lead. Then Daniel Lopez extended the lead when he outleaped his defender on a deep cross by Angulo. The play began with Angulo shaking off a couple of defenders, then taking them to the end line before floating his pass to the mouth of the goal. Angulo probably didnt make the highlight reel on those plays. And it might not matter to Angulo, a player who likes to keep a low profile. Advertisement He came to Tijuana this past offseason from Dorados de Sinaloa of the second division, where he stood out enough to land with a first-division team. He had previously played for the Xolos in 2015. But that was in the youth system as a starter for the Under-17 and Under-20 squads. He returned to the Xolos quietly, helping Tijuana to first place in the Copa MX Group 2 standings with a 2-0-1 record and seven points. There was no introductory news conference. There was no official announcement on social media to help fans recognize the player. Instead, people have taken notice for his play on the field, including manager Diego Cocca. The Argentine manager has given Angulo two starts in Liga MX this season. Tijuana will now travel to central Mexico to face CD Toluca on Sunday in Week 5 action of the LIGA MX at Estadio Nemesio Diez. Orozco writes for the Xolos website. 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. OSLO, Norway, BALTIMORE and GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CEPI (the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) today announced a new collaboration with Profectus BioSciences, Inc. and Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) under which they will receive up to USD$36 million to advance the development and manufacture of a vaccine against the Lassa virusan estimated 100,000 to 300,000 cases of Lassa virus infection occur each year.1 Under the terms of the Framework Partnering Agreement for the collaboration among the three parties, Profectus will receive development funding from CEPI for advancing its Lassa virus vaccine. CEPI will provide $4.3 million to support the first phase of the project, with options to invest up to a total of $36 million over five years, including procurement of the vaccine for stockpiling purposes. Emergent will provide technical and manufacturing support for the CEPI-funded program. Through a separate agreement with Profectus, Emergent has an exclusive option to license and to assume control of development activities for the Lassa-virus vaccine from Profectus. The global non-profit organization PATH will also be working with the consortium under a separate agreement with CEPI to work on clinical development. This is CEPIs second award to the collaboration following an award in May, 2018, for the development of a Nipah virus vaccine. Lassa virus infectiona single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the family Arenaviridaecan cause the acute viral hemorrhagic illness known as Lassa fever. First described in the 1950s, the virus was identified in 1969 after two missionary nurses died from the disease in the Nigerian town of Lassa.2 The virus is spread to humans via contact with food or household items that have been contaminated with urine or feces from Mastomys rats. Person-to-person transmission occurs in both community and healthcare settings, where the virus can spread via contaminated medical equipment.3 Sexual transmission of Lassa virus has also been reported.4 About 80% of people who become infected have no symptoms. One in five infections results in severe disease, where the virus affects several organs such as the liver, spleen and kidneys.5 The virus is endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, but probably exists in other West African countries as well. There is currently no approved vaccine that protects against Lassa virus.6 This year has seen outbreaks of Lassa virus in Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan,7 with Nigeria facing its largest ever outbreak of the disease.8 Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, said: With 472 confirmed cases to date and 121 deaths,9 2018 has seen Nigeria battle its largest documented outbreak of Lassa virus on record. Lassa fever continues to be a threat to public health in many parts of West Africa and has clearly demonstrated its potential to cause severe epidemics. In view of its epidemic potential, the World Health Organization has identified Lassa virus as a priority pathogen that needs further research and development. But despite the urgent need, no approved vaccine against the virus is currently available. CEPIs investment of up to $36 million, over a five-year period, adds another Lassa vaccine candidate to CEPIs growing portfolio and demonstrates our commitment to addressing this terrible disease. Thomas Lynch, Chair and CEO of Profectus BioSciences, said: Profectus is pleased to partner with CEPI, Emergent, and PATH in the development of our VesiculoVax-vectored vaccine to protect against Lassa fever. Jointly we can address the substantial unmet medical need of those living in, or travelling to, areas where Lassa virus is endemic. Daniel J. Abdun-Nabi, CEO of Emergent BioSolutions, said: Through our collaboration with Profectus, CEPI, and PATH, Emergent is pleased to be part of the solution to provide medical countermeasures for emerging infectious diseases where there are none currently such as for Lassa fever. Our Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing is designed for surge manufacturing during public health emergencies, when they count the most. About CEPI CEPI is an innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic and civil organizations founded in Davos in 2017 to develop vaccines to stop future epidemics. To date, CEPI has received multi-year funding from Norway, Germany, Japan, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Wellcome. CEPI has also received single-year investments from the governments of Australia, Belgium, and Canada. It has reached $630 million of its target $1 billion funding target. The European Commission has announced a contribution in kind of 250 million that will support relevant projects through EC mechanisms. Since its launch in January 2017, CEPI has announced two Calls for Proposals. The first was for candidate vaccines against MERS-COV, Nipah and Lassa viruses. The second was for the development of platforms that can be used for rapid vaccine development against unknown pathogens. Learn more at CEPI.net. Follow us at @CEPIvaccines. About Profectus BioSciences, Inc. Profectus BioSciences, Inc. is a clinical-stage vaccine platform company developing novel vaccines for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases and associated cancers. Profectus' vaccines are based on the companys proprietary vaccine delivery platforms to provide protection against emerging infectious diseases of public health and biodefense importance such as Ebola, Marburg, Chikungunya, Zika, the equine encephalitis viruses, and respiratory syncytial virus; and therapeutically targeting virally infected cells and cancers associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV), human papilloma virus (HPV), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). For more information, please visit www.profectusbiosciences.com. About Emergent BioSolutions Inc. Emergent BioSolutions Inc. is a global life sciences company seeking to protect and enhance life by focusing on providing specialty products for civilian and military populations that address accidental, intentional, and naturally occurring public health threats. Through our work, we envision protecting and enhancing 50 million lives with our products by 2025. Additional information about the company may be found at www.emergentbiosolutions.com. Find us on LinkedIn and follow us on Twitter @emergentbiosolu and Instagram @life_at_emergent. About the Lassa vaccine development The VesiculoVax vaccine delivery platform is the result of basic research funding provided by the US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) initially to Yale University and subsequently to Profectus. Currently, Federal funds from NIH/NIAID under Contract No. HHSN272201700077C are funding development of a multi-valent vaccine to provide simultaneous protection against Ebola, Marburg, and Lassa viruses. The NIH/NIAID and CEPI programs for Lassa-vaccine development are complementary and mutually supportive. NIAID conducts and supports researchat the NIH, throughout the US, and worldwideto study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing, and treating these illnesses. Contacts CEPI Rachel Grant +44(0)7891249190 Rachel.Grant@cepi.net Mario Christodoulou +44 203 917 4130 Mario.Christodoulou@cepi.net Profectus BioSciences, Inc. Mary Moynihan M2Friend Biocommunications 802-951-9600 mary@m2friend.com Emergent BioSolutions Inc. Investors: Robert G. Burrows Vice President, Investor Relations 240-631-3280 BurrowsR@ebsi.com Media: Lynn Kieffer Vice President, Corporate Communications 240-631-3391 KiefferL@ebsi.com 1 US CDC. Lassa fever: fact sheet. https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/lassa/pdf/factsheet.pdf (accessed July 10, 2018) 2 Gov.UK. Lassa fever: origins, reservoirs, transmission and guidelines https://www.gov.uk/guidance/lassa-fever-origins-reservoirs-transmission-and-guidelines (accessed July 10, 2018) 3 WHO. Lassa fever: fact sheet. http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/lassa-fever (accessed July 10, 2018) 4 Gov.UK. Lassa fever: origins, reservoirs, transmission and guidelines https://www.gov.uk/guidance/lassa-fever-origins-reservoirs-transmission-and-guidelines (accessed July 10, 2018) 5 WHO. Lassa fever: fact sheet. http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/lassa-fever (accessed July 10, 2018) 6 WHO. Lassa fever: fact sheet. http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/lassa-fever (accessed July 10, 2018) 7 WHO. Weekly bulletin on outbreaks and other emergencies. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/272981/OEW26-2329062018.pdf (accessed July 10, 2018) 8 WHO. Nigeria battles its largest Lassa fever outbreak on record. https://www.afro.who.int/news/nigeria-battles-its-largest-lassa-fever-outbreak-record (accessed July 10, 2018) 9 Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. Situation report, week 27. file:///C:/Users/sh64/Downloads/An%20update%20of%20Lassa%20fever%20outbreak%20in%20Nigeria_290718_30.pdf English French GATINEAU, Quebec, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Hydropothecary Corporation (HEXO or the Company) (TSX:HEXO) is proud to announce that it has reached two milestones this week. The Company is celebrating its fifth anniversary and recently surpassed 200 employees. The Company was incorporated in 2013 by co-founders Adam Miron and Sebastien St-Louis and is based in Masson-Angers, Quebec. Now listed on the TSX, HEXO has a market cap of more than $750 million. To mark the two occasions, HEXO is hosting an all-staff summer BBQ this afternoon. Local dignitaries will also be in attendance: Mr. Alexandre Iraca, member of the Quebec National Assembly for Papineau; Mr. Marc Carriere, municipal councillor for the City of Gatineau; and Mr. Stephane Lauzon, member of the Canadian Parliament for ArgenteuilLa Petite-Nation. We are proud of the team that we have built so far, said Andree St-Cyr, HEXOs Director of Human Resources. We have a diverse group of hard-working people who care about each other and the company. Over the coming weeks, months and years, we look forward to adding new people who share our teams values and visions. HEXO is particularly interested in candidates who are looking to grow within the company and enjoy working in a fast paced environment. The Company is looking to fill new positions from entry level to senior management across many departments such as cultivation, processing, finance, marketing, and sales. HEXO is also seeking candidates to expand their information technology and product innovation departments. HEXO is anticipating further expansion and plans to employ more than 500 people by the end of 2018. Interested candidates are advised to send their resumes to resume@hexo.com and consult the careers section of the website for available opportunities at www.thehydropothecary.com/careers. About HEXO HEXO creates and distributes innovative, easy-to-use and easy-to-understand products to serve the Canadian cannabis market. One of the countrys lowest-cost producers, HEXO is rapidly increasing its production capacity in the lead up to the adult-use cannabis market. The Company currently operates with over 310,000 sq. ft. of production capacity with construction on another 1,000,000 sq. ft. expansion set to be complete by year end. HEXO will serve the adult-use market under the HEXO brand, while continuing to serve its medical cannabis clients through the well-known Hydropothecary brand. Forward-Looking Information This press release may contain forward-looking information that is based on certain assumptions and involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from current assumptions and expectations. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company appears in the Companys Annual Information Form and continuous disclosure filings, which are available on SEDARs website at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events, or for any other reason. Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Investor Relations: Jennifer Smith Manager of Financial Reporting and Investor Relations 1-866-438-8429 invest@HEXO.com www.THCX.com Media Relations: Sarah Brown sarah.brown@hexo.com Director Adam Miron 819-639-5498 Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/14/2018 -- Consistent reduction of LED lighting price in China stimulates the market demand to the great extent. Commercial segment of LED lighting market in China holds the highest market share compared to other segments. Other LED lighting segments such as Residential led market, Industrial led market and Outdoor led market is also performing well in China. Moreover implementation of LED lighting standard in china will further shift the LED lighting into high quality LED product. Development Trends of LED Industry align with Chinese Key Players The growing LED industry in China, reinforce LED lighting market to grow faster. The source of LED lighting recognized as the third revolution in lighting history. The Chinese company is more focused on R & D to take advantage of high efficiency and energy-saving LED, green environmental protection, as well as long-life. The larger LED low-end products supply exceeds demand, together with the acute price competitions, resulting the high growth and profit of Chinese LED lighting players. There is short of demand in supply of high-end LED products, giving company a room to raise high prices and rich revenue & profit. Request For Sample Copy Of This Report @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1380391 Increased Penetration of LED Lighting after Government Policies Phasing out Traditional lighting Products for Consideration of Environmental Protection China banned the imports and sales of all incandescent bulbs over 100 watts since October 2012, and gradually extended the ban to those over 15 watts on October 1, 2016. In addition China also plans to replace CFL with LED on gradual basis. China's Ministry of Finance (MOF) and National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) had jointly taken interim measures on administration of financial subsidies for promoting high-efficiency LED lighting products. The measures included financial subsidies to promote LEDs lighting. Local governments have been much quicker than China's central government in implementing LED subsidies. Guangdong Province, consist the largest LED industry size in China, has relatively higher amount of subsidies. In 2013, Foshan in Guangdong Province, Dongyuan, Zhongshan and many other cities have launched several subsidy projects to promote LED lighting products in mass level. In Zhongshan city, power costs saved by LEDs are all used to subsidize construction projects. Affordable Price of LED lighting products stimulates the Market Growth Due to Increased advancement & cutting-edge technology in LED lighting products, the average price of LED bulb has consistently decreased during the last couple of years and reached closer to the tradition lighting products. Therefore the demand of LED lighting products especially in residential and commercial lighting market is growing year on year. Request to Get Complete Report TOC @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1380391/china-led-lighting-size-volume-market-research-reports/toc Key Companies China LED Lighting Sales Key players in the China LED Lighting market include MLS Co Ltd., Philips Lighting, Osram, Cree Inc., Foshan Electrical & Light Renub Research latest study "China LED Lighting Market Size, Volume, Market Share By Applications (Industrial, Outdoor, Residential, & Commercial), Companies (MLS Co Ltd., Philips Lighting, Osram, Cree Inc., Foshan Electrical & Light)" provides a detailed and comprehensive insight of the China LED Lighting Market. This 76 page report with 38 Figures & Tables studies the China LED lighting market from 4 points. Types of LED Lighting Market & Volume Industrial LED Lighting Outdoor LED Lighting Residential LED Lighting Commercial LED Lighting Key Player covered in the Report MLS Co Ltd. Philips Lighting Osram Cree Inc. Foshan Electrical & Light Scope of the Report China LED Lighting Market & Forecast: We have defined LED lighting market of China. Market data from 2010 to 2016 and forecast from 2017 to 2024 China LED Lighting Volume & Forecast: We have defined LED lighting volume of sales in China. Volume data from 2010 to 2016 and forecast from 2017 to 2024. China LED Lighting Price Analysis: We have analyzed the LED lighting product price from 2010 to 2019 China LED Lighting Value Chain: It provides complete detailed analysis of current and future value chain of LED lighting in China. Key Growth Drivers: It studies the different factors which is helping the LED lighting market to grow in China. Key Challenges: It explain the core challenges within LED lighting industry. Key Players Analysis: We have covered five key players and their LED revenue in China. Apart from sales analysis, we have also covered overview of the company and LED latest development trends. Request To Buy This Premium Report @ https://www.researchmoz.com/checkout?rep_id=1380391&licType=S About MarketResearchReports.biz MarketResearchReports.biz is a seller of syndicated market studies, featuring an exhaustive collection of research reports from leading international publishers. Our repositoryis diverse, spanningvirtually every industrial sector and even more every category and sub-category within the industry. We also provide consulting services to enable our clients have adynamicbusiness perspective. Contact Us State Tower 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 United States Toll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-Canada) Tel: +1-518-621-2074 E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Vilnius, Lithuania -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/16/2018 -- A lot of Americans and British who are struggling to shape up their body go abroad for laser fat removal. This is because the procedure is more affordable in some other countries, while the quality of the medical care is often higher. 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The hospital has long-term experience in treating international patients. Contact Information: Kardiolita Hospital Phone: +370 694 70170 Laisves Av. 64a, Vilnius, Lithuania http://www.kardiolita.com A small new study published in the Journal of Avian Biology shows that songbirds migrating from Scandinavia to Africa in the autumn occasionally fly as high as 13,000 feet (4 km), probably adjusting their flight to take advantage of favorable winds and different wind layers. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the measuring method itself works on small birds, that is, to measure acceleration, barometric pressure and temperature throughout the flight using a small data logger attached to the bird. The data logger was attached to two individuals of different species. Among other things, the results show how long it takes for each bird to fly to their destination. We only followed two individuals and two species. But the fact that both of them flew so high does surprise me, said Dr. Sissel Sjoberg, a biologist at Lund University and the Zoological Museum in Copenhagen. Its fascinating and it raises new questions about the physiology of birds. How do they cope with the air pressure, thin air and low temperatures at these heights? Dr. Sjoberg and colleagues tracked one individual of the red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) and one great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) along their autumn migration. Both these species breed in Europe and winter in sub-Saharan Africa. Both individuals performed their migration stepwise in travel segments and climbed most feet during the passage across the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara Desert and least feet during the first flight segment in Europe. The great reed warbler reached its highest flight altitude of 12,960 feet (3,950 m) above sea level during the travel segment from Europe to West Africa, while the red-backed shrike reached 11,975 feet (3,650 m) as maximum flight altitude during its travel segment from Sahel to southern Africa. Both individuals used both lowlands and highlands for resting periods along their migrations. Its likely that other small birds fly as high, maybe even higher. But there is no evidence of that yet, Dr. Sjoberg said. In this study, we only worked with data collected during the autumn, when the small birds migrate to Africa. There are other studies that indicate that the birds fly even higher when they migrate back in the spring, but we cannot say for sure. _____ Sissel Sjoberg et al. Barometer logging reveals new dimensions of individual songbird migration. Journal of Avian Biology, published online June 29, 2018; doi: 10.1111/jav.01821 TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lydian International Limited (TSX:LYD) (Lydian or the Company) is pleased to announce that its senior lenders have agreed to extend the initial repayment date and the availability period from previously announced August 15, 2018 to August 31, 2018. Lydian continues to have further discussions with key stakeholders in order to complete comprehensive revisions to several key funding instruments to ensure appropriate funding is available to Lydian as the Company works towards removing the illegal blockades at the Amulsar site, resuming construction activities, and completing construction and commissioning of its Amulsar Gold Project. Joao Carrelo, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lydian, stated, We are extremely pleased with the continued support from our senior lenders and stream providers and have made significant, positive progress on the principal terms of the financing amendments to deal with the current situation in a comprehensive fashion. We are proceeding to formalize terms in final documentation that will allow the Company to continue in the current circumstances and be ready to remobilize when the illegal blockades are removed. 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, the Companys ability to carry out comprehensive revisions to its senior credit, stream, and offtake agreements, 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. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Auryn Resources Inc. (TSX: AUG, NYSE AMERICAN: AUG, Auryn or the Company), is pleased to announce that, due to significant demand, it has increased and closed its previously announced non-brokered flow-through private placement for $4.6 million to gross proceeds of CAD$7.3 million. The placement now consists of approximately 2.1 million flow-through common shares (the FT Shares) priced at CAD$1.60 per FT Share and approximately 2.2 million charity flow-through shares (the Charity FT Shares) priced at an average of CAD$ 1.80 per Charity FT Share (the Offering). Goldcorp Inc. will maintain its pro-rata interest in Auryn (approximately 12.4%) by acquiring 490,000 common shares from the purchasers of the Charity FT Shares. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to fund the Committee Bay drill program, a Homestake Ridge follow-up drill program of approximately 3,000 meters and a refined targeting program at the Gibson MacQuoid project. The FT Shares will qualify as flow-through shares (within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada)). The Charity FT Shares will also qualify as flow-through shares and were sold on a charitable flow-through basis. The gross proceeds of the sale of the Offering will be used to fund "Canadian exploration expenses" (within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada)) to be incurred by no later than December 31, 2019 for renunciation to investors in the Offering effective December 31, 2018. The shares under the Offering are subject to a four-month hold period and were not offered or registered in the United States. A total of $350,000 was paid in commissions for the offering. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF AURYN RESOURCES INC. Ivan Bebek Executive Chairman For further information on Auryn Resources Inc., please contact Natasha Frakes, Manager of Corporate Communications at (778) 729-0600 or info@aurynresources.com. About Auryn Auryn Resources is a technically driven junior mining exploration company focused on delivering shareholder value through project acquisition and development. The Companys management team is highly experienced with an impressive track record of success and has assembled an extensive technical team as well as a premier gold exploration portfolio. Auryn is focused on scalable high-grade gold deposits in established mining jurisdictions, which include the Committee Bay and Gibson MacQuoid gold projects located in Nunavut, the Homestake Ridge gold project in British Columbia and a portfolio of gold projects in southern Peru, through Corisur Peru SAC. Forward Looking Information and additional cautionary language This release includes certain statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is information that includes implied future performance and/or forecast information including information relating to or associated with the acquisition and title to mineral concessions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different (either positively or negatively) from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers should refer to the risks discussed in the Companys Annual Information Form and MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2017 and subsequent continuous disclosure filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators available at www.sedar.com and the Companys registration statement on Form 40-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov. US Investors This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the Common Shares in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The Common Shares have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements. The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. DALLAS, TX, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zenergy Brands, Inc. (Ticker: ZNGY), the nation's next-generation utility announced today it has filed its Form 10-Q with the SEC, reporting financials from the second quarter (Q2) for 2018. Zenergy, which has previously been in a pre-revenue phase in 2017, is pleased to report its financials from Q2. For the three months ended June 30, 2018, Zenergy reported total revenue of $464,404, which marks a 54% increase when compared to the total revenue of $301,809 from the previous quarter. The revenue growth is primarily due to the Companys retail electricity services, and energy conservation and efficiency contracts. Zenergy also finished the quarter with $3,959,862 in total assets and reported a gross profit for the second consecutive quarter. The Company believes these are positive trends that will continue now that it is fully operating in the marketplace in its three operating areas retail energy, energy conservation, and smart home and building automation. The Companys gross profit for Q2 was $109,315, a 17% increase from the previous quarter. Zenergys trademarked Zero Cost Program, wherein each customer agreement represents a long-term contracted revenue stream for the Company, has been the primary driver in its asset growth. For added perspective, the Companys YTD revenue stands at $766,213, as compared to just $10,126 from the same period last year, and its total assets through June 30th, 2018 are $3,959,862, as compared to just $379,763 from the same period the previous year. From a percentage standpoint, that marks an increase of 7,566.79% in YTD revenue and an increase of 1,042.72% in YTD total assets when compared to this same period the previous year. Total general and administrative expenses increased as well, from $750,861 in Q1 to just over $1.1 million in Q2. The increase in operating expenses is primarily due to cost of goods sold related to our retail energy business, the ongoing rollout of its Zero Cost Program and smart home divisions, and ramping up sales and marketing efforts across the Company. Rodriguez added, As most fast-growing companies understand, growth consumes cash, so we are always facing the tough decision of how to best apply the limited resources we do have. Overall, we believe we are heading in the right direction and will continue striving to increase our enterprise value for our shareholders. The Company also posted a shareholders deficit of negative $2.6 million (approx.), of which an estimated $1M is referred to as toxic notes by management. Zenergy Chairman, Mr. Byron Young, addressed this in the following remarks, There are two methods to remedy this negative positionone is to bring in new and friendlier capital sources, and the other is to continue growing our revenue and assets. We remain steadfast in our commitment to executing both of these strategies simultaneously. Zenergy invites all shareholders and the investment community at large to view its filings at https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/ZNGY/overview and to subscribe to its mailing list on its corporate website, www.zenergybrands.com , to remain apprised of all relevant news and updates. ABOUT ZENERGY BRANDS, INC. Zenergy Brands, Inc. (Ticker: ZNGY), is a next-generation energy and technology company operating in the emerging smart energy, conservation, and utility industries. The Company provides energy conservation, smart controls, and efficiency-based products and services as a fully integrated energy company. Zenergy is a public company, fully reporting to the SEC and currently trading on the OTCQB, a venture market designed for early-stage and developing U.S. and international companies. To learn more, visit www.zenergybrands.com or www.whatsizenergy.com , and follow the Companys social media accounts via the links below: Facebook: Zenergy Brands Twitter: @ZenergyBrands Instagram: @ZenergyBrands YouTube: Zenergy Brands FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS PharMark increases local ad support with major retail launch CHATSWORTH, California, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Provision Interactive Technologies , Inc. ("Provision"), a subsidiary of Provision Holding, Inc. (OTCQB: PVHO), announced today that its Ohio-based partner PharMark, Inc. (PharMark) has signed a new agreement to administer local and regional advertising with Provisions proprietary 3D holographic displays. Under the terms of a signed agreement, PharMark is to provide advertising sales support utilizing Provisions 3D holographic technology and coupon platform starting with approximately 400 grocery stores. Provisions patented and award-winning 3D holographic display and 2D interactive touch screens are deployed at retailers nationwide, including through kiosks at leading grocers. Through the kiosks, consumers have the ability to access information, promotions, rewards, and coupons beneficial to national, regional and local brands. PharMark provides sales of coupons, promotions and other advertising campaigns with both regional and neighborhood appeal. These are designed to reward and enhance the customer experience with more targeted communication. Established in 2001, PharMark has become the leading provider of pharmacy prescription bag advertising with thousands of satisfied clients nationwide. Curt Thornton, Chief Operating Officer of Provision, says, We are thrilled to continue our momentum working with PharMark to distribute a large quantity of local advertising into new markets through our interactive kiosks. This landscape will allow PharMarks clients to reach consumers in a unique, highly visual way that boosts advertising revenue and leverages local companies as leading advertisers among competitors. We have received tremendous success from our previous partnership with Provision and are thrilled to continue our relationship to expand our current marketing services to local and regional companies, said PharMark Founder and CEO, Michael Bjelica. This collaboration will enhance our footprint and increase revenue for local businesses. About PharMark, Inc. Established in 2001, PharMark Inc. has become a leading provider of prescription bags in the pharmacy industry with local and regional clients. About Provision Interactive Technologies, Inc. Provision Interactive Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Provision Holding, Inc. (OTCQB: PVHO), is the leading developer of intelligent, interactive 3D holographic display technologies, software, and integrated solutions used primarily in retail settings. Provisions 3D advertising displays are designed to increase in-store engagement, coupon redemption and point-of-purchase activity. Provision's 3D holographic display systems represent a revolutionary technology that project full color, high-resolution videos into space detached from the screen, without the need for special glasses. Provision holds more than 10 patents related to its 3D holographic technology, for both consumer and commercial applications. For more information, visit www.provision.tv . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains projections of future results and other forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Important factors that may cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those contained in the projections and forward-looking statements included in this press release are described in our publicly filed reports. Factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to, the acceptance of our products, lack of revenue growth, failure to realize profitability, inability to raise capital and market conditions that negatively affect the market price of our common stock. The Company disclaims any responsibility to update any forward-looking statements unless legally required. CONTACT Media Relations Kate Tumino / Brittany Tibaldi ktumino@kcsa.com / btibaldi@kcsa.com 212-896-1252 / 347-487-6794 TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Datametrex AI Limited (the Company or Datametrex) (TSXV: DM, FSE: D4G) is pleased to provide shareholders with an update on the status of the going public process for Graph Blockchain Limited (Graph) via a reverse-takeover (RTO) with Reg Technologies Inc. (RegTech). As previously announced on June 1, 2018, Graph and RegTech entered into a Letter of Intent to effect an RTO, which would result in RegTech acquiring all the issued and outstanding securities of Graph, furthermore giving Graph a pre-financing valuation of over C$39 Million. To-date, the RTO process has been moving forward as expected and a number of milestones have been achieved. Most notably, RegTech has filed their Information Circular with the respective US and Canadian transfer agents. Additionally, in relation to the RTO, RegTech has announced and filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) their Annual General and Special Meeting for September 17, 2018. With the positive continuation of the RTO process and in anticipation of the closing, as previously announced, Graph intends to begin marketing its concurrent private placement of common shares at a price of C$0.30 per common share within the next week. There are many moving parts when looking at the RTO process, and its always great when it all comes together, and things stay on track with projected timelines. A lot of diligent work is being put in by both Graph and RegTech to ensure that we are maximizing value for our shareholders, and Im excited as we enter the home stretch of listing the company, says Peter Kim, President and COO of Graph. About RegTech RegTech was incorporated under the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) with its registered and head office in Vancouver, British Columbia. RegTech is a reporting issuer within the meaning of the, Securities Act (British Columbia) and Securities Act (Alberta) and is currently subject to a cease trade order and its securities are not currently listed on any Canadian stock exchange. About Graph Blockchain Limited Graph Blockchain is in the process of listing as a public company on the Canadian Securities Exchange, by way of a reverse-takeover, resulting in a pre-financing valuation of approximately $39 Million CAD (click here for more information). Graph was started as a joint venture formed between Datametrex and Bitnine, with the mandate to bring the value of Graph Database technology to the blockchain environment where there is a great need to enhance performance and present the verified and authenticated data in unique ways. About Datametrex AI Limited Datametrex AI Limited is a technology focused company with exposure to four exciting verticals. Big Data, collecting data from retail point of sales environments. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning through its wholly owned subsidiary, Nexalogy (www.nexalogy.com). Implementing Blockchain technology for secure Data Transfers through its joint venture company, Graph Blockchain (www.graphblockchain.com). Industrial scale Cryptocurrency Mining through its wholly owned subsidiary, Ronin Blockchain Corp (www.roninblockchain.com). Additional information on Datametrex is available at: www.datametrex.com To stay informed about Datametrex, please join our Investor Group on 8020 Connect http://bit.ly/2fPUNwF for all upcoming news releases, articles comments and questions. For further information, please contact: Jeffrey Stevens President & COO Phone: (647) 400-8494 Email: jstevens@datametrex.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements regarding the timing and completion of any public listings or blockchain related activities. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance or results, since it involves risks and uncertainties. There is no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. Some of the factors on which the forward-looking statements are premised include (but are not limited to) the lack of material changes to general economic, market and business conditions. Except as required by law, the Corporation does not assume and expressly renounces any obligation to update any forward-looking information, which is only applicable on the date on which it is given. Virtuoso examined data from its warehouse of more than $40.7bn in transactions to unveil the most in-demand places for the coming fall and holiday season. Virtuoso's Top 10 For this period the most popular travel destinations for Americans, based on future bookings, are: 1. Italy, 2. France, 3. South Africa, 4. Israel, 5. Germany, 6. Japan, 7. Greece, 8. United States, 9. New Zealand and 10. Switzerland. Always strong for summer travel, Europes allure extends into the fall, with five countries placing on the list. Germany, in particular, holds strong appeal for river cruisers wishing to experience the famed Christmas markets. Japans blend of tradition and modernity make it increasingly popular among upscale travelers, landing the country on this years Virtuoso Luxe Report list of top emerging destinations. South Africa and New Zealand, both perennially fashionable for families and adventure travelers, are compelling choices for seasonality, as they head into their spring and summer. Also noteworthy on the list: Americans desire to roam their own country and stay closer to home for the holidays. Virtuoso's Hot 10 The countries that are seeing the largest percentage of growth in year-over-year bookings among US travelers are 1. Turkey (+310%), 2. Egypt (+264%), 3. Morocco (+144%), 4. India (+128%), 5. Cayman Islands (+124%), 6. Brazil (+92%), 7. Israel (+88%), 8. Switzerland (+82%), 9. Indonesia (+76%) and 10. Greece (+74%). The Middle East and North Africa are trending upward this fall and holiday season, demonstrating pent-up demand for this intriguing region of the world. In particular, Israel is one of three destinations to place on both the Top 10 and Hot 10 lists this quarter, indicating it is in high demand. Switzerlands world-class ski resorts beckon upscale active families for holiday celebrations. Greece, the fastest-growing destination this summer, continues to shine into the fall and early winter. Luxury travelers are also seeking warm-weather destinations that offer distinctive cultural experiences as well, such as India, Brazil and Indonesia. Data is obtained from Virtuosos US agency members and reflects future travel for September through December. Stakeholders and senior executives have identified cybersecurity as a topic of global importance especially after the International Maritime Bureaus warning that shipping is becoming the next playground for hackers. There are now mounting calls for companies to prioritize their cybersecurity measures as a result of this valid concern. This pertinent issue will be addressed at Seatrade Maritime Middle East, to be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from October 29 to 31, 2018, under the patronage of HH Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. The regions biggest exhibition and conference will highlight the nature of known cyberthreats, their serious impact on the maritime community, the risk factors involved, and effective measures combatting the evolving cybercrimes. Emma Howell, global head of marketing, Seatrade Portfolio, said: It is highly encouraging that stakeholders are now coming together to discuss the subject of cyber security in the maritime industry. The industry has already implemented contingency plans, learning from serious incidents of cyberattacks involving prominent shipping firms. However, we admit that much still needs to be done and, as such, we are putting the spotlight on the importance of proactively building an ever-evolving cybersecurity system that can effectively fight off cyber threats. Seatrade Maritime Middle East 2018 is a timely platform to exchange experiences and propose more efficient and modern solutions that will help shield the industry from future costly network intrusions. Learn more about cybersecurity at Seatrade Maritime Middle East in October 2018 Cosco Shipping Lines and AP Moller-Maersk were two of the shipping giants recently hit by cyberattacks, prompting the leading firms and the entire industry to beef up their cybersecurity systems. Cybersecurity has become an urgent need as next-generation technologies are steadily being integrated into the maritime sector, with the prospect of autonomous shipping now becoming a possibility and huge amounts of maritime operations data being churned out weekly. The topics of intelligent shipping as well as the tangible benefits and efficiencies offered by intelligent shipping technologies will be tackled during the three days of Seatrade Maritime Middle East, which is an integral part of the UAE Maritime Week. A focused session will take place on October 30 during the second UAE Maritime Future Leaders Seminar, organized by the Dubai Maritime Cluster Office. The session, entitled Security from cyber-attack: how safe are we? will be moderated by INTERTANKO md Katharina Stanzel. Part of the UAE Maritime Future Leaders Seminar, this dedicated session is part of a one-day programme that expands its focus to the intelligent shipping and the tangible benefits and efficiencies offered by intelligent shipping technologies and includes individual presentations by industry expert speakers, followed by interactive round tables with the audience. Jason Stefanatos, senior research engineer and Maritime R&D and Advisory, DNV GL Maritime, one of the sessions speakers, said: Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting the shipping industry and the recent attacks on leading shipping companies Cosco Shipping Lines and AP Moller-Maersk demonstrates the importance and critical-nature of being cyber resilient. We need to step up our game to protect the industry from these network breaches--a challenge that requires all maritime stakeholders to work together and improve the conditions. Owners, flag administration and class societies should help contribute in the campaign towards achieving a cyber-safer sea trade. Tamara Custard is the executive director of Village in the Valley. In partnership with the YMCA, Village in the Valley collected costumes to give to children in need and has undertaken several other projects. A phrase that is familiar to most, it takes a village, is all too often easier said than done. When single mother of two, Tamara Custard, had a vision to bring back the "village" mentality to the youth of Kalamazoo, the nonprofit Village in the Valley started to grow.Village in the Valley was derived solely from the thought of "bringing back the Village mentality" to our youth, says Custard, the executive director of the two-year-old organization. When I think of village, I think of unity.to reach one is to teach one, but with the village we can reach all and teach all, she says.We wanted to approach with true care, love, and desire to help parents in need and those that just need that extra set of eyes to redirect behaviors that could deter them from a path of success, says Custard. "Our goal was to provide positive outlets to youth through mentorship, fun, giveaways, and events that could teach them the basic essentials in life for career and life goals. We host anything from homeless events with child feedback on how that made them feel, to back to school bashes with free supplies and end of summer fun."Custard knows all too well the emptiness and the hard road that those in need, homeless, or abused youth face each day. With an open heart, she says, I came from a home where my parents didnt careand was even sexually assaulted by oneand saw my siblings suffer, too. By the age of 12, she was on her own.In a January 2017 survey done by Michigans Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a point in time count in Kalamazoo County documented 479 individuals as homeless; 164 of those being children. According to Covenant House , 57 percent of homeless children in America go one day every month without food, and nearly 50 percent report intense conflict or physical harm by a family member as a major contributing factor to their homelessness.Custard, a native of Detroit, says, I grew up trying to learn better. She graduated from the Police Academy in 2008, and began to settle down in Battle Creek, started the hiring process, and was in the final stages of that with the Battle Creek Police Department when the recession hit and all new applicant hiring was placed on hold.She returned to Detroit and began working with the Detroit Police Department. During this time, she says, I began a family. I was in a very abusive domestic relationship, where he attempted to kill me. I made the conscious decision to officially leave law enforcement due to the recession and domestic violence cases.After the birth of her first child, she returned to school to study social work and later became employed at Lakeside Academy, a youth and family program that focuses on the confrontation and redirection of negative behavior while recognizing desired, positive behavior.Custard found herself planting her roots in Kalamazoo. She chose to move forward and look up, never looking back at the negative experiences that crossed her path. She says that she chose to move to Kalamazoo because it had a safer environment to raise her two daughters and better stability and opportunities. No pity. No sorrow. Just life lessonsgrowth. I am not afraid to share my story if it means someone else wont go through the pain I endured.And share is what Custard does best. Through the sharing of her life experience and her caring heart, along with the efforts and hard work of the volunteers of Village in the Valley, Kalamazoo youth, homeless, and those in need have been given meals, school supplies, mentoring, and even costumes that they may not have otherwise received.The first year of its existence, the organization partnered with the YMCA of Kalamazoo and Little Caesers to feed the homeless 44 pizzas. They also handed out 50 sack lunches to the homeless in MLK Park downtown. In partnership with the YMCA of Kalamazoo, they conducted a membership drive where the initiation fee to join the Y would be waived for those who brought in a gently used or new Halloween costume to help a child in need. In 2016, more than 150 costumes were collected. This drive took place again in 2017 and 400 costumes were collected and distributed.Village in the Valley has partnered with other organizations in the past several years to reach many and with the hopes to teach all. Take, for example, the partnership with the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission to host a Thanksgiving Outreach Luncheon. Custard says, this was not only for the residents of the Mission but for the community as well. So was partnering with the YMCA Preschool and Tot Spots at both Maple and Portage branches for a toy drive to benefit the children residing at the YWCA.One of the bigger events hosted by Village in the Valley for the past two years has been its Back to School Bash. With the help of the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo, over 100 backpacks full of supplies were handed out to children ages 6 through 17 in 2017. For any backpack brought in to be donated, the YMCA waived membership registration fee. This year the Y will make that offer again through the month of August. Custard says the school supplies come from donations from individuals, companies, and organizations as well as fundraising Village in the Valley does throughout the year.This years Back to School Bash will take place Aug. 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the back parking lot at 350 E.Michigan Avenue , in downtown Kalamazoo. There will be free food, games, and vendors. There will also be Poverty Reduction Education and young male mentoring and follow up assessments conducted by Men of Purpose . Custard says supplies are still needed. So are volunteers.As the guiding idea behind the nonprofit, what exactly does "village" mean to Custard?A safe haven for youth who feel they have no outlet, and in the end, feel like family. That is what village means to me, she says. She has taken a life that would seem almost impossible to many and used it to energize a movement to bring a community together to be that "village." Press Release August 16, 2018 HOSPITAL ADMINS THAT DETAIN PATIENTS FACE 6 YEARS IMPRISONMENT, P 1-M FINE "Hospitals are not prisons." This was the statement issued today by Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros after she filed a bill imposing stiffer penalties to hospitals that detain patients and the deceased who fail to settle their hospital bills. Senate Bill No. 1937 or the Strengthened Anti-Hospital Detention Bill seeks to put more teeth to Republic Act No. 9439, the country's existing anti-hospital detention law. Under Hontiveros' proposed measure, the rights of patients and the families of the deceased will be fully protected 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. Hospital administrators may face a fine of P 1 million and imprisonment of up to six years. "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. "Hospital licenses revoked" 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," Hontiveros stressed. Under Hontiveros' bill, 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. If the patient is or the deceased was an indigent, a guarantee letter from the Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD) will suffice. Anti-Hospital Detention Fund The measure also provides for the establishment of an Anti-Hospital Detention Fund to support poor and indigent patients. The said fund can be tapped by 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. Press Release August 16, 2018 Statement of Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, Partido Liberal president, On first year of the killing of Kian de los Santos and the President's resign statements Justice has yet to be served one year after the brutal murder of Kian de los Santos, the 17-year-old boy who was shot dead while kneeling and begging to be allowed to go home because he had an early class the following day. It is a farce and a tragedy that one year after, another P6.8-billion worth of shabu has slipped past the Bureau of Customs, even as the guilty in the P6.4-billion shabu smuggling last year have yet to be punished. Go after the big-time smugglers of illegal drugs. It is ironic that the President ran and won on the campaign to wipe out drugs in three to six months. Now, he's talking about giving up and resigning, but willing to turn over the presidency to the son of the dictator. Poverty, hunger, and social injustice are still the problems that ordinary Filipinos face every day, in the rising prices of goods and the growing insecurity in jobs. The country's leaders are duty-bound to focus on easing, if not removing, these pains of their citizens. Press Release August 16, 2018 POE VOWS FUNDING FOR FIRST 1,000 DAYS The imminent enactment into law of a measure that provides support to a child's most crucial stage of development or the First 1,000 Days bill seeks to fix a gaping hole on social protection measures for the poor, Sen. Grace Poe said today, as she vowed to fight for adequate funding of the program in the 2019 national budget. During the bicameral meeting on Thursday, August 16, on Senate Bill 1537 and House Bill 5777 providing for nutrition interventions targeting the first 1,000 days of life, Poe said the "fate of entire generations of Filipinos can literally be determined in these crucial days." "Nagaganap sa unang dalawang taon ng ating mga anak ang 'Build Build Build' ng kanilang mga utak... Yet paradoxically, the First 1,000 days has consistently been a non-priority of the government. Isang indikasyon nito ang napakaliit na budget na nakalaan para dito. In fact, the budget of the First 1,000 Days has yet to crack a billion pesos--a drop in the bucket in our P3 trillion budget," said Poe, one of the authors of the important piece of legislation. The First 1,000 Days program has suffered a huge budget cut as the government has allotted P118 million for the Health department's Nutrition Intervention Package in the 2019 national outlay, compared with P369.94 million for this year. Poe, who was instrumental in increasing the program's budget for 2018 and allocating a portion of revenues of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law for maternal and child care, is expected to introduce an amendment to ensure funding of the First 1,000 Days program when the Senate considers the Health department's 2019 budget proposal. Poe said the absence of a law on First 1,000 days is the "first stumbling block" in the realization of program's noble objectives. "With the impending passage of the First 1,000 Days Bill after these proceedings, we are one step closer to mending a major gap in our social services... The law which will emerge from these proceedings will certainly change our country's track and determine the fate of our children," Poe said. "Ang ating kayamanan ay ang ating populasyon, kaya nga tayo gusto ng ibang bansa dahil majority ng ating mga kababayan ay mga kabataan. Ang average age natin ay 23 years old. Pero kapag hindi naman matatalino ang mga 'yan dahil bata pa lang ay kulang na sa nutrisyon at nagkakasakit, ay hindi rin tayo makakapagpaligsahan sa mga ibang bansa lalo na sa ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations]," added Poe. After clearing the bicameral conference committee, the bill will have to be ratified and adopted by both houses of Congress before transmitting the same to Malacanang for the President's signature. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Macarthur Minerals Limited (TSX-V: MMS) (the Company or Macarthur Minerals) is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement (the Offering) of up to 44,000,000 units (each, a Unit) at a price of CAD$0.025 per Unit (Unit Price) for aggregate gross proceeds of up to CAD$1,100,000. The Unit Price is equal to the closing price of the Companys TSX Venture Exchange listed shares on August 15, 2018. Each Unit shall be comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Common Share") and one whole warrant to acquire a Common Share (each, a "Warrant") at an exercise price of CAD$0.10 per Common Share for a period of twelve months from the date of issuance. The Company has obtained approval from the TSX Venture Exchange to waive the CAD$0.05 minimum pricing requirement in accordance with TSX Venture Exchange bulletin dated April 7, 2014 Discretionary Waivers of $0.05 Minimum Pricing Requirement. The closing of the Offering will occur as soon as possible after and subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals including that of the TSX Venture Exchange. The net proceeds from the Offering will be used for working capital purposes, in particular rents and rates for Macarthurs projects, salaries for project staff and other project related costs. No part of the proceeds will be used to pay management fees or to pay related parties. The securities issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a statutory 4 month plus one day hold period from the date of issuance. The Company anticipates that insiders will subscribe for Units in the Offering. The issuance of Units to insiders pursuant to the Offering is considered to be a related party transaction subject to TSX Venture Exchange Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101. Macarthur Minerals intends to rely on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements provided under sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(b) of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 on the basis that Macarthur Minerals is not listed on a specified market and neither the fair market value of the securities to be distributed in the Offering nor the consideration to be received for those securities, insofar as the transaction involved related parties, exceeds CAD$2.5 million. ABOUT MACARTHUR MINERALS LIMITED (TSX-V: MMS) Macarthur Minerals Limited is an exploration company that is focused on identifying high grade gold and lithium. Macarthur Minerals has significant gold, lithium and iron ore exploration interests in Australia and Nevada. Macarthur Minerals has three iron ore projects in Western Australia; the Ularring hematite project, the Moonshine magnetite project and the Treppo Grande iron ore project. On behalf of the Board of Directors, MACARTHUR MINERALS LIMITED Cameron McCall Cameron McCall, Executive Chairman Company Contact: Joe Phillips, CEO and Director jphillips@macarthurminerals.com Tel: +61 448899247 www.macarthurminerals.com THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES 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. Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements Certain of the statements made and information contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect the current expectations, assumptions or beliefs of the Company based upon information currently available to the Company. With respect to forward-looking statements contained in this press release, assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the timely receipt of required approvals, the reliability of information, including historical mineral resource or mineral reserve estimates, prepared and/or published by third parties that are referenced in this press release or was otherwise relied upon by the Company in preparing this press release. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct as actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include fluctuations in exchange rates and certain commodity prices, uncertainties related to mineral title in the project, unforeseen technology changes that results in a reduction in iron ore demand or substitution by other metals or materials, the discovery of new large low cost deposits of iron ore, uncertainty in successfully returning the project into full operation, and the general level of global economic activity. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty thereof. Such statements relate to future events and expectations and, as such, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and except as may otherwise be required pursuant to applicable laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. How can mathematical tools use data to understand the evolution of infectious bacteria and viruses? How can these tools improve how we control infections? Caroline Colijn, Imperial College mathematician and now a Canada 150 Research Chair at Simon Fraser University, has just arrived at SFU and her research aims to answer those questions. She holds the Chair in Mathematics for Infection, Evolution and Public Health, in the Department of Mathematics, and is the first of two Canada 150 Research Chairs to arrive at the university. Wendy Hui Kyong Chun will join SFUs School of Communication this winter from Brown University to hold the Chair in New Media. Last year, to celebrate Canadas 150th anniversary, the Canada 150 Research Chairs Program invested $117.6 million to enhance Canada's reputation as a global centre for science, research and innovation excellence. The program provides Canadian institutions with a one-time investment to attract top-tier, internationally based scholars and researchers to Canada. SFU News spoke with Colijn about her research and how she feels about joining SFU as the new Canada 150 Research Chair in Mathematics for Infection, Evolution and Public Health. Tell us about your academic background and research interests. I started out at the University of British Columbia where I studied mathematics and physics. From there, I achieved my masters degree in environmental studies at York University before continuing to a PhD in applied mathematics at the University of Waterloo. My broad interests and academic background are a great fit for what I do now, which connects me to public health researchers, epidemiologists and biologists, as well as mathematicians and statisticians. Please explain the fundamental values of your research. Why is your research important to Canadians and global citizens? Infectious diseasesand their evolutionare a major public health challenge across the world. I seek to build mathematical and statistical tools to make the best possible use of the rich data available from sequencing technologies. The ultimate aim is to improve how we control infections. What are some of your key career achievements and how do they inform your current and future research? I have built mathematical tools to use genomic data for understanding how infectious bacteria and viruses evolve and spread. Key advancements in this area can help us better understand who infected whom, and when in an infectious disease outbreak. Currently, using pathogen sequences, we can estimate where there might be unsampled cases, when people were infected, and how long it took to identify cases. Now, we are developing ways to use more individual-level data, such as case locations and clinical histories. We are improving the models and applying the method to data from around the world. Please expand on how your research is innovative and strives for research excellence. My work spans mathematics, statistics and data, and genomics and public health. The ability to gather genomic data in public health is outpacing our ability to interpret the data. By creating new tools there are exciting opportunities for mathematics-centered research to make strong contributions. My research team has combined innovations from branching processes, discrete mathematics, computational biology and evolutionary theory to meet challenges in health and medicine. What does becoming a Canada 150 Research Chair mean to you? Becoming a Canada 150 Research Chair is a great opportunity to build a research group in Canada, in this dynamic and exciting area. I have hugely appreciated the opportunities Ive enjoyed in the United Kingdom, and now Im delighted to be back in Canada. I look forward to building up my research group, to new collaborations and to teaching here at SFU. Learn more about Caroline Colijn and her research. The New Zealand dollar gained against the greenback as markets were cheered by news a Chinese delegation will travel to the United States for talks later this month. The kiwi traded at 65.83 US cents at 5pm versus 65.63 cents at 8am in Wellington and 65.57 cents yesterday. The trade-weighted index was at 71.65 from 71.58. China will dispatch Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen to the US for low-level trade talks in late August, Bloomberg reported. Sentiment lifted as it will be the first official exchanges since talks broke down two months ago. Investors have been jittery about potential fallout from a US-China trade war. According to a statement on China's Ministry of Commerce website, the vice commerce minister will meet with a US group led by David Malpass, undersecretary for international affairs at the Department of the Treasury. "The delegation going to the US is a positive step," said Martin Rudings, senior foreign exchange dealer at OMF. The kiwi lost ground against the Aussie after Australia's jobless rate fell to 5.3 percent in July, from 5.4 percent the prior month. Economists had expected it to be unchanged. The kiwi fell to 90.52 Australian cents from 90.91 cents yesterday. While the headline number was good, Rudings noted the number of people employed in Australia fell by 3,900, compared with an expected 15,000 rise. "It wouldn't prompt me to go and buy Aussie on that," he said. The kiwi traded at 4.5379 Chinese yuan from 4.5266 yuan. It increased to 72.91 yen from 72.45 yen yesterday and traded at 57.83 euro cents from 57.90 cents. It was at 51.74 British pence from 51.61 pence yesterday. New Zealand's two-year swap rate was unchanged at 2.02 percent; the 10-year swap rate was unchanged at 2.87 percent. (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. 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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 Tru-Test Corp will sell some of its business to Switzerland-based Datamars for $147.9 million, it said in its annual report. Tru-Test announced plans to shed the bulk of its businesses, signing a conditional deal to sell its retail solutions and milk meter divisions, which account for about 85 percent of group revenue. Those businesses include the weighing, electronic identification, contract manufacturing, electric fencing and milk metering operations. All intellectual property - including the Tru-Test name - form part of the deal. Shareholders approved the transaction at a special meeting in June, where they would only support the deal provided the enterprise value was at least $132.4 million. The transaction still requires Overseas Investment Office approval. Datamars confirmed the higher sale price at $147.9 million, which was contingent on efficiencies achieved and extrapolated out as a multiple of annualised earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation. It also relied on the businesses being sold debt-free and excluding cash. The company had $3.2 million cash at bank and in hand on March 31. It also had $32.6 million of bank loans that it plans to pay back with the money from Datamars before the facility expires on Jan 31, 2019. Should the deal not complete as expected the bank debt is expecting to be refinanced. "The floor price of the deal assumed a number of improvements, and essentially what the shareholders were committing to was that if Datamars agreed to a price above the floor, they would transact," chair John Loughlin told BusinessDesk. Once the deal is done, Tru-Test's dairy division will operate as a standalone business, including the dairy automation systems, milk cooling and farm holding tank businesses and assets. Shareholders will continue to hold shares - in the same proportion they do now - in the remaining companies. Those businesses are expected to generate approximately $32 million of revenue and ebitda of $4 million to $5 million in the 2019 financial year. Tru-Test said its loss for the March year was $2.27 million, down from $3.48 million in the prior year, and included one-off business restructuring costs, projects related to product pricing optimization, costs associated with the sale of the business and the ongoing Napier Tool and Die copyright court case. Excluding those costs, Tru-Test says profit from operations was $3.2 million. Ebitda increased to $7.4 million from $5.8 million. Tru-Test said it is now seeing improved operating performance and trading conditions in most of its markets. (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. 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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 Skellerup Holdings, the rubber goods manufacturer best known throughout rural New Zealand for its iconic 'red band' gumboot, lifted annual profit to a record as both its industrial and agri divisions boosted earnings. The shares hit a new high. Profit increased 23 percent to $27.3 million in the 12 months to June 30, ahead of the company's forecast range of $24.5 million to $26 million, and up from $22.1 million last year, the Auckland-based company said in a statement. Its shares hit a record $2.12, and were recently up 4 percent at $2.09. "The numbers were very strong and the outlook is positive so we will be upgrading our numbers as a result of that," said David Price, a broker at Forsyth Barr. "The prospects are quite good." Skellerup refocused its industrial unit in recent years, reducing its exposure to the oil and iron ore industries following a collapse in commodity prices which dented demand for its products. It instead turned its attention to the less volatile potable water and wastewater industries, which it sees as having more stable and sustainable growth prospects. Its agri unit remains a global leader in dairy rubberware design and manufacture, where growth is being driven by a growing Asian middle class and global demand for milk protein, and it also produces a range of rubber footwear, including 'red bands' which celebrate their 60th anniversary this year. "We have had a record year and continued to deliver against a consistent and effective strategy," chair Liz Coutts said in the company's 2018 annual report. Coutts, who has just completed her first full year as chair, said the board is pleased with the broad-based growth achieved in the 2018 year. While based in New Zealand, Skellerup generates more than three-quarters of its revenue from international markets and manufactures more than three-quarters of its products outside the country as well. The US, where President Donald Trump is introducing restrictions on trade, is the company's largest market and Coutts said it provides strong growth potential for both the agricultural and industrial businesses. She said supply chain flexibility gives Skellerup confidence it can adapt and mitigate the impacts of more restrictive international trade practices and continue to grow earnings. Skellerup strengthened its balance sheet over the past year, reducing net debt by $5.1 million to $30.7 million, and said its capital expenditure had reduced to normal levels following completion of its Wigram manufacturing facility in 2016. Capital and intangible expenditure fell to $5.4 million in 2018 from $12.6 million in 2017, $38.9 million in 2016, and $20.4 million in 2015. Operating cash flow rose 33 percent to $28.3 million. In the past year, the industrial division posted a 21 percent increase in earnings before interest and tax to $20.8 million. Revenue lifted 15 percent to $151.5 million as it focused on international markets. We continue to enhance our operating platform and deploy the expertise we have in engineered polymer product, compound and tool design into customer focused development," chief executive David Mair said. "We have improved our execution and sped up our development activity enabling strong growth across international markets, particularly in the potable water industry. Last month, the company bought a 35 percent stake in Wisconsin-based liquid silicone rubber maker Sim Lim Technic for US$1.1 million. Mair today said the investment provides Skellerup with valuable liquid silicone rubber capability for customers. Meanwhile its agri division increased ebit 15 percent to a record $22.8 million on a 12 percent revenue rise to $89 million. Mair said the result was due to growth in international markets and a buoyant New Zealand market after improved payouts to farmers. International markets provide the best opportunities for growth and we are very pleased with progress in FY18," he said. "Our reputation and ability to consistently develop and deliver innovative and high-quality dairy consumables and animal hygiene products is critical to our success." Skellerup will pay a final dividend of 7 cents a share on Oct. 11, taking the annual dividend to 11 cents from 9.5 cents a year earlier. Ahead of today's results, the stock was rated an average 'buy', according to Reuters data. (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. 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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 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. (Naturally Splendid or NSE or The Company) (TSX-V:NSP) (OTCQB:NSPDF) (Frankfurt:50N) is pleased to announce it has secured the initial Purchase Order for a National Food Retailing / Branding company for a new retail energy bar. This bar has been custom formulated at the Companys newly renovated bar manufacturing facility located in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia. This initial Purchase Order is in excess of $73,000 and is expected to be the first in a series of purchase orders for this client, as they expand their retail business across Canada and into the USA. The expansion of the Company's bars-and-bites business model continues its strategy to gain market share in the healthy food sector retail markets and to add significant clients. Alan Maddox, Naturally Splendid's Executive Vice-President of Sales, states, "With the expanded R&D and manufacturing capabilities, the Company is well positioned, as an innovator in the bar/snack sector and continues to expand our customer base, with more exciting news to come. The investment in R&D and manufacturing is already paying dividends. In the last 3 months we have secured national accounts that include a 5 year manufacturing contract estimated at $5,000,000 CDN, a $75,000 purchase order from a private label client who is launching in a national convenience store chain that has over 500 locations in Canada, as well as the $100,000 purchase order with a renowned national distributor in Canada for its NATERA and Elevate Me brands and now most recently, another significant client with this most recent purchase order. We are most definitely reaping the rewards of successful execution of our strategic plan, as we gain momentum in the Private Label and Co-Packing, along with national distribution of NATERA." The Elevate Me brand and private label clients can be found in over 2,000 retail stores, including major retailers such as Metro, Whole Foods, Save On Foods, Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Natures Fare, London Drugs, Thrifty's and Rexall. Company CEO Mr. Douglas Mason states, The expansion of the company's bars-and-bites business model continues our strategy to gain market share in the healthy food sector retail markets and to build a strong revenue base of recurring sales. The Elevate Me product line, along with its private label clients, totalled almost $8-million in sales over the past four years, and will continue to be a key focus as the company rolls out expansion plans and assigns additional resources to assist in further growth. It is believed that upcoming changes to marijuana and hemp regulations under Bill C-45 will only increase opportunities for The Bar Makers (as cannabinoid-fortified products are allowed over time). Rapidly growing snack market The global snack bar market is expected to grow significantly over the coming years (according to MarketResearch), driven by both the demand of millennials and baby boomers for healthy daily snacks to support nutrition and wellness. In addition, there is rising demand for vegan snack bars from consumers who lead a vegan lifestyle that opt for healthy substitutes for meat, dairy and other conventional protein sources. The United States snack bar market is estimated to be valued at $6.8-billion (U.S.) by 2023, registering a CAGR (calculated annual growth rate) of 7 per cent. Energy and nutrition bars occupy almost one-third of the snack bar market in the U.S. and are consumed widely across the country. The volumetric sales of snack bars are expected to register a CAGR of 2.1 per cent during the forecast period (published by Mordor Intelligence in December 2017). About Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. Naturally Splendid is a biotechnology and consumer products company that is developing, producing, commercializing, and licensing an entirely new generation of plant-derived, bioactive ingredients, nutrient dense foods, and related products. Naturally Splendid is building an expanding portfolio of patents (issued and pending) and proprietary intellectual property focused on the commercial uses of industrial hemp and marijuana cannabinoid compounds in a broad spectrum of applications. Naturally Splendid currently has four innovative divisions: (1) BIOTECHNOLOGY Focused on three major platforms: Proprietary HempOmega encapsulation Extraction and formulation with Cannabidiol (CBD) Hemp and plant-based proteins (2) CONSUMER PRODUCTS NATERA - brand of retail hemp and superfood products distributed throughout North America, Asia and Europe. The Bar Makers (Prosnack Natural Foods Inc.) makers of (Elevate Me) - lifestyle brand of healthy meal replacement products distributed throughout North America. Chi Hemp Industries Incorporated (CHII) - e-commerce platform for natural and organic hemp products. PawsitiveFX - topical pet care products. NATERACBD - retail hemp-based cannabinoid nutraceutical and cosmeceutical products distributed in Asia. NATERASkincare - brand of retail hemp based cosmeceutical products. (3) NATERA Ingredients - bulk ingredients including HempOmega Naturally Splendid Hemp Processing is a science-based, industrial hemp seed processing business located in Abbotsford, BC. Listed as the only strictly organic hemp seed processor in North America (4) Co-Packaging/Toll-Processing - packaging for house-brands (NATERA and CHII) and third-party partners. For more information e-mail info@naturallysplendid.com or call Investor Relations at 604-673-9573 On Behalf of the Board of Directors Mr. Douglas Mason CEO, Director Contact Information Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. (NSP TSX Venture; NSPDF OTCQB; 50N Frankfurt) #108-19100 Airport Way Pitt Meadows, BC, V3Y 0E2 Office: (604) 465-0548 Fax: (604) 465-1128 E-mail: info@naturallysplendid.com Website: www.naturallysplendid.com Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Naturally Splendid cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond Naturally Splendid's control including, Naturally Splendid's ability to compete with large food and beverage companies; sales of any potential products developed will be profitable; sales of shelled hemp seed will continue at existing rates or increase; the ability to complete the sales of all bulk hemp seed purchase orders; and the risk that any of the potential applications may not receive all required regulatory or legal approval. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Naturally Splendid undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. 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. Sify.com Movies Reviews Bollywood Satyameva Jayate Satyameva Jayate review: Fascinating message but lacks the superhero punch In 'Satyameva Jayate' John Abraham is sincere as Veer and essays his part with panache. Source: SIFY By: Critic's Rating: 3/5 Thursday 16 August 2018 Movie Title Satyameva Jayate review: Fascinating message but lacks the superhero punch Director Milap Zaveri Star Cast John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee, Aisha Sharma, Amruta Khanvilkar By Troy Ribeiro/IANS "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. Geetha Govindam Review: Watch it for Vijay Deverakonda 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. Satyameva Jayate review: 2 1/2 stars ATLANTA (August 16, 2018) - Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) announced today that its lighting solutions have received a total of 12 awards from the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and Architectural SSL magazine. Eight Acuity Brands lighting solutions were selected for the 2018 Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Progress Report, which showcases the year's most significant developments in the art and science of lighting. Selections were made by an impartial committee that evaluated submissions based on uniqueness, innovation and significance to the lighting industry. 2018 IES Progress Report winners include: Additionally, four Acuity Brands lighting solutions were selected as 2018 Product Innovation Award (PIA) winners by Architectural SSL magazine. These awards, representing a peer-recognized selection of quality LED products, identify and honor the market's best LED and solid-state luminaires and fixtures. PIA winners include the Indy L Series 4" LED low profile luminaire and the Juno FlexConnect(TM) with micrOptix(TM) luminaire, as well as: "We are honored to be recognized by industry experts and peers with 12 prestigious awards for our lighting products," said Acuity Brands Lighting Senior Vice President Sarah Golish. "The significance and number of awards underscores why Acuity Brands is the leading lighting solutions company in North America and reflects our ability to continuously innovate and provide customized solutions for a variety of applications." About Acuity Brands Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) is the North American market leader and one of the world's leading providers of lighting and building management solutions. With fiscal year 2017 net sales of $3.5 billion, Acuity Brands currently employs over 12,000 associates and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with operations throughout North America, and in Europe and Asia. The Company's products and solutions are sold under various brands, including Lithonia Lighting, Holophane, Peerless, Gotham, Mark Architectural Lighting(TM), Winona Lighting, Juno, Indy(TM), Aculux, Healthcare Lighting, Hydrel, American Electric Lighting, Antique Street Lamps(TM), Sunoptics, Distech Controls, nLight, ROAM, Sensor Switch, Power Sentry, IOTA, Atrius(TM) and Lucid. Visit us at www.acuitybrands.com. # # # Media Contact: Meagan Weinzierl meagan.weinzierl@acuitybrands.com PH: 770-860-2256 People across the state are struggling thanks to water logging and flooding following the ceaseless rainfall and many of them have been without food, water and electricity since Wednesday. The death toll in the Kerala floods has increased to 97. 11 people are missing, and almost 165538 people have been shifted to 1155 relief camps. The floods that wrecked 2857 houses, also damaged 3393 hectares of crop. The Centre has launched massive rescue and relief operations in the state. Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been asked to mobilise additional manpower, boats and helicopters to scale up the rescue and relief operations. Food packets and drinking water are also being rushed. Indian Coast Guard's rescue&relief team from Vandiperiyar has been shifted to the flood affected Manjumala village. The team has rescued 16 stranded people from the village. Food & dry ration has been distributed among them, rescue operation is underway. #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/K42bszAiHT ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018 Twelve more teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) - six from Delhi and six from Gandhinagar - are being airlifted to Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. 18 teams are already deployed in the state. Earlier on Thursday, NDRF teams evacuated 926 persons to safer places at Pathamithitta, Kozhikode, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Alappuzha. Army also built a 35-feet long bridge and rescued around 100 people including children and senior citizens from Malampuzha's Valiyakadu village. My dear #NationalMedia this is #KochiAirport as of now! Do you all have any idea the extend of #KeralaFloods still its not a #NationalCalamity! My #Keralites we have to deal with this on our own! Jai Hind! pic.twitter.com/i59XAbufsr August 16, 2018 The Indian Coast Guard has also mobilised 10 teams to assist District Disaster Management Authority in evacuating people from the flood-affected areas. The Coast Guard relief teams have been placed at Pathanamthitta, Munanbam, Aranmula, Idukki, Ferok-Calicut, and Allepey respectively whereas two relief teams each have been dispatched for Aluva and Chengannur. The teams are equipped with Gemini Boats for evacuating the stranded people especially women, children and senior citizens. On Thursday and early on Friday morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Kerala Chief Minister to discuss flood situation in the state. Prime Minister Modi had also asked the Defence Ministry to step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novo Resources Corp. (Novo or the Company) (TSX-V: NVO; OTCQX: NSRPF) is pleased to announce that recent surface mapping and trenching indicates the upper gold-bearing conglomerate at Comet Well (80% Novo; 10% Gardner Mining; 10% Smith) appears continuous with the basal gold-bearing conglomerate at Purdys Reward (50% Novo; 50% Artemis joint venture on conglomerate and paleoplacer gold hereafter referred to as the Novo-Artemis JV), a current explored strike of approximately 3.4 km. These gold-bearing conglomerates remain open along strike to the northeast and southwest and down dip to the southeast into the Fortescue Basin. At Purdys Reward, exploration has recently re-commenced where infill drilling and bulk sampling is being undertaken to further evaluate the gold deposit. Soon after identifying two distinct gold nugget-bearing conglomerate units at Comet Well, Novo noted that nuggets from the upper unit displayed similar large size and flattened shape to those observed in the basal gold-bearing conglomerate uncovered at Purdys Reward in late 2017 by the Novo-Artemis JV. Novo and the Novo-Artemis JV have recently conducted mapping and trenching in intermediate areas indicating these conglomerates are one-in-the-same (see Figure 1 below). Novo and the Novo-Artemis JV are encouraged by the apparent continuity of these gold-bearing conglomerates over an explored strike length of 3.4 km. They are generally shallow and accessible for bulk sampling. Several new trenches opened up in the intermediate area between Comet Well and Purdys Reward reveal numerous detector strikes (see Videos 1, 2 and 3 at https://www.youtube.com/embed/FhwufkDaugk , https://www.youtube.com/embed/bwFfe0B6Z4g , and https://www.youtube.com/embed/elCUB0SFuu8 ). Bulk samples (5-10 tonnes) are currently being collected from newly opened areas and will be prioritized in the processing queue. , and ). Bulk samples (5-10 tonnes) are currently being collected from newly opened areas and will be prioritized in the processing queue. The upper gold-bearing conglomerate at Comet Well is associated with a distinct mafic volcanic tuff marker bed that helps enable its identification in the field. As the upper gold-bearing conglomerate and associated tuff project northeastward toward Purdys Reward, a series of north-northeast trending faults is encountered beyond which the mafic tuff is no longer present. Gold-bearing conglomerates persist, however, stepping down through the stratigraphic section to a position directly on basement. Small fragments of what appear to be mafic tuff occur within the basal gold-bearing conglomerate at Purdys Reward (see Figure 2 below). Novo and the Novo-Artemis JV believe these north-northeast faults must have been active during deposition of the conglomerate beds. Purdys Reward was the upthrown block, hence gold-bearing conglomerate was deposited straight onto basement whereas Comet Well was the downthrown block and nuggets were deposited onto older conglomerate beds. Because these gold-bearing conglomerates display good lateral continuity and are generally shallow, Novo and the Novo-Artemis JV are growing more confident that they will be the main focus of future large-scale bulk sample extraction. Re-commencement of exploration at Purdys Reward The Novo-Artemis JV recently commenced infill diamond drilling at Purdys Reward. These drill holes are utilized to gather information about the depth and thickness of targeted conglomerate units. Given the extremely nuggety nature of the deposit, gold grades are being assessed by bulk sampling. Bulk samples using Novos new 5-10 tonne sampling protocol will soon be collected from trenches in areas near where the Novo-Artemis JV collected 300 kg gold-bearing bulk samples in 2017. Novos and the Novo-Artemis JVs exploration strategy is to generate sufficient geologic and grade data for the gold-bearing conglomerates at Comet Well and Purdys Reward to produce a mineralization report, a critical item needed to convert the current exploration licenses to mining leases. The Novo-Artemis JVs aim is to ultimately move the project toward large-scale bulk sample extraction and testing as a critical means of determining its potential viability with sufficient data available for a mineralization report by the end of 2018. For more details on the Novo-Artemis JV, please refer to the Companys news release dated August 15, 2017. Dr. Quinton Hennigh, the Companys, President and Chairman and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has approved the technical contents of this news release. About Novo Resources Corp. Novos focus is to explore and develop gold projects in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, and Novo has built up a significant land package covering approximately 12,000 sq km with varying ownership interests. For more information, please contact Leo Karabelas at (416) 543-3120 or e-mail leo@novoresources.com On Behalf of the Board of Directors, Novo Resources Corp. Quinton Hennigh Quinton Hennigh President and Chairman Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. 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. 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. PDFs accompanying this announcement are available at: http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/03ea7e29-5459-498a-811e-31caaa9607e2 http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/d9ffb99b-ce29-497e-93fe-d26ef9409df6 China to send negotiator to US for trade talks this month Beijing, Aug 16 (AFP) Aug 16, 2018 China will send a top negotiator to the United States in late August to resume trade talks, the commerce ministry said Thursday, the first public meeting on the subject in weeks as the trade conflict intensifies. Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen, the deputy representative on international trade negotiations, will meet with a senior US treasury official, David Malpass, at the invitation of the United States, the ministry said in a statement. "The Chinese side reiterates that it opposes unilateralism and trade protectionism practices and does not accept any unilateral trade restriction measures," the ministry said. "China welcomes dialogue and communication on the basis of reciprocity, equality and integrity." US Commerce Minister Wilbur Ross held talks with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in Beijing in June. But the discussions failed to reduce tensions as the United States slapped tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods in early July, triggering an immediate dollar-for-dollar retaliation from Beijing. The two countries plan to launch a new round of tit-for-tat tariffs on $16 billion worth of goods from each country on August 23. 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29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd4f5df68)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd4f60d30)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd4f5df68)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd4f60d30)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd5499360)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd4f60d30)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd4f60d30)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd45cc7b8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd4fff828)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd4fff828)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd4f56ca8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd4f3e008)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd4f56ca8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd4f3e008)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd4dc83e0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd4f3e008)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd4f3e008)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd45cd950)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd4e0f1f8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd4e0f1f8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Los Angeles, CA, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Right On Brands, Inc. (OTCQB: RTON) in partnership with Quench Co. has released a new look for the ENDO Brands product line. ENDO Brands retailers will also be displaying powerful new color matching POP (Point of Purchase) marketing material to help promote the product line. Quench Co. is a world-class CPG marketer and strategy firm specializing in support of beverage brands. ENDO Brands has just launched a brand new website featuring the new product graphics and has launched a social media campaign to increase consumer brand awareness. ENDO Brands is the flagship product of Right On Brands and currently has expanded distribution across select markets in the United States and is in talks with groups in Canada and the UK. The new website was designed with wholesalers, individual retailers, and consumers in mind. A portal is available for wholesalers and retailers who wish to become an ENDO Brands partner. Consumers can order ENDO Brands products online and receive additional discounts by enrolling in the corporate newsletter that features the latest news, updates and exclusive savings. "ENDO Brands has gained a lot of momentum since the initial product launch in February of this year, and we feel fortunate to have teamed up with Quench Co. to help us fine tune and professionally market our product," says Daniel Crawford, CEO of Right On Brands. "We plan on rolling out several new innovative first of their kind CBD products over the next year. The time spent on product development and marketing will pay back tenfold in the future as we begin to launch new exclusive products in the coming months." About Right On Brands, Inc.: Right On Brands, Inc. , a Santa Monica California based consumer goods company specializing in the brand development of health conscious, cannabis-based food and beverage products. Right On Brands consists of four subsidiaries Humbly Hemp, Endo Brands, Humble Water Company and ENDO Labs. Visit our corporate website at https://RightOnBrands.com Humbly Hemp is our snack line of hemp-based foods that will delight the palette of consumers and thrill retailers with Americas fastest growing food category. Additionally available on Amazon.com. Humbly Hemp snack bars are straightforward, delicious, and jam-packed with the best ingredients on earth. Each bar is kosher, vegan, soy free, dairy free, gluten-free, and free of all top 11 allergens. Our protein powered with Gluten Free Rolled Oats, Hemp seeds, and Plant Protein. We offer three flavors: Cinnamon Date, Berry Vanilla, and Cocoa + Sea Salt. Order Humbly Hemp at https://www.humblyhemp.com/ Endo Brands CBD's are a supplemental addition for increased wellness in your life. ENDO HEMP OIL is a CBD rich proprietary product of ENDO Brands. We use this water-soluble, and bioavailable in Endo Water is pH balanced, micro-clustered for antioxidant protection and oxygenated for improved performance and energy. Available in four flavors: Pure, Lemon Lime, Cucumber, Watermelon Endo Drops are coconut oil based tinctures that are simply dropped right into your mouth. Tinctures are a convenient and easily dosed form of hemp supplementation. ENDO Drops are third-party tested and priced to provide wellness at hand to anyone. Available in three flavors: Triple Berry and Spearmint. Order Endo Brands products at https://www.endobrands.com/ Humble Water Company is proud to present Earths Circle natural spring water sourced from a pristine ancient ice age aquifer at the foothills of the mighty Rocky Mountains located at the only triple watershed in North America. Our water source is surrounded by wilderness and protected by the Blackfeet Indians to provide the purest of water sources. The deep underground aquifer ensures Humble Water doesnt require any man-manipulated purification processes. Humble Water is high in natural alkalinity and pure as the driven snow. This product will be available soon. ENDO Labs offers fully supported "White Label" hemp-based products that can be customized for resellers with their own custom packaging. Our prepackaged solutions fit your needs immediately, is cost effective and ready for easy deployment. For Right On Brands Distribution Contact: Daniel Crawford: (424) 259-3521 Mail: Info@rightonbrands.com Daniel@rightonbrands.com Join in on the conversation at Investors Hangout: https://investorshangout.com/Right-On-Brands-Inc-RTON-91651/ Safe Harbor Act: This release includes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involves risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products, the ability to meet customer demand, the ability to manage growth, acquisitions of technology, equipment, or human resources, the effect of economic business conditions and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel. The Company is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release. Attachment System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd4fbec48)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd5de62a0)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd4fbec48)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd5de62a0)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd55d23d8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd5de62a0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd5de62a0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd4a7e5b8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd5df57b0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd5df57b0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 English Danish Please find attached the interim financial report of 2018 of MT Hjgaard A/S on its operations in the period 1 January 30 June 2018. Monberg & Thorsen A/S has a 46% ownership interest in MT Hjgaard A/S. Questions relating to this announcement should be directed to Anders Heine Jensen, Chairman, on telephone +45 2048 8563. The announcement can also be viewed at www.monthor.com This announcement is available in Danish and English. In case of doubt, the Danish version shall prevail. MONBERG & THORSEN A/S CVR 12 61 79 17 LEI 529900NA1V21KR5S7498 Ringager 4C, 2nd Floor, Right 2605 Brndby Denmark Attachment Pune, India, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Telemedicine Market Outlook The Global Telemedicine Market size expected to surpass USD 56,738.23 Million by 2023, as per the latest report by Market Research Future (MRFR). It can exhibit a 16.8% CAGR from 2016 to 2023 (forecast period). The promotion of telemedicine by majority of the nations to reduce paperwork and extract patient medical history rapidly is expected to augment the market size. This has been observed by the increasing adoption of electronic health records (EHR)/electronic medical records (EMR) by hospitals and clinics. Increasing prevalence of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and others is likely to boost the demand for telemedicine during the forecast period. Telemedicine, a branch of Telehealth, can provide remote clinical services to patients. The advances in communication networking technologies have afforded doctors and patients a medium to communicate with each other. Some of the applications include remote chronic disease management, remote post-hospitalization care, assisted living center support, school based telehealth, and follow-up visits. The easy access to smartphones and smartphones owing to rise in expendable income levels of patients is likely to encourage the market growth. The use of mobile applications to communicate with physicians and doctors for the elderly can bode well for the market. Furthermore, the medical assistance offered to patients in rural or disaster-stricken areas with the help of telemedicine is likely to fuel the market in the coming years. Request a Sample Report at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2216 The Current Competition Notable players in the telemedicine Industry include IBM Corporation, Cardiocom, Cerner Corporation, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Honeywell Lifesciences, GENERAL ELECTRIC, Tunstall Healthcare, CardioNet, Care Innovations, CareClix, AMD Global Telemedicine, Inc., Aerotel Medical Systems, Intel Corporation, Iris Telehealth, SHL Telemedicine, TeleVital, Medvivo Group Ltd., Cisco, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Aerotel Medical Systems Ltd., Medtronic plc, and others. Partnerships and collaborations are employed by players to gain a significant edge in the market. For instance, BioTelemetry Inc joined hands with Apple in 2017 to provide cardiac monitoring services for the Apple Heart Study. Industry News Citizens Medical Center, a hospital in Texas, U.S., is gaining accolades for providing outstanding care to stroke patients. The telemedicine program offers patients access to neurology consultants at the University of Texas Health Science Center. Neurology consultants can use video conferencing to zoom in on patients and get real-time assessments of their current conditions. The telemedicine program has been instrumental in bringing down the death rates caused by stroke considerably. Dermatology to Accrue Significant Revenues by 2023 By component, the market is segmented into software and hardware. The former is further sub-segmented into standalone and integrated software, while the hardware segment is divided into medical peripheral devices and monitors. The software segment is touted to grow the fastest owing to its importance as a medium between the database and users. Various services provided under telemedicine include tele-oncology, teledermatology, teleradiology, telepharmacy, telenursing, and others. Major Telemedicine Market applications include dermatology, radiology, ophthalmology, cardiology, psychiatry, and others. The dermatology segment is projected to exhibit a significant CAGR over the forecast period owing to store-and-forward technology in telemedicine. For instance, Direct Dermatology, a U.S. company, allows patients to upload an image of their skin problem, with the diagnosis and results forwarded to the patient in their e-mail. Key end-users of telemedicine include clinics, hospitals, and homecare. Telemedicine can be deployed in two ways, on-premises and cloud. Regional Analysis Key regions considered for the telemedicine market include Asia Pacific (APAC), the Middle East & Africa (MEA), the Americas, and Europe. The Americas is projected to perform well during the forecast period owing to the adoption of healthcare IT and well-developed healthcare infrastructure. This is buttressed by a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2017 which stated that nearly 86.9% physicians use EMR/EHR in their premises to expedite the diagnosis rate. The rise in healthcare expenditure and presence of various medical giants is likely to propel the market forward during the forecast period. The Europe telemedicine market is the second-largest owing to adoption of the latest technologies and supportive healthcare reforms by governments in the region. According to a report in 2016 by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, nearly USD 54 million was allotted to NHS Trusts and local authorities to digitize their records. This move can relieve the workload of midwives, healthcare assistants, and nurses in the U.K. and update patient information more quickly. Furthermore, the regional demand is projected to grow thanks to the urgent demand by patients in the U.K., France, Italy, and others. The APAC market is anticipated a brisk growth rate till 2023 owing to the adoption of telemedicine and the large patient pool. The digitization of health records and reimbursement schemes has made outpatient billing a seamless process for patients. Growing economies such as India, China, and Australia are likely to contribute to global market revenue. The Indian telemedicine market valuation can reach USD 32 million by 2020. The MEA market has the potential to exhibit a strong growth rate till 2023 owing to the strong economic growth of countries in the Middle East. Get Discount at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/2216 Related Reports: Telehealth Market Research Report- Global Forecast till 2023 Telehealth Market Research Report: By Component (Hardware, Software, Others), By Types (Web Based, On-Premises, Cloud Based), By End Users (Hospitals & Clinics, Pharmaceutical Companies And Others) - Global Forecast Till 2023 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/telehealth-market-900 E-Health Services Market Research Report- Global Forecast Till 2023 Global E-health services Information, by types (EHR, ePrescribing, Telemedicine, big data systems, Clinical Decision Support, Consumer health IT) by service (Administrative ,Clinical, Financial) by end user (hospitals, clinics and others)-Forecast to 2023 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/e-health-services-market-1252 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions. US blacklists Russian, Chinese companies for breaking North Korea embargo Washington, Aug 16 (AFP) Aug 16, 2018 The US Treasury announced sanctions on Russian and Chinese companies Wednesday for violating the economic embargo on North Korea as Washington seeks to maintain 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 loading and refueling services 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... of the significant risks posed by North Korea's shipping practices," the Treasury said in a statement. The Chinese trading company acknowledged that it has shipped cigarettes and alcohol to North Korea but denied any wrongdoing. "We shipped them through China customs clearance, it's all legal, and we have all the necessary legal formalities," the director of Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading, Liang Ye, told AFP by telephone. "We can only suspend our business now," Liang said. "The company might go bankrupt. The sanctions have a huge impact on us." 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," two months after President Donald Trump held a groundbreaking summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore. Iraq says six 'criminals' executed Baghdad, Aug 16 (AFP) Aug 16, 2018 Six "criminals" were executed by hanging in Iraq this week, the justice ministry said on Thursday, without specifying if they were jihadists. The ministry, in a statement, said they were put to death for having "shed the blood of Iraqis" after their appeals were rejected and the sentences ratified by the presidency. It did not elaborate or identify any of the six who were hanged or say when they were executed. A ministry spokesman questioned by AFP said only that the six were "terrorists" -- a term used by Iraqi authorities to mean anyone sentenced to death. But forensic sources said at least one of them was a Syrian national, while two were Iraqis. In June, Iraq executed 13 jihadists after the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the murder of eight civilians whose bodies were found along the highway north of Baghdad. At the time the justice ministry said the 13 convicts put to death at a prison in southern Iraq "had participated in armed operations with terrorist groups, in kidnappings, bombings and murders of civilians". It also said that another group of 64 convicts could be put to death as well after they lost an appeal for a stay of execution. Iraq has repeatedly faced criticism from international human rights groups over the high number of death sentences handed down by its anti-terrorist courts. In 2017, at least 111 convicts were hanged in Iraq and this year 31 people were executed. Costs march upwards for Trump's military parade Washington, Aug 16 (AFP) Aug 16, 2018 The cost of putting on a military parade ordered by President Donald Trump has marched upwards, with the possible price tag now soaring to over $90 million, a US official said Thursday. When the White House in February announced the commander-in-chief's desire to hold a parade in Washington, the budget director said it would cost between $10 million and $30 million. But a US official told AFP the planning estimate had now gone as high as $92 million, though no final figure has been reached. The parade is planned for November, over the Veterans Day weekend, and is expected to include a large show of air power. US media were quick to highlight how the ballooning costs of Trump's parade stand in contrast to his concern about the expense of conducting joint military exercises with South Korea. "We will be stopping the war games, which will save us a tremendous amount of money," Trump said in June after meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. It later emerged that the drills cost about $14 million, a fraction of the price of a military parade. The United States normally holds military parades to mark the end of a conflict, such as in 1991 when President George HW Bush held a National Victory Parade in Washington to celebrate the end of the Gulf War. Trump's request is popular among many Americans but has drawn scorn from critics, who said it would be a waste of money and was akin to events organized by authoritarian regimes. 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 MISSION, Kan., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Family Features) When the school year is back in full swing, families often find themselves battling the mealtime crunch. Mexican-inspired meals bursting with flavor are known family-friendly picks that can be easily prepared and put on the table on those frenzied weeknights. These simple ideas from the experts at Ortega can help make taco night and other Mexican meals better than ever. Encourage kids to get hands-on. Its no secret that kids like finger foods, and many Mexican dishes are best enjoyed by hand. Tacos are an obvious favorite, but other options like quesadillas, taquitos and Ortega Fiesta Flats are also easy to enjoy sans silverware. Step outside of tradition. If youre looking for something that makes mealtime feel extra special, skip the basic taco and choose a meal kit that lets you serve up a restaurant-style experience at home. For example, Ortegas Bakeable Tortilla Bowl Kits bring a new and simple way to change up your Mexican meals. Just bake and fill with your favorite ingredients. Offer a variety of ingredients. One of the benefits of a Mexican meal is all the ways each family member can customize plates to their own tastes. Try setting out a wide range of ingredients and encourage the kids to experiment with toppings they may not have tried before, like olives and guacamole. Dont forget the sauce. Taco sauces can bring unique, unexpected flavor to recipes. One to try is Ortegas line of bold and creamy Flavor Craver Taco Sauces. Varieties include Taco Ranch, Chipotle and Jalapeno Lime, all perfect for tacos, taco salads, dips, burgers and more. Find more recipes and ideas to add a unique twist to any Mexican meal at Ortega.com. Poblano Ranch Tacos Makes: 8 tacos 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 poblano peppers, sliced 1 yellow onion, sliced 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (optional) 1 box Ortega Yellow Corn Taco Shells 6 radishes, sliced 1 cup corn kernels 1 cup cotija cheese 1 bottle Ortega Flavor Craver Ranch Taco Sauce, to taste Add olive oil to skillet over medium heat. Add sliced poblano peppers and yellow onion to pan. Saute until cooked through. Add squeeze of lime to pepper and onion mixture, if desired. Bake taco shells according to package directions. To assemble tacos, add poblano and onion mixture to base of taco. Top with sliced radishes, corn and cotija cheese. Finish with taco sauce. Steak Fajita Burrito Bowl Makes: 4 bowls 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 pound skirt steak 1 red pepper, sliced 1 yellow pepper, sliced 1 package instant rice 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1/2 packet Ortega Original Taco Seasoning 1 Ortega Bakeable Tortilla Bowl Kit 3 cups green leaf lettuce, sliced 2 avocados, diced 1 cup corn kernels 1/2 cup cotija cheese 1 bottle Ortega Green Taco Sauce, to taste Add 2 tablespoons oil to skillet over medium-high heat. Cook skirt steak 5 minutes on each side. Remove steak from pan and let rest. When cooled, slice into strips. Add remaining olive oil to skillet over medium-high heat. Saute red and yellow peppers until cooked through. Prepare rice as directed on package. Add squeeze of lime and taco seasoning. Stir to combine. Prepare tortilla bowls as directed on package. Fill with rice, shredded lettuce, sliced steak and peppers. Top with diced avocado, corn and cotija cheese. Finish with taco sauce. Southwest Chicken Salad Makes: 4 bowls 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 chicken breasts 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 Ortega Bakeable Tortilla Bowl Kit 3 cups green leaf lettuce, sliced 1 can Ortega Black Beans 1 cup corn kernels 2 avocados, diced 1 tomato, diced 1 cup cotija cheese 1 bottle Ortega Flavor Craver Ranch Taco Sauce, to taste Add olive oil to skillet over medium heat. Coat chicken with chili powder. Cook chicken 8 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and let rest. Slice chicken into strips when cooled. Prepare tortilla bowls as directed on package. Fill with shredded lettuce, black beans, corn and sliced chicken. Top with diced avocado, tomato and cotija cheese. Finish with taco sauce. Stock Your Pantry for Mexican Cooking You can enjoy the flavors of a Mexican cantina in your kitchen anytime if youre stocked up with the right goods. Pantry and Dry Goods 1. Keep dried or canned chiles of all sorts on-hand. Dried chiles include ancho, chipotle, guajillo, negro and mulato. 2. Expand your spice rack with Mexican staples like chili powder, cayenne pepper and paprika, as well as oregano and cumin. 3. Buy white rice in bulk so you can create Spanish rice to accompany any dish. 4. Stock up on canned refried beans, black beans and pinto beans for use in your favorite Mexican dishes. Refrigerator and Produce 1. Keep ready-made salsa and spicy sauces chilled and serve them alongside chips, tacos and other Mexican dishes. 2. Always have garlic, onions and fresh cilantro handy. Keep lemons and limes within reach to add bright flavor to your dishes. Also, buy fresh chiles like jalapeno and pasilla to spice up a variety of dishes. If possible, grow them yourself. 3. Store flour and corn tortillas in your cupboard or refrigerator to create burritos, tacos, enchiladas and wraps. 4. Keep Monterey Jack, queso fresco and cotija cheese on-hand to include in enchiladas and burritos. Michael French mfrench@familyfeatures.com 1-888-824-3337 editors.familyfeatures.com About Family Features Editorial Syndicate Established in 1974, Family Features is a leading provider of free food and lifestyle content for print and online publications. Our articles, photos, videos and web content solutions save you time, money and help create advertising opportunities. Registration is fast and free with absolutely no obligation. Visit editors.familyfeatures.com for more information. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/70e42fcf-7d19-49fe-b678-ddc893da8619 Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. Victor's Logic Syria's Uncertain Future under Bashar Assad After seven years of war, Syrian dictator Bashar Assad has three-quarters of the country back under his control. But with Western reconstruction funding still tied to his departure, the future is murky. Boumerdes, Algeria, August 16, 2018 (SPS) - the Secretary General of the National Liberation Front (FLN), Djamel Ould Abbas, said Wednesday that Algeria , government, people and civil society, stands on the side of the Saharawi people's right to self-determination. Speaking in a press conference on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the ninth edition of the Summer University of Frente POLISARIO and Sahrawi State executives, Djamel Ould has underlined that Algeria is not a party to the conflict in Western Sahara but supports all oppressed peoples in the world, particularly the Sahrawi people The closing event of the University was attended by the Algerian political spectrum and representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Sahrawi and Algerian Republic. SPS 125/090/TRA Boumerdes (Algeria) August 16, 2018 (SPS) the Venezuelan Ambassador to Algeria Jose Jesus on Wednesday expressed, on behalf of the accredited diplomatic corps in Algeria his country's support for the right of Saharawi people to self-determination and freedom in his speech during the closing ceremony of the ninth edition of the Summer University The great Latin American revolutionary Simon Bolivar said that science and ethics are the foundation of freedom, which the Saharawi people posse, calling on the Saharawi youth to equip theme self with the knowledge in order to liberate and build their homeland. The closing ceremony of the University has seen the presence of Venezuela, Vietnam, South Africa, Angola, Cuba and Ecuador. SPS 125/090/TRA English15/08/2018 SRNA News Roundup /III/ - August 15, 2018 REPUBLIKA SRPSKA TREBINJE Republika Srpska Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic has said that the Government will act in keeping with conclusions of the Republika Srpska Parliament regarding the Srebrenica Report and that a session will be held as soon as materials arrive. BANJALUKA The director of the Republika Srpska Center for the Investigation of War and War Crimes and the Search for Missing Persons, Milorad Kojic, says that a session of the Republika Srpska Parliament where the 2004 Srebrenica Commission Report was rejected and a proposal made to form new commissions on Srebrenica and Sarajevo proposed is historic. BANJALUKA The Republika Srpska Government has ordered the Monitoring Board and the Management of the Republika Srpska Highways Company to exempt disabled persons and people with rare diseases from paying road tolls. TREBINJE Republika Srpska Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic today toured the construction site of an Olympic pool in Trebinje and said that this city is taking big steps forward, which is testified to by this large investment. BIJELJINA The City of Bijeljina is under the greatest pressure in Republika Srpska when it comes to migrants, since there are almost 40 places which illegal migrants can cross in the area covered by the Bijeljina Police Administration, that is, in the area of around 80 km-long water border line, it was said today at a session of the coordination body tasked with monitoring the movement of illegal migrants. TESLIC The Republika Srpska Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Stevo Mirjanic, has said that the Government supports raspberry producers through incentives, but that buyers are those who set the price of raspberries. BANJALUKA SNSD vice-president Nikola Spiric has said that by removing Dragan Mektic from the office of the head of the SDS election headquarters, the SDS is trying to avoid election disaster as they are aware of his detrimental actions, but that this will not help them. BANJALUKA The Alliance for Victory /SzP/ says that in June 2009, only a few months after Serbia declared its military neutrality, Nebojsa Radmanovic, the then chief Republika Srpska representative in Sarajevo, signed a formal request for NATO Membership Action Plan for BiH. FEDERATION OF BiH SARAJEVO The FBiH Association of Judges most vehemently condemns a text message, that is, death threats, sent to holders of highest judicial offices in BiH. /end/sg English15/08/2018 SRNA News Roundup /IV/ - August 15, 2018 REPUBLIKA SRPSKA BANJALUKA The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats /SNSD/ says that by claiming that the SNSD is pushing BiH to NATO, the Alliance for Change is merely trying to cover up its servility towards Sarajevo and foreign bosses because of whom they did not dare to take part in passing a strategic document the Resolution on Protection of Constitutional Order and Declaration of Srpskas Military Neutrality. BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA SARAJEVO The BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs last year spent KM 1,628,759 on official travels, says the auditors office. SARAJEVO The BiH Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations last year spent KM 62,850 on the use of official vehicles, says a report from the auditors office. SERBIA BELGRADE Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic says that he does not think that the statement by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said that there will be no change of borders in the Western Balkans, pertains to self-declared Kossovo. ZVECAN His Eminence the Bishop of Raska and Prizren, Teodosije, has said that we should not scare Serbs who survive in Kossovo under impossible conditions, keeping their faith and sacrifice of their ancestors. REGION THE HAGUE The Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals at The Hague plans to pronounce a final judgment in the case of former Republika Srpska President Radovan Karadzic in December, it was said today at a status conference at The Hague, which was presided by Judge Theodor Meron. /end/sg JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In 2015, a young software engineer named Faten Ghriss went to the U.S. on an exchange programme and left as a young entrepreneur. She was inspired to build something that would affect real change in her home country of Tunisia when she saw the stark difference in education standards and accessibility between Tunisia and the USA. Ghriss started Young Tunisian Coders Academy and her passion prompted recognition by the Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa programme. Ghriss explains: Tunisia is still behind when it comes to education and access to educational tools. In many cases, we only start teaching children about computers when theyre 16 years old and this is too late. I believe that it is essential that we show them how important technology is to their futures, today. It is a powerful tool will provide them with career opportunities and help us solve challenges in our country. Young Tunisian Coders Academy teaches children about coding and technology through interactive and engaging courses and training programmes. It aims to take away the fears and negative perceptions that many children in Tunisia have around technology and coding, instead igniting their interest in a positive and engaging environment. The Academy directly addresses this issue by providing coding camps for kids which we have taken across Tunisia, says Ghriss. We use Scratch, an interactive coding tool that teaches the basics and logics of coding. We have also developed private classes that provide us with the income we need to develop classes for children in areas that cannot afford these classes. Young Tunisian Coders Academy has been running for nearly two years and the recognition from the Obama Foundation is pivotal to its growth and expansion. It is an opportunity for Ghriss to learn from her peers and take her business to new levels and into new markets. The Obama Foundation helps us to maintain our initiative and is filled with people who support us through networking and partnerships, concludes Ghriss. With this level of support and engagement, we believe that anything is possible, that we can take Young Tunisian Coders Academy to even more children in even more areas that need this level of education. TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nutritional High International Inc. (the Company or Nutritional High) (CSE: EAT, OTCQB: SPLIF, FRANKFURT: 2NU) would like to congratulate Aura Health Inc. (Aura) (CSE: BUZZ) for their listing approval and commencement of trading on Thursday, August, 15th under the symbol BUZZ. As a major shareholder in Aura, Nutritional High is pleased to see the achievement of this major corporate milestone. Aura is engaged in the acquisition and management of marijuana service businesses and currently holds minority interests in 4 medical marijuana clinics in Arizona, Nevada and Florida. Its long-term goal is to build an international network of vertically integrated businesses in the medical marijuana field. Jim Frazier, the CEO of Nutritional High, commented, This milestone for Aura is a key aspect of their growth plan and overall corporate strategic vision. Nutritional High has no doubt that Aura will continue to enhance and provide shareholder value to their current network and future potential investors through continued execution of their business plan and growth organically and M&A where applicable. Chris Carl, President and CEO of Aura, added, We are very pleased to be listing on the CSE and look forward to executing our corporate strategy with the greater profile that comes from being publicly traded. Nutritional High has been a key supporter of Aura and I look forward to a continued strong relationship between the two companies. About Nutritional High International Inc. Nutritional High is focused on developing, manufacturing and distributing products under recognized brands in the cannabis products industry, with a specific focus on edibles and oil extracts for medical and adult recreational use. The Company works exclusively through licensed facilities in jurisdictions where such activity is permitted and regulated by state law. The Company follows a vertically integrated model with a fully developed strategy for acquisitions in extraction, production, sales, and distribution sectors of the cannabis industry. Nutritional High has brought its flagship FLI edibles and extracts product line from production to market in California through its wholly owned distributor Calyx Brands Inc., and Colorado where its products are manufactured by a licensed producer. The Company also owns a 50% interest in The Clinic Effingham (an Illinois dispensary), and is entering the Nevada, Washington State, Oregon and Canadian markets in the near future. For updates on the Companys activities and highlights of the Companys press releases and other media coverage, please follow Nutritional High on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and Google+ or visit www.nutritionalhigh.com . For further information, please contact: David Posner Chairman of the Board Nutritional High International Inc. 647-985-6727 Email: dposner@nutritionalhigh.com NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR OTC MARKETS GROUP INC., NOR THEIR REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDERS HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. The statements relate to potential market expansion and the use of the proceeds of the Offering. Risks that may have an impact on the ability for these events to be achieved include completion of due diligence, negotiation of definitive agreements and receipt of applicable approvals. Although such statements are based on managements reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be correct. We assume no responsibility to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. The Companys securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or U.S. Persons, as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. 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 the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Companys actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking information expressed in this press release include, but are not limited to: obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals including acquiring and renewing U.S. state, local or other licenses, the uncertainty of existing protection from U.S. federal or other prosecution, regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. state-law legalization, market and general economic conditions of the cannabis sector or otherwise. The tweet heard round the world To hear Beth Wilensky tell it, donating airline frequent flyer miles to help reunite refugee children who had been separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexican border was an easy gesture tikkun olam, helping to repair the world. Never did she expect her tweet about it would go viral, as in it being retweeted more than 31,000 times, with many asking, How can I do this, too? I am beyond stunned, said Wilensky, who graduated from Ladue high in 1991, celebrated her bat mitzvah at Congregation Shaare Emeth and now lives with her family in Ann Arbor, Mich., where she is a law professor at the University of Michigan. There are a lot of people doing a tremendous amount of work to help these families, she added. I feel a little uncomfortable getting this much attention for what feels, relative to what other people are doing, a small thing. ADVERTISEMENT Wilensky had become part of a grassroots effort called Michigan Support Circle, which looks to help families affected by the Trump administrations border separation policy. She explained that 53 children taken from their parents wound up in Michigan because the federal government has a contract with a social service agency in the western part of the state. My husband travels a lot, Wilensky posted on Twitter. Downside: hes gone a lot. Upside: frequent flyer miles. We just used some to fly a 3-year-old and his dad, who had been separated at the border, from Michigan (where the son had been taken) to their extended family. She then asked people to DM (direct message) her if they had miles to donate. I thought maybe I would get a handful, but it just snowballed, said Wilensky, adding that in the past week, multiple media outlets have interviewed her, including CNN, ABC, CNBC, Buzzfeed, Business Insider and Travel & Leisure magazine. In addition to Michigan Support Circle, Wilensky directed people to a two-year-old nonprofit called Miles4Migrants (www.Miles4migrants.org), which relies on donated frequent flyer miles and money to reunite refugees worldwide who have been separated from their families because of war and persecution. In the first year and a half of their existence, this organization received 1.5 million miles total, said Wilensky. This week alone, (after her tweet went viral), they received 13 million miles. One of the co-founders of Miles4Migrants told Buzzfeed that with these donations, the organization expects to help about 400 people and reunite them with their families. Wilensky, by the way, is the daughter of Kent and Debbie Hirschfelder of St. Louis. Lynnies light for life Lynne Isaacs Palan passed away in April at age 50, but her legacy lives on in the hearts of family and friends. Palan served the St. Louis Jewish community both as a dogged volunteer and professional before succumbing to breast cancer. She battled it hard and fiercely, and was generous about sharing her story when I interviewed her while working on a series for the Light on hereditary breast and ovarian cancer and the BRCA genes. As a way of remembering not only Palan, but also supporting the Jewish organizations who help women in their fight against these cancers, Palans family, Nishmah and the Jewish Community Center invite the community to participate in Lynnies Light for Life at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 5 at the Js Day Camp Pavilion. The date was chosen to coincide with Palans birthday, Sept. 6. Lynnie loved her birthday. Last September we threw a bash in honor of her 50th, said Debbie Kaminer, who is Palans sister. The most memorable part of the celebration was when everyone launched a wish lantern into the sky. We knew that we wanted to keep Lynnies memory alive in a meaningful way. It seemed only fitting to create an event that would happen annually on Lynnies birth day, bringing light to some darker issues and to benefit the community that she cared for the most. Palan championed the work of Nishmah: The St. Louis Jewish Womens Project and Sharsheret Supports, which helps women and families of all Jewish backgrounds facing breast and ovarian cancer. Proceeds from Lynnies Light for Life will help to ensure Sharsheret Supports is there for women in all stages of breast and ovarian cancer from understanding ones hereditary risk to grappling with a diagnosis to undergoing treatment. The Sept. 5 event includes a reception, tribute to Palan and a special lantern lighting to honor her and her commitment to those in need. To attend and/or contribute, visit Jccstl.com/lynnie and register by Aug. 24. Entry to the event is free and open to all ages. Donations of any amount are accepted. To participate in the lighting ceremony, wish lanterns are available for purchase with a tax-deductible donation of $100 per lantern. Lanterns will be distributed and dedicated in honor or memory of loved ones the night of the event. Those unable to attend are encouraged to purchase wish lanterns to be included in the community display. For more information, contact Shira Kraft, director of Nishmah, at 314-442-3111 or [email protected] Parties with purpose Two of my favorite ladies, Sheri Sherman and Faith Berger, seem to be beyond busy. Both are serving as co-chairs for two upcoming fundraisers, each within a few days of the other. First up: Midwest Childrens Burn Camp, which provides a free, weeklong summer camp experience to youngsters 6 to 17 who have been hospitalized for severe burns. The two are co-chairing the fundraiser, along with Rachel Weiss Kalina and Amanda Winters, which begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, at Neiman Marcus. Tickets start at $75. Among the highlights is a fashion show; KTVI Channel 2s Jasmine Huda will serve as emcee. For details and more information, call 314-939-1550 or go to Brsg.org. The second event also takes place at Neiman-Marcus and features Huda as emcee. Beauty Buzz, an annual fundraiser organized by the St. Louis Press Club, raises money for scholarships for local journalism students. Chaired by Sherman, Berger, Ellen Soule and Miran Halen, Beauty Buzz takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15. Expect mimosas, light bites and demonstrations from beauty experts, along with free samples and the chance to win some cool prizes. Tickets are $60 for adults, $20 for students. For tickets and more information, call 314-449-8029 or go to www.stlpressclub.org. Music to your eyes In case youre missing Jewish Federations major donor event Sunday with iconic jazz trumpeter Herb Alpert and his wife, Lani Hall, you can still view his art. A selection of works from the Herb Alpert: A Visual Melody exhibition will be on display in the Grand Hall at the Grandel, 3610 Grandel Square, Aug. 17-19. The exhibit consists of abstract mixed-media paintings and large and small-scale bronze sculptures by Alpert, who is a prolific artist as well as an eight-time Grammy Award winning musician. An opening reception will be held from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 17. The exhibition will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18 and from 6:30-7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 19. News and Schmooze is a weekly column by Editor Ellen Futterman. Email Ellen at: [email protected]thejewishlight.com NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via CryptoCurrencyWire -- CryptoCurrencyWire (CCW), a multifaceted financial news and publishing company, today announces its participation at Coinvention 2018 Philadelphia as a Gold Sponsor and official NewsWire of the two-day conference. Scheduled to take over the historic Loews Philadelphia Hotel in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Aug. 30-31, 2018, Coinvention is attracting an impressive docket of blockchain and crypto investors, entrepreneurs and visionaries in addition to some of the biggest names in the industry as speakers, exhibitors and sponsors. CCW is leveraging a powerful financial news and content distribution network to elevate blockchain and crypto brands via a full array of corporate communications solutions. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of professional writers, CCW is uniquely positioned to best serve companies and activists in the space seeking to stand out with investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. Coinventions team is offering an exciting opportunity to network, collaborate and share insight into the rapidly expanding blockchain and crypto ecosystem. Were excited to bring our expertise to the table as the official newswire for the conference and support this great event as a gold sponsor, said Jonathan Keim, Communications Director of CryptoCurrencyWire. CryptoCurrencyWire is raising the visibility of blockchain technology through the use of its results-tested platform of professionally produced articles, extensive social distribution network, and deep knowledge of the blockchain and crypto space. Conference participants will also have the opportunity to take advantage of CCWs expertise to inform the media and other blockchain/crypto news junkies of their presence at this unique event. Coinvention organizers have designed the conference to energize attendees with an innovative and diverse selection of top-tier speakers and influencers. Presentations will be segmented with 3-4 keynote speakers followed by Q&As, panel discussions, eight STO/ICO spotlight presentations and a live, broadcasted Hackathon, complete with prizes and the chance to present in front of investors and thought leaders in the blockchain/crypto world. About Coinvention Coinvention 2018 is scheduled for Aug. 30-31 at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This event brings two days of pinnacle networking, learning, collaboration and growth for the entrepreneur, venture capitalist, developer, crypto-enthusiast, and everyone else excited about blockchains promise to redesign the future. To learn more and register for Coinvention 2018 Philadelphia, visit https://coinvention.io Follow Coinvention on Twitter: https://twitter.com/coinventionio Like Coinvention on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coinvention.io Engage visually on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coinvention/ About CryptoCurrencyWire (CCW) CryptoCurrencyWire is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with CCW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, CCW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in todays market, CCW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. CryptoCurrencyNewsWire is where news, content and information converge via crypto. For more information, please visit https://www.CryptoCurrencyWire.com Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CryptoCurrencyWire (CCW) website applicable to all content provided by CCW, wherever published or re-published: http://CCW.fm/Disclaimer CONTACT INFORMATION CryptoCurrencyWire 1324 Lexington Ave. New York, NY 10128 www.CryptoCurrencyWire.com (212) 418-1217 Editor@CryptoCurrencyWire.com Wentworth Resources Limited : Half Year Financial Statements and MD&A PRESS RELEASE 16 August 2018 Wentworth Resources Limited ("Wentworth" or the "Company") Half Year Financial Statements and MD&A Wentworth Resources Limited, the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE: WRL) and London Stock Exchange (AIM: WRL) listed independent, East Africa-focused oil & gas company, today announces its results for the quarter and six months ended 30 June 2018. The following should be read in conjunction with the Q2 2018 Management Discussion and Analysis and Financial Statements which are available on the Company's website at http://www.wentworthresources.com. Corporate Wentworth's share of Tanzanian Proved + Probable (2P) reserves valued at $159.6 million (after-tax NPV10) on 2P reserves of 115.1 Bscf, as at December 31, 2017 and independently verified by RPS; Company continues to progress its Canada to UK re-domicile and Oslo Brs delisting plans; UK based management team in place following relocation of corporate headquarters from Calgary, Canada to London, UK. CFO Katherine Roe appointed April 1, 2018; CEO Eskil Jersing appointed June 25, 2018. Financial Achieved milestone Mnazi Bay gas sales revenue of $10.79 million, 112% higher compared to H1 2017 of $5.10 million; Improved EBITDA by 229% to $4.18 million compared to H1 2017; Net loss of $6.5 million (H1 2017: $1.66 million), including a non-cash deferred tax expense of $8.68 million; Cash and cash equivalents on hand of $4.04 million (December 2017: $3.75 million) as at June 30, 2018; Working capital of $15.45 million (December 2017: $15.14 million); Reduced outstanding long-term loans by $2.67 million during the first half of 2018; Carrying value of long-term loans $13.11 million (December 2017: $15.90 million); Development capital expenditures of $0.69 million on field infrastructure (tie-in) improvements in the Mnazi Bay Concession in Tanzania; Exploration capital expenditures of $0.98 million on the Tembo Appraisal License in Mozambique; G&A expense of $5.15 million including non-recurring expenses $2.92 million and recurring G&A of $2.23 million (H1 2017: $2.01 million); Non-recurring expenses includes, management re-structuring costs of $0.83 million comprising Calgary employee severance and travel expenses related to corporate re-structuring; redomicile costs of $0.34 million comprising consultancy, legal and professional charges and; Tanzanian tax assessments of $1.75 million for the years of 2013 to 2016. Operational Tanzania Average gross daily gas production for the period increased 115% to 79.3 MMscf/d from 36.9 MMscf/d in H1 2017; above current annual 2018 guidance of 65-75 MMscf/d. Exited H1 2018 with a new high daily gas production rate of 89 MMscf/d; Production ramp up due to Kinyerezi-I and Ubungo-II power stations ope Rating at near full capacity, commissioning of the Kinyerezi-II gas-fired power station during Q4 2017, increasing growth in demand from Industrial customers and lower quantities of gas supplied by industry competitors; Low operating expense costs of $ 0.43 / Mscf (H1 2017: $1.16 / Mscf) leveraging increased production volumes; Received total cash payments of $12.97 million from gas sales and recovery of long-term government receivables during the first half of 2018; Regular monthly payments for gas sales continue to be received. As at June 30, 2018 six invoices for gas sales to TPDC were outstanding, with the increase in receivables being accounted for by the increase in gas sales in the outstanding months. Post June 30, 2018, TPDC has paid three invoices. Mozambique A 12-month extension of the Tembo Appraisal License was granted by Instituto Nacional de Petroleo ("INP") on June 16, 2018; During the first six months of 2018 above ground security continued to be a concern, especially in the Mocimboa da Praia and Palma regions. The Company continues to monitor the situation; Wentworth continues to seek a risk sharing partner, whilst in parallel advancing its technical studies, with a focus on commercial and monetisation options. Work continues on a subsurface review on materiality thresholds, reservoir properties and economic flow rate potential. Eskil Jersing, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "The first half of 2018 has seen Wentworth make material progress on Mnazi Bay Production growth, receipt of revenues and long term receivables, deleveraging of our balance sheet and redomicile of the Company to the UK. In particular, we have exited Q2 2018 with milestone production of 89 MMcf/d on Mnazi bay. Further, we have fully transitioned the Management team from Calgary to the UK and continue to make strides towards a simpler, cheaper, efficient and more robust platform for growth. We have a strong and empowered team across the Company, all working diligently on maximising the value of our assets and towards a leaner operating model. I look forward to continuing to help unlock the latent value in our core Mnazi Bay asset and sharing progress on our path to value with all our shareholders." Enquiries: Wentworth Eskil Jersing, Chief Executive Officer eskil.jersing@wentworthresources.com +44 7717 847623 Katherine Roe, Chief Financial Officer katherine.roe@wentworthresources.com +44 7841 087 230 Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited AIM Nominated Adviser and Broker (UK) Callum Stewart Ashton Clanfield +44 (0) 20 7710 7600 GMP FirstEnergy Broker (UK) Hugh Sanderson Jonathan Wright +44 (0) 20 7448 0200 Peel Hunt LLP Broker (UK) Richard Crichton Ross Allister +44 (0) 20 7418 8900 FTI Consulting Communications Adviser (UK) Sara Powell Molly Steward wentworth@fticonsulting.com +44 (0) 20 3727 1000 Financial Statements The following primary statements have been extracted from the H1 2018 unaudited consolidated financial statements which are located on the Company's website at www.wentworthresources.com. WENTWORTH RESOURCES LIMITED Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Statement of Financial Position United States $000s, unless otherwise stated June 30, 2018 December 31, 2017 ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 4,043 3,750 Trade and other receivables 20,591 13,322 Prepayments and deposits 204 191 TPDC receivables 8,704 15,550 33,542 32,813 Non-current assets Tanzania Government receivables 4,959 4,959 Exploration and evaluation assets 48,903 47,921 Property, plant and equipment 87,804 90,336 Deferred tax asset 22,073 30,751 163,739 173,967 Total assets 197,281 206,780 LIABILITIES Current liabilities Trade and other payables 6,011 5,726 Overdraft credit facility 2,500 2,500 Current portion of long-term loans 7,936 7,260 Other liability 1,646 2,189 18,093 17,675 Non-current liabilities Long-term loans 5,170 8,636 Decommissioning provision 917 865 6,087 9,501 Equity Share capital 416,426 416,426 Equity reserve 26,516 26,490 Accumulated deficit (269,841) (263,312) 173,101 179,604 Total liabilities and equity 197,281 206,780 WENTWORTH RESOURCES LIMITED Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Statement of Comprehensive Loss United States $000s, unless otherwise stated Six months ended June 30, 2018 2017 Total revenue 10,792 5,096 Operating expenses Production and operating (1,470) (1,813) General and administrative (2,228) (2,014) Tanzanian withholding tax costs (1,750) - Management restructuring costs (832) - Redomicile costs (335) - Depreciation and depletion (3,220) (1,548) Share based compensation (26) (145) Profit/(loss) from operations 931 (424) Finance income 2,053 991 Finance costs (671) (2,449) Profit/(loss) before tax 2,313 (1,882) Current tax expense (164) - Deferred tax (expense)/recovery (8,678) 227 (8,842) 227 Net loss and comprehensive loss (6,529) (1,655) Net loss per ordinary share Basic and diluted (US$/share) (0.04) (0.01) WENTWORTH RESOURCES LIMITED Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Statement of Changes in Equity United States $000s, unless otherwise stated Number of shares Share capital Equity reserve Accumulated deficit Total equity $ $ $ $ Balance at December 31, 2016 169,534,969 411,493 26,275 (261,857) 175,911 Net loss and comprehensive loss - - - (1,655) (1,655) Share based compensation - - 145 - 145 Issued of share capital 16,953,496 5,527 - - 5,527 Share issue costs, net of tax - (594) - - (594) Balance at June 30, 2017 186,488,465 416,426 26,420 (263,512) 179,334 Balance at December 31, 2017 186,488,465 416,426 26,490 (262,566) 180,350 IFRS 9 transitional adjustment - - - (746) (746) Net loss and comprehensive loss - - - (6,529) (6,529) Share based compensation - - 26 - 26 Balance at June 30, 2018 186,488,465 416,426 26,516 (269,841) 173,101 WENTWORTH RESOURCES LIMITED Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Statement of Cash Flows United States $000s, unless otherwise stated Six months ended June 30, 2018 2017 Operating activities Net loss for the year (6,529) (1,655) Adjustments for: Depreciation and depletion 3,220 1,548 Finance (income)/costs, net (1,382) 1,458 Deferred tax expense/(recovery) 8,678 (227) Share based compensation 26 145 4,013 1,269 Change in non-cash working capital: Trade and other receivables (3,779) (1,503) Prepayments and deposits (14) 12 Trade and other payables 807 (360) Net cash generated from/(utilized in) operating activities 1,027 (582) Investing activities Additions to exploration and evaluation assets (982) (950) Additions to property, plant and equipment (932) (391) Reduction of long-term receivable 5,407 2,400 Proceeds from sale of office assets 3 Net cash from investing activities 3,496 1,059 Financing activities Issue of share capital, net of issue costs - 4,933 Principal payments (2,666) (2,014) Debt restructuring fee - (83) Drawn on overdraft credit facility - 558 Interest paid (1,021) (966) Payment of other liability (543) (51) Net cash (used in)/from financing activities (4,230) 2,377 Net change in cash and cash equivalents 293 2,854 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period 3,750 979 Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period 4,043 3,833 About Wentworth Resources Wentworth Resources is a publicly traded (OSE:WRL, AIM:WRL), independent oil & gas company with: natural gas production; exploration and appraisal opportunities; and large-scale gas monetisation initiatives, all in the Rovuma Delta Basin of coastal southern Tanzania and northern Mozambique. Inside Information The information contained within this announcement is deemed by Wentworth to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) no. 596/2014 ("MAR"). On the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service ("RIS"), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements This press release may contain certain forward-looking information. The words "expect", "anticipate", believe", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "intend", "forecast", "plan", and similar expressions are used to identify forward looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made in light of management's experience, current conditions and expected future development in the areas in which Wentworth is currently active and other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Wentworth undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcome will not occur, including some of which are beyond Wentworth's control. These assumptions and risks include, but are not limited to: the risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general such as operational risks in exploration, development and production, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures, the imprecision of resource and reserve estimates, assumptions regarding the timing and costs relating to production and development as well as the availability and price of labour and equipment, volatility of and assumptions regarding commodity prices and exchange rates, marketing and transportation risks, environmental risks, competition, the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources and changes in applicable law. Additionally, there are economic, political, social and other risks inherent in carrying on business in Tanzania and Mozambique. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could vary or differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. See Wentworth's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2017, available on Wentworth's website, for further description of the risks and uncertainties associated with Wentworth's business. Notice Neither the Oslo Stock Exchange nor the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange has reviewed this press release and neither accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Wentworth Resources Limited via Globenewswire 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. 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. National real estate technology company hires 116 people so far this year RENO, Nev., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clear Capital today announced Sheila Ryan has joined the company as Chief People Officer. The company also announced it has hired 116 people in 2018, with 67 of those new hires based out of its Reno headquarters. Were thrilled to welcome Sheila to the Clear Capital team, said Kevin Marshall, Clear Capitals president. Shes a leader who knows how to care for, and foster the growth of, our most valuable strength: our people. As we grow and continue to design innovative, more delightful ways to serve our customers, Sheila will ensure the strong values and convention-breaking culture we hold dear at Clear Capital remain deeply ingrained in our work. Clear Capital is a true pioneer in the real estate technology industry, and it didnt get to where it is today without a laser focus on hiring the best people, Ryan said. In 17 years, the company has grown from two to more than 500 people across the country, and Im incredibly excited to be joining a team of innovators who have no plans of slowing down any time soon. Before joining Clear Capital, Ryan served as vice president, global people and workplace for Glu Mobile, a multimillion-dollar, 750-person mobile game developer. Earlier in her career, Sheila led human resources and culture efforts at multiple companies, including Practice Fusion, CBS Interactive and CNET Networks. For information about job opportunities with Clear Capital, visit careers.clearcapital.com. About Clear Capital Clear Capital provides technology-driven intelligence to the nation's top financial institutions to improve real estate decision-making. Clear Capital's valuation, analytics and platform solutions are built upon its comprehensive and proprietary database of more than 45 years of information on nearly every U.S. property, and trusted by community credit unions and leading, billion-dollar institutions alike. Clear Capital is headquartered in Reno, Nevada and employs more than 500 people nationwide. Discover more at www.clearcapital.com. Media Contact Matt Lush Clear Capital 530-550-2588 matt.lush@clearcapital.com Since August 2016 Turkish troops have been fighting in northern Syria in an effort to gain control of the Syrian side of the border. The main object here is to clear the Syrian side of the border of armed groups that fire into Turkey and assist in smuggling operations. By mid-2018 the Turks had taken control of about 3,800 square kilometers of northern Syria, mostly in Aleppo province (north of the city of Aleppo). Originally the Turks were intent on chasing ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) factions from the border. By 2017 all the ISIL forces were gone from the border, largely due to the efforts of American backed Kurdish forces (the SDF). The westernmost border province, Idlib, is largely controlled by Syrian rebel forces. But the Turks have established fortified outposts on the Syrian side of the border with Idlib and the Turkish side of the Idlib border occupied by Turkish border guards, soldiers and police and heavily patrolled. Most of the Turkish forces in the Turkish controlled part of Syria are not Turkish but various factions of the FSA (Free Syrian Army). Turkey is trying, with mixed success, to turn FSA into a reliable paramilitary force that is loyal to Turkey Nominal strength of this FSA forces is about 10,000 Arab and Turkoman Syrians. The Turks only have a few thousand of their own troops and police in Syria and are trying to gain more control over the FSA, which consists of dozens of factions that vary a great deal in their reliability and combat capability. Nevertheless, the FSA, provided with uniforms, weapons, advisors and support (pay, benefits and medical care), have fought well and about 85 percent of the Turkish casualties in the Turkish controlled area have been suffered by the FSA forces. Turkey does not want to get involved in large-scale military operations in Syria and is especially keen to keep Turkish casualties down. So far about 125 Turkish troops have died in Syria, in addition to over 700 FSA fighters. Turkey has tried to control the FSA via the payroll, as the Turks offer regular pay for FSA men working with the Turkish army. The problem is the corruption in the FSA leadership. This has always been a problem and the main reason why the United States stopped supporting the smaller FSA force operating in southern Syria (with support from bases in Jordan). Not only did U.S. backed FSA leaders steal some of the money provided for pay and other support, but the FSA fighters would frequently sell weapons and equipment to black market dealers and claim it as lost in action. But more and more of these lost in action: weapons showed up in use by Islamic terrorist groups and that made it difficult for the Americans to justify support of the FSA. The Turks have exercised tighter control but even with that, it was difficult to keep track of who was who in the FSA units on the Turkish payroll. Eventually, if the Turks do establish a border security zone on the Syrian side they plan to put all FSA members through two months of training, conducted by the Turks and subject these new FSA units to more scrutiny. In March 2018 Turkey announced it would offer Turkish citizenship to the families of FSA rebels killed while supporting Turkish operations in Syria. Families also receive a free apartment and a $12,000 payment plus reduced monthly payment to take care of widows and orphans or, for unmarried men, his parents. FSA rebels who are disabled in combat now have the option to become a Turkish citizen. The disabled also receive a $3,800 payment and a monthly pension. FSA fighters already receive pay and other support from Turkey as well as medical treatment in Turkish medical hospitals. Most of the Turkish forces fighting in Syria are and will continue to be FSA and most of these have families living as refugees in Turkey. The Turks cant take direct control of the FSA units because what holds these many FSA factions together are the men who organized and lead them. There has always been a degree of mistrust and antagonism between Arabs and Turks and that is still a problem for the Turks. In fact, theres an old Turkish saying, going back centuries, that translates as Dont involve yourself with the affairs of the Arabs. In Syria, the Turkish officers and troops are constantly reminded why that old saying is still valid. CHICAGO, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SwipeSense, a Chicago-based healthcare technology company, announces the launch of Asset Tracking on the SwipeSense Platform. In line with the company mission to enable hospitals to deliver the most efficient and safest care possible, Asset Tracking allows staff to instantly locate and track equipment they need. An average US hospital loses up to $4,000 worth of equipment per staffed patient bed every year. Not only does that have a fiscal impact, but this equipment is often critical to patient outcomes. To address this challenge, hospital Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) have been available for over 15 years from legacy providers. Due to the cost, complexity and poor accuracy of these systems, fewer than 1/5th of US hospitals leverage RTLS for tracking their medical assets, despite the overwhelming clinical, financial and operational benefits. SwipeSense identified the challenges associated with existing technologies and set out to create a fully-managed Asset Tracking system, with room-level accuracy for a fraction of the cost of current offerings, states Yuri Malina, vice president of product at SwipeSense. With the launch of this new product, RTLS is no longer reserved for facilities with the latest IT infrastructure or massive capital budgets. With SwipeSense Asset Tracking, hospitals can: Decrease costs materials management can reduce asset loss and optimize purchasing or rental decisions with tagged assets. Increase staff productivity clinicians can locate the right equipment at the right time with room-level location accuracy. Create a safer patient experience biomed can achieve 100% preventative maintenance and recall compliance with an intuitive dashboard. Asset Tracking joins SwipeSenses industry leading Hand Hygiene application on the SwipeSense Platform. Both applications leverage a shared hardware infrastructure allowing facilities to add new applications on top of an existing implementation without having to replace existing devices. The work on hand hygiene with SwipeSense over the preceding two years gave us great confidence that they could extend the technology successfully to Asset Tracking, stated Mark Zielazinski, Chief Information & Technology Integration Officer at Marin General Hospital. Hospitals are already seeing an impact with the solution. Over the years our facility had looked at purchasing an Asset Tracking system from various legacy vendors, but the cost was always astronomical, admits Zielazinski. SwipeSense was able to provide a superior offering, at a fraction of the cost of previous proposals, making it an absolute no-brainer. Weve since implemented the product house-wide tagging over 1,400 assets and are already seeing the results. For more information about Asset Tracking visit: www.swipesense.com/asset-tracking About SwipeSense SwipeSense is on a mission to help hospitals deliver the most efficient and safest care possible. Armed with accurate measurement and insights via intuitive dashboards, leading hospitals are using SwipeSense to improve operational efficiency and deliver a predictable patient experience. www.swipesense.com HAMILTON, BERMUDA, August 16, 2018 - DHT Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:DHT) ("DHT," or the "Company") announced today that it has entered into separate, privately negotiated exchange agreements with certain holders of its outstanding 4.5% Convertible Senior Notes due 2019 (the "Existing Notes") to exchange approximately $67.5 million aggregate principal amount of the Existing Notes for approximately $74.2 million aggregate principal amount of the Company's new 4.5% Convertible Senior Notes due 2021 (the "Exchange Notes" and such transactions, the "Private Exchanges"). The Company also announced that it has entered into private placement purchase agreements with investors to issue approximately $44.7 million aggregate principal amount of the Company's new 4.5% Convertible Senior Notes due 2021 (the "New Notes" and, together with the Exchange Notes, the "2021 Notes"; such transactions, the "Private Placement") for gross proceeds of approximately $41.6 million. The Company expects to use the net proceeds of the Private Placement for general corporate purposes. Upon the completion of the Private Exchanges and Private Placement, the aggregate principal amount of 2021 Notes outstanding would be approximately $119.0 million. The 2021 Notes will be senior unsecured obligations of the Company and rank pari passu with all of DHT's other senior unsecured debt, including the Existing Notes, and senior to all of its present and future subordinated debt. The 2021 Notes will bear interest at a rate of 4.5% per annum on the principal amount accruing from August 21, 2018. Interest will be payable semiannually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year, beginning on February 15, 2019. Interest is computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months. The 2021 Notes will mature on August 15, 2021, unless earlier converted, redeemed or repurchased in accordance with their terms. The 2021 Notes are convertible at the option of the holder and may be converted at any time prior to the business day immediately preceding the maturity date of the 2021 Notes as specified in the indenture that will govern the 2021 Notes (the "Indenture"). Upon conversion of the 2021 Notes, holders will receive shares of the Company's common stock. The initial conversion price will be $6.2599 per share of common stock (equivalent to an initial conversion rate of 159.7470 shares of common stock per $1,000 aggregate principal amount of 2021 Notes), representing a premium of approximately 49% to the closing price of DHT's common stock on August 15, 2018, and will be subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments. In addition, holders who convert their 2021 Notes in connection with a make whole adjustment event (as defined in the Indenture) or a redemption occurring prior to the date that is one year before the maturity date may be entitled to a make-whole adjustment amount in the form of an increase in the conversion rate for 2021 Notes converted in connection with such make whole adjustment event or redemption. At any time prior to the date that is one year before the maturity date of the 2021 Notes, if the price of DHT's common stock has exceeded 130% of the conversion price for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) in the consecutive 30-day trading period ending on the trading day prior to the date of mailing of the notice of redemption, DHT has the right at any time to redeem some or all of the 2021 Notes at a redemption price of 100% of their principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. At any time during the year immediately preceding maturity, DHT has the right at any time to redeem some or all of the 2021 Notes at a redemption price of 100% of their principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. Holders of the 2021 Notes will have the right, at their option, to require the Company to repurchase such holders' notes if the Company undergoes a fundamental change (as defined in the Indenture), at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 2021 Notes on the fundamental change purchase date, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, such purchase date. The Private Exchanges and the Private Placement are each expected to close on or about August 21, 2018, subject in each case to customary closing conditions. The Company anticipates approximately $38.4 million aggregate principal amount of Existing Notes will remain outstanding following closing of the Private Exchanges. This press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy the 2021 Notes, nor shall there be any sale of the 2021 Notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful. The 2021 Notes and the common stock issuable upon conversion of the 2021 Notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction and may not be offered or sold absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements under the Securities Act. About DHT Holdings, Inc. DHT is an independent crude oil tanker company operating a fleet of crude oil tankers in the VLCC, Suezmax and Aframax segments. We operate through our wholly owned management companies in Oslo, Norway and Singapore. For further information: www.dhtankers.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements and information relating to the Company that are based on beliefs of the Company's management as well as assumptions, expectations, projections, intentions and beliefs about future events, in particular regarding the completion of the Private Exchanges and Private Placement and the use of proceeds of the Private Placement. When used in this document, words such as "believe," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," "forecast," "plan," "potential," "will," "may," "should" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. These statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements represent the Company's estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this press release and are not intended to give any assurance as to future results. For a detailed discussion of the risk factors that might cause future results to differ, please refer to the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 24, 2018. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release might not occur, and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. Contact Information Laila C. Halvorsen, CFO Phone: +1 441 299 4981 and +47 984 39 935 Email: lch@dhtankers.com TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aura Health Inc. (the "Company" or Aura) (CSE:BUZZ) is very pleased to announce the appointment of Daniel Cohen to the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately. Former CEO Chris Carl will continue to serve in his role as President and Corporate Secretary for Aura while Mr. Cohen assumes the role of CEO. Mr. Cohen has nearly 20 years of experience in the capital markets and most previously served as a partner and head of institutional equity sales at Beacon Securities. Prior to that, he held roles in institutional equity sales, investment banking and equity research at Wellington West Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets and HSBC Securities. Mr. Cohen holds an MBA in Finance from McGill University and is a CFA Charterholder. Mr. Cohen commented, I am very pleased to be joining Aura and look forward to driving the development and execution of our corporate strategy going forward. In addition to the companys core clinics business, we intend to devote significant time and effort to pursuing international opportunities in Medicinal cannabis which we believe offers tremendous opportunity for value creation. Chris Carl, President and Corporate Secretary added, We are very pleased to have Dan on board and look forward to leveraging his expertise and track record in steering Aura forward. Given our recent listing on the CSE, we believe the company is well positioned to capitalize on the current market demand for differentiated cannabis businesses and we look forward to Dan helping us develop that further at Aura. About Aura Health Inc. Aura, through its wholly-owned Delaware subsidiary, Green Global Properties Inc. ("Green Global"), has acquired a 30% interest in four entities operating four medical marijuana clinics in Las Vegas, Nevada; Mesa, Arizona; Tucson, Arizona and Hollywood, Florida. Green Global has an option to increase its interest in each such clinic (other than the Nevada clinic) from 30% to 51% exercisable within 18 months of the clinic opening. The Listing Statement describing the Corporation, Aura, the terms of the RTO Transaction and the business of the Corporation, prepared in accordance with applicable securities legislation, is available on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. For further information, please contact: Chris Carl, President and Secretary Aura Health Inc. (416) 312-9698 David Posner, Director and Chairman Aura Health Inc. (647) 985-6727 Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information: This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. Any such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "projects", "plans" and similar expressions. Forward looking information in this news release includes the following statements: (i) expected trading date on the CSE; (ii) management's belief that the listing on the CSE will increase pool of potential investors and bring other benefits, and (iii) managements plan to build an international network of vertical integrated businesses in the medical marijuana field. Certain information contained in this press release constitutes forward-looking information, which is information relating to future events or the Corporation's future performance and which is inherently uncertain. All information other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "budget", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "forecast", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe" and similar words or phrases (including negative variations) suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Forward-looking information contained in this press release includes, but is not limited to, final acceptance of the RTO Transaction by CSE and listing of the Corporation's shares. Forward-looking 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. The Corporation believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information contained in this press release. Some of the risks and other factors which could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information contained in this press release include, but are not limited to: the risks that the RTO Transaction and associated transactions will not be accepted by the CSE, and other risks included in the Listing Statement available at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof and the Corporation 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 otherwise required by law. Take A Mulligan: The Big 7-0 Here is the $64,000 question. Just exactly how old is old? In my teens, I figured it was about 35 but when I was getting close to that age, it ... TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greybrook Realty Partners Inc. announced today the successful closing of an equity investment by its managed issuer of $8,410,000 to acquire and oversee the development of a prime parcel of land located in Bowmanville, Ontario. Together with its developer partners, Cityzen Development Group and Tercot Communities, the firm intends to develop the land into a residential community consisting of over 140 homes, including single-detached homes, freehold townhomes and urban condominium townhomes. Bowmanville, located an hour east of Toronto, is the largest community in the Municipality of Clarington. Clarington, which is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Durham Region, has recently experienced an influx of new residents and businesses including Toyota Canada Inc.s new Eastern Canada Parts Distribution Centre, which is scheduled to open in 2019. The municipality is expected to continue its growth trend with approximately $14 billion worth of infrastructure investments underway, according to the Clarington Board of Trade and Office of Economic Development. The 16-acre development site, located east of Lambs Road on Concession Street East, affords convenient access to major highways, including the recently completed Highway 407 extension. In addition, the property is located within a 10-minute drive from the site of the future Bowmanville GO Station, which is scheduled to be complete by 2024. Expansion of the GO Transit Lakeshore East Corridor is expected to enhance transit connectivity for future residents and increase economic investment in the region. We have expanded our portfolio of investments in Durham Region with the acquisition of this property, which demonstrates the type of attractive residential development opportunities that the town of Bowmanville continues to offer. Bowmanville is an established community that is well-positioned to emerge as a major urban growth area, states Alex Riajskikh, Executive Director, Private Capital Markets, of Greybrook Realty Partners. We are thrilled to partner again with Cityzen and Tercot to deliver needed housing to this region, which has attracted significant public and private sector investment over the past several years. The portfolio of low-rise development holdings managed by Greybrook Realty Partners are projected to collectively result in the completion of over 10,000 ground-related homes in the Greater Golden Horseshoe region. About Greybrook Realty Partners Inc. Greybrook Realty Partners is a Toronto-based asset management firm that invests equity in large-scale development-based opportunities. Greybrook Realty Partners offers investors the unique opportunity to partner with leading North American real estate developers and share in value creation activities. Greybrook Realty Partners and its affiliates have invested in over 50 real estate projects in Greater Toronto Area, Greater Golden Horseshoe region, and South Florida markets. In aggregate, its real estate investment portfolio is expected to result in the development of over 32 million square feet of residential and commercial density, with an estimated completion value of $14 billion. This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on managements current expectations and are subject to known and unknown uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contemplated or implied by such forward-looking statements. Greybrook is under no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. For further information: Greybrook Realty Partners Inc. Sarah Mansour, Executive Director, Strategy & Corporate Development E: sarah.mansour@greybrook.com T: 416.322.9700 x551 Follow Greybrook on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/greybrook-realty-partners/ Follow @GreybrookRealty on Twitter: http://twitter.com/greybrookrealty Read the Greybrook blog: http://greybrook.com/realty/blog/ English Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Traditional) PLEASANTON, Calif. and HANGZHOU, China, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CBT Pharmaceuticals (CBT), a U.S. and China-based innovative biopharmaceutical company committed to becoming a leader in the discovery and development of oncology combination therapies, today announced a new global leadership structure and the appointment of Yuling Li, PhD as Senior Vice President, Process Development and Manufacturing. Earlier this year, Zhejiang CrownMab Biotech Co. Ltd. was established as a subsidiary of CBT in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, to develop combination oncology treatments for the China market and to work closely with our China partners. The Company has also gained significant support from the Zhejiang government toward expansion of CBTs footprint in Hangzhou. To spearhead CBTs international growth, Jonathan Wang, PhD, has become Global Chairman, Guo-Liang Yu, PhD, has assumed the role of Global Chief Executive Officer, and Sanjeev Redkar, PhD retains his role as Global President. With our U.S. headquarters and subsidiaries in China and Australia, we have expanded our global footprint as we seek to offer cutting-edge clinical trials and treatment regimens for cancer patients worldwide, stated Guo-Liang Yu, PhD, Global Chief Executive Officer. We are committed to building a state of the art manufacturing capability in China to supply antibodies globally that Dr. Li will oversee. With over 25 years of biopharmaceutical development experience and an outstanding pedigree, she is a tremendous addition to our organization. Dr. Li has a proven track record advancing assets from early clinical stage through regulatory approval and ultimately to commercialization. Her scientific and organizational leadership skills are a perfect fit as we expand our international presence and clinical trial portfolio, added Sanjeev Redkar, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBT Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Li will be responsible for the manufacturing and supply of CBTs global products and will oversee building of the manufacturing facility in Hangzhou, China. Dr. Li joins CBT from MedImmune/Astra Zeneca where she spent almost 10 years as a Research and Development Director and Fellow in BioPharmaceutical Development. In that role, she served as chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) team leader and provided strategic and scientific leadership across numerous biopharmaceutical process development and CMC activities. Previously, she spent 15 years at Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (now GlaxoSmithKline) with increasing roles and responsibilities. Dr. Li has been involved in four approved products, more than twenty development programs, has over forty publications, and is the primary inventor for seven issued patents. Dr. Li also has extensive exposure in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry as a recipient of multiple awards and as a member of several professional organizations. Dr. Li earned her PhD of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and her MSc of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey. She received her MSc of Biochemistry and BSc of Biological Science from Sun Yatsen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P. R. China. CBT has made meaningful progress over the past two years, and I am honored to join this team focused on developing novel treatment options for cancer patients. This is an exciting time for the Company and I look forward to supporting the pipeline development and growing our capabilities in China, added Yuling Li, PhD. About CBT Pharmaceuticals CBT Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an innovative biopharmaceutical company committed to becoming a global leader in the discovery and development of oncology combination therapies that harness the immune system and target specific molecular pathways to tame cancer. The companys existing pipeline consists of five development-stage assets including three novel, humanized monoclonal antibodies that restore the bodys immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells, and two targeted therapies against uncontrolled growth signaling pathways. For more information, please visit www.cbtpharma.com and follow us on Twitter @CBTpharma . Contact: Remy Bernarda Corporate Communications (415) 203-6386 Remy.Bernarda@cbtpharma.com TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Captor Capital Corp. (Captor or the Company) (CSE:CPTR; USOTC:NWURF; FRANKFURT:NMV) today announced that I-5 Holdings CEO John MacPhail will be representing Captor Capital at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Toronto, Canada, on Friday August 17, 2018. Mr. MacPhail will be participating in a 5:10pm panel discussion entitled Beyond the Grow: Executing on Unique Cannabis Business Ideas. Captor Capital resumed trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange on August 8th as cannabis focused investment company. Following a sale to seed roadmap, Captor is implementing a strategy of acquiring cash flowing or near cash flowing established companies with growth potential that require capital to scale. While the majority of the industry has been focused on acquiring and operating grow facilities as legalization spreads across North America, we feel there are tremendous growth and profit opportunities in setting up a branded sales infrastructure, particularly in high density markets such as California, said John MacPhail. I look forward to sharing Captors strategy at the Benzinga conference and to hearing my fellow panelists ideas and reasons for looking beyond the grow when investing in cannabis. Through partnership with top brands, such as MedMen, high value dispensary locations and cultivation operations, Captor seeks to capitalize upon the extensive network of industry relationships to provide its customers with a wide variety of products and a best in class experience. The primary strategic focus of Captor is to acquire established cannabis focused companies that require capital to scale. To efficiently engage Captors well-defined and deep pipeline of cultivation and dispensary targets, the Company will acquire them at favorable prices, and unlock the intrinsic value of these firms through operational enhancements. Captor is currently in the process of negotiating and documenting the acquisition of two additional retail dispensaries, one in Monterey Bay, CA and one in Silicon Beach, CA. Upon completion of these acquisitions, including Chai (Chai Cannabis Inc., Chai) for total considerations of US$6.1 million, Captor will hold a total of five retail cannabis dispensaries in California and will have positioned itself to become a dominant player in the California retail cannabis market. Its no secret that this is both an exciting and challenging time for the cannabis sector, said MacPhail. While there are great investment opportunities out there, it is a confusing market for the neophyte cannabis investor and there is too much focus on investing and not enough on generating revenues issues that we address directly with our turnkey cash generating investment strategy. John MacPhail is the founder and CEO of I-5 Holdings Ltd. and sits on the board of Mainstem Goods & Services. I-5 Holdings Ltd. is a Canadian cannabis company focused on the USA sector. Mr. MacPhail has been actively involved in the Cannabis sector for the past 3 years. Under his leadership the company acquired two dispensaries in California, and Captors interest in the two cultivation facilities in Washington State. MacPhail also created growth in a goods and services procurement company, and assisted in the opening of a laboratory in California. The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference is the premier gathering of cannabis entrepreneurs and investors in North America, offering an incredible opportunity to network, make deals, and learn from influencers, policymakers, and trailblazers at the Cannabis Capital Conference. About Captor Capital Captor Capital Corp. is a Canadian firm focused on the cannabis sector listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange, the OTC, and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. A vertically integrated cannabis company, Captor provides recreational and medical marijuana based products to consumers via its leading brands and dispensary locations. Listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange, the OTCUSA, and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Captor owns and operates advanced growing facilities which produce consistent high quality contaminant free marijuana for its customers, as well as other high demand cannabis based goods for consumption. The Company follows a strategy of acquiring cash flowing established companies and organizations with growth potential that require capital to scale. Captor currently has a number of revenue generating cannabis investments including two wholly owned branded MedMen dispensaries the world famous West Hollywood location and the showpiece Orange County dispensary in Santa Ana. Captor Capital is currently looking at additional revenue generating investments in the cannabis space and will be updating the market in due course. For further information, please contact Gavin Davidson Media Relations Captor Capital Corp. 705.446.6630 gavin@captorcapital.com Forward-Looking Statements NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. This press release contains or refers to forward-looking information, and is based on current expectations that involve a number of business risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to availability of investment opportunities, economic circumstances, market fluctuations and uncertainties, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, inflation, changes in exchange rates, and the other risks involved in the investment industry and junior capital markets. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update them or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances other than as required by law. English French OTTAWA, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a new report released by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), post-secondary students express their thoughts on binge drinking. Heavy Episodic Drinking among Post-secondary Students: Influencing Factors and Implications provides student views on heavy drinking and the major factors for participating in it, and addresses possible solutions and alternatives. Binge or heavy drinking, referred to technically as heavy episodic drinking, poses serious health and safety risks. Young adults, particularly post-secondary students, are more susceptible to these risks. However, student participants in the focus groups upon which this report is based generally did not recognize their drinking behaviours as harmful. This study demonstrates the extreme nature of binge drinking and its risks for students. It explores high-risk drinking consequences such as alcohol-induced blackouts and non-consensual sexual encounters, and drinking to cope with other issues such as stress and anxiety. Students also discussed how their experiences with alcohol changed over time as they learned to understand and manage their limits. Key findings and recommendations The frequently reported causes for participating in binge drinking include: The campus culture of drinking to socialize, have fun and be with friends; Peer pressure to keep up with others drinking through various activities, including drinking games and buying rounds of drinks; and Boredom and having nothing else to do. The students also proposed solutions to help curb participation in such behaviour. Their recommendations include: Educating students early and often about alcohol; Normalizing moderate drinking as a part of everyday life rather than condemning it; Finding fun alternatives for students in the evening rather than spending time at bars and clubs; and Eliminating risky behaviour through smart practices such as: Bringing a set amount of money to a bar or club, or a set amount of alcohol for pre-drinking occasions; Asking friends to monitor or stop their drinking after a specified amount; and Consuming non-alcoholic drinks during drinking occasions. The technical report, a report at a glance and a separate document of recommendations are available on the CCSA website. Quotes CCSA will continue to work with our partners on post-secondary campuses across Canada to reduce harms from alcohol. Student perspectives are invaluable in understanding and addressing this important issue. Bryce Barker, Knowledge Broker, CCSA The findings tell us that more needs to be done to help students better understand what the true risks of drinking are, particularly through more engaging methods of prevention and education. At a broader level, it may also be important to look at ways to modify the culture of student drinking. Shawna Meister, Research and Policy Analyst, CCSA Media contact Lee Arbon, Communications Advisor, CCSA Tel.: 613-235-4048, ext. 276 I Email: media@ccsa.ca I Twitter: @CCSAcanada CCSA was created by Parliament to provide national leadership to address substance use in Canada. A trusted counsel, we provide national guidance to decision makers by harnessing the power of research, curating knowledge and bringing together diverse perspectives. CCSA activities and products are made possible through a financial contribution from Health Canada. The views of CCSA do not necessarily represent the views of the Government of Canada. Coming Soon Join Columbia Childrens Theatre this October for the musical production of Ragtime! At the dawn of a new century, everything is changingand anything is possible. Set in the volatile melting... This week at Picnic in the Park Theres nothing better than great music and great companyin the best neighborhood around. Town Theatre will present a second series of concerts by some fantastic performers that have graced not... English French VALCOURT, Quebec, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BRP Inc. (TSX:DOO) will hold its second-quarter FY2019 financial results conference call on Thursday, August 30, 2018 at 9 a.m.(ET). Jose Boisjoli, president and chief executive officer, and Sebastien Martel, chief financial officer, will discuss the results and address questions from analysts on a conference call. The press release will be distributed on a Canadian newswire on Thursday, August 30, at approximately 6 a.m. (ET). For investors and analysts: Telephone 514-392-0235 or 800-564-3880 (toll-free in North America) Event code 4291408 Click here for international dial-in numbers Webcast Click here to access the webcast Business media are allowed to join the call but will not be permitted to ask questions. This webcast will also be live on the Internet here and accessible to media and interested participants. An archived recording will be available here two hours after the event for 30 days following the original broadcast. About BRP We are a global leader in the world of powersports vehicles and propulsion systems built on over 75 years of ingenuity and intensive consumer focus. Our portfolio of industry-leading and distinctive products includes Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft, Can-Am onand off-road vehicles, Alumacraft boats, Evinrude and Rotax marine propulsion systems as well as Rotax engines for karts, motorcycles and recreational aircraft. We support our lines of product with a dedicated parts, accessories and clothing business to fully enhance your riding experience. With annual sales of CA$4.5 billion from over 100 countries, our global workforce is made up of around 10,000 driven, resourceful people. www.brp.com @BRPNews Ski-Doo, Lynx, Sea-Doo, Evinrude, Rotax, Can-Am, Alumacraft, and the BRP logo are trademarks of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For information: Catherine Moreau Senior Advisor, Media Relations 514.231.2118 catherine.moreau@brp.com ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brands have evolved over centuries from simple tools for recognition to something much more nuanced and sophisticated in the modern age. Being an agile brand means taking part in a relationship with consumers. While this means giving up some control over your brand, it rewards you with loyal long-term customers. Yes& SVP Digital Greg Kihlstroms new book, The Agile Brand, follows the story of branding from its beginnings to the authentic relationship with brands that modern consumers want, and gives practical examples of what you can do to modernize your brand in meaningful ways. In my work at Yes&, I see the shifting consumer landscape and how it is affecting the dynamics between customers and the brands they choose to support, says Kihlstrom. This book discusses how successful organizations have embraced a two-way relationship with consumers and a more agile approach to growth. The Agile Brand is Greg Kihlstroms follow up to The Agile Web (2016), which explored how the agile methodology, when applied properly to digital marketing and website design, can create dramatic improvements in their efforts. In his follow-up, Kihlstrom explores how brands that embrace consumer feedback and form a reciprocal relationship with them prosper in the modern era of marketing. I have seen too many CMOs take a rinse and repeat approach to branding. They lean on their past successes to create the future, only to become irrelevant. The Agile Brand offers marketing leaders a break from the past. It showcases how juggernauts such as Netflix and Starbucks are embracing continual change, and rewriting the rules between brands and customers. Kihlstrom demonstrates how the brand of the future must allow customers to feel a sense of brand ownership while staying true to their values that make it authentic. Thats the true essence of mindful marketing. Lisa Nirell, award-winning author of The Mindful Marketer, speaker, and founder of EnergizeGrowth LLC The book features a foreword by Yes& President and CEO, Robert Sprague. The Agile Brand is available in print and as an ebook from Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and as an ebook from Apple Books. For more information about Greg Kihlstrom visit his bio on the Yes& Website. About Yes& Yes& is a performance-driven marketing agency designed to provide the depth, capacity, experience and expertise of a large communications firm, while retaining the agility, creativity, independence and spirit of a small business. The agency is based in the Washington, DC region and serves clients nationally. With specific expertise in healthcare, financial services, energy, transportation, real estate and homeland security, Yes& serves corporate, association and government clients with branding, digital, event production, marketing and public relations, and creative services. Learn more at www.yesandagency.com. For more information contact Yes& at marketing@yesandagency.com Yes&, 1700 Diagonal Road, Suite 450, Alexandria, VA 22314 Alexandria, Va, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To address the myriad of regulatory complexities and increased levels of scrutiny unique to the hospice provider community, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization has created the new Hospice Compliance Certificate Program a first of its kind from the organization, and a first for the field in terms of specificity regarding regulatory compliance. This certificate is the first component of a new, comprehensive compliance program under development at NHPCO which is expected to roll out more fully in 2019. Building on our expertise in the field and our extensive collection of regulatory resources, NHPCOs new compliance program will help good hospices move to great, struggling hospices to improve, and to get hospices that are not committed to operating a compliant program to improve or get out of the business, said NHPCO President and CEO Edo Banach. In development over the past year, the inaugural offering of the two-day certificate program will be November 3 4, one of the preconference offerings that are part of the organizations 2018 Interdisciplinary Conference (the main conference is November 5 through 7 at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans). The regulatory scrutiny that has focused on the Medicare hospice benefit and hospice providers in recent years is likely to continue into the foreseeable future, reports NHPCO. In addition to helping hospice providers achieve the highest levels of compliance, NHPCO is working to help the administration, regulators, media and other stakeholders gain a clearer picture of hospice access and delivery in the U.S. and a better understanding of the complexity of compliance within the field. Working in collaboration with the NHPCO Regulatory Committee, our skilled team has put together a hospice compliance certificate program that not only helps established compliance officers stay abreast of the latest issues but will help those new to compliance develop a solid foundation that will serve them well into the future, added Banach. Participants who successfully complete the certificate program will benefit from a detailed review of the federal hospice regulations including conditions of payment, conducting an internal audit, looking at organizational ethics related to compliance, and audit scrutiny. The importance of the Stark law, the Yates memo, anti-kickback statutes, and inducements for referrals and incentives for marketing will also be covered. The two-day course is unlike other offerings, its a must for all hospice professionals and offers hospice specific compliance content, up to the minute compliance updates, and clear application for their programs back home, said Judi Lund Person, NHPCO Vice President, Regulatory and Compliance. Continuing Education/Continuing Medical Education credit is available for compliance officers, nurses, physicians and social workers. For the agenda of the Hospice Compliance Certificate Program and to register for the offering on November 3 4, visit NHPCOs website. Additional Information on Compliance CHICAGO, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BrandMuscle, the leader in brand-to-one marketing and innovator of the BrandMuscle integrated marketing platform, announced today that it has been named a finalist in the Digiday Technology Awards. LocationBuilder, a local consumer engagement platform purposefully designed to overcome the most common and impactful voids in the brand-to-local paradigm, was nominated as a finalist in the Best Location-Based Platform category for achieving outstanding results for Sprint. The platform increased Google-referred traffic by 700% with a 300% increase in conversions for the client. Earlier in the year, BrandMuscles LocationBuilder platform also brought home the top honor in the Search Engine Land Awards for the Best Local Search Marketing Initiative. We are thrilled that Digiday has named LocationBuilder among the best location-based services technology platforms available, said Paul Elliott, BrandMuscle President. Seeing the results that LocationBuilder continuously delivers for our clients proves that it is a powerful tool for global and national brands who want to outperform their competition. 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. Winners will be announced via Facebook Live on September 5 at 2 p.m. EDT. About BrandMuscle BrandMuscle is the leader in brand-to-one marketing. A pioneer in distributed/local marketing, BrandMuscle serves more than 300 of the worlds top brands with a team of nearly 800 can-do professionals in six offices globally and embedded within 75 client locations. The BrandMuscle integrated marketing platform enables brands and their local marketing partners to simply deliver the greatest marketing impact to each individual customer. BrandMuscle simplifies the process of digital and physical marketing executions, enabling brands to acquire and retain the best customers, build loyalty, enhance lifetime customer value, and achieve significant, measurable ROI. To learn more, call (866) 464-4342, visit BrandMuscle.com or follow on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. WATERLOO, Ontario, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ISARA Corp., the leading provider of quantum-safe security solutions, today announced that renowned quantum computing expert Martin Laforest has joined the company. His proven record in scientific outreach and raising awareness about the opportunities and risks of the dawning Quantum Age will play a major role in ISARAs business development efforts. Formerly the senior manager for scientific outreach at the University of Waterloos Institute for Quantum Computing, Laforest brings more than 15 years of quantum experience to the new role. Laforests experience will be central in helping ISARAs technology partners and government and corporate customers better understand how the advent of quantum computing will reshape their approach to data and network security. The processing power of quantum computing opens the door to countless positive possibilities, said Laforest, who holds a PhD in physics specializing in experimental quantum computing. The flip side is that access to such powerful computers will make our current information security infrastructure obsolete and completely vulnerable. There is a pressing need to prepare now as we as a society have time and time again underestimated how disruptive new technologies can be. ISARA CEO & Co-founder Scott Totzke said Laforests quantum expertise and ability to explain the sometimes counter-intuitive nature of quantum-based technology will be appreciated by organizations now beginning to evaluate the impact of quantum computing on their existing technology infrastructure. Because of the way quantum computers process information, they promise vastly more powerful computational abilities that can break current encryption, thereby jeopardizing the security of mission-critical data. Were excited to have Martin join our team. He has deep insights into the intricacies and progress of quantum technologies, Totzke said. His experience in the quantum community has proven to him that this technology is on the cusp of becoming mainstream and that the benefits of quantum can be realized without compromising security. He recognizes that the need to create quantum-safe security solutions today is essential for any large organization and government. At the Institute for Quantum Computing, Laforest focused on bringing science out of the lab and into peoples lives to make audiences quantum-aware. He played a central role in promoting the potential of quantum technologies to stakeholders in government, industry, media and the general public. As the head of educational outreach, he developed and implemented world-renown quantum-related educational programs for high-school students and teachers, undergraduates and the general public, reaching tens of thousands annually. He was the science lead for the Institute for Quantum Computings groundbreaking QUANTUM: The Exhibition, the first ever large-scale travelling museum exhibit about quantum mechanics and quantum technologies. Laforest said the decision to leave academia to join ISARA was driven by a recognition that quantum computing will begin to reshape daily life sooner than many experts forecast just a few years ago. By joining ISARA, Laforest said a strong balance could be struck between understanding the academic underpinnings of quantum with the expertise to commercialize a revolutionary technology. As an outside observer for the past several years, ISARA has always stood out, Laforest said. The leadership is composed of all-star security experts with decades of proven experience in implementing and standardizing security solutions. They have gathered a strong team of researchers and developers and already have several market-ready products. I am excited to play a role in deploying quantum-safe solutions, so we can ensure that the benefits and opportunities of quantum computing remain positive, open and accessible. About ISARA Corporation ISARA is a cybersecurity company specializing in creating production-ready quantum-safe security solutions for todays computing ecosystems. As a commercial solution provider within a rich academic and research ecosystem, ISARA is part of a collaborative effort to raise awareness of quantum threats, and design and implement quantum-safe solutions that will work globally. For more information, visit www.isara.com or follow @ISARACorp on Twitter. Media Contacts: Aaron Curtiss aaron@gfbunting.com (720) 281-1395 David Satterfield david@gfbunting.com (408) 802-6767 BANGOR, MAINE, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Husson University announced today that President Robert A. Clark, PhD, CFA, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) for a three-year term, effective July 1, 2018. With headquarters in Washington, D.C., CHEA is a national advocate and institutional voice for promoting academic quality through accreditation. Representing 3,000 degree-granting colleges and universities, CHEA recognizes 60 institutional and programmatic accrediting organizations.[1] It serves as a national voice for accreditation and quality assurance to the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, the general public, opinion leaders, students, and families.[2] CHEA also represents the U.S. accreditation community to international audiences.[3] As a member of the Board of Directors, Clark will be responsible for reviewing and approving the organizations long-term and short-range plans; providing fiscal oversight; recruiting, orienting and developing new board members; hiring and evaluating the performance of the CHEA president; evaluating organizational performance; and establishing policies that help effectively manage the organization. Im honored to be elected as a member of the CHEA board, said Clark. As a member of the Board, I look forward to advancing the importance of accreditation at colleges and universities nationwide. Its important that all colleges and universities be held accountable for meeting quality standards. The public deserves to have consistent, reliable information about academic quality and student achievement in order to make informed educational choices. What is Accreditation? Accreditation in higher education is a collegial process of self and peer review designed to improve academic quality and public accountability of institutions and programs.[4] This quality review process occurs on a periodic basis, usually every 3 to 10 years. It involves three major activities: a self-study by an institution or program using the standards or criteria of an accrediting organization, a peer review of an institution or program to gather evidence of quality, and a decision or judgment by an accrediting organization to accredit, accredit with conditions or not accredit an institution or program.[5] Accreditation is more important than ever in every facet of higher education, said CHEA President Judith Eaton. We are grateful that individuals like Dr. Clark serve on the board of directors and play an important role in helping CHEA address the critical issues ahead. Dr. Robert A. Clark is the sixth president of Husson University. He is a Maine native having grown up in Albion, Maine. Clark earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Spanish, Bachelor of Science in business administration, and an MBA from the University of Maine. He earned his PhD in Finance from Purdue University. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). Clarks assignment prior to his appointment at Husson was as vice president of strategic initiatives and dean of the Schroeder Family School of Business Administration at the University of Evansville in Indiana. He has also held academic appointments as a faculty member in finance and global business at Butler University; the University of Tampa, and the University of Vermont. In addition, Clark has served as a U.S. Army administrative officer, consultant, pension administrator and controller. He has also served as a Fulbright Scholar at the Norwegian School of Management and as a guest faculty member at the Business and Economics University in Vienna. Clark has published articles on securities market regulation and emerging markets in a number of academic journals. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) serves higher education, students and the public through advocacy and leadership in assuring academic quality through accreditation. CHEAs members are accredited degree-granting colleges and universities. CHEA recognizes institutional and programmatic accrediting organizations in the United States. For more information, visit CHEA.org. For more than 100 years, Husson University has prepared future leaders to handle the challenges of tomorrow through innovative undergraduate and graduate degrees. With a commitment to delivering affordable classroom, online and experiential learning opportunities, Husson University has come to represent superior value in higher education. Our Bangor campus and off-campus satellite education centers in Southern Maine, Wells, and Northern Maine provide advanced knowledge in business; health and education; pharmacy studies; science and humanities; as well as communication. In addition, Husson University has a robust adult learning program. According to a recent analysis by U.S. News & World Report, Husson University is the most affordable private college in New England. For more information about educational opportunities that can lead to personal and professional success, visit Husson.edu. # # # [1] Council for Higher Education Accreditation, Accreditation and Recognition: CHEA at a Glance, https://www.chea.org/about/ [2] Ibid [3] Ibid [4] Ibid [5] Ibid Attachments CLEARWATER, Fla., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Saturday, September 8th, the Scientology Information Center will host a special solo concert with Joanie Sigal from Broadway and Beyond. Sigal will perform an eclectic mix of favorites from Broadway to romantic ballads, pop to blues with a smattering of country music. Light refreshments will be served at 6:30pm, and the event will start promptly at 7:00pm. Sigal grew up singing. Her mother is a trained musician who played the organ, sang in choirs, directed the choir or some combination at every military base she lived on, her father was a career Air Force man. When her dad retired in Hawaii, Joanie rekindled her love of acting and singing and immersed herself in theater during her college years. She was a featured performer with the Hawaii Performing Arts Company, the Honolulu Theatre for Youth and the University of Hawaii productions. She was also a featured player in the stage show "Paradise Found" which she performed in Honolulu for 2 years in the 70s. Joanie began performing in the Tampa Bay area in 1997 with her singing partner, Tom Godfrey, forming Broadway and Beyond, said Amber Skjelset Manager of the Scientology Information Center and event organizer. As a matter of fact, they actually performed their first show together at the Historic Clearwater Building which launched their successful 21 year music career together. The Scientology Information Center, located in the century-old Clearwater Building in downtown Clearwater, opened on July 11, 2015, and currently houses a gallery of audiovisual displays with some 400 videos. The Center is open to all and provides a self-guided tour showing basic Scientology beliefs, Churches around the world, ongoing social programs and the life of L. Ron Hubbard, Scientologys founder. The Center offers tours to the broad public and civic leaders; holds concerts, theatrical performances and receptions for the community; and opens up the use of its conference room to social, civic and non-profit groups. To reserve seats or to learn more about the event, contact Amber Skjelset, Manager of the Scientology Information Center at 727-467-6966 or amber@cos.flag.org. The Scientology Information Center: The 100 year-old historic Clearwater Building was purchased by the Church of Scientology in 1975. Built in 1918, the property originally served as the Bank of Clearwater. In 2015, it was re-opened to the public as the Scientology Information Center where the community can learn about Scientology and its beliefs or attend community events. For more information on Scientology, visit www.scientology.org or the Scientology Network on DirecTV channel 320, or streaming at www.scientology.tv or apps at appleTV, fireTV and ROKU. Contact Amber Skjelset (727) 467-6966 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/39b761c6-eaa8-4997-ad20-c0204746ae09 Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, August 16, 2018 08:30 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df5341a05 4 Editorial #Editorial,Independence-Day,Diversity,Indonesia,nationalism,#2019PresidentialElection,2019-presidential-election,Indonesian-politics Free Ahead of the 73rd anniversary of its declaration of independence Indonesia is going through a critical phase. Born out of the spirit of the 1945 Proclamation, the Republics post-independence generation has long been replaced by new generations. Old values have faded while new ones remain to be tested. To this point Indonesia has experienced the periods informally grouped as the Old Order, the New Order and the Reform Era. Each period witnessed various attempts at bringing the nation forward through the worldviews and doctrines that developed in the respective times. Under founding father and first president Sukarno, politics were in command, as our elders said. Bung Karno conducted experiments with a political front of diverse ideologies which he dubbed Nasakom nationalism, religion and communism. The experiment failed at a high cost with the slaughter of an estimated one million people or more, including alleged supporters of communism in the wake of the failed 1965 coup, blamed on the now defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). Soehartos regime distanced politics from the people, and he led an authoritarian regime until he was ousted in 1998 following a massive push for reform. From the painful radical political changes of the past, Indonesia faces the constant challenge of maintaining a balance among its diverse peoples, protecting the weak in particular. The original ambition of achieving prosperity for all citizens is certainly the main reason why we all accept a collective life under the single red and white flag across the archipelago. Time and again diversity has always proven to be our strength, rather than a weakness. Therefore, accurate and fair management of economic resources is the hardest job of anyone holding the mandate to lead the republic. History has also taught us that financial crises and social and economic inequality always cause instability, with the end result being the downfall of subsequent political orders. History has also shown us how economic issues relate to other matters. Amid global economic uncertainties in the near future, inevitably the economy should be our focus. Our unity has been tried and tested during periods of crisis, and so must be maintained. This is especially true in the political year ahead, with simultaneous presidential and legislative elections next April. Political parties will fight for seats in the legislature while Indonesians will vote for their president for the next five years. With the incumbent pit against Prabowo Subianto, it is a virtual rematch of the 2014 race. In the past five years since the last election political dynamics have sharpened differences, threatening our unity. Some interest groups have been manipulating religious issues to gain political support, even continuing to use fake news and slander. Hopefully we wont see a repeat of the ugly clashes of the last election, although many of those encounters were online. Candidates should offer their clear vision and also be on their best political behavior. In that way we can pass on the inheritance of the big home we call Indonesia in a stronger and better condition to the next generation. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Evi Mariani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, August 16, 2018 09:45 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df534453f 1 Opinion #commentary,Jokowi,#2019PresidentialElection,2019-presidential-election,Maruf-Amin,human-rights,pluralism Free Haters will hate, but I hope fan boys and girls will not keep fawning over a politician when he shows us he is no longer what we thought he was. Supporters of President Joko Jokowi Widodo, who have been inflating his achievements and dismissing his mistakes for the past four years, should begin to see him the way citizens should regard their president: with an unemotional, critical attitude. Support the good policies and criticize the bad ones. And clearly, his choice of running mate is something to criticize. Several analyses provide explanations about why he chose Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) supreme leader and Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Maruf Amin as the vice-presidential candidate. While some of us can perhaps understand his choice and see it as an inevitable political strategy to win the election, we should not fool ourselves and spin tales about him doing it for the good of the country. Jokowis supporters see him as a beacon of pluralism, and many hope he will champion human rights. But by choosing Maruf as his running mate, willingly or forced, beacon he is no more. There are public records on Marufs statements cornering minorities, and Human Rights Watch also said Maruf had a role in several MUI fatwas that violated minority rights. Democracy is all about a space for citizens to balance the power of those in the palace. Lately, that space has been shrinking, not because of the President himself, but because of the supporters who act more like fan boys and girls of celebrities. I remember in 2009, my best friend and I met after the presidential election and made small talk about our choice. We chose different candidates and our conversation about the election lasted about only three minutes. Then we continued with our meals and talked about other things more important in our lives. My larger circle of friends also did not fight about their choices when we met. Granted, the social media scene nine years ago was not as robust as it is now, but at that time political buzzers did not steer our opinions, so we regarded the presidential election and the president as just one part of democracy. Before 2014, criticizing the president was a common enough activity, and no one would accuse critics of giving ammunition to his rivals to undermine his power. Back then, we were cool citizens. Those good old days are over. However, now that Jokowis supporters bubble has been burst, I am optimistic we can go back to being citizens. Democracy requires a lot of work from all citizens. Voting for a good president once every five years and letting him do his job once elected while we, as citizens, sit and make uneducated comments on our social media accounts to keep him in power, no matter what, cannot be counted as contributing to democracy. Citizens in a democratic country should see anyone in power as a target of scrutiny, not because it is fun but because it is necessary to keep the balance. To do that, we need to detach ourselves from the figure. It seems many forget this and instead align themselves with the battle of the elites while framing it as a war of good vs. evil. This perspective has fractured civil society, and instead of being solid in keeping the balance of power, civil society members spend much energy on infighting. I knew a lot of friends who called themselves 1998 activists or those who wanted to end the authoritarian regime in 1998, who attacked other friends that criticized Jokowi. Usually, after that, an emotional debate ensues and sometimes it ends, along with the friendship. Citizens can of course vote for Jokowi and support his policies. What I have seen in the past four years, however, borders on worship and blind devotion, which is why I use the term fans. The presidential election is still eight months away. Many things can happen. One thing should be the change from emotional fans to cool citizens. Come April 17 next year, whether you go to polling booths or not, choose Jokowi or not whatever your choice is, being a cool citizen is a must. A 12th century bronze Buddha statue stolen from an Indian museum 57 years ago has surfaced in London and is now being returned to the country, police said Wednesday. The statue with silver inlay was one of 14 stolen from the Archaeological Survey of India site museum in Nalanda in the east of the country in 1961. [gal:1] It was spotted at a trade fair in Britain in March this year, prompting an investigation by the Art and Antique Unit of London's Metropolitan Police. They alerted the owner and dealer, who are not accused of any wrongdoing, and who agreed for it to be returned to India. Read also: US man stole thumb of Chinese terracotta warrior statue The statue was handed over to the Indian High Commission in London in a ceremony on Wednesday. "This underlines how law enforcement and the London art market are working hand in hand to deliver positive cultural diplomacy to the world," said arts minister Michael Ellis in a statement. Detective Constable Sophie Hayes of the Art and Antique Unit added: "Particular credit must go to the eagle-eyed informants who made us aware that the missing piece had been located after so many years." Google Indonesia celebrated the 27th anniversary of Bunaken National Park in North Sulawesi in its doodle on Tuesday. Displaying various animals, including a turtle and an angelfish, the doodle illustrates the underwater richness of the national park. Bunaken National Park is home to hawksbill turtles, clownfish, angelfish and other marine species. Read also: Google Doodle celebrates mudik 2018 On Google Doodles page, the search engine explained, as quoted by kompas.com, that in 1991 the government set aside five islands and surrounding waters, providing protection to the 58 different types of coral and over 90 species located in the 280-square-mile marine park. In addition to the sea creatures, Google also mentioned that up to 20,000 people in the area rely on fishing for at least part of their daily nutrition. Google added that illegal fishing is still happening and the park's corals are vulnerable to climate change. However, it did not stop the government from proposing the park to be on UNESCOs list of World Heritage Sites, providing additional protections to it. (jes/kes) Denver, Colo., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Colorado teenager Olivia Goodreau has garnered support from some of the worlds top scientists through her dogged determination to find a cure for the debilitating Lyme disease. Many of those researchers will come to Westminster, Colo., for the first LivLyme Summit September 22-23. The forum will focus on the research being done across the globe to find a cure for Lyme disease and the active measures being undertaken to help eradicate tick-borne illness. Thanks to a generous donation from an anonymous sponsor, registrants are able to attend the Summit free of charge. Additionally, medical professionals will receive 10.75 hours of free continuing education credit from the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine. Researchers and scientists slated to attend the two-day conference include: Holly Ahern, MS, Biologist, State University of New York, Adirondack Phillip DeMio, MD, Private Practice Susan Green, Chief Legal Counsel, NatCap Lyme Debby Hamilton, MD, MPH Researched Nutritionals Kristen Honey, PhD, PMP Vice-Chair, Tick-Borne Disease Working Group Innovator in Residence United States DHHS Richard I. Horowitz, MD, Medical Director HVHAC, Member, HHS Tick-borne disease task force, Co-chair HHS Other Tick-Borne diseases and Co-infections subcommittee Kim Lewis, PhD, University Distinguished Professor Director, Antimicrobial Discovery Center Northeastern University Ricardo G. Maggi, MS, PhD, Research Associate Professor, Internal Medicine, Co-Director Vector-Borne Diseases Diagnostic Laboratory, North Carolina State Veterinary Medicine Isaac Melamed, MD, Medical Director/Private Practice IMMUNOe Health and Research Centers Omar Morales, MD, Lyme Mexico Christian Perronne, PhD, MD, University of Versailles, France Jayakumar Rajadas, PhD, Director, BIOADD and Assistant Director of CV Pharmacology, Biomaterials and Advanced Drug Delivery, Stanford University Eva Sapi, PhD, Professor and Director of Lyme Disease Program, Department of Biology and Environmental Science, University of New Haven Jyotsna Shah, PhD, President and Laboratory Director of IGeneX Clinical Laboratory Jeff Stauffer, TickTracker Chief Insect Information Officer Heather Szerlong, PhD, CEO & Co-founder Ticknology Susanna N. Visser, DrPH, MS, Associate Director for Policy, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center on Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Center for Disease Control Ying Zhang, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins University To register for the LivLyme Summit, visit: http://livlymefoundation.org/conference/ Lyme is the fastest growing vector-borne disease. Every year, more than 350,000 people contract Lyme disease. Almost none of them get a 'bullseye' rash or even know they were bitten. Lyme disease can be transmitted from mosquito bites, rodents, mother-to-child transmission, and many other ways. Olivia is not only making an impact by bringing the worlds top researchers and scientist together. She has also been travelling across the USA promoting the recently created TickTracker app. The free app has quickly become one of the best ways to help combat tick transmitted infections and disease. TickTracker uses a patent pending algorithm to coordinate multiple tick activity data sources into a simple and user-friendly map view. The app displays real time and historic tick activity data on an interactive map, reports tick sightings and bites, and educates users on tick prevention and safety. For Users: Real time tick exposure risk based on geo-location Real time sighting and bite reporting Easy connections to tick testing labs for disease exposure awareness Edutainment through gaming-based learning Alerts users for tick activity and sightings based on geo-location services Timely updates on tick-based illness and disease Tick identification field guide For Business: Available API to pull TickTracker mapping data into web sites and apps Despite her outward appearances and grace, Olivia suffers horribly from the disease. Olivia contracted Lyme disease on a family vacation in Missouri when she was in the first grade and went through a battery of tests before eventually being diagnosed with the illness years later. Her own medical experience and understanding of the costs associated with Lyme disease treatment inspired her to found the LivLyme Foundation, raise more than $500,000 to fund Lyme disease research, provide grants to treat under-insured children and young adults affected by Lyme, and develop the life-saving TickTracker app. Additionally, Olivia, who has been honored by Stanford University, has presented before federal Health & Human Services officials in Washington, D.C., and spoke with Maryland legislators to help pass critical legislation. More About Lyme Disease: Lyme Disease is most often transmitted by tick bites and has been found in all 50 States and in more than 60 other countries. Public awareness of its symptoms and possible contraction is critical. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revised its estimates from 30,000 to over 350,000 people diagnosed with Lyme disease in the U.S. every year. This is 1.5 times greater than the number of women diagnosed annually with breast cancer, and seven times the number of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS each year. Lyme disease affects people of all ages; however, the CDC notes that it is most common in children and older adults. Outdoor enthusiasts, park rangers and firefighters have a higher risk of contracting Lyme and other tick-borne diseases because of their greater exposure to ticks. For more information, visit http://livlymefoundation.org/resources/what-is-lyme-disease/. Media Contacts: Jeff Howard, Managing Partner Gomez Howard Group jeff@gomezhowardgroup.com / 303.513.16283 Attachment Inspired by the #MeToo movement, House of the Unsilenced unites Indonesian creative minds in expressing their support for victims of sexual abuse. Established by familiar names from the local art scene some victims of sexual assault themselves the House is holding a variety of workshops for the support of fellow survivors, beginning in July and running up to August. The workshops include fiction writing, journaling, bookbinding, decoupage, 3D collage, self-care body movements and hip-hop songwriting. Artist Ika Vantiani, who also represents House, acts as curator of these activities. The collected creations from these workshops are displayed at Cemara 6 Galeri-Museum in Menteng, Central Jakarta from Aug. 15 to Sept. 2, specifically picking a gallery close to the city center so as not to limit discussions on sexual violence to marginalized spaces. The event also finds House partnering with likeminded institutions, such as the Legal Aid Foundation of the Indonesian Womens Association for Justice (LBH APIK), Yayasan Pulih, Lentera Sintas Indonesia, Arus Pelangi and Hollaback! Jakarta. House has been involved in many creative pursuits including the publication of short stories, poems and essays in the #Unrepressed series, which are published on the website intersastra.com. Writer Eliza Vitri Handayani, representing House, says the unsilenced are survivors of sexual assault or sexual violence who choose to speak up. House gives them the opportunity to express themselves in a positive environment, through art. It gives a chance to find support and explore their creativity. It helps to deal with the past and to live in the present, she says. Talking about the roles that art and self-expression play in the survival of sexual assault victims, Eliza says it builds courage, especially within an environment where victims, instead of finding assistance, are often judged and publicly scolded for their mistakes. Self-expression is particularly important in a context where victims are expected to feel shame and guilt, where they are judged by others who may not know very much of what they have been going through, says Eliza, adding how even the people closest to the victims are often culpable in the process of victim-shaming. Expression lets us define who we are, so we are not defined by others. The process of expression not only helps with thinking through and making sense of what happened in the past, or our trauma, it can help survivors feel proud and confident of who they are, in the present, as human beings, she says. The end goal is also to influence attitudes toward sexual assault, similar to what the #MeToo campaign has done. Eliza sees how strong the impact of these programs has been. She points to Bisik-Bisik Kembang Goyang, which was a showcase wherein a cisgender woman and a transgender woman created an installation piece about relearning sisterhood. Eliza also points to her own writing class, where participants have written moving or funny stories about losing friends, making connections, and regrets and lessons learned. For these unsilenced ones, the hope is that art is able to convey things that may be difficult to express verbally. In a society that is still predominantly patriarchal, House hopes that art can cut through the conversation strongly. This problem is not uniquely Indonesian, but there is still a strong tendency to blame the victims and explain the assault with how they acted or dressed rather than condemning the attitudes and behavior of the perpetrator, Eliza says. On the males side, there is even a defensive tendency of excusing the perpetrator, of seeing the [male] perpetrator as subject to external circumstances and his own uncontrollable desires rather than holding him responsible. Some of the creative pieces also touch on the stigma of purity, which relates closely to how women are often viewed and treated in Indonesia. We still tend to see men as higher than women and see womens worth as dependent on their sexual purity. We have seen many examples of perpetrators being asked to marry the victim [] in spite of the damage to her [reputational] integrity imagine what kind of marriage it would be! The partnerships that House has built have been much to its benefit. The LBH APIK introduced House to a community of survivors they had worked with in the past as well as provided information for victims in need of legal counsel. Meanwhile, the Pulih Foundation provided training for Houses psychological first aid volunteers, who are tasked with helping survivors dealing with emotional distress. Also, Lentera Sintas will present a therapy session at House and Hollaback! Jakarta will hold a bystander intervention workshop. Other organizations are involved too: Magdalene conducted a session on the ethics of reporting cases of sexual violence, Arus Pelangi will hold a session on sexual violence as experienced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association (PKBI) will assist in coming up with artworks representing forced pregnancy as sexual violence. Eliza quoted Devi Asmarani, editor in chief of Magdalene, Houses main media partner, in condemning sexual violence as not only a legal issue, but also a public health and social justice issue. We need capable people and organizations working in different fronts education, outreach, policy, health care, legal/law enforcement, media and many more. We need more initiatives or platforms where organizations and collectives with similar goals can come together and work in support of each other. ________________ For more info, log on to houseoftheunsilenced.com Perang Pandan, also known by locals as Makare-kare (Pandanus war), is hosted once a year in the quiet, enchanting Tenganan village in Karangasem regency, some 70 kilometers east of Denpasar, Bali. Tenganan is known for its unique Bali Aga traditions, which predates the arrival of the military expeditions from East Javas Majapahit kingdom in the 14th century. The punitive expedition put most of the island under Majapahits influence, political as well as cultural. Villages high in the islands mountainous area, however, resisted that influence and maintained their cultural independence. Tenganan is one of those villages. Mekare-kare, a sacred ritual held to honor Lord Indra, the god of war, is unique to Tenganan. Nowadays, it is a major cultural event, drawing curious spectators foreign and domestic as well as a swelling number of amateur and professional photographers. In the old days, Mekare-kare featured mostly adult fighters. In recent years, an increasing number of children have joined the gladiator-style battle. Street fighting: Children in the village start practicing the ritual at an early age, emulating their family members by play-fighting in the street. (JP/Made Karyasa) In another surprising development, the Tenganan villagers have opened up this ritual battle to participants from outside the village. This policy has greatly increased the number of gladiators. The children started practicing the ritual early, emulating their family members by play-fighting in the streets. Narrow, enchanting doorways lead through to private, purposefully built podiums, the perfect stage for children to rehearse their gladiator maneuvers. But this isnt a Hollywood set these children are practicing to become real-life warriors from as early as 10 years old. A seasoned Makare-kare fighter, Jro Mangku Gede proudly showed off his weapon: scores of thorny pandan leaves tied together to form a short club. He would use the club in flowing striking and slashing movements to inflict damage to his opponents back. Drawing blood is the main purpose of the ritual as blood is seen as the ultimate offering to Lord Indra. Bloody battle: Gladiators must adhere to strict guidelines. The purpose is to draw blood to appease Indra, the god of war. (JP/Made Karyasa) Dressed only in kamen (long cloths) wrapped around their waists and udeng(headgear), the adult and child gladiators gathered around the arena, waiting for their turn to display their skills. In their hands were the clubs and round shields made of woven rattan. Gladiators must adhere to strict guidelines. They are not allowed to strike their opponents from the neck up and from the belly down. Most importantly, they were told not to let hatred or aggressiveness fill their hearts. It is a sacred ritual and not a brute exercise of violence. There is no winner or loser; therefore, they must fight from a place of love. Coming of age: According to one resident, the reason there were only two girls this year was because contraception had been working well in Tenganan village. (JP/Made Karyasa) The battle was a series of quick affairs. Two gladiators stood apart before suddenly colliding into each other. The collision often trapped the shields between their bodies, thus, leaving their backs wide open to attack. Blood was drawn, spectators screamed and fighters separated with a smile on their faces. A fresh pair of fighters entered the arena. At the conclusion of the battle, their bloody wounds were treated with a traditional potion made of turmeric, vinegar, cucumber and antiseptic. The fighters did not feel exhausted after the battle. Instead, they felt elated and blessed, knowing they had just honored Lord Indra. America is in the midst of an increasingly intense love affair with Japanese beef. Witness Don Wagyu, the new shop in downtown New York devoted exclusively to Japanese beef sandwiches that start at $28. The counter sells around 150 a day, including an average of eight $180 Ozaki sandos. But while Japanese diners have enthusiastically embraced Shake Shack, which has grown to nine locations since the first opened in 2015, American steakhouses have been slower to establish themselves. Chains such as Ruth Chris have been in Japan for over a decade; but the New York-style experience, with pricier cuts of meat and a buzzy, familiar environment, have been slower to establish themselves. Wolfgangs arrived in 2014, and Benjamin Steakhouse and Empire Steak House just last year. The reasons are myriad, ranging from restrictions on U.S. beef imports, which didnt ease until 2013, to Japans economic recovery, as well as anticipation of the 2020 Olympics. The Japanese have also developed a big taste for dry-aged beef, a major change from the fatty, soft beef theyre accustomed to. Imports of American beef rose 26.6 percent in 2017 through November, according to Bloomberg. Enter Luger In July, the legendary, Brooklyn-based Peter Luger Steak House announced it would open in Tokyo by 2020. Its only the third location of the frenetic hall, which opened in Brooklyn in 1887 and has a Long Island outpost that dates back to 1960. The Olympics doesnt hurt, says Luger co-owner Daniel Turtel. It will be good for our international expansion, however long that takes, maybe another 60 years. Turtel and co-owner David Berson teamed up with WonderTable, Ltd., the Tokyo-based restaurant operators who have helped bring such flagship properties as Union Square Tokyo. WonderTable helps bring our brand to a Japanese clientele who has been coming to Luger consistently for last couple years, says Turtel. Berson promises that Luger will schlep their prime meat from here to Japan. Its building an aging room in the restaurant, which will echo the heavy wood interiors of the Brooklyn spot. But any Tokyo building that is capable of housing a Peter Luger Steak House, with room for 160 guests, will have to be new. Berson is targeting the neighborhood of Minato-ku, which encompasses business areas like Shiba and Shimbashi. Berson anticipates that prices at Peter Luger in Tokyo will be higher than in New York, where steak for two costs around $104, and steak for three about $156. Its an expensive product, and theres already a 38 percent tariff from U.S. beef going to Japan, he says. Beyond Tokyo Meanwhile, New York steakhouse Benjamin sees potential outside Tokyo. It will expanding from its Roppongi location, which opened in 2017, to another spot in Kyoto by the end of 2018, with yet another Tokyo location by 2020. We knew from our customers in New York that there was a big craving for American beef in Japan, says co-owner Benjamin Prelvukaj. (His Midtown Manhattan customers include Japans prime minister, Shinzo Abe, along with Bill and Hillary Clinton and Kim Kardashian.) Prelvukaj sees Japan as an emerging market for his company, although its as costly to open a restaurant in Tokyo as in New York: from $3 to $5 million. The menu in Japan is the same as in the U.S., as is the best seller: porterhouse. One difference, though, is his customer base. While he sees a similar mix of tourists and business people, weve also seen a large number of local Japanese women; the leaner cuts of American steak appeal to them more than fatty Japanese beef. Benjamins Japanese partner is Oizumi Foods. Yuu Murakami of the Tokyo-based PR company K2M Inc. credits companies like it and WonderTable with helping promote the New York steakhouse trend. They have enough capital strength to invest in new projects, and bring overseas brands to Japan, she says. But by all accounts, the biggest challenge to opening an American steakhouse in Tokyo isnt just finding a well-funded Japanese business partner; its locating the space. Most steakhouses need big spaces, including lots of seating room, to age the beef. And big spaces are hard to come by in Tokyo; youre not going to easily find a 5,000- or 7,000-square-foot space, unless its a new space, says Steven Hall, founder of Hall PR, who represents Japanese brands such as Ikinari, the standing steakhouse chain that expanded to New York in 2016 and now has nine locations. Read also: Three cuts of aged beef to watch out for The 2020 outlook Hall predicts that Japan will see a sharp increase in New York steakhouses leading up to 2020. The city is building more hotels and properties that will house restaurants, timed to the Olympics. They can, and will, customize spaces to accommodate those kind of steak houses. He anticipates the majority will be in areas that are convenient to a business audience, such as Tokyo Midtown. Berson says the upcoming Luger might serve local specialties. We wont duplicate the porterhouse experience with wagyu for four. But If there are certain appetizers that fit with our menu, we might try them. I dont think youll see sushi on the menu. Then Berson adds: I did try sushi with filet mignon recently, and it was pretty great. Maybe that will be an off-the-menu item. The creator of the long-running animated TV series The Simpsons brings his first new show in 20 years to Netflix this week, a story that centers around a drunken princess, an elf and a demon. Set in a medieval world called Dreamland, Disenchantment is creator Matt Groenings take on shows like HBOs blockbuster fantasy series Game of Thrones. Read also: Coming soon from Netflix: Three dozen billboards in Hollywood Speaking at the shows Los Angeles premiere on Tuesday, Groening said the program is more emotional than The Simpsons or his other animated hit, Futurama. He said Netflix gave him free rein to create whatever he wanted. Netflix Inc will release all 10 episodes of Disenchantment on Friday. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, August 16, 2018 10:17 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df53453d9 1 City drought,South-Tangerang,water,village Free Residents in Koceak village in South Tangerang, Banten, are relying on polluted creek water for daily use because the dry season has depleted their freshwater sources. We use the creek water to bathe, wash dishes and clothes, said resident Wahidin on Tuesday as reported by tempo.co, referring to the narrow, garbage-littered river that cuts through the village. Wahidin recalled that the drought began around late July and that the local administration had only sent water relief once. He even tried digging a new well near his house to get freshwater, but it dried up within four days. Ojah, 47, a fellow villager, concurred that desperation led him to use creek water. I fetch water from the creek up to 10 times a day depending on my needs, Ojah said, demonstrating how many residents still rely on wells for freshwater instead of water pumps. South Tangerang Deputy Mayor Benyamin Davnie has asked villagers to report water problems to their subdistrict heads, promising that the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency will mobilize water relief accordingly. (nor) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman and Rachmadea Aisyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, August 16, 2018 12:30 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df534a827 1 Business Tuban-Petrochemical-Industries,bonds,conversion,shares,pertamina,refinery Free The government is set to convert its non-performing bonds in petrochemical company PT Tuban Petrochemical Industries (TPI) into shares, which will be owned by state-energy holding company Pertamina. TPI is the holding company of PT Trans Pacific Petrochemical Indotama (TPPI), said Pertamina acting president director Nicke Widyawati on Wednesday. We will buy the shares to optimize its assets and help us enter the petrochemical industry, she said after attending a meeting with Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and State-owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno at the Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister. The bond, which will fell due six years ago, is worth Rp 3.2 trillion ($218 million), according to some reports. Currently, Pertamina holds 41 percent of TPI shares and will increase its ownership to 51 percent. Pertamina will use TPPIs assets to refine crude oil into fuel and also produce petrochemicals, Nicke said. She said that in addition to the existing assets, Pertamina will expand the factory to increase its production capacity, which was currently at around 100,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd). TPPI was hit by corruption in 2009 when the company collaborated with now-defunct Upstream Oil and Gas Executive Agency (BPMigas) to market condensate in Indonesia. In May 2015, the National Police raided the offices of TPPI and SKKMigas in Jakarta. Several officials from both institutions were named money-laundering suspects. The state losses were estimated to reach US$156 million. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, August 16 2018 A Taiwanese inmate, identified only as FCK, 44, was found dead in his Tangerang prison cell at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, a prison official has said. It is believed he committed suicide by hanging. Head of security at Bantens Tangerang Class IIA juvenile penitentiary, Abdul Aziz, said that FCK had been held at the prison since he was arrested for alleged drug abuse in June at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. FCK was awaiting trial. His body was taken to Tangerang Regional Hospital, but no family member had visited him by Wednesday morning, kompas.com reported. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, August 16, 2018 12:36 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df534b5c1 1 Politics Jokowi,Zulkifli-Hasan,Joko-Widodo,MPR Free People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Zulkifli Hasan has reminded President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration to work harder on the country's economy, including improvements in social welfare and reducing inequality among the people. In his speech to open the MPR plenary meeting on Thursdayheld a day before Independence Day--Zulkifli told Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla that while the country's achievements over the last 20 years of the Reform Era were satisfying, the government needed to create breakthroughs in addressing economic challenges. "As the people's representative and MPR speaker, I want to assert that there's no independence in poverty and there's no independence without social justice," said Zulkifli, who is also the chairman of the opposition National Mandate Party (PAN). He went on to say that people who lived under or slightly above the poverty line were prone to be affected by the increase in commodity prices. He said the government must ensure price stability so citizens could maintain their purchasing power. "Mr. President, housewives have conveyed a message [for the government] to ensure that the prices of staple commodities are attainable," Zulkifli said. He also cited the importance of managing Indonesia's foreign debt to ensure domestic economic stability and resilience, and more importantly to prevent a financial crisis. "We must keep in mind that the principles of the nation's well-being should not be defeated when they clash with the political reality [...] the principles must not be neglected for the interest of a few elites," he said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, August 16 2018 The Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry has subscribed to a database of scientific e-journals that can now be accessed by researchers, university lecturers, students and non-ministerial government agencies for free. The subscription, which costs Rp 14.82 billion (US$1.01 million) for this year, is expected to help academics as they produce original scientific research and journals. In a release made available to The Jakarta Post on Tuesday, the databases that universities can access for free include EBSCO, which focuses on agriculture, computers and applied sciences and engineering, Cangage (business and economics, education, social sciences, humanities and arts) and ProQuest (arts and humanities and biological sciences). Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, August 16, 2018 14:53 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df53513e6 1 Business Jokowi,speech,house-of-representatives,Independence-Day Free President Joko Jokowi Widodo has said the operation of the online single submission (OSS) system since last month is a government achievement in bureaucratic reform, particularly in the effort to eliminate red tape in business licensing. He believes the OSS will be able to further improve the Indonesian rating in the World Banks Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) index. Through the reform in the licensing system, weve encouraged the implementation of a standardized licensing bureaucracy from the central to regional administrations to make it easier, faster and more integrated, Jokowi said in his speech in the House of Representatives/Peoples Consultative Assembly Building in Jakarta on Thursday. Jokowi said that through various reform programs, Indonesia would be able to improve its competitiveness significantly, indicated by the jump of its EoDB rating to 72nd, an increase of 48 points in the last three years. He also underlined a number of achievements by his administration, including the improvement of Indonesias competitiveness index from 41 in 2016 to 36 in 2017 and the upgrade in its investment rating by three international institutions -- Moodys, Fitch and S&P. The President called on Indonesians to take advantage of the opportunity of increased international faith in Indonesia to boost investment and increase exports, including to non-traditional markets. Improved investment and exports are the keys for Indonesia to have a strong economy, he added. (bbn) MISSOULA, Mont., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yesterday, Smithfield Foods, Inc. and Albertsons joined forces to donate more than 35,000 pounds of protein to Montana Food Bank Network. Smithfields contribution was part of the companys 2018 Helping Hungry Homes donation tour. Now in the programs 10th year, Helping Hungry Homes is Smithfields signature hunger-relief initiative focused on alleviating hunger and helping Americans become more food secure. The donation, equivalent to more than 141,000 servings, will help families fight hunger across Montana. We believe every person has a basic human right to access nutritious, high-quality food to nourish the mind, body, and soul, said Gayle Carlson, chief executive officer of Montana Food Bank Network. This generous donation from Smithfield Foods and Albertsons helps us continue providing relief to the many households struggling with hunger within our communities. Smithfield and Albertsons representatives presented the donation to Montana Food Bank Network at an event at the food bank this morning. Members of the organizations discussed food insecurity in the local community and the significance of this donation, which will provide protein throughout the food banks service area, reaching more than 130,000 food insecure individuals across Montana. At Albertsons we are committed to helping those in the communities we call home, said Bob Simonson, district manager for Albertsons Companies Intermountain Division. We are thankful for the opportunity to team up with Smithfield and contribute to the Montana Food Bank Network. This is the 41st large scale protein donation made by Smithfield to food banks across the country during its 2018 Helping Hungry Homes tour. Since the programs inception in 2008, Smithfield has provided more than 100 million servings of protein to food banks, disaster relief efforts, and community outreach programs nationwide. Smithfield is honored to provide support to those struggling with hunger throughout Montana and across the country, said Jonathan Toms, associate manager of charitable initiatives for Smithfield Foods. We hope this donation of protein will provide relief to those battling food insecurity, and are proud to partner with Albertsons and Montana Food Bank Network who do so much to support this community every day. For more information about Smithfield Foods Helping Hungry Homes initiative and a list of upcoming donation events, visit helpinghungryhomes.com . About Smithfield Foods Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathan's Famous, Farmland, Armour, Farmer John, Kretschmar, John Morrell, Cook's, Gwaltney, Carando, Margherita, Curly's, Healthy Ones, Morliny, Krakus and Berlinki. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com , and connect with us on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn . About Montana Food Bank Network Montana Food Bank Networks mission is to end hunger through food acquisition and distribution, education and advocacy. Their belief is that every person has the basic human right to access nutritious high-quality food that nourishes the mind, body and soul. The Network is made up of 238 neighborhood food banks, community pantries, social organizations, homeless shelters, schools and many other organizations committed to ending hunger in Montana. The Montana Food Bank Network distributes food across Montana from Heron to Wibaux, Eureka to Yellowstone and everywhere in between. About Albertsons Companies Albertsons Companies is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with both a strong local presence and national scale. We operate stores across 35 states and the District of Columbia under 20 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaws, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs. Albertsons Companies is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. Media Contacts: Dalton Agency for Smithfield Jana Beasley (904) 534-8568 jbeasley@daltonagency.com Montana Food Bank Network Gayle Carlson (406) 721-3875 gcarlson@mfbn.org Albertsons Kathy Holland (208) 395-5949 Kathy.Holland@albertsons.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/627421cf-e384-4987-8b52-7be726beb68c Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, August 16, 2018 16:08 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df5357dd3 1 Business Jokowi,infrastructure,defense,house-of-representatives,peoples-consultative-assembly,speech Free President Joko Jokowi Widodo defended his expansive infrastructure development on Thursday, which was often blamed for current economic problems, including the price increase of basic commodities. The President said the government infrastructure program was often misunderstood as only physical development. Many misunderstand if they talk about infrastructure like toll roads, airports, the MRT and the LRT [light rapid transit]. They only see them from physical points of view, Jokowi said in his speech before members of the Peoples Consultative Assembly in Jakarta. In the 2018 state budget, the government allocated Rp 410.7 trillion (US$28.1 billion) for infrastructure development, which is the largest ever in the countrys history. It also invites private companies to take part in infrastructure development. Previously, Jokowi stressed that the 2019 state budget would give strong emphasis to human resources development, but he said the government would not reduce the budget allocation for infrastructure. In fact, we are developing civilization. We are developing cultural connectivity. We are developing new cultural infrastructure, the President said in the annual event on the eve of the countrys Independence Day. He said the development of physical infrastructure should be viewed from the effort to integrate the nation and accelerate cultural connectivity that could unite the nation and bridge local cultures all over the country. [With infrastructure], Aceh people can easily communicate with the people of Papua, and people on Rote Island [in East Nusa Tenggara] can communicate with those in Miangas [North Sulawesi], the President added. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Karina M. Tehusijarana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, August 16, 2018 11:19 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df53483de 1 Politics Jokowi,MPR,speech,infrastructure,Jokowi-administration Free In his state-of-the-nation address before members of the Peoples Consultative Assembly (MPR), President Joko Jokowi Widodo highlighted his administrations achievements in infrastructure development and social welfare programs in his fourth year since taking office. "For almost four years, my government has fought to regain the people's trust by really working to develop the country from Sabang to Merauke, from Miangas to Rote Island, equitably and fairly," Jokowi said in the annual speech in the legislative complex on Thursday morning. Dressed in his now signature blue suit and red tie, Jokowi said the construction of infrastructure such as toll roads, airports, and mass transit facilities had importance beyond their physical uses. "In truth we are building civilization, building connectivity between cultures, building the infrastructure for a new culture," he said. He also claimed that his administration had succeeded in developing Indonesia's human resources. "We often speak of our natural resources, but we forget that Indonesia has great strength in the form of its human resources," he said. "This is the largest and strongest form of capital that we have." He highlighted the Indonesia Smart Card and the national health insurance (JKN) scheme as examples of his achievements in the area. The President also acknowledged that there were still strides to be made in reducing poverty, regional disparities and income inequality. "I am certain that by really working together, our nation can accomplish this," he said. The President is set to give two more speeches, including a state-of-the-nation address before the House of Representatives and one on the state budget. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, August 16, 2018 19:29 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df535ba0b 1 City prostitution,Depok,apartment Free Local police arrested six individuals, four suspected of being sex workers and two as pimps, in Margonda Residence Apartment in Depok, West Java. Depok Police chief Comr. Bintoro said the suspects used social media, including Twitter, Instagram and WeChat, to advertise their services. It brings unease because minors can access these services, said Bintoro on Wednesday as reported by tempo.co. One of the suspects, identified as DP, stated joining sex work about a month ago out of financial need to support two younger siblings. Then my friend asked me to do online sex work, so I accepted, DP said on Wednesday as reported by kompas.com. Police will charge the six suspects under the 2009 Electronics Transaction Law, facing a maximum sentence of six years' imprisonment. The concern of online prostitution was triggered in early July, when the Jakarta Police arrested two men for allegedly running a prostitution business, involving minors, using Facebook in Kalibata City Apartment in South Jakarta. (nor) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Taipei, Taiwan Thu, August 16, 2018 12:45 1171 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df534c1f4 1 Business trade-war,Taiwan,machines,manufacturing-industry,united-states,China Free While the United States and China have got embroiled in a trade war, Taiwan has risen to become a beneficiary of the tit-for-tat tariffs between the world's two biggest economies. Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI) chairman of plastics and rubber machinery committee Alan Wang said that Taiwan's machinery industry had seen an increase in sales since the trade tension began earlier this year. "In the short term, the trade war will benefit Taiwan. Because of the trend in 'Made in the USA', there has been higher demand for production and facility equipment. Our machinery sales to the US have increased, Wang told a press conference during the Taipei Plastic and Rubber Machinery Show (Taipei Plas) in Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei on Wednesday. Wang said that in the long term, however, the trade war might spook investors. TAMI board of supervisors convener Larry Wei concurred, saying that Chinese machinery had become more expensive for US companies due to the tariffs, thus making room for Taiwanese machinery. "Since last year, Taiwanese machinery has seen more and more demand from US companies with a growth rate of 20 to 30 percent," Wei said during the same occasion. The US imposed 25 percent duties in July on about US$34 billion of Chinese machinery, electronics and high-tech equipment, to which China retaliated. The US plan to further collect 25 percent extra in tariffs on $16 billion worth of Chinese goods this month, and in return China is slapping additional tariffs of 25 percent on $16 billion worth of US fuel and steel products, as well as autos and medical equipment. (dwa) The affordability of 243 rental apartments in the East Village has been locked in for 40 years under an agreement announced yesterday. LIHC Investment Group recently struck a deal with the city to preserve the Section 8 properties known as Lower East Side I and II Apartments at 384 East 10th St. and 199 Avenue B. It was part of a larger agreement covering 669 units across the city. Under the terms of the deal, the buildings will receive tax abatements and new 40-year regulatory agreements. The property owners will also spend millions to renovate the buildings. The 10th Street building includes 152 Project-Based Section 8 units. The property on Avenue B has 91 Project-Based Section 8 units. According to a press release, all of the apartments will be maintained as affordable to tenants whose annual income does not exceed 50 percent of Area Median Income (AMI is $93,900 for a family of three). Currently, the properties are 100% leased. As units become vacant, they will be made available to low-income families. The agreement requires the owners to set aside 20% of the units for homeless individuals and families. The building owners, LIHC and Center Development Corporation, will be making $7 million in improvements, including kitchen and bathroom upgrades, new wood flooring and new lighting. The citys Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the New York City Housing Development Corporation worked with the owners to preserve the affordable apartments under the mayors Housing New York Plan. In a statement, HPD Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer called the deal, a victory for both residents and neighborhoods that benefit from the stability that comes from extended affordability. Andrew Gendron of LIHC said, This deal will preserve existing affordable housing in neighborhoods where it is under the greatest threat, and we are proud to provide residents with an improved living environment, stable housing, and peace of mind far into the future. Local City Council member Carlina Rivera added, The development and preservation of affordable housing is my top priority as a Council Member, which is why I am so proud to have helped LIHC Investment Group and HPD reach an agreement that will preserve nearly 250 units of affordable housing at 384 E. 10th St. and 199 Avenue B. For the next 40 years, these residents will continue to be able to live and contribute to our rich and diverse neighborhood, and I want to thank all of the stakeholders, as well as my predecessor Councilwoman Rosie Mendez, for their work on this negotiation. As the Real Deal noted, the apartments are being preserved under the states Article XI, which requires deeper affordability than the better known 421-a subsidy program. Maine-based LIHC is one of the largest affordable housing firms in the nation, with an ownership interest in more than 37,000 units. ALBANY, New York, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global report on articulated robot market is expected to experience high demand, as the key players in the market are adopting new technologies to enhance the working of articulated robots, as analyzed by Transparency Market Research (TMR). The application of articulated robot is seen in various industries such as medical and pharmaceutical, automotive, and food and beverages industries, that will significantly boost the market during the forecast period starting from 2018 to 2026. Recently in 2017, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. launched a compact multi-axis vertically articulated robot by the name of RS007L and RS007N. Some of the other players making efforts in the global articulated robot market are YASKAWA Electric Corporation, ABB LTD., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, TOSHIBA MACHINE CO., LTD, and FANUC CORPORATION. Request a PDF Brochure for Research Insights at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=46560 As per the TMR analysis, the global articulated robot market is expected to reach US$ 22.93 bn by the end of the forecast period in 2026 from US$ 6.05 bn in 2016. The market is expected to rise at a CAGR of 14.22% for articulated robot during the same tenure. The automotive segment under the industry vertical category is projected to expand at CAGR of 13% during the forecast period. It has also been estimated that the automotive segment will attain market share up to 23.81% in the same tenure. The regional analysis shows that Asia Pacific was a leading market for articulated robot as of 2017. Adoption of articulated robot in electronic manufacturing service industry is likely to boost the market. Get a PDF Sample at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=46560 Extensive Use of Articulated Robot in Oil and Gas Industries to boost the Market The application of articulated robot has grown significantly in numerous areas such as painting a car to joining any component. There are certain areas where the use of articulated robots does not work in a beneficial way due to heavy load nature of certain applications. However, the use of articulated robot in oil and gas, aerospace and various other industries commonly manufacture large parts using industrial robots will aid in the markets expansion. Additionally, KUKA Titan, and 6-axis type of articulated robots are effective and powerful that can be used to shift and move heavy steel girders. Moreover, increasing inclination towards factory automation or say Industry 4.o has considerably boosted the demand for articulated robots in past few years. Thus, during the forecast period articulated robot market is expected to flourish significantly Download Report TOC for in-depth Analysis at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/46560 Less usage in SMEs to Restrain Articulated Robot Market Technological advancements have increased production capacity of manufacturing industry, but there are still certain restrictions lingering that could hamper the growth of the market. As articulated robots automatically reprogrammed, controlled, and have multipurpose manipulator that have significantly helped in gaining huge industrial traction, which is not suitable in small and medium enterprises. Moreover, they are designed depending upon the application required that cannot be easily modified or reconfigured later if the change is required. Additionally, the cost of reinstallation and reconfiguration is quite high in the low volume production. These factors may restrict the market of articulated robot to grow effectively. The information presented in this review is based on a TMR report, titled Articulated Robot Market (Components - Hardware, Software, Services; Payload Capacity - Low, Medium, High, Heavy; Industry Vertical - Automotive, Aerospace, EMS, Food & Beverages, Medical & Pharmaceuticals, and Others) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2018 2026. Browse Research Release at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/articulated-robot-market.htm The Global Articulated Robot Market has been segmented as follows: Global Articulated Robot Market, by Components Hardware Software Services Global Articulated Robot Market, by Payload Capacity Low Medium High Heavy Global Articulated Robot Market, by Industry Verticals Automotive Aerospace EMS (Electronic Manufacturing Services) Food & Beverages Medical & Pharmaceutical Others Global Articulated Robot Market, by Geography Europe France The U.K Germany Rest of Europe North America The U.S. Canada Rest of North America Asia Pacific (APAC) India Japan China Republic of Korea Rest of APAC Middle East &Africa (MEA) GCC Countries South Africa Rest of MEA South America Mexico Brazil Rest of South America About Us Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement. Contact Us As part of the Edinburgh Book festival, Amnesty International organises a programme known as the Imprisoned Writers Series. This year, topics include womens rights, immigration, writers at risk, and the #blacklivesmatter movement. According to the host, Dr Kasey McCall-Smith (an International Law Lecturer at Edinburgh University), the shows aim to challenge, move, and inspire. These performances are giving voice to those who cannot speak, comprising of established authors reading aloud the writings of those who are not often heard. On Monday 13th August, the show was entitled Families Forced Apart. Both the authors' emotive readings, and the extracts themselves, were heartbreaking, eloquent, and inspiring. First to read was Stella Duffy, a writer with sixteen novels to her name and an LGBTQ and womens rights campaigner. Duffy spoke the words of Valeria Luiselli, an interpreter for an immigration court based in New York City. Luiselli often struggles to translate the emotionally charged, horrifying stories told by the people she meets, but her job requires her to reduce these tales into barren terms for easy assessment. She refers to some of these stories, describing children in a desperate chase for life young people wishing for safety and stability. Next up was Karen Lord, a multi award winning science fiction author. Before beginning, Lord mentioned how uncomfortably close these stories of vulnerability came to echoing her own home of Barbados, and her emotional connection soon became clear as she read aloud the words of Eddy. Just a few months ago, Eddy was caught fleeing the horrific (and under-reported) violence in Guatemala and was separated from the rest of his family. The conditions he describes the lack of windows and clocks, and becoming tired of crying led to tears from the audience and Lord herself. The powerful words of this child had travelled from across the Atlantic all the way to Edinburgh. Poet Sasha Dugdale read aloud a poem by Behrouz Boochani, a Kurdish journalist who was sent to be imprisoned on Manus Island as a result of Australias harsh border protection policy. The poem focused on the helplessness of Boochani, and his desperation to be forgiven by his loved ones. Sally Gardner, illustrator and novelist, concluded with a heart wrenching testimony from Jewher Ilham. She recalls the day that her father was detained at Beijing airport, later sentencd to life in prison after being accused of separatism in China. Ilham's story is one that is becoming far too common a vulnerable, frightened child in the midst of a political battle. While many events at the Book Festival examine fictitious tales, these readings are current and urgent. Using the power of writing to stimulate political awareness, Amnestys events are a must-see for any Book Festival attendee. In January of this year, Iceland passed a law making it illegal for women to be paid less than men, becoming the first country in the world to do so. The law followed a promise by the government to erase the existence of a gender pay gap by 2022. The new gender pay equality law was announced on the 8th of March this year, on International Womens Day. In September 2015, speaking at a Global Leaders Meeting, the then Prime Minister Sigmundur Davi Gunnlaugsson announced the plan saying 'men cannot sit idly by when issues such as gender-based violence and the gender pay gap are being discussed.' So how will this law be enforced? Under this new law, companies in Iceland employing over 25 people will be required to obtain a government certification that acknowledges the presence of equal pay in the company. The company will then undergo a certification inspection every three years to ensure that this equal pay is still present. Speaking to TNS, English student Emily Goulding said that the initiative was 'great.' I honestly think its great, because it really does strive for equality unlike in a lot of countries and even in the UK, where men often are paid more than women as a result of a real lack of determination surrounding the law." So there can be no doubt that although this new policy may be flawed, these are aspects that can be corrected and it is applaudable that Iceland has taken these steps towards equality. Such a policy will hopefully inspire other countries to take the same approach, making the existence of a pay gapless and less common and less acceptable. Featured (altered) image courtesy of biologyfishman Anti-government protests in Nicaragua have been ongoing since April, and are so far showing no signs of a resolution. A woman protests in Nicaragua, 20th April 2018 // By Voice of America [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Officials are warning that Nicaragua may be the next country to join the immigration crisis body in South America, as government instability and the danger level faced by civilians continues to increase. The protests, originally against changes to pension policies in April, have continued after a violent backlash from the government resulted in mass demonstrations. The people are now rebelling against the government, which they fear has lost its left-wing rhetoric, and become a power-hungry dictatorship. History of Nicaragua In 1979 the right-wing President Somoza was overthrown by left-wing rebels, ending his familys 40-year supremacy. Daniel Ortega headed the Junta, the provisional government led by the Sandinista Liberation Front. Later, in the 1990s , they were defeated by the National Opposition Union, backed by the US in general elections. The Sandinista party returned to power in 2006 with Ortega. 39 years on from 1979, and the Nicaraguan people are calling for a revolution against a revolutionary, amidst fears that the left-wing President Ortega has, in reality, become a second Dictator. President Ortega has tried to defend his violent actions against his own people by claiming that the revolution is nothing more than an armed conspiracy supported by the US government. Ortega has used the media to depict himself as a savior of the Nicaraguan people, claiming that it has been our duty once again to defend peace for everyone. Such claims have been denied by the rebels, who claim they now live in a country where they fear for their own life. Sadly, this is a pattern that has emerged time and time again following the defeat of a dictatorship where the rebels have painted themselves as liberals and the saviours of the people. Such parallels can be seen in the Egyptian revolution of 2011, as well as in Venezuela. Vanessa Neumann, a business owner, author and political theorist from Venezuela, spoke to Aljazeera News on the crisis, highlighting the very similar dynamics between the two countries. The people have realised that what were these left-wingers have taken control of the powers of state, taken control of a lot of means of production, control of the media, she says. Such behaviour can only mean that a repressive state ideology has come into effect. The main repressive force in Nicaragua, as it is with most countries following this pattern, is a form of the military. In the city of Monimbo it is now commonplace to see men in black hoods driving around with guns and people disappearing from outside their homes. What is most worrying in this situation is that these paramilitary are not amateurs but have spent years being trained by the Russian government. This is not a protest that has spiralled out of control. These forces were deliberately deployed in order to crush the revolutionary spirit out of its people. The police have been described as hunting those leaving protests and snatching them from the streets. So whats happening now? Since April, Amnesty International and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in the US have condemned Ortegas actions against his own people. On Thursday the Permanent Council of the Organisation of American States (OAS) formed a council to visit Nicaragua and mediate on the ongoing crisis. However, Ortegas foreign minister Denis Moncada spoke out against the group, saying that Nicaragua rejects and condemns this disrespectful action of a group of countries of this Council, when trying to become a foreign authority, meddling in the internal affairs that are exclusively the responsibility of Nicaraguans. However, as Neumann correctly states, it seems that this situation is beyond the point of dialogue. Daniel Ortega needs to go. I think that once you start murdering your own people because they want free and fair elections, using paramilitary forces, [it becomes apparent]. With 317 of their own people dead and thousands more injured something must be done soon. But what will President Ortega do next? Evidence sent to us shows that the loans company trawled through recipients' Facebook pages to find communication between estranged students and their parents. A crop of 150 students were selected to be investigated by the company's anti-fraud department. Students were given a 28-day period to send evidence to prove their estrangement. If they failed to do so, the last instalment of their maintenance and fee loans, due in the run-up to examinations, would be suspended. Regardless of student responses, many individual investigations had not been concluded by the time the third instalments were due in April. Minutes from an SLC meeting seen by the Guardian said 81 students had funding withheld - this number decreased as the investigation progressed. However, the SLC claim that they withheld funding from 34 students who have not responded to their requests, two who withdrew their applications and one for fraud. Five other students will only be receiving non-means tested loans. In a statement to The Guardian, the SLC said the 34 students will have all their loans 'withheld.'Despite learning only a handful of students were guilty of fraud, the SLC initially suspended funding from more than half of the 150 students.However, SLC then responded to another source explaining that students being investigated would continue to be paid non-means tested loans and tuition fees would still be paid to their universities:However, the response from the SLC's counter-fraud department contradicted the above statement - they said that all funding is blocked during an investigation. In fact, a representative from the counter-fraud department was confused about the prospect of means-tested funding would be paid out whilst they investigate.This also contradicts the SLC's previous statement which stated that the 34 students who 'have not yet responded to our requests for information' will have the 'third instalment of their maintenance and fee loans' withheld as a result. An email exchange shown to us at The National Student has revealed how the SLC and its investigating body are sending conflicting messages - perhaps due to departmental miscommunication. The firm, therefore, cannot decide whether it is or isnt handing out non-means tested maintenance loans to students still under investigation who have not yet replied with evidence. Despite this inconsistent statement assuring the safety of non-means tested instalment for those remaining under investigation, some students allegedly had their payments postponed for up to five months. According to Stand Alone, a charity helping estranged adults, forty-four students are still without any form of instalment. The charity also revealed that although 34 of those students have not yet responded, 11 other students answered after the 28-day deadline and the investigation into their cases continues now. CLEARWATER, Fla., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Florida chapter of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), a non-profit mental health watchdog founded by the Church of Scientology and Dr. Thomas Szasz in 1969, has toured over 5,000 people through the Psychiatry: An Industry of Death museum in an ongoing effort to educate Floridians on their rights under the Baker Act and are inviting all to view the museum at their headquarters in downtown Clearwater. The museum is open daily from 10am until 10pm and tours are free of charge. Unveiled in July of 2015, the Florida version of the Psychiatry: An Industry of Death museum, presents a history of psychiatry while also providing information on the state of psychiatry today. CCHR stated that the museum consisting of 14 audiovisual displays on facts about psychiatric abuses, and uses interviews with more than 160 doctors, attorneys, educators and survivors on the mental health industry to expose billions in psychiatric fraud. Coupling tours of the museum with seminars and workshops delivered by attorneys and healthcare professionals on the mental health law, the Baker Act, CCHR is working to educate lawmakers, doctors and all private citizens that psychiatry is not a trusted and safe expert for the betterment of mental health. Students from nursing schools and technical colleges from across the state have taken the 2-hour self-guided tour through the museum and have reported finding the experience eye opening. For more information please call 727-442-8820 or visit http://www.cchrflorida.org/events/ About the Citizens Commission on Human Rights: CCHR has produced seven award-winning documentaries, with 7 million DVDs in 18 languages reaching 120 million people exposing drugging in the military, the irreparable harm of electric shock and the labeling and drugging of children. Initially established by the Church of Scientology and renowned psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz in 1969, CCHRs mission is to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health and enact patient and consumer protections. L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, first brought psychiatric imprisonment to wide public notice: Thousands and thousands are seized without process of law, every week, over the free world tortured, castrated, killed. All in the name of mental health, he wrote in March 1969. For more information visit www.cchrflorida.org Media Contact: Diane Stein President, CCHR Florida 727-442-8820 diane@cchrflorida.org www.cchrflorida.org Reproductive freedom is a concept often proclaimed by the pro-choice forces in the abortion debate. No doubt, we will hear concerns about reproductive freedom from these voices in the coming weeks during the confirmation hearings of Brett Kavanaugh, whom President Donald Trump has nominated for the U.S. Supreme Court. Truth be told, reproductive freedom is a euphemism for abortion. But that side of the debate would rather be called pro-choice than pro-abortion. Thus the euphemism of reproductive freedom. Yet reproductive freedom was not always a concept embraced by the pro-choice crowd. In the 1960s, it was the Catholic Church that very much maintained the position of reproductive freedom. President Lyndon B. Johnson enjoyed a good relationship with the Church in both America and Rome. Indeed, during his visit to New York in 1965, Pope Paul VI praised LBJ as a doer and not a talker. And the Church very much supported LBJs civil rights and voting rights initiatives, as well as his War on Poverty. Though the Church also supported an end to the Vietnam War, in deference to LBJ, the Church did not support peace at all costs in Vietnam. But there was a serious snag in the relationship between LBJ and the Church. LBJ was a staunch supporter of birth control in the impoverished areas in both America and overseas. His Great Society program was not only providing information about birth control to recipients of public assistance. It was persuading and even coercing the poor to opt for birth control. And overseas, LBJ even withheld grain shipments to India due to the countrys population explosion. When LBJ accepted the first-ever Margaret Sanger Award in 1966 (named for the champion of birth control who subscribed to the theory of racial eugenics), the Church in America was compelled to take issue with the president. In a letter to LBJ, Father Francis Hurley of the National Catholic Welfare Conference (and the bishops liaison to the White House) expressed in a letter to LBJ the Catholic concern over the dangers of the right of privacy by government birth control programs. Right of privacy is now the rhetoric employed by the pro-choice side of the debate. Such rhetoric is so much a part of the pro-choice crowd that we have forgotten that it was the Church that first embraced reproductive freedom. Its tempting to give this story a happy ending by proclaiming that LBJ and the Church resolved their differences. And LBJ did agree to receive the role of public assistance to merely provide information about birth control to recipients of public assistance in a non-persuasive and non-coercive manner. He also agreed to refer to the issue as the population problem and cease use of the term birth control. But to this day, there is concern that public assistance officials still advocate birth control (and abortion) for the underprivileged. And LBJ himself never did lift the entire ban on grain shipments to India. In reality, LBJ and the Church merely agreed to disagree on the concept of reproductive freedom. There was politically too much at stake for LBJ and the Church to have it out over birth control and reproductive freedom. LBJ needed the Churchs support for his Great Society and the Church needed LBJs support for parochial schools. Yet it is instructive to examine the evolution of rhetoric in a fierce public debate. Those who today advocate reproductive freedom might want to consider the full meaning of the term. It may surprise them as to who had first taken up the mantle they now claim as their own. John ONeill is an Allen Park freelance writer. He has a degree in history from Wayne State University. Westbrook, Maine, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Synergy CHC Corp. (OTCQB: SNYR ) (Synergy or the Company), a consumer health care & beauty company, today announced its first expansion into the Mexican marketplace. Synergy is very pleased to announce it has signed a deal with Sams Club Mexico division for 163 locations. Synergys first launch will be with its wildly successful Focus Factor brand and expects to continue to add numerous other products and brands as we grow across Mexico both with our existing customer base as well as adding new Mexican specific retailers. About FOCUSfactor FOCUSfactor is sold at Americas leading retailers such as Costco, Sams Club, Wal-Mart, BJs, Walgreens, CVS and The Vitamin Shoppe. FOCUSfactor, Americas leading brain health supplement, is a nutritional supplement that includes a proprietary blend of brain supporting vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients. In December 2012, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued US Patent 8,329,227 covering FOCUSfactors proprietary formulation for enhanced mental function. The issuance of the patent marked one of the few times a patent has been issued for a nationally branded nutritional supplement. FOCUSfactor is clinically tested with results demonstrating improvements in focus, concentration and memory in healthy adults. More information on FOCUSfactor can be found at www.focusfactor.com or visit their Instagram page. Over the past several years Synergy has developed an incredible brand portfolio. Through Synergys vision of organic and growth by acquisition strategy, we have been able to secure best in class brands through acquisition and are now positioned to grow those brands with our existing partners to global markets and expand the global reach and offering of our brands to new consumers around the world. This is truly exciting times, and Synergy is looking forward to creating exponential shareholder value through our expanded global partnerships said Jack Ross, CEO of Synergy. About Synergy CHC Corp. Synergy CHC Corp. is a leading omni-channel consumer health and beauty company that is in the process of building a portfolio of best-in-class consumer product brands and utilizes The Synergy Effect, which includes a proprietary ROI based algorithm, to sell its products online through social media influencers. Synergys strategy is to grow its portfolio both organically and by further acquisition. Synergys diversified portfolio now includes FOCUSfactor, Flat Tummy, Per-fekt Beauty, Sneaky Vaunt, Neuragen, and Hand MD. For more information, please visit www.synergychc.com. Synergys other brands: Flat Tummy Flat Tummy Teas uniquely formulated two-step herbal detox tea works to naturally help speed metabolism, boost energy and reduce bloating to flatten your tummy. It is currently sold online to a 20-30 year old female, predominantly American market. Since being founded in 2013, Flat Tummy has grown rapidly, largely attributed to the strength of its branding and its innovative and effective use of social media marketing. The secret is a very specific process and ROI based algorithm used on various social media platforms. To date, Flat Tummy has built a targeted social media following of over 1,634,000, many of whom are now customers. Flat Tummy now has over 14,000 positive written reviews on its website, www.flattummyco.com or visit its Instagram page. Per-fekt Beauty Per-fekt Beauty is one of Synergys newest brands that was acquired in 2017. Per-fekt Beauty markets and sells a specialized range of beauty products (makeup, skin-care & body) via retailers and online through social media channels. Per-fekt Beauty is well established in the beauty space, opening up an exciting opportunity for the rest of our products in that industry. Even more exciting is the potential to apply the same ROI based algorithm that Flat Tummy uses and is currently being used by The Synergy Effect on various online marketing platforms what could be more per-fekt? Per-fekt Beauty can be found at perfektbeauty.com or visit their Instagram page. Sneaky Vaunt Sneaky Vaunt is one of Synergys newest brands that launched in March of 2017. Sneaky Vaunt markets and sells a backless, strapless, stick on, push up bra as well as other lingerie items exclusively online through social media channels. Sneaky Vaunt is being marketed on the same ROI based algorithm that Flat Tummy uses and is currently being used by The Synergy Effect on various online marketing platforms. In just over a year, Sneaky Vaunt has built a targeted social media following of over 450,000 on Instagram. Sneaky Vaunt can be found at sneakyvaunt.com or visit their Instagram page. Hand MD Hand MD is the worlds first anti-aging skincare line formulated specifically for the hands. Hands reveal a womans true age and the rejuvenation of the hand has become womens #1 aging concern. Developed by Kara Harshbarger and renowned celebrity dermatologist Dr. Alex Khadavi, Hand MDs extensive clinical trials show significant improvement in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, skin hydration, hyper-pigmentation and radiance. Hand MD launched on QVC and sold out in an astonishing 5 minutes. More information on Hand MD can be found at handmd.com Neuragen Neuragen is a topical product that works directly at the site of the pain as opposed to oral products. Neuragen reduces the spontaneous firing of damaged peripheral nerves. By calming these firings at the source, Neuragen is clinically shown to reduce shooting and burning pains quickly and without the side effects of orally taken medications. This is in part due to the small lipophilic molecules found in Neuragen which rapidly carry the active ingredients through the rough outer layer of the skin to the site of the pain. Neuragen is available over the counter in most local pharmacies either in the diabetic section or the analgesic (pain) section. For more information, please visit neuragen.ca The Synergy Effect The Synergy Effect is Synergys fast-growth online marketing platform, a growth engine built to grow brands exponentially online. Launched in 2017, The Synergy Effect powers Synergys brands online, driving revenue using best-in-class digital strategy and its proprietary ROI algorithm. Already boasting success stories including Flat Tummy and Sneaky Vaunt, both of which have experienced unprecedented growth in digital and social media, The Synergy Effect will spend the upcoming year further unlocking the huge online growth potential within Synergys existing portfolio of brands, as well as brands acquired by Synergy. More information on The Synergy Effect can be found at thesynergyeffect.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, regarding managements expectations, beliefs, goals, plans or Synergys prospects should be considered forward-looking. Readers are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from projections or estimates due to a variety of important factors, including: Synergys ability to integrate any new products into its current operations; the risks and uncertainties associated with Synergys ability to manage its cash resources; obtaining additional financing to support Synergys operations; Synergys dependence on third parties for its research and development, manufacturing and distribution functions; Synergys dependence on its license relationships; protecting the intellectual property developed by or licensed to Synergy; and Synergys ability to build its operations to support its business strategy and promote its products. These and other risks are described in greater detail in Synergys filings with the SEC, copies of which are available free of charge at the SECs website (www.sec.gov) or upon request from Synergy. Synergy may not actually achieve the goals or plans described in its forward-looking statements, and investors should not place undue reliance on these statements. Synergy assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. BARCELONA, SPAIN-(GLOBE NEWSWIRE - Aug 16, 2018) - Cloudways, the industry-leading managed cloud hosting platform, has unveiled its redesigned look, along with a new Startup Program, enhanced Staging, and a new Let's Encrypt Wildcard SSL certificate feature. The redesigned Cloudways offers a fresh look to the brand. Keeping the key value propositions in view, the company recrafted a design that resonates more with the all the audience who wish to stay focused on what they do best, and experience more wins for their businesses. Prioritizing popular customer demand, the company also enhanced its Staging Environment and introduced a new Let's Encrypt Wildcard SSL certificate feature. Simultaneously, paying special attention to the requirements of the emerging startup communities, the company launched a Startup Program. The co-founder of Cloudways, Aaqib Gadit said, "As Cloudways is growing rapidly, we continue to improve and innovate our Platform, making it more Simple and Powerful. Moreover, we are scaling our teams and improving processes to ensure better User Experience and 24x7 Expert Support at scale." With a fresh perspective on the brand and guided by customer feedback, Cloudways rolled out: Website, Blog, and Platform : Inspired by the brand concept and expert opinion, Cloudways redesigned the brand's look and feel. Startup Program : Based on their experience of being bootstrapped and working with the startup communities and customers, Cloudways launched a program that helps startups through the growth stage and beyond by providing managed hosting, a mix of tools and mentorship. Staging Environment : The improved Staging Environment, a direct result of customer feedback, allows users to test and improve their applications and websites without affecting the live version. Let's Encrypt Wildcard SSL : Cloudways introduced Let's Encrypt Wildcard SSL certificates to fulfill the requirements of securing multiple subdomains with a single SSL certificate. Additional Resources: Read the blog about the Redesigned Cloudways: https://www.cloudways.com/blog/cloudways-redesigned/ Read the blog on Staging Envirnoment: https://www.cloudways.com/blog/announcing-enhanced-staging/ Read the tutorial on how to install Let's Encrypt Wildcard SSL certificate on Cloudways: https://support.cloudways.com/create-staging-environment-site/ About Cloudways: You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close 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 90%.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 9C. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Tessa Udden, a junior at Foxboro High School, swims in the ocean following a whale watch in Puerto Cayo, Ecuador. Udden recently returned from a six-week exchange program sponsored by Foxboro Rotary that will include a reciprocal visit from a member of her host family. FREDERICKSBURG, Va., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Attorneys with First Liberty Institute today sent a demand letter to Community Realty Company (CRC), parent company of the Evergreens at Smith Run, alleging religious discrimination in housing by the management of the senior living community in Fredericksburg, Virginia, after it prohibited religious activities in the Evergreens Community Room and threatened a resident and his wife with eviction for hosting a small Bible study in their apartment. Read First Libertys demand letter here . Evicting elderly residents from their home for holding a Bible Study is not only outrageous, its illegal, said Lea Patterson, associate counsel for First Liberty. Its frightening that a management company would use the threat of eviction to stop residents from meeting together to discuss any issue, let alone their faith. Last year residents asked Ken Hauge, a new resident, to lead a Bible study in the complexs community room. Mr. Hauge reserved the room, but the apartment manager refused to allow him to call the event a Bible study, requiring instead that he call it a Book Study. On July 23, 2018, the Evergreens adopted a new policy prohibiting residents from engaging in activity for religious purposes in the Community Room. In a certified letter also dated July 23, Hauge and his wife, both in their mid-80s, received an eviction notice informing that CRC considers the Bible study to constitute business activity prohibited by his lease and, unless he ceases to lead Bible study, his lease will terminate on August 31st, 2018. First Liberty also represents Donna Dunbar , a Port Charlotte woman denied the use of her condos community room for a small womens Bible study. Learn more about Hauges case at FirstLiberty.org/Ken-Hauge Hauge = HOW=guhee. About First Liberty Institute First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans. To arrange an interview, contact Lacey McNiel at media@firstliberty.org or by calling 972-941-4453. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e18d1ed4-6377-4583-bfd0-260e6cfa2ad1 CHICAGO, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 4C, a data science and marketing technology company, announced today that clients can now execute and analyze their Amazon Sponsored Product campaigns within its platform, Scope by 4CTM , alongside Apple News, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, NBCUniversal, Pinterest, Twitter, and Snapchat. Scope is the first self-service technology that delivers audience discovery, media execution, and performance analysis across TV, social, digital, and mobile marketplaces. Amazon is not only a highly significant e-commerce channel, but also has a rapidly growing advertising business. 4Cs Amazon offering presents a strong option for marketers, particularly among the CPG segment, who are looking to connect their ecommerce presence with their full range of cross-channel advertising activities. With the availability of Amazons Sponsored Product ads through the Scope platform, 4C provides advertisers with a new way to connect with relevant audiences, said Lance Neuhauser, CEO, 4C. The Amazon integration further bolsters 4Cs position as a single self-service platform where marketers can manage their advertising across Social and eCommerce. Through 4Cs Scope platform, clients can now leverage Sponsored Products to drive traffic and reach their audiences with relevant ads on Amazon.com across desktop and mobile. These are keyword targeted, pay-per-click ads that appear within and above search Amazon results. Advertisers can plan, execute, and analyze these campaigns within Scope, which offers unique pacing, optimization, workflow automation, and reporting tools across channels. Adding Amazon to 4Cs mix not only helps clients maximize this powerhouse channel but makes it possible to truly optimize campaigns for every step along the buyer journey, from brand awareness to product research to making a purchase, said Rob Bernstein, Managing Director, Reprise. Visit http://www.4cinsights.com/Amazon to learn more about how to power Amazon advertising through Scope by 4C. About 4C Insights 4C is global marketing technology company that delivers a unified platform for audience discovery, media execution, and performance analysis. Leading brands, global agencies, and media owners trust the Scope by 4C platform to identify their most valuable audiences and reach them across channels and devices. With nearly $2 billion in annualized advertising spend running through Scope, 4C enables self-service activation on Amazon, Apple News, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, NBCUniversal, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Twitter as well as TV synced ads via display, search, social, and video. The company also provides paid, earned, and owned media analytics leveraging its Teletrax television monitoring network which detects over 400 million TV asset airings on an annual basis. Founded in 2011 and based in Chicago, 4C has staff in 16 worldwide locations across the United States, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, and the Philippines. Visit www.4Cinsights.com for more information. Media Contact Kari Brownsberger VP, Marketing Communications Kari.brownsberger@4Cinsights.com 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. A tax consultant who fled the UK after masterminding a conspiracy to steal nearly 7million from construction workers has been jailed for nine years. Former Inland Revenue worker Mike Hughes, 52, used a string of UK and offshore companies and bank accounts to steal 6.9million in taxes deducted from workers wages, through fraudulent payroll schemes. The money, which should have been paid to HM Revenue & Customs, was split between Hughes and his three co-conspirators, who were jailed for a total of 19 years in 2016. Jailed: Ex-Inland Revenue worker who stole 6.9m in taxes deducted from workers wages Hughes evaded justice by leaving the UK in September 2011, travelling to Chile and Dubai before setting up home in northern Cyprus. He was arrested by HMRC investigators at Heathrow Airport in January when he arrived on a flight from Turkey. He was yesterday jailed for nine-and-a-half years at Southwark Crown Court. Alison Chipperton, assistant director of the fraud investigation service at HMRC, said: They were all professionals who broke the law, but as a tax consultant and former Inland Revenue employee, Hughes role as the criminal mastermind is even more deplorable.' Online retail giant Amazon is believed to be interested in starting a price comparison website in Britain, sources claim. It has sounded out some of Europe's top insurance firms to see if they would potentially contribute products. It would be a major foray into financial services in Britain. Three industry executives told Reuters they had held talks with Amazon about the possible launch of a site. Insurance supermarket? Amazon is rumoured to be interested in starting a comparison website One said talks were part of several discussions Amazon is having with insurers. A second said there were no imminent launch plans. While it was not clear what type of insurance would be sold on an Amazon site, home and motor policies are popular sellers on existing price comparison sites, with millions using them each year. The industry sources declined to be named as the talks are confidential and Amazon declined to comment. An Amazon price comparison website for insurance products would potentially battle existing and established websites, such as Go Compare, MoneySupermarket and Compare the Market. Amazon has cutting-edge technology, reach and a loyal customer base which could prove attractive to some insurers to expand sales. However, the potential for premiums to be forced lower through competition could deter others. One of the industry sources said the comparison site model fits Amazon's strategy of offering a range of products, as opposed to partnering with one firm. It is not clear what financial arrangements Amazon would strike with insurers if it were to go ahead. Tech-rival Google launched a financial services comparison site in Britain and the US in 2016 but shut it down after only a year due to low traffic. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell said: 'Expanding into financial services may seem a strange move for a retailer, yet it makes sense when you consider Amazon's incredible reach and engagement with such a wide range of consumers. 'Home, travel and car insurance are already highly competitive markets from both an underwriting perspective and the number of price comparison sites. 'That won't bother Amazon as its muscle power and wide reach could give it a fighting chance of making a big success from facilitating the sale of third party insurance policies. 'Other industries linked with a potential move by Amazon include pharmaceuticals and business supplies distribution. And it has already made waves with food delivery and logistics. 'So what's next? Can Amazon become an estate agent? Perhaps a more logical move would be to extend into the travel sector, offering discounted holidays, cruises and car rental.' The Go Compare share price was down nearly eight per cent in early morning trading, but is now down by two per cent. The MoneySupermarket share price is also down around three per cent in early trading. SAN RAMON, Calif., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Armanino LLP, one of the top 25 largest accounting and business consulting firms in the U.S., announced today it was named to the Microsoft Dynamics Inner Circle for the sixth time since 2012. The accolade is awarded to firms that have performed to a high standard of excellence by delivering valuable solutions to empower clients to achieve greater success. Each year we recognize Microsoft Business Applications partners from around the world for delivering innovation and driving unsurpassed customer success, said Cecilia Flombaum, senior director of Microsofts One Commercial Partner organization. Our Inner Circle members are chosen based on their business performance as well as capabilities as an organization, whether thats creating IP, developing solutions, or having an industry-leading focus on digital transformation. Microsoft is honored to recognize Armanino for their achievements this past year, their dedication to our customers, and their innovation around the Microsoft Cloud. Armaninos most popular add-ons speak to the firms expertise in life sciences, high tech and professional services. Their strong reputation in the marketplace led to a licensing deal with Microsoft to add Armaninos Revenue Recognition Management for Dynamics 365 to the core software. The addition allows users to more easily comply with IFRS 15 and ASC 606 standards, ending reliance on manually managed spreadsheets. This recognition is a result of embracing digital transformation. The Armanino Marketplace has more than a dozen Microsoft Dynamics add-ons and integration packs, making Armanino a leading Microsoft partner, said Tom Mescall, partner-in-charge of Armaninos Consulting practice. Weve been offering Dynamics to businesses in the technology, life sciences and professional services industries for more than 15 years, and as a trusted partner, were selected to implement Dynamics 365 for one of Microsofts largest business units. The firm serves clients in 35 metro regions and key business and technology centers around the country. As leaders in the Microsoft Dynamics space, Armanino regularly hosts solution-specific webinars and educational events, such as the annual EVOLUTION conference, on a variety of topics to help customers make the most of their technology investments. Firm leaders have also presented on life science and technology industry solutions at the Microsoft Industry Summit. Armanino has published numerous industry-specific white papers, and the firms experts author a widely read Microsoft Dynamics blog. Armanino provides implementation, integration, training and consultation for high-growth and enterprise organizations using business enterprise applications. The firm specializes in Microsoft Dynamics 365, Dynamics AX, Dynamics GP, Dynamics CRM and Power BI to develop and deploy solutions that help leading global companies across industries get to market faster and achieve continued success. About Armanino LLP Armanino LLP (https://www.armaninollp.com/) 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 Tigrai state President Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael says the Ethiopian federal system is being destroyed Tigrai state President Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael says the Ethiopian federal system is being destroyed in a TV press statement. Advertisements President of Tigrai state Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael gave a press statement about the current dangerous situation in Ethiopia. In his press statement he gave to Ethiopian journalists he answered many questions which are burning in the collective minds of Ethiopians. He also explained why millions of Tigrains went to the streets demonstrating against ethnic attacks throughout Ethiopia and in support of the Federal system in Ethiopia. Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael asserted the Ethiopian federal system is being destroyed right now. He added the Tigrai people and government have a strong commitment to the federal system in Ethiopia, however the Tigrai and TPLF are not the only guards for the federal system and the Ethiopian constitution. Tigrai state President Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael says the Ethiopian federal system is being destroyed in a TV press statement (Amharic). Tigrai state President Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael says the Ethiopian federal system is being destroyed in a tv press statement The Tigrai president warned the new administration is belittling what was achieved in the past 27 years and denying the success of the Ethiopian people and EPRDF. If the new administration denigrates what EPRDF and the Ethiopian people accomplished, what does the future hold for Ethiopia. Advertisements Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael added the federal states in Ethiopia are being dismantled as we can see in Somali Regional state. The country is falling apart and you can not keep Ethiopia by patching little holes. Everything is getting worst by the day in Ethiopia because the new administration is based on destroying the foundation of the Ethiopian federal system. It would have been better to build on top of the great achievements correcting the mishaps of the previous administrations. MANZINI Just a week after her death, the paternal and marital families of Mary Maseko nee Gwebu are embroiled in a bitter war of words. Mary is the deceased wife of New Covenant of Jesus Christ Ministries Bishop Enoch Maseko. She died after ingesting a poisonous substance about a week ago. Marys brothers are alleging that the bishop ordered them not to attend the funeral unless certain things were fulfilled. Speaking on behalf of the Gwebu family was Mfomfo Gwebu, the elder brother of the bishops wife, who said upon arrival at the Maseko homestead to pass their condolences and to further hear about funeral arrangements, unpalatable words were allegedly said to them. We were shocked by the way the Maseko family welcomed us. It all began when we left some money as offering. We were told that they did not need our money. They further told us that they did not want us to be part of the funeral service this weekend. This shocked us, especially because Mary was the only sister we had and we have to pay our last respects to her, it is a normal thing to do, Mfomfo said. He further alleged that the Gwebu family, comprising only brothers, were later asked to leave the Maseko homestead. As a family, we are saddened by the Maseko familys actions as we do not have an idea what could have sparked this. We were accused of discussing the Maseko family issues with outsiders, another Gwebu brother, Mfanawenina said. The bishop, who is also a senior member of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF), when contacted, admitted there were certain unpalatable words that were exchanged between the Gwebu and Maseko families. However, he said the Gwebus knew exactly where all the misunderstanding emanated from. They know where all this is coming from and I told them that I needed them to return to my home with a certain family member who is responsible for all this. Tinkhulumo letiningi tiyabafaka-I am currently in mourning yet people are alleging a lot of wrong things about my wifes death. Ababuye naloyo muntfu lengitsite babuye naye (They should return to my family with the implicated person, so we resolve the issues we are currently faced with) and I need the media to be there too, Bishop Maseko said last night. SITEKI We have been deprived of the opportunity to be nominated and to nominate. A total of 40 prospective voters and elections hopefuls under Mndobandoba area (near Big Bend), who missed out on nomination, have petitioned the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC). The disgruntled residents are demanding that the outcome of the nomination exercise under Mndobandoba Royal Kraal be declared null and void. Furthermore, they demand that the nomination exercise under the chiefdom should start afresh before the Primary Elections slated for next weekend. Complaint In their formal complaint to the EBC, they have accused one particular elections officer, of allegedly flouting procedure during the nomination exercise. We were informed by our education officer that a total of 20 candidates were to be nominated for each category of the three, namely; Bucopho, Indvuna yeNkhundla and Member of Parliament. As we were eyeing the position of Indvuna yeNkhundla, we were surprised by the act of the presiding officer of the day, when he stopped the nomination of the Indvuna yeNkhundla category while there were only four nominees, reads in part the petition to the EBC. Presiding According to the disgruntled elections hopefuls and prospective voters, they complained to the presiding officer and demanded to be given the opportunity to nominate their preferred candidates. However, they allege that the presiding officer ignored them and instead proceeded to the nominations for the position of MP. Therefore, we appeal to the commission to order the exercise to start afresh. We also pray that a restart of the exercise would enable everyone to achieve his/her right to nominate (their preferred candidates), further reads the complaint filed with the EBC. EBC Chairman, Chief Gija, said he had not seen the petition filed by the disgruntled residents of Mndobandoba. Maybe it is still with the legal advisor, said Chief Gija. However, one of the people who signed the petition told this publication that the complaint was filed at the EBC Headquarters at Nkhanini (Lobamba) this past Monday. To prove this, he showed this reporter Elections Complaint forms which were given to them by EBC officials when they delivered the petition. Did you appeal the decision of the elections officer to the commission within 10 days of the decision? If not, why? reads a question in the complaints form that was filled by the disgruntled residents of Mndobandoba. They responded to the affirmative to the above question. Meanwhile, Chief Gija said the disgruntled residents of Mndobandoba, just like any other registered voter, had a right to file a complaint with the commission if they felt that any activity of the elections process did not go well. The courts have even given us judges to deal with complaints about the elections, he said. One of the disgruntled elections hopefuls, who signed the petition, said they were hopeful that the EBC would deal with the complaints quickly before the Primary Elections slatted for next week. There are many people who are unhappy with the manner the nominations (under Mndobandoba Royal Kraal) were conducted. Only 40 signed the petition because of limited space, otherwise over 40 people want the whole exercise to be repeated, he said. MBABANE Count the special votes on the same day because they cost us the election. This was the common view of a number of nominees who expressed their concerns about the safety of the about 6 000 votes which are cast during the special Voting exercise expected to take place next week Tuesday (August 21, 2018). The special voting that will take place at the Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre is for officers who will be working during the elections, members of the security forces and those living outside the Kingdom of Eswatini, known to be in the diaspora. Some inmates will also be allowed to vote. These concerns were raised by nominees from the Hhohho Region, who were gathered at the Mater Dolorosa School Hall yesterday morning during the sensitisation exercise for the thousands of nominees who wish to be part of the next government. The exercise was conducted by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) officers, who included Deputy Commissioner Pholile Dlamini, Commissioner Ncumbi Maziya, Head of Secretariat Richard Phungwayo and officer Mlamuli Shabangu. Over 800 nominees crammed the hall to hear what was expected of them. Former Motshane Member of Parliament (MP) Robert Magongo, who is also contesting for the same position, was one of those who asked why the counting of the special votes was not conducted on the same day. Another nominee, Bhekisisa Bhembe, also asked the EBC where the votes would be kept until August 25, 2018 when the Primary Elections took place. wondered Who will guard them until that date and how will we know how many correctional services officers, for example, voted? wondered Bhembe. He said they needed to know the number of the army, correctional and police personnel, including those who would be working during the elections. EBC Commissioner Maziya, however, did not specifically respond to where the ballot papers from the special votes would be kept, although he assured that they would be safe. MBABANE A beneficiary was defrauded over E600 000 from her late relatives estate, allegedly by two civil servants. Thandeka Qondile Maphalala (33) of Mpolonjeni and Derrick Thabani Sibanyoni (33) of Zondwako, have been charged with two counts. According to their charge sheet, Maphalala and Sibanyoni are alleged to have defrauded Nosipho Sihlongonyane E682 778.85, which was her inheritance. The two appeared before Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi, where they were remanded in custody until August 24, pending their committal to the High Court. The suspects were represented by Lindelwa Mkhwanazi, who mentioned to the court that he was standing in for Sifiso Jele. Prosecutor Buddy Masango then stated that as the state, they were making an application for the detention of exhibits which would be used during the trial. The principal magistrate questioned what kind of exhibits they were and Masango stated that these were two vehicles. The exhibits are big, Your Worship, as they are vehicles, so they cannot be brought into the courtroom, Masango said. Mkhwanazi informed the court that they were opposing the application to detain the vehicles, as they had documents which supported opposing the application made by Masango. Vehicles The court then stated that Masango would have to file a full application for the detention of the vehicles. The principal magistrate informed both learned friends and the suspects that she needed to inspect the cars. The suspects are charged with fraud and it does not add up why the vehicles are to be detained. We have paperwork which reflects the date of purchase for the vehicles, Mkhwanazi said. However, the principal magistrate informed the Crown that she needed to inspect the said vehicles, if they are in good condition for the intended application by the Crown. The inspection can be done first thing in the morning so the suspects will be remanded in custody as they are to be brought back here first thing in the morning, the magistrate said. In the first count, the civil servants are charged with fraud in that upon or about the month of March to July 2018, at or near Mbabane in the Hhohho District, the said suspects acting jointly and in furtherance of a common purpose, did unlawfully and with intent to defraud, misrepresent to Jabulile Rachel Dlamini. Jabulile, in the charge sheet it states holds the position of assistant accountant in the Treasury Department of the Kingdom of Eswatini and that the two suspects stated that it was their honest belief that a Standard Bank statement in the name of Nosipho Siphiwo Sihlongonyane, a beneficiary in the estate of the late Patrick Bafana Sihlongonyane was authentic and did by means of the said misrepresentation induce to the actual loss and prejudice to Nosipho in that the amount of E682 778 85 was paid to Nolwazi Nonduduzo Fakudze. Re: Umbra Applied Technologies Group, Inc. 2018 Mid-Year Chairmans Letter TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UAT Group (OTC: UATG) releases the following letter to shareholders: The past six months have been significant for UAT Group. Over the past two and a half years, UAT Group has faced many challenges, three specifically that needed to be overcome urgently in order to create value for shareholders. Tradable Security : As a tradable security UAT Group needed to have a market liquidity that was sustained and consistent. For the past thirty months UAT Group (UATG) has maintained an average daily trading volume above seven million shares with an average dollar traded between $200,000 and $400,000 a month. Above average for a company who until just recently was a start-up with little to no revenue Deliverable Revenues . During the first years, operating in a start-up capacity strictly focused on research and development, UAT was hemorrhaging cash. By the end of 2017 and while recovering from anemic growth, a precarious financial position and a much-needed course correction UAT was finally generating revenue Corporate Structure : The issue in the first two and a half years of business was an operational oversight failure that in hindsight never should have happened. Delegating should include a balanced approach to oversight and human capital management. With safeguards and highly detailed protocols in place UAT Group has been able to recover from a caustic time period while building the infrastructure needed to build a company capable of delivering products globally. The First Half of This Year Has Been Extremely Successful At the beginning of the year I outlined our 2018 plans to bolster our foundational core objectives in an effort to prepare for the upcoming exponential growth. This was essentially a continued effort which began more than two years ago when we began to course correct the companys trajectory. The first half of this year has been extremely successful for UAT Group and I would like to take this opportunity to highlight just a few of the major achievements in the first half of 2018 followed by the business strategies for the remainder of the year. Our track record of more than 35% returning customers/customer retention and 99% customer satisfaction has been one of the most rewarding experiences for UATs Hygieia team and something that I am particularly proud of considering they initially launched with only two products, several months apart while simultaneously preparing for the launch of more than 20 product SKUs over the next 12 months. I would also add that we have only had three product returns since launching the Hygieia line of products 12 months ago. Of those three returns two were from women who mistakenly purchased mens socks for themselves with only one return coming from an actual complaint. This is extraordinary when one considers that we have only had one complaint out of the thousands of socks we have sold. Hygieia is a product line that is highly scalable with many verticals that will contribute to revenues in a significant way however, its contribution to corporate recognition was something I admittedly underestimated. Last year we had an organic web ranking of 331 and few knew who we were or what Hygieia was. Last week I was notified that we currently have multiple rankings of 13-32! The marketing team has exceeded my expectations at every step of the way and I am very proud of them and their efforts. Investing in Our Business Execution Strategy We ended 2017 with 1070 new customers and Hygieia sales revenue of $80,000.00, the first 4 months of the new product launch. Thats an increase of over 61,000% from the previous year and a significant change in revenue flows for the first time in the companys history. We spent 32% of revenue on additional marketing, 49% in variable expenses supporting additional designs and 8.4% on fixed expenses leaving the remaining 10.6% as our adjusted operating income, which is the profit generated from existing sales before investing in new customer acquisitions. Thus far, this year we have invested $600,000.00 to expand and build inventory while simultaneously investing in our business execution strategy we began more than two years ago. We have committed an additional $500,000.00 to the development of the organization over the next 5 months to support our corporate expansion and up-list. We completed our first full sales cycle with our new marketing and sales program that is focused on building brand awareness, expanding our demographics and streamlining our fulfillment processes. As our opportunity pipeline continued to expand the challenge then became managing growth in the second quarter while investing in future fulfilment. We met this challenge with securing a temporary fulfilment center with an additional 3000 square feet of warehouse and office space. We will occupy this new space for the next six months while we negotiate the acquisition of our new warehouse and corporate headquarters. The new 12-acre site has already been identified and will provide UAT with over 14,000 square feet of warehouse and office space with room for expansion. Financing for UATs new corporate headquarters and fulfillment center has already been identified and we are confident that this new location will provide the company with the opportunity to continue expansion while streamlining operations. This new site is intended to house UAT operations for the next 6 years while a site is identified to build UATs final technology headquarters that will house all facets of operations such as R&D, manufacturing, fulfilment, technology demonstration center and executive offices. We have already initiated the search for an appropriate site and anticipate its acquisition by the end of 2019. We have begun to outline the requirements for the new headquarters and expect to identify and retain an architectural design firm by the end of the year so that we can begin the collaborative effort of designing our flagship offices over the proceeding 18-24 months. As UAT Group Continues to Advance, We Will Undoubtedly Confront A Full Spectrum of Challenges In order to build on our success and compete in a highly competitive market segment we must effectively communicate why and how our product marketing strategy has been developed for the purposes of not only educating the customer but the market. This must be done cogently and with an acuity that mitigates the risk of dubiety on the part of our shareholders, team members and customers. Business execution strategies such as branding of our first product line, improved website, first ever media production to introduce products and social media expansion were aggressively developed and deployed to paint a clear picture of what we are and what we do. Internally we streamlined oversight and employee positions and focused on a strategy that kept UAT Group on track to up-list and improve its capital capabilities. Over the next few months we will continue to stay on pace with our objectives while maintaining a firm grasp on our commitment to our shareholders. As UAT Group continues to advance, we will undoubtedly confront a full spectrum of challenges that present the potential to sedate or even avert corporate expansion. Growing, solidifying and retaining our new and existing consumers will require a commitment to quality, innovation and excellence commensurate with UAT and the standards that UAT customers have grown to expect. We Have Very Much Built A World Class Team I am very proud of my team and most of our customers will never know how tirelessly they have been working to deliver the worlds most advanced smart textile products. Most customers do however, appreciate the commitment to quality and attention to detail that is evident the moment their skin is enveloped by the unparalleled combination of functional design and advanced engineering that is the Hygieia experience. People genuinely enjoy and love UAT Hygieia products, which means they not only appreciate our efforts but enjoy the result of said efforts. It is incredibly gratifying to know that we have done something that improves the quality of life for others but also makes people happy. I am very fortunate and incredibly humbled to be privileged to work alongside such dedicated and caring colleagues. We have very much built a world class team and as a result are in the process of developing a world class company. Objective for The End Of 2018 My objective for the end of 2018 is to ensure that everyone on the UAT team fully understand how to convey their commitment to delivering the best possible products to every UAT customer and UAT Group shareholder. In order for this to be realized I have worked diligently at fostering an environment where innovation and an uncompromising commitment to exceed customer expectations is the starting point for the bare minimum. Additionally, management has been tremendously committed to ensure that every member of the UAT team fully understands their role and responsibilities as it pertains to our execution strategy and commitment to customer satisfaction. I hope you will come to share our view that, over the past year, UAT Group has further ameliorated its strategic positioning through an unabated focus on our foremost strategic and operational objectives, the evolution of our strategic execution, our continued commitment to improve our capital allocation protocols, and the insights we have gained through candid assessments of our failures and ultimately our successes. Our team members are highly motivated to optimize all of the resources at our disposal in an effort to enhance UAT Group' intrinsic value of per share. I thank you for the time you have invested in reading this letter, and for your attention and consideration. Our management team, our executive team, our Advisory Board and I, all take very seriously our responsibilities as stewards of this companys and our investors capital. We believe that this enumeration of our strategic execution, priorities and capital investment is the most effective and efficient way to deliver UAT Group into the future as successful contributor and influencer in the market segments we operate. Let me close with the hope that 2018 will continue to be a milestone in the companys long history. I would like to thank everyone that has contributed to our current position and I am confident that our journey has just begun! Warm regards, Alex Umbra Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Umbra Applied Technologies Group, Inc. About Umbra Applied Technologies, Inc. Umbra Applied Technologies is a member of the Umbra Applied Technologies Group (OTC: UATG) family of companies. Umbra Applied Technologies, U.S. based Defense and Security Company, is engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services for defense, civil, and commercial applications in United States and internationally. It also provides management, engineering, technical, scientific, logistic, and information services. In support of air, land and naval forces, the company operates in five segments: Aeronautics, Information Systems & Global Solutions, Biotech, Alternative & Renewable Energy, and Intelligence Systems. The Aeronautics segment offers military aircrafts, such as unmanned combat and air mobility aircrafts, and related technologies. The Information Systems & Global Solutions segment provides advanced technology systems and security expertise, integrated information technology solutions, and management services for civil, defense, intelligence, and other government customers. The Biotech segment addresses critical gaps that are absent in defense medical research programs. The Alternative & Renewable Energy segment provides alternative solutions to energy through research in bioelectricity, wind, thermodynamic and solar energy. The Intelligence segment provides computational study of signals, open source and network intelligence through advanced metrics and algorithms to locate and extract sentiment from gathered intelligence. For more information visit www.uatgroup.com or www.uatgroup.com Investor and Media Contact: Everest Corporate Advisors, Inc. (702) 902-2361 (702) 982-1339 NEITHER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE COMMISION NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. Forward-Looking Information This news release may include "forward-looking statements" including forecasts, estimates, expectations, and objectives for future operations including but not limited to its ability to conclude a business combination with a third party, sale of assets, return of capital or initial public offering and a secondary listing on the OTC as a result of aforementioned and its ability to fund the exploration of its assets through the raising of equity or debt capital or through funding by a joint venture partner that are subject to a number of assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Umbra Applied Technologies including but not limited to capital markets and securities risks and continued development success on technology. There can be and are no actual or implied guarantees that any of the above activities will be completed or completed on terms acceptable to the Company and its shareholders or approved by any regulatory authority having jurisdiction. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Risks and uncertainties about Umbra Applied Technologies business are more fully discussed in the company's disclosure materials, including its MD&A, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and available at www.sedar.com and readers are urged to read these materials. Umbra Applied Technologies does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required by applicable law. ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inc. magazine today revealed that World Housing Solution, a manufacturer of expeditionary insulated composite structures for disaster relief and the U.S. Military, is No. 444 on its 37th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. World Housing Solution also places sixth overall in Inc. 5000s manufacturing category, a testament to the companys unmatched customer centric approach along with their unequaled technology and deployable structures. Its a team effort and thanks to our teams focus on solving the customers problems, rather than simply pushing out solutions and hoping for the best, that has brought us here, said Ron Ben-Zeev, founder and CEO of World Housing Solution. We are humbled and honored by this recognition and promise to strive for even better and more as our journey continues. Stay tuned; we are not finished, not by a long shot. 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. 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. About World Housing Solution Established in 2010, World Housing Solution is a design and manufacturing company based in Orlando, Florida that creates deployable composite structures for the harsh conditions, using rapidly deployable panel (RDP) technologies. The company provides environmentally friendly structures that are long-lasting, easy to assemble, and are highly compatible with alternative energy solutions. In 2018, World Housing Solution expanded their service to include off-grid and mobile medical solutions through their branch of Clinics on Wheels. Most recently, three mobile clinics were sent to aid in the relief of those affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. 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 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/. For more information contact: Jaclyn Bertrand Uproar PR for World Housing Solution jbertrand@uproarpr.com Bronze and ceramic objects discovered this summer east of Amarynthos, on western Evia, confirmed that a large sanctuary enclosure (perivolos) discovered last year belongs to the goddess Artemis, according to archaeologists of the Swiss School in Athens and the Evia Ephorate of Antiquities, ANA reports. A 12cm bronze quiver, believed to be part of a statuette of Artemis, and another base for a statue mentioning Artemis, Apollo and their mother Leto, confirm the identification of the sanctuary as belonging to the goddess, even though a temple has not been discovered yet. Former excavations the last ten years revealed ceramic tiles stamped with the name of Artemis and three Hellenistic bases for statues also devoted the goddess, Amalia Karapaschalidou, ephor emerita of Evia told Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA). "According to ancient sources, this area comprised one of the most important sanctuaries of Evia. To the present, we have excavated two stoas which delineate the sanctuary's eastern and northern boundaries, and a sacred spring," she said. According to the Greek Ministry of Culture, this season's excavations, under Swiss School of Archaeology Director Karl Reber and Karapaschalidou, focused on looking for the ancient temple and altar in the central area. An examination of three plots of land gave information on the southern limits of the sanctuary, it said, "while the western boundaries, where the main entrance is assumed to have been for someone coming from Eretria, remain unknown because the area has been built up with homes." Other findings from the area this year included bronze and ceramic statuettes of women and animals, as well as fragments of marble statuettes of women. Buildings and findings of the sanctuary range between the Late Archaic period (roughly 530 BC) to the Hellenistic (roughly 323 BC). This year, excavators focused on the remains of a large building measuring over 20 m in length that is dated to the Early Archaic period (around 610 BC) and appears to be standing on an even earlier building with arches, dated to the Geometric period. According to the Greek Ministry of Culture, "it appears that the Late Archaic to Early Hellenistic period temple (devoted to Artemis) would have been built elsewhere, perhaps in the west of the area." Karapaschalidou notes nevertheless that "what is evident is that the sanctuary was very important, extended over a great area, and consisted of many buildings," because of the range of different building phases. The sanctuary suffered from destruction over the ages, as in the Roman times, but a lot of damage occurred in the early 20th century, she notes. "Neighbors told us that in the beginning of the last century, people from Oropos came to pick up building materials. That is, they broke them down and transported parts of buildings to use them in modern structures or to turn them into lime. We have found a large contemporary lime kiln in the sanctuary, where they have destroyed a lot of remains," she adds. The Virgin Mary is believed to be deeply connected with the Greek nations freedom, in many cases There are many customs and festivals organized all over Greece on August 15 in commemoration of the Virgin Mary. This day is a public holiday in Greece so Greeks are able to celebrate one of the most important days in Orthodox Christianity, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. People attend religious services and throw parties throughout the country. Different places in Greece mark this day also referred to as the summer Easter in different ways. The Virgin Mary is a holy figure for Greeks for both religious and national reasons. Being the mother of Jesus is only half of the reason why Greeks worship her. She is also believed to be deeply connected with the Greek nations freedom, in many cases. The Virgin Mary is referred to in Greece as Panagia, and is considered to be the mother to all men and a symbol of protection and comfort. This has resulted in variations of different names being given to her across the country by locals wanting to thank the Panagia for her help in their times of need. In each church and chapel dedicated to the Panagia, she is given a last name which indicates either the miracles she is expected to perform or the graces she is endowed with. For instance, there is Panagia the Healer, the Merciful, the Graceful, the Sweet-Talking, the Savior of Souls, the Mistress of the Angels, the Philanthropist, and the list goes on. Here are some insights as to how Greeks celebrate this holy day throughout the country. TINOS: After a dream of a nun on the island and many excavations, an icon of the Virgin Mary was found buried on Jan. 30, 1823. The legend goes that St. Pelagia, a nun living on Tinos, dreamed of a lady who explained to her how much she had suffered, having been buried for many years. In St. Pelagias dream, the lady ordered her to wake up early the next morning and begin digging in the field of Ant. Doxaras to uncover a sacred icon. Eventually, the icon of the Virgin Mary was uncovered and just a few years afterwards, officials decided to celebrate the Virgin Mary annually. From the early 1800s until today the island celebrates Her Grace from August 15-23. IMATHIA: Throughout the area of Imathia, the symbol of Patian worship to the Virgin Mary is Panagia Soumela. The name of the Virgin Mary, Soumela, originates from the tale of how, in the late 4th Century AD, the Virgin Mary appeared to monks Sofronios and Varnavas. She asked them to build a monastery in Her favor and led them to Mount Mela. Thats why Virgin Mary is named Soumela, since in the Pontian dialect sou Mela means at Mela (mountain). PAROS: The legend of the church of Virgin Mary on Paros is also steeped in history. The church, known as the church with 100 doors, is also referred to as Panagia Ekatontapiliani. It has 99 visible doors, and one that will only become visible when the Greeks regain Constantinople (known today as Istanbul) once again. KEFALONIA: For this holy day in the village of Markopoulo on the island of Kefalonia, locals celebrate from August 6 through 15 and many snakes of all kinds and sizes are found inside and outside the Dormition of Virgin Mary Church, earning them the name Virgin Marys snakes. The snakes are a part of a story that says there was once a monastery in the area of the village and when pirates attacked the villages and the nuns asked Virgin Mary to turn them into birds or snakes to be saved. Snakes have appeared every year in the church on Assumption Day. If they do not appear, locals believe that it is bad luck and proving the legend to be true, they did not appear in both 1940 and in 1953, when Kefalonia was hit by major earthquakes. KOUFONISSIA: In celebration of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, worshippers on the island of Koufonissia gather around the church following services and are offered food. They then have a race with their sailing boats to celebrate Her Grace. ZAGOROHORIA in Ioannina: Many villages of Zagorohoria in Ioannina, Epirus celebrate the Virgin Mary with three-day-long festivities. Not only do locals participate in services at churches throughout the area during these three days, they also celebrate all night long with food, drink and dancing the traditional dances of Epirus. ALONISSOS: This Aegean island celebrates this holy day on August 15. If you are visiting the island on this day, be sure to not only watch, but participate in the revival of a traditional wedding. Locals dress up as guests who take on the role of relatives in the wedding, while the bride appears in a traditional dress (morka). The groom, best man and wedding guests attend the celebration at the church and then celebrate with live traditional music played on the lute, violin and clarinet, and dance traditional folk dances. Read more at Kerry Kolasa-Sikiaridi/greekreporter RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: JFKennedy License: CC-BY-SA Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB) has recently signed an agreement with Kingdom Properties Real Estate to provide property financing for potential residents of the Janayin Al Hamala Project in Bahrain. This will enable Bahraini nationals working in the kingdom to pay the down payment starting from only five per cent for the units that will be selected within Janayin Al Hamala Project, and the Mazaya programme as per the Ministry of Housings regulation. "We are pleased to sign this agreement with Kingdom Properties Real Estate, which aims to facilitate the purchase of Janayin Al Hamalas units for potential residents. This comes in line with our aim to continue to offer a flexible range of financing solutions to suit our clients' needs, said Dalal Al Qais, general manager of Retail Banking of BisB. Mazaya is considered one of the Ministry of Housings leading initiatives, which was developed in cooperation with the private sector in order to provide suitable housing for citizens. TradeArabia News Service Emerging Markets Property Group (EMPG), the parent company of leading property portals in the Mena (Middle East and North Africa) and South Asia regions, has wrapped up a first close of $50 million as part of a substantially larger investment round. In addition to Bayut.com in the UAE, EMPG owns and operates Zameen.com in Pakistan, Bproperty.com in Bangladesh, and had recently announced its acquisition of Mubawab in Morocco. Haider Ali Khan, the CEO of Bayut.com, said "Of these funds, $25 million will be deployed in the emirates with a focus on further consolidation and the remaining funds will be used to further strengthen EMPGs leading position in its other markets." "The Pakistan, Bangladesh and Morocco portals are clear leaders in their respective markets, and Bayut.com, one of the top portals in the UAE with a lead in some geographies, is well on its way to achieving clear leadership by December 2019," noted Khan. Together, these portals generate over 2 million leads for their clients every month, he added. EMPGs growth has been comprehensive across all metrics, on the back of some of the worlds most advanced digital real estate platforms developed by our R&D teams, said group CEO Imran Ali Khan. With a compounded annual revenue growth rate of more than 100 per cent over the last five years, more than 15,000 real estate agencies, and 8 million plus monthly visits across our portals, EMPG is ideally positioned for regional dominance, he added. The group had raised a total of $60 million in its four previous rounds, and the current round is its largest yet, bringing up the grand total to $110 million. The Group has presence in 40 cities across the UAE, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Morocco, Spain and Romania with over 1,500 employees. TradeArabia News Service Batelco, the leading digital solutions provider in Bahrain, said its management recently launched the Together We Grow programme, a first-of-its-kind in the companys history, in coordination with the office of the chief executive officer and the human resources department. All staff received a personal invitation to meet with the chief executive officer and general manager human resources without the presence of their direct line managers to give them the opportunity to speak freely, said a statement from Batelco. The programme is focused on enhancing the culture of direct communication between the executive management and all Batelco employees and enriching the constructive thinking and knowledge that plays a key role in encouraging employees to be innovative in their performance, it said. The officials met with all the employees of the company at consecutive workshops over the past week, it added. An open dialogue process was adopted in the workshops, which were conducted in a highly transparent manner. The CEO emphasised the importance of the employees and their position in the company and discussed the role that management should play in considering the needs of employees and their interests, said a statement. He also focused on empowering employees to enhance their role in collective decision making, which contributes to increasing their efficiency and functional effectiveness, while noting that every Batelco employee is authorised to contribute to decision-making. The CEO asked each employee to voice their opinion and speak openly to address any subject without any barriers or restrictions. He listened to the views and observations of each individual, said the statement. The HR department noted down all the observations, which will be taken into consideration for action, it added.- TradeArabia News Service Rise of the Real-Time, Cloud-Based Risk Engines For the first time, hedge funds, brokers and clearing firms, regardless of size, can have the same performance and sophistication of larger rivals, but at a lower price point with RaaS (Risk-as-a-Service). In the past, real-time risk analytics on large diverse portfolios have been prohibitively expensive for all but the largest firms. With the advent of cloud computing, that is rapidly changing industry-wide. Old, expensive regimes of bulky hardware, specialized software and in-house developers are giving way to RaaS, cloud-based systems which use powerful algorithms to calculate market and credit risk in real-time. Most risk systems have historically been installed systems, said Ravi Jain, Director of Risk & Derivatives at Sterling Trading Tech. Providing real-time risk and RaaS is the way of the future. The as-a-service model for risk isnt new; whats new is building such a service on the latest cloud-computing technology and data-management techniques. The old batch-processing method could take hours, Jain said. Theres no need for that anymore. Risk analytics can be available on a real-time basis. Jain noted risk-management machinations such as Greek measurements, stress testing, and shock modeling often are common across firms, which supports the case for RaaS. If you look at one broker to another broker, or one hedge fund to another hedge fund, their risk analytics are fairly similar, Jain said. If everybody is installing their own software locally, that software is often end-of-day, rather than real-time as real-time processing involves much more sophisticated hardware and software that was out of the reach of many firms before the advent of RaaS. TradingBlock, a brokerage and technology provider for active traders of equities and options, sees sophistication, cost savings and ease of use as primary advantages of cloud-based risk analytics. It is a lot easier to integrate than products weve used in the past, said Don Ogilvie, Chief Operating Officer at the Chicago-based firm. Theres not a lot of lifting on our side in terms of system integration. Another nice thing is that it allows us to leverage the product out on an account level, Ogilvie continued. I can be looking at the same numbers as some of my larger clients who are dialed into their accounts on their own terminals. This is not easily delivered by traditional enterprise installed solutions. Vendor-provided risk systems from years ago were typically bespoke, installed and expensive. With the emergence of cloud technology, and a dispersion of intellectual capital that had been concentrated in big Wall Street banks, high-performing real-time risk systems are not only attainable for every financial firm but needed to keep pace with the demand to stay competitive and optimize risk. For more information on related topics, visit the following channels: NEODESHA, Kan., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cobalt Boats proudly announced Tommys - Orlando has joined its dealer team with a location in Clermont, FL. Tommys is a full-service dealership offering a full line of new outboard Cobalt models. Cobalt Boats is thrilled to have Tommys join our family. Wes and his team will bring a great deal of experience, professionalism, and success to the central Florida Market, Cobalts Director of Sales Jeffrey Morales said in a statement. Tommys is known for their superior service and unwavering attention to detail. Thats what we look for in a Cobalt partner, and we couldnt be happier to have them on our team. President Matt Borisch opened the Florida location in 2012, combining his expertise and knowledge in business and marketing with a passion and enthusiasm for boating. Matt said in a statement, The inspiration behind creating this company was to provide a premier service above the competition for all of our clients in the selling, purchase, and/or trade of their boats. We continuously strive to build strong relationships. Cobalt Boats and Tommys will work closely to establish a unique platform, set goals and expectations and most importantly, craft a relationship that allows customers to enjoy a lifetime of memories on the water. Together, as Cobalt associates and Cobalt dealers, we believe in looking inward to benchmark our progress towards our aspiration. And if our actions follow our words, which in turn follow our objectives, we will together be good stewards of what Cobalt stands for, says Jeffrey Morales. Welcome to the family, Tommys! Matt Borisch opened the Florida Tommys location in 2012 as the next extension of the original Tommys store in Colorado. Matt said in a statement, Tommys philosophy is to be the most passionate, customer-forward business in watersports. Our goal is to provide the highest quality offering of product, service, and support to all our customers and community. Cobalt is the next chapter in our effort to build those strong relationships. Cobalt Boats, the maker of high-quality family runabouts since 1968, operates in Neodesha, Kansas. Today Cobalt Boats leads the industry in quality, fit and finish in the 20-40 segment. Cobalt is backed by the best warranty and best dealer network in the marine industry. Cobalt Boats ranked highest in customer satisfaction every year the J.D. Power Associate Marine Survey was conducted. Cobalt Boats is now the #1 selling stern drive boat in America in the 20-40 category. Company website: www.cobaltboats.com For Additional Information Jeffrey Morales (620) 325-2653 For more information contact Cobalt Boats, LLC 1715 N 8th St Neodesha, KS 66757 | By Jena Frick The grand opening may be a few weeks away, but staffers from Marylands U.S. congressional delegation got a sneak peek Aug. 14 at Health Sciences Research Facility III (HSRF III), the newest research facility of the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). The cutting-edge facility was the first stop on a tour meant to introduce the delegation to the new innovations and initiatives happening at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). Its always important to get [congressional] staff on campus to see what we have going on, says Jeff Grossi, JD, senior government affairs specialist. It allows better opportunities to build relationships, and more than anything, it reinforces the need for continued federal investment in academic research and investment in higher education at the graduate level. Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine introduce the congressional delegation to their innovative cell research in the state-of-the-art laboratories of HSRF III. The daylong tour began in the pristine lobby of HSRF III. UMB President Jay Perman, MD, greeted members of the congressional delegation with warm handshakes and a few words about how imperative UMBs research is to solving global health problems, creating advanced medical practices, and, most important, saving lives. This facility isnt filled with investigators only looking into biology, Perman explained to the delegation. Its filled with investigators helping clinicians, like me, who take care of babies in their work. (View a photo gallery.) HSRF III will have its grand opening in September 2018, but investigators were able to begin their life-saving research programs in January. Using state-of-the-art laboratories, researchers from UMSOM have been able to collaborate on groundbreaking research in cancer, metabolic and infectious diseases, women and children's health, and brain development using front-line genomic sciences. We designed an open-lab type of setting, said Jacques Ravel, PhD, associate director of the Institute for Genome Sciences at UMSOM. We want to physically encourage the sharing of ideas and collaboration among professionals because that is how new innovations are discovered. After viewing HSRF III, the congressional delegation was introduced to oncology research in the School of Medicine, clinical simulation labs in the School of Nursing, and the work of the Center for Addiction Research, Education, and Service before traveling across Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard for an up-close look at the positive footprint UMB is leaving on the West Baltimore community. The tour first stopped for a walk-through of the Grid (Graduate Research Innovation District). Established last year, the Grid is designed to bring innovative health and social impact ideas to life by supporting entrepreneurial ventures through education, early stage funding, and programming. The space will soon be home to a degree program in health and social innovation that will allow UMB students to concentrate in areas such as health science, user experience, and biomedical entrepreneurship. The program is set to launch in fall 2019. The Grid also provides educational opportunities for local entrepreneurs in the greater Baltimore community such as business workshops from the Small Business Development Center and programs that include free legal consultation from UMB law students. The facilitys educational services go hand-in-hand with the health and recreational services provided just a few blocks away at the UMB Community Engagement Center (CEC). We are very highly committed to being part of the community, and you can see that in our Community Engagement Center, Perman told the congressional delegation. The congressional staffers were able to see that commitment firsthand on their final stop of the tour by taking the short walk over to the CEC, located adjacent to the Poppleton neighborhood. As Ashley Valis, MSW 06, executive director of strategic initiatives and community engagement, explains, the center's location was an important part of earning the trust of the community. We wanted to break down the barrier between the University and our West Baltimore neighbors, Valis said. [The CEC] has been open for about three years, and in that time we have established a presence in the community and our neighbors have really taken to that. The CECs mission is to bring the University and its West Baltimore neighbors together to strengthen community relationships and improve residents quality of life through a number of free services including health care programs, exercise classes, workforce training, and after-school activities for children. The CEC also hosts weekly food markets, providing the community with a convenient and cost-effective way to purchase fresh and nutritious foods. Valis told the congressional delegation that UMB hopes to continue catering to the communitys needs by expanding the CEC to a larger second location. The additional space will provide the West Baltimore community with even more opportunities and will continue to strengthen the communitys relationship with the University. The visit to the CEC completed the congressional delegation tour, which started in a beautifully finished medical research facility and ended in a small community center thats working toward expansion and growth. When you look around this University, you can see the magnificent construction and architecture and you can also see a community that needs a lot of help, Perman told the tour group. Those two bookends together are what make UMB. LOS ANGELES, CA, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Agritek Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: AGTK) www.AgritekHoldings.com, a fully integrated, active real estate investor for the cannabis sector in the United States and Canada, today announced that the company has filed an extension in order to properly file its 10Q Report for the period ending June 30, 2018. On August 15, 2018, Agritek Holdings filed a Form 12b-25, Notification of Late Filing, with the Securities and Exchange Commission requesting an extension to file Form 10-Q. The Company attributes the additional delay to multiple new developments including recent debt consolidation and related financings for the clear benefit of the Company to increase asset value, requiring the implementation of GAAP compliance reporting measures. As a result of its recent decision to change auditors and other professionals involved in assisting Agritek Holdings with its filing process, the Company needs to assure proper reporting language of new debt consolidation and related financings for the clear benefit of the Company, new acquisition transactions and confirmation of multiple product inventories amongst new vendors. We have every intention of filing our 10Q Report, and have always remained fully reporting over the last several years and will complete our filing requirements to accomplish our uplisting back to the OTCQB. Management is working diligently with our auditors to comply with filing regulations, clarifying debt instrument language intended for the sole benefit of the Company, recent acquisition which may require predecessor/successor reporting and arbitration proceedings now extending over twelve months, awaiting judicial review and seeking dismissal thereof, stated B. Michael Friedman, CEO of Agritek holdings Inc. The Company intends to file the Form 10-Q as soon as reasonably practicable after completion of the 10Q review with full approval of its auditing firm and legal counsel. About Agritek Holdings, Inc. Agritek Holdings, Inc. ( www.AgritekHoldings.com ), is a fully integrated, active investor and operator in the legal cannabis sector. Specifically, Agritek Holdings provides strategic capital and functional expertise to accelerate the commercialization of its diversified portfolio of cannabis related holdings. Currently, the Company is focused on three high-value segments of the cannabis market, including real estate investment, intellectual property/brands, and infrastructure, with operations in three U.S. States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Agritek Holdings, Inc. presently owns or manages property in Colorado, Washington State, Puerto Rico and Canada and has licenses with permitted facilities in California approved for cultivation as well as manufacturing capabilities. The company owns several Hemp and cannabis brands for distribution including "Hemp Pops", Hemp oil wellness products and "California Premiums". Agritek Holdings, Inc. does not directly grow, harvest, or distribute or sell cannabis or any substances that violate or contravene United States law or the Controlled Substances Act, nor does it intend to do so in the future. FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER: This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Agritek Holdings, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "can," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," or "will" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology and include statements regarding expected timing of the filing of the Annual Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018. These forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, our ability to timely file our requisite filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, our ability to meet the continued listing requirements of the OTC MKT, our ability to expand leadership activities in support of our sales, our ability to continue to grow, our ability to integrate the entities that we have acquired, our ability to strengthen our internal controls and the other risks outlined under "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and our other filings with the SEC, including subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release on account of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. UNHCR workers Sarah Jabin (left) and Jacqueline Julca (right) help to relocate refugees in Bangladesh. UNHCR/Patrick Brown GENEVA The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi today paid tribute to the courageous humanitarian workers who risk their lives to protect those most vulnerable around the world, and the difficult decisions they have to take in dangerous situations. Every time it is a judgment call between life and death, Grandi stressed. In an address to UNHCR staff in Geneva to mark World Humanitarian Day, Grandi underlined the UN Refugee Agencys commitment to strongly support the collective effort of humanitarian organizations and the United Nations to protect staff working in dangerous places. In 2017, a total of 179 aid workers were reportedly killed, with the highest number of deaths occurring in South Sudan, Syria, the Central African Republic, Nigeria and Bangladesh. Over 300 more were the target of attacks, rapes or abductions. While I am relieved to report that no UNHCR personnel lost their lives in carrying out their duties, I remain concerned by the high number of security incidents affecting UNHCR colleagues, Grandi highlighted. "I remain concerned by the high number of security incidents affecting UNHCR colleagues. Over 400 security incidents were registered by UNHCR staff in 2017. The environment continues to be very challenging, Grandi said. But the impact of these risks is mitigated by the awareness that has grown among colleagues and the security measures that are put in place to protect staff. The High Commissioner praised the work of UNHCRs security unit, established 25 years ago, and managers. The work of humanitarians is more vital than ever 2017 saw the number of children, women and men displaced worldwide by persecution, conflict and violence at an all-time high of 68.5 million. South Sudan bore the brunt of deadly attacks and reached a new high in 2017, with 28 humanitarian workers killed. Additionally, more than 300 humanitarians were injured or kidnapped while performing their jobs in high-risk contexts. Grandi expressed concern about the rising number of kidnappings 141 aid workers were kidnapped in 20 countries, with the highest number occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Somalia. The High Commissioner also pointed at recent attacks and looting of humanitarian compounds and assets, and the serious consequences they have on UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations work, forcing them to extract personnel and reduce their footprint given the extensive damage and further threats. The threats which staff in high-risk locations must endure are not only because of terrorism or armed conflict but also as a result of political unrest and disgruntled local populations, Grandi added. And those who pay the greatest price under these circumstances are the people we serve. "Think of those for whom insecurity is not an episode in their lives, but the main feature of their lives. World Humanitarian Day is marked on August 19, which this year falls on a Sunday. It was established in 2008 by the United Nations General Assembly to honour the 22 aid workers who lost their lives in the bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad 15 years ago. Among the fatal victims was a former senior UNHCR official, Sergio Vieira de Mello. This years UN campaign for World Humanitarian Day is on the theme of #NotATarget. It calls for better protection of civilians, humanitarians and health workers by urging global leaders to do a better job of protecting civilians in conflict zones. The High Commissioners address was followed by a minute of silence at the UN Refugee Agencys headquarters in Geneva, and the placing of a floral wreath at the staff memorial to honor the humanitarians who lost their lives while helping others in need. In his closing remarks, Grandi invited staff to think of those for whom insecurity is not an episode in their lives, but the main feature of their lives. Firaz has worked in construction all his life, but dreams of better opportunities for his three young children. I dont want them to end up with limited options like me. With an education, I hope they can work in medicine or engineering back home, rather than jobs that just put food on the table, he said. Until recently, however, this ambition looked out of reach for his four-year-old daughter, Yara. Her birth was never registered with the authorities in Lebanon, where they have lived since fleeing Idlib, Syria, in 2012. They are among some 976,000 registered refugees from the Syrian conflict currently residing in Lebanon. The lack of formal documentation can pose significant problems, hindering a childs chances of enrolling in school, accessing immunizations and other forms of healthcare, and even preventing them from travelling. In Lebanon, a newborn child must be registered within one year of birth. Failure to meet the deadline means the only recourse is a costly and complex court process, something many impoverished refugee families are unable to take on. But following an important legal change earlier this year, the government waived the one year timeframe for Syrian children born in Lebanon between January 2011 and February 2018, allowing their parents to register their birth without going to court. The measure will enable more than 50,000 unregistered Syrian children to acquire the necessary paperwork, in a country where a 2017 UN survey found that only 17 per cent of Syrian refugees under the age of five had their births registered with the competent Lebanese civil registry. "Legal documents are very important for refugees." UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, together with its legal partners are providing legal advice to families like Firaz to help them navigate the new procedures. Legal documents are very important for refugees. They help improve their living and financial situations, explained Mohammad Jarjowi, legal officer at the International Rescue Committee. This new measure saves refugees time and cost, and offers relief to all those who were not being able to process the certificates of their children. With some Syrian families in Lebanon now considering returning to their country, having birth certificates for their children becomes even more crucial in order to cross the border, prove their family ties, and allow the children to enroll in school and access public services as they seek to rebuild their lives in Syria. Clutching Yaras new registration certificate, as well as the papers for his newborn son Mohammad, Firaz is visibly relieved that his dream of a better life for his children is now back on track. It was mainly my fault and I did not know, but now all their documents are legal, Firaz said. I want my children to receive their education and I dont want them to be unregistered. I want them to always be legal. Bangladesh condemns attack on US ambassadors car Dhaka, Aug 16 (UNI) The Bangladesh government has strongly condemned the unfortunate attack on the official car of the US Embassy in Dhaka on Thursday. The government is committed to ensure safety and security of all diplomatic corps in Bangladesh, the foreign ministry said in a statement, about two weeks after Marcia Bernicats vehicle was attacked. The vehicle carrying the bureaucrat encountered an unfortunate incident in the Mohammadpur area of Dhaka on Aug 4. Carborundum Universal facilities in Kerala safe, employees in power plant evacuated due to floods Chennai, Aug 16 (UNI) Carborundum Universal Limited, part of the Murugappa Group, on Thursday announced that the torrential and unprecedented rains in Kerala has caused widespread disruption in normal activities of the people and that its facilities were safe and employees of its power plant were evacuated to safer places. A company release here said its Electrominerals Division, which contributes about 26 per cent of its standalone revenues operates from this region. United Nations, Aug 16 (UNI) The many life-threatening dangers faced by children from Central America who are being deported from the United States of America and Mexico, are highlighted in a new report from United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday, which also draws attention to the traumatic consequences of family separation by migration authorities. In the first 6 months of this year, almost 25,000 women and children from northern Central America were deported after arriving in Mexico and the US, in search of asylum or a better life. The study, Uprooted in Central America and Mexico, identifies poverty and violence as two of the main reasons why children are leaving their homes in Central America, and attempting to migrate to the US and Mexico, mainly from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Once the children are sent back to their country of origin, these threats only increase. German envoy voices concern over Pak Twitter shutdown reports Islamabad, Aug 16 (UNI) German Ambassador to Pakistan Martin Kobler on Thursday expressed concern over reports that Twitter may face shutdown in Pakistan, according to a report of The News International. "Worried about press reports that #twitter is threatened in #pakistan," he wrote on Twitter. The German envoy said social media must be handled with responsibility but it must not be blocked. English French Roissy, 16 August 2018 Board of Directors appoints Benjamin Smith as Air France-KLM CEO The Board of Directors of Air France-KLM, meeting on August 16, 2018, has decided to appoint Benjamin Smith as Air France-KLM Chief Executive Officer. Benjamin Smith is a reputed senior airline industry executive at international level. He has played a major role at Air Canada over the past two decades, where he has been a key player in the airline's economic and commercial development, its transformation, its value creation and the engagement of the teams. Until today, he was Air Canada's President Airlines and Chief Operating Officer. Benjamin Smith will take up his duties at Air France-KLM at the latest on September 30, 2018. In the meantime, the interim governance structure established on May 15, 2018 will remain in place. Anne-Marie Couderc, non-executive Chairman of the Air France-KLM and Air France Boards, and the Management Committee consisting of three members, will continue to perform their duties until then. On his arrival, Benjamin Smith will take over executive management of the Air-France-KLM Group and will establish its organizational structure. He will be in charge as a priority to revitalize Air France, to give a new strategic impulse to the Group and to work on a new leadership approach with all Air France-KLM's teams. The Board has decided that Benjamin Smith will be appointed as soon as possible as director of Air France-KLM, with the full support of the French State. The Board will announce as quickly as possible an updated Group's governance structure as regards to the roles and missions of the non-executive Chairmanship of Air France-KLM and Air France. Anne-Marie Couderc said: "The arrival of Benjamin Smith is excellent news for the Group. Benjamin is a world-renowned leader in the airline sector who successfully transformed Air Canada. As a man who prefers dialogue, he developed and implemented the historical long-term win-win agreements with the airline's social partners for the benefit of Air Canada's teams, the airline and all other stakeholders. Benjamin Smith will bring his in-depth knowledge of the sector and his unique energy to the job to resume dialogue with Air France-KLM teams around a shared vision and to define a new go-to-market plan that will address the challenges of strong global competition. His on-the-ground experience will ensure a team-oriented approach to increase customer satisfaction and brands value. On behalf of the Board, I welcome and assure him of our total support for the task ahead. The Board also wishes to thank the three members of the Management Committee for their unfailing dedication during this complex transition period." Benjamin Smith said: "I am very enthusiastic about this new opportunity. Air France and KLM are both airlines well known for the professionalism and commitment of their teams. I am well aware of the competitive challenges the Air France-KLM Group is currently facing and I am convinced that the airlines' teams have all the strengths to succeed in the global airline market. I am confident in the Group's capacity to become one of the world's leading players. I look forward to earning the trust and respect of all teams, working together to win in this highly competitive and fast-changing customer service industry. I am approaching this new challenge with my passion for the aviation sector and with my deep willingness to listen to all stakeholders so we can work together and win. I have spent my entire career in this industry and I am convinced that the teams of the Air France-KLM Group are its strongest assets for its future success. I believe that over the past two decades I have developed very strong trust-based relations with my colleagues at Air Canada and I am looking forward to meeting the teams at Air France-KLM in September to begin working alongside them. I thank the Board of Directors of Air France-KLM to entrust me with this mandate". About Benjamin Smith Benjamin Smith is a reputed senior air transport industry executive at international level. He has spent the last twenty years at Air Canada, where until today he was President Airlines and Chief Operating Officer. He started out in 1990 at Air Ontario in parallel with his studies and in 1992 set up his own retail corporate travel agency. He successfully helmed this entrepreneurial experience for eight years. In 1999, he also simultaneously took on a consultancy role for Air Canada before finally joining the group in 2002. Since his 2002 arrival, Benjamin Smith has filled a number of high-ranking positions at Air Canada. He was successively Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Network Planning, before joining the Air Canada executive management team in 2007. Throughout his career, he has developed strong skills in management, strategy, labour relations management, marketing, and financial and operational management. In particular, he was the man behind Air Canada's growth and modernization. He has defined and implemented Air Canada's transformation strategy over the past decade, rolled out the Air Canada Group's network expansion project worldwide, and substantially upgraded the fleet in terms of aircraft numbers and energy efficiency. As part of his responsibilities, he has also redefined Air Canada's hub strategy, creating three major hubs to align with the airline's key markets. Benjamin Smith was also the prime mover behind Air Canada Rouge, Air Canada's low-cost brand, which is particularly successful at international level. Benjamin Smith has been deeply involved in social dialogue at Air Canada. He personally oversaw, with the Human Resources Division, the collective bargaining talks with trade unions. These negotiations led to historic win-win long-term agreements for the airline, its workforce, and all other stakeholders. In 2014, he was appointed President Airlines (Air Canada, Rouge, Express, Cargo) and Chief Operating Officer of the Air Canada Group. He took on overall responsibility for sales, operations, and customer service for the Group. He has also spearheaded Air Canada's operational and financial performance strategy. On 16 August 2018, Benjamin Smith was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Air France-KLM group. Air France-KLM Press Office : + 33 (0)1 41 56 56 00 - www.airfranceklm.com - @AirFranceKLM Investors : Marie-Agnes de Peslouan Wouter van Beek +33 1 49 89 52 59 +33 1 49 89 52 60 madepeslouan@airfranceklm.com wouter-van.beek@airfranceklm.com UK to donate 20 mln more AstraZeneca vaccine doses to countries in need by end of 2021 30 Oct 2021 | 6:02 PM London, Oct 30 (UNI/Sputnik) The United Kingdom announced on Saturday that it would donate 20 million more Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine doses by the end of the year to countries in need. see more.. PM Modi gifted Pope Francis a silver candlestick, book on commitment to environment 30 Oct 2021 | 6:01 PM Vatican City/New Delhi, Oct 30 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted Pope Francis a silver candlestick and a book on the commitment to the environment, during their first-ever meeting at the Vatican today. see more.. Belarusian Border Committee says dead Iraqi refugee found on border with Poland 30 Oct 2021 | 6:00 PM Minsk, Oct 30 (UNI/Sputnik) The Belarusian State Border Committee said on Saturday that officers found a dead Iraqi refugee on the border with Poland. see more.. Bangladesh will never indulge in communal politics: Law Minister Anisul Haque 30 Oct 2021 | 5:41 PM Dhaka, Oct 30 (UNI) Bangladesh Law Minister Anisul Haque said the country will never indulge in communal politics and will abide by the words of the constitution that Bangabandhu gave the citizens. see more.. Pakistan Prez election on Sept 4: ECP Islamabad, Aug 16 (UNI) With less than a month left before the expiry of President Mamnoon Hussain's term, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday issued a schedule for the presidential election, setting Sept 4 as the day of the ballot, according to a Dawn report. President Hussain's five-year term is set to expire on September 9. According to the Constitution, the presidential election must be held at least a month prior to the expiry of the incumbent's term, which in this case would have been August 8. Pakistan violates ceasefire in Karnah sector in Kupwara Srinagar, Aug 15 (UNI) Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Karnah sector in Kupwara district on Wednesday when the nation was celebrating 72nd Independence Day. Official sources said Pakistani troops violated 2003 ceasefire and resorted to firing with automatic weapons, targeting forward posts and villages on this side of the LoC at Syed Pora in Karnah sector. Indian troops also retaliated and the exchange of fire was still going on when the reports last came in. UN rights experts call on Russia to release Ukrainian film-maker United Nations, Aug 16 (UNI) A Ukrainian film-maker whose outspoken criticism of Russias continued annexation of Crimea has landed him in jail, prompted United Nations human rights experts to call on Russian authorities for his immediate and unconditional release. We urge Russian authorities to unconditionally release him as a matter of urgency, the UN experts declared on Wednesday. Oleg Sentsov was arrested by Russian authorities in May 2014 in Crimea, and convicted to 20 years in a Russian prison, as a Russian citizen, on charges of terrorism. The Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea was annexed by Russia earlier that year, in contravention of international law. WHO supports life-saving health care for people in southern Syria Amman, Aug 16 (UNI) The World Health Organisation (WHO) is supporting the provision of life-saving health care services for more than 900 000 conflict-affected people in southern Syria. Since mid-June 2018, WHO has delivered 61 tons of supplies enough for more than 312 000 treatments to the Directorates of Health in Dara and Quneitra, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and As Sweida National Hospital. The supplies include surgical, trauma and burn kits, chronic disease medicines and insulin. WHO is also supporting the only functioning blood bank in areas of southern Syria that were formerly controlled by non-state armed groups. LEWISVILLE, Texas, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ResponsiveEd is proud to announce the opening of three new tuition-free public charter schools for the 2018-2019 school year. This brings the total number of Texas schools to 74, in addition to the three Arkansas campuses in operation. As we continue to grow and expand, we look forward to being able to serve more students in our local communities, says ResponsiveEd Vice President of School Activations Anthony Edwards. Were excited to provide families with the opportunity to choose what kind of education is right for their children. The newest schools to become a part of the ResponsiveEd family include: Classical Academy - Permian Basin Located at 4320 W. Illinois Avenue in Midland, Texas, This campus will serve kindergarten through eighth-grade students with a classical approach focused on civics, character education, hands-on scientific observations, rigorous mathematics, and the enjoyment of learning history, art, music and poetry. Founders Classical Academy of Frisco This state-of-the-art facility located at 10710 Frisco Street in Frisco, Texas is the first ResponsiveEd campus in Frisco and will serve kindergarten through eighth-grade students. Over the last two years, Founders has earned distinctions from the Texas Education Agency for reading, mathematics, social studies and college readiness. Premier High School - San Angelo - Located at 4102 Sunset Drive in San Angelo, Texas, this campus is aimed at students looking to recover credits at their own pace in a small and safe learning environment and students who would like to graduate early. The school serves students in grades nine through 12 and older students up to age 26. ResponsiveEd is a non-profit corporation that operates more than 75 tuition-free public schools throughout Texas and Arkansas, including Premier High Schools, ResponsiveEd Classical Academies, Quest Schools, Founders Classical Academies, iSchool High, iSchool Virtual Academy and The Foundation School for Autism. ResponsiveEds mission is to provide hope to students through innovative, character-based, personalized learning environments. To learn more, visit www.ResponsiveEd.com. Stay Connected: Facebook: www.facebook.com/responsiveed Twitter: www.twitter.com/responsiveed LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/responsiveed Instagram: www.instagram.com/responsiveeducation Attachment UWs Centennial Complex to Celebrate 25th Anniversary Sept. 14 The University of Wyomings Centennial Complex opened to the public in September 1993, three years after the official groundbreaking ceremony in 1990. (UW Art Museum Photo) The University of Wyoming Art Museum and American Heritage Center (AHC) will host a public open house to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their shared building, the Centennial Complex, Friday, Sept. 14, from 1-4 p.m. With the theme of Celebrating the Past, Looking Forward, the open house will feature tours and highlights from AHC collections; spotlight tours in the UW Art Museum exhibitions and galleries; and include hands-on art-making activities and musical performances. An invitation-only celebration for Centennial Complex donors from the past 25 years will be held from 6-8 p.m. In 1986, UW launched the Centennial Campaign, the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the universitys history at the time. The campaigns goal was to raise $19 million for a new building to house the AHC and UW Art Museum, as well as an additional $6 million to build endowments to support student scholarships and faculty positions. Until that time, the Wyoming Legislature had been the major source of funding for the university. This new initiative began a trend of substantial private contributions -- bolstered by matching state funds -- that kicked off a new era in growth around campus. Architect Antoine Predock described his inspiration for the building as an archival mountain with a village, the art museum, at its base. He wrote that he hoped to create a sense of rendezvous, that timeless quality of meeting on an open landscape that we can trace from Native Americans to French trappers to Anglo settlers. The UW Art Museums programs are anchored on a comprehensive and growing collection of more than 8,000 objects and a diverse exhibition program that ranges from innovative artists of present time to art of the American West and art from other times and cultures. These original art resources form the basis for education and outreach programs that serve the state of Wyoming and enable academic and community engagement opportunities. Our theme, Celebrating the Past, Looking Forward, compels us to consider our history and all that has been made possible over the years through the energy of generous donors, says Marianne Eileen Wardle, director of the UW Art Museum. Were also thrilled to launch into a new era, continuing to pursue our mission of community and statewide engagement, and strengthening our relevance to the intellectual and social lives of students and faculty across disciplines at the university. The museum is a wonderful place to think and challenge our perceptions, no matter what we study. The mission of the AHC is to preserve primary sources and rare books reflecting the written, visual and audio history of Wyoming, the Rocky Mountain region and select aspects of the American past -- and to make those sources accessible to all. Its diverse collections support casual inquiry and international scholarship. The AHC plays an active and creative role in the teaching and research missions of the university. In step with the development of the university, mapped out in its strategic plan, Breaking Through: 2017-2022, the AHC continues to develop a strategic plan with initiatives designed to see the AHC as a place increasingly aligned with the educational mission of the University of Wyoming, says Ivan Gaetz, AHC acting director and dean of UW Libraries. As the AHC maps passageways through the mountain and carves tunnels that lead to truly great discoveries of the objects contained therein, we can lead to profound discoveries by students and researchers of their own learning potentials. These are the truly spiritual dimensions of the whole edifice. For more information, call the UW Art Museum at (307) 766-6622, visit the website at www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum, or follow the museum on Facebook and Instagram. Through its Museum as Classroom approach, the UW Art Museum places art at the center of learning for all ages. Located in the Centennial Complex at 2111 Willett Drive in Laramie, the museum is open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday hours are extended to 7 p.m. February through April and September through November. Admission is free. Also in the Centennial Complex, the AHC is open for research Mondays from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Tuesdays through Fridays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. year-round. The AHC is closed for university holidays. For more information, visit the website at www.uwyo.edu/ahc, call the AHC at (307) 766-4114, or follow the AHC on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (TSX: EDGF.UN) Investors and investment advisors are invited to listen to an update presentation on European Dividend Growth Fund (the Fund), hosted by Portfolio Manager Michael Clare of Brompton Funds. Michael Clare discusses the Funds portfolio, and European equities. The Manager believes that current valuations for European companies are attractive given their strong growth prospects. A link to the presentation recorded on August 16, 2018 has been posted to the Brompton Funds website at the following link: www.bromptongroup.com/presentation/edgf_update_August2018 The Fund was created to provide investors with exposure to an equal-weight portfolio of equity securities of large capitalization global European companies, providing the opportunity for capital appreciation, and the opportunity for enhanced distributions and higher risk-adjusted returns due to an active covered-call writing program. The Fund has a current distribution of $0.50 per unit per annum, representing a current distribution rate of 5.5% based on the August 15, 2018 TSX closing price(1). The Fund also offers a distribution reinvestment plan (DRIP) which provides unitholders with the ability to automatically reinvest distributions, commission free, and realize the benefits of compound growth. About Brompton Funds Brompton Funds, a division of Brompton Group which was founded in 2000, is an experienced investment fund manager with over $2 billion in assets under management. Bromptons investment solutions include TSX traded funds, mutual funds and flow-through limited partnerships. For further information, please contact your investment advisor, call Bromptons investor relations line at 416-642-6000 (toll-free at 1-866-642-6001), email info@bromptongroup.com or visit our website at www.bromptongroup.com. European Dividend Growth Fund (1) Performance to July 31, 2018 YTD 1 Year Since Inception July 21, 2017 European Dividend Growth Fund (EDGF.UN) 2.0% 6.1% 5.8% STOXX Europe 600 Index 0.6% 3.6% 2.9% (1) Returns are for the period ended July 31, 2018. The table shows the Funds compound return since inception compared with the STOXX Europe 600 Index. The Fund invests in large-capitalization European equity securities that are selected from the STOXX Europe 600 Index. The STOXX Europe 600 Index is a subset of the STOXX Global 1800 Index, representing large, mid and small capitalization companies across 17 European developed countries. Since the Fund is actively managed, the sector weightings may differ from those of the indices. The benchmark indices are calculated without the deduction of management fees and fund expenses, whereas the performance of the Fund is calculated after deducting such fees and expenses. You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell units of the investment fund on the Toronto Stock Exchange or other alternative Canadian trading system (an exchange). If the units are purchased or sold on an exchange, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying units of the investment fund and may receive less than the current net asset values when selling them. There are ongoing fees and expenses associated with owning units of an investment fund. An investment fund must prepare disclosure documents that contain key information about the Fund. You can find more detailed information about the Fund in the public filings available at www.sedar.com. The indicated rates of return are the historical annual compounded total returns including changes in unit value and reinvestment of all distributions and do not take into account certain fees such as redemption costs or income taxes payable by any security holder that would have reduced returns. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information may relate to matters disclosed in this news release and to other matters identified in public filings relating to the Fund, to the future outlook of the Fund and anticipated events or results and may include statements regarding the future financial performance of the Fund. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by terms such as may, will, should, expect, plan, anticipate, believe, intend, estimate, predict, potential, continue or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Actual results may vary from such forward-looking information. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Bolingbrook, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ATI Physical Therapy (ATI), one of the nations largest providers of physical therapy, is offering patients guidance on how to navigate the new process for directly accessing physical therapy services under a new Illinois law signed August 16, 2018, by Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner. The Illinois Physical Therapy Practice Act allows patients to seek physical therapy without a prescription from a healthcare professional. Until now, Illinois residents were required to have a referral from a physician, dentist, podiatric physician, advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant. As of August 16, 2018, patients in Illinois can go directly to an ATI clinic or an Illinois-licensed physical therapist for evaluation and treatment. Illinois becomes the 27th state to allow direct access to physical therapy. ATI believes that this new law is an important first step in Illinois to bring the state on par with the rest of the country and help consumers realize the value physical therapy provides as a initial, cost-effective step for the treatment of many muscular-skeletal issues, said ATIs Bridget Morehouse, MPT, MBA, Senior Vice President of Contracts & Pricing. With any treatment like physical therapy, transparent communication with the patients healthcare provider and doctor still remains imperative to insure an integrated approach to total care. Consumers should note that the new Illinois law gives health plans the discretion to allow direct access to physical therapy, but it is not required. Limitations remain for some healthcare policies, including Medicare and Medicaid. There are also provisions that physical therapists and patients must follow. It is important for patients to consider their healthcare benefits as well as their health plans medical policy. Direct Access may be applied to patients in Illinois with the following health plans: United Healthcare, Aetna, personal injury coverage, auto insurance coverage, out of network plans (excluding Cigna). At this time, a prescription for physical therapy services may still be needed for patients with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Tricare, Medicaid, Cigna and workers compensation coverage. Medicare continues to require a signed plan of care as condition of payment and in nearly all instances, a prescription from a licensed physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner. To assure the highest level of accuracy for individual cases, patients should still contact their employers healthcare plan to confirm whether a referral is still required, in light of this new law. It is important for patients to note that the law requires physical therapists to report visits to the patients healthcare professional within five business days after the first visit for an injury or ailment. The patient will also be referred to a healthcare professional under the following circumstances: If there is no measurable or functionable improvement after 10 visits or 15 business days; If a patient returns for services for the same or similar condition after 30 calendar days following being initially discharged by the physical therapist; Or, a patient whose condition is evaluated and determined to be beyond the scope of practice for physical therapists. Patients who seek physical therapy services without a referral and are found to have sustained an injury will also be referred to a healthcare professional before being treated with physical therapy services. Currently, 26 states, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands allow patient access to physical therapy services with provisions, similar to what the Illinois Physical Therapy Practice Act will entail. This means that patients have access to evaluation and treatment with some provisions, such as a time or visit limit, or referral requirement for a specific treatment intervention. Eighteen states allow unrestricted access with no limitations or restrictions whatsoever. Six states have limited patient access meaning limited treatment is available based on the patient population or certain circumstances such as a physician referral or previous medical diagnosis. For more information on physical therapy treatment options by state, visit the American Physical Therapy Association. For additional resources on the new law, please visit the Illinois Physical Therapy Association website. The new law does not affect ATIs ability to offer complementary injury screenings to any consumer that might be experiencing muscular-skeletal pain or discomfort. Complementary injury screenings are available at the more than 800 ATI clinics from coast to coast, including more than 180 throughout Illinois. About ATI Physical Therapy ATI is a privately held, nationally recognized healthcare company, specializing in outpatient rehabilitation and adjacent healthcare services. With a focus on delivering a remarkable experience to every patient, every day, ATI has more than 800 locations from coast to coast. ATI was named Best Physical Therapy Practice in the Nation by ADVANCE magazine, and was one of the first physical therapy companies in the country to achieve URAC Core Accreditation, a mark of distinction that recognizes its commitment to quality healthcare. Based in Bolingbrook, Illinois, ATI gives back to communities across the country through the ATI Foundation, a non-profit established by ATI, which has provided more than $4 million in resources and funding to children with physical impairments. For more information on ATI Physical Therapy, and a complete list of clinic locations, services and the ATI Foundation, please visit ATIpt.com. Attachment The representatives of BIM and AC Energy at the ground-breaking ceremony of the BIM solar power plant Notably, BIM Group has signed EPC and financing documents to increase the capacity of the solar power plant from 30 to 280MWp. The joint venture plans to expand the capacity to well over 300MWp. Upon completion, the solar farm will become the largest in Southeast Asia and generate 545 million kWh of clean electricity annually. BIM Group is the majority shareholder with a controlling interest. The corporation has completed the credit agreement with an international bank in order to secure a total loan amount of more than $200 million. Previously in this January, BIM and AC Energy started developing BIM 1 solar power plant in Phuoc Minh commune. The project aims to satisfy the increasing energy demand and to replace fossil energy with more sustainable and renewable alternatives, contributing to the countrys economic development and improving living standards. Recognised as one of the leading business groups in the country, BIMs operations are focused on four main business sectors, including tourism development and real estate investment, agriculture-food, commercial services, and renewable energy. The group is one of the few having the capacity to meet the strict quality requirements of international partners. AC Energy Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Ayala Corp., develops and operates solar, wind, and hydro power generation facilities. It has been recognised as the fastest developing firm in the Philippines. AC Energy plans to expand its operation to Indonesia and other markets in Southeast Asia. Co-operating with AC Energy, one of the largest groups of the Philippines, is expected to help BIM realise its long-term target to generate 1,000 MW of clean energy by 2025 through these projects. Lionel Messi says Barcelona will do their utmost to end Real Madrid's reign in Europe this season. (AFP/Josep LAGO) "This year I think we have a squad that allows us to dream. The new players are going to help us be better than before," Messi told fans at the Camp Nou ahead of Wednesday's pre-season friendly against Boca Juniors. "Last season was very good because we won the cup and La Liga but the Champions League sticks in our throat, especially given the way we were eliminated," he said, as Barcelona lost to Roma on away goals in the quarter-finals. "We promise you this year we're going to do everything possible so that this beautiful and much sought after cup comes back to the Camp Nou again," added Messi, a Champions League winner in 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015. The 31-year-old will take over the captaincy at Barcelona this season following the departure of club legend Andres Iniesta for Japan. "We're going to miss the great Andres a lot this year," said Messi. "It's a great honour to be the captain and I know what that means at this club. I was lucky to have great examples like (Carles) Puyol, Xavi and Andres (Iniesta)." Barcelona, who beat Sevilla 2-1 in the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday, begin the new La Liga campaign at home to Alaves on Saturday. Daewoo Hotel in Hanoi will serve Thai cuisine on August 17-26 Co-hosted by the Royal Thai Embassy and Hanoi Daewoo Hotel, Taste of Thailand at Cafe Promenade is a rare chance to explore the culture and culinary art of The Land of Smiles. Gourmet lovers are invited to savor authentic Northern and Central Thai delicacies prepared by guest chef Yanat Maartloet and three experienced chefs from Suan Dusit International Culinary School. Thai dishes have the perfect balance of flavours, herbs, and spices. The event is sure to provide our guests with an unforgettable culinary experience, said Gerald Prinz, Director of Culinary at Hanoi Daewoo Hotel. Enjoy a premium buffet with authentic Northern and Central Thai delicacies like Khao Soi noodles, traditional Nam Ngiao, flavourful Tom Yum soup, delicious green curry or spicy Phrik King. Moreover, each dish will be an eye-catching work of art sculpted from fruit and vegetable by the chefs. The food festival is part of "The Land Of Smiles programme Especially, diners coming to Thailand Food Festival will have the opportunity to get two two-way tickets to Chiang Mai sponsored by Bangkok Airways. Erwin R. Popov, general manger of Hanoi Daewoo Hotel, shared: Hanoi Daewoo Hotel has hosted many cultural activities, including a Russian food festival or Taste of Vietnam. As a key leader of these events, I always believe that food festivals are the perfect opportunity to promote tourism as well as to strengthen relations between countries. Accordingly, a new three-year post-study open work visa in New Zealand for bachelor-level and post-graduate students will provide a streamlined path for these international students to pursue post-study work opportunities in New Zealand. Education New Zealand Chief Executive Grant McPherson said such a compelling package will work for ambitious international students. We want international students coming to New Zealand to be motivated by a great education and a great experience. Generous post-study pathways to residence remain available for those with the skills and qualifications New Zealand needs. The changes support the newly-launched International Education Strategy 2018-2030, strengthening New Zealands position as a world-leading international education destination. New Zealand aims to assist international students in staying in the country and finding employment after graduation The International Education Strategy has three goals: delivering an excellent education and student experience, achieving sustainable growth, and developing global citizens. It is grounded in a high-performing, sustainable education system that equips students with the skills needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century, said McPherson. New Zealand has been ranked as the best education system in the world in preparing students for the future by the Economist Intelligence Units Worldwide Educating for the Future Index. Other announcements included a refreshed Education New Zealand Recognised Agency programme. About half of the international students in New Zealand use an education agency in some way, and we hope that closer engagement with agencies will continue to enrich the experience for students, said McPherson. An up-to-date list of Recognised Agencies will be published on the Study in New Zealand website from November 1, 2018. More Vietnamese students opting for education in New Zealand Thanks to its efforts to bring the best experience for international students, more and more Vietnamese students are now choosing New Zealand as their international ... To ensure efficient divestment, PetroVietnam is working on a number of plans, including consolidating the two companies.-Photo vietnamfinance.vn The plan did exclude the option of merging the two companies, PetroVietnam said. The divestment is part of PetroVietnams overhaul plan for 2017-25. The Ministry of Finance had previously asked the group to adjust its holdings in the two companies to 36 per cent by 2020. Under the ministrys guidance, PetroVietnam had completed a divestment draft, cutting its ownership in the two firms to 36 per cent during 2018-20. To ensure efficient divestment, PetroVietnam was looking at all options, including consolidating the two companies, it said. Under a direction issued by the Prime Minister on August 11, 2017, PetroVietnam will reduce its ownership in Ca Mau Fertiliser from 75.56 per cent to 51 per cent and in Fertiliser & Chemicals from 61.38 per cent to 51 per cent this year. At the 2018 annual shareholders meetings of the two companies, PetroVietnam said it would complete the divestment schemes by year-end. At Ca Mau Fertiliser, the group has set up a steering committee and signed contracts with consultancy firms to construct a pricing and timetable for the divestment. On the stock market, DCM is trading at around VND11,000 (US$0.50) per share, equivalent to the market value of more than VND5.82 trillion ($253.2 million). In the first six months of this year, the company achieved revenue of VND3.24 trillion, up 7 per cent year-on-year, but its net profit decreased 27 per cent to VND413 billion. DPM is trading at around VND18,000 per share on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange, valuing the company at nearly VND6.97 trillion ($303 million). The company reported revenue of VND4.8 trillion in the first half, up 10 per cent, while its net profit reached VND402 billion, down 13 per cent from the same period last year. Qatar has close ties with Turkey, whose President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seen here being welcomed by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Doha on Jul 24, 2017. (Photo: AFP/Handout) 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 US$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 funding round for investors in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan was participated by all existing investors, including SBI Group, FPT Group, eContext Asia, BEENEXT, and BEENOS. Nguyen Dac Viet Dung, executive chairman and co-founder of Sendo, said that the funding would help the company to expand Sendos customer-to-customer (C2C) platform, launch the business to customer (B2C) marketplace SenMall, and making SenPay the leading fintech platform in Vietnam. Sendo will use the new investment to grow further Our ultimate goal is to continue supporting hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese sellers to prosper, and along the way help creating millions of jobs for the Vietnamese people. Having achieved the annual gross merchandise value (GMV) of $330 million, the company is on track to surpass $1 billion of GMV in 2020, Dung said. Daniel Kang, partner and managing director of SoftBank Ventures Korea, said that Vietnam is at an inflection point, bolstered by rapid GDP growth, young population, and willingness to adopt to technology. Against this backdrop, e-commerce has strong growth potential and we believe Sendos marketplace model will benefit the most. In a fast-growing e-commerce market, Sendo has set itself apart by focusing on not only Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City but the untapped tier 2 cities, home to 70 million Vietnamese people. Being a homegrown company also gives the company deep understanding of the Vietnamese local market and culture. Sendo currently serves more than 300,000 sellers and millions of buyers in all 63 provinces in Vietnam. To achieve its current fast growth, Sendo have been focusing on utilising the strength of its partners in the ecosystem, such as merchants, third-party logistics providers, and advertising companies. The company also provides SenPay, a mobile wallet service and fintech solution on the Sendo platform as well as the off-line world. Paul Manafort case goes to the jury in first test of special counsel prosecution English French Multi-faceted project seeks to enhance investment product disclosure TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC) today announced that it has retained behavioural economics consulting firm BEworks to undertake research that will help improve the disclosure practices of investment dealers, advisors and investment fund managers. Effective disclosure plays a critical role in providing investors with the awareness and understanding they need to confidently make investment decisions that are aligned with their investment goals, said Paul C. Bourque, President and CEO, IFIC. IFIC is pleased to partner with BEworks to examine investment cost and performance statements and to help the industry develop and test new approaches that leverage behavioural insights to improve how information is shared with investors. The investment funds industry is delivering greater transparency to investors with annual Client Relationship Model, Phase 2 (CRM2) statements. This research project comprises three elements that are aimed at providing the investment funds industry with the theoretical foundation and practical tools to further improve disclosure: reviewing academic and industry research to identify the principles of effective disclosure and best practices in how financial information is prepared, formatted and shared with retail investors; assessing the effectiveness of current fee and performance statements against the principles and best practices identified; and developing model reports and experimentally testing them against current statements. With our deep expertise in the financial services and investment sector and our ability to harness decades of scientific research, BEworks is uniquely positioned to tackle this challenge with IFIC, said Kelly Peters, CEO & Co-Founder, BEworks. We commend IFIC for taking a rigorous approach to this critical issue and embracing both scientific thinking and experimentation to improve disclosure practices to encourage better financial decisions among Canadian investors. The project is expected to be completed in early 2019. BEworks will be speaking to this research as part of a panel on effective disclosure at IFICs Annual Leadership Conference on September 27, 2018. About IFIC The Investment Funds Institute of Canada is the voice of Canadas investment funds industry. IFIC brings together 150 organizations, including fund managers, distributors and industry service organizations, to foster a strong, stable investment sector where investors can realize their financial goals. By connecting Canadas savers to Canadas economy, our industry contributes significantly to Canadian economic growth and job creation. About BEworks Founded in 2010, BEworks is an unconventional management consulting firm that believes scientific thinking has the potential to transform the economy and society. Our team of scientists in cognitive and social psychology, neuroscience, and marketing work to answer our clients most complex business questions, execute disruptive growth strategies, and accelerate innovation. Part of the kyu collective of companies since January 2017, the firms client list includes Fortune 1000 companies, non-profit organizations and government agencies. BEworks was co-founded by Dan Ariely, renowned behavioural scientist, Kelly Peters, the firms CEO and BE pioneer, and top marketing scholar Nina Mazar. For more information, please visit www.BEworks.com , @BEworksInc or https://www.linkedin.com/company/beworks/ . For more information: Lisa Hall Senior Manager, Communications and Public Affairs IFIC lhall@ific.ca 416-309-2317 Mohit Arora Manager, Marketing BEworks Inc. mohit@beworks.com 416-920-1921 Southeast Asia is one of the most genetically diverse regions of the planet. But scientists never had a concrete theory that clearly explained the ancestral history of the region. The traditional view of Southeast Asian ancestry has always credited an ancient society of hunter-gatherers called Hoabinhian as being the people who populated the region some 40,000 years ago. However, the discovery of human remains dating back 8,000 years BCE is shaking this theorys foundations. The four ancestral population The research team that conducted the study had extracted DNA from fossils of various regions of Southeast Asia from Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, and Japan. Almost two and a half years were spent finding and assembling the human remains together. About 43 ancient skeletons have been collected in total. These human fossils dated to almost 6,000 BCE. Skulls from Malaysia and a skeleton from Laos were the oldest among the bone samples collected by the team. Previous to this discovery, scientists only had access to human bone samples that dated to only about 2,000 BCE. The researchers studied 26 genomes in total, with 25 coming in from the SEA and one genome coming in from Japan. The fact that we were able to obtain 26 human genomes and shed light on the incredible genetic richness of the groups in the region today is astonishing, Devdiscourse quotes the leader of the study. What they found shocked them. The DNA genome results showed the migratory record of the region to be much denser than previously expected. In fact, at least four ancestral populations were identified to have contributed to the genetic makeup of the people who today reside in Southeast Asia. Our research spanned from the Hoabinhian to the Iron Age and found that present-day Southeast Asian populations derive ancestry from at least four ancient populations This is a far more complex model than previously thought, Science Alert quotes the teams genetic researcher Fernando Racimo. The old and the new theories There were two theories in the contention that proposed a genetic history of Southeast Asia. The first theory suggested that the Hoabinhian were the sole occupants of the region since 44,000 years ago and that they later adopted farming techniques on their own. A second theory, known in academic circles as the two-layer model, suggested that a migration from southern China happened that displaced the Hoabinhian people and led to the birth of the current crop of humans living in the SEA. With this new discovery, both these theories have been debunked. According to the latest findings, the hunter-gatherers of Hoabinhian and the farmers of East Asia were definitely the main contributors to the SEA gene pool. But they were not the only ones. In fact, migrations from other regions also contributed heavily to the gene pool and worked toward diversifying it. Smithsonian quotes the study as saying that the evidence described here favors a complex model, including a demographic transition in which the original Hoabinhians admixed with multiple incoming waves of East Asian migration associated with the Austroasiatic, Kradai, and Austronesian language speakers. The study also raises interesting questions about the links between the distant populations like Hoabinhians and Jomon. And with more digging and research, this mystery should also be solved pretty soon. Follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our weekly email Search and Rescue Incident On Tuesday 14th August 2018, the Gibraltar Port Authority was informed by the Royal Gibraltar Police that a call had been received from a small vessel in distress with three persons on board, and with exact position unknown. A Search and Rescue operation was subsequently carried out, with the participation of various enforcement agencies including RGP, Gibraltar Defence Police (GDP), HM Customs and Ministry of Defence (MoD) maritime assets, coordinated by Gibraltar Port Authority. Spanish counterparts were also informed of the situation who in turn deployed their rescue helicopter. Following an exhaustive search at sea, operations were called off just before 9pm with no vessel or persons located. Manuel Tirado, CEO and Captain of the Port (Acting) said he would like to highlight the excellent cooperation of all the agencies involved in this operation and wished to thank all those who took part. Gibraltar Mental Welfare Society Welcomes School Mental Health Database The Gibraltar Mental Welfare Society has said it strongly welcomes the Government's initiative to create a database for mental health statistics in schools. In a statement issued today, a spokesperson for GMWS said '"As in other fields, it is essential for data to be collected systematically in order to be able to assess the reality of a given situation. At the moment, one has to keep referring to statistics in the UK and assume that these will reflect what is going on in Gibraltar. Although it is often the case that trends in mental health are similar across countries in the Western world, it would be very useful to have data on what exactly is happening in our own community. Once this information has been interpreted, the necessary steps can be taken to find solutions." "In order to create a data base which is as accurate as possible, it will be necessary to establish a scientific method of assessing pupils' mental health, across the sectors. Having a database of this nature will provide schools with an objective assessment of what the salient mental health problems are and what resources are required in order to deal with them. The GMWS agrees that ongoing basic training on mental health for all teachers is essential, and as such welcomed the training week that took place in June. There is clear evidence of how mental health promotion in schools has positive effects on pupils." The Society believes that the Government will also need to make further investments in ensuring that adequate professional help is available for the referrals that schools will continue to make. It also considers that the GSLP 2011 Manifesto commitment to provide counsellors specifically for schools should be resurrected. The implementation of such a policy would go a long way in helping pupils deal with more transient mental health issues within the school environment. Eight Additional Registered General Nurses for the GHA Eight nursing students from the School of Health Studies have completed their three-year programme of study, concluding with the award of Registered Nurse as well a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Adult Nursing. The eight students have undertaken their degree in Gibraltar. The degree is awarded by St Georges University of London and Kingston University London and they will be eligible to register locally with the Nurses, Midwives, Health Visitor Registration Board Gibraltar. The three-year full time honours degree programme has required these students to work fifty percent of their time, hands on in clinical practice across the GHA, as well as Elderly Residential Service and the Care Agency. The remaining fifty percent of the degree is theory-based. The degree is a challenging programme that demands extremely high practice and academic standards, as these students are continually assessed in clinical practice by clinicians, with service users also making a contribution on how the student had performed in practice. Professor Ian Peate, Head of the School of Health Studies, praised the standard of work the students have produced. He commented that the students should also be proud of their outstanding achievements, as they have demonstrated the appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes, which will enable them to provide care that is safe, effective and patient centred. Mrs Sandie Gracia, Acting Director of Nursing, said she was delighted with the students achievements, adding: All eight students have been successful in being offered employment with the Gibraltar Health Authority. I wish to welcome the newly qualified nurses to the GHA, and to thank the GHA nurses, who, along with a range of clinicians, have been closely involved in preparing the eight nurses to take up their posts. As Registered Nurses, we are honoured to provide care to patients and families; it is indeed a privilege. We know that these eight nurses will be walking in the footsteps of other Registered Nurses before them, as they work day in and day out, to provide care that is safe and compassionate. The Minister for Health, Care and Justice, the Honourable Neil F. Costa MP stated: I would like to convey my warm congratulations to the eight newly qualified Registered Nurses on their excellent achievements and their commitment to the degree programme. I am delighted that they will soon take up their new posts, and take this opportunity to welcome them to the GHA family. I would also like to take this opportunity to personally thank Ron Coram, Ian Peate and his great team at the School of Health Studies, for their work and dedication in helping the students fulfil this great achievement. Photo: Netflix For the first 15 minutes of its first episode, Disenchantment seems like a promising fractured fairy tale dressed in the animation style of The Simpsons and Futurama. Created by Matt Groening, who famously gave birth to those aforementioned series, Disenchantment immediately introduces us to Bean (voiced by Broad Citys Abbi Jacobson), the princess of Dreamland who is far more interested in drinking heavily than performing her royal duties, and Elfo (Nat Faxon), who looks like one of the Happy Little Elves Lisa Simpson used to love, except that hes not happy. I wish I could go somewhere where people are miserable, he says early in the first episode, a statement that foreshadows his escape from the cheerily draconian Elfwood and his arrival in Dreamland, where he befriends Bean and the demon, Luci (Eric Andre), who has supposedly cursed her. Basically, Disenchantment, Groenings first project for Netflix, sets itself up as a Disney movie turned upside down and tonally streaked with charcoal, or The Princess Bride with darker, more adult jokes. It takes place in a realm known for happily ever afters, but where everyone probably is or should be on antidepressants. That may not be a wildly inventive idea: Pop culture has put cockeyed twists on fantasy stories since The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle gave us Fractured Fairy Tales, if not earlier. But its still a fun concept whose vaguely satirical bent seems right up the cobblestoned alley of Groening and his collaborators, several of whom executive producers Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein, as well as writers David X. Cohen, Patric M. Verrone and Eric Horsted previously worked on The Simpsons and/or Futurama. But Disenchantment is never as much of a blast as it could be or seems to think it is. The comedic sensibilities of Disenchantment are definitely Simpsonian/Futurama-ish. There are loads of Easter egg-y background jokes: Every shop and venue in Dreamland has been given a deliberately punny name, even the bleak local orphanage (Little Orphan Annex). The humor sometimes veers toward the crude, as it does in episode six when Bean, acting as an ambassador during a visit to the enemy-turned-ally kingdom of Dankmire, gets drunk, flashes a dinner table full of officials while hanging upside down from a chandelier, then pukes all over the place. Sarcasm and irony are constants. (I like this, says Bean while munching on a meal that might contain the meat of a recently roasted Elfo, who has an unrequited crush on Bean. But only as a friend, she adds.) At one point, Beans preselected potential husband even turns into an oinker who looks like the twin brother of Spider-Pig from The Simpsons Movie. If these gags sound a bit too familiar, they feel even more recycled in the context of the series. On the cleverness and hilarity spectrum, Disenchantment is much closer to season 29 of The Simpsons than season four, which is an issue for a show thats only just begun. There are some moments that do work, including a genuinely funny run in episode five when Bean, working briefly as an executioner, offers to share a final meal with a soon-to-be-offed criminal, but keeps trying to influence his selection. (Oh, I had stew for lunch, she complains when the dead man walking instantly says thats what he craves.) But the jokes that fall flat far outweigh the ones that land. The fact that all ten episodes seven of which were provided in advance by Netflix can be watched one right after the other only serves to underline all the staleness. The voice cast of the series is strong, although sometimes misused. Jacobsons scratchy ruefulness is a perfect match for Beans mix of anti-establishment attitude and indifference, while Faxon gives Elfo a naivete and sense of disappointment that suggests his characters name should actually be FML Smurf. But John DiMaggio the extremely gifted voice actor who played Bender on Futurama doesnt quite work as King Zog, the stubborn father of Bean. That may be less DiMaggios fault than a flaw in the writing, which doesnt give Zog a lot of layers with which the actor can play. Zogs defining characteristic, and this is stated more than once in the dialogue, is that he yells a lot. He sounds less like a king and more like an angry butcher from Jersey, which I suppose is the point: These royals aintcha regular royals! But Disenchanted never does more with the character or his dynamic with Bean than establish that both are atypical and dysfunctional. Disenchanted never fully engages with the genre its riffing on, either. A series about an alcoholic princess with no desire to conform to social norms and an elf hungry to seek greater heights provides a natural opportunity to comment on gender expectations and the limited worldview that most fairy tales serve to impressionable children. But Disenchanted doesnt seem interested in wrestling with tropes or, for that matter, anything too deep. Its more focused on finding easy comedy in the pockets of the universe its invented, which, to the credit of Rough Draft, the animation studio that brings the show to life, has an impressive, cinematic quality that outshines previous Groening projects. Its just a shame that it doesnt match that ambition in other areas. Netflix is famous for giving revered TV talents enormous creative latitude, and that can be a good thing. But in this case, it would have been nice if Groening & Co. had received more pushback on some of the their choices, as opposed to what appears to be a collective As you wish. Juliet, Naked. Photo: Alex Bailey/All photos are copyrighted and may be used by press only for the purpose of news or editorial coverage of Sundance Institute pro Juliet, Naked has no one named Juliet whos naked. No one in the movie is actually naked. Its the title of an album within the film a stripped-down version of another album, Juliet, by a fictional 90s American folk rocker named Tucker Crowe. The inspiration must have been Let It Be Naked, about which some people have reservations, however queasy they are about Phil Spectors original mix. As the movie begins, a tape of Juliet, Naked finds its way into the hands of Crowes No. 1 fanboy, Duncan (Chris ODowd), a pretentious but not unintelligent film professor in an English seaside town. Crowe dropped out of sight decades earlier, after Juliet some people think hes dead and Duncan is over the moon about this unheralded discovery. His girlfriend, Annie (Rose Byrne), a cultural anthropologist who has inexplicably accepted the runner-up role in Duncans affections, thinks the album is a load of wank and says so on Duncans fan site. She quickly hears from someone who agrees with her: Tucker Crowe. Its an irresistible premise: an increasingly intimate intercontinental relationship between a superfans idol and his own girlfriend. Its a Platonic cuckolding. Juliet, Naked is based on a Nick Hornby novel that funnels a lot of Hornbys fanboy impulses including his self-loathing, paranoid ones into a single breezy vehicle. Duncan, his dark alter ego, is insufferable bordering on pitiful. When an acquaintance looks at a photo of the young Crowe and pronounces him gorgeous, Duncan says, Thank you, beaming. Of Crowes critics, including Annie, he says, Everyones entitled to their opinion, however un-nuanced a line I should use more often when people disagree with me. He does not know as yet that Crowes opinion is similarly un-nuanced. The director, Jesse Peretz, jumps back and forth between England and the U.S., where Tucker (Ethan Hawke) confronts the consequences of having so many children he doesnt know by so many women who cant stand him. The scruffy Hawke gives Tucker the perfect combination of self-disgust and arrogance. A king who mocks his own powers and runs from the spotlight but still carries a sense of entitlement is doomed to despair unless he happens to meet someone like Rose Byrne, and meet her cute. Byrne, for her part, is so winning I was willing to forgive even the odd spasm of Meg Ryan-ish mugging. My chief complaint is how someone so smart, funny, beautiful, and headstrong could spend 15 years with a creep like Duncan a representative of arrested fan culture in the internet age. (ODowds performance is obnoxious but not un-nuanced.) Peretz keeps a lot of balls in the air, among them Crowes various exes and children (Ayoola Smart is the pregnant daughter Tucker hasnt seen in a decade, Azhy Robertson the little boy who has finally stirred Tuckers present-tense parental feelings). Everyone crowds in on him in a hospital room thats like the Marx Brothers stateroom if every new addition was further proof of the protagonists shamefully misspent youth. Its a nice combination of farce and psychodrama. Hornbys novel has an ambiguous and to my mind annoyingly unsatisfying ending. What Peretz has replaced it with is a little pat but much more crowd-pleasing. When the movie premiered at Sundance in January, the audience was buzzing, not because it moved the boundary posts but because it was everything a mainstream rom-com should be but no longer is literate, unpredictable, full of bustling tangents. Think of it. You now need to go to Sundance to see what audiences used to get from studios in the pre-franchise days. Queen Sugar The Horizon Leans Forward Season 3 Episode 12 Editors Rating 5 stars * * * * * Previous Next Photo: OWN The Horizon Leans Forward is a meticulously crafted episode that delivers the outcomes of this seasons major plot points. In last weeks episode, the Bordelons dealt with uncomfortable truths. This week, the family learns the fate of the prison and some secrets about each other. I sold the mill, Charley tells a shocked Prosper. Prosper is visibly shaken, and soon the word reaches every black farmer in St. Josephine. For the black farmers, news that Charley sold Queen Sugar mill to the Landrys is proof enough that she is a traitor. The parish council vote meeting is shrouded in an air of indifference by everyone but the black farmers. Its clear that the support for the prison falls down to racial lines in St. Josephine: Black residents are against and white residents support the project. The prison rep makes generic promises to improve the lives of St. Josephine: We already have lives, youre trying to take them away, a black farmer shoots back. Charley decides to stand tall for her community, despite detractors who question her allegiance. I gave up my mill to leverage fair rates. For you! To keep you in business, Charley tells her detractors. I did it so we could all live to fight another day, but this prison, if they build it, that day will never come. Her speech at the parish board meeting resets her image in the eyes of the black farmers in St. Josephine. However, Charleys powerful speech is all for naught as the parish vote narrowly passes. For now, it looks like the prison will be built in St. Josephine. Violet is still on a high from Vis Prize Pies TV spotlight. Her interview has sent an increase of business to Violet and her team. At her home, Violets innocuous question to Nova about about a potential wedding date brings the drama between Charley, Nova, and Remy to the light. Im not sure I know you at all right now, a disappointed Violet tells Nova before she heads to her bakery kitchen. At her kitchen, Violet has an episode that sends her to the hospital. This hospitalization and Hollywoods nudging encourage Violet to finally tell her family about her Lupus diagnosis. Meanwhile, Micah is dealing with the guilt of watching his friend Anthony take the fall for a group mistake. For now, his crew has gone radio silent no texting or social-media communication to prevent the police from pinning anything on them. Theyve been cleared but theres still a risk that more than Anthony will serve time. KJ tells Micah that their friend group must do whatever they have to do to survive and stay out of juvenile detention. KJ is clear with Micah that even if Micah feels like theyre all in it together, Micahs class background gives him a different set of stakes than the rest of the group. For you, surviving is taking this picture instead of being in it, KJ tells a ruffled Micah. Even amongst friends, he is an outsider. Micah must contend with how his class background affords him a level of privileges that his friends dont have. Micah has a touching moment with Anthony at his home despite Charley telling him to avoid his new friends. If it was me that got caught, youd be outing every kid that was there, Micah says to a defensive Charley. At Anthonys home, the boys talk about the future and what Anthonys juvenile-detention term may mean for him and the others. Micah has no plans to cut his political awakening short hes researching best practices for rallies after his visit with Anthony. Micah is clear about his convictions, and now he plans to be a leader. Blue is embarking on a childhood rite of passage learning to ride a bike. Blue gives up his bike-riding dreams with Darla and she calls in Ralph Angel to help Blue overcome his fear of falling off. Together, they watch Blue ride by himself for the first time and the two share a spontaneous hug. On the porch, Darla suggest that they split custody 50-50. No more fighting. Ralph Angel shares his plans to take Blue up the Gulf Coast, to California, and to Disleyland and Disney World after his parole is up. That will be a beautiful day, Darla remarks. For the first time this season, Darla and Ralph Angel are able to have a pleasant, extended conversation. It seems like theyre closer to burying the bad blood between them. The episode ends with Darla, Ralph Angel, and Blue, united as a family if only for the evening. The Real Housewives Of Dallas Your Amygdala Is Showing Season 3 Episode 1 Editors Rating 4 stars * * * * Previous Next Photo: Bravo Last night I dreamt I went to The Round-Up again where in my swirling, fevered vision, hands became knives, and one of those knives became Marks all-too-discussed penis. Anyhoo, welcome back to Dallas, yall! Lets begin with a genuinely wonderful development: Brandi and Brian have just adopted a 2-month-old baby boy, Bruin. Congrats! After what we learned about her struggle with fertility last year, this is genuinely really sweet to see. I am begrudgingly coming to terms with the fact that Brandi and Stephanie, my endgame RHOD OTP, may never give me so much as a Thelma and Louise pre-death smooch, so Ill content myself with the fact that Bruin would never have come into Brandis life without Stephanie. She texted her pal out of nowhere about a baby available for adoption, who she heard about via a friend who owns an adoption agency and definitely not on the dark web. A dog? Or human? was Brandis response, which is perfect. Shaky cell phone footage of Brandi holding Bruin who has red hair and green eyes, just like her for the first time doesnt not unmake me non-cry, okay? This was fate. And best of all, she hasnt told the other women (except, duh, Stephanie) about the new baby yet, meaning Brandi has an insane, actual-human conversational bomb to drop whenever it suits her. Sparkledog Kamerons dog food company that sells pink kibble that is actually primarily brown kibble and that also may or may not induce some very glamorous canine diarrhea is, amazingly, still a company, for which our very blondest cast member is currently trying to find a distributor. (Sidebar: Kameron mentions in passing that, before she married Court, shed planned on attending design school in New York excuse me, what if it was FIT? Just how many Housewives have an association with FIT? Can you imagine Kameron befriending Ramona and Sonja at an alumni mixer? If only.) DAndra and Jeremy are holding a fourth-anniversary party at a friends schmancy mansion in where else but Highland Park, the one specific place in Dallas I have heard of (other than, I guess, the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository), thanks to this television program. A four-year blowout does seem a little arbitrary, but Jeremy and DAndra seem very happy, and there isnt the slightest whiff of the smell of fear and grapefruit that I associate with a certain televised 17-year vow renewal. You may recall that Dee Simmons (second only to Adora Crellin in the category of southern matriarchs who take withholding and make it fashion) finally allowed her fingers to be excruciatingly peeled one by one off the metaphorical keys to her company at the end of last season. Obviously, of course, she has since changed her mind, and also is no longer speaking to DAndra, of course, obviously. Yet obv-cours-iously Dee wouldnt think of missing her daughters anniversary party. It will be great, DAndra says, and also like a roller coaster ripping [her] soul apart. I too enjoy amusement parks! Brandi, however, wont be in attendance, harboring a new grudge against DAndra for (a) saying she has squinty eyes and (b) accusing her of abusing Adderall, for which Brandi says she has a prescription. Speaking of grudges, LeeAnne I Sold My Life Rights and They Eventually Became the Film Franchise You Know As The Grudge Locken is ready to seek healing for her anger issues. You might say shes on the warpath for peace, so, I guess, the peacepath? DAndra joins her fitter, happier, more productive, tentatively less knives-y friend for a mindfulness-meditation session, led by a man with sideburns that I can best describe as a bold choice and the even bolder (real!) name of David Sunshine. There is no doubt in my mind that David Sunshine should go into business organizing Housewife-bait wellness retreats with Bocas own Sexz Chef. Ive learned recently that theres a place in your mind called the amygdala, LeeAnne lectures David Sunshine. And if you are abused or tortured as a child, it grows exponentially. So my amygdala takes any, any threat and just wont tolerate it. According to LeeAnne, the DallasFort Worth metroplexs preeminent neuroscientist, monks can even shrink their amygdalae through meditation. Im not sure what watching RHOD does the size of my personal amygdala, but at the very least, Id say it definitely gives it a nice vibrating motel-room-bed massage. We have to move on now, but first please allow me to type the words David Sunshine for what will probably the last time in my too-short life: David Sunshine. Thank you for your patience. LeeAnne ended last season on terrible terms with essentially everyone (including, Im prepared to assume, like half of the behind-the-camera crew) except DAndra. First on her apology hit list is Cary, who reluctantly agrees to a diner peace summit. At first, Cary seems unwilling to make amends, and to be fair, the woman did threaten to strangle her, so I get it. But they find tentative common ground when Cary explains that shes not going to falsely sugarcoat things when shes actually upset anymore the very personality trait of hers that LeeAnne found maddening in the first place. Is it possible? Could these two be bonding? They even ceremonially lay down their swords, a.k.a. the knives their places were set with, though if I know LeeAnne Locken, shes got a backup blade strapped to her ankle anyway. Cary, by the way, has cast aside her recent aspirations of stay-at-home-motherhood (which Mark strongly disapproved of) to run a brand-new laser center that she and Dr. Husband just opened. In related news, please remember to submit your bracket for our extremely competitive Worst Men of Dallas Tournament by next weeks episode. The clear underdog is certifiable nice dude Rich, who is rocking an unexpectedly handsome eye patch these days as a result of permanently damaged vision. He and LeeAnne have been engaged for a year now, but have yet to set a date, an oversight that is making her increasingly antsy. Why dont they just go ahead and get married? To this I say: Hmm. Dee shows up to DAndras party with a lovely gift, a big smile, and a terrible attitude. No one can believe that DAndra is so happily married, because DAndra had a few experiences, she informs her date, a man no one bothers to identify or introduce, Trust me. At some point between Dee telling her date (again: who is this person?) that shes been engaged 14 times (thats 0.7 metric Danielle Staubs!) and publicly instructing DAndra on the proper way to thank her guests, it occurs to me that she might have been as Thomas Ravenel, the human personification of burping up a little bit of bile, would put it overserved. It seems that more chaos is in store when Stephanie discovers shes been seated right next to LeeAnne, but shockingly, this could-have-been skirmish goes even better than LeeAnnes coffee with Cary. Heres to one day you and I making asses of ourselves together, LeeAnne toasts to Stephanie. Maybe shes misjudged her, Stephanie thinks! Maybe Stephanie is a little drunk and just in a really good mood, I think! Still: Are we to expect that everyone is going to get along swimmingly this season? Of course they arent. Its at this point that someone gets hold of a microphone and announces that LeeAnne and Rich will be getting married tonight. Based on LeeAnne and, ahem, especially Richs expressions, they emphatically will not be. To be continued! One of the women in the New Mexico compound reached out to a family friend with a desperate message for help, expressing danger of starvation. Abdur-Rashid Al-Amin, an Islamic counselor in Georgia, said that message sent to him was the tip authorities used to raid the compound in rural New Mexico on August 3. Continents and regions Misc people New Mexico North America Siraj Wahhaj Southwestern United States Subhannah Wahhaj The Americas United States Hujrah Wahhaj Jany Leveille Families and children Family life Society Amin told CNN he received a friend request on Facebook around July 31 from Subhannah Wahhaj, one of the women who was found in the compound and subsequently charged with child abuse. When he accepted her Facebook request, she requested confidentiality and then cash. "I am desperately in need of $400 in order to save myself from starvation," according to the message she sent Amin. "Again, I wouldn't ask if I truly didn't need it." Since 2009, Amin had been a friend of the Wahhaj family. Amin said he had previously counseled several of the adults found at the New Mexico compound, including Subhannah Wahhaj, her husband Lucas Morten, her brother Siraj Wahhaj and Siraj Wahhaj's partner, Jany Leveille. He said he also knew that members of her family, including Siraj and her sister Hujrah, had cut ties with their Georgia friends and families, right around the time Siraj's young son, Abdul-Ghani had disappeared. "I was trying to ascertain [Abdul-Ghani's] location," Amin said about their exchange. The messages were entered into evidence in court this week. Subhannah Wahhaj's request also said: "The money is to fight starvation." In response to her request, Amin said he told her, "I'm not going to just send that money to someone and take it away from my family if I'm not even sure it's actually you." So, he said, he started asking questions to get their location. During their exchange, she gave him an address of a gas station in New Mexico. After obtaining that information, Amin said he reached out to her father, Imam Siraj Wahhaj in New York, and connected with the Clayton County Police. The information was relayed to authorities in New Mexico, he said. The compound was searched on August 3. A family member of the imam confirmed to CNN that Amin contacted the family. Clayton County Police had previously discussed a message from the compound, but have declined to identify its source. Subhannah Wahhaj had also requested several items that Amin said he was gathering and preparing to send, but the raid of the compound occurred before the items could be sent. When he saw the news from New Mexico about the 11 children found in filthy conditions, Amin said he was shocked. "It was very disturbing, I was very upset. I was angry, sad, and then overjoyed that the children were pulled out of those conditions," he said. The five adults found in the compound -- Subhannah Wahhaj, Siraj Wahhaj, Hujrah Wahhaj, Jany Leveille, and Lucas Morten -- each face 11 counts of child abuse. They have pleaded not guilty. Leveille is now in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. She overstayed a nonimmigrant visitor visa for more than 20 years, according to ICE. She is originally from Haiti. Abdul-Ghani, the boy allegedly abducted by his father, was not among the 11 children found in the compound. The remains of a young boy were found in a tunnel at the compound, but have not yet been identified. One of the surviving children told an FBI investigator that Abdul-Ghani had died during a religious ritual. Although Amin had been a friend and counselor to members of the Wahhaj family, he said he felt compelled to speak out. "All the adults at the compound are complicit in what happened, and not getting Abdul-Ghani medical attention," Amin said. "Allah says stand out firmly as a witness against injustice even against family and friends. Family and friends has nothing to do with it. It's about the welfare of the children." Denver, CO, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The PCL family of companies is pleased to welcome Scott Beckman to PCL Construction Enterprises, Inc. as Director, Sustainability. Based in Denver, Scott will lead the companys sustainability efforts across North America. Scott has more than 16 years of relevant sustainability experience, and prior to joining PCL served as the senior project manager for an energy company in Colorado and corporate director of sustainability at a large engineering firm in North America. He graduated from Colorado State University with a bachelor of science degree in business administration and earned a masters in environmental management from the University of Denver. We are excited to have Scott join our team, with his extensive background in sustainable practices, he will only intensify PCLs commitment to both the environment and improved construction methods for high-performance, low-impact projects, said Rob Otway, PCL's Vice President responsible for Sustainability. The organization continually strives to act in a socially responsible and environmentally respectful manner by using sustainable business practices. PCL exhibits leadership in training and education of our staff to increase efficiencies, reduce our carbon footprint, and support our communities through financial and volunteer efforts. Learn more about PCLs expertise in sustainable construction. About PCL Construction PCL is a group of independent construction companies that carries out work across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and in Australia. These diverse operations in the civil infrastructure, heavy industrial, and buildings markets are supported by a strategic presence in 31 major centers. Together, these companies have an annual construction volume of more than $6 billion USD, making PCL one of the largest contracting organizations in North America. Watch us build at PCL.com. Attachment China says new talks with the United States are set to take place amid the trade war between the two economic superpowers. The Chinese Commerce Ministry announced Thursday that a delegation will travel to the United States later this month for talks. The visit is at the invitation of the United States, the ministry said in a short statement. Previous rounds of talks between the two countries failed to make much progress, resulting in the outbreak of a trade war that has already hurt businesses on both sides of the Pacific. The countries imposed steep tariffs on billions of dollars of each other's exports this summer and have threatened more. Related: Boeing CEO: US-China trade war a concern for global aerospace The Chinese delegation will be led by Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen, who will hold talks with David Malpass, the US Treasury Department's under secretary for international affairs, according to the Chinese statement. It's highly uncertain how much headway the negotiators will be able to make, with the two governments far apart on how to address many of the key US concerns. Those include the huge trade imbalance between the two countries, Chinese efforts to get hold of American technology and Beijing's ambitious industrial policies. The case for China being "willing to give enough concessions that the US government backs down is not convincing," Louis Kuijs, head of Asia economics at research firm Oxford Economics wrote in a note to clients last week. The officials leading the new talks are less senior than in previous rounds, which involved Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on the US side and Vice Premier Liu He, a top adviser to President Xi Jinping, for China. The Chinese government statement Thursday didn't say what topics the talks would cover. It reiterated China's stance that it opposes "unilateralism and trade protectionism." The US Treasury Department wasn't available for comment outside of regular office hours. The last round of formal trade negotiations between the two sides took place in early June, when Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross traveled to Beijing. But those unsuccessful talks were overshadowed by the Trump administration's announcement days earlier that it was going ahead with its plan to impose 25% tariffs on $50 billion worth of goods from China. Beijing had vowed to retaliate, and the two governments introduced the first wave of tariffs, on $34 billion of each other's exports, in early July. Another tit-for-tat round, on $16 billion of each other's products, is scheduled for August 23. Escalating the clash, the Trump administration has announced plans for yet more tariffs, on about $200 billion of Chinese exports. Beijing has said it will fire back with new tariffs on $60 billion of US goods. -- Nanlin Fang contributed to this report. Thursday, the Alabama Parole Board confirmed to WAAY 31s I-Team its investigating how a man sentenced to life in prison was released, arrested and released again and is now charged with killing three people. Jimmy Spencer was paroled in January 2018, despite the fact that he was supposed to be serving a life sentence for crimes he committed in Franklin County. Months after being paroled Spencer now stands accused of killing three people in Guntersville. WAAY31 asked if Spencer's parole officer is under investigation. The parole board said they could not comment on that, but said they are reviewing his entire case to find out how or if Spencer's parole officer was notified about his arrests after his parole. The parole board said they are also looking at the notification system and how this information could have gotten missed. After being paroled in January, Spencer was sent to an inmate re-entry program in Birmingham. A few weeks later, parole officials said he just walked off. They are still trying to figure out exactly when it happened and why it wasnt reported. WAAY 31 was first to tell you about Spencer's misdemeanor citations he got in Guntersville State Park in May. The I-Team then uncovered police in Sardis arrested Spencer in June for drug paraphernalia, attempting to elude, and resisting arrest. The Sardis police chief said his officers ran Spencer's name in a national data base and sent the state a message about his arrest, but nothing was done and he walked out of jail. The parole board said they don't have a timeline on when this review of Spencer's case could be done, even then it's unclear if we will be privileged to their findings. In the 80's Spencer was charged with multiple burglaries and sentenced to life in prison for burglary in Franklin County. During his prison time he broke out of prison multiple times and was charged with assaulting another inmate. The parole board said it granted him parole because of his 'positive conduct record' and a low to medium chance of re-offending. Hes now in the Marshall County jail without bond. Rain broke up on approach to the Tennessee Valley Thursday afternoon. New development over Mississippi will track through the Valley Thursday evening. Some spots may stay dry, but showers and heavy thunderstorms will be around. The chance for rain is biggest early. It will lower from 6 PM to 9 PM, then drop off through midnight before increasing again between midnight and sunrise Friday. That could mean a rainy, slippery morning drive with areas of reduced visibility. For Friday, one or two stronger storms can form. While the overall risk level for a severe thunderstorm is minimal, remember just one severe thunderstorm can make the day a bad one those it impacts. Any stronger storms, though isolated, will be capable of producing winds of 50-60 mph. The biggest threats on Friday will be heavy rain and frequent, dangerous lightning. Rainfall amounts through midnight Friday will average between a half-inch and inch. Rain may be scarce Thursday night. It can begin increasing by the morning drive Friday. The biggest batch of rain will arrive in the Shoals between 10 AM and noon Friday. It will track eastward, crossing I-65 and moving into Huntsville and Madison between noon and 2 PM, then moving into Sand Mountain between 2 PM and 4 PM. Some variation in timing is possible. The bottom line is this: be ready for rain, which can fall heavily at times. Periods of rain will likely last through Tuesday. Rainfall amounts through Tuesday will average between three inches and four inches. Cooler and drier air will follow the rain's exit on Wednesday and Thursday. Huntsville City Schools canceled their special call board of education meeting for today. Yesterday school board members announced they'd have the meeting today. Director of communications, Keith Ward stated in an email that, "Article V, Section 2 of the Board Bylaws allow the president of the Board of Education to call a special meeting with 24 hours notice. Even though the meeting was called in accordance with the bylaws, it has created a hardship for a board member. We are canceling tonights special session and will revisit the agenda item in the next meeting of the Board of Education." The meeting was canceled because of a scheduling conflict with one of the board of education members. The only line item on the agenda was "Consideration of Chief School Financial Officer Personnel Action." The President of the board Elisa Ferrell told WAAY 31 they were not considering firing the CFO of the district, but she could not give more details about what was going to be talked about at the meeting. She did tell WAAY 31 the board will be deciding between a forensic audit and a regular audit to determine how the district got into dire financial straights. J. Kevin Smith is an accountant in Huntsville and he said an error like this is made for one of two reasons. "Cause it to be misleading because they didn't know what they were doing and just made a mistake, or they could have done it intentionally to try and mislead, so they're getting away with something," said Smith. A forensic audit looks at a lot of specific transactions and a regular audit looks at budget procedures and mistakes in how those procedures were followed. "If they're just looking for errors then a forensic audit is really not necessary, cause forensic audits are looking for fraud," said Smith. Ferrell told WAAY 31 Initial estimates for a forensic audit is $2 million for every year they decide to audit. Board member Pam Hill has called for a five-year audit in board meetings, which would cost the district $10 million dollars. Ferrell did not have estimates for how much a regular audit would cost. Smith said it likely took some time for this issue to snowball to this point. "I don't think it was one transaction. It would be recording the same thing incorrectly over and over again," said Smith. According to Smith, a regular audit would take roughly sixty days to complete and a forensic audit, which is much more in-depth, would take roughly 200 days for every year audited. Those time frames would shrink if multiple people were working on the audit. The board of education will have a special budget meeting next Thursday at 4 p.m. Followed by the regularly scheduled board meeting at 5:30 p.m. where they will be talking in depth about their next moves. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo backtracked on a comment he made Wednesday at a rally where he responded to President Trump's signiture line, "Make America Great Again." The democrat said, "We are not going to make America great againit was never that great," the Associated Press reported. He immediate followed up by saying, "We have not reached greatness. We will reach greatness when every American is fully engaged." After a massive backlash on social media, including a tweet from President Trump where he wrote Cuomo was having "a total meltdown," Governor Cuomo's press secretary attempted to clarify the remark by saying, "The governor believes America is great and that her full greatness will be fully realized when every man, woman, and child has full equality." Marcus Molinaro, who is the republican running against Cuomo for governor, said his opponent owes America an apology. Actress Cynthia Nixon, who is running against Cuomo for the democratic nomination, said of the remarks, I think this is just another example of Andrew Cuomo trying to figure out what a progressive sounds like and missing by a mile, the website Mediaite reported. It was earlier this week when President Trump warned Cuomo about potentially running against him in 2020 by tweeting how everyone who runs against him "suffers." Areas of Alabama will soon receive federal funding for energy-efficiency projects. Senator Richard Shelby announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture is granting $694,000 to fund the projects. The grant was made possible through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Energy for America program. It is vital that we continue investing in Alabamas rural areas to promote economic development and growth, said Senator Shelby. These grants will allow farmers, ranchers, and small businesses to save on production costs while improving efficiency. I am proud that the USDA has awarded this funding to our state, and I look forward to continuing to help Alabamas farmers and rural communities. The grant will be used for projects in Baldwin, Calhoun, Conecuh, Cullman, Elmore, Escambia, and Marshall counties. VATICAN CITY (AP) - The Vatican has called the sex abuse described in a grand jury report in Pennsylvania "criminal and morally reprehensible." In a statement released late Thursday, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said "those acts were betrayals of trust that robbed survivors of their dignity and faith." He said that victims should know that Pope Francis is on their side. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ValOre Metals Corporation (TSX-V: VO) (ValOre) today announced the completion the 2018 summer exploration program at ValOres 100% owned Baffin Gold Property in Nunavut Territory, Canada. The 2018 program included a 7,038 line-kilometre aeromagnetic survey and the collection of 431 till and 31 rock geochemical samples. The Baffin Gold Property covers one of the largest undeveloped greenstone-iron formation gold belts in Nunavut, totalling 408,981.6 ha and covering 160 kilometres of the Foxe Fold Belt on central Baffin Island. With this new 2018 airborne data, and further till sampling in under-explored areas, we are excited to see how our knowledge from significant gold results from 2017 can be applied to the larger regional setting, stated ValOre President Jeff Ward. We are confident that ValOres first two Baffin Gold programs will upgrade current targets and begin to unlock the potential of this prolific gold belt. As follow-up to the 2017 program, ValOres 2018 summer program focussed on infilling current geophysical datasets and obtaining airborne geophysical coverage on lands not yet explored. The airborne survey was designed to extend known gold-bearing Bravo Lake Formation geology and find additional occurrences using new geophysical data over gold-in-till anomalies not yet followed-up. With this new survey, ValOre now has continuous airborne geophysical data covering 120 kilometres of the prospective Foxe Fold Belt. Last year, ValOres maiden exploration program focused on a 68 kilometre-long central portion of the large Baffin Gold Property. The program succeeded in confirming significant gold bearing zones and provided a better understanding of the varied host geological settings. The 2017 program reported numerous high-grade gold assays from banded iron formation and quartz veins, and seven new priority areas delineated by anomalous geochemical results in till (see October 25, 2017 news release). During the month of July 2018, Tundra Airborne Surveys Ltd. (Tundra) of St. Catharines, Ontario completed a 7,038 line-kilometre, fixed wing (horizontal gradient) aeromagnetic survey on the Baffin Gold Property. The survey in-filled and extended existing geophysical grids, with some overlap to help integrate legacy data. Fixed wing aeromagnetic lines were flown at 200 metre spacing. Final deliverables from Tundra are expected by late September 2018. During Tundras airborne survey operations, a four-person field crew collected 438 till and 31 rock geochemical samples. The till sampling program was designed to expand anomalous trends discovered in 2017 and repeat regional gold-in-till values from historic sampling. Line spacing was between 250 and 500 metres, or 125 metres in areas of interest. Sample spacing was between 125 and 250 metres. All samples will be sent to ALS Geochemistry (ALS) in Vancouver, BC for final analysis. Till samples will be submitted for Au-CN44 cyanide extraction and ME-ICP61 analysis. Rock samples will be analyzed using Au-AA23 fire assay methods with final ME-ICP61 analysis. ALS Geochemistry meets all requirements of International Standards ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and ISO 9001:2015. Jeff Ward, P.Geo, President of ValOre and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release. About ValOre Metals Corporation ValOre Metals Corporation (TSX-V: VO) is a Vancouver-based company with a portfolio of high-quality uranium and precious metal exploration projects in Canada. In addition to the new Baffin Gold Property, ValOre holds Canadas highest-grade uranium resource outside of Saskatchewan. The Companys flagship project, the 89,852 hectare Angilak Property in Nunavut Territory, hosts the Lac 50 Trend with a NI 43-101 Inferred Resource of 2,831,000 tonnes grading 0.69% U 3 O 8 , totaling 43.3 million pounds U 3 O 8 . ValOres comprehensive exploration programs continue to demonstrate the District Scale potential of the Angilak Property. For disclosure related to the inferred resource for the Lac 50 Trend uranium deposits, please refer to ValOres news release of March 1, 2013. In Saskatchewan, ValOre holds a 100% interest in the 13,711 hectare Hatchet Lake Property adjacent to the north-eastern margin of the highly prolific uranium-producing Athabasca Basin. Compilation of results from previous exploration by Hathor Exploration Limited and Rio Tinto have identified multiple, priority unconformity-related basement targets at Hatchet Lake that were followed up in 2015. ValOre also holds a 50% interest in the 131,412 hectare Genesis Property located northeast of Saskatchewans Athabasca Basin, with Roughrider Exploration Limited funding the current exploration program pursuant to an option to acquire up to an 85% interest in the property. This highly prospective project is located along the Wollaston-Mudjatik trend and extends 90 kilometres northeast from Wollaston Lake to the Manitoba border. ValOres team of northern exploration specialists has forged strong relationships with sophisticated resource sector investors and partner Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) on both the Angilak and Baffin Gold Properties. ValOre was the first company to sign a comprehensive agreement to explore for uranium on Inuit Owned Lands in Nunavut Territory, Canada and is committed to building shareholder value while adhering to high levels of environmental and safety standards and proactive local community engagement. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Jim Paterson" James R. Paterson, Chairman and CEO ValOre Metals Corporation For further information about, ValOre Metals Corporation or this news release, please visit our website at www.valoremetals.com or contact Investor Relations toll free at 1.888.331.2269, at 604.646.4527, or by email at info@valoremetals.com . ValOre Metals Corporation is a member of the Discovery Group of Companies, for more information please visit: www.discoverygroup.ca . Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain disclosures in this release constitute forward-looking statements that are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors relating to ValOre 's operations as a mineral exploration company that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements, including risks as to the completion of the plans and projects. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Other than as required by applicable securities legislation, ValOre 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. HOUSTON, TEXAS, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Quanex Building Products Corporation (NYSE: NX) (Quanex or the Company) today announced plans to release its third quarter 2018 results on Thursday, September 6, 2018 after trading closes on the New York Stock Exchange. The Company has also scheduled a conference call for Friday, September 7, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. ET (10:00 a.m. CT) to discuss the release. Investors may participate in the conference call via telephone by dialing (877) 388-2139 for domestic callers or (541) 797-2983 for international callers, in both cases using conference passcode 3847158, and asking for the Quanex call a few minutes prior to the start time. A link to the live audio webcast will also be available on the Companys website at http://www.quanex.com in the Investors section under Presentations & Events. A telephonic replay will be available through September 14, 2018 by dialing (855) 859-2056 for domestic callers or (404) 537-3406 for international callers, in both cases referencing conference passcode 3847158. A webcast archive will also be available at http://www.quanex.com shortly after the call. About Quanex Quanex Building Products Corporation is an industry-leading manufacturer of components sold to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the building products industry. Quanex designs and produces energy-efficient fenestration products in addition to kitchen and bath cabinet components. BURLINGTON, N.J., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Burlington Stores, Inc. (NYSE: BURL), a nationally recognized off-price retailer of high-quality, branded apparel at everyday low prices, will release its second quarter fiscal year 2018 results before the U.S. stock market opens on Thursday, August 30, 2018. The Company will also hold a conference call to discuss results at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) that day. The U.S. toll free dial-in for the conference call is 1-866-437-5084 and the international dial-in number is 1-409-220-9374. A live webcast of the conference call will also be available on the investor relations page of the company's website at www.burlingtoninvestors.com. For those unable to participate in the conference call, a replay will be available after the conclusion of the call on August 30, 2018 through September 6, 2018. The U.S. toll-free replay dial-in number is 1-855-859-2056 and the international replay dial-in number is 1-404-537-3406. The replay passcode is 3989799. Investors and others should note that Burlington Stores currently announces material information using SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. In the future, Burlington Stores will continue to use these channels to distribute material information about the Company, and may also utilize its website and/or various social media sites to communicate important information about the Company, key personnel, new brands and services, trends, new marketing campaigns, corporate initiatives and other matters. Information that the Company posts on its website or on social media channels could be deemed material; therefore, the Company encourages investors, the media, our customers, business partners and others interested in Burlington Stores to review the information posted on its website, as well as the following social media channels: Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BurlingtonStores/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/burlington). Any updates to the list of social media channels the Company may use to communicate material information will be posted on the investor relations page of the Company's website at www.burlingtoninvestors.com. About Burlington Stores, Inc. Burlington Stores, Inc., headquartered in New Jersey, is a nationally recognized off-price retailer with Fiscal 2017 revenue of $6.1 billion. The Company is a Fortune 500 company and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BURL. The Company operated 647 stores as of the end of the first quarter of Fiscal 2018, inclusive of an internet store, in 45 states and Puerto Rico, principally under the name Burlington Stores. The Companys stores offer an extensive selection of in-season, fashion-focused merchandise at up to 65% off other retailers' prices every day, including womens ready-to-wear apparel, menswear, youth apparel, baby, beauty, footwear, accessories, home and coats. For more information about the Company, visit www.Burlington.com. Investor Relations Contact: David J. Glick 855-973-8445 Info@BurlingtonInvestors.com Allison Malkin ICR, Inc. 203-682-8225 HERSHEY, Pa., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) today announced that members of its management team will provide an update on the company's growth strategies related to digital commerce during a live webcast on Tuesday, August 28, 2018, beginning at 9 a.m. ET. At 11:00 a.m. ET, President and Chief Executive Officer Michele Buck and Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Patricia Little will conduct a general question and answer session. The meeting will be webcast live on The Hershey Company's website, www.thehersheycompany.com. Please visit the Investors section of the website for further details. About The Hershey Company The Hershey Company, headquartered in Hershey, Pa., is an industry leading snacks company known for bringing goodness to the world through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to help children in need. Hershey has approximately 17,000 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company has more than 80 brands around the world that drive more than $7.4 billion in annual revenues, including such iconic brand names as Hershey's, Reese's, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers and SkinnyPop. For more than 120 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. Hershey founder, Milton Hershey, created the Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on giving underserved children the skills and support they need to be successful. Today, the company continues this social purpose through 'Nourishing Minds,' a global initiative that provides basic nutrition to help children learn and grow. To learn more - Visit: www.thehersheycompany.com Follow: http://www.twitter.com/hersheycompany https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-hershey-company?trk=top_nav_home http://www.facebook.com/hersheycompany http://www.youtube.com/hersheycompany http://www.instagram.com/hersheycompany Phoenix, AZ, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On August 15, 2018, InnSuites Hospitality Trust (NYSE American: IHT), through InnSuites Hotels, Inc., entered into an agreement to profitably sell its wholly-owned subsidiary, IBC Hotels, LLC (IBC) to a wholly-owned subsidiary of OBASA Capital Investments, Inc., an independent third-party purchaser. The sale was completed, with funds being received by IHT, on August 16, 2018. The sale price and terms were not disclosed. IBC provides proprietary software, exclusive marketing services, and distribution to a network of approximately 2,000 unrelated hospitality properties under the names InnDependent Boutique Collection, IBC Hospitality Technologies and IVHTravel.com. Additionally, IBC provides software and solutions to a variety of branded hotels through IBCs patent-pending loyalty program, utilizing its proprietary booking engine www.ivhtravel.com. Forward-Looking Statements With the exception of historical information, the matters discussed in this news release may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. All statements regarding IHTs review and exploration of potential strategic, operational and structural alternatives and expected associated costs and benefits are forward-looking. Actual developments and business decisions may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that could cause IHTs actual results and future actions to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements include the uncertain outcome, impact, effects and results of IHTs review of strategic, operational and structural alternatives, and the risks discussed in IHTs SEC filings. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance due to numerous risks and uncertainties, such as: local, national or international economic and business conditions; competition, loss of membership contracts; effectiveness of IHTs software program; and other factors. Such uncertainties, and others affecting IHT are described in greater detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe our current expectations to be based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained. IHT expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date hereof, all of which are expressly qualified by the foregoing, other than as required by applicable law. IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vicki Gunvalson, The Real Housewives of Orange County star and owner of Coto Insurance and Financial Services, recently announced she will be hosting a vacation getaway for fans and friends at the Hyatt Ziva in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The all-inclusive vacation kicks off on December 1st, 2018 and concludes December 5th, 2018. I am so excited to have the opportunity to whoop it up on a beautiful Mexican vacation with some of the greatest fans in the world, said Ms. Gunvalson. If you like good food, good drinks, warm sun, dancing, and laying out by the pool, you dont want to miss this trip! Participating vacationers automatically receive upgraded ocean front accommodations, and all meals, premium drinks, and Wi-Fi included with their purchase. The trip has been structured so fans can spend several hours each day with Vicki. Tickets are available for purchase at www.anexclusiveaffair.com. Trip Itinerary Saturday, Dec 1 Guests are greeted by Vicki upon arrival at Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta Sunday, Dec 2 Beach party with Vicki Monday, Dec 3 Q&A with Vicki Monday, Dec 3 Pool time with Vicki Tuesday, Dec 4 Cocktail Party with Vicki Wednesday, Dec 5 Departure Ms. Gunvalson has appeared on The Real Housewives of Orange County since the shows inception in 2006, and recently wrapped up filming season 13, which is now airing on Bravo. In addition, Ms. Gunvalson is the proud owner of Coto Insurance and Financial Services, Inc., where she seeks to mentor and employ other working women and mothers like herself. ### anexclusiveaffair.com For more information contact the Venture Strategic team at victoria@venturestrategic.com or info@vickigunvalson.com Attachment Denver, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TiE Rockies , the Colorado chapter of TiE Global , a nonprofit venture devoted to entrepreneurs in all industries, at all stages, from ideation to exit, today announced that the organization surpassed $18 million in funding over the past three years, including $1.25 million in direct funding during the last year. At TiE Rockies, our focus is on generating and nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs in Colorado and throughout the Rocky Mountain region, said Patrice Barber, TiE Rockies president. Weve worked to develop strong relationships with our members, investors and strategic partners, allowing startups to quickly and easily close their funding rounds while ensuring a greater amount of capital is being directly invested in Colorado companies. TiE Rockies continues to invest in promising early-stage startups throughout the state, focusing on the Denver metro area. During the last three years, 19 TiE Rockies startup companies have received $18.05 million in funding directly from TiE Rockies members or through TiE investor meetings and direct introductions to the extended TiE community. Member companies that received funding include: Gamma2Robots MindAptiv Silvernest Neo Stencil Scratch Digital TekDry Yippee Ki Yay Solve For Food Boomcloud PharmaJet WeeSchoo In June, $400,000 in debt financing was provided to member company MFB Fertility in an effort backed by members of the TiE Rockies board of directors. This capital will aid the organizations efforts to build on the "Proov Ovulation Double Check" product line, which offers the first at-home, urine-based progesterone test to allow women to easily check whether they have ovulated. TiE Rockies additionally continues to provide mentoring and advisory support for MFB Fertility and many other companies with potential throughout Colorado. Looking forward, TiE Rockies is hosting TiE Con Northwest 2018 toward the end of August. TiE Con Northwest is a conference bringing in 40-plus speakers from China, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Vancouver, Seattle and Portland to discuss bridging marketplaces through global expansion. For more information about how to participate in TiE Con Northwest 2018, please visit bit.ly/TIEConNW . About TiE Rockies: Mission: TiE Rockies is a Colorado non-profit, global community welcoming entrepreneurs at all stages. Our mission is to foster entrepreneurship, funding and economic growth in Colorado by providing the highest level of mentoring and programming through TiE Rockies while leveraging our TiE Global connections and local strategic partner relationships. Purpose: Our purpose is to be a leader in making Colorado a top hub for entrepreneurship by leveraging the expertise of our TiE Charter Members, the TiE Global Network and creating entrepreneurial alliances with strategic partners including other Colorado incubators/accelerators, investors and economic development agencies. For more information, please visit www.rockies.tie.org . ### 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. IL House passes amendment to allow those who refuse vaccine to be fired Embed from Getty Images Kevin De Bruyne has suffered an injury in training on Wednesday, with reports suggesting that the Manchester City playmaker could miss at least two months of action. According to his club, the Belgian hurt his right knee in the incident, the same knee he injured in 2016 which forced him out of 12 matches with the Citizens. However, the seriousness of the injury is as yet unknown according to the club, who released a statement saying: Kevin De Bruyne is undergoing tests on his right knee after sustaining an injury at training on Wednesday. The extent of the problem is not yet known and we will bring you further updates on Kevins condition in due course. The former Chelsea man was photographed wearing a knee brace and using crutches while at the premiere of Citys Amazon documentary series. De Bruyne was the driving force behind Citys canter to the Premier League title last season, scoring eight goals and providing 16 assists. However, while he will be missed if forced out of action, City have enough creative players to soften the blow of losing their star-man. (Photo: Daily Mail) LONDON, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HighQ has cemented a unique partnership to assist the University of Melbourne Law School in the creation of a collaborative educational project for first-year students. Melbourne Law School aims to expose about 400 law students to legal technology they might use in a future legal career. HighQ, a market leader in providing collaborative software to the legal industry, will host the new subject, Disputes and Ethics, on its Collaborate platform. The subject will include 70 different teams organised into law firms working on a fictional legal dispute. The HighQ platform will allow integrated communication between the student teams and Melbourne Law School faculty. HighQ is excited to be a part of this innovative project with the University of Melbourne Law School, said Ajay Patel, Co-Founder and CEO of HighQ. This is a unique opportunity to put our legal technology in front of students who will undoubtedly use this experience to help shape their careers in law. We look forward to developing this in conjunction with university staff to make the ODR as beneficial as possible. The University of Melbourne Law School has been ranked seventh in the world and first in Australia in the Times Higher Education World University 2018 Subject Rankings for Law. About the University of Melbourne Law School Melbourne Law School is a leader and innovator in legal education, and a vibrant place of learning that values ideas, excellence and intellectual exchange. Melbourne Law School is a professional graduate school and home to a community of experts and award-winning teaching staff, a strong alumni network, dedicated mentors, visiting scholars from across the globe and leading research centres and institutions. For more information, visit law.unimelb.edu.au. About HighQ HighQ empowers leading law firms and corporate legal teams to transform the way they work and deliver legal services. We unite internal and external teams with social collaboration, secure file sharing, project management, powerful integrations and more, improving data security, efficiency and productivity. Our platform is flexible and user-friendly; by continually offering innovative solutions for all areas of law, we keep our clients ahead in the evolving legal market. For more information, visit highq.com. From the Forecast: For decades, China was an engine of economic growth throughout the world. Those days are gone. Instead of encouraging growth for the sake of growth, Beijing will try to implement structural reform without alienating or angering any segment of its population so much that it would question Beijings rule. China should be able to manage this relatively well in 2018. Xi is at the height of his power and has the support of the people. But the thing to watch is how effective Xis reforms prove to be and how the consequences of his actions limit his plans if they do at all. Update: It has been a busy two weeks for the Chinese government. The rumors of gunfire in Beijing that surfaced July 18 have still not been substantiated, but President Xi Jinping was noticeably absent from state media for a few days, and a number of other oddities like a Xinhua article about the downfall of Communist Party chairman Hua Guofeng in 1980 all point toward exactly the types of political instability we predicted in China this year. China appears to have the situation under control for now. Xi has returned to the front pages, evidently confident enough to embark on a multiday trip to the United Arab Emirates, Senegal and South Africa this week. China has censored the medias coverage on the trade war with the United States. And despite a few exceptions , Xis reform plan appears to be in place, and Xi himself appears to be no worse for the wear. At this point, the opposition to Xi is small and scattered, so successful has Xi been at eliminating his rivals and taming Chinas vast bureaucracy. Sure, there has been outcry over the governments handling of a faulty vaccine scandal, and sure, Xi continues his various reshuffles of the bureaucracy. (Most notably, he moved the Communist Partys disciplinary chief in Beijing to boss of Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, one of Chinas most important economic centers and historically a bastion of opposition to rule from Beijing.) This is how we expect the rest of 2018 to play out: A series of challenges will emerge, and Xi will deal with them via purges or other restrictions but at the end, Xi will be the last man standing, stronger than ever before. Williamson, WV (25661) Today Light rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High around 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 51F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Wits signs Memorandum of Understanding with Perot Museum The MOU is part of the Museums new focus on human origins, plans to increase research, produce traveling exhibitions, and cultivate scientific communications. 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 Museums 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 Centers 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. Civil society partners with DIRCO to host indaba on UN Binding Treaty CALS, ActionAid and Laywers for Human Rights are partnering with DIRCO to host a discussion on the proposed UN Binding Treaty from 21 August in Johannesburg CALS, Lawyers for Human Rights and ActionAid South Africa, in cooperation with DIRCO, are preparing to host a discussion on the draft international binding treaty regulating business practices and their impact on human rights. The indaba will begin on 21 August 2018 at the Sunnyside Park Hotel in Johannesburg and is open to the public. In June 2014, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution sponsored by Ecuador and South Africa. This resolution established an Inter-Governmental Working Group with the purpose of developing an international legally binding instrument to regulate the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights. The first draft of this instrument known as the Zero Draft was published in July 2018. Transnational Corporations (or TNCs) are globally recognised as perpetrators of human rights violations across many sectors. Their increasing levels of economic and political power present a particular challenge in developing countries and frequently hamper the ability of communities in these jurisdictions to hold corporations accountable for abuses. The existing voluntary UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights have proved inadequate in many respects in regulating and holding the operations of TNCs accountable for human rights violations. It is critical that as corporations grow more dominant in the global context, effective mechanisms to ensure corporate accountability are implemented to take account of this growing reality. In addressing the imbalance of power between TNCs, states and human rights holders, the voices of those who stand to be most affected by TNCs must be prioritised in the responses to Zero Draft of the treaty, with a particular focus on the gendered aspects of human rights abuses. The robust engagement of civil society, labour, business, and communities in assessing the proposed treaty is critical to providing the South African government with comprehensive feedback and in order to inform South Africas position in the upcoming round of treaty negotiations to be held at the United Nations in Geneva over 15 19 October 2018. ActionAid South Africa, in cooperation with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and supported by Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) and the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS), invite all relevant stakeholders and the press to a critical multi-lateral engagement to influence, support and consolidate the South African position as cosponsor of the proposed treaty, and to ensure that the perspectives of its key stakeholder constituents are reflected in these upcoming negotiations. Participants will include all relevant National Government Departments, Chapter 9 institutions, trade unions, civil society organisations, business, mining affected communities, and a select group of international guests. Day 1 will be spent unpacking the nature and importance of a legally binding mechanism on business and human rights, hearing from government, business, communities, and labour. Day 2 includes a site visit to a community in Mokopane, Limpopo to hear first-hand the lived experiences of those affected by TNCs. Date: 21 22 August 2018 Venue: Johannesburg, Gauteng For media inquiries, please contact: The United States is preparing to extradite an Iraqi refugee from California wanted in his home country in connection with an ISIS-related killing of a police officer. Omar Ameen was arrested Wednesday in Sacramento where he settled after being granted refugee status, the US Justice Department said. Authorities allege he was a member in terrorist groups al Qaeda in Iraq and ISIS before he fled to the United States. Arrests California Continents and regions Crime, law enforcement and corrections Criminal law Immigration, citizenship and displacement International relations and national security Iraq ISIS Law and legal system Law enforcement Middle East Middle East and North Africa North America Refugees Southwestern United States The Americas United States Crimes against persons Criminal offenses Policing and police forces Shootings Ameen, who was in the process of attaining a green card, is wanted in Iraq on a murder charge. He's accused of the 2014 killing of a police officer in the town of Rawa. An Iraqi warrant for his arrest was issued in May. Ameen, 45, made an initial appearance in court in the Eastern District of California on Wednesday. His next court date is Monday afternoon. He is being held in the Sacramento County jail. CNN reached out to Ameen's attorneys Wednesday night but was unable to get a comment. The Sacramento Bee reported federal defenders Benjamin Galloway and Douglas Beevers told a judge that they received the case minutes before Ameen appeared before a judge. "He's aware of the basic nature of the charges," Beevers said in court, according to the Bee. CNN affiliate KCRA reported FBI agents and local authorities searched Ameen's apartment Wednesday. Neighbor Greg Hutson told CNN affiliate KTXL that Ameen seemed like a "family guy." "The gentleman that got arrested, he kept to himself. A very friendly guy," Hutson said. "He's got like a wife and children." Police officer shot dead in 2014 ISIS, an acronym for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, took control of Rawa in 2014 as its fighters were sweeping through much of Iraq. The US government's complaint and a petition to detain the suspect say Ameen was part of a group that opened fire on the police officer's home one day after ISIS captured Rawa. "Ameen then shot the victim," the court document says. Authorities also allege in the documents that Ameen took part in "numerous acts of violence," including the planting of homemade roadside bombs. Ameen already applied for refugee status to the United States when the killing took place, authorities say. He had gone to Turkey in 2012 and applied to US Customs and Immigrations Services there. According to the court documents: "Ameen concealed his true identity as a member of (Al-Qaeda in Iraq) and ISIS to immigrate to the United States. He lied about his background and the circumstances of his departure from Iraq in order to evade detection, seeking to blend into the flow of legitimate refugees fleeing the conflict zone." Ameen said then that his father had been killed for cooperating with the military and also claimed that he and a brother had been kidnapped by a Shiite militant group in 2012. Both were lies, authorities now allege, saying that Ameen's father died from a blood clot. Ameen said he escaped the abductors and the brother was never heard from again. The court documents say the brother was the subject of a warrant in November 2012 and Ameen changed his story later, admitting his brother was alive. Ameen was the subject of three prior warrants in Iraq, the documents say. Two were issued before he came to the United States. One from 2011 involved a killing not described in the US filings. His refugee application was approved in early June 2014, just before the police officer was slain. Came to US in late 2014 Ameen arrived in the United States on November 4, 2014. In the court documents, federal prosecutors say a resume shows Ameen held jobs as a truck loader and a laborer in Salt Lake City before starting as an auto mechanic in Sacramento in February 2016. The FBI said it has been investigating Ameen since 2016, the court document says. "As part of this investigation, the FBI has interviewed at least eight witnesses, and received documents from Iraq, which corroborate Ameen's involvement with AQI and ISIS, including the murder that is alleged in the extradition request," the court document says. It alleges that Ameen was a "main local figure" in the terror groups affiliates in Rawa, where he was born and lived. Rawa is in Anbar province about 260 kilometers (160 miles) northwest of Baghdad. About 20,000 people lived there at the time of the officer's killing, the court document says. Rawa was the last Iraqi town liberated from ISIS, the Baghdad government said in November. A new study claims that about half the matter found here in the Milky Way came from outside the galaxy. So, does that mean we're all made of stardust? Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. (You can also get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.) 1. White House President Trump made good on his threat to strip away the security clearances of his critics in the intelligence community. The security clearance of ex-CIA Director John Brennan was revoked, an unprecedented use of presidential power to hit back at detractors. Brennan's been brutal in his takedowns of the administration's actions, but Trump, in a statement, said Brennan is a liar whose "frenzied commentary is wholly inconsistent with access to the nation's most closely held secrets." Brennan responded by saying Trump is trying to muzzle free speech and punish critics. "I will not relent," he tweeted. The White House provided no evidence that Brennan has misused his security clearance since leaving government. Trump is still considering pulling the security clearances of several others, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former national security adviser Susan Rice. Top national security officials typically keep their clearances after leaving government so they can consult current officials on national security issues. 2. Clergy sex abuse Pressure is mounting on Pope Francis to respond to the Pennsylvania grand jury report that details decades of sexual abuse of more than 1,000 children by hundreds of priests and bishops in the state, along with various cover-ups. The Vatican hasn't commented on the explosive report yet. A Villanova theology professor called the Vatican's silence "disturbing." The clergy sex abuse scandal is a growing crisis, with the Catholic Church forced to deal with abuse allegations around the globe that for many have meant lifetime trauma. 3. Turkey and Qatar Turkey's getting some economic help in its spat with the US. The country nabbed a $15 billion investment from Qatar that will reportedly go toward economic projects, investments and deposits. It's a big lifeline that could bolster Turkey's economy as it tries to endure a rapidly growing trade tiff with the US. Relations between the US and Turkey -- a pair of NATO allies -- soured over Turkey's detention of an American pastor, whose second appeal for release was just rejected, his lawyer said. The diplomatic spat has led to dueling tariffs that have hurt the lira, the Turkish currency. 4. Migrant crisis A rescue ship filled with migrants docked in Malta after being stuck in the Mediterranean for days while European countries fought over what to do about it. The 141 migrants left the ship, named the Aquarius, in a jubilant mood. France, Portugal, Luxembourg, Spain and Germany have agreed to take them in. They had been rescued late last week off the coast of Libya by the Aquarius. Despite a deal reached in June by EU nations to more widely share the burden of taking in refugees, Europe remains deeply divided over the migrant crisis. 5. Connecticut overdoses Dozens of people overdosed on drugs at a downtown park in New Haven, Connecticut. Police said as many as 71 people overdosed on K2, a synthetic cannabinoid similar to marijuana. It's also often laced with other drugs. No one died, thankfully, though two people are in serious condition. Others who were treated and released from the hospital ended up needing treatment again -- because they had another overdose. The patients were of different ages and demographics. A police spokesman said this a nationwide drug problem that's "not going away." TODAY'S NUMBER 80 The number of people killed after days of severe flooding in the state of Kerala in southern India. Kerala's under a red alert, the highest alert level, as tens of thousands have been forced from their homes and more heavy rain is expected in the coming days. BREAKFAST BROWSE Class act Teachers often have to buy their own classroom school supplies. Not these teachers in Kentucky, who were gifted $100 each by an anonymous donor. Homeward bound A Buddha statue stolen almost six decades ago is being returned to India, thanks to a CEO with a sharp eye. Wonder women India's first all-female SWAT team -- armed with assault rifles and martial arts training -- has hit the streets of New Delhi. Eye of the beholder Her doctor told her the swelling and pain in her eyelid was caused by a cyst. Turns out it was actually a 28-year-old contact lens. Yikes! HAPPENING LATER Land of the free (press) Editorials in about 350 newspapers across the country today will make statements supporting the free press and criticize President Trump's attacks on the media. TODAY'S QUOTES "We're not going to make America great again. It was never that great." New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, trying to make an argument about gender equality and taking a swipe at Donald Trump's famous catchphrase. The President, and a Republican rival hoping to unseat Cuomo in November, blasted him over it. "Bees were after him the whole time, he said, so he killed them and ate them." Linda Matheny, explaining how her son Matthew survived six days on Mount St. Helens after he got lost while hiking AND FINALLY Rapid rescue Her dog decided those little ocean waves weren't safe enough for his little human, so he got her out of there. And she loved every second of it. (Click to view.) Life expectancy fell across the majority of high-income countries, signaling a collective and simultaneous decline among affluent nations for the first time in decades, a new study finds. Among 18 high-income countries -- including Spain, Sweden, Japan, Australia, the UK and the United States -- most countries saw declines in life expectancy between 2014 and 2015, according to the study, published Wednesday in the British Medical Journal. Asia Australia Business and industry sectors Business, economy and trade Continents and regions Demographic groups East Asia Employment and income status Europe Health and medical Health care Health care information Health statistics Japan Labor and employment Life expectancy Northern Europe Oceania Population and demographics Population trends Social and economic status Society United Kingdom Upper income persons Wealthy people North America The Americas United States Diseases and disorders Females (demographic group) Denmark Norway Australia, Japan, Denmark and Norway were the only countries in the study that showed an increase in life expectancy across all years for both men and women. The drop in the remaining 14 countries was "notable both for the number of countries and for the magnitude of the declines," the authors wrote. Outside the United States, declines in overall life expectancy were focused among people 65 and older, with the rise in deaths among this demographic probably attributable to an unusually severe flu season, according to the study, which was co-authored by Jessica Ho of the University of Southern California and Arun Hendi of Princeton University. It's a trend that highlights some potential issues around health-care provision within these countries, according to Domantas Jasilionis, a research scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Germany who authored an editorial that accompanied the study. "The fact that modern healthcare systems in the most advanced high-income countries were unable to cope with this unexpected challenge, resulting in the first reductions in longevity for decades, is striking and might signal more profound problems," Jasilionis wrote. The study also suggested that respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and other mental and nervous system disorders contributed in part to driving down life expectancy among those 65 and older. In countries where environmental threats such as air pollution and poor air quality have become more problematic, deaths from these diseases may become more commonplace, suggests Holly Nelson-Becker, an expert in social gerontology at Brunel University in London, who was not involved in the study. "The issue of susceptibility to influenza and respiratory problems speaks, in my view, to increasing issues of environmental problems such as smog and other forms of pollution," Nelson-Becker said. Deaths among young adults in the US In the United States, the decline in life expectancy was concentrated among a younger cohort of the population: those in their 20s and 30s, according to the study. The authors associate this with the continuing opioid crisis there, which resulted in 115 opioid overdose deaths each day in 2016. It's an alarming trend given the country's already lackluster performance regarding life expectancy among high-income countries, according to the study. "The USA now has the lowest life expectancy levels among high income developed countries, and Americans fare poorly across a broad set of ages, health conditions, and causes of death compared with their counterparts in these countries," the authors wrote. The study used trend estimates generated from official vital statistics -- which provide information on population mortality -- from 18 high-income countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the US and the UK. Only four countries -- Australia, Japan, Denmark and Norway -- saw a continued rise in life expectancy across the study years. The average life expectancy for women in Australia, Japan, Denmark and Norway in 2016 was 85.46, 87.17, 82.79 and 84.17, respectively. For men, the life expectancy was 81.49, 81.01, 78.95 and 80.61, respectively. The authors admit they couldn't establish any firm conclusions on cause and effect from the study, so it remains unclear why these four countries were able to retain increases in life expectancy over time. Continued decline the US and UK Most countries that demonstrated overall declines between 2014 and 2015 and then rebounded between 2015 and 2016, showing gains in life expectancy to make up for the loss. But the US and the UK were exceptions to this trend, continuing to show declines in life expectancy in more recent years. Social inequality, poverty and the declining quality of health-care provision in the US and the UK may be perpetuating this stagnation and decline in life expectancy, suggests Jasilionis. The life expectancy for men and women in the US in 2016 was 76.4 and 81.4 years, while in the UK, those numbers stood at 79.04 and 82.72. The opioid crisis may be a large contributor to declining rates of life expectancy in the US, but according to a another study by the British Medical Journal published Thursday, mortality rates for organ diseases involving the lungs, heart and other parts of the body have also increased significantly. Jasilionis adds that unequal access to health care in the US as well as wide variations in its quality may be contributing the country's underperformance in life expectancy. In the UK, disadvantaged populations who suffer disproportionally from certain social factors, such as poverty, may be driving down life expectancy, Jasilionis said. And while many countries did manage to rebound from a dip in life expectancy, the threat of new and emerging diseases, as well as the rising concern over antimicrobial resistance, will pose a particular challenge in the future, Jasilionis said. "It's too early to say this [drop in life expectancy] won't happen again," he said. "This will largely depend on if these countries are more prepared in the future to address these threats. There are more unexpected health threats emerging that will require faster responses and more technological development." Utica, N.Y. - While Governor Andrew Cuomo was signing a bill in New York City on Wednesday, he was also criticizing President Donald Trump, and one of the governor's comments is getting a lot of negative feedback. Cuomo was signing legislation to protect children from sex trafficking and during that press conference, he was criticizing President Trump and Trump's slogan, "Make America Great Again." Cuomo said the following, "And look, the simple point is, all of this comes down to this. We're not going to make America great again. It was never that great. We have not reached greatness. We will reach greatness when every American is fully engaged. " Cuomo said Trump wants 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 is seeking a third term this fall and is considered a potential presidential contender in 2020. Many republicans have pounced on Cuomo's comments. Republican candidate for governor, Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County Executive, was here at the WKTV studios earlier on Wednesday, where we asked him about the governor's comments. Molinaro said the following, "America, with all of its imperfections has always been great, for 242 years. It's principles, it's promise, it's potential has always been great and we continue on this march to continue to make and remake America every day. The governor knows that, should know that, and should apologize for what he had to say. America has always been great." Sen. Joe Griffo of Rome also weighed in Wednesday evening saying the following, "The Governor's comments today regarding our nation were unfortunate, disappointing and absurd. I understand that we are in the heat of political season. However, despite his own personal opinion, political differences and future aspirations, the Governor's words, whether taken out of context or not, were not the appropriate way to describe this country." Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente released a statement Wednesday evening saying, "Governor Cuomo's statement today is disappointing, sad and wrong. He owes this state and nation an apology. America is, has always been, and by the grace of God will always be, great and exceptional." NEW YORK-- Governor Andrew Cuomo is causing a stir. Both politicians and American citizens are reacting, and many are not happy about it. While Cuomo was signing legislation in New York City, he criticized President Trump and his slogan. Governor Andrew Cuomo: "Look the simple point is...all of this comes down to this. We're not going to make America great again. It was never that great. We have not reached greatness. We will reach greatness when every American is fully engaged." Cuomo is seeking a third term this fall and is considered a potential presidential contender in 2020. President Trump fired back at Cuomo on Twitter saying: "'WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. IT WAS NEVER THAT GREAT.' Can you believe this is the governor of the highest taxed state, in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown." Governor Cuomo responded: "What you say would be 'great again' would not be great at all...we will not go back to discrimination, segregation, sexism, isolationism, racism, or the KKK. Like NY's motto says: Excelsior--Ever Upward (not backward)." Local politicians are reacting to the governor's statement: Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro & Republican Candidate for Governor: "America with all of its imperfections has always been great, for 242 years. Its principles, its promise, its potential has always been great and we continue on this march to continue to make and re-make America every day. The Governor knows that, should know that, and should apologize for what he had to say. America has always been great." Senator Joseph Griffo: "The Governor's comments regarding our nationa were unfortunate, disappointing, and absurd. I understand that we are in the heat of political season. However, despite his own personal opinion, political differences, and future aspirations, the Governor's words, whether taken out of context or not, were not the appropriate way to describe this country." Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente: "Governor Cuomo's statement is disappointing, sad, and wrong. He owes this state and nation an apology. America is, has always been, and by the grace of God always will be great and exceptional." We will continue to follow this story and we have reached out to other local politicians for their responses. We will publish those as soon as we receive them. VERONA Emergency crews are currently on scene of a tractor trailer rollover crash in the town of Verona. The rollover crash on State Route 365 near the Thruway Exit 33 was first reported at 9:08 a.m., according to the Oneida County 911 Center. The Verona Fire Department, New York State Police and the state Department of Environmental Conservation are currently on scene. Photos sent to NEWSChannel 2 by Eric Christensen show the tractor trailer on its side. It's unknown at this time if there were any other vehicles involved in the crash. Weve reached out to state police to learn more information, and we will provide updates as they become available. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) An Illinois man is in the Tippecanoe County Jail after he allegedly tried to break into Lafayette businesses, and then led police on a chase. Calvin Lowe is charged with three counts of attempted burglary and one count of resisting law enforcement. On Aug. 10, Lafayette police said they found Lowe scoping out businesses on Old US 231. Police said officers saw Lowe crouched down in front of a Mexican grocery store. Officers also noticed the locks on that business and several others had been tampered with. Lowe allegedly placed objects in a car and drove off, according to police. When LPD tried to pull him over, police said he allegedly began to speed up. A pursuit lasted into Clinton County, where officers were able to stop his car. Court documents show Lowe admitted he drove around the Lafayette area looking for businesses to break into. Scattered showers & a few storms continue to move eastward through the viewing area. These will be with us off & on through the evening. Rainfall coverage will average 55%, but will gradually drop after 9 p.m. Coverage should run 25-30% for much of the overnight. Some patchy fog is possible with muggy lows of 68-71. Rainfall coverage will go up to 75% by early tomorrow morning, then drop to 55% in the afternoon. So, our current system will continue to pivot through, but note the pretty vigorous upper low in Iowa & note the storms organizing in northern Oklahoma (part of a mid & upper jet streak). The storms in Iowa have produced some funnel cloud reports. Upper low will slowly wobble east-southeastward tonight & jet streak will pivot through the southern half of Illinois & Indiana. This will result in severe weather risk from Kansas & Oklahoma to Indiana overnight to tomorrow morning, moving from west to east. Supercells should quickly gell into supercell clusters, then multiple bows of storms will severe weather to our west & southwest. Eventually, bows may congeal into one single squall line of storms from central Illinois to northeastern Arkansas by late tonight-tomorrow morning. NOAA's Storm Prediction Center has SLIGHT & MARGINAL RISK areas for....................... this evening-tonight-tomorrow morning: And for tomorrow: It appears that the squall line, driven by ample wind fields & shear, especially to our south, will affect part of the viewing area in the morning with isolated severe weather risk. However, it be gradually weakening with time (as the jet streak begins to outrun it), but may hold on long enough for this "isolated" risk. At the present time, the best potential of isolated severe weather (mainly wind), would be in the southwestern & southern parts of the viewing area (in the MARGINAL RISK area), however, confidence is not overly high on exactly how far north & northeast the risk will get or on the exact hourly timing. This exact hourly timing is important, as kids will be headed off to the bus stop & school in the morning. So, I think just wording it as "a couple/few isolated severe storms possible with best potential south of U.S. 24" is the best bet with squall line "gradually weakening with movement eastward". Also, I think wording a time line of "4-8 a.m." seems good for now. Here is the evolution of it through the simulated radar reflectivity of a high-resolution computer model with initialization at 2 p.m. today. Additional initializations or runs will come out this evening. After this & some sun appearing, new scattered showers/storms will bubble up in the heating of the afternoon. Although the main forcing for squall line will be gone from the region, instability, vorticity, heating & some marginal shear may lead to a random, isolated severe storm. It will be a muggy day with highs of 80-85. After a few showers end Friday night, patchy to areas of dense fog will develop with very low clouds. The very low clouds/fog will break up & burn off Saturday morning, followed by cumulus towers developing. A couple of isolated showers/t'showers are possible (20%). These will move north-northeast to south-southwest in the area with highs well into the 80s with high humidity driving heat indices to around 90 to the mid 90s. Patchy to areas of dense fog will develop Saturday night. Sunday looks partly cloudy with highs well into the 80s with high humidity driving heat indices to around 90 to the mid 90s. PULASKI COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - A body has been recovered from a home following a fire. According to our news gathering partners at the Francesville Tribune, several agencies responded to a house fire call near Medaryville. After putting out the fire, a body was recovered by officials working the scene. The Pulaski County Coroners office is conducting an autopsy and plans to release the name of the person later. Investigators are still working to determine how the fire was started. Brian Toosley said he knew his brother would be at the home during the day and was shocked when he heard the news. "He's one of the greatest guys we've ever known. He's a hard worker, dedicated father, You know, we just don't understand it," said Toosley. Brian Toosley said he called the owner of the home after the fire and believes she lost everything. "She's tore up to you know. She doesn't understand it and she lost every single thing she owns, her house, her vehicle, everything. She went down to Florida to see her grand kids and basically what she took is what she has," said Toosley. We will continue to follow this developing story and bring you more information as it becomes available. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) A 20-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the spray-painting of anti-Semitic graffiti at a suburban Indianapolis synagogue. Prosecutors announced Thursday that Nolan Brewer of Cloverdale is charged with conspiracy to violate civil rights in the vandalism at Congregation Shaarey Tefilla. Brewer remains in U.S. marshals' custody after appearing in court Thursday for an initial hearing. Nazi flags and iron crosses were found spray-painted July 28 on a brick shed at the synagogue in Carmel, just north of Indianapolis. U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler says tips from the public led authorities to Brewer and a store's surveillance footage showed Brewer and a co-conspirator buying spray paint used in the vandalism. The co-conspirator has also been arrested, but Minkler declined to comment, saying the investigation was ongoing. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page By place of birth: where the laws of the country in which a child is born make them a citizen automatically, as in the U.S., where the 14th Amendment does this. This principle is expanded by what is known as "sanguinity" (blood relationship) citizenship based on that of one or both parents, or even grandparents in some countries, such as Ireland and Italy. This relationship is perhaps the easiest and fastest route to a second passport. By official naturalization: which usually involves a specific period of prior residence in the country. Almost all countries have a route for foreigners to obtain permanent residence, linked to marriage, a job, starting a business, or other commitment to the country. On average, this means living in the country for five years. By purchasing economic citizenship: this usually involves an investment in the country or payment of a substantial fee. Some countries offer this in exchange for investment in real estate, starting a business, or payment to the government. Among these countries are St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, Cyprus, and Malta. These citizenships involve an extensive due diligence process and investigation. According to International Living Magazine, there are good reasons why citizens of many countries should, and indeed, have a right to acquire a second citizenship, particularly in a new country where taxes are reasonable, freedom is greater and property investing is of keen interest.That new passport can expand your legal rights, allowing freer world travel with fewer problems from curious border and customs officials. When it comes to taking your life and assets offshore, few tools are more valuable than a second passport."If you are a U.S. citizen, or a permanent resident alien (green card holder) an important point to know is that under U.S. law, having a second passport does not jeopardize your citizenship," says second passport expert, Bob Bauman. "It is fully legal for a U.S. citizen to hold two or more citizenships, based on rulings by the Supreme Court."When considering acquiring a second passport, a key factor often overlooked is the visa-free travel possibilities a specific national passport offers.In a globalized world economy, the need for greater visa-free access has grown. Across the economic spectrum, individuals wish to avoid travel constraints to access business, financial, career, and lifestyle opportunities worldwide.The U.S. has previously limited the number of countries it has visa-free travel agreements with."After the 9/11, 2001 terror attacks, the U.S. government toughened visa requirements for visitors from nations previously free to come to America without a visa," says Bauman. "While there is justification for increased scrutiny at American borders, the government made entry to the U.S. difficult for millions of foreigners in hopes of deterring terrorists."And new moves by the current government look to complicate matters further."In late March, President Donald Trump's administration proposed a new rule that would require many people applying for a U.S. visa to list their social media accounts before being granted entry," Bauman explains. "Applicants will be required to submit details of any accounts held in the preceding five years on sites such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn."An estimated 14.7 million people a year would be affected by the rule, which includes submissions for both immigrant and non-immigrant visitor visas.Those countries that have visa-free travel agreements with the U.S., such as the United Kingdom, would not be affected, but non-exempt countries such as China, India, and Mexico would be hit."Now, picture how that could work the other way around," Bauman says. "Countries without visa-free travel arrangements with the U.S. might impose similar restrictions--either as a reaction or for reasons of their own--and suddenly your U.S. passport makes it difficult to get in."This is where a second passport can come to the rescue. If you hold multiple passports from countries that have varying visa-free travel arrangements, then you are insured against negative effects from changing visa laws."A country you want to visit, live, or do business in suddenly decides to restrict U.S. citizens from entry? Simply travel on your European or Caribbean passport and you can breeze through customs without a second glance."It's just one of the many ways that a second passport can make life easier for those with interests overseas.Though not commonly known, the legal right to dual citizenship--and with it the right to obtain and employ a second passport--is available to millions of people worldwide.And obtaining a second passport may not be as difficult as you think. There are three main routes to acquiring one:A second passport could be key to a whole new world of freedom, greater flexibility, and adventure. American filmmaker Spike Lees new film, BlacKkKlansman, takes as its point of departure the infiltration in the late 1970s of the racist Ku Klux Klan by a black police officer, Ron Stallworth, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The film is based on Stallworths memoir. Adam Driver and John David Washington in BlacKkKlansman Typical of Lees efforts, the film views the world through the prism of race. Such a diametrically false and backward view is a miserable basis for art, or anything else. The result is a largely tedious and poorly constructed work, which has been praised in glowing terms by the critics, including, in particular, A. O. Scott of the New York Times . In BlacKkKlansman, Stallworth (John David Washington, son of Denzel Washington) is the first black detective hired by the Colorado Springs force. Initially assigned to a menial position in the records room, he is subject to abuse by a fellow, bigoted cop. Shifted to undercover work, Stallworth attends a rally (which occurred in 1977) addressed by black nationalist Kwame Ture (Corey Hawkins), the former Stokely Carmichael. Ture tells his rapt audience that black is beautiful and preaches race war. Following the meeting, Stallworth is assigned to the intelligence division. Coming across a recruiting advertisement placed in a local newspaper by the Ku Klux Klan, Stallworth phones the organization and pretends to be a white man who hates blacks and Jews. Foolishly, however, he provides his real name. He then sends his colleague, a white, Jewish officer, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), in his place to meet the Klansmen. Zimmerman, claiming to be Stallworth, is eventually enrolled in the organization. One of its members speaks obliquely about an upcoming bombing attack. Klan members in BlacKkKlansman When his KKK membership application stalls at the national level, the real Stallworth phones David Duke (Topher Grace), the outfits national director, in Louisiana. Duke is impressed with Stallworth and promises to send him a membership card immediately. Meanwhile, one of the more fanatical local Klansmen, Felix (Finnish actor Jasper Paakkonen), grows suspicious of Zimmerman. Stallworth establishes a relationship with the president of the Black Student Union at Colorado College, Patrice Dumas (Laura Harrier), but conceals from her at first that hes an undercover cop. The local Klan chapter plots to silence Patrice by planting an explosive at a civil rights rally or outside her house. When Duke comes to Colorado Springs to speak, Stallworth, the black policeman, is put on his security detail. Events come to a head. The facts of Stallworths exploits hold a certain interest. His ability to fool Klan members and Duke over the telephone speaks to the essential stupidity and impotence of this fascist filth. Such reactionary political movements never gain ground as the result of the inherent strength or coherence of their arguments. They develop a following due to widespread and festering social misery, on the one hand, and the paralyzing worthlessness, on the other, of the organizations that claim to oppose them and speak for social progressin the US, the Democratic Party, the trade unions, the civil rights organizations, the affluent pseudo-left. Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, He Got Game, Summer of Sam, Chi-Raq) long situated at the epicenter of identity politics in the US, has no grasp of this political reality nor any interest in it. He has never appeared to have much time for concrete social realities in general. Topher Grace as David Duke in BlacKkKlansman As a nationalist, devoted to the politics of race and blood, Lee is obliged to present a version of events largely existing outside actual history. Instead, we are offered history as the record of the beauty or emanation of the race. The scene of Ture/Carmichaels address, for example, is unintentionally parodic. The speaker tells his engrossed listeners that they have swallowed the oppressors conceptions of ugliness and inferiority, and that, in fact, black is beautiful. But the audience resembles a Black Panther party rally circa 1969, with every woman in the hall (including, of course, Patrice, a slighter, more delicate Angela Davis) brandishing an Afro and every attendee, male and female, dressed in all the appropriate militant gear. These elegantly attired and self-confident people, whose rapt faces individually float before our eyes, clearly do not need such banal, elementary remarks. But Lee cant help himself. The scenes of Patrice and her friends, of Patrice and Stallworth, are the weakest in BlacKkKlansman, worthy of the dreadful Dear White People television series. This is the ambitious and socially indifferent African-American petty-bourgeoisie announcing its importance and its aspirations. It is probably not accidental that the real Stallworth had no such activist girlfriend. Nor did the actual Colorado Springs policeman have a Jewish undercover partner. That invention becomes another means by which the filmmakers make the case that racial or ethnic identity is everything. Zimmerman reveals that he never thought of himself as Jewish until his undercover duty placed him among anti-Semites and racists. His Jewishness comes flooding back to him, as it were. This is presumably intended to be a positive development. John David Washington and Laura Harrier in BlacKkKlansman This feature of the film has been praised to the skies. The Times Scott claims Lees fearless embrace of contradiction gives BlacKkKlansman its velocity and heft. He asserts, referring to both Stallworth and Zimmerman, that BlacKkKlansman is about the boundaries of group identity, and how a person can or cant cross them. However, Stallworths tricky position (Scotts phrase)as an African-American infatuated with aspects of black nationalism, an opponent of the Klan and an undercover copis not a genuine contradiction: the black policeman was doing what the powers-that-be at the time required. The counter-offensive against the working class was conducted in the late 1970s through the Democratic and Republican parties, with the invaluable assistance of the AFL-CIO trade unions. The summoning up of fascist forces today reflects a new and far more aggravated phase in the crisis and degeneration of American capitalism. The actors in BlacKkKlansman, for the most part, do their best. Washington is effective in those scenes when he is simply an individual on the make, desiring to make his way within the system, which Stallworth apparently was (he ended up working as an investigator for the Utah state police for 20 years). Driver is less self-conscious than usual, which is all to the good. Harrier as the flawless Patrice has a thankless task, as does Frederick Weller as a snarling, racist cop. Paakkonen and Ryan Eggold as two of the Klansmen are more or less convincing. Grace is all too foolish and insubstantial as Duke, a sinister and persistent figure, with deep connections to the major political parties, the international far-right and elements within the US military and the state. Lees essential lack of interest in such matters manifests itself in the unseriousness with which he portrays one of the more significant of Stallworths discoveriesthat several active members of the US military, including NORAD [North American Aerospace Defense Command] personnel, individuals with their fingers on the nuclear button, are members of the Klan chapter. We see Stallworth having a brief meeting with an FBI agent about the matter, and thats that. NORAD headquarters is near Colorado Springs, as is the US Air Force Academy. The city was becoming a center for the religious and fascistic right in the period BlacKkKlansman treats. The filmmakers do not trouble themselves about that. Lees outlook is conformist and conventional. Hes a racialist, an avowed supporter of the Democratic Party and a wealthy, privileged defender of the profit system. He told CNN recently he hoped BlacKkKlansman would inspire Americans not to vote President Donald Trump into office for a second term. I hope that [viewers would] be motivated to register to vote. The midterms are coming up, then this guy in the White House is going to run again, and what were going through is demonstrated, I think is full evidence [of] what happens when you dont vote, when you dont take part in the process. In the same interview, Lee commented, The rise of [racism] right here in the United States, specifically, is a direct reaction to eight years of President Barack Obama Its two steps forward, one step back. This is someone very distant from the working class, black, white and immigrant, its harsh conditions of life and its increasing alienation from both major parties. In light of the current political crisis racking Washington, the films essentially respectful treatment of the police and the FBI has a certain significance. That the Hill reported Lee wore a shirt reading God Protect Robert Mueller during an interview with CNN comes as absolutely no surprise. Former FBI Director Mueller is investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and whether Trump colluded with such interference. Lee is publicly identifying himself with the reactionary drive to censor the Internet, slander WikiLeaks and Julian Assange and pressure the Trump administration into an even more bellicose foreign policy against Russia. BlacKkKlansman doesnt hold water intellectually or aesthetically. There is an illogic to racial politics that cannot be overcome in art. Demagoguery is possible at a political rally or in an article, even an entire campaign. But art relies on utter sincerity. The inauthentic word or gesture is fatal. Much of the film is awkward, clumsy padding. There is no dramatic reason for many of the scenes. They simply go on until they end. We receive the message early on about the ferocious racism and anti-Semitism of the Klan. The harping on their poison becomes an evasion of the political and ideological problems in the US. These forces represent an infinitesimal percentage of the American population, but the White House was won by someone in the same general political orbit. How is this possible? Theres no insight here into the historical or social process. Its superficial and lazy, it challenges no one. In Lees film, everything is race, except when its not, every white American is a racist, except when he or she is not. To his credit, the director concludes his film with documentary footage of the August 12, 2017 attack on peaceful protestors opposing the fascist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Neo-Nazi and white supremacist James Fields Jr., 20, drove his automobile at top speed into the crowd, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. Lee dedicates his film to her. What the filmmaker gives with one hand, however, he more than takes away with another. Its his parochialism and narrowness that is so debilitating, and fatal. He told an interviewer: If you look at the civil rights movement, white people died in Mississippi, Alabama, Kent State during the Vietnam protests. White people have died for justice Right is right and Heather Heyer is a martyr. She gave her life for justice. But he goes on: We cant just do it ourselves. We have to have a bigger heart to embrace people who are righteous and wanna help us. This is magnanimous of Lee. As though world history revolved around helping him, whatever that might mean. Scotts ecstatic review of BlacKkKlansman in the Times is deplorable, albeit predictable. Scott claims in his headline that Lees film is a journey Into White Americas Heart of Darkness. Once again, the Times critic should perhaps speak for himself. He proceeds to praise Lees work as a furious, funny, blunt and brilliant confrontation with the truth. Its an alarm clock ringing in the midst of a historical nightmare, and also a symphony, the rare piece of political popular art that works in all three dimensions. Its embarrassing to read such obvious pandering to racial politics and second- or third-rate artistry. Scott applauds Lees fearless embrace of contradiction [that] gives BlacKkKlansman its velocity and heft. It is worth pausing to admire its sheer, dazzling craft, the deftness of its tonal shiftsfrom polemical to playful, from humorous to horrific, from blaxploitation to Classical Hollywood and back againand the quality of its portraiture. The Times review concludes, Maybe not everyone who is white is a racist, but racism is what makes us white. Pernicious, foul stuff. In one of the most unintentionally revealing scenes in BlacKkKlansman, an elderly black man (played by Harry Belafonte) recounts for the Black Student Union the horrifying details of a lynching of a black youth that took place in Waco, Texas in 1916 (a lynching, in fact, only made possible because it had political value for county officials running for office). At the same time, Duke and the Colorado Springs Klansmen are holding their reactionary gathering, complete with a screening of D. W. Griffiths racist The Birth of a Nation (1915). Belafontes character concludes his account with the assertion that such horrors as the Waco lynching prove Black Power is needed. The black students begin chanting Black Power! Meanwhile the racist conclave, for its part, starts shouting, White Power! It never occurs to Lee or anyone else involved that, notwithstanding the racist outrages described by Belafonte, there is a political and ideological symmetry at work here. Both camps are advocating racial separatism, the fracturing of the working class and the oppressed along ethnic or national linesall of which benefit only the ruling elite. In a recent interview with Stallworth and Lee conducted by NBCs Lester Holt, the latter questioned Stallworth about a telephone conversation he had with David Duke. Duke was apparently concerned, according to Stallworth, about how he is going to be portrayed in this film. Hes only seen the trailer and the trailer makes him out to be a buffoonish, cartoonish idiot. But, Stallworth then added, the Klan leader complimented Spike. He said, Ive always respected Spike Lee. Which surprised the heck out of me. It doesnt surprise us, however, one bit. In the midst of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season, families in Texas are still struggling to recover from the calamitous floods brought by Hurricane Harvey in late August of last year. The storm dumped more than 40 inches of rain in coastal areas over a four-day period, displacing more than 30,000 people and inflicting over $150 billion in damage. Texas lawmakers and officials estimated the state would need $121 billion in federal assistance to rebuild public infrastructure and housing but acknowledged the state wouldnt get anywhere near the sum required. The federal government has virtually abandoned the victims of the storm, providing only a small fraction of the required aid. Only last month, 11 months after the storm made landfall, Congress and the Trump administration approved $5 billion for recovery aid, little of which has actually reached struggling families. Chris, a flood victim in Southwest Houston, had been living with her mother until their home flooded. I've been staying with my grandma ever since Harvey, she said. I have to work and take care of her because shes sick too. Chris explained that her family was lucky enough to receive aid so they could rebuild their home but said recovering has still been slow. Assistance granted by state and federal agencies has been limited, so many victims have had to bear the costs themselves while still struggling with day-to-day life. Following last years flood, thousands of residents were forced to elevate their homes to protect against future flooding. Families often have to pay six figures to raise their homes six feet off the ground. A report by the Texas Tribune found that the estimated cost for elevating a home is $75 per square foot. A 1,500 square foot home would cost $112,500 to lift. Federal assistance has been limited, so families are forced to take out large loans or sell their homes. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided an additional $1.5 billion to victims immediately following the storm, but the funds were limited to short-term needs like shelter, food and medical care. More than 890,000 families applied for FEMA disaster relief aid in the months following Harvey, but that figure does not capture the full extent of the damage. FEMA is tasked only with immediate and short-term responses to disasters, not long-term recovery efforts, which usually take several years after major storms such as Harvey. Furthermore, no single state or federal agency keeps track of long-term efforts, meaning the true scale of recovery is virtually unknown. Nearly $4 billion of the granted aid has been set aside by the Army Corps of Engineers to fund various projects aimed at combating future flooding. The majority of the funding will go toward the construction of nearly 27 miles of coastal levees in southern Orange County and to shore up nearly 30 miles of existing coastal levees in Port Arthur and Freeport. Harris County and the Houston metropolitan area, regions that experienced some of the worst flooding, received several hundred million dollars to shore up their flood control systems. A reworked flood control project on Clear Creek in southeast Harris County will receive $295.2 million. A combined $185 million will be allocated to widen three of Houstons major bayous. Ron, a retired truck driver and longtime resident of Houston, was convinced the project would do little to stem flooding. Back in the 80s the city built Beltway 8 and blocked off the creek behind our house, he said. Ever since then its flooded every time theres a lot of rain. Making [the bayous] wider aint gonna solve my problem. When asked about the bayou widening project, Chris agreed it would help little. I work at a place right next to Braes Bayou, so I can see them working on it. Our store was made to be flood-proof, but it still got water in it. I dont think itll help much. Experts also doubt the effectiveness of these projects. Part of the reason is Houstons history of sluggish recovery efforts and failed bayou projects. Some flood control projects have been underway on a stop-and-go basis for over two decades. The Harris County Flood Control District adopted a pay as you go approach to reconstruction, leaving projects delayed and incomplete. A report by the Texas Tribune found that Houston has yet to spend the $51 million it received to build affordable housing after Hurricane Ike in 2008. Climate change is a growing obstacle in mitigating Houstons vulnerability to major floods. A recent study published in Nature found that the probability of storms like Harvey hitting Texas has risen from one every 100 years to one every 16 years. Furthermore, the countrys fourth largest city is built on top of floodplains. Houston has virtually no zoning laws, allowing developers to pave over crucial acres of land that once absorbed large amounts of rainwater. This has led to an excess of floodwater during storms, which chokes the citys vast bayou network, drainage systems and two large reservoirs. The water has nowhere to go and ultimately causes the type of catastrophic flooding so common in the area. Victims of Hurricane Harvey are victims of American capitalism. Houstons lax zoning laws were originally implemented to attract large petroleum companies, and relatively pitiful amounts of money are granted to recovery from natural disasters while the federal government spends hundreds of billions of dollars in preparation for war. On the evening of August 6, nine people died and 107 were poisoned while attending a funeral in the small rural town of San Jose de Ushua in the province of Paucar del Sara Sara in the southern tip of Perus Ayacucho department. At 8 p.m., food was served. In the first two hours, several of the attendees showed symptoms of illness. As it became apparent that it was a case of mass poisoning, those sickened had to be evacuated to the closest town with a hospital. With a population of 177, 60 percent of San Jose de Ushuas residents were affected. One week after President Martin Vizcarra addressed the nation promising to clean up government corruption and making an appeal for foreign capital to return to Peru, this tragedy in a small impoverished peasant town in the Andes, serves as a reminder of the conditions of extreme poverty confronting millions of Peruvians. The Ayacucho daily La Prensa said the tragedy could have been avoided if the victims had received timely medical attention. The head of the Regional Health Directorate (Diresa), John Tinco Bautista, added that lack of human resources and the inadequate staffing of health facilities is a problem that should be addressed urgently by the Ministry of Health (Minsa). The predisposing factors in these nine deaths have been time and mobility. The issue of the human resources gap according to the capacity of the health centers is a difficulty that we still cannot overcome, said Tinco Bautista. According to La Prensa: That night in the health post of Ushua there was only a nursing technician attending, which is why those affected had to be transferred to the health center of Oyolo and Marcabamba. The sick were transported by the areas only ambulance plus San Jose de Ushuas municipal buses. Four people died in the first four hours. Some died in San Jose de Ushua, and others unfortunately died when they were operated on at the Pauza Support Hospital, reported La Prensa. Among the dead were one child and two youths aged 23 years. The Peruvian army sent two helicopters and one airplane to transport the sick to Arequipathe second largest city in Peruand the capital, Lima. The health ministry provided medicines and health workers. But by the time the government intervened, it was too late. Preliminary investigations point to the mass poisoning having resulted from ingesting food contaminated with organophosphate, organochlorine or heavy metals, according to Tinco Bautista, Ayacuchos regional health director. Organophosphates are a type of pesticide used to protect crops from plagues, but they are also used to kill rats and mice in homes and especially in restaurants. Dr. Luis Miranda from the Hipolito Unanue hospital in Lima added: This [the pesticides] could have come in three forms to the body: skin, inhalation or digestion. For these reasons, health officials ordered all inhabitants to leave town in order to fumigate the area. Based on the autopsies performed on the nine corpses, Tinco Bautista told La Jornada, a local Ayacucho daily, that initial results showed signs of massive intoxication. 100 percent of the deceased had nausea, constant vomiting, secretions from the mouth and nose. It was determined that eight of them died of cardiac arrest. The San Jose de Ushua tragedy is not unique among Perus small and poor rural towns. In the past seven years, 10 cases of mass poisoning were reported. The majority of these had to do with the poisoning of childrens school lunches in poor rural areas in the Andes, like Cajamarca, Ancash, Junin and Cusco, as well as Ucayali in the Amazon basin. The number of children poisoned in this manner totals more than 1,000. In addition, on October 2012, 378 workers of the agricultural complex Betaone of the main producers of fresh asparagus, grapes and citrus fruits of Icashowed severe symptoms of poisoning after inhaling a potent insecticide. But perhaps one of the most tragic cases occurred 19 year ago. According to El Comercio: 19 years ago a total of 60 school children were affected after consuming the school breakfast in the educational institution No. 50794, located in the Cusco province of Paucartambo. Of the 60 children, 24 died. They consumed cereals prepared for school breakfast, distributed by FONCODESthe Fund for Cooperation for Social Development, a national program of the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion (MIDIS). In other words, government institutions responsible for feeding the school children are in such a precarious situation that it reached the point of distributing poisonous food that killed elementary school children. Last Thursday, 200 people marched in the streets of Pauza chanting, The death of our brothers deserves justice and Government lies, we want to see the results. The peaceful march was escorted by a contingent of police, many of them heavily armed, with the sole purpose of intimidating the people. What happens in the poorest areas of Peru is of no concern to the financial oligarchs and CEOsminor partners of huge transnational mining corporations. Ayacuchos contribution to Perus annual industrial surplus value is 0.35 percent, with the main activities being commerce and agriculture. Statistics for rural activity are also appalling. In 1994, there were 6,000 tractors while 82,000 peasants worked the land without one. Conditions are harsh. Located at 3,008 meters above sea level, the areas climate is classified as Polar, dry and coldmeaning, according to the Koppen climate classification, that temperatures do not exceed 10 degrees centigrade throughout the year. INEI records 221,000 schoolchildren in the department. Only 4.11 percent make it to university. Of these, just 31 percent graduate. Ayacucho also has high level of illiteracy: 17.8 percent, compared to the national average of 6.9 percent. With respect to health care, INEI statistics for the year 2000 listed just 1,277 health workers; that is one for every 390 inhabitants. Between 1981 and 1993, the population of Ayacucho dropped by 11,683 inhabitants, as result of the dirty war between the Maoist guerrilla organization Shining Path and the Peruvian Armed Forces. It is estimated that 70,000 people died in the 20-year internal war. Small peasant towns like San Jose de Ushua found themselves caught in the middle of the conflict. Residents were murdered in cold blood by both sidesthe Armed Forces and Shining Pathaccused of either treason or informing. As of Saturday, August 11, while the news of the tragedy fades away from the national media, only eight people had dared to return to San Jose de Ushua. It is almost a ghost town. Most of the inhabitants are in the district of Pauza and are afraid to return because the causes of the poisoning that left nine dead and dozens affected are still unknown, reported La Republica. 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 Educational inequality is rising across the UK, according to research published by the Institute of Education (IOE) at University College London. The four-year study, in collaboration with the Nuffield Foundation, showed that central government educational changes have massively exacerbated inequality among school pupils, with children from low-income families being excluded from the best-performing schools. The Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Childrens Services and Skills) data examined in the report demonstrates a correlation between maintenance or improvement of a schools classification to outstanding in the 2010-2015 period, and a reduction in the number of students eligible for free school meals (FSM)a marker of low-income. Conversely, those schools ranked as requires improvement or inadequate by Ofsted typically saw an increase in the percentage of students eligible for FSM over the same period. Similarly, the IOE reported that free schools, privately run academies with state funding, had on average a lower proportion of pupils who are eligible for FSM than the neighbourhoods that they serve. The study indicates that many of the countrys best state schools effectively shun working-class children from low-income familieswith these pupils often relegated to under-performing institutionsas a means to maintain their high status. With schools and teachers facing increasing pressure to get good exam results and achieve high Ofsted rankings, or risk being taken over by a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT), many schools have been obliged to narrow their curriculums and focus relentlessly on assessments. MATsamalgamations of several collaborating academy schoolsare publicly owned but privately run, and, along with the rollback of Local Authorities (LAs) from school oversight and the increase in the number of academy schools, they have been key components of successive Labour and Conservative governments reactionary educational reforms. Academies were first set up under the 1997 Blair Labour government as a halfway house to privatised education and have since been massively expanded under the Conservatives. They now make up 60 percent of secondary schools and 20 percent of primaries in England. According to the IOE research, the competitive pressures of the Ofsted and academisation system effectively incentivise schools to prioritise their own interests in order to attract funding and pupils, rather than prioritising the needs of their students. Unsurprisingly, those who suffer most from this inter-institutional competition are struggling students from the poorest backgrounds. Josh Hillman, director of education at the Nuffield Foundation, stated: The fact that higher performing schools are accepting fewer disadvantaged pupils suggests increased school autonomy is perpetuating inequality, and that is a major cause for concern. This research reveals the contradictions inherent in an approach that simultaneously encourages self-improvement and collaboration, and yet offers a very narrow definition of success in terms of exam results and Ofsted grades. In practice, schools are incentivised to compete, and that is not always in the best interests of pupils, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Indeed, rather than improving standards across educational institutions, a study from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) found that there is little difference in the performance of schools run by academy chains and those run by councils. The EPI recommended that councils should retake control of privately run academies that may be struggling in order to improve educational standards. In addition to the academisation of many schools across the country, the educational policy reforms of Labour and Conservative governments have in practice meant massive spending cuts, leading to teacher shortages, threats to teacher pay, overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated school buildings. In the eight years between the 2009-2010 school year and 2017-2018, average spending per school pupil in England has fallen by 8 percent in real terms, according to data from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). Although total spending in this period rose slightly by 1 percent, when the 10 percent increase in pupil numbers is taken into account, this translates into a significant drop. The rate of spending cuts per pupil in Wales was slightly lowerapproximately a 5 percent reduction per pupil. Sixth-form colleges for youth aged 16 to 18 were hit hardest by government spending reductions, seeing a 25 percent drop per pupil in England. Local authority spending also fell by a staggering 55 percent. Funding shortages have become so severe across UK schools that many institutions have had to rely on donations from parents or on teaching staff spending their own income to afford basic educational supplies. A survey in May of 238 school leaders, conducted by the Association of School and College Leaders education union, revealed that 20 percent had been forced to ask parents for voluntary contributions over the last 12 months, while a quarter (24 percent) expected to have to do so in the coming year. Another study by educational magazine Schools Week found that thousands of schools have created Amazon wish lists online in order to request that parents or other donors purchase essential school supplies, such as library books and pens, on their behalf. According to research by the GMB union, more than half of support staff at schools are having to fork out their own money on essentials for school pupils, including food for hungry children, tampons, pens, pencils and books. A staggering 78 percent of the support staff surveyed said that their school has been forced to make significant financial cutbacks as a result of central government education underfunding. In opposition to these attacks on educational provision across the country, many teachers or support staff have balloted to take strike action. At the end of March, teachers voted overwhelmingly for strike action over pay and pensions at conferences of the National Education Union (NEU) and the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT). The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), Scotlands largest teaching union, will also ballot its members on strike action in late September. Scottish teachers are currently in discussions with employers for a 10 percent wage increase, and will be balloted over whether to take industrial action if their pay demands are not met. The intolerable situation facing teachers is largely the responsibility of the teaching unions, which have refused to fight the attacks on jobs, wages and conditions. With 400,000 members in the NEU, 280,000 in the NASUWT and 54,000 in the EIS, these unions represent the majority of UK teachers. A joint offensive by teachers from all three unions would represent a powerful challenge to the governments austerity and privatisation agenda. All experience shows that the teaching unions are opposed to any such struggle. Teachers have repeatedly shown their willingness to fight the attacks by government and management, only to see any struggles isolated along local and regional lines and led into a dead end by their unions. What few strikes have been organised have been of a token character and designed only to placate growing anger. Teachers and students across the education sector must organise themselves into rank-and-file committees, independent of the trade unions. Such a struggle must be waged as part of a socialist programme calling for fully funded highly quality and well-resourced public education as a social right. 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." Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Thursday that the Trump administration is establishing an interagency task force aimed at cracking down on Iran. "We are committed to a whole-of-government effort to change the Iranian regime's behavior, and the Iran Action Group will ensure that the Department of State remains closely synchronized with our interagency partners," Pompeo told reporters at the State Department. The group will be responsible for directing, reviewing and coordinating all aspects of the State Department's Iran-related activity and it will report directly Pompeo, the top US diplomat said. "For nearly 40 years, the regime in Tehran has been responsible for a torrent of violent and destabilizing behavior against the United States, our allies, our partners, and indeed the Iranian people themselves," Pompeo said, painting the effort as part of a campaign being conducted "in solidarity with the Iranian people." 'A new agreement' "Our hope is that one day soon we can reach a new agreement with Iran," Pompeo said. "But we must see major changes in the regime's behavior both inside and outside of its borders. The Iranian people and the world are demanding that Iran finally act like a normal nation." The group will be led by Brian Hook, a senior policy adviser at the State Department who will report directly to Pompeo. He said the administration was taking "a comprehensive approach to Iran because the scope of Iranian malign activity is so wide-ranging." Hook cited Tehran's "aspiration for nuclear weapons" and support for terrorist activity. Hook insisted that any overlap between Thursday's announcement and the anniversary of the US-backed 1953 coup against Iran's democratically elected government was "pure coincidence," despite speculation about the administration's views on regime change. "Secretary Pompeo's establishment of the Iran Action Group led by Brian Hook, one of his most trusted advisers, is further evidence that the Trump administration sees Iran as one of its top foreign policy and national security priorities," according to Mark Dubowitz, chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "The group will be empowered to leverage all instruments of national power to squeeze the regime in Iran." "This is a strong rebuke to the mullahs who are betting that the Trump administration may become weaker over time, too preoccupied with domestic politics to pay much attention to Iran," Dubowitz told CNN. "The supreme leader has said negotiations will have to wait in order to soften up America. This Iran group will bring all of the US government's resources to bear on softening up the Islamic Republic." In May, Pompeo outlined what many analysts saw as a policy of regime change in everything but name -- saying the US will aim to "crush" Iran with economic and military pressure unless it changes its behavior in the Middle East. Those remarks came just weeks after President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal. The 2015 Obama-era accord, signed by the US, Iran, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia, restricted Iran's nuclear program in return for the lifting of international sanctions. Trump has since warned that countries doing business with Iran will "NOT be doing business with the United States" as his administration re-imposed sanctions on Iran earlier this month. Hook also said Thursday that the US is willing to impose secondary sanctions on governments that continue to deal with Iran. In July, Pompeo delivered another scathing speech, this time targeting Iran's leadership, accusing Tehran's ruling ayatollahs of spreading violence across the Middle East and lining their own pockets with ill-gotten gains at the expense of ordinary Iranians. "To the regime, prosperity, security and freedom for the Iranian people are acceptable casualties in the march to fulfill the revolution," Pompeo said at the time. The secretary of state and former CIA director also accused several members of Iran's leadership, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, of participating in widespread corruption. Pompeo has also tweeted his apparent support for Iranian anti-government protestors in recent months. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida taxpayers are spending millions to guard Gov. Rick Scott and provide security for visiting politicians. A new report released Wednesday showed that the state spent $3.3 million on security expenses between July 2017 and June 2018. Most of that total was to provide around-the-clock protection for the governor and First Lady Ann Scott. That includes the salaries and travel expenses for the agents who guard Scott wherever he goes. The amount spent on Scott's security has grown during his time in office. Scott is running for U.S. Senate and this year his campaign has already reimbursed the state more than $49,000. Florida taxpayers also paid for dozens of security details provided to visiting politicians, such as Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) TALLAHASSEE, FL- It's Back to School Week on Second Cup. Shannon Staten from Florida State and Jennifer Wilder from FAMU, both discuss the do's and dont's when comes to moving on campus. University Housing and its staff members are making strides to ensure incoming students at FAMU have a healthy new environment to call home as they begin or complete their journey through higher education. The FAMU community is coming together to offer students excellence with caring coupled with a FAMU "Welcome Home," celebration. We talked about the first rule of thumb for parents and students during move-in season. What the most frequently forgotten necessities And some items that both Universities' recommend student not bring or use during move in or throughout the semester. CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. (WTXL) - A local caretaker is behind bars after investigators say she exploited an elderly woman for nearly half a million dollars, leaving the victim to live off social security and food stamps. The Wakulla County Sheriff's Office says they have arrested Laurie Faircloth for exploiting a 71-year-old woman she was supposed to be taking care of. On Jan. 8, someone reported to deputies that Faircloth was financially exploiting the woman. A preliminary investigation revealed that the crimes happened in both Leon and Wakulla counties. In March, WCSO reached out to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigative squad for assistance in the case. According to deputies, Faircloth became the victim's caretaker in February 2016. Later on, she convinced the victim to give her power of attorney. She also got the victim to make Faircloth the beneficiary of the victim's will despite Faircloth not being a relative. The victim told investigators Faircloth had asked for $20,000 in the beginning of 2017 as payment for her 2016 services. The victim said Faircloth never asked for payment before, but she agreed to the terms. Deputies say the victim had around $354,000 in her bank accounts and over $200,000 in appraised assets, including jewelry, gold coins, platinum, and silver. However, from February 2016 to January 2018, all of the victims accounts were depleted, leaving zero balances. An investigation revealed Faircloth had also sold off more than half off the victim's appraised assets. Deputies note the victim was later able to identify the valuables and jewelry through photographs. Because of Faircloth's actions, WCSO says the victim is now living on social security and food stamps. On May 2, investigators interviewed Faircloth, who said she had been taking care of the victim and was getting paid $15 hour. However, she didn't recall how much she received from the victim each month or year of service. Detectives say Faircloth acknowledged that she had power of attorney over the victim and stated that everything the victim had, we spent on dog rescue. She told them she rescues animals and did "a good deed with it." Faircloth said that the only jewelry she had that belongs to the victim are her pearls. Based on the evidence, Faircloth was charged with exploitation of an elderly victim $50,000 or more, grand theft, and dealing in stolen property. On Thursday, Faircloth was arrested and booked into the Wakulla County Jail. She is being held on a $75,000 bond. VALDOSTA, GA (WALB) - A Lakeland man is headed to prison for five years for making methamphetamine. Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, said that on August 15, 2018, Wallace H. 'Wally' Hendley, 55, was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison for manufacture of methamphetamine, before Senior U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson in Valdosta. Hendley admitted that a methamphetamine search warrant was executed at his home on March 30, 2017. In the kitchen, officers found a pickle jar filled with a clear liquid with white particles was also found, and the liquid tested positive for methamphetamine. Officers also found a rifle. On April 7, 2017, Mr. Hendley was taken into custody, waived his Miranda rights, and gave a recorded statement, and admitted to intentionally manufacturing methamphetamine. "People who manufacture methamphetamine are producing poison," said Peeler. "I appreciate the efforts of the Lanier County Sheriffs Office and the FBI to halt the further production of such poison and to send Mr. Hendley to federal prison." The case was investigated by the Lanier County Sheriffs Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Sonja Profit is prosecuting the case for the United States. Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorneys Office, at (478) 621-2603. Copyright 2018 WALB. All rights reserved. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-15 21:54:41|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Japanese Emperor Akihito (2nd R), Empress Michiko (1st R) and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L) attend the ceremony marking the 73rd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II in Tokyo, Japan, Aug. 15, 2018. Japan on Wednesday observed the 73rd anniversary of its surrender in World War II, with Emperor Akihito reiterating his "deep remorse" over the country's wartime acts. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) TOKYO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Japan on Wednesday observed the 73rd anniversary of its surrender in World War II, with Emperor Akihito reiterating his "deep remorse" over the country's wartime acts. A number of events were held nationwide throughout the day to reflect on the annual occasion and to pray for peace. At the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, more than 5,000 participants including relatives of those who lost their lives in the war gathered to listen to addresses by both Emperor Akihito, attending for the last time in position as Emperor as he will abdicate next April, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe in his address vowed to sincerely deal with the causes of conflict and work to create a world where everyone can live in peace. "Never again will we repeat the devastation of war. We will humbly face history. And whatever course the world may take, we will firmly keep this pledge," the prime minister said, avoiding the use of the word "remorse" as has been the case in his annual addresses since taking office in 2012. Predecessors of Abe, most notably former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama customarily made reference to the government's and the nation's sincere remorse felt for Japan's wartime atrocities before and during its brutal occupation of many parts of Asia. Murayama famously first used the word "remorse" at the annual memorial ceremony in 1994. Emperor Akihito, in his final address since his ascension in 1989, spoke, as always, with a conciliatory tone and of the remorse he felt for the war and how the ravages of war should never be repeated. "Looking back on the long period of post-war peace, 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, whose duties have taken him to many countries that were brutalized by Japan to try and heal the wounds and pray for the lives lost. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, about 80 percent of those who attended the ceremony were 70 years old or older. Japan now face the challenge of educating the younger generations here about the realities of war past and present, including Japan's aggression during World War II. Japan must strive to create a nation that fully understands that only by squarely facing its history can it truly move forward in a peaceful manner and with the acceptance and trust of its regional neighbors who suffered so horrifically at the hands of the Imperial Japanese Army. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 01:30:45|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close RAMALLAH, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reaffirmed on Wednesday that the Palestinians reject the new peace plan proposed by the United States, known as "Deal of the Century." Abbas made the remarks at the opening session of the Palestinian Central Council held in Ramallah. "We tell those who claim that we accepted the Deal of the Century that we were the first who rejected and fought it," Abbas said, adding that the Palestinians will fight the deal until it is "toppled." He also called the new Israeli Nation State law "fascist," saying the Palestinians will continue the struggle against all decisions of the occupier. Commenting on Israel's decision to cut the financial allowances the Palestinian Authority uses to subsidize the families of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel and the families of the Palestinians killed by Israel, Abbas said "we will never stop financing those families. Meanwhile, Abbas blamed the Islamic Hamas movement, which has been ruling the Gaza Strip since 2007, for blocking the efforts of ending the internal Palestinian division and reaching full reconciliation. "We only accept full reconciliation," Abbas said. "There will be no Palestinian state in Gaza and there will be no Palestinian state without Gaza." "Hamas has no good intentions to go for complete reconciliation and there are some parties who do not encourage reconciliation," he added. The Palestinian leadership "will never accept the existence of armed militias in the Gaza Strip" as "we want one authority, one law and one legal gun," the Palestinian president vowed. Governor Andrew Cuomo usually reserves his most bewildering syntax for describing his relationship with the MTA, but on Wednesday his attempts to critique President Trump ended in a pointless debate about American "greatness." Cuomo was in the Lower East Side to sign a bill that makes sex trafficking a felony in New York. That's when the founder of the Women's Equality Party began referencing Trump's campaign slogan. "We're not gonna 'Make America Great Again.' It was never that great," the governor said, to howls of recognition. Was Cuomo about to take a nuanced position about race and gender in America, one that might appeal to the supporters of his challenger, Cynthia Nixon? Kind of! "We have not reached greatness," Cuomo said, dragging out that ssssssss, as if to give himself extra time to think about how he was going to land this. 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 woman's full potential is realized, and unleashed. And every woman is making her full contribution. When that happens this nation is going to be taken even higher. Because we have not yet fully liberated the women in this country. And we will. And New York will, and watch New York rise. Thank you and God bless you! This isn't "room full of women" bad, or "Jewish people can't dance" bad, but it's half-baked enough to let Cuomo's Republican opponent, Marc Molinaro, turn the governor's comments into an apple pie-chugging contest. Later, Cuomo's press secretary, Dani Lever, clarified that what the governor meant was that America WAS great, always been great, it just needs to be Greaterer: 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 gubernatorial race may achieve maximum greatness on August 29, when Cuomo and Nixon will face off in a televised debate. NEW: @CynthiaNixon responds to @andrewcuomo comment that America was never that great. Nixon: I think this is just another example of Andrew Cuomo trying to figure out what a progressive sounds like and missing by a mile. Zack Fink (@ZackFinkNews) August 15, 2018 A little after 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Governor Cuomo presumably got what he wanted out of this exchange: WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, IT WAS NEVER THAT GREAT. Can you believe this is the Governor of the Highest Taxed State in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018 Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 01:55:51|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. The petition was launched prior to next month's gathering of world leaders in New York for the annual UN General Assembly General Debate. 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 02:15:56|Editor: xuxin 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) By Alessandra Cardone GENOA, Italy, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Italian government has declared the state of emergency in the Liguria region surrounding the northwest city of Genoa, a day after the dramatic collapse of a major motorway bridge that caused dozens of victims, the country's prime minister said on Wednesday. A state of emergency request had been filed by the regional authorities earlier in the day. "We have accepted the request, approving the state of emergency for the next 12 months," Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told a press conference at the city's prefecture in late afternoon. "We have allocated 5 million euros (5.67 million U.S. dollars) to cover the costs of first operations, which will be drawn from the National Emergencies Fund," Conte added. The Fund is a specific national funding program Italy set up in 1992 to help local and regional entities to face possible crisis, and has to be periodically financed from the central government. The prime minister also confirmed a provisional death toll of 39 provided by local authorities earlier on Wednesday. Due to security reasons, a total of 634 people -- or 311 households -- were overall evacuated from all of the areas around the bridge partially collapsed due involved in the emergency, according to Conte. Most of them already found hospitality by relatives and friends, while a minor group was still assisted by the municipality, according to regional governor Giovanni Toti. Search and rescue activities are still ongoing at the site of the disaster, with 380 firefighters engaged in a race against time to try to reach possible survivors from under the concrete rubble of the huge structure. The incident concerned a portion of about 100 meters of the "Morandi Bridge", a major viaduct 1,182 meters long connecting the highway A10 and Genoa west to the eastern part of the city. When the collapse occurred, few minutes before noon on Tuesday, local authorities estimated between 30 and 35 cars and at least three heavy trucks were passing through the bridge. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 03:31:13|Editor: yan Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Wednesday launched an anti-corruption campaign that encourages public involvement. The government said that through the campaign, it wants to drive home the message that fighting corruption is everybody's business. The Justice, Crime, Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster, which comprises several cabinet ministers, has prioritized the fight against corruption in line with the government's zero-tolerance towards corruption in the public or private sector, the government said in a statement. "Despite this there is a perception from the public that corruption is out of control," the statement said. According to a survey by the South African Institute of Race Relations (IRR) last year, 78 percent of households believed that corruption in South Africa was on the increase. The public largely sees corruption as an issue in the public sector, and this is constantly reinforced by the media, which tends to highlight public sector corruption, the government statement said. "However, corruption is very much a societal issue that must be confronted head on by every facet of society," it said. As a result, the government encourages the South African public to make their own anti-corruption pledge. Participants in the campaign will have to pledge to be responsible and honest citizens, neither pay nor take bribes, obey the law and encourage others to do the same, and to treat public resources respectfully. As for public servants or government officials, they are required to pledge never to abuse money entrusted to their career positions, act in integrity in all their dealings, and always act in the interests of the country. "Citizens and organizations are invited to play their part in preventing and fighting corruption," the government said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 03:31:14|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. It also 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. States should ensure better protection and assistance of people forcibly displaced within their country and uphold their human rights, and 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, it said. 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 04:46:30|Editor: yan Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The number of start-ups in Israel has been gradually declining in recent years, according to figures released Wednesday by SNC (Start Up Nation Central) organization. In 2014, there were more than 1,000 start-ups opened in Israel, which for many years is considered a start-up nation. In 2015, the number dropped to 943, following year was only 932, and in 2017 only 700 start-ups opened in the country. At the same time, there is an increase in the number of Israeli start-ups closed. In 2014 it was only 221, in 2015 it rose to 376 and in 2016 it jumped to 468. In 2017, 408 companies were closed, but the number is not final because additional companies will be added to the list. This year, 187 new companies have been listed, compared to 88 that have been closed. According to SNC's analysts, by 2017 many of the ideas that had already been funded and established, and the good entrepreneurs were already active in companies that existed before that year. According to the data, from 2014 there has also been a steady decline in the number of initial fund-raising rounds of Israeli start-ups. The report also shows that 11 R&D (research and development) centers of international companies have opened in Israel since 2014, an average of 2.34 per year. Data from Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics indicate that this trend is accelerating: since 1989, the share of the number of R&D centers in Israel has increased, and since 2004, this trend has accelerated. SNC, located in the coastal city of Tel Aviv, is a non-profit organization, which leverages its in-depth knowledge of Israel's innovation sector to connect business leaders, governments, and non-governmental organizations from across the globe to the most relevant people and technologies that can address their most pressing challenges. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 04:46:30|Editor: yan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- UN General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak on Wednesday called the suicide attack targeting an education center in the Afghan capital of Kabul "unacceptable." Through his spokesperson Brenden Varma, Lajcak said many of the victims were young people preparing for university entrance exams, noting pursuing an education should not be risk to one's life. The General Assembly continues to stand against terrorism and with Afghanistan, he added. Up to 48 students were killed and 67 others injured in a suicide bomb blast targeting a private education center in Dasht-e-Barchi locality of Afghan capital Kabul on Wednesday, the Afghan public health ministry said. 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 group, saying the extremist outfit could be behind the deadly attack as it did in the past. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 05:11:33|Editor: yan Video Player Close GENEVA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR on Wednesday stressed that the situation of the rescue ship MV Aquarius, in particular the standoff of the last few days, has again highlighted the need for a Mediterranean regional arrangement. While applauding Tuesday's decision by the Government of Malta to permit the disembarkation of 141 asylum-seekers and migrants rescued on the Central Mediterranean by Aquarius, UNHCR said that what's more important is how 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," he added. In a statement issued Wednesday, UNHCR repeated its call for a regional approach for dealing with rescue and disembarkation on the Mediterranean. "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 they'll be able to promptly disembark passengers, and won't become objects of lengthy negotiations." UNHCR also appealed to shipmasters to continue their efforts in upholding rescue at sea. UN figures showed that already this year, more than 1,500 people have drowned or gone missing on the Mediterranean. Aquarius docked in Malta on Wednesday afternoon. 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. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 07:21:59|Editor: zh Video Player Close U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert addresses a press briefing in Washington D.C., the United States, Aug. 15, 2018. The U.S. State Department on Wednesday joined the chorus in denying the U.S. responsibility for Turkey's current economic disturbances. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department on Wednesday joined the chorus in denying the U.S. responsibility for Turkey's current economic disturbances. Earlier on the same day, the White House said that the U.S. side would consider lifting sanctions on two Turkish ministers if the country released an American pastor. In a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that "Turkey's financial situation has been in the works for quite some time and it dates prior to the imposition of sanctions" on Aug. 1. "This has been in training for quite some time and you cannot blame the U.S. government for that," she said. She urged Ankara to release the detained American pastor Andrew Brunson, three locally employed staff of the U.S. embassy, and a NASA scientist. Speaking of an earlier decision of a Turkish court that denied Brunson's appeal to be released, Nauert said Washington is disappointed by it. Earlier on the same day, White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders also said in a press briefing that "Turkey's economic problems, those are a part of a long-term trend -- something of its own making, and not the result of any actions the United States has taken." Notably, she said that the U.S. side would consider lifting sanctions that have been placed on Turkey in specific regards to Brunson and other detained if Ankara released them. "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," she said. "The sanctions, however, that have been placed on Turkey are specific to Pastor Brunson and others that we feel are being held unfairly. And we would consider that at that point." Also on Wednesday, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence warned Turkey not to test the resolve of President Donald Trump on the case of Brunson. 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. 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 a 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. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaks during an announcement of the Trump Administration's plan to establish the U.S. Space Force by year 2020 at the Pentagon, Virginia, the United States on Aug. 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department on Wednesday joined the chorus in denying the U.S. responsibility for Turkey's current economic disturbances. Earlier on the same day, the White House said that the U.S. side would consider lifting sanctions on two Turkish ministers if the country released an American pastor. In a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that "Turkey's financial situation has been in the works for quite some time and it dates prior to the imposition of sanctions" on Aug. 1. "This has been in training for quite some time and you cannot blame the U.S. government for that," she said. She urged Ankara to release the detained American pastor Andrew Brunson, three locally employed staff of the U.S. embassy, and a NASA scientist. Speaking of an earlier decision of a Turkish court that denied Brunson's appeal to be released, Nauert said Washington is disappointed by it. Earlier on the same day, White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders also said in a press briefing that "Turkey's economic problems, those are a part of a long-term trend -- something of its own making, and not the result of any actions the United States has taken." Notably, she said that the U.S. side would consider lifting sanctions that have been placed on Turkey in specific regards to Brunson and other detained if Ankara released them. "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," she said. "The sanctions, however, that have been placed on Turkey are specific to Pastor Brunson and others that we feel are being held unfairly. And we would consider that at that point." Also on Wednesday, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence warned Turkey not to test the resolve of President Donald Trump on the case of Brunson. 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. 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 a 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. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 08:47:08|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TOKYO, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Japan logged a goods trade deficit in July, according to a report by the Finance Ministry on Thursday. The ministry said the goods trade deficit stood at 231.2 billion yen (2.09 billion U.S. dollars) in the recording period. Exports rose 3.9 percent from a year earlier, the ministry said, following a 6.7 percent increase in June and missing median economists' forecasts of a 6.3 percent increase. Imports, meanwhile, increased 14.6 percent in July the ministry's preliminary report said, marginally higher than median forecasts for a 14.4 percent increase. Exports from Japan to China increased 11.9 percent on year and those to the United States dropped 5.2 percent in the recording period, the ministry's data showed. The NYPD is looking for a suspect in a violent robbery that took place last week in Brooklyn. According to the NYPD, a 34-year-old woman was walking near Bergen Street and Schenectady Avenue, around 11:40 p.m. on August 8, when a person stuck out his arm and put her into a chokehold. Video shows the suspect pulling her to the ground and taking her backpack. The victim fled west on Bergen Street. She was treated for bruising and small lacerations to her face, neck and body. Her backpack contained her cellphone and a tablet. The male suspect is described as having a beard and was last seen wearing a dark colored hooded sweater, dark colored pants and red sneakers. Anyone with information in regards to 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 at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 09:22:14|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close DHAKA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Commercial beef cattle farming targeting the Muslim Eid festival has gained prominence in Bangladesh. The country's cattle ranching went through a boom apparently after the supply of cows, which are sacred to the Hindu faith, from India, dried up following stringent moves led by the Indian government in recent years. This has created an ample opportunity for cattle farmers in Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan from where Bangladeshis bring cows through formal and informal channels to meet the demand for Eid of about six million sacrificial animals. With the largest Eid-ul-Adha, the festival of animal sacrifice just around the corner, local beef cattle farmers are now extremely busy. Mohammad Sohel Rana is a manager of Meghdubi Agro Dairy Farm in Dhaka. His farm had procured hundreds of cows from different parts of the country a couple of months earlier. "Animals were brought here in poor health. We've fed them huge carrots, jack-fruits, pumpkin, sweet potatoes. Such foods made the cows healthy," he said. On the occasion of Eid, he said they have a target of selling around 800 cows. "Already we've sold 60 percent of our cattle heads." Mohammed Sajib, who is in charge of the cowherds in the farm, said they take best possible care of the cows. "These cows are given baths with shampoo regularly and we always keep them clean so that they are not affected by diseases." Farmers say cattle that have all been raised or handled on the farms are now in huge demand from customers who like to pay extra money for beautiful animals that are meant to be sacrificed. Many buyers recently have been flocking to the cow sheds to choose the local variety. One such buyer Mohammad Ali told Xinhua that he wants to buy an attractive animal. "I've come to see whether I can find a cow I like here to sacrifice during Eid." Ali said the cows here are really very beautiful and attractive. "If they offer reasonable prices, I'll buy a cow here," said Ali. Every Muslim who has the financial means sacrifices animals and distributes the meat to family and the poor during Eid. Muslims in Bangladesh this year will celebrate Eid-ul-Adha on Aug. 22. Some 6 million animals, mostly cows and goats, will likely be sacrificed during this year's Eid occasion, helping the country's tanners to procure more than 40 percent of their annual raw and hides collections. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 09:47:19|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close CANBERRA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- British billionaire Sanjeev Gupta has launched the first stage of a renewable energy plan for South Australia's (SA) mid north. Gupta's energy company, Simec Zen, revealed the details of the Cultana Solar Farm; the first stage of a one billion Australian dollar (723 million U.S. dollars) project that will also include the world's biggest lithium-ion battery. The project will feature 780,000 solar panels producing 280 megawatts (MW) of electricity which is enough to power 96,000 homes. "Today's event is symbolic of our desire to develop and invest in new-generation energy assets that will bring down Australia's electricity prices to competitive levels again," Gupta said. When completed, Gupta's 120MW battery will surpass the 100MW battery built by Elon Musk's Tesla in SA in 2017 as the largest in the world. However, the Gupta Family Group (GFG) Alliance has no intention to stop there with plans for pumped hydro projects and expanded solar farms being developed for SA. "All of these projects will not only improve reliability and greatly reduce the cost of electricity in our own operations, they will also provide competitive sources of power for other industrial and commercial users, while at the same time playing a key role in the market's transition towards renewables," he said. "We have a strong conviction that traditional carbon-intensive generation sources do not have a long-term future as the predominant source of power in Australia and globally. "We believe the world is undergoing a momentous transition to renewable power as the cost of renewables drops dramatically and quickly." Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 10:02:22|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen has expressed his full commitment to work closely with China after his ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won a sweeping victory in a recent general election. In a thankful letter released late Wednesday in response to Chinese President Xi Jinping's congratulatory message on the CPP victory, Hun Sen showed his full commitment to work closely with Xi to promote party-to-party, government-to-government and people-to-people exchanges. He also vowed to enhance the bonds of fraternal friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between Cambodia and China for the benefits of the two nations and for peace and shared prosperity of the region and beyond. The CPP won all 125 parliamentary seats in the sixth general election on July 29, according to National Election Committee (NEC) official results released on Wednesday. Twenty political parties contested in the election. The NEC indicated that the CPP garnered 4.88 million votes, or 76.84 percent, of the total valid votes. Hun Sen said the election which proceeded peacefully, freely, orderly and in a transparent manner was successfully organized thanks to a large contribution from the Chinese government. "China has not only provided generous assistance for the election process, but also sent the largest ever group of observers to witness this crucial event in my country, for which we are profoundly grateful," the 67-year-old Cambodian prime minister said in the letter. He said the remarkable socio-economic progress seen in Cambodia today also owed a great deal to the enormous support from China. He said on Wednesday that a new parliament and a new government will be formed on Sept. 5 and Sept. 6, respectively. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 10:02:23|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BRASILIA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Workers' Party (PT) on Wednesday officially registered ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as its presidential candidate with the nation's top election body, the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). Some 13 presidential hopefuls have registered to run in the Oct. 7 race while all eyes are on Lula, since the electorate's favorite candidate is fighting an uphill battle to be in the running. Brazilian law bars those convicted of a crime from running for elected office and the two-time president is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for corruption. Lula's supporters on Wednesday turned out by the tens of thousands in a show of force designed to pressure the TSE into validating his candidacy. And his backers appeared to be banking on an ongoing appeals process to absolve their candidate. A photograph of the official registration form has been posted on Lula's website. The TSE is expected to review his bid and rule on its validity, but observers say it is unlikely the court will allow him to run. An estimated 50,000 people gathered outside the court's offices. "We are here with our head held high," PT President Gleisi Hoffmann said, adding that registering Lula was a "victory" that marked "the beginning of the electoral campaign." Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 10:02:24|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Around a dozen tourists were washed away and at least 30 others trapped inside a flooded waterfall in India's central state of Madhya Pradesh, local media reported. Video showing the 30 people trapped inside the waterfall went viral in the country on Wednesday evening. The tragedy took place in the Sultangarh waterfall in the state's Shivpuri district. An Indian Air Force (IAF) chopper rescued seven trapped people, while efforts were being made to rescue the others. A local district official was quoted as saying, "Rescue operation is on to save all the people trapped in the flooded waterfall." According to media, strong wind coupled with poor light had been hampering the rescue operation. Eyewitnesses were quoted as saying that a total of around 40 youths had gone to the waterfall for the picnic on Wednesday to celebrate the country's 72nd Independence Day. Out of them, 12 were swept away while taking bath under the waterfall when water in the nearby dam was suddenly released flooding the stream. A video showing the youths being swept away in the flooded waterfall went viral on social media which later drew the attention of the local authorities towards the tragedy. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 10:32:30|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close YANGON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi will pay a working visit to Singapore soon, according to an official announcement Thursday. Suu Kyi will pay the visit at the invitation of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, said the announcement without specifying the date of her visit. It will be Aung San Suu Kyi's another visit to the Southeast Asian member country after that in November-December 2016, during which she held talks with Lee on negotiation between Singapore and Myanmar on a bilateral investment treaty, the avoidance of double taxation agreement signed in 1999 and a three-year extension of the MoU on Myanmar-Singapore vocational training and flights for Singapore airlines between the two countries. Trade between Myanmar and Singapore reached 3.8 billion U.S. dollars in the fiscal year 2017-18 which ended in March, up 833 million dollars or 28 percent from 2.967 billion dollars in 2016-17, according to statistics of the commerce ministry. Myanmar-Singapore bilateral relations dated back to the year 1966 when the two countries established diplomatic ties. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 10:42:32|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close SOCHI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that his country is willing to improve strategic communication with China and strengthen bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination. Russia is also ready to deepen practical cooperation with China in various areas and enhance coordination on international and regional affairs, Putin said here when meeting Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. Putin said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached new and important consensuses on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in South Africa last month, and that Russia-China relations are significant to both countries and the whole world. Putin said he is looking forward to meeting Xi again. Yang, also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, said this year marked a milestone in the development of China-Russia ties. Xi and Putin has met twice this year, charting the course for further cooperation, Yang said. Under the leadership of both presidents, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination maintains a strong momentum and sets an example as a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, he said. The senior official said China is willing to work with Russia to implement the important consensuses reached between the two presidents, continue high-level strategic coordination, help make the international order more just and reasonable, and open up broad prospects for bilateral ties. Earlier in the day, Yang and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev co-hosted the 14th round of China-Russia strategic security consultation in Moscow. Yang and Patrushev exchanged views on China-Russia ties as well as global and regional issues of mutual concern, with extensive consensuses reached. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 10:47:34|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close by Misbah Saba Malik ISLAMABAD, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Saba Irfan, a housewife in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, watched a performance of a Chinese troupe to celebrate Pakistan's Independence Day on Aug. 14 with locals. "Since my childhood I have been taught at home and school that there is no closer friend to Pakistan than China and the Pak-China friendship is unmatched and incomparable. The Chinese have always shared our joys and sorrows with us like true friends and I am very happy they came again today to strengthen the bond of friendship," Irfan told Xinhua after watching the performance. The performance was held by the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA), in an auditorium overcrowded by excited people who appreciated every performance of their Chinese guests by clapping and screaming at the top of their lungs. Irfan said that compared to Pakistani stage performances, Chinese performances are more "colorful." "Their dresses are very beautiful, my children like their brightly colored dresses." She said that Chinese are very hard working people and this quality can easily be judged by their performances on stage. "I take my children to watch Chinese performances because I want them to be confident and hard working like them. China is a great source of inspiration for us, I always tell my children to work hard like the Chinese." A 32-member Chinese troupe performed at the Independence Day event. Pakistani and Chinese artists presented national songs, folk tunes and dances. The artists also presented music and dances of China as well as performing national songs of Pakistan. Irfan Junaid, a pharmacist by profession, was also among the people who watched the Chinese troupe performing on Pakistan's Independence Day. "It was not just a function, or a performance of art and music and dance, but a symbol of great friendship between Pakistan and China," Junaid told Xinhua. He said that though there is a language barrier between Pakistan and China and the audience could not understand the meaning of the lyrics sung by the Chinese performers, but, despite that, everyone enjoyed the performance. Pakistan's Acting Minister for Information Ali Zafar also attended the event. He thanked the Chinese artists for being part of the Independence Day celebration. "This gesture by the Chinese reflects the level of friendship and understanding between the two nations." Zhao Xiaoqiang, deputy director of department of culture in China's Shaanxi province, meanwhile, told Xinhua that this was the first time he and the troupe had visited Pakistan, adding that he was overwhelmed with the warm welcome and friendship between the two peoples. "This is a very important day, Independence Day, and we are so honored to join this celebration, and I feel that everyone is excited." He said that cultural exchanges are very important for the people of two countries, as it will help them understand each other better. "The exchanges will facilitate the feeling of friendship between the two countries." Zhao told Xinhua that they visited Pakistan to share the joy of Pakistan's Independence Day with its people, and will also invite Pakistani artists to join them in the 5th Silk Road Art Festival in Shaanxi province. The Pakistani audience was very happy to see Chinese performers among them. They said that sharing their Independence Day with the artists of a brotherly country has doubled the joy of the day for them. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 10:52:35|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- NASA's spacecraft New Horizons has found new evidence of a "wall" of hydrogen at the edge of the solar system, encircling all the planets and objects orbiting the Sun. The "wall" is actually a vast amount of trapped hydrogen atoms caught up in the solar wind, which produce waves of ultraviolet (UV) light and have been detected by the sensors aboard New Horizons, according to NASA. The phenomenon was first glimpsed by astronomers around 30 years ago, and was called helisphere. However, evidence supporting the theory has remained murky. New Horizons has been using its on-board detector, known as "Alice", to look for traces of the celestial interaction. It picked up UV rays with "Alice" seven times from 2007 to 2017, and finally found evidence to verify earlier observations. "We're seeing the threshold between being in the solar neighbourhood and being in the galaxy," astronomer Leslie Young of the Southwest Research Institute and New Horizons team said. New Horizons will then continue to look for the "wall" about twice a year until the mission reaches its conclusion, which is expected to be around 10-15 years from now on, NASA said. If the levels of UV light detected ever take a nosedive, it could prove the spacecraft has left the "wall." Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 10:57:36|Editor: zh Video Player Close Peng Shituan (1st L), cultural counselor of the Chinese embassy in Vietnam, presents certificates to the 2018 Chinese Government Scholarship winners in Hanoi, Vietnam, Aug. 13, 2018. The Chinese embassy in Vietnam on Monday held a ceremony to award the scholarships from the Chinese government to 104 Vietnamese. (Xinhua/Wang Di) by Tao Jun, Bui Long HANOI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Many Vietnamese intellectuals said after receiving scholarships from the Chinese government they will spare no efforts to master Chinese advancements, especially in culture and technology, to bring about practical applications or transfer knowledge effectively to younger generations in Vietnam. "Today I will officially receive a full scholarship from the Chinese government to pursue a doctoral degree in mechatronics at the South China University of Technology in Guangzhou city. I'm deeply impressed by Chinese advancements in robotics, artificial intelligence and automation," Bui Huu Toan, lecturer at the Hanoi University of Technology, told Xinhua on Monday. Toan is one of 104 Vietnamese who have received scholarships from the Chinese government this year with 56 studying in China to get doctoral degrees and 34 to get master's degrees. The Chinese embassy in Vietnam on Monday held a ceremony to hand over the scholarships to them. "During my doctoral study in Guangzhou, I am going to make a tiny robot for my dissertation. The robot will be developed for medical purposes. It will be used to manipulate human cells," Toan, a man of small stature with bright eyes, said confidently. He said that China's robotics industry, which has been the world's biggest industrial robot market, will continue to make leaps and bounds in the coming years thanks to due attention given by the Chinese government. The Vietnamese government is also interested in tapping into the fourth industrial revolution to speed up the transformation of its priority sectors. "The applications of robots are huge both in Vietnam and China. When I completed my master's thesis, I produced a humanoid robot and it was applied in real life, at a science and technology exhibition in Jiangsu province," Toan said. The Vietnamese man got his bachelor's degree and master's degree at the Nanjing University of Science and Technology in the Chinese province of Jiangsu. At the exhibition, his humanoid robot worked as a receptionist that spoke Chinese and English, took visitors to booths and provided information about the booths' owners to them. "The humanoid robot can be used in different places such as hotels, tourist sites, exhibitions and fairs. And this time, after mastering Chinese robot technologies, I will make a tiny robot which can be used in hospitals with the assistance of my Chinese professors and friends," the Vietnamese lecturer said. "If my robots are not widely commercialized, my knowledge gained during my studies in China will not be wasted, because I will come back to Vietnam to keep on giving lectures about mechatronics engineering to my students," he added, smiling. Another Vietnamese postgraduate student, Do Thi Thanh Hoa, whose pseudonym is To Hoa, shared similar thoughts and plans after receiving a scholarship from the Chinese government. "After studying in China, I will come back to Vietnam to work as a lecturer at the Military University of Culture and Arts to convey my knowledge about Vietnamese and Chinese classical and folk music to my students," Hoa, whose soprano singing voice has earned her the nickname "The Nightingale", told Xinhua on Monday. According to the girl, she studied vocal music in Vietnam, and won the first prize in the classical music category of a prestigious singing contest in the country, but she is keen on further studying folk Chinese music in China because it is very strong, similar to classical music. "Now I am very happy to receive a scholarship to further study Chinese folk music at the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing. When writing my master's thesis, I will choose a topic about folk songs, folk music of Vietnam and China, maybe about their wonderful characteristics," Hoa said, noting that she got a bachelor's degree in folk music at the Guangxi Arts Institute in 2017. As a child, she already knew Chinese folk songs through famous Chinese television series, and was impressed by their rhythms and lyrics. "After returning to Vietnam, I will help my students better understand about Chinese classical and folk music, so we will become little bridges for closer friendship and cultural cooperation between the two countries," Hoa stated. While both Toan and Hoa have spent years in China, and felt comfortable with the studying and living environments there, mainly thanks to their great integration efforts and the friendliness and helpfulness of Chinese people, Doan Ngoc Chung has been a little bit worried because he has just graduated from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Vietnam's Hanoi capital, and have never set foot on Chinese soil. "Today I am very happy to receive a scholarship from the Chinese government. The scholarship is 3,000 yuan (432 U.S. dollars) a month. But I have never been to China, so I feel a little bit worried about living far away from home," Chung told Xinhua on Monday. In September, Chung will study literature at the Xiamen University in Fujian province for his master's degree. Like Hoa, Chung wants to have good command of Chinese culture and then share the knowledge enriched by China with compatriots, contributing to the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the countries. "When writing the thesis for my master's degree, I will write about cultural exchanges between Vietnam and China, with a focus on Chinese shamans and shamanism which we call "hau dong" in Vietnamese," said the young man with a dark complexion and a bright smile. "I like Chinese culture very much, especially Chinese language, calligraphy and paper-cutting art," he added. Not only Vietnamese postgraduates, but also Vietnamese officials and educators have expressed their deep interest in Chinese culture as well as cultural and educational exchange and cooperation between the two nations. "I am impressed by Chinese culture and civilization, which is one of the biggest civilizations in the world... I hope that you (Vietnamese receivers of Chinese scholarships) will become bridges for relations between the two peoples and the two countries," Pham Quang Minh, Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, said at the scholarship-awarding ceremony. "Education in general and educational cooperation in particular play an indispensable part in the fine relations between Vietnam and China." "Thanks to mutual understanding about culture, foreign languages and history, the two sides can better foster bilateral ties in other spheres, including economics, politics, security and national defense," Minh told Xinhua after the ceremony. Pham Chi Cuong, vice head of the International Cooperation Department under the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training, said scholarship receivers will become like ambassadors to deepen relations between Vietnam and China and make a contribution to the national development of each country. According to Peng Shituan, cultural counselor of the Chinese embassy in Vietnam, since the 1950s, the Chinese government has helped Vietnam develop education, and exchanged scholarships. "The Chinese and Vietnamese governments attach importance to exchanging scholarships to train talented people in spearheaded sectors for national construction and development," Peng stated. Months after hosting contentious meetings in the West Village and Williamsburg on the looming L train shutdown, the MTA and Department of Transportation finally got around to facing the residents of Canarsie on Wednesday night. Around 100 people turned out for the town hall to seek answers from transit officials about the 15-month shutdown, and to offer some suggestions of their own. Many of those in attendance said they had heard about the tunnel repairs, but were still not aware of what their options would be for commuting to the city come April. "I'm wondering, do I have to drive now?" said Barry Cannon, 64, who takes the L train from Canarsie to 14th Street and transfers to midtown every day. He planned to ask the MTA about possibly offering reduced fares on the express buses. (The MTA says they will not be reducing the $6.50 fares.) "It's really going to mess up a lot of people," he added. "We have a lot of elderlies. They take the train every day. They can't use the bike lane. I'm here to try to understand more." This is the second town hall the MTA has held in Canarsie, although the first one since 2016 when the transit authority was still debating whether the shutdown would last 18 or 36 months. Veronica Mejia, a nurse who lives in Canarsie, commutes via the L train to work in Harlem. The ride currently takes her two hours, which she fears could stretch to three hours during the shutdown. "I was even thinking of changing jobs trying to relocate, but I happen to like where I am," Mejia said. "I happen to like the people I work with." Others expressed concerns about overcrowding at Broadway Junction, which is where the MTA is suggesting people transfer to the A/C and J/Z lines. The station will have a limited amount of additional cars to accommodate more riders, although the authority doesn't plan to expand the station itself. "You have posters out there and handouts, but people don't read them," Faith Williams said. "This plan can only work if we get the basics right, the operation right, but also we must excel at customer information, New York City Transit President Andy Byford said in response. The agency has been criticized in recent weeks for failing to keep customers abreast of upcoming disruptionsincluding a planned stoppage of service on much of the L line for 15 weekends ahead of the actual shutdown. Charmaine Corney, 42, lives in Canarsie and commutes to Lower Manhattan, either by car, train, or the BM2 express bus. Speaking at the town hall, she asked if the MTA could get ferry service to run between Canarsie pier and Manhattan. The transit officials did not respond to her question. "They just launched one today in Soundview in the Bronx, of all places. They didn't have a pier before. We have a pier. We need a boat," she told WNYC after the town hall. Corney said she was disappointed that her suggestion was not addressed by either Byford or a representative from the Department of Transportation. "This just seems like a check the box situationthe decisions have already been made," Corney said. "This was a PR event, but I hope the things we said were taken to heart...I know they don't care what my opinion is. There's no consideration being given to the Canarsie pier...we should have a ferry, we should be able to utilize it and it will decrease the emissions in the neighborhood." MTA spokesman Shams Tarek did respond to an inquiry from WNYC about Corney's question. "This plan is the result of a massive, years-long community outreach program and yes elements of it are from suggestions. Sometimes suggestions are made that we were already thinking of and sometimes theyre purely new," Tarek wrote in a statement. The town hall was initiated by Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, who was also on the dais. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 11:07:37|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close CANBERRA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The number of migrants to Australia awaiting citizenship has risen 600 percent under the current government. According to data from the Department of Home Affairs published by Fairfax Media on Thursday the number of residents waiting to be approved for citizenship has grown from 27,000 to 189,000 since the current government took power in September 2013. A vast majority of that growth has occurred since Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull defeated his predecessor Tony Abbott for leadership of the party in 2015. Migrants on the waiting list have been lift without access to student loans, Australian passports or the right to vote. They have also been unable to apply for jobs in the public sector where they require security clearance. Approximately 190,000 migrants apply to become Australian citizens every year but only 130,000 receive approval each year. Julian Hill, a member of parliament (MP) for the opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP), on Thursday put forward a motion at parliament calling for Citizenship Minister Alan Tudge to explain "the enormous, inexplicable and unconscionable delays." Tudge told Fairfax Media that there were a number of factors. "First, the demand for citizenship has never been higher. Second, there are much greater national security threats today than before," he said. Atul Vidhata, a 31-year-old Fijian migrant who emigrated a decade ago, said he was told he would have to wait 17 months for a decision on his citizenship application. He said that some migrants were afraid to use Medicare, Australia's universal health care system, for fear it would negatively affect their chances of getting citizenship. "It is part of the narrative and permanent residents are starting to believe if you commit the smallest infraction, like getting a parking fine you will get deported, others think if you use Medicare they won't make you an Australian citizen," Vidhata told Fairfax. "It turns into a bitterness. People shouldn't be denying themselves healthcare because they are worried it will impact their ability to be a good citizen." Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 11:27:40|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department on Wednesday said the United States is expanding visa restrictions on Cambodia after the official results of the country's election on July 29 were confirmed. In a press briefing, U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that since the U.S. side has characterized the election as "flawed and neither free nor fair," the State Department is "expanding the visa restrictions initiated on December 6th, 2017 on individuals involved in the undermining of democracy in Cambodia." "The expanded entry restrictions may apply to individuals both within and outside the Cambodian government" that are responsible for the "anti-democratic" actions taken in the run-up to the election, she said. This announcement came after the Cambodian electoral committee announced that the ruling Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen won all the 125 parliamentary seats in the general election, which will ensure Hun Sen's another five-year term. The relations between the United States and Cambodia have been souring since last year when the United States announced visa restrictions on the southeast Asian country for "undermining democracy." The Cambodian Foreign Ministry expressed dissatisfaction over the visa restrictions in a statement released following the initiation of the restrictions in December 2017, saying "the move was politically motivated with prejudice and double standards." Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 11:32:41|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close CANBERRA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- More than one million Australians have avoided seeing a doctor in the last 12 months because they could not afford, a report revealed Thursday. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report, published on Thursday, found that Australians paid three billion Australian dollars (2.17 billion U.S. dollars) out-of-pocket every year despite bulk billing rates being higher than ever. Nationally, 10.9 million Australians paid out of their own pocket for medical services in financial year 2017 at a median of 142 Australian dollars (103 U.S. dollars) each despite 86 percent of General Practitioner (GP) services being bulk-billed. According to the report, 1.3 million Australian put off seeing a doctor because of that cost. "It's really concerning that consumers are delaying care because they can't afford it," Leanne Wells, chief executive of the Consumers Health Forum of Australia, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Thursday. "We know that if you've got an ongoing relationship with a GP, that equates not only to better care, but also impacts on people's lifespan and morbidity. "The fact people aren't able to take up referrals because of costs, or they're having to face hard decisions about curtailing other aspects of their family budget, that's a concern." Tony Bartone, president of the Australian Medical Association (AMA), said that investment in Medicare had failed to keep up with rising medical costs. "The cost of providing care continues to rise and the Medicare rebate is inadequate in its entirety," he said. Health Minister Greg Hunt rejected that claim, saying that the bulk-billing rate proved the system was working. Almost 70 percent of patients in Canberra, one of Australia's most affluent areas, incurred out-of-pocket expenses compared to only 32 percent in the working class western Sydney. "Lower income patients in lower income areas are dramatically less likely to have out-of-pocket costs than those in higher income areas," Hunt said. "The bulk billing is, as we had hoped, being targeted at lower income people, and higher income people are exercising their choice." Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 12:12:49|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday revoked the security clearance of former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Brennan, a fierce critic of the president over Russia. Brennan has used his status "to make a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations" and "wild outbursts on the Internet and television about this administration," Trump said in the statement read by White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders. Trump also announced in the statement that he is considering whether several other Obama-era officials should have their security clearance withdrawn as well. Brennan responded to Trump's decision via Twitter, saying: "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 added. Former leaders of U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been allowed to maintain access to classified information, both as a professional courtesy and so that they can consult with successors on certain national security issues, according to local media reports. "Neither of these justifications supports Mr. Brennan's continued access to classified information," Sanders said in reading Trump's statement. House Democratic Minority leader Nancy Pelosi called Trump's decision "a stunning abuse of power" and an attempt to distract from the president's many scandals. Trump announced in July he was reviewing the security clearances of a number of former high profile officials, including Brennan, former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey, former National Intelligence Director James Clapper, former CIA Director Michael Hayden and former National Security Adviser Susan Rice. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 12:42:53|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close SYDNEY, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Papua New Guinea's main international airport has the capacity to handle additional passenger demand expected from the country's hosting of the major Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November, with preparations including runway improvement up to speed, authorities said on Thursday. The airport is set to fulfill the increased demand, including the landing and parking of large aircraft, such as Boeing 747s, through to smaller planes, Christopher Hawkins, chief executive officer of the APEC PNG authority, told local media. "The safety of leaders, ministers, delegates and the public is the number one concern in planning for APEC," the National newspaper quoted Hawkins as saying. "For commercial arrivals and departures, we have existing flights, and additional flights that will arrive and depart at staggered times throughout the day and night." Improvements to the main runway at Jacksons International Airport in capital Port Moresby have also been completed at a cost of 65 million Kina (19.66 million U.S. dollars), reported the paper. The airport now has the capacity to handle the arrivals and departures of state and charter aircraft through effective management, said Hawkins. "This is from increased commercial passenger travel, and from state and charter aircraft carrying world leaders and business people." Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 13:33:00|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close SEOUL, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Samsung Electronics, the South Korean tech giant, said Thursday that it will release Galaxy Note 9 smartphone in China later this month. The new Samsung smartphone will be available among Chinese consumers from Aug. 31. Samsung held a showcase event in Shanghai a day earlier to promote the device, according to the press release from the South Korean firm. Koh Dong-jin, who is in charge of Samsung's mobile business, said at the event that Samsung was making efforts to listen to what Chinese consumers want in design, sales and marketing in order to regain trust of Chinese consumers. Samsung's market share in China, the world's biggest consumer market, was on the decline amid a stiff competition with Chinese manufacturers. According to industry tracker Strategy Analytics, Samsung shipped 800,000 smartphones to the Chinese market in the April-June quarter, accounting for 0.8 percent of the total in China. It was down from 2.7 percent in market share tallied by Samsung in the same quarter of last year. The South Korean company recorded 20 percent of market share in 2013 in China. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 13:38:00|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close ASUNCION, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Paraguay's new president, Mario Abdo Benitez, was sworn in on Wednesday, vowing to create a strong and independent justice system to end impunity. "Impunity is the cancer we must defeat," said Benitez in his first speech as president, adding that "our obligation is to listen to them (Paraguayans) and not be indifferent to their just demands. This is our opportunity to turn that indignation into hope." The president pledged that if anyone in his government faces allegations of misconduct, he will be the first to cooperate with the justice system. "We were elected to serve ... I will not judge anyone, but I will not be complacent in the face of misconduct," Benitez said. "I prefer applause on the way out and not on the way in." Benitez, 46, entered politics in 2005 as a member of the Republican National Reconstruction movement within the long-ruling conservative Colorado Party. He won the general elections in April and his term ends in 2023. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 13:48:02|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close NEW YORK, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Scientists have found a rapid way of creating magnesite, a mineral that can absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, offering a potential solution to global warming. The research, presented recently at the Goldschmidt geochemistry conference in Boston, explained how magnesite can form at low temperatures and offered a way to dramatically accelerate its crystallization. Magnesite is a naturally occurring rock used in jewelery and for various industrial processes. Every ton of magnesite is capable of removing about half a ton of CO2 from the air. However, the process normally takes thousands of years in nature at Earth's surface. In the lab, the researchers showed the mineral could form within 72 days by using polystyrene microspheres as a catalyst. "This process takes place at room temperature, meaning that magnesite production is extremely energy efficient," said Professor Ian Power of Trent University, Canada, who led the study. "For now, we recognise that this is an experimental process, and will need to be scaled up before we can be sure that magnesite can be used in carbon sequestration," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 13:58:04|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 15 -- The UN Security Council (UNSC) on Wednesday condemned the attack targeting an education center in Kabul that killed at least 48 people, calling it a "heinous and cowardly terrorist attack." In a press statement, the council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. The UNSC underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice and urged all states to cooperate with the Afghan and all other relevant authorities in this regard. Members of the council expressed sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government of Afghanistan and wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured. Earlier Wednesday, UN General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak called the suicide attack "unacceptable," adding that the General Assembly continues to stand against terrorism and with Afghanistan. He said many of the victims were young people preparing for university entrance exams, noting pursuing an education should not be risk to one's life. Up to 48 students were killed and 67 others injured in a suicide bomb blast targeting a private education center in Dasht-e-Barchi of Kabul on Wednesday, the Afghan public health ministry said. The UN mission in the country condemned the attack, saying in a statement that there is "no justification whatsoever for targeting civilians, at any time, under any circumstances." No group has claimed responsibility yet. However, people pointed finger at the Islamic State group, saying the extremist outfit could be behind the deadly attack as it was in the past. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 14:18:08|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Indian rupee Thursday recorded a lifetime low during early trade as it hit 70.28 against the U.S. dollar. On Tuesday the rupee closed at 69.89 against the U.S. dollar. "At 9:15 a.m. (local time), the rupee was trading at 70.27 a dollar, down 0.53 percent, from its Tuesday's close of 69.89. The home currency opened at 70.25 and touched an all time low of 70.28 a dollar," a market analyst said. On Wednesday, markets in India were closed in wake of public holiday on account of Independence Day celebrations. The slump in rupee was triggered by the fall in Turkish lira, which helped the U.S. dollar to gain. The fall in rupee will make imports of crude oil, fertilizers, medicines and iron ore costlier. "The weakening of rupee will certainly result in increase in price rise of the commodities directly as well as indirectly and thereby would end up inflating household expenditures," Anil Sharma, a market expert said. The free fall in rupee has triggered a debate between ruling Bhartiya Janta Party and opposition Congress party. While the BJP attributes it to the hostile external factors, Congress party blames Modi government's wrong economic policies for the depreciation of the currency. 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. Bad news for liberal fans of maltodextrin and metal fragments: Bloomberg reports that Howard Lorber, a Manhattan developer and executive chairman of Nathans Famous Inc., is hosting a fundraiser for President Trump in the Hamptons this week. So we guess you're going to have to go elsewhere to get your daily dose of... human DNA?! What?! Why the hell are we still eating these things?! Bloomberg's sources say that Trump will attend both a roundtable with supporters and a luncheon at Lorbers home in Southampton on Friday. Proceeds from the events will benefit Trump Victory, which is a joint committee for Trumps 2020 campaign and the Republican National Committee. In addition to Nathan's, Lorber is also the chief executive officer of the Vector Group, which owns Douglas Elliman Realty and the fourth largest cigarette manufacturer in the country. Last year, the NY Times reported that Trump has called Lorber one of his two best friends. In 1996, Trump and Lorber apparently traveled to Moscow together "to explore business opportunities." Trump also named Lorber chairman of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Councils governing board and used him as an economic adviser during his presidential campaign. Another connection: Lorber's son also appeared as a judge on The Apprentice once. Reasonable people already know that Hebrew National Hot Dogs are objectively better quality dogs than Nathan's, so anyone who isn't already on that train has a good excuse to do so now. But the idea of giving up America's favorite binge-eating contestNathan's 4th Of July Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Islandmay be too much to contemplate. Watching Joey Chestnut stuff his body with an absurd amount of hot dogs has truly become the most important Independence Day tradition. Because a permanent sense of nausea is what America is today: Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 14:53:15|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- China has approved regulation amendments, allowing qualified individual foreign investors to open securities accounts to trade A-shares next month. The updated regulation, which will take effect on Sept. 15, will allow foreign individuals working in the Chinese mainland to open A-share trading accounts, a move to further open up the securities market, according to the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC). The move will expand the investor base, introduce more liquidity and improve the structure of the securities market, the CSRC said on its website. Eligible foreign investors must come from countries or regions that have established regulatory cooperation mechanisms with the CSRC, according to a separate statement issued by the China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation (CSDC). Starting from Sept. 15, qualified foreigners can apply for A-share securities accounts by submitting application materials, including an application form for starting security accounts, a passport and its copy, and proof of employment issued by a domestic institution. The CSRC also expanded the equity incentive objects of foreigners working at companies listed on the A-share market from those working in the mainland to all foreign employees. In April 2013, the A-share market was opened to residents from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan who work or live in the mainland. By the end of July, 125,000 qualified residents from these regions have opened A-share securities accounts, according to data from the CSDC. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 15:03:18|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Wang Haiqing BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Korean Peninsula, shrouded in clouds of war not long ago, is now bustling with heartening interactions between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and South Korea, as a remarkable inter-Korean detente has gradually taken root. The United States is called upon to do more to push the troubled peninsula towards lasting peace. Both Koreas marched as one team at the opening ceremony of 2018 Winter Olympics in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang in February. They had their first summit in 11 years in the truce village of Panmunjom and now they are making preparations for a third inter-Korea summit this year. Pyongyang and Seoul are obviously making headway in improving ties as their high-level talks have expanded to include officials not only from the diplomatic and military agencies, but also from economic departments. In a sign of their deepening ties, working-level officials of the two Koreas made on-site inspections of the railways in the north with an aim to modernize these railroads and eventually connect them across the border as agreed upon in the Panmunjom Declaration, issued at the end of the first inter-Korea summit. Such a warm atmosphere has raised hope that peace on the peninsula may not be so distant. But the hope is fragile as Washington has been dragging its feet after the historic summit in Singapore between U.S. President Donald Trump and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un. The DPRK returned the U.S. war remains from the Korean War, and Trump also thanked Kim for dismantling the Sohae Satellite Launching Station. But so far the United States seems to have only offered warm words but no conciliatory actions in response. The crux of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue lies in DPRK-U.S. relations. The lack of conciliatory moves on the U.S. side so far is a reason for concern as substantive progress could hardly be achieved on the Korean Peninsula unless Pyongyang and Washington are willing to compromise all the way toward a final solution. Anyone familiar with the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue knows that it is unrealistic to ask Pyongyang to dump its nuclear program before its security concerns are properly addressed. The focus at this stage is for the key parties to build up mutual trust, as the two Koreas are doing, rather than putting up harsh preconditions for further moves. If Washington keeps its current practice of asking too much but doing too little, the hard-earned positive momentum may vanish before long and all previous efforts would be squandered. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who brokered the historic Trump-Kim summit, also urged Washington on Wednesday to take "corresponding comprehensive measures" to match Pyongyang's moves. To realize long-anticipated peace on the Korean Peninsula, Washington needs to take concrete actions, along with other major parties, to seek further improvements of the situation in the region. To start with, it is advisable for Washington to maintain dialog with Pyongyang. The U.S. State Department said Tuesday that talks with the DPRK will become a "regular course of business" for the U.S. government. Let's hope Washington does walk its talk. Also, Washington should heed the calls of other parties to actively participate in efforts that may lead to an end-of-war declaration for the Korean Peninsula. Such an endeavor would also assuage Pyongyang's security concerns. Meanwhile, Washington should be reminded that the "maximum pressure" approach on Pyongyang is not in keeping with the current situation on the Korean Peninsula and it needs to consider easing sanctions. It takes two to tango. It is especially so when it comes to resolving the long-standing animosity between Pyongyang and Washington, so as to find an ultimate solution to the Korean Peninsula security conundrum. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 15:13:20|Editor: zh Video Player Close PARIS, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Paris prosecutor's office opened an investigation Wednesday into the collapse of a bridge in southern Italy following the death of French nationals, state-run radio France Info reported. An inquiry into "involuntary homicide and...injuries" had been launched after the foreign ministry confirmed four French nationals among the dead. The victims were a group of tourists who had been making their way to Genoa port to catch a ferry to Sardinia, an island to the southwest of Italy. One of the victims was from southwest prefecture of Tarn, another from Lyon and two others from the southern town of Toulouse, according to BFMTV news channel. On Tuesday, about 100-meter section of Morandi Bridge collapsed in Genoa amid torrential rains, sending dozens of vehicles crashing onto a riverbed, a railway and two warehouses. At least 39 people were killed and multiple went missing in what Italian authorities called "an immense tragedy." Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini declined to say how many people might still be buried in the debris where over 1,000 rescue workers searched for victims. Preliminary investigation has indicated more of "a human error" than torrential rains that lead to the accident. Built in the 1960s, the bridge linking the port city of Genoa with southern France was desperately in need of a makeover, not because it was built decades ago. There are ancient bridges in Rome that still stand. As death toll continues to climb, politicians squabbled over blame. The collapse exposed long-standing problems linked to Italy's infrastructure including design flaws, poor maintenance and more fundamentally, corruption, serving as a test for the new government, a coalition of two parties that took power in earlier June. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 15:28:22|Editor: zh Video Player Close BERLIN, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Parents' obsession with phones has led to increased cases of child drowning, a German organization warned. The German Lifeguard Association, the largest voluntary lifesaving organization in the world, has called on parents to put their phones away while their children are in the water. "Too few parents and grandparents are heeding the advice," Achim Wiese, the association's spokesperson, said. "We're experiencing on a daily basis that people treat swimming pools like a kindergarten and simply don't pay attention." Peter Harzheim of the German Federation of Swimming Pool Supervisors told German media. As a heatwave scorches Europe, many Germans are frequenting swimming pools, lakes and rivers. However, more than 300 people have drowned so far this year, including 20 children under the age of 15, according to the Guardian. A recent case hitting the headlines involved a 7-year-old boy who died in a pool in the Bavarian town of Marktredwitz. Besides parental negligence, experts also attribute child drownings to a school system that has not made swimming lessons obligatory from an early age, a lack of state support for swimming lessons, and schools' lack of access to pools. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 15:48:32|Editor: zh Video Player Close YANGON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities have seized some stimulant tablets from a passenger at the Yangon International Airport, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Thursday. The stimulant drugs were confiscated from the passenger who attempted to travel to Malaysia on Tuesday night. A total of 13,200 stimulant tablets were found hidden in pairs of woman's foot-wears and batik sarongs in the male passenger's backpack after scanning X-ray at Terminal 1 of the airport at 11:30 p.m. local time. Two more women were arrested in connection with the case of trying to transport the drugs to Malaysia. The case is under investigation in accordance with the Anti-Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances Law. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 15:53:33|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close SHIJIAZHUANG, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- After over 30 years of hard work in the potato industry, Wang Dengshe has risen from an entry-level researcher to the CEO of one of the leading potato companies in the country, yet he still spends most his time in the field or the laboratory. "I felt like it was my destiny to enter the potato industry," 55-year-old Wang said, "I knew from the very beginning that innovation will always be the core of the job." Wang graduated from a technical school in 1981, three years after the country's reform and opening up drive began. Agricultural research institutes were looking for some young talent and Wang took a job as a researcher instead of returning to his hometown to become a farmer. Wang now has a potato company with an annual revenue of about 800 million yuan (116 million U.S. dollars). "None of this would have been possible without the new policies and great timing of that era," he said. After three years of researching soils and fertilizers, Wang joined the potato research team. Working at the research institute, Wang learned about planting potatoes and developing new varieties, and the importance of converting the achievements of scientific research into productivity. SUPPLYING MCDONALD'S It wasn't until the late 1980s that foreign food chains began to enter the Chinese market. In 1990, the first McDonald's franchise opened in the southern coastal city of Shenzhen, and two years later, the fast-food chain came to downtown Beijing. Burgers and French fries were welcomed by Chinese people, but few know the story behind the potatoes the company used. "We didn't grow the right kind of potato that McDonald's required back then," said Wang, "Their foreign potato seeds couldn't grow in China." As the country with the largest potato output, China had to import about 50,000 tonnes of potatoes to meet the needs of McDonald's. We were focusing on developing high-yield and disease-resistant potatoes, the quality and shape of the local potatoes were far behind the standard required to make frozen fries, Wang recalled. In 1982, McDonald's sent a team to China to find the right potato and the following year sent U.S. potato experts who tried to plant new potato varieties, including "shepody," the most popular potato used for French fries in North America. This was the first time Wang worked with foreigners. He was surprised, and at the same time inspired, by their advanced technologies and ideas. "I wanted to work on a bigger scale," he said. In 1995, Wang left his secure job and joined the Beijing Office of J.R. Simplot, the supplier of MacDonald's fries. He saw foreign experts come and go, and at the end of the 1990s, the plan to plant shepody potatoes in China was almost suspended. "There was a gap between the foreign advanced ideas and the Chinese reality. Some of the equipment and the components that foreign experts wanted were almost impossible to find back then," Wang said. Wang observed and learned, and decided to try planting shepody potatoes by himself. "With some innovation and adjustment, I believed I could bring the idea and reality together, and make it happen," said Wang. In 1999, he led a team of researchers from the agricultural science research institute he previously worked for and started his own experiments. After four years, Wang finally found the way to establish shepody down in China. J.R. Simplot was thrilled, and Wang's name became well-known in the industry. DREAM BIGGER Wang's potato dream didn't stop there. "The industry was expanding. I wanted to go out and do more," Wang said, "I will always be grateful to J.R. Simplot. It broadened my horizons and let me know that I can achieve more." At the beginning of 2007, with a start-up fund of 10 million yuan, Wang and a few friends set up their company, Snow Valley Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, a leading potato planting, production, and processing base. Over the last decade, the company grew from a small potato supplier with only a couple of employees and revenue of less than 10,000 yuan, to an industry giant with an annual revenue close to 800 million yuan. Wang continued his pursuit of innovation over the years. Since 2008, his company has developed 28 new potato varieties. They spent 120 million yuan to build a potato research center last year, the first such center opened by a Chinese company. More foreign capital and products flowed into China after the country joined the WTO in 2011. This brought both challenges and opportunities and the domestic potato industry was forced to grow faster, Wang recalled. In 2014, Snow Valley partnered up with Aviko, one of the four largest potato processors in the world. New processing lines were opened with a total investment of more than 600 million yuan from both sides. The company can turn a raw potato into a box of semi-finished French fries in just about an hour. About 7.5 tonnes of potatoes are washed, peeled, cut, and fried every minute. The Ministry of Agriculture said in early 2016 that the country will further boost potato production to make the tuber one of the nation's staple foods. By 2020, China will have more than 6.67 million hectares of potato planting areas, 30 percent of which can be processed into staple food. "Promoting potatoes as a staple food has made our customers realize the importance of the potato and the rich nutrition it contains. It's good for the whole industry," Wang said. "Once again we have enjoyed the benefits of the latest government policy." GIVING BACK Growing up in an ordinary family in Zhangbei county, Wang never forgot where he came from. No matter how much money he earned and how big his business grew, he always likes to call himself a farmer. "I have tried to help local farmers as much as they helped me," said Wang. Villagers living in the Chabei area changed as Snow Valley grew. The company has been hiring local farmers to grow potatoes since its establishment. They taught the farmers harvesting techniques and supplied them with seeds and equipment, and offered to pay the rent for the lands they manage. More than 700 locals have been employed by the company, and another 4,000 are hired during the harvest season. Meanwhile, Snow Valley has built potato planting bases in several impoverished counties in Hebei Province and the north Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, providing a stable income for more than 20,000 households living under the poverty line, the company said. "I've been successful by following the industry trends and the government's policies, " Wang said. "But we need to stay vigilant at all times." China is the world's largest potato producer with a planting area of around 5.6 million hectares, one quarter of the world's total, but we do not receive the market shares equal to our output, Wang said. Wang is determined to keep expanding and strengthening his business in the domestic market over the next few years and is ready to tackle the overseas market. "I believe there's much more we can do," Wang said. Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, in Sochi, Russia, on August 15, 2018. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi) SOCHI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that his country is willing to improve strategic communication with China and strengthen bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination. Russia is also ready to deepen practical cooperation with China in various areas and enhance coordination on international and regional affairs, Putin said here when meeting Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. Putin said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached new and important consensuses on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in South Africa last month, and that Russia-China relations are significant to both countries and the whole world. Putin said he is looking forward to meeting Xi again. Yang, also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, said this year marked a milestone in the development of China-Russia ties. Xi and Putin has met twice this year, charting the course for further cooperation, Yang said. Under the leadership of both presidents, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination maintains a strong momentum and sets an example as a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, he said. The senior official said China is willing to work with Russia to implement the important consensuses reached between the two presidents, continue high-level strategic coordination, help make the international order more just and reasonable, and open up broad prospects for bilateral ties. Earlier in the day, Yang and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev co-hosted the 14th round of China-Russia strategic security consultation in Moscow. Yang and Patrushev exchanged views on China-Russia ties as well as global and regional issues of mutual concern, with extensive consensuses reached. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 16:08:37|Editor: zh Video Player Close RIYADH, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday the arrest of a Saudi citizen suspected of planning a terror attack, Saudi Press Agency reported. The suspect, wearing what seemed like an explosive vest, resisted arrest and shot at the police, the interior ministry said. In response, the police shot injured the suspect, the ministry added. No passerby or security personnel were wounded in the predawn arrest on Wednesday in the northcentral city of Al Bukayriyah, it said, adding that a machine gun, two pistols and several bullets were confiscated. Saudi Arabia has been in a war against terrorism in the past couple of years amid increasing deadly attacks and blasts targeting shrines and vital establishments. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 16:33:43|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close A J-10 fighter jet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force's August 1st aerobatics team is seen at an airport in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Aug. 16, 2018. The August 1st team left Thursday for Russia to perform at the Army 2018 International Military and Technical Forum. (Xinhua/Yu Yongde) BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force's August 1st aerobatics team Thursday left for Russia to perform at the Army 2018 International Military and Technical Forum. As the only foreign aerobatic team invited, the August 1st team, which includes seven J-10 aerobatic fighter jets and two Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft, will give two performances during the forum. The Army 2018 International Military and Technical Forum will be held from Aug. 21 to 26. It consists of a series of programs including business meetings and contract signings in addition to exhibits of equipment and weapons. The August 1st team, which left from northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Thursday morning, will arrive at Kubinka Airport, near Moscow, on Friday. Established in 1962, the team has staged more than 600 aerobatic performances for over 700 delegations from 168 countries and regions. This will be the second time that it will perform in Moscow. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 16:33:43|Editor: zh Video Player Close by Peter Mertz DENVER, the United States, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- American farmers, reeling from price drops and dissolving future markets, are hoping the 2018 Farm Bill will offer some relief from the U.S.-China trade frictions. WORST SHAPE "The U.S. exports approximately half of all the wheat U.S. farm businesses produce, and the potential loss of overseas markets resulting from responses to the (Trump) Administration's aggressive use of tariffs could have measurable adverse effects on wheat prices," national agriculture economist Vincent Smith told Xinhua Wednesday. Across the board, agricultural commodities continued to struggle and fall, with soybean futures declining "overnight Wednesday as the trade spat between the U.S. and China shows no signs of abating," Successfulfarming.com reported. "Tariffs and stagnant global demand for commodities have left the agricultural economy in the worst shape we have seen since the farm crisis of the 1980s," American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) president Zippy DuVall said Monday. With unstable and inconsistent trade policy, increased output forecasts are predicting more dire outcomes across all American agriculture sectors. "A wave of farm closures" could occur by next spring, "unless there's a major improvement in the marketplace," said National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President Jimmie Musick. "The administration's flip and rhetoric around the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has made the United States appear to Canada and Mexico as an unreliable trading partner," he added, in a column published by CapitalPress.com last week. On Monday, the two largest farming groups in the United States, AFBF and the National Farmers Union (NFU), along with more than 150 other organizations, sent a letter to Washington asking the Senate and House agriculture committees to pass the upcoming 2018 Farm Bill. FARM BILL "Low farm prices due to international trade disruptions, commodity market oversupply, and domestic policy uncertainty is putting significant financial strain on farmers," said NFU President Roger Johnson in the letter. Why is this year's bill so important? In the face of complete volatility, the 2018 bill represents a symbol of sanity and stability for a field rocked and socked since the U.S.-China tariff battle two months ago. Every five years, Congress passes legislation that sets national agriculture, nutrition, conservation, and forestry policy, commonly referred to as the "Farm Bill." "We need this bill, especially at this time...it's critical," agriculture economist Anton Bekkerman told Xinhua. Industry insiders pray this year's legislation will offer needed consistency to a sector spiraling downward due to current U.S. trade policy. With the current Farm Bill expiring Sept. 30, agriculture leaders urged Congress to pass a bill that signals consistency to an economic sector already suffering from unpredictable administration policies. "The Farm Bill is important, but in some ways it's more symbolic -- that farmers and Congress can agree on policy," Washington policy analyst David B. Richardson said. "Hopefully the White House will listen to everybody in America who oppose the radical, destructive trade path currently devised by the President," he said. "Montana's farmers are not blaming China for the trade war, they're looking at the (Donald) Trump administration," Smith noted. DAMAGED FUTURE What American farmers fear most is losing billions of U.S. dollars to countries not hampered by tariffs or involved in debilitating trade disputes. "Chinese importers will simply establish long-term trade relationships with suppliers outside of the United States," said Bekkerman, a Montana State University (MSU) professor. Bekkerman and other leading agro-economists say dialogue and negotiations are already underway between the world's biggest suppliers and consumers -- without U.S. involvement, participation, or profit. "The Administration needs to stop alienating our top trading partners and restore certainty to the agricultural marketplace as soon as possible, said Musick, a wheat farmer from Sentinel, Oklahoma. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics released this week, the United States has exported 15.3 million metric tons of wheat so far in 2018 -- down 26.7 percent from 2017. "When the administration announced in March that it would impose sweeping tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum imports, buyers were unable to accept the risk of escalating import prices and stopped making new purchases of U.S. wheat," Musick said in an opinion piece published on the agriculture website CapitalPress.com last week. Musick sees Japan, that currently imports half of its wheat from the United States -- as courting more reasonable, coherent, and stable suppliers and entertaining trade agreements with top U.S. competitors Canada and Australia. Japan, Mexico, and the Philippines are America's biggest wheat recipients, and exports to Japan are down 10.3 percent so far in 2018, recent agriculture department data shows. "The Australians are licking their chops," said Smith, a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and a 30-year tenured economics professor at Montana State University. With uncertainty over NAFTA, Canada, the world's No. 6 producer of wheat at 29 million metric tons, and Australia, No. 9, with 25 million metric tons, become top competitors for the United States (No. 4), according to WorldAtlas.com. It's U.S. President Donald Trump's overall trade tactics -- that include tariff battles with China, Canada, and the European Union (EU), withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and threat to withdraw from NAFTA -- that is creating global dissention on trading with America, industry insiders told Xinhua. "The President's goal, to create chaos and upheaval, and hope the cards fall in his favor, is a losing game that will pit the United States against the rest of the world," said Richardson. "The Trump trade policy has no direction," said Smith, "It is doing much more harm than good, especially in the long run, and it will be damaging to our trade relations with other countries into the foreseeable future." Spike Lee's production company received $219,113 in consulting fees to help produce advertisements for the de Blasio administration's community policing initiative. After careful thought I accepted the consultation assignment, Lee told the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the story. The NYPD came to me knowing I have been critical of them. I think its important for open dialogue to make what has been a tough relationship better. NYPD First Deputy Commissioner Benjamin Tucker, said he considered Lee for the work because, "You want to reach out to folks. Not just the folks who are supporters pretty consistently but also folks who have certainly been critics in the past." They just wanted to add value. They werent trying to find ways to make public we were involved. And neither were we," Tucker added. The fee paid to Lee's company came from the New York City Police Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the NYPD that has come under scrutiny in recent years for acting as an arm of the police department without any real oversight. In June of 2015, the same year Lee's company accepted the assignment, the Post reported that the foundation had spent more than $2 million on contracts for work related to the NYPD, much of it paid to consultants with ties to then-Commissioner Bill Bratton. One source likened the foundation to "almost a shadow government." The foundation also picked up the tab for former Commissioner Ray Kelly's membership to the Harvard Club. Corporate donors to the foundation, like Palantir and Motorola, have later received lucrative NYPD contracts. The community policing ads that Lee's company worked on ran earlier this year. In 2014, Lee edited footage together of Eric Garner being fatally choked, and his character Radio Raheem, from Do The Right Thing, being fatally choked by the NYPD. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 16:33:43|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close HEFEI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- An ongoing crackdown on the illegal wildlife trade has led to the seizure of 53,486 wild animals in east China's Anhui Province, local authorities said. The six-month crackdown started in June. More than 200 related cases had been solved or are being investigated, and over 80 traffickers had been punished as of Aug. 10, according to the provincial department of forestry. In one case, police intercepted a truck carrying 152 spiny giant frogs, two hog badgers and five snakes in Anhui's Qimen County. The truck was heading to east China's Zhejiang Province. In another case, a truck carrying wild birds was stopped by police in Susong County en route to south China's Guangdong Province. More than 2,600 moorhens and 650 night herons were seized. Over the past few years, China has intensely promoted a series of important measures to strengthen wildlife protection, such as amending the Wildlife Protection Law, banning the ivory trade and building national parks. According to Chinese law, poaching, transporting, or trading protected wildlife is punishable by up to ten years in prison. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 16:53:49|Editor: zh Video Player Close BRASILIA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese immigrants have made important contributions to Brazilian society and Brazil recognizes China as a sister nation, a Brazilian lawmaker said Wednesday as the Latin American country observed its first Chinese Immigration Day. "Chinese immigration was of utmost importance to the consolidation of our history. They are a people of great wisdom, humility and brotherhood," Fausto Pinato, a federal deputy and head of the Brazil-China Parliamentary Front, said during a solemn session in the Chamber of Deputies. In June, President Michel Temer declared August 15 would be set aside to commemorate the arrival of the first Chinese immigrants in Brazil. It is also the day when China and Brazil established formal diplomatic ties in 1974. Pinato also urged the government to make it easier for Chinese investment to flow into Brazil and bolster bilateral ties. China's ambassador to Brazil, Li Jinzhang, said he was glad to see August 15 as a special day for "transoceanic friendship." "More than 200 years ago, an extraordinarily courageous group of tea producers crossed the ocean, writing the first page of the story. That same pioneering spirit has been demonstrated by the relationship between the two countries," Li said. Brazil was the first country in Latin America to build a comprehensive strategic partnership with China. Li said Brazil's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative will see the Latin American country play a role in the modern development scheme inspired by the ancient Silk Road. Thomas Law, president of the Brazil-China Sociocultural Institute in Sao Paulo and a second-generation Chinese in Brazil, descibed his family's integration. "I was born in Sao Paulo, my parents are Chinese immigrants. My wife's parents are also Chinese," he said. "When they arrived, they encountered a culture shock, but they adapted and made progress, and we were able to study and make progress as well." Law said commercial partnerships are not enough. "We need to increase cultural ties in order to have a good and lasting relationship based on friendship," he said. Chinese represent about 5 percent of Brazil's registered immigrant population, according to police data. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 16:58:50|Editor: zh Video Player Close QUITO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Ecuadorian police dismantled the local arm of a transnational drug-trafficking organization with links to Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, authorities said Wednesday. As part of a coordinated multinational anti-crime operation, police on Tuesday arrested eight suspects in several Ecuadorian cities, including the capital Quito, the Prosecutor General's Office said. In 14 raids, police seized 106 kg of marijuana and 3,400 liters of sulphuric acid, which is used to make cocaine. The group operated in other countries across the region, with raids carried out simultaneously in Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia and Ecuador as part of the operation dubbed "Neptune's Harpoon," the Office said. So far 61 raids were carried out with 38 suspects arrested. Preliminary investigations found that "the organization ran a specialized structure in each country that began with production in Colombia and Ecuador" and included "distribution in Guatemala and Mexico, where they maintained alliances with the Sinaloa Cartel," the Office said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 17:03:51|Editor: zh Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Thirty more women patients filed a lawsuit Wednesday over alleged inappropriate behavior by Dr. George Tyndall, a former gynecologist at the University of Southern California (USC), bringing the number of women suing the university to more than 340. COMMITMENT TO CHANGE The new lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by the law firm of John Manly alleges that the university received numerous complaints about Tyndall's sexually abusive behavior, dating back to at least 1989, but deliberately concealed his sexual abuse, City News Service, a local news outlet, reported. "This latest filing includes clients who were violated in extreme ways by a doctor who did not even take the basic precaution of wearing gloves during his invasive procedures," Manly told the wire service. The complaints include improper photographing of genitals, improper touching during pelvic exams, and making sexually suggestive comments. "Time and time again complaints against Dr. Tyndall were ignored by student health center nurses and staff for nearly 30 years," Manly added. The USC has established a hotline for complaints about Tyndall's sexual harassment and misconduct and said it would take measures for significant and sustainable change. Wanda M. Austin was appointed interim USC president Tuesday, replacing C. L. Max Nikias, who agreed to step down amid the scandal. Austin said in a statement Wednesday that in her address to new students at their convocation next day, she would underline that the USC senior leadership is fully committed to bringing about change. CHINESE STUDENTS IN LAWSUIT According to the Deng Law Center in Los Angeles, three former Chinese students have joined the lawsuits. The Los Angeles Times reported that some colleagues of Tyndall feared the gynecologist was targeting the university's growing population of Chinese students in recent years. The Chinese students often had a limited knowledge of the English language and American medical norms. The Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles expressed serious concern over the scandal on May 16, requesting the university to take serious steps to investigate the issue and protect Chinese students from illegal acts. One day later, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, a major Chinese student organization at the USC, also issued a statement, calling on Chinese students to speak up against any violation of their rights. In response, the USC Student Health organization promised to provide more medical resources in Chinese for international students from China. The USC Student Health Center has only one Chinese-speaking mental health counselor at present, and none of the center's physicians or medical services staff speak Chinese. The center plans to hire a Chinese-speaking medical assistant by the start of fall classes, according to the USC commitment to change. "It's a good opportunity for us to look at how we're taking care of the Chinese students," Dr. Sarah Van Orman, chief student health officer, told USC Annenberg Media. The USC is a leading private research university located in Los Angeles. There are 45,500 students enrolled in the 2017-18 academic year, including around 5,400 from the Chinese mainland, accounting for about half of the USC's international enrollment. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 17:03:51|Editor: zh Video Player Close HANOI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Vietnamese government has agreed with the Education Ministry's proposal on exempting preschoolers and students of state-funded junior high schools from tuition fees, according to a resolution of the cabinet meeting in July posted on the government portal on Thursday. Students of private schools, especially those in poor or remote areas, will receive tuition-related assistance from the state. Also according to the resolution, the Ministry of Education and Training is supposed to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and cities and provinces nationwide to offer financial support for implementation of the tuition fee exemption policy in a suitable roadmap. Currently only primary school students are exempted from tuition fees. If the exemption is extended to preschoolers and junior high school students (from the sixth to the ninth grade), over five million children will benefit from the policy, according to local online newspaper VnExpress. The tuition fee exemption will be part of a draft law on education which is scheduled to be submitted in October to Vietnam's top legislature for consideration. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 17:49:00|Editor: zh Video Player Close HANOI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- A Vietnamese court on Thursday sentenced a local 43-year-old man life behind bars for transporting 8,000 pills of synthetic drug from Laos to Vietnam. The People's Court of central Ha Tinh province passed the sentence on Nguyen Nhu Ba from central Nghe An province, who was arrested in Ha Tinh in January when carrying 8,000 pills of drug, Vietnamese online newspaper VnExpress reported. Ba confessed that when purchasing agricultural products in Laos for resale in Vietnam, he was hired by two Lao men to transport the drug with a wage of 1 million Vietnamese dong (43.5 U.S. dollars). According to Vietnamese law, those convicted of smuggling over 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine are punishable by death. Making or trading 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal drugs also faces death penalty. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 18:24:10|Editor: zh Video Player Close HARARE, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has exhorted the United States to have a clear grip of the political situation in the country. State-owned newspaper The Herald reported Thursday that Mnangagwa had told reporters after meeting new U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols the previous day that the new envoy, who started his tour of duty in the country in July, should have a proper understanding of what is happening in the country. Nichols paid a courtesy call on Mnangagwa a few days after U.S. President Donald Trump renewed sanctions on the country. Nichols urged the Zimbabwean Constitutional Court to remain impartial as it dealt with the challenge on the presidential election result brought before it by opposition leader Nelson Chamisa of the MDC Alliance. Chamisa is challenging Mnangagwa's victory over him after the president polled 50.8 percent of the vote to his 44.3 percent. Asked what his views were on Trump's decision to renew the sanctions, Mnangagwa said: "Should I concern myself about what is happening in Washington? Do they concern themselves about us?" He said the discussions he had held with Nichols were necessary since he was an ambassador who should have the correct appreciation of the current political environment. "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. "We would want our people, yourselves to be peaceful, to convey the message of peace, tranquility and unity. Only when the country is stable and people are peaceful can development thrive, not when we are throwing stones at each other. That is the message you people must convey," he said. Six people died on Aug. 1 after opposition supporters protested in central Harare over perceived delays by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to announce the results of general elections held two days earlier. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 18:44:16|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close LHASA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Tsomo, 26, is the only staff for the post office at the foot of the world's highest peak Qomolangma, also known as Mount Everest, in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Located more than 5,200 meters above sea level, the 20-square-meter post office was established in 1998 at the base of Mount Qomolangma in Zhaxizom Township in Tingri County. It is known among global tourists as the highest post office in the world. The Tibetan girl has been working at the office since she graduated from a vocational school in the city of Shigatse in 2011, with a monthly salary of about 1,000 U.S. dollars. In many people's eyes, Tsomo's job is easy and boring: every workday, she needs to postmark thousands of postcards and souvenir picture albums which display spectacular views of Mount Qomolangma in different seasons. At the post office, a postcard has two postmarks: a red mark printed with the word Qomolangma both in Chinese and Tibetan, and a black mark indicating the date and address of the post office. During the peak travel season from April to October, Tsomo needs to postmark more than 3,000 cards every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. She sometimes needs to write blessings on postcards in Tibetan for both domestic and overseas visitors. "My job is very meaningful," says Tsomo in response to people who say her job is boring. "Tourists trek several hundred kilometers to have a look at the sacred mountain. They also want to send blessings to their friends and families by mailing postcards." "They cannot leave anything at the base camp for environmental reasons, but they can bring something meaningful home," said Tsomo. The base camp is suitable for year-round travel with a record 114,000 visitors in 2017. Staying at private houses, tea houses, or lodges is the most common practice at the base camp. The busy work leads to irregular mealtimes for Tsomo. "I usually don't eat my meals during 'normal' times. Several tourists have to leave the base camp before sunset. I need to postmark their postcards as soon as possible so they can descend early," said Tsomo. During the peak season, Tsomo's colleagues will come from Tingri two or three times a week to the post office to collect the postcards waiting to be mailed to every corner of the world. "Sometimes I feel tired and bored. But every time I see visitors writing down their blessings, I can imagine how happy their families will be when receiving them from the sacred mountain," said Tsomo. "I become refreshed and energetic again." Working alone at the world's highest post office is not so hard for Tsomo. After work, she often spends hours reading books, watching TV programs or video chatting with her family who lives in downtown Tingri. "I am not lonely. I go back home twice a month and my parents and four siblings often come to see me," said Tsomo. Tsomo has also made friends with the local people who run the tea houses or lodges at the base camp. "We often talk about the latest happenings with each other when we are not busy," said Tsomo. "They often prepare meals for me when I am busy, which I really appreciate." The job also brings happy surprises to Tsomo who has received many postcards or letters from tourists. "I have made friends with some of the visitors. After they return home, they will share their travels with me by mailing me letters or postcards," Tsomo smiled when speaking of her friends far away. Over the past seven years, Tsomo has received more than 50 postcards which are hung on the wall of her dormitory near the post office. "I feel warm every time I see them. They make me realize that my job is meaningful," said Tsomo. The 8,848-meter high Mount Qomolangma presents dangers such as altitude sickness and bad weather. "The plateau bestows upon us a superior physicality, stronger lungs and heart, and a bright red face. These are gifts of nature," said Tsomo. "Although my working conditions are hard, I will stick to my post and send blessings from Mount Qomolangma to more people across the world," said Tsomo. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 18:54:21|Editor: mym Video Player Close WELLINGTON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), a New Zealand state insurance agency, will invest a further 1.7 million NZ dollars (1.1 million U.S. dollars) over the next three years to support the expansion of family violence intervention, Minister for ACC Iain Lees-Galloway said on Thursday. Gandhi Nivas is an early intervention service that provides emergency accommodation and counselling for perpetrators of family violence, Lees-Galloway said in a statement. It also provides services and referrals that help keep victims safe. ACC invested 1.32 million NZ dollars (868,593 million U.S. dollars) in the Gandhi Nivas service in December 2016 to enable a full wrap-around service around the perpetrator, victim and family, he said. "Gandhi Nivas provides counselling to help people examine the consequences of their actions. It challenges people to accept responsibility, and helps them to change their behavior," the minister said, adding Gandhi Nivas' early intervention approach to family violence aligns to ACC's violence prevention strategy to reduce harm caused by violence at home. "This early intervention approach places the victim first. Most importantly, it allows the victim to remain in the family home," he said. A fourth of all code violations against Better Housing Foundations Chicago buildings came at one complex: 7250 S. South Shore Dr. From a leaking roof to an elevator prone to breaking down, tenants in the building reported and city inspectors found many problems, according to complaints to 311, city inspection records and tenant interviews. Scroll to explore this building Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 18:59:21|Editor: mym Video Player Close ISTANBUL, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Despite Turkey's threat to seek new allies in place of the United States amid an unprecedented row between the two NATO allies, analysts say Ankara would not break its alliance with Washington. "I do not expect Turkey to look for new allies," said Yasar Yakis, a former minister of foreign affairs, adding that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks should be taken as a warning rather than something tangible. Ties between Ankara and Washington have been extremely strained in recent weeks over Turkey's detention of U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson. As the tension peaked last week, Erdogan warned in an article in New York Times that "the unilateral actions against Turkey by the United States, our ally of decades, will only serve to undermine American interests and security." "Failure to reverse this trend of unilateralism and disrespect will require us to start looking for new friends and allies," the president said in the article. Andrew Brunson, whom Washington claims to be innocent, has been under arrest since October 2016. A Turkish court transferred Brunson to house arrest in late July. The pastor is being charged with espionage as well as helping the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and being linked to those involved in the failed coup attempt of 2016 in Turkey. Yakis agreed that Turkey, with its critically important geo-strategical position and a powerful army, could "easily find allies elsewhere if it is alienated by its NATO allies." However, the former diplomat does not think "the trans-Atlantic community will push Turkey to such an option." Washington has been hugely frustrated by the court's decision as it hoped, according to earlier negotiations with Ankara, that Brunson would be set free. Despite Erdogan's remarks, Turkey would not go so far as to look for new allies, said Huseyin Bagci, a professor of international relations at the Middle East Technical University. "It's not possible for Turkey to break with the West," remarked Bagci. Turkey has been a NATO member since 1952 and its military infrastructure as well as a major portion of its weapons systems fit with the NATO's. Abdulkadir Selvi, a pro-government columnist in the Hurriyet daily, said the issue over Bunson may be settled this weekend through the ongoing negotiations. Hasan Koni, who teaches international relations at Istanbul Kultur University, thinks breaking ties with the United States and NATO would place Turkey under Moscow's sway. "Turkey's own strategic interests would also be harmed in such a case," he said. Ankara and Moscow have significantly improved ties in recent years, but many feel that the two countries also have diverging interests in areas such as the Caucasus and the Central Asia. Some feel Erdogan's signal in his article titled "How Turkey Sees the Crisis with the U.S." that Ankara is not without options aims more to please the public. Ankara has so far not given up on the order for passenger planes from Boeing despite the row with Washington, Bagci said. Turkey's flag carrier Turkish Airlines inked a 11-billion-U.S.-dollar deal last year to buy jets from the American company. The ties between the two NATO allies have soured long before the Brunson crisis. The United States has been disturbed by Ankara's increasing cooperation with Moscow in recent years. Despite Washington's strong protests, Turkey says it will go ahead with its plan to buy Russia's sophisticated S-400 air defense system. The United States also pushes Ankara to comply with its sanctions recently imposed on Iran, while Turkey said it would continue to buy gas from its neighbour. Meanwhile, Ankara itself is highly vexed by the U.S. military support for the Kurdish militia in Syria which it sees as the Syrian offshoot of the PKK. Ankara is also angry with Washington for its unwillingness to hand over Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Turkish Islamic cleric whom Ankara accuses of masterminding the 2016 failed coup against the Erdogan administration. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 18:59:21|Editor: zh Video Player Close An Afghan security force member stands at the site of an attack in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 16, 2018. A group of armed militants occupied a building in the 5th Police District of Kabul and attacked a security training center, on Thursday, police said. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah) KABUL, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- A group of armed militants occupied a building in the 5th Police District of Kabul and attacked a security training center, on Thursday, police said. According to a police officer, who declined to be named, a group of armed insurgents occupied a building which is under construction in the 5th Police District on Thursday morning and begun targeting a training center of the National Directorate for Security (NDS) or the country's intelligence agency. Officials have yet to make comments. However, the gun battle is still continuing. This is the second shocking attack in Kabul over the past two days. In the previous attack on Wednesday, a suicide bomber blew himself up in a school training center in the 18 Police District, killing 34 students and injuring 56 others. The hardliner Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for it. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 19:04:22|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- China's top environmental watchdog will implement a three-year action plan from this year to clamp down on environmental offenses including fabrication and interference of monitoring data. China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment will step up supervision and checks on the data gathered by monitoring agencies at provincial, municipal and county levels, an official with the ministry said Thursday. Polluters in key regions such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area and Yangtze River Delta as well as sectors including papermaking will be scrutinized, according to the official. Despite progress in China's ecological and environmental monitoring in recent years, salient and urgent problems still exist such as repeated falsification of data by polluters and recurrent interference from local authorities, the official noted. Local officials found guilty of interfering with environmental monitoring will receive disciplinary punishment in accordance with relevant law and rules, and those confirmed of criminal offenses in tampering with or fabricating monitoring data will be prosecuted by judicial organs, the official added. Earlier this month, the ministry held talks with leading government officials from the city of Linfen in coal-rich Shanxi Province regarding lax environmental protection measures and worsening air quality. The ministry found the city had fabricated environmental monitoring data from April 2017 to March 2018 by interfering with its six monitoring stations nearly 100 times. Sixteen people involved in fabricating data were convicted and sentenced to varying jail terms in May 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 19:24:28|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- China's anti-pornography office said Thursday that 1,834 suspects had been arrested and 1,052 criminal cases solved in a national crackdown on pornography. Operations targeting live-streaming platforms, online games, literature and video have been launched across the country to fight against pornographic content since February, according to the National Office Against Pornographic and Illegal Publications. In one case, police in the city of Chenzhou, Hunan Province, smashed a large transnational live-streaming platform aggregator, busting more than 100 platforms displaying porn and detaining 163 people. "The fight against online porn concerns the healthy growth of young people and the immediate interests of the public," said the office, which vowed to continue the crackdown. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 19:44:34|Editor: zh Video Player Close QALAT, Afghanistan, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Up to 31 militants were killed as Afghan Air Force in series of sorties pounded Taliban hideouts in parts of the southern Zabul province on Thursday, provincial police chief Mohammad Mustafa Mayar said. Acting upon intelligence reports, the military aircraft, according to the official, targeted Taliban hideouts in Shinkai, Nawbahar, Rohani Baba and other parts of Zabul early on Thursday, killing 31 militants and injuring several others. Taliban militants who have intensified anti-government activities over the past couple of months and recently attempted to overrun provincial capital Qalat, are yet to make comments on the report. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 20:04:58|Editor: zh Video Player Close A military helicopter takes part in the 13-nation military exercise "Noble Partner 2018" at Vaziani base near Tbilisi, Georgia, Aug. 15, 2018. The 13-nation "Noble Partner 2018" is held from Aug. 1 to 15 in Georgia with over 3,000 troops taking part. (Xinhua/Kulumbegashvili Tamuna) Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 20:04:40|Editor: zh Video Player Close BERLIN, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Investigators have uncovered Germany's largest-ever illegal value-added tax (VAT) evasion scheme, the Berlin State Prosecution Office has announced. The prosecutors said on Wednesday night that more than 50 individual suspects and firms stand accused of having withheld several hundreds of millions of euros in VAT from fiscal authorities in revenue generated through copper trading activities. At least 100,000 tons of the commodity are believed to have been brought to Germany from Serbia where it was then sold illicitly to industrial customers via a network of front companies. A 47-year-old Bosnian citizen has already been sentenced to seven years in prison by the Berlin Higher Regional Court as the ringleader behind the VAT evasion scheme. The individual has appealed the decision and is currently not in police custody. Martin Steltner, a spokesperson for the Berlin State Prosecution Office, told press on Wednesday that investigations were first launched in 2014 and have led to the confiscation of 25 million euros (28.4 million U.S. dollar) in assets so far. The case was not revealed to the public until now in order to enable investigators to carry out their covert work without potential disruptions. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 20:09:41|Editor: zh Video Player Close RIYADH, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday the arrival of more than 1.6 million pilgrims from all over the world to perform Hajj in the kingdom. The success of receiving foreign pilgrims was a result of coordination between concerned authorities, Sulaiman Al Yahya, general director of passports, told a press conference aired by Al Khbariya local TV. Meanwhile, he said more than 233,000 domestic pilgrims have arrived at the holy city of Mecca, expecting more to come. Yahya also warned of illegal pilgrimage, saying legal actions have been taken against 18 individuals for transporting pilgrims without permits. Saudi Arabia has taken tough steps to prevent the entry of pilgrims without permits to avoid mishaps because of overcrowded areas in Mecca, especially at ritual performing sites. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 20:24:46|Editor: mym Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- India's former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on Thursday, said a statement issued by the hospital where he was admitted. Vajpayee, who belonged to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the main ruling party in the country, was 93 years old. A bachelor throughout his life, he was survived by an adopted daughter. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 20:29:47|Editor: zh Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Congressional leaders from the western U.S. state of Oregon Wednesday urged President Donald Trump to relieve the state's hazelnut farmers from the ongoing tariff spat between the United States and China. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, as well as three other representatives, all of whom represent Oregon, called on the Trump administration to work with China to reduce or eliminate Chinese tariffs that are harming Oregon's hazelnut farmers and making it more difficult for them to compete with growers in other countries. In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, they said, "U.S. hazelnut farmers and producers find themselves at a disadvantage when competing with other producers that are subject to lower tariffs, or are not subject to tariffs at all." Previously, China had a 25 percent and 10 percent tariff respectively on in-shell and shelled hazelnuts grown in the United States. In response to the U.S.-initiated tariff war against China, the Chinese Government has raised tariffs on in-shell and shelled U.S. hazelnuts to 65 percent and 50 percent respectively, said the congressional leaders. They urged Trump to engage with China to level the playing field for Oregon farmers and help their industry thrive. "We encourage you to seek an elimination or substantial reduction of China's burdensome tariffs on Oregon in-shell and shelled hazelnuts as part of any future dialogue with China on tariff barriers to U.S. agriculture exports," they wrote. The reduction or elimination of these tariffs would make a meaningful difference to Oregon family farmers and U.S. producers, they said. About 800 farm families in Oregon grow hazelnuts on over 27,000 hectares. In an interview with Xinhua on Wednesday, Larry George, co-owner of George Packing Company, said the 800 families and their employees will be directly affected by high tariffs on hazelnuts. Thousands of small businesses that serve those family farmers will also be affected. He estimated that the hazelnut price will fall by 25 percent to 30 percent due to the trade disputes. "The close relationships between Oregon businesses and China, Chinese businesses, and Chinese consumers are very important to the whole state of Oregon," George said. "I believe that most businesses and elected offices (from Oregon) are advocating that the two governments come together for the good of both countries." Oregon hazelnut farmers will start harvesting their crop around Sept. 15. "There is very little movement right now and the markets are totally quiet," George said, voicing his anxiety about a gloomy prospect for hazelnut sales and exports. "The real impact is expected in about 30 days," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 20:44:51|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close NANNING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Wenxiong, former head of the publicity department of the Communist Party of China Hunan provincial committee, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined 2 million yuan for taking bribes and holding a huge amount of property with unidentified sources. Zhang's illicit gains will be turned over to the state treasury, according to the verdict announced by the Intermediate People's Court of Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The court found that between 2002 and 2016, Zhang took advantage of his positions to seek benefits for others in project contracting, and personnel arrangements and promotions, among others. He was convicted of accepting money and gifts worth over 23.35 million yuan (3.4 million U.S. dollars) personally or through his wife, Tu Aifang, between 2004 and 2016. Zhang also could not account for his assets of 51.58 million yuan, said the court, adding Zhang's family wealth and expenditure clearly exceeded his legal income. Zhang confessed his crimes, pled guilty and expressed remorse, and returned most of the bribes, which constituted mitigation of sentence, the court said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 20:49:51|Editor: zh Video Player Close ANKARA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Qatar has pledged to inject 15 billion U.S. dollars into Turkey's economy hit by a currency plunge amid its escalating row with the United States, to show support for a regional ally. The announcement came after a Wednesday meeting between Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the capital Ankara. The Qatari official media said the lifeline money would go to economic projects, investments and deposits. Also on Wednesday, Turkey announced steep tariff hikes on U.S. products including cars, tobacco and alcohol, in response to U.S. decision last week to levy tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminum. The funding support promised by Al-Thani sent the weakening Turkish lira, which has been eroded by the political spat between Washington and Ankara, to rally from its record lows on Wednesday and Thursday. After falling by more than 45 percent against the U.S. dollar since January, lira bounced back to 5.75 on Wednesday, a more than 5 percent gain, and stood at 5.85 on Thursday afternoon. Turkey is currently grappling with a currency plunge and heightened tensions with the United States, its NATO ally, over its detention of U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson over charges of terrorism and involvement in a Turkish failed coup in 2016. All the charges, however, are viewed by the United States as baseless. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for boycott of American electronic products, accusing its ally of stabbing Turkey in the back. On Wednesday, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence confirmed the Trump administration's insistence on Turkey's release of the American clergyman. Al-Thani is the first foreign head of state to visit Ankara since the beginning of its stand-off with Washington last week. Turkey and gas-rich Qatar are bound by strategic relations on the political, economic and military fronts. Turkey has sent hundreds of troops to the Qatar-Turkey Combined Joint Force Command, a military base in Qatar's capital Doha. The Gulf country has moved closer to countries such as Turkey and Iran, after the Saudi-led Arab states severed diplomatic, trade and travel ties with Qatar last year, accusing Doha of financing terrorism. Qatar has 20 billion dollars of investments in Turkey, which is one of the top exporters to the kingdom. Experts believe the Qatari move is a "show of solidarity" toward Turkey for its instant support during the Gulf crisis in the past year. "Relations between Doha and Ankara are very special, very different from other nations in this region," Serkan Demirtas, a political analyst and journalist, told Xinhua. Economic analysts, however, are still waiting to see in which fields the pledged money will be invested and how it could help Turkey recover from what its leader calls an "economic war." Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 20:59:55|Editor: zh Video Player Close By Alessandra Cardone GENOA, Italy, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The private company managing most of Italy's highway network came under heavy fire on Thursday, in the aftermath of the dramatic collapse of a bridge in the northwest city of Genoa on Aug. 14 that claimed dozens of lives. The Italian government announced its intention to revoke the concession to Autostrade per l'Italia, although Genoa's prosecution office was still investigating into the specific causes of the incident. The official statement came from Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte late on Wednesday. "We will revoke the concession because there is no doubt that -- as far as the highway system is concerned -- Autostrade had the responsibility and the duty to maintain the viaduct in a way as to ensure the full safety of citizens," Conte told a press conference. On Thursday, Deputy PM Luigi DI Maio reiterated such position, with harsher words. "If privates are not able to manage a highway, the state will move in," Di Maio told reporters outside Genoa's prefecture after a technical meeting held with rescue agencies and local authorities. "It is unconceivable that people pays a toll to die ... And we will see in what ways the government will move in the next months, now that there is the concession withdrawal (on the table)," the Vice prime minister added. Soon after Prime Minister Conte had officially announced the intention to revoke the concession, Autostrade had said it was "confident to be able to demonstrate it has always correctly fulfilled its obligations as a concessionaire." It further responded to the attacks on Thursday, stressing in a statement that "all of the managers, women, and men of the group are the first to be interested in searching the truth in the tragedy of Genoa's viaduct." "With this goal, they are actively cooperating with the authorities in charge." Autostrade further said it would rigorously take the necessary measures in case internal investigations, or the probes carried out by authorities, should unveil responsibilities of executive officers, officials, or technicians of the company, "even regardless possible criminal aspects." Meanwhile, the shares of international holding company Atlantia operating toll motorways and airports in Italy and other countries -- of which Autostrade is part -- fell heavily on the Milan stock market on Thursday morning. The holding posted a total revenue of 6.0 billion euros (6.8 billion U.S. dollars) in 2017, according to its official group profile. The viaduct involved in the collapse on Tuesday -- also called "Morandi Bridge" -- was built between 1963 and 1967. It served as a major connection linking western and eastern Genoa, and between the city and two highways leading towards the Lombardy region and the French border, respectively. The collapse concerned a central portion of the 1,182-meter long bridge, which had undergone an overhaul in 2016. A death toll of 39 was confirmed by the prefecture on Thursday, yet it remained provisional. Some 15 wounded people were hospitalized, nine of which in serious conditions. Some 380 firefighters kept searching for the third consecutive days on the site of the incident. They were working now with cranes and heavy equipment only to remove the huge concrete debris and reach those who may still be missing. As many as 10-20 people may still be missing in the bridge collapse incident in Genoa two days ago, local media cited the city's chief prosecutor as saying on Thursday. Customers talk with staff members at an Apple store in Zorlu Center shopping mall in Istanbul, Turkey, on Aug. 15, 2018. (Xinhua/He Canling) ISTANBUL, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's biggest mobile phone importing companies have cancelled their iPhone orders as Turkish citizens join a move to boycott U.S. products. According to the Hurriyet Daily, a significant number of importers have begun to withdraw their short and long-term orders after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's appeal to boycott U.S. electronic products on Tuesday. Three big companies operating in Dogubank, a trade center specialized in the sales of electronic products in central Istanbul, suspended 50 million U.S. dollars' worth of iPhone orders, the Turkish daily said. According to the traders, the buyers in Anatolia also cancelled their contracts on the purchase of iPhone models. "The demands were cut like a knife. We have put local brands on the shelf and removed iPhones," a mobile phone shop owner was quoted as saying. In the meantime, ordinary Turkish citizens continue to back the boycott. Ozgur Altinbas, a 25-year-old student, told Xinhua that he is considering joining the boycott by giving up the iPhone he has used for three years to buy an Asian mobile brand. "I am one hundred percent behind the boycott appeal," he said. Nearly 10 million people use U.S. iPhones in Turkey, press reports said, adding that the amount paid for the products hit 7 billion dollars in 10 years. Meanwhile, Turkish people in social media tend to expand boycott in other U.S. products ranging from textile to fast food. Last week, Washington doubled steel and aluminum tariffs on Turkey over its continued detention of the U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson. In return, Erdogan signed a decree to raise tariffs on U.S. imports including cars, alcohol and tobacco. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 21:16:22|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Fei Yunfeng's wife Yan Hongfang goes to visit a patient in Lianhe Village of Qianyuan Township in Deqing County, east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 14, 2018. The 38-year-old Fei and his wife Yan are family doctors in Qianyuan Township of Deqing County. They have been here to offer medical care services to villagers for more than ten years and have a good relationship with local residents. So far, there have been over 800 family doctors in Deqing. (Xinhua/Ni Lifang) Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 21:20:01|Editor: zh Video Player Close BERLIN, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- German interior authorities faced a wave of criticism from opposition and judicial representatives on Thursday after the Muenster Higher Administrative Court (OVG) ruled that the deportation of Sami A. was unlawful and would hence have to be reversed. Several voices called for the resignation of North Rhine-Westphalian integration minister Joachim Stamp. Earlier, Stamp had defended the removal of Sami A. as being legally sound and said he would take "complete personal responsibility" for the decision. "I expect (Stamp) to take the necessary steps now following his verbal statement," SPD regional faction leader Thomas Kutschaty said. According to Kutschaty, the time had come for the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Free Democratic Party (FDP) coalition to pay the price for gross misconduct in the deportation of Sami A. "A government that does not abide by the law has lost more than its moral authority," he added. Similarly, Green party (Gruene) legal spokesperson Stefan Engstfeld urged Stamp to "draw the inevitable conclusion" after the Muenster OVG found that his office had "deceived and ignored" independent judicial authorities. An alleged former bodyguard of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, Sami A. was deported to Tunisia on July 13, one day after the Gelsenkirchen administrative court overturned the deportation decision on the grounds that the terror suspect was at risk of being tortured in his native country. The Muenster OVG confirmed the initial decision by the Gelsenkirchen court on Wednesday night, rejecting an appeal filed by the City of Bochum and state of North Rhine-Westphalia to prevent Sami A.'s return to Germany. In their verdict, the judges launched a searing attack on interior authorities ranging from regional migration officers to Interior Minister Horst Seehofer for attempting to bypass the rule of law. The OVG found that information had been withheld from courts and that Stamp refused to halt the deportation in spite of being aware that it was "obviously unlawful". Stamp himself reacted to the news with shock. "The court decision leaves us perplexed," he said. The FDP politician vowed to respond to the accusation by judges of having relied on "half-truths" to achieve an illicit political objective with more transparency. Writing in WELT, FDP deputy faction leader Wolfgang Kubicki turned against Stamp, his party colleague, and warned that authorities could not "turn the rule of law on and off as they pleased." Kubicki also lashed out at Seehofer, saying it was an "unbelievable failure" on Seehofer's behalf to have obtained a diplomatic note from the Tunisian government to guarantee Sami A. would not be tortured there as demanded by the Gelsenkirchen court in its first verdict. Speaking to the German press agency (dpa), Muenster OVG president Ricarda Brandt echoed Kubicki's words, saying: "The case of Sami A. raises questions about democracy and the rule of law, especially with regards to the division of powers and effective legal protection". Brandt warned her colleagues in the judiciary to treat assurances made by authorities with greater caution in the future. She lamented that Sami A.'s case had caused damage to the traditional "relationship of trust" between the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of government in Germany. Responding to such criticism, North Rhine-Westphalian interior minister Herbert Reul struck a defiant stance on Thursday. "The independence of courts is valuable. Nevertheless, judges should always ensure that their decisions also reflect the sense of justice of the population," he told Rheinische Post newspaper. German interior authorities still have the possibility to lodge a final appeal at the Federal Constitutional Court, although this step would not in itself invalidate the order by the Muenster OVG to bring Sami. A back to Germany as soon as possible. However, it remained unclear on Thursday whether Tunisia will actually allow the suspect to leave the country again. Earlier, the local judiciary issued a statement noting that it reserved to right to reach its own judgement on how to proceed with the Tunisian national. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 21:25:04|Editor: zh Video Player Close BERLIN, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- German business representatives expressed optimism on Thursday that an upcoming meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin could mark a further step towards an improvement in bilateral relations between the two countries. "The intensity of exchange between Germany and Russia has increased significantly during the past months. This is a desirable development," Wolfgang Buechele, president of the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations, told press. Buechele said that fresh proposals made by Putin on the future direction of the peace progress in Ukraine during the meeting on Saturday could open up a "new positive agenda for European-Russian relations." The committee president said a "real normalization" of international cooperation between Moscow and Berlin would only become possible once the Ukrainian obstacle had been cleared. Buechele said assurances made recently by Russia to keep using Ukraine as a transit country for gas deliveries to Europe were encouraging in this context. The German committee has repeatedly warned that U.S. sanctions against Russia would cause harm to German companies as well, particularly those involved in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project. The United States and some Eastern European countries, including Ukraine and Poland, have attacked Nord Stream 2 as allegedly being politically-motivated and devoid of economic value. But German business leaders remain steadfast in their support of the pipeline which was first proposed in 1995. "Nord Stream 2 is a project of European energy companies based on a clear economic calculation: The routes to the new production areas in North Siberia are shorter and the transport costs are lower in the long-term than holds for existing routes via Ukraine," a statement by the German committee in response to U.S. criticism recently read. German-Russian trade grew again for the first time in five years in 2017 to a total volume of 57 billion euros (64.8 billion U.S. dollars). Exports by German companies to the country were 26 billion euros. (1 euro = 1.14 dollars) Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 21:40:09|Editor: zh Video Player Close BERLIN, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The number of publicly-listed companies in Germany which have downgraded their earnings forecasts during the first six months of the year has risen to its highest level since 2011, a report published on Thursday by the accountancy firm Ernst & Young (EY) has found. According to EY, 42 listed companies downgraded their commercial expectations during the first half of 2018 in spite of the lasting momentum of the German economy. In 2017, only 29 companies made negative revisions. The number of firms which raised their forecasts also fell from 106 in 2017 to 42 in 2018. "During the last months, companies which face intense international competition, and are active abroad in particular, have encountered difficulties in meeting their own targets," EY partner Martin Steinbach said, noting that such companies were especially exposed to geo-political risks. "The trade conflict unleashed by the United States is already leading to significant losses for export-oriented German firms," Steinbach said. German automotive producers and other internationally active businesses frequently have globe-spanning value chains which could easily be disrupted by the imposition of new tariffs. The report by EY was published shortly after German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier highlighted the harmful impact of unilateral economic measures adopted by U.S. President Donald Trump, telling Bild newspaper the trade war "slows and destroys economic growth, while producing new uncertainties". Altmaier offered cautious praise for a recent easing in the trade conflict reached between the European Union (EU) and United States. The minister said, however, that the concessions won by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in negotiations with Trump could "only be a first step" towards a wider reversal of the U.S. trend towards more protectionism. While the interim agreement between Juncker and Trump would protect "hundreds of thousands of jobs in Germany and Europe," it remains to be seen whether Washington would actually hold off on earlier threats to expand tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from the bloc to automotive products more generally. Chancellor Angela Merkel and German business associations have repeatedly called for mutual tariff reductions as a means to repair strained transatlantic ties and help improve the export competitiveness of the U.S. economy. Any elimination of trade barriers in the automotive (and other) sectors would have to take place in a framework of a wider agreement on U.S.-EU industrial tariff reduction under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. The EU has so far reacted to the U.S. imposition of punitive tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum from the bloc by filing a WTO lawsuit against Washington and unveiling retaliatory measures targeted at specific U.S. exports such as Bourbon whisky and Harley Davidson motorcycles. Harley Davidson subsequently announced it would shift parts of its U.S. production abroad to evade new duties in what was a blow to Trump's "America First" doctrine. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 21:45:10|Editor: zh Video Player Close SOFIA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian authorities in the northeastern town of Razgrad have seized 30,000 ecstasy pills weighing 11.3 kg and arrested two suspects, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement on Thursday. The two criminals, local residents aged 34 and 43, were arrested while conducting a drug deal near Razgrad on Wednesday, and police found 20,000 ecstasy pills weighing 7.78 kg in their car, the statement said. Subsequently, the authorities found another 10,000 pills weighing 3.52 hidden in the cemetery of Razgrad, it said. According to initial data, the drug was destined for the domestic market, it said. The investigation is going on, it added. Ecstasy or methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) is a synthetic drug that alters mood and perception. Bulgaria is on a popular transit route for drug trafficking. However, a survey conducted at the end of 2016 revealed that drug use in the country has been increasing. According to the survey, 2.6 percent of the population aged 15-64 had at least one drug use in the last month, while in 2005, 2008 and 2012 the figure stood at 0.8 percent, 1.8 percent and 2.1 percent. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 22:10:18|Editor: zh Video Player Close ZAGREB, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- A man who was driving illegal migrants across the Croatian-Bosnian border was seriously injured trying to escape from the Croatian police, the police reported on Thursday. The driver was arrested on Wednesday afternoon in the village Gornji Vaganc, near the popular tourist spot of Plitvice Lakes National Park. Driving a van with Serbian plates, he ignored police warning to stop. The rushing van hit a police car a few times before the driver jumped off the van and fell in a river canyon. He was transported to the nearest hospital in Karlovac with a life-threatening injury. According to police report, 24 migrants who illegally crossed the border were in the van. Among them were 12 people from Pakistan, seven from Afghanistan, three Iranians and two Syrians, police spokesperson Maja Brozicevic told Croatian state agency Hina. They will be all transferred back to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the country from which they illegally entered Croatia. In 2015 and 2016 Croatia was part of the so-called Balkan route along which almost a million migrants flowed from Greece via Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia into Austria and further north. In the last few months, there was an increasing number of migrants trying to illegally cross the Croatian border and reach western Europe. Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic told Hina on Tuesday that Croatia will not tolerate illegal acts of trespassing on its territory. He stressed that all European Union member states have shifted the mood towards migrations and that the policy that was pursued at the peak of the migrant tide, when migrants were allowed to go further to the west and north, proved to be unfeasible at European level. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 22:25:20|Editor: zh Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be a good showcase of South-South cooperation, an Ethiopian official said on Thursday. Speaking to Xinhua, Meles Alem, Spokesperson of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), said the FOCAC Beijing summit has already shown that it is the ideal forum on political and economic issues between China and Africa. FOCAC, which was founded 18 years ago, remains an important instrument in China-Africa cooperation, said Alem. "In fact it's the best practice of South-South cooperation." Alem emphasized that the upcoming FOCAC summit comes at a time of rapidly growing economic, political and educational ties between African continent and China. "Chinese investment, trade with Africa is increasing by the day. Chinese investment to Africa between 2016-2018 is close to 5 billion U.S. dollars." Alem told Xinhua. "Many Africans are trained in China. Chinese experts are also contributing to the development endeavors of the continent. Therefore, FOCAC would continue to be an important instrument in the diplomatic ties between our continent and China," he further said. With Ethiopia, a previous host to FOCAC in 2003 and a seat of the African Union, expected to be a key participant in the FOCAC Beijing summit, Alem was keen to highlight the longstanding ties between China and Ethiopia, one of Africa's oldest continuous civilizations. "These two are old civilizations, great civilizations. They have traditional ties before time in immemorial. The formal diplomatic ties started in 1970. Since then the political, social relations has been very strong," said Alem. "China is a front-runner in supporting Ethiopia's infrastructure development from the Light Rail Line in Addis Ababa to many tarmac roads in different parts of the country, to the Addis Ababa-Adama and Addis Hawassa expressways and many other projects and we have a good number of Ethiopians trained in China," said Alem. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 22:25:20|Editor: zh Video Player Close MOSCOW, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Two Tu-160 strategic missile carriers made their first landing in the north-easternmost part of Russia, the country's defense ministry said Thursday. As part of a long-range aviation tactical training, the aircrew practiced non-stop flights and traveled around 7,000 kilometers before the landing at the Anadyr airfield in the Chukotka region, according to a ministry statement. The tactical exercises involved around 10 aircraft, including the Tu-160, Tu-95MS and I1-78, which will carry out airstrikes on ground targets as well as refueling in the air, the statement said. The Tu-160, also known as the "White Swan," is a heavy strategic bomber designed in the Soviet Union and went into service in 1987. The ministry said previously that Russia would overhaul eight of its Tu-160 and Tu-95MS Strategic bombers by the end of this year and start full-scale production of upgraded the Tu-160M2 supersonic strategic bombers. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 22:30:20|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close ANKARA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone on Thursday and exchanged views on the importance of developing economic and trade ties, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. The two leaders agreed that their finance ministers would meet soon and Macron told Erdogan that Turkey's economic stability is important for France, said the report. They also talked on bilateral and regional issues. The talks come as the United States and Turkey, two major NATO allies, are engaged in a bitter diplomatic and trade dispute over the detention of an American pastor accused of terror related charges that has helped drive the Turkish currency to record lows last week before recovering some of its losses in recent days. German Chancellor Angela Merkel also spoke by phone on Wednesday with President Erdogan and stressed that her country does not want to see economic instability in Turkey as the lira's weakness has rippled through global markets. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 22:45:27|Editor: yan Video Player Close WARSAW, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of cases of people infected with the so-called "New Delhi" deadly super bacteria, have been reported this year in Poland, local media reported on Thursday. The deadly bacteria includes an enzyme that makes them resistant to a broad range of antibiotics. The bacteria is therefore particularly dangerous for people with weakened immunity, such as oncological patients or people who had undergone a long antibiotic therapy. The "New Delhi" bacteria is a common Klebsiella pneumoniae that belongs to the intestinal bacteria, but is resistant to all known antibiotics. It may be responsible for dangerous inflammation of the urinary tract and digestive system or meningitis. The bacteria often dwells in hospitals and might lead to life-threatening sepsis. According to local media, last year, there were around 2,000 reported cases in the country. Taking into account the cases reported so far, this number is to be exceeded this year. The first such case of infection in Poland was recorded in 2011, while the bacteria itself was discovered by British scientists only in 2009. Researchers are worried that the "super bacteria" may transmit resistance to antibiotics to other bacteria, which are now completely susceptible to antibiotics, such as cholera and dysentery, which could have deplorable effects on humanity. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 22:50:29|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIRUT, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The short-term positive impact of the drop in the Turkish lira on Lebanon is the decline in the price of products imported from Turkey, local analysts said. "Turkey is one of the main sources of imports for Lebanon so the drop in the Turkish lira will be to our advantage since Turkish imports will become cheaper," Nassib Ghobril, chief economist and head of the Economic Research and Analysis Department at Byblos Bank, told Xinhua. According to a report by local channel LBCI, Lebanon's imports from Turkey reached 777 million U.S. dollars in 2017. Imports from Turkey include iron products, aluminum, food and beverages in addition to clothes. Exports reached 120 million dollars in 2017 and 72 million dollars in the first six months of 2018. The drop in the Turkish lira will also have negative repercussions in the short run when it comes to Lebanon's exports to Turkey. "Exports from Lebanon to Turkey will drop because they will become more expensive," said Ghobril. Jassem Ajaka, an independent economist, said that Lebanese merchants will buy products from Turkey at lower prices and they will be able to make more profits unless they drop their prices which will benefit consumers. LBCI's report says that Lebanese will be encouraged to invest in Turkey following the drop in the Turkish lira. "The Turkish will offer more incentives in a bid to attract foreign investments," it said. "But Lebanon will unfortunately lose these investments," it added. On the banking front, Ghobril says that the drop in the lira may affect Lebanese banks operating in Turkey in the long run. Ghobril explained that companies that have borrowed dollars from banks operating in Turkey will find difficulties in returning this sum because it is more expensive to do so now. He added that there may be a deterioration in the banks assets' quality in terms of non-performing loans or doubtful loans. "There will also be a reluctance on the demand side of loans since the economy has entered a period of uncertainty," said Ghobril while adding that profits will be impacted. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 22:55:30|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIRUT, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The smuggling of agro-products to Lebanon is hurting the country's agriculture sector, said a representative of the sector in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley on Thursday. "We have been coordinating with the customs authorities since three months ago to control the smuggling of agricultural products to Lebanon, but we did not fully succeed because there is no proper accountability by the government in this regard," Ibrahim Tarshishi, head of the Syndicate of Bekaa Farmers, told MTV, a local TV channel. Tarshishi called upon the customs authorities to be stricter in controlling smuggling activities not only in Bekaa but the rest of the Lebanese areas which would reduce such practices by 90 percent. Tarshishi announced a day earlier that the Lebanese market receives daily 500 tons of smuggled agricultural products. The quality of products smuggled to Lebanon is not guaranteed, Tarshishi said. "We do not know what kind of pesticides or water are being used for these products," he was quoted by the National News Agency as saying. Tarshishi expressed his worries that the drop in Turkish lira will result in the flow of Turkish agricultural products to Syria and then to Lebanon which will hurt further the local sector. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 23:00:32|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (1st R) meets with Pakistan's Chairman of Senate Sadiq Sanjrani (1st L) in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday met with Pakistan's Chairman of Senate Sadiq Sanjrani. Pakistan has just held a successfully general election, Wang said, adding that he believed Pakistan's national construction would gain new achievements under the new government. "China is willing to support Pakistan to uphold its sovereignty and right to development, make joint efforts with Pakistan to boost the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, as well as to deepen the bilateral all-weather strategic cooperative partnership," Wang said. Sanjrani said Pakistan would always uphold a friendly policy towards China, which was the consensus reached by all parties in Pakistan and a cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy. "The new government is ready to work with China to push forward the construction of Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor," Sanjrani said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 23:05:34|Editor: yan Video Player Close MOGADISHU, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo carried out a major reshuffle in the security sector and his office as part of efforts to boost security in the Horn of Africa nation. The changes saw the president appoint General Dahir Aden Elmi as the new Chief of Defence Forces, replacing major-general Abdiweli Jama Gorod. In a statement issued in Mogadishu, Farmajo also promoted Leutenant Colonel Odawaa Yusuf Rageh to the rank of general to become the new deputy army chief. The president also appointed Hassan Nur Ol-u-jog as the Commander of the Somali Navy Forces. Hussein Ahmed who was promoted to the rank of General and Said Ahmed Kadiye who previously was the Criminal Investigation Department chief were appointed as the deputies of the Somali Police Force Commander. The president who made the appointments before he left for Djibouti called on all the newly appointed officials to transparently, diligently and professionally carry out their new roles. The changes come as the Horn of Africa nation backed by African Union peacekeeping mission have intensified operations to flush out militants from key locations under their control. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 23:15:37|Editor: yan Video Player Close BERLIN, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- More Germans are buying e-books, especially during the first half of 2018, which led to a strong growth of the e-book market in the country, according to statistics released by the German Publishers and Booksellers Association on Thursday. The number of buyers of e-books increased by 6.1 percent in the first half of 2018 to 2.7 million people, and the average number of books purchased jumped to 6.2 e-books per buyer during the time frame, according to the statistics. More buyers and an increased purchase intensity led to significant growth in revenues as compared to the same period the previous year. For the first time in a half-year, revenue broke the 100-million-euro (114 million U.S. dollar) mark. Compared with the first half of 2017, the revenue of e-books rose by 11.3 percent to 100.6 million euros in 2018. For the fourth year since 2014, the German Publishers and Booksellers Association conducted a broad-based e-book study for Germany in cooperation with a German market research institute, GfK SE, and Consumer Panels Division. The study sheds light on the perspective of customers, retailers and publishers. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 23:15:38|Editor: yan Video Player Close GENEVA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- A group of UN human rights experts on Thursday urged Japan to act quickly to protect tens of thousands of workers who are reportedly being exploited and exposed to toxic nuclear radiation in efforts to clean up the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. "We are deeply concerned about possible exploitation by deception regarding the risks of exposure to radiation, possible coercion into accepting hazardous working conditions because of economic hardships, and the adequacy of training and protective measures," the experts said in a joint media statement issued Thursday. According to the experts, workers hired to decontaminate Fukushima reportedly include migrant workers, asylum seekers, and those who are homeless. They said that contamination of the area and exposure to radiation remains a major hazard for workers trying to make the area safe seven years after the catastrophic nuclear meltdown which followed damage to the power plant from a strong earthquake and subsequent tsunami. According to the experts, tens of thousands of workers have been recruited over the past seven years under the decontamination program. A Japanese government figure showed that 46,386 workers were employed in 2016; and the Radiation Worker Central Registration Centre of Japan has indicated that as many as 76,951 decontamination workers were hired in the five-year period up to 2016. "The people most at risk of exposure to toxic substances are those most vulnerable to exploitation: the poor, children and women, migrant workers, people with disabilities, and older workers," the UN experts stressed. They are often exposed to a myriad of human rights abuses, forced to make the abhorrent choice between their health and income, and their plight is invisible to most consumers and policymakers with the power to change it, the experts explained. The experts include Baskut Tuncak, UN Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes; Urmila Bhoola, UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, and Dainius Puras, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 23:20:39|Editor: yan Video Player Close LONDON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Exports from Britain's Northern Powerhouse region now account for 20 percent of all British goods and services sold abroad, the Department for International Trade said Thursday. Exports have helped propel the value of the Northern Powerhouse economy to more than 325 billion U.S. dollars, greater than the economies of Austria, Belgium or Norway, said the department in a statement issued in London. Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry said: "As we seize the opportunities that come with leaving the European Union, it will be the manufacturers of the Northern Powerhouse that will help us deliver a strong and resilient economy fit for the future." The Northern Powerhouse stretched across northern England from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, taking in major conurbations including Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Hull and Newcastle. British Trade Minister Graham Stuart said: "Exporters are the driving force behind the Northern Powerhouse's economy. Through trade missions tailored to northern businesses and one-to-one support from our expert international trade advisers, the Department for International Trade is helping thousands of businesses across the Northern Powerhouse achieve their export ambitions. Over 9 million U.S. dollars has been earmarked to establish a Northern Powerhouse Taskforce to boost trade and investment across the North. The taskforce has completed over 50 Northern Powerhouse Trade Missions from San Francisco to Singapore. The government report was released to mark the latest four global exporting companies within the region to sign up as Northern Powerhouse partners. "Some of the world's most recognisable brands have signed up to support the government's plan for the Northern Powerhouse as new figures show the region's economy is now greater than that of some European nation," said the Department for International Trade. One of the latest businesses to sign up as supporters is play-equipment manufacturer Playdale which dates back to 1735. The company, based in Cumbria, exports to almost 50 countries. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 23:20:40|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIRUT, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- YASA International for Public Safey, an international NGO, called upon the Lebanese government on Thursday to strictly implement the traffic law in Lebanon after publishing a photo of five Lebanese youths sitting in the trunk of a car. "Lebanese youths are in real danger and the photo was taken in the same place that witnessed a number of serious accidents before," YASA said in a statement published by Al Markazia, a local news agency. "We call upon all municipalities to strictly implement the traffic law," it added. YASA International has previously emphasized the need to inspect vehicles that enter Lebanon for the first time according to the traffic law in a bid to minimize road accidents in the country. According to the latest World Health Organization data published in 2017, road traffic accidents deaths in Lebanon reached 1,129, or 3.34 percent of total deaths. Meanwhile, the Red Cross revealed that the number of car accidents during the first five months of 2018 reached 5,753 resulting in 38 deaths. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 23:25:41|Editor: yan Video Player Close PARIS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday told his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan over phone conversation that Paris remained committed to cement bilateral economic ties and ensure Turkey's economic stability amid lira crisis. During the call, Macron "recalled the strong economic and trade links between the European Union and Turkey and underlined his commitment to a stable and prosperous Turkey," his office said. "He assured President Erdogan of France's support in this regard," the Elysee added in a press release. Turkish lira plunged last week before recovering some of its losses in recent days amid escalating row with the United States, its NATO ally, over its detention of U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson over charges of terrorism and involvement in a Turkish failed coup in 2016. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 23:35:44|Editor: yan Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese embassy in Pakistan on Thursday awarded scholarships from the Chinese government to 140 Pakistani students to study in Chinese universities for the academic year of 2018-2019. The scholarship awarding ceremony was held at the Chinese embassy in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, which was attended by students, teachers, scholars and officials from the two sides. The selected students will leave for China next month for their degrees in different fields, including studies of China's history and culture, medicine, information technology, environmental science, Chinese language teaching and international economic and trade. The students will study in different universities in different regions of the country. Minister-counsellor of the Chinese Embassy Zhao Lijian congratulated the students on their achievement of becoming the pride of their family and for the country. "China is offering the largest number of scholarships to Pakistani students. At least 7,000 Pakistani students were studying on scholarships in China in 2017," said Zhao, adding that over 1,000 Pakistanis are awarded scholarships every year by the Chinese government, universities, local governments, companies and others. Zhao told students that they would feel like home in China because the Chinese government and society both are ready to welcome and facilitate them in their stay for studies in China. Executive Director of Higher Education Commission of Pakistan Arshad Ali told the audience that Pakistani parents and teachers like to send students to China because Chinese universities are of the international standard as of Europe and the United States. The Pakistani official urged the students to attain maximum benefits from their study period in China besides learning of Chinese language and culture. Abdul Rafih, who is going for the master degree in information and communications engineering, told Xinhua that it is a great opportunity because education is very expensive and after getting the scholarship it has made possible for him to achieve his dream of getting higher education from China. Another student Aisha Kisana, who has got a scholarship to study Chinese history and culture in Fudan University, said it is a very comprehensive scholarship program which provides medical insurance, accommodation and stipends. "Many of us who are living in Pakistan, who come from middle-income families, cannot afford to study abroad. It is something very beneficial for Pakistani students," she said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 23:45:46|Editor: yan Video Player Close KIEV, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the situation in eastern Ukraine in a phone conversation, the presidential press service said in a statement on Thursday. During the talks, the two leaders exchanged their views on the ways to ensure progress in a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Donbas, the statement said. In particular, Poroshenko and Merkel discussed the prospects for the deployment of peacekeepers in the conflict-hit region, it said. Conflicts in Donbas region has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people and left approximately 24,000 others injured. On Sept. 5, 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would ask the UN Security Council to send peacekeepers to patrol the contact line in Donbas. Meanwhile, Kiev said it would agree to the deployment of the UN patrol only if the troops would be stationed across the whole area controlled by the armed groups, including the Ukrainian-Russian border. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-16 23:55:50|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LONDON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- A powerful committee of the Houses of Parliament Thursday demanded to know the extent of the use of child spies in covert operations to trap law breakers. Harriet Harman, chair of Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights, has demanded more details on the use of children as covert human intelligence sources, known as CHIS. Authorities in Britain have since 2000 allowed law enforcers to use children in the investigation of minor crimes. This usually involved using young children to attempt to buy cigarettes or alcohol, when under the legal ago of 16 for cigarettes and 18 for alcohol. Veteran politician Harman has asked about the increasing scope for children to assist in both preventing and prosecuting serious crimes including terrorism, gang violence, drugs offences and child sexual exploitation. Harman wants to know whether those dangerous types of assignment were envisaged when the original legislation was introduced, and what impact assessment was undertaken regarding the risks posed to children before such assignments were introduced as part of CHIS scheme. She also said Britain's interior ministry, the Home Office, has been unable to say how many children have been used in the scheme. Harman's committee wants details of the numbers of children aged 16 used in the scheme since it was introduced in 2000, and the number of public authorities who have used so-called child spies. A recent rule change now allows public authorities to use juveniles aged under 18 for four months, rather than the one-month limit originally permitted. Harman said the recent changes came after consultation with intelligence and law enforcement agencies. "Whilst these practitioners do have experience of considering the welfare of child CHIS, their primary objective is to tackle crime, hence presenting a potential conflict of interest. The consultation does not seem to have heard from external experts in child welfare, or indeed from children," she said. Harman added: "We have been told that in dangerous assignments relating to terrorism, drugs, and child sexual exploitation, there is inevitably a risk to the physical and mental welfare of the child. "Physical harm may result from being in a violent environment, or from punishment if discovered to be working covertly. Mental harm, which can be more pronounced because children's minds are still developing, may result from, for example, exposure to damaging behaviors, the pressures of having to 'live a lie', and the imbalance of power between the child and their handler." In a statement Thursday, the committee said it wants the Home Office to explain how the regime adheres to Article 3 of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) that the best interests of the child are a primary consideration. "MPs and Peers (House of Lords members) are pressing for more information on what assessments are made in considering both the risks to and the welfare of the children, and what support and advice they are given before, during and after the process," the statement added. Harman has called for an official government response to her questions by Sept. 6. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 00:15:56|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday confirmed the death sentence to another 15 "hardcore terrorists," who were involved in "heinous offenses related to terrorism," the military said. A statement from the army's media wing the Inter-Services Public Relations said, the convicts were involved in killing of 45 persons, including four civilians, 41 armed forces, police officials and injuring 103 others. The statement said arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession. The convicts were tried by special military courts and they confessed their offences before the judicial magistrates and the trial courts. Besides, six convicts, who belong to proscribed organizations, have also been awarded imprisonment, the statement said. The convicts have the right of appeal to the country's president under the law, according to the legal experts. However, the president has previously rejected all mercy petitions in terrorism-related cases. It is the second time in nearly a month the army chief has confirmed the death penalty to the militants. On July 13, Bajwa had confirmed the death sentence to another 12 "hardcore terrorists" for involvement in terrorist act. The military courts were set up for a period of two years after the terrorist attack on an army school in December 2014 for the speedy trial of the terrorism-related accused. Nearly 150 people, including 132 children, were killed in the attack. In March 2017, Pakistani parliament passed a special bill to give a two-year extension to the military courts. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 00:36:03|Editor: yan Video Player Close NAIROBI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Ministry of Agriculture has enhanced coordination with other regulatory agencies to ensure that genetically modified crops pose minimal health and environmental risks, officials said on Thursday. Hamadi Boga, the Principal Secretary for Agricultural Research in the Ministry, said that Kenya has invested in a strong regulatory infrastructure alongside skilled personnel to ensure that adoption of genetically engineered crops is devoid of risks. "As a country, Kenya has opted to embrace modern biotechnology to combat perennial food insecurity while protecting the environment and human welfare," said Boga. "To achieve this goal, we are required to implement globally recognized legal and regulatory framework to enhance biosafety," he added. Boga spoke in Nairobi during an annual biosafety conference attended by policymakers, regulators, scientists and lawmakers from the region to discuss regulations governing adoption of genetically modified crops in Kenya. Boga noted that Kenya's regulatory agencies, farmers and consumer welfare groups have benefitted from training and exposure to demystify commercialization of biotech maize and cotton that is in the pipeline. "Regulatory agencies have received capacity building and exposure visits. There is a lot of information about agriculture biotechnology and building a consensus about products that are proposed for commercialization in the country should not be difficult," said Boga. Kenya is banking on large-scale adoption of genetically modified crops to achieve the Big Four Agenda items on food security and manufacturing. Boga stressed that robust safety measures are in place to ensure that cultivation and trade in biotech crops is not detrimental to health of ecosystems and communities. So far, Kenyan regulatory agencies have approved national performance trials of Bt cotton to pave way for its commercialization. Boga said that Bt cotton is expected to jump-start the country's moribund garment manufacturing sector and create new jobs. He revealed that Kenya has borrowed best practices from African pioneers in agriculture biotechnology like Burkina Faso, Sudan and South Africa to facilitate smooth adoption of Bt cotton and maize. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 00:46:09|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said on Thursday it will buy 50,000 tonnes of maize from smallholder farmers in Tanzania. Michael Dunford, WFP Country Representative for Tanzania, said buying maize directly from smallholder farmers will help strengthen local economies and support increased resilience and productivity of rural communities. He said tenders for buying the maize crop will be opened next week, adding: "WFP will also work closely with the National Food Reserve Agency to reach the farmers." Dunford said the tenders will also invite all suppliers especially small scale ones to boost their business and market. "Our experts from our regional offices in Nairobi (Kenya) and Johannesburg (South Africa) are finalizing working out on the tenders that will enable WFP buying straight from the farmers," he said. During his recent visit to Tanzania, WFP Executive Director, David Beasley, said the UN organization will buy between 75,000 tonnes and 100,000 tonnes of maize in the next six months. Beasley pledged to support Tanzania's smallholder farmers to move away from subsistence farming and improve their food security. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 01:01:11|Editor: yan Video Player Close KATHMANDU, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- In a bid to encourage people to get involved with agribusiness, one of the rural municipalities of Nepal has allocated a budget to provide an allowance for cows and buffaloes. To the surprise of many, Sunapati Rural Municipality of the eastern district of Ramechhap has been providing allowances for cows and buffaloes that have given birth to calves recently. Ramechhap is a district located in Province 3, some 130 km away from the capital city of Kathmandu, and was also one of the hardest-hit regions in the devastating earthquake that struck in 2015. The rural municipality provided an allowance worth 3,000 rupees (26.69 U.S. dollars) for each cow and buffalo up to a herd of 30 in the fiscal year 2017-2018 and it plans to distribute the amount to 40 animals in the current fiscal year. Dhawa Lama, chairman of Sunapati Rural Municipality, told Xinhua, "As people show less interest towards farming and animal husbandry these days, we launched this scheme to attract them. It has further encouraged unemployed youths to raise animals and generate an income." The local government has already made the cash distribution for seven buffaloes in the past month after the farmers submitted evidence including photos and details of new-born calves. Lama believes that the allowance will help farmers to provide necessary attention and care for the growth of the livestock which will lead them to become self-sufficient by selling dairy products like milk and curd. Local farmer Dil Bahadur Shrestha, 55, is one of the beneficiaries of the scheme. "I was only engaged in vegetable farming but this scheme attracted me so I started raising buffaloes a year ago. The allowance is useful to provide nutritious supplements to the animals," Shrestha told Xinhua. According to Shrestha, his son who works in the capital city as a salesperson in a retail store, is also interested in getting involved in cattle farming in the next few months. Besides the scheme for animals, the rural municipality has also planned to offer investments in the agriculture sector so that young people can be self-employed on their own land. The move comes at a time when the brain-drain problem has been increasing at an alarming rate. Around 1,500 young and energetic people leave the country for the Gulf and Middle East everyday in search of attractive opportunities. According to the Macroeconomic Report of the Central Bank of Nepal, 342,426 individuals freshly departed for foreign employment in the first 11 months (mid-August to mid-June) of last fiscal year. Jagdish Mishra, Information Officer at District Administration Office Ramechhap, said the youngsters leaving for foreign education and employment is becoming more rampant in their district as well. "Nearly 500 people approach us every month to make passports and more than 50 percent of them are young people leaving the country as migrant workers. The trend has increased in the past few months," Mishra told Xinhua. In the previous Nepali month of Asadh, altogether 450 people had approached the office in regard to making passport. Mishra added, "It is not just the problem of a single district or municipality, rather it's a national problem." Amid such circumstances, experts believe that the government should launch more programs nationwide to attract younger people to the agribusiness, which is the backbone of the national economy. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 01:16:17|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Thursday held a meeting to hear reports on the investigation of the defective vaccine case involving Changchun Changsheng Life Sciences Limited. The meeting was presided over by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, who attaches great attention to the case and has made important instructions over it on multiple occasions. He stressed that those involved in the case should be held accountable and punished severely according to the law. Xi also instructed all-out efforts to be made to ensure the bottom line of safety and safeguard the public interest and social stability, according to the meeting. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council has held several meetings and sent investigation teams to probe the case. "So far, the facts of the case and the performance of duties of relevant departments and officials have been basically ascertained," the meeting said. "Vaccines are something that concerns public health and national security. The case is a serious offense, in which the vaccine producer violated the law and relevant standards and regulations in pursuit of profits and fabricated false production inspection records. "A number of local government officials and supervisory departments were found in dereliction of duty. The case resulted in a negative impact and exposed many loopholes, such as inadequate supervision, and reflected institutional defects in the production, circulation and use of vaccines." Chinese leaders pledged concrete measures in response to the incident at the meeting. Participants at the meeting stressed that it is important to improve laws and rules, define and implement regulatory duties, step up on-spot production inspection, and prompt companies to fulfill their own responsibilities. They also emphasized the necessity of establishing mechanisms to trace product quality and safety, and target product risks. For vaccine production that contains high risks and requires expertise, the participants of the meeting also agreed that it was necessary to clarify the regulatory authority and special inspection agencies should be sent to assist local supervision. A more professional supervisory force will be formed. Law-breaking companies will pay a much higher price for their illegal activities, according to the meeting. Those who dare to "challenge the bottom line of morality and conscience" will face severe punishment and crackdown, with zero tolerance. People involved in cases that endanger public safety, such as defective vaccines, will receive severe punishment, including huge penalties and life-long bans in the sector. Officials will be motivated to earnestly perform their duties, with those derelict in their duties held accountable. The meeting stressed Party committees and governments at all levels should learn a lesson and take solid action to ensure vaccine quality and safety. The follow-up work of the incident should be conducted in a proper and orderly manner, including re-vaccination and compensation. The long-term vaccine management system will be improved. Participants at the meeting agreed to remove Jin Yuhui from his post as vice governor of Jilin Province, who was put in charge of supervisory work over food and drug administration in Jilin Provine since April 2017, and asked Li Jinxiu to resign from his post as vice chairman of the Jilin Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Li was vice governor responsible for supervisory work over food and drug administration in Jilin from December 2015 to April 2017. The meeting asked Liu Changlong to resign from the post of mayor of Changchun, and Bi Jingquan to resign from the post of the Leading Party Members Group Secretary of the State Administration for Market Regulation and as deputy head of the administration. Bi served as the former head of the now defunct China Food and Drug Administration from February 2015 to March 2018. It urged Jiang Zhiying, a standing committee member of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee and secretary of the CPC Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture Committee in Jilin, and Jiao Hong, head of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), to make profound self-examinations. A total of 35 non-centrally-administered officials will be held accountable. Wu Zhen, former deputy head of the now defunct China Food and Drug Administration and National Health and Family Planning Commission, will be investigated by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and National Supervisory Commission, according to the meeting. It also urged the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee, Jilin provincial government and NMPA to make profound self-examinations to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 01:16:18|Editor: yan Video Player Close BERLIN, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Germany can still reach national Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions goals which the country is currently expected to miss, a study published on Thursday by the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology (IIE) found. According to IIE researcher Norman Gerhardt, reducing German coal energy generation 13.4 gigawatt per year would already suffice to lower CO2 emissions by 40 percent between 1990 and 2020 as promised earlier by the federal government. Gerhardt emphasized that such a move would neither endanger national energy supply, nor result in higher energy costs. Back in January, the German government admitted that it would miss its own national climate policy goals, as well as binding European Union (EU) targets if the country continued along the current trajectory of sluggish greenhouse gas emission reductions. Internal calculations by the ministry for the environment estimate that Germany is unlikely to achieve savings of more than 32 percent by 2020. The ministry based its more pessimistic forecasts on worse-than-expected data on domestic CO2 emissions from traffic, agriculture and heating. Although the share of renewable energy has grown rapidly during the past years, coal power continues to account for a large share of German electricity generation. At the time, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) described the development as a worrying signal which would result in a loss of Berlin's international credibility on climate change action. The gap between expectation and reality is potentially embarrassing for policymakers who have described Germany as an international leader on climate policy and touted its "Energiewende" transition to a greener economy as a model for others to follow. Having revised national CO2 reduction goals downward for 2020, the "grand coalition" government now merely wants to "lower the gap in necessary action" between its desired and actual CO2 emissions savings. Nevertheless, the cabinet of chancellor Angela Merkel insists that longer-term national targets for 2035 remain valid. A specifically-established commission to oversee Germany's gradual exit from coal power is scheduled to unveil plans by November of how the country can manage structural change in the affected regions. Concrete proposals for how Berlin can come closer to achieving targets for CO2 reduction by 2020 will be unveiled shortly thereafter. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 01:26:20|Editor: yan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The police in southern U.S. state Georgia are probing into a theft case in which a tractor trailer was stolen with ramen noodles worth nearly 100,000 dollars it contained. The driver parked the 53-foot (about 16.14 meters) white Stoughton trailer at a gas station in Fayetteville County on July 25. When he returned one week later, noodles and all, had vanished without a trace. So far local police did not specify the brand of noodles, nor did they attempt to explain what anybody could possibly want with nearly one hundred grand in dry, instant noodles, according to local media reports. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 01:31:21|Editor: yan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General condemned Thursday the suicide attack a day before on an education center in the Afghan capital of Kabul that killed at least 48 students. Guterres said in a statement through his spokesperson that those responsible for "this heinous attack" must be held accountable, noting many of the victims were students under the age of 18. "The targeting of civilians, in particular children, is unacceptable," he said, conveying his sympathies to the government of Afghanistan and condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a swift recovery to the injured. On Wednesday, the UN Security Council also condemned the attack, calling it a "heinous and cowardly terrorist attack." In a press statement, the council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. Earlier Wednesday, UN General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak called the suicide attack "unacceptable," adding that the General Assembly continues to stand against terrorism and with Afghanistan. He said many of the victims were young people preparing for university entrance exams, noting pursuing an education should not be risk to one's life. Up to 48 students were killed and 67 others injured in a suicide bomb blast targeting a private education center in Dasht-e-Barchi of Kabul on Wednesday, the Afghan public health ministry said. The UN mission in the country condemned the attack, saying in a statement that there is "no justification whatsoever for targeting civilians, at any time, under any circumstances." No group has claimed responsibility yet. However, people pointed finger at the Islamic State group, saying the extremist outfit could be behind the deadly attack as it was in the past. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 02:31:34|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Libya's Mellitah Oil & Gas company announced on Thursday that one of its gas stations in western Libya exploded in a sabotage attack. "Station No. 15, located along the gas pipeline linking Mellitah and Al-Wafa (gas) fields, has been subjected to sabotage," the company said in a statement. The company said that "an explosive device was planted in the station and it was set on fire," but emergency and firefighting teams managed to extinguish the fire. Other unexploded shells were also found in the station, it said, without disclosing who was responsible for the attack. The Mellitah oil and gas complex, established in 2008, is run jointly by the Libyan state-owned National Oil Corporation and Italy's company Eni. The complex is connected to a gas pipeline extending 450 km across the Mediterranean to Italian Sicily, which provides Italy and other European countries with 8 billion cubic meters of gas per year. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 02:36:36|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Thursday expressed concern over a Libyan court's sentencing 45 supporters of Libya's former regime to death for killing demonstrators in 2011. "The verdict announced on Aug. 15 2018 by the Criminal Circuit of the Court of Appeal of Tripoli is a cause of concern, given the 45 death sentences pronounced," the UNSMIL said in a statement. "UNSMIL recognizes efforts by the Libyan judiciary to hold people to account for crimes committed during the 2011 Revolution, especially amid armed conflict and political polarization. However, the United Nations opposes the imposition of the death penalty as a matter of principle," it added. Libya's Court of Appeal on Wednesday sentenced 45 supporters of former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime to death over the killing of demonstrators in the capital Tripoli during the 2011 uprising, the Ministry of Justice said. Video footages circulated showed Gaddafi supporters forcing some demonstrators to kneel down before killing them on the spot. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 03:01:41|Editor: yan Video Player Close HELSINKI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Finland's Minister of the Interior Kai Mykkanen on Thursday underlined Finnish resilience against outside attempts to influence public opinion. Mykkanen commented on Thursday reports about a partially declassified U.S. diplomatic cable that said Finland had faced "media attacks, allegedly led by Russia, to raise suspicion about joining NATO." Parts of the diplomatic cable had been obtained by the U.S. site Buzzfeed via a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. Interviewed on national radio Yle, Mykkanen appeared to calm down concerns and said the "U.S. conclusions are appraisals based on some clues." "But no one can have an objective and accurate picture of the extent and motivations," Mykkanen said, noting that Finland is exceptionally resilient against information attacks. "Ability to read the media critically is high in Finland. People will notice such attempts quickly," he said. Mykkanen also underlined the responsibility of the media to warn about fake news and to avoid instigating panic "that often results from trolling". The U.S. cable quoted by Buzzfeed had said that besides trying to affect the debate on joining NATO, the media attack had also attempted to create mistrust between the people and decision makers. Similar efforts had been targeting Sweden as well, the cable had said. Support of joining NATO has declined slightly in Finland in recent years. A poll commissioned by two newspapers in spring gave the backing as 17 percent. The figure was five percentage points less than the level found in a poll by an official defence information body last September. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 03:26:50|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Participants pose for photos during a send-off event for South African recipients of scholarships provided by the Chinese government in Pretoria, South Africa, Aug. 16, 2018. Thirty-two South African students will soon be travelling to China to study for Bachelor's, Master's and Doctor's programs in 17 academic majors on scholarships provided by the Chinese government. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng) JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-two South African students will soon be travelling to China to study for Bachelor's, Master's and Doctor's programs in 17 academic majors on scholarships provided by the Chinese government. During a send-off event held in Pretoria on Thursday, Lin Songtian, Chinese ambassador to South Africa, has urged the students to be the champion for China-South Africa friendship. "South Africa now faces major opportunities in its economic and social transformation and has huge demand for professional and skilled personnel. We hope that upon finishing your studies, you will return to serve your country and your people to contribute to South Africa's development," he said. He added that people-to-people exchange has become an important part of bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. "Our cooperation in education, culture, science and technology, health, youth and women continues to expand and prosper, greatly enhancing the mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples," he said. Isasiphinkosi Mdingi, 24, from the Eastern Cape province is scheduled to leave for China on September 2 to pursue her master's degree in Public Administration in Beijing. She told Xinhua that she would use the opportunity to ensure that more women would play a meaningful role in the mainstream economy. "This opportunity means a lot of things to me," Mdingi said, "This shows that your dreams are possible and secondly your destiny is never tied to your background which is my favourite quote. This means that dedication and hard work can pay off. I will be looking at how China has been able to ensure that women play a big role in the economy." Wendy Adams from the Higher Education and Training Department said that the program continues exposing many young people to numerous opportunities. "We annually receive scholarships from the Chinese government and it covers student tuition, accommodation, stipend and medical aid. Our priority as the department is postgraduate, this means we are increasing the number of PHD graduates. We have an opportunity to import the skills," Adams said. He added that China is advanced in technology and the students have an opportunity to bring those skills. Some of them are speaking about business opportunities they have found in China. Established in 2003, the Chinese government scholarship program has helped hundreds of South African students to study in China. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 03:36:51|Editor: yan Video Player Close ATHENS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- A passenger airplane flying from Egypt to Germany made an emergency landing on Greece's Crete island on Thursday amid a bomb alert, local media reported. All 281 people on board have disembarked safely and no injuries were reported. Authorities were investigating the aircraft at a remote part of Chania airport, according to Greek news agency AMNA. The Boeing 753 of Condor airlines had departed from Hurghada to Dusseldorf. According to local newspaper "Proto Thema" (Top Story), the alert was triggered by a note found in the toilet with the word "bomb" written on it. The plane was escorted to the Greek airport by two Greek Air Force jets. A squad of bomb disposal experts with sniffer dogs was on site to investigate the case, according to AMNA. This combination of file pictures created on August 11, 2018 shows (L)President of Turkey and Leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Recep Tayyip Erdogan deliverling a speech during an AK party's group meeting at the AK Party's headquarters in Ankara, on January 26, 2018. (Xinhua/AFP PHOTO) WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Thursday that the United States would slap more sanctions on Turkey if a detained American pastor was not released. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting of President Donald Trump, Mnuchin said, "We have put sanctions on several of their cabinet members" and "we have more that we are planning to do if they don't release him quickly," referring to Andrew Brunson. Trump also said regarding Turkey that "they have not proven to be a good friend" to the United States. Earlier on Wednesday, White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said the U.S. side would consider lifting sanctions that have been placed on Turkey if Ankara released Brunson and other detained U.S. citizens. 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. 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 a U.S. pastor. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 03:46:53|Editor: yan Video Player Close By William M. Reilly UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Children deported from Mexico and the United States to Central America face violence, stigma and deprivation, worsening the root causes of irregular migration, the UN Children's Agency (UNICEF) warned in a Child Alert issued on Thursday. The alert shows that dangerous journeys and deportations intensify poverty, extreme violence and lack of opportunity, Deputy UN Spokesman Farhan Haq said. "It is common that children who are sent back to their countries of origin have no home to return to, end up deep in debt or are targeted by gangs." "Being returned to impossible situations makes it more likely that they will migrate again," he told reporters at a regular briefing, citing the alert report, Uprooted in Central America and Mexico, Migrant and Refugee Children Face a Vicious Cycle of Hardship and Danger. More than 68,000 migrant children were detained in Mexico between 2016 and April 2018, 91 percent of whom were deported to Central America, the 25-page report said. "In the countries of northern Central America, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras - and in Mexico, gang-related violence, organized crime, extortion, poverty and limited access to quality education and social services are part of daily life for millions of children," the report said. "Each day, families facing these harsh conditions make the painful decision to leave their homes, communities and countries in search of safety and a more hopeful future," it said. "Some move within the region, while others head north to Mexico and the United States." "Yet many of the families trying to escape their desperate circumstances experience a host of new problems and traumas once they turn to irregular migration routes," UNICEF said. These families must navigate a long, uncertain journey in which they risk being preyed upon by traffickers or other criminals, or losing their bearings." "They may be apprehended in transit or upon reaching their destinations, only to be detained and then returned to their countries of origin," the report said. "If they are sent back, they are likely to experience an intensification of the factors - violence, poverty, lack of opportunities, stigmatization, social exclusion and internal displacement - that drove them to migrate in the first place." UNICEF urged governments to work together in implementing solutions shown to help alleviate the root causes of irregular and forced migration and safeguard the well-being of refugee and migrant children along the journey. "The report also outlines a series of recommendations to keep refugee and migrant children safe and reduce the factors that push families and children to leave their homes in search of safety or a more hopeful future via irregular and dangerous migration routes," Haq said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 04:01:59|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Photo taken on Aug. 17, 2018 shows passengers waiting at the Manila international airport after the plane crash-landed, in Manila, the Philippines. A Boeing 737-800 passenger plane of China's Xiamen Airlines landed on its belly early Friday at the Manila international airport, an airport official said. (Xinhua) MANILA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A passenger plane from China's Xiamen Airlines skidded off the runway and onto grass when it landed at the Manila international airport early Friday. A source at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) told Xinhua that the Boeing 737-800 plane landed at around 12:05 a.m. Friday local time (1605 GMT Thursday) when the accident occurred. Another source said the MF8667 flight from Xiamen circled Manila for about an hour before landing. The aircraft's wings and engines were heavily damaged as a result of the accident, according to the source. The source added the plane apparently missed the runway's center line when it landed, making it swerve to the grass safety area. So far no casualties have been reported. The source said it was raining hard when the plane landed and speculated that strong crosswinds and poor visibility might have caused the accident. The NAIA authorities have yet to issue an official statement of the accident. "An emergency evacuation is ongoing," the source said, adding that some of barefoot passengers were seen around the damaged plane shortly after the bad landing. The airport's emergency personnel have set up tents around the accident area, the source said. The airport will remain open because the other runway can still be used, according to the source. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 04:42:12|Editor: yan Video Player Close RIYADH, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia announced Thursday that more than 1.7 million visas for Hajj pilgrims have been issued by its diplomatic missions abroad. Tamim Al-Dosary, undersecretary of the Ministry of Consular Affairs, said that Saudi diplomatic missions abroad, as well as temporary Hajj missions in countries without permanent Saudi missions, have issued a total of 1,720,680 Hajj visas so far, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Al-Dosary attributed the fast processing of visa issuances to the high-tech technology that links the ministry and the missions. As of Thursday, more than 1.6 million pilgrims from across the world have arrived in the kingdom to perform Hajj, Saudi authorities said. Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to the Saudi city of Mecca, the holiest city for Muslims. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 04:47:13|Editor: yan Video Player Close HELSINKI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- A pilot of the Finnish national airline Finnair has been prevented from boarding his scheduled plane for being "under the influence" at Helsinki airport, local media reported on Thursday. The incident took place on Wednesday when a police alcometer test had shown 1.5 per-mille for the pilot. The rest of the crew gave zero levels. The police initially refused to divulge the nationality or the airline on the grounds that the matter was still unfinished as an investigation. Some hours later, Finnair issued a press release confirming that Finnair was involved. Finnair deplored the incident, but noted that "its system had worked" as the pilot had been reported by other members of the crew. Senior police officer Leif Malmberg told the MTV that the case is legally unclear. As the pilot had not yet entered the aircraft, the incident may not meet the criteria of the Finnish crime "drunken flying". "We must consult the prosecutor," Malmberg said. However, Finnair as an airline has a zero tolerance policy and the pilot will be dismissed, a Finnair spokesperson said. In the Finnish law, the per mille limit for prosecution in aviation is 0.5 and could bring fines or imprisonment up to two years. Finnair has not said where the aircraft was to be flying. U.S. President Donald Trump talks with U.S. Army Major General Walter "Walt" Piatt, the Commanding General of the Army's 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum as the president observes a demonstration with U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division troops and helicopters at Fort Drum, New York, U.S., August 13, 2018. (Xinhua/REUTERS) WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's military parade is estimated to cost 92 million dollars, according to a CNBC report on Thursday, quoting an anonymous U.S. defense official. An earlier estimate put the cost at 12 million dollars, 80 million dollars less, said the report. The new figure consists of 50 million dollars from the Pentagon and 42 million dollars from interagency partners such as the Department of Homeland Security. The parade is scheduled to take place in U.S. capital city Washington D.C. on Nov. 10 this year, featuring armored vehicles, aircraft flyovers and period uniforms. The final plan has not been approved by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, according to local media. FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron watch the Bastille Day military parade in Paris, France, July 14, 2017. (Xinhua/REUTERS) The ceremony is said to be largely inspired by Trump's front-row seat at France's Bastille Day military parade in Paris last year. The United States has not held a major military parade in Washington D.C. since 1991 to mark the end of Operation Desert Storm. Enditem Staff from the Red Cross Society of China and Syria's Arab Red Crescent are taking a selfie in front of the donated ambulance on August 16, 2018 in Damascus. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani) DAMASCUS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) on Thursday donated mobile medical clinics and ambulances to Syria's Arab Red Crescent (SARC). The donation, which included two bus-turned mobile medical clinics and two ambulances, was delivered at a ceremony held in the Syrian capital Damascus. It aims to help Syrians living in hard-to-reach areas or those who need emergency care. Medical diagnosis and treatment equipments are seen inside the mobile medical clinic bus. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani) Wang Qinglei, the representative of the Beiqi Foton Motor, the company that took part in the funding of the donation under the RCSC umbrella, told Xinhua the mobile clinics are equipped with X-ray machines, ultrasound scanner, defibrillator, distance diagnosis and treatment system. He noted that these medical equipment turn the bus into a mobile hospital, which can offer emergency medical care, health examination and mini surgeries. The vehicles are powered by an electrical power generating system, which enables the clinics to operate in areas where electricity is not available. The donated mobile medical clinic bus is seen beside a Syria's Arab Red Crescent poster. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani) Wang pointed out that his company's total donation is estimated at 6 million yuan (roughly 900,000 U.S. dollars). It is part of the first stage of the total humanitarian aid provided to Syria by the RCSC, which is estimated at 8 million yuan. "If put into use, the medical units could serve hundreds of people every day, especially for the war-torn and remote communities," Wang said. For his part, Muhammad al-Jarrah, head of the medical services in SARC, told Xinhua this kind of assistance is crucial in hard-to-reach areas as well as in the time of emergency. Sun Shuopeng, the executive vice president and secretary general of Chinese Red Cross Foundation, said that the RCSC is carrying out comprehensive humanitarian aid projects in Syria, which include donating mobile medical units and establishing prosthetic rehabilitation centers for Syrian children. On Wednesday, the Chinese delegation inaugurated a children prothetic rehabilitation center funded by the RCSC in Damascus. "All funds of the prosthetic rehabilitation project were raised online by the Chinese public. We launched an online fundraising project called One Dollar for Syrian Children," Sun told Xinhua, adding that the project raised 100,000 U.S. dollars in a short time. Following the delivery ceremony, Chinese engineers and technicians also trained the Syrians to operate the equipment and do the maintenance work. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 05:57:32|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a press briefing in Washington D.C., the United States, Aug. 16, 2018. U.S. State Department on Thursday announced the creation of the Iran Action Group (IAG) to execute the administration's Iran strategy and pressure the country to change its behaviors. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. State Department on Thursday announced the creation of the Iran Action Group (IAG) to execute the administration's Iran strategy and pressure the country to change its behaviors. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the group will be responsible for directing, reviewing, and coordinating "all aspects of the State Department's Iran-related activity, and it will report directly to me." Saying that Tehran has been engaged in "a torrent of violent and destabilizing behavior" against the United States and its allies for nearly 40 years, Pompeo said, "We are committed to a whole-of-government effort to change the Iranian regime's behavior." The IAG will ensure that the Department of State remains closely synchronized with interagency partners, and lead U.S. diplomatic efforts to "galvanize international support for our efforts." Brian Hook, the current director of Policy Planning in the State Department, will lead the group with the formal title of Special Representative for Iran. Washington left the Iran nuke deal on May 8, saying it would re-impose sanctions on Iran that had been lifted under the deal. Pompeo, on May 21, rolled out U.S. new strategy on Iran, outlining 12-point requirements for Iran to change its behaviors. The U.S. government on Aug. 7 re-imposed sanctions on Iran on non-energy areas, and will slap the remaining sanctions on Nov. 5 that concentrate on such areas as energy, shipping and ports. For its part, Tehran has said that the U.S. side is unreliable and it will not talk with Washington. Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 06:27:35|Editor: yan Video Player Close PANAMA CITY, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- With China's help, Panama is poised to grab a larger share of the world's growing cruise tourism segment with a brand new cruise port. Panama City's Amador cruise port, located right at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, is being built with an eye to serving as a port of call and potentially as a home port. Upwards of 260 cruise ships a year cross the Panama Canal, and with a full-service terminal able to accommodate today's larger vessels, more of them would be enticed to dock in town and explore the sights. The China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) has finished dredging the navigation canal and terminal area, and is now working on preparing some seven acres of surrounding land for development. Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela toured the site on Wednesday, saying he was eager to see the cruise port operating by mid-2019. "We are very pleased to see the progress, to see the capacity shown by the companies Jan de Nul and CHEC in being able to move this port project forward," said Varela, noting a little more than a third of the project has been completed. Belgium's Jan de Nul, which specializes in the building and maintenance of ports, and CHEC, together form the consortium charged with developing the port. "We are also looking for a home port strategy so that Panama can serve as a departure port for cruises to the Caribbean or to the Pacific, via the Panama Canal," said Varela. To promote the project and the future of cruise tourism in Panama, Varela said his government plans to showcase Amador port at an upcoming international cruise ship fair. China's ambassador in Panama Wei Qiang, who accompanied Varela during the site inspection, told Xinhua he was also pleased with the pace of the project and looked forward to greater cooperation between the two countries. "I hope that more Chinese companies can operate here to contribute to the economic and social development of this beautiful country ... We are open to making the most of every opportunity," said Wei. Jorge Barakat, the head of Panama's Maritime Authority (AMP), said it would be ideal to have the port up and running in time for peak cruise tourism season in October 2019. In anticipation of the opening of the port, Panama is in talks with the Miami-based Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, which gathers all leading cruise companies with Caribbean itineraries, and with global cruise line MSC, which has expressed interest in the new port, said Barakat. Amador's terminal will initially accommodate two mega cruise ships, each capable of carrying 5,000 passengers, while the port itself, including restaurants and recreational centers, will be able to handle as many as 10,000 passengers. The long-term plan is to accommodate up to five mega cruise ships. The port of Colon, on the country's Caribbean coast, operates as a home port, but Amador's ideal location is expected to significantly strengthen Panama's position as a cruise ship destination. Photo taken on March 23, 2018 shows the automatic milking equipment and cows to be milked at Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Indiana, the United States.(Xinhua/Wang Ping) by Peter Mertz DENVER, the United States, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- American farmers, reeling from price drops and dissolving future markets, are hoping the 2018 Farm Bill will offer some relief from the U.S.-China trade frictions. Joe Heil works in his ginseng farm in Wausau, Wisconsin, the United States, July 25, 2018. Joe Heil has grown ginseng for more than 20 years. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WORST SHAPE "The U.S. exports approximately half of all the wheat U.S. farm businesses produce, and the potential loss of overseas markets resulting from responses to the (Trump) Administration's aggressive use of tariffs could have measurable adverse effects on wheat prices," national agriculture economist Vincent Smith told Xinhua Wednesday. Across the board, agricultural commodities continued to struggle and fall, with soybean futures declining "overnight Wednesday as the trade spat between the U.S. and China shows no signs of abating," Successfulfarming.com reported. "Tariffs and stagnant global demand for commodities have left the agricultural economy in the worst shape we have seen since the farm crisis of the 1980s," American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) president Zippy DuVall said Monday. With unstable and inconsistent trade policy, increased output forecasts are predicting more dire outcomes across all American agriculture sectors. "A wave of farm closures" could occur by next spring, "unless there's a major improvement in the marketplace," said National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President Jimmie Musick. "The administration's flip and rhetoric around the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has made the United States appear to Canada and Mexico as an unreliable trading partner," he added, in a column published by CapitalPress.com last week. On Monday, the two largest farming groups in the United States, AFBF and the National Farmers Union (NFU), along with more than 150 other organizations, sent a letter to Washington asking the Senate and House agriculture committees to pass the upcoming 2018 Farm Bill. Randy Hudson shows a bunch of pecan on his farm in the State of Georgia, the United States, on July 10, 2018. (Xinhua/Yang Chenglin) FARM BILL "Low farm prices due to international trade disruptions, commodity market oversupply, and domestic policy uncertainty is putting significant financial strain on farmers," said NFU President Roger Johnson in the letter. Why is this year's bill so important? In the face of complete volatility, the 2018 bill represents a symbol of sanity and stability for a field rocked and socked since the U.S.-China tariff battle two months ago. Every five years, Congress passes legislation that sets national agriculture, nutrition, conservation, and forestry policy, commonly referred to as the "Farm Bill." "We need this bill, especially at this time...it's critical," agriculture economist Anton Bekkerman told Xinhua. Industry insiders pray this year's legislation will offer needed consistency to a sector spiraling downward due to current U.S. trade policy. With the current Farm Bill expiring Sept. 30, agriculture leaders urged Congress to pass a bill that signals consistency to an economic sector already suffering from unpredictable administration policies. "The Farm Bill is important, but in some ways it's more symbolic -- that farmers and Congress can agree on policy," Washington policy analyst David B. Richardson said. "Hopefully the White House will listen to everybody in America who oppose the radical, destructive trade path currently devised by the President," he said. "Montana's farmers are not blaming China for the trade war, they're looking at the (Donald) Trump administration," Smith noted. Photo taken on July 24, 2018 shows dairy farmer Sarah Lloyd standing in Neldell farm located in rural Dells of Wisconsin, the United States. TO GO WITH Feature: U.S. dairy farm to celebrate centenary while shutdown looms amid tariffs (Xinhua/Liu Jie) DAMAGED FUTURE What American farmers fear most is losing billions of U.S. dollars to countries not hampered by tariffs or involved in debilitating trade disputes. "Chinese importers will simply establish long-term trade relationships with suppliers outside of the United States," said Bekkerman, a Montana State University (MSU) professor. Bekkerman and other leading agro-economists say dialogue and negotiations are already underway between the world's biggest suppliers and consumers -- without U.S. involvement, participation, or profit. "The Administration needs to stop alienating our top trading partners and restore certainty to the agricultural marketplace as soon as possible, said Musick, a wheat farmer from Sentinel, Oklahoma. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics released this week, the United States has exported 15.3 million metric tons of wheat so far in 2018 -- down 26.7 percent from 2017. "When the administration announced in March that it would impose sweeping tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum imports, buyers were unable to accept the risk of escalating import prices and stopped making new purchases of U.S. wheat," Musick said in an opinion piece published on the agriculture website CapitalPress.com last week. Musick sees Japan, that currently imports half of its wheat from the United States -- as courting more reasonable, coherent, and stable suppliers and entertaining trade agreements with top U.S. competitors Canada and Australia. Japan, Mexico, and the Philippines are America's biggest wheat recipients, and exports to Japan are down 10.3 percent so far in 2018, recent agriculture department data shows. "The Australians are licking their chops," said Smith, a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and a 30-year tenured economics professor at Montana State University. With uncertainty over NAFTA, Canada, the world's No. 6 producer of wheat at 29 million metric tons, and Australia, No. 9, with 25 million metric tons, become top competitors for the United States (No. 4), according to WorldAtlas.com. It's U.S. President Donald Trump's overall trade tactics -- that include tariff battles with China, Canada, and the European Union (EU), withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and threat to withdraw from NAFTA -- that is creating global dissention on trading with America, industry insiders told Xinhua. "The President's goal, to create chaos and upheaval, and hope the cards fall in his favor, is a losing game that will pit the United States against the rest of the world," said Richardson. "The Trump trade policy has no direction," said Smith, "It is doing much more harm than good, especially in the long run, and it will be damaging to our trade relations with other countries into the foreseeable future." Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 07:07:44|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close YAOUNDE, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon's communications minister and government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary on Thursday dismissed as "utter manipulation" a video displaying Cameroonian soldiers in brutal killings and wanton molestation in the Far North region of the country. The video released last Friday showed soldiers firing automatic weapons at unarmed people assembled face down and sitting against a wall. "The government condemns this gruesome, unbearable and unsupportable situation. At the same time while some accusing fingers are pointing at our army, from the same video you have another voice which says that this gruesome killing was perpetrated by another army in another nation," Tchiroma told a press conference in the capital Yaounde. His reaction followed a report by an international NGO stating that the shocking killings were committed by Cameroonian security forces during a military operation in the village of Achigaya in the Far North region of the country. Cameroonian army is a responsible, discipline and people-friendly force, Tchiroma said but announced that an enquiry into the crime is in progress. "A commission is on right now leading a thorough investigation in order to find out the perpetrators of the gruesome killings. If it happens that they are Cameroonians, then they will be taken to the court," said Tchiroma. Last week, Cameroon arrested seven soldiers suspected of having shot dead at close range two women and two young children in the Far North after denying the crime was not committed by Cameroon security forces. Agnes Hornung, the finance ministrys state secretary, urged Hungarians to cut down on their cash transactions at a press conference at the Sziget Festival which went cashless in 2011 on Tuesday. Stock of cash in Hungary stands around 5,000 billion forints (EUR 16bn) at present, more than 14% of GDP, well over the 8% average for the European Union as a whole, Hornung said. Cash transactions cost the national economy some 450 billion forints a year, she added She noted that the government had recently approved a seven-year strategy to boost Hungarians financial savvy. State subsidies are also going to businesses that buy POS terminals which should raise the penetration rate for such devices close to 80%, she added. Sziget Festival organiser Tamas Kadar said that festival-goers may pay merchants with their MasterCard contactless cards or with a wristband that can be topped up using the festivals own mobile application. Topups exceeded 1 billion forints by the festivals fifth day, he added. Budapests Sziget Festival, a weeklong musical extravaganza on an island in the Danube, is expected to draw more than half a million visitors this year. This years event officially ended on Wednesday. Janos Lazar, head of the Prime Ministers Office in the previous government, has been appointed the prime ministers commissioner in charge of the protection of nonsmokers effective August 15, the latest issue of the official gazette Magyar Kozlony reported. According to the announcement, the commissioner will work to preserve the achievements of previous government measures aimed at protecting non-smokers as well as to make preparations for and coordinate government activities concerning the regulation of the tobacco market. Lazar, in his new position, will coordinate the elaboration of short and longterm strategies concerning the protection of non-smokers, as well as the governments position on new tobacco products and e-cigarettes. The commissioner will report directly to Prime Minister Viktor Orban and will not receive the remuneration defined in the law on government members and state secretaries, Magyar Kozlony said. MTI Photo: Koszticsak Szilard Update 12:55 p.m.: Unhealthy air quality in the Yakima Valley has brought warnings from health professionals to stay indoors. Your Wedding. Planned to Perfection. Join the millions of couples who trust Hitched to help them plan their wedding. By RALPH ANSAMI [email protected] Hurley The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources figures the city of Hurleys wastewater system should be able to handle 8 inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period, according to city officials. Street superintendent Mark Bluse and department employee Gary Laguna on Wednesday discussed a meeting they had last week with the DNR on sewer overflows. They appeared before the Hurley City Council. Laguna said the DNR indicated the citys wastewater treatment process had been bypassed nine times since 2012. The two said the DNR believes the city needs a better program to tackle the overflows. They didnt disagree. City council member Jamey Francis, who sits on the Gogebic-Iron Wastewater Board, said the Fathers Day storm of June 18 resulted in 18 million gallons of untreated stormwater entering the Montreal River, bypassing the treatment plant in Ironwood that handles Hurleys sewage. Hurley was responsible for 1.6 million gallons of that total, he said. Ironwood Township also uses the Ironwood treatment plant. A lot of communities are dealing with the same situation, Francis said. Nearby Ashland made big headlines for releasing untreated wastewater directly into Lake Superior. The Ashland Daily Press reported Ashland has dumped nearly 75 million gallons of diluted raw sewage into Lake Superiors Chequamegon Bay over the past five years. Discharges into the Montreal River also end up in Lake Superior, but the drop in elevation along the way, including waterfalls, tends to break up the untreated pollutants in the water. Laguna and Bluse said there are several areas that could be addressed to alleviate clearwater infiltration; including improving city roof drains, sump pumps, cross connections and detecting water line leaks. The city will send out letters to homeowners to upgrade their roof drains. We are making headway, Bluse said, stating flooded basements in Hurley are only a fraction of Ironwoods amount. We have a half mile of roof drains, he said. In other business Wednesday, the city council: Agreed to charge a $25 fee for a five-year private well operation permit. Council members were told there are only two private wells in the city to be charged under the permit, and Joanne Bruneau noted the owners will have to pay for inspections. Wells and pumps must comply with state codes. The DNR allows private wells in the city, as long as they are licensed properly. Permits must be renewed June 30 of every fifth year. Agreed to purchase and install UPS battery back-ups for $3,247. Approved a pay request from Ross Peterson Construction, Hurley, for $143,648. Acknowledged Sept. 9-15 as National Suicide Prevention Week. Went into closed session on a bargaining matter, to be followed by possible discipline of a city employee. Recent claims that the media is the enemy of the American people should not go unchecked. Such an accusation holds no merit. The First Amendment ensures, among other things, freedom of the press. The founders of our nation knew the perils of a monarch clamping down on the free expression of ideas. A revolution and birth of the nation was aided by the printed word, and the continued molding of a more perfect union over 242 years has been as well. Thomas Jefferson had a contentious relationship with the press. He didnt always get the coverage he wanted, but he was also a man of letters and understood the importance of a press free of influence from the state. Calling journalists dangerous and sick and the fruits of their labors fake news, sound like the cries of one who isnt getting the coverage they desire. Claims that journalists are enemies of the state and that their stories are fake, are accusations of intent. Speaking for the Daily Globe, there is no intent to tear down the country, its people or purposefully publish incorrect information. It seems silly to have to point that out. There are media outlets in this great country that have points of view that permeate everything that the consumer reads, hears or sees. We cant speak for the Mother Jones, Rush Limbaughs, MSNBCs or Fox News of the world; other than to say: Buyer beware. Just as people enjoy eating food and listening to music that makes them feel good, many people often enjoy consuming news that agrees with them. The editorial board of the Boston Globe asked newspapers across the country to join its effort to debunk the specious idea that the media is the enemy of the American people. The Boston newspaper planned to publish an editorial today on the dangers of the administrations assault on the press. Many national and regional groups of newspapers, including the Michigan Press Association and the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, spread the invitation among their memberships. An online discussion of editors ensued. An editor of a downstate newspaper said hed take a hard pass on the invitation, claiming any coordinated effort to battle the administrations claim of fake news would simply add fuel to the Presidents claim that the press is coordinated against him. We disagree. Its important to stand up for the good work of the media that sheds light on the news of the day. Sometimes these are happy stories, sometimes they are not. Not everyone comes across looking as good as they want to. The Daily Globe is dedicated to serving its community in many ways. While our editorial page offers a variety of columnists across the political spectrum, our news coverage is focused on information we find to be true -- real news based on facts. 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... A group of diverse but like-minded individuals, the members of ARC have come together in their common desire to fight hatred, bigotry, intolerance and violence because of the harm these antisocial behaviors cause to our society. In that effort, we will not use or sanction the use of illegal actions (such as violence or intimidation) in pursuit of our desired aims and if we learn of anyone who does use these unethical methods we will report those individuals to the authorities. Instead, we will use the guarantees found in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that ensure freedom of legal speech and expression. Amazon.com Inc. is reportedly working on a bid to acquire Landmark Theaters, the cinema chain that owns the Ritz cinemas in Philadelphia, as it continues to cultivate an offline presence designed to appeal to educated, affluent consumers with cash to spare. Bloomberg reported on its website Wednesday that the Seattle-based e-commerce giant is one of the potential buyers in the running to acquire the theater chain from Wagner/Cuban Cos., which is backed by billionaires Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban. The business news site's reporting was based on unidentified people familiar with the situation. Landmark, which specializes in independent and foreign films, counts Center City's Ritz Five, Ritz at the Bourse and Ritz East theaters among the 52 cinemas it owns in 27 markets nationwide, which also include New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Buying the chain would give Amazon another link to the upscale, urban demographic that it was already seen to be targeting with its $13.7 billion acquisition last year of high-end grocer Whole Foods, Barbara Kahn, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, said in an interview with the Inquirer and Daily News. "When you're going to go into physical retail, it makes sense to get that elite aesthetic because the rest of the stuff you can buy online," she said. "The special, high-end stuff: That's when the physical place matters." Having a theater chain in its arsenal, meanwhile, also would give Amazon an outlet for movies produced by its in-house film and television studio, which has turned out shows such as Transparent and Man in the High Castle for its Amazon Video streaming service, as well as wide-release movies including Manchester by the Sea. "This is probably a move to get broader distribution of film content," Leo Kulp, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets LLC, told Bloomberg. "Netflix had been discussed as a potential buyer of Landmark for a similar reason." Wagner/Cuban's potential sale of the chain is being worked on with investment bank Stephens Inc., Bloomberg reported, adding that no final decisions have been made, and talks could still fall apart. An Amazon spokeswoman declined in an email to the Inquirer and Daily News to comment on the possibility of buying Landmark. Wagner/Cuban did not immediately respond to an email. Artist's rendering of apartment building planned at the former Frankford Chocolate Factory site on Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia between 21st and 22nd Streets. Read more Developer Ori Feibush plans to ask the city's Historical Commission to sign off on a proposal for the former Frankford Chocolate Factory site in South Philadelphia that includes demolishing the historic structure's smokestack. The commission, which has a say on the site's redevelopment because the building has been nominated for protection as an important historic asset, is scheduled to review Feibush's proposal Tuesday, according to an agenda posted to the board's website. The 170,000-square-foot factory, sprawled over 2.3 acres on Washington Avenue between 21st and 22nd Streets, was built in phases over more than a century starting in 1865, when it began life as the Howell & Brothers Wallpaper Hangings Manufactory. Feibush demolished much of the building in the spring after it was deemed imminently dangerous, but said he intended to keep the signature smokestack for integration into the complex of townhouses, apartments and shops he plans at the site. Later engineering studies showed the smokestack to be in worse condition than thought, Feibush said Wednesday. "Absent incredible dollars, there's really no mechanism to save it," he said. Feibush's plan would preserve the early-20th-century building at the corner of 22nd Street and Washington Avenue from which the smokestack rises and turn it into a ground-floor shop or restaurant. The four-story facade of another part of the building a section on its 22nd Street side that dates from the 1860s also will be incorporated into the project, Feibush said. The rest of the development will be new construction, although bricks reclaimed from the demolished factory will be used for some sections, he said. Current plans call for 55 townhouses on the property's northern edge, with 182 apartments in two buildings along Washington Avenue that also will include a ground-floor supermarket and other shopping, along with underground parking, Feibush said. St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, acquired in January by Paladin Healthcare's American Academic Health System, is laying off 45. Read more St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, acquired in January by American Academic Health System, is laying off 45 people and eliminating an unspecified number of positions in its physician practices, according to a letter sent to employees Tuesday by interim chief executive George Rizzuto. The cuts amount to about 7 percent of the workforce in the North Philadelphia hospital's practices, spokeswoman Gabrielle Lacherza said. Those being laid off were given severance or offered positions at other American Academic Health System facilities, she said. American Academic, a unit of California private equity firm Paladin Capital, bought St. Christopher's and Hahnemann University Hospital from Tenet Healthcare Corp. for $170 million. Rizzuto said in his letter that American Academic was considering the expansion of certain pediatric services to Hahnemann and bringing some adult services to St. Christopher's. The Miseducation of Cameron Post takes place at a Christian conversion-therapy camp where counselors attempt to convince a gay teen (Chloe Grace Moretz) that she is straight. "You're at an age where you're vulnerable to evil," says a camp employee, a remark the movie proceeds to expose as ironic. The movie's message is blunt conversion camps teach gay teens to hate themselves but its storytelling methods are often restrained, and it generally avoids caricature. Moretz has the title role as Cameron, found making out with her female best friend on prom night. Her Christian conservative aunt (the young woman's parents are dead) sends her off to a rural camp called God's Promise, where religious administrators (denomination not specified) use class teachings, group therapy, and individual counseling to steer kids away from SSA (camp jargon for same-sex attraction) and toward heteronormative lives. The movie is adapted from the book by Emily M. Danforth, a YA novel, and the ages of the students have been raised here. Cameron is said to be in 11th grade, and her cohorts look to be about the same age. This allows the film's director, Desiree Akhavan, to be candid about Cameron's sexual experiences, in order to convey the idea that she is not confused about her sexuality, or in doubt about her feelings. She was physically involved with another young woman because she was in love, and the woman she loved was "perfect." This leads to an interesting scene of the camp's "doctor," played with icy calm by Jennifer Ehle, asking Cameron if the validation achieved via a relationship with this "perfect" being might have been a way of ameliorating adolescent insecurity. It's enough to knock Cameron off balance, as is the moment when a fellow student denounces her for not taking the program seriously, thereby creating a space that is "not safe," an amusing co-option of the language of the left. All Cameron knows for sure is that she's unhappy and in pain. She cries at night and calls her aunt, pleading to return home, but is persuaded to stay at God's Promise and to "give it a chance." She does, but there are obstacles. One, of course, is that the camp is full of gay teenagers, who when alone commiserate about their predicament. Registering most strongly here is Sasha Lane as a teen with the improbable name of Jane Fonda (her parents were originally hippies), who's gaming the whole situation, telling the grown-ups what they want to hear, biding her time, waiting for freedom. Other teens are truly conflicted, made so by a desire to retain the love of devout parents who sent them to God's Promise Owen Campbell has some nice scenes as a young man who loves being a Christian, who has obviously absorbed its lessons of decency and empathy, and can't resolve the religion's teachings with his own sexual feelings. It's a problem for the movie that these supporting characters come off as more interesting than Cameron herself. She is too often a blank exterior. I suspect this has to do with the way her character was defined in the novel, where readers had access to her thoughts. The filmmakers probably counted on the natural charisma of Moretz to make up the difference, but it doesn't suffice, and Cameron, for a YA heroine, remains frustratingly hard to read. MOVIES The Miseducation of Cameron Post Angel Perez, 60, was infected with a flesh-eating bacteria while crabbing in the waters off Matts Landing, Cumberland County. Read more A New Jersey man had both his arms amputated below the elbow Wednesday after battling an infection from flesh-eating bacteria for more than a month. Angel Perez, 60, will likely have his legs amputated in the coming days as well, said his daughter, Dilena Perez-Dilan. "To see the willpower to fight and his pure grit amazes me, but does not shock me because he truly is a fighter and has battled so much over the years," she wrote on a GoFundMe page to pay for Perez's care. Perez, of Millville, was crabbing in the waters off Matts Landing, Cumberland County, on July 2 when he was infected with a type of bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus. While the bacteria pose little threat to healthy people who go in the water, Perez's immune system was weakened by medications he takes for Parkinson's disease. He developed a potentially fatal condition called necrotizing fasciitis commonly known as "flesh eating." The condition strikes about 1,000 people in the United States each year. When Perez first noticed swelling in his leg a day after he went crabbing, he went to an urgent care center, Perez-Dilan said. He was diagnosed with cellulitis, a type of infection that is generally less serious. But a day later, the swelling spread and he began hallucinating. On July 4, Perez went to Cooper University Hospital, where doctors diagnosed the condition. Doctors treated him with antibiotics, clearing the infection from his bloodstream and allowing his kidneys to recover slightly after temporarily shutting down, Perez-Dilan said. But they remained concerned about the dead skin and muscle on his arms and legs, calling it a "breeding ground for the bacteria," she said. After the infection worsened, Perez made the decision on Aug. 15 to have his arms amputated, Perez-Dilan wrote on the fund-raising page. "His life will never be the same but we know he will make the best out of it," she wrote. The double amputation of his legs will be scheduled in the coming days, but family members are taking things one day at a time, the post said. Right now, they are hoping to get Perez outside after 45 days in the hospital. The Vibrio bacteria that caused his infection thrive in warm, salty water, and can be found in the Delaware Bay and the ocean. People with an open wound should steer clear of the ocean and bay when it is warm, especially if they have a compromised immune system, said Megan Sheppard, Cumberland County health officer. No other such cases have been reported in Cumberland County in the last five years, she said. Newborns die of genetic diseases every day. Should their genes be modified to save them? Mosquitoes might kill a half-million people next year. What if scientists tweaked the bug to slow the spread of disease? And should guppies glow? Those are among the hypotheticals posed to thousands of Americans in a pair of surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center. The first survey, published in July, asked about editing human DNA. A follow-up, published Thursday, focused on modifying other animals. The surveys reveal that Americans have mixed feelings about the future of genetic engineering. Most favor certain health-promoting changes, such as correcting inherited diseases that would affect newborns or altering animals so that they could grow organs for people who need them. But crafting luminous pets and smarter babies would be taking the science too far, a majority of respondents said. The surveys also reveal deep demographic divisions. In general, men support genetic engineering more than women. Black and Hispanic respondents show slightly lower levels of support relative to whites. And when it comes to editing humans, the religious are skeptics. Most men 55 percent favor making more nutritious meat. Four in 10 said gene editing could be tested on human embryos if needed, and 24 percent were open to making children more intelligent. Only a third of women want mega-meat. One in four would allow gene editing in humans if it required embryonic research. And a mere 13 percent are comfortable with crafting smarter babies. When it comes to resurrecting extinct animals, such as the woolly mammoth, 41 percent of men are in favor. About 20 percent of women think that would be a good idea. Some scientists argue that reviving extinct species could increase our understanding of life and improve conservation efforts. >>READ MORE: Temple uses gene-editing to eliminate HIV infection in mice Arthur Caplan, founder of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, who was not involved in the studies, believes the gender differences may be due in part to a male preference for "technology and engineering solutions" created by culture. Only respondents who opposed a particular application of animal engineering were asked why they voted they way they did. Making aquarium fish glow was the least popular intervention. Among the 77 percent who opposed it, about half thought it was a waste of resources, 12 percent believed it to be interfering with nature, and 8 percent opposed it because it would be "messing with God's plan." Among those who balked at making modified meat, concerns about unintended consequences and the potential for negative long-term health effects topped the list. Those queasy about animal-to-human transplants cited animal suffering and the potential for human harm. In every proposed animal intervention, a sizable proportion of respondents from 18 percent to 31 percent either did not know or would not say why they voted no. "Maybe they don't know how to express the idea," said Caplan. Caplan uses (and coined) a concept called the "yuck factor" in bioethics research. It is meant to capture the ineffable sense that messing with life can just feel wrong. "It's not a good argument," he said, "but it's something that needs to be addressed." Caplan was "surprised" by the level of support for engineering insects. Overall, 70 percent of respondents said they were in favor of modifying mosquitoes to prevent the spread of disease. Only correcting genetic diseases in newborns polled higher, with 72 percent support. >>READ MORE: Penn invests $50 million in biotech in a bold bid to build Philly's innovation cluster Caplan, now a professor at New York University, has a hunch that many beliefs around whether genetic modification would be appropriate are not deeply ingrained. "It's one thing to say, 'I don't like engineering animals to get organs from them,'" he said. "It's a different thing to say your brother needs a liver [and] there aren't any. Would you take one from a pig?" Respondents with "high science knowledge" as measured by a general science quiz were much more likely to support genetic engineering. Most support modifying animals to allow for organ transplants and more nutritious meat. The biggest discrepancy was seen in correcting serious genetic diseases that would affect newborns: Among subjects who scored highest on the science test, 86 percent were in favor. Among those who scored poorly, only 58 said that would be appropriate. Genetically modified animals are not some distant possibility they are already here. In 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a modified Atlantic salmon that was tweaked to grow faster. Thanks to two gene fragments lifted from Pacific Chinook salmon and ocean pout, the transgenic AquAdvantage salmon can reach market size in a year and a half, as opposed to three years. This aquaculture product makes up a tiny fraction of the overall salmon market. >>READ MORE: Genetically modified mushroom stirs debate New advances in how scientists edit DNA are speeding up the development of more modified animals. Recombinetics, a Minnesota biotech company, and others are petitioning the government to rethink how it evaluates certain kinds of gene edits. Older techniques often required moving DNA from one type of organism to another. Now, more precise tools are allowing researchers to delete or retype specific letters within an animal's own genome. Recombinetics has produced hornless dairy cows this way. In 2016, Pew asked Americans what they thought about genetically modified crops. Of the adults surveyed, 39 percent said they believe food with genetically modified ingredients was less healthy, despite overwhelming scientific evidence that approved GM crops are safe. "Monsanto in particular botched the rollout of GMOs," Caplan said. By resisting labels and emphasizing to farmers that they change their pesticide habits, consumers were left in the dark, he argued. The fact that genetically engineered mosquitoes, which have not been approved, poll higher than GMO crops suggests to Caplan that perhaps the scientists proposing to modify bugs have already done a better job making their case. Rutgers University engineers used WiFi signals to detect objects made of liquid and metal, a low-cost system they say would be useful for detecting bombs and chemicals. Read more Airport-style metal detectors are an effective tool for flagging weapons and other potential threats, but the large, walk-through scanners are beyond the budget of many institutions that need to handle big crowds in short order. In a new study, Rutgers University engineers reported they could make a low-cost alternative using technology already present in your living room or neighborhood coffee shop: WiFi. The key is that these ubiquitous wireless signals pass through plastics and fibers used to make suitcases and bags, but they tend to get scattered or reflected by metals and liquids. By analyzing how the signals pass through different materials, the researchers were able to write a detection algorithm that picked out "suspicious objects" inside bags with greater than 95 percent accuracy, they said. The accuracy rate dropped to 90 percent when the objects were wrapped in an extra layer of material, but the researchers are confident they can boost that number by tweaking their system, said Yingying Chen, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the Rutgers New Brunswick campus. Chen and her Rutgers colleagues collaborated with researchers at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and Binghamton University, winning a best paper award at a June conference in Beijing. The authors tested their method on 15 metal and liquid objects inside six types of bags, using a simple setup with antennas, a laptop, and the basic WiFi signal on the Rutgers campus. They tested metal objects that stood in for weapons and harmless liquids that took the place of explosives ingredients. The initial system was meant only to demonstrate that the WiFi concept was feasible. Before it could be deployed in a real security setting, the researchers say, they want to improve the system's ability to distinguish different kinds of metals, among other refinements. In many crowd situations, current screening procedures involve lots of personnel. "What they do is hire a lot of people to open backpacks," Chen said. A better option would be to use the WiFi technology as an initial screening tool, she said. If the algorithm detected anything amiss in a particular bag, security personnel could then search it the old-fashioned way. President Donald Trump listens to Senate candidate Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., speaks during a rally, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes Barre, Pa. Read more Need proof that the political network funded by billionaire Charles Koch is breaking up with some Republicans, just when its plentiful campaign contributions could help score victories in November's midterm elections? Consider U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta's lagging challenge to U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, compared with former State Sen. Scott Wagner's challenge to Gov. Wolf's bid for reelection. Both Republicans, Barletta from Hazleton and Wagner from York, won enthusiastic endorsements from President Trump during an Aug. 2 rally in Wilkes-Barre. That came less than a week after the donor network founded by Koch and his brother, David, met in Colorado Springs and publicly distanced itself from Trump. Barletta was one Republican singled out for criticism there, according to the Washington Post. To the Koch network, Trump has become too "divisive." In response, the president tweeted, "The globalist Koch Brothers, who have become a total joke in Republican circles, are against Strong Borders and Powerful Trade." Barletta's Senate race could present an opportunity for Americans for Prosperity, started in 2004 with funding from the Koch brothers, whose private, Kansas-based conglomerate has businesses with interests ranging from manufacturing to energy to finance. A Morning Consult tracking poll for the midterm elections found in July that just a third of Pennsylvania's voters think Casey, a Scranton Democrat, deserves reelection, while 43 percent approve of the job he is doing in the Senate and 32 percent disapprove. Still, an average of polls in the race, compiled by the website Real Clear Politics shows Casey with a 16-point lead, mostly because the challenger is unknown in many parts of the state. That gives Barletta a real shot in shifting the narrative, if he has the resources to tell his story or some benefactor who can help from outside. That's exactly the sort of help the AFP is known for. Wagner faces the same rough road as Barletta. The Real Clear Politics polling average shows he too trails by 16 points in his bid to unseat Wolf, a Democrat from Mount Wolf. AFP announced last week that it would oppose Wolf on Wagner's behalf, a potentially substantial boost in outside funding in the race. And Barletta? AFP launched a campaign on May 24, nine days after Barletta easily won the Republican nomination for the Senate race, to "hold accountable" the four-term congressman for his support of a $1.3 trillion omnibus budget package in March. That included a mailer that said: "Barletta voted to increase waste that helped push spending to more than $4 trillion this year alone." Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, said that March budget vote was "exactly what AFP has stood against for many, many years." So the group took action, he said. "They've decided to move away from too close an association with the Republican Party," Sabato said. "When the AFP takes a stand, I've learned, they stick with it. Come what may. They face the consequences. They're tough." AFP has demonstrated electoral power before in Pennsylvania. The group supported U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, a Lehigh County Republican who narrowly won a second term in 2016 over Katie McGinty, a Democrat from Wayne. AFP poured nearly $2.6 million into independent expenditures to oppose McGinty, according to Federal Election Commission records. Beth Ann Mumford, AFP's state director in Pennsylvania, said the group hasn't "made any announcement on the Senate race," though she did tout its support for Wagner. "We have also spent the summer making tens of thousands of calls and door knocks urging folks to call Sen. Casey and ask him to support Judge Kavanaugh's confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court and work to make tax reform permanent," Mumford added in an email. Barletta could certainly use AFP's help. Campaign finance reports filed in mid-July showed he had $1.6 million in the bank, compared with Casey's $9.8 million. Sabato, who prognosticates political races on a website he calls Sabato's Crystal Ball, said Republicans in Washington who follow Senate races see Casey in a strong position to hold off Barletta. That could be another factor in AFP staying on the sidelines in the race. Barletta has tried to make the best of AFP's criticism, using it to paint himself as more of a centrist than Casey. "I'm being attacked from the right by the Koch brothers and I'm being attacked by the far left by Bob Casey," Barletta told the Pennsylvania Press Club in Harrisburg on June 25. "So I must be perfect for Pennsylvania." Weccacoe playground is home to an African American burial ground that occupied the site in the 19th century. Read more Republicans are calling for Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney to apologize to President Trump for blaming the president for a nonexistent "racist incident" at Weccacoe Playground. Good luck with that. A couple of Thursdays ago, a black doll was found hanging from a noose in Queen Village. The mother who discovered it called the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations, which investigates hate crimes. They told the mother to call 911. She did. Police arrived and the mayor freaked out. Kenney promptly sent out a disastrously prepared yes, prepared! statement, declaring, "I am sickened by what took place today at Weccacoe Playground. Although the investigation is still underway, I want to immediately condemn this despicable act. It demonstrates how far this country has fallen when people are inspired by the hateful rhetoric of our president. And it is particularly disgraceful to make a sacrilege out of a sacred burial ground, where thousands of African Americans are interred. The city will do everything in its power to bring the people responsible to justice for this disgusting act." Yes, with the investigation just beginning, Kenney dug into the muck-filled morass of his gray matter to indict the completely irrelevant opposing political party for what he wrongly presumed to be a hate crime. Fortunately, NBC10 reporter Rosemary Connors investigated the story. Connors learned that the doll was strung up by two preteen boys who told her they thought the doll was creepy and strung it up to scare people. One of the boys is black. The other boy is white. The boys reportedly did not even know about the symbolism of the noose and the history of lynchings in America. Will Kenney apologize to President Trump for declaring him guilty of somehow aiding and abetting a nonexistent racist act? Of course not. Should Republicans insist? Why bother? Kenney profits from the politics of division, and whether or not you feel his behavior is reprehensible, it's up to voters to decide if someone like this represents them. To Kenney, admitting he overreacted and then apologize for smearing a Republican would be like admitting Philadelphians are driving the short ride to Delaware to buy Pepsi and their groceries tax-free. His knee-jerk reaction to the boys' prank is very much like his reaction to honest criticism of his soda tax: blame-shifting. Consider this: Last year, Kenney told the Philadelphia Inquirer, "[Beverage companies] are so committed to stopping this tax from spreading to other cities, that they are not only passing the tax they should be paying onto their customer, they are actually willing to threaten working men and women's jobs rather than marginally reduce their seven-figure bonuses." That was last February, when supermarkets and distributors reported a 30 percent to 50 percent drop in beverage sales. Kenney either doesn't believe his soda tax has cost hundreds of jobs or he doesn't care, putting him directly at odds with Teamsters Local 830, which says hundreds of jobs were lost due to his stupidly targeted tax. Either way, in Kenney's world, the beverage industry is the enemy. Just like when it comes to badly behaving kids, Trump is the enemy. Ironically, Trump has apologized for crude comments he made about women in 2005, saying, "I said it, I was wrong and I apologize." Will Kenney apologize? No, there's no political gain in an apology. Good news for both of the prankster boys is that Mayor Kenney's record also suggests he will not keep his word and "bring them to justice." Rick Jensen is an award-winning talk show host on 101.7 FM and 1150 AM WDEL. Rick@WDEL.Com Detail of the first amendment quote on the memorial at Independence Park, Philadelphia, Pa. Read more On Thursday, American newspapers responded to the Boston Globe's call to defend a pillar of democracy: freedom of the press. The Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial board joined more than 350 newspapers in an effort coordinated by the Boston Globe Editorial Board. The Globe called for editorial boards to push back against Trumps dirty war on the free press. They wrote, The impact of Trumps assault on journalism looks different in Boise than it does in Boston. Our words will differ. But at least we can agree that such attacks are alarming. >> Read the Inquirer's editorial on free press here. The editorials have been noticed. President Trump tweeted this morning that "the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press." Here's what newspapers in our region and beyond wrote about the importance of the press. The Idyllwild Town Crier, California Getting your "news" from social media differs greatly from getting it from established news media. News media, if they at all value their reputations, must verify the information they're getting. Rumor doesn't make it. A person saying, "What I heard is " isn't close. A reliable source is someone who not only claims to know, but is in a position to know and has established trust with the media. And, if possible, verifying the information from a second reliable source is preferable and is routinely attempted before releasing it to the public. Social media doesn't do this, and neither does the so-called "tabloid media." Read more. The Record Journal, Connecticut Unable to carry on in the light, the president attempts to drag us all into a dark labyrinth where rules don't apply and some vacant concept of winning seems attainable. This is the playground of "alternative facts." But news organizations do not play in that dark playground. They perform in the light, and as such they are not the "enemy of the people" but precisely the opposite. Read more. The Palm Beach Post, Florida President Donald Trump's anti-press rhetoric is "very close to inciting violence," warns the departing United Nations human rights commissioner. Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein, of Jordan, told The Guardian that the attacks on the press could lead to journalists censoring themselves or being attacked. And they're encouraging authoritarian leaders to crack down on media overseas with newfound aggression. Read more. The Chicago Sun Times, Illinois So who or what are we really the enemy of? We are, at the Sun-Times, the enemy of unchecked authority and undeserved privilege. We are the enemy of self-entitlement. We are the enemy of the notion that the only way up is to hold somebody else down. We are the enemy of nothing but "thoughts and prayers" when children are slaughtered. We are the enemy of faked-up outrage. We are the enemy of deadly streets and violent gangs. We are the enemy of thugs who shoot into crowds. We are the enemy of the societal failings of our city and country that have shaped the thugs and given them space. We are the enemy, that is to say, of dead-end jobs and no jobs, bad schools, racism, bad parenting and people who look away. Read more. The Boston Globe, Massachusetts Trump can't outlaw the press from doing its job here, of course. But the model of inciting his supporters in this regard is how 21st-century authoritarians like Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan operate; you don't need formal censorship to strangle a supply of information. Read more. The Albuquerque Journal, New Mexico The media's job isn't to stroke anyone's ego. And it shouldn't blindly reinforce any political party's worldview. The news media's job is to hold a mirror up to the world, to tell the truth and to put events into context, so that "we, the people" can make wise and informed decisions. The job of the media is to help the people hold their government accountable. Read more. The Star Ledger, New Jersey Like Putin, or Stalin, Trump knows he doesn't need to convince his base that everything he says is true; just that everybody else is a liar, including the press that fact-checks him. Because when people believe that the real truth is unknowable, they grow cynical, and prefer to tune out and believe no one. Read more. The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio We aren't perfect, and when we make errors, we correct them. We have not seen that policy in action at the White House. Read more. The Philadelphia Tribune, Pennsylvania The Philadelphia Tribune, America's oldest continuously published newspaper owned and operated by African Americans, has joined in this effort because we see the president's hateful rhetoric not only as an assault on the freedom of the press, but an attack on democracy itself. It is time to stand up to Trump's assault on one of the key tenets of our democracy a free press. Read more. The Allentown Morning Call, Pennsylvania "No, we are not the "enemy of the people." We feel so strongly that The Morning Call decided to write a rare editorial. While we value our independence as a news organization, today we stand with many other newspapers across the country publishing editorials to defend our profession." Read more. PennLive, Pennsylvania The adversarial nature of journalism is to ask questions, challenge the status quo, be skeptical of motives and statements, dig past the "official" versions of events, give a voice to those whom power would silence and to publish unpleasant truths . That can sometimes make it seem that we're not on your side or on the side of the country. But the howls of outrage that sometime greet our work usually means we're on target, not that we're "fake." Read more. LNP/ Lancaster News Online, Pennsylvania "When the president attacks a journalist employed by a national news organization, he is giving permission to other elected officials to deride journalists and to devalue press freedom. Journalists and elected officials shouldn't be pals. But they should have a mutual understanding of the respective roles they play. Elected officials are charged with doing the public's business. Journalists report on how elected officials go about the people's business and how they spend taxpayer money. This is the case at every level of government." Read more. The Reading Eagle, Pennsylvania The press is not above criticism. But if the president wants to take issue with the media, he should call out specific examples rather than labeling all of us "the enemy of the people." The president's name-calling of the press puts reporters at risk of attack. And labeling every fact he dislikes "fake news" makes it more difficult for Americans to civilly discuss their differences. Read more. The Erie Times-News, Pennsylania Individuals, in unfettered debate armed with independent facts, could identify values and self-govern at the ballot box. The press informs those deliberations by asking questions and reporting the truth without fear of government reprisal. The alternative is what we fought to escape letting rulers impose their truth on us. Read more. The Dallas Morning News, Texas It is no coincidence that this newspaper's best work since its founding in 1885 has been produced by journalists who dared, in one way or another, to shine a light on societal injustices, corruption, the ravages of war, poverty and natural disasters while adhering to bedrock principles of truth and fairness. Read more. The Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, Wisconsin Quoting Jan Larson, professor and chair for the UW-Eau Claire Department of Communication and Journalism: "Journalism without an engaged citizenry is not enough," she said. "Citizens have a responsibility to engage in their communities and to both support and demand the journalism needed to maintain a healthy democracy that allows all a voice." Read more. As the birthplace of the Revolution, Philadelphia was also one of the birthplaces of a free press, and the Inquirer, born soon after the country's own birth, proudly continues that legacy. Read more A war on the press is a war on democracy. It is a war not just on the American people, but on people throughout the world. President Trump declared this war soon after taking office. His "fake news" mantra is now weaponized and aimed at any news coverage and often any fact with which he disagrees. Alarmingly, his enmity for the news media continues to escalate. It was not enough to label American journalists as enemies of the people. Now he has called the entire profession "dangerous and sick." We are proud to join with hundreds of news organizations around the country to call for this dirty war to stop. This editorial is one of over 200 being published Thursday in a coordinated effort to alert the American people to the dangers inherent in the president's actions, which are intended to undermine the ability of the press to question, examine, and investigate on behalf of all citizens. Criticism of the press is part of healthy debate in a democracy. Media organizations, including ours, sometimes earn the criticism. But demonization of the press is now a calculated White House strategy, intended to impede a process whose purpose is to inform the citizenry. News is information, and information enables those who live in a democracy to make up their minds. This is what the president is openly threatening. The free flow of information is the bedrock of any democracy, and played a key role in this country's formation. The American Revolution unfolded in the pages of newspapers, pamphlets, and broadsides that kept people informed and aired both sides of the conflict between the colonists and the British government. By the time the Constitution was ratified, press freedom was important enough to be codified in its very first amendment. As the birthplace of our democracy, Philadelphia was also one of the birthplaces of a free press, and the Inquirer, born not long after the country's own birth, proudly continues that legacy. Much as we're disturbed by attacks on the press, we know there's an important distinction between national media outlets and the local journalism we produce. Local journalism is as important to the healthy functioning of a community as are its schools, churches and public safety departments. That's why we work every day to hold those in power to account, whether politicians, clergy or police officers; to fight for those victimized by toxic buildings, school violence, or indifferent systems; to give voice to those who are not heard; to recognize acts of community heroism; and to encourage robust debate on every issue critical to the region. The economic model for the news industry is challenging, particularly for print. The president openly relishes this thus the adjective "failing." Here in Philadelphia, thanks to the foresight of philanthropist H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest, the situation is far more stable under the nonprofit structure he established and endowed. As a public benefit corporation, we aren't beholden to anyone but the citizens of this region, and we consider what we do to be a public trust. We find it deeply troubling that our president attempts to undermine this trust, and tries to diminish the freedom our founders promised to all. If the press is not free from reprisal, punishment or suspicion for unpopular views or information, neither is the country. Neither are its people. To our subscribers, we thank you for supporting our mission of keeping local journalism strong. If you're not an Inquirer subscriber, join the mission at philly.com/join or call 215-222-2765 and mention "join." During the past weekend or so, I've been thinking of Philadelphia's experience with the A&E cable show Parking Wars. The show followed Philadelphia Parking Authority workers ticketing, booting, and towing cars in relentless style. Meryl Levitz, president of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp., told the New York Times: "For the last 20 years, Philadelphia has made a concerted effort to be a place where great things happen. It's so hurtful to have this inaccurate portrayal. This show isn't about parking tickets; it's about how people are treated in Philadelphia." I was triggered to review the damage of the show because of our dancing mayor and the Jim Kenney reality show. His sanctuary city dance was dusted off nationwide as the face of Philadelphia because of an illegal immigrant in Philadelphia who confessed to sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl after he had been released from Philadelphia Police custody without notice being given to immigration officials. I'll get back to this incident, but Kenney's week of national news blunders started with the playground incident in which a black doll was left hanging at Weccacoe Playground in South Philly. I get why Kenney rushed to call this a hate crime, since the doll was placed near a sacred African American burial ground, but he also rushed to issue a statement to place a share of the blame on President Trump. His statement said, "It demonstrates how far this country has fallen when people are inspired by the hateful rhetoric of our President." The incident, by all accounts, was a prank perpetrated by a young black boy and a young white boy. Did Kenney feel the need to issue a clarification or an apology for his Trump remarks? No. Instead, he doubled down and cited more reasons why Trump should be suspected in any incidents like this. The second incident involved a leftist mob that drove two conservative activists out of the Green Eggs and Ham restaurant in Center City. Their harassment made national news and made Philadelphia appear to be a hostile place to a different political philosophy. That national perception is accurate. The mobs that are essentially allowed to roam free in our city are turned on by making disparaging speech and harassing people that they oppose. This incident did not draw a negative response from Kenney. There was no lecture about the beauty of diversity. There was no attempt to tell Charles Kirk and Candace Owens, the activists attacked, that the incident was an aberration. The third incident involved the national replaying of Kenney's sanctuary city dance. This replay was triggered by Juan Ramon Vasquez's guilty plea of committing a felony, illegal entry to the United States after deportation. Under the city's sanctuary city policy, Vasquez was turned loose, even though Immigration and Customs Enforcement requested he be detained for deportation. Vasquez next surfaced when he was charged with the rape of a child and unlawful sexual contact with a minor. He was sentenced to eight to 10 years in prison for the crimes. So, in one week, we have Kenney accusing Trump of provoking a hate crime that turned out to be a prank; a mob assaulting two Trump-supporting conservative activists in Center City while they were having breakfast, and the mayor's sanctuary city celebration dance being shown nationally as the face of a city that protects illegal immigrant criminals. However, there is one anomaly in Kenney's actions. It has become clear that he will not be moving the Frank Rizzo statue any time soon from its place of honor in front of the Municipal Services Building. We have just passed the one-year anniversary of City Councilwoman Helen Gym, apparently inspired by the removal of Confederate War statues across the South, calling for the Rizzo statue to be removed. Could it be that Kenney still believes that there are significant numbers of people in Philadelphia who love and respect Frank Rizzo's legacy? Rizzo never was a fan of the Parking Authority's excessive writing of parking tickets. I think he even talked about breaking their pencils. That's a bit of wisdom Philadelphia could use today. Teacher-turned-talk show host Dom Giordano is heard 9 a.m. to noon weekdays on WPHT (1210-AM). Contact him at www.domgiordano.com. On Twitter at @DomShow1210 1. Whats been happening at work and at home since your first Xpat Interview? Click here to read the first interview Amazingly The Caledonia Bar/Restaurant has been open for 6 years and we have had a ball. 2. On a scale of 1 to 10 how happy are you with your life in Hungary , and why? Pretty close to an 8. Fortunate to know a lot of really nice, generous and positive poeple. 3. Whats the best party youve been to while in Hungary , and why? The Rod Stewart concert at Heroes Square was a bit special. Made it on to two big screens and was famous for a few seconds. The Gift of the Gab Final party was also top class, as are the Burns Suppers........I get to a lot of good parties. 4. Whats your favourite drink? Irn Bru 5. What hidden talents do you have? I do a real good dracula. So good Ive made a few ladies cry with fear. I can go up to 2 hours without blinking. 6. What was the most interesting travel trip you have ever taken? That goes back some 25 years ago when I went Inter railing with my younger brother. To get us started we booked a flight from Edinburgh to Mallorca. But it was only when we arrived did we realise we had landed on an island. 7. If you were given a wish that could come true, what would you ask for? Glasgow Celtic to win the Champions League. 8. Whats the last book you read, and movie you watched? Duncan Bannantynes autobiography and Hangover 2. 9. If someone wrote a biography about you, what would the title be? He will never walk alone 10. What is the perfect pizza toppings combination for you? Haggis, neeps and tatties 11. If you could trade places with any other person for a week, real or fictional, with whom would it be? Henrik Larsson on August 28th 2000 12. On a scale of 1 to 10 how unusual are you, and why? Mmmmmmmm. Pretty average 5 I reckon. You would need to ask other people why. 13. Whats the best website youve ever visited, and why? Come on. I was in the Captain Cook pub back in 1999 when someone in our company talked about setting up xpatloop. It was not given much support. But I knew it was a good idea. Oh and www.celticquicknews.com. And my old place of work in Edinburgh www.youngscot.org 14. Who do you admire the most, and why? My mum and dad. They brought up 5 of us to be decent folks. My old boss Marcus Liddle. A truly great individual who taught me so much. And Zsuzsanna Bozo. If this young lady were to be mayor of Budapest there would be no stopping this great city. 15. What do you like best and least about living in Hungary ? I like the variety of places to visit and the people you can meet. No day is ever the same. I dont really like going to the Post Office. Can drive me to drink. 16. What has made the biggest impact on your life so far, and why? Tough one. I have been fortunate to work alongside so many people that are prepared to go that extra mile to help people less fortunate than most of us. It is always a solid reminder to me that there is more to life. The voluntary activities that The Irish Hungarian Business Circle deliver to support the God orphanage are truly special. 17. If you won USD 30 million, what would you do with the money? I have no idea. Not sure I would need that much. I would like to help renovate Zsuzsas mums house in Zabar. Maybe sponsor a race at the Hungarian Derby to support the IHBC. Hire a big venue for Mary Murphy to host the Gift of the Gab finals. Buy a new set of kit for Budapest Celtic Old Boys and take us on a tour of New York. Hire Margit Sziget for a huge childrens summer picnic. How much have I left......... 18. If your life had a theme song, what would it be? Caledonia 19. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose? The Moon. 20. In ten years from now what will you be doing? Writing an update on my interview for xpatloop ISLAMABAD: Micro-blogging website Twitter has been asked to either block offensive content or face a total shutdown in Pakistan, reports said on Thursday. According to a report in Dawn, the popular micro-blogging site has been warned by the establishment to filter content which the government feels is ''unfit for public consumption''. Twitter has been under the scanner in Pakistan over its alleged inaction in blocking inappropriate content on its site. On Wednesday, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had informed the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat that a similar request was made to other popular social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube etc which responded positively. However, Twitter did not oblige and failed to comply with the government's repeated request to block objectionable content on its website, the PTA said. The reports quoted the Director General of PTAs Internet Policy and Web Analysis, Nisar Ahmed as saying that out of several hundred requests from the government to block certain objectionable content, roughly five percent were entertained by Twitter. ''The popular micro-blogging site ignores all the remaining requests, he told the Senate Committee. Ahmed made these submissions during a meeting of the committee on penalties fixed by the PTA against derogatory comments spreading through social media targeting the state, its citizens and its institutions. During the briefing, Ahmed also informed the Senate Committee that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had last week directed the PTA to issue a final notice to Twitter, asking the website to either entertain the government's requests or face the risk of being blocked in the country. The senior PTA officials also stated that Twitter was not as popular as Facebook and that's why the website has not much to lose. However, Twitter would certainly lose business if it was shut down in the country, the PTA official told the Senate Committee members. As compared to Twitter, Ahmed said that Facebook had been extremely cooperative with Pakistan, and had obliged when asked to block content that might be perceived offensive. The move to block Twitter has evoked sharp reactions from Prime Minister-designate Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party, which said that ''it was against any kind of censorship on free media.'' Mumbai: 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. New Delhi: Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee died at the age of 93 on Thursday. He breathed his last at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). During his tenure (spreading three times), Vajpayee implemented several development programmes for long term benefits to the masses. Vajpayee continued with spirit of economic reforms introduced under PV Narasimha Rao government of 1991. Here are the key economic decisions taken by the Vajpayee government Fiscal Responsibility Act The Vajpayee government is credited with introducing the Fiscal Responsibility Act aimed at bringing fiscal discipline, reduce India's fiscal deficit, and improve the country's macroeconomic management. Fiscal Responsibility Act aimed to mitigate the country's fiscal deficit in 2008 to 3% of the GDP, but the global financial crisis led to subsequent suspension of the target. Goods and Services Tax The Goods and Services Tax (GST), India's biggest tax reform since Independence, was rolled out last year. But the early concept of the one nation, one tax was envisioned by the Vajpyee government. In the year 2000, the Vajpyee government introduced the concept and set up a committee headed by the then West Bengal Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta to design a GST model. The government formed a task force under Vijay Kelkar to recommend tax reforms who later recommended that GST be replaced with the existing tax regime. India's telecom revolution The Vajpyee government, to its credit has the Telecom Policy 1999, which revolutionised the telecom sector. The New Telecom Policy aimed to enable larger competition and participation of private sector. It replaced fixed license fees for telecom firms with a revenue-sharing arrangement. This led to incorporation of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in 2000. The same year, the Vajpayee government constituted the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT). This also later led to the dissolution of VSNL, which was a monopoly player in the international long distance market. Disinvestment The Vajpayee government was in favour reducing government interference in running business. Vajpayee also formed the disinvestment ministry which was headed by Arun Jaitley. The major divestment steps were taken by the government between 1999-2004 were in Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), Hindustan Zinc, Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited, Maruti and VSNL. NEW DELHI: In a video uploaded on social media, two men have claimed responsibility for the attack on JNU student leader Umar Khalid in an upmarket area in Delhi on Monday, and said they would surrender before police on Friday. Police are on the lookout for the two men seen in the video uploaded on Facebook on Thursday. In the video, the duo, who identified themselves as Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal, claimed the attack was supposed to be an "Independence Day gift" to the citizens. Police are verifying the authenticity of the video and trying to trace the IP address from where it was uploaded. "We respect our Constitution. But there is no provision in our Constitution to punish mad dogs. By mad dogs, we mean the JNU gang that is making the country weaker and their number is increasing. Our elders in Haryana have taught us that such people should be taught a lesson," Shahpur said in the video message. The duo also requested the police to not trouble anyone and said they would surrender at the village of Sikh revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha on August 17. A police team has been sent to the village. The city police has contacted its counterparts in Punjab and Haryana to trace the two. Meanwhile, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students and teachers along with Khalid held a protest at Parliament Street today against the incident. The protest was earlier planned at Jantar Mantar, but after the police informed the participants that guidelines for protests at the venue were yet to be framed, the protesters moved near Palika Kendra. From Palika Kendra, they marched till the Parliament Street police station demanding the arrest of the accused in the case. "I would like to thank the Modi government for killing fear inside us. There is no fear inside us now because of what we have faced in the last four years. From a media trial against us to sending us to jail, you have done everything you can," Khalid said at the protest site. He said even if he died, the battle would go on. "I have no personal hatred against those who tried to kill me. I pity those people who tried to kill me because they are being used by the government, that is also troubling their families. You are being used," the JNU student said. "The real culprits are those who have been running a campaign against me for the last two-and-a-half years, branding me 'anti-national' and these include spokespersons, certain news anchors and channels," he said. Khalid was attacked on Monday when he was on his way to take part in an event at the Constitution Club here. He, however, escaped unhurt. On Tuesday, the Delhi Police handed over the case to its Special Cell, which incidentally is already probing a sedition case against Khalid and two other JNU students. The police had also said that they were not "intimated" about Monday's event attended by Khalid. A police officer, privy to the probe, said the police had seized the weapon used in the crime and preliminary forensic examination suggested that the pistol had jammed when it was used against Khalid. He said they were yet to ascertain whether shots were fired as no empty cartridges were found at the spot. A case of attempt to murder has been registered by police in the incident. NEW DELHI: BJP stalwart and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose deteriorating health has become a matter of utmost concern for the country as a whole, considered Manali as his second home. It has now come to light that Vajpayee was a frequent visitor to Manali a popular tourist spot in Himachal Pradesh. The veteran BJP leader had once gifted several books and some computers to a middle school located in small hamlet Prini bordering Manali. The books and the computers gifted by Vajpayee are still being used by the students studying in the middle school, which was later elevated to a High School when Vajpayee visited Manali again in 2006. On June 5, 2006, Vajpayee planted a Devdar tree in the compound of the school. After planting the sapling, Vajpayee spoke to the villagers about the importance of plantation and urged them to keep their surroundings green. The plant has now grown into a full-fledged tree. The residents of this village still cherish the sweet-old memories of the former prime minister's and await his return to their place one more time. All this has come to light at a tie when the entire nation continues to pray for its beloved leader and three-time prime minister. According to the latest bulletin issued by the AIIMS, the condition of Vajpayee still remains critical and he continues to be on an advanced life-support system. The 93-year-old BJP veteran was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. Several top leaders including V-P Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers JHP Nadda, Smriti Irani and BJP chief Amit Shah and many others have visited AIIMS since morning to enquire about his health. PM Modi reached the hospital at around 7.15 pm and spent about 50 minutes there. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu visited AIIMS this morning to enquire about the condition of the former prime minister. BJP veteran LK Advani was also at the hospital to enquire about the health of Vajpayee. BJP chief Amit Shah, Union Health Minister J P Nadda, were also at AIIMS, while Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar are expected to visit the premier medical institute soon. After PM Modi, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi also paid a visit. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari was also among those who visited the hospital. Policemen have been deployed to manage the crowd and traffic outside the hospital. Vajpayee, a diabetic, has only one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia. (With PTI inputs) Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the leader who became the first non-Congress leader to complete the full five-year term as the prime minister of India, breathed his last at 5:05 pm on August 16, 2018, at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi. A visionary and iconic leader with great oratory skills, Atal Bihari Vajpayee chose to be a bachelor for life and was among the founding members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He enjoyed unparalleled respect and love cutting across party lines for his moderate stand and taking the consensus route to resolve any difference. Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the 10th prime minister of India after the BJP emerged as the single-largest party in the Lok Sabha in the 10th Lok Sabha elections. But his first stint lasted just 13 days and he resigned after failing to muster the numbers required to win the vote of confidence. Almost 20 months later, Vajpayee got another chance to take oath as the prime minister for the second time after the BJP became the single largest party following the 1998 Lok Sabha elections. He took oath on March 19, 1998 after the BJP joined hands with regional parties to form the National Democratic Alliance and won the vote of confidence. His second stint as the prime minister, too, ended prematurely after 13 months as the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) withdrew support and he lost the confidence motion by just one vote. But his second term is marked by two defining moments of Indian history. The first is India coming out in the open and declaring itself a nuclear-weapons state by conducting the Pokhran-II series of five nuclear bomb explosions in May 1998 and the Kargil War in May-July 1999 which saw the Indian Army and Indian Air Force pushing back the Pakistani Army which had crossed the Line of Control (LoC) to occupy the icy heights in Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir and adjoining areas. The Kargil War is also remembered as Pakistan's betrayal after Vajpayee tried to bring peace between the two nuclear-armed neighbours by starting the New Delhi-Lahore bus service and taking the first one to meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif even as Pakistani troops were crossing the LoC in Kargil. The country was forced into the 13th Lok Sabha elections soon after and the BJP with 182 seats once again came out as the single-largest party and with the support of its allies formed a government. Vajpayee was sworn in for the third time as the prime minister of India and went on to complete his term. His third term saw another dramatic event when five Pakistani terrorists hijacked the Indian Airlines IC-814 Kathmandu-Delhi flight on December 24, 1999. The hijackers demanded the release of dreaded terrorists Maulana Masood Azhar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and Mushtaq Zargar in exchange for the 180 passengers and crew on board. India failed to neutralise the hijackers when the plane was on its soil and the flight finally landed in Kandahar in Afghanistan which was firmly under Taliban's control. The three terrorists Maulana Masood Azhar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and Mushtaq Zargar had to be released in lieu of the captives. Despite the bitterness of Kargil War, Vajpayee once again tried for peace between with Pakistan when he invited its president Pervez Musharraf, the architect of the misadventure in May-July 1999. He met Musharraf in Agra in July 2001 but the talks were a failure as the Pakistani dictator refused to move beyond the Kashmir issue. A few months later on December 13, 2001, a group of Pakistani terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) attacked Parliament while the House was in session. While all the terrorists were killed, India mobilised its military and was involved in a tense stand-off with Pakistan for almost 10 months. He also spoke about following the "raj dharma" following communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 after the Sabarmati Express was burnt at Godhra killing 59 kar sewaks. After the BJP-led NDA suffered a shock defeat in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections which was called six months before schedule, Vajpayee took a back seat and went into political retirement. He soon started to suffer from age-related ailments and led a reclusive life at his 6-A, Krishna Menon Marg, New Delhi residence. Vajpayee was awarded India's highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna on his birthday - December 25, 2014, by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, only the second BJP leader to become the prime minister after him. The then President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the award to Vajpayee at his residence on March 27, 2015. Born in pre-independence India at Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior on December 25, 1924, in a middle-class Brahmin family, Vajpayee's father Krishna Bihari Vajpayee was a poet and a school teacher and his mother Krishna Devi a housewife. He went to Saraswati Shishu Mandir, Gwalior and later graduated from Victoria College (now Laxmi Bai College), Gwalior with distinction in Hindi, English and Sanskrit. He went on to complete his post-graduation in Political Science from Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College, Kanpur. He joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1939 and became a pracharak in 1947, the year India gained independence from the British rule. He also had a brush with journalism when he wrote for Rashtradharma Hindi monthly, Panchjanya Hindi weekly and two dailies - Swadesh and Veer Arjun. He took part in the freedom struggle and was impressed by Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee. He soon joined Bharatiya Jana Sangh, a political outfit founded by Mookherjee and was given the charge of Northern India as its secretary. He won his first Lok Sabha elections as a Bharatiya Jana Sangh candidate in 1957 from Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh. He won Lok Sabha elections in 1967, 71, 77 and 80. He lost the 1984 Lok Sabha elections but won five consecutive terms from 1989 to 2004. He also took part in the massive people's movement spearheaded by Jayaprakash Narayan against the then government of Indira Gandhi. He was also jailed during the Emergency. After winning the 1977 elections in which the Congress was routed and the Janata Party formed a coalition government under the prime ministership of Morarji Desai, Vajpayee was made the External Affairs Minister. He made one of his most famous speeches when he spoke in Hindi at the United Nations General Assembly. After the Congress (I) under Indira Gandhi won the 1980 Lok Sabha elections, Vajpayee with Lal Krishna Advani, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and a few others formed the BJP on April 6, 1980. Maintaining a moderate stand even as his colleagues supported the hardline Hindutva, Vajpayee always advocated dialogue to resolve a dispute. He had called the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, by a group of kar sewaks "very unfortunate". "It should not have happened. We tried to prevent it but we did not succeed. We are sorry for that," he had said about the demolition which led to riots at several places in the country. From just two seats in the 1984 Lok Sabha, the BJP went on to become the single-largest party in the 1996, 1998 and 1999 Lok Sabha elections and tasted power at the Centre too. Vajpayee's charisma was such that even his fiercest critics and rivals never ever personally attacked him. With his death, India has lost a statesman who stood tall and was always willing to give peace one more chance. NEW DELHI: Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is respectfully admired even by his staunchest rivals, continues to remain critical and has been put on the life-support system. The 93-year-old BJP leader, who is credited for building the party from scratch, 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. According to the doctors attending him at the AIIMS, both his lungs are not in good condition because of pneumonia on both sides and kidneys are also weak. While the entire country prays for his speedy recovery and good health, we bring you some interesting and little-known facts about the three-time former prime minister and the BJP patriarch. Besides being a statesman of global repute, Atal Ji is also well known for his excellent oratory skills. His fiery speeches, laced with wit and humour, often used to leave his opponents and supporters equally spellbound whenever he chose to express his views on pressing issues inside Parliament or at open forums. He possesses a very command over the English and Hindi and languages, which also reflects in his writings, poems and political commentaries on socio-political issues. He has been a poet, who touched millions of hearts through his thought-provoking poetries, an orator par excellence, a politician of enviable repute, a statesman of international stature and, above all, a very simple human being. He served as the editor of (i) Rashtra-Dharma (monthly), (ii) Panchajanya (weekly) and Swadesh and Veer Arjun (both dailies). He was a member of the National Integration Council since 1961, President of (i) All India Station Masters and Assistant Station Masters Association, 1965-70, (ii) Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Samarak Samiti, 1968-84, (iii) Deendayal Dham, Farah, Mathura, UP, (iv) Janmabhoomi Smarak Samiti, 1969 onwards and (v) Krishna Bihari Vajpayee Memorial Trust, Gwalior As an active politician, Vajpayee showed a keen interest in the international affairs, worked for the upliftment of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, women and child welfare and remained deeply concerned about the economic development of the country. Reading, writing, travelling, cooking and watching movies were his favourite pastime. He was a globetrotter and visited several countries while serving as a lawmaker and prime minister. According to government records, Vajpayee was part of (i) Parliamentary Goodwill Mission to East Africa, 1965 as a member; (ii) Parliamentary Delegations to Australia, 1967, European Parliament, 1983, and Canada, 1987; (iii) Indian Delegations to Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meetings held in Canada, 1966 and 1994, Zambia 1980, Isle of Man 1984; (iv) Indian Delegation to Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Japan, 1974, Sri Lanka, 1975, Switzerland, 1984; (v) Indian Delegation to the UN General Assembly, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996; and (vi) Indian Parliamentary Delegation to Bulgaria, 1997; Leader, Indian Delegation to Human Rights Commission Meeting, Geneva, 1993; and Delegation of Standing Committees of External Affairs to Gulf countries- Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait. As Prime Minister, Vajpayee travelled extensively across the globe for various international conferences and goodwill visits notable among them were - United Nations General Assembly Session, SARRC Summit, CHOGM Summit, Indo-EU Summit, ASEAN Summit, NAM Summit, G-8 Border Dialogue and bilateral visits to many countries. During his youth, Vajpayee participated in the country's freedom struggle and went to jail in 1942. later, during the Emergency imposed in 1975-77 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Vajpayee was among several politicians who were detained by the government. He was awarded Padma Vibhushan by President of India in recognition of his services to the Nation, conferred (I) Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by Kanpur University, 1993, (ii) Lok Manya Tilak Puruskar, 1994, (iii) Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant Award for Best Parliamentarian, 1994 and Bharat Ratna in 2015. He also became the first non-Congress Prime Minister to serve a full five-year term - from 1998 to 2004 a feat which earned recognition for his ability to hold together a complex coalition. The historic bus journey to Lahore in 1999 during which he signed the landmark Lahore Declaration with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for peace and security in the Indian sub-continent is still lauded as one of the major highlights of his government. New Delhi: While the entire nation continues to pray for the speedy recovery of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, special prayers and yajnas are being performed across the country for his good health. According to reports, special prayers are yajnas are being performed at several famous temples including the Mahakal Temple in Ujjain dedicated to Lord Shiva in UP and Madhya Pradesh. BJP supporters and fans of Vajpayee have thronged important religious centre and seats of learning to pray for their beloved leader. A group of 11 priests have been chanting the 'Mahamrityunjaya' mantra for the speedy recovery of the veteran BJP leader. In the Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh, students of Government Ayurvedic College are praying for the health of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who has been put on the life-support system at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. Gwalior: Students of Government Ayurvedic College pray for health of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who is admitted at AIIMS and is in critical condition. #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/TImYv5QFLe ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018 Meanwhile, members from the Muslim community, led by Khadim Syyed Irfan Chisti, held prayers at the revered Ajmer Sharif Dargah for the good health of the BJP stalwart. Prayers for the BJP stalwart are also being held in various schools and educational institutions across the country. #WATCH Prayers underway for #AtalBihariVaajpayee in ND Convent Public School in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/F5Y0BZsAsf ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 16, 2018 According to the latest bulletin issued by the AIIMS, the condition of Vajpayee still remains critical and he continues to be on an advanced life-support system. The 93-year-old BJP veteran was admitted to the AIIMS here on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. Several top leaders including V-P Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers JHP Nadda, Smriti Irani and BJP chief Amit Shah and many others have visited AIIMS since morning to enquire about his health. PM Modi reached the hospital at around 7.15 pm and spent about 50 minutes there. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu visited AIIMS this morning to enquire about the condition of the former prime minister. BJP veteran LK Advani was also at the hospital to enquire about the health of Vajpayee. BJP chief Amit Shah, Union Health Minister J P Nadda, were also at AIIMS, while Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, West bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar are expected to visit the premier medical institute soon. After PM Modi, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi also paid a visit. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari was also among those who visited the hospital. Policemen have been deployed to manage the crowd and traffic outside the hospital. Vajpayee, a diabetic, has only one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: The condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee remains critical on Thursday morning and he is currently on life support system in Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). According to AIIMS on Wednesday, the medical condition of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart worsened over the last 24 hours. "Unfortunately, his condition has worsened over the last 24 hours. His condition is critical and he is on a life-support system," the AIIMS said in the statement. Several political leaders -- Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Senior BJP leader LK Advani, daughter Pratibha Advani and BJP President Amit Shah -- reached the hospital on Thursday morning to check on the former prime minister. BJP President Amit Shah arrives at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) where former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is admitted. Vajpayees condition is critical & he is on life support system. #Delhi pic.twitter.com/CbjIqyHruD ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018 Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu arrives at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) where former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is admitted. Vajpayees condition is critical & he is on life support system. #Delhi pic.twitter.com/3St6ZBnHwk ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018 Speaking to news agency ANI, his niece Kanti Mishra said, "I have been praying to god that just once I can see him give a speech again. Our family can never ever erase that image of his from our minds. I hope he gets well soon." Congress President Rahul Gandhi will visit the ailing former prime minister. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to travel to the capital later on Thursday to pay a visit to the former prime minister at AIIMS. Her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal will also be visiting AIIMS. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached the hospital on Wednesday at around 7.15 pm and spent about 50 minutes there. After PM Modi, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi also paid a visit. Later in the night, several leaders and ministers including Suresh Prabhu, Jitendra Singh, Harsh Vardhan and Shahnawaz Hussain visited the hospital. Earlier in the evening, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani had visited the hospital to check on Vajpayee. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President Amit Shah had visited AIIMS on August 11 to enquire about the health condition of Vajpayee. Shah visited AIIMS around 6.30 pm and Singh reached there around 8.15 pm to enquire about Vajpayee's health condition, a source at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said. The 93-year-old leader has been receiving treatment at the AIIMS 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. On the 72nd Independence Day, PM Modi had cited Vajpayee in his 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. He was conferred India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, by the President of India in 2014. The Modi government in 2014 that Vajpayee's birthday, December 25, would be marked as Good Governance Day. Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee served as the Prime Minister three times - first for a term of 13 days in 1996, for a period of 13 months from 1998 to 1999, and then for a full term from 1999 to 2004. He was the first prime minister from a non-Congress party to serve a full five-year term. He was a Member of Parliament since 1957. He was elected to the 5th, 6th and 7th Lok Sabha and again to the 10th, 11th 12th and 13th Lok Sabha and to Rajya Sabha in 1962 and 1986. He is the only parliamentarian elected from four different States at different times - UP, Gujarat, MP and Delhi. His legacy as the PM included several key events and numerous important decisions. Here is a list of some of the important highlights from his three terms as the PM: Pokhran -II nuclear tests Pokhran-II nuclear tests were conducted by India at the Indian Army's Pokhran Test Range in May 1998, just a few months after Vajpayee's government came to power. The test was conducted twenty four years after the first nuclear test Smiling Buddha was held in 1974. Pokhran-II was a series of five nuclear bomb test explosions. On 11 May 1998, Pokhran-II was initiated with the detonation of one fusion and two fission bombs and on 13 May, two more fission devices were detonated. Soon after Vajpayee declared India a full-fledged nuclear state. Lahore bus yatra With an aim to normalise ties with Pakistan and to resolve the Kashmir dispute, Vajpayee government launched the Delhi-Lahore bus service in February 1999. A Lahore Declaration was signed speaking of the commitment to dialogue, trade relations and bettering ties between the two neighbouring nations. Kargil War Ties between India and Pakistan worsened after terrorists and non-uniformed Pakistani soldiers infiltrated into Kashmir. Operation Vijay was launched in June 1999 to push out the infiltrators out of the country. The war that continued for over three months saw at least 500 Indian soldiers being killed. However, India succeeded in pushing the Pakistanis out and recapturing the Indian posts. The victory in Kargil bolstered Vajpayee's bold image and strong leadership. Agra summit The historic two-day Agra summit was held with an aim to reduce tensions between India and Pakistan in July 2001. It was then proposed to drastically reduce nuclear arsenals and resolve the decades-long Kashmir dispute. Various rounds of one-to-one talks were held between the then Pakistan President Parvez Musharraf and Vajpayee. However, the peace process collapsed and no signatures were attained for the Agra treaty. Indian Airlines hijack In December 1999, Indian Airlines flight IC 814 from Kathmandu to Delhi was hijacked by five terrorists and flown to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Several demands were made by the hijackers including the release of certain terrorists like Masood Azhar from the Indian prison. The government had to succumb to pressure, and Masood Azhar had to be released in exchange for the passengers. Creation of three states Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh The new states of Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand were formed on the 1st, 9th, and 15th of November 2000, respectively. With the creation of these three states, the total count of Indian states rose from 25 to 28. Chhattisgarh reconstituted Madhya Pradesh; Uttarakhand reformed Uttar Pradesh; and Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar. Parliament attack On 13 December 2001, a group of armed terrorists stormed Parliament House in Delhi. Several security men were killed in the attack. In the aftermath of the attack, Vajpayee ordered a mobilisation of military forces along the international boundary bordering Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Kashmir. It was called Operation Parakram. For nearly two years following the attack, both nations remained close to a terrible war. Operation Parakram The second major military standoff between India and Pakistan took place in 2001-2002. The standoff between India and Pakistan resulted in the massing of troops on either side of the border and along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir. Gujarat riots Over a thousand people were killed in Gujarat in a Hindu-Muslim violence that took place in 2002. Vajpayee was accused of not doing enough to stop the violence in the state. He later admitted to his mistakes in handling the events. Security in and around the national capital will be heavy on Friday for Atal Bihari Vajpayee's final journey with around 25,000 police personnel expected to be present to avoid any untoward incident. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Rapid Action Force, Bomb Squad and Dog Squad will be pressed into service. Delhi police snipers will be deployed at all buildings on the proposed way when the mortal remains of Vajpayee will be carried for the last journey. Several important roads, such as Krishna Memon Marg, Akbar Road, Janpath and India Gate C-Hexagon, among others, will be closed on Friday as part of the elaborate traffic arrangements. Mortal remains of the veteran leader were on Thursday taken from All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to his residence Krishna Menon Marg. They will be taken to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office at 11 Ashoka Road at around 9 am on Friday. The mortal remains will be taken to Smriti Sthal where the last rites will take place. His final journey will start at 1 pm on Friday from the BJP headquarters towards ITO. From there it will go towards Delhi Gate, Rajghat (the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi) and then Smriti Sthal where the last rites will take place. The Centre has declared seven days of national mourning for Vajpayee, who became the prime minister of India thrice. The National Flag will be flown at half-mast till August 22, 2018, as a mark of respect for the departed leader. He died on Thursday evening after a prolonged illness at AIIMS. The demise of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee came as a shock to not just Indians, but many others living across the world. While Indian mediapersons queued outside All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) where the political stalwart breathed his last, the international media also paid homage to the man who made India a nuclear power. Heres a look at how the international media covered the demise of Atal Bihari Vajpayee: BBC: The Britain-based media giant termed Vajpayee as a mercurial moderate. Remembering the humble beginnings of the three-time Prime Minister, BBC noted that Vajpayee was the son of a school teacher in Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. The obituary also made references to Vajpayee standing strong against Indias first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. The article recalled, In parliament, he once said that Nehru had "inverted vision" because of too much standing on his head during yoga practice. According to the BBC, when voted to power, Vajpayee created a fence of moderate leaders around him to keep hardliners at bay. The Guardian: The Guardian called Vajpayee a political contradiction and a moderate leader of an often strident Hindu nationalist movement. The article recalled how Vajpayee raised the fears of war with Pakistan with the Pokhran nuclear test and just a few years later, made the first move towards peace with the neighbouring country. It further said that Vajpayee failed to see the world in black and white. The New York Times: NYT remember Vajpayee as an Indian Prime Minister who stunned the world by conducting the nuclear test at Pokhran, but at the same time managed to ease tensions with Pakistan and build closer ties with the US. The article referred to Vajpayee as the grandfatherly face of the worlds most populous democracy. It further talked about Vajpayee supporting equal rights for Muslims, Christians and others in an overwhelmingly Hindu nation. The Washington Post: The headline says - Atal Bihari Vajpayee, prime minister who made India a nuclear power, dies at 93. According to The Washington Post, it was the nuclear tests conducted under Vajpayee that established India as an overt nuclear-weapon state. The article further talks about Vajpayees personal charisma that helped the BJP not just rise to power, but also manage a coalition with several regional parties. Dawn News: Pakistan-based Dawn News remembered Vajpayee as the Indian Prime Minister who launched a groundbreaking peace process with Islamabad, even as it said that the nuclear tests at Pokhran stoked fears of atomic war with Pakistan. The article calls Vajpayee the most rare thing in Indian politics and a man untainted by corruption scandals. India lost a political icon and one of its most beloved leaders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, after prolonged illness on Thursday evening. His demise sent shockwaves across India as well as other parts of the world. He breathed his last at 5.05 pm at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital. His mortal remains were taken from the premier healthcare institution to the former prime ministers residence at 6-A Krishna Menon Marg in New Delhi, where leaders from across the country arrived to pay their last respects. Among those who paid homage to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) co-founder were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, BJP president Amit Shah, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, BJP veterans Lal Krishna Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and former President Pranab Mukherjee, among others. As the leaders paid tributes to the three-time prime minister of the country, BJP chief Amit Shah told mediapersons that the mortal remains would be kept at party headquarters from Friday morning for general public to pay their last respects. From 7.30 am to 8.30 am, his mortal remains will be kept for last respect at his residence. At 9 am, his mortal remains will be taken to BJP headquarters. The final journey will begin at 1 pm and the former prime minister will be accorded a state funeral at 4 pm at Smriti Sthal in New Delhi. The Delhi Police has issued an elaborate traffic advisory for the national capital, saying several roads, primarily in the vicinity of central Delhi, would be closed for general traffic. The Delhi Police traffic department has, however, also suggested alternative routes if travel is necessary. The BJP-led central government also declared 7-day state mourning across the country. During this period, the national flag will be flown at half mast at all offices and institutions throughout the country. All the government offices will be functional only for half day on Friday. As a mark of respect to the former prime minister, several states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar and Punjab have declared mourning. All schools and colleges in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh have also been asked to remain closed on Friday. Tributes poured in for Vajpayee from other parts of the world as well. The US Embassy in New Delhi said that the country grieved with India on the loss of the former prime minister. He will be remembered for his immense contribution in bolstering US-India relations, said the US Embassy. Pakistan Prime Minister-designate Imran Khan and countrys former military ruler Pervez Musharraf also mourned the demise of the political stalwart. While Imran Khan called Vajpayee a tall political personality of the subcontinent, Musharraf said that his demise was a loss for both India as well as Pakistan. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also expressed sympathy and condolences to the government and people of India. She released a statement: On behalf of government and people of Bangladesh and on my own behalf, I express our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to government and the mourning people of India, and to the members of the bereaved family. We pray for the eternal peace of his soul. Torrential rains lased Karnataka's coastal and south interior districts, disrupting normal life and forcing the suspension of train and bus services. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus services were stopped on Thursday from Chamarajanagar district for Tamil Nadu's Ooty and Kerala's Kochi due to heavy rains. The KSRTC bus services for Kannur and Kasaragod in Kerala and Mangalore in Karnataka were also suspended. The Cauvery River is flowing above the danger mark in Kodagu district's Madikeri town, as reported by news agency ANI. #Karnataka: Heavy rain lashes Kodagu; Cauvery river flowing above danger mark in Medikeri pic.twitter.com/yRPReUN8gp ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018 "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. Kerala has been receiving massive rainfall over the past few weeks. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), Kerala received an excess of 30.7% more rainfall than expected between June 1 and August 15. Thousands of families in various districts remain stranded with Coast Guards being deployed for rescue operations. The death toll rose to 94 with around 1,65,538 people been transferred to 1,155 relief camps, according to ANI. Coastguards on Thursday rescued 132 people from Thrissur, Aluva and Perumbavoor. Below are the details for rescue operation groups to help stranded people. Army Rescue Team (Message your location on WhatsApp) - 94465 68222 8281292702 - Helicopter service for Alleppy 1077 - Collectorates 1070 - State Control Room Coastal Police Alert and State Police Monitoring Room - 0471-2556699/ 2320101 Call Center for General Query - 1800 1801961 Highway Alert - 9846 100 100 General Administration (Co-ordination) - 0471- 2518463 Pink Police Patrol - 1515 Port Department Helpline155300 (for BSNL connection) Tel: 0471- 2335523, 2115054, 2115098 Trivandrum Medical College, MCH Casualty : (24 hrs) - 0471-2528300 Landslides, Flood, Kerala State Emergency Operations Centre - 0471-2364424, Fax: 0471-2364424 Kerala State Disaster Management Control Room - 0471-2331639, Fax: 0471-2333198 District collectors numbers for rescue 1. Thiruvananthapuram - 0471-2730067, 0471-2730045, 8547610015 Assist. Commissioner(DM) -Mobile No.- 8547610004 2. Kollam - 0474-2794004, 9447557736 Commissioner - Mob No-8547610000 3. Pathanamthitta - 0468-2222515, 8547610039 4. Alappuzha - 0477-2238630, 8547610047 5. Kottayam - 0481-2562201, 8547610057 6.Idukki - 0486-2232242, 0486-2232303, 8547610061 7. Eranaakulam - 0484-2422282, 854710077 8. Trissur - 0487-2362424, 8547610085 9. Palakkad - 0491-2505309, 8547610097 10. Malappuram - 0483-2736320, 854716007 11. Kozhikod - 0495-2371002, 854716018 12. Wayanad - 04936-202251, 04936-202230, 8547616023 13. Kannur - 0497-2713266, 0497-2700645, 8547616034 14. Kasaragod, 0499-4257700, 9447726900 Details of SSP/SP's of District Kerala Name District - SP TVM RL Mobile - 9497996985 Office - No 0471-2315803 Residential No - 2317545 Fax No - 2315803 Name District - SP KLM City Mobile - 9497996908 Office - 0474-2764422 Residential No - 5459555 Fax No - 2744165 Name District - SP PTA Mobile - 9497996983 Office - 0468-2222636 Residential No. - 2222637 Fax No. 2222636 Name District - SP ALPY Mobile -9497999682 Office - 0477-2239326 Residential no - 2230527 Fax no - 2263600 Name District - SP KTM Mobile - 9497996980 Office - 0481-2564700 Residential No. - 2578115 Fax no. - 2564700 Name District - SP IDI Mobile - 9497996981 Office - 04862-232354 Residential No. - 2233004 Fax no. - 2233006 Name District - SP EKM RL Mobile - 9497996979 Office -0484-2623550 Residential No. -2604080 Fax no. - 2623550 Name District - SP TSR RL Mobile - 9497996978 Office -0487-2361000 Residential No 2363601 Name District -SP PKD Mobile -9497996977 Office -0491-2534011 Residential No- 2533276 Fax no. - 2534011 Name District - SP MPM Mobile - 9497996976 Office - 0483-2734377 Residential No- 2734384 Fax no. - 2734377 Name District - SP KKD RL Mobile - 9497996975 Office - 0496-2523100 Residential No- 2517988 Fax no. - 2523100 Name District - SP WYD Mobile - 9497996974 Office - 04936-202525 Residential No- 202500 Fax no. - 202525 Name District - SP KNR Mobile - 9497996973 Office - 0497-2763330 Residential No- 2763331 Fax no. - 2763330 Name District - SP KSD Mobile - 9497996972 Office - 04994-257401 Residential No- 255301 Fax no. - 230401 Name District - SP TRAFFIC SZ Mobile - 9447105619 Office - 0471-2324001 Name District - SP TRAFFIC NZ Mobile - 9497996437 Office - 0495-2769190 ERANAKULAM DISTRICT Control room contact numbers: District Emergency Operation Centre: 0484-2423513 Toll free no: 1077 Taluk control room numbers: Aluva: 0484 2624052 Kanayannur: 0484 2360704 Kochi: 0484 2215559 Kothamangalam: 0485 28 22298 Kunnathunadu: 0484 25 22224 Muvattupuzha: 0485 2813 773, Paravur: 0484 244 2326. DISTRICTWISE EMERGENCY HELP LINES TRIVANDRUM CHIEF MINISTER -04712333812 KOTTAYAM -04812304800, 04812562201 ERANAKULAM - 04842423513 IDUKKI - 04862233111 PATTANAMTHITTA - 8078808915, 0468 2322515, 0468 2222515 Adoor - 0473 4224826 Konni - 0473 2240087 Aranmula/Kozhanchery - 98470 80787, 94953 70585, 94477 12221, 97447 24932, 94954 65808 Thiruvalla - 04692 601303 Mallappally - 0469 268229 Kozhanchery - 04682 222221 Ranni - 0473 5227442 KOTTAYAM WHATSAPP - 94465 62236 TRIVANDRUM WHATSAPP - 9446568222 ERANAKULAM WHATSAPP - 79022 00400 Forward the contacts to as many groups as possible. NEW DELHI: Arun Jaitley, who stepped aside as Finance Minister in May to undergo a kidney transplant, is expected to charge of the ministry on Thursday, sources said on Thursday. The 65-year-old BJP leader, who is also the Leader of the Upper House, had participated in the voting process to elect the Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha recently. During the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha, he was given a warm welcome by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad. PM Modi also expressed his happiness over Jaitley attending the Parliament Session in Rajya Sabha after a three-month-long hiatus. "I am happy that the Leader of the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley is present in the House," the PM said. Jaitley also later congratulated Harivansh Narayan Singh on his election as Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman. "I am confident that Harivansh Singh would uphold the integrity of the post," Jaitley had said in his speech. Jaitley had not been attending office from the beginning of April and later underwent a renal transplant operation on May 14. In view of his surgery, the charge of Finance Ministry was given to Minister for Railways and Coal Piyush Goyal on an interim basis. Jaitley has been the Finance Minister since the Narendra Modi government came to power in May 2014. He had also held additional charge of the Ministry of Defence as well as that of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. During his over four-month-long break, he was very active on social media, wrote blogs on various economic and non-economic issues like National Register for Citizens (NRC) in Assam, Emergency in 1975, No-confidence Motion in Parliament, Rafale fighter jet deal and the goods and services tax. A Rajya Sabha MP since 2000, he was re-elected to the Upper House from Uttar Pradesh in March this year. Jaitley had undergone a bariatric surgery soon after the BJP government came to power at the Centre in 2014. The surgery, to treat weight gain that he suffered because of a long-standing diabetic condition, was first performed at Max Hospital but he had to be shifted to AIIMS because of complications. (With PTI Inputs) Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf on Thursday mourned the demise of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, calling him a great man. Speaking to Wion News, the former military ruler of Pakistan said that Vajpayees demise was a great loss for both India as well as Pakistan. He was a great man, and it is a great loss. India and Pakistan should both feel the great loss of the towering personality of Mr Vajpayee, said Musharraf, adding that he had no doubt about the multi-faceted personality of the former prime minister. Recalling that Vajpayee was a great leader, poet and orator, the former Pakistan president talked about the moments he spent with the political stalwart. Talking about a famous handshake with Vajpayee in Pakistan, Musharraf said, I remember that when I shook hands with him, he held my hand and started walking to the front. He believed that if we remain bogged down by the past, we would not be able to resolve our differences. He further shared a lighter moment with Vajpayee during the 2001 Agra Summit, which did not end on a successful note. It was about the culinary skills of the former Indian prime minister. My foreign minister told me that Vajpayee was quite fond of cooking. I then asked him as to what he liked to cook, and he told me kheer. Since I also like kheer, I discussed with him the qualities that kheer should have, said Musharraf. He further remembered how Vajpayee believed that inter-state relations depend on inter-personal relations, and also worked towards the same. Notably, the Agra summit has been one of the major highlights of Vajpayees tenure as Prime Minister of the country. Vajpayee and Musharraf met in Agra on July 15 and 16, 2001 to resolve outstanding issues between India and Pakistan. But the summit collapsed as the two sides couldn't arrive at any agreement, despite five one-to-one rounds between the two leaders and hours of discussion between the two delegations. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked Assam's National Register of Citizens (NRC) Coordinator Prateek Hajela to submit a detailed report on the district wise percentage of the population not included in the draft of the NRC list. Hajela has been asked to submit the report in a sealed cover. The next hearing on the matter will take place on August 28. The apex court asked Hajela to make available copies of the NRC draft at all panchayat offices so that public can access it easily. The court has also directed that the claim and objection forms will be made available to the public from August 20 and the receipt of the same forms will commence from August 30. The SC has sought views of all stakeholders including All Assam Students Union, All Assam Minority Students Union on Centre's sop on NRC issue. Earlier on August 7, the Supreme Court had rebuked Hajela and the Registrar General of India Sailesh for their statements on the NRC issue and advised them from speaking to media in future without its permission. The bench chaired by Justice Ranjan Gogoi had said that you were given the responsibility of preparing a draft, but you gave an irresponsible statement to the media. "Your job is to prepare the draft, not to brief the media. Who are you to give a statement in the media?" The apex court said it could have sent them to jail for contempt. The bench termed it as "most unfortunate" the statements made by Hajela and Sailesh to media on the issue of dealing with claims and objections of those who have been left out in the draft NRC. "Are you in any manner concerned with the claims and objections to be made... What have you said in newspapers and tell us how are you concerned with that," a visibly angry Justice Gogoi told the officials and asked them to read the news reports in the court. "Don't forget, you are the officers of the court. Your job is to comply with our directions. How can you go to press like this," the bench said adding that, it could have sent both of them to jail. Heavy rains continue to badger Kerala leading to floods across the state as 12 fresh deaths were reported on Thursday, taking the toll to 79, since August 8. More rains were forecast till Saturday in the southern state as it reels under the worst hit monsoon of the century. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked the Defence Ministry to further step up relief and rescue operations across Kerala. He also spoke with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan again in the morning. "We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked the Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala," the PM tweeted. Spoke to Kerala CM Shri Pinarayi Vijayan again this morning. We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala. @CMOKerala Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2018 The situation in Kerala remains grim as red alert has been announced in all the 14 districts of the state. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh took to Twitter to announce the Centre is rushing additional NDRF teams. He tweeted, "Had a telephonic conversation with Kerala Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayanregardingg the prevailing flood situation in the state. The Centre is rushing additional NDRF teams to Kerala. We are providing all possible assistance. I am in constant touch with Kerala CM." Had a telephonic conversation with Kerala Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan regrading the prevailing flood situation in the state. The Centre is rushing additional NDRF teams to Kerala. We are providing all possible assistance. I am in constant touch with Kerala CM. @CMOKerala Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) August 16, 2018 Officials said a holiday has been declared for educational institutions in all districts barring Kasaragod on Thursday while colleges and universities have postponed exams. The metro train services were suspended as water level increased in Muttom Metro yard area. #Kerala: Visuals of waterlogging in parts of Kochi; Metro train services suspended as water level rises in Muttom Metro yard area pic.twitter.com/kVRYJLtqIZ ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018 The Cochin International Airport flight operations have been suspended till Saturday (August 18) 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. Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have announced the suspension of their operations to Kochi. 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. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the heavy rains would continue for some more days, which will further worsen the situation. 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 PM has taken a "positive stand" towards the state on relief measures, Vijayan told reporters. CM Vijayan had sent an SOS to the Central government. The 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 water level in the Achankoil River at Alappuzha's Kollakadavu has also increased. More than 1.5 lakh people have been lodged in relief camps across the state. Train services have been disrupted and road transport services are in disarray with stretches of roads coming under water. 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. 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. An urgent meeting, convened by the chief minister here to evaluate the flood situation, directed officials to requisition a 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. The state last saw such a devastating flooding in 1924. Famous for its coastline and picturesque backwaters, Kerala has become a major destination for domestic and international tourists. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday took a humorous dig at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah as the microphone went off during his speech at an event in the national capital. As the Gandhi scion was addressing a gathering at Sanjhi Virasat Bachao Sammelan in New Delhi,his speech was disrupted due to a technical glitch in the microphone, which went off with a buzzing sound. #WATCH: Congress President Rahul Gandhi says 'Amit Shah ji ne mic off kar diya' after his microphone went off during his speech at 'Sanjhi Virasat Bachao Sammelan' in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/WZI5mjX3OD ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018 Just before the microphone went off, Rahul Gandhi was targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that they were making all attempts to create a prison around the golden bird, but we were trying to prevent them from doing the same. And it was at this point that the microphone went off, following which Rahul Gandhi went for a humorous take on the same, saying, Amit Shah ji ne mic band karaa diya (Amit Shah ji got the microphone switched off). This comes a day after the Congress took a dig at the BJP president over the incident of the tricolour falling at the ruling partys headquarters in New Delhi. As BJP president Amit Shah tried to unfurl the national flag at the BJP office on the occasion of Independence Day, the tricolour slid to the ground. Taking a dig at the BJP over the incident, the Congress questioned as to how the party planned to manage the country when it could not even handle the national flag. The opposition party had also shared a video of the incident on microblogging site Twitter. "Those who cannot handle the flag, how will they handle the country? If those people who have treated the flag with contempt for over 50 years had not done so, the flag would not have been insulted like it was today. Those who give lectures to others on patriotism, do not even know etiquettes of the national anthem," tweeted the Congress along with the video. Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Thursday evening breathed his last at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. Hours after the death of the stalwart, a picture claiming to be of AIIMS doctors paying tribute to the former leader began circulating in the social media. The picture baffled the people who considered it to be a real picture from inside the hospital after the death of the former prime minister. However, it was later verified to be a picture from the year 2012 of a group of Chinese doctors paying tribute to a patient whose organ were donated after her death. In the picture, the doctors stood in a queue and offered their last respect. Atal Bihari Vajpayee breathed his last at 5.05 pm on Thursday and the same was confirmed by AIIMS through an official press release. Elaborate arrangements were made at the hospital as well as the residence of the former prime minister before the announcement of Vajpayees demise was made by the hospital. It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of Former Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at 05:05pm on 16.08.2018. Shri Vajpayee was admitted in AIIMS on 11.06.2018 and was stable in the last 9 weeks under the care of a team of AIIMS doctors, read the statement released by AIIMS. It further read, Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems. Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today. We join the Nation in deeply mourning this great loss. The mortal remains of the BJP co-founder was taken from the hospital to his residence, where political leaders from across the country converged to pay their last respects to the iconic leader. From Prime Minister Modi to Sonia Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, several big names of the Indian polity reached Vajpayees residence soon after the news of his demise came in. The mortal remains will be kept at BJP headquarters for the general public to pay their last respect from 9 am to 1 pm on Friday, following which the final journey of the former prime minister would begin. He will be accorded a state funeral at 4 pm on Friday at Smriti Sthal in the national capital. Zeenews.com, too, had inadvertently used the photo saying it was of AIIMS doctors. But the error has been rectified. We sincerely regret the error. NEW DELHI: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give additional relief to flood-ravaged Kerala. "Kerala is in great pain. I spoke to PM and requested him to massively increase deployment of the Army and Navy. I also said that it is critical that he gives the state special financial assistance as this is a tragedy without parallel in Keralas history," Rahul said. Earlier, Rahul had urged people to donate to the chief minister's 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 and help. Please contribute generously to the CMs relief fund," he tweeted. Over seventy people have been killed due to the floods in the southern state. Rise in flood waters in Periyar River due to the rains and opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir, and Idamalayar, have severely affected lives of people in downstream areas. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan apprised the Prime Minister and Home Minister Rajnath Singh of the situation in the state. "Very serious situation is prevailing in the state as nearly all villages are flood affected. I had a telephonic conversation with PM, HM and Defence minister, they have offered all support. More helicopters to be deployed soon," the Kerala CM said. Kochi Metro suspended operations on Thursday morning after flood waters entered the Muttom yard near Aluva and train services have been affected in various parts of the state with cancellation of many passenger trains and partial cancellation of some long distance train. GWALIOR: At least eleven youths were washed away while bathing in a popular waterfall due to a sudden release of water from a dam in Gwalior's Shivpuri district in Madhya Pradesh. The tragic incident, which took place on Wednesday, and was caught on camera. The shocking visuals of the incident show people shouting for help and many stranded on rocks, in the middle of the water stream, in heavy current. There was a sudden surge in the water around 4.30 PM, possibly due to heavy rain upstream, catching those bathing near the waterfall unawares, police said. 11 people, who were swept away while bathing in the stream near the waterfall, are believed to be dead. Though a massive search for them is on. The authorities are carrying out a massive rescue operation and have so far rescued nearly 45 people from the Sultan Garh Waterfalls in Gwalior's Shivpuri a popular picnic spot. We have rescued 40 people & 5 people were rescued earlier by a helicopter. All these 45 people are safe now: Rajesh Hingankar, SP on rescue operations in Shivpuri. #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/5TsmFvcPNY ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018 ''We have rescued 40 people and five people were rescued earlier by a helicopter. All these 45 people are safe now,'' Rajesh Hingankar, Superintendent of Police, said. Speaking to reporters, state minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia said, ''As of now, we don't know how many people have been washed away. I would like to congratulate the administration for acting swiftly and rescuing people.'' As of now, we don't know how many people have been washed away. I would like to congratulate the administration for acting swiftly & rescuing people: #MadhyaPradesh Minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia on rescue operations in Shivpuri pic.twitter.com/s3ArGiNWky ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018 Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had on Wednesday informed that efforts are underway to rescue the people stranded in the Sultan Garh Waterfalls in Gwalior's Shivpuri. The Chief Minister even took to Twitter and informed that seven people have been rescued till now. "Efforts underway to rescue those stranded. I am in touch with rescue teams. Seven people have been rescued till now," he tweeted. Nearly 30 to 40 people were then stranded on the spot. Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar also reached the spot to take a stock of the situation. A helicopter is being used to locate the missing people. Top Madhya Pradesh Police officials are also present at the spot and overseeing the rescue operation. Sultan Garh Waterfalls is a popular picnic spot situated amidst rocks in Shivpuri. MUMBAI: This Independence Day, India welcomed its first Humboldt penguin born in captivity at Mumbai's Byculla zoo. Mumbais darling penguin couple Mr Molt and mama Flipper became parents after the egg hatched on Wednesday, August 15, at 8.03 pm. A Humboldt Penguin chick hatched out of the egg at 08.02pm on 15th August 2018. It appeared to be active and the mother was trying to feed it too, said Dr Sanjay Tripathi, Director, Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan & Zoo in Mumbai. A Humboldt Penguin chick hatched out of the egg at 08.02pm on 15th August 2018. It appeared to be active and the mother was trying to feed it too:Dr. Sanjay Tripathi, Director, Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan & Zoo #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/RhEB1702Mo ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018 Soon after, Shiv Sena youth leader Aaditya Thackeray tweeted, We have some great news coming in from Rajmata Jijamaya Udyaan (Byculla Zoo)! Our (penguin) parents have delivered a freedom baby! The parents and the chic are doing well. My congratulations to all those involved in this process, especially Dr. Tripathi & his team and Sudhir Naik ji! He also shared a video of the newborn penguin. Our cute freedom baby! pic.twitter.com/v0ApNLDRwS Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) August 16, 2018 Mama Flipper laid the egg last month, nearly 40 days ago. On July 5, the penguin caretakers at Veermata Jijabai Bhosale (VJB) Zoo realised that the nest built by Molt and Flipper finally had a single egg, after a very long period of courtship. "Though both Flipper and Molt are first-time parents, they are taking excellent care of the eggs. Mummy Flipper spends the maximum time 36 to 48 hours at a stretch incubating the eggs, followed by daddy Molt, who also incubates the eggs diligently," Dr Madhumita Kale, Head Veterinarian and in charge of the penguin enclosure told DNA. With agency inputs Mumbai: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee breathed his last at 5.05pm on Thursday at AIIMS. He was 93. He was admitted on June 11, 2018, and was stable for 9 weeks. His condition deteriorated in the last 36 hours and was put on life support. Film personalities joined the nation in mourning the irreplaceable loss. Vajpayee, a Bharatiya Janata Party veteran was a respected personality across all political parties and a true statesman. Here's taking a look at some of the reactions from the world of film to the great loss. RIP Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji, the most respected leader. Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) 16 August 2018 Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar expressed sorrow over the demise of Vajpayee and wrote: "Rishitulya purva pradhan mantri Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji ke swargwas ki vaarta sunke mujhe aise laga jaise mere sar par pahaad toota hai, kyo ki main unko pita samaan maanti thi aur unhone mujhe apni beti banaaya tha.Mujhe wo itne priya the ki main unko dadda kehke bulaati thi.Aaj mujhe waisa dukh hua hai jaise mere pita ji ke swargwas ke samay hua tha.Ishwar unki aatma ko shanti de. (sic)." Tamil megastar Rajinikanth wrote: "Im saddened to hear the demise of a great statesman Shri.Vajpayee ji. May his soul Rest In Peace. (sic)." Im saddened to hear the demise of a great statesman Shri.Vajpayee ji. May his soul Rest In Peace. Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) 16 August 2018 Author-actor Suhel Seth wrote: "An era ends. Here on earth. Another begins. There in heaven. Thank you Atalji. For being with us. Now its Gods turn. (sic)." An era ends. Here on earth. Another begins. There in heaven. Thank you Atalji. For being with us. Now its Gods turn. SUHEL SETH (@suhelseth) 16 August 2018 Sona Mohapatra wrote: "I loved watching him speak on national TV. Grace, stature, kindness, dignity & such a glorious command over Hindi, apart from scholarly erudition. Some-one,NO-one would worry about having in the top seat. #AtalBehariVajpayee was everything we want our elders & leaders to be like. (sic)." I loved watching him speak on national TV. Grace, stature, kindness, dignity & such a glorious command over Hindi, apart from scholarly erudition. Some-one,NO-one would worry about having in the top seat. #AtalBehariVajpayee was everything we want our elders & leaders to be like. SONA (@sonamohapatra) 16 August 2018 Poet. PM. Someone who embodied India. The PM who nobody disliked. RIP #AtalBihariVajapayee Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) 16 August 2018 It is rare to find love and respect across the entire politcal spectrum. Atalji, was the rarest of them all. Alvida #AtalBihariVajpayee. Boman Irani (@bomanirani) 16 August 2018 Another era.Another great man.Another end. #RIPAtalBihariVaajpayee Trish Krish (@trishtrashers) 16 August 2018 A true legend, respected statesman, phenomenal poet, tall leader beyond stature, respected by even his strongest critics and rivals...#Atalji passes on. Leaving behind a legacy of greatness that will inspire generations forever! #AtalBihariVajpayee A true legend, respected statesman, phenomenal poet, tall leader beyond stature, respected by even his strongest critics and rivals...#Atalji passes on. Leaving behind a legacy of greatness that will inspire generations forever! #AtalBihariVajpayee pic.twitter.com/JewgmAKQjl Vivek Anand Oberoi (@vivekoberoi) 16 August 2018 One of the few statesman who brought dignity and esteem to politics. His dream and steadfast application of Road connectivity changed and continues to change millions of lives in our country. Bowing with respect to our beloved leader #AtalBihariVajpayee ji. One of the few statesman who brought dignity and esteem to politics. His dream and steadfast application of Road connectivity changed and continues to change millions of lives in our country. Bowing with respect to our beloved leader #AtalBihariVajpayee ji. rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) 16 August 2018 Deeply saddened to hear about the passing away of Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. Heartfelt condolences to the family and dear ones of the great man. Dhanush (@dhanushkraja) 16 August 2018 Over come with such deep sadness.. Bharat has lost its Ratan #Atalji .. ? , , , , , ? #__ #AtalBihariVaajpayee pic.twitter.com/eTkzyAJRy8 Randeep Hooda (@RandeepHooda) 16 August 2018 A gentleman statesman, the greatest, most admirable BJP leader in history, #AtalBihariVaajpayee will be remembered for his love of poetry, his respect for politics and above all for being a terrific Prime Minister with integrity and grace. I will always be a fan. R. I. P sir. Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) 16 August 2018 , , , , .. .. pic.twitter.com/WA7WsInSn3 Kailash Kher (@Kailashkher) 16 August 2018 Atalji was a man of words but today no word would describe the loss India suffers in his death. He wasn't a politician... he was a thought, a vision... mortal humans perish but a thought always remains alive and grows in d minds and hearts of millions.#RIPAtalBihariVaajpayee ji pic.twitter.com/5bHIes8Ag2 Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) 16 August 2018 Today we lost a great statesman, poet and orator. A man who dreamed of a glorious nation and strived to take us on the path to prosperity. Rest in Peace #AtalBihariVajpayee ji. pic.twitter.com/nOqeCg7FJW Rana Daggubati (@RanaDaggubati) 16 August 2018 Heartfelt condolences to #AtalBihariVajpayee ji's family and dear ones. May his soul rest in peace. Arjun Kapoor (@arjunk26) 16 August 2018 Former Prime Minister Shri #AtalBihariVajpayee's visionary ideas and contributions for India were truly remarkable. The nation will always remember... #RIP My thoughts and condolences to the family. PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) 16 August 2018 For me he was one of Indias greatest leaders loved and respected by all. He will be missed. RIP #AtalBihariVajpayee pic.twitter.com/yRnDfCalIT John Abraham (@TheJohnAbraham) 16 August 2018 The 93-year-old was admitted to AIIMS due to a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. New Delhi: The handsome Kapoor lad, Arjun is some great films in his kitty. This year and the coming one has got him meatier roles and a packed calendar. He has a solid female fan base who love to follow the actor and is clear from his ever-growing Instagram family. Bollywoodlife.com quoted the actor talked about his marriage. The report has been originally attributed to HT Cafe. Arjun in an interview with HT Cafe opened up on his wedding plans. He said, "I'll get married when Rhea Kapoor and Anshula Kapoor, do. It could take two, four or even six years; I dont know." Aww, such an adorable 'bhai' thing to say. So, now you know when the Punjabi Kapoor munda would walk down the aisle hand-in-hand with his better half. The actor has managed to keep his personal life under wraps and nothing is known about whom he is dating at present. On the professional front, Arjun will be seen in Namaste England, Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, India's Most Wanted and Panipat. Arjun has an interesting lineup of films, we say! Mumbai: Actor John Abraham says he is extremely disturbed by what is happening in Kerala, where heavy rains have led to flooding of several districts. John, who had the fondest childhood memories of Kerala, on Thursday morning urged people to donate to the Chief Minister's fund to help the flood-hit people. "Extremely disturbed by what is happening in Kerala. My fondest childhood memories have been there. Please come forward and donate to the chief minister's fund," John wrote. With rains still pouring down heavily leading to flooding of dams and rivers across Kerala, 12 fresh deaths were reported on Thursday, taking the toll to 79, since August 8. Entire Kerala has been on a red alert since Wednesday evening. A total of 28 deaths were reported on the day. The deaths on Thursday were reported from Malappuram, Kozhikode, Palakkad and Thrissur. Pathanamthitta district in central Kerala has been the worst affected in the last 24 hours as thousands of people were trapped in their homes in Ranni, Aranmula and Kozhencherry. Fishing boats from Kollam reached the flooded areas as the rescue operation continued with the aid of defence personnel. Mumbai: Actor Amit Sadh says "Gold" director Reema Kagti always motivated him to give a better shot. Amit on Thursday shared a photograph of himself along with Kagti, who he calls a friend. "Thank you Reema Kagti, the captain of the ship for directing me with love and patience. You always pushed me to give a better shot, to be a better Raghubir and I can't thank you enough for it. My biggest victory from 'Gold' is making a friend like you who I'll have for the rest of my life," Amit captioned the image. "Gold", a historical sports drama, is inspired by India's first Olympic gold medal. It traces the golden era of Indian hockey through the journey of Tapan Das, a young assistant manager in 1936, who dreamt of playing for an independent nation. The film also features Kunal Kapoor, Sunny Kaushal, Vineet Kumar Singh and Mouni Roy. It released on Wednesday. New Delhi: Daddy cool Shah Rukh Khan's daughter Suhana Khan is busy completing her studies abroad but that doesn't mean she misses out on celebrating special days. The young and pretty Suhana has several fan pages running on her name on social media, who regulalry post stuff about her. A popular fan club on Instagram recently posted a picture of Suhana celebrating the Independence Day with her friend. Do not miss the tricolour flag painted on her cheek. Check out the picture here: Suhana recently hogged the limelight for gracing the cover of Vogue magazine. She bagged her first ever cover and looked simple ethereal. While doting daddy SRK and mommy Gauri Khan couldn't be happier, Suhana looked confident and pulled off her various looks in the cover with elan. A few days back her pictures from Venice were flooded on the internet as she was on a vacay reportedly. Some time back, mommy Gauri had shared some adorable pictures on social media where she can be seen posing with daughter Suhana Khan. Gauri's caption revealed that the fab mom and daughter duo attended the final year bash of Ardingly college, the United Kingdom where Suhana studies. Soon after Gauri shared the pictures on her social media handles, SRK got all philosophical and wrote: Was reading and came across this line.... Life doesnt come with a manual, it comes with a mother and then this picture of the ladies...sach hi hai!! Earlier, we saw Suhana accompany daddy cool to the high octane IPL matches and the pictures of which sent the internet into a tizzy! This year is a season of star kids making their debut in Bollywood. From Janhvi Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Ishaan Khatter to Ananya Panday, all will be seen making that first impression on the audiences. LUCKNOW: Two 'sadhus' were allegedly stabbed to death by unidentified persons inside Bhayanak Nath Mandir in the Bidhuna area of Auraiya district on Wednesday. Another sage, who was also injured in the incident, is in critical condition, said the police. Lajja Ram (65) and Halke Ram (53), residents of Bakewar, Etawah, were found lying in a pool of blood with multiple stab wounds on their necks and other body parts inside the temple in Kudarkot area under Bidhuna police station. The third priest, Ramsharan (56), was also found with serious injuries. The trio was rushed to the district hospital, where Lajja Ram and Halke Ram were declared dead upon arrival. Ramsharan was later shifted to Saifai hospital, said police. "The incident took place around 3 am, when three 'sadhus' (Hindu monks) were attacked by unidentified men," said Additional Superintendent of Police, Auraiya, Rajesh Kumar Saxena. "They (sadhus) were tied to a charpoy and attacked. Two of them were killed," Circle Officer, Bidhuna, Bhaskar Verma said. Violence erupted after the news of the sages' death spread. A mob set several shops ablaze, pelted stones and brickbats, forcing the police to fire in the air, said law enforcement authorities. Following a large deployment of security personnel, the situation was brought under control. 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, reported news agency PTI. "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. Two cops have reportedly been suspended. Investigation has been launched into the matter. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed top officials including the Principal Secretary (Home) and the state DGP to take action against culprits within 48 hours. Adityanath 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. 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. Auraiya is around 180 km from Lucknow and falls under Kanpur police zone With agency inputs 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 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. WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump moved to penalise a sharp critic on Wednesday, revoking the security clearance of Obama-era CIA Director John Brennan for making what he called "a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations" about his administration. The Republican President, in a statement read to reporters by White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, also announced he was evaluating whether other former high-ranking officials, all of whom have criticised him, should have their security clearances withdrawn as well. The decision came a day after Brennan, who headed the US Central Intelligence Agency under Democratic President Barack Obama, levelled a blistering attack against Trump for the President`s tweeted criticism of former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, who wrote a book critical of Trump. "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. Trump, without mentioning specific comments made by Brennan, said the former CIA leader had engaged in "frenzied commentary" and had sought to "sow division and chaos" about the Trump administration. "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 said. Brennan, in a tweet, said he would not back down. "This action is part of a broader effort by 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 said. Trump said he may also revoke the clearances of other critics, including former U.S. national intelligence director James Clapper, former FBI Director James Comey, former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice, former National Security Agency director Michael Hayden and former deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, among others. Also on the list was Bruce Ohr, a current Justice Department official in the criminal division. "BANANA REPUBLIC" Republican lawmakers gave mixed reviews to Trump`s decision, with some criticising it and others saying Brennan had acted inappropriately with his comments about the president. I dont like it at all," said Republican Senator Bob Corker, referring to Trump`s decision. "It feels very much like a banana republic kind of thing. Brennan has frequently appeared on cable television news shows and sent out lashing tweets to attack Trump`s foreign policy positions. He was particularly biting about the president`s joint news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki a month ago. Trump said he tended to believe Putin`s denials about Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election despite the US intelligence community view that Moscow was to blame. Brennan suggested in a tweet that Trump could be impeached, saying his performance in Helsinki "rises to & exceeds the threshold of `high crimes & misdemeanours` and was "nothing short of treasonous." High-ranking government officials sometimes retain their security clearances after leaving office, allowing them the ability to provide advice as needed to their successors. "At this point in my administration, any benefits that senior officials might glean from consultations with Brennan are now outweighed by the risks posed by his erratic conduct and behaviour ... That conduct and behaviour has tested and far exceeded the limits of any professional courtesy that has been due to him," Trump said. Brennan faces no formal charges or allegations of violating any regulations or laws. Another former CIA director, John Deutch, had his security clearance revoked in 1999, three years after he resigned as CIA chief after he violated security rules for keeping classified information on computers at his home. Ned Price, a former National Security Council spokesman for Obama and former CIA official, said Trump was trying to shift public attention away from the critical book by Manigault Newman. "The proximate target was John Brennan, but the real intent of todays announcement was to simultaneously shift and silence," he said. "The White House knows as well as anyone that Brennan, in his criticism of Trump, has never disclosed classified information. And thats always been the metric when it comes to a revocation of a clearance," Price said. Hayden asked for his response to Trumps announced review of his security clearance, replied in an email, Meh. 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. KARACHI, PAKISTAN: Residents of Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, watched as cattle were lowered by crane from the top of a four-story home ahead of the Muslim festival Eid al-Adha. Unlike other Muslims who buy animals for slaughter a few days before the sacrificial holiday, Syed Ejaz Ahmad, 55, said raising his own calves was more economical. Ahmad started raising calves in a rooftop shed about 15 years ago. As they grew in size, it became difficult to lead oxen down the narrow staircase of his house. His solution? Call a crane service. The operation has become an annual event in Ahmad`s neighborhood of Nazimabad, where a crowd cheered as it watched the spectacle unfold. "I was a bit scared when I did this for the first time," crane operator Mohammad Hanif said this week as he swung Ahmad`s seven cows and oxen to the ground. "When the animal`s feet struggled, I thought it might break the straps and fall on the crowd of people, particularly children," he said. "Now I have a lot of practice doing it." Eid al-Adha is one of the two most important festivals of the Islamic calendar and commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim, or Abraham, to sacrifice his son on God`s command. Muslims mark the holiday by slaughtering animals such as sheep and goats and sharing the meat with family and friends, as well as donating it to the poor. The militants violated ceasefire regime 16 times from the beginning of the day Open source During the day, from 7 a.m. through 6 p.m. in Donbas, the militants shelled the Ukrainian positions from mortars, no casualties among the Ukrainian servicemen reported. The press office of JFO claimed this on Facebook. The occupants opened aimed fire from grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms at JFO positions in the areas of settlements: Krymske, Novozvanivka, Luhanske, Maiorske, Mariinka, Avdiivka, Novotroitske, Novomykhailivka, Opytne, Chermalyk, Lebedynske, Hruntove and Shyrokyne. Along with this, the enemy shelled two times the defenders of Hruntove from 120mm and 82mm mortars, reads the message. No casualties among the Ukrainian servicemen reported. As it was reported earlier, JFO HQ would demand closing Maiorske checkpoint due to the constant shelling of the militants. Ukraine news on 112.international Open source Since the Joint Forces Operation began in the east of Ukraine on April 30, 2018, the Armed Forces of Ukraine returned under its control 15 sq. km. of territory, as the United Force Commander, Lieutenant-General Serhiy Nayev, said at the press conference, Interfax-Ukraine reports. Within the stabilization activities since the operation began we managed to provide and maintain a complete control over the contact line, an appropriate security and stability level in all the districts. The establishment of a security area in Volnovakha, Horlivka, Sievierodonetsk and Svitlodarsk sectors helped to take around 15 sq. km. of Ukraines territory under control, including the populated areas, he said. Nayev reminded that over this time Pivdenne (Donetsk region) and Zolote-4 (Luhansk region) were returned under Ukraines control. Peoples life began to return to normal, they returned in the Ukrainian legal boundaries, their legal rights are protected, Nayev noted. Joint Forces Commander stressed that during this time the Ukrainian military did not violate Minsk Agreements and obligated ceasefire since July 1. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are just responding to the provocations of Russian occupation troops, who are blatantly neglecting them, Nayev concluded. Reportedly, with the beginning of the JFO the militants changed their tactics, increased the number of the artillery attacks and activated the operation of the sabotage and reconnaissance forces. The Joint Forces Operation is a reformatting of the Anti-terrorist Operation (ATO) with the administration transferred to Ukraines Armed Forces Joint Operation Headquarters. The JFO started at 2 pm on April 30, 2018. Smuggling has become an integral part of our lives. And we notice smuggling both to Ukraine and from it. The smuggling of forests, amber and cigarettes from Ukraine is perceived by many as something ineradicable. And a huge flow of smuggling alcohol, gasoline, diesel, cheese, sausages, iphones, wine, clothes, fuel for airplanes, chocolate, detergents, olive oil, furniture and everything else to Ukraine deprive the budget of billions of dollars and fill the pockets of all those, who wears a uniform and has relation to customs or must control it. Smuggling must be stopped, but there is no criminal responsibility for smuggling. This was stated by Prosecutor General Yuri Lutsenko. And he offered me to write a law that would provide an imprisonment for smuggling. The first emotional impulse was to make an easy decision - it's quick and easy to introduce criminal responsibility. The bill. Here it is, the solution to the problem, I thought. But almost 4 years of work in Parliament changed me. I am no longer driven by emotion. So I spent enough time to study the issue, consulted our experts, found out how they are fighting contraband in Britain, Israel and Estonia, from their colleagues from these countries, talked with our businessmen who suffer from absolutely black imports of their competitors, and figured out the problem. Everything is not so straightforward. Do you know that in the UK you are given 7 years of imprisonment for smuggling? And in Hungary, criminal responsibility comes after 15 blocks of cigarettes. In Romania, you can go to jail for transporting even one pack of contraband cigarettes through the green corridor, and in Slovenia the same fate awaits the smuggler for 8 blocks. And in Poland, for smuggling cigarettes, there is only a fine, and it ranges from 168 to 3360 Polish zlotys, that is, from about 45 to 900 dollars. The final amount of the penalty depends on the size of the contraband and the personal characteristics of the failed smuggler. Of course, recidivists receive maximum punishment. For example, for the smuggling of three blocks of cigarettes (60 packs), an average of 650 z (slightly less than $ 200) is paid. In Israel, the level of penalties depends on the number of cigarettes being transported and the number of such attempts in the past. As a rule, the smuggler pays the tax that he tried to circumvent, and the amount of the fine can reach 8 million shekels. This is more than $ 2,150,000. All these sanctions are applied to the smugglers themselves, depending on the legislation of the countries and the volume of imports. But with officials who can be caught on helping smuggling, things are getting tougher. They will receive imprisonment. In every country. And not for smuggling, but for an official crime against the state. Maybe that's why the participation of a civil servant in smuggling is an exception to the rules, and not the norm, as we have. After all, we do not notice the smuggling of those who should stop it. So the problem is not so much in smugglers as in the heads of customs, cops, prosecutors, SBU and officials of local administrations who, instead of suppressing smuggling, only encourage it. Why? Because they are only getting richer from this and they will not receive the punishment. And there are laws for this. But there are no precedents. Now we have a fine for smuggling and confiscation of goods. And I imagine who and how would be imprisoned for smuggling in our country if criminal responsibility will be approved. The men who bring cheese and wine from Italy, because there is no other work in their region, or the director of the company who has drawn up the forest as wood chips and took it out of the country. They will be imprisoned to tell the other smugglers that the risk has increased and the price for smuggling has risen. And all the dissenters will be caught and punished severely. Because corrupt people do not like those who deprive them of bribes and bribes. And with them they will fight, as with their real enemies. Yes, it is already obvious that the problem is not in the law. This is how the entire state system works: from a huntsman, a policeman, a prosecutor and a fiscal official to a customs officer and a border guard. Smuggling is a consequence of corruption. And corruption is a consequence of not conducted reforms and lustration. Moreover, those people who all these years have been engaged in the fight against smuggling and become richer, should not only leave but also be in jail. To do this, the NABU and anti corruption court should address this issue. But there it is little publicity, and a lot of work, so it is doubtful that in the near future the NABU will focus on this issue. They need quick and loud results. And now we are reaping the consequences of our common long-term tolerance for corruption. The system problem requires system solutions. There will be no quick and simple solutions, it's obvious. The saddest thing is that such facts show that we again lost 4 years of life. And now the conclusions: The current legislation is written at the proper level. Among the possible administrative penalties - Art. 461 of the Customs Code of Ukraine provides for the possibility of confiscating the contraband goods or vehicles by which the goods were transported. Confiscation is the most effective way to combat smuggling. The introduction of criminal liability will not help in the fight against smuggling; statistically, it can be shown by this: until 2012 there was a criminal liability for smuggling - statistics from open sources: "In 2009, criminal cases for 445 million UAH were brought up, 1.5 million UAH was collected for the budget. In 2010, when criminal cases amount raised by 695 million UAH, the treasury received only 1.4 million UAH. And in 2011, the budget received nothing, although criminal cases for commodity smuggling were initiated at the amount of UAH 298.6 million." In order to overcome smuggling, you just have to comply with the law and systematically confiscate the contraband goods. And sell it at open auctions, but not allow the smugglers then to buy it for a penny or sell through their "own" trading networks. From the point of view of the judicial perspective, it is much easier to justify confiscation than to prove and justify the need for arrest of a criminal. The criminal responsibility for smuggling will not correct the situation until we apply the legislative base to state officials. It is necessary to create new jobs in areas where local residents are massively integrated into smuggling. Offer people a normal job and a stable income, and they (most of them) will exchange this crime for a normal life. And in parallel it is necessary to continue to confiscate contraband. The inefficiency of processes, on the one hand, and the possibility of legal work at home, on the other, will lead to the desired result. And we, after all, should not take the local residents in jail, but stop smuggling. For this it is necessary not to try to control the flows, but to fight smuggling and those who cover it. And to do this, you need to deal with the economy, develop programs to attract investment, cleanse the judicial system from bribe takers, restore confidence in the National Police, not be populists, fight not for power, but for the future of the country, imprison thieves and revive Ukraine. I said that there were no more simple solutions. Only system and complex ones. And it's time for the leadership of Ukraine to tackle them. Read originak article at 112.ua 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. 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. 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. 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 the 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 Chernobyl. Phase Two: Prioritization 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 II 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 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. International Crisis Group (2014), International Crisis Group (2016), International Crisis Group and Andrey Kortunov (2017), or, more recently, Richard Gowan, Alexander Vershbow, Vitalii Kulyk and Maria Kucherenko and Liana Fix and Dominik Jankowski (2018) have discussed additional challenges. International developmental organizations (World Bank, UNDP, EBRD, USAID, GIZ, DFID, SIDA, etc.) should begin working in the occupied territories as soon as the security situation permits. 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. Ukrainian and Western diplomats should turn the text on its head while formally fulfilling its prescriptions. A future Ukrainian law on the Donbas could proclaim a transitory special status for the occupied territories by, for example, temporarily increasing the power of the future Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts prefects. While these prefects had been originally designed to fulfill supervisory functions in a decentralized Ukraine, their prerogatives could for the Donbas be extended to that of provisional presidential governors within the framework of an interim regime for this region. The National Guardnot mentioned in the Minsk Agreementscould in a future Donbas law be temporarily granted additional rights and obligations in the occupied territories. Similar provisions could be included in a future law to make constitutional reform that includes a special status provision for the Donbas acceptable to the Verkhovna Rada. This four-stage plan will hardly please the Kremlin. But, if implemented consistently, Moscow might have no choice but to go along with it. Tightening Western sanctions will eventually lead Putins entourage to assent to an international administration of the Donbas as the least embarrassing way out. Once UN troops have arrived, Kyiv could start gradually implementing a reintegration plan that does not violate the Minsk Agreements, yet still reestablishes proper Ukrainian control over the Donbas. Only this result will constitute a sustainable solution to the conflict. Read the original text here. According to Greg Andres, Special Assistant US Attorney, the key witnesses in Manafort's case are the documents The prosecutor who investigates Manaforts case said that former Yanukovych spin doctor had a huge dumpster of hidden money, as Greg Andres, Special Assistant US Attorney, stated in court, Reuters reports. That wasnt a cookie jar, it was a huge dumpster of hidden money in foreign bank accounts, he specified. It was noted that Manafort was buying antique rugs and fancy clothes, including a $15,000 jacket made of ostrich skin. Manafort made millions of dollars working for pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians before taking an unpaid position with Trumps campaign. He was on the campaign team for five months and led it in mid-2016 when Trump was selected as the Republican presidential nominee, the news agency reads. Earlier, Paul Manafort refused to testify in court. Earlier, the trial of Manafort began in the US on July 31. He is accused of laundering money and evading taxes for almost 10 years of cooperation with the former leadership of Ukraine. The investigation believes that Manafort earned more than $ 60 million for the work of the political consultant in Ukraine, but officially he declared 14 million dollars in revenues for 2010-2014. Russian soldiers held unauthorized military drills in Transnistria on August 14-15, during which, in particular, they crossed Dniester river. This was reported by the Moldovan OSCE mission's press service. The OSCE Mission to Moldova expresses its concern regarding the river-crossing military exercise conducted in the Security Zone by the Operational Group of Russian Forces on 14 and 15 August, the message says. I was reported that in accordance with its mandate, the OSCE mission deployed its team to the area of the Security Zone on 14 and 15 August, but the team was obstructed from fully monitoring the exercises. In compliance with the Principles of Co-operation between the Joint Control Commission (JCC) and the OSCE Mission to Moldova from 2004, the Mission shared its observations with all the delegations to the JCC through the established channels. According to the Agreement on Principles of a Peaceful Settlement of the Armed Conflict in the Transdniestrian Region of the Republic of Moldova from 21 July 1992, military exercises in the Security Zone are required to be authorized by the JCC, which was not done in this instance. The Mission reports its findings to the participating States of the OSCE, including the host country, through the established channels, the mission noted. The Moldovan Defense Minister Ion Sturza called the exercises a provocation. "The drills of green men on crossing the Dniester discredit a peacekeeping mission ... what they do does not provide peace in the region," the minister added. As it was reported earlier, on June 15, Moldovan Reintegration Policy Bureau informed that the Moldovan Government notified the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) about an unauthorized deployment of military trucks and equipment in separatist-controlled region. Moldovan authorities recorded around 40 trucks and other military vehicles with Russian symbols in Transnistria, a territory along the Ukraine-Moldova border. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry will deliver all the appeals by diplomatic mail to the Russian President administration Ukrainian Ombudsman Lyudmyla Denisova reported Thursday that she had received 22 appeals from Russian citizens imprisoned in Ukraine to Russian President Federation Vladimir Putin with a request to return them to Russia by exchanging for Ukrainian political prisoners. This was stated by the press service of Ombudsman. "Ukrainian Foreign Ministry will deliver all 22 appeals by diplomatic mail to the Russian President administration," the message said. As it was reported earlier, another three citizens of Russia in the detention facilities in Ukraine wrote the claims to President of Russia Vladimir Putin with the request to exchange them for the Ukrainian political prisoners detained in Russia. On August 14, Russians Alexander Sattarov and Farukh Kamalov who were arrested in Ukraine, asked the Russian authorities to exchange them for Ukrainian political prisoners. A day later eight Russians kept in the places of detention filed applications to the Russian President with a request to get them back to the Russian territory by exchanging one of the Ukrainian political prisoners. Apart from Russia, Chinese and Singaporean companies got to the sanction list of the U.S. Department of Treasury Open source The USA expanded the sanction list of individuals and organizations associated with DPRK and included one company and one individual, according to the website of the U.S. Department of Treasury. Profinet Company and its Director General Vasyl Kolchanov are listed in the sanction list of the U.S. Department of Treasury. The company deals with the maintenance of vessels, which enter the ports in the east of Russia. As it was reported earlier, the US imposed sanctions on the Russian bank due to its links to DPRK. The number of Marines in Norway will increase to 700 from 330 Pentagon plans to double the contingent of American marines deployed in Norway, as Defence Ministry of Norway in Oslo informed, Reuters reports. Plans to increase the number of Marines in Norway to 700 from 330 and moving some of them closer to the border with Russia had triggered a sharp reaction from Moscow, which called the plans clearly unfriendly, the news agency reads. The Marines arrived in Norway in 2017 to train for fighting in winter conditions. They are expected to stay in Norway on a rotational basis for five years. The government in Oslo, increasingly concerned about Russia since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, insists the increased U.S. presence is only for training purposes and should not be interpreted as a military escalation, the message says. At the same time, aircraft Russias Defence Ministry denies them fact that Russian planes were intercepted Open source On August 13, the British fighter aircraft, which were deployed in Romania, intercepted six Russian bombardment aircrafts over the Black Sea, as Agerpres reported. It was noted that Typhoon fighter aircraft took off from a Romanian base because of the information that there were six Russian Su-24 bombardment aircrafts above the Black Sea not far from NATO borders. They were heading to the annexed Crimea. In particular, one of the pilots said that before the flight they were warned about a significant air activity of Russians at night. The operation was conducted within NATO mission on restraint of Russian aggression, support of the Romanian allies and UKs fulfillment of NATO obligations, the representatives of British Air Force explained. At the same time, as Russian news agency TASS reports, Russias Defence Ministry denies them fact that Russian planes were intercepted. As Russia puts it, on August 13, four planes of fleet air were performing training tasks over the Black Sea. Su-24 were not among them. Su-24 is a Russian frontline bombardment for missile and bomber strikes in simple and severe weather conditions, day and night, including on low heights with adjusted attacks at ground and surface targets. Experts note that the east of Ukraine was one of the centers of the chemical industry of the country, and Ukraine is "one of the largest producers of chemicals in Europe" There is a problem of chemical threat in Ukrainian Donbas, which was repeatedly discussed at various talks by the OSCE representatives. This was stated by the coordinator of OSCE projects in Ukraine, Ambassador Vaidotas Verba during the press conference, reports Ukrinform. "This is one of the issues in the OSCE competence. I did not accidentally say that chemical threats have no borders, there is no line of delimitation for the chemical threat ... For some reason, we cannot conduct activities in certain parts of the country," the OSCE coordinator noted. "We signaled in different formats of negotiations as I myself worked with people who participated in the Minsk talks, that, despite a number of military issues, there are other things that concern people, this can threaten the population. We tried to convey through different channels to all parties that the chemical threat is in fact a very serious issue," Verba added. In his turn, the director of the International Center for Chemical Protection and Security (ICCSS) in Warsaw Krzysztof Paturej said that the east of Ukraine was one of the centers of chemical industry of the country, and Ukraine is "one of the largest producers of chemicals in Europe." "As a result of the conflict, some of their facilities were abandoned, there are warehouses where chemicals are simply dumped, they are not protected, therefore there are real threats of "chemical issues " in the east of Ukraine," the expert said. Paturej added that, considering all the risks, the programs introduced by the Ukrainian government and the OSCE are important to prove that "the situation is under control and that chemicals cannot be used for ill purposes - for example, for terrorism or for military operations." As it was reported earlier, militants started to flood Yunkom mine in a temporarily occupied Yenakiyeve of Donetsk region. Almost 40 years ago there has been a nuclear explosion performed with an aim to relieve the tension in the mountain massif. Thus, Donbas residents are facing the danger of radiation poisoning, in particular through the poisoning of drinking water. As it was reported earlier, out of 4 thousand dangerous objects established by Swiss experts, 17 represent a "radiation hazard". The most dangerous mine can be the Yunkom mine in Yenakiyeve, the city of steel and coal in the separatist Donetsk People's Republic, which is proud not only of its fellow countryman, Soviet cosmonaut Georgy Beregov, but also of former president Viktor Yanukovych who fled to Russia. Here in 1979, the Soviet Union tested the atomic bomb deep underground. Open source Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin called claims of the head of Czech communist party Vojtech Fillip that Ukrainians suppressed the Prague Spring a complete absurd. He wrote this on his Facebook page. Earlier Czech communist partys leader, Vojtech Filip in the interview for The Guardian said that not Russia, but Ukrainians head of the USSR and Ukrainian soldiers of the Soviet Army are responsible for suppressing the "Prague Spring" of 1968. One hundred per cent [the history of 1968] is being falsified. Nobody will write that the whole idea is being based on the position against Russia, he said. But the politburo of the Soviet Union at that time had only one pure Russian, and he voted against [the invasion]. [The Soviet leader Leonid] Brezhnev was from Ukraine. The major force of the invading armies were Ukrainian. In its turn, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reminded that in Ukraine communist ideology is banned along with the Nazi one. "I have long been wondering: why are the Communist Parties that still remain in some countries so fascinated by romantic communist ideas? Because the regime of Soviet Union fake communism has long been gone, and modern Russia is a vivid example of economic inequality and social injustice, where a handful people close to the authorities are rich, and the poor are poor," Klimkin wrote. "Obviously, the reason is not in communism or ideology, but in the nature of Russian totalitarianism, which in principle is unchanged under all regimes - tsarist, communist or Putin. Apparently, the Communists continue to see something endearing in the current Russian regime," the Foreign Minister added. Regarding the accusation against the Ukrainians that they are allegedly guilty of suppressing the Prague Spring, Klimkin said it was a complete absurdity. "Ukrainians suffered from the communist regime and, by the way, were also oppressed for many centuries. However, it was Ukrainians who in the former USSR actively protested against the occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968 and showed solidarity with the Czechs and Slovaks. The names of Mustafa Dzhemilev, Vasyl Makukh, Zoryan Popadyuk are known to everyone, but not to the Czech Communists for whom unfortunately "Moscow is speaking," Klimkin noted. While the votes of the 15 Communist MPs are essential to keeping the coalition between Babis ANO party and the Social Democrats (CSSD) in office, the arrangement masks the partys political weakness, say analysts. Its declining membership has an average age of 75, older than the countrys average life expectancy. In last years parliamentary election, the KSCM received7.8% of the vote, its worse share since 1990. As it was reported earlier, the Ukrainian Embassy in the Czech Republic is outraged due to Czech MPs visiting the Russian-annexed Crimea. The embassy reminded that the UN General Assembly passed the respective resolution (.68/262 from March 27, 2014), in which it confirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and urges the member countries to avoid any actions, which may be interpreted as the change of status of Ukraine's Crimea. The Supreme Court made such conclusion when it considers the case of a woman who supported the members of the criminal organizations Open source The Supreme Court decided that the recognition of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic as the terrorist organizations at the state level is not a necessary condition for the condemnation of their members for the terrorism as the press service of the Supreme Court reported. "For the prosecution of the persons for the creation of the terrorist groups or terrorist organizations, the decision of the state authority bodies on the recognition of their activity as terroristic is not necessary," the message said. Such conclusion was made by the panel of judges of the Second trial chamber of the Criminal Court of Cassation as a part of the Supreme Court, during the consideration of the case of a woman who supported the members of the criminal organizations and harbored their criminal activity. "According to the verdict of Dzerzhynsk City Court of Donetsk region on February 15, 2017, M. pleaded guilty in the establishing of the contact with a person who was in Horlivka, Donetsk region for the support of the members of the criminal organization and she passed this person the information of the intelligence nature on the detachments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine deployed in Toretsk and its outskirts," the message said. However, the body of the pretrial investigation served M. charges due to other support of the activity of the terrorist organization, the first instance court reclassified it in the beforehand not promised support to the members of the criminal organizations by provision of the information. This classifying was assumed from the absence of any decision of the court or regulation that recognizes the militant's republics as the terrorist organizations. The Appeal Court of Donetsk regions agreed with such arguments, however, according to the Supreme Court, the appeal court did not take into account the definition of the terrorist organization according to the law of Ukraine "On fight against terrorism" and Article 28 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The terrorist organization is defined as the kind of the criminal organization with a special aim for the implementation of the terrorist activity. Thus, the Supreme Court canceled the verdict of the Appeal Court and appointed new consideration in the court of the appeal instance. Open source Natalia Kaplan, Oleg Sentsovs sister, believes that her brother is being used as a product and now an auction is happening, as she informed Radio Liberty. Oleg is certainly being used as a product now. An auction is taking place. I dont know how this will end. Its sad He is just like a bargaining chip, she said. At the same time, she stressed that Sentsov was not going to ask Putin for pardon. Kaplan also informed that the Ukrainian political prisoner talked with his mother on the phone and he had a crisp voice. Yet, she reminded that her brother never complains about his health condition and asks not to frighten mother. 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. The State Committee for television and radio broadcasting of Ukraine has submitted the draft project of the order of the Cabinet of Ministers that offers to impose the sanctions against the Russian publishers who make and distribute the anti-Ukrainian products for the consideration of the government as the committee's press service reported. "The State Committee for television and radio broadcasting has submitted the draft project of the order of the Cabinet of Ministers toward the use of the personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions) against the Russian publishing houses that produce and distribute the products with the anti-Ukrainian content," the message said. According to First Deputy Head of the State TV and Radio Committee Bohdan Chevak, if the draft project is adopted the reduction of the import of the publishing products from the Russian Federation is expected. "The sanctions will concern the Russian publishing houses which activity in the form of the issuance of the anti-Ukrainian literature occupies a significant place and is systematical. Such publishers deliberately enter into treaties with the creators of the texts that aim for the incitement of the inter-ethnical, religious hatred, propaganda of violence and commitment of the terrorist acts against Ukraine. Such "literature" is a part of the hybrid war held by Russia against Ukraine. It should be adequately responded," he added. It is noted that during the last three year, the State Committee for television and radio broadcasting constantly monitored the sphere of the spread of the books-distribution. The aim of the monitoring is to reveal the published products with the content that contradicts the Ukrainian legislation. The Committee made a list of the publishing products which content aims to liquidate the independence of Ukraine, propaganda of the violence, incitement of inter-ethnical, race, religious hatred, commitment of the terrorist acts, infringement of the rights and liberties of a person. As for August 15, 192 publications issued by 35 Russian publishing houses were added in this list. As we reported Ukraine rejected two Russian publishing offices to give permission for import of two books, which comprise propaganda of the aggressor state. Reportedly, on May 22, 2017 the order of Ukraines Government which says the distributors of publishing products from Russia and temporary occupied territories of Ukraine should get a permission from the State Committee for television and radio broadcasting for import, came into force. As of August 7, 2018 since May 22, 2017 Ukraines Committee for television and radio broadcasting issued permission for import to 18,826 items of publishing products from Russia and temporary occupied territories of Ukraine. At the same time, Ukraines Committee for television and radio broadcasting has denied importing 235,500 copies with anti-Ukrainian content 63 times. Besides, it canceled one permit issued earlier. They will concern not only the passenger railway traffic Volodymyr Omelyan, the Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine has announced new restrictions on the trips to the Russian Federation as Interfax-Ukraine reported. "Today I have signed a historical document. Only the bears will go to Moscow as in good old days," he said. Also, Omelyan noted that the restrictions will concern not only the passenger railway traffic. As it was reported earlier the issue of the termination of the railway traffic with the Russian Federation is on the agenda, however, it should be supported by the Council of the National Security and Defense and the Cabinet of Ministers. Earlier we reported that Ukraine is considering to terminate the railway traffic with Russia, as Volodymyr Omelyan, the Infrastructure Minister, stated. As it was reported, Russia switched the railway traffic to the ways which pass over Ukraine since December 11, 2017. The relevant decision came into force on November 15. After that, Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian railways, - ed.) is considering an option to close the railway traffic with Russia. The experts called on Russia to ensure that Oleg Sentsov is immediately provided with access to appropriate medical treatment, in case of his full consent Four Special Rapporteurs of UN made an announcement and demanded to release Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian movie director, illegally kept in Russia. The relevant document is available on News UN. Sentsovs life is in imminent danger. His hunger strike follows a trial and a conviction that has fallen short of international law. We urge Russian authorities to unconditionally release him as a matter of urgency, the experts said. UN human rights activists have also called on Kremlin to provide Sentsov with appropriate medical aid if the prisoner gives permission for that. Mr. Sentsov went on hunger strike three months ago, to protest what he believes is the politically-motivated incarceration of 64 Ukrainians in Russian prisons, the statement says. David Kaye, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Dainius Puras, Special Rapporteur on the right to physical and mental health, and Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders prepared the statement. 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. The continuation of the trial in the case of Viktor Yanukovychs state treason is scheduled for September. This was announced at the end of today's hearing by the Judge Vladyslav Devyatko, 112.ua reports. At the next hearing, it is expected that lawyers will take word, as prosecutors have already spoken, having asked 15 years of imprisonment for the accused. "The break is announced until 10:00 on September 13 and 14. At the same time, considering that six defenders will participate in the debates, the reservation dates are also appointed on September 17 and 18," the judge said. As it was reported earlier, the Chief Military Prosecutors Office asks the court to sentence ex-President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych to 15 years of imprisonment in the case on state treason, as Prosecutor Maksym Krym said during the debates in the court on Thursday, August 16. Reportedly, fee-based lawyers of Viktor Yanukovych started a skirmish with police in the building of Obolon District Court of Kyiv, where the next court hearing in the case of treason against former Ukrainian President takes place today. The reason for the conflict is the denial of access of the Aver Lex lawyers to the court hearing. The latest has also made a stand against Yuriy Ryabovol, Yanukovychs state attorney, and his participation in the court hearing. The security officers refused to let Vitaly Serdyuk and his colleagues into the courtroom, the mix-up with security officers and policemen began after that. PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) 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 Courtesy of Bubble Bath Records My conversation with John Maestas soared far beyond his record labelwhose Kickstarter campaign finished up yesterday with flying colorsand delved into his hopes, heritage and history. Read on to be reminded of what makes our little town so spectacular, and find inspiration in his vision for the future. If you missed the first part of the interview, or if you just want some sick tunes from Bubble Bath Records to jam to while you read, you can check that out here Weekly Alibi: What makes the New Orleans music scene stand out, and where do you and Bubble Bath Records fit into it? John Maestas: Yeah man, it's just such a vibrant music community and vibrant culture out there. Its also a very unique community because musical tourism is such a huge part of the economy; you can make your money just going out playing music, and the market is gonna be there, ready and waiting for you, with a built-in touristic money supply for you. Because there's never been a shortage of badass music coming out of New Orleans; the whole time it's been a city, been settled, it's been full of incredible roots music and funk music, all this great stuff. But they don't put that much attention on the new music scene, so were trying to voice what 2018 New Orleans sounds like and get people to open their ears to a new generation. What steps would like to see Albuquerque make to start a movement towards a musical culture and community similar to the one youve found in New Orleans? Oh wow. You know, I think that one of the biggest things I love about New Orleans is this culture of after-work activity. I love the idea that after you're done working, instead of going home and grabbing a beer, you go out and be social in your community and your area. People in New Orleans are so openly ready to go out and hang and talk about their days. Thats not quite the same here. Its an individualistic society, you know? We have urban sprawl out here and I understand that, grew up in it, but Id really like to see Albuquerque move towards a more social culture. If the city had an initiative to partner up with local businesses to promote activities, that encourages people to go out and come together and play more active social roles, I think our music culture would really start to grow. What are some things you miss most about Albuquerque? Either things you wish New Orleans had or just some things you have newfound appreciation for? If I can be honest? Straight up, the breakfast burrito culture!! That's the one that totally hurts my heart. Any time you get up and gotta go do something and don't have time to cook, you just roll over to GP or Taqueria Mexico or Twisters to grab a burrito and go. You can't do that anywhere else, and I'm so missing that. On a natural level, I miss the perspective. Here, you can see 200 miles in any direction, especially if you're up in the foothills. You have this amazing immense perspective of where you're at and where you're going and the sky is huge and the clouds are humongous and you see a storm coming from an hour away. In New Orleans, we're in a bowl, sometimes 15 feet below sea level, so you can't see anything. That really does change the way you envision your own existence, huh? When I first moved to Tejas, the thing that shook me the most was not having the mountains. I just felt lost all the time. Just having a sense of direction can give you this primal sort of power, where you know where you are and where you're going. It's so flat out there too man, you get lost real quick. I miss the mountains. Nature out here is just really fun and inviting, man. I mean, you gotta be prepared, but you can go rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking in every direction. You get to go see this really cool stuff and be a part of the natural, awesome, sacred land that NM is, and it's so inviting and part of the culture here. I really miss that. In Louisiana you can definitely go be part of nature, but there are gators and huge mosquitoes and water moccasins waiting for you at every entrance to the swamp. It's a whole different relationship to nature. Have you found that leaving has made you appreciate New Mexico or the community here in different ways? Yeah man... it made me realize that in order to be seen as having value yourself, you need to leave and show that other people see and believe in your value. There's a weird hesitance to believe in the talent of local people, but if you go to California and do well and people think you're cool, then you can come back and people believe that youre cool. I think the same thing is true with New Mexico. You have to leave and see how cool other people think the things you take for granted are. I left home when I was 17 to go to school out in Chicago, and people would ask me about New Mexico. I remember my roommate out there told me, "it's my life's dream to see a Native American." I was just like, "what are you talkin about bro. Like, where are you from?" And he was from Atlanta; I was blown away, just like, "Dude, you have Native American culture there. It's everywhere, it's the United States!" That really blew my mind open. Like, I realized I had to take a look back at our culture and appreciate more of what's going on here and how special it is that we have the zia and Kokopeli and the symbols for rain and all of that everywhere throughout our culture and design. But we grow up just seeing it without really knowing the history of it, so theres this weird cultural disconnect too. The line between appreciation and appropriation can be tricky to navigate, especially given an awful history of oppression and exploitation. Exactly. I wanted to learn about this super unique culture we have in New Mexico that other people don't have any idea about at all, and I started thinking about how to promote cultural awareness and appreciation in the right ways. I talked to my friend out at Santo Domingo Pueblo, a guy named Robert Rosetta who is an incredible jewelry maker out there, and we were talking about cultural appropriation and what that can mean. He has been able to travel to all these different countries and sell his art and connect with all these musicians and artists that wear his pieces, and he's come to his own personal conclusion that visibility is the goal. By promoting cultural awareness, you make sure that your culture doesn't die and it keeps growing and being appreciated instead of getting stamped out by everything. I think that's really sick and I really enjoyed his perspective on it, because I think so much of Native culture definitely is at risk of falling by the wayside and into this weird group of old ancient peoples whose whole civilizations and cultures have just been buried under dirt, for the sake of modernity, going to the way that the "modern world" works in Western civilization. How can Albuquerque itself help to ensure that doesnt happen? One of the biggest things I've always wanted is for Albuquerque to be Albuquerque, and not try to be Austin, and not try to be Santa Fe, and not try to be Portland, y'know? It's great that we have so much more tourism coming to the city, but we don't want people coming in from outside and trying to change it into a reflection of some other place. We want this city to be culturally embracing its own history and heritage. We just went through the tricentennial a few years back; let's let it be what it is and what it has always been. Its a fascinating intersection of cultures, right in the middle of the desert and at the base of the mountains, and I hope the city continues to identify with that. Does that desire to embody New Mexican culture inform your own music and approach music and life? For sure! I'm from a melting pot kind of family, we have Spanish, Mexican, Native, Anglo blood; it's like the oppressor and the oppressed all in one, and that's a really uniquely New Mexican sort of thing. Where else do you get that kind of crazy melting pot? With my music, I want to express that and show people what it's like to be multicultural, and to promote that that's the bomb diggity. To be proud of that and boast of it. For my work, I put this cool headdress that my friend made on top of the coyotethat's the character Juan Tigre wearing the coyote mask, and there's this whole narrative that goes behind the character. I've been working with a couple people to make this sort-of-comic-book thing that in a grand perspective accompanies different parts of the journey in the story. Courtesy of Bubble Bath Records How is that story inspired by your own life and experiences? That audio-visual story is about being from a place of high desert and needing to be able to find what roots mean, and what having a background in three, four, five different cultures can cause a kid to think about and feel conflicted about. But it's also about having the ability to relate to other people who have had their own similar struggle in a totally different part of the world, and being able to talk about those things through the medium of music. So, at a big meta level, that's where I'm coming from and where Im going. guest column An Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is once again straining Africa's medical resources. Prospects for progress are due in large part to lessons learned from the 2014-2016 outbreak in West Africa, which caught global health officials off guard and killed 11,000 people. One lesson that became clear was that foreign expertise cannot protect African communities from Ebola or other outbreaks of infectious disease. African health capacity and expertise is essential. I was a member of the EpiAFRIC team that evaluated the response of the African Union (AU) to the West African epidemic. The AU had recruited over 800 volunteer medical experts from across the continent to combat the epidemic raging across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. In its wake, we travelled extensively through the affected areas, interviewing medical personnel, community leaders and people who had lost loved ones to the disease. In Guinea, we found that 84 percent of AU volunteers were from the DRC, which had already dealt with eight Ebola outbreaks of its own. One doctor told us how they had turned around a desperate situation. The AU team was volunteering at an Ebola treatment center built from scratch, only to have it sit empty. At the height of the epidemic, families kept the sick and dying home, even as the disease spread. Then, one day, a desperately ill woman was carried to the center. Despite her dire condition, the doctor believed she could be saved. He rallied the medical team to provide the best possible care medication, food, hydration, compassion and the woman slowly recovered. It was a turning point. People began to bring their loved ones to the center. And when they did, they saw health workers who looked like them. They were not foreigners, but Africans who understood their cultures, who delivered expert care and who they could trust. It was clear to me that African capacity and expertise were crucial to containing and ultimately ending the worst Ebola outbreak in history. Today, the head of the AU's 2014 Ebola medical mission is on the ground fighting the outbreak in the DRC. The World Health Organization has also mobilized quickly to contain it. Yet, even such an urgent response may not prevent another Ebola disastereither with this outbreak or with the next. What we need is not only boots on the ground when a crisis hits, but greater African health care capacity embedded into our health systems. Although there were early signs that the rapid response to the current DRC outbreak is helping to contain its spread, the World Health Organization worries about complicating factors such as security for health workers including vaccinators - in an area of conflict. Prevention is the best solution. The best way to build preventive capacity is through implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). UHC removes financial barriers to quality healthcare and encourages equity. It means that individuals and communities can receive the basic health services they need, without economic hardship. It includes the full spectrum of essential services: health promotion, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care. Health-care access for all will save lives but also money Of course, it will be costly. But in the end, it will not only be life-saving, but also cost-saving. African governments and the global health community spent over US$3.6 billion to end the West African epidemic and hundreds of millions of dollars more are now being directed to the current epidemic in DRC. Although DRC is a member of the UHC2030 Partnership, the government must show enough political will to take UHC to impoverished rural communities. The first known case of the 2014 Ebola outbreak was a child in a poor, remote village in Guinea. If this infected child had had access to a clinic or hospital, medical personnel could have taken a laboratory sample, identified the disease and initiated treatment. They also could have reduced Ebola's spread by identifying contacts of the boy and providing continuous information on good basic health practices, such as hand washing and hygiene. This is how things work in countries with UHC including the United Kingdom (UK), Rwanda, Thailand, Japan and China. In the UK in 2015, UHC enabled medical professionals to quickly identify a cluster of tuberculosis within immigrant communities, treat those infected and prevent its spread. Rwanda is one of the few African countries with UHC. Today, more than 97 percent of infacns in Rwanda are vaccinated against infectious diseases such as measles, polio and rubella, keeping cases close to zero. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Ebola Africa International Organisations By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Achieving UHC may seem like a Herculean task, but experience in countries as diverse as Rwanda and the United Kingdom show that it works. And, in addition to preventing and containing dangerous outbreaks, UHC could help keep them from becoming global pandemics. Today, an undetected pathogen can travel from a remote village to major cities across the world in less than a day. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, recently said, "Universal Health Coverage and global health security are two sides of the same coin." The DRC has declared its intention to put in place UHC. Egypt and a growing number of other countries have done the same. To make good on those intentions, countries and their global partners must identify appropriate financing mechanisms that would provide the safety nets needed to strengthen health systems and prevent the emergence and spread of infectious diseases. Dr. Ifeanyi Nsofor is Director of Policy & Advocacy for Nigeria Health Watch, CEO of EpiAFRIC and a 2018 Aspen Institute New Voices Fellow. Lately, the emergence of print-on-demand has meant that if I cant find a publisher I can do it myself. Thats a wonderful freedom. These days I like to write books. Writing books, both fiction and non-fiction, is an amazingly leisurely way to explore ideas. What continues to surprise me is that, despite the demise of many traditional outlets like magazines and journals, I can still find people willing to publish what I write. Im nosey and Ive got a wide range of interests and I write about most of them. I published my first piece in 1970 and havent stopped since. TUMBY BAY - I like to write. I dont really know why. Sometimes its easier to write than talk. Perhaps its because I find writing is a way of mustering and sorting my ideas. Maybe its just a way of blowing off steam. Who knows? The first archived issue of PNG Attitude in the National Library of Australia from mid-September 2009 I dont get many readers in Australia but do reasonably well in the USA and Europe. I cant explain that either. One of my principal interests is Papua New Guinea. This is because it has occupied a big chunk of my life. It helps a lot that it is a captivating place with a fascinating people. Writing about Papua New Guinea is a little different to writing about my other interests. This is because it is essentially a two-way street. It is a two-way street mainly because of PNG Attitude. PNG Attitude is more than just writing. Writing for PNG Attitude is actually like engaging in a conversation. I dont know whether Keith intended it to be so or whether it simply evolved that way. I suspect it is a combination of both. If you write for PNG Attitude you are liable to get extensive responses in the Comments section. Sometimes what you write will attract article-length rejoinders, themselves worthy of considered responses. Some topics can extend for days and weeks. Some even find reactions years later. I can write an article and then engage in the comments process and end up with a contrary view to the one I originally presented. Thats a liberating experience. I havent seen many other places where this happens, either in digital or traditional media. In most digital media, responses to essays and articles are usually short and often vituperative. Playing the man and not the ball is common. Keith will have none of that. Neither will he allow the sort of profanities common to social media to intrude unless they possess some literary merit. Very few topics are disallowed. As long as they have some relevance to Papua New Guinea, the editor will entertain them. This is something you dont see in other media outlets. Generally they only have a limited range of interests and subjects they will publish. Keith is left-leaning but he doesnt discriminate against opposite views. I like to use this freedom to occasionally present provocative and unorthodox ideas. It is a way of laying a trap to elicit responses that would otherwise remain hidden but which I think need exposure. Keith goes along with this because he knows what I am up to and is also probably interested in the responses. It is a great way to generate debate on important issues. The multiplicity of ideas and topics on PNG Attitude also provides other opportunities. One of these is the recording and sharing of Australian and Papua New Guinean history, both as it has been and as it is happening. If you flick through the PNG Attitude archives youll come across a great deal of history. I cant think of anywhere else where such a treasure trove exists. It has created an abiding interest among many Papua New Guinean readers. I sometimes find it remarkable that younger Papua New Guineans have never been exposed to the history of their country and are ignorant of it. It is one reason why the National Library of Australia retains digital copies of PNG Attitude dating back to September 2009 and now refreshed in mid-October each year. Sometimes PNG Attitude reports history as it is being made. Just like it attracts writers like me, it attracts writers, academics, journalists and first-hand participants from Australia and Papua New Guinea who are much more erudite, informed and expert who can shed light on events as they occur. Another major contribution of PNG Attitude is the publication of Papua New Guinean writers who would otherwise have no outlet for their work. This process also gives outsiders a great view of what people in Papua New Guinea are thinking. If it wasnt for PNG Attitude where else could you consistently read work by Papua New Guinean writers? PNG Attitude has discovered a remarkable number of talented writers from Papua New Guinea. A few of them have become legends in their own right. I was reminded of this power when Keith recently published some excerpts from a soon-to-be published high school anthology from Bougainville. The response of those students seeing their work on PNG Attitude was heartening. Maybe one or two of them will emerge as great writers later on. Who can tell? I could go on and on but if you are a writer who needs an outlet you should consider PNG Attitude. Im sure Keith will accommodate you and its a great way to hone your skills. Try it. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. 1,000 Armenians live in Romania, and Arsen Arzumanyan has come up with what he believes is a new way to teach Armenian to the 90% who dont speak the language. Arsen Arzumanyan, a specialist in international studies and a diaspora researcher, who moved to Romania seven years ago, prefers provoking an interest towards the language rather than blaming people for not speaking it. Recently, Arsen presented his book, "Learning Armenian Without a Teacher", at the Armenian Street Festival in Bucharest. All the first copies of the book, in Romanian, were bought on the first day. Arsen says he plans to have 2,000 copies printed. 1000-year-old Armenian community The Armenian community in Romania is one of the oldest in diaspora. Arsen says it has more than 1,000 years of history, with the first Armenians coming from Ani, the medieval capital of Armenia. According to 2011 data(the latest statistics for now), there are 1,361 Armenians in Romania. Arsen says the real number is actually larger, as his study reveals.The level of keeping the Armenian identity is quite different, though, regardless of the official percentage of Armenian roots. The diaspora researcher says its understandable that most of the members of the Armenian community do not speak Armenian. Romania lived through 40 years of Communist rule, when the Armenian school was closed. Today, there are around twenty Armenian churches and monasteries in Romania, some dating back to the 14th century. Learning Armenian in Romania without a teacher "I think, the language equates to ethnicity. Its impossible to maintain Armenian roots in this country without keeping the connection with Armenia, which cannot be done without the knowledge of the language. That is why I prepared this self-help book, says Arsen. He came up with the idea five years ago, when he was asked to help somebody learn Armenian. At the same time, Arsen started teaching Armenian in some Armenian communities. He wanted to use a new method to present the language, since he believed that the classical methods of teaching Armenian were mostly not working. Arsen thought the most accurate method of teaching was via phonetic transliteration, and he used the format in his book. The grammar of the Armenian language is presented in Romanian, with a number of similarities and differences between Romanian and Armenian, adding Armenian letters and words to each class. Arsen compares this method to pre-school age instruction, when children speak the language but can neither read nor write. The book was published by the Ararat Publishing House in Romania, fully funded by the Romanian state budget. Armenian traces in Romania Arsen is now working on a second book, which is about the traces of Armenian culture in Romania. He has visited most of the 200 settlements that bear Armenian traces. "If this work was done fifty years ago, it would have been a thousand times more effective, with more information," says Arsen. The book will probably be published next spring, in two languages - Armenian and Romanian. Special Investigative Service (SIS) Chief Sasun Khachatryan today reaffirmed his pledge that all those linked to the post-election protests of March 1, 2008 will be questioned, including former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. Khachatyryan told reporters, after a government cabinet session, that the lead investigator looking into the case would determine who will be called in for questioning. Commenting on the Court of Appeals release of former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, who was facing charges of usurping state power, Khachatryan said he hoped that the Prosecutor General would file an appeal with the Court of Cassation. Khachatryan said the Court of Appeals overstepped its bounds of authority when it ruled that Kocharyan cannot be prosecuted for the 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan. The SIS head said that Aleksandr Azaryan, one of the three Court of Appeals senior judges, should have recused himself since he had handed down sentences pertaining to the March 1 events in which he described the peaceful demonstrators as a mob, participants in mass disorder, who burned and destroyed. ** For the most up-to-date information on this topic, please click here . About a week ago I was reading some information with regards to... 18:01 | Huanuco (Huanuco region), Aug. 15. The celebrations began early in the morning at 6 AM with a 21-gun salute, followed by a Mass and Te Deum service at Huanuco's Cathedral. During the event, Vizcarra was joined by Transport and Communications Minister Edmer Trujillo, Huanuco Region Governor Ruben Alva, as well as political, military, and religious authorities. After congratulating the city on its anniversary, the Head of State stressed the work undertaken by his administration along with regional and local authorities seeking progress and well-being of citizens. "Huanuco is the entry point to the Amazon (rainforest) and should have access to the coast as such. For that reason, we've started to meet the demands by transferring more than S/700 million (around US$212.7 million)," he noted. Afterwards , the statesman and other authorities led the Huanuco flag parade and hoisting . Peru's national flag was raised as well. Also, Wednesday festivities included a dazzling parade with dancers representing all Huanuco localities. Celebratory activities will continue on Thursday with the closing of Expo Huanuco 2018 fair. (END) LZD/MAO/RMB/MVB Huanuco City on Wednesday celebrated its 479th foundation anniversary with a flag parade and the performance of colorful ancient dances at its Main Square.Published: 8/15/2018 10:52 | Lima, Aug. 16. According to the Head of State, teachers are one of the key factors in teaching. So, they should receive an adequate salary in addition to quality training. "The current wage floor for teachers is S/2,000 (about US$603), and I think it will be at least S/2,200 (around US$664) next year. Plus, our commitment is to raise it in 2019, 2020, and 2021 ()," he commented. "We are considering the ( education ) minister's proposal to set a wage rise of at least 10% in the 2019 budget," Vizcarra added. 17:43 | Huanuco (Huanuco region), Aug. 15. However, he said, this will only be possible if civil society and authorities from all government branches work together. "() Everyone must help. No one agrees with corruption , and we all need to join efforts ," the Head of State expressed. YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. Russia is ready to abolish visa regime for some categories of Turkish citizens, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at the 10th annual Ambassadors Conference in Ankara on August 15, TASS reported. We reached agreements with Russia to abolish visas for businessmen and holders of official passports, the TRT TV channel quoted him as saying. According to Cavusoglu, the Russian-Turkish working group will discuss this issue after Eid al-Adha, which is celebrated in the country this year on August 21-24. The official passports include passports for senior officials and diplomats. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. The fact that the Republic of Artsakh is not participating in the negotiations shows that Azerbaijan is not ready for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Ashot Ghoulyan Speaker of the Parliament of Artsakh, told Armenpress. Unfortunately, now are not so good times in the negotiation process. We have a deadlock situation, and its very difficult to predict with what additional impulses the negotiation process can be promoted. We have two major problems, one of which is deep the format in the negotiation process has long been violated. After 1997-1998 the negotiation format is distorted, in other words the Republic of Artsakh is not taking part in the negotiations. After that the negotiations have completely changed their overall structure, and if before that the negotiations were taking place through an active dialogue, today everything has changed, they have shifted to a shuttle diplomacy, in other words, mediators are visiting all sides, he said. He also mentioned another major problem which undermines the negotiation process, it is the following: every time Azerbaijan tries to think of some mechanisms where the conflict is viewed as an Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. This is the reason that Azerbaijan is trying to launch escalation of the conflict in different sections of the border with Armenia. These are measures to justify the Azerbaijani stereotype through which they are trying to show that its an Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. I think there is no other option than the trilateral meeting since the negotiation process over the NK conflict has long been officially approved by documents, the highest one is the OSCE Budapest summit, the Artsakh Parliament Speaker said. He assured that there are documents, and according to them, the participation of the Republic of Artsakh to the negotiation process is undeniable. According to them, it will be clear from the Azerbaijani response to Artsakhs participation in the negotiations whether they want a real settlement or have put a task to delay the conflict settlement. The main side of the conflict cannot be withdrawn or put aside from the negotiation table, Ashot Ghoulyan said. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during a press conference in Artsakh in May stated that the most important component for the NK conflict settlement are the right format negotiations, and Artsakh must definitely participate in them. Interview by Lilit Demuryan Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. Armenian healthcare minister Arsen Torosyan on August 15 arrived in Tavush province on a working visit, the ministry told Armenpress. Accompanied by Tavush governor Vahe Ghalumyan, the minister started the visit in the Berd medical center where he got acquainted with the services in the medical facility, the figures recorded, talked to the staff and was interested in the healthcare conditions of the patients. Thereafter, the minister visited Tavush governorate where he met with the directors of the medical centers of Ijevan. The minister listened to their issues of concern, provided clarifications on some of them and stated that all issues will be examined and discussed at the ministry and will be solved in line with the expansion of capacities. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. During 100 days of its activity the Armenian government has solved the main task, that is to ensure the countrys normal activity and the constant development of the economy in the post-revolutionary period, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during todays Cabinet meeting, reports Armenpress. In my opinion, after a 100-day period we are entering a new phase the main essence of which is to make major reforms in order to open new breath for our country and economy, in order to be able to record concrete prospects and results also in the context of budgetary discussions. I hope the content and energy collected during these 100 days, the results of which will be summed up tomorrow during the meeting at the Republic Square, will enable us to implement and be consistent on the issues put by the Armenian citizens before us, the PM said. He said there is no doubt that the government solves these issues effectively. The victory of the Armenian people is inevitable, PM Pashinyan stated. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government is going to hold the 17 summit of the International Organization of La Francophonie at the best quality, foreign minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said during todays Cabinet meeting, Armenpress reports. We are confident that our preparation works ensure the proper and quality holding of the summit. I want to thank all partners who coordinate the works. We already received confirmations by a large number of high-level delegations. We are also moving forward in terms of the content, we are confident that we will ensure effective summit also in terms of the content, we have the whole resource and capacity for that, the FM said in response to the PMs question. Deputy prime minister Tigran Avinyan said they are holding weekly meetings with the preparation staff of the summit. I want to specifically thank all members of the staff. We are going to have high level in terms of the organization of the summit, all activities are being carried at the high level. We are going to have an unprecedented event which will be attended by heads of dozens of states, he said. In his turn Police Chief Valery Osipyan said the Police are ready for the holding of the event. Our capacities and resources are enough in order to ensure public order and security at a high level starting from the airport, he noted. Minister of transport, communication and information technologies Ashot Hakobyan said Yerevans Zvartnots airport will properly serve the whole overload. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. 3rd President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan will also be questioned over the 2008 March 1 case, Sasun Khachatryan, Head of the Special Investigation Service, told reporters after todays Cabinet session, Armenpress reports. All those who have any links with this case will be questioned, without exception. Serzh Sargsyan will also be questioned, the SIS chief said, asked whether Serzh Sargsyan will be questioned over this case. Asked when Serzh Sargsyan will be questioned, the SIS Head said: It will be decided by the investigator based on the necessity of the investigation. The investigator decides whom to question, when and on what matters. Its an investigation tactic, and the investigator should plan his actions so that the questioning will be effective. The questioning is not an end in itself, it aims at acquiring some data. Earlier 2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan has also been questioned over the 2008 March 1 case. He has been charged for breaching the constitutional order of the Republic of Armenia during the 2008 March 1-2 events. Kocharyan was remanded into custody. His attorneys appealed the court ruling. The court approved the appeal, and as a result Kocharyan has been released. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government made amendments and changes in the decision adopted previously on approving the application of the Yerevan Chocolate Factory CJSC to use the privilege of exempting the imported equipment, their parts, raw materials from the import customs duty within the frames of the investment program being implemented in a priority sector, Armenpress reports. Minister of economic development and investments Artsvik Minasyan said the implementation of the investment program required to import additional goods which have not been included in the list at the moment of submitting the application. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the government is discussing such drafts almost during each session. I hope this message is clearly perceived in our economic field, and this means that new equipment is imported to Armenia aimed at expanding the production volumes. We are more than interested in boosting the business in Armenia, and its trends exist. We hope to give new impetus for boosting investments and business in the context of our governments activity, and we also hope that the ongoing political changes will not undermine the process, but will create more favorable conditions, the PM noted. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. Head of the Special Investigation Service Sasun Khachatryan hopes that the Prosecutor Generals Office will appeal the Court of Appeals ruling to release 2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan from custody to the Court of Cassation, reports Armenpress. After todays Cabinet session at a meeting with reporters, the SIS chief expressed hope that based on this appeal Kocharyan will be arrested and will not be able to undermine the investigation of the case. Asked whether Kocharyan can leave Armenia now, the SIS chief said: I dont think he will try to leave the country. At this moment no precautionary measure is selected for Robert Kocharyan, but if he tries to leave the country, it will be viewed as an attempt to hinder the preliminary investigation, and in that case a precautionary measure will be selected. 2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan has been charged over the 2008 March 1 case for breaching the constitutional order of the Republic of Armenia during the 2008 March 1-2 events in Yerevan. Kocharyan was remanded into custody. His attorneys appealed the court ruling. The court approved the appeal, and as a result Kocharyan has been released. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. The attorneys of 2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan have submitted a number of grounds to the Court of Appeals to release the 2nd President, but he was released based on only the ground of the persons immunity. Therefore, the attorneys made a decision to submit an appeal to the Court of Cassation so that two more of their grounds will be discussed there, attorney Hayk Alumyan said during a press conference. He added that their appeal, in addition to the ground of immunity, also contains at least two grounds which, according to them, are also very important, Armenpress reported. The attorney said the charge launched against Kocharyan contains a section which says that the state of emergency declared during the 2008 March 1 events by Kocharyans decree has been illegal and anti-Constitutional. The decree can be recognized illegal only by the decision of the Constitutional Court. In other words, as long as there is no decision of the Constitutional Court, no one has a right to say on behalf of the state that that decree has been illegal, Hayk Alumyan said. The attorney also stated that the Special Investigation Service should have not commented on the decision of the Court of Appeals. The Special Investigation Service is talking on behalf of the state. It can state that it doesnt agree with the decision of the Court and will appeal to the Court of Cassation, but not to say that the decision is illegal, he said. He added that he doesnt think that Kocharyan may hinder the preliminary investigation. 2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan has been charged over the 2008 March 1 case for breaching the constitutional order of the Republic of Armenia during the 2008 March 1-2 events in Yerevan. Kocharyan was remanded into custody. His attorneys appealed the court ruling. The Court of Appeals approved the appeal, and as a result Kocharyan has been released. The Prosecutor Generals Office said they will discuss the possibility to appeal to the Court of Cassation after receiving the complete decision of the Court of Appeals. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, 16 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 16 August, USD exchange rate is up by 0.12 drams to 483.14 drams. EUR exchange rate is up by 2.41 drams to 549.38 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 7.23 drams. GBP exchange rate is down by 0.81 drams to 613.64 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price is down by 228.38 drams to 18360.37 drams. Silver price is down by 3.21 drams to 230.28 drams. Platinum price is down by 478.42 drams to 12038.32 drams. YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. Momentum to recognise the Armenian Genocide continued to build in Australia's Federal Parliament, with high-profile Senator Eric Abetz rising in the Upper House to express his "hope that Australia will be in the vanguard of this just endeavour to obtain recognition and reparation for the plight of the world's Armenian peoples, as our forebears were 100 years ago in providing food, support and practical assistance", ARMENPRESS was informed from the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU). In a powerful speech by the former Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister, which also covered human rights abuses suffered by Lithuanians, Senator Abetz did not mince his words. "Arrests, imprisonment, rape, death marches, subjugation of childrenyou name itwere all part and parcel of the Armenian genocide," said the Senator representing Tasmania in the Federal Parliament. "This documented brutality and the eyewitness accounts have been ignored for far too long." Senator Abetz went on to address the fact that Australia was yet to recognise the Armenian Genocide. "Eyewitness accounts were brought to us by our very own Australian servicemen who were there at that time, as were the war reporters, over 100 years ago," he said. "Potentially, sensitivities by authorities relating to the Gallipoli Peninsula may have quietened that which should have been a loud voice of condemnation of deliberate, orchestrated, official policy in 1915, which saw the removal of the Armenians from the Ottoman Empire." "I'm a firm believer that justice ultimately prevails and I, therefore, believe that justice will ultimately come the way of the Armenian people. But I am also reminded that justice delayed is justice denied," Senator Abetz added. "After 103 years, the delay, the denial and the disingenuous excuses need to be expunged in favour of acceptance, acknowledgement and apology. It is my hope that Australia will be in the vanguard of this just endeavour to obtain recognition and reparation for the plight of the world's Armenian peoples, as our forebears were 100 years ago in providing food, support and practical assistance." ANC-AU Executive Director Haig Kayserian, who recently met with Senator Abetz as part of a delegation following the historic House of Representatives' debate unanimously favouring Australia's recognition of the Armenian Genocide, through the prism of the country's first major international humanitarian relief effort which aided thousands of survivors in 1915. We thank Senator Abetz for his moral leadership and righteous stance on justice for the Armenian Genocide," Kayserian said. "We look forward to the day that the Australian Foreign Ministry's position on the Armenian Genocide is similarly such moral leadership, and not one that appeases denial of the Armenian Genocide and Australias own of historical connection to the Armenian Genocide and humanitarian aid." Translated and edited by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. 2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan has announced about return to politics, but did not clarify the format. At the same time the fomer President urges to reveal pre-investigation secrets of March 1 case, Kocharyan made these announcments in an interview on Yerkir Media TV channel on August 16. To the question if he will return to politics as an iindividual or will try to establish a political team, Kocharyan answered, "My return can be in different formats". According to him it is conditioned by the complex geopolitical situation. "Look at where Armenia is and which countries surround us, as well as our relatiopns with those countries", Kocharyan said, adding that currently Russian-American relations are at the lowest level, as well as U.S-Iran relations, while Turkey pursues a very agressive policy. The 2nd President of Armenia urges to reveal pre-investigation secrets of March 1 case. In my opinion the team of the attorneys have "smashed" the accusations, which, according to Kocharyan, are based on false conclusions. "The law assumes that this is a pre-investigation secret, and I cannot voice about many things", ARMENPRESS reports Kocharyan as saying. He added that they call on all the sides to make the entire process transparent so that the defendant to speak about everything. Robert Kocharyan also talked about the situation on March 1, 2008 that left no alternative for him but to sign a decree on introducing state of emergency. According to him state of emergency was introduced when there was already a victim. "A police captain had been killed and some dozens of cars had been burnt, the barricades were raised and internal troops were being attacked from various directions. This was the situation and if I did not impose state of emergency, today I would be observed as inactivity", Kocharyan said. Robert Kocharyan added that on March 2, 2008 the then Defense Minister and the Director of National Security Service reported to him that the army had not clashed with the protesters in any situation. "The fact that no servicemen received any bodily injury proves that no clashes took place", Kocharyan emphasized. Translated and edited by Tigran Sirekanyan LOUISVILLE, Ky.--When conjuring up images of beauty pageant contestants, people rarely envision someone rifling through trash cans looking for recyclables. However, that's exactly the type of personis.Rhodes, a rising Bellarmine sophomore and member of the dance team, served as Miss Kentucky in the Teen Miss Earth Pageant this summer in Washington, DC."At Bellarmine, I'm known as the girl who picks through the trash for plastic," Rhodes admits. However, that trait fits perfectly with the mission of Teen Miss Earth USA, which "seeks to provide a platform for America's women to be a voice for environmental responsibility, while featuring these beauties for a cause in fashion, media and leadership opportunities," according to its website.At the national pageant, which was held July 9-14, Rhodesa Louisville native and Assumption graduatedid her university, hometown and home state proud by making it all the way to the pageant's top eight.Prior to the actual competition, the contestants all participated in photo shoots, completed a service project (helping to clean up the National Mall), attended a presentation on environmental change, and gave a two and a half minute speech on why they would be good candidates to represent the U.S. at the international competition.The preliminaries, held Friday, July 13 at the Crystal City Marriott, featured swimsuit, runway and evening gown segments. The following day, after an opening number, the top 12 contestants were announced and they participated in a runway presentation in which they wore cocktail dresses. The field of 12 was then trimmed to the top eight, and those finalists repeated the evening gown and swimsuit modeling. The top four, of which Rhodes was not included, then answered on stage questions to help determine the eventual winner."I'm just happy I represented Kentucky so well," Rhodes said, adding that one of the most rewarding parts of competing was making friendships all over the country with women who share the same passion for environmental issues.As the state representative, Rhodes was given the opportunity to speak to the Kentucky chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners and delivered a message on the "plastic epidemic." She said the use of plastics is one of the greatest threats to the environment since it takes an extremely long time to decompose, and when it finally does, it's toxic.At her presentation to the Women Business Owners, she distributed bamboo straws and talked about the harmful effects of plastic straws, of which Americans are estimated to use 500 million straws per day."I try not to drill people when I talk about the environment," Rhodes said. "I hope that I can inspire them to create change."Although the competition is over, Rhodes said she is being encouraged by state organizers to compete again next year. If she does, she will compete in the "adult" level (Miss Earth USA as opposed to Teen Miss Earth).For now, Rhodesan education majoris back focusing on her other interests such as school, musical theater and dance. In fact, shortly after returning from the national pageant, Rhodes helped the Bellarmine Dance Team earn a bid to nationals with its performance at the recent summer camp. Going to Kmart to buy some brilliant home goods is the past-time many Australians take joy in. However, in five years it may be a thing of the past. Businessman Dick Smith has predicted US retail giant Walmart could be set to take Kmart in as little as half a decade. Could Kmart be wiped out in five years? Source: Getty Theyll take Kmart, that will go first, in the next four or five years, the founder of Dick Smith Electronics told the Daily Mail Australia. Kmart currently owned by Perth-based company Wesfarmers could be the first Australian investment for Walmart. Having just merged their UK brand Asda with supermarket giant Sainsburys, Walmart may have some cash to spare to invest in the Australian market. Mr Smith believes Walmart would be able to do incredibly well in Australia, but it wont come without costs to staff. Millionaire businessman Dick Smith claims US superstore Walmart could take over Kmart to invest in the Australian market. Source: Getty Walmart, they are completely ruthless, Mr Smith told the publication. The Walmart formula is sack people. Dont share wealth, sack people. In May this year, Sue Mitchel from The Australian Financial Review also predicted Walmart was set to invest in the Australian market. However, she stated the investment would be in supermarket Coles, which was formerly owned by Kmarts parent company Wesfarmers. Regardless, were all just hoping the fantastic homewares section stays. Can you imagine life without all the amazing Kmart hacks? We certainly cant. Got a story tip? Send it to tips@yahoo7.com.au Want more celebrity, entertainment and lifestyle news? Follow Be on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram. A hoarse sound abruptly wakes visitors staying at a floating house that serves as a base for environmentalists on the Jaraua river in the Amazon rainforest. During flood season, the Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve -- located 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the Amazonas state capital Manaus -- fills with water. For researchers from the Mamiraua Institute and WWF-Brazil, that means their nearest neighbor is a caiman they call Dominique. It has decided to squat for the day at the end of their house. But the surprising noise was something else. "Don't worry! That's just the river dolphins breathing. It's scary in the middle of the night, right?" biologist Andre Coelho says. The next day, scientists got into two boats, slowly navigating the endless spread of water-filled forest. In this primeval landscape, the researchers used a drone to help them watch the Amazon's pink river dolphins, whose scientific name is Inia geoffrensis. The voyage in late June, which AFP was invited to follow, was the last in the series of a project called EcoDrones, which monitors populations of the pink river dolphin and another type, the tucuxi, or Sotalia fluviatilis. "We need to understand their behavior and habits so that we can propose policies for their preservation," said Marcelo Oliveira, from the World Wildlife Fund-Brazil. Drones "are a tool that will reduce costs and speed up the investigations," said oceanographer Miriam Marmontel, from the Mamiraua Institute. The expedition is using new thermal imaging cameras to allow work to continue at night. "We can observe the animals at times when before it was impossible," Oliveira said. Some of the research will be sent to the University of Liverpool in association with WWF-Brazil, with hopes of developing an algorithm that will allow scientists to identify every one of the dolphins during their observations. "There are many different Amazons in what we call the Amazon jungle," said Marmontel. "Our monitoring means we can understand how to preserve animals in each region -- what are the dangers and how they can be faced." An Amazon pink river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) is seen at the Amana Sustainable Development Reserve in Amazonas state, Brazil -- experts are using drones to monitor the species A drone with a thermal imaging camera, shown overflying the Mamiraua reserve, allows researchers to observe animals in the Amazon at times that were impossible before Mamiraua Institute and WWF-Brazil researchers use the drones to monitor wildlife populations Thursday nights $100 million Powerball jackpot might seem impossible to win but there are a number of ways to increase your chances of claiming the prize. Lotteries operator The Lott spokesperson Matt Hart said if one single entry takes out the entire $100 million it would be the largest individual Australian lottery prize ever won. The current record is held by a couple of Hervey Bay grandparents who won $70 million in January 2016, he said. If a single entry takes out the entire $100 million division one price it would be the largest individual Australian lottery prize ever won. Source: Supplied/ The Lott (File pic) Before their life-changing windfall the winners confessed to never having won anything more than a chook raffle! How to play Powerball Last week, Yahoo7 delved into the odds of winning the $80 million Powerball jackpot before it ballooned to $100m. To win division one, and claim get a chance at claiming $100m, you need seven winning numbers and the Powerball. The Lott claims the chances of taking out division one are 10 times likelier with a 12-game entry as opposed to one game. The odds shorten from about one in 134 million to one in about 11 million. Division two winners need seven winning numbers while division three requires six and the Powerball. There are nine divisions in total with the odds increasing down to the lowest division. What numbers should I pick? The Lott has revealed the most likely numbers drawn for anyone not feeling sentimental with their picks. While Powerball is a random game of chance and every number has an equal chance of being drawn, data shows some have been drawn more than others. The most frequently drawn winning numbers are 34, 32, 24, 9, and 25, and for the Powerball 19, 9, 15, 16 and 17. If picking numbers has you in sixes and sevens, you can always go with a QuickPick entry where numbers are randomly generated. While every number has a equal chance of being drawn some have been drawn more than others. Source: Getty Images (File pic) If picking numbers has you in sixes and sevens, you can always go with a QuickPick entry where numbers are randomly generated. Best entry types According to the Lott, data shows three entry types might hold the key to winning. A PowerHit entry ensures regardless of what the Powerball number is, you have it in your picks. A division one prize is only ensured with the correct Powerball number. Story continues One-in-five winning entries last financial year were PowerHits, while two-thirds were QuickPicks. The data shows theres power in numbers too, with syndicate entries said to be increasingly popular. A syndicate entry is said to be an increasingly popular option. Source: Getty Images (File pic) By pooling money with work colleagues, family or friends, you can buy a share in a bigger entry with more chances to win. All winnings are shared among syndicate members. Where can I buy a ticket? The Lott has listed the postcodes, which have sold the most division one winning Powerball entries. You can buy Powerball tickets at most newsagencies around Australia. But if youre feeling lazy they can also be purchased online or via the Lott app. When does the draw close and how can I check if Ive won? Powerball closes at 7.30pm AEST every Thursday night with the draw taking place shortly afterwards. You can also watch the draw on 7TWO at about 8.30pm. If you want to check the results, they are normally posted by 9pm with the dividends for each game following the draw. The winning numbers are also available online. You can also check your ticket online, in-store or scan it using the Lott app. A family of seven, including five young children, died on a remote road in a head-on collision on their way to a holiday. Erika Carter Boquet, 29, was driving her 2016 Toyota 4 Runner eastbound on Oregon Highway 78 when an oncoming vehicle veered into her lane, authorities said. Ms Boquet, of Tacoma, Washington, and her children Isabella, 11; Elisabeth, 8; and Tytis, 6, were killed on the way to a family holiday in Las Vegas, Ms Boquets brother, Jesse Tate, told The Associated Press. The Boquet family Isabella Boquet, 11, Elisabeth Boquet, 8, mother Erika Boquet, 29, and Tytis Boquet, 6, died in a head-on collision, on their way to a Las Vegas holiday. Source: Jesse Tate Another relative and her two children also perished in the Monday crash. Mr Tate declined to name them because of the wishes of their immediate family. Its a tragedy I wouldnt wish on anyone else, Mr Tate, 30, of Spanaway, Washington, told The Oregonian/OregonLive in an interview. Oregon State Police listed the other victims as Kyla Marie Brown, 28; Arianna Marie Brown, 10; and two-year-old Xavier King Johnson. Authorities did not provide details about the relationships between the victims. The driver and sole occupant of the other car, 48-year-old Mark Robert Rundell, of Prairie City, Oregon, also died. The crash happened in a remote part of Oregon about 209 kilometres of the Idaho border. Mr Tate first learned of it from relatives who contacted him on social media. He then called his father who told him who was involved, he said. The scene of a fatal car crash where seven people were killed during a road trip to Las Vegas. Source: Oregon State Police Ms Boquet volunteered at a Tacoma-based nonprofit she created called Last Stop that provides resources to low-income families. Mr Tate said the group hosted an Easter egg hunt earlier this year and Ms 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, Mr Tate said. Story continues They all just cared about everyone around them. Ms Boquets grandfather Frank Williams described the woman as: A beautiful person with three beautiful kids. She was doing all she could to raise not only her kids but help the entire community of Tacoma, Williams told WGNTV. Its hard to fathom. A GoFundMe page to help bring the bodies home and pay funeral costs had raised more than double its goal of $10,000 on Wednesday. The French top chef who cooked for fast-food-loving US President Donald Trump atop the Eiffel Tower during his visit to Paris last year went to court Thursday to challenge his eviction from his lofty perch. Alain Ducasse, one of France's best-known chefs, has reacted furiously to his ouster from the Jules Verne restaurant on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, where French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Trump at a glitzy Bastille Day dinner in July 2017. After a decade on the monument Ducasse was dethroned by fellow star chefs Frederic Anton and Thierry Marx, who won the 10-year tender to run the Jules Verne, as well as a brasserie on the first floor and snack counters. In court Ducasse's lawyers argued that the 61-year-old impresario, who has won a total of 21 Michelin stars for his restaurants dotted across the globe, was now "the most-starred chef in the world" after the death earlier this month of fellow culinary legend Joel Robuchon. They accused the consulting company used to rate the competing bids of a conflict of interest, noting that it had in the past done consulting work for the company representing Anton and Marx. Perched 125 metres (410 feet) above ground the one-star Jules Verne has unparalleled views of the French capital, from the Louvre museum to the golden dome of Napoleon's tomb at Invalides on the left bank of the Seine river. The prices reflect the location, with Ducasse's five-course dinner menu costing a cool 190 euros ($215) a head. In a statement last month Anton and Marx said cooking on the Eiffel Tower, which received 6.2 million visitors in 2017, was their "wildest dream". The tower's operator SETE said the pair had been chosen because they offered a "strong leap in terms of quality" with dining options that caters to to all budgets and respect the environment by giving priority to local products and minimising waste. Marx, the owner of the two-star Sur Mesure restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Paris, has also been praised for setting up free cooking courses for the unemployed. Anton is the chef of the three-star Le Pre Catalan restaurant in the Bois de Boulogne park west of Paris. The pair are due to take over at the Jules Verne in October. The commercial court, which is hearing Ducasse's complaint, will rule before then on the legality of the tender process. Its decision is expected on August 28. Alain Ducasse, one of France's best-known chefs (pictured November 2017), has reacted furiously to his ouster from the Jules Verne restaurant in the Eiffel Tower and has gone to court to challenge the decision Polish President Andrzej Duda on Thursday vetoed a controversial change to European Parliament election rules that would have kept all small parties in Poland out of the running. "I refuse to sign it and am sending the legislation back to parliament for reassessment," Duda said on public television. "The amendment would have caused a large part of the population to not have representation in the European Parliament." The president said it would have fundamentally limited access to the EU parliament, discouraged Poles from turning out to vote, and forced small parties into entering coalitions. Many opposition parties celebrated the veto while the governing conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party that introduced the legislation announced it would no longer pursue it. "We respect the president's decision, though we maintain our opinion" that a strong party representation at the European Parliament would be preferable to that of several small groups, said PiS spokeswoman Beata Mazurek. "We will no longer work on making changes to the voting system," she added on Twitter. The legislation had passed parliament last month and only needed Duda's signature to enter into force. The PiS, which has been in power since late 2015, said the change would have simplified the complex system currently in place and help boost representation from less populated areas. However opposition parties accused the PiS of introducing the new rules so as to increase its share of European Parliament lawmakers in the elections next year. In Poland, European Parliament lawmakers are elected by direct popular vote. According to experts in the Polish senate, the controversial change would have made it necessary for parties to win 16.5 percent of the vote to ensure representation in the European Parliament. In comparison, the threshold set by European law is five percent. Only two Polish parties -- the PiS and the liberal Civic Platform (PO) opposition party -- would have been certain to reach the 16.5 percent threshold. On Monday, Duda held talks with the leaders of several other political parties, including the Kukiz'15 anti-establishment movement, the PSL farmers' party, the leftist extra-parliamentary party Razem and the small Catholic party Right Wing of the Republic. Duda had first used his veto last year to oppose certain reforms to the judiciary, though he later accepted the legislation with modifications considered minor by the opposition. Poland's powerful Catholic Church and human rights commissioner Adam Bodnar had also criticised the planned changes. According to recent opinion surveys, the PiS is on track to win 40 percent of the vote in the European Parliament elections next year, while the PO would take 26 percent. Nine percent would go to the leftist SLD party, eight percent to Kukiz'15, five percent to the liberal Nowoczesna party, five percent to PSL and three percent to Razem. The European Parliament elections are scheduled for May 2019, just a few months before national polls in Poland. Poland's President Andrzej Duda says he refuses to sign a controversial reform as it "would have caused a large part of the population to not have representation in the European Parliament" A postal worker in India has been suspended for not delivering thousands of letters for more than a decade. Jagannath Puhan, assistant branch post master in Odhanga village in the state of Orissa, refused to deliver about 6,000 letters and packages dating back to 2004. The haul of undelivered letters was found when a group of schoolchildren were playing in an abandoned post office after the facility had moved to a new location. It was reported that the children noticed a number of large sacks with letters sticking out. A postman in Odhanga, India has been suspended for not delivering thousands of letters for more than a decade. Source: Getty The children opened the letters and found bank details and ATM cards, so they told their parents. The Hindustan Times newspaper reported that there were 6,000 letters and packages, although many of them were soggy or had been eaten by termites. About 1,500 letters were salvaged, however. Mr Puhan was said to be in sole charge of the village post office for the past decade. Authorities said he would send registered mail because the sender would be able to track the delivery. However, it would appear that letters and packages that werent registered ended up in bags in a storeroom, never to be delivered. The postmans undelivered letters from over a decade were found in Odhanga, India by schoolchildren who were playing in an abandoned post office after the facility had moved to a new location. Source: Getty Mr Puhan claimed he couldnt walk properly and was not in a condition to deliver these letters. Officials say they are baffled why no one who did try to send a letter ever complained. The letters that are in a decent condition will now be sent out to their intended recipients, albeit years late. However, hundreds of letters are so damaged the names on the envelopes are unreadable. In 2013, an Australia Post mailman who was found with 10,000 undelivered mail items in his house pleaded guilty to theft charges. Mark Baguio, 28, was a postal delivery officer in the Newport and Williamstown areas of Victoria between February 2009 and February 2011. Former reality TV star Lyric McHenry has died after she was found unconscious on a New York sidewalk. The 26-year-old, who had appeared on the E! Series EJNYC, was reportedly 20 weeks pregnant when she was found sprawled on the sidewalk above the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx about 5am Tuesday. She was rushed to Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. According to the New York Daily News, she was found with a small ziplock bag containing cocaine and was not wearing pants. Just hours before she was found, McHenry shared videos to Instagram of her partying in lower Manhattan. Lyric McHenry died after she was found unconscious on a Bronx sidewalk. Source: Instagram/Lyric McHenry After graduating from Stanford University, McHenry worked as an associated producer for Complex Networks after EJNYC ended after just one season. Her film producer father, Doug McHenry, issued a statement describing his daughter as a brilliant, creative and lovely young woman who shared a deep passion for writing, film, and a longstanding commitment to social justice. Etienne Maurice one of McHenrys close friends and the son of Broadway star Sheryl Lee Ralph posted a heartfelt tribute in her honour on Wednesday. This s*** doesnt feel real yo, he wrote. Ive never lost someone so close to me since my grandfather passed 6 years ago. Thank you to everyone for the prayers and condolences. Funeral plans are now being arranged back in Los Angeles, where she spent most of her childhood. Hundreds of troops led a desperate operation to rescue families trapped by mounting floods in India's Kerala state Thursday as the death toll reached 106 with nearly 150,000 left homeless. Helicopters airlifted stranded victims from rooftops and dam gates were thrown open as incessant torrential rain brought fresh havoc to the southern state that is a major international tourist draw. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state now faces an "extremely grave" crisis with more downpours predicted. The region's main airport has been ordered closed until August 26. The state, famed for palm-lined beaches at resorts such as Bekal and tea plantations, is always battered by the annual monsoon but this year's damage has been the worst in almost a century. The death toll had jumped to 106 late Thursday, a state disaster management official told AFP. Media reports said up to 30 more people were feared dead in landslides and rivers that burst their banks, flooding scores of villages. At least eight people were killed when an irrigation dam burst and a landslide hit three houses in the town of Nenmara, Palakkad district, authorities said. Vijayan said 80 dams have reached danger levels and appealed to the population not to ignore evacuation orders. Army and coastguard helicopters, lifeboats and navy diving teams have been brought to the stricken state where an extra 540 troops were deployed Thursday. More are due in coming days. The army said helicopters carried out scores of rescue operations. They also dropped food and water and appealed for victims to stand in open fields or on rooftops away from trees so helicopters were not damaged during rescue efforts. One state official said more than 1,330 camps have been opened across Kerala and 147,000 people had sought shelter by Thursday evening. "At least 6,500 people are stranded in different parts of Kerala and the situation in three districts is particularly grim," a separate state disaster management official told AFP. Floods have also hit other states, including Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, where eight people at a popular picnic spot were swept away by a sudden surge of water. - 'Please help' - In Kerala families could be seen paddling boats provided by the military, while in some areas families commandeered local wooden boats to ferry themselves to safety. The government says 10,000 kilometres (6,000 miles) of Kerala roads have been destroyed or damaged and hundreds of homes lost. It has ordered the opening of gates at 34 dams and reservoirs where water levels reached danger levels. Indian television broadcast images of cars and livestock washed away in the floods while men and women waded through chest-high waters that flowed through village streets. Many used social media to send rooftop distress calls, some with video. A member of parliament from Kerala, Shashi Tharoor, shared on Twitter an appeal for help made by a woman who said she was trapped on the third floor of a temple with phone batteries running out. "Over 36 people including myself and family stranded here. Phone network and charge finishing please help in any possible way," Devika Sreekumar said in the Facebook post. Greeta Mathew pleaded for help for her family in a Twitter message. "Anybody reading this,PLZ HELP. My relatives are stuck on the upper floor of house with an 8 months pregnant lady, in Edayaranmula, Pathanamthitta dist. All rescue control rooms' numbers busy. No rescue team reached yet. No contact with family since last evening," she said. North and central Kerala has been worst hit by the floods but all 14 of the state's districts have been put on "red alert" as heavy rain is predicted for several days. In the main city of Kochi, the international airport will remain closed until at least August 26, authorities said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday on Twitter that he has ordered the defence ministry "to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala". Floods have killed 77 and destroyed thousands of homes in India's Kerala state North and central Kerala has been worst hit by the floods but all 14 of the state's districts have been put on alert as heavy rain is predicted for several days People could be seen paddling lifeboats provided by the armed forces North and central Kerala has been worst hit by the floods but all 14 of the state's districts have been put on alert as heavy rain is predicted for several days A Ugandan pop star turned opposition MP was charged in a military court Thursday with illegal possession of weapons, following his arrest after the presidential convoy was pelted with stones. Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, was arrested on Tuesday in the northwestern town of Arua, and charged before a court martial in Gulu. "Hon. Kyagulanyi has today been arraigned before the General Court Martial in Gulu and charged... on accounts of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition," said a statement signed by army spokesman Brigadier Richard Karemire. Kyagulanyi has been held in custody with his next court appearance due on August 23. Kyagulanyi's lawyer, Asuman Basalirwa, complained that he had been unable to consult his client. "The army has refused us access to him. Even his family has been denied access," he said. Kyagulanyi was arrested campaigning for an opposition candidate in a hard-fought by-election that also drew President Yoweri Museveni in support of the ruling party candidate. A crowd that jeered Museveni's convoy and broke his car window on Monday afternoon was dispersed by police who fired live rounds, killing Kyagulanyi's driver. Kyagulanyi was arrested the following morning. On Thursday, Kyagulanyi's supporters in the Kamwokya area of the capital, Kampala, where he is MP, burned tyres as they protested his detention. "He is innocent, he has to be released unconditionally," shouted Yusuf Muranga during a running battle with police. A group of four opposition MPs and 30 others who were arrested at the same time as Kyagulanyi appeared in a civilian court in Gulu to be charged with treason. "The state claims they wanted to harm the person of the president," said lawyer Medard Ssegoona, confirming the treason charge. Among his clients was Kassiano Wadri, Kyagulanyi's favoured candidate in the by-election who went on to win Wednesday's vote despite being in police custody. In a statement Thursday, Museveni said he supported the court action against the politicians. "The cases of terrorism, damaging property, manslaughter etc against the Hons: Wadri, Bobi Wine, etc will continue," he said. "Their actions led to the death of a Ugandan, injury of a number of others and damage to property, so the allegations go." Musician-turned-politician Robert Kyagulanyi, also called Bobi Wine, took part in demonstrations last month against a controversial tax on social media Ukraine's Prosecutor General's office on Thursday said had it demanded a 15-year prison sentence for ousted ex-president Viktor Yanukovych, accused by Kiev of "betraying his nation" to Russia. Pro-Moscow Yanukovych has lived in exile in Russia since he was ousted in a western-backed popular uprising in 2014 and it is highly unlikely he will ever face trial as the two countries remain locked in a bitter stand-off. "Viktor Yanukovych betrayed his nation. He betrayed his army. At the most difficult time for the country and the people," prosecutors said in court, according to a statement. "Like the last coward he left the country at the mercy of fate and fled into the arms of the aggressor," it said. "Without a drop of remorse, in order to please the enemy, he did everything in his power for Ukrainian territory to be seized by the aggressor." "I ask for Viktor Fedorovich Yanukovych to be punished with a 15-year sentence," the prosecutor said. Yanukovych sparked massive protests when he ditched an association accord with the EU, and then fled to Russia in early 2014 after a bloody crackdown in Kiev failed to quell the demonstrations. Russian President Vladimir Putin later revealed this was made possible by a special operation organised by Moscow to exfiltrate Yanukovych. After Yanukovych fled Ukraine, Moscow annexed the country's Crimea peninsula and war erupted between Kiev and Russian-backed rebels in the east of the country. Since then, the fighting has cost some 10,000 lives despite repeated international efforts to forge a lasting ceasefire. Ukraine prosecutors say former Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia after being ousted by pro-western demonstrations in 2014, should be jailed for 15 years A Ukrainian human rights activist on Thursday claimed that Warsaw had banned her from Poland and the rest of the Schengen zone in what she called "a political affair". Lyudmyla Kozlovska, the president of the Warsaw-based human rights organisation Open Dialog, said she was stopped by Belgian border guards when she arrived in Brussels late Monday. She said the guards told her she had been put on a list of people to be deported from the Schengen zone -- 26 countries which are part of the European free movement area -- at the request of Polish officials. The guards informed that her name was on the highest alert level in the Schengen Information System (SIS), she said. She was then put on a flight to Ukraine's capital Kiev, where she remains. Polish officials, including the government's Office for Foreigners, refused to confirm or deny the allegation to AFP. "I don't know what I did wrong... We thought Poland wouldn't do this... but we expected it," Kozlovska told AFP in Kiev. She is married to Bartosz Kramek, a Polish opposition activist who has repeatedly spoken out against the country's conservative Law and Justice (PiS) government. "We were under intense pressure. The foreign ministry wanted to change the management of our organisation and to exclude me. They didn't succeed and so they decided to physically remove me from EU territory," she added. She had been travelling to Brussels to visit an office of Open Dialog, which works with political prisoners most notably in Kazakhstan, Moldova and Russia. The Schengen Information System was set up to allow police forces in European Union member states to share data and preserve internal security. "It's completely impossible for me to go to SIS countries," Kozlovska said. "And even my US and British visas risk being revoked or have already been cancelled because Poland marked me as... someone particularly dangerous. Without explanation." Lyudmyla Kozlovska says she was stopped by Belgian border guards, like the one pictured in March 2016, when she arrived in Brussels US newspapers big and small hit back Thursday at President Donald Trump's relentless attacks on the news media, with a coordinated campaign of editorials highlighting the importance of a free press. Leading the charge was The Boston Globe, which had issued an appeal for the drive accompanied by the hashtag #EnemyofNone that has been joined by more than 300 newspapers around the country. "Today in the United States we have a president who has created a mantra that members of the media who do not blatantly support the policies of the current US administration are the 'enemy of the people,'" the Globe editorial said. "This is one of the many lies that have been thrown out by this president, much like an old-time charlatan threw out 'magic' dust or water on a hopeful crowd," it added in a piece entitled "Journalists are not the Enemy." The effort comes amid Trump's persistent claims that mainstream media outlets that publish articles critical of him are churning out "fake news." The New York Times, a frequent target of Trump's criticism, ran a seven-paragraph editorial under a giant headline with all capital letters that read "A FREE PRESS NEEDS YOU." "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," the Times wrote. Other newspapers said Trump's attacks diminish the importance of journalists in their communities. "For more than two centuries -- since the birth of our nation -- the press has served as a check on power, informing the American people about corruption and greed, triumphs and tragedies, grave mistakes and misdeeds and even ineptitude and dysfunction," wrote the Albuquerque Journal in New Mexico. Iowa's Des Moines Register said, "The true enemies of the people -- and democracy -- are those who try to suffocate truth by vilifying and demonizing the messenger." Trump doubled down on his criticism on Thursday in a fresh attack on the media. "THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country....BUT WE ARE WINNING!" the president wrote on Twitter. - Cannot sit back - Free press advocates argue that Trump's attacks threaten the role of the news media as a check against abuse of power in government and imperil the constitutional First Amendment guarantee of freedom of the press. "I don't think the press can just sit back and take it, they need to make their case when the most powerful man in the world tries to undercut the First Amendment," said Ken Paulson, a former editor-in-chief of USA Today who heads the Newseum's First Amendment Center and is dean of communications at Middle Tennessee State University. But Paulson questioned whether editorials would be effective. "The people who read editorials don?t need to be convinced," he said. "They are not the ones trying to shout you down at presidential rallies." The campaign also faces the potential for galvanizing supporters of the president around the notion that the media is out to get him. Politico media writer Jack Shafer said the coordinated effort "is sure to backfire." "It will provide Trump with the circumstantial evidence of the existence of a national press cabal that has been convened solely to opposes him," he said. The San Francisco Chronicle said it would not join the effort because "it plays into Trump?s narrative that the media are aligned against him." But the newspaper said it would "continue to speak out against this president?s war on the free press," doing it "in our own way, on our own timetable." - Stakes too high - But media rights advocates say the stakes are too high to allow the president's claims to go unchecked. Some say Trump's comments have incited threats against journalists covering his events, and may have created a climate of hostility that opened the door to violent attacks like a deadly one in June against the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland. Trump's actions are also encouraging strongmen such as Vladimir Putin of Russia and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey to treat journalists like enemies, some newspapers said. "The messages in today's newspapers are best read not as a drift toward war footing, but rather as a reminder that journalism is important work," wrote Pete Vernon in the Columbia Journalism Review. More than 200 US news organizations have joined a campiagn led by the Boston Globe to counter President Donald Trump's contention that the media is the "enemy of the people" A man walks past an advertising board reading "Trump calls media enemy of the people" on the sidelines of a meeting between US President and his Russian counterpart on July 16, 2018 in Helsinki, Finland Some critics of Donald Trump say his demonizing of the media may have created a climate of hostility that led to violence, such as shootings in Annapolis, Maryland A state park in Seneca County is closed until further notice due to flooding, the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation said Thursday. Lodi Point State Park will be closed due to flood damage and ongoing emergency response operations. Crews are assessing the damage at the park and the clean-up effort is underway, according to a news release. Dan Keefe, a state parks spokesman, said employees at the park are assisting with the cleanup. The 12-acre park in the town of Lodi is primarily used for launching boats and picnics. The park has boat launches, a marina, pavilions and picnic tables on site. The park had about 38,000 visitors last year, Keefe said. With the ongoing emergency response to the flash floods in Seneca County, Lodi Point State Park is serving as a staging area. Visitors should check parks.ny.gov for more information about Lodi Point's status. It's unknown when the park will reopen. The damage assessment and clean-up effort could take weeks. State agencies also advised boaters to maintain safe speeds and be vigilant while traveling in flood-impacted areas. Trees and other debris could be hidden below the surface and cause damage to vessels and injuries to passengers. The state parks department and Park Police have contacted local marinas in areas affected by flooding, according to a news release. Message boards will be posted to warn boaters about debris and other "hidden dangers." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 SKANEATELES With harmful algal blooms present in two nearby lakes, John Mannion believes the state should take emergency action to address water quality concerns and provide more funding to prevent algae from developing in the future. Mannion, the Democratic candidate for the 50th Senate District seat, held a press conference Wednesday to announce he's been endorsed by the New York League of Conservation Voters. At Clift Park in Skaneateles, he also addressed concerns about harmful algal blooms. Blooms have been found in Owasco and Skaneateles lakes. The Cayuga County Health Department commenced weekly testing to ensure water from Owasco Lake, which provides drinking water to residents in Auburn and neighboring towns, is safe to consume. Algal blooms on Skaneateles Lake led to the closure of Lourdes Camp not long after children arrived at the lakefront property. Mannion, D-Westvale, said his son works at the camp and was sent home this week. "That was a surprising and shocking and impactful closing that had occurred in the best interest of children," said Mannion, an Advanced Placement biology teacher at West Genesee High School in Camillus. With concerns about the blooms and toxins produced by the algae, officials are discussing how to respond to what Mannion described as a "crisis situation." The state has already committed $65 million to execute plans for combating harmful algal blooms. Regional summits, including one in Syracuse, were held earlier this year. But Mannion believes more needs to be done. He said there should be a comprehensive approach that addresses land use issues, agriculture's role in the flow of nutrients into the lake and assistance for municipalities and volunteer groups to protect the lakes. He also highlighted the economic impact of the harmful algal blooms. The lakes' impact on the local economy is "massive," he explained. But that growth won't continue, he warned, if water quality isn't preserved. "Businesses will come back to central New York knowing that one of our greatest resources is this fresh, clean accessible water," he said. Mannion received support from Skaneateles residents. Sherill Ketchum, who lives on the east side of the lake, lauded the state Senate candidate for his advocacy. "It is the jewel of this community," Ketchum said of the lake. "It is the lifeblood of the residents who live on the lake and certainly our village will suffer greatly if anything bad happens." Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 U.S. Rep. John Katko will hold a public forum next week examining the issues affecting veterans in Wayne County. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22 at the Wayne County Public Safety Building, 7376 Route 31, Lyons. The forum will be held inside the community room. The event is free and open to the public. There will be time for questions, according to Katko's office. Wayne County Clerk Mike Jankowski will moderate the listening session, according to Katko's office. Representatives from the Veterans Administration, Wayne County Veterans Services, Clear Path for Veterans and Soldier On will serve on the panel. "Wayne County is home to thousands of men and women who have served our great nation, and I'm committed to ensuring these individuals and their families have access to the highest quality of care and services," Katko, R-Camillus, said in a statement. "This forum will connect our local veterans and their families with the V.A. and other local groups that support veterans." The listening session will be Katko's 10th public forum since 2015, his first year in Congress. Most of the forums have focused on issues, such as agriculture, the drug crisis and small businesses. His last forum was in August 2017, when he led a panel discussion on agriculture in Wayne County. During a telephone town hall meeting in July, Katko said he would hold public forums while in the district for the August recess. The House of Representatives isn't in session this month. Session resumes after Labor Day. "Throughout my time serving central New York in Congress, I've found these listening sessions extremely helpful in working to address issues facing our community," Katko said. Katko has faced criticism from Democrats and progressive groups for not holding general forums that allow for questions on many topics. He participated in a televised town hall meeting last year, but most of his forums have focused on one subject. Next week, Katko will answer questions during a Facebook Live interview with The Citizen. The interview is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday. It will be streamed live on The Citizen's Facebook page, facebook.com/auburncitizen. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 It took Jukin' Bone almost 50 years to make the album the band always wanted to make. Released in March, "Unfinished Business" is the first release in 44 years from the central New York band, which features vocalist Joe Whiting, of Skaneateles, lead guitarist Mark Doyle, of Auburn, guitarist George Egosarian, bassist John DeMaso and new drummer Josh Dekaney. The band formed as Free Will in 1968 with drummer Tom Glaister. Though it signed with RCA Records in 1971 and toured with The Allman Brothers, The Kinks and more of rock 'n' roll's finest, the band never reached its potential on wax, Doyle said Wednesday. Its two LPs as Jukin' Bone, 1972's "Whiskey Woman" and "Way Down East," were the sound of a young band on a big label, he said. If you go WHAT: Jukin' Bone WHEN: 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 30 WHERE: Chevy Court, New York State Fairgrounds, 581 State Fair Blvd., Geddes COST: Free with fair admission, which is $3 that day INFO: Visit facebook.com/jukinboneband "We were really young and green when we signed with RCA," he said. "We had no say-so and no power." Jukin' Bone broke up in 1973, with Doyle and Whiting going on to record and perform together as The Doyle Whiting Band and as solo artists. It wasn't until 1993 that the band resolved its differences and reunited for a performance at the Syracuse Area Music Awards. The reunions continued every few years until 2005. Then, last March, the band was inducted into the Syracuse Area Music Awards Hall of Fame. Afterward, Whiting called Doyle, DeMaso and Egosarian to ask them: "What if we could make the album we always wanted to make?" Doyle's first question was how they would finance it. He got his answer "literally the next day," he said, when Italian label Akarma Records offered him a deal to release Free Will's 1969 album "Cold Cold Morning" on vinyl. The first pressing would sell out, and the deal would pay for the recording of "Unfinished Business." "That was beautiful," Doyle said. "It was like our past paying for our future." Nine of the album's 10 songs were written in secret and recorded at More Sound and Near Miss studios in Syracuse; the 10th song is Jukin' Bone's interpretation of the classic "Today I Sing the Blues." For Whiting and Doyle, the latter said, knowing that they would present their material to Egosarian changed the dynamic of their creative process. It was the guitarist who encouraged the rest of Jukin' Bone to write its own songs in its formative days, Doyle said, and his writing "has a really unique slant on things." "He's the master of the unobvious phrase," Doyle said. The band worked out its first songs in 44 years over the internet, Doyle said, and in harmonious fashion. But what made "Unfinished Business" the definitive Jukin' Bone album is everything the members did in those intervening years, he continued. All their musical and life experience has led them to play more skillfully and soulfully, Doyle said. The band will perform two sold-out shows at Auburn Public Theater this weekend, and another at the Great New York State Fair Aug. 30. As of Wednesday the band had rehearsed twice, Doyle said, and was sounding "great." But he can't say for sure whether it'll perform again after the fair. Though promoters have made offers, DeMaso living in Florida and Egosarian in Cape Cod makes the logistics difficult. And Doyle added that Jukin' Bone was content to release its new album and call it a day. After all, the band no longer has "Unfinished Business." "We knew this was our chance to make a stand and make good on the lost opportunity we always viewed those first two albums as," he said. "We were on our game for the whole thing." Lake Life Editor David Wilcox can be reached at (315) 282-2245 or david.wilcox@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @drwilcox. Love 11 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. I recently talked to a very nice local lady who said that she had not only rooted a pineapple, but that it was bearing fruit. Wow! This I had to see. So I chatted with her and she had her niece send me a picture of the pineapple. Looks like it is really coming along. This is no easy feat. Some two years ago, Georgene cut the top from a ripe pineapple, took the skin off and enjoyed the fruit. Then she filled a pot with potting soil and affixed the top and kept it damp. Within a few months, she noticed roots forming. She didnt tell me this, but I assume that the old leaves began to yellow and fade away as new ones formed. Then, just several months ago, she saw the formation of a fruit. Now this has grown into the size of a very large egg, and is still growing. Georgene, I hope that the new one tastes as good as the original. The story is important because it tells us that it often takes a lot of patience when working with living plants. Actually, her success is interesting because in the worst of conditions poor sunlight, humidity and all the other things that Hawaii has that we do not have here in Auburn Georgene did it in two years. In the Aloha State, where the conditions for pineapple are fantastic, it takes 18 months to mature a fruit. I went online with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and they suggested the following, if you want to give it a try. Start with a very ripe pineapple and, rather than cutting the top off (it is called the crown), grasp it firmly and, while holding the bottom of the fruit, twist it off. Now, invert it and peel away, by pulling up six or eight of the bottom leaves. You will see several brown bumps; this is from where the roots will sprout. Next, you will need it to dry a bit. Just lay it on a table, out of the bright sunlight, for five or six days. This helps the crown to heal itself, and will help prevent rotting. From this point, there are two ways to proceed. You can set it in a pot of soil and keep it moist. Personally, I like this method. While most people would use potting soil, I like to mix my soil with half sand and half potting soil. It provides good drainage and lightens the mix and makes certain that your plants are not over-watered. Place the crown on the soil to the depth of the low leaves. You may have to prop it up if it keeps falling over. You will have a good root system developed in six to nine weeks. At that point, you can gently tug at the plant to see how the roots have developed. Now it is OK to start giving it six to eight hours of brighter light, and you can begin fertilizing it a bit, lightly at first. And, yes, you can move it out of doors during the summer. The plant will thank you for that. Be sure to move it back indoors before the first frost. You can also suspend the crown atop a Mason jar full of fresh water. I do not want foliage in the water. Now the tedious part. Change the water every two or three days. Chances are that the original leaves will wither and die. After week or two, you will see that the roots are beginning to emerge. When you have a good, strong root system, it is time to go back to the paragraph, From this point, to get it growing. If you like pineapples and have them often, experiment! Try both methods to see which works best for you. I spent this past weekend in Niagara on the Lake and next week, I will describe one of the very best downtown plantings I have ever seen. Carmen Cosentino operates Cosentino's Florist with his daughter, Jessica. He was elected to the National Floriculture Hall of Fame in 1998, and in 2008, received the Tommy Bright award for lifetime achievements in floral education. He can be reached at cosenti@aol.com or (315) 253-5316. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 AUBURN After years of not getting desired state aid, an Auburn Enlarged City School District committee that will try to get lawmakers' attention, met for the first time. A group of 15 people including district Superintendent Jeff Pirozzolo, school board members, district employees and parents came together for the first meeting of the district's new advocacy committee. The committee is meant to help the district lobby to receive more state foundation aid. Foundation aid is the base aid districts can receive. The Auburn district has argued for years that it has not received the amount it should get while wealthier districts get more. The committee was created at an Auburn school board meeting in July. Board member Ian Phillips, who originally suggested the committee's creation, led the discussion Wednesday. He said he wanted to talk about factors such as what specific problems the committee wanted to tackle, identify the "decision makers" who could make sizable change and how they could move them to action, and how they could take action. Phillips, who works for the New York State United Teachers union, said he has insight on how "how to get things done from politicians who don't listen when asked nicely." Pirozzolo talked about the district's past advocacy efforts, such as a specific hashtag, #FixAndFundIt, postcards to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office, reaching out to around 150 other school districts and targeting specific elements of the state's system in determining how much aid goes to particular districts, all with little results. The board also talked about financial issues involving Cayuga Centers, as the district said it took a financial hit after the organization closed its residential treatment program earlier this year. The board recently sent a letter to Cayuga Centers requesting $210,000. The committee suggested reaching out to Cayuga Centers. Phillips said the three people with the biggest sway over the state budget are Cuomo, state Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan and Assembly Majority Leader Carl Heastie; so it could benefit the committee to contact officials such as the district's three state senators, Jim Seward, Pam Helming and John DeFrancisco and Assemblyman Gary Finch, who can hold influence in the political process. Pirozzolo noted officials such as DeFrancisco have been supportive in the past. Phillips said Flanagan could be affected if Seward and Helming are unwilling to go along with his negotiations, for example. Parent Shawn Durant, who has four children in the district, talked about the idea of reaching out using quick testimonials from Auburn students where they would discuss specific consequences of past budget woes, such as increased class sizes or reduced elementary music programs. It was also suggested that students could have an added layer of involvement by making the videos themselves, and that they could be specifically addressed to officials such as Seward. "I think the students' voices are paramount. Yes, we can go in and the moms and the teachers are the ones fighting, but at the end of the day, we had our time in education," Durant said. "What we want to do is empower and embolden our children to say 'This is what we deserve, this is our fundamental educational right.'" Attendees also discussed reaching out to local business leaders and elected officials, plus getting students to attend meetings. After the meeting, Durant explained why she wanted to get involved. "We're talking about the future of young people who through no fault of their own are suffering the ramification of decisions they have no control over," Durant said. Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 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. Representatives from all of Cayuga County's municipalities are scheduled to vote Friday on the Countywide Shared Services plan developed over the summer to find tax savings through inter-governmental cooperation. The Shared Services Panel, consisting of the mayors of every city and village, the supervisor of every town and the chair of the Cayuga County Legislature, is set to vote on the plan at 3:30 p.m. Friday at the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES campus at 1879 West Genesee St. Road in Aurelius. Developed during five panel meetings, the plan identified several major opportunities for tax savings such as the joint purchasing of materials, parts and services, participating in an aggregated electricity and gas purchasing group, expanding the Cayuga County Health Care Consortium and several other projects. We are in the final stretch of what has been a collaborative and constructive process thanks to the participation and expertise of many elected officials and local and county staff, Legislature Chair Patrick Mahunik, D-Auburn, said in a release. We are hopeful that building on the already existing cooperation agreements between municipalities the proposed initiatives will further enhance the county's shared service delivery. Any savings generated by the projects, if the final version of the plan is approved by the state, will be eligible for reimbursements equivalent to the amount of demonstrated savings created. With a draft of the plan complete, a majority of the panel must vote in its favor for it to be submitted to the state for review. Panel members are required to submit a written reason with their vote, and are also allowed to remove any proposal from the plan if they think it would negatively affect their municipality. If a panel member opts to remove any proposal, a written notice must be submitted to the Legislature Chair before the vote. While some projects may ultimately be ineligible, like the plan to renovate Auburn's Falcon Park for year-round use by Cayuga Community College, County Administrator J. Justin Woods, who led the project management team that drafted the plan, said he was optimistic about their approval, based on guidance from the state. Even if those projects end up as ineligible, Woods said, including them in the plan would still help bolster the case in any grant applications or similar funding requests for the project in the future. As required by the state, the panel was also presented at multiple public meetings throughout the county, including one Wednesday night at the County Legislative Chambers. Staff writer Ryan Franklin can be reached at (315) 282-2252 or ryan.franklin@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @RyanNYFranklin Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 AUBURN In June 2015, Raymond Tortorello Jr. went to the bank to obtain a loan, but he took someone else's ID. Late last year, Tortorello, 30, of 312 Gravel Road, Seneca Falls, was arrested and charged with seven counts of first-degree identity theft and one count of third-degree grand larceny, all class D felonies. At the time, the Auburn Police Department said Tortorello had used his Auburn relatives' identities to withdraw nearly $20,000 in cash and secure roughly $160,000 in personal loans. Police: Man used Auburn relatives' identities to steal over $175K A Seneca County man has been charged with eight felonies for using false identities to withd In Cayuga County Court Thursday, Tortorello pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree identity theft and admitted to using his grandfather's identity to take out more than $130,000 worth of cash and loans. He also said he used his grandmother's identity to get a $30,000 loan for a vehicle. But Tortorello's defense attorney, David Elkovitch, said that wasn't everything, as Tortorello had faced similar charges in Ohio and Pennsylvania. He has since pleaded guilty to identity theft in both states and owes additional restitution there. In Cayuga County, Tortorello could face up to seven years in prison on each count; however, he will likely be sentenced to five years probation. As a condition of his probation, Elkovitch said, Tortorello will also have to pay restitution, which will be capped at $173,000. Following his plea, Judge Thomas Leone maintained Tortorello's bail at $250 cash, which he had posted previously. His sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 15. Staff writer Megan Blarr can be reached at (315) 282-2282 or megan.blarr@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter @CitizenBlarr. Love 1 Funny 5 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 19 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. Across the country today, an estimated 200-plus newspaper editorial boards are publishing opinion page editorials that condemn President Donald Trump's frequent attacks on the American news media. Most troubling has been the president's use of the phrase "enemy of the people" to label journalists whose job is to report on what the government is doing. We suspect many of the editorials being published today will take on Trump directly, and call upon him personally to cease with the reckless use of language against the press. It's language that has never been used by an American president, but has been employed by some of the most notorious despotic leaders in world history. But our editorial today isn't directed at Trump or Trump's most ardent supporters, who will likely dismiss this entire effort as the latest example of "fake news." The people we hope this message reaches are those with the understanding of why a free press, with all of its real and perceived flaws, remains a bedrock of our society that must be vehemently defended. We believe there's a large portion of the public, spanning a wide range of political ideology, that also wants this rhetoric to stop and is deeply worried about the consequences of letting it go unchecked. And we believe that same desire for an end to this assault on the First Amendment exists within the group of men and women who represent American citizens in Washington the U.S. Congress. What this free and open society demands now is that all people who share this understanding do a much better job at speaking out against the "enemy of the people" talk. For members of Congress, that means being proactive in condemning such language when it's used by the president. We've seen plenty of senators and representatives over the past 18 months speak about the importance of an independent news media only when they are asked directly about it, but we've seen far too few of them take the initiative to stand up for these principles in any meaningful way. Many of these representatives, including our own U.S. Rep. John Katko and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, are up for re-election this fall. We expect the overwhelming majority of them to say they support the free press when asked on the campaign trail, but that's not good enough. We need them to take concrete action that sends a clear message. They should work with each other to draft and vote in support of a bipartisan resolution defending the news media and calling on the president to stop this dangerous public relations tactic. For Congress to do this, though, we suspect that more than a day filled with newspaper editorials is needed. That's where the public comes in. If you share the view that while a free press can and should be criticized and challenged, it should never be labeled by its own government as an enemy of this nation, then please reach out to your representatives and demand some action. The Citizen Editorial Board includes publisher Rob Forcey, managing editor Mike Dowd and executive editor Jeremy Boyer. Love 7 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 6 LOS ANGELESStr8UpGayPorn announced Bianca Del Rio will serve as host of the second annual Str8UpGayPorn Awards. We couldnt be more thrilled to have Bianca Del Rio hosting the second annual Str8UpGayPorn Awards, said Str8UpGayPorn editor Zachary Sire. Shes in a league of her own, and I know shes going to bring the house down! Bianca Del Rio is a multi-talented comedian, actor, and drag superstar. Since winning Season 6 of the popular VH1 series RuPauls Drag Race in 2014, Bianca has gone on to become a true global comedic superstar. With several worldwide comedy tours, two films, and a best-selling book under her belt, Bianca has created a brand all her own. This fall, after wrapping up her latest sold-out comedy tour, she will take the stage on Oct. 21 at the historic Avalon in Hollywood to host the second annual Str8UpGayPorn Awards like only she can. Due to my extensive, critically acclaimed, award winning work in the porn industry (in the pivotal plot scenes before any sex happens), I have been chosen to host this year's Str8UpGayPorn Awards! Del Rio said. I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to give my insightful, uplifting, genteel commentary at this prestigious event. She goes on to say, Its sure to be an enchanting evening. Hopefully I don't offend anyone and get thrown out like I did at that awful Make-A-Wish Foundation event. Children are assholes. This one-night only, star-studded event will be attended by fans, the biggest stars of gay adult film, and surprise celebrity guests. After last years sold out show in New York City, hosted by Sandra Bernhard, the Str8UpGayPorn Awards are back and bigger than ever. In addition to returning traditional categories like Best Picture and Best Actor, there are 11 new categories to honor even more deserving adult stars and scenes. Tickets are now on sale at Str8UpGayPornAwards.com and nominations will be released next Tuesday, Aug. 21. Dennis Hof, the flamboyant brothel owner from Pahrump, Nevadawho declared himself the Trump of Pahrump as he won a surprise victory in the Republican primary for a State Assembly seat in Junewill be unexpectedly facing a Democratic opponent in the November election, even as he battles Nye County in a lawsuit over his now-shuttered brothels. According to The Parhump Valley Times, after the Nye County Liquor and Licensing Board on August 7 refused to renew Hofs brothel licenses, the 71-year-old self-described pimp filed a lawsuit against the countyhis fourthseeking monetary damages as well as an injunction against closing his businesses. Whether the lawsuit will distract Hof from his campaign to win the 36th District Nevada Assembly seat is uncertain, and may not matter in the overwhelmingly Republican district. But 51-year-old elementary school teacher and assistant principal Leisa Romanov believes that she may have a better chance than previous Democrats running for the seata seat that Democrats have not even bothered to contest in the last two elections after losing in 2012 by 30 points. Right now, so many women are running and Im running against a man who is very much like (Donald) Trump in the way he views women and treats them, Romanov, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, told the Los Angeles Times. I think thats a huge part of this election, and I think it will work in our favor. In Nye Country, which comprises most of the 36th Nevada Assembly District, Trump in 2016 defeated Hillary Clinton with 68 percent of the vote, to juts 26 percent for Clinton. But in Clark County where Romanov residesbut only a sliver of which is part of the 36th DistrictClinton beat Trump handily, 52-42. Overall, in 2016, Clinton won the state of Nevada by about 27,000 votes, or roughly two percentage points. Even Romanov herself is a former Republican, she told the Times, but she switched parties after a painful divorce which raised my level of empathy. I was more aware of the struggles of a single mom and trying to make ends meet, trying to take care of a family and household. University of Nevada at Reno political scientist Erik Herzik told the Times that Romanovs bid is a highly improbable one. The demographics are overwhelmingly against her, Herzik told the paper. I think Democrats know this is a long shot, but it's a better shot than theyve had in the past when theyve had no candidate. Hof, however, could find that his current legal dispute with the county becomes political baggage. In addition to alleged code violations, the county licensing commissioners accuse Hof of making false statements in testimony before the board earlier this year. Photo by Daniel Dacumos / Wikimedia Commons In May of 2017, after FCC Chair Ajit Pai had announced plans to roll back rules guaranteeing net neutralitythe requirement that internet service providers treat all online traffic equally, a requirement that Pai succeeded in abolishing last Decemberthe FCCs web servers were flooded with traffic and briefly crashed. What happened? According to Pai, the FCC was the target of a massive, malicious hack, a type of cyber attack known as a Distributed Denial of Service, or DDoS, attack that overwhelmed the FCC site and shut down the commissions servers. There was only one problem with that story. Pai made the whole thing up. As the tech site Ars Technica reported, Pai admitted last week that no such hacking attack occurredbut he blamed the falsehood on the Obama administration, which Pai claimed had created a culture of lying. I am deeply disappointed that the FCC's former Chief Information Officer [David Bray], who was hired by the prior Administration and is no longer with the Commission, provided inaccurate information about this incident to me, my office, Congress, and the American people. This is completely unacceptable, Pai wrote in a prepared statement. But a group of congressional Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee did not find Pais excuse very persuasive, sending a sharply worded letter to the Donald Trump appointee on Tuesday, demanding to know why Pai lied about the phony cyber attack. It is troubling that you allowed the public myth created by the FCC to persist and your misrepresentation to remain uncorrected for over a year, the four Democratic House members wrote. "This is despite repeated request by members of this Committeeas recently as July 25, 2018, in our oversight hearingto provide additional information documenting the purported cyberattack. While Pais lie may have been bizarre, it could at least in theory have an influence on whether or not the net neutrality rules are restored. In May, the Senate passed a resolution to restore the Obama-era regulations, but House speaker Paul Ryan has refused to bring the net neutrality issue to a vote. Under congressional rules, however, if Democrats can get 218 House members to sign a petition calling for a vote, Ryan would be required to bring the matter to the floor. So far, however, only one RepublicanMike Coffman of Coloradohas signed on. So if it wasnt a hacking attack, what did cause the FCC servers to crash on May 7, 2017. In fact, the culprit was comedian John Oliver, who on his HBO program Last Week Tonight called on his fans to bombard the FCC with comments opposing repeal of net neutrality. The former Daily Show correspondent apparently has so many fans that the FCCs servers could not handle the volume of traffic. Photo by Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons LOS ANGELESIngenue Vienna Rose gives up her anal virginity for director Maestro Claudio in a new scene available now at PervCity.com. My first time at PervCity was amazing, Rose said. I was so nervous because I was about to shoot my first anal ever, but after the camera started rolling, I was able to relax. My co-star [Bill Bailey] was so patient. He helped me feel comfortable and then he fucked my ass and made me gape and cum like a good girl, so thank you to everyone at PervCity for this opportunity. Describing how the scene with Rose came together, Maestro Claudio said, I met her at a party, and the moment I saw her, I knew that she had to be on PervCity. I believe that seeing such an innocent beauty doing such a taboo thing, like anal, is what our fans crave. The scene, titled Teen Vienna Rose Loses Her Anal Virginity, can be found here. Also recently added to the site are anal scenes featuring Luna Rival, Lilly Hall and Kyra Rose. Follow PervCity on Twitter @ThePervCity. For interviews and media inquiries, contact [email protected]. Vienna Rose ### Groups say amendments are vague and General Assembly got its supermajority through illegal gerrymandering An amendment dealing with judicial appointments would allow the legislature to pass bills "free from the check and balance of the gubernatorial veto." An amendment creating a Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Elections Enforcement "would, in fact, constitute an unprecedented power shift to the legislative branch across 350 different boards and commissions in the state." A voter photo ID amendment "could quickly create significant confusion in our system of voting, and a new host of equal protection issues for voters" if every county interprets it differently. if every county interprets it differently. An income tax amendment suggests rates will be immediately reduced "when in fact the change is related to the maximum allowable tax cap" being set at 7 percent. The N.C. Conference of the NAACP and Clean Air Carolina are asking Wake County Superior Court to strip four proposed constitutional amendments from the Nov. 6 general election ballot. The lawsuit argues the amendments are vague, incomplete, and misleading - and that the General Assembly itself is an unconstitutionally constituted usurper body that can't propose constitutional amendments.The groups filed the lawsuit Monday, Aug. 6.Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, and House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, are among the defendants. Each responded to the lawsuit with a written statement.Berger spokesman Bill D'Elia said.said Moore spokesman Joseph Kyser.The lawsuit contends "North Carolina's democracy is under siege." It cites the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in the Covington v. North Carolina racial gerrymandering case, resulting in 28 legislative districts being struck down and redrawn.The lawsuit says the unlawful gerrymandering led to veto-proof Republican majorities in both legislative chambers, allowing Republicans to place six vaguely worded and incomplete constitutional amendments before voters in the fall election.the suit states.The General Assembly barely met the three-fifths supermajority threshold for four of the six constitutional amendments. Republicans built a supermajority by illegally drawing legislative maps that targeted black voters and packed them into racially segregated districts, the suit contends.the suit states.The lawsuit alleges Republicans violated the state Constitution by failing to put descriptions on the amendments that clearly and accurately communicate their effects:State Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett, addressed the appointment issue of state boards and commissions during floor debate Saturday.All policymaking authority in North Carolina is constitutionally vested in the General Assembly, Lewis said, even though the legislature has delegated some of that responsibility to boards and commissions.Lewis said, but there isThe NAACP and Clean Air Carolina disagree.the suit states.The plaintiffs say if the amendments are on the ballot, the groups would have to use their limited and finite resources on educating voters about the constitutional amendments instead of allocating them to core mission activities.Clean Air Carolina contends, for instance, its agenda would face hurdles because the judiciary and state boards and commissions would become less impartial and more political. The income tax cap would hinder its push for greater environmental protection and more bicycle, pedestrian, bus, and light rail transportation projects.The groups ask Wake County Superior Court to issue a preliminary injunction even if it decides the case belong in federal court.The usurper argument declaring the state legislature unconstitutionally constituted previously was raised in the Covington case at a July 2017 federal court hearing.plaintiffs attorney Anita Earls told the court. Earls is running as a Democrat for state Supreme Court. She figures in another lawsuit filed by Supreme Court candidate Chris Anglin. His Republican affiliation was stripped from the ballot because Republicans contended he was actually a Democrat who switched parties to dilute GOP votes for incumbent Justice Barbara Jackson.U.S. Appeals Court Judge James Wynn said in the July 2017 hearing the state Supreme Court, rather than the federal court, should deal with the legislative usurper claim.Also listed 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. 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". How Is Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' Law Unique? The controversial "stand your ground" law in Florida just entered perhaps its murkiest territory yet. Pinellas County State Attorney Bernie McCabe has charged Michael Drejka with manslaughter in the killing of the Markeis McGlockton. Last month, as McGlockton shopped in a convenience store with his five year old son, Markeis Jr., the boy's mom, and two younger siblings were waiting in the car in a handicapped parking spot. In surveillance video, Drejka is seen exiting the store and confronting the woman. McGlockton saw this and came out of the store. It appears McGlockton confronted Drejka and shoved him to the ground. While on the ground, Drejka paused, and then shot McGlockton in the chest, in front of his family in the car. McGlockton is seen reeling back, then enters the store, and collapses in front of Markeis Jr. In the context of this case, you may be wondering how Florida's stand your ground law is unique. Florida's Unique "Stand Your Ground" Defense Drejka plans to use the stand your ground defense, available in 25 States, which allows people to use deadly force if they believe they are in imminent danger or death without having to retreat, flee, or resort to other methods of non-deadly defense first. In 2017, Florida made this defense even easier to use, and it differs from the other 24 states in two regards. First, the stand your ground law provides immunity to not just a charge or conviction, but to an arrest, which, in essence, shifts the burden onto the arresting police, and away from the defendant. Second, the burden is on the prosecutor to convince the judge that the defense cannot be used, rather than on the defense to prove why the killing was justified. "Stand Your Ground" as an Immunity to Arrest Many people criticized the local sheriff (who is also a lawyer) for not immediately arresting Drejka, but there's actually a good reason for that. In Florida, "stand your ground" provides immunity from an arrest. If an officer makes an arrest, and the judge allows the stand tour ground immunity to apply, the officer can face legal fees and civil penalties. Keep in mind it took the State two months to file charges against George Zimmerman in the Trevon Martin case in 2012, since Zimmerman claimed he would use that defense. (Incidentally, Zimmerman ultimately waived his right to a stand your ground hearing, claiming self-defense instead, and was acquitted.) Burden of Proof on Prosecutor Florida strengthened its stand your ground law in another regard by shifting the burden of proof on to the prosecutor. In most states where this defense is used, the prosecutor proves the murder charge in a jury trial, and then it is the defendant's responsibility to prove it was ok because he was standing his ground. In Florida, however, the applicability of stand your ground is determined at the pre-trial hearing in front of a judge as an immunity, not really a defense, and it is the prosecutor's responsibility to prove stand your ground isn't applicable. And if the prosecutor fails, the defendant walks free with no trial by jury required. Drejka is being held on $100,000 bail. When given his rights, he claimed he could not afford an attorney, but he is not being represented by the Public Defender office. Instead, his defense team consists of John Trevena, Bryant Camareno and Lysa Clifton, all private criminal defense attorneys. Related Resources: Colorado Settles Strip Search Lawsuit for $1M In March 2015, a division director in the Colorado Department of Health and Human Services ordered 60 residents of the Pueblo Regional Center to be strip searched. The residents were developmentally disabled patients of the center, and DHA officials never sought consent from the patients, their families, or legal guardians. According to a lawsuit filed later, the aggressive strip searches included hands-on genital manipulation of the patients, many of whom had histories of physical and sexual abuse. The state settled those claims this week, agreeing to pay $1 million to the families of the victims, and institute other reforms. Nonconsensual Strip Searches DHS officials attempted to justify the searches by claiming there had been incidents of patient abuse, but later admitted to investigators they made no attempt to contact the families or legal guardians of the residents to get consent for the searches. (An investigation by the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office resulted in just one charge against a Pueblo Regional Center staff member.) Staff also protested the searches without guardian consent but were told the body inspections were mandatory and needed to be done immediately. According to the lawsuit filed on behalf of the patients: On or about March 25, 2015, Division Director for Regional Center Operations Defendant Tracy Myszak directed nearly a dozen of her subordinate Defendants at CDHS [Colorado Department of Human Services] to storm into the Pueblo Regional Center without notice and conduct warrantless, nonconsensual strip searches of most or all of the residents, including hands-on genital contact in many cases ... Even if the residents had been given the opportunity to refuse or consent to these illegal searches -- which they were not -- most of the residents were legally incompetent to consent, and Defendant CDHS and its Defendant agents never sought or received consent from their legal guardians. These compulsory, unlawful strip searches and the associated nonconsensual genital contact foreseeably caused profound distress to the victims who were strip searched, many of whom have histories of physical and sexual abuse, and all of whom are particularly vulnerable to suffering deleterious effects from such a brazen exploitation of power. Search Settlement Along with the monetary compensation to the patients, the settlement calls for the Colorado Department of Human Services to provide new training for staff incident reporting rules, facilitate regular meetings with patient families, and increase pay for staff at the center, among a list of other reforms. Related Resources: This week's tabloids offer a fascinating glimpse inside the mind of their greatest fan: Donald Trump. The president, who has gone on the record saying that the National Enquirer deserves a Pulitzer Prize, and who is bffs with tabloid publisher David Pecker, can politely be said to view events in a different way than the rest of the world perceives them. So it's instructive to see this week's tabloids offer a view of events that offer a unique perspective that some might say, in the manner of Donald Trump, bears little relation to reality as the rest of us understand it. "Tom Gets Suri!" screams the cover of the National Enquirer, suggesting that Tom Cruise has won a battle with ex-wife Katie Holmes for custody of their daughter. But nothing has changed in their custody agreement. Cruise was long ago awarded ten days a month with his daughter. He simply hasn't taken advantage of using all ten days monthly in the past. Now he's seeking to have his daughter for the agreed ten days monthly, it's no shock to anyone (except perhaps to Suri), and Cruise no more "Gets Suri" than before. Hollywood legend Robert Wagner "Loots Natalie's Grave!" claims another Enquirer cover headline about the actor's late wife Natalie Wood. "Wagner Vandalizes Natalie's Grave" yells the headline above the story. The story is true, if by "Vandalizes Natalie's Grave" you mean Wagner has asked the cemetery to remove decomposing flowers left by fans after a day on her grave. TV's former Friends star Matthew Perry has only "six months to live," claims the Enquirer, after his "intestines explode!" No, they didn't. He suffered a "gastrointestinal perforation." Painful, yes, and requiring surgery. But it's not as if his gall bladder detonated, sending intestinal shrapnel throughout his abdomen. Brad Pitt's divorce from Angelina Jolie has left the actress with a "$50 million legal bill" that "could leave Angie broke!" reads another imaginative Enquirer headline. Yes, Beverly Hills attorneys are expensive, but Jolie would need to employ a team of high-powered lawyers for a decade to run up that sort of a bill. To put it in perspective, the state of New Jersey amassed a $50 million legal bill in its 12-year lawsuit against ExxonMobil in an anti-pollution lawsuit that concluded in 2015. What's more, even a $50 million legal bill would not "leave Angie broke," as her net worth is estimated at more than three times that sum. It's just Trumpian thinking. It gets worse in this week's Globe, whose cover story about Royal newlyweds proclaims: "Meghan & Harry Adopt African Baby!" The "world exclusive" is capped by a photo of Prince Harry holding his new baby daughter, who the happy couple found in Botswana on their "secret honeymoon." Would it be churlish to point out that this photo was taken when Harry visited the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Bridgetown, Barbados, on January 30, 2010 six years before meeting Meghan? The hospital nurse who stood beside Harry has been replaced in the Globe by a smiling Photoshopped Meghan. Should I point out that their "baby girl from Africa" is actually a seven-week-old boy named Jordan in the photograph? Why let the facts ruin a good story? Us magazine, which likes to think of itself as in a class above the supermarket tabloids, devotes its cover to Brad Pitt's story: "Angie Is Putting Me Through HELL." But nowhere in the story is there a single quote from Pitt about going through hell, or saying anything about how he is suffering in the divorce. Us throws in two quotes lifted from GQ magazine in May 2017, in which Pitt said he could outdrink a Russian, and had been reflecting on his "weakness and failures." Not even an unnamed "friend" or "insider" or "source" says "Angie is putting Brad through hell." It's just more Trumpian thinking. "Jen & Ben Divorce Called Off" claims an Us headline about the Garner-Affleck marriage. Are they getting back together three years after filing for divorce? Of course not. It's just a judge reminding them that if they can't agree to terms in the split, the court can decide to chuck out the divorce and make them refile. Not quite the same thing. People magazine meanwhile devotes a mind-numbing 16 pages to its "Back to School" edition, featuring celebrity lunch box tips, the best backpack for your kids, advice from "mommy bloggers" on organizing your child's room, kid fashions and foods, and celebrities you've never heard of with their children you care about even less. Fortunately we have the crack investigative team at Us magazine to tell us that Gwyneth Paltrow wore it best, that actress Jana Kramer loves "chips and dip," that WWE wrestler Ronda Rousey carries Midol, Listerine, and Cortizone cream in her Henri Bendel leather backpack, and that the stars are just like us: they pick up dry cleaning, walk their dogs, feed parking meters, and eat food. Enlightening, as ever. The biggest mystery in this week's tabloids comes in the shape of an advertisement for a limited-edition figurine of Maya Angelou, which "stands an impressive 11-inches tall!" The ad appears in both the Globe and the National Examiner, hidden amid ads for a musical Elvis Presley Christmas Tree statuette, a Toy Story cuckoo clock, and ads for Botox substitutes, erectile dysfunction pills and powered wheelchairs. Do these magazines, which have previously offered life-like figurines of President Trump and Elvis, hope to reach an entirely new demographic with the sale of Maya Angelou statuettes for only three installments of $33.33 (plus shipping and handling)? Are today's tabloid readers secretly our unsung champions of freedom? Or perhaps Donald Trump might say there is poetry in every page of the tabloids? Onwards and downwards . . . 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 My grandmother used to make dandelion wine, which is probably why an 87-year-old woman named Martha Al-Bishara was in the lawn of a Boys and Girls Club in Georgia, cutting and collecting the dandelion plants. Police confronted Al-Bishara after an employee called police to complain that she was in the yard, "looking around for vegetation to cut down or something." Police arrived and told Al-Bishara to drop the knife, but she didn't speak English so she didn't drop the knife. One of the officers pulled out his own pocket knife and dropped it on the grass to show her what he wanted her to do. When she didn't comply to the pantomime, an officer shot her with a taser, even though she had remained calm the entire time and showed no signs of agitation. They charged her with criminal trespass and obstructing an officer. Watch video here. "An 87-year-old woman with a knife still has the ability to hurt an officer," Chatsworth Police Chief Josh Etheridge told reporters. The incident feels just like an episode of Mayberry RFD, except Sheriff Talyor would have not used a taser and would have helped Al-Bishar collect dandelions before driving her to his place for lunch with Opie and Aunt Bea. [via NBC News] Poor Sloppy Steve. After losing his Rasputian status with Trump and the Mercers, he tried to peddle his off-brand fascism with nationalist Europeans. But it turns out even these unsavory characters think the only thing Bannon is good at is making things worse. The London Free Press reports that Alexander Gauland, co-chairman of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party bluntly rejected Bannon's cock-eyed proposal to form a pan-European coalition of ultraconservative groups: "We're not in America," Gauland told Der Westen, a news website in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. "The interests of the anti-establishment parties in Europe are quite divergent." The German politician also reportedly declared that Bannon "will not succeed in forging an alliance of the like-minded for the European elections." The French nationalists don't want want anything to do with the Ugly American, either: "Bannon is American and has no place in a European political party," Jerome Riviere, the international spokesman for the French far-right party National Rally, told Politico. "We reject any supranational entity and are not participating in the creation of anything with Bannon." Cornell European government expert Christopher Way explains: "Part of why Bannon's project won't succeed is a failure to recognize the diversity of European right-wing populist parties. Getting them on the same page is like herding cats," he said. "I don't see any reason he should succeed when they haven't managed to coalesce themselves." What can he do now? With limited options, Bannon is trying to ingratiate himself with his former boss by making a pro-Trump documentary. Good luck with that. Image: Michael Vadon/Wikimedia. 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A mayor who knows that he is taking the seat that was once held by Ndabeni Ncube and Malinga among others."So we need someone who will be able to call other councillors to order when there is a need to. We need a mayor who will push for transparency in all council deals and above all a mayor who will constantly update the residents of Bulawayo on what is happening in their city."Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association executive director Michael Ndiweni said they need a leader who has the informal traders at heart."I think a mayor should be someone who understands daily struggles of informal traders and vendors."It is primarily about stewardship, ensuring good policy direction towards good service delivery, a person who has an understanding of the values and ethos of the city of Bulawayo," Ndiweni said.He said since mayoral position is a ceremonial position it means it also embodies the rich history of Bulawayo."It should be a person who undoubtedly connects with the historical symbolism of the position of mayor."Sadly though harmonised elections made people not to look at quality and calibre of the candidates but merely the party jacket they are putting on."I think we need to de-harmonise elections in order to give prominence to local government elections like South Africa," he said.Political analysts Dumisani Nkomo said there is need for a mayor who has vision and a track record of leadership to be elected."The city needs a man or woman who can provide proactive leadership and direction. A mayor who is able to link the city with other municipalities in the globe," Nkomo said.He said the incoming mayor should be a figure that unites the city across political, racial and ethnic divides."But above all he must have exposure to international development trends, good networking skills with various public, corporate sector, civil society, churches among others."Some of the best mayors Bulawayo has ever had in the past include, Abel Siwela, Nick Mabodoko, Enos Mdlongwa and Japhet Ndabeni Ncube. News / National by Staff reporter Former president Robert Mugabe's factor has destabilised Zanu-PF Mashonaland West province after MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa recorded a significant number of votes from the July 30 harmonised elections.Previously, Mashonaland West was a stronghold for the ruling party, however, the opposition managed to get 217 732 votes while president-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa garnered 312 958.In 2013 the late MDC founder Morgan Tsvangirai got 100 616 votes.Mashonaland Central, however, remains one of Zanu-PF's strongholds after it registered the highest number of people who voted for Mnangagwa.This is despite the fact that the ruling party expelled many senior members from the province.Zanu-PF parted ways with the likes of former vice president Joice Mujuru, former ruling party political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and his brother Dickson Mafios who was the provincial chairperson.More than 366 000 voted for Mnangagwa in Mashonaland Central followed by Mashonaland East which recorded 334 617 votes for the president-elect.Recently, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association secretary-general Victor Matemadanda hailed the province saying it worked hard to record such a victory."There are some provinces which did extremely well like Mashonaland Central; they are working as a united team. I want to thank (Mashonaland central war veterans leader Sam Parirenyatwa, he did a good job," Matemadanda said.Parirenyatwa said they are getting such numbers because they are united as a province. "This is because we work as a team."Political analysts canvassed by the Daily News said people of Mashonaland Central vote for Zanu-PF out of fear."You must be aware that Mashonaland Central was one of the hottest areas during the liberation war so people from that province vote for Zanu-PF because of fear. Zanu-PF has strong footprints in the province," political analyst Eldred Masunungure said.Another analyst Maxwell Saungweme said the numbers are high because Mujuru did not have strong campaign strategies."The outcomes are a result of the confluence of advantages of incumbency, rigging, vote buying, fear and effectiveness of Zanu-PF dandemutande strategy. Mujuru did not have a cogent and efficacious campaign strategy apart from rallies."Also in other provinces the former Zanu-PF faction the Genaration 40 (G40) failed to make an impact after people voted for Mnangagwa.Like in Masvingo, Mnangagwa polled 319 073 but the province also expelled a number of Zanu-PF members who include Jeppy Jaboon and Dzikamai Mavhaire. News / National by Staff reporter The legal team representing the MDC Alliance is accusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration of breaking into their attorney's offices and stealing large amounts of data from their computer, days before the opposition alliance filed a petition challenging the results of the presidential election.The allegation, based on documents prepared by Mnangagwa's lead advocate Lewis Uriri on August 8, two days before Chamisa asked the Constitutional Court (Con-Court) to invalidate the presidential election results, suggests a wide-ranging conspiracy involving sophisticated hacking and theft of documents.This has further raised the stakes in the Con-Court petition in which Nelson Chamisa of the MDC Alliance is challenging the results of the July 30 presidential election.Mnangagwa's legal team denies it stole any documents, and branded the accusation "nonsensical."In a legal opinion rendered to his client, advocate Uriri agrees with the MDC Alliance that the last day of filing of the presidential petition was midnight August 10.And after the court challenge has been filed, the inauguration cannot go ahead.Uriri then suggests he has discussed with Mnangagwa the prospects of success of the MDC Alliance's petition, and states he already had "draft responses to hand".This was two days before the opposition had filed its papers."I must mention in passing that I have previously advised on, and we have discussed, the prospects of success of any potential petition on every possible conceivableground and concluded that on the facts and the law any such petition suffers from imminent and predictable failure."Our draft responses are at) hand and will be finalised as soon as the petition is served and filed within the time lines provided for in the rules of court," Uriri said.Chamisa's chief election agent, Jameson Timba, told the Daily News yesterday that they were greatly disturbed as to how Zanu-PF lawyers "could have been ready with both factual and legal responses to our petition two days before it was filed as indicated in the opinion allegedly coming from Advocate Uriri.""If indeed this opinion is bona fide, two points are worth noting. Firstly, contrary to what has been peddled in the public media, our petition was filed on time that is before midnight on Friday 10th August 2018," Timba said.Timba alleged Zanu-PF broke into their lawyers' offices and illegally accessed the petition."Secondly, as stated in the opinion circulated on social media, Zanu-PF could have only accessed our draft petition by hacking the computers of our lawyers. You cannot rig an election and also try to rig a court process," Timba fumed to the Daily News. "We urge Zanu-PF and its lawyers to respect court processes and desist from shenanigans that continue to show the whole world that a leopard can never change its spots."Uriri told the Daily News yesterday that the MDC Alliance was making "nonsensical" accusations."Paragraph 31 says that we have got draft responses to hand. That is nonsensical because you read the whole of the paragraph it says that we have looked at every possible conceivable argument that they may have and we have considered our draft responses to that."So you are basically saying in a game of chess, what else is this guy going to play and how do I counter that move. You have five, six moves planned ahead, so you put your things in writing," Uriri said.The Temple Bar attorney said the MDC Alliance allegation betrayed "desperation by people that have absolutely no clue what they are doing or should be doing."He took great exception to the break-in allegations."We are law-abiding people and we are of course entitled to having our own perceptions about what points are being taken or are going to be taken and how they are going to be taken and prepare for them," he said.In his opinion and advice to Mnangagwa, Uriri said: "It is for the above reasons that I conclude and advise that: The dies induciae (time granted to a party to appear in answer to a summons or citation) for the filing of any challenge to my consultant's election as the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe lapses at mid-night on the 10th August 2018."Inauguration day where no petition is filed by midnight on the 10th of August 2018 is the 12th August 2018. A petition challenging my consultant's election as President of the Republic of Zimbabwe has the effect of delaying his inauguration up until the 25th August 2018. He must in any event be sworn in no later than the 26th August 2018."Timba slammed Uriri's suggestion that the MDC Alliance's petition "suffers from imminent and predictable failure.""How can Uriri allegedly say with certainty that our petition would fail before it has been filed and heard? Does he know something that we all don't know?" Timba asked rhetorically."Our case is strong and our cause is just and we remain hopeful that justice will be served and the will of the people will prevail." 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 Stephen Jakes Habakkuk Trust director Dumisani Nkomo has said the response from the army and state concerning the Harare killings is indeed disappointing.This was after the military disowned the soldiers attacking people at various locations in Harare after the announcement of the presidential results on August 2."They are not taking responsibility for the loss of human lives as indeed they have consistently failed to in terms of the thousands killed and maimed during Gukurahundi," Nkomo said."Are we open for business when we can't be responsible for out actions .Mature and responsible leadership and statesmanship calls for people to account for their actions .Somebody somewhere must account and failure to do so will be one of the catastrophic blunders made by this administration. IF it was in other parts of the world somebody would have resigned instead of pushing blame to others." News / National by Stephen Jakes Streetwise Informal Traders Director Percy Mcijo has lambasted the government and the military for failing to recognise that they caused the loss of innocent lives during an MDC Alliance demonstration in Harare on August 1 this year.Six people were shot dead during the demonstration when MDC Alliance supporters protested over the delay in announcement of presidential results by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission."Its a pity that innocent people died as a result of the military's over reaction and more so its not the army's responsibility to deal with demonstrations, as they played the role of police," he said.He said this led to the unnecessary death of six people indicating that the military should remain in the barracks and allow the police to maintain law and order. He said for the president to apportion the blame on the MDC Alliance is misplaced and misleading."Its well known that the army short and killed innocent civilians and its the army to beheld accountable for this unwarranted violation of human rights, the right to life enshrined in the constitution," he said. News / National by Staff reporter Former deputy president Phelekezela Mphoko is still not receiving his pension, four months after government promised to settle it, a report says.Mphoko - a Grace Mugabe ally - lost his job after the new administration led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa took over following the resignation of ex-president Robert Mugabe in November.Mphoko was the second deputy appointed in 2014 by Mugabe, along with current president Mnangagwa.According to AFP, Mphoko had flown to Japan on official business the day before the army took over the country in an operation that culminated in Mugabe's ouster.But instead of returning home at the end of his mission, Mphoko sought sanctuary in Botswana.Mphoko, however, eventually returned home a few days later and after some time, reportedly demanded an exit package, the state owned Herald newspaper reported.State securityAnother Herald report indicated that Mphoko's demand came after Mnangagwa officially gazetted Mugabe's exit package, which included first class air travel on four foreign trips per year; private houses and a veritable army of aides and domestic staff.The privately-owned NewsDay newspaper quoted the former deputy president's lawyer, Welshman Ncube, as saying that his client was still receiving state security aides and government vehicles, but he was yet to receive his monthly benefits.The country's constitution, section 102 stipulates that "the president or the deputy president are entitled to receive a pension equivalent to the salary of a sitting president, as the case may be; and such allowances and other benefits as may be prescribed under an act of parliament." Opinion / Columnist After successive defeats at the hands of the ruling Zanu-PF party, the MDC as the biggest opposition party in the country was urged to form a grand coalition that would fight from one corner.The call was so loud that the late MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai initiated the project and invited other opposition political parties to join in the big tent so they fight the 2018 harmonised elections under a single banner.The idea was met with resistance from other opposition political parties while others embraced it, hence the formation of MDC Alliance.The MDC Alliance included Tendai Biti's People's Democratic Party (PDP), Welshman Ncube's MDC, Jacob Ngarivhume's Transform Zimbabwe, Zanu Ndonga headed by Denford Masiyarira, the Multi-Racial Christian Democrats which is led by Mathias Guchutu and the Zimbabwe People First led by Agrippa Mutambara.The MDC Alliance managed to garner 63 seats out of the possible 210, handing Zanu-PF a sheer majority in Parliament. Of those 63 seats MDC partners took at least seven.But did the MDC Alliance project work for the MDC and its partners?Couldn't the MDC have equally performed without the partners?In the 2000 parliamentary elections the then newly-formed MDC then led by its late founding president Tsvangirai challenged former president Robert Mugabe's control of parliament winning 57 of the 120 elected seats, with 47 percent of the popular vote while the ruling Zanu-PF won 63 seats and carried approximately 48 percent of the popular vote.In the March 2005, elections Zanu-PF won 78 seats to the MDC's 41, with one independent.In 2008, the MDC had a total of 100 seats in the House of Assembly (47.62 percent) and Zanu-PF got 99 seats (47,14), while MDC-M's tally was at 10 (4.78).In 2013, Zanu-PF dominated the parliamentary election winning 160 seats while the MDC won 49 seats.MDC organising secretary Amos Chibaya said the idea of the Alliance is a legacy project of the late Tsvangirai, the icon of their democratic struggle."Its results are there for all to see. We won the presidential vote and thanks to the team spirit among all Alliance partners. It could not have been possible without everyone pulling in one direction."Some of the Alliance partners (Tendai) Biti and (Welshman) Ncube are former secretaries' generals of the party and also founding members so it was only prudent that they are back home."Crisis Coalition of Zimbabwe spokesperson Tabani Moyo said the MDC as known then, now Alliance is the biggest political party in Zimbabwe."Given the voting pattern, the rest of the opposition candidates could not pull more than one percent. This shows that this was a two man race."The major challenge was managing the Alliance, where in certain instances there was imposition of candidates leading to dual fielding of candidates who shared spoils and handed over votes to the ruling party."Secondly, the Alliance MPs in most instances were not campaigning but following their candidates to star rallies, this is an anomaly," said Moyo.He added that going forward, the Alliance has to mutate into a strong party building on the base gained thus far and consolidating the ground starting from now."So if you ask me the Alliance was strategic but poorly designed as most of the candidates sort to benefit support from the presidential candidate and failed to consolidate the fragmented ground through rigorous campaigns at grassroots levels."This was because the opposition itself was poorly resourced and started organising on short notice post the death of the founding leader Tsvangirai," said Moyo.Political analyst MacDonald Lewanika said: "Going into the coalition was aircraft known that the MDC had the numbers, but what the other coalition partners brought or bring was not numbers, but strategic thinking, technical and the perceptional value of uniting."As such we cannot judge the value of the MDC alliance quantitatively alone but also qualitatively that was the value of Welshman, Tendai, Settlement Chikwinya, Ngarivhume and others."Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme said it will be quite unscientific to judge the performance of the coalition based on the figures from this election."Fundamentally this poll was rigged not only at presidency, but also at MP level, making it quite difficult to make intelligent conclusions about the efficaciousness of the alliance from this outcome."Be that as it may, there is evidence from the poll that the Alliance lost at least 12 seats to Zanu-PF in which if you add Alliance numbers and MDC-T numbers, Zanu-PF would have lost."Given these figures, I think the Alliance may have helped to phonologically give a sense of unity in the voter's mind. But effectively it was more of Chamisa than the Alliance."If you look at rallies done without Chamisa where other Alliance principals addressed there were very few people. Juxtapose this with Zanu-PF that still had huge numbers where SB Moyo and Chiwenga addressed without Mnangagwa."So the fact that the Alliance was centralised in Chamisa's allure, magnetism, charisma and crowds, makes the whole Alliance idea a mirage in reality, but an alliance on paper," said Saungweme.He added that the numbers, if we go by them, maybe the Alliance was going to benefit from not only bringing the seven parties, but also Thokozani Khupe's outfit."In this case there could have been a possibility to gain 12 more seats. So using the poll outcome, it necessary to at least gain those seven seats that could have gone to Zanu-PF had Chamisa's outfit and Biti and Ncube outfits had not coalesced."But more should have been done in bringing Khupe and other opposition parties. So the idea of an alliance works, when it's a real alliance not centred on one person," said Saungweme.Media and political analyst Rashweat Mukundu said: "I think the MDC could have won as much on its own. But unity is necessary not only as a necessity to pull together with one message but also the perception of unity helps in galvanising the opposition base." Opinion / Columnist Zimbabwe's just-concluded harmonised elections have failed the real test of fairness, being free and transparent.On July 30, Zimbabweans went to vote in high numbers hoping that their voice would be heard through their votes.While the pre-electoral environment and voting day were generally peaceful and orderly, it is the post-election period, which has dented the entire credibility of the polls due to incidents of politically-motivated violence.Until the 11th hour, we had thought that, as Zimbabweans, we had matured politically and that this election would dodge the cycle of electoral contentions synonymous with most outcomes of past polls.We had hoped that the 2018 harmonised elections would be a departure from the Robert Mugabe era of political violence, harassment, intimidation and that Zimbabweans would complete this process peacefully and credibly.Indeed, everyone including the international world was prayerful that Zimbabweans had opened a new leaf, politically, and was ready to ignite a culture of tolerance among supporters of various opposing political parties.We had hoped that peace, tolerance, non-violence and harmony were imperative for our country's turnaround prospects.However, all hope was blown away when "rogue" trigger-happy soldiers gunned down civilians in broad daylight after some disturbances in the Central Business District of Harare as they tried to drive people out of the city.The tragic event in which at least six people were gunned down is in sharp contrast to the high expectations every Zimbabwean had for a peaceful, inclusive, transparent and credible election in the country.Our Constitution recognises the right to peaceful protests or demonstrations and, as such, it is regrettable when such gatherings are disrupted through excessive use of force.Government should respect the rights of the Zimbabwean people as enshrined in the Constitution.Going forward, we urge the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to exercise restraint as they quell protests so that we do not have a repeat of the August 1 confrontation between security forces and civilians.It is sad that the soldiers deployed to quell the unrest reportedly fired live ammunition on fleeing civilians in the crowded streets, resulting in some civilians being shot in the back, while several were injured, including women.We also encourage political parties to pursue their grievances peacefully through the established legal channels and in particular the special courts that have been created to deal with electoral disputes.The vandalism and destruction of property in the city during the protests is regrettable and counter-productive; businesses had properties destroyed, shops were looted and vendors had their goods looted while vehicles were torched.I, therefore, call on political parties to restrain their supporters from taking the law into their own hands. Political parties have to adhere to the principles of the Peace Pledge and uphold the integrity of the political and electoral process.I encourage political leaders, especially those in the ruling party to show magnanimity in victory and stop harassing opposition party leaders like what is penning out.Reports of night-time raids of MDC Alliance officials' homes, manhunts and abduction of their family members, torture and interrogations by armed and hooded people suspected to be members of the security forces are condemned in the strongest sense.It is sad that after the quietness that accompanied the campaigns and voting, opposition party activists and polling agents have been forced into hiding, and are being terrorised, while some are reported missing.Equally disturbing are reports that show a well-orchestrated campaign of terror in the aftermath of the 2018 elections, involving soldiers in residential suburbs, especially in Harare and Chitungwiza areas, where scores of people have been brutalised and injured through beatings.These human rights violations have no place in a democratic society in which we all dream of and contravene the fundamental tenets of international human rights standards in which Zimbabwe is a signatory.As we welcome the President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa's commitment to establish an independent commission to investigate the violence against civilians, we hope the commission will publicly report its findings and that its work commences soon.The international community especially the Southern African Development Community and the African Union as well as those countries that have deployed observers are encouraged to intervene to stop Zimbabwe's descent into a deeper political crisis. Opinion / Columnist It is alleged that 6 people were killed by the soldiers on 31st of July, 2018, the day after voting. One woman who worked for the Zimbabwe National Water Authority was one of the victims. She was buried recently in Harare. This was indeed tragic news for Zimbabwe as the leaders sought to break away from the previous years of dictatorship and oppression under the rule of Mr. Robert Mugabe.The deliberate killing of innocent civilians should have led to the resignation of president Mnangangwa, and his Vice president, Chiwenga because they are directly and indirectly responsible for the deaths of these six people. They are in charge as leaders and therefore the blame lays squarely on them. As incumbent presidents, the army is in their control. And to make things worse, the former is in charge of Security while the latter is Minister of Defence. The two of them cannot absolve themselves of the killings, beatings and harassment of citizens by the soldiers. In addition, they claim to be Christians and even president ED was quoting the Bible during the elections. Professing to be a Christian makes you accountable to the highest authority; the authority of God. In God's eyes, life is valuable and precious. He gives and takes it back and therefore no one has a right to take anyone's life under the circumstances that happened in Harare. This was first degree murder.To make matters worse, the two presidents did not condemn the killings of the innocent civilians but instead they quickly blamed the MDC Alliance for provoking the soldiers. The opposition became a scapegoat for their dereliction of duty. This must be not tolerated. The two presidents are squarely to blame and therefore they are the killers. They wield military power and as a result, they are the ones who unleashed their trigger happy soldiers on harmless civilians.Oppression is a sign that the oppressor is a weak leader who is intolerant of divergent views. It also indicates that the leader employs force and in this case, through the gun, to make people like, follow and vote for them. Since the two presidents profess to be Christians, they must know that force is unchristian; it is actually devilish. You can't claim to be a follower of God when you infringe on His gift of freedom of choice that He has given to every human being. God doesn't use force to make us worship Him but rather draws us to Him through the love that He demonstrated on the Cross of Calvary. His love allows anyone to choose and do what they want. However, He makes us aware of the consequences of our actions.Force and oppression are weapons of the devil and those who use them are possessed by his spirit. God and the devil are not partners in crime and they represent two diametrically opposite forces; the force of good and evil respectively. God has one character; love is the foundation of His government and it is the law that governs the whole universe. So, to employ force and oppression is an infringement on the freedom of conscience. It is my God-given right to choose with whom I want to associate, speak, and vote for. No one even the two presidents and their trigger happy soldiers have a right to deny me this right. I am responsible for my own actions and am accountable, first, to God and then to the government of the day. I am a free being and therefore government leaders should protect my freedom of choice. Any leader who wants my vote should use persuasion that must appeal to my intellect, ideas, dreams, wishes and ambitions. I must choose to follow them willingly and voluntarily. My choice for them should not be coerced through the gun and other subtle ways like giving me parcels of food and the overt threat of denying me certain privileges. They should not take advantage of my poverty, misfortune or weaknesses to propel themselves into power. Using and manipulating my hunger is daylight robbery. And those who employ these means are evil- minded, murderers, selfish and partners with the devil, who thrives on our fallen human nature.I am a thinking being and therefore I can tell what is right and bad for me. No one must decide for me. No leader should get into power by riding on oppression and force. It's fiendish. Period!People should be allowed to say what they want without trampling on others' concerns. For any nation to thrive, people must be left alone to make their own decision as far as voting is concerned. Leaders should not behave as if they own us. Actually, human beings were not created to rule each other. We were given animals to rule over. This is because we're equal before God. However, God established leadership so that there's order in society. Leaders are not rulers but should be servants to those they lead. The use of the gun and oppression makes our leaders rulers and dictators and this is the reason many African countries are struggling economically.The use of force and oppression leads to any angry and bitter nation. People, for example, are angry with ED and Chiwenga for the deaths and for not condemning the soldiers. Their being silent shows that they're guilty. You can't continue oppressing people without eventually reaping a bumper harvest of civil unrest. This is based on a simple Biblical principle: you reap what you sow. Sow violence, reap violence. It's as simple as ABC. People should not be taken for granted. Their patience is limited. No to force and oppression.STOP IT MR. PRESIDENTAmen astdayevetns5@gmail.com 24-Year-Old Woman Dies From Unsafe Abortion Days After Argentina Voted To Keep Abortion Illegal Just days after Argentinas government failed to legalize abortion, a 24-year-old woman has lost her life to an unsafe abortion. Lacking a safe and legal option, the mother of two, referred to by Argentinian newspaper Clarin as Elizabeth, attempted to end her pregnancy at home on Sunday. According to The Cut, Elizabeth contracted a serious infection, which sent her into septic shock. Elizabeth passed away on Tuesday. In Argentina, abortion is illegal except in cases of rape or where the health or life of the pregnant person is threatened. Last week, the Senate voted on a historic bill would have legalized abortion up to fourteen weeks. Though it was passed by Argentinas lower house, the bill was killed in the upper house. ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth is one of thousands who has died due to a lack of safe and legal access to abortion in Argentina. According to the Guardian, 45,000 to 60,000 women are hospitalized each year due following illegal abortion attempts. The Guttmacher Institute reports that banning abortion does nothing to ensure that it wont occur. Instead, it drastically increases the possibility that pregnant people will die following an unsafe procedure. Last weeks vote once again demonstrates the Catholic Churchs stranglehold on Argentinian policy. According to Clarin, the church was the key player in stopping the law, as church officials personally urged lawmakers to kill the bill. Argentina has a long history of making abortion inaccessible, and even criminalizing those who perform and receive them. Even in the supposedly acceptable cases for abortionif the life of the pregnant person is danger, or if the pregnancy was the result of rapethe government has historically made access to abortion care difficult to impossible. According to Vox, health providers often lack protocol for helping patients access abortion, or they may simply refuse to perform the procedure. This can result in delays that push past the date when terminating the pregnancy is allowed, forcing the patient to carry the pregnancy to term. Views on abortion are so strict that in 2016, an Argentinian woman known as Belen was convicted of murder following a miscarriage. Doctors insisted that Belen terminated her pregnancy on purpose, and despite a complete lack of evidence, she was sent to jail. Following an international outcry, Belen was releasedbut it took two years to get her out. Last weeks vote was a step backward for Argentina. But the activists who pushed for this bill have no plans to stop fighting for women like Elizabeth and Belen. The grassroots feminist movement Ni Una Menos (Not One Woman Less) has been working tirelessly to change the law, holding protests and camping out on the grounds of Argentinas legislature. Liz, the 24-year-old young woman that was hospitalized in Buenos Aires after a clandestine abortion, has died, Tweeted Raquel Vivanco of Ni Una Menos. This is the outcome of the voting session in the Senate. They dont care about the lives of the women. Legal abortion or clandestine abortion, thats the discussion. Screenshot from Twitter. Top photo: Ni Una Menos protests Argentina's illegal abortion law. Latin American Bureau / Twitter. More from BUST Argentina Just Voted Against A Bill That Would Have Legalized Abortion Up To 14 Weeks Ireland Prepares For Historic Vote On Abortion Inside Planned Parenthoods National Conference With The Student Activists Who Have Had Enough Rachele Merliss is a writer, theatre maker, and wannabe witch from Lincoln, Nebraska. She is currently a senior at Wesleyan University, majoring in American Studies with a minor in creative writing. She's also the writer & director of the webseries Saint Bitch, coming soon to YouTube. Watch the trailer here & follow Rachele on Twitter at @rachele_mermaid. By Fergal Smith TORONTO (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar edged lower against its U.S. counterpart on Thursday as a planned oil pipeline from Alberta to Nebraska met with a setback, but the currency held within its recent range ahead of the country's inflation report due on Friday. At 4 p.m. EDT (2000 GMT), the Canadian dollar was trading 0.2 percent lower at C$1.3161 to the greenback, or 75.98 U.S. cents. The currency, which on Monday neared a three-week low of C$1.3179, traded in a range of C$1.3114 to C$1.3175. "We are really just treading water ahead of tomorrow's inflation data," said Brad Schruder, director of corporate sales and structuring at BMO Capital Markets. "Experienced global investors have little interest in taking positions ahead of a major piece of data such as CPI." The inflation data could help guide expectations for further Bank of Canada interest rate increases this year. Money markets expect the central bank to hike its benchmark interest rate, which sits at 1.50 percent, once more by December. A federal judge in Montana on Wednesday ordered the U.S. State Department to do a full environmental review of a revised route for a phase of the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline, which, when completed, would carry heavy crude to Steele City in Nebraska from Canada's oil sands in Alberta. The pipeline could help reduce transport bottlenecks for Canadian oil, which trades at a discount to the price of U.S. crude. Canadian factory sales grew by 1.1 percent in June from May, thanks largely to a rebound in petroleum and coal products after temporary shutdowns in the spring, Statistics Canada said. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer expressed hope a breakthrough could be made in the coming days in efforts to rework the North American Free Trade Agreement, which includes Canada and Mexico. His Mexican counterpart said flexibility was needed to reach a deal. The U.S. dollar weakened against a basket of other major currencies as news that a Chinese delegation will travel to the United States for trade talks prompted investors to buy back into currencies hit hard in a sell-off in recent days. U.S. crude oil futures settled 0.7 percent higher at $65.46 a barrel. Oil is one of Canada's major exports. Canadian government bond prices were higher across a flatter yield curve, with the 10-year rising 12 Canadian cents to yield 2.255 percent. The 10-year yield touched 2.246 percent, its lowest intraday since July 25. (Reporting by Fergal Smith; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Phil Berlowitz) CBC Shreyas Vasudevareddy Movva, 28, may be the new face of an emerging cricket scene in Quebec. The software engineer got the call recently telling him he had made the cut for a T-20 Cricket World Cup qualifying tournament, coming up in Antigua & Barbuda Nov. 7-15. "When I came to Canada, I had two goals. One is to get a masters from (Concordia) University and another one is to get selected for Cricket Canada. So I would say the hunger to achieve the goal was within me," Movva said. Movva immigrate Rejected by Saudi Arabia, Nova Scotia maple syrup makes its way across globe It was a sweet solution to a sticky situation. Anna Hutchinson had 900 litres of maple syrup and nowhere to sell it. She had been days away from sending her first shipment of syrup from Hutchinson Acres in Lake Paul, N.S., to Saudi Arabia. The bottles had special Arabic language packaging, approved by the Saudi government. Then, after more than a year of clearing regulatory hurdles, she was told by her Saudi purchaser to keep the syrup amid the current diplomatic dispute between the Canadian and Saudi governments. Since the labels were specifically made for the Saudi market, Hutchinson couldn't put her syrup on store shelves anywhere else. In the days that followed, Canadians and maple syrup fans from around the world have stepped up to help Hutchinson's business. All the syrup is now sold "I was shocked, shocked beyond belief," Hutchinson said. After appearing on CBC News last Friday to discuss her situation, her phone starting ringing and emails poured in. "As of Sunday morning all 900 litres were sold," she said. Hutchinson said most of the messages and syrup requests were motivated by "helping to support a small Canadian business." In the last few days she's filled orders ranging from one jug to many more than that. "Some people said, 'We'll take 100 bottles and we'll give them out as Christmas presents this year,'" she said. Global interest She received orders from overseas, too. Some of the countries where she has sent her maple syrup include United Arab Emirates, China, India, Jordan and Costa Rica. Each purchaser had heard the story and wanted to help. She says that while nearly every bottle is spoken for, she is keeping a couple for people who might walk in the door, something she says has happened regularly over the past few days. "It's just amazing," Hutchinson said. Read more articles at CBC Nova Scotia Teen who died trying to save a mother and son at Woodbine Beach remembered as a hero A teenage boy who died after trying to save a mother and child at a Toronto beach last week is being hailed as a hero by those who knew him. Kyle Howard-Muthulingam, 16, was identified by police on Wednesday. "I'm glad that this place can know him as a hero, because he truly was," his cousin Abanaya (Abby) Lingam told reporters outside her school. She described him as energetic and gregarious. Howard-Muthulingam's best friend, Christian Markland, said he always thought the "hero" label suited him. He said his friend "died the way he lived fearlessly." "I remember when it was my birthday and I really wanted this book, he didn't buy lunch so he could save money and buy me that book," Markland told CBC Toronto. "It really made me feel special." The pair attended Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts in Scarborough. Howard-Muthulingam was in Grade 11, the Toronto District School Board said. "He was part of the performing arts program at Wexford, and he was very, very well liked by his fellow students and staff and he was known as a brilliant dancer and performer," said Shari Schwartz-Maltz, a TDSB spokesperson. His former school opened Wednesday for classmates and teachers to come together and mourn. As those who knew Howard-Muthulingam shared stories and hugs inside, the flag flew at half-mast outside. Theatre teacher Ann Merriam described him as every educators dream student. "A gentle soul, a team player, it was never about him, it was about what's best for the scene," she recalled. Social workers were on site in case anyone required counselling, Schwartz-Maltz said. Howard-Muthulingam was pulled under the water's surface at Woodbine Beach in the city's east end on Friday afternoon when he jumped into Lake Ontario to try to help a mother and son who were crying for help. In total, five people, including Howard-Muthulingam, were pulled from the lake. Story continues He was taken to hospital, where he later died. The rescue involved members of the Toronto police, Toronto fire, the Canadian Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Correction : An earlier version of this story stated Kyle Howard-Muthulingam was 17. The TDSB later confirmed he was, in fact, 16 years old.(Aug 15, 2018 10:30 AM) Efforts to raise the sunken and overturned George H. Ledcor tugboat on the Fraser River are taking longer that expected, while environmental officials claim impacts from the diesel spilled from the wreck have been minimal. According to Phillip Murdoch, the superintendent of environmental response for the Canadian Coast Guard, the 20 metre tugboat has now been righted but remains underwater. He said the next step was to lift and de-water the vessel, although windows of opportunity to proceed with the operation were small due to the complications of river currents and tides. "I'm reluctant to give a timeline. I had hoped we would be up and out by now.," said Murdoch. "Again, these things always take longer than you think it will." Adam LaRusic with Environment Canada said his crews had not observed any wildlife impacts from the spilled diesel, including to spawning salmon or birds. "The sheen was transitory. The salmon are transitory. We don't predict any impact on salmon at this point," he said. "We have shoreline clean-up teams monitoring the situation. They haven't seen much ... but this is an ongoing operation." A Ledcor official said the investigation into how the tug capsized is ongoing. Wednesday morning, a giant barge and crane were moved into place alongside the capsized tug, which is now moored at Sea Island on the north arm of the Fraser River between Vancouver and Richmond. Earlier, divers put a sling around the vessel and plugged vents to prevent more diesel from leaking. However, when the vessel was righted this afternoon, more diesel leaked out. Murdoch said all of the new leaking diesel was contained within booms and recovered. He could not say how much fuel has spilled from the tug's 22,000 litre tanks since it capsized late Monday night. "We are unable to quantify that," he said. "But based on initial observations, not a lot." Beaches at Vancouver's Fraser River Park and Richmond's McDonald Beach Park remain closed. Both are popular with dog owners. Story continues "There's also still a strong odour in the area," said City of Richmond spokesman Ted Townsend. "It's gotten better, but we want to make sure it's safe for people and animals." Dog owner Brian Rackett is a regular at Fraser River Park, which is situated right across from the Sea Island location where the salvage effort is underway. "Hopefully, the impact will be as minimal as possible," he said. "We're really concerned because we don't want anything washing up on the beach and hurting the environment." Rackett says the park is a popular salmon fishing location and is home to sea lions, beaver and blue heron. The George H. Ledcor capsized near south Vancouver's Deering Island while towing a barge full of gravel up the river in tandem with a second Ledcor-owned tugboat. All four of its crew had to be rescued from the water. With files from Yvette Brend Read more from CBC British Columbia We tend to think of the month of June as the beginning of wedding season, but believe it or not, wedding season is still going strong well into fall. If youre planning a wedding in the next few months or interested in the hottest wedding trends for 2018 and 2019, youre in luck! Chandelier Events owner and director, Amy Shey Jacobs and Forevermark diamond expert, Kristen Trustey joined me for an interview this week to discuss the best bridal jewelry and glam wedding trends. Thats right, luxury and glam are back and better than ever, which made me very excited. During the interview, Amy and Kristen dished on the top wedding trends from the most popular table linens to bridal jewelry, responsibly sourced diamonds, wedding venues, and the hottest colors. They even discussed how couples are choosing to be socially conscious at their own weddings! Please be sure to watch the video below for more details. I also transcribed the interview for you. Watch Wedding Experts Share Best Bridal Jewelry, Wedding Trends The Top Out Of The Box Bridal Trends Candie Anderson: How are out of the box shapes influencing bridal trends? Amy Shey Jacobs: Well, fancy shapes are everywhere in weddings and we have them here today. Some of them are ovals, hearts. Hexagons are everywhere and that is really taking the style choice from your table linens to your fashion and even your engagement ring. Were seeing fancy shapes everywhere. Kristen Trustey: These fun shapes are starting with the proposal and the choice of fancy shape diamonds. More than 60% of brides are choosing a fancy shape diamond thats any shape other than round. We have the Forevermark Black Label Collection, its a collection of exquisite cuts cushion, oval, square and heart shapes. These are optimized for light performance. They sparkle more than any other diamond. How Couples Are Being Socially Conscious At Their Weddings Candie Anderson: I hear couples are choosing to be more socially conscious at their wedding. Can you tell us about that? Amy Shey Jacobs: The same thing carry suit. People are looking for ways to infuse their weddings with their everyday lifestyles. Weddings are no exception when it comes to socially responsible. What were seeing is everything from plants and flowers being donated after the wedding, registering for gifts at charitable gift registries, having plantable paper really looking to make wise decisions that feel really good and that starts with your diamonds and your fashion as well. Kristen Trustey: It starts from the very beginning when choosing the perfect diamond engagement ring and thinking about where that diamond comes from. All of these diamonds from Forevermark are responsibly sourced from places like Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. The diamonds as part of the De Beers Group actually help to give back to the communities they come from with good quality health care, education, and career opportunities. The Hottest Wedding Trends Of The Year Candie Anderson: Luxury and glamour are two of the biggest trends in bridal fashion, jewelry and design. What are couples wearing and what elements are they incorporating into their big day? Amy Shey Jacobs: Luxury weddings are 100% a huge trend right now after a decade of being in the barn. Barn weddings arent going away, but they are getting fancier. What we are seeing across the board is the return to the ballroom wedding, the country club wedding. Making sophisticated choices in terms of upping the ante, tuxedos, gowns, lots of diamonds, lots of champagne. Its really all about capturing the essence, that dance on the tables kind of wedding. Super classic. Even the barn wedding were seeing chandeliers and tuxedos making an entree. Kristin Trustey: What that formal wedding means in terms of jewelry, is the best of the best when it comes to diamonds. Less than 1% of the worlds diamonds can be Forevermark. The exceptional diamond collection is really the pinnacle of that. These diamonds are exceptional in their size theyre three carats and above. Also, there are other distinguishing exceptional qualities for maximum sparkle on your big day. The Most Popular Colors For Weddings Candie Anderson: I just have to ask is blush pink still the hottest color for weddings? Amy Shey Jacobs: Absolutely. Blush pink is definitely a color that is here to stay. We have some beautiful blush pink blooms in the studio. But color itself is making a comeback too. Im seeing rich purples, and deep sapphire blues, even reds, and oranges. Turmeric is a really hot color for this fall too. Dont be afraid to play with color, but blush, you cannot go wrong with blush. How To Find More Information On Bridal Jewelry, Wedding Trends Candie Anderson: Do you have any additional tips or information you would like to share with us? Amy Shey Jacobs: You can always go and get more of these trends on Forevermark, which is a great place. Were talking all about all of the trends that we are showing here today and then some more. Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay: Aretha Franklin Dies at Age 76 Aretha Franklin, the "Queen of Soul," died of pancreatic cancer Thursday at the age of 76. The singing legend died at her home in Detroit, according to her publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn, The New York Times reported. Franklin had more than 100 singles in the Billboard charts, including 17 Top 10 pop singles and 20 No. 1 R&B hits, and received 18 Grammy Awards, as well as a lifetime achievement award in 1994. In 1987, she became the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She was included on Rolling Stone magazine's 2010 list of the 100 greatest singers of all time, and emulated by succeeding generations of R&B singers, The Times reported. Singer Mary J. Blige once said: "Aretha is a gift from God. When it comes to expressing yourself through song, there is no one who can touch her. She is the reason why women want to sing." ----- NIH Panel Will No Longer Review Gene Therapy Experiments A U.S. National Institutes of Health oversight panel will no longer review all applications for gene therapy experiments, U.S. health officials say. Instead, the panel will assume an advisory role, while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will assess gene therapy experiments and products as it does with other treatments and drugs, the Associated Press reported. When the NIH panel of independent experts was created, there were numerous safety concerns and scientific unknowns about gene therapy. But it is now an established field of medical care with no extraordinary risks, health officials said. It's time for the FDA to review gene therapy proposals on its own without duplication of regulatory oversight, NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins and FDA chief Dr. Scott Gottlieb wrote Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The proposed change will take effect after a public comment period, the AP reported. There are more than 700 proposals for gene therapy in the pipeline, and "it seems reasonable to envision a day when gene therapy will be a mainstay of treatment for many diseases," Collins and Gottlieb wrote. "The tools we use to address other areas of science are now well suited to gene therapy." Some bioethics experts agreed with the change. "This is something the FDA has the tools to handle. I don't think this is somehow a massive deregulation," Leigh Turner, from the University of Minnesota Center for Bioethics, told the AP. "We never want to become blase or cavalier about gene therapy clinical trials. Careful scrutiny, whether by one body or two, is as important as ever." The change is consistent with recommendations made several years ago by the Institute of Medicine, according to Jeffrey Kahn, director of the Bioethics Institute at Johns Hopkins University. "We have mechanisms in place to protect patients," he told the AP. But another bioethics expert has concerns. With gene editing and other new techniques on the horizon, "this is not the right time to be making any moves based on the idea that we know what the risks are," Stanford bioethicist Mildred Cho told the AP. Gene therapies are biologically complex treatments, and "we really don't understand how they work," in many cases, Cho said. "There are miraculous recoveries and remissions that we haven't seen before, but there also are very spectacular failures." ----- U.S. Overdose Deaths Reach Record High A record 72,300 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2017, a 10 percent increase from the previous year, new preliminary government estimates show. The figures, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, indicate a spike in overdose deaths from synthetic opioids and a decline in deaths from heroin, prescription opioid pills and methadone. The death toll is higher than the peak yearly death totals from HIV, car crashes or gun deaths, according to The New York Times reported Wednesday. "Because it's a drug epidemic, as opposed to an infectious disease epidemic like Zika, the response is slower," Dan Ciccarone, a professor of family and community medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, told The Times. "Because of the forces of stigma, the population is reluctant to seek care. I wouldn't expect a rapid downturn; I would expect a slow, smooth downturn," said Ciccarone, who studies heroin markets. A 2016 federal government phone survey suggested that around 2.1 million Americans had opioid use disorders. However, not all drug users have telephones and some respondents may not mention their drug use. The actual number could be as high as 4 million, Ciccarone said. The number of opioid users has been rising "in most places, but not at this exponential rate," Brandon Marshall, an associate professor of epidemiology at Brown University School of Public Health, told the newspaper. "The dominant factor is the changing drug supply." THURSDAY, Aug. 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The opioid epidemic may be a major reason for recent declines in Americans' life expectancy, a new study says. A second study found rising death rates among Americans ages 25 to 64, but cited a number of factors as potential causes. In the first study, researchers looked at 18 wealthy nations and found that most of them had declines in life expectancy in 2015. It's the first time in recent decades that many of these countries had simultaneous declines in life expectancy for both men and women, and the declines were larger than in the past. In countries other than the United States, the declines in life expectancy were mostly among people 65 and older. The main causes were influenza and pneumonia, respiratory disease, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, and other mental and nervous system disorders. Among Americans, the decline in life expectancy was concentrated among people in their 20s and 30s, and was largely due to a rise in opioid overdose deaths, according to report authors Jessica Ho, from the University of Southern California, and Arun Hendi, of Princeton University. They noted that life expectancy in the United States and the United Kingdom continued to decline in 2016, which raises questions about future trends. The second study found that death rates among Americans ages 25 to 64 rose between 1999 and 2016. Drug overdoses, suicides and alcoholism were the main reasons for this increase, but this age group also had a significant increase in deaths from heart, lung and other organ diseases. "The opioid epidemic is the tip of an iceberg," study author Dr. Steven Woolf, from Virginia Commonwealth University, said in a news release from BMJ. Both studies were published Aug. 15 in the journal. Woolf's research also found that rising death rates in this age group include all racial and ethnic groups, reversing years of progress in lowering death rates among black and Hispanic adults. Death rates were higher among men than women, but the relative increase in drug overdose deaths and suicides was greater in women. That finding matches other research showing an increasing health disadvantage among American women, according to Woolf and his team. They said no "single factor, such as opioids," explains the decrease in life expectancy, and urged "prompt action by policymakers to tackle the factors responsible for declining health in the U.S." More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on life expectancy. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram New York, August 15, 2018The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release today after over two years in detention of Jones Abiri, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Weekly Source newspaper. CPJ urges Nigerian authorities to drop all charges against Abiri and ensure those responsible for his over two years in detention without trial or family visitation are held accountable. Jones Abiri should never have been arrested nor kept in detention by the Department of State Security for over two years, and we call for all charges against him to be dropped immediately, Muthoki Mumo, CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative, said today from Nairobi, Kenya. The ongoing efforts to prosecute Jones Abiri are a grave indication of the lengths to which the government of President Muhammadu Buhari will go to intimidate journalists in Nigeria. On June 21, 2018, 20 organizations joined CPJ in writing a letter to Buhari calling for Abiris release. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Washington, D.C., August 16, 2018The Malaysian parliament today repealed a law imposing criminal penalties for fake news that had been enacted earlier this year by the previous government of Prime Minister Najib Razak, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists applauds the government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad for following through on it campaign pledge to repeal the fake news law that blatantly threatened freedom of the press, said Steven Butler, CPJs Asia program coordinator. We hope other nations will follow Malaysias lead in overturning laws that enable governments to decide what is news. On June 7, 2018, CPJ sent a letter to the new prime minister calling for the repeal of the law. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram New York, August 16, 2018Nigerian police should immediately release journalist Samuel Ogundipe, drop all charges against him, and cease efforts to pressure him to reveal any journalistic sources, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Ogundipe, a reporter with the privately owned Premium Times online newspaper, was arraigned yesterday in a magistrates court in the Kubwa suburb of Abuja, Nigerias capital, after police detained him overnight and repeatedly tried to force him to reveal the source for an article about the inspector general of police, according to Musikilu Mojeed, editor-in-chief of Premium Times, and Esther Bassey, one of the journalists lawyers, who said the arraignment was illegal. Police from Nigerias special armed robbery squad, commonly known as SARS, on August 13 also briefly detained Azeezat Adedigba, an education reporter from Premium Times, and used her phone to summon and arrest Ogundipe, Mojeed and Adedigba told CPJ. Nigerian authorities should immediately release journalist Samuel Ogundipe and drop all charges against him. No journalist should be forced to reveal their sources, Muthoki Mumo, CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative, said from Nairobi, Kenya. Nigerias authorities have too often proven brazenly willing to flout the law in order to intimidate the press. According to the charge sheet seen by CPJ, Ogundipe was charged with criminal trespass, theft and having possession of Police Interim Investigation report under sections 352, 288, and 319(a) of the Nigerian penal code. Bassey told CPJ that the sections of the penal code did not seem to match the charges. Bassey also told CPJ that he had spoken with the journalist, and that the magistrate had ordered an additional five days in detention. Its not legal to be arraigned without the presence of a lawyer, Bassey told CPJ. They secretly put [Ogundipe] in a vehicle and took him to a magistrate court and accused him of criminal trespass and that he stole a police report, Bassey said. Ogundipes arrest occurred after Adedigba was detained for roughly four hours at the SARS office in Abuja, Adedigba told CPJ. According to Adedigba and a Premium Times report, Adedigba went to the station in the company of Mojeed after receiving a formal police invitation letter on August 13 from an officer identified as Emmanuel Onyeneho. The letter came after repeated, often threatening calls since August 11 asking her to report to the police station, Adedigba said. The letter, which was seen by CPJ, stated that Adedigba was implicated in criminal conspiracy, cybercrime, attempted kidnapping, and a fraudulent act. Adedigba told CPJ that her phone was seized by the guard upon arrival at the SARS office, but Onyeneho eventually brought it into the holding room and told Adedigba to dial a number she did not recognize. When it started to ring, it was revealed to be Ogundipes number saved in her phone, Adedigba said. Onyeneho ordered Adedigba and Mojeed to instruct Ogundipe to report to the SARS office, the two journalists told CPJ. Mojeed told CPJ that as soon as Ogundipe arrived, Onyeneho turned his attention away from the accusations listed in the invitation letter and began asking questions about an article that he claimed was injurious to the police and Nigeria. Adedigba said she was told the accusations raised against her were cleared and she was free to go. They have been giving me a lot of psychological trauma since Saturday [August 11], just to get Samuel, Adedigba told CPJ. When contracted by phone yesterday, Onyeneho told CPJ he did not want to talk about the case. Ogundipe was then transferred to the inspector generals monitoring unit at the police headquarters in Abuja, where police interrogated him in an effort to discover the source of his article. The piece was about a report sent from Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Kpotun Idris to Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on the security services involvement in blocking access to the Nigerian National Assembly on August 7, according to Mojeed, who accompanied Ogundipe, and a report by Premium Times. I kept reminding them that this was not acceptable, Mojeed told CPJ, referring to the polices efforts to pressure Ogundipe into revealing where he got the information for the report. Ogundipe did not reveal his source and the police commissioner in charge called for officers to rush to a court and get a warrant for Ogundipes arrest, Mojeed said. Ogundipe that evening was taken back to the SARS station where he remained until being arraigned, Mojeed and Bassey told CPJ. Mojeed also told CPJ that the police showed him a file of information on Ogundipe, including call history, which the officer said they received from the telecommunication service provider, and bank details. Adedigba also told CPJ that police said they got her number from her service provider, privately owned MTN. Ogundipes bank account was frozen on the same day he was detained, according to Premium Times. CPJs repeated calls to Abayomi Shogunle, assistant commissioner of police and head of the public complaint rapid response unit for the Nigerian police, went unanswered. CPJs calls to Jimoh Moshood, Nigerian police spokesperson, also went unanswered. On the same day Ogundipe and Adedigba were detained by SARS, Osinbajo instructed Idris to reform the same police unit and investigate allegations of human rights violations, according to Reuters. Since Ogundipes arrest, social media uses have used the hashtag #FreeSamuelOgundipe to call for the journalists release and today protesters gathered in Abuja to additionally demand his release, according to Premium Times. The 24th World Congress of Philosophy (WCP) was held in Beijing, China from August 13 to 17, 2018. It was organized by the International Federation of Philosophical Societies, and Peking University. Its theme was Learning To Be Human. This was first time that the quinquennial (once in five year) event was held in China. Key Facts 24th WCP event saw more than 1,000 activities such as plenary sessions, symposia, lectures and roundtables. More than 6,000 philosophers and academics from 121 countries and regions had attended the event. They had shared diverse philosophical thoughts and took part in dialogues focusing on major issues confronting development of global civilization and challenges that mankind will face in the future. World Congress of Philosophy It is global meeting of philosophers held every five years (quinquennialy) under auspices of International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP). It was first organized in 1900 in Paris, France and since it has become one of the largest philosophical events in the world. Its purpose is to contribute to development of professional relations between philosophers of all countries, promote philosophical education, and contribute to impact of philosophical knowledge on global problems. Each World Congress is sponsored by one of member societies in different country, which assumes responsibility for organization of that Congress. United States has announced to grant $39 million as part its foreign military financing to Sri Lanka to boost maritime security. The US funding for Sri Lanka is part of its $300 million set aside for South and Southeast Asia to ensure free, open, and rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. Key Facts The foreign military financing to Sri Lanka will be subject to approval by US Congress. It is viewed latest move by US to counter Chinas increasing strategic influence on Indian Ocean island. This contribution will also support Bay of Bengal initiative and Sri Lankas humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) priorities. This will be first US grant to Sri Lanka since 2009, after US had stopped arms sales to Sri Lanka during height of its Tamil separatist war that ended in 2009. During this time, US was highly critical of human-rights record of Sri Lankan Government led by then President Mahinda Rajapakse. This had led Sri Lanka to seek China as its alternative partner. Background China (worlds second-largest economy) in recent has raised its investments in major ports in Sri Lanka, which are key to its ambitious Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. Under it, China has vowed to keep providing financial help, including loans to Sri Lanka despite warnings about its mounting debt. Sri Lanka has already handed over control of Hambantota sea port to China on 99-year lease in 2017, after its inability to repay Chinese loans for the $1.4 billion project. The port in Hambantota straddles worlds busiest east-west shipping route and also gives strategic foothold to China in region, threating long dominance of India in the region. International Monetary Fund (IMF) also has warned Sri Lanka over its heavy debt after it bailed out island nation in June 2016 with $1.5 billion loan. Myanmar: Thai govt raises awareness of labor rights in seafood sector in Myanmarese August 16,2018 | Source: Undercurrent News Thailands ministry of labor organized a series of meetings to promote better awareness of regulations on employment contracts and wage payments in the fisheries sector, part of a regulation in place since April 3.This comes after NGO Human Rights Watch sent a letter to EU officials in July, claiming the Thai government has failed to address widespread labor rights abuses. Also, Thai fishing boat operators have threatened to stop going out to sea to catch fish if the government does not amend the rules. Since February 2018, five meetings have been held in 22 coastal provinces, such as Trang, Samut Songkram, Songkhla, Petchaburi, and Samut Sakhon, with a total of 928 participants. The meetings were aimed at promoting legal practices and cooperation among stakeholders, as well as to ensure that laborers will be entitled to protection and benefits according to the law, according to a statement from the Thai government. The main focus of the meetings is to make the main points of the new regulation, which include the obligations that an employer: - Record the documents relating to the payment of wages and overtime pay in Thai and keep them available at the workplace for inspection by labor inspectors - Make correct payments within an agreed timeframe at least once a month; - Make a monthly payment to employees according to the daily minimum wage multiplied by 30 days - Make the wage payment via bank transfer Moreover, an employer engaging in overseas fishing shall install communication or satellite devices to facilitate messaging services not lower than one megabyte per person per month, in order for all crew to have access to communications and contact with authorities or their families at all times, the cost of which is to be borne by the employer, the government said. Thailands labor ministry has also cooperated with the International Labour Organization to publicize material on labor rights, providing basic information on proper wage payments and working hours, safety and hygiene at work, union organizing rights, and complaints-lodging channels. They also provide the instructions on how to use the automated teller machines, 81 of which have been installed in the 22 coastal provinces, according to the statement. The information is available in the form of leaflets and video clips that can be accessed via the QR code as shown on the leaflets, and, apart from the Thai version, are also translated into English, Myanmar, and Cambodian languages in order to truly reach out to all migrant workers, the government said. The death penalty is not about whether people deserve to die for the crimes they commit, as Bryan Stevenson, executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, frequently explains. The real question of capital punishment in this country is, Do we deserve to kill? For those of us who are most familiar with the legal deficiencies and human cruelties of capital punishment, the answer is a resounding no. Nebraskas execution of Carey Dean Moore this morning proves the point. As a society, we have determined that a death sentence requires that our process for determining who is guilty, for determining whom should be executed, and for executing humanely are transparent and above reproach. By any standard, Nebraska should not have had the authority to kill Moore today with an experimental fentanyl drug protocol. Moores case is remarkable for several reasons. First, he has spent 38 years on death row, the longest known period between death sentence and execution in American history. Second, six years ago, he gave up all appeals and refused to fight for his life. On the surface, it may appear that Nebraska could execute Mr. Moore without judicial oversight or safeguards because Moore agreed to be executed. But looking more deeply, we know Moores decision to stop fighting for his life is the result of Nebraska holding him for decades on death row without executing him. As Moore faced the prospect of execution for nearly 40 years, the state frittered away the time with unconstitutional delay and bumbles. Years of Nebraskas delay took place as it fought to execute Moore and other prisoners using the electric chair, which every other state had abandoned, until 2008 when the Nebraska Supreme Court stepped in and ruled such executions unconstitutional. During these delays, Moore was losing the will to live under threat of execution. When his will expired and he dropped his defenses, Nebraskas Gov. Peter Ricketts rushed to carry out his signature issue the death penalty no matter the cost. Our legal system can only work properly when representatives for both sides fight as hard as they can, so a judge or jury can see the best of the arguments on each side and then decide a just outcome. In this case, that did not happen. Moores appointed attorney asked the court earlier this month to be relieved because he could not, consistent with a lawyers ethics, disobey Moores directive not to fight. Using delay, Nebraska has been able to snuff out all of the arguments on the other side. If a zealous attorney could fight for Moores life, what would she have said? The attorney could have shown the court that this lethal-injection protocol featuring fentanyl is unconstitutional, because it constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, as a Nevada court has found of a similar protocol. The protocol follows the fentanyl with a drug to paralyze the prisoner before injecting the final, painful heart-stopping medication. So paralyzed, no one in the execution room could see whether the fentanyl had rendered Moore unconscious and unable to feel pain before the painful drugs were injected. Moores attorney could have argued that Nebraska is operating in secret when the state is exercising its most dangerous authority taking a human life. Nebraska has dodged a May 2018 ruling by a state trial court that it has been evading Nebraska public-records law by withholding information about the execution drugs in its possession. Nebraska has filed an appeal and argued that state law allows it to continue withholding the public information until it loses the appeal. Moores attorney could have joined her client as a plaintiff in a pending lawsuit showing that Nebraska broke the law by evading the administrative steps required in passing its lethal injection protocol. Or she could have joined him in the lawsuit filed by the ACLU. The suit argued that after the Nebraska Legislature repealed the death penalty in 2015 and made this relief retroactive to prisoners already sentenced to death the state could no longer execute them. Because Moore would not join the lawsuit, Nebraska was able to argue the execution should proceed as though the lawsuit calling into question the legality of the execution did not exist at all. Finally, as various justices of the Supreme Court have suggested, a lawyer fighting for Moore would have argued that keeping him on death row for 38 years, longer than any other prisoner, made his execution unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendments prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. People who love justice hate nothing more than a justice system where only one side is able to fight. Nebraska accomplished just such a one-sided battle by delaying Mr. Moore's execution until he gave up. And then we all sat helplessly by as a state, which has shown it did not deserve this irrevocable and horrible authority, executed a fellow human being. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde Iran Human Rights (Aug 14, 2018): A prisoner was executed at Ardabil Central Prison on murder charges. According to a close source, on the morning of Monday, August 13, a prisoner was executed at Ardabil Central Prison. The prisoner, sentenced to death on murder charges, was identified as Moslem Shiri, 37. He was arrested on the charge of murder in June 2009. According to HRANA news agency, Moslem Shiri went on a hunger strike for a week in December last year in protest against the continuous harassment by prison authorities. The execution of this prisoner has not been announced by the state-run media so far. According to Iran Human Rights annual report on the death penalty, 240 of the 517 execution sentences in 2017 were implemented due to murder charges. There is a lack of a classification of murder by degree in Iran which results in issuing a death sentence for any kind of murder regardless of intensity and intent. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde 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. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde Kochi: The Cochin international airport which is still submerged in flood waters wont open on Saturday as expected. A CIAL release on Thursday said that the airport operations have been temporarily suspended upto 2 pm, August 26 due to very high flood situation and with key essential facilities like runway, taxiway, apron. NAV aids are under submerged condition. The Central government, in a release, however said that Trivandrum and Calicut airports are available for scheduled operations of the Cochin airport. For international operations, both immigration and customs facilities are available 24x7 at these airports. Trivandrum airport can also accommodate wide body aircraft. In view of the above and to cater for 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, the release said. A fully-submerged car at Edappally in Kochi on Thursday as rains battered the city for the second day in succession. (Image: PTI, ARUN CHANDRABOSE) Scheduled domestic airlines have also been advised to operate relief flights to Trivandrum/ Calicut for passengers of diverted flights, who have landed at Bangalore, Coimbatore and Chennai on August 15 morning instead of Cochin, it said. All scheduled domestic airlines have been advised to ensure that airfares for flights to/from Trivandrum and Calicut airports in Kerala are kept at optimal level proportionate to sector distance so that travelling public is not inconvenienced. Flights of foreign airlines viz. Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, Fly Dubai, Jazeera, Oman Air, Qatar, Saudia Airlines and Srilankan have been rescheduled for Trivandrum airport. Foreign airlines viz. Air Asia Berhad, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airlines, Malindo, Scoot, Silk Air and Thai Air Asia have suspended their flights to/from Cochin. Meanwhile, the Odisha government announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 crore for Kerala, where the death toll since August 8 has risen to 75. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik talked to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan over telephone, following which the financial aid was announced, the CMO said. Mr Patnaik also offered any other kind of support required to tackle the calamity, as Odisha has expertise in dealing with disasters, it said. I am a retired newspaperman. I live in Poca, WV, with my wife of 44 years, Lou Ann. I grew up in Cleveland. Three kids. Grandfather. Report all errors to DonSurber@GMail.com An employee counting money at a bank in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpres/Anh Tu Moody's on Tuesday upgraded the ratings of 14 Vietnamese banks following its recent upgrade of the countrys sovereign rating. The credit rating agency upgraded the long-term local and foreign-currency deposit and issuer ratings of Vietcombank, BIDV and VietinBank. It also upgraded the long-term counterparty risk ratings (CRR) and counterparty risk assessments (CRAs) of VietinBank and BIDV. It upgraded the long-term foreign-currency deposit ratings of Asia Commercial Bank (ACB), Military Bank, and Techcombank. The long-term CRR and CRA of Saigon - Hanoi Bank, HDBank and Orient Commercial Joint Stock Bank (OCB) have also been upgraded. Today's rating actions on the 14 Vietnamese banks are driven by Moody's upgrade of Vietnam's sovereign rating to Ba3 from B1, the agency said in a release. Last Friday it changed its outlook on Vietnam from positive to stable and assessed that government debt would remain steady at close to 52 percent of GDP. A worker works on a steel structure at a construction site of a new residential apartment in Hanoi. Photo by Reuters/Kham Vietnam should consider the unhealthy implications of the large role that FDI plays in the national economy, economists say. In an interview with VnExpress International, Head of the Vietnam Association of Foreign Investment Enterprises (VAFIE), Nguyen Mai, said he is worried about the quality of FDI inflow. Thus far, FDI has mostly targeted business fields like real estate and manufacturing industries with low added value. Foreign investors have engaged in very little technology transfer to benefit Vietnam, others noted. "Technology transfer between foreign investors and local firms has not met our expectations," said lawmaker Hoang Quang Ham. Furthermore, Vietnams hope for stronger links between FDI firms and local counterparts, enabling greater global supply chain participation, has also not materialized. Vu Tien Loc, Chairman of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), put it this way. He said Vietnamese companies were still lonely and unable to tie the knot with FDI businesses. Both sides of the equation have been blaming each other for the status-quo. While local enterprises complain about FDI firms unwillingness to cooperate and guide them on joining global supply chains and sharing mutual benefits, the latter blames the lack of cooperation on the formers limited capacity, Loc told VnExpress. Legislator Tran Hoang Ngan said: "The government should establish strict criteria to attract FDI, with a focus on environment protection, and choose foreign investors that do not have bad reputations." Economists also said Vietnam should reduce the reliance on FDI and boost development of local private firms. In the long run, economic development cannot rely on foreign firms because they will just leave for other markets when they feel Vietnam no longer has competitive advantages. The focus should therefore be on strengthening domestic firms, they said. Pushing domestic production is better for Vietnam in the long run, economist Le Dang Doanh stressed. According to international norms, FDI should account for only five percent of gross capital formation, but in Vietnam, it now makes up 25 percent, which may pose risks to the economy. In the first 7 months of this year, FDI pledges for new projects, increased capital and stake acquisitions rose 4.6 percent from a year earlier to $22.94 billion, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment. The disbursed FDI hit $9.85 billion, up 8.8 percent year-on-year. In 2017, Vietnam's total FDI was around $36 billion with the manufacturing, distribution and real estate industries attracting a lot of overseas investors. A record high disbursement rate of $17.5 billion was also seen. Also last year, Japan surpassed South Korea to become Vietnams top FDI partner. 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. Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 started capturing dogs they found without owners on Wednesday. In a campaign aimed to ensure traffic safety, cleanliness and urban aesthetics, workers from the public order management team and the animal health division of the central district caught five dogs and kept them at an animal detention facility on Mai Thi Luu Street, Da Kao Ward. They would be fed and cared for until their owners come to reclaim them after paying a fine. Vietnamese laws require dogs to be muzzled and chained in public, among other things, and failure to comply can cost the owners VND600,000-1.6 million ($26-71). Truong Nhat went to the facility to reclaim his dog on Wednesday morning. He knew the authorities were patrolling the streets looking for stray dogs, but had been careless, he admitted. I just have to be more careful next time. He had to pay VND1.4 million ($62) for letting his dog out unsupervised and failing to produce vaccination certificates for his dogs. Last month, vice chairman of Saigons District 1 and the de facto leader of its cleanup campaign, Doan Ngoc Hai, already said that district officials should first educate the public about the negative impacts of letting their dogs roam free, the importance of vaccinating them to prevent the spread of diseases, and other factors, before authorities start punishing cases of violation. Two black bears held captive for bile released after 18 years in Vietnam A man handed over two black bears to activists Tuesday, promising the animals a new life after 18 years in captivity. Tran Van Trach has iron cages in a small courtyard behind his house in the northern Thai Nguyen Province and held around 10 bears for commercial bile extraction. The animals, called Hoa Lan and Hoa Tra, were held in cramped, two-meter-high cages for the last two decades at a bear farm in Thai Nguyen. They weigh 160 kilograms (352 lbs) and 180 kilograms (374 lbs) respectively. A group of activists from Four Paws, an international animal welfare organization, and doctors brought medicines and necessary equipment to carry out the rescue. A doctor uses a blowpipe to shoot a tranquilizer into one of the bears before taking it out of the cage. The tranquilized bear awaits rescue. The bear is weighed to assess its health. Experts examine the animal and take samples of blood, hair, feces, and urine. The two bears were found suffering from obesity, gall bladder damage, urinary tract infection, damaged nails, and tooth decay, said Johanna Painer, a consultant at Ninh Binh Bear sanctuary in the namesake province, two hours south of Hanoi. Volunteers struggle to carry the huge bears through a narrow entrance. The animals are expected to be isolated for three weeks to receive treatment from caretakers and veterinarians before being released into a semi-natural environment at the sanctuary. Vietnam is home to the Asian black bear and sun bear, both listed as vulnerable species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The extraction of bile from living bears is illegal in parts of Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, where bear bile has for long been used as a remedy in traditional Chinese medicine. Vietnam banned commercial bear bile extraction in 2005, but more than a decade later bile farming remains a problem. The government signed an agreement last July to work with animal activists to shut down all bile farms and free the remaining 1,000 bears in captivity by 2020. A storm stands at a village in north central Vietnam as storm Son Tinh hit in July 2018. The area is bracing for another storm this week. Photo by VnExpress/Hai Binh With typhoon Bebinca set to make landfall Friday morning, Vietnamese authorities are mobilizing all forces to mitigate its impacts. As of Thursday morning, the center of the tropical storm was around 170 kilometers (105 miles) off the coast off Mong Cai in the northern province of Quang Ninh, carrying maximum wind speeds of 90 kilometers per hour, according to the National Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Center. The storm is expected to travel westward at 10 kilometers per hour and make landfall in the northern region -- from Thai Binh to Thanh Hoa Provinces -- in the early hours of Friday morning before weakening into a low pressure zone. Weather experts say northern Vietnam and the north-central delta should expect heavy rainfall and gusty winds until Saturday. Hanoi will be in the area with heavy impacts, as many downpours with rainfall of up to 300mm each have been forecast. In Quang Ninh Province, which is home to the popular Ha Long Bay, officials have suspended all night cruises. Border and coast guards from Quang Ninh down to Quang Binh Province in the central region have also ordered mass evacuation of fishing boats, fish cages and watch towers to safer areas. No ships and fishing boats are operating in flood-prone areas, said a representative from the Office of Vietnam's National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue Operations. Vietnams defense ministry has called for the mobilization of more than 500,000 people - soldiers, members of the police force and civilian volunteers, to stand ready to help residents in storm-hit areas. Around 2,700 vehicles, including 35 vessels, 1,570 cars and others have been mobilized to evacuate residents in case of emergency. Flooding has been warned in the delta area, and landslides and erosion in the northern highlands. Storm Bibenca rages over Vietnam waters on Thursday morning, as shown in a satellite image from the National Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Center. Nguyen Xuan Cuong, head of the disaster prevention committee, said Wednesday that concerned agencies should take urgent measures to ensure safety of residents in storm-prone areas. He asked provincial leaders to stay in contact with fishing boats, evacuate residents to safety and make plans to limit damages caused by the storm. The northern coast includes busy marine economic zones like Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, which are heavily reliant on fishing and vulnerable to floods and landslides, Cuong said. This is the fourth storm to form this year in the East Sea, also know as the South China Sea. Two other storms, Yagi and Leepi, have formed in the South China Sea now. The third storm, Son Tinh, which hit northern and central Vietnam last month, triggered floods and landslides that killed at least 27 people. Vietnam was struck by a record-breaking number of 16 tropical storms in 2017 that left 389 people dead or missing and injured 668 others, mostly in northern and central regions. The General Statistics Office estimated damage at around VND60 trillion ($2.64 billion), 1.5 times the previous years figure. Damrey, one of the most destructive storms last year, hit Vietnam in November and killed at least 106 people. A woman performs procedures for a new ID card at a police station in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved a plan to reduce the number of civil servants by 2 percent to 259,590. This number would include all civil servants working in state agencies and administrative organizations, as also those working for Vietnam's diplomatic missions overseas, special associations and civil servants reserves. However, those working for the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of National Defense, public administrative units and commune-level civil servants are excluded from the plan. Out of the 259,590 civil servants approved for 2019, 258,160 will work for state agencies and administrative bodies, including 105,180 working for agencies and organizations at or directly under ministry level and 151,900 working for provincial and district level units. At least 1,060 civil servants will work in Vietnam's diplomatic missions overseas, 740 in reserves and 680 in special associations. The Prime Minister has asked the Minister of Home Affairs to assign specific numbers of civil servants to state agencies, organizations, diplomatic missions and specialized associations in accordance with the approved numbers. In 2018, the number of civil servants on state payroll was 265,100. Data from the General Statistics Office showed that at the end of last year there were more than 5.2 million people working in the public sector. The size of Vietnams public sector compared to the population is among the biggest in Southeast Asia, according to the World Bank. Last year, Prime Minister Phuc ordered government offices to reduce staff numbers by between 1.5 and 2 percent every year over the next five years to save costs. The downtown area of Ho Chi Minh City at night. Photo by Nguyen The Duong/VnExpress Photo Contest Vietnams two biggest cities are among top five improvers in a global ranking of most liveable cities. In the Economist Intelligence Unit's ranking of the world's most liveable cities, Hanoi and HCMC are two of the five biggest improvers in the last five years along with Abidjan in Cote dIvoire, Belgrade in Serbia, and Tehran in Iran. Out of the 140 cities surveyed, Hanoi ranks 107 with an overall rating of 59.7 out of 100, marking a five-year rise of 5.5 percentage points. HCMC is at 116 with 57.1 points, rising 4.4 percentage points. This year, Melbourne in Australia gave up the throne after reigning for seven years in a row. Vienna has the top spot now, marking the very first time the Austrian capital has ever made it that far. Although both Melbourne and Vienna have registered improvements in liveability over the last six months, increases in Viennas ratings, particularly in the stability category, gave it the edge. The two cities are now separated by 0.7 of a percentage point, with Vienna scoring a near-ideal 99.1 out of 100 and Melbourne scoring 98.4. Other cities that have made it to the top ten this year include Osaka in Japan, Canadas Calgary, Australias Sydney, Canadas Vancouver, Canadas Toronto, Japans Tokyo, Denmarks Copenhagen, and Australias Adelaide. To come up with the rating, Economist evaluated the cities in over 30 qualitative and quantitative factors across five broad categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Each factor in a city was rated as acceptable, tolerable, uncomfortable, undesirable or intolerable. In January, Hanoi and HCMC were said to be among the top 10 cheapest cities in Southeast Asia this year. The capital city and the nations commercial hub took the 7th and 9th place respectively (out of 27) in the Cost of Living Index 2018 compiled by Numbeo, the worlds largest database of user contributed data about cities and countries worldwide. A hooded man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture. Photoo by Reuters/Kacper Pempel Chinese state-sponsored hackers may be targeting Malaysian firms and state agencies, FireEye says. The attacks may be coming as Malaysia looks to review several major projects linked to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, the cybersecurity firm said on Wednesday. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who took power after an election win in May, will be in China on Friday seeking to renegotiate and possibly cancel billions of dollars worth of Chinese-invested projects authorized by his predecessor, Najib Razak. Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), unveiled in 2013, aims to develop a network of land and sea links with Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. FireEye said it had found indications that cyber espionage activities were increasing throughout Southeast Asia, as China-based groups and others sought to gain information on BRI projects and deals. Malaysias recent political changes and its reassessment of China-backed projects put it at heightened risk of such activity, FireEyes head of global intelligence operations, Sandra Joyce, told a media briefing. Malaysia is looking more and more like a typical target of Chinese state-sponsored cyber activity, she said. As Chinese investments continue to be scrutinized, that is going to be a motivator for groups ... to gain more intelligence and information on the future of these projects. The Malaysian prime ministers office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while a spokesman for the foreign ministry declined to comment. China opposes all forms of hacking, its foreign ministry told Reuters in a statement. China is a resolute protector of internet security, and advocates that the international community should jointly face internet security threats via dialogue and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, it added. Joyce said Malaysian targets could include any company or agency involved in a $20-billion East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project. The 688-km (428-mile) project, linking Malaysias west coast with ports in the east, has been suspended pending discussions over pricing and graft allegations. Mahathirs government also halted work on two projects worth more than $2.3 billion awarded to the China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau. Joyce said its observations on Malaysia were in keeping with developments in other countries with major BRI interests such as Belarus, which has been targeted by a Chinese group called Roaming Tiger. FireEye said in July that a China-based group identified as TEMP.Periscope had interfered in a general election in Cambodia, breaching systems used by several Cambodian state agencies and political entities. Tun Hung Seong was arrested in April last year after a tipoff that he had hired a man to smuggle nearly 300 kilograms of crystal meth through southern Thailand. Photo by AFP A Malaysian drug dealer was sentenced to death Thursday for running a narcotics network that funnelled huge profits. Tun Hung Seong, dubbed the "Iceman," was arrested in April last year after a tipoff that he had hired a man to smuggle nearly 300 kilograms of crystal meth -- known as ice -- through the violence-scarred south. Investigators believe he acted as a gatekeeper to the Malaysian drug market just over the border and laundered money through karaoke bars, hotels and restaurants. The Bangkok court convicted Tun, 65, on drug trafficking charges alongside two Thai women and a Taiwanese man. All four were sentenced to death, although the sentences of the Taiwanese man and one of the Thai women were reduced to life imprisonment due to their "useful" confessions. Situated along the drug-running routes of the "Golden Triangle," Thailand provides overland routes for the smuggling of meth from factories in lawless parts of neighbouring Myanmar and Laos, in a trade estimated to be worth $40 billion a year. Drug seizures across the region have shot up to record levels in recent months. Malaysian authorities in May said they seized a record 1.2 tons of crystal meth from Myanmar hidden in tea packets, believed to be the largest ever in the country in terms of value and weight. Thailand torched more than six tonnes of narcotics in June, most of it meth. From October to July this year, some 1,705 drug cases were reported in the kingdom, compared to 453 in the same period the year before. Suspects convicted of serious drug offences face harsh sentences in Thailand in one of its many overcrowded prisons. The country carried out its first execution since 2009 in June, after previously sending signals it would abolish the practice. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his State of the Nation address at the House of Representatives in Quezon city, Metro Manila, Philippines, July 23, 2018. Photo by Reuters/Czar Dancel Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said in a rare rebuke of Beijing he wants China to rethink its conduct in the South China Sea. He also said that that China has no right to repel foreign aircraft and boats passing by its artificial islands in the disputed waterway, which Vietnam calls the East Sea. Duterte said he hoped China would temper its behavior and stop restricting movements, which could lead to a confrontation, possibly with treaty ally the United States. The Philippines was close enough to be put in danger, he said. China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei have competing claims to the Spratly archipelago, where China has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands that appear to be military installations, from which its personnel routinely instructs foreign vessels to leave. They have to rethink that because that would be a flashpoint someday, Duterte said in a speech late on Tuesday. You cannot create an island. Its man-made and you say that the air above this artificial island is yours. That is wrong because those waters are what we would consider international sea. And the right of innocent passage is guaranteed, he said. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Duterte has a policy of engagement with Beijing, in the hope of securing billions of dollars in grants, loans and investments, and has rejected criticism that he is acquiescing to Chinese pressure or surrendering Philippines sovereignty. However, instead of blaming China for building and militarising islands in disputed waters, he has said the United States was at fault for not blocking the construction when it started. Thai Deputy Police Chief Wirachai Songmetta inspects blocks of electronic waste hidden in a freight container during a search at Leam Chabang port. Photo by Reuters Thailand will ban imports of 432 types of scrap electronics within six months, an official said on Thursday. The move made Thailand the latest country to respond to Chinas crackdown on imports of high-tech trash this year. Southeast Asia nations fear they are the new dumping ground for the worlds trash after China banned the entry of several types of waste as part of a campaign against foreign garbage. Thailands ban comes weeks after regional neighbour Vietnam said it would stop issuing new licenses for waste imports and crack down on illegal shipments of paper, plastic and metal. The Thai ban covers 432 types of electronic refuse from electronic circuit boards to old television and radio parts and will take effect within six months, a senior environment ministry official told Reuters on Thursday. He said the ban was agreed at a meeting on Wednesday chaired by Surasak Kanchanarat, the environment minister. The meeting yesterday passed a resolution to stop importing 432 kinds of electronic waste and to ensure...that this is enforced within six months, said the official, who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Mongukol Pruekwatana, director general of the department of industrial works, told Reuters a full list of banned items would be announced soon. E-waste - commonly defined as any device with an electric cord or battery - can be mined for valuable metals such as gold, silver and copper. However, it can also include hazardous material such as lead, mercury and cadmium. Surasak told Thai media on Wednesday that imports of some electronic appliances and second-hand devices would be allowed if these items can be repaired and reused. Scrap metal, including aluminum, copper and steel, can still be imported for industrial use, but must be separated at the country of origin and cleaned, he said. Thailands e-waste ban follows a series of raids that began in May on factories accused of illegally importing and processing electronic waste. Environmentalists say waste once destined for China is being re-routed to Southeast Asia, and new laws are needed or existing laws better enforced to prevent illegal imports. Vietnams central bank said on Wednesday it has asked banks to tighten lending to projects deemed environmentally unfriendly. It said banks must have strategies for environmental risk management by 2025. Thailand also planned to ban imports of plastic waste in the next two years, the environment ministry official said, but he gave no details of the programme. The death of a pilot whale in June found with some 80 pieces of plastic rubbish in its stomach focused attention on what environmentalists call Thailands addiction to plastic bags and packaging. Thailands military government has said improving the countrys waste management infrastructure is a priority and set goals for 2021. They included cutting the use of plastic bags and bottles in government agencies and businesses, and plastic bans in tourist destinations. A tax on plastic bags has also been mentioned, along with a target to recycle up to 60 percent of plastic by 2021. Russia's Gazprom supplies over 1.5 bcm of gas to occupied Donbas in H1 Gazprom's shipments to the occupied areas of Donbas in the first six months of 2018 grew by 10.4% year-over-year. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Budget receipts from customs duties up 15% in January-July The volume of taxable imports of goods for the reporting period increased by 5%. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Ukraine's only importer of nickel ore and producer of ferronickel is Pobuzhskiy Ferronickel Plant. Ukraine's imports of nickel ore and concentrate in January-July increased by 13.4% year-on-year to 891,670 metric tons (mt) from 786,140 mt, the state customs service said Thursday. The value of imports of nickel ore and concentrate rose to $43.6 million from $38.4 million in January-July 2017, S&P Global Platts said. Over January through June, Ukraine received 71% of the total imports of the commodity from Guatemala and 29% from Indonesia. Last year, all Ukraine's imports of nickel ore and concentrate came from Guatemala. In July, Ukraine imported 143,800 mt of the commodity, up from 96,080 mt in July 2017 and up from 136,850 mt imported in June, the customs service said. Read alsoUkraine sees increase in steel production in seven months Nickel ore is a raw material for production of ferronickel, which is used as an alloy addition in steel smelting. Ukraine's only importer of nickel ore and producer of ferronickel, Pobuzhskiy Ferronickel Plant (PFP), is capable of processing about 1.6 million mt of wet ore to produce about 100,000 mt/year of ferronickel. The company exports most of the output. PFP produced 35,280 mt of ferronickel in the first six months of the year, down 2.3% from 36,120 mt produced in January-June 2017. The company processed 679,050 mt of nickel ore in January-June, up 6.1% on the year. In 2017, Ukraine's imports of nickel ore and concentrate decreased by 4.4% to 1.31 million mt from 1.37 million mt in 2016. "Only bears will go to Moscow": Ukraine's infrastructure minister signs "historic document" "Today I signed a historical document. Now, only bears will go to Moscow, as in the good old days," wrote the official. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Attacking Ukraine, the Washington Times destroys its reputation - InfoResist The expert also recalls an earlier published piece on "Ukrainian engines supplied to North Korea," full of trumped-up allegations playing along with the Russian narrative. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter The Department of State has designated Qassim Abdullah Ali Ahmed, also known as Qassim al-Muamen, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224. This designation imposes sanctions on foreign persons who have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism. Such a designation seeks to deny al-Muamen the resources to plan and carry out terrorist attacks. Among other consequences, all his property and interests subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and Americans are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him. Al-Muamen is an Iran-based leader of al-Ashtar Brigades, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist that seeks to overthrow the Bahraini government. Al-Muamen has recruited terrorists in Bahrain, facilitated training on weapons and explosives for al-Ashtar Brigades members, and supplied members with funding, weapons, and explosives to carry out attacks. In November 2017, Bahraini authorities identified al-Muamen as being involved in an al-Ashtar Brigades plot to assassinate prominent figures in Bahrain and target three oil pipelines. This designation action notifies the U.S. public and the international community that Qassim al-Muamen has committed, or poses a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism. Designations of terrorist individuals and groups expose and isolate them and deny them access to the U.S. financial system. Moreover, designations can assist the law enforcement actions of other U.S. agencies and governments. The United States remains committed to rooting out all terrorists, including Qassim Abdullah Ali Ahmed, wherever they may hide. 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 Nikol Pashinyan: Fraudsters have nothing to do with these elections (video) Today, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan began the session of the government with the following statement: "It is the 100th day of our government's activity, and I want to record that we have solved our main task in this 100 days, which was ensuring the normal functioning of the country in the post-revolutionary period and the continuous development of the economy." The term of office of Yerevan Council of Elders has been reduced. The decision was taken today at the Government session. The Central Electoral Commission will announce the day of Yerevan City Council's snap elections. "These elections should be exceptional in terms of their transparency. Fraudsters have nothing to do with these elections; no election bribe should be registered in this election. Any unlawful will of the RA citizen should be ruled out, and this is the responsibility of the Government," said Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. The Government also decided to allocate 87 million 666 thousand drams to the Police of the Republic of Armenia. The brand Ukraine NOW has received one of the most prestigious awards in the world from Red Dot design, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said. "This is recognition of our creative industry and the excellent promotion of the state. Works recognized by the award are exhibited in the leading museums of contemporary design Red Dot in Germany's Essen," Groysman said on his Facebook page. The prime minister said an excellent image cannot create a great image, but is an important part of it. "We will continue work on the brand so that foreigners recognize, respect and admire the achievements of our country," Groysman said. As reported, on May 10, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the form of the brand (symbol) of Ukraine Ukraine NOW and instructed the Information Policy Ministry to register the brand and label. In particular, the brand is the inscription "Ukraine NOW" (the word "Ukraine" without the color filling, the word "NOW" in the yellow filling, and also the symbol in the blue circle at the end of the inscription, which can be changed depending on the situation). The government also instructed the Information Policy Ministry to register the brand and design the standard how to apply it. The secretary of the Information Policy Ministry, Artem Bidenko, said that the brandbook of Ukraine will be designed on the basis of this symbol. The World Bank at the request of the Ukrainian authorities is preparing a policy-based guarantee (PBG) to support key policy and institutional reforms to promote economic growth, fiscal sustainability, and improved governance. "Once appraised and approved, the proposed operation would provide a $650 million IBRD guarantee that is expected to help Ukraine raise about $800 million through a private transaction in the lending market," a report on the bank's Facebook page reads. "In order to proceed with the proposed operation, it will be necessary to confirm the completion of all reform actions and the adequacy of the macroeconomic framework. In this context, it is critical to enact state-owned bank law No. 8331d and the resumption of credit law No. 6027d, both of which were approved by the Verkhovna Rada in July 2018. It is also critical for the authorities to reach agreement on the fourth review of Ukraine's program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), without which the proposed operation will be unable to proceed," the document reads. "The World Bank encourages the Ukrainian authorities to complete the pending reform actions and reach an agreement on the IMF fourth review," the bank stated. Hryvnia on interbank market weakens by 26 kopecks at once The forex rate of the hryvnia against the U.S. dollar on the interbank forex market plunged to UAH 27.765 from UAH 27.505 per U.S. dollar on the previous trading day, dealers of commercial banks told Interfax-Ukraine. Quotations by the end of trading were UAH 27.75-27.78 per U.S. dollar. The Central Bank's reference forex rate fell to UAH 27.6377 per U.S. dollar on Thursday from UAH 27.4472 per U.S. dollar on Wednesday. Militants in Donbas have fired 43 times on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Donbas over the past 24 hours, including six times from heavy weapons, wounding two Ukrainian servicemen, the press center of the headquarters of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) has said on its Facebook page. "The enemy opened fire 43 times on the positions of our troops, including six times from weapons proscribed by the Minsk agreements [...]Two defenders of Ukraine were injured in fighting," the report says. Illegal armed groups used grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms, and in some areas IFV weapons. The use of 120mm and 82mm mortars was also recorded. Militants fired on the defenders of Krymske, Novozvanivka, Svitlodarsk, Luhanske, Novoluhansk, Mayorsk, Maryinka, Avdiyivka, Opytne, Pisky, Krasnohorivka, Novotroitske, Novomykhailivka, Kamianka, Chermalyk, Hnutove, Lebedynske, Pavlopil, Vodiane and Shyrokyne. They also fired from 120mm mortars near Svitlodarsk and Hnutove and from 82mm mortars near Krymske, Luhanske and Hnutove. Small arms were used near Stanytsia Luhanska. During the current day, militants opened fire three times on Ukrainian positions near the settlements of Svitlodorsk, Pavlopil and Vodiane. "It should be noted that this night, for the first time in the last few months, the enemy used BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers. Rocket explosions were recorded at positions near Svitlodarsk. The enemy also opened fire on these positions from a 120mm mortar. There are no losses among the military of the Joint Forces during the current day," the report says. According to Ukrainian intelligence, two militants were killed and three were injured. The Ukrainian Culture Ministry, on the basis of an appeal from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), has added four more individuals to the list of those who pose a threat to Ukraine's national security. According to the updated list of the Culture Ministry as of August 15, which was published on the ministry's website, this list includes Russian-speaking writer, historian and politician from Ukraine Lev Vershinin, as well as Russian writers Zakhar Prilepin, Alexander Tamonikov and Alexander Shirokorad. The list of persons who pose a threat to national security is made up by the Ukrainian Culture Ministry on the basis of appeals from the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting. The list currently includes 138 people. Some 449 persons involved in illegal armed formations have been detained in the area of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) in Donbas since its beginning on April 30, Joint Forces Commander Serhiy Nayev has said. "Structural subdivisions of the Joint Forces, including law enforcement and reconnaissance capabilities, carried out significant work to identify individuals who are taking part in hostilities on the side of the Russian occupation forces. Some of them have already been detained on Ukrainian territory and brought to justice, and another part was finally neutralized," Nayev said at a press conference in Severodonetsk (Luhansk region) on Thursday. He also said that since the beginning of the JFO the number of roadblocks in Donetsk and Luhansk regions had been reduced from 147 to 43, six of which are mobile. In addition, 1,500 hectares of area, about 30 kilometers of roads and almost 15 hectares of the sea have been checked for explosive items over this period. "In less than three months, the units of the Joint Forces discovered and destroyed over 64,000 explosive items," Nayev said. He recalled that the main goal of the JFO is the creation of safe conditions for the multi-vector revival of Donbas, the restoration of the rule of law and complete cessation of hostilities. "In a fairly short time we managed to give people the confidence that the achievement of peace in Donbas is quite realistic, and this reality will come very soon," Nayev said. Since the start of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) in eastern Ukraine on April 30, 2018, Ukrainian soldiers have re-taken control of 15 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory, JFO Commander Serhiy Nayev has said. "In the course of stabilization actions since the beginning of the operation, we managed to ensure and maintain full control over the line of contact, a proper level of security and stability in all areas. Equipment of the supply line in the Volnovakha, Horlivka, Severodonetsk and Svitlodarsk sectors allowed us to retake about 15 square kilometers of Ukrainian land, including settlements," Nayev said at a press conference in Severodonetsk, Luhansk region, on Thursday. He said Pivdenne (Donetsk region) and Zolote-4 (Luhansk region) settlements were returned to Ukrainian control. "The lives of people there began returning to normal," Nayev said. The commander said the achievements were made without violating the Minsk agreements. He recalled that the Ukrainian military has been following the ceasefire agreement since July 1. "Our troops are only responding to provocations by Russian occupation forces, which ignore the Minsk agreements," he said. Interfax-Ukraine announces press conference titled 'Shocking Growth of Prices on Electricity for Household Consumer: Institute of Energy Strategies Presents Calculation of Tariffs the Cabinet Undecided to Disclose' On Friday, August 17, at 13.00, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference titled "Shocking Growth of Prices on Electricity for Household Consumer: Institute of Energy Strategies Presents Calculation of Tariffs the Cabinet Undecided to Disclose." Participants will include member of the Supervisory Board of the Energy Strategy Institute Yuriy Korolchuk, Co-Chairman of the Energy Strategies Fund Dmytro Marunych (8/5a Reitarska Street). Admission requires press accreditation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a near monopoly on power in his country, wielding robust control over the economy, the media, and the army. Yet the authoritarian leader has blamed foreign "plots" and domestic saboteurs for the currency crisis and economic hardship plaguing the country. Having dominated Turkish politics for more than 15 years, first as prime minister and since 2014 as president, Erdogan has blamed the plummeting value of the national currency, the lira, on "economic terrorists on social media" and a "political, underhand plot" by the United States, a NATO ally. Erdogan's provocative remarks have raised eyebrows, but the combative leader has often resorted to the blame game when his back is against the wall. He blamed a failed coup in 2016 on U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen without providing any evidence. He then instigated a massive purge on tens of thousands of alleged Gulen supporters in Turkey that rights groups said was a pretext to stifle dissent. But Erdogan is not the only autocratic leader to condemn domestic and foreign enemies to deflect blame and attention from his own failings. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Russian President Vladimir Putin have also blamed Western "plots," fifth columnists, and "foreign agents" for the countries' economic and political plights. Continue reading the article India, the second biggest crude oil customer for Iran, may cut its imports from the Islamic Republic by half to secure a waiver from the U.S. to continue with shipments, Bloomberg has cited people familiar with the matter as saying. According to Bloombergs report, officials from the U.S. had discussed the issue of a conditional waiver on sanctions in talks last month in New Delhi, requesting not to be identified as the discussion was private. India has expressed its inability to scrap oil imports from Iran completely as its supplies are being offered at competitive rates, the people said. New Delhi expects a response as early as next month when talks resume. India, the worlds third-biggest oil consumer, meets more than 80 percent of its requirements through imports. Iran is its third-largest supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia, and meets about 10 percent of total needs. Immediately after Washingtons withdrawal from Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or Tehrans nuclear deal with world powers, US insisted that it aims to completely cut Iran's oil exports. Nevertheless, President Donald Trumps administration was later forced to reconsider its plans after countries including China and India which together comprise about half of Irans oil exports expressed their inability to halt shipments. Washington is now said to aim at a 50 percent cut in exports when it reimposes energy sanctions in early November. The European Union has also pledged to resist US sanctions on Tehran by implementing legislation allowing European businesses not to comply with US measures against Iran, for example, by trading in non-dollar denominated currencies, so they do not risk being penalized by Washington. Nevertheless, after the first batch of US sanctions against Iran came into effect last week, giant European companies, including France's oil major Total and its carmaker Renault suspended plans to invest in Iran. Furthermore, according to Bloomberg News, It doesnt matter that European governments oppose Trumps withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. Politicians and bureaucrats may work on the continuation of Irans exports of oil and gas, but its companies, not governments, that buy Irans oil. The threat of exclusion from the U.S. market and banking system is enough to stop them buying it, international shipping companies from moving it and insurers from covering that trade. Moreover, analysts believe Iran could still see its oil sales drop by around 700,000 barrels per day from current level of around 2.3 million. Based on Tehrans new decision, Iran has cut another eighty cents from the price of its light grade oil offered to be sold to the Asian buyers next September. Tehran has also decided to offer sixty cents discount for each barrel of its heavy crude oil sought by many Asian countries. India imported 597,000 oil barrels per day from Iran during past six months. Meanwhile, OPEC reported last Monday that Irans oil output has fallen more than 85,000 per day since President Trump dropped JCPOA last May. OPEC also declared the worlds total oil supply rose by 680,000 barrels a day in July, to average 98.53 million barrels a day. Prince Reza Pahlavi says the ongoing protest movement in Iran recognizes and decries the social, political and economic injustices of life under the Islamic Republic. "The protests in Iran are the latest chapter in an almost 40-year struggle. They are not just about economic grievances'the price of eggs,' as some regime sympathizers have said. They are much broader in their scope and deeper in their objective than any single economic or social issue", Prince Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and an advocate of secular democracy for Iran, wrote in an August 15 op-ed titled "Iranians want our country back". It was published simultaneously by the Wall Street Journal and by Radio Farda in Persian. Prince Reza, who regularly tweets about ongoing developments in Iran including the public dissent over discrimination, political pressure and economic hardships, and maintains his ties with his followers on Twitter, further stressed in his article, " The Iranian people have a message: We want our country back." Prince Reza Pahlavi, whose messages on various platforms, and most notably social media, have been resonating among protestors on the streets of Tehran and other Iranian cities since December 2017, is heir to the Pahlavi dynasty whose reign was interrupted by Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini's Islamic Revolution in 1979. Paying tribute to the founder of the dynasty and the architect of modern Iran, Reza Shah, is the subject of one of the most resounding slogans in the protest demonstrations that swept across Iran. The Islamic regime in Iran was surprised to find out that people still remember him and the monarchy after 40 years of anti-monarchy propaganda by the Islamic Republic regime. Beginning his article with an account of the murdering of a young protestor in Karaj near Tehran, Prince Reza echoed the protestor's demands from his Twitter page, "#IranRegimeChangefor freedom, a better life, tranquillity, emotional and economic security, and laughter without stress. In a bid to explain the objective of the protest movement, Prince Reza reiterated that Iranians "seek to put an end to the Islamic Republic not only because it is authoritarian, corrupt and incompetent, but because it is un-Iranian and anti-Iranian." He further explained that the clerics ruling Iran have changed Iran's centuries-old flag, discouraged teaching Iranian history at schools, and denied the nation of the right to gather for special occasions at the tombs of their national heroes, such as Cyrus the Great and national poet Ferdowsi. He also criticized the Islamic regime for its "caste-like system of religious and gender apartheid," and for discriminating against women and religious minorities. Prince Reza summed up Iranians' demands and determination in his article, "Iranians want liberty, justice and opportunity, but they also want their country to enjoy dignity, pride and respect. They want to retake their rightful place among the community of nations." He added that Iranians wish "to be known and admired for the great cultural and scientific contributions of their ancient civilizationIn short, my compatriots want to reclaim Iran from the Islamic Republic." Reza Pahlavi continued that in its 39th year, the Islamic Republic regime has been "never less popular or more in crisis. It faces multiple existential challenges simultaneouslyand, most significantly, an increasingly fearless population engaging in daily acts of resistance and rejection." Criticizing the regime for supressing protest demonstrations and dissent by "insulting, threatening, jailing, torturing and killing innocent Iranians," Prince Reza wrote, "the Islamic Republic rules in fear of the people. " He stressed that the Islamic Republic poses an existential threat to Iran and its people, and that it cannot be reformed. "This path demands civil disobedience, public demonstrations and national strikes aimed at a systemic collapse of the regime. That is the direction of events in Iran today." Prince Reza suggested that "after the regime ends, this path must continue with free and fair elections for a constitutional assembly. Ultimately it must arrive at a national referendum on the establishment of a secular democracy designed to safeguard citizens human rights." However, he made it clear that his own mission is not to assume a personal leadership role in the future state; "it is, and has been for more than 39 years, to serve as a source of hope, a voice for unity, and an instrument of change for the Iranian people. Once my compatriots have reached the milestone of a national referendumonce the Iranian people have the chance to select, for the first time, the leaders of their choosingmy mission will be fulfilled." Iranian media is buzzing over a photo taken of President Hassan Rouhani at a meeting with the heads of Irans legislative and judiciary branches August 14. Some say Rouhani looks angry in the photo, and commentators are taking turns speculating what might be the cause of his ire. During his five-year presidency he has criticized populist former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for his economic and foreign policy failures, and now Rouhani is being criticized for exactly the same reasons. Meanwhile, the support for human rights he professed during his election campaigns is nowhere to be found when his intelligence ministry deals heavy-handedly with peaceful journalists and Sufi protestors. Other reasons for his frustration may include: 10- The picture was taken one day after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei joined other Iranian hardliners to blame Iran's economic crisis on Rouhani and his cabinet's mismanagement. Khamenei admitted that sanctions were to blame "to some extent" but said "the main reason for the sharp decline in the value of the Iranian currency (the rial) was the government's poor performance. He further blamed "the lack of prudence and timely measures" by the government as the main reason for Iran's ongoing economic crisis. Criticizing the mishandling of the foreign currency problem by the government, Khamenei said, "I am not saying this was an act of treason, but what happened marked serious mismanagement in policy-making and controlling the market." 9- On the same day, Khamenei strictly forbade any negotiation with the U.S. government, at least as long as President Trump is in office. This will have dashed Rouhanis hopes of reviving his reputation as a diplomat. 8- A day earlier, Rouhani signed the Caspian convention in Kazakhstan with Russia's President Vladimir Putin, and their counterparts coming from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan. Right or wrong, Iranians believe that Rouhani has compromised Iran's rights and sovereignty by signing the convention. Iranians, particularly on social media, lambasted him, likening him to Qajar politicians who handed over large parts of Iranian territory to Russia in the Turkmenchai and Gulistan accords in the 19th century. Rouhani had promised before leaving Tehran that he was not going to sign anything. However, he signed the convention, saying Irans Parliament would put it to a vote. 7- On August 6 President Donald Trump ordered the implementation of the first phase of renewed U.S. sanctions against Iran and warned European companies that they would face penalties if they continued working with Iran. Subsequently, many European companies still maintaining some sort of presence in Iran left the country despite EU promises to compensate their losses. Daimler, one of the companies that left Iran, said it had greater interests in the U.S. market than in Iran. 6- In a development just one step short of an impeachment, eighty members of the Iranian Parliament tabled a motion August 1 to question Rouhani about his administration's economic policy, which they believe has triggered the countrys economic crisis. 5- On 21 July Rouhani threatened that Iran might close the Strait of Hormuz and "many other straits" to prevent the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf if Trump's threat to reducing Iran's oil sale to zero materialized. While Rouhani expected no one would respond to his big talk, a July 22 Trump tweet in capital letters warned Iran not to "threaten the United States again or you will suffer consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before." While Rouhani always accused his political rivals of dragging the country to the brink of war, now Rouhani has courting controversy with the world's most powerful military force. 4- After Trump offered July 30 to negotiate with Rouhani "without any preconditions," the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) again undermined Rouhani when its commander Mohammad Ali Jafar said July 31 that, "Iranians will not allow their leaders to negotiate with the United States." Earlier July 26, the IRGC's Qods Force Commander Qasem Soleimani directly addressed Trump in response to his threats against Rouhani, saying that he was the person to talk to about Iran's role in the Middle East, thereby undermining Rouhani and his foreign ministry before Rouhani made any move to weigh his possible response. 3- The Iranian economy showed the first signs of an abrupt collapse in February with rising prices and rapid devaluation of the Iranian currency. In March the rate of exchange for the U.S. dollar started an ever-increasing trend. In May the Rouhani administration attempted to impose an artificial rate which the market refused to recognize, and finally, in late July, the rate of exchange for the U.S. dollar hit a record high of 100,000 rials per dollar. Protest demonstrations shook the market in major cities while the price of household goods, food, and housing and travel nearly tripled within a couple of weeks. People started moving out of Tehran and other major cities hoping to find cheaper accommodation in small towns, but they still needed to pay for commuting to Tehran for work. Signs of collapse also emerged in the auto industry and aviation and tourism industries due to rising costs. 2- Rouhani's failure to stand by the promises he made in his election campaign started to hit him during the second term of his presidency. The most significant were his failure to put an end to the house arrest of former Prime Minister Mirhossein Mussavi and his wife Zahra Rahnavard, as well as former Parliament Speaker Mehdi Karroubi; and his inability to save the popular social networking platform Telegram from the clutches of hardliners who finally managed to ban it. Although over 30 million out of 40 million Iranians on Telegram still use the networking tool using anti-filter software, it is evident that he can no longer count on their support. 1-What started in Mashad on December 27, 2017 as a protest against high prices, appeared at first to be an organized mob engineered by Rouhani's political rivals in the hardline-dominated city, but soon it turned into a series of major anti-government demonstrations in over 100 Iranian cities. While sporadic protest demonstrations have taken place since then, at least two major waves of more widespread protests swiped across Iran in July and August. The government prefers to deny and control the demonstrations by portraying them as merely economically motivated mobs, but the slogans chanted by demonstrators target the government and its regional ambitions among other things. The United States says it is "closely monitoring" reports of human rights abuses in Iran, the State Department confirmed Wednesday, August 15. "We are closely monitoring reports of numerous human rights defenders and members of minority groups, such as the Gonabadi Dervishes, who were unlawfully or arbitrarily incarcerated in Iranian regime prisons," the State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters Wednesday. Tehrans Revolution Court on Wednesday condemned a prominent Gonabadi Dervish, Mostafa Abdi, to more than 26-year prison. Abdi was one of the admins in charge of a website exclusively reflecting news related to the Gonabadi dervishes. Seven other dervishes were sentenced to 59 years in total by the same court. The US also raised concerns about the detention of Narges Mohammadi, a mother of two who was recently sentenced to a total of 16 years in prison for peacefully advocating human rights reforms. The United State has also raised concerns about the continued detention of prominent Iranian human rights lawyer Ms. Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is serving a five-year jail sentence. "We are especially concerned about a prominent human rights lawyer named Nasrin Sotoudeh, who has been detained in Tehran Evin Prison since June 2018 and who is facing national security charges for legally representing Iranian woman who was charged for removing her headscarf in public," Nauert said. "The Iranian regime jails people for peacefully exercising their rights, and then jails people were asked to defend them," Nauert said. Meanwhile, the European Union has also expressed serious concerns about the continuing detention of Nasrin Sotoudeh who is currently serving a five-year jail sentence. Sotoudeh, 55, was detained last June amid a crackdown on attorneys representing cases deemed sensitive to the Islamic Republics national security. The EU is seriously concerned about the arrest of the prominent Iranian lawyer and 2012 laureate of the European parliaments Sakharov Prize, Ms Nasrin Sotoudeh, an EU spokesperson told the Guardian on Wednesday. Sotoudeh denies the charges but remains in the womens wing of Tehrans notorious Evin prison after refusing to post bail of $95,000 her husband Reza Khandan told the ISNA news agency. My wife considers the accusations against her to be baseless and made up, and the bail demand to be disproportionate, Khandan reiterated. The Revolution Court, by referring to Article 510 of Islamic Penal Code, has sentenced my wife in absentia, Khandan told Radio Farda. Article 510 stipulates, Anyone who, with the intent to disrupt national security or aid the enemy, recognizes and hides, or assists in hiding, spies who have a mission to gather information or cause damage to the country, shall be sentenced to six months to three years imprisonment. Speaking to Radio Farda, Khandan also reminded that his wife has never been charged with espionage, therefore, the court cannot sentence her for a crime that she had not been indicted for. In a letter to Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, 55-year old Sotoudeh who recently defended women arrested for publicly protesting compulsory hijab, noted, Tell your judges to issue heavier triple-digit sentencesbut it wont make a difference because women have decided to rule over their own bodies and men are distancing themselves from your actions, which are an insult to their character. According to the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI), at least seven human rights lawyers have recently been detained, charged or summoned. Tehran has not yet reacted to Heather Nauerts latest comments. However, as a rule, the Islamic Republics Foreign Ministry dismisses such remarks as motivated and aimed to present a false image of Irans current situation. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 Trend: Caspian Energy and Caspian European Club will present international Caspian Energy Award-2018 prize to presidents of the 5 Caspian countries in the nomination For specific contribution to the development of political, economic and social cooperation on the Caspian, First Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Caspian European Club Telman Aliyev stated. He noted that this award would be given to presidents of the 5 Caspian countries, who signed the historical document Convention on the Caspian status. Telman Aliyev also added that details about individual presentation of the international award to presidents would be announced later. The statuette of the international Caspian Energy Award prize symbolizes an oil gusher, the upper part of which depicts 5 fingers of one palm - 5 states which are equally split. The Caspian Sea, linking 5 Caspian states with the common destiny, is right in the center, he said. Telman Aliyev said that Caspian Energy Award is awarded to world leaders who contributed to the economic development and integration of the business-community of the Caspian-Black Sea and Baltic countries. It is an indication of the international business activity, high prestige in the global arena, reflection of the investment attractiveness and openness of the region countries economies. The Caspian European Club, which brings together more than 5,000 member companies and organizations from 70 countries around the world, was established in June 2002 with the support of the largest oil and gas companies working in the Caspian-Black Sea region, and with the active involvement of the Caspian Energy International Media Group. The Caspian American Club (established on 24 December 2016) and Caspian Asian Club (26 January 2018) will be managed by the Members of the Board of the Caspian European Club for 2 years. All companies which join the Caspian European Club as members get an automatic membership within the Caspian American Club, Caspian Asian Club and vice-versa. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 87 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said August 16. 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. 16 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: The largest contribution in signing the Convention to determine the status of the Caspian Sea, was made by Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, candidate of historical sciences, senior lecturer of the Russian History Department of Astrakhan State University, the head of the Center for International and Social and Political Studies "Caspian-Eurasia" Andrey Syzranov told Trend. "Although all the Caspian countries without exception have done more or less for the solution of the most important Caspian issue, the three countries stand out showing the greatest flexibility," the expert said. "Adoption of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea in Aktau will form the foundation for further development of all countries of the region, create many prospects for cooperation between the regional states in various fields , including military security, ecology, energy, transport and tourism. It is clear that the Convention will not solve all the problems between the Caspian countries. This is a matter for the future. Particularly, in the format of new bilateral and trilateral meetings, the issue of division of the Caspian Sea bed between Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iran will be discussed," Syzranov added. "For the Caspian states, in particular for Russia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, the Caspian region is not only important for political interaction and joint use of rich resources, but also for the creation of a sustainable social and economic development zone," he said. The Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea was signed by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of Iran Hassan Rouhani and President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. In addition, heads of the respective structures of the Caspian littoral states signed other important documents stemming from this Convention - the Protocol on Cooperation in the Fight against Organized Crime in the Caspian Sea, the Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation among the Governments of the Caspian Littoral States, the Agreement on Cooperation in the Transport Sphere among the Governments of the Caspian Littoral States, the Agreement on the Prevention of Incidents in the Caspian Sea and the Protocol on Cooperation and Interaction of Border Agencies. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 Trend: Completion of the ratification process and practical implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea will open up even broader opportunities for sustainable development of the region, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said in an interview with a number of media outlets following the fifth summit of heads of the Caspian littoral states. The convention and the communique adopted by the heads of state at the summit in Kazakh Aktau city defined new tasks, he said. Intensive work based on goodwill, friendship and cooperation for the benefit of the entire Caspian region and the peoples of the Caspian littoral states will continue, Mammadyarov added. He noted that the signing of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea on August 12, 2018 at the 5th Caspian summit Aktau is a historic event and an important achievement for its five coastal states. It once again demonstrated that the Caspian littoral states are determined to confirm the atmosphere of sustainable peace and cooperation in the Caspian basin and the surrounding regions, he said. The Convention defines the legal framework for interstate relations and conduct in the Caspian Sea, Mammadyarov noted, adding that this document is based on generally accepted principles of international law, especially such key ones as respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states. Together with defining the legal regime and the terms used, the convention describes clear, transparent and predictable norms of acceptable conduct in the context of the activities of all Caspian littoral states, he said. These relations, based on mutual trust and cooperation among the Caspian littoral states, are necessary for them, as well as their partners, he noted. In the process of developing the convention, the Caspian littoral states also demonstrated such elements of high political culture as a unique regional identity, responsibility and the ability to be masters of their own destiny, Mammadyarov said. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend: Armenia's aggressive policy over the years has led to its isolation from the international community, political expert Bahruz Guliyev told Trend commenting on the installation of a false map at the Republic Square metro station in the center of Yerevan, where the territories of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran and Georgia are presented as the territory of "great Armenia". The expert said it is no accident that Van and other territories of Turkey, as well as Georgias Javakheti region, Iranian territories bordering Armenia have been shown as the "great Armenia" on the map. "This gives grounds to say that regardless of who is in power in Armenia, its state strategy involves territorial claims, ethnic cleansing, terrorism, etc.," the expert added. Guliyev recalled that Serzh Sargsyan, while still in power, with his delusional statements about the importance of preparing young people for another war, wanted to say that after the occupation of Azerbaijan, the future goal is the territories of Turkey, Georgia and Iran. "Certainly, by doing so, Sargsyan called on the Armenian people to continue supporting the aggressive policy in order to realize the illusion of a "great Armenia"," Guliyev said. The expert noted that today Armenia, unlike other neighboring countries, has become a mono-ethnic country. "The only other ethnic group in the country are the Yezidis, who in recent years have been subjected to various kinds of harassment. They are subjected to a policy of discrimination, and most of their representatives move to Russia and other countries. I also want to note that even in the years of perestroika in the USSR, Armenian political activists shouted the "Armenia belongs to Armenians" slogan in their public speeches. And now we see the deplorable results of such slogans in Armenia," the expert said. Guliyev added that the erroneous policy of Armenia will eventually end in its downfall. "People are already criticizing Pashinyan, who came to power as a result of a "revolution". The logical result of all these events is the country's self-isolation. If Armenia does not get rid of such illusions, even the strongest economist in the world will not be able to pull it out of the crisis," the expert said. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 By Matanat Nasibova Trend: The Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, signed recently at the 5th Summit of the Heads of the Caspian States in Kazakhstans Aktau, will create a more favorable background for settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Elkhan Alasgarov, PhD, well-known Azerbaijani political analyst, head of the Expert Council of the Baku Network, told Trend. The Caspian Declaration has an important geopolitical significance, he said. "For a long time, various political processes were occurring in the world, which could have turned the Caspian Sea into a sea of disagreement and discord. However, all of that is over and it is possible to say the adoption of such a significant document has led to a single consensus among five Caspian countries, which is extremely important. We remember about Armenias terrorist attack on a civil ferry that carried passengers from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan and other security threats in the Caspian region, Alasgarov said. And only thanks to the correct diplomatic work carried out by Azerbaijans leadership, many projects have been realized." The issue of security has been solved to a certain extent after the adoption of the Declaration as all the countries that signed the document bear responsibility for preserving the regional stability, he added. "The fact that the Karabakh conflict is a stumbling block for development of integration processes and it jeopardizes the security of the entire region is obvious, Alasgarov said. So, if we take into account the interests of the five countries in maintaining security in the Caspian region, most likely the political background for the conflict's settlement will be more favorable. Geopolitically, Azerbaijans positions in the Caspian Sea have intensified, which means that the settlement of the Karabakh problem can be considered more thoroughly, he said. The adoption of the Convention opens wide opportunities for implementation of big economic and energy projects of strategic importance, Alasgarov said. "This means that there are opportunities to lay gas pipelines along the bottom of the Caspian Sea, he said. I think it is logical to ask why Russia and Iran agreed to laying a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Europe through Azerbaijan, while it could compete with those countries? Perhaps, there are some concerns among the exporting countries due to an increase of gas tariffs in Europe, while the availability of various routes of supplies will allow to avoid that," the expert added. Talks on a Trans-Caspian gas pipeline have been carried out since 2011 by the interested parties, namely, the EU, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. The Trans-Caspian project can be implemented within the Southern Gas Corridor project being promoted by the EU. In May 2015, the Ashgabat Declaration on Energy was signed by the ministers of energy of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Vice President of the European Commission for the Energy Union Maros Sefcovic. Later, Georgia joined the negotiation process. Turkmenistan voiced readiness to supply up to 40 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe, 10 billion cubic meters of which could be provided in the future by Petronas operating in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea. The remaining volume can be provided through the East-West gas pipeline, which begins from Turkmenistans big Galkynysh field and finishes off the coast of the Caspian Sea. In its turn, Azerbaijan expressed its readiness to provide its territory, transit opportunities and infrastructure for the implementation of the project. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend: Since the beginning of the year, Azerbaijans population has grown by 38,049 people, and as of July 1, 2018, it amounted to 9,936,134 people, the State Statistics Committee told Trend Aug. 16. Some 52.9 percent of the population live in cities and 47.1 percent in rural areas. This is while 49.9 percent of the population are men and 50.1 percent are women. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 Trend: Azerbaijan International Defense Exhibition ADEX 2018 will be held in Baku on Sept. 25-27, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense Industry said in a statement Aug. 16. In this regard, the preparatory work for the exhibition continues. The exhibition, which is being held for the third time, is one of the largest events organized to demonstrate weapons and military equipment. The traditional visit to the exhibition by the President, Supreme Commander Ilham Aliyev always emphasizes the importance of the event. More than 200 companies from developed countries are expected to participate in the upcoming exhibition. Azerbaijan, Turkey, France, Russia, Israel, Belarus, Pakistan, Serbia, Ukraine and other countries will be represented at the exhibition with national stands. Leading companies representing the defense industries of Bulgaria, China, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands and other participating countries will also take part in the exhibition. The exhibition will be hosted in three pavilions inside the Baku Expo Center and outdoors. The pavilion of the Ministry of Defense Industry of Azerbaijan will be situated in the third hall of the Expo Center. ADEX 2018 will be an ideal platform for demonstrating the latest models of weaponry and signing new agreements on international military-technical cooperation. Media coverage of the exhibition is provided by more than 60 local and international leading media and news agencies, websites and magazines. The exhibition, held at the initiative and with the organizational assistance of the Ministry of Defense Industry, is supported by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan. The Caspian Event Organizers (CEO) is the organizer of the exhibition. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: There are plans to send an export delegation of Azerbaijani businessmen to China until the end of this year, Azerbaijans trade representative in China Teymur Nadiroglu told Trend. He said that the export delegation will be organized as part of the upcoming China-Eurasian Expo to open August 30 in Urumqi city. Twenty-two companies from Azerbaijan will take part in the exposition and various kinds of domestic products will be presented there, he noted. Holding such important events [expositions] is necessary for the promotion of Azerbaijani goods in China, he added. In addition, export delegations are also of great importance, because during these events Azerbaijani producers and exporters have the opportunity to meet face to face with their business partners, exchange experience and receive more detailed information about the companies. That is, it is planned in advance which companies will come from Azerbaijan to China, and based on this in China, we begin negotiations with our partners in order to discuss agenda of upcoming proposals and plans during the meetings. Azerbaijans trade with China amounted to almost $1.3 billion last year, which is 33 percent more than in 2016, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. Exports for the year increased by 63.75 percent to $443.8 million and imports grew 21.4 percent to $854.5 million. The main export items from Azerbaijan to China last year included chemical products, fuel, plastics and plastic products. Electric equipment, equipment and spare parts for them, vehicles and spare parts, clothing and its parts, ceramic products and household items were imported from China to Azerbaijan over the past year. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 By Fikret Dolukhanov Trend: Korean Bomi Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. company has invested $ 50 million in the construction of the international business center (IBC) Tashkent City in the capital of Uzbekistan, the Uzbek media reported. The corresponding investment contract between the Office of the Tashkent City project and the Korean company was signed on Aug. 15. Thus, Bomi Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. has become a new investor in Tashkent City IBC project and will build an office building as part of the project. The company intends to complete the construction of a multi-storey office building in 2021. Negotiations on mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides began in December 2017 after the visit of the President of Uzbekistan to South Korea. Earlier, the news broke that the well-known companies from Germany, South Korea and the UK are engaged in the implementation of a large-scale urban development project Tashkent City in the capital of Uzbekistan, and the project is under the personal control of the head of state. The project is implemented exclusively at the expense of financial injections of domestic and foreign investors, as stipulated in the relevant resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers dated July 28, 2017. The urban planning documentation, architectural concept and engineering design are also developed at the expense of own funds of foreign and local investors, according to the same legal act. The whole project territory is divided into eight separate land plots tender lots, each of which has different stages of completion of work until the end of 2021 and individual investors. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug 16 By Anvar Mammadov - Trend: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is still ready to consider the possibility of its participation in the process of privatization of the International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA), the Bank's head office told Trend. The source told Trend that, the EBRD is currently waiting for the launch of this process. "The EBRD will consider this possibility after the privatization process is properly launched. We have extensive experience with similar privatization projects in the region. But it should be noted that strengthening the corporate governance of IBA is an important element. This step should be taken before we consider our potential participation in the privatization of the bank," the source said. The International Bank of Azerbaijan, founded in 1992, is at the stage of recovery since July 2015, which is associated with the preparation for the privatization of state-owned shares of the bank. To restore the bank's financial position, its distressed assets were transferred to the non-bank credit institution Aqrarkredit. In exchange for distressed assets, the NBCO provides the IBA with liquid funds. At the same time, the restructuring of IBA's foreign obligations has recently been completed. Over 95 percent of the Bank's shares are owned by the government. Azerbaijan has been cooperating with the EBRD since 1992. Since then, the bank has invested more than $3 billion in 165 projects in the financial, corporate, infrastructure and energy sectors of Azerbaijan Meanwhile, 26 percent of investments fall on the private sector. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 By Matanat Nasibova Trend: Azerbaijan will open two wine houses and one Azerbaijani pavilion in China by the end of this year, the Trade Representative of Azerbaijan in China Teymur Nadiroglu told Trend. Nadiroglu noted that this will allow to actively promote the goods produced in Azerbaijan in the capacious consumer market of China, and will have a positive impact on the level of trade turnover between the two countries. "The opening of two wine houses in China will further improve the level of trade between the countries for this type of product, as well as promote the trade brand "Made in Azerbaijan" in the Chinese demand markets," the trade representative said. In addition to Azerbaijani wine products, the trade representative continued, the pomegranate juices, compotes, jams, as well as tea products are very popular in China. "Despite the fact that China is the birthplace of tea, the Chinese are already interested in varieties of black Azerbaijani tea. To date, the volumes of export of Azerbaijani tea are small, but we are working at strengthening the interest of Chinese importers and consumers in this type of our products," Nadiroglu said. Not only domestic products and goods, but also Azerbaijani culture, tourism potential of the country and so on will be demonstrated in the new Azerbaijani pavilion, the trade representative said. "Various events, including exhibitions in the field of culture and business will be held in the future. In general, our representative office in China is engaged not only in promoting exports, but also in attracting Chinese investments to Azerbaijan. The leaders of our countries pay great attention to the dynamic development of trade and economic relations. And at the same time, thanks to the work done by us, there is a certain interest of China in our domestic products and, in general, in Azerbaijan," said Nadiroglu. According to the data of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, trade turnover with China amounted to almost $1.3 billion last year, which is 33 percent more than in 2016. The exports has increased by 63.75 percent to $443.8 million, and the imports has increased by 21.4 percent to $854.5 million over the year. The chemical products, fuel, plastic and products of it were main export goods supplied by Azerbaijan to China last year. The electrical devices, equipment and spare parts, vehicles and spare parts, clothing and accessories, ceramic products, household articles were imported from China to Azerbaijan over the past year. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 By Fikret Dolukhanov Trend: The situation created by US anti-Iranian measures will not affect Iran-Iraq commercial cooperation, Iranian news agency Mehr reported citing Head of Iraqi Chamber of Commerce Jafar Hamdan. During the meeting with Iraj Masjed-Jame'I, Iranian Ambassador to Baghdad, Hamdan said that Iraqi traders will continue their commercial activities in the private sector of Iran. Referring to the important role of trade chambers in expanding trade between the two countries, Masjed-Jame'I said, that noticeable participation of Iraqi traders in Iran international exhibitions and mutual investments will be an important step in activating provincial collaborations and exchanging commercial delegations. Iranian commercial attache in Baghdad Nasser Behzad added that the message of the meeting would be to prevent any kind of harm to the Iraqi people's demands and also continuation of collaborations between the private sectors of the neighbors. Iran's non-oil export to Iraq reaches $6 billion a year; including the oil production and engineering services it exceeds $10 billion. On May 8, the US president pulled his country out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a nuclear agreement achieved in Vienna in 2015 after two years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany). After Donald Trump withdrew the US from the deal, his administration moved to re-implement the previous sanctions against Iran. The United States reimposed stiff economic sanctions on Iran on Monday, ratcheting up pressure on the Islamic Republic despite statements of deep dismay from European allies. A first set of reimposed US sanctions affect financial transactions that involve US dollars, Iran's automotive sector, the purchase of commercial planes and metals including gold. A second batch of US sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector and central bank are to be reimposed in early November. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 By Fikret Dolukhanov Trend: Iran's Sepahan Oil Company (SOC) and the German ADL company signed a cooperation agreement on Aug. 15, IRNA news agency reported. CEO of Iran's SOC Mohammad Ebrahimi and CEO of Germany's ADL Michael Hyde signed the cooperation document despite the US' unilateral sanctions imposed on Iran after the country's withdrawal from the nuclear deal. According to the cooperation document signed between SOC and ADL, the two sides will cooperate in technology transfer in the field of oil and gas industry lubricants. On the sidelines of a ceremony held to celebrate the event Ebrahimi noted that the European embassies made lots of efforts to pave the way for signing the agreement He added that the German company will implement the project in cooperation with its Austrian and Swiss partners. On May 8, the US president pulled his country out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a nuclear agreement achieved in Vienna in 2015 after two years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany). After Donald Trump withdrew the US from the deal, his administration moved to re-implement the previous sanctions against Iran. The United States reimposed stiff economic sanctions on Iran on Monday, ratcheting up pressure on the Islamic Republic despite statements of deep dismay from European allies. A first set of reimposed US sanctions affect financial transactions that involve US dollars, Iran's automotive sector, the purchase of commercial planes and metals including gold. A second batch of US sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector and central bank are to be reimposed in early November. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 By Fikret Dolukhanov Trend: The recently imposed US sanctions on Tehran has led to British renewable energy investor Quercus cancelling project on construction of a 500 million euro ($570 million) solar power plant in Iran, Iranian TASNIM news agency reported on Aug. 16. Reportedly, the solar plant in Iran would have been the first renewable energy investment outside Europe by Quercus and the worlds sixth largest, with a 600 megawatt (MW) capacity. Sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States earlier this month have already led banks and many companies around the world to scale back dealings with Tehran. Following the US sanctions on Iran, we have decided to cease all activities in the country, including our 600 MW project. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, Quercus Chief Executive Diego Biasi said. Construction had been expected to take three years, with each 100 MW standalone lot becoming operational and connecting to the grid every six months. The Iranian project would have been the first outside Europe for Quercus, which has invested more than 500 million euros in about 40 renewable projects since its founding in 2010, many of them in the UK and Italy. Iran has set a target to install 5 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity equivalent to about five nuclear reactors by 2020 as part of efforts to meet rising demand for electricity while cutting air pollution and carbon emissions. The countrys sunny climate makes it especially suited to solar power generation. The falling cost of solar panels and wind turbines is making renewable power a more attractive option in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, accelerating the global shift away from fossil fuels. On May 8, the US president pulled his country out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a nuclear agreement achieved in Vienna in 2015 after two years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany). After Donald Trump withdrew the US from the deal, his administration moved to re-implement the previous sanctions against Iran. The United States reimposed stiff economic sanctions on Iran on Monday, ratcheting up pressure on the Islamic Republic despite statements of deep dismay from European allies. A first set of reimposed US sanctions affect financial transactions that involve US dollars, Iran's automotive sector, the purchase of commercial planes and metals including gold. A second batch of US sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector and central bank are to be reimposed in early November. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 By Fikret Dolukhanov Trend: The Inha University in Tashkent and the World Bank will cooperate in the fourth Digital CASA project, the Uzbek media reported referring to a meeting between a WB mission and the Acting Rector of the Inha University Muzaffar Jalalov. The mission included an expert on innovations in digital technologies Ekaterina Gromova and a local ICT expert, WB consultant Sandjar Saidkhodjaev. It is expected that the project will be launched in Uzbekistan in 2019. The Component 4 of the Digital CASA project provides the development of digital entrepreneurship, human capital, digital skills, etc. Digital CASA is an international project aimed at creating a cross-border telecommunications network, which will connect Central and South Asian countries into a single digital hub. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16 By Fikret Dolukhanov - Trend: The first state visit of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to India will take place in October 2018, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Sukhrob Kholmuradov said, opening the meeting of the eleventh Uzbek-Indian intergovernmental commission, Uzbek media reported Aug. 16. "I hope that during today's meeting of the commission, as well as the bilateral business forum, we will agree on concrete joint events and projects that will fill the agenda of our leaders' upcoming meeting in the city of Delhi with concrete practical content," Kholmuradov said. The official expressed hope that the visit will open a new page in the interstate relations, especially in the sphere of economy, trade and investment. Shavkat Mirziyoyev's visit is expected to coincide with the state holiday of India - Gandhi's birthday, India's Minister of Trade and Industry Suresh Prabhu said. Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on October 2. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov Brazils Workers Party registered jailed former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday as its presidential candidate while he sat in prison serving a 12-year graft sentence expected to block his candidacy, Reuters reported. About 10,000 supporters marched to the countrys top electoral court in the capital Brasilia chanting Free Lula and Lula for President as they accompanied senior party members registering his candidacy hours before the deadline. Marchers wore Lula masks and carried signs calling him a political prisoner, a common complaint from his supporters. Lula, who has denied any wrongdoing, was convicted of accepting bribes and has been accused in other ongoing cases of orchestrating a kickback scheme while in office. The leftist former union leader has been in jail since April but leads electoral polls that include his name. While he was named earlier this month as his partys candidate, Lula is expected to be barred from running by Brazils electoral court (TSE). The Workers Party is expected to use an array of appeals to delay any final ruling on Lulas registration for weeks. The Workers Party registered former Sao Paulo mayor Fernando Haddad as Lulas running mate. Haddad would top the ticket if Lula was barred, party sources said. People thought Lula would not survive in the polls and the opposite is the case. He is still the front-runner in all scenarios and would win outright in some of them, Haddad told reporters after registering the party ticket. If the people want to vote for him they should have the right to do so. Right-wing activist group Free Brazil Movement immediately filed a request at the TSE to invalidate Lulas candidacy because his conviction has been upheld by an appeals court, which in Brazilian law makes Lula ineligible for public office. Lula governed Brazil for two terms from 2003 to 2010 and left office with a record approval rating of 87 percent due to a booming economy and social programs that lifted millions of Brazilians from poverty. Iraqi jets destroyed an Islamic State operations room inside Syria in an air strike, killing several fighters who planned attacks in Iraq, the military said on Thursday, Reuters reported. According to intelligence, those terrorists who were killed were planning criminal operations using suicide vests and intended to target innocents in the next few days inside Iraq, the military said in a statement. A footbridge in central China collapsed under the weight of numbers after a tourist taking a selfie caused a logjam, South China Morning Post reported. Ten visitors to the Dongjianghu Scenic Area of Zixing city in Hunan fell into the water after the bridge gave way on Sunday, Zixing Xinwen reported. Four tourists suffered slight injuries in the incident. Local authorities are investigating the collapse and preliminary inquiries suggest that the collapse of the bridge was caused because the selfie taker was standing on the welding joint of the bridge, which was thinner than other parts, according to the report The tourist was taking a selfie and was blocking the way of other tourists, and the welding joint of the bridge collapsed due to sudden pressure, the report continued. Photos showed that the collapsed metal bridge took visitors to a scenic viewing platform. A terminal of Budapest Airport was briefly shut down late on Wednesday due to an overheated container carrying an isotope, a spokesman for the Hungarian Disaster Management Authority said, Reuters reported. Material damaging to health did not get into the environment, Marton Hajdu told Reuters, adding that Terminal 2B was shut down to facilitate a fast investigation. Passengers are perfectly safe, he added. The terminal was shut between 7.30 p.m. (1730 GMT) and about 10.30 p.m. and eight incoming and eight outgoing flights were affected, Budapest Airport spokesman Laszlo Kurucz told Reuters. Passengers and crew of the flight that carried the container and passengers at the airport were not in danger, according to information from the Disaster Management Authority, Hajdu added. The officials did not name the flight or the isotope. The national news agency MTI said the material was iridium ordered by a Hungarian company from the Russian city of Dimitrovgrad, and the container arrived in Budapest on a flight which arrived in the evening from Istanbul. Gabor Kaszas, an official of the company, Izotop Intezet Kft, was quoted by MTI as saying that a rise in temperature was normal when such materials are transported. Izotop Intezet is a company focused on research, development and production of radioisotopes used in healthcare, research and industry. Officials of the company were not immediately available for comment. The US and Mexican governments are establishing a joint team that will be based in Chicago to investigate and target drug lords and cartel financing, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Brian McKnight said during a press conference, Sputnik reported. "In coordination with the Mexican government we will continue to investigate members of cartels who manufacture and transport drugs into Chicago and elsewhere within our nation working together on high value targets, [and] cartel members who oversee these organizations," McKnight said alongside Mexican federal officials at the press briefing in Chicago on Wednesday. McKnight added that the bi-national effort will include an enforcement group based in Chicago that will also be aggressively attacking the cartels financial infrastructure by denying revenue going back down across the border that elevates the cartels power in Mexico. The joint effort will also help break up the street gangs in the United States. These Mexican drug cartel organizations have stretched their influence around the world and have caused unseen levels of violence throughout Mexico, the official said. The announcement came at the DEAs headquarters in Chicago following strategy meetings with leaders from the Mexican Attorney Generals Office and Mexican federal police, the Chicago Tribune reported. Meanwhile, Mexican authorities have detained Julio Cesar Torres, who has led the armed wing of a powerful Juarez drug cartel in the northern state of Chihuahua, the nations interior minister said Wednesday. Alfonso Navarrete described the captured leader of La Linea group as one of those behind a recent upsurge of violence in the state. The minister said he was on the list of 122 most wanted people. Torres was arrested during a federal police raid in the states most populous city of Ciudad Juarez bordering El Paso in Texas. He took over drug trafficking operations to the United States after his predecessor was captured in May. Venezuelas Foreign Ministry asked Peru on Wednesday to extradite two suspects linked to the attempt on the life of President Nicolas Maduro, the foreign policy chief said, Sputnik reported. "The two people are Gregorio Jose Yaguas Monje, alias Latino, and Yilber Alberto Escalona, alias Pastor. Everything points to them being in Peru," Jorge Arreaza told reporters. Twenty-three people are under investigation for an alleged role in this months attack on President Maduro during a military parade in Caracas when two explosives-laden drones went off close to his podium. Ten suspects have been detained, with arrest warrants issued for 13 others, believed to have fled abroad. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said last week that some of the people behind the failed attack on him had taken shelter in Peru. Maduro was attending a military parade in Caracas on August 4. His address was interrupted by what the authorities said was an assassination attempt as two explosives-laden drones detonated close to the presidential box. The president was unharmed, but several soldiers were injured in the incident. Maduro said Wednesday that those who made an attempt to assassinate him had been aiming to bring a junta to power. Maduro has also accused Venezuelan opposition forces and Colombia of having organized the attack on him, adding that some of the assassination perpetrators resided in the United States. Both Bogota and Washington denied any involvement in the incident, while Venezuelan clandestine group Flannel Soldiers has claimed responsibility for the incident. Up to 31 militants were killed as Afghan Air Force in series of sorties pounded Taliban hideouts in parts of the southern Zabul province on Thursday, provincial police chief Mohammad Mustafa Mayar said, Xinhua reported. Acting upon intelligence reports, the military aircraft, according to the official, targeted Taliban hideouts in Shinkai, Nawbahar, Rohani Baba and other parts of Zabul early on Thursday, killing 31 militants and injuring several others. Taliban militants who have intensified anti-government activities over the past couple of months and recently attempted to overrun provincial capital Qalat, are yet to make comments on the report. Slovakia has dispatched a convoy with humanitarian aids worth more than 212,000 euros (241,000 U.S. dollars) to Mosul, Iraq, Xinhua reported citing media . According to Slovak Foreign Affairs State Secretary Lukas Parizek, Slovakia is thus striving to promptly react to the situation in the country where almost 2 million people are suffering from a lack of health care and other necessities. "This kind of aid is the result of the Iraqi Government's needs addressed through the European system," said Parizek, adding that Slovakia provided not only humanitarian but also development aid to Iraq amounting to 1 million euros (1.14 million U.S. dollars) over the past couple of months. Slovakia is sending to the devastated area health equipment, sleeping bags, towels, blankets, toys, footwear and clothing. Trucks should arrive at their final destination - the WHO warehouse in Erbil - in five days. The long-term project has been carried out by Slovakia in cooperation with the World Health Organization, which is helping to restore the health-care system in Iraq and distribute health-care materials. Turkey's 100 percent domestic mobile phone brand, General Mobile, has launched its new factory, with an annual production capacity of 2.5 million units, Daily Sabah reports. According to a statement released by General Mobile, the company continues to add value to Turkey, as well as making and growing investments in 33 countries. General Mobile, whose brand strategy, operation, design, research and development (R&D) activities and production facilities are all managed from Turkey, brought Turkey's largest domestic mobile phone factory into production with a new factory investment of TL 100 million ($16.2 million). Operating in 33 countries and aiming to reach 45 countries in total by the end of 2018, General Mobile is also notable for its innovation and R&D activities. In fact, with the factory investment in question, General Mobile will base its production in Turkey following its R&D center and operations management. General Mobile Chairman Sebahattin Yaman stated that General Mobile is a brand growing through exports, stressing that the only way to secure Turkey's place in the international market is to develop technology with its own facilities and export them. "This added value will play an important role in Turkey's development. We are producing all our models exported to 33 countries in our factory in Turkey. With our factory with an annual production capacity of 2.5 million, our goal is to produce 4.4 million units, while increasing the number of countries we operate in to 45 by the end of 2018," Yaman continued. Recalling that in 2017, some 16 percent of their total sales were achieved through exports, Yaman said with the new factory investment, they plan to increase this rate to 20 percent by the end of 2018. "In 2017, our export turnover was TL 75 million. As of the end of 2018, our export target is TL 155 million. With our production capacity increasing with the new production base, we will strengthen our exports while meeting the needs of the domestic market on the one hand," he concluded. The official COVID-related death toll reached 31,514 after the state added previously undocumented 296 fatalities and 62 recent deaths to the list. A Prince of Saudi Arabia was sentenced to jail for a long pending case of ongoing controversy over the issue of the loan. The London judge said on Friday, "Prince Hussein bin Saud bin Abdulaziz al-Saud has been sentenced to be in jail for a year's." At the same time, the Prince did not attend the court hearing. He said that the hearing of the loan case should be only in Saudi Arabia. According to the Washington Post, the reason behind the sentence of jail by the court in England is that there was a dispute about a loan in 2010 between Saudi Prince Prince and Kuwaiti mobile operator. Prince was ordered to pay more than $ 500 million in private mediation in London, but he did not do this. After this, the mediation failed. At the same time, he started the process of separate legal proceedings in Riyadh, while advocating the order of the British court to stop the Saudi case. On this case, Judge Richard of London Court said during the hearing, "Prince Hussein decided that he would not like to face British courts in any way. If Prince was in Britain, he would have to go to jail. " Prince Hussam's lawyer Yasir Almasnad in Riyadh asked about the mediation controversy that it has nothing to do with Britain. He said that the judgment pronounced by the British court about the arbitration dispute, in which the court's verdict has been said, is useless in Saudi Arabia. During the proceedings in Saudi, the Riyadh court has ruled in favour of Prince Hussein. Meanwhile, Thomas Rafael, a lawyer for Mobile Telecommunications Company, has applied to send Prince to jail. He argued that during the private hearing in Britain, the Prince repeatedly requested the court. The court should put a complete ban on them. Also Read: At least 35 killed after bridge collapses in Italy The United States congratulates India on Independence Day BCCI appoints Ramesh Powar as head coach of Indian women's team till World T20 With J.C. Penney (NYSE:JCP) hovering near key support, some investors might be thinking its time to scoop up JCP stock. Thats one way of thinking, but given the market were in, Id rather avoid JCP. In fact, I think there are three main reasons to avoid this department store dud, even as we head into the back-to-school and holiday seasons. So why wouldnt we buy JCP stock as we head into the vital back-to-school season, even as its near its lows? InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips A bounce in JCP wouldnt catch many investors off guard, but as an investment its not worth it. We can buy names like Kohls (NYSE:KSS) Macys (NYSE:M), Target (NYSE:TGT) and even indirect retailers like Home Depot (NYSE:HD). In fact, Home Depot just delivered a real humdinger of a quarterly result Tuesday morning. These companies are all doing much better, fundamentally and technically speaking, and all of them pay dividends. Does JCP stock pay a dividend? Of course not. So could we get a bounce from $2.50 to $3.00 in JCP and could it vastly outperform other retailers over the short-term? Yes. Is it worth picking up pennies in front of a steamroller to do it? Not to me. JCP Stock and Its Balance Sheet Lets highlight that point by looking at Penneys balance sheet and fundamentals. When my mother-in-law can coupon on her way into paying just a few bucks for a slew of clothes, you know JCP is in trouble. It is encouraging to see short-term debt fall from $319 million a year ago to $49 million in the most recent quarter. However, that does little good when long-term debt still sits at $4.35 billion, up slightly year-over-year. Remember, JCP has a market cap of just $775 million. Cash sits at just $181 million, down big from $363 million a year ago. Accounts payable rests at $933 million, up about 4.4% YoY. Story continues Analysts expect sales to fall 1.2% overall this year and grow just 0.2% in 2019. On the plus side, analysts do expect profit this year, but the downside is they only expect earnings of 4-cents-per-share. Thats down big from the 22-cents-per-share in profit from 2017. In 2019, they only expect earnings-per-share of 14 cents. In other words, despite a number of other companies doing well, the consensus is that 2017 will be a better year for JCP than 2018 and 2019. Trading JCP Stock chart of JCP stock ahead of earnings Will it be better when JCP reports earnings later this week on the morning of Aug. 16? Maybe. I honestly cant say one way or the other what will happen. JCP could have 40% upside for all I know. I just know that the underlying business is in trouble and that I dont want to own it. Investors can ride even the worst of companies for a big gain if they time it right. While true, I would simply prefer to invest in companies that are doing well. At least for the investors wanting to play JCP stock though, we can manage the risk. With shares sitting near the lows, investors can take a stab at JCP and bail if support fails. On the upside, the 50-day has been resistance. For any attractive upside to exist, Penneys must get above this mark. If it can, the $2.80-ish level is in target. However, it will hit downtrend resistance (black line) and level resistance (blue rectangle) at this intersection. The 100-day moving average at $2.70 will not help matters. If by some chance it gets above all of these levels, see how it handles the 200-day near $3.00. That said, with this much overhead resistance, Penneys isnt an attractive name for me. Bret Kenwell is the manager and author of Future Blue Chips and is on Twitter @BretKenwell. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace Compare Brokers The post 3 Reasons to Avoid J.C. Penney Stock Ahead of Earnings appeared first on InvestorPlace. The main driving force today in the market will be investor aversion to risk. Risk-on, and the Aussie and Kiwi benefit. Risk-off, and they both resume this weeks downtrend. The Australian and New Zealand Dollars are moving higher early Thursday as risk aversion eased and emerging market currencies rebounded on news that a Chinese delegation will travel to the United States late in August to hold trade talks. At 0613 GMT, the AUD/USD is trading .7270, up 0.0031 or +0.43% and the NZD/USD is at .6586, up 0.0021 or +0.32%. According to reports, Chinas Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday that it had received an invitation from the United States for talks to be held with U.S. Under Secretary of Treasury for International Affairs David Malpass. The Aussie and Kiwi were boosted by a shift in investor sentiment after a trying week that saw both currencies driven lower by dovish central bank comments and a huge rise in demand for the U.S. Dollar due to a financial crisis in Turkey. Forecast The news about renewed talks between the U.S. and China is currently underpinning the AUD/USD and NZD/USD. An easing of tensions in Turkey is also providing some support, but this situation is still too unstable to eliminate it as a concern. Gains could be limited today if problems in Turkey resurface. On the other hand, increased demand for risky assets like stocks could provide an additional boost for the Aussie and the Kiwi. A weaker U.S. Dollar could also help boost commodities especially gold. This could also trigger further short-covering in the Australian and New Zealand Dollars. Australian Employment Data In other news, Australias jobs report missed expectations in July. Total employment in Australia fell by around 3,900 in July in seasonally adjusted data, missing forecasts for a gain of 15,000. Despite the drop in the headline number, the unemployment rate edged to the lowest level since 2012, due to a decline in the labor force participation rate. The mixed report should not encourage the Reserve Bank of Australia to change policy. Its still not likely to make a move until late 2019 or 2020. While the report shows that the underlying health of Australias labor market is still strong, a return to higher wage growth still looks a long way off. Story continues The main driving force today in the market will be investor aversion to risk. Risk-on, and the Aussie and Kiwi benefit. Risk-off, and they both resume this weeks downtrend. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: Moving Average Crossover Alert: Equifax (EFX) Equifax Inc. (EFX) could be a stock to avoid from a technical perspective, as the firm is seeing unfavorable trends on the moving average crossover front The Boeing Company BA recently secured modification contract for procuring spare parts of F/A-18 aircraft. Valued at $40 million, the deal was awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland. The work will be carried out in Bloomington, MN; Linthicum, MD; and Irvine, CA. It is expected to be completed in August 2020. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement and working capital funds (Navy) will be utilized to finance the task. Growing Demand of F/A-18 Boeings Super Hornet aircraft is consistently evolving to outpace future threats. In fact, its radar, mission computers and sensors is continuously developing 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 the company secured from Kuwait in first-quarter 2018 for delivering 28 F-18 Super Hornets. We believe that this latest deal will also help Boeing fortify its jet fighters 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. Furthermore, Boeings recently completed KLX Inc acquisition will enable the aircraft major to enhance its global parts distribution and supply chain services, and accelerate Global Services growth strategies. The deal will also enable the company to effectively serve customers in a $2.6-trillion, 10-year services market. Story continues Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate approved the fiscal 2019 defense budget, which provisions for major war fighting investments worth $21.7 billion for aircraft. This should boost the profit margins of military jet makers like Boeing. Price Movement In a years time, shares of Boeing have gained 39.7% compared with the industrys 18.3% rally. The outperformance was driven by the companys record backlog supporting revenue growth, increased orders for commercial airplanes and expanded presence in domestic as well as international markets. Zacks Rank & Key Picks Boeing currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A few better-ranked stocks in the same space are Lockheed Martin LMT, Engility Holdings EGL and Huntington Ingalls HII, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Lockheed Martin surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, with an average beat of 9.10%. It has a long-term earnings growth rate of 7.30%. Engility exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, with an average beat of 19%. It has a long-term earnings growth rate of 5%. Huntington Ingalls outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, with an average beat of 9.48%. It has a long-term earnings growth rate of 15%. Today's Stocks from Zacks' Hottest Strategies It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But while the market gained +21.9% in 2017, our top stock-picking screens have returned +115.0%, +109.3%, +104.9%, +98.6%, and +67.1%. And this outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. Over the years it has been remarkably consistent. From 2000 - 2017, the composite yearly average gain for these strategies has beaten the market more than 19X over. Maybe even more remarkable is the fact that we're willing to share their latest stocks with you without cost or obligation. See Them Free>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Boeing Company (BA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII) : Free Stock Analysis Report Engility Holdings, Inc. (EGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research It was just a few days ago that the National Weather Service provided some stunning glimpses at the effect the California wildfires are having on weather patterns in the United States, and now NASA is chiming in with its own discoveries. The NWS revealed that massive smoke clouds pushed aloft by the fires were gradually making their way to the East Coast, posing a risk to air quality, but NASAs data shows that its not just smoke that we should be worried about. In new images snapped by NASAs high-flying Aqua satellite, huge concentrations of carbon monoxide can be seen drifting from the west to the east. The dangerous clouds of gas can last for weeks on end, and as winds push them across the country the threat of diminished air quality becomes more and more real. Don't Miss: $25 is all it takes to get a mosquito repellent that actually works The images were captured using a tool called the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder which can detect the carbon monoxide flying high above our heads. The top-down view provided by the satellite might make it seem as though the midwest is being suffocated by the noxious gasses, but the clouds of pollutant still remain a safe altitude, at least for now. However, as NASA explains, that could change rapidly. Strong winds can carry this pollutant downward to where it can have significant effects on air quality, NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory explains in a blog post. The time series of images shows just how far the carbon monoxide from Californias wildfires has travelled eastward and what areas may be at greater risk of experiencing its effects. Its incredibly difficult to forecast how various winds might affect the altitude of the dangerous gas, or what specific areas might begin to feel the effects of the wildfires despite being hundreds of miles away. The problem is made worse by the fact that the fires in California are still raging as we speak, producing a steady stream of smoke and carbon monoxide that will continue to pose at least a mild threat to air quality across the country. Story continues BGR Top Deals: Trending Right Now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada said on Tuesday it will consider a safeguard action on seven steel products to protect domestic producers from imports since the United States imposed tariffs against its major trade partner in March. Finance Minister Bill Morneau said a 15-day consultation period will be used to look at the harm or threat of harm to seven steel categories, including steel plate, rebar, energy tubular product, hot rolled sheet, pre-painted steel, stainless steel wire and wire rod. "Our government believes the tariffs levied by the United States represent an exceptional circumstance, and that's why provisional safeguards are being considered," Morneau told a news conference at steelmaker ArcelorMittal's Dofasco plant in Hamilton, Ontario. "If evidence gathered during our consultations points to harm or threat of harm to Canadian producers, we will apply provisional safeguards in an expeditious manner and refer the issue to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal for inquiry." Safeguards are emergency measures allowed under international trade law to respond to a sudden surge in imports. In some cases tariffs or quotas can be imposed on a temporary basis, before investigations are complete. The safeguards, limiting steel supplies, are a blow to Canadas oil sector, which has struggled to compete on costs and profitability with the United States, said Tom Whalen, chief executive of the Petroleum Services Association of Canada. Higher costs of steel products, used to drill wells and build derricks and pressure pumps, would add to that competition gap, and Ottawa should compensate companies that are hurt by the safeguards, Whalen said. If youre building equipment, youre going to use bits and pieces of pretty much all" affected steel categories. The United States imposed tariffs on imported steel and aluminum on March 23. While Canada was initially exempt, Canadian steel producers warned that U.S. measures would divert cheap steel into Canada. A Reuters analysis found that imports of steel pipe used by the energy industry spiked in the spring. The European Union announced its own safeguards in July, a combination of quotas and tariffs on 23 steel product categories. The steel sector employs about 22,000 workers in Canada, including about 10,000 in Hamilton, at Dofasco's plant, Stelco's finishing operations and a number of smaller companies. Canada, long the top U.S. trade partner, has already imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S.-made steel and other goods. (Reporting by Andrea Hopkins in Ottawa; additional reporting by Rod Nickel in Winnipeg; Editing by Paul Simao and Tom Brown) By David Stanway and Muyu Xu SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - China's commerce ministry said a U.S. 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 U.S. 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 what it called safeguard tariffs over four years - with a 30 percent tariff in the first year reduced gradually to 15 percent in year four. "As the U.S. violations have severely distorted the global market for products like photovoltaics and seriously damaged China's trade interests, China's use of the WTO dispute settlement mechanism is a necessary measure to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests and maintain multilateral trade rules," the commerce ministry statement said. The move is not expected to have an immediate impact on China's major solar manufacturers, including GCL, Jinko Solar and Canadian Solar, as their exposure to U.S. markets was reduced after earlier trade disputes. One Chinese executive, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that U.S. solar tariffs were a "sideshow" and had little effect on Chinese business. Peng Peng, a researcher with the China Renewable Energy Industry Association described the dispute as "a microcosm of the big trade spat". "The solar problem has existed for years. I think China chose to bring it up in order to keep up the rhythm of the trade dispute," he said. The United States has accused China of using subsidies and bulk manufacturing capacity to drive down prices and put U.S. competitors out of business in a range of sectors. Story continues According to figures from the China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA), U.S. solar module production capacity fell from 1.5 gigawatts in 2011 to 1 GW last year as a result of bankruptcies. China claims its manufacturers have benefited not from direct subsidy but from a fierce competitive environment that has driven down costs. This year, its firms are facing a new wave of closures after the country's state planning agency announced plans to cap new capacity at just 30 GW this year, down from a record 53 GW in 2017. Despite the policy shift, manufacturers have continued to ramp up production, with silicon wafer output up 39 percent in the first half. From January to May, exports of solar products also surged 21 percent year-on-year. Only a fraction went to the United States, with India the biggest market. "Solar is only a piece on the big trade chessboard," said another Chinese solar executive, who also declined to be named. "I dont think the complaint is necessarily a good thing for Chinese solar industry since it adds more uncertainties to the big (trade) war," he added. (Additional reporting by Lee Chyen Yee in Singapore and Zhang Min in Beijing; Editing by Edwina Gibbs & Simon Cameron-Moore) Just when you think all has been said about , and , another judgment shows up and proves you wrong. This time, a legal dispute between the (DDB = German Digital Library, the German content provider for ) and the (VG Bild-Kunst), a German collecting society for visual artists, gave the Higher Regional Court of Berlin the chance to further clarify what constitutes a communication to the public, and what does not. Cat with kittens, as seen on Europeana Factual and legal background The dispute arose from contractual negotiations between the parties. DDB hosts images (previews at a resolution of 800x600 pixels) on its website, some of which were created by members of VG Bild-Kunst (less than 1% of the images on DDB belong to VG Bild-Kunsts members, according to DDB). The full versions of the images are stored on external websites of DDBs suppliers and can be accessed from DDB via static hyperlinks. According to the judgment, the images on external servers (including those of VG Bild-Kunsts members) are available to the public without any technical protection measures and with the rights owners consent. 34 VGG As a collecting society, VG Bild-Kunst is legally obliged to grant any person, upon request, rights of use at reasonable conditions,. DDB sought to obtain the necessary licence for the use of VG Bild-Kunsts members works. VG Bild-Kunst said it would only grant such a licence under the condition that DDB implemented technical protection measures (TPMs) to prevent users from including the images made available on DDB on external websites via framing (a method to display content on a website that is stored on another website). DDB found this condition to be unreasonable and sued VG Bild-Kunst, in order to get the necessary licence without an obligation to implement TPMs against framing. The Higher Regional Courts decision judgment In itsof 18.06.2018 (case No. 24 U 146/17) the court found that VG Bild-Kunsts condition for the grant of a licence, to protect the images against framing by a TPM, did not constitute reasonable conditions under 34 VGG. It therefore obliged VG Bild-Kunst to enter into a contractual agreement without the anti-framing clause. The case will now move on to the FCJ, Germanys highest civil court. BestWater Filmspeler ThePirateBay th (see Katpost here Cordoba The Berlin judges followed DDBs reasoning and found that any framing of the preview-images from DDBs website would not constitute a communication to the public. To get to this result, the court looked at existing CJEU decisions ( Svensson and). However, the judges were unable to include the CJEU's latest, Cordoba, which was handed down on August 7(see). This GuestKat will discuss the implications ofat the end of this post. According to the Court, the concept of communication to the public includes two cumulative criteria, namely an act of communication of a work and the communication of that work to a public. Focusing on the public criterion, the court recalled that the work must be communicated using specific technical means, different from those previously used or, failing that, to a new public, meaning to a public that was not already taken into account by the copyright holder when he authorised the initial communication to the public of his work. Looking at the case at hand, the court found that both the communication to the public on the external websites and that on DDBs website happen on the internet and therefore using the same technical means. Following this, any framing of the images on DDBs website could only be considered a communication to the public if the work were communicated to a new public. The court denied a communication to a new public in the case at hand. All the images in question were (undisputedly) available to all internet users without technical restrictions and with the copyright holders consent on the external websites. Thus, according to the judges, the copyright holders had taken all internet users into account when authorizing the initial communication to the public of their works. As a result, any hyperlinking or framing of those images must be considered irrelevant from a copyright perspective. Such actions would not reach a new public and would therefore not require the grant of a licence. Cat on a (pay-)wall? This would also hold true when the images on DDB were (later) protected against framing by a TPM. The court declared that this protection would not restrict access to the images on DDB. Indeed, the parties of the case agreed that the TPMs requested by VG Bild-Kunst should not restrict viewing of the images on the DDB website in any way, but merely prevent using those images on external websites via framing. Under such circumstances, the images would remain available to all internet users, whether via DDB or via the external websites. Only if the TPM resulted in restricted access to the images on the original website (e.g. a paywall), hyperlinking or framing of the images would result in an act of communication to the public, the judges concluded. Comment copied onto another server and made available via another website. Under these conditions, the CJEU held that that The Berlin courts decision appears logical at first. If the images are freely available to all internet users with the copyright holders consent, why should linking to them or framing them be restricted? However, the CJEUs latest decision on the question of communication to the public might result in a very different decision from the FCJ upon appeal. In the Cordoba case, an image that was available to all internet users with the copyright holders consent on one website wasand made available via another website. Under these conditions, the CJEU held that that solely of users of that site and not of users of the website on which the work was subsequently published without the consent of the rightholder, or other internet users. the posting of a work protected by copyright on one website other than that on which the initial communication was made with the consent of the copyright holder () must be treated as making such a work available to a new public. In such circumstances, the public taken into account by the copyright holder when he consented to the communication of his work on the website on which it was originally published is composedand not of users of the website on which the work was subsequently published without the consent of the rightholder, or other internet users. Devon Energy Corporation DVN announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to monetize its 9,600 net acres of non-core Delaware Basin acreage in Ward and Reeves County. The company sells the non-core asset to Carrizo Oil and Gas, Inc. CRZO for $215 million. The deal was announced on Aug 14, 2018. The company monetized nearly $4.4 billion worth of assets year to date. The companys divestiture target is set to reach $5 billion in 2018. Further, the company expects to sell-off additional minor non-core assets such as oil recovery projects in the Midland Basin and Rockies along with Wise County acreage in the Barnett Shale by this year-end. Last month, the company completed the sale of its ownership interests in EnLink Midstream Partners, LP ENLK and EnLink Midstream, LLC ENLC for $3.125 billion to affiliates of Global Infrastructure Partners. Vision 2020 Devon continues to work on its Vision 2020 plan. To this end, the company is introducing an advanced technology to produce high volumes from oil wells. This comes as part of its agenda with cost-saving initiatives and the ways to generate peer-leading returns from its invested capital to the shareholders. Shareholders Gain The initiatives undertaken by the company promise to generate a cumulative free cash flow of $2.5 billion through 2020. Also, costs will be lowered by 15% through 2020 from the 2017 levels. Devon will utilize these funds not only to expand its existing operations but also to increase its shareholders worth as well as lower outstanding debts. Devons board of directors authorized a $3-billion increase in Devons previously announced $1 billion share-repurchase program. With this raise, the total buyback program is presently valued at $4 billion. The $3-billion rise in authorization extends through Dec 31, 2019. At the end of July, Devon bought back 24 million shares or 5% of its outstanding shares for a total cost of $1 billion, which will surely leave a positive impact on earnings per share in the upcoming quarters. Recently, the company hiked its quarterly dividend rate by 33%. Devon has plans to retire $1 billion of debt for strengthening its balance sheet and reducing interest expenses. U.S. Oil Production to Drive Devon Devon Energys focus on its resource-rich Delaware and STACK assets, forming the backbone of its U.S.-based production, is likely to boost its performance. Devon maintains its 2018 oil production growth to be around 16% from the 2017 level. Given the ongoing upswing in oil prices, the companys prospects are definitely going to get an added stimulus. Price Movement Devon Energy has returned 35.1% in the past 12 months, outperforming its industrys rally of 14.4%. Story continues Zacks Rank Devon currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Today's Stocks from Zacks' Hottest Strategies It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But while the market gained +21.9% in 2017, our top stock-picking screens have returned +115.0%, +109.3%, +104.9%, +98.6%, and +67.1%. And this outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. Over the years it has been remarkably consistent. From 2000 - 2017, the composite yearly average gain for these strategies has beaten the market more than 19X over. Maybe even more remarkable is the fact that we're willing to share their latest stocks with you without cost or obligation. See Them Free>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report EnLink Midstream Partners, LP (ENLK) : Free Stock Analysis Report EnLink Midstream, LLC (ENLC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Devon Energy Corporation (DVN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc. (CRZO) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research 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: Story continues 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: 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. bitcoin mining The hashrate of the Bitcoin network, which represents the amount of computing power securing the blockchain, has continued to increase despite the 70 percent decline of BTC since January of this year. David Sapper, chief operating officer at Australia-based cryptocurrency exchange Blockbid, said in an interview with Bloomberg that the continuous rise in the hashrate of Bitcoin demonstrates the satisfaction of investors in the long-term trend of the dominant cryptocurrency. The increased hash rate means people are here for the long-term because theyre happy to just accumulate what they have, potentially even run at a loss. At the same time, they do sometimes have to clear house and dump, Sapper said. Why is Hashrate Increasing? In a bear market, mining cryptocurrencies can become less profitable as the same amount of energy, electricity, and resources are used to mine digital assets. For instance, if the mining difficulty remains identical but the price of BTC drops from $20,000 to $8,000, the miner can only sell the BTC it generates from its mining operation at a unit price of $8,000, where before, with the same cost, the miner was able to generate $20,000 per every bitcoin that is mined. Naturally, as the bitcoin price fell, investors in the cryptocurrency market expected the difficulty of mining and the hashrate of the Bitcoin network to fall, proportional to the price trend of bitcoin. However, the hashrate of the Bitcoin network has continued to increase at an exponential throughout the 2018 bear market, a period in which the valuation of the global crypto market fell over 78 percent. Hashrate of the Bitcoin network, provided by Blockchain Hence, Sapper, who operates one of the biggest cryptocurrency exchanges in Australia, suggested that the consistent increase in the hashrate of Bitcoin shows the patience of investors and their firm belief that bitcoin along with the rest of the cryptocurrency market will eventually recover to its previous levels in the mid to long-term. Story continues Marco Streng, the CEO at Genesis Mining, offered a difference explanation to the phenomenon, stating that it merely demonstrates the rapid change and growth of the global mining industry, which with key players such as Bitmain and Samsung, have produced more efficient machines and mining equipment on a regular basis. He emphasized that more efficient miners that operate highly sophisticated mining facilities are big enough to cover the drop-out of inefficient miners, that have no space and capital to compete against the behemoths of the industry. There are still major expansions happening, especially from more efficient miners. The expansion is so big that it compensated for the drop-out of not-so-efficient miners, Streng explained. Generally Optimistic The analysis of both Streng and Sapper are optimistic in that they have suggested the increase in the hashrate of Bitcoin is either caused by the rapid expansion and growth of the Bitcoin mining sector or the expectations of investors in the cryptocurrency market that major digital assets will soon recover from their drops. Featured Image from Shutterstock The post Experts: Bitcoin Hashrate Increase Shows Investors are Happy in Long-Term appeared first on CCN. Yoshi A startup called Yoshi delivers gas to people's cars for a monthly fee of $20. Yoshi, which is competing with several companies billing themselves as the "Uber for gas," has been backed by ExxonMobil and General Motors. It currently operates in 16 cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston. Customers can also use Yoshi for oil changes, tire service, and more. A growing number of startups calling themselves "Uber for gas" are offering an alternative for people who believe that gas stations are too inconvenient. The companies are also trying to fill an emerging deficiency in gas availability: According to the National Association of Convenience Stores, the number of retail fueling sites nationwide has gone down by 25% from 1994 to 2015. Among these startups, Yoshi stands out as a frontrunner. The company has expanded from three cities to 16 in the past year, raising more than $15 million in funding including support from ExxonMobil and General Motors Ventures. Yoshi hasn't revealed how many people have signed up for the service, according to the Washington Post, but it currently delivers gas in Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Houston, and other US cities. Yoshi's fuel comes from ExxonMobil, and customers pay a $20 monthly fee for delivery. The startup also offers services like oil changes and wiper blade swaps, and customers get per gallon discounts on their gas if they choose these add-ons. Customers can schedule these services and communicate with "field technicians" who complete them through an app, available on Apple and Android. The startup asks customers to leave their fuel door ajar, but drivers do not need to be present while Yoshi employees work on their car. Yoshi can also install a magnetic fuel vault in compatible cars, making it possible to complete a fill-up without customers having to leave the fuel door open. Yoshi Image Yoshi In addition to Yoshi, several other gas delivery startups are trying to expand their reach. Silicon Valley-based Filld delivers fuel to customers in the Bay Area and Seattle, and Booster Fuels says its service is safe and more eco-friendly than traditional gas stations. Story continues As these companies gain more followers, some fire marshals and fire department officials have expressed concerns about startups transporting large amounts of a flammable liquid on the back of a pickup truck. Some of the [companies] are using 1,000-gallon tanks, Greg Andersen, a division chief in the state fire marshal's office in California, told The Guardian. If theyre going into the basement parking lot of a high rise, that actually is a large concern. Yoshi sometimes delivers gas to parking lots and high-rises, but the startup says its fuel tanks are certified by the US Department of Transportation and adhere to local laws, according to the Post. The startup has not experienced any gas spill accidents since launching in 2015, and Yoshi intends to begin delivering gas to nine more cities by the end of the year. According to its website, people can save 33 hours and $240 a year by using it. NOW WATCH: 5 easy ways to protect yourself from hackers See Also: SEE ALSO: There could be problems for a bunch of companies trying to be the 'Uber for gas' SEE ALSO: A startup called Filld just raised $3.25 million to make sure you'll never have to pump your own gas again By Julia Love MEXICO CITY, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Credit ratings agency Fitch on Thursday placed TV Azteca on "negative watch," warning of the risks of the Mexican broadcaster's legal dispute with American Tower Corp as the companies attempt to reach a settlement. MATC Infraestructura, a unit of cell tower owner and operator American Tower, sued TV Azteca for nearly $97 million in a New York state court, saying the company had defaulted on a loan. American Tower and TV Azteca are now engaged in talks to settle the lawsuit, the companies wrote in court papers filed on Wednesday. In court papers, the broadcaster did not confirm or deny having defaulted on the loan from American Tower. "The Negative Watch reflects the high level of uncertainty related to the difficult situation of TV Azteca's vendor financing and leasing agreement with the Mexican subsidiary of American Tower Corp (ATC)," Fitch wrote. Spokesmen for TV Azteca and American Tower did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Fitch has given TV Azteca a credit rating of "B+," under the "speculative" category. If TV Azteca defaults on its loan from American Tower, that could lead to default on other loans under "cross-default" clauses, Fitch wrote. The dispute with American Tower also highlights TV Azteca's "aggressive negotiating tactics," Fitch wrote. Nevertheless, TV Azteca has made progress in its core business of content and broadcasting, the ratings agency said. "Fitch believes TV Azteca has a solid financial liquidity position, enough to comfortably cover all its interest payments," it added. (Reporting by Julia Love Editing by Susan Thomas) 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 CFO Bob Shanks is shown standing in front of a Ford Mustang and a white backdrop with Ford's logo. Ford's chief financial officer, Bob Shanks, thinks the company's current dividend is sustainable, even through a moderate recession. Image source: Ford Motor Company. 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. Story continues 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. More From The Motley Fool John Rosevear owns shares of Ford. The Motley Fool recommends Ford. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Former U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has strong opinions about how to fix the U.S. school system, and hes skeptical that the current administration will deliver on key initiatives. Duncan, who served in the Obama administration from 2009 to 2015 and just published a new book, says the country needs to improve access to early childhood education and increase wages for teachers to make the U.S. more competitive on the global stage. I think obviously the best investment we can make is in high-quality early childhood education, Duncan told Yahoo Finances Seana Smith on Midday Movers. The brutal truth is that whether you look at early childhood education access to that, whether you look at math and science scores K-12, whether you look at college completion rates, were top 10 in nothing. And thats not good enough. Duncans comments reflect how apart from college rankings, the U.S. lags behind most of the developed world and even parts of the developing world when it comes to education. Former US education secretary Arne Duncan speaks with Yahoo Finances Seana Smith on Midday Movers. Relatively flat over the tests history American students ranked 38th out of 71 countries in math and 24th in science in the most recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test. The exam measures ability, math, science and literacy and other key skills among 15-year-olds in a number of developed and developing countries. The latest test, which is administered every 12 years, revealed how American PISA scores on all sections have been relatively flat over the tests history. American children also lag behind on early childhood education which Duncan places heavy emphasis on with enrollment rates for children under three below 30%, according to a report by OECD. Story continues The overall enrollment of all 3- to 5-year-olds in the U.S. was 67%, which was the lowest out of all the OECD countries except Switzerland and Turkey. Source: OECD Its not much better at the front of the classroom. Despite numerous teachers union protests, 1 in 5 teachers in the U.S. currently hold a second job just to make ends meet, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. And the median pay for kindergarten and elementary school teachers was $56,900 last year. Duncan commented that we say we care so much about teachers and how important they are. We dont pay them as true professionals. We dont train them as true professionals. These arent Democrat or Republican goals Duncan asserted that Obama-era policies had resulted in progress, and he hoped the Trump administration continued pushing those trends. We were very proud during our time in D.C. to get high school graduation rates up to 84%, Duncan said. I would love to see the current administration have a goal of a 90% graduation rate and keep getting better. He added that we were about 12th in the world now in college completion. I would love to see the current administration saying we should lead the world. The current administrations education secretary, Betsy DeVos, tried to make deep cuts to public education to fund school choice voucher programs in May that were rejected after fierce resistance from Democratic legislators. Overall, the Department of Education has shed about 13% of its staff as the administration attempts to merge the Education and Labor Departments. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Former Senior Advisor to President Trump Omarosa Manigault Newman accused Devos of being ignorant of how historically black schools were formed and claimed that President Donald Trump refers to her as Ditzy DeVos. Duncan stressed that these arent Democrat or Republican goals these are nation-building goals. We have to educate our way to a better economy. I dont see the current administration talking about any of these goals. Follow Aarthi on Twitter. Related: FILE PHOTO: A Google sign is seen during the China Digital Entertainment Expo and Conference (ChinaJoy) in Shanghai, China August 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aly Song By Joseph Menn and Paresh Dave SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google's plan to launch a censored search engine in China requires more "transparency, oversight and accountability," hundreds of employees at the Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) unit said in an internal petition seen by Reuters on Thursday. Hoping to gain approval from the Chinese government to provide a mobile search service, the company plans to block some websites and search terms, Reuters reported this month, citing sources familiar with the matter. Disclosure of the secretive effort has disturbed some Google employees and human rights advocacy organizations. They are concerned that by agreeing to censorship demands, Google would validate China's prohibitions on free expression and violate the "don't be evil" clause in the company's code of conduct. After employees petitioned this year, Google announced it would not renew a project to help the U.S. military develop artificial intelligence technology for drones. The latest petition says employees are concerned the China project, code named Dragonfly, "makes clear" that ethics principles Google issued during the drone debate "are not enough." "We urgently need more transparency, a seat at the table and a commitment to clear and open processes: Google employees need to know what we're building," states the document seen by Reuters. The New York Times first reported the petition on Thursday. Google declined to comment. Story continues Company executives have not commented publicly on Dragonfly. They are expected to face questions about the project during a weekly employee town hall discussion on Thursday, a person familiar with the matter said. It would be the first such meeting since details about Dragonfly were leaked. Employees have asked Google to create an ethics review group with rank-and-file workers, appoint ombudspeople to provide independent review and internally publish assessments of projects that raise substantial ethical questions. Three former employees involved with Google's past efforts in China told Reuters current leadership may see offering limited search results in China as better than providing no information at all. The same rationale led Google to enter China in 2006. It left in 2010 over an escalating dispute with regulators that was capped by what security researchers identified as state-sponsored cyberattacks against Google and other large U.S. firms. The former employees said they doubt the Chinese government will welcome back Google. A Chinese official, who declined to be named, told Reuters this month that it is very unlikely Dragonfly would be available this year. (Reporting by Joseph Menn and Paresh Dave; Editing by David Gregorio and Dan Grebler) HongKongBillionairesNeighborhood JackMa (26 of 32) Harrison Jacobs/Business Insider Hong Kong's most expensive neighborhood is The Peak. You may have heard of it in Kevin Kwan's novel "Crazy Rich Asians," which was turned into a summer blockbuster. The Peak is a gorgeous, secluded neighborhood that overlooks Hong Kong and is home to bankers, expatriates, business magnates, celebrities, and millionaires and billionaires. Jack Ma, the Chinese billionaire who founded Alibaba, is said to have purchased a $191 million mansion in the neighborhood in 2015, but it has never been confirmed. Every city has that neighborhood an address that signifies wealth. New York City has Fifth Avenue, London has Kensington, and Miami has South Beach. Hong Kong has The Peak short for Victoria Peak a neighborhood that has been synonymous with wealth, luxury, and exclusivity since the colonial era. As the least affordable city in the world for eight years running, Hong Kong takes the cake when it comes to luxury real estate. At various times over the past decade, Pollock's Path, Barker Road, and Severn Road all streets on The Peak have claimed the title of the world's most expensive street. The neighborhood is home to a mix of bankers, expatriates, business magnates, celebrities, and, more recently, Chinese millionaires and billionaires looking for a place to invest or vacation away from pollution in cities on the mainland. It's the kind of neighborhood that consistently breaks records for the most expensive real estate in the world. In 2015, it was rumored that Jack Ma, the Chinese billionaire who founded Alibaba, purchased a $191 million mansion there, but it has never been confirmed. Last month, an unidentified buyer broke the record for the most expensive real estate in Asia, purchasing a 9,217-square-foot villa on The Peak for about $180 million, making it about $19,400 per square foot. I recently visited the ritzy neighborhood to see why it continues to house some of the most coveted addresses in the world. It did not disappoint. Story continues See the rest of the story at Business Insider See Also: SEE ALSO: Jeff Bezos has passed Bill Gates to become the richest person in history here's the secretive waterfront town where both billionaires live The Italian government called on managers at Atlantia Spas highway-operator unit to resign following the collapse of a bridge in the northern city of Genoa that killed at least 39 people. Autostrade per lItalias top management must resign, Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said Wednesday in a post on Facebook. And given that there have been serious breaches, I announce that we have activated the procedures for the possible withdrawal of the concessions and for sanctions of up to 150 million euros ($170 million), he said. If they are not able manage our highways, the state will do it, Toninelli said. At least 39 people were killed, the civil protection agency said, when a section of the 1,100-meter (3,600-foot) long viaduct gave way following heavy rain around midday on Tuesday. The road was built in the 1960s and sat on thin pylons as it crossed a river, railroad tracks, and buildings carrying traffic through the heart of Genoa. Autostrade Management Similar calls on the management of Autostrade to step down and threats of possible withdrawal of its license to operate the countrys highways came from the deputy premiers Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini, heads respectively of the ruling coalitions partners Five Star Movement and League. Speaking to reporters in the southern Calabria region on Wednesday, Salvini also said that Italy will invest in the 2019 budget law all the needed resources to improve the countrys infrastructure regardless of the European Union budget constraints. On Tuesday, hours after the collapse, he said that there cant be a tradeoff between the citizens safety and the fiscal rules. The EU has long encouraged investment in infrastructure in Italy, the Brussels-based European Commission said in a statement on Wednesday. Its 2018 country-specific recommendations called on the Italian authorities to better target investments to foster infrastructural development, the statement said. Atlantia was not immediately available to comment on the ministers request for the top managements resignation or on the possible revoking of management license. Story continues In a statement on Wednesday the Autostrade unit said that the outcome of the monitoring activities and of the verification activities carried out at the Genoa bridge on a quarterly basis by outside parties always provided the companys technical structures with adequate reassurances on the state of the infrastructure. These same outcomes were used as a basis for the design of maintenance interventions on the viaduct approved by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport according to the law, Autostrade said. The company reiterated its willingness to provide the competent institutions with all the support necessary to ascertain the causes of the collapse and to restore the highway as quickly as possible by rebuilding the bridge. At Risk About 300 bridges and tunnels across the nation are at risk, daily newspaper la Repubblica reported on Wednesday, citing industry experts and engineers. We cannot fail to examine carefully and rigorously the causes and responsibilities, Finance Minister Giovanni Tria said in an unusually forceful statement Wednesday. Nobody will have to hide behind the alibi of a lack of funds or budgetary constraints. The finance chief added that the disaster in Genoa highlights the absolute necessity of a major public investment in an infrastructure plan that the government is already working on and that will include the unblocking of investments and maintenance interventions for which funds are already available. Benetton Family The Benetton family is the biggest investor in Atlantia, which also manages highways in Chile, India, and Brazil, and airports in Italy and France. Atlantia jointly controls Spanish toll-road operator Abertis Infraestructuras in partnership with Actividades de Construccion y Servicios SA. Atlantia Chief Executive Officer Giovanni Castellucci said on Tuesday the company had not received any specific reports or alerts regarding the bridges solidity. Atlantias 1 billion euros of bonds due July 2027 dropped two cents on the euro since the bridge collapsed to 95 cents, the lowest on record, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The companys shares fell 5.4 percent in Milan on Tuesday and are not being traded on Wednesday as the stock market is closed due to a public holiday. Amazon Echo A long-promised integration between the Amazon Alexa voice assistant, and Microsoft's Cortana, has finally come to life after a year of waiting. To use it, just ask Alexa to "open Cortana." Or, if you're on a Windows 10 PC, ask Cortana to "open Alexa." Cortana has integrations with Microsoft Outlook for e-mail and calendaring that Alexa and other similar assistants don't. Alexa, meanwhile, lets users It's a part of Amazon's ambitions to bring Alexa to every device. If you own an Amazon Echo speaker, you can now, finally, speak to Microsoft's Cortana assistant, if you so choose. Also at long last, you can now use Cortana on a Windows 10 PC to talk to Amazon's Alexa assistant. Anyone with access to either Cortana or Alexa can start using the alternate assistant on Wednesday. The intermingling of intelligent assistants comes almost a year after it was promised. Last August, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced their companies were teaming up to integrate Alexa with Cortana. In January, Microsoft told reporters that the Alexa integrations were in the final stages of testing. But that was pretty much the only public update from either company about the partnership since the initial announcement. Until now, that is. If you're talking to Amazon's assistant from any Alexa-powered device, you can now just say "Alexa, open Cortana." From there, you can access a handful of features that are exclusive to Microsoft's assistant. For example, you can have it read to you emails sent to your corporate account or list your upcoming appointments that were scheduled in Microsoft's Outlook. Similarly, from a Windows 10 computer, you can now say "open Alexa" after you launch Cortana. You can then ask Amazon's assistant to do anything it could do on an Echo speaker, including purchase items from Amazon, play songs from Amazon Music, or play games such as "Jeopardy." Story continues The companies are cautioning users that this is a public preview of the integration of the assistants, not a fully baked release. On its surface, the partnership between the two companies would seem an unlikely one. Not only do Alexa and Cortana ostensibly compete with each other, but Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, the two companies' cloud computing services, are arch-rivals. However, the partnership is a strategic move for both companies. Amazon, which failed to establish its own devices or operating system as significant players in the smartphone market, has been aggressively pushing its intelligent assistant, seeing voice as the next major computing platform and a key way to direct consumers to its web store and services. The endeavor has been dubbed "Alexa Everywhere." Every speaker, appliance, and, now, PC that you can use to talk to Alexa can serve as a channel to the wide world of Amazon's goods and services. By most measures, Alexa is the leading voice assistant, edging out the Google Assistant. The deal with Microsoft gives Amazon another beachhead in its attempt to dominate the market. Earlier this year, in a related move, Amazon announced partnerships with HP, Acer, and Asus for special Alexa-equipped PCs. For Microsoft, the deal gives it a chance to promote Cortana to a new audience. The company has long hyped Cortana's integration with Outlook and its other corporate tools in an attempt to lure in users. But in terms of catching on with consumers or electronics makers, Cortana has trailed far behind Alexa and Google Assistant. Only one smart speaker on the market supports Cortana. Microsoft's assistant integrates with far fewer smart home appliances than its rivals, and there are fewer Cortana-specific apps. By bringing Cortana to Alexa, Microsoft can potentially reach users on devices other than PCs. But it's an open question whether Alexa users will actually take advantage of that option. NOW WATCH: NYU professor says Facebook should pay taxes for making us less productive See Also: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Turkey should commit to sound economic policies to promote stability and reduce imbalances at a time of market volatility, an IMF spokesperson said on Wednesday as a row between Washington and Ankara over the jailing of an American pastor dragged on. The spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was no indication that Turkish authorities are considering asking for financial assistance from the Washington-based International Monetary Fund. The Fund was monitoring the situation closely, the spokesperson added. "In light of recent market volatility, the new administration will need to demonstrate a commitment to sound economic policies to promote macroeconomic stability and reduce imbalances, while ensuring full operational independence to the central bank to pursue its mandate of securing price stability," she said. The lira has lost nearly 40 percent against the dollar this year, driven by worries over President Tayyip Erdogan's growing control over the economy and his repeated calls for lower interest rates despite high inflation. The latest blow was sparked by sanctions imposed on Turkey by the Trump administration over the detention of Pastor Andrew Brunson, who was jailed for allegedly supporting a group that Ankara blames for an attempted coup in 2016. The weakness of the Turkish currency has rippled through global markets.[MKTS/GLOB] Earlier on Wednesday, Qatar pledged $15 billion in investment to Turkey, which will be channeled into banks and financial markets, a Turkish government source told Reuters. The move by Turkey's Gulf ally offered further support to a lira rally after the Turkish central bank tightened liquidity and curbed selling of the currency. Erdogan has said Turkey is the target of an economic war, and has made repeated calls for Turks to sell their dollars and euros to shore up the national currency. Analysts have said Ankara will likely need to go to the IMF to rebuild confidence in its economic policies. "We have received no indication from the Turkish authorities that they are contemplating a request for financial assistance," the IMF spokesperson added. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Michael Perry and Kim Coghill) Crazy Rich Asians isnt necessarily great PR for Singapore. [The film] represents the worst of Singapore, Ian Chong, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, said after seeing the trailer. Erases minorities. Erases the poor and marginalized. All you get are rich, privileged ethnic Chinese. Singapore is around 75% Chinese, according to 2017 estimates. And while the movies entire cast is Asian, theyre mostly Chinese. The movie, which is based on a book by Kevin Kwan, spends little time on the other 25%: Malays (15%), Indians (7%), and other minority races. I get that the movie isnt all about Singapore, and that some may find it entertaining, Chong told Yahoo Finance. That said, I think that the context of the movie (and the book) presents Singapore in a one-dimensional manner. In exoticizing Singapore, the story flattens out Singapore society and writes minorities out. This image released by Warner Bros. Entertainment shows, from left, Awkwafina, Nico Santos, and Constance Wu in a scene from the film Crazy Rich Asians. (Sanja Bucko/Warner Bros. Entertainment via AP) The book focuses on how a female American-Chinese character travels to Singapore with her Singaporean-Chinese boyfriend for a wedding and meets his rich old money Cantonese family, only to face his mothers (and her circles) disapproval. And given that the movie introduces Singapore to a global audience, some familiar with the country wonder why there is little effort made to make the movie more reflective of the real Singapore. Story continues Everyone else is told you have to care, even though we are not represented, we cant see ourselves, Sangeetha Thanapal, an activist against racism facing Singapores Indian, Malay, and other minority communities, told the AP. You set a movie in Singapore and the only people in it are Chinese and you consider that representation? That is the problem its because you dont understand the dynamics, Thanapal said. When people say that is the world of Singapore, theyre saying that minorities dont exist. (Photo: screenshot/Crazy Rich Asians) In Crazy Rich Asians, the only minority actors beside the main characters mother, played by Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh were predominantly security guards or servants. So while the movie is the first studio film in the 21st century starring an Asian and Asian-American cast in a contemporary setting, its more accurate to say that the movie represents the Chinese community. Crazy Rich Asians is set in Singapore and yet theres not a single south Asian member on the cast. Huge fan of Constance Wu and love when ANY Asians are represented but its so wrong given Singapores demographics. To paint an exclusively East Asian cast as representative of neil gunnion (@neilgofficial) August 2, 2018 Genuinely excited to see Crazy Rich Asians. But my issue with it (as well as the book) is that its a paltry reflection on multicultural Singapore. Malay & Indian communities are entirely scrubbed out of view and Spores problematic Chinese-maj worldview is reinforced. https://t.co/yQuOih0spd Tara John (@tarajohn) August 15, 2018 Racism in Singapore Consequently, the film adds more irritation to the minorities who have already experienced decades of racism in many aspects of their life as the country became predominantly Chinese. For example, in the rental market, Indians have found it difficult to find properties because of landlords discriminating against them. In the job market, Chinese have for a long time preferred their own over other minorities, specifying it clearly on job listings to the extent that even if a member from the minority races spoke Chinese, they would get turned away. A migrant worker from Bangladesh shows his empty wallet to the camera as workers gather near a government office in Singapore on February 16, 2009. REUTERS/Vivek Prakash And the classic example of intolerance occurred in 2011 when a new migrant family from China complained about a Singaporean-Indian family because they couldnt tolerate the smell of their curry. (The Indian family ended up settling to cook only when they were out.) While the film is no doubt a step in the right direction toward the representation of the Asian community overall, there is a clear lack of minorities even in cameo roles for a movie about Asians in Singapore. How I look at the movie and the story on which it is based parallels the concerns some in the US express about Hollywood making movies that write out minorities, making it all about white people, Chong said. That does not even get into issues of class. Even while people watch the movie, I hope these nuances are not forgotten in the public mind even though I doubt this will happen. Aarthi is a graduate journalism student at New York University. She is Singaporean. Follow her on Twitter. Related: If you or your children are eating Cheerios right now, theres a good chance that theyre accompanied by a potentially harmful weed killer called Roundup. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) on Wednesday released the results of a test it conducted on popular oat-based products, like Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Kind Bars, Nature Valley bars, and others, to determine whether they contained any of the herbicide glyphosate. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsantos Roundup weed killer, and at high levels, has been linked to cancer. Unfortunately, some of the results were not what you might hope. In its testing, the EWG tested 45 samples of conventionally grown oats and 16 of organically grown oats. In 43 of the 45 conventional cases, it detected glyphosate. And in 31 of those cases, glyphosate levels were above the organizations health benchmark of 160 parts per billion. On the organic side, just five products were discovered to have had Glyphosate and none of them reached the 160ppb benchmark. The benchmark is designed to provide a framework for how much glyphosate humans can ingest daily without having potentially negative health effects. The higher the level, the worse for your health. The most concerning findings came with Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, which had levels higher than 1,000ppb. Three Cheerios samples had levels ranging from 470ppb to 530ppb. Lucky Charms were tested in two samples and found to have 400ppb and 230ppb levels, respectively. We proudly stand by the safety and quality of our Quaker products, the company replied in a statement. Quaker does not add glyphosate during any part of the milling process. Glyphosate is commonly used by farmers across the industry who apply it pre-harvest. It added that the reported levels of the chemical are significantly below any regulatory limits and compliance standards for human consumption. Kind Vanilla, Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds had levels of 50ppb and 60ppb in the testing, below the 160ppb benchmark. The companys Kind Oats & Honey with Toasted Coconut Bar reported no glyphosate in the first test, but 120ppb in the second. Story continues Nature Valleys Granola Protein Oats n Honey had 220ppb and 170ppb in its two tests, respectively. The companys Cunchy Granola Bars, Oats n Honey had 340ppb and 120ppb in its two tests. Some organic options proved to be the healthiest. Simple Truth Organic Instant Oatmeal, for instance, didnt have the chemical in its oats. The same was true for Kashis Heart to Heart Organic Honey Toasted cereal. And if youre looking for a healthy granola bar that doesnt contain glyphosate, according to EWG, opt for the Cascadian Farm Organic Harvest Berry. Glyphosate has long been a major concern for health advocates. Both the World Health Organization and California state scientists have found links between the herbicide and cancer. Monsantos Roundup, meanwhile, is the most heavily used pesticide in the U.S. Its estimated that 250 million pounds of Roundup are sprayed on American crops to keep weeds down and crops living. But since its often sprayed before harvest, it clings to the crops, leaving them in food. According to EWG, glyphosate is an especially concerning problem for children. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, for instance, has found that children between the ages of one and two have much higher exposure than older people. Their daily glyphosate intake is estimated at 230 times the 160ppb benchmark, according to EWG. Monsanto did not immediately respond to a Fortune request for comment on the findings. Editors Note, Aug. 15, 2018: This article has been updated to include comment from the Quaker Oats Co. elon musk Getty Images/Joshua Lott The Securities and Exchange Commission has sent subpoenas to Tesla concerning the company's plans to explore going private and CEO Elon Musk's statements about the process, Fox Business first reported. The New York Times also reported that the agency has sent the company a subpoena. The Fox Business reporter Charles Gasparino said on Twitter that sources suggested the agency was moving into a formal investigation of Tesla. Gasparino also said SEC officials had concerns about how the agency's investigation could affect Tesla's ability to go private. Tesla and the SEC declined Business Insider's requests for comment. The Securities and Exchange Commission has sent subpoenas to Tesla concerning the company's plans to explore going private and CEO Elon Musk's statements about the process, Fox Business first reported. The New York Times also reported that the agency has sent the company a subpoena. The Fox Business reporter Charles Gasparino said on Twitter that sources suggested the agency was moving into a formal investigation of Tesla. Gasparino also said SEC officials had concerns about how the agency's investigation could affect Tesla's ability to go private. The Wall Street Journal reported last Wednesday that the SEC had made an inquiry into Tesla about whether one of Musk's tweets regarding the possibility of taking the company private was truthful. And on Thursday, Bloomberg reported that the agency was "intensifying" its inquiry. Tesla and the SEC declined Business Insider's requests for comment. On August 7, Musk expressed his desire to take Tesla private in a now-controversial tweet. "Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured," Musk said via Twitter. Some were confused in the hours and days following the tweet, since Musk did not initially disclose who might provide the funding he mentioned. Musk said in a statement on Monday that he used the phrase "funding secured" because he believed there was "no question" Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund would provide funding for a deal to convert Tesla into a private company. He made the announcement via Twitter, he said, because he wanted all Tesla investors to know about the possibility of Tesla going private at the same time. Story continues But Musk didn't mention any legally binding agreements that were in place at the time he sent the "funding secured" tweet, and he also said he was in discussions with other investors, which suggested some sources of funding may not have been settled before the tweet was sent. Musk said all relevant parties would be able to review a proposal before a decision was made about going private. He said a proposal would not be presented, however, until discussions with potential investors were finished. The Saudi sovereign wealth fund first met with Musk early last year about taking Tesla private, Musk said, adding that they'd met multiple times. After the fund purchased about 5% of Tesla's shares, it requested another meeting with Musk, which Musk said took place July 31. Musk said that during this meeting the fund's managing director "strongly expressed his support" to contribute funding to take Tesla private. Musk notified Tesla's board of directors of his desire to take Tesla private on August 2, he said. But The New York Times reported on Monday that Musk's "funding secured" tweet surprised the board, which it said had not approved the tweet. According to The Times, Musk told an informal adviser he sent the tweet because he had difficulty keeping information to himself and was frustrated with the company's critics. The Times later reported that some board members had hired lawyers to protect themselves from the potential legal fallout of Musk's statements and urged Musk to stop using Twitter. Three lawsuits have been filed against Tesla and Musk alleging securities fraud. On Tuesday, Tesla said its board of directors had formed a special committee to consider any forthcoming go-private proposals. Tesla has been public since 2010, but Musk has previously said he would like to take Tesla private. "I wish we could be private with Tesla," Musk said in an interview with Rolling Stone published in November. "It actually makes us less efficient to be a public company." Last week, Musk said taking the company private was "the best path forward." He said the pressures of being a public company created distractions and promoted short-term thinking that may not produce the best decisions in the long term. Musk has also said on multiple occasions that Tesla would become profitable by the end of this year and would not need to raise additional funds, despite its increased cash-burn rate in recent quarters. At the end of June, Tesla said it achieved its goal of making 5,000 Model 3 sedans in one week. Musk previously said that the company would hit that number by the end of 2017 and that sustaining such a production rate was critical for Tesla to become profitable. Have a Tesla news tip? Contact this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com. Read more about Tesla possibly going private: NOW WATCH: An early investor in Uber, Airbnb, and bitcoin explains why it's actually a good sign that no one is spending their crypto See Also: SEE ALSO: 9 reasons you should buy Tesla's new Model 3 'Performance' car instead of the standard Model 3 College is expensive, and the debt that often comes with it is something many consider a necessary evil. Collectively, Americans owe more than $1.5 trillion dollars in student loan debt, according to Federal Reserve data. The reality is education is essential to economic success in America, Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate for governor of Georgia, told Yahoo Finance. Abrams is no stranger to student loan debt; she owes $96,512 in student loan debt nearly three times the national average to Spelman College, the University of Texas at Austin and Yale Law School. I believe that investment in education from cradle to career is vital because it is the only metric that we as a state can invest in that really can transform lives, Abrams said. It is a critical piece of economic mobility; its also a critical piece of justice and fairness. Economic mobility is a key part of the Abrams platform and is a big part of why shes bullish on education. Ive experienced it, she said, referring to her own debt. However, Abrams said she needs only to look at her siblings to see the power of education: her siblings have pursued science, academia, and social work. She also has a sister whos a federal judge. Im going to invest in making sure that students can go to debt-free college because you shouldnt finish college crushed by debt and unable to make better choices, Abrams said. Story continues One survey of more than 3,000 college students found 39% would rather drop out than incur more debt. Abrams wants to update the HOPE program, a Georgia merit-based scholarship, to bring need-based aid. The HOPE (Helping Outstanding Students Educationally) scholarship was created in the early 1990s and is funded by the state lottery. In order to receive the scholarship, students must graduate from high school with a 3.0 grade point average and maintain the same GPA throughout college. Georgia and New Hampshire are the only two states that dont offer need-based aid. We need to reduce how much debt students have because the reality is if you have too much debt, you drop out. Abrams said. When you drop out, you increase the likelihood of not being able to have the kind of success you need which means you become more likely to need government support on the other side. This is an investment that we are making in our future, and the state needs to bear a higher share of that, Abrams said. See Also Stacey Abrams: Im running for governor and am $200,000 in debt The lucrative life of a high-end auctioneer How an NFL player planned his post-football finances How to think about your money for less than an hour a month By Brenda Goh and Yimou Lee SHANGHAI/TAIPEI, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Chinese food delivery platforms Meituan-Dianping and Ele.me have taken down listings for Taiwan's 85 Degrees Celsius Bakery Cafe, checks on their apps showed, amid boycott calls from social media users who said the chain supported Taiwan independence. The move by the Chinese companies comes after 85 Degrees, which has 628 stores on the mainland, was hit by calls for a boycott on Chinese social media after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen was photographed on Sunday visiting one of its Los Angeles stores during her visit to the United States. Taiwan is China's most sensitive territorial issue and Beijing, which considers it a wayward province, has in recent months become increasingly critical of how companies refer to the self-ruled, democratic island. Checks on Tencent-backed Meituan-Dianping and Alibaba-owned Ele.me's apps on Thursday showed that the option for users to order food deliveries from 85 Degrees stores was no longer available. The Dianping app, which lists reviews and locations for restaurants and shops, displayed the message "unable to find appropriate merchant" when one tried to search for 85 Degrees' stores. Meituan-Dianping declined to comment while Ele.me and 85 Degrees did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It was not clear when 85 Degrees' listing was taken down from the apps but Chinese state media reported it on Thursday. On Wednesday, 85 Degrees issued a statement on its mainland website in response to criticism about Tsai's visit, saying that it firmly supported the "one China policy" and encouraged the peaceful development of cross-straits relations. Story continues Huang Chung-yen, a spokesman for Taiwan's Presidential Office, said 85 Degrees was subject to "unwarranted pressure" and forced to release a "humiliating" statement, adding that Taiwan condemned such actions against freedom of speech. Long Mingbiao, a deputy minister at China's policy-making Taiwan Affairs Office, told reporters in Beijing that China welcomed Taiwan companies to come to the mainland to invest and develop. "At the same time, we oppose and will not allow any Taiwan company to earn money in the mainland and then go and support Taiwan independence forces or activities," he said. He declined to elaborate. Companies from airlines, such as Air Canada, to retailers, such as Gap and Muji, have apologised for or changed the way they refer to Taiwan in recent months after complaints from the Chinese government. Many social media users said on Thursday they were supportive of the removal of 85 Degrees from the food delivery apps, but some lamented that customers were also penalized. "Politics is politics and business is business, but us people are innocent, we should not wrap it all up in each other," said one with the username "shengxiaomei". (Additional Reporting by Cate Cadell and Ben Blanchard in BEIJING and Shanghai Newsroom Editing by Robert Birsel) The investigation into the Thailand bitcoin fraud case involving a Finnish national who lost 5,564 bitcoins to Thai fraudsters has now widened its reach to include a stock investor and bank employees. According to the Bangkok Post, Prasit Srisuwan, an investor at the Stock Exchange of Thailand, as well as employees of three Thai commercial banks namely Kasikornbank, Siam Commercial Bank and Bangkok Bank are now being probed. While Thai law requires bank employees to alert the Anti-Money Laundering Office when money transfer transactions of amounts of 2 million baht (approximately US$60,000) or more occur, police allege the bank staff failed to act in accordance with the law. As CCN previously reported, various amounts ranging in value from over US$600,000 were transferred to different accounts after the stolen bitcoins were moved from e-wallets. Bank Employees Broke Thai Law According to reports, the police are now considering filing charges against the banks as well as the responsible employees. Reports further say that stock investor Srisuwan is seeking to negotiate a settlement with the 22-year old Finnish national, Aarni Otava Saarimaa, who was defrauded by the Thai gang, in order to avoid prosecution. In the complaint that Saarimaa filed in January this year, the Finn accused Srisuwan of receiving 66.5 million baht (nearly US$2 million) to acquire shares on his behalf but instead defrauded him. The gang lured the victim to transfer 5,564 bitcoins to its e-wallet, claiming the payment was for the shares of three firms, including DNA 2002 Public Company Limited. But he never received the shares after making the transfer, Thailands Crimes Suppression Division (CSD) boss, Major General Maitree Chimcherd, was reported as having said in an earlier report. Family Affair Prior to the Thai police turning their sights on the stock investor and the bank employees, the CSD had been concentrating on the Jaravijits. While Thai actor Jiratpisit Jaravijit was arrested and freed on bail and prohibited from leaving the country last week, his elder sister Suphitcha Jaravijit, submitted herself to the police on Wednesday and released under similar conditions. Story continues Though investigators allege that 140 million baht (US$4.2 million) was moved into a bank account belonging to Suphitcha, she has claimed innocence placing the blame on Prinya Jaravijit, her elder brother, and has indicated that she plans on transferring the money back to his account. Jiratpisit, whose bank account is said to have received 21 million baht (US$649,000), also accused his elder brother of using his bank account without his consent. Parents of the three are also said to be under investigation. On the run Meanwhile, the alleged mastermind of the bitcoin fraud scheme, Prinya, is believed to be currently in hiding in the United States. If arrested he can expect to face charges back at home as Thailand and the U.S. have an extradition treaty. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post Thailand: Bitcoin Fraud Case Ropes in Bank Staff and Prominent Stock Investor appeared first on CCN. Summer 2018 has been nothing short of brutal. Record temperatures have been set worldwide and weve seen little relief. Bad news: None is on the way for the next five years, either, according to a new forecast. Forecasters say the period will be anomalously warm and thats on top of any global warming we humans are responsible for. The study, which was published on Nature magazines website, postulates that the planets natural warming trend (which excludes the impact of greenhouse gasses introduced by humans) is set for a change. For most of this decade, they say, factors such as oscillations in the oceans, have slowed down that natural warming. However, those factors are changing and that could actually accelerate the warming process, meaning more record temperatures are on the way. This comes as Earth has already experienced the four hottest years in its history. And one researcher that tracks climate change at UC Berkeley believes its unlikely well see temperatures as cool as they were in 2014 ever again. The scientists in charge of this study note that while its likely well see the acceleration of heating theres a 58% chance Earths overall temperature will be anomalously warm over the next five years, and a 69% chance Earths oceans will be its not an absolute certainty. The study also does not factor in the atmospheric condition known as El Nino, which also impacts temperatures. Still, the scientists who conducted the research say its probably a good idea to stock up on shorts. What we found is that for the next five years or so, there is a high likelihood of an anomalously warm climate compared to anomalously cold, Florian Sevellec, co-author of the study and a scientist at Frances National Center for Scientific Research, told the Washington Post. By Jan Wolfe WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has sent subpoenas to Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) regarding Chief Executive Elon Musk's plan to take the company private and his statement that funding was "secured," Fox Business Network reported on Wednesday, citing sources. The electric carmaker's shares fell as much as 4 percent but cut their losses after Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) 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 Goldman statement as confirming a tweet from Elon Musk on Monday about working with Goldman, even as the reported subpoenas indicated the SEC has opened a formal investigation into a matter. The latest news extended the roller-coaster ride for Tesla investors in recent days, adding to uncertainty about the future course of the company and whether a deal can be done amid growing regulatory complications. Tesla and the SEC declined to comment. 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. The shares fell 2.6 percent to $338.69 on Wednesday, below $341.99, their closing price the day before Musk tweeted his plan to take Tesla private. The Tesla CEO 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. Story continues Musk also tweeted late Monday night 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 47-year old billionaire's tweet about secured funding may have violated U.S. securities law if he misled investors. On Monday, lawyers told Reuters 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. The SEC has opened an inquiry into Musks tweets, according to one person with direct knowledge of the matter. Reuters was not immediately able to ascertain if this had escalated into a full-blown investigation on Wednesday. This source said Tesla's independent board members had hired law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP to help handle the SEC inquiry and other fiduciary duties with respect to a potential deal. The Wall Street Journal said the SEC was seeking information from each Tesla director. (Reporting by Sonam Rai, Michelle Price and Supantha Mukherjee; Editing by Anil D'Silva, Nick Zieminski and Cynthia Osterman) White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow confirms that U.S. and Chinese officials will meet later this month to try to work out their trade differences. He says President Trump has a strong resolve to make sure the U.S. gets the best deal possible. Markets have been nervous that the U.S.-China fracas could spill over globally and halt the momentum the economy has seen during the Trump administration. White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow confirmed Thursday that the U.S. and China will resume trade talks later this month, but warned that President Donald Trump has a strong resolve to make sure the administration gets a good deal. Kudlow is the director of the National Economic Council and is one of Trump's top advisors. His office likely will be involved when a Chinese delegation visits the U.S. later in August for trade talks, though he said in an interview with CNBC that David Malpass, the under secretary of the Treasury for international affairs, will act as lead. "The Chinese government, in its totality, must not underestimate President Trump's toughness and willingness to continue this battle to eliminate tariffs and nontariff barriers and quotas, to stop the theft of intellectual property and to stop the forced transfer of technology," Kudlow said in a " Squawk Box " interview. "Those are the asks that we've been making now for quite some time." His statements come amid market optimism that the two sides will be able to avert a trade war that some fear could spill over globally and stanch the economic momentum the U.S. has seen during the Trump administration. The president has vowed to renegotiate global trade deals that have worked against the U.S., and he has targeted China specifically for tariffs on $50 billion worth of goods so far. Kudlow was measured in his optimism about the upcoming negotiations even amid his hopes for the economy. "Let's just see what happens," he said. "Sometimes talks can produce better outcomes than expected." Story continues As Kudlow spoke, Wall Street was preparing for a rally following several volatile days of trading. Stocks surged at Thursday's opening after headlines broke that the two sides again were trying to resolve their differences. Among Trump's main grievances are lopsided tariffs that make China far less hospitable for U.S. goods than Chinese goods are in America. The administration has specifically targeted the elimination of intellectual property theft as its goals in the talks. "If they open up their markets, whether you're talking about industry or financial services or technology, U.S.A. will talk through the increase export sales to China by phenomenal rates," Kudlow said. "We're the most competitive economy in the world because of the unexpected boom as the result of new policies." Kudlow also said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is "getting close" to a trade deal with Mexico. And he said the strong dollar is a "sign of confidence" in the United States. More From CNBC Pricing pressure, competition, and massive debt have taken a toll on Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (NYSE: TEVA) in the past year, yet Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A)(NYSE: BRK-B) has bought millions of shares in 2018, including 2.7 million shares in the second quarter alone. Is Teva Pharmaceutical a bargain-bin buy you should add to your portfolio, too? Challenges galore A value investor, Buffett favors companies with strong long-term tailwinds that have fallen victim to short-term struggles. Teva Pharmaceutical's slate of bad news over the past year certainly qualify as setbacks, one of which was self-inflicted. In 2016, it orchestrated a monstrous deal to acquire Allergan's generic-drug business, a move that caused debt to soar just as growing generic drug competition and payer scrutiny crimped drug prices and thus generic drug revenue and profitability. Warren Buffett at an investor's conference. IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES. A less attractive pricing environment for generics wasn't the only blow to Teva Pharmaceutical, though. It also had to cut prices on its best-selling multiple sclerosis drug, Copaxone, to maintain market share after Mylan Labs won Food and Drug Administration approval of a Copaxone biosimilar last fall. The double whammy has caused Teva's sales, operating margin, and net income to tumble. For instance, sales fell 18% year-over-year to $4.7 billion and adjusted net income fell 23% year over year to $794 million in Q2 alone. Pricing pressures caused generic drug sales to fall 29% while doctors shifting to Mylan's lower-cost version of Copaxone caused a 46% decline in Teva's North American Copaxone sales to $464 million. Hope springs eternal Although Teva's financials are struggling, a restructuring could cut $3 billion from costs next year and Teva Pharmaceutical's full-year guidance for 2018 still calls for the company to turn a profit, after adjusting for one-time items. If Teva Pharmaceutical can orchestrate its turnaround successfully, its sales stabilize, and it can reduce the burden associated with its $28 billion in long-term debt, then a good argument can be made that now's a very attractive time to consider adding its shares to portfolios. As you can see in the following chart, the company's shares haven't been this cheap on price-to-sales or price-to-book metrics since 2000. Story continues TEVA PS Ratio (TTM) Chart TEVA P/S Ratio (TTM) data by YCharts. That's probably the calculus behind Berkshire Hathaway's interest in Teva Pharmaceutical's stock. It's no secret Buffett is a fan of using price-to-book ratios to value companies and it stands that he's instilled the importance of that measure to Berkshire Hathaway portfolio managers, Todd Combs and Ted Weschler, the two likely responsible for buying more Teva Pharmaceutical shares for Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio in Q2. Can Teva Pharmaceutical turn it around? After news Berkshire Hathaway had bought shares, Teva Pharmaceutical shares have shot up over 80%. Yet, Berkshire Hathaway's buying last quarter suggests someone there believes Teva's stock has more room to run. The company thinks about half of its planned $3 billion in annual savings from its restructuring should be achieved this year, with the remaining savings realized by the end of next year. The cost-cutting alone won't offset all the risk to Teva Pharmaceutical's because Copaxone's still selling at $2.4 billion annualized clip worldwide and generic drug price pressure isn't going away, but it's a good start and it could make the company much more profitable in the future when Copaxone sales eventually find their floor, allowing new drug launches to return the company to growth. Among the drugs that could help sales and profit recover, investors will want to keep a close eye on Austedo, fremanezumab, and fasinumab, which it's co-developing with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Austedo won approval for tardive dyskinesia and Huntington's disease last year. Its sales were $44 million in Q2 and Teva Pharmaceutical's aiming for $200 million in revenue from it this year. An FDA decision on fremanezumab, a migraine drug, was delayed earlier this year, but a go/no-go should happen in September, and if it's approved, it could be a nine-figure drug. Also, Regeneron says results from a phase 3 trial of fasinumab, an osteoarthritis pain drug, will be released later this quarter, and because pain treatment is a multibillion-dollar market, a win there could help boost sales someday, too, if it secures a regulatory OK. Overall, the U.S is spending over $330 billion on prescription drugs every year and generic drugs, including those made by Teva Pharmaceutical, remain one of the most important weapons in the battle to rein in future spending growth. Forecasts suggest aging baby boomers will increase U.S. healthcare spending toward 20% of gross domestic product by 2020, up from 18% today, and since average prescriptions per capita for the elderly are roughly twice that of the average American, there's reason to assume Teva Pharmaceutical will see plenty of demand for its products in the future. Admittedly, it's anyone's guess when Teva Pharmaceutical will be back on track, but long-term investors like Berkshire Hathaway seem increasingly confident it's only a matter of time. More From The Motley Fool Todd Campbell owns shares of Mylan. His clients may have positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Berkshire Hathaway (B shares) and Mylan. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Thursday, August 16, 2018 Reader Vox Populi: An In-Depth Look At Keller And Crime Plus: MLG And The Wall; Having It Both Ways? You Decide Joe, Your blog has been tough on Mayor Keller of late because of the citys continuing crime problems (Tuesday, August 7, 2018 among others). While I agree that the Mayor and Chief Geier are now responsible, along with the City Council, for addressing crime in the Duke City, the Mayor has been in office since last December, the Chief for less time and the problem has been festering throughout the terms of the previous two Mayors, Chavez and Berry and some of the underlying causes for long before that. From your blog: Thursday, December 1, 2005 (Inauguration Day for Mayor Chavez last term and well before the onset of the Great Recession) ABQ's biggest problem is the ongoing crime wave and the poor image it has spawned nationally. It has also been a considerable impediment to economic growth. Chavez has done about all he can in getting tough on crime. Now we face difficult social and economic issues to beat this problem. Wednesday, September 28, 2016 (During Mayor Berrys second term and in response to his proposal for a study on the causes of crime in Albuquerque). Come on, Mayor. Again, it's drugs, poverty, lousy wages and few jobs. We don't need no stinkin' study. But we do need a fully staffed and reformed APD ready to protect us, more emphasis on drug prevention and treatment and more jobs. In his eight and one half months in office, Keller has gotten budget approval from the Council to hire one hundred additional officers this year and plans to ask for funding for one hundred more each year for the next three years. The final budget also includes money to address some of the underlying causes of crime. Keller had asked for more but some of the items were trimmed by the Council. Money was approved to fund compliance with the police reform settlement with the U.S. Justice Department and the Federal Judge overseeing compliance has lauded the change in the Citys attitude and cooperation. The Mayor has announced job creation plans and other measures aimed to address underlying causes of crime. I dont want to sound like a public relations agent for the Mayor. The problems are many, deep and some systemic, dating back generations - failure to develop private employment opportunities because of over dependence on Federal government spending for instance. Keller and Geier will be measured soon enough by their ability to bend the curve in the right direction. But it is a bit early to declare failure and predict political consequences because crime hasnt gone away in less than nine months. Thanks for the thoughtful note, Norm. Let me tackle your concerns. First, the serious crime we noted in the December 1, 2005 blog did not turn into a multi-year crime wave which is what we have on our hands in 2018, in large part because of the economic decay caused by the Great Recession. As for the Sept. 28, 2016 blog, that does back your contention that Mayor Keller indeed inherited the crime problem. We agree. Second, we did not declare Mayor Keller's administration a "failure." We pointed out that the myriad of other topics that he has addressed in his first eight months seem to be overshadowed by the ongoing and sinister crime wave that dominates the city's conversation. Further, we said if a year from now--after which the Mayor would have had over $50 million to employ from a new tax that took effect July 1--the crime wave was still wreaking havoc then there would likely indeed be political consequences because by then the mayor would have been in office 1 year and eight months. Finally, let's note what former ABQ City Councilor, attorney and political analyst Greg Payne believes. He says that if in a couple of years the electorate is not satisfied on the crime front, the city could be ripe for a populist crime fighter ala former NYC Rudy Giuliani. MLG AND THE WALL Most of the fencing Lujan Grisham visited has been in place about a decade, the result of the Secure Fence Act of 2006. But an extension of the tall fencing described as a "wall" for the first time this year by the Trump administration that began earlier this year has sparked contention amid Trump's proposal to build a full-fledged wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Asked her thoughts on the fencing, Lujan Grisham said she thinks federal lawmakers should listen to police and policymakers who are on the border. And if they "say that this physical barrier is going to help us, I think Congress has to have the resources to do that, and states need to be as supportive as they can." However, Lujan Grisham said spending tens of billions of dollars on a proposed wall will take away funding from manpower and technologies that "the experts in the field tell you would give you operational security" of the international border. Meanwhile, questions arise again on how serious the Trump administration is about building a wall when it is After months of negotiations, State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn said hes disappointed that the governments appraisal of the land amounts to less than $9,000. He said thats a fraction of the easement fees the state would receive for allowing a section of existing border wall and a road on the property near Santa Teresa, New Mexico. Dunn had hoped to sell the one-mile (1.6-kilometer) stretch of barren desert near where the borders of New Mexico, Texas and Mexico meet to the U.S. government for a reasonable price. Im disappointed with the federal governments confiscation of state trust lands and the compensation offered. President Trump continues his push to funnel billions of dollars to construct a border wall, yet his administration seems bent on shortchanging our beneficiaries. Dunn, elected as a Republican but since turned Libertarian, has been acting the part, pulling no punches with the R friendly oil and gas industry which is upset with him as well as the Trump administration. Why he wandered around running for the US House and then the Senate and not going for a second term at the land office only he knows. But with his straight talk to both R's and Dems the voters just might have given him another four years. THE BOTTOM LINES The metro court trial of ABQ GOP State Rep. Monica Youngblood on an aggravated DWI charge has been reset from the late August date we reported to September 12. Judge Kevin Fitzwater will handle the case. He is retired but is called in to handle the hot potato cases that the other judges won't touch. Maybe we should send him a pair of mittens to handle this one. This is the home of New Mexico politics. Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. ( c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2018 Reader Norm Gagne kicks off this edition of Vox Populi with an in-depth take on Mayor Keller, crime and our coverage:Thanks for the thoughtful note, Norm. Let me tackle your concerns.First, the serious crime we noted in the December 1, 2005 blog did not turn into a multi-year crime wave which is what we have on our hands in 2018, in large part because of the economic decay caused by the Great Recession. As for the Sept. 28, 2016 blog, that does back your contention that Mayor Keller indeed inherited the crime problem. We agree.Second, we did not declare Mayor Keller's administration a "failure." We pointed out that the myriad of other topics that he has addressed in his first eight months seem to be overshadowed by the ongoing and sinister crime wave that dominates the city's conversation. Further, we said if a year from now--after which the Mayor would have had over $50 million to employ from a new tax that took effect July 1--the crime wave was still wreaking havoc then there would likely indeed be political consequences because by then the mayor would have been in office 1 year and eight months.Finally, let's note what former ABQ City Councilor, attorney and political analyst Greg Payne believes. He says that if in a couple of years the electorate is not satisfied on the crime front, the city could be ripe for a populist crime fighter ala former NYC Rudy Giuliani.Dem Guv nominee Michelle Lujan Grisham paid a visit to the border this week and made comments that had the state GOP claiming that she performed a "flip-flop" for "political convenience" and that Lujan Grisham says she is now for border security, including a wall at the southern border." Did she flip? Here's the report from the Las Cruces Sun News. You decide:Meanwhile, questions arise again on how serious the Trump administration is about building a wall when it is offering peanuts to get the land needed for the project:The metro court trial of ABQ GOP State Rep. Monica Youngblood on an aggravated DWI charge has been reset from the late August date we reported to September 12. Judge Kevin Fitzwater will handle the case. He is retired but is called in to handle the hot potato cases that the other judges won't touch. Maybe we should send him a pair of mittens to handle this one.This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) 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. Safarov's father, Juma Safarov, confirmed to RFE/RL's Tajik Service on August 2 that his son was among the five men claiming allegiance to IS in the video posted online by the militant group. He said he was unaware that his son had returned from Russia until hearing the news that he had been killed by police and named as one of the attackers. Both of the teenagers had avoided their village and contact with their relatives, Safarov said. Instead, the investigative source said, the younger Safarov and Majidov traveled to the town of Norak to meet with Abdusamadov and the two other alleged attackers, brothers Jafariddin Yusupov, 26, and Asliddin Yusupov, 21. Like Abdusamadov, the Yusupov brothers were raised by a single mother. Their paternal uncle told RFE/RL that their father left the family in 1996, remarried, and moved to another district. The investigative source told RFE/RL that authorities believed Jafariddin Yusupov, a graduate of Vahdat Technical College, had been radicalized by Abdusamadov in Russia and had convinced his younger brother to join the plot to kill the cyclists. Asliddin Yusupov previously served as a soldier in the Tajik Army at a post in the district of Isfara, in the Ferghana Valley. He was married and had two children. Written by Ron Synovitz and Andy Heil in Prague based on reporting and contributions by Mumin Ahmadi and regional correspondents for RFE/RL's Tajik Service. A pilots dream. Thats the pitch for a new home for sale at Meadow Lake Airport in Falcon, east of Colorado Springs. The 3,600-square-foot ranch home is handcrafted top to bottom, with three bedrooms (each with their private bathroom), a professional-grade kitchen, a finished oversized six-car garage and an attached 3,200-square-foot hangar. Thats large enough, the marketing materials say, for four or five planes or a combination of toys. The home, garage and hangar are all radiant-heat controlled. Theres a paved taxiway to the runway; the hangar has a 14-foot-high, 45-foot-wide custom-made hydraulic door. The price? $1.2 million down from an original asking price of $1.4 million. Its the first million- dollar home among the 30 or so homes at the airport and a rarity for the plains east of Colorado Springs. In the past three years, there has been only one property in the area that sold for over a million dollars, and that included a lot of land nearly 150 acres says Bill Kemp, the Colorado Springs listing agent for the Mediterranean-inspired villa at Meadow Lake Airport. But Kemp sees the hangar-home lifestyle as an emerging market and the new home as perfect for a professional such as a doctor or attorney with their own plane who would relish the opportunity to so easily enter the skies for work or fun. The challenge, he says, is just being new and first in this price point. The listing is the first of what could be an enclave of eight million-dollar homes built by Erik Payne, a super-custom builder from California; a second is near completion. One of the homes will belong to Payne, who lived in the Colorado Springs area while in high school and, at age 50, has built plenty of homes but has never owned his home. Its a really neat community here, says Payne, whos a pilot, with a Cirrus SR22 back in California. Its the first place Ive wanted to live. And by building not just his home but others, he says, I could control what the neighborhood will be like. He sees the homes as nice but not extravagant and says he had to cut back on his original plans so that he didnt price himself out of the market. Theres no end to what you can do with houses and how much you can spend. He acknowledges the villas might fit better in a neighborhood such as Flying Horse, farther north of the Springs, but theres no runway there and you just cant move airports. Dave Elliott has lived at the airports Meadow Lake Estates since 1999 and is president of the Meadow Lake Airport Association board of directors. He sold the lots to Payne and acknowledges he was surprised when Payne told him his plans. I thought that was a little overpriced for our community, but Im glad to see it, Elliott says. Anytime we can get more airplanes on the airport, with people living there that like airplanes, is good. If Payne completes his eight homes and two other homes that are in development are built, the airports 41 residential lots will all be occupied, Elliott says. And there wont be more homes after that. Since were a private airport in the FAA system, were not allowed to expand with more residential lots, Elliott says. If we were a city-owned or county airport, we could. Meadow Lake Airport is unusual in that it is a public use airport but privately owned. Operations and maintenance are conducted by volunteers and funded by dues paid by the property owners; federal and state grants fund capital improvements. Its Colorados largest pilot-owned airport. Theres no control tower; Meadow Lake is an uncontrolled airport, so its up to pilots to keep an eye on the skies and coordinate through a common traffic advisory frequency on their radios. Meadow Lake is one of 10 airparks, or fly-in communities, in Colorado, according to coloradoairparks.com. The website is maintained by Karl Goebel, a Denver-area real estate agent whose niche is that market. Its a fun market for me, because I like dealing with pilots and their families, and Ive had some success doing it, Goebel says. Among the listings on his site is a $1.1 million home at Parkland Estates, east of Boulder. One airpark thats particularly bustling, Goebel says, is Kelly Airpark, just west of Elbert between the Springs and Denver. Its going to be pretty much built out before too long. One draw at Meadow Lake, Goebel says, is its proximity to the Springs and its even closer proximity to the retail development that has sprung up in Falcon, from Walmart to Safeway to a number of fast-food restaurants. Some of the other airparks, Goebel says, are out in the boonies, where the nearest grocery store might be 20 miles away. Nationwide, Living With Your Plane (livingwithyour plane.com) lists more than 620 airparks. That number has remained fairly consistent in recent years, says Ben Sclair, publisher of LWYP. Im certain there are airparks that have been developed in the past decade that I dont know about, he said via email. Over all, though, 600-650 airparks is a pretty comfortable number. A National Air Transportation Association report back in 2003 on The Future of Residential Airparks saw that future as a rosy one, noting several trends that might increase the viability of residential airparks. Among those trends: enhanced automation and the development of next-generation personal aircraft; an increase in telecommuting; and the maturing baby boom generation; the typical airpark resident, at least back then, was retired. For many of us who grew up reading Flying or Popular Mechanics, the idea of an airplane in every garage was a concept that always seemed to be 20 years in the future, the reports conclusion said. One would be able to hop in ones place for a quick commute to a distant city. It was a wonderful vision but one that has been realized in a very limited fashion. We now see that many of the promised innovations in aircraft are starting to happen. As we enter the second century of flight, the potential for residential airparks may also be more than just another promise of the future. Its a really neat community here. Its the first place Ive wanted to live. Erik Payne, a pilot who has built the first of what could be an enclave of eight million-dollar homes at Meadow Lake Airport V3Gate is not exactly a household name, even in its Colorado Springs home, but the company has made its mark by making the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies for a third consecutive year. Each year it was in the top 1,000. The company was among eight Colorado Springs-area firms to make the list, up from seven last year and the most since 10 in 2012. Colorado had 136 companies on the list, up from 113 last year, headed by Boulder-based PopSockets, which makes collapsible, expandable cellphone grips and ranked second on the national list. The government informational technology contractor has grown its revenue more than 1,100 percent between 2015 and 2017 to $119.3 million and is poised to continue that rapid growth after winning a $63 million, five-year contract with the Air Force to provide Oracle Corp. enterprise resource planning, manufacturing execution system and cloud software licenses. The company ranked 462nd in this years list, down from 309th last year and up from 809th in 2016. The company was started in 2007 by Oscar Valdez, a retired Army major and contracting officer, and Tad Rzonca, an information technology industry veteran who previously was an executive with Insight Corp. They grew the company to 36 employees by winning major contracts that include the Solutions for Enterprise Wide Procurement contract for work across the federal government. V3Gate has received 440 task orders totaling more than $100 million since becoming one of 145 eligible companies to seek work under the contract in 2015. Rzonca said Wednesday he is proud and humbled to work with such a great group of people. They are the main contributors to our success. Madison, Wis.-based SwanLeap tops this years list by growing at a rate of more than 75,000 percent to $99 million in revenue between 2015 and 2017. The transportation consulting and technology firm wants to become the eBay of freight by using artificial intelligence to make sure shippers get the best possible rate. Other local companies on the list are: Magneti, started in 2010 to provide marketing through digital advertising techniques, ranked 1,666th with three-year revenue growth of 277 percent to $2.1 million. The company employs 11. Peak Dental Services, started in 2008 to provide marketing, customer service, revenue management and human resource services to dental practices, ranked 2,192nd with three-year revenue growth of 202 percent to $22.6 million. The company employs 224 and made the list last year at 1,742nd. SocialSEO, started in 1997 to provide search-engine optimization, marketing and social media services, ranked 2,263rd with three-year revenue growth of 195 percent to $5.3 million, The company employs 75 and made the list last year at 2,336th. E-9 Enterprises, started in 2010 as a military contractor providing a variety of management, engineering and support services, ranked 3,143rd with three-year revenue growth of 126 percent to $4 million, The company employs 553. Peak Internet, started in Woodland Park in 2002 to provide broadband internet access in the Colorado Springs area, ranked 3,584tyh with three-year revenue growth of 104 percent to $2.5 million. The company employs 21. Colorado Computer Support, started in 2001 to provide information technology services to businesses and schools, was ranked 4,634th with three-year revenue growth of 68 percent to $4.3 million. The company employs 35 and made the list in each of the previous three years. Pink Realty, started in 2009 to provide real estate services, ranked 4,674th with three-year revenue growth of 67 percent to $2.6 million. The company employs 51. Contact Wayne Heilman 636-0234 Facebook www.facebook.com/wayne.heilman SAN FRANCISCO Facebook has banned Louis Farrakhan, Alex Jones and others from its main service and from Instagram, saying they violated the A man's body was found lying in a northeast Colorado Springs street early Thursday after a report of shots fired, police said. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jared Polis just showed the perks of being rich. The self-funding tech millionaire Wednesday announced his first jaw-dropping television ad buy: $3 million for October. For perspective on how much campaign money that is, Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper raised a total war chest of $5.4 million for his tougher-than-expected re-election run in 2014. Republican Bob Beauprez raised a total of just $2.6 million, including about $900,000 of his own money. The ad buy will blanket airwaves for the final weeks of the campaign in the Denver, Colorado Springs/Pueblo and Grand Junction/Montrose television markets. Throughout Colorado, there is already incredible excitement for Jareds bold plans to reduce the cost of health care, invest in our public schools, and tackle the rising cost of living so that Colorado families can get ahead, Jenn Ridder, Polis campaign manager, said in a statement. She said the campaign has more than 3,000 volunteers who have knocked on 120,000 doors the past month alone. Were excited to build on that momentum and make sure that Jareds positive message of protecting our Colorado way of life in the face of rising costs reaches Coloradans in every community. Ridder said. Polis has put in more than $12.4 million so far, compared to about $2.5 million raised by his Republican opponent, Walker Stapleton. Republicans have accused Polis of trying to buy the governors race with his personal fortune. The Colorado Sun reported Wednesday that Polis is not making campaign appearances this week because he is traveling outside the state. Stapleton is attending the Western Welcome Week Grand Parade in Littleton on Saturday, the same day he speaks at the opening of a Jefferson County campaign office. Stapleton also spoke at two events Saturday Victory Office openings in Thornton and Greenwood Village. Stapleton campaign manager Michael Fortney seized on the moment. Its perfect timing for Congressman Jared Polis to announce a big media buy, Fortney said. Just this week he also announced he is doing zero public events. Congressman Polis might think this is a winning strategy since he has purchased every seat he has ever won, but Colorado voters will recognize this arrogance. Our campaign is ready for the fight to make life better for hardworking Coloradans. Activist honoured for helping cause of landless Dalits Social activist Saraswati Nepali of Baitadi district was honoured with Darnal Award for Social Justice 2018 amidst a programme in Kathmandu on Wednesday. 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 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. The man suspected of shooting Colorado Springs police officer Cem Duzel is an Iraqi refugee whos been in the U.S. for six years, the Department of Homeland Security said Monday. Karrar Noaman Al Khammasi was granted refugee status in May 2012 and entered the country six months later. APF head constable among 3 held with stolen jeep Three persons including a head constable of Armed Police Force (APF) were arrested on the charge of stealing a Scorpio Jeep from Sunwal in Parsa. The four-wheeler (Ba 15 Cha 2104) was stolen from Sunwal Bazaar a week ago. Editorial boards throughout the country are called upon today to defend the news media. The Boston Globe organized this effort, asking us to denounce President Donald Trumps dirty war against the free press. Trump calls journalists enemies of the people. He writes off unfavorable press as fake news. Trumps routine tweets, ranging from scurrilous to unhinged, played an odd role in propelling him to the presidency with a resume that included no elective office. The First Amendment protects those tweets, and his firebrand speeches, from authoritative intervention. The First Amendment was not enacted to protect polite ideas and beliefs most people approve of. The founders crafted the law to protect all peaceful expressions, beliefs and assemblies. Those least popular, and outside the norm, are most in need of protection. Trump has advanced his verbal and written attacks on the media to extremes, far beyond the boundaries of social norms. Dont be surprised if his words inspire some deranged listener to bring physical harm to one or more members of the press. The president needs to tone it down, but his words are protected by the same First Amendment that protects the journalist he lambasts. No one understands the wide boundaries of free speech more than members of the press. Free speech means the president cannot order the silencing of any individual or group. It does not restrict him from lashing out at reporters for what they broadcast and write. Though we do not condone Trumps attacks, it is easy to understand his frustration with the media. Never in modern times, if ever in this country, have we seen such unified, minute-by-minute press hostility directed at a president. Yes, he asks for it. Yes, he is like no president we have known. That should not matter to journalists who purportedly enter the practice to present news objectively. Their dislike for a president should not give a green light to cover him with unbridled prosecutorial zeal. The bias is not something we can write off as perception. Harvard Kennedy Schools Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy analyzed news coverage of President Trumps first 100 days in office. The decidedly nonconservative organization found the mainstream media set a new standard for unfavorable press coverage of a president. By a long shot. Major newspapers and networks gave him three times more coverage than any president in history, without a single major topic where Trumps coverage, on balance, was more positive than negative. Harvard found 93 percent of coverage by CNN and NBC was negative. CBS gave Trump 91 percent unfavorable coverage, The New York Times 87 percent, The Washington Post 83 percent, The Wall Street Journal 70 percent, and Fox News 52 percent. It is reasonable to say coverage has become more negative since that study. In this environment of unchecked bias, the public hears almost nothing of record breaking employment among all demographics. This is important news, whether or not Trump has played a role in it. The public hears almost nothing of soaring labor participation, or an assortment of other positive economic indicators. The audience needs information beyond hourly attacks on Trump. We implore Trump to reel in his scathing, over-the-top assaults on the press. We likewise encourage big media professionals to examine their approach, recommitting to an objectivity they once held sacred. The media should keep the president in check, not set out to destroy him. At this juncture, the audience cannot trust CNN, NBC, CBS, and other brands that comprise the big national follow-the-leader press. The public should trust their local newspapers and broadcast stations. Local journalists provide less centralized coverage, mostly presented in a spirit of objectivity. American media comprise a de facto Fourth Estate, pursuing truth in a manner that polices government and other institutions of power. That means acting like watchdogs, not rabid pit bulls assigned to attack. Trump should understand and respect the medias role, even when he thinks they are blatantly unfair. He should refrain from counterproductive, strident insults that could lead to harm. He should act more like the leader of the greatest country on earth, and less like a radio shock jock looking for ratings. Both sides of this conflict need to think about the public. They should restore the decorum expected in an advanced, civilized society built on diverse perspectives, free speech and freedom of the press. The Gazette editorial board This is a video news report about one of the eco-friendly (no flush) open-air urinals recently installed in Paris that are drawing criticism. This pisser is particularly distasteful to some residents though because of its location on a bridge overlooking the Seine, where tourist boats are passing by some guy presumably whistling "La Vie en rose" with his dingaling out. some residents have complained that the bright red boxes are a blight on the picturesque streets of the city. Others say there is something more than a little distasteful about encouraging men to urinate right on the street, even if it's into a box... "It's a little bit in the open, some people might be uncomfortable," he said as several boats packed with tourists floated past along the Seine... Local resident Francoise said she was "outraged" by its presence, describing it as "really not very attractive". First of all, I will never be able to understand somebody's ability to pee so out in the open. I can barely pee in a public restroom if there's anybody else in there at all, I don't care if they're four urinals over. Peeing outside with people walking by? I haven't made eye contact with someone while I'm peeing since jail. Just forget about it. And I've only peed outside in the bushes a single time in my life, and that was on the White House lawn, but only to prove to the Maser Splinter I was ninja enough to join the crew. Keep going for the video report. Thanks to SS, who agrees the decent thing to do is pee your pants like a normal person with poor time management skills. Cool Video Game Inspired Door That Opens Geometrically This is a video of logistics professional Warwick Turvey demonstrating the video game inspired shed door he built that "folds open and close in a precise geometric manner."... Just An Idiot Performing A Superman On His Motorbike Down A San Antonio Highway This is a video from San Antonio, Texas where a motorist spotted some idiot Superman-ing down the highway on his motorbike. Is that him humping the bike... Real Products That Exist: A $400 Home Toilet Bowl Scrubbing Robot Because sometimes even robots get the short end of the stick, this is a promo video for the Giddel Toilet Cleaning Robot. Giddel is a $400 portable... The iRobot Terra, A Roomba-Style Lawnmower This is a promotional video for the iRobot Terra robotic lawnmower. You just charge the bastard, set up the wireless beacons around your yard, connect it to... A Video Of The Speculative Political Alignments Of Mario Kart And Super Smash Bros Characters These are two videos from Art House Politics speculating about the political alignments of Nintendo's Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros characters. I disagree with a lot... Weapons Experts Compare Katana Vs Medieval Long Sword This is a short clip from The Smithsonian Channel's 'World Of Weapons: Deadly Inventions' of two alleged weapons experts comparing the effectiveness of a katana and medieval... This is a video captured by snorkeler Adam Stern off the coast of Nuku'alofa, Tonga of a curious female humpback whale that swam around his diving group for a half hour (don't worry, video is a minute and 22 seconds), performing all sorts of barrel rolls and other beautiful acrobatics. You know, sometimes it's easy to forget just how many amazing creatures Mother Nature has invented because you never leave your apartment because you're terrified of bringing home some of her less desirable creations like butt spiders. "You mean bed bugs?" I wish I did. "Just how long have you been holed up in that apartment, GW?" It's been a while. "When was the last time you saw a bird?" Are you messing with me? I assumed they all went extinct years ago. Keep going for the video for ULTRA MAJESTICNESS. Thanks to me, for taking the plunge and clicking on a Facebook link posted by someone I don't trust. Bagmati erosion raises flood alarm Flooding threat looms at Rajdevi Municipality-6 in Rautahat district as the Bagmati River has been eroding its banks since Tuesday. 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 RESEARCH TRIANGLE, N.C., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- JAGGAER , the worlds largest independent spend management company, proudly announces that the University System of New Hampshire has selected JAGGAERs full suite of S2P solutions in a significant upgrade from their existing system. The University system oversees four schools: University of New Hampshire, Plymouth State University, Keene State College, and Granite State College, and is the largest post-secondary institution in New Hampshire, serving 34,000 students. The University system adopted JAGAGERs solutions because the systems needs had eclipsed their current technology; they required a more advanced solution to meet the demands of managing multiple institutions. We selected JAGGAERs suite because our goal was a complete procurement transformation, and their solutions are the number one choice in the education space. Of particular interest is their ability to give us control over multi-business units. This is unique in the market and critical to our success. We required visibility, immediate access to data and control over four schools. JAGGAER gives us that power, says Michael Durkin, Chief Procurement Officer of The University System of New Hampshire. JAGGAERs education specific solutions were developed for the higher education space, and have led the market for over 20 years. The solutions are preferred by over 70% of the top higher education organizations in the world. We have continued to evolve our solutions to meet the changing needs of our schools as well as our commercial clients, says Robert Bonavito, CEO of JAGGAER. About JAGGAER: Global Source to Pay Spend Management Solutions JAGGAER is the worlds largest independent spend management company, with nearly 2000 customers connected to a network of 3.7 million suppliers in 70 countries, served by offices located in North America, Latin America, throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Asia, and the Middle East. JAGGAER offers complete SaaS-based Source to Pay eProcurement solutions with advanced Spend Analytics, Sourcing, Supplier Management, Contract Lifecycle Management, Savings Tracking, and intelligent workflow capabilities. JAGGAER has pioneered spend solutions for over two decades and continues to lead the innovation curve by listening to customers and analyzing the market. Our solution suites are trusted by the worlds largest manufacturing, education, health care, retail, consumer package goods, logistics, construction, utilities companies and public service organizations. Additionally, JAGGAER holds 38 patentsmore than any other spend management company. www.JAGGAER.com To join the conversation, please visit our blog at https://JAGGAER.com/blog/ or follow us on Twitter @JaggaerPro MEDIA CONTACT: Steve Lundin news@JAGGAER.com 312-602-2434 About USNH The University System of New Hampshire enrolls 34,000 students, and consists of four public institutions: Granite State College, Keene State College, Plymouth State University and the University of New Hampshire. USNH strives to ensure the availability of appropriate and accessible higher educational opportunities throughout New Hampshire, as well as address critical state workforce needs. A 29- member Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the University System. https://www.usnh.edu/ For more information contact Tiffany Eddy at 603-657-6471 or tiffany.eddy@usnh.edu To join the conversation, please visit our blog at https://JAGGAER.com/blog/ or follow us on Twitter @JaggaerPro Fort Collins, Colorado, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After becoming the first blind man to summit Mount Everest at 26,000 feet in 2001, No Barriers Co-Founder Erik Weihenmayer gained a sense of humility that was hard earned and unlike any other. This arduous journey gave him the inspiration he needed to offer others a similar experience through No Barriers, a non-profit organization that hosts an annual Summit inviting youth, women, veterans and visionaries to push themselves and unleash the full potential of their human spirit. This Oct. 5-6, No Barriers, along with presenting sponsors Coors Light and Wells Fargo, invites participants to embark on a guided adventure set against the iconic backdrop of Manhattan. Thousands of people, leaders, change-makers and aspiring visionaries will engage in interactive activities, workshops, community sessions, and the No Barriers Questival, a citywide scavenger hunt that will encompass adventure, service, local arts, prizes and more. The No Barriers Summit will culminate with No Barriers LIVE, a celebration on Saturday, Oct. 6 at Central Parks Rumsey Playfield featuring performances from Americas Got Talent finalist Mandy Harvey and Judah & the Lion! The No Barriers Summit is free of charge, allowing No Barriers to reach more people, thanks to the generosity of sponsors including Prudential, Philips, Arrow Electronics and home improvement retailer Cabinets To Go - who is providing financial assistance to individuals across the country so they can travel to the New York City event. To date, the No Barriers Summit has impacted more than 10,000 people over 11 years with notable alumni, including Marlee Matlin, Kyle Maynard, Amy Purdy, J.R. Martinez and more. Im honored to participate in the No Barriers Summit NYC this fall, said Ice-T, actor and activist. Everyone has barriers and knowing that theres an organization out there to help others in relatable situations is incredible. No Barriers creates a greater sense of community for participants by offering themed tracks with activities that cater to each attendees own personal barriers. This year, No Barriers will offer participants the following four options: Womens Track : A community of curious, brave and collaborative women who are optimistic and believe in opportunities for growth. Sponsored by Coors Light, this track is open to females 21+ and will include a Womens Roundtable and additional activities to inspire women to keep exploring. : A community of curious, brave and collaborative women who are optimistic and believe in opportunities for growth. Sponsored by Coors Light, this track is open to females 21+ and will include a Womens Roundtable and additional activities to inspire women to keep exploring. Warriors Track : This veterans-exclusive track will combine team-building and personal growth activities with mentor-led small group discussions that spark inspiration for overcoming barriers while building community with fellow veterans and others, sharing challenges and successes. : This veterans-exclusive track will combine team-building and personal growth activities with mentor-led small group discussions that spark inspiration for overcoming barriers while building community with fellow veterans and others, sharing challenges and successes. Youth & Educator Track : Participating students and educators will have exclusive access to tools and knowledge to break barriers, unleash potential and create a positive impact on the world. This track will feature innovative small group collaboration and engaging activities. : Participating students and educators will have exclusive access to tools and knowledge to break barriers, unleash potential and create a positive impact on the world. This track will feature innovative small group collaboration and engaging activities. Leadership in Business Workshop: Sponsored by Wells Fargo, this workshop is ideal for both organizational leaders and teams. This is a fee-based professional development program designed to explore challenges and solutions related to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Wells Fargo has been working with No Barriers for five years helping veterans and people with disabilities remove personal barriers and build confidence, self-esteem and skills to lead more productive, successful lives, said Kathy Martinez, head of Disability and Accessibility Strategy for Wells Fargo. Were thrilled to help offer the newly created Leadership in Business track. Our goal is to engage leaders and teams in discussing the importance and benefits of prioritizing diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including people with disabilities. Additional No Barriers Summit NYC partners include Cotopaxi, NYC Parks and more. Coors Light celebrates those who continue to thirst for more in life and are always seeking new adventures, said Alan Bremerkamp, Marketing Manager, Coors Light. Were thrilled to continue our partnership with No Barriers as the lead sponsor of the Womens Track at the 2018 Summit in New York City. Both Coors Light and No Barriers strive to foster a community of curious, brave and collaborative explorers and were excited to continue to inspire them both at the summit at beyond. For more information and to apply online please visit: NoBarriersSummit.org No Barriers USA What barriers do you face? This question lies at the heart of our organization. Whether in our personal lives, at work, or in our communities, we all face challenges that can prevent us from reaching our full potential. At No Barriers, we believe that whats within you is stronger than whats in your way. No Barriers empowers people of all walks of life to overcome obstacles, live a life of purpose, and give back to the world, all through our ground-breaking curriculum, the No Barriers Life. Learn more about No Barriers at NoBarriersUSA.org. About Coors Brewing Company Coors Brewing Company was founded in 1873 by Adolph Coors, who chose the Clear Creek Valley in Golden, Colo., for his new brewery because of the pure water in the nearby Rocky Mountain springs. The brewerys original and most enduring beer is Coors Banquet (Coors.com, Facebook.com/CoorsBanquet, YouTube.com/OfficialCoorsBanquet), still brewed exclusively in Golden using only Rocky Mountain water and high-country barley. Coors Light (CoorsLight.com, Facebook.com/CoorsLight, @CoorsLight on Twitter, YouTube.com/CoorsLight) was introduced in 1978 and now is the second-best-selling beer in the United States. Triple-filtered smooth Keystone Light (KeystoneLight.com, Facebook.com/KeystoneLight) is one the countrys most popular economy beers. Coors Brewing Company is part of MillerCoors, the U.S. business unit of the Molson Coors Brewing Company. Learn more at MillerCoors.com, at Facebook.com/MillerCoors or on Twitter through @MillerCoors. About Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Wells Fargos vision is to satisfy our customers financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through 8,200 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 42 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 265,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 25 on Fortunes 2017 rankings of Americas largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories. Attachment Background very Why do I even want an MBA? Questions Hey guys,I've been fortunate to be accepted into Columbia's J-Term program starting this January, and debating whether or not it would be worth it. I would be basically paying out of pocket, but thankfully I have enough cash that I won't go too much (if any) in debt. My background and motivations for pursuing an MBA are below. I have loved reading and posting on the applicant threads, but now would love to hear any of your thoughts or suggestions! ThanksI went to a non-HYP ivy in engineering, worked in quant finance for a while, and have been at a prestigious pre-IPO startup (Dropbox/AirBnB/Uber) for a couple of years in analytics. My college GPA was pretty bad (slightly below 3.0 - I had, I felt, legit reasons for it), and my GMAT was 720. However, I'm in a pretty good spot right now, making more than the median salary (not incl. bonuses) out of Columbia, plus pre-IPO equity (which is obviouslyvaluable). This is my second year applying to b-school - I got into Duke, Ross last year (and dinged from Booth/Kellogg), but ultimately decided not go to either as it would probably be a perceived "step-down". I came to the conclusion that only an M7 would be worth it for me in the long run, but obviously very difficult given my low gpa.Most people keep asking me that, given that I'm in a good spot, and MBA's can be looked down upon in Tech. Although I'm making good money, I am in a technical/analytical role (as a data scientist) at a place that can involve a lot of travel and insane amounts of work (banking hours, no kidding), and want to move more into strategy/product management. I actually do believe in the long-term value of an MBA, the brand recognition, the network, the formal/broad business education (it's a good supplement to my engineering background and somewhat narrow minded way of thinking), and the overall advanced degree. My ideal place to work for post-MBA would be an established tech firm (MSoft/Google) as a product manager, and I'm also considering consulting, if I'm fortunate enough to get MBB.- Given my background that the J-Term doesn't have an internship - will I be able to find a good job (or even interviews) w/ the goals listed above? Or will I be completely hindered without the internship? For tech, I don't think I'm making that much of a career change, and for MBB, a lot of my past experience is similar to consulting.- Is the Columbia MBA worth it, paying out of pocket? Alums that I've spoken to have given me a resounding "yes", but others have said I'm crazy (both opinions are biased). I have no shot at H/S/W b/c of my **** grades, but may have a chance at other M7s if I wait a couple of years. Don't know if it's worth waiting either, as opp cost gets even bigger.Thanks so much! ENEM wrote: Hi, I don't have a copy of og16, will someone confirm whether in statement 1. only p is raised to 4 or zp is raised to 4? it looks ambiguous...i assumed it is only z^4 and got it right If pz were raised to the power it would be written (pz)^4. Since it's written pz^4, then only z is raised to the power._________________ By the law As he waits for the finals results of his LLB programme, 26-year-old Yuvraj Bista is readying himself for the Public Service Commission (PSC) examination. Bista, who moved to Kathmandu from Achham a decade ago to pursue higher education, has always aspired to work for the government. " " Lost States/Michael J. Trinklein The 'lost state' of Franklin. On May 16, 1785, a Franklin delegation petitioned Congress for statehood, but received less than the two-thirds majority required under the Articles of Confederation to add additional states to the confederation. Our 50, nifty United States may have had several more siblings if things had turned out differently. For over the past 150 years, more than a few additional states have been proposed, such as Texlahoma and Nickajack. Hosts Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown talk about these potential new states in a recent episode of the podcast Ridiculous History: The United States That Never Were. The state of Texlahoma was proposed shortly before World War II. The state would have been a combination of rural swaths of northern Texas and western Oklahoma. It was pushed for by residents of these areas who wanted better roads. The car was becoming ubiquitous at this time, but American roads were in terrible condition, especially in the oft-overlooked rural areas. If Texlahoma came to be, citizens reckoned, they could build the good roads their region needed. The proposal, designed by Oklahoman A. P. Sights, did garner some attention, including the backing of then-American Vice President John Nance Garner IV. But the proposal died when the Texans realized it would result in their becoming Texlahomans and losing their identity as Texans was unacceptable. Advertisement At least two states were proposed during the Civil War as a protest against the Confederates States of America and its push for secession from the Union. Nickajack was one. A combination of southeast Tennessee and northern Alabama, this area was full of Southern Unionists poorer residents who did not own plantations and slaves, and thus were not in favor of secession or the Confederacy. Residents of these areas put forth their idea in the hopes of squashing the secessionist movement in their states. But after a majority of Alabamans and Tennesseans voted in favor of secession, the Nickajack proponents decided it was too dangerous to proceed with their proposal, and the matter was dropped. The residents of Scott County, Tenn., also wanted to secede from their state because they weren't wealthy, slave-owning plantation folk; thus, joining the Confederacy wasn't deemed necessary or wise. But unlike the Nickajackians, the people here were pro-active and made a formal proclamation of secession to the state government, dubbing themselves the Free and Independent State of Scott. The state didn't fight Scott; it simply ignored the proclamation. In 1986, Scott County formally requested to be readmitted to Tennessee. The state accepted the request, and even threw Scott a party. Ever ponder Michigan's odd shape? The midwestern state is comprised of two pieces of land: a lower, mitten-shaped portion and the U.P., or Upper Peninsula, which is actually attached to the neighboring state of Wisconsin. The first whispers of the U.P. separating from Michigan to become the independent state of Superior came in 1858, but the ensuing Civil War quashed the discussion. Yet the idea of creating Superior named after the Great Lake the region hugs was broached several times over the ensuing century. While the initial proposal was for the new state to be comprised of the U.P. and some tracts of land in the upper portions of Lower Michigan and Wisconsin, more recent pushes were just for the U.P. to become Superior. NOW THAT'S INTERESTING Delaware is comprised of the bulk of a small peninsula on the East Coast, with Maryland and Virginia laying claim to tiny chunks of it. Over the years, various proposals have been floated to create one peninsular state called Delmarva, with most plans calling for Maryland and Virginia to cede their land to Delaware. Celebrating Naag Panchami with live snakes (Photo features) Worshippers at Tauleshwornath Mahadev Temple in Taulihawa celebrated Naag Panchami on Thursday by offering prayers and offering to live snakes. A cyber fraud ring operating across multiple states was detected by US law enforcement in February 2018, after the mother of one of the perpetrators overheard him masquerading as an AT&T employee in a phone conversation. The woman called the police and officers found a number of cell phones and SIM cards, as well as an extensive list of names and phone numbers of people from around the world on his computer, writes security researcher Brian Krebs. The same person was later found to be in the possession of 45 SIM cards and a Trezor Wallet used for cryptocurrency account data. After searching his home again, police found more SIM cards and drivers licenses and passports. On the other side of the country, Florida police has arrested 25-year-old Ricky Joseph Handschumacher on money laundering and grand theft charges. The man is allegedly part of the aforementioned SIM hijacking group, which includes nine more members, who cloned phones to steal cryptocurrency. Police say that for the past two years, the group has been emptying bank accounts through the common mobile phone SIM swap scam, technique that seems to be getting popular in the US. Search warrants revealed that in mid-May 2018 the group worked in tandem to steal 57 bitcoins from one victim a then valued at almost $470,000 a and agreed to divide the spoils among members, writes Krebs. Handschumacher and another co-conspirator talk about compromising the CEO of Gemini and posted his name, date of birth, Skype username and email address into the conversation, reads the complaint issued by the Pasco County Sheriffs office. Handschumacher and the co-conspirators discuss compromising the CEOs Skype account and T-Mobile account. The co-conspirator states he will call his guy at T-Mobile to ask about the CEOs account. Chand-led CPN Chitwan Secy arrested Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) District Working Committee Secretary Dhruba Khadka has been arrested from Bharatpur on Thursday. Bishop Thomas Paprocki has curious ways of looking at the world. Homosexuality is sinful. Muslims are the enemy. Exorcism works. These sorts of stances have earned Paprocki plenty of WTFs since he came to Springfield eight years ago. Hes a hardliners hardliner, the sort who, if he managed in the American League, would send the pitcher to the plate because the designated hitter rule is fundamentally wrong. The bishop has a remarkable capacity to accommodate, as he did when he allowed a priest to resume churchly duties after the reverend, gagged, handcuffed and clad in an orange jumpsuit, somehow called 911 from a rectory and was rescued by Springfield cops. Then again, Paprocki is a stickler, refusing to let U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin participate in communion because the senator supports abortion rights. Furthermore, the bishop says, parishioners who are denied communion or even excommunicated remain obligated to attend Mass, if not pony up when the collection plate comes around. Talk about a welcoming church.It would be wrong to call the bishop a blind hog, but you should gather acorns when they fall. And Paprocki lately has been served a plateful of nuts by the head of the Illinois Education Association.Characteristically, the bishop lit the fuse by writing a column in the diocese newspaper, reprinted last month by the State Journal-Register, stating his opposition to a United States Conference of Catholic Bishops decision to support unions in the case of Mark Janus, the Springfield man who won a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that ends mandatory contributions to public-sector unions by government workers. Paprockis stance was clear: He differed from his colleagues on grounds that unions, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, defendant in the Janus case, have given money to Planned Parenthood, which provides abortions and campaigns for abortion rights via the organizations political action committees.Forcing public employees to subsidize unions that promote such immoral policies and activities is just not right, the bishop wrote.I hadnt been aware that unions, public sector or otherwise, had given money to Planned Parenthood, so I combed New York Times archives. Nothing. But the internet otherwise is filled with articles, nearly all published by Christian or politically conservative websites, about AFSCME and other unions giving big money to Planned Parenthood or its various PACs. During the 2016 election cycle, the American Federation of Teachers gave $350,000 to Planned Parenthood Votes, a political action committee that can raise and spend unlimited amounts to further the goals of Planned Parenthood per se, a nonprofit organization that isnt supposed to dally in politics. The difference is negligible, as unions acknowledge.(T)he American Federation of Teachers stands with Planned Parenthood and the millions who depend on its health care services, including contraception, cancer screenings, STD testing and treatment, and legal, safe abortions, the union declared in 2016 resolution that condemned the decades-long assault on Planned Parenthood by anti-abortion groups.Im a fan of unions and Planned Parenthood. Ive read A Narrative of Hosea Hudson: His Life As A Negro Communist In The South (if ever a labor organizer had it tough, Hudson did), and I voted in favor of unionization at a newspaper where I once worked. Ive also donated money to Planned Parenthood. But I cant fathom what Planned Parenthood has to do with labor unions. An op-ed piece by Kathi Griffin, Illinois Education Association president, written in response to Paprockis column and published last week by the SJ-R, was not enlightening.It was more dogmatic than didactic, with Griffin scolding Paprocki for parting ways with other bishops and defending unions as guardians of everything thats good about America. As someone who has embraced the official title The Holy Goalie, you should be able to appreciate unions as the last line of defense for the middle class, Griffin ranted. Not once did she mention the a word or otherwise address Paprockis points about abortion and unions giving money to Planned Parenthood. Im guessing she had no good answer.We live in fractured times. Im supposing this might be why unions, called out by the bishop, ended up with Griffin mounting the defense. After all, neither the Illinois Education Association nor the National Education Association has given money to Planned Parenthood, insofar as I could find out its not us, its those other guys, Griffin can say. On the other hand, the NEA has given money to the Sierra Club, also a fine organization, but one that would seem to have little to do with battling right-to-work laws or negotiating collective bargaining agreements.Its one thing for unions to give money to Democrats theyve shown a propensity to support organized labor and negotiate contracts that unions hold up as examples for the world to emulate. Thats a justifiable quid pro quo. But giving money to organizations be it Planned Parenthood or the Sierra Club or the Boy Scouts -- that arent within a sneeze of the bargaining table is ripe fish. As deeply as some support abortion rights, other good people believe that abortion is murder, and no one wants their money going to killers. Its a debate that doesnt belong in the labor movement, and for union officials to sidestep the question merely shows that, even after Janus, some folks still dont get it. Lake County politics has been rocked to the core this month by the abrupt resignation of state Rep. Nick Sauer (R-Lake Barrington) and the announcement by Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor that he is dropping out of his re-election campaign after earlier disclosing that he was suffering from drug addiction. Its really a mess up there. The local states attorney has taken over the investigation of the allegations against Sauer that he used nude photos of an ex-girlfriend to catfish men on the Internet. And Lawlor, once a rising political star, faced removal from the ballot by the State Board of Elections for unpaid fines leveled against his campaign committee. The county is also investigating whether he improperly used his government credit card.Gov. Rauner is reportedly backing Barrington Village President Karen Darch to replace former Rep. Sauer. Darch was president of the Illinois Municipal League in 2017, so she has some state experience. Shes also done battle with her local unions, which is one reason Im told why Rauner likes her so much.But insurgent Republican Dan Proft tipped his hand in the House seat replacement sweepstakes by publishing a story in one of his 40 newspapers (the Lake County Gazette) about how Darch has increased property taxes collected by the village by more than one-third since 2010. Proft backed Rep. Jeanne Ives against Rauner in the primary, and the two men are avowed enemies.Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) last week endorsed Ela Township Republican Party Chairman Chris Bos to replace Sauer. Sauers former House district is half of McConchies Senate district. So, McConchie carries some weight and Lake County Republican Party Chairman Mark Shaw has a delicate decision on his hands.Some top House Republicans would like to see a woman named to the Sauer seat. Darch would fit that bill, but so would Helene Walsh, the wife of former GOP Congressman Joe Walsh, who, like Proft, hosts a conservative radio talk show.Another drama is also playing out in the county. As I write this, Rep. Sam Yinglings SB2544 is sitting on Rauners desk.Yingling (D-Grayslake) made the unusual move of running cable TV ads supporting his legislation in late June. The bill would allow Lake County voters to decide whether to elect the county assessor. The position is currently appointed by the county board chairman, the soon to be departing Aaron Lawlor.Julie Simpson, a Democrat who was running against Chairman Lawlor until he dropped out, also ran an ad touting the legislation, which passed both chambers with strong veto-proof majorities. And Yingling gathered 1,000 petition signatures favoring the legislation. Yingling represents a district that was once represented by a Republican, so he is a perennial target. The issue has helped him stay visible throughout the summer.Sauer spoke against the bill on the House floor last May and Chairman Lawlor has been the bills most high-profile opponent, engineering a recent county board resolution urging the governor to use his amendatory veto powers to make the bill cover all counties with appointed assessors instead of just Lake. Such a move would kill a November referendum, of course, because the General Assembly wont convene again until after the election.The governor has until late August to act on the bill, but Yinglings folks point out that if Rauner follows through with the request for an amendatory veto, hell be siding with the two most controversial political figures in Lake County. Rauner does, however, have the political cover given to him by the county boards resolution, which passed 14-5.The beauty of politics is how fast things can change. And nobody couldve predicted that Lake County would be at the center of so many controversies a month ago. The Springfield City Council is poised to water down an ordinance aimed at putting city residents to work on public works projects.The proposal before the council would cut fines for contractors who dont use city residents to work at least half of the hours logged on public works projects worth at least $100,000. The proposal also would halve $500 fines for workers who fib about where they live while also allowing contractors to start counting hours worked by office employees in determining whether residency requirements have been met. And contractor requests for waivers would be decided by the mayor and an ad hoc committee instead of the city purchasing agent, who now is supposed to make recommendations on whether residency requirements should be set aside for some projects.The ordinance that took effect in 2016 hasnt always been followed. For example, it requires the citys purchasing department to make quarterly reports to the budget office on waivers, but no such reports have been prepared, according to city budget director Bill McCarty. Nor has the city prepared standards and procedures for granting waivers, as called for in the ordinance.Since the ordinance took effect, two of six contractors have met worker residency requirements. The purchasing department recommended waivers for two of the four contractors that fell short after companies wrote letters explaining circumstances that included a lack of city residents who were qualified union members and a reluctance to replace long-term employees with city residents. Those waivers, apparently, were granted. The purchasing department recommended fines of $14,697 for Denler, Inc., a Mokena company that employed no city residents and was paid $587,877 for street repairs under a 2017 contract, and $4,435 for Otto Baum, a Springfield firm that was paid $449,398 for street repairs accomplished with a workforce of fewer than 20 percent city residents. The money was withheld from final payments made to the two contractors.On Tuesday, the council meeting as a committee delayed action on a $364,500 street crack-filling contract for Denler, with aldermen alternately saying they wanted to know why the companys bid was lower than competitors while also saying they were concerned that the company had hired no city residents under the previous contract, despite financial sanctions.Under the current ordinance, contractors are supposed to be fined at the rate of 1/20th of one percent of the contract value for every percentage point shy of the required 50-percent residency rule. Under the proposal now before the council, the fine would be lowered to .0125 percent of each 1 percent of a contracts value for every percentage point below the required residency threshold. The proposed new calculation is confusing and subject to interpretation, Ward 8 Ald. Kris Theilen observed, but in any case, the fine would be lower than the current penalty. Depending on how the proposed change is interpreted, the fine would be either $625 for every $100,000 in contract value, or twice that amount. In the case of Denler, which paid nearly $15,000 under the current rules, the fine under the mayors proposal, depending on interpretation, would have been either slightly less than $3,750 or twice that.Theilen called for a clearer formula. Other aldermen said the ordinance needs more teeth. The proposal allows contractors who dont meet residency requirements to be barred from bidding on future contracts for as long as three years, but the prohibition would be discretionary and made by the city purchasing agent in consultation with the mayor. The proposal also would allow the purchasing agent to levy larger fines after consultation with an ad hoc committee. The proposal doesnt say who would be on the committee.The proposed revisions came after the mayor and other city officials met with contractors last spring and asked for suggestions. Corporation counsel Jim Zerkle told aldermen that the 2016 ordinance was always seen as a pilot project. However, no one uttered the words pilot project during nearly 40 minutes of discussion when the ordinance was passed two years ago. Back then, aldermen, the mayor and others hailed the measure as a breakthrough, with Brad Schaive, business agent for Laborers Local 477, calling it historic.I think everyone has the right to the American Dream, and I think this ordinance goes a long way to ensuring that happens, Schaive told the council in 2016. Ward 3 Ald. Doris Turner also was a fan.Two years ago, Turner said that talk about unemployment in the black community was mostly talk. Usually, the result is some type of program that will employ 25 people for a few weeks, and then after that few weeks or months, its over, the program goes away, the jobs go away and everyones back in the situation they were in, she said. This ordinance is a catalyst to change unemployment rates in our community forever.On Tuesday, Turner said she still believes the ordinance can result in permanent change in employment rates.We can make whatever tweaks we need to make, Turner said. Were not changing the essence of the ordinance. Court hearing begins in Tikapur carnage case Three years after the eight security personnel and a two-year-old toddler were killed during a riot over demarcation of federal boundaries in Tikapur, Kailali, the alleged perpetrators of the carnage were presented before the court on Wednesday. Photo Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Aftermath of destruction of Harry Lopers restaurant at Fifth and Monroe streets. Loper, who was white, was targeted for helping move black suspects George Richardson and Joe James out of harms way. Whites have often feared that greater freedom for others necessarily implies a loss for themselves Michael Cassity, Chains of Fear (1984) In recent weeks, much area media attention has been focused on the 110th anniversary of the mid-August, 1908, race riot in which 5,000 white Springfield citizens were responsible for lynching two black men, driving 2,000 black people from their homes and doing $150,000 in property damage ($4 million adjusted for today) resulting in only one conviction for a rioter for petty larceny in the theft of a sword. Articles, film screenings and museum exhibits this week shone a light on this ugly chapter of Springfields history which many would find it convenient to forget or ignore. The riot memorials coincidentally arrived on the same week as the one-year anniversary of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia during which Heather Heyer was killed by a white nationalist who crashed his car into a crowd of peaceful protesters. So it seems important to question just how far we have come as a society since 1908. Dr. Wesley Robinson-McNeese, associate dean for diversity and inclusion at SIU School of Medicine. Photo Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Black residences in ruins after the riot. I have experienced, certainly, the vestiges of the race riot, the kind of attitude that led to it and that I believe still persists today, said Dr. W.G. Robinson-McNeese, system executive director for diversity initiatives at Southern Illinois University. One thing that still exists is the belief in the inferiority of the black person which predated the riot and is still present. I see it all the time where people still think of folks with my background as being inferior, and they walk that out in many different ways in our society.McNeese said that working in a prominent position within the SIU system, he still often finds himself left out of meetings and committees. I dont always have a seat at the table and I dont necessarily always know whats going on because I havent been included, he said. It seems that my opinion isnt important enough to be on this committee or that committee. I see that over and over again. Its as if theyre saying, We dont have to worry about Wes and what hes thinking or that I might even represent an alternative opinion.Even in his long career as a medical doctor, McNeese perceives significant evidence of racial bias. I find other physicians who do the same work I do often make much more money than I do, he observed. You see differences in pay, in title, in the way that youre treated. Do you know that only five percent of the physicians in the U.S. are African-American? And heres what is astonishing 50 years ago it was also five percent. McNeese believes that these figures are the result of deliberately maintained systemic barriers. I dont believe it is because you have that few people who want to be physicians. The system has built-in bridges and hurdles to prevent them from getting in, which is atrocious.Tellingly, while the initial impetuses for the 1908 riot were a rape charge leveled against George Richardson (later recanted) and a murder accusation against Joe James (who was eventually hanged), both poor black men, the main targets of violence during the riot were the homes and businesses of Springfields more affluent, law-abiding black citizens. According to Roberta Senechal de la Roche in her book In Lincolns Shadow: The 1908 Race Riot in Springfield, Illinois, some Springfield blacks had violated their subordinate place in society by openly expressing higher aspirations and by actually achieving a modest measure of power and material success. At the time, there were black Springfieldians who had won recognition in city politics, some who owned businesses and were homeowners. Black votes in general were both courted and rewarded. During the riot, the deviant character of this black progress was demonstrated by the selection of black achievers as prime targets of the attack, Senechal de la Roche reported.There is evidence that the mob was not after the worst Negroes so much as they were after the best, wrote author Mary White Ovington in The Walls Came Tumbling Down (1957), quoting a contemporaneous black newspaper editor responding to news coverage of Atlantas 1906 race riot. The shiftless, irresponsible and ignorant whites who make up the mob and spread the mob spirit are constantly picking quarrels with enterprising Negroes in order that they may have some excuse for carrying out the dictates of depraved and lawless ambition.McNeese, who was raised in East St. Louis, often walks around the downtown Springfield areas where the riot took place. I see the Horace Mann building, which is where the Levy was the area where the black businesses had been before the riot and I wonder if the owners of that company even know that is the history of that area and how it has been reclaimed. Whites in this city just like in my hometown, when they rioted felt like blacks were doing a little too well, getting out of their places and that had to be stopped.Violence in the 1908 riot also extended to prominent white citizens who were seen as being overly sympathetic to the black population. Prominent white restaurant owner and National Guardsman Harry Loper was known to have black employees and played a part in helping law enforcement move the incarcerated suspects, Richardson and James, from Springfield to the jailhouse in Bloomington in order to save them from the growing lynch mob which would eventually swell into the riot. The subsequent targeted destruction of Lopers popular and elegant restaurant at Fifth and Monroe was in revenge for its white owner helping the sheriff move the black prisoners thereby saving them from the mob. This was, according to Senechal de la Roche, but one expression of what rioters thought of whites who valued law and order over the enforcement of black subordination. After the riot, the city became a symbol of white rage, with reports of subsequent lynch mobs in other cities shouting Give em Springfield! to menace their targets.As a black man today, I have many white friends, McNeese mused. But I sometimes wonder, if push came to shove and I was the person being rioted upon, would they stand by and watch or would they intervene?The Springfield Coalition on Dismantling Racism (SCoDR), which describes itself as a community organization that brings antiracism training to Springfield, sponsored a gathering Aug. 15 at the Preston Jackson sculpture in Union Square Park, with the goal of examining the 1908 riot from a contemporary perspective. If you dont know your history, youre doomed to repeat it, said Sister Mary Jean Traeger of SCoDR. We are talking about some of the experiences of racism that continue today in different ways. The training itself I think has been very effective. Not everybody goes away saying, OK, Im not going to be a racist anymore, because that isnt possible anyway. I think because of whats happening in the community not just Springfield but beyond more and more people are realizing they have to have some help. Photo Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Tents were set up on the State Capitol lawn to house soldiers called in to control the riot. Timeline of Springfield race riot Attending antiracism training gives us all a common language, said McNeese, who has attended at least five of the antiracism training sessions hosted by SCoDR and administered by national antiracism organization Crossroads. The word racism might mean different things to you than it does to me. But when you attend training, suddenly we are speaking a common language about the definition of racism. I think you need to have a common language even to have a good conversation about such a difficult topic.Traeger says that the trainings have worked well but that personal success stories in overcoming racism are less important than systemic ones. The Dominican Sisters have been doing this for 13 years, she recounted. At the beginning, as an all-white congregation, the first thing we wanted to do was change ourselves. So we invited people of color that we knew and had relationships with to be part of our team. We now have 50 percent people of color and 50 percent white people whenever we meet, which is ongoing. SCoDR came out of that.If anything positive can be said to have resulted from the 1908 riot, it would probably be the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The riot received a great deal of attention in the national press at the time, particularly the widely read article A Race War in the North by journalist William English Walling, published in the North Carolina weekly newspaper, The Independent. The reporting of Walling, who traveled from Chicago to witness the riot firsthand, sounded an alarm that racial violence in the early 20th century was not strictly a southern problem, as had been widely believed. Interviews conducted by Walling with Springfield whites in the aftermath of the violence largely amounted to a noncommittal something was bound to happen attitude, with upward mobility of blacks seen as the primary motivation (Why the [blacks] came to think they were as good as we are!). Wallings story and others like it culminated in the formation of the NAACP by African-American leaders W. E. B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells, Archibald Grimke and Mary Church Terrell, along with white allies Henry Moskowitz, Mary White Ovington, Florence Kelley and Walling himself. Historian James L. Crouthamel said that the NAACP was not able to preventrace violencebut it could focus national attention on these incidents, point the fingers of scorn and bring negro discontent into the open. Crouthemel concluded that had the Springfield race riot not occurredat a place where the Lincoln aura was the strongest, the NAACP might not have been established.When I think about that absence of civility, or the comfortableness that people have now with expressing their bigotry, it is of great concern to me, said McNeese, regarding the recent mainstreaming of white nationalism. I listen to the radio reports reminding us of what happened in Charlottesville and feel that could easily happen here in Springfield. McNeese believes that he sees the kinds of attitudes that fueled the 1908 riot in people he meets on a daily basis. Not everybody, he said, but every now and then I see the way someone reacts to me or the way they treat me and you know that this is a person who just might hurt you, given the right set of circumstances. I recognize that those ideas are not moribund, they are just under the surface.When asked what people might do to counteract these sorts of attitudes, McNeese says that after establishing a common language, as happens in the SCoDR training sessions, the next step is to try to make yourself an ambassador for antiracism. A lot of us will never have the opportunity to affect the masses, but we can affect the people next door and who we work with. I think it has to happen almost at the grass-roots level, McNeese said. It is a long haul to change peoples attitudes its really one person at a time.Friday, Aug. 14, 1908: George Richardson, a black man, was arrested after being accused of raping Mabel Hallam, a white woman who would later recant the accusation. Soon a crowd of whites gathered at the Sangamon County Jail, demanding the release of Richardson and another black prisoner, Joe James, who had been accused of murdering a white man the previous month. The sheriff secretly moved the prisoners to Bloomington, with the help of Springfield restaurant owner Harry Loper. The mob reacted by burning Lopers restaurant, beginning the riot. The state militia was called in to little effect as dozens of stores, offices and homes were destroyed and up to 1,200 spectators watched. Approximately 2,000 black residents attempted to take refuge in the State Arsenal, at Camp Lincoln, and surrounding towns.Saturday, Aug. 15: Black barber Scott Burton was killed at about 2 a.m.by gunfire while protecting his home his body was hung from a tree and shot again. Around 5 a.m., troops from around the state arrived in Springfield and were shot at by rioters. At 7 p.m., William Donnegan, an elderly black man married to a white woman, was dragged from his home and his throat was slashed. He died at St. Johns Hospital the next morning.Sunday, Aug. 16: By dawn, thousands of troops were on patrol in Springfield, with 40 homes and 24 businesses destroyed and seven people dead.For a detailed and profusely illustrated timeline of the riot, visit the Springfield, Illinois, Race Riot 1908 exhibit at the Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Museum, 1440 Monument Ave., 217-391-6323, spiaahm.orgThe NAACP State Convention will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel from Friday, Aug. 17, through Sunday, Aug. 19. For details visit springfieldnaacp.org/events/illinois-naacp-state-convention/. In addition to The Meg, which is also currently in wide release, Crazy Rich Asians is a film co-produced by American and Chinese studios, an effort to appeal not only to viewers in the United States but those in the Far East as well, a market that Hollywood studios are now focusing on. The advent of digital media has made it much easier and more economical to expand to this region of millions of potential ticket-buyers, and some of the financial peril is minimized when two companies split the cost. Asians is a less-risky venture than The Meg, with its budget of $20 million compared to The Megs $130 million, however, it remains a crucial venture as it serves as a barometer as to whether or not Stateside viewers will be open to Asian-centric films. Based on the novel by Kevin Kwan, Asians is a pleasant enough affair, though hardly narratively groundbreaking think of an episode of Dynasty but with a much lighter tone. While theres nothing startling or original about this culture-clash romance, other films have worked with less and succeeded. The pace of this predictable affair flirts with tedium throughout while the entire story is brought low with superfluous subplots that bring nothing to the table. Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is a sociology professor from New York City whos traveling overseas to attend a wedding and meet her boyfriend Nick Youngs (Henry Golding) family, chief among them the stern matriarch Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh). Unbeknownst to this lamb being led to a social slaughter, the Youngs are loaded, a family built on the type of old money that has not only fantastic wealth, but high social standing as well. Poor Rachel finds this out the hard way when, upon landing in Singapore, shes the envy and target of quite a few other women her age whove had their eyes set on Nick. Not only are these harpies out to get her, but Eleanor has already determined that an American, though of Asian descent, will never be good enough for her darling boy.In addition to this mildly-engaging story, the familial trials of Nicks cousins are delved into as well. Fashion icon and philanthropist Astrid (Gemma Chan) is a loving wife whose husband (Pierre Png) suffers from a massive inferiority complex that will come back to haunt them; Alistair (Remy Hii) is squandering his part of the Young fortune producing a film because hes enamored with its sexy star (Constance Lau); and Eddie (Ronny Chieng) is a ruthless tycoon who treats his family with disdain and flaunts his money every chance he gets.The result of these intersecting storylines is more pedestrian than intriguing. Each plot point plods along, crawling from one predictable turn after another, none of them generating a modicum of narrative suspense. And while the characters are appealing enough and the cast is very beautiful and handsome, the story theyre trapped in is as exciting as a beige-on-beige ensemble.Rachels best friend Peik Lin Goh (Awkwafina) provides some hearty laughs, and, if nothing else, Crazy is a fantastic tool for Singapores tourism industry as the country is effectively showcased as a paradise replete with 21st century innovation. The locale comes off as far more interesting than those who inhabit it, which may encourage travel to this Pacific region, but likely wont have American filmgoers clamoring for more films set there. 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 Dont make misleading publicity regarding civil and criminal codes: PM Oli Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has urged all not to make misleading publicity regarding the Country Civil Code and the Country Criminal Code which will come into effect from Friday. According to IHRM, 30 agents of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence participated in the raid alongside 50 prison guards. Together, they confiscated or destroyed all of the legally acquired personal belongings of the sections detainees, many of whom were injured in the incident. The latest information suggests that only three of the prisoners were transferred to the prison clinic, and only two were transferred to a hospital outside of the prison. The unlawful and apparently politically motivated raid is only one recent example of a broader pattern of abuse in the Iranian prison system. Others were highlighted on Wednesday by the Human Rights Activist News Agency, which identified three different instances of prisoner abuse in Urmia Central Prison. One of these cases involved the beating of a political prisoner who had engaged in a verbal dispute with a prison guard, and the two others described prisoners being subjected to punitive transfers and extrajudicial sentencing because of perceived offenses against guards or against well-connected prisoners including those who had served in the regimes militias. Still other recent reports point to the tendency of law enforcement and prison authorities to use outright torture, either as a punitive measures or as a means of extracting confessions from political prisoners or putting pressure on others. On Wednesday, the Center for Human Rights in Iran reported, for instance, that Farhad Meysami, a civil rights activist who was detained last month, has apparently been tortured and commanded to confess despite the fact that no formal charges have yet been filed against him. The source of this information is Meysamis mother, who has filed a complaint with the Revolutionary Court of Evin Prison because she received phone calls from the interrogation room during some such periods of torture. Authorities have been dismissive of her complaint so far, responding with the unsubstantiated claim that what appeared to be Meysamis voice was actually his friends pulling a prank on his family while he faces unspecified national security charges. IRHM added that the calls have had a physical effect on the detainees mother, from which it took her hours to recover. Such statements underscore the potential effectiveness of the Iranian regimes well-known strategy of using family members to exert additional pressure on political prisoners and activists. In this case, the intention may have been to add the psychological stress of knowing that his mother was listening to the physical pain of Meysamis torture, or the calls may have been intended simply as a warning to others. The tactic of using prisoners against their civilian family members, of vice versa, was on display in another report by IRHM on Tuesday, this one focusing on the case of Osman Falazehi. It indicates that this 60-year-old prisoner has been denied medical care for more than two months, after being arrested on charges related to a clash with security forces approximately 20 years ago. Falazehi reportedly had an alibi for the time of the incident, which leads some sources to suggest that the actual motive for his arrest was to put pressure on his influential brother pressure that is intensified by the knowledge that the detainee is suffering from untreated health conditions. This speaks to the fact that the prisoners who have been hospitalized or transferred to the prison clinic in incidents like the Rajai Shahr raid are not necessarily better off than their fellow victims, insofar as authorities intentions may only be to prevent their deaths, but not to alleviate their suffering. Accordingly, CHRI quoted Taghi Rahmani, the husband of political prisoner and prominent human rights lawyer Narges Mohammadi as saying that this is likely to be the course of action the authorities take in her case. Mohammadi has been hospitalized repeatedly since her latest detention in May 2015. She is serving a 16-year sentence for her human rights and womens rights advocacy and for meeting, shortly before her detention, with the European Unions head of foreign policy. Based on her past experience and that of other Iranian political prisoners, Rahmani declared, Im very worried for Narges. What will probably happen is that the doctors will increase her drug dosage and then she will be returned to prison. That will be very dangerous for her health. Concerns regarding Mohammadis case are further justified by the possibility that Iranian authorities are accelerating their crackdown on dissent in the midst of mass anti-government protests. This conclusion is supported, for instance, by Wednesdays HRANA report indicating that another imprisoned human rights lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh, has had two new cases opened against her. She is already serving a five year sentence for espionage and may now be facing an unspecified extension of her prison term resulting from charges of propaganda and insulting the supreme leader. A separate HRANA report notes that this new attack on Sotoudeh comes shortly after she wrote an open letter commenting on the sudden death of 27-year-old Homa Soltani and suggesting that her fatal heart attack would never have occurred if not for the repeated imprisonment and harsh treatment of Soltanis father and Sotoudehs fellow political prisoner, Abdolfattah Soltani. In yet another report, HRANA indicates that a similar expansion has been made to the casefile for Ejlal Ghavami, a journalist and human rights activist who is already awaiting trial on multiple charges: propaganda against the regime, speaking to anti-regime media, disseminating lies and insulting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Ghavami was previously acquitted on all of these charges, but is set to be re-tried as a result of objections from the prosecutor. He is now facing additional charges in a separate, equally politically motivated case after a summons to Sanandaj revolutionary court. Meanwhile, IranWire reports that the stepped-up prosecutions may be on the verge of expanding to include large numbers of journalists who are not currently in the regimes custody. The relevant article notes that Mizan News Agency, representing the Iranian judiciary, recently published a warning to journalists for the BBC Persian service, saying that they will get what they deserve for unfavorable reporting about the Islamic Republic. Mizan went on to specifically declare that the judiciary is in the midst of planning a new round of persecution for these journalists. Founding failures In 2010, under a grand plan to diversify and decentralize higher education in the country, the Government of Nepal decided to establish three universities Far-Western University, Mid-Western University and Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) spread out across the nation in different development regions.These universities would focus on technical education and research, both of which were assumed to be mssing in existing universities, particularly Tribhuvan University (TU). Reza Khandan, a human rights activist, explained that Farhads mother had expressed concern about her sons condition and asked for permission to speak to him to determine whether he was being tortured into making false confessions. The judge, however, claimed that this was not the work of Iranian agents, but a prank by Farhads friends. Khandan raised doubts about this, including how the judge would know that it was Farhads friends and why, if the claim was true, the friends have not been arrested for harassment. Khandan said: Farhads mother had received harassing and insulting phone calls before but it was on the night of August 8 [2018] when she got calls for the first time sounding like her son was making confessions while being beaten, He continued: Neither his mother nor his lawyer knows what the charges against him are and they have not been allowed to visit him. He has contacted his mother on the phone only once and that was on the day he was detained. Khandan is the husband of prominent human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is also detained in Evin Prison. She was arrested on national security charges on June 13, something that is a fairly typical charge levied against political activists by the Regime. He is staying in contact with the families of other political prisoners. On August 14, Khandan wrote a Facebook post about Meysamis mother and her suffering. Afterwards, he said: The woman has been gripped with muscle cramps since she heard the callsWe arent sure if it was Farhads voice. Maybe the authorities were trying to pretend it was. When he leaves prison, he might say that he wasnt beaten at all and didnt confess to anything during interrogation. But the important question is, why is a lonely, elderly mother being targeted like this? Judicial authorities promised Meysamis mother that she would be able to speak to her son after they received her complaint, but, given the truthfulness of the Regime, Khandan advised that it was impossible to know if that would happen. Meysami, 48, is a doctor who has been to many protests in the past few years related to the detainment of political and civil activists. He has been detained in Evin Prisons Ward 209, which is under the control of the Intelligence Ministry, since July 31. Liang is a doctoral student at Sichuan University, China. His research is focused on Chinas relations with Nepal. Gaushala revises controversial tax rates following public uproar Gaushala Municipality has comprehensively revised its controversial tax rates after widespread protest from the people. Government plans to scale down capacity The government is planning to allow China Three Gorges Corporation (CTGC), the potential developer of the West Seti Hydropower Project, to revise down its installed capacity if the Chinese company shows adequate commitment to execute it. 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. KC slams dubious appointment process Social reformer Dr Govinda KC on Wednesday slammed the dubious process of appointing a director at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Maharajgunj. Bail Reform This Year? Proposed Legislation Raises Fears of Computer-Based Bail System Progressives and some black activists have long complained about Americas bail system, which treats people with means differently from low-income people. Under the current cash bail system, people charged with a crime can sit in jail for months, and sometimes years, without seeing a judge simply because they cant afford bail. A good example of this situation is seen in the story of Kalief Browder, a New York teen, who was arrested on charges of petty theft. Because his family couldnt afford his $3,000 bail, he languished in Rikers Island for three years, before a judge dropped the charges. Two years after his release, Browder committed suicide. His family said his experience in jail, where he had to fight to survive and was placed in solitary confinement, killed him. The other side of the American justice system is seen in the case of Cameron Terrell, a white teenager from Palos Verdes Estates, who was behind the wheel in a drive-by shooting. His parents put up $500,000 in cash to secure a $5 million bond. Terrell was acquitted in July. Two black males, who were passengers in the car, are still facing life sentences. ADVERTISEMENT However, a proposed bill suggests taking the setting of bail amounts out of human hands and making the criminal justice system fairer. According to a section of Senate Bill 10 The California Money Bail Reform Act of 2017, the new legislation would require the use of a pretrial risk assessment tool. Critics of the bill interpret this to mean using a computer algorithm, that takes into consideration the suspects age, location, and criminal record, to set bail. This conjures up images of the automated system used in the Tom Cruise movie Minority Report. More than 100 civil rights and civil liberties organizations have complained about the potential use of an algorithm-based system to evaluate bail. Last week, the national ACLU signed onto a statement along with other civil rights, digital justice and community-based organizations, which included a call for important policy reforms to accompany any use of pretrial risk assessment tools. Its far overdue for government jurisdictions to end the money bail systems that have kept poor people and people of color locked up while awaiting their day in court. Many jurisdictions, however, are turning to pretrial risk assessments, placing a technological barrier between people and their freedom. Algorithms ADVERTISEMENT cannot undo the racial bias that exists in the criminal legal system. These and other high tech tools will always disadvantage communities of color and threaten to replace mass incarceration with digital prisons. We join the chorus of civil and human rights organizations in calling on jurisdictions to reconsider their use of pretrial risk assessments and adopt solutions that actually set people free. Said Myaisha Hayes, criminal justice & tech organizer for Center for Media Justice. One of the fears about SB 10 is its reliance on technology. Technology is far from perfect, as shown in Russias use of hacked emails to tamper with the 2016 elections. And according to the ACLU of Northern California, Amazons face recognition technology, which is currently used by some police departments, has shown signs of bias. White faces were found to generate less false matches than black faces. According to Jaivon Grant, writing in the Sacramento Observer, this may encourage opposition to SB 10. The local and national civil rights groups have long sought to end the money bail system, and SB 10 is the closest they have come to doing so to date. However, Sen. Hertzberg and Assemblymember Bonta may have a very difficult time persuading enough of their fellow Democrat colleagues to support an algorithm-based bail program in the face of such compelling opposition by a powerful coalition of civil rights organizations opposing it, he said. Leaders of the assembly and senate were both reported saying this was a priority before the Aug 31 end of this years legislative session. Baltimore Officer Suspended After Punching Incident Recorded A Baltimore police officer was suspended Saturday after a video surfaced online showing him repeatedly punching a man and knocking him down over steps on a sidewalk in a recording that lasts about 30 seconds and the citys interim police commissioner said deeply disturbed him. The video begins with the officer standing in front of a Black man who has his back to a wall. The officer, who is also Black, can be seen shoving the man in the chest before the officer starts throwing punches. The man tries to block punches from the officer but doesnt appear to fight back. The man is pushed over some steps by the officer who continues to throw punches, and the video ends with the officer on top of him. Im deeply disturbed by the video that surfaced online earlier today, interim Police Commissioner Garry Tuggle said in a statement. The officer involved has been suspended while we investigate the totality of this incident. Part of our investigation will be reviewing body worn camera footage. ADVERTISEMENT Tuggle is asking any witnesses to contact the departments Office of Professional Responsibility at 410-396-2300. Warren Brown, an attorney for the man who was knocked down, identified his client as Dashawn McGrier. Brown said his client faces charges for allegedly assaulting the officer in June, charges McGrier is contesting in court. Brown said the officer saw McGrier on Saturday and tried to provoke him as a result of their June encounter. He is charged with assaulting that officer then, and so here this officer now is like, you know, going after him, Brown said. Brown said a court date is set for Aug. 22 on the assault charges, and he said video of that encounter between the two men also exists, though he has not seen it. Brown said he has scheduled a Monday news conference to discuss plans for filing a complaint against the officer. It is just an act of police brutality that was unwarranted, and it just does nothing for police-community relations, Brown said. It does nothing to lower crime. My client was not involved in any criminal activity. Its just gratuitous violence thats unnecessary and does no good for the city. Brown said his client was being treated in a Baltimore hospital. Brown said McGrier may have suffered a broken jaw, a broken nose, maybe some fractured ribs, and he had difficulty with feeling his left leg, although before I left he did say that he was beginning to get the feel back in his foot, left foot. ADVERTISEMENT In a news release, Baltimore police spokesman T.J. Smith said the man was not criminally charged and has been released from custody. Smith said the Office of Professional Responsibility immediately began investigating after learning of the video. The officer, who has been with the agency for more than a year, was then immediately suspended, Smith said. He also said the second officer involved in the incident is on administrative duties pending an investigation. Former NAACP head Ben Jealous, a Democrat who is running for governor, said the video shows just how far community-police relations have fallen in Baltimore, as well as the work that must be done in partnership with city officials to restore trust. Building trust begins first and foremost by responding swiftly and transparently, which is why I am heartened that the officer has been suspended pending internal review, Jealous said in a statement. Long term, we need to be investing in our communities and recruiting police officers who have the temperament, tools, and training to keep us safe without resorting to unnecessary violence. Baltimore entered a federal consent decree last year after federal investigators detailed longstanding patterns of unconstitutional policing, racial profiling and excessive force. A consent decree, filed in federal court and overseen by a monitor, is generally a road map for changes in fundamental police department practices. In Baltimores case, the agreement mandates changes in the most fundamental aspects of daily police work, including use of force, searches and arrests. Federal authorities began investigating city police following the April 2015 death of Freddie Gray, a young Black man who was fatally injured while in the custody of officers. Charlottesville Struggles with Race, History and Survival To say that Charlottesville, Va. held its collective breath on August 12 the first anniversary of the deadly Unite the Right white supremacist violence a year ago that tragically took the life of Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old white anti-racist protestor, is an understatement. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, and Charlottesville city officials, declared a state of emergency, mobilizing every available police officer and state trooper in an unyielding show of force, to preempt the kind of street clashes that infamously marked the Ku Klux Klan and skinhead demonstrations in August 2017. Stung by withering criticism that law enforcement did little to quell the violence that erupted last year, officials virtually shut down the core Charlottesville downtown area for the August 10August 12 weekend to vehicular traffic, and screened pedestrians for weapons. ADVERTISEMENT Indeed, the over-policing this year, many residents complained, actually raised tensions, especially since the Unite the Right rally organizers moved their demonstration to Washington, D.C. this year. Anti-racism protestersmost of whom were students from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville (UVA), bristled when a phalanx of state troopers, local police, hovering helicopters, and at one point, National Guardsmen with rifles and armored vehicles, flooded the corner of Fourth and Water streets downtown; the same corner where Heather Heyer was fatally struck by the car allegedly driven by a neo-Nazi. There were intense verbal confrontations, and four arrests, but ultimately, no violence. Yes, there are some inconveniences, but wed rather err on the side of safety this year, said Councilman Wes Bellamy, who helped to calm tensions between demonstrators and police. While church and civic groups sponsored numerous events to promote racial and spiritual harmony during the tragic August 12 anniversary, some residents were resentful, saying that Ms. Heyer may have been the only protester killed last year, but there were many other victims of White supremacist violence then as well who are rarely spoken of. I think that theres a universal acceptance that what happened here was disgraceful, civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton told reporters after preaching Sunday morning service at First Zion African Baptist Church. But they do not want this to be representative of their city, and they want to move forward. ADVERTISEMENT And then there are the everyday challenges that many say are more important than removing Confederate statues. Charlottesville is suffering many of the same struggles as other growing small and mid-size metropolitan areas, and those who consider themselves the working poor here say that not much is being done in the area of raising low wages, creating economic opportunities, or developing enough affordable housing stock for struggling families. Theyre building all of the new homes and apartments for folks making six-figures, said Lloyd, an independent cab driver who had to change professions in order to make ends meet. For the first time in its history, Charlottesville has two African Americans on its city councilMayor Nikuyah Walker and Councilman Bellamyboth of whom were elected on the promise of improving the quality of life. But talk with residents, like cab drivers who find themselves having to work seven-days a-week just to keep up with a spiraling cost of living in housing costs alone, and you get a sense of abandonment against the backdrop of the haves getting what they want, because they have those six-figure salaries. For many Black residents, the racial history of Charlottesville strongly lends itself to a sense of oppression. Even Mayor Walker, during an appearance on CBS news analysis show Face the Nation Sunday. The issue is this deep-seated racism that we have here, Mayor Walker said. And thats the challenge. And thats a lot of work. And it doesnt help that many believe the White power structure in Charlottesville, the home of Thomas Jefferson, caters to University of Virginiaarguably the largest employer in the city next to the hospital system. UVA is also an institution that was built on the backs of slaves. Leaders like Councilman Bellamy, insist that progress is being made when it comes to planning for affordable housing, economic development, and even the hiring of more Black police officers (few were seen on patrol during the state of emergency). But until that progress is seen, and felt, residents say the hard feelings surrounding race, and lack of forward mobility for the average working person in Charlottesville, will remain tragic anniversary after anniversary. Comedian Kevin Hart helping 18 students at HBCUs Comedian Kevin Hart, KIPP schools and the United Negro College Fund have teamed up to give scholarships to 18 students to attend historically black colleges and universities. Harts Help From The Hart Charity and KIPP Public Schools each donated $300,000 in scholarships administered by the fund. Hart also gave $100,000 to the fund in 2015. KIPP is a national network of charter schools. ADVERTISEMENT The 18 students from eight cities who were chosen for the scholarships all attended KIPP schools. They are attending 11 different colleges across the country. The recipients were selected based on academic and personal accomplishments. Hart said in a statement that he wanted to do his part to provide opportunities for future leaders. The students hail from Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington, D.C. Media Society urges govt to remove anti-press freedom provisions Nepal Media Society (NMS) said that its serious attention has been drawn to the Criminal Code that will come into effect from Friday (August 17) and urged the government to immediately correct it. Congresswoman Waters: The Trump Administration Must Face Consequences for Violating Court Orders to Reunify Families Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, issued the following statement on the Trump administrations failure to meet the court-ordered deadlines to reunite children with their parents. As of August 10, 500 children remain separated from their parents. Donald Trump was ordered by a federal judge to reunify each of the more than 2,500 children that his administration recklessly separated from their parents by July 26. More than two weeks have passed since the deadline, and this president a man who has proven that he has no respect for families or the rule of law has failed to fully comply with the federal judges ruling. Furthermore, due to this administrations gross incompetence, many of the remaining children in the Trump administrations custody may now be permanently orphaned, as nearly 400 of their parents have already been deported. Enough is enough. The federal courts need to hold Donald Trump and his administration accountable. Despite the federal judges ruling, the Trump administration argued that it didnt need to reunify every family because some of the children were ineligible for reunification with their parents. When the U.S. District Court Judge Dana Sabraw challenged this shameful excuse, the Trump administration had the audacity to argue that it was not their job to reunite separated families, and told the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that if they have the resources then they should find the deported parents and clean up Donald Trumps mess. However, this president and his administration cannot outsource their responsibilities to any other group or individual. Donald Trump and his administration created this heinous family separation crisis, and its Donald Trump and his administrations responsibility to resolve it. ADVERTISEMENT The federal judge has given the Trump administration ample time to reunite these innocent children with their parents. However, their failure to meet the court-ordered deadlines prove that this administration cannot be trusted to fully comply with the federal judges order on its own volition. Therefore, I believe any Trump administration officials including Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen who are directly overseeing the governments family reunification efforts are in violation of a federal court order, and should be made to answer for that violation before a federal judge. If necessary, the federal judge should hold these officials in contempt of court. There must be consequences for failing to comply with federal court orders, and being held accountable before a federal judge is a necessary first step. First AME Church-L.A. Helps Zambian Entrepreneurs A 2016 reception at a private home for the Honorable Inonge Mutukwa Wina, the first female vice president of Zambia and member of the AME Church, resulted in a partnership to improve the living conditions for Zambian women and enriched the lives of members of First AME Church of Los Angeles (FAME) and friends, who recently visited the country. The reception, organized by FAME member and Attorney Zna Portlock Houston, was hosted by FAME members Drs. Ludlow and Ruth Creary in their Hollywood Hills home. According to Pastor J. Edgar Boyd, senior minister of FAME, who attended the event, The vice president laid out her vision for establishing points of economic opportunity for women through constructing safe, clean, and convenient marketplace retail centers where they can sell fresh produce and other retail items to support their families. ADVERTISEMENT As a result, Pastor Boyd offered his support and asked Houston to serve as lead coordinator of a trip from Los Angeles to Zambia. The excursion, called Journey to Jubilee (J to J), included 36 FAME congregants and three guests, with three teenagers and adults of all ages. Pastor Boyd said, J to J members paid for the drilling and erection of three new freshwater wells at a total cost of $15,000 U.S. dollars. Once completed, thousands of residents will be able to take advantage of clean, safe water for agriculture, animals, personal hygiene, cooking and laundry. The groups donation of approximately 500 pounds of school and health care products and supplies for families in West/Central Zambian villages supported the entrepreneurial vision of V.P. Wina. One of the groups outings included a trip to the well-drilling site in Mulupusho. On that day, the group, along with the Honorable Sydney Mushanga, Member of Parliament, and Gladys Mutukwa, chairwoman of Jubilee Womens Integrated Highway Markets, participated in the dedication of the well and helped erect signage bearing FAMEs name. One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the Zambian Parliament at the invitation of Vice President Wina. The delegation listened as Members of Parliament grilled Wina on various issues. What an honor for the vice president to invite the FAME delegation to visit Parliament, said Nicole Jones. Experiencing such a regal setting and ceremonial occasion was an amazing opportunity. Watching many women leaders in action, especially Vice President Wina, was truly phenomenal and inspiring. The group attended worship services at three AME churches: Mount Olive in Livingstone on the fourth Sunday and Ebenezer and Bethel, both in Lusaka, on the first Sunday. ADVERTISEMENT Geraldine Hayes, a FAME Stewardess, said the worship experiences were very moving. The bond between the church in Africa and the church in the U.S. is tremendous. The services were the same as those to which we are accustomed. It was a humbling experience and I was honored to join the Stewardesses of Ebenezer in serving Holy Communion on the first Sunday. The participants completed more than 600 miles of ground travel while in Zambia, visiting cities and rural villages, marketplaces and large retail establishments, and governmental complexes, including parliament and the U.S. Embassy. They also cruised the Zambezi River and experienced the spectacular sights and sounds of one of the wonders of the world, Victoria Falls in Livingstone. Dynamic work sessions, including a capacity-building workshop organized by the Jubilee Womens Integrated Highway Markets, strengthened our bond with the Zambian women and allowed us to better understand their economic and social goals, said FAMEs First Lady Florence. I look forward to continuing our discussions and returning to Zambia in 2020. I am so grateful to have had the assistance of Francesca Kay, Nyambo Anuluoha, and Gladys Mutukwa, chairwoman of Jubilee Womens Integrated Highway Markets, her team as well as our liaison, Glenda Wina, in coordinating the trip, said Houston. His Name is Idris Elba, but will he be First Black Bond? British actor Idris Elba is stoking speculation he may take over the role of James Bond when Daniel Craig steps aside, offering an enigmatic Twitter post that fueled the buzz about him becoming the first black Bond. The star of shows such as The Wire and Luther on Sunday posted an artistic selfie under the words my names Elba, Idris Elba, echoing the spys famous catchphrase. American film producer Antoine Fuqua stoked long-running speculation about Elba taking on the role last week, when he told Britains Daily Star that Bond movie boss, Barbara Broccoli, had said it is time for a non-white actor to play agent 007. ADVERTISEMENT But before fans go overboard, Elba posted another tweet a few hours later saying, Dont believe the HYPE . Inglewoods FREE Movies in the Park Series The city of Inglewood is pleased to present the 2018 Movies in the Park Series. The entire community is encouraged to grab their blankets and lawn chairs and head out for an unforgettable evening of cinema under the stars. All movies are FREE and open to the public. Bring ten recyclable items and receive a Free Popcorn voucher! Gates open at 6:00 p.m. Arrive early for special pre-movie performances, games, arts and crafts, face painting, food trucks and more! The final movie scheduled for the series include: ADVERTISEMENT Black Panther (PG-13) on Saturday, August 18 at Edward Vincent, Jr. Park 700 Warren Lane -Featuring special pre-film performance by Inglewood Theater Group This event is sponsored by the city of Inglewood Parks, Recreation and Library Services and Public Works Departments with partial Grant Funds from Cal Recycle. Follow the city of Inglewood on social media (Facebook, Twitter or Instagram) for reminders and announcements. For additional information, call the Movie-Info line at (310) 412-8880 or visit the Citys website at www.cityofinglewood.org. Jury awards $289M to man who blames Monsantos Roundup for cancer A San Francisco jury on Friday ordered agribusiness giant Monsanto to pay $289 million to a former school groundskeeper dying of cancer, saying the companys popular Roundup weed killer contributed to his disease. Dewayne Johnsons lawsuit was the first of thousands of cases filed in state and federal courts alleging that Roundup causes cancer, which Monsanto denies. Johnson said he hoped his verdict would bolster the other cases. ADVERTISEMENT This case is way bigger than me, Johnson said during a press conference in his lawyers San Francisco office after the verdict. I hope it gets the attention that it needs. Johnson declined to answer reporters questions. Jurors in California superior court agreed the product contributed to Johnsons cancer and the company should have provided a label warning of the potential health hazard. Johnsons attorneys sought and won $39 million in compensatory damages and $250 million of the $373 million they wanted in punitive damages. This jury found Monsanto acted with malice and oppression because they knew what they were doing was wrong and doing it with reckless disregard for human life, said Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a member of Johnsons legal team. This should send a strong message to the boardroom of Monsanto. Monsanto has denied a link between the active ingredient in Roundup glyphosate and cancer, saying hundreds of studies have established that the weed killer is safe. Monsanto spokesman Scott Partridge said the company will appeal. Partridge said scientific studies and two government agencies have concluded that Roundup does not cause cancer. ADVERTISEMENT We are sympathetic to Mr. Johnson and his family, Partridge said. We will appeal this decision and continue to vigorously defend this product, which has a 40-year history of safe use and continues to be a vital, effective, and safe tool for farmers and others. Johnson used Roundup and a similar product, Ranger Pro, as a pest control manager at a San Francisco Bay Area school district, his lawyers said. He sprayed large quantities from a 50-gallon tank attached to a truck, and during gusty winds, the product would cover his face, said Brent Wisner, one of his attorneys. Once, when a hose broke, the weed killer soaked his entire body. Johnson read the label and even contacted the company after developing a rash but was never warned it could cause cancer, Wisner said. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2014 at age 42. The simple fact is he is going to die. Its just a matter of time, Wisner told the jury in his opening statement last month. But George Lombardi, an attorney for Monsanto, said non-Hodgkins lymphoma takes years to develop, so Johnsons cancer must have started well before he began working at the school district. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says Roundups active ingredient is safe for people when used in accordance with label directions. However, the France-based International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organization, classified it as a probable human carcinogen in 2015. California added glyphosate to its list of chemicals known to cause cancer. LAHSA Seeks Input on Allocation of $80 Million in New State Funding The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority announced today that it will hold a series of meetings to seek input from service and housing providers, persons with lived experience of homelessness and other partners on how to allocate about $80 million in new funding this fiscal year. The funds are coming from the state of California as part of $500 million one-time allocation to address homelessness, with funding going to cities and continuums of care across the state later this fall. LAHSA held the first meeting on Wednesday in West Covina, with seven more scheduled across the county in August. ADVERTISEMENT For those that are unable to attend, an online survey seeking feedback, along with details of the draft plan will be sent out to the public on Wednesday. The scheduled meetings are taking place as follows: 9:30 a.m. Aug. 22 in Torrance at Torrance Memorial Medical Hospital, 3330 Lomita Blvd.; 1 p.m. Aug. 22 in North Hollywood at Los Angeles Family Housing, 7843 Lankershim Blvd.; ADVERTISEMENT 1 p.m. Aug. 23 in Echo Park at Echo Park United Methodist Church, 1226 N. Alvarado St.; and 9 a.m. Aug. 24 in Paramount at the Council of Government Office, 16401 Paramount Blvd. Legacy of Oliver Brown Saluted on His 100th Birthday When the Rev. Oliver Brown joined with local parents and the Topeka NAACP to protest segregated schools in 1951, his name became permanently linked to the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision that ended separate, but equal public education facilities in America. The famous case, formally known as Oliver L. Brown et. al. vs. The Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, et. al., resulted in the elimination of assigning children to schools solely based on race. The courts verdict allowed African Americans to attend nearby schools instead of traveling great distances to colored institutions. In recognition of Browns place in U.S. history, Drury University in Springfield, Missouri will host Celebrating the Legacy: Commemorating the 100th Birthday of Rev. Oliver Brown on Aug. 19. Browns association with Springfield stems from his tenure as pastor of the citys Benton Avenue AME Church from 1959 until his death at age 42 in 1961. ADVERTISEMENT Oliver Brown is known nationwide as the namesake on the Brown v. Board of Education case and he was one of the plaintiffs in five different cases that was consolidated before the U.S. Supreme Court. But he also had an impact at the local level, both in Topeka and also for the last few years of his life here in Springfield, said Michael Brothers, Drurys executive director of University Relations. Dedicated to racial equality and justice, Brown was active in organizing demonstrations and marches in Springfield that produced change in the city. Also, Browns daughter, Linda, who passed away earlier this year, graduated from Springfields Central High School in 1961. Drurys ties to Brown are further connected by the universitys purchase of Benton Avenue AME edifice in four years ago. The church ceased operation in 2013 following a sharp decline in membership. Drury plans to honor Brown through the re-use of the building as an academic and teaching space. As part the birthday commemoration, Cheryl Brown Henderson, one of Browns daughters, will speak during the program held in the Central High School atrium. I think its an immense honor for the community to recognize the time that my father was a pastor at Benton Avenue AME Church. This will give us an opportunity to recognize the courageous people who stood with the NAACP, including my father, to make this type of change for our nation, noted Brown Henderson. I think right now, when everybody is talking about healing and all of the divisive rhetoric, the timing is perfect because it gives us a reason to have a conversation about the African American experience and this country in regards to race relations, she said. ADVERTISEMENT Brown Henderson added that the occasion is also an opportunity to inform the next generation about social activism. Kids these days love to talk about being woke. Back in the day, we used to talk about waking up. I think we are really connecting the dots, letting them (young people) know that if they dont, on their watch, engage in the kind of activism that we engaged in, the chances are very good that we could slip back and civil rights gains could be undone. Los Angeles Southwest College Celebrates New Science Building On Monday, August 13, Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) officials joined with Los Angeles Southwest College (LASC) president, Seher Awan, Ed.D., guests and Harper Construction Co. officials to celebrate the Topping Out of the School of Science Building at Los Angeles Southwest College. Our contractor is keeping with their schedule to have the School of Science [building] ready by 2019, said Awan. This time next year, [well] be back [to celebrate]. Our School of Science will allow LASC faculty a facility, equipment and resources to be leaders in the teaching of sciences. ADVERTISEMENT The topping out of a building or infrastructure in construction is significant because it is the final piece of steal being placed onto the structure. The last beam was placed on the structure on August 3. A piece of steal was painted white which was later signed by LACCD officials, Awan and partners of the project. We are building world-class facilities for tomorrow, said Mike Fong, president, board of trustees, LACCD. We really want to make sure that our students have the opportunities to succeed. The new building is a $16 million, environmentally friendly, 27,000-square-foot, two-story building funded by 2008s $3.5 billion Measure J for the modernization, renovation and new construction of LACCD facilities. The School of Science will hold six classrooms, 10 labs, faculty offices and a rooftop observatory. The School of Science will engage students in the fields of physiology, anatomy, biotech, biology, microbiology, geography, geology and chemistry. We all recognize an education is the best way forward, said LACCD chancellor, Francisco Rodriguez, Ph.D. Today is a affirmation, another step forward, another way to signal excellence at LASC. Its incredibly exciting, said Awan. Im proud that were able to offer such beautiful facilities to support our students, our community and the future students who are going to come here because this going to allow us to grow our science program to really have state-of-the-art facilities, which is what our students, our faculty and the community deserve. Im just so excited overall. Very happy to be here at this juncture because its really setting the stage for the completion of the project for building this well-needed and much in demand on campus [building], said David Salazar, chief facilities executive, LACCD. Harper Construction Co. and Sillman Wright Architects were awarded the contract to design and construct the School of Science building, which is expected to open in Fall 2019. Mahisha Dellingers New Show Empowers Black Female Entrepreneurs Mahisha Dellinger, creator of the multi-million-dollar hair company Curls, spoke to the Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper about her new show Mind Your Business with Mahisha. The series, which premieres on the OWN Network, centers on Black female entrepreneurship. Dellinger travels across the country helping Black women entrepreneurs run a successful company. Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper: When did you decide you wanted to change your destiny and become an entrepreneur? Mahisha Dellinger: I wanted more. Everything was such a struggle. I was the kid in class who didnt have enough money for snacks. The generational cycle of my neighborhood, my family, and community persisted. One thing that gave me a different perspective was my father. He came from a different background. On my weekend visits, I gained the motivation to change my surroundings. ADVERTISEMENT LAS: Im sure youve failed many times. Can you elaborate on what failure teaches about success? DELLINGER: I learned failure is not final. What you take away from failure matters. Ive had scenarios where I launched products and bombed. I still never gave up and learned from my mistakes. My background helped. My street smarts played a role in my success. It helped me survive this industry. There is something about grit that you cannot teach. Ill find a way out of any scenario. That comes from sheer will. LAS: What was the process of filming the show? DELLINGER: The whole premise of the show is to empower Black female entrepreneurs. Black female entrepreneurship is on the rise. Latest statistics show up to 300%. However, only 4% break the million-dollar mark. You must have access to the right buyers, information on the process, and the resources to accomplish your goals. Those traits are lacking. The show helps provide those resources. LAS: What was your favorite moment working on the show? DELLINGER: I loved helping the ladies. Every one of these Black female owners are powerful women. I helped them fix problems, gain solutions, and give them access to information. Seeing the lightbulb go off made me happy. It was a labor of love! One entrepreneur was from Compton. She had extreme grit. I could see myself in her. When you have that impoverished background, it causes you to either stay stuck or blow it out the water. LAS: What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs? ADVERTISEMENT DELLINGER: There should be a purpose. Everything is not about making money. My priorities are God first, family second, and work third. I try to keep it that way. To whom much is given, much is required. I try to help brown girls who look like me and mentor them. I refuse to just hoard. Id rather give. I know that when you are blessing others, you receive blessings. You cannot help but to receive good harvest when you plant good seeds. LAS: We often see entrepreneurship as this glamourous pursuit. What are some tough facts about entrepreneurship? DELLINGER: Instagram people think entrepreneurship is glamourous but thats not true. You have moments where you are tired and exhausted. You also have moments of fear. When you put products out that fail, you will have a huge setback. There is a lot of uncertainty especially the sacrifice you must make with your family. Having a good team around you helps. The hour-long series will follow OWNs Iyanla: Fix My Life every Saturday. The first episode premieres Saturday Aug 11 at 10 p.m ET/PT. Michael Browns mom seeks reinvestigation, City Council seat The Missouri governors office said Friday it doesnt have the authority to appoint a special prosecutor reinvestigate the 2014 fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, despite pressure from Browns mother to do so. Lezley McSpadden said earlier in the day that shed launched an online petition seeking a new investigation into her 18-year-old sons death, a case that sparked months of protests and helped fuel the Black Lives Matter movement nationally. McSpadden also announced that she planned to run for a seat on the Ferguson City Council in April. A spokeswoman for Republican Gov. Mike. Parson said his office has no legal authority to appoint a special prosecutor in any case. In Missouri, judges can appoint special prosecutors, often at the request of prosecutors who seek to avoid conflicts of interest. ADVERTISEMENT McSpadden has been an activist since her sons death but has never held public office. On Friday, she said had been surrounded by people who provided her with support and motivation, and they knew what happened was wrong and didnt give up the fight. I learned to walk again, she said. And this is one of my first steps: running for Ferguson City Council. Her son was unarmed when he was fatally shot during a confrontation with Ferguson officer Darren Wilson, who is white, on Aug. 9, 2014. Witnesses initially said the black teenager had his hands up in surrender at the time of the shooting, though an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice didnt find those accounts credible. Wilson, who resigned from the Ferguson police force that November, was later cleared of wrongdoing by a St. Louis County grand jury and the U.S. Justice Department. McSpaddens appeal to Parson comes just days after longtime St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch lost his seat in the Democratic primary to Wesley Bell, a black Ferguson city councilman. McCullochs announcement in 2014 that no charges would be filed against Wilson sparked widespread protests. Bell, who faces no Republican challengers in November, ran on a progressive platform that included holding police more accountable. On Friday, it was unclear if Bell would consider reopening the investigation himself. Text and phone messages left with Bell were not returned. ADVERTISEMENT McSpaddens petition says Bells win is a clear mandate from the people of St. Louis to reform the criminal justice system, which first begins with securing justice for my son. McCulloch, first elected in 1992, drew considerable criticism for not charging Wilson himself and relying on a grand jury to consider the case. He was also accused of guiding the grand jury to its decision, a charge he has strongly denied. Calls to reopen the Brown investigation also came Friday from Justin Hansford, the executive director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center. He wrote in an op-ed in a Washington Post that Bells win over McCulloch is a sign of hope and change and that Bell should reopen the case when he becomes prosecutor. Need for more regulations, but also innovation The University Grants Commission (UGC), the apex regulatory body tasked with determining and maintaining the quality of education in universities, has time and again come under the scanner for failing to curb malpractices in the education sector. With 13 universities currently under its purview and more provincial-level universities in the pipeline, the UGCs scope of work is slated to increase in the coming years. But how does the commission plan to broaden its authority? In this conversation with The Post, Professor Dev Raj Adhikari discusses the role UGC will play in a federalised education system and how it plans to crack down on malpractices in universities. Morehouse College President Starts Freshman Year in Dorm The president of Morehouse College is tackling his freshman year in an unusual way. David Thomas, the first leader in 50 years who isnt an alumnus _ moved into a cramped dormitory room Tuesday for two days to get a taste of what life is like for first-year students of the prestigious historically black school in Atlanta. Hell be staying at Graves Hall, the oldest building on campus that once housed the entire college. Although he wont have a roommate, hell be sharing the floor with students. It will give me some perspective on what college is like for students and what is on their minds, Thomas said. ADVERTISEMENT Upon moving in, Thomas met the dorms resident assistants who presented him with paperwork to fill out _ including a waiver promising he wont have visitors during his stay. Visitation rights dont kick in until November for freshmen. Thomas wanted to attend Morehouse when he graduated from high school in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, but he couldnt afford the tuition. Instead, he went to Yale University, where he received multiple degrees. Morehouse is a natural fit for Thomas, who arrived with 30 years of higher education experience, including a 20-year career at Harvard University. He actually began serving as president in January, but 2018-2019 will be his first full academic year. While his visit will be short, hes hoping it will tune him in to the needs of students and ultimately enable him to help enrich their college experience. In 2016, Morehouse implemented a policy that requires students to live on campus for three years. Dorm living costs more than $10,000 per academic year, in addition to the schools yearly $26,742 tuition. The policy was introduced by former President John S. Wilson Jr., who was ousted by the board of trustees in January 2017. Thomas already has released plans to spruce up the Morehouse campus. They include a late-night convenience store that opened Monday and renovations for a number of existing facilities. Im curious how the students will react to the president living there, he said, laughing. New WorkSource Center Opens in Culver City On Friday, August 10, the West Los Angeles Americas Job Center of California (AJCC) celebrated its grand opening in Culver City. AJCC is a one-stop shop for workforce services, providing a comprehensive range of no-cost employment and training services for employers and job seekers. What brings [AJCC] together is our common goal to insure the highest quality of service for job seekers and the local business community through seamlessly integrated resources to help our clients overcome barriers and achieve sustainable employment, said Alan Levy, JVS SoCal CEO. AJCC is funded through a partnerships between the county and city of Los Angeles, and the state employment development department. They are also building partnerships with local Culver City officials and West L.A. Community College. ADVERTISEMENT The grand opening was attended by local and city officials which included L.A. Supervisor 2nd District, Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles Economic & Workforce Development Department General Manager, Jan Perry, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, 3rd District Supervisor, Sheila Kuehl, Culver City Vice Mayor, Meghan Sahli-Wells, Employment Development Department, Regional Deputy Division Chief, Carolyn Anderson, director of Los Angeles county Workforce Development, Aging & Community Services, Cynthia Banks, West LA College Academic Affairs, Vice President, Aracely Aguilar and West LA AJCC client Lorrie Williams. Weve got so many jobs in the region and in Culver City but making those connections and making sure that the folks who need opportunity can reach opportunity is exactly what makes this center such a success, said Sahli-Wells. West L.A. has worked with JVS throughout the years on many projects to get our students into employment, said Aguilar. We are thrilled to come together to address our population of over 1,800 students, who are experiencing homelessness. We look forward to the success of our students in achieving their goals and most importantly, overcoming barriers to success. EDD is proud to be a partner at [AJCC]it has been a long time coming and we have been looking forward to returning to West Los Angeles since the closure of the site in Marina Del Rey area, said Anderson. We are very, very, very happy to be here. A lot of the time, people feel like governments dont work together with the city and county but we actually do, said Perry, we do because we share the same mission. ADVERTISEMENT Its living, breathing transformation that I think we bring about. Its a win-win for everybody, a win here for us in the city and its great to be able to work with our county partners and help people come to the doors. Williams shared her story and the trials of life that found her dealing with the loss of a loved one, an addiction, a prison sentence and being estranged from her children and family. She shared that stable jobs were hard to come by and the changing economy didnt help. I was living alone, in a one-bedroom apartment and my rent had been increased three times in one year, said Williams. She was referred to AJCC and entered into a comprehensive construction program. Williams graduated with multiple OSHA certifications (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). A job fair and additional training landed her a position with the Metro Regional Connecter Construction project, which is worth $1.2 billion. She is now a pile driver and a member of the Local Union 2375. We do welding, torch cutting, grinding, carpentry and drive heavy equipmentI wear a tool belt around my waist, I dont know how that happened, Im a girly-girl, said Williams. I now have medical, dental, vision and life insurance coverage The best part is this is not just a jobits a career, with a real future, said Willaims Its an impressive presentation of what worksource centers are about, Im mean, after all, we are investing in peoples, said Ridley-Thomas. This is how you build communities, this is how the quality of life for communities from one end of the county is raised to a new level. Were doing very deliberately with the public and private sectors joining hands for the good of other people. The West LA AJCC will closely serve Culver City, Marina Del Rey, Playa Del Rey, Westchester, Ladera Heights, and other cities in the West LA area. Williams added that this is an opportunity for someone to turn their life around in a positive direction. The worksource centers in any community is very important because it allows you a chance to access your academic abilites, said Williams. You go through the testing, they help you with building a resume, cover letter, computer for us to get on and get the job leads that we need, theres training available and job fairs. If youre on unemployment, GR, if youre a county recipient, then the worksource center will pay for the training for you to get these jobs that are really careers. Williams sends a special thanks to Michael Richardson of SKANSKA construction company. For more information, please visit www.jvs-socal.org. You can also reach the West Los Angeles Americas Job Center of California at (310) 309-6000. The West Los Angeles Americas Job Center of California is located at 5446 Sepulveda Blvd. in Culver City, CA. Newspaper Hall of Fame Inducts Miami Black Publisher The publisher of Miamis African American newspaper during the Civil Rights era has been inducted into Florida Press Associations Newspaper Hall of Fame. Garth Reeves inherited The Miami Times from his family after serving in World War II, where the hypocrisy of fighting for freedom while living in segregation at home angered him. The association says the Bahamian native exercised his clout to prick the conscience of other Miamians in order to bring about social justice. ADVERTISEMENT The association says his paper provided an important perspective that other Miami newspapers often ignored. The 99-year-old Reeves was unable to attend Fridays ceremony in Orlando. Nigerian Teens Take Top Prize for Original Mobile Start-Up At a competition for teenage tech entrepreneurs held in San Franciscos Silicon Valley, a girl team from Nigeria captured the top prize for their original mobile app start-up. Judges at the Technovation World Pitch Summit screened thousands of entries and picked Save-A-Soul from Onitsha, Anambra state, as the winning team. The five teenage members of Save-A-Soul had a mobile application they called FD Detector (Fake Drug Detector) that can distinguish fake drugs often deadly imitations of approved drugs from genuine ones. The system works by checking bar codes against those listed with the National Agency for Food & Drug Administration & Control (NAFDAC), a Nigerian regulatory agency. ADVERTISEMENT The Technovation Summit is the worlds largest tech entrepreneurship program for girls ages 10-18. The five are students of Regina Pacis, a Catholic secondary school in Onitsha. Speaking with Nigerias Daily Trust, Promise Nnalue, age 14, said they were motivated to embark on the project by the large number of deaths in Nigeria as a result of fake drugs. African countries are the dumping ground for 40% of the worlds recorded counterfeit drugs. The girls plan to partner with NAFDAC to create a database of certified pharmaceutical products. Once authorized by the agency, a pharmaceutical company can upload its drug listings onto the platform and be admitted to the database. Anyone with a smartphone, both health professionals and consumers, can then scan the barcode of a drug and the app will let them know if the drug is real or fake and display its expiration date. The app also allows users to report cases of fake drugs directly to NAFDAC. Team Save-a-Soul was selected from 2,000 mobile app developers to represent Africa at the pitch competition. The winners will share this years prize of more than $50,000 for seed funding and scholarships. ADVERTISEMENT The girls were mentored by Uchenna Onwuaegbu-Ugwu, a 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow who founded a STEM Center focused on implementing STEM education in schools for children and youth from ages 3-18, especially girls in rural communities in eastern Nigeria. Passing of Celebrated Author Revives Debate Over Postcolonial Views V.S. Naipauls legacy is complex but his writing must be celebrated, writes essayist Amit Chaudhuri. His comments about Islam, women and Africa were often unjustified, unpleasant and untrue but that can be acknowledged alongside his gifts. Novelist Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul, known as V.S. Naipaul, passed this month at age 85. Born in Chaguanas, Trinidad, in 1932, he wrote more than 30 books including A Bend in the River and his masterpiece, A House for Mr. Biswas. A pioneer of postcolonial literature, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001. ADVERTISEMENT He brought news of unexplored landscapes from a previously unseen point of view and was a trailblazer for those who followed him on this path, wrote Christian Lorentzen in the online Vulture. But in his novels and books of journalism beginning in the mid-1960s, he entered a political phase that put him on the side of reaction. Edward Said, founder of the field of postcolonial studies, was less forgiving. Naipaul gave Third Worldism a bad name. He didnt deny that terrible things had happened (under colonialism) in such places as the Congo, but he attributed it to an idealism of effort followed by monstrous post-colonial abuse. King Leopold was probably not much worse than Mobutu, or Idi Amin, or Mugabe, he suggested, and he allowed one to think it. Naipaul was a lightning rod for criticism, say his critics, particularly by those who read his portrayals of Third World disarray as apologies for colonialism. But others say he was unsparing, both of the arrogance and self-aggrandizement of the colonizers as well as the self-deception and ethical ambiguities of the liberation movements that swept across Africa and the Caribbean in their wake. For his first nonfiction book, The Middle Passage (1962), Mr. Naipaul returned to the West Indies. He charted racial tensions in Trinidad; analyzed the cultural mimicry he saw as central to colonial identity; and observed that the smaller Caribbean islands in the name of tourism, are selling themselves into a new slavery. Remembrances of the controversial author have been filling social media. Salman Rushdie said he was as sad as if I just lost a beloved older brother. ADVERTISEMENT American travel writer Paul Theroux said: He will go down as one of the greatest writers of our time. Physician Calls on Legislators to Oppose Bill Threatening Californias Most Vulnerable Dialysis Patient Population As a physician, I believe I have a moral and ethical obligation to voice concern when I become aware of proposed legislation that may endanger patient health. As the founder, president, and CEO of the Minority Health Institute, a nonprofit organization which serves the public interest, I also believe it is my duty to raise alarm when I find legislation that will definitely have a negative effect on the health of minority patients who already suffer daily from a lack of access to health care. Senate Bill 1156 fits both of these categories. If passed, SB 1156 will severely limit the ability of charitable organizations from providing financial assistance to dialysis patients in need. These are the charitable organizations whose financial assistance allows for access to treatment and care for thousands of patients suffering from kidney failure in California, including many minority patients. For these patients, charitable assistance is the sole reason they are able to continue paying for their costly and life-sustaining dialysis treatment. Dialysis takes a toll on patients both mentally and physically, and is also extremely time consuming, requiring many patients to receive treatment in a clinic for upwards of three hours a day, three times per week. These pressures combined push many patients out of work, forcing them to rely on outside assistance to maintain payments for their treatment. Income disparities between ethnicities place minority patients at an even bigger disadvantage in these situations, with many lacking necessary savings or family members who are able to financially aid them in emergency medical situations such as these. ADVERTISEMENT Minorities are at the greatest risk of developing kidney disease and subsequent kidney failure. While research is unclear as to why this is the case, many studies point to higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity in minority communities, all of which contribute to kidney disease. Beyond these factors, minorities in the United States suffer greatly from a lack of access to health care in comparison to White Americans. According to the Kidney Foundation, nearly 2 out of 5 Hispanics, 1 out of 4 Black Americans, and 1 out of 3 Native Americans are living uninsured. This not only affects preventive care, but also affects treatment of diagnosed diseases and early stage diagnosis that is critical to slowing or stopping diseases that lead to kidney failure. These unfortunate realities have led to high rates of kidney disease in minority communities and diagnoses at increasingly earlier ages. Large groups of people who already suffer from income disparities and high poverty levels are suddenly met with monthly bills for their dialysis treatment that may never go away, and almost certainly will last their entire lifetime. This is where charitable assistance plays a critical role. It bridges a gap, providing minority patients with financial assistance needed to access quality care. Without charitable assistance, many minority patients kidney failure would surely go untreated, leading ultimately to death. When I founded the Minority Health Institute in 1987, my goal was to advance the health and wellness of communities of color and those in financial need. That is still our mission to this day. Unnecessary, flagrant and misguided legislation such as SB 1156 threatens this mission at its core. It threatens the entire dialysis patient population, allowing for patient care and access to treatment to be disregarded. Californias legislators must take heed. Patient access to reliable, uninterrupted, quality care is the issue that is at stake here. SB 1156 will cause irreparable harm, cutting access to necessary health care for thousands of Californias most vulnerable patient populations. As a medical professional, it is my duty to alert others to these potential harmful side effects and to call on legislators to vote NO on SB 1156. I urge you to join me in defeating this potentially harmful bill. Police Identify Suspects Arrested in Fatal Shooting of Anti-Gang Activist Police today identified three young men who were arrested in the July 1 shooting death of a community and anti-gang activist in South Los Angeles. Garry Dorton, 48, of Los Angeles was gunned down around 7:30 p.m. July 1 in the 4500 block of South Van Ness Boulevard and died at a hospital. The suspects, who were booked on suspicion of murder, were identified as Brandon Dixon, 24, and Dejone Wright, with bail set at $8 million and $7 million, respectively, and 18-year-old Omario Guerrero, whos being held without bail, according to police. ADVERTISEMENT Dorton was a community intervention worker for Soledad Enrichment Action Inc., a nonprofit founded in 1972 by mothers in East Los Angeles who had lost their sons to gang violence, according to the groups Facebook page. SEA provides services to high-risk individuals, families and gang-affected communities in Southern California. At a news conference at the LAPDs 77th Street Station this morning, Eula Hooks said her grandson was killed on her birthday. Its hard for me to talk about it because it was on my birthday, Hooks said. I even awaken at night, thinking about my poor baby. Earlier, SEA posted a statement about Dorton, calling him a wonderful man who spent his life fighting to prevent the senseless violence that took his life He worked with young people in South Los Angeles to help them avoid the kind of life he had at their age one where violence was the norm, not the exception. Dorton often worked with film productions in South Los Angeles, according to the nonprofit, which said he negotiated with various communities in which the production would take place which often crossed enemy territories to ensure the safety of the shoot, but he would also devise ways in which youngsters from the various territories could be persuaded to work together as part of the production. ADVERTISEMENT His death is tragic, but his life was a marvel. His was a story of redemption. He managed to turn his life around in ways that few people even those with many more resources and privileges than he ever had could do, according to the SEA. Through his strength and perseverance, he saved himself and then he dedicated his life to saving others. His is a life that even as we mourn should be celebrated always. Scammers Try to Pass Off Puppies as Purebreds People in the market for a recognized dog breed should be careful they dont get a mutt in purebred clothing. In the Purebred Puppy Scam, victims may find themselves spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on supposedly purebred pooches that arent what the sellers claim. ADVERTISEMENT Pet stores and other sellers simply may accept a breeders statement that a puppy is a specific breed. Such claims may become more questionable starting Jan. 1, 2019, when a new state law goes into effect requiring pet shops to sell only dogs, cats and rabbits from animal shelters or rescue organizations. TIPS: To determine if a dog is a recognized purebred, request the registration documents from a dog registry organization such as the American Kennel Club, Canine Kennel Club or the Continental Kennel Club. For a non-recognized breed, such as a designer breed, get a second opinion from an expert. Meet the seller and dog in person wherever the animal is being housed and ask for medical records before signing a contract or paying. ADVERTISEMENT Deputy District Attorney Marc Beaart explains how the scam works in this video: http://da.lacounty.gov/community/fraud-alerts/scammers-pass-off-puppies-as-purebreds. Follow @LADAOffice on Twitter and Instagram for up-to-date news and use #FraudFriday. Somali-American Nears New Historic Mark with Primary Win In this Jan. 5, 2017, file photo, state Rep. Ilhan Omar is interviewed in her office two days after the 2017 Legislature convened in St. Paul, Minn. Somali-American legislator Ilhan Omar made history Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, by winning the Democratic congressional primary in a Minneapolis-area district so reliably liberal that her victory is likely her ticket to Congress. (AP Photo/Jim Monem File) ADVERTISEMENT The nations first Somali-American state legislator is poised to set the same historic mark in Congress after winning a crowded Democratic primary Tuesday in Minnesota to replace Rep. Keith Ellison. State Rep. Ilhan Omar captured the Democratic nomination for Minnesotas 5th Congressional District, defeating a former Minnesota House Speaker and longtime state senator. It puts another notch in the meteoric political rise of a woman who spent her childhood in a Kenyan refugee camp and immigrated to the United States at age 12 before winning her seat in the state House in 2016. A Republican has not won the heavily liberal Minneapolis-area congressional seat in many decades, making Tuesdays primary the de facto election. The seat opened when Ellison launched a last-minute bid for attorney general, leaving the seat after six terms. Supporters cheered Omar on when she took the stage to claim victory. Two years ago many of us gathered to make history by electing me to the Minnesota House. And I am more than excited that we are gathered here again to make another history, because were going to Washington! Omar told them. Omar also paid tribute to the young volunteers who helped turn out the vote that gave her a decisive plurality in the crowded race. ADVERTISEMENT This victory belongs to the college interns, the high school interns who showed up before everyone else did, and who left after everyone was gone, she said. 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 poised to become the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress when theyre sworn in. Omar has leaned heavily on her biography, positioning herself as the candidate best equipped to counter President Donald Trump in Congress. She defeated former House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher and state Sen. Patricia Torres Ray, among other candidates, to advance to the November election. Omar won her state House seat in 2016 after defeating a well-regarded, 44-year incumbent in a Democratic primary. Shes served just a single term in the House, stuck in the minority and boasting few legislative accomplishments. But she brought undeniable star power to the race, riding the fame from her history-making 2016 election to a spot on the cover of Time magazine and a cameo in a recent Maroon 5 music video. She won late support from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York City congressional candidate who unseated a longtime incumbent in June. Taraji P. Henson Launches The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation To Eradicate Stigma Around Mental Health Issues In The African-American Community Recently, Academy Award and Emmy Award-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson launched The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF) in honor of her late father in order to help eradicate the stigma around mental health issues in the African-American community and provide support for and bring awareness to mental health issues that plague this community. I named the organization after my father because of his complete and unconditional love for me; his unabashed, unashamed ability to tell the truth, even if it hurt; and his strength to push through his own battles with mental health issues, said Taraji P. Henson. My dad fought in the Vietnam War for our country, returned broken, and received little to no physical and emotional support. I stand now in his absence, committed to offering support to African Americans who face trauma daily, simply because they are Black. To celebrate the foundations launch, the star will host a special fundraising event in Beverly Hills on Saturday, September 22. Tarajis Boutique of Hope will introduce BLHF to the world and will raise funds to support one of the foundations pillar goals of advocating for and providing resources to increase mental health support in urban schools. With partnering school districts, BLHF will help to provide more culturally competent mental health therapists, social workers, and counselors to African-American children in need. ADVERTISEMENT BLHF is breaking the silence by speaking out and encouraging others to share their challenges with mental illness and get the help they need, said BLHF Executive Director Tracie Jenkins. African-Americans have regarded such communication as a sign of weakness and our vision is to change that perception. BLHF will partner with other nonprofit organizations who offer programs that educate, celebrate, and make visible the positive impact of mental health wellness. Through these partnerships, the foundation will ensure cultural competency in caring for African Americans who struggle with mental illness by providing scholarships to African-American students who seek a career in the mental health field; offer mental health services and programs to young people in urban schools; and combat recidivism within the prison system. For more information about BLHF, please visitwww.borislhensonfoundation.org. Nepals first consumer court expected soon Nepal is likely to get its first consumer court to deal with cases related to consumer disputes and grievances after more than a decade in the works. The Rhetoric and Reality Of Race In an era in which many claim America is a post-racial society, it is important to occasionally take an in-depth look at the perennial debate about race, integration and, more recently, diversity. Many feel that the potential for racial integration in the United States is greater now than ever before. Diversity, multiculturalism, etc. are code words reflecting changing population shifts in the nations urban areas. However, the central characteristics of race relations remain a fundamental fear of racial equality that ensures an oppressive status quo for Blacks and other people of color. The leaders of the desegregation social protest movement of a generation ago mobilized millions with one simple demand, freedom. In the context of a racially segregated society of the South in post-World War II, freedom meant elimination of all social, political, legal and economic barriers that forced African Americans into a subordinate status. ADVERTISEMENT Implicit in the demand for desegregation (integration) were several assumptions: Desegregation would increase opportunities for Blacks in business, government and throughout society; desegregated educational institutions would promote greater racial harmony and understanding between people from different races, ethnic groups and communities, which in turn would promote residential integration; affirmative action policies would gradually increase the number of African Americans, Latinos and others of color in administrative and managerial positions. It was assumed that as African Americans escaped the ghetto, racial tensions and bigotry would decline significantly and as Blacks were more thoroughly integrated into the economic system, the basis for racial confrontation would diminish. This thesis was fundamentally flawed. First, desegregation did not benefit the Black community uniformly. Black professionals, college graduates and technical schools were the principal beneficiaries. For the unemployed, the poor, for those whose lives were circumscribed by illiteracy, disease and desperation, race continued to occupy an embedded marginal existence. Legal desegregation contributed to the popular illusion that the basis for racial segregation no longer existed. The abolition of many acially separate residential districts, hotels, schools, etc. convinced many white Americans that the Negro question had been resolved and that the passage of anti-discrimination legislation had eliminated all basic impediments to socio-economic and cultural advancement of Black Americans according to this view. Thus, as Black leaders continued to speak out against social injustices and pointed to the continuing economic disparity between Blacks and the majority of middle-class whites, their complaints were dismissed as outmoded, self-serving rhetoric. By raising the issue of racism, many whites believed, or said they believed, that Blacks themselves must be racists. Arguably, American civil rights leadership and the African American political establishment found themselves in a quandary of their own making. Their failure to develop a body of politics that represented a qualitative extension of the civil rights movement is directly linked to the paucity of their outlook and effectiveness. ADVERTISEMENT One school of thought suggests the weakness of African American leadership was its inability to distinguish between ethnicity and race and to apply both terms to the realities of American capital and power. To this group, African Americans were both an ethnic group (or more precisely, a national minority) and a racial group. African American ethnicity was derived from the cultural synthesis of African heritage and experience with American society. W.E.B. DuBois observed nearly a century ago that Black Americans are both African and American, two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. This central duality is at the core of African American consciousness, forming the fundamental matrix of expressions of African American music, art, language, folklore, religious rituals, belief systems, the structure of families and other cultural manifestations and social institutions. In short, culturally, Blackness the expression and affirmation of a set of traditional values, beliefs, rituals and social patterns rather than physical appearance or social class. Race is a totally different dynamic rooted in the structures of exploitation, power and privilege. It is an artificial social construct that was deliberately placed on various subordinated groups of people at the outset of the expansion of European capitalism in the western hemisphere. The racial consciousness and discourse of the West was forged on slave ships carting human cargos into the Caribbean and the Americas. The search for agricultural commodities and profits from the extreme exploitation of Black people, deemed as less than human gave birth to the notion of racial inequality. In the United States, race is frequently defined as a group that has certain physical or biological traits, particularly phenotype (skin color), body structure and facial features. But race has no scientific validity as a meaningful biological or genetic concept. The meaning of race shifts according to the power relationships between racial groups. Even in rigidly segregated societies such as the American South before the modern civil rights movement, race was frequently situationala function not just a physical appearance, but also the explicit or implied power relations that connected the individual of color to local or external constituencies. Therefore, in segregated cities such as Washington, DC, Arab and even African diplomats were permitted to stay in whites only hotels which were strictly off limits to local Blacks. African Americans who owned property or who were well respected professionals were occasionally granted social privileges extended solely to whites. Today, many people contend race and color are no longer major barriers to social justice, which is far from true. USC Names Dr. Wanda M. Austin Its New Interim President This month, the University Of Southern California (USC) announced the appointment of Dr. Wanda Austin as the universitys new interim president. Austins appointment comes after USC president C.L. Max Nikias stepped down from his position in light of a sex-abuse scandal. While it was unexpected, when I was asked to step up and lead USC at this time, I was honored to do so, said Austin. I have a long relationship with USC, first as a graduate student and more recently as a trustee. Austin was born in the Bronx in the city of New York. While there, she attended The Bronx High School of Science. She then set her eyes on pursuing a bachelors degree in mathematics from Franklin & Marshall College. Soon after, she enrolled in the University of Pittsburgh where she received her Master of Science degrees in systems engineering and mathematics and later USC for her doctorate in systems engineering. ADVERTISEMENT Although Austins is new to the position, she is quite familiar with USC. Since 2010, Austin served on the USC Board of Trustees and in 2018; she received the USC Presidential Medallion. Her wide range of career accomplishments involves serving the former president of the United States, Barack Obama to working for NASA. In 2008, Austin became the first female and the first African American president of the Aerospace Corp. During her time there as the president and CEO of the independent non-profit organization, Austin led 3,600 employees and managed the organizations annual revenues of $950 million across 17 offices nationwide. Additionally, Austin served on former President of the United States Barack Obama, Council of Advisors on Science and Technology until January 2017. In this role, Austin and her colleagues advised the former President on science and technology to help promote and stimulate innovate and effective U.S. policy. Along with her new title as USC interim president, Austin is a member of the Defense Policy Board and previously served on the Defense Science Board and the NASA Advisory Council. Thats not all, Austin is also an author. In 2016, she published a book titled, Making Space: Strategic Leadership for a Complex World. The book discusses her personal experiences and lessons learned during her career in the space industry, leadership strategies for women of color and more. The book is available for purchase on Amazon. In a statement to USC News, Austin mentioned her commitment to inspiring the next generation to study the STEM disciplines and to make science and engineering preferred career choices. My life and career experiences have brought me to this place to serve this great university until the arrival of our next president. In the coming academic year, I hope to support the faculty, students and staff as they do their very best work in pursuit of USCs mission and its service to the community, she said. USC News contributed to this report. Wendys Window: Hail to the Chief! Upland, California was officially established on May 15, 1906 and I have called it home for close to 30 years now. With over a centurys worth of history, the city now has its first African American Police Chief. The phrase, Hail to the Chief is the official Presidential Anthem of the United States of America, but I had to use it here to pay honor to this pioneers achievement as another first. In a time where there is so much in the news about police brutality, the lack of civility and pure frustration towards police, it brings me hope to learn theres someone in charge that plans to change the conversation and hopefully improve the relationship between police officers and the community. The dynamics and demographics of Upland (like most small towns) has changed quite a bit since its founding. It started primarily as a majority all White community. Over time different cultures began to migrate to the area for different reasons and today, according to the census, it has close to a population of 78,000 people. The ethnic breakdown is approximately 42% white, 38% Hispanic, 8% Asian, 6% African American and 6% other. Although the ethnicity demographics of the city have changed, the leadership has still been predominately White male until recently. Today, we have a woman mayor (Debbie Stone) and women have a heavy presence on the city council. The lack of representation has long been a concern for me. So much so, that it caused me to run for city council close to 15 years ago. Our new Chief of Police, Darren Goodman is truly a good man. He is a 27-year veteran of the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department and served as the Captain of the Chino Hills Police Department. He has proven to be a strong advocate around community policing and incorporating technology and community partnerships to help address issues around crime and quality of life issues. I recently attended a gathering with local African American community leaders who were given the opportunity to meet the new Chief and learn about his commitment to helping make our community better and improving relations between the residents and police force. He plans to do this by talking to residents and leaders to learn about their concerns and how, together, we can solve them. ADVERTISEMENT Chief Goodman comes to the table with both practical and theoretical training. He holds a masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California (I wont hold that against himgo Bruins!), and he completed his doctoral studies at USCs Rossier School of Education. He also graduated from Harvard Universitys Kennedy School of Government, Senior Executives in State and Local Government. With all of his acquired knowledge, education and training, he also exhibits a level of compassion for humanity that ties the two worlds together. Under his leadership, I believe he plans to bring about cultural understanding, awareness and sensitivity training to his police force while also encouraging the community to take personal responsibility for helping to bring about change. Together we can do it! Healing Without Hate: Its a choice. Its a lifestyle. Pass it on! The Ruling Peoples Party of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has won all 125 parliamentary seats in the national election that took place last month. International observers and outlawed opposition forces have criticized the results. The National Election Committee said Wednesday that 83 percent of people who could vote completed ballots. The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, or CNRP, was not permitted to take part in the election. The Supreme Court dissolved the party last year. Nineteen smaller parties did take part in the election, but gained little support. The unbalanced election results ensure that Hun Sen will extend his 33 years in power when the new parliament is seated next month. Sam Rainsy is the exiled leader of the CNRP. In a written statement, he accused the National Election Committee of inflating the number of voters. He said the government group was under the control of the Peoples Party. Hun Sens Peoples Party nearly lost its majority in the 2013 national election. Independent international election observers said they would not take part in this years vote after the CNRP was dissolved. Observers consider that action the last step in a campaign against all opposition voices in the country. Other recent actions against opposition voices include the arrest of the co-leader of the CNRP on charges of treason and the closure of The Cambodia Daily newspaper. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert called the election flawed. She said the United States would expand visa restrictions put in place last year on some high-level Cambodian officials. Nauert said the action targeted individuals who were responsible for the most notable anti-democratic actions taken before the election. She said new restrictions could be placed on individuals inside and outside the government. However, a Cambodian spokesman said the restrictions would not be effective. Observers say the prime minister has tight control of all parts of the government. They note that the opposition has no National Assembly seats and no parliamentary immunity with which to criticize the government. Im Mario Ritter. Richard Green reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson 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 flawed adj. having a mistake, fault or weakness inflate - v. to increase prices, costs, etc., in a way that is not normal or expected immunity n. special protection from what is required for most people by law This week Google launched an update to its online storage service. Its called Google One, and it gives Google users a single bucket of storage that they can use to keep photos, files, and Gmail messages in the cloud. Every user gets 15GB for free. Every now and then Google gives out some bonus storage for completing tasks like performing a security checkup or buying a Chromebook. And if you need more storage plans start at $2 per month (or $20 per year) for 100GB of storage. Glancing at my account details, I was starting to think I was going to have to sign up for that plan: I was using 21GB of storage out of the 119 allotted to my account but I was going to lose 100GB when a Chromebook promotional credit expires in January. It turns out all I had to do was empty my trash bin to bring my total down to 13GB. Like most desktop operating systems, Googles cloud services dont actually get rid of emails, files, or photos when you delete them. It sends them to a trash bin. Thats useful, because it makes it easy to recover files youve accidentally deleted. But it turns out you have to manually empty the trash bin for Google Drive from time to time. Gmail and Google Photos do this automatically. Anything left in your Gmail trash bin for more than 30 days will be deleted. Anything in your Google Photos trash pile will disappear after 60 days. But when I went to empty my Google Drive trash today I noticed files that have been sitting there for more than two years. Manually emptying my Gmail and Google Photos trash today freed up a little space. Emptying my Google Drive trash bin freed up almost 8GB, which means I dont need to look for more stuff to delete and I dont need to upgrade to a paid plan. Oh, and if youre running low on Google storage, another place to check is your Google Photos settings: while Google offers unlimited photo storage for high quality images that that have been compressed, you also have the option of uploading images at original quality, but thatll eat into your storage space (unless you have a Google Pixel device, in which case images uploaded from your camera roll for the first few years after you buy the phone will be saved at original quality). You can find this option by visiting photos.google.com, Clicking the hamburger menu on the left side of the screen, and clicking the Settings option when it pops up. If youre having trouble finding the trash bins, Google also has instructions for permanently deleting items from your trash in: What about you? Whens the last time you emptied your Google Drive trash bin? Share this article: Share this: Facebook Twitter Reddit Pocket Tumblr Pinterest LinkedIn Email Kathmandu-Kerung railway project "complicated and arduous," report says Complicated geological terrain and laborious engineering workload will become the most significant obstacles to building a cross-border railway line linking the Chinese border town of Kerung with Kathmandu, according to a classified feasibility study by a Chinese firm on the much-touted project. North Carolina Man Sentenced for Illegally Voting in Two Elections A North Carolina man has been sent to prison for illegally voting in two separate elections, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced. In two instances, on Nov. 6, 2012, and Nov. 8, 2016, Roberto Hernandez-Cuarenta, of Zebulon, voted illegally. While the 57-year-old is a legal resident of the United States, he is not a U.S. citizen, meaning he is not eligible to cast a vote. Hernandez-Cuarenta was sentenced on Aug. 9 for two counts of Voting by Alien and will serve time for both counts amounting to four months behind bars. He is a native citizen of Mexico. Robert J. Higdon Jr., the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, said that his crime undervalues the vote from true American citizens. The right to vote is a precious privilege available only to citizens of the United States, he said. When a non-citizen votes in a federal election, it serves to dilute and devalue the vote of American citizens and places the decision-making authority of the American electorate in the hands of those who have no right to make those choices. Hernandez-Cuarenta was granted a Special Agricultural Worker application in June 1992, according to evidence presented at his sentencing. He was given legal and permanent-resident status as a seasonal agricultural worker but was never naturalized as a U.S. citizen. There were also no pending applications or petitions on his behalf. Higdon said that his office would do its part to protect the rights of American citizens to freely cast their vote and be counted fairly. During the 2016 elections in North Carolina, state auditors found that about 500 people illegally voted. Of those, more than 441 were suspected felons and 41 were noncitizens with legal status. Aside from those, auditors also discovered 24 substantiated cases of double-voting through tips and data, and two cases of voter impersonation that were referred to prosecutors, according to a 2017 report by the North Carolina State Board of Elections. A number of non-citizens said they were not aware that they were prohibited from voting. Interviews and evidence show that some non-citizens were misinformed about the law, the report said. President Donald Trump has long been a critic of voter fraud, but a commission he formed to look into it was forced to close. Despite substantial evidence of voter fraud, many states have refused to provide the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity with basic information relevant to its inquiry, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in January. Rather than engage in endless legal battles at taxpayer expense, today President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order to dissolve the Commission. Plea Deals On Aug. 13, five North Carolina residents who voted illegally during the 2016 election, accepted plea deals to lesser charges in Alamance County Superior Court. All five individuals were originally facing felony charges of voting while on probation; as part of the plea deals, prosecutors dropped the felony charges. The clients, represented by the Southern Coalition of for Social Justice, pleaded to misdemeanor obstruction of justice. The five individuals will each complete 24 hours of community service and be placed on unsupervised probation for 12 months. An additional 200 special licensed taxis have been put up for open auction since Monday, the Macau SAR government has announced. The special licenses concession will consist of a period of eight years, with the starting date corresponding to the first day of the taxis operation. The special licensed taxis are only allowed to operate for app-based hailing services, whereas they are forbidden from picking up passengers on the street. Together with the other 100 special licensed taxis outsourced in 2016, there will be a total of 300 radio taxis hitting the roads in the near future. Fishing moratorium to end tomorrow This years fishing moratorium will end tomorrow. The fishing ban was initially planned to end on August 16. However, due to the impact of this weeks typhoon, the Guangdong Oceanic and Fishery Administration extended the ban until 12 pm, August 17. Currently, there are 140 fishing boats anchored at the anchorage in the inner harbor. The Marine and Water Bureau will continue to be on standby near the Inner Harbor to offer quick assistance to boats that are involved in accidents. Proposal to relocate greyhounds to Coloane farmland The Canidrome company has proposed to relocate the greyhounds who formerly raced at the facility to farmland located in Coloane. The Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) has deemed this proposal better than the companys previous one, which suggested placing the dogs in a standalone building in Taipa. IACM President Jose Tavares said that the proposal, which was made by the Canidrome company last week, has already received approval from the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau. According to the IACM president, if the Canidrome fails to take the dogs back before the deadline, the IACM will not allow any extensions and will fine Yat Yuen immediately. Local investors interested in Sydney properties Real Estate Colliers International recently expressed confidence in suitable homebuyers from China, Hong Kong and Macau in a combined development site of eleven houses in Sydneys northern suburbs, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. We have just returned from China, Hong Kong and Macau with a number of new mandates from new entrants, who have a keen interest in development sites located near new infrastructure and rail transport, said Matthew Meynell from Colliers International. The site covers a 7842 square meter allotment in Sydneys suburb of Carlingford. Suncity delays Vietnam acquisition again Hong Kong-based Suncity Group has again delayed a deal to acquire a 34 percent stake in a casino-resort in Vietnams central Quang Nam Province. The USD76.8 million deal has been postponed until August 31. In a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Suncity said it was still waiting for the joint venture between Vina Capital and Chow Tai Fook to obtain approval from a Vietnamese bank, which has provided a loan to the casino developer. It is expected that the banks consent will be obtained on or before August 31, 2018, Suncity wrote in the filing. Save for the condition relating to the banks consent, all other conditions have been fulfilled. Suncity initially announced its intention to acquire a stake in the casino-resort in July last year. Jockey Club investment plan not yet ready The government has yet to submit a report to the Follow-up Committee for Public Administration Affairs of the Legislative Assembly (AL) concerning the Jockey Clubs future investment plan. In June, the government promised it would require the Jockey Club to submit a report of the detailed investment plan and schedule. The investment plan is a key requirement for the government to extend the Jockey Clubs concession until the end of August 2042. Lawmakers are concerned about how society will supervise Jockey Clubs operations without knowing about the Clubs planned activities. The government has proposed taking further steps to create a faster central recruitment procedure for hiring civil servants. Earlier this week, a number of government representatives met with the Follow-up Committee of Public Administration Affairs of the Legislative Assembly (AL). The Chairman of the AL committee, Si Ka Lon, reported that the government considered shortening the employment application period for civil servants from the current 20 working days down to 10 working days, and also considered reducing the days for submitting documents from 10 to five working days. In order to accomplish this, the government would amend the relevant laws. Moreover, the government is planning to restrict quotas for interviews. However, restricting the number of interviewees requires legal grounds, therefore the government must amend laws first. At the current stage, a final decision has not been made regarding the interviewees quota restriction. In addition, in order to speed up the recruitment procedure, it has been suggested that the marking and grading of examinations be conducted by computers or university professors. Statistics show that the attendance rate for these exams has been considerably low for the past few years. In order to solve this problem, the government has considered eliminating unqualified applicants through a computer system which would conduct the process automatically. The streams not taken Take Sujita Chaudhary. In 2013, fresh out of high school, she had the same plans as her friends as a science student, join the Institute of Medicine (IOM) or the Institute of Engineering (IOE), two of Nepals premier technical institutions, both under the Tribhuvan University (TU), the oldest university of the country. As the worlds longest sea bridge is almost ready to open linking Hong Kong to Macau and Zhuhai, the attention is not only fixated on the projects traffic convenience and economic benefits, but also on the Chinese white dolphin, an endangered species. According to state media Xinhua, the Chinese government has prioritized the protection of the white dolphin following work commencing on the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge in 2009. A conservation alliance will facilitate future conservation work. The alliance, overseen by authorities in Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macau, will be set up to boost cooperation among conservation groups in the three regions, according to the administration of the Pearl River Estuary Chinese White Dolphin Reserve. The dolphin can be found in just a handful of coastal areas, with the Pearl River Estuary being one of its major habitats. Routine rescue and joint emergency rescue will be an important mission of the alliance and an expert team will be established to oversee the work. In addition, the alliance will conduct research on the dolphins population, lifestyle, migration routes and physiology, according to Chen Hailiang, head of the administration. Guangdongs fishery department, Hong Kongs agriculture, fisheries and conservation department, and Macaus Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau have cooperated together on protection of the dolphin since 1995. Since 2011, researchers from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau have identified more than 2,300 Chinese white dolphins within the Pearl River Estuary. The 55-km-long bridge is situated in Lingding Bay of the Pearl River Estuary, a busy shipping channel that sees over 40,000 vessels each year. It will slash travel time between Hong Kong and Zhuhai from three hours to less than one. Chen Tao, a researcher from the South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, has tracked the dolphins at sea every month between 2013 and 2017. Our monitoring showed that there are 950 to 1,000 Chinese white dolphins in the part of Lingding Bay, under the jurisdiction of Guangdong, during the past four to five years, compared with 1,100 to 1,200 before the construction of the bridge, he said. According to Xinhua, Chen speculated that some dolphins that used to live in the area might have moved to other waters. Researchers are optimistic about the results of current monitoring, but remain alert to the possibility of reduced numbers. So far, the monitoring data is not sufficient for more precise analysis of the species, and researchers are unable to efficiently track the dolphins with available measures, Tao said. After the opening of the bridge, assessments will be needed on the potential impact of the pier, artificial island, and tunnel on the dolphins. Years-long monitoring and surveys on the dolphins in the Lingding Bay and in their other habitats need to be made, he added. Dolphin watchers play an important role in minimizing the constructions impact on the dolphins. The Pearl River Estuary Chinese White Dolphin Reserve, in recent years, has supported more than 100 researchers in studying and protecting the mammal, and trained thousands of dolphin watchers during the construction of the bridge, Chen Hailiang said. Before the construction started, we raised seven issues in white dolphin protection. One of them was to train people to observe and protect the dolphins. We conducted 29 training sessions overall and those who passed the exam received a dolphin watcher certificate, he said. Luo Guocai, 34, is a certificated dolphin watcher. His job is to conduct a 10-minute observation of the sea each time before construction starts. The dolphins have to breathe every few minutes above the sea. If we see them, we play the sound of their enemy, the killer whale, to warn them away, Luo said. He Guomin, also a researcher with the South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, co-authored a research report in 2005, concluding that even in the worst-case scenario, the construction will not cause significant damage to the species. No Chinese white dolphin died due to the construction in seven years and I believe their numbers will recover in the future, He said. Chen Tao said he was more concerned about the dolphins food. It is a grave challenge for the dolphins that the population of their favorite prey demersal fish has declined during the past decade. The quality of their food is declining. A number of researchers also believe that increasingly busy shipping activity in the estuary poses a challenge to the species. What we have done is just the beginning. We are facing a more onerous task of monitoring and protecting the species, Tao said. MDT/Xinhua For his last time, Japans Emperor Akihito addressed a memorial service yesterday 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 worshipped 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 in what was likely his last as emperor. 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. Though Hirohito hardly changed the wording of his Aug. 15 message for a quarter century, Akihitos has evolved since he became emperor after his fathers death in 1989. On the 50th anniversary of the wars end in 1995, he expressed for the first time the hope that the same tragedy would never be repeated. The same year, then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama acknowledged Japans wartime aggression and made a landmark apology to victims in the rest of Asia. His successors expressed remorse to other Asian countries until Abe dropped them and any reference to aggression in his Aug. 15 remarks beginning in 2013. He has pledged that Japan will not repeat the devastation of war, and did again Wednesday. Abe also sent a religious offering to a Tokyo shrine that honors the war dead, including convicted war criminals. He has avoided visiting the shrine since 2013 in a bid to avoid overly angering China and South Korea, which see the Yasukuni shrine as a symbol of Japans military aggression. In his 70th anniversary address in 2015, Akihito started using the expression he used Wednesday, stronger words than he had used previously. The contrast with Abe captured media attention, with the prime minister portrayed as a nationalist pushing for a stronger military versus a pacifist Akihito. Abe wants Japan to stop dwelling on the past, while the emperor doesnt want his country to forget it. Akihito visited China early in his reign and has traveled to some of the harshest World War II battlefields in the Pacific. His 2005 visit to the U.S. territory of Saipan was hailed as a statement of his desire to be part of the postwar healing process. Akihito traveled to the western Pacific nation of Palau in 2015 and the Philippines in 2016. While his Aug. 15 address is always short, Akihito has expressed his thoughts about the war more clearly in annual birthday remarks and on overseas trips. He has repeatedly stressed the importance of studying history and passing it down to the next generations. Now that the memories of the war have started to fade, I think it is extremely important for everyone to study time and again the course of history Japan has followed and to reflect on peace, he said in his 2011 birthday address. 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, Tokyo, AP 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 yesterday [Macau time]. Mattis comments came days after Vice President Mike Pence announced ambitious plans to create a sixth, separate U.S. military warfighting 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 Departments 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 Mattiss visit to Brazil, so soon after Pence announced the Space Force plan last Thursday, was coincidental. Mattiss 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. Robert Burns,Rio De Janeiro, AP Official data indicates that the leakage rate of public water pipes in Macau is lower than the leakage rates in Hong Kong, Taipei and Beijing, which range from 15 percent to 20 percent. However, a scholar suggested that the city could nevertheless work on technologies that deal with water leaks, noting that a variety of sensor technologies are already in the market to help water utilities detect potential leakages. Speaking to the Times, president of the Green Environment Protection Association of Macau, Ho Kin Chung, noted, through these technologies, we are able to improve our water pipe maintenance and leakage can be reduced. However, he emphasized that residential and commercial building management in the city could make use of a scheme that educates their employees about how to locate and repair leaky pipes. In a statement issued to the Times, the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) recalled that the government is committed to facilitating the replacement of public water pipes one of the main reasons for water leakage from pipes. The main reasons for leaking public pipes are aged pipes, land settlement and other pipe burst incidents caused by works, the bureau said in reply to the Times. The water supply company will strive to replace the old pipes with ductile iron and stainless- steel which are better quality, so as to reduce leakage rate, it added. Annual water consumption in the region reached 88.436 million cubic meters in 2017, an increase of over 2 percent compared to the previous year. The leakage rate of public water pipes in Macau in 2017 was around 9.1 percent, whereas the leakage level has been controlled at about 10 percent, as defined in Macaus Water Conservation Planning Outline. The leakage rate in the distribution networks of 2016 stood at 10.4 percent, slightly higher than figures from 2014 and 2015, which totaled 10.2 percent. Macaus figures are not too bad. But it also depends so much on the geographical location of the land because a lot of times the leakage may be caused by heavy pressure [particularly] on reclaimed lands, Ho said. Meanwhile, he stressed the need for a regulator to actively check and maintain these water pipes. [There can also be] a watchdog to oversee the water pipes in all buildings to enhance building maintenance scheme. This is very fundamental, he added. In Hong Kong, a recent investigation found that 15 percent of fresh water is lost due to leaking pipes which is nearly HKD800 million of public money being poured down the drain. A report released by Hong Kongs Office of the Ombudsman earlier this year criticized the bureau for also failing to investigate ways to reduce leakage, arguing that the public department had been failing to minimize water pipe bursts. The office calculated that if Hong Kong could lower its leakage rate to 10 percent, some HKD530 million could be saved. Thus, the scholar noted that this could also be prevented if the local government invested in improving its maintenance scheme. The government should force the industry to enhance water pipe maintenance, said Ho, reiterating the need to replace water pipes with those made of stronger materials. The problems are also related to the kind of material of the pipe that you are using. Overseas, marble which is relatively strong is normally used for water pipes. But here you normally use iron pipe or PVC and they are more fragile, he said. In March this year, the Housing Bureau announced that it had received 16,861 cases of water leakage between 2009 and 2018, with about 91.7 percent of the cases having been repaired. Ho reiterated that if the problem is not fixed, bacteria will contaminate the citys waters, leading to e-coli infiltrating broken water pipes. China says it is challenging a U.S. tariff hike on solar panels before the World Trade Organization, adding to its sprawling conflicts with President Donald Trump over trade and technology. The 30 percent tariffs announced in January improperly help U.S. producers in violation of WTO rules, the Commerce Ministry said. It said a formal complaint was filed yesterday [Macau time]with the WTO in Geneva. The solar duties are separate from tariff hikes imposed by the Trump administration starting in July on Chinese imports in response to complaints Beijing steals or pressures companies to hand over technology. The duties also apply to imports of solar cells and modules from Europe, Canada, Mexico and South Korea. That strained relations with U.S. allies. The Trump administration has defended the solar tariffs as necessary to protect American producers, saying import prices were unfairly low due to subsidies and other improper support. Washington took action under a 1974 U.S. law instead of through the WTO. That led to complaints it was undermining the global trade body. U.S. officials say such action is necessary because the WTO lacks the ability to address Chinese trade tactics. China has tried to portray itself as a defender of the WTO-based trading system. It has attempted to recruit European and other governments as allies against Washington, but they echo U.S. complaints about Chinese market barriers and industrial policy. The European Union filed its own WTO complaint in June against Chinese technology policies it said violate Beijings free-trade commitments. The U.S. solar action seriously damaged Chinas trade interests and also affects the seriousness and authority of WTO rules, said a Commerce Ministry statement. WTO complaints begin with negotiations between parties to the dispute. If those fail, the case moves to a panel of experts who can decide whether the trade controls are improper. In their technology dispute, Washington imposed 25 percent duties on $34 billion of Chinese goods it said benefit from improper industrial policies. Beijing responded with similar penalties. Another round of U.S. tariff hikes on USD16 billion of Chinese goods is due to take effect Aug. 23. Beijing says it will retaliate. Earlier, Beijing filed a separate WTO challenge on July 16 to Trumps proposal for yet another round of increases that would add 25 percent import duties on an additional $200 billion of Chinese goods. AP The Follow-up Committee of Public Administration Affairs of the Legislative Assembly (AL) reviewed seven follow-up reports concerning the regions public funds, with only one report having been signed off by the committee. These reports are related to, among other issues, the supervision of and problems with companies funded by public money in 2016, investments in foreign currency and fiscal reserves made in 2017, and to matters concerning procurement and government offices in 2016 and 2017. The signed report concerned the industrial and commercial development fund. The report proposed establishing the fund as a special organization. However, the committee still believes that the report is unable to fully reveal the funds true financial situation. Mak Soi Kun, when talking to the media, said that the AL will require the government to write a clear report regarding the Light Rapid Transit development. On the issue of Viva Macau, the government has not delivered any reports to the committee yet either. We have found out that the [investment of] public funds is relatively unregulated. Every secretary can open a company when they deem it necessary. These companies then give rise to offspring companies. All these companies will have representatives. But are they professional enough to represent the public in terms of supervising the money? asked Mak. According to Mak, the lawmakers will require the government to submit reports regarding the financial situation behind these companies in which public funds were invested. The remaining six reports have to be signed off before October 15. Additionally, the AL requested the government deliver a report on Viva Macau two weeks ago. However, with the two weeks already having passed, the government has failed to submit such a report to the committee. Mak stressed that since Macaus political structure is an executive-led structure headed by the Chief Executive, the AL does not have the right to require the government to submit a report on a specific schedule. Regarding Viva Macaus loan, we have already expressed our view in the opinion report, said Mak, adding that the opinion report will be put online later. [We asked for] the name list regarding who signed the loan approval. [] Still, we have asked for the document in the opinion report. UM held seminar on Greater Bay Area career opportunities The University of Macau (UM) held a seminar yesterday for new students from the Greater Bay Area on career opportunities in the region. During the seminar, UM Rector Yonghua Song encouraged new students to prepare themselves to take part in the development of the Greater Bay Area in the future. Mi Jian, chief advisor to the Policy Research Office, said that Macau residents will start to appreciate the convenience of living in the Greater Bay Area as its urban areas grow. According to a statement issued by the UM, this year more than 270 students from Guangdong province and Hong Kong were accepted by the university. The number has reportedly doubled compared to last year. Lawmakers call for better pre school education Lawmaker Chan Hong has written a question to the government asking if it will increase free-education subsidies to pre school education classes. In addition, Chan hopes the government can enhance the teacher-to-student ratio in pre education levels. Since the start of the academic year of 2014/2015, there have been 1.9 teachers for each pre school class. In Chans opinion, the ratio is still not as satisfactory as that of primary and secondary education levels, and it seems to be unable to meet the development demand within pre school education. Chan highlighted that the government still needs to boost the attention it dedicates to pre school education. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Yuan Zhongrong, former member of director and vice chairman of GAC Group, Gao Jingshen, former vice general manager of GAC Toyota and Lu Hao, former vice general manager of BAIC BJEV Sales Company have confirmed to join Evergrande Faraday Future Intelligent Automotive (China) Group (Evergrande FF), which was officially opened on Aug. 14 in Guangzhou. Yuan Zhongrong joined GAC in 1997 and had taken the posts of chairman of GAC Toyota and vice general manager of GAC. In August, 2017, he resigned from GAC. Now, he acts as president of Evergrande FF. Gao Jingshen once served as vice general manager of GAC Toyota. He took the post of vice president of LeSEE in 2015. Now, he acted as COO of Evergrande Faraday Future Automotive (China) Group. Moreover, Lu Hao, former vice general manager of BAIC BJEV Sales Company was also confirmed to join Evergrande FF and will take charge of product marketing business in Evergrande FF. Evergrande Health Industry Group Limited announced on June 25 that the company has acquired a 100% stake in the Hongkong-based Season Smart Limited (hereinafter referred to as Season Smart) with an investment of HK$6.746 billion. Faraday Future's subsidiary, Ruichi Intelligent Vehicle (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd. founded in Guangzhou, changed its name as Evergrande Faraday Future Intelligent Automotive (Guangdong) Co., Ltd. on July 24. On August 14, Faraday Future (FF) has set up its operating headquarters, Evergrande Faraday Future Intelligent Automotive (China) Co., Ltd, in China with registered capital of $2 billion. According to the announcement, FF plans to build five R&D and production bases in China over the next decade. Besides, the NEV maker aims to achieve a planned annual capacity of 5 million vehicles after 10 years and will roll out diverse models, such as the FF91 and the FF81, covering premium to entry-level segments for the global auto market, to build an internet-based intelligent mobility ecosystem. 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 Get the best exchange rates Paying at the point of sale in the local currency or withdrawing money from an ATM with your Mastercard will get you the best exchange rates Micrograph showing emphysema (left large empty spaces) and lung tissue with relative preservation of the alveoli (right). Credit: Wikipedia Autoimmunity plays a role in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study led by Georgia State University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center that analyzed human genome information stored in Vanderbilt's DNA biobank. COPD is a group of diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing-related problems. COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, is the third leading cause of death in the United States and has been diagnosed in more than 13 million people, with millions more probably affected. There is no treatment for COPD. Genome-wide association studies have already identified several genes that contribute to the development of COPD, but scientists still lack a complete understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease. In this study, the researchers examined the link between genetic variants in COPD and clinical phenotypes, or physical characteristics such as disease history, to understand the biological mechanisms underlying COPD. Using genetic data from patients who participated in BioVU, Vanderbilt's DNA biobank that is linked to deidentified electronic health records, the researchers performed a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) of 16 previously reported COPD-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were identified from a genome-wide association study. SNPs represent a difference in a single DNA building block, called a nucleotide, and are the most common type of genetic variation among people. Data were available from 18,335 adults of European descent who had provided informed consent. The researchers identified 1,805 COPD cases. They defined phenotypes by using ICD-9 codes, or unique codes for different symptoms of disease. "Because there's no treatment right now for COPD, we're trying to figure out whether we can diagnose or prognose this disease earlier to prevent it," said Dr. Xiangming Ji, assistant professor in the Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions at Georgia State. "People are genetically very similar, but a major difference is because of this single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). This could be changed by the environment also. So some people with a specific SNP are more prone to get this disease. We found that a specific SNP, rs2074488, is positively associated with COPD and is linked to the HLA-C gene, which presents a protein to B or T immune cells to kill bacteria or viruses. This makes COPD similar to autoimmune disease. "This SNP is also associated with several autoimmune diseases, like type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, which suggests a genetic link between autoimmune disease and COPD. Many years ago, people believed that one of the causes of COPD is because the autoimmune system attacks its own lungs. We kind of confirmed that by our big data." The findings are published in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. This study could provide insight on opportunities for drug repurposing, Ji said. For instance, a drug that is effective for diabetes could possibly be used to treat COPD because both diseases involve autoimmune responses. The findings suggest future studies should explore the role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of COPD. The researchers also hope that scientists will investigate how normal SNPs, such as those associated with metabolism pathways or different nutrient receptors, are related to COPD. Explore further Rheumatoid arthritis linked to an increased risk of COPD More information: Xiangming Ji et al, A Phenome-Wide Association Study Uncovers a Role for Autoimmunity in the Development of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology (2018). Journal information: American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology Xiangming Ji et al, A Phenome-Wide Association Study Uncovers a Role for Autoimmunity in the Development of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease,(2018). DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2017-0409LE An electron micrograph of the measles virus. Credit: CDC/ Courtesy of Cynthia S. Goldsmith Health officials are urging parents to make sure their children are vaccinated against measles after three cases of the disease were reported in a Florida county, among more than 100 cases throughout the U.S. this year. Federal officials declared the contagious virus had been eliminated in the U.S. in 2000; however, infections periodically occur nationwide, as the virus is still common in many other parts of the world. Travelers can bring measles into the country, where it can spread among people who are not vaccinated. The cases in Florida's Gulf coast county of Pinellas are the first there in 10 years. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, measles infections have been reported in over 100 people in 21 states and Washington, D.C., so far this year. Last year, 118 cases were reported nationwide, including an outbreak involving 65 patients in Minnesota. According to a CDC report, nearly all those cases lacked immunizations, and the incorrect perception that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine was linked to autism had contributed to the low level of vaccinations in the affected communities. In the last month, health officials have issued warnings about measles exposure in Minnesota, Boston and Michigan after isolated cases linked to international travel were confirmed. Health officials are encouraging parents to get the recommended vaccinations for their children. One of the Florida cases being investigated involved an unvaccinated child who was infected in the state, according to the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County. It was not known whether the child had an exemption to Florida's requirement for immunizations for all children attending school, Maggie Hall, spokeswoman for the Pinellas County health department, said Thursday. Two other measles infections are being investigated in a separate Pinellas County household. The ages of those patients were not available, Hall said. They were infected in Florida and live in the same home, and neither had been immunized. The source of the infections has not been identified, according to the health department. "We are continuing to investigate, but we would like families to know that their children could be exposed to diseases like measles anywhere and unless they're protected with vaccination they are risking potentially serious health effects for their child," Dr. Ulyee Choe, an infectious disease specialist and the county's health director, said in a statement Monday. In July, measles infections were confirmed in two Florida residents and one visitor who were exposed to the virus while traveling in Brazil and France. Health officials said the residents had not been vaccinated and the visitor's vaccination status was unknown. Measles is easily spread by air droplets when infected people breathe, cough, or sneeze. Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, followed by a blotchy rash. Explore further Measles case reported in Minnesota 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Study by researchers at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City found that patients with low-risk blood clots may be better off receiving treatment at home versus being admitted to the hospital. Credit: Intermountain Medical Center A new study by researchers at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City has found that patients with low-risk blood clots may be better off receiving treatment at home versus being admitted to the hospital. For the study, published in the journal Chest, researchers tracked 200 patients who were treated for acute pulmonary embolisms or serious lung blood clots in five Intermountain Healthcare emergency departments, including Intermountain's Level I trauma center, Intermountain Medical Center, from 2013 to 2016. Through a series of tests including echocardiograms and ultrasounds, the patients were determined to have a low risk of developing severe complications from the blood clots. Instead of being admitted to the hospital, patients were given an outpatient management strategy, which included steps like an oral anticoagulant or blood thinner, and/or blood thinner injections administered at home, and close follow up in clinics. The patients were then tracked for 90 days. Researchers found that only one out of 200 patients enrolled in the study had any follow-up incidents that required hospitalization, and that patient's hospitalization was the result of an accident. The study also found that patients were much more satisfied with at-home care. "We found a large subset of patients with blood clots who'd do well at homein fact who probably did better at home," said Joseph Bledsoe, MD, research director in emergency medicine at Intermountain Medical Center. "When patients are sent home versus staying in the hospital, they're at lower risk of getting another infection. It's a lot less expensive, too." Currently, the standard of care in the United States for acute pulmonary embolisms, which affect more than 200,000 patients in the U.S. annually, is hospitalization for all patients. That's recommended, in part, because their overall mortality rate is 17 percent. However, the lower mortality rate among some appropriately risk-stratified patients suggests that at-home care, which has become the norm in some European countries, leads to better outcomes for those patients overall and less chance of a hospital-introduced infection, said Dr. Bledsoe. "Our findings show that if you appropriately risk stratify patients, there are a lot of people with blood clots who are safe to go home," he said. Dr. Bledsoe says the next step for researchers is for similar research to be conducted outside of the Intermountain Healthcare system to confirm the results, and with a larger group of people. Explore further Sepsis patients treated and released from emergency departments do well with outpatient follow-up More information: Joseph R. Bledsoe et al, Management of Low-Risk Pulmonary Embolism Patients Without Hospitalization, Chest (2018). Journal information: Chest Joseph R. Bledsoe et al, Management of Low-Risk Pulmonary Embolism Patients Without Hospitalization,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2018.01.035 Credit: CC0 Public Domain 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 crisesthey 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. Explore further U.S. life expectancy drops as opioid deaths surge More information: Recent trends in life expectancy across high income countries: retrospective observational study Recent trends in life expectancy across high income countries: retrospective observational study www.bmj.com/content/362/bmj.k2562 Changes in midlife death rates across racial and ethnic groups in the United States: systematic analysis of vital statistics www.bmj.com/content/362/bmj.k3096 Editorial: Reversals in life expectancy in high income countries? Warning signs must not be ignored www.bmj.com/content/362/bmj.k3399 Credit: CC0 Public Domain This August will mark one year since Hurricane Harvey devastated the Houston area, and even now, many people are still feeling the toll the storm has taken on their mental health. Baylor College of Medicine expert Dr. Asim Shah discusses mental health one year after the storm. "The first month after Harvey, we saw a lot of anxiety and insomnia. Close to a year after Harvey, we are still seeing depression and anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder as well. We aren't seeing insomnia as much anymore," said Shah, professor and executive vice chair in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor. The storm triggered these issues for some people who had not experienced them in a significant way previously. But Harvey also triggered a return of anxiety, depression and PTSD symptoms in many people who had previously dealt with these disorders but had improved, Shah said. Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD The key symptom of anxiety is worry that impacts day-to-day functioning and lasts over six months, he said. Major signs of depression are loss of interest in activities that previously were enjoyable and feeling hopeless and helpless. People who are dealing with depression are not able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, Shah explained. Eating too much or not enough and sleeping too much or not enough also can be a symptom of depression. Post-traumatic stress disorder can occur after a life-threatening trauma like Harvey, Shah said. People with PTSD can experience hypervigilance, suffer from flashbacks and have nightmares, and they often avoid situations that caused the trauma. People with PTSD due to Harvey often avoid going out in the rain and become extremely worried when rain is in the forecast. How to cope with anxiety, depression, and PTSD To cope with anxiety, depression and PTSD, it is important to figure out ways to reduce stress. For example, some people are experiencing financial strain from Harvey so a way to ease this stress is to access resources to help find or maintain a job. Anxiety over rain and potential storms can be managed using biofeedback techniques. Biofeedback is used to teach patients how to properly respond to their anxiety and learn how to manage and control it without the use of medications. They also learn relaxation skills, ways to manage an anxiety attack and how to recognize, reduce and control stress responses. Cognitive behavioral therapy is used to help manage depression. "If you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression or PTSD, the best first step is to reach out to a mental health professional," Shah said. "Don't be afraid to take this step. Just because you see a mental health professional does not mean that you will be put on medication or that you will be in therapy for a long time." Explore further Dealing with the psychological aftermath of Hurricane Harvey 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. 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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... Samsung started discussing the launch of its mobile payments platform, Samsung Pay, with the Payments Association of South Africa (PASA) at least two years ago. The big question for us was whether there would be any changes to the existing rules we have in place for card payments, said PASA CEO Walter Volker. For instance, PASA has certain requirements for different cardholder verification methods. These vary depending on whether chip and PIN, a contactless tap-and-go payment, or a swipe with signature is used. Samsung Pay can use biometrics for security, and PASA had to see whether this needed to be accommodated into the existing verification method regime. We accept that the biometrics are secure, but we had to check, said Volker. When the Samsung Pay system is distilled into its simplest form, though, it behaves similarly to existing card payments. It supports the same contactless technology banks are rolling out in their cards, and has the ability to mimic the swipe of a magnetic stripe on the back of card for the instances where tap-and-go payments are not available. [Samsung Pay] runs off the back of the card system we call it the card rails by using the existing Visa and Mastercard system, said Volker. Instead of using the card, the card credentials are stored in the phone. As Samsung Pay implemented existing technologies in an innovative way, it was therefore possible to evaluate it in terms of the rules already in place. Early access Now, Samsung Pay is available in South Africa to Samsung device owners. Currently in early access, two banks have signed on as launch partners for the mobile payment platform Absa and Standard Bank. The following Samsung devices currently support Samsung Pay in South Africa: Galaxy Note 8, the Galaxy S7, S8 and S9 ranges, the Galaxy A8, and the 2017 editions of the Galaxy A5 and A7. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 will also be supported when it launches locally. Samsung has also launched promotions to encourage the uptake of the platform by South Africans. How Samsung Pay works Like a lot of Napa Valley residents, Bonnie Zimmermann works for a winery. But her true passion lies 8,000 miles away in Indonesia, where she rehabilitates rare birds that have been confiscated from smugglers. As executive director of the Indonesian Parrot Project (IPP), Zimmermann has helped rescue rare birds that are on the brink of extinction and is working with the Indonesian government to reintroduce birds into national forests. Her work has taken her to some of the most beautiful and rugged places in the world, to islands where cell service, the Internet and electricity are unheard of. A resident of Pope Valley, Zimmermann has hiked up the steep sides of a volcano to visit a natural jacuzzi fed by a waterfall. Shes worked with a nomadic tribe of former headhunters where boys are expected to kill and eat an endangered cockatoo when they come of age. Shes lived on rice, eggs, fried cassava and bananas and experienced the fishbowl effect of living among people who are fascinated to see a blond white woman. In the cities shes constantly being hit up for selfies. Shes drawn to the wildness of the place and the simplicity of the people and their way of life, especially the remote tribes scattered among Indonesias 17,000 islands stretching from Bali to Papua. You go to bed when it gets dark because theres nothing else to do, she said. You get up when the sun comes up because you can go look at birds. Its a really healthy way to live. Zimmermann and the IPP care for birds that have been confiscated from smugglers, give them medical attention, train them to forage for food and socialize with other birds and, if possible, release them into their native habitat. The IPP has released 1,200 birds into the wild in the last six years. Theyre also rescuing endangered species like the Abbotti cockatoo from extinction. There were only five Abbotti left in the wild in 1997, but thanks to the teams work the population is up to 23, all living on the island of Masakambing. The IPP offers eco-tours and reaches out to local communities even down to the remotest tribes to promote an appreciation for Indonesias rare birds. Meanwhile, an economic development program provides jobs for villagers who help protect birds from trappers and smugglers. Birds stuffed in bottles Animal smuggling is a thriving business in Indonesia, and its not limited to birds. Orangutans, monkeys, sun bears, jaguars and other wild animals are trapped and illegally funneled out of the country, typically passing through the Philippines on their way to be sold in China, India and the United Arab Emirates. About 70 percent of them dont survive the trip, Zimmermann said. The Indonesian government used to be of limited help to people like Zimmermann. During her first trip to the country in 2003, her team had to bribe an official with a digital camera to secure the release of confiscated parrots and cassowaries that would have died without proper care. That all changed in 2015 after photos spread online of critically endangered yellow-crested cockatoos that had been stuffed into plastic water bottles by a smuggler. The photos went viral on social media, and the international outcry, especially among young Indonesians, prompted the government to crack down on animal smuggling. Since then, confiscations have risen dramatically, and the government is consulting with the IPP to establish reintroduction facilities in the countrys national parks, modeled on the IPPs own facility on Seram Island. Meanwhile, awareness has increased among the Indonesian people, who now build parade floats and do special dances to honor endangered cockatoos. Zimmermann said the dances are a little embarrassing for her to participate in, but its all in the name of fun and conservation. People love to call Zimmermann doctor, but shes not a trained scientist. She didnt know much about birds until 1987, when she adopted an overweight parrot that had been abused by its former owner. She started to learn everything she could about birds, reading books and taking ornithology classes. After she flew to the Peruvian Amazon to work with macaws, I was hooked, she said. I realized I love being in the forest, and Im not afraid of anything really, she said. In 2003, she got a call seeking a fast-thinking, field-savvy person to run eco-tours in Indonesia. At the time she couldnt have pointed the country out on a map, but by 2004 she was running the IPPs eco-tour program, which she still runs today. Raising awareness The IPPs work is the subject of a new documentary by Wildlife Messengers, a Hungarian team of scientists and filmmakers with a passion for conservation. The film will also cover the work of Dr. Stewart Metz, an Yale-educated endocrinologist and parrot lover who co-founded the IPP in 2001, became deeply respected and loved by the Indonesian people he worked with, and inspired Zimmermann to carry on his work. Metz developed cancer in 2008 and died in 2017. The film is in post-production, and Zimmermann hopes to get it distributed by Netflix. A two-minute trailer is available at wildlifemessengers.org/ipp. A follow-up film will delve deeper into Indonesias illegal animal trade and the governments undercover operations aimed at disrupting it. Its not unusual for them to pick up 200, 400 birds at a time, Zimmermann said. You cant just let them go. Theyve been exposed to disease, theyre hurt, they dont know how to take care of themselves. Sometimes theyve been chained to a perch for 20 years or been pinioned. With the cooperation of the Indonesian government, more birds than ever are being saved. Zimmermann is flying back to Indonesia in October to work with government officials in charge of the national forests, and she has high hopes for the new reintroduction facilities. Its very positive to see this attitude change, she said. The illegal trade is still really bad, but now theyre out there actively busting people. It used to be a slap on the hand. Now its jail time and fines. For more information, go to Indonesian-Parrot-Project.org. To donate to the documentary project, go to gofundme.com/ippdocumentary. 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. Guillermo Herrera has a story to tell. His parents were Mexican immigrants who came to the United States in the 1950s, working first in factories and later in the vineyards of Napa. He grew up working alongside them, learning the ins and outs of managing vineyards along the way. He graduated from high school here and went to college in Arizona. On his return to Napa, he began working for a farming company. Some years down the road, the opportunity came and he started his own farming company. It grew year over year, and in time, Herrera and his wife decided they were up for making wine as well. Starting with bulk wine, they began Herencia Wine Company in 2012. And we just never looked back, he said. Today, hes president of the Mexican-American Vintners Association (MAVA), an industry group serving as the vessel for delivering the few stories like his to everyday wine drinkers. Thats pretty similar to most of these folks here in the association, he says of his background. Founded in 2010 by several Mexican-American winemaking families in the Napa and Sonoma region, including the Cejas of Ceja Vineyards, the Robledos of Robledo Family Winery, and others, the group now represents 15 such Mexican-American wineries. Its formation came, Herrera said, in response to the underrepresentation felt by members in the current wine landscape. Youve got to understand, the wine business is tough, he said. Its tough to penetrate, especially if youre making small quantities. Youre really displaced, especially within the three-tier system and distribution. While the same is true for most smaller wineries or brands trying to carve out a healthy distributorship these days, the shared experiences of MAVAs members made banding together about more than marketing. We needed to kind of unify and tell our story and present to the world that we also make really, really good wine, Herrera said. But beyond being members answer to giving their wines and stories a greater reach in the marketplace, the group has also doubled down as a vessel for aiding those in the local Latino community. On Saturday, the group hosts its largest fundraiser, the yearly Harvest Festival at the Oxbow Commons, where the recipients of its academic scholarships will be announced. The group has granted more than $50,000 to date. The proceeds will also help to support the work of Puertas Abiertas Community Resource Center, MAVAs latest nonprofit partnership in Napa. When he was voted in as MAVAs president at the beginning of this year, Herrera began by getting up to speed on Napas nonprofit scene and making the rounds of community leaders. Among them was Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza, who brought Puertas Abiertas to Herreras attention. The group aims to aid Latino families in Napa with programs ranging from classes in English to free tax preparation. It also offers a passport and ID clinic, a support group for women and seniors, and help preparing for college, among other health and social services. Intrigued, Herrera and others from MAVA visited the groups facilities and sat down with their leaders. We really liked their vision and we really liked the things that they were doing here, he said. We felt that scholarships were one way to kind of give back to the community, but we wanted to take it another step further. Looking ahead, its possible MAVA will branch out to partner with other community-serving groups, Herrera said. I think were at the beginning. Were at the beginning of our potential, he added, questioning, If us, the Mexican-American Vintners Association, cant spearhead our local efforts for our own local community, who will? The group also recently opened its ranks to Mexican-American vintners beyond the Napa and Sonoma region, bringing in Jose Wine Caves in El Dorado County and Bodega de Edgar winery in Paso Robles. To his knowledge, theirs is the only group of its kind in the state and perhaps the country. Those wineries, along with MAVAs other members, will all be pouring their wines this weekend at the Harvest Festival, as Latino-owned Celadon caters and a salsa orchestra backs flamenco dancing, all followed by a winemaker dinner with the cast of member vintners. Herrera offered a final gesture from the group ahead of the event. We invite Donald Trump, he declared. So he can see that were not all bad hombres. Pop the cork on Napa Valley wine! Discover the hidden stories of Napa Valley wine and the people behind it -- plus expert analysis from our columnists and more with our weekly email newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Car hits transformer, knocking out power to McDonalds in Napa A car ran into an electrical transformer box next to the McDonalds drive-through on Jefferson Street Wednesday, causing a small fire and shutting down the restaurant overnight. The incident happened shortly after 5 p.m. The cars impact set the transformer on fire, but there was no damage to McDonalds, Napa Fire reported. PG&E worked overnight to repair the transformer, completing the work by 5:15 a.m., according to a utility spokesperson. The restaurant was back in operation for breakfast. No other PG&E customers were affected. The driver of the vehicle was not injured, the Fire Department said. Sexually violent predator sentenced to 300 years to life in Napa Superior Court A Napa County Superior Court Judge Diane Price sentenced a convicted child molester who tried to hide his criminal record by switching identities to 300 years to life in prison on Tuesday. A jury found Bruce Lee Clotfelter, 57, guilty of 12 felony counts tied to the misrepresentation on July 26. He was convicted by a jury of two counts of unauthorized use of personal identifying information, two counts of forgery of a document, and seven counts of grand theft, the District Attorneys Office reported. The jury also found true that Clotfelter had three prior convictions for lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14. He was previously found to be a sexually violent predator, the DAs Office said. Clotfelter moved to Napa in 2007 after being released from the state hospital system, according to the District Attorneys Office. That is when he changed his legal name from Bruce Lee Clotfelter to Dalton Bruce Vail to avoid detection as a sex offender by submitting falsified documents to U.S. Department of State. He then committed perjury regarding his name change on a Department of Motor Vehicles application. He also accepted thousands of dollars of Social Security Supplement Security Income to which he was not entitled, the District Attorney said. Driver with 2 children in her vehicle arrested for suspected DUI in American Canyon A motorist was arrested for investigation of driving under the influence of drugs following a three-vehicle crash Wednesday at 7:50 a.m. near Folland Drive and Danrose Drive in American Canyon. Police identified the responsible driver as Christina Leonor Kalyuzhnaya, 33, of American Canyon. Kalyuzhnaya had two minor children as passengers in her car who were not injured, police said. Police said Kalyuzhnaya had been driving under the influence of drugs and had two prior drivers license suspensions. She was arrested at the scene and booked into the Napa County jail for suspected DUI causing injury, cruelty to a child and driving with a suspended license. Bail was set at $100,000. Police said they transported the children to school. Two people in the other vehicles reported injuries, police said. One was taken to a local hospital. The other was treated at the scene. 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. During two lengthy Capitol hearings last week, legislators took turns castigating the Department of Motor Vehicles and its director, Jean Shiomoto, over Californians hours-long waits for service, often in the hot sun, at DMV offices. The chorus was bipartisan, with lawmakers reminding Shiomoto that the DMV is the most frequent contact Californians have with their state government, and its failures undermine public confidence in that government. Shiomoto was a little defensive, pointing out that with the federal government demanding more secure Real ID drivers licenses and with the Legislature authorizing licenses for undocumented immigrants and making DMV a voter registration agency, the departments workload had increased. However, she told the first hearing, I want to apologize to our customers, adding, the public deserves better. Yes it does, and the Legislature could have prodded service improvements by authorizing state Auditor Elaine Howle to delve into DMV operations, report on why service had deteriorated so suddenly after years of improvement, and recommend ways to fix it. However, after the second hearing, the legislative committee that oversees Howles office refused to approve a DMV audit, even though it quickly approved others of relatively minor, even local, operations that have little impact on 40 million Californians. Three Democratic state senators refused to vote on the DMV audit after, it became evident, Gov. Jerry Browns office had intervened. The tipoff to that intervention was contained in a Twitter posting by one of the three senators, Santa Monicas Ben Allen. Gov. Browns office called to give me the governors commitment to address the issues raised under the audit request, Allen said. The DMV imbroglio is illuminating, to wit: Its the latest example of embarrassing mismanagement by state officials in recent years, including countless failures of very expensive information technology programs, fiscal chicanery in the Department of Parks and Recreation, horrendous cost overruns and construction defects in the Bay Bridge upgrade, and the near-failure of Oroville Dam due to shoddy spillway design and construction. Brown clearly didnt want an audit report that would almost certainly be critical of his administrations management being issued a few months after his governorship ends in January. State senators, who are supposed to put the publics interests first, put party loyalty first, caved in to the governors self-interest and demonstrated anew the politicization of the auditors office. Brown has often lamented Californias inability to do the big projects that were a hallmark of the state during the post-World War II era, such as freeways, dams and canals. Hes tied that lament to his own pet projects, twin tunnels to carry water beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and a north-south bullet train. However, when the Bay Bridges construction defects were uncovered, thanks mostly to tireless reporting by the Sacramento Bee that overcame resistance from his administration, Browns reaction was a dismissive shit happens. And his Department of Water Resources was less than forthcoming about defects at Oroville Dam, which had been built during his fathers governorship. One must ask this question: If the state cant operate the Department of Motor Vehicles efficiently and conveniently, tolerates shoddy construction and maintenance in big public works projects, and has a long string of information technology failures, why should we believe that the tunnels or the bullet train would be done right? Looking to the future, if DMV is a hot mess, how could the state possibly run a $400 billion single-payer health care system that Browns almost certain successor, Gavin Newsom, and other Democratic politicians so stridently advocate? CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary. So the battle is over: Measure C went down to a marginal defeat and Napa County must now pick up the pieces. The opponents of C describe the election campaign as bruising, and insist that now the two sides should come together. They want discussion, compromise, mutual understanding. Sounds great! But before any of that, first and foremost they need a really good deodorant. Mennen Speed Stick or Arrid Extra Dry just wont do the job in a case like this. The campaign conducted by No on C was not bruising so much as it was shockingly cynical and dishonest, a showcase of the rankest sleaze. It was hard to believe anyone would have the nerve to cook up the Trump-like disinformation that was included in the string of No on C mailers, but somebody would, and did. It was the locally famous Death Star, Muelrath Public Affairs, which on its website promises to help your well-heeled corporation deal with populist riff-raff who dare to speak up for themselves and their communities. (The website refers to these little people as C.A.V.E.: Citizens Against Virtually Everything. Such wit!) Most shocking is the realization that Muelrath was hired by Napas vintners and growers associations, and that those groups must have signed off on the crude trash that was tossed in voters faces during the campaign. Is that possible? The great pillars of our community were willing to describe Measure C with garbage sign slogans like Will Increase Traffic on Hwy 29, and Undermines the Ag Preserve? They gave a green light to a flyer carrying Gov. Browns picture (with the tiny caption, This Photo Does Not Imply Endorsement)? Below the photo was a bullet-point summary of a recent executive order regarding land and forest management that had nothing to do with C, and yet the flyer concluded with the statement Measure C will undermine the Governors Executive Order and will prevent Napa County from protecting itself. Insert vomit emoji here. So what is the average Napan to think? Having just absorbed this entire river of reeking slime at the hands of our countys most respected and philanthropic organizations, we must now call it a day, toast some marshmallows, have a sleepover? Now, each time we read about the vintners or growers making a generous donation to a local cause, will we be able to ignore the shame of this, the stench of it? There is no plug-in air freshener that is up to the job, unless you count the new product from Glade, a 40-pound chandelier of deodorant originally designed for the current Oval Office. I think its called Industrial Spring Bouquet Hypocrisy Cleanser. Everything that No on C did was accomplished with the full belief that Napans would accept whatever the vintners and growers endorsed. They would never lie to you. The emperor is the emperor, after all, and hell always tell you the truth. The horror lies in realizing that the emperor is not just naked in this scenario. Hes kind of peeing on your shoes. It is sadly inevitable, too, that our local political leaders should remain silent in the aftermath of this disgrace. What are they to do? Even the ones who were generally sympathetic to Measure C couldnt very well call out the vintners and growers on their massive ethical lapse. Not without a solid understanding of the political suicide they would be committing. So as we go forward, what have we got? A political establishment that is bound and gagged by fealty to the hand that feeds it, and, to be fair, that feeds many local residents. We have Napa wine trade associations whose memberships are made up of entities increasingly large and corporate, whose interests naturally focus more on fattening their bottom lines than on local quality of life. And we have the Little People, what Wall Street traders in 2007 called muppets. The people who drive to work on our roads, who scrape to pay property taxes, who drink Napa County water. People who love where they live, and will fight to protect it. With luck, these people will be heard and their needs met--hopefully without another election where they will need a hazmat suit to handle dishonest, scurvy political flyers. Paul Moser Napa Bolivia is one of many countries enjoying a viticultural renaissance the past two or three decades. Here are two absolutely delicious red wines that show what Bolivia can accomplish. They are both tannat, a variety better known for rustic, brawny wines from Uruguay, but made here with more polish and flair. This weeks selections also include three white wines from Frances Loire Valley, showing delicious quality at a value price. GREAT VALUE Aranjuez Tannat 2016 3 stars Tarija, Bolivia, $25 Tannat can range from bright, light and fruity to (more often) rough-and-tumble rustic. Aranjuez manages to add sophistication and panache. The vineyards are at an altitude of 2,000 meters, or about 6,600 feet, where intense sunshine combines with cool temperatures to ripen the fruit while preserving acidity and freshness. The wine spent six months in barrel. I enjoyed this red over two or three days, and it kept getting better. Aranjuez also makes a 2015 single vineyard tannat called Origen that will cost about twice as much when it arrives in the market this fallit is worth it. A line called Duo, priced around $15, includes an excellent red blended of tannat and merlot and a zesty white of torrontes and Muscat of Alexandria. Alcohol by volume: 14 percent. 1750 Tannat 2016 2.5 stars Samaipata, Bolivia, $25 This wine is not aged in oak so that it can express the land and the grape with minimal intervention. Its edgy and energetic, with a hint of meat and leather, and should appeal to fans of natural wines. It skirts the conventions of what a tannator any red wineshould be, and tries to show us what wine can become if we dont hold it back. There is also a syrah and a white wine based on torrontes. ABV: 14 percent. GREAT VALUE Domaine des Baluettes Les Coteaux Muscadet Sevre et Maine 2016 2 stars Loire Valley, France, $12 Muscadet hails from the western end of the Loire Valley, near where the river reaches the sea. These wines tend to cry out for seafood, especially shellfish, because of their racy, minerally acidity. Recent vintages have been on the ripe side, yielding fuller, more mouthfilling wines. The Domaine des Baluettes Les Coteaux, made from organically grown grapes, should sing with oysters, a clam pizza or a shrimp pasta dish. ABV: 12 percent. GREAT VALUE Chateau de la Chesnaie Muscadet Sevre et Maine 2017 2 stars Loire Valley, France, $13 Fresh and vibrant, this Muscadet is an ideal partner for a variety of fish dishes. It had me dreaming of crab cakes. ABV: 12 percent. GREAT VALUE Les Fosses dHareng Vouvray 2016 2 stars Loire Valley, France, $12 Vouvray is the spiritual homeland of chenin blanc, though we dont see very many in the United States. I suspect thats because Vouvray can range from dry to sweet, and the labels dont always tell us what to expect. This Vouvray is catnip for wine fiends, because it has the phrase lieux-dits on the label, referring to a wine of place. Whatever. Its delicious and inexpensive, and it may make you wonder why more vintners dont grow chenin blanc. ABV: 12.5 percent. Three stars exceptional, two stars excellent, one star very good, Prices are approximate. Check Winesearcher.com to verify availability, or ask a favorite wine store to order through a distributor. Roero is a hidden gem located in Piemonte, Italy. It is not Barolo. It is not Barbaresco. It is not even Nebbiolo Langhe. Roero, a hilly region located north of Alba in the northeast corner of the province of Cuneo, has its own distinctiveness and elegance. Of course, being in Piemonte, the region of Roero produces Barbera dAlba, Birbet, Bonarda, Favorita, Moscato dAsti and Nebbiolo dAlba. But the DOCG wines of Roero are red Roero, made with a minimum of 95 percent Nebbiolo, and white Roero, made from a minimum of 95 percent Arneis. Roero Nebbiolo dates to the beginning of the 14th century. Roero is a semi-arid zone with predominantly sandstone, marine-origin sedimentary rocks, limestone, clay and sand soils. These soils make Roero a desirable site for growing Nebbiolo, which is gown in hillside vineyards. The white grape Arneis also dates to the end of the 1400s, with the first written evidence found in the beginning of 1500. In old wine books, Arneis was called Nebbiolo bianco. In Piemontese dialect, Arneis means terrible child, and perhaps that is because it is a challenging grape to vinify. It is a grape with good acidity and minerality, but the acidity is low and can easily be killed off. Perhaps this is why Arneis production had almost ceased by the 1960s when there were only 10 acres accounted for. But in the 1970s, vineyards dedicated to Arneis were replanted. There are 19 municipalities that make up Roero, and recent travels took me to Canale, considered the wine capital of Roero. The most important viticulture area in Roero, Canale has 915 acres of vines planted, of which 593 acres are part of the DOCG denomination (established in 2005). Of the planted vines, approximately 73 percent are Arneis and 27 percent are Nebbiolo. Cascina CaRossa was founded in 1967 by Alfonso Ferrio. In 1992, per his son Angelos insistence, began bottling under their own label. Today they manage 17 acres, including vines planted on some of the most important Roero single vineyard locations for Nebbiolo. Roero Arneis Merica 2017 Aged in stainless steel vats for nine months, this wine is about freshness. With aromas of white and yellow flowers and minerals, the wine has bright, intense acidity that fills the palate and makes your mouth water on the finish. Roero Monpissano Riserva 2015, Canale dAlba Coming from one of the most renowned single vineyards of Roero, Monpissano is located on a hill with southern exposure and calcareous and clay soils. This Nebbiolo is fermented in stainless steel and then aged in big Slavonian barrels and has notes of rose, lavender, cherry and spice with integrated tannins. We also tasted the 2007 Monpissano Riserva and with almost 10 years of age on it, the wine, with aromas of dried flowers and lavender, still has a lot of tannin. Cornarea is owned by the Bovone family who, in 1974, purchased the estate that sits atop the Cornarea hill. Piero Bovone and his wife Francesca bought the property with the purpose of replanted Arneis. Today they own 34.6 estate acres that surround the vineyard. Of the planted acres, 79 percent is planted to Arneis and 21 percent to Nebbiolo. Brothers Piero and Gianni Bovone run the winery today, as well as the country house, which is used for agritourism. Cornarea Roero Arneis 2017 Their philosophy is to preserve Arneis taste, according to Piero Bovone. To achieve this, they do anaerobic vinification using natural yeasts, followed by Champagne yeasts to finish, as they are the only yeasts in the world that do not need oxygen. The wine is not clarified. The resulting wine is aromatic with floral, mineral, stone fruit and citrus notes. On the palate, the wine is fresh with soft acidity, sapidity and a long finish. Cornarea Enretard 2014 This wine spends two years in stainless steel. This wine is more about minerality and less about fruit. It has soft acidity and is a more food friendly wine. Cornarea 2010 Roero Arneis Arneis is thought of as a young wine but has aging potential. There is a good amount of magnesium in the wine, which adds to both the minerality and to the aging of the wine. With more than seven years of age, this white wine has aromas of citrus, peaches, stones and minerals, with a hint of petrol. Cornarea Tarasco Pasito 2013 The only pasito made from Arneis, this wine was originally an accident when, in 1982, Piero Sr. left grapes out for a visiting journalist who never came. He forgot about the grapes that turned to raisins so he made a pasito wine. Today, the grapes, which have a little botrytis, are kept in the cellar for three months before pressing and then placed in old barriques for four years, allowing natural evaporation. The resulting wine is oxidized with notes of honey, stone fruit and nuts. Malvira was established in 1972 and is run today by brothers Massimo and Roberto Damonte. Named after the old village of Malvira, they have approximately 104 acres, 42 of which are a single vineyard on the property. Some 43 percent of the vineyards are planted with Arneis and the rest are planted with Nebbiolo. The property is also home to a 13-room hotel and restaurant. Malvira Rive Gauche Sparkling Arneis Made from 100 percent Arneis, the wine is fermented and matured in stainless steel for six months and after it undergoes the Charmat method, it spends four months on the yeasts. The wine is slightly herbaceous with notes of white peach and flowers and on the palate, it is vibrant. Malvira Roero Arneis 2015 Vigna Renesio A single vineyard wine of the same name, the wine is aged in stainless steel for seven months and the resulting wine is bright and fresh with stone fruit notes. Malvira Roero 2009 Mombeltramo Reserva This 100 percent Nebbiolo wine comes from a single vineyard on the west side of Canale where there is sandy soil. The wine has aromas of dried flowers and violets and is elegant with medium tannins. Allison Levine is owner of Please The Palate, a marketing and event-planning agency. A freelance writer, she contributes to numerous publications while eating and drinking her way around the world. Contact her at allison@pleasethepalate.com. As many as 97 people have been arrested by Dhaka Police over alleged violence and instigation on the social media during student protests for safe roads in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. A report in bdnews24.com published on Thursday, quoting spokesman of Dhaka Metropolitan Police stated that these 97 persons were booked in as many 51 cases. Also read: Dhaka clashes turn violent; mobile internet services snapped Out of the 51 cases, eight are under the ICT Act. The number of people accused in these cases is 29 and 16 of them have been arrested, according to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police News, the mouthpiece of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. According to the report, those arrested in these cases include photographer-activist Shahidul Alam, actress and model Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed, and BUET student Daiyan Nafis. They allegedly tried to change the course of the non-political student movement through social media posts, according to the report. The report further stated that Eden College student and quota reform protest leader Lutfunnahar Luma, and the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh or ULAB student Nazmus Sakib were arrested on Wednesday on similar charges. A number of university students were arrested after the senior students joined the students of schools and colleges protesting on road safety in the aftermath of the deaths of two students in a road crash on July 29 last. A total of 43 cases were started under the Penal Code and Special Powers Act, the report stated, adding that the number of arrestees in these cases is 81, including 22 students of private universities. Meanwhile, different organizations and political parties are demanding release of the students. Amidst the tight security arrangement for Independence Day, miscreants hoisted a black flag in the premises of Milanjyoti M E school at Amjuli area around 20 kms towards north-west of Udalguri along the Indo-Bhutan border in Assam on Wednesday. Ahead of the hoisting of the tricolour, the locals spotted an unfurled black flag following which the school authorities reached the spot and brought down the flag. The authorities suspect it to be handiwork of miscreants. The Harisinga police led by Additional Superintendent of Police,Abhijit Gaurav took the flag in their custody. Police sources, however, chose not to comment on the matter as the whole incident is under investigation. The role of the outlawed rebel outfits who have active presence in the Indo-Bhutan border areas cannot be ruled out in the incident. South Koreas government has earmarked a 5 trillion won ($4.4 billion) budget toward its Growth through Innovation investment program in eight critical sectors with a particular focus on blockchain and AI. In a meeting in Seoul on Monday, South Koreas finance minister Kim Dong-yeon confirmed plans of a 5 trillion won investment toward its innovation program in 2019, a sharp 65 percent increase from this years budgetary spend. The South Korean government is keen on developing the infrastructure of a platform economy with a marked focus on blockchain, big data and artificial intelligence. The finance ministry, as quoted by Korean publication Yonhap, said: The measures will help facilitate the platform economy, which in turn will help speed up innovative growth. According to details from the ministrys own website, the areas of big data, AI, blockchain and sharing economy has collectively seen an investment of 579.9 billion won ($511 million) in 2018. In 2019, Koreas finance ministry reveals an investment of 1,040 billion won ($918 billion) for the sectors, a near 80% increase in investments into the spaces. About building a big data platform, the Ministry said: The government will focus on promoting big data and AI, developing blockchain technology to ensure data management security and boosting the sharing economy. Separately, the government is also allocating a budgetary spend upwards of 60 billion won ($53 million) for nurturing 10,00 specialists in eight promising sectors, which will also be aided by a 30 trillion won ($26 billion) investment by state-led companies, the ministry added. The developments come at a time when the countrys ministry of science and ICT is actively promoting blockchain education among Koreas youth. Further, the countrys Jeju Island has outlined a proposal to the central government to reveal its intention to become a special zone for blockchain and cryptocurrency startups and firms wherein ICOs will be permitted in the province despite its ban in the mainland. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post South Korea Budgets a Trillion Won for Blockchain Tech in 2019 appeared first on CCN. CAIRO 16 August 2018: Turkish authorities arrested Al-Sharq TV host Hisham Abdullah on the account of overstaying his visa and being placed by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) on the terror list, sources said. The sources revealed that police stopped Abdullah in the district where he lives, and that Ayman Nour, Al-Sharq channel owner, did not offer Abdullah any actual support. The sources also revealed that a number of Muslim Brotherhood supporters mediated and asked the Turkish authorities to release Abdullah, according to media reports, amid expectations that Abdullah may face deportation. Who is Abdullah? Abdullah is an Egyptian actor who appeared in many films and drama series, including Al-Tareeq ela Eilat (Way to Eilat), and Layaly Al-Helmiya (Helmiya nights). He participated in the January 25 revolution in 2011 against ousted President Hosni Mubarak, and also in the June 30, 2013 revolution against the Muslim Brotherhood group. However, he moved to Turkey to work in Al-Sharq channel that was launched in 2014. Abdullah appears in his TV program on Al-Sharq, attacking Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisis policies. Benjamin Jumbe. Kyaddondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine is today expected before the army court in Gulu. The First Deputy premier General Moses Ali told parliament last evening that the legislator had been found allegedly in possession of a firearm during his arrest. Kyagulanyi was among other legislators who had gone to Arua to campaign for independent candidate Kassiano Wadri. Meanwhile a 6 member team set up by the speaker of parliament is already in Gulu to witness the trial of Kyaddondo East MP Kyagulanyi It is led by defence and Internal affairs committee chairperson Doreen Amule Meanwhile the Other legislators who were arrested on Monday are also expected to appear before the civil court in Gulu today. Armed robbers shot dead two people at Juba hotel in Arua Park in Kampala Central Business district. Armed robbers shot dead two people at Juba hotel in Arua Park in Kampala Central Business district. Muhammad Abdullah, a South Sudanese national and Ibrahim Akit whose nationality is yet-to-be established were shot from their hotel room at about 4am on Wednesday morning. The gunmen reportedly stormed the hotel and shot the duo before making off an unspecified amount of money. Traders in Arua Park chased after the armed men, beating them until police came to their rescue. Jackson Okanga, a trader in Arua Park told URN that they heard gunshots and then saw three men running out of the hotel - prompting them to run after them. "The moment we got them, we put them together and started beating them. They had a gun but we were also many," Okanga said. On arrival at the crime scene, officers from the Central Police Station (CPS) Kampala arrested the trio. The suspects have since been identified as Innocent Gumisiriza, a security guard with Top Security, Nelson Olibilunga, a resident of Seguku and employee of Saracen Security Company as well as Ronald Mulyera, a Burundian national. The suspects were found in possession of a pistol registration number UG PSO T110206A011 belonging to Saracen which was assigned to Olibilunga. They were also found with a polythene bag which contained 29 rounds of ammunition for an AK-47 riffle and 48 bullets for a pistol. Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire said there is suspicion that there were more suspects who made away with the stolen money before the trio was captured. -Brandi This isnt my first rodeo, so Im not taking your bull.-Stephanie Investing in drama is not in my budget.-Cary "When life gets messy, just build a bigger closet.-DAndra Running a family business is a job for one tough mother.-Kameron Ive got heels that are higher than your standards.-LeeAnne You dont mess with Texas, and you dont mess with me.-Denise Richards has a new movie coming out! But more importantly she is joining The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills!-Denise is allowing her daughters to appear on the show if they should choose to. Thought it was a good way and time to let the audience into her life-Is already good friends with Lisa Rinna-Carole Radziwill describes it as a "blend of group therapy and torture".-The Househusbands Join The Reunion Stage -The Real Housewives of Johannesburg premiered last week and above is a sneak peak of the episode!-Evodia Mogase: There can only be one queen in a beehive - that's me. Don't address me by any name - it's 'Madame' to you.-Brinnette Seopela: I've got a beautiful heart, a beautiful smile and a beautiful life - I had to endure a lot to get here.-Mercy Evodia: My body is my temple - I take good care of it. I live the life of a goddess - and it's very important I look like one.-Christall Kay: I worked really hard, and sacrificed a lot for my dream home - I'm wonder woman.-Naledi Willers: There's two sides for me: it's either black or white and no grey areas. If you're going to come for me: you'd better come correct.-Lendy Ter-Mors: I've traveled the world; I've got a beautiful home! I love to laugh. Money chose me. -Now that she is done with RHONY, Carole Radziwill wants to take her views to The View!-Carole has connections at ABC so maybe she'll join the table as a part time co-host? -After 5 seasons Thomas Ravenal has "quit" Southern Charm-In a now protected twitter, TRav tweeted "I'm not doing the show anymore, in the contract they have the right to fictionalize your story. They took advantage of me. I decided I've got too much to lose and informed them I'm not coming back."-Along with "quitting" the show he and Ashley have also broken up! For realz this time as she confirmed on Instagram today!Source: 1 mte. there's no reason for it Reply Parent Thread Link The same reason people don't stop eating meat. They don't care and aren't willing to do anything that might inconvenience them at all. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Ding ding ding! Reply Parent Thread Link People talk about being "inconvenienced" like it's the worst thing that could happen to them and it's really starting to frustrate me tbh. Conveniences have made people lazy as fuck, so they basically are taken aback when they might have to go a bit out of their way or not take the easiest route. We're screwed. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link This I'm OK with meat eaters if they would at least buy more ethically sourced meat (yes, I'm aware this word must be used in heavy quotes under capitalism) but they can't even be fucked with that Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yep, there a lot of people who put much more effort into their excuse than actually doing anything. Reply Parent Thread Link I've literally never heard of this movie so I won't be watching it anyway. I also have serious doubts at the claim the bison weren't slaughtered specifically for the project. WTF were they slaughtered for then? Why were they slaughtered at all?!? selling horses used on Canadian TV series Heartland to Bouvry Exports, a slaughterhouse known for its inhumane practices. My jaw fucking dropped when I read this and I didn't even watch Heartland. How cruel. Humans treat animals like fucking garbage and it's so infuriating to see. We have next to no laws that actually punish animal cruelty, we don't hold people accountable for their actions. Even with climate change catching up to us, getting ready to take us all out, people still can't be bothered to stop supporting the mass slaughter of animals because "hurr durr bacon though". Sickening. Reply Thread Link this perfect comment Reply Parent Thread Link WTF about Heartland! I never watched it either but I saw promos for it all the time here. Fucking sick. Reply Parent Thread Link It says they bought them from a meat processing company so it sounds like they were initially slaughtered for food which isn't any better than for a movie. Reply Parent Thread Link That's what they claim, but it wasn't clear to me from reading the article (and the one from 2016) that that was actually the case. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link so wasting food is somehow better?? i was so excited for this movie and now i'm sad because of the poor bison Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yup, just look at the shitshow vegan posts around here are Reply Parent Thread Link I get realism but just use CGI. I'm more surprised that the film is apparently quite good. Reply Thread Link yeah nope Reply Parent Thread Link There should be a slaughterhouse for assholes. Reply Thread Link I really want to become a vegetarian bc seeing stuff like this, being outraged and going back to eating meat is hypocritical as fuck. Reply Thread Link PCRM.org does something similar with their free vegan kick start program. (I know you wrote vegetarian, but I always rec those!) https://www.challenge22.com/ is free and will give you recipes and advice PCRM.org does something similar with their free vegan kick start program.(I know you wrote vegetarian, but I always rec those!) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I tried being a vegan for 3 days but I could never feel full. Its harder than I thought. I think it all depends on what you like to eat. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i've been cutting out meat. i haven't had pork for 1.5 years, beef for 1, turkey for 9 months, and chicken for like a month i think. i still miss it like hell, but. i can't cut out dairy, but i wanna find some cruelty-free. i would still eat meat if it were hunted or humanely raised, but i don't get too much of that around here and it's $$$$ Edited at 2018-08-16 02:59 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Do it! <3 I've been a vegetarian for the majority of my life, it absolutely can be done and done tastily. The biggest hurdle IMO is that you need to be aware of the menu of somewhere you're going beforehand if you're eating out because getting vegetarian options can be tricky. If you're making stuff at home, though, it's not bad at all, especially with all the meat replacement products available. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link https://minimalistbaker.com/ https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/vegetarian/ https://www.hotforfoodblog.com/welcome I've been vegan 9 months and I love it so much. I've been vegan 9 months and I love it so much. Reply Parent Thread Link Once you decide you want to it isn't hard, especially if you're committed to it because you know it's right. It's much easier to be veg now than it used to be, there's tons of resources. Good luck! Reply Parent Thread Link You can do it. It's so easy now. There are so many resources and options. Especially if you live anywhere near a city. You'll have access to all the amazing vegan meats & cheeses. Make it easy for yourself. Identify what you love to eat and just vegify it. Find your meat/cheese substitute and go ham. (lmao) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link You can do it! It's my four year anni being a vegetarian this month <3 Just ease yourself into it. You can start by replacing your meats with vegetarian substitutes if it'll make it easier for you. Gardein makes the best veg. chicken strips! I tried going hardcore when i went vegetarian and bought tofu and quinoa and everything and in the end I ended up wasting it because I didn't know how to prepare anything. Minimalist Baker makes the best recipes as well. I really hope it works out for you! Reply Parent Thread Link i second all the encouragement you're getting :) but just eating less meat and dairy, like a few times a week instead of every day, is already big step in the right direction. changing your eating habits to be suitable to your budget, palate, dietary restrictions and ecological principles all at once is fucking hard Reply Parent Thread Link I wanna do it too, but my husband hates the idea, and us getting one dish prepared and on the table after work with a toddler running round is hard enough. At the minute I have no meat for breakfast and lunch because I eat those at work, and just eat it at dinner and try to make it fish if I can. When boo is out for the evening or working late I make something veg. I'm working on him, though. He liked lentil dahl last time i made it. Considering buying some frozen tofu or quorn and just adding the meat / meat substitute in to each plate at the end tbh. Reply Parent Thread Link FIVE???? for some garbage ass movie??? wow Reply Thread Link I dont believe PETA It sound Iike they were slaughtered for food and they bought the carcasses Reply Thread Link yeah, not here for animal cruelty but fuck peta Reply Parent Thread Link i wanted to see this because i love anything that celebrates the bond between humans and dogs but holy shit Reply Thread Link there's like 10 Heartland episodes against slaughterhouses, why don't they check on that stuff? Reply Thread Link I've seen this movie and I assumed it was all/mostly CGI. I hope they answer it clearly soon. That being said, PETA just offered a ton of money to the NRA. They can go fuck themselves even harder than usual. Reply Thread Link Why... would they not just use props? Making fake bison corpses honestly sounds easier than buying bison, killing them, dealing with the logistics of having actual corpses on your set (wouldn't they smell? and if you needed reshoots you'd have to do it again?), and disposing of the corpses Reply Thread Link Or wait by carcasses do they mean, like, tanned hide? I was thinking actual corpses as set pieces Still seems like that'd be easy to fake Reply Parent Thread Link It was actual corpses, yeah, for a post-hunt scene. Reply Parent Thread Link carcasses, corpses. they're really the same thing. Reply Parent Thread Link Heartland is a wholesome show, God that's depressing. Reply Thread Link Depending on your age, you might known Lucero as the child star, telenovela queen or teleton darling, but if you live for drama like me you also know shes trash for a couple of things, like the hunting scandal, we had a post Depending on your age, you might known Lucero as the child star, telenovela queen or teleton darling, but if you live for drama like me you also know shes trash for a couple of things, like the hunting scandal, we had a post here but the worst scandal in her career is as it follows. Part one, gunman v. reporters Part two, Lucero defending him and making a bigger mess Shes a tough one, goes from I love the press to I hate you guys during the same interview, shes intense, up and off the stage. Mostly her issues with reporters are because they go after her when she doesnt want to talk to the cameras, also she complains about being trashed by the press then realizing it wasnt true, she comes out asking for forgiveness and its all good again between them. Yuri vs. Lucia Mendez Today marks the 15th anniversary of Lucero going nuts before the press, so I thought of making a post with infamous scenes of artists against the press or live interviews gone bad. I made another post about Mexican feuds here but there were mainly between artists, this is artists against the press or the press against the stars.Reporters were expecting to interview her after the 100th show of the play Regina, when they tried to get on the stage, Luceros bodyguard went a bit crazy with all the cameras on his face and pull out his gun (which he didn't had a permit to carry btw), mind you there was still a half full theater, more than 50 reporters and camera guys around and people in the stage. Lucero after all this tries to justify his reaction saying that the bodyguard was thrown to the floor by the reporters, kicked and was also trying to recover his gun, you can decide who was in the wrong here.From Primer ImpactoFrom La OrejaThe press conference which started with the producers apologizing about the incident only helped to put the media against her. She was unapologetic about her bodyguards behavior and her attitude against the press made them hate her. But she gave us the famous phrase Y? (a 'what about it?' or 'who cares?') because that was her answer whenever she was challenged about anything that happened.Is a two-part thing, it went on for almost an hour, I actually watched this live on ventaneando and the commentary was amazing, if you can remember Daniel Bisgono had a feud with Luceros mom for years so whenever there was something to trash them, he went in.Oh this one, hes a temperamental actor, and as many men he gets to be aggressive, abusive and a bully and still have jobs on tv, problems with him happen in almost every telenovela he is in, he has been accused of being violent by his former partners and last year he slapped a reporter asking him about his relationship with his son. I hate his man, so just watch this:The video is about her talking shit against dumb and dumber Andrea and Galilea (dont come at me because your abuelita likes them from watching Hoy) because someone told Lupita these two were saying bad things about her youngest son, it wasnt exactly true but she goes in on them, it was nice.Lupita's message to Andrea: si te vuelves a meter con mis hijos, te saco los ojosTo be fair to her, reporters know Lupita gets riled up easily so after a few minutes of her not budging to their questions shes going to get upset and trash them, like in the next clip. They ask her about random stuff like her oldest son wedding and if shes singing at the ceremony, her other son's newborn, just ridiculous questions that she doesnt want to answer and its only making her mad.Lupita: estoy de malas, no voy a contestar nadaReporter: por que?Lupita: que te importaAy, this one could have a post made just about her, shes been meme worthy for years. Notoriously more famous for her scandalous personal life than for her artistry. She became a household name after leaving Mexican telenovela producer Juan Osorio for another man, Bobby Larios, she was on Celebrity Big Brother Mexico and left the house because she missed Bobby and having sex with him so much. She really hates Ninel Conde and Carmen Salinas depending on her mood but this is about artists against the press and Niurka goes in, every time she can.This reporter asked Niurka about her last relationship, how nobody believed it was a real one (there are gay rumors about the guy) and the reporter was being shady, Niurka was answering in an extra sweet way until she's over the reporter's antics, spits on her face and leaves.Reporters were waiting for her and she wasnt in the mood to answer and goes to hit them with her bag, nothing more to say about her. Shes annoying and hasnt put a good song out in years, next. (no, Im not a thalia stan but I'm living for her insta videos!)This happened at a press conference that Yuri gave to clear up the information that she had a feud with Lucia, it was basically a lot of nothing, they said something, Lucia gave her version and asks them to stop saying she's an addict and a mess (she is a mess tho) and the reporters go back and forth to get more stuff so they can sell magazines. But Yuri was mad when Lucia appeared and left.Daniel is part of the longest running gossip show in mexican tv Ventaneando, he has always been the one making the most outrageous jokes and comments, for a while he had been saying that Ana Barbara is ugly and gross things about her appareance, so one time Ana Barbara went to the show with Irma Serrano La Tigresa and she confronts him, in the next clip he says he was taken by surprise at this and was upset she came to confront him. Yes, he cried like a bitch.About the long feud against Lucero's mom, Daniel took every opportunity to make fun of her, when she divorced on of her husbands and an intimate video leaked he made fun of her, he used to take jabs at her and she sued him a few times and was more angry about her always losing so this went on for years, so they talk about is on this clipBasically this was a live showdown between legendary gossip shows Ventaneando, from TV Azteca and La Oreja on Televisa. Ventaneando still going strong after many years being the number one show for gossip in Mexico has been involved in many feuds against artists, reporters or other shows. The most important one happened against La Oreja. Why? Because a former host, Juan Jose Origel left without saying goodbye or quiting the job, with the show's producer to start a similar show on Televisa called La Botana (it wasn't succesful and changed names a few times through the years), anyways..Former model Carmen Campuzano lived a life of excess (she still does lbr) that left her convalescent, a national interview ended in controversy between Monica Garza and a reporter from Televisa when both apparently were given the exclusive. Juan Jose Origel received criticism and attacks live on air.In the next clip Carmen and Monica appeared live on Ventaneando to talk about this incident and how she's doing after her many years of up and downs.Sorry mods, I think i fixed it.SourcesMy words and 1 I'm esl, I hope this is understandable enough for you to enjoy, thank you for reading :) While financial analysts and bankers warn about decline in the global solar market, the race is still on, and India has become one of the frontrunners. A new report by Power Technology shows that India is taking the race very seriously, with five of the nine largest solar installations in the world. China and the U.S. had taken the lead in the past, making up two-thirds of global growth in solar power in recent years. But India is investing heavily to beat them; and theyre not the only country working to be seen as the global leader in the burgeoning industry. The UAE's Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is in the works and will be the largest in the world. Developments in the solar power sector have become so rapid that the largest solar power station wont necessarily stay in that spot for very long, according to the report. Solar power capacity has reached four-fold growth in the past five years. That came out to nearly 400GW of solar power capacity by the end of last year. Solar also made for nearly 20% of global power growth in 2017. Declining manufacturing costs in solar, and public concern over environmental issues in energy sources, are behind much of it. India and China are particularly concerned about increasing domestic energy to stabilize prices and offset the impact of oil imports. Leading investment bankers raised concerns over growth in solar power. Last month, Goldman Sachs forecasted that the solar power market will see 24 percent fewer installations this year. Bloomberg New Energy Finance and Credit Suisse had shared their own concerns earlier, but at a more conservative level. BNEF expects that the solar market will contract by 3 percent year, which Credit Suisse predicts a 17 percent reduction in new installations this year. Related: Indonesias Oil Sector In Jeopardy As Elections Loom Some of that decline will be driven by China putting approval on hold for new installations due to the debt associated with current solar farms. Concerns were also raised after the Trump administration place a 25-percent import tariff on Chinese-made photovoltaic (PV) cells used in solar panels. Indias five largest solar power facilities will see Bhadla Industrial Solar Park gain the most potential with capacity to produce 2,255MW of power once fully constructed by December 2019. Over one million solar panels have already been installed, spread out over 45 square kilometers (17.3 square miles). Kamuthi Solar Power Station in Tamil Nadu, India, currently runs off 2.5 million solar panels with total power generation capacity of 648MW. Its estimated to make enough power for 750,000 people. The site was built over eight months and was completed in September 2016. A robotic system has been set up to clean the plant, and its powered by its own solar panels. Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park has a total generating capacity of 1,000MW, with capacity to generate more than 8 million kWh of electricity enough power to virtually meet all the electricity demand in Indias Kurmool district. Related: LNG: Chinas Biggest Weapon In The Trade War Shakti Sthala Solar Plant started being operational in March of this year, and will eventually reach 2,000MW in total capacity. Pavagada Solar Park will also have 2,000MW of capacity, with 600MW established in January 2018 and a further 1,400MW planned for this year. United Arab Emirates (UAE) has big plans for solar with the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park having planned capacity of 1,000MW by 2020, and 5,000MW by 2030. It will become the worlds largest solar power plant. Residents of Dubai will receive clean energy through the solar park. The facility will also feature an Innovation Center, a research and development center, testing facilities, and a solar-powered water desalination plant. Chinas Longyangxia Dam Solar Park became active in 2013, with its second phase completed in 2015. It has total capacity of 850MW and can power 200,000 households. Its located on the Tibetan Plateau in northwestern Chinas Qinghai province. China owns the worlds largest solar plant in both size and production. Called the Great Wall of Solar, it produces 1,547MW of power. Mexico made the top rankings through its Enel Villanueva PV Plant. Located in the providence of Coahuila, the facility houses over 2.3 million solar panels and is capable of producing more than 1,700GWh per year once it becomes fully operational. The Villanueva plans is about 41 percent completed, and able to produce about 310MW of power. By Jon LeSage for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Although China has backpedaled on proposed tariffs on U.S. crude imports, the move is indicative of its need to diversify sources and steps may now be taken to enable China to play the oil card in the future including imports from Iran despite sanctions, and drawing closer to Russia. A reshuffle of crude oil exports to Asia Asian oil refiners have been rushing to secure crude supplies in anticipation of an escalating trade war between the United States and China. Last week, Dongming Petrochemical, an independent Chinese refiner, said it has halted crude purchases from the U.S. and turned to Iranian imports amid escalating trade tensions between Beijing and Washington. U.S. crude oil exports to China reached 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) at the beginning of this July, but Beijing has recently threatened a 25 percent duty on imports of U.S. crude as part of its retaliation for Trumps latest round of tariffs on US$34 billion worth of Chinese goods. In addition, Irans foreign minister said on 3 August that China was pivotal to salvaging a multilateral nuclear agreement for the Middle Eastern country after the United States pulled out. A reshuffle of crude oil exports to Asia is possible, with China vacuuming up much of the Iranian oil that other nations wont buy because of the threat of U.S. sanctions. China, India, Japan and South Korea together account for almost 65 percent of the 2.7 million barrels a day that Iran exported in May. The U.S. has been lobbying these countries and other multinational oil giants to cut crude purchases from Iran to zero by November, the deadline for re-imposition of the secondary sanctions. In view of the current trade disputes with the U.S., China has reacted defiantly to U.S. sanctions banning business ties with the Islamic republic. This could be the determining factor in helping Tehran withstand the sanctions on its vital energy industry. Related: Crude-By-Rail Could Save The Permian Boom With China turning to Iran, U.S. oil would start flowing in greater amounts to other leading importers in the region, such as Japan and South Korea. In Japan, the oil industry has yet to respond to this issue publicly. The Petroleum Association of Japan previously warned refiners that they will have to stop loading Iranian crude oil from October onward if Tokyo doesnt win an exemption on U.S.-Iran sanctions. However, this past weekend, South Koreas embassy in Iran rejected media reports that the country had suspended oil purchases from Iran under pressure from the U.S. Whether Japan and South Korea would seek more crude imports from the U.S. remains to be seen. China may have Russia on its side The sanctions imposed on Russia from the West, as well as the trade tensions between China and the U.S., may provide even more room for energy cooperation between China and Russia. Russias sour relationship with the West forces it to look for new trade and investment partners, which could include China and countries in the Middle East. Russia has already become Beijings single largest crude oil supplier, exporting crude oil worth US$23.7 billion to China in 2017. Now with Beijing possibly cutting imports from the U.S., Russia may seek to export even more crude oil to China. On 19 July, China received the first ever liquefied LNG cargo from Russian natural gas producer Novatek via the Northern Sea Route (NSR) alongside the Arctic coast. The $27 billion Yamal project is the worlds largest Arctic LNG project and the first large-scale energy cooperation project to be implemented in Russia after the Belt and Road initiative. Chinas National Energy Administration said China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) will start lifting at least 3 million tonnes of LNG from Yamal starting in 2019. Therefore, its highly possible that China and Russia will deepen their cooperation in liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade despite U.S. sanctions. In addition, according to an anonymous Russian government official, Russia is ready to invest US$50 billion in Irans oil and gas sector amid mounting pressure from the U.S. to economically and diplomatically isolate Tehran. Russias energy minister Alexander Novak said that Moscow was interested in developing an oil-for-goods program that would allow Iranian companies to buy Russian products in exchange for oil contracts to be sold to third world countries. This was evidence of Russias consistent strategy of using its strong oil and gas industry to meddle in Middle East issues. Under the current situation, even though China may somehow reach an agreement with the U.S. promising that it will cut oil imports if the U.S. is willing to reduce the trade tariffs, in the short-term China is still likely to get Russia on its side in defiance of the U.S. oil campaign. By Global Risk Insights More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russia has moved one step closer to seeing its controversial Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline become a reality. On Wednesday, the consortium managing the pipeline said that it has all of the Russian permits needed for installation. "We are glad to announce that the necessary construction permits in Russia have been granted, meaning that the Nord Stream 2 project is developing according to the planned schedule," Chief Project Officer Henning Kothe said in a statement. The permit covers a section measuring 114 km in the Russian territorial sea. Nord Stream 2 is a 759 mile (1,222 km) natural gas pipeline running on the bed of the Baltic Sea from Russian gas fields to Germany, bypassing existing land routes over Ukraine, Poland and Belarus. It would double the existing Nord Stream pipelines current annual capacity of 55 bcm and is expected to become operational by the end of next year. However, it is arguably one of the most geopolitically controversial energy projects ever proposed. Germany maintains that the pipeline is needed to increase natural gas supply as some EU members move away from nuclear for power generation, but not everyone agrees. More than just a pipeline Poland and the Baltic states, for their part, see Russian energy giant Gazproms pipeline as yet another geopolitical weapon that Moscow can use at its whim to keep is customers dependent on Russian gas supply. Then there are the Americans who are concerned that Moscow will continually erode European security if the pipeline is finally built. President Donald Trump, not surprisingly, has offered what he sees as the perfect solution: more U.S. sourced LNG being imported into Europe. Related: All-Time Low Spare Capacity Could Send Oil To $150 The problem with that plan, however, is that much of Europe sees this American LNG push as a self-centered, profit driven, if not also with aspects of hegemony attached, ploy to help Trump achieve his so-called American independence agenda come to fruition while also appeasing the U.S. oil and gas industry, a huge supporter of the president during the last presidential election. In recent weeks, amid trade quarreling between the U.S. and EU, the EU has indicated it is now more serious about making U.S.-LNG imports part of a way to offset trade balances with Washington and as a way to diversify gas imports. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said last week that Europe was ready to move on U.S. LNG "if priced competitively." European Commission trade officials will travel to Washington on Monday to follow up on the surprise agreement reached last month between Jean-Claude Juncker and Trump. But, it is nearly impossible for U.S. LNG imports to compete on a cost basis with Russian pipped gas. As a general rule, piped gas, though it carries an exorbitant capex to put the necessary infrastructure in place, is simply a cheaper way to ship gas than more expensive LNG that has to be liquefied, loaded onto special LNG tankers that chill the fuel while it is being carried long distances, then offloaded and re-gasified. Related: Indonesias Oil Sector In Jeopardy As Elections Loom Russia, on que, counters that the pipeline project is a purely economic play. Yet, looking at Moscows history of cutting gas supplies into Europe during cold winter months its obvious that Washingtons concerns have considerable merit. One holdout remaining Russia, Germany, Finland and Sweden have all signed off on Nord Stream 2 pipeline construction permits for their respective territorial waters. Denmark, however, is still uncommitted. The Danish Foreign Ministry is currently considering the permits necessary to double the pipeline. Late last year, Denmark passed legislation that could block the project being built in its coastal waters due to security concerns. However, lack of Danish support may not be enough to stop the pipeline. Though the proposed Nord Stream 2 route goes through Danish waters, the pipeline consortium is currently investigating an alternative route north of the Danish island Bornholm which would run in international waters and therefore not be impacted by a potential Danish ban. Ukraine, which has argued that it will lose revenue since the Nord Stream 2 project would bypass it, is pressing ahead to form a consortium of EU-based companies to stop the new pipeline, however its unlikely that push will also come to fruition. Gazprom already has a monopoly over Russias network of pipelines to Europe and supplies close to 40 percent of Europes gas. Meanwhile, Russia's gas exports to Europe rose 8.1 percent last year to a record level of 193.9 bcm, even amid concerns over Russias cyber espionage allegations, and its activities in Syria, the Ukraine and other places. By Tim Daiss for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdogan believes the U.S. will stop short of forcing Turkey out of NATO, destroying its currency, and pushing it into an alliance with Russia and the Peoples Republic of China. But is his confidence justified? U.S. Pres. Donald Trump could also direct the State Dept. to lift its embargo on the sale of U.S. defense equipment to Cyprus (inexplicably in place since 1985) and penalize Turkey for using U.S. defense equipment illegally for the 1974 invasion and subsequent occupation of the northern 37 percent of Cyprus. Pres. Trumps signing of a $716-billion defense spending bill on August 13, 2018, included an amendment which prohibited the sale by the US to Turkey of F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft unless the Defense Department issued a report downplaying the damage to the secure operation of the F-35 if it was adopted by the Turkish Air Force while the TAF was also operating the Russian S-400 air defense missile system. The Pentagon has historically given Turkey the benefit of the doubt, but this time Pres. Erdogan has escalated his hostility to the U.S., which may make it difficult for the DoD to justify release of the F-35. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis had, in a letter to Congress in August 2018, urged against stopping the F-35 transfer. Significantly, Sec. Mattis made his case to safeguard the F-35s industrial/cost base, but the sale of a proposed 100 F-35As to Turkey could be offset by a sale of a similar number of F-35Bs to the Republic of China (ROC: Taiwan) Air Force. Trump would simultaneously punish Turkey and bolster the ROC. And, many argue, hasnt Turkey already left the West in all but name? And doesnt the U.S. need, in any event, to bolster the ROC and Japan sooner rather than later if it is to contain the PRC in the Pacific? In Washington, DC, on August 15, 2018, it was no coincidence that the private American Hellenic Institute (AHI) announced the publication of an Issue Brief on the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) under which the United States had prohibited the sales of US defense articles/services to the Republic of Cyprus since 1985. The ITAR listed the Republic of Cyprus, along with countries such as Sudan and Somalia, as a country to which transfers of US defense articles/services were prohibited. Related: Caught In The Crossfire: The Unintended Victim Of Iran Sanctions In June 2018, AHI discussed the issue with State Department officials and submitted a memorandum with the key points which were in the Issue Brief. The officials forwarded the memorandum to the appropriate office for review. Since June 2018, AHI had raised the issue in follow-up meetings with the State Department. The Issue Brief described the ITAR, analyzed why the prohibition on the Republic of Cyprus was unlawful, explained how the State Department itself could remove the Republic of Cyprus from the application of the ITAR prohibition and concludes that legislation was not necessary. We contend the State Department has the legal authority to remedy what has been, for years, an unlawful prohibition on arms transfers to the Republic of Cyprus, AHI President Nick Larigakis said. We urge the State Department to exercise the requisite political will to get this done. It is in the best interests of the United States for the Republic of Cyprus to look to the United States, and not any other nation, to procure its defense materials. By GIS/Defense & Foreign Affairs More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Angolas new President Joao Lourenco continues with reforms aimed at reversing the countrys oil production decline, by creating an agency that will sell and manage oil blocks instead of state oil firm Sonangol. Lourenco signed on Thursday a decree to create a National Agency of Petroleum and Gas, expected to launch next year and be fully operational by the end of 2020. The new agency would break the almost complete monopoly of Sonangol in Angolas oil industry, since the state oil firm is also currently responsible for the approval, management, and holding of oil block sales. Under the previous management of Isabel dos Santosdaughter of Lourencos long-serving predecessor Jose Eduardo dos Santos Sonangol has been slow to approve projects and company investments, the new president and his team have concluded. Earlier this year, OPEC member Angola halved the tax rates on development of oil discoveries with less than 300 million barrels of reserves as Lourenco is trying to incentivize oil and gas investment in the African country. Angola cut the petroleum production tax on so-called marginal fieldsthose with less than 300 million barrels of reservesto 10 percent from the typical 20 percent tax. The tax reforms also halved the petroleum income tax on marginal fields to 25 percent from 50 percent. For gas reserves, Angola is introducing a new legislation for gas fields outlining the legislative and tax framework for companies to explore for, extract, and sell natural gas. Under the gas tax regime, petroleum production tax will be 5 percent and petroleum income tax 25 percent. Related: The Real Reason Behind The Next Oil Squeeze Angolawhose economy has suffered from the low oil prices in recent yearshas also been struggling to attract international investments in its deepwater higher-breakeven oil resources. Angolas oil production had been declining in recent months, but it recovered in July, rising by 11,700 bpd from June to average 1.456 million bpd, according to OPECs secondary sources in its monthly report. Still, this production level compares to average output of 1.637 million bpd for 2017. Last month, Frances Total started up oil production at the Kaombo area, which is currently the biggest deepwater development offshore Angola. Production at the Kaombo development is planned to reach an estimated 230,000 bpd at its peak, which would be a welcome boost to Angolas oil production that could offset declines at ageing fields. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com China Gas plans to increase its annual imports of liquefied petroleum gas from 2.8 million tons to 10 million tons during the next five years as it enters the petrochemicals industry, S&P Global Platts reports, quoting industry sources. The companys plans also have to do with higher demand, with LPG sales to households forecast by China Gas to increase from 4 million tons in financial 2017/18 to 4.5 million tons in the current financial year, and further to 5 million tons in financial 2019/20. How much of this increase in imports will come from the U.S., a major LPG supplier to China, remains to be seen and depends on the outcome of the trade war between Washington and Beijing. For now, to meet this higher demand and pursue its petrochemical plans, China gas will increase its shipments from the Middle East, notably Kuwait and Qatar, the sources said. Yet, they added, the company could meet some of the rising domestic demand for LPG with shipments from the United States if the trade war gets resolved quickly. U.S. propane and butane, collectively known as LPG, accounted for some 19 percent of Chinese LPG imports in 2017 and made China the third-largest buyer of U.S. propane after Japan and Mexico. Most of this went into propane dehydrogenation plants, whose owners commonly use term supply contracts, but Platts sources said China Gas will likely use FOB contracts with Kuwait and Qatar for future deliveries. First-quarter import figures reveal that the value of U.S. LPG imports into China was more than US$2.6 billion, with most of this coming from propane imports. After the latest round of U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods worth US$16 billion, China responded in-kind, slapping sanctions on goods with an equal value, including in the list LNG, LPG, naphtha, and coal. Even before that, however, Chinese buyers of U.S. LPG began reducing their orders, S&P Global Platts reported earlier this month, citing market sources as saying shipments of U.S. propane and butane began falling in March. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Chinese refiners may have been relieved by Beijings decision to remove U.S. crude oil from the list of goods in the latest tariff tit-for-tat with the United States, but they are staying away from purchases of U.S. crude as refiners and traders fear that the removal is only temporary, and China may slap tariffs on U.S. crude if the trade war further escalates. According to Thomson Reuters Eikon ship tracking data, since the beginning of August, not a single tanker loaded with crude oil has departed from the United States en route to China. This compares with average Chinese imports of crude oil around 300,000 bpd June and July. China has, in recent years, become a key export market for growing U.S. energy exports. China is currently Americas second-largest crude oil customer after Canada. Chinese imports of U.S. crude oil in May, for example, averaged 427,000 bpd, more than any other destination and surpassing Canadas 289,000 bpd imports, EIA data shows. Although China removed U.S. crude oil from the list of US$16 billion worth of American goods on which it slapped 25-percent tariffs last week, traders and potential buyers are in a wait-and-see mode before making decisions on placing orders for new U.S. crude oil purchases, fearing that China could still use crude as a bargaining chip in the trade war and possibly slap tariffs on it if the dispute were to escalate further. Related: Crude-By-Rail Could Save The Permian Boom Since it takes months to get U.S. crude [to China] ... this [not buying U.S. shipments] is a precautionary measure to avoid any distressed selling in case the government puts tariffs on U.S. crude oil, Sushant Gupta, research director at Wood Mackenzie, told Reuters. Earlier this month, Unipec, the trading arm of Chinese state oil major Sinopec, was reported to have suspended imports of crude oil from the United States, due to the rising trade tension. We have received our August WTI delivery and will not take any US cargoes in coming months, while Unipec has not offered us any US crude either, an executive from a Sinopec refinery in central China told Platts earlier this week. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: German company ADL and Irans Sepahan Oil Company (SOC) have signed an agreement to cooperate in technology transfer in oil and gas industry lubricants, Iranian media report. European embassies have put a lot of effort in paving the way for signing the cooperation agreement, Mohammad Ebrahimi, the chief executive officer of SOC, was quoted as saying by Fars news agency. According to the Iranian official, ADL will carry out the project in cooperation with its Austrian and Swiss partners. While Iranian media report the signing of an agreement with a European company, many European companies are backing out of Iran or putting agreements and projects on hold in order to comply with U.S. sanctions on Iran and avoid becoming subjects of some sort of secondary sanctions if they continue to do business with Iran. Denmarks engineering company Haldor Topsoe, a leading industrial catalyst producer, is ceasing activities in Iran and is cutting around 200 jobs as a consequence of the planned U.S. sanctions on Iran. Switzerlands railway firm Stadler Rail is suspending plans for an underground railway system in Tehran. Germanys carmaker Daimler dropped plans to expand its Iranian business, while Frances Peugeot took steps to suspend its joint venture activities, and Renault has said that it will comply with the U.S. sanction regime. Other major German companies, railway operator Deutsche Bahn as well as Deutsche Telekom, are ending their projects in Iran, after the first new U.S. sanctions on Iran snapped back last week. In the oil and gas industry, Frances major Total has said that it would exit the South Pars gas project if it doesnt get a U.S. waiver. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said last month Totals waiver request has been rejected, together with other requests from French firms. Regarding Irans oil exports to Europewhich, combined, is Irans third-biggest customer after China and IndiaEuropean refiners are expected to significantly drop their Iranian purchases. According to analysts, Europe could be one of the regions where the U.S. might manage to bring Iranian oil exports to zero. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com The Iraqi Oil Ministry has banned the use of Kurdish words in official documents, threatening Kurdish employees with lawsuits if they violate the ban, Kurdish media report, citing a document issued earlier this week by a senior Oil Ministry Official. There are Kurdish terms used in most of the documents the NGC submits which is against the motion issued in 1968 to maintain the safety of the Arabic language, Hamdan Uwaij Rashid, General Inspector at the Oil Ministry said in the statement, which was addressed to the North Gas Company. Apparently, the document is a follow-up on another one, issued by the Iraqi Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, which was circulated to all Iraqi institutions in August 2017. Interestingly enough, this was before the historic Kurdistan independence referendum that heated up relations between Erbil and Baghdad and eventually led to Iraqi forces retaking control of the city of Kirkuk and the surrounding fields from the Kurdish Peshmerga. The Kurdistan Regional Government estimates local crude oil reserves at some 45 billion barrelsthis puts Kurdistan ahead of Nigeria in terms of reserves and whats more, this oil is cheap to pump. According to figures for 2016, Kurdistan pumped about half a million barrels daily, which was expected to rise to above 600,000 in 2017. Most of this is exported to Turkey, but since the Iraqi government took over the Kirkuk fields, some 300,000 bpd in production has been shut in. Earlier this week, Kurdish officials said Iraq cannot export the Kirkuk oil to Turkey without first inking a deal with the KRG, following reports that Iraqs Haideer al-Abadi and Turkeys Recep Erdogan had struck an agreement for the resumption of Kirkuk oil exports to Turkey. The message from Erbil suggests relations between the central government and the Kurdistan authorities have yet to settle. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: A cheaper rupee could increase Indias crude oil bill by as much as US$26 billion in FY 2018/19, according to Indian government officials. The currency hit a low of 70.32 to the U.S. dollar today, which will also push up fuel prices at the pump and prices of cooking gas. At the same time, Indian crude oil imports are set to rise: last financial year, the country imported 220.43 million tons of crude, with the bill coming in at US$87.7 billion This financial year, imports are estimated to reach 227 million tons while international oil benchmarks and the U.S. dollar rise higher and the rupee falls. The FY 2018/19 oil import bill was at the start of the year estimated at US$108 billion on the basis of an average benchmark oil price of US$65 and an exchange rate of 65 rupees per dollar. However, oil has been trending higher than this for much of the year so far and supply concerns resulting from the U.S. sanctions against Iran and worry about spare production capacity among OPEC members are likely to keep it higher than US$65 until the end of the year at least. Related: Indonesias Oil Sector In Jeopardy As Elections Loom On top of higher benchmark prices, if the rupee remains around US$70 per U.S. dollar, the oil import bill could swell to US$114 billion. This would in turn pressure Indias economy further: the currency depreciation followed the latest trade deficit reading, which revealed Indias imports exceeded its exports by US$18 billion. This is the highest trade deficit since 2013. Earlier this year, India called on OPEC to take action and bring oil prices down, or risk a demand crunch. OPEC obliged, agreeing with Russia in June to boost combined production by 1 million barrels daily. However, the agreement and the subsequent increase in Russias and some OPEC members production failed to have a substantial effect on prices, as Saudi Arabia surprisingly produced 200,000 bpd less in July and a round of U.S. sanctions against Iran came into effect. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Venus shines bright in the sky above Victoria. Credit: Flickr/Indigo Skies Photography, CC BY-NC-ND (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story may contain images and voices of people who have died.) The five planets we can see by naked eye were known to the ancient Greeks as "asteres planetai", meaning "wandering stars", due to their wandering journey across the sky relative to the fixed stars. This is where we get the word "planet". But knowledge of the planets and their movements goes back much further, being prominent in the traditions of the oldest continuing cultures in the world. Recent research reveals a wealth of information about the planets and their complex motions in the Knowledge Systems of Indigenous Australians. The wandering stars These systems show that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people carefully observe the complex motions of the planets. In Wardaman traditions, the planets are ancestor spirits who walk across a celestial road. Wardaman Elder Bill Yidumduma Harney calls it the Dreaming Track in the Sky. Astronomers call this celestial road the zodiac the region of sky nine degrees on either side of the ecliptic (the path of the Sun). As the planets orbit the Sun in roughly the same plane, they all are visible along this band of the sky. Ecliptic path (red line) with the zodiac constellations in the background. Credit: ESA Uncle Yidumduma describes the planet-ancestors moving across the sky much like we walk down a busy footpath. We sometimes hurriedly pass each other, or slow down for a chat. Occasionally, we even stop and turn backwards to chat with someone before moving forward again. Astronomers call this phenomenon retrograde motion. It is an optical effect that occurs as the planets orbit the Sun at different distances and velocities. It means the planets can appear to slow down and move backwards for a time before returning to their normal motion. There are five planets visible to the naked eye and right now, and you can see at least four Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in the sky at sunset from most locations across Australia. All of these planets are currently in retrograde motion. The (non) twinkling stars Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people recognise that these wandering stars generally do not twinkle a phenomenon the Meriam people of the eastern Torres Strait call epreki and observe to predict weather and seasonal change. The retrograde motion of Mars. Credit: ESA But sometimes they do twinkle, particularly if they are very low on the horizon. Kamilaroi people of northern New South Wales say Venus occasionally twinkles when it's low in the sky. They say it's an old man who told a rude joke and has been laughing ever since. In the traditions of the Euahlayi people neighbours of the Kamilaroi Venus and Mars relate to songlines and trade with Arrernte people of the Central Desert. During special ceremonies, the Arrernte travel from the MacDonnell Ranges to northern New South Wales, bringing with them a red stone that signifies Mars. The Euahlayi people bring a green and blue stone to the ceremony, representing Venus. They are seen as the different-coloured eyes of the creator spirit Baayami. Venusthe Morning and Evening Star Venus is commonly known in many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures as both the Morning and Evening Star. The sky at dusk one evening this week, August 2018. Credit: Stellarium In the Dreaming stories of the Western Arrernte, a celestial baby fell from the Milky Way, striking the ground and creating the giant meteorite crater called Tnorala (Gosses Bluff). The child's parents the Morning and Evening Stars take turns searching for their lost child to this day. Arrernte mothers warn their children not to look at the Morning or Evening Star, as the celestial parents might mistake them for their lost child and carry them away to the sky. In Yolngu traditions of Arnhem Land, a special ceremony is held to signify the rising of the Creation ancestor, Banumbirr (Venus), between the mainland and a Burralku the sacred island of the dead. The ceremony starts at dusk and continues through the night, reaching a climax when Banumbirr rises a few hours before dawn as Venus transitions from the Evening Star to the Morning Star. Banumbirr communicates with the people through a faint rope that holds her close to the Sun. Astronomers call this zodiacal light the glow of dust in the plane of the Solar System. Banumbirr: Morning Star Poles from Arnhem Land. Credit: Bandigan Arts The first rising of Venus as the Morning Star, after it transitions from the Evening Star, occurs every 584 days. Astronomers refer to this as Venus' synodic period. When astronomer Ray Norris asked a Yolngu elder how the people know when to hold the Banumbirr ceremony, the elder responded: "We count the days!" That's an achievement not often recognised, and just another example of the detailed understanding of these "wandering stars" in the Knowledge Systems of Indigenous Australians. Kirsten Banks, a Wiradjuri woman and astrophysics graduate from the University of New South Wales, contributed to this research and this article. She can be contacted at astronomerkirsten@gmail.com Zodiacal light over La Silla. Credit: ESO Explore further Jupiter, Venus and Mars stand proud in the morning sky This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Although it looks like a tributary, the Rio Casiquiare is a rare distributary of the upper Rio Orinoco (left), flowing south to meet the Rio Negro in the Amazon River Basin, about 340 kilometers (200 miles) to the right of the image. The Casiquiare is about 90 meters wide where it splits from the Orinoco, diverting about a quarter of the Orinocos water. Eventually the Casiquiare will conduct the all of the flow from the 40,000-square-kilometer (25,000-square-mile) drainage basin away from the upper Orinoco and into the Amazon, according to new research. Credit: Google Earth The Amazon River is slowly stealing a 40,000-square-kilometer (25,000-square-mile) drainage basin from the upper Orinoco River, according to new research suggesting this may not be the first time the world's largest river has expanded its territory by poaching from a neighbor. The rare conjunction could help researchers understand how river systems evolve and how the Amazon Basin grew to dominate the South American continent. The 2,140-kilometer (1,330-mile) long Rio Orinoco rises on the western slopes of the Sierra Parima, a 320-kilometer long mountain range on Venezuela's southeastern border with Brazil dividing the watersheds of the Amazon and the Orinoco. The Rio Casiquiare breaks away from the Rio Orinoco in the remote lowlands below the mountains, diverting about a quarter of the Orinoco's flow south to the Rio Negro, a major tributary of the Amazon. The Orinoco, which drains 880,000 square kilometers (340,000 square miles) of Venezuela and Columbia, is the fourth largest river in the world by flow rate at its outlet to the Atlantic Ocean. The Amazon, which drains 6.9 million square kilometers (2.7 million square miles), is the largest river in the world. The Casiquiare link between the Orinoco and the Amazon is the only such connection between two major river basins in the world and offers an opportunity to observe a river capture in progress, according to the authors of a new study in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union. The new study indicates the Amazon will win this tug of war and could help scientists understand how the world's largest river formed. "The Orinoco and the Amazon are two of the largest rivers in the world, and the fact that there is this perennial water connection between them has puzzled people for a very long time, starting with early European explorers," said Maya Stokes, a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and lead author of the new study. "A river capture in action is a rare and unique chance to observe this process that we have evidence for in the geologic record but don't frequently get to actually observe." River capture in action Connections between river basins are unusual and those that do occur are typically ephemeral connections during seasonal flooding. The rare permanent diversions in a watercourse which have been observed tend to be abrupt, like the Kaskawulsh River's theft of the Slims River headwaters in Canada's Yukon territory, which redirected the watercourse completely within days. A black line marks the present boundary between the Orinoco River basin to the north and the Amazon River Basin to the south. A gray line shows where the new boundary will sit when the Rio Casiquiare completes the capture of the upper Orinoco. The cartoon to the right depicts the hypothesized capture process: (I) Pre-capture, (II) present bifurcation, and (III) future complete capture. Shading denotes the Amazon basin. Credit: Maya Stokes, Samuel Goldberg and Taylor Perron/ AGU Stable connections are rarely observed because one watercourse usually wins capturing all the water for itself and leaving behind an empty streambed where the old course once ran, Stokes said. The connection between the Casiquiare and Amazon rivers has existed for centuries, since at least the time of early European exploration. The Casiquiare fork looked so unnatural to eighteenth century European geographers that reports of the existence of the Rio Casiquiare ignited a great controversy. Stokes and her colleagues analyzed measurements of water velocity and channel dimensions taken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1943 and found that the Casiquiare is eroding faster than the Orinoco, deepening its channel, while the Orinoco's flow is slowing further due to build-up of sediments in its streambed. The terrain on the Casiquiare side of the divide, which leads to the Amazon, is more than twice as steep as the flat valley the Orinoco runs through below the split. Because of the steeper course and greater capacity for moving sediment, the new study concluded that eventually the Casiquiare will capture the flow of the Rio Orinoco upstream of the split for the Amazon Basin. When the diversion is complete, the Amazon will have stolen 40,000 square kilometers of the Orinoco's headwaters, an area about twice as big as Lake Ontario, diminishing the river's volume significantly. "It's a pretty major implication for the Rio Orinoco," Stokes said. Past piracy The Casiquiare's hijacking is not the first time the Amazon has stolen a watershed from the Orinoco. Stokes and her colleagues point to evidence of two previous instances of piracy from the Orinoco. Combined with the redirection through the Rio Casiquiare, the diversions have added 250,000 square kilometers, a drainage area the size of Oregon, to the Amazon River Basin. Other researchers have published evidence of past diversions from the Rio Essequibo into the Amazon Basin. "It's part of this northern expansion of the Amazon River Basin," Stokes said. "The Amazon River did not used to be at the scale it is today." A map of the Amazon basin shows past and ongoing expansion of the basin through river capture. The bold black line traces the present boundary of the Amazon basin. The red line shows the future position of the boundary upon completion of the capture of the upper Rio Orinoco by the Rio Casiquiare. Gray lines show past positions of divides inferred from captures. The rivers plotted in orange are captured reaches; the rivers plotted in magenta are those that lost drainage area. Credit: Maya Stokes, Samuel Goldberg and Taylor Perron/ AGU Stokes said the bigger a river grows, the more power it has to wrest further diversions of water from neighbors. As the volume of water in the Amazon rose, so did the river's erosive power. Erosion in the headwaters of the Amazon's tributaries captured more water from neighboring basins, which further swelled and empowered the Amazon in an ongoing cycle. "We have this huge continental drainage system in the Amazon River and it is continually growing," Stokes said. A snapshot of river expansion Stokes and her colleagues are interested in how river systems grow to become continent-spanning behemoths like the Amazon. The slow menage a trois enacted by the Orinoco, Casiquiare and the Amazon offers a snapshot of how river systems expand. Although scientists believe river capture is a normal process, they rarely see it in action. Most examples have been reconstructed from evidence left by events that happened in the past. The mainstem of the upper Orinoco forks into the Casiquiare on a broad flat floodplain, where the high ground separating it from the Rio Negro basin rises only 3 to 10 meters (10 to 33 feet) above the river at low flow. During annual floods, the river rises about 4 meters (13 feet). The authors believe seasonal flooding breached the divide and through erosion, the Casiquiare branch eventually became a perennial channel. The process of river capture may be slower in lowlands, like the region where the Casiquiare splits from the Orinoco, than in the mountains, because the low grade allows sediments carried by current to settle and counter losses to erosion, the study suggests. "Having bifurcations that are stable like this really requires sediment deposition," Stokes said. More information: Maya F. Stokes et al. Ongoing River Capture in the Amazon, Geophysical Research Letters (2018). Journal information: Geophysical Research Letters Maya F. Stokes et al. Ongoing River Capture in the Amazon,(2018). DOI: 10.1029/2018GL078129 Provided by GeoSpace This story is republished courtesy of AGU Blogs (http://blogs.agu.org), a community of Earth and space science blogs, hosted by the American Geophysical Union. Read the original story here. Americans' views of possible uses of genetic engineering in animals vary depending on the mechanism and intended purpose of the technology, particularly the extent to which it would bring health benefits to humans, according to a new study released today by Pew Research Center. Presented with five different scenarios of animal genetic engineering that are currently available, in development or considered possible in the future, Americans provide majority support only for the two that have clear potential to pre-empt or ameliorate human illness. Seven-in-ten Americans believe that genetically engineering mosquitoes to prevent their reproductionthus limiting the spread of some mosquito-borne diseaseswould be an appropriate use of technology, and a 57% majority considers it appropriate to genetically engineer animals to grow organs or tissues that could be used for humans needing a transplant. However, other uses of animal biotechnology are less acceptable to the public, according to the nationally representative survey of 2,537 U.S. adults conducted April 23-May 6. Those applications are the creation of more nutritious meat for human consumption (43% say this is appropriate) or restoring an extinct animal species from a closely related species (32% say this is appropriate). And one use of animal biotechnology that is already commercially available is largely met with resistance: Just 21% of Americans consider it an appropriate use of technology to genetically engineer aquarium fish to glow, while 77% say this is taking technology too far. Those who objected to the use of genetic engineering of animals often raised the possibility of unknown risks for animals, humans or the ecosystem. Some saw these technologies as humankind inappropriately interfering with the natural world or raised general concerns about unknown risks. For instance, when invited to explain their views, those who opposed the idea of reviving extinct species often raised concerns about unintended harm to the ecosystem. About three-in-ten of those who said genetic engineering of mosquitoes would be taking technology too far explained that humankind would be disrupting nature (23%) or interfering with God's plan (8%). Some 24% raised concerns about the possible impact on the ecosystem. Other findings include: Men tend to be more accepting of animal genetic engineering than women. About two-thirds of men (65%) see genetic engineering of animals to grow human organs or tissues for transplants as appropriate, compared with about half of women (49%). 54% of men say that using biotechnology to produce more nutritious meat is appropriate, compared with 34% of women. But roughly equal shares of men (72%) and women (68%) say genetic engineering of mosquitoes to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses is appropriate. Those with high science knowledge tend to be more accepting of animal genetic engineering than those with medium or low science knowledge. Americans with high science knowledge (72%) are more inclined than those with medium (55%) or low (47%) science knowledge to say that genetic engineering of animals to grow human organs or tissues for transplants is appropriate. High-science-knowledge adults also are more inclined (47%) than those with medium (28%) or low (26%) science knowledge to say that genetic engineering of animals to revive extinct species is appropriate. Those low in religious commitment tend to be more accepting of animal genetic engineering than those with medium or high levels of religious commitment. A larger share of Americans with low religious commitment (68%) than with medium (54%) or high (48%) religious commitment consider genetic engineering of animals to grow human organs or tissues for transplants to be appropriate. Those with low religious commitment (44%) also are more likely than those with medium (29%) or high (21%) religious commitment to consider it appropriate to genetically engineer animals to bring back extinct species. The survey also finds that the 52% of Americans who oppose the use of animals in scientific research are also more inclined to consider genetic engineering of animals as taking technology too far. Explore further Public views of gene editing for babies depend on how it would be used More information: To read the report click here: To read the report click here: www.pewinternet.org/2018/08/16 y-oppose-other-uses/ Provided by Pew Research Center Credit: CC0 Public Domain Many of us regularly ask our smartphones for directions or to play music without giving much thought to the technology that makes it all possible we just want a quick, accurate response to our voice commands. With more businesses using artificial intelligence for various applications and to engage with consumers, the industry is working to make those interactions more human-like, said Zhu "Drew" Zhang, associate professor of information systems and Kingland Faculty Fellow in Business Analytics in Iowa State University's Ivy College of Business. Zhang is contributing to that effort by improving how machines, such as smartphones and computers, understand and generate language. "Computers were not built to handle the ambiguity of human language," Zhang said. "We have subtle ways of saying things with a similar meaning, using different words and linguistic structures and that is difficult for computational models to understand and mimic." Zhang says in business scenarios, for example, consumers can express similar opinions with very different linguistic forms: First statement: Nothing about this camera is exciting. Second statement: I don't like this product. Helping machines detect paraphrasing is one of the greatest challenges in the field of natural language processing. Zhang says attempting to code the overwhelming volume of linguistic rules and associated exceptions would be dauntingly unrealistic. Instead, researchers and industry leaders are using machine learning methods, which utilize large amounts of data to teach computers to recognize and understand language patterns in real use. New model well received Zhang and Amulya Gupta, an ISU graduate student in computer science, developed a new computational model based on deep learning to improve accuracy, precision and recall of detecting statements similar in meaning, but different in wording, structure and length. They tested the model using 50,000 sample sentence pairs, similar to the above example, and found it to be 80 to 85 percent accurate. That is encouraging, but Zhang says it only addresses "a small slice of a larger problem" in the field of artificial intelligence. He and Gupta recently presented a paper on their work at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics in Australia. Zhang says it is one of the top conferences for industry players, including Google, Microsoft and Amazon, as well as leading academics working on this issue. "Our research was very well received," Zhang said. "We talked with people at Microsoft and JD, the largest e-commerce company in China, and they saw potential in our work." Making machines feel human Zhang says the goal is to continue improving the model to make it more applicable to a variety of business scenarios. Customer service bots are a good example. Instead of pressing buttons from a menu of options when calling to refill a prescription, most consumers still prefer talking to a person. Zhang says it is not only important the bot sound human, but it must have the flexibility to adapt to individual callers. "This kind of capability adds a human touch," Zhang said. "The ability to manipulate languages is what makes the bot or other machines feel human." Explore further AI recreates chemistry's periodic table of elements More information: To Attend or not to Attend: A Case Study on Syntactic Structures for Semantic Relatedness. To Attend or not to Attend: A Case Study on Syntactic Structures for Semantic Relatedness. acl2018.org/paper/1321 Los Alamos scientist Jeanne Fair at Tsankawi on Bandelier National Monument, one area where the death of pinon pine trees may have caused a decline of some birds on the Pajarito Plateau. Credit: LANL Researchers have found declines in the number and diversity of bird populations at nine sites surveyed in northern New Mexico, where eight species vanished over time while others had considerably dropped. "These birds are not using these habitats anymore," said Los Alamos National Laboratory scientist Jeanne Fair, lead author of the study published recently in the journal Biological Conservation. The study, conducted on those sites covering several hundred acres on the Pajarito Plateau from 2003 to 2013, revealed a 73 percent decrease in abundance of birds, dropping from an average of 157 to 42 birds. The diversity of bird species also dropped by 45 percent, from a mean of 31 to 17 species. Some of the species impacted include the hairy woodpecker, western tanager and violet-green swallow. The decline of birds may be an early indicator of the significant loss of pinon pine trees due to prolonged drought, hotter temperatures and bark beetle outbreaks in the Southwest, according to the research. The study points to a forecast of the loss of pinon-juniper forests in the Southwest by 2100. Other Los Alamos studies suggest conifer trees in the region could die by 2050. "While avian communities regularly respond to changes in the environment, what's different now is that with predictions for a major loss of pine trees in the Southwest, we need to monitor the potential impact on wildlife that use these forests," Fair said. "If all these trees are going to die, what's going to happen with these bird communities?" The hairy woodpecker and western tanager, among the species that declined from 2003 - 2013. Credit: LANL "We need to dig deeper to find out what is actually happening. It will help us mitigate some of these problems," said Andrew Bartlow, an ecologist at Los Alamos and co-author of the study, who analyzed the data. To better understand the influence of drought and hotter temperatures on forests and avian communities, a future study will examine whether healthy forests at similar elevations also show declines in bird populations. It will also help determine whether other environmental factors may be at play. Explore further Study confirms beetles exploit warm winters to expand range More information: Jeanne M. Fair et al, Avian communities are decreasing with pinon pine mortality in the southwest, Biological Conservation (2018). Journal information: Biological Conservation Jeanne M. Fair et al, Avian communities are decreasing with pinon pine mortality in the southwest,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2018.06.035 Credit: Pexels.com Thirty years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a satirical ad in Hustler magazine was not libelous against the Rev. Jerry Falwell and did not intentionally cause him emotional distress because no reasonable person would believe Falwell lost his virginity to his mother in an outhouse while drunk. The media landscape has changed a great deal since then, and court rulings have recently tended to swing toward siding with people impersonating, satirizing and parodying via social media as well, research from the University of Kansas has shown. Genelle Belmas, associate professor of journalism, has co-authored and presented a study examining satire, impersonation and parody in the digital age. Focusing on court rulings in cases of social media, the study also examines how public figures have reacted to being parodied via social media and how the cultural landscape for such lampooning has evolved. Belmas and co-author Bastiaan Vanacker of Loyola University Chicago presented their findings in April at "The State of the Satirical Union" conference at the University of Minnesota, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Hustler v. Falwell. Cases that have gone to court over parodying via social media have recently tended to side with those doing the parody, the authors found. That shows a shift since parody rulings prior to social media. In the mid-'80s, "Wheel of Fortune" hostess Vanna White successfully sued Samsung Electronics for depicting a robot version of her, and the court refused to apply a parody defense. More recently, commercial parody cases have been protected. For example, a court upheld the rights of a company making "Chewy Vuiton" branded purse-shaped dog chew toys spoofing luxury brand Louis Vuitton, claiming there was no consumer confusion and that such parody was allowable. "The vast majority of these parody cases that are brought are intellectual property cases," Belmas said. "Trademark has some representation as well, and it was interesting for us to see the evolution into intellectual property areas. It shows we're OK with parodying, as long as it's not bullying or abuse." That society is becoming more comfortable with parody is evident on social media, especially Twitter, as countless parody accounts lampoon politicians, celebrities, athletes, corporations and others. The authors note that Twitter sets forth criteria for parody accounts, including clearly stating the work is satire, while other platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn do not. But, as the 2016 presidential election showed, not all accounts on Facebook were legitimately operated by the people they claimed to be. "We now know that millions of Facebook accounts were bots or bad actors at the time," Belmas said. "Their terms don't allow for parodic accounts, but maybe they should." Not surprisingly, politicians are frequent targets of parody social media accounts. The authors point out there are lessons to be learned in how best to respond to such accounts: Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was satirized by an account that posted foul-mouthed, though generally accepted as funny, tweets that clearly weren't coming from the candidate. Emanuel decided not to fight the account or threaten its creator with legal action, instead offering $5,000 to the charity of the creator's choosing if he or she revealed their identity. Eventually the creators came forward after Emanuel had won the election and proved to be a good sport about the issue. Another Illinois mayor, Jim Ardis of Peoria, decided to take action when parodied via Twitter and depicted as a foul-mouthed boozer obsessed with alcohol and drugs. The city notified Twitter of plans to sue, and the creator of the account was subjected to having his home and electronic devices searched and detainment. The mayor's emails discussing the case were later obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request and documented, and concern about First Amendment issues in prosecuting a citizen over a social media account led to Ardis being labeled as the poster child of thin-skinned politicians unable to take a joke and brought nationwide attention to the parody account, the authors wrote. In an age when the president of the United States' preferred method of communication is Twitter, the cases are noteworthy and can reveal a great deal about the qualities of leaders and elected officials. "I think there's a lesson there, certainly, for public officials," Belmas said. "You have to try to let it roll off. Because you expose yourself to the public for votes, you have to be able to take the good with the bad." In future research, Belmas plans to explore section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and how it may affect social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook and others that allow user comments. The section, in essence, protects such platforms from being sued for the actions of its users. However, recent legislation has passed stating the section does not extend to sites that support sex trafficking, and Belmas plans to study if that new legislation has direct or indirect consequences on the aforementioned sites. In the meantime, the findings were one of the first overall reviews of how courts have responded to impersonation, satire and parody on social media. The fact that courts tend to side with those doing the parody work shows that society has evolved to accept satire, given its growth from editorial cartoons to hugely popular programs such as "Saturday Night Live," "The Daily Show," "The Colbert Report" and others. "What we hadn't recognized before this was the attitude of, 'We're going to protect the rights of the company or person being parodied' to the pendulum swinging the other way," Belmas said. "I'd argue it's because of society becoming much more comfortable with parody and acknowledging it's a tool to get content, as well as laughing at and enjoying the content." Explore further The misappropriation of the identities of famous people on Twitter Say it for the tape. Credit: Photographee.eu Office clerk Stefan Kiszko spent 17 years in prison for the murder of schoolgirl Lesley Molseed in Rochdale in northwest England in 1975. Though he had confessed his guilt to the police at the time, evidence later proved he was innocent. I grew up in Rochdale and remember reading about the case in the local newspaper as a teenager. I always wondered why an innocent person would confess to a crime they hadn't committed. In fact, most people believe they wouldn't confess to a crime they hadn't committed. After all, it is counter-intuitive that an innocent person would do this. False confessions are usually retracted, yet once given they are difficult to discard. Jurors are usually not even swayed when it turns out the suspect was coerced during the interrogation. But innocent people do confess. According to research from the US, over 25% of people later exonerated by DNA evidence made a false confession. So, what makes an innocent person admit to a serious crime? Extracting confessions In the US and Canada, investigators typically use a type of interrogation known as the Reid Technique named after former Chicago police officer John Reid. Prior to an interrogation, suspects are observed for signs of lying and truth-telling. If the interviewer thinks they are lying, they interrogate them in a way that presumes guilt interrupting any denials and refusing to believe their account. As part of the technique, interviewers may also lie about evidence, for example telling the suspect they have failed a lie detector test or that their DNA was found at the scene. If a suspect thinks the jury will find them guilty, confessing may rationally seem the best thing to do. The Reid technique can even convince some innocent suspects that they are guilty. Suspects will sometimes reenact a crime they did not commit. In such cases, their detailed knowledge of the crime is damning, yet may have been fed to them during interrogation. In the UK, these coercive techniques are not permitted. The UK is a leader in ethical interviewing, thanks to a technique introduced in the early 1990s known as the investigative interview. It focuses on gathering information rather than obtaining a confession, and has significantly improved interview practice. Birmingham Six: Paddy Hill, Gerry Hunter, Johnny Walker, Hugh Callaghan, Richard McIlkenny and Billy Power. Credit: Wikimedia Suspects are treated more fairly and the evidence that is produced is higher quality. It is also mandatory to make an audio/video recording of the interview, which acts as an extra safeguard. Scotland, meanwhile, requires corroboration, meaning there must be independent evidence supporting the confession. Vulnerabilities Some people are more at risk of being influenced by manipulative interview techniques than others those who are more suggestible or who aim to please, for instance. Such people are more likely to agree with an officer's account of the event, or change answers based on feedback. Low self confidence and even sleep deprivation can further increase the likelihood of a false confession. The UK case of the Birmingham Six is a classic example of differences in people's susceptibility to confessing under pressure. It concerned the 1975 bombing of two Birmingham pubs, killing 21 and injuring almost 200 others. The attack was attributed to the provisional IRA, but the six innocent Irish Catholic immigrants who were handed life sentences were released 16 years later after they were deemed to have been wrongfully convicted. The men were severely abused in police custody, and personality tests later showed that the four who confessed were more suggestible and compliant than the two that didn't. Certain types of question can also lead to inaccurate accounts. Leading questions can alter a person's memory of an event. They might narrow response options or presume certain information to be true. In one study, for example, asking people whether they had seen "the" broken headlight rather than "a" broken headlight doubled the number who falsely remembered seeing it. Fans of TV series Making a Murderer will recognise such questions from the interviews of Brendan Dassey. Despite being a minor with a below-average IQ, he was interviewed without a lawyer, and many believe it was a coercive interrogation. He confessed to playing a part in the murder of Teresa Halbach and is currently serving a life sentence. Children and vulnerable adults are particularly susceptible to false confessions. They may have less understanding of consequences, or may focus on the short-term reward of finishing the interview. Despite having a mental age of around 12 years and a low IQ, for example, Stefan Kiszko was interviewed in Rochdale without a solicitor. At the trial, he retracted his confession and claimed the police had bullied him into his statement. He said he had believed that the evidence would absolve him, yet no such evidence reached the jury. Sadly, Kiszko died shortly after his release. His mother, who had fought tirelessly to clear his name, died a year later. He never received the compensation he was due. The real culprit, Ronald Castree, was only identified in 2007. There will always be guilty people who deny their crimes, but we must remember the presumption of innocence until guilt is proven. There is a high risk of false confessions in some countries, and even in the UK, they are not eliminated entirely. To prevent further miscarriages of justice, suspects' psychological vulnerabilities must be recognised and appropriate procedures put in place. Researchers and legal professionals need to increase public awareness so that jurors understand the social and psychological risk factors to this end, I'm doing a show on this subject at this year's Edinburgh Fringe. Jurors need to understand that it's wrong to assume that confessions are always true, before it destroys the lives of any more people standing in the dock. Explore further Feeling sleepy? You might be at risk of falsely confessing to a crime you did not commit This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. 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 classso goes the hypothesis. 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 people grow up inscribes itself deeply into their 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. Therefore, they 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 in which shaping the environment according to one's own preferences is paramount. These different modes of behavior therefore constitute adaptations 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. Explore further Students' social skills flourish best in groups with similar skill levels More information: Anna Lisa Aydin et al, The Effect of Social Class on Agency and Communion, Social Psychological and Personality Science (2018). Journal information: Social Psychological and Personality Science Anna Lisa Aydin et al, The Effect of Social Class on Agency and Communion,(2018). DOI: 10.1177/1948550618785162 In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, a conservationist holds up a tiny sea turtle that just hatched from its nest on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, with the increase in numbers all the more remarkable as the Green turtle given that it only lays eggs in Cyprus and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) For these ancient reptiles, a stretch of beach on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been their home for thousands of years. Against the setting sun, the tiny turtles that have just hatched on Lara Beach strain against the surf to reach the Mediterranean Sea and embark on their life's journey. And in 20 to 30 years, they'll be back at this exact location to lay their own eggs. After being hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century, the Mediterranean's endangered Loggerhead and Green turtles are making a comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts, Cypriot marine biologists say. When those efforts began in 1978, there were just 300 turtle nests on the island's beaches where the reptiles return to lay their eggs. The population has grown to around 1,100 nests last year, said Andreas Demetropoulos, the founder and co-head of a turtle conservation program under the island-nation's Fisheries and Marine Research Department. That may not sound a lot, but with the turtles' reproductive cycles stretching out as long as three decades, the results are "quite spectacular," said Demetropoulos. This increase is especially encouraging for the Green turtle, which lays its eggs in only two countriesTurkey and European Union member Cyprus. There are only about 1,500 female Green turtles that lay eggs in those two countries, as opposed to 6,000 female Loggerheador Careta Caretaturtles that lay eggs across the Mediterranean. In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, beachgoers observe a tiny sea turtle that just hatched trying to reach the Mediterranean's warm waters on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, with the increase in numbers all the more remarkable for the Green turtle given that it only lays eggs in Cyprus and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) According to marine biologist and conservation program co-head Myroula Hadjichristophorou, Cyprus has 200-300 Green turtles who lay eggs while the number for Loggerheads is more than double that. Cyprus instituted its conservation program long before any other EU member and that has paid dividends, said Hadjichristoforou. Efforts include guarding against the turtles' main predatorfoxesand passing crucial legislation in 1989 that allowed conservationists to protect two key beaches in the island's west and northwest, keeping curious locals and tourists at bay. Before this, residents would camp on the beach and fire up barbeques with little concern for the turtles. But over time, Hadjichristophorou says the region has built up a conservationist culturefrom schoolkids to adultsso that folks who spot something like an injured turtle notify the authorities immediately. Turtles have been around for 200 million years on Earth but have called the Mediterranean home only for about 10,000 years, said Hadjichristophorou. Remarkably, the turtles' own ingrained "biological GPS" brings them back to lay their eggs to the same beaches that their ancestors chose thousands of years ago. "When people come here with their families, their children, they see the babies coming out of their nests, this is something that they will never forget," said Hadjichristophorou. In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, tiny sea turtle that just hatched reaches Mediterranean's surf on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, after being hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, a sea turtle soon after hatching, strains against the surf to reach the waters of the Mediterranean Sea as the sun sets on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, after being hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, a tiny sea turtle that just hatched strains against the surf to reach the waters of the Mediterranean Sea as the image of onlookers is reflected on the sand on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, after being hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, Marine biologists Andreas Pistentis holds a bucket in each hand as he walks among sea turtle nests on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Turtles have been around for around 200 million years though the Loggerhead and Green turtles were hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century, they are now making a dramatic comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts on Cyprus. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, a beachgoer stands in front of his umbrella and other personal items that are surrounded by fenced-off Loggerhead and Green turtle nests on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, and the increase in numbers is all the more remarkable for the Green turtle given that it only lays eggs in Cyprus and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, young onlookers observe a tiny turtle that just hatched trying to reach the waters of the Mediterranean on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Turtles have been around for around 200 million years though the Loggerhead and Green turtles were hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century, they are now making a dramatic comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts on Cyprus. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, a tiny sea turtle that just hatched makes a trail on the wet sand as it tries to reach the warm waters of the Mediterranean along Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Turtles have been around for around 200 million years though the Loggerhead and Green turtles were hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century, they are now making a dramatic comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts on Cyprus. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, Onlookers surround marine biologists Andreas Demetropoulos, kneeling, center, and Myroula Hadjichristophorou, seated, right, as they try to pull out sea turtles that just hatched from a nest on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Turtles have been around for around 200 million years though the Loggerhead and Green turtles were hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century, they are now making a dramatic comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts on Cyprus. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, Onlookers surround marine biologists Andreas Demetropoulos, kneeling, center, and Myroula Hadjichristophorou, seated, right, as they try to pull out sea turtles that just hatched from a nest on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades. The increase in numbers is all the more remarkable for the Green turtle given that it only lays eggs in Cyprus and Turkey. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, Visitors observe a tiny sea turtle that just hatched on Cyprus' protected Lara beach heading toward the Mediterranean sea. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, after being hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century.(AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this photo taken on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, marine biologist Myroula Hadjichristophorou holds a tiny sea turtle that just hatched from its nest on Cyprus' protected Lara beach. Cyprus' Green and Loggerhead turtles have made a strong comeback thanks to pioneering conservation efforts stretching back decades, after being hunted to near extinction in the first half of the last century. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Explore further Cyprus offers safe haven for turtles across divide 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Martha Burford Reiskind and colleagues found rapid genetic changes in A. aegypti females facing invasion by cousin mosquitoes. Credit: Martha Burford Reiskind. Certain female mosquitoes quickly evolve more selective mating behavior when faced with existential threats from other invasive mosquito species, with concurrent changes to certain genetic regions, according to new research from North Carolina State University. The findings shed light on the genetics behind insect mating behavior and could have implications for controlling mosquito pests that plague humans. At issue is the displacement of Aedes aegypti (yellow fever) mosquitos by a cousin species, Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger), which occurred in the southeastern United States in the 1980s. In this "battle of the Aedes," the invading A. albopictus decimated A. aegypti populations throughout the Southeast, leaving smaller A. aegypti populations in Key West, Florida, Arizona and a few other southern locales. A. aegypti mosquitoes carry and spread many diseases that harm humans, including Zika, dengue fever and chikungunya. Part of the takeover was attributed to how the larvae of each species grew; A. albopictus mosquitoes seemed to be able to outcompete the native mosquitoes. But another factor also played a huge role in the battle: When A. aegypti females mated with A. albopictus malesa genetic no-nothose females became sterile for life, a process called "satyrization." A. albopictus females didn't face the same fate; no offspring were produced when they mated with A. aegypti males, but they were later able to be fertile when mating with males of their own species. Martha Burford Reiskind, research assistant professor in the Department of Applied Ecology at NC State and corresponding author of a paper describing the research, and colleagues wanted to understand more about how A. aegypti females respond to this type of threat and what happens in their genetic blueprint as their responses change. The researchers found that A. aegypti females quicklyin just six generationsbecame more picky when selecting mates, eschewing A. albopictus males for males of their own species. This response occurred when A. aegypti females were exposed to cousin males in the lab and in the wild. Geographic location didn't seem to make a difference: The female mosquitoes in both Florida and Arizona exhibited similar genetic changes. "We wanted to know what genes were involved in the evolution of this choosiness in female A. aegypti mosquitoes," Burford Reiskind said. "We can now look at certain gene regions and feel confident that they are involved in mating behavior." Choosiness had its costs, though. Burford Reiskind said choosy female A. aegypti mosquitoes mated later in their brief lifespansmost live for two or three weeksand were generally smaller. "Invasive species are often seen as better competitors for scant resources, but that doesn't seem to be the case for these mosquitoes," Burford Reiskind said. "This study suggests other mechanisms are at play." Burford Reiskind hopes to continue learning more about the genes involved in mating behaviors by conducting a larger-scale study, perhaps in places where A. aegypti and A. albopictus mosquitoes live in relatively equal densities. The research appears in Molecular Ecology. Explore further Sterilised mosquito trial slashes dengue-spreading population More information: M O Burford Reiskind et al, Rapid evolution and the genomic consequences of selection against interspecific mating, Molecular Ecology (2018). Journal information: Molecular Ecology M O Burford Reiskind et al, Rapid evolution and the genomic consequences of selection against interspecific mating,(2018). DOI: 10.1111/mec.14821 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Despite believing that race relations are getting worse, a majority of Americans agree that someone's racial identity is not hard-wired into their DNA, according to a new survey by Northwestern University's Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy (CSDD), in collaboration with DNA testing company 23andMe. The recent availability of at-home DNA testing has helped millions of Americans learn the traits, heritage and history they share with each other. While there is a long history of polling to look at attitudes regarding race relations, this new survey is the first to look at people's perceptions and attitudes regarding race and genetics, said Alvin B. Tillery, Jr., director of CSDD. Tillery, who led the study with Joanna Mountain, senior director of research at 23andMe, said he was surprised by some of the results. "What I expected is that about two-thirds of Americans would believe that race and genetics are tightly bound together. We found the opposite," he said. "Only about a third of Americans nationally see a strong connection." About 51 percent of Americans think that race is separate from DNA, while only 34 percent said they believe genetics "totally" determines racial identity, according to the survey. The science also supports this nuanced understanding of racial categories. In fact, what we think of as race is largely a "social construct," not a biological one, Tillery said. Each person is actually 99.5 percent genetically similar. But the survey also found that race relations are at a low point, a problem that has been confirmed in other polling data. About 73 percent said racism is a problem, and more than half of those surveyed (56 percent) said race relations are getting worse, not better. At the same time, Tillery said there was much to be optimistic about from this survey, which could point toward future research on Americans' evolving perceptions around race. For example, about 35 percent of Americans said that culture plays a role in racial identity. The same percentage said history also plays a role. About 18 percent said that racial identity is based on a personal choice. Fewer than half of Americans, 48 percent, said that skin color is the best way to identify a person's race. Latinosthe most admixed populationwere more likely to reject skin color to determine racial identity. About half of the respondents of Asian descent in the survey said that shared culture was a key factor in their racial identity, versus 35 percent of the population as a whole. "What seems important to me is how responses differed across the groups," said Mountain, 23andMe's senior director of research, who was also involved in designing the study. "I'm excited by how the results of this survey can kick start a frank conversation about genetics and racial identity." Tillery said the point wasn't just to look at race and genetics, but also whether testing might be making matters better or worse. Some critics of DNA testing argue that it reinforces racial differences. They point to something called "reification theory," a concept that in this context means DNA testing solidifies people's definitions of racial categories, making them seem more concrete. But there isn't much evidence to support this. It's possible that testing does the opposite by reminding people of how mixed we all are, but neither theory has yet been proven. 23andMe plans to do follow-up surveys to learn more. About the study Data were collected using an internet-based sample collected by YouGov for the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy at Northwestern University, in collaboration with 23andMe. The study was paid for by 23andMe. Participants were invited to participate in the survey between May 29 and June 5, 2018. The total sample size is 3000 including a nationally representative sample of 1,500 adults 18 years or older, plus over samples of 500 each of Asian American, African American, and Latino American individuals. The margin of error is approximately +/- 3 percent. Explore further Poll finds most African-Americans view Black Lives Matter as an effective movement Steve McFadden, 49, of Plattsburgh, N.Y. gazes at Long Nook Beach in Truro, Mass., on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. Authorities closed the Cape Cod beach to swimmers after a man was attacked by a shark on Wednesday, the first attack on a person in Massachusetts since 2012. The unidentified victim survived the attack and was airlifted to a Boston hospital. (AP Photo/William J. Kole) On a windswept dune overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, hastily erected signs warned Cape Cod beachgoers to stay out of the water on Thursday, a day after a New York man became the first person to be attacked by a shark off the coast of Massachusetts since 2012. The victim, William Lytton, of Scarsdale, New York, was airlifted to a hospital in Boston, where he was being treated for deep puncture wounds to his torso and leg after staggering to shore, dazed and bleeding. The hospital said Lytton, 61, remained in serious condition, and his family asked for privacy. Police said Lytton was bitten by a shark while wading about 30 yards (27 meters) off Long Nook Beach in Truro, on the outer coastline of the peninsula. The area is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, a major summer tourism destination. In a scene reminiscent of the movie "Jaws," Massachusetts' foremost shark expert, Greg Skomal, planned to speak with Lytton and examine his wounds to see if he was bitten by a great white shark. Numerous great white sightings have been reported in the area, which is frequented by seals, and witnesses reported seeing seals in the water just before the attack. Truro was the site of the last shark attack in Massachusetts, in July 2012, when a Colorado man on nearby Ballston Beach suffered a bite that required 47 stitches. The state's last shark attack fatality was in 1936. Steve McFadden, 49, of Plattsburgh, N.Y., gazes at Long Nook Beach in Truro, Mass., on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. Authorities closed the Cape Cod beach to swimmers after a man was attacked by a shark on Wednesdaythe first attack on a person in Massachusetts since 2012. The unidentified victim survived the attack and was airlifted to a Boston hospital. (AP Photo/William J. Kole) "They're there, just as much as the sunrise and sunset. We're just guests," vacationer Steven McFadden, of Plattsburgh, New York, said as he watched waves break on the deserted beach at dawn. "I'll cool my feet off sometimes, but I'm not going to swim. I don't want to be that guy." Town officials said the beach would be closed to swimming at least through Friday, and they put up signs that read, "Danger, No Swimming." A few of the nearly 40 miles (65 kilometers) of coast that comprise the Cape Cod National Shoreline will be off limits. Town manager Rae Ann Palmer said several shark sightings were reported Thursday, but she did not have details. A man is transferred from a Truro ambulance to a MedFlight helicopter after being attacked by a shark, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 in South Wellfleet, Mass. A man swimming off Cape Cod was attacked by a shark on Wednesday and was airlifted to a hospital. It was the first shark attack on a human on the popular summer tourist destination since 2012. (Merrily Cassidy The area is a feeding ground for seals, which draw sharks, and authorities regularly caution people to avoid the water whenever seals are present. "We hope people understand sharks are part of the ecosystem on Cape Cod," said Brian Carlstrom, superintendent of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Despite the public's primal fear of sharks, the odds of being killed by one are roughly 1 in 3.7 million, according to the National Aquarium in Baltimore. A sign warns visitors to Long Nook Beach of recent shark sightings, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 in Truro, Mass. A man swimming off Cape Cod was attacked by a shark on Wednesday and was airlifted to a hospital. It was the first shark attack on a human on the popular summer tourist destination since 2012. (Merrily Cassidy/The Cape Cod Times via AP) An organization that studies sharks, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, said shark encounters in which people are injured are as "terrifying as they are rare." "While we still don't know all of the details of this particular bite, sharks are not known to target people specifically and when they do bite people it's usually a case of mistaken identity," the group said in a statement. "Sharks 'test the waters' with their teeth, much like we use our hands. It's how they determine if what they encounter is prey or something to avoid." Andrea Worthington, of Schenectady, New York, and her husband, Rob Olberg, walked their dogs on Long Nook Beach at sunrise on Thursday but heeded the warnings not to swim. A MedFlight helicopter takes off from behind Cape Cod National Seashore headquarters with a man who was attacked by a shark, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 in South Wellfleet, Mass. A man swimming off Cape Cod was attacked by a shark on Wednesday and was airlifted to a hospital. It was the first shark attack on a human on the popular summer tourist destination since 2012. (Merrily Cassidy/The Cape Cod Times via AP) They said they were swimming about 20 yards (18 meters) offshore just a few hours before the attack and later were chilled to realize they'd shared the waters with a shark. "We saw the seals and came in," Worthington said. "It's never a good time to be in the water." A man is transferred from a Truro ambulance to a MedFlight helicopter after being attacked by a shark, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 in South Wellfleet, Mass. A man swimming off Cape Cod was attacked by a shark on Wednesday and was airlifted to a hospital. It was the first shark attack on a human on the popular summer tourist destination since 2012. (Merrily Cassidy Explore further More great white sharks appear to be visiting off Cape Cod 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Astronomers have just assembled one of the most comprehensive portraits yet of the universe's evolutionary history, based on a broad spectrum of observations by the Hubble Space Telescope and other space and ground-based telescopes. In particular, Hubble's ultraviolet vision opens a new window on the evolving universe, tracking the birth of stars over the last 11 billion years back to the cosmos' busiest star-forming period, about 3 billion years after the big bang. This photo encompasses a sea of approximately 15,000 galaxies -- 12,000 of which are star-forming -- widely distributed in time and space. This mosaic is 14 times the area of the Hubble Ultra Violet Ultra Deep Field released in 2014. Credit: NASA, ESA, P. Oesch (University of Geneva), and M. Montes (University of New South Wales) Astronomers using the ultraviolet vision of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have captured one of the largest panoramic views of the fire and fury of star birth in the distant universe. The field features approximately 15,000 galaxies, about 12,000 of which are forming stars. Hubble's ultraviolet vision opens a new window on the evolving universe, tracking the birth of stars over the last 11 billion years back to the cosmos' busiest star-forming period, which happened about 3 billion years after the big bang. Ultraviolet light has been the missing piece to the cosmic puzzle. Now, combined with infrared and visible-light data from Hubble and other space and ground-based telescopes, astronomers have assembled one of the most comprehensive portraits yet of the universe's evolutionary history. The image straddles the gap between the very distant galaxies, which can only be viewed in infrared light, and closer galaxies, which can be seen across a broad spectrum. The light from distant star-forming regions in remote galaxies started out as ultraviolet. However, the expansion of the universe has shifted the light into infrared wavelengths. By comparing images of star formation in the distant and nearby universe, astronomers glean a better understanding of how nearby galaxies grew from small clumps of hot, young stars long ago. Because Earth's atmosphere filters most ultraviolet light, Hubble can provide some of the most sensitive space-based ultraviolet observations possible. The program, called the Hubble Deep UV (HDUV) Legacy Survey, extends and builds on the previous Hubble multi-wavelength data in the CANDELS-Deep (Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey) fields within the central part of the GOODS (The Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey) fields. This mosaic is 14 times the area of the Hubble Ultra Violet Ultra Deep Field released in 2014. This image is a portion of the GOODS-North field, which is located in the northern constellation Ursa Major. Explore further Hubble unveils a colorful view of the universe Credit: University of Kent The use of Internet of Things devices in the classroom can have major educational benefits and appeal to both genders if designed and used in the right way. Researchers from the School of Engineering and Digital Arts (EDA) worked in primary schools in northern Thailand to test how a specially designed Internet of Educational Things (IoET) device could improve both active learning engagement and outcomes. To do this the researchers, led by Dr. Jim Ang and Ph.D. student Pruet Putjorn, developed a bespoke IoET platform called OBSY (Observation Learning System) that featured several components, such as a light reader and temperate monitor, which could then send data wirelessly to tablet computers the children had already been provided with by the Thai government. The OBSY device was designed to be as 'friendly' looking as possible, akin to a toy, to encourage curiosity in children as prior research had shown more typical-looking technological devices put children off and created learning anxieties. The device was then used as a key part of three different classroom experiments: studying the growth of mould in different conditions, learning about the different factors that influence the growth of mushrooms and seeing how much light can pass through different objects. Students using the OBSY tool were able to carry out these experiments in a variety of ways, such as using its camera to take photos or videos and compare them, monitoring changes in temperature in the objects being studied or measuring the amount of light passing through an object. They were then able to see this information which had been sent directly from the OBSY on graphs and other visual displays on their tablets, helping to improve their understanding of how different conditions led to different results. From this the researchers were able to show that the children using the OBSY tool had markedly higher learning engagement and crucially improved learning outcomes than that of a control class that did the same experiments but without access to the OBSY platform. Furthermore, the feedback also showed that gender, age and prior use of technology had no impact on learning outcomes, underlining its educational potential. In particular, the positive feedback by both males and females to the OBSY platform demonstrates that, despite previous studies suggesting boys are more receptive to technology-based learning, it is possible to design tools and platforms that can be used equally well by both sexes. Lead researcher Pruet Putjorn said: 'The experiment with OBSY proves the potential for IoET devices across a wide variety of age ranges and could help with other deployments of similar systems in schools to help with the educational development of young children.' The paper, titled "Investigating the use of sensor-based IoET to facilitate learning for children in rural Thailand," has been published in the journal PLOS One. Explore further Does good attendance equal good grades? More information: Pruet Putjorn et al. Investigating the use of sensor-based IoET to facilitate learning for children in rural Thailand, PLOS ONE (2018). Journal information: PLoS ONE Pruet Putjorn et al. Investigating the use of sensor-based IoET to facilitate learning for children in rural Thailand,(2018). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201875 An uninfected water flea (top right) and an infected water flea (lower left). IU researchers studied the effect of temperature on the infection of water fleas, or Daphnia, by the fungal pathogen Metschnikowia. Credit: Meghan Duffy, University of Michigan New research from Indiana University suggests that computer models used to predict the spread of epidemics from climate changesuch as crop blights or disease outbreaksmay not take into account an important factor in predicting their severity. A study recently published in the journal Ecology has found that pathogens that grow inside organisms at higher temperatures produce offspring that cause higher rates of infection compared to pathogens that grow inside organisms at lower temperatures. This suggests that climate can cause an "echo effect" in future pathogens, ultimately making them more infectious. "It's well known that environment can affect offspring across generations in plants and animals," said Spencer Hall, a professor in the IU Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Biology, who is senior author on the study. "This study is one of the first to suggest that similar cross-generational effects occur in parasites and pathogens." The work was led by Marta Strecker Shocket, a Ph.D. student in Hall's lab at the time of the study. Hall is also a member of the Environment Resilience Institute at IU, part of the IU Prepared for Environmental Change Grand Challenge. "If past environmental conditions impact the frequency or severity of future infections, then current climate models are not taking an important factor into consideration when predicting threats from climate change," said Shocket, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. "This might include threats to animals, plants and people." The researchers' analysis draws in part upon research in water fleas conducted at three freshwater lakes in southern Indiana where Hall's lab has collected samples since 2009. Located on the site of a former coal mine in Green-Sullivan State Forest in Linton, Indiana, the lakes are known locally as Lake Gambill, Lake Clear and Lake Scott. Marta Shocket, a Ph.D. student at IU at the time of the study, collects samples on a lake in Greene-Sullivan State Forest in southern Indiana. Credit: Courtesy Indiana University Water fleas, also known as Daphnia, are small crustaceans that contribute to the health of lakes by feeding on algae. Without these organisms to control algae, a lake can quickly degrade into a turgid brew that resembles pea soup. Water fleas are susceptible to infection from a fungal pathogen called Metschnikowia, which reproduces inside water fleas as needle-like spores that multiply until they kill them and burst out of their bodies to infect the next generation. A single autumn can produce six to 10 generations of the spores, with up to 60 percent of water fleas infected at the epidemic's peak. For the study, Shocket conducted lab experiments that found that the fungus caused more infections when higher temperatures were observed in the previous generations of water fleas. She then conducted research in the field to compare the lab results against fresh lake samples collected in late autumn. The analysis found that an increase of merely 6.5 degrees Fahrenheit caused the fungal spores to become two to five times more likely to infect a new host. Shocket said additional research is needed to explore these effects in other pathogen systems, especially since they could have an impact on agriculture. This is because the effect of climate across generations in parasites is more likely to have an impact on cold-blooded host organisms, such as crop plants or the insects that eat them. The study also features mathematical methods to predict the effect of temperature changes on spore infectiousness across generations. Hall said the principles behind these models could potentially enhance other simulations that draw upon many factors to predict disease outbreaks. "The translation of observational data into computational models is important in the field of ecology since nature is so messy," he added. "The refinement of the algorithms to predict risks from climate is a crucial step in our ability to prepare for environmental change." Explore further Water fleas genetically adapt to climate change More information: Marta S. Shocket et al, Parasite rearing and infection temperatures jointly influence disease transmission and shape seasonality of epidemics, Ecology (2018). Journal information: Ecology Marta S. Shocket et al, Parasite rearing and infection temperatures jointly influence disease transmission and shape seasonality of epidemics,(2018). DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2430 A self-driving Nuro vehicle parks outside a Fry's supermarket, which is owned by Kroger, as part of a pilot program for grocery deliveries Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Scottsdale, Ariz. Kroger Co. has chosen the Phoenix suburb as a test market for delivering groceries using driverless cars. The Toyota Prius will be used for the deliveries, manned by a human to monitor its performance. During phase two in the fall, deliveries will be made by a completely autonomous vehicle, called an R1, with no human aboard. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) At a time when big-box retailers are trying to offer the same conveniences as their online competitors, the biggest U.S. grocery chain is testing the use of driverless cars to deliver groceries in a Phoenix suburb. Kroger's pilot program launched Thursday morning with a robotic vehicle parked outside one of its own Fry's supermarkets in Scottsdale. A store clerk loaded the back seat with full grocery bags. A man was in the driver's seat and another was in the front passenger seat with a laptop. Both were there to monitor the car's performance. Under the self-driving service, shoppers can order same-day or next-day delivery online or on a mobile app for a flat rate of about $6. After the order is placed, a driverless vehicle will deliver the groceries curbside, requiring customers to be present to fetch them. The vehicles will probably be opened with a numeric code. Currently, Kroger is operating with Toyota Prius vehicles. During the next phase of testing in the fall, deliveries will be made by a completely autonomous vehicle with no human aboard. Cincinnati-based Kroger Co., is partnering with Nuro, a Silicon Valley startup founded by two engineers who worked on autonomous vehicles at Google. "Our goal is to save people time, while operating safely and learning how we can further improve the experience," Nuro co-founder Dave Ferguson said in a statement. Fry's customer service representative Yuri Alvarado puts groceries into the self-driving Nuro vehicle parked outside a Fry's supermarket, which is owned by Kroger, as part of a pilot program for grocery deliveries Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Scottsdale, Ariz. Kroger Co. has chosen the Phoenix suburb as a test market for delivering groceries using driverless cars. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) The Google autonomous vehicle project is called Waymo, which started a similar pilot program last month at Walmart stores in Phoenix. In that case, self-driving vehicles transport customers to and from their selected Walmart location to pick up online grocery orders. That is not the only venture Waymo has in metropolitan Phoenix. Waymo has been trying out a service where bus and light rail riders can order an autonomous car to their nearest transit stop. Employees with Valley Metro, the agency that manages Phoenix-area transit lines, are currently serving as test riders. The project, started earlier this month, has Waymo employees gathering data from test drives, the agency said. Arizona continues to be a testing ground for self-driving technology, despite a fatal crash involving an autonomous vehicle earlier this year. A self-driving Uber SUV struck and killed a woman in March in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe. The 49-year-old was crossing a darkened road outside of a crosswalk. But a National Transportation and Safety Board investigation showed the backup driver had been streaming a television show for more than 40 minutes before the accident, while the vehicle was in autonomous mode. Uber later ended the testing of self-driving cars in Arizona. But the company has since relaunched its autonomous vehicles in Pittsburgh. Fry's customer service representative Yuri Alvarado puts groceries into the self-driving Nuro vehicle parked outside a Fry's supermarket, which is owned by Kroger, as part of a pilot program for grocery deliveries Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Scottsdale, Ariz. Kroger Co. has chosen the Phoenix suburb as a test market for delivering groceries using driverless cars. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Fry's customer service representative Yuri Alvarado puts groceries into the self-driving Nuro vehicle parked outside a Fry's supermarket, which is owned by Kroger, as part of a pilot program for grocery deliveries Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Scottsdale, Ariz. Kroger Co. has chosen the Phoenix suburb as a test market for delivering groceries using driverless cars. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) A self-driving Nuro vehicle parks outside a Fry's supermarket, which is owned by Kroger, as part of a pilot program for grocery deliveries Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Scottsdale, Ariz. Kroger Co. has chosen the Phoenix suburb as a test market for delivering groceries using driverless cars. The Toyota Prius will be used for the deliveries, manned by a human to monitor its performance. During phase two in the fall, deliveries will be made by a completely autonomous vehicle, called an R1, with no human aboard. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) This undated image provided by The Kroger Co. shows an autonomous vehicle called the R1. Kroger will begin testing grocery deliveries using driverless cars outside of Phoenix. The grocery chain said the project will begin Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Scottsdale, at a Fry's supermarket, which is owned by Kroger. The Toyota Prius will be used for the deliveries, manned by a human to monitor its performance. During phase two in the fall deliveries will be made by the R1 with no human aboard. (The Kroger Co. via AP) This undated image provided by The Kroger Co. shows an autonomous vehicle called the R1. Kroger will begin testing grocery deliveries using driverless cars outside of Phoenix. The grocery chain said the project will begin Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Scottsdale, at a Fry's supermarket, which is owned by Kroger. The Toyota Prius will be used for the deliveries, manned by a human to monitor its performance. During phase two in the fall deliveries will be made by the R1 with no human aboard. (The Kroger Co. via AP) This June 15, 2017, file photo shows bagged purchases from the Kroger grocery store in Flowood, Miss. Kroger Co. has chosen a Phoenix suburb as the launching pad for delivering groceries to doorsteps using driverless cars. The U.S. grocer will begin the testing phase of the self-driving service Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, at a Fry's supermarket in Scottsdale. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File) A self-driving Nuro vehicle parks outside a Fry's supermarket, which is owned by Kroger, as part of a pilot program for grocery deliveries Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Scottsdale, Ariz. Kroger Co. has chosen the Phoenix suburb as a test market for delivering groceries using driverless cars. The Toyota Prius will be used for the deliveries, manned by a human to monitor its performance. During phase two in the fall, deliveries will be made by a completely autonomous vehicle, called an R1, with no human aboard. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Explore further Kroger to test grocery deliveries with driverless cars 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. (Left) an electron microscope image of a microfossil form Strelley Pool. On the right we see the pattern of X-ray absorption for Strelley Pool, Gunflint, and modern microorganisms, with distinctive peaks indicating the presence of various molecular functional groups (including 285.1 eV for aromatic/olefinic groups, 286.7 eV for imine/nitrile/carbonyl/phenol groups, 288.2 eV for amide groups, 288.6 eV for carboxyl/ester/acetal groups, 289.4 eV for hydroxyl groups). Credit: Julian Alleon/GPL Scientists have confirmed that the 3.4 billion year old Strelley Pool microfossils had chemical characteristics similar to modern bacteria. This all but confirms their biological origin and ranks them amongst the world's oldest microfossils. The work is presented at the Goldschmidt geochemistry conference in Boston, with simultaneous publication in the peer-reviewed journal Geochemical Perspectives Letters. A team of scientists, led by Dr. Julien Alleon (IMPMC, Paris, France; and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA) have been able to show that the chemical residuals from ancient microfossils match those of younger bacterial fossils, and so are likely to have been laid down by early life forms. They compared the results of synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis of the Strelley Pool microfossils with more recent ones from the Gunflint Formation (1.9 billion years old, found on the shores of Lake Superior, Ontario, Canada) and with modern bacteria.All showed similar absorption features, indicating that the residual chemicals were made from the same building blocks, thereby supporting a biological origin. Dr. Jullien Alleon said: "There are a couple of important points which come out of this work. Firstly, we demonstrate that the elemental and molecular characteristics of these 3.4 Ga microfossils are consistent with biological remains, slightly degraded by fossilization processes. This effectively supports the biological origin of the Strelley Pool microfossils. There are competing claims over which microfossils are actually the world's oldest, this analytical strategy needs to be applied to other ancient samples to help settle the controversy. Secondly, it is remarkable that these echoes of past life have survived the extreme conditions they have experienced over the last 3.4 billion years: we know from the molecular structure of the microfossils that they have been exposed to temperatures of up to 300 C for long periods. And yet we are still able to see signs of their original chemistry. This is a step forward to confirming that these are indeed the oldest fossils yet discovered." Commenting, Professor Vickie Bennett (Australian National University) said: "This is exciting work with the new types of analyses providing compelling evidence that the cherts contain biogenic microfossils. This is in line with other observations for early life from the Strelley Pool rocks, including stromatolites interpreted as microbial mats, and further confirming that the minimum age for life on Earth is 3.4 billion years. The techniques used here are not applicable to the older rocks that host the claims for the oldest terrestrial life, as these rocks were exposed to much higher temperatures. These samples include the 3.7 billion year old stromatolites from Isua, Greenland and the 4.1 billion year old Canadian microfossils. However, this work shows how quickly the field is developing and that new capabilities for testing and confirming earlier evidence of life are in reach". Explore further Earth's oldest fossils boost hopes for life on Mars More information: Alleon J., Bernard S., Le Guillou C., Beyssac O., Sugitani K. & Robert F. Chemical nature of the 3.4 Ga Strelley Pool microfossils. Geochemical Perspectives Letters 7, 37-42, 2018 - Alleon J., Bernard S., Le Guillou C., Beyssac O., Sugitani K. & Robert F. Chemical nature of the 3.4 Ga Strelley Pool microfossils.7, 37-42, 2018 - DOI: 10.7185/geochemlet.1817 Provided by Goldschmidt Conference This illustration is an ecological reconstruction of the mid-Cretaceous beetle Cretoparacucujus burmiticus. Credit: Chenyang Cai Flowering plants are well known for their special relationship to the insects and other animals that serve as their pollinators. But, before the rise of angiosperms, another group of unusual evergreen gymnosperms, known as cycads, may have been the first insect-pollinated plants. Now, researchers reporting in the journal Current Biology on August 16 have uncovered the earliest definitive fossil evidence of that intimate relationship between cycads and insects. The discovery came in the form of an ancient boganiid beetle preserved in Burmese amber for an estimated 99 million years along with grains of cycad pollen. The beetle also shows special adaptations, including mandibular patches, for the transport of cycad pollen. "Boganiid beetles have been ancient pollinators for cycads since the Age of Cycads and Dinosaurs," says Chenyang Cai, now a research fellow at the University of Bristol. "Our find indicates a probable ancient origin of beetle pollination of cycads at least in the Early Jurassic, long before angiosperm dominance and the radiation of flowering-plant pollinators, such as bees, later in the Cretaceous." When Cai's supervisor Diying Huang at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, first showed him the beetle trapped in amber, he was immediately intrigued. He recognized that its large mandibles with bristly cavities might suggest the beetle was a pollinator of cycads. After cutting, trimming, and polishing the specimen to get a better look under a microscope, Cai's excitement only grew. The beetle carried several clumps of tiny pollen grains. Cai consulted Liqin Li, an expert in ancient pollen at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who confirmed that the pollen grains belonged to a cycad. A dorsal view of the mid-Cretaceous beetle Cretoparacucujus cycadophilus, including the mandibular cavities it likely used for pollination. Credit: Chenyang Cai The researchers also conducted an extensive phylogenetic analysis to explore the beetle's family tree. Their analysis indicates the fossilized beetle belonged to a sister group to the extant Australian Paracucujus, which pollinate the relic cycad Macrozamia riedlei. The finding, along with the current disjunct distribution of related beetle-herbivore and cycad-host pairs in South Africa and Australia, support an ancient origin of beetle pollination of cycads, the researchers say. Cycad pollen grains associated with C. cycadophilus Credit: NIGPAS Cai notes that the findings together with the distribution of modern boganiid beetles lead him to suspect that similar beetle pollinators of cycads are yet to be found. He's been looking for them for the last five years. The challenge, he says, is that older Jurassic beetles are generally found as compression fossils not trapped in amber. A dorsal view of the mid-Cretaceous beetle Cretoparacucujus cycadophilus with a 1mm scale bar. Credit: Chenyang Cai Explore further Mid-Mesozoic beetle in amber stirs questions on rise of flowering plants and pollinators Artist impression of circadian clock. Credit: AMOLF Anyone who has experienced jet lag knows the power of the biological clock. Almost all organisms, from humans to the smallest of bacteria, have a built-in system that tells them whether it is time to rest or to be active. Most biological clocks 'tick' autonomously, but some bacteria depend on light to synchronize their clock every day. Using mathematical calculations, researchers from AMOLF and the University of Michigan have now demonstrated that an autonomous clock suffers far less from noise, such as fluctuations in sunlight due to clouds. The research results were published online on August 14th, 2018, in the scientific journal Physical Review Letters. Virtually all organisms have a day-night rhythm, by which they eat and sleep at fixed moments of the day, for example. This rhythm is dictated by the protein concentrations in the organism's cells that oscillate over a period of 24 hours. These comprise the circadian clock. Jet lag In most species, the circadian clock does not depend on external signals like light and darkness. "If you were to confine people or animals in a room without light, then they would still have a need for sleep or food in a rhythm of around 24 hours. Nevertheless, our biological clock is sensitive to light and darkness," says Pieter Rein ten Wolde, who leads the group Biochemical Networks at AMOLF. "The period of about 24 hours is set, but the phases can shift. If we travel to the other side of the world, then we need time to adjustthis is the well-known phenomenon of jet lag. However, we quickly pick up the shifted day-night rhythm of the new environment." Some bacteria, however, have what biologists refer to as an hourglass clock. These clocks need to be reset by light every day. If that does not happen, then the clock stops ticking. Ten Wolde: "Such hourglass clocks are found in certain types of cyanobacteria, the blue algae that are now polluting swimming water at many locations. Other cyanobacteria species do have an autonomous biological clock, though. With the help of mathematical models, we have investigated what the advantage of autonomous circadian clocks is." Modelling The researchers discovered that the effect of noise differs for the two types of clock. For a biological clock, variations in the intensity of sunlight due to clouds, for example, are an important source of noise. "We discovered that autonomous clocks are far less sensitive to such noise," says Ten Wolde. "We can model an hourglass clock as a pendulum. As long as an external signal drives it, it remains in motion. A strong driving mechanism ensures oscillations of a large amplitude and therefore a better time indication. In the case of a strong coupling, however, small changes in the input signal are also amplified, which makes it harder to tell the time accurately. Conversely, a weak coupling limits the influence of noise, but with such a weak coupling, it is difficult to maintain the oscillations, in other words the pendulum movement." It is therefore impossible to minimize the effect of noise in the case of an hourglass clock. Autonomous clocks, on the other hand, continue to oscillate well without the need for an external driving mechanism. For these clocks, a weak coupling with the external light is enough to reset the clock in the case of large shifts in the daily rhythm, such as a trip to another continent . Consequently, autonomous clocks experience far less hinder from noise and are more robust. "We found this result both in the models we specifically developed for biological clocks of cyanobacteria as well as in a more general mathematical model for clocks," says Ten Wolde. "The reliability in the event of external noise is probably the reason that all higher organisms have an autonomous biological clock. Why hourglass clocks are still found in nature remains unclear. Although these are at a disadvantage in the case of external noise, hourglass clocks possibly offer an advantage if there is a lot of noise within the organism." Explore further A conversation between plants' daily and aging clocks More information: Michele Monti et al. Robustness of Clocks to Input Noise, Physical Review Letters (2018). Journal information: Physical Review Letters Michele Monti et al. Robustness of Clocks to Input Noise,(2018). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.078101 The layout of the solar system, including the Oort Cloud, on a logarithmic scale. Credit: NASA For decades, scientists have theorized that beyond the edge of the solar system, at a distance of up to 50,000 AU (0.79 ly) from the sun, there lies a massive cloud of icy planetesimals known as the Oort Cloud. Named in honor of Dutch astronomer Jan Oort, this cloud is believed to be where long-term comets originate from. However, to date, no direct evidence has been provided to confirm the Oort Cloud's existence. This is due to the fact that the Oort Cloud is very difficult to observe, being rather far from the sun and dispersed over a very large region of space. However, in a recent study, a team of astrophysicists from the University of Pennsylvania proposed a radical idea. Using maps of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) created by the Planck mission and other telescopes, they believe that Oort Clouds around other stars can be detected. The study "Probing Oort clouds around Milky Way stars with CMB surveys", which recently appeared online was led by Eric J Baxter, a Ph.D. student from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania. He was joined by Pennsylvania professors Cullen H. Blake and Bhuvnesh Jain (Baxter's primary mentor). To recap, the Oort Cloud is a hypothetical region of space that is thought to extend from between 2,000 and 5,000 AU (0.03 and 0.08 ly) to as far as 50,000 AU (0.79 ly) from the sun though some estimates indicate it could reach as far as 100,000 to 200,000 AU (1.58 and 3.16 ly). Like the Kuiper Belt and the Scattered Disc, the Oort Cloud is a reservoir of trans-Neptunian objects, though it is over a thousands times more distant from our sun as these other two. Credit: Universe Today This cloud is believed to have originated from a population of small, icy bodies within 50 AU of the sun that were present when the solar system was still young. Over time, it is theorized that orbital perturbations caused by the giant planets caused those objects that had highly-stable orbits to form the Kuiper Belt along the ecliptic plane, while those that had more eccentric and distant orbits formed the Oort Cloud. According to Baxter and his colleagues, because the existence of the Oort Cloud played an important role in the formation of the solar system, it is therefore logical to assume that other star systems have their own Oort Clouds which they refer to as exo-Oort Clouds (EXOCs). As Dr. Baxter explained to Universe Today via email: "One of the proposed mechanisms for the formation of the Oort cloud around our sun is that some of the objects in the protoplanetary disk of our solar system were ejected into very large, elliptical orbits by interactions with the giant planets. The orbits of these objects were then affected by nearby stars and galactic tides, causing them to depart from orbits restricted to the plane of the solar system, and to form the now-spherical Oort cloud. You could imagine that a similar process could occur around another star with giant planets, and we know that there are many stars out there that do have giant planets." As Baxter and his colleagues indicated in their study, detecting EXOCs is difficult, largely for the same reasons for why there is no direct evidence for the solar system's own Oort Cloud. For one, there is not a lot of material in the cloud, with estimates ranging from a few to twenty times the mass of the Earth. Second, these objects are very far away from our sun, which means they do not reflect much light or have strong thermal emissions. Credit: Universe Today For this reason, Baxter and his team recommended using maps of the sky at the millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths to search for signs of Oort Clouds around other stars. Such maps already exist, thanks to missions like the Planck telescope which have mapped the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). As Baxter indicated: "In our paper, we use maps of the sky at 545 GHz and 857 GHz that were generated from observations by the Planck satellite. Planck was pretty much designed *only* to map the CMB; the fact that we can use this telescope to study exo-Oort clouds and potentially processes connected to planet formation is pretty surprising!" This is a rather revolutionary idea, as the detection of EXOCs was not part of the intended purpose of the Planck mission. By mapping the CMB, which is "relic radiation" left over from the Big Bang, astronomers have sought to learn more about how the universe has evolved since the the early universe circa. 378,000 years after the Big Bang. However, their study does build on previous work led by Alan Stern (the principal investigator of the New Horizons mission). In 1991, along with John Stocke (of the University of Colorado, Boulder) and Paul Weissmann (from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory), Stern conducted a study titled "An IRAS search for extra-solar Oort clouds". In this study, they suggested using data from the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) for the purpose of searching for EXOCs. However, whereas this study focused on certain wavelengths and 17 star systems, Baxter and his team relied on data for tens of thousands of systems and at a wider range of wavelengths. All-sky data obtained by the ESAs Planck mission, showing the different wavelenghts. Credit: ESA Other current and future telescopes which Baxter and his team believe could be useful in this respect include the South Pole Telescope, located at the AmundsenScott South Pole Station in Antarctica; the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and the Simons Observatory in Chile; the Balloon-borne Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (BLAST) in Antarctica; the Green Bank Telescope in West Virgina, and others. "Furthermore, the Gaia satellite has recently mapped out very accurately the positions and distances of stars in our galaxy," Baxter added. "This makes choosing targets for exo-Oort cloud searches relatively straightforward. We used a combination of Gaia and Planck data in our analysis." To test their theory, Baxter and is team constructed a series of models for the thermal emission of exo-Oort clouds. "These models suggested that detecting exo-Oort clouds around nearby stars (or at least putting limits on their properties) was feasible given existing telescopes and observations," he said. "In particular, the models suggested that data from the Planck satellite could potentially come close to detecting an exo-Oort cloud like our own around a nearby star." In addition, Baxter and his team also detected a hint of a signal around some of the stars that they considered in their study specifically in the Vega and Formalhaut systems. Using this data, they were able to place constraints on the possible existence of EXOCs at a distance of 10,000 to 100,000 AUs from these stars, which roughly coincides with the distance between our sun and the Oort Cloud. The relative sizes of the inner Solar System, Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud. Credit: NASA, William Crochot However, additional surveys will be needed before the existence any of EXOCs can be confirmed. These surveys will likely involve the James Webb Space Telescope, which is scheduled to launch in 2021. In the meantime, this study has some rather significant implications for astronomers, and not just because it involves the use of existing CMB maps for extra-solar studies. As Baxter put it: "Just detecting an exo-Oort cloud would be really interesting, since as I mentioned above, we don't have any direct evidence for the existence of our own Oort cloud. If you did get a detection of an exo-Oort cloud, it could in principle provide insights into processes connected to planet formation and the evolution of protoplanetary disks. For instance, imagine that we only detected exo-Oort clouds around stars that have giant planets. That would provide pretty convincing evidence that the formation of an Oort cloud is connected to giant planets, as suggested by popular theories of the formation of our own Oort cloud." As our knowledge of the universe expands, scientists become increasingly interested in what our solar system has in common with other star systems. This, in turn, helps us to learn more about the formation and evolution of our own system. It also provides possible hints as to how the universe changed over time, and maybe even where life could be found someday. Explore further A new object at the edge of our Solar System discovered More information: Probing Oort clouds around Milky Way stars with CMB surveys. Probing Oort clouds around Milky Way stars with CMB surveys. arxiv.org/pdf/1808.00415.pdf The D-shaped cavity producing quantum chaos within the cavity, and a more stable laser resulting. Credit: Bittner et al. To tame chaos in powerful semiconductor lasers, which causes instabilities, scientists have introduced another kind of chaos. High-powered semiconductor lasers are used in materials processing, biomedical imaging and industrial research, but the emitted light they produce is affected by instabilities, making it incoherent. The instabilities in the laser are caused by optical filaments; light structures that move randomly and change with time, causing chaos. Removing these instabilities has long been a goal in physics, but previous strategies to reduce filaments have usually involved reducing the power of the laser. This means it can no longer be used for many practical high-power applications, such as in ultrabright 3-D laser cinema or as elements in extremely bright laser systems used in fusion reactors. Instead, researchers had to choose between a powerful semiconductor laser with poor output quality and a coherent but much less powerful laser. Now, a research team from Imperial College London, Yale University, Nanyang Technological University and Cardiff University have come up with a new solution. Their technique, published today in Science, uses 'quantum chaos' to prevent the laser filaments, which lead to the instabilities, from forming in the first place. By creating quantum (wave) chaos in the cavity used to create the laser, the laser itself remains steady. Professor Ortwin Hess, from the Department of Physics at Imperial, contributed much of the theory, simulation and interpretation of the new system. He said: "The way the optical filaments, which cause the laser instabilities, grow and resist control is for the laser a bit like the unruly behaviour of tornadoes. Once they form, they move about chaotically, causing destruction in their wake. A typical trajectory of an optical ray inside a D-shaped cavity. The associated wave fronts create a complex interference pattern in the cavity. Credit: Cao, Hess, et al. "However, tornadoes are more likely to form and move about over flat country. For example, in America they form frequently in beautiful Oklahoma but not as often in hilly West Virginia. The hills appear to be a key differencethey prevent tornadoes from being able to form or move around. "In the same way, by creating a 'hilly' optical landscape right inside our lasers using quantum chaos, we don't allow the filamentsour optical tornadosto form or grow out of control." The laser system, manufactured at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, has been proven experimentally at Yale University. The team are now working to further explore and tailor the light emission, such as improving the directionality of the laser. They say however that the breakthrough should already allow semiconductor lasers to work at higher power with high emission quality, and that the same idea could be applied to other types of lasers. Lasers emit coherent light that can be focused in a tight beam. To produce and amplify the light, it is bounced around a cavity through special gain materials. However, when large semiconductor lasers are switched on, this bouncing back and forth creates filamentssections of the light that swiftly begin to act chaotically. The numerically calculated field distribution inside a D-shaped cavity and the measured emission from the straight segment of the cavity boundary. Credit: Cao, Hess, et al. To create a different kind of chaosthe quantum chaotic landscapethe team designed a new shape of cavity for the laser. Most cavities are cuboid in shape, but by using a D-shaped cavity, the team were able to induce quantum chaos in the light bouncing around. This quantum chaos acts on a smaller scale than the wavelength of the light, creating the optical 'hills' that help to dispel the optical 'tornadoes'. Professor Hui Cao, from Yale University, said: "We use wave-chaotic or disordered cavities to disrupt the formation of self-organized structures such as filaments that lead to instabilities." The team gained insight into the processes and cavity shapes likely to create this kind of quantum chaos from theories and experiments in nanophotonics and nanoplasmonicsstudying light and metals at scales of billionths of a metre. Professor Hess added: "I have been working on spatio-temporal and quantum dynamics in lasers since my Ph.D., so it is gratifying to return to it now with the knowledge gained from nanophotonics and nanoplasmonics. "The relationship also works the other way aroundwith systems like this we can offer new insights into nanophotonics and nanoplasmonics, and bring the nanoscience and laser communities together." Explore further Quantum dot ring lasers emit colored light Restructuring of nanoparticle emission spectrum. Credit: ITMO University Researchers have found a method of reversibly adjusting the radiation color of nanosized light sources. Previously, radiation color could be specified only during nanoparticle synthesis, but now it can be changed after synthesis. Stability and electromagnetic resonances of the particles are retained during this adjustment. This makes them promising for optical chips, LEDs and optoelectronic devices. The results are published in Nano Letters. Resonance is the coincidence between frequencies of two oscillations increasing their intensity. A half-century ago, the Italian theoretical physicist Hugo Fano described a special type of resonance with an asymmetric profile arising from the interference of two wave processes. Since then, Fano resonance has been actively used in photonics, for example, to create fast optical switches, which are elements of photonic integrated circuits. The reduction of such switches to nanoscale will dramatically increase the performance of photonic chips by integrating a huge number of elements in one device. Researchers from ITMO University, together with colleagues from Sweden, Australia, the United States and Lithuania, have discovered Fano resonance in perovskite nanoparticles and gained control over the resonance spectrum for an array of inorganic nanoparticles. To do this, they proposed a new method of tuning the radiation of nanoparticles. Instead of synthesizing several types of particles, they proposed changing the composition of one ready particle through special chemical treatment. As this adjustment is reversible, it can be repeated many times without changing the stability of the particles and the intensity of their radiation. "We conducted experiments with single organo-inorganic perovskite nanoparticles, as well as with an unordered array of completely inorganic nanoparticles dispersed in the polymer matrix. We managed to register Fano resonances in both cases, but the reversible tuning was possible only for inorganic particles. They include bromine anions, and during the adjustment, we reversibly changed the bromine atoms to the chlorine atoms. This makes it possible to shift the emission spectrum of particles in the range of 420-520 nm. Organo-inorganic nanoparticles proved to be unsuitable for a similar adjustment of photophysical properties due to the presence of organic cations in their structure," says Anatoly Pushkarev, research associate at the Laboratory of Hybrid Nanophotonics and Optoelectronics of ITMO University. According to the researchers, the proposed method for tuning the emission spectrum of perovskite nano-antennas is universal. It can be applied to other inorganic nanostructures based on lead halides. Thus, it is possible to obtain complex optoelectronic devices on a chip with the minimum amount of nanoparticles. Such miniature devices can serve for data transmission and processing, as well as for sensing. "The results we obtained are promising not only for the creation of photonic integrated circuits. The reconstruction of the emission spectrum of the nanoparticles array and the change in the position of the Fano resonance in their optical absorption spectrum can be used, for example, to determine the concentration of hydrogen halide vapor (HCl, HBr, HI) in the medium," says Ekaterina Tiguntseva, a graduate student of the Faculty of Physics and Technology of ITMO University. Explore further Researchers invent light-emitting nanoantennas More information: Ekaterina Y. Tiguntseva et al. Tunable Hybrid Fano Resonances in Halide Perovskite Nanoparticles, Nano Letters (2018). Journal information: Nano Letters Ekaterina Y. Tiguntseva et al. Tunable Hybrid Fano Resonances in Halide Perovskite Nanoparticles,(2018). DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b01912 Jovian cloudscape, courtesy of NASA's Juno spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstadt/Sean Dora Lab-based mimicry allowed an international team of physicists including Carnegie's Alexander Goncharov to probe hydrogen under the conditions found in the interiors of giant planetswhere experts believe it gets squeezed until it becomes a liquid metal, capable of conducting electricity. Their work is published in Science. Hydrogen is the most-abundant element in the universe and the simplestcomprised of only one proton and one electron in each atom. But that simplicity is deceptive, because there is still so much to learn about it, including its behavior under conditions not found on Earth. For example, although hydrogen on the surface of giant planets, like our Solar System's Jupiter and Saturn, is a gas, just like it is on our own planet, deep inside these giant planetary interiors, scientists believe it becomes a metallic liquid. "This transformation has been a longstanding focus of attention in physics and planetary science," said lead author Peter Celliers of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The research teamwhich also included scientists from the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, University of Edinburgh, University of Rochester, University of California Berkeley, and George Washington Universityfocused on this gas-to-metallic-liquid transition in molecular hydrogen's heavier isotope deuterium. (Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.) They studied how deuterium's ability to absorb or reflect light changed under up to nearly six million times normal atmospheric pressure (600 gigapascals) and at temperatures less than 1,700 degrees Celsius (about 3,140 degrees Fahrenheit). Reflectivity can indicate that a material is metallic. They found that under about 1.5 million times normal atmospheric pressure (150 gigapascals) the deuterium switched from transparent to opaqueabsorbing the light instead of allowing it to pass through. But a transition to metal-like reflectivity started at nearly 2 million times normal atmospheric pressure (200 gigapascals). "To build better models of potential exoplanetary architecture, this transition between gas and metallic liquid hydrogen must be demonstrated and understood," Goncharov explained. "Which is why we focused on pinpointing the onset of reflectivity in compressed deuterium, moving us closer to a complete vision of this important process." Explore further Probing giant planets' dark hydrogen The research provided conclusive evidence that only small clusters of four silver atoms in the form of a tetrahedron and surrounded by water molecules emit light (see blue pyramidal shape in the figure). Credit: KU Leuven Clusters of silver atoms captured in zeolites, a porous material with small channels and voids, have remarkable light-emitting properties. They can be used for more efficient lighting applications as a substitute for LED and TL lamps. Until recently, scientists did not know exactly how and why these small particles emit light. An interdisciplinary team of physicists and chemists led by KU Leuven has now demonstrated for the first time where these properties originate. Zeolites have a very rigid and well-known structure containing numerous small channels and voids. In chemistry, they are used to stimulate certain reactions. Molecules that are 'caught' in the voids of the zeolites lose their mobility and start behaving differently. This research allowed the scientists to discover why and how silver clusters emit light when they are enclosed in the cages of a specific type of zeolite. "We irradiated a mixture of silver clusters with synchrotron radiation at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble," explains researcher Didier Grandjean. "What is good about this is that it provides us with a lot of information on the structure and properties of the material. However, as we specifically wanted to look at the optical properties, we used a new method that deliberately only measured the emitted light. This way, we were sure that we were only looking at the specific particles responsible for the light." The research provided conclusive evidence that only small clusters of four silver atoms in the form of a tetrahedron and surrounded by water molecules emit light. "The tetrahedra form a unit in which two electrons can move freely. This forms a so-called super atom: a structure composed of several atoms, but behaving very much like a single atom," says Professor Peter Lievens. "The optical properties of the clusters are caused by the two free electrons. These decay from a higher to a lower energy level, resulting in a certain shade of green light. In turn, the energy levels are determined by the chemical properties of the super atom." This new observation can be attributed to an intense collaboration between researchers in chemistry and physics. "Furthermore, our experimental observations are confirmed by advanced theoretical calculations," says Peter Lievens. This new-found knowledge allows the researchers to start modifying the properties of silver clusters or find new materials with the desired optical properties. The results of this work are important for the study of light and its applications, among other things. The study is published in Science. Explore further Scientists use silver to make lights shine brightly More information: "Origin of the bright photoluminescence of few-atom silver clusters confined in LTA zeolites" Science (2018). Journal information: Science "Origin of the bright photoluminescence of few-atom silver clusters confined in LTA zeolites"(2018). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi 1126/science.aaq1308 Credit: CC0 Public Domain With a new groundbreaking technique, researchers from University of Copenhagen have managed to identify a protein that is responsible for cellular memory transmission when cells divide. The finding is crucial for understanding development from one cell to a whole body. Cells divide constantly throughout life. But how do cells remember whether to develop into skin, liver or intestinal cells? It's a question that has puzzled scientists for many years. Now, scientists from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences and the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Copenhagen have come a little closer to understanding this process. They have developed a technique that gives new insight into epigenetic cellular memory. With the new technique, called SCAR-seq, the researchers have been able to address how epigenetic information stored in histone proteins is transmitted when DNA is copied and cells divide. The new study has just been published in the scientific journal Science. "We have developed a new tool to look at the transmission of protein-based information in general and how it contributes to epigenetic memory of mammalian cells. For the first time, we can see which proteins are on the two new DNA strands that are formed when DNA is copied during cell division. Thus, we can now investigate how protein-based information is inherited and propagated to daughter cells." "This is the first time we have direct evidence that a specific protein is linking the transmission of epigenetic information on histones with the replication of genetic information in DNA. We knew that histone-based information had to be transmitted to both new DNA strands in one way or another, but we did not know how," says Anja Groth, professor at the Biotech Research & Innovation Center, University of Copenhagen, and co-author of the study. Inside the human cell, our DNA is wrapped around histone proteins. Together, they form a structure called chromatin. When a cell divides, it is crucial that both the DNA and the entire chromatin structure are copied accurately. Chromatin stores epigenetic information that affects which genes are to be expressed. That is, the epigenetic information in our cells helps to control which genes are "turned on" and "off." MCM2 is responsible for proper segregation of histones to daughter cells In the new study, the researchers have studied embryonic stem cells from mice. With SCAR-seq, it has become possible for the researchers to identify a protein that is responsible for transfer of histone proteins from the old DNA strand to the two new DNA strands during replicationnamely MCM2. The researchers have had MCM2 in their working model for a long time, but it was not possible to determine its exact function before the development of the SCAR-seq technology. "It has been a recurring question whether the transfer of histones with their chemical modifications was completely random during DNA replication. In our study, we show that it is not a random but a highly controlled process. Our data show that the histones have a preference for one DNA strand, the so-called leading strand, but that MCM2 counteracts this bias and ensures that there is almost symmetry between the two new DNA strands, that is, an even distribution of histone-based information." "When we disrupted that mechanism, all histone-based information was transferred to one DNA strand, namely the leading strand, and not to the other, lagging strand. This means that this function by MCM2 is essential for the two new DNA strands to receive the same information stored in histones," says co-author of the study Robin Andersson, assistant professor at the Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen. The researchers do not yet know how the ability of embryonic cells to form other cell types is affected when the function of MCM2 that ensures proper segregation of the histones is disrupted. This meaning whether these cells still can contribute to the formation of an entire mouse. Among scientists it is frequently discussed how important histone information actually is for a cell identity and cell fate decisions. This will be the next question the researchers will investigate. "Understanding this first part of the mechanism for how daughter cells inherit histones and their modifications from the mother cell has a lot of potential. Now, we can start to address what significance this transfer of protein-based information actually has for the cell and for the development of the organism. That is our long-term perspective," says professor Anja Groth. Explore further Programming synthetic molecular codes to turn genes 'on' More information: "MCM2 promotes symmetric inheritance of modified histones during DNA replication" Science (2018). Journal information: Science "MCM2 promotes symmetric inheritance of modified histones during DNA replication"(2018). science.sciencemag.org/lookup/ 1126/science.aau0294 Keng Chou (at back) and Qian Liu (foreground) prepare to observe a sample using the super-resolution microscope developed by Chou and patented by UBC. Credit: Lou Corpuz-Bosshart / UBC The deadly Nipah virus and others like it assemble themselves in a much more haphazard manner than previously thought, new UBC research has found. The discovery could allow scientists to develop more effective vaccines and rule out many approaches to fighting these viruses. Chemistry professor Keng Chou and his team of researchers from UBC and Cornell University used a super-resolution microscope patented by UBC to observe whether viruses actually assemble in the way scientists have hypothesized. "We looked at hundreds of images, and we couldn't find anything that supported the current model," said Chou. "For some of these deadly viruses, the replication process is actually not as complicated as some thought." Nipah is an example of an "enveloped" virus, which gets its outer wrapping from the infected host cell, much like the viruses that cause influenza, rabies, measles and AIDS. Nipah can cause severe diseases and fatal brain swelling in both humans and animals. Yearly outbreaks in southeast Asia kill 40 to 90 per cent of those infected. In 2018, only two out of 19 people infected by Nipah in India survived an outbreak. Nipah virus has three structural proteins: a matrix protein that provides structure, and two envelope proteins that enable the virus to attach and fuse with host cells. Scientists have believed that matrix proteins "recruit" envelope proteins, sending out some sort of signal so they can all join together on the cell membrane and become a functional virus. Researchers have tried to identify this signal in hopes of finding ways to disrupt the process. This optical super-resolution microscope patented by UBC allowed researchers to observe virus-like particles at higher resolutions than they could have just five years ago. Credit: Lou Corpuz-Bosshart / UBC However, Chou and his team observed that envelope proteins tend to be scattered randomly on the cell membrane. They now believe these proteins are picked up purely by chance when they are incorporated into a virus. This produces virus particles more quickly than previously envisioned, but many matrix proteins don't pick the envelope proteins up at all, and don't become functional viruses. This observation has implications for vaccination, not just against Nipah but potentially against influenza, HIV and other enveloped viruses. Vaccines work by exposing a person to a small amount of modified virus or viral proteins, which rallies the body's natural defense. Currently, there is no Nipah vaccine approved for human use. One of the potential strategies under development is to use virus-like-particles, which are protein-based structures that mimic viruses, to stimulate immune response. "If a vaccine contains a large percentage of virus-like particles that have only the matrix protein but not the envelope proteins, it won't trigger a strong immune response to the proteins that are most essential for helping a virus enter cells," said Qian Liu, a postdoctoral fellow in UBC's chemistry department who was lead author of the study. "Vaccines could be made more effective if we find a way to exclude those non-functional particles from the mix." Explore further Scientists show that highly lethal viruses hijack cellular defences against cancer More information: Qian Liu et al, A stochastic assembly model for Nipah virus revealed by super-resolution microscopy, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications Qian Liu et al, A stochastic assembly model for Nipah virus revealed by super-resolution microscopy,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05480-2 Members of the ASTERIA team prepare the petite satellite for its journey to space. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech A miniature satellite called ASTERIA (Arcsecond Space Telescope Enabling Research in Astrophysics) has measured the transit of a previously-discovered super-Earth exoplanet, 55 Cancri e. This finding shows that miniature satellites, like ASTERIA, are capable of making of sensitive detections of exoplanets via the transit method. While observing 55 Cancri e, which is known to transit, ASTERIA measured a miniscule change in brightness, about 0.04 percent, when the super-Earth crossed in front of its star. This transit measurement is the first of its kind for CubeSats (the class of satellites to which ASTERIA belongs) which are about the size of a briefcase and hitch a ride to space as secondary payloads on rockets used for larger spacecraft. The ASTERIA team presented updates and lessons learned about the mission at the Small Satellite Conference in Logan, Utah, last week. The ASTERIA project is a collaboration between MIT and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, funded through JPL's Phaeton Program. The project started in 2010 as an undergraduate class project in 16.83/12.43 (Space Systems Engineering), involving a technology demonstration of astrophysical measurements using a Cubesat, with a primary goal of training early-career engineers. The ASTERIA missionof which Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Class of 1941 Professor of Planetary Sciences Sara Seager is the Principal Investigatorwas designed to demonstrate key technologies, including very stable pointing and thermal control for making extremely precise measurements of stellar brightness in a tiny satellite. Earlier this year, ASTERIA achieved pointing stability of 0.5 arcseconds and thermal stability of 0.01 degrees Celsius. These technologies are important for precision photometry, i.e., the measurement of stellar brightness over time. This plot shows the transit lightcurve of 55 Cancri e observed by ASTERIA. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Precision photometry, in turn, provides a way to study stellar activity, transiting exoplanets, and other astrophysical phenomena. Several MIT alumni have been involved in ASTERIA's development from the beginning including Matthew W. Smith Ph.D. '14, Christopher Pong ScD '14, Alessandra Babuscia Ph.D. '12, and Mary Knapp Ph.D. '18. Brice-Olivier Demory, a professor at the University of Bern and a former EAPS postdoc who is also a member of the ASTERIA science team, performed the data reduction that revealed the transit. ASTERIA's success demonstrates that CubeSats can perform big science in a small package. This finding has earned ASTERIA the honor of "Mission of the Year," which was awarded at the SmallSat conference. The honor is presented annually to the mission that has demonstrated a significant improvement in the capability of small satellites, which weigh less than 150 kilograms. Eligible missions have launched, established communication, and acquired results from on-orbit after Jan, 1, 2017. Now that ASTERIA has proven that it can measure exoplanet transits, it will continue observing two bright, nearby stars to search for previously unknown transiting exoplanets. Additional funding for ASTERIA operations was provided by the Heising-Simons Foundation. Explore further Astrophysics CubeSat could be used to study planets orbiting other stars This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching. A microscopic image of human lung cancer cells, in which the Utah State University-developed molecule carrying carbon monoxide is shown to target mitochondria, as revealed by the bright yellow-green color. Credit: Utah State University About four years ago, Utah State University chemist Lisa Berreau posed a question to USU colleague and toxicologist Abby Benninghoff. "My students and I had developed a new flavonoid molecule that could release carbon monoxide," Berreau recalls. "And we were seeking an answer to the question, 'Could it kill cancer cells?'" Benninghoff's short answer? Yes. But as in many scientific pursuits, the question raised more questions and initiated an interdisciplinary effort to explore the nuances of controlled carbon monoxide release in cells. Berreau and Benninghoff, along with their students Marina Popova, Tatiana Soboleva, Hector Esquer and Stacey Anderson, as well as colleague Suliman Ayad of Florida State University, are garnering international attention with their findings. The team recently published results of their studies in the American Chemical Society journal Chemical Biology and in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. The team's research is supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station and the USU Office of Research and Graduate Studies. Releasing carbon monoxide, also known as CO, probably sounds a bit scary. After all, we equip our homes with carbon monoxide detectors to avoid tragic accidents. We take care not to idle cars in enclosed spaces. Yet, the fearsome gas is produced by our own bodies, albeit in tiny amounts, and may be a key antidote to such modern-day maladies as cancer, inflammation and hypertension. Like many substances, including the less-menacing examples of water and oxygen, too much carbon monoxide is a bad thing. But a little might be a lifesaver. "That bruise on your skin that's evidence of a biochemical pathway, where CO is being released," says Berreau, associate vice president for research at Utah State and professor in USU's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The USU scientists' specific molecules for CO release are unique, in that previous attempts to develop carbon monoxide-releasing molecules, known as "CORMs," have used metal-containing structures. From left, Utah State University scientists Abby Benninghoff, Tatiana Soboleva, Marina Popova and Lisa Berreau are developing molecules to deliver controlled amounts of carbon monoxide to targets within the human body. Credit: Mary-Ann Muffoletto "Use of metals raises concerns because of possible toxicity," Berreau says. The USU-developed molecule is derived from organic pigments called flavonoids, which occur naturally in such foods as berries and cacao. Among the challenges of developing the molecules and harnessing the healing power of CO is figuring out how to deliver the potentially beneficial gas in safe, desired amounts to specifically targeted sites in the body. "A feature of our molecules is they exhibit carbon monoxide release only when triggered by visible light," Berreau says. That's a "unique and exciting" part of USU's efforts, says Benninghoff, associate professor in USU's Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences and School of Veterinary Medicine. "Our flavonoid-based, organic photoCORMs are trackable, targetable and triggerable." Doctoral students Popova and Soboleva are delving into what happens at the cellular and molecular levels, as CO is released and diffuses within cells. Using fluorescence microscopy, Popova, lead author of the JACS paper, is demonstrating targeted CO delivery by photoCORMs to cancer cells, as well as the ability of the photoCORMs to produce significant anti-inflammatory effects. "We're refining our molecular structure to enable better control of CO release to produce more targeted and precise biological effects," she says. Soboleva, a USU Presidential Graduate Research Fellow and lead author of the ACS Chemical Biology paper, is investigating the photoCORM's behavior at the mitochondrial level. She's a recent recipient of a competitive American Health Association Fellowship, which will enable her to further explore use of the photoCORMs to combat inflammation, a modern-day public health scourge linked to wide range of chronic diseases, include heart disease and diabetes. "Our collaboration across disciplines has enabled us to achieve far more than we could have in our own lab," says Berreau, who holds the patent on the USU-developed photoCORM. "This is why collaboration matters. We are bringing complementary expertise toward developing CO-releasing molecules for potential therapeutic applications." Explore further The unexpected healing properties of carbon monoxide gas Credit: CC0 Public Domain In a series of studies, social psychologists show that educational trackinggrouping students based on their achievement levelsencourages evaluators to artificially create social class inequalities. Three studies reveal that evaluators consider a lower track more suitable for a low socioeconomic status (SES) pupil and a higher track more suitable for a high-SES pupil, even when school achievement was identical. The results appear in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. "Our research suggests that the selection required by the tracking system may lead evaluators to artificially create academic differences among students, as a function of their socio-economic status," says Anatolia Batruch one of four researchers from Universite de Lausanne, Switzerland associated with the studies. Frederique Autin, Fabienne Bataillard and Fabrizio Butera are the other collaborators on the project. The researchers designed their experiments to resemble actual tracking dilemmas that can occur in Swiss schools when teachers and the principal can offer a second chance to pupils who are borderline cases for a higher track. These tracking systems, grouping students by abilities and academic achievements, are similar throughout many countries. In the first two studies, college students playing the role of teachers, (N =99), and teachers, (N = 70) decided which school track was suitable for a pupil whose socioeconomic status (SES) was manipulated. Although the students' achievement was identical, participants considered a lower track more suitable for lower SES than higher SES pupils, and the higher track more suitable for higher SES than lower SES pupils. A third study (N = 160, first year college students), explored the language used to describe the function of school and its goals. The results showed that a focus on selection, or "to orient students according to academic abilities and lead everyone to the maximum of their potential", led tracking to be associated to SES inequalitieseven when achievement was identicalmore than when participants were presented with a description focused on education. "Allowing students who almost meet the criteria to follow an academic path could be interpreted as offering these students a privilege, which is, in the case of our studies, more readily offered to high-SES students than to low-SES students," says Fabrizio Butera. Batruch and colleagues would like to explore evaluators expectations in future research, and how those expectations might be influenced by the "selective practice of tracking." Explore further Grouping students into ability-based sets holds back less able pupils More information: Anatolia Batruch, Frederique Autin, Fabienne Bataillard, and Fabrizio Butera. School Selection and the Social Class Divide: How Tracking Contributes to the Reproduction of Inequalities. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Published online before print August 16, 2018. Journal information: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin Anatolia Batruch, Frederique Autin, Fabienne Bataillard, and Fabrizio Butera. School Selection and the Social Class Divide: How Tracking Contributes to the Reproduction of Inequalities.. Published online before print August 16, 2018. ANU Associate Professor Colin Jackson (left) was one of the lead researchers on this study. Credit: Stuart Hay, ANU An international team of scientists have taken an important step towards gaining a better understanding of the brain's inner workings, including the molecular processes that could play a role in neurological disorders. The research team has used a new biosensor to optically track the movements of the neurotransmitter glycine - a signalling molecule in the brain - for the first time. Lead researcher Associate Professor Colin Jackson from The Australian National University (ANU) said the new study would help scientists gain more insight into neurological disorders that occur due to dysfunctional neurotransmitter activity. "To understand how the brain works at the molecular level and how things can go wrong, we need to understand the release and uptake of neurotransmitters," said Associate Professor Jackson from the ANU Research School of Chemistry. "Neurotransmitters are too small to see directly, so we made a new biosensor for them." Glycine is a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, including in the cortex, spinal cord, brainstem and retina. It plays a role in neuronal communication and learning, and also in processing motor and sensory information that permits movement, vision and hearing. The research team designed and made a protein to bind glycine and fused it with two other proteins that are fluorescent. "When the binding protein binds to glycine, the fluorescent proteins change their relative positions and we see a change in fluoresce that we can monitor with a special microscope," Associate Professor Jackson said. "There was previously no way to visualise the activity of glycine in brain tissue - we can do this now, which is exciting. "In the future, we want to make sensors for other neurotransmitters and to use our sensor to look at the molecular basis of certain neurological disorders." The research was funded by the Human Frontiers in Science Fellowship Program, which funded Associate Professor Jackson's team at ANU and researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany and the Institute of Science and Technology in Austria. Professor Christian Henneberger's team at the University of Bonn in Germany assisted in design of the sensor and developed the techniques to use the new biosensor in living brain tissue. This enabled them to see how glycine levels change in real time in response neuronal activity and how glycine is distributed in living brain tissue. "The sensor allowed us to directly test important hypotheses about glycine signalling. We also discovered that, unexpectedly, glycine levels change during neuronal activity that induces learning-related synaptic changes," Professor Henneberger said. "We are following up our study by further exploring the mechanisms that govern glycine's influence on information processing in the healthy brain and also in disease models." The research is published in Nature Chemical Biology. Explore further Research identifies brain chemical abnormalities in earliest stage of psychosis More information: William H. Zhang et al. Monitoring hippocampal glycine with the computationally designed optical sensor GlyFS, Nature Chemical Biology (2018). Journal information: Nature Chemical Biology William H. Zhang et al. Monitoring hippocampal glycine with the computationally designed optical sensor GlyFS,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41589-018-0108-2 In this May 18, 2015, file photo, water intake pipes that were once underwater sit above the water line along Lake Mead near Boulder City, Nev. U.S. government water managers said Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, that Lake Mead will be able to meet the demands of Mexico and Southwestern U.S. states for the next 13 months, but a looming shortage could trigger cutbacks in late 2019. Lake Mead is on the Colorado River, which serves 40 million people and 6,300 square miles of farmland in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming as well as Mexico. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) A vital reservoir on the Colorado River will be able to meet the demands of Mexico and the U.S. Southwest for the next 13 months, but a looming shortage could trigger cutbacks as soon as the end of 2019, officials said Wednesday. A forecast from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation echoes previous warnings that a nearly 20-year trend toward a drier regional climate coupled with rising demand could drain so much water from the Lake Mead reservoir that cutbacks would be mandatory. The report increases the pressure on seven U.S. states that rely on the river to finish a long-delayed contingency plan for a shortage. "If these projections materialize, we're very quickly going to lose control of how to manage the deteriorating conditions on the Colorado River," said John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, which serves 2.1 million people, including the city of Las Vegas. The Colorado River systemincluding the giant Lake Mead and Lake Powell reservoirsserves about 40 million people and 6,300 square miles (16,300 square kilometers) of farmland. Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming rely on the river, along with native American reservations and northwestern Mexico. The water is divided under international treaties, court rulings and interstate agreements. If there's not enough water to go around, Mexico, Arizona and Nevada would be the first to see their shares reduced. The Bureau of Reclamation forecast says all the users will get their usual share through September 2019. But the report projects that by October 2019, the surface of Lake Mead could fall below 1,075 feet (330 meters) above sea level, the agreed-upon point that would trigger an announcement of cutbacks that would occur sometime in the following 12 months. The bureau operates on a water year that runs from October through September, tied to the cycle of winter snow and spring runoff. "If everything holds true and the hydrology matches the models, then that's probably where we're going to be," agency spokesman Marlon Duke said. The chances of a shortage in late 2019 remain at 52 percent, the same odds the bureau announced in May, he said. Lake Mead has never had a shortage and if next winter provides enough snow in the mountains that feed the river, it could be averted, Duke said. "It really depends on what kind of snowpack and precipitation we get across the basin throughout the coming winter," he said. The Colorado River states agreed to come up with contingency plans to conserve water and avoid mandatory cutbacks in the event of a shortage. But negotiations have been slow and difficult, in part because Arizona's largest river users are still trying to agree on a unified state position, water experts said. "Right now the thing that's holding it up is Arizona and the inability to come together," said John Fleck, director of the University of New Mexico's Water Resources Program. "The whole system is at risk." A spokeswoman for the Central Arizona Project, the state's largest water supplier, declined to comment. Officials of the Arizona Department of Water Resources did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The Bureau of Reclamation dates the Colorado River region's drought to 2000, but a small group of academics called the Colorado River Research Group said the river might be experiencing a longer-term shift to a more arid climate. "Perhaps the best available term is aridification, which describes a period of transition to an increasingly water scarce environment," the group said in a March paper . The bureau report underscores the underlying problem that Southwestern states face, said Jennifer Pitt, director of the Audubon Society's Colorado River Program. The demand exceeds the supply, she said. "Anyone who has managed a bank account for families knows that over time, that spells disaster." Explore further Water forecast is bleak for major reservoir in Southwest US 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Walmart won praise for its efforts to help ferry supplies to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Credit: Walmart What a difference the birth of a granddaughter can make. For Lee Scott, who ran Walmart from 2000 to 2009, the arrival of his granddaughter not only convinced him the threat of global warming was real but set him on a course that altered the very DNA of the world's largest retailer. He decided he wanted to use its size and resources to make the world an "even better place for all of us," changing the way millions shop in the process. In 2005, midway through his tenure, he challenged his employees: "What would it take for Walmart to be that company, at our best, all the time?" The answer became Walmart's sustainability program, an ambitious effort to figure out how to get its budget-conscious customers to buy more sustainable products. Of course, it was more than Scott's granddaughter that pushed the retailer in this direction. A dismal perception among the public as well as a stagnant stock price also played roles in prodding Scott and other Walmart officials to take the company in a more environmentally aware direction. We spent five years studying the program speaking with Walmart's sustainability leaders, its suppliers and others who have a stake in the company's activities such as environmental groups and farmers. Our findings highlight both the promises and perils of what one Walmart executive optimistically termed the "democratization of sustainability." Glaciers, landfills and shopping bags During our extensive research into the implementation of Walmart's sustainability program, we found many executives from the CEO on down who were passionate about making the company more environmentally friendly. Before the retailer even began its program, corporate executives traversed the globe to better understand what was at stake. We were told stories of Scott's summer 2005 trip to the top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire, where scientists take measurements of the ice and the wind to measure the effects of climate change and air pollution. There he met with Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp and some of the scientists to discuss the company's environmental impact and what it could be doing differently. On that same trip, he also met with maple syrup farmers who explained how climate change was affecting their harvests. Other company leaders made trips to parched cotton fields, landfills covered with Walmart shopping bags and melting Arctic glaciers, all with the aim of gaining a deeper understanding of sustainability and engaging with environmental groups, journalists and critics. But it still wasn't clear where all this was going until August of that year, when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, causing extensive human suffering and property damage along the coast. Walmart, in an unusual move, gave local managers wide discretion in helping communities respond and, along with a few other large retailers, worked hard to get needed supplies to the area. In the context of widely reported government failures during the crisis, Walmart received praise for its actions a far cry from the usual criticism Scott received from social and political activists. After Katrina, Scott had an epiphany, which culminated in that speech he made in October 2005 near Walmart's headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, during which he announced the project: "What if we used our size and resources to make this country and this earth an even better place for all of us: customers, associates, our children and generations unborn?" Seeking sustainability In the speech, Scott laid out Walmart's sustainability vision to Walmart employees and suppliers. He called for reducing waste, using more renewable energy and selling products that "sustained people and the environment." In a way, these goals sounded easy. Simply cut down on waste, become more efficient, convince its legions of suppliers to make more sustainable products and sell them at its "low, low prices." Sustainability goes up, costs go down, everybody wins. But as Scott and his successors learned, this was easier said than done. Some aspects were relatively straightforward. The company's efforts to operate more efficiently produced significant environmental value and helped its bottom line. The efficiency of its fleet of trucks doubled within a decade. Walmart has now converted 28 percent of the energy sources powering its stores and operations globally to renewables. And last year, the company diverted 78 percent of its global waste from landfills, instead finding ways to recycle, reuse or even sell the garbage. Its goal is to eventually get to 50 percent renewables and zero waste in Canada, Japan, the U.K. and U.S. by 2025. Selling products that "sustained people and the environment" was harder. By 2008, its was clear that progress was not being made as fast as the company had expected. Walmart had a challenging job. While the market for sustainable products is large and growing, it has primarily catered to people with a lot of disposable income who can afford to pay the "goodness" premium for things like Toyota Priuses and organic foods. What about the majority of consumers who usually see the high price of sustainability as a barrier? Are sustainable products a luxury good only attainable by the well off? The questions and challenges of selling sustainable products escalated over time. What is a sustainable product? How could it be measured effectively and efficiently? And how could this information create value for the company and customers? Would people be willing to pay for it if it was impossible to keep the costs down? Two interconnected challenges it faced are particularly illuminating: the lack of a sustainability standard and how to convince suppliers and customers to go along. Walmart aims to eventually get 100 percent of its power from renewable sources, like these solar panels on a Sams Club in Glendora, Calif. Credit: Walmart What's 'sustainable' anyway? Walmart leaders quickly learned that the absence of a credible sustainability standard hampered their ability to market new products. Back then, marketing products as "sustainable" was anything goes. While a few marketing attributes, like "organic," are verified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for the most part companies were free to call their products "sustainable," "natural" or "good for you," regardless of whether it was true or not. The need for a standard crystallized when Walmart asked suppliers for proposals for a 2008 Earth Day promotion. It wanted to specifically promote products that were sustainable. Suppliers responded with such a vast range of claims that Walmart managers could not figure out which products to include. Examples of traits that made a product "sustainable" ranged from having "reduced" packaging material though there was no gauge as to what it was reduced from to the use of non-toxic ingredients or the product's overall recyclability. A subsequent promotion of Campbell's soup with a green "Earth Day" label (instead of its customary red one) generated external criticism and accusations of "greenwashing." That is, some bloggers claimed sustainability at Walmart simply meant taking existing products and putting green labels on them. Lessons like these led Walmart to seek a way of defining what sustainable means for all its products a mammoth scale given that the company had over 60,000 direct suppliers and a single store could sell about 142,000 products. So, in 2009, the company helped establish the Sustainability Consortium, a collaboration of retailers, suppliers, universities, environmental groups and others to create a data-driven index of sustainability. The consortium would eventually produce a sustainability "toolkit" with key performance indicators and guidance for achieving sustainability at the product category level whether these be laundry care products, computers or beer. Such indicators could then be used by consortium members in communications with their suppliers, typically in a sustainability scorecard that the supplier would complete. For instance, a manufacturer might be asked if it had plans for reducing harmful emissions and if it didn't, the thinking initially went, this type of information could eventually be passed on to consumers who could then make their own judgments. The problem was, relying on customers didn't work. Focusing on suppliers not consumers Most corporate efforts to become more sustainable are based on the premise that consumers are willing to pay more for eggs that are organic or coffee that is sustainably sourced. This posed a dilemma for Walmart since its margins are so thin and most of its customers shop there for the ultra-low prices. How could they be convinced, en masse, to pay a bit more because something is tagged as sustainable? And what would be the best way to let them know a particular product was more sustainable than another? Company leaders believed, based on internal surveys, that although its customers desired (or would in the future desire) more sustainable products, many did not have the means or desire to pay extra. And while Walmart's implementation of sustainability metrics into its supplier scorecards gave it insight into supplier practices, they did not provide detailed, verifiable information required for a customer-facing label. This led Walmart to focus less on consumers and more on suppliers. If it could just make sure its products were more sustainable or at least that it was able to offer more options without a meaningful increase in price it could go a long way toward achieving its goals. And consumers wouldn't even realize they're helping make the world a better place. Walmart's merchants were ready to listen. The supplier scorecards that started rolling in 2012 helped Walmart identify inefficiencies in its supplies' own supply chains, just as the retailer had found in its own operations years earlier. Walmart used them to push suppliers to seek out similar low-cost innovations in their operations so they could become more sustainable without altering product price tags and aligned 5 percent of its employees' performance goals on sustainability improvements, thus incentivizing buyers to ask about, and suppliers to report on, sustainability metrics. Early indications are that Walmart's supplier-focused product sustainability strategy has been influential. A 2014 study by sustainability consultancy Pure Strategies surveyed a broad range of 100 companies such as Timberland, General Mills and Coca-Cola to better understand what it takes to operate sustainably. It found that Walmart was the top-cited retailer driving suppliers' investments in product sustainability, with 79 percent identifying the retailer as influential. It's 'complicated' Many of the primary lessons that Walmart has learned so far relate to an emergent understanding of the complexity of selling low-cost sustainable products. Commenting about the difficulty developing its sustainability index quickly, Rob Walton, Walmart chairman and son of the founder, told a panel in 2012: "But good gosh, this is really complicated stuff, and it's giving our buyers information to inform decisions and compare products. It will be a great day when we can give consumers that information." Walmart's efforts showed that balancing cost and sustainability is possible but difficult to implement. For companies, labeling a low-cost product as "sustainable" makes it harder to justify charging a higher price for a similar good that bears that label. And retailers would prefer not to waste limited shelf space providing those options. Customers may prefer sustainable practices yet be unable to pay the premium, even when it's very little. So, while Walmart can push in this direction, it probably cannot create a mass market for low-cost sustainable products on its own. The retailer and others who wish to develop such a market will likely continue to struggle with what counts as "sustainable enough" for price-conscious customers. Until that question is answered, sustainable products are likely to remain "luxury" goods that fail to penetrate into the mainstream. But if we care for the next generation, as Lee Scott did when he decided Walmart was going green, Walmart's goal of bringing greater scale and scope to the typically niche market of sustainability is a vital one. "As you become a grandparent," Scott told a journalist in 2006, "you just become more thoughtful about what will the world look like that she inherits." Explore further Private equity group Advent takes control of Walmart Brazil This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Brad Linsley (center), a paleoclimate scientist at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, and his research team in Panama, March 2018. Credit: Brad Linsley The global ocean covers 70 percent of our planet, makes Earth habitable, and contributes to economies, food supplies, and our health. Yet the ocean is increasingly threatened by the growing amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Two Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory scientists affiliated with the Center for Climate and Life are leading research projects that examine a few of the ways climate change affects the health of the ocean. Both researchers use the fossil remains of sea creatures as natural recorders of past climate and marine ecosystem changes. The information they obtain from these provides clues about how the future ocean and its inhabitants might be shaped by climate change. Their studies are funded in part by the Center's partnership with the World Surf League PURE, which enables Lamont-Doherty scientists to pursue critical research that advances understanding of climate impacts on the ocean. Ocean acidification: The other carbon dioxide problem Barbel Honisch, a marine geochemist, studies how seawater chemistry changed through time. Today, the ocean is becoming more acidic due to the rising concentration of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere, about 30 percent of which is absorbed by the ocean. While this process helps to minimize global warming, the dissolution of carbon dioxide in the ocean leads to the formation of carbonic acid. As the name implies, the addition of carbonic acid makes seawater more acidic and this 'ocean acidification' makes it harder for calcifying organisms such as corals, mollusks, and some plankton to build their shells and skeletons. The current pH of the ocean is around 8.1, representing a 25 percent increase in acidity over the past 200 years. As the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere continues to rise, scientists expect seawater acidity to increase another 25 percent by the end of the 21st century. This level of acidification is similar to that of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), which occurred around 56 million years ago. During the PETM, a sudden rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide coincided with rapid warming and seawater acidificationconditions that lasted for 70,000 years or more. Barbel Honisch, a marine geochemist at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, explains how ocean acidification works and what happens to marine life. Credit: State of the Planet Honisch is analyzing the shells of tiny plankton organisms called foraminifera that were preserved in deep-sea sediments during this and other time periods, which are recovered from the sea floor by deep-ocean drilling. Her goal is to quantify changes in the ocean that occurred due to past climate shifts, and to determine whether and how marine organisms adapted to these changing conditions: Did some organisms evolve and thrive? Did some go extinct? Honisch is using her grant from the Center for Climate and Life to answer these questions. As part of her project, she and her research team are creating a timeline that details past levels of ocean acidity and the sensitivity of foraminifera to environmental changes. This will help them determine how past ocean temperatures and acidity affected the ability of calciferous marine organisms to build and maintain their shells. Their findings may also improve predictions of the consequences of future ecosystem changes. "Our research has shown that the two degrees Celsius warming at the end of the last ice age had a stronger effect on foraminifer species abundance and latitudinal migration than the 0.15 unit acidification of the surface ocean," Honisch said. "So in some ways, one might say that warming is a greater environmental stressor than acidification, at least for planktic foraminifera with this specific extent of warming and acidification. However, warming and acidification will also go hand in hand in the future and their respective effects will add up." Honisch also explained that the effects of rising temperatures and acidification of seawater won't be the same throughout the global ocean. "There will be a lot of variability in the conditions in the ocean," she said. "There may be refuges where certain organisms can survive." Although observations of past ocean changes may seem grim, Honisch noted that many marine organisms are extremely resilient to environmental change. Even the devastating impact of the Chicxulub asteroid 66 million years ago didn't completely wipe out life in the sea, so there's hope for the survival of marine organisms despite our rapidly acidifying oceans. Honisch's research demonstrates how information about past phenomena can be helpful today, and in the future, if we study and heed their messages, which, in this case, have been left for us in sediments at the bottom of the sea. Scientists collect coral reef core samples in the Gulf of Chiriqui, on the Pacific coast of Panama. Credit: Brad Linsley Corals: A window into past climate Brad Linsley, a paleoclimate scientist at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, reconstructs past climate using corals and sediments to learn how changes in global temperatures, ocean salinity, and atmospheric hydrology varied in the past. He does this by analyzing microfossils preserved in deep-sea sediments and cores taken from massive corals. The huge reef corals Linsely samples grow a skeleton at a rate of about a centimeter per year. As the skeleton grows upwards, the coral generates alternating low density and high-density band couplets at a rate of one couplet each year. These density bands are visible in X-ray images of cut slabs of the coral cores and are used by scientists to guide near-monthly resolution sampling and to help generate detailed age models. Geochemical tracers measured in a coral's skeleton are sensitive to water temperature, salinity, river discharge, and other environmental parameters. Since healthy corals grow continuously throughout the year and can live for several centuries, massive corals can be used to create continuous records of past changes in water temperature, salinity, and other conditions that extend back several centuries. The longest record Linsley has worked on dates back to 1521 and is from American Samoa. Other records from Panama, Fiji, the Cook Islands, and Tonga extend back to the early 1600s. The ability to generate these detailed and accurate chronologies of past environmental conditions is what makes corals so valuable as paleoclimate archives. Some of Linsley's recent research focuses on coral bleaching events, which are occurring with increasing frequency as the temperature of the ocean rises. Tiny algae live in the tissues of coralsthey're what give corals their bright colorsand have a symbiotic relationship with the coral animals. For example, the coral provides the algae a rich supply of carbon dioxide and the algae provide corals their main source of food. Coral cores collected by Brad Linsley and his research team in Panama. The cores will be split in half and analyzed to reconstruct the history of coral bleaching and hydrologic changes in the region back to the mid-1800s. Credit: Brad Linsley Corals are extremely sensitive to temperature changes and when the ocean temperature rises, even one degree Celsius, corals get stressed out. When this happens, the algae are expelled from the corals, resulting in "bleached" white coral structures. During a bleaching event, algae may not disappear uniformly from coral, due in part to the fact that there may be many different species of algae present on one coral formation. In some cases, corals can recover but if the water remains warm, the corals will usually die. "Once a certain, site-specific temperature threshold is maintained for a specific number of weeks, many corals will bleach. However, other stresses can also cause coral death which is sometimes hard to distinguish from bleaching," Linsley said. Coral bleaching events have occurred around the globe at the same time as some El Nino events, which cause a region of warm water to develop along the equator in the central and eastern Pacific. There may be a correlation between the two, but the exact pattern is still unclear; Linsley said that on the Pacific Ocean side of Panama, one of his study sites, coral bleaching appears to coincide with certain very strong El Nino events. Over the course of Linsley's career, he has studied coral bleaching events in Panama, Fiji, and Tonga. Most recently, in March 2018, he returned to Panama to examine a bleaching event for the second timea trip that was supported by the Center for Climate and Life. In Panama, Linsley and his team collected five coral cores from an area in the Gulf of Chiriqui, on the Pacific coast. The water temperature in the region is generally 32 degrees Centigrade, or 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit, with only two degrees of seasonal variation. There's very little human development in the area, so many mangrove forests remain along the undeveloped coastline. The winds in the region move east to west and a wind shadow that blocks the tradewinds; there is both direct rainfall into the ocean and runoff from the land. The corals record all of this environmental activity and, through different analyses, Linsley is using the cores he collected in Panama to reconstruct the history of coral bleaching and hydrologic changes in the region back to the mid-1800s. Linsley's results will ultimately improve understanding of seasonal and decadal-scale changes in rainfall in Central America. This information will help the region respond to climate pressures in several ways. Agricultural business, governments, and farmers can use it to plan for future fluctuations in rainfall and implement effective crop management practices. The knowledge will also help the efforts by the Panama Canal Authority, which operates the Panama Canal Locks, build resilience and adapt to changes in rainfall. A large amount of water is required to move ships through the locks without the use of pumps, so a lack of rainfall could result in costly disruptions to shipping traffic through the Panama Canal. Explore further New study shows some corals might adapt to climate changes Provided by Earth Institute, Columbia University This story is republished courtesy of Earth Institute, Columbia University http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu. Wheat heads with clouds -- ready for harvest. Credit: Isabelle Caugant Today in the international journal Science, the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium (IWGSC) published a detailed description of the genome of bread wheat, the world's most widely cultivated crop. This work will pave the way for the production of wheat varieties better adapted to climate challenges, with higher yields, enhanced nutritional quality and improved sustainability. The research articleauthored by more than 200 scientists from 73 research institutions in 20 countriespresents the reference genome of the bread wheat variety Chinese Spring. The DNA sequence ordered along the 21 wheat chromosomes is the highest quality genome sequence produced to date for wheat. It is the result of 13 years of collaborative international research. A key crop for food security, wheat is the staple food of more than a third of the global human population and accounts for almost 20 percent of the total calories and protein consumed by humans worldwide, more than any other single food source. It also serves as an important source of vitamins and minerals. To meet future demands of a projected world population of 9.6 billion by 2050, wheat productivity needs to increase by 1.6 per cent each year. In order to preserve biodiversity, water, and nutrient resources, the majority of this increase has to be achieved via crop and trait improvement on land currently cultivated rather than committing new land to cultivation. With the reference genome sequence now completed, breeders have at their disposal new tools to address these challenges. They will be able to identify more rapidly genes and regulatory elements underlying complex agronomic traits such as yield, grain quality, resistance to fungal diseases, and tolerance to abiotic stressand produce hardier wheat varieties. "The wheat genome sequence lets us look inside the wheat engine," said Rudi Appels, University of Melbourne Professor and Murdoch University Professor, and AgriBio Research Fellow. "What we see is beautifully put-together to allow for variation and adaptation to different environments through selection, as well as sufficient stability to maintain basic structures for survival under various climatic conditions." The Bread Wheat Genome Sequence -- A Tool for Breeders to Improve Wheat and Contribute to Food Security Credit: International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium (IWGSC) It is expected that the availability of a high-quality reference genome sequence will boost wheat improvement over the next decades, with benefits similar to those observed with maize and rice after their reference sequences were produced. "How do you thank a team of scientists who persevered and succeeded in sequencing the wheat genome and changed wheat breeding forever?" said Stephen Baenziger, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Professor and Nebraska Wheat Growers Presidential Chair. "Perhaps it is not with the words of a scientist, but with the smiles of well-nourished children and their families whose lives have been changed for the better." Sequencing the bread wheat genome was long considered an impossible task, due to its enormous sizefive times larger than the human genomeand complexitybread wheat has three sub-genomes and more than 85 percent of the genome is composed of repeated elements. "The publication of the wheat reference genome is the culmination of the work of many individuals who came together under the banner of the IWGSC to do what was considered impossible," explained Kellye Eversole, Executive Director of the IWGSC. "The method of producing the reference sequence and the principles and policies of the consortium provide a model for sequencing large, complex plant genomes and reaffirms the importance of international collaborations for advancing food security." The impact of the wheat reference sequence has already been significant in the scientific community, as exemplified by the publication on the same date of six additional publications describing and using the reference sequence resource, one appearing in the same issue of Science, one in Science Advances and four in Genome Biology. Moreover, more than 100 publications referencing the reference sequence have been published since the resource was made available to the scientific community in January 2017. In addition to the sequence of the 21 chromosomes, the Science article also presents the precise location of 107,891 genes and of more than 4 million molecular markers, as well as sequence information between the genes and markers containing the regulatory elements influencing the expression of genes. The IWGSC achieved this result by combining the resources it generated over the last 13 years using classic physical mapping methods and the most recent DNA sequencing technologies; the sequence data were assembled and ordered along the 21 chromosomes using highly efficient algorithms, and genes were identified with dedicated software programs. Explore further Scientists generate a high-quality wheat A genome sequence Provided by International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium To understand their strategies for working effectively without clogging traffic jams, researchers studied how fire ants dug tunnels in glass particles that simulated soil. Credit: Rob Felt, Georgia Tech For ants and robots operating in confined spaces like tunnels, having more workers does not necessarily mean getting more work done. Just as too many cooks in a kitchen get in each other's way, having too many robots in tunnels creates clogs that can bring the work to a grinding halt. A study published August 17 in the journal Science shows that in fire ant colonies, a small number of workers does most of digging, leaving the other ants to look somewhat less than industrious. For digging nest tunnels, this less busy approach gets the job done without ant traffic jamsensuring smooth excavation flow. Researchers found that applying the ant optimization strategy to autonomous robots avoids mechanized clogs and gets the work done with the least amount of energy. Optimizing the activity of autonomous underground robots could be useful for tasks such as disaster recovery, mining or even digging underground shelters for future planetary explorers. The research was supported by the National Science Foundation's Physics of Living Systems program, the Army Research Office and the Dunn Family Professorship. "We noticed that if you have 150 ants in a container, only 10 or 15 of them will actually be digging in the tunnels at any given time," said Daniel Goldman, a professor in the School of Physics at the Georgia Institute of Technology. "We wanted to know why, and to understand how basic laws of physics might be at work. We found a functional, community benefit to this seeming inequality in the work environment. Without it, digging just doesn't get done." For ants and robots operating in confined spaces like tunnels, having more workers does not necessarily mean getting more work done. A study published Aug. 17, 2018 in the journal Science shows that in fire ant colonies, a small number of workers does most of digging. For digging nest tunnels, this less busy approach gets the job done without ant traffic jams -- ensuring smooth excavation flow. Researchers led by Georgia Tech scientists found that applying the ant optimization strategy to autonomous robots avoids mechanized clogs and gets the work done with the least amount of energy. Credit: Georgia Tech By monitoring the activities of 30 ants that had been painted to identify each individual, Goldman and colleagues, including former postdoctoral fellow Daria Monaenkova and Ph.D. student Bahnisikha Dutta, discovered that just 30 percent of the ants were doing 70 percent of the workan inequality that seems to keep the work humming right along. However, that is apparently not because the busiest ants are the most qualified. When the researchers removed the five hardest working ants from the nest container, they saw no productivity decline as the remaining 25 continued to dig. Having a nest is essential to fire ants, and if a colony is displacedby a flood, for instancethe first thing the ants will do upon reaching dry land is start digging. Their tunnels are narrow, barely wide enough for two ants to pass, a design feature hypothesized to give locomotion advantages in the developing vertical tunnels. Still, the ants know how to avoid creating clogs by retreating from tunnels already occupied by other workersand sometimes by not doing anything much at all. To avoid clogs and maximize digging in the absence of a leader, robots built by Goldman's master's degree student Vadim Linevich were programmed to capture aspects of the dawdling and retreating ants. The researchers found that as many as three robots could work effectively in a narrow horizontal tunnel digging 3-D printed magnetic plastic balls that simulated sticky soil. If a fourth robot entered the tunnel, however, that produced a clog that stopped the work entirely. "When we put four robots into a confined environment and tried to get them to dig, they immediately jammed up," said Goldman, who is the Dunn Family Professor in the School of Physics. "While observing the ants, we were surprised to see that individuals would sometimes go to the tunnel and if they encountered even a small amount of clog, they'd just turn around and retreat. When we put those rules into combinations with the robots, that created a good strategy for digging rapidly with low amounts of energy use per robot." Robots built in the laboratory of Professor Daniel Goldman at Georgia Tech dig 3D printed spheres that are designed to simulate the moist soil in which ants dig. Credit: Rob Felt, Georgia Tech Experimentally, the research team tested three potential behaviors for the robots, which they termed "eager," "reversal" or "lazy." Using the eager strategy, all four robots plunged into the workand quickly jammed up. In the reversal behavior, robots gave up and turned around when they encountered delays reaching the work site. In the lazy strategy, dawdling was encouraged. "Eager is the best strategy if you only have three robots, but if you add a fourth, that behavior tanks because they get in each other's way," said Goldman. "Reversal produces relatively sane and sensible digging. It is not the fastest strategy, but there are no jams. If you look at energy consumed, lazy is the best course." Analysis techniques based on glassy and supercooled fluids, led by former Ph.D. student Jeffrey Aguilar, gave insight into how the different strategies mitigated and prevented clog-forming clusters. To understand what was going on and experiment with the parameters, Goldman and colleaguesincluding Will Savoie, a Georgia Tech Ph.D. student, Research Assistant Hui-Shun Kuan and Professor Meredith Betterton from the School of Physics at University of Colorado at Boulderused computer modeling known as cellular automata that has similarities to the way in which traffic engineers model the movement of cars and trucks on a highway. "On highways, too few cars don't provide much flow, while too many cars create a jam," Goldman said. "There is an intermediate level where things are best, and that is called the fundamental diagram. From our modeling, we learned that the ants are working right at the peak of the diagram. The right mix of unequal work distributions and reversal behaviors has the benefit of keeping them moving at maximum efficiency without jamming." Georgia Tech researchers used 3D printing techniques to create hollow spheres in which loose magnets were placed. The spheres simulated moist soil for testing the work strategies of ants. Credit: Rob Felt, Georgia Tech The researchers used robots designed and built for the research, but they were no match for the capabilities of the ants. The ants are flexible and robust, able to squeeze past each other in confines that would cause the inflexible robots to jam. In some cases, the robots in Goldman's lab even damaged each other while jostling into position for digging. The research findings could be useful for space exploration where tunnels might be needed to quickly shield humans from approaching dust storms or other threats. "If you were a robot swarm on Mars and needed to dig deeply in a hurry to get away from dust storms, this strategy might help provide shelter without having perfect information about what everybody was doing," Goldman explained. Beyond the potential robotics applications, the work provides insights into the complex social skills of ants and adds to the understanding of active matter. "Ants that live in complex subterranean environments have to develop sophisticated social rules to avoid the bad things that can happen when you have a lot of individuals in a crowded environment," Goldman said. "We are also contributing to understanding the physics of task-oriented active matter, putting more experimental knowledge into phenomenon such as swarms." More information: J. Aguilar el al., "Collective clog control: Optimizing traffic flow in confined biological and robophysical excavation," Science (2018). Journal information: Science J. Aguilar el al., "Collective clog control: Optimizing traffic flow in confined biological and robophysical excavation,"(2018). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi 1126/science.aan3891 Zuse Z4 relay computer at ETH Zurich: the first computer at a continental European university. Credit: ETH Library Zurich, picture archive For the world to be managed and organised using computers, it has to follow the digital logic of machines. Historian David Gugerli tells the story of this thrilling process of adaptation with marvellously entertaining flair. Ausschalten ("Switch off") is the heading of the last chapter in David Gugerli's newly published book, which traces the history of the computer through the engineers (the vast majority of which, incidentally, are male) and the users of their machines and programs. In that respect, the book ultimately revolves around all of us. These days we are online all the time, watching the latest news, sending emails, uploading posts, planning trips and checking the weather forecast. Anyone interested in the developments that have made computers an integral part of our daily lives over the last 70 years should take the last chapter's heading to heart by switching off their smartphone and yielding to Gugerli's narrative exuberance starting with chapter one: Einschalten ("Switch on"). Nimble treatment of a heavyweight topic David Gugerli has taken on a major theme: nothing less than the emergence of digital reality. But nowhere in the book by the professor of technological history at ETH Zurich will you find him delivering a lecture quite the opposite: the essayistic style of the writing with its ironically distanced tone finds resonance with the reader and creates an easy and very pleasant summer read. Using official publications, assessments and forecasts by contemporary protagonists and occasionally their retrospective revisions of history the author's 200-page narrative describes what it takes for a new technology to prevail. A technology which, in this case, has captured the very essence of our society and continues to wreak change in it. Notwithstanding the relaxed style, the 20 pages or so of annotations, and 25-page bibliography underline the rigour of the work. The story begins with the mainframe computers of the 1950s, when Remington Rand presented the UNIVAC. That said, it actually begins with the question of what a computer is: "Even those who were building them were unable to agree on what constituted the essential characteristics of a computer," writes Gugerli. Everyone agrees on the high-speed arithmetic benefits of computers. So it is all the more surprising that the film advertising the UNIVAC never stressed the process, only the result. "The process had already vanished into the black box of the machine," notes a stunned Gugerli, who points out that the French word for computer is still "ordinateur", a term that emphasises the sorting and classification of information activities that precede the actual arithmetic process and which were the first to be carried out by a computer. Eduard Stiefel's colleagues Heinz Rutishauser (l) and Ambros Speiser (r) in front of the relay cabinets of the Zuse Z4. Credit: ETH Library Zurich, picture archive Overcoming resistance The focus of Gugerli's narrative is not so much the machines, but the question as to what it took to use them: the people who had to prepare the jobs in such a way as to make the fast calculating machines able to work. For instance, he describes the experiences of Eduard Stiefel, a Professor of Applied Mathematics and a computing pioneer in the early 1950s. He and his group at ETH Zurich operated Konrad Zuse's "Z4" and found that the preparation typically took far more time and mental effort than carrying out the one-off calculations manually. Stiefel postulated that creating a library of standard programs could allow the machines to be used without so much preparation. He considered the work of programming boring. Gugerli provides many such examples to demonstrate the resistance that needed to be overcome and the discussions that had to be held before the new machines could be used efficiently. He illustrates the huge organisational efforts that were required, the way that companies adapted their work processes, and how, in the nascent days of computing, rules were agreed that facilitated the sharing of the scarce mainframe infrastructure. Particularly strikingly, he describes the complex technical and organisational interplay involved, using the American space agency NASA's Mission Control Center in Houston by way of example. New industries, new professions Gugerli describes the emergence of new groups of professions, such as programmers and operators, some of which then disappeared again on the back of subsequent technological advances. We as readers become aware of how quickly the IT sector has developed and how fundamentally it has changed our lives and our work. In the course of the book, the author traces the emergence of the software industry, operating systems, the birth of the first personal computer, and finally the World Wide Web all prerequisites for the smart digital devices we rely on today. The book's title Wie die Welt in den Computer kam (roughly translatable as "How the world came to be in the computer") suggests where Gugerli's interests lie: the decisions and adaptations in the real world that are required to make the latter a digital reality. As a consequence, the book ends where "systems (...) are becoming so complex that the interaction of their components cannot be installed, configured, optimised, maintained or assembled, even by highly specialised experts." In other words, at the point where decisions are delegated from humans to the computer. Where we are today. 4 hours ago 3 Stock Picks for Conservative Investors These 3 High-Quality Stocks Are Ideal for Conservative Investors When it comes to investing, putting capital at risk is simply unavoidable. Thats why it's so important to consider your own personal levels of risk tolerance before making any moves in the stock market. Read Article The pound sterling concluded Wednesday trading in negative territory, dropping for the 11th consecutive day against the U.S. dollar. That marked the longest losing streak by the currency since the 2008 financial crisis as the unraveling of a perfect storm pulls it down. For Britons heading for the holidays, unfortunatety things are not expected to get much better any time soon. Heres why: No Deal-Brexit Weighing The pound enjoyed a bright start to the year, touching a 2-year high of $1.4372 in April. But everything has gone south from there, with Wednesdays low of $1.2669 marking a nearly 12 percent slump. GBP/USD Year-to-Date Change (Click to enlarge) Source: Business Insider There is a confluence of factors that have been eating up the GBP. By far the most grievous is the uncertainty sorrounding whether Britain will be able to strike a deal with other EU members before the Brexit deadline finally comes calling on March 29, 2019. UK officials met in Brussels on August 16th to discuss future borders between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland with EU officials. The issue of how to prevent a hard border on the Irish Island remains one of the most contentious issues in the UK-EU talks as they try to strike an agreement how the UK will leave the bloc. Related: Beer Giants Are Striking Out With Millennials Interestingly, neither UK's newly-appointed Brexit minister, Dominic Raab, nor the EU's main Brexit man Michel Barnier will attend the talks; rather, lower-ranking civil servants will be in-charge of proceedings even as a growing number of politicians continues sounding the alarm about the possibility of a 'no-deal scenario'. The general prognosis is not good. Barnier's deputy, Sabine Weyand, has warned EU companies in a tweet to "prepare for a disorderly Brexit". (Click to enlarge) Britain's new foreign minister, Jeremy Hunt, recently warned that the risk of a no-deal Brexit has lately been increasing. He has also predicted that the pound will fall sharply in the event that no agreement is reached. Latvias foreign minister, Edgars Rinkevics, is not any more sanguine than his British counterparts. On Wednesday, he said there was a 50-percent chance that the two sides will not be able to reach an agreement before the deadline, which in effect would mean the UK exiting the EU in a completely unpredictable manner. Related: What Happens If Tesla Goes Private? Meanwhile, Irish senator, Neale Richmond, has warned about the possible consequences of a no-deal outcome: "Flights would be grounded, crops will rot in the ground, there will be a run on the banks, trucks will be stuck at ports and a hard border would be a target for dissident paramilitaries," he warned. Turmoil in Emerging Markets Other than the no-deal snafu, increasing turmoil in emerging markets has not been helping the pound either. EM currencies have been on a downward trajectory over the past few days, spurred by the massive hammering of the Turkish lira which has lost a quarter of its value in the space of just a week. The lira has been on the receiving end of a one-two punch, and growing trade/diplomatic tensions, between Washington and Ankara, with its Waterloo coming after president Trump slapped hefty fines on Turkish imports into the U.S. President Erdogan returned the favor by announcing triple-digit tariffs on American spirits, cars and tobacco. Turkey has just expressed its willingness to talk with the U.S. to find a solution to the impasse though it its anyones guess as to whether Washington will accept the olive leaf. By Alex Kimani for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com Tesla may currently be experiencing the single most important moment in its 15 years as a company. The investing universe has been left gobsmacked after CEO and chairman Elon Musk declared last week that he was considering a serious business model rebootby taking the EV maker privateand added that he had the necessary funding already lined up. Meanwhile, the SEC has just subpoenaed the company after an intense tweetstorm by Musk caused an uproar even as the board claimed it had been blindsided by the turn of events. Depending on which side of the divide you fall, this is either the end of a very good run (TSLA longs have enjoyed a nice 1,630 percent gain since Teslas IPO eight years ago) or simply good riddance (recent shorts have been getting burned and have sued Tesla and Musk). Passive vs. Active Funds Assuming the conspiracy theory that Musk has been spinning tales to spite the shorts is incorrect, it might be time to contemplate life after the company goes private. Obviously, the first investment cul de sac that TSLA diehards will face is that TSLA stock will no longer be available on stock exchanges. Assuming you are not one of the top investors that Musk has claimed to be contacting to ask if they would like to remain shareholders once the company goes private, the only other way you can get your hands on the shares once the deed is done is to buy a fund that holds them and hope they dont sell. Luckily, there is no shortage of fund managers who would love to follow Tesla into private existence. Our inclination is that if we could go private with him, we would, but its complicated, a large Tesla investor who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity has conceded. Related: Can The S&P 500 Shake Off Negative Sentiment? In fact, theres a growing trend where mutual funds are juicing their returns by increasingly investing in private firms. In other words, you dont have to be a venture capitalist or a wealthy businessperson to invest in Musks SpaceX or any of the companies in CNBCs 2018 Disruptor 50 Companies list. But as the fund manager above noted, its not going to be a walk in the park. Most passive funds will have little choice but to drop TSLA stock the moment its removed from stock indexes. One such fund is the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund (VSMPX.O), which held about two percent of Tesla shares as of June 30. The company will have to sell or tender all its Tesla shares once it goes private. David Barclay of University of Chicagos Booth School of Business says hes not aware of a single security remaining in an index fund after it went private. So the only feasible choice is to look at an actively managed fund. Here again, investors are in luck because Teslas active fund ownership is higher compared to peers like General Motors. The companys largest active fund investors include Fidelity Blue Chip Growth Fund (FBGKX.O), which also owns Uber Technologies Inc and Lyft Inc. Still, investors should be aware that active funds turn over stocks in their portfolios at a high clip of about 85 percent per annum. Further, the fund manager has to get the approval from existing clients before adding shares. By Alex Kimani for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com The tumble of the Turkish lira sounded the alarms for investors across the planet, and the repercussions will be heard all over. Yet the real nightmare would be a collapse of Italys economy, the third-largest in the European Union. As the country's new populist coalition government is currently working on next year's budget with more money likely to be doled out for the army of pensioners and all the state benefits recipients, its public debt, at 123 percent of gross domestic product now, will imminently grow. The EU-permitted limit is 60 percent, and only Greece has a similar ratio. The European Central Bank (ECB) said Friday it was concerned about the ongoing currency crisis in Turkey and the resulting fallout which could lead to a bunch of problems for the continent's banks. Although the European banking watchdog did not pinpoint Italy specifically, thats where all eyes are necessarily turned. In late May, with the new Italian government sworn in, the ECB has warned it to stick to EU budget rules rather than embrace new spending projects given its 2.3-trillion euro debt. Italy's new populist government, headed by the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and far-right League, has outlined plans for tax cuts, a basic monthly income and continuity for pension payments. In its biannual financial stability review published on Thursday, the European Central Bank warned: "A loosening of the fiscal stance in high-debt countries could impact the fiscal outlook and, by extension, market sentiment." Related: What Happens If Tesla Goes Private? What will happen in Italy in the coming months will either placate the irritated ECB and investors or exacerbate the situation in continents fiscal markets. Italys financial plan for 2019 will undoubtedly be closely scrutinized by European authorities and market players following the electoral promises to increase public spending. If the ECB and other lenders do not approve of the next budget, due around October, borrowing costs for Italy are likely to go up, which in turn could negatively impact neighboring European countries. It could also cause problems for certain European banks that hold Italian debt. It is apparent that in the aftermath of the 2011 sovereign debt crisis that investors have become leery of contagion risks across the entire euro zone. Hence, their determination to contain problems now, not when they have spiraled out of control. On Monday, Italy contacted the European Central Bank to discuss its continuing debt crisis after government bonds reached the highest since its June election, according to an inside source. However, Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio lashed out at speculations, insisting that Italy's economy will not be affected. I dont see a real risk that this government will be attacked, its more a wish of the opposition, he told an Italian newspaper on Monday. This comes after Italys 10-year spread over German bonds touched 273 basis points, the most since the coalition took office in June. Related: China's Most Powerful Weapon In The Trade War Media reports suggested Friday that officials at the ECB are mostly concerned over southern European banks, including those in Italy, which have lent significant amounts of money in Turkey. This suggests that investors holding stock in European banks could be at risk. The ECB declined to comment on the reports. European bank shares were rattled Friday after FT reported that ECB regulators were concerned about the exposure of Spains BBVA BBVA, +1.63 percent BBVA, +2.21 percent Italys UniCredit UCG, -1.10 percent and Frances BNP Paribas BNP, +0.00 percent to lira weakness. The report said regulators didnt yet see the situation as critical, but the watchdog was concerned since all three maintain significant operations in Turkey. Specifically, regulators worry that Turkish borrowers might not be hedged against lira weakness and could begin to default on loans denominated on other, strengthening currencies. By Linas Jegelevicius for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com In the onging Brexit debacle creating a lack of clarity over the future of European trade relations, France may end up getting cut out of important trade routes that bring billions in revenueand Paris is now up in arms. France has vehemently slammed the European Commissions proposal to exclude French ports from the planned re-routing of a strategic trade corridor between Ireland and mainland Europe after Brexit. The new route proposed by the Commission would link Ireland by sea with Dutch and Belgian ports, including Zeebrugge and Rotterdam. Meanwhile, Frances Calais and Dunkirk ports would be circumvented. French Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne excoriated the move, which could prevent France from taping billions of euros in an EU grant, as not acceptable. In a stern letter to European Commission transport authorities, she said France and Ireland's important trade channels had not been taken into account: The geographical proximity between Ireland and France creates an obvious connection to the single market...Surprisingly, the Commission proposal in no way takes this into account This proposal therefore is not acceptable to France. For France, much is at stake, including potentially billions in revenues from the ports themselves, jobs and funding for infrastructure from EU programs. Related: Bitcoin Could Challenge Gold As Major Asset Class Now, the bulk of Irelands trade with the continent stretches via Great Britain in trucks. However, with Brexit looming within the next 8 months, opaqueness lingers not only on the UKs future trade relations with the bloc, but also on the nature of the Irish Republics border with the British province of Northern Ireland. While the UK can no longer be part of EU routes after Brexit, bypassing it prevents Irish exports to Europe from getting caught up in British customs. Frances Roscoff and Cherbourg, the other major ports--both of which are nearer to Ireland--also would be bypassed if the plan goes into effect, meaning that they and the transport infrastructure serving them would not be eligible for additional funding from Brussels to upgrade their facilities. The European Commission counter-argues that Frances exclusion from Brexit trade route reflects traffic flows. The Commission proposal is based on the current transport flows, said a Commission spokesman. It makes an adjustment to the corridor to ensure continuity of these traffic flows, which mainly go through certain core ports. There are currently no regular maritime connections between Irelands main ports at Cork and Dublin and French terminals, but services do run to Rotterdam and Antwerp and between Dublin and Zeebrugge, the spokesman said. Brittany Ferries runs a direct overnight freight route from Cork to Roscoff every Saturday for arrival in France on Sunday morning. Irish Ferries runs a weekly service from Dublin to Cherbourg, as well as services from Rosslare to Roscoff and Cherbourg every two days. The crossing takes 14 hours. The Commission, however, says that Roscoff and Cherbourg are too small to be included in an EU priority corridor. Related: Google In Talks With Tencent Over Cloud Business The existing route runs from Edinburgh and Dublin down to Marseille. Calais, along with the Dunkirk and Le Havre ports, are already listed in the North Sea-Mediterranean corridor and so can continue to obtain money from the EUs flagship infrastructure funding program, the Connecting Europe Facility. Other French ports excluded from the corridor including Brest along with Roscoff and Cherbourg can still seek funding from smaller EU programs aimed to support a Motorways of the Sea initiative. France is said to be preparing to veto the re-routed trade plan between Ireland and Europe as D-Day for Brexit is only eight months away. By Linas Jegelevicius for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com Baytown Sun photo by Preslie Cox Neighbors near the Pinehurst Drive and Mulberry Lane intersection talk to Baytown Police Wednesday after an 84-year-old man was shot in the Pinehurst I neighborhood. Getting a job in the United States has never been easier. The U.S. unemployment rate dipped to 3.9 percent in July, the lowest point since 2000, and one new trend is helping: Employers are ditching requirements for college degrees and previous experience. As of last year, there are more jobs available than people to fill them, so its time to throw age-old standards out the door. In the first half of 2018, the share of job postings requesting a college degree fell from 32 percent to 30 percent, according to an analysis by labor-market research firm Burning Glass Technologies covering some 29 million job postings. Share of posts requiring three or more years of job experience have dropped from 29 percent in 2012 to 23 percent in 2018, which translates to 1.2 million jobs that could be open to less-experienced candidates. Even better some one million job openingsfor everything from preschool teachers and warehouse workers to e-commerce analysts--have opened up to candidates with no experience necessary in the last year. Some companies no longer even insist on performing criminal background checks or drug testing on the candidates. So, what started as a recent trend of relaxing job requirements is now becoming the new mantra for businesses trying to attract talentand keep it at a time when Americans are increasingly job-hopping and shopping around for better deals. Amy Glaser of staffing agency Adecco Group, told the Wall Street Journal that in a strong economy, job seekers are the ones who get to be choosy about their next job. If a company requires a degree, two rounds of interviews and a test for hard skills, candidates can go down the street to another employer who will make them an offer that day, Glasser said. Related: Bitcoin Could Challenge Gold As Major Asset Class Because of this, undergraduate college enrollment in the United States is down for the sixth straight year, according to new data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Last year, a registered one-percent decline was due to undergraduate enrollments, which fell by nearly 224,000 students. In all, there are 2.4 million fewer college students in the United States than there were just six years ago, so institutions have to work much harder to fill seats. In search of students, universities are adding thousands of new majors, including cybersecurity, casino management, hip-hop studies, competitive video gaming, peace education, political campaign managementyou name it. And Americas institutes of higher education are feeling the pain as the high cost of enrollment chips away at the number of students attending. According to the Washington-based National Center for Education Statistics, some 66 post-secondary schools were shuttered in 2015-2016. Furthermore, dozens of for-profit colleges could be forced to close in the next several years. Since 2016, over 350 for-profit colleges stopped receiving federal aid, as they proved to be insufficient. One new blow on the revenue side has been Trump Administration policies making it more difficult for foreign students to obtain visas to study in the U.S. Related: Google In Talks With Tencent Over Cloud Business Due the administration sentiment, last year there was a 17-percent drop in international students in the U.S. mostly due to the 28-percent decline in Indian students and a 24-percent decline in Chinese students receiving visas. In the U.S., some 1,.1 million foreign students contributed $36.9 billion during 2016-2017 school year. So, if youre job-hunting, there couldnt be a better time to ride the wave of this new trend. And in the meantime, employers may even find that experience and education arent everything: There might be plenty of ambitious hidden talent out there just waiting for opportunity in this evolving Land of Dreams. By Fred Dunkley for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com Google is probably the most powerful and most omnipresent toy in our lives, and its also the bridge to big business that wants to know where we are and what were interested in every second of our connected lives. Keeping your location history on, according to Google, helps you get better results and recommendations in a search. In other words, it helps retailers make sure youre getting inundated with localized advice on what to buy. But if you thought you had control over your Location History on your devicesthink again. You can turn it off, but thats just an illusory form of peace of mind. (Click to enlarge) According to the Associated Press, Google records user locations even when theyve turned it off. The AP study, verified by researchers at Princeton University, found that Google can see your location even with the option is disabled, and it continues to track you, regardless. "You would think that telling Google that you didn't want your location to be tracked by disabling an option called Location History would stop the internet giant from storing data about your location. It seems pretty sneaky to me that Google continues to store location data, unless you both disable Location history and Web & App Activity, writes security researcher Graham Cluley on his blog. Related: Standards Go Out The Window As Employers Struggle To Fill Jobs According to AP, the Princeton researchers created a visual map showing the movements of colleague Gunes Acar who was using an Android phone with the location history turned off. The map showed his train commute around New York as well as visits to The High Line park, Chelsea Market, Hell's Kitchen, Central Park and Harlem. It also revealed his home address. The study also found that Google takes a snapshot of your location when you open its Google Maps app, even if you have location tracking turned off. For now, all Google has said in response is this: 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. We provide clear descriptions of these tools, and robust controls so people can turn them on or off, and delete their histories at any time. But the tech giant may find that it needs to respond more fully. The AP study hasnt gone unnoticed. Its prompted a tough reaction from Senator Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat who also happens to be vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Senator Warner accused technology companies of having "corporate practices that diverge wildly from the totally reasonable expectation of their users". Hes calling for policies that give users more control over their data, and hes also calling for stiff penalties for anyone who violates user trust and expectations. Related: China's Most Powerful Weapon In The Trade War And Senator Warner isnt alone. Representative Frank Pallone of New Jersey chimed in as well, saying "Congress needs to take action to protect consumers". Hes calling for public hearings. Users and governments alike arebelatedlybecoming concerned about the ominously unchecked power amassed by tech giants like Google. "Google makes the internet work. The internet would not be accessible to us without a search engine. They control access to it. That's the important part. Google is the gatekeeper for the World Wide Web...," Gary Reback, one of the most prominent antitrust lawyers in the country, told reporters a few months back. Jeremy Stoppelman, CEO of Yelp, sums it up like this: "Google wields enormous power across the industry. And they set the rules. The question is who's watching Google? By Damir Kaletovic for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com You have permission to edit this collection. Edit Close After 35 years, it's over. Timothy Coggins' killers will spend many years, if not the rest of their lives, in a Georgia prison. In August 14 a delegation from the USA led by the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for South and Central Asian Affairs, Mark Linscott, and the Trade Representative for Trade Policy and Economics, Edward Gresser, arrived in Astana. As part of the meeting, the parties discussed the possibility for participation of Kazakhstan's business in the US programme - the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). At the moment, about 2 thousand Kazakhstan's manufacturers continuously export their products. As part of the stat programme GSP, mainly such products as ferrochrome, ferrosilicon and other by-products are exported. But, we are interested in increasing exports of other products. There are certain types of agricultural products that can fall under this programme. It will also be possible to sell travel bags, accessories, jewelry. For our Kazakhstan's companies, it is a very attractive offer," said Chairman of the Board of the Chamber of Commerce of Kazakhstan Ayan Yerenov. According to him, around 300 million dollars of exports were observed in the past year. A keen interest of both the US business in the interest of Kazakhstan's economy, that of international partners is observed on an annual basis. Against this background, in 2016 our market had a number of the brands with the US participation, they are Uber, McDonalds, Starbucks. It is the number of the companies that acctively work on Kazakhstan's market. Also, the agro-industrial complex is one of the priority and potential markets, that have potentials in terms of agriculture and livestock husbandry. An active work is held to export products of the domestic manufacturing industry to the external market. More than 3500 products are exported to the USA duty-free," said Deputy Chairman of the Board of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs Donmukhamed Absattarov. As the US side informed, GSP is a tariff programme that enables to import certain commodities to the USA duty-free. GSP is a tariff progarmme. Kazakhstan, as Russia and China, works according to the schedule of rates fixed. In GSP, duty-free import of almost for 3500 items of products is provided. It means that US consumers can have a wide access. Such states as Kazakhstan can compete with the large competitors that do not take part in GSP, for instance, Russia, China or the European Union. Imports within GSP amount to 21.2 billion dollars. The programme lasts until December 2020, then the US Congress will decide whether the programme should be resumed or modified," said the Trade Representative for Trade Policy and Economics, Edward Gresser. In order to be a member of GSP, firstly, the income per capita is considered, it should be the country with the low or average income. Following the World Bank, it is 12 055 dollars per capita. The country with higher than this figure is the country with the high income. The commodities that are included into the list of the programme are varied, they are industrial commodities, products, electronics, jewelry, some of agricultural products, chemicals and mineral resources. But there are the categories that do not comply with the programm, they are textile, clothing and some agricultural products. An the same time, each product should be in the list of products corresponding to GSP. At least 35% of the product's content should be from the country of origin, ownership of the third party is excluded. The list of countries of GSP includes: Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Ukraine and about 120 states that are not in the list, the countries with a high income level, such as China, Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan. As Edward Gresser noted in order export industrial and consumer products to the USA, the stamp Made in Kazakhstan is necessary. Agricultural products should comply with the rules designed by FDA or the Ministry of Agriculture. We just as the Government do not try to take decisions for buyers. We have the system with the helf of which we can ask to add the products in the list that correspond to the requirements of GSP. You can also file a petition, and then we will take a decision. This process will start in February. Throughout the existence of the porgramme, the most part of clothing and textile has not been in line with the rules of GSP. But, there are several goods that can be exported to GSP, for instance, in Uzbekistan they are national flags. They produce American flags, that are exported to the USA duty-free. And, recently, the US Government has made the products for traveling such as bags and suitcases duty free," he said. A wilful young girl sent to work on a farm in rural Iceland a waning traditional Icelandic practice to instill independence in children uncovers some uncomfortable real-world truths in The Swan (Svanurinn), Asa Helga Hjorleifsdottirs serious-in-tone coming-of-age drama based on the 1991 novel of the same name. Milking the country's breathtaking landscapes for all its worth, The Swan is a visually stunning product, though at its centre is a more familiar storyline that gently and lyrically probes the sobering realities of early adulthood through the lens of a sensitive child. After being caught for shoplifting, nine-year-old Sol (Grima Valsdottir) is uprooted from her coastal home to spend the summer at a countryside farm owned by her aunt Olof (Katla M. orgeirsdottir) and uncle Karl (Ingvar Eggert Sigursson). Homesick, lonely and tasked with performing routine farm chores, Sol seeks solace in the roaming animals around her, as well as brooding farm worker Jon (Thor Kristjansson), whom she gradually develops an inchoate infatuation with. Soon, Olof and Karls troubled, feisty daughter Asta (uriur Blr Johannsdottir) returns home from university, carrying with her personal baggage, a litany of caustic remarks and a hushed romantic past with Jon. Hjorleifsdottir sets The Swan against a backdrop of azure blue oceans, rolling hills, green pastures and misty mountains a less-visited part of Iceland in all its rugged, unspoilt beauty. The vast wilderness of this rural environment draws out Sols isolation and loneliness, but at the same time, provides the young girl creative latitude to make up her own whimsical parables that are relayed through voiceovers. These tales often contain twisted endings a girl who swims to the bottom of the sea ends up being strangled by seaweed, while another character who lazes on the grass finds herself sinking into the earth. Sols not the only one who enjoys telling stories; her roommate Jon is an aspiring novelist who spends every night feverishly journaling in their shared quarters. And Asta chimes in with a legend of her own: a monster who lives in a lake on the mountains can transform into a beautiful white swan hence the title of the film to lure humans into the water to drown. Foregrounded in elements of storytelling and mythology, The Swan is an Icelandic riff on the classic Alice In Wonderland fairytale, as Sol navigates a terrain where human relationships and the natural environment are closely intertwined. A keen observer of her surroundings and the individuals within, Sol encounters, in both indirect and direct ways, her first brushes with birth, death, love, desire and jealousy, including learning the harsh truth about the natural order of the food chain, where farm animals merely exist to be consumed. Grima Valsdottir puts in a remarkably textured and restrained performance as the young protagonist, whose steely demeanour and wary gazes initially make her a tough nut to crack, while the dark twists in her stories demonstrate a perceptiveness not yet fully realised. Its only in her softer, uninhibited moments however, that capture the true extent of the preteen's wide-eyed naivete, like when the young calf whose birth she assists in is set to be slaughtered. Take one last look at the world, cries Sol, as she hugs the animal in an achingly pure display of childhood innocence. While some of these scenarios are more cliche rite-of-passage markers, Valsdottir presents her emotions in such believably understated ways that she never comes across as pretentious. On the other hand, the motivations of her companion Jon are never made quite clear over the film's course. A mystery in his own right, Kristjansson succeeds in straddling the dual personas of wise brother figure and creepy grown man, getting too close to comfort when he snuggles up to Sol in the same bed. More mood piece than gripping epiphanic drama, The Swan is unfortunately let down by a strange, hastily-delivered climax that provides little answers to the characters fates. Still, Hjorleifsdottirs flourishes of lyricism make this film an intriguing addition to the coming-of-age genre, with the narrative occasionally punctuated by dreamy camerawork whenever Sols imagination takes flight, and lines of poetic dialogue that speak volumes about the reality of the adult world. Its important for people who want to tell good stories to pay close attention to naturebecause nature never asks for permission, Jon whispers to Sol one night. Such sentences, together with the allegorical mountain myth of the disguised swan, prime a young child for a murky future of deceit, heartbreak and regret one where the human heart is as arbitrary as the elemental laws of nature. The Swan is now playing in New York City at the Village East Cinema. It will open in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Royal on August 17. By David Stanway JURONG, China (Reuters) - China's leading solar equipment manufacturer GCL is planning a move into the electric vehicle sector, aiming to make use of its expertise in energy to gain a vital competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded industry, executives said. The firm is currently building a 5 billion yuan ($721.19 million) solar production base in a new "eco-town" at Jurong near the city of Nanjing, which will also involve the construction of solar-powered residences, warehouses and public amenities. But the firm is now in talks with auto manufacturers to build facilities and production lines in Jurong to support China's electric vehicle revolution, Tang Yanzhe, the head of the Jurong project, told Reuters. "Our investment figures are very conservative and if the car firms come, it is a long industrial chain and many supporting factories will also come," he said. Jurong is part of a "special town" programme launched by Jiangsu aimed at encouraging investment in strategic sectors. Other towns are focusing on areas like fruit farming, automobiles and e-commerce. But the town's 2-gigawatt solar panel production line will be completed this year and go into operation at a time when China's solar manufacturers are struggling with overcapacity, weak demand and trade frictions. After generation capacity rose by a record 53 GW in 2017, the government has also put the brakes on new installations this year. GCL managers said low-grade, "outdated" producers were most at risk. The firm will also put only half its new capacity into operation this year so production does not expand too quickly. Critics say cut-throat competition between China's cities and regions has caused price-sapping overcapacity in a wide range of sectors, including steel and solar - and electric cars could be next. As many as 11 cities in the Yangtze delta region were competing to become car production bases, and across the country, 118 enterprises had registered 428 different models of electric cars by mid-July, up from 102 firms and 355 models in just four months, according to government data. Story continues Automakers have already complained that China's regions are distorting the market by giving preferential treatment to local champions, and Beijing has promised to take action against "blind" sector growth. Tang acknowledged that there were a lot of firms entering the sector but said those without "core competitiveness" would soon be eliminated. GCL is exploring alternative models to boost its competitiveness, and aims to produce lower-cost batteries that can be rented out to drivers and eventually recycled for use in solar energy storage. GCL's focus was on public transport and delivery vehicles, and there was still room for growth, Tang said. "The Yangtze river delta is the biggest market for new energy vehicles - the customer base is the most developed, whether for delivery vehicles or passenger vehicles," he said. ($1 = 6.9330 yuan) (Reporting by David Stanway; Editing by Christopher Cushing) Chinese relatives of those who disappeared on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 on Thursday asked to meet the country's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad when he visits China this week. The plane disappeared in March 2014 with 239 people -- mostly from China -- on board, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Amid a heavy police presence, about a dozen relatives gathered outside the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing where they handed over a letter addressed to the Malaysian government. "We ask that Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir, or other representatives (of the Malaysian government) meet with Chinese relatives of those on board MH370 during the official visit," the letter read. Mahathir, who became Malaysia's premier for a second time after a shock election victory in May, will arrive in China Friday for a five-day visit, including a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday. Other requests include resuming the search, a monthly meeting with airline and Malaysian officials, as well as for investigators to thoroughly explain the recent investigation report. A similar letter was also given to the foreign ministry. "We're holding out hope that on this visit to China, (Mahathir) can quickly resolve the issue with MH370," said Gu Xiu Fang, whose son and his family were on the plane. "We don't know anything about the situation. Our lives have stopped at March 8, 2014," she said. Relatives had earlier this month expressed frustration that the long-awaited official report -- totalling some 1,500 pages -- had no new clues about the missing airliner and had not been translated into Chinese. The investigation team wrote that it was unable to determine the real cause for the disappearance of the plane. The vanished airliner sparked the largest hunt in aviation history but no sign of the jet was found in a 120,000-square kilometre (46,000-square mile) Indian Ocean search zone and the Australian-led hunt was suspended in January 2017. US exploration firm Ocean Infinity resumed the search in a different location at the start of this year on a "no find, no fee" basis, using high-tech drones to scour the seabed. The private search was called off after failing to find a trace of the plane but Mahathir had said the search could resume if new evidence shows up. Only three confirmed fragments of MH370 have been found, all of them washed up on shores in the western Indian Ocean. South Korean Bithumb Exchange Loses $30M in Latest Cryptocurrency Hack South Korea is planning to invest nearly $900 million next year to accelerate the development of blockchain, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. In an August 14, 2018, press release from the 5th Ministerial Meeting entitled Growth through Innovation, Deputy Prime Minister Kim Dong Yeon is summarized as saying The government has decided to work on a platform economy, whose impact is powerful and far-reaching. There have been discussions among ministries and private sector experts on how to develop a platform economy, and we have come up with the four projects in which we will continue to invest with a long-term perspective, the statement continued. The projects that he outlined included: building a digital platform for big data and AI, along with promoting blockchain technology to secure data transactions and the sharing economy; setting up a hydrogen fuel cell supply chain; and developing an education program to meet the demand for a qualified workforce for these industries in the future. While the release did not specify how the funds will be allocated, a total of five trillion won (approximately $4.5 billion) will be spent in 2019 on eight pilot projects for the digital platform economy, an increase of over two trillion won ($1.75 billion) from 2018. Over the next five years, Yeon anticipates that a total of nearly 10 trillion won ($9 billion) will be spent on the projects. The news follows an announcement in June of this year from The Ministry of Science and ICT which revealed a blockchain technology development strategy aimed at securing a global competitive edge in the emerging technology. The ministry will invest in six pilot projects across an array of industries to kick start the process. The government also announced its intentions to establish a blockchain technical support center to help improve the technological competitiveness of private companies and to provide facilities where companies can test their blockchain platforms and services. This article originally appeared on Bitcoin Magazine. ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines Fifteen (15) boxes of seahorses were hauled from inside a container van in Zamboanga City port on Wednesday (August 15) by members of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). According to authorities, the contraband were shipped from Tawi-Tawi and delivered to Zamboanga City by Ramon Sayson who denied any knowledge on the contents inside the boxes. Sayson argued that he was just asked to deliver the shipment. But the authorities suspected otherwise. He rented the whole twenty-footer container so therefore, lahat ng laman niyan siya ang mananagot. Siya ang may-ari kung may illegal drugs diyan. Sagot din niya iyon, said Atty. Lyceo Martinez, BOC District Collector in Zamboanga. The seahorses were estimated to weigh a total of 120 kilograms, valued at P3.6 million or about P30,000 per kilogram. According to Martinez, the boxes of the exotic marine animal were believed to be exported to China for use in Chinese traditional medicine. The owner of the shipment will face charges against Republic Act 10654 for unreported and unregulated fishing, imprisonment of up to eight years and a fine of up to three million pesos. Ang may-ari nito will be held for investigation to explain kung paano naipasok iyan. For now ang recommendation ko ay to turn it over to the maritime police for investigation, Martinez said. Dante Amento / Marje Pelayo The post 120kg of exotic seahorses bound for China seized in Zamboanga port appeared first on UNTV News. A blast hit in a school boiler room in the Kyzylorda region, the press service of the Department of Emergency Situations said. "Today at 8.15 am, the Crisis Management Department of the Emergency Situations Department of the Kyzylorda region received a message saying that solid fuel heating boiler exploded without fire, followed by partial destruction of walls and floors of the building on an area of 64 square meters," the report says. Nobody has suffered in the accident, educational process has not been disturbed. Source: KazTAG This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today. Lawmakers in Taiwan started looking into ways to legalise short-term rental services for some time now but this is hardly good news for Airbnb The article Airbnbs latest challenge is coming from Taiwan was written by Nicole Jao for TechNode. The concept of home-sharing was popularised by Airbnb and the like nearly a decade ago. Despite the rise of the maturing sharing economy, short-term rental services are still grappling with regulations all over the world. The controversy is global. Conversations about legalising Airbnb have sprouted up in the US, Canada, Australia and European countries including Germany, the Netherlands, and Ireland. Most recently, Taiwans neighbour Japan passed a new law that made Airbnb legal in the country which ironically has made business harder. Lawmakers in Taiwan started looking into ways to legalise short-term rental services for some time nowbut this is hardly good news for Airbnb, who is in the crosshairs of government scrutiny. The legalisation of Airbnb elevated into a heated debate in Taiwan earlier this month after an amendment to the Act for the Development of Tourism was proposed to increase fines and penalties for unlicensed lodging services. An official went even further proposing an outright ban on Airbnb and other short-term housing. The proposition received support from the local hospitality industry, as expected. For traditional lodging businesses, Airbnb and short-term housing providers have developed into major competitors and are chipping away their revenue. The issue of compliance was also brought under a brighter light recently: it is hard to impose safety regulations while many apartments and rooms listed on Airbnb fail to meet the safety requirements that are enforced on a hotel room, for example. It also snowballed into other broader issues that fueled the debate. Taiwanese legislators were under fire for potentially jeopardising freedom of speech because under the newly proposed amendment, if hosts fail to comply, the NCC (National Communications Commission) would have the authority block IP address and cut off access to the rental platform. Story continues Also Read: How Igloohome co-founder Anthony Chow turned a hack for his Airbnb home into a business The amendment proposed for the Act for the Development of Tourism today clearly does not reflect the travel habits that 21st-century tourists have embraced. It could also cripple the development of Taiwans tourism industry, Airbnb said in a statement (in Chinese). Uber, another sharing economy unicorn, faced the same woe two years ago. Legislators passed the so-called Uber Clause in January 2017, which imposed heavy fines to clampdown on illegal ride-sharing activities. Local businesses feared that the ride-hailing app could potentially undermine the existing taxi industry. After months of deadlock, the ride-hailing startup returned to the Taiwan market and launched its UberTaxi app in collaboration with local taxi companies. Legalisation = easier rentals Legalisation of short-term housing has been in progress for more than a year. In June 2017, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau along with major travel agencies kicked off a campaign to improve tourism confidence by ending rental scams and unlicensed rental properties that are unsafe. One representative from EZTravel, one of Taiwans largest travel agencies, urged the travel companies to work with legal lodging services as consumer disputes arising from the sales of cheap and unlicensed rentals creates a negative impact on the image of the travel agencies. In the following month, Taiwanese legislators passed the so-called Airbnb Clause, which stipulates that hosts must register their residence with the local government to be listed on rental platforms. This may be a fix to illegal short-term rental listings, but it creates other issues. While most residences were granted approval, there is currently a 180-day waiting period after registration before it can begin operations. Japan has implemented a similar policy, which enables hosts to provide accommodation for up to 180 days a year by registering their residence with local authorities. The new law may lower legal hurdles for those with a license, but it reportedly scrapped 80% per cent of listed short-term rental properties from hosts who have yet to obtain permission to operate while local governments remain slow to grant, according to Nikkei Asian Review. Also Read: Cookly, the Airbnb for cooking classes, raises pre-Series A funding round led by Zcoin founder In an under-regulated marketplace like Taiwan, many short-term housing providers benefit from tax loopholes, which give them an unfair advantage. The government could benefit tremendously from closing those loopholes. Currently, occupancy tax is levied on Airbnb hosts in many countries and cities across the world. No easy way forward The Taiwanese government may have mixed feelings about short-term rentals, but the people love it. Airbnb has seen tremendous growth in Taiwan over the past three years. According to company figures, 1.3 million foreign travelers used Airbnb listings in Taiwan in 2017, which represents 12 per cent of the total number of inbound tourists. Airbnb conducted a survey which shows over half of the respondents hope legislators can come up with new policies to accommodate the emerging short-term rental services, with only around 12 per cent in opposition. People in Taiwan appear to support reasonable and progressive policies to legalise home-sharing, this echoes what happened in the past few months in Japan, Berlin, Vancouver and other countries and cities which are loosening policymaking. This indicates that Taiwan needs new policies to serve the demand rather than prohibiting it and run counter to the market trend, Gina Tsai, Head of Public Policy of Hong Kong and Taiwan, told a local news outlet. While many are apt to criticise the governments move against short-term housing as counterproductive, there are some valid reasons as to why Airbnb is facing a backlash. In the eyes of incumbent players, short-term rentals are undercutting the existing hospitality industry. The ugly truth is they are squeezing the supply of long-term rentals and thereby driving up housing prices. In popular tourist destinations, leasing out short-term vacation rentals is generally more profitable than leasing them to long-term tenants. Also Read: Airbnb for diving Deepblu connects scuba divers with dive shops around the world A recent study by MIT, UCLA, and USC found that Airbnb is having an impact on real estate prices and rental prices. In the US, a 10 per cent increase in Airbnb listings would lead to a 0.39 per cent increase in rents and a 0.64 per cent increase in home prices on average. The island is calling for a change to the outdated regulatory framework around the hospitality industry, which lacks a clear definition of home-sharing service. It is too soon to predict Airbnbs fate in Taiwan, but businesses are showing a willingness to cooperate with the government. After becoming legalized in Japan, Airbnb voluntarily took down all illegal listings on its platform. And the company said it is willing to comply if the Taiwanese government implements similar regulations. In a public statement, the company said it believes in having reasonable regulations in place. Through clear rules that allow those participating in the grassroots economy and sharing economy have some form of regulatory framework to comply with. This would definitely push the development of Taiwans tourism industry further than prohibiting it outright. The article Airbnbs latest challenge is coming from Taiwan first appeared on TechNode. The post Airbnbs latest challenge is coming from Taiwan appeared first on e27. Alibaba Group Holding, the worlds largest e-commerce services provider, is making a push into Southeast Asia by offering a suite of cloud computing solutions to help retailers embrace digitalisation and provide the kind of online-offline shopping experience that is already commonplace in China. A suite of computing solutions ranging from cloud architecture and machine learning to the internet of things (IoT) and security will be on offer, according to an announcement made by Alibaba Cloud in Singapore. It is the first cloud computing conference outside China hosted by the Alibaba unit. The solutions from Alibaba Cloud are a step to help Southeast Asian retailers jump on the bandwagon of the so-called new retail concept. This combines online sales and marketing, offline showrooms and physical stores with logistics, big data analysis across a single value chain to deliver a seamless blend of online and offline shopping experiences. This new suite of offerings includes products that are highly efficient, cost effective, said the cloud computing units chief solution architect, Derek Wang. Some of them are the first of their kind in the industry. The push into Southeast Asia, with a combined population of 550 million people, is part of the strategy of Hangzhou-based Alibaba to serve 2 billion consumers by 2036, handling 1 trillion yuan (US$144.6 billion) in gross merchandise volume. Retailing in China has already been transformed in the last two years by the notion of new retail, where cashless payments, smartphone ordering, location services and big data analysis have combined to let consumers buy anywhere and pay any time. Now, Alibaba wants to push the same concept outside China. In March, Alibaba assigned co-founder Lucy Peng Lei to chair its Singapore-based e-commerce platform Lazada Group, the leading online commerce operator in Southeast Asia. Three months later, in June, Alibaba invested a further US$1 billion to raise its Lazada stake to around 83 per cent to expand its footprint in Southeast Asia. Story continues Further Reading: Meet one of Chinas most powerful businesswomen at the helm of e-commerce firm Lazada The Southeast Asia push is also a crucial step to give Alibaba the edge in cloud computing, where the Chinese company is the worlds third-largest provider after Amazon Web Services and Microsoft. Alibaba signed a deal earlier this year to help Malaysia adapt its Smart City system, which will harness artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing to support the countrys digital transformation and help cities run more efficiently. The Chinese company was also in discussions with the Thai government to set up a logistics centre as part of its aggressive expansion into the region. The series of products launched in Singapore included a machine learning platform that enables customers with limited background in artificial intelligence easy access to Alibaba Clouds AI capabilities, a software solution that protects users from online scalpers and crawlers, as well as a cost-effective, easy-to-use online backup service to protect critical business data. New York-listed Alibaba, the parent company of the South China Morning Post, also announced a plan to recruit 150 partners and train 600 sales and technology personnel in the next year to fuel the growth of its ecosystem in Southeast Asia. It will also partner with the National University of Singapore to help the city-state further develop its capacity for smart infrastructure. This article Alibaba offers cloud computing for Southeast Asias retailers to embrace digitisation and big data first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. More from South China Morning Post: US travel sanctions targeting Cambodian officials are "useless", a ruling party spokesman said Thursday, as the kingdom shrugs off international criticism of a one-sided election win. The Cambodian People's Party (CPP) led by strongman Hun Sen won all 125 seats in parliament during last month's poll. The main opposition did not contest the vote after a court dissolved the party, clearing the way for a landslide victory for the CPP. Western governments have decried the election and the US State Department on Wednesday announced an expansion of visa restrictions to include Cambodians responsible for a crackdown on dissent in the run-up to the "flawed" vote. But a spokesman for the CPP called the move "useless". "The restrictions or so-called sanctions on Cambodia will not be effective," Sok Eysan said. "For example, if I don't want to go to that country, how can they block my visa?" Washington did not name the officials targeted by the expanded list but it has already hit the chief of Hun Sen's bodyguard unit with financial sanctions in June. The CPP is hailing an 83 percent turnout as a sign of a overwhelming popular support. But critics say the election was a sham and highlight the 600,000 spoiled ballots as a sign of serious disquiet while others were intimidated into casting ballots. Relations have soured between the US and Cambodia in recent years. Hun Sen, who has been in power for 33 years, has instead turned to China for cash and loans to make good on development promises. The 66-year-old accused the opposition last year of conspiring with the US in a plot to overthrow the government, and police arrested opposition leader Kem Sokha on treason charges. Campaigning for Brazil's wildly unpredictable presidential race officially got under way on Thursday with jailed former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's name amongst the 13 candidates formally registered. Candidates and their parties are now authorized to petition voters on the streets and online ahead of the October 7 poll. Around a hundred participants from Lula's powerful leftist Workers' Party campaigned in front of Sao Paulo's Municipal Theater while Ciro Gomes of the center-left Democratic Workers' Party took to the streets of northern Rio de Janeiro promising to "save Brazil." Environmentalist candidate Marina Silva, one of the front-runners, visited a health center in Sao Paulo while releasing an internet video calling on Brazilians to "make the change," after twice before falling short in presidential elections. Former banker Henrique Meirelles of the center-right Democratic Movement party of unpopular outgoing President Michel Temer, promised on social media to deliver economic growth. Former Sao Paulo governor Geraldo Alckmin of the center-right Social Democratic Party was due to take part in a women's meeting in his stronghold later in the day. Campaigning, though, won't deflect from the major talking point in these elections, over whether or not the incarcerated Lula will be allowed to stand, The 72-year-old is serving a 12-year sentence for accepting a seaside apartment as a bribe and under Brazil's clean slate law he is likely to be prevented from standing. The electoral court has until September 17 to rule on Lula's candidacy and should he be barred, another former Sao Paulo governor, Fernando Haddad, would likely run in his place. Lula still leads in the presidential polls ahead of right-winger Jair Bolsonaro, with Alckmin and Silva coming next. Polls suggest voters are disillusioned with the state of their country as it struggles with recession and reels from a raft of corruption scandals. Voting is obligatory in Brazil but some polls suggest at least a third of voters would skip it while another poll said a third were planning on deliberately spoiling their ballot. Authorities have released their preliminary findings from a post-mortem performed on a dead baby elephant that was found floating in Sabahs Kinabatangan river by a tour boat on Tuesday. Kosmo! write that early indications point to the animal having been killed by gastrointestinal ulcers, resulting in a grave loss of blood. Sabah Wildlife Department officers cannot confirm if the ulcers were acquired from an infection, or other source, and the animals organs have been taken for further toxicological and bacterial analysis. The two-year old male calf had no physical signs of injury. Another incident of Sabahs wildlife peril made headlines this week, after another baby elephant was seriously injured in a jungle snare trap. The Star reports that veterinarians are now trying to repair his injured front leg. Animal welfare is becoming an increasing concern among conservationists in the state, with accusations flying that plantation owners are behind indiscriminate shootings of the majestic elephant. Deputy Chief Minister Christina Liew spoke to Free Malaysia Today last week and has said that it is crucial to solve any issues regarding such deaths, and that she cannot afford to have animals dying on my watch. Earlier this year, police zeroed in on a poacher group, and arrested the gang who targeted the wild animals. They seized rifles, homemade shotguns, as well as animal snares. However, the state also have incredibly hardworking groups and individuals who work towards ensuring the elephants are safe, and that any rogue strays be relocated to forest reserves. Follow them, support them, thank them for doing such good work. The post Concerns grow over animal welfare after one baby elephant dead, another injured in Sabah appeared first on Coconuts. They in the Statistics Committee of the Ministry of National Economy of Kazakhstan told about the demographic situation of Kazakhstan for January-June 2018. Following the Committee, the population as of July 1 2018 has reached 18 272,4 thousand people, including the urban population - 10529,1 thousand people (57.6%) and the rural population - 7743,3 thousand people (42.4%). Compared to July 1 2017, the population has increased by 238.1 thousand people or 1.3%. As a result of the data processing, presented by the migration service agencies, the number of registered migrants who arrived in the country for January-June 2018 compared to the same period of 2017 has decreased by 26.5% and equaled to 6 368 people, the number of the migrants who left the country has increased by 14% and equaled to 17 171 people, the migratory balance - 10803 people," says the report. The main migration exchange of fthe country occurs with the CIS states, So, the share of those arrived from the CIS states equals 77.2%, and the share of those left the country for the CIS states - 89.7%. The share of inter-regional migrants has reached 44.9% of the total share of internal migrants of the country. The possitive balance of the inter-regional migration is observed in the region and is: - in Astana - 5 748 people; - in Almaty - 17 715 people; - in Shymkent - 43 222 people. We note that the number of births for January-June 2018 is 192.7 thousand people, that is by 1.8% more that for the same period of 2017. The crude birth rate is 21.26 those born per 1000 people. Natural population growth of the republic for the same period compared to January-June 2017 increased by 3.3 thousand people or 2.7% and is 125.9 thousand people. Natural population growth per 1000 people is 13.89 people. In the same period, the number of deaths is 66.8 thousand people, that is by 0.1 more that for January-June of 2017. Crude death rate is 7.37 deaths per 1000 people," they say in the Statistics Committee. In January-June of 2018, 1 626 deceased infants under one year of age were registered. Compared to the same period of 2017, the number of deaths of infants under one year of age increased by 1.3%. The main reasons of infant mortality are the situations that occur in the perinatal period from which in January-June 2018 782 infants or 48.1% of the total deaths of infants died. The number of died infants from congenital anomalies is 328 or 20.2%, from respiratory diseases - 124 or 7.6%, from infectious and parasitic diseases - 86 infants or 5.3% and as a result of accidents, poisoning, injures - 73 or 4.5%. For January-June of 2018, the infant mortality rate has reached 8.44 cases per 1000 children born," says the report. PHOTO: Ex-CapitaLand CEO Liew Mun Leong (Screen shot from YouTube) Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong, who has accused his maid of stealing his familys belongings, had previously misplaced some items and blamed the Indonesian, said the defence lawyer on Thursday (16 August). Liew, 72, who was taking the stand in the trial of Parti Liyani, alleged that the Indonesian maid had tried to have his family unknowingly ship their own belongings to Indonesia. Parti, 43, is contesting four charges of theft for allegedly stealing valuables from Liew, his daughter May Liew Cheng, his son Karl Liew and the younger Liews wife Heather Lim Mei Ern. She had worked for the family for eight years. The allegedly stolen items, worth more than $50,000, included a DVD player valued at $1,000, two Longchamp bags worth $400, a Gerald Genta watch worth $25,000, two white iPhone 4 smartphones with accessories valued at $2,056, 120 pieces of male clothing valued at $150 each, and a $500 blanket. On Thursday, Partis lawyer Anil Balchandi asked Liew if he had found things that he had misplaced before, referring to a pair of hearing aids which Liew lost in 2014. You were in a frantic position as it (the hearing device) was essential and you alerted your wife about it, said Anil, adding that Liews wife, Ng Lai Peng, had accused the maid of stealing it. But Parti found the device in one of the drawers eventually, said the lawyer. In response, Liew said he did not recall how the device was found. When the lawyer suggested that Liew would blame Parti when things went missing most of the time, Liew replied, Not true. This is rubbish. I disagree. During the trial, Liew also testified that several of his favourite items, including a small power bank that had been given to him by a French university after he gave a lecture, and a bag that he bought in Tokyo, had gone missing. Liew, who is the former chief executive of developer CapitaLand, testified that as a jogger for the past 50 years, he would change his running shoes every six months. When the shoes started to go missing, he put padlocks on the cupboard where the shoes were stored. Story continues Anil also suggested that Karl did not tell his father about the missing Gerald Genta watch as he had discarded the watch, which had a broken strap and a missing knob. Liew disagreed, saying the watch had value and would not have been thrown away. While he was overseas, Liew instructed his son to let Parti go on 28 October 2016. In an earlier tranche of the trial, Karl testified that on the day, he went to the familys home at Chancery Lane with a staff member from Partis employment agency to convey the news to the maid. After Parti was given two to three hours to pack, she insisted that the family send back three sealed boxes to Indonesia for her. According to Karl, Parti turned violent after he denied her request, adding that the staff member had to restrain her. Karl later agreed to the request and the staff member led Parti out of the house. But Karl, his wife and his mother decided to open the boxes the next morning and allegedly discovered that some of their belongings were inside. Liew, who returned to Singapore on 29 October, made a police report on the alleged theft committed by Parti the next day. When asked about the report, Liew said, I think we should stop crimelets go to the law to settle this. When the lawyer suggested to Liew that he had trumped up the police report in order to fix Parti, Liew said there was no reason for him to do so. I said that a person who has committed crimemay have the inclination to commit the same crime (after coming back) and Im trying to avoid that for the good of Singapore, Liew said. At the end of the cross-examination, Anil suggested that Liew did not want Parti to return to Singapore to possibly make a complaint against the Liews, and because she knew the intimate running of his family. Liew denied the lawyers claims. The trial will continue on Friday with Ng and May Liew taking the stand. More Singapore stories: Nanyang Technological University team invents new natural food preservative HSA warns against consuming 2 slimming products with banned substance 10 HFMD clusters identified in childcare centres and kindergartens: MOH Operating mystery prize vending machines is illegal: Police The joint venture with the Chinese healthcare unicorn aligns with the ride-hailing companys ambitions to create an everyday app Southeast Asian ride-hailing giant Grab has partnered up with Chinese healthcare and insurance unicorn Ping An Good Doctor to provide online healthcare services on its platform. The joint venture will see GrabPlatform offer an array of integrated medical services such as artificial intelligence (AI) assisted online medical consultations, medicine delivery and appointment bookings. Grab users will be able to use GrabPay to complete transactions. The joint venture will also seek partnerships with governments, hospitals, doctors and other relevant key stakeholders in each market to provide these medical services. The GrabPlatform, launched last year, is the central driver of the companys initiative to become an everyday app (like WeChat). Essentially, it integrates the functions of transportation, F&B, courier, and payments in just one app, by bringing on board external partners. For example, just last month Grab announced it will offer grocery delivery services via a joint venture with Indonesia-based online grocery startup HappyFresh. Grabs partnership with Ping An Good Doctor would have likely been orchestrated by SoftBank since both companies are backed the Japanese telecom giant. It is another step in SoftBanks mission to align its investments together, building a large network of interconnected world-changing companies to accelerate their reach across all markets. Also Read: This accelerator programme wants to help Southeast Asia tap into the potential of Brunei Ping An Good Doctor will become a globally influential internet healthcare ecosystem platform. We will replicate our successful model in the Chinese market to the overseas market and export our mature technologies and services, resolving medical issues worldwide, said Wang Tao, Chairman and CEO of Ping An Good Doctor, which currently has over 200 million users. Story continues The joint venture will go live in the first quarter of 2019. Grab said it will be a phased launch but declined to mention its first entry markets. Grab, however, said it was looking closely at Indonesia a country that, according to WHO statistics, has only one physician for nearly 5,000 people. The post Grab teams up with Ping An to launch online healthcare services appeared first on e27. Hong Kong businessman who raped daughter, 18, and treated her as sex toy jailed for more than 14 years A Hong Kong businessman who raped his underage daughter, treating her as a sex toy by molesting her repeatedly, was jailed for 14 years on Thursday. Sentencing the man known to the court as HJD, High Court judge Mr Justice Albert Wong Sung-hau said the shameless father, 59, had not only failed his paternal duty, but also displayed a lack of remorse in putting his daughter, now 18, in the spotlight in court. The daughter was left feeling guilty, the judge said. After pleading not guilty last month, HJD was convicted following a jury trial of one count of rape and another of indecent assault. He also pleaded guilty to three additional counts of indecent assault and a further one of indecency with a child under the age of 16. At one point he attempted to withdraw his plea for the charges, but that was rejected by the judge. All the offences took place between 2012 and 2017, with the first assault happening when the girl referred to as X in court was 12 years old. She was raped when she was 15, and further sexual assaults followed. You made your daughter take the witness stand to lay allegations against you, the judge said on Thursday, referring to his not guilty plea. Because of that, Wong continued, X was forced to testify against her father, even though she did not want him to end up in jail. You made your daughter take the witness stand to lay allegations against you High Court judge Albert Wong Sung-hau Coupled with the negative comments X had read online about her father, the judge cited medical experts in noting her road to psychological recovery would be long. He also called the father shameless for treating his daughter as a sex toy, before sending the stone-faced defendant to prison. The court heard at trial that at the time of the offences the family of four lived in Mong Kok, where the father ran a photography studio. HJD had married his wife in mainland China before moving her and X, who has a younger sister, to Hong Kong. Story continues The father made his first move on X in 2012, when she was still in Primary Six. More sexual assaults ensued in the years to come, with the rape taking place in 2015 when X was still in Form Three. He would tell her not to reveal the incidents to anyone, according to court evidence. The case was eventually exposed in 2017, when the girl dropped hints on a school form that caught her teachers attention. This happened just two days before she was to be assaulted by her father again. For the form, X was instructed to suggest topics to be raised by her teachers at a parents day in 2017. She wrote of fear at home and said she suffered an unerasable psychological scar. When a teacher approached her about what she had written, X tearfully complained of her father: He has done something he really should not have done. The matter was eventually referred to the schools social worker, who alerted police. This article Hong Kong businessman who raped daughter, 18, and treated her as sex toy jailed for more than 14 years first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Hong Kong lawmaker Junius Ho pushes to have Occupy founder Benny Tai charged with sedition over independence remarks in Taiwan A pro-Beijing lawmaker has accused former Occupy leader Benny Tai Yiu-ting of sedition for controversial remarks on the possibility of Hong Kong independence and launched an online petition urging the Department of Justice to press charges against the legal scholar. The accusation by Junius Ho Kwan-yiu centred on comments Tai made at a forum in Taiwan in March. The University of Hong Kong associate professor suggested the city could consider independence or enter into a confederation with other regions of China should the country become democratic in the future. Ho on Wednesday urged the Department of Justice to say whether it would charge Tai within 40 days, or by September 24. Tai made the remark in late March, and the law requires criminal prosecution within six months so thats why we set the date leaving a few days as a buffer before the October 5 or 6 deadline, Ho said. The department would not comment on Hos call. The sedition law under sections 9 and 10 of the Crimes Ordinance cited by Ho has never been used since being written into the statute books in the 1930s. In response, Tai referred to Article 63 of the Basic Law, which says the justice department shall control criminal prosecutions free from any interference. Tai previously defended his independence remarks during a talk at the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC) in June, saying he was exercising academic freedom by posing such a possibility. After Tai spoke in Taiwan, the Hong Kong government issued an unusually harsh condemnation of him, which was followed by a similar statement from the State Councils Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office as well as Beijings liaison office in the city. John Reading SC, former deputy director of public prosecutions, said technically Hong Kong did not have a sedition law as it expired following the handover in 1997, meaning any remarks about independence would not be prosecuted. Story continues He added the express requirement for the department to press charges before October could test whether speaking about independence might break the law. The government has been under increasing pressure to curb advocacy of independence, despite the wide consensus among legal experts that merely speaking about separatism would not constitute an offence. On Tuesday, the pro-establishment camp condemned the FCC for hosting a talk by Andy Chan Ho-tin, founder of the pro-independence Hong Kong National Party, which is facing an unprecedented ban in the city. Hong Kong and Macau Office director Zhang Xiaoming also weighed in, arguing both Chan and the FCC breached the law. Separately, Ho asked the University of Hong Kong to suspend Tai from teaching ahead of his trial in November relating to his role in the pro-democracy Occupy movement marked by street protests. A university spokesman would not comment, but sources from Tais faculty said it had no plans to do so. This article Hong Kong lawmaker Junius Ho pushes to have Occupy founder Benny Tai charged with sedition over independence remarks in Taiwan first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Hong Kong man serving 40-year jail term in the Philippines given crucial records that show he wasnt in the country when surveillance took place A Hong Kong man serving a 40-year jail term in the Philippines for drug possession has received crucial immigration records that could prove his innocence, soon after the citys leader wrote to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. During Tang Lung-wais trial, the court was told Manila police had monitored his movements from June 1 to 12, 2000. He was convicted in 2011. But immigration records the Philippine authorities gave to the Chinese embassy in Manila on Tuesday, and which were passed to Tangs Philippine lawyer Sheilla San Diego on Wednesday, showed Tang only entered the Philippines on June 19. It is exciting news for me, Tangs elder brother Tang Lung-piu said on Wednesday. I still dont have much confidence in the Philippines judicial system, but I hope my brother can hang in there and that he will come home soon. Tang, 47, was arrested about a month after arriving in the Philippines and has been languishing behind bars for 18 years. It took 11 years for his case to make it through the legal system and he was found guilty of possession of meth, more commonly known as Ice. Tangs ordeal took a surprising twist when Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor wrote to Duterte on Monday asking for compassionate consideration in expediting a request to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration, so Tang could receive a fair and just trial. The authorities gave the embassy the records the next day. Speaking in Beijing on Wednesday, Lam said the Hong Kong government had been notified by lawmaker Paul Tse Wai-chun that the Philippine authorities may still have Tangs immigration records. We have always taken overseas Hongkongers rights and interests seriously, especially when they face tremendous difficulties, Lam said. I discussed it with the secretary for security [John Lee Ka-chiu] and we decided to make a request for Tangs records. Lee also wrote to the Philippine immigration authorities to ask for the travel records. Story continues Tse, who is also a lawyer, said the records would be powerful evidence in the Supreme Court. The records show Tang was not even in the Philippines [when police surveillance took place]. They would be very powerful evidence. I hope the court handles the case in accordance with proper procedures and gives him the justice he deserves, Tse said. Belated justice is better than no justice. The deadline for Tang to submit the records to the Philippines top court was September 5, Tse added. Hong Kong immigration officials gave the family Tangs departure records in 2006 and these documents were handed to his lawyer in the Philippines. But the lawyer lost the document, the law firm later shut down, and its staff could not be reached. Since Duterte took office two years ago, more than 12,000 drug suspects have been killed, according to Human Rights Watch, a New York-based organisation. Philippine police put the number closer to 4,000. In 2000, Tang and his friend, Cheung Tai-on, were taken by police with a third man, Goh Sek-hung, to a flat where police found 8kg of Ice. Tang and Cheung received 40-year jail terms, while Goh was acquitted for lack of evidence. Cheung died of a heart attack in prison in 2016. This article Hong Kong man serving 40-year jail term in the Philippines given crucial records that show he wasnt in the country when surveillance took place first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Lawyers for Iran's award-winning human rights advocate Nasrin Sotoudeh said Wednesday that her five-year sentence on spying charges was unlawful as she was never charged or given the chance to appear in court. Famed rights lawyer Sotoudeh, 55, was arrested in June and told she had already been found guilty "in absentia" on spying charges by Tehran's Revolutionary Court. One of her lawyers, Payam Derafshan, told AFP the trial took place some time ago, but that the sentence was not implemented until she represented several women arrested earlier this year for protesting against the mandatory wearing of the Islamic headscarf in public. Another of her attorneys said her imprisonment was unlawful, since she was entitled to remain free on bail pending an appeal. "According to the law, the court must issue a bail order and free the defendant until a definitive verdict is issued," lawyer Mahmoud Behzahdi told the official IRNA news agency. Her defence team said no espionage charge was ever included in her charge sheet, which instead listed other charges including "propaganda against the system". "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 AFP. After a complaint was made to the judge, he added another charge related to her advocacy work against the death penalty, Derafshan said. "Nowhere in the law is it a crime to call for the gradual repeal of the death penalty. Even officials and experts talk about eliminating the death penalty for drug offences," Derafshan told IRNA on Tuesday. Earlier this year, Sotoudeh took on the cases of several women who had been arrested for standing in public areas without their headscarves, which have been mandatory in Iran since shortly after the Islamic revolution of 1979. She won the European Parliament's prestigious Sakharov human rights award in 2012 for her work on high-profile cases, including those of convicts on death row for offences committed as minors. She spent three years in prison between 2010 and 2013 for "actions against national security" and spreading "propaganda against the system" and remains banned from representing political cases or leaving Iran until 2022. Sotoudeh has defended journalists and activists including Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi and several dissidents arrested during mass protests in 2009 against the disputed re-election of hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. She had recently spoken out against a new criminal code that allowed only a small number of lawyers to represent individuals charged with state security offences -- just 20 for the whole of the capital Tehran for instance. 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. Story continues 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) 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. Notorious convicted Hong Kong loan shark thought to have leapt to death hours after being bailed in investment scam case A notorious convicted Hong Kong loan shark who inspired crimes leaving top officials in fear was thought to have jumped to his death on Wednesday night, hours after he was bailed in a 100 million yuan (US$14.4 million) investment scam case. Sunny Wong, formerly known as Wong Kwai-fun, 62, fell from the eighth floor of a multi-storey car park complex, landing near two police officers on patrol at the junction of Temple Street and Market Street in Yau Ma Tei soon after 10.30pm on Wednesday. About 14 hours after his death, his younger brother Wong Kwai-wing, 60, who was wanted in connection with the fraud case, surrendered himself to officers at Mong Kok police station at about noon on Thursday, a source said. Officers arrested him for conspiracy to defraud and unlawful detention. As of 4pm on Thursday, he was still being held at the station for questioning and had not been charged. After the fall, Sunny Wong was taken to Kwong Wah Hospital, where he was declared dead. Law enforcement sources said a suicide note was found at the scene and that initial investigation found nothing suspicious. Wong had just met a friend in the car park complex, another source said, and after asking the person to go to a convenience store to buy something, Wong leapt to his death. The incident happened hours after Wong, who was accused of involvement in a 100 million yuan investment scam, was released on HK$1 million (US$127,000) bail by a court on Wednesday afternoon, despite the prosecutors objections. Wong and his co-defendant, clerk Wong Wai-kit, 37, were charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud following their arrest on Monday. West Kowloon Court heard the pair were accused of conspiring with others to defraud a man, identified only as X in court documents, into paying 88,000 yuan and HK$880,000 in consultancy fees to Excellent Profit Inc. Prosecutors alleged they had dishonestly stated the company was a financial consultancy capable of compiling reports for financing purposes. Story continues They were further alleged to have dishonestly claimed a loan of 100 million yuan would be arranged for Xs investment project in mainland China, based on the companys report. Prosecutors opposed releasing the two men on bail, but the objection was overruled by acting principal magistrate Ada Yim Shun-yee. Sunny Wong was released on HK$700,000 cash bail and HK$300,00 surety and his co-defendant on HK$300,000 cash bail plus HK$100,000 surety. Both men were also required to report to police daily, having surrendered their travel documents. The case was to return to the same court for mention on November 7, pending further investigations. Sunny Wong and his brother Wong Kwai-wing were jailed for a massive loan-sharking operation that sparked a series of crimes that left top officials in fear more than two decades ago. A third brother, Wong Kwai-nam, was jailed in 1996 for a hate mail campaign aimed at officials he blamed for Sunny Wongs incarceration. He was convicted of sending poison pen letters to public figures including then chief secretary Anson Chan Fang On-sang, the correctional services commissioner and a High Court judge. Sunny Wong was the eldest of six siblings four brothers and two sisters and their father was a grocer in Hong Kong. Before being sent behind bars for a string of moneylending crimes, he ran a finance company, which was taken over by his brothers. In 1989, Wong was sentenced by the High Court to 18 months in jail for helping an offender. Later he pleaded guilty to fraud and false accounting. That earned him a further 18 months in prison, and the Court of Appeal later increased his sentence to four years. In 1991, he was jailed for 12 years for ordering an attack on the relative of a defaulting debtor and attempting to pervert the course of justice. The victim died three days after being beaten up. Wongs sentence was reduced to 10 years on appeal. He served it at the same time as the four-year term. In 1996, six more months were added to his time in jail for criminal intimidation of a prison officer after a row over how many newspapers he was allowed a day. If you or someone you know are having suicidal thoughts, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on +1 800 273 8255. For a list of other nations helplines, see this page. This article Notorious convicted Hong Kong loan shark thought to have leapt to death hours after being bailed in investment scam case first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. South China Morning Post Huawei Technologies Co, the Chinese telecommunications and smartphone giant, reported a 32 per cent slump in sales for the first nine months of 2021, deepening a 29.4 per cent decline in the first half, as the companys handset business was crippled by US sanctions. Huawei, which is private but releases some financial data periodically, said it generated revenue of 455.8 billion yuan (US$71.2 billion) in the first nine months of 2021, almost a third less than the 671.3 billion yuan it posted in Is rainbow trout the same as salmon? China says yes despite food safety fears The Chinese government has responded to consumer fears about food safety by expanding its official definition of what can be classified as salmon to include rainbow trout. The move comes months after a state media investigation found fisheries were passing off rainbow trout as imported salmon. Backlash after state media reveals imported salmon in China is rainbow trout farmed in Qinghai But the new industry standard has caused controversy, with consumers continuing to express concern that the freshwater trout may have parasites that do not occur in the seawater species colloquially known as salmon. The topic rainbow trout is now salmon went viral on Sina Weibo, with more than 35 million views as of Wednesday afternoon on the Twitter-like platform in China. This move has really just killed salmon, one user wrote. Who will dare to eat salmon sashimi in the future? Another wrote: I will never eat salmon again. The announcement by the China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance (CAPPMA), overseen by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, cited the Wikipedia definition of salmon as justification for the new industry standard, and also sought to allay fears about parasites by noting all raw salmon must meet certain processing safety requirements. The move follows revelations in May by state broadcaster CCTV that one-third of the fish sold by one of the largest salmon farms in Chinas northwestern Qinghai province was actually trout. Rainbow trout cannot be eaten as sashimi because it needs to be fully cooked. The parasite can live in the human liver and cause liver damage Aquatic Ecology Professor Kenneth Leung The current lack of standards has caused unnecessary disagreements and concerns about safety that have adversely affected the industry and market, a notice republished on the Qinghai provincial government website over the weekend said. This standard will be very significant for regulating the industry, helping to ensure product quality, consumer rights, and the healthy development of the salmon industry. Story continues Thirteen fisheries were covered in the CAPPMA announcement, including Longyangxia Reservoir, the salmon production farm at the centre of the CCTV investigation. The China Fisheries Association had previously responded to the consumer backlash with a statement that rainbow trout was considered to be salmon, along with Atlantic salmon and Pacific salmon. At the height of the controversy, state media ran reports slamming the misrepresentation of trout as salmon as a way for sellers to raise their profit margins. It is ridiculous that the fake salmon dealers are still selling the rainbow trout as salmon at high prices, an editorial from Beijing Youth Daily said. They defend themselves by saying fresh water salmon tastes the same and experience shows it is safe to eat raw, despite the parasites in rainbow trout making it dangerous to eat uncooked. Chinese fish farm tests deep-sea waters with worlds biggest salmon cage Kenneth Leung, professor of aquatic ecology and toxicology at the University of Hong Kong, said that while salmon and trout fell under the same scientific salmonid family, rainbow trout lived only in freshwater and could be contaminated with parasites such as flukes. Rainbow trout cannot be eaten as sashimi because it needs to be fully cooked, he said. The parasite can live in the human liver and cause liver damage. The decision to label rainbow trout as salmon was clearly a business one, he said, so that fish sellers could have the lions share of the market by selling trout as a high-value salmon product. People dont know the difference, he said. The colour [of rainbow trout] looks like salmon, and people may be misled. China has had several food safety scares in recent years, most notably its 2008 milk scandal, where tens of thousands of babies were hospitalised or otherwise affected by melamine-tainted infant formula. This article Is rainbow trout the same as salmon? China says yes despite food safety fears first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. More from South China Morning Post: China's Communist Party has sacked a dozen provincial and local officials and vowed to punish a pharmaceutical firm over a vaccine scandal that inflamed public fears over the safety of domestically produced drugs. The government has been struggling to shore up public confidence in the pharmaceutical sector following the revelation last month that a major Chinese manufacturer of rabies vaccines was found to have fabricated records and was ordered to cease production. The government has said the suspect rabies vaccines did not enter the market but the case provoked unusually strong outrage online from consumers fed up with recurring product-safety scandals, particularly in the drug sector. The CEO of the company in question, Changchun Changsheng Biotechnology in the northeast province of Jilin, has been arrested along with 14 other people in connection with the scandal. The first political casualties fell on Thursday as a dozen officials were removed from office, including Jilin's deputy governor Jin Yuhui, according to the official Xinhua news agency. Jin was in charge of monitoring the safety of food and pharmaceuticals. The decision to sack him was made at a meeting of the ruling Communist Party's elite seven-member standing committee, led by President Xi Jinping. "Those who break the law and jeopardise public safety, notably in the matter of vaccines and medicines, should be severely punished," Xinhua reported, citing the meeting's conclusions. The standing committee also asked for the resignations of three other officials: The vice chairman of a provincial committee, the mayor of Jilin's capital, Changchun, and the deputy head of the State Administration for Market Regulation. Another eight provincial and city officials were removed from office by the regional leadership. The former deputy chief of the now defunct China Food and Drug Administration will be investigated by the party's anti-graft agency, Xinhua said. Another 35 non-centrally administered officials "will be held accountable", the agency said without elaborating. - 'Reckless pursuit of profits' - China is regularly hit by scandals involving sub-par or toxic food, drugs and other products, despite repeated promises by the government to address the problem. Since the latest case came to light, the authorities have announced a nationwide inspection of laboratories producing vaccines, but many Chinese parents say they no longer have confidence in the medicines administered to their children. China's cabinet, the State Council, held a meeting Thursday on the investigation into the latest case. The company will face a fine and all of its "illegal profits" will be confiscated, the officials Xinhua news agency reported Friday. "In its reckless pursuit of profits, the company committed unlawful acts of grave nature," Xinhua said in its report on the meeting. The case exposed supervision failures by local governments and regulatory agencies, it said. "We must conduct thorough safety checks on vaccine production... and close all loopholes in the vaccine regulatory mechanism," Premier Li Keqiang said at a meeting of China's State Council, according to Xinhua. "Efforts should be made to build public confidence in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines made in China," Li said. A mystery prize vending machine operated by Heybox at NEX. PHOTO: Screenshot from YouTube While they are a common sight in shopping malls such as NEX, Bugis Junction and White Sands as well as pasar malaams, police are warning that operating vending machines that dispense random mystery prizes upon receipt of cash payments is illegal. This is because the machines are considered a form of public lottery. Users typically fork out $10 for a mystery box, which usually contain items such as USB chargers but can supposedly contain prizes such as the iPhone X, XBox and PlayStation. In a statement on Thursday (16 August), a police spokesperson said that this is an offence under Section 5(a) of the Common Gaming Houses Act. Existing merchants operating such vending machines are advised to cease these operations. Police will take enforcement actions against merchants who continue to contravene the law, said the police spokesperson. Any person found guilty may be fined between $20,000 and $200,000 and jailed up to five years. In response to queries, Heybox Vending owner Rebecca Chan told Yahoo News Singapore that they had been notified by the police and had stopped operating its 15 machines. We are still thinking of plans to move forward, said Chan. Yahoo News Singapore has reached out to other operators of mystery prize vending machines for comment. More Singapore stories Yishun community cat feeders urge authorities again to end the use of glue traps in neighbourhoods Mans body found in waters of Punggol Waterway Tang Lung-wais brother expresses sorrow over decade-long anger at sibling who was framed and has spent 18 years in Philippines jail For more than a decade Tang Lung-wai, a Hongkonger serving a 40-year jail term in the Philippines for drug possession, was shunned by his family, who were shocked and angered by the thought he would commit such a crime. His police officer father, stricken with disbelief, suffered from emotional problems and depression, and eventually committed suicide in a police station. The poignant beginnings of Tang Lung-wais ordeal were revealed by his older brother, Tang Lung-piu, on a radio programme on Thursday morning, just a day after he learned that crucial immigration records that could finally prove his brothers innocence had been turned over to his lawyer. I blamed my brother for that [their fathers death] and started to hate him, Tang Lung-piu said. We had not spoken a single word to each other for more than 10 years. It was only when I found out about four or five years ago that he was framed that I started communicating with him again. The relationship was so torn after their fathers death, Tang Lung-piu stopped transferring money to his brother for food and amenities, and later cut off all contact with his jailed sibling. Looking back, I was very cruel Tang Lung-piu, brother of jailed Tang Lung-wai I even changed my phone number, he said. Looking back, I was very cruel. To think how he had suffered for almost a decade I realise it was very difficult for him. Im a bit upset with myself. Tang Lung-wai, 47, was arrested about a month after arriving in the Philippines in June 2000, and has been languishing behind bars for 18 years. It took 11 years for his case to make it through the legal system. He was eventually found guilty of possession of crystal meth, more commonly known as Ice. During his trial, the court was told Manila police had monitored his movements from June 1 to 12, 2000. He was convicted in 2011. But immigration records the Philippine authorities gave to the Chinese embassy in Manila on Tuesday and which were passed to Tang Lung-wais Philippine lawyer, Sheilla San Diego, on Wednesday showed the convicted man had only entered the Philippines on June 19. Story continues Tang Lung-wais ordeal took a surprising twist this week when Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor wrote to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte asking for compassionate consideration in expediting a request to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration, so Tang Lung-wai could receive a fair and just trial. The authorities gave the embassy the records the next day. A legal team in the Philippines is helping the jailed Hongkonger with his final appeal. Tang Lung-wai, whom RTHK reached out to on the same programme, thanked those who had been helping him, including the Hong Kong and central governments. However, he said the appeal fight could last up to a year or more. Right now, it depends on how the Philippine [judiciary] responds, he said. This put a damper on the brothers hopes of reuniting his jailed sibling with the family in Hong Kong before the Mid-Autumn Festival. Maybe Christmas then, Tang Lung-piu said. On Thursday, lawmaker Paul Tse Wai-chun, who is also a lawyer and has been helping Tang Lung-wai for years, said they were cautiously optimistic about his chances. This is a critical piece of evidence. But of course, once it reaches the courts, it depends on their view, Tse said. At least in a common law system that processes cases with strict judicial rigour, which I am accustomed to, this would be a very useful piece of information that could collapse the prosecutions arguments. This article Tang Lung-wais brother expresses sorrow over decade-long anger at sibling who was framed and has spent 18 years in Philippines jail first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. TVS Motor Company, a reputed two-wheeler and three-wheeler manufacturer in India, today launched two new products for the Philippines marketthe TVS Dazz and TVS King. Developed to meet Euro 3 standards, TVS Dazz is an exciting 110cc scooter while TVS King is a 200cc three-wheeler offering designed to be the perfect passenger carrier. TVS Motor Company ranks amongst the top ten two-wheeler companies in the world. It is one of the leading two-wheeler and three-wheeler exporter in India, distributing to over 60 countries. Commenting on the occasion, KN Radhakrishnan, President & CEO, TVS Motor Company said, TVS Motor Company is synonymous with quality and class-leading technology across the 60 countries we operate in and our approach in Philippines is aligned to the same ethos. We have been present in the country since 2016 and the market has responded positively to our diverse offerings ranging across Underbones, Backbone Solo and Business Backbone. 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. Elaborating on the launch of the new products in the market, R Dilip, Senior Vice President, International Business, TVS Motor Company said, We are delighted to launch two new products in the Philippines market today as both offerings have been designed to suit specific customer requirements in the country. TVS King, our premium state-of-the-art three- wheeler offering is an amalgamation of durability, comfort, and convenience and is targeted at the tricycle passenger carrier market for both government units as well as personal transport. The TVS Dazz, on the other hand, is a powerful 110cc scooter designed for the modern commuters who seek a practical as well as stylish offering. Our commitment to our customers extends to providing full-time after sales-service support as well as innovative programs such as TVS Experience camps which run across the country. Story continues TVS Motor Company products are available in all Wheeltek Motor Sales Corp, Bacolod Eversure Marketing Inc, Rhean Motor Center, Key Motors Inc, Stargold Motorcycle Corporation and Gud Motor Trading Inc. TVS Motor Company With the addition of two new products TVS Dazz and TVS King, TVS Motor Companys robust portfolio in the country also boasts of two-wheeler models such as: 1. Underbones TVS Neo XR 110cc and TVS Rockz 125cc 2. Backbone Solo TVS Apache 180, TVS Apache 200 Fi 3. Business Backbone TVS Max 4R 125cc 4. Scooter segment TVS XL 100 TVS Dazz TVS Dazz TVS Dazz, a scooter manufactured for international markets, comes with a 110cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine, paired to a CVT unit. It packs power of 8.57 bhp @ 7500 rpm and a peak torque of 8.3 Nm @ 5500 rpm. TVS Dazz meets the Euro 3 standards in Philippines and is available in three colors: Matte Black, Matte Grey, and the popular Matte Pink. TVS King TVS King TVS King is a futuristic three-wheeler product, designed for evolving cities and promises a unique combination of power, style, comfort and mileage. Powered by a 200cc, modern low-friction seven-port engine with the peak torque at lower rpm, the vehicle is ideal to navigate as well as brave city traffic without frequent gearshifts. The engine, which operates at lower revolutions for a given road speed, delivers good mileage thus enhancing the reliability of the product. TVS King has been made to suit the needs of the Philippines customer with a Fuel Injected (EFI) variant that meets Euro 3 standards. TVS Motor Company The post TVS Motor Company Bets Big on PH with New Products appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. A Ugandan pop star turned opposition MP was charged in a military court Thursday with illegal possession of weapons, following his arrest after the presidential convoy was pelted with stones. Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, was arrested on Tuesday in the northwestern town of Arua, and charged before a court martial in Gulu. "Hon. Kyagulanyi has today been arraigned before the General Court Martial in Gulu and charged... on accounts of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition," said a statement signed by army spokesman Brigadier Richard Karemire. Kyagulanyi has been held in custody with his next court appearance due on August 23. Kyagulanyi's lawyer, Asuman Basalirwa, complained that he had been unable to consult his client. "The army has refused us access to him. Even his family has been denied access," he said. Kyagulanyi was arrested campaigning for an opposition candidate in a hard-fought by-election that also drew President Yoweri Museveni in support of the ruling party candidate. A crowd that jeered Museveni's convoy and broke his car window on Monday afternoon was dispersed by police who fired live rounds, killing Kyagulanyi's driver. Kyagulanyi was arrested the following morning. On Thursday, Kyagulanyi's supporters in the Kamwokya area of the capital, Kampala, where he is MP, burned tyres as they protested his detention. "He is innocent, he has to be released unconditionally," shouted Yusuf Muranga during a running battle with police. A group of four opposition MPs and 30 others who were arrested at the same time as Kyagulanyi appeared in a civilian court in Gulu to be charged with treason. "The state claims they wanted to harm the person of the president," said lawyer Medard Ssegoona, confirming the treason charge. Among his clients was Kassiano Wadri, Kyagulanyi's favoured candidate in the by-election who went on to win Wednesday's vote despite being in police custody. In a statement Thursday, Museveni said he supported the court action against the politicians. "The cases of terrorism, damaging property, manslaughter etc against the Hons: Wadri, Bobi Wine, etc will continue," he said. "Their actions led to the death of a Ugandan, injury of a number of others and damage to property, so the allegations go." Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore in 2014. (File photo: Reuters/Edgar Su) What makes a city liveable, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)? In its 2018 Global Liveability Survey, cities were ranked based on their stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. Taking the top spot was the Austrian capital Vienna, with Melbourne in Australia taking second place. Singapore, which ranked ahead of Hong Kong last year, declined in 2018 to once again fall behind its Asian rival. According to the ranking, the Republic is the worlds 37th most liveable city. Hong Kong rose up the ranking in 2018 to surpass Singapore, rising to 35th up from 45th in 2017. According to the EIUs Simon Baptist, everyday life in Singapore was more affected by censorship than Hong Kong was, and the state of LGBT rights was a negative factor, too. Do you feel this is a fair assessment? Is Hong Kong really a better place to live, or is Singapore the more liveable city? Have your say, and leave a comment below. Related stories: Hong Kong reclaims lead over Singapore in global liveability rankings Singapore is ranked worlds 37th most liveable city: EIU survey Singapore is 37th most liveable city in the world Vienna tops Melbourne as worlds most liveable city: Economist survey Singapore more liveable than Hong Kong for the first time: The Economist Google claims to organize the worlds information, but it hasnt quite figured out neighborhood names. In Detroit, for example, the mapping giant appears to have scraped its names (typos and all) from one 2003 map by a grassroots organization. Now those names are everywhere. Other sites havent done much better. Airbnb Neighborhoods, which went live in 2012, has also been a spotty effort. Bushwick, the Brooklyn neighborhood of hipsters and Latino immigrants, was at one point labeled unwashed and unfiltered. (Now its hard-working and unfiltered.) The Upper West Side is Impeccable. Immaculate. Inimitable. What does that even mean? In New York, one of 23 cities where the popular home-sharing website has tackled neighborhoods, it simply didnt include anything in the Bronx. Advertisement Even the home-selling database Zillow sometimes refers to neighborhoods in ways that dont make any sense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, a new competitor entered the market: Zillow subsidiary Trulia. Its new Trulia Neighborhoods feature, the company claims, is the first product to give consumers an authentic feel for everyday life in a neighborhood. Not just a neighborhood: Every neighborhood in every American city. Starting Tuesday, you can find profile pages on Trulia for neighborhoods like Detroits Midtown or New Yorks SoHo. Those pages include maps of various amenities (pulled in from Yelp), maps of crime (pulled from SpotCrime and CrimeReports), and a survey of area schools (from GreatSchools). In a section called What Locals Say, Trulia uses crowd-sourced datait says it receives 100,000 inputs a day from visitorsto suss out neighborhood characteristics like walkability, dog-friendliness, quiet, whether kids play outside, parking, and community events. The company itself will be taking a heavy hand in curating the content, down to hiring its own photographers and crafting Snapchat-style Stories. We want to give the authentic view, and be genuine, Trulia general manager Tim Correia told me. And we think we can do that if we help steer the ship a little. Advertisement But the sites big ambition lies in the 300 neighborhoods in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Austin, and Chicago for which Trulia is dispatching street photographers. Check out Lakeview or Englewood in Chicago and youll find galleries of neighborhood photos. Some areas, like Chicagos Gold Coast, have short stories that introduce the area. The vibe, Correia says, is things you might ask a friend at a barbecue. By the end of the year, he says Trulia will have added those features to the profile pages of 1,100 neighborhoods across the country. Advertisement You can understand the appeal for buyers and renters, who are often more interested in whether they can walk to restaurants than if their new house has bay windows. Three-quarters of Trulia customers said they were having trouble finding neighborhood information in one place. What does it mean that a website built to help people sell homes is appointing itself the librarian of American neighborhoods? Correia says the appraisals will be authentic. Advertisement Advertisement Still, crowd-sourcing the geography of American neighborhoods online will probably also reveal some biases, if other studies of digital databases are any guide. Research shows, for example, that online review platforms tend to attract polarized viewpoints, leaving lots of very positive and negative reviews but few middle-of-the-road opinions. Could the same be true of neighborhoods? Does it matter if every post-war subdivision outside Orlando doesnt have its own architectural profile or neighborhood testimonials? More worrisome, for a crowd-sourced neighborhood database, are racial biases in online reviews. In a study of Yelp reviews of restaurants in two gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhoods, historically Polish Greenpoint and historically black Bedford-Stuyvesant, the sociologist Sharon Zukin observed that reviewers assessed businesses in sharply different terms. In the former area, they worried about the transition of Greenpoint and savored its older establishments. In largely black Bed-Stuy, by contrast, black-owned restaurants were viewed negatively and with none of the white neighborhoods nostalgia. Its not just restaurants: In a 2016 study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, researchers had participants view a home for sale. Some participants saw a photo of the current occupants as a black family; others were shown a photo of a similarly dressed white family. Participants who thought they were looking at a black-owned home assumed the neighborhood was more dangerous, with worse schools and city services. Anyone attempting a crowd-sourced database of American neighborhoods, which remain sharply segregated by race, will wind up confronting those effects. Netflixs new movie, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, is a bit of a tongue-twister, and even its characters know it: Crikey, thats quite a mouthful, says one, when confronted with the words on a page. The film borrows its clunky title from Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows beloved novel of the same name, about a fictional book club on the Nazi-occupied island of Guernsey. That book club is created by accident after a handful of islanders hold an illicit dinner party featuring a dish made with the only ingredients available to them: potatoes, potatoes, and, of course, their peels. When theyre confronted by German soldiers for breaking curfew, the revelers pretend theyve been reading, and so the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is born. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats a fine name for a fake literary gathering, but as a title, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is cumbersome and a little bit twee, which is probably why the movie was being shopped around at one point under the shortened title Guernsey. When it came time for the films release, however, the filmmakers restored the unabridged name, perhaps out of a newfound appreciation for long-winded titles in the spirit of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Or maybe they realized that hooking the books fanbase by using the original title was more important than trying to broaden the movies appeal. Either way, Netflix, which is distributing the film in the U.S. and other regions, is leaning into the absurdity. Advertisement But The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is just the storys English title. The book is a worldwide phenomenon, and now the movie is poised to follow suit, which has required tweaking the moniker for overseas audiences. In some cases, this is as simple as translating the title exactly (at least, as exactly as the language barrier will allow) and the results are as delightfully wordy as the original. In Italy, for example, youll find yourself watching Il Club del Libro e Della Torta di Bucce di Patata di Guernsey, or, literally, The Club of the Book and of the Cake of Peels of Potato of Guernsey. Advertisement Advertisement The Portuguese- and Spanish-language titles will similarly leave you out of breath by the time you reach the end of them: respectively Guernsey - A Sociedade Literaria da Tarte de Casca de Batata and La Sociedad Literaria y del Pastel de Cascara de Papa de Guernsey. The Polish title, Stowarzyszenie Miosnikow Literatury i Placka z Kartoflanych Obierek, is another mouthful, but it could have been even longer than it already is, given that it leaves out the societys location. Advertisement Google Translate interprets the Chinese title, , as the perplexing Love Letters Under the Nazi Iron Hoof (though frankly, its not all that much more perplexing than the English-language original). When I asked a Chinese speaker about the phrasing, she explained that that the iron hoof is more literary than literal, a symbol of military oppression, and that a more nuanced translation might be The Secret Love Letters Under (the Influence) of the Nazi Occupation. That title is still somewhat misleading, given that the letters in the movie are exchanged after the occupation has already ended, but she points out that it stands a better chance of appealing to Chinese audiences, who are unlikely to be familiar with Guernsey. Advertisement In some other countries, translators have found ways to refer to the film that wont leave locals gasping for air. A bookstore worker in Reykjavik told me that the novels Icelandic title, Bokmennta- og Kartoflubokufelagi, translates roughly to Literature and Potato Pie Club, which is still an unmanageable number of syllables but at least saves considerably on cover space. France has done away with all mention of tubers in its version, leaving the more dignified title Le Cercle Litteraire de Guernesey, or The Literary Circle of Guernesey, using the French spelling for the islands name, as is appropriate. Belgium and the Netherlands have taken a similar route, except they didnt bother with a translation at all, just a truncation of the English version: The Guernsey Literary Society. Its Germany, however, that wins for the most creative title alteration. Its version of the film does away entirely with any mention of Guernsey, literature, letters, societies, or potato peel pies. Rather than humor that kind of whimsy, the film has simply been renamed Deine Juliet, or Your Juliet, which is how Lily James character signs off on her letters. Wednesday, August 15, 2018 Louisiana The pertinent portion of Louisiana's postconviction DNA testing statute, La. Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art. 926.1(B)(1), provides that a defendant seeking postconviction DNA testing must provide, inter alia, A factual explanation of why there is an articulable doubt, based on competent evidence whether or not introduced at trial, as to the guilt of the petitioner in that DNA testing will resolve the doubt and establish the innocence of the petitioner. So, where does that leave pleading defendants? As Rebecca Stephens notes in Disparities in Postconviction Remedies for Those Who Plead Guilty and Those Convicted at Trial: A Survey of State Statutes and Recommendations for Reform, "[t]he Arizona, Delaware, and Louisiana forensic testing statutes...include references to trial," which would generally mean that pleading defendants cannot seek postconviction DNA testing. That said, the Louisiana statute references "competent evidence whether or not introduced at trial." This seems to imply that defendants can seek postconviction DNA testing even if there wasn't a trial...because the defendant pleaded guilty. As far as I can tell, though, the issue has never been litigated in Louisiana. -CM https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/evidenceprof/2018/08/project-dna-louisiana.html Imagine the face of Donald Trump Jr. Imagine his slicked-back hair, his glassy stare, his ability to bare his teeth for a smile without moving a single muscle on the upper half of his face. Now imagine him gazing straight into your eyes and murmuring, Hello, Pooh Bear. This steamy scenario is allegedly everyday reality for Kimberly Guilfoyle, girlfriend to the presidents son and, it seems, the proud bearer of this pet name. According to Page Six, Guilfoyle, aka Pooh Bear, also has a nickname for Trump Jr.: Junior Mint, a possible reference to the boatloads of money the Trump family supposedly has. Advertisement Its all very disgusting, and if youd like to step away from your screen to dry-heave into your nearest receptacle, please take that moment of self-care. Then, once youre back, if you have never called a significant other something saccharine and humiliating, feel free to cast the first stone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But you wont, because you have. Everyone has! Every couple develops a nauseating internal vocabulary that dares not greet the light outside the love nest. Sometimes, couples know theyre being gross and do their friends the favor of keeping it private. Others are oblivious to or even faintly proud of their grossness, the way some people relish the smell of their own farts. Sometimes its just pet names, but made-up words for everyday objects, recurring miniskits and songs, and physical gags also fall into the realm of couple talk. Advertisement At its worst, couple talk can create barriers to honest communication. In one classic Modern Love column in the New York Times, Stephen R. Johnson wrote that the infantilizing baby talk that made his relationship refreshingly playfulthey called each other froky and cherished mittenended up masking deeper incompatibilities. We both wanted to stop the baby talk and frivolity long enough to make a lasting adult relationship, he wrote, but we eventually regressed to froky-speak. Usually, the only thing couple talk jeopardizes is the respect of any friends who catch on. I really cant stand knowing about a friend and her husband who call each other lovey, one colleague told me. I recently found out that a friend and her fiance call one another panini as a term of endearment, adapted from the one time he called her a meanie panini while making up after a fight. I have nothing but love for her and her husband-to-be, but now that I have this information, they will have to endure my nonstop panini taunts until they meet deaths sweet release. Advertisement Advertisement Im not pretending Im immune from couple talk. My fiancee and I call each other booboo, which I guess is a cutesier iteration of boo. When I hug or poke or pinch her while shes antsy or in the middle of a task or just not feeling it, I tell her, Your body, my choice. (Its consensual! I swear!) And when were people-watching in public, we like to make whispered additions to a blog thats registered only in our minds: your-girlfriends-a-lesbian.tumblr.com. I know, its gross! Advertisement To soothe the bruised ego I knew Id incur by admitting these things in public, I asked my colleagues, friends, and some internet strangers for examples of their own devastatingly embarrassing couple talk. Well keep these anonymous for the protection of everyone involved. Advertisement Have you met my Uncle Izzy? Our couple talk tends to the sarcastic or mordant. When we have a mild disagreement about something trivialwere going to share a dessert, but she wants cake and I want pieone of us will often declare, Its all over, or, We had a good run. Similarly, I understand that some couples extend their couple talk to cutesy names for parts of their anatomy; we, instead, have a pet name for my wifes middle finger. Have you met my Uncle Izzy? she asks when Im being annoying. No, I dont think I have, Ill say. Heres Uncle Izzy! she shouts, flipping me off. Advertisement Haircut boi We call each other baby, which is pretty normal, but it has levels. Like, we say we are babies. We definitely call each other best baby as well as baby bunnies. Its evolved from us calling each other baby to referring to each other as types of babieslike, if he got a haircut, Ill say, Youre a haircut baby, or if Im in a bad mood, he could say, dont be a grumpy baby. We also lately say boi in a similar context, like haircut boi or grumpy boi. Thats an example of how we incorporate memespeak into some of our couple talk. Sometimes, boi is pronounced bwah. Advertisement My sweet butter tub When my fiancee and I started dating, I was complaining about my weight one day and said, Im just a big butter tub. Two years later, she named my Netflix profile My sweet butter tub. (I should note that I think its hilarious.) She sometimes calls me that when were alone, but I think its used most in how Im saved in her apps. Advertisement Snap Pea and Punkin Spice We used to be Snap Pea and Punkin Spice, but that has kind of faded. Snap Pea was a sort of a nod to our mutual Southern heritage, and Punkin Spice was because of my affinity for autumnal baking, but mostly they were just gross and adorable. Advertisement Clam My wife sometimes calls me clam when I need soothing. It started with clam down. My boyfriend and I will sometimes give each other little fast kisses back-and-forth on the arm whenever one of us says the word corn. Like corn on the cob. Nose tent My partner and I like to go camping a lot. One time, we stayed up really late making unbearable puns about bears. (I was fearful our cooking might attract them and that we still smelled of meat.) It was also very cold, so we started hiding our noses in our sleeping bag. We called them nose tents. We decided they were manufactured at the olfactory. The next morning, she dropped nonstop references to nose tents and the olfactory and bear puns. None of the other couples we went camping with understood any of it. Fast forward nearly a year (in our two-year relationship), and she still makes these references in front of other people all the time. I was annoyed at first. The jokes were dumb to begin with and were only funny in the depth of night in our private tented comedy club. But I love how much joy it brings her to make the nose tent and bear references around people. I embrace it fully now. Advertisement Corn on the cob My boyfriend and I will sometimes give each other little fast kisses back-and-forth on the arm whenever one of us says the word corn. Like corn on the cob. Advertisement Advertisement Barkmeister We address each other using different iterations on the words woof and bark, as in the sounds a dog makes. Like barkmeister, woofmeister, woofenstein, barkeroni, barkster. We also roll the rs: barrrrrrk. I DONT KNOW WHY. Advertisement Beans We call each other beans. Also: bubs, bubso, chunch, Beelzebub, boobers. Buttface We refer to each other as babe. All the time. Friends make fun of us. We had a baby, whom we usually refer to as baby. The other main term of affection in our household is buttface, and everybody gets called that. Our weird inside jokes are, I guess, the pun-offs, wherein we will take a topic and riff on it, back-and-forth, until we exhaust it. So for instance, if the baby drools, well take turns riffing, calling her: Drooly Andrews, Drool Carey, Drooliana Margulies, Drool Barrymore, Ja-Drool, Droolius Caesar, etc. Advertisement Bananas I call him bananas, angel, angel butt, banana boats. He calls me sweets, mang mang, Smokey, monkey, monkey shines. All more or less impossible to explain. You my kiss kiss So many pet names that dont make any sense: booty cutie, love bug, Coco, scootaloo, sweet sweet. We say, You my kiss kiss, you my love love, but it has to be in a particular rhythm. Advertisement A GIF of Joe Biden shaking his head I called my partner elk because she said she didnt like being called dear because a previous partner had called her that. She was completely happy with the change. Another partner and I split up and she moved to a different city, but we still continued to see each other and talk regularly because our feelings hadnt diminished. Because we didnt want to address the awkwardness of still caring for each other, we would share a GIF of Joe Biden shaking his head as a way to express that we cared about each other and demonstrate how when we tried putting it into words, we would just shake our heads and laugh. Advertisement Advertisement Carrot I call my wife carrot. Then, as we obtained pets, they became little carrots, except a particularly rotund cat, who is a beet. At first I would get embarrassed when it slipped out in public, but now I barely use her real first name. Hedgie I refer to my female partner as a hedgie all the time. The joke started when I said she was just like a hedgehog, because her short brown hair gets spiky in the morning, and because she loves to eat and sleep, and because she is nice 95 percent of the time, and even the other 5 percent of the time she is mostly just a bit prickly. I was sad that I had no animal to call myself, so she started calling me her sharkie, because, well, I really like sharks, I joke that I have what Tina Fey refers to as dead shark eyes (very dark brown eyes), my skin can be kind of rough, and I do like to gently chomp on her shoulders and her earlobes. Now we have a ton of hedgehog-themed, and some shark-themed, stuff in the house. Her mom bought us tiny Venetian glass-blown figurines of a hedgehog and a shark. Advertisement Advertisement Boob We used to call each other boo, but one time it came out wrong, and now we call each other boob. Filbert As Im kind of a science and computer geek, my significant other started calling me Dilbert, but somehow it morphed into a whole family of brothers and alter egos: Dilbert, Filbert, Wilbert, and Gilbert. The favorite became Filbert, who is perfect and can do no wrong, and who is always praised to spite me, Dilbert. Filbert would never do that! Thats why Filbert is my favoritehe loves me! Filbert and I are going to Italy for vacation! Sometimes Ill try to fool my significant other into thinking Im Filbert, but they always catch on. Wow, its even more embarrassing in writing. Advertisement Advertisement Beast and Sweet meats I call her beast, because she likes to role-play beastlike animals in a disturbingly convincing way. She calls me sweet meats, because she likes to call flesh meats, and I have a lot of meats. Fake Mean mode Sometimes my husband likes to pretend that weve been married for ages and ages and agesso many weary and downtrodden years that he cant even remember the number. (Its been nine years, as of this summer.) This is a part of the Fake Mean mode we sometimes affect with each other, which I find very soothing, because it lets us playact animosity without getting too real about it. Youre so annoying, one of us might say, and the other might reply, Not as annoying as you, goddamn, accompanied by an epic eye-roll. You just have to be careful not to let real grievances slip into Fake Mean conversations, or all cathartic value is lost! Advertisement Advertisement Smoo I started saying to my husband, I smooch you muchly to mean I love you. That became the nickname smooch which I often shorten to just smoo. Watch your penis! My husband and I once met a guy who told us a crazy story about his 4-year-old son: They were in a parking lot, and he said to his son, Watch out! The kid, who must have just learned the proper names for genitalia, snapped back, Why dont you watch your penis! So now, instead of saying move or excuse me, my husband and I say, Watch your penis! Do you want nipples tacos? When we are, say, on the subway, and one of us wants to spend some time looking at our phone, we say, Do you want to nipples tacos? or Is it okay if we nipples tacos? The backstory is, if I remember correctly, that we once tried to order nopales tacos, but it autocorrected to nipples tacos. It has to do with us trying to navigate the problem of wanting to be good listeners for each other but also wanting to spend some time unwinding on our phone. I love U2 the band One of us will say I love you, and the other will say, I love U2 [pause for a few beats] the band. This is daily. Another thing we do: Your brother called, he wants us to pick up some Popeyes, or insert any other fast food we want to eat. Sometimes we also meow or ruff. Thats not really a joke, just weird. Better Life Lab is a partnership of Slate and New America. One of the most profound social changes in the past 50 years has been the mass entrance of women into the workforce. Although the gender wage gap continues to exist across every country and occupation, more and more women are bringing home larger paychecks than their boyfriends, partners, or husbands. A Pew Research Center study from 2013 found that 40 percent of American households include a woman as the main or sole earner. But as recent research from the Census Bureau shows, when women out-earn their husbands, both partners tend to be in denial about this fact. Advertisement The report looked at earnings data from 200313 and assessed the difference between what respondents reported as their income on the survey and their actual income from tax records. The researchers found that people tended to underreport womens wages and over-report mens earnings likely to conform with the societal norm that men should out-earn their female partners. These findings should be anxiety-provoking for everyone: Regardless of how much money women are bringing into their homes, couples feel the need to minimize their contributions to protect a stereotype or hold on to a caricature of women as housewives and their husbands as Mad Menesque business men. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This study echoes others that show women earning more has far-reaching societal costs. In 2013, researchers at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, also using census data, found that marriage rates decline when a woman has the potential to out-earn her husband. When a woman makes more than her husband, the likelihood of divorce increases by 50 percent. Advertisement Paychecks arent the only place where theres a disconnect between what really happens and what men report. In a 2015 Pew Research study, 41 percent of men reported that households tasks in their home were shared equally between the couple, while 64 percent of women said that they take on the larger share of domestic labor. Women are generally expected to take on the lions share of household tasks, regardless of her earnings. Women also tend to take on invisible household tasks, such as booking appointments, finding doctors, organizing school calendars, and delegating. Sociologist Susan Walzer interviewed 23 couples who had just welcomed a new baby into their family and found that women disproportionately completed most of the mental, and emotional work of childcare and household maintenance. A 2014 study by Yasemin Besen-Cassino and Dan Cassino found that in heterosexual relationships when a husband is out-earned by his wife, he does less housework, except for cooking. The authors concluded that this was often due to gender role threat and that men were perhaps seeking to reassert their dominance by avoiding chores that they considered feminine. Advertisement Advertisement But men are doing more housework than they used to, and millennial men seem to have a more egalitarian view of work and gender. Time magazine reported in 2016 that millennial men find the traditional breadwinner role to be stressful and depressing, so perhaps outlooks are shifting. And the misreporting of womens income in the census study walks back much of the success that these women have earned in their careers. Rather than being proud of their income, theyre hiding it by fudging the numbers. When men lie about their wives earning more, they reveal a level of low self-esteem that is worrying. So what can women who earn more than their male partners do to ensure they are discussing and addressing the gap fully? Advertisement Advertisement Anne Hawkins, a marketing specialist, knew in advance that she would likely out-earn her husband, Chris, a teacher. By being honest about their differences in potential income from the very beginning, they successfully navigated any potential pride issues: Our entire relationship dynamic rests on us as people, rather than us as representatives of our respective genders. Realizing that we would have a non-traditional earning balance was a major catalyst for communicating openly and intentionally about that dynamic, she says. Advertisement When she was single, Amber Soletti found many men were not confident enough to date a financially independent woman. But she is now engaged to a man who admires her successful career despite a massive wage gap in her favor. Soletti points out that if both partners have equally demanding careers, their love life can sometimes suffer: He cooks for me, he cleans the house, does the laundry, takes care of our cats, and everything in between. Hes also emotionally supportive after I have a stressful day or week. Without his contributions, I could not be as successful as I am, she says. But working out an arrangement like this means having to be honest about who is contributing what, something we know couples seem to struggle to do. Advertisement Discussions about money can be difficult, but as gender roles continue to be in flux and our attitudes toward work and marriage shift, these conversations should become more common. We all need to discard our outdated notions of roles within a marriage and a family, and women must celebrate their successes outside the home rather than trying to minimize their contributions. By letting go of our socialized expectations of how much men and women should earn and how much housework they should complete, we can work toward truly balanced partnerships. But the first step is acknowledging we arent there yet. Thats going to take more honesty from all of us. At his press conference with Vladimir Putin last month, President Trump boasted that the eradication of ISIS is 98 percent, 99 percent complete. Those numbers are basically correct, in terms of the amount of territory the Islamic State group currently controls in Syriajust a tiny sliver and no major citiescompared to its peak in 2015. But while its a good thing that 10 million Iraqis and Syrians are no longer living under the genocidal caliphate, ISIS today may be stronger and more dangerous than generally assumed. Advertisement Two recent reports, one from the U.S. government and one from the United Nations, estimated that ISIS may currently have as many as 30,000 fighters on the battlefield in Iraq and Syria, reports Liz Sly of the Washington Post. Yes, thats a significant decline from estimates at the groups peakaround 100,000but about three times greater than recent U.S. military estimates of the groups current strength. According to the U.N. report, ISIS has recently rallied in Syria, thanks in part to a period in which U.S.-backed Kurdish forces pulled troops off the front lines to push back against a military incursion by Turkey. While it no longer controls much territory, the groups governing bureaucracy remains intact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As was widely predicted after the fall of Raqqa, ISIS has gone underground, acting more like a traditional terrorist group than a proto-state. Its no longer prosecuting people for stealing chickens, but its still capable of carrying out horrific acts of violence, including the string of raids and bombings that killed more than 200 people across southern Syria on July 25. And despite Iraqs president declaring final victory against ISIS late last year, that country has also seen a recent upsurge of small-scale attacks. Recent events have served as a reminder that international ISIS affiliates remain dangerous too. A bombing blamed on the group killed dozens of people, mainly university students, in a Shiite neighborhood of Kabul, Afghanistan, yesterday. The Islamic State also took responsibility for the killing of four cyclists, two of them American, in Tajikistan last month. Advertisement But while reports of the demise of ISIS may have been exaggerated, some of the more pessimistic predictions about the groups future have also not come to pass. Many observers, including myself, worried that as the group transitioned away from governing territory, and as foreign fighters returned from the battlefield to their home countries, there could be an uptick in ISIS attacks globally. That has yet to happen. For one thing, there hasnt been a major flow out of the Middle Eastonly about a dozen have returned to the U.S., most of them quickly arrested. And there certainly hasnt been a wave of terrorist violence. As the Posts Adam Taylor noted this week, 2018 is on course to be the fourth consecutive year that the number of terrorist attacks around the worldfrom all groups, not just ISISdropped. And despite the atrocious incidents noted above, the level of terrorist violence is declining overall in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for ISIS itself, the number of attacks carried out by the group fell 10 percent and fatalities dropped 40 percent, according to data from the University of Marylands Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism program. Whats becoming clear is that despite the losses its suffered over the last four years or so, ISIS today is organizationally stronger than we might have hoped, but still less deadly than we might have feared. Whats still less clear is whether that decline in the groups violence is a long-term trend or just a lull before another resurgence. Arguments in former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manaforts tax and bank fraud trial wrapped up on Wednesday, after the defense opted not to call any witnesses as part of its case. This is a case about lies, prosecutor Greg Andres told the jury, according to CNN. The prosecutions argument rested as much as possible on documentary evidence of Manaforts alleged frauds. He stood accused of hiding overseas income and bank accounts to avoid taxes, and inflating income to get bank loans. Ladies and gentlemen, the star witness in this case is the documents, Andres said. Advertisement The prosecution attempted to address head on one of the defense teams biggest challenges to its case: the fact that an actual star witness, Manaforts former deputy Rick Gates, was an admitted liar who may have had up to five extramarital affairs and embezzled money from Manafort. Gates plead guilty in Feb. to lying to FBI investigators and agreed to cooperate in the Mueller probe, which has involved testifying against his old boss. Manaforts lawyers throughout the trial tried to pin Manaforts alleged crimes on Gates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andres tried to turn this around, saying that Manafort didnt choose a Boy Scout and that he wanted someone who was willing and capable of committing fraud with him, the Washington Post reported. Advertisement Manafort attorney Kevin Downing told the jury that Gates fell apart and showed himself the liar that he is during cross-examination, CNN reported. Another Manafort attorney, Richard Westling, seemed to imply that the case was cooked up for nefarious political motives by an out-of-control special counsels office. Theyve done a good job of selectively pulling information together. But its been a selection, Westling said, according to Politico. People do not get prosecuted by typical Justice Department prosecutors, for what Manafort did, the lawyer added. This would seem to echo the arguments of President Donald Trump, who has harped that the special counsels investigation is a rigged witch hunt. Earlier this month, Trump tweeted directly about the case, saying that Manafort had been treated unfairly. Advertisement Paul Manafort worked for Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole and many other highly prominent and respected political leaders. He worked for me for a very short time. Why didnt government tell me that he was under investigation. These old charges have nothing to do with Collusion - a Hoax! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018 Looking back on history, who was treated worse, Alfonse Capone, legendary mob boss, killer and Public Enemy Number One, or Paul Manafort, political operative & Reagan/Dole darling, now serving solitary confinement - although convicted of nothing? Where is the Russian Collusion? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018 The case will now go to the Alexandria, Virginia jury of six men and six women. If Manafort is convicted, the question will quickly turn to whether or not Trump will issue a pardon in an effort to keep his former campaign chairman from cooperating with the government to lessen his potential sentence. During the White House press briefing on Tuesday, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders made headlines when she couldnt guarantee that President Donald Trump had never said the N-word on tape. In the course of that answer, she said something similarly surprising: that Trump had already created more jobs for black people than Obama had in eight years in office. This president, since he took office, in the year and a half hes been here, has created 700,000 new jobs for African-Americans, Sanders said on Tuesday. When President Obama left, after eight years in officeeight years in officehe had only created 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This statisticmore jobs in under 19 months than in eight years!was particularly shocking for a reason, though: It was simply not true. Correction from todays briefing: Jobs numbers for Pres Trump and Pres Obama were correct, but the time frame for Pres Obama wasnt. Im sorry for the mistake, but no apologies for the 700,000 jobs for African Americans created under President Trump https://t.co/EXGvbliwlS Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) August 15, 2018 Advertisement Before delving in the numbers, its important to note that Sanders correction appears to offer another falsehood: The numbers for Pres Obama were not actually correct, because the time frame was so very wrong. But also for a number of other reasons. The first problem with those numbers is obvious: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics household survey black employment rose from 15,481,000 in January 2009 to 18,436,000 in January 2017. This made for a gain of nearly 3 million jobs for black people in this country. Three million is more than 195,000. Black employment under Trump, meanwhile, has risen from 18,436,000 to 19,144,000, right around the 700,000 number Sanders cited for Trump. But, again, 3 million is more than 700,000. Advertisement Advertisement It would be fair to say that Trump is on pace to surpass Obamas total gains for black employment. That comparison wouldnt be apples to apples, though. Obama took office in the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, while Trump took office in the midst of the longest-ever recovery. Advertisement Looking back at the worst days of the Great Recession, black employment had been falling since April 2008, and wouldnt hit bottom until October 2009, a few months after the recession technically ended. From the last years of the Obama administration through today, the U.S. labor marketboth generally and for blacks in particularhas been improving at a roughly steady pace, with no notable acceleration. So Trump entered office on the winds of his predecessors growing economy, and Obama entered facing the disaster of his predecessors tanking one. Advertisement But how to explain misleading information coming from President Trumps press shop? In this case it doesnt actually appear to be entirely Sanders fault (though this episode did not make her appear to be a superstar at math). The White House Council of Economic Advisers fell on its sword, taking responsibility for the miscommunication with Sanders. A tweet from the CEA showed where Sanders got the 195,000 number: The CEA compared 21 month periods starting in the November before Obama and Trumps respective terms began. From November 2008 to July 2010, black employment fell by 636,000; from November 2012 to July 2014, it rose by 831,000, for a net gain in these two time periods of 195,000 jobs. From November 2016 to July, 2018, meanwhile, there was a gain of 848,000 jobs for black people in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So in talking about eight years in officeeight years in office, Sanders was actually talking about the last few months of Bushs term, plus about 37 nonsuccessive months of Obamas 96 months in office. Obama didnt take office until January 2009 and his first full month was February, while the CEA started ticking the clock in November 2008, crediting Obama with 162,000 job losses that happened on Bushs watch. This also means the CEA was crediting Trump with black job growth that occurred at the end of the Obama administration. And of course theres the enormous period between July 2014 and November 2016 and between July 2010 and November 2012 where the CEA and Sanders just stopped counting, erasing many many months from Obamas presidency. Basically, what the CEA and Sanders were doing wasnt economics in any meaningful sense, it was public relations. They couldnt even get that right. Donald Trump gave the Wall Street Journal an impromptu, 20-minute interview on Wednesday, touching on everything from his beloved tariffs to his decision to yank John Brennans security clearance. The presidents preferred topic, though, was clear. According to the Journal, Trump repeatedly interrupted the conversation to summon aides to the Oval Office to share charts detailing the electoral success of candidates hes endorsed. Trump sounded very much like a man confident that he alone can keep Republicans in control of Congress. Advertisement As long as I can get out and campaign, I think theyre going to win, I really do, Trump said of his party. Its a lot of work for me. I have to make 50 stops, its a lot. So, there arent a lot of people that can do that, physically. Fortunately, I have no problem with that. But wont all that stumping just motivate Democratic voters to make sure they show up for the midterms? If you want to know the truth, I dont think it energizes them, he said. I think it de-energizes them. I think they give up when I turn out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There isbrace yourself, dear readerlittle evidence to suggest this is even remotely true. Polling from the Pew Research Center and others suggests that Democrats and Republicans are both historically excited to vote in the midterms, and that excitement is due predominantly to their feelings about Trump. And while the president says it was, for instance, his rally that propelled Troy Balderson to a great victory in Ohios special election last week, its just as likely that his appearance there failed to turn out the GOP base and instead mobilized Democrats. Balderson himself feared just that possibility, if Gov. John Kasich can be believed. At the very least, its clear Democrats didnt throw in the towel after Trumps MAGA show came to town. The race has not yet been officially called, but Balderson currently leads by less than one percentage point in a district Trump won by 11 and that Democrats havent represented in Congress for more than three decades. Advertisement Its not entirely clear that even Trumps own inner circle believes his boasts, at least not with regard to the House. A number of Trump loyalists recently floated the self-serving idea to Politico that losing the lower chamber would lead to Trumps impeachment but also ensure his reelection. The report, published Thursday, relied almost exclusively on unnamed sourcesincluding one prominent conservative and Trump supporter granted anonymity so that he could claim that unnamed well-respected thinkers totally agree with himleaving it more than a bit muddled. But the buried rationale is that some slice of these Republicans believes the House is as good as gone and so theyd rather Trump make his peace with that and then use his time trying to save the Senate. Given the lower chamber will be decided largely in districts Trump lost and the upper chamber in states he won, its no secret why the GOP Powers That Be would rather see Trump take the stage in North Dakota than in Orange County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The danger, as always, for Republicans is that the president wont listen. Trumps comments to the Journal show he is either unwilling or unable to accept the possibility that hes anything but a closer. During the Oval Office interview, the president and his team repeated two of their favorite claims as evidence: No Trump endorsee has lost a GOP primary, and only one of nine Trump-backed Republicans has lost a special election. Both claims are false, but even if they werent, they still wouldnt be convincing. There have been a total of 11 federal special elections since Trump took office last year. The president didnt bother getting personally involved in the first, in a deep blue Los Angeles-area congressional district that Democrats held, but he played a factor in the next 10, eight of which Republicans did indeed winbut by nowhere near by the size of the partisan lean of each district, which ranged from suburban-Atlanta red to southeast-Utah dark red. Advertisement And then there were the two special election losses, the first of which doubled as a primary defeat. In Alabama last year, Trump backed interim Sen. Luther Strange, who lost the GOP primary to Roy Moore, who then received Trumps backingboth before and after he was accused of being a sexual predatoronly to lose to Democrat Doug Jones when it counted. And in western Pennsylvania this spring, Rick Saccone fell to Conor Lamb even after Trump made a late appearance on the Republicans behalf. (Trumps self-scorekeeping also conveniently excludes last years gubernatorial race in Virginia, where Trump-backed Ed Gillespie lost to Democrat Ralph Northam by 8 points.) Trump is free to argue that Moore was a special case and should be excluded from his win-loss record, but he is instead suggesting it simply never happened, much as he is doing with the Strange blotch on his otherwise perfect primary record. It remains possible that Democrats wont gain the two dozen seats they need to take back the House, or even if they do, that they fail in their bid to overcome a brutal calendar to win the Senate as well. But everything weve seen to date suggests either of those outcomes would be due largely to gerrymandering, geographical quirks, and other factors. That Trump cant accept that, though, is hardly a surprise. Just ask him about the popular vote. Internet access in Cuba has historically been tightly controlleduntil 2008, a government permit was required for private citizens to own a computer or a cellphone. The internet itself didnt arrive until 2013, and under extreme limitations. But a nine-hour government test of mobile wireless internet on Tuesday has sparked hopes for greater internet access. The test was run by Etecsa, the state-run telecom company that also administers the hot spots, according to the New York Times. Etecsa mobile phone customers had free internet access from 11 am to 8 pm Tuesday, according to local news site 14ymedio.com, whose report was translated and reported by the Times. Its yet another sign that full mobile internet service should be on the way. Reuters reported in July that Etecsa has said it would expand mobile internet services to all customers by the end of this year. The company has not yet announced the start date or rate of the service, though it announced in a Facebook post Tuesday that it intends to carry out further tests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Etecsa customers found out about the test through word of mouth and social media, as there were no special alerts, Cuban journalist Yoani Sanchez told the Times. But the moment was no less significant. Yesterday was the first time Cubans had internet access in their pockets, she told the Times. Even though it was pretty frustrating because the connection wasnt great, it was a very hopeful moment for us Cubans. An elite group, including official journalists, some businesspeople, and diplomats, has had access to the free mobile internet for the past two weeks, according to 14ymedio.com. Government leaders, including the president, have signaled a shift toward internet access in recent months. President Miguel Diaz-Canel told Parliament in July, We need to be able to put the content of the revolution online. Advertisement The country has historically been wary of handing its 11 million citizens internet access. It wasnt until 2013 that the government connected to the worldwide web, via a fiber optic cable to Venezuela. And after that, it only allowed Cubans to access internet at internet clubs and hotels that charged as much as $8 an hour for slow internet, according to the Associated Press. Advertisement But internet access has improved in recent years. In 2015, the government opened 240 public Wi-Fi hot spots in parks and street corners and lowered the price of internet access, according to Global News. Etecsa now has 630 public internet hot spots that charge about $1 an hour, according to the New York Times. Reuters reported that in 2015, a leaked government document outlined a plan to connect at least half of homes by 2020 and 60 percent of phones to internet. Its unclear whether that plan has been officially implemented and, if so, to what extentthe company connected only 11,000 homes in 2017, Etecsa president Mayra Arevich told state-run media in December. The company has announced it will expand mobile internet to all of its mobile phone customers by the end of this year, according to Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement In January, the U.S. government launched the Cuba Internet Task Force to promote the free and unregulated flow of information in Cuba. But its not the first time the U.S. has moved to promote internet freedom in Cuba. In 2014, the Obama administration loosened trade restrictions on U.S. telecommunications exports to the country, as part of its bid to normalize relations with Havana. Advertisement Although expanding internet access may win Diaz-Canel popular support, some observers remain skeptical about prospects for a Cuba in which free speech and other democratic norms are protected. While Cubans might see many of the benefits of internet accessibility, its very likely that internet access for them is also going to bring about a greater level of surveillance and also a greater level of censorship, Sanja Kelly, director of Freedom Houses global assessment of internet freedom, told Slate. But even if the momentum is slow, the move to increase internet access in Cuba could be a starting point. I cant say that there will be internet freedom for Cubans overnight, Roberta Braga of the Atlantic Council told Slate. This opening of free internet for nine hours is not whats going to be reflected necessarily in the coming months in the island. But I do think that its a starting point and its a positive one. No one wants a breakfast that is contaminated with weed killer. And in particular, no one wants to give their children a breakfast that is contaminated with weed killer. Thats why a new report suggesting that popular breakfast products like cereal, granola, and oatmeal contain unsafe amounts of the Roundup chemical (glyphosate) are garnering attention from both news outlets and worried parents alike. The Roundup Chemical Found Responsible for Cancer Might Also Be in Your Oatmeal, warns Mother Jones. Report: Oatmeal, Breakfast Foods Contain Unsafe Amounts of Weed Killer, worries the Detroit Free Press. Advertisement The stories all stem from the same report released Wednesday by the Environmental Working Group, titled Breakfast With a Dose of Roundup? The reportwhich was simply published to the internet, rather than in a scientific journal or after peer reviewmakes some rather outlandish claims about toxicity, glyphosate, cancer, and breakfast. Read without context, it would understandably worry any human who likes carbs in the morning, but when you drill down into the evidence, there is really no reason for alarm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The problem, as is always the case when considering toxicity, is dosage. Any substances potential to cause harm is directly related to how much of said substance you consume; at a high enough dosage, anything can be harmful, and at a low enough dosage, even harmful things can be consumed without causing harm. This is why regulatory bodies assess the threshold at which potentially harmful chemicals actually become dangerous and then set regulations for those thresholds. Advertisement The Environmental Protection Agency has done this for glyphosate, the chemical in the Monsanto weed killer Roundup that is at the center of the Environmental Working Groups report. The EPA threshold, which was set in 1993 (so no Trumpian interference to worry about), is 2 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day (140 milligrams per day for the average adult). Thats the reference dose thats considered safe to consume daily throughout a lifetime. None of the foods tested by EWG passes that thresholdthey dont even come close. EWG, on the other hand, argues that the acceptable threshold is actually 0.01 milligram per day, total. Thats an extreme difference. So why did EWG lower the threshold so dramatically? The explanation is published, once again, on the EWG website. The organization arrived at its number by taking the state of Californias recommendation for a glyphosate threshold, already less than one-hundredth of the EPA threshold, and dividing it by 100 again. EWG justifies this second cut by relying on the Food Quality Protection Act, which suggests that an additional tenfold margin should be applied to pesticides to account for the increased risk to children and infants. (The Food Quality Protection Act doesnt mention glyphosate once, and its not clear its recommendation is meant to apply to the EPA standard for the chemical, which is set to factor in body weight.) Even if you apply that extra tenfold factor to the EPA threshold, all the foods tested would still be safe. Advertisement Advertisement None of the foods tested by EWG passes that thresholdthey dont even come close. Basically, the EWG threshold has to be set at one ten-thousandth of what the EPA has deemed to be safe for the trace amounts of glyphosate to register. Your mileage may vary, but I trust the math of the government agency over the advocacy group that made these hilariously incorrect charts. Lets talk about what that means in terms of how much cereal you actually eat. The EWG threshold of 0.01 milligram per day translates to a maximum of 160 parts per billion, given an assumed serving size of 60 grams, which is about 2 cups of cereal or cup of oatmeal. The parts per billion detected per food sample tested by EWG range from 10 to 1,300. So, yes, some of them cross the EWG threshold. None crosses Californias threshold, and none crosses the EPA threshold. In order to cross Californias very conservative threshold, youd need to eat 7 cups of the worst kind of oatmeal a day. In order to cross the EPA threshold, youd need to eat 100 times that. You or your child would more likely get sick from simply eating hundreds of cups of cereal a day before youd get sick from glyphosate. Advertisement Advertisement Again, its understandable that, at first blush, the EWG report sounds alarming. No one wants to inadvertently feed themselves or their kids something that might be harmful. But the organizations messaging feeds off chemophobia. An EWG press release on the matter includes the line, Simply stated, there is far too much glyphosate in their [General Mills and Quakers] products for parents to feel comfortable feeding them to their kids, which is frankly manipulative. It also contains the gem, Just because a pesticide level is legal in food doesnt mean that level is safe, without offering any real science suggesting that the levels offered by the EPA or California have been proven to be unsafe. (This isnt the first time EWG has made outlandish claims about food safety; its annual dirty dozen list of fruits and vegetables has also been subject to warranted scrutiny.) Advertisement Advertisement That brings us to the final wrinkle in all of this, which is that years of research increasingly suggests that glyphosate may not pose the cancer risk to humans that we originally thought. Guy-Andre Pelouze explored the evolving research and understanding of glyphosates risk to humans in Slate in January. In addition to the EPA assessment that the chemical is probably not carcinogenic, he wrote: Advertisement Last year, the U.N.s Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization presented a joint review report on pesticide residue in indirectly exposed persons, including farming and production workers families, as well as consumers. The report did not find any evidence of increased risk of cancer from glyphosate exposure. Instead, after having examined the epidemiological evidence of occupational exposures, the report concluded, Glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans by food intake. The European Food Safety Administration also performed human-exposure studies as part of its assessment of glyphosate. Published in October 2015, their assessment found that the observed risk of cancer in humans induced by glyphosate was very low and the causal links virtually nonexistent. Advertisement Pelouzes story goes deep on the research and its history. He writes eloquently about how difficult it is for people to accept uncertainty when it comes to health, despite the fact that some level of uncertainty is part of any risk assessment. Its worth reading in full. At any rate, the evolving science doesnt mean we should pour glyphosate on our pancakes. But it certainly suggests that the EPA level is a reasonable precautionary level to stick with. So as long as youre keeping your cereal intake below hundreds of cups per day, youre perfectly fine. The room is dim and hushed. On the floor before me lies a shaggy bear of a dog. His name is Shep, and hes some combination of Great Pyrenees and probably German shepherd. His owners, Anne and Rich, adopted him to guard their dairy goats from coyotes, but Shep wasnt very good at his job and instead became a much loved house dog. I know this because Ive been taking care of him, as his veterinarian, for his entire life. Now, as he is stretched out before me on the floor, I can see the effects of the cancer that is slowly ending his life. Advertisement Shep has osteosarcoma, an aggressive and destructive bone cancer. It starts somewhere in a long bone of the body, silently eating away at the leg until there is nothing left. The leg gives out in a painful and sudden fracture. The cancer then progresses slowly, eventually invading the lungs. Once the cancer is in the lungs, there is nothing left to be done. It is only a matter of days to weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We discovered the cancer when Shep broke his leg. I had a long heart-to-heart with Anne and Rich. The typical treatment is amputation followed by chemotherapy. With that treatment, a good quality of life can be obtained for up to a year or more. There are no guarantees, of coursecancer will do what it wants. Anne and Rich spent two days deliberating the pros and cons, but since Shep was otherwise happy and healthy, they decided to amputate and pursue chemotherapy. He did great as a tripod. Often you had to look twice to notice that he was missing a leg. Advertisement That was nine months ago. Now, the chemo has stopped working, and Sheps lungs are filled with cancer. As he lays on the floor before me, his breathing is labored. Thin, watery blood leaks from his nostrils, and he coughs occasionally. His eyes are dull, no longer the bright, shiny brown that I remember. He doesnt enthusiastically investigate my hand for treats. His tail doesnt thump when I softly murmur, Sheps a good boy. The dog I knew isnt here any longer. His body is a shell. Anne and Rich are huddled on either side of him, weeping quietly. Anne runs his shaggy fur through her fingers over and over. Advertisement It wont hurt, right, Dr. Ashe? she asks me again. Advertisement I shake my head gently. No. Im going to give him propofol to make him very sleepy, and then I am going to give him the blue injection. It will slowly stop his heart and breathing. He will drift off to sleep and then he will die. He will not feel anything, I say. I show her the syringes again, even though weve already been over this. I use the word die because ambiguity is never good in these situations. Advertisement Anne takes a deep breath, looks at Rich, and then nods. It is time. I place the Sheps great paw in my lap, check the catheter, and slowly inject propofol. Sheps breathing deepens, his eyes grow glassy, and his head falls to one side. I give the second injection. His breathing slows. Slows. Slows. And then it stops. Anne gives a strangled cry and lays across his still form. Rich is stoic but tears track slowly down his face. Both are focused on Sheps body, so they miss what I seethe final gift my patients often give me. As the drugs take hold, I swear I glimpse relief in his brown eyes. Advertisement Advertisement When I was a kid, I remember hearing my parents having whispered conversations about what I interpreted as youth in Asia. Id be half dozing in the backseat of our car, driving through the night, the radio playing, and I would hear their low voices, the urgency with which they discussed it. At the time, I was uncertain why they were so concerned about the teen population of Japan. What did that have to do with death squads and socialized medicine? It wasnt until years later that I realized what they were actually discussingnot youth in Asia but euthanasia. And it wasnt until I became a veterinarian that I intimately understood euthanasia, the easy death. We meet each pets eyes in those last moments, and what we see again and again is not fear but relief. Relaxation. The end of suffering has come at last. Euthanasia was a hotly debated topic for those of us who grew up in the era of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. When I was 19, Kevorkian was convicted on charges of second-degree murder for assisting in the euthanasia of Thomas Youk. Youk was in the end stages of ALS, a disease that ravages the body but leaves the mind intact. Advertisement I paid little attention to these debates back then. I was bound for college, with the world unfurling before me. But these questions came back to haunt me almost 10 years later when I started my career as an emergency veterinarian. For what do veterinarians do besides vaccinate pets and treat diseases? We ease suffering. We help our animal companions to the threshold of death, and then we help them through that final, mysterious door. We euthanize sometimes on a daily basis. We do it for reasons of behavior, illness, injury. Advertisement Advertisement And as we do it, we hold the hands of distraught owners and help them make that last painful decision. We offer words of comfort and listen to sacred stories. And we meet each pets eyes in those last moments, and what we see again and again is not fear but relief. Relaxation. The end of suffering has come at last. I have seen it firsthand, time and time again. The wordless thank you, as a beloved pet slips into whatever awaits us in the next life. The light dims and then is extinguished. As animal physicians, we are not afraid to acknowledge that death comes for us all and that we possess the ability to ease its final agonies. Advertisement As veterinarians, we do what human doctors are not allowed to do. We all know that humans cannot win against death, not forever. Sometimes, when patients approach the end, doctors can offer a salve, buy time. But for many, there comes a time when the salve no longer soothes and doctors can do nothing but harm. And yet, in most states, there is nothing to offer in this moment. Doctors hands are tied. They can try to make their patients comfortable, but they cannot help them through that final door. They must go alone. Advertisement Advertisement Humans and pets are not the same. I am not trying to argue that they are. Yet in this area, we are treating our pets better than we are able to treat our loved ones and ourselves. When someone is of sound mind and wishes for the suffering to end, a suffering that has no end other than death, we cannot hold their hands, listen to the sacred stories, and offer that last, final easing of the pain. If I can offer that to my animal patients that suffer, I hope, one day, that my doctor can offer the same to me. Antifragility is the property of a system or organization that aims to increase its strength and resilience as the system encounters shocks, stressors, or volatility. The term was coined by Nassim Taleb, an academic who raised the alarm on COVID-19 months before it devastated North America. To enable the security industry to better prepare for future events, we need to fundamentally change the way we think about risk, and Taleb has more lessons to share. Thursday, August 16, 2018 Garin Pirnin in Vanity Fair talks with actress Catalina Sandino Moreno who stars in the cable series The Affair, which in its fourth season introduced the fact that character played by Moreno is undocumented. In the second episode of the fourth season, Luisa (played by Oscar nominee Moreno) gets pulled over for a busted taillight while driving her husband Coles (Joshua Jackson) Jeep. As Pirnin writes, "Lucky for her, the cop gets called away, and Luisas off the hookfor now. You see, shes an undocumented immigrant from Ecuadorand even though shes married to Cole, shes unable to obtain a green card because she came into the country illegally." Moreno immigrated from Colombia to the United States in 2005. She came to the U.S. after starring in 2004s Maria Full of Grace as a pregnant drug mule; her performance earned her a best-actress Oscar nomination in 2005. KJ https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2018/08/the-affair-catalina-sandino-moreno-breaks-down-season-4s-timely-immigration-plot.html The beauty of a Tatra valley The majority of tourists visit the mountain lake and waterfall in the Velicka Valley. More information about travelling in Slovakia Please see our Please see our Spectacular Slovakia travel guide Velicka Valley under Tatranska Polianka is one of the most visited areas in the High Tatras. A marked tourist route leads through the valley to the saddle of Polsky ridge and further to the Vychodna Vysoka (Eastern Heights) the view from which is considered one of the most beautiful in Slovakia due to its central location in the Tatra Mountains. The most interesting spot for tourists is probably the 2.2 hectare lake of Velicke pleso with a depth of 4.5 metres and its spectacular waterfall. The Velicka Valley is also the starting point for those who wish to climb Gerlach, the highest peak in the High Tatras via the Velicka proba route, according to Spis Korzar. 17. Aug 2018 at 1:12 | Compiled by Spectator staff IFP: Roma employment in Slovakia lags behind majority In the long term, the employment rate of Roma is significantly lower than that of the majority, with the main reasons being poor education and low skills, as well as insufficient support through the programs of labour offices. The employment of Roma in Slovakia significantly lags behind the majority population, according to an analysis performed by the Finance Ministrys Financial Policy Institute (IFP) based on data published in the latest Atlas on Roma Communities. In the period of 2004-2017, the Roma employment rate comprised a mere one third of the employment rate of the majority population. In 2017, when the labour market situation posted a positive development, the Roma employment rate increased to almost 21 percent. However, it still significantly lagged behind the majority population. Gender difference is huge There is a significant gender difference in Roma employment, the TASR newswire wrote, quoting the IFP data. The female employment rate only amounts to 16 percent, compared to 26-percent male employment. The analysis ascribes this difference to the traditional division of roles in Roma households, with women often focusing on raising children and doing housework. School results and bad tools contribute their share, too IFP analysts identified the problem as the result of not only low qualifications and skills, but also poor school results. We can say that an environment of poor households with prevailing low educated parents significantly influences the school results of their children, IFPs analyst Slavomir Hidas told TASR. The analysis showed relatively low support for Roma employment, or often being participants of ineffective programs. The participation of Roma registered with labour offices in active labour market measures makes up just half of that of the majority population, the analysis reads. For example in 2016, only 8 percent of unemployed Roma took part in active labour market measures. Unemployed Roma are often supported by ineffective public employment programs. As many as 40 percent of unemployed Roma took part in activation works in villages and in the projects of self-governing regions last year. This kind of program provides no relevant skills, however, and does not increase the chances of employment on an open labour market, either, analysts warn, as cited by the newswire. Need to boost policies, integration The analysis states that only little progress has been made in Roma integration in the labour market with their employment lagging behind the majority population for a long time. Therefore, its necessary to strengthen policies that support Roma integration in the labour market and in education. IFP analysts say. In this connection, international organisations also recommend Slovakia to improve monitoring and analytic tools in order to increase the effectiveness of these policies. 16. Aug 2018 at 13:49 | Compiled by Spectator staff For a Decent Slovakia initiative will resume protests in September The initiative insists on early election. The For a Decent Slovakia initiative is preparing another protest for September. The investigation into the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova is still not concluded and the ruling coalition is also refusing to take moral and political responsibility for the abduction of the Vietnamese citizen via Slovakia. The initiative has already booked a square in Bratislava. The requirement for a new, reliable government has not been fulfilled yet and new scandals are piling up, said Juraj Seliga, one of organisers of the For a Decent Slovakia protests. This coalition is doing nothing to show that it esteems the trust of the people. Seliga wants to believe that there will be an early election in Slovakia and that the current cabinet will fall. He further said during a discussion programme in Komarno on August 14, as cited by the aktuality.sk news website, that representatives of the major ruling party Smer have shown no self-reflection and instead of more responsible governing they are spreading conspiracy theories. In his opinion voters should have the opportunity to vote even if it were the case that the composition of power in parliament did not fundamentally change. Latest public opinion polls show that after a potential parliamentary election it would be possible to create a government without Smer as well as the extremist party of Marian Kotleba. But this would be based on a wide coalition of the opposition parties SaS, OLaNO, Sme rodina and for now the non-parliamentary KDH party that would be joined by current minor coalition party Most-Hid or the SNS. Support for Smer has stabilised at 20-21 percent after the March fall in their popularity. Read also: Read also: Another For a Decent Slovakia protest was also joined by farmers Read more The regular parliamentary election is scheduled for March 2020, i.e. in about one and half years. For a Decent Slovakia resumed organising protest rallies after the double murder in March. The most attended rallies were in Bratislava with protests also taking place in Prague, London, Paris, Berlin and even Hong Kong and Dubai. 17. Aug 2018 at 1:13 | Compiled by Spectator staff Slovaks receive the European science Oscar Jan Tkac from the Slovak Academy of Sciences has received financing for a project to diagnose prostate cancer more accurately. Slovakia has acquired the European version of a scientific Oscar, when the European Research Council (ERC) approved and endorsed finance for a project by Jan Tkac from the Slovak Academy of Sciences Chemical Institute on the diagnosis of prostate cancer with the use of innovative methods, SAS vice-chair Peter Samuely said at a press conference on August 16. The project represents the first ERC Proof of Concept grant that the European research authority has ever approved for Slovakia to date. The project was created with the support from scientist Pavol Cekan and the Health Ministry, which in this fashion reflects the long-term strategy of biomedical applied research development in Slovakia, Samuely said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. It includes the commercial strategy, methods for the regulation of conditions, marketing strategy and sales, price analysis and the economic potential of the product, the Sme daily wrote. Applying research in practice The purpose of the grant is to apply the results of basic research into biomedical practice, according to Tkac. The statistics establish that one in eight men will develop this illness during their lifetime. Some 400,000 people die of this disease on an annual basis, he said for TASR. Diagnostic kits to hit the market in three years Scientists Tkac and Tomas Berok expect the preparation of prostate cancer diagnostic kits to be realised in two versions: clinical tests for oncology facilities and hospitals, and home tests for the public. Tkac is confident that the results from the home tests can be acquired within ten minutes, whereas it might take roughly an hour with the clinical tests. The kits are likely to hit the market in 2021. The Slovak solution offers considerably better parameters for diagnosing the cancer, at a better price, Sme quoted the researcher as having said. Thus, it can be used in clinical practice around the world. In the future, we would also like to develop kits for the diagnosis of other illnesses as well, for instance, breast cancer, Tkac claimed, adding according to Sme that the current situation in SAS, highly publicised and resembling stalemate has not threatened them very much. We are now in a position to sign the contract with Brussels, he summed up for Sme. 17. Aug 2018 at 0:11 | Compiled by Spectator staff As it stands right now in California, all sales of roasted coffee are meant to come with a carcinogen warning because it contains acrylamide, a chemical that is a natural byproduct of the roasting process. For shops, this means posting some sort of signage stating coffee to contain carcinogens, and for roasters it means putting a cancer warning on their retail bags. This is due to a court ruling back in March where a judge ultimately decided that the coffee industry didnt do enough to prove that the trace amounts of naturally occurring acrylamide arent toxic. Its like innocent until proven guilty, but yknow, the exact opposite. As you might expect, this didnt sit well with coffee companies in the Golden State, nor did it jibe with current research on the presence of the carcinogen in coffee. But now, according to the New York Times, the State of California is intervening on the behalf of coffee (and general sanity). In a public hearing taking place today, August 16th in Sacramento, a government agency is proposing a new rule declaring that not only does coffee pose no significant risk of cancer, it may actually have health benefits. The reason for the new rule is two-fold. One, there is a preponderance of evidence showing coffee to actually be healthful, which the Times politely refers to as more comprehensive scientific research. And two, the State is worried that a growing number of cancer warningssome like the less-than-rock-solid ones aimed at coffeewill desensitize consumers to actual, serious health risks. Theres a danger to overwarning its important to warn about real health risks, said Sam Delson, the deputy director for external and legislative affairs of Californias Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. This is the same office put out a statement recently stating that the carcinogens inherent in the processes of roasting coffee beans and brewing coffee pose no significant risk of cancer. For now, the public hearing is the first step. As the article notes, California coffee companies are in a holding pattern to see how everything shakes out, but the new proposal is expected to be approved by the end of November, when finally and but for a brief moment, sanity will win out. Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge. When Rabbi Aron Lieberman moved to the small city of Lauderhill, Florida, thirty seven years ago, the citys Jewish community was made up of mostly older people, many Holocaust survivors among them. Two decades and a lot of fundraising later, he purchased a three-acre plot of land on which to build a Chabad community center. In his vision for the property then, one part would be designated for a kosher facility for seniors. This year, with their plans approved by the city, the Aishel Housean assisted living communityis about to become a reality. Planned with one hundred twenty seven units, it includes thirty-eight residences specially designed and operated for individuals with Alzheimers disease. While the facility will be open to all, it will be operated in strict accordance with Jewish law, making it a viable option for families for whom keeping kosher and Shabbat is of primary importance. The facility, on the grounds of the Synagogue Inverrary Chabad, will allow residents easy access to the synagogue and communal services. Florida has the highest percentage of citizens aged 65 and over (20.1% according to the US Census Bureau), many of whom are Jewish. But the area has no facility for kosher residents. According to Rabbi Lieberman, The choice for these families with an aging relative is to either care for them at home or place them in an orthodox nursing facility, even if they dont need nursing care. Rabbi Levi Chanowitz, who assists his father-in-law Rabbi Lieberman, points out that Chabad will provide intergenerational programming. Citing recent studies that show benefits to both seniors and children who interact with each other, he says that Aishel will work in tandem with the local Chabad preschool directed by his wife, Estie. Residents and children will get together to bake challah, celebrate Shabbat and holidays, and participate in music sessions. MJM Associates, an elderly care operator that is associated with the Memory Disorders Program at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York will operate the new assisted living facility. They will bring the expertise and we will make sure that all Jewish needs are provided for, says Rabbi Levi. For Jewish families, the prospect of their loved ones having a high quality and kosher senior center near by for visiting is exciting, he continues. Groundbreaking on the five story, one hundred thousand square foot building is planned for this fall. Building costs are estimated at thirty million dollars and the center is expected to open its doors before the end of next year. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 3 Vote(s) - 2.33 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager GREY LENSMAN Blue Crystal Storm User ID: 456828 08-16-2018 04:43 AM Posts: 3,480 Post: #1 Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager Advertisement STRANGE HOW IT HAS DISAPPEARED QUOTE After 12 days of trial, the fate of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in the hands of the Virginia jury that has sat through the proceedings for over two weeks a group who will be simultaneously deciding the fate of the first jury trial stemming from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world...93531.html UNQUOTE THE VERY FIRST PARAGRAPH MENTION RUSSIA YET THE JUDGE SAID DONT MENTION IT, THIS CASE IS NOT ABOUT RUSSIA. GL The full force of Natural and Common Law shall be applicable at all times in all places and cannot be annulled by the declaration of emergency, war or other device by any State or entity. [email protected] I HAD TO DIG TO GET THISSTRANGE HOW IT HAS DISAPPEAREDQUOTEAfter 12 days of trial, the fate of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in the hands of the Virginia jury that has sat through the proceedings for over two weeks a group who will be simultaneously deciding the fate of the first jury trial stemming from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign.UNQUOTETHE VERY FIRST PARAGRAPH MENTION RUSSIA YET THE JUDGE SAID DONT MENTION IT, THIS CASE IS NOT ABOUT RUSSIA.GLThe full force of Natural and Common Law shall be applicable at all times in all places and cannot be annulled by the declaration of emergency, war or other device by any State or entity. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 447641 08-16-2018 04:45 AM Post: #2 RE: Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager I had to dig to get this.. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 456980 08-16-2018 04:47 AM Post: #3 RE: Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager Doesnt matter what the judge said. Leftists will push the narrative no matter what. Isabella Registered User User ID: 456989 08-16-2018 06:12 AM Posts: 26,768 Post: #4 RE: Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager GREY LENSMAN Wrote: (08-16-2018 04:43 AM) I HAD TO DIG TO GET THIS STRANGE HOW IT HAS DISAPPEARED QUOTE After 12 days of trial, the fate of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in the hands of the Virginia jury that has sat through the proceedings for over two weeks a group who will be simultaneously deciding the fate of the first jury trial stemming from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world...93531.html UNQUOTE THE VERY FIRST PARAGRAPH MENTION RUSSIA YET THE JUDGE SAID DONT MENTION IT, THIS CASE IS NOT ABOUT RUSSIA. GL Ellis said not to mention Russia in the courtroom ....: The article says "stemming from": "After 12 days of trial, the fate of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in the hands of the Virginia jury that has sat through the proceedings for over two weeks a group who will be simultaneously deciding the fate of the first jury trial stemming from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign." Ellis said not to mention Russia in the....:The article says "stemming from":"After 12 days of trial, the fate of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in the hands of the Virginia jury that has sat through the proceedings for over two weeks a group who will be simultaneously deciding the fate of the first jury trialspecial counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign." LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 456959 08-16-2018 06:15 AM Post: #5 RE: Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager Probationary period . GREY LENSMAN Blue Crystal Storm User ID: 456828 08-16-2018 06:20 AM Posts: 3,480 Post: #6 RE: Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager BUT IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA. IT WAS ILLEGAL FISHING THE TRIAL WAS OF MANAFORT. SO WHY MENTION RUSSIA. TRYING TO CLAIM THATS THE WAY TO UNCOVER CRIMES? GET A FISA WARRENT STREWTH SHELIA GL The full force of Natural and Common Law shall be applicable at all times in all places and cannot be annulled by the declaration of emergency, war or other device by any State or entity. [email protected] GREY LENSMAN Blue Crystal Storm User ID: 456828 08-16-2018 07:05 AM Posts: 3,480 Post: #7 RE: Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager THIS IS VERY STRANGE THE MANAFORT TRIAL WAS THE TRIAL OF THE AGES. IT WAS TRUMPS ACHILLES HEEL THE TABLETS OF STONE WOULD BE REVEALED. NOW NOTHING, ZILCH, NADA. GL The full force of Natural and Common Law shall be applicable at all times in all places and cannot be annulled by the declaration of emergency, war or other device by any State or entity. [email protected] GREY LENSMAN Blue Crystal Storm User ID: 456828 08-16-2018 11:06 AM Posts: 3,480 Post: #8 RE: Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager THE TESTIMONY OF AN EMBEZZLER GL SAW THE POST ABOUT "OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE"THE TESTIMONY OF AN EMBEZZLERGL The full force of Natural and Common Law shall be applicable at all times in all places and cannot be annulled by the declaration of emergency, war or other device by any State or entity. [email protected] LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 456926 08-16-2018 11:06 AM Post: #9 RE: Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager LOCK HIM UP LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 456926 08-16-2018 11:08 AM Post: #10 RE: Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager GREY LENSMAN Wrote: (08-16-2018 07:05 AM) THIS IS VERY STRANGE THE MANAFORT TRIAL WAS THE TRIAL OF THE AGES. IT WAS TRUMPS ACHILLES HEEL THE TABLETS OF STONE WOULD BE REVEALED. NOW NOTHING, ZILCH, NADA. GL he laundered money for Russian gangsters ffs, and didn't pay his fair share of taxes. plus he worked for trump. lol are you daft? he laundered money for Russian gangsters ffs,and didn't pay his fair share of taxes.plus he worked for trump.lol are you daft? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 455860 08-16-2018 11:13 AM Post: #11 RE: Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager GREY LENSMAN Wrote: (08-16-2018 04:43 AM) STRANGE HOW IT HAS DISAPPEARED QUOTE After 12 days of trial, the fate of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in the hands of the Virginia jury that has sat through the proceedings for over two weeks a group who will be simultaneously deciding the fate of the first jury trial stemming from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world...93531.html UNQUOTE I HAD TO DIG TO GET THISSTRANGE HOW IT HAS DISAPPEAREDQUOTEAfter 12 days of trial, the fate of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in the hands of the Virginia jury that has sat through the proceedings for over two weeks a group who will be simultaneously deciding the fate of the first jury trial stemming from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign.UNQUOTE THE VERY FIRST PARAGRAPH MENTION RUSSIA YET THE JUDGE SAID DONT MENTION IT, THIS CASE IS NOT ABOUT RUSSIA. GL An elephant in the room, Russia being mentioned... that's your only concern? Wow. At this point I can't doubt that you're (pro) Kremlin shill. You know, if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it is a duck. An elephant in the room, Russia being mentioned... that's your only concern? Wow.At this point I can't doubt that you're (pro) Kremlin shill.You know, if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it is a duck. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 455860 08-16-2018 11:19 AM Post: #12 RE: Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager GREY LENSMAN Wrote: (08-16-2018 07:05 AM) THIS IS VERY STRANGE THE MANAFORT TRIAL WAS THE TRIAL OF THE AGES. IT WAS TRUMPS ACHILLES HEEL THE TABLETS OF STONE WOULD BE REVEALED. NOW NOTHING, ZILCH, NADA. GL Very, very likely (since the defense rested its case) Trump's campaign manager will be, among others, sentenced for a conspiracy against the US which implicates Trump personally... ... that's "NOTHING, ZILCH, NADA"? Seek professional help, ASAP. Very, very likely (since the defense rested its case) Trump's campaign manager will be, among others,which implicates Trump personally...... that's "NOTHING, ZILCH, NADA"?Seek professional help, ASAP. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 455860 08-16-2018 11:25 AM Post: #13 RE: Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager LoP Guest Wrote: (08-16-2018 11:19 AM) GREY LENSMAN Wrote: (08-16-2018 07:05 AM) THIS IS VERY STRANGE THE MANAFORT TRIAL WAS THE TRIAL OF THE AGES. IT WAS TRUMPS ACHILLES HEEL THE TABLETS OF STONE WOULD BE REVEALED. NOW NOTHING, ZILCH, NADA. GL Very, very likely (since the defense rested its case) Trump's campaign manager will be, among others, sentenced for a conspiracy against the US * which implicates Trump personally... ... that's "NOTHING, ZILCH, NADA"? Seek professional help, ASAP. * that is a conspiracy with a hostile foreign power (Russia) against the US. * that is a conspiracy with a hostile foreign power (Russia) against the US. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 456926 08-16-2018 11:28 AM Post: #14 RE: Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager LoP Guest Wrote: (08-16-2018 11:13 AM) GREY LENSMAN Wrote: (08-16-2018 04:43 AM) STRANGE HOW IT HAS DISAPPEARED QUOTE After 12 days of trial, the fate of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in the hands of the Virginia jury that has sat through the proceedings for over two weeks a group who will be simultaneously deciding the fate of the first jury trial stemming from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world...93531.html UNQUOTE I HAD TO DIG TO GET THISSTRANGE HOW IT HAS DISAPPEAREDQUOTEAfter 12 days of trial, the fate of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in the hands of the Virginia jury that has sat through the proceedings for over two weeks a group who will be simultaneously deciding the fate of the first jury trial stemming from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign.UNQUOTE THE VERY FIRST PARAGRAPH MENTION RUSSIA YET THE JUDGE SAID DONT MENTION IT, THIS CASE IS NOT ABOUT RUSSIA. GL An elephant in the room, Russia being mentioned... that's your only concern? Wow. At this point I can't doubt that you're (pro) Kremlin shill. You know, if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it is a duck. GREY LENSMAN Blue Crystal Storm User ID: 456828 08-16-2018 11:36 AM Posts: 3,480 Post: #15 RE: Manafort trial: Jurors deliberate fate of former Trump campaign manager BUT HE DID LEGAL WORK FOR THE UKRAINE NOT RUSSIA. GL The full force of Natural and Common Law shall be applicable at all times in all places and cannot be annulled by the declaration of emergency, war or other device by any State or entity. 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He added that Hook will lead an Iran Action Group to "galvanize international support for our efforts." Hook said the US wants to "promote a brighter future for the Iranian people," adding that the "Iran regime has been a force for instability and violence." Hook went on to speak about the 12 requirements previously laid out by the US government, which Washington says Tehran must comply with. Those demands include Iranian withdraw from Syria. Pompeo previously has stated that the US would impose the "strongest sanctions in history" if Iran failed to comply with the demands. Hook said that if Tehran "changes its behavior" in those 12 areas, US President Donald Trump is "prepared to talk to the regime." When it comes to other countries continuing to do business with Iran, Hook said the US is "prepared to impose secondary sanctions on other governments." https://www.rt.com/usa/436153-pompeo-iran-action-group/ I do not label myself. What I stand for is based on my own convictions, and I don't care which box - the left one or the right one - they happen to belong. The US is creating a so-called Iran Action Group, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced, adding that Brian Hook will lead the group in order to spur "international support for our efforts."Speaking at the Thursday State Department briefing,He added that Hook will lead an Iran Action Group to "galvanize international support for our efforts."Hook said the US wants to "promote a brighter future for the Iranian people," adding that the "Iran regime has been a force for instability and violence."Hook went on to speak about the 12 requirements previously laid out by the US government, which Washington says Tehran must comply with. Those demands include Iranian withdraw from Syria. Pompeo previously has stated that the US would impose the "strongest sanctions in history" if Iran failed to comply with the demands.Hook said that if Tehran "changes its behavior" in those 12 areas, US President Donald Trump is "prepared to talk to the regime." LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 426905 08-16-2018 10:26 PM Post: #2 RE: US creates Iran Action Group to change regimes behavior Loonville. Roddy's Creed Registered User User ID: 450888 08-16-2018 10:26 PM Posts: 5,453 Post: #3 RE: US creates Iran Action Group to change regimes behavior Perhaps Iran should create a US Action Group. Urge the U.S. to behave like a normal country rather than a bunch of insane toddlers. I do not label myself. What I stand for is based on my own convictions, and I don't care which box - the left one or the right one - they happen to belong. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 457017 08-16-2018 10:27 PM Post: #4 RE: US creates Iran Action Group to change regimes behavior Dumbasses are getting ready to lose their own nation and their worried about iran...pathetic LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 426905 08-16-2018 10:29 PM Post: #5 RE: US creates Iran Action Group to change regimes behavior Roddy Wrote: (08-16-2018 10:26 PM) Perhaps Iran should create a US Action Group. Urge the U.S. to behave like a normal country rather than a bunch of insane toddlers. Archangel Michael User ID: 441975 08-16-2018 10:38 PM Posts: 14,103 Post: #6 RE: US creates Iran Action Group to change regimes behavior President Trump has been willing to talk with Iran. Iran insists on changes in both US and Israeli behavior before they'll be willing to talk directly, since the Zionist entity is the one really controlling and running the US. Iran has the backbone to stand against the Zionist entity, while the US capitulates and caters to every whim Israel has. Why would Iran be interested in talking with the US when the US is doing all in their power to destabilize Iran? Including funding of the MKO terrorist organization and ISIS to attack Iran. (This post was last modified: 08-16-2018 10:42 PM by Archangel .) Roddy's Creed Registered User User ID: 450888 08-16-2018 10:47 PM Posts: 5,453 Post: #7 RE: US creates Iran Action Group to change regimes behavior Archangel Wrote: (08-16-2018 10:38 PM) President Trump has been willing to talk with Iran. Iran insists on changes in both US and Israeli behavior before they'll be willing to talk directly, since the Zionist entity is the one really controlling and running the US. Iran has the backbone to stand against the Zionist entity, while the US capitulates and caters to every whim Israel has. Why would Iran be interested in talking with the US when the US is doing all in their power to destabilize Iran? Including funding of the MKO terrorist organization and ISIS to attack Iran. I do not label myself. What I stand for is based on my own convictions, and I don't care which box - the left one or the right one - they happen to belong. Roddy's Creed Registered User User ID: 450888 08-17-2018 02:03 AM Posts: 5,453 Post: #8 RE: US creates Iran Action Group to change regimes behavior LoP Guest Wrote: (08-16-2018 10:27 PM) Dumbasses are getting ready to lose their own nation and their worried about iran...pathetic Yep. Pathetic is the word. Yep. Pathetic is the word. I do not label myself. What I stand for is based on my own convictions, and I don't care which box - the left one or the right one - they happen to belong. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 206135 08-17-2018 02:10 AM Post: #9 RE: US creates Iran Action Group to change regimes behavior The U.S. is the most meddlesome country. It just can't keep it's bloody paws off of other countries. Then it has the gall to criticize Russia for "influencing" American elections. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 455860 08-17-2018 02:15 AM Post: #10 RE: US creates Iran Action Group to change regimes behavior Roddy Wrote: (08-16-2018 10:25 PM) The US is creating a so-called Iran Action Group, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo * has announced Speaking at the Thursday State Department briefing, Pompeo claimed that the world is demanding change in Iran's behavior, so that it "finally acts like a normal country." He added that Hook will lead an Iran Action Group to "galvanize international support for our efforts." Hook said the US wants to "promote a brighter future for the Iranian people," adding that the "Iran regime has been a force for instability and violence." Hook went on to speak about the 12 requirements previously laid out by the US government, which Washington says Tehran must comply with. Those demands include Iranian withdraw from Syria. Pompeo previously has stated that the US would impose the "strongest sanctions in history" if Iran failed to comply with the demands. Hook said that if Tehran "changes its behavior" in those 12 areas, US President Donald Trump is "prepared to talk to the regime." When it comes to other countries continuing to do business with Iran, Hook said the US is "prepared to impose secondary sanctions on other governments." https://www.rt.com/usa/436153-pompeo-iran-action-group/ , adding that Brian Hook will lead the group in order to spur "international support for our efforts."Speaking at the Thursday State Department briefing,He added that Hook will lead an Iran Action Group to "galvanize international support for our efforts."Hook said the US wants to "promote a brighter future for the Iranian people," adding that the "Iran regime has been a force for instability and violence."Hook went on to speak about the 12 requirements previously laid out by the US government, which Washington says Tehran must comply with. Those demands include Iranian withdraw from Syria. Pompeo previously has stated that the US would impose the "strongest sanctions in history" if Iran failed to comply with the demands.Hook said that if Tehran "changes its behavior" in those 12 areas, US President Donald Trump is "prepared to talk to the regime." * Trump's most trusted nominee. How long it'll take till somebody blames that on the "deep state" or them evil libruls? * Trump's most trusted nominee.How long it'll take till somebody blames that on the "deep state" or them evil libruls? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 441717 08-17-2018 02:46 AM Post: #11 RE: US creates Iran Action Group to change regimes behavior What we are witnessing here is the lobbying power of the chosen ones... The United States of Israhell... LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 434473 08-17-2018 02:49 AM Post: #12 RE: US creates Iran Action Group to change regimes behavior LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 457105 08-17-2018 02:50 AM Post: #13 RE: US creates Iran Action Group to change regimes behavior working group is where you toss the useless folks without firing them.like safety office at a factory. Archangel Michael User ID: 441975 08-17-2018 02:50 AM Posts: 14,103 Post: #14 RE: US creates Iran Action Group to change regimes behavior Israel believes the whole world was made only for their Torah and the Jewish people. They're using the US as their junkyard dog, mercenary military and money pit to accomplish those goals. Their stated intent has long been to rule the world by ruling other governments. Roddy's Creed Registered User User ID: 450888 08-17-2018 03:22 AM Posts: 5,453 Post: #15 RE: US creates Iran Action Group to change regimes behavior Archangel Wrote: (08-17-2018 02:50 AM) Israel believes the whole world was made only for their Torah and the Jewish people. They're using the US as their junkyard dog, mercenary military and money pit to accomplish those goals. Their stated intent has long been to rule the world by ruling other governments. You know, color me hopeful, but I really think this sh*t is coming to an end; and you and I will be here to witness it. You know, color me hopeful, but I really think this sh*t is coming to an end; and you and I will be here to witness it. I do not label myself. What I stand for is based on my own convictions, and I don't care which box - the left one or the right one - they happen to belong. Advertisement This week we meet Philip Crowther, White House Correspondent, who grew up in Luxembourg. This week we meet Philip Crowther, White House Correspondent for France 24, who grew up in Luxembourg and nurtured his interest for broadcast journalism here from a very young age. RTL/Crossfire 2018 It certainly seems to be the prevailing opinion in Facebook's many Luxembourg Expat-groups that it is, but I cant understand why. Every once in a while someone will join one of Facebooks many expat groups and ask for help in deciding whether they should make the move to the Grand Duchy - usually to pursue a career opportunity. Without fail and within minutes answers will start rolling in warning their potential new neighbour that Luxembourg is about as exciting as a bowl of bellybutton fluff. From the discussions I have observed the general consensus seems to be that regrouting a public loo is preferable to a night out in Luxembourg City, and if you're young and single you may as well get used to the idea of dating whatever critters you find behind the toilet while you're at it - because you will have no chance at all of finding another single human in the Grand Duchy. In essence, it's easy to get the idea that Luxembourg is one of, if not the most boring countries in the world. But on the plus side, you will have ample opportunity to perfect your grouting technique. Living here will do nothing for your cleaning skills, however, as having a cleaning lady seems mandatory in Luxembourg (at least from personal observation). As someone who has never had a particularly strong urge to seek out fun - I generally find it overrated as fun tends to be loud, dirty, and disorganised - I struggle to understand what exactly makes some people think that Luxembourg is so boring. I did a bit of web-sleuthing through some recent discussions to find out, and it essentially seems to come down to sub-par nightlife and there being few people out and about in the city. I can't really say whether the nightlife is boring as I tend to go to bed around 10pm, and certainly find my dreams every bit as interesting here as they have been elsewhere - i.e. not at all. It is however objectively true that not many people live in Luxembourg by international standards, but there isnt really much we can do about that nor should it come as much of a surprise to anyone. I do find it sad to see people describe Luxembourg as a boring place to live, because to my mind it does have a lot to offer, even to people whose idea of fun is different to my own. There are lots of bars, restaurants, clean public spaces, castles, vineyards, stunning nature, museums, various music venues that somehow manage to attract A-list acts, and a highly diverse population - so you would think Luxembourg has the raw ingredients needed for 'fun' to happen. This leads to the question of why it apparently is not, which must come down to something less tangible. Could it be that Luxembourgs job market attracts people who favour organised fun, active bar scenes, clubbing and the like, while its geography and broader demography offers more for those of us who prefer quiet? Whatever the reason is, I think it is easy to lose sight of what we have and focus on that which we dont - not least when life is relatively easy and rather comfortable, as it tends to be for most of us in Luxembourg. For that very reason I think we should all draw a bit of inspiration from Mike McQuaide, better known as An American in Luxembourg and author of a book with that very name. I have followed his page for a couple of years now, and if he does one thing it is proving time and again that Luxembourg is only as boring as you make it. Far from expecting fun to find him, he goes out there and makes it happen for himself and has managed to attract an audience of over 15,000 people who eagerly follow along on his adventures around Luxembourg. With that said, it would be interesting to hear from some of the people who do find Luxembourg boring. If you are one of them, feel free to drop a comment perhaps we can pull together and make some fun happen. Martin Jonsson is a freelance journalist and produces Letzcast, a podcast about Luxembourg. LUXEMBOURG-VILLE A man who only moved to the Grand Duchy last month nearly starved to death over the weekend after his pleas for help went ignored. On Sunday morning, Yusef Kaplan, 28, realized with horror that he had neglected to restock his refrigerator the day before. Where Im from, supermarkets are always open, so I forget that almost everything here is closed on Sundays, he explained from a hospital bed where he was recovering from third-degree hunger pangs. I was totally famished when I woke up, but there was literally nothing in my fridge except for some old spinach, a bit of swiss cheese, and a half-empty bottle of cremant, the compliance officer said. And some cream, but it was expired. And a bunch of sauces, too, but nothing to put them on. Thats when Kaplan recalled a rumor hed heard that some supermarkets are indeed open on Sunday mornings. He launched an urgent appeal to fellow members of a popular Luxembourg expats Facebook group. Kaplan and many other recent arrivals rely on the group for survival tips such as how to find a reliable cleaning lady, where to get a cheap haircut in Howald, and which is the best internet provider. What shops are open today? Kaplan posted at 8:49 a.m. By midday, however, when none of the approximately 10,000 members of the group had offered him live-saving information, Kaplan feared he would not survive. Can anybody help me, please? he commented that afternoon under his original post. Still, no one responded. Please. Im dying. Ughhh, was his final post at 6:12 p.m. It was not until late that evening, almost 22 hours since hed last eaten, that Kaplan made the difficult decision to try a search engine known as Google. Its not easy using Google for stuff like that, because, well, you sometimes get adverts, the informations wrong, or, you know, a websites in French or something, he said. And yet, as if by divine intervention, at the top of the search results was an expats website for needy people just like Kaplan, and best of all, it was in English. It said theres a deli market in Strassen thats open until 10 p.m., every day of the week, Kaplan said as tears crept down his cheeks. Using his last reserves of energy, he crawled into his BMW and drove from his apartment in Beggen all the way to Strassen, where he found the deli and purchased a microwavable Thai meal, a bag of Doritos, and a large can of Batin just enough to keep him alive while paramedics rushed him to the hospital. Kaplan says that he doesnt blame the members of the Facebook group for his ordeal, but he wishes that more experienced expats would have sympathy for people like him. Its not easy moving here and having to learn to navigate Luxembourgs Byzantine customs by the time-consuming and archaic method of asking people in the street, he said. We expats need to be more supportive of each other, and to take the time to answer questions, no matter how obvious the answers might seem. Otherwise, how are people like me supposed to know which Mexican restaurant serves tacos? he added. Or when Im supposed to change my winter tires? The Luxembourg Wurst is a humour and satire website about life in the Grand Duchy. Read more at wurst.lu Mountain Shadows in Wayanad is just the place for a dreamy vacation A police officer and three lawyers were arrested separately in the cities of Makati and Taguig by police authorities and, in another, with close coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation, officials said Thursday. National Capital Region Police Office director Guillermo Eleazar identified the drug dealing suspect in Taguig City as Police Officer 1 Jeffrey Amador, 29, resident of 23 F. Providencia Street, Barangay Central Signal, Taguig City. Eleazar said Amador was arrested in their rented apartment around 8:45 pm on Wednesday. He added police from the Southern Police District and the NBI made the arrest. In a related development, and only five days after the raid at Time in Manila, a popular party hub in Makati City, police sought out Thursday a search warrant and found more illegal substance and paraphernalia inside the establishment, police said. During the search, the authorities placed under arrest three lawyers who, according to Southern Police District spokesperson Jenny Tecson, represented themselves as the legal counsel of the nightclub. While the orderly search was ongoing, three personalities who claimed to be lawyers of one of the business owner (sic) of the bar entered the premises, took several pictures and videos of the scene, intimidated the members of the searching team without proper and prior coordination, said Tecson. Eventually, they were placed under arrest for obstruction of justice, she added. The SPD identified the lawyers as Leni Rocel Elmido Rocha, 22, of San Antonio, Pasig City; Jan Vincent Sambrano Soliven, 32, of Bahayang Pag-asa, Imus Cavite, and Romulo Bernard Alarkon, 33, of Bahay Bukid, Camarines, Caloocan City. Tecson said around 11:20 am, the Makati City police station led by its chief Senior Supt. Rogelio Simon implemented the warrant issued by Makati City Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Elmo Almeda. The warrant came following the successful raid conducted last Saturday when the SPD and local police operatives nabbed at least 123 customers, 57 of them foreigners, and 31 bar employees, and seized prohibited substance including cocaine, marijuana and party drug ecstasy.SPD chief Tomas Apolinario, Metro Manila police director Guillermo Eleazar, as well as Makati City Hall and barangay officials were also present when the authorities served the search warrant. Prior to Amadors arrest, his 22-year- old wife Michelle went to the NBI, filed a complaint and informed the authorities about the drug dealing and other illegal activity of her husband. The NBI informed the Southern Police District, where the suspect was recently assigned, and the NCRPO about the wifes complaint and the entrapment operation ensued which led to the suspects arrest. Recovered from the suspect were five plastic sachets of shabu, one .45-cal. pistol with one magazine, and five live ammunition. Eleazar, SPD chief Tomas Apolinario Jr., and PNP Director Oscar Albayalde presented Amador to the media Wednesday night at the SPD headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa where the suspect admitted that he was indeed a drug dependent since he became a police officer. Yes sir, I am a drug dependent but I am not a pusher, said Amador when he was asked by Albayalde about his alleged involvement in drug dealing activity. According to Albayalde, Michelle is a battered housewife, the husband beating her without apparent reason and she can no longer withstand this uncontrollable behavior of PO1 Amador. She also narrated that before Amador entered the service on December 29, 2014, he was already hooked into drugs. But she is hopeful that Amador will change for the better. However, this did not happen, instead, he becomes her nightmare, said Albayalde. The wife already filed a case before the Taguig City Prosecutors Office on June 15, 2018 against Amador for Physical Abuse and Psychological Abuse in relation to RA 9262 (Violence Against Women and their Children). Police sources said Amador was among the police personnel at the Taguig City Police Community Precinct 1 relieved for kidnapping, usurpation of authority, and violation of the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunitions and the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. 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. A year after, justice has remained elusive for the family of slain teenager Kian Delos Santos. The 17-year-old Delos Santos, a student at Catholic was alleged by the police as a drug courier for his father and uncle. The teenager was shot dead by policemen after he allegedly resisted arrest in Caloocan before dawn of Aug. 16, 2017. But a CCTV footage later revealed that around two to three policemen were seen dragging a man matching the description of Delos Santos to an alley where he was later found dead. Witnesses later claimed that Delos Santos, a Grade 12 student, was told to run and given a gun before he was shot. In a Senate hearing, the policemen said they only learned of Delos Santos' alleged drug links a day after they shot him dead. The three policemen only recently started presenting evidence for their defense before a Caloocan court, PAO Persida Acosta said in a radio interview. She added, however, that the prosecution will rebut the officers' defense before the trial is closed.Acosta also expressed dismay that prosecutors cited the findings of a police autopsy saying Delos Santos was shot only twice and from a distance which was contrary to PAO's autopsy that the teenager was shot three times, twice at point-blank range. On Wednesday, Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said the policemen involved in the killing of Delos Santos have been dismissed, while also reiterating the PNPs commitment to human rights. "Palagi naman natin binibigyan ng caution or reminders yung mga commanders on the ground na sumunod sa ating POP (police operational procedure) at respetuhin yung karapatang pantao ng bawat Pilipino," Albayalde said. (We always remind our commanders on the ground to follow our POP and respect the human rights of each Filipino.) According to police data, at least 4,200 Filipinos have died in the war on drugs since May 2016, adding that most of those were killed after fighting back against authorities. But human rights groups dispute the PNP data, saying that the death toll is 3 times higher and does not include killings by alleged state-sponsored "vigilantes." Its a great way to finish on a high as opposed to limping on endlessly, Deborah Kennedy says of the final season of A Place to Call Home. Everyone knew this is Bevans (Lee, writer) last chapter in the story. So its come to a logical end. We would have had to have lurched ourselves into the 60s and that would have been a totally other show, because things started to change quite rapidly then. But the producers always maintained the very high quality of the cinematography, the settings, the vintage cars, the wonderful costumes and all of that. No one dropped their game. It was great that he came back and finished it. It was creator Bevan Lees own decision to wrap the Foxtel drama at 6 seasons, which has allowed for everybody to work towards a memorable finale. After stepping aside when Seven ceremoniously axed the show, he returned for Season 4. We did have some rather difficult times without him around in that series. Without him it wasnt the same, it wasnt up to the standard that it had been, so it was great that he came back and finished it. (Now hes) said I dont want to stretch it out for any longer. This is where I see the story as having finished. Bevans an extremely accomplished professional and he said I have other projects I want to do in my life.' Kennedy plays local gossip Doris Collins, who is never short of an opinion in a series treading upon controversial themes. But Kennedy insists her busybody nature is underlined by good intentions. Its because she really cares about people and wants everything to be nice and safe and unfortunately life isnt, a lot of the time. But she is not malicious. I really like Doris. One of the good things about playing her is having a soft spot for everyone. I know shes silly. But she means well, she continues. And its been fantastic, an absolute highlight of my career in terms of television. To have the opportunity to create a character from the 1950s and travel with her for six years and see where she ends up. Its been the best crew Ive ever worked with, wonderful writing, good directors everything you could possibly hope for, really! It was a shame that Seven decided to drop it Wrapping at six seasons in total, the show has already eclipsed the 2 seasons it enjoyed on Seven before its sudden axing due to costs and an older-skewing audience. Yet those same fans drew upon social media to persuade Foxtels Brian Walsh to pick up the show. It was a shame that Seven decided to drop it, but an absolute testament to fan-power with e-mails and Facebook, Kennedy recalls. I suppose its quite an unusual show in as much as weve never had a historical, lavish melodrama that A Place to Call Home is, ever in this country. Hmm. I suggest the 1970s miniseries Water Under the Bridge. No youre quite right, she replies. But even that was based on an original novel whereas this is all from the head and the pen of one particular man. Its not an adaptation of anything. Its his story and his experience as a gay man growing up in a country town in the 50s. It has that authenticity about it. So thats why he cared so passionately about it. All the horrible accuracy of aversion therapy for gay men was something that was par for the course back then. We were very naive in the 50s. Most people didnt have any knowledge of Aboriginals, Jewish people or homosexuals. It was just something to be ignored or run away from. I guess because everyone was trying desperately after the war to remain normal, not go to the dark side anymore. Everything was going to be all right and no more people were going to die you know what I mean? she asks. My father was a prisoner of war in Germany for four years and he came back very damaged. But people didnt talk about that. You just moved on and tried to look on the bright side. Its very different to our approach now. Kennedys own body of work includes some of the countrys finest Film & TV works: Certain Women, 1915, A Country Practice, Police Rescue, Wildside, McLeods Daughters, RAN: Remote Area Nurse, Bastard Boys, Dance Academy, Miss Fishers Murders, Rake, Janet King, The Principal, Deep Water, Tim, The Sum of Us, Thank God He Met Lizzy, Swimming Upstream and a certain Yellow Pages ad that turned 3 little words into a national catchphrase (she has since learned to embrace it). I prefer to be funny than serious Ive been very lucky to carve out a bit of a reputation for being strong and being funny. I prefer to be funny than serious, she reveals. Ive had great pleasure of working with some of the nicest comedians in the business including Steve Martin who came out to Melbourne to test drive his first play. Picasso at the Lapin Agile was wonderful. I worked with John Cleese more recently on Fawlty Towers Live on stage which was a hugely-wonderful thing. And of course the wonderful, wonderful John Clarke on Death in Brunswick, and then he and Sam Neill on the Murray Whelan telemovies The Brush-Off, by Shane Maloney. Every time you work with people of that calibre and see how humble they are and yet how rigorous and self-critical they are, its a real lesson, I suppose, in what it takes to make comedy work. My great, great aunties knew the man who shot President Lincoln. She will next appear in Bruce Beresfords upcoming Ladies in Black (Oh look Ive just got a spit and a cough in that!) and will travel to the US to research 2 Australian relatives who became actresses during the civil wars era. No shortage of drama in her life. Im hoping to assemble a lot more information and try and get them in to the record books. Neither of them are known in Australia even though they travelled over to America and made their careers there all those centuries ago, she explains. My great, great aunties knew the man who shot President Lincoln. Before Federation, before America was even unified -very wild times indeed. Meanwhile as she farewells Doris Collins, Kennedy says there is much to look forward to in the final episodes. She continues to try to do the best thing in sometimes not-the-most-helpful way. She learns a few lessons about life and opens her heart and mind a little bit more to the new changes that are sweeping through Inverness, she adds. Its challenging for her, but she accepts the challenge. A Place to Call Home returns 8:30pm Sunday on Showcase. The track Time Song was created in 1968 and was never released on album. However, it is set to be released on The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, the remastered 50th-anniversary reissue album by the band. The Kinks decided to share the formerly unreleased track as a teaser for their upcoming 50th-anniversary album, which will be released on 26 October, including the poignant and relaxed track Time Song. About Time Song As reported by Rolling Stone, while it has never been released on an album, the band did perform the song live in January 1973 when they appeared at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, London. At that performance, The Kinks were celebrating the inclusion of Britain in the Common Market. Hear a rarity from @TheKinks' new box set https://t.co/vqqsF9QuF3 Pitchfork (@pitchfork) August 15, 2018 The Rolling Stone quotes Ray Davies, the bands frontman, as saying the track Time Song was intended as a warning about time running out for the previous British Empire. He recently said that the release of the song is rather appropriate and poignant as Britain and Europe, like the track itself, is a rough mix, needing to be finessed. Sit back, relax and enjoy Time Song below. The Kinks and their new 50th-anniversary album There will be an exhibition to celebrate The Kinks and the release of their 50th-anniversary album from 4 October to 18 November 2018 at Proud Central. The exhibitions title is The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society. The exhibition will display various rare collectors items relating to The Kinks, including commissioned artworks specially commissioned by the bands members, along with vintage memorabilia. There will also be a display of photos relating to the bands history, all autographed by the surviving members of The Kinks - Ray Davies, Dave Davies and Mick Avory. Hints of The Kinks reunion continue In June this year, Ray Davies hinted at a reunion of the band. While Davis, his brother Dave and Mick Avory have been involved in a long-standing rift, Ray says both the drummer and guitarist are definitely on board for a reunion of The Kinks. NME reports that in an interview on SiriusXM with Mark Goodman and Alan Light, Ray said he has all these great songs, adding that they need to be aired. Davies went on to say there is something about the chemistry between the band members and if he could get them together on the right day, they could produce music. He added that everything depends on the music and whether they can record four to five tracks while they feel energized. The songs must be in keeping with what The Kinks can do and if this comes together, he will definitely consider a reunion. A corn crop is seen at Cercado Grande farm, where expansion of grains cultivation led the farm to scrap a contract with a sugar mill for cane planting in Itajai A corn crop is seen at Cercado Grande farm, where expansion of grains cultivation led the farm to scrap a contract with a sugar mill for cane planting in Itajai, Sao Paulo state, Brazil April 1, 2018. REUTERS/Marcelo Rodrigues Teixeira/Files By Marcelo Teixeira ITAI, Brazil (Reuters) - Last year, Brazilian farmer Gustavo Lopes sized up his sugarcane 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 tonnes of soybeans from Brazil, nearly half its output and up from 22.8 million tonnes 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 tonnes 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 tonnes. 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. Story continues 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 tonnes 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 Co, 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 sugarcane 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." (Reporting by Marcelo Teixeira; Editing by Brad Haynes and Brian Thevenot) THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) Two Greek soldiers freed after months in a Turkish prison returned to their home country by government jet early Wednesday 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." The men's arrest had considerably strained Greek-Turkish relations. Kammenos, the defense minister, had claimed that they were being held "hostage" by Turkey, which is trying to secure the extradition of eight Turkish servicemen who fled to Greece after the 2016 failed military coup in Turkey. Story continues Ankara accuses its servicemen of involvement in the coup, but Greek courts have refused to extradite them, arguing they would not get a fair trial in Turkey and their lives would be in danger there. The two Greeks were released Tuesday pending the outcome of their trial by a Turkish court. Turkey's state Anadolu Agency said that in a court hearing to review a request for their release the two said in their defense that they had crossed the border by mistake. 2nd Lieutenant Mitretodis' father told the AP that his son had shown great strength in prison. "My wife phoned and told me the news, and at once I called the Greek consul (in Edirne) and confirmed that the lads have been set free," Nikos Mitretodis said. "They didn't do anything wrong, and they spent a long time in prison. But they were strong during all that time, and remain strong, they have to be." "I want to thank everyone for their solidarity the media, our political leadership, the Church and anonymous people who stood by us," he added. ___ Paphitis reported from Athens. AP writer Suzan Fraser contributed from Ankara, Turkey. ___ Follow Kantouris at http://www.twitter.com/CostasKantouris See Also: A United States defense official advised the Philippines to carefully review its plan in acquiring a submarine from Russia in the light of existing US-PH relations. US Assistant Secretary of Defense Randall Schriver said the procurement of the Philippine Navy of a special underwater craft from Russia should be assessed in terms of the longtime alliances between the US and the Philippines. I think they should think very carefully about that, Schriver said. Last week, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had said that Russia is willing to provide soft loans to the Philippine government for the acquisition of a first-ever submarine for the Philippine Navy. He said that Philippine Navy chief Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad was already preparing to send its sailors where the submarine could be procured, for study and training on submarine operations preparatory to the acquisition of the sophisticated naval craft. Schriver said acquiring future submarines from Russia intended for the Philippine military would be awkward because of the decades-long US-PH alliance. If they would have to proceed with purchasing major Russian equipment, I dont think thats a helpful thing to the alliance and ultimately, I think we can be better partner that the Russians can be to the Philippine people, Schriver said. The US defense official added that inserting a Russian submarine to Philippine Navys inventory would somehow affect its capability in the future in case it operates side-by-side with US forces to address security challenges.US and Philippine military forces have been conducting annual exercises using US-acquired equipment, even as Washington plans to transfer defense articles to its allies and partners of US standard equipment under the Foreign Military Sales. Well, when you buy weapons systems particularly major platforms, youre not just buying capability, youre investing in a relationship, Schriver said. Presently, ships and vessels being used by the Philippine Navy mostly originated from the United States while some were acquired from South Korea, Great Britain, Australia, Japan and Indonesia. Schriver also explained that finding a US platform would be beneficial to both countries, especially in terms of interoperability in different scenarios. US solutions help us continue in our interoperability, help us improve our ability to operate in all kinds of scenarios, he added. I think more than that, I mean let's understand the nature of this regime in Russia. I dont need to go to the full laundry listCrimea Ukraine, the chemical attack in the United Kingdom, he said. So you are investing in not only platforms but making a statement about our relationship, Schriver said. Marines Night Fire Exercise.JPG US Marine Corps/Cpl. Holly Pernell Two members of Marine Special Operations Command received valor awards for heroism during a firefight with al Qaeda militants in North Africa, according to US Africa Command. During the previously unreported gunfight, which occurred last year, two Marines distinguished themselves on the battlefield. The two Marines carried out their tasks, as well as provided suppressive fire and immediate trauma care and evacuation assistance to wounded team members, while under enemy fire. Two members of Marine Special Operations Command received valor awards for their heroism during a gun battle last year with al Qaeda militants in Northern Africa, a spokeswoman for U.S. Africa Command confirmed on Wednesday. While on a three-day operation to train, advise, and assist partner forces in the unnamed country which the command withheld due to classification considerations, force protection, and diplomatic sensitivities the Marine Special Operations Team on February 28, 2017, became engaged in a fierce fight against members of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, according to one of the award citations for the unnamed Marines, who are often referred to as Raiders. The two award citations for the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal (with V distinguishing device for valor) were released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by Task & Purpose. Despite redactions of names and the specific Marine Raider team involved, the citations provide a glimpse of a battle between Americans and militants on the African continent that had not previously been made public. While the specific country where the battle took place remains unknown, Northern Africa consists of Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, and Western Sahara, according to the United Nations. Africa Command spokeswoman Samantha Reho told Task & Purpose in a statement that partner forces initially engaged and killed one al Qaeda fighter with small arms fire before calling for helicopter support. Militants then attempted to flank the Marines and partner forces from the rear, leading the Marines to return fire in self-defense. Story continues According to one citation, the Raiders communications chief and assistant element leader typically a sergeant or above provided critical communications relay and ensured proper positioning of partner force elements. The citation went on to say the Marine, while under accurate enemy fire, provided immediate trauma care for a fellow Raider who was wounded and helped evacuate him into a partner force helicopter that was hovering six feet above his position. The second citation for an element member on the team typically a sergeant or below captures how the battle raged from the helicopter overhead. While onboard the partner force helicopter, the Marine fired at militants below, coordinated close air support, and directed the gunners and pilots on board the aircraft. The militants responded with accurate fire, however, and a partner force soldier behind the helicopters M60 machine gun was shot twice in the foot, after which [the Marine Raider] took control of the M60 and continued to suppress the enemy while treating the wounded gunner, the citation said. He then accompanied the helicopter during the casualty evacuation of the Marine Raider and a second casualty later in the day, and conducted two re-supply deliveries all under enemy fire, the citation added. The partner force ultimately secured the site of the battle and assessed two enemies were killed, Reho told Task & Purpose. The wounded Marine was evacuated and has since made a full recovery The gun battle between Marines and al Qaeda militants took place seven months before a deadly battle between ISIS militants and U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers who were advising partner forces in Niger. The October 4, 2017 ambush resulted in the deaths of four Americans service members and led the Pentagon to conduct a major review of U.S special operations missions in Africa. NOW WATCH: Inside McVities Manchester factory where 2 billion Jaffa Cakes are made every year See Also: By Kit Rees and Helen Reid LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's top share index sank on Wednesday as emerging markets stress and a sharp selloff in commodities drove down stocks across Europe, with investors running scared after trade spat deepened between Turkey and the United States. The blue-chip FTSE 100 <.FTSE> index ended down 1.7 percent at 7,497.87 points, its lowest close since April 27, while mid caps <.FTMC> slid 0.9 percent. Markets globally have been hit by the financial crisis in Turkey and the FTSE joined Europe's slide after Turkey doubled tariffs on some U.S. imports, deepening concerns that trade conflicts will stymie global growth. Energy and materials stocks collectively took the most points off the index as oil and copper prices tumbled. Heavyweight miners Rio Tinto , BHP Billiton , Glencore and Antofagasta all fell between 3.6 percent and 5.9 percent as the price of copper fell to its lowest in more than a year on the back of a resurgent dollar. [MET/L] "As the greenback keeps barreling higher, pressure on other key commodities like base metals and gold is an additional drag on Europe stocks," Ken Odeluga, market analysts at City Index, said. British stocks also suffered from their exposure to emerging markets, as the asset class deepened its selloff and MSCI's EM equity index entered a technical bear market with a 20 percent drop from its January peak. IMPROVED PROSPECTS Only around 10 FTSE 100 members were in positive territory. Promising results from a study lifted shares in Britain's biggest drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline 1.9 percent. A long-acting injection developed by GSK has proved as effective as standard daily pills for controlling the AIDS virus. This has lifted prospects for Glaxo's key HIV business. "GSK has now delivered positive data from all three of the key elements making up its strategy of offering patients a move to less toxic dual therapy with the option of a monthly injectable," analysts at Liberum said in a note, adding that the prospects for dual-drug therapy were much improved compared with a year ago. Story continues Health stocks were also a bright spot among mid-caps <.FTMC>, with shares in Hikma jumping 6 percent to a 15-month high after the Jordanian drugmaker raised its outlook at its two top units. Kaz Minerals was the biggest faller on the FTSE 250, down 10.6 percent as commodities slid and after Morgan Stanley analysts said the firm's Baimskaya copper project acquisition added significant risk to the investment case. nL5N1V61MT] Admiral Group topped the FTSE 100 with a 3.2 percent gain after the insurer reported a better-than-expected rise in first-half pretax profit. "Admirals 2018 H1 (first half) results were ahead of our estimates, with customer numbers, reserve releases and underwriting discipline all better than expected in the UK Motor business," analysts at Peel Hunt said in a note. (GRAPHIC: MSCI EM 860 billion wiped - https://reut.rs/2vIwJ3o) (Reporting by Kit Rees and Helen Reid; Editing by Richard Balmforth and David Holmes) LA Body scanner AP/Business Insider Los Angeles is installing high-tech whole-body scanners to detect weapons and explosives. The scanner works by pointing a camera at crowds of passing pedestrians and analyzing the data. According to the manufacturers, the camera can detect unusual items, even if they are concealed. The devices are portable, and will be moved around the system to different stations. LA's transport network is installing whole-body scanners in the subway, which are designed to identify concealed weapons and suicide vests from a distance of 30 feet. Local and federal authorities announced on Tuesday that a series of portable scanners would be rolled out on the Los Angeles metro system, though they did not give a firm date for when. ThruVision LA body scanners AP Images In a join statement, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the federal Transport Security Administration hailed the technology, provided by British company Thruvision. The TAC-TS4 model scanner looks like a large black box with a laptop attached. Guards can watch the feed from the scanner as commuters walk by. This diagram from Thruvision's marketing material shows how the setup is meant to work: Thruvision scanner diagram Thruvision According to LA officials, the screening can detect suspicious items from 30 feet away and can scan more than 2,000 passengers an hour. This video from Thruvision gives a demonstration of how the technology could work: Youtube Embed: //www.youtube.com/embed/Dn_r2WuTZ5A Width: 560px Height: 315px A release from LA Metro said the technology works by scanning for signals that are routinely produced by the human body. It does not use radiation or have any medical effect on people, they said. Instead, it can detect when unusual items are blocking these waves, highlight them on a screen, and the guards will be able to judge whether they are a threat. LA Metro Getty/ David McNew About 150,000 passengers ride on Metros Red Line daily and the subway system had more than 112 million rides last year, HuffPost reported. Story continues NOW WATCH: Here's what Beans from 'Even Stevens' is up to today See Also: Labour has complained to the press regulator Ipso over coverage of Jeremy Corbyns laying of a wreath at a Tunisian cemetery. The party said stories published in the Daily Express, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Metro , Times and Sun had misrepresented the 2014 event and who it was intended to commemorate. Lodging a formal complaint with the press regulator is highly unusual for the leader of a political party. Coverage in recent days has embroiled the Labour leader in a huge row and led to him being criticised by Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel. It originally erupted after the Daily Mail published pictures of Mr Corbyn holding a wreath at a Tunis cemetery which it claimed were taken in front of a plaque honouring Palestinian leaders allegedly linked to Black September, the terrorist group behind the 1972 Munich massacre that killed 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team and one police officer. Mr Corbyn has said he only laid a wreath at the cemetery in memory of victims of a 1985 Israeli air strike on a Palestinian base in Tunisia. He admitted being "present" while a wreath was laid in honour of those allegedly involved in Black September, including Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) intelligence chief Atef Bseiso, but said he did not "think" he had done so himself. Labour has insisted that those who perpetrated the Munich atrocity were not buried in the cemetery, and there had been no ceremony for them. They said that while Israeli had accused Bseiso and other PLO leaders of involvement in the attack, this was disputed. Ipso has now acknowledged Labours complaint and will consider taking it further. Labour said the report had seriously misrepresented the event and misidentified those buried in the cemetery. The party also complained that news reports have underplayed the role of mainstream Palestinian leaders in the 2014 ceremony. When a complaint is received by the regulator, it first decides whether the claim falls within its purview. If so, and the source of the complaint has not yet contacted the original publisher, they are usually referred back to them, though in some cases the regulator may immediately begin its own investigation. Story continues If Ipso does launch its own investigation, that process ordinarily involves mediation with the publication involved. But if that fails, the body will make its own ruling on whether the editors code of conduct has been breached. In the case of Mr Corbyn that could eventually lead to Ipso having to rule on the accuracy of the reports, and, therefore, the sequence of events in Tunisia. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) The Latest on Turkey's currency crisis (all times local): 11:20 a.m. Turkish media reports say a Turkish court has rejected an appeal for the release of an American pastor from detention. Pastor Andrew Brunson's lawyer had on Tuesday renewed an appeal for the clergyman's release from house arrest and for his travel ban to be lifted. Hurriyet newspaper said the court in Izmir rejected the appeal, but that a higher court would review the appeal. Brunson is at the center of a diplomatic spat between NATO allies Turkey and the United States, which has helped trigger a Turkish currency crisis. The United States slapped financial sanctions on two Turkish ministers and doubled steel and aluminum tariffs on Turkey over his continued detention. Turkey retaliated on Wednesday with tariffs on certain US goods. Brunson, 50, is being tried on espionage and terror-related charges, which he and the U.S. government vehemently deny. ___ 7:10 a.m. Turkey is increasing tariffs on imports of series of U.S. products, escalating a feud with the United States that has helped trigger a currency crisis. Turkey said Wednesday it was imposing extra tariffs on imports of products, including rice, vehicles, alcohol, coal and cosmetics. The decision was announced on the Official Gazette. Turkey's Vice President Fuat Oktay said on Twitter that the tariffs on certain products were increased "within the framework of the principle of reciprocity in retaliation for the conscious economic attacks by the United States." See Also: FILE PHOTO:Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri gestures as he talks at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon June 22, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo Thomson Reuters BEIRUT (Reuters) - It may take Lebanese parties more time to form a coalition government, prime minister designate Saad al-Hariri said on Tuesday more than three months after the general election. "Perhaps we need more time to arrive at a final formula," he said to reporters before a meeting of members of parliament from his party in Beirut. Lebanese politicians have repeatedly warned that the country - which has one of the world's highest rates of public debt - urgently needs to put a government in place, but they have jostled over cabinet positions. "There is no doubt that some sides still stick to their terms, but, as we see, all of them retreat and concede a little," he said, adding that the new government needed to include all sides. The May 6 elections delivered a majority for the Shi'ite Hezbollah and its parliamentary allies, a reversal of the previous vote in 2009, when groups with Western and Saudi support won most seats. The result has further complicated Lebanon's tangled sectarian politics, as Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims, Christians and Druze compete among themselves for ministries. The delay in forming the government has prompted recriminations between rival parties. Last week, Hezbollah members of parliament warned that the delay risked Lebanon "sliding towards tensions". "We are a state that has problems, and we must form a national unity government in which cooperation between all the parties. Otherwise we will create a problem in the cabinet," Hariri said. The International Monetary Fund has warned that Lebanon needs "an immediate and substantial fiscal adjustment" to make its public debt - which measures about 150 percent of gross domestic product - sustainable. (Reporting By Angus McDowall; Editing by Richard Balmforth) See Also: The El Dorado County Sheriffs Office said on August 15 that one of its officers fired beanbag rounds to help free a bear trapped in a car in South Lake Tahoe. Footage of the incident shows deputies responding to reports of a bear trapped in the back of a silver car parked in a driveway. Hes done a little bit of damage in there, an officer can be heard saying to a woman. Were going to try to get him out because hes not happy at all. The officer then fires the rounds, which consist of small fabric pillows filled with lead pellets, into the back window of the car. The bear can be seen scampering out through the window after it shatters. The sheriffs office released the footage with a warning to drivers not to leave food in cars or vehicles unlocked. Credit: El Dorado County Sheriffs Office via Storyful Improperly timed traffic lights. Drivers who pull out in front of you. Drivers who accelerate in the left-turn lane. Drivers who are discourteous about allowing others to merge. Drivers who dont use their blinkers. Drivers on their cellphones instead of driving. Vote View Results Qatars Emir Shiekh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is expected to visit the Philippines to meet President Rodrigo Duterte later this year and strengthen ties in areas of security, trade, and investments, Malacanang said. Qatar was one of President Dutertes stops when he visited the Middle East in April last year, where the president thanked Qatars Emir for protecting the welfare of Filipino workers in that country. Malacanang made the announcement after Qatar Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani paid a courtesy call to President Duterte on Wednesday. The Qatari official is in the country for a two-day official visit, which is expected to strengthen bilateral ties between the Philippines and Qatar. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Qatar is the sixth export market and fourth import market of the Philippines in the Middle East. Around 255,000 Filipinos reside in the Gulf state, most of whom work in the nursing and services sector.Qatar has been an important market for Philippine products and also for its labor force overseas. In April 2017, the Philippines and Qatar signed agreements involving matters on culture, investment, technical education cooperation, and health during Dutertes visit to Doha. Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Qatar were established in May 1981. Total bilateral trade reached US$240 million in 2016. Philippine exports to Qatar consist mainly of sauces and preparations, electric parts, bread and other pastry, and bananas. Imports from Qatar include petroleum oils and other similar products. 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 defense 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 harbor master had barred the vessel from leaving the port. The harbor 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) See Also: Myanmar-language social media, entertainment and payments platform MySQUAR announced the soft launch of its cross-border remittance service, the initial offering on its mobile money platform, on Thursday. The AIM-traded firm said that, following the beta remittance tests conducted in June between MySQUAR and its partners, the Singapore-to-Myanmar remittance corridor became fully operational shortly after. During the pre-launch phase in July, the service was tested for any anomalies, and the company said it was now ready to go live. Activity would be closely monitored, the board said, to ensure there are no service issues before moving ahead with a full launch. MySQUAR said its platform would enable money loaded into the digital wallet of its Singapore partner, Uber Remit, to be sent almost instantly to the recipient's digital wallet of its Myanmar partner, OK Dollar, a mobile payment and digital wallet provider in the country. On the Singapore side, money could be sent using a debit card or by online bank transfer. Recipients in Myanmar could withdraw funds at more than 8,000 agent outlets nationwide and at certain bank and post office branches. MySQUAR said recipients could also retain the money in their digital wallet to make purchases at more than 200,000 merchants, or make a transfer to another OK Dollar digital wallet account. It said Singapore was selected as the initial corridor to launch, as the average annual income of the Myanmar workers was much higher than in other countries. MySQUAR said it was initially targeting the Myanmar customer segment residing in Singapore that was banked. It was said to be currently assessing other cash in options, such as utilising agents, and once those were available, it would roll out the app to the wider Myanmar community in Singapore, including the unbanked population. The existing cross-border remittance options from Singapore to Myanmar are either expensive, ranging from 10-15% of the transfer amount through formal channels, or carry higher risk through cheaper informal channels, said MySQUAR chief executive Eric Schaer. We have redefined the Singapore-Myanmar remittance corridor by offering a service that combines convenience and low cost through a licensed and fully compliant channel. Schaer said the World Bank reported the annual remittances into Myanmar to be around $8bn as at 2015. A full launch of the remittance service is anticipated by the end of September 2018 and we look forward to providing additional mobile money options as we move towards becoming a leading payment solutions provider in Myanmar. Remote location services provider RA International Group has secured a significant new five-year contract for the electrical works and construction of power infrastructure for the United Nations Support Office and African Union Mission in Somalia camps, both in Somalia, it announced on Thursday. The AIM-traded firm said it would deliver a full end-to-end managed service for the construction of power infrastructure, including the installation of UN-provided generators and fuel tanks, and the provision of power distribution services to various facilities. It said the total contract value was just over $30m, with the works due to commence in the coming autumn. We are delighted to have secured this long-term contract for the construction of power houses in Somalia, said RA International chief executive officer Soraya Narfeldt. RA International has managed and completed power house projects effectively in the past and it demonstrates great confidence in our capabilities that we have been reselected as the preferred provider by UNSOS and AMISOM for construction and support services for this project. Narfeldt said the board was very much looking forward to building on its relationship with the two organisations over the years ahead. The board remains committed to the next phase of our development as we look to capitalise on the exciting opportunities within our sector. Thalassa s Autonomous Robotics arm on Thursday appointed a new defence advisor and defence consultant to provide strategic on potential applications for an autonomous underwater vehicle technology. Navy veterans, retired Rear Admiral Jon Westbrook and former Commodore Phillip Titterton, will be defence advisor and defence consultant, respectively, providing strategic on potential applications the robotics subsidiary's underwater vehicle technology with an emphasis on the defence sector, while also contributing to growth initiatives. Duncan Soukup, chairman of Thalassa, said: "We are encouraged by the progress made to date in the development of ARL's AUV and swarm technology. I am confident that these appointments will allow us to accelerate the development of the autonomous nodes." Westbrook, whose distinguished Royal Navy career culminated as chief of staff allied maritime command Naples, has served as an advisory board member to Autonomous Surface Vehicles, while Titterton served as deputy director combined joint operations of the sea centre of excellence, Norfolk, Virginia. The AIM-traded company also reported that its subsidiary has hired software engineer Abhinav Bharti and mechanical engineer Ella Richards for the technologys development. Dave Grant, executive chairman of Autonomous Robotics, said: "We are delighted to have secured the services of Jon Westbrook and Phillip Titterton, both of whom bring a wealth of experience in the defence sector. We are also pleased that Abhinav Bharti and Ella Richards have chosen to join us which we anticipate will accelerate the development of the autonomous underwater vehicle." Meanwhile, Rafael Albea, who served as Autonomous Roboticss chief executive since December, has resigned from his position to pursue other opportunities with effect from 10 August. Thalassas shares were unchanged at 88.50p at 1607 BST. Manufacturing activity in the US mid-Atlantic region slowed sharply in August, according to the results of one of the most widely-followed surveys for the sector. The Federal Reserve bank of Philadelphia's Manufacturing Business Outlook index slumped from a reading of 25.7 in July to 11.9 for August. Economists had forecast a reading of 22.0. All of the surveys subindices were declined from one month to the next, save for that linked to firms' inventory levels, which edged higher from 14.4 to 15.4. Significantly, a gauge linked to companies' new orders fell from 31.4 to 9.9, with another tracking prices paid by firms declining from 62.9 to 55.0. Company staffing levels also fell back, with the corresponding subindex down from 16.8 for July to 14.3 in August. In an initial reaction, as of 1344 BST the yield on the benchmark 10-year US Treasury note was flat at 2.86%. Haulier industry bosses said Grayling seemed to know nothing about their sector since he appeared to be unaware that British lorry drivers would be unable to carry goods into Europe if the UK leaves the bloc without a deal. "People who know nothing about this industry are making vital decisions on it, and that is clear when you talk to Chris Grayling about what Brexit will mean to the UK international transport community...he is out of touch and lacking in key information," Kevin Hopper, managing director of Brian Yeardley Continental, told The Telegraph. The road hauliers fear the government is not carrying out sufficient planning for a scenario where the UK comes crashing out of Europe and are assuming a trade deal will be struck eventually. Hopper, a member of the Road Haulage Association with 40 years industry experience, told the newspaper he and his colleagues had tried to warn the Transport Secretary of the consequences of leaving Europe without a deal but felt Grayling did not understand the severity of the situation and the potential problems the industry would suffer. The lorry drivers also warned the government against creating a giant lorry park at Dover to prevent tailbacks on the M20. They said it would only benefit holidaymakers and not commercial traffic. "We would be sat there for days and days, costing a fortune just to get us out the way of Joe Public," said Hooper. Road haulers were disappointed that Grayling could offer no clarity or potential solutions for the problems created by Brexit. Grayling recently told the BBC's 'Today' programme he would be willing to maintain alignment with EU rules to avoid disruption to British manufacturing "I didnt campaign to leave the EU in order to have a different specification of motorcar in France and in the UK and 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 in the future. None of us wants no-deal, none of us are working towards that. I think it would be damaging for both this country and the European Union," he said. Auto Trader Group has entered into an agreement to create a joint venture with Cox Automotive UK , it announced on Thursday, to provide a digital marketplace for wholesale vehicles in the UK. The FTSE 250 company said the joint venture would provide the UK automotive market with a comprehensive online auction service. It said the business would be called Dealer Auction, and would provide fleet companies, manufacturers and retailers with a more efficient and convenient way to dispose of their stock of vehicles. Retailers would gain access to wider stock of vehicles available for them to buy, supported with the data and tools to allow them to select the vehicles for their specific needs. The business would offer a full service, along with its business partners, which Auto Trader said had significant experience in digital, wholesale and retail solutions. The joint venture agreement remained conditional upon clearance from the Competition and Markets Authority in the UK. Subject to clearance, the new business would combine three businesses onto a single platform. Cox Automotive would transfer both Dealer-Auction.com, which is an online auction of trade-in vehicles from UK franchise dealers, and Manheim Online, its online remarketing services division, to the joint venture. Auto Trader said it would transfer Smart Buying - formerly known as Autotrade-mail - its retailer-to-retailer platform. Once combined, the three businesses would reportedly enable prospective buyers to visit one platform and view a large selection of wholesale vehicles across the marketplace. Dealer Auction would be co-owned by both companies, with Cox Automotive UK holding 51%, and Auto Trader holding the remaining 49% of the new entity. The transaction was expected to be earnings-enhancing in the first full year of operation. The way in which vehicles currently move around the UK automotive ecosystem is overly complex and inefficient, and Auto Trader has the digital and data assets that can make it a quicker, more convenient and cheaper process for all parties, said Auto Trader chief executive Trevor Mather. However, we know that we will have an even better chance of disrupting the market by partnering with an established player which knows this particular industry intimately. Mather said he was delighted that the company was creating the joint venture with Cox Automotive, who he said the board had found to be forward thinking and culturally aligned to their business. We believe that together we can fundamentally improve and lead change in this market, for the benefit of both wholesalers and retailers alike. Martin Forbes, chief executive officer at Cox Automotive, added that the next five years would see an unprecedented level of change in the industry, driven by an ever-increasing influence of digital. Cox Automotive is already providing our customers with choice through our wholesale digital platforms of Dealer-Auction.com and Manheim Online, as well as physical auctions and vehicle services via Manheim, Forbes said. Cox Automotive and Auto Trader have a shared vision to transform the wholesale automotive market in the UK for the benefit of our current and future customers. Our core strengths are extremely complementary, and we believe that Auto Trader's digital and data expertise combined with Cox Automotive's wholesale channels and vehicle handling capabilities will deliver a market changing B2B platform. Auto Trader said it would contribute assets valued at 28.7m, or a book value of 8.6m, and pay 19.7m in cash to Cox Automotive. Cox would contribute assets valued at 70.1m. The EBITDA of the business being transferred by Auto Trader - Smart Buying - was 2.5m in year ended March, and the aggregate EBITDA of Dealer-Auction.com and Manheim Online was 6.2m in calendar year 2017. Under the terms of the joint venture agreement, if after the first two years of operation, a deadlock situation arose between Auto Trader and Cox Automotive and the proposed dispute resolution process was unsuccessful, then Auto Trader could be required to transfer its entire shareholding in the joint venture to Cox Automotive at a prevailing market value. London's FTSE 100 was up 0.6% to 7,543.84 in afternoon trade on Thursday, underpinned by better-than-expected retail sales figures for July and a positive development in US-China trade relations. Glencore was on the front foot, along with several other mining stocks, recovering from heavy losses a day earlier on the back of falling metals prices and a stronger dollar. On the downside, Evraz, Legal & General, Aviva, Standard Life Aberdeen and Reckitt Benckiser were all weaker as their stock went ex-dividend. B&Q owner Kingfisher was under the cosh as it said second-quarter sales were lifted by the sunshine but the DIY retailer's margins were weaker than hoped due to further troubles in France. The company said it remained on track to reach the strategic milestones of chief executive Veronique Laury's five-year turnaround plan for the third year in a row, with gross margin after clearance costs improving in the second quarter and expected to be down 40 basis points for the first half of the year. However Laury remained confident margins could move into positive territory for the full year. Informa was in the red as Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock to 'equalweight' from 'overweight'. "After a strong run up in the shares from the 660p level immediately post the merger proposal with UBM, we think immediate progress in the shares may now be muted as Informa goes through the acquisition digestion process," MS said. "The next obvious catalyst for the shares is the full year figures in February 2019 when Informa may say more about the potential revenue synergies available to the group." Insurer Admiral, which owns comparison site Confused.com, was also trading lower following a report that online retail giant Amazon is looking into creating an insurance comparison website in the UK. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: "Expanding into financial services may seem a strange move for a retailer, yet it makes sense when you consider Amazons incredible reach and engagement with such a wide range of consumers. "Home, travel and car insurance are already highly competitive markets from both an underwriting perspective and the number of price comparison sites. That wont bother Amazon as its muscle power and wide reach could give it a fighting chance of making a big success from facilitating the sale of third party insurance policies." FTSE 100 - Risers WPP (WPP) 1,279.50p 2.77% Smurfit Kappa Group (SKG) 3,212.00p 2.75% Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 302.20p 2.41% Melrose Industries (MRO) 218.10p 2.25% Fresnillo (FRES) 916.20p 2.14% International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 692.00p 2.06% Royal Mail (RMG) 463.90p 2.05% Glencore (GLEN) 304.50p 2.01% TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 1,484.50p 1.92% Scottish Mortgage Inv Trust (SMT) 547.72p 1.88% FTSE 100 - Fallers Evraz (EVR) 463.00p -5.30% Kingfisher (KGF) 277.40p -3.81% Admiral Group (ADM) 2,028.00p -1.65% Informa (INF) 773.40p -1.48% Legal & General Group (LGEN) 255.30p -0.97% Sage Group (SGE) 661.40p -0.69% Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) 6,894.90p -0.65% Aviva (AV.) 483.40p -0.64% Standard Life Aberdeen (SLA) 315.20p -0.63% Reckitt Benckiser Group (RB.) 6,754.00p -0.46% RARE CRITICISM. Outspoken President Rodrigo Duterte, keen to court trade and investment from Beijing, has urged China to reduce its military behavior in the South China Sea over its program of island building in disputed waters. The presidential reaction follows allegations of Chinese harassment of Filipino troops in one South China Sea garrison. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has urged China to temper its behavior in the South China Sea in a rare criticism of the Asian superpower over its program of island-building in disputed waters.China has alarmed and angered its neighbors by claiming dominion over most of the South China Sea and building a string of artificial islands and military airbases. But the outspoken Dutertekeen to court trade and investment from Beijinghas 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. Its 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.Dutertes 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 aircraftincluding 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 militarizing the area, through which roughly a third of all global maritime trade passes. An international maritime tribunal ruled early in Dutertes presidency in 2016 that Chinas 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. MoviePass, the subscription service that allows subscribers the opportunity to watch multiple Movies per month, is facing multiple lawsuits. Deadline reports that a lawsuit spearheaded by Jeffrey Braxton, shareholder, has been filed against MoviePass' parent company. The company has been losing money over the past several weeks. The suit was filed against "Helios and Matheson executives CEO Ted Farnsworth and CFO Stuart Benson," according to The Wrap. The lawsuit comes after Helios and Matheson reported an operating loss of $126.6 million in the last quarter, and on Monday faced a massive loss, and ending up with a share price of 5 cents. Shareholders filed suit after facing massive losses Shareholders have alleged that they were misled about the MoviePass business model. According to the Suit, the business model was not sustainable and that it was just a matter of time before the company ran out of money. Attorney Mark Levine has said that the business model was not sustained because there was no way to believe that the company could monetize the system in a way which would keep the service alive, without being buried in massive debt. Comicbook reports that according to the class-action lawsuit, that omissions and other comments made by Helios caused the damage incurred by shareholders. Shareholders are not the only one being lied to Investors are not the only ones alleging they were lied to about the current status of MoviePass. Subscribers have also faced issues with similar situations, including "peak pricing." Users were originally told they would only pay more high-demand movies. However, subscribers were faced with the reality of a $6 to $8 charge for most movies. Discuss this news on Eunomia This caused a massive blackout when 'Mission Impossible - Fallout' premiered, and forced MoviePass to borrow money in order to survive. A handful of users have filed complaints with the company, saying they were automatically re-subscribed after initially canceling their subscription. Other subscribers have struggled with closing their accounts, forcing them to continue their month-to-month plan. The 'end of times' point for the subscription service came when Helios revealed that it could not make payments to merchants, causing their stock value to fall and lose 96% of their value. Braxton is hoping the lawsuit will make it possible for shareholders to recover some losses. MoviePass continues to fail day after day, leaving many wondering what will happen next. America's Got Talent turned the reins of power over to the voting public on the August 15 results show, so the Xs from the panel didnt have the final say regarding the August 14 live performances. There's no doubt that the lives of these performers will be transformed by the exposure and experience on America's Got Talent, and doors of opportunity will open from now on to give them new options. For one of the acts that left Tuesday night feeling discouraged by Simon Cowell, the night brought vindication that their talent was worthy. The feeling of falling short, even in a vote tally, is always painful, but should never mean failure. Sublime joy and tense surprise came to the seven performers moving to the semifinals. Saving numbers from the start Tyra Banks almost had to scream to get her announcements heard over the excitement of the crowd at the Dolby Theatre, and the first order of business was to call up the acts in fifth, seventh, and eighth place who would be vying for a saving vote from fans, and another from the judges, for two of the three. Angel City Chorale was likely a surprise to be up for a save vote considering their strong support from all the judges and the audience. Japanese diabolo artist Mochi was named next for the bubble, and Junior New System, the spirited Filipino dancers known for their heels, rounded out the three awaiting their fate. It didn't take long for sibling band We Three, the PAC Dance Team, and teen rapper Flaujae to learn their fate. Tyra called them forward to hear the news, and it was We Three who got the good word that they would be moving on to the semifinals. Simon Cowell had strongly disagreed with his fellow judges and the audience following their performance, feeling that it had gone wrong. The judge urged the family band to rework their next performance, and clearly, the public thinks they are doing just fine, no matter the judges negative feedback. Discuss this news on Eunomia He was shown giving them some individual advice on stage, indicating that he still appreciates their talent. Tyra Banks reminded Flaujae to never change when the talented artists face fell with the news. Tears of joy Comedienne Vicki Barbolak couldn't hold back the tears when she got word that her career in comedy was moving along to the semifinals, leaving Human Fountains all wet and out of contention. The lady who always has a comeback waiting was clearly considering everything that this experience has meant to her and her family, and she could hardly crack a smile until Simon reminded her that he was free for an evening of Trailer Nasty fun. She opted for a glass of champagne on her own. Last years America's Got Talent winner, ventriloquist Darci Lynne, came back to the stage that transformed her life, bringing along her rabbit, Petunia, for a Broadway-caliber knockout of Show Off. The 13-year-old Oklahoma native has now toured across the nation's biggest stages with her gift for not just throwing voices, but making her puppet characters into real beings. She thanked America's Got Talent for being her springboard. The engagement period on the Las Vegas strip for the eventual winner of this year's competition will be November 2-4 at Paris resort and casino, and Courtney Hadwin and Amanda Mena are both in contention for that performance run, as both teenagers embraced one another after the announcement that they will both be going forward, and both Mel B and Howie Mandel had nothing but love for their golden buzzer girls. Close-up card magician Shin Lim and daredevil escape artist Lord Nil awaited the last tally before the revelation of the save votes, and Shin Lim was the one voted to the semifinals, where he promised Simon Cowell that there will be plenty of show in that performance. Director Sue Fink rejoiced with the members of Angel City Chorale upon hearing the divine news that the inspiring assembly of voices had earned America's vote to the semifinals. Amidst the joyful tears and hugs, Fink assured Tyra Banks that we will keep teaching a message of uniting and not dividing. The unity that pulses through every note from this choir is desperately needed in these tense times. It was left to Howie Mandel, Mel B, Heidi Klum, and Simon Cowell to deliberate the fate of Junior New System and Mochi. Mel B has been an ardent fan of the dancers in heels from their first audition, but now, she confessed that she had flipped, and she voted for Mochi. Howie Mandel also sided with Mochi, while Heidi Klum voted for Junior New System. Simon Cowell really took a pause before casting his lot with the earnest dance troupe. That left the vote in a tie, and the vote count had to be revealed to decide the winner. Junior New System melted in total joy as their name was called while the credits rolled. Next Tuesday and Wednesday the second group of quarterfinalist performers will contend for spots in the semifinals. Stay tuned. During the cold war, the erstwhile Soviet Union was a powerful adversary for the United States. The collapse of the Soviet state saw many projects wither away as the state that emerged from the ruins - Russia - had neither the manpower nor the money to keep projects alive. Things have changed with the arrival of Vladimir Putin. He is a man with global ambition and because of that, over the last decade, Russia has been becoming a formidable power. Defense World has reported that Russia has rolled out an advanced version of the old Soviet era bomber the Tu-22. Known as the TU-22M3M, the plane will roll out on August 16. It is a supersonic bomber with a range of over 2300 miles. New plane The new plane is more lethal than the earlier version as it is armed with ship striking missiles. The Business Insider has reported that the plane will specifically target the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier fleet of the US Navy which has, in weeks past, sailed through the China Sea in a show of strength. The plane traces its pedigree to the Soviet era and first flew in 1969. It was code-named "Black Jack" by NATO and has a massive payload of 2.4 tons with a speed of over Mach 2.3. American carriers Russia faces a significant threat from American carriers. In contrast, the Russians have only one carrier, the conventional Admiral Kutzenov. This carrier is puny compared to the US carriers and in no way can be considered a threat. The Russians needed weaponry to possibly neutralize the US carrier fleet and this is now possible with the upgraded TU-22 bomber. The upgraded Tu-22M3M focuses on modernizing the avionics, communications, and controls with deadlier missiles, and will play a significant role as a nuclear-capable maritime strike jet. Discuss this news on Eunomia It will pose a serious threat to the US and Donald Trump will be planning his next move to counter this new weapon system of Russia. Tu-22 The Tu-22M was designed to carry nuclear bombs as well as an air-launched ballistic missile. These could be released far away from the US coast and hence pose a credible threat to the US. The older version of the bomber was used against the ISIS targets in Syria from bases in Iran. It wreaked tremendous damage to the ISIS troops. But it's worth mentioning that the ISIS had no credible air defense against the TU -22 and, as such, it was more like a walk in the park. In a real-life war battle with the US, it won't likely be so simple. Putin intention Putin has made his intentions clear. He wants to take Russia back to the old days when the Soviet Union was a potent threat to the USA. One will have to wait and see how he goes about it. Weapons like the Tu-22M2M will certainly make that task easier. He has also deployed the latest SU-57 in Syria to show off Russian power. Tragedy struck Italy on Tuesday on the eve of the countrys biggest summer holiday when a portion of a 51-year-old bridge in Genoa collapsed. It took 39 lives, left fifteen people injured while more were dug out from the rubble. Many people are reported to be missing. A storm was raging at the time and dozens of cars and a few trucks fell to the ground. Traffic on the bridge was less because of the holiday otherwise the numbers would have been higher. Sky News reports Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has declared a state of emergency that will be in force for the whole year. Rescue teams are on the site along with firefighters, and residents from nearby areas were evacuated to safety. There are fears that remaining portions of the bridge could also come crashing down. When there is a disaster, it is common to declare a state of emergency as was done in the case of wildfires in California. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Salvini blames deadly bridge collapse on E.U. budget constraints https://t.co/j99fKgR8gi TIME (@TIME) August 15, 2018 Probable causes of the bridge collapse In the opinion of experts, the collapse of the bridge in Genoa was not an accident. It was built in 1967 and its design was considered to be innovative at the time. The load on it had increased over the years due to more traffic, and it was overdue for an upgrade. The investigators are examining various aspects including flaws in the basic design or inadequacy of maintenance. Genoa prosecutor Francesco Cozzi has commented to a section of the media that "I don't know if there is responsibility. For sure it was not an accident." The administration is concentrating on clearing the rubble because there are gas pipelines in the vicinity and if these are damaged, they could leak and create a new crisis. Discuss this news on Eunomia The rubble lying in the dry riverbed could block the flow of water if there are heavy rains. Collapse could have been due to corrosion According to CNN, the bridge in Genoa collapsed on a public holiday. The day is celebrated by many Catholics in Italy as the day when Mother Mary went to Heaven, but the death of 39 people is a major tragedy. The highway that runs across the bridge is an important communication link since it connects the city with the nearby airport. Initially, the cause was suspected to be a result of heavy storms but the authorities are now working on other theories. The firm entrusted with the maintenance of the bridge, is believed to have been carrying out maintenance work which has opened up another angle. An Italian engineer associated with the University of Genoa had expressed concerns about the bridge in 2016. He suspected corrosion problems. Incidentally, this collapse is not an isolated one in the country but one of several that have collapsed in the past five years. Researchers from Virginia Tech and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have developed a novel way to 3D print complex objects of one of the highest-performing materials used in the battery and aerospace industries. Previously, researchers could only print this material, known as graphene, in 2D sheets or basic structures. But Virginia Tech engineers have now collaborated on a project that allows them to 3D print graphene objects at a resolution an order of magnitude greater than ever before printed, which unlocks the ability to theoretically create any size or shape of graphene. Because of its strength - graphene is one of the strongest materials ever tested on Earth - and its high thermal and electricity conductivity, 3D printed graphene objects would be highly coveted in certain industries, including batteries, aerospace, separation, heat management, sensors, and catalysis. Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms organized in a hexagonal lattice. When graphene sheets are neatly stacked on top of each other and formed into a three-dimensional shape, it becomes graphite, commonly known as the lead in pencils. Because graphite is simply packed-together graphene, it has fairly poor mechanical properties. But if the graphene sheets are separated with air-filled pores, the three-dimensional structure can maintain its properties. This porous graphene structure is called a graphene aerogel. Now a designer can design three-dimensional topology comprised of interconnected graphene sheets, said Xiaoyu Rayne Zheng, assistant professor with the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering and director of the Advanced Manufacturing and Metamaterials Lab. This new design and manufacturing freedom will lead to optimization of strength, conductivity, mass transport, strength, and weight density that are not achievable in graphene aerogels. The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors will hold its quarterly board meeting at 1:15 p.m. Monday, Aug. 27, in the Shenandoah Room at The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center, located at 110 Shenandoah Ave. in Roanoke, Virginia. On Saturday, Aug. 25, an orientation session and retreat will be held in open session for all new and returning board members from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the W.E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center located at 775 Hermitage Road in Wirtz, Virginia. Board members will receive background information on Virginia Tech as well as discuss broad issues facing institutions of higher education today. On Sunday, Aug. 26, an information session for all board members will be held from 12:45 to 2:15 p.m. in Room R-3012 of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute, located at 2 Riverside Circle in Roanoke. The following board of visitors committees will meet in Roanoke during the three-day meeting: The Academic, Research, and Student Affairs Committee will meet Aug. 26 in open session from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Room R-3012 of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute. will meet Aug. 26 in open session from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Room R-3012 of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute. On Aug. 27, the Buildings and Grounds Committee will meet in open session at 9:30 to 11 a.m. in Room 716 of the Roanoke Higher Education Center, located at 108 North Jefferson St. in Roanoke. will meet in open session at 9:30 to 11 a.m. in Room 716 of the Roanoke Higher Education Center, located at 108 North Jefferson St. in Roanoke. On Aug. 26, the Compliance, Audit, and Risk Committee will meet in closed session from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. in the Blue Ridge Room at the Hotel Roanoke, followed by an open session from 9:15 to 10:45 a.m. in the Appalachian Room at the Hotel Roanoke. will meet in closed session from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. in the Blue Ridge Room at the Hotel Roanoke, followed by an open session from 9:15 to 10:45 a.m. in the Appalachian Room at the Hotel Roanoke. On Aug. 27, the Finance and Resource Management Committee will meet with the Academic, Research, and Student Affairs Committee in closed session from 8:15 to 8:45 a.m. The Finance and Resource Management Committee will then meet in open session from 8:45 to 11 a.m., followed by an open session with the Buildings and Grounds Committee from 11 to 11:15 a.m. All three sessions will be held in Room 715 of the Roanoke Higher Education Center. will meet with the Academic, Research, and Student Affairs Committee in closed session from 8:15 to 8:45 a.m. The Finance and Resource Management Committee will then meet in open session from 8:45 to 11 a.m., followed by an open session with the Buildings and Grounds Committee from 11 to 11:15 a.m. All three sessions will be held in Room 715 of the Roanoke Higher Education Center. The Governance and Administration Committee will meet Aug. 27 in open session at from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Room 717 of the Roanoke Higher Education Center. During the three-day meeting, board members will receive reports on the universitys strategic plan; the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative; the recent Gallup survey; Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute and related health sciences and technology initiatives; and safety, security, and preparedness at satellite campus locations. Board members will also receive design previews of the Livestock and Poultry Research Facility and the Student Athlete Performance Center Facilities and will consider resolutions to amend the parental leave policy to align with the Governors executive order and to establish an extended campus site at the Arlington center. Public comment will not be received at the meeting. More information may be found at the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors website. Related links: Two appointed, two reappointed to Virginia Tech Board of Visitors Rachel Iwicki, Zo Amani to represent students on Board of Visitors Ahmed Ahjam spent more than 12 years in the Guantanamo Bay prison for terror suspects, but now he has seen a dream come true by starting a business in the country that welcomed him when the nightmare ended. Ahmed Ahjam. Arab gastronomy, reads a sign marking the small food stand that Ahjam has opened Monday in Uruguays capital with help from city hall. He mainly sells sweets. Ahjam, 41 and born in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, arrived here in 2014 along with six other prisoners from Guantanamo under an accord signed by the United States and Uruguay. Washington was seeking countries willing to accept such inmates so it could move to empty the facility for terror suspects that was notorious for mistreating prisoners. Ahjam was one of the roughly 780 people sent to Guantanamo prison since 2002. His stand has small chalkboards advertising some of his wares: baklava, the sesame paste tahini or Uruguayan- style candy.Ahjam now aims to make a new life in Uruguay thanks to this undertaking he began by selling his treats on Facebook. For me it is a dream come true. It is very important in my new life. I am very grateful to the Uruguayans who are close to me. I am going to work very hard, Ahjam told reporters as he inaugurated his stand. He declined to take questions. US Department of Defense officials believe he fought US and Coalition forces in the Tora Bora mountain cave complex in Afghanistan used by late Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. He fled bombardment before being captured by Pakistani authorities. According to Department of Defense records, he was handed over to US authorities in the Afghan city of Kandahar in January 2002 and incarcerated at Guantanamo from June 14, 2002.Many of the assertions in the records are contested by former Guantanamo detainees and their lawyers and cannot be independently verified. His is a success story that comes out of an integration initiative that has had its ups and downs here. Uruguay took in the Guantanamo prisoners in exchange for economic aid that grows smaller and smaller over time. These men had trouble integrating into Uruguayan society and finding work. One of them left several times, only to come back, until he managed to depart definitively this year. But Ahjam seeks just the opposite: he wants to remain in the country that welcomed him. It is highly symbolic that someone who is a refugee finds an alternative way to live, a productive thing to do. Everyone deserves an opportunity, said Montevideo mayor Daniel Martinez, who was at the opening of the food stand.Ahjams store, which also serves coffee and juices, is located in the Montevideo Farmers Market, which used to be a wholesale venue but underwent a makeover to feature food stands, cultural exhibits and shops. His project was developed with help from a city agency called Cedel. In Syria he was a jeweler. These are different markets and times now, and in wanting to live in Uruguay and develop himself here, he thinks the cuisine of his country could be a way to make a living, said Veronica de Gregorio, who runs one of the departments at Cedel. He is not in the program because he is a former prisoner at Guantanamo but rather because he has entrepreneurial spirit, she added. We publish information about wines grown from certified organic or Biodynamic vineyards that are generally made with sulfites (which are usually added in small amounts to preserve the wine). That includes these certification types: ORGANIC WINE CERTIFICATIONS Made with Organic Grapes Vineyards: certified organic Vinification : less than 100 ppm of sulfites (i.e. a normal range) Winery: certified organic facility Labeling : front or back label Ingredients: Organic Grapes Vineyards : certified organic Vinification: up to 350 ppm of sulfites (same as for any non organic wine) Labeling: back label only BIODYNAMIC CERTIFICATIONS Biodynamic Wine Vineyards : certified biodynamic Yeasts : native Vinification : less than 100 ppm of sulfites; no additives of any kind Winery: certified biodynamic facility Labeling: front or back label; Demeter logo may appear Made with Biodynamic Grapes Vineyards : certified biodynamic Yeasts : native or organic Vinification: less than 100 ppm of sulfites; limited number of additives permitted Winery: certified biodynamic facility Labeling: front or back Note : unlike organically grown wines, for which there is a category called "Ingredients: Organic Grapes," wines sourced from biodynamic grapes may not make any biodynamic claim on the bottle label. Bottle labeling is reserved for Demeter certified wines only. SULFITES IN CONTEXT According to U.C. Davis, t he average among all wines in the U.S. (as well as globally) is 80 ppm. WHAT THE USDA CALLS ORGANIC WINES Unlike any other nation, the U.S. oddly imposes a no sulfite restriction on wines in order for them to be called Organic Wine. These wines are also called NSA or NAS wines (which stands for "No Sulfites Added" or "No Added Sulfites.") From the above description, one can see that there are in fact three types of organically grown wines: 1. Organic Wine (less than 15% of all organically grown wine) 2. Made with Organic Grapes 3. Ingredients: Organic Grapes The vast majority of wines from organic grapes are labeled Made with Organic Grapes, Ingredients: Organic Grapes or are blended with nonorganic grapes and unlabeled. Fine winemakers do not generally make wine without sulfites and a number of large wine retailers like BevMo do not sell wine in the category of "USDA Organic Wine." With rare exceptions, this blog does not cover what the USDA calls "Organic Wine." We are hopeful that the USDA will revise the categorization of organically grown wines and make NSA or NAS wines a category of their own. This would put the U.S. in accord with the rest of the world, where "Organic Wine" means a wine from certified grapes made within limits on sulfites (generally under 100-150 ppm). Grafton Tanner in The LA Review of Books: IN MAY 2017, ex-Google employee and design ethicist James Williams outlined his vision for a world in which technology companies are held responsible for what they do to and for society. At his talk entitled Why (and How) to End the Attention Economy,delivered at The Next Web (TNW) Conference, Williams addressed the cultural effects of ubiquitous digital technology and social media. He affirmed that, after nearly 10 years, the results are in: social media is highly addictive, and with so many billions logging in to get their next hit, the world could be on the verge of disaster. Nothing that Williams said was particularly novel or earth-shattering. Talk of the mental health effects of social media had been circulating in lay discourse, and research had been published on the link between Facebook and general well-being. What Williams chose to focus on were the sociopoliticalconsequences of social media mainly in response to the 2016 presidential election of Donald Trump. Ultimately, he declared that an addictive technology facilitated the proliferation of fake news that divided our country. More here. Matthew Yglesias in Vox: Warren wants to create an Office of United States Corporations inside the Department of Commerce and require any corporation with revenue over $1 billion only a few thousand companies, but a large share of overall employment and economic activity to obtain a federal charter of corporate citizenship. The charter tells company directors to consider the interests of all relevant stakeholders shareholders, but also customers, employees, and the communities in which the company operates when making decisions. That could concretely shift the outcome of some shareholder lawsuits but is aimed more broadly at shifting American business culture out of its current shareholders-first framework and back toward something more like the broad ethic of social responsibility that took hold during WWII and continued for several decades. Business executives, like everyone else, want to have good reputations and be regarded as good people but, when pressed about topics of social concern, frequently fall back on the idea that their first obligation is to do whats right for shareholders. A new charter would remove that crutch, and leave executives accountable as human beings for the rights and wrongs of their own decisions. More concretely, United States Corporations would be required to allow their workers to elect 40 percent of the membership of their board of directors. More here. Rating: R Run time: 1 hour 40 minutes Stars: Glenn Close, Max Irons, Jonathan Pryce, Christian Slater, Annie Starke Director: Bjorn Runge Genn Close, 71, will likely get her seventh Oscar nomination for her subtle, blazing, amazing performance in The Wife, the story of a long marriage adapted from Meg Wolitzer's novel. Close is Joan Castleman, the gifted, overlooked, patronized wife of writer Joe Castleman (Jonathan Pryce, 71), who just won the Nobel Prize for literature even though shes the one responsible for his success, and not just by boosting his prickly ego and picking up his thoughtlessly dropped socks. Pryce is marvelous as phony old goat Joe, whos always cracking walnuts he carries in his pocket, or inscribing love notes on their shells to give to young women he seduces, which started with Joan when she was his student at Smith College and he was a nobody short-story writer. In flashbacks, Joan (Annie Starke, Closes look-alike daughter) reveals that she knows the lit biz better than Joe does. She pens a perfect story about the first wife from whom shes about to steal Joe and edits his manuscripts more extensively than Max Perkins did Thomas Wolfes. She gets a job at a 1960s publishing house, where editors disparage lady writers. (Elizabeth McGovern, 57, has a fine cameo as one who advises Joan to quit writing.) When the editors say they want a Jewish novelist (All the big houses have one, wheres ours?), Joan lands Joe the book contract that makes his name. Not hers. With brisk and total mastery, Pryce and Close sketch the sweet and sour intimacies of a long marriage, but its Close you cant stop watching. Her expert face registers multiple emotions like a pond caressed and troubled by shifting winds, especially when Joe tells people shes no writer, or crushes the hopes of their resentful writer son (Max Irons, son of Jeremy Irons), or reluctantly hands her the walnut shell hed inscribed with the name of a gorgeous young Swedish photographer at the Nobel ceremony. When Joes would-be biographer (a wonderfully, sinisterly insinuating Christian Slater) quizzes Joan on Joes closetful of nasty secrets sex is the least of it her protean expressions suggest more than she confesses. Her entire performance, as artful as anything shes done and less emotionally remote than most, builds up to a final showdown that is nothing short of superb. Roncalli suffers heartbreaking OT loss, Central advances in playoffs After earning their first playoff win in 30 years, Beresfords 7-6 triumph in overtime sends them to the 11B semifinals. Irans top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has admitted he made a mistake when he allowed the countrys foreign minister to enter into negotiations with the U.S. that paved the way to the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. With the issue of nuclear negotiations, I made a mistake in permitting our foreign minister to speak with them. It was a loss for us, the Spiritual leader was quoted as saying Wednesday by the Khat-e Hezbollah newspaper, according to Reuters. The comments according to the Iranian media were originally made on Monday but were quoted on Wednesday. Iran in 2015 reached a nuclear agreement with world powers with the U.S. as leading country under the leadership of former President Barack Obama. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif represented Iran at the talks which included Obamas then Secretary of State John Kerry. The accord, also including France, Russia, China and Germany guaranteed for Iran a gradual removal of economic sanctions, including arrival of western investment in the Iranian economy, against curbs of its nuclear enrichment programs. The deal on May 8 this year suffered a blow after U.S. President implemented his campaign pledge to tear it up. Donald Trump has always blasted the agreement as full of flaws. Not only he walked away from the deal, but last week re-imposed sanctions. Trump also warned companies, most of them European, to choose between Iran and the U.S. Following the easing of sanctions in 2016, dozens of European companies established economic ties with Iran. Trump has offered as only chance to avoid the sanctions, new negotiations. Iran has chided Trumps move and rejected the new deal offer deeming it as pressure to surrender. 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 peoples lives, Fars News quoted Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri as saying. America is trying to apply various pressures on our society to force us to retreat and surrender. Earlier on Tuesday, Lebanon-based Shia movement Hezbollah said renewed U.S. sanctions will not lead to regime change in Tehran adding that Iran has been living under sanctions since 1979, the year of the Islamic revolution. Iran has been facing sanctions since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, said the movement Chief Hassan Nasrallah. He (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. Iran is the strongest pillar of support of the Lebanese powerful movement. The Fake News hates me saying that they are the Enemy of the People only because they know its TRUE. I am providing a great service by explaining this to the American People. They purposely cause great division & distrust. They can also cause War! They are very dangerous & sick! Donald J. Trump, president of the United states (Aug. 5, 2018) 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. Thomas Jefferson, one of Americas founding fathers, the main author of the Declaration of Independence and the third president of the United States For more than two centuries since the birth of our nation the press has served as a check on power, informing the American people about corruption and greed, triumphs and tragedies, grave mistakes and misdeeds and even ineptitude and dysfunction inside the halls of government, institutions and businesses. In 1971, the New York Times and Washington Post battled the U.S. government before the Supreme Court for the right to publish the Pentagon Papers, which outlined how four presidents, from Harry Truman, a Democrat, to Lyndon Johnson, also a Democrat, had misled the American people about Vietnam, a war that claimed the lives of more than 58,000 U.S. service members. A year later, two young reporters working for the Washington Post uncovered Republican President Richard Nixons connection to the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex, a revelation that toppled a president. In 1998 the press shined a light on Democratic President Bill Clintons sexual dalliance with a White House intern and his subsequent lie to the American people as he tried to cover up his disgraceful behavior. It was also the news media in 1996 that helped expose big tobaccos lies about the devastating health risks of smoking. The media exposed FEMAs pathetic response in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans in 2005. And, yes, it was the news media that exposed then-candidate Donald Trumps hideous treatment of women and his strained relationship with the truth during the 2016 presidential campaign. All of those stories dominated headlines and television newscasts over the last 50 years, but the groundwork for them was actually laid by our nations founding fathers at the dawn of our republic. A check on power The visionaries who founded our country giants like Thomas Jefferson were all too aware that absolute power corrupts absolutely, and so they set up a series of checks and balances to ensure that the power remained with the people. Among the safeguards they enshrined in the Constitution were a three-branch federal government and a free press charged with serving as a watchdog on government and its leaders. And so, when a government leader be it a president or a county commissioner tries to delegitimize the media by hurling false accusations of fake news or accusing journalists of being the enemy of the people, that government leader is undermining our democracy. Its the equivalent of taking a sledgehammer to one of the pillars that has kept our nation strong for 242 years and smashing away at freedom. President Trump a man who trades in alternative facts has taken this tactic to a new level, launching repeated attacks on the media. Startling poll numbers And he appears to be enjoying some success. A Quinnipiac University poll released this week found that 51 percent of Republican voters surveyed view the news media as the enemy of the People. Among all of those surveyed, 26 percent view the media as the enemy of the people. Thats startling, even if 65 percent of all Americans polled said the media is an important part of democracy. To be sure, journalists arent perfect. We make mistakes daily, although we strive to get it right. And when we get it wrong, we should be called out but in specific terms and with the correct facts. Most of us will then try to correct those errors. Yes, there are some media outlets big and small, liberal and conservative that have stretched the bounds of objectivity in the age of Trump. CNN appears intent on tearing President Trump down no matter the issue, while Fox news has taken on the role of being the presidents defender-in-chief. And a New York Times columnist acknowledged during the 2016 presidential election that there were new rules for covering Trump. But, too often the cries of fake news are not spawned by errors of fact. They occur because the subject often Trump disagrees with how the information is being presented or because he is not getting the accolades he thinks he deserves. Indeed, our president uses the broad brush stroke of fake news to tarnish all news media, undermining the credibility of all journalists. And thats dangerous for our country, which relies on an informed electorate choosing our nations leaders The medias job isnt to stroke anyones ego. And it shouldnt blindly reinforce any political partys worldview. Bigger than Trump The news medias job is to hold a mirror up to the world, to tell the truth and to put events into context, so that we, the people can make wise and informed decisions. The job of the media is to help the people hold their government accountable. We will be a nation in peril until we, as citizens, come to terms with the fact that alternate facts are dangerous because they warp reality. Make no mistake, this issue transcends Donald J. Trump and his feud with the New York Times, the Washington Post and CNN. This is quite literally about the future of our republic and the type of nation we will be bequeathing to our childrens children. If we buy into this falsehood of the news media as the enemy of the people, we will be leaving our children and our grandchildren a weakened democracy vulnerable to the whims of tyrants. And that is the very antithesis of Making America Great again. EDITORS NOTE: This editorial, written by the Journal Editorial Board, is part of a national newspaper campaign spearheaded by the Boston Globe and joined by more than 200 newspapers to highlight the dangers of the Trump administrations assault on the press. Upon hearing of Ariana Jade Romeos death, Ramona Tanner said she opened a cardboard box full of the girls belongings and pulled out her princess dress. I just had to hold something of hers, that smelled like her, Tanner said. Tanner and her son Billy Hudson Arianas mothers ex-boyfriend had packed the box with the childs belongings after Stephanie Romeo abruptly left Tanners Alabama home with the girl last summer. The mother and daughter eventually moved to New Mexico. And Saturday morning, Rio Rancho police found the 6-year-olds cold and stiff body in a garage-turned-bedroom on the 250 block of Moonstone NE. Police say they found blood around the girls body and drug paraphernalia scattered throughout the house. Deeming Romeos death an intentional homicide, they executed a search warrant of the home but nobody has been arrested in the case. I did everything I could for that little girl, Tanner told the Journal by phone Wednesday. I was the only grandmother she ever knew. Tanner said Ariana had just turned 3 when she, her mother and Hudson moved in with her in Prattville, Ala. I made sure the girl had clothes, shoes, a bed and love, Tanner said. It was an instant bond. https://abqjournal.com/1209260/story.html During those years, Tanner said Romeo had a habit of sneaking off in the middle of the night and coming back a few days later, leaving Ariana with Tanner and Hudson. I know she loved Jade in her own way, she said of Romeo. She always tried to act like a good mother in front of me. Last summer, Tanner said Romeo took Ariana without warning and moved into a nearby hotel with another man. She said she called Alabama Department of Human Resources to check on the family at the hotel, but child service workers said everything was fine. Tanner said the family moved to New Mexico after a few months at the hotel and stayed in touch. She said Romeo called in June to tell her Ariana missed her and wanted to hear her voice. Tanner said she spoke with Ariana on June 24, after she had graduated from kindergarten. She said I havent talked to you in years and I love you so much, just so sweet, she said. Thats the last time I talked to Jade. Tanner said Ariana didnt say much about her life in New Mexico, except that it was hot. She was willing to accept wherever her mother put her, she said. Everything was okay with Jade, she learned to adapt. You could say Jade, the sky is falling and shed go thats okay. Tanner said the 6-year-old was a free spirit who loved Frozen, princesses and her favorite song, which was Tiny Dancer by Elton John. She said Ariana would sing the song to Hudson often. Tanner said the child was a survivor. I know that night, when they did whatever they did to her, I know she fought. I know she fought for her life that night, Tanner said, her voice cracking. Whatever happened to her was just a moment in time the brutality. Shes in heaven right now and shell never have to worry about where shes going to live again. SANTA FE A new form the New Mexico Public Education Department has crafted for home-schooled students is generating opposition among home-schooling advocates and some Republican lawmakers. Roughly 150 people showed up many with handmade signs for a rally Wednesday outside PED headquarters in Santa Fe to protest the new form, which some described as a state government overreach. The new form asks parents or legal guardians of home-schooled students to affirm they agree with state law on minimum instructional days, required areas of study and other issues. It also stipulates that the PED can order students to attend public or private schools if their home-schooling is found to be not in compliance with state law. Previously, New Mexico public school officials had only required parents or guardians of home-schooled students to notify the state annually about their school choice. Until recently, the notification process did not ask them to sign off on the list of legal requirements, and home-school advocates said Wednesday that they have encouraged parents not to sign that part of the form. The PED is forcing these parents to agree with something they might not agree with, said TJ Schmidt, an attorney with the Virginia-based Home School Legal Defense Association who attended Wednesdays rally and has sent letters to PED officials on behalf of affected families. Specifically, he and other home-school supporters also said the new PED requirements have led to some home-schooled students being unable to register this summer for dual enrollment programs, which are offered by Central New Mexico Community College and other institutions statewide. In response, Public Education Secretary-designate Christopher Ruszkowski said Wednesday that the agency has an obligation to uphold state laws and to make sure home-school families understand their legal responsibilities. But he also said the department would be issuing registration numbers in the coming days to families that have elected to home-school their children even if they filled out only part of the form. We are all in this together to ensure that every family can seek the educational experience they want for their child, and to ensure all of our high school graduates are ready for the 21st century economy, Ruszkowski said in a statement. The dispute has prompted parents to take to social media in recent weeks to voice their concerns. On Facebook, the Christian Association of Parent Educators of New Mexico, a nonprofit home-school support organization, responded by telling families that those who sent in only part of the notification form have done what state law requires. Rep. Gregg Schmedes, R-Tijeras, who was appointed by Gov. Susana Martinez to fill a vacant legislative seat in June, said home-school advocates have been talking with PED officials for months over the issue. He described the new form as an unlawful requirement and said some House Republicans have signed on to a draft letter opposing the new policy. That letter had not been sent to the Martinez administration as of Wednesday morning, he said. State lawmakers maintained they will have a say in a proposed facility to store high-level nuclear waste near Carlsbad and Hobbs, despite an opinion issued by New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas suggesting New Mexico will have a limited role in licensing the project. New Mexico Sen. Jeff Steinborn (D-36), who chairs the New Mexico Radioactive and Hazardous Waste Committee said Balderas opinion was informative but did not preclude lawmakers from preventing the facility from operating. The committee convened in May to study the project proposed by New Jersey-based Holtec International, and held its third meeting on Wednesday at University of New Mexico-Los Alamos. Opposed to the project, Steinborn said state lawmakers owe their constituents a full review of the proposal. I think its kind of a troubling deficiency in the government if the state doesnt have to give consent to have something like this foisted upon it, he said. The State of New Mexico owes it to the people to look at every aspect of it. In Balderas response to multiple questions asked by Steinborn, he cited numerous past cases that Balderas said created a precedent that state governments have almost no role in federal licensing for nuclear facilities. He said the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has the sole authority to license the facility, and the states authority would likely begin once it went into operation, providing some recourse if something goes wrong. While it is abundantly clear that the state cannot license or otherwise directly regulate interim storage facilities, the Supreme Court has repeatedly held that state tort law can provide a remedy for injuries suffered as a result of nuclear plant operation, Balderas wrote. But Steinborn said he and the committee intended to make their voices heard well before the plant could go into operation. He said even if the federal NRC does issue Holtec the needed license, the state could fight back by blocking utilities and infrastructure such as water and transportation access cutting off the facilitys ability to operate. Theres other issues that are not part of licensure, Steinborn said. Theres clearly a lot of concerns over infrastructure deficiencies. New Mexico Rep. Cathrynn Brown (R-55), who represents Carlsbad and Eddy County and sits on the committee, said Balderas opinion further validates that the NRCs oversight is sufficient and the states role in nuclear regulation is limited. The analysis done by the Attorney Generals office confirms that licensing of nuclear facilities is the domain of the federal government, not the states, Brown said. This point has been made a number of times in hearings of our Radioactive and Hazardous Waste Committee, so the AGs analysis is not a surprise. John Heaton, chair of the Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance questioned Steinborns motivation when the senator challenged the facility Heaton said would bring many lucrative job opportunities to southeast New Mexico. I cant understand why the State of New Mexico would want to stop a project that creates good, high-paying jobs. It doesnt make sense, Heaton said. Were the only state that hasnt recovered from the depression of 2008, and its because of attitudes like that. Heaton argued that the NRCs approval would signal a safe, productive project and would not require much state oversight. Through congressional action, (the NRC) was given the authority over managing nuclear materials in the private sector, he said. They take that responsibility very seriously. I dont think there is a major role for the State. Its preempted by the NRC. In recent months the NRC hosted numerous meetings to solicit public comment from residents across the state in developing an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the project. The public comment period closed on July 30, and the NRC hopes to bring a draft EIS for further public comment in summer 2019. Meanwhile, the city councils for New Mexicos two biggest cities: Albuquerque and Las Cruces voted this summer to oppose Holtecs transportation of the waste through their communities. Steinborn said most of the attendees he saw at the meetings were against the facility. Its not an exciting proposition for most people to live near or in the state where all the countrys high-level waste is, he said. It just doesnt seem to make sense to New Mexico. Its not just about where the waste goes, its the end game. That end could mean permanent storage of the waste in New Mexico, Steinborn worried, as a permanent repository in Yucca Mountain stalled after state lawmakers opposed the project and blocked the necessary utilities. He said the waste should continue to be stored at the generator sites many near large bodies of water and high population areas until disposal is possible. There could be better options, Steinborn said. There is an effort to pressure New Mexico, that its New Mexicos patriotic duty. Thats kind of insulting. If its a patriotic duty, they should put it in their backyard. He pointed to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), built near Carlsbad as a permanent repository for low-level transuranic nuclear waste where a drum of waste ruptured in 2014 and led to the plants four-year closure. Even the soundest plans can fail, Steinborn said. People were potentially exposed to radiation all because of human error, he said of the incident at WIPP. This is a much higher magnitude. This is a different animal. Its easy to conflate it with WIPP, and thats why I think some people have become complacent. The differences between WIPP and the Holtec proposal could keep Holtec from coming to fruition, said Don Hancock, director of the Nuclear Waste Safety Program at the Southwest Research and Information Center. Unlike WIPP, which is allowed specifically by the federal Land Withdrawal Act, Hancock argued the Department of Energy is barred by federal law to contract with a private company for consolidated interim storage (CIS) of the spent nuclear fuel. Theyre trying to change the law, Hancock said of Holtec officials. My organization and many others are saying No. Do not change the law.' That view is shared by the majority of the state, at least those who commented, Hancock said. The state should represent its population, he said. In most of the state, folks who think its a good thing are in the minority. Some representatives in southeast New Mexico are saying their constituents think its a good idea. Theyre definitely far from the majority. Theyre saying the people of New Mexico support this. That is clearly, on the record, not true. Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter. NEW YORK Newspapers from Maine to Hawaii pushed back against President Donald Trumps attacks on fake news with a coordinated series of editorials in defense of a free press on Thursday and, not surprisingly, Trump didnt take it silently. The campaign was set in motion by an editor at the Boston Globe, which argued in its own editorial that Trumps label of the media as the enemy of the people is as un-American as it is dangerous to the civic compact we have shared for more than two centuries. Trump denounced the effort on Twitter, saying the Globe was in collusion with other newspapers. There is nothing that I would want more for our country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, the president typed. The fact is that the press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate on Thursday passed a resolution with no objections stating that the press is not the enemy of the people. Cognizant of heated feelings on the issue, the Globe hired extra security on Thursday, said Jane Bowman, newspaper spokeswoman. Journalistic outlets have had threats throughout time but its the presidents rhetoric that gives us the most concern, Bowman said. It was not clear how many newspapers participated. Marjorie Pritchard, the editor who launched the campaign, said earlier in the week that some 350 news organizations indicated they would, but she did not immediately return messages on Thursday. Even with the coordinated effort, there was some significant blowback from newspapers that wrote to say they would not participate. The Radio Television Digital News Association called on broadcasters and web sites to express support. Since Monday, there have been 2,240 mentions of either First Amendment or free press by broadcasters across the country, said Dan Shelley, the groups executive director. One TV station, WPSD in Paducah, Kentucky, showed a copy of the First Amendment guaranteeing freedom of the press on its screen before every commercial during newscasts, he said. It has been a big source of conversation all across the country, Shelley said. Just because people are talking about it, its a victory in my book. Editorial boards at the Portland (Maine) Press-Herald and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and many places in between weighed in to support the effort. The true enemies of the people and democracy are those who try to suffocate truth by vilifying and demonizing the messenger, wrote the Des Moines Register in Iowa. In St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch called journalists the truest of patriots. The Chicago Sun-Times said it believed most Americans know that Trump is talking nonsense. The Fayetteville (North Carolina) Observer said it hoped Trump would stop, but were not holding our breath. The Morning News of Savannah, Georgia, said it was a confidant of the people. Like any true friend, we dont always tell you what you want to hear, the Morning News said. Our news team presents the happenings and issues in this community through the lens of objectivity. And like any true friend, we refuse to mislead you. Our reporters and editors strive for fairness. The New York Times encouraged readers to subscribe to a local newspaper. Were all in this together, the Times said. That last sentiment made some journalists skittish. Some newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Times-Picayune in New Orleans, the Rome (N.Y.) Daily Sentinel and the Richmond (Virginia) Times-Dispatch, contained editorials or columns explaining why they werent joining the Globes effort. Some worried that it played into the hands of Trump and his supporters who think the media is out to get him. The idea of a coordinated campaign simply left others cold, with one newspaper referencing a longtime rivalry. We prize our independence, both from government and from other media outlets, the New York Daily News wrote. Coordination, especially with Boston, isnt in our nature. There was also some scolding of the press from the press for letting distaste for Trump show up where it shouldnt in news stories. Just as his lack of restraint has often been the presidents self-inflicted wound, the bias of some of the press has hurt journalism, at the very moment when it is most needed to save itself, said the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. It is time for a truce. It remains unclear how much sway the effort will have. Newspaper editorial boards overwhelmingly opposed Trumps election in 2016. Polls show Republicans have grown more negative toward the news media in recent years: Pew Research Center said 85 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said in June 2017 that the news media has a negative effect on the country, up from 68 percent in 2010. At the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, where five staff members were killed by a gunman in June, editors said Thursday they were not participating in the effort because they care more about what the community thinks than the president. But Trump can do some good by giving a Presidential Medal of Freedom to one of the slain employees, Wendi Winters, who had tried to stop the gunman by charging at him before being killed, they said. The president could use the occasion of presenting the medal to Wendis family as a moment of change in his approach toward those whose job it is to question his presidency, the newspapers editorial board wrote. He could honor her work by expressing his belief in the importance of journalism to our country even when he feels unfairly treated. ___ Associated Press correspondents Ted Anthony, Alanna Durkin Richer, Hannah Fingerhut, Skip Foreman, Amanda Kell, Jack Jones, Herb McCann, David Runk and Juliet Williams contributed to this report. SANTA FE The state Office of the Medical Investigator has confirmed that the child remains found at a makeshift compound in Amalia are those of a missing boy. The Office of the Medical Investigator (OMI) has positively identified the remains found earlier this month at the compound near Amalia, N.M., in northern Taos County as belonging to Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center spokeswoman Alex Sanchez said in a press release. Abdul-Ghani, who would now be 4 years old, was allegedly abducted by his father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, from the boys Georgia home in December. Wahhaj and four other adults were arrested at the compound Aug. 3 after a raid by Taos County deputies and state authorities. In another development, police have seized a live-in trailer that was part of the compound, according to Taos County spokesman Steve Fuhlendorf. It had been partially buried at the ramshackle site. KOAT reported that the trailer was stolen in Alabama in August 2017, but authorities dont know if the people in the compound stole it or acquired it from somebody else. The trailer has been pulled out of the ground at the compound, leaving the site an even bigger mess than it was at the time of the raid. Eleven children, who appeared to be malnourished, were taken into state custody after the raid. The adults were then each charged with 11 counts of child abuse. The OMI has not determined a cause of death for the dead boy, which is what Taos District Attorney Donald Gallegos said he needs before bringing any new charges forward. I cant speculate on what is down the road until I get the results, Gallegos said. Deputies returned to the compound Aug. 6 and found the boys remains. One child who resided there told investigators that Abdul-Ghani, who suffered from seizures and other medical problems, died in February during the last of regular prayer rituals that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj performed over the boy, apparently as he suffered seizures. Abdul-Ghanis mother told authorities in Georgia that she feared that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj would stop giving the boy his medication after the father and son disappeared in December. Prosecutors said at Mondays hearing that the father wanted to stop giving the boy medicine after returning from a trip to Saudi Arabia. On Monday, a Taos judge denied a prosecution motion to keep all five defendants in jail pending trial and said they could be released on unsecured $20,000 bonds and house arrest in new accommodations, saying prosecutors failed to prove the defendants were a threat to the public. Gallegos is considering an appeal. In any case, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj is going to be held on a Georgia warrant for the alleged kidnapping of his son. Jany Leveille, a native of Haiti and Siraj Ibn Wahhajs wife, has been taken into custody by federal immigration authorities. The other three defendants, two women and a man, have not been released from jail. KOAT reported someone trying to help them find places to stay said theyve been rejected as tenants because of the high-profile nature of the case. Prosecutors say children from the compound have said they were being trained to make armed attacks on educational, government, law enforcement and financial institutions. The compound residents had guns and ammunition, and books about combat. Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj Moments before he was sentenced to life plus 12 years in prison for murder, Terry White told the court that he is innocent and his case had not been vigorously fought. A jury in June found the 51-year-old guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated burglary and tampering with evidence in the death of his wifes ex-husband, Don Fluitt. Fluitt, who has a daughter with Christine White, was found stabbed to death in the garage of his Northwest Albuquerque home in December 2016. My attorneys wanted me to apologize to the Fluitt family today. I have always said I was innocent, and I will continue to say so, White said. So no, I will not be apologizing to the Fluitt family for a murder I did not commit. Prosecutors said the family had been involved in a custody dispute and Terry White was charged in the case after his DNA was found under Fluitts fingernails. Christine White also faced charges in Fluitts death, though her case was later dismissed pending further investigation. Fluitt was remembered for the lives he touched, both as a Bernalillo County firefighter and more recently as a service coordinator. While Fluitts brother, Dennis, was relieved by the sentence, he said he thought his family had only gotten half justice, adding that he hopes the state will pursue Christine Whites case. Until they charge her and try her and convict her, were not going to have justice, Dennis Fluitt said. Asked about the status of Christine Whites case, a spokesman for the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office said, The investigation is ongoing. There is no statute of limitations for first-degree murder. Terry Whites attorneys argued in court documents that the judge should allow him to serve the 12 years for aggravated burglary and evidence tampering concurrent with the life sentence for murder, which would make White eligible for parole in 2047, at age 80. But state District Judge Jacqueline Flores ordered those sentences to run consecutively. In New Mexico, a life sentence means a defendant is eligible for parole after 30 years. In his statement to the court, White asserted his innocence, shared his life story and said he had not been adequately represented by his attorney. White told the courtroom about his abusive childhood, failed marriages, a daughter he hasnt seen in years, and a son kept from seeing him after he married White, who he said is the most amazing woman Ive ever known. No one spoke in his behalf. Ive never killed anyone, White said. Ive had many wrongs done to me. I still would not take a life. Presbyterian Health Plan will acquire 85,000 Medicaid members insured under UnitedHealthcare of New Mexico as well as 340 United employees in a deal both companies confirmed Thursday. United also confirmed to the Journal that its appeal against the New Mexico Human Services Department was recently dismissed. The company filed the appeal earlier this year after it failed to secure a Centennial Care 2.0 Medicaid contract through the states procurement process. A Human Services Department spokeswoman said in an email the state was pleased by the dismissal and is working with Presbyterian on the transition. The United members and employees will transition to Presbyterian on Sept. 1. United said in a statement it is committed to ensuring a seamless transition. Brandon Fryar, president of Presbyterian Health Plan, declined to disclose the financial terms involved but said the companies had long discussed the possibility of such an arrangement. This is about taking care of New Mexicans, and in the vast majority of cases, we will be able to preserve the continuity of care with their providers, said Fryar. Its also about extending 340 people gap-free employment. The 85,000 United members impacted by the transition were sent a letter Thursday, according to Fryar. He said that population does not include members who are insured by both Medicaid and Medicare through United, who will remain with the company. New Mexicans enrolled through Uniteds Dual Complete Plan, Medicare and commercial plans will continue to have their insurance administered through United, according to the company. United said the 340 employees represents the majority of those employed by the company in New Mexico. Fryar said Presbyterian currently insures 217,000 New Mexicans with Medicaid. Those who transition to Presbyterian from United will still be able to participate in the open enrollment period, he said. That period begins in October of this year and extends through the end of November. Earlier this year, the Human Services Department awarded Centennial Care 2.0 contracts to incumbents Presbyterian and Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico as well as Western Sky Community Care. According to the state, members impacted by the transition can contact United before Sept. 1 at 877-236-0826, or Presbyterian after that date at 505-923-8669 or 877-614-7447. Initiative, the global full service media agency of IPG Mediabrands, has won the media mandate of Anchor by Panasonic, one of Indias largest domestic manufacturers of electrical construction materials. Initiative will be responsible for the media strategy, planning, buying and implementation for all brands under Anchor Electricals for both mass media and out-of-home. The account will be managed by the agencys Mumbai office. Established in 1963, Anchor Electricals Pvt. Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Panasonic Corporation excels in the production of low-voltage electrical switches and accessories, switchgear and protection devices, wires and cables, lamps and luminaries, and fans. The company also sells home automation products from Panasonic. The brand has an ambitious vision of doubling its already significant turnover over the next three years. Vivek Sharma, Managing Director, Anchor Electricals Private Limited. (AEPL), the Electricals arm of Panasonic Corporation, said, "Anchor by Panasonic is a leading electrical brand in the Indian market with sales of INR 3550 Cr in the current financial year, through a diverse product portfolio spanning seven product verticals. As a company, we are strategically aligning ourselves to substantially improve consumer connect. AEPL would aggressively use mass media in building saliency and creating awareness for its businesses in the months to come. We, at AEPL, are happy to partner with Initiative in this exciting phase of growth". "We are confident of Initiative's domain knowledge and media buying clout. Their considerable experience in the South Asian markets will help us deliver enhanced brand communication and drive media efficiencies for AEPL", he further added. Vaishali Verma, CEO, Initiative, said, This is one more prestigious addition to our esteemed portfolio of clients. We look forward to working with Anchor and create cutting-edge, strategic media solutions. Working with an ambitious company like Anchor is a great challenge and we look forward to creating impactful business solutions through our proprietary global tools. Foodpanda, the food experience platform has joined hands with Robin Hood Army, a volunteer-based organization, in a fight against hunger through #MissionMillion2018. Becoming a part of the drive aimed to cater to 1 million underprivileged across the country this Independence Day, Foodpanda is set to provide food packets in 15 identified clusters in the Delhi NCR region. The campaign will be supported by Ola with their cabs enabling transportation of the food packets on the day of the drive. Further to an existing relationship with Robin Hood Army, this campaign will enable Foodpanda to propel the idea of diverting wasted food to the underprivileged. The Robin Hood Army has been working towards eliminating hunger in India since the last four years. Foodpanda aims to engage with maximum people to also visit http://robinhoodarmy.com/missionmillion2018/ to extend their support to the cause. Speaking about this, Pranay Jivrajka, CEO, Foodpanda, said, We at Foodpanda are very pleased to be a part of the Million Mission Campaign. We want to extend as much help as possible to the cause while also spreading the message to our customer base through all mediums. We are hopeful that drives like this will pave way for more such initiatives and outreach. Foodpanda also has a running partnership with Akshaya Patra Foundation to support the mid-day meal across the country. Saudi security forces have rounded up a suspected terrorist wearing a bomb belt Al-Bukhariya city, in the center of the kingdom, the interior ministry told media on Thursday. The man, according to the ministry was arrested in the aftermath of a shootout with security forces in al-Bukhariya city. The ministry did not say when the incident occurred but said the man who embraced the Islamic State groups ideology, was also in possession of a machine gun, a pistol and multiple rounds of ammunition. The man has been identified as Fawaz Abdulrahman Eid Al-Harbi. He has been sent to hospital for treatment as he suffered wounds in the gun shootout. The incident took place as the kingdom is welcoming millions of Hajj pilgrims. Saudi Arabia, the largest Sunni country, has not witnessed any large scale terrorist attack but was in the past rocked by attacks staged by extremist groups including al Qaeda and the Islamic State group (ISIS). Most attacks had targeted security forces. Security forces had also repeatedly clashed with minority Shia militants. Last month, a security officer as well as a Bangladeshi civilian died in an attack by unknown men in a car shot at a security check point, in central Saudi Arabia. Four police officers were killed in April and four others wounded in an attack targeting a checkpoint in the southwestern province of Asir, AFP repots citing the ministry. 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. President Donald Trump has announced his intent to nominate a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory veteran to be the National Nuclear Security Administration's second in command. William Bookless a 32-year senior physicist and 2010 Nuclear Posture Review contributor is expected to get the president's nod to become the principal deputy administrator of the NNSA. The NNSA is a semiautonomous U.S. Department of Energy agency in charge of the nation's nuclear complex and its related nonproliferation efforts. The NNSA is active at the Savannah River Site. NNSA organization chart The National Nuclear Security Administration's organizational structure. The principal deputy administrator position is listed as vacant. The NNSA's No. 2 spot has been vacant since Trump took office. Bookless has worked on a "wide range" of nuclear security "topics," according to an Aug. 10 White House press release, and spent two-and-a-half years as a senior advisor to the NNSA chief. Before retiring in 2015, Bookless was the assistant laboratory director for policy and planning at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Bookless will have to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate before taking the position. Lisa Gordon-Hagerty Trump's pick to lead the NNSA was confirmed Feb. 15. Since then, she has visited SRS and conferenced with Aiken-area officials. DALIYAT AL-KARMEL, Israel The sign in Hebrew hanging on the front door of the military cemetery at the top of Mount Karmel reads, Tribute to the fallen Druze soldiers / We did not honor you as we should have. Ameer, a Druze man with protruding muscles, looked at it with a sad smile. It's a Jewish neighbor who wrote that, he told Al-Monitor. It's nice. An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) veteran, Ameer had served during the first intifada. Druze cemeteries are traditionally devoid of grave markers bearing names because the Druze believe in reincarnation. An exception was made on Mount Karmel for those who had fallen in war, with more than 400 names of Druze soldiers so far engraved on stone slabs. The first date back to 1938, a decade before the founding of the State of Israel. Today, about 83% of Druze youth serve in the IDF, the highest enlistment percentage of all communities, including the Jewish population. We gave our lives and so much more, Ameer said, pacing along the cemetery's pathways under a scorching hot sun. And now the government wants to make us second-class citizens. Why? Since July 19 when the Knesset adopted the controversial Nationality Law defining Israel as the nation-state and national home of the Jewish people a rebellion has been brewing within the Druze community. Historically faithful to Israel, including to the IDF, the Druze feel discriminated against because of the new law. It is because Druze soldiers and officers gave their lives for the nation that so many Druze an Arabic-speaking ethno-religious minority numbering approximately 130,000 in Israel feel betrayed. The text of the law, in the making since 2012, proclaims that only Jews have the right of self-determination in Israel, and it downgrades Arabic from an official language. The law's passage has prompted widespread criticism among the country's minorities, the opposition and the diaspora. For these who oppose it, the problem is not so much what it states many recognize the right of Israeli Jews, the majority, to define the country as their nation-state but rather what it fails to proclaim: the equality of all Israeli citizens. On Aug. 4, tens of thousands of Israeli Druze and their supporters gathered in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square for a mass demonstration against the law, which the Druze see as a blow to their strategic alliance with Israeli Jews, often referred to as a covenant of blood. All we want is to be equal citizens, Brig. Gen. (res.) Amal As'ad told Al-Monitor. Jews, Druze, Christians, Muslims, Bedouins, we are all Israelis. We need to change this bad law. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has brushed aside the possibility of amending the law, but to ease tensions, he instead proposed new legislation offering benefits to members of minority groups who serve in the armed forces, as well as support for Druze religious, educational and cultural institutions. Such a proposal would satisfy Amal Nasereldeen, a former Likud Knesset member who chairs a memorial outfit honoring members of the Druze community who died while serving. It's their right to have a Jewish state, but we're asking for a law that protects the Druze in particular, because we have supported them since the beginning, Nasereldeen told Al-Monitor. He lost a son in the war of attrition with Egypt in 1969 and a grandson during the 2008 war in Gaza. The Nasereldeen family is indeed one willing to pay the price of blood for the state. Amal Nasereldeen's youngest son Lutfi, in his late twenties, remarked, If necessary, an Israeli Druze will fight against a Lebanese Druze. Critics fear, however, that special provisions for the Druze will codify a societal hierarchy of the population based on ethno-religious grounds, with Israeli Jews topping the list, followed by minorities considered to be loyal and then by others, such as Israeli Arabs. It would be a caste system, like in India!, objected a City Hall official in Daliyat al-Karmel, one of Israel's main Druze strongholds. Residents of the northern town have complained for years about negligence and discrimination. Seventy percent of the homes were built without a permit, because they were never issued, and 500 houses are not even connected to the electricity grid, according to City Hall. Check what the Jewish towns in the area look like, and look what ours look like, one resident said with a sigh. A sense of marginalization has been fueling a dull anger for some time. This law is not a surprise, Maisan Hamdan, a secular Druze, told al-Monitor. What it says, we've been living it for years. In my village, 200 houses do not have electricity. Whereas the vast majority of Hamdan's community rejects the new law but swears allegiance to the state, Hamdan rejects the state altogether. Where other Druze speak of loyalty, she speaks of enslavement. Hamdan, who holds an Israeli passport, considers herself Palestinian. She also campaigns against compulsory military service for Druze men. They live in a dream, Hamdan said. Israel wants them to believe that this the only place in the Middle East that can protect them, but it's not true. The Druze were raised on the view that equality is a favor that is earned in exchange for their service. But in what kind of democracy do we see that? Rafat Harb is a Druze refusenik. He was jailed for three weeks after he failed to report for military service. He then went to a hospital, where he falsely claimed to have suicidal thoughts. He was ultimately declared unfit for military service. Refusing to join the IDF had been an affront to Harb's community, especially to his own family. His five older brothers, his heroes he called them, had all joined the army. Today, Harb is not alone in questioning the Druze' blind support of the Jewish state. Before, we would hang the Israeli flag on our roof, he said. Not anymore. I am proud to say that I managed to change my family's mind about the military. I do not think my brothers will make their sons serve in the IDF. In a sign of the times, Harb smiled and said, Now the debate within my family is whether we are Israelis or Palestinians. My grandmother and I see ourselves as Palestinians. The United States is increasing its pressure on Iran at a time when the countrys Reform movement appears to be on its deathbed. Increasingly, the Reformist camps attempts to help overcome the national crises related to the failing economy and external pressure are deemed meaningless by many Iranians who have been responding to such efforts with anger and scorn. Two days before President Donald Trump's Aug. 7 declaration that biting sanctions have been reimposed on the Iranian economy, a website believed to be affiliated with Mohammad Khatami published the text of a speech the Reformist ex-president (1997-2005) made during a meeting with veteran lawmakers. While almost 13 years have passed since Khatami handed power to conservative Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-2013), the Reformist leader expressed remorse before the Iranian people, whose trust in the establishment, according to him, has dropped to a new low. He said, As a citizen who loves Iran and Islam, I extend my sincere apologies for flaws and shortcomings. We could have served Iran and the Iranians better. In this vein, Khatami also called on the establishment to make way for reform, saying, While defending the Islamic Republic, we strongly believe the establishment must be open to reform. It cannot insist on [maintaining a system of governance with] problems in its structure, policies and performance and not give in to reform. As such, he urged national unity by opening a path to dialogue and creating an open, safe political atmosphere; ending excesses and radicalism; and removing state control over elections in which candidates not favored by conservative elites have been barred from running. Khatami also demanded the release of opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, who have been under house arrest since 2011 in the wake of the unrest after the disputed 2009 presidential elections. Accordingly, Khatami called on the establishment to release all prisoners detained for their political orientation or ideological beliefs, and urged the issuing of a general amnesty for Iranian dual nationals who may be targeted by the security services with the exception of ex-pats who have been proven to be cooperating with the aggressor enemies to publicly advocate overthrow of the Iranian regime. Just a few years ago, these remarks would have likely been broadly hailed and seen as a courageous disapproval of the hard-line ruling establishment. But now, at a time when a currency crash alongside increasing corruption and opportunism inside the government is bringing angry protesters to the streets, many Iranians have stopped seeing use in Khatamis stances. This sentiment is prevalent even though the former president in his speech called for the peoples justified protests to be heard, while also urging the administration of incumbent President Hassan Rouhani to be held accountable and become more responsive. Khatami has changed his role from public defender to good cop, said Afra, who did not want his last name to be published. Afra used to be a supporter of true reform, but is now one of many Iranians who have taken to social media to criticize Khatami after his speech. He told Al-Monitor, His new measures are too general and half-baked, as if he wants to have said something so that people willing to vote in the next elections will remember that he exists. What he says is derived from his delusions and the little knowledge he has of developments in Iran. It might as well come from his denial [of reality], if not an intention to simply lie to the people." Observers say emerging Reformist figures, many of whom have been involved in corrupt political dealings both in parliament and executive bodies, are to blame for the vanishing public trust in the camp. Meanwhile, the ongoing economic crisis, fueled by the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, has turned many voters against Rouhani. Of note, the president would have had a hard time securing a second term in last years elections without the strong support of Khatami and his supporters. Today, Rouhani has the lowest level of approval in the history of the Islamic Republic. This situation has had serious effect on the number of Reformist supporters, Hassan Asadi Zeydabadi, a Reformist activist, told Al-Monitor. In such an atmosphere it is unsurprising that Khatamis statement is not received well and is censured. Khatamis [decision to] keep a distance from Rouhani by criticizing him has come with a delay, he said. Reactions to Khatamis remarks have been varied among prominent Reformist figures, activists and journalists. Mostafa Tajzadeh, a former official who served under Khatami, on Aug. 5 called for unanimous, straightforward support for the Reformist leaders stances. Others, like Ahmad Zeydabadi, a journalist close to the Reformist camp, have expressed a more coolheaded view. Although adopting a clear stance is inherently a positive move for political figures and Mr. Khatami in particular it will not significantly help them overcome the crisis related to their diminishing number of supporters, or to help create fresh motivation in their camp for that matter, he wrote on his channel on the popular smartphone app Telegram on Aug. 7. Zeydabadi argues that the Reform movement is caught in paradoxical rhetoric. Reformists, he writes, have long highlighted the "violence" and "ignorance" emanating from the rival conservative camp, which has maintained its grip on power in the past decades. He points out that the current Reformist insistence on engaging with these same conservatives thus in effect turns the pro-Reform camp into an accomplice of the very gorilla it has created in the eyes of at least some of its supporters. Activist Assadi Zeydabadi told Al-Monitor that it remains to be seen how the Reformist rhetoric will be shaped in the future. The audience of this speech is not the people, but the leadership. Khatami says, 'I ask the Supreme Leader [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] to take these measures.' It is unclear what solution he will have in the future if these requests are not accepted, he said. Indeed, the prospect of Reformist calls for last-minute change being ignored not just by ordinary Iranians but also the upper echelons of power is very real if not the most likely scenario. Part of the reason for this may be that the deep-rooted issues in the country continue to be seen as serious challenges by almost every observer, except among those in the inner circles of Irans political elite. In this vein, Assadi Zeydabadi ominously warned, Because the establishment has not comprehended the depth of the crisis it is facing, it still welcomes the demolition of the Reformists. He added, It still prioritizes factional over national interests. With Iran facing more US sanctions and a battered currency, the judiciary is charging aggressively into an anti-corruption probe in the hope that it will help stabilize the economic situation. Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, Irans top prosecutor, told reporters on Aug. 15 that the operation will cast a wide net and further remarked, Any official that needs to be will be summoned, from director generals to managers to deputies and [even] ministers. On Aug. 7, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, spokesman for the judiciary, announced the arrest of Ahmad Aragchi, deputy minister for currency at the Central Bank of Iran. He is the highest-ranking official to be arrested in the anti-corruption probe, and as the nephew to Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, he is also the most well known. Responding in part to a request by senior clerics to quickly address cases of economic corruption, the head of the judiciary, Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, on Aug. 12 had sent a 12-point letter to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, asking for permission to prosecute economic corruption cases more expeditiously. That same day, Khamenei reacted by publishing his response, and the letter, on his website. He granted his approval and added with the intention that punishment of economic corruption be rapid and just. Khamenei also addressed Larijanis letter in his latest speech Aug. 12, declaring, It is an important step for fighting corruption. To get an idea of the public sentiment in certain quarters in Iran, during Khameneis speech, some people in the crowd began chanting, The economically corrupt must be executed. Khamenei felt obliged to engage them, asking, Are you guys the court demanding they be executed? He added, Some may be executed, some may be imprisoned. In such an environment, and given Khameneis public support for the probe, there are serious concerns that the judiciary will abuse the power recently given to it. Parliamentarian Ali Motahari criticized Larijanis letter to Khamenei seeking a government decree for the anti-corruption operation. We cannot resort to government decrees with every excuse, said Motahari Aug. 13. Government decrees are for when there are no laws in place [or] time is of the essence. Motahari said that Larijani could have gone to parliament for an emergency bill rather than circumventing it, asserting that the legislature would have consented to providing the judiciary special, discretionary powers, albeit temporarily, to prosecute economic corruption cases. On Aug. 15, President Hassan Rouhani indirectly criticized the judiciarys approach to fighting economic corruption, particularly through arrests and public statements. We must confront those who are [economically] corrupt, Rouhani said. My request is that we judge justly. If we reach a conclusion [in the case], then we apply the punishment and then announce it. Addressing the judiciarys approach of mass arrests, Rouhani said, We must know that our primary problem in the country is the economy, and economic problems cannot be solved through arrests and imprisonment. He continued, Its possible arresting and imprisoning is necessary. The foundation [for resolving economic problems is that] the environment must be calm; people must have confidence with respect to the future. If there are concerns those concerns must be resolved. Issuing of Residence Permit in Georgia Becomes Stricter By Levan Khutsishvili On August 13, 2018, it was reported that members of the parliament - Gocha Enukidze and Ilia Tsulaia initiated a draft law On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons in the parliament of Georgia. According to the draft law, the rule of issuing residence permits for foreigners in Georgia is becoming stricter.We want to motivate foreigners to invest more for getting the residence permit in Georgia. We know many cases when many fictitious processes and we aim to prevent it," said MP Ilia Tsulaia.According to the amendment, the basis for obtaining a permit is to invest 300 thousand dollars in our country or possess a real estate worth of $ 100,000. Besides, according to the project, the investor will no longer be granted a permanent residence permit, firstly investor will have to obtain an investment residence for five years. According to the authors of the draft law, nowadays, foreigners are paying little money for citizenship, which is lower than the reasonable minimum if taking into consideration current reality and the current level of migration. Authors of the draft law think that the existing law doesnt support the process of bringing investments and economic growth of the country, but migration of foreign citizens (mainly those in material hardship)."The initiation of this draft law is provoked by the wish to set more value to our residence permit. Since Georgia has visa-liberalization with the EU member states, foreign citizens with Georgian residence permit are easily accessing the visa of the European Union. Therefore, we think that procedures for getting Georgian resident permit should change, because quite often getting residence permit was linked with fictional processes. For example, when a citizen of a foreign country was purchasing, at least 35 thousand dollars worth of immovable property in Georgia to receive a residence permit, then he/she could transfer this property to his/her friend so that the person also had a chance to receive residence certificate. Accordingly, it was possible that 10-15 families could use one flat to obtain a residence permit and law defined no control mechanism to prevent it.New edition of the law, increases the value of the real estate up to 100 thousand dollars and the realization of this property will be the basis for abolishing the residence permit of this foreign citizen, which means that the residence permit will not be issued on the basis of fictional purchase of a real estate," - said Ilia Tsulaia.Draft law changes the procedures for obtaining the investment residence. According to the current legislation, permanent residence card is issued by 300 thousand GEL investment; in the new law, this limit will be increased up to 300 thousand dollars. Draft law initiates the mechanisms that control whether it is a real investment and or formally transferred money to the bank. An investor will be issued five years and not permanent residence permit, and they will have annual obligation to submit a document in Revenues Service that shows the circulation of not less than 120 thousand GEL and prove that the money is really in the business. If the document fails to present, the residence permit will be abolished. If the person is to submit this document annually for five years, he/she will be entitled to permanent residence.As the authors of draft law say, the document is supported by three Parliament committees, and they expect that the law will be launched by the end of September or October.According to the statistics, in 2012-2016, 70 508 resident permits were issued to foreigners in Georgia, and 1173 resettlement permits were issued in 2017 (reduction in demand is related to simplification of rules for staying in Georgia). According to the countries, the most recent residence permits have been issued to citizens of Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Armenia, Ukraine, India, China, and Iran. Thousands of people gathered in Tel Avivs Rabin Square Aug. 11 to protest against the controversial Nationality Law. Its a good thing [Zionist Camp leader] Avi Gabbay didnt show up here, said one participant at the rally on condition of anonymity. Thats all he needs, for [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to spread a photo of the Zionist Camp leader against the backdrop of a Palestinian flag. At the same time, Gabbay was telling Hadashot News that he had stayed away from the protest because its organizers, the Balad Party and the Arab Joint List (the alliance Balad is part of), support the right of return of Palestinian refugees and do not believe in a Jewish state. His colleague and leader of the parliamentary opposition, Tzipi Livni, said she sat out the event because some members of the Joint List do not share her view of the State of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. The vast majority 22 out of 24 of the Zionist Camps Knesset faction, the biggest parliamentary opposition group, as well as members of the second-largest opposition party, Yesh Atid, stayed home that night. I am most concerned by my fellow travelers who are afraid that standing up proudly against the incitement campaign [by the political right] could hurt them publicly or politically, said Knesset member Mickey Rosenthal of the Labor Party, one of the two factions comprising the Zionist Camp. Rosenthal was standing in Rabin Square alongside Zouheir Bahloul, until recently a fellow party lawmaker who quit over the Nationality Law, and Knesset members of the left-wing Meretz Party and the Joint List. People make choices according to various considerations, Rosenthal said. I am totally at peace with mine. My conscience is clean. If I have to pay a political price, I will. Brig. Gen. (Res.) Ami Ayalon, one-time head of the Shin Bet and a former Labor Party Knesset member, was harshly critical of his defense establishment colleagues for coming out to support a protest rally by the Druze minority Aug. 4, but staying away from the one organized by representatives of Israels 21% Arab population. Those of us who dont come are in effect joining Netanyahu and selling out the democratic value of equality for a pittance, Ayalon wrote in a Facebook post. Obviously, I will not agree with everything that is said on the podium and will not identify with the flags that may be raised there. I am joining the demonstration not in support of its organizers and identification with all its messages, but because of my belief that there is no Zionism without democracy and there is no democracy without equality for all. However, Gabbay, Livni, Yesh Atid Chair Yair Lapid and their friends would rather hide out in the warm embrace of the political center. Livni never truly left the Likud Party and Gabbay never really left the Likud government, former Knesset member Mohammad Barakeh told the participants at the rally. He was referring to the fact that Livni had been a longtime member of the right-wing Likud before shifting to the center, and Gabbay was a minister in Netanyahus government until he quit. We who have joined together in the square will overcome. We are offering sincere Arab-Jewish cooperation in order to create reality and justice, added Barakeh, who heads the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab citizens of Israel that coordinates Arab political activity in Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, assassinated in 1995 in the square where the protesters convened and which is named after him, had forged an alliance with Israels Arab citizens during his term in office. He was not deterred by the racists who accused him of relying on a non-Jewish majority for approval of the 1993 Oslo Accord he signed with the Palestinians. By absenting itself from the rally, the Zionist Camp missed a unique opportunity to become an Israel Camp based on a Jewish-Arab coalition against the Nationality Law, which codifies Israels status as the nation-state of the Jewish people. Rather than leading the public along the road paved by Rabin 25 years ago, the Zionist Camp is being led by opinion polls showing a distinct public leaning to the right. In their speeches, they laud democratic values and the principle of equality, but they refuse to have their picture taken with them. This is the same party that as a member of the 2009 Netanyahu government posed for photo-ops with Avigdor Liberman, the hawkish minister who incites incessantly against Israels Arab citizens and their leaders. Instead of attacking Netanyahu for turning Israel, de facto, from a Jewish and democratic state into an ethnocratic apartheid state, Gabbay chose to lash out at rally participants. Instead of getting up on stage and declaring that Netanyahu has forgotten what it means to be Jewish as Netanyahu famously said of the Israeli left the Zionist Camp leader stigmatized tens of thousands of protesters as supporters of the Palestinian right of return that would wipe out Israels Jewish majority. The top of Gabbays Facebook page is adorned with the slogan Victory is Up to Us. Let's assume for a moment that the Zionist Camp defeats the right-wing governing coalition and garners 30 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. Who could he mobilize to form a ruling coalition? Could he afford to rule out representatives of the Arab minority, who view themselves as both Israeli citizens with equal rights and part of the Arab-Palestinian people? Just like American Jews, whose US citizenship does not contradict their affinity for the Jewish nation and who wave Israeli flags alongside the Stars and Stripes at protests and on Israels Independence Day. In shunning the Arabs as lepers, Israeli-Jewish opposition groups are playing along with the Netanyahu schools divide and conquer policy that pits patriots against leftists, Jews against Arabs, Druze against Muslims. There is no guarantee that the Supreme Court justices deliberating the petitions submitted against the Nationality Law will pull the Jewish oppositions chestnuts out of the fire. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked has already threatened that a court ruling against the constitutional-type Basic Law would signal war between the branches of government. Either way, a law that discriminates against citizens on grounds of religion and nationality the law encourages Jews only communities and downgrades the mother tongue of a native-born minority is not a legal issue. This law is an issue of values and morals that etches an ugly scar on the face of Israeli society. In a place where there are no men, endeavor to be a man, wrote the Jewish sage Hillel in the Mishna (Pirkei Avot 2) over 2,000 years ago. That man should be the top citizen of the State of Israel, President Reuven Rivlin, admired by most Israelis for his consistent views on civil rights. A man who believes in complete social and political equality for all citizens of Israel, regardless of religion, race and sex, as codified in the 1948 Declaration of Independence, would not be true to himself if he signs the Nationality Law making it official. (Legal procedures in Israel require the president to sign off basic laws.) An Israeli leader who advocates unity among the various tribes of Israeli society while preserving each tribes' identity cannot lend a hand to this law. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip A Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) delegation visited Russia recently in the hope that Moscow can get Israel to end its siege on the Gaza Strip. The delegation met Aug. 7 with Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials including Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. The meeting, which PIJ members described as a success, focused on the need for an all-inclusive agreement among Palestinians as soon as possible. It also centered on the need to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including the escalating situation in Gaza, and to end projects designed to liquidate the Palestinian cause. The PIJ believes the latter includes US President Donald Trump's so-called deal of the century. In an Aug. 7 statement, the PIJ said Bogdanov emphasized that Russia stands at the side of the Palestinian people and endorses their legitimate rights. The statement also said Russia is keen to help with Palestinian internal affairs and acknowledges "the importance of building a unified Palestinian National Council, as a preamble to rebuilding the PLO. PIJ spokesman Daoud Shihab told Al-Monitor, "We perceive this visit to be of special importance as it is part of the movements openness to international parties, based on our unchanged policy guidelines." According to Shihab, important dossiers were discussed correlating with developments in the Palestinian territories and invalidating the Israeli narrative on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly in light of what he said are Israeli efforts to mislead the public. He added that the PIJ seeks to voice its stance regarding all of the political developments, particularly when it comes to US plans that the group considers to be pro-Israel. Shihab noted that the PIJ is keen to air the repercussions of the 12-year Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip, particularly since Russia was a member of the Quartet on the Middle East (the others being the United States, the European Union and the United Nations). He said the Quartet, formed in 2002, created an environment favorable for the blockade after Hamas won the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections. He stated, What is required is that all parties assume full responsibility for lifting the siege. Shihab expressed hope that the Russian role differs from that of the United States, and said the PIJ delegation went to Russia bearing in mind the Palestinian peoples rights, sacrifices and steadfastness. Shihab considered the meeting with the Russian officials to be very positive, saying, The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs verbalized its eagerness to continue to communicate with the movement and hear its opinion about multiple issues, particularly its political role in the region. Hani Habib, a Gaza-based political analyst, told Al-Monitor that the visit opened the door wide for the PIJ to start engaging in political action outside the region. He noted that the invitation reflects the Russian desire to boost relations with Palestinian forces, as part of a Russian political and diplomatic development and efforts to assume a significant role in the Middle East. He said, Such visits would produce policies to withstand that of the United States, particularly since Russia is against the 'deal of the century,' and following [Trump's] stances on Jerusalem and the refugees. Also, this is in favor of the Palestinian stance. He indicated that the movement had previously tried to establish political ties with Arab countries such as Lebanon and Egypt, considering them to be an integral part of its resistance and diplomatic choice. Habib perceived that opening up to new horizons reflects the movements political and military strength, and noted that the fruits of the movements efforts to this end will not be limited to the PIJ, but will rather have an impact on the overall Palestinian spectrum. Hasan Abdo, a political analyst close to the PIJ, told Al-Monitor the fact that the movement responded to the Russian invitation indicates the group is open to all countries that give backing to Palestinian rights. The movement is also concerned with bringing attention to the Palestinian cause and injustice done to its people, he added. Abdo said he doesn't believe the visit correlates with the US position toward the Palestinian cause. He said Russia wanted to hear the Palestinian stance, which is united by Palestinian principles at all levels, particularly when it comes to the matter of Jerusalem and refugees. He said there are no signs pointing toward any change in the movements ideology, as strategic openness to the world serves the Palestinian cause. The PIJ has proved itself in the Palestinian arena, he said, adding that Russias invitation had followed another one from Egypt. Abdo pointed out that the movement is keen to meet with whoever works to advance the Palestinian cause. There might be other visits, be they to Russia or another country. This however does not mean that the movement's perception when it comes to resisting Israel will be altered. Said perception is an important constant and foundation of the movement," he told Al-Monitor. Abdo added, There were Palestinian parties that during their political and diplomatic journeys made concessions at the expense of the resistance and its strategic choices and constants. Yet this does not apply to the Islamic Jihad, particularly since it has been betting for a long time that said concessions will fail to make the Palestinian cause victorious. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met Aug. 14 in Ankara with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, with Syria dominating the agenda, largely against the backdrop of a planned Sept. 7 meeting of the leaders of Russia, Turkey, Germany and France in Istanbul. The close dialogue on Syria between Turkey and Russia has grown even stronger due to US sanctions on the latter two nations. Lavrov has said Americans are trying to derail the Astana, Kazakhstan, peace process and bring Turkey to their side. The sanctions, however, are undermining the US efforts. A Lavrov-Cavusoglu press conference in Ankara revolved around two main issues the US sanctions and the situation in Syria. Both topics seem inseparably intertwined. The ministers meeting took place against the background of the United States imposing sanctions on Russia, Turkey and Iran almost at the same time. All three countries cooperate on the Syrian problem within the Astana format, so journalists covering the meeting wanted to know seriously the sanctions would influence the crisis in the region, particularly the coordination on the Syrian dossier and Russias efforts to determine how to deal with all the Syrian refugees. Both ministers condemned the US sanctions. Lavrov pointed out, however, that he doesn't think the sanctions are directly connected to the Syrian crisis. He believes the West, and particularly the United States, "want to prevent the Astana process from achieving actual results and aim to portray it as a failure. They have already made those attempts previously, and will probably keep doing it, he said. Washington has indeed been trying to win Ankara over, considering that Turkeys government had criticized Damascus for conducting military operations, supported by the Russian army, in the de-escalation zones established within the Astana process. The Astana unity became especially fragile when Turkey joined the United States and European nations in their position on the chemical attack in eastern Ghouta. In his April testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, A. Wess Mitchell, said America's aim "is to enlist Turkey as a more active ally in supporting the Geneva process," defeat the Islamic State, achieve "lasting stabilization in Syria, [and thwart] expansion by Russia and Iran. Yet the Astana format remained in place, even when Washington and Ankara reached an agreement on Syrias Manbij. It's even stronger now that the sanctions have been imposed, but the big difference is that now Ankara and Moscow are each trying to get Western countries on their side. This is the perspective from which we may look at the Istanbul summit Sept. 7. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in late July suggested the meeting. He aims to gather the Astana-format nations (Russia, Turkey and Iran); Germany, which suffers from a flood of refugees; and France, which represents the small group on Syria (also including Britain, the United States, Jordan and Saudi Arabia) around the same table. The small group does not play any significant role on the ground. To be precise, these processes are discussed in other bilateral and trilateral formats that don't include France and Britain. However, this is only true regarding the actual fighting. Reaching a political solution in Syria will require joint efforts from all the foreign parties considered to be the mediators of the conflict particularly the permanent members of the UN Security Council. There are still far too many disagreements over Syrias future, and one of the controversies is the fate of the refugees. Russia assumes the war on terror is coming to a close now that the country is mostly under Damascus' control, and the devastation is the only thing preventing the refugees from returning home. Countries interested in the conflict's resolution should contribute to the reconstruction and help the refugees get back to a normal, peaceful life at home. The UN and Western countries, however, have a different opinion. Filippo Grandi, head of the UN refugee agency, has repeatedly said it is "premature" for refugees to return. "Syria is still very insecure; theres still a lot of war going on in Syria, he said Aug. 13 after meeting with Germany's foreign minister in Berlin. He also said, however, that he would visit Syria soon to evaluate the situation there. Washington has also repeatedly claimed that a political resolution should be reached before refugees return. Moreover, Syrian armed militants are skeptical about Russian plans, as many people fled the country trying to save themselves not from terrorists, but rather from the regimes repressions. Lavrov was perplexed by Grandis words and the Western position. Grandi's statement "seems to be quite strange if it was reported correctly. If he actually made this statement, he is blatantly misinformed if not worse, Lavrov claimed in Ankara. This issue will certainly become one of the main topics both for the Istanbul summit and talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel planned for Aug. 18. Ankara's position on refugees is a middle ground between the West and Russia. On the one hand, Turkey wants refugees to leave its territory. On the other hand, though, the refugees would settle in areas of northern Syria controlled by the opposition Syrian National Army which is being created under Turkish patronage. As for Idlib, the prospect of the last de-escalation zone established within the Astana format which still has not returned to Damascus control may become a major challenge for the Russian, Turkish and Iranian alliance. In late July, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Damascus plans to re-establish control over the entire Syrian territory, and declared Idlib a priority area. Two weeks earlier, Erdogan had warned Putin that an attack on Idlib would create a humanitarian crisis and could end the Astana agreements. Moscow is yet again forced to seek a decision acceptable for all sides, even though it ultimately favors the same scenario as Damascus: the entire territory of Syria unified under the same authority. However, not wanting to confront Turkey, Russia is quite sensitive to the Syrian government's attempts to approach the problems with a hammer. During the latest round of Astana talks, held in late July in Sochi, a source close to the Russian delegation told Al-Monitor not for attribution that the delegations members were displeased by lead Syrian representative Bashar Jaafari's public condemnation of Ankara. Judging by the statements Lavrov and Cavusoglu made during their press conference, Ankara and Moscow have achieved a basic mutual understanding on Idlib, although some controversial points remain. The main one is how to separate terrorists from the opposition forces loyal to Turkey. One principle of the Astana process is that participants must be willing and able to reach a compromise. In Ankara, Lavrov emphasized once more that the groups unable to negotiate can be considered a legitimate target for the Syrian army. Alexander Lavrentiev, Putin's envoy for Syria, had explained earlier that Moscow would be content even if Turkey and loyal opposition groups do away with everyone refusing to negotiate. In particular, this includes Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its most radical elements such as former Jabhat al-Nusra militants yet even they can be invited for a dialogue in certain situations. If some of them come to their senses, they are welcome," Lavrentiev said. Turkey, in turn, agrees that the opposition and the terrorists should be distinctly separated from each other, but Cavusoglu stressed that Idlib cannot be bombed under the pretext of fighting against terrorists. However, the most important issue isn't what Lavrov and Cavusoglu said, but rather the topic they didn't address in public: Who, exactly, should control Idlib? The answer will surely affect the Syrian rebel groups' willingness to negotiate. Yazidi communal leaders are reacting with anger to the death of a senior figure in the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). He was killed in a Turkish airstrike on Aug. 15, near the town of Kocho in the Yazidi-dominated Sinjar area of Iraq. Zaki Shingali died when Turkish jets struck the convoy that was carrying him back from a memorial to commemorate one of the most horrendous massacres carried out by the Islamic State (IS) against the beleaguered Yazidis in Kocho on Aug. 15, 2014. Nadia Murad, a Yazidi activist from Kocho who was held captive by IS and has become the public face of the thousands of Yazidi women who were sexually abused by the jihadis, took to Twitter to air her dismay. Today is the anniversary of the massacre committed against my village of Kocho. Today Turkey carried out several airstrikes in different locations in Sinjar. Sinjar continues to be a war zone. Murad asked, How can Yazidis recover from this genocide or go back home? Aug. 15 also marked the 34th anniversary of the launching of the PKKs armed campaign initially for Kurdish independence and later autonomy inside Turkey. The Turkish Armed Forces said it had carried out the operation that neutralized Shingali jointly with Turkeys national spy outfit, the National Intelligence Organization (MIT). The pro-government Turkish media hailed the news. The PKKs head has been snapped off, crowed Star in its front-page headline. The MIT suffered a terrible humiliation last year when the PKK abducted two of its top officials in Iraqi Kurdistan in a sting operation near the town of Dukhan. The pair are being held along with several Turkish soldiers who have been captured since a two-and-a-half-year cease-fire between Turkey and the PKK collapsed in the summer of 2015. Shingali, a senior PKK operative whose real name was Ismail Ozden, was born in Turkey, which is home to a shrinking population of Yazidis. When IS raped and slaughtered its way across Sinjar and local Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga forces failed to come to their defense, the PKK veteran is credited with helping to rescue thousands of Yazidis stranded on Mount Sinjar and shepherding them via Syria back to the safe side of the mountain. The PKKs armed wing, the People's Defense Forces, had maintained a modest presence there while training a local Yazidi militia known as the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS) to fend for itself. In March, the PKK announced it was withdrawing from Sinjar amid Turkish threats to attack. But Turkey was unswayed because it sees little difference between the PKK and its Yazidi allies. Sinjar is a vital bridgehead between the PKKs headquarters in the Qandil Mountains and Syria, where its Syrian arm controls a large swath of territory protected by coalition air power. A spokesman for the US-led coalition said today, We are aware that Turkish aircraft carried out strikes in the Sinjar area. The spokesman added in comments carried by The Defense Post, Turkey alerted the Coalition of their intentions to strike in the Sinjar area, but did not give any further targeting information." The Kurdistan Communities Union, an umbrella organization for the PKK and its multiple affiliates, confirmed Shingalis death today. It called Turkeys actions a continuation of the Yazidi genocide and demanded that Iraq close Sinjars airspace to Turkish aircraft. Coming a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, some speculate the attack took place with Abadis blessing. That would be an interesting twist. Baghdad has supported the YBS by paying militants salaries to counterbalance not only Iraqi Kurdish influence but also that of Turkish special forces deployed in the region. Iraqi Kurdish influence over Sinjar has sharply diminished since Iraqi forces pushed back the peshmerga from the so-called disputed territories, including Sinjar, in the wake of the Sept. 25 referendum on Kurdish independence. With the Iraqi Kurds out of the picture, Baghdad may well feel less dependent on the YBS. At a joint news conference with Abadi on Aug. 14, Erdogan signaled a new entente, saying, We have agreed on full cooperation in the fight against terror. We do not differentiate between terror groups. Abadi is believed to be courting Ankaras support to retain his seat as long-winded talks to set up a new Iraqi government grind on. Turkey is mentoring an Iraqi Sunni alliance led by former Ninevah Governor Athil al-Nujaifi and is believed to also be in contact with Sunni Iraqi business mogul Khamis Khanjar, another influential power broker. Ankaras top regional ally, Qatar, backs him. The attack on Sinjar is not a first. Turkish jets struck Mount Sinjar in April 2017, but to little effect. Several peshmerga fighters were wounded and killed. Iraqs Foreign Ministry had denounced that operation as a violation of the countrys sovereignty. This time, it's radio silence from Baghdad. President Donald Trump signed several restrictions on US military involvement in Yemen into law earlier this week. Theres just one caveat Trump is threatening to ignore most of those provisions, prompting swift backlash from Democrats. Shortly after Trump signed an annual defense authorization bill on Monday, the White House issued a statement objecting to several provisions in the law, including language that would make it more difficult for the United States to continue support for the Saudi-led coalition in its aerial campaign against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Particularly in light of the horrific hit against the school bus last week, thats very disappointing to hear the White House take that approach, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., a key architect of the Yemen language, told Al-Monitor. We should be doing everything we can to try to reduce casualties in Yemen to try to get the parties to the table and to urge the Saudis and Emiratis to do everything they can to avoid the kind of casualties that were seeing. The new law requires Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to certify that the Saudis and Emiratis are reducing civilian casualties, avoiding the destruction of critical civilian infrastructure, engaging in diplomacy and ensuring the access of humanitarian goods into Yemen. Absent such a certification or a national security waiver, the Trump administration must withdraw its midair refueling support, which is essential for the Saudis and Emiratis to continue their aerial bombing campaign on behalf of Yemens internationally recognized government. In the signing statement, Trump wrote that he would only enforce the certification requirement to the extent it is feasible and consistent with the Presidents exclusive constitutional authorities as Commander in Chief. Id like to know what their legal rationale is for ignoring stuff we put into the [National Defense Authorization Act], Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., a member of the Armed Services Committee, which drafted the bill, told Al-Monitor. And they certainly didnt reach out to us to tell us not to put them in, so thats kind of weird. Further exacerbating the confusion, Trumps nominee to become under secretary of state for political affairs, Ambassador David Hale, committed to upholding the Yemen certification requirements during his confirmation hearing today. If were unable to find the elements that were required to certify, then we will of course have to act accordingly; thats the law, Hale promised the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Im not fully briefed on the details of this legislation, but I understand the significance of this and the need to be in accordance with the law. Kate Kizer, the policy director of Win Without War, a coalition of activist groups that aggressively pushed Congress to pass the Yemen language, called Trumps signing statement preposterous, noting that the law overwhelmingly passed 359-54 in the House and 87-10 in the Senate. If Trump makes good on his threat to disobey the law, we expect there will be a bipartisan showdown in Congress " If Trump makes good on his threat to disobey the law, we expect there will be a bipartisan showdown in Congress, which has already come incredibly close to cutting off US assistance to Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Yemen, Kizer told Al-Monitor. Indeed, Republican lawmakers were instrumental in crafting the laws Yemen provisions. Both parties have raised alarm bells as famine and an unprecedented cholera crisis plague the country while an Emirati siege on the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah threatens to further restrict aid for impoverished and displaced Yemenis. An Associated Press report this month indicating the United States is aware that the UAE has recruited al-Qaeda forces to fight against the Houthis has only added to the congressional angst. The AP also reported last year that US troops have been present alongside Emirati forces as they tortured detainees during interrogations. Nonetheless, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., another key architect of the laws Yemen provisions and frequent Trump critic, is reserving judgment on the White Houses defiant statement until the administration has a chance to implement the bill. Every administration does these kind of things, Corker told Al-Monitor. They may counter because they feel like constitutionally were trying to take authorities that they have away, but we still have ways of pushing so that these things continue to stay in place. But Democrats are getting ready to play hardball. The same day Trump issued the signing statement, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., led 28 other Democrats in a request for a briefing on Yemen in September via a letter addressed to Pompeo, Defense Secretary James Mattis and National Intelligence Director Dan Coats. Citing the bills Yemen certification requirements, the letter publicly stipulates several pointed, specific questions for the administration to answer in the briefing. In a separate letter on Tuesday, Senate Armed Services Committee member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., asked Gen. Joseph Votel, who oversees US operations in Yemen, to clarify whether or not the United States can track whether US refueling support or munitions are used in Saudi coalition airstrikes by the end of the month. Democrats have also pointed to another Yemen provision in the defense bill, which Trump has also threatened to ignore. The provision calls for the Defense Department to submit a review examining whether US or Saudi coalition forces have violated US or international law in Yemen. Additionally, Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., on Monday asked the Defense Departments Office of Inspector General to conduct an independent investigation into possible US legal violations in Yemen on top of the review required in the defense bill. Nevertheless, Trumps statement also threatened to withhold information from Congress on the legal review, citing executive privilege and his constitutional authority to withhold information that could impair national security, foreign relations, law enforcement or the performance of the presidents constitutional duties. Trumps statement also invoked executive privilege in response to several other reporting requirements in the law. Notably, the law stipulates that the administration must submit strategies on Syria, Iraq and Iran as well as a report on civilian casualties and a legal policy review for advise and assist missions throughout the Middle East and Africa. Four men are behind bars and pounds of illegal drugs seized in a raid at Shelby County home. The Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force, along with a tactical unit, carried out a search warrant Aug. 8 at a Harpersville home in the 300 block of Bridle Trail. The search, said task force commander Capt. Clay Hammac, resulted from undercover operations in which illegal drugs were bought at the home. Investigators confiscated more than 1 1/2 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and more than 10 pounds of synthetic marijuana, as well as cocaine, Suboxone and marijuana. Desmond Corderro Bean, a 30-year-old Harpersville man was taken into custody and charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, trafficking in a controlled substance, two counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held in the Shelby County Jail on bonds totaling $1.241 million. Arrested with Bean were: Antwaun Rashad Mann, 23, Harpersville; Derry Karl Yowe, 33, Harpersville, and Steven Marcus Adams, 26, Birmingham. Mann and Yowe are charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful possession of marijuana and receiving stolen property. Their bonds are set at $612,000 each. Adams is charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. He has already been released after posting $26,000 bond. "Our narcotics unit is grateful to the Tactical Response Unit for their professionalism and partnership in putting these alleged drug dealers behind bars,'' Hammac said. "Our narcotics investigators will continue to pursue and apprehend suspected drug dealers. However, we are asking our community partner with us by sharing information with law enforcement." A Shelby County kindergarten teacher charged with dozens of counts of child porn possession was recently approved as a foster parent. The Shelby County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday arrested 26-year-old Daniel Prentice "Danny" Donaldson, a teacher at Calera Elementary School, on 40 counts of possession of child pornography. Donaldson, in his second year of teaching, remains jailed on $600,000 bond. Alabama's Department of Human Resources on Thursday confirmed that Donaldson was approved as a therapeutic foster parent in June through the United Methodist Children's Home. DHR spokesman Barry Spear said he could not confirm whether any children had been placed in Donaldson's Montevello home, however sheriff's officials confirmed there was a 9-year-old boy in Donaldson's home when they arrested him on Wednesday. The child was removed from the home by DHR. Court records made public Thursday state that Donaldson possessed from June 8 through Aug. 15 "pictures depicting sexual acts with children." Warrants do not list any victim information. The United Methodist Children's Home issued a statement Thursday afternoon. "The United Methodist Children's Home (UMCH) contracts with the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) in the licensing of foster parents," according to the group's statement. "As part of a thorough vetting process, Daniel Donaldson completed a DHR foster parent application; received suitability letters from the Alabama Bureau of Investigation; and was cleared by the State of Alabama Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry." "Meeting all DHR training and licensing requirements, UMCH licensed Daniel Donaldson as a therapeutic foster parent for child placement by DHR on June 25, 2018," the UMCH stated. "Since 1890, UMCH has been dedicated to the highest standards in caring for vulnerable children, and will full cooperate with all law enforcement in the investigation of Mr. Donaldson." Shelby County School officials said Donaldson has been placed on administrative leave by the school district as the sheriff's office conducts an ongoing investigation into the matter. "These charges are very serious in that they indicate alarming behavior by this teacher," Superintendent Randy Fuller said Wednesday. School system officials first learned of the allegations from the Shelby County Sheriff's office Wednesday and took immediate action to place Donaldson on leave. Donaldson has been employed with the Shelby County School District since 2015, where he worked the first two years as a paraprofessional under the guidance of a classroom teacher. He was beginning his second school year as a kindergarten teacher. District officials said he passed a criminal background check in 2014 and has had no prior incidents of misconduct. Sheriff's Maj. Ken Burchfield said the investigation started with a tip. He said there is absolutely no evidence any of the students were victims in the child pornography cases. A court date for Donaldson has not yet been set. In a video press release, sheriff's officials asked that anyone with information about the case to contact investigators at 205-669-4181. A former Birmingham police lieutenant's lawyer said that his client engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a female relative years ago, but that relationship wasn't criminal. Pete Williston, 48, appeared in court Thursday morning and waived his preliminary hearing. He is charged with first-degree rape, after a female relative told Morris police in May that she had been sexually abused by Williston from 2008 through 2011, beginning when she was 14 years old. After the hearing was waived, Jefferson County District Judge William Bell Jr. bound over the charge to a grand jury for possible indictment. "It's a family crisis," Williston's attorney Scott Morro said Thursday. Williston, a 17-year veteran of the police force, was arrested in June. He was taken into custody after being discharged from UAB Hospital, where he was admitted for several days and underwent psychiatric evaluation amid suicide concerns. Williston appeared in court Thursday, before he waived his preliminary hearing (Ivana Hrynkiw | ihrynkiw@al.com) Morro said Williston did engage in an "inappropriate relationship" with the relative accusing him. But, Morro said, that relationship didn't start until the victim was at least 16-- not 14, like she claimed. "Mr. Williston has never backed down from making a mistake," Morro said. "He casts no blame on the victim." The age of consent in Alabama is 16. Before being placed on leave, Williston was serving as the interim commander of the city's East Precinct following the promotion of Allen Treadway to assistant chief. Prior to that, Williston served as the department's public information officer. Hours after he was released from the Jefferson County Jail on a $50,000 bond, Morro told AL.com he was delivering Williston's letter of resignation to Treadway. "Pete is resigning from the police department because he, his family and the police department need healing,'' Morro said at the time. "He is a man who needs healing and a man who is remorseful of his actions." Morro said Williston's family was aware of the allegations before the victim came forward to police earlier this summer. He said the felony charge is a "rehashing" of something the family has already dealt with. If a grand jury indicts Williston, another court date will be set. Morro said while the merits of the case and facts are consistent, he hopes new information will be revealed to shift the timeline of the case and show the relationship began after the victim was 16. "As of today, the allegations stand... hopefully, those allegations change over time," he said. A 33-year-old year man wanted on a murder charge out of Hueytown is now in jail in Jefferson County after months on the run. Danny Lemar Hendrix is charged with murder in the 2017 slaying of 32-year-old Tafari Shalamon Simmons of Birmingham. Simmons' body was discovered shortly after 9 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 6, in the 6400 block of Johns Road. A passerby spotted the body and called police. Hueytown and Jefferson County sheriff's investigators responded to the scene and found Simmons had been fatally shot. Hueytown Police Chief Mickey Willis said Thursday that the investigation, headed by Sgt. Mark Didcoct, led to the determination that Hendrix was responsible for Simmons' death. The victim and the suspect were acquaintances, the chief said, and evidence found at the scene helped give them enough to obtain a warrant. Police also had video of Simmons with some people that was taken the night before his body was discovered. Didcoct obtained the warrant three weeks after Simmons' body was found but he said Hendrix by then had taken off. He stayed on the run until March 12 when he was arrested on unrelated charges in Franklin County, Tx. during a traffic stop on the interstate. U.S. Marshals informed lawmen there that Willis was wanted for an Alabama homicide. Hendrix remains held without bond in the Jefferson County Jail. In addition to murder, he also has multiple charges of probation violation and failure to appear in connection to previous drugs cases. Hueytown police said the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Metro Area Crime Center, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, the Birmingham Police Department and the Bessemer Police Department all assisted in the investigation. They are glad to have Hendrix behind bars. "It was a long time looking for him,'' Didcoct said. "We're glad he got caught." Didcoct said the investigation is ongoing and more arrests could follow. w/ @JoeFlech Suspecting that his own allies may push him out of office in a few days, an angry state Rep. Roy Hardemon is torching his political party, accusing Democratic leaders in Miami of racism and back-stabbing. Hardemon, in interviews with the Miami Herald, said his party doesnt like black people especially black men and claimed the chairman of the Miami-Dade Democrats recruited a Haitian-American candidate to boot him from office. This week, Hardemon went one step further, lobbing a racial accusation during a meeting of Democratic leaders in Doral. Its surprising to be lynched from the Democratic Party, Hardemon said from a stage, standing next to Chairman Juan Cuba. The heated rhetoric highlights the bitterness of the primary race in House District 108, where Hardemon, the incumbent, faces two challengers for a seat in the Republican-dominated Florida Legislature, including a former vice chairwoman of the Miami-Dade Democrats. The heavily Democratic district covers the east edge of mainland Miami-Dade, an area along Biscayne Bay from I-195 to North Miami that includes the Liberty City and Little Haiti neighborhoods, as well as the villages of El Portal and Biscayne Park. Hardemon, a member of a prominent political family in Miami, is opposed by attorney Dotie Joseph and immigration consultant Joseph Beauvil. Whoever wins the Aug. 28 primary will emerge as the heavy favorite in the general election against Libertarian Riquet Caballero. Hardemon said Wednesday that he was speaking with intense emotion. He maintained that his party has moved to oust him by recruiting Joseph, his top opponent. Thats how I felt, he said. Like I was betrayed by the local party. Cuba, chairman of Miami-Dades Democratic Party, flatly denied any involvement in the primary race. Click here to read the rest. Birmingham City Council President Pro Tem Jay Roberson is resigning from his post effective Sept. 10. Roberson made the announcement today at Lawson State Community College. Roberson said he is stepping down because his wife, Niva, received a promotion and "dream job" with Alabaster City Schools. According to Alabaster City Schools, Niva Roberson was hired as a career coach at Thompson High School effective Aug. 14. "To perform her duties in this role, we will be moving to the neighboring city of Alabaster as a family," Roberson said. "My decision to step down makes today one that is filled with emotion." "I am very proud of the record we have established," he added. "Even more, I am proud that we established our record of success scandal free." Roberson has served District 7 on the council since 2009. At the podium today, Roberson was surrounded by his wife, two sisters and his parents, James and Linda. Roberson was also supported by four of his colleagues on the council, John Hilliard, Hunter Williams, Sheila Tyson and President Valerie Abbott. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin and former Mayor William Bell also attended the press conference. "It is a big loss for the council -- a big loss of experience," Abbott told AL.com of Roberson's resignation. Press release from Robersons camp pic.twitter.com/Pn4UGlual1 Erin Edgemon (@eedgemon) August 16, 2018 Roberson is the chairman of the council's utilities/technology committee. The committee reviews constituents' complaints related to existing utilities, including Birmingham Water Works, Spire and Alabama Power, within the city limits and coordinates with utilities to resolve the issues. In a written statement passed out before today's press conference, Roberson stated he is "most proud of the fact that I have been able to fulfill the demands of the office with honor and pride. I am proud of the fact that I have honored state ethics laws, and thus hope that I can be looked upon as an example to those who seek to serve in public office after me." Roberson made headlines in 2015 when he defended his decision to have his children attend Homewood City Schools. He explained at the time that his home in Birmingham's Oxmoor Valley is zoned for Vestavia Hills City Schools, due to a decades-old school desegregation settlement. He said he and his wife opted to have their children attend Homewood schools. His wife worked at a teacher at Homewood City Schools, which made their children eligible to attend school there. In 2010, Roberson launched the "100 Days of Nonviolence Campaign," a grassroots call for an end to senseless violence. The campaign encouraged pastors around Birmingham to deliver messages on that theme. He also promoted a curriculum of conflict resolution. During his previous term of office, Roberson helped secure a Publix Supermarket for his district. Among his accomplishments, he also listed collaborating to bring Red Mountain Park to District 7, supporting Lawson State, revitalizing Wildwood and the launch of a residential subdivision. Roberson is self-employed. He is the owner and chief executive officer of Top Ten Management, a business development consulting firm. The Birmingham City Council is losing two other councilors in November. Councilors Lashunda Scales and Sheila Tyson will step down to take seats on the Jefferson County Commission. Both councilors beat incumbents in a July 17 runoff election. Abbott said the council has never been without three councilors. She said the loss is a surprise since the council was recently elected. New and incumbent members of the Birmingham City Council were sworn in to office in October. The municipal election was held on Aug. 22 with a runoff on Oct. 3. Abbott said there's no money in the city budget right now for a special election to fill the seats. She said the council will take applications to appoint someone to Roberson's seat next month. Replacements for Tyson and Scales will be appointed when they vacate their seats. Woodfin said he expected council appointees to keep their seats until the next regular municipal election, which is in 2021. Updated following Roberson's press conference at 3:51 p.m. Updated on Aug. 17 to include Niva Roberson's job at Alabaster City Schools. Huntsville attorney Mark McDaniel has been appointed to the Human Exploration and Operations Committee of the NASA Advisory Council. The committee advises the council and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine on human explorations issues. Bridenstine appointed McDaniel and announced that appointment on a visit to Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center Aug. 15. "I'm proud to announce the appointment of Mr. Mark McDaniel to the Human Explorations and Operations subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC)," Bridenstine said. "His legal and space expertise will serve our agency well." McDaniel served on the NAC from 2000 through 2004. In 2007, he received NASA's Public Service Medal for his "Leadership and Council to America's Space Agency, his advocacy of Human Space Flight and Exploration and dedication to the Aerospace Community at large." McDaniel was recommended for the appointment by U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville). Brooks and Bridenstine are friends and former House colleagues. "Mark McDaniel's experience and qualifications make him an excellent choice to advise NASA on its future missions," Brooks said. "I congratulate Mark on his appointment and have confidence he will be a productive and constructive member of the committee." The Alabama state prison system, grappling with well documented problems in hiring and keeping correctional officers, added 37 to its ranks on Wednesday. The second class of 2018 graduated from the 12-week training course at the Alabama Corrections Academy in Selma. Family members filled the auditorium at the Alabama Criminal Justice Training Center to see the officers, wearing blue uniforms with ties and badges, march in to "Pomp and Circumstance," take their oaths and receive certificates as sworn law enforcement officers. "If you look up there and just look at the faces, you look at the families here, it's an exciting day for them," Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn said after the ceremony. "They have raised their hand, they've taken an oath to protect the citizens of the state of Alabama. And they take on very challenging work in a very challenging time." Class President Barbretta Wallace speaks at the Alabama Department of Corrections officer graduation ceremony on Wednesday in Selma. Class President Barbretta Wallace spoke and urged her classmates to look out for each other on the job. During an interview later, she talked about the interaction with inmates that is essential to the work. "You have to be able to answer their questions," Wallace said. "Help them with their needs. Send them to medical if they need medical treatment. You have to be able to be just a roundabout officer and know how to deal with different situations that may arise." Despite the challenges, Wallace said she loves the job. She is relocating to Alabama after three years as a correctional officer in Florida. Wallace is assigned to Ventress Correctional Facility in Barbour County. Class Chaplain Andrew Wilson praised his classmates. He said his new job will present difficult situations but believes he is ready after the training. He is assigned to Elmore Correctional Facility. "I'm 48 years old and I've still got life ahead. And I love a challenge," Wilson said. Dunn has said the prisons have only about half the officers they need. Starting July 1, DOC gave a 10 percent raise to officers in maximum security prisons and a 5 percent raise to those in medium security prisons. Dunn said the main purpose was to improve retention. The raises boosted the starting salary for an entry-level correctional officer with a high school diploma from $28,516 to $31,368 at a maximum security prison and to $29,942 at a medium security prison. "It's well needed," Dunn said. "It's an expression that the state is concerned about who they are and trying to compensate them for what they're worth." The staffing numbers carry meaning. Dunn has previously linked a decline in staffing with a rise in violence in prisons. U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson ruled last year that mental health care in prisons was "horrendously inadequate." Thompson said a persistent shortage of officers was a contributing factor. Overcrowding and understaffing have plagued the state's prisons for many years, but officials say they are not resigned to letting those problems continue. Earlier this year, the Legislature approved a $30 million supplement to the DOC budget for this year and boosted next year's General Fund appropriation by $56 million over this year, up to $472 million. Dunn said about two-thirds of the $30 million supplement is being used to improve health care, including additional staff. He said most of the rest is being used to improve recruiting and retention, including the pay differential. Dunn said numbers don't show an increase in staffing yet but he is optimistic. "As far as the number of folks expressing interest, the number of folks that we're seeing want more information from the department, the number of folks that are filling out applications, those types of things are starting to go up," Dunn said. The DOC has commissioned a study to determine its staffing needs. That study is ongoing. Currently, the department calculates its total "assigned" security staffing level at 2,070, including full-time and part-time correctional officers, supervisors and correctional officer trainees. That's 49 percent of the "authorized" staffing level of 4,195, which is based on an inmate-to-staff ratios and other factors. An Alabama animal clinic has gained attention on Facebook after posting its own version of the popular kiki challenge. The Russellville Animal Clinic posted a video of their version of the challenge on Facebook on Aug. 3. The video has been viewed more than 2 million times and shared more than 25,000 times as of late Wednesday night. American comedian Shiggy made the dance popular when he posted a video of himself dancing in the street to Drake's song "In My Feelings." Challenge participants dance and mime lyrics to the song by making a heart shape with their hands and pretending to drive a car. The video features Dr. Kevin Marecle and nurses Miranda Bradford and Norma Presley. Stormie and Sampson are the two four-legged stars. Marecle dances through the office has he helps with an X-ray and listens to a puppy's heartbeat. A dancing dog makes an appearance too. The challenge has taken the internet by storm, with everyone from celebrities, dentists and kids around the world posting videos of themselves dancing. However, some police departments have issued warnings about the challenge. Some participants get out of moving cars and dance in the road while moving with the car as it continues down the street. Some people have been seriously injured, including a teenager from Houston County who was injured after she fell while getting out of her car, the Dothan Eagle reported. But it looks like there's just cute puppies and dancing in the Russellville Animal Clinic's video. Some people would really like to see Alabama thrown out of court proceedings that could lead to a national settlement on opioids. But Alabama also has its backers, including the attorneys general of 31 states and the District of Columbia. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall says it's no accident an Alabama suit against drug manufacturers and distributors has been chosen as a test case. He said it simply reflects the reality of how hard the state has been hit by prescription drug abuse. "I think the court recognized that Alabama is in a unique position," Marshall said. The battle is playing out in Cleveland, where U.S. District Judge Dan A. Polster is overseeing a complex multi-district process. Hundreds of states, cities, counties, hospitals and other entities have filed suit against the makers and distributors of opioid painkillers, seeking to recover money spent dealing with a national epidemic of opioid abuse. The defendants dispute claims that they created an oversupply of addictive drugs, or that they encouraged doctors to overprescribe them. They say the drugs they created were legal, were handled by a highly regulated system and dispersed only by professional physicians. Numerous entities within Alabama have filed suits that have been consolidated into the process overseen by Polster, including Birmingham, Mobile and other city and county governments. Alabama got involved at the state level in February, when Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced a suit against Purdue Pharma, maker of OxyContin and other drugs. That suit, like hundreds of others, was consolidated in the multi-district process. From the beginning, Polster declared a strong preference to broker a settlement, saying it would bring quicker relief to the victims of the epidemic than years of lawsuits and appeals. Some involved in the process see it as a parallel to a '90s settlement involving tobacco producers. Despite Polster's efforts, a settlement is not guaranteed. The case got under way in December, and the first challenge was simply to establish an organizational structure for handling the mass of defendants and plaintiffs, and to establish who was representing whom. In April, Polster filed the first of a series of Case Management Orders. It said that parties were making "good progress" toward a settlement -- but participants thought it would be helpful to have a "litigation track" in addition to the "settlement track." So Polster established what some have called "bellwether cases" in several categories. One involves local governments in Ohio and Illinois. One involves local governments in West Virginia, Michigan and Florida. A third category is for "sovereigns," which includes states and Native American tribes. Polster picked Alabama v. Purdue Pharma as the representative state case. In the case management order, Polster didn't spell out why he picked Alabama. Marshall said the pick makes sense because Alabama has been so hard-hit by prescription painkiller abuse. It's long been identified as the state with the highest per-capita prescription rate, for example. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the state's per capita prescription rate -- at 141.1 opioid prescriptions per 100 persons -- was close to twice the national average. Those numbers have dropped some over time, but remain high. In July, a Harvard study found that two Alabama congressional districts ranked among the five highest in the country for opioid prescriptions. For Polster to pick the state's suit as a test case was "a recognition of the reality of where we are in Alabama, from a factual standpoint," Marshall said. Polster's choice also hung a "kick me" sign on Alabama. By late June, Purdue and other manufacturers had filed a motion to dismiss Alabama's complaint. A distributor filed a similar motion. Some documents in the case are sealed, including Alabama's complaint. The motions to dismiss it are not. The manufactures have spelled out multiple grounds why they think Polster should throw out the complaint, arguing that its claims for damages don't show causation, that its drug-law claims don't show violations of the Controlled Substances Act, that it hasn't shown the state's deceptive trade practices act is applicable and more. The state's response to all this was filed Aug. 3. It's also sealed from public view. A related motion sheds a little light on how the state's legal team sees all this, calling it "a test case to brief threshold issues on common claims at the motion to dismiss stage." In other words, it's a test to see whether the Alabama case -- and by extension, other states' suits -- are strong enough to make it to trial. Needless to say, other states are keenly interested. Late last week, state attorneys general weighed in with two amicus briefs supporting Alabama -- one responding to the motion by Purdue and other manufacturers to dismiss, one to a motion by distributor McKesson to dismiss. In the Purdue suit, Alabama got backing from Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming and the District of Columbia. They argue that Alabama has standing to sue -- and so do they. "Because the Amici States have or are considering bringing similar claims against one or more of the Manufacturer Defendants, they have a significant interest in the outcome of the Court's decision on the Manufacturer Defendants' motion to dismiss," says the brief. "... While the Amici States are not parties to this proceeding and are not bound by the Court's decision in this matter, a state's ability to protect the health and well-being of her citizens must not be infringed no matter the venue." It remains to be seen how quickly Polster will rule on the motion to dismiss Alabama's suit. It's part of a far bigger process. Polster has established a settlement track and a litigation track. Within the litigation track there are several bellwether cases to be handled, which means multiple sub-tracks. Track One doesn't even involve Alabama: it focuses on suits brought by county and city governments in Ohio and Illinois. For that one, a final pretrial hearing is set for late August 2019, with trial to start in September 2019. In the near future, a conference will be held to set timetables for other litigation tracks. That might put Alabama's day in court on the calendar, if the case makes it that far. Polster has called for confidentiality, limiting what parties are willing to say publicly about the process. In late July, Rhon Jones -- an attorney for the Alabama-based Beasley Allen firm who's also listed as a deputy attorney general in some filings, published some information on his company's website. Hearing motions on test cases such as the Alabama suit will help "determine the viability of threshold legal issues that may assist in the settlement negotiations," he wrote, "and to prepare the test cases for trial in the event that a settlement does not occur." In other words: The strength or weakness of Alabama's case could shape a settlement even if the case never makes it all the way to a verdict. And if settlement talks fail, the Alabama suit may provide the blueprint for the battle royal that follows. Marshall declined to speculate on the chance of a settlement. "I think right now it would be inappropriate to comment on that," he said. But he said two things are certain. The first is that while Polster has some ability to shape the overall process, he can't compel attorneys general to try their suits on his turf. "If it goes to trial, it will go to trial in Alabama," he said. "We're not trying this case in Cleveland." Secondly, he said, "this is not the opioid strategy for Alabama." The state has an Opioid Action Plan, he said, presented in December by the Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council, a body established by Gov. Kay Ivey. With that plan as a guide, the state isn't waiting on the outcome of motions in Cleveland to launch efforts against opioid abuse. "The exact opposite is the case," Marshall said. It began with a stray dog. Robert Earl Lawrence said he found the dog wandering a Wal-Mart parking lot in Dothan in south Alabama. He put the canine in his car with his girlfriend and their three small children, each child under the age of 10. The family drove to the Dothan Animal Shelter. There Lawrence was asked for his driver's license, he declined to show it. City employees said they couldn't accept a stray dog if he didn't show a license. He said they didn't have the right to require a license. He said he'd drop the dog elsewhere. They said he couldn't leave if he was going to dump the dog. He was stuck, grew agitated, walked outside. A Dothan police officer stationed at the shelter followed him to his car and wouldn't let him leave without producing a license. A couple months earlier, according to his cousin, Lawrence had begun to read about sovereign citizens, an anti-government movement that often includes, among other things, complicated arguments against the constitutionality of driver's licenses. In short, Lawrence was ready to argue. About eight minutes before he would be shot, Lawrence can be heard telling his girlfriend in the front seat to record on her cellphone: "This will be good," he said. Eight minutes later Sgt. Adrianne Woodruff reached her arm through a melee, between the arms of two officers tugging at Lawrence, to press the barrel of her service weapon into in his gut and, without warning or utterance, pull the trigger. No warning The shooting took place Dec. 30, 2014. Despite public interest in the case, the dashcam video was not released to the public. On July 25, a federal magistrate found grounds for proceeding with a lawsuit against the officer who fired the fatal shot. Attorneys representing Lawrence's family released the video this month. The suit and the video shed light on internal shooting reviews in a state where police rarely release bodycam footage to the public. In 2015, Dothan Police Department cleared their officer, Adrianne Woodruff, stating in reports that Lawrence had taken control of her Taser and was an armed threat. But U.S. Magistrate Judge David Baker disagreed late last month, saying Lawrence did not flee and whether he ever had control of her Taser is a matter for a jury to determine. Lawrence was not armed. In a closeup video, Lawrence can be seen grabbing the Taser as it is being used like a cattle prod to shock him. He was being held from behind by another officer at the time of the shooting. A third officer was pulling on his arm. "It is undisputed that Woodruff gave no warning before shooting Lawrence," wrote the magistrate last month, nearly three and a half years after shooting. The magistrate also reported that Woodruff admitted Lawrence did not threaten her physically nor verbally, but that his mannerisms and his "getting in her face" made her "uncomfortable." The magistrate, in the recommendation to the federal judge, wrote that "a jury could conclude that Lawrence did not pose a serious threat of harm to the officers to warrant the use of deadly force by Woodruff." Attorney Hank Sherrod, who represents Lawrence's family in the lawsuit, said Lawrence reached for the barrel of Taser to stop the pain. "The video makes clear she let go of the Taser to shoot him," said Sherrod. "This guy did not have to die." Lenton White, attorney for Dothan and for Woodruff, told Al.com this week that the video shows a reasonable threat, as Lawrence grabbed for the Taser. "The law doesn't require a police officer to wait until his own weapon is used against him before he can use deadly force," said White. PTSD The suit details a police stop gone wrong, an incident leaving three children without a father and an officer unemployed and suffering from PTSD. Chris Cantu was Lawrence's cousin. He temporarily took care of Lawrence's three young children. Two of them were in the car that day. The third child present was the son of Lawrence's girlfriend. "They're still struggling with everything that happened," said Cantu. The video shows the older boy get out of the car to rush to his father after the shooting. The shot was fired a couple feet from the children. "They pretty much ask what happened," said Cantu. "Parts they don't recall. I'll try to explain to them that he was shot and that he didn't make it." "He was a good guy. He worked hard, he did stand his ground when he believed in something," Cantu told Al.com. "It shouldn't have happened the way it happened." Meanwhile, Woodruff last summer testified that the trauma from the shooting helped end her career. She retired in 2015. "What caused your PTSD?" asked attorneys in the suit during a deposition. "The shooting," she said. Woodruff had been stationed at the shelter for five years before the shooting. She testified that she has been on disability since leaving the force. She testified in a deposition last year that she began to have nightmares, became jumpy and would only sit somewhere with her back to a wall. She said for a couple months after the shooting she received threats, saying "people were talking about dragging me out on the street and setting me on fire or hanging me. That's disturbing." She testified the shooting was justified, she was in danger and she would do the same thing again. She noted that she never received any criticism nor discipline from within the department. Robert Earl Lawrence Officer cleared The story made local headlines in December of 2014 in the Dothan Eagle. "Man killed by Dothan cop had a violent past." The initial report focused on Lawrence's criminal history. Lawrence had been arrested for making a terrorist threat in 2013. In the wake of a custody battle, Lawrence had asked officials with the Department of Human Resources, "What if I do like the Dale County man?" The comment referred an unrelated kidnapping and shooting in south Alabama. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassing communications in Montgomery County. Lawrence was sentenced to 90 days in jail and fined $1,000. In 2012, his wife filed a petition for protection from abuse, saying he threw her to the ground. He was also charged with domestic violence and harassment in 2008. That case was dismissed. The Houston County district attorney in 2015 presented the shooting to a grand jury, which did not indict. State investigators also reviewed the shooting. After the grand jury, the district attorney declined to discuss the police review with the local paper. Officials did not release the video. Sherrod, a civil rights attorney who often handles police misconduct cases in Alabama, said Dothan police would not release the video under a public records request. Sherrod and Dothan attorney Will Morris sued in federal court in late 2016 on behalf of Lawrence's cousin, Chris Cantu. They claimed excessive force. The lawsuit caused police to share the video and internal documents. "The suspect gained control of the Officers TASER and it can be heard actively sparking on the video indicating he was likely holding the trigger down," reads one summary of the police review board on Jan. 14, 2015, which states the shooting was within policy. "Difficult, almost disorderly" Evidence in the lawsuit includes other recordings, such as the girlfriend's cellphone video and the calls to dispatch. The original call from the shelter was to request help with a man "who is being difficult, almost disorderly." The ensuing argument between Woodruff and Lawrence runs long. Woodruff called dispatch from outside and stayed on the phone. "He doesn't have to have a driver's license to drive in the state of Alabama," she told dispatch. "He doesn't have to do anything. He doesn't have to be detained." Instead of a license, Lawrence gave her an affidavit of identity. The peculiar, notarized document starts with: "My name is Robert Lawrence of the Lawrence family." It included an address in Slocumb, his physical description, his birth date in 1984, a photo, a thumb print and his understanding that false information on this document could lead to imprisonment. His identity checked out. No warrants. "He's 10-92, he's negative," said dispatch as Lawrence can be heard arguing in the background: "This is a violation of your oath. Did you not take an oath of office?" Woodruff refused to return his affidavit. He waited on his paperwork. She waited on backup. And then things turned personal. She asked "You know how foolish you sound?" And then: "You're so smart you've got half the teeth in your mouth." She told him "You've got poor hygiene." Later she said: "I can see you're very wealthy man." She called in his tag. It checked out. He tried to leave. "Ma'am I'm requesting my paperwork." She said, "I'm waiting for you to produce a driver's license." He again said: "I don't have to produce a driver's license." At that point, once she checked his identity and his car tag, according to the federal magistrate there is a question as to whether Woodruff had legal grounds to continue to detain Lawrence. In an objection to the magistrate's report, filed this week, the attorney for Woodruff argues the stop was legal, that Lawrence didn't show a license and appeared to be preparing to drive. But more importantly, White writes that the magistrate failed to see the threat through the eyes of an officer in a physical struggle who had lost control of a dangerous weapon. "The Report sees the threat faced by Sgt. Woodruff from the comfort and safety of chambers, fearful of nothing more threatening than the occasional paper cut as the Magistrate views a cold record accounting of events," reads the objection filed Wednesday on behalf of Woodruff. Backup arrives When Officer Alan Rhodes pulled up, he immediately got Lawrence to stand back so he could confer with Wooddruff. "You got him doing more than I could get him to do," said Woodruff. But Lawrence wouldn't stand still and kept arguing. Rhodes decided to take him to jail. He grabbed Lawrence. "This is unlawful detainer," cried Lawrence, later yelling: "No. Stop. My children are in the car ... Ain't nothing happening. Ain't no crime been committed." At one point, Lawrence wriggled free and raced around his car. Rhodes fired the Taser at Lawrence, but the darts hit his coat. Rhodes handed the weapon to Woodruff. Once the darts are deployed, a Taser can be used in what is called drive stun mode. That means the weapon can be pressed against a subject to cause pain, but no longer can incapacitate someone. Rhodes got him again, grabbed his arms from behind. Woodruff began to drive stun Lawrence. A third officer, Renee Skipper, moved in and grabbed Lawrence's arm. Lawrence's girlfriend can be heard yelling, "Stop, stop!" After the shot, as more police and paramedics arrived, an officer interviewed Rhodes. Rhodes said Woodruff told him Lawrence was a sovereign citizen. Lawrence can still be heard groaning on the ground: "Please take the handcuffs off, I don't want to die." Sovereign citizens are listed by the Southern Poverty Law Center as fiercely anti-government, and fast-growing in numbers, with complicated legal beliefs about common law and the individual's innate standing as free men. As for tactics, the Southern Poverty Law Center writes: "The weapon of choice for sovereign citizens is paper. A simple traffic violation or pet-licensing case can end up provoking dozens of court filings containing hundreds of pages of pseudo-legal nonsense." Just moments after the shooting, Rhodes says at first he wasn't sure who had fired. Dogs can be heard barking off camera. "I was just going to trip him and put him on the ground eventually until the other officers got here," he said. Rhodes wrote in his official report: "I was keeping the suspect tied up and felt two or three electrical charges through my right side. The suspect stopped struggling for a few moments. I asked him if he were done. He said no and began fighting again. A short time later I heard a gunshot. I held the suspect until he stated she shot me." But the Use of Deadly Force Report by Officer Renee Skipper states: "Suspect armed himself with officer's taser and tried to use it on officers. The incapacitation of the officer would have given the suspect opportunity to gain control of his firearm and escalate the situation to deadly force on the officers." Deadly threat? When pressed about the crime itself, Woodruff said Lawrence wouldn't show a license. "Is that your understanding of the law?" asked Sherrod during a deposition in August of 2017. "Yes," she said. "That just anytime you want to make a citizen produce a driver's license you can?" he asked. Woodruff testified that she was afraid of Lawrence. "I mean you were afraid to try and arrest him?" She answered: "Absolutely." So she waited on backup. "He never threatened you by gestures?" asked Sherrod. "He threatened to sue me already early on," said Woodruff. "Okay, you're not claiming that he was subject to arrest because he threatened to sue you right?" "No of course not." "He never threatened your physical person, right? "Correct." Then a couple minutes later: "You were scared, right?" "Yes." And then: "But it's not a crime for a citizen to make you uncomfortable, right?" "No, but when they do, you take action." "Did you shoot him because you were afraid there might be, he might have a gun?" asked Sherrod. "No," testified Woodruff. "You were already in fear of your life because you believed he was a sovereign citizen?" asked Sherrod. "I felt there was a threat, a possible threat there." Woodruff was insured at the time of the shooting. The lawsuit late Wednesday was reassigned to a recent Trump appointee, U.S.. District Judge Emily Marks. As for excessive force, should the case reach trial, a jury would need to consider severity of the crime, threat to officers or others, and whether the suspect is resisting arrest or attempting to flee. In this case, both sides agree the underlying crime, if there was one, was minor. He did not flee. The key dispute is whether Lawrence was a threat, whether he tried to gained control of the Taser, whether he reflexively grabbed for the barrel to stop be shocked, whether she let go of the Taser to grab her gun, whether a Taser in drive stun mode is a dangerous enough weapon to justify deadly force. Woodruff ultimately testified that she shot Lawrence because he was trying to use the Taser on Officer Rhodes, who was holding Lawrence. "I was afraid that Officer Rhodes would be incapacitated, which would leave me." On the screen, an undercover cop walks into his first tense meeting with members of a Ku Klux Klan group he's trying to infiltrate. In the darkness, watching the scene, Nancy Johnson mutters: "It makes me scared all over again." Spike Lee's new movie "BlacKkKlansman" has made waves, as Spike Lee movies do. It starts with a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction origin: In 1978, Ron Stallworth was serving as the first black detective at the Colorado Springs Police Department. The Klan ran a newspaper ad, looking for new recruits in a new market. Stallworth made contact, and soon was taking a call from a local Klan leader. He successfully convinced the Klansman he was a disaffected white man ready to join, and he got an invitation to meet. Johnson, now a retiree living in Lower Alabama, was there in Colorado Springs in 1978, working as a cub reporter at the Colorado Springs Sun, a small daily. She saw the ad too, though not in her own paper, which refused to run it. (She's proud of that to this day.) She called up the Klan, introduced herself as a reporter and started a series of stories on what the organization was doing in Colorado Springs. Her work culminated with a story outing two local leaders as active-duty military personnel stationed at a nearby base. Afterward she came into the newsroom to find a note on her desk, warning her that the Klan was watching her. She'd interviewed a Klan leader face-to-face, but he was wearing a hood. "I didn't know what he looked like," she says, "But he knew what I looked like." There was a bomb threat at the paper. "That turned things very serious and very tense for me," she says. She learned to carry a gun, and to watch for followers as she drove up a mountain pass to her remote home. Small wonder the movie hits home. The funny thing is, she wasn't aware of Stallworth's story until the movie came out, and she read about him in a newspaper article. Johnson moved on from the Sun to other papers, including the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News. In 1995 she moved from Wisconsin to Mobile when her husband Mark Johnson became head of the United Way of South Alabama. She went on serve as public relations manager for the Mobile Police Department and the Mobile County Commission. (He abandoned his career as a fundraising executive to become a police cadet at age 50 and later wrote a book about his time as a beat cop, but that's a whole 'nother story.) As far as she knows, she and Stallworth never crossed paths. Stallworth's undercover investigation -- in which "black Ron Stallworth" talked to the Klan on the phone and another cop served as "white Ron Stallworth" in field operations -- never came to public attention at the time. In 2014 his memoir "Black Klansman" was published, and became the basis for the movie. The film features strong lead performances and excellent interplay between John David Washington as Stallworth and Adam Driver as Flip Zimmerman, his white counterpart. The initial phone call makes for a fantastic reaction shot: As Stallworth tries to convince a recruiter that he's Klan material, he spews every racial epithet he can think of. His fellow officers, having no idea what is going on, gradually turn to stare at him, jaws dropping as he raves on. When the call ends, Zimmerman points out his mistake: He gave his real name. Such comedic moments balance out the confrontations, of which there are many. Johnson said the movie feels like it has the era right, though the location doesn't look like the Colorado Springs she remembers. Another difference: Hispanics, not African Americans, were the biggest minority group. The script adds some high drama to Stallworth's tale. You get a Hollywood ending, a downbeat real-world ending, another Hollywood ending and then -- blam, like a sledgehammer to the forehead -- the Spike Lee ending. Lee's not one to let anyone come away from this thinking that "BlacKkKlansman" is about a fight that ended a long time ago, in some other part of the country. The coda's break in tone and form from the rest of the movie has contributed to some mixed reviews. Johnson said that while it was obvious that subtlety wasn't a priority for Lee, she nonetheless found it added to the value of the experience. And no wonder. Lee's message fits perfectly with the reporting she did at the time. In 1978 the Klan had a charismatic young leader, David Duke, and a new sales pitch that downplayed the organization's violent past and emphasized national pride. It worked -- but not in Colorado Springs, and Johnson remains proud of that. Her stories describe how the community mobilized and marched against the Klan, how the Army appeared (without confirming it was doing so) to take action against Klansmen in its ranks. "Nothing was more important to me than the elimination of that cell," she says. "I felt like we had cleaned house." She's been reading Stallworth's book. "He seems like someone I would really have liked" if she'd known him at the time, she says. "I don't want to compare myself to those guys," she says of the officers who risked themselves in undercover work. "I sort of had an easy way until I did something that was going to make them [the Klan] really angry." In the movie, Duke leads a chant of "America First!", cloaking racism in patriotism, and his followers take it up with fervor. Part of Lee's agenda is to illustrate that the same pitch works 40 years later. After the screening, Johnson and a reporter look over some of the newspaper clippings she's kept all these years. In the very first one of those stories she has a quote from Klan leader "Joe" that neatly presages the story of "BlacKkKlansman." "He said many of the phone calls to his organization have come from black people in the area," she wrote. "'They tried to disguise their accent,' 'Joe' said, 'but even after 200 years of education by the white race, they can't do it.'" Near the end of Johnson's story, "Joe" tells her the Klan prefers to court fights to violence and that its five key principles include Christianity, the Constitution and "America First." Johnson is shocked to find that slogan from the movie in her own Klan reporting from so long ago. The scene in the movie made quite an impression, she says, but she didn't make the connection. "I just thought that was just something Hollywood had put in," she says. Another lawsuit has been filed against Colonial Pipeline and a subcontractor working for Colonial related to the 2016 explosion on a gasoline pipeline that killed two workers and injured four others. The widow of Anthony Lee Willingham filed suit against Colonial and Superior Land Designs, LLC in Gwinnett County, Georgia, alleging the companies were negligent in their responsibilities to maintain worker safety in the Oct. 31, 2016 incident, and for "fostering a culture whereby unsafe practices were not reported or stopped, and were allowed to proceed in order to expedite work." Colonial Pipeline spokesman Steve Baker said the company was aware of the lawsuit but was limited in what they could say about the matter due to ongoing federal investigations. Baker did say the company disputes some of the allegations made in the lawsuit. "Colonial continues to extend its sympathy to the Willingham family and to others impacted by the incident," Baker said. "Because of an ongoing [National Transportation Safety Board] investigation, the company is restricted in what it can say about the incident." According to the lawsuit, Willingham was working with other employees of the L.E. Bell Construction Company to excavate Colonial's gasoline pipeline in Shelby County, following a massive leak discovered the previous month, for permanent repairs to the pipeline. According to emergency response agencies, the workers struck the pipeline with a track hoe, sparking an explosion that shot flames visible for miles around and a fire that burned for several days afterwords. The lawsuit, filed by law firm Beasley Allen, alleges that the supervisor working for Superior Land Designs and Colonial "lacked sufficient experience and qualifications," and that work crews were instructed to proceed with the excavation despite not having sufficient information about the depth and location of the pipeline. "There is never an excuse for a company to disregard safety in the name of profit or speed," said Mike Andrews, an attorney representing Beverly Kay Willingham, widow of Anthony Willingham. "This tragedy would not have happened if these defendants had taken the necessary steps to maintain this pipeline properly and safely, to provide competent supervision on site and at a minimum to have accurate maps showing where its underground components were located so crews could operate safely." The suit claims that the Superior Land Designs supervisor, identified in the lawsuit as Chris Covey, arrived at the excavation site ahead of a project inspector from Colonial, identified as Nicky Cobb, and that "Mr. Covey had requested documentation from Mr. Cobb regarding the location of the Pipeline at the excavation sites, but the information was not provided to Mr. Covey." The plaintiffs state that Cobb instructed Covey to proceed with the excavation without him and without providing the information requested. Willingham was operating the track hoe at the time of the explosion. Covey was also seriously injured in the blast and also filed suit against Colonial last month. The plaintiffs in the Willingham case are seeking a jury trial where they are seeking unspecified damages for negligence, wantonness, negligence per se, respondeat superior, wrongful death, loss of consortium, and punitive damages. The company has also been sued by landowners near the site for damage to their property and lost income related to the incident. The state of Alabama settled its claims with Colonial for $3.3 million earlier this year. Colonial Pipeline and Superior Land Designs are both headquartered in Alpharetta, Ga. The pipeline, described as the largest refined petroleum products pipeline in the country, ships gasoline and diesel fuel from refineries in Houston to distribution centers throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states before its terminus in Linden, New Jersey. *Updated at 5:12 p.m. to add comments from Colonial Pipeline and from Willingham's attorney. Joe Reed This is an opinion column. Joe L. Reed has seen the power move before; he didn't like it then, either. It was 1974 and the perpetrator was none other than George Wallace, then in his second stint as Alabama's Governor. Wallace's Democrats were the strongest party in the state but that was changing fast as the national party increasingly embraced a civil rights agenda driven largely by protests, actions, and crimes that took place in Alabama. That strategy was, of course, anathema to Wallace's "state's rights" (read: segregationist) faction of the Alabama party, and the group tried one last time to avert outright extinction. Eight years earlier, Robert Vance's election as state party chair had come in the wake of the passages of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and was the first significant manifestation of the state Democratic party's transition from the party of white segregationists to a more inclusive party. Reed, the long-time head of the Alabama Democratic Caucus--the state party's black caucus--recalls Wallace, then paralyzed from the waist down due to an assassination attempt two years prior, rolling his wheelchair onto the floor in the room at the prestigious Parliament House in Birmingham in 1974 where the Democratic Executive Committee was holding elections. "There was a big battle," Reed said. "Governor Wallace came on the floor where the delegates were and nominated [Florence attorney and former State Senator] Bert Haltom to run against Vance. The delegates rejected it and reaffirmed our support for chairman Robert Vance [by a 66-51 vote]. "The same thing," Reed said, "happen this weekend." Reed, who turns 80 in November, was talking about fresh-off-the-ballot Sen. Doug Jones' failed--and somewhat embarrassing--effort last Saturday to boot current party chair Nancy Worley and replace her with Montgomery attorney and lobbyist Peck Fox. Like Wallace, Jones came before the Democratic Executive Committee--this time the site was the Davis Theater for the Performing Arts in Montgomery--and nominated an opponent to run against the sitting chair. "This party needs to build," Jones told committee members. "We need change. And the only way to get change is to have change." It was a pure power move, played with bravado--and a little bit of nerve. And, like Wallace's, it went pfft. "Our faction stuck together---like glue," Reed said. "All over the state." Although the 101-89 vote for Worley was face-saving close, it was still a very high-profile blow to the state's most visible Democrat. No less so now with Reed associating Jones, the attorney who famously fought to put murdering racists in jail, with the man who famously vowed in his 1963 Inauguration speech: "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever". "In Alabama," Reed said, "no senator, no governor picks the party chair. Members pick the chairman. Governor Wallace tried the same thing. "The message was sent: Senator, we sent you to Washington [D.C.] to represent us there. We didn't tell you to come back here and dictate party leadership and get rid of Nancy Worley." Jones didn't exactly crawl back to the nation's capitol after the defeat. Campaign chair Giles Perkins says the Senator does not see what transpired Saturday as a personal setback. "It was a setback is for the state party," he said. "Not enough people wanted to embrace change. We all lose if the state party wants to do that. "We had to function without any support from the state party, so the setback was completely theirs." "That's not true," Reed counters. "The Alabama Democratic Conference endorse him, kept him out of a runoff and elected him. No one or twenty people can claim credit for Doug Jones' victory." What a mess. And it comes at a time when a party trying to pull off the longest of long shots in November's Governor's race--even longer than Jones' narrow win over Roy Moore--can least afford a public spat, let alone an outright implosion. (Walt Maddox was smart to stay out of this food fight.) Leadership isn't about titles or power moves, it's about motivating the collective to achieve common goals. Right now, Alabama Democrats are still awaiting that leader. 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. The price tag for President Donald Trump's military parade is some $80 million more than original estimates, according to reports. CNBC said the parade will cost $92 million - $50 million from the Department of Defense and $42 million from other agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security. CNN, citing three defense officials, had originally estimated the cost of the parade would be around $12 million. The parade is planned for Nov. 10 in Washington, D.C. and will feature armored vehicles, aircraft flyovers, helicopters and soldiers in period uniforms. The higher costs include security and transportation for parade participants and equipment. The parade, inspired by Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, has been controversial from since it was first proposed. A February poll indicated the vast majority of military personnel were not in favor of the parade. The unscientific poll by Military Times showed 89 percent of the more than 54,000 responders said the parade was a waste of money and troops were too busy. Eleven percent disagreed, saying it was an opportunity to show off U.S. military might. Via @KirbyWTweets Andrew Gillum's gubernatorial campaign may come down to one question: How much does Bernie Sanders' support matter in a Democratic primary? The Independent Senator from Vermont is coming to Tampa on Friday to campaign with Gillum, the Tallahassee mayor who's taken up Sanders' progressive banner in the Florida governor's race. But with less than two weeks to go until the Aug. 28 Democratic primary and hundreds of thousands of Democratic ballots already filled out Sanders' visit comes at a make-or-break time for Gillum's gubernatorial hopes. Gillum, who secured Sanders' endorsement earlier this month, has polled well behind former Congresswoman Gwen Graham and former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine in recent surveys. But around one in five primary voters remain undecided, and Gillum supporters hope Sanders can help sway those voters. If it's not too late. "When you're running for office, you want to peak on election day. You don't want to peak too early," Hillsborough County Commissioner Les Miller, who's endorsed Gillum, said Wednesday. "The other candidates have already peaked." Sanders' backing of Gillum is just one in a recent slate of endorsements from national progressives and progressive groups for the self-described "most viably progressive candidate for Governor in Florida's history." Gillum also has the approval of the Working Families Party, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Our Revolution and Indivisible. Click here to read the rest. Pro-life activists assembled Wednesday outside the Mobile office of U.S. Sen. Doug Jones and urged him to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. "So much is at stake," said Jill Stanek, national campaign chair of the Susan B. Anthony (SBA) List, which hosted the event. Approximately 50 people attended, with most of them holding up yellow signs that urged Jones to the #ConfirmKavanaugh movement. Others booed whenever Stanek mentioned the names of Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California. Jones, a freshman senator, is one of the few Democrats in the chamber who remains uncommitted on how he will vote on Kavanaugh. Confirmation hearings are expected to begin early next month. "This nomination is a tip of balance on the court for abortion and represents the consensus views of Americans," said Stanek. "Senator Jones says he has an open mind and will give Kavanaugh a fair chance. But he's under pressure from Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and the radical abortion lobby." Terry Lathan, chairwoman of the Alabama Republican Party and Mobile resident, said Jones "needs to be under a lot of pressure." Jones is the only politician in Alabama to be elected statewide in about a decade after he defeated Republican Roy Moore during the Dec. 12, 2017, special election to replace former Senator and current U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Jones is also the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Alabama in about a quarter century. "This is a state that is not a blue state," said Lathan. "It's not a purple state. It's a red state. We are the No. 1 highest approval rating (states) for Donald J. Trump. The people expect a 'Yes' vote for Kavanaugh." The press conference was held two days after Jones, during a town hall meeting in Birmingham, was heckled by a pro-choice activist who threw a pair of stuff lips at him. Said Lathan, "We are not here to throw things at you when we hear this subject come up. We are here to tell you, clearly, that the people in this state want this judge seated. We are asking you to cast that vote." Jones has vowed a thorough and "independent review" of Kavanaugh's record since Trump nominated him to the high court early last month. Jones was not at his Mobile office on Wednesday. His staff confirmed that he was in Washington, D.C. "As the Senator continues to do a thorough examination of Judge Kavanaugh's record, he appreciates hearing input from his constituents on both sides of the issue," spokeswoman Heather Fluit said. Most Democrats have come out in opposition to the Kavanaugh's nomination, but the decision is trickier for Democratic Senators in traditionally red states. An Alabama poll, taken last month by organization campaigning to have Kavanaugh confirmed, showed that 54 percent of state residents support Trump's pick. "We are asking you to vote for the citizens of Alabama," said Lathan. "If not, you are voting with Chuck Schumer. In our state, that is not going to work." She added, "When you go to the Senate floor, there is not a moderate button to push. It's either a 'Yes' or a 'No.'" The Mobile rally was the first of four Alabama events that SBA List will hold in the state. The group will return early next month and plans to hold rallies in Huntsville, Birmingham and Montgomery that will coincide with Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings. SBA List is a non-profit organization that claims a network of 630,000 pro-life Americans nationwide. The group advocates for pro-life policies, and seeks to end abortion in the U.S. by overturning the 1973 landmark abortion-rights case, Roe v. Wade. Jess Brown, a retired political science professor at Athens State University, said Jones is doing right thing by not stating his position on Kavanaugh's confirmation. Jones, on Monday, said the National Archives should produce documents about Kavanaugh's time serving as staff secretary under President George Bush, as other Democrats have urged. "They should simply keep their powder dried and keep indicating that they are going through the documents and that they are waiting to hear from the nominee before the Judiciary Committee," said Brown. "Politically, if I were him, I'd just delay and delay." SBA List's stop to Mobile comes after the group made several stops in Florida urging Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson to confirm Kavanaugh. Nelson is in a tight battle for re-election against Republican Gov. Rick Scott. Also, SBA List has visited Indiana, North Dakota and Missouri urging Democratic Senators in battleground states to back Kavanaugh's confirmation. The Mobile rally was also the first time a public assembly was held outside the Senator's office since the NAACP, in January 2017, held multiple rallies outside the same office building that was occupied at the time by Sessions. The group was protesting Trump's nomination of Sessions as attorney general. The Alabama Department of Public Health issued a warning about avoiding rabies exposure after a rabid fox attacked a dog in rural Loxley Tuesday. Rabid foxes have bitten six people and two dogs in Baldwin County since the end of May, ADPH officials said. The fox, later found to be rabid, attacked a dog while it was outside with its owner at her home on Baldwin County 65. The owner used a long pole to beat the fox off her dog, officials said. Police later responded and shot the fox. The fox was sent to the Mobile State Public Health Laboratory for testing. On Wednesday, the lab confirmed the fox had rabies, officials said. "Luckily, the fox did not bite the woman and her dog was current on vaccinations and received a booster," Environmental Director Greg Dunn, Southwestern District, said. "This incident illustrates the importance of being alert and keeping your pets properly immunized." The rabies virus is usually transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal through a bite or scratch. However, the virus can be spread through direct contact with mucous membranes, such as the eyes, nose and mouth. "Rabies prevention is multifaceted; it involves people taking precautions with wildlife, making sure their pets are current on rabies vaccinations, and always reporting an animal bite or other exposure to their medical provider or the health department," said State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Dee W. Jones. Baldwin County residents should take these precaution to avoid possible exposure to rabies: Do not allow pets to run loose; confine them within a fenced-in area or with a leash. Do not leave uneaten pet food or scraps near your residence. Do not illegally feed or keep wildlife as pets. Do not go near wildlife or domestic animals that are acting in a strange or unusual manner. Caution children not to go near any stray or wild animal, regardless of its behavior. Advise children to tell an adult if they are bitten or scratched by any animal. A person who is bitten or scratched by an animal should wash wounds immediately with mild soap and water, apply first aid, and seek medical attention or contact the county health department immediately State law requires dogs, cats and ferrets 12 weeks of age and older be current with rabies vaccination. Rabies vaccines are also available for horses and other livestock if recommended by a veterinarian. Vaccinating animals reduces the risk of rabies infection should an exposure occur. Vaccinations help protect animals, as well as their owners and caretakers. For more information about rabies and prevention, please contact the Baldwin County Health Department at (251) 947-3618. Learn more about rabies online here. The search for a woman whose car was found abandoned in woods in Conecuh County has been abandoned after three days of searching. Shari Saunders, 67, had been travelling from Norfolk, Virginia, to Monroeville to visit family around 10 days ago but did not arrive. Her car was discovered by hunters Sunday near to a camp deep in the woods where Conecuh County meets Escambia County. Rescue teams had been searching since Monday and called on volunteers to help Wednesday. But before volunteers could even start searching authorities sent them home. It's currently unclear why the search was called off. Saunders was last seen on surveillance video at a gas station in Evergreen Aug. 5. The old saying "Everything is bigger in Texas" can apply to all sorts of things: Steaks, guns, rodeos, ranches, hairdos and hats. It can also apply to a travel center chain named Buc-ee's that takes for its mascot a smiling, cartoon beaver. Thanks to a unique business strategy, Buc-ee's locations are renowned along Texas highways, even being "destinations" all their own. Now, Buc-ee's is venturing outside the Lone Star state for the first time, to Baldwin County on the Alabama coast. The chain is building a Buc-ee's at Interstate 10 and the Baldwin Beach Express, a thoroughfare leading directly to the sand and Gulf surf. "I'm a big fan of Buc-ee's and am glad to see they are spreading out into the SEC," said Kelli Hollinger, director of the Center for Retailing Studies at the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University. 'Clever' The company, based in Lake Jackson, Texas, started in 1982 and now boasts 33 travel stations located mostly in the eastern half of that state. The supersized stores have been, according to some Texas media accounts, referred to as gas stations "on steroids." "It's size, both in terms of the square footage of the store and the number of gas pumps, makes it a roadside attraction," said Greg Lindenberg, editor of Convenience Store Petroleum "CSP" Daily News. The Buc-ee's travel station in New Braunfels, Texas - northeast of San Antonio - is 76,000-square-feet and is considered the largest convenience store in the country. The Buc-ee's in Katy, Texas -- just west of Houston - was officially named by the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest car wash in the world. The enclosed portion of the Alabama Buc-ee's is estimated to be 53,254-square-feet, or more than 21 times the size of the average convenience store. It will feature an eye-popping 120 fuel pumps. And it's looking to hire up to 250 workers by the time it opens early next year. If there's a convenience store/gas station/travel center in Alabama that's bigger than that, it doesn't readily come to mind. Buc-ee's also offers a shopping experience unlike most convenience stores. Many of the items - beef jerky, fudge, candy, jalapenos and canned foods - are branded with the company's cartoon buck-toothed beaver logo. Each Buc-ee's also sells deli foods, such as barbecue or cold cut sandwiches, and bakery goods. "Our fudge is quite good," said Jeff Nadalo, general counsel and spokesman with Buc-ee's, said. "Our beef jerky is well-liked by many." Buc-ee's sells souvenir hats, belts, mugs and t-shirts, even pajama pants with the beaver logo emblazoned on them. For the kiddies, there are plenty of plush beaver dolls. That same beaver logo has recently popped up on a billboard along Interstate 10 east of downtown Mobile. The billboard advertises the company's pay range -- $13 to $17 an hour - for the plethora of jobs soon to be filled at the Alabama Buc-ee's. More billboards heralding the new Buc-ee's are probably forthcoming, and motorists are likely to find them in Birmingham, or Huntsville, or who knows where. In Texas, the chain will place billboards hundreds of miles from the nearest Buc-ee's, offering amusing messages. "Some Say Best Jerky Ever. 797 miles" "Top Two Reasons to Stop at Buc-ee's: #1 and #2. 82 miles" "Only 262 miles to Buc-ee's. You can hold it." "Got Porcelain? 72 miles" "It's clever," said Mike Davis, a professor at Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. "That is consistent with the idea of making your place a destination." The closest Buc-ee's to the Baldwin Beach Express location is in Baytown, Texas, which is about 470 miles. That means there are plenty of opportunities for Buc-ee's billboards as far west as eastern Texas and Louisiana, and as far east as Orlando. Said Hollinger: "Those compelling and funny billboards, they make you laugh and they surprise you. Those bits of humor are enough to make a quirky brand really memorable." Venky Shankar, director of research at the Center for Retailing Studies at the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University, said the cartoon beaver provides Buc-ee's with a "distinctive" image that is "very unlike other gas or retail outlets." It's an image that Buc-ee's has battled for in court. In May, a federal jury sided with the company in a trademark battle with another Texas travel center, Choke Canyon. Buc-ee's lawyers argued successfully that Choke Canyon's alligator logo was too similar to the beaver. Said Nadalo: "Exxon has a tiger (mascot). There are others who have one. But I think our friendly beaver is well known and people appreciate seeing the yellow circle because it means they have a good place to stop." "It grabs shoppers' attention," said Shankar about the Buc-ee's logo. "However, the newness of the retail format and the superior customer experience form the backbone of its success." Indeed, Buc-ee's prides itself on a well-lighted patron experience, and boasts of having the cleanest restrooms in the industry. A national survey released in May by GasBuddy, the Boston-based tech firm, showed Buc-ee's restrooms as earning the highest rating. Clean restrooms are a big deal for motorists. According to GasBuddy, 37 percent of survey respondents said one of their worst fears when traveling is having to use a restroom and being unsure where to stop for a clean facility. 'Cult-like' Buc-ee's is most definitely not a "truck stop:" 18-wheelers are not allowed. Thus, the venues cater almost solely to travelers. "Buc-ee's bucks the retail format trend in many ways," said Shankar. "Its value proposition is superior customer experience for a traveler. Not only are the gas prices low, but the restrooms are squeaky clean and offers a Walmart-like assortment with a pleasant experience. The experience is so unique that its customers feel like acting as its advocate." Some publications have referred to Buc-ee's loyalists as "cult-like," but Lindenberg said the appeal isn't limited to just Texas. "It attracts travelers from all over the country passing through the state," he said. Said Nadalo: "I think people just appreciate a clean restroom and a tasty lunch. I think that they want a friendly staff and that has led us to a core group of customers who are loyal and understand that if they want a place to take their family, they have a good option in Buc-ee's." 'High-profile location' In Alabama, the brand has been relatively unfamiliar except for people who have traveled through Texas. Lee Lawson, president and CEO of the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, said when he first met with company executives, he had difficulty envisioning the Buc-ee's experience. Buc-ee's travel station is under construction off of Interstate 10 at the Baldwin Beach Express east of Loxley, Ala. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). Said Lawson: "I'm used to traveling like anyone else. You stop at a gas station or a truck stop or something like that. I was assured that this was nothing like we've seen before, from the scale they are building to and the fact they don't allow semi-tractor trailers and from a volume stand point. It's unlike anything we've seen." Buc-ee's entry to Alabama also comes with something else that is rather unique for regions of the country looking to lure companies: No property or sales tax breaks. The company has received tax incentives for some of its Texas locations. In Denton, Texas, the City Council approved $8.1 million over 22 years in sales tax reimbursements to lure a Buc-ee's to Interstate 35 north of Dallas. In Boerne, Texas - northwest of San Antonio - elected officials agreed in 2016 to allow the company to keep half of the sales taxes generated for 20 years. "We were glad to be able to work with them so they would be here even though we didn't have to give away a sales tax abatement," said Baldwin County Commissioner Tucker Dorsey. Commissioner Chris Elliott, who is running for an Alabama State Senate seat in November, said there were talks between Buc-ee's and Baldwin County officials about offering incentives, but none were given. "We felt like we didn't have to do that in order to get them here," Elliott said. Buc-ee's purchased the prime I-10 and Baldwin Beach Express property in May 2017 for $3.7 million, according to county records. Baldwin County will spend $394,475 on traffic signals at the Beach Express and I-10 and at nearby County Road 68. Elliott said the Beach Express traffic flow will not be disrupted with the new signals. The nearly 13-mile road opened to motorists in 2014, and has seen a steady increase of traffic since. Almost 20,000 vehicles traveled along the Beach Express per day in July, representing a 19.4 percent increase in average daily traffic from 2016. "It's a high-profile location," said Lawson. "I think Buc-ee's is very confident in their brand and what they deliver in service and cleanliness and offerings. They could've gone anywhere along I-10 from Texas to Jacksonville and they chose here." Nadalo, the general counsel at Buc-ee's, said the company chose the Baldwin County site because the company believes "Alabama is aligned with the type of customer we are looking for." He added, "Folks like to travel and there is a strong work force in the area and we obviously need a talented work force to support our operations. Alabama is not too far from Texas, so we are looking forward to being there for our first out-of-state location." Davis, the SMU professor, said the company is trying to appeal to families and a slightly more "upscale" traveler. "These are families with discretionary income," said Davis. "They want clean and they want novel and that is what they will find at Buc-ee's." 'Selective' Buc-ee's has announced plans to expand into Florida, with stores announced in Daytona Beach and Fort Myers. A plan in 2016 to build a Buc-ee's along Interstate 12 in Baton Rogue, Louisiana, fell apart after the company terminated a purchase agreement, according to published reports. There are rumors that the company was planning expansions in Mobile and Leeds, along I-20 east of Birmingham, but Nadalo would not confirm additional Alabama locations. "The rumors are funny," he said. "It happens all the time, not just to where we are going but what we are doing as a company. People like to make to make a lot of guesses and almost they are always wrong." Said Shankar, at Texas A&M University: "Buc-ee's has been a conservative retailer, sticking to Texas for the last 36 years. However, to leverage its brand equity, it needs to expand, and states like Alabama and Florida, being proximate southern states, are logical candidates for expansion." Lindenberg, at CSP Daily News, said he believes the only danger he sees for Buc-ee's is the potential for "oversaturation." "If the destination is easy to get to, it will lose some of its cache, so it needs to be selective in expanding," he said. "But it's not anywhere near close to that point yet." Nadalo anticipates a fan fare surrounding the Baldwin County Buc-ee's, once it opens. He said past grand opening dates have been met with customers camping overnight outside the store. "We hope to have our Texas customers join us in Alabama and we hope to introduce our brand to the new folks who have never experienced a Buc-ee's in Alabama and Florida," said Nadalo. "It will be interesting to see how this goes." By Erik Olbeter, Chief Operating Officer of the National Security Technology Accelerator, an Arlington, Va.-based non-profit company. Uncle Sam wants you. More than 75 years ago, that iconic recruiting poster rallied hundreds of thousands of young Americans to join the Army and fight in World War II. Today, the U.S. military has a similar recruiting effort under way. But rather than aiming at 18-21-year olds, this campaign is targeted at Alabama's technology community. The Pentagon has put out this call because its lead in key technologies is shrinking and it is sounding the alarm. For example, Undersecretary of Defense Ellen Lord testified before Congress last year that, "The current pace at which we develop advanced capability is being eclipsed by those nations that post the greatest threat to our security, seriously eroding our measure of overmatch." The Pentagon knows that it can't keep our current lead without the support of America's technology companies. And this represents an opportunity for Alabama's technology community to show off its prowess. Working with the military has had its drawbacks in the past - and the Pentagon knows it. The Pentagon's acquisition rules are legendarily byzantine. This has often excluded small, innovative companies from bidding on contracts. But the Pentagon has taken steps to minimize these problems in recent years. One way that the military has sought to reach out to the technology community is through the use a different set of acquisition rules, known as Other Transaction Authority (OTA). Developed in the 1950s to help the United States win the space race with the Soviet Union, OTA addresses the many of these problems. OTA works by speeding up the lethargic government acquisition timetable. It helps the Pentagon operate on a technology company's timetable, rather than on government time. In most cases, contracts are awarded allowing technology companies to develop technology prototypes over a period of weeks or months as opposed to years. OTA also simplifies that government's acquisition rules. The Pentagon has learned that most technology companies cannot or will not participate in a process that is not inexpensive, easy or fast. OTA sidesteps most of these rules, making it easier for nontraditional government contractors to participate in the process. As a sign of how serious the government views its innovation problem, the value of contracts let under OTA has increased significantly in recent years. In a recent tally, the Department of Defense reported that the military services spent nearly $21 billion on 148 OTA agreements between 2015 and 2017. The government has also increased the use of follow-up authority. This process allows a company to move from prototype to production for up to two years while the government moves the program to a more traditional contracting process. Finally, the government has taken steps to reach out to non-traditional suppliers, namely small and medium sized technology firms. And Alabama companies have begun to take note. Recently, the Army awarded a small Huntsville-based company, Geeks and Nerds, a $13.6 million OTA contract for technology to help train helicopter pilots to fly in rain and dust. The company will create sensors that mimic less than optimal conditions. This will allow pilots the opportunity to improve their flying skills in the safety of simulators, rather than learning by flying in degraded conditions. If the Pentagon approves of the work, the company will have the opportunity next year to build more of the sensors in a much larger government contract. This contract is just one example of opportunities that are available to Alabama-based companies. What is needed is more companies, such as Geeks and Nerds, to seek out opportunities that the federal government has and put out to bid. Uncle Sam has put out the call. Will other Alabama companies respond? Bangassou, Central African Republic As an IT specialist, Djamaladine Mahamat Salet is used to providing solutions to complex problems. When he discovered there were no high-school classes for the displaced children in his community, he decided to start teaching them basic computer skills. The big challenge was that he would have to do so without electricity, an internet connection, and no laptops. These children are stuck here due to this conflict, said 38-year-old Salet. I am trying to prepare these students so that when they can finally go on to university, they will thrive. To deal with the lack of power, Salet, who is also a displaced person, rigged a car battery to solar panels to generate a steady supply for the students. Central African Republic (CAR), an impoverished nation of around 4.6 million, has been mired in conflict since 2013, when the Seleka a predominantly Muslim coalition of rebels overthrew the government of Francois Bozize. Oussna Abdraman, 17, takes notes while studying at the computer lab on the grounds of the Bangassou Catholic mission [Will Baxter/Al Jazeera] A group called the Anti-balaka, which is made up mostly of Christian fighters, formed to counter the Seleka and during the ongoing fighting both sides have committed atrocities. Salet is one of around 1,600 displaced Muslims who have been sheltering at the Catholic mission in Bangassou since May 2017, when Anti-balaka fighters waged a campaign of violence against the local Muslim community. More than 100 Muslims, including Salets 63-year-old father, were killed before Portuguese troops from MINUSCA, the United Nations peacekeeping force in CAR, were able to intervene and escort the survivors to safety. The years of conflict have taken a heavy toll on the countrys education system. The ruins of a Muslim home that was destroyed in 2017 by members of the predominantly Christian Anti-Balaka militia is seen in the Tokoyo neighbourhood of Bangassou [Will Baxter/Al Jazeera] Since 2017, the United Nations has documented more than 85 cases with 24 incidents so far in 2018 of attacks, looting, or occupation of schools by armed groups. More than 350 schools have been closed due to the surge in violence. According to UNICEF, a third of children in CAR are unable to attend school, and fewer than 50 percent complete their primary education. Of those who do, only about half go on to continue their studies after the primary level. The latest figures indicate there are around 272,000 internally displaced children in CAR and that nearly 116,000 of them are not in school. Djamaladine Mahamat Salet inside the computer lab he opened [Will Baxter/Al Jazeera] As a result of persisting violence, children and youth are exposed to all sorts of abuse and exploitation [such as] enrolment in armed groups, criminal and banditry acts, sexual exploitation and abuse, child marriage and early pregnancies, explained Christine Muhigana, UNICEFs country representative in the CAR. We are very concerned about the lasting impact this crisis is having on children. We have a whole generation growing up traumatised, without proper education, without healthcare and constantly exposed to the most horrific violence, she said. At Petit Seminaire Saint Louis, the settlement for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Bangassou, Salet saw how the conflict affected children. Morale was particularly low among the 108 high-school-age students. Around 1,600 displaced Muslims have been taking refuge at the Catholic mission since May of 2017, when the predominantly Christian Anti-balaka carried out a violent campaign targeting the local Muslim community [Will Baxter/Al Jazeera] All the gunfire affects children, it unsettles them, said Salet. Thats one reason I decided to open this [computer lab]. To help take their minds off the conflict and put them more at ease. Salet says he approached several aid agencies to ask for support, but none agreed to take part. In the end, he turned to his community for help. By late 2017, Salet managed to borrow four laptops from displaced families and construct a small computer lab from leftover wood, tarpaulins and mesh wire and powers them with the solar panels he rigged to the car batteries. In December 2017, classes began with Salet teaching four two-hour sessions each day, Monday to Friday, with 10 students in each class. The lab is even open Saturdays for children who want extra learning time. A displaced Muslim boy sleeps on the ground. For the 108 high-school-age children at the IDP site, there are no formal classes offered [Will Baxter/Al Jazeera] Seventeen-year-old Oussna Abdraman has been studying with Salet for almost three months, during which she has learned Microsoft Word, Excel, Windows, general computer functions and how to use the internet. Without going to a regular school, we feel like we are losing out on the opportunity to learn. We feel like we have only a low level of education. The computer classes, she said, have helped to lift their spirits. Abdraman would eventually like to work at a bank. Inshallah (God willing), I will be able to go on and study at university. I would like to continue studying computers and get a degree in economics, she said. Knowing computer skills it will help me with research and help me in everyday subjects like biology or history, she added. Like other teenagers at the settlement, Abdraman longs to resume something resembling a normal life. We feel very bad having to stay here, because there is no freedom of movement. There is also a lack of food, and we have to sleep on the ground. Its not comfortable, she said. It remains unclear when Bangassous Muslims will be able to return to their homes and rebuild. Most houses and businesses owned by Muslims were destroyed and looted during the events of last year. A displaced Muslim woman carries water at the settlement in Bangassou [Will Baxter/Al Jazeera] Bishop Juan Jose Aguirre Munos, who oversees Bangassous Catholic mission, said there is still a climate of mistrust between the religious communities, but that both sides are gradually beginning to accept each other. Some activities paralysed because of this crisis have resumed, for example, the central market is open every day. All political, civil, military and religious leaders are working for the return of peace and social cohesion, living together and returning displaced people to their homes, the bishop said. Ali Idriss, chief of Muslim IDPs at Petit Seminaire Saint Louis, said that safety remains a concern and that rebuilding their lives and businesses will prove difficult without outside support. We have nothing. We all lost our houses. People have taken over the land in some places and built new homes, he said. We want to go home. We have the will to do so, but the situation is still very difficult. There is no security. In many situations with guns and killing, it is difficult to solve these problems. But man is able to change, and in doing so he can change such situations to achieve peace. Djamaladine Mahamat Salet, IT specialist, IDP and computer lab founder Yvon Walaka, spokesman for the local so-called self-defence group, which is made up of former Anti-balaka fighters, tried to paint a different picture of the situation. He said that the Muslims sheltering on the church grounds can return to their land when they hand over any firearms in their possession to MINUSCA, as he claims the former Anti-balaka fighters have done. You dont see us carrying guns. You dont hear anyone shooting in the air. We want peace, he claimed. Back at the IDP settlement, Salet says that a divided population must find common ground in order to live in harmony. In many situations with guns and killing, it is difficult to solve problems. But man is able to change, and in doing so, he can change such situations to achieve peace, said Salet. Even something as simple as computer classes can bridge divides, he added. In 1889, an intrepid, 20-year-old American called William Stamps Cherry made a solo voyage up the Congos tributaries. His destination was Oubangui-Chari, a remote corner of the French Empire, in what would later become the Central African Republic (CAR). From the capital, Cherry struck out into uncharted wilderness. He was completely alone, save for a double-barreled rifle. This hunter from Missouri found a land brimming with wildlife. There is no way of estimating the number of elephants in the interior, he wrote in his journal. It may be five hundred thousand. It may be a million. I think more likely millions. Today, more than a century on, the sustained slaughter of elephants has now left fewer than 3,000 in the region, with perhaps just a few dozen in the Chinko reserve, a vast area of wildernesses in the heart of the continent, surrounded by various civil wars. Fuelled by the demand for bushmeat and ivory, decades of poaching have decimated an extraordinary mix of species. But remnant populations have endured the carnage and habitats remain intact. Conservationists are now battling to restore Chinkos swaths of rainforest and wooded savannah to their former glory. The park is managed by David Simpson, a charismatic 30-year-old from England who counts reformed poachers among his team of rangers and trackers. Ongoing conflict, however, complicates their efforts. War erupted in the country in 2013 when the Seleka-coalition of predominantly Muslim rebels-overthrew the government. The coup sparked clashes between the rebels and vigilante groups known as the Anti-balaka, in which thousands died. Fighting is again on the increase as the Seleka alliance splinters. Run by conservation non-profit African Parks, Chinko is at the centre of a humanitarian disaster. In March 2017, more than 300 civilians fled into the park to find refuge from marauding militias. Employees at Chinko offered this terrified community food and shelter, setting up a temporary camp for them deep in the savannah. At last, after more than a year in exile, these internally-displaced people have now returned home. Poachers, illegal miners and rebel militias all operate with impunity in this anarchic region. Another threat comes each dry season when cattle herders-and their thousands of cows-migrate southwards from Chad and Sudan in search of pasture. These armed nomads kill game and light uncontrollable fires to clear a path, their herds have been blamed for spreading disease and overgrazing land. Just a few years ago, cattle had overrun the park. Aerial patrols recorded barely any wild animals. But this bleak scene has changed dramatically. Chinko has a team of negotiators-many from herding families-who meet pastoralists, offering food supplies to encourage them to bypass the park. Now, a single flight in a bush-plane takes in multiple species. On one patrol, as the setting sun cast the plains in a purple glow, one of Chinkos tiny aircraft soared above a pod of hippo, a troop of baboon and, further on, two herds of buffalo grazing close to bounding hartebeest. Increased sightings and fresh tracks suggest that lions and elephants may be bouncing back, too. This little-known sanctuary is almost twice the size of Yellowstone-resources are stretched and incursions by poachers persist. But life, finally, is finding its way back into Chinko. Reporting for this story was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting This bill demonstrates that no matter how much you cooperate if you are not Jewish, this state is not for you. The passing of the nation-state bill last month, affirming the Israeli states Jewish character and downgrading the Arabic language, has reignited a conversation among the Palestinian citizens of Israel especially with regards to their precarious position within the state. In particular, it has sparked intense conversations among the Palestinian Druze community in Israel. In addition to several resignations from Druze officers currently serving in the Israeli military. On August 4, 50,000 Druze rallied against the bill in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv waving both the Israeli and Druze flags. The image of the square flooded with the multicoloured Druze flag and the Israeli one side by side highlights the different relationship the Palestinian Druze community has with Israel to that of the other Palestinian citizens. {articleGUID} Following the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, the Zionist leadership sought to divide the surviving Palestinian community through notions of particularism in other words, highlighting religious and traditional differences among them. The Zionists turned their attention to the Arabic speaking Druze community (the Druze religion developed out of Ismaili Islam with adherents concentrated in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine). By 1948, some Druze had already been recruited to the Haganah under the promise of being able to harvest their lands something denied to other Palestinians at the time. In 1956, Druze leaders agreed to a deal of compulsory conscription into the Israeli military in return for protection of the community as a minority. Far from acquiescing, many Druze villages protested against the conscription and their leaders collaboration with the Zionist regime. However, over time, the majority of the community were coopted and coerced into the Zionist regime, helping to maintain the facade of the Israeli cultural mosaic. Yet ironically, they would continue to be dispossessed of their lands and denied the same level of infrastructure and services as their Jewish counterparts. Indeed, since the establishment of Israel, the Druze have lost over three-quarters of their land to the state and are simultaneously denied building permits rendering a similar situation of overcrowding and strangulation to that of other Palestinians in Israel. {articleGUID} This story of continued discrimination and the history of Druze refusal or resistance has often been marginalised from the hegemonic narrative. More recently, a Druze youth group was established in 2013 called Urfod(refuse in Arabic) which promotes refusal to serve in the Israeli military and campaigns to abolish the compulsory conscription. Established in the Galilean village of Rameh, Urfod is beginning to challenge the hegemonic narrative of Druze collaboration with the Zionist regime by highlighting present and past Druze resistance. The village of Rameh was also home to one of Palestines most famous and prolific poets, Samih al-Qassim, a Palestinian Druze. His poetry focused on resistance and love for Palestine. Both the activists in Urfod and al-Qassim serve as a reminder that there is nothing natural or inherent about Druze collaboration with Israel rather it was and still is one of the many tactics used to disintegrate Palestinian society. This renewed and widespread outrage within the Druze community over the last few weeks towards this bill, however, is not necessarily reflective of increasing Druze refusal. The bill is being viewed as a slap in the face to a loyal community rather than enshrining an already existing situation of Jewish supremacy. The fears of a new reality of an era of second-class citizenship lead to Druze leaders, including spiritual leader Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif, meeting Netanyahu to discuss continued protection of the Druze as a minority community. In the meeting, Netanyahu also expressed his hope that the Druze rally that had been organised in response to the bill would be cancelled. While Tarif and Netanyahu reached an agreement, the rally took place nonetheless. Far from being critical of Israel or questioning Druze collaboration with the state, the rally hosted speakers from the military who insisted on Druze loyalty to Zionism and described the bill as an insult rather than a piece of legislation that lays to bear the states true racist colours. This attempt to coopt minorities has long been a strategy to disrupt and fragment Palestinian society. Promises of integration and economic and social opportunities have been empty, as demonstrated by the fact that the Palestinian Druze continue to suffer from discrimination, marginalisation and exclusion. Indeed, one of the greatest tragedies is how Israel has been able to divide the Palestinian people and has created minority groups who fight for scraps from the masters table. If anything, this bill demonstrates that no matter how much you cooperate or collaborate- if you are not Jewish, this state is not for you. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. In Palestine, we hope the Labour leader will stand his ground and continue to give a voice to our struggle for justice. Earlier this month, UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn apologised for the concern and anxiety he caused by hosting an event in Parliament on Holocaust Memorial Day 2010, titled Never Again for Anyone Auschwitz to Gaza. The event, organised by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) and the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN), aimed to encourage people to learn from the atrocities of the past and attract attention to Israels ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people. Ever since he caused a huge upset in the UK establishment by unexpectedly becoming the leader of the opposition, Mr Corbyn has faced several accusations of anti-Semitism, largely based on his active involvement in the pro-Palestinian movement. And a couple of weeks ago, following a report by The Times newspaper, his participation in the 2010 event was swiftly added to the long list of his alleged anti-Semitic acts. This time, the comparisons that were made there between some actions of Nazi Germany and the state of Israel were the bone of contention. I feel the need to comment on the criticism of this particular event and Mr Corbyns apology, because I was also present albeit on the phone at the said event, and my name was also mentioned in relation to these baseless accusations. The story of a Palestinian refugee In 2010, Auschwitz survivor Hajo Meyer and I were invited by SPSC and IJAN for a speaking tour in the UK and Ireland, which also included the Memorial Day event at the Parliament. I had to tell them that I could not attend because of the medieval siege imposed on my homeland, Gaza, by Israel. Then the tours representatives asked me to send a pre-recorded speech about the situation in Gaza instead. When I started thinking about what to say in my message, the first thing that popped into my mind was my parents. {articleGUID} Because this is where my story starts. Because I inherited my refugee status from them, like the majority of the two million people currently living in the prison that is called Gaza. My parents were from the village of Zarnouqa, which once stood near what used to be the Palestinian city of al-Ramla. Israeli militias ethnically cleansed the area in 1948, expelling tens of thousands of Palestinians, including my parents. They both died in the Nusairat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, in 2005. I could not attend their funeral and give them a proper farewell, because I was living abroad at the time, and Israeli troops controlled, as they still do now, all entrance and exits to Gaza. A year after my parents death, the lives of Palestinians became even harder. That year, Palestinians in Gaza and West Bank were asked to choose their representatives in the Legislative Council. The results of the election were catastrophic for Israel, its Western allies and the Palestinian Authority: People had voted against the Oslo Accords and the two-state solution industry. In response, Israel imposed a deadly siege on Palestine, which has been described by Ilan Pappe as a form of incremental genocide. But that was not enough for apartheid Israel! In December 2008, Israel launched a new war against Gaza. In just 22 days, more than 1,400 Palestinians, the overwhelming majority of whom civilians, among them scores of children, were killed. Thousands more were forced to live in tents, as their homes were destroyed by Israeli bombardment. (Of course, Israels attacks on us continued at full pace in the following years. It waged two more deadly wars on the people of Gaza in 2012 and 2014 and killed thousands more civilians. And since March 30 this year, we have seen the death of more than 150 civilians, including children, women and medics, who have participated in the Great March of Return aiming to implement UN resolution 194 which calls for the return of all refugees and their compensation.) So, all this was on my mind when I was preparing my message for the gathering at the House of Commons back in 2010. But I was not only thinking about the Palestinian struggle. Learning from past atrocities I am also a naturalised South African. I spent five to six years in the Republic of South Africa, starting from 1997, only three years after the first non-racial elections which ultimately led to the appointment of Nelson Mandela as the first black president of the country. Ive learned a lot from South Africa and its struggle against one of the most inhumane regimes in history, one that is like Israel and Nazi Germany based on racial and ethnic exclusivity. I believe there are many parallels between the racist states of today and the yesteryear. And I believe we, the Palestinians, have a lot to learn from past struggles for freedom, integrity and equality. I believe, to make sure past atrocities are not repeated, we need to remember them, learn from them and examine the reasons that allowed them to happen. {articleGUID} This, in the end, was the gist of my message to the gathering at the House of Commons on Holocaust Memorial Day. In this context, I made comparisons between the actions of Nazi Germany and Israel in my speech, but I was criticising Israel, not Judaism or Jews. The quotes I used in my speech were taken from either progressive Jewish activists and intellectuals such as Ilan Pappe, Gideon Levy, and Ronnie Kasrils with whom I share an anti-racist, secular, democratic vision or from Israeli military and political leaders. I abhor all forms of racism and bigotry. In fact, I am one of the authors of a statement issued by a group of Palestinian writers and activists condemning racism and anti-Semitism and calling on supporters of the Palestinian struggle not to provide any platforms for their dissemination. I, like the rest of the authors of the statement, see anti-Semitic language as immoral and completely outside the core foundations of humanism, equality and justice, on which the struggle for Palestine and its national movement rests. Our struggle is with Zionism, not Judaism or Jews. There is no room in our struggle for any attacks on our Jewish allies, Jews, or Judaism; nor denying the Holocaust; nor allying in any way shape or form with any conspiracy theories, far-right, orientalist, and racist arguments, associations and entities. Challenging Zionism, including the illegitimate power of institutions that support the oppression of Palestinians, and the illegitimate use of Jewish identities to protect and legitimize oppression, must never become an attack on Jewish identities, nor the demeaning and denial of Jewish histories in all their diversity. When the Times and the BBC mentioned my name in relation to the outrageous allegations made against Mr Corbyn, they did not give me the opportunity to explain where I stand. Neither The Times, nor the BBC or any other mainstream British media organisation contacted me for a comment. In their reports, they just took a couple of quotes out of context, failing to mention that I was relying on statements made by the likes of Gideon Levy or quoting my friend, anti-apartheid former MK Ronnie Kasrils. British media reports also did not mention the comparisons between Nazi Germany and Israels policies made by Israeli generals and state officials in the past. Take, for example, the threat made by Israels Deputy Defence Minister Matan Vilnai in 2008, that the Palestinians of Gaza will bring upon themselves a bigger shoah (holocaust). Or a more recent speech by the Israeli deputy chief of staff, delivered on Holocaust Memorial Day in 2016, in which he compared what he called the revolting trends in Europe and Germany in the1930s and 40s to tendencies visible in Israel today. Mr Corbyn should stand his ground I actually finally managed to visit London in 2011, a year after the event, and meet Mr Corbyn. I told him about the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) call made by the overwhelming majority of the Palestinian civil society and about my dream of one day seeing a secular, democratic state in historical Palestine a state for all its citizens, regardless of their race, gender, religion or ethnicity. After meeting Mr Corbyn, and following his political career for nearly a decade, I was convinced that we belong to the same movement a global movement that calls for justice, human dignity, equality, and social, economic, cultural and political rights. This is why when I first heard of Jeremy Corbyn apologising, I thought he had apologised for not doing enough to rectify the horrific crimes committed by Labour Party leaders, such as the invasion of Iraq. Then, I read his slightly defensive piece in the Guardian addressing the anti-Semitism accusations directed at his party, and I started getting worried. I was worried that while trying to placate the pro-Israel lobby in the UK, he may risk alienating those who brought him to the leadership of the Labour Party people who want their party to stand up to any form of racism, oppression and discrimination. I chose not to rush and write a piece immediately after the news broke about Corbyns apology, because I did not want it to be considered a response. I understand the extent to which the pro-Israel Lobby would go in order to bring him down and how hard it must be for someone like Mr Corbyn, who spent a lifetime fighting racism, to find himself facing these kinds of accusations. Our hope in Palestine is that Mr Corbyn stands his ground and becomes the prime minister of a more democratic UK, one that will address the horrific crimes committed by his predecessors, including the Balfour Declaration and the unlimited support given to apartheid Israel. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Via @MartinDVassolo I am the domino, proclaims a guayabera-clad Vance Aloupis, a Maine native, as he flashed a tile from the popular game in a Spanish-language campaign advertisement his campaign heralded as a success. I am very proud of my heritage, says Rhonda Rebman-Lopez, an Alabama native who this summer cut her hyphenated last name in half to assume her Cuban husbands last name. Her maiden name will no longer appear on the ballot. I am offended by it, concluded Jose Fernandez, the only Cuban-born candidate running in the Republican primary for Miami House in District 115 , an inland strip of central Miami-Dade County in which 38 percent of the population is Cuban and more than two-thirds is Hispanic. After responding to Aloupis advertisement with one of his own, Fernandez on Tuesday evening accused his two non-Hispanic white competitors of pandering to Cuban voters and pretending to be something they are clearly not, firing the first salvo in what had been a relatively amicable four-way race in a series of strongly worded statements to the Miami Herald. The winner of the Aug. 28 GOP primary among Aloupis, are Lopez, Fernandez and Carlos Daniel Gobel will face off against the winner of the Democratic primary. The two candidates in that race are Jeffrey Solomon and James Linwood Schulman. A cornerstone of my campaign has been the fact that I have been a member of this community for decades, Fernandez told the Herald. I dont think it is appropriate for anyone to pander to our neighbors for votes pretending to be something they are clearly not. As a matter of fact, as a member of this community, I am offended by it. Click here to read the rest. Two nights ago I found myself gripped by BBC Twos new, Lost Boys? Whats Going Wrong for Asian Men? presented by Mehreen Baig. I was initially dubious that a one-hour documentary would be able to dissect the identity Asian men with much nuance, or to address them as multifaceted beings. I was also concerned about Mehreens positionality as a presenter who gained her name through appearing in the reality show Muslims Like Us, rather than for being an investigative journalist. But I was gripped because what I saw was much more disappointing than merely unnuanced or unrigorous, Lost Boys? was a lazy reproduction of racist, culturally essentialist stereotypes approved by an insider. The Asian men the documentary focused on were specifically those of the Kashmiri, or Mirpuri, diaspora in Bradford. This is a diaspora which has been historically demonised in the British media, as my family, based in Bradford for fifty-five years, well know. From representations of the 1988 Rushdie affair which internationally portrayed Bradfords Pakistani men as militant, fundamentalist and backwards, to the 2001 riots blamed on their gang mentality, and post-7/7 narratives around Yorkshires so-called parallel communities being linked to terrorism, Pakistani men in Bradford are a demographic consistently disparaged and demonised. To my mind, documenting them for TV would require a sensitive approach taking account of the history and context of their lives. However, the production team behind Lost Boys? appear to have thought otherwise. Indeed, the central problem with the documentary is that throughout an entire hour focused on a racialised, largely working-class, Muslim minority; questions of race, racism or class were never explicitly mentioned or interrogated in a structural way. Instead, a narrative was spun that approached the men as if they lived lives devoid of context. They were derided as princelings who were not business-minded enough to get very far in life as contrasted with one random Gujerati family from Uganda who Mehreen has a pint with (proof they, as compared with the Mirpuris, are better assimilated, by the way). I sat, awestruck that this laughable narrative was framed as an explanation for the challenges in Asian mens lives. There was no comment on the effects of structural disadvantage and racism in the employment market, racism and being written off at school, or the deindustrialisation of Bradford which has harmed employment for multiple generations. There was no mention of austerity having removed social services and support from young peoples lives. No hint that intergenerational cycles of poverty may play a role. In fact, there was no appreciation that to compare the Ugandan-Gujerati diaspora with the Mirpuri diaspora is to disingenuously homogenise Asians and make a false comparison. Ugandan-Gujeratis largely migrated from different class backgrounds with more social capital than migrants from Kashmir who came to the UK specifically due to the colonial link and the metropoles calls for unskilled industrial labourers after the second world war. If this had been a rigorous investigation Swann Productions could have included these factors and further explored the fascinating pattern of resource divestment from young Pakistani boys since 2003 as part of the governments counterterrorism strategy which instead (bizarrely) funnelled money to Muslim/Asian girls (conflated in policy) on the assumption they were neglected. All of these factors were absent from the documentary in favour of an easy narrative of victim-blaming. In fact, Mehreens reflections throughout the show insinuated that the solution to problems facing Asian men seemed to lie in making it down to the local pub more often and just thinking as if they had more social capital. What is perhaps even more frustrating than this absurdly reductive analysis, is that the documentary was evidently made with a hypothesis to be proved, not tested. After I tweeted about my frustrations with the show I received responses from two separate men who informed me that they had been filmed extensively for the production only to find out recently that they had been dropped because, as the producers told them, their lives reflected whats going right, not whats going wrong. @thebrownhijabi I was on the show Gohir . I have a masters in structures. 2 of my brothers are doctors, another an engineer and sisters a lawyer we all lived on the same street as Nav. Everyone mashallah has been successful, however I was cropped as I didnt fit the narrative https://t.co/gryKZDjpAx Gohir (@kophite) August 14, 2018 https://twitter.com/afsaralam91/status/1029468092953513984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw These experiences reveal the human side of the selective narrative Lost Boys? presented. Far from being rigorous, it was an investigation presenting an argument, not findings. By erasing stories of financial success, educational attainment or defeating the structural odds, participants were disrespected and a selective story was told which is lazy at best, and exploitative at worst bringing me to my final grievance. The topic of how Mehreen conducted her investigation was the issue of most frustration to the hundreds who liked and retweeted my critique online. She distances herself as much as possible from other British-Pakistanis, particularly the working-class Mirpuris she finds in Bradford whose terraced housing she incredulously comments on as so close together positioning herself as someone with less proximity to the community she is investigating, and more to a middle-class, white voyeur. This explains the often patronising anthropological tone she uses in the documentary which is reminiscent of ethnographers exploring native subjects 150 years ago. Crucially though, while occupying this outsider position makes her relatable to an audience with no personal experience of being Pakistani in Bradford, Mehreen simultaneously reaps the rewards of being an ethnic insider. She gains the trust of participants and viewers because of this, making her findings which reproduce racist, classist tropes vilifying Pakistani men appear valid to a wider audience. In colonial times, people positioned in this way were known as native informants used to validate the dehumanising views the coloniser already held. In this case, Mehreens positionality helps bolster liberal racism and Islamophobic tropes about Pakistani men as lazy and uniquely misogynistic (she repeatedly asks whether the women in these mens lives cook for them to the point that one would assume non-Pakistani men in England must never benefit from patriarchal norms and womens domestic labour). By the end of the show, it was not the boys who were lost, but me. I cannot fathom what the documentary achieved other than to consolidate racist, victim-blaming accounts of Pakistani men in Yorkshire. Such an outcome is not only disappointing but actually harmful since those very tropes are ones used to justify the maltreatment of Pakistani and Muslim men in the justice system, demonise them in the media, and even inform the science behind the governments radicalisation thesis which rests on culturalist assumptions that have been deemed barely valid by the psychologists who wrote the study themselves. And yet, it is the mass belief in tropes such as this documentary put out that keep the stigma, racism and Islamophobia, going. This documentary should have been presented as the opinion piece of an uninformed outsider arriving to Bradford with only the knowledge of media tropes as reference. A rigorous insight would actually give the mic to Asian boys to speak on their own terms, accept contradictory viewpoints, investigate the context and history, and question the role of masculinity among young men more generally. But unfortunately, yet again, Bradfords boys have been spoken over, tokenised and disparaged in the name of giving a green light to white liberals that racism, cultural essentialism and stereotyping have been thumbed-up by an insider. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. The NSA intelligence agency spied on Al Jazeera in 2006, when George Bush criticised the network for its reporting. The National Security Agency (NSA), a US intelligence agency tasked with collecting data for foreign and counter intelligence operations, broke into the encrypted network of the Al Jazeera Media Network and several others in 2006, according to a report by US media. A document provided to The Intercept by NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden shows that the NSA cracked Al Jazeeras Virtual Private Network (VPN), an encrypted tunnel used to secure internet traffic. Recently, NSA has decrypted a number of interesting targets deemed by product lines to have high potential as sources of intelligence, the document states, which is then followed by a list of targets. That list includes Al Jazeera, the Iraqi Ministry of Defence and Interior, the Iraqi state internet provider and four airlines from Russia, Paraguay and Iran. The network that was broken into is a so-called VPN network, a digital tunnel of sorts which all internet traffic gets sent through to protect it from prying eyes. According to the document, the VPNs used by the listed companies and institutions were all decrypted, although details on how exactly this was done are not specified. The data collected after decrypting the internet traffic was being evaluated for intelligence content. Hundreds of additional VPN links have also been identified and are being investigated, it added. {articleGUID} The documents state that at that point, the NSA had been working on trying to break VPN encryption for at least three years. In 2013, German publication Der Spiegel published an article based on the same document, stating the NSA was spying on Al Jazeera, but the publicationdid not detail that this was done through cracking the VPN used by Al Jazeera. It is not known whether the NSA has continued the operation since 2006. Attacks and criticism The document is dated March 23, 2006, a time during which Al Jazeera was repeatedly criticised by then-US President George W Bush for its coverage of the Iraq war and the war in Afghanistan. Two years earlier, in 2004, Bush allegedly discussed bombing Al Jazeeras headquarters in Doha with then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair, according to British media reports. Officials in Washington, DC have dismissed that story. Al Jazeera has been targeted multiple times by the US government, most notably several bombings of its offices. In 2001, a bomb from a US air force plane hit the Al Jazeera bureau in Kabul, Afghanistan, destroying the building, despite the US being aware of the exact coordinates of the offices. Then, in April 2006, a US bomb hit the Al Jazeera bureau in Baghdad, Iraq, killing journalist Tareq Ayyoub and injuring one other person. US forces were again aware of the exact coordinates of the office. The move against the self-exiled politician comes before the presidential election he sought to register for. The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has issued an international arrest warrant for opposition leader Moise Katumbi, who has been in self-imposed exile since 2016. Justice Minister Alexis Thambwe Mwamba said on Thursday that the warrant by the DRCs attorney general was issued to several African and European countries. He must be arrested where he is found, he said. Katumbi tried to enter DRC from Zambia before the August 8 deadline to register as a candidate for Decembers presidential election, but he was denied entry. Mwamba said Katumbi engaged in a political show in trying to return. The wealthy businessman had originally planned to fly from South Africa to Lubumbashi, the capital of Katanga province. But the citys mayor said that Katumbi was refused entry, while the public prosecutors office said the opposition leader had been charged with harming the states domestic and external security and would be immediately arrested if he returned. In a tweet sent out earlier in August after being barred entry, Katumbi said he would fight what he called an attempt to withdraw from Congolese their right to real elections. Self-imposed exile Katumbi had been a leading presidential contender before fleeing DRC in May 2016 as prosecutors announced their intent to try him on charges of hiring mercenaries, which he denied. Once governor of mineral-rich Katanga province, Katumbi in 2015 broke with his former ally, President Joseph Kabila, and has since been sentenced in absentia to three years in prison for property fraud. He also faces charges of undermining state security. The millionaire politician has denied any wrongdoing. Kabila, the son of a former president, has repeatedly delayed elections in recent years resulting in massive anti-government protests, which security forces have at times used deadly force to quell. Last week, Kabila, who has been in power since 2001, announced he would not be running again in the December 28 vote. Instead, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadari will represent the ruling coalition, recently renamed Common Front for Congo. Opposition parties are calling on the government to allow Katumbi to return and stand as a candidate. The opposition presidential hopefuls include Felix Tshisekedi and Jean-Pierre Bemba a former rebel leader and vice president who was jailed at The Hague before his conviction was overturned. Social media giant says it has banned some racist Myanmar figures and organisations, but admits to failures. Facebook has been too slow to address hate speech in Myanmar and is acting to remedy the problem by hiring more Burmese speakers and investing in technology to identify problematic content, according to a company statement. In Thursdays statement, posted online, Facebook said it was using tools to automatically detect hate speech and hiring more Burmese-language speakers to review posts, following up on a pledge made by founder Mark Zuckerberg to US senators in April. The ethnic violence in Myanmar is horrific and we have been too slow to prevent misinformation and hate speech on Facebook, Facebook said. The company said that it had more than 60 Myanmar language experts in June and plans to have at least 100 by the end of the year. Facebook said it had banned a number of Myanmar hate figures and organisations from the platform. The acknowledgement came after a Reuters investigation showed why the company has failed to stem a wave of vitriolic posts about the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority. Investigations revealed that Facebook had for years dedicated scant resources to combating hate speech in Myanmar, which is a market it dominates and where there have been repeated eruptions of ethnic violence. In early 2015, for instance, there were only two people at Facebook who could speak Burmese monitoring problematic posts. Vitriols More than 1,000 examples of posts, comments, images and videos denigrating and attacking the Rohingya and other Muslims were on the social media platform as of last week. Some of the material, which included pornographic anti-Muslim images, has been up on Facebook for as long as six years. There are numerous posts that call the Rohingya and other Muslims dogs and rapists, and urge they be exterminated. Researchers and human rights activists say they have been warning Facebook for years about how its platform was being used to spread hatred against the Rohingya and other Muslims in Myanmar. Some 700,000 Rohingya fled their homes last year after an army crackdown that the US denounced as ethnic cleansing. The Rohingya now live in teeming refugee camps in Bangladesh. The assault comes one day after 34 people were killed at an educational centre in the capital. Two gunmen were killed after a seven-hour battle with the security forces following an attack on an intelligence service centre in Afghanistans capital. The attack, claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group, on Thursday morning started at approximately 10:15am local time (05:45GMT) at the training centre overseen by the National Security Directorate in the citys Qala-e-Wazir area. There are no details on civilian casualty figures yet. A Kabul police spokesperson told Al Jazeera the attackers were shooting from a construction site opposite the centre. Afghan Special Forces, backed by advisers from the NATO-led Resolute Support mission, kept the attackers in a standoff before killing the the two attackers were killed, said officials. Thursdays violence follows a suicide attack at a school in Kabul which killed at least 34 people, and a series of assaults by Taliban fighters across the country, including a days-long assault on the eastern city of Ghazni. The latest fighting has raised questions over prospects for peace talks between the Taliban and the Western-backed government ahead of next weeks Eid al-Adha, a major annual Muslim festival. The last Eid truce, which saw unarmed Taliban fighters mingling with soldiers and police in Kabul and other cities, offered a rare glimpse of peace and Taliban officials say they have held preliminary meetings with US diplomats. But officials have also said they are bracing for more violence with the approach of parliamentary elections in October. Hamas says Israel must be tried before ICC after investigation into 2014 assault that killed 135 Palestinians closes. Hamas has condemned an Israeli decision to close a military investigation into an assault on August 1, 2014, in which 135 Palestinians were killed in Rafah, in the southern part of the besieged Gaza Strip. In a report on Wednesday, the Israeli army cleared itself of wrongdoing and said it would not prosecute commanders who were involved, claiming its investigation found no reason to suspect criminal misconduct. The attack, referred to as Black Friday, was part of a seven-week assault on Gaza, which has been under an Israeli-imposed siege aided by neighbouring Egypt since 2007. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the investigation had no legal or political basis. How can the offender be the judge of the very assault they committed? Qassem told Al Jazeera. This was an attack that the whole world witnessed, and this is an attempt by the Israeli army to escape legal punishment. International rights groups such as Amnesty International had said the Israeli army indiscriminately and deliberately targeted civilians during Black Friday. The groups report cited strong evidence of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity on August 1, 2014, as Israeli forces bombarded residential areas in Rafah in retaliation for the capture of one of its soldiers. There is overwhelming evidence that Israeli forces committed disproportionate, or otherwise indiscriminate, attacks which killed scores of civilians in their homes, on the streets and in vehicles and injured many more, the report read. This includes repeatedly firing artillery and other imprecise explosive weapons in densely populated civilian areas In some cases, there are indications that they directly fired at and killed civilians, including people fleeing. Allegations by Amnesty International and other local NGOs including Btselem led to the launching of a preliminary investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC). But the ICC was not able to open a fully-fledged war crimes investigation, as one of its criteria is whether a country is capable of investigating itself and prosecuting its own citizens. The international community must now take action, said Qassem. Israel must be tried before the ICC, he said. The decision comes days after the United Nations and Egypt secured a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel in the hope of achieving a lasting truce following a series of Israeli attacks that killed three Palestinians, including a pregnant woman and her 18-month-old child, in Gaza last week. According to Qassem, the inability of the international community to hold Israel accountable for the 2014 violence has allowed it to continue killing Palestinian doctors, medics and civilians over the past few months, referring to the Great March of Return rallies. Hannibal Directive The 2014 attack came shortly after a ceasefire agreement was reached. It was quickly broken after Israeli soldiers clashed with Hamas fighters in Rafah. Two Israeli soldiers and one Palestinian fighter died in the subsequent firefight, and Hamas fighters captured a third soldier, Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, who Israel later declared dead. Following his capture, the Israeli army responded by implementing the Hannibal Directive, a controversial order that allowed soldiers to respond by unleashing massive firepower on persons, vehicles and buildings in the vicinity of the attack, despite the risk to civilians, the Amnesty report had noted. More than 2,250 Palestinians, including nearly 1,500 civilians, were killed and a further 11,000 were wounded in the July-August 2014 assault, according to Palestinian and UN estimates. At least 18,000 Palestinian homes were completely destroyed, and 73 medical facilities were severely damaged. Most of the destruction resulted from more than 6,000 Israeli air attacks in less than two months on heavily populated areas. On the Israeli side, 66 soldiers and six civilians died. More than 350 US news outlets join Boston Globe call to run editorials, addressing Trumps assault on the free press. Hundreds of US newspapers have run editorials denouncing US President Donald Trumps attacks on media, in a coordinated effort to promote press freedom. More than 350 news outlets heeded the Boston Globes call to runs the editorials on Thursday to promote press freedom in light of President Trumps frequent attacks on the media. Journalists are not the enemy, read the headline of the Boston Globes editorial on Thursday. The New York Timess editorial board wrote: Criticising the news media for underplaying or overplaying stories, for getting something wrong is entirely right 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. Since taking office last year, Trump has repeatedly criticised the press, often referring to certain outlets as fake news. He has also called the news media the enemy of the American people multiple times. On Thursday, Trump again lashed out at the media, tweeting: THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country.BUT WE ARE WINNING! He also accused the press of pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. An editorial titled, A Free Press Needs You, is published in The New York Times [Mark Lennihan/AP Photo] Using the Nazi game plan This year, Reporters Without Borders dropped the US two spots to number 45 in its annual ranking of 180 countries on press freedom. The group said that while US press freedom is enshrined in the First Amendment of the US Constitution, it has been under increasing attack over the past few years, and the first year of President Donald J Trumps presidency has fostered further decline in journalists right to report. According to the Boston Globe, Thursdays participating newspapers are from big and small markets, including in states and counties where Trump won during the 2016 presidential election. Kentuckys Morehead News, located in an area that voted for Trump in 2016, ran an editorial with the headline: Trump using Nazi game plan in media bashing. We believe the Nazi tactic of 'the big lie' is alive and well at the White House because of President Donald Trump's continuing 'fake news' claims since the 2015 presidential campaign Morehead News Editorial Board The article argued that Trump is using the same tactics as Nazi official Joseph Goebbels, who was often referred to as Nazi Germanys chief propagandist. In the 1930s, Goebbels said: If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it, and you will even come to believe it yourself. Referring to the quote, the papers editorial board wrote: We believe the Nazi tactic of the big lie is alive and well at the White House because of President Donald Trumps continuing fake news claims since the 2015 presidential campaign. In Texas, the Dallas Morning News editorial board wrote: Trump is, of course, not the first US president to voice his grievances with the media. Presidents from John Adams to Richard Nixon to Barack Obama often scuffled with the press corps 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. The article added: We see this as dangerous for the simple reason that by diminishing the press, those who hold high office gain in a greater ability to govern without the steadying force of public scrutiny. Newspapers played into Trumps hands Trumps enemy of the press and fake news comments became a focal point this year after a gunman opened fire on the newsroom of a Maryland paper in June, killing five people and injuring at least two others. Four Capital Gazette journalists were among those killed. That paper chose not to join in Thursday coordinated calling, saying it was more concerned with the views of the community than those of the president. We're just not coordinating with other news organisations because the president's opinion, frankly, is not just that important to us. Capital Gazette Editorial Board Its not that we disagree with concerns about the presidents language in speeches and on social media, the Capital Gazette Editorial Board wrote. We noted with regret the hurtful nature of his remarks last month calling most journalists dishonest even as we attended funerals for five friends and colleagues killed in the June 28 attack on our newsroom, it added. Were just not coordinating with other news organisations because the presidents opinion, frankly, is not just that important to us. Others, including Politicos media critic, Jack Shafer, criticised the coordinated effort by the US newspapers, saying the editorials are playing right into Trumps hand. This Globe-sponsored coordinated editorial response is sure to backfire, Shafer wrote on Tuesday. It will provide Trump with circumstantial evidence of the existence of a national press cabal that has been convened solely to oppose him. Despite the criticism, Marjorie Pritchard, the Boston Globes managing editor of the editorial page and leader of Thursdays effort, said on Twitter that she was proud to stand with all these dedicated journalists from around the country. Proud to stand with all these dedicated journalists from around the country. https://t.co/sv9AM4grCQ marjorie pritchard (@marjoriepritch) August 16, 2018 Thursdays editorials came as the US Senate unanimously passed a resolution, reaffirming the vital and indispensable role the free press serves. The resolution also affirmed that the press is not the enemy of the people. Experts say lightning strike highly unlikely to have caused Genoa bridge disaster as state of emergency is announced. Rome, Italy As the search for survivors in Genoa continues, questions are being raised about whether the collapse of the Morandi bridge one of the main arteries into the city could have been prevented. On August 14, at around 12pm local time (10:00 GMT), the central section of the bridge gave way as Italy experienced a gust of bad weather. So far, 39 people have been confirmed dead, while 12 of the wounded are in critical condition. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte declared a 12-month state of emergency for the northwestern city of Genoa and promised five million euros ($5.7m) to the rescue efforts. Hundreds of people have been evacuated from homes located near the two remaining sections of the bridge for fear they too would collapse. The bridge is to be demolished and an investigation has been opened against unknown persons as the causes of the collapse are yet to be established. The 1,182-metre structure, known as Italys Brooklyn Bridge, was designed by the architect Riccardo Morandi. It was inaugurated in 1967 and went through major reinforcement work in the 1990s. Transport minister Danilo Toninelli and co-deputy Prime Minister Luigi di Maio called for managers of Autostrade per litalia which runs Italys toll highways network and is part of the company Atlantia to resign. Toninelli also threatened to revoke the companys managing license. It is the company that holds the license who is responsible for maintenance and safety. If a bridge like this one collapsed it means this maintenance hasnt been carried out, Toninelli said. {articleGUID} Autostrade per litalia said that routine reinforcement work had been ongoing involving the bridges foundations. The structure was being constantly monitored with highly specialised technology, a statement said. The bridge is subject to constant monitoring, even beyond the quarterly inspections prescribed by law, said Stefano Marigliani, director of the Genoa section of the network, in a radio interview. It was absolutely monitored, we didnt have any reason for concern. We have heard a number of hypotheses, not least this exceptional event of the lightning. We will have to assess what could have happened, Marigliani continued. Italian news agency Ansa quoted a bystander, Pietro M, as saying he saw lightning strike the bridge just before the collapse. A structure at risk Experts told Al Jazeera that the possibility that lightning caused the collapse couldnt be written off, but was highly unlikely. For a collapse of this type, the most likely hypothesis is that one of the stay-cables, those inclined elements linking the pillars summit to the horizontal structure, gave in, Gianni Royer Carfagni, who teaches a course in bridge construction at Parma Universitys engineering and architecture department, told Al Jazeera. The failure of one of the stays can produce a domino effect. Daniele Zonta, a civil and environmental engineering professor at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, also said that the deterioration of the bridges concrete tendons had long been a cause for concern and study. Its state of deterioration was notorious, to the point that the bridge is typically used as a handbook example in Italian structural engineering classes, Zonta said. Exactly for this reason, the bridge was supposedly well maintained and continuously supervised. Experts say the bridge needed constant maintenance works almost since it was first constructed [Stefano Rellandini/Reuters] Ansa cited a 2011 report by Autostrade per litalia as saying the bridge had been suffering from decay due to high traffic. Two years ago, Italian structural engineer and lecturer at Genoa University, Antonio Brencich had warned in an interview with an engineering website that the bridges design was problematic. Ever since the first decades [of its lifespan], the bridge has been subject to major maintenance works, he said, with continuous costs from which we can foresee that in a few years, maintenance costs will have exceeded reconstruction costs. Il Sore 24 Ore, Italys financial newspaper, reported that Autostrade per litalia had launched a 20,000-euro ($22,770) call for tenders in April 2018 for structural retrofitting of the bridge, which would have included work on the collapsed section. Stays on the eastern span of the bridge had been remade, with huge costs, said Royer Carfagni, the Parma University lecturer, But it was thought that the problem was not critical on the western span, which is the one that collapsed. A decade of discussions But the state of the bridge had been under discussion for more than a decade. According to newspaper reports dating back to 2006, the government and highways company had considered demolishing and rebuilding the structure as part of a project to build the gronda highway bypass. Planners wanted to alleviate traffic on the Morandi viaduct, which saw 25 million vehicles transit through it each year almost one a second. However, the project was highly contested and a public debate took place in 12 meetings between February and April 2009. Five options to ease traffic were presented to citizens, but grassroots committees opposed them over concerns about costs as well as the impact on the environment and local residents. {articleGUID} The debate continued and in December 2012, it was brought up in a public hearing of the Genoa City Council. Giovanni Calvini, the local president of the Confindustria, the general confederation of Italian industry, said in interview earlier that month: When, in 10 years, the Morandi bridge will collapse, and all of us will have to be stuck in traffic for hours, we will remember the names of those who now say no [to the expansion]. Councillor Paolo Putti of the now-governing Five Star Movement criticised Calvinis comment. In an April 2013 press release, a Five Star Movement citizens committee, which was among those against the work, referred to the potential collapse of the Morandi bridge as a fairy tale. A screenshot of the page, which now appears to have been removed, was widely shared online since the collapse. If Autostrade per litalia [at the time] said everything was in order, that is a problem, said Luigi di Maio, head of the Five Star Movement and Italys co-deputy prime minister, in an interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica on Thursday. Lets avoid playing with this event in order to blame the Five Star Movement. The gronda highway bypass was eventually approved by Italys former transport minister in September 2017. Five collapsed bridges in five years The Morandi bridge collapse is the latest in a series of similar incidents at least five in the past five years. On April 18, 2017, a viaduct collapsed along a bypass road near Fossano in the northwestern region of Piedmont, narrowly missing a police car under the bridge. The bridge had been built in the 1990s by a government-owned company. Another bridge came down on the A14 highway near Ancona on March 9, 2017, a stretch of road also controlled by Autostrade per litalia. Two people were killed and another two injured. Firefighters and rescue workers are still clearing the rubble from Tuesdays collapse [Stefano Rellandini/Reuters] On October 29, 2016, an overpass bridge fell on a motorway in Annone Brianza, in the northern region of Lombardy, just as a truck was crossing it, killing one and injuring five. While on October 22, 2013, a bridge collapsed during heavy rains in Liguria, the same region that hosted the Morandi bridge, killing two. Royer Carfagni said these collapses had different structural causes but were still linked to the fact that construction was made using old design techniques, and to the possibility of corrosion problems. We need to find out how extensive inspections were. If just superficial, then the maintenance would be superficial as well, professor Muhammed Basheer, head of the civil engineering school at the University of Leeds in the UK, told Al Jazeera. The possibility of missing potential causes of deterioration might have contributed to the failure. Fifty-four people sentenced to five years in prison over killings of about 20 people in 2011, as 22 others acquitted. A Libyan court has sentenced 45 people to death by firing squad for killings committed in the capital, Tripoli, during the 2011 uprising The statement published by the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday did not give any further details about the case. However, an official said the sentences were linked to killings perpetrated by forces loyal to former ruler Muammar Gaddafi shortly before he was toppled. A further 54 people were sentenced to five years in prison over the deaths of at least 20 people, while 22 others were acquitted. Defence lawyers and relatives of the accused were present for the verdict, but the defendants were not in court. A picture of the proceedings posted by the ministry showed two guards with large guns standing close to black-robed judges inside the courtroom. It is not known whether other death sentences handed down in Libya since 2011 have been carried out. Rights group Amnesty International, in its latest annual report, described Libyas court system as dysfunctional. The group said many suspects had been held since 2011 with no judicial oversight or means to challenge the legality of their detention. Keita won with 67 percent of the vote in a runoff against opposition rival Soumaila Cisse. Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has been re-elected as president after beating opposition candidate, Soumaila Cisse, in a runoff vote. The Ministry of Territorial Administration on Thursday declared Keita the winner of the repeat poll held on Sunday with 67 percent of ballots cast. Cisse, a former finance minister, who also ran against Keita in 2013, secured 32 percent of the votes. Keita will serve his second five-year term as Malian leader. Cisse had accused the incumbents camp of cheating in the first round, which saw him secure 18 percent of the vote against Keitas 41 percent. The repeat poll was marred by a low turnout amid security concerns and voter apathy. Threats by armed fighters forced nearly 500 polling stations about two percent of the total to stay closed during the runoff, the government said. One election official was killed in northern Niafunke, in the Timbuktu region. Keita, who is 73, will take office on September 4. His immediate challenges include strengthening a 2015 peace accord between the government, its allies, and former Tuareg rebels. The peace agreement raised hopes of stability, but its meaningful implementation has been challenging. Mali is a landlocked nation home to at least 20 ethnic groups where the majority of people live on less than $2 a day. The country has battled attacks by armed groups and intercommunal violence for years. @joeflech The owner of Little Havana nightclub Ball and Chain, Bill Fuller, has accused Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo making false code violation complaints and staking out the bar late at night. Fuller took his accusations to the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust earlier this year, claiming Carollo was targeting his club for code violations as retaliation for Fuller's support of Carollo's opponent in last year's commission race, Alfonso "Alfie" Leon. But at a ethics commission meeting Wednesday, Fuller asked to withdraw the formal complaint. After it was withdrawn, the complaint was made public. Miami New Times detailed Fuller's complaint Thursday morning, including allegations that Carollo followed Ball and Chain's valet employees and once tried to have Fuller's holiday shut down by accusing Fuller of handing out illegal drugs at the party. Fuller's attorney, Alexander Orlofsky, wrote in a letter to the commission that Fuller wished to withdraw the complaint because "it was too narrowly drafted," not because the allegations were untrue. Fuller might take "further legal action" or file another ethics complaint. Without mentioning names, Carollo has referenced his ire for Fuller in public meetings since he is election in November 2017. He's asked the city administration to up code enforcement across his district, which covers much of Little Havana, and griped about certain business owners getting off easy without scrutiny from code compliance officers. He's also mentioned multiple late-night tours of the area with city officials, including City Manager Emilio Gonzalez. Marikana massacre: Families still waiting for justice Six years after the Marikana massacre, the grief felt by families and survivors is evident. Nicaraguans marchers call for release of political prisoners More than 2,000 people have been arrested during nearly four months of demonstrations against President Daniel Ortega Group will coordinate and run policy towards Tehran, but analysts say the initiative puts US on path to war with Iran. Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, has formed a dedicated group to coordinate and run the countrys policy towards Iran following President Donald Trumps unilateral withdrawal from a multinational nuclear deal with Tehran. Pompeo announced the creation of the Iran Action Group (IAG) at a news conference on Thursday, naming Brian Hook, the Department of States director of policy planning, as its head. We are committed to a whole of government effort to change the Iranian regimes behaviour and the Iran Action Group will ensure that the Department of State will remain closely synchronised with our interagency partners, he said. The IAG will also lead the way in growing efforts with nations which share our understanding of the Iranian threat. Speaking to reporters after Pompeo, Hook said Irans malign activities were wide-ranging and Washingtons new strategy was addressing all manifestations of the Iranian threat. The new Iran Action Group will be focused on implementing that strategy, added Hook, who will have the formal title of the Special Representative for Iran. Reactions Sina Toossi, a research analyst at the Washington-based National Iranian American Council (NIAC), said appointing Hook to head the new policy initiative puts the US on the path to war with Iran. Nonetheless, Hook stands to play an instrumental role in facilitating US-Iran diplomacy if President Trump follows through on his call for negotiations, Toossi told Al Jazeera. In late July, Trump, who has repeatedly criticised Irans leaders, said he is willing to meet with them with no preconditions even though Pompeo later walked back some of the presidents comments. Toossi said that if the Trump administration was sincere in pursuing talks, it should reverse course on its decision to pull out of the 2015 nuclear deal. In a separate statement on social media, NIAC said the programme announced by Pompeo was another echo of the lead-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, when the George Bush administration tried to cherry-pick intelligence and make the case for war. Brian Hook will lead the Iran Action Group [Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP] Diako Hosseini, a senior analyst at Tehrans Center for Strategic Studies, a think-tank close to the Iranian government, said on Thursday night that he doubted that Pompeo was interested in opening negotiations with Iran. But if this is the first step before entering into any direct talks, it would be constructive if they facilitate in pursuing a realistic approach, to consider Irans legitimate concerns, Hosseini told Al Jazeera. I hope this initiative helps the US find a rational way to resolve disputes. Earlier on Thursday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani questioned the wisdom of Trumps decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal. America took some steps that removed the conditions for talks. They destroyed the bridge themselves, and now they are standing on the other side asking, How can I cross? Why destroy the bridge when you wanted to walk across? On Monday, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in the countrys most important political decisions, ruled out negotiations with the Trump administration. He said that as demonstrated in the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran will only enter into negotiations in the position of strength so that US pressures and uproars wont affect us. Recently, US officials have been talking blatantly about us. Beside sanctions, they are talking about war and negotiations. In this regard, let me say a few words to the people: THERE WILL BE NO WAR, NOR WILL WE NEGOTIATE WITH THE US, Khamenei said in a Twitter post. Unsuccessful attempt Hook led the ultimately unsuccessful attempt of the Trump administration to negotiate changes to the nuclear deal with European allies before the president decided in May to pull out of the landmark accord. Since withdrawing, the administration has re-imposed sanctions that were eased under the landmark deal and has steadily ramped up pressure on Iran to try to get it to stop what it describes as malign activities in the region. In addition to its nuclear and missile programmes, the US has demanded that Iran scale back its military presence in neighbouring Middle Eastern countries, among other issues. It has also in recent weeks stepped up criticism of Irans human rights record and is working with other nations to curb their imports of Iranian oil. The US administration is warning Irans oil customers that they will face sanctions in November unless they significantly reduce their imports with an eye on eliminating them entirely. It has also told businesses and governments in Europe that they may also be subject to penalties if they violate, ignore or attempt to subvert the re-imposed US sanctions. Tehran has accused the Trump administration of pushing for regime change in Iran, deepening distrust. The US has denied the allegations, despite its ties to the Iranian exile group, MEK. Additional reporting by Ted Regencia in Tehran At least 34 people were killed in Thursdays suicide attack by ISIL in Kabul, and most of them were students. Ahmad Sharifi stepped out of his class on Wednesday to buy a bottle of water when he heard a loud explosion that shook the walls of his school west of the Afghan capital, Kabul. The 15-year-old could hear the screams of students inside the classrooms. He quickly realised it was an attack. I ran away as fast as I could out of the school when I heard the explosion. I stood outside a few feet away from the school and saw many wounded students running out, he told Al Jazeera. I waited outside for my friends but could not find them anywhere. Sharifi went back to his classroom after the attack and saw the dead bodies of his fellow students. The bomb blast was later claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS). At least 34 people were killed. The attack in the Shia Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood left dozens more injured, according to Waheed Majrooh, a spokesman for Afghanistans Ministry of Public Health. It was not clear how many students were at the Mawoud Academy which specialises in preparing students for university exams at the time. Although Sharifi escaped unhurt, he was taken to hospital after he fainted at the site. Many students died, I could have been one of them, Sharifi said. Relatives bury victims On Thursday, hundreds of people gathered to bury their loved ones at cemeteries in Kabul, among them Mohammad Yousuf, who laid his sister, 16-year-old Shaziya, to rest. My friends called me yesterday saying there was an attack on the school my sister used to go to. I ran to the site and found my sister in a bad condition. She was soaked in blood, he said. She was rushed to the hospital but did not survive. The Dasht-e-Barchi area is densely populated by Afghan ethnic minority, Hazaras, a Shia community that has been targeted in the past by similar attacks. In one of the biggest episodes of violence against the community, in 2016, ISILs twin explosions ripped through a protest by the Shia Hazara minority in Kabul killing at least 80 people and wounding more than 230. We are directly targeted by fighters because of our ethnicity. This is our only fault, Yousuf said. Afghanistan has been reeling from a series of attacks in the past week that has left scores of Afghan troops and civilians dead, highlighting Afghanistans vulnerability to armed groups which remain capable of carrying out large-scale assaults. While Wednesdays blast was claimed by ISIL, the Taliban has been conducting attacks on security forces across the country, including a five-day assault in a bid to capture the eastern city of Ghazni that left 150 civilians dead. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said in March that 3.5 million children are deprived of education and at least 1,000 schools have remained closed across the country. At least 86 have been destroyed by attacks this year alone, according to UN figures. In latest figures released in July, UN Assistance Mission of Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported 1,692 civilians were killed during the first six months of 2018 the most recorded in the period over the last decade since the agency began documentation. Back at the victims funerals, Yusuf said he will not be able to forget the state he found his sister in the school after the attack. She went to school to learn but left in blood-soaked clothes. Washington imposed sanctions last week, sending Turkeys currency plummeting. More video clips from the story Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, has been held in custody with his next court appearance due on August 23. A pop-star-turned-opposition-MP in Uganda has been charged with unlawful possession of weapons in a military court, following his arrest after the presidential convoy was pelted with stones. Robert Kyagulanyi, who goes by the stage name Bobi Wine, was arrested in the northwestern town of Arua earlier this week. Honerable Kyagulanyi has today been arraigned before the General Court Martial in Gulu and charged on accounts of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, a statement signed by army spokesman Brigadier Richard Karemire said on Thursday. Kyagulanyi has been held in custody and will reappear in court on August 23. He has not been seen in public since he was detained. His lawyer, Medard Sseggona, told reporters after Thursdays closed-door hearing that his client had been so brutalised he cannot walk, he cannot stand, he can only sit with difficulty It is hard to say whether he understands this and that. Kyagulanyis wife insisted he does not know how to handle a weapon, and rights activists demanded his release. In a suburb of the capital, Kampala, small groups of his supporters took to the streets and burned tyres in protest but police quickly dispersed them, national police spokesman Emilian Kayima said. Three other legislators arrested alongside Ssentamu were charged earlier on Thursday with treason in a magistrates court in Gulu. {articleGUID} Many Ugandans expressed concern for Kyagulanyis safety after Ugandas deputy prime minister told legislators he had been hospitalised in custody, without giving details. The clashes broke out on Monday when Kyagulanyi and other politicians, including President Yoweri Museveni, were in Arua campaigning in a by-election to choose a legislator after the previous one was shot dead near Kampala in June. Ssentamus driver was shot dead in the clashes. The legislator later posted a picture of the dead man on Twitter, saying he had been killed by the police thinking theyve shot at me A group of legislators authorised by the parliamentary speaker to investigate the situation told reporters on Thursday that they had been unable to see the pop star. Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential challenger who has himself been detained many times, told reporters that Ssentamus case highlighted what he called the hopelessness of parliament before a powerful army military. Museveni has said in a statement that Ssentamu and others would be punished according to the law. Kyagulanyi, who is his 30s and was elected to parliament last year, has emerged as a powerful voice with his calls for young people to stand up and take over this East African country from what he calls the current governments failed leadership. In hotly contested by-elections this year, he has backed candidates who emerged victorious, signalling his rise in ranks of the political opposition. Many followers urge him to run in the next presidential election in 2021. {articleGUID} Museveni, a key US security ally, took power by force in 1986 and has since been elected five times. The last vote in 2016 was marred by allegations of fraud. Although Museveni has campaigned on his record of establishing peace and stability, some worry that those gains are being eroded the longer he stays in power. Museveni, who is 73, is now able to seek re-election in 2021 because parliament passed legislation last year removing a clause in the Constitution that had prevented anyone over 75 from holding the presidency. Since it was established in 2004, RAB has been accused of serious human rights violations and abuse of power. Moynihan offered no solution to the illegitimacy crisis, but he predicted that unless this trend was reversed all the effort to end discrimination and poverty and injustice will come to little. The Davis-Bacon Act was passed in 1931 so whites could compete against what many of them dismissed as cheap colored labor. Even racists who favored of this legislation probably never imagined that wage regulations would do more damage to the black community than all the evils of Jim Crow put together. Since institutions of higher education do not impart wisdom, expressing support for a living wage is usually the path of least resistance for students and faculty. If you really want to check your privilege try out this thought experiment: Imagine owning a restaurant struggling to get by on a 2% profit margin. How do you stay in business when the minimum wage is raised to $15 an hour? Since institutions of higher education do not impart wisdom, expressing support for a living wage is usually the path of least resistance for students and faculty. If you really want to check your privilege try out this thought experiment: Imagine owning a restaurant struggling to get by on a 2% profit margin. How do you stay in business when the minimum wage is raised to $15 an hour? With so much evidence that wage regulations hurt the poorest members of the most reliably Democrat voting bloc, why do mainstream Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and Elizabeth Warren support raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour? Any seasoned politician can answer that: minimum wage is that bright shiny object that distracts from the pedestrian reality of cost/benefit analysis. It allows aspiring candidates to conspicuously display their concern for the poor at the expense of boring grown-ups struggling to make their tables and charts understandable to general audiences. The minimum wage still hurts poor blacks today. A comprehensive survey of 21 states by the Employment Policies Institute found that federal wage increases in 2007, 2008, and 2009 resulted in 18,500 jobs lost by black young adults. This was 40% higher than their job losses attributed to Great Recession of 2008. Data from the EPI also shows that blacks often take jobs in limited service restaurants. These businesses are more sensitive to changes in minimum wage because they hire employees with less marketable skills. Employment opportunities changed after the Federal government started to regulate wages with the Davis-Bacon Act in 1931 and the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938 . Before 1950 these policies had a limited impact because the federal minimum wage were below the market rate . Then in 1950 it was increased from 40 to 75 per hour (Fig. 5). Employers who hired blacks to cut operating costs were suddenly required to pay everyone more than the market rate. Since blacks were no longer permitted to underbid their white competitors, many business revised their hiring decisions. Long before Affirmative Action, there was almost no difference in workforce participation between white and black men (Fig. 4). Even under the shadow of Jim Crow, black men sometimes found jobs more easily than their white counterparts (see 1880 and 1910). Starting in 1950, the jobless rate for black men exceeded that of white men by a large margin. It also increased steadily every decade until 1990. Why did the job market suddenly become so unfavorable for black men? Long before Affirmative Action, there was almost no difference in workforce participation between white and black men (Fig. 4). Even under the shadow of Jim Crow, black men sometimes found jobs more easily than their white counterparts (see 1880 and 1910). Starting in 1950, the jobless rate for black men exceeded that of white men by a large margin. It also increased steadily every decade until 1990. Why did the job market suddenly become so unfavorable for black men? Fig. 4: Reprinted from The Emergence, Persistence, and Recent Widening of the Racial Unemployment Gap (p 257), by R. Fairlie and W. Sundstrom, January 1999, Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Vol. 52, No 2. Reprinted with permission. In 1965 the assistant Secretary of Labor called attention to the illegitimacy rate in the black community through an internal memo that would later be known to the public as The Moynihan Report . In this report, he pointed out that there was a very strong correlation between black male unemployment and number of women applying for welfare between 1948 and 1962 ( correlation coefficient = 0.91). This concurs with a 1986 survey of inner-city Chicago residents showing that employed fathers were 2 times more likely to marry the mothers of the children they conceived outside of marriage. When did black unemployment become a national crisis? Some attribute the increase in out-of-wedlock births to perverse incentives of President Lyndon B. Johnsons Great Society initiated in 1964, but this fails to explain why the trend rose sharply in the 1950s. Why did so many black fathers check out in the 1950s? Some attribute the increase in out-of-wedlock births to perverse incentives of President Lyndon B. Johnsons Great Society initiated in 1964, but this fails to explain why the trend rose sharply in the 1950s. Why did so many black fathers check out in the 1950s? People who disagree on the existence of white privilege usually find common ground on the importance of fathers. Data compiled by the Heritage Foundation shows that black illegitimacy did not increase significantly between 1931 and 1940. The persistent breakdown of the black family appears to have started only after 1940 (Fig. 3). Based on data compiled in 1973-1997 , black teens at risk of dropping out of high school were three times more likely to be living in female-headed households than their white counterparts who are comparably at risk. Since the absence of fathers is correlated with violent crime and poor school performance , two parent privilege may provide a more accurate explanation for the post-1950s racial gaps in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Notably, the same 1960s generation that was being disproportionately incarcerated also stopped making academic progress (Fig. 2) even though they were less likely to have attended segregated schools. Why did black men born after the 1950s fare so poorly? Notably, the same 1960s generation that was being disproportionately incarcerated also stopped making academic progress (Fig. 2) even though they were less likely to have attended segregated schools. Why did black men born after the 1950s fare so poorly? The authors attributed this increased difference to a move towards more punitive treatment of arrested offenders, but they did not rule on the possibility that young black men are now offending at a higher rate than they did in the past. The authors attributed this increased difference to a move towards more punitive treatment of arrested offenders, but they did not rule on the possibility that young black men are now offending at a higher rate than they did in the past. Fig. 1: Based on data from The Prison Boom and the Lack of Black Progress After Smith and Welch (Tables 3 & 4), by D. Neal and A. Rick, July 2014, National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 20283. Americans from all ends of the political spectrum usually agree on a need to address racial disparities in schooling, workforce participation, and incarceration rates. Ironically, some of these gaps have gotten even worse for blacks born after the Civil Rights Movement. A prime example of this alarming trend is the disproportionate incarceration rate of black men who were born after 1960 (Fig. 1). Since the data for both groups is based on men who did not complete high school, this gap cannot be blamed on large differences in education. Americans from all ends of the political spectrum usually agree on a need to address racial disparities in schooling, workforce participation, and incarceration rates. Ironically, some of these gaps have gotten even worse for blacks born after the Civil Rights Movement. A prime example of this alarming trend is the disproportionate incarceration rate of black men who were born after 1960 (Fig. 1). Since the data for both groups is based on men who did not complete high school, this gap cannot be blamed on large differences in education. Americans from all ends of the political spectrum usually agree on a need to address racial disparities in schooling, workforce participation, and incarceration rates. Ironically, some of these gaps have gotten even worse for blacks born after the Civil Rights Movement. A prime example of this alarming trend is the disproportionate incarceration rate of black men who were born after 1960 (Fig. 1). Since the data for both groups is based on men who did not complete high school, this gap cannot be blamed on large differences in education. Fig. 1: Based on data from The Prison Boom and the Lack of Black Progress After Smith and Welch (Tables 3 & 4), by D. Neal and A. Rick, July 2014, National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 20283. The authors attributed this increased difference to a move towards more punitive treatment of arrested offenders, but they did not rule on the possibility that young black men are now offending at a higher rate than they did in the past. Fig. 2: Based on data from Why Has the Black-White Skill Convergence Stopped? (Table 1), by D. Neal, January 2005, National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 11090. Notably, the same 1960s generation that was being disproportionately incarcerated also stopped making academic progress (Fig. 2) even though they were less likely to have attended segregated schools. Why did black men born after the 1950s fare so poorly? People who disagree on the existence of white privilege usually find common ground on the importance of fathers. Data compiled by the Heritage Foundation shows that black illegitimacy did not increase significantly between 1931 and 1940. The persistent breakdown of the black family appears to have started only after 1940 (Fig. 3). Based on data compiled in 1973-1997 , black teens at risk of dropping out of high school were three times more likely to be living in female-headed households than their white counterparts who are comparably at risk. Since the absence of fathers is correlated with violent crime and poor school performance , two parent privilege may provide a more accurate explanation for the post-1950s racial gaps in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Some attribute the increase in out-of-wedlock births to perverse incentives of President Lyndon B. Johnsons Great Society initiated in 1964, but this fails to explain why the trend rose sharply in the 1950s. Why did so many black fathers check out in the 1950s? In 1965 the assistant Secretary of Labor called attention to the illegitimacy rate in the black community through an internal memo that would later be known to the public as The Moynihan Report . In this report, he pointed out that there was a very strong correlation between black male unemployment and number of women applying for welfare between 1948 and 1962 ( correlation coefficient = 0.91). This concurs with a 1986 survey of inner-city Chicago residents showing that employed fathers were 2 times more likely to marry the mothers of the children they conceived outside of marriage. When did black unemployment become a national crisis? Long before Affirmative Action, there was almost no difference in workforce participation between white and black men (Fig. 4). Even under the shadow of Jim Crow, black men sometimes found jobs more easily than their white counterparts (see 1880 and 1910). Starting in 1950, the jobless rate for black men exceeded that of white men by a large margin. It also increased steadily every decade until 1990. Why did the job market suddenly become so unfavorable for black men? Employment opportunities changed after the Federal government started to regulate wages with the Davis-Bacon Act in 1931 and the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938 . Before 1950 these policies had a limited impact because the federal minimum wage were below the market rate . Then in 1950 it was increased from 40 to 75 per hour (Fig. 5). Employers who hired blacks to cut operating costs were suddenly required to pay everyone more than the market rate. Since blacks were no longer permitted to underbid their white competitors, many business revised their hiring decisions. The minimum wage still hurts poor blacks today. A comprehensive survey of 21 states by the Employment Policies Institute found that federal wage increases in 2007, 2008, and 2009 resulted in 18,500 jobs lost by black young adults. This was 40% higher than their job losses attributed to Great Recession of 2008. Data from the EPI also shows that blacks often take jobs in limited service restaurants. These businesses are more sensitive to changes in minimum wage because they hire employees with less marketable skills. With so much evidence that wage regulations hurt the poorest members of the most reliably Democrat voting bloc, why do mainstream Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and Elizabeth Warren support raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour? Any seasoned politician can answer that: minimum wage is that bright shiny object that distracts from the pedestrian reality of cost/benefit analysis. It allows aspiring candidates to conspicuously display their concern for the poor at the expense of boring grown-ups struggling to make their tables and charts understandable to general audiences. Since institutions of higher education do not impart wisdom, expressing support for a living wage is usually the path of least resistance for students and faculty. If you really want to check your privilege try out this thought experiment: Imagine owning a restaurant struggling to get by on a 2% profit margin. How do you stay in business when the minimum wage is raised to $15 an hour? Moynihan offered no solution to the illegitimacy crisis, but he predicted that unless this trend was reversed all the effort to end discrimination and poverty and injustice will come to little. The Davis-Bacon Act was passed in 1931 so whites could compete against what many of them dismissed as cheap colored labor. Even racists who favored of this legislation probably never imagined that wage regulations would do more damage to the black community than all the evils of Jim Crow put together. About Me: Marino J. Dasmarinas I facilitate/conduct Spiritual Recollections and Talks. I also provide relevant Seminars, Workshops and Lectures/Talks on Organizational Behavior. I entertain conversation on Organizational Behavior via Skype/Zoom for an hour free! View my complete profile PayMaya: 09176770261 GCash: 09176770261 THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Virgin Coconut Oil for Sale I take one spoonful of this VCO everyday as a supplement. I dilute this in 300 ml warm water, stir it very well and drink it before retiring at night. I also gargle for 20 minutes one spoonful of this VCO at least twice a week before retiring at night. Whenever I experience symptoms of UTI, Flu or Cold, I take 1 spoonful of this VCO 3X a day every 8 hours for 7 days and I am healed by it. I also gargle one spoonful of this VCO at least twice a day whenever I have stuffy/runny nose and sore throat and I am healed by it as well. This is based on my personal experience in taking this Cold-pressed VCO which I have been making since 2005. Marino J. Dasmarinas If youre interested to buy please send me a private message/direct message you can also call or text. VCO can also be delivered via Lalamove and you can also pay using GCash or PayMaya I am located in this address: Blk-29 Lot 27 Carmona Townhomes Brgy. Milagrosa Carmona Cavite (0917-6770261) Price: 350/500ml Thanks! Please Like and Share My Reflections' Facebook Page. Thanks and God bless you! My Reflections Promote Your Page Too Blog Archive Share this blog: This might sound like an apocryphal story, but people had textbooks full of information, teachers discussed this information, and students learned it for life. Believe it or not, there was once a time when the ideal purpose was to teach lots of stuff. Any serious stuff. The diameter of the Earth. What's the Amazon? Why do people still talk about Alexander the Great? Facts and knowledge were assumed to have an intrinsic value. You ought to know this stuff. There was a second benefit in discussing lots of facts. Your brain becomes more facile at juggling, comparing, and analyzing various kinds of new information. This facility was once upon a time the very essence of education. Jean-Jacques Rousseau took things in a new direction, with his emphasis on emotion and feelings in education. John Dewey and his gang started an emphasis on ideology and politics. Point is, lots of educational theorists became more absorbed in theory than in education itself. People discuss educational goals in abstract terms. The emphasis isn't on acquiring facts and knowledge. It is more like discussing a trip to Europe. What should happen? What feelings should we have? What would be the perfect accommodations and the best meals? What is the real meaning of a trip to Europe? Brace yourself. Here's one pundit's vision: An ideal school environment works to build safe learning spaces for students. An ideal school environment attracts teachers who are knowledgeable, care about student learning, and adapt their instruction to meet the needs of their learners. An ideal school environment tries to be nimble and adjust as the needs of students shift. An ideal school environment works hard to make the curriculum relevant to the lives of students. An ideal school environment works hard to develop authentic measures for assessing student learning. An ideal school environment recognizes that student success is a complex idea and measuring it must be accomplished with many tools. An ideal school environment is led by people who value others, their voice and need for choice. There is lots of talk about "learning" but no mention of what anybody actually learns. Here's a second vision of what constitutes the ideal school: Teaching and learning occur in dynamic environments. In these environments, teachers, students, materials, textbooks, technologies, and social structures are all related and interactive. Learning and teaching occurs [sic] across five basic dimensions: Confidence and independence Knowledge and understanding Skills and strategies Use of prior and emerging experience Critical reflection These five elements are known as the dimensions of learning. They cannot be treated individually; instead, they are dynamically interwoven. They describe the basic elements that must be part of every classroom learning (and teaching) experience. Students learn best when these five dimensions are addressed and incorporated into every teaching/learning experience. Really?! A third expert wants this future: That school and life couldn't be more different is beside the point. One takeaway is that schools only fail relative to a goal; if we changed the goal, it changes the nature of any failure. Most challenges are challenges of scale, so I became curious here what 'school' would be like if it weren't so ambitious: Not if we stopped wanting the best for children, but rather if [we] designed a learning model that couldn't fail by design because its goal was enduring quality based on place, limits, scale, affections, sustainability, adaptivity, and patience. It's easy to argue that such airy speculations serve little purpose. For sure, they distract us from the real question. What knowledge should children learn? Specifically? Here are the essentials. Children learn to read in the first grade. They learn cursive writing. They learn basic arithmetic and can multiply two-digit numbers by the end of third grade. They learn the multiplication tables. They learn geography continuously so they know the names of the oceans, continents, biggest rivers, highest mountains, and major countries. As for history, the big names and the big events are the most entertaining things to learn and the things that people should know. What's the big deal about the Egyptians? Why are people still talking about the Great Wall of China? Why are we still amazed by what the Romans did? Of course, kids learn the names of the days and months. They discuss Aesop's fables. They learn the sort of basic things that every adult should know. Ideally and easily enough, children learn at least One New Fact Each Day. Let that be the official goal of every school. After a few years, students have a real education. Airy theorists seem satisfied to teach fewer facts to fewer people. Real educators think big. They always want to teach everything to every kid. Think of Maria Montessori going to a school for learning-disabled children and announcing that she would teach them all. Imagine Marvin Collins starting a school in a bad part of Chicago and announcing to the world that she would take all students and send them on to college. And think of one of the great lines in all of education: "No one knows, no one can even guess how much knowledge a child will want and, if it is presented in the right way, will digest." Thank you, Gilbert Highet. A lot of these theorists are obsessed with creating pretty learning environments. Maybe the students need beanbag chairs or a new picture on the wall. This stuff is probably overrated. When there's nothing appealing to look at, you listen more acutely to words. Put kids in a fancy new school with art on the walls: why listen to a lecture? Finally, these theorists create fantasy schools while at the same time pretending not to notice real problems crippling real schools. For example, we have elementary schools where few of the children can actually read. Ergo, they can't learn geography, history, general science, etc. So how can you talk about an ideal school? Conversely, fix the reading problem, and almost any school is going to work. Programs like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? continue to illuminate our fascination with intriguing questions and odd morsels of knowledge. A recent program asked about a "drupe." Who has even heard this word? The question listed four fruits and asked which one didn't fit. The contestant figured out that three of the fruits had pits, and the other had seeds. Ergo, he said "apple" and won. Smart people are probably more innately curious, so they're easier to teach. The real challenge for public schools is to excite curiosity in a greater range of average students. That's the goal. Here's the trifecta of how to do it. Interesting people teach interesting stuff in interesting ways. As a society, we shouldn't chatter on about how to do this someday in the hazy future. Let's do it today. Bruce Deitrick Price's new book is Saving K-12: What happened to our public schools? How do we fix them? He deconstructs educational theories and methods on Improve-Education.org. Putting Science on the Stand In a closely watched decision, a California jury ruled last week that Monsanto owed former Bay Area school groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson $289 million in damages. Though Monsanto maintains that its products are safe, pointing to clean bills of health from a wide array of national health agencies, Johnson's attorneys argued that the company covered up the risks of the weed-killers Roundup and Ranger Pro which they say were responsible for their client's terminal cancer. The lawsuit thus carefully avoided delving into the complex epidemiology of Roundup's active ingredient, glyphosate, arguing instead that the groundskeeper's illness arose from glyphosate's interactions with the weed-killer's other ingredients. Yet with even less available evidence about the safety of Roundup's formulation than about glyphosate, the verdict has revealed far more about the challenges of evaluating science in the courtroom than about the herbicide's alleged risks. 300+ newspapers publish the same anti-Trump editorial today Today marks another milepost on the funeral march of the American newspaper industry. Has there ever before been such a mass demonstration of self-unawareness as the collective expression of outrage this morning by the editorial boards of these ailing enterprises? Here is the editorial as it appears today in the Boston Globe, which no doubt will receive one or more journalism awards (journalists love to give each other awards for agreeing with each other) for their "courage" as if howling mobs were outside their doors and military vans on their way to seize the printing presses. The editorial, indeed, raises the fear of being shut down right up front, relying on a poll supposedly indicating a public ready to send storm troopers into the nation's newsrooms. Ginning up polls is standard operating procedure for the media, who are well aware that by careful wording and sequencing on questions, you can shape the public response into the direction you are hoping for. In this case, Trump-haters are anxious to manufacture a purported threat to shut them down, which is something nobody in a position of authority has ever even hinted at. Replacing a free media with a state-run media has always been a first order of business for any corrupt regime taking over a country. Today in the United States we have a president who has created a mantra that members of the media who do not blatantly support the policies of the current US administration are the "enemy of the people." This is one of the many lies that have been thrown out by this president, much like an old-time charlatan threw out "magic" dust or water on a hopeful crowd. The tell here is the word "blatant." It means unashamedly, with the direct implication that support for "the policies of the current U.S. administration" is shameful. All of them. The notion of a state-run media waiting in the wings is pure paranoid fantasy and a straw man argument. You can read the whole thing yourself. It is pathetic. So is the graphic attached to the project, with Texas apparently incontinent. Or is it the newspapers? The great satirist Richard Terrell captures the ridiculousness of journalists who tout their "independence": My friend Andrew Malcolm, a veteran journalist who made his career as a foreign correspondent of the New York Times, has at Hot Air the best commentary on the pathetic effort (read the whole thing): When's the last time you read a newspaper editorial, online or in print, and thought, "You know, that anonymous writer is right and I've been wrong all these years!" Or more accurately, when's the last time you read a newspaper editorial period? I know. I don't read them either. And I wrote them for several of my wonderfully rewarding 40+ years in newspaper journalism. As part of their drift off into monopoly arrogance, newspapers in general and editorial pages in particular somehow came to think and lecture like they knew better than the readers who paid good money to read their words. They were pharmacists handing out a daily dose of the news they prescribed. Not a good attitude for any business to have toward customers, especially in an era of expanding free choices. And now these same editors and publications will again lecture the country about the dangers and evils of the man they didn't like 646 days ago, who punches back and got elected by millions who didn't read those lectures then, either. This week, Cuban blogger Yoanni Sanchez provided an update on the situation in Cuba, and especially the shortage of condoms: In the early 1990s, I heard Professor Juan Clark say there were more abortions than births in Cuba. I couldn't believe it, but it's true. Despite decades of declining funding for the health system, broad access to medical care and the legalization of abortion have been vital in providing assistance to many Cuban women. Many Cubans rely on abortion as a form of birth control. The health risks of repeated abortions include cervical complications and even infertility. According to official records, in 2016 there were 85,445 abortions performed in Cuban hospitals, or about 41.9 terminations per 100 pregnancies. "Que barbarida" the Cuban expression of total shock. It's not surprising that there are shortages of condoms. In fact, there are shortages of everything unless you can go to special tourist stores where you have to pay in dollars, euros, or a foreign-currency credit card. Sadly, most Cubans are not allowed to go in those stores. The massive use of abortion is further evidence of the regime's moral corruption. They see babies as mouths to feed, or more trouble for a regime that never has enough supply of anything. The other problem is the aging of the Cuban population: A depressed birth rate means two things: The population grows at a reduced pace, and the overall population is older. Cuba is already seeing its population growth start to plateau. Plus, a large percentage of the population falls into the 40-to-60 age bracket, which means that in a few years the younger generation will need to support a large number of retirees. In fact, by 2021 more people in Cuba are expected to leave the work force than to join it; by 2026 more Cubans will die than be born; and by 2050 the number of people in Cuba over age 60 will reach 3.5 million, or 36% of the population, according to figures cited by the British ambassador to Cuba, Tim Cole. What a legacy of communism in Cuba an aging population, young women with four abortions, and tourists with dollars who can buy condoms while the locals with pesos can't. What a horrific revolution, is all I can say. PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. For weeks it appeared Democrats were resisting the traditional sit-down with the high court pick. They appeared to be following the lead of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who argued against in-person meetings until Republicans turned over requested documents from Kavanaugh's past. That was then. This is now: "We are trying to work something out," Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said Tuesday when asked if she would be meeting with Kavanaugh. ... Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., broke the stalemate by agreeing to meet with Kavanaugh earlier this month. Manchin is running for re-election in a state that voted for President Trump by a 42-point margin. Red-state Democrats Heidi Heitkamp, of North Dakota, and Joe Donnelly, of Indiana, met with Kavanaugh on Wednesday. Now other Democrats are planning their meetings. "I've certainly indicated that I'd be willing to," Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., told the Washington Examiner, when asked if he would meet with Kavanaugh. "It's up to him to ask for a meeting." ... A spokesperson for Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said a meeting with Kavanaugh is in the planning stages. "We are working on it," the spokesperson said. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, announced he plans to begin Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing on Sept. 4, so it's likely Kavanaugh will hold many meetings with Senate Democrats in August, when the chamber is in a rare summer session. I've also been impressed with what I've read of Pearl Jam's philanthropy. They're a '90s "Seattle Sound" grunge band, and lately, they've raised more than $10 million to help the homeless. Grunge, homeless...it all fits. I've also read that Eddie Vedder is a nice guy in real life. I was going to donate to their cause via the Starbucks (of course!) app on my Apple mobile phone, because, well, I love Pearl Jam. I'm not gonna lie here: I adore the music of Pearl Jam. And for good reasons: there are those luscious, awesomely masculine, authentic-Western-accented baritone vocals of Eddie Vedder. There's that incredible guitar riffing of all three of them. There's the original, evocative melodies. There's the raging teenage boy angst emotion...it's what a rock band should be. And those guys are popular. I know I'm not the only one who thinks this. Then I see crap like this: HELENA, Mont. Republicans are condemning a poster by Pearl Jam that shows the White House in flames and a bald eagle pecking at a skeleton they say is meant to depict President Donald Trump. But Pearl Jam's bassist, Jeff Ament, is unapologetic, issuing a statement Wednesday saying he was the "sole conceptualist" for the poster. He said the role of an artist is to make people think and feel, and the current administration has people thinking and feeling. He says he welcomes all interpretations and discourse and ends with, "Love, from the First Amendment, Jeff Ament." Cripes, why did he go do that? Look how cheesy that art is for a political ad. Even the Democratic candidate they're shilling for, Jon Tester, says he doesn't like it. Nobody who's sane does. It's the classic pornoviolence fantasizing on the left about killing President Trump. Pornoviolence is a term coined by Tom Wolfe to describe the absolute fascination the media and others have with some guy getting his head blown off, playing the stuff over and over like a pervert in a public library. The rabid left loves this stuff, and everyone else finds it appalling. We have seen it rampant in the arts, what with Kathy Griffin's carrying around a human head depicting President Trump as some kind of comedy act, the Shakespeare in the Park crowd in New York rewriting "Julius Caesar" to get a good stab at President Trump, Eminem rapping his low-I.Q. high-violence threats, and Madonna voicing her desire to blow up the White House. Those are the ones I can think of. I know there are quite a few more. Did it really have to be Pearl Jam that would join this crowd of losers next? This is beneath Pearl Jam. Official artwork by Jeff Ament and Bobby Brown from last night's show in Missoula. #TheAwayShows #Rock2Vote pic.twitter.com/CQI4chGEjs Pearl Jam (@PearlJam) August 14, 2018 What's more, that poster degrades their art. The political race in Montana is going to come and go. Nobody is going to remember either of these two candidates. The candidate they are endorsing doesn't even like the poster, given that he wants to win and can see what political extremism has done for the fortunes of other Democrats compared to the fortunes of moderates who get in there and then proceed to act extreme only when in office. Pearl Jam's music is far more long-term than that; you can listen to the stuff they recorded in the '90s and still be awed by the artistry. Politics, by contrast, is absolutely ephemeral. Nobody is going to want to remember this race when an audience sits down to listen to Pearl Jam's music in 2048. Album art and posters do matter. Even more important, given Pearl Jam's popularity and exposure, as well as the specific political endorsement of one candidate over another, it amounts to an in-kind political donation for Tester and needs to be treated as such, subject to in-state and federal limitations and reporting requirements. Will the enforcers go after that one? They'd be remiss if they didn't. Such a shame to see Pearl Jam go into the political consulting and opposition research business. I thought the band was better than that. While I'm not going to boycott as rare and excellent a talent as Pearl Jam, I probably won't donate to their cause now. I won't enjoy their music as much when I recall this incident. I won't think of them as nice guys. It's just sad. A gulf has been created now, and now I identify with these guys less. The most similar incident I can recall like this is when Heart, another awesome Seattle band, came out to insult and attack Sarah Palin for using its music at her rallies back in 2008. Oh, come on. I've never recovered from that. I unsigned myself from Heart's fan club. I found myself hating the band for having to detach its music from its politics and listened to it a lot less. Not a boycott just a lessening of admiration and interest. How sad that Pearl Jam is doing this to us, too. It's a force of nature, not a sleazy political operative operation. We want to love it. Omar Abdulsattar Ameen entered the U.S. posing as a refugee. In fact, he quickly returned to Iraq, and he and several other ISIS terrorists entered the town of Rawah in 2014 and murdered a local police officer. Ameen is also charged with planting IEDs and helping establish ISIS in Rawah. An ISIS terrorist, wanted for murdering a police officer in Iraq, has been captured by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force in Sacramento. New York Post: Ameen could face execution for the "organized killing by an armed group" according to Iraqi documents filed in U.S. federal court. Prosecutors say Ameen entered the U.S. under a refugee program, eventually settling in Sacramento, and attempted to gain legal status in the United States. He arrived in Turkey in 2012 and began applying to the U.S. for refugee status by claiming to be a victim of terrorism, according to a court document. He was granted refugee status in June 2014, but returned to Iraq to commit the slaying before traveling to the United States in November 2014, the document says. That Ameen was able to enter the U.S. initially as a refugee is incredible. Even if he hadn't committed the murder at that point, according to the Justice Department release, he helped establish al-Qaeda in Iraq as well as ISIS. Ameen, originally of Rawah, in the Anbar province of Iraq, fled Iraq following the alleged murder, and later settled in Sacramento as a purported refugee. It is alleged that Ameen's family supported and assisted the installation of al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) in Rawah, and that Ameen was a member of AQI and ISIS. It is also alleged that he participated in various activities in support of those terrorist organizations, including helping to plant improvised explosive devices, and committing the murder that is the subject of the extradition request. Ameen concealed his membership in those terrorist groups when he applied for refugee status, and later when he applied for a green card in the United States. But we should allow in 100,000 more refugees because our vetting process is more than adequate, right? The problem with advancing the argument that some terrorists are bound to "slip through the cracks" when it comes to our vetting procedures for refugees is that we just don't know. The government was oblivious to the threat Ameen posed, despite his family ties to terrorists and his membership in terrorist organizations. The Obama administration tried to speed up refugee admittances by slashing the time period for fully vetting a subject from 24 months to three. This guaranteed that an unknown number of Ameens are currently residing in the U.S., posing as refugees. For the left, it's "nothing to see here, move along." Apparently, the tolerance-challenged left thinks there's no room for any expression of religious faith from anyone in a public position, so these leftists are harassing a blameless man with calls for "investigation." A militant group is loudly calling for the removal of a distinguished Air Force base commander because of his Christian views, as expressed on his off-hours private website. Look how disgusting they are: The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) sent a formal complaint this week to Defense Secretary James Mattis calling for an investigation of Brig. Gen. E. John Teichert, a Christian, and the newly installed commander of the 412 Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Teichert drew the group's ire by posting links to articles, a Christmas video, and scriptures on his personal website called Prayer at Lunchtime for the United States. The website also has a list for whom users should pray about. As usual, the loud claim they are making is that the general's expression of his religious faith somehow creates a hostile work environment for anyone who's not of the same faith, despite the fact that the general never put that website in front of the troops, nor did he tell any of them to read it. His religious website was located only as a result of determined doxxing from leftists hell-bent on erasing Christianity from the public square and denying troops who put their lives on the line for us the comforts of their faith. The website they are screaming about was hardly "secret," as Newsweek's Nina Burleigh insinuates an odd thing to howl about if the charge is pushing one's religious faith onto others who don't want it. While the website isn't even something the general put his full name on, he also did not try to conceal it from troops by writing utterly anonymously, the way leftists do, including the 41 anonymous complainants supposedly cited in the call for investigation. The general put just his first name on it, and only those Christians who are interested in this sort of stuff were his intended audience. In fact, he explicitly said his intention was to urge people who are already Christian to go pray, which is part of his religious faith. What it didn't say is that his plan was for every atheist and leftist to join in. What's more, there is no evidence that this website has had anything to do with his on-the-job performance, other than from the positive effect its Christian message amounted to, enabling him to rise in the ranks for being so good to his troops, flying in dangerous combat missions, and faithfully enacting the U.S. military mission. Yet here we are, with the left and its media allies in action, making another effort to repress Christians in their Christian duties, which includes witnessing to the faith. Speaking of religious intolerance, seems the left will stop at nothing to end all religion from the public square and the military in particular. And for most in the military, who do, after all, face the prospect of dying in battle, the expression of religion, all the way back to George Washington praying for his troops at Valley Forge, is essential. The left's real aim is to deprive the military of that essential pillar of faith and make the prospect of dying for one's country meaningless, so that none of them will do it. One can only hope that no leftist judge gets involved in this and that defense secretary Gen. James Mattis, at the head of the Pentagon, who says there's nothing to this nonsense, continues to flick off these gnats of the intolerant left. Correction: Attorneys for the Military Religious Freedom Foundation states that it is not an atheist organization, but rather a secular one, and that "approximately 96% of its current and retired armed forces clients are Christian as are about 80% of the Foundations staffers." We have removed the assertions to the contrary. "My name is April and I'm on the Trust & Safety team here at Patreon. I've been notified by Mastercard that we must remove your account from Patreon, effective immediately," wrote Patreon in an email to Spencer. "Mastercard has a stricter set of rules and regulations than Patreon, and they reserve the right to not offer their services to accounts of their choosing. This is in line with their terms of service, which means it's something we have to comply by." "I have paid out your remaining creator balance of $475.22 to you via direct deposit," the company continued. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience and frustration this might cause." Censorship with a friendly smile. As is usually the case, the arbitrariness of the action goes unexplained. "I'd been given no warning before this of anything amiss with my account so what violated their rules? They hadn't explained," Spencer declared, adding that Patreon "never explained why MasterCard objected to my account or why they had to comply with MasterCard's wishes, and didn't answer my request for an explanation." "I don't have a MasterCard and didn't have one attached to my Patreon account, so MasterCard really wasn't involved," he explained. "Unless it owns Patreon, which is apparently the case." So, censorship by proxy. Spencer's views are controversial, but so are Bernie Sanders's. "Controversy" apparently had little to do with Spencer's banning. Spencer noted that he could have been shut down due to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) listing him on its "extremist files" for criticizing Islam. Spencer's Jihad Watch website is a strong critic of Islamic extremism. According to the site, "Why Jihad Watch? Because non-Muslims in the West, as well as in India, China, Russia, and the world over, are facing a concerted effort by Islamic jihadists, the motives and goals of whom are largely ignored by the Western media, to destroy their societies and impose Islamic law upon them and to commit violence to that end even while their overall goal remains out of reach. That effort goes under the general rubric of jihad." Patreon has previously banned conservative author Lauren Southern and commentator Brittany Pettibone. Spencer believes his removal from Patreon is part of a larger trend. He told Breitbart News "This seems to me to be all part of the general attempt to silence all dissenting voices and leave only Leftists speaking in the runup to the 2018 elections." There are currently 60 defamation lawsuits pending against the SPLC. Its reputation as an unbiased fighter of hate is in tatters. Using any information from the SPLC is akin to a respectable newspaper using stories about an alien invasion from the Weekly World News. Spencer is deluding himself if he believes that after the midterms, things will return to normal. This is the new normal online, and the right had better get used to it. Is MasterCard itself under pressure from another entity? This is entirely possible. Or it could simply be that Patreon was looking for an excuse to drop Spencer and is using MasterCard as cover. What is extremely troubling besides using the SPLC as a guide to hate is the lack of explanation for what exactly Spencer did to get himself banned. It's like the East German Stasi, the secret police. To this day, there are families who were never told what happened to their loved ones when the Stasi whisked them away in the dead of night. There is zero transparency, which leads to zero accountability. You would hope Spencer would be able to find another platform for his work, but given the circumstances, it doesn't look promising. Republican vs. Democratic mayors of Somerville, Mass.: A contrast The current Democratic mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts, Joseph A. Curtatone, has taken to Twitter. He has boldly vowed, "I will never drink Sam Adam's [sic] beer again!" He said that in response to a Twitter post by Joseph Barri: Sam Adams beer founder dined with Trump, thanked him for tax cut. Guess we resistors aren't Sam Adams beer drinkers. Just saying. So that is the best the "resistors" have got? Let us look at the record of what the eighth mayor of Somerville did to resist rebellion and slavery. His name was Major William Henry Hodgkins. He was my great-grandfather's oldest brother and a Republican. He has his own Wikipedia page. At the urging of the Republican president of the United States, he enlisted as a private in the 36th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. He kept a diary, which has been published: Shall the Union Be Preserved: The Civil War Letters of William Henry Hodgkins Co. B, 36th Massachusetts. Hodgkins fought with the 36th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The roll call of engagements includes, but is not limited to: Battle of Fredericksburg Siege of Vicksburg Battle of the Wilderness Battle of Spotsylvania Court House Battle of Cold Harbor Siege of Petersburg Battle of the Crater Third Battle of Petersburg Appomattox Campaign The efforts of the regiment were so outstanding that a few of the veterans, including Major Hodgkins, wrote a history of the regiment. It is an 836-page PDF document. It seems Major Hodgkins, the Republican, knew how to deal with rebels and "resistors." Get a load of what kind of money the now arrested vandal of President Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard near Highland is pulling in from his supposed fan base. Here's a screen grab from his GoFundMe page as of 5:17 A.M. Pacific, which has seen a supposed uptick in donations (not hard to do if your numbers have fallen to zero) since he finally got arrested for his July 25 stunt: He writes: On July 24th 2018, I, Austin Clay, destroyed Donald Trump's Hollywood star on the Walk of Fame. The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce has stated that it will prosecute me to the fullest extent of the law. I'm calling for your support to fight back against a true tyrant. Thanks from the bottom of my pickaxe. He's pulled in $85 since his name got in the news again with his arrest in the past 24 hours, and most of those are $5 amounts from the minute number of the crazed lefties who are willing to donate. His GoFundMe page claims he needs $50,000, presumably to pay his legal bills, but he doesn't quite say that, and given what a loser he is, one wonders if he just did his stunt for the GoFundMe money alone, which isn't exactly rolling in. He certainly has been a media hog, playing the press like a fiddle with posturing statements like these: "Trump Star Vandalism Suspect Says He Was 'Called' to Action"...convinced he could rally the lefties. With fundraising like this, it doesn't sound as though they are biting. What's more, now the police have moved to arrest him. Do I think it's related to his low fundraising total? Possibly. After all, is there a more politically sensitized police department in the country than the LAPD? Don't think so. You can bet the LAPD saw those GoFundMe numbers and decided it wasn't going to be a political issue for it to enforce the law against vandalism as it's supposed to. Maybe the left will rally to him now, but given the low numbers and the low rate of donations, I kind of doubt it. The Chamber of Commerce sees the light, too. Instead of caving in, as you would expect it to do in a rabidly left-wing metropolis, the CoC wants the book thrown at him, like Trump or not. Those guys know that if this clown gets away with his star vandalism, pretty much any star on that walkway it runs is vulnerable to a smash-up. With stars costing around $20,000 to replace into the walkway, that's a lot of money for the Chamber to cough up any time there's a political hiccup. It's actually important that this clown get some consequences for his stunt. We wouldn't dream of encouraging the nice white walls of the Obama monument in Chicago to meet a similar fate, but who knows what will happen once a precedent is set? Busting miscreants works better. Dollars to donuts, the loser gets a public defender and, after his jail time, gets to keep his five thou from the gullibles who donated to him. But what we see here is a significant cooling of excitement on the left to attention-getters. Maybe the resistance is getting wise to recognizing a con, or else is just getting sick of itself. Weapons are banned from outer space by treaty, but it's believed that there are ways to weaponize lasers and electronic jamming devices to disable or destroy satellites. China is believed to already have an advanced anti-satellite capability, with the U.S. nearly on par with the Chinese and Russia trailing in the race to develop this vital technology. A mysterious Russian satellite has exhibited "very abnormal behavior" in its orbit, leading the Pentagon to worry that it may be some kind of weapon. The media largely dismissed Trump's plan to develop a Space Force and make it a separate branch of the armed forces. In fact, much of the press made fun of the notion. But this satellite launched by Russia is a perfect example of why we need a Space Force and why it's no joke especially to the Russians and Chinese. BBC: "[The satellite's] behaviour on-orbit was inconsistent with anything seen before from on-orbit inspection or space situational awareness capabilities, including other Russian inspection satellite activities," Ms Poblete told the conference on disarmament in Switzerland. "Russian intentions with respect to this satellite are unclear and are obviously a very troubling development," she added, citing recent comments made by the commander of Russia's Space Forces, who said adopting "new prototypes of weapons" was a key objective for the force. Ms Poblete said that the US had "serious concerns" that Russia was developing anti-satellite weapons. Alexander Deyneko, 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". He called on the US to contribute to a Russian-Chinese treaty that seeks to prevent an arms race in space. It's a little late for that. In fact, for more than a decade, the three major nuclear powers have spent tens of billions of dollars to develop an anti-satellite capability. It's an arms race that the U.S. simply cannot afford to lose, which is the major reason why the disparate elements located in all military services must be combined into a single command. As for this particular satellite, a space-based satellite-killer would be an enormous advantage over trying to disable or destroy a satellite from the ground: Space weapons may be designed to cause damage in more subtle ways than traditional weapons like guns, which could cause a lot of debris in orbit, explained Alexandra Stickings, a research analyst at the Royal United Services Institute. "[Such weapons may include] lasers or microwave frequencies that could just stop [a satellite] working for a time, either disable it permanently without destroying it or disrupt it via jamming," she said. But it was difficult to know what technology is available because so much information on space-based capabilities is classified, she added. She also said it would be very difficult to prove that any event causing interference in space was an intentional, hostile action by a specific nation state. For our enemies, targeting surveillance satellites during war is one thing. But imagine the chaos if commercial communications satellites could be targeted. There is much to protect as far as our space assets are concerned, and a Space Force is a large part of the answer. A number of Twitters most central features and functionality are currently being reconsidered in light of challenges facing the company, according to statements made by CEO Jack Dorsey during a recent interview with The Washington Post. Among those challenges is the spread of fake news and overabundance of echo-chambers on Twitter. Although reducing the spread of false information is arguably a more pressing matter, both of those issues may be at least partially addressed with a single feature. Dorsey says that the company is looking at ways to offset factually incorrect information in tweets with context. The feature would effectively surface other tweets that point out the information is incorrect and those that express opposing information alongside the offending tweet. The executive posits that such a feature would allow people to judge information for themselves but it would also do so without necessarily limited internet users ability to express themselves. Beyond that, the CEO says that Twitter is looking at ways to distinguish automated accounts and how core design aspects of the site and app can be optimized in support of its goals. That could include changes to how a users follower count is displayed and how the current like button works. However, the concept for labeling bots and automated accounts appears to have more traction at this point. That could assist in accomplishing the same overarching goals addressed by providing contextual tweets but would also help users differentiate between bot accounts and users who have signed up anonymously for other reasons. Discussion about those changes comes amidst a wave of policy changes and high-profile discussions with U.S. representatives, which the executive says have not worked as well as might be hoped. In fact, Dorsey says that policy changes in particular only appear to address surface-level symptoms of the underlying problems social media providers need to face. There have been several other actions taken by the company, such as labeling and providing insight into political advertising, as well as mass account suspensions. Those actions have had to be prioritized based on a cost-benefit analysis to ensure they are dont strain the companys resources. Bearing that in mind, it may still be quite some time before the newly outlined changes up for consideration are put into place. Over the past few weeks, there have been many reports surfacing that Google is looking to get back into the Chinese market and has been building a censored search engine that could be used in the country. Now, according to The New York Times, many employees are pushing back against this censored search engine for the Peoples Republic of China. Theres approximately around 1,400 employees that are protesting this search engine, according to the New York Times. Theres currently a letter circulating internally at Google, which argues that employees need more transparency, and an ethics review. The letter states we urgently need more transparency, a seat at the table and a commitment to clear and open processes: Google employees need to know what were building. The letter continued to state that this willingness to work with China brings up many ethical issues. This is because Google is going to be working with China, and abiding by the censorship laws in the country. This all falls under Googles motto which was and is dont be evil, and its employees want more transparency on what exactly is going on here, so that they arent left in the dark. Google left China in 2010, over the many censorship laws that the country has. The search giant has been looking to get back into the country, with many different products, including a Google Play Store that only housed approved apps and games. Though, Google quickly realized that there is way too much competition in China, for that to be a good idea. When Google left the country, hundreds of app stores popped up in the country to fill the gap. Google wants to get back into China and at least grab a portion of the market, since it is the largest country in the world right now, and its missing out on over a billion users. Samsungs first foldable smartphone has been illustrated in a number of new concept renders that appeared online earlier today, having been shared by Dutch tech outlet Nieuwe Mobiel. The half a dozen images that can be seen in the gallery below are seemingly based on a wide variety of recent reports about the upcoming handset, as well as a number of corresponding patents that Samsung secured in various jurisdictions over the last several years. The device concept is essentially an evolution of the flip phone formula, featuring a discreet hinge and a bendable OLED display panel with a tall aspect ratio. Samsungs first foldable smartphone is expected to run Android but likely wont be capable of being completely folded in half. Instead, the closed state of the device will resemble that of a traditional wallet. A stripe on the very bottom of its screen will also be visible while the handset is folded, serving a similar role to that of the Always-On Display functionality supported by the companys contemporary Android devices, according to recent reports. Samsung is understood to have delayed and restarted its bendable handset project on several occasions over the last half a decade, with the company reportedly struggling with yield rates during trial production, as well as facing issues with overall product durability. The gadget has previously been rumored as launching under the Galaxy X moniker but newer reports indicate Samsung may also opt to advertise it as the Galaxy F. The unconventional device is likely to be positioned as a niche offering catering to gamers and tech enthusiasts, with its price tag allegedly hovering around the $1,500 mark. While the South Korean tech giant already confirmed its aiming to release a foldable smartphone in 2019, it has yet to attach a specific timeframe to that ambition. The companys first major opportunity to introduce such a product is the next iteration of Las Vegas-based CES taking place in January. Google has now added information regarding politically-motivated advertising on its Search platform to its frequently updated Transparency Report. As a result, viewers of the report can now see an outline of overall state-by-state ad spending, in addition to which advertisers are spending the most. The report also provides a set of metrics and keywords that provide further insight into exactly who is being targeted by various campaigns, as well as a closer look at recent and current ads. Overall, the Ad Library functions as a searchable index of election-focused ads and provides deeper information about the entire ad campaign or campaigns of individual advertisers. The tool is made available in two places, both in the new political ad section on the Google Transparency Report and via Google Clouds BigQuery API. With regards to state-by-state political advertisement spending disclosures, Google provides two key resources on its Transparency Report site. The first is a country-wide interactive map, with the ability to hover-over any state and see that states most recently recorded spending on Google Search Ads. That allows for easy cross-referencing between any two states. For example, hovering over Wyoming shows spending is now at $16,500 while a quick flick of the mouse shows spending in California at $356,900. The color coding of the map also helps users to quickly focus in on those states with higher-spending. Floridas deep blue coloration indicates that advertisers have spent $1,148,900 in that state. An alphabetically-sorted chart is also provided to help those who arent familiar with the U.S. map to discover their own states spending. Another chart displayed in the Transparency Report lists any advertising agency that has spent in excess of $500 on political advertising starting from the end of May 2018. Thats sorted by the amount spent, and for the time being is topped by the Trump Make America Great Again Committee at $629,500. The advertisers One Nation and Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. follow close behind with $440,300 and $341,600, respectively. For reference, there are currently 210 advertisers shown in the chart. Last but not least, the search giant shows that current top keywords advertisers are targeting include the term ACLU and several top political figures such as Diane Black and Rick Scott. Spending on ads linked to the listed top terms ranges from $25,200 to $37,500. Samsung likely isnt looking to release a rugged variant of the Galaxy S9, hence putting its Galaxy S Active series on hold for the first time since introducing it in mid-2013 with the Galaxy S4 Active (I9295). All previous members of the rugged smartphone family were announced in either late spring or early summer and while last years Galaxy S8 Active was the latest of the lot to be made official, it leaked on numerous occasions prior to AT&Ts confirmation of its existence. With no sightings of a potential Galaxy S9 Active being recorded to date and Samsung not certifying any devices that may fit its bill in recent months, the chances of such a device launching by the end of the year appear slim. Rugged smartphones never managed to expand beyond a niche product category, though the Galaxy S Active series remains one of the most high-profile such lines to date. While Samsung may have opted to place the handset family on hold due to a lack of consumer interest, the company may have also ended up scrapping any Galaxy S9 Active plans due to technical challenges. While the Active lineup traditionally offered higher-capacity batteries than its non-rugged peers, it was also always based on the smaller member of the latest Galaxy S series. This year, Samsung already revealed the Galaxy S9 lacks the dual-camera setup of the Galaxy S9 Plus primarily because the company failed to find a viable way that would allow the handset to offer such a solution without its battery capacity falling below 3,000mAh. Another explanation for the lack of the Galaxy S9 Active is that the Galaxy S9 lineup as a whole has been selling poorly so far, according to Samsungs own admission. With that state of affairs prompting the company to launch the Galaxy Note 9 earlier than expected, a return to the Galaxy S9 lineup appears unlikely. The Galaxy Note 9 itself will be released globally come August 24. Sony has provided some dates for when users can expect to get Android Pie on their Xperia devices. As is always the case with smartphone updates, these are pretty vague, but they still give you an idea of when to expect the update. However, its important to remember that these can be delayed due to the many moving parts that are included in an Android software update. So if Sony does miss the date it mentioned, dont freak out too much. According to Sonys blog post, its premium smartphones are going to get the update beginning in November. That includes the Xperia XZ2, XZ2 Premium, XZ2 Compact, XZ1, XZ1 Compact and XZ Premium. The reason behind the premium lineup getting Android Pie first is because of Qualcomm. It releases its binaries and support for the next version of Android, starting with the Snapdragon 800-series of processors which all of these are running on. Sony says that the Xperia XA2, XA2 Ultra and XA2 Plus will begin getting their updates in early 2019, though no specific month was given there. Sony has also provided a handy infographic detailing the steps that each update must go through before it lands on your device. This is to help explain why these updates take so long to come to your device. Phase one consists of building the update, and making sure it works properly with the phone. Which it also needs help from its partners, like Qualcomm to make that happen. After the update is built and tested, it must then go for certification. Which includes heading to the WiFi Alliance, Bluetooth SIG and Google. Now since Sony doesnt sell any smartphones on carriers these days, they dont need carrier certification, which should cut down on the time it takes for these updates to roll out. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for a boycott of all American technologies earlier this week, having signaled the relations between the two NATO members are continuing to deteriorate. Among other things, the 64-year-old specifically asked his countrymen to stop supporting iPhone maker Apple. If they have the iPhone, there is Samsung, President Erdogan said in reference to the alternatives that are available to Turks in the consumer electronics segment. The move came shortly after the lira lost some 25-percent of its value in less than a week, dropping to a record low value and underlining the troubled state of the Turkish economy. The tensions between Ankara and Washington started earlier this summer over the continued detention of American pastor Andrew Craig Brunson who was arrested in Turkey in the aftermath of the late 2016 coup detat attempt. Around that time, President Erdogan was even using Apples FaceTime app to communicate with his followers, urging them to resist the rebels in the streets. The protectionist economic policy that the head of the state is now advocating for shares many similarities with the approach the Trump administration has been pursuing since taking office in early 2017, with that strategy recently resulting in a full-blown trade war with China and increased tensions between Washington and many of its Western allies such as Canada and Germany. The U.S. had a $1.3 billion trade surplus with Turkey in 2016, according to the stateside Trade Representative Office. With a GDP of approximately $850 billion, Turkey is the 17th economy in the world by size, so while an economic crisis in the transcontinental country likely wouldnt have significant global consequences, it still threatens many foreign investments in the country, especially as its central bank has now effectively lost its independence amid President Erdogans centralization efforts. Earlier this week, Turkey secured a $15 billion investment from Qatar and increased its tariffs on American goods including cars and alcohol, with U.S. technologies potentially being among its next targets. Marysville, CA (95901) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 69F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 51F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. TRT Likely Good for Heart If You Have Low T Written by Rick Collins, J.D. 15 August 2018 Testosterone Litigation Update TRT Likely Good for Heart If You Have Low T How are all those lawsuits going, the ones against testosterone marketers for not disclosing heart risks? Back in January 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it was investigating the risk of stroke, heart attack, and death in men taking FDA-approved testosterone products.1 The FDAs investigation was prompted by two studies purporting to show an increased risk of cardiovascular events in men prescribed testosterone therapy. Plaintiffs lawyers seized the moment, filing numerous lawsuits on behalf of men who claimed they suffered injuries, including heart attack, stroke, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism, as a result of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). In June 2014, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation transferred and consolidated the cases to the Northern District of Illinois as In Re: Testosterone Replacement Therapy Products Liability Litigation and assigned the cases to Judge Matthew F. Kennelly.2 The majority of cases are against AbbVie, Inc. and Abbott Laboratories (collectively, AbbVie). They currently face approximately 4,510 cases over injuries allegedly caused by their TRT drug AndroGel.3 The plaintiffs argue that although TRT drugs are considered safe and effective by the FDA for the treatment of classical hypogonadism caused by certain medical conditions, AbbVie falsely represented in their marketing and promotional materials that TRT is safe and effective for the treatment of age-related hypogonadism (low testosterone levels and associated signs and symptoms resulting from the normal aging process).4 The plaintiffs also allege that AbbVie failed to provide proper warnings of the risk that using TRT could increase blood-clotting injuries in the veins and cardiovascular injuries like heart attacks and strokes. To date, three of the TRT cases against AbbVie have been tried to a jury as bellwether cases test trials (pun intended) to help explore how verdicts might be rendered in the other cases and to help guide settlement figures.5 The first case that went to a jury verdict, Mitchell v. AbbVie, lasted 13 days and resulted in a verdict for Mitchell on the fraudulent misrepresentation claim. However, the jury awarded him no money in compensatory damages for his injuries but awarded $150 million dollars in punitive damages as punishment to AbbVie for its conduct! In December 2017, the court concluded that the jurys findings were logically incompatible, vacated the verdict and awards, and ordered a new trial. In Konrad v. AbbVie, a federal jury found in favor of the plaintiff and ordered AbbVie to pay $140,000 in compensatory damages and $140 million in punitive damages.6 AbbVie plans on appealing the decision. The most recent TRT case to be tried was Nolte v. AbbVie, in which the jury found that AbbVie was not liable for the pulmonary embolism that the plaintiff suffered.7 Although cases against AndroGel make up the bulk of the TRT litigation, there are many cases against other TRT drugs. In 2014, over 1,000 cases were filed against Pfizers injectable TRT drug Depo-Testosterone (testosterone cypionate). The cases alleged that Pfizer failed to warn about cardiovascular risks in connection with Depo-T. In 2015, Judge Kennelly dismissed these cases, holding that the plaintiffs claims were preempted by the FDAs approval of Depo-Ts label. In January 2018, the Court of Appeals affirmed the decision, stating, Pfizer may not unilaterally change the FDA-approved language on Depo-Ts label. A lawsuit under state law that seeks to recover damages for Pfizers failure to do so is preempted by federal law.8 While thousands of cases are still pending litigation, certain companies have chosen to settle prior to trial. In December 2017, Eli Lilly and Company settled approximately 400 cases related to its TRT drug Axiron and in January 2018, Endos Auxilium Pharmaceuticals settled a case related to its TRT drug Testim.9 Bottom line: just because someone on TRT has a heart attack doesnt mean the TRT had anything to do with it. Millions of men have heart attacks, and the vast majority were not on TRT. The few studies claiming to link testosterone with heart problems run contrary to 40 years worth of research, as reviewed in many past editions of this column. While some men may not be good candidates for TRT, the body of evidence shows that TRT is quite good for the hearts of most men suffering from low testosterone. Ill keep you posted on this hot legal topic as further cases are resolved! Rick Collins, JD, CSCS [www.rickcollins.com] is the lawyer that members of the bodybuilding community and nutritional supplement industry turn to when they need legal help or representation. [ Rick Collins, 2018. All rights reserved. For informational purposes only, not to be construed as legal or medical advice.] References: 1. www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM383909.pdf 2. www.jpml.uscourts.gov/sites/jpml/files/MDL-2545-Initial_Transfer-05-14.pdf 3. www.businessinsider.com/r-abbvie-wins-us-trial-in-lawsuit-over-androgels-risks-2018-1?r=UK&IR=T 4. Memorandum Opinion and Order on post-trial motions in Mitchel v. AbbVie, No. 14 C 9178, In Re: Testosterone Replacement Therapy Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2545. 5. http://definitions.uslegal.com/b/bellwether-case/ 6. www.drugwatch.com/2017/10/10/abbvie-loses-140-million-androgel-verdict/ 7. www.businessinsider.com/r-abbvie-wins-us-trial-in-lawsuit-over-androgels-risks-2018-1?r=UK&IR=T 8. www.leagle.com/decision/infco20180119099 9. www.drugwatch.com/testosterone/multi-district-litigation/ DISCUSS THIS ARTICLE ON THE MD FORUM FOLLOW MUSCULAR DEVELOPMENT ON: FACEBOOK: MuscularDevelopment Magazine TWITTER: @MuscularDevelop INSTAGRAM: @MuscularDevelopment YOUTUBE: http://bit.ly/2fvHgnZ Today our thoughts are with the victims of the terrorist attacks of August 17 last year. We remember the tragic events that shook Catalonia and focused the worlds attention on Barcelona, Cambrils, Alcanar, Ripoll and Subirats. This column is in remembrance of the dead, the wounded and their families, as well as all the innocent people who suffered the consequences of fanaticism and intolerance. It is also a fitting day to remember the people of Catalonia, the many thousands who marched in the streets saying to the world I am not afraid. Our people chose not to be bent by violence and did not give in to threats, but reclaimed the streets spontaneously, one step at a time, turning them into a space for peaceful coexistence. Where only hours earlier there had been death, silence and emptiness, the people reclaimed the streets to make them a free, peaceful space. Once again, Barcelona and Catalonia showed the world their most sympathetic, civic, humane face. That day the whole world showed us their solidarity. This is also a good time to praise the professionalism and dedication of our public employees: the Catalan police and other law enforcement officers, the Citys police force, the ambulance service, civil protection, social services and all the volunteers who rushed to help wherever help was needed. Our government and our police knew (we knew) that something like that could happen and we had to be ready for it. Other cities such as Madrid, Paris, London, Brussels and New York had already suffered jihadist terror attacks. Since 2015, Spains terror alert has been at 4 on a scale of 5. At the time, the Catalan police devoted 35 per cent of their efforts to investigate and combat terrorism. They were working on several programmes to detect and thwart this attack. Undoubtedly, this is one of this nations main challenges for the future in terms of our security. We will need to keep working to prevent and detect radicalisation and to build a society that promotes integration and is respectful towards the many different values that it is made up of. These goals will only be attained through working across the board and bringing together different areas of the administration. We should be proud of the capacity for reaction exhibited by the Mossos dEsquadra in coordination with local police and other law enforcement officers. The various operations that were conducted in the wake of the attacks allowed us to take out the terrorist cell within five days. That was no accident, but the result of many years of hard work, of firmly believing that a nations security is one of the pillars that guarantee its freedom. If you recall, back in the 1980s Catalonia saw the need to have its own security model, unlike other Spanish regions. Scores of police officers and public officials believed in that and made it possible. On August 17 it became apparent that Catalonias police force was as good as they come worldwide. It was the Catalan people who understood that the best. The bond forged between the general public and the police in support of the victims was unprecedented that month of August. The Mossos dEsquadra and the Citys police force had never been paid a tribute of that magnitude. The Catalan police did a great job, but we wish to denounce the lack of cooperation from Madrid and some areas of the Spanish administration. We cannot ignore the information provided by the case file, which details the close ties between the Ripoll imam who masterminded the attacks and Spains CNI, the intelligence service. Spain should address these questions and tell the truth for the sake of transparency and out of respect for the victims and the general public. Finally, we wish to voice our support to the victims and their families once more. Only a few days after the attacks, we witnessed a scene that encapsulated the harmony and social peace that we all wish for. It was the image of the parents of one of the deceased children embracing the imam of Rubi. It was the image of reconciliation, dialogue and fraternity, the only way we believe to put an end to intolerance, sectarianism and conflict. Thompson brings with him more than 25 years of international experience in various areas of airport management and operations, including ANS, terminal operations, strategy and planning, in addition to infrastructure and corporate development. In his previous role as Senior Vice President Development at Dubai Airports, Thompson led the development of Dubai International Airport as well as Dubai World Central. In addition, he was involved in the strategic planning of Dubai 2020 and 2050. Prior to joining Dubai Airports Thompson served in a number of key executive roles across the Asia and Pacific regions. He was the Chief Executive Officer of Launceston Airport, General Manager of Strategy, Planning and Development and General Manager of Assets and Infrastructure Planning at Melbourne International Airport. Prior to this, Thompson held the positions of Director of Airport Operations and VP Terminal Management at Mumbai International Airport. Thompson started his career in the aviation industry as a Principal Air Traffic Controller, and later on he was appointed as Assistant GM for Airport Operations at Johannesburg International Airport. His Excellency Abubaker Seddiq Al Khouri, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: We are delighted to announce the appointment of Bryan Thompson to lead to Abu Dhabi Airports at this critical stage in our journey to becoming the worlds leading airport group. I am confident that his vast experience and excellent leadership will take Abu Dhabi Airports beyond the delivery and opening of one of the regions most ambitious infrastructure projects and on towards further establishing Abu Dhabi as a destination of choice for tourism, business travel and transit. Thompson said: I feel honored to have been invited to join Abu Dhabi Airports at this remarkable time, as we prepare to unveil our ground breaking project to the world and further highlight everything our unique brand of Arabian hospitality has to offer. My focus will be to build on the strong foundations already in place, further cementing Abu Dhabi Aiports role as a leading world hub and ensuring the companys growth in constructive partnership with all relevant stakeholders. From its base in Cyprus, Cobalt Air, offers regular flights to 22 Lebanon and the UAE. Under the new agreement, its full content and inventory will be made available for the first time to over 68,000 Travelport-connected agencies servicing hundreds of millions of consumers around the world. With Cobalt Air joining over 260 airlines using Travelport Rich Content and Branding, agencies and travel bookers will also be given a graphically rich experience when searching for and booking the airlines branded fares, as well as greater access to its ancillary offers. Through delivering these benefits, Travelports merchandising tool will help drive increased revenue. Paul Simmons, CCO of Cobalt Air said: Working with Travelport will extend the availability of our flight options and better present our value to travel agencies and travel buyers globally. This agreement is an important part of our distribution activity across Europe and the Middle East and Rich Content and Branding will provide us with a powerful advantage as we widen out the Cobalt Air offering in an aim to bring the world to Cyprus. Philip Saunders, Vice President, Air Commerce, Europe Middle East and Africa at Travelport added: We are delighted to welcome Cobalt Air to Travelports platform and look forward to supporting its growth objectives. Our Rich Content and Branding solution will help promote the airlines brand and increase revenue by facilitating upsell of branded fares, ancillaries, and special promotions while continuing to develop Travelports position in the Cyprus travel industry. The Shah of Iran enjoyed a close relationship with the US back in the 1960s, so it was no surprise when the Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) became the first Middle East Hercules operator, with the arrival of a C-130B (c/n 3698, IIAF 5-101) in June 1962. It was the first of 61 Hercules delivered to the IIAF before the Shah was overthrown in 1979. After Iran came Kuwait, which took delivery of a civilian L100-20 in December 1970, Jordan (ex-USAF, 1973), Egypt (first delivery December 1976), Saudi Arabia (December 1979), and Dubai/UAE (January 1981). Then remained a long hiatus until Qatar, Oman, Iraq and Kuwait ordered 16 C-130J/-30s, which were delivered between 2011 and 2014. In April 2016, there was a report that Egypt had ordered two C-130Js to be delivered in 2019, although Lockheed Martin (LM) wont confirm this. The tactical workhorse has proved popular in big countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia. Landing in hot and high conditions, as well as austere airfields, has only added to its popularity when a transport aircraft is needed to visit military outposts or civilian communities. Today, the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) operates the biggest fleet (65) outside of the US. It contains six different variants, although only around 50 aircraft are still operational. According to LM, there has been a shift from airlift and humanitarian type Hercules sorties to special operations, which has seen an increase in KC-130J demand in the region. A spokesman said: Interoperability is a key issue, particularly between operators flying together in foreign countries like Yemen and against DAESH [over Iraq and Syria]. On air-to-air refuelling, you cant take any receiver and plug into a tanker; it has to be qualified. And, because there are so many nations operating the C-130, we have qualified several refuelling platforms. Many of the Hercules are supported by the local companies. Despite military embargoes, Iran Aircraft Industries (SAHA) works alongside the military to keep the IIAF fleet in the air. Saudis Alsalam Aircraft Co, partnered with Boeing, carries out maintenance on the RSAF examples. Egyptian Hercules are believed to be overhauled by the air force at Cairo-West, although some work in the past has been carried out at Helwan. In the UAE, C-130 work is completed by the Advanced Military Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Center (AMMROC) at Abu Dhabi, but this will be transferred to the new complex at Al Ain, currently under construction, in 2019. The company is a joint venture between EDIC, Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin, and is being primed to overhaul all Hercules, including the C-130Js. Singapore Technologies Aerospace, Hellenic Aerospace Industries and Marshalls of Cambridge, are all known Middle East C-130 maintenance companies. Iraq is currently looking to the latter to overhaul its six C-130Js, which have supported operations against DAESH since being delivered in 2012/13. Several have been hit by mortar fire. There is still more to come. On November 9, 2012, the US Congress was notified of a possible $6.7 billion 25 C-130J deal, comprising 20 C-130J-30 and 5 KC-130J variants to Saudi Arabia. So far only two KC-130Js have been sold. A LM spokesman said: It is a foreign military sales (FMS) agreement, so we are supporting the US Government in Saudi with the pacing of the deliveries. The UAE also had a requirement for 12 C-130Js, but these discussions seem to have stalled or broken down. The UAE is the biggest operator of the civilian certified L-100 Hercules; three currently serve the military and three are with the Dubai Air Wing. It is possible that the new LM-100J Super Hercules might be a favoured option. Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli is still trending on social media following his entertaining interview on Citizen TVs JKLive last night. As expected, the outspoken COTU boss made some sensational claims and was full of braggadocio as he opened up to Jeff Koinange about his opulent lifestyle. He also confirmed his much talked about marriage to KTN news anchor Mary Kilobi, saying he is stupid lover, who commits to a relationship without philandering. She [Mary Kilobi] is my wife. She is my second wife, who is taking care of me, said Atwoli. He added: I met her 13 years ag, when she was on internship at the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation and I had gone on official duties in Uganda. She was 21-years-old at the time, and a student at the Makerere University. I [developed a soft spot for her], and told her: I would marry you; even if it takes me a thousand years. Mature up, and I would marry you. He described his 34-year-old wife as an all-rounded woman who is very caring. Kilobi, according to Atwoli, is his second wife, after he released the initial second wife to go pursue politics. I asked my second wife not to involve herself with politics, but she chose that path. The reason I was asking her not to pursue politics was because I needed somebody to take care of me, and since she joined politics [against my wish], I married Mary so that she attends to me, said the 69-year-old veteran trade unionist. He noted that despite marrying Mary Kilobi, he still values and respects his first wife. Asked whether he would add another wife after Kilobi, he said: No. During the interview, Atwoli was also asked whether he has the stamina to please Kilobi intimately seeing as she is almost four decades his junior. Atwoli responded: Ninaweza kazi mbaya sana. The COTU chief also bragged about his wealthy lifestyle as he clarified that his watch is worth Sh5 million, contrary to reports that it set him back Sh2 million. People were claiming that my watch is Sh 2m. They are undervaluing me!! My watch is Sh 5 Million!! Franck Muller!! Bought it in Switzerland!! You must have a certificate to own this watch!! Its in my car, Atwoli claimed. I have 2 cars for myself. Most people do not know me. Sometimes they over-value me and sometimes they under-value me. My watch, for instance, is pure gold and cost me more than Sh 5 Million which I paid in installments. Polish Army should be modernized and better equipped and the country's defense spending should grow to 2.5 percent of GDP, Polish President Andrzej Duda said on Wednesday during Polish Armed Forces Day celebrations in Warsaw. Polish Soldiers during the August 15 Great Independence Military Parade (Credit: Polish MoD) Addressing the gathering before a military parade, the president stated that "everything would be done to make the Polish Army better equipped, to implement modernization plans and to increase defense spending." "I believe that...we should be increasing defense outlays faster than initially planned. If the economic situation makes it possible, the growth of defense spending to 2.5 percent of GDP should be completed by 2024 instead of 2030 as earlier planned," said the president. According to the president, the Polish army faced an urgent need of modernization and that it was already being modernized, while the new command system was being worked out. As a part of celebrations, the Great Independence Military Parade was also held in Warsaw, featuring more than 1,000 soldiers, military vehicles, including battle tanks and missile launchers. Send to Email Address Your Name Your Email Address Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Email check failed, please try again Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. 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 Is Premium Moonshine The Next Tequila? This Just In: Moonshine Is The New Tequila And We're Loving It The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. We know you love to impress your friends with all of your knowledge of all things alcohol. You are all up on your whiskey mash and four-grain bourbons, you serve Amaro after dinner and the only kind of tequila you drink is a Reposado. What will really impress your guests, however, is when you whip out a bottle of moonshine. We arent talking about bootleg smuggling, banjo pickin, and corncob pipe smoking moonshine. Your granddaddys white lightening has gone premium, and the cause is being championed by Belle Isle Craft Spirits. Is Moonshine The New Tequila? Based in Richmond, Virginia, Belle Isle was founded by brothers-in-law Vince Riggi and Brian Marks back in 2013. When they started brainstorming the idea, the moonshine trend was gaining traction, but more in the kitschy/hipster heritage way, sold in Mason jars in unappealing flavors like Strawberry of the all-American Apple Pie moonshine. The brothers were hitting up high-end restaurants and bars to garner interest when they met Gregg Brooks', one of Richmonds top bartenders. He was impressed with the juice and thought it would be a great canvas to use for infusions. The brothers invited Gregg to attend the first annual Moonshine Festival with them in 2014. RELATED: The 20 Best Tequilas To Drink Gregg created both a Pumpkin Spice and a Honey Habanero moonshine to gauge the publics interest. Both of these he made by sourcing the ingredients from local farms and beekeepers and of course, proper distilling. He had been making these for years at home and was curious to see how the public would react; the line was around the tent all day. After the success of the festival he came into the business as Director of Production focusing on quality local infusions. As Vince joked with us, None of us came from a family of distillers but we love good quality spirits! Belle Isle is the first to use all organic, all natural and non-GMO ingredients from the corn to the peppers. Their cold brew coffee moonshine came about from a partnership between Belle Isle and Blanchards Coffee Roasting Company, a certified organic craft coffee roaster, also based in Richmond, Virginia. Today their Honey Habanero is the number one best selling craft spirit from Virginia. While there are over 1,500 craft distillers in the country, Belle Isle is at ranked 68th in volume and should be soaring up to 50th by end of the year. As Vince explained to us, Moonshine is having a similar rise in popularity as tequila did 20 years ago. Back then there was no such thing as premium tequila and it typically dwelled in the dorm rooms of frat boys. Today, George Clooney has his own brand and Patron has a limited edition that comes in a Lalique bottle and sells for $7,500. We have to say, while their flavored spirits are delicious (and we mean, really delicious), we enjoy just sipping on their Black Label with a big ole chunk of ice. Its a little sweet and isnt something you would ever want to shoot. The sweetness comes from distilling the spirit at a little bit lower temperature. We asked Vince to explain this to us and he said, To be classified as a vodka it has to be distilled above 190 proof (above 190 removes all odor and taste), to be a whiskey it has to be distilled to 160. Moonshine is in the middle, the 180 proof range. Because of that, there is a little bit more character in the product resulting in that sweet, slightly fruity taste that goes down smooth and not like the rubbing alcohol burn that brought tears to our eyes and belly aches the next morning. A Brief History Of Moonshining The colonists used the term Moonshine back in the 18th century to describe something that had to be done in the dark of night in hidden moonshine stills. It had other nicknames like corn whiskey, white whiskey, white lightning, firewater, rotgut, and even Mountain Dew. Were sure it tasted quite different than the sugary soda we now know with that name. Shine, as its called by those in the know, is a distilled spirit that became popular in grain producing states as a way to use up extra produce to prevent it spoiling. When making moonshine in its most basic form, it is comprised of a grain like corn or malted barley, with water, and sugar or yeast. This makes a moonshine mash which acts as the foundation of this, and many other forms of alcohol, including whiskey. Once barrel aged whiskey came into being, moonshine faded in popularity until the Civil War when soldiers would distill their corn rations in copper kettles. This all kicked off on a little island in the middle of the James River in Richmond, Virginia called Belle Isle. Another fun fact NASCAR was founded on moonshine. Back during prohibition, bootleggers had to make sure their cars could be fast enough to escape the po-po on their late night runs and keep them out of the sheriff's office. Someone thought those whiskey-runners should start racing one another and an industry was born. After Prohibition, illegal moonshine was once again relegated to the back woods and has only experienced a slow yet steady resurgence in the past 10 years until today when it is finally getting all gussied up and going premium. While we enjoy sipping the stuff straight, the gents provided a cocktail recipe you can try at home for a little hair of the dog: Hot & Shiny Bloody Mary 2 oz. Belle Isle Honey Habanero 4 oz. of your favorite Bloody Mary mix Combine ingredients with ice; shake, then pour all contents into glass. Garnish with whatever strikes your fancy. You Might Also Dig AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use. A team of detectives under the command of Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss George Kinoti has reportedly discovered a tax evasion racket at the port of Mombasa said to have cost the public Sh100 billion in just six months. The detectives had gone to investigate KRA and KPA over the entry of contraband goods, mainly sugar and fertilizer, only to stumble on evidence of an organized cartel that has been fleecing taxpayers of billions of shillings, the Standard reports. According to the investigators, the cartels illegal activities include allowing contraband goods into the market, false declaration of the value of imports to attract less tax or failing to inspect all containers, thus allowing substandard goods into the country. The team is said to be almost through with the collection of documents and evidence in investigations that are set to claim casualties at Times Towers. Detectives are targeting officlas from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs). The rogue officials were said to be colluding with unscrupulous traders to facilitate false declarations to deny the taxman requisite taxes such as import duty. They also allow in counterfeits in exchange for bribes. A comprehensive report on our findings will be released by next week. We will have recommendations therein on how we can seal these loopholes that are causing losses running into billions of shillings, said Kinoti. He added: In the past six months alone, Kenyans may have lost about Sh100 billion in tax evasion and sale of substandard goods. Kinoti further said that he had learnt that up to eight ships with substandard goods that had been cleared to dock had disappeared from the Kenyan waters after their owners learnt of the ongoing probe. At least five workers of KRA and KPA have been arrested, with some investigators saying the cartel involved in tax evasion and clearance of contraband goods was networked and had been threatening them. They have been lying to the President and the country on the tax collected. This is a complicated web that must be dismantled for us to realise our dreams, said a source. Additional reporting by Standard. Kenya Wildlife Service wardens finally got something right as they freed an elephant which had been stuck in the mud for three days. The embattled wildlife agency has been on the spot for weeks now since the death of 11 endangered rhinos in a calamitous relocation project in June. The agency, which is tasked with the protection of wildlife, made headlines again when its officers shot and killed a hippo that mauled a Taiwanese tourist at Lake Naivasha last weekend. Days before that, KWS wardens killed a giant crocodile and cut it open in search of a missing girls remains in Embu. They did not find anything as enraged Kenyans accused the agency of being a threat to the wildlife its mandated to preserve and protect. It, therefore, came as a relief to many Kenyans when KWS wardens, with help from locals, rescued an adult Jumbo at the Kiboko campsite in Chyulu Hills. In a tweet on Wednesday, KWS said that the operation, although difficult due to marsh, was a complete success. It observed the elephant was weak from exhaustion and was at first unable to stand up on his own after three days in the mud. The wildlife agency noted that through supportive treatment, including intravenous fluids, the adult elephant is now well and back to the bush. Wed like to say a big thank you to all who support us in ensuring that our wildlife is safe in their various habitats, Kenya Wildlife Service Tweeted. Operating at the Kiboko scene in Chyulu Hills, KWS, in partnership with the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Big Life Foundation and members of the local community endeavoured to free an adult elephant bull that had been stuck in mud for three days! pic.twitter.com/GCaFDWmVDa KWS (@kwskenya) August 15, 2018 Indian victims of a massive Ponzi scheme will be able to recover funds in Australia, thanks to the help of a global law firm. DLA Piper successfully acted with counsel for the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in the second of two proceedings before the Federal Court of Australia. The global firm briefed counsel Thomas Bradley QC, Michael Hodge QC, and Julia O'Connor. SEBI, on behalf of 58 million Indian investors, traced more than $100m from India to Australia. The scheme is one of the largest Ponzi schemes in the world, DLA Piper said. Practitioners are turning to a new variant of TAR, Continuous Active Learning (CAL), or TAR 2.0. Unlike TAR 1.0, where the reviewers need to train the system when more documents are added, CAL continuously trains the system as documents are coded. CAL usually involves specifying an initial seed set of documents to be reviewed and coded. Once coded, these documents are used to train the learning algorithm, which scores the documents based on likelihood of responsiveness. The learning is ongoing as more documents are reviewed and coded, the CAL results are continually updated against the entire corpus. The benefits of using CAL cannot be understated. Vast, sprawling document sets which are familiar to anyone involved in litigation can now be approached very differently. CAL supports a natural train of enquiry that continually learns from the human review. This aligns more closely with how humans explore their cases and increases their understanding of the issues as they continue to review. CAL maintains focus on the relevant aspects of documents and highlights other documents with similar features. Using AI to Learn From the Past Historical data reviewed in prior matters can hold great value. Using AI to learn from the past allows for a more efficient future. The logic is that it is impossible for a person or team to understand every document that has been reviewed and produced. By training AI models on the review performed in previous cases, AI can be used to identify if there are documents in a new set of data with characteristics similar to documents reviewed and produced in previous matters. The historic data effectively bootstraps the AI learning for a new matter and relevant, irrelevant and unknown characteristics are revealed before human review. Legal teams with data from historic cases can test the proposition that AI trained on previous matters has some value when reviewing new data. Without too much effort, legal teams can train the AI on documents produced in litigation as relevant and those not produced as irrelevant documents. The teams can withhold one or more cases from the training. The AI can then score the unknown documents in the cases withheld from training. Did the model make any correct predictions by ranking relevant and irrelevant material? It wont be perfect, but do the results provide better visibility into an unknown data set and will that help drive a more efficient and consistent review? So I am applying for a 186 since July 2017 as a Marketing Specialist. My employer is genuine willing to sponsor me as she has been helpful all this while, including helping to make call to the visa center and such. I have been working in the same company for about 3 years now. I had done 2 skills assessment with the 1st one negative and the 2nd one positive. General, the work that I do is about the same is just the job title itself is of an issue so I had to applied 2 times just to say that the previous work I had done is also in the capacity of a "marketing specialist"(I find it ridiculous cause the difference is just in the job title). But they are still giving me only 1.8 years to me. My visa agent apparently did not upload all the documents (especially the employment reference letters) which I had sent to him. I had check via the IMMI website on how much documents he uploaded (which maybe a cause for the rejection?). I asked him why and he just said, even if uploaded, it won't have helped. (which I strongly disagree with). I know they are not guaranteed to have a positive result for me but I just find the situation that he did not put in actual effort for my case as the letter I received from IMMI had this sentence "To date, the applicant has not provided employment reference letters or other evidence to support their three year Australian work experience and at the level of skill required for the occupation. " Which I had sent to him and he did not upload at all! I am just going to blame myself for putting my trust in the agent and not do the check myself. Go through another skills assessment, with this, I definitely will hit 3 years. Getting a immigration lawyer to help with the tribunal, I am just goggling for a lawyer so am not actually sure how real are those reviews. So if I can have some reference thrown to me, I would be thankful Lodging a complain about the immigration agent for negligence. Hi AllSorry for the long post aheadIt has not been an easy day for me. Normally, I am a lurker that just read through information here to help with my process but today, I felt the need to just post and ask for any advice or help. I would like to thank all previous post as their information really helps.I had a emotional breakdown today as I received my results via email through my agent. I literally just fall to the ground and started sobbing. I had work so hard and waited quite awhile. It's more of the anticipation and hope that I would finally get it. Most important is I am afraid to disappoint my family as they were quite positive about it.Summarizing my situation: IMMI Refusal for Subclass 186, looking to go ahead with AAT. Wondering if anyone has any positive process with a immigration lawyer in Brisbane and perhaps could recommend to me. Any advises for the AAT?Background for my visa:[*]Grounds for rejection: I did not have evidence of having three year working experience (which I actually have, just that I have a different job title before changing my title to "marketing specialist). My employer is willing to speak out as well for me.Possible solution for me (I think):Thanks for putting up with me and reading through this long post as I have no where else to vent, complain or cry to. Any suggestions or advice is much appreciated. But as you all know, Ford developed the Ranger Raptor mostly in Australia. Given this information, its no wonder the Dearborn-based automaker decided to secure the design patent in Australia first. The simple mentioning of the United States, however, is our clearest indicator to date about the Ranger Raptor coming to the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.Until now, our only clue about U.S. availability for the off-road pickup truck came in the form of spy photographs and clips of the Ranger Raptor roaming in and around Michigan with a manufacturers plate affixed to the rear bumper. But thanks to IP Australia, were now certain the mid-size brother of the F-150 Raptor will go on sale stateside next year.Adding fuel to the fire, 29/634999 is a patent application number used by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office . To this effect, digging deeper into the USPTO database should reveal the same design patent (29) as the one filed with IP Australia for the Ranger Raptor.Expected to look similar to the Australian model with the exception of the U.S. -style lights, the Ranger Raptor could debut in this part of the world at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show or the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The biggest unknown, however, is what hides under the hood.Wed be surprised if Ford were to modify the 2.0-liter EcoBlue bi-turbo diesel for the U.S., more so when you bear in mind how unpopular diesel is around here. To this effect, a high-output version of the 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo is likely, with Focus RS -like output or something near that threshold. On the other hand, the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 is another candidate provided that Ford can shoehorn a six-cylinder engine in the engine bay. Image: Privateer Industries After more than ten years in development, the Privateer Amphibian made its first successful flight last week. The single-engine pusher from Privateer Industries was designed by John Meekins and Bill Husa. As seen in the video below, the flight went well, although it has been reported that minor instrumentation issues prevented some of the planned testing. The aircraft was flown out of Space Coast Regional Airport (TIX) in Titusville, Florida, by test pilot Harvey Cleveland. Meekins, who is now CEO of Privateer Industries, described seeing the aircraft fly for the first time as a highlight of his life. He began designing the Privateer after a search for a seaplane to purchase didnt turn up any results he was happy with. After coming up with the initial design, Meekins brought Bill Husa of Orion Technologies onto the project as Chief Engineer. Husa passed away in 2012 before the prototype was finished. The Privateer is powered by a 724-HP Walter 601 turbine engine. The prototypes empty weight is 3,600 pounds, with plans for the production version to be lighter. Performance numbers have not yet been finalized, but the Privateer is expected to cruise at 215 knots, have a service ceiling of 25,000 feet and have a useful load of 2,000 pounds. The goal is for the aircraft to have a 1,000-mile range, with seats for five to six passengers plus the pilot. The company has previously said that it plans to make the Privateer available in both kit-built and, later, certified versions. Expected prices have not yet been announced. McAfee announced Wednesday it will be offering free cloud services to election officials in all 50 states for one year. The trend: The $380 million Congress is doling out to states to secure election systems is not enough, prompting private companies to offer free election security services. Both Cloudflare and Google-owned Jigsaw are protecting local authorities against DDoS attacks where hackers flood websites with traffic to shut them down. And Synack, a bug bounty firm, is offering free penetration testing to election officials until November. What's next: Its unclear at the moment whether election officials would be able to renew services with McAfee after a year, and at what price. "Wed like to get through November first," Ken Karsten, McAfees VP of public sector sales told Axios, adding the discussion about what to do approaching 2020 has "not concluded." President Xi Jinping is ramping up China's efforts to control speech on the internet at home and export that more restrictive model abroad, Adam Segal details in Foreign Affairs. Why it matters: "Given Chinas size and technological sophistication, Beijing has a good chance of succeeding thereby remaking cyberspace in its own image," Segal warns. "If this happens, the internet will be less global and less open." China is trying to pioneer what it calls cyber-sovereignty, Segal writes, or "a world of national Internets, with government control justified by the sovereign rights of states." That's in direct conflict with the U.S.-led vision of the internet as open, interoperable, reliable, and secure. To that end, Xi is introducing strict regulations on Chinese tech and telecom companies, while seeking to cut China's dependence on foreign technology to maximize control. Government control: Xi founded the Cyberspace Administration of China in 2014 to control online content and enhance cybersecurity. Last year, the government told Tencent and other tech companies to freeze websites which included discussions about history, the military, and international relations. It later fined Tencent, Baidu, and Weibo for hosting banned content. Officials have ordered telecom companies to block virtual private networks (VPNs) used to skirt censorship. Apple complied and removed VPNs from its App Store in China. The government has mandated that private companies store their data in China, which means the government will likely have easy access to it. Reducing foreign dependence: This year when ZTE, which relies on U.S.-made microchips and other equipment, had to shut down temporarily due to U.S. sanctions, Chinese concerns about foreign dependence deepened. China is pushing its firms to develop 70% of the microchips used in China by 2025 and is investing $150 billion in the next decade to improve the design and manufacture of microprocessors. China has ramped up its attempts to buyout U.S. semiconductor companies in recent years, biding 27 times between 2013-2016. Compare that to just six deals between 2000-2013. China is also investing heavily in artificial intelligence and quantum computing, which could help it bypass conventional encryption. What to watch: In the tropical waters of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, conditions appear to be primed for the development of an El Nino event, with potentially far-reaching consequences. Why it matters: If an El Nino does develop, even a weak one, it could influence weather patterns around the world from increasing the odds of above-average winter precipitation in California to favoring drought conditions in Indonesia. It could also provide a natural boost to global average surface temperatures, nudging 2018 and possibly 2019 further up the ladder of the hottest years on record. The big picture: El Nino events are characterized by above-average sea surface temperatures in the equatorial tropical Pacific Ocean. These elevated ocean temperatures effect the location and intensity of tropical showers and thunderstorms across the Pacific. In order to get a fully-fledged El Nino event started, though, a series of events in the atmosphere and the ocean has to take place. Wind patterns across the Pacific, for example, need to help bring the elevated ocean heat lurking in the deep up to the surface of the sea. "Westerly wind bursts" which blow in the opposite direction from normal trade winds north of the equator can help bring above-average ocean temperatures. The details: Right now, the Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a 70% likelihood of El Nino conditions developing by fall and winter, which is when such events typically peak. Michelle LHeureux, a meteorologist at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center in Maryland, tells Axios that the upcoming event which has about a 70% likelihood of occurring by the upcoming winter is unlikely to be as potent as the last El Nino was in 2015 and 2016. But that was one of the most intense events on record. "If something forms its likely to be on the weaker side of things," she told Axios. "In general, weaker events tend to be a bit tougher to predict than stronger events. Ben Kirtman, professor of atmospheric sciences at University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, told Axios that he's confident an El Nino is developing: The evidence is truly mounting." The back story: L'Heureux is haunted by what happened in 2014, when sea surface temperatures increased in the tropical Pacific Ocean, much as they are now, and heat built up. Yet that year, the wind patterns didn't change, and no El Nino event occurred. Forecasters who had projected that one would likely form were burned. Kirtman has researched what happened that year, and says there is an increased appreciation for the role that the atmosphere plays in kicking off an El Nino event. We have actually done some after the fact studies to show that with some of our modeling tools we may not have fully resolved the probability of that event not materializing in that case, he said. L'Heureux said climate forecasting is a tricky business, and always will be. "There is intrinsic uncertainty when youre making climate predictions. Well always be grappling a little bit with that. Were never going to get to the point where we can say with 100 percent probability that this is definitely going to happen. Michele L'Heureux, NOAA meteorologist Our thought bubble: One of the main reasons why an El Nino event is relevant right now is that they tend to increase the amount of heat released from the oceans into the atmosphere, thereby providing a natural boost to human-caused global warming. The El Nino year of 2016 was the warmest year on record, for example. It wouldnt surprise me at all if we see larger global mean temps just because of this natural signal," Kirtman said. He noted that ocean temperatures have risen worldwide in the past few decades, due largely to human-caused global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency will propose a replacement regulation as soon as next week for President Obama's signature climate-change rule, reports Timothy Gardner of Reuters. Why it matters: The rule's original goal was to cut carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants 32% by 2030 based on 2005 emission levels, and was the cornerstone of Obama's pledge in the Paris climate deal. President Trump's replacement has been anticipated for many months and is said to be less stringent and will grant states the ability to write their own individual regulations. Between the lines: Per Axios' Amy Harder: Issuing a replacement rule, however less stringent than the original, is an important tacit acknowledgement by the Trump administration that legal precedent requires such a regulation and that the government has a responsibility to address climate change. This comes despite repeated comments by Trump officials, including Thursday by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, dismissing humans' role in rising temperatures. Florida's southwest coast has been ravaged by two unprecedented algae outbreaks that are killing wildlife, making people sick and crushing the crucial tourism industry. Why it matters: The worst algae blooms in Florida's modern history have spurred political finger-pointing that could sway one of the country's most closely-watched Senate races this fall. The big picture: The algae outbreaks are the largest and longest-lasting in years. Weather patterns coupled with pressures on land use are stoking long-held tensions over natural resources between two of the state's biggest industries agriculture and tourism. And it's happening at a time when Florida is also seeing massive population growth. What's happening: The crisis is caused by two separate but equally toxic algae blooms. One is a salt-water red tide in the Gulf of Mexico, while the other is fresh-water blue-green algae stemming from the inland waters of Lake Okeechobee. The inland algae is festering in the vast canals and winding inland waterways of Southwest Florida. Red tide is caused by a flare of microorganisms, often in summer, that turns the water rust-colored. The inland event features guacamole-like, blue-green algae that started in giant Lake Okeechobee and spread to surrounding rivers and canals on the way to the coast. by a flare of microorganisms, often in summer, that turns the water rust-colored. The inland event features guacamole-like, blue-green algae that started in giant Lake Okeechobee and spread to surrounding rivers and canals on the way to the coast. Each bloom , on its own, has turned water toxic and devastated marine life. Dozens of turtles, fish, dolphins, eels, manatees and even a whale shark have washed up dead on area beaches. , on its own, has turned water toxic and devastated marine life. Dozens of turtles, fish, dolphins, eels, manatees and even a whale shark have washed up dead on area beaches. Scientists don't know why the blooms are so severe this year. They suspect it's a combination of record rainfall, high levels of nitrogen caused by agricultural run-off, warmer waters, and other human activity. the blooms are so severe this year. They suspect it's a combination of record rainfall, high levels of nitrogen caused by agricultural run-off, warmer waters, and other human activity. Gov. Rick Scott has declared two emergencies to deal with the blooms, the first one related to Lake Okeechobee and the latest on Monday to help seven coastal counties with the cleanup effort. Residents have held town halls and organized rallies to put pressure on elected officials to do more. As a result, candidates are making environmental issues a central part of their campaigns leading up to the August 28 Florida primaries. In the Senate race, Scott, a Republican, is finishing his last term as governor and looking to take the Senate seat of Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat. Scott faults Nelson for not doing more to solve the problem, since Lake Okeechobee's water levels are managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, a federal entity. Nelson blames Scott, who's been attacked by environmentalists for cutting water quality monitors and water management programs, and repealing a law requiring septic tank inspections. Nelson is considered to be one of the most endangered Democratic incumbents in 2018. In the governor's race, candidates are making environmental issues a central part of their campaigns. All five Democratic candidates blame the sugar industry as a key source of waterway pollution. blame the sugar industry as a key source of waterway pollution. Republican congressman and gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis has used his lack of ties to Big Sugar to distance himself from opponent Adam Putnam, currently the state's agriculture commissioner, who has received campaign contributions from sugar farmers. What to watch: In states like Florida that are experiencing more extreme weather events, voters may coalesce around climate and environmental issues heading into the next election cycles. "People in these places understand that things are changing rapidly right in front of their eyes, and it's raised awareness to a level it's never been before," Denis Dison of the Natural Resource Defense Council's Action Fund told the New Republic. Go deeper: Uhuru Kenyatta is set to host British Prime Minister Theresa May in Nairobi on August 30. The meeting will come three days after President Kenyattas meeting with U.S President Donald Trump at the White House. Uhuru is also scheduled to meet another world leader in Chinas President Xi Jinping. They are set to meet in Beijing, China on September 1-5, 2018. The announcement was made on Wednesday by Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma. She termed the purposes of the meetings as avenues of positioning Kenya globally. The meetings with the three leaders of world superpowers will be centralized on trade, security, and infrastructure. Uhurus meeting with Trump is expected to reaffirm the longstanding relationship between the United States and Kenya as a cornerstone of peace and stability in Africa and the broader Indo-Pacific region. President Trump and President Kenyatta will explore ways to bolster trade and investment between the two countries while strengthening security cooperation. Kenya is a vital partner of the United States, and President Trump looks forward to discussing ways to broaden the strategic partnership based on our shared democratic values and mutual interests, said the White House. About 1,000 Google employees have signed a letter asking for more transparency from Google about the expected rollout of Dragonfly, a censored search engine designed for the Chinese market, per The New York Times. Why it matters: Google withdrew from China eight years ago in protest of government hacking. Employees now want to know if the companys willingness to acquiesce to Chinese demands to limit access to information online could violate Google's famous unofficial motto: "Don't Be Evil." An excerpt from the letter: "Currently we do not have the information required to make ethically-informed decisions about our work, our projects, and our employment." A Google employee told BuzzFeed News: "Googles mission statement literally says, 'Organize the worlds information and make it universally accessible.' Censorship directly contradicts making information accessible. ... Its like Google capitulating to an oppressive organization. First it was the military industrial complex, now its China." Worth noting: Even with the work on the revamped search engine, the Chinese government hasnt approved Googles return to the country yet. The other side: Some Google employees think a return to China is worthwhile, arguing it could bring better even if limited access to information to the world's largest base of internet users, especially since the company's exit years ago failed to spur the Chinese government to take any action. Go deeper: How U.S. tech gets entangled in China's surveillance state. Following the revelation that hundreds of Catholic priests in Pennsylvania had sexually abused more than 1,000 children over decades, the Vatican did not comment for 2 days and at least one bishop has denied that there was a coverup. Why it matters: In a detailed report, the Pennsylvania grand jury not only uncovered a series of abusive behavior by priests, many of whom have since died or left the ministry, but also ongoing efforts by those in authority to belittle and cover up these incidents. The bottom line: While many clergymen have expressed their disappointment with the church and sympathy for the victims, most have also stressed the fact that the abuse happened years ago, defended the church's current protection of children and pointed out where they see inaccuracies in the report. Few have addressed the culture of secrecy that allowed abuse to continue, often unchecked. Key quote from the grand jury: "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." The response: The Vatican's press office originally said they had no comment, but on Thursday afternoon released the statement, "There are two words that can express the feelings faced with these horrible crimes: shame and sorrow," according to Fox News. originally said they had no comment, but on Thursday afternoon released the statement, "There are two words that can express the feelings faced with these horrible crimes: shame and sorrow," according to Fox News. Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh said in a conference that there was no cover-up going on. I think that its important to be able to state that. We have over the course of the last 30 years, for sure, been transparent about everything that has in fact been transpiring, according to the New York Times. said in a conference that there was no cover-up going on. I think that its important to be able to state that. We have over the course of the last 30 years, for sure, been transparent about everything that has in fact been transpiring, according to the New York Times. Bishop Edward C. Malesic of Greensburg said in his homily that he is "ashamed by what some of our priests did in the past," and that the fact that some known child abusers became bishops is a cause of shame for us. He later added that "the grand jury report describes the church of 30, 50, even more than 70 years ago... It does not paint an accurate picture of the church in which we pray and find comfort today. said in his homily that he is "ashamed by what some of our priests did in the past," and that the fact that some known child abusers became bishops is a cause of shame for us. He later added that "the grand jury report describes the church of 30, 50, even more than 70 years ago... It does not paint an accurate picture of the church in which we pray and find comfort today. Chancellor and General Counsel Kim Viti Fiorentino of the Archdiocese of Washington said in an interview with the Catholic Standard that the revelations have "profoundly saddened us, and are causing us to reflect on whether more could have been done." But she also suggested the report had been overblown without context, pointing out that more than 5,000 priests served in Pennsylvania during the time the report was being produced. She also described the investigative process as "flawed." said in an interview with the Catholic Standard that the revelations have "profoundly saddened us, and are causing us to reflect on whether more could have been done." But she also suggested the report had been overblown without context, pointing out that more than 5,000 priests served in Pennsylvania during the time the report was being produced. She also described the investigative process as "flawed." Bishop Alfred A. Schlert of Allentown wrote a letter to his parishioners apologizing for "the past sins and crimes committed by some of the members of the clergy": "Abuse is abhorrent and has no place in the Church, or anywhere in society. Most of the incidents date back decades. The offending priests are no longer in active ministry, are laicized (defrocked), or are deceased," Schlert wrote. Go deeper: The grand jurys horrifying Catholic coverup report Editor's note: This story was updated following the release of the Vatican's statement, which came after the original article was published. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) threatened serious measures to end the brutal five-year civil war in South Sudan in May, and after continued peace agreement violations, imposed sanctions on July 13. Measures included an embargo to prevent the supply, sale and transfer of arms and related military support to the country. It also included a travel ban and asset freezes on select individuals. Where it stands: Cautious optimism surrounds these efforts for peace. Recent progress has led to a permanent ceasefire and power-sharing agreements among parties to the conflict, including the two main rivals, President Salva Kiirs government and Riek Machars rebel group. Background: The armed conflict has led to grave human rights violations and mass atrocities against civilians. These include ethnic-based killings, abductions, rape and sexual violence as well as the destruction of villages, with at least 232 civilians killed and 120 women and girls raped in just one month this spring. The goals of the sanctions are twofold: to stop the flow of weapons feeding the countrys violence, and to force the conflict leaders to follow a peaceful path in resolving their differences. Some UNSC members, such as Ethiopia, felt the sanctions would risk the peace efforts on the ground and believed they werent aligned with the peace process mediator, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). There is also concern that re-instating Machar as vice president wouldnt be enough to curb Kiirs power, given the collapse of a similar power-sharing agreement between the two leaders in 2016. Despite these concerns, the sanctions have started working. They at least put pressure on the conflicting parties to accept the IGAD mediators' proposed peace initiatives, which in addition to the permanent ceasefire agreement include amnesty for rebels, the deployment of regional forces to supervise the accord, and the establishment of a self-monitoring mechanism. The parties also agreed on outstanding governance issues. What to watch: Agreement violations have become the norm, and could resume if the UNSC doesn't put enforcement mechanisms in place. All UN member countries especially South Sudans neighbors must also cooperate with the sanctions committee and panel of experts. Only then will South Sudans peace efforts be setup to succeed. Meressa K. Dessu is a senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies. Selam Tadesse is a researcher at ISS. Invited and sometimes self-invited, teens from across the country hopped on a bus carrying students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland FL, on a 59-day tour of some 80 cities and towns in two dozen states that ended Sunday. I followed the group on the last three days of the campaign. Here are portraits of four of the students. Jaclyn Corin, Parkland, FL Jaclyn Corin, in orange. Photo: Emilee McGovern/March for Our Lives Today, Stoneman Douglas students returned to class in Parkland, FL. Jaclyn Corin is senior class president, and last year was junior class president, too. When the Valentine's Day shooting happened, she had been delivering carnations sold to fund the junior prom. Now, she naturally assumed the leadership of the Parkland anti-gun violence movement. On Sunday in Newtown, CT, where the bus tour ended, Corin sounded hopeful about the November elections but knowing about the difficulty of changing U.S. gun laws significantly. "It's going to take a cultural shift," she said. "And a cultural shift always takes a generation or two. I hope my kids know we don't need weapons of war on the street." We spoke by phone late this morning. Corin was in the cafeteria for lunch, surrounded by friends. It's hard to escape the memory of what happened given the swarm of reporters on the street, that Building 1200 where 17 of their classmates and teachers were murdered is within eyesight, though closed and that teachers, too, are dwelling on the shooting. "Unfortunately teachers are immediately saying where you can hide, and how the alarm system is going to work this year," she said. "I just got out of Holocaust History. And the teacher four kids died in her class, and she identified herself as just that and how she risked her life to save others. She talked about whether the windows were bulletproof." Bria Smith, Milwaukee, WI Smith. Photo: Emilee McGovern/March for Our Lives Bria Smith is 17 and says she grew up with gunshots outside her window as "conditioned reality" in Harambee, on Milwaukee's north side. "But it shouldn't be," she told me Friday in New York. What happened: Smith got on the bus, invited by Corin, when it passed through Milwaukee. A powerful orator, speaking in bursts, she calls herself an "advocate," among other things serving on the city Youth Council in order to help . But until now, she was "really upset that no one would listen." "Youth are hungry for change... Now Parkland gave them the platform." Bria Smith Smith feels lucky through a state integration program, she has spent her entire education in well-resourced, mostly white schools in the suburbs, giving her "the biggest impact of my life." But she was ready to return home "to help black and brown youth." "I'm only 17," she said on the stage in Manhattan. "None of us should even be up here." Alex King, Chicago King. Photo: Emilee McGovern/March for Our Lives "This is the generation that says 'enough is enough,'" says Alex King, of Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood, on the west side. "When we saw something was wrong, we said, 'This is wrong.'" King was bullied in school and has seen much death around him, most recently that of his 16-year-old nephew, who was killed a year ago. But he has joined the Peace Warriors, a group that tries to reduce violence by championing the teachings of Martin Luther King. At 18, King was one of the oldest youth on the tour. In high school, he long had ambitions in drama, but his high school North Lawndale College Prep had no money to put on any plays. "There were talent shows and I was always picked as the emcee because I always had a thing for talking in front of large groups of people," King told me. King was one of the oldest youth on the tour. In high school, he long had ambitions in drama, but his high school North Lawndale College Prep had no money to put on any plays. "There were talent shows and I was always picked as the emcee because I always had a thing for talking in front of large groups of people," King told me. This fall, he will be a theater arts major at Grand Valley State University, a 20-minute drive west of Grand Rapids. Is he angry with generations before his own? "The world we are living in shouldn't have to be the world like this," he said. "I feel like I opened up people's hearts and minds." King said after the tour Ramon Contreras, Harlem Contreras, front in glasses. Emilee McGovern/March for Our Lives In Harlem, where he moved as a boy, Ramon Contreras runs a group called Youth Over Guns. In March, he helped to organize a walkout along with students across the country, organized by the Parkland group, but decided that media attention was going heavily to white students. So on June 2, he helped lead a protest in which thousands of people marched across the Brooklyn Bridge in support of gun control. The Parkland group noticed and tweeted at him. He ended up getting on the bus in Chicago at the very start of the tour on June 15. he helped lead a protest in which thousands of people marched across the Brooklyn Bridge in support of gun control. The Parkland group noticed and tweeted at him. He ended up getting on the bus in Chicago at the very start of the tour on June 15. "We want to be the generation to end gun violence," he told me. Did he think they would succeed? "You have to be optimistic that you can. But if we don't succeed, it will go to the next generation. We will pass the baton." Go deeper: There is already a "Parkland effect" The latest round of Brexit negotiations kicked off today in Brussels, with just two months to go before October's EU Summit widely seen as one of the last feasible dates to secure a withdrawal treaty. Why it matters: Consensus has been reached on about 85% of the deal, per the NYTimes' Steven Erlanger, but several of the most contentious issues, including the Irish border dilemma and the U.K.'s customs and trade relationship with the EU, have yet to be resolved. What to watch: The original idea for an Irish "backstop," which would allow Northern Ireland to remain in the EU's shared "customs union" and "single market," was rejected by the U.K. in July. Thursday's negotiations will focus on finding an alternative solution to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. for an Irish "backstop," which would allow Northern Ireland to remain in the EU's shared "customs union" and "single market," was rejected by the U.K. in July. Thursday's negotiations will focus on finding an alternative solution to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Friday's talks will seek to clarify the nature of the future trade relationship between the EU and the U.K., after Prime Minister Theresa May's "Chequers proposal" to remain in the EU's single market for goods, but not services, was also rejected. to clarify the nature of the future trade relationship between the EU and the U.K., after Prime Minister Theresa May's "Chequers proposal" to remain in the EU's single market for goods, but not services, was also rejected. In response to the stifling of the Chequers plan , Britain's new Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has embarked on a tour of European capitals, lobbying the EU for "a change in approach" and warning of the severe market impact of a "no deal" Brexit. of the Chequers plan Britain's new Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has embarked on a tour of European capitals, lobbying the EU for "a change in approach" and warning of the severe market impact of a "no deal" Brexit. The EU's Brexit negotiators reportedly fear that the British secret service has bugged their devices, according to The Telegraph. Regardless of whether that's true, the accusations themselves are a grim indication of the tensions between the negotiating parties. Go deeper: The U.K. is changing its mind on Brexit. Public health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are scrambling to contain the Ebola outbreak, as neighboring countries of Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda bolster their readiness in case the hemorrhagic virus spreads past their border. What's new: Xinhua reported there were 3 people suspected of being infected in Uganda, one of whom died however, Uganda's health ministry and the World Health Organization say there are no confirmed Ebola cases there. Meanwhile, in DRC, the number of suspected deaths has crept up to 44 (as of Aug. 15) and the growing rate of suspected infections now includes 11 health care workers. "We are on an epidemiological precipice. We have a critical, time-limited window of opportunity to prevent the # DRC # Ebola outbreak from taking hold in areas that are much more difficult to access because of insecurity. There is not a minute to lose." Peter Salama, deputy director-general for emergency preparedness and response, WHO, tweeted earlier this week Concerns about conflict zones: One of the big concerns is that one of the affected areas is in a conflict region, which is dangerous for health care workers and is near the border of Uganda. Peter Salama, a top World Health Organization official, told STAT News: Thats really the worst-case scenario: That we cant get in quickly enough to an alert [of possible cases] or we just have a blind spot because of security. And then an outbreak really begins to take hold in those blind spots and becomes a multicountry regional outbreak." However, a DRC Health Ministry spokesperson tells Axios that while this is definitely a concern... "At the moment, health officials have been able to enter afflicted areas relatively freely as the the epicenter of the outbreak is not in an actual red zone. Most fightings happen outside the areas where our teams are deployed. However, we are closely working with the national army and MONUSCO to guarantee the security of our health workers and the affected population." Meanwhile, the DRC is continuing its vaccination, treatment and education program. The spokesperson tells Axios: They are distributing the experimental mAb114 Ebola treatment and are waiting for DRC's ethics committee to approve 5 other experimental treatments including ZMapp. "All the treatments except ZMapp have already been sent to the affected area ready to be used as soon as the ethics committee gives its approval." They also are administering the experimental rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine using the ring method (vaccinating the people who were thought to have been exposed to an infected person). There's no current plan to also offer any other experimental vaccine, such as the Ad26.ZEBOV vaccine with a MVABNFilo boost. "The vaccination was quickly accepted by the population. Everyone wants to be vaccinated. Our main challenge is to make people understand that this is not a mass vaccination campaign but a targeted, ring vaccination." They are concerned about health care workers, and have deployed national teams in the field to train local health staff on all infection prevention and control measures. "Beyond this outbreak, an important part of our resilience plan for all the regions where Ebola is a risk is to increase the sensitization and training of local health workers." Go deeper: The initial response to this Ebola outbreak. A recent study on possible problems presented by people persistently infected with Ebola. U.S. health officials' viewpoint on current experimental Ebola vaccines. Editor's note: The chart and the number of suspected deaths and infected health care workers was updated since this story was first published today. By Rashid Shirinov The continuous increase in the amount of state debt of Armenia each month has become a matter of deep concern of the South Caucasus countrys expert community. The country's state amounted to $6.5 billion in the first half of 2018. Armenian economist Vahagn Khachatryan has recently sounded the alarm, reminding that in 2008 the state debt was only $1.5 billion. Over the past 10 years, the former authorities have squandered the loans taken, he noted, saying that the money was spent for other purposes or simply stolen. Armenian experts are concerned that the ratio of the state debt to GDP has reached 55.8 percent, and is expected to reach $7 billion by the end of 2018, or about 60 percent of GDP. The authorities continue attempts to assure the society that the debt is manageable and there is no danger, but the fact is that 60 percent of GDP is too much for such a poor small country as Armenia. The new government blames the former authorities in this situation. However, it is obvious that the new leader of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan is already leading the country in the same destructive direction. Despite the loud promises to remain loyal to Moscow, he has already seriously angered the leadership of Russia the country that provides Armenia with multimillion-dollar loans every year. Pashinyans praises of the EU and NATO and provocative rhetoric on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were the main reasons for the anger of Russia. Thus, Armenia may soon be left without its main partner, and thereby the country will be deprived of large loans that are vital for Pashinyan in order to implement major changes in the country. Meanwhile, the new government, just like the previous one, excitedly rants about the expected large-scale investments and the transformation of Armenia into a tourist paradise. Experts, in turn, prefer to speak the truth about Armenias future prospects there will be no new loans, and the growing state debt, internal instability and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, will continue to scare off the foreign investors. It is noteworthy that the problems of Armenia in relations with neighbors greatly affect the social and economic situation in the country. Because of these problems, Armenia has long turned into the black sheep of the region and misses the opportunity of participation in different regional projects. The main of the obstacles that prevent the recovery of the Armenian economy, is obviously Yerevan's destructive position in solution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and illegal occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory. Following the occupation, Azerbaijan and Turkey closed borders with Armenia, and as a result, today the aggressor country can neither develop nor implement economic initiatives properly. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Naila Huseynli Azerbaijan is in the first place with this indicator among foreign countries investing in economy of Georgia. Last year, $1.8 billion foreign investment was invested in the Georgian economy which is 20.6 percent more than in 2016. As many as $465 million of foreign investments or 24.6 percent of total investments in the economy of Georgia accounted for Azerbaijan. The second largest investor in the economy of the country is the Netherlands with $ 356.7 million, and the third is Turkey with $ 286.3 million in accordance with information given by National Statistics Office of Georgia. Foreign investments in the Georgian economy in 2017 amounted to 12.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). In the first quarter of 2017 Azerbaijans direct investments in Georgia amounted to $127.2 million. Moreover, Azerbaijan is one of the main trade partners of Georgia among the CIS countries. Georgia mostly imported from Azerbaijan oil and oil products, gypsum, anhydrite, plaster, as well as broadly cooperates in regional energy development, transportation and economic partnership projects such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline (BTC), Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway (BTK), the TRACECA, and the BSEC. SOCAR also is deeply involved in the energy market in Georgia which was established in 2006. The company's activity includes retail and bulk selling of fuel in Georgia, importing of petroleum and liquid gas, construction of oil terminals and warehouses. At present, there are over 70 filling stations operating in the country. By Laman Ismayilova An exhibition of Peruvian artists will open at Art Gallery on September 25. The event will be held at the initiative of the Embassy of Peru in Azerbaijan, the State Historical-Architectural Reserve of Icherisheher, the Ministry of Culture and the Arts Council Azerbaijan. The exhibition will bring together four Peruvian artists Hugo Suyo Medina, Evaristo Cayo, Guzman Emilio Huanca Yanariko and Darwin Chavezin. Through their works, artists reflect the splendor of the Andean mountains, the Amazon River flowing through the lush mountains and the beauty of the lakes, dry and sandy coastal plains. The exhibition will last until October 6. Admission is free. Arts Council Azerbaijan is an international and independent art platform. The organization is the head of the International Arts Council Network operating in different countries around the world. It was created by Dadash Mammadov in 2006. The main purpose of the organization is to promote Azerbaijani culture and art. Many projects have been operating for many years under the auspices of the organization. Among them are Art Gazette, Production Studio, Azerbaijan Animation Museum named after Nazim Mammadov, Art School Drawing School, "Under open air" plein air, Art Residence, and Youth Network. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Caspian Sea the largest inland body of water has been in the center of disputes for more than two decades due to a difficulty in granting it the status of either lake or sea. Finally, a landmark agreement was reached and the Convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea was signed by heads of Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan on August 12. The signing of Convention on the legal status of the sea, documents on cooperation in the spheres of economy, transport, ecology and biological resources in the Caspian basin strengthened security and guaranteed peace in the region. Over the past 25 years, there have been attempts to sow discord among the littoral states and to turn the Caspian Sea into an open arena for the military forces of countries not related to this sea. However, due to firm political will of the heads of Caspian littoral states, those attempts were doomed to failure. With the signing of this historic Convention, a new era of large transit, transport and logistical opportunities of Azerbaijan along the North-South and East-West corridors has begun. Moreover, a new page of cooperation with neighbors was opened. As a result of the summit, the Caspian Sea gained a special, unique status -- it was declared neither lake nor sea. According to the Convention, the surface is to be treated as a sea, with states granted jurisdiction over 15 nautical miles of water from their coasts and fishing rights over an additional ten miles. However, the seabed and its deposits are not allocated in precise form. The delineation of the seabed, which is almost completely an oil and gas basin, is yet to be defined. This division is left to countries to agree on a bilateral basis. The convention also permits the construction of pipelines, which only require the approval of the countries whose seabed they pass, subject to environmental provisions, and forbids non-Caspian countries from deploying military vessels in the water. The determination of the long-debated status brought Turkmenistan, whose recoverable reserves are estimated at 17.5 trillion cubic meters of gas, one step closer to its dream Turkmen gas reaching the old continent. Such energy export initiative as the proposed Trans-Caspian Pipeline from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan that would bring Turkmen gas to European markets now has more chances to be implemented. Although, a few issues on the oil blocks ownership and division of the seabed left, the main document has set a basis for further work. Thus, Iran and Azerbaijan, which previously had serious disagreements over delimitation of the sea and energy cooperation, are expected to jointly make use of Caspian Seas resources. The compromise reached by the Caspian Five can be regarded as a great historic victory of diplomacy which turned energy-rich basin into the sea of peace, stability and prosperity. This is the case when there are no losers, but only winners. Azerbaijan, for its part, will gain huge benefits as a transit country when oil is exported from Central Asian nations via the Caspian Sea and may possibly get access to another oil block, while strengthening relations with Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The Russian Navy needs at least four aircraft carriers, Valery Polovinkin, scientific director of the Krylov State Scientific Center, has said. The Russian Navy needs at least four aircraft carriers, Valery Polovinkin, scientific director of the Krylov State Scientific Center, has said. Project 23000E Storm aircraft carrier showcased by Krylov during Army 2016 exhibition. "Russias Northern and Pacific fleets should operate aircraft carriers by default. The arithmetic is simple: a ship cannot be in commission all the time. It should undergo various kinds of maintenance and repairs. Even theoretically it means that each region needs at least two ships," Polovinkin explained. He noted that the U.S. Navy, which has 11 ships of this class in its arsenal, has an excessive number of aircraft carrier groups. However, the presence of only one aircraft carrier is a "deadlocked situation." "One ship is unable to resolve the whole spectrum of tasks. Half of the fleet will have to do nothing except guarding it all the time," Polovinkin said. Project 23000E Storm aircraft carrier showcased by Krylov during Army 2016 exhibition. "As for a possible displacement of an advanced Russian aircraft carrier I would say that it could vary from 60,000 to 100,000 tons. This difference can be explained: the choice of water displacement depends directly on the type of energy used to operate a ship or its aircraft," the scientist went on to say. The Admiral Kuznetsov (a heavy aircraft-carrying non-nuclear cruiser according to the domestic classification) is the only heavy multipurpose non-nuclear aircraft carrier in the Russian Navy. Russian Navy officials said earlier that the Russian fleet expected to receive an advanced nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a displacement of no less than 70,000 tons by the end of 2030. The Krylov State Scientific Center has developed a pilot project of an aircraft carrier intended for a foreign customer. Its designers have presented it to the public. They have also offered it to the Russian Navy. Project 23000 is named Shtorm ("Storm"). The preliminary sketch suggests a displacement of 80,000-90,000 tons. The ship will be equipped with a combined propulsion unit comprising a nuclear reactor and a gas turbine engine. The aircraft carrier group should consist of up 60 aircraft. Copyright 2018 TASS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Project 23000E Storm aircraft carrier showcased by Krylov during Army 2016 exhibition. By Rashid Shirinov The signing of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea at the 5th Caspian summit held in Aktau on August 12, 2018 is a historic event and an important achievement for the five coastal states, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told media on August 15. It demonstrated once again that the Caspian states have a firm determination to reaffirm the atmosphere of sustainable peace and cooperation in the Caspian basin and adjacent regions, he said. The minister noted that the convention defines the legal framework for inter-state relations and conduct in the Caspian Sea. The document is based on generally accepted principles of international law, in particular such key principles as respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states. Along with the definition of the legal regime and the terms used, the convention describes clear, transparent and predictable norms of acceptable conduct in the context of the activities of all Caspian states. These relations, based on mutual trust and cooperation between the Caspian states, are necessary for themselves and their partners, Mammadyarov mentioned. In the process of developing the convention, the Caspian states also demonstrated such elements of a high political culture as a unique regional identity, responsibility and the ability to be masters of their own destiny. The Caspian states, without allowing any outside interference, have achieved important achievements through joint efforts, including the signing of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, the Azerbaijani FM said, adding that the process of harmonization of the convention required long-term efforts on the part of member states. Mammadyarov also noted that the final phase of the harmonization of the convention has gone through difficult discussions. The two-day meeting of the foreign ministers of the Caspian states, held in Moscow in December 2017, was very intensive, and as a result, at last, the main progress was achieved in harmonizing the convention. Very serious discussions were held on a number of provisions, but with good will and mutual trust, negotiations yield positive results. As a result of all these discussions, the convention was presented to the presidents for signing at the summit of the Caspian states in Aktau, and we were able to implement it, he mentioned. Speaking of the next steps, the minister said that in accordance with domestic procedures, the convention will be submitted for ratification by member states. We hope that the ratification of the convention will be completed soon, he noted. Mammadyarov added that the completion of the ratification process and the practical implementation of the provisions of the convention will provide even greater opportunities for the sustainable development of the region. The convention and the communique adopted by the heads of state at the Aktau summit defined new tasks and relevant instructions. Intensive work based on good will, friendship and cooperation for the benefit of the entire Caspian region and the peoples will be continued, he noted. 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. Benefits from the Convention First of all, the signing of the convention will further strengthen the role of Azerbaijan as an international transit country and will increase its economic power. The signing of the document has created a solid legal basis for Azerbaijan, which has a wide maritime border and is actively engaged in economic activities in the Caspian Sea. Currently Azerbaijan has the most developed infrastructure in the Caspian Sea for exploration, production and transportation of oil and gas. The convention made it possible for the country to attract more investors to participate in the development of Caspian energy resources and their delivery to the markets. Moreover, now Azerbaijan can participate in projects located in the sectors of neighboring states and invite the neighbors to participate in its own projects. Adoption of the convention also determined the necessary legal basis for further relevant direct negotiations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan without the need for participation of third countries. In addition, now there is a legal basis for implementing the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline and other projects, from which Azerbaijan will certainly benefit. -- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By 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. By Trend An emergency operations center has been established in the Kara-Kulja District of Kyrgyzstan to eliminate and localize anthrax, Press Secretary of the Ministry of Health Jyldyz Yerkinova told RIA Novosti Aug. 15. Sanitary and preventive measures are being carried out, said Yerkinova. Earlier, the Ministry of Health announced the hospitalization of 12 people in Kara-Kulja with suspected anthrax. All hospitalized persons contacted with meat of the infected animal. "Anti-epidemic and anti-epizootic measures are being carried out in conjunction with the veterinary service of the district in order to localize and eliminate anthrax," said Yerkinova. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva The World Health Organization (WHO) will keep under control the cooperation center, which is created with the aim of prevention of tuberculosis and its control in prisons of Azerbaijan, because this is a unique example of the fight against tuberculosis. This is stated in the letter of Director General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to Azerbaijani Minister of Health Ogtay Shiraliyev, the Ministry of Health reported on August 15. The political will in the country for implementing the goals of sustainable development, including the prevention of diseases such as malaria, poliomyelitis and measles, Azerbaijan's achievements in the field of health really amazed me, the letter said. The Director General expressed his willingness to provide the necessary assistance in promoting such ambitious plans as primary health care and health financing in Azerbaijan through WHO regional offices. Tuberculosis, second only to HIV/AIDS as the greatest killer worldwide from a single infectious agent, is one of the most common infectious diseases. The number of patients suffering from the advanced stage of tuberculosis and its widespread form has decreased twice since 2010, from 7.6 percent to 3.4 percent in the country. The Azerbaijani government provides special attention to people who are suffering from tuberculosis and makes every effort for their treatment. The country started its fight against tuberculosis in 1995, while implementing a strategy in the countrys prisons, supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross. The law On Combating Tuberculosis was adopted in Azerbaijan in 2000. Azerbaijan has also approved a plan of action on anti-tuberculosis measures for 2016-2020. The program aims to prevent the spread of the disease and to reduce the number of tuberculosis-related deaths, as well as to strengthen logistics of tuberculosis treatment centers, to improve the supply of patients with medications, and to raise public awareness of the disease. The treatment of tuberculosis patients is being carried out at the states expense, regardless of the stage of the disease. Azerbaijans Scientific Research Institute of Lung Diseases fulfills all the requirements and recommendations of the WHO. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva The volume of mutual trade between Kazakhstan and the states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in January-June 2018 in monetary terms amounted to $ 8.8 million, which is 6.3 percent more than in the same period in 2017, according to the Committee on Statistics of the Kazakh Ministry of National Economy, Kazinform reported. In particular, the volume of exports to the EAEU countries in the reporting period amounted to $ 2.8 million, showing an increase of 11.3 percent compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, the volume of imports made about $ 6 million, thus registering a growth of 4.1 percent compared to the last years indicator. In the total volume of foreign trade turnover of Kazakhstan with the countries of the EAEU, Russia accounts for 92 percent, Kyrgyzstan - 4.3 percent, Belarus - 3.6 percent and Armenia - 0.1 percent. Kazakhstan is the 48th most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI). The country has an export-oriented economy which is highly dependent on shipments of oil and related products (73 percent of total exports). Other exports include ferrous metals, copper, aluminum, zinc and uranium. Main imports are electronics, machinery and mechanical appliances (25 percent of total imports), mineral products (15 percent), transport equipment (12 percent) and base metals and related products (10 percent). Kazakhstan became a World Trade Organization (WTO) member on November 30, 2015. The country officially entered into a Customs Union with Russia and Belarus on July 1, 2010. Since that time, Kazakhstans trade policy has been heavily influenced by regulations promulgated by the Customs Union and its governing body the Eurasian Economic Commission. As a condition of membership in the Customs Union, Kazakhstan had to double its average import tariff and introduced annual tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) on trade apoultry, beef, and pork. However, in accordance with its WTO commitments, Kazakhstan will now gradually lower 3,512 import tariff rates to an average of 6.1 percent by 2020. Starting from January 2016, Kazakhstan has applied a lower-than-Customs Union Tariff rate to food products, automobiles, airplanes, railway wagons, lumber, alcoholic beverages, pharmaceuticals, freezers, and jewelry. On May 29, 2014 Kazakhstan and its Customs Union partners signed a treaty to create a common economic space known as the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The EAEU is expected to further integrate their economies, and provide for the free movement of services, capital and labor within their common territory. The government of Kazakhstan has asserted that EAEU agreements comply with WTO standards. Kazakhstans government is optimistic that further integration within the EAEU will make Kazakhstan more attractive for foreign investment by expanding market access to those countries. Kazakhstan is a signatory of the Free Trade Agreement with CIS countries. In addition, as a member of the EAEU, Kazakhstan is party to the Free Trade Agreement between the EAEU and Vietnam. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Iran's Sepahan Oil Company (SOC) and the German ADL company signed a cooperation agreement on Aug. 15, IRNA news agency reported. CEO of Iran's SOC Mohammad Ebrahimi and CEO of Germany's ADL Michael Hyde signed the cooperation document despite the US' unilateral sanctions imposed on Iran after the country's withdrawal from the nuclear deal. According to the cooperation document signed between SOC and ADL, the two sides will cooperate in technology transfer in the field of oil and gas industry lubricants. On the sidelines of a ceremony held to celebrate the event Ebrahimi noted that the European embassies made lots of efforts to pave the way for signing the agreement He added that the German company will implement the project in cooperation with its Austrian and Swiss partners. On May 8, the US president pulled his country out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a nuclear agreement achieved in Vienna in 2015 after two years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany). After Donald Trump withdrew the US from the deal, his administration moved to re-implement the previous sanctions against Iran. The United States reimposed stiff economic sanctions on Iran on Monday, ratcheting up pressure on the Islamic Republic despite statements of deep dismay from European allies. A first set of reimposed US sanctions affect financial transactions that involve US dollars, Iran's automotive sector, the purchase of commercial planes and metals including gold. A second batch of US sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector and central bank are to be reimposed in early November. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva The campaign to eliminate the representatives of the former ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) from key positions is currently at its peak in Armenia. Nikol Pashinyan, a man from the street who became prime minister in April, is making serious efforts to eliminate the resistance of the republican elite and to build an impressive electoral support for himself in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. His anti-corruption campaign, as many suppose, pursues mostly political goals, since the arrests of corrupt officials are selective, not systematic. The prosecution of former President Robert Kocharyan and CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov, as well as former Defense Minister Mikael Harutyunyan is in the focus of attention at the moment. And if the latter is on the run, Yuri Khachaturov, because of his diplomatic status, was released immediately after his arrest, while the arrest of Robert Kocharyan was canceled on August 14 by the Court of Appeal. Kocharyan was previously charged with overthrowing the constitutional system in preliminary collusion with other persons. He was summoned as a witness to the Special Investigation Service of Armenia for questioning in the case concerning the bloody events in Yerevan streets on March 1, 2008, when 10 people were killed in mass protests after the presidential election of that year. Later, Armenias judicial power issued a decision to arrest Kocharyan for two months. However, his lawyers appealed the arrest to the Court of Appeal, which overturned the decision of the court of first instance on the basis of the immunity of the former president. The Special Investigation Service of Armenia is convinced that the decision on the release of Kocharyan is illegal. Kocharyan considers the charges a fabricated political persecution. The ex-president believes that this may be due to the desire to neutralize his participation in political processes on the eve of the early parliamentary elections. Probably, the other two ex-presidents, Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Serzh Sargsyan, will also be unable to avoid at least contacts with law enforcers, as Robert Kocharyan made it clear at the very first interrogations that he does not intend to go to the bottom alone. The Kocharyan case that created a loud public response can affect the success and even the assessment of the legitimacy of the new government. The Court of Appeal acknowledged that Kocharyan's actions resulted from his status, therefore, questioned the statement of the investigation that in February-March 2008 the second president overthrew the constitutional order. The unexpected decision of the court was interpreted ambiguously. In a traditionally skeptical society, this decision was interpreted only as Pashinyan's tactical defeat, seeing in the position of the court the Russian trace and the manifestation of loyalty to the criminal oligarchy. Everyone has heard a sharp statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry that accused the new government of settling accounts with political opponents. On the other hand, supporters of the new government are trying to interprete the release of Kocharyan from arrest on the basis of his immunity status, as a former president, like a manifestation of true democracy. However, Kocharyan's attempts to question the legitimacy of the new government and to annul the results of the velvet revolution are more revealing. On Tuesday, before the residence of the Prime Minister in Yerevan, a protest rally was held by a few supporters of the disgraced ex-president with calls for the overthrow of the new government. Many people believe that the credibility of Kocharyan in the society is extremely small, but he is able to change the current balance over timedue to considerable financial and media resources, as well as with the support of the former elite. For instance, the ARF party Dashnaktsutyun declared its readiness to cooperate with him on Tuesday. In an interview with Radio Azatutyun, the representative of the ARF Bureau Hrant Margaryan said that they do not exclude cooperation with Robert Kocharyan if he informs about this intention. In the opinion of Armenian political scientist Vigen Akopyan, such activity of the current government in the struggle for truth can be connected with certain agreements reached during the transit of power. He also believes that Kocharyan's arrest could become a catalyst for the formation of an opposition field in the country where the vacuum was created, RIA Novosti reported. ... Kocharyan actually announced his return to politics. The Republican Party of Armenia and the Dashnaktsutyun understood this message by reacting with official statements condemning the arrests, Akopyan said. Pashinyan himself refused to comment on high-profile charges, citing the fact that his words could be interpreted as an attempt to influence the investigation. Meanwhile, it is very likely that the cleansing among the old pro-Russian elite presents a considerable risk for Armenia - Pashinyan can play a final loss, including Moscows military support, which will inevitably lead to the Armenian forces being forced to leave the occupied territories of Azerbaijan in a shame and the potential risks may be even more serious. Therefore, it is obvious that the new prime minister will somehow have to negotiate with Moscow, while preserving the guise of a fighter for justice and democracy. However, apparently, after an unexpected triumph and coming to power, a period of failure has come to his life. The personnel policy of the pro-Western direction and the unpopular reforms already carried out and planned by the new government have significantly changed the attitude of the society towards the new leadership. Revolutionary euphoria gradually subsides and a great disappointment comes to replace it. The authorities' optimistic promises about radical economic changes have little effect on society, which for years of independence has gained immunity to empty populism and false propaganda. Pashinyan's foreign policy also leaves much to be desired. Armenia failed to implement new slogans about rapprochement with the West, but managed to aggravate its relations with the Russian Federation, whose benevolence influences virtually all vital factors of the state's existence. In today's realities, it is more than obvious that Pashinyan needs to feed the electorate with real economic achievements, or possess the dictator's power to convince the people that he has the power to break down any resistance. This includes, among other things, personnel cleansing among law enforcement agencies where the representatives of the former ruling party are still strong; for the same purpose, he seeks to form a new parliament, in general, controlled by himself. It is noteworthy that in the power structures, in fact, as in all key industries, only the very top is cleaned out, and the old system, with the exception of cosmetic changes, remains unchanged. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz You can reach Sam Morgen at 661-395-7415 or smorgen@bakersfield.com. You may also follow him on Twitter @smorgenTBC Emorys Fulbright awardees for 2018 include (back row, left to right) Emily Pingel, Asha Fradkin, Julia Munslow, Jonathan Conde-Peraza, (middle row) Abigail Lopez-Rivera, Nora Sullivan, Lydia Rautman, Zachary Denton, (front row) Chebon Ryan and Hyemin Na. Not pictured are Lamija Grbic, Chris Merwin, Rifat Mursalin and Andrew Shifren. Applying for Fulbright grants Emory undergraduates, including those in nursing and business, and recent undergraduate alumni who are interested in applying for future Fulbright awards can read up on the process here. The internal application deadline is Sept. 6. Information about applying for Fulbright through Laney Graduate School is listed here. Completed internal applications are due Aug. 27 by 11:30 p.m. Fourteen Emory University young alumni and graduate students will travel to nine countries in the coming year as part of the 2018 Fulbright U.S. Student Program. As recipients of the flagship international exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government, the winners will carry out research or coursework of their own design or be placed as native speakers in schools overseas to supplement language instruction as part of the English Teaching Assistant Programs. The 11 bachelors and masters level recipients were selected from 45 Emory applicants, of which 21 were named semi-finalists. One additional finalist declined the award. Three PhD students from Laney Graduate School received research awards. This years cohort of Fulbright applicants at the bachelors and masters level was the largest weve ever had, and also included the highest number of finalists selected for the award, says Megan Friddle, director of Emorys National Scholarships and Fellowships Program. The students and alumni selected for the Fulbright program provide a wonderful illustration of Emorys broad academic strengths, as well as the campus culture of servant leadership, she adds. Six students pursuing PhDs through the Laney Graduate School applied, with four named as semi-finalists. Three were selected to conduct research projects for their dissertations. Fulbright is a highly selective program, with a national award rate of 23 percent, says Mark Risjord, a philosophy professor who also serves as the director of the Laney Graduate School Grant Writing Program. The success of our students speaks to the hard work they put into these proposals. Emorys U.S. Fulbright grantees for the 2018-2019 academic year are: Chris Merwin , who is pursuing a PhD in philosophy, will travel to Germany to examine the experience of time based on an analysis of the later, unpublished manuscripts of Martin Heidegger. , who is pursuing a PhD in philosophy, will travel to Germany to examine the experience of time based on an analysis of the later, unpublished manuscripts of Martin Heidegger. Hyemin Na , a doctoral candidate in religion, is headed to South Korea to investigate how digital media producers in an influential megachurch embed societal norms regarding race, gender and class in the church apps and website. , a doctoral candidate in religion, is headed to South Korea to investigate how digital media producers in an influential megachurch embed societal norms regarding race, gender and class in the church apps and website. Emily Pingel , a doctoral candidate in sociology, will research the role of community health workers in delivering care in a specific neighborhood of Sao Paulo to understand the patient-provider interactions in Brazil to inform efforts to strengthen primary care globally. , a doctoral candidate in sociology, will research the role of community health workers in delivering care in a specific neighborhood of Sao Paulo to understand the patient-provider interactions in Brazil to inform efforts to strengthen primary care globally. Lamija Grbic 17C, philosophy and sociology; 2018 Robert T. Jones Jr. Fellow, University of St. Andrews, MLitt moral, political and legal philosophy, will travel to Bosnia Herzegovina to examine how NGOs navigate ethnic discourses and the remembrance of the past in post-war Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a way to better understand how institutions construct, reinforce or challenge ethnic identities. 17C, philosophy and sociology; 2018 Robert T. Jones Jr. Fellow, University of St. Andrews, MLitt moral, political and legal philosophy, will travel to Bosnia Herzegovina to examine how NGOs navigate ethnic discourses and the remembrance of the past in post-war Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a way to better understand how institutions construct, reinforce or challenge ethnic identities. Abigail Lopez Rivera 16C, international studies, 18MPH health policy and management, is headed to Sierra Leone to explore where donations for capacity-building programs following the Ebola outbreak were successful to develop a guide for future donor interventions. The following alumni will serve as Fulbright English Teaching Assistants in countries around the world: Sandra Sanchez's lover is dead and her husband facing the possibility of life in prison after being charged with his murder. 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 Patients undergoing non-emergency surgeries including births may see out-of-pocket costs skyrocket due to a standoff between BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and Nashville, Tenn.-based Anesthesia Medical Group, The Tennessean reports. Here's what you should know: 1. BlueCross plans to remove AMG from its coverage network if the companies can't agree on new insurance reimbursement rates by Sept 1. 2. AMG is Tennessee's largest anesthesiologist company. AMG anesthesiologists work in most TriStar, Saint Thomas and Tennova hospitals and their outpatient surgery centers. TriStar and Saint Thomas are based in Nashville, and Tennova is based in Knoxville, Tenn. 3. BlueCross Senior Vice President Roy Vaughn said AMG proposed an increase while BlueCross seeks a decrease. However, AMG Chairman Dr. Stephen Santi claims his company proposed a rate decrease and BlueCross demanded a larger decrease. 4. If negotiations fail, BlueCross beneficiaries with surgeries scheduled at affected facilities have three options: Request an exemption that would treat AMG anesthesiologists as in-network; seek discounts AMG said it would consider on a case-by-case basis; or try transferring the procedure to an in-network hospital. 5. The coverage loss could impact women who give birth at affected hospitals. An epidural which would be performed by an AMG physicians at nearly every Middle Tennessee hospital can cost upwards of $3,000. 6. The change wouldn't impact anesthesia for emergency care or coverage from TennCare or Medicare. As legislators roll out opioid-related requirements with major implications for ASCs, Tampa, Fla.-based Laser Spine Institute is fighting the epidemic with its own prescribing protocol. Laser Spine Institute Chief Medical Director and Co-Founder Michael Perry, MD, spoke with Becker's ASC Review about new legislation and how Laser Spine Institute is expanding its opioid-reduction policy potentially to all seven of its U.S. centers. Note: Responses have been edited for style and length. Question: How could new opioid legislation impact physicians and patients? Dr. Michael Perry: Most every state has now passed or is passing legislation that will limit the usage of opioids. From an ASC perspective, it's going to limit physicians' ability [to prescribe] narcotics beyond a specific period. In Florida, we're only allowed to prescribe seven days' worth of postoperative pain medication. Most people don't require narcotics for an extended period, but [occasionally] patients do. [Laser Spine Institute has] a lot of patients that travel. The patients either have to come back and see us [or] follow up with their primary care physician to continue [receiving opioids]. I think that's the biggest burden on providers in an ASC setting: maintaining the patient's medications if they're needed. Q: Florida's seven-day requirement went into effect July 1. How did LSI address the legislation? MP: Prior to the legislation being signed, we initiated opioid-free procedures [over several months]. Our program was started for patients that have obstructive sleep apnea. If you give them narcotics, that increases their risk for apneic periods postoperatively, so [we try] to refrain from using opioids in these patients. We place patients on a TLC protocol or Tylenol, Lyrica and Celebrex preoperatively. Postoperatively, we give medications like anti-inflammatories. Intraoperatively, our surgeons may use [Exparel]. We also use the Iceman for lumbar spine [procedures], a machine that circulates cold water. Intraoperatively, we use ketamine and other non-narcotic medications, again to [avoid] any sedative effects postoperatively. We've been [following this protocol] for a number of months. A significant number of patients 70 percent of them have done quite well without narcotics. The ones that do require narcotics use a significantly decreased number postoperatively. This is being done in Tampa, but we're talking about initiating that companywide. Q: The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill incentivizing postsurgical injections as opioid alternatives. What are your thoughts on the legislation? MP: I think it would benefit patients. Especially when we're dealing with spine, sometimes you can get postoperative nerve irritation, in which case a patient undergoing an epidural injection to calm the nerve by diminishing inflammation by the use of a steroid can be a significant benefit. This would obviously decrease the prescribing of further narcotics. From a provider's standpoint, [there's] less narcotics being written [and] an increase in referrals to pain management for these injections. Q: Is there a tension between decreasing opioid use and improving patient experience, in terms of pain? MP: They go hand-in-hand. Physicians trying to use the medications that affect different pain pathways is the best approach for patients. Most people with discomfort from pain can be treated with non-opioid medications. It's a win for the patient and provider because a patient's getting the best relief without the risk of addiction to opioids, and the provider has the satisfaction of knowing he's helping [his] patient without increasing that patient's risk of addiction with the use of opioids. Q: What are some challenges physicians might encounter when switching prescribing habits? MP: Some [potential challenges are] if insurance companies don't approve injections or certain medical disciplines or patients run out of [the insurer's allotment for] physical therapy. As far as medications are concerned, I don't think there would be any hurdles. A lot of medications you can buy over the counter. [For] the prescription ones, different manufacturers make similar types of medications there's certainly a lot of [medications] out there that are not very expensive and are very accessible. Q: Is there anything else providers should know? MP: In the future, I think all ASCs are going to be looking at non-opioid use of medications preoperatively and postoperatively for patients. The attention for research would be trying to find other modalities or medications that don't have the same risks as opioids. I think it's just a matter of time before we're able to stumble upon that particular molecule or entity. Legislation is trying to limit the use of narcotics in patients and thereby decreasing the number of people addicted, [but another] issue is the people that already are addicted. We really can't overlook them. There need to be programs in place on the state and federal levels where people can be helped to get off these medications. Flagstaff (Ariz.) Medical Center rescheduled elective procedures on its main campus and at its ASC after finding discoloration on filters used for sterilization, the Arizona Daily Sun reports. Here's what you should know: 1. Hospital and ASC officials used other machines to test if the instruments were sterile, and although they were sterile, elective procedures were delayed temporarily. 2. Alternate sterilization techniques were used for the non-rescheduled procedures. 3. A manufacturing fault with the filters caused the discoloration. Flagstaff Medical Center Interim Chief Administration Officer John Harrington said, "Patient safety is our No. 1 priority, which is why we proactively took precaution rescheduling elective surgeries while we investigated our sterilization assurance checks. We have now reopened full operations and apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused patients and families." After 30 years practicing in Charlotte, N.C., the former physician owner of Christenbury Eye Center filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to the Charlotte Observer. Here are four things to know: 1. Jonathan Christenbury was among the pioneers to introduce Lasik eye surgery to the Charlotte area, but he gave up his medical license last year due to a positive cocaine test, according to the report. He also faced multiple sexual harassment complaints from employees. 2. Mr. Christenbury closed his practice last November and filed for personal bankruptcy two months later. He now reports up to $10 million in debt with around $50,000 in assets, and the Christenbury Eye Center checking account has $83.27 in it. 3. In addition to the sexual harassment claims, which Mr. Christenbury denies, former employees allege Mr. Christenbury withheld bonuses and delivered improper pay in a pending lawsuit. 4. Earlier this month, Mr. Christenbury argued in court that the N.C. Medical Board no longer should have investigation or discipline authority after he surrendered his license. A surgeon is suing Portsmouth (N.H.) Regional Hospital for age discrimination after the hospital allegedly circulated a letter telling other providers he had retired, according to a Seacoast Online report. Here are five things to know: 1. Peter Carter, MD, filed a 10-count lawsuit against Portsmouth-based Appledore Medical Group, Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA, Portsmouth-based HCA Health Services of New Hampshire, Portsmouth Regional Hospital and two Portsmouth Regional Hospital executives alleging breach of contract and age discrimination, among other issues. 2. Dr. Carter spent 37 years practicing medicine in York and Portsmouth, N.H., including nearly seven years with Appledore. In January 2017, he noticed a referral decline, according to the report. He claims an executive with the hospital told him patients preferred female and younger doctors. In February 2017, he faced "being eliminated" due to lack of referrals; the hospital gave him an option of accepting 90 days' notice or retiring at the end of the year. 3. After being notified of his options, Dr. Carter alleges Appledore circulated a letter to other providers posing as him and announcing his retirement. Dr. Carter said he did not write or consent to the letter. 4. Prior to the incident, Dr. Carter said he made around $350,000 per year, but since has made $50,000 per year; he claims he planned to work another three years at the hospital. 5. Dr. Carter filed a complaint with the New Hampshire Human Rights Commission and Equal Opportunity Commission. 6. The hospital denies the allegations and plans to file an answer to the suit. The following hospitals announced or completed plans in the last week to expand, upgrade or renovate their facilities. 1. St. Luke's deciding whether to build 80-bed hospital or repurpose 2 others: 6 notes Bethlehem, Pa.-based St. Luke's University Health Network is weighing a proposal to construct a new 80-bed hospital instead of renovating two nearby hospitals it acquired last year. 2. Huntsville Hospital plans $150M expansion To accommodate growth in the area, Huntsville (Ala.) Hospital plans to invest $150 million in a new 72-bed patient tower. 3. JPS Health Network seeks $800M toward $1.2B in campus upgrades Fort Worth, Texas-based Tarrant County Hospital District, which does business as JPS Health Network, is seeking voter approval for an $800 million bond proposal that would fund more than $1.2 billion in hospital upgrades. 4. Allegheny Health Network to break ground on 160-bed hospital: 4 things to know 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. 5. UHS, George Washington U to construct hospital District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser and George Washington University Hospital signed a letter of intent to build a new acute care hospital in the District. 6. Texas Health Presbyterian to double in size with $68M expansion Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen is planning a $68 million expansion that will double its size to meet the increasing demand for services in Collin County. 7. Houston Methodist unveils $700M patient tower Houston Methodist opened its 22-story, $700 million patient tower Aug. 27. More articles on facilities management: 7 hospital, health system construction projects worth $300M or more Houston Methodist unveils $700M patient tower this month Why a Category 5 hurricane won't blow down this Massachusetts hospital To accommodate growth in the area, Huntsville (Ala.) Hospital plans to invest $150 million in a new 72-bed patient tower, reports AL.com. The West Bed Tower, which will feature 24 operating rooms in addition to the patient beds, will be constructed across the street from the hospital's main entrance. The two structures will be connected by an elevated walkway. Construction is expected to take two years to complete. The project was approved by the Alabama Certificate of Need Review Board Aug. 15. More articles on facilities management: 7 hospital, health system construction projects worth $300M or more Houston Methodist unveils $700M patient tower this month Why a Category 5 hurricane won't blow down this Massachusetts hospital Sebastopol, Calif.-based Sonoma West Medical Center is facing a financial crisis, and staff project the hospital will run out of money by the end of August, according to Sonoma West Times & News. The hospital, which is owned by the Palm Drive Health Care District, faced closure earlier this year, but officials have taken steps in recent months to keep the facility open, including launching a fundraising campaign and pursuing a management agreement with Modesto, Calif.-based American Advanced Management Group. The Palm Drive Health Care District board recently voted to continue negotiations with AAMG, but no contract has been approved. At the beginning of the board's meeting Aug. 14, PDHCD Executive Director Alanna Brogan said Sonoma West Medical Center is on its last payroll period. The hospital is losing up to $800,000 a month, according to the report. Under the proposal from AAMG, the hospital would end short-term inpatient care and close its emergency room. The facility would transition to a long-term acute care hospital with an urgent care facility. The PDHCD board is expected to negotiate a final contract with AAMG by Aug. 17, according to the report. More articles on healthcare finance: Steward to close Ohio hospital, lay off 388 Former CHS hospital boosts Rennova's revenue Quorum would charge $480K to help Alaska hospital transition to new owners Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "Aa3" long-term rating on Chapel Hill-based University of North Carolina Hospitals, affecting $330 million of debt. The affirmation is a result of several factors, including UNC Hospitals' leading market position, strong patient demand and healthy financial performance. Moody's also acknowledged UNC Hospitals' large annual transfers to University of North Carolina Health Care System, which reduce its own operating cash flow and weaken its leverage position. The outlook is stable, reflecting Moody's expectation that UNC Hospitals will maintain its strong market position to further improve cash flow. More articles on healthcare finance: Operator of 22 freestanding ERs files for bankruptcy How CHS, Tenet, HCA, LifePoint and UHS fared in Q2 Kaiser's net income dips 35% to $653M Investigative journalism holds great power to make change across all arenas, including healthcare. While regulatory agencies and accrediting bodies are tasked with monitoring healthcare facilities' compliance with both state and federal policies, some news outlets have been one step ahead, unearthing issues that stimulate regulatory oversight or change. Here are five stories in which a newspaper report prompted an investigation, suspension or charge withdrawal at a hospital in 2018, starting with the most recent: 1. California hospital reverses $15,666 trauma fee for baby who napped, drank formula in ER Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital charged a vacationing South Korean family $15,666 after their son, who had experienced a fall, received no critical care but slept and drank formula in the hospital's emergency room. The hospital reversed the charge less than a month after Vox reported on the story in partnership with Kaiser Health News. 2. North Carolina hospital charges man $1,011 after 'free' cancer screening, biopsies A North Carolina resident visited High Point, N.C.-based Bethany Medical Center for a "free" cancer screening but received a $1,011 bill a month later. The resident, Porter McNairy, contacted WFMY 2 after the facility refused to eliminate the bill in full. About two days after WFMY 2 reached out to the medical center, the facility waived the bill. 3. Houston hospital suspends heart transplants after recent deaths: 7 things to know Houston-based Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center suspended its heart transplant program for 14 days beginning June 1 after an investigation by ProPublica and the Houston Chronicle revealed the hospital's poor heart transplant survival rate. 4. Texas man receives $7,924 surprise bill after going to an in-network ER Although Scott Kohan underwent surgery for a broken jaw at a Texas hospital in his insurance network, he still ended up with a $7,924.13 bill because the oral surgeon who performed the surgery was out of network. The day after Vox spoke with the physician's office manager, the office contacted Mr. Kohan to inform him the charge was being dropped. 5. WSJ report spurs House oversight of hospital accreditation processes The House Energy and Commerce Committee in March sought information from CMS and four accreditation agencies, including The Joint Commission, to ensure their accreditation processes for hospitals in the Medicare and Medicaid programs follow federal standards. The oversight was a direct response to a September 2017 article published by The Wall Street Journal that found The Joint Commission rarely revokes its seal of approval when hospitals are not compliant with Medicare regulations. Ayla Ellison, Morgan Haefner, Emily Rappleye and Alyssa Rege contributed to this article. More articles on leadership and management: VA shuffles staff: 4 changes after Robert Wilkie's appointment Here's why University Medical Group's Shon Brink says health IT is a myth: 4 questions with the director of finance, business operations 5 recent healthcare layoffs The Massachusetts legislature considered multiple healthcare bills in the last year that could have significant consequences for providers, payers and patients, but to truly understand the ramifications of these laws, the state must institute a formal review process for healthcare legislation, according to an op-ed in Commonwealth by John McDonough, DrPH, a professor at Boston-based Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a former member of the Massachusetts House. Recent bills in the state's House and Senate sought to support struggling community hospitals by taxing larger systems and insurers. The proposals drew criticism from a number of key industry stakeholders. Though the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission exists to perform legislative reviews, there is no protocol forcing lawmakers to submit bills to this organization. Dr. McDonough writes that state legislators should adopt the Congressional Budget Office's model and perform analyses for all healthcare proposals to ensure people understand their potential effects. "I suggest that in their adoption of joint rules for the 2019-20 legislative session, the House and Senate include that any major health legislation produced by either the House or Senate should be 'scored' by the Health Policy Commission," Dr. McDonough writes. "Healthcare is deviously complex, important, costly, and notoriously prone to unintended consequences. A benchmark analysis would help legislators, the administration, interest groups, and citizens to understand the consequences of major system changes." Metairie, La.-based East Jefferson General Hospital and New Orleans-based University Healthcare System, a partnership between Tulane University in New Orleans and Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, have ended partnership negotiations, according to The Times-Picayune. In 2017, the parties signed a letter of intent for University Healthcare System to lease East Jefferson General Hospital. However, they were unable to reach a final agreement. "East Jefferson General Hospital and UHS worked in good faith for more than a year to put together an innovative, strategic alliance for the community," Henry Shane, East Jefferson general chairman, told The Times-Picayune Aug. 14. "In the discussions with UHS, we proceeded on the basis that the partnership must be an optimum situation for both sides. After an extended period of negotiations, it became apparent just last weekend that the goals of the proposed alliance were not going to be achieved." Although partnership talks with University Healthcare System have ended, East Jefferson General Hospital is exploring other strategic alliances, Mr. Shane said. More articles on healthcare industry transactions: Rite Aid, Albertsons call off $24B merger For-profit hospital chain closes $78M deal for Washington health system University of Kansas Health System acquires competing hospital The union representing about 1,800 nurses at University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington is urging the state's healthcare board to delay approving the hospital's fiscal year 2019 budget until a contract agreement is ratified. The Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals made the announcement Aug. 15 after the most recent bargaining sessions between the union and hospital ended without a labor deal. Vermont's Green Mountain Care Board is tasked with "reducing the rate of healthcare cost growth in Vermont while ensuring that the state of Vermont maintains a high- quality, accessible healthcare system," according to the board's website. Union officials said nurses allege hospital administrators aren't doing enough to attract and retain front-line providers and support staff necessary to provide adequate patient care. According to the union, nurses seek a minimum of $15 per hour for all hospital employees, as well as "competitive wages capable of ameliorating chronic understaffing in the hospital and clinics." Hospital officials told Becker's they "are focused on reaching an agreement that values our nurses, compensates them fairly, and allows us to continue providing high-quality, affordable care to our patients and families." "Our budget submission reflects those priorities and also outlines our work to move toward value-based care. The Green Mountain Care Board has a rigorous process for evaluating hospital budgets, and we look forward to meeting with them to discuss the work outlined in our budget next week," they said. UVM Medical Center administrators are slated to testify in front of the Green Mountain Care Board on the fiscal year 2019 budget Aug. 22. At that time, the union plans to urge the board to delay approving the budget. 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 A nurse filed a federal racial discrimination lawsuit against Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn (Mich.) for agreeing to a patient request for no black caregivers, according to a News 5 Cleveland report. In the lawsuit, Teoka Williams, RN, alleges that on Oct. 2 she heard a patient say she did not want any black caregivers. Ms. Williams says she told the clinical manager, who then spoke to the patient. The clinical manager then reportedly told Ms. Williams not to enter the patient's room or care for her. A white nurse was asked to care for the patient. Ms. Williams also alleges that she told the human resources department about the incident and was told "patient requests are honored all the time and that the next time it happened, she would be taken off the assignment altogether," News 5 Cleveland reports. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages as well as court costs and attorney fees, according to the report. This is the third Michigan hospital since October 2017 to face a racial discrimination lawsuit related to honoring patients who requested white caregivers. Grand Rapids-based Spectrum Health and Zeeland-based Providence Christian Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center were both accused of similar wrongdoing. In a statement furnished to News 5 Cleveland, Beaumont said, "While we cannot comment on the specifics of this case because it is pending litigation, we can say that Beaumonts highest priority is providing a safe environment that is free from discrimination for both our patients and staff, and delivering care with compassion, dignity and respect." Data analytics firm Integra Med Analytics filed a lawsuit against Renton, Wash.-based Providence Health & Services seeking $188.1 million related to alleged Medicare upcoding. Here are six things to know: 1. Integra filed a False Claims Act lawsuit Aug. 10 in the U.S. District Court of Central California against Providence Health & Services, which is now Providence St. Joseph Health. The lawsuit alleges Providence routinely used unwarranted major complication and comorbidity secondary codes on Medicare claims to inflate reimbursement. 2. According to the 100-page lawsuit, Integra discovered the unwarranted secondary codes during an analysis of Medicare claims dating back to 2011. Integra said an investigation of the business practices of Providence and its consultant, clinical documentation improvement company J.A. Thomas and Associates, "confirmed that Providence's false Medicare claims were not only intentional but were part of a systematic effort to boost its Medicare revenue." 3. The lawsuit specifically alleges Providence and its consultant were "pushing doctors to make unwarranted diagnoses" and "using leading queries to change doctors' original diagnoses." Integra claims JATA's proprietary software also was made to manipulate diagnoses. 4. Adding a complication or comorbidity secondary code to a Medicare claim can result in an increased claim value of between about $1,000 and $10,000, according to the lawsuit. Adding a major complication or comorbidity secondary code can result in an increased claim value of between $1,000 and $25,000. Integra said it found 1,429 of Providence's more than 11,000 claims involving a femoral neck fracture had an accompanying secondary major complication or comorbidity of encephalopathy. 5. Overall, Integra seeks to recover more than $188.1 million paid by the federal government in connection with Providence's actions. 6. A Providence spokesperson told Becker's Hospital Review hospital officials received a partial version of the complaint this week and are thoroughly reviewing the allegations. "Prior to that review, we reiterate that Providence St. Joseph Health follows rigorous standards for Medicare reimbursement claims, based on all relevant regulation and supported by our core values. The government has declined to be a party in the litigation and we will proceed based upon our review and how and if the case moves forward," she said. 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 Nashville, Tenn.-based Anesthesia Medical Group, which comprises about 120 physicians and 400 anesthesiologists, is slated to go out of network with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee if the organizations fail to resolve a dispute over reimbursement rates, according to the Nashville Post. AMG and BCBST have maintained a contract for more than 22 years; however, that's set to change as Stephen Santi, MD, president of AMG, said BCBST recently requested a 15 percent payment cut. In May, AMG countered that offer with a smaller adjustment. BCBST responded by demanding a 25 percent cut for services performed in 220-plus operating rooms at 33 facilities in Middle Tennessee. These facilities include Brentwood, Tenn.-based TriStar Health System hospitals, Franklin, Tenn.-based Williamson Medical Center and Gallatin, Tenn-based Sumner Regional Medical Center. Dr. Santi told the Nashville Post the proposed cut won't work. "We have a number in mind that is viable for us. We definitely want to go back to the table. We have a feel for what the market is because we've gone through this with three other insurers" in the past 18 months, he said. BCBST officials argued they're seeking a fair rate for AMG, employer groups and plan members. The insurer said it also has struck new deals with other Tennessee anesthesiology groups. "We know that, unless we draw the line on the cost of medical services, our members will be the ones who suffer," BCBST said. Caught in the middle are thousands of patients would could see an uptick in surprise or balance bills from treatments they receive at hospitals or facilities in the BCBST network. The organizations have until Sept. 1 to negotiate a new agreement. 22:51 Miffed at not getting a "specialist" men's doubles partner, veteran tennis star Leander Paes today pulled out of the 18th Asian Games starting on Saturday. The 45-year-old Indian, winner of 18 Grand Slams, was asked to team up with struggling singles player Sumit Nagal after All India Tennis Association agreed to pair country's top doubles players Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan in the men's doubles, on their request. Paes was already miffed at his exclusion from TOP Scheme but had made himself available for the Asian Games, where he has won eight medals, including five gold. "It is with a heavy heart that I have to say that I will not be playing the upcoming Asian Games in Indonesia," Paes said in a statement sent to PTI. "Despite my repeated requests, from so many weeks in advance, it is sad that we have not been able to put a doubles specialist in the team for a credible second doubles pairing for the Asian Games." With Sharan and Bopanna deciding to play together, captain Zeeshan Ali had no choice but to pair Paes with Nagal or Ramkumar Ramanathan. While Ramkumar is primarily a singles player and plays doubles occasionally, Nagal is in terrible form. He has lost nine straight first round matches on the Pro circuit, coming into the Asian Games. Paes has questioned why AITA didn't field two specialist doubles teams. "Ramkumar Ramanathan is a very good player, and I would love to play doubles with him. But considering that he has a golden chance to win the singles medal, it is not fair to distract him from his best event," Paes said further in the statement. Paes was to return to the Games after missing the previous two editions. "Our doubles specialists like Sriram Balaji, Vishnu Vardhan, Purav Raja and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan have been doing exceptionally well this season and one of them definitely deserved to strengthen the Asian Games squad," Paes said. India as of now have five players in top-100 -- Bopanna (32), Sharan (38), Paes (79), Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (88) and Purav Raja (90). The next best two players -- N Sriram Balaji (112) and Vishnu Vardhan (115) were also in top-100 some weeks back. Paes, however, asserted that his absence would not adversely affect India's chances. "Rather than affecting the team's chances, I believe that my absence would only help the rest to play more events, be it doubles or mixed doubles," he said. "I have been in constant touch with Captain Zeeshan Ali and have had long discussions with him with regard to Rohan Bopanna's injury. "I am happy to learn that Rohan has recovered and as such a doubles medal for India is almost assured. Without his availability it wouldn't have been fair for me to withdraw as that may have impacted a possible gold from tennis." -- PTI After five months on the job, Gilead Sciences CMO Andrew Cheng, MD, is leaving joining the growing number of top executives to depart the biotech company in the last seven months, according to the San Francisco Business Journal. His sudden resignation comes just three weeks after Gilead's President and CEO John Milligan, PhD, announced he would depart at the end of the year and that Chairman John Martin would follow suit. However, those aren't the only notable departures since the beginning of 2018. The company's Chief Scientific Officer Norbert Bischofberger, PhD, left in April, and Kevin Young, COO and executive vice president of communication, stepped down in February. In addition, James Meyers, the company's head of commercial operations, retired in March. Dr. Cheng, who is leaving to pursue another opportunity, will remain with Gilead until Sept. 7. He joined Gilead in 1999 and was promoted to CMO just five months ago. Katie Stubblefield became the youngest person to receive a face transplant in the U.S. when she underwent the procedure at Cleveland Clinic in 2017, according to CBS News. Ms. Stubblefield lost a large portion of her face and suffered a traumatic brain injury after she shot herself in the head during a 2014 suicide attempt. Brian Gastman, MD, a plastic surgeon at Cleveland Clinic told National Geographic her injury was one of the worst face traumas he'd seen in his 27 years of training and practice. "It was not great," he told the publication. "Her brain was basically exposed, and I mean, we're talking seizures and infections and all kinds of problems. Forget the face transplant; we're talking about just being alive." Ms. Stubblefield's face transplant was the third performed at Cleveland Clinic and the 40th in the world. The full procedure included transplantation of the scalp, forehead, upper and lower eyelids, eye sockets, nose, upper cheeks, upper jaw, half of the lower jaw, teeth, partial facial nerves, facial muscles and skin, according to a Cleveland Clinic press release. Ms. Stubblefield will be on medication for the rest of her life to help prevent her body from rejecting the new face. "Knowing this patient now has the opportunity to live a functional life because of her face transplant is the greatest reward," Dr. Gastman said in the press release. "With a new nose, lips, palate, eyelids and jaw, she now has the full opportunity to re-integrate into society and have a future just like any other young adult. This surgery can give her back the self-esteem and confidence she lost. " Here is National Geographic's full coverage of Ms. Stubblefield's healthcare journey. More articles on clinical leadership and infection control: Mount Sinai professor: Why Medicare should pay physicians more for treating sickest patients Health websites riddled with false info about preeclampsia, ProPublica finds Hepatitis C cured in patients who received infected kidneys, researchers report With about 115,000 Americans on the transplant list for a life-saving organ and 20 people dying everyday waiting for an organ donor, companies like Auburn Hills, Mich.-based Arigos Biomedical are developing methods to preserve organs for future transplants using technology once thought impossible, according to Futurism. Here are five things to know: 1. Organs do not last long once removed from the human body, which contributes to the ever-growing organ transplant list. Kidneys must be transplanted within 12 hours of donation. Hearts only last six hours outside of the human body before they begin to decay, even if they are on ice. 2. Freezing organs for donation is not a new idea, but scientists, researchers and physicians have been waiting for technology to catch up. Two of the major roadblocks to freezing organs deal with temperature. The first problem is freezing an organ to -120 degrees Celsius, the temperature where molecular activity stops, can cause blood vessels to rupture. The second issue is the warming process, since organs tend to crack and pop when thawed. 3. This freezing and thawing process was seemingly solved in the '70s through a process called vitrification, where scientists pumped organic compounds into organs to pull the water out. This process allowed the organs and remaining organic compounds to freeze like glass. , However, the organs were no longer usable due to the toxicity of the solutions used for vitrification. 4. Stephen Van Sickle, chief strategic officer at Arigos Biomedical, discovered previous abandoned research that illustrated a procedure to flush out arteries and veins of the organ and replace it with gas. By using inert helium gas, Arigos researchers were able to cool organs without causing internal fractures. 5. Arigos Biomedical is conducting extensive animal-based testing before advancing the process to human trials. "We have recovered pig kidneys from temperatures of -120 degrees Celsius, which is basically the glass transition temperature," Tanya Jones, co-founder and CEO of Arigos Biomedical, told Futurism. "We tested on pig hearts, and it worked so well and so quickly that we were unexpectedly unprepared to test the recovery." More artilces on clinical leadership and infection control: Cleveland Clinic surgeons perform face transplant on youngest US recipient Viewpoint: 4 ambiguities FDA should address about Right to Try Health websites riddled with false info about preeclampsia, ProPublica finds After Hawaii became the eighth U.S. jurisdiction to authorize medical aid in dying April 5, the legislation's set of safeguards could restrict access for patients looking to end their life, two authors argue in Health Affairs blog post. Six insights from the blog post, written by Mara Buchbinder, PhD, associate professor of social medicine and core faculty in the Center for Bioethics at Chapel Hill-based University of North Carolina, and Thaddeus Pope, PhD, professor of law and director of the Health Law Institute at St. Paul, Minn.-based Mitchell Hamline School of Law: 1. Hawaii's Our Care, Our Choice Act, which takes effect Jan. 1, allows state physicians to write a lethal prescription for a mentally capacitated, terminally ill adult patient. The patient may later self-administer the prescription to end their life. But the Hawaii OCOCA breaks from conventions in MAID legislation by creating the most restrictive set of safeguards for the process in the country, the authors argue. "In this respect, it may herald a broader policy shift with important and troubling implications for patient access," the authors write. "From a public health perspective, safeguards are necessary for the protection of vulnerable groups. But when safeguards are more restrictive than necessary, they impede patient participation and imperil principles of justice." 2. In the Oregon model, for example, a person must be a resident of the state, 18 or older, have decision-making capacity and have a terminal disease expected to result in death within six months to qualify for MAID. Patients must make two oral requests and one witnessed written request for lethal medication, and the oral requests must be 15 days apart. An attending and consulting physician must confirm the patient's capacity and terminal diagnosis. Patients who satisfy these requirements must administer the medication themselves. 3. But Hawaii OCOCA differs from the Oregon model in two ways, the authors note. First, Hawaii raised the minimum waiting time between the first request and the prescription from 15 to 22 days. Second, Hawaii's model requires every patient to have a mental health screening before getting a lethal prescription, whether or not their physicians think it is needed. Due to this burden, particularly for rural patients, the Hawaii OCOCA allows telehealth counseling, the authors say. 4. "Presumably, Hawaii's augmented safeguards originated out of a concern for patient safety and protection," the authors write. "Legislators responsibly require safeguards to protect patients. But at some point, safeguards do more harm than good." The authors discuss the Hawaii OCOCA expanded waiting period, noting how in states where MAID is already legal, a 15-day waiting period creates a significant barrier for some patients, who may lose time finding a physician to prescribe the lethal medication. "The substantially longer waiting period in Hawaii means that we can expect even more patients who desire MAID to die or lose capacity before completing the process," the authors write. 5. Additionally, no evidence suggests the long-standing 15-day waiting period is insufficient, the authors say. "Nor is there any evidence that an additional seven days adds any additional protective value," they write. "Consequently, the expanded waiting period can only be an obstacle. It impedes access without offering any countervailing patient safety benefit." 6. The increased safeguards in Hawaii may signal a national trend in MAID policy when looking at other recent legislative proposals, the authors write. "While Hawaii's law has yet to take effect, 40 years of combined experience in other states suggest that OCOCA's additional safeguards would unduly restrict access," the authors write. "Given that there is no evidence that the conventional safeguards are inadequate, there is no reason to strengthen them at the risk of impeding access." Former neurosurgeon John Henry Schneider, MD, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after attempting to hide assets during bankruptcy proceedings, according to the Billings Gazette. Here are five things to know: 1. Dr. Schneider, who practiced neurosurgery in Billings, Mont., was sued for medical malpractice and then filed for bankruptcy. During his bankruptcy proceedings, it was discovered he hid $309,686 in a secret bank account from the U.S. trustee. 2. Dr. Schneider plead guilty and prosecutors dropped four other charges. 3. In addition to the prison sentence, Dr. Schneider received three years of supervised release and $308,945 restitution. 4. Dr. Schneider was in the news last year for joining the staff at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Iowa City, Iowa, after the medical malpractice cases were brought against him, even though he disclosed his issues with malpractice. 5. In the report, Dr. Schneider said he plans to enter a new career in conflict resolution. Cincinnati-based The Jewish Hospital welcomed neurosurgeon Yair Gozal, MD, PhD, to its brain tumor cancer team. Here are five points: 1. Dr. Gozal is a surgeon at Cincinnati-based Mayfield Brain & Spine. 2. He specializes in pituitary tumors, cerebral aneurysms, complex cranial surgery and minimally invasive spine surgery. 3. Dr. Gozal is among the experts in Gama Knife radiosurgery. 4. Board-eligible in neurosurgery, Dr. Gozal is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons and North American Skull Base Society. 5. The Jewish Hospital's Brain Tumor Center includes fellowship-trained neurosurgeons and ENT surgeons. The center features a nationally recognized bone marrow transplant program. Saying that New Zealanders were sick of being tenants in our own land, the New Zealand government has banned the sale of existing homes to foreign buyers, reports The Guardian. The ban has been put in place in a bid to make housing more affordable for locals with the assumption that supply would increase. This is to benefit New Zealanders who have their shoulder to the wheel of the New Zealand economy, pay tax here, have families here. We dont think they should be outbid by wealthier people from overseas," an official was quoted as saying. (Representative image) European law firm Fieldfisher has expanded into Northern Ireland with the creation of 125 new jobs. The roles will be based at its new offices in Belfasts Titanic Quarter and attract average salaries of around 25,000. Around 10 jobs are already in place at the premises on Old Channel Road. The announcement follows Fieldfishers merger with Holywood firm Donaldson Legal Consulting last November. Managing partner Alison Donaldson, who will head the Belfast operation, said future expansion could involve additional office in the Titanic Quarter and Holywood. Fieldfisher is the latest in a line of major legal firms to expand into Northern Ireland. Invest NI said around 700 jobs have been created by such companies in the past five years, attracted by the large pool of legal graduates produced by the two universities. Last month, US law firm Baker McKenzie announced plans to expand its Belfast office, creating 150 new posts. Invest NI is providing 630,000 as part of Fieldfishers move. Chief executive of the economic support agency, Alastair Hamilton, said: Northern Irelands legal sector has gone from strength to strength and has attracted several of the UKs Top 50 firms. This is one of the priority sectors for inward investment and we are delighted Fieldfisher has joined this growing sector. Over the next three years Fieldfisher will be building its team in Northern Ireland with 125 roles across a range of functions. With an average salary in the mid 20,000s this investment will generate over 3.6million in annual salaries. Michael Chissick, managing partner at Fieldfisher added: We began exploring Northern Ireland as a base for this new office in early 2017, attracted by the stable supply of experienced and skilled people. Our new centre here will include senior positions in legal and risk management, as well as middle level technical and business support roles. We also have a number of roles suitable for graduates. The strong partnership between academia and industry was another attraction to investing here and ensures we will be able to work with colleges and universities to develop a future pipeline of qualified graduates. "We have been through an incredible period of success and have been the fastest growing large UK law firm for the last two years. Northern Ireland is the next strategic stage in our continued growth and we are very excited to be able to provide a centre of excellence to support our offices around the world. Northern Ireland's smoking cessation services are in need of an overhaul, a charity has said. (stock photo) Northern Ireland's smoking cessation services are in need of an overhaul, a charity has said. It comes after Government figures revealed another decline in the number of people registering to quit cigarettes in the past year. Almost 15,500 people took up treatment with the health service's cessation programme in the 12 months to April. The number of those taking up the treatment has fallen in the past five years from 26,870 in 2013/14. Last year the amount of people seeking the service dropped by 3,176 (17%) to 15,461. Almost 60% successfully quit within four weeks last year, figures from the Department of Health show. Some 905 of those looking help to quit were pregnant women, and 24% of them were not able to quit within four weeks. The majority (71%) of those on the treatment programme took nicotine replacement therapy. Around 20% of people here smoke compared with 33% in 1983, the Government figures show. Neil Johnston, public affairs adviser for Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke, said the decline in those taking up the service did not indicate a reduction in people smoking. "Smoking prevalence hasn't really changed in recent years," he said. "The decline in those using cessation services has been pretty dramatic and it is partly driven by people switching from tobacco to e-cigarettes. "Obviously, e-cigarettes are preferable, but we have no idea of the long-term effects and would not consider them a long-term solution. "Smoking is particularly high in deprived areas and we need to concentrate there and get the message into primary schools. "But people know the messages, they know smoking is bad - 50% of smokers die from a smoking-related illness. "There is no magic bullet here. The gradual pushing up of the price of tobacco and the outdoor smoking ban are having an impact. "It's about getting a broader message of improving health and encouraging exercise." The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is facing further turbulence after it emerged that its chief executive is taking an age discrimination case against its under-fire chairman. The Belfast Telegraph can reveal that Roisin McDonough (68), who has served as chief executive of the body for almost 18 years, registered the age discrimination case in January of this year. The case will be against current chairman John Edmund, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Department for Communities. No date has yet been listed for proceedings to be heard. When contacted, the Arts Council said it would be making no comment on the case. Mr Edmund and Ms McDonough were also unavailable for comment and there are currently no further details over what prompted the action to be taken. The age discrimination case involving the two highest profile employees is likely to throw the arts body into more chaos. Ms McDonough, an economics, sociology and politics graduate of Trinity College Dublin, had previously served as director of Brownlow Community Trust, an anti-poverty programme based in Craigavon, was a team leader with Making Belfast Work, and has worked as a director of the Training Network for Women. She left her position as chief executive of the West Belfast Partnership, the urban regeneration agency she had headed for two years, to take up the role at the Arts Council. Ms McDonough has warned in the past that the very existence of some arts groups could be under threat in the current economic climate, as the sector faces devastating cutbacks. In April the Arts Council announced funding of 13.1m for the sector in 2018/19 a cut of 4.7%. This meant reductions for 43 out of 100 groups who depend heavily on the money, with another seven having their funding stopped entirely. Mr Edmund, who took up his position with the Arts Council last January after he was appointed by former DUP minister Paul Givan, is no stranger to controversy in his role as chairman of the body, which serves as the funding and development agency for the entire arts community in Northern Ireland. In January this year he came under fire from his own board after controversial claims that arts groups here depend too much on grant aid. In an unprecedented move, eight out of the 10 board members issued a statement saying the chairmans remarks didnt reflect official policy. It was later revealed that the board of the Arts Council had passed two votes of no confidence in their chair late in 2017 and staged walkouts from meetings. The votes were taken at turbulent meetings in October and December as board members registered their opposition to the chairs attitude to how the creative sector here should be funded. Mr Edmund, who has resisted all demands for him to quit, reiterated his controversial position on financing the arts. He has argued that the Government doesnt have the money to meet demands from the arts, which, he added, had to be realistic about its expectations. His response only fuelled anger among people in the sector who accused him of supporting financial cuts. Then in May this year Mr Edmunds chairmanship came under fire over a potential conflict of interest as anti-cuts campaigners in ArtsMatterNI raised concerns after he revealed details of work for the Nerve Centre in Derry. He declared in the Arts Councils register of interests an assignment for the Nerve Centre on workforce planning for NI Screen industries commenced 1st April 2018 and due to end on 1st June 2018. Rachel Dean checks out the style in Victoria Square, Belfast. Nicola Hill (21), sales assistant, Claudy Expand Close Nicola Hill / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nicola Hill Wore what? Top, 20, trousers, 25, both New Look; jacket, 50, bag, 45, both River Island; shoes, 12, Primark. Why? I would describe my style as very casual. I wear prints, usually floral, to add a little pop of colour to my look. Who? Dani Dyer can wear casual looks and still look well put together. I love her style. Monthly spend: 150-200 Una Feeney (34), pharmacist, Coalisland Expand Close Una Feeney / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Una Feeney Wore what? Top, 40, boutique in Paris; skirt, 20, shoes, 30, bag, 30, all Zara. Why? My look is minimalistic. It is slightly influenced by European style. Who? I follow blogger Lucy Williams on Instagram and I love her low key, laid back looks. Monthly spend: 100 Daria Singh (22), sales manager, Holland Expand Close Daria Singh / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Daria Singh Wore what? Dress, 15, H&M; jacket, 160, Guess; shoes, 25, New Look. Why? I usually just dress for the occasion. I always have a statement piece in my outfit. Who? Im obsessed with Meghan Markles classy style. I dress quite similarly for special occasions. Monthly spend: 300 Expand Close Meghan Markle Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Meghan Markle Ailsa McLarnon (22), staff nurse, Bangor Expand Close Ailsa McLarnon / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ailsa McLarnon Wore what? Blouse, 20, New Look; jeans, 45, Topshop; sunglasses, 40, Moschino; shoes, 22, M&S; bag, gift, Louis Vuitton. Why? My style is casual from day to day and quite dressy any other time. Who? I love how the Kardashians can be very sporty one day and really glamorous the next. I love their style. Monthly spend: 100-150 Fiona Campbell (24), retail manager, Newtownards Expand Close Fiona Campbell / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fiona Campbell Wore what? Top, 35, The Dressing Room (Comber); jeans, 40, River Island; sunglasses, 300, Tiffany & Co; shoes, 40, Moda; bag, 1,000, Mulberry. Why? I keep my style classy and I love wearing tailored pieces. Who? Kate Middleton is my style icon. Her look is sophisticated and structured. Monthly spend: 100-150 Expand Close Kate Middleton Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kate Middleton Melissa Hargan (22), visual merchandiser, Londonderry Expand Close Melissa Hargan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Melissa Hargan Wore what? Top, 15, jacket, 45, jeans, 39, boots, 50, all Topshop; bag, 45, River Island. Why? My look is bold and quirky. Its also modern because Im always keeping up with recent trends because of my job. Who? I dont follow celebrity fashion, I usually just go for brand style. I love Topshop at the moment for their animal print looks. Monthly spend: 70 Kirsty Hill (23), playgroup assistant, Claudy Expand Close Kirsty Hill / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kirsty Hill Wore what? Top, 20, trousers, 25, jacket, 35, shoes, 30, all New Look; bag, 45, River Island. Why? I like quirky style. I usually wear black and white looks, they are so much easier to pair things with. Who? Lucy Mecklenburgh has great style. I like her relaxed looks and her dressier, quirky looks. Monthly spend: 100 Expand Close Lucy Mecklenburgh Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lucy Mecklenburgh Lauren Bennett (24), nurse, Banbridge Expand Close Lauren Bennett / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lauren Bennett Wore what? Top, 15, Bershka; trousers, 20, Missguided; sunglasses, 15, M&S; shoes, 10, Primark; bag, 180, Michael Kors. Why? I would say my style is inspired by the bohemian look. Im loving wide trousers and jeans at the moment. Who? I like Michelle Keegans range with Very. Her style is current. Monthly spend: 100-150 Faeces was discovered on the floor of a shower room in a care home during a health inspection, it can be revealed. Toilet roll holders and a staff toilet were also stained with faeces at Greenhaw Lodge Care Centre in Londonderry during a visit by an inspector on June 14. Management of the home was summoned to an urgent meeting with the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) after tje official uncovered shocking lapses in basic hygiene. Greenhaw Lodge offers specialist care for people with dementia, those at end of life and alcoholics, and charges in excess of 1,000 a week for a place in its specialist dementia unit. Among the failings found by the RQIA inspector included stained and rusty furniture, dirty dining room tables and chairs, bins overflowing with offensive waste, a bad smell and overflowing bin in a staff toilet, and dust and debris on the floors throughout the home. And there was no evidence of cleaning in the laundry. The RQIA inspector said it was very dusty with dust noted on the rims of plastic bins used to transfer patient clothing. Multiple alcohol gel dispensers were empty or not working, while it was also found that staff weren't cleaning their hands properly or wearing adequate clothing, such as gloves and aprons, to reduce the risk of spreading infection. The inspection also highlighted staff shortages at the home. Despite this, enforcement action was not taken by the RQIA. The company that owns the home, Larchwood Care Homes (NI) Ltd, said areas in the building have since been refurbished and updated. Margaret Toland, whose husband Joe lives at Greenhaw Lodge, said she had repeatedly raised concerns about conditions, and feels they have not been addressed. Mr Toland (73), who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's eight years ago and is now in the advanced stages of the disease, has been at the home for the last two years. "The staff are amazing and I wouldn't have a bad word said about them," said Mrs Toland (65), a retired special needs teacher. "There are occasions where you have maybe two carers looking after 13 or 14 residents, each of them with their own individual needs. "The staff are definitely under pressure and I watch the cleaners and they can't do their job properly. "The mops they have don't seem very clean, and as far as I am concerned, they are just pushing the dirt from one end of the room to the other. "But at the end of the day, they are doing the best they can with what they have. "I would like to see the staff valued by the management. "The whole place needs brought up to date. "For example, Joe's room is pink with flowery curtains, which isn't appropriate, and they finally put a dining room into his unit by putting some tables and chairs into one of the bedrooms. "They left the sink and mirror in the corner of the room and the sink has been cracked for weeks and they haven't done anything about it." SDLP health spokesman Mark H Durkan said he was horrified at the inspection's findings. "People deserve dignity at the very least and it is upsetting to think that very vulnerable people are living in such filthy conditions," he said. "I know the staff at the home are heroic in terms of the work they do, which makes you question whether the home is adequately resourced." Mr Durkan said health trusts who place people in the home should also take more responsibility for ensuring that care homes are meeting basic hygiene standards. Aidan Hanna from NI Patient Voice said: "We've never seen a worse inspection in terms of cleanliness at any other nursing home in Northern Ireland." Mr Hanna said Larchwood Care Homes should refund fees to families and health trusts in light of the RQIA findings. He also said he was concerned that care assistants were working at the home for five months without applying to be registered with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council. "On a positive note, it is great to see in the report that staff were praised by residents and relatives," he said. Larchwood Care Homes said: "Following an unannounced care inspection by the RQIA to Greenhaw Lodge on June 14, 2018, some areas for improvement were noted. "The company worked in conjunction with the regulator following the inspection and areas in the home have since been fully refurbished and the environment updated. "During the inspection it was recognised and reported by the regulator that 'staff attended to patients' needs in a timely and caring manner' and that 'staff interactions with patients were observed to be compassionate, caring and timely'." Media commentator Jude Collins has been slammed as "beneath contempt" after claiming the victims of the Omagh bomb were not murdered. Mr Collins made the comments on his blog on the 20th anniversary of the atrocity which claimed the lives of 29 people including a mother pregnant with twins. Mr Collins posted: "The victims of Omagh - my home town - are often spoken of as being murdered. "There were events that occurred during the Troubles that were indeed murder - that is, the killers set out to and succeeded in killing innocent people. Read More "If we consider the pattern of events for some months before Omagh, the signs are that it wasn't murder: the Real IRA didn't set out to deliberately slaughter the good and defenceless people they did. "Earlier in August 1998, the Real IRA bombed Banbridge, where they caused extensive damage and injured quite a few people, but killed no one. How could that be? Because they phoned a warning in advance. Their target was commercial, not human. In Omagh a few weeks later, they also phoned an advance warning. But because, we are told, they misnamed the streets, police shepherded people into the epicentre of the blast, not away from it. So the Real IRA appear to have made the basic mistake of not knowing the street names of the town they were bombing... "The bereaved of Omagh have never been short of sympathy. Read More "But they have been starved of truth. And although it's an academic point, their loved ones were slaughtered but not murdered." In 2016 Mr Collins compared the Boys' Brigade to children taking part in dissident republican marches in Lurgan. Omagh Ulster Unionist councillor Chris Smyth said: "That in itself should have ended his credibility. Today he has surpassed himself with absolutely despicable comments regarding the Omagh bomb. "This is a defence even the parents of the members of the Real IRA gang that bombed Omagh would struggle to sustain. The facts are as follows. They assembled a bomb. They drove it for miles passing through villages and traffic until they arrived at a market town on a Saturday afternoon. "They telephoned a warning giving the wrong location. Read More "As a result, people were funnelled down Omagh High Street into the path of the bomb and 29 innocent people lost their lives along with unborn twins. "Terrorist bombs are inherently unstable. The Troubles are littered with instances of IRA bombs going off prematurely." Mr Smyth said the Real IRA gang that bombed Omagh "were well aware of the potential consequences". Read More "If you build a bomb, transport it to a town and abandon it on a busy shopping street, and it detonates creating multiple innocent victims, then the only word for that is murder," he said. "Jude Collins's comments in seeking to minimise the enormity of the horror visited on Omagh are beneath contempt." Mr Collins has not yet responded to a request for comment. The family of a Cookstown woman who died of carbon monoxide poisoning have paid tribute to a loving mother and grandmother. Susan Henry, who was in her 60s, died in her Drum Road home. Her husband Desmond and one of her daughters were at home at the time and were taken to hospital. Mr Henry remains in a stable condition in Craigavon Area Hospital. A family notice described Mrs Henry as the dearly loved wife of Desmond, much loved mother of Olive, Hester, Thomas and Susan. She was also described as a devoted grandmother of three, and is survived by two siblings. Her twin brother John and brother Kenneth had passed away. The family have said the house is strictly private and funeral arrangements are yet to be announced. Neighbours said on Tuesday they had been left stunned by Mrs Henry's death. They said that she had suffered from poor health in recent years, including breathing difficulties. One woman told the Belfast Telegraph: "There was so much noise with the emergency services arriving. "I thought it had been a fire at first but my nephew saw them take a window out and we started to realise it might be a gas leak. "She had a lovely family and it's so sad to hear, we would have seen her out about all the time with her dog." Safety advice about carbon monoxide in the home is available at www.hseni.gov.uk/watchout or by calling 080 0032 0121. Ian Paisley has the support of David McNarry and David Campbell Two former Ulster Unionists have thrown their support behind Ian Paisley in his battle to remain North Antrim MP. Former Ukip Northern Ireland leader David McNarry, who was previously a UUP MLA, and former UUP chairman David Campbell, have urged unionist and loyalists in the constituency not to sign a petition to unseat Mr Paisley. They claimed a "pan-nationalist front led by Sinn Fein" was trying to deprive unionism of a vote in the House of Commons at an historic moment. Their stance is in direct conflict with that of the UUP and the TUV, whose leader Jim Allister has said the only issue at stake in the poll is sleaze. Mr Campbell is currently the chairman of the Loyalist Communities Council, an umbrella organisation which is backed by the UDA, UVF and Red Hand Commando. Mr Paisley has been suspended by the House of Commons for 30 days for a major breach of parliamentary rules. He failed to declare two luxury holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government. In 2014, he lobbied then-Prime Minister David Cameron against a proposed United Nations resolution to investigate alleged human rights abuses during Sri Lanka's civil war without disclosing his financial benefit. If 7,543 voters in North Antrim sign the petition of recall - 10% of the electorate - Mr Paisley will lose his seat and a by-election will be held. Calling on unionists not to sign the petition, Mr Campbell and Mr McNarry said the North Antrim MP had already been punished by Parliament for breaching its rules and to unseat him would be "a completely disproportionate reaction". They said: "It is clear to us that the pan-nationalist front led by Sinn Fein are using this breach of the rules by Ian some five years ago to try and precipitate a by-election in order to deprive unionism of a vote in Parliament during one of the most critical times in the modern history of our country. "Any unionist who signs this petition is playing into the hands of republicans." Mr McNarry and Mr Campbell said they both had "historic policy differences" with Mr Paisley and the DUP over the years. They described the North Antrim MP's breach of parliamentary rules as "misguided" but said he had already been sanctioned by Parliament. They added: "What is beyond any doubt however is the commitment he has demonstrated to his electorate in North Antrim and to promoting Northern Ireland as a whole. "Any unionist who thinks they are serving the best interests of North Antrim and Northern Ireland by signing this petition are gravely mistaken and they should desist rather than help Sinn Fein with their insidious agenda." Mr Paisley is suspended by the DUP pending an investigation by party officers. The petition is open until September 19. It can be signed at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena, the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre in Ballymoney, and Sheskburn House Recreation Centre in Ballycastle. Mr Paisley has vowed to run in any by-election. Dogs relax and watch TV in the Alpha 1 Dog Hotel in Coleraine Dogs relax and watch TV in the Alpha 1 Dog Hotel in Coleraine Dogs relax and watch TV in the Alpha 1 Dog Hotel in Coleraine Dogs relax and watch TV in the Alpha 1 Dog Hotel in Coleraine Dogs relax and watch TV in the Alpha 1 Dog Hotel in Coleraine From corgis and chihuahuas to cocker spaniels and chinooks, all dogs are welcome at a new five-star dog hotel in Coleraine. Alpha 1 Dog Hotel opened in April after receiving 30,000 funding from the NI Rural Development Fund. It allowed owner Ian Eccles to create five luxury kennels as well as two larger state-of-the-art rooms. There are over 20 rooms in total. "We've five dogs of our own and it was one of those things, where do you leave them when you go away on holiday?" he said. "We've only five luxury kennels and they're booked out nearly all of the time. They're rooms with glass patio doors on them. They've got underfloor heating and they can sit and watch DVDs on a 55-inch plasma TV. Mr Eccles also has the support of Causeway Coast and Glens Local Action Group (LAG). Commenting on the project, LAG chair Anthony McGarvey said: "I congratulate Ian on implementing his funded project and hope his success inspires other potential entrepreneurs in the area. "The LAG remains keen to provide funding for both new and existing businesses in rural areas, so I encourage any interested parties to get in contact with our administration unit." Ian Thompson was seeking to vary bail terms so he check emails connected to the venture in his native Ballymena. A man allegedly linked to the distribution of 860,000 worth of cannabis through Northern Ireland's postal system has been denied internet access for a fledgling chip shop business. Ian Thompson was seeking to vary bail terms so he check emails connected to the venture in his native Ballymena. The 51-year-old, of Colonsay Park in the Co Antrim town, is charged with conspiring with three others to supply Class B dugs between December 2016 and April 2018. He faces a further count of concealing, converting or transferring criminal property, namely cash, over the same period. Police claim WhatsApp messages link him to an operation involving money laundering and the delivery of drugs packages to different addresses. Social media conversations between other suspects about cannabis were said to have been discovered after police examined a seized laptop. Thompson was allegedly involved in exchanges about a customer who had complained at the quality of the drugs. Belfast Magistrates' Court heard packages were found at a number of locations, with cash lodgments to banks suspected of being linked to the racket. It was previously revealed that in total 43 kilos of cannabis, with a street value of 860,000, have been recovered. Nearly 65,000 in cash was also confiscated from addresses connected to other co-accused. Following his arrest last month Thompson denied involvement in criminality and told officers others could have used his unlocked phone to communicate. He was granted bail at the stage - despite police claims he could flee to Spain where he was said to have an interest in a Northern Ireland supporters' club bar in Benidorm. He returned to court today seeking to vary release terms which include a ban on any online activity. Defence counsel said: "He simply wants internet access so he can facilitate emails for the chip shop business he has recently set up in Ballymena." Thompson would not delete his search history and allow police to check his activities, his lawyer stressed. Despite refusing that application, the district judge agreed to temporarily suspend his curfew so he can attend a church ceremony and reception later this month. A 28-year-old man arrested on suspicion of supplying unlicensed door staff by police investigating criminality linked to the East Belfast UVF has been released on bail pending further enquiries. Officers from the Paramilitary Crime Task Force (PCTF) supported by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) conducted a search and arrest operation in Ards and North Down on Thursday. The arrest was made following searches at two residential addresses in Bangor and Donaghadee, as well as an office premises in Newtownards. He was arrested under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 and has been taken to Musgrave Police Station for questioning but has since been released pending further enquiries. A number of items were seized during the searches, including a BB gun, a number of laptops, documents, camouflage clothing and an iPad. Detective Superintendent Bobby Singleton said: "The PSNI works closely with the SIA on a range of initiatives to ensure the public are kept safe by assuring that security staff are correctly licensed. "This is important work as the public are exposed to door staff when, at times, they are at their most vulnerable through the consumption of alcohol or drugs. The PCTF is determined to disrupt and frustrate any criminal activities linked to paramilitaries. And we will continue to be relentless in delivering our contribution in working towards creating the environment in which a culture of lawfulness can thrive across all our communities. There is no hiding place for paramilitaries or criminality linked to them as they destroy peoples lives and harm the very communities they claim to be defenders of." Tourists photograph flags on a controversial bonfire, in the Bogside area of Londonderry, which is traditionally torched on August 15. Credit: George Sweeney The son of murdered prison officer David Black said he was "absolutely sickened" after a board bearing the name of his father was placed on top of a republican bonfire in Londonderry's Bogside. The names on the bonfire included murdered PSNI officers Ronan Kerr and Stephen Carroll as well as prison officers David Black and Adrian Ismay. Stolen poppy wreaths were also placed on the bonfire. David Black's son, Kyle, posted on social media: "My dad, along with the other brave men named, served their community with dignity and respect. This in complete contrast to those responsible for this. Absolutely sickened." My dad, along with the other brave men named, served their community with dignity and respect. This in complete contrast to those responsible for this. Absolutely sickened. pic.twitter.com/zzos0D0IpA Kyle Black (@Kyleblack91) August 15, 2018 DUP councillor Graham Warke posted a video on social media condemning the bonfire, saying he was "sickened and disgusted". He said: "These three poppy wreaths were laid on July 1 at a war cenotaph. They represent everyone in this city who fought in World War One. On July 3 these three poppy wreaths were stolen and they were reported to PSNI. "Now we have them sitting on a bonfire ready to get burnt tonight. "I call on anyone with influence to get these poppy wreaths removed immediately." Cllr Warke, speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, said the same thing had happened last year and that poppy wreaths were burnt. "This has ended up the same as last year, back on the Bogside bonfire. It is not every year it happens. "I have seen the names myself, the names of murdered PSNI officers and prison officers on the bonfire now. I am totally disgusted. The poppies is bad enough, but having the names of murdered police officers on that bonfire is terrible. "The poppy wreaths represent everyone that fought in World War One, from both sides of the community. To see poppy wreaths going up in smoke is awful and to see the names of murdered prison officers and police officers on it is a total disgrace." He added: "It is just pure hatred." Cllr Ward said there were efforts from community youth workers at the scene to get the poppy wreaths removed. He said the PSNI was aware of the situation. Sinn Fein Councillor Patricia Logue condemned the display of hate that took place at a bonfire in the Bogside area of Derry. Cllr Logue said: "There were several hate fires that took place in this city over July and August but nothing justifies what occurred in Meenan Square and those responsible for putting poppy wreaths, flags and other hate messages on the bonfire are intent only on causing extreme offence and damaging community relations. "This is nothing but a display of hate and has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with republicanism. "The people of the Bogside do not want this bonfire and they certainly do not want displays of hate designed to cause distress and antagonism to their neighbours in this city." A no deal Brexit would cause have "serious implications" for the delivery of health care in Northern Ireland, the UK's leading medical authority has warned. A no deal Brexit would have "serious implications" for the delivery of health care in Northern Ireland, the UK's leading medical authority has warned. A new report from the British Medical Association (BMA) has identified a number of at-risk areas, and highlights the potential breakdown of cross-border cooperation as a concern. It comes amid growing speculation the UK could crash out of the European Union without an agreement on future cooperation. Council chair of BMA Northern Ireland Dr John D Woods said cross border workers were a key part of the health service in Northern Ireland, and the introduction of a hard border could stop staff making the daily commute, and would put "an already pressurised service under even more strain". "The current arrangements for cross-border delivery of health services, such as paediatric cardiac care and cancer services, bring great benefit to patients. On its own, Northern Ireland is not large enough to sustain such all-island specialised services," he said. "We therefore run the risk of forcing patients to once again travel considerable distances to receive care but also of exacerbating existing difficulties within the health service to retain experienced, specialist doctors at a time when we really need to attract and keep doctors working here." Dr Woods also cautioned against the difficulty it could cause students from Northern Ireland aiming to train in the Republic and return to work north of the border. A failure to recognise professional qualifications creates a very real risk that medical students from Northern Ireland who opt to study and train in the Republic of Ireland would have significant difficulty in returning home to practice medicine in Northern Ireland," he said. Any developments which risk destabilising the Good Friday Agreement could make Northern Ireland a less attractive place to work and will make attracting and retaining clinicians to work in Northern Ireland even more difficult. There is currently a provision in place for all-Ireland health care in a number of areas, including access to specialist services anywhere on the island and emergency services operating on both sides of the border. One example of this is the radiotheraphy unit at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry, which provides services to over 500,000 cancer patients from both sides of the border. Pressure on the Northern Ireland health care system has been an ongoing issue over recent years, and has been exacerbated since the collapse of Stormont in January 2017. In May, more than a quarter of Northern Ireland GPs said they felt they could not cope with the stress placed on them by a shortage of doctors. Waiting times for outpatient appointments were highlighted earlier this month when it was revealed a Northern Ireland woman could face a potential two-year wait for treatment after being diagnosed with a suspected case of multiple sclerosis. Snow and ice could cause problems The road has been closed. Follow the latest updates from our travel feed below The Dobbin Road in Armagh has been reopend folowing an earlier crash. Diversions are in place and traffic is being diverted onto the Vicarage Road, delays are expected. Our live updates from across Northern Ireland are compiled by @TrafficwatchNI, @BBCNITravel and @PSNITraffic. People throw white petals into the water at Remembrance Garden after the ceremony People gathered on Market Street, Omagh, ahead of the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the bombing People gathered on Market Street in Omagh during the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the bombing Former Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan has stood by her comments that the Omagh bomb could have been prevented. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph last night, Baroness O'Loan said she was sorry if her claim and her call for a public inquiry had hurt any relatives, but she had a duty to speak out. Kevin Skelton, whose wife Mena was killed in the bomb, said it was "absolutely despicable" that Mrs O'Loan had chosen to make her comments on the 20th anniversary of the atrocity. He said he had no interest in a public inquiry. Read More The former Ombudsman faced a deluge of criticism from the Police Federation and unionist politicians. Chief Constable George Hamilton strongly denied her claim that the Real IRA attack could have been prevented. Read More Mrs O'Loan said some of the Omagh families had contacted her yesterday to offer their support. "Kevin suffered the loss of his lovely wife and he is entitled to his views," she said. "I was asked a question by the BBC and I answered it honestly. "I recognise the hurt that caused Kevin and I would never mean to cause him or any other victim pain." She continued: "The level of criticism I'm now facing is the same as I faced in 2001 after my Ombudsman's report. "I knew it would happen again and it would have been easy for me just to say 'wasn't Omagh terrible?' and 'I feel sorry for the victims'. "I felt I had a duty to do more than that." Read More Mrs O'Loan said she had told Michael and Patsy Gallagher, whose son Aiden was killed in the bomb, and other relatives what she was planning to say when she attended a memorial service in the town on Sunday. "Nobody said to me: 'Don't'. "Indeed some of the families are judicially reviewing the Government's refusal to hold a public inquiry." Mrs O'Loan denied claims she was effectively blaming the police for the bomb and said she had stated that the Real IRA alone was culpable for the carnage. Read More She rejected suggestions she was in any way criticising officers on the ground in Omagh on the day of the atrocity. "I have nothing but admiration for them," she said. "My criticism is of the intelligence services who didn't share information with local police on the ground." In her 2001 report, Mrs O'Loan said she didn't know if the bomb could have been prevented. She said civil and criminal cases, and inquiries, had brought more information to light which caused her to change her mind. Mr Skelton said the timing of Mrs O'Loan's remarks was despicable. "We know what happened in Omagh, we know who did it," he said. "The Real IRA planted a bomb, the police didn't plant it, and her comments sickened me to my stomach." Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Pacemaker Press 15/08/2018 Prayers are held at at St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast on the 20th anniversary of Omagh bombing. Prayers are to held at 3.10pm to remember the victims of the bomb in Omagh 20 years ago today. 29 candles where lit for the victims. Picture Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. A young girl is seen through the Omagh bomb memorial as the ceremony takes place on the spot of the bombing on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. A young girl is seen through the Omagh bomb memorial as the ceremony takes place on the spot of the bombing on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. A young girl is seen through the Omagh bomb memorial as the ceremony takes place on the spot of the bombing on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. People are seen through the Omagh bomb memorial as the ceremony takes place on the spot of the bombing on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. People are seen through the Omagh bomb memorial as the ceremony takes place on the spot of the bombing on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. A woman lays flowers at Omagh bomb memorial as the ceremony takes place on the spot of the bombing on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. A bell is rang once during the ceremony for each person who died and then one at the end for everyone. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. People are seen through the Omagh bomb memorial as the ceremony takes place on the spot of the bombing on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. A bell is rang once during the ceremony for each person who died and then one at the end for everyone. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. A woman lays flowers at Omagh bomb memorial as the ceremony takes place on the spot of the bombing on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. People are seen through the Omagh bomb memorial as the ceremony takes place on the spot of the bombing on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. One of the victims Jolene Marlow's family(right) pictured during the ceremony on the spot of the bombing on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. One of the victims Jolene Marlow's family pictured during the ceremony on the spot of the bombing on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. People throw white petals into the Omagh bomb remembrance garden after the ceremony on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. People throw white petals into the Omagh bomb remembrance garden after the ceremony on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. People throw white petals into the Omagh bomb remembrance garden after the ceremony on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. People throw white petals into the Omagh bomb remembrance garden after the ceremony on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. People throw white petals into the Omagh bomb remembrance garden after the ceremony on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. People throw white petals into the Omagh bomb remembrance garden after the ceremony on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. Members of the fire service throw white petals into the Omagh bomb remembrance garden after the ceremony on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. Members of the fire service throw white petals into the Omagh bomb remembrance garden after the ceremony on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. People gather white petals to throw into the Omagh bomb remembrance garden after the ceremony on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. People throw white petals into the Omagh bomb remembrance garden after the ceremony on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 15th August 2017 Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. 29 people were killed in the Co. Tyrone town on 15th August 1998 when a dissident republican bomb exploded on Market Street on a busy Saturday afternoon. People throw white petals into the Omagh bomb remembrance garden after the ceremony on Market Street. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Floral tributes left at the Omagh Bomb Memorial, located on Market Street, ahead of the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing on 15 August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA People gathering on Market Street, Omagh, ahead of the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing on 15 August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA People gathering on Market Street, Omagh, ahead of the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing on 15 August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA People gathering on Market Street, Omagh, ahead of the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing on 15 August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA People gathering on Market Street, Omagh, ahead of the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing on 15 August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA People gathering on Market Street, Omagh, ahead of the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing on 15 August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA People gathering on Market Street, Omagh, during the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing on 15 August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA People visit the Omagh Memorial garden after attending the ceremony for victims of the car bomb on Market Street on the 15th August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA People visit the Omagh Memorial garden after attending the ceremony for victims of the car bomb on Market Street on the 15th August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA White Rose petals are thrown into a pond at the Omagh Memorial garden by people who attended the ceremony for victims of the car bomb on Market Street on the 15th August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA Richard Scott reads a poem entitled "Reality" during the ceremony for victims of the Omagh bombing at the site where a car bomb exploded on Market Street in Omagh on 15 August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA People observe a minutes silence on Market Street, Omagh, during the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing on 15 August 1998. Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA People gathered on Market Street, Omagh, during the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing on 15 August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA People gathered on Market Street, Omagh, during the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing on 15 August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA People gathered on Market Street, Omagh, during the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Omagh bombing on 15 August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA Kevin Skelton, whose wife Philomena died in the blast during the ceremony for victims of the Omagh car bombing on Market Street on the 15th August 1998. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday August 15, 2018. The worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland conflict killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins. See PA story ULSTER Omagh. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Omagh bomb 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Richard Scott, an off-duty RUC officer who was at the scene, called on the former policing watchdog to apologise for "raising the temperature on such an emotional day". He said: "Nuala O'Loan has jumped all over those police officers, first responders, the Fire Brigade, ambulance drivers, everyone who was there that day." Police Federation chairman Mark Lindsay said Mrs O'Loan hadn't provided "a shred of evidence" to back up her claims which called into question police officers' good names. "Her intervention on a solemn day of commemoration, when relatives take time to remember their loved ones, is insensitive," he said. "Her contribution will serve to open wounds and traumatise good people." The Chief Constable insisted police couldn't have prevented the bomb. He said Mrs O'Loan's claim was "inaccurate, unfair and unreasonable". "Police were not in a position to prevent the Omagh bombing," he added. DUP MLA Thomas Buchanan called her comments "ill-judged", and UUP leader Robin Swann said they were "regrettable" on a day "when the focus should be solely on the families and not her". Police are urging people to be vigilant after a local company was targeted in a scam Police are urging people to be vigilant after a local company was targeted in a scam. A construction firm was sent an email from a contractor alleging they had changed their bank account details and that money owed for work should be paid into the new account. Later it emerged the sender's email had been hacked and the email was a ploy to defraud the construction company of cash. PSNI Chief Superintendent Simon Walls said: "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. "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." The head of the Prison Service in Northern Ireland has condemned the disgraceful decision to light a bonfire emblazoned with the names of murdered officers. The pyre, set alight on Wednesday evening in the Bogside area of Londonderry, included references to late police officers Ronan Kerr and Stephen Carroll and prison officers David Black and Adrian Ismay. Three petrol bombs were also thrown at police near the citys walls which overlook the Bogside. A 35-year-old man was arrested and charged with making, possessing and throwing a petrol bomb and is due to appear in court next month. Fires are lit at this time of year to mark the anniversary of the introduction of internment of republican suspects without trial in 1971 and police are treating the incident as a hate crime. Using the names of our murdered friends and colleagues, and those of PSNI colleagues, in this way has caused great hurt and distress to their families, to the Prison Service, and the wider communityPrison Service director-general Ronnie Armour Prison Service director-general Ronnie Armour, in a message to staff, said: Using the names of our murdered friends and colleagues, and those of PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) colleagues, in this way has caused great hurt and distress to their families, to the Prison Service, and the wider community. David Black, 52, was killed by dissident republicans opposed to the peace process during a motorway drive-by shooting in Co Armagh in 2012. His son Kyle said Wednesday evenings bonfire-makers were disgusting. Appalled + saddened by this hatred. David Black,Stephen Carroll, Adrian Ismay+ Ronan Kerr lived lives of true public service, devoted to protecting community. Those who murdered them or disrespect their memory will not succeed in undermining those values. https://t.co/v18DP7SO0d Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) August 16, 2018 Mr Armour also disclosed messages of support received from Londonderry, or Derry as many refer to it. One said: Please accept my sincere apologies for the most disgraceful, hurtful and hate-filled scenes that we witnessed last night at the bonfire in the Bogside. I know that I speak for the vast, vast majority of people from this wonderful City (Derry/Londonderry) when I say that this is not in our name and we stand with the families of Ronan, Stephen, Adrian and David at this most distressing time. Please pass on my thoughts to the families of Adrian, David and all your fellow officers. Mr Armour said Mr Black and Mr Ismay served the entire community with commitment, integrity and dignity. He added: As a service we will continue to serve all the people of Northern Ireland with professionalism. Poppy wreaths were also put on the bonfire. PSNI Chief Inspector Paul McCracken said: We are treating this as a hate crime and we are seeking to identify those responsible, and I would ask anyone with information that can help identify the perpetrators to contact us. Sinn Fein has condemned the display of hate, saying it had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with republicanism, while DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson decried the inhumane and pure evil placing of the mens names on the bonfire. Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said he was appalled and saddened. Kyle Black criticised those involved. My dad, along with the other brave men named, served their community with dignity and respect. This in complete contrast to those responsible for this. Absolutely sickened. pic.twitter.com/zzos0D0IpA Kyle Black (@Kyleblack91) August 15, 2018 He wrote on Twitter: Absolutely disgusting! The people responsible for these vile actions have absolutely nothing to offer our society. #somuchforrespectandequality My dad, along with the other brave men named, served their community with dignity and respect. This in complete contrast to those responsible for this. Absolutely sickened. The bonfire was also draped in Union flags, British Army flags and a Donald Trump election sign. Kate Carroll, widow of Constable Carroll, who was murdered by dissident republicans in 2009, expressed disappointment that his name was included on the bonfire. I try to not let it affect me anymore because it is a lost emotion, there are always going to be people in this country who still believe in the cause and the divide-and-conquer mindset, she told BBC Radio 2s Jeremy Vine show on Thursday. I try not to get stuck in a futile past. But I think most people in this country would prefer to live and let live, and move on from the past. A rogue trader who aggressively overcharged a pensioner for work around her home has been ordered to pay 5,000 compensation. John McGinley, 24, was also handed a four-month suspended prison sentence and fined 1,000 for his part in the fraud committed at the address in Belfast. The city's Magistrates Court heard the victim, understood to be a woman in her seventies, handed over 7,000 after being targeted earlier this year. A defence lawyer argued that McGinley, of Legahory Caravan Camp in Craigavon, Co Armagh, was almost completely illiterate and claimed a teenage co-accused was the driving force behind the scam. The pair were said to have called at the woman's house on March 12, asking if she wanted any power-washing and offering to carry out drainage work. Written quotes were provided before they returned again the next day and suggested doing further jobs. "The victim said she lost track of their offers," a prosecution lawyer told the court. Later they charged 7,000, with the money subsequently handed over. It was never recovered. According to the prosecution the scam also involved going onto her roof to point out allegedly cracked tiles. She received a quote of several thousand pounds to make those repairs and carry out guttering, but having asked to think it over she contacted police. Officers arrested McGinley and recovered flyers from a vehicle being used. He was convicted of two counts of fraud by false representation, criminal damage to the victim's roof tiles, possessing articles in connection with the fraud, engaging in aggressive commercial practice, and providing a misleading quotation. Defence counsel Johnathan Browne told the court his client has limited reading and writing skills. Referring to the teenage co-accused, the barrister contended: "He's the person who carried out the negotiations or business undertakings with this lady." Because some work had been undertaken at the victim's home, the level of restitution was set at 5,000. Mr Browne accepted McGinley's role in the joint enterprise, but argued that it would be wrong to make him pay the full amount. He revealed that the defendant is a member of the Traveller community who plans to move to Scotland to join the family horse-breeding business. However, the district judge ordered McGinley to pay the full 5,000 compensation, as well as the fines, and suspended the prison term for three years. A woman has appeared in court charged with offences after a stabbing in Strabane on Monday A woman has appeared in court charged with offences after a stabbing in Strabane on Monday. Dannii Wray (20), of Ballycolman estate in the town, is accused of unlawfully and maliciously wounding a male and being in possession of an offensive weapon, namely a knife, with intent to commit an offence. She is also charged with damaging two cars, one of which belonged to the alleged stab victim. No details of the incident were disclosed at Dungannon Magistrates Court but it's understood the alleged victim is related to Wray. A detective said he believed all charges could be connected. Wray was bailed, but must reside at her grandparents' address in Strabane, have no contact with any alleged victims or witnesses and sign twice weekly with police. She is banned from having alcohol in public and taking any drugs. Bail was set at 350 and Wray will appear at Strabane Magistrates Court next month. A senior PSNI officer has defended the decision not to remove a bonfire in Londonderry which had placards with the names of murdered police and prison officers on it. The decision comes after two bonfires were taken down in east Belfast earlier this summer. Read More A controversial bonfire on the Bloomfield Walkway was set alight after Belfast City Council secured a High Court Injunction to have it removed. The bonfire in Cluan Place in east Belfast was also dismantled after being deemed unsafe. My dad, along with the other brave men named, served their community with dignity and respect. This in complete contrast to those responsible for this. Absolutely sickened. pic.twitter.com/zzos0D0IpA Kyle Black (@Kyleblack91) August 15, 2018 Wednesday's Bogside bonfire had placards on it with the names of murdered PSNI officers Ronan Kerr and Stephen Carroll and prison officers David Black and Adrian Ismay. It also featured Union flags, British Army flags, poppy wreaths which had been stolen from the city's cenotaph, and a Donald Trump election sign. Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said that the land in Meenan Square in which the Derry bonfire was on was privately owned and this prevented police from removing it. "The conduct of a bonfire in any particular place in Northern Ireland is a matter for the landowner and it's for the landowner to decide if it is or isn't acceptable on their property and what they will or won't allow people to do in relation to their property," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show. "In this case a private individual leased the land, it's a private individual who has it on a long-term lease from a statutory partner and I know there were some representations made in that direction." Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close A bonfire at Bloomfield Walkway in east Belfast in July 12 2018. Pacemaker Press An East Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 police in riot gear present at the scene. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2018 The scene at Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye The scene at Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2018 The scene at Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2018 The scene at Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2018 The scene at Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2018 The scene at Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 10th July 2018 The scene at Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Bloomfield Walk bonfire in east Belfast, which was set on fire during the night, as seen from the Castlereigh Hills. A High Court order late on Tuesday night stated that the bonfire should be reduced in size as it was a danger to surrounding homes. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Civilian contractors remove bonfire material from the site. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Civilian contractors remove bonfire material from the site. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 11th July 2018 General view of the Bloomfield Walkway bonfire in east Belfast. The east Belfast bonfire was set alight hours after a court ordered its height to be reduced ahead of the 11th July. A large police operation was also put in place with over 100 PSNI officers in riot gear present at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E The fire was set alight early. The scene on Wednesday morning. Bloomfield Walk bonfire on the Comber Greenway before it was set alight. Fire crews at the pyre last night / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A bonfire at Bloomfield Walkway in east Belfast in July 12 2018. Pacemaker Press Assistant Chief Constable Todd said that police were asked to intervene in the east Belfast bonfires. "The comparison with Belfast was from a policing perspective, the landowner came to police and said that they wished for police to intervene for reasons of public safety and remove the bonfire material," he said. "They sought our assistance in doing so and we provided that assistance, had the landowner or any of the statutory partners sought that assistance in this instance then we would have supported them in doing that aswell. "They didn't make provision to do so, they didn't ask us to support them and that's the difference. This isn't a place where police have primacy and police decide who will or won't have a bonfire and who will or won't intervene." He defended his decision not to order officers into the Bogside to remove the offensive material from the bonfire. "They were put on in the very last hours and minutes, leading up until it was lit they weren't on the bonfire," Assistant Chief Constable Todd said. Expand Close Toppled tower: the Cluan Place bonfire was knocked down on safety grounds Photopress Belfast / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Toppled tower: the Cluan Place bonfire was knocked down on safety grounds "You would be asking police officers to clamber up an unsafe structure and put themselves at risk of getting killed or seriously injured. "I have to balance that with the duty of care I have for my officers against what other steps I might take in the circumstances." "It sicks in my throat, it gives me a bad feeling, I wish there was a better way of doing it, but those are the practical choices I have to make." Assistant Chief Constable Todd said that legislative changes may be necessary to tackle the issue of bonfires in Northern Ireland. "We are engaging behind the scenes on such matters and we are going to have to legislate for this and people right across the statutory framework including landowners are going to have to take responsibility," he said. "When they do, as we've shown, police will stand shoulder to shoulder with them in dealing with such matters." Hospitals are actively discharging patients to free up beds ahead of the Pope's visit next week, it has been learned. The decision was made after hospitals in Dublin were asked to review their capacity issues, to deal with a potentially large number of admissions arising from the Papal visit. As part of the Irish health service's medical event plan, patients will be discharged "where medically appropriate" to ensure that extra beds are freed up. Organisers fear there will be a large number of casualties and hospital admissions will spike across the city given the large number of people attending events on August 25 and 26. Pope Francis' address in the Phoenix Park is expected to draw a crowd of 500,000 and 70,000 are also expected to attend a concert in Croke Park. Several hospitals across the Irish capital, including St James' Hospital close to Phoenix Park, have reviewed inpatient lists to determine those medically appropriate to be discharged. Extra staff including security, administration and nurses have also been allocated. A spokeswoman for the Health Service Executive confirmed that discharges were being sought as part of the medical event plan for the Papal visit and that it will apply to all hospitals in the capital. "The main Dublin hospitals in the period prior to such a large crowd event would be seeking to actively discharge patients as appropriate to ensure that the hospitals are in a position to address capacity issues and receive admissions as may arise," she said. "This applies to all hospitals in Dublin. We would stress that this would be carried out on a planned basis with discharge occurring as deemed medically appropriate for the individuals concerned." Health concerns have already been raised for people, particularly the elderly, walking the long distance to the Phoenix Park. Assistant Garda Commissioner Pat Leahy, who is responsible for policing in the Dublin region, previously stressed that it will be a challenge to move people out of the park and safely onto buses. The World Meeting of Families team have also stressed that people who attend can expect to walk from 4km to 7km in the approach to the venue and within the park itself. The attacks occurred on two mosques in Birmingham (Peter Byrne/PA) Armed police were deployed after two Birmingham mosques were attacked with catapults. Officers were called to the Masjid Qamarul Islam mosque on Fosbrooke Road, Small Heath, at around 10pm on Wednesday and the Al-Hijrah mosque on Hob Moor Road 20 minutes later. West Midlands Police said the motive for the attacks is unclear at this stage. Both mosques were hit by catapult ball bearings which smashed windows during evening prayers. The force said firearms officers were deployed as a precaution and the bearings recovered are thought to be from a heavy duty catapult. Two mosques in Small Heath hit by catapult bearings, breaking windows during evening prayers tonight - Masjid Qamarul Islam mosque on Fosbrooke Road around 10pm & Al-Hijrah mosque on Hob Moor Road 20 mins later. Firearms officers deployed as a precaution. Ring 101 with any info. pic.twitter.com/JLtBghVujP Birmingham Police (@brumpolice) August 15, 2018 Police are continuing to patrol the area to reassure worshippers and local residents. The incidents came just days after 29-year-old Salih Khater, from the city, was arrested when a silver Ford Fiesta crashed into a security barrier in Westminster after it hit cyclists and pedestrians. Nassar Mahmood, a trustee of Birmingham Central Mosque, said Muslims are facing unprecedented levels of Islamophobia. Speaking after the incident in Westminster on Tuesday, he said attacks have particularly affected women because they are quite visible due to the dress they wear. Urging the media not to speculate on any motive for the Westminster incident, Mr Mahmood said: We would ask you to be cautious of apportioning blame to the Muslim community. We are shocked and saddened by this just the same as everybody else. Anthea McIntyre, co-founder of the campaign group West Midlands Together, condemned the attacks. The Conservative West Midlands MEP said: These despicable attacks on people at worship were designed to provoke fear and anger. Happily the communities targeted showed admirable restraint and dignity, but that does not take away from the nastiness of the hate crime committed. This was an act of unreasoning hatred and we can only hope that those responsible are traced and feel the full weight of the law. Two side windows were damaged in the attack at the Masjid Qamarul Islam mosque, while a bearing passed through a section of double-glazing near a front entrance to the Al-Hijrah mosque. A further pair of windows were also damaged at an Islamic school adjoining one of the places of worship. An official at the Masjid Qamarul Islam mosque, Mohammed Khalil Mirza, said the idiots responsible for the attacks could have caused serious injury. Mr Mirza said: It is really bad. Attacking any building is really dangerous and there were children and old people here as it was prayer time. We heard a big bang. We thought somebody had thrown a stone but when we looked at it, it was a big piece of metal lodged inside the second layer of glass. Witnesses at the Al-Hijrah mosque said one bearing had passed through a double-glazed pane into the building, prompting initial fears that a shot had been fired. Dame Margaret Hodge has been a vocal critic of Jeremy Corbyns handling of anti-Semitism in the party (Yui Mok/PA) Dame Margaret Hodge has likened a Labour Party disciplinary investigation into her conduct to the persecution faced by Jews in Nazi Germany. In an interview, the former Labour minister told how when she learned of the investigation, which was launched after a confrontation about anti-Semitism with leader Jeremy Corbyn, she kept thinking what did it feel like to be a Jew in Germany in the Thirties. Dame Margaret, who has been a vocal critic of Mr Corbyns handling of anti-Semitism in the party, said that the saga had left her with a feeling of fear. The only way Jeremy Corbyn can put this issue to bed is to prove everybody wrong and take the action we are all urging him to take. That is he should adopt the internationally agreed definition of anti-semitism in full. Margaret Hodge (@margarethodge) August 13, 2018 Speaking to Sky News, the MP for Barking said: On the day that I heard that they were going to discipline me and possibly suspend me, it felt almost like, I kept thinking what did it feel like to be a Jew in Germany in the Thirties? Because it felt almost as if they were coming for me. Its rather difficult to define, but theres that fear, and it reminded me of what my Dad used to say. My Dad came out of Germany, so he had to leave Germany, he went to Egypt. She added: When I heard about the disciplinary action, my emotional response resonated with that feeling of fear that clearly was at the heart of what my father felt when he came to Britain. Dame Margaret also told how the cult of Corbynism had allowed anti-Semitism to bubble to the surface within the party. She said: Ive never seen it like this, and I think its a bit scary as well. Weve got this sort of growth of populism. Whether its Trump, whether its Boris Johnson, and now whether its the cult of Corbynism, which allows these attitudes to emerge and thats what scares me. I wasnt alive in the 1930s, theres probably very few people around who were, but it sort of makes you feel if you dont stand up against it then what are you allowing to occur. The comparison of the Labour Partys disciplinary process with Nazi Germany is so extreme and disconnected from reality it diminishes the seriousness of the issue of anti-SemitismLabour Party spokesman Dame Margaret also rounded on Unite boss Len McCluskey, who in a blog accused Jewish community leaders of intransigent hostility to Mr Corbyn. She said: I find that offensive, I think thats trivialising the issue of anti-Semitism to pretend that somehow were using that for cheap party political purposes. Im not, and I think most of those colleagues who are with me, Jews and non-Jewish MPs feel exactly the same as I do. A Labour Party spokesman, responding to the interview, said: Jeremy is determined to tackle anti-Semitism in the Labour Party, so Jewish people feel it is a warm and welcoming home. The comparison of the Labour Partys disciplinary process with Nazi Germany is so extreme and disconnected from reality it diminishes the seriousness of the issue of anti-Semitism. We all need to work together to build support and confidence in the Labour Party among Jewish communities in Britain. A top-ranking student who began his studies at a state school has spoken of how vital it is to learn languages. It came as expert raised concerns over a drop in students studying languages at state schools and as figures revealed the number of applications for foreign language degrees has plummeted in the last decade. George Cook, who plays for the under-18 England rugby counties squad, transferred from Hazelwick School in Crawley, West Sussex, to join Brighton Colleges sixth form and is a head boy. The 18-year-old got A*s in French, German, Latin and maths. He will now go on to study French and German at Cambridge and hopes languages will help his career prospects, whatever he chooses to do. When you go abroad there is a widespread belief you everyone should speak English but we should try and understand what we canGeorge Cook He said: Im very happy there is a big build-up to it so there is a lot of relief. I just picked languages up and enjoyed them. I always wanted to study them. I found German the hardest, because of the order of the words, and enjoyed French the most. Its really important to study languages so you can understand other cultures. When you go abroad there is a widespread belief you everyone should speak English but we should try and understand what we can. All five students who studied Mandarin at Brighton College gained the highest possible mark when they received their results on Thursday a D1 which is the equivalent of an A** under an A-level alternative test called the Cambridge Pre-U. Four of them will study Mandarin at university, including two at Oxbridge. Expand Close Moyle Oloko said she was overwhelmed at her results (Flora Thompson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Moyle Oloko said she was overwhelmed at her results (Flora Thompson/PA) Moyo Oloko, 18, who lives in Sussex, also gained As in French and maths. In September she starts a degree in French and Chinese at Edinburgh University and is eager to travel as part of any future career plans. She said: Im really overwhelmed. I didnt expect to do so well. It was compulsory in Year 7 and once I got into it I was intrigued. Then I visited China on an exchange and loved being there. I think learning a language is really important because you dont just learn to speak the language, you learn a new skill set, you learn about linguistics, you learn about a different culture. I did find it quite difficult but it was fun. Expand Close (L-R) Will Oliviero, Tom Burke, Maddie Gibson, James Dart and Moyo Oloko celebrate their Mandarin A-level results at Brighton College (Gareth Fuller/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (L-R) Will Oliviero, Tom Burke, Maddie Gibson, James Dart and Moyo Oloko celebrate their Mandarin A-level results at Brighton College (Gareth Fuller/PA) Her fellow Mandarin students who also achieved the top grade were Will Oliviero, who also gained As in chemistry and maths; Tom Burke, who also got A*s in economics, maths and further maths; Madeleine Gibson, who also gained an A in history and Spanish; and James Dart, who also achieved A*s in economics and maths. Brighton College headmaster Richard Cairns said: Contrary to what seems to be happening nationally with pupils choosing not to study languages any more, we have seen a real interest in pursuing languages. Pupils can study French, German, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Russian and Mandarin here. Back in 2006, we introduced Mandarin for our pupils from the age of four and the culture of language learning and its benefits are instilled early. "With 99% of grades at A*-B these results are better than any school in England achieved last year. What is so impressive is that they put so much energy into life beyond school and in particular their charitable goals raising 150,000 for charity. Richard Cairns #ALevelResults pic.twitter.com/KN774gE3nS Brighton College (@BrightonCollege) August 16, 2018 There were 17,505 applications to study European languages, literature and related courses last year, down 30% from 24,895 in 2007, according to analysis of Ucas data carried out by the Press Association and published on Wednesday. Mark Herbert, director of schools and skills at the British Council, said the decreases were concerning and the UK needs to nurture a new generation of fluent speakers. A man has been charged with murdering a nurse who performed on Britains Got Talent in an NHS choir. Desmond Sylva, 40, was charged on Thursday over the death of 31-year-old Simonne Kerr who was found fatally stabbed in her home in Battersea, south-west London, Scotland Yard said. The nurse at Guys Hospital, near London Bridge, appeared on the talent show with the B Positive Choir to encourage blood donations after her young son died from complications of sickle cell disease. Expand Close Simonne Kerr with her son Kavele (NHS/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Simonne Kerr with her son Kavele (NHS/PA) The haematology and oncology nurse at the time told how the performances gave her strength after losing her son Kavele to the a blood disorder. When Im with the choir, I look either side of me and see new friends who have been affected by the same disease which took Kavele, she said, according to the Daily Mirror. They know the physical and emotional pain of it. We support each other and theres a real family vibe. When we sing, we dont just rattle through a song. We sing with real feeling that comes from the bottom of our souls. The judges praised the groups successful performance in this years series, with Simon Cowell calling it amazing, David Walliams inspiring, and Alesha Dixon said it was one of the most soulful, honest, authentic performances that weve had on the show. Ms Kerr, who carried the disease but was not affected, lost Kavele in 2015 at the age of six and joined the choir to raise awareness of the importance of blood donors, the NHS said at the time. She qualified as a nurse in January and joined the hospital the following month. Sylva, who lived in the same address in Grayshott Road, will appear at Wimbledon Magistrates Court on Friday, according to the Metropolitan Police. Officers said Ms Kerr, whose death sparked the 90th homicide investigation in the capital this year, was living in the flat but was originally from Wembley, north-west London. Police were called shortly before 12.40pm on Wednesday to the Victorian terrace but she was pronounced dead at the scene despite the efforts of paramedics. Vickie Foot, a 43-year-old who lives nearby, described the killing as absolutely shocking and said she saw the arrest. Police reassured residents, telling them: Its not gang-related. Scotland Yard said detectives are not looking for any other suspects. The womans next-of-kin have been informed and a post-mortem examination was due to take place on Thursday. A Britains Got Talent spokesman offered condolences to her family, and added: We are deeply saddened and shocked to hear that Simonne Kerr has died. Banks must publish details of how they compare with rivals and will be ranked for service to help customers make better decisions on who to bank with. (stock photo) Banks must publish details of how they compare with rivals and will be ranked for service to help customers make better decisions on who to bank with. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said banks must publish information on how likely people would be to recommend their bank - as well as its online and mobile banking, branch and overdraft services - to friends, relatives or other businesses from yesterday onwards. The rankings are based on an independent survey of thousands of personal and small business customers, carried out by GfK and BDRC. Rankings "must be prominently displayed in banks' branches, as well as on their websites and apps", the CMA said. First Direct came out on top in Britain for overall service for personal banking customers, followed by Metro Bank, then Nationwide. For small business owners, Handelsbanken was top, with Metro Bank again in second place, followed by Santander. 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." Meanwhile, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has set out new requirements on information banks must provide to customers, including details of available services, as well as information about the number of major operational and security incidents they have experienced. From next February, banks will be expected to publish figures on how long it takes to open current accounts and replace debit cards. Christopher Woolard, executive director of the FCA, said: "Getting a good deal isn't just about pricing. It's also important for customers - including individuals and small businesses - to be able to judge the quality of service around their current account and to see whether other providers could offer something that suits them better. "This information should encourage providers to offer the services that people value." Officers are searching for an escaped wallaby after it was spotted near a Sainsburys in Wolverhampton. Staffordshire Police said they received a call from a member of the public who saw the animal in Bridgnorth Road, Wombourne, at around 9.20pm on Wednesday. The wallaby is believed to have escaped from Wild Zoological Park in Bobbington, West Midlands two miles from where it was spotted. Wombourne Police tweeted: Currently on Bridgnorth Road nr Sainsburys conducting an area check with @KinverPolice following a call reporting a kangaroo in the road. A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: We received a call from a member of the public claiming to have seen a wallaby or kangaroo on the Bridgnorth Road, Wombourne, at around 9.20pm last night. Unfortunately, if there is a kangaroo on the loose, its got the jump on us! Weve alerted local animal keepers in case there are any missing animals and will hop to it if we get any further reports. There are various press reports of escaped beast and kangaroo on the loose. Wed just like to take a minute to clarify shes a small, friendly, grass-eating wallabyWild Zoological Park A spokesman for Wild Zoological Park said: As some of you may have seen, Holly, one of our wallabies has managed to leave our perimeter fence on Tuesday. Keepers have been tracking her and, of the various sightings we have of Holly, shes very content eating grass and sunbathing. Shes a very friendly animal and should approach our keepers when we manage to catch up with her. If anybody does spot her we would appreciate it if you leave her alone and contact us. He added: There are various press reports of escaped beast and kangaroo on the loose. Wed just like to take a minute to clarify shes a small, friendly, grass-eating wallaby. Not a kangaroo and not a dangerous beast either. As we have explained previously, in some parts of the UK wallabies roam wild, country estates often keep them much like sheep and goats to keep the grass down. We are confident we can bring Holly home once we pinpoint her; in the meantime, we would appreciate if the only phone calls coming through to us are actual sightings. Former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has died after a prolonged illness at the age of 93. Mr Vajpayee was a Hindu nationalist who in 1998 ordered nuclear weapons tests which stoked fears of an atomic war with rival Pakistan. However, he later launched a ground-breaking peace process with Islamabad. Expand Close Mr Vajpayee launched a ground-breaking peace initiative with Pakistan (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mr Vajpayee launched a ground-breaking peace initiative with Pakistan (AP) That was not the only way in which Mr Vajpayee seemed to be a political contradiction. He was a moderate leader of an often-strident Hindu nationalist movement, and a lifelong poet who revered nature but who oversaw Indias growth into a swaggering regional economic power. Mr Vajpayees supporters saw him as a skilled politician, while critics accused him and his party of stoking public fears of Indias large Muslim minority. However, both sides agreed he was that rare thing in Indian politics: a man untainted by corruption scandals. The Vatican has called the sex abuse described in a grand jury report in Pennsylvania criminal and morally reprehensible. In a statement released late on Thursday, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said those acts were betrayals of trust that robbed survivors of their dignity and faith. He said that victims should know that Pope Francis is on their side. Full text of #Vatican response to #Pennsylvania Grand Jury report, issued by @GregBurkeRome Director of the Holy See Press Office: pic.twitter.com/GuTmh8rEom Vatican News (@VaticanNews) August 16, 2018 Pope Francis himself was not quoted in the statement, and there was no mention of demands in the United States among some Catholics for the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington. The grand jury report made public this week accused the cardinal of helping to protect some molester priests while he was previously bishop of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Expand Close Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, with Pope Francis (David Goldman/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, with Pope Francis (David Goldman/AP) Mr Burke, in the statement, said the church must learn hard lessons from its past, and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur, he said. Pope Francis had recently accepted the resignation from cardinals rank of former Washington archbishop Theodore McCarrick for alleged sexual misconduct. It was the first time a prelate had lost his cardinals rank in a sexual abuse scandal, and Francis was stepping up his crackdown on the abuse to include some of the highest ranking churchmen. Mr Burke said Francis understands well how much these crimes can shake the faith and the spirit of believers and reiterates the call to make every effort to create a safe environment for minors and vulnerable adults in the church and in all of society. The grand jury report documented how paedophile priests were often protected by church hierarchy or moved to other postings without the faithful being told of the priests sexual predatory history. Doan Thi Huong of Vietnam is escorted out of court after a Malaysian judge ruled she must present a defense in her trial for the murder of the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Aug. 16, 2018. Updated at 3:20 p.m. ET on 2018-08-16 Two Southeast Asian women standing trial on charges of murdering North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns half-brother will begin presenting their defense in November after a Kuala Lumpur judge ruled Thursday that prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence against them. Judge Azmi Ariffin spent more than two hours reading his decision against Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 26, and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, 29, ultimately dashing defense attorney hopes that he would drop charges against the two upon finding the evidence presented thus far to be lacking. I cannot rule out political assassinations. Suffice to say I find the evidence at this juncture satisfied the ingredients of the charge that have been supplied by the prosecution. I must call them to enter a defense, Azmi ruled. The defense hammered the credibility of the investigating officer saying that he conducted a biased investigation and prejudiced the accused, Azmi said, adding, I find no reason not to believe the investigating officer. The defense is to begin its case on Nov. 1. Six court sessions are scheduled for November, three for December, eight for January and three for February. Siti is to be the first witness to testify when the trial resumes, and Doan also plans to testify, the Associated Press (AP) reported. The women would face the death penalty if convicted. Both have pleaded not guilty to the charge of killing Kim Jong Nam by smearing his face with the deadly VX nerve agent at a Kuala Lumpur airport on Feb. 13, 2017. Relatives of the women reacted with dismay to the outcome of the court session. Sitis father, Asriah, 50, told BenarNews by telephone from Serang, west of Jakarta, that his family was praying for her well-being. My child should be sent home because she is innocent. The case is being manipulated. She didnt know that man, he said of Kim. Doans father told AP he could not sleep the night before the court session. I had thought she would be innocent, Doan Van Thanh said. Speaking to reporters after the court session, Siti lawyer Gooi Soon Seng said he was disappointed by the judges decision but would move forward. That is the judgment by which we are going to abide, he said. Unfortunately, we are not able to appeal the judgment at this point, he said, adding, because the ruling is not a final ruling. Suspect Siti Aisyah is escorted out of court on her way back to Sungai Buloh prison in Selangor, Aug. 16, 2018. (S. Mahfuz/BenarNews) Common sense will prevail The womens lawyers maintained they were duped by suspected North Korean agents into believing they were being paid to perform a video prank. Four North Koreans, labeled as suspected government agents, had been jointly accused of carrying out the murder with the women. They allegedly recruited the women and provided them with the lethal poison on the day of the murder. Police said they fled Malaysia the day Kim was murdered and none are in custody. I was not swayed by the defenses suggestion that what happened was part of a prank. The sole purpose of a prank is fun, Azmi said, calling the defense effort self-serving. He said the womens conduct following the attack on Kim Jong Nam appeared to be coordinated and similar. In this matter, common sense must prevail, he said. Kim Jong Nams assassination was among reasons cited by U.S. officials in pushing for North Koreas November 2017 re-inclusion on a blacklist of nations described as state sponsors of terrorism. Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin rejected accusations that Pyongyang was behind the murder. There is no evidence whatsoever that there is a conspiracy by the North Koreans or even the [leader] of North Korea, Wan Shaharuddin told reporters before the trial adjourned in June. He had told the court that the airport murder was something only seen in James Bond movies, adding it was absurd to think both women were unaware they were smearing a deadly chemical on Kims face. Tria Dianti in Jakarta contributed to this report. Youth activists in Manila light candles to denounce extrajudicial killings, on the one-year anniversary of the death of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos, gunned down by police carrying out President Rodrigo Dutertes brutal war on drugs, Aug. 16, 2018. President Rodrigo Duterte would likely step down to give way to the son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos if the latter won a bruising electoral challenge to the vice presidency, his spokesman said Thursday. The announcement came after Duterte said in at least two speeches this week that he was tired and ready to quit, exasperated by corruption in government and his failure to end the drug menace in the country. Duterte however is prone to say things that his officials later walk back. And true enough, Duterte later qualified his statement by saying that he would step down only if Marcos Jr., known here as Bongbong, won his election protest against Vice President Leni Robredo. What he actually said is a real statement of exasperation and a genuine wish to step down if theres a better leader or if theres a qualified leader to take over, Roque told reporters. And he has said that he thinks Senator Bongbong Marcos is one of the better qualified leaders to succeed him. If theres development and he will win the protest and he becomes vice president, yes, he will make true his word, Roque said. Marcos Jr is contesting the 2016 vice presidential win of lawyer Robredo, a former member of congress and the highest opposition member in government. In the Philippines, the President and Vice President are elected separately. Duterte had earlier named Robredo as a member of his cabinet, but later removed her. She had earlier expressed views against Dutertes drugs war that has left thousands of mainly poor Filipinos dead. Duterte in a speech before a group of Philippine broadcasters on Tuesday bluntly said that Robredo did not have the capability to lead the Southeast Asian country. I think deep in my heart, if you follow the succession and Robredo takes over, she wont be able to handle it, Duterte said, adding that he would prefer Marcos Jr anytime. Marcos connection Duterte is a known supporter of the Marcoses, whose patriarch led the country for two decades, much of it under dictatorship that had left about 3,200 dead. Marcos was also believed to have plundered up to $10 billion from government coffers, plunging the country into a deep economic hole. Marcos was toppled by a people power uprising in 1986, sending him and his family into exile in Hawaii where he died three years later. But his widow, Imelda, and three children were later allowed to return home, where they have regained political clout. Daughter Imee is the governor of Ilocos Norte province, the family bailiwick, and Imelda is its congressional representative. Marcos Jr., himself a former senator, however failed in his bid for the vice presidency, a slot that would have put him a hairs breadth away from the highest office in the land. One of Dutertes first acts as president was to allow the transfer of Marcos remains to a heroes cemetery in Manila, which four previous presidents had strongly rejected. He had also publicly praised the Marcoses for helping him win the presidency by donating campaign funds. In a brief statement Thursday, Marcos Jr thanked Duterte for expressing confidence in him, but said he should not quit as the country and our people need you. I thank the president for his faith in my abilities, Marcos Jr. said. But I urge him not to leave the presidency as our people still need him for the betterment of our lives and our country. The continuing growth of the death toll in Dutertes drug war has served to chip away at his popularity. Emotional anniversary On Thursday, thousands of activists, students, church workers and political opponents marched in northern Manila streets to commemorate the first death anniversary of Kian Loyd delos Santos, a 17-year-old student mistakenly slain by cops carrying out Dutertes drug war last year. They lit candles and offered prayers for delos Santos, as well as other children who have been killed in the drug war. His gruesome death had galvanized opposition to the drug war, forcing Duterte to temporarily suspend the police operations. But he subsequently allowed them to continue after public anger had appeared to simmer down. The death anniversary is significant because this incident led to the Presidents clarification on his official pronouncement on the drug war he will support the police if the killing is legal, he will prosecute the police if the killing is illegal, spokesman Roque said. Its a warning to all policemen to make sure that they use force when there is absolute necessity and when it is proportional, otherwise, they will be prosecuted, he said. Felipe Villamor in Manila and Dennis Jay Santos in Davao City contributed to this report. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, the loss of religion in America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices For Immediate Release, August 15, 2018 Contact: Jake Thompson, NRDC, (202) 289-2387, jthompson@nrdc.org Mark Hefflinger, Bold Alliance, (323) 972-5192, mark@boldalliance.org Gabby Brown, Sierra Club, (914) 261-4626, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org Jared Margolis, Center for Biological Diversity, (802) 310-4054, jmargolis@biologicaldiversity.org Patrick Davis, Friends of the Earth, (202) 222-0744, pdavis@foe.org Dustin Ogdin, Northern Plains Resource Council, (406) 228-1154, dustin@northernplains.org Federal Court Rules State Dept. Must Conduct Full Environmental Review of Keystone XL in Nebraska GREAT FALLS, Mont. A federal judge today sided with environmental, landowner and Tribal plaintiffs in their challenge to the Trump administrations approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. The State Department had attempted to fast-track its environmental review of the pipelines new route in Nebraska, and today U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris ruled that this sham review process was not legally sufficient. Todays ruling mandates that the State Department go back and conduct a more robust supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Mainline Alternative route, which was approved by the Nebraska Public Service Commission in November 2017. If built, Keystone XL would carry up to 35 million gallons a day of Canadian tar sands one of the worlds dirtiest energy sources across critical water sources and wildlife habitat to Gulf Coast refineries. The decision clouds the future for a pipeline that investors are already seriously questioning the need for. TransCanada has not yet announced a Final Investment Decision on whether to move forward and build Keystone XL should it receive all the necessary permits. Plaintiffs Northern Plains Resource Council, Bold Alliance, Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Earth, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Sierra Club filed the lawsuit in March 2017 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana. Judge Morris indicated that he would issue an order addressing the plaintiffs remaining claims that the administration violated the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act when it approved the pipeline in the near future. Quotes: We think its long past time for TransCanada to throw in the towel and scrap this boondoggle of a project, said Mark Hefflinger, communications director for Bold Alliance. The court saw through the sham fast-track environmental review that TransCanada and the State Department were trying to shove past Nebraska landowners and Tribal Nations, and ordered them to go back and conduct a thorough and legal review. Well continue to stand together against this tar sands export pipeline that threatens our land, water and climate at every opportunity, and at every public hearing during the new court-ordered review of Nebraska. "Today's ruling is a victory for clean water, climate, and communities that would be threatened by the Keystone XL pipeline," said Sierra Club senior attorney Doug Hayes. "This proposed project has been stalled for nearly a decade because it would be all risk and no reward, and despite the Trump administration's efforts, they cannot force this dirty tar sands pipeline on the American people. It's time for TransCanada to give up on their Keystone XL pipe dream." This decision rejects the Trump administrations shameful attempt to ram through Keystone XL without bothering to take a hard look at its effect on wildlife and the environment, said Jared Margolis, senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. Its always been painfully obvious what a disaster this pipeline will be not just for our climate and local communities but for endangered species like the whooping crane. Theres just no excuse for approving this terrible project. This is a huge win for the landowners and Tribal Nation members whose water and environment would be forever threatened by this dangerous tar sands project. Jackie Prange, senior attorney at Natural Resources Defense Council. And its a rejection of the Trump administrations attempt to flout the law and force Keystone XL on the American people. Todays ruling is an important moment in our fight against the corporate polluters who have rushed to destroy our planet," said Marcie Keever, legal director at Friends of the Earth. Finding that the State Department failed to adequately analyze the project is a victory for the grassroots activists who have worked against the Keystone XL pipeline for the past decade. Environmental laws exist to protect people and our lands and waters. Today, the courts showed Trump and his corporate polluter friends that they cannot avoid the harm that Keystone XL would cause to rural landowners, farmers, ecosystems and Native communities. CPhI Middle East & Africa opens in Abu Dhabi as finished dosage formulations expand quickly, driven by government reforms to further increase local manufacturing. CPhI MEA (Middle East and Africa) launches next month as favourable market conditions are driving increased growth across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) pharma market ageing and gentrifying populations, increased healthcare spending, and a modernising supply chain are transforming prospects in the region. Total pharma sales have reached an impressive $32 billion across MENA as a whole the Middle East accounts for $20.3 billion and North Africa $10.7 billion. The increasingly gentrified populations in Sub-Saharan African countries and the development of sophisticated universal healthcare systems in the Middle East are providing robust growth opportunities. In particular, the finished dosage formulation sector is expanding particularly quickly in the Middle East, with a number of plants being commissioned in the last few years. In the UAE, the government also fast-tracks approval of locally manufactured drugs, which is helping to establish a new manufacturing base in the country with the added potential for exports to the Gulf Cooperation Council. Commenting on the regions generic sector Cara Turner, Brand Director CPhI Middle East & Africa, UBM, added, Many companies are receiving a direct boost from government policy changes and are building new manufacturing facilities in the region, which is seeing the sector perform strongly. Domestic production accounts for approximately 45% of drug consumption in the Middle East, with generics in the GCC alone valued at $1.55 billion in 2016. Saudi Arabia remains the biggest pharma market in the region according to 2017 sales numbers at $7.5bn, with Turkey ($6.9bn), Egypt ($3.4bn) and the UAE ($3.17bn) following closely behind. However, overall the North Africa region is predicted to see the fastest growth rates in the next few years at 7.6% CAGR. The Middle East and Africa market is evolving at a rapid pace, and opportunities are plentiful for regional and international pharma companies. However, it can be a difficult region to navigate due to the lack of an overall governing body. Internationals looking to access the market need an appreciation of differing rules, regulation and systems in operation. Its one of the reasons we are launching CPhI MEA this year as we believe we can help accelerate domestic international growth. Increasingly, we are seeing a number of affluent and high growth pharma companies emerge which presents ample opportunity to form international partnerships. added Turner. CPhI Middle East & Africa organised by UBM (part of Informa Plc) will launch at the ADNEC centre, Abu Dhabi for the first time this year on 3-5 September 2018. In a region that relies heavily on imported ingredients and the maintenance of a reliable network of distributors, CPhI MEA is specifically tailored to facilitate new connections between regional and multinational businesses and optimize existing partnerships. The event will attract key decision makers and budget holders from the region to meet with 4000+ attendees 50% of which are from outside the MEA region and 250 local, regional and international exhibitors. In fact, such has been the demand in the last few months that the organisers have had to add a further 348 square metres (7%) of floor space. The exhibition will also feature co-located events, Finished-Dosage-Formulation (FDF), ICSE, P-MEC and InnoPack providing a comprehensive overview of all steps of the supply chain in one location. Representatives from APIs, excipients, IT, analytical services, contract manufacturing, clinical trials, packaging, machinery, and more will be present. Jerome Carle, General Manager at Julphar says of the event, "The MEA plays a more important role in the global pharmaceutical market. This event will give exposure to regional players, stimulate discussion on key regional and international issues and create meaningful opportunities for collaboration. It will also provide a unique opportunity to gain insights into the latest trends and developments that are shaping the landscape of the industry. For companies that do not have a footprint in the MEA, this will also be a great opportunity to find strong partners to help them navigate in the region and build their strategies." Dr. RashaKelej, CEO of Merck Foundation meets the First Ladies of Gambia, Botswana, Lesotho and Zimbabwe Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany continues their long term commitment to improve access to cancer care and to build capacity through their Merck Access Program in Africa. Dr. RashaKelej, CEO of Merck Foundation met the First Lady of Gambia, H.E. Fatoumattah Bah-Barrow, First Lady of Lesotho, H.E. MaesiahThabane, First Lady of Botswana, H.E. Neo Masisi and First Lady of Zimbabwe, H.E. AuxilliaMnangagwa to discuss Merck Cancer Access Program and Merck Foundation long term partnership to build capacity in their countries in the fields of cancer, fertility and diabetes. We are committed to lead Africa to a better future through changing the landscape of Cancer care in the continent. Our meeting today was an effort in the same direction. Merck Foundation has been actively working to realize our vision and achieve our objectives of building professional capacity with the aim to increase the limited number of oncologists in more than 17 African countries. We will now strengthen our efforts in more countries, emphasized Dr. RashaKelej. So far, more than 30 candidates from Niger, Chad, Guinea, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Liberia, Botswana, South Africa, Gambia, Senegal, Zambia, Namibia, Mauritius and Ghana have been enrolled in the one year and two year Oncology Fellowship Program in partnership with African ministries of health and First Ladies offices to be conducted in the University of Nairobi, Kenya, Tata Memorial Centre, India, University of Malaya, Malaysia, and Cairo University, Egypt. Merck Cancer Access Program builds cancer care capacity, supports the implementation and development of specialized healthcare solutions and is augmented by community awareness campaigns to contribute to the reduction of cancer incidences and improve survival rates. The lack of financial means is not the only challenge in Africa and developing countries, but a scarcity of trained health care personnel capable to tackle the prevention, early diagnosis and management of cancer at all levels of the health care systems is even a bigger challenge. Therefore, Merck Foundation has conducted the Merck Oncology Fellowship Program focuses on building professional cancer care capacity with the aim to increase the limited number of oncologists in Africa and Developing Countries. New York City has enacted the first-ever government cap on the number of vehicles licensed to ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft. On Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed the bill imposing a one-year moratorium on new licenses, establishing a minimum wage for drivers and touching off an international debate among Christians and others about the morality of Uber. As the council was considering the legislation, some in my church circles discussed avoiding ride-sharing as a way to love your lower-income neighbor, writes Emily Belz at World magazine. Some of her Christian friends argued that taking a car diverts money away from public transit, the lifeblood of New York. That moral argument echoes across the Atlantic, where London Mayor Sadiq Khan has asked for the right to pass an identical measure (citing, in part, his belief that by limiting traffic, New Yorkers breathe better air than Londoners). He has asked UK Transport Secretary Chris Grayling for the power to enact a ride-sharing cap, using another moral rationale: Uber is leaving many drivers struggling to make enough money to support themselves and their families. He is not alone in raising the issue to the ethical plane. Last July, the UK Labour Partys shadow business secretary, Rebecca Long-Bailey, said that Ubers practices are not morally acceptable. Are they correct that ride-sharing services harm the poor? Would Jesus take an Uber? First, we should challenge the idea that public transport serves low-income people better than ride-sharing. Belz highlights the fact that politicians have diverted the money intended to maintain subways to other purposes (just as their counterparts in Washington did to Social Security). New Yorks subway now has the worst on-time performance of any major rapid transit system in the world, according to the New York Times, and just 65 percent of weekday trains reach their destination on time. Meanwhile, a UCLA study found that Lyft particularly helps people in lower-income neighborhoods stay mobile, and its drivers accorded ethnic minorities better treatment than did taxi drivers. Trapping the poor in public transit is not necessarily doing them any favors. Second, a cynic might question any politicians real motives. In a less guarded moment, Khan admitted he is interested in protecting the future of our iconic black cabs, whose drivers have threatened to sue Uber for 1 billion in lost wages. The regulation is a textbook definition of what Charles Koch calls protectionism: using the government to shut out competition. This is like putting a cap on Netflix subscriptions, because Blockbusters are closing, said one NYC council member. Classically liberal economists say that the policy of favoring one industry over another commits the error of seeing only part of the picture. It is true that ride-sharing restrictions will temporarily stave off fare losses for established drivers, whether their cab color is yellow or black. But every hand that hails a taxi must now reach farther into his wallet to pay the difference. As Henry Hazlitt wrote in Economics in One Lesson: If we look at it now from the consumers point of view, we find that he can buy less with his money. Because he has to pay more for protected goods, he can buy less of everything else. The general purchasing power of his income has therefore been reduced. Taxi drivers wages may go up, but when all occupations are considered, Hazlitt wrote, the end result is to reduce real wages. (Emphases in original.) In London, it could cut real wages approximately in half. An Uber to Heathrow or Gatwick airports might cost $50, The Washington Post reported during a previous Uber row. A black cab can charge twice that, a round-trip ride costing as much as a discount plane ticket to Spain. Anti-market regulations hurt the poor in another way: They create unemployment industries under the radar. Since consumers have less money to spend, they must cut back on other purchases engaging in something economists call opportunity cost and that means people who would have found a job in another industry are fired, or never hired in the first place. Hazlitt explains: It would be impossible for even the cleverest statistician to know precisely what the incidence of the loss of other jobs had beenprecisely how many men and women had been laid off from each particular industry, precisely how much business each particular industry had lostbecause consumers had to pay more for [protected goods]. It would be impossible for anyone to know precisely how each consumer would have spent his extra $5 if he had been allowed to retain it. Price increases always hit the poor the hardest and they are most galling when they are the unnecessary result of government intervention into the economy. Christians who want to to love your lower-income neighbor would oppose anything that raises their expenses, reduces their real income, shuts them out of work opportunities, and forces them to tighten their belts a little snugger. (Photo credit: Public domain.) In addition to her clinical and teaching work, Dr Sundars research programme investigates clinical challenges in patients with ovarian and endometrial cancer, using a combined clinical trials and translational research approach University of Birmingham womens cancer expert Dr Sudha Sundar has been chosen as the President-Elect of the British Gynaecological Cancer Society (BGCS), the first female gynaecological oncologist to be elected to this post. The BGCS is a society of professionals dedicated to improving the care provided to patients with gynaecological cancers. The BGCS develops guidelines, advocates for advances in care, helps improve training and education for gynaecological cancer professionals and works in partnership with charities and patients. Senior Lecturer in Gynaecological Oncology at the Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Dr Sundar becomes the third BGCS President to be elected from the University of Birmingham. In addition to her clinical and teaching work, Dr Sundars research programme investigates clinical challenges in patients with ovarian and endometrial cancer, using a combined clinical trials and translational research approach. Dr Sundar is Chief Investigator for the ROCKETS project which aims to achieve earlier diagnosis of ovarian cancer collaboration between international experts from KU Leuven (Netherlands), University College London and the University of Birmingham. Translational research in genomics, steroidomics, and metabolomics is underway. She is also leading the SOCQER 2 study, commissioned by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which investigates surgical outcomes in advanced stage ovarian cancer in 15 cancer centres in the UK, Australia and India. Dr Sundar is the cancer surgery work package lead for the NIHR global health research unit on Global Surgery, which is carrying out surgical research across sub-Saharan Africa, India and other countries. She is also working with partners across India and Africa to establishing matched cohort studies that will help investigate ethnic diversity in womens cancer genomics. She trained in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Oxford and in Gynaecological Oncology at the Three Counties cancer centre, Gloucestershire. Dr Sundar also trained in Molecular Oncology as a Cancer Research UK Clinical Fellow at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford. Vaccine exports from the country plunged by eight per cent during 2016-17 and nearly four per cent in the previous fiscal year. India, once called as the vaccine capital, is slowly losing its sheen because of various reasons, primarily the aggressive marketing strategy of China and Korea and the lacklustre policies of the government of India, say experts. Vaccine exports from the country plunged by eight per cent during 2016-17 and nearly four per cent in the previous fiscal year. India exported vaccines worth USD 653.40 million in 2017-18 while it was USD 679.28 million in 2016-17, according to data of the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council, a body under the Ministry of Commerce. Over 70 per cent of vaccines were exported based on UNICEF requirement, which recently changed its procurement policy from yearly indent to quarterly, resulting in uncertainty over production schedule, said chairman and managing director of Bharat Biotech Krishna Ella. The method adopted by the international body on vaccine procurement gave an edge to Korea and China on price bargaining resulting in price erosion, Ella said. Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech and Biological E Limited were the leading suppliers to UNICEF. He said the government of India needs to shed bureaucracy-centric policies and develop science-oriented ones to encourage vaccine-manufacturers. According to industry sources, some of the Korean companies such as LG Chem and Samsung were spending millions of dollars on expansion and modernising their facilities. Koreans and Chinese have become aggressive; both were getting into the markets of developed countries which India has been exporting to. Director General of Pharmexcil Uday Bhaskar said vaccine constituted 3.78 per cent of the total pharmaceutical exports last year. Though there has been a negative growth of 10.25 per cent till February last year, it recovered in March and ended up at 3.81 per cent. S3V initiates CE certification for Nextgen Nickel Cobalt Free Drug Eluting Stent, the first of its kind in the world. Bangalore-based S3V Vascular Technologies Private Limited, a medical devices manufacturing company launched Nextgen PTCA (Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty) Balloon Catheters into the domestic market. PTCA in laymans language is a minimally invasive procedure to open up blocked coronary arteries, allowing blood to circulate unobstructed to the heart muscle. Talking about the S3V, medical devices market, Dr. Bindu Dey, Secretary, Technology Development Board, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India said, "We were good on pharma, diagnostics, but on devices front, we lag way behind. 75 percent of medical devices used in treatment of cardiovascular treatment are imported." She further said, "By the year 2025, the medical device market would grow to USD 50 billion and that Indian companies must take advantage of it." The newly introduced device Nextgen PTCA Balloon Catheters, according to Mr. Badari Narayan, Managing Director is the futuristic product with a future full of promises. "Currently, these medical devices are imported at high cost. We will be shortly launching these products phase wise after obtaining necessary regulatory approvals," informed Badari Narayan. The advantages of this are manifold such as improved trackability, pushability, low profile and higher burst pressure. It will assist to succeed even in complex anatomies due to enhanced lubricity. The new PTCA Balloon Catheter manufacturing facility set up at Hootgalli Industrial Area, Mysore-Karnataka was just inaugurated by Padmashri Dr. C.N.Manjunath, Director, Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences & Research, Bangalore. Dr. Bindu Dey, Secretary, Technology Development Board, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India inaugurated The Hydrophilic Coating Division. This Division is capable of coating products of lengths up to 200cm. Dr. Bindu Dey and Sri T. Suneel Kumar, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Bangalore launched the Nextgen PTCA Balloon Catheters. The state-of-the-art integrated manufacturing facility will develop futuristic medical devices and is being set up with an Investment of Rs 70 Crore. S3V Vascular Technologies is founded by a group of enticing and thought-provoking alumni of the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad who were classmates of the founding batch of PGPMAX (Post Graduate Program in Management for Senior Executives), program of ISB which was started in the year 2010. Disclosing more on the present medical device industry in India, Mr. Badari Narayan opined, "India has a huge potential for advanced medical device products in the country. At present, about 90 percent medical devices are being imported from other countries. The Indian medical devices market is huge. It is expected to be US $ 8.6 billion in next two years. And industry experts say it has even greater potential to grow to US $ 59 billion by the year 2025. The market is expected to grow 15 to 20 per cent annually, which is much higher than the global industry of 5 to 7 percent." India with 1.3 billion population, will reach a situation by the year 2025, one million cardiovascular procedures will be done every year. The Cardiovascular disease burden, which is already high, is going to be even higher. If local entrepreneurs are encouraged by the state and central governments, India can become a leading player in the world with its existing talent pool and low manufacturing costs. There are two major challenges to MAKE IN INDIA for class III medical devices. The first challenge is to manufacture high-quality Medical Devices at affordable prices to attract outsource of manufacturing to India. The solution for this is to set up integrated manufacturing plants. The second challenge is the regulatory brand perspective wherein MAKE IN INDIA products need to compete with globally manufactured USFDA approved products. The solution for this is that even MAKE IN INDIA products should have the highest regulatory approvals like USFDA approval or CE certification Technology Development Board (TDB), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India entered into an agreement with S3V Vascular Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Under this agreement, TDB has provided financial assistance to S3V Vascular Technologies to set up an Integrated PTCA Balloon Catheter manufacturing plant and for USFDA (510 K) approval of Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) Balloon Catheter. This was done under Make in India program and to make project for Medical Devices a success. Subsequently, S3V has entered into a non-exclusive global License and Supply Agreement with DSM Biomedical, a global solutions provider in biomedical science and regenerative medicine, for integration of their hydrophilic coating. The material master file of this coating is available with all regulatory bodies including the USFDA. Many medical devices using these coatings have received FDA approval and CE marking. The Technology Transfer from DSM Biomedical is currently being implemented. Royal DSM is a purpose-led global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living. DSM and its associated companies deliver annual net sales of about 10 billion with approximately 23,000 employees. The company is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. S3V will be using this technology for coating Angioplasty Catheters i.e. PTCA Balloon Catheters, PTCA Guide Catheters, Intracranial Micro-catheters, Introducer Sheaths, CVC Catheters and Guide Wires, informed Badari Narayan. Adding further, Badari Narayan said, We are in the stage of commercialization of Current Generation Drug Eluting Stent (DES). We have initiated CE certification for the Innovative Nextgen Nickel Cobalt Free Drug Eluting Stent which will be the first of its kind in the world. CE Certification is a certification mark that indicates conformity with health, safety, and environmental protection standards for products sold within the European Economic Area. "We will soon initiate animal trials for resorbable Metallic Vascular Scaffold," informed Badari Narayan. The other products on the anvil to launch include Arterial Sheath, Coated CVC Catheters and Urology Catheters, added Badari Narayan. The programme Swach School project which was part of global CSR platform titled Aster Volunteers consisted of activities such as cleaning the school compound, painting the school walls and spreading the message of health and hygiene. As part of My India Healthy India campaign & coinciding with Indias 72nd Independence Day celebrations, Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru took up the initiative to refurbish a local government school Kunthi Grama at Hebbal ward. The programme Swach School project which was part of global CSR platform titled Aster Volunteers consisted of activities such as cleaning the school compound, painting the school walls and spreading the message of health and hygiene. The school has around 30 kids and desperately needed help in terms of physical appearance and basic cleanliness. The team of Aster Volunteers at the Bengaluru unit took the task of uplifting the hygiene quotient of the school to the maximum extent possible by cleaning the premises and nearby areas which were covered with loads of waste and could have affected the health of the kids studying there. The team also painted the walls with bright and cheerful colours. The event also had professional artists from YepArt, who volunteered to do the graffiti artwork using spray and acrylic paints. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Nitish Shetty, CEO - Aster CMI Hospital said Community initiative is an integral part within our organization. We strongly believe that the future of India depends upon the quality of education imparted to our children and this is exactly what this initiative hopes to provide. Students are entitled to good education and infrastructure and they can achieve great success when provided the same. The kids were elated to see that their school has got a much-needed facelift with colourful makeover. It was a heart-warming day for us where the smiles of these kids and warmth and appreciation we received by the teachers just made our day. Andhra Govt. in May 2018 passed an order to use Auto-Disable Syringes for all clinical purposes and to declare the State of Andhra Pradesh as Safety Injection Use State and as promised, Health Medical & Family Welfare Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh today launched AD Syringes for Patient Safety at a conference at AP Secretariat, Amaravati Dr. (Col) HS Ratti, an epidemiologist and Project Advisor to Safe Point has applauded the Andhra Pradesh Government for becoming the First Indian State to launch Auto-Disable Syringes for all clinical purposes and to declare the State of Andhra Pradesh as Safety Injection Use State The elated Dr. HS Ratti, said I congratulate AP Govt. for implementing this important initiative. We are honoured and excited to partner with IAPG (Indian Alliance of Patient Groups) and Govt. of Andhra Pradesh to offer training programs to the healthcare workers of AP on correct and best Injection practices to avoid preventable infections. Andhra Govt. in May 2018 passed an order to use Auto-Disable Syringes for all clinical purposes and to declare the State of Andhra Pradesh as Safety Injection Use State and as promised, Health Medical & Family Welfare Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh today launched AD Syringes for Patient Safety at a conference at AP Secretariat, Amaravati. As a part of the program a Panel discussions on Patient Safety was also organized. The objective of the Panel Discussions was to bring together Policy makers, Experts, Patient s Networks, NGOs & Civil society to provide an opportunity to review the underlying systematic issues affecting patient safety, share experiences in addressing barriers and creating solution to strengthen systems and improve practices. India consumes over 4 Billion Syringes per year of which an IN CLEN study done had found nearly 60% as unsafe and 1/3 being reused. Addressing the unsafe injection practices is an important public health agenda, especially in low and middle income countries. Dr. Jitendar Sharma, Advisor for Health & Medical Technology, Govt. of AP & MD and CEO of AMTZ said With advancement in medical technology the patient safety profile have also changed. While modern technology brings advanced safety it also brings new complexity. Govt. of AP endeavors to find technological solutions to progressively and positively impact the safety of patients and care providers Smt. Poonam Malakondaiah, Special Chief Secretary, Health, Govt. of AP said Govt. of AP has launched numerous interventions like RFID for eliminating errors due to patient identification, Auto-Disable Syringes to reduce infections and many other technological interventions. Govt. of AP remains committed to work with stakeholders to set new quality benchmarks in healthcare Dr. Ratna Devi, Founding member, Indian Alliance of Patient Groups (IAPG) is delighted that states are taking the lead to ensure patient safety. She commends AP Govts AD Syringes initiative and hopes that this will prompt other states to follow. We urge the Central government and all States to switch to AD syringes an initiative led by Andhra Govt. Infections due to unsafe injections is unacceptable. This is a core component of quality that should be addressed adequately to ensure Universal Healthcare. she added The biggest Global Campaign for use of Safe Injection Practice came early in 2015 when WHO Director General Margaret Chen flagged off the biggest Global initiative since Polio Eradication and Hand Wash Campaign called "Global Health Initiative on Injection Safety" and chose India, Egypt and Uganda as the focus Countries to spearhead the Campaign. WHO had stated that for every dollar invested in Injections Safety the RoI( Returns on Investment) was 14 dollars. WHO has given directive to all Member States and Institutions to go for mandatory use of SMART Auto-Disable Safety engineered Syringes in Healthcare System by 2020 and urged all Donor Institutions to supply only AD / RUP / SIP Syringes henceforth in their Campaigns depending upon local manufacturing capacity and availability and affordability. Many countries including USA, EU, Canada and Japan have already adopted Safety Engineered Syringes (SES) said Dr HS Ratti, Advisor to Safe Point and an Army trained epidemiologist. The poor hygiene in hospitals acts as amplifier for disease as a patient gets admitted for a specific treatment but ends up getting treated for a hospital acquired infection. The reuse of medical syringes continues to be a matter of serious concern as it poses grave health risks both to the patient as well as to medical professionals in light of growing AMR (Anti-Microbial Resistance) and also acts as a barrier to the Governments resolve of eliminating these diseases by 2030. Said Dr. Ratna Devi. Dr Ratti said Progressive Andhra Govts One Injection One Syringe Policy via Auto Disable Syringes is launch of a WAR on BBI and AMR. [August 15, 2018] CIO Summit: Disrupting the Business Ahead of the Competition Will Drive the Dialogue at HMG Strategy's Global Innovation Conference in New York NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- August 18, 2018 Market disruption is the new normal. Thanks to the emergence of new customer-centric business models and the savvy use of technology to help create a competitive advantage, half of all S&P 500 companies will be replaced over the next ten years, according to a study conducted by Innosight. These trends offer technology executives a prime opportunity to work with fellow members of the C-suite to drive innovation that can transform the business and unleash profitable new business models. The leadership characteristics and fresh thinking required by CIOs to nurture a culture of innovation across the enterprise will power the discussion at the 2018 New York Global Innovation Summit, produced by HMG Strategy, to be held on August 23, 2018 at the Grand Hyatt New York. "We are witnessing Darwin's 'Survival of the Fittest' theory playing out across the global business landscape," said Hunter Muller, HMG Strategy's President and CEO. "In order to help their organizations to survive and succeed in these highly-disruptive times, CIOs must work courageously with the CEO and board of directors in identifying and executing on innovative business transformation." The New York Global Innovation Summit will kick-off with a series of compelling 'HMG Tech Talk' discussions that will explore the business, technology, and geo-political trends that are influencing executive strategy. These start with an executive interview between HMG Strategy President and CEO Hunter Muller and Sean Lennon, SVP & CIO, Allergan, on how Allergan is disrupting itself and the role that Lennon is playing in helping to lead these efforts; and Delphix Founder and Chairman Jedidiah Yueh on how innovation classics such as The Innovator's Dilemma and The Lean Startup are failing businesses and the key frameworks needed to achieve success. Other riveting sessions at the summit will include an executive keynote by Google Chrome Enterprise's Mike Daoust on the changing workforce requirements in the age of the Cloud worker; an executive panel that will explore how advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet f Things, and analytics are driving speed to market and a competitive edge; an executive venture capital panel that will explore the leadership characteristics required by startup entrepreneurs to succeed; an executive briefing by Ogilvy & Mather Chairman, Global Brand Community John Seifert; an executive keynote by a Celonis executive; a set of executive roundtable discussions that enable summit attendees to brainstorm on the top opportunities for applying technologies such as AI, blockchain and cloud applications along with the top challenges that must be overcome to succeed; and an executive panel that will share fresh practices for technology executives to prepare the board of directors for digital transformation. Prominent speakers at the summit will include: Yuri Aguiar , Director of Innovation and Transformation, The Ogilvy Group , Director of Innovation and Transformation, The Ogilvy Group Patty Hatter , CIO/GM, Start-Up Advisor , CIO/GM, Start-Up Advisor Lesley Ma , Global CIO, Cadillac General Motors , Global CIO, Cadillac General Motors Bruce Taragin , Managing Director, Blumberg Capital Presenting Partners at the New York Global Innovation Summit will include Celonis and Google Chrome Enterprise. Platinum Partners include Magenic. Gold Partners include Ivanti and Zendesk. Supporting Partners include Zerto. Local Partners include Espressive. The Digital Cybersecurity Partner of the Year includes SecurityScorecard. The Digital Partner of the Year is Adobe. Strategic Partners include Egon Zehnder, Heidrick & Struggles, Korn Ferry, Russell Reynolds Associates, and Spencer Stuart. Alliance Partners include Amplify Partners, Glynn Capital, Greylock Partners, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Sequoia. Association Partners include SIM New York Metro. To visit the summit website and register for the event, click here. About HMG Strategy HMG Strategy is the world's largest independent and most trusted provider of executive networking events and thought leadership to support the 360-degree needs of technology leaders. Our regional CIO and CISO Executive Leadership Series, newsletters, authored books, and digital Resource Center deliver proprietary research on leadership, innovation, transformation, and career ascent. The HMG Strategy global network consists of more than 300,000 senior technology executives, industry experts and world-class thought leaders. HMG Strategy's exclusive CIO and CISO Executive Leadership Alliance (CELA) program provides top-tier technology executives with unparalleled peer-to-peer off-the-record straight talk to strengthen their decision-making capabilities and accelerate their career ascent. The CELA program is complemented by the CELA Executive Decision Support services (EDS) which connects enterprise technology executives with their contemporaries who are able to offer their expertise, practical experience, and insights in disciplines ranging from effective C-suite communication strategies to crafting successful 1-3-5-year technology roadmaps. Additionally, our partnerships with the world's leading search firms provide vital insights into the evolving roles of the CIO and CISO. The HMG Strategy CIO Executive Leadership Series offers a completely unique experience for IT executives to gain the latest insights and best practices for driving increased business value through the use of IT, and build invaluable relationships with peers and industry experts. The HMG Strategy CISO Executive Leadership Series is designed to provide information security leaders with the insights and best practices they need to tackle the most pressing cyber security challenges facing the enterprise today and going forward. For more information on joining the strongest executive leadership network and exploring our independent, forward-thinking thought leadership platform, please visit www.hmgstrategy.com. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cio-summit-disrupting-the-business-ahead-of-the-competition-will-drive-the-dialogue-at-hmg-strategys-global-innovation-conference-in-new-york-300697930.html SOURCE HMG Strategy [ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ] PR Newswire GREENSBORO, N.C., Aug.15, 2018 GREENSBORO, N.C., Aug.15, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The "Shopping Annuity" dominated the Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina from August 9th through August 12th for the 2018 Market America | SHOP.COM International Convention. The event showcased many exciting updates for the company including several new cutting edge products, technologies, new strategic initiatives, new opportunities being seized and, most importantly, how to "Convert Spending Into Earning" and create an ongoing income through the company's revolutionary "Shopping Annuity" program. The Shopping Annuity rewards smart consumers for shifting their purchases to SHOP.COM of the same everyday products that they are already purchasing from multiple brands. "We are changing the world by leveraging our collective buying power to build our own economy that pays us all to shop," said JR Ridinger, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Market America|SHOP.COM. "People everywhere are succeeding more rapidly through Market America's UnFranchise business. The Shopping Annuity has facilitated this unprecedented growth and strength of the UnFranchise business model; we couldn't be more proud of the continuing successes of our UnFranchise Owners." Ridinger continued "with our one-to-one marketing, universal shopping cart, referral tracking system and the power of people, our economic future is now squarely in the hands of the consumer due to the economic paradigm shift effected by the Shopping Annuity." Ridinger continued, "in fact, just last month, Entrepreneur.com (https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/315056) cited The Shopping Annuity as one of 'four effective business models that built billion-dollar companies.'" The subject Entrepreneur.com article provides, "[t]he idea behind this model is simply to enable customers to earn from their own current spending. Consumers actually earn money when purchasing everyday items, such as paper towels, toilet paper, toothpaste, razors and so on. It can be a very compelling model that fits well into the ecommerce space.. Founder and CEO of Market America and SHOP.COM, JR Ridinger, is seeing significant success with this business model in nine countries, including the U.S. In a recent interview, Ridinger said, 'The Shopping Annuity -- converting everyday spending into earning -- is the foundation of our business model and is like rocket fuel for our UnFranchise business, overall. Let's face it, Uber is essentially the largest taxi service in the world, and they don't own a single taxi/car. We look at the retail landscape in a similar way, and realize there's an equally powerful opportunity for us as a global ecommerce powerhouse. People don't just shop for luxury items, they shop for the things they use every day. By making those purchases the cornerstone of a Shopping Annuity, we feel this concept will revolutionize the retail industry as well as our economy. It took 25 years for the technology to catch up to our original vision of interconnected shoppers who wield their collective buying power and convert spending into earning." The event featured the Market America | SHOP.COM executive team, tens of thousands of successful entrepreneurs and celebrity guests, including recording Grammy-nominated artist and entrepreneur Fat Joe (the company's President of Urban & Latino Development), actress and entrepreneur La La Anthony, and others. Among the highlights of the event: Set forth below is a link to the master list of stage presentations for the Market America | SHOP.COM 2018 International Convention, including links to video clips of same as well as the overall event highlight video. MAIC 2018 Stage Presentation YouTube Playlist http://bit.ly/MAIC2018 ABOUT MARKET AMERICA, INC. & SHOP.COM Currently in its 26th year, Market America, Inc. is a global Product Brokerage and Internet Marketing company that specializes in One-to-One Marketing and is the creator of The Shopping Annuity. Its mission is to provide a robust business system for entrepreneurs, while providing consumers a better way to shop. Headquartered in Greensboro, NC, the company was founded in 1992 by Chairman and CEO JR Ridinger and has generated over $8.5 billion in accumulated sales. Market America employs nearly 1,000 people globally with operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, United Kingdom and Malaysia. Through the company's shopping website, SHOP.COM, consumers have access to over 60 million products, including Market America exclusive brands and thousands of top retail brands. Market America's revolutionary Shopping Annuity program, which helps smart shoppers convert spending into earning, is an extraordinary and financially meaningful benefit of the business. Internet Retailer has ranked SHOP.COM #65 in the 2018 Internet Retailer Top 1000, the #43 largest global online marketplace, #96 in the Internet Retailer Asia 500 and the 18th fastest growing Internet Mobile Retailer. The company is also a two time winner of the Better Business Bureau's Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics. By combining Market America's entrepreneurial business model with SHOP.COM's powerful comparative shopping engine, Cashback program, Hot Deals, SHOPBuddy, Express Pay check out, social shopping integration and countless other features, the company has become the ultimate online shopping destination. For more information, please visit http://www.marketamerica.com or http://www.SHOP.COM. SOURCE Market America 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 The six Northeast Asian countries are the two Koreas, China, Japan, Mongolia and Russian Federation. Those incentives include re-connecting an inter-Korea railroad, part of an economic cooperation package Seoul is ready to deliver to Pyongyang should Kim take the first steps toward complete denuclearization. Highlighting the potential of such a "railroad community" for the region, Moon compared it to the European Coal and Steel Community created in 1951 by six European nations in the wake of World War II, which eventually led to the European Union. 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. The message did not offer a specific date for the meeting. 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. In pitching an optimistic forecast of a future based on a nuclear-free North Korea, he said the impact from fully realized inter-Korean economic cooperation could reach "170 trillion won [$149.8 billion] at a minimum over the next 30 years", citing government research. The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that no official meetings or negotiations are now planned between Washington and Pyongyang, but that informal talks continue on a regular basis. To lift economic sanctions, the United States insists the North take tangible denuclearization steps such as submitting a listing of its nuclear arsenal and nuclear and missile facilities. South Korea is preparing for a third summit with North Korea next month as the two countries seek to move forward with denuclearization talks. "Developments in inter-Korean relations are not the results coming from the side-effects of progress in the relationship between the North and the U.S". "When peace is established on the Korean peninsula along with complete denuclearisation, economic cooperation can be carried out in earnest", Moon said. Pompeo is also believed to be vital to Trump's meeting with Kim Jong-un, having personally prepared the President for the meeting. The South Korean leader also voiced support for a peace declaration to formally end the Korean War, to replace the armistice in place since 1953 that suspended hostilities. But he added that any improvement of inter-Korean ties was not dependent on relations between Pyongyang and Washington. Pyongyang has been calling for an end-of-war declaration as a security guarantee in return for taking denuclearization actions. "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. Ive said it before that so often hunting comes down to pure luck. You can have the best gear, skill and knowledge and come home empty-handed. You never know what will happen, but the best hunters have the most patience. The historic Brandon Chamber of Commerce building on Rosser Avenue has been designated a Municipal Heritage Site. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 16/8/2018 (1171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us The historic Brandon Chamber of Commerce building on Rosser Avenue has been designated a Municipal Heritage Site. The successful designation allows the property at 1043 Rosser Ave. to be eligible for the Municipal Heritage Incentive Program, which will help offset heritage conservation costs. Chamber general manager Carolynn Cancade said maintaining a heritage building of this magnitude is an ongoing and costly endeavour. The impetus for moving forward with the local designation was to acquire more financial support. "I think its a good program and certainly were appreciative that were able to access it and work with the city. Theyve been pretty accommodating," she said. Significant changes were made to the Municipal Heritage Incentive Program last year. Previously, the maximum grant available was $5,000 spread out over 10 years, or $500 per year. "You dont need a rocket scientist to figure out that the old program was not effective or efficient," said senior city planner Andrew Mok. Now, commercial heritage properties like the chamber building are eligible for up to 10 years worth of municipal property taxes. "Based on the recent historical trends of how much property taxes (the chamber) has been paying, were estimating it could be in the $45,000 to $50,000 range." City council approved the heritage designation earlier this week. Coun. Kris Desjarlais (Rosser) called it a "no-brainer," as it is an "important heritage site for the city." He praised the updated incentive program and said that he hopes this is the first of many heritage applications to come. The building, designed by the Montreal architectural firm of Taylor, Hogel and Davis, was constructed in 1907. It was originally built as a Merchants Bank, which was eventually absorbed by the Bank of Montreal in 1922. According to the Manitoba Historic Resources Branch, it was donated to the City of Brandon and served as the first public library from 1944-83. The city gave the structure to the Brandon Chamber of Commerce and, following major renovations, it reopened in 1986. It was designated as a Provincial Heritage Site in 1987. The two-storey stone and brick building is an example of the Beaux-Arts classical style. The aging building has some rehabilitation needs on the exterior walls and roof, due to general deterioration. Work began this week to address these issues, and the estimated cost of the renovation is in the $450,000 range. "The majority of stuff that were doing is on the brick work on the north and east side of the building," Cancade said. "Quite frankly, its a facelift, so theres lots of different components." Mok said the hope is that other heritage property owners will take advantage of the updated incentive program. "We recognize it is a challenge to repair heritage sites, specifically because you need to maintain the heritage character and that may often require different materials, different tradespeople to help do the necessary work to repair and preserve those buildings," he said. "Not like a contemporary building, where youre perhaps at liberty to choose different materials." Mok added that it is important to preserve historic buildings, as it helps tell the story of Brandon. "In this case, this building was built in the early 1900s, so were talking about the early growth of Brandon." jaustin@brandonsun.com Twitter: @jillianaustin Dozen disenchanted youths in the southern Algerian city of Ouargla made headlines when they threatened to set themselves on fire following the example of Tunisias Mohamed Bouazizi. The deplorable living conditions in Ouargla and other oil and gas producing regions in southern Algeria stand in stark contrast to the well-off north of the country where key cities are located. The youth in Ouargla have been protesting for months over poverty and lack of job opportunities accusing the government of plundering the south to fund projects in the north creating striking disparities. Over the last months, several other protests erupted in southern Algeria over decades of economic marginalization. The town of Ain Saleh has also been struck by violent clashes with security forces over poverty and unemployment while the region of Ghardaia was rocked by violent sectarian fights between Amazigh Ibadites and Arab Malikites last year. This happens at a time the regime is seeking a fifth term for ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika whose public appearances are a thing of the past since he was confined to a wheelchair after suffering a stroke. By Sarah Slater A young Dublin girl has returned home from the US after having to postpone starting a groundbreaking vaccine, due to not being strong enough. Robyn Smyth, 13, from Whitehall in Dublin, has been fighting aggressive cancer, neuroblastoma, for 10 years and had started the new treatment last Friday at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York. The teenager flew out to the US with her Mum Bernadette two weeks ago hoping to take part in the trial. She will become the first Irish person taking part in the treatment. But unfortunately, the vaccine trial was stopped, as the teenagers, immune system is lower than it needs to be, explained Bernadette. Things dont always go to plan for Robyn and weve been through some really bad times due to her illness. Yes, we are all so disappointed with this latest setback after but it will go ahead in September no matter what. Robyn and Mum returned to Dublin this morning after an overnight from New York. The second-year secondary student will be infused with platelets, which are tiny blood cells that help your body form clots to stop bleeding, as they are currently too low. She will have the procedure at Our Ladys Hospital for Sick Children in a bid to make to bolster her immune system. We are just trying to forget about this set-back. After speaking with the doctors our new plan now is to celebrate Robyns 14th birthday next week. Then we will go back out, to the States, in a couple of weeks. Hopefully, this extra time will help Robyn's immune system recover a little more but regardless the vaccine will go ahead when we return. The vaccine helps Robyn make antibodies that help fight back neuroblastoma. The treatment involves seven vaccines spread out over a year. Last June Bernadette made an emotional outpouring for the publics financial help as her attempts to raise 326,000 for Robyns medical treatment were failing. But not having enough money to pay for the treatment, following two good scans at the Helen DeVos Childrens Hospital in Michigan, where Robyn had been receiving treatment since 2015, meant that her health had begun to deteriorate. Bernadettes fundraising had stalled at 70,000 but following her appeal, Erin McGregor, sister of UFC king Conor, helped to start a floss dance challenge in a desperate bid to help save Robyns life. Thousands of euros was donated by the public as a result. Donations can be made on robynslife@live.com, idonate.ie/robynslife and gofundme.com/robynslife. Gardai are considering areas in at least two counties that may be searched as part of the Deirdre Jacob murder investigation. However, detectives say excavations would only begin if they received very detailed information. Ryanair management and pilots have failed to reach an agreement following three days of talks. Their negotiations on pay and working conditions lasted more than 12 hours yesterday. The trade and financial war currently unfolding between the U.S. and Turkey is opening new opportunities and risks for the Moroccan economy, which has signed free trade agreements with both countries. With Turkey facing a currency crisis, President Donald Trump last week doubled tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum to offset the effects of Turkeys weaker currency or force the country to release an American pastor. The U.S. tariffs hikes have affected so far Turkish exports of steel, foodstuff and manufactured products, which would leave space for Moroccan exporters to the U.S. market. The trade standoff between Turkey and the USA will be beneficial notably for Moroccan exporters to the U.S. but would constitute a source of concern in other markets as the lira dwindles in value. With a weaker lira, Turkish exporters are looking for new alternative markets in Europe, Russia, the Gulf and central Asia. Moroccan textile manufacturers are already expressing concern over Turkish dumping and anti-competitive practices at home and abroad. In response to the sanctions, Turkey has sharply raised tariffs on certain American products, doubling taxes on US electronic devices, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been urging local citizens to trade their U.S. currency for the lira, and to buy domestically produced goods. In a Mondays speech, he also told the populace to consider buying products from Vestel, a Turkish maker of Android handsets. Turkeys Official Gazette declared on Wednesday morning that the government had raised tariffs on US imports, including passenger cars, tobacco and alcohol. The decree, which was signed by President Erdogan, raised tariffs on alcoholic beverages by 140 percent, on tobacco by 60 percent, and on passenger cars by 120 percent. Tariffs were also increased on other U.S. goods, including cosmetics, rice and coal. The trade war between Ankara and Washington is taking place amid the ongoing row surrounding the incarceration in Turkey of evangelical U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson on terrorism charges. By Louise Roseingrave No criminal charges will be brought in relation to the death of a 24-year-old man shot dead in a case of mistaken identity. The Director of Public Prosecutions decision in relation to the death of Martin ORourke, who was shot dead in a lunchtime attack on Dublins Sheriff Street, was delivered at Dublin Coroners Court. Mr ORourke (pictured) was shot in the head in broad daylight on April 14 2016. His family were not present in court but they had been made aware of the DPPs decision, the court heard. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane was informed that the period for an appeal of the DPPs decision had passed and she was now in a position to set a date for a full hearing into Mr ORourkes death. Mr ORourke, a father of three with an address at Focus Ireland on Georges Quay, Dublin 7 was shot dead in a case of mistaken identity as part of the bloody Kinahan Hutch feud. The cause of death was determined by a post mortem conducted by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy on the day of death. Dr Cassidy gave the cause of death as a gunshot wound to the head. The gunman fled the scene on a bicycle following the botched shooting. Mr ORourke had returned to education and had begun to develop a relationship with his children shortly before his death, according to reports. He was laid to rest following requiem mass at St Michans church on Church St in Dublins south inner City. Homeless campaigner Fr Peter McVerry was among those to pay their respects at the funeral. Fr Derek Farrell told mourners Mr ORourke was "in the wrong place at the wrong time". Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane adjourned the inquest for a full hearing to take place on December 12, 2018. By Olivia Kelleher A voluntary organisation comprised of seven different religious denominations took to the streets of Cork last night for the Leaving Certificate celebrations in order to assist young people who were in difficulty after the festivities. Members of the Cork Street Pastors team gave out dozens of pairs of flip flops to inebriated or tired young girls who were unable to walk in their heels. However, co ordinator of the night patrol, David Hoey, told the Neil Prendeville show on Cork's Red FM that the situation was better than when they first started their work in 2012. "What we noticed was that the vast majority of the young girls had flat shoes with them. That wasn't something we saw before. They came out prepared with flat shoes. That is a big thing getting home safely. "I think things have improved a wee bit. The drink culture is there. It is something the country has taken to and I would like to see that change. It is a societal thing. I am not sure how to address that best." The Street Pastors organisation was established in Brixton in London fifteen years ago. It has over 9,000 volunteers in the UK and other countries including Ireland. David Hoey and his team of volunteers go out every Saturday night and during Rag and Fresher's week to help young people who are experiencing problems on the streets after a night out. Mr Hoey says they focus on teenagers who are in vulnerable situations. "That could be anything from somebody losing a mobile phone or getting disconnected from their friends having had a few drinks. Get a bit concerned up to an assault or anything else. Mostly what we were doing last night when a couple of them were getting sick you just look after them, you get their friends to stay with them. LEAVING CERT RESULTS NIGHT! The city is buzzing with Leaving Cert students queuing for bars on Oliver Plunkett St. Are you celebrating tonight? 1850 104 106/Neil@Redfm.ie pic.twitter.com/Pw6VvJR7u6 Neil Prendeville (@NeilRedFM) August 15, 2018 "You wipe them up and clean them up. Give them flop flops. Last night we gave out dozens of flip flops so they could walk home safely and not over the broken glass." Mr Hoey says volunteers have a good relationship with doormen on pubs and nightclubs. They often connect people back up with their friends with the assistance of nightclub staff. "We would never leave people alone because we are aware that there are predatory people around." Mr Hoey says the city would benefit from a triage unit on the Grand Parade at weekends so that young people could be assisted on site rather than going to the A and E unit in the Mercy Hospital. Three to six volunteers go out on Saturday nights in Cork. They are Garda vetted for their work. Further information can be obtained at https://www.facebook.com/CorkStreetPastors/ RTE have announced their new season will feature brand new drama and comedy as well as the return of some old favourites. Reliable hits such as Dancing with the Stars, Irelands Fittest Family and The Tommy Tiernan Show are all set to return while Saturday nights will have a familiar feel with a new series of The Ray DArcy Show and All Round to Mrs Browns. Drama Drama series Taken Down - from the team behind the Love/Hate - is one of the major shows to look forward to. The show will follow a detective investigating the violent death of a young Nigerian immigrant found abandoned close to a Direct Provision Centre. Historical drama Resistance stars Brian Gleeson, Simone Kirby and Natasha OKeeffe. The show continues the story of Irelands violent birth. As the War of Independence rages on "everyone is fighting for their lives, and for the future". Death and Nightingales, a show made by the BBC with assistance from RTE tells the story of one young womans struggle to control her own destiny in Northern Ireland in the 1880s and stars Ann Skelly, Matthew Rhys and Jamie Dornan. Another BBC production in association with RTE is Mothers Day the story of two mothers on either side of the Irish Sea for whom the Warrington Bombing had a profound, life-changing impact. Comedy Amy Huberman is the writer and star of one of RTE's hotly anticipated new comedy series. Finding Joy tells of a woman who finds herself thrust into the limelight as she tries to get over a break-up. Alongside Huberman, Aisling Bea and Laura Whitmore will star. Viewers will also get to re-visit Ballydung Manor as Podge and Rodge return to our screens. The duo have a new co-host with them in the form of radio presenter and social media star Doireann Garrihy. Jennifer Zamparelli and Bernard OShea will also be back on the bow for the fourth season of Bridget & Eamon. In co-production with UKTV, RTE have announced Women on the Verge, written by Catastrophe co-creator Sharon Horgan and Lorna Martin. The dark comedy tells of three friends whose lives are going in the wrong direction. RTE also announced that viewers can expect more from The Young Offenders. Culture Ryan Tubridy returns for his tenth year as host of the iconic Late Late Show. Now in its 57th year the show will travel to London for a live programme celebrating the unique relationship between the Irish and our nearest neighbour. The Late Late Toy Show 2018 was also announced, for whcih RTE say they have "ambitious plans". Genealogy documentary series Who Do You Think You Are? is back this season with Bertie Ahern, Laura Whitmore, Damien Dempsey, Adrian Dunbar, Pat Shortt and Samantha Power tracing their roots. Brendan OConnor will front a new interview series - Time Out - getting "up close and personal with people in the public eye, discussing the big moments that have turned out to define their lives and have made them the person they are today." Brendan OConnors Cutting Edge is also scheduled for a return. Mrs Browns Boys star Brendan O'Carroll will be the face of a new documentary exploring the historic, sometimes turbulent bonds, between Ireland and Britain. Vogue Williams is back with three new shows exploring the life of Instagrammers, trial by social media and whether monogamy has a future. Viewers will aslo be treated to a revealing portrait celebrating the life and career of one of Irelands most popular and enduring comedians in Brendan Grace Funny Man. A Brazilian plastic surgeon known as Doctor Bumbum has been charged with murdering one of his patients. Denis Furtado got his nickname because he is known for procedures to make women's bottoms bigger. The winds of change are finally blowing on the African Unions most powerful body, the Peace and Security Council, whose chairman is undergoing a probe after members of the body accused him of sexism and gender discrimination. The long-serving Smail Chergui of Algeria has been accused by women working at the council of discriminatory practices prejudicial to women within the council, Jeune Afrique magazine reported. In an article published Wednesday August 15, the French-speaking magazine said that Chergui is subject to a probe led by Senegalese feminist Binta Diop, founder of Women Africa Solidarity NGO. The probe comes after South Africa news outlet Mail & Guardian published a story entitled Professional Apartheid which is affecting dozen women at the African Union. The paper noted that 37 AU employees complained last January to the Chairman of the AU commission Moussa Faki Mahamat of discriminatory practices and humiliation at work emanating from sexist colleagues. As of February, the name of Smail Chergui emerged as the prime accused in another letter sent to Faki Mahamat. The letter was sent by five women working at the human resources department of the council chaired by Chergui. The women in question have also blamed Chergui for clientelism in recruitment and disregard for meritocracy. AMP dragged its heels on moving thousands of customers to its MySuper funds for three years and is under investigation by the superannuation regulator for the high fees it charges customers in the no-frills retirement option and other cash products. The royal commission heard on Thursday that Australia's biggest wealth manager was concerned its superannuation revenue would fall by $86 million if it moved inactive superannuation customers into MySuper products by the legal deadline of June 2014. AMP has more than 700,000 MySuper customers. AMP's Rachel Sansom appears in front of Royal Commission. AMP transferred the vast bulk - between 90 per cent and 95 per cent - of its applicable customers in at least two of its superannuation products to the MySuper funds just before June 30, 2017, counsel assisting the commission Michael Hodge, QC said. AMP joins the Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank and Suncorp in not transferring customers into MySuper products by 2014 as mandated. AMPs superannuation funds are part of a complex web of fee-charging AMP entities, and its own executives are unsure of what fees are paid for what services or investment returns, the royal commission has heard. AMPs interwoven superannuation business has led to some AMP super clients earning negative returns on cash accounts, with the chairman of AMP superannuation trustees Rick Allert blaming those clients for choosing to invest their money in cash. Mr Allert was quizzed about a cache of AMP superannuation documents on Thursday by counsel assisting the royal commission Michael Hodge QC, which showed the web of related companies that conduct investment and other services for AMP's superannuation trustee. Included in this cache were customer returns documents which showed that some members were receiving negative returns of 0.39 per cent for money they had invested in cash. Riding the technology wave as an investment strategy can be a highly effective way to avoid the buffeting winds of uncertainties such as trade policy, says Regal Funds Management's Philip King. Mr King's tip that voice recognition company Appen would be a good investment at last year's Hearts and Minds Conference was stand out prediction with the company returning 93.5 per cent since he made the call last November. Philip King from Regal, Simon Freeman from the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Simon Rothery from GoldmanSachs and Anita Ayer from Victor Chang. Credit:Christopher Pearce At a time when trade wars were causing concern, Mr King said betting on the march of technology could help avoid volatility. "Stocks involved in the technology sector are a little bit immune, those changes will occur regardless of gyrations in trade," he said. Two-thirds of Australian job seekers have turned down a dream role after businesses left them hanging, according to research by recruiter Robert Half. The survey of 1000 found that long, complex recruitment processes are harming businesses chances of securing top talent. Survey reveals exployers and employees are being held up by long recruitment processes. Credit:Rob Young More than half (56 per cent) of candidates said they had waited longer than a month to hear back about a role for which they had interviewed, while 30 per cent didnt get a decision for more than six weeks, and 19 per cent more than two months. Only 3 per cent got feedback on the same day. This is a sharp contrast to candidate expectations of the hiring process. A landmark ruling that has granted a casual worker annual leave entitlements has sparked warnings from unions and employer groups that a clearer definition of casual employment is needed. The full Federal Court of Australia on Thursday found a truck driver employed at a Rio Tinto mine under a labour hire arrangement as a casual, was not a casual under employment law, because of his regular and continuous pattern of work. Under the Fair Work Act national employment standards, a casual employee is not entitled to annual leave which permanent employees receive. The Act does not provide a definition of a casual employee. Innes Willox, chief executive of AI Group. Credit:Stewart Donn The Australian Industry Group said the decision in Workpac v Skene which found Queensland truck driver Paul Skene was entitled to be paid accrued annual leave on termination of his employment was "disappointing" and has asked the federal government to intervene to clarify the law. FICTION Never Anyone But You Rupert Thomson Corsair, $32.99 The joy of picking up a Rupert Thomson novel is not knowing where he will take you. An erotic thrill is common, as are explorations of identity, but all else changes: eras, voices, worlds. His latest transports readers to Paris in one of her liveliest periods, between the world wars, when all was in flux and movements such as surrealism and dada surged like storms through the city. Author Rupert Thomson. Credit:JSTEGER@theage.com.au It is the story of two childhood friends, both artists, who fall in love as teenagers, though the relationship Thomson describes is closer to an obsessive swoon lasting more than 40 years. They meet in the provincial town of Nantes: Lucie is the daughter of a Jewish newspaper magnate, her mother cursed by an acute mental illness tentatively diagnosed as the "new" condition of schizophrenia; Suzanne is a doctor's daughter with ambitions to study drawing at the Ecole de Beaux-Arts. Their attraction is instant, instinctive , and irresistible. "I don't feel that I exist unless you look at me," Lucie tells Suzanne, the book's narrator. "In that case, I'll never take my eyes off you," she replies. The automation crisis has hit Hollywood, and it could see a robot up for acting trophies next awards season. American History X director Tony Kaye is set to cast an "artificial intelligence actor" in the lead role of his next film 2nd Born, Deadline reports. According to the publication, the robot "will be trained in different acting methods and techniques". "The idea, which originated from Kaye and producer Sam Khoze, is to forgo the use of computer-generated effects in favour of a physical AI robot as an actor," the publication reports. When she was 19, Angie McMahon got some career advice from Jon Bon Jovi. She didnt listen to it. The Melbourne native had won a competition for aspiring artists, which involved opening for Bon Jovi on a run of Australian shows. He said to me, my advice to you is, use this opportunity well dont screw it up, McMahon recalls, over vegemite toast on a sunny winter morning in Melbourne. And I said, of course! But, even as he said it, I knew it wasnt my time. At the end of that tour, McMahon, now 24, adds, I was like, Im not ready for this. My songs are shit. I cant really perform. Im not really bringing anything to the stage other than being a timid, folkie singer-songwriter. I knew I wasnt good enough. I was worried, of course, that I was passing up some massive opportunity. But, sometimes you have to. Angie McMahon is set to release her debut album. Credit:Ben McNamara Instead, she put her career on the backburner, finishing her arts degree at Melbourne University, and singing in soul big-band the Fabric. Occasionally, McMahon wondered if shed made the wrong decision, given that making music was since she was a kid, singing along to KD Lang in her parents car what she always wanted to do. A Tripoli court has put 45 militiamen connected to late ruler Muammar Gadhafi on the death row, after the defendants were indicted for the killing of demonstrators during the NATO-backed revolution in 2011 that brought down the autocratic ruler. The court in its ruling found the men guilty of the execution of dozens of people demonstrating against Muammar Gadhafi at the heart of the 2011 uprising, on August 31, 2011 near the Abu Slim district in capital Tripoli as rebel forces closed in on the capital. According to the Justice Ministry, 54 other defendants have been condemned to five years in prison, while 22 were acquitted. Three defendants died before the verdict was issued. The rule of late Muammar Gadhafi was challenged in 2011 in a NATO-backed revolution. The regime relied heavily on mercenaries and loyalist militants from his own tribe to remain in control. Gadhafi died in October 2011 near his hometown of Sirte after he was captured by rebels. Since then, the North African oil rich country has been marred by disorder with two different administrations, the UN-backed Government of National Accord based in Tripoli, and its rival in Beida located in the eastern part of the country. The two administrations have been haggling over several issues including prosecution of individuals aligned with the Gadhafi regime. Joanna Lumley's Greek Odyssey SBS, 8.05pm Historical authority has shifted its moorings in the television age. Once the domain of Oxford dons, democratisation means a small but exalted tribe of British thespians have parlayed their star status into a globe-trotting second career. Joanna Lumley's Greek Odyssey M Mag TV previews for 26th August 2018. Image supplied. It certainly helps Joanna Lumley that she is in possession of living treasure status along with her recognisable and beguilingly breathy voice. Her Greek odyssey has a touch of age on it: it was filmed in 2011, after her series down the Nile and before her visits to Japan, Siberia and India. Twenty-five high-value biodiversity marine sites around the Sydney region will get enhanced protection as part of a long-awaited marine park proposed by the Berejiklian government. The sites, stretching from Newcastle to Wollongong and taking in parts of Sydney Harbour, include sanctuary zones allowing activities such as boating and diving, and conservation zones where extraction will be limited to such species as abalone and lobster fishing. Marine park view: Premier Gladys Berejiklian (centre), with Gabrielle Upton, Environment Minister, and Bruce Notley-Smith, member for Coogee, at Thursday's announcement. Credit:AAP NSWs beautiful marine environment is iconic and the envy of the world," Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Thursday. "We want to keep it that way so that future generations can continue to enjoy it. Environmental groups generally welcomed the plan, which is open to public consultation for six weeks. That's despite the sanctuary and conservation zones only covering 2.4 per cent and 2.2 per cent, respectively, of the bioregion known as the Hawkesbury Shelf. Together, the zones amount to about 9100 hectares. A Canberra student with high needs who wasn't allowed to go to school for more than four months is now facing a "jail sentence" when he returns under restrictive conditions, his family say. Abdul-Ghani Ferkh, who has complex autism, was suspended from the Woden School in early April after running off campus grounds to the local shops and stealing a toy. Correspondence between the school, the ACT education directorate and the Ferkh family seen by The Canberra Times details how the suspension, originally due to end on April 18, was extended multiple times before his break became indefinite. Abdul-Ghani Ferkh has been waiting more than four months to go back to school, Credit:Dion Georgopoulos The school said this was to allow time to prepare a secure environment for Abdul, who it alleges has also physically assaulted staff throughout the year, pinching workers and damaging property. But his family say they had been repeatedly reassured that Abdul was doing well at school, which caters specifically for students with moderate to high needs, and he had been with only one of his two required carers when he ran away. Beijing Guitar Duo & The Grigoryan Brothers. The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre. Monday, August 20, 8pm. canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 62752700. Why settle for two guitarists when you can have four? Australian brothers Slava and Leonard Grigoryan are touring with Meng Su and Yameng Wang, the Beijing Guitar Duo, on the Chinese guitarists' first visit to Australia. Guitarists Slava Grigoryan, left and Leonard Grigoryan. Slava Grigoryan, 41, who with younger sibling Leonard, 33, performs as The Grigoryan Brothers, says they played with the Chinese duo about three years ago in China. The day after Jett McKee was allegedly murdered with a samurai sword following a home invasion gone horribly wrong, the person who drove him to the inner-Sydney address fled to Singapore at dawn. The "known person", who cannot be identified, allegedly drove Mr McKee to the Forest Lodge address shared by 23-year-old Hannah Quinn and her boyfriend Blake Davis, 28. Mr McKee flung open the glass doors to their home and forced his way inside to demand money. Sydney hip-hop artist Jett McKee. Credit:YouTube The aspiring Sydney rapper bolted from the home after an altercation, and was on his hands and knees in the street when he was allegedly struck by Mr Davis on the head with a samurai sword. Migrant workers employed as contract cleaners, security officers and even tradespeople are vulnerable to exploitation by sophisticated companies using legislative back doors to underpay them, an inquiry into wage theft has heard. Dermot Peverill from United Voice told the Queensland Parliament committee inquiry he spoke to three workers this week who were employed as contract cleaners. United Voice told the Parliamentary committee's wage theft inquiry migrant workers are the most vulnerable people in the state. Credit:Darren England/AAP Theyre working ordinary hours for their primary employer, a large cleaning contractor, who said, We know you can only work 20 hours. Well now employ you under corporate structure B and corporate structure C and well allow you to work additional hours but youll get half your award rate. And if you say anything about it, particularly to your union, youll no longer have a job, he told the inquiry. Those employers are very sophisticated. They look at the legislation and they look for those back doors. Ipswich City Council organised and held meetings in secret to evade investigators from the Crime and Corruption Commission after the state government signalled that it planned to sack all the councillors, the crime-fighting body has alleged. In its report into the council published this week, the CCC claims that following the governments announcement in May that it would issue a show cause notice to councillors asking why they should keep their jobs, councillors went underground and stopped using all official forms of communication, including council email and electronic diaries. Ipswich's council has been subject of a wide-ranging Crime and Corruption Commission investigation. Credit:Geoff Marshall/Alamy All meetings were scheduled via an unknown mobile messaging application, meetings were conducted off-site and minutes of these minutes were not recorded, the CCC wrote in its report. Meetings were also removed from electronic diaries so personal assistants were not aware meetings were happening. Queensland Police have arrested two alleged members of a "hoon cartel" that has been causing problems for Gold Coast residents. Police conducted a search warrant at a Robina address on Ron Penhaligon Way, taking a 23-year-old man into custody and charging him with contravene court order and receiving stolen property. A burnout video posted to Facebook by the so-called Mexican Hoon Cartel. Credit:Facebook - Mexican Hoon Cartel A 19-year-old Robina woman was arrested at another location. She was charged in relation to an alleged traffic incident at Mudgeeraba on January 1 this year. Two 14-year-old girls from the Gold Coast have been charged with attempted armed robbery after allegedly attempting to rob a woman in Southport. The woman, aged in her 20s, was walking along Nerang Street when she was approached by the two girls about 8pm on Thursday. Queensland Police alleged the two girls showed the woman a knife and demanded money. The woman refused and the teenagers allegedly repeatedly punched the woman's head and body, knocking her to the ground. The woman yelled for help and the teenagers fled. Two high-powered assault rifles allegedly found with teenagers in Melbourne in the past week are fakes, police have confirmed. But Victoria Police commissioner Shane Patton says the imitation guns are the best fakes the force has seen and would terrify anyone confronted with one of them. Police seized guns in raids across Melbourne's south-east last week. Credit:Police media Police seized the fake AK-47s in two separate raids during the past week. One was found in a family home in the citys south-east late last week as part of an investigation into a string of carjackings and aggravated robberies in July and August. The team from Charity Navigator, the nation's largest independent charity evaluator and leading donor advocate, shares their thoughts on emerging nonprofit-sector issues and offers tips to better inform your intelligent giving decisions. Return to Main Site | Find a Charity | Receive Email Updates | Support Charity Navigator The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD) announced Wednesday a $44 million loan for the Egyptian dairy and juice producer, Beyti. The money will enable the company to refinance existing short-term loans with a longer tenor loan more suitable for its investment and development phase. The EBRD loan will also help the Egyptian company expand its production and logistical capacities to cope with the rapidly growing national and regional dairy and juice sectors. Beyti aims to reduce its carbon footprint with more efficient use of water and energy and the deployment of renewable energy sources. Plans include shifting to the use of solar energy and improving wastewater treatment, which in turn reduces carbon emissions. The Egyptian company is working on enhancing corporate standards and business conduct by promoting equal opportunity policies and practices, which in turn will contribute to increasing womens participation in the workforce. The EBRDs investment will also support market expansion of the dairy and juice sectors in Egypt by strengthening backward and forward linkages. This includes increasing production of raw milk and fruit concentrate at local dairy farms and juice concentrate producers, and expanding Beytis logistical capacity in both sectors by increasing the number of distribution centers and delivery capacity, hence achieving a higher number of sales points in the country. Beyti is one of the largest producers of milk, juice and yoghurt in Egypt, targeting a rapidly rising population market of more than 90 million consumers and catering to different consumer profiles. The market size makes the development and further expansion of the Egyptian agribusiness sector crucial. Since 2012, EBRD has invested over 4 billion in 85 projects in Egypt. The Bank has also provided technical assistance to more than 700 small and medium-sized local enterprises. Churches would no longer be able to rely on a legal loophole to avoid being sued by survivors of child sexual abuse, under draft laws introduced into the ACT Legislative Assembly. ACT Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay says the new laws will help smooth the road to justice for survivors of institutional child sex abuse. Credit:Karleen Minney The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse recommended changes to civil laws to allow survivors to make a claim against an unincorporated body like the church after the experience of abuse survivor John Ellis. The former altar boy attempted to sue the Catholic Church in 2007 for damages, as he was abused by a paedophile priest. However the church managed to argue it did not legally exist as its assets were held in a trust which was protected from legal action. A Canberra man living with a debilitating autoimmune disease has lashed senators who sank an attempt to restore the territories' powers to legalise euthanasia, saying he wants those who voted down the bill to be at his beck and call when he is eventually bedridden. Liberal Democrat Senator David Leyonhjelm's bill to restore territory rights was defeated by two votes on Wednesday night, after two days of intense and emotional debate. David Walker is angry the Senate voted not to restore territory rights because of concerns about minimal safeguards. He says that argument is a cop out. Credit:Elesa Kurtz Many senators, including ACT Liberal Senator Zed Seselja, said they were not convinced the ACT and Northern Territory parliaments could devise a system with enough safeguards to protect vulnerable people from being coerced into assisted suicide. "Does anyone really believe that laws passed by 13 Labor and Greens members of the ACT assembly, with no house of review, would be anything but an even more extreme version of the Victorian law with fewer safeguards?" Senator Seselja said. Normally when hundreds of union members descend on the ACT Legislative Assembly waving flags and chanting, it's because they're "throwing bricks at the place" over one policy or another, as Klaus Pinkas from the Transport Workers Union wryly noted. But on Thursday, it was because they supported the proposed Local Jobs Code that Workplace Relations Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith released last month. Members of ACT unions rally outside the ACT Legislative Assembly. Credit:Katie Burgess The code is a formalisation of a longstanding agreement between the Barr government's and Unions ACT, in which the territory agreed not to award tenders to companies that did not comply with workplace safety laws, had underpaid workers or did not have cooperative industrial relations practices. Barely audible in parts over the sound of garbage trucks blaring their horns as they lapped the Assembly - their drivers are members of the union - Ms Stephen-Smith said unions needed to keep the fight up until the jobs package was passed. Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin Minister letdowns The great Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, Victor Frankl, spoke of Stalinist apparatchiks who had a nervous breakdown because of the tension/dissonance between their basic humanity and what they had to do for Stalin. The Soviet psychiatrists who told him about it called it functionarys disease. I have kept on hoping that one of the past or present immigration ministers would come down with it (particularly the ones who call themselves Christians as what they are doing is so clearly against the teaching of the Bible. Eg Exodus 23:9; Matthew 25.) So far, none of them have. Form your own conclusion. Keith Binns, Goulburn Vietnam an example The letter by Derek Gough (August 14) is compelling reading for anyone concerned with truth and not ideology. The pub test is a euphemism used by politicians and media commentators who are unable to describe the event or action in other than a simple slogan that exonerates the individual from criticism. Apart from Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, the Vietnam war was one in which it was sometimes difficult to determine the true adversary. However, although there were incidents in which grenades were thrown into vehicles carrying American soldiers there were also incidents of fragging whereby disgruntled US soldiers disposed of senior officers, and the Vietcong did not engage in the atrocities common in the Middle East. General Westmoreland used to say to his visiting American dignitaries that if they wanted to see how the war should be fought they should visit the Australians in Phuoc Tuy province. The Australian defence force has a proud record of service and should not be subject to the scurrilous defamation being poured on it by these people who have never faced more than a slap in the face. John Reaney, Queanbeyan, NSW Show deceased respect I hope the investigation into conduct of a minority of ADF officers and soldiers in Afghanistan will include the April 2013 incident where the hands of deceased Afghans cut off so they could be sent to the HQ for finger printing to identify the person. This was unheard of in my time in the military and against doctrine as all deceased should be treated with respect. If asked I would have refused to do it or told the HQ to fly a helicopter in and collect the body. We need to find out more about this came about and what was the outcome of the finger printing, if anything. We all know that in a war against an irregular enemy another leader will take the place of a deceased leader as is the case for leaders in a conventional war. No leader is indispensable. Adrian Jackson (retired infantry officer), Middle Park, Vic Looking after mates The Turnbull government, when elected, told us it would be an open government that explained policy to take us with it, That never eventuated. Evidence: FTA secret terms, multinational and bank tax cuts, looking after big coal like Adani, and fought a banking inquiry for years. It all smacks of looking after their powerful mates. The last straw is the massive grant to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF) without due and open process. It all ads up to the public distrust of LNP. When highly regarded, active, CSIRO and marine authorities are bypassed it is a worry. The foundation has said it will focus on research on developing more resilient corals, when the real problem is increasing water temperature. The door now opens for large donors to the GBRF who are adverse to combat climate change to influence projects that bypass the real issue of climate change. Colin Handley, Lyneham Shame on everyone Shame on you Barnaby Joyce for fooling your wife and family, your constituents and anyone else that believed you were a good bloke. Shame on the media for knowing that Barnaby would have been wandering Canberra looking for women and drinking himself silly. Shame on the Prime Minister and the LNP, they also would have known about his philandering and drinking ways. If you didnt know about it then more shame on you because you damn well should have. Jan Gulliver, Lyneham Cast into wilderness The statement from the ACT Greens on August 15 about the mishandling of allegations (Greens admit bungling sex attack allegation, August 16, p3) was a positive step. Well done. Many of the now-no-longer party members who supported at least one of those alleged victims remain outsiders to the cause despite years of party service, and demonstrable passion and commitment. For many, like myself, making the decision to support an alleged victim by supporting their statement to the media (after being unable to find justice by other means) was difficult. The immediate cessation of contact from Shane Rattenbury, his chief of staff and other party representatives that I was close to was unexpected. It hurt. I didnt think that Mr Rattenbury would view my standing up for an alleged victim on such an important issue as party detraction. If green politics is truly about doing things differently, and if Mr Rattenbury really does believe in those four pillars, the party needs to not just improve policies and mechanisms for the future but actually make concerted efforts to make peace with the supporters who have been abandoned along the way. Leigh Cox, Lyneham (Former ACT Greens secretary, 2016 election staffer and campaign team member) P-plater plan flawed It has been with some concern that I have watched talk of a night-time P-plate curfew in the ACT. I believe this legislation would place young people at a greater risk of negative, harmful encounters while they are out at nights. P-platers in the ACT are not a uniform group. They need to be able to drive for many reasons, including work, study, socialising, and also things like going to a friend in need, or perhaps taking their own small children out to seek medical attention. While there is talk of exemptions on the ban for work reasons, the casualisation of the workforce means shifts can come up suddenly and in new places, with no time for paper-work. If young-looking people, driving perfectly well, are pulled over for simply looking young at nights it may taint the police in young peoples minds. There are already restrictions on P-plate drivers in the ACT. A zero blood alcohol limit is in place. If they cannot drive, there is a greater risk of them over-consuming alcohol at nights, as they will have nothing to lose. If they were to be assaulted, or needed to go the hospital or police at nights, they could not drive themselves. I find it strange that the Greens, who wish to lower the voting age to 16, would not trust a P-plater to drive themselves to the gym, on almost empty Canberra streets at night. If young people are over-represented in accidents, it may because there are more young people out and about in those hours. Judith Deland-Morton, Spence Ministerial mis-steps The beauty of a good democracy like ours is that citizens dont have to take what the Prime Minister or any minister says as gospel. In fact politically conscious citizens scrutinise what any leader says to check its authenticity. Thats precisely what Jeff Bradley does in his short and succinct letter (Letters, August 7). He writes: On the ABC news on Sunday night I heard, before I choked, the Prime Minister say We are a government of compassion. My thoughts turned to the refugees the government have persecuted for years. Compassion my foot. The distinguishing characteristic of our democracy is that we dont have the Dear Leader phenomenon of dictatorships where every utterance of the leader is regarded as gospel. We can, and often do (as Jeff Bradley does) say what the leader is saying is bullshit/ hogwash. Thats the hallmark and beauty of a mature democracy. Rajend Naidu, Glenfield, NSW Political naivety Catherine McGregors impassioned piece (Turnbull must pursue treaty with Aboriginal Australians canberratimes.com.au, August 9) typifies the sentimental wrongheadedness surrounding the Uluru Statement of the Heart. Apparently, if youre opposed to a hazy constitutional amendment predicated on race, you are racist. She parrots the ridiculous mantra claiming contemporary Australians with varying levels of cultural and biological aboriginality are original custodians and giving them a voice in our constitution is the road to peace and harmony. This widespread notion constitutes political naivety in extremis. We can acknowledge the Frontier Wars and continue to alleviate suffering without the provocative grotesquery of introducing reverse racism into our constitution. Peter Robinson, Ainslie Time to clear swamp Ive been banging on for years about the need to get rid of a stale, autocratic, non-consultative, beholden (strangely and simultaneously to the Greens, developers and unions) ACT government. Sadly electors let it go at least one election too long. However, there are signs that the peasants are revolting. Name the issue and this mob are damaging the ACT public housing and general housing affordability, rates, land tax, development, public safety, non consultative, out of touch cranky leadership, transport, hospitals. Time to clear the swamp! John Mungoven, Stirling Deliberate ploy? Clare Conway (Letters, August 14) questions why detainees with serious medical problems on Manus and Nauru are not immediately flown to Australia for treatment. Is it a government ploy? No country other than New Zealand has offered to take many of these people but our political masters have said they may not go to New Zealand. Therefore the detainees will by forced to live on Manus or Nauru for the term of their natural lives. Should they die the problem disappears. Can our leaders provide an alternate reason for refusing advice on the medical condition of these detainees? C. J. Johnston, Duffy TO THE POINT WHO IS HE REPRESENTING? Under the Australian constitution, Senator Annings role in the Senate is to safeguard the interests of the state of Queensland and to represent the views of Queenslanders. If the views in his maiden speech represent the views of Queenslanders, we are all in big trouble. If his maiden speech does not reflect the views of Queenslanders, he should not be in the Senate. Doug Keech, Killara SKY NEWS RECRUIT Has Sky News signed up Fraser Anning as a commentator? T. Puckett, Ashgrove LOGICAL EXTENSION It would be accurate to say that while not all men are terrorists, certainly nearly all terrorists are men. The same gender link is evident in domestic violence. In line with Senator Annings logic, shouldnt we therefore have a Pink Australia Policy that excludes men from our immigration programs? Rico Palatino, Araluen, NSW WOW! HANSON HORRIFIED Annings maiden speech must have been a doozy if it was too strong for Pauline. Bob Gardiner, Isabella Plains LEGACY NOT PASSED DOWN Bob Katters Lebanese grandfather is likely to have experienced some Australian racism when he first arrived in Queensland around 100 or more years ago. What a pity that he seems not to have passed the impact of his experiences to his grandson, the founder of Fraser Annings political party. Ann Smith, Curtin TOO KIND TO KATTER In a recent editorial (Racist spray has unified us, August 16, p14), you described Bob Katter MP as colourful and maverick. Hateful and moronic would have better described him. Peter Moran, Watson VILE AND 19 VOTES Surely the Liberal and Labor partys bipartisan condemnation of Senator Annings appalling maiden speech provides an opportunity to fix the crazy Senate situation where someone can, with legal impunity, publicly voice their vile thoughts on the basis of 19 votes. Geoff Nickols, Griffith JACKBOOT OF YEAR AWARD Senator Fraser Annings maiden speech with its reference to a final solution is worthy of the Jackboot of the Year Award. Maybe he should wear a coal scuttle-type helmet into the House. Patrick Wagner, Queanbeyan, NSW VIENNAS RUBBISH FAIL Vienna may be the worlds most liveable city, but before anyone moves here they should know that my thrice-weekly rubbish collection was twenty minutes late on Monday. Opposition leader Mike Nahan has admitted one of his staffers tried to photograph confidential advice in a briefing about the security implications of a $136 million government contract awarded Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei. Premier Mark McGowan made the allegation in parliament on Wednesday when Dr Nahan questioned him about the decision to award the job of building a data and communications network along Perth's rail corridors. "I am aware that there were confidential briefings given to the opposition on this matter, in which opposition staff members went and took photographs of documents that were tabled at the meeting that were to be returned," the Premier said. Opposition Leader Mike Nahan and Premier Mark McGowan have traded blows in parliament over the $136 million contract awarded to controversial Chinese telco Huawei. Credit:AAP Dr Nahan said the opposition was shown correspondence between the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the federal Department of Home Affairs. London: A doctor who worked as a physician to Britain's Queen Elizabeth has been killed after colliding with a truck as he cycled through central London. Peter Fisher, 67, was riding through the High Holborn area on Wednesday morning when the collision occurred. Police said he had died at the scene. The Queen's physician died while riding a bike to work in London. Credit:AP "We are all deeply shocked and saddened to learn that Dr Peter Fisher tragically died in a road traffic accident yesterday," Gill Gaskin, medical director at University College London Hospitals (UCLH), said in a statement on Thursday. "Peter was director of research at UCLHs Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine (RLHIM), and physician to Her Majesty The Queen." 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 Australian Finance Group (AFG) has revealed a new program for its top-performing brokers that involves an intensive three-day course in Sydney this September, delivered by Harvard Business School professor David Collis. Dubbed the AFG Academy the brokers invited to attend are those who are managing growing businesses. The course is structured in the Harvard Business School case study method, which involves a hands-on intensive format that enables brokers to apply practical knowledge to their own business. According to AFG CEO David Bailey, the commitment required to complete the course is high. With weeks of pre-reading and three days of on-site lectures, collaborative group sessions and intensive tasks, attendees will be expected to be challenged by the experience. I was fortunate enough to attend a corporate strategy management course at Harvard in 2017. That experience took me out of my comfort zone and really made me think differently about the AFG business. In addition, the quality of the lectures was like nothing I had ever experienced before, said Bailey. Recognising it is not an opportunity our brokers would generally have the time to take up, AFG decided to bring some of that experience here and I am really proud to be able to offer the AFG Academy to a core group of our brokers, he added. According to his profile on Harvards website, Collis has been a professor at the business school for the past 30 years and is an expert on corporate strategy. Related stories: Report shows value of mortgage brokers Majors will benefit from trail ban Everybody hates waiting in line at the DMV. But its not quite the same as Nazi Germany. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images Nobody wants to deal with the DMV. The Department of Motor Vehicles (as it is called in most states), as a purveyor of a near-universal service, is stereotypically bureaucratic. Getting or renewing or modifying a drivers license or a car tag is a tedious process usually supervised by tedious people (or interesting and entertaining people made tedious by the work they do). I once lost a drivers license to a mugger, and after waiting for three hours to hear my number called at the DMV, was told I was not in the system and would have to apply for a learners license, though I had been driving for over a quarter-century (long story short, the day I got my original license, the computers were down, so they just typed mine up without bothering to enter me in the database). I dont know if Californias DMV is worse than average; they make it pretty easy to do online the stuff you are allowed to do online, though in-person transactions are different. At the moment, though, there is a bit of a brouhaha over long lines and delays attributable to the implementation of the federal Real ID mandate, that slowly implemented post-9/11 law which will require, as of 2020, a heightened security process for boarding planes or entering many federal facilities. Complaints about long delays led the legislature to give the DMV some emergency money for additional staffing just last month, and the agency claims its working, as the Los Angeles Times reports: Since the DMV began shifting more staff to field offices, the average wait time Tuesday was reduced to 137 minutes from 162 minutes the week before. Hardly speedy service, but Ive seen worse. Since California state government is totally controlled by Democrats, Republicans love to make hay over things like wait times at the DMV, and GOP gubernatorial nominee John Cox has made it a regular feature of his long-shot campaign. But in a campaign visit to a DMV office in Sacramento, he got a little carried away, as Capital Public Radio reports: How long have you been waiting, he asks [a] woman, who responds close to an hour. Cox then relays a story of a conversation with a man he met at a DMV in Southern California: You know, I met a Holocaust survivor in Long Beach. He survived concentration camps, and he said this was worse. Hes 90 years old and he had to wait four hours down in Long Beach. Can you imagine that? Cox says. Cox apparently never got the memo about inappropriate Holocaust analogies. Before the Anti-Defamation League had time to reprimand Cox, his staff back-peddled furiously: Campaign spokesman Matt Shupe said Cox mistold the story. John isnt saying it was worse than the Holocaust. The guy didnt say it was worse than the Holocaust, Shupe said. He was saying that it reminded him of pre-war Germany when Jews had to wait in lines to be processed. In no way does he mean this as a slight to the Jewish community, Shupe added. He misspoke. Its very unfortunate. But its nothing more than that. I guess thats better, though Cox would be well advised to leave the Nazis out of it altogether. Looking for a Swede deal? Photo: Ramberg/Getty Images/iStockphoto A specter is haunting the American right the specter of social democracy. The Democratic Partys top presidential prospects appear to have all forgotten the words George McGovern, and remembered American liberals long-forsaken ambitions to establish nationalized health insurance, a job guarantee, universal child care, and worker representation on corporate boards. Meanwhile, blue Americas rank-and-file voters are turning red: For the first time in modern history, Democrats approve of socialism more than they do capitalism. A self-avowed socialist has become one of the most popular politicians in America, while another just knocked off a high-ranking House Democrat. A sizable portion of the American public wants what the Scandinavians are having. And conservatives are having a hard time figuring out why they shouldnt. After all, Americans have never shared the rights enthusiasm for minimizing the tax burden borne by wealthy individuals, or the labor costs of U.S. corporations. Most have always evinced a preference for prioritizing low poverty rates over low top-marginal tax rates, and high wages over high corporate profits. Historically, conservatives compensated for the unpopularity of their economic agendas first-order effects by imploring Americans to look at its second-order ones: Low taxes for the rich, little bargaining power for the worker, and scant social benefits for families might sound bad, at first, but theyre a necessary price for the high rates of economic growth and innovation that only Americas free enterprise system can produce. (Oh, and all left-wing economic policies lead, inexorably, to gulags.) But the last half-century hasnt been kind to the rights case. Since the Reagan revolution, America has been steadily lowering taxes on the rich and euthanizing private-sector unions only to experience much lower rates of growth and innovation than it did at the height of New Deal liberalism. Whats more, the growth that Reaganomics did deliver largely bypassed ordinary workers. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, Europes social democracies failed to degenerate into totalitarian hellscapes. In fact, the most socialistic economies in the Western world those of the Nordic countries managed to put up rates of growth and innovation comparable to Americas, while guaranteeing all of their citizens access to affordable health care, child care, higher education, weeks-long vacations, exceptionally generous unemployment benefits, job training, and in Norway, a modicum of oil wealth. For a while, Republicans could ignore these harrowing indications that there was, in fact, an alternative. But the revival of a movement for democratic socialism in the U.S. led by a popular senator who cites the Nordics as his North Star has forced the rights thought leaders to explain why, precisely, Americans cant have nice (Danish) things. Thus far, the right has come up with two distinct and utterly contradictory answers. Response No. 1: Nordic economic policies are a totalitarian nightmare. Some conservatives are sticking to the old-time religion. Fox Business anchor Trish Regan recently likened Denmark to Nicolas Maduros Venezuela. And in a new column on the scourge of democratic socialism, Commentarys Noah Rothman casts all proponents of single-payer health care as proto-Stalinists. Rothman begins his polemic by acknowledging that conservatives have often exaggerated the extremism of the American left in the past. Barack Obamas policies werent socialist, but merely culturally progressive and Republicans were wrong to say otherwise, Rothman concedes. Still, the conservative writer is less perturbed by the rights history of rhetorical excesses than by the possibility that self-doubt will prevent his fellow conservatives from calling a pinko a pinko in the present. And make no mistake: America is hurtling down the road to serfdom at a terrifying pace. Democrats may think they can control the monster theyre bringing back to life, Rothman writes, but if socialists are given an opportunity to prevail at the polls, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer will find themselves prisoners to their partys collectivists soon enough. After all, taking captives is what socialism does best. (Oddly, Rothman neglects to note that America outperforms socialism even at the latters supposed strong suit.) Heres how Rothman substantiates his claim that this time left-wing Democrats really are would-be Bolsheviks: Political observers have been unable to ignore the Democratic Partys recent turn away from Barack Obamas signature health-care reform law and toward a government monopoly on health insurance. Call it Medicare-for-all or single-payer; the new affinity among Democrats for the functional nationalization of the health insurance industry speaks to a paradigm shift on the left. Likewise, establishing as a right the ability to access tuition-free education at public universities and a federal jobs guaranteeall planks of the Democratic Socialist agenda with increasingly broad appealare pillars of the Soviet Constitution. Its true that nationalized health insurance, tuition-free universities, and a commitment to promoting full employment through mass government hiring were all features of the Soviet system; but theyre also features of the Nordic social democracies and many of Western Europes mixed economies and, for a little while there, the United States had two out of three. Rothman feels no need to explain why any attempt to implement this model in the 21st-century U.S. would bring Stalinist tyranny instead of Scandinavian flexicurity. He appears to genuinely believe that, You know who else thought public education was a social good? is an edifying argument. Elsewhere in the piece, Rothman flags the progressive journalist Bryce Covert as a subversive for her Marxist critique of Marco Rubios family-leave plan. The Florida senator has proposed legislation that would provide Americas parents with paid leave but only by allowing them to draw down on their future Social Security earnings. As Rubio has put it, he merely wants to let families use their own money. Covert felt this sentiment was wrongheaded, arguing that it perpetuates the idea that child-rearing is an individual, not a collective, responsibility. Which leads Rothman to solemnly inform his readers: The collectivization of child-rearing and the breakdown of the bourgeois family so as to rescue education from the influence of the ruling class is straight out of the Communist Manifesto. The argument here is that Coverts description of child-rearing as a collective responsibility is telling, as it reflects the novel and nefarious influence of communist thought on the democratic left. Remarkably, Rothman goes on to contrast the lamentable Marxism of Covert & Co. with the moderate legacy of Bill and Hillary Clinton apparently unaware that the latter wrote an entire book about how child-rearing is a collective responsibility. Again, Rothman is content to rest his case on guilt by free association. Coverts actual argument is not that the bourgeois family is a tool of the ruling class that must be destroyed but rather, that affluent Americans who do not have children should subsidize the child-care costs of working-class ones who do. The logic of this point isnt hard to discern: None of us will be able to retire if other Americans do not birth and raise a new generation of workers. And our nations falling birth rate makes this an immediate concern (rather than a merely theoretical one). Given that we all have a collective dependence on our nation producing more happy, healthy, productive human beings, why dont we also have a collective responsibility to help bring this new generation into being? Rothmans sole answer is that that sentiment reminds him of a passage he once read in The Communist Manifesto. Ostensibly, if someone informed the columnist that Vladimir Lenin had once defined communism as Soviet Power plus electrification of the whole country, he would call on Democrats to disavow the light bulb. This mode of argument might be sound enough to persuade Commentarys aging, neoconservative readership that they are not out of touch (and that it is the children who are wrong). But to anyone who is aware that literally every other advanced democracy treats child-rearing as a collective responsibility, in the sense that Covert uses that phrase and that none of those nations holds as many of its young people captive as the United States does Rothman has nothing whatsoever to offer. Photo: Jacobin Option No. 2: Nordic economic policies are actually capitalist. Some conservatives are willing to acknowledge the existence of Scandinavia. In fact, the rights most agile thinkers are even willing to concede the Nordic models success they just insist on (bizarrely) claiming that success as a vindication of their ideology. The libertarian Cato Institute tweeted out its version of this argument Tuesday evening. The claim that Denmark is somehow proof that a gentler socialism is preferable to free-market capitalism simply doesn't hold water. Denmark has quite a free-market economy, apart from its welfare state transfers and high government consumption. https://t.co/KF1YIcOZws pic.twitter.com/Oghj6QluPf Cato Institute (@CatoInstitute) August 14, 2018 Catos case is less blinkered and juvenile than Rothmans. But it is no less a testament to the obsolescence of the American rights economic thought. The think tanks 2015 paper, The Danish Model Dont Try This at Home, offers some empirical support for the (nevertheless, tendentious) claim that Denmarks economic strength preceded its adoption of social democratic policies, and therefore, should not be attributed to them. Instead, the paper suggests that the real secret of the Nordic countrys success lies in its strong protection of property rights and the integrity of the legal system, along with its commitment to free trade, light touch with regulations, and the fact that its labor market is very flexible: there is no legislated minimum wage, and there are few restrictions on hiring and firing. Even if we took Catos analysis of Denmark at face value, it would still leave Paul Ryans party with no leg to stand on. Perhaps Denmarks welfare state isnt the source of its strong economic growth. But theres little question that the countrys aberrantly high levels of social spending are responsible for its exceptionally low levels of relative poverty and income inequality. If conservatives concede that it is possible for a country to provide all citizens with low-cost health insurance, child care, paid family leave, etc. and still function as a vibrant, free-market economy then how could they possibly justify the GOPs ambition to throw millions of Americans off of Medicaid? In its attempt to attribute the Nordics success to their least socialistic attributes, Cato writes that Denmark is the least corrupt country in the world. And yet, if it is possible for a country to have a historically large and ambitious public sector and still be the most cleanly governed nation on the planet what is left of Ronald Reagans philosophy of government? Actually, according to the data, the best government is that which governs most is no small concession! And when we look at the Nordics actual economic model (as opposed to the one Cato invents for them) the think tanks embrace of Denmark becomes even more irreconcilable with GOP orthodoxy. As policy analyst Matt Bruenig explains, the idea that, once you put their welfare states to one side, everything about the Nordics is properly capitalist and even more capitalist than the United States isnt remotely true: In addition to their large welfare states and high tax levels, Nordic economies are also home to large public sectors, strong job protections, and labor markets governed by centralized union contracts The governments of Norway and Finland own financial assets equal to 330 percent and 130 percent of each countrys respective GDP. In the US, the same figure is just 26 percent. State-owned enterprises (SOEs), defined as commercial enterprises in which the state has a controlling stake or large minority stake, are also far more prevalent in the Nordic countries. In 2012, the value of Norwegian SOEs was equal to 87.9 percent of the countrys GDP. For Finland, that figure was 52.3 percent. In the US, it was not even 1 percent. In Norway, the state manages direct ownership of 70 companies. The businesses include the real estate company Entra; the countrys largest financial services group DNB; the 30,000-employee mobile telecommunications company Telenor; and the famous state-owned oil company Statoil. Photo: MattBruenig (Denmark is also home to many state-owned enterprises, albeit fewer than some of its neighbors.) So: The economic success of the Nordic countries is actually a testament to the vitality of free-market capitalism because free-market capitalism is (apparently) totally compatible with giant welfare states, nearly universal private-sector unionization, and state-owned oil, telecoms, and financial services companies. All this leaves us with two possible conclusions. Either the rights argument against Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs brand of democratic socialism (which presently involves far less state ownership and worker control than Nordic social democracy) is a purely semantic one or else, the collectivists have already taken the Cato Institute captive. The cover of Thursdays Boston Globe. Photo: Newseum Hundreds of newspapers across the country teamed up to send a message to Donald Trump today: Journalists are not the enemy of the people. The papers, from the small-town Bozeman Daily Chronicle to the Boston Globe, which coordinated the effort, denounced Trump for his unrelenting attacks on the media as fake news, the enemy of the people and very dangerous and sick. In its editorial, the Globe wrote: Today in the United States we have a president who has created a mantra that members of the media who do not blatantly support the policies of the current U.S. administration are the enemy of the people. This is one of the many lies that have been thrown out by this president, much like an old-time charlatan threw out magic dust or water on a hopeful crowd. In Idaho, a state that saw 59 percent of voters cast their 2016 presidential ballot for Trump, Boise Weekly said that Trumps vitriol for the media is more than ugly. Its a reckless attempt to corrode a key pillar of democracy. In North Dakota, where Trump won 64 percent of the vote, The Bismarck Tribune addressed its readers: We are here to serve you, not manipulate you. At least one major newspaper decided not to participate in the show of force. In an editorial explaining why, the Los Angeles Times said that Trump is likely to use the coordinated criticism to fan the flames of discontent. The president himself already treats the media as a cabal enemies of the people, he has called us, suggesting over and over that were in cahoots to do damage to the country. The idea of joining together to protest him seems almost to encourage that kind of conspiracy thinking by the president and his loyalists. Why give them ammunition to scream about collusion? They may have been on to something. 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 Uber Technologies Inc said on Wednesday it had narrowed losses from a year earlier, although the ride-hailing company is still a long way from proving it can be a profitable business even as it gears up to go public in 2019. Under the leadership of Dara Khosrowshahi, who became chief executive in September, Uber has juggled investing in new markets while retreating from others where it was losing millions of dollars, while also building up services like food delivery as it seeks new revenue outside its core ride-hailing business. Uber's net loss narrowed to $891 million in ... You aint seen nothing Brett. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images The conservative movements judicial agenda is extremely unpopular. This is, in part, because the movement recognizes that some of its goals are too politically toxic to advance through the more democratic branches of the federal government, and thus, seeks to implement them through litigation. Congress would have had a difficult time clearing the way for unlimited corporate spending on American elections, or gutting the Voting Rights Act of 1965, or legalizing most forms of political bribery, or hobbling public-sector unions but the Roberts court had no such trouble. And yet, historically, the unpopularity of conservative jurisprudence has rarely put a dent in the in the public image of conservative judicial nominees. Democratic voters have traditionally followed the lead of their partys elites, and judged Republican presidents Supreme Court picks on the strength of their professional qualifications, rather than their ideological commitments. John Roberts and Samuel Alito are two of the most radically reactionary Supreme Court justices in our nations modern history, and yet both enjoyed overwhelming public support when their nominations were brought before the Senate. Even last year, in our hyperpolarized epoch, when Donald Trump announced his intention to put Neil Gorsuch into Merrick Garlands rightful Supreme Court seat, 49 percent of Americans said that the Senate should confirm him, while just 36 percent said it should not. All of which makes this new CNN poll remarkable: A plurality of American voters currently want the Senate to reject Brett Kavanaughs nomination to the Supreme Court. In the past three decades, no high court nominee has ever attracted plurality opposition in initial polling and only Robert Bork suffered a lower level of opening support. CNN Poll: Kavanaugh nomination has lowest public support since Bork https://t.co/tpERAz0SSR pic.twitter.com/EEblRgcK39 Andrew Chung (@andrew_chung_) August 16, 2018 The source of Kavanaughs weakness isnt difficult to discern. As Anthony Kennedys replacement (a very conservative judge who happened to moderate on abortion rights), Kavanaugh would ostensibly be the fifth vote for dramatically circumscribing Roe v. Wades protections of abortion rights, if not for overturning the decision outright. Support for overturning Roe is almost universal among Republican elected officials but its an exceedingly marginal position among the public as a whole. A recent poll from NBC News and the Wall Street Journal found 71 percent of American voters believe that Roe v. Wade should remain in place. And this time, voters arent separating their opposition to a conservative justices jurisprudence from the question of whether he belongs on the Supreme Court: Just 28 percent of American women want Kavanaugh confirmed (a finding that suggests the justices likely views on reproductive rights are influencing his poll numbers). Whether any of this will matter to Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and red-state Democratic senators remains to be seen. But CNNs poll suggests that progressives efforts to politicize Kavanaughs nomination and spread awareness of its implications for abortion rights are having some effect. Top leaders cutting across party lines, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, condoled the death of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away at Delhi's AIIMS on Thursday at the age of 93. Modi said it was the "end of an era", adding every Indian and every BJP worker will continue to be guided by the former Prime Ministers vision. I am speechless, I am thoughtless but a wave of feelings is sweeping my mind. Our respected Atalji is no more. He dedicated every moment of his life to the service of the country. His passing away is end of an era," Modi ... Former ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair on Thursday said India should seek support from of America or to successfully send a manned mission into space by 2022. It would take India a long time to set up its own astronaut training and space-environment simulation facilities, the veteran space scientist opined. Terming the manned mission as the next logical step for India's space programme, Nair praised Prime Minister for mentioning the mission during in his Independence Day speech. "We have been dreaming about this (manned mission) for the last 10 years. Now the prime minister has taken a very bold decision. It is a matter of pride. We will have our own spacecraft to send people to the orbit and back. So, it's a great initiative and a most welcome thing," he told PTI. The basic design for the space capsule is for carrying three people. GSLV-Mk III has got a capacity to carry such a module, Nair said. "Of course, we have to do a lot of things -- training of astronauts, use and make life support systems among many others. All this is new development, and it's a very challenging job," he added. "We may have to depend on some friendly countries like and America for the initial mission", he said. Life support system and conditioning of astronauts for the space environment is one of the key technological challenges, Nair said. The overall reliability of the launch vehicle needs to be improved. "Necessary improvement in launch systems and satellite technologies is called for," he said. Asked about the 2022 time frame for the mission as announced by the prime minister, Nair said: "It's tight but if you decouple the setting up of facilities in India, certainly it's doable. If we get support from other countries certainly it will happen. Torrential rain and floods played havoc in Kerala, claiming 30 lives today, swamping homes, destroying roads, and disrupting air and rail traffic in many places, officials said. Altogether 97 people have died in rain-related incidents since the second spell of monsoon fury got unleashed on August 8. The murderous weather has claimed 55 lives in the last two days alone. Battling savage weather conditions, the Indian navy began airlifting marooned people in Trichur, Aluva and Muvattupuzha. Dramatic videos showed people stranded atop flooded homes and hills being winched up by Navy choppers. Under instructions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the rushed in fresh teams of the three wings of the military for relief and rescue operations in the state where over 150,000 homeless and displaced people are taking shelter in relief camps. All but one of the state's 14 districts are on high alert, sources said. ALSO READ: Crop loss in one week of Kerala rains estimated to be around Rs 550 million Modi spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan again this morning and assured him of all central help in tackling the situation. "We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked the to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala," Modi tweeted. Twelve additional teams of the Disaster Response Force comprising about 540 personnel were also rushed to Kerala. The Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), the country's apex body for handling emergency situations, met in New Delhi to take stock of the rapidly deteriorating situation caused by the worst floods the state has witnessed in close to a century. The meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha was attended by chiefs of the three services, secretaries of home, defence and other top officials. Taking note of the gravity of the situation, the Supreme Court ordered the disaster management panel of the to urgently decide on lowering the water level by three ft to 139 ft. The directive came after Vijayan wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart K Palaniswami seeking the release of water from the over 122-year-old dam to ensure its safety. The dam in Kerala's Idukki district is owned and maintained by Tamil Nadu. The Kochi International Airport today extended the suspension of all services up to 2 pm on August 26, with large parts of the facility flooded. "Kochi Airport operations is temporarily suspended up to 2 pm on August 26 due to very high flood situation and key essential facilities like a runway, taxiway and apron are under a submerged condition," an airport statement said. Services on the were halted for a few hours as water levels rose in the Muttam yard, before resuming in the evening. Train services were also hit due to flooding. Over 25 trains were either cancelled or rescheduled, a Southern Railway statement said. As water levels rose to the height of double-storeyed buildings in some towns and villages in central districts, hundreds of people, including children and elderly, sought refuge on rooftops and took to social media to make desperate pleas for evacuation and relief. Newborn babies and patients in intensive care units of private hospitals in Aluva town of Ernakulam district were evacuated and shifted to facilities elsewhere. According to some reports, around 200 patients were stranded at a hospital in Muvattupuzha after rainwater swamped the building. "This sort of a situation has never been faced by the state. We are doing all that is humanly possible and rescue efforts are going on," Vijayan told a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, asking people not to panic but take all precautions to keep themselves safe. Fifty-eight dams of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and 22 of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) were full to the brim. The state cabinet met and decided to raise excise duty on Indian Made Foreign Liquor till November 30 to mop up additional resources for relief and rehabilitation efforts, official sources said. TV channels broadcast a video shared by a Christian priest seeking food and water for about 1,500 people stranded at a religious centre in Muringur. Hundreds of students were marooned at the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady near Kochi. As woes rained on Kerala, able-bodied men and women were seen wading through chest-deep water carrying children on their shoulders in a bid to escape the flood fury. Roads and bridges have caved in and developed cracks in many places making rescue efforts difficult. At a time when Kerala is facing one of the worst floods it has faced in its history and while the authorities are grappling with the task of helping people, a startup is trying to help the administration to fight fake news, which is one of the major impediments in helping to control the damage. This comes at a time when the social media majors like WhatsApp are bringing in restrictions to fight the menace of fake news. QKopy, a social networking app from Kozhikode, which has helped the district health services to communicate authentic information to the public during the time of ... The on Thursday termed as "grave" the flood situation in Kerala and agreed to hear a plea seeking Centre's mediation between Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments on the issue of the crossing the 142 ft threshold. A bench comprising Chief Justice and Indu Malhotra considered the submission of a lawyer and agreed to hear the plea today itself. The plea seeks a decision on disaster management steps in the background of the floods, the opening of 33 dams in Kerala, confusion between Kerala and Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers as water in the has crossed the 142-ft threshold. The death toll in the current phase of monsoon fury in the southern state has touched 79, while rains and floodwater has caused extensive damage. Rise in flood waters in Periyar River due to the rains and opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir, and Idamalayar, have severely affected lives of people in downstream areas. How else is he going to pay for his debilitating shirt habit? Photo: Martin Divisek/Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images Many fired Trump aides wind up remaining in the presidents orbit, but former chief strategist Steve Bannon seemed to bent on ensuring that would not be the case after he was pushed out of the White House a year ago. Upon returning to Breitbart News, he pushed the candidacy of Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore even as he was accused of harassing and assaulting teen girls, eventually giving Democrats a win in the deep-red state. Then in Michael Wolffs Fire and Fury, he was quoted insulting Trump and his adult children, and calling the Trump Tower meeting with Russians treasonous. For once, Trumps anger couldnt be contained in a tweetstorm. He released a four-paragraph statement denouncing Bannon, who promptly lost his job at Breitbart. But now Bannon is staging a comeback, whether Republicans like it or not. The New York Times and Politico reported on Wednesday night that Bannon is launching a pro-Trump political group and documentary aimed at framing the midterms as a referendum on the president. The 25-person group, Citizens of the American Republic, intends to help Republicans hold the House by advising surrogates, generating talking points, and flooding cable TV, conservative radio, and op-ed pages with messaging on how GOP voters must turn out to save Trump. Its very simple to me. This is a referendum on Trump, up-or-down vote on impeachment, he told Politico. This other side, theyre very motivated and theyre motivated for one thing: They want to impeach Donald Trump. Bannon would not say how the group is funded or how much money its raised. The Times reported that his old benefactor Rebekah Mercer, who cut ties with him amid the Fire and Fury debacle, is not involved. Bannon plans to release the documentary, Trump@War, in September, on the second anniversary of Hillary Clinton referring to Trumps supporters as deplorables. The film depicts Trumps campaign and first 18 months in office as a stunning success, with the president delivering results as he and his supporters are attacked by a violent and intolerant left. The film is reportedly not in sync with the Trump reelection campaign, which is focusing on culture wars. Its also unclear if Bannons plan of focusing on Trumps impeachment rather than individual races is smart; a new poll from a coalition of Democratic groups suggests framing the race as a referendum on Trump may boost the left. Per HuffPost: The survey of likely voters from Navigator Research, conducted by the Global Strategy Group, found Democrats had a 8-point lead on a generic ballot for Congress, 45 percent to 37 percent. The Democratic lead grows, however, when the battle for Congress is framed as a referendum on the president. Asked if they would prefer a Democrat who mostly opposes Trump or a Republican who mostly supports him, 52 percent picked the Democrat, and 39 percent choose the Republican. When presented with a Democrat who will be a check and balance on Trump against a Republican who will help Trump pass his agenda, Democrats led 50 percent to 38 percent. But a genius like Bannon doesnt need polling; after all, this is a man who strategized a way to make himself offensive to both the Republican establishment and people who proudly consider themselves deplorables. The government might drop the Jewar International Airport project in Gautam Buddh Nagar on Delhi's outskirts if the farmers do not agree to hand over their land for acquisition, a top official said on Thursday. Chairman of Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) Prabhat Kumar told PTI they met over 100 farmers of six villages yesterday in Noida and tried to clear their doubts regarding the land acquisition. "We met village heads and farmers of six villages, where land was proposed to be acquired for the project. They were given offer regarding land rates and other benefits. If they (farmers) do not agree, the airport project might be dropped," he said. "The farmers were assured that their land will not be procured without their willingness as per the instructions of Chief Minister The farmers will consider our proposal and respond. We hope for the best," said Kumar, who is also UP agriculture production commissioner. According to the offer, farmers would be given Rs 2,300 to Rs 2,500 per square metre for the agricultural land that is to be acquired for an international airport in Jewar, along the 165 km Yamuna Expressway. The state government, in the first phase, wants to acquire 1,441 hectare from eight villages -- Rohi, Parohi, Banwaribas, Ramner, Dayanatpur, Kishorpur, Mukimpur Shivara and Ranhera. Of these, three villages will be excluded from the acquisition process as of now, as land from Ramner, Mukimpur Shivara and Banwaribas will not be needed. The government will acquire a total of 5,000 hectares for the project and its estimated budget is Rs 150- 200 billion. According to plans, the airport is expected to become operational by 2022-23. ALSO READ: Jewar International Airport cost escalates 5 times to over Rs 157 billion "If farmers agree to the offer, the land will bought by September and immediate payment will be made and the project will be inaugurated in October," a senior official said. Conceived in 2001 when Rajnath Singh was the chief minister, the Jewar Airport project has seen several hurdles, mostly owing to a tussle between the central and state governments. The plan was forgotten after the was voted out of power in In the years that followed, the state saw the BSP and SP in the saddle. In 2010, then chief minister Mayawati attempted to revive the project. But, then UPA government at the Centre raised objections, saying an airport in Jewar could affect business at IGI Airport in the capital. When the SP came to power in 2012, it moved a fresh proposal for the airport to be built in Agra. After concerns were raised by the then defence minister over its proximity to the IAF base in Kheria, it was proposed that the project be moved to Firozabad or then party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's village, Saifai. It was in 2014, when the came to power at the Centre, that current Union minister Mahesh Sharma, elected as MP from the Gautam Buddh Nagar Lok Sabha constituency, said setting up an international airport in Jewar was one of his top priorities. In 2017, ten months after the Civil Aviation Ministry asked the government to conduct a fresh techno-economic feasibility and obstacle limitation survey, YEIDA appointed engineering consultancy company RITES for the job. The project was put on fast track after the won the Assembly polls in UP. Statesman and pragmatist, orator and poet, a man of peace and conviction. was a towering nationalist who softened the often sharp edge of his party's politics with a gentle sophistry of words, earning him the sobriquet "ajaat shatru" or the man with no enemies. The first prime minister from a non- party to complete a full term in office, Vajpayee began shakily -- his first stint as prime minister in 1996 lasted only 13 days when his unlikely coalition government failed to get support from other parties. The BJP-led coalition government came back to power in 1998, and this time Vajpayee stayed in office for 13 months before losing a no-confidence motion by one vote. The Democratic Alliance returned to power in October 1999 with Vajpayee as prime minister once again. This time he lasted the entire term, capping a glorious career that saw him go from student activist to journalist, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh pracharak, Member of Parliament, foreign minister, opposition leader and finally a much-loved leader of the nation. Like many of his generation, Vajpayee _ who died today at age 93 _ came into politics as an 18-year old during the Independence movement in 1942 when the Quit India movement was going on. A lifelong bachelor, Vajpayee was first elected to in 1957 from Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh in India's second general elections. His maiden speech in Parliament so impressed his peers and colleagues that the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru introduced Vajpayee to a visiting foreign dignitary thus: "This young man one day will become the country's prime minister." He remained a member of Parliament for 47 years -- elected 10 times to the and twice to Rajya Sabha. Vajpayee's signature in politics was achieving pragmatic consensus, and in this process he earned the respect of his party, allies and opponents. Abroad, he projected a harmonious image of India and connected it to the world through his foreign policy outreach. Fluent in English, his oratory was at its best in Hindi. With his well-timed wit, and carefully-chosen words delivered with trademark long pauses, Vajpayee immediately connected with all those who came in contact with him -- the common man, politicians, bureaucrats, students and world leaders. As foreign minister under the Janata Party government headed by Morarji Desai in 1977, Vajpayee was the first leader to deliver a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi. He was awarded India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in March 2015. While his six years in office were defined by several crises _ including the hijacking of an Indian Airlines jetliner to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 1999, an attack on the Parliament building in 2001, communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 _ he also left a mark with peace initiatives and infrastructural projects. Chief among them is the Golden Quadrilateral Highway network, connecting India's four major metropolises with 5,846 kilometers of roads. During his second term as prime minister, Vajpayee ordered nuclear tests in May 1998 in a strategic masterstroke to blunt Pakistan's nuclear ambitions while at the same time announcing a moratorium on future testing. He followed this up with peace overtures to Pakistan, riding on the first direct bus from India to Pakistan in February 1999. Undeterred by party hawks, Vajpayee arrived in Lahore on the bus, accompanied among others by legendary actor Dev Anand. Vajpayee met with then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in what was hailed as the dawn of a new era in India-Pakistan relations. However, then army chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf did not turn up to greet him at the Wagah border. It soon became clear why. Only months later, in June 1999, Pakistan began hostilities in Kargil that took the two countries to the brink of a full-scale war. Vajpayee felt betrayed and never hid his bitterness whenever Kargil was mentioned. He tried again to build peace with Pakistan -- which people close to him say was the mission of his life -- by holding a historic summit in Agra with Musharraf in 2001, who by then had become the president. But the summit too failed spectacularly. Another historic event that he expressed anguish about was the post-Godhra communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 when Prime minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister. Unwilling to hide his feelings over the riots, Prime Minister Vajpayee said the government must follow "raj dharma". In his autobiography, former President Pranab Mukherjee wrote that the Gujarat riots were "possibly the biggest blot" on Vajpayee's government that could have cost the the 2004 elections. After the NDA was routed in the elections, Vajpayee announced his retirement from politics in 2005 and slipped into relative political oblivion. He was rarely seen in public after suffering a stroke in 2009, and subsequently developed dementia. However, his influence loomed large over the party, which often quoted him and his policies. In his Independence Day speech yesterday, Modi said he wants to resolve the Kashmir issue through Vajpayee's doctrine of "Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, Jamhooriyat", which seeks to preserve the composite Kashmiri culture while ensuring democracy in a humane manner. When he assumed office for the second time in 1999 as the head of a more stable coalition, Vajpayee had to abandon some of the cornerstones of BJP's policies to get the backing of more secular groups. This included the BJP's demands for scrapping the special status for Jammu and Kashmir, building a Hindu temple on the site of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya and abolishing the separate civil code for Muslims. The demolition of Babri Masjid by kar sewaks in December 1992, when he was the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, was an acid test for Vajpayee's secular agenda and his stand within the party. Vajpayee's trusted lieutenant L K Advani and most BJP politicians supported the demolition but Vajpayee condemned the attack unequivocally. At times he tried to appeal to Muslims and other minority groups, and was seen as a reassuring figure for India's mainly secular establishment. His personal integrity was never seriously questioned but arms bribery scandals exposed corruption in his government and at times cast doubts on his judgment. A romantic at heart, Vajpayee wrote poetry in his spare time, and was a connoisseur of good food. Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh to a schoolteacher, Krishna Bihari Vajpayee, and Krishna Devi. Today, his birthday is celebrated as Good Governance Day'. After schooling, he graduated from Victoria College in Gwalior, now known as Laxmi Bai College. He did his M.A. in political science from DAV College in Kanpur. Following a brief flirtation with communism, he became a full-time worker of RSS in 1947. Vajpayee subsequently entered journalism and was editor of Rashtradharma, a Hindi monthly, the Panchjanya Hindi weekly and the dailies, Swadesh and Veer Arjun. He became a close follower of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the precursor to Jana Sangh and later the BJP. Under Mookerjee's tutelage, Vajpayee's right-wing philosophy shaped. Vajpayee accompanied Mookerjee to Kashmir in early 1950s during the BJS leader's fast-unto-death to protest the identity card requirement for Indian citizens visiting the state. It was Vajpayee's first insight into the Kashmir problem, which decades later he addressed in 2003 with the "Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, Jamhooriyat" doctrine. Vajpayee is survived by his adopted daughter, Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. India has exported worth Rs 14.47 bn in the first quarter of the current fiscal, an increase of 7 per cent since last year, mainly to Europe and South East Asia, according to the Board. In volume terms, the export of both and its products rose by 2.65 per cent to 53,213 tonnes during the April-June quarter of the 2018-19 fiscal. In the year-ago period, the country had exported 51,802 tonnes valuing Rs 13.52 bn. Much of the exports were in unmanufactured form especially flue-cured virginia (FCV) tobacco -- a variety used in cigarettes -- followed by small quantities of like cigarettes, bidis, hookah tobacco paste, cut tobacco, snuff and cigars, the board's data showed. Export of FCV tobacco declined to 32,687 tonnes in the April-June period of this fiscal from 33,401 tonnes in the year-ago. However, in value terms, the shipments rose to Rs 8.14 bn as against Rs 7.91 bn in the said period. However, the export of non-FCV tobacco rose to 12,620 tonnes valued at Rs 2.02 bn during the first quarter of this fiscal from 10,043 tonnes valued at Rs 1.37 bn in the same quarter previous fiscal. Belgium, Philippines, Nepal, Korea, Germany and the UAE are the major markets for unmanufactured tobacco. The board data showed a decline in exports of in volume terms to Rs 7,906 tonnes during the first quarter of this fiscal from 8,358 tonnes in the year-ago. In value terms, it stood at Rs 4.30 bn as against Rs 4.23 bn in the said period last year. Among tobacco products, the country exported 4,442 tonnes of chewing tobacco (zarda), 1,812 tonnes of cigarettes, 1,077 tonnes of hookah tobacco paste, 507 tonnes of cut tobacco, 61 tonnes of bidis, 6 tonnes of cigars and one tonne of snuff during the first quarter of this year. Panama, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Sudan, South Africal, Afghanistan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Israel are major markets for export of During the full 2017-18 fiscal, the country had exported 2,12,916 tonnes worth Rs 55.39 bn of tobacco and its products. While exports are rising, the government is encouraging farmers to shift to alternative crops so that production and area of tobacco remains lower. India is being hit by a wave of steel from producers in Japan and South Korea, a government document showed, as mills there redirect supply after US President Donald Trump slapped an import duty on the alloy earlier this year. During the first quarter of the fiscal year starting in April, India's steel imports from South Korea rose 31 per cent from a year earlier, while those from Japan climbed 30 percent, according to an internal document from the Ministry of Steel that was reviewed by Reuters. The flood of imports is so big that the government in New Delhi is considering ... Donald Trump shaking hands with a fellow job creator. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images In 2017, ordinary workers became no more valuable to our society than they were the year before. Normally, eight years into an expansion with unemployment nearing record lows one would expect to see Americas laborers enjoying hefty wage growth. But despite these favorable conditions, our nations working stiffs failed to make themselves more useful to their fellow citizens last year. Thus, the market the impartial, infallible indicator of a persons objective worth declined to provide ordinary Americans with bigger paychecks. Fortunately for all of us, Americas elite CEOs decided to pick up the slack. In 2017, the chief executives of the 350 largest U.S. economies contributed a whopping 17.6 percent more to our collective well-being than they did in 2016 and thus, collected an average raise of $3.3 million, according to a new report from the Economic Policy Institute. Thanks to their heroic efforts, the typical elite CEO in the U.S. now deserves 312 times as much of our collective appreciation as his (or, rarely, her) typical employee. Last year, our nations beautiful bosses increased their value to us all primarily by ensuring that their companies shares increased in value. Executive pay in the United States is typically tied to stock performance (so as to ensure that CEOs earn exactly what they objectively deserve). And in 2017, the S&P 500 increased by an amazing 14.5 percent. One could try to diminish our courageous corporate overlords achievement by attributing the S&Ps rise to Donald Trumps election: With a Republican president in the White House, American firms tax bills were bound to decline along with their regulatory costs thereby increasing their expected future profits, and thus, the value of their shares. But this assessment unjustly ignores the role that Americas majestic, top-level managers played in getting Trump elected, and accommodating his regime once it took power. After all, the Republican Party doesnt fund itself. And given the GOPs accelerating march towards extremism during the Obama era, it would have been easy for Americas sensible, centrist CEOs to cease donating to a revanchist political formation. Taking a public stand against the Republican Partys embrace of voter disenfranchisement, birtherism, and debt-ceiling shenanigans might have earned such CEOs some good PR. Nevertheless, they persisted in bankrolling Paul Ryans cause because they knew that some things are more important than politics. Things like maximizing shareholder value (i.e. the only accurate measure of how much good a business is doing for the world). Similarly, after Trump was elected, the titans of American industry could have collected plenty of retweets from the Resistance by denouncing his proto-fascist administration. Instead, many selflessly joined his jobs council and offered their support to his tax reform law. But even if Americas CEOs hadnt bravely abetted the xenophobic rights rise, they would still deserve every penny of their raises. Plenty of other countries have cut taxes and regulations in recent years. But none of their CEOs created anywhere near as much value as Americas. The U.K.s top bosses make only 94 times what the average British worker makes; in France, that figure is 71; in Sweden, its a pathetic 40. Americas CEOs werent always so exceptionally valuable. In 1965, they earned only about 20 times what the median worker did. It took grit, guts, and decades of lobbying for our nations fabulous fat cats to break the labor movement, slash capital gains tax rates, and build a structure of corporate governance that rewards the pursuit of short-term market value (the only objective measure of metaphysical virtue) over all other considerations. Without those efforts, the American economy would still be unjustly rewarding interchangeable proles for their nigh-valueless labor with regular wage increases instead of fully compensating the demigods of Davos for the gifts theyve bestowed upon all humanity. The said on Wednesday that the US will not lift sanctions on Turkish steel and aluminium products even if detained American pastor Andrew Brunson is released. In a press briefing, 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," Xinhua reported. "The president's been clear about the steel and aluminium 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. Earlier, Turkey announced 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 interests." "The tariffs that the United States placed on Turkey were out of interests, theirs are out of retaliation," she noted, refusing to reveal US further actions to respond to Ankara's statement. Speaking of Brunson's case, Sanders said, "We feel that Turkey and specifically President 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 US electronic products on Tuesday, signed a decree to raise tariffs on some US imports including cars, alcohol and tobacco, state-run Anadolu agency quoted Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan as saying on Wednesday. US President tweeted last week that he had authorized to double the tariffs on steel and aluminium products from Turkey to 50 per cent and 20 per cent respectively. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday expressed "deep shock" at the demise of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said it is a day of great sadness for the people of Bangladesh. Paying tribute to Vajpayee, Hasina termed him as "one of the most famous sons of India" and a highly respected person in Bangladesh. In a condolence message to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Hasina recalled Vajpayee's individual contribution during Bangladesh's War of Liberation in 1971. "We are deeply shocked at the sad demise of the former Prime Minister of India Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of the most famous sons of India. He will be remembered for contributing towards good governance and for highlighting issues affecting the common people of India as well as for regional peace and prosperity. His tireless work for the welfare of the people of India will inspire future generations of leaders. An excellent orator and a poet Shri Vajpayee took significant strides towards acceleration of inclusive economic growth in India," Hasina said in a condolence message to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was our great friend and highly respected in Bangladesh. As a token of recognition for his invaluable contribution to our Liberation War in 1971, Bangladesh Government conferred on him the Bangladesh Liberation War Honour. Today is certainly a day of great sadness for all of us in Bangladesh. On behalf of the Government and the people of Bangladesh and on my own behalf, I express our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the Government and the mourning people of India, and to the members of the bereaved family. We pray for the eternal peace of his soul," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi blamed his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) counterpart Amit Shah for switching off his microphone during his speech at an event here in the capital on Thursday. While delivering his speech at Sanjhi Virasat Bachao Sammelan (Save composite culture convention) in New Delhi's Talkatora stadium,Rahul's microphone suddenly went off with a loud noise. "Amit Shah ji ne mic off kar diya (Amit Shah switched it off)," Rahul said during event, which was attended by leaders from 17 Opposition parties. Further attacking the BJP, the Congress president asserted that they work with different ideologies for the development of the country. "Media always ask why the opposition is always against Prime Minister and BJP, I thought about it and after thinking over it deeply I understood that there are different ideologies in the country, one is of the BJP president who thinks India is a golden bird while we look at it as Ganga," Rahul noted. "The BJP is trying to cage the country, we will not let them do so," he further asserted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition continues to remain critical, All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said in its latest health bulletin on Thursday. "Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition continues to remain the same. He is critical and on life support systems," read a hospital statement. Vajpayee, whose health condition deteriorated on Wednesday, was put on life support system. Earlier today, scores of political leaders including Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Amit Shah, senior BJP leader LK Advani and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj reached the hospital to enquire about his health. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee are also expected to visit AIIMS later in the day. The 93-year-old veteran leader was admitted to AIIMS on June 11 after complaints of urinary tract infection, low urine output, and chest congestion. Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also went to AIIMS to meet ailing Vajpayee. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA), premier industry body of 11 large tyre companies, connected with motorists on Independence Day through a specially designed campaign #FreedomFromWornOutTyres. ATMA ambassadors reached out to people urging them to take a decisive step towards road safety by getting rid of worn-out tyres which are a safety hazard. "We have been spreading the message of Tyre Safety through our campaigns. The Independence Day fervor celebrating freedom provided an effective backdrop to spread the message of freedom from worn out tyres," said Rajiv Budhraja, Director General, ATMA. Tread is the part of the tyre that comes in direct contact with the road and plays a vital role in safety. According to ATMA, the legal minimum tread depth in case of passenger car tyres is 1.6 mm. Worn out tyres require longer distance to stop which could lead to accidents. Particularly during rains, worn out tyres adversely affect handling and increase the risk of skidding. Tread Wear Indicators (TWI) are provided in every tyre and tyres should be replaced when the tread is worn to the level of TWI. On the occasion, specially designed gauges to measure the safe tread depth were distributed along with booklets on overall tyre safety. ATMA ambassadors engaged with the motorists at public places including markets and parking lots etc. drawing attention to the importance of good tread depth. Service engineers from ATMA member companies have been holding tyre safety clinics throughout the country. ATMA members which have been participating in Tyre Safety campaigns include Apollo Tyres, Birla Tyres, Bridgestone India, CEAT, Continental India, Goodyear India, JK Tyre & Industries, Michelin, MRF, TVS Tyres and Yokohama. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bollywood celebrities have expressed their heartfelt condolences over the demise of former Indian prime minister Praising Vajpayee's openness and his skills as an orator and poet, celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Rajinikanth, Priyanka Chopra, and Paresh Rawal paid their tributes minutes after Vajpayee's death was announced. The Badshah of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan took to his official Twitter handle and penned down a heartfelt message for Vajpayeeji. The King Khan said that he considers himself lucky to have got the opportunity to meet him and have had Vajpayee's influence during his growing-up years. For The Poet Prime Minister of our country, love you Baapji...https://t.co/IKTYouMdiy pic.twitter.com/kLO4JAHvNu Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) August 16, 2018 Reciting one of his poems, veteran actor Anupam Kher posted a video of himself thanking Vajpayee for his life lessons. So what, whos going to stop him? Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images President Trumps statement announcing that CIA director John Brennan was being stripped of his security clearance, which press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders read at Wednesdays White House press briefing, cited the risks posed by his erratic conduct and behavior, and his public criticism of the administration. 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 this administration. Mr. Brennans lying and recent conduct, characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary, is wholly inconsistent with access to the nations most closely held secrets, and facilities [facilitates] the very aim of our adversaries, which is to sow division and chaos. [Access to government secrets] is particularly inappropriate when former officials have transitioned into highly partisan positions and seek to use real or perceived access to sensitive information to validate their political attacks. Any access granted to our nations secrets should be in furtherance of national, not personal, interests. Some, like the Washington Posts Greg Sargent, interpreted this to mean that punishing Brennan and threatening to revoke the clearance of other critical former officials was really about striking a political blow against Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation. In a subsequent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump made that crystal clear, saying he had to move against Brennan and others he holds responsible for the Russia probe. I call it the rigged witch hunt, [it] is a sham, Mr. Trump said in an interview. And these people led it! He added: So I think its something that had to be done. Trump then pointed to other investigators who worked on the Russia probe and the investigation of Hillary Clintons private email server. You look at any of them and you see the things theyve done, Trump said. In some cases, theyve lied before Congress. The Hillary Clinton whole investigation was a total sham. He went on to suggest hes reviewing the security clearance of other critics James Clapper, James Comey, Michael Hayden, Sally Yates, Susan Rice, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, and Bruce Ohr simply because hes decided that theyre bad people. I dont trust many of those people on that list, Trump said. I think that theyre very duplicitous. I think theyre not good people. Trumps comments are reminiscent of when he claimed he was firing Comey over mishandling the Clinton probe, then admitted in a TV interview days later that he was thinking this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story. It was clear from the start that Trumps move was about punishing his critics and threatening other intelligence officials to watch what they say. But Trumps comments to the Journal underscore that the specific goal was undermining the Russia probe. In the Post, Sargent argued that the aim was to further discredit the special counsels investigation, and convince his base that hes taking strong action against the deep state. (Notably, the announcement came as the Mueller teams first case against Paul Manafort went to the jury.) Trump who plainly feels constrained from trying to remove Mueller cannot do anything about the Mueller investigation except tweet wildly about it and threaten not to sit for an interview. So instead, he is striking a blow against his deep-state enemies behind the investigation, and hoping his base sees him as taking decisive action. Thats the story this is meant to tell. Some suggested Trump might have grander, and more nefarious ambitions: he could be testing the waters on stripping Mueller of his security clearance. This is like Trump's junk pardons--he is probing the limits of another largely unconstrained power to see how far he can eventually go in abusing it for personal ends. If we let him get away with it, he may eventually try to strip Mueller of his clearance! https://t.co/HXHaS5Wvw7 Norm Eisen (@NormEisen) August 16, 2018 James Clapper warns that President Trump could pull Special Counsel Robert Mueller's security clearance pretty easily: The President does have the authority to exercise here if he so chooses https://t.co/l1hqTzHGji pic.twitter.com/I2lx7HA4Fz Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) August 16, 2018 The Brennan incident showed Trump might be able to get away with using the same attack on Mueller. The presidents legal authority in this area is untested, but the response on Wednesday suggests the political blowback may be manageable. Senator Rand Paul saw Trump use his authority to punish a political enemy and cheered, as Brennan was his foe too. House Speaker Paul Ryan, who previously laughed off the idea of such a gross abuse of power, suddenly went silent. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Wednesday declared a 12-month state of emergency after a section of a motorway bridge recently collapsed in Genoa that claimed 39 lives. Conte further announced that he allocated five million euros for the smooth facilitation of search and rescue operations. He added that his administration would withdraw the concession from Autostrade, the private company responsible for the maintenance of the Morandi Bridge that collapsed on Tuesday. Conte was quoted by CNN as saying, "These are tragedies that are unacceptable in modern society." Although rescue operations were on till Wednesday evening, the hopes of finding more survivors in the mishap are now appearing to be dim. Fire services chief Emanuele Gissi told CNN that the rescue workers were working with care and caution amid concerns of the stability of the Morandi Bridge. Initially, the local authorities blamed heavy thunderstorms in the region for the mishap, but Conte clarified later that the investigators were working on the reason for the "structural failure" of the bridge. Genoa Mayor Marco Bucci said that the disaster was "not absolutely unexpected." Meanwhile, Italian President Sergio Mattarella has called for a "serious and severe examination of the causes" of the bridge collapse. On Tuesday, the head of the Italian Civil Protection Agency, Angelo Borrelli, confirmed that 13 people were injured in the incident, with the number of casualties expected to grow further. He added that around 30 vehicles and many heavy-duty trucks were present when the Morandi Bridge collapsed. The police had said that maintenance work was underway to consolidate parts of the bridge. The motorway bridge, which opened in 1968, is a major highway for residents and tourists in the city of Genoa. The route links the Italian coast with French coastal cities to the west, along the Mediterranean region. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The world on Thursday lost a 'Gentle Giant' with the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi after prolonged illness. He was 93. From President Ram Nath Kovind to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the politicos expressed grief over Vajpayee's demise. President Kovind wrote on Twitter, "Extremely sad to hear of the passing of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, our former Prime Minister and a true Indian statesman. His leadership, foresight, maturity and eloquence put him in a league of his own. Atalji, the Gentle Giant, will be missed by one and all #PresidentKovind." Prime Minister Modi described the passing away of his party's veteran as the "end of an era". "India grieves the demise of our beloved Atal Ji. His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP Karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness. Om Shanti," tweeted Prime Minister Modi. In a thread of emotional statements on the micro-blogging site, he further wrote, "It was Atal Ji's exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century. His futuristic policies across various sectors touched the lives of each and every citizen of India." Describing Vajpayee's death as "a personal loss", the Prime Minister further said, "Atal Ji's passing away is a personal and irreplaceable loss for me. I have countless fond memories with him. He was an inspiration to Karyakartas like me. I will particularly remember his sharp intellect and outstanding wit." Prime Minister Modi was an ardent admirer of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Describing the former Prime Minister's contribution to the formation of BJP, he added, "It was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atal Ji that the BJP was built brick by brick. He travelled across the length and breadth of India to spread the BJP's message, which led to the BJP becoming a strong force in our polity and in several states." Vice President Venkaiah Naidu described Vajpayee as "a true Indian" and said, "Never expected end will come so soon. He was a true Indian. He never hesitated to speak from his heart. He was the tallest leader in India post independence. Vajpayee ji is 'ajatshatru' of modern times because he always maintained dignity and decorum." The 93-year-old Vajpayee breathed his last at 5:05 pm here on Thursday. Announcing the demise, All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in a press release wrote, "Shri Vajpayee was admitted in AIIMS on 11.06.2018 and was stable in the last 9 weeks under the care of a team of AIIMS doctors. Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems. Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today." Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, "This is a very sad moment for us. Shortly his mortal remains will be taken to his residence where people can pay tribute to him." Expressing his grief, Rajnath tweeted, "Pained beyond words at the demise of Shri Atalji. He had cherished the ideal of a developed and powerful India in which all persons lived together in unity, peace and harmony." "Atalji was a true 'Ajatshatru' who had many friends across the political spectrum. He believed in political consensus and his beliefs had consequential effect on Indian politics," he further wrote. "In Atalji's demise the nation has lost a stalwart who was known for statesmanship and astute leadership. It is also a huge personal loss to me," the Home Minister tweeted, adding, "I am one of those millions of Indians who drew inspiration from Atalji's life and contribution. I cannot fully imagine my own life without following the footprints that Atalji set. May his soul rest in peace." Conference leader Omar Abdullah, who was MoS for External Affairs in the Vajpayee government, tweeted, "Vajpayee Sahib is no more & I feel a personal sense of loss at his passing. Thank you sir for the opportunities, for the trust you reposed in me, for the opportunities to travel with you & to learn from you. You will be greatly missed #AtalBihariVajpayee" "Words mean so little at a time like this but words are all we have to convey the deepest condolences to Gunu, to Neha, to Ranjan & the entire family. May God give you strength to bear this tremendous loss. #AtalBihariVajpayee," he added. Further details of his last rites are yet to be known. Fondly known as Atalji, means unyielding, Vajpayee was even unbending to death. He had been undergoing treatment for Urinary Tract Infection, low urine output and chest congestion at AIIMS since June 11. After being politically active for more than half a century, when he stepped down as the Prime Minister in 2004, Vajpayee kept a feeble health. Even when he was given India's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna in 2015, it was taken to his house as the charismatic leader was bed-ridden. Earlier, the AIIMS, in a press note released on late Wednesday, announced that Vajpayee's health had worsened and that he was on a life-support system. Shortly after attending the President's 'At Home' Reception function on the occasion of Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to the hospital to enquire about Vajpayee's health. Several leaders like his party chief Amit Shah, Union Ministers Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Jitendra Singh, Harsh Vardhan, Suresh Prabhu, Smriti Irani, since then made a beeline to the hospital. Vajpayee, who led the Democratic Alliance government from 1998 to 2004, was the first-ever member of the Bharatiya Janata Party to become India's Prime Minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rudy Giuliani, the lawyer of United States President Donald Trump, has urged special counsel of the US Department of Justice Robert Mueller to wrap up the investigation into an alleged Russian meddling during the 2016 presidential election by September. Taking to his Twitter handle, Giuliani cited a CNN poll saying that 66 per cent of the respondents want Mueller's legal team to complete the inquiry before the midterm elections in November. He added that the US Justice Department should require Mueller to submit the report by September 7. "CNN poll shows 66% say Mueller should complete his investigation before the upcoming elections. DOJ has the policy to refrain from investigatory activity in 60 day period before the election. DOJ should require Mueller to submit his report before September 7," Giuliani tweeted. In June, the Justice Department stated, in a report, that the 60-day rule "is not written or described in any Department policy or regulation" but the officials of the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had admitted "the existence of a general practice that informs Department decisions." In May, Giuliani claimed that Mueller wanted to shut down his investigation by September 1, though the latter did not confirm the proposed date. The 74-year-old Trump's lawyer said that Mueller could wrap up the probe if the US President sat for an interview with Mueller's team. Giuliani also urged the swift wrapping of the probe in the backdrop of former FBI Director James Comey revelation in the last days of the 2016 presidential race that he was reopening the investigation into then Democratic candidate nominee Hillary Clinton's email server, according to several media reports. Mueller is currently investigating the alleged Russian interference during the 2016 presidential election and a possible collusion between Russia and Trump's election campaign. Ever since the probe began, Trump has been a vocal critic of the same, saying that the investigation should never have been opened in the first place and repeatedly called it as a "rigged witch hunt." A January 2017 assessment by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) stated that the Russian leadership preferred Trump over Clinton and that Russian President Vladimir Putin had personally ordered an "influence campaign" to harm Clinton's electoral chances and "undermine public faith" in the US democratic process. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria bid goodbye to the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Bisariya who was an aide to Vajpayee from 1999 to 2004 (Private Secretary at Prime Minister Office) expressed his grief on the demise of his former boss. Referring to Vajpayee as 'the embodiment of a progressive vision of a 21st century India', Bisaria wrote in a Facebook post that the nation has lost one of the finest sons. "He believed in the of consensus and conciliation. The art of listening was his forte. He wanted a strong India but felt no risk was too great if it was for peace," the Indian envoy wrote. Remembering his days of association with the former Prime Minister Vajpayee, Bisaria said that he was a wonderful and inspiring boss with a 'healing and calming touch.' He also took to Twitter to write: "We've lost one of the nation's finest sons, an embodiment of a progressive vision for 21st century India. He was not just a globally respected statesman, but also a great, inspiring boss with a calming touch. It was a unique privilege to have worked in his team for five years." Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on Thursday at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) following a prolonged illness at the age of 93. The veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader was admitted to AIIMS on June 11 with complications arising out of Urinary Tract Infection, low urine output, and chest congestion. He was on life support since Wednesday morning after his condition deteriorated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday filed their nomination papers for the election of Prime Minister, slated to be held in the National Assembly (NA) on August 17. The newly-elected Speaker of the House, Asad Qaiser announced the process for the Prime Minister poll. He informed that the nomination papers could be filed till 2 pm (local time) on Thursday and the process of scrutiny would start after 3 pm (local time), Geo News reported. Last week, the PTI party announced that Khan would take oath as the new Pakistan Prime Minister at the President House in Islamabad on August 18. Qaiser, who sworn in as the new Speaker of the NA, secured 176 votes, compared to Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Khursheed Shah, who got 146 votes, the paper said. Out of the 330 votes cast in the election for the NA speaker, 322 of them were accepted, while eight votes were cancelled. Qaiser was administered the oath by outgoing Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. Meanwhile, Qasim Suri was elected as the new NA deputy speaker by bagging 183 votes out of 328 votes, compared to Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal's Asad Mahmood, who obtained 144 votes. The newly-elected speaker, Qaiser, administered the oath to Suri. Pakistan went to polls on July 25 and the PTI had emerged as the single largest party with 116 seats. The party has 158 members in the NA after the ECP issued notifications of the successful candidates on the reserved seats for women and the minority community on August 11. The Khan-led party reached the current figure after nine independent candidates joined and secured 33 seats reserved for the minorities and women. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Expressing grief over the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death, former President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday said that India has lost a great son and an era had come to an end. In an exclusive interview to ANI, former President Pranab Mukherjee said: "No doubt that the country will be poorer in the loss of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was like a colossus for almost six decades. I pay my deepest regards for this great son of India. Though he was suffering for a long time I did not believe that the end will come. Fate snatched him away from us. He carried conviction with everybody." Echoing similar views, former Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari asserted that Vajpayee will be remembered for a long time. "Atal Bihari Vajpayee was an eminent statesman known for his wisdom moderation intact. His way of communication was unique and made him extremely popular. This kind of a person comes once in a blue moon. He will be remembered for a long time," Ansari said. The 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran breathed his last at 5:05 pm on Thursday, here at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) following a prolonged illness. Vajpayee, who led the Democratic Alliance government from 1998 to 2004, was the first-ever member of the Bharatiya Janata Party to become India's Prime Minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed grief over the demise of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said that 'India has lost its 'Atal Ratna'. Highlighting Vajpayee's service towards the country, Prime Minister Modi said, "We have lost our inspiration. We have lost an 'Atal Ratna'. The personality of Atal ji and the sadness due to his demise can't be described in words. He was a wonderful orator, a prolific writer and he dutifully served our country." "I have lost a father figure today. Atal Ji taught me valuable aspects about Sangathan and Shaasan. Through his leadership and struggles, Atal Ji strengthened the Jana Sangh and the BJP. He took these parties to every part of India," Prime Minister Modi added. Further remembering Vajpayee, the Prime Minister asserted that "the thoughts, ideals and words of Atal Ji will always remain with us and inspire us". The 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran breathed his last at 5:05 pm on Thursday, here at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) following a prolonged illness. Vajpayee, who led the Democratic Alliance government from 1998 to 2004, was the first-ever member of the Bharatiya Janata Party to become India's Prime Minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Thursday offered condolence at the demise of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said the best way to honour the "towering leader" is by establishing peace between India and Pakistan. In a statement, Khan said Vajpayee was a known and respected political personality of the subcontinent and his attempts for the betterment of India-Pakistan relationship will always be remembered. He added that Vajpayee, as a Foreign Minister, took the responsibility of improving India-Pakistan ties. "As Prime Minister, Vajpayee sahab took the initiative to further improving Indo- Pakistan relations. With the death of Vajpayee sahab, South Asian now left with a huge political vacuum. There can be political differences but both sides of the border want peace. It is only through establishing peace that we can really honour the legacy of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In this moment of grief following the demise of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, I stand with the people of India," Khan said in a statement. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Foreign office in a condolence message said that Vajpayee will be remembered as a renowned statesman who contributed to bringing a change in India-Pakistan relations. "We have learnt with sadness the passing away of Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister of India, who was undergoing treatment in a hospital in New Delhi. Mr. Vajpayee was a renowned statesman who contributed to bringing a change in India-Pakistan relations and remained a key supporter of SAARC and regional cooperation for development. The Government and people of Pakistan extend their heartfelt condolences to his family and to the Government and people of India," the Pakistan Foreign Office statement said. In his efforts to bring peace between the two countries, Vajpayee had travelled to Lahore in the inaugural Delhi-Lahore bus service on February 19, 1999 to attend the Lahore Summit. Vajpayee was received at Wagah by then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A judge has now asked Hollywood star Angelina Jolie to let estranged husband Brad Pitt visit their six children before court settles the custody issue once and for all. Page Six reported that, after the judge intervened, the 'Salt' star allowed Brad Pitt to visit their children for four hours on school days and 12 hours for holidays. Earlier, Jolie had accused Pitt of being a careless father, to which the latter said that he had filed for a loan of 8 million USD to help the former buy a house. August 21 has now been set as the next date of hearing. As of now, financial documents are yet to be exchanged between the two since it is a routine for any divorce settlements around the world. The former power couple were together since 2004 and tied the knot in August 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gunmen attacked military training centre in Qala-e-Wazir in Kabul city on Thursday, reported Tolo News. According to Aljazeera, the assault which is currently underway started at approximately 10.15am local time. There is no report of any casualty or injury as yet. No group has claimed the responsibility of the attack so far. The attack comes a day after a suicide bombing at an educational centre in Dasht-e-Barchi in the west of the Afghan capital claimed lives of 48 people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trump signs the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act at Fort Drum, New York, on August 13, 2018. Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images When President Donald Trump signed the $716 billion John S. McCain, Jr. National Defense Authorization Act into law on Monday, far too little coverage was devoted to the contents of that bill and far too much to Trumps petty refusal during the signing ceremony to even mention the ailing senator after whom the bill is styled. The right-wing press and particularly neoconservatives were salivating over the bill, which provides for expanding the armed forces by over 15,000 soldiers, a 2.6 percent pay raise for those soldiers, and $7.6 billion for another 77 F-35 fighter jets of dubious utility, among other very expensive things. Trump used the ceremony to tout his plans for a Space Force; the bill does not provide for establishing an entire new branch of the armed forces, as the president wants, but does create a space command under U.S. Strategic Command. (Lawfare provides a detailed summary of the bills various provisions, for anyone who wants to get into the weeds of it.) The bills enormous price tag was not, however, the most distressing feature of Mondays events. That would be the signing statement the White House issued after Trump signed the NDAA, in which the president informed Congress that he intends to ignore or override 51 sections of the bill that he sees as infringing upon his constitutional powers. The bill includes a number of provisions meant to inform or direct policy toward specific countries, many of which Trump rejected. These include a ban on funding any activity that recognizes the sovereignty of the Russian Federation over Crimea and restrictions on bilateral military-to-military cooperation with Russia. Trumps signing statement announced that he would not abide by these provisions: a move sure to raise some eyebrows. The signing statement also balks at provisions related to the conflict in Yemen, in which the U.S. is supporting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates while they bomb children and cut deals with Al Qaeda. The Pentagon has been providing aerial refueling of planes and intelligence support to the Saudi-led coalition, and the Trump administration is facing growing pressure from Congress to explain whether we are aiding and abetting war crimes. To that end, the NDAA includes a provision that would require the secretary of Defense to either authorize that the coalition is making good-faith efforts to pursue a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, reduce risk to civilians, and alleviate the humanitarian situation; or cease assisting in this operation. Of course, our allies are doing none of the above. Other sections that the president intends to disregard call for the appointment of an officer to develop standards for tracking and reducing civilian casualties resulting from U.S. military operations, and limit the Pentagons authorization to reduce the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles we have deployed around the world and the number of active-duty military personnel stationed in South Korea. Trump also objected to a provision barring the appropriation of funds for closing or transferring detainees out of the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay. This he has no intention of doing, so here he is objecting on principle to Congress telling him what to do about Guantanamo. While his predecessor Barack Obama also objected to similar provisions in NDAAs during his presidency, he nonetheless abided by them. One puzzling and troubling aspect of Trumps signing statement, as Fred Kaplan points out at Slate, is that many of the provisions it nixes are not policy directives at all, but rather requests for information, such as for the president to report whether he has enacted sanctions authorized in last years NDAA against individuals and entities who have contributed to Russias violations of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Congress also wants reports on North Koreas missile program, Chinese military developments, U.S. counterterrorism operations, civilian casualties in Yemen, and the total number of U.S. soldiers currently deployed in foreign countries. Per his statement Monday night, Trump and his administration will give them none of this information, arguing that these provisions compel the president to reveal information protected by executive privilege, require him to receive certification from Congress prior to commencing certain military or diplomatic actions, or purport to dictate the position of the United States in external military and foreign affairs. These requirements, Trump contends, violate his powers as commander-in-chief. Thats one of several theories of constitutional law undergirding Trumps signing statement, some of which have a bit of Supreme Court precedent behind them, but not much. The commander-in-chief objection was used extensively by George W. Bush, much less by Obama. So far, Trump has used signing statements in a manner mostly similar to how his predecessors used them. His idiosyncratic innovation has been in attaching them to nonbinding resolutions, such as the statement he issued after signing an anti-racism resolution in response to last years violent white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which was bizarrely equivocal on exactly what or whom he actually meant to condemn. How far Trump will go in defying Congresss will vis-a-vis the defense bill remains to be seen, but really, it was inevitable that he would abuse the power of the signing statement, because that power is itself abusive. When Bush began regularly appending signing statements to legislation as an alternative to the line-item veto the Supreme Court had ruled unconstitutional (most notoriously to override a ban on torture enacted in 2005), constitutional scholars warned that this represented a dangerous expansion of executive powers. When Obama continued to employ them in this manner, his progressive critics rightly lambasted him for doing so, pointing out that even if he was using this power to good ends, the next guy wouldnt. Sure enough, the next guy turned out to be Donald Trump. If the Democrats win majorities in the legislature this fall, they may well sue the president over signing statements like this one, especially if his administration really insists on withholding information from lawmakers to which they are clearly entitled. Thats one good reason why they are insisting on reviewing testimony Trumps Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh gave to Congress in 2006 about Bushs signing statements and his role as White House staff secretary in producing them. Kavanaugh has more recently expressed the opinion that it is acceptable for presidents to disobey acts of Congress if they have a reasonable constitutional objection to them. If and when he is seated on the court, there is a good chance he will rule on this issue, and knowing what we do about how Trump thinks, the president likely believes his nominee will rule in his favor. Some of the targeted provisions in this years defense bill indicate that even Republican legislators recognize the dangers of letting this president exercise unchecked power in the diplomatic and military arenas. The brazen disregard for the separation of powers displayed in this signing statement should persuade them to finally take a stand against Trump, but at this point, theres little reason to hope they will. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday informed that the situation prevailing in the state is very serious as nearly all villages are flood affected. The Chief Minister also informed that more helicopters will be deployed soon for the rescue operation in flood-hit Kerala. "Very serious situation is prevailing in the state as nearly all villages are flood affected. I had a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister, Home Minister and Defence Minister, they have offered all support. More helicopters to be deployed soon," Vijayan said. Vijayan further informed that the water level in the Periyar and Chalakudy rivers will rise and people living within a one kilometre-radius must rehabilitate immediately. "Alert: the water-level in both Periyar and Chalakudy rivers will rise. People in one kilometre radius of Chalakudy, and those inside half kilometre radius of Aluva, must evacuate the place immediately," the Chief Minister tweeted. Kerala has been witnessing incessant rains since past few days, causing flooding and landslide in the state. So far, at least 73 people have lost their lives in the havoc. As the flood situation is getting worse by the day, the Centre has launched massive rescue and relief operations in the state. Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been asked to mobilise additional manpower, boats and helicopters to scale up the rescue and relief operations. Food packets and drinking water are also being rushed. Twelve more teams of Disaster Response Force (NDRF) - six from Delhi and six from Gandhinagar - are being airlifted to Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. 18 teams are already deployed in the state. Earlier today, NDRF teams evacuated 926 persons to a safer place at Pathamithitta, Kozzhikode, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Alappuzha. Army also built a 35-feet long bridge and rescued around 100 people including children and senior citizens from Malampuzha's Valiyakadu village. The Indian Coast Guard has also mobilised ten teams to assist District Disaster Management Authority in evacuating people from the flood-affected areas. The Coast Guard relief teams have been placed at Patanamthitta, Munanbam, Aranmula, Idukki, Ferok-Calicut, and Allepy respectively whereas two relief teams each have been dispatched for Aluva and Chengannur. The teams are equipped with Gemini Boats for evacuating the stranded people especially women, children and senior citizens. Meanwhile, Indo-Tibetan Border Police jawans rescued senior citizens in Arattupuzha village of Thrissur district. Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to the Kerala Chief Minister to discuss flood situation in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On the seventh day of Operation Madad, Southern Naval Command deployed 21 rescue and diving teams with Gemini boats in flood-hit Kerala as the monsoon has intensified in the state. As the flood situation in the state is deteriorating day-by-day, a total of four teams went out on Wednesday to augment those already deployed in the areas. More than 81 people were rescued yesterday and many of them were also provided with food and shelter by setting up a rescue camp. Overall, five naval teams with five Gemini boats were deployed at different places in Wayanad district. Two teams were at Thalapuzha, and one team each at Porunnannur, Anchukunnu and Wayanad respectively. The Wayanad team was employed for assisting the civil administration in distribution of relief material and vehicle management while the other four teams were deployed in general rescue operations. Seven teams with one Gemini boat each are deployed in Ernakulam district at various places. One team is set up on Pizhala Island and is continuously patrolling the flood-hit area. The team has been interacting with the inhabitants of the island and providing assurances for their safety. One team stationed at Edapally under the District Collector, Ernakulam has rescued two persons till now from flooded houses at Kunnukara. Three teams deployed around Perumbavur were able to rescue in excess of 45 stranded personnel and is carrying out further relief operations. Two diving teams have been sent to North Paravur to undertake rescue operations. Subsequently, based on request received from District Collector, these two teams along with four more teams have proceeded to Aluva for augmenting rescue efforts there in light of the Periyar being in spate. As the flooding was reported near Varapuzha residential area, a primary school has been turned into a relief camp by Naval Armament Depot (NAD) wherein relocation of rescued persons is in progress. Meals and lodging arrangements for rescued people have been arranged from the pooled resources of Defence Services Corps (DSC), NAD and the civil administration. A Medical Inspection (MI) room 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 Naval Base, Kochi to meet any other requirement. Also, the naval hospital, INHS Sanjivani is prepared and standing by with medical brick (packages) to provide medical aid, while INS Venduruthy is standing by for setting up community kitchen. So far, at least 67 people have lost their lives in the havoc created by incessant rains in Kerala. On Wednesday morning, Indian Meteorological Department had issued a red alert for eight districts of the state. It had predicted heavy to very heavy rains at most places in Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasargode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki and Ernakulam Districts until Thursday. (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 has hailed the police for using modern technology to control crimes in the state. Taking one more step towards providing safety to the people, the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister on Wednesday launched Dial 100 Mobile app, which will help the needy at the time of emergency. According to Chouhan, as soon as police receive the call through Dial 100 application, Madhya Pradesh Police will reach the location as soon as possible. In the launching event of the application, Chouhan said, "Technology like CCTV cameras turned to be useful for police to nab the accused in any case. I congratulate Madhya Pradesh Police for using modern technology for keeping the state safe by controlling crimes. Modern technology has played a major role for arresting rapists in rape cases." Meanwhile, Chouhan also said that other states are getting inspired from Madhya Pradesh in dealing with rape cases of minors. He added that according to his sources, Union Minister Rajnath Singh has written to the Chief Ministers of other states to study how Madhya Pradesh is able to deal with rape cases of minors in short span of time. "I am told that PM in his speech mentioned about death penalty that was given to rapists of minors in 2 incidents that took place, recently. I have come to know that Rajnath ji has written to the Chief Ministers of other states to study how we were able to do this in short span of time," he said. The Chief Minister also announced that more CCTV cameras would be installed outside schools or public and private areas. Last year, Madhya Pradesh assembly had passed 'The Penal Law (Madhya Pradesh Amendment) Bill-2017' awarding death penalty to convicts found guilty of raping girls aged 12 or below. In an another event after unfurling the flag at the Independence Day function in the Motilal Nehru Stadium in Bhopal, the Chief Minister had said, "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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif has claimed that the country's caretaker government was involved in rigging during the general elections on July 25. Holding the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) responsible for not taking steps to prevent rigging, Sharif said, "No one should have doubts we will hold all parties responsible for rigging in elections. The Election Commission of Pakistan has proven to be unsuccessful. We will unveil rigging in the elections." He added that if the rigging allegations were proven, then Pakistan Prime Minister-designate Imran Khan should step down, Geo News reported. Taking to his Twitter handle, the PML-N President said that all the opposition parties in Pakistan would ensure that all rigging allegations would be probed properly. "We joined the assemblies to record our protest on the rigging & manipulation of GE2018. We will make sure that all rigging instances are duly probed & the people's mandate is safeguarded. We will play our role to strengthen democratic traditions & uphold the civilian supremacy," Sharif tweeted. Meanwhile, PML-N leader and Sharif's son Hamza Shehbaz took a dig at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, saying that those who are chanting "Naya Pakistan" slogan were the ones who began horse trading. He added that he dislikes the of reconciliation and stated the PML-N would play the role of a strong opposition in the House. Earlier, the PML-N members on Wednesday raised slogans in the National Assembly (NA) against the PTI party, which has bagged maximum seats in the recently-concluded general elections. At the beginning of this month, anti-Pakistan 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)." The PTI has 158 members in the NA after the ECP issued notifications of the successful candidates on the reserved seats for women and the minority community on August 11. The Khan-led party reached the current figure after nine independent candidates joined and secured 33 seats reserved for the minorities and women, as per The Dawn report. While the PML-N secured 82 seats in the NA after the party bagged 18 reserved seats for women and minorities, the PPP bagged 53 seats in the NA after it was allotted 11 reserved seats. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday morning spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan to discuss flood situation in the state. He also asked the Defence Ministry to step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. "Spoke to Kerala CM Shri Pinarayi Vijayan again this morning. We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala," he tweeted. Kerala has been witnessing incessant rain since past few days, causing flooding and landslide in the state. So far, at least 67 people have lost their lives in the havoc. As the flood situation continues to grow worse in the state, rising level of water in Muttom Metro Yard area led to the suspension of train services at Kochi Metro on Thursday. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation bus services have also been stopped from Chamarajanagar district for Tamil Nadu's Ooty and Kerala's Kochi. Taking note of the crisis, Southern Naval Command has suspended all training activities to support in the flood relief operations as requested by Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA). All resources have been mobilised for rescue and relief efforts in Ernakulam and Trichur cities in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Assam Register of Citizens (NRC) coordinator to provide it with the data of district-wise percentage of population excluded from the NRC draft in the state. A two-judge bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi and also comprising of Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, sought the response of all the stakeholders including All Assam Students Union, All Assam Minority Students Union on the Centre's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in this regard. The Apex Court also directed Assam co-coordinator of the Register for Citizens (NRC) Prateek Hajela to make available the copies of draft NRC to general public of the state. The Top Court further told that claims and objections in connection with the Assam NRC issue will be accepted from August 30. The court will hear the matter next on August 28. Earlier on August 7, the Supreme Court held Hajela and Registrar General of India guilty of contempt of court, reprimanding them for making statements to media on the NRC Assam modalities when nothing had been informed to the court. The second draft, which was released on July 30, included names of 2.89 crore people, out of 3.29 crore applicants in Assam, leaving out names of nearly 40 lakh people. On July 31, the court, while the hearing case, observed that the process of filing objections by those whose names were not listed in the NRC draft should be fair. A division bench of the Top Court also directed the Centre to prepare standard operating procedure (SOP) for claims and objections. The NRC draft for Assam features the names, addresses and photographs of all Indian citizens residing in the state of Assam before March 25, 1971. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka are sending their special representatives to attend the funeral of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 93 after a prolonged illness. Vajpayee, who was the country's 10th Prime Minister, will be laid to rest at the Smriti Sthal on Friday afternoon. According to Dunya News, Pakistan is planning to send its envoy to attend Vajpayee's funeral procession. Pakistan's acting Law and Information Minister Ali Zafar is likely to attend the last rites of former Indian prime minister. Sri Lanka's Department of Government Information confirmed that the country's acting foreign affairs minister Lakshman Kiriella would grace his presence at the funeral service of 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart, as the special envoy of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. According to The Himalayan Times, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's Press Advisor Kundan Aryal said that the country's foreign minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali would leave for New Delhi on Friday to attend late Vajpayee's last rites, representing the Government of Nepal. In a statement, Bangladesh's foreign ministry also announced that AH Mahmood Ali would be visiting New Delhi to be present at Vajpayee's funeral, bdnews24.com reported. The 93-year-old veteran breathed his last at 5:05 pm on Thursday at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in New Delhi. Vajpayee was admitted to AIIMS on June 11 with complications arising out of Urinary Tract Infection, low urine output, and chest congestion. He was on life support since Wednesday morning after his condition deteriorated. Vajpayee, who led the Democratic Alliance government from 1998 to 2004, was the first-ever member of the to become India's Prime Minister. The Central and all state governments have declared a seven-day holiday. United States President Donald Trump has cancelled the security clearance of former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director John Brennan, who used to deride the former on various issues. In a statement, Trump blamed Brennan, a former government official, of using his post for making "unfounded and outrageous" charges against the government, The Hill reported. "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 very aim of our adversaries, which is to sow division and chaos," the US President elucidated. He added, "As the head of the executive branch and the commander in chief, I have a unique constitutional responsibility to protect the nation's classified information, including by controlling access to it." Brennan has been a vocal critic of the US President, engaging in a war-of-words on Twitter on a regular basis, particularly on Trump's presidency. Trump's decision to revoke Brennan's security clearance came after the White House announced last month that the US President was considering to withdraw the status on the latter and other intelligence officials, who were criticising the administration, the report said. Currently, Trump is considering to revoke the security clearances on several officials, which includes former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey, former National Security Advisor Susan Rice, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and former FBI agent Peter Strzok to name a few. The US President continued that the conduct of Brennan and critics of the Trump administration "raises questions about the practice of former officials maintaining access to our nation's sensitive secrets long after their time in government has ended." Last month, Brennan termed Trump's comments on Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential polls as "nothing short of treasonous. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The White House has asserted that the trade tariffs on Turkey would remain in place, even if American pastor Andrew Brunson, who is detained for terrorism charges, is freed. At a weekly press briefing, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that the tariffs are "specific to national security,"Anadolu News Agency reported. "The US will consider the removal of the sanctions that have been placed on Turkey and are 'specific to pastor Brunson and others' when the aforesaid people are released," Sanders said. Last week, US President Donald Trump began the trade war with Turkey by slapping double tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminium imports, amid the collapse of the Turkish currency lira by 20 per cent in the last month due to the growing economic crisis in the country. Subsequently, Ankara imposed tariffs on certain American goods and products amounting to USD 1.8 billion. Sanders continued, "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. Theirs are out of retaliation." Earlier today, Ankara unveiled a second set of tariffs on several US products such as cars, tobacco, pulses and alcohol. Turkish officials said that they increased duties on other American goods. In a statement, Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan was quoted by The Hill as saying, "In response to deliberated and continued trade tensions, Turkey has again raised tariffs on key US imports. Trade wars help no one, but Turkey will do what is necessary to protect our industries and economy from assault." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday called for boycotting electronic goods made in the US. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India] Aug 16 (ANI): Atal Bihari Vajpayee was an outstanding Prime Minister, a leader who liked to take others along. This is the reason why Vajpayee could lead a coalition of 24 parties, a coalition that remained happy with his leadership because he was very democratic in his approach. Vajpayee genuinely wanted to have a dialogue with the people of Kashmir. He believed a solution was possible. He used to speak from the heart when it came to the Kashmiris. He used say Kashmiris are "our own people" so "insaaniyat ki daayre mein (within the boundaries of humanity)" talks would take place. Despite the Pahalgam killings, he went there for a press conference. A question was asked on it and Vajpayee's response came straight from his heart. I remember it clearly since I was there anchoring the airport press conference next to the helicopter hangar. He is still loved in Kashmir for that statement. He believed that if Kashmir was sorted out then he could deal with Pakistan. Despite the bitter experience of Kargil conflict, Vajpayee wanted to improve relations with Pakistan. He held talks with Pakistan's then President Pervez Musharraf to find a solution. Talks failed at Agra in 2001, but even then he continued his efforts. He wanted to improve relations with China, and he wanted peace at home. All minorities had faith in his leadership. He wanted general peace in the country, so that India could focus more on economic development. He also wanted India to be powerful, and that is why he went for nuclear tests in 1998. That was a major step. He took economic growth seriously, and the economic growth was about 8-9 per cent at that time. As a Prime Minister, Vajpayee never imposed any restrictions on the press. As a media advisor, I can vouch for that. He never complained about the press and I was never asked to talk to anyone for any interference. After all, I too was a journalist when he invited me to become his media advisor. Vajpayee was very responsive to criticism. "What is behind criticism? What are the points they have made?" he would always ask and counter those points with facts but not curb the dissenting voice. He was a thorough democrat and a humanist. That is why when PV Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister, he asked Vajpayee to go to the International Human Rights Commission, when India was being criticised everyday over human rights issues in Kashmir. He (Rao) asked Vajpayee, who was the Opposition leader, to lead the delegation instead of asking Congress leader Salman Khurshid. Vajpayee had a great sense of humour and was very witty. Combined with wit and arguments, his Parliament speeches were the best. He used to be a fierce critic of Jawaharlal Nehru's China policy. But when Nehru died, the best speech on the leader was made by none other than Vajpayee. Incidentally, in one of his earlier speeches, Nehru told Vajpayee that one day "you could be the Prime Minister". Though bitter in criticism, Vajpayee never hit his opponents below the belt. (ANI) (Journalist HK Dua was the media advisor of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Photo: Courtesy Soma I wouldnt say Im a coffee snob, but if Im going to take the time to make my own cup of coffee, I want it to be as good as possible. My pursuit of the perfect brew is why Im the owner of several coffee makers, my favorite of method of which is a pour-over coffee setup. But even though I have a lovely glass coffee carafe that pairs perfectly with my Hario-style brewer from Blue Bottle, most mornings, I brew straight into a travel mug so I can drink it at the office. My penchant for taking my coffee to-go is why Ive been drawn to portable coffee makers, those all-in-one gadgets that let you brew into and drink from the same vessel. I love the idea of streamlining my morning coffee routine to a single gadget, but its been tricky to figure out which type is the best. The trick, of course, is that the best portable coffee maker really depends on what style of coffee you like drinking, since different portable coffee makers have different advantages and downsides but as a dedicated coffee junkie, here are four of my favorite ways to make coffee on the go. Best French-press portable coffee maker Bodum Travel Press $37 now 19% off $30 This Bodum travel press works just like a full-size French-press coffee maker and thats great if you like French-press coffee. I, personally, dont. (Some people say French-press coffee is more mellow and less acidic, but I find it muddy.) But despite my antiFrench press bias, I can acknowledge that this thermos makes solid French-press coffee because it works exactly like a French-press. And one benefit about this setup over a traditional French-press is that you dont have to wait around for the coffee to finish brewing before you leave the house. You pour in the hot water, slap on the lid with the plunger still up, and get out of the kitchen. Just push the plunger down when its time to do it, no matter where you are even if its in a subway car, as one former co-worker of mine used to do. But the built-in plunger, though convenient, is also a dead giveaway that your thermos isnt a regular thermos, so if youre looking for discretion, this might not be the mug for you. Also, as with any French-press coffee maker, be prepared to deal with a mess of grounds at the end. But even if it looks a little dorky, I would recommend the Bodum Travel Press if you like French-press coffee and wish you had more time to make it in the morning. $30 at Amazon Buy $30 at Amazon Buy Most versatile portable coffee maker Bobble Presse Stainless Steel Travel Mug $23 For a more discreet, French-press-style mug, I like the Bobble Presse. Youd never know by looking at it that this travel mug has a built-in brewer, but it does, made of perforated metal that fits perfectly inside the double-walled stainless-steel mug. Instead of pressing down on a plunger, you push the whole filter into the thermos after you let the grounds steep. Unlike the Bodum, you need to wait for the coffee to finish brewing before you can plunge and go but unlike the Bodum, you can fully remove the metal microfilter from the rig and use it as a traditional travel mug. Thats why this is a solid option for people who want to bring a cup of homemade coffee to work in the morning, as well as a thermos for their afternoon caffeinated pick-me-up from the cafe around the corner. $23 at Target Buy Best pour-over portable coffee maker Soma SM18501K Brew Bottle Coffee $40 The Soma Brew Bottle is the most expensive portable coffee maker on this list, but its also the only portable coffee maker Ive used that makes pretty good pour-over coffee without a separate filter or dripper. Its also been pretty lauded among coffee nerds, having won an award for best new product at this years Speciality Coffee Expo (and recently called out by my editor as an item on her wishlist) so when Soma sent me a sample, I was excited to test it out. According to Somas instructions, all you have to do is, Pour hot water over ground coffee, put the lid on, and get ready to tackle your day, and for the most part, making good pour-over coffee in this thermos is really that straightforward. (I would just advise you to grind your coffee a little coarser than you might for traditional pour-over and to be slow with your pour; I had a bit of an overflow situation the first time I tried it, because the metal filter was smaller than I anticipated.) The glass thermos itself has a nice heft to it, as well, closer the feel of a ceramic mug than a travel mug, and the metal filter is easy to remove from the casing and clean out. I plan on keeping this one at my desk, so I can make pour-over coffee in the office with minimal mess. You can also use it to make cold brew, overnight, or steep tea, if thats what you prefer. $40 at Food52 Buy Best portable cold-brew coffee maker get the strategist newsletter Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and exclusive discounts. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission. Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to enquire about the health of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is on a life-support system. This is the Prime Minister's second visit to the hospital in less than 24 hours. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah, who went to see the ailing leader earlier in the day, again made a round of the hospital in the afternoon. Various political leaders cutting across party lines have been rushing to the AIIMS since yesterday after the former Prime Minister's condition worsened. The BJP stalwart was admitted to the AIIMS on June 11 for the treatment of Urinary Tract Infection, low urine output and chest congestion. Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, who went to see the ailing Vajpayee, said, "We all should pray for his recovery. We should not forget that he is a leader who wanted to make the country strong. He wanted peace not only in our country but the whole world." Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also expressed concerns about Vajpayee's dropping health. He tweeted, "Saddened to hear about the critical health condition of Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. Praying for his speedy recovery." Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reminisced working with Vajpayee, and said that the news of his health has distressed him. Patnaik is scheduled see the bed-ridden leader later in the day. He said, "I served as a member of his cabinet for two years, to hear about his health is distressing. He is a great leader and to work under him was a very good experience. I would be flying to Delhi today." Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has also reached New Delhi to enquire about Vajpayee's condition. Various Chief Ministers including Mamata Banerjee, Yogi Adityanath, and Nitish Kumar are also expected at AIIMS. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Fifteen years after he addressed the nation one last time from the ramparts of Red Fort, he bade the world a painful goodbye. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of the most charismatic leaders, is no more. The former prime minister breathed his last on Thursday after a prolonged illness at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS). He was 93. Vajpayee, India's 10th Prime Minister, was admitted to the hospital on June 11 after complaints of Urinary Tract Infection, low urine output and chest congestion. Born on December 25, 1924, in Uttar Pradesh's Gwalior, Vajpayee was an Indian politician who served as the Prime Minister of India between 1996 and 2004 in three non-consecutive terms. He was a member of Parliament for over four decades, and was among the founding members of the erstwhile Bharatiya Jana Sangh which he also headed from 1968 to 1972. When the Janata government collapsed, he restructured the Jana Sangh into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980 and became the party's first president. Vajpayee was also the first ever person from the BJP to have become the Prime Minister. In fact, several years before he became India's Prime Minister, former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had once commented that Vajpayee will one day become Prime Minister. India under the governance of Vajpayee had witnessed major historic events like in May 1998, India conducted underground nuclear tests in Rajasthan's Pokhran desert. The tests were held just a month after the government had been in power. The victory of three-month-long Kargil War bolstered the image of Vajpayee and he was hailed across the country for his bold and strong leadership. A vocal politician on the issue of Kashmir, Vajpayee made sincere efforts to normalise relations between India and Pakistan. He travelled to Pakistan on Delhi-Lahore Bus Service in its inaugural run on February 19, 1999 to attend the Lahore Summit. Vajpayee was received at Wagah by then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. However, the warmth and bonhomie of this was shortlived as just three months later in May, the Pakistani Army led by its then chief Pervez Musharraf, orchestrated an attack on India in Kargil sector without the knowledge of Sharif to sabotage India-Pakistan relations. In 2016, Sharif conceded that intrusion in Kargil by Pakistan was an act of 'backstabbing' Vajpayee who had extended hand for friendship. Later, at the Agra Summit with Musharraf in 2001, Vajpayee stood firm on his position and refused to make compromises to save relations on the issue of Kashmir. His tough stand eventually saw Musharraf going back empty handed as the talks had failed. Vajpayee was conferred the nation's highest civilian honour -- Bharat Ratna -- by the President of India in 2014. Incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi government in 2014 declared Vajpayee's birthday, 25 December, as 'Good Governance Day'. In his personal life, Vajpayee was a versatile poet and a writer. He was fond of food, Indian music, dance and loved nature. One of his favourite retreats was Manali in Himachal Pradesh. About this, Vajpayee said: "My poetry is a declaration of war, not an exordium to defeat. It is not the defeated soldier's drumbeat of despair, but the fighting warrior's will to win. It is not the dispirited voice of dejection but the stirring shout of victory." . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi paid a warm tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee after the stalwart politician breathed his last at the age of 93. "I am deeply saddened by the passing away of Sh. Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Shri Vajpayee was a towering figure in our life. Throughout his life, he stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts, whether as a parliamentarian, a cabinet minister, or Prime Minister of India," Sonia said in a statement. Hailing that his "warm friendship won him admirers and friends across the political spectrum and from every walk of life", she mentioned that Vajpayee's "death leaves behind a huge void". She added, "I join millions of our fellow Indians in mourning his loss and pray for the departed soul." Earlier, Vajpayee's successor Dr. Manmohan Singh also paid a heart-touching tribute. Manmohan described Vajpayee as one of "the tallest leaders of modern India" and "his services to our nation will be remembered for a long time to come." Vajpayee, who was the country's 10th Prime Minister, will be laid to rest at the Smriti Sthal on Friday afternoon. The Central and all state governments have declared a seven-day holiday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Recalling his memories with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Yoga Guru Ramdev on Thursday said that the former lived for the country and his works will never be forgotten. Speaking to the reporters here, Ramdev said, "I met Vajpayee ji in 2005 for the first time.he showed his interest in yoga and was keen to learn more about it. He was one man who worked with vision and dedication towards the development of the country. He always lived for the country and his works will never be forgotten." "He will be remembered for contributing towards good governance and for highlighting issues affecting the common people of India as well as for regional peace and prosperity. His tireless work for the welfare of the people of India will inspire future generations of leaders," Ramdev added. Leaders, ministers and ambassadors all across the world expressed grief over the loss of former Prime Minister. The 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran breathed his last at 5:05 pm on Thursday, here at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) following a prolonged illness. Vajpayee, who led the Democratic Alliance government from 1998 to 2004, was the first-ever member of the Bharatiya Janata Party to become India's Prime Minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the country mourns the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Central Government has announced a seven-day state mourning throughout the country. The tri-colour will be flown at half-mast during the time. BJP President Amit Shah addressed reporters, saying, "At 9 am tomorrow his mortal remains will be taken to BJP headquarters and at 1 pm his last journey will begin. Funeral will be held at 4 pm at Smriti Sthal." The BJP veteran's body will be kept at his residence in New Delhi tonight. The body will then be taken to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters at 11, Ashoka Road. Vajpayee's funeral procession will take place at Smriti Sthal at 1:30 pm on Friday afternoon. Terming Vajpayee's loss an irreparable one, Shah further said, "He was multifaceted. The nation has lost a tall leader, BJP lost its first President, crores of youth lost their inspiration. It is impossible to fill that void". The state governments have also decided to pay a rich tribute to the party stalwart and poet-politician. The Uttar Pradesh government has declared a public holiday on Friday. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has also called for a seven-day mourning and a public holiday. Similarly, the Jharkhand Government has declared a seven-day mourning in memory of Vajpayee. Other states like Bihar and Haryana have also declared a public holiday. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had been admitted to the AIIMS hospital in New Delhi for the past few weeks, died on Thursday. He was 93. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reacting to the passing away of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee here on Thursday after prolonged illness, his successor Dr. Manmohan Singh described him as one of "the tallest leaders of modern India". "I have learnt with profound sorrow about the sad demise of Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. An excellent orator, an impressive poet, an exceptional Public Servant, an outstanding Parliamentarian and a great Prime Minister, Shri Vajpayee ji stood among the tallest leaders of modern India, who spent his whole life serving our great country. His services to our nation will be remembered for a long time to come," he said in a statement. The 93-year-old Vajpayee breathed his last at 5:05 pm here on Thursday. Announcing the demise, All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in a press release wrote, "Shri Vajpayee was admitted in AIIMS on 11.06.2018 and was stable in the last 9 weeks under the care of a team of AIIMS doctors. Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems. Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today." Saying that India has lost a great son, Congress president Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter, "Former PM Atal Bihari Vaajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family and all his admirers. We will miss him." Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav said, "It is a big loss for the country. He was a very simple man inspite of being such a senior leader. There was not even a shred of arrogance in him. Current leaders need to learn a lot from him." Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar condoled the demise of the BJP veteran and said, "We lost great statesman and great son of India. As PM he worked above party ideology to uphold Democratic values and its institutions. He shown utmost respect to the opposition parties & its leaders and had always appreciated their work whenever needed. Thousands of his admirers will miss. GPCC expresses deep condolences to his family." The Central Government has announced seven-day state mourning throughout India. During this period the flag will be flown at half mast throughout the country, where its regularly flown. State funeral will also be accorded to the former Prime Minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The diplomatic corps in India offered condolences on the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Referring to Vajpayee as a 'great statesman', ambassador of Russia to India, Nikolay Kudashev, said Vajpayee was an integral part of Indian and was a respected personality in India as well as globally. "We knew him also as a poet, a man of knowledge and a true friend of our country, where he is well-known as one of the architects of our long-lasting and time-tested privileged strategic partnership," Kudashev said. United Kingdom High Commissioner to India Dominic Asquith expressed grief over the death of Vajpayee and termed him as 'one of India's greatest leaders.' "We are saddened by the passing of former Prime Minister of India Shri #AtalBihariVajpayee. We will remember him as one of India's greatest leaders. Shri Vajpayee was much respected in the UK as a statesman par excellence," he said. The Japan envoy also expressed grief over the death of former prime minister stating that he was one of the most inspiring world leaders of all times. "I am deeply saddened by the passing away of former prime minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He was one of the most inspiring world leaders of our times. The upswing in India-Japan relations was only possible by the initiatives started by Prime Minister Vajpayee," Japanese ambassador Kenji Hiramatsu said. "The demise of such a great leader is a great loss not only to India but also to Japan and other part of Asia as well as the entire international community. May his legacy live on, and may his soul rest in eternal peace," he added. The Australian High Commissioner to India, Harinder Sidhu, also expressed deepest condolences on the death of the former Prime Minister. She took to her official Twitter handle to write, "On behalf of the Australian Government, I express my deepest condolences on the passing of former Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. #AtalBihariVajpayee @PMOIndia" Foreign Affairs Ministry of Nepal released a statement with the message of condolence from its Prime Minister K.P. Oli on the behalf of the government and people of Nepal. Referring to the Vajpayee as a 'visionary statesman', Oli said that he will be remembered for his 'sagacity and exemplary selfless service to the people of India.' Remembering Vajpayee's contribution in India in strengthening Indo-Nepal ties, Oli said that Nepal has lost a true friend and a well-wisher. President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena wrote: "Today, we have lost a great humanist and a true friend of Sri Lanka. Former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a visionary leader and an ardent defender of democracy. My condolences to his family and millions of his admirers around the world." Former Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa also condoled the death of Vajpayee. He wrote on his official Twitter account: "India has lost a great leader with the passing of Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. I extend my deepest condolences to the family & the people of India." The 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran breathed his last at 5:05 pm on Thursday, here at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) following a prolonged illness. Vajpayee, who led the Democratic Alliance government from 1998 to 2004, was the first-ever member of the Bharatiya Janata Party to become India's Prime Minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States Embassy on Thursday expressed condolence over the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said that he will be remembered for his immense contribution in bolstering U.S-India relations. A statement issued by the embassy read, "The United States grieves with India on the loss of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. He will be remembered for his immense contribution in bolstering U.S.-India relations." "During his tenure, Prime Minister Vajpayee advocated for a robust partnership with the United States, referring to us as "natural allies." The U.S. Mission in India extends our deepest condolences to the family of former Prime Minister Vajpayee and the citizens of India," the statement added. The 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran breathed his last at 5:05 pm on Thursday, here at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) following a prolonged illness. Vajpayee, who led the Democratic Alliance government from 1998 to 2004, was the first-ever member of the Bharatiya Janata Party to become India's Prime Minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the health of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee dropped and he was put on life-support system, several leaders rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi to enquire about his condition. Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, got emotional while recalling the days when the two leaders worked together. Patnaik said, "Mr. Vajpayee is a great leader and it is always a good experience to work with him," adding that he will visit the ailing leader in New Delhi later in the day. The two leaders shared a strog political bond. Patnak's Biju Janata Dal was a part of the Vajpayee-led Democratic Alliance government from 1998 to 2004. Patnaik served as the Minister of Mines in Vajpayee's cabinet for nearly two years until March 2000. The BJD and BJP together contested the Lok Sabha elections in 1998, 1999 and 2004 and won several seats in the Odisha state. The two parties also formed successive coalition governments after Odisha state assembly elections in 2000 and 2004. Vajpayee, the 93-year-old BJP leader, has been in the AIIMS since June 11. The hospital, in their press release on Wednesday, described his health condition as 'critical'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924-2018) was the only parliamentarian who got elected from four different states - Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Delhi - and was Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha a record 10 times and to the Rajya Sabha twice. He served as India's Prime Minister three times. He made his foray into during the pre-independence era when he went to jail for taking part in the Quit India Movement. Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Chronology 1924: Born on December 25 in Gwalior 1939: Joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a swayamsevak. He completed his schooling from the Saraswati Shishu Mandir in Gwalior. Thereafter, he completed his graduation from Gwalior's Victoria College. He completed his postgraduation with MA Political Science from DAV College in Kanpur. 1942: Participated in freedom struggle and went to jail (Quit India Movement) 1951: Founder-member, Bharatiya Jana Sangh 1957: Elected to 2nd Lok Sabha (contested from three constituencies - Balrampur, Mathura and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh; won from Balrampur, finished runner-up in Lucknow and forfeited his deposit in Mathura) 1957-77: Leader, Bharatiya Jana Sangh parliamentary party 1962: Member, Rajya Sabha 1966-67: Chairman, Committee on Government Assurances 1967: Re-elected to 4th Lok Sabha (2nd term) 1967-70: Chairman, Public Accounts Committee 1968-73: Made the president of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1968 after the death of Deendayal Upadhyaya. Over the next few years, he worked tirelessly with Nanaji Deshmukh, Balraj Madhok and Lal Krishna Advani to make a prominent presence for the Jana Sangh in Indian 1971: Re-elected to 5th Lok Sabha (3rd term) 1977: Re-elected to 6th Lok Sabha (4th term) 1977-79: Union Cabinet Minister, External Affairs (in Prime Minister Morarji Desai's government) 1977: Spoke at the 32nd session of United Nations General Assembly in Hindi; it was the first time anyone had given a speech in Hindi at a global forum. He ended his speech with 'Jay Jagat'. 1977: Founder-member, Janata Party (Bharatiya Jana Sangh was united with the Bharatiya Lok Dal and the Socialist Party to form the Janata Party which was dissolved following Morarji Desai's resignation as Prime Minister 1980: Re-elected to 7th lok sabha (5th term) 1980-86: President, Bharatiya Janata Party (Vajpayee along with Lal Krishna Advani and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat formed the Bharatiya Janata Party and became the party's first president. 1980-84: Leader, Bharatiya Janata Party parliamentary party 1984: Bharatiya Janata Party was reduced to two seats; Vajpayee worked tirelessly to build the party (he was defeated in Gwalior by a margin of close to two lakh votes by Madhavrao Scindia) 1986: Member, Rajya Sabha and leader, Bharatiya Janata Party parliamentary party 1989: Bharatiya Janata Party won 88 seats under his leadership 1988-89: Member, General Purposes Committee 1988-90: Member, House Committee and Member, Business Advisory Committee 1990-91: Chairman, Committee on Petitions 1991: Re-elected to 10th Lok Sabha (6th term); Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the principal opposition party with 120 seats in its favour in parliamentary elections. He won from Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh) 1991-93: Chairman, Public Accounts Committee 1991-93: Chairman, Public Accounts Committee 1992: Awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award for his distinguished contribution in public affairs. 1993-96: Chairman, Committee on External Affairs and leader, Bharatiya Janata Party parliamentary party 1993: Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by Kanpur University 1993: Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha 1994: Bharat Ratna Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant award for best parliamentarian 1995: Declared as the Prime Ministerial candidate of Bharatiya Janata Party at a conference in November at Mumbai 1996: Re-elected to 11th Lok Sabha (7th term) (Bharatiya Janata Party emerged the single largest party in Lok Sabha in 1996 general elections; He won from Gandhinagar in Gujarat and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh) 1996: Elected Prime Minister of India for a short period, from May 16 to May31. He was in charge of other subjects not allocated to any other cabinet minister 1996-97: Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha 1997-98: Chairman, Committee on External Affairs 1998: Re-elected to 12th Lok Sabha (8th term) (Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the single largest party and formed the Democratic Alliance with other political parties 1998: During his tenure India conducted underground nuclear tests in Pokhran in May, just a month after the government came into power. These tests were regarded a milestone. 1998-99: He was the Prime Minister of India and also Minister of External Affairs. He was also incharge of ministries/departments not specifically allocated to the charge of any minister 1999: Inaugurated the Delhi-Lahore bus service on February 19 by travelling in the same to meet his counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Pakistan. This step became an iconic symbol of international diplomacy and he was lauded globally for his pragmatism. The two prime ministers agreed on a historic treaty called the Lahore Declaration, on February 21, 1999 1999: Indian Airlines flight IC 814 was hijacked by five terrorists and flown to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan on December 24. The hijackers demanded the release of specific terrorists held in India. The seven-day-long hostage crisis ended after India agreed to release three militants in exchange of the passengers 1999: Kargil war took place between India and Pakistan between May and July. By the end of it, the Indian Army and the Air Force had recaptured the areas infiltrated by the Pakistani militants. The Kargil victory cemented the reputation of Vajpayee as a strong and able leader of the nation 1999: Re-elected to 13th Lok Sabha (9th term) and leader, Bharatiya Janata Party parliamentary party, Lok Sabha 1999-2004: Elected Prime Minister of India, and was also in charge of the ministries/departments not specifically allocated to the charge of any minister 2000: Along with US President Bill Clinton, Vajpayee signed a statement on 'US-India relations: A vision for the 21st century' on March 21, while hosting Clinton in New Delhi. The document proposed many new endeavours including a "pledge to reduce impediments to bilateral trade and investment, and to expand commerce between the two nations." 2000: Addressed the joint session of the US Congress on September 24 where he stated that his visit to the US had "consolidated relations between the world's two largest democracies and marked a new era in bilateral and global affairs." 2000: Underwent knee replacement surgery in October 2001: Invited the Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to India with a view to improve Indo-Pak relations. However, this attempt could not achieve much success for India 2001: Launched the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan with the aim of universalisation of elementary education 2001: Parliament was attacked in December by Pakistan trained terrorists. Investigations pointed to a conspiracy hatched in Pakistan and for a long time the threat of a full-fledged war between the two nations loomed. 2002: Inaugurated the red line of the metro from Shahdara to Tis Hazari on December 24 2003: Approved ISRO's proposal of the first Indian moon mission, named Chandrayaan-1 in November 2004: Re-elected to 14th Lok Sabha (10th term) (Lucknow) and Chairman, Bharatiya JanataParty and National Democratic Party parliamentary party 2005: Announced his retirement from on December 29 . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) If youre like us, youve probably wondered what famous people add to their carts. Not the JAR brooch and Louis XV chair, but the hand sanitizer and the electric toothbrush. We asked recently-engaged model and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss about the protein bar, probiotic, and liquid melatonin she cant live without. 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Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission. Kashmiris are not terrorists, said Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday, while adding that he will not accept the idea of a nation sans equality. Farooq, while addressing an event here in Delhi, urged for adopting ideals of Mahatama Gandhi who strongly propagated secularism. "We (Kashmiris) are not terrorists. We don't want to separate from the nation. But at the same time we will not support the idea of a nation where its people are not treated equally. No matter if a person is Hindu, Muslim, Christian or a Sikh all should be treated equally. We want Gandhi's India, a secular India," said Farooq. On Saturday, Farooq strongly opined that he will fight for special rights given to the state of Jammu and Kashmir under the article 35A. Asserting that he will fight for the special provision until his death, the NC president underscored that the fallout of any tinkering with the Constitutional provision would be difficult to control. Article 35A, which gives special rights and privileges to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, is currently facing a legal challenge in the Supreme Court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indiabulls Real Estate reported 5.31% fall in consolidated profit after tax to Rs 117.50 crore on 38.47% rise in revenue from operations to Rs 810.90 crore in Q1 June 2018 over Q1 June 2017. The announcement was made after market hours on Tuesday, 14 August 2018. Reliance Industries (RIL) said that the company 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. Rest of the Jamnagar Complex is operating normally. The company does not expect any material impact on overall operations of Jamnagar complex. The announcement was made yesterday, 15 August 2018 when the stock markets remained on account of Independence Day. Shilpa Medicare said that the company's board of directors has decided to promote 100% wholly owned subsidiary company (since incorporated) for the business operations in US and North American Countries. The announcement was made after market hours on Tuesday, 14 August 2018. UCO Bank said that with the approval of board of directors, the bank has entered into Inter-Creditor Agreement for resolution of stressed assets. The ICA will be applicable to all corporate borrowers who have availed loans and financial assistance for an amount of Rs 50 crore or more under consortium lending / multiple banking arrangements. The announcement was made after market hours on Tuesday, 14 August 2018. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reliance Industries (RIL) 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. Rest of the Jamnagar Complex is operating normally. The Company does not expect any material impact on overall operations of Jamnagar complex Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 350 news outlets have launched a campaign to counter US President Donald Trump's attacks against the and promote a free press. Hundreds of US newspapers, from the Martha's Vineyard Times to the Dallas Morning News; from the Yankton County Observer in South Dakota to the Bangor Daily News in Maine, devoted print space on Thursday in an joint effort to defend press freedom in the country, CNN reported. The move was initiated by the Boston Globe for a nationwide denouncement of the President's "dirty war" against the media, using the hashtag #EnemyOfNone. It pledged to write an editorial "on the dangers of the administration's assault on the press" and asked others to do the same. The campaign is significant because it moves the conversation about Trump's attacks out of Washington and New York and into communities across the country. He often derides reports as "fake news" and attacks journalists as "enemies of the people". The initial positive response from 100 news organisations grew closer to 350 with major US national newspapers and smaller local outlets answering the call, along with international publications like the UK newspaper, the Guardian. The Boston Globe in its editorial, "Journalists Are Not The Enemy", argued that a free press had been a core American principle for more than 200 years. The New York Times in its article, A Free Press Needs You", called Trump's attacks "dangerous to the lifeblood of democracy". It published excerpts from dozens more publications beneath. The New York Post, answered the Globe's call by saying "Who are we to disagree?" adding: "It may be frustrating to argue that just because we print inconvenient truths doesn't mean that we're fake news, but being a journalist isn't a popularity contest. All we can do is to keep reporting." But it also said: "Will this make a difference? Not one whit" The Philadelphia Inquirer said its city was the birthplace of US democracy, writing: "If the press is not free from reprisal, punishment or suspicion for unpopular views or information, neither is the country. Neither are its people." The Wall Street Journal declined to take part in the campaign. A poll released by Quinnipiac University showed that most Americans, 65 per cent, regard the news as an important part of democracy, not an "enemy". But 26 per cent of respondents, including 51 per cent of Republicans, sided with Trump's "enemy" rhetoric. An Ipsos poll, also this month, gave similar figures. In addition it found that 23 per cent of Republicans, and about one in eight Americans overall, believed Trump should close down mainstream news outlets like CNN, the Washington Post and the New York Times. Press freedom groups have been sounding alarms about the threats posed by Trump's dehumanizing language. He certainly ramped up the pressure on mainstream media with numerous tweets. The Trump Twitter Archive says he has tweeted 281 times so far using the term "fake news". --IANS soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The day dawned with 31 gun salutes in the federal capital and 21 gun salutes in the provincial headquarters. The Chief Guest and smartly turned out cadets of Pakistan Navy presented Qaumi Salam to the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed also wished the citizens of India and the Prime Minister a happy Independence Day. Pakistan Rangers officials at the Wagah border crossing exchanged candies with Indian Border Security Force personnel. Observing that the independence day and general elections had fallen around the same time this year, the president said he thinks a message is hidden between the two events. As part of the festivities, the Pakistani flag will fly in front of city hall while celebrations take place across the street in Olympic Plaza. China rejects allegations of detaining million Uighurs in camps 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. He said despite significant progress, Pakistan has yet to reach its destiny and that a consensus about national objectives is imperative to achieve the goals. "Our country is a blessing for us". "Pakistan will continue to provide its political and moral support to resolve the Kashmir issue under United Nations resolutions", Mamnoon said. Earlier, Rehman, along with acting Governor Agha Siraj Durani, performed the flag hoisting ceremony at the mazar and received Independence Day felicitation from the diplomats of different countries and civil society who attended the celebrations at the mausoleum. This day reminds us of our common quest for a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous region. Khan also urged the expatriate community to "remember their Kashmiri brethren on this auspicious day who are facing human rights violation in Indian-occupied Kashmir". Independence Day is a national holiday and is celebrated with much fervour across the nation. Google celebrates 15th August with a doodle inspired by art seen on trucks on Indian roads. The has asked domestic airlines to keep a check on airfares for flights operating to and from Kerala. The advisory comes as the state suffers from one of the worst bouts of floods in the recent past. "We have advised airlines to be more sensitive to situation arising out of #KeralaFlooding & keep airfares in check. It's a humanitarian cause. Thx to all for agreeing with my suggestions to carry free of charge the #KeralaFloodRelief related material. All efforts ongoing for relief," Minister of Commerce and Industry and Civil tweeted. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, airfare on 18 domestic routes are being monitored. "Spike in airfare on few routes have been observed. Concerned airlines have been advised to cap the airfare on these flights," the Ministry said in a statement on late Thursday. ALSO READ: Kerala floods: 30 lives lost today, toll hits 97; NDRF teams rush to state Echoing the general mood, Minister of Statistics & Programme Implementation DV Sadananda Gowda tweeted: "Private Airlines are at a money making Shame!! Today Mangalore to Bengaluru ticket rate sky-rocketed to Rs 18,000. This route's average rate is never more than Rs 4,000. It's time to introduce more flights @jayantsinha." ALSO READ: Kerala floods: Jio, BSNL, Airtel to give free services to state's customers The monsoon fury has hit different parts of Western Ghats including districts of Kerala and adjoining areas in The grime situation has left the state with only two operational civil airports at Thiruvananthapuram and Calicut, as operations at the Cochin airport have been suspended till August 26, 2018 on account of rising water levels in the operational area. As industry watchers think that Apple car is dead, the iPhone maker could launch it anytime between 2023 and 2025, a top Apple analyst with Hong Kong-based TF International Securities has claimed. "Apple will earn its 2 trillion dollar market cap through its services business, an Augmented Reality headset, and an Apple Car, according to famed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who now works for TF International Securities," MacRumors reported late on Tuesday. The analyst, who was earlier with Taiwan-based KGI Securities, has reportedly sent a new note for investors, outlining products that he expects to be released by Apple in future. "Apple will launch an Apple Car some time between 2023 and 2025, with the car set to be positioned as 'the next star product'. Kuo foresees the Apple Car revolutionising the automobile market much as the iPhone did back in 2007," the report added. However, Kuo did not provide details of the possible car or when exactly it might be unveiled. The Cupertino-based company has largely remained silent on its plans about the Apple Car. Notably, it has more self-driving car permits in the US state of California than any other technology company. Many industry watchers have called the Apple Car the worst-kept secret of the Silicon Valley. --IANS ksc/na/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday expressed his heartfelt condolences on the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "With his death the country has lost a visionary politician, a great humanitarian, who was deeply loved by people across party lines," Sonowal said while adding that Vajpayee had a soft corner for Assam and the northeast. A three-time Prime Minister, Vajpayee was one of the country's most respected politicians. "He took keen interest in the development of northeast and played an instrumental role in creating DoNER to expedite the overall development of northeast," Sonowal said. "The foundation stone of Bogibeel Project was laid during his tenure as the Prime Minister. Among a series of projects that can be credited to his direct intervention, he dedicated Numaligarh Refinery and Naranarayan Bridge to the Nation," Sonowal said adding that Vajpayee's moral support to the cause of Assam Agitation will long be remembered by the people in Assam. Remembering his personal association with the former Prime Minister since the time he was a student, Sonowal said he was personally benefited from the advice and suggestions of Vajapyee. "I still bear in mind the time I spent with him as an MLA when he came to lay the foundation stone of Bogibeel bridge way back in 2002," Sonowal said. "Vajpayee was a leader of prominence not only at national level, his political prudence is evident in country's foreign policies as well. While he was the Prime Minister, he took country's foreign relations with America and other countries altogether to a different height. He was a statesman who dreamt of a seamless rural connectivity, and therefore, enunciated Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and took the connectivity of villages to a never before level," Sonowal said adding that Vajpayee was also instrumental in starting the "East-West Corridor" project. "He also had an incomparable track record in enabling country's inclusion in the elite Nuclear Club and registering country's victory in Kargil War. Besides being a prudent politician, he was a good orator, poet and litterateur," Sonowal said while expressing his empathy with Vajpayee's family members, admirers and followers in this testing time. --IANS ah/pgh/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hope and despair mingled as a large crowd of journalists, BJP supporters and commoners waited throughout a hot and humid Thursday to hear about Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health till a brief hospital statement ended it all. "It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former Prime Minister Vajpayee," the statement said. The AIIMS lawns, pavements and driveways remained crowded as the who's who of Indian made a beeline to the hospital that not only treats patients from across the country but also VIPs. For reporters, it was a tough call: AIIMS aithorities followed a strict protocol on the health bulletins of Vajpayee. There was no background or off-the-record briefings. There were no selective leaks. The hospital authorities released two bulletins, one on how he continued to be on life support and another that he was no more. The seven-hour gap between the two bulletins seemed too long as the suspense about the former Prime Minister's condition continued. The crowd of journalists swelled outside the block of Cardio Neuro Centre where Vajpayee was being treated. Police had put up barricades outside the complex to prevent the crowd, including journalists and scores of BJP workers, from coming in. Information-hungry reporters would run after any politician or a minister who was given access inside the complex to know what was happening. But the leaders, cutting across the political spectrum, kept mum, their faces signaling that all was not well. There were moments of flutter when some TV channels prematurely flashed that Vajpayee was no more. Phones kept ringing and journalists had to convince their offices that nothing was announced -- as yet. The crowd of BJP supporters also kept building up. Some didn't leave the premises for the entire day and many of them kept shouting slogans wishing a long life for Vajpayee. "Jab tak sooraj chand rahega, Atal ji ka naam rahega" was the leitmotif Around 5 p.m., gates of nearby buildings were closed suddenly. A white high-end ambulance was parked outside the another gate of the Cardio Neuro Centre. Some of the journalists by this time had realized that 'it' was just an announcement away. Then the cellphones buzzed. There was an AIIMS statement, stating the worst. There was no briefing. The body wrapped in white was brought out on a stretcher and kept in the van. His family members, mostly expressionless with the loss of the patriarch, were accompanied by Union Minister Smriti Irani as they walked out of the complex and drove in a separate car to take the body for embalming before it was kept at his Krishna Menon Marg in Lutyen's Delhi. The day ended with the worst fear coming true: India lost one of its tallest leaders, who had already faded from the public life more than a decade ago. --IANS som/sar/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Protesting against the anti-people policies of the state and the centre, the left wing mass organisations in West Bengal will hold a 24-day march across the state in September, pushing for an eight-point charter of demands including remunerative prices for famers, lowering of rates for Petroleum substances and ensuring standard minimum wages for everyone. The march christened "Adhikar Yatra" to be held under the banner of 'Bengal Platform of Mass Organisations' (BPMO), will start from the state's Cooch Behar district on September 10 and continue till October 3 aiming to touch 78,000 polling booths across 126 blocks and 127 cities in the state. The march would culminate with a massive public rally in Kolkata on October 3. Over 100 mass organisations, including trade unions, peasants' organisations, student-youth-women organisations and representative organisations of different sections of people will participate in the march under the banner of BPMO. The marchers would also raise demands to protect the rights of tribals and women all over the country, besides stopping all communal and fundamentalist activities, curbing corruption in the educational sector and inclusion of all Indian citizens in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam. "Under the current regime, the rights of farmers and trade unions are being throttled, the labour laws are being tampered with and women and tribals in the country are in danger. We have named the march as 'Adhikar Yatra' as nothing is more relevant in the country than the demands to protect people's rights," Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) state President Shamyal Chakraborty told reporters here. He said the Narendra Modi-led government is not announcing a moratorium on debt recovery to the farmers, as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission (National Commission on Farmers), which is leading to farmers' suicide in the country. "More than three lakh farmers have committed suicide in India. In Bengal 100 farmers have committed suicide for the same reason though the current Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee does not accept it. Also the steep rise in price of petroleum substances is causing a lot of problems in common man's life. Such issues need to be immediately addressed," he said. The Left leader said the organisers have set a target to involve close to seven lakh people in the march to be held across 50 thousand km and appealed everyone to take part in it. --IANS mgr/ssp/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leading mobile retail chain Big C has set a target of 40 per cent growth during the current financial year to cross a Rs 1,500 crore turnover. Big C's Founder, Chairman and Managing Director M. Balu Chowdary on Thursday said they had also prepared plans for rapid expansion. With over 225 stores in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Big C is gearing up to foray into the Tamil Nadu market next month with the launch of 20 stores. It also has plans to set up stores in other southern states. Balu was talking to reporters on the sidelines of an event where the company launched its new brand identity. During 2017-18, the company had achieved a turnover of Rs 1,015 crore. He said in the next six months they would be adding 38 stores in Hyderabad, which already accounts for 63 out of the 110 stores in Telangana. Each store will require Rs 30 lakh to Rs 40 lakh investment. Launched with the first store in Vijayawada in 2002, Big C currently employs 2,500 people and has catered to 5 crore customers during the last 16 years. It sells mobile phones of all leading brands. Balu said their offline model was still relevant as there was hardly any difference between the online and offline price due to recent guidelines by the government for e-commerce. "Majority of the customers prefer buying mobiles offline and at Big C they can touch and feel the product before purchasing it," he said. Big C has a presence in 82 places in both the Telugu states, covering all towns with a population of over 50,000. He announced that they have signed leading actress Samantha as the new brand ambassador. --IANS ms/qd/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) has won all 125 seats in the general elections, the poll body has said. The opposition was declared illegal and banned from participating in the July 29 exercise. The Electoral Commission announced the official results late on Wednesday that showed that all seats in the National Assembly went to Prime Minister Hun Sen's party, which received 76.78 per cent of the votes, Efe news reported. "(The result) clearly shows that the people have given confidence to the correct leadership of the CPP and that they have decided to choose peace, development and democracy for the whole country," Hun Sen wrote on his Facebook page. The other 19 candidates secured not more than six per cent of the votes nor managed to secure a seat in Parliament. The former opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) will not be in the new National Assembly either, as it was banned ahead of the polls by the Supreme Court. It had managed to snatch 44 per cent of the votes in the 2013 general elections. The CNRP called to boycott elections after the judicial persecutions in 2017 that led to the imprisonment of its leader and prompted around 100 members of the party to go into exile the finally led to its dissolution. Several countries, including the US and various members of the European Union, questioned the legitimacy of the Cambodian elections. The US State Department on Wednesday expanded its visa restrictions on Cambodia following the poll results. It said that since the US has characterised the election as "flawed and neither free nor fair" the restrictions first applied in December 2017 were further expanded. --IANS in/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Police on Thursday announced rerouting of traffic on certain roads in anticipation of a surge in crowd for the funeral ceremony of Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Friday. The funeral ceremony of the founding member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who died here on Thursday evening, will be held at Smriti Sthal on the banks of the Yamuna in East Delhi. The police will close general traffic on many roads in Central Delhi including Krishna Memon Marg, Tughlaq Road, Akbar Road, Mansingh Road, a part of Janpath, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Road, where BJP has its headquarters, and several others, leading to C Hexagon of India Gate. Commuters have been suggested to take alternate routes. --IANS vn-mg/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China's investment in foreign wind-powered electricity markets has surpassed $12 billion in Europe and Australia alone as private and state-owned Chinese companies move aggressively to capitalise on fast-growing renewable energy markets, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) said on Thursday. Most of the wind investment activity has been in Europe. "China is now a driver of the European energy transformation and its international leadership in low emissions sectors of the future are entirely aligned with efforts to increase China's global economic influence," Sydney-based IEEFA analyst Simon Nicholas said. "While Chinese foreign renewable energy investments were boosted by the launch five years ago of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), its foreign renewable energy investment now extends well beyond that framework. "This is a superpower taking its energy policy global," Nicholas said. IEEFA's research brief says China's foreign renewable energy investments have increased as a result of the country's pan-Asian Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), but the majority of these investments are not in BRI countries. Interestingly, in BRI countries and in non-BRI developing countries, China continues to build coal-fired power projects as opportunities for domestic coal projects dry up. The brief builds on an IEEFA paper published in January that described how China has become a leading global renewable energy investor "defying an overall slowdown in Chinese overseas investment as the country further positioned itself to dominate in new energy technologies such as batteries and electric vehicles". That report put China's 2017 investment in new energy technology and resources at $44 billion, up from $32 billion in 2016. In 2017, the Chinese government began restructuring its power-generation sector in an effort to reduce reliance on coal and exported China's renewable energy technology while continuing to promote its coal technology in foreign developing markets. Chinese foreign energy investment from 2003 to 2017 was dominated by hydro and coal-fired power, with wind and solar coming to the fore more recently by way of technology gains, efficiency improvements and dramatic declines in cost. The briefing notes, however, that while Chinese wind and solar investment goes well beyond the BRI to developed nations, coal-fired power activity remains high within the BRI and in other developing countries. "From 2003 to 2017, the majority of China's foreign power investments in Southeast Asia went to hydro ($45 billion) and coal ($12 billion) projects, amounts significantly higher than Chinese wind investment in the European Union ($6.8 billion) and Australia ($5 billion). "Although this trend is influenced by the fact that wind and solar investment has ramped up only within the last few years, it is clear that Chinese coal power investment is restricted more to the BRI and to developing countries. The brief includes notes on Chinese companies that include China General Nuclear, China Resources Power, China Shenhua Group, China Three Gorges, State Development and Investment Corp, China Huadian Corp, and China Huaneng Group. The US-based IEEFA conducts global research and analyses on financial and economic issues related to energy and the --IANS vg/mag/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui on Thursday condoled former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death saying his contribution to India-China relations will never be forgotten. "Deeply saddened by the passing away of the Honorable Atal Bihari Vajpayee," Luo tweeted. "We will never forget his great contribution to China India relations," he said Vajpayee, 93, passed away at AIIMS on Thursday evening following a prolonged illness. --IANS ab/pgh/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran has cancelled a visit by Iraq's prime minister after he said that while he was opposed to renewed USA sanctions on Tehran he had no choice but to abide by them, AP reported an Iraqi official as saying. On August 10 Iraq's Central Bank has notified to the commercial banks on the ban of dollar transactions with the Iranian credit companies. On Sunday, Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei's representative in Baghdad, Moujtaba al-Hussein, lashed out at Abadi as the Tehran visit was called off. Al-Abadi was to visit Iran and Turkey later this week. But his spokesman denied that there was ever a visit planned to Iran. Since taking office in 2014, al-Abadi has sought to project an image of independence from Iran while maintaining friendly relations. The administration says the renewed sanctions are meant to pressure Tehran to halt its alleged support for global terrorism, its military activity in the Middle East and its ballistic missile programs. You Can Now Talk to Alexa Using Cortana Alexa will be able to summon Cortana and vice versa using the new integration from Microsoft and Amazon. One feels the mere "Hey Cortana" or "Alexa" should be enough to speak to the right agent. Al-Abadi made the assertion at a Monday news conference following a weekly Cabinet meeting. "He is not Iran's candidate of choice, this further isolates him from Tehran". "Turkey is our neighbor and we will not allow any attack from Iraqi soil on Turkey", he added. Thus, it continues to work for a government in Baghdad that is supportive of Iranian interests. The Badr Organization, the main faction of PMF, also called for the Iraqi government to stand with Iran as an advocate and supporter. In a recent tweet, U.S. President Donald Trump said: "Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States". The US has since reinstated sanctions against the Middle Eastern nation, with one round being reapplied earlier this month, while a second will come into effect in November. China's space agency has revealed images of the exploration vehicle with which it hopes to reach the far side of the Moon by the end of this year, a feat no country has ever accomplished, the media reported on Thursday. In December, the vehicle will travel aboard the unmanned lunar probe Chang'e 4, which is expected to land in the Aitken basin on the far side of the Moon, not visible from the Earth, Efe news reported. The vehicle is similar to Yutu, China's first lunar rover launched in 2013 along with Chang'e 3, which continues to traverse the visible side of the Moon, according to a report in the China Daily. In a press conference on Wednesday, Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China's lunar probe programme, said that the new explorer was more adaptable to complicated terrain than Yutu. The rover was also the lightest of its kind in the world, weighing only 140 kg (309 pounds), much less than its predecessors, he added. The rectangular box-shaped rover will have six wheels, two solar panels for power, a radar and multiple cameras to explore the lesser-known side of the Moon. Pioneering space programmes earlier had photographed the far side of the Moon over half a century ago but could never manage to land there. In May, China took the first step of this mission with the launch of a satellite to facilitate communications between the Moon and control centres on Earth. --IANS mag/soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central government on Thursday agreed to open the Cochin Naval air base for commercial operations following a request by the Kerala government, officials said. On Wednesday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan sought the permission of the Central government to allow the Naval air base for use by airlines as the Cochin International Airport would remain closed till Saturday due to floods. According to government sources, the Centre has accepted the state government's request to allow flights to arrive at the Naval air base. Being a small airport, flights like Boeing 737 can be handled at the base and CIAL authorities are having discussions with the airline authorities on this. Vijayan, in his request, had said the bigger aircrafts should be allowed to be diverted to Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram airports, and that request also got the Centre's nod. Meanwhile, CIAL suffered a huge setback on Thursday as their Rs 60-crore solar power plant, one of the biggest in an airport spread over 45 acres, was submerged in the flood waters. --IANS sg/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special court here on Thursday framed an additional charge of abetment to bribery against industrialist and senior Congress leader Naveen Jindal and others in a coal block allocation case. The court was hearing the case on the allocation of Jharkhand's Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block to Jindal Steel and Gagan Sponge. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Bharat Parashar formally framed the charges against the accused. After the accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial, the court listed the matter for August 31 for further hearing. The court will formally frame charges against former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda on August 31 as he was not present in the court on Thursday. On April 29, 2016, the court had ordered framing of charges against the former MP and others under various sections -- criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal misconduct. But it had not included bribery charges. Later, Jindal Steel's then advisor Anand Goel, Nihar Stocks Ltd Director BSN Suryanarayan and Mumbai's Essar Power Ltd Executive Vice-Chairman Sushil Kumar Maroo, JSPL's Deputy Manager (Finance) Siddharth Madra and Deputy General Manager Rajeev Aggarwal were chargesheeted as accused in a supplementary chargesheet. The court also ordered framing of charges under criminal conspiracy against Goel, Suryanarayan and Maroo. However, it has discharged Madra and Rajeev Aggarwal. The CBI has alleged that the five were actively involved in the transfer of Rs 2 crore from Jindal Realty, New Delhi Exim, to a company controlled by former Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayana Rao, in lieu of favour in the allotment of Jharkhand's coal block to Jindal Steel and Gagan Sponge. In April 2015, the CBI named Rao, Koda, former Coal Secretary H.C. Gupta, Jindal Realty Director Rajeev Jain, Gagan Sponge Directors Girish Kumar Juneja and R.K. Saraf and Sowbhagya Media's Managing Director K. Ramakrishna as accused in the case. Of the five private companies named in the chargesheet, four are based in Delhi and one in Hyderabad. The accused have denied the charges. --IANS akk/qd/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Private sector Credit Bank of Moscow on Thursday announced that it has become the only Russian company to feature in the US magazine Forbes Growth Champions List this year. In a statement here, the Credit Bank of Moscow said Forbes included the Russian bank among 250 "growth champions" of this year featured in its Global 2000 rankings of the world's largest public companies. The Growth Champions List includes companies which have achieved maximum average annual income growth during 2014-17. "According to Forbes, these companies are the main source of economic growth in the 21st century," the statement said. The Credit Bank of Moscow is Russia's ninth largest lender by assets and one of the 11 "systemically important banks" as defined by the country's central bank. Forbes has published the Global 2000 rankings for the past 16 years. The ranking lists 2,000 public companies whose revenue is at least $1 billion. --IANS bc/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man stabbed to death his widowed sister-in-law and her nephew who had come visiting and injured her son early on Thursday in central Delhi over a domestic dispute, police said. Accused Rajkumar murdered his sister-in-law Kaushalaya, 55, her nephew Purshottam, 30, and injured her son Rohit, 25, in Paharganj area, a police official said. Rajkumar's younger brother Tarachand called the police early on Thursday, following which police found the three injured in their house. They were taken to hospital, where Purshottam and Kaushalaya were declared brought dead. Rohit is undergoing treatment. Deputy Commissioner of Police Mandeep Singh Randhawa said that the victims were attacked with a hoe and a kitchen knife. The crime was committed when the three were asleep. Purshottam and Kaushalaya were found lying in a pool of blood on a bed on the first floor of the house, while Rohit was lying injured on the second floor, Randhawa said. Rajkumar was arrested from his hideout in Paharganj and a case of murder and attempt to murder registered against him on the statement of Tarachand, the officer added. After the death of Kaushalaya's husband a few years ago, Rajkumar used to fight with her. The accused, who is unemployed, said Kaushalaya, Purshottam and other family members used to quarrel with him over a house he had bought in a slum in east Delhi's Gokulpuri from the sale proceeds of land in their native place Hapur in Uttar Pradesh. Purshottam had come visiting his aunt Kaushalaya on Monday from Hapur and slapped Rajkumar two-three times on Wednesday following arguments, following which the accused planned to kill them. --IANS sp/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Army on Thursday said Pakistan has assured India that it would take prompt action against movement of elements inimical to India along the Line of Control and respond to information shared by the Indian side to facilitate anti-terrorist operations. According to an Army release, this assurance was given by Pakistan DGMO Major-General Sahir Jamshed Mirza to his Indian counterpart Anil Chauhan during a routine meeting. It said the Pakistan DGMO expressed satisfaction on the measures taken along the LoC to maintain peace and tranquility. The release said that the quantum of ceasefire violations has drastically come down, which augurs well for the future. The Indian DGMO emphatically stated that infiltration attempts by terrorists are a major cause of concern and these activities have increased in the areas north of Pir Panjal mountain ranges. "Pakistan must institute measures to prevent infiltration from the launch pads located on its side of Line of Control," the release said. The Indian DGMO, on his part, assured his Pakistani counterpart that the Indian Army would abide by the commitment to uphold the ceasefire understanding of 2003 provided Pakistan Army initiates positive steps to control infiltration and abetment of in Jammu and Kashmir. During the talks held on the initiative of Pakistan DGMO, the two sides exchanged pleasantries on the Independence Day of the neighbouring countries. --IANS ps/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Serbia's Novak Djokovic has moved a step closer to winning the only ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event that has eluded him in his career, rallying to defeat Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in the second round of the Western & Southern Open here. The reigning Wimbledon champion not only had to adjust to his opponent's flat here on Wednesday, skidding ground strokes on a slick hard court but also needed to receive treatment for a stomach ailment during the second set, reports Efe. But the Serbian started dominating the match once he found his groove from the baseline and overcame his physical issues. Djokovic, who has lost five finals at this Masters 1000 hard-court event in Mason, a suburb of Cincinnati, ran his career record against Mannarino to 4-0 with Wednesday's victory. Djokovic has won all of the other eight Masters 1000 events at least once. He also has won all four Grand Slam titles (six Australian Opens, one French Open, four Wimbledons and two US Opens) and is a five-time winner of the elite season-ending ATP Finals. "I really want to win this tournament, and I have been trying. I'm still in the tournament this year, and hopefully I can get a shot at the title," the Serbian said afterward. The world No. 10, who missed the latter part of the 2017 season with an elbow injury that required surgery but captured his 13th Grand Slam title last month at Wimbledon, will next take on either fifth-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov or Germany's Mischa Zverev. In other second-round men's action Wednesday afternoon, Canada's Milos Raonic defeated Turkey's Malek Jaziri 6-3, 7-5, 13th-seeded Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta topped American Bradley Klahn 6-4, 6-4, sixth-seeded South African Kevin Anderson defeated Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 and 11th-seeded Belgian David Goffin rallied to defeat Frenchman Benoit Paire 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. The Netherlands' Robin Haase pulled off the upset of the tournament thus far, defeating German world No. 4 Alexander Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 on Wednesday. --IANS gau/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Observing that the flood situation in Kerala is "grave", the Supreme Court on Thursday asked disaster management sub committee to sit with the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) on Friday to bring down the water level in Mullaperiyar Dam "so people do not live in constant fear". A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Indu Malhotra also asked the Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments to co-operate with the NCMC to provide the displaced people adequate relief immediately. The sub-committee constituted under Section 9 of the Disaster Management Act of 2005 may suggest, before any release of water in downstream areas from Mullaperiyar Dam, "what measures can be taken to handle the disaster so that people ultimately do not suffer the catastrophe of the flood". The decisions of the sub-committee regarding the water level of Mullaperiyar Dam will be implemented by Tamil Nadu and Kerala "immediately", said the bench while asking the sub committee to submit the report by Friday before it. The court was hearing a PIL filed seeking directions for management of water in the Mullaperiyar Dam reservoir and announcement of a disaster management plan in relation to the dam. During the hearing, counsel appearing for Kerala government told the bench that water level of the Mullaperiyar Dam should be reduced to 139 feet. On the other hand, Tamil Nadu told the apex court that inflow into Mullaperiyar Dam is 20,000 cusecs and because of rains, it may not be possible to reduce water level in the dam immediately. "There is limited capacity to release water," the Tamil Nadu government said. The counsel appearing for the Centre contended that the NCMC, headed by the Cabinet Secretary, met on Thursday and assured continued assistance to Kerala. The case was mentioned before the bench for urgent hearing and it agreed to hear the plea on Thursday itself. The petition filed by a Kerala resident Russel Joy also sought direction for Tamil Nadu to ensure proper management of water release from the Mullaperiyar Dam, so that no harm is caused to people living downstream from the dam. The counsel appearing for Joy argued that about 100 people have lost their lives and more that 1,50,000 people have been rendered homeless due to floods in Kerala. The petitioner's advocate requested the top court for proper coordination between Tamil Nadu and Kerala to ensure protection of life and property of the people living in the downstream of the Mullaperiyar Dam. The plea sought direction to the Central government to convene a meeting of the Committee under Section 9 of the Disaster Management Act to ensure high-level preparedness to face any disaster in relation to the Mullaperiyar Dam. Tamil Nadu must ensure proper management of water release from the Mullaperiyar Dam so that no harm is caused to people living downstream from the dam, plea states. The heaviest rains and floods since 1924 witnessed in the states have caused massive destruction, leaving 87 people dead, more than 80,000 people in relief camps and damage to crops and properties that the state has estimated to be over Rs 8,000 crore. --IANS gt/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command of the Indian Army Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh on Thursday visited forward areas on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district to review security on the border. Defence spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand said here: "Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh, accompanied by the White Knight Corps Commander Lieutenant General Saranjeet Singh, visited forward areas of Rajouri Sector to review the operational preparedness and the prevailing security situation. "During the visit to the sector, the Army Commander was briefed by the commanders on ground about the current operational and prevailing security situation and the preparedness of the formations in dealing with the same. "The Army Commander also interacted with the soldiers and complimented them for their dedication to duty and high standard of professionalism." Colonel Anand added: "He was appreciative of the measures and standard operating procedures instituted by the units and formations in their area of responsibility. "The need to be prepared for effectively meeting emerging security challenges was also reinforced. He exhorted all ranks on the need to remain vigilant to counter the nefarious designs of the inimical and anti-national elements." He said the Army Commander was also updated by the White Knight Corps Commander on the current security situation and operations conducted in the recent past. --IANS sq/qd/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Google took a new move Wednesday to increase transparency on political ads on its platform by releasing an online library of US political ads and a report on details of ad-expenditure ahead of the mid-term US elections in November this year. Google said the addition of the political advertising report and the new Ad Library are new transparency features aimed at implementing new requirements for any advertiser purchasing election ads on Google in the US, Xinhua reported. Under the new mechanism, political advertisers now have to provide a government-issued ID and other key information that confirms they are a US citizen or lawful permanent resident in the country. The measures are apparently an updated response to disputes on social media networks that Russia had been involved in U.S. presidential elections in 2016, an allegation that has been rejected repeatedly by Moscow. Google is running a searchable archive Wednesday where people can find all data and details about political ads via its Search engine and YouTbue, including promotions for a candidate for a federal elected office or a sitting official. The library allows users to search who pays for the ads, the costs in deploying the advertising and how long the ads will be running, plus the number of page views. The US tech giant has agreed to give the public and third parties direct access to the archive through Google Cloud's BigQuery, where anyone can write code and run their own unique queries on this data set. "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 company's transparency report. "With the Transparency Report, we hope this provides unprecedented, data-driven insights into election ads on our platform," Google said. With the the 2018 midterm elections approaching, Google said its new tools aim to help protect political campaigns, provide voters with accurate information, and increase transparency across its platforms. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the former prime minister who was undergoing treatment at the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences, breathed his last at 5:05 pm today. Earlier in the day, political leaders cutting across partly lines thronged the hospital to enquire about Vajpayee's health. Making his second visit to AIIMS in less than 24 hours, PM Narendra Modi earlier today visited the hospital to enquire about the health of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Vajpayee was suffering from kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. The former PM underwent a knee replacement surgery at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai in 2001. He has only one functional kidney and suffered a stroke in 2009 which impaired his speech. Vajpayee, 93, was the oldest living former Indian prime minister. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the AIIMS on the evening of August 15 to enquire about the condition of Vajpayee. Modi reached the hospital at around 7.15 pm and spent about 50 minutes there. After Modi, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi also paid a visit. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and BJP president Amit Shah visited the ailing Atal Bihari Vajpayee at AIIMS early today morning. Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi also paid him a visit late last evening. Politicians across party lines have wished speedy recovery for the ailing and have been visiting AIIMS to enquire about his health. The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought a response from the state government on a plea seeking directions to fill vacant posts in the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) and introduce programmes in line with Goa's Emergency Monitoring System in the national capital. A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V. Kameswar Rao asked the Delhi Fire Service to file a response on the plea and listed the matter for November 29. The Court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT), which was formed on June 30, 1997, in the aftermath of the fire tragedy on June 13, 1997 at Uphaar cinema here. Fifty nine people had died in the incident. "DFS needs to strengthen its Fire Prevention Wing (inspection, awareness, and training) so that in future, fire events similar to that at Uphaar can be prevented," the plea said. "Because of lack of firemen in DFS, a 12-hour shift by a fireman makes him physically and psychologically tired. He will not be able to effectively do his duty since he is not having adequate rest and is induced with stress." Introducing programmes like 24/7 Safe Goa Emergency Monitoring System in Delhi will provide an effective response plan by monitoring and preventing fires, which will reduce loss of lives and physical assets, the plea said. As the population in Delhi is increasing, unauthorized colonies have mushroomed, the number of high-rise buildings has increased and therefore, in such a rapidly changing scenario, manpower crunch in the fire department will hamper the response and the rescue operations, the petitioner said. --IANS akk/qd/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Devastated by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death, Asia's nightingale Lata Mangeshkar who shared a very close bonding with him, said: "He was like my father. He called me Beti. I called him Dadda. I feel I've lost my father all over again. "When I saw the glow on his face, his persuasive oratorical powers and his love for the arts, I was always reminded of my father (the legendary musician-stage actor Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar). When I was a child many national leaders and politicians would visit my home. Vir Savarkar was one of them. Atalji reminded me of Vir Savarkar. He was a noble soul . No words of praise can do justice to him. Atalji was never short of words. But I am." Lataji gets pensive about her association with Atalaji. "He was very close to me, and I to him. When we Mangeshkars inaugurated a hospital in Pune in my name, I asked Atalji to do the inauguration. He happily agreed and gave a rousing speech -- as usual -- where he said he was in a dilemma as he thought naming a hospital after me was not right. There should be a music academy named after Lata Mangeshkar, not a hospital. Now what do I say? That people should fall sick so that this hospital named after my Beti would run?' His speeches were works of art. There is not one orator in Indian politics, or for that matter in India, to match Atalji." In 2014 Lataji had the rare privilege of doing an entire album of song devoted to Atalji's poems. Recalling the "unforgettable" experience, Lataji says: "I still remember the album was officially released in his home in Delhi. We had flown down for the occasion. All the poems in the album we entitled 'Antarnaad' were handpicked by me and my composer Mayuresh Pai. We then flew to Delhi to get his approval. When Atalji saw the poems we had selected he was very happy, specially with 'Geet naya gata hoon', which was among his personal favourites. "However there was some doubt over another poem 'Thann gayi maut se' which we had selected. Though Atalji himself loved the selection his (adopted) daughter and others close to him felt it was wrong of him to challenge death through poetry. So we decided to drop that poem. When we told Atalji of our decision he was very quiet then he said, if that's what everyone wants, then so be it." Lataji says she has seldom been more impressed by any other politician. "Atalji hriday se kavi the aur swabhav se sadhu (he was a poet at heart and a saint by nature). He was a visionary and India made rapid progress during his primeministership. I remember how much he did to improve relations with Pakistan. He started the bus service to Pakistan. And he was very keen that I be one of the first passengers in that journey to the other side of the border. He told me that people in Pakistan were as keen to hear me as people in India. But I didn't go. It was always hard to say no to Atalji. He was such a wonderful human being and great statesman." Lataji feels the nation has lost more than Bharat Ratna. "Dadda was man with a vision. He could see the future. His speeches were works of art. When he spoke, the nation listened. I still have his speeches on my mobile phone. I can listen to them for hours. In his going India has been orphaned. But then, if he was in so much pain it would've been selfish of us to hold him back. He is now relieved of all pain probably regaling the gods with his oration." --IANS jha/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As part of its digitalisation strategy to meet increasing data demand and mobile broadband growth, telecom major Idea Cellular has entered into an agreement with Nokia to deploy the Finnish information technology company's Cloud-native core technology in New Delhi. The Cloud technology will allow Idea to run both data and voice services on a common Cloud platform, significantly reducing operational cost and time-to-market and providing better quality of service for its subscribers, Nokia said in a statement on Thursday. Adding the Cloud platform enhances automation capabilities, such as lifecycle management, higher scalabilities and capacities, thus bringing greater operational benefits to Idea's network, the statement added. "As India prepares to define its path to 5G, we at Idea are building the foundation by adding Nokia's cloud core capabilities. This deployment will allow us to deliver a best-in-class network experience to our subscribers and significantly reduce the time required to introduce new services," said Anil Tandan, Chief Technology Officer at Idea. --IANS gb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India-born British billionaire Sanjeev Gupta has launched a $1 billion, one-gigawatt renewable energy plan based in South Australia's mid-north that he says will lead the country's industry transition to more competitive power. In the first of a number of projects slated for the upper Spencer Gulf region, will include a 120MW lithium-ion battery bigger than the 100MW battery built by Elon Musk's Tesla in South Australia in 2017, according to details released by Gupta's energy company Simec Zen of its Cultana Solar Farm. The project will produce 280 megawatts of power and feature 780,000 solar panels, generating enough electricity for 96,000 homes. The Cultana Solar Farm will begin construction in early 2019, employing 350 workers during construction, reported ABC News. "Today's event is symbolic of our desire to develop and invest in new-generation energy assets that will bring down Australia's electricity prices to competitive levels again," Gupta said on Wednesday. "Solar will be the main base of our ambitions in Australia but we will have some wind and we have lots of storage solutions." When completed, Gupta's battery will surpass the battery built by Tesla as the largest in the world, reports said. However, the Gupta Family Group (GFG) Alliance has no intention to stop there with plans for pumped hydro projects and expanded solar farms being developed for South Australia. "All of these projects will not only improve reliability and greatly reduce the cost of electricity in our own operations, they will also provide competitive sources of power for other industrial and commercial users, while at the same time playing a key role in the market's transition towards renewables," he said. "We have a strong conviction that traditional carbon-intensive generation sources do not have a long-term future as the predominant source of power in Australia and globally. "We believe the world is undergoing a momentous transition to renewable power as the cost of renewables drops dramatically and quickly," he added. --IANS soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) For online hospitality services platform Airbnb, the Indian market is of strategic importance as the company targets a global user-base of one billion by 2028 from the current 300 million, according to a company official. "India is one of the key growth markets for us. It is also a strategic priority for the company and teams across our global offices are working to create a lot of tools for India," Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb's Country Manager for India and Sri Lanka, told IANS. Bajaj said that that the online service provider would continue to invest in the medium to long term in the Indian market and so far it provides services for around 100 cities in the country with over 35,000 properties. He further said: "At a global scale, we want a billion people to have used Airbnb by 2028. If this number has to go from 300 million to 1 billion, you can't keep India out. India will contribute very heavily in this." In the process of providing services in the country, the official said partnerships with tourism and other government departments play a major role. The company has tie-ups with the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation and the North East Tourism Development Council. " Our partnerships with state governments are in the direction to make sure that there is an Airbnb for everyone in the remotest part of India," Bajaj said, adding that the firm also has a partnership with the National Commission of Women for "creating more women entrepreneurs." Bajaj said the company had a target of creating 50,000 hospitality entrepreneurs by 2020 in India out of which it wants at least 15,000 to be women. In the process of creating entrepreneurs in the travel and hospitality segment, the company's "Experiences" platform would play a major role, he said. The specialised platform offers tourists local experiences such as adventure sports, cuisines, visit to small-scale industries including handicrafts among others in collaboration of local hosts and people having expertise in a particular craft, the company said. The platform was launched in 2016 with 500 experiences across 12 cities globally and now the platform offers over 15,000 experiences in over 800 cities, Bajaj said. The online platform last week announced a partnership with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority to provide tourists with local and traditional experiences in the country through the "Airbnb Experiences" platform. Talking about the scope of the "experiences" platform in India, Bajaj said the service has been launched in Delhi and Goa so far and the response has been positive. "Because Goa and Delhi were big markets in terms of Airbnb anyways, so we wanted to provide experiential services as well," Bajaj said. In Goa the company started with 20-22 experiences around a month and a half back and now it has increased to 40, and in Delhi, it provides around 50-60 experiences, he said. Regarding competition in the hospitality market and coming in of more players in the alternative accommodation segment, Bajaj was of the opinion that more players in the segment would only create more options for travellers and eventually benefit the industry. "Till the time we are creating options for consumers, everyone in the industry will benefit." (Rituraj Baruah was in Colombo on an invitation from Airbnb. He can be contacted at rituraj.b@ians.in) --IANS rrb/hs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nature lovers were thrilled as India's first Humboldt Penguin chick was hatched at the Mumbai Zoo, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officially announced here on Thursday. "The Humboldt Penguin chick hatched at 8.02 p.m. on August 15. It appeared to be active and the mother Flipper was tring to feed it too," confirmed the Zoo Director in-charge Sanjay Tripathi. After mating in captivity, the Penguin pair Mr Molt and Flipper, finally delivered an egg in July at the Veer Jijabai Bhonsale Udyan, or Mumbai Zoo. While Mr Molt is the youngest male, Flipper is the oldest female in the zoo's penguin colony which attracts hordes of excited visitors daily. As an anxious team of zoo caretakers, vets and others kept vigil for nearly 40 days, the egg was finally hatched late on Wednesday and the small fluffy chick struggled out to freedom in the nest inside the special chilled enclosure where all the penguins have been kept. The special enclosure is spread across 1,700 sqft where an average temperature of 16-18 degrees is maintained, the water quality is regularly tracked and the Penguins are fed on fish, including Indian Mackerals. Eight Humboldt Penguins - later named as Dory, Donald, Daisy, Popeye, Olive, Bubble, Flipper and Mr Molt -- were imported here from a South Korea zoo on July 26, 2016. However, one female, Dory could not survive and died on October 23 following a bacterial infection during the period of acclimatisation before they went on public display, and have been the top attraction of the Mumbai Zoo. --IANS qn/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nature lovers were thrilled as India's first Humboldt Penguin chick was hatched at the Mumbai Zoo, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials said on Thursday. "The Humboldt Penguin chick hatched at 8.02 p.m. on August 15. It appeared to be active and the mother Flipper was tring to feed it too," said Zoo Director in-charge Sanjay Tripathi. Following a clamour from people, the BMC announced his evening that the chick will go up for viewing only after two-three months, till when it will be cared for by its parents. After mating in captivity, the Penguin pair, Mr Molt and Flipper, finally delivered an egg in early-July at the Veer Jijabai Bhonsale Udyan, or Mumbai Zoo, proving a big morale-booster for the BMC which was under heavy fire for importing the endangered flightless birds from COEX Aquarium, Seoul. As an anxious team of zoo caretakers, vets and others kept vigil for nearly 40 days, the egg was finally hatched late on Wednesday and the small fluffy chick struggled out to freedom in its nest inside the special chilled enclosure where all the penguins have been kept. The BMC said both parents are taking good care of their chick which is currently in the nest. Its gender will be determined after a DNA test. While Mr Molt is the youngest male, Flipper is the oldest female in the zoo's penguin colony which attracts hordes of excited visitors daily. The special enclosure is spread across 1,700 sqft where an average temperature of 16-18 degrees is maintained, the water quality is regularly tracked and the Penguins are fed on fish, including Indian Mackerals. Eight Humboldt Penguins, three males, three females and two babies - later named as Dory, Donald, Daisy, Popeye, Olive, Bubble, Flipper and Mr Molt -- were imported from the South Korean zoo on July 26, 2016. However, one female, Dory could not survive and died on October 23 following a bacterial infection during the period of acclimatization, and remain the top attraction of the Mumbai Zoo. The Humboldt Penguins, acquired for Rs 2 crore, belong to a species found on the chilly coasts of Peru and Chile, and have a life-span of around 25 years. --IANS qn/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bengaluru-based health technology start-up SigTuple has been selected among the top 10 finalists to participate in Google's Demo Day Asia, scheduled to take place in Shanghai in September. SigTuple creates Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based solutions to automate healthcare screening. It has built intelligent screening solutions to aid diagnosis through AI-powered analysis of visual medical data. The start-up also has an AI platform called Manthana, which helps analyze visual medical data efficiently. Manthana has enabled the company to work on five high-volume screening processes -- analysis of peripheral blood smears, urine microscopy, semen, fundus and OCT scans and chest X-rays. "Out of the 305 qualifying applications, the 10 finalists will take the final stage at Demo Day Asia," said Michael Kim, Partnerships Manager, Google for Entrepreneurs, in a blog post on Wednesday. Another start-up in the top 10 is Marham from Pakistan. It is a healthcare platform that helps people search, book appointments, and consult with doctors online. "The start-ups that impress could come home with funding from investors and up to $100,000 in Google Cloud Platform credits," read the blog post. --IANS na/mag/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Domestic tourists find a walk on Goa's beaches unsafe at night, but foreign tourists do not share the same concern, a study has claimed. The study, titled "Safety Issues in Tourism in Goa - A Tourist Perspective", authored by Goa-based Dr Yasmin Shaikh and publised in the latest edition of International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews, has recommended setting up of an all-women police force in order to instill confidence among women tourists, as well as a comprehensive effort to crack down on criminals preying on tourists in the coastal state. "It is inferred that a majority of tourists found it safe to move about on the beaches during the day. While domestic tourist(s) find the beaches unsafe during the nights, international tourist(s) find it safe to be on the beaches during the nights," the study has said. According to the study, 62.19 per cent of domestic tourists felt unsafe about spending time on Goan beaches at night. "Formation of an all-women police force for night patrolling will instil confidence among women tourists and intervene in an emergency situation," the study said. The research, Shaikh said, involved interviewing 400 tourists visiting Goa, both domestic and foreign. Goa is one of the top beach tourism destinations in the country and attracts nearly seven million tourists, which includes more than half a million foreigners. Over recent years, however, the safety of tourists, especially women, on the state's beaches, has been an issue of concern. The issue was first highlighted following the sexual assault and subsequent death of 15-year-old British teenager Scarlett Keeling in 2008 at north Goa's Anjuna beach. "The death of 15-year-old Scarlet Keeling has made this place a talking point and a pet bashing subject for the foreign media. The deaths of foreign nationals raise the question whether Goa is still a safe destination for tourists," the study said. A recent gangrape of a native young woman by a three tourists from Indore also heightened civic anxieties over the issue of woman's safety on the state's beaches. Last month, the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court directed the state government to set up a special cell for a focussed probe into the death of 245 foreign tourists over the last 21 years. The study, which is aimed at researching the relationship between security issues and tourism, also said that a majority of the tourists claimed that medical facilties, as well as police assistance mechanisms, are not adequate at tourist sites and neither is information about dos and don'ts for visitors. It also advocates that there should be greater emphasis on making tourists "feel secure and safe -- essential to the international competitiveness of the destination" as well as prompt, efficient and tactful handling of crimes against tourists and night patrolling of beaches. "It must recognised that when the environment is safe, the visitor is also safe and that if the travel and tourism industry emphasises security, it will have a good chance of surviving," the research paper said.(Mayabhushan Nagvenkar can be contacted at mayabhushan.n@ians.in) --IANS maya/nir/tb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) When former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee formed the government in 1998, the telecom sector was in a complete mess. The telecom companies were bleeding and the teledensity was quite low. The usage of telecom services didn't gather pace due to expensive call rates (data didn't exist at the time!). Long before the Reliance Jio's big entry into the sector, Vajpayee government took some historic decisions to fast-track the growth in the telecom sector. Here's a list of some crucial decisions: 1. Since the introduction of New Telecom Policy 1994, the telecom sector growth picked up considerably. The teledensity jumped from 1.2 per cent in 1994 to about 2.3 per cent in 1999. Despite such high growth rates, India lagged behind some matured countries in terms of telecom penetration. The biggest bottleneck to the growth was high annual license fees that operators were supposed to pay to the government. 2. The NTP 1999 shifted to a revenue sharing model, whereby telcos would be charged one-time entry fee in addition to revenue sharing - about 15 per cent of their annual revenues - as against a multi-year license fee till then. The license was extremely high in those days. Telcos operating in metros were paying Rs 6,023 per subscriber license fee to the exchequer. Since the costs of services were high, the customers were charged exorbitant rates. In 1998, for instance, the income call rates were Rs 16.80 per minute, and the outgoing rates were even higher. 3. In 1999, some 22 cellular operators reported combined losses of Rs 7,700 crore. The revenue sharing model gave a huge fillip to telecom companies to invest in infrastructure. With lower revenues to share with the government, the telcos were able to lower tariffs which, in turn, led to higher consumption of telecom services and better teledensity. 4. During the Vajpayee era, the government was able to separate the policy formulation arm (Department of Telecom) from the service provider arm (BSNL). BSNL, which was founded in 2000, was corporatised with an aim to compete with private operators. For the first few years, BSNL was able to garner significant market share - equalling the customer base of Airtel by 2004. In a 2015 statement, union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said that "Vajpayee-led NDA government at the Centre had left BSNL with a profit of Rs 10,000 crore." But since then, the state-owned telecom operator is going downhill. 5. Setting up of TDSAT (telecom disputes settlement and appellate tribunal) in 2000 was a step to reconstitute telecom regulator TRAI and take away the judicial powers from it. The job of TDSAT is to resolve disputes in the sector, and its orders could only be challenged in the apex court. The Islamic State terror organization on Thursday claimed responsibility for an attack on an educational centre in the Afghan capital, which killed at least 34 people and wounded 56. The government revised the number of deaths reported in the Wednesday terror attack from 48 to 34. "The coordinated and corrected information we got from our responsible departments now show that 34 people had been martyred and 56 injured," said the Ministry of Public Health in a statement. It said some casualties were double counted in the process of evacuation to hospitals. The Amaq agency, linked to the IS, identified the perpetrator as Abdulrauf al-Khorasani, in a statement over Telegram whose authenticity was yet to be verified. The attacker detonated his explosive belt inside the centre where hundreds of students were preparing for university exams. The IS statement claimed the attack led to more than 200 casualties. This is not the first time a minority Shia centre has been targeted by militants. In the past, attacks on cultural and religious buildings, especially of the minority Hazara community, have taken place. An attack on private schools, the majority of which do not have security guards, is unusual. The last suicide attack against the Shia community took place in a mosque in early August in eastern Afghanistan's Paktia province, leaving 30 dead and 81 wounded. --IANS soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mainstream leaders in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday condoled the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee death in Delhi. Governor N.N. Vohra said: "Saddened over the demise of a visionary leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. Pray for the peace of the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family members." Vajpayee passed away earlier in the day in All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. He was 93. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: "Vajpayee sahib is no more and I feel a personal sense of loss. Thank you sir for the opportunities, for the trust you reposed in me, for the opportunities to travel with you and to learn from you. You will be greatly missed." Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted: "His conviction, commitment and courage was phenomenal. He extended the hand of friend to Pakistan. He had to face the betrayal in the shape of Kargil incursions by Pakistan but even then he tried to rise above everything else to sort out the problems faced by us in Jammu and Kashmir." State Congress President G.A. Mir said: " apart, his approach to problems was that of a statesman. His policy regarding J&K was not put to practice by those who claim to represent his dream. He was a great parliamentarian." Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta said: "He entered J&K with Syama Prasad Mookerjee in 1953. He was a statesman, thinker, poet and writer who will always be missed." Former Minister and Peoples Democratic Party leader Naeem Akhtar said" "To resolve the Kashmir issue through a humanitarian approach, Atal ji firmly believed that dialogue and deliberation is the only way out of the situation in Kashmir." CPI-M MLA Yusuf Tarigami said: "During his prime ministership, there was a ray of hope for the otherwise helpless situation here. His approach opened roads and minds in Kashmir." Former Lok Sabha member and Congress leader Tariq Hameed Kara said: "For the people of Kashmir, Atal ji's passing away is a personal loss." --IANS sq/tsb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor John Abraham says he is extremely disturbed by what is happening in Kerala, where heavy rains have led to flooding of several districts. John, who had the fondest childhood memories of Kerala, on Thursday morning urged people to donate to the Chief Minister's fund to help the flood-hit people. "Extremely disturbed by what is happening in Kerala. My fondest childhood memories have been there. Please come forward and donate to the chief minister's fund," John wrote. With rains still pouring down heavily leading to flooding of dams and rivers across Kerala, 12 fresh deaths were reported on Thursday, taking the toll to 79, since August 8. Entire Kerala has been on a red alert since Wednesday evening. A total of 28 deaths were reported on the day. The deaths on Thursday were reported from Malappuram, Kozhikode, Palakkad and Thrissur. Pathanamthitta district in central Kerala has been the worst affected in the last 24 hours as thousands of people were trapped in their homes in Ranni, Aranmula and Kozhencherry. Fishing boats from Kollam reached the flooded areas as the rescue operation continued with the aid of defence personnel. --IANS dc/nv/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Karnataka government on Thursday declared a seven-day state mourning as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who died in New Delhi earlier in the day, an official statement said. "No official programmes or engagements will be held during the mourning period (August 16-22). The national flag will fly at half mast on government buildings across the state," the statement said here. The state also declared a holiday on Friday for schools, colleges and government offices in all districts, except those where officials are involved in rescue and relief operations following heavy rains. Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will fly to New Delhi on Friday morning to pay his last respects to Vajpayee at the latter's residence. --IANS bha-fb/tsb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Governor Vajubjai Vala, state Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, BJP's state unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa and other leaders mourned the death of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi on Thursday evening. "I condole the sad demise of former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee. In his death, the nation has lost a great visionary statesman and pious leader, who was respected and loved by all," said Vala in a message from Raj Bhavan. Recalling Vajpayee's hard work for the uplift of the poor and downtrodden throughout his life, the Governor said the veteran leader's vision and work would be remembered by every citizen across the country. "India has lost a great leader in terms of his sincere and dedicated action to the motherland. Praying to Almighty for his eternal peace," added Vala. Expressing grief on Vajpayee's demise, Kumaraswamy said the former prime minister was a great visionary who believed that national highways were like the lines on a palm, showing the future. "Vajpayee was a rare breed of politicians who lived the values they believed. His death has created a vacuum in the country," said Kumaraswamy in a condolence message. Quoting a line from Vajpayee's poem 'Will never accept defeat', the Chief Minister said the veteran leader's writings mirrored his personality. "Vajpayee believed in brotherhood and harmony and tried to bind the country with the Golden Quadrangle national highway project. He was also a great orator and a seasoned parliamentarian," recalled Kumaraswamy. Noting that the country had lost a great political thinker and statesman, former BJP's state chief minister Yeddyurappa said he had no words to describe Vajpayee. "Vajpayee's death is a great loss to the country, people and the BJP for which he was a leading and guiding spirit," said Yeddyurappa in a statement. Recalling that the country had witnessed an astute politician and an amiable prime minister, the party's state unit chief said Vajpayee's organisational and political acumen were put to test during his regime when he led the NDA government consisting of over 25 parties with each having political agendas of their own. Noting that Vajpayee was 'Ajatha Shatru' (a man without enemies) of contemporary Indian politics, Yeddyurappa said he was grieved by his death. "May his soul rest in peace," he added. Terming Vajpayee as one of the most respected, loved and broad-hearted statesman India had seen, Congress' state unit president Dinesh Gundu Rao said the former prime minister was a towering personality and a great orator. "I express my condolence on his passing away. We are all going to miss him," said Rao in a tweet. --IANS fb/ps (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With heavy rains upto 25 cm lashing coastal and south interior districts of Karnataka, the state is working to shift people stranded in flood-hit regions, an official statement said on Thursday. "Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has discussed with the Air Force officials to rescue people stranded in the districts of Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Hassan, Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru and shift them to safety," a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said. People living in Hattihole in Kodagu district, about 270 km southwest of here, which has been receiving very heavy rains, will be shifted to safer places soon, the statement said. "The Chief Minister has directed the district officials to respond to people affected by the rains and open safety shelters if required," it added. Over the last 24 hours, parts of Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada districts received extremely heavy rains measuring beyond 24 cm, according to a weather advisory from the Bengaluru division of India Meteorological Department (IMD). Coastal districts of Udupi received heavy rains upto 11 cm, Uttara Kannada 17 cm, south interior districts of Shivamogga 20 cm and Chikkamagaluru 6 cm. Districts in the northern part of the state, which have been facing a rainfall deficit, have also received light to moderate rainfall. Due to the heavy rains, landslides were reported since early this week in several parts of the state, particularly on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru route, leading to several state-run buses and trains suspending their services on rain-affected routes. The state-run Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has suspended its operations from Bengaluru towards Mangaluru and Kerala, due to landslides, heavy rains and flooded roads, a statement said. A total of six trains including Karwar-Yesvantpur Express, Yesvantpur-Mangalore Junction Express, were partially cancelled and a few other trains were diverted since Tuesday due to the landslides, the South Western Railway said in a statement. With the state's reservoirs in the Cauvery basin being filled to their maximum capacity during bountiful rains over the last two months, the incessant rains have been causing the rivers to overflow. In the Cauvery basin, water from the Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) reservoir across Cauvery river in Mandya district, Kabini reservoir in Mysuru districtAacross Kabini river, one of the major tributaries of Cauvery, is being released over the past few days, flooding the nearby towns and villages. Over 1.2 lakh cusecs of rainwater was released as of Wednesday evening from KRS reservoir, 50,000 cusecs from Kabini reservoir, 15,000 cusecs from Harangi reservoir across Harangi river (tributary of Cauvery) in Kodagu district and 12,000 cusecs from Hemavati reservoir across Hemavati river (tributary of Cauvery) in Hassan district, officials said. The Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority has warned the coastal and south interior districts to be braced for heavy rains for the next four days. District officials in coastal and southern part of the state have formed teams prepared with lifejackets, boats and other equipment to undertake rescue operations when required. Due to high waves and heavy winds, the IMD has asked the fishermen to avoid venturing into the Arabian Sea. "Fishermen are advised not to venture into the Arabian sea over Karnataka coast, north Kerala coastal and over Lakshwadeep area," it said. --IANS bha/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said that Kashmiris are not terrorists and they have no intention to separate from India, but added that they demand an India as envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi. "We are not terrorists, we don't want to separate from India, nor we are against India," Abdullah said speaking at a "Save Composite Culture" event organised by rebel JD-U leader Sharad Yadav here. "We will not accept an India which does not believe in equality of people and rather propagates discrimination of people on the basis of religion," Abdullah said. "Kashmiris demand the India which was envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi," the NC leader, also a Lok Sabha member, said. The former Chief Minister of Jammu and also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "dividing the nation on the basis of religion". "The current government has negated the vision of freedom fighters who made sacrifices to free India from the shackles of British rule," he said. "When the freedom fighters fought for the freedom of the country, they did not think in terms of Hindus, Muslims or Sikhs as their only mission was to seek freedom for India," he said. Abdullah also said that he would continue to fight for Article 35A until his death. "I will fight against them till I go down in my grave. They only remember and not Himachal (Pradesh), Arunachal (Pradesh) and Nagaland, which also enjoy the special position," he said. --IANS aks/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday issued a stern warning to those spread fake news about floods in the state using social Kerala is facing one of its worst-ever tragedies on account of widespread damages to crops and properties due to heavy rains and floods which also claimed at least 114 lives. Speaking to the here, Vijayan said it is unfortunate that the social is being misused and fake news is being spread about Kerala's tragedy. "I wish to inform all that the state government will now take very strict action against such people," said Vijayan. Idukki District Collector Jeevan Babu said there are fake news that was being spread in the social media about the safety of Mullaperiyar dam. "All the news about the safety of the dam is absolutely baseless and unfounded and I wish to state that there are no such issues at all. The state government has now decided to take action against all those who spread fake news," Babu told the media. --IANS sg/pgh/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Malaysian court on Thursday ruled that the evidence against two women accused of murdering the half-brother of North Korea's leader is strong enough for the case to go to trial. Kim Jong-nam died at the Kuala Lumpur's International Airport in 2017 after a toxic VX nerve agent was rubbed on his face. Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong and Indonesian Siti Aisyah, accused of smearing Kim Jong-nam's face, could face the death penalty if convicted of the murder. The women pleaded not guilty and said they thought they were taking part in a TV prank show, the BBC reported. In a statement, Judge Azmi Bin Ariffin of the High Court Shah Alam said: "I am satisfied that all the ingredients of the charge against the accused persons that need to be prove(n) has been established by the prosecution." He ruled that the actions of the two women, captured on security camera footage, were enough to infer that they had intended to kill him. The prosecution also maintained the argument that the pair were trained to commit the crime. The Malaysian police pointed to four North Korean suspects -- Ri Ji-hyon, Hong Song-hac, O Jong-gil and Ri Jae-nam -- as the masterminds of the assassination and said that the group introduced themselves with other names and nationalities when they hired the pair. Kim died on February 13, 2017, about half an hour after the two suspects approached him at the airport departure terminal, where he was going to take a flight to Macau. Experts from the Malaysian chemical department identified the poison as a colourless and odourless chemical substance listed by the UN as a weapon of mass destruction. The deceased half-brother of Kim Jong-un was once considered the heir apparent to his father's regime, but fell out of favour in 2001. He spent most of his time overseas in Macau, mainland China and Singapore. He had spoken out in the past against his family's dynastic control of North Korea and in a 2012 book was quoted as saying he believed his half-brother lacked leadership qualities. North Korea has denied any involvement in the killing. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday expressed his condolences on the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "Extremely sad to hear of the passing away of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, our former Prime Minister and a true Indian statesman. His leadership, foresight, maturity and eloquence put him in a league of his own. Atalji, the Gentle Giant, will be missed by one and all," he tweeted. Vajpayee died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. He was 93. --IANS spk/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi led the state leaders on Thursday in mourning the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying that the "nation had lost an eminent statesman". "As Prime Minister, he made bold yet subtle statement regarding India's nuclear capability by going for the Pokhran test, thereby helping India gain entry to the Nuclear Club. "He, however, made it unambiguously clear that the country's nuclear repository and policy is for self-defence, that the country is a believer in non-violence and in no way will be in a nuclear race with any country, and India will not use the nuclear power first but in self-defence," Mukhi said. "His sagacity and leadership at both national and international levels has been a source of inspiration and guidance," the Governor added. He recalled the veteran politician as India's then Foreign Minister in 1977 surprised one and all by speaking in Hindi in the UN General Assembly. "The way he conveyed so much in so few words left the world dumbfounded. He spoke about 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' at that level and made the country's intentions clear at the world forum. This speech made many people realise the importance of the native tongue and also placed an Indian Language on the world political stage," he added. Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia expressed grief and said that the country had "lost a stalwart who embodied the best values of parliamentary democracy". Saikia said that Vajpayee was admired and respected even by his political opponents because he always placed national interests above party interests. "As the Prime Minister, Vajpayee did not hesitate to remind then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to follow 'Raj Dharma' in the wake of riots in that state," said Saikia. Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowari also condoled Vajpayee's death in Delhi at the age of 93 after a prolonged illness. "He was an iconic statesman and stalwart of Indian A revered politician, Vajpayee was widely appreciated in national and international arenas for his acumen and foresight. One of the most popular Indian public figures, Vajpayee was loved, appreciated and regarded as a role model by generations of the country's leaders. His demise is a huge loss for the nation," said Patowari. --IANS ah/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Manipur University, which has been closed for 78 days following a demand for the removal of the Vice Chancellor, is likely re-open following an agreement on Thursday. Students and teachers have sought the VC's removal for allegedly administrative and financial irregularities. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed following a series of talks between the state government and the varsity community. The government agreed to replace two members of the fact finding committee that has been constituted to look into the charges against Vice Chancellor A.P. Pandey. However, the independent inquiry committee will continue to be headed by T. Nandakumar, formerly of the Meghalaya High Court, and submit its report within 15 days. During this period, Pandey will be on leave. The Manipur University Teachers Association has levelled charges of serious administrative and financial irregularities against Pandey and demanded an independent inquiry committee under the Inquiry Commission Act, 1952. --IANS il/qd/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday underlined the need for improved connectivity with the neighbouring countries for transformative growth of the northeastern region. "Regionally integrated development approaches with the backing of digital connectivity can help India's northeastern states and it eastern neighbours to revolutionise the economic scenario in this sub-region," he said. Sangma was addressing a two day seminar 'Shillong Dialogue' India and Sub Himalayan Eastern Neighbours: Shared Borders, Shared Opportunities: "Transforming Geo Spaces to Celebrating Ideas, Skills, People" in Meghalaya's capital Shillong. "Most of the northeastern states share their borders with the neighbouring countries and therein lies a huge opportunity for developing trade and economic growth which will be mutually beneficial to the region, our country as well as the neighbouring countries," the Chief Minister said. Noting tourism as a sector with immense potential for employment generation and economic growth, Sangma stressed the need to develop infrastructure and facilities to improve tourist flow to the region. The Chief Minister also pushed for more cooperation in the agriculture and allied sectors and termed digital connectivity as an enabling factor for transformation of the region. "Digital connectivity will lead to faster and more efficient market linkages", he said. The two-day consultative dialogue is being organized by Asian Confluence to deliberate on shared opportunities, challenges and the geo-spaces of possibilities and come up with concrete ideas to root the larger vision of regional connectivity and prosperity at the ground level in the sub-region, comprising of the seven North Eastern states of India and the eastern neighbours of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Nepal. --IANS rrk/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Armed militants attacked a National Directorate of Security (NDS) training centre here on Thursday and heavy clashes were ongoing, officials said. The attack began at 10.15 a.m. when the assailants took up positions in a building site close to the training centre for Afghanistan's intelligence agency in Qala-e-Wazir and opened fire, Interior Ministry spokesperson Nasrat Rahimi said. "The attackers were using machine guns to target the training centre," he was cited as saying by Efe news. The number of attackers and casualties was still unknown. Kabul Police spokesperson Hashmat Stanekzai told TOLO News that security forces cordoned off the area and were trying to evacuate residents in the surroundings. The training centre was also attacked by the Islamic State terror organization on December 2017, which led to the death of three insurgents and left two soldiers wounded after a five-hour long shootout. The incident came after a suicide attack on an educational centre in Dasht-e-Barchi locality of Kabul on Wednesday claimed 48 lives. In July, six people, including four members of the intelligence agency, were killed in an attack on an NDS convoy. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday led a host of leaders in paying homage to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose body was lying in state at his residence after it was brought from the hopsital. Officers from three forces draped the body in the Tricolour before enabling people to pay their last respects at his residence in central Delhi's Krishna Menon Marg. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vashundhra Raje, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das and Finance Commission Chairman N.K. Singh were among those who paid homage to the late leader at his residence. Former Vice President Hamid Ansari, Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Yoga guru Swami Ramdev also paid homage. Yashwant Sinha, who held the finance and external affairs minister portfolio in Vajpayee's cabinet, alsp paid tributes to the former prime minister. Later Modi consoled foster daughter Namita, foster son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya, other members of the foster family and his long-time associate Shiv Kumar. Vajpayee, a founder member of the BJP and the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term in office, died at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi on Thursday after prolonged illness. He was 93. --IANS aks/vsc/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Panama City, Aug 16 (IANS/MAP) Morocco is taking part in the 14th edition of the Panama Book Fair here which will run till August 19. The Kingdom was participating in the cultural event with a stand set up by the Moroccan Embassy in Panama, exhibiting over 200 books about the country's history and different aspects of the Moroccan civilization culturally, socially and economically. Morocco took part in the event for the third time in a row. The book fair, which has attracted over 100,000 visitors so far, was also marked by the participation of nearly 30,000 poets and men of letters of different nationalities, as well as publishing houses from Panama, Colombia, Mexico, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Puerto Rico, Peru and Chile. --IANS/MAP soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After around 50 people were stranded at the Sultangarh waterfall in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district, police on Thursday said around 45 people have been rescued while six are still missing. The picnickers were stuck after the waterfall swelled suddenly on Wednesday. Thirty four people, who were standing on the river rocks got stuck, while 15 were washed away. "The overnight rescue, which continued till 3 a.m. on Thursday managed to salvage 45 of those stranded on Independence Day. A missing report of six has been filed in Gwalior," Superintendent of Police Rajesh Hingarkar told IANS. The rescue teams, including the Border Security Force (BSF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), were sent several hours after the incident. The operation was stalled further till midnight due to heavy flow of water. It was only after the water receded that those stranded were taken out with the help of thick ropes. The Indian Air Force also saved five lives but the IAF helicopter could not continue its operation due to darkness. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has thanked Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman for their help. --IANS hindi-mag/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia was considering its response on Thursday to the US' expansion of sanctions against Moscow companies over their links to North Korea, the country's deputy Foreign Minister said. Sergey Ryabkov told the state news agency Interfax that the new sanctions imposed on the Russian company Profinet and its general manager Vasily Kolchanov for allegedly facilitating the delivery of illicit shipments to the North Korean regime "lacked any basis". "Regarding Profinet and Kolchanov, the restrictions were applied as the US tends to do now, without presenting any evidence and on the basis of empty and groundless accusations," Ryabkov said. "Russian leaders will decide on possible measures in response to this." He added that the result of the US broadening "anti-Russian" sanctions due to "pressure by the elites" would be the degradation of bilateral relations, "but Washington doesn't care about this prospect", Efe news reported. "We proceed from the inevitability of a constant expansion of US sanctions," the Kremlin's number two diplomat said. The US Treasury Department on Wednesday sanctioned Profinet and Kolchanov for allegedly "providing port services on at least six occasions to North Korean-flagged ships", while also slapping restrictions on the Chinese firm Dalian Sun Moon Star and its Singapore-based affiliate, SINSMS, for the sale of cigarettes and alcohol to Pyongyang. "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," Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said. The department also accused Kolchanov of being personally involved in the North Korean deals and interacting directly with representatives of the East Asian country's regime. --IANS soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nagaland Governor P.B. Acharya on Thursday condoled the passing away of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "In his passing away, the nation has lost a statesman, a great human being, a poet, tall leader and, above all, a patriot," Acharya said in his condolence message on behalf of the people of Nagaland. The Governor recollected how former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao had requested Vajpayee, the Opposition leader, as leader of the Indian delegation to the special session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva, where a Pakistan-sponsored resolution to censure India on its human rights record in Jammu and Kashmir was successfully thwarted. "For the first time, it was Atalji who introduced Hindi to address in UNO," he recalled. --IANS rrk/ps (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Society can best embrace V.S. Naipaul is by reading his works and understanding how he relected on the times, Savi Naipaul Akal, one of the three surviving siblings of late Nobel Prize-winning writer has said. Naipaul, 85, died on August 11. "The best way our society can embrace Sir Vidia is for people to read his works and (understand) how he reflected on the condition of our society," she said. Naipaul's other surviving sisters are Nalini Chapman, 66, who lives in Scotland, and Mira Enalsingh, 82, in the US. Their elder sister Kamla Naipaul Tewari died several years ago, and their brother, Shiva, a writer, died at 40 in 1985. "We are not going to prolong anything further. I need some time now for myself, to be pensive and reflect on what we shared. "We kept in touch always. We have not had any altercation, but we disagreed on certain things. But we were a family and kept in touch," Akal added. Lady Nadira, Naipaul's wife of 20 years, has said that the funeral will be very private, emphatically a non-religious affair, with only close family and friends. It will be followed by a memorial service where more people may be invited. Naipaul was born into a traditional Hindu family in Chaguanas in Trinidad and Tobago. His maternal and paternal grandfather's arrived here as indentured labourers from India, between 1845 and 1917, to work on the sugar plantations, and help arrest the decaying agricultural economy. Former Principal of the University of the West Indies St. Augustine, Campus, Bhoendradatt Tewarie, a close friend of Naipaul, hailed his works and life as one which is emulative. Through the University, Tewarie brought Naipaul to Trinidad for a lecture in 2008. A cultural show organised by Tewarie called on the hundreds who attended it, to pause for a minute of silence in Naipaul's memory . Public Relations Officer of the National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC), Surujdeo Mangaroo, said that Trinidad and Tobago is, poorer on his death as his voice had become a spokesman for the world society in matters of colonialism, neo colonialism and the sociology of peoples and nations. So far, there has been no word of honour or memorial from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. This writer has appealed to the government to name the Chaguanas Public library in Naipaul's honour, as it is sited just a stone's throw from the Lion House, where he was born. --IANS paras/ss/in/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Desire", an Argentine film which has been facing a lot of backlash since its release, is now objected by a parents' group which has demanded online streaming platform Netflix to remove it. Directed by Diego Kaplan, the film is in controversy over its opening scene which shows a nine-year-old girl masturbating to the point of orgasm, reports hollywoodreporter.com. Timothy F. Winter, President of the Parents Television Council, wrote in an open letter to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings: "I respectfully, but pointedly, ask you: Does the Netflix brand stand for the distribution of nine year old girls masturbating? The answer is yes or no; there is no other choice here." Kaplan earlier defended the scene in a statement to Indiewire, saying: "We work in a world of fiction; and, for me, before being a director comes being a father." Written by Erika Halvorsen, "Desire" was released in 2017. --IANS sim/rb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Late writer Khushwant Singh identified deeply with the culture of Punjab and some of his best writings on Punjab, Punjabis and the Sikhs are brought together in a new anthology by his daughter Mala Dayal. Titled "Punjab, Punjabis & Punjabiyat," the essays and articles in the book celebrate the culture, determination and spirit of the people of Singh's native land. Taken together, they offer the readers a peerless portrait of Punjab and its people. "Divided into three parts, the book deals with various aspects of the region -- its geography, climate, history, culture, religion, politics, language and literature. Part I of the book delves into Punjab's history, culture, language and Sikhism. "Part II covers the burning issues that affected the state during Khushwant Singh's lifetime, including the pains of Partition, the Khalistan movement, Operation Blue Star, the anti-Sikh riots and more. Part III is a collection of profiles of well-known Punjabis-poets, politicians, activists, friends and family," the publisher, Aleph Book Company, informed IANS. Born in 1915, Khushwant Singh was among India's best-known and most widely read authors and journalists. He published six novels, including the popular "Train to Pakistan". He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1974; which he returned in 1984 to protest the siege of the Golden Temple by the Indian Army. In 2007, he was awarded India's second highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan. He passed away in 2014. --IANS ss/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday expressed condolence over the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "The country has lost the tallest political leader, a charismatic personality, poet, orator, writer and thinker," Nitish Kumar said. The JD-U leader said Vajpayee was respected by leaders of all political parties despite ideological differences. "Vajpayee always stood to safeguard democratic values," he said. Nitish Kumar was Railway Minister in Vajpayee's cabinet during the first National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre. --IANS ik/pgh/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mining major Vedanta on Thursday said it is yet to get the Madras High Court's notice to the group's Sterlite Copper plant on a petition seeking Rs 750 crore compensation, and added it will "evaluate further course of action" only after receiving it. The high court on Tuesday ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the police firing in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin on May 22, in which 13 people were killed. The victims were taking part in a protest against the Sterlite Copper smelter plant. "This is with reference to your email regarding a news item titled 'Madras HC issues notice to Vedanta's Sterlite on plea for Rs 7.5 bn relief'," the London-listed company led by Anil Agarwal said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). With Vedanta Resources still awaiting the notice, as well as the copy of the petition, from the court, the BSE filing said: "The company upon receipt of the communication, will make necessary announcement." The high court earlier this week issued the notice on a petition seeking Rs 750 crore towards rehabilitation of people who are affected by the pollution allegedly caused by the plant and towards relief of victims injured in the May police firing. The court also quashed the charges slapped against six protesters under the National Security Act for their role in the violence. About 60 persons were injured in the police firing. --IANS bc/in/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday announced a Rs 5 crore assistance for the flood victims of Kerala. Patnaik spoke with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over telephone and assured to provide relief and assistance to the people of Kerala affected by the flood. "Chief Minister @Naveen_Odisha announced assistance of five crore rupees for relief and restoration of the damage caused by floods in Kerala and expressed solidarity with those affected by the extreme weather event," tweeted the Chief Minister's Office. Notably, the number of deaths in rain-related incidents in Kerala on Thursday rose to 87. The Kerala government has issued a red alert across the state. --IANS cd/qd/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted permission to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs to file fresh application before the Election Commission (EC) seeking summoning of government officials in the office of profit case. A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar granted the permission while disposing of the AAP legislators' pleas seeking examination of some government officials in the office of profit case being heard by Commission. Earlier, twenty AAP legislators were disqualified for holding the office of profit of Parliamentary Secretaries. The Commission on Monday fixed August 20 for hearing the matter, following a request from the AAP MLAs. The EC was to hear the final arguments in the case, but the MLAs moved the high court. On January 19, the EC recommended that 20 AAP MLAs be disqualified for holding offices of profit. Two days later, President Ram Nath Kovind approved it. Later, the MLAs moved the high court. In March, the high court restored the Assembly membership of the 20 disqualified MLAs. --IANS akk/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition leaders, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and chief ministers of West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi on Thursday condoled the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, describing him a great son of India, a statesman and one of country's tallest leaders. Gandhi said in a tweet that Vajpayee was loved and respected by millions of people and he will be missed. "Today, India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family and all his admirers. We will miss him," Gandhi said. Gandhi had earlier in the day visited Vajpayee at AIIMS where he was being treated. Manmohan Singh, in his message, said that Vajpayee stood among the "tallest leaders" of modern India and spent his whole life serving the country. "I have learnt with profound sorrow about the sad demise of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji. An excellent orator, an impressive poet, an exceptional public servant, an outstanding parliamentarian and a great Prime Minister, Vajpayeeji stood among the tallest leaders of modern India, who spent his whole life serving our great country," Singh said. "His services to our nation will be remembered for a long time to come," he added. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Vajpayee's death was a very big loss to the nation. "Very very saddened that the great statesman and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji is no more with us. His passing away is a very big loss to our nation. I will always cherish many fond memories with him. Condolences to his family and his many admirers," Banerjee said in a tweet. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said he was deeply grieved by the demise of Vajpayee and noted that he was loved by people of Odisha. "He was one of the tallest leaders of the country. He was much loved by the people of India and more so by the people of Odisha. May his soul rest in peace," Patnaik said in a tweet. He attached a video of his pictures with Vajpayee. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu said India has lost one of its greatest visionaries. "We have lost one of the greatest visionaries the nation has seen, on this unfortunate day. The beloved former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji will continue to inspire us and the generations to come. May he rest in peace," Naidu said in a tweet. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Vajpayee's death was a great loss for the country. "Am deeply saddened. A great loss for India," he said in a tweet. Kejriwal had visited AIIMS along with his deputy Manish Sisodia to enquire about the health of Vajpayee. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad described Vajpayee as a great human being and "true statesman". Azad said that Vajpayee never hesitated in giving full credit to his opposition party leaders whenever due. "I distinctly remember when he praised then Prime Minister Late Indira Gandhi after Indo-Pak war of 1971 and referred to her as 'Durga'," Azad said. The Congress leader said he had very happy memories of Vajpayee and his death was a big personal loss. "He will be greatly remembered for his prolific oratory skills, statesmanship, his relationship with leaders of other parties and outstanding contribution towards public service besides many other qualities," Azad said. Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge said India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had predicted that Vajpayee would become the Prime Minister in the future and he rose to the post. Kharge said that Vajpayee was "Ajatshatru" who never made any enemies. "Though our ideologies were different, we used to go to listen to his speeches to know what he had to say." Congress treasurer Motilal Vora said Vajpayee commanded equal respect from his party and the opposition. Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said Indian political landscape has lost a stalwart and a statesman. Vajpayee, a founder member of the BJP and the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term in office, died in Delhi on Thursday after prolonged illness. He was 93. --IANS ps-aks-sid/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A one-man commission of Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Ranjit Singh (retd) -- which probed several sacrilege incidents and police firing on protesters -- on Thursday submitted its final report to the Punjab government. Justice Ranjit Singh handed over the report to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who in turn directed the Home Department to take necessary action. The commission had submitted its initial report to the Chief Minister on June 30. The panel had probed the sacrilege incidents reported from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala, Bargari, Gurusar and Mallke villages and police firing at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura on Sikh protesters in 2015. An official spokesperson said that a part of the commission report deals with sacrilege reported in SAS Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Rupnagar and Patiala districts, while another is related to incidents in Nawanshahr and Hoshiarpur districts. Another part relates to sacrilege cases in Amritsar, Bathinda, Barnala, Faridkot, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Mansa, Moga, Sangrur, Sri Muktsar Sahib, and Tarn Taran districts. The report, along with an Action Taken Report of the government, on the sacrilege cases and police firings on protesters will be tabled in the coming Vidhan Sabha session beginning on August 24. The Chief Minister has assured repeatedly that those found guilty of trying to create religious disharmony in the state through such actions would be punished. The commission was set up in April 2017 by the Congress government to investigate sacrilege of the holy Guru Granth Sahib and religious texts of other religions. The government had decided to constitute the panel after rejecting as 'inconclusive' the findings of the earlier Zora Singh Commission set up by the then SAD-BJP government. The terms of reference of the new commission included an inquiry into sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Srimad Bhagwad Gita and holy Quran and probe into detailed facts and circumstances and chronology of events of what actually happened. It was also tasked to identify the role played by various persons into the unfortunate happenings. The commission was also mandated to inquire into the firing in Kotkapura on October 14, 2015 and Behbal Kalan village in Faridkot district, in which two persons died, besides identifying and inquiring into the role of police officers/officials in incomplete or inconclusive investigations into earlier sacrilege incidents. Acting on the first report submitted by the commission, Punjab Police included names of four police officials in the FIR registered in 2015 in the Behbal Kalan firing case. The roles of five other police officers will also be thoroughly investigated as per the commission's recommendations and the Chief Minister's directives. --IANS vg/tsb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday withdrew support for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif's candidature for the post of Prime Minister, the media reported. Sharif was nominated as the prime ministerial candidate of the joint opposition which included the PML-N, PPP, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and Awami National Party (ANP). The decision was taken during a consultative meeting of the PPP and the party was deliberating on whether it will take part in the election. The meeting was chaired by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Geo News reported citing sources. The National Assembly will elect the country's next Prime Minister on Friday. Earlier, nomination papers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and PML-N President Sharif were accepted. Speaking to reporters prior to the PPP meeting, Khursheed Shah said his party had reservations over Shehbaz Sharif being the candidate for Prime Minister. Shah stressed that if the PML-N does not change its candidate then the PPP will make a decision accordingly. PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique claimed that the PPP backtracked on former President Asif Ali Zardari's orders. With the loss of the PPP (54 seats), Shehbaz Sharif will now face an almost impossible task to be elected as Prime Minister. The PML-N has 82 seats in the National Assembly and it was unclear if the party will still be supported by the MMA (15 seats) and ANP (1 seat). On the other hand, Khan's PTI has 158 seats and with the support of its allies, the total stands at 175 which was more than the required simple majority, Geo reported. --IANS soni/bg (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 Thursday expressed his "deepest condolences" on the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here. Calling Vajpayee a "reasoned critique" and a "democrat", Mukherjee said in Twitter that India has lost a great son. "Deeply saddened at the passing away of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. A reasoned critique in opposition and a seeker of consensus as PM, Atal Ji was a democrat to the core. In his passing away, India has lost a great son and an era has come to an end. My deepest condolences," he wrote. Vajpayee, a founder member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term in office, died in Delhi on Thursday after a prolonged illness. He was 93. --IANS sd/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday wrote a letter to the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's adopted daughter expressing his "heartfelt condolences" at his demise. In his letter to Namita Bhattacharya, Mukherjee described Vajpayee as a "democrat to the core" who "dominated the opposition space like a titan" and said that the era of Vajpayee, which will "forever be fondly remembered" has passed away with his demise. "A democrat to the core, Atal ji dominated the opposition space like a titan and led the government like aplomb. An inheritor and practitioner of the best traditions and qualities of leadership, in his demise the nation has lost a great son," Mukherjee said. Earlier, Mukherjee, who served as the President from 2012 to 2017, expressed his condolences through his Twitter account by calling Vajpayee's passing away as a "great loss" to India and an "end of an era". Vajpayee, a founder member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term in office, died in Delhi on Thursday after a prolonged illness. He was 93. --IANS sd/qd/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday yet again invoked French President Emmanuel Macron on the Rafale deal and attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, saying that the French leader had told him that the price of the fighter jet can be revealed as it involves tax payers money. Addressing the Saanjhi Virasat Bachao Sammelan here which was attended by several opposition leaders, Gandhi said they had come together on a common platform as their vision and ideology assimilated all sections while the BJP worked to the advantage of a few industrialists. The meeting, convened by rebel JD-U leader Sharad Yadav, was attended by CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury, Samajwadi Party's Dharmendra Yadav, RJD's Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav, National Conference's Farooq Abdullah, NCP's Tariq Anwar, JMM's Sanjeev Kumar besides Chandan Mitra of Trinamool Congress and Danish Ali of Janata Dal-Secular. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot, Ahmed Patel, Ajay Maken and PC Chako were also present. The meeting is part of efforts to bring opposition parties together to forge a combined front against the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He asserted that the opposition parties would defeat the ruling party in the assembly polls later this year and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Gandhi, who had spoken on the Rafale deal during the no-confidence motion debate in Parliament last month, said that Modi could not reply to the charges levelled by him. He alleged that the fighter jet, whose price the UPA government had negotiated at Rs 526 crore, had been bought by the Modi government for Rs 1,500 crore each. He also alleged the contract to build the planes was "snatched" from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) which has experience of building fighter jets. Gandhi said Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said that the price of Rafale fighter jets cannot be revealed due to a secrecy pact with the French government and then referred to his meeting with Macron. "I asked the French President if the price of aircraft comes under secret pact. He said 'no, there is nothing like it. It is taxpayers money, how it can be a secret. If the Indian government wants to tell, it can.' I told this to the Prime Minister (during the debate on no-confidence motion) and he did not speak a word. He got angry and gave a long speech and discussed other issues. The chowkidaar did not speak about Rafale," the Congress leader said. Gandhi had said during the no-confidence motion that the French President had clearly conveyed to him that there was no problem in sharing details relating to the Rafale. France, however, issued a statement later saying that a security agreement of 2008 legally binds the two countries to protect the classified information relating to operational capabilities of defence equipment. Gandhi said opposition parties had different ideologies but they were together on a platform as they had a common vision of the country. "BJP President Amit Shah had said in a speech that India is a golden bird. That is what Britishers said 70-80 years ago," Gandhi said. "Those who view the country as a golden bird want to cage it. So they (the BJP) are making the cage, and we are trying to stop them." Gandhi said all sections of people were unhappy with the government. He also referred to Modi's Independence Day speech and said BJP leaders talk as if nothing was done before 2014. The Congress leader also alleged that the clapping during Modi's speech on Wednesday was orchestrated and children were clapping on cue given by their teachers. He said the Congress does not talk of "BJP-free India" unlike the BJP which talks of a "Congress-free India". "We want to tell them that their ideology will be defeated by our ideology," he said. --IANS aks-sid-ps/qd/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress President Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Germany and London next week to meet businessmen, politicians, academics and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), it was announced on Thursday. "Because of the high demand from NRIs, and political, business, academia, intellectuals and media in EU and UK, President of the Indian National Congress Mr. Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Germany on August 22 and 23 and London on August 24 and 25," US-based engineer and innovator, Sam Pitroda, said in a tweet. "Rahul Gandhi will give a series of talks at large public events, meet political and business leaders and also interact with intellectuals, academics, students and media. "Congress president Rahul Gandhi started similar tours about a year ago to interact with global communities, NRIs and Indian Overseas Congress to understand, explore and promote India's interests and aspirations. He first visited US, then Middle East, Singapore and Malaysia," he said. Pitroda was advisor to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and before him to Rajiv Gandhi for almost a decade in the 1980s. He was the founding chairman of India's Telecom Commission, now known as Department of Telecommunications. He was the key figure in the establishment of Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) in 1984, founded to develop telecommunication technologies in the country. "This tour of Rahul Gandhi to Germany and UK comes at a time when events in Turkey and free fall of Lira are getting global attention on the type and style of leadership and its impact on social, political and economic fabric of a country," he said, adding that people abroad are interested in listening to Gandhi on the issue of economy, employment, demonetisation and security. --IANS vn/sac/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday the arrest of its citizen suspected of planning a terror attack. The suspect, wearing what seemed like an explosive vest, resisted arrest and shot at the police, the Interior Ministry was cited as saying by Saudi Press Agency. In response, the police shot at the suspect, injuring him. No passerby or security personnel were wounded during the arrest on Wednesday in the northcentral city of Al Bukayriyah, the report said. A machine gun, two pistols and several bullets were confiscated from the man. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Himachal Pradesh government on Thursday declared seven days of state mourning owing to the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The national flag would also fly at half mast. The state also declared two-day public holiday for August 17 and 18 as a mark of respect, an official statement said. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the state's people would miss Vajpayee who had a special bond with the hill state. He said that Vajpayee always considered Himachal Pradesh his second home and owned a house at Prini in Kullu district. Thakur said the people will always miss the benevolence and special attachment Vajpayee had with the state. In a condolence message, Governor Acharya Devvrat said with his simplicity and humility Vajpayee ruled the hearts of millions of people. Vajpayee, 93, died in New Delhi on Thursday after a prolonged illness. --IANS vg/pgh/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called for a political settlement in Libya. The call was issued in a phone conversation held by the two leaders, Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement, Xinhua reported. "Noting that the two countries are keen to restore stability and security along the Mediterranean region, the two presidents discussed the recent developments in Libya and means of pushing the political settlement forward in the north African country," the statement said. The two leaders agreed that a national consensus among different Libyan parties would be the solution and the Libyan crisis can only be resolved by Libyan people, it said. They also discussed the situation in Syria, calling on the international community to reach "a comprehensive and lasting solution" to Syrian civil war, according to the statement. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday paid homage to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose body was lying in state at his residence after it was brought from the hopsital. Officers from three forces draped the body in the Tricolour before enabling people to pay their last respects at his residence in central Delhi's Krishna Menon Marg. Congress President Rahul Gandhi paid a visit to Vajpayee at AIIMS in the afternoon on Thursday. Vajpayee, a founder member of the BJP and the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term in office, died at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi on Thursday after prolonged illness. He was 93. ---IANS sid/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay on Thursday described former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the "strongest voice for Tibet". Sangay said in a tweet: "Deeply saddened by the loss of Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. He was one of the giants in Indian and the strongest voice for Tibet." Vajpayee, 93, died in New Delhi on Thursday after a prolonged illness. --IANS vg/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) His inimitable oratory, hand twirls and the guffaws -- former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is etched in public memory in the land of Avadh, Lucknow, which he represented in the Lok Sabha from 1991 to 2009. For some he was the suave, soft-spoken "Pandit Vajpayee" and for many Muslim families in old Lucknow, the most "secular face" among the saffron forces. On Thursday, as the 93-year-old died of age-related ailments at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, the city saw thousands of mourners who had something or the other to share about the doyen of Indian Kiron Chopra, a front-ranking industrialist of the state, remembers Vajpayee fondly and calls him "the last of the statesmen Indian had". While he admits to not being too big a fan of the former Prime Minister as an MP, he certainly gives him a thumbs-up for the work he did at the national level, be it the construction of the golden quadrilateral or the Pokhran nuclear tests. "Lucknow became Vajpayeeji's "karmabhoomi" after he adopted it to contest from here in 1991 and there had been no looking back on this association thereafter," points out Sri Lata Sharma, a Chowk-based teacher who remembers how she used to line up at crowded functions to hear Vajpayee speak. "I heard him speak once at the Begum Hazrat Mahal Park, and trust me I was just bowled over," she recalls with a smile on her ageing face. "He was a magician when he would speak... Not even Prime Minister Narendra Modi can match his oratory ... his long pauses, his smiling face, his carefree demeanour... He was from another generation," recalls Sharad Chandra Mishra, a resident of Sapru Marg here. The 89-year-old engineer says Vajpayee's contribution to the development of Lucknow also cannot be written off easily. Deputy Chief Minister in the present BJP government, Dinesh Sharma breaks down while talking of "Atal ji". Discussing the ill-health of the BJP veteran, he sobs like a child and recalls fondly how as a young party worker he, like many others, was always encouraged by the former Prime Minister. "It was not only his charisma but also his unique blend of encouragement to the young cadres that is something which is most memorable for me," he told IANS. Former Uttar Pradesh Minister and representative of Vajpayee, Lalji Tandon had emotions swelling as he was glued to a television set at his Chowk house on Thursday. His close association with Vajpayee dated back to the 60s. Tandon said "there would never be anyone like Vajpayee ji". People sitting at Raja Thandai, a popular shop in old Lucknow from where Vajpayee used to have this "thermos flask full" on arrival in UP, sadly remember the poet-politician. Shreyas Shukla, resident of Narahi who has "pictures clicked with Vajpayee", calls the former Lucknow MP "rajniti ka ajaatshatru" who had no parallel in modern day India. "Unki apni style thi, unki apni ek pehchaan thi, un jaisa na hoga" he says while remembering one of the 'kavi sammelans' in which Vajpayee had participated. Raj Kumar Singh, a Sadar resident of Sitapur road, credits the BJP stalwart with "managing political contradictions well". He says no one could have managed the alliances as he did. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar, who once contested against Vajpayee in 1996 from Lucknow and managed to get 35 per cent popular vote, also recalls Vajpayee fondly. "We used to look forward to his spirited speeches in Agra and these memories of such political stalwarts will remain etched in me till my last breath," said Babbar who called at AIIMS earlier in the day. Many old timers at the party office had tears rolling down their cheeks and term his passing away as "the end of an era not only in BJP but also India". The party office bearers at the BJP office which was witness to many visits of Vajpayee are at a loss for words. Veteran journalist Rajeev Ranjan Jha also calls him "the few good men of Indian " (Mohit Dubey can be contacted at mohit.d@ians.in) --IANS md/pgh/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three assailants were killed in an attack on a National Directorate of Security (NDS) training centre here on Thursday, officials said. The attack began at 10.15 a.m. when the assailants took up positions in an under-construction building close to the training centre for Afghanistan's intelligence agency in Qala-e-Wazir and opened fire, Interior Ministry spokesperson Nasrat Rahimi said. The attack triggered a gun battle which lasted for more than six hours, Kabul police chief's spokesman Hashmat Stanekzai told TOLO News. At least two explosions were heard, which residents said had been rockets, the report said. Interior Minister Wais Barmak said all three insurgents involved in the attack were killed. Security forces cordoned off the area and evacuated residents in the immediate surroundings. The training centre was also attacked by the Islamic State terror organization in December 2017, which led to the death of three insurgents and left two soldiers injured after a five-hour long shootout. The incident came after a suicide attack on an educational centre in Dasht-e-Barchi locality of Kabul on Wednesday claimed 34 lives. In July, six people, including four members of the intelligence agency, were killed in an attack on an NDS convoy. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ethnic violence in Myanmar is horrific and we have been "too slow" to prevent the spread of misinformation and hate speech on our platform, Facebook acknowledged on Thursday. The admission came after a Reuters investigation on Wednesday revealed that Facebook has struggled to address hate posts about the minority Rohingya, the social giant said the rate at which bad content is reported in Burmese, whether it's hate speech or misinformation, is low. "This is due to challenges with our reporting tools, technical issues with font display and a lack of familiarity with our policies. We're investing heavily in Artificial Intelligence that can proactively flag posts that break our rules," Sara Su, Product Manager at Facebook, said in a statement. According to Facebook, in the second quarter of 2018, it proactively identified about 52 per cent of the content it removed for hate speech in Myanmar. "This is up from 13 per cent in the last quarter of 2017, and is the result of the investments we've made both in detection technology and people, the combination of which help find potentially violating content and accounts and flag them for review," said Facebook. Facebook said it proactively identified posts as recently as last week that indicated a threat of credible violence in Myanmar. "We removed the posts and flagged them to civil society groups to ensure that they were aware of potential violence," said the blog post. In May, a coalition of activists from eight countries, including India and Myanmar, called on Facebook to put in place a transparent and consistent approach to moderation. The coalition demanded civil rights and political bias audits into Facebook's role in abetting human rights abuses, spreading misinformation and manipulation of democratic processes in their respective countries. Besides India and Myanmar, the other countries that the activists represented were Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, the Philippines, Syria and Ethiopia. Facebook said that as of June, it had over 60 Myanmar language experts reviewing content and will have at least 100 by the end of this year. "But it's not enough to add more reviewers because we can't rely on reports alone to catch bad content. Engineers across the company are building AI tools that help us identify abusive posts," said the social giant. Not only Myanmar, activists in Sri Lanka have argued that the lack of local moderators -- specifically moderators fluent in the Sinhalese language spoken by the country's Buddhist majority -- had allowed hate speech run wild on the platform. Facebook said it is working with a network of independent organisations to identify hate posts. "We are initially focusing our work on countries where false news has had life or death consequences. These include Sri Lanka, India, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic as well as Myanmar," said the company. --IANS na/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former CIA Director John Brennan hit back at US President Donald Trump on Thursday in a blistering New York Times op-ed, saying that the latter's claims of no collusion with Russia in the 2016 presidential election are "hogwash". Brennan's remarks came after Trump announced stripping his security clearance on Wednesday. He led the Central Intelligence Agency during most of former President Barack Obama's second term and emerged as one of Trump's fiercest critics. "Brennan's lying and recent conduct characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary is wholly inconsistent with access to the nation's most closely held secrets," Trump said in a statement relayed by White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the President connected revoking Brennan's security clearance to the Robert Mueller investigation, which is looking into whether Trump campaign associates coordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 election. In his op-ed, Brennan said: "Trump clearly has become more desperate to protect himself and those close to him, which is why he made the politically motivated decision to revoke my security clearance in an attempt to scare into silence others who might dare to challenge him." He wrote that it was "critically important" that Mueller must be permitted to complete his investigation. While Trump has repeatedly insisted there was "no collusion," Brennan said that the "only questions that remain are whether the collusion that took place constituted criminally liable conspiracy, whether obstruction of justice occurred to cover up any collusion or conspiracy, and how many members of 'Trump Incorporated' attempted to defraud the government by laundering and concealing the movement of money into their pockets". Brennan pointed to Trump's remarks as a candidate in 2016 when he jokingly asked Russia to hack and find the missing 30,000 emails from Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton's private email server. "By issuing such a statement, Trump was not only encouraging a foreign nation to collect intelligence against a US citizen, but also openly authorizing his followers to work with our primary global adversary against his political opponent," he wrote. Trump said that he was also reviewing the security clearances of nine other former officials, including former FBI director James Comey, all of whom had criticized the President or were targeted by congressional Republicans seeking to discredit the Russia probe. The President, in his interview to the Wall Street Journal, called Mueller's investigation a "sham". "I call it the rigged witch hunt, (it) is a sham... And these people (referring to Brennan) led it!" "So I think it's something that had to be done," he said. --IANS soni/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump's military parade is estimated to cost 92 million dollars, according to a CNBC report on Thursday, quoting an anonymous US defence official. An earlier estimate put the cost at 12 million dollars, $80 million less, said the report, Xinhua reported. The new figure consists of 50 million dollars from the Pentagon and $42 million from interagency partners such as the Department of Homeland Security. The parade is scheduled to take place in US capital city Washington on November 10 this year, featuring armored vehicles, aircraft flyovers and period uniforms. The final plan has not been approved by Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, according to local media. The ceremony is said to be largely inspired by Trump's front-row seat at France's Bastille Day military parade in Paris last year. The United States has not held a major military parade in Washington since 1991 to mark the end of Operation Desert Storm. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkey's biggest mobile phone importing companies have cancelled their iPhone orders as Turkish citizens join a move to boycott US products. According to the Hurriyet Daily, a significant number of importers began to withdraw their short and long-term orders after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's appeal to boycott American electronic products on Tuesday. Three big companies operating in Dogubank, a trade centre specializing in the sales of electronic products in central Istanbul, suspended $50 million worth of iPhone orders, the Turkish daily said. According to the traders, the buyers in Anatolia also cancelled their contracts for the purchase of iPhone models. "The demands were cut like a knife. We have put local brands on the shelf and removed iPhones," a mobile phone shop owner was quoted as saying. In the meantime, ordinary Turkish citizens continue to back the boycott. Ozgur Altinbas, a 25-year-old student, told Xinhua news agency that he was considering joining the boycott by giving up the iPhone he has used for three years to buy an Asian mobile brand. "I am one hundred per cent behind the boycott appeal," he said. Nearly 10 million people use US' iPhones in Turkey, press reports said, adding that the amount paid for the products hit $7 billion in 10 years. Meanwhile, the Turkish people also expanded their boycott of other US products ranging from textiles to fast food. Last week, Washington doubled steel and aluminium tariffs on Turkey over its continued detention of US pastor Andrew Brunson. In return, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree to raise tariffs on American imports including cars, alcohol and tobacco. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Coveted artworks by master artists Tyeb Mehta, Akbar Padamsee, Manjit Bawa, Syed Haider Raza, V.S. Gaitonde, and M.F. Husain will be on sale at art dealer Christies auction here, previewing from September 7. The south Asian modern and contemporary art sale will take place on September 12 during Asian Art Week New York. It will showcase the finest pieces from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh from the last century. A week prior to the auction date, the artworks-on-sale will be previewed from September 7-12. Interestingly, they will also be previewed at Christie's Mumbai from August 23-25. On sale will be a masterpiece by renowned painter Tyeb Mehta, "Diagonal XV", painted in 1975. It is estimated at Rs 80-140 crore ($1,500,000-2,000,000). "In the present work, the focus is on two fragmented figures at the center further divided by a green and orange lightning-bolt. Heightened against the deep maroon ground, these splintered figures communicate the trauma of not being whole and together, representative perhaps of the violent centrifugal forces at play in the larger social context to which they belong," a statement by Christie's read. Paintings from the diagonal series are the first of Mehta's mature style and mark a watershed in his long engagement with figuration, it added. A second painting leading the exhibition is Abkar Padamsee's "Rooftops", painted in 1959. The painting comes from his 'gray period' when he had eliminated colour from his palette, and has been described as "a critical meditation on color, form and movement". The small number of imposing works he created in this palette over the brief period from 1959-60 are among the finest of Padamsee's oeuvre. "Rooftops" is estimated to be sold between Rs 5.6 crore and Rs 8.4 crore ($800,000-1,200,000). Created in 1988, Manjit Bawa's Untitled (Acrobat) is another highlight of the sale and the preview. It estimated to be sold at upwards of Rs 4 crore. The sale, the auction house said, additionally includes important works by Francis Newton Souza, Syed Haider Raza, and Vasudeo S. Gaitonde along with a selection of contemporary works featuring a selection of works in various mediums by Nasreen Mohamedi. --IANS sj/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UN Security Council (UNSC) has condemned the attack on an education centre in the Afghan capital that killed at least 48 people as "heinous and cowardly". In a press statement released on Wednesday, the Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constituted one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. The UNSC underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice. Members of the Council also expressed their sympathies and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Afghanistan government and wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured. UN General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak called the attack "unacceptable", adding that the General Assembly continued to stand against terrorism and with Afghanistan. Up to 48 students were killed and 67 others injured in the suicide bomb blast on the private education centre in Kabul's Dasht-e-Barchi area. No group claimed the responsibility for the attack. --IANS mag/soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US State Department has expanded its visa restrictions on Cambodia after the official results of the country's election on July 29 were confirmed. In a press briefing on Wednesday, US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that since America has characterised the election as "flawed and neither free nor fair" the restrictions were issued, Xinhua news agency reported. The announcement followed the Cambodian electoral committee's announcement that the ruling Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen won all the 125 parliamentary seats. The visa restrictions were initiated on December 6, 2017 on individuals involved in the undermining of democracy in the Asian country. "The expanded entry restrictions may apply to individuals both within and outside the Cambodian government" that are responsible for the "anti-democratic" actions taken in the run-up to the election, Nauert said. The Cambodian Foreign Ministry in December 2017 had expressed dissatisfaction over the decision saying "the move was politically motivated with prejudice and double standards". --IANS in/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Paying rich tributes to former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday described him as a "strong binding force of the National Democratic Alliance". He said that the former Prime Minister always went hand-in-hand with all big or small coalition parties to carry the NDA forward, and it was his ability to take along everybody together that strengthened the National Democratic Alliance. The leader of the BJP's oldest ally and now the biggest partner, Thackeray recalled how his late father and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and Vajpayee enjoyed a very close rapport, with both debating many issues. "Pride, arrogance or rigidity of power was miles away from him; he was upright and honest, gentle and mild-mannered, and his perpetually smiling face an inspiration for all. I met him several times and he always blessed me like a father. Nobody can take his place," Thackeray said. Union Minister and senior party leader Anant Geete described him as "a great human being, truly one of the greatest leaders we had, and it was my great privilege to work under him." --IANS qn/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) He was a man of moderation in a fraternity of jingoistic nationalists; a peace visionary in a region riven by religious animosity; and a man who believed in India's destiny and was ready to fight for it. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee (93), who died on Thursday, will go down in history as a person who tried to end years of hostility with Pakistan and put development on the front burner of the country's political agenda. He was also the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full five-year term. Even though he lived the last 13 years of his life in virtual isolation, dogged by debilitating illnesses and bedridden, he has left an enduring legacy for the nation and the region where he was much loved and respected across the political spectrum and national boundaries, including in Pakistan. In the tumultuous period he presided over the destiny of the world's largest democracy, Vajpayee stunned the world by making India a declared nuclear state and then almost went to war with Pakistan before making peace with it in the most dramatic fashion. In the process, his popularity came to match that of Indira Gandhi, a woman he admired for her guts even as he hated her He also became the best-known national leader after Indira Gandhi and her father Jawaharlal Nehru. After despairing for years that he would never become Prime Minister and was destined to remain an opposition leader all his life, he achieved his goal, but only for 13 days, from May 16-28, 1996, after his deputy, L.K. Advani, chose not to contest elections that year. His second term came on March 19, 1998, and lasted 13 months, a period during which India stunned the world by undertaking a series of nuclear tests that invited global reproach and sanctions. Although his tenure again proved short-lived, his and his government's enhanced stature following the world-defying blasts enabled him to return as Prime Minister for the third time on October 13, 1999, a tenure that lasted a full five-year term. When finally he stepped down in May 2004, after an election that he was given to believe he would win, it marked the end of a long and eventful political career spanning six decades. Vajpayee had gone into these elections riding a personality cult that projected him as a man who had brought glory to the nation in unprecedented ways. The BJP's election strategy rested on seeking a renewed mandate over three broad pillars of achievement that the government claimed -- political stability in spite of the pulls and pressures of running a multi-party coalition; a "shining" economy that saw a dizzying 10.4 percent growth in the last quarter of the previous year; and peace with Pakistan that changed the way the two countries looked at each other for over 50 years. The results of the elections could not have come as a greater shock to a man who was hailed for his achievements and who was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 influential men of the decade. Success didn't come easily to the charismatic politician, who was born on Christmas Day in 1924 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, into a family of moderate means. His father was a school teacher and Vajpayee would later recall his early brush with poverty. He did his Masters in Political Science, studying at the Victoria College in Gwalior and at the DAV College in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, where he first contested, and lost, elections. He began his professional career as a journalist, working with Rashtradharma, a Hindi monthly, Panchjanya, a Hindi weekly, and two Hindi dailies, Swadesh and Veer Arjun. By then he had firmly embraced the ideals of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). But even as he struggled to win electoral battles, his command over Hindi, the lingua franca of the North Indian masses, his conciliatory and his riveting oratory brought him into public limelight. His first entry into Parliament was in 1962 through the Rajya Sabha, the upper house. It was only in 1971 that he won a Lok Sabha election. He was elected to the lower house seven times and to the Rajya Sabha twice. Vajpayee spent months in prison when Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency rule in June 1975 and put her political opponents in jail. When the Janata Party took office in 1977, dethroning the Congress for the first time, he became the foreign minister. The lowest point in his career came when he lost the 1984 Lok Sabha polls, that too from his birthplace Gwalior, after Rajiv Gandhi won an overwhelming majority following his mother Indira Gandhi's assassination. And the BJP he led ended up with just two seats in the 545-member Lok Sabha, in what looked like the end of the road for the right-wing party. In no time, Vajpayee was replaced and "eclipsed" by his long-time friend L.K. Advani. Although they were the best of friends publicly, Vajpayee never fully agreed with Advani's and the assorted Hindu nationalist groups' strident advocacy of Hindutva, an ideology ranged against the idea of secular India. Often described as the right man in the wrong party, there were also those who belittled him as a moderate "mask" to a hardline Hindu nationalist ideology. Often he found his convictions and value systems at odds with the party, but the bachelor-politician never went against it. It was precisely this persona of Vajpayee -- one merged in Hindutva ideology yet seemingly not wholly willing to bow to it -- that won him admirers cutting across the political spectrum. It was this trait that made him the Prime Minister when the BJP's allies concluded they needed a moderate to steer a hardliner, pro-Hindu party. He brought into governance measures that created for India a distinct international status on the diplomatic and economic fronts. In his third prime ministerial stint, Vajpayee launched a widely acclaimed diplomatic initiative by starting a bus service between New Delhi and Pakistan's Lahore city. Its inaugural run in February 1999 carried Vajpayee and was welcomed on the border by his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif. It was suspended only after the 2001 terror attack on the Indian Parliament that nearly led to a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. The freeze between the two countries, including an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation on the border for nearly a year, was finally cracked in the spring of 2003 when Vajpayee, while in Kashmir, extended a "hand of friendship" to Pakistan. That led to the historic summit in January 2004 with then President Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad -- a remarkable U-turn after the failed summit in Agra of 2001. Despite the two men being so far apart in every way, Musharraf developed a strong liking for the Indian leader. His unfinished task, one that he would probably rue, would be the peace process with Pakistan that he had vowed to pursue to its logical conclusion and a resolution of the Kashmir dispute. He was not known as "Atal-Ji", a name that translates into firmness, for nothing. He could go against the grain of his party if he saw it deviate from its path. When Hindu hardliners celebrated the destruction of the 16th century Babri Mosque at Ayodhya, he was full of personal remorse for the apocalyptic action and called it -- in a landmark interview to IANS -- the "worst miscalculation" and a "misadventure". He even despaired that "moderates have no place -- who is going to listen to the voice of sanity?" In his full five-year term, he successively carried forward India's economic reforms programme with initiatives to improve infrastructure, including flagging off a massive national highway project that has become associated with his vision, went for massive privatisation of unviable state undertakings despite opposition from even within his own party. While his personal image remained unsullied despite his long innings in the murky of this country, his judgment was found wanting when his government was rocked by an arms bribery scandal that sought to expose alleged payoffs to some senior members of his cabinet. His failure to speak up when members of his party and its sister organisations, who are accused of killing more than 1,000 Muslims in Gujarat, was questioned by the liberal fraternity who wondered aloud about his secular proclamations. He wanted then Chief Minister -- now Prime Minister, Narendra Modi -- to take responsibility for the riots and quit but was prevailed upon by others not to press his decision. A day before his party lost power, Vajpayee was quoted as saying in a television interview that if and when he stepped down he would like to devote his time to writing and poetry. But fate ruled otherwise. The man who once rued that "I have waited too long to be Prime Minister" found his last days in a world far removed from the adulation and attention -- though across the nation people prayed for his well-being -- surrounded only by care-givers and close family whom he even failed to recognise. --IANS tb/hs/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jamas nos callaran Fisica y culturalmente Nec plus ultra, nec variatur Precio del Brent To get the BRENT oil price, please enable Javascript. Precio del WTI To get the oil price, please enable Javascript. Paginas vistas en total Dolar USA Vs Euro Sin ellas, no seremos Deja vu Nada que celebrar Hasta cuando? Colombia Hoy Para nunca olvidar 'Parasite' painted on a statue of Queen, Elizabeth in Kent, England Sin palabras La UE le apunta a la paz Cada vez mas solo Precio del Oro To get the gold price, please enable Javascript. LULA y su Pueblo Bye Bye Homenaje al genial Quino Fueron ellos Una imagen que resume Tan bajo ha caido que se deja tocar el trasero? Porky y el Nene (archiconocido narcotraficante) Ladrones al poder Asi mira el perrito a su amo Crazy Clamor popular La nueva inquisicion Bolivia Chile Hoy Eso es todo amigos! Piensalo! Pinerachet No More Trump Adios Macri, hasta nunca La Marioneta se desinfla Asi o mas cinico Almugre Mexico en 1794 Mas arrastrado imposible Hasta cuando! La pura verdad Solidaridad con Palestina Serie Capitalismo Espejismos de la clase trabajadora Asi es! Comerciantes o delincuentes No pasaran! Asi es la vida USA HOY 01/01/1959 La avaricia no tiene limites AYUDA HUMANITARIA? Chile Hoy Asi son las cosas Mapa Electoral de Venezuela Patagonia argentina? Un aniversario mas del mayor genocidio de la Humanidad Retrato del franquismo en Espana Visca Catalunya! 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USA TODAY USA HOY 6 USA HOY 5 USA HOY 4 USA HOY 3 USA HOY 2 USA HOY (1) Insaciable Cronologia de un agresor Guarimbear en USA Mexico hoy Bolivar y Chavez Primero Amargado Dios los cria y ellos se juntan USA hoy (III) USA hoy (II) USA hoy Mexico hoy Mexico hoy Mexico hoy Obama La verdad sea dicha Los ricos Que no nos vea Obama Pobre Obama SOS PALESTINA VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN VICMAN Archivo del blog Archivo del blog marzo (4) abril (9) mayo (8) junio (10) julio (11) agosto (10) septiembre (17) octubre (11) noviembre (15) diciembre (10) enero (9) febrero (10) marzo (8) abril (5) mayo (6) junio (8) julio (13) agosto (10) septiembre (7) octubre (12) noviembre (8) diciembre (15) enero (17) febrero (11) marzo (11) abril (12) junio (6) julio (11) agosto (15) septiembre (5) octubre (15) noviembre (14) diciembre (11) enero (13) febrero (9) marzo (10) abril (8) mayo (7) junio (12) julio (12) agosto (8) septiembre (8) octubre (4) diciembre (8) enero (35) febrero (20) marzo (29) abril (19) mayo (21) junio (27) julio (21) agosto (28) septiembre (40) octubre (47) noviembre (21) diciembre (34) enero (62) febrero (81) marzo (117) abril (141) mayo (114) junio (111) julio (126) agosto (98) septiembre (160) octubre (234) noviembre (493) diciembre (319) enero (219) febrero (267) marzo (230) abril (291) mayo (347) junio (223) julio (179) agosto (191) septiembre (239) octubre (350) noviembre (406) diciembre (353) enero (284) febrero (202) marzo (274) abril (250) mayo (232) junio (251) julio (188) agosto (249) septiembre (230) octubre (178) noviembre (141) diciembre (164) enero (187) febrero (147) marzo (211) abril (190) mayo (199) junio (164) julio (162) agosto (174) septiembre (182) octubre (225) noviembre (114) diciembre (132) enero (223) febrero (147) marzo (133) abril (108) mayo (387) junio (465) julio (785) agosto (748) septiembre (485) octubre (681) noviembre (754) diciembre (805) enero (708) febrero (896) marzo (735) abril (831) mayo (723) junio (555) julio (658) agosto (619) septiembre (457) octubre (455) noviembre (295) diciembre (269) enero (534) febrero (556) marzo (205) abril (119) mayo (194) junio (255) julio (294) agosto (182) septiembre (207) octubre (340) noviembre (351) diciembre (281) enero (114) febrero (128) marzo (216) abril (195) mayo (116) junio (141) julio (182) agosto (181) septiembre (50) octubre (72) noviembre (104) diciembre (88) enero (168) febrero (102) marzo (151) abril (207) mayo (43) junio (72) julio (35) agosto (146) septiembre (54) octubre (46) Chavez Cuanto te queremos! Por culpa de Chavez Cerveza Polar Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar Translate LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares? Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano... Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos: Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias. Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera. No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje. En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio. Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida. Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella. Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal. Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista. Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen. Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che? Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio. Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora. Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo. Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo. Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania. No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar. Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga. Alguna duda? Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia. OZ1 OZ2 OZ3 OZ4 Homenaje a Jason Galarraga La Victoria de Samotracia Odalisca Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008 La Sierra Nevada de Merida Nuestro precioso Churum Meru Homenaje a Picasso Autoretrato Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola? La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar. Mi profesion? Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos. Sal en la Coca Cola? A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar. De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla: Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido) azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa) Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas Mucha Cafeina Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja. Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos. Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja. En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero). Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma. La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate. Bebidas Light? Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal. Publicado por loretahur En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina: 1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias. 2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina. 3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard. 4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos. 5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla. 6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos. Ahora... sobre la margarina: 1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) . 2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias. 3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno). 4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer. 5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna. 6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo. 7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina. Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas: * No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo). * No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!! No a la guerra, Si a la Paz Misterios de la ciencia... Los costos de la guerra medicos y capitalismo... Capitalismo... medicos (2) Quien educa a nuestros hijos? Los Medios... Sin Palabras... Chistes feministas - Cual es el problema, Eva? - Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas. - Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas... - Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti. - Que es un hombre? - Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente. - Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente. - Cual es el truco?. - Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion. - Cual? - Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer. Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Ellas... Ellas (2)... Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1 Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije: -Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro. Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria. Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre? -Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa! VENGANZA NUMERO 2 Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris. A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita: - Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!! Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta. La mujer paso quince dias en Francia. El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla. Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es: - Y amor me trajiste mi francesita?? - Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina. VENGANZA NUMERO 3 El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion. - No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo. - Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz. Te quiero confesar algo. - Esta bien, esta bien. Habla! - He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga. - Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!! machismo y cibernetica Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston. -Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide. -Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!. .Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos. Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco. Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas Gol !!!! Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso! Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy! Senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh on Thursday said that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee stood among the "tallest leaders" of the modern India and spent his whole life serving the country. "I have learnt with profound sorrow about the sad demise of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji," former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said condoling the demise of Vajpayee in a statement. "An excellent orator, an impressive poet, an exceptional Public Servant, an outstanding Parliamentarian and a great Prime Minister, Vajpayeeji stood among the tallest leaders of modern India, who spent his whole life serving our great country," Singh said. "His services to our nation will be remembered for a long time to come," he added. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azade also expressed his condolence over the death of Vajpayee saying he was a "true statesman". "I am deeply saddened by the sad demise of Vajpayeeji who was a great human being and a true statesman," Azad said in a statement. Azad said that Vajpayee never hesitated in giving full credit to his opposition party leaders whenever due. "I distinctly remember when he praised then Prime Minister Late Indira Gandhi after Indo-Pak war of 1971 and referred to her as 'Durga'," Azad said. Recalling his meeting with the former Prime Minister, the Congress leader said: "I had occasions of interacting with him over the long period of his parliamentary career and had very close interaction with him when I was looking after the Parliamentary Affairs portfolio and he was the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha." "I have very happy memories of him and his passing away is a great personal loss for me. He will be greatly remembered for his prolific oratory skills, statesmanship, his relationship with leaders of other parties and outstanding contribution towards public service besides many other qualities," Azad said. Azad expressed his deepest sympathies for his near and dear ones and prayed to the Almighty to give strength and courage to his family in this moment. Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge said India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had predicted that Vajpayee would become the Prime Minister in the future and he rose to the post. Kharge said that Vajpayee was "Ajatshatru" who never made any enemies. "Though our ideologies were different, we used to go to listen to his speeches to know what he had to say." "He had lot of tolerance and met every body affectionately. He never tried to run down anybody," Kharge said. Congress MP and treasurer Motilal Vora also condoled the demise of Bharat Ratna Vajpayee. "With the death of Vajpayeeji, an era of has ended. He commanded equal respect from his party and the opposition. And I am saddened by his demise," Vora said in a statement. Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also condoled the death of former Prime Minister and said in a tweet: "Saddened by the demise of Vajpayeeji. Indian political landscape has lost a stalwart and a statesman. Differences never prevented Vajpayeeji from walking across the aisle nor did ideological commitments deter him from upholding India's liberal values. We pray for his soul." Vajpayee, a founder member of the BJP and the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term in office, died in Delhi on Thursday after prolonged illness. He was 93. --IANS aks/ps/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reached the AIIMS to enquire about former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health condition as it continued to be critical. This was Modi's second visit to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in the last 24 hours since Wednesaday when the hospital issued a emergency bulletin saying the three time former Prime Minister was "critical and on life support". He remained "critical and on life support" at the AIIMS even as the hospital came out with Thursday's bulletin. A number of political leaders have visited the 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party stalwart since Saturday. Vajpayee has been at AIIMS for the last nine weeks since June 11. --IANS nks/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday described former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a man of wisdom, tolerance and compassion and who did not allow the party to swing to the extreme right of the political spectrum. "Vajapyee ji was a man of great wisdom, tolerance and compassion. He led his party to its first victory in national elections and established the credentials of the BJP to run the central government. "He will be remembered for many things but above all for his genuine efforts to resolve the decades-long hostility between Pakistan and India," he said in a series of tweets. Chidambaram said as long as he was at the helm, he resolutely anchored the BJP close to the middle and did not allow the party to swing to the extreme right of the political spectrum. "It is not the fact that Vajpayee ji had many friends, it is the fact that he had no enemies that was his distinguishing hallmark," he said. --IANS vsc/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Describing him as "Pole Star" of Indian politics, BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday paid his tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying he guided the party's journey from its seeding to taking a shape of "banyan tree". "With his demise, we have lost the pole star of Indian He was a multi-faceted personality. The country has lost a big statesman. It will be impossible for long to fulfil the space which has fallen vacant after his demise. "First, Jan Sangha and then founding the BJP, throughout his journey from seeding the party to giving it a shape of banyan tree, he guided all the workers," Shah told reporters at party headquarters. "Be it during fight against the Emergency or raising India's voice for Kashmir or for spreading Hindi's influence or as a balanced leader, he always gave solutions to the country. We, as a BJP workers, will take forward the mission he had taken up," Shah said. Shah also described Vajpayee as "shikhar purush" (topmost leader) of Indian who devoted every "second of his life to the country and the party". In a blogpost, Shah said Vajpayee was an ideal swayamsevak, a dedicated worker and an effective speaker. "It is not easy to give every second of your life to the country, the party and its ideology. We have seen Atalji as an ideal swayamsevak, dedicated worker, poet, strong orator and a unique political leader." Shah said Vajpayee was BJP's founding member, its first president and made the party grow into a banyan tree through his hard work and dedication. "He emerged as a popular leader who treated power as an instrument of service to people and led a spotless political life without any compromise with national interests. And this is the reason that people gave him love and respect beyond their political and social limitations. "As the supreme leader of the party born in opposition, he played an exemplary role in Parliament and outside and provided a decisive leadership to the country as prime minister," Shah said. The BJP President said Vajpayee left an indelible mark on the Indian polity with his thoughts and principles. "As a swayamsevak dedicated to ideology and as a disciplined worker, his life is an inspiration for us. As a unique politician, an effective speaker, poet, devoted patriot, Bharat Ratna, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death is an irreparable loss to the party and the country. His thoughts, his poems, his vision, his political sagacity will always inspire us and provide us guidance. I bow before such shikhar purush of Indian and pray for peace to his soul," Shah said. Vajpayee, a founder-member of the BJP and the first non-Congress prime minister to complete a full term in office, died in Delhi on Thursday after prolonged illness. He was 93. --IANS bns/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Condoling former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death here on Thursday, Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui said that the late Indian leader met three generations of Chinese leaders and credited him for taking the initiative of holding the special representative (SR)-level dialogue mechanism on the border issue between the two countries. "Shri Vajpayee met 3 generations of Chinese leaders," Luo tweeted on Thursday evening after Vajpayee, 93, passed away at AIIMS here following a prolonged illness. "During his trip to China as PM in 2003, he (Vajpayee) proposed establishing the mechanism of SR on the Boundary Question, and also donated an Indian style Buddhist temple in Luoyang City of China," the Chinese envoy said. India and China share a nearly 3,500 km-long international border. Luo also shared pictures of Vajpayee with former Chinese Presidents Mao Tse Tung, Deng Xiaoping and then with Hu Jintao during a 2003 visit to China. In an earlier tweet, soon after learning of Vajpayee's demise, Luo said that the former Indian Prime Minister's contribution to India-China relations will never be forgotten. "Deeply saddened by the passing away of the Honorable Atal Bihari Vajpayee," Luo stated. "We will never forget his great contribution to China India relations," he said. --IANS ab/pgh/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian industry paid rich tributes to former Prime Minister following his demise on Thursday, saying the iconic BJP leader ushered in the second generation of economic reforms that promoted India's rapid growth. "The second generation of economic reforms introduced under his visionary leadership contributed greatly to a facilitative investment climate which in turn promoted India's rapid growth," CII President Rakesh Bharti Mittal said. Vajpayee, whose politics of moderation in a hardline party propelled the BJP to power in the 1990s, died on Thursday evening at AIIMS here after a long illness. The 93-year-old had faded from public life for over a decade following health complications. "Ficci mourns the loss of former PM It is a very sad day for India. He was one of the most dynamic leaders who ushered in an era of reforms, progress and took the country forward," Ficci President Rashesh Shah said. Vajpayee is remembered for various policy actions that led to rapid growth in telecom, power, financial sector, insurance, agriculture, education and national highways that contributed hugely to unlocking the nation's economic potential. "... (Vajpayee) won laurels for his views and ideologies that always aimed at cementing the diverse and complex nature of Indian polity and its society and at the same time put in a great deal of efforts for sustained economic development of the country," PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Anil Khaitan said. As a mark of respect, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has appealed to the traders and business establishments in Delhi to remain closed on Friday. "Atal ji was a political saint who laid new dimensions to Indian polity. His unflinching patriotism, oratory skills and the whole life will be an inspiration to nation. His death has caused a political void which can't be filled," CAIT President B.C. Bhartia said. Captains of Indian industry recalled how Vajpayee remained a strong proponent of industrial and economic development through market reforms for a strong India. "A great economic reformer, as a Prime Minister he was always guided by a strong conviction that liberalization would help us realize our economic potential and ultimately open the doors to becoming a globally competitive, strong and resilient economy," Bharti Enterprises Founder and Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said. Vajpayee can truly be called the "Father of Modern Telecommunication in India" having ushered in the National Telecom Policy in 1999, Mittal added. Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan N. Tata said: "All of us who knew Mr. are saddened to hear of his passing away. He was a great leader with a great sense of compassion and humour. He will be remembered fondly by a vast number of us." Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal said: "Today, India has lost a true son of the soil, who rose from a very humble background to lead the country at a crucial juncture... While Atal ji may not be physically present amongst us now, his beliefs and his reform oriented ideas will continue to enlighten and guide us." Apollo Hospitals Founder and Chairman Prathap Reddy said: "He put the nation on the fast track with initiatives like the Golden Quadrilateral project, the New Telecom Policy, the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and the Fiscal Responsibility Act that laid down the path for future governments to follow." Mahindra Group Executive Chairman Anand Mahindra tweeted: "The leadership lesson that I learned from my interactions with him was that no matter how significant your achievements while in office, you ultimately earn the affection of people through your humanity and your humility..." Condoling the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, DMK Working President M.K. Stalin said the late leader did not dismiss the DMK government in Tamil Nadu despite the threat to the BJP-led Central government. In a statement issued here, Stalin said despite the pressure and threat to his government, Vajpayee as the then Prime Minister, did not succumb and dismiss the DMK government in the state. Stalin said Vajpayee, a close friend of late DMK President M. Karunanidhi, set up the Cauvery River Water Commission at the latter's request as per the interim order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. --IANS vj/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi on Thursday termed the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a "personal loss" and hailed him as one of the greatest politicians and diplomats in the world. Referring to Vajpayee as a "true nationalist" as well as a loving leader and a party worker, Tripathi said his work as the nation's Prime Minister left a deep mark in the heart of the countrymen. "I am deeply grieved to learn that our beloved leader Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee is no more. Not only India but World has lost one of the greatest politicians and diplomats. He was incomparable, a loving leader and true guide to nation and party worker. He was a symbol of unique political cooperation, which he enjoyed as three-time Prime Minister of this Country," Tripathi said in a statement. "He was a multifaceted personality. I had the privileges of having his advice and guidance on a number of occasions. His demise is a personal loss to me. I pray his soul rest in peace," he said. Tripathi said the Bharatiya Janata Party leader was respected by the international community as the politician had a unique quality of taking people with him. "He never compromised with his principles and wanted India to be a strong and prosperous country," he added. Vajpayee, whose of moderation in a hardline party propelled the BJP to power for the first time in the 1990s, died on Thursday here following prolonged illness at the age of 93. --IANS mgr/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Much as he was revered as a stalwart politician, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away at the age of 93 here on Thursday, was widely recognised as a key poet in Hindi, who took poetry beyond the pages of his collections and recited them at numerous public fora. He used poetry as a medium to give expression to his deepest thoughts. As the news of his sad demise plunged the nation into mourning, his eloquent verses came swimming before the eyes of his admirers. One particular episode that deserves mention took place in the year 1988 when the Bharat Ratna awardee was in the United States for kidney treatment. In a letter to playwright and his contemporary Dharamvir Bharati from the United States during his treatment days, Vajpayee said he peeped into the eyes of death" and captured the agony in a poem titled "Maut se than gayi" (Faceoff with death). Recounting the trauma that he was undergoing while uncertainty of his survival loomed large, Vajpayee described in the poem that he had almost accepted the end. "I had no intention of fighting/ there was no promise of meeting again/ she (death) blocked the path and stood on the way/ in a moment she became larger than life," he wrote. In the letter originally written in Hindi, Vajpayee added: "Maut ki umar kya hai? Do pal bhi nahin/ Zindagi silsila aajkal ki nahin/ Main ji bhar jia/ Main man se maru/ Lautkar aaonga/ Kuch se kyun darun", reflecting that death too is temporary and lasts only for a while in an ageless cycle of life. The former Prime Minister noted that he had lived to the fullest and would die with satisfaction, and would again return from his travels. Notably, when he had written the letter to Bharati, the doctors had suggested him to undergo a surgery. This suggestion had caused an anxiety in his mind and Vajpayee, revealed in the letter that this poem was written in that frame of mind. It is also interesting to note that then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was responsible for sending Vajpayee to the US for treatment. In a delegation headed to the United Nations, Gandhi had included his name so that he could be treated there. Vajpayee made his gratitude public to Gandhi and would often say that he was alive because of him. He emerged victorious in this "faceoff with death" and would go on to live for another three decades, serving thrice as the Prime Minister of India, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 11 months from 1998 to 1999, and thereafter for a full term from 1999 to 2004. Vajpayee's vision of life is also evident in his poetry. In one of his oft-recited poems, he asks the readers why has the colour of blood turned white, expressing the larger messages of fraternity and brotherhood. His poems also conveyed the firm belief in marching forward that Vajpayee accorded great importance in the course of the nation's journey. His "Geet naya gata hoon" (Singing a new song) is widely read and features in several school curriculum books, but Vajpayee also expressed his disgust with the face of truth in one of his poems, where he went on to say "Geet nahin gata hoon", or I am not singing. He wrote that when the truth revealed its real face, he became fearful of the truth itself and preferred to stop singing, or writing about the truth. And there was a prayer, too. "Mere prabhu/ Mujhe itni unchai kabhi mat dena/ Gairon ko gale na laga sakun/ Itni rukhai kabhi mat dena", where he, addressing to the Almighty, expresses his firm belief in fraternity, in seeing all men as equal and in embracing the others. "Meri Ekyavan Kavitayen" (My 51 poems) is one of his most celebrated poetry collections and provides a ringside view into the mind of the iconic poet that Vajpayee was. The literary world, like the rest of the nation, will remain poorer sans him. --IANS ss-hindi/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Call it a quirk of fate that a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort that Vajpayee's doctrine of 'insaniyat, jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat' was the only way forward in Kashmir, Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away. While Kashmiris traditionally have had strong reservations about the right-wing Jana Sangh and its present avatar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), they still have respect for Atal-ji. Kashmiris remember that when Vajpayee was the foreign minister, India and Pakistan had good relations after decades. "He was a statesman...the tragedy is that such statesmen are rarely born," said Prof Muzaffar Ahmad, a retired college principal. Others say even when he led a right-wing political party, Vajpayee never lost sight of the fact that his leadership qualities would be judged by his ability to win over Muslims and underprivileged minorities. "He believed in his words. He continued to be admired and respected by Kashmiris though his mantra of 'insaniyat, jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat' is yet to be put to practice in Kashmir," an activist of a separatist party told IANS. There are many locals who recall Vajpayee's visit to the Valley when he was in the opposition before the outbreak of militant violence in Kashmir. "I remember seeing a gentleman wearing 'pheran' and a woollen cap in our Ahdoos restaurant in Srinagar in the early 1980s," recalls Gulam Nabi, an elderly waiter still working at the restaurant. "He sat by a table along with a companion and ordered food. I pressed my memory to recall where I had seen this gentleman before," says Nabi. "Then I realized that he was Atal Bihari Vajpayee," said Nabi. "There was something magical about his speech. You always liked to trust what he said because there was an air of genuineness in what he said," says Maqbool Rather, a villager in north Kashmir's Ganderbal district. "In Kashmiri language there is a saying that the scent of the musk deer spreads only after his death," said Rather. G.A. Mir, President of J&K Congress, said: "Party apart, Atalji's approach to issues was that of a statesman. He always believed in dialogue and engagement. It is sad that those claiming to represent his ideology do nothing to carry forward his peace agenda." --IANS sq/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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 Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose of moderation in a hardline party propelled the BJP to power for the first time in the 1990s, died on Thursday after long illness. The 93-year-old leader, who had faded from public life for more than a decade following health complications and was admitted to AIIMS with urinary tract infection on June 11, breathed his last at 5.05 p.m., the hospital said in a statement. "It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support system. Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today," the statement said. Vajpayee, a diabetic, was undergoing treatment at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He was said to be stable for the last nine weeks but his health suffered a setback on Sunday and worsened on Wednesday. That things were getting worse could be gleaned from the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made two visits to AIIMS in the last two days. Rich tributes poured from across the political spectrum for Vajpayee who had the reputation of having no enemies in Modi described the passing away of Vajpayee as "the end of an era" and every Indian and the BJP worker would continue to be guided by his vision. President Ram Nath Kovind said Vajpayee was a "true Indian statesman". "His leadership, foresight, maturity and eloquence put him in a league of his own." Congress President Rahul Gandhi said Vajpayee was loved and respected by millions. "Today, India lost a great son." Earlier, as news of deterioration of his health spread, national leaders, including Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, BJP brass -- party President Amit Shah, veterans L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, cabinet ministers, chief ministers and opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee visited the hospital during the day. The body was taken to Vajpayee's house on Krishna Menon Marg in Lutyen's Delhi for the public to pay last respects to the departed leader. The former Prime Minister, whose birthday on December 25 is celebrated as Good Governance Day, was honoured with the Bharat Ratna in 2014 at his home. Vajpayee, whose more than six-year term was marked by peace initiative with Pakistan and the 1998 Pokhran nuclear test that invited US sanctions, was a bachelor and leaves behind a foster family. Though his long-time associate L.K. Advani, credited for the rise of the BJP from the last 1980s on the Ayodhya temple issue with his hardline politics, it was Vajpayee's moderate stance that took the party close to power. He was the Prime Minister for 13 days in mid-1996 at the head of the first short-lived BJP government. He was forced to resign ahead of the confidence vote as he failed to muster the numbers. However, Vajpayee again became the Prime Minister in March 1998 with improved numbers and new allies like the TDP, the AIADMK, the National Conference and the Samta Party. But his government fell 13 months later on the floor of the Lok Sabha losing by one vote in the confidence motion after AIADMK headed by the late J.Jayalalithaa withdrew support to the BJP. The BJP government headed by Vajpayee returned to power in 1999 and completed almost its full term till 2004 when the party lost in the polls called earlier than scheduled. Vajpayee was known for his lavish praise of Indira Gandhi as Durga on India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war of Bangladesh independence. He had a flair for foreign policy issues and the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao chose him to lead an Indian delegation to the UN Human Rights conference to counter Pakistan's campaign for Kashmir. Vajpayee had a long association with the RSS and the Bhartiya Jana Sangh which merged to form the Janata Party in the post Emergency period when he was jailed along with numerous opposition leaders. And in 1980, he, Advani, Joshi and other leaders founded the BJP of which he was the first President. --IANS som-sar-vsc/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 Thursday condoled the death of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, describing him as a "towering personality of modern India". "While we are saddened by his demise, it is also an occasion to celebrate the life of Vajpayee, who was a towering leader and a shining star who stood tall and served the nation with everything he had. Within and outside India, Vajpayee made all Indians proud with his statesmanship," Rio said in his message. "Vajpayee laid importance on building of infrastructure, protecting tolerance and promoting national unity. He is one of those (leaders) responsible for India's forward march today." The Chief Minister recollected Vajpayee serious concern for Nagaland's development after he announcement a package for its development as the then Prime Minister. --IANS rrk/tsb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday condoled the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In his condolence message, the Chief Minister said: "I am extremely saddened by the sad demise of a fatherly figure of our country - former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In his passing away we all are at immense loss." "Vajpayee was an iconic and charismatic figure who was loved by all. He was a true statesman who often rose above political differences for the cause of humanity, justice and peace. He was a true inspiration," Khandu said in hs condolence message. "Remembering his gentle soul who will remain forever in our heart. May he rest in peace!" the Chief Minister added. --IANS rrk/pgh/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Arunachal Pradesh Governor B.D. Mishra on Thursday expressed grief at the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying that India had lost its tallest leader and statesman who was an apostle of secularism. "Atal ji was an apostle of unity, harmony and secularism. One of the best orators of all time, he was a great visionary and the most respected leader of India. Cutting across political party lines, he commanded admiration of all," the Governor said. Mishra said that as the Prime Minister of India, Vajpayee laid the foundation of nuclear self-reliance for national defence by going for nuclear tests at Pokhran in Rajasthan. "A firm believer in integral humanism, Atal ji took the initiative of extending a hand of friendship to Pakistan through his most admired and unprecedented bus journey to Lahore (in 1999)." Conveying heartfelt condolences on his behalf and that of the Arunachal people, the Governor said he prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul. --IANS rrk/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's association with India's tech hub Bengaluru was memorable, as he spent 19 months in the city's central prison during the Emergency period in 1975-77, said an official on Thursday. "Vajpayee was lodged in the Bengaluru central prison in the city centre for 19 months from June 26, 1975 to January 1977 before he was shifted to another jail," Karnataka Information Department Deputy Director (News) D.P. Muralidhar told IANS here. Vajpayee passed away at a state-run hospital in New Delhi on Thursday evening after prolonged illness. The veteran BJP leader was flown to Bengaluru from New Delhi on the midnight of June 25, 1975, hours after then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared Emergency in the country and got several opposition leaders detained under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA). "Other BJP leaders L.K. Advani and Madhu Dandavate, who belonged to the Jan Sangh party then, were among the politicians lodged with Vajpayee in the same jail. As they were political prisoners, special care was given for their needs by then Karnataka Chief Minister Devaraj Urs of the Congress," recalled the official. During Vajpayee's tenure as the Prime Minister from March 1998 to May 2004, he visited Bengaluru and Karnataka several times for official and party events. "In one of his visits in 1998, Vajpayee said at a public meeting in the National College in the city that had he spent another six months in the Bengaluru jail, he would have learnt to speak, read and write Kannada well, as he was learning the local language in the prison in 1976," pointed out Muralidhar. Dedicating the International Technology Park Ltd at Whitefield in the city's eastern suburb, Vajpayee had said IT was not Information Technology but 'India Tomorrow'. Lauding the contribution of Bengaluru to the IT industry, Vajpayee said, "Let hundred Bengalurus bloom across the country." Unveiling the cable-stayed hanging bridge at Krishna Raja Puram in the city's eastern suburb in January 2003, Vajpayee had said: "We have built bridges and roads in our Golden Quadrangle project to unite all regions. We have established telephone networks even in the remotest villages to unite all hearts. We are planning to inter-link rivers not only to remove the thirst, but also to unite all the people of India". --IANS fb/qd/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday described former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as "shikhar purush" (topmost leader) of Indian who devoted every "second of his life to the country and the party". In a blogpost, Shah said Vajpayee was an ideal swayamsevak, a dedicated worker and an effective speaker. "It is not easy to give every second of your life to the country, the party and its ideology. We have seen Atalji as an ideal swayamsevak, dedicated worker, poet, strong orator and a unique political leader." Shah said Vajpayee was BJP's founding member, its first president and made the party grow into a banyan tree through his hard work and dedication. "He emerged as a popular leader who treated power as an instrument of service to people and led a spotless political life without any compromise with national interests. And this is the reason that people gave him love and respect beyond their political and social limitations. "As the supreme leader of the party born in opposition, he played an exemplary role in Parliament and outside and provided a decisive leadership to the country as prime minister," Shah said. The BJP President said Vajpayee left an indelible mark on the Indian polity with his thoughts and principles. "As a swayamsevak dedicated to ideology and as a disciplined worker, his life is an inspiration for us. As a unique politician, an effective speaker, poet, devoted patriot, Bharat Ratna, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death is an irreparable loss to the party and the country. His thoughts, his poems, his vision, his political sagacity will always inspire us and provide us guidance. I bow before such shikhar purush of Indian and pray for peace to his soul," Shah said. Vajpayee, a founder member of the BJP and the first non-Congress prime minister to complete a full term in office, died in Delhi on Thursday after prolonged illness. He was 93. --IANS ps-aks/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP veteran L.K. Advani, who had a long association with Atal Bihari Vajpayee and had jointly built the party from scratch, on Thursday expressed grief over his death, observing that the former Prime Minister will be remembered as the pioneer of the first-ever stable non-Congress coalition government at the Centre. "I am at a loss for words to express my deep grief and sadness today as we all mourn the passing away of one of India's tallest statesmen, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. To me, Atalji was more than a senior colleague. In fact, he was my closest friend for over 65 years," Advani said in a statement. Vajpayee and Advani, who had been the best of friends, were also political partners and colleagues for more than six decades of the shaping up of India's political landscape. Remembering his long association with Vajpayee, Advani recalled that right from their days as volunteers of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh), to the inception of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the struggle of the "dark months" during the Emergency that led to the formation of the Janata Party and later the emergence of the BJP in 1980. "Atalji will be remembered as the pioneer of the first ever stable non-Congress coalition government at the Centre and I had the privilege of working as his deputy for six years," he said. "As my senior, he always encouraged and guided me in every possible manner," said Advani, who first was the Home Minister and later the Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet of Vajpayee. The BJP veteran said Vajpayee had unmatchable leadership qualities, mesmerising oratory, soaring patriotism and above all, his sterling humane qualities like compassion and humility. "Vajpayee's remarkable ability to win over adversaries despite ideological differences have all had a profound effect on him in all his years in public life. "I will miss Atalji immensely." Vajpayee and Advani worked together in the 1980s to build the BJP as a national political force. Due to their devotion and efforts, the BJP bounced back from its 1984 tally of two to achieve an impressive 86 seats in 1989. Under their leadership, the party position moved up to 121 seats in 1992 and 161 in 1996 making the 1996 elections a watershed in Indian democracy. The Congress was dethroned from power and the BJP became the single largest party in the Lok Sabha. In 1996, Vajpayee was sworn in as the Prime Minister of the country but only for 13 days. His second term came on March 19, 1998, and lasted 13 months, a period during which India stunned the world by undertaking a series of nuclear tests that invited global reproach and sanctions. Although his tenure again proved short-lived, his and his government's enhanced stature following the world-defying blasts enabled him to return as Prime Minister for the third time on October 13, 1999, a tenure that lasted a full five-year term. Later under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP emerged victorious in 2014, getting majority of its own. --IANS bns-sar/vsc/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday expressed grief over the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, hailing him as "Ajaatshatru of politics" and a source of inspiration for his generation. Naidu called Vajpayee an "orator and great personality with a sensitive heart of a poet". He said Vajpayee was a "fantastic wordsmith" and with his civilised dialogue he enriched Parliament's glory. Vajpayee, whose of moderation in a hardline party propelled the BJP to power for the first time in the 1990s, died on Thursday here following a prolonged illness at the age of 93. A philosopher and a statesman, Vajpayee never hesitated to speak from his heart when there were larger concerns, Naidu said. "Overwhelmed with a surge of memories of venerable Atalji. Only these memories will fill the void now left behind by him," Naidu said in a tweet. The Vice President added: "My association and bonding with Vajpayee has been deeply enriching and transformative. I joined because of Shri Vajpayee's speeches that I heard while I was in ABVP. I used to be such a fan of his from my college days. "He was a real 'Ajaatshatru' who got along with people from all sections. He was an able leader and provided a stable government. He practised of principles and infused values into politics. "During my early days in politics, I remember how we all fondly used to call him, 'Tharuna Hriday Samrat', (a leader with a young heart). He was efficient and affable, bold and convivial." In his death, the country lost a "multi-faceted 'Ratna', a diamond", he said. --IANS vn-sm/qd/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It was the summer of 1996. The Congress government of Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao had lost the general election and, for the first time, there was an opportunity for the (BJP), headed by the moderate and well-liked Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to take power. He lacked parliamentary majority but nevertheless made the bid to form a government and become Prime Minister -- an ambition that he had long nurtured but which seemed elusive despite being in public life as a popular leader for long. The moment it became clear that Vajpayee would be the man to lead the next government in India, I made a beeline to his house at 5 Raisina Road which was almost a stone's throw from the Press Club of India. Vajpayee was a people's man and security was light around him those days. I and a colleague, Mayank Chhaya, opened the gates of his bungalow and walked in to his secretary's office. I asked his aides if he was busy. One of them pointed outside the window. There, standing all by himself, in an inconspicuous corner of the bungalow, seemingly staring into space, was the man of the moment -- in his trademark starched white dhoti and collarless kurta -- who would be the Prime Minister of India in a few days. We congratulated him. He smiled and ushered us in. Vajpayee had often wondered aloud whether he would forever remain prime minister-in-waiting as the BJP, with its hardline Hindu nationalist ideology, was not a popular favourite of the country then. But Vajpayee, with his affable personality, riveting oratory, an image of moderation and with friends across parties was one name that was being talked about as an acceptable alternative for those who were getting increasingly disillusioned with the corruption-tainted Congress. Vajpayee, then 71, and the BJP, did form the government, but it lasted only 13 days in his first stint at governance. He never had the numbers and made his resignation announcement almost offhandedly after two days of divisive debate on a confidence motion. The motion was never put to vote as its result was foregone. Even the BJP's opponents then paid tribute to the party for not attempting any horse-trading. The voluntary resignation improved the BJP's, and Vajpayee's, stock among the people and the party returned to power in 1998 for a longer term of 13 months, but with some non- support, its first shot at forming a coalition government with parties whose ideologies were not necessarily aligned with the BJP's. "If you want to form a government leaving us out, I don't see any signs of its stability," Vajpayee told Parliament presciently. "The birth is difficult, and after the birth, survival is difficult. For everything, you have to run to the Congress." But in the short 13-month term of the second Vajpayee government, he made his mark by making India a declared nuclear weapon power, authorising a series of five nuclear tests in the Pokhran desert of Rajasthan, a shock event that was followed by tit-for-tat tests by Pakistan. Vajpayee's best years were no doubted his third government of 1999-2004, when he formed the first Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition, carrying parties with disparate ideologies along under the umbrella of a progressive, market-oriented, pro-US, politically moderate agenda that the party hardliners did not like but which made its mark internationally and raised India's stock in the global order. I made several trips with Vajpayee, as part of his media delegation, from the Caribbean to China, from the US to Pakistan, and he always found time to meet leading editors in his cabin on board Air India One and get feedback on his trip and on his policies. But the most unforgettable experience with Vajpayee would be, no doubt, in the winter of 1992, a few days after the apocalyptic Babri Masjid demolition by Hindu zealots in Sitting in an inner room of his Raisina Road residence, a visibly anguished Vajpayee, in one of his life's most candid interviews, called the action as the "worst miscalculation" and a "misadventure" and conceded that voices of moderation were overruled by hardliners. Vajpayee admitted -- much against the claims of his own party -- that the had failed to honour "solemn assurances" to the Supreme Court, Parliament and Prime Minister Narasimha Rao that the mosque would not be touched during the December 6 "kar seva" by Hindu activists. "Moderates have no place," he lamented to IANS, adding with a resigned air, "Who's going to listen to the voice of sanity?" However, he ruled out quitting the party, saying he had a lifelong association with it and "when the ship is facing a storm, you don't desert". Asked how, despite having been projected as a prime ministerial candidate as far back then, he had chosen to compromise on his convictions, Vajpayee replied, "I have waited too long (to be Prime Minister)." Many of his party people and even journalists had decried the headline-grabbing interview and had even slyly suggested that it may have been contrived. But Vajpayee kept a dignified silence on the issue and, when I confronted him at the party's Executive meet in Kolkata some weeks later about what people were saying, he cryptically shot back: "Have I said anything?" That said it all. Vajpayee was a man of values, who decried the divisive ideology of sections of his partymen; he had a vision for the country and sought its rightful place in the comity of nations, but he remained till the end -- as his opponents often taunted -- the right man in the wrong party for India. (Tarun Basu can be contacted at tarun.basu@spsindia.in) Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has said that his government will take forward the legacy of Tripura's last king Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya who ruled the princely state from 1923-1947. "He was the father of modern Tripura and dreamed to make it the best state in India. The present BJP government is also working on the same lines," Deb said here on Wednesday night. Inaugurating the five-day long Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Jayanti, Deb said that in 1942 Manikya got the Agartala airport constructed. It played a crucial role in the World War II. The Agartala airport was renamed Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in July. Beside setting up many schools, colleges, the king had also brought the Burmese company into Tripura to explore natural gas, found abundantly in the bordering state. At the end of the 517-year rule by 184 kings, including Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya, on October 15, 1949, the erstwhile princely state of Tripura came under the control of the Indian government The merger agreement was signed with Kanchan Prabha Devi, the then regent. The king died in May 1947 at the age of 39 years only. The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced to make Tripura a 'HIRA' by developing highways, i-ways (internet), roadways and airways. "After the completion of the under construction bridge over river Feni in southern Tripura, the state will be directly connected with the Chittagong international sea port in neighbouring Bangladesh," he added. It would transform Tripura into a 'business hub' for all the northeastern states. The state government has also invited investors to set up rubber based industries as Tripura is the second largest rubber growing state. "We would provide land and electricity in cheap rate." Deb said the state government would create a tourism circuit to connect tourism spots in the other states. --IANS sc/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Researchers have found the world's most ancient solid cheese in a 3,200-year-old Egyptian tomb, as well as evidence of a potentially deadly disease. The cheese was discovered from the tomb of Ptahmes, mayor of Memphis in Egypt during the 13th century BC, said researchers led by Enrico Greco, chemical scientist at the Catania University in Italy. It was initially unearthed in 1885, but got lost under drifting sands, and was then rediscovered in 2010. A few years later archaeologists found broken jars at the site. 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. After dissolving the sample, the team purified its protein constituents and analysed them with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The peptides detected by these techniques showed 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, said the researchers, in the study published in ACS' journal Analytical Chemistry. This potentially deadly disease spreads from animals to people, typically from eating unpasteurised dairy products. If the preliminary analysis is confirmed, the sample would represent the earliest reported biomolecular evidence of the disease, the researchers noted. --IANS rt/qd/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) may soon impose limits on the trading positions that retail investors can take, based on their net worth. Retail investors will have to obtain a net worth certificate from a chartered accountant and submit it to their broker, and their trading limits will be decided accordingly. Net worth is the sum total of all the financial and non-financial assets of an individual, minus his liabilities. Retail investors often do margin trading in the equity market, which means that they borrow money from their broker to trade in stocks. They also ... How does the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) want India to be seen by the rest of the world? There is a stark contrast between the styles of the two Prime Ministers the BJP has given to India. Under Narendra Modi, Indias currency of power is the capacity to conduct surgical strikes against neighbours who have been out of line. At multilateral fora, it is about proximity to and familiarity with the powerful, that opposition leader Rahul Gandhi derides as hugplomacy. The messaging is that India has arrived as a socio-cultural soft power with a strong diaspora ... At least 16 students and a staff member of a private school here were hospitalised today due to suspected food poisoning, a civic official said. The Class 7 students and the staff member ate food (dal khichdi) served to them at the Sahyadri Vidya Mandir in suburban Bhandup following which they complained of stomachache. They were admitted to a hospital in Mulund, the official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said. The students -- 12 girls and four boys -- and the school staffer were responding to the treatment and will be kept under observation for 24 hours, a doctor attending them said. Food poisoning is suspected to be the cause of the illness, the civic official said, adding that an inquiry would be conducted into the matter. On August 10, a girl student of a civic-run school in Govandi area here died while over 400 other students were hospitalised due to suspected poisoning after they took iron- boosting medicines given by the school. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two boys have been arrested for raping a 17-year-old girl here, police said today. The incident took place when the girl had gone outside to attend nature's call last night in Kataiya village here, Circle officer of Musafirkhana Police Station S P Singh said. Both the accused were arrested under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) today, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An eighteen-year-old youth died after a clash with friends near Bardha Dam under Talera police station in Bundi district, police said today. The deceased was identified as Lakhan Singh, a resident of Kunhari area of Kota city, said SHO of Talera police station Purshottam Mahariya. Singh had gone to the Bardha Dam yesterday afternoon to picnic with friends. When returning in the evening, a scuffle broke out among the youths, wherein Singh sustained critical knife injuries. He was immediately rushed to Maharao Bhim Singh (MBS) Hospital in Kota, where he succumbed to injuries during treatment. Based on the complaint filed by the deceased's brother, the police lodged a case of murder against seven of Singh's friends, all of them had gone for the picnic, the SHO said, refusing to disclose the names of the accused. None of the accused in the case have been arrested so far, he added. The deceased's body was handed over to family members today after postmortem was conducted. Singh's death is being investigated, the police said, adding that the motive behind the murder is yet to be ascertained, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a video uploaded on social media, two men have claimed responsibility for the attack on JNU student leader Umar Khalid in an upmarket area in Delhi on Monday, and said they will surrender before police tomorrow. Police are on the lookout for the two men seen in the video uploaded on Facebook yesterday. In the video, the two men, who identified themselves as Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal, claimed the attack was supposed to be an "Independence Day gift" to Indians. Police are verifying the authenticity of the video and trying to trace the IP address from where it was uploaded. "We respect our Constitution. But there is no provision in our Constitution to punish mad dogs. By mad dogs, we mean the JNU gang that is making the country weaker and their number is increasing. Our elders in Haryana have taught us that such people should be taught a lesson," Shahpur said in the video message. The duo requested the police to not trouble anyone and said they would surrender at the village of Sikh revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha on August 17. They said they attacked Khalid for their country. Police are contacting their counterparts in Punjab and Haryana to trace the two men. Khalid was attacked on Monday when he was on his way to take part in an event at the Constitution Club after having tea at a shop outside the venue. He, however, escaped unhurt. On Tuesday, the Delhi Police handed over the case to its Special Cell, which incidentally is already probing a sedition case against Khalid and two other JNU students. The police had said they were not "intimated" about the event on Monday in which Khalid was participating. A police officer, privy to the probe, said the police had seized the weapon and preliminary forensic examination suggested the pistol had jammed when it was used against Khalid. He said they were yet to ascertain whether shots were fired as no empty cartridges were found at the spot. A case of attempt to murder was registered by police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two sisters in the age group of three to five years, today drowned while bathing in a pond in Odisha's Dhenkanal district, police said. The incident occurred at Kuajhar village under Nihal Prasad police station area. The girls' father Makur Hembram claimed that his daughters were alive when they were lifted from the pond by villagers but they died as the ambulance did not come. Irate villagers put up a blockade at Nihal Prasad-Dhenkanal road for hours demanding action against the ambulance operators who allegedly did not respond to the call, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police today arrested 21 farmers in connection with a clash that broke out between two groups over a minor dispute at Ramkore village in Shamli district, an official said. Yesterday, a clash broke out between the farmers of Ramkore village in Uttar Pradesh and the farmers of Nanheda village in Haryana, said Circle Officer Rajive Kumar Tiwari. He said 25 people were booked and 21 others were arrested in this regard. Meanwhile, extra police force has been deployed near the areas at the Uttar Pradesh-Haryana border in Shamli district to avoid any untoward incident, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three persons were arrested with heroin in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district, police said today. A police party intercepted a bike during surprise checking near Krishna Palace area in Vijaypur belt of the district today, they said. During checking, 13.37 grams of heroin was recovered from the possession of three persons Deepak, Abhay and Sameer, they claimed. The alleged drug peddlers were arrested and the contraband seized, they claimed. A case was registered at Police Station Vijaypur and investigation initiated, they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All 45 people stranded at the Sultangarh waterfall in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district were rescued early this morning, an official said. Five of them, who were stranded on a rock downstream, were rescued by a helicopter, Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Hingankar said. At least eight people were swept away yesterday while bathing in the waterfall and 45 others stranded following a sudden surge in water due to heavy rain upstream, he said. The waterfall is connected to the Parvati river. "Police teams, with the help of locals, rescued all the 45 people," Hingankar told PTI. He said family members of six people filed missing complaints as their kin, who went to the waterfall for a picnic on the occasion of Independence Day yesterday, were yet to be found. A search operation was on to trace the missing persons, the SP said. Eyewitnesses had earlier claimed that more than 10 people, bathing in the waterfall, were swept away. Early today, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in a tweet, said those stranded in the waterfall were rescued with the help of the Border Security Force, State Disaster Response Force, Home Guards, and the local police and residents. Chouhan thanked Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for extending support to deal with the situation. State minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia, who is an MLA from Shivpuri, thanked the Indian Air Force and other rescuers, including three villagers - Ramsevak Prajapati, Nizam and Ballu, for their help. The waterfall is located near Mohana village, 55 km from the district headquarters, in an area bordering Gwalior district. Tourists had thronged the place yesterday to celebrate Independence Day holiday. There was a sudden surge in water around 4.30 pm, possibly due to heavy rain upstream, catching those bathing in the waterfall unawares, police said quoting the locals. Union Minister and Gwalior MP Narendra Singh Tomar reached the spot last evening and supervised the rescue operation till late night. Senior Congress leader and Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia spoke to senior officials over phone about the rescue operation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police have foiled four major bids to smuggle bovines and rescued 57 animals in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, an official said today. A police party intercepted a bovine smuggler, identified as Taj Mohammad, yesterday in Kandi area and rescued 14 bovines, he said. In Thanamandi area, a police team intercepted two vehicles and rescued 15 bovines, the official said, adding that two people -- Zakir Hussain and Nazaqat Hussain -- were arrested. Police rescued four bovines in Daki Kote area of Rajouri district and arrested Wali Mohammad in this regard, he said. In another incident, a police team rescued 24 bovines in Khorbani Galli area and arrested bovine smuggler Mohammad Iqbal, the official added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five persons were killed in a landslide in Palakkad district of Kerala today even as torrential rains led to the collapse of the public transport system in many parts of the state with the southern Railways and Kochi Metro suspending operations. Palakkad district police sources said the five persons were killed in Nenmara while two were rescued, taking the death toll to 72 in the current phase of Monsoon fury. Reports of a landslide have also come in from Thrissur district and some people are said to be missing, the sources said. Rise in flood waters in Periyar River due to the rains and opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir, and Idamalayar, have severely affected lives of people in downstream areas. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan once again called up Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him of the flood situation in the state. The state has also sought the services of additional Army personnel and helicopters and the prime minister has assured all help, Vijayan said. "Spoke to Kerala CM Shri Pinarayi Vijayan again this morning. We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala. @CMOKerala," the prime minister tweeted. The chief minister also called up Home Minister Rajnath Singh and spoke to him about the flood situation and sought more central help for relief and rescue operations. Floods continue to ravage most parts of Kerala, especially Pathanamthitta, Ernakukam and Alappuzha districts, where several people, including children and elderly, are trapped in their houses. Kochi Metro suspended operations this morning after flood waters entered the Muttom yard near Aluva and train services have been affected in various parts of the state with cancellation of many passenger trains and partial cancellation of some long distance train. "Kochi Metro train operation is suspended as the water level rose in Muttom yard area," a KMRL statement said. A high alert situation continues in all the 14 districts in the state. At least 24 people had lost their lives on a single day yesterday in the state, taking the death toll to 67. Over 1.5 lakh people have been moved to 1,067 relief camps across the State, sources said. In Pathnamthitta district Ranni, Kozhencherry and Aranmula are among the areas worst affected. NDRF teams have been sent to rescue people stranded in their waterlogged houses. Flood waters have reached even second floors of various homes and people have taken shelter in the terraces of their houses. They are trapped with no drinking water, food and power. Television visuals this morning showed Army personnel, who arrived in boats, rescuing an elderly person and few others trapped in a marooned house in Kozhencherry. Girls students of Aranmula Engineering College and their warden, who were stuck in the hostel, were rescued by Air force personnel. An Army contingent with boats reached the state capital last night for the rescue operations in Ranni, Kozhhenchery and Aranmula areas. Due to land slip between Kulitturai-Eraniel stations in the Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil Junction section, some passenger trains were cancelled while a few others were partially cancelled. Cochin International Airport had yesterday suspended all flight operations till Saturday as water entered the airport area following continuous rains and opening of dam shutters in Periyar River. A Defence spokesperson said the Navy has been getting several SoS calls from thousands of people marooned in their houses in many parts of central and south Kerala. The spokesperson said calls were being received from all over the region, adding it was, however, impossible to reach some specific people as everyone en route were in a similar situation and needed help. Hence, he said the Navy was operating as per the information being provided by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), which is coordinating the rescue and relief operations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) For 71 years and counting, a little caf in south Goa has been celebrating India's freedom from British rule, even during its decades as part of a Portuguese colony, marking each anniversary with buntings, sweets and conversations on the legacy of the past and hopes for the future. And so it was yesterday too, when Bharat Caf, in a charming Portuguese era building in Old Margao Market, got all dressed up for Independence Day. On August 15, 1947, when the bells tolled India's freedom from the British, Subraya Sheshagiri Shetti rang in freedom in the caf he had started 12 years earlier in 1935. Seven decades later, on Independence Day yesterday, Shetti's grandson Deepak Ananth Shetti continued the tradition set by his Gandhian grandfather in the cafe, which boasts a bust of Mahatma Gandhi. On Independence Day, we garlanded the bust of Gandhi at our cafe, as a tribute to the Father of the Nation. The idea is to instil the spirit the nationalism and patriotism,"Deepak told PTI. "Like other years, old-timers, who have met my father or grandfather, came over to our cafe and reminisced sharing the cherished memories of Independence Day being celebrated year after year in the years gone by," he said. His grandfather, he said, was a Gandhian from Karnataka who had dreamt of an India free from the shackles of colonialism. Subraya Shetty named his cafe Bharat -- a little corner of Indian nationalism in what was then a Portuguese enclave "My grandfather was an avowed Gandhian. I have heard stories from him and my father about the festive mood at the cafe on August 15, 1947. The cafe was decorated and sweets were distributed to guests and other visitors. Every Independence Day, the mood is quite jubilant at the cafe," said Deepak. The effort is to continue the legacy, he added. "My grandfather started the cafe at the age of 21. He had moved from Karnataka. India was under British rule then and he, like all freedom fighters, wanted to see the country become free, Deepak said. Goa was under Portuguese rule till early 1960s and Deepak, who was born in 1954, said he has "memories of the day when Goa became liberated". Bharat Caf hides its history behind its colonnaded front and gleaming blue faade. Inside the cafe -- situated in Sunshine Building which dates back to 1927 -- a bust of Gandhi occupies a corner, signifying its founder's adherence to Gandhian values. "The bust was installed in 1948 soon after Gandhi's assassination in Delhi, as a tribute to the 'Father of the Nation'. On October 2, some local people carry it in a procession," said Deepak. On a pillar inside the cafe, with high ceilings, hangs a portrait of his grandfather dressed in starched-white khadi kurta and topi. The family is continuing the tradition set by the late patriarch. Deepak's son Aditya has finished his MBA and is helping him in run the place and daughter Neha is equally enthusiastic. "Our roots are in Karnataka, but I identify myself as a Goan, and so does my father. This is our birthplace. We are proud of being Goans, proud of being Kannadigas, and proud of being Indians," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi police have recorded statements of employees of an Aadhaar centre, which is running from the Surat Collector's office in Gujarat, in connection to the alleged Aadhaar data breach case, officials said today. Surat's Resident Additional Collector S D Vasava told PTI that a Delhi Police team visited the district around two weeks ago. During the visit, the Delhi Police personnel did not contact any senior official of the Surat collectorate and left after taking statements of the staff working at the Aadhaar centre, he said. "Some police officials from Delhi visited Surat around two weeks ago in connection to the probe. They took copies of government documents related to private agencies which were hired by us for posting supervisors and operators for Aadhaar centres," Deputy Mamlatdar (Planning) Mahendra Dave said. The revenue department official claimed that he did not know whether the police took any private staffer of the Aadhaar centre to Delhi for questioning. "Supervisors and operators are usually hired through outsourcing. They are not government employees. That might be the reason why the police collected those documents to find out the agency which had deployed its men," said Dave. He said the password to open the 'Aadhaar registration kit' usually remains with a senior official. Vasava also said he was not aware if anyone was summoned for questioning by the Delhi Police. "They left after taking statements of some persons working in the office. They have not contacted us or given details about the probe. They did not meet us. I am not aware if anyone was served notice to present himself before the Delhi police," he said. Vasava said the Delhi police did not mention anything about the misuse of password or involvement of any staff member working at the centre inside the collectorate. In January this year, the Delhi Police had registered an FIR based on UIDAI official's complaint in connection with a report published in Chandigarh-based 'The Tribune' newspaper on the breach of details of the over one billion Aadhaar cards. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) manages the Aadhaar project under which individuals are allotted a 12-digit unique identification number. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today approached the Delhi High Court challenging the Election Commission's order rejecting the party's objection against registration of the "Aapki Apni Party (Peoples)" as a political party. The plea sought de-registration of the newly formed party on the grounds that the abbreviation of both the parties would be the same -- AAP -- which could confuse the voters. The petition is likely to come up for hearing tomorrow before Justice Siddharth Mridul. The plea, filed through advocate Anupam Srivastava, claimed that the new party's name is similar sounding and that could confuse voters. The counsel said before registration of the new party, they had raised an objection but the Election Commission (EC) rejected it. The AAP sought quashing of the EC's July 16 order rejecting the objection against the registration of 'Aapki Apni Party (Peoples)' as a political party under the provisions of the Representation of People Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Abu Dhabi-based father and his five-year-old son on a India tour have set a Guinness world record for visiting the maximum number of UNESCO world heritage sites in less than 12 hours using public transport, according to a media report. Mohammed Thahir, a 36-year-old IT professional in Abu Dhabi, wanted to partake in the world record feat with his son, Mohammed Aayan, to teach him about perseverance and about the culture of their home country, India, the Khaleej Times reported today. The two visited seven heritage sites, covering nearly 300 km, in exactly 11 hours, 33 minutes and 18 seconds, it said. The previous record was held by a duo in the Netherlands and was completed in 24 hours. The sites covered by the father and the son were the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri in Uttar Pradesh, Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan, and Humayun Tomb, Red Fort and Qutub Minar in the national capital Delhi. They completed the journey using electric rickshaws, autos, cabs, public buses, trains and Metro, and also with brisk walk and running. The duo were part of a tour, which had 22 participants and was conducted by the India-based Expeditions and Transcend Adventures firm. All the participants were Indians. "I was exhausted due to the hot and humid climate and so was Aayan to an extent, but liquid intake at regular intervals helped overcome it," Thahir was quoted as saying by the newspaper. Thahir said the only time they rested was when they waited for a train or bus to arrive, which also gave them time to eat. "The waiting time for our transport means at each location gave us minimal breaks and we just relaxed during our train journey to Delhi from Bharatapur, where we had our breakfast. We couldn't sleep at all," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Popular TV actor Anup Soni says he has taken a "selfish call" to do movies as the big screen space is more exciting today. Soni, who has been the face of crime drama series "Crime Patrol" for about nine years, has bid adieu to the show to focus on his film career. He admits the show helped him earn credibility and respect as an actor. "The (hosting) stint went on for long. The show became popular and I did not think it will run this long. I am focusing on films now. "The actor inside me was restless and I wanted to focus more on acting. I had to take this call, it was a selfish call as an actor," the actor told PTI. It was during the last quarter of 2017 that Soni decided to leave the small screen. Fortunately, at the same time, he says, he got Ekta Kapoor's webseries "The Test Case". "I was somewhere missing acting in films. I requested makers that I would like to focus on films and they were ok with it. They wanted me to complete my contract that ended this March-April." In the past, Soni has been a part of films such as "Gangaajal" and "Aparahan". He also did a film called "Yeh Hausla", which did not release. "People often used to say to me that they thought I was busy with TV and did not want to do films. There are some offers that I wished I could have somehow managed and done it. I can't take the names. But what is gone is gone." Today, Soni, 43, says he wants people to know that he is open to working all mediums - be it feature films, short films and on the digital platform. Soni will next be seen sharing screen space with Sanjay Dutt in "Prasthnanam", a remake of a Telugu political thriller film. He says initially he had concerns about how his role would pan out in the film. "I was returning to the big screen after a long time and the role and its length matters to you," he says. "The director told me to watch the Telugu film. I got to know that I play a crucial role," he adds. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Afghan man has been arrested by customs officials at Delhi airport for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country gold valuing about Rs 32 lakh, according to an official statement issued today. The passenger was intercepted after his arrival from Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan on Tuesday. His personal search resulted in recovery of a gold chain and a gold bracelet weighing 1.06 kg having market value of Rs 31.74 lakh," the customs department said in the statement. The accused has been arrested and the gold seized. In another case, an Indian man has been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle out foreign currency worth over Rs 33 lakh. The accused in this case was intercepted by the customs officials when he was proceeding to board a flight to Dubai on Monday. "A detailed personal search of the passenger resulted in the recovery of foreign currency amounting to USD 50,000, equivalent to Rs 33.7 lakh," it said, adding the man was arrested and the currency was seized. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Even though a host of VIPs visited AIIMS to check on Atal Bihari Vajpayee amid heavy security, the sprawling campus of the premier hospital today functioned without disruption, barring minor glitches. AIIMS buzzed with activity since 5 am as OB vans of TV channels lined up outside the hospital to give regular updates about the former prime minister's health, before he died this evening. Patients at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences were curious to know the reason behind the media frenzy, heavy police deployment and the heightened VIP movement there. A few patients wondered whether the security personnel and policemen were deployed for the shooting of a Bollywood film. The harried mediapersons, who faced these queries, were quick to clarify. One of them said, "There is no shooting happening. We are here to do our job as Atal ji's is critical." Amid heavy VIP movement, the movement of patients was partially restricted as the area around the cardioneuro centre, where Vajpayee was admitted, was heavily barricaded. The entry to the first floor of the centre, where doctors were putting in all efforts to treat the BJP stalwart, was prohibited for the public. Few patients found it difficult to reach their relatives admitted in different wards of the centre. "I had brought lunch for my wife, who is attending to our ailing son. I had to take a longer route via the Rotary Cancer Hospital to reach my family as I got to know Prime Minister Narendra Modi was at AIIMS," said Ram Avtar, a resident of Samaypur Badli. The patients entering the campus from the main gate at AIIMS, had to jostle for entry with mediapersons, who did not want to miss out on capturing any dignitary entering the hospital. Another patient, Anand Jha, was excited to see the cameras. He was at the hospital for routine check-up. The security personnel had a hard time asking the attendants of patients and curious visitors to not crowd the cardioneuro centre and leave space for mediapersons and dignitaries who were making a beeline to see Vajpayee. The mediapersons braved heat, humidity and a spell of rain as they spent anxious moments waiting for updates on the leader's health. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An international delegation monitoring Pakistan's commitments to the global financial watchdog FATF has urged Islamabad to make terror financing and money laundering extraditable offences, a media report said today. The Asia Pacific Group (APG) on Money Laundering, which is currently in Pakistan, will submit a report to the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) which placed Pakistan on its 'grey list' in June. The APG's Mutual Evaluation report can play a critical role in retaining or removing Pakistan from the list after September next year. Islamabad needs to comply by the end of September next year with a 10-point action plan it committed to the FATF in June to combat terror financing and money laundering to get out of the grey list or else fall into the black list. Placement on the grey list hurts a country's economy as well as its international standing. The Express Tribune reported that delegation yesterday urged Pakistan to enact appropriate laws, enabling local officials to act upon requests of foreign countries to freeze illegal assets and extradite those involved in terrorism financing and money laundering. The delegation met officials of 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. It urged the country to make terror financing and money laundering extraditable offences. Highlighting deficiencies in Pakistan's legal framework, the visiting APG team pointed out that this could hamper Pakistan's effective response on requests of mutual legal assistance by foreign countries in money laundering cases, officials said. Stressing the need for strengthening domestic legal framework by October, members of the APG team an on-site inspection would be carried out by the regional body after this period. It also urged the authorities concerned to give predicate offence monitoring powers to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The group's other areas of concerns were activities by non-profit organisations, narcotics trafficking and proceeds of crimes. The team comprises officials from the US, Turkey, China and the UK. Officials from the US Treasury and the UK's New Scotland Yard are part of the delegation. Discussions are taking place on technical grounds where Pakistani authorities are trying to address the APG's concerns. During its third day of visit, the AGP team discussed the status of implementation of the FATF recommendations on supervision of financial institutions, challenges posed by beneficial ownerships and trusts, the targeted financial sanctions against terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and mutual legal assistance and extradition. After discussions, the AGP will prepare the second draft of technical compliance report before October, which can be improved upon during the mutual evaluation on-site visit, scheduled for October. Pakistani authorities were of the view that each department had its own mutual legal assistance arrangement, which could meet the needs of other countries. However, they said that this did not fully persuade the APG team. Pakistan is also not a signatory to mutual legal assistance treaties with countries such as the US, the UK, Canada, the UAE, Malaysia and Thailand. Officials said that the APG team also expressed concerns about implementing recommendations on extradition of criminals involved in money laundering and terrorism financing. The FATF makes it mandatory for member countries to deny safe havens to individuals charged with financing of terrorism, terrorist acts or terrorist organisations. Various departments gave presentations to the APG on their role in curbing money laundering and terrorism financing. The visiting experts were largely satisfied with the performance of Anti Narcotics Force, SECP and NAB. But they sought improvements in the skill sets of the Financial Monitoring Unit and National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA). Discussions were also held on effective supervision of financial institutions to ensure that the secrecy laws did not hamper implementation of the FATF recommendations. The visiting experts also stressed that beneficial ownerships should not be used to protect the proceeds of crimes. They also discussed Pakistan's legal and regulatory regimes on beneficial ownerships and trusts, which could be used for laundering money. Pakistani authorities are learnt to have informed the APG team about measures taken by the country to comply with the United Nations Security Council resolution 1267 and 1373, targeting financial sanctions against terrorists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asia stocks opened sharply lower today, joining a global sell-off on concerns over Turkey's financial crisis but later pared losses on that China and the US would hold trade talks. Equities across the region suffered steep losses at the opening bell, with Tokyo and Shanghai off by more than one percent, dragged down by a weak session on Wall Street as traders fretted over possible contagion from Turkey's currency crisis. Japan's main Nikkei 225 index shed 1.20 percent in early trade and China's benchmark Shanghai Composite was off by 1.17 percent after another day of volatile trading driven by Turkey. On Wednesday, Ankara hiked tariffs on imports of several US goods in retaliation for American sanctions, the latest step in a tit-for-tat spat between the two NATO allies that shows little sign of easing. The crisis has sent the Turkish currency into free-fall and sparked concerns that European banks and other emerging markets exposed to the unit could also suffer. A bearish mood saw European markets close down nearly two percent and the broad US S&P 500 market off by nearly one percent. However, the lira managed to claw back some ground after losing just under a quarter of its value on Friday and Monday, a loss that had prompted fears of a fully fledged economic crisis in the critical emerging economy. And equities in Asia staged a fightback after hit the wires of upcoming talks between the US and China, currently embroiled in a trade spat that economists warn could harm the global economy. China's Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen, the deputy representative on international trade negotiations, will meet with a senior US treasury official, David Malpass, at the invitation of the United States, the ministry in Beijing said in a statement. Traders saw a glimmer of hope of a detente in the ongoing trade battle that has seen the two sides hit each other with reciprocal tariffs on goods worth $34 billion, with much more threatened. The two countries plan to launch a new round of tariffs on $16 billion worth of goods from each country on August 23. "It is hard to tell how the talks will go but it's a positive signal that the two countries are looking for some compromise plan," said Makoto Sengoku, market analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Institute. "If they were determined to fight it out, they wouldn't meet," he told AFP. A few hours into the trading session, the Nikkei was back in positive territory while markets in China and Hong Kong had almost erased all of their losses. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Assam Governor Jagadish Mukhi and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today mourned the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The nation has lost an eminent statesman who had earned the unique distinction of being the first non-Congress prime minister, the Governor said in a statement. The sagacity and leadership of the former Prime Minister at both the national and international levels has been a source of inspiration and guidance", he said. During his tenure as prime minister he made a bold yet subtle statement regarding Indias nuclear capability by going for Pokhran test and helped the country to enter the Nuclear Club. He had also made it unambiguously clear that this was for self-defense and the country which is a believer of non-violence in no way will be in nuclear race with any country. Sonowal described Vajpayee as a statesman, ideologue, icon and one of independent India's greatest leaders. "Vajpayeeji's resolute leadership transformed India and gave us wings to dream and achieve," Sonowal tweeted. The Leader of the Opposition in Assam, Debabrata Saikia that in Vajpayee's death the country has lost a stalwart, who embodied the best values of parliamentary democracy. Vajpayee was admired and respected by his political opponents because he had always placed national interest above party interest, he said. "As prime minister Vajpayee had not hesitated to remind the then Gujarat chief minister to discharge his 'Raj Dharma' in the wake of the infamous riots in that state," the senior Congress leader said. "The demise of such a towering democrat is an irreparable loss to the nation," he added. Assam Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary in his condolence said that Vajpayee was an iconic statesman and stalwart of Indian "A revered politician, the former prime minister was widely appreciated in national and international arena for his acumen and foresight," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Drug firm AstraZeneca Pharma India today said it has received permission from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to import and market olaparib tablets used for the treatment of ovarian and breast cancer. The permission from the DCGI is for olaparib (Lynparza) tablets in the strengths of 100 mg and 150 mg, AstraZeneca Pharma India said in a BSE filing. The tablets are a patented product of the AstraZeneca group, it added. "The import and market permission for olaparib is a significant milestone for women in India living with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer and BRCA-mutated HER-2 negative metastatic breast cancer, which has historically been difficulty-to-treat diseases," AstraZeneca Pharma India MD Gagan Singh said. Shares of AstraZeneca Pharma India today closed at Rs 1,710.30 per scrip on BSE, up 1.59 per cent from their previous close. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of India's most charismatic leaders who led the nation through several crises and held together a tenuous coalition with his inclusive politics, died here today. He was 93. Vajpayee, a bachelor, is survived by his adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. His death was announced by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital where he was admitted June 11 with a variety of ailments. "It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of Former Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, at 05:05 PM," the AIIMS said in a statement. It said his condition was stable for the last nine weeks, but "unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems." "Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today. We join the Nation in deeply mourning this great loss," said the statement by Dr (Prof) Aarti Vij. Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of other BJP as well as opposition leaders drove to AIIMS as it became clear that the end was near. "It was Atalji's exemplary leadership that set the foundations for prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century," Modi said. Vajpayee, who joined the Rastriya Swamsevak Sangha (RSS) in 1947 rose through ranks to become a stalwart of the BJP and was the first non-Congress prime minister to complete a full term in office. "It was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atal Ji that the BJP was built brick by brick," Modi said in a tweet. "He travelled across the length and breadth of India to spread the BJP's message, which led to the BJP becoming a strong force in our national polity and in several states," he added. Seen as a moderate face of BJP, Vajpayee's first became prime minister in 1996, leading a shaky coalition whose members were suspicious of the BJP's right-wing It lasted for 13 days and collapsed after losing a vote of no-confidence. His second stint as prime minister was in 1998 when the National Democratic Alliance again came to power but that lasted for just 13 months. Finally, the NDA with Vajpayee as PM returned to power in 1999 and was voted out in 2004. A 10-time MP of the Lok Sabha, Vajpayee announced his retirement from in 2005. He was also a member of the Rajya Sabha twice. The former prime minister was admitted to the hospital on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. Vajpayee, a diabetic, had only one functional kidney. He 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.) A 74-year-old man with terminal cancer today said he could die happy after reaching a 1 million Australian dollar (USD 727,000) landmark settlement against a Catholic religious order for sexual abuse he suffered in Australia more than 50 years ago. Paul Bradshaw was to testify today in the Western Australia state District Court about his ill treatment at Castledare Junior Orphanage and Clontarf Orphanage run by the Irish Chritian Brothers order in the 1950s and '60s. But instead, a settlement was reached with the Trustees of the Christian Brothers for the abuse he suffered at the hands of Brothers Lawrence Murphy, Bruno Doyle and Christopher Angus, who are all dead. Bradshaw is the first victim to claim damages for historical child sex abuse under laws that recently came into effect in Western Australia, removing the time limit for such cases. He cried outside court, explaining his 60-year fight and said he was relieved his family would receive his compensation money. He said doctors had advised that he only had six months to live. "I lived on the street most of my life and I don't want them to go through the same thing I went through," he told reporters. "I'm just hoping now that this has been settled and I can get on with my last six months in peace." "I will die happy now knowing that I can care for my family," he added. The Catholic Church, Australia's largest denomination, in May became the first non-government institution to commit to a 3.8 billion Australian dollar (USD 2.9 billion) national redress plan for victims of child sex abuse in Australian institutions over decades. The Catholic Church estimates it alone will be liable for about 1 billion Australian dollar in compensation. Former Archbishop of Adelaide Philip Wilson was this week sentenced to 1 year in home detention after becoming the most senior Catholic cleric to be convicted of covering up child sex abuse. Pope Francis' former finance minister, Cardinal George Pell, faces trial on sexual assault charges in Australia. The exact details and nature of the charges have not been disclosed to the public, though police have described them as "historical" sexual assaults, meaning they are alleged to have occurred decades ago. The national redress plan was recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which made its final report in December. Australia's longest-running royal commission which is the country's highest form of inquiry had been investigating since 2012 how institutions responded to sexual abuse of children in Australia over 90 years. The inquiry heard the testimonies of more than 8,000 survivors of child sex abuse. Of those who were abused in religious institution, 62 per cent were Catholics. Bradshaw said his case was never about money. "I just wanted the apology of the Christian Brothers and I would have been happy with that," he said. His lawyer Michael Magazanik told reporters it was a landmark case in Western Australia. "If it weren't for recent changes in WA law, none of this was possible," Magazanik said. "Now WA law is the fairest and certainly the most progressive for survivors like Paul." Magazanik said the orphanages housed the most vulnerable children who had no families to go home to, nobody to complain to and nobody outside the orphanages to protect them. "They were utterly vulnerable and the orphanages were a magnet for the very worst of the brothers, the violent pedophiles," Magazanik said. Magazanik said 10 years before Murphy abused Bradshaw, he was reported for child sex abuse but nothing was done about it. Twice as a child, Bradshaw reported his abuse and both times he was dismissed. When he left Clontarf, Bradshaw told a judge his allegations but was labelled a liar and admitted to a psychiatric hospital, Magazanik said. In the 1990s, Bradshaw also participated in the criminal prosecution of Murphy, but prosecutors eventually dropped the case and he died without facing justice. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today expressed "deep shock" at the demise of India's former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said he was "our great friend and highly respected" in Bangladesh. President Abdul Hamid said Vajpayee's demise has created an irreparable vacuum in the of the subcontinent. A Bharat Ratna Awardee, Vajpayee died this evening in New Delhi at the age of 93 after prolonged illness. In a condolence message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Hasina said, "it is a day of great sadness for the people of Bangladesh". "We are deeply shocked at the sad demise of the former Prime Minister of India Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of the most famous sons of India," Prime Minister Hasina said. He will be remembered for contributing towards good governance and for highlighting issues affecting the common people of India as well as for regional peace and prosperity, she said. Hasina said Vajpayee's tireless work for the welfare of the Indian people will inspire future generations of leaders and described him as "an excellent orator and a poet" who took significant strides towards acceleration of inclusive economic growth in India. "Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was our great friend and highly respected in Bangladesh. As a token of recognition for his invaluable contribution to our Liberation War in 1971, Bangladesh Government conferred on him the Bangladesh Liberation War Honour. Today is certainly a day of great sadness for all of us in Bangladesh," she said in her message. "On behalf of the Government and the people of Bangladesh and on my own behalf, I express our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the Government and the mourning people of India, and to the members of the bereaved family," she added. In his condolence message, President Hamid said Vajpayee's contribution to the development of this region will ever be remembered with due respect. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa has called upon the residents of state to assist the state government in the war against drugs. He was addressing a gathering at a state level function here yesterday. "Like our great martyrs who fought for independence of our country, people of our state should fight against drugs," the ministers said. The event was organised to commemorate the martyrdom day of Shaheed Master Karnail Singh Issru who was killed in the Goa liberation movement. The cabinet minister added that the war against drugs could not be won unless the people assisted the government wholeheartedly. Bajwa said the Panchayat elections would be held soon and women would get 50 per cent reservation so that they can participate in the overall development of the state. He said the Punjab government had set a target of providing sewerage facilities in 60 per cent of the villages in the state by 2022. Lashing out at the SAD-BJP, Punjab Forest Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot claimed that they were responsible for the menace of drugs in the state. He said when the SAD-BJP was in power in the state, they did not make any effort to strengthen the economy. Dharamsot said people would soon come to see the "real face" of the SAD-BJP combine when the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report was tabled in the Vidhan Sabha. Member of Parliament and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunil Kumar Jakhar called upon the people in the state to reject the 'Referendum 2020', which he said, is the handiwork of some anti-national forces. Earlier, all senior leaders paid floral tributes at the statue of Shaheed Karnail Singh Issru and honoured his family members. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asserting that the worst is behind for state-owned lenders, Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar today expressed hope that the banks would come out of the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework this fiscal. As many as 11 out of 21 banks are under the RBI's watch list. Of these, two banks -- Dena Bank and Allahabad Bank -- are facing restriction on expansion of business. Various measures taken by the government including implementation of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) has yielded good results in terms of reining bad loans and increasing recovery, he told reporters here. Noting that the resurgent public sector banks are growth engines, Kumar said, "cleaning of balance sheets has put worst behind. Banks have made recovery of Rs 36,551 crore during the first quarter registering a 49 per cent growth over the last fiscal." At the same time, operating profit has risen by 11.5 per cent while losses fell 73.5 per cent on quarter on quarter basis, he said, adding asset quality has been addressed through falling NPA slippage. Provision Coverage Ratio of banks have reached a healthy level of 63.8 per cent, he added. With all these efforts, he said, "I am sure the banks will come out of PCA this fiscal." The resolve of government is extremely clear that every stakeholder has to be responsible, he said. "Those who are not prudently behaving will have to face the consequences. The NPAs are also decreasing. Credit growth is simultaneously taking place," he said. With regard to capital, he said, "as and when they (banks) require. Some of it has already been given. As recoveries are taking place, there is possibility that some banks will not need it. As of now there is nobody breaching the regulatory norms. We are committed to maintain their regulatory capital." NPAs are by and large recognised, provisioning by and large made, the recoveries are on its course through NCLT and outside NCLT, he said, adding, the creditor-debtor relationship is under tremendous change. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi credited today former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for becoming the Lok Sabha Speaker when the BJP-led government was in power at the Centre. Joshi, a former Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai, said he could occupy the prestigious post only due to the support of the then Prime Minister Vajpayee, who died today. "I thought it was impossible to become the Lok Sabha Speaker. I never thought about it. But the BJP, especially Vajpayee's stand, helped me. "Had he not taken that firm stand, I would not have become the Speaker. Not just that, I could reach the position of Chief Minister of Maharashtra due to the BJP's and Vajpayee's support," Joshi told a Marathi channel. The 80-year-old was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2002 to 2004 during the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, in which his party was a partner. He was Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 19951999, the first Sena leader to occupy the post. Asked how was the BJP responsible for him assuming the post of Chief Minister in 1995, Joshi said, "Whenever such a big decision is taken in a party, it is taken by the party chief. "He gets the first credit. Those who helped me get the post included the BJP as well. I said it (credited Vajpayee) in that context." Recalling his interactions with the BJP stalwart, Joshi said he was friendly with everybody and though Sena founder the late Bal Thackeray and Vajpayee were poles apart in nature, the common factor between them was their funny streak and poetic mind. "He has proved that a man can reach great heights but still stay humble," the Sena leader said, paying rich tributes to the former prime minister. Vajpayee was sensitive in nature but at the same time, ensured that responsibility towards the country was not forgotten and work was made a lively process, the Sena stalwart said. "Vajpayee ji was good with everybody despite his stature. This ensured that the Sena-BJP alliance remained intact for 25 years," he said. "Vajpayee was a leader who had the ability to overcome difficulties...he was a man who never hurt others. I have interacted with him several times, heard his speech. He was a different man," Joshi said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mobile phone retail chain Big C is all set to foray into Tamil Nadu market by opening about 20 outlets in the first phase, founder and CMD of Big C, M Balu Chowdary said today. The mobile phone seller aims to take the total number of stores to 300 by the end of FY 19, from the existing 225, he told reporters here. The revenue of Big C is expected to touch Rs 1500 crore during the current financial year from Rs 1015 crore in FY 18, he said. Currently all the outlets of Big C are located in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The retail chain has roped in actress Samantha as its brand ambassador and transformed its existing logo. Chowdary said as huge discounts on mobile phones by popular e-commerce portals are coming down, sales of brick and mortar retailers is picking up. "Next month we are starting our stores in Tamil Nadu. We may start with about 15 to 20 initially. Slowly the number will be increased. Next year we are planning to enter into Karnataka market. So in the next two to three years we want to be a top mobile phone retailer in South India. The we will take this pan India," he said. Replying to a query, Chowdary said the company is currently meeting its capital requirements through internal accruals and banks finances. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sixty minutes is all it took the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police to arrest a man and impound the motorcycle he robbed on a highway near the Air Force camp in Badalpur here today. At 12.01 pm, officials at the Badalpur Police Station got a call from UP 100 service, alerting them about the robbery on the GT Road, the police said. "We were informed a man has been robbed off his motorcycle and injured by two men," Badalpur Station House Officer Vijay Kumar said. The accused, identified as Chhotu alias Sonu (24), had disguised as a wounded man and stood along the road. When the victim, a resident of Brij Vihar, passed by, Chhotu signalled for a hitch-hike. "Out of compassion, the victim agreed to give him a lift. But no sooner did he stop, Chhotu started hitting him and soon his accomplice emerged from the bushes nearby. The two then overpowered the victim," the SHO said. Soon, Chhotu fled the spot on the robbed motorcycle while his accomplice, who is yet to be held, left on a scooty, he said. The victim in the meantime called up the UP police's emergency 100 service number, and the message was relayed to the Badalpur Police Station. "We immediately informed our teams on patrol duty and those posted on the GT road," Kumar said. Meanwhile Chhotu, who had reached some distance on the GT road riding the motorcycle, spotted a police picket ahead of him. "He returned on the same route from where he had started. By the time a police response vehicle (PRV) of UP 100 team, too, had reached the spot. In a fix, he got down on a kachcha rasta where the motorcycle got stuck. The PRV followed him and nabbed him," Kumar said. "It took the police less than an hour to arrest him since the time the matter was reported," he added. The police said Chhotu has been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 392 for robbery and related offences. He was being produced in a court and the motorcycle would be returned to the victim post legal proceedings, the police said. Upon probe, it has been found that Chhotu already had cases registered against him under the IPC, the Arms Act and the UP Goonda Act, they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray respected each other, due to which the alliance between the two parties had a smooth sailing, compared to the frosty ties now. "Even as prime minister, Vajpayee was in constant touch with Thackeray and always discussed various issues," Sena MP Sanjay Raut said. Vajpayee, who passed away today following prolonged illness, shared a "relation of comfort and warmth" with Thackeray, Raut told PTI. Senior journalist Ambarish Mishra said Thackeray had a "high regard" for Vajpayee. "During the joint rallies they addressed, Thackeray would always speak before Vajpayee," he said. This was a departure from the usual scene at the Sena rallies where Thackeray was the last speaker, he added. "After the joint rallies at Shivaji Park, both leaders would chat and joke over a cup of tea at the Mayor's Bungalow next to the rally ground. Former Union minister Pramod Mahajan is considered the "architect" of the BJP's first ever state-level alliance. "Differences between the saffron partners would always be resolved at the co-ordination committee meetings chaired by Thackeray and Mahajan," Raut recalled. Mishra said Mahajan acted as a conduit between the Vajpayee and Thackeray and helped clear any misgivings between the two political partners. "Vajpayee would always tell Mahajan: Aap sambhal lo (you take care) and Mahajan would go to Matoshree, the Thackeray residence, to resolve the problems," he said. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was strong as Vajpayee took everybody along, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said, adding the late BJP stalwart was "bereft of qualities like ego of power". "My heart is not ready to accept that Atalji is no more with us. He is in our hearts. Qualities like ego due to power always remained far away from him. He was a simple man and an innocent politician," he said. Though Vajpayee was a 3-time prime minister, he believed in taking "all small and big" allies of the NDA along, he said. Senior Sena leader Manohar Joshi said Vajpayee was "friendly with everybody". Though Balasaheb Thackeray and Vajpayee were poles apart in nature, the common factor between them was their funny streak and poetic mind," the former chief minister said. The former Lok Sabha Speaker told PTI that Vajpayee and Thackeray "didn't like to be brought in" when dealing with every issue. "Balasaheb was a cartoonist and Vajpayee was a poet. Both were creative and hence bonded well," Joshi said. "Both were bound by the Hindutva ideology," Joshi said. "Balasaheb's approach on ways to implement the ideology was different than that of Vajpayee," he said. But this didn't prevent both the leaders from getting along very well, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court today slammed the Mumbai civic body's "erronous" online system for granting permission for animal slaughter in the city this Bakr-Eid after a petitioner claimed that some lawyers had managed to secure nod under fictitious names to sacrifice five goats inside a courtroom. The high court observed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's online mechanism was "ridiculous" as it was granting permission "without any verification and application of mind" and directed it to take corrective steps, following which the civic body told the court that it will stop the process till Monday, the next day of hearing. The BMC made the submission after a petition by a local trust questioned the way in which the civic body had been granting permission through an online system this year for slaughter of goats and sheep. To prove the point, the petitioner's lawyer, advocate Sujay Kantawalla, produced copies of such permissions for Bakr-Eid that some lawyers from the court had secured against fictitious names and addresses. One of the lawyers had posed as Neil Armstrong, and secured permission to slaughter five goats inside courtroom No. 13 of the HC, where the present petition is being heard by a bench of justices A S Oka and R I Chagla. Kantawalla also informed the bench that lawyers had secured permission for slaughter of animals inside four more courtrooms in the HC, including the courtroom of the Acting Chief Justice. On perusal of such permissions, the bench observed that the civic body's online mechanism for grant of such permission was indeed erroneous, and "ridiculous". "Thankfully, the permissions have not been sought in our names," Justice Oka quipped in lighter vein. "We have been accused of many things in the past, but never for this (slaughter of animals)," he added. The bench also observed that the civic body needed to take immediate corrective steps to set in order its system for granting permission for animal slaughter. "This is ridiculous. Some members of the bar applied for permission for slaughter at various office places and shockingly, were granted permission. Permission was even granted for slaughter inside this courtroom," the bench said. "This shows that the BMC has been granting permission without any verification and application of mind. "Our attention is also brought to the consequent violations under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, (which mandates that slaughter of animals can be carried out only at licensed abattoirs)" the Judges said. The bench also observed that the corporation needed to scrutinise or re-verify the applications for which permission had already been granted through the online system. It directed the civic body to file a reply by Saturday explaining the corrective steps it plans to take. The corporation initially defended the online system, saying all applicants had to pass through a second stage of verification at the time of taking the animals out of the abattoir for slaughter. It also questioned why the petitioners had approached the court just weeks before Bakr-Eid (which falls on August 22) when the online system became operational last month? The civic body, however, later relented and said the online system would be stopped till the next hearing, after the bench said that the civic body must concentrate on taking corrective steps instead of finding faults with the petition. As per the plea filed by the Jiv Maitri Trust, the online mechanism allows citizens to fill up a form online specifying the number of goats or sheep they desire to sacrifice, their names, addresses, and some other details. And once the applicants hit the 'submit button', the BMC immediately issues a pdf document granting them permission and a temporary license for such slaughter without any actual verification of the details submitted in the applications. On the previous hearing, Kantawalla had informed the court that two local lawyers had applied for and secured permission from the BMC to slaughter five goats each in the Esplanade Mansion, a heritage structure in South Mumbai. The petition also stated that the abattoir at Deonar in suburbs is the only place in Mumbai with the licence and facilities to carry out slaughter of animals. However, the BMC has been granting permission to individuals for slaughter of animals for Bakr-Eid at any place in the city without any "application of mind", it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The body of a 49-year-old man, who went missing on Sunday, was found in a lake in Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district today, police said. The body of Ravinder Verma alias Lovely was found in Chamera lake, one kilometre from Taleru boating point towards Brangal, they said. A resident of Dholewal in Punjab's Ludhiana district, Ravinder Verma (49) was working in Taleru in Chamba district from some time, they added. A missing report was registered at Khairi Police Station on Monday. A team led by Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Dalhousie inspected the spot, the police said, adding that prima facie no foul play was found in his death. The body was sent to Dalhousie Civil Hospital for post- mortem, they said, adding that inquest proceedings under Section 174 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) had been initiated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bulgaria has decided to renovate more than 200 bridges in the wake of the deadly collapse of a bridge in the Italian city of Genoa, according to government information published today. A total of 211 bridges -- most of which were built between 35 and 40 years ago -- are in a bad state, the regional development minister told a government meeting, according to minutes published today. Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said all must be renovated and strengthened. "Whether financed through loans to be paid back through tolls or whether we pay with the budget, I want them all to renovated at the same time," he told the meeting held on Wednesday. Bulgaria, the poorest country in the EU, has been receiving financial aid from Europe for decades to modernise its infrastructure. The country is nearly four times the size of Belgium but has only 777 kilometres of motorway, much of which is in a bad state of repair. The motorway bridge in the Italian city of Genoa collapsed Tuesday during a heavy rainstorm, killing at least 38 people and injuring 16 more. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US travel sanctions targeting Cambodian officials are "useless", a ruling party spokesman said today, as the kingdom shrugs off international criticism of a one-sided election win. The Cambodian People's Party (CPP) led by strongman Hun Sen won all 125 seats in parliament during last month's poll. The main opposition did not contest the vote after a court dissolved the party, clearing the way for a landslide victory for the CPP. Western governments have decried the election and the US State Department yesterday announced an expansion of visa restrictions to include Cambodians responsible for a crackdown on dissent in the run-up to the "flawed" vote. But a spokesman for the CPP called the move "useless". "The restrictions or so-called sanctions on Cambodia will not be effective," Sok Eysan said. "For example, if I don't want to go to that country, how can they block my visa?" Washington did not name the officials targeted by the expanded list but it has already hit the chief of Hun Sen's bodyguard unit with financial sanctions in June. The CPP is hailing an 83 percent turnout as a sign of a overwhelming popular support. But critics say the election was a sham and highlight the 600,000 spoiled ballots as a sign of serious disquiet while others were intimidated into casting ballots. Relations have soured between the US and Cambodia in recent years. Hun Sen, who has been in power for 33 years, has instead turned to China for cash and loans to make good on development promises. The 66-year-old accused the opposition last year of conspiring with the US in a plot to overthrow the government, and police arrested opposition leader Kem Sokha on treason charges. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amnesty International India today launched a new campaign aimed at creating awareness among children to help them understand and identify sexual abuse. The campaign 'Our Safety, Our Rights' seeks to empower children to speak up and report sexual abuse without fear. Amnesty International India will manage the campaign in collaboration with Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti, People's Action for Rural Awakening (PARA) and Institute of Social Education. It will engage with children in 400 schools, across four Indian states and through this campaign, an estimated 50,000 students, parents, teachers and other key stakeholders will be sensitized on the issue of child sexual abuse. "At a time when there is an alarming increase in reports of child sexual abuse, it is critical to empower children to be aware of the issue and protect themselves. "The need of the hour is for schools, in particular, to proactively help prevent child sexual abuse by educating children and enabling a safe environment for them," said Rajakumari Michaelsamy, programme manager of the Human Rights Education programme at Amnesty International India. The latest National Crime Records Bureau data published in 2016 revealed that incidents of child rape have increased by over 82 per cent when compared to 2015. The data showed that over 19,000 cases of child rape were registered across the country under the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and, a total of around 36,000 cases of child sexual abuse, including other forms of sexual assault, were recorded under POCSO Act alone. However, these numbers only represent the tip of the iceberg as these are the cases that were reported to the authorities and studies have shown that cases of child sexual abuse remain largely unreported, the body said. "It is important to recognize that child sexual abuse is widespread across all sections of society, and hence, we must reach out to as many students as possible. "We want to empower children to stand up and break the silence around child sexual abuse," said Ignatius Vattigunta, director of PARA. The campaign will be taken up by schools in Amnesty International India's Human Rights Education network in Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and will engage with teachers, parents, communities, institutions and state authorities. The campaign will culminate on October 11 - International Day of the Girl Child. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several low-lying areas were inundated along the banks of Cauvery river and its tributary Bhavani in various parts of Tamil Nadu today in view of discharge of 1.60 lakh cusecs of water from the Mettur dam following heavy inflows from Karnataka. Chief Minister K Palaniswami chaired a high-level meeting here to review the situation as a flood alert was sounded in 11 districts. Water from Cauvery and Bhavani rivers entered some villages in Dharmapuri, Salem and Erode districts and people had been shifted to safer places, reports received here said. Meanwhile, rains lashed parts of the state and two people died in rain related incidents in Valparai in Coimbatore district, officials said. The water level in the Mettur dam today stood at 120.29 feet as against its maximum of 120 feet and the storage 93.9 tmc against the capacity of 93.4 tmc, prompting authorities to discharge marginally higher than the inflow. At 8 pm, the inflow into the reservoir was 1,65,000 cusecs and the discharge 1,65,800 cusecs. The dam has already surplussed twice this month in the wake of the copious inflows triggered by heavy rains in Karnataka. The flood alert has been sounded in 11 districts as the discharge from Mettur, Bhavanisagar and Amaravati dams were further expected to go up with Karnataka releasing 2.1 lakh cusecs from Kabini and KRS dams into Cauvery. The Central Water Commission's Southern Rivers Division, in an advisory, said a combined release of about 2.5 lakh cusecs was expected to be made from Mettur and Bhavanisagar dams and asked the state government to take precautionary steps. Also, the downstream areas of Thirumukkudal in Karur district was expected to see a combined release of about 2.6- to 2.8 lakh cusecs, it said. State Revenue Minister R B Udayakumar said people living in low-lying areas of the districts, including Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur in the Cavuery Delta region, have been advised to move to the relief centres. As many as 492 personnel of State Disaster Response Force have been deployed in districts along the banks of Cauvery, he told reporters here. A total of 3,956 people have been accommodated in 46 relief centres in six districts including Namakkal, Erode and Karur, an official said. A report from Kanyakumari said about 100 villages were hit by inundation following breaches in tanks and ponds besides release of water from Pechiparai and Perunchani dams. The swelling Cauvery caused inundation of low-lying areas in several districts, including Dharmapuri and Erode, with people being shifted to relief centres. In Coimbatore district's hilly Valparai area, normalcy was affected as rain waters entered nearly 500 houses. A holiday was declared for schools in Valparai and Pollachi taluk in the district and Kanyakumari district today. A 17-member NDRF team is on stand-by at Mettur to meet any eventuality, officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CBI today took over probe in seven new cases related to the Rs 1,000 crore scam allegedly involving Bihar-based NGO Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti and government officers, officials said today. Unidentified officers of Bank of Baroda, Indian Bank and the 'Samiti' have been listed as accused in the FIRs registered for alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery among others, they said. Apart from these seven FIRs registered today in Patna, two more FIRs were registered by the agency in Delhi recently in the matter, they said. It is alleged that there was illegal transfer and misuse of funds from government accounts in Bhagalpur district of Bihar to accounts of the 'Samiti' through a conspiracy hatched between government officials and office bearers of the NGO. They said the agency has received the reference from the Centre to take over the investigation and necessary documents have been received from the Bihar government. The Bihar Police had alleged the involvement of the secretary of 'Srijan', Priya Kumar, and her husband for allegedly swindling over Rs 950 crore of government money in Bhagalpur. Priya Kumar is the daughter-in-law of Manorama Devi, the founder of the NGO. Manorama Devi died early last year after which the NGO was being run by Priya Kumar and Amit Kumar, son of Manorama Devi, state government officials had said. It is alleged that the 'Samiti', which was working towards imparting training to women, had pilfered government funds in connivance with the bank officials and state government officials between 2003 and 2014. An initial probe by local police revealed that the 'Samiti', based at Sabour in Bhagalpur district, allegedly procured cheque books from banks and forged signature of the district magistrate to transfer government funds to its account. The probe had also pointed to the involvement of nationalised banks and government officials in the fraudulent withdrawal of funds in three districts of Bhagalpur, Banka and Saharsa. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China has unveiled an exploration vehicle which is expected to land on the far side of the moon by this year end, a state-run media reported. The unnamed lander and rover will land on the Aitken Basin of the lunar south pole region on the far side of the moon as a part of Chang'e 4, a planned Chinese lunar exploration mission to be launched in December 2018. According to the images revealed to the media yesterday, the rover is a 1.5 mX1m rectangular box with two foldable solar panels and six wheels. It's height is 1.1 metre, the state-run Xinhua agency reported. The shape of the vehicle is similar to its predecessor Yutu, China's first lunar rover launched for the Chang'e-3 lunar probe in 2013. Like Yutu, the rover is equipped with four scientific payloads, including a panoramic camera, infrared imaging spectrometer and radar measurement devices, to obtain images of moon's surface and detect lunar soil and structure. However, it has more adaptable parts and an adjustable payload configuration to deal with the complex terrain on the far side of the moon and the demand of relay communication, Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China's lunar programme, was quoted as saying by the agency. The vehicle will endure vacuum, intense radiation and extremes of temperature. The moon has a large temperature difference between day and night, which can reach more than 300 degrees Celsius. Both the lander and rover will carry international payloads for other countries, the report said. The global public will have a chance to name the rover, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence. Participants can submit their proposed names for the rover through the internet from August 15 to September 5, and the official name will be announced in October after several selection rounds. Winners will be rewarded at most 3,000 yuan and invited to watch the lunar probe launch. The name Yutu was chosen from 200,000 proposals submitted over two months worldwide. Direct communication with the far side of the moon is not possible, which is one of the many challenges for the Chang'e-4 mission. China had launched a relay satellite, named Queqiao, in May to set up a communication link between the Earth and Chang'e-4 lunar probe. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese relatives of those who disappeared on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 today asked to meet the country's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad when he visits China this week. The plane disappeared in March 2014 with 239 people -- mostly from China -- on board, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Amid a heavy police presence, about a dozen relatives gathered outside the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing where they handed over a letter addressed to the Malaysian government. "We ask that Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir, or other representatives (of the Malaysian government) meet with Chinese relatives of those on board MH370 during the official visit," the letter read. Mahathir, who became Malaysia's premier for a second time after a shock election victory in May, will arrive in China Friday for a five-day visit, including a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday. Other requests include resuming the search, a monthly meeting with airline and Malaysian officials, as well as for investigators to thoroughly explain the recent investigation report. A similar letter was also given to the foreign ministry. "We're holding out hope that on this visit to China, (Mahathir) can quickly resolve the issue with MH370," said Gu Xiu Fang, whose son and his family were on the plane. "We don't know anything about the situation. Our lives have stopped at March 8, 2014," she said. Relatives had earlier this month expressed frustration that the long-awaited official report -- totalling some 1,500 pages -- had no new clues about the missing airliner and had not been translated into Chinese. The investigation team wrote that it was unable to determine the real cause for the disappearance of the plane. The vanished airliner sparked the largest hunt in aviation history but no sign of the jet was found in a 120,000-square kilometre (46,000-square mile) Indian Ocean search zone and the Australian-led hunt was suspended in January 2017. US exploration firm Ocean Infinity resumed the search in a different location at the start of this year on a "no find, no fee" basis, using high-tech drones to scour the seabed. The private search was called off after failing to find a trace of the plane but Mahathir had said the search could resume if new evidence shows up. Only three confirmed fragments of MH370 have been found, all of them washed up on shores in the western Indian Ocean. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid a stalemate in the trade war with the US, China will send a top official to Washington this month to resume the high-level dialogue to resolve the deadlock over President Donald Trump's demand to drastically reduce the USD 375 billion trade deficit. Wang Shouwen, vice-minister of commerce, will lead a delegation to the US at the end of August to discuss bilateral trade issues with a team led by David Malpass, secretary of treasury for international affairs, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said in a statement today. The initiative to resume talks followed a spate of tit-for-tat tariffs slapped by both the counties. China, which has a trade surplus of USD 375 billion in its USD 636 billion bilateral trade with US, is trying to retaliate in the same measure though its officials maintain that Beijing is reluctantly following the suit. China has been reiterating that it opposes unilateralism and trade protectionism of Trump and will not accept any unilateral trade restrictions. "China welcomes dialogue and communication on the basis of equity, equality and integrity," the official statement added. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He held talks with US Commerce Minister Wilbur Ross in Beijing in June. The visit of the Chinese delegation headed by the Vice Minister unlike in the past when it was led by Vice Premier Liu comes in the backdrop of the end of annual informal consultative meetings between top Chinese leaders at summer resort Beidaihe. The leaders of the ruling Communist Party of China meet every year around August to discuss a host of major issues. Beijing and Washington started the trade war in July this year each imposing 25 per cent tariffs on USD 34 billion of each other's exports. Washington is due to impose tariffs on another USD 16 billion of Chinese goods on August 23, and China has warned that it will retaliate to that move. There have been no high-level talks between the two sides since July, but Hong Kong-based the South China Morning Post quoted officials as saying that that the two countries made unofficial contact late last month to explore the possibility of resuming talks. Liu Weidong, a US affairs expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said a key aspect of Wang's visit was to check whether further formal dialogue between the two nations was possible. "The main purpose is to see whether both sides are really interested in having further dialogue. If both sides are interested, then there will be follow-up actions," Liu told the Post. Wang Yiwei, a professor at Renmin University's international studies, said Wang's trip follows the Communist Party's annual closed door meeting at the Beidahe resort, where the trade war was likely to have been one of the main topics of discussion. "It is possible that China may stress to the US that China will continue reform," he said. "China realises how serious the trade war with the US is and does not want a more serious confrontation," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A cholera epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 127 people since February, while a further 22 have died in Niger, officials have said. "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 yesterday. 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 yesterday 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. (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 cancelled all his programmes scheduled for the day today to rush to New Delhi to enquire about the health of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is in a critical condition. Vajpayee, 93, was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. The BJP veteran's condition remains critical and he continues to be on advanced life-support system, AIIMS said in a statement today. In view of Vajpayee's ill-health, Chouhan cancelled all his engagements, including the 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' scheduled in Chhindwara district, to go to Delhi. "I pray to the Almighty for his speedy recovery. It pains me to hear about his health condition. I am leaving for Delhi," he told reporters here. Chouhan said he had come close to Vajpayee when he fought the election from the Vidisha Lok Sabha in MP. "I was then state president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. It was my responsibility to campaign for him (Vajpayee). After he left the seat, the party decided to field me," he said. Chouhan said when he won from the seat, Vajapyee, in a lighter vein, would call him "Vidisha pati", whenever he went to meet him. Vajpayee was elected from the Vidisha Lok Sabha seat in 1991. Chouhan said Vajpayee has been a true statesman and an inspiration to the party leaders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Mumbai court today rejected the bail plea of Khushi Sajwani, a co-accused in the killing of a 28-year-old finance manager of a salon. Sajwani's (42) bail was rejected by Additional Sessions Judge Anil Laddhad. Confirming the development, a senior Crime Branch official said her bail was rejected by the court on merit. "During the investigation, we connected all the dots and found that there was ample evidence against her. That is the reason why the court rejected her bail," he said. Sajwani and another accused Siddhesh Tamhankar (28), both colleagues of the victim, were arrested in May. The two arrested persons worked as account executive and account manager at a salon chain in suburban Andheri and used to report to the victim, Kriti Vyas. Vyas was allegedly killed because she had issued a memo to one of the accused for not working properly. She had gone missing on March 16 and her family after scouring CCTV images of Grant Road and Mumbai Central railway stations to locate her, had filed a missing person's complaint at DB Marg police station. Her body is yet to be found. Vyas, her family had told police, used to board the 9:11 am Virar-bound suburban train from Grant Road to the salon in Andheri. The case was later handed over to the Crime Branch which made the two arrests. The case was cracked after a DNA test was done on the blood samples found in the car of one of the accused. The car was allegedly used in the crime, police have said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special court today framed an additional charge of abetment of bribery against Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal in a case pertaining to irregularities in the allocation of a Jharkhand coal block. Special judge Bharat Parashar framed the charges against the accused after Jindal said he was pleading not guilty and claimed trial. The court had in April, 2016 ordered framing of charges against Jindal, former MoS for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao (since deceased), former 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. However, the charge under section 12 (punishment for abetment of offences defined in section 7 (public servant taking gratification) or 11 (public servant obtaining valuable thing, without consideration from person concerned in proceeding or business transacted by such public servant)) of Prevention of Corruption Act was not framed then. The case pertains to allocation of the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand. The court had earlier said the charge under section 7 of the Act was made out against Rao, but since he was deceased, the charge will not be framed against him. The court had also ordered framing of 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. The three were named in an additional charge sheet filed by the agency in the case. 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 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gujarat Congress leader Paresh Dhanani began his three-day fast here today to press for his party's demand for a judicial probe into the alleged groundnut procurement scam in the state. Before sitting on the fast outside the Sabarmati Ashram here, Dhanani visited the ashram to "seek the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi". The Leader of Opposition in the assembly alleged a scam was worth Rs 4,000 crore in state-wide procurement of groundnuts and said the BJP government should order a judicial probe into it to bring out the truth. "I am beginning my fast after taking Gandhiji's blessings. My fast is aimed at bringing out the truth in the Rs 4,000-crore groundnut procurement scam. "The Congress wants a judicial probe into the scam," he told reporters outside the ashram, a place closely associated with the Father of the Nation. Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda and senior MLA Shailesh Parmar were among party leaders who sat with Dhanani for some time to extend support to their colleague. The Congress has been claiming the ruling BJP is trying to save "real culprits" behind alleged irregularities in procurement of groundnut from farmers by not accepting its demand for an inquiry under a sitting High Court judge. The issue came to the fore two weeks ago when around 30,000 sacks of groundnuts (each weighing 35 kg) were found mixed with sand and stones. The stock was procured by the National Agriculture Co- operative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), a central agency, thorough the Gujarat State Co-Operative Cotton Federation Ltd (GUJCOT) and stored at a godown at Pedhla town in Jetpur taluka of Rajkot district. The opposition Congress has alleged large-scale corruption in procurement of groundnuts in the state. Till date, 27 people, including officials of NAFED and GUJCOT, have been arrested by the Rajkot Police in connection with the alleged adulteration of the groundnut stock at Pedhla town. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Opposition Congress in Tripura today said it would stage a demonstration in front of the state police headquarters here on August 27, to protest against alleged corruption and attack on democracy during the BJP-led NDA rule. Tripura Pradesh Congress chief Birajit Sinha alleged that corruption has thrived in the NDA government regime and attacks on democracy have intensified. "We would organise the movement to lend support to the youth Congress' 'Bharat Bachao andolan'. All India Youth Congress president Keshav Chandra Yadav and vice-president Srinivas B V would join other party leaders in the agitation on that day," Sinha told reporters at Congress Bhavan here. He said the rally would start from 11 am and protesters would gherao the office of the DGP with "at least 5,000 activists". "We shall not seek any permission. The agitation will be purely non-violent," Sinha said. He said democracy did not exist in Tripura and accused Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb of withdrawing all security guards of former MLAs after assuming office. "There are orders from higher authorities to attack me and other party leaders whenever we go to visit different parts of the state," Sinha claimed. Reacting to the allegations of corruption, BJP spokesperson Mrinal Kanti Deb said Congress is the "most corrupt party" in the country. "We don't need advice on corruption from them (Congress)," Deb added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Pune Police has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the cyber fraud in Cosmos Bank, in which hackers allegedly siphoned off over Rs 94 crore through a malware attack on the bank's server in two days, a top police official said. The police are getting the transaction details from the bank and the primary focus right now will be to probe the domestic transactions, in which Rs 2.5 crore were withdrawn from ATM machines. Cross-border investigation depends on the co-operation and help from the respective countries, Jyotipriya Singh, deputy commissioner of police (cyber and economic offences wing), Pune Police, told PTI. "An SIT has been formed to investigate the case," Singh said, adding that she would be supervising the probe and work as a nodal officer to coordinate with various agencies. The co-operative bank had informed the police about an abnormal transaction in an ATM located in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. The police are also checking when was the latest cybersecurity audit of the bank's systems conducted and whether the systems were protected or not, the DCP said. "Though there are 15,000 transactions, but along with the fraudulent ones, there are genuine transactions also. So we are seeking a segregated list of all these transactions from the bank," the officer said. Cosmos Bank chairman Milind Kale had on Tuesday said the fraudulent transactions were carried out last Saturday and on Monday and the malware attack originated in Canada. "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 had said. On Monday, hackers again fraudulently transferred Rs 13.92 crore in a Hong Kong-based bank. Talking about the Rs 13.92-crore transaction, Singh said they had not received yet the report on whether the amount was in the banking transit or withdrawn. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The NDA had remained strong because former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to take everybody along, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said today while condoling the death of the BJP patriarch. Terming Vajpayee as an "innocent politician" and the "Bheeshm Pitamah", Thackeray said the former PM remained unaffected by ego that comes along with power in Vajpayee died at the AIIMS hospital in Delhi this evening at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. "My heart is not ready to accept that Atal ji is no more with us. He is in our hearts. Qualities like ego due to power have always remained far away from him. He was a simple man and an innocent politician," Thackeray said in a condolence message. He said Vajpayee, who had served as prime minister on three occasions, had always believed in taking small and big allies of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) along while running the coalition government. "I met Vajpayee ji several times. He always showered me with love like a father. His soft heart and smiling face were an inspiration for of the nation. His love for Sena supremo (Bal Thackeray) was known to everybody," the Sena chief said. He said the NDA had remained strong due to Vajpayee's act of taking everybody along. The country and parliamentary democracy has suffered a big jolt due to Vajpayee's demise, Thackeray said. "After the Sena supremo, we have lost another 'Bhishm Pitamaha' (towering figure). Atal ji, there is nobody like you. Nobody can take your place," Thackeray said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao today mourned the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, describing him as India's "most admired and respected" 'Bhishma Pitamah' of public life. Rao, who had served as Union Minister of State for Home, Industry and Commerce in the Vajpayee government between 1999 and 2004, also remembered the latter as one of the most towering political geniuses to have dominated the political space in India after Independence. "He was a consummate Parliamentarian, an astute statesman, an orator par excellence and a warm-hearted person," a statement quoted Rao as saying. "In his demise, India has lost the most admired and respected 'Bhishma Pitamah' of public life; while I have lost my dearest leader," he added. Rao noted that the country had asserted her rightful position as a global leader under Vajpayee's leadership. "At the personal level, Vajpayee Ji was an idol and my main inspiration to enter into public life," he said. The Governor's office also shared picture of Rao addressing a rally in the presence of Vajpayee at Telangana's Karimnagar in 1975. Vajpayee died at the AIIMS hospital in Delhi this evening at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. Meanwhile, Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar expressed grief over Vajpayee's demise and said the country has lost a "parliamentarian mascot, a most-trusted and respected leader and the finest orator". He said Vajpeyee had a lion's share in maintaining the alliance between the Sena and the BJP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has written to UN's body FAO to declare upcoming year as 'International Year of Millets' to boost global production of this nutritious cereal. Singh has written a letter to Jose Graziano da Silva, Director-General, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), an official statement said. "To garner wider global attention and action, India has mooted a proposal to FAO for declaration of an upcoming year as International Year of Millets," he said in the letter. India is celebrating 2018 as the National Year of Millets. The government is promoting cultivation by amending cropping pattern of areas which are especially susceptible to climate change. The minimum support price (MSP) of millets has been increased by more than 50 per cent of cost of production. "It is an important component of our efforts to achieve the national commitment of doubling farmers' income by 2022," he wrote. Singh had earlier written to Secretary General of the UN in November 2017 in this regard. The minister has requested the inclusion of this proposal in the agenda of the 26th session of the Committee on Agriculture (COAG) meeting, scheduled during October 1-5, 2018 in Rome. Singh said this proposal has received support of the member countries when placed in the Bureau meeting of the committee on agriculture held on July 5, 2018. "It is highly desirable that global efforts are stepped up to bring these nutria-cereals back to the food basket of a wide range of consumers, rural and urban as well as rich and poor, for boosting their production as well," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court today sent a man to two weeks' judicial custody in a bank loan fraud case of over Rs 5,000 crore. Additional Sessions Judge Satish Kumar Arora sent Ranjit Malik alias Johny to judicial custody till August 30 after he was produced in the court on expiry of his 14-day custodial interrogation. Special Public Prosecutor Nitesh Rana, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), told the court that the accused was not required for further custodial interrogation and he be sent to judicial custody. The ED had recently filed a charge sheet against the director of a pharma firm in the case in which the agency has accused the company of taking loans of over Rs 5,000 crore from a consortium led by Andhra Bank which turned into non-performing assets. The agency arrested a former director of Andhra Bank, Anup Prakash Garg in February and a Delhi-based businessman, Gagan Dhawan, last November in connection with the case. They were named as accused in the cases by the ED and the CBI. The ED registered a money laundering case in this instance after taking cognisance of an FIR filed by the CBI earlier. The CBI had 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, Garg and some unidentified persons in connection with the alleged bank fraud case. According to the FIR, the total pending dues of the group of companies were Rs 5,383 crore as on December 31, 2016. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Many of the nearly 27 lakh commuters who hop on to the Delhi Metro every day are unlikely to be aware that the sprawling network started with an 8.2-km section of the Red Line was inaugurated by the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Vajpayee, who had inaugurated the DMRC's first-ever corridor on December 24, 2002, fulfilling a long-cherished dream of the capital city, died here today after prolonged illness. "He had boarded a brand new train from Kashmere Gate station of the all-elevated section of the metro. He even bought a smart card from a counter to enter the paid area of the station. It was a momentous day for Delhi," a senior DMRC official said. The then Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, deputy prime minister L K Advani, union minister for urban development Ananth Kumar, DMRC chief E Sreedharan and Metro chairman Madan Lal Khurana were also present on the occasion. "Vajpayee and other guests after boarding the train from Kashmere Gate alighted at Seelampuri station. A function was later held where the then prime minister officially flagged off the service," he said. The Shahdara-Tis Hazari section has six stations. The DMRC currently ferries about 27 lakh commuters per day through its various corridors that now even connects cities in the neighbouring states. The metro network currently spans 296 km and has 214 stations. The over 8 km-long Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus-Lajpat Nagar section of the metro's Pink Line, billed as a "corridor for shoppers", was inaugurated on August 6. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A state of emergency has been declared in Florida as the worst red tide in a decade blackens the ocean water, killing dolphins, sea turtles and fish at a relentless pace. More than 100 tons of dead sea creatures have been shoveled up from smelly, deserted beaches in tourist areas along Florida's southwest coast as a result of the harmful algal bloom this month alone. In just the past week, 12 dolphins washed ashore dead in Sarasota County, typically the toll seen in an entire year. "It is physically and mentally exhausting," said Gretchen Lovewell, who is in charge of a skeleton crew at Mote Marine Laboratory that collects dead or distressed sea turtles and marine mammals. She and two colleagues "have been literally working around the clock," Lovewell added. On Sunday, near the fluffy sands of Siesta Key, one of America's top-ranked beaches, Lovewell recovered the remains of a decomposing dolphin. A faint number, 252, was visible, freeze-branded onto its dorsal fin. It was a 12-year-old male named Speck, who had been spotted more than 300 times by researchers monitoring generations of bottlenose dolphins in the Sarasota Bay. "It was devastating," said Randall Wells, director of the Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, the world's longest-running study of a wild dolphin population, under way since 1970. Wells pulled out a map showing where researchers have seen Speck over the years. He often swam in waters right near Wells' own home. Researchers had also tracked Speck's mother and grandmother before they died from swallowing fishing gear. "Speck is somebody we have known from the time he was born," said Wells, who began studying dolphins when he was 16. "He was named after my dad." Red tide is suspected as the cause of Speck's death, but researchers won't know for certain until lab results come back in the next few weeks. A natural phenomenon, red tide is caused by a microscopic single-celled organism called Karenia brevis, unique to the Gulf of Mexico. It releases a powerful neurotoxin that can become airborne, causing headaches, watery eyes, coughing and asthma attacks in people. Ecologists say the organism acts like a forest fire, clearing out weeds and allowing the landscape to start anew. Karenia brevis is found year-round at low levels. But once it multiplies, sea turtles and manatees may inhale it, or die from eating too much neurotoxin-laced fish and sea grass. Symptoms include disorientation, lack of coordination, and seizures. Red tide has been documented as far back as the 1500s by Spanish explorers. "But the question now is what might we be doing to enhance it and make it stay longer?" said Richard Pierce, a senior scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory and expert in ecotoxins. Florida's current spate of red tide began in October 2017, but grew considerably worse in recent weeks. Sometimes expanding and other times ebbing, it has descended on the west coast of Florida from Tampa to Naples, a nearly 200-mile (320-km) span. Industrial farming and improper waste treatment can foster the growth of toxic blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, another problem plaguing Florida waters. The same may hold true for red tide, experts say. The smell of rotting fish has been a gut punch to Florida's economy, sapping millions in revenue from fishing and tourism in peak season. "Our life is tourism here in southwest Florida," said Omar Botana, owner of Bay Water boat rentals in Bonita Springs. "It's hurt our business I'd say around 40 per cent." Residents hope that lawmakers and government officials will take action on restoring water flow southward through the Everglades, building inland reservoirs where pollutants can seep out before reaching the coast, and cutting back on fertilizers. In the meantime, there is no end in sight to the current red tide outbreak. Wells recalled that dolphins continued to suffer once the last major outbreak of red tide in 2005-2006 had ended. Only a couple of local dolphins were suspected to have died from red tide toxins that time. But fish populations were decimated. Hungry dolphins are more likely to seek an easy meal on the end of a fishing line, and risk ending up dead themselves. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Machel Mata yatra, the annual pilgrimage to goddess Durga's shrine in Machel village of Kishtwar district has crossed the one-lakh mark of devotees visiting there, an official said today. The pilgrims, whose numbers crossed one lakh mark yesterday on Independence Day, paid obeisance at Machel Mata temple, he said. As per the official figures, a total of 1,02,224 pilgrims have visited Machel Mata temple during the pilgrimage which commenced from July 25, he said. Heavy rush of pilgrims was seen this year which crossed one lakh mark, before the arrival of Charri Yatra from Chinote Bhadarwah to Kishtwar on August 18, he said. Since the commencement of 'yatra', 44,919 males, 37,339 females, 19,784 children and 92 sadhus have performed darshans at Machail Mata temple, he said. While expressing happiness over the heavy rush of pilgrims, DDC Kishtwar Angrez Singh Rana said the Yatra has immensely contributed to the upliftment of the socio-economic conditions of the people of Kishtwar and adjoining areas. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Low-lying villages along the banks of the Cauvery river and its tributary the Bhavani in Tamil Nadu were inundated and crops submerged following heavy discharge of surplus water from Mettur dam, while people were shifted to safer locations. The dam has been releasing record amount of excess waters following discharge from dams in neighbouring Karnataka, affecting several villages, officials said. Following discharge of excess water from Bhavani Sagar reservoir (as the dam almost touched the full level of 105 feet), low-lying areas in Erode were affected. Villages of Hogenakkal -- the entry point of the Cauvery into Tamil Nadu -- like Chatiram in Dharmapuri district, Sangilimuniyappan Koil in Salem district were hit by inundation following heavy discharge of surplus water from Mettur dam, officials said. Transport services on the Mettur-Edappadi road in Salem were hit as the Cauvery is in spate. In view of heavy discharge from the Bhavani Sagar dam, areas in Erode district were inundated and crops like turmeric and banana submerged. People in those areas were shifted to safe locations. In Karur too, people living in low-lying areas like Thavittupalayam were moved to safe locations as the Mayanur check dam brimmed to its capacity. In Coimbatore district's hilly Valparai ares, normalcy was affected as rain waters entered nearly 500 houses, while an elderly woman was washed away in flood waters and a search was on to trace her. Holiday was declared for schools in Valparai and Pollachi taluk today. Tamil Nadu Revenue Minister R B Udhaya Kumar had yesterday said that a circular has been sent to delta districts, including Tiruchirappalli, specifying the do's and don'ts to ensure safety of the people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) James Gunn, who was fired as the director of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3", will not be coming back as Disney has reconfirmed its decision to let go of the filmmaker. The 52-year-old director was terminated from directing the third film in the series after a series of old offensive tweets made by the filmmaker resurfaced on social media. According to Variety, Disney and Marvel are "standing by their decision to not reinstate him as helmer for the next installment." The decision was taken after a "courtesy" meeting between the director and Disney chairman Alan Horn where Gunn and his team tried hard to convince the studio. Marvel studios president Kevin Feige, who was rumoured to be lobbying for the director's reinstatement, stands by the studio's decision to not rehire Gunn. After Gunn's firing, an online petition was launched by fans of the franchise asking the studio to take back its decision. Gunn also received support from the cast of the franchise, who had signed an open letter asking the studio to bring back the director. Veteran actor Kurt Russell, who played Ego in the second installment, had also defended Gunn saying "we're getting a little too sensitive on maybe some of the wrong people". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) - Novak Djokovic battled stomach issues to beat Adrian Mannarino and reach the third round in Cincinnati on Wednesday as women's title holder Garbine Muguruza crashed out. Wimbledon champion Djokovic called for the doctor during the second set against Mannarino but put aside his discomfort to progress 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 over the Frenchman before rain halted afternoon play. "I wasn't feeling well, I didn't have a great night and wasn't feeling that well for the first set and a half," said Djokovic, who has won every Masters 1000 title except Cincinnati. "I kind of made it through, and with the help of the doctor and God...I'm just, you know, happy that I managed to overcome the challenge. Credit to him playing well the first set, but I wasn't myself." Seventh-seeded Muguruza played for the first time since crashing out in the second round of her Wimbledon title defense, falling 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to Lesia Tsurenko. "It was a very ugly match, but I'm happy that I fought, even if the level wasn't very high," said Muguruza, who got a late start to her hardcourt buildup to the US Open because of an arm injury. "At the end, she managed to come back in the third set and play better and found a way to win the match. "I'm happy I didn't feel (arm) pain. Obviously I didn't have a lot of practices to try to recover, so I had to manage a little bit." Marin Cilic, the 2016 men's champion, beat Romanian Marius Copil 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4, but third-seeded Alexander Zverev was upset 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 by Dutch veteran Robin Haase. The German remains winless in four appearances at the pre-US Open tournament. His early exit comes a week after he lost in the Toronto quarter-finals to fellow youngster Stefanos Tsitsipas. The 55th-ranked Haase clinched a surprise victory when Zverev fired a return long after losing serve six times. "I think I played well. Today my returns I think were really, really good," Haase said. "The first serve he hit at me was 136 (mph), and I just hit it right back. I was good from my side. Nowadays against top 10, 20, maybe top 50 you have to be a little bit lucky." Zverev came into the event leading the ATP with 43 match wins this season, while it was a seventh career win over a top 10 player for Haase. Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson beat Jeremy Chardy 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 while Canadian Milos Raonic advanced over Malek Jaziri of Tunisia 6-3, 7-5. Belgian 11th seed David Goffin eliminated France's Benoit Paire 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. - Stephens untroubled - US Open women's champion Sloane Stephens was untroubled on her way into the third round, defeating German qualifier Tatjana Maria 6-3, 6-2. The third-ranked American, who lost the Montreal final to world number one Simona Halep last weekend, reached the semi-finals here a year ago before falling to the Romanian. Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus continued her successful tournament debut, beating ninth seed Karolina Pliskova 2-6, 6-3, 7-5. Australian 16th seed Ashleigh Barty beat Estonian Kaia Kanepi 7-5, 6-3, while recent Gstaad champion Alize Cornet was crushed 6-2, 6-0 by Ekaterina Makarova. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Justice Gita Mittal today stressed on the need to expedite trial in cases of atrocities and domestic violence against women. Justice Mittal, who was sworn-in as the first woman Chief Justice of the J-K High Court last week, made the remarks during her maiden visit to the district court complex in Moominabad here. She was accompanied by Justices Ali Mohammad Magrey and Alok Aradhe. The chief justice said the judges should work to ensure speedy disposal of long-pending cases on priority. While interacting with women lawyers, she complemented them for choosing this profession. "Women who visit court for their cases or justice feel comfortable while discussing their cases with women lawyers," she said. Justice Mittal added that the women lawyers should ensure that women's rights are protected during trial. She also directed all the officers who inspect prisons to ensure that the fundamental rights of the inmates are protected and all the facilities under law are provided to them. Legal experts from other states and countries will be invited for exchange of ideas, she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will leave for New Delhi later in the day today to enquire about the health of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is on life support at the AIIMS, official sources said here. Fadnavis will fly to New Delhi from Nagpur, where he has gone to attend a public event, sources in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said. He will visit the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital, where Vajpayee has been admitted, and enquire about his health, they said. The chief minister is in Nagpur to participate in an event organised to pay homage to freedom fighters who were martyred in police firing at Chimur when they took out a morcha against the British after Mahatma Gandhiji's Quit India call. Vajpayee was admitted at the premier medical college and hospital 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 one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia. The BJP veteran's condition remains critical and he continues to be on advanced life-support system, the AIIMS said in a statement today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the AIIMS last evening to enquire about Vajpayee's condition. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A fake call centre was busted in Indore today and 22 people were arrested for allegedly duping American citizens by posing as officials of the US Social Security department and threatening to block their security number (SSN) cards, the police said. The "fees" collected by the callers from the gullible US citizens, mostly elderly people, were converted into Bitcoins, a virtual currency, they said. The police suspect the fraudsters are in possession of SSNs, phone numbers and other confidential data of about 2.5 lakh US citizens, a senior officer said. Prima facie, the gang has duped about 1,500 US citizens. The kingpin of the gang has been identified as Vatsal Mehta (25), a resident of Ahmedabad, DIG Harinarayanchari Mishra said. He said Mehta was running the racket under the garb of a call centre in Indore's Lasudia locality. "The gang members used to pose as officials of the US Social Security Department and call up the US citizens, especially the elderly people who have little technical knowledge, through a special software," Mishra said while explaining the gang's modus operandi. He said the gang members used to tell the potential targets that their SSNs will be blocked soon as the officials have detected "criminal use of SSNs and other irregularities". "The callers would then demand fees from the targets if they wanted their SSN to remain operational," the DIG said. He said most of the gang members hail from Gujarat and hold degrees in engineering and management. Mishra said the US citizens lost USD 400 to 5,000 in the scam. "The amount received from these US citizens was converted into Bitcoins before it was converted into Indian currency and received in Ahmedabad through hawala (route)," the DIG said. More than 30 computers, laptops and other gadgets were recovered from the possession of Mehta and 21 others, he said. Mishra said the gang members used the caller ID spoofing technology to mislead the US citizens into believing that the calls were being made from local phone numbers. He said the gang members were trained in Mumbai to speak in the American accent with the help of a woman, adding that the police suspect some of the gang members were operating from other countries. The DIG said various international agencies have been informed about the matter by the Indore Police and further investigation is underway. In October 2016, a multi-crore fake call centre scam was busted in Thane. US-based taxpayers were allegedly conned in the telefraud. The racket, which operated in the city since 2013 through half-a-dozen call centres, targeted at least 15,000 US-based tax payers. A US court had convicted 21 Indian-origin persons in the multi-million dollar scam. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Westside, the retail chain of the Tata Group, has opened its first store in the steel city. The store was opened on the occasion of Independence Day yesterday, a press release said today. "Jamshedpur is an integral part of the Tata history and it is a proud moment for us to launch our first store in Jamshedpur this Independence Day," Noel Tata, Chairman, Trent Ltd, wich operates Westside, said at the programme. The store is spread over 24,000 sq ft at P & M Mall here. Venu Nair, Chief Commercial Officer, Trent Ltd. said, "This is a proud moment for Trent and the entire Tata group as we added to the rich heritage of Jamshedpur and the strong Tata relationship with the city. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee shared a special connection with Lucknow, representing the Uttar Pradesh capital in the Lok Sabha for five consecutive terms. Congress nominee Ranjeet Singh was the first one to be humbled in Lucknow by Vajpayee when he fought for the seat in 1991. Singh is now dead but a friend, Alok Kumar, recently recalled that contest. Atal's stature was undoubtedly taller compared to the other candidates," he told PTI, even while insisting that the Ram Temple movement made it easier for the Bharatiya Janata Party leader. His friend got only 20 per cent of the vote in that election, Vajpayee got 51 per cent. Apart from 1991, Vajpayee was elected to the Lok Sabha from Lucknow in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004. Among those who decided to take him from there have included Congress stalwart Karan Singh, current Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar and filmmaker Muzaffar Ali. BJP leaders make it a point to stress his Lucknow connection. On August 5, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is the current MP from Lucknow, hailed him for setting in flow a river of development in the city. The minister was inaugurating a series of projects, worth Rs 938 crore for Lucknow and its neighbourhood. "No one can deny the fact that the 'Vikaas ki Ganga' in Lucknow was initiated by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and was taken further by former MP Lalji Tandon, he said. The Shaheed Path in Lucknow was begun by Atalji when he was the prime minister and I was the Union surface transport minister," the minister recalled. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his tributes while addressing a symposium in the city on 'Transforming Urban Landscape'. There is a very close relationship between our mission (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation-AMRUT) and Lucknow city. Lucknow has been the 'karmabhoomi' of 'mahapurush' Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said. Vajpayee made Lucknow the laboratory to improve urban life in the country," Modi said. UP BJP spokesperson Hero Bajpai today said today Lucknow started making its presence felt globally when Vajpayee became the prime minister. He also recalled how Vajpayee contributed to the city from his MPs' area development fund. Unlike other politicians who are more interested in installing a plaque for even a small project for the public, Atalji was never interested in taking any credit for the work done by him," he said. Dilip Srivastava, a BJP corporator, recently demanded the 'rain baseras' - the shelters put up by the municipalities across the state during the winter months - should be named after Vajpayee. "Atalji was always concerned for the welfare and the uplift of poor people, labourers and the homeless. This is a small step in acknowledging the vision and concern which he had for the downtrodden," he said today. "As an MP, he benevolently gave funds for the construction of bridges in Gomtinagar area of the state capital. He initiated the cleaning of river Gomti and also played an important role in the establishment of Kurmanchal Nagar (a township in Lucknow), the corporator said. In fact people started getting a glimpse of the development in Lucknow after Atalji became our MP," Srivastava said. When Vajpayee turned 93 in December, the Yogi Adityanath government in the state released 93 prisoners, languishing in jails only because they couldn't pay the fines. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five police personnel were injured today when their jeep was hit from behind by a bus on the outskirts of the city. The mishap took place in Kanti police station area near Paharpur village where Assistant Sub Inspector Ashok Kumar was leading a patrol party which included four constables, one of whom was driving the jeep. Kanti SHO Sone Lal Prasad said the jeep had stopped behind a stationary truck and the policemen were about to alight for checking when the speeding bus rammed into their vehicle from behind, leaving all the occupants injured. The bus sped away after hitting the police vehicle, the SHO said adding that all the injured policemen have been admitted to a nearby private hospital where the condition of two is stated to be critical. Efforts were on to trace the erring bus driver. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The SIT probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh today claimed that five suspects, arrested in connection with the case, were involved in rationalist M M Kalburgi's killing. Twelve suspects have been arrested in connection with the Lankesh case. Kalburgi was shot dead on August 30, 2015 at home and the case is being investigated by the criminal investigation department (CID). "Yes, we have got certain leads provided to us by the Special Investigation Team..It will be premature to share the details. We cannot even say how manyare involved. All we can say at this juncture is that the leads are very credible," IGP, CID, K S R Charan Reddy told PTI. Sources in the SIT confirmed that at least five suspects were involved in the killing, but did not elaborate. The SIT has arrested 12 people including the alleged mastermind Amol Kale and sharpshooter Parashuram Waghmare. Left leaning Lankesh, known for her strong anti-Hindutva stand, was shot dead in front of her house on September 5 last year, triggering outrage. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former prime minister and BJP patriarch Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of India's most charismatic leaders, died here following prolonged illness today, AIIMS hospital announced. He was 93. "It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former Prime Minister of India Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at 5.05 pm," the hospital said in a statement. The BJP veteran was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four soldiers were injured in an exchange of fire with militants in Nowgam sector of Kupwara district today, officials said Army soldiers noticed some suspicious movement near the Line of Control and challenged the suspected militants at around 3 am, the officials said. They said the infiltrators started firing towards the position of Army personnel, who retaliated effectively. Four soldiers were injured in the exchange of fire, they said adding the injured personnel were evacuated to a medical facility in Kupwara. Defence and Army officials did not comment on the incident, saying they were ascertaining details from the ground. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure as prime minister saw India face several security challenges such as the Kargil conflict, the Kandahar hijacking and the Parliament attack, but he steered the country through them, using diplomacy and military force in equal measure. After being sworn in as prime minister for a second time in 1998, Vajpayee travelled on a bus from Amritsar to Lahore for a visit the next year which was widely acclaimed as the start of a new era in Indo-Pakistan relations. However, despite the Lahore Declaration, the bonhomie between India and Pakistan did not last long as just months after the visit, the Pakistan Army undertook a covert operation to send its troops into Kargil that led to a limited conflict that Pakistan lost. Vajpayee was desirous of peace with Pakistan and prepared to go the extra mile, but he did not hesitate in taking military action as well. "I recall that when it (the Kargil conflict) broke, I was asked to come to Delhi and it was at a briefing at the Army headquarters that Mr Vajpayee sanctioned the use of airpower. It was personally sanctioned by him and the cabinet committee on security," said Gopalaswami Parthasarathy, who was India's High Commissioner to Pakistan at the time. "He (Vajpayee) told them that you will not cross the Line of Control because we are fighting Pakistan as they have crossed the Line of Control, we should not do the same thing. And yes we emerged successful at the end of it," he said. The Vajpayee government lost the trust vote in 1999 and came back to power in October with Vajpayee as prime minister once again. This time, the first major challenge his government faced was in December 1999, when an Indian Airlines flight IC 814, with nearly 190 people on board, coming from Kathmandu to New Delhi was hijacked by five terrorists and flown to Kandahar in the then Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The Vajpayee government agreed to the hijackers' demands and the then foreign minister Jaswant Singh escorted the terrorists -- Masood Azhar, Omar Saeed Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar -- to Kandahar and exchanged them for the captive passengers. Another security crisis that his government faced was the attack on Parliament on December 13, 2001 by Pakistan-based terror outfits. Five heavily terrorists stormed the Parliament complex and opened indiscriminate fire killing nine people.The dastardly attack on Parliament led to India mobilising its troops on the border with Pakistan under 'Operation Parakram' for nearly 11 months. Talking about the troop mobilisation, Parthasarathy said, "When the Parliament attack took place, he (Vajpayee) mobilised forces on the border and put huge pressure on Pakistan. The net result was that Pakistan was forced to a ceasefire and dialogue was resumed only after President Musharraf said territory under Pakistan's control would not be used for terrorism. "He (Vajpayee) was prepared to go the extra mile for peace, but he was also prepared to use military force in defence of the country as he did during Kargil and thereafter the military deployment after the Parliament attack," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Homegrown FMCG player Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL) expects 25-40 per cent of its growth coming in from new products across categories, a top company official has said. "We are looking at 25-40 per cent of this year's growth coming through new product development. New product development is a hallmark of our strategy and this year the paddle has gone further up. We will have around seven to nine launches this year. The innovation focus will be even more aggressive this year and lot of investment has gone behind them across all categories," GCPL India and SAARC chief executive officer Sunil Kataria told PTI. With an aim to disrupt the market, the company today launched a powder to liquid handwash under its Protekt brand priced at Rs 15 for a pouch and a combi-pack priced at Rs 35. "It (liquid handwash) is very small for us right now. Our aspiration is, in four years (it should be) Rs 500 crore and in two years Rs 200 crore. Once it reaches that level, it will be a meaningful part of our portfolio," he said. The second largest player in the soap category has a single digit market share in the liquid handwash segment at present, where the market size is Rs 740 crore, growing at 15 per cent. The personal wash care market in the country is pegged at Rs 18,400 crore, largely dominated by soaps and the market estimate for handwashing soaps stands at Rs 8,000 crore. "We found that consumers found the price of liquid handwash much higher to their soaps. Soaps today are priced almost 40 per cent lower than liquid handwash. Also, liquid hand wash has barriers in terms of reach as it is difficult to transport, and freight cost is higher," Kataria explained. The average price of handwash in the country is Rs 57, while the average cost of a soap is Rs 23, he said. In terms of reach, soaps are distributed through 80 lakh outlets compared to liquid handwash's 8.5 lakh outlets. "We will ride up the soap distribution and we want every soap user to start using liquid handwash. We will be leveraging Godrej No 1 and Cinthol's soap reach across the country," he added. Asked if the new product could lead to cannibalisation, he said, "right now the market share we play in is small. It is not that we have a very large business which is at stake. Secondly, if you are going to create a disruption and change the growth of the category itself, I think the choice should be with consumer. I expect the gains from the category explosion to be so big that cannibalisation, even if it happens, will be small in front of that." He added that in parallel, both markets would co-exist and expects the category to grow two to three times on the back of its disruptive product. The penetration of handwash is very low and restricted to the higher SEC's which is around 20 per cent in urban India or around 2 crore households. He expects rural consumption for the category to pick up with the affordable pricing. "In last 10 years the category reach is 20 per cent urban and rural is very minuscule. I think it would be great if this category can double its penetration in urban itself over the next two to three years. If we can also start a meaningful penetration happening in rural, it will be a big success," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Expressing grief over the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, President Ram Nath Kovind today said the "gentle giant" will be missed by all. In a post on Twitter, Kovind said his leadership, foresight, maturity and eloquence put him in a league of his own. "Extremely sad to hear of the passing of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, our former prime minister and a true Indian statesman," he said. "Atalji, the gentle giant, will be missed by one and all," he added. Vajpayee, the 93-year old leader, who successfully steered through several strategic challenges during his tenure as prime minister, died today after a prolonged illness. He is survived by his adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) where he was admitted on June 11 with a number of ailments announced his death at 5.05 PM today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A government school teacher, who was involved in NRC exercise in Assam, was detained after it came to the fore that he was declared an illegal Bangladeshi migrant by the Gauhati High Court in June, the police said today. Khairul Islam was earlier declared an infiltrator by the Foreigners Tribunal, Morigaon. He was detained last night near Moirabari in Morigaon district, Superintendent of Police Swapnanil Deka said. The district administration, which had engaged Islam in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) update work, had on August 13 removed him from the job, Morigaon Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hemen Das said. Following receipt of the Gauhati High Court judgement upholding the verdict of the Foreigner's Tribunal, Morigaon, police launched an operation to track down Khairul and detained him near Moirabari village, the SP said. According to laid down procedure, Islam will be sent to Foreigners Detention Camp in Goalpara district this afternoon, Deka said. Islam, who was a teacher in the Khandapukhuri Lower primary school in the district, was engaged by the Morigaon district administration in Kolmoubari NRC Seva Kendra (NSK) under Mikirbheta police station. He was one among over 40,000 government employees drawn from different departments for NRC work across the state, official sources said. Several organisations, including the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, the Krisak Mukti Sangram Samiti, the All Koch Rajbongshi Students Union, had earlier expressed concern over the teacher's inclusion in the NRC work. On August 13 the DC had removed Islam from NRC work and had said, "It has come to the notice of the district administration of Morigaon regarding engagement in NRC update process of a teacher who has been declared as a foreigner by the Foreigners Tribunal, Morigaon." "In this context it is informed that the said person is a government teacher and has only been assisting NRC update work. He is not entitled to take any decision on inclusion or exclusion of any applicant", the DC said in a statement, adding, "As a matter of abundant caution and considering the sensitivities involved, he has been relieved from NRC work immediately." The teacher was declared a Bangladeshi citizen by the Foreigners Tribunal Morigaon in 2015. He had entered Assam after March 25, 1971 (the cut-off year as per the Assam Accord). The Gauhati High Court upheld the verdict of the Foreigners Tribunal in June this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A section of separatist leaders here today said former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was a "great man" and a rare leader with "humaneness" who sought a resolution of the issues related to Kashmir. "I am sad to hear about the demise of A B Vajpayee ji. Atalji was indeed a rare Indian leader who had the humaneness to seek the resolution of the festering Kashmir dispute in the wide ambit of humanity and not within the confines of a constitution," chairman of moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq told PTI. He said the former Prime Minister made sincere efforts to walk his talk when he initiated unconditional talks with the Hurriyat conference. "He was also a man of peace for his neighbours, especially wanted cordial and peaceful relations with Pakistan and was ready to address all issues including the core issue of Kashmir through dialogue. May his soul rest in peace," he added. Former Hurriyat chairman Professor Abdul Gani Bhat said Vajpayee was "a great man in more than many cases". "His was broadly consisted of reconciliation and balancing...and he did it towards the end of his tenure as prime minister," Bhat said. Bhat said Vajpayee's efforts to improve relations with Pakistan and settle the dispute in Jammu and Kashmir will go down in the annals of history as a singular effort to build a stable, prosperous and peaceful south Asia. "Now is the time, while paying tributes to the great man, for the leadership of the sub-continent to follow his vision of a peaceful region. Initiate a dialogue and resolve all disputes including the dispute of Jammu and Kashmir in the interests of peace, prosperity and development," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five days after their release from Pakistani jails, 26 fishermen from Gujarat were reunited today with their family members in coastal Veraval town in Gir Somnath district. The fishermen, freed by Pakistani authorities on Aug 11, had reached the Wagah border in Punjab on August 13. They arrived in Vadodara last night from Amritsar by Golden Express train, officials said. "The fishermen reached Veraval (from Vadodara) today where they were received by their family members," said S D Rathod, Superintendent, Fisheries department, Dahod. From Veraval, the fishermen left for their native places in Porbandar, Gir Somnath and Navsari districts, he said. A team of fisheries department, comprising Rathod, had accompanied the fishermen on the train from Amritsar to Vadodara. The fishermen claimed today that 28 members of their fraternity are still languishing in jails in Pakistan even after serving the incarceration period, since last year. They handed over a list of these fishermen to Indian Fishermen Association president Veljibhai Masani. The fishermen have requested the Gujarat government to take up the matter with the Central government. A fisherman from Delwada village in Gir Somnath district told PTI that about 15 fishermen languishing in Pakistani jails are suffering from various health issues like paralysis, liver problems, mental disturbance etc. The fishermen claimed they had faced a lot of hardships in Pakistani jails. They said the Pakistani authorities kept as many as 100 fishermen in a single cell. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gujarat Governor O P Kohli expressed profound grief today over the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani left for Delhi after the of Vajpayee's demise at the AIIMS hospital broke. "Kohli has expressed deep anguish and sorrow over the death of former Prime Minister Vajpayee," stated an official release. Rupani said the country has lost a leader in Vajpayee who rose above the party and respected all. "The nation has lost its tallest leader," the chief minister said. Gujarat deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel is also going to Delhi tonight to pay respect to the departed soul, according to sources. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gujarat Congress leader Paresh Dhanani withdrew his three-day fast, launched today to demand a judicial probe into the alleged groundnut scam, following the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He began his fast in the morning outside the Sabarmati Ashram here. Announcing the withdrawal of the fast, Dhanani told the media the protest will resume after the completion of seven-day mourning announced by the Centre following Vajpayee's demise in the AIIMS hospital at New Delhi this evening. The Leader of Opposition in the state assembly expressed grief over the death of the BJP stalwart. "We are deeply saddened by the demise of Vajpayeeji. In this moment of grief, the Congress party has decided to call off the three-day fast against the groundnut scam. We will seek answers from the ruling BJP on this issue afterwards," Dhanani said. "The party leadership has decided to resume the protest (fast) after the completion of the mourning period," he added. Dhanani began his three-day fast to press for his party's demand for a judicial probe into the alleged groundnut procurement scam in the state. Before sitting on the fast, the Congress legislator visited the Sabarmati Ashram here to "seek the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi". The opposition party leader alleged a scam was worth Rs 4,000 crore in state-wide procurement of groundnuts and said the BJP government should order a judicial probe into it to bring out the truth. "I am beginning my fast after taking Gandhiji's blessings. My fast is aimed at bringing out the truth in the Rs 4,000-crore groundnut procurement scam. "The Congress wants a judicial probe into the scam," he told reporters outside the ashram in the morning. The Congress has been claiming the ruling BJP is trying to save "real culprits" behind alleged irregularities in procurement of groundnut from farmers by not accepting its demand for an inquiry under a sitting High Court judge. The issue came to the fore two weeks ago when around 30,000 sacks of groundnuts (each weighing 35 kg) were found mixed with sand and stones. The stock was procured by the National Agriculture Co- operative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), a central agency, thorough the Gujarat State Co-Operative Cotton Federation Ltd (GUJCOT) and stored at a godown at Pedhla town in Jetpur taluka of Rajkot district. The opposition Congress has alleged large-scale corruption in procurement of groundnuts in the state. Till date, 27 people, including officials of NAFED and GUJCOT, have been arrested by the Rajkot Police in connection with the alleged adulteration of the groundnut stock at Pedhla town. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gunmen launched an attack on an intelligence training centre in Kabul early today, officials said, just a day after a suicide bomber killed dozens of students in the war-weary city. "Clashes are ongoing and the area is cordoned off by the Afghan security forces," said Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai. An official at the scene requesting anonymity confirmed the attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today expressed its limitation in passing coercive orders for alleged failure by some states to set up panels on the issue of urban homelessness, saying its "whip has broken" as suggestions have been made that the judiciary should refrain from entering the domain of governance. "We have been told that governance is for the government and not for the courts. If there is no governance, we cannot do anything," a bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur said. The observations by Justice Lokur assumes significance following Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's remarks yesterday that "the founding fathers always wanted governance must be left to those elected to govern by the people of India." Similarly, Attorney General K K Venugopal had on August 8 told the bench headed by Justice Lokur that it should refrain from making hard-hitting observations while hearing public interest litigation matters since these impacted other issues plaguing the country. At today's hearing on a matter related to providing shelter to urban homeless in the country, the bench was told by the Centre that several states have not yet constituted a committee to deal with the issues of implementation of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM). Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for one of the petitioners, told the bench that the apex court should "crack its whip" on the defaulting states. "The whip is broken," the bench, also comprising Justices S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta, said. Bhushan then told the court that chief secretaries of these states, which have not yet constituted the committees, should be asked to appear in the court to explain. A lawyer for one of the petitioners told the court that some coercive steps should be taken against these states as no progress has been made in the matter. "What is to be done? We cannot make houses," the bench observed, adding, "What coercive steps? The governance is for the government and not for the courts". The bench noted that "unfortunately" the Centre's status report indicated that in some states, no committee has been formed, while in some others, meetings of the panel were not held. The apex court asked the Centre to give within 10 days a chart on the status of each states along with details of composition of committee, date of notification for it and meetings held by the panel. At the outset, the bench said that as per the status report filed by the Centre, most of states have not held any meetings of the committee and some of them have only had one meeting. Bhushan told the bench that once the court passes an order, the states do respond if it was made clear to them that action would be taken in case of default. "Somebody should be sent to jail. Only then they (states) will act," he said. Advocates appearing for Bihar, Haryana and Chhattisgarh said that committees have been constituted by them. The bench observed that Delhi was the only one which appeared to have done something in the matter. It also asked whether members of the civil society, who have been made members of the committee in the states, have attended the meetings. "You have to do some homework. There are 29 states. You give us in 29 pages that this is the composition of the committee, this is the date of notification and these are the dates of meetings," the bench told the counsel appearing for Centre. The apex court had earlier expressed shock that welfare schemes were not being effectively implemented even after spending thousands of crores of rupees on them. The petitioners had earlier referred to a report of the apex court-appointed committee headed by former Delhi High Court judge Justice Kailash Gambhir and said a number of shelter homes in some of the states were much less than what was required. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court today dismissed a petition filed by Mafatlal Industries, seeking that it be granted compensation in lieu of a land the Maharashtra government had reserved for the expansion of the city zoo. A bench of justices S C Dharmadhikari and Bharati Dangre dismissed the plea, wherein Mafatlal Industries had claimed that it was the rightful leaseholder of the said plot of land and thus, deserved to be compensated for it. The bench, however, dismissed the plea after holding that it was devoid of any merits. The dispute pertains to a 58,000-sq.mtr plot adjoining the Veermata Jijabai Udyan Zoo in the Byculla area here. The land was given on lease to Mafatlal Industries for 100 years. According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) counsel Anil Sakhre, the lease had expired between 2012 and 2018. The BMC also stated that as per the Development Plan 1991, the land was reserved for the zoo's expansion. Mafatlal Industries, however, approached the high court last year, challenging the BMC's decision to take over the land and then demanding a compensation of Rs 1,600 crore in lieu of it. It claimed that while its lease for a part of the land had expired in 2012 and for the remaining in 2018, as per a Maharashtra government resolution (GR) of 2004, it could still claim rights over the land for an additional 30 years. Mafatlal Industries claimed that the GR permitted it to commercially exploit 50 per cent of the land for another 30 years and thus, it was still its rightful leaseholder. The BMC, however, pointed out that the petitioner (Mafatlal Industries) was claiming a right to perpetual lease-holding, without drawing up a new lease or renewing its lease with the government under the 2004 GR. It said while the 2004 GR had provisions for renewal of a land lease for an additional 30 years, the petitioner had not taken any steps to avail of the benefits under it. "In view of the relevant provisions of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, as quoted hereinabove, the lease has already expired and therefore, the petitioner would necessarily be holding over at best. "No fresh lease has been executed by the government in favour of the petitioners," Sakhre told the bench. "A lease exceeding a period of one year cannot be validly made except under a registered agreement. "When a lease exceeds a period of one year and it is not registered, the transaction itself is invalid and if the transaction is invalid, no party can claim the enforcement of the terms of such a transaction," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today sought the Centre's stand on a PIL against the ban on private companies from producing and distributing oxytocin, a drug also used to induce labour contractions during child birth. A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao issued notice to the Health Ministry and sought its response to the plea by August 26, the next date of hearing. NGO All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN), which works towards ensuring access to essential medicines, in its plea sought setting aside of the government's ban which would come into effect from September 1. The government had in April this year restricted private companies from making or supplying the drug, used to treat excessive bleeding in women during child birth and help new mothers lactate, to prevent its alleged misuse in the dairy sector to increase milk secretion and production. It had allowed the state-run Karnataka Antibiotics and Pharmaceuticals Ltd to make the drug to meet the country's needs. Some of the private companies which made and sold the drug in India are Pfizer and Mylan. Mylan has also challenged the Centre's decision in the high court. The NGO, in its plea, has contended that it would not be advisable to depend on one company alone, especially when it allegedly has not made the product earlier. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Calcutta High Court today stayed the election process of the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) till November over allegations of irregularities in sending ballot papers to voters and in the electoral rolls. In the voting process, seven medical teachers at various medical colleges of the state were to be elected by 2,850 eligible voters and nine others from general medical practitioners by 49,800 eligible voters, lawyer for WBMC Saibalendu Bhowmick said. Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty stayed the election process and said the matter would be taken up for hearing again in November. Baijayanti Baur and four other doctors moved a petition before the high court alleging irregularities in the electoral rolls and in the process of sending ballot papers to voters through postal service. The filled in ballot papers of medical teachers were scheduled to be sent to the WBMC by August 20, while that for the doctors were to be sent by August 22, lawyer for the medical council, Saibalendu Bhowmick said. The petitioners claimed that there were severe malpractices in sending of ballot papers to voters by way of empty envelopes reaching the voters. It was also alleged that names of people, who were not either medical teachers or doctors, appeared in the electoral rolls, while names of registered doctors went missing from the list. The WBMC counsel told the court that it had received some complaints it and was looking into these. The WBMC is an autonomous body constituted under the provisions of the Bengal Medical Act 1914 and governed by the rules and regulations framed under this act, according to its website. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Officials of the Mizoram Excise and Narcotics department today seized more than 200 grams of heroin, valued at Rs 10.50 lakh, from an area near here and arrested two persons in this connection. The contraband, weighing 252 gm, was seized by the anti-narcotic squad from Bawngkawn area in Aizawl, department spokesman Peter Zohmingthanga said. The heroin was reportedly smuggled from neighbouring Myanmar, he said. Lalzuineihsial (29) of Kolasib district and Ginminlun (49) of Tamenglong district of Manipur were arrested in this connection, he said. They were booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and produced before the special judge (ND and PS Act) who remanded them to judicial custody for 14 days. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) He built India's most famous highway project, started privatisation to cut government's role in running businesses and made big-ticket overseas acquisitions to secure energy supplies - former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was truly a bellwether policy reformer of modern India. Regarded by some as the father of second generation economic reforms, Vajpayee, who died today at the age of 93 years, was decisive and pursued his reforms agenda with vigour without getting ruffled by criticism. Modeled loosely around the National Highway System of the US, he in 2001 launched the Golden Quadrilateral and the North-South & East-West Corridor projects to build 4/6 lane highways between four top metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata as well as from Srinagar to Kanyakumari and Porbandar to Silchar. His idea was simple - construct arterial roads that could spur development just like what was witnessed in the US. Subsequent governments have only expanded on that theme. But arguably the biggest reform of his tenure was the privatisation drive which saw 32 state-owned companies and hotels being sold to private firms in five years. For the first time ever, a Department of Disinvestment to process privatisation candidates was created and a Cabinet Committee on Disinvestment formed to accord expeditious approvals. Beginning with sale of Modern Food Industries to Hindustan Level in 1999-2000, his government went on to sell Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd (Balco) and Hindustan Zinc Ltd to mining baron Anil Agarwal's Sterlite Industries, IT firm CMC Ltd and Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ld (VSNL) to Tatas, fuel retailer IBP Ltd to Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and Indian Petrochemicals Corp Ltd (IPCL) to Reliance Industries Ltd. Also sold were a host of hotels including Kovalam Ashok Beach Resort, Hotel Airport Ashok in Kolkata and three hotels in New Delhi - Ranjit Hotel, Qutab Hotel and Hotel Kanishka. But the privatisation drive wasn't easy. He faced opposition and the decision to privatise Balco was challenged right up to the Supreme Court, which upheld the move. However, he failed in privatising oil refiner Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) with his own cabinet colleagues opposing the move. He was ahead of times when his government made a diplomatic push to acquire a 20 per cent stake in the gigantic Sakhalin-I oil and gas fields in far east Russia for USD 1.7 billion in 2001. This was India's single largest investment abroad. This was followed up with a 25 per cent stake in an oilfield in Sudan for USD 720 million. The decisions were criticised for the making such huge investments in risky countries but Vajpayee was proven right when even the Sudan project recouped investments within years. His model of energy security by investing in the overseas project has since then been followed vigorously with footprint now expanded to 20 countries and energy diplomacy part of India's engagements with other countries. China too has vigorously followed the same model and has invested in more projects than India in the last one-and-half decade. Vajpayee will also be remembered for introducing doping of sugarcane-extracted ethanol in petrol to not just cut import dependence but also provide farmers with an alternative source of income. The concept, however, suffered a lethargy during the 10-year UPA rule. It has again been revived by the Modi government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha today said it has established the "first Hindu court" here in reaction to a Muslim body's plan to open "Shariat courts" in all districts. National vice president Ashok Sharma of the Mahasabha said the "Hindu court" was established yesterday on India's Independence Day with Aligarh resident Pooja Shakun Pandey as its first judge. He said the "Hindu courts" would resolve family and other civil disputes amongst Hindus through amicable settlements. Sharma said the "court" has been established as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have continuously ignored the issue of "Shariat courts." He said the Mahasabha had earlier written to them demanding the closure of "Shariat courts" as India can have only one Constitution and a single judicial system. The Mahasabha had asked the government to ban the "Shariat courts", but as its letters got no replies, it opened the "first Hindu court" on August 15, he said. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), the highest decision making body on Muslim affairs, earlier on July 8 had said it planned to open "Shariat courts" in all districts to resolve issues in line with Islamic laws. Sharma said the Mahasabha would set up five more "Hindu courts" at Aligarh, Hathras, Mathura, Firozabad and Shikohabad on November 15, the day Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse was hanged. He said the organisation planned to establish altogether 15 "Hindu courts" in the country at the earliest. Pooja Shakun Pandey, nominated as the first judge of the "Hindu court" said her "court" did not require any statutory approval just like the "Shariat courts", which are running as per the Shariat laws without any legal approval. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) GULFPORT, Miss. -- A Moss Point man has pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms of cocaine the U.S. Attorneys' office announced on Thursday. Keith Lavell Brown, 46, of Moss Point admitted being involved in a conspiracy to bring cocaine to the Mississippi Gulf Coast from 2015 until August 2017, making several trips with cocaine in his possession. On one occasion in March of 2016, an individual was stopped in Louisiana and, upon arresting the driver, Louisiana State Police located 15 kilograms of cocaine inside his vehicle. During the DEA and FBI's investigation, they determined that Brown had conspired with the driver and others to have the cocaine brought from Texas to Mississippi. Another stop was made in Mississippi where police found additional cocaine in an RV. During the stop, the RV was searched and law enforcement located 10 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside. The investigation into the second stop by the DEA and FBI yielded 10 kilograms of cocaine were supposed to be delivered to Brown and others in Moss Point. Further information and evidence also showed that the cocaine located in the RV was not the driver's first time to deliver cocaine to Brown. The driver had previously successfully delivered 13 kilograms of cocaine to Brown. Sentencing will be held Nov. 7, 2018 by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola. Brown faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Louisiana State Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk. "Main 'Atal' bhi hoon aur 'Bihari' bhi hoon". This one liner from Atal Bihari Vajpayee at a poll rally in Bihar in 2004 to woo voters was one such example of the former prime minister's penchant for subtle humour and spontaneity which he displayed with ease on several occasions. A master orator, Vajpayee used the witty remarks with aplomb for political satire on his opponents that often won him accolades and hearts of many. With his one-liners, he often trumped the questioner that helped tide over tough questions posed to him and defuse the situation. When Congress chief Sonia Gandhi termed his government as corrupt, incompetent and incapable, he hit back saying it seems the words have been specially found from the dictionary. He told her in Parliament that while they were working with her shoulder to shoulder, despite differing thoughts, is this the way to express your differences. "It looks like the words have been specially found by opening a dictionary in front," he said, amid laughter in the entire Lok Sabha. On another occasion, he said, "Vajpayee to achha hai, par party theek nahi hai. Toh achche Vajpayee ka kya karne ka iraada rakhte hain. (You say that Vajpayee is good, but his party is not...Then what do you intend doing with the good Vajpayee.) Once when LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan, who was with the Congress, attacked the BJP over the Ram temple issue saying BJP talks about Ram, but does not have Ram in it while he has in his name. Vajpayee's response--"Paswan ji, Haram mein bho Ram hota hai (Ram is even there in the word 'Haram' (forbidden in Arabic). Paswan is now a BJP ally. In 2003, Vajpayee told Parliament, "You can change a friend, but not a neighbour" while suggesting that friendship with Pakistan should be maintained to the extent possible. Responding to the remark by a Pakistani foreign minister that Pakistan is incomplete without Kashmir, Vajpayee said "without Pakistan, India is incomplete". One of his other famous one liners was "democracy is such where two foolish people defeat a strong man". About himself, he once said "I neither have the wealth of my grandfather or my father, but have the blessings of my mother". Elsewhere, he was once asked "Padosi kehte hai ki ek haath se taali nahi bajti" (you cannot cal with one hand), he came with his quick reply saying, "Humne kaha ki chutki toh baj sakti hai" (but one can click our finger). On yet another occasion, when asked about the existence of two 'dal' (factions) - that of Vajpayee and Advani, within the BJP, he said "Main kisi dal-dal mein nahi hoon. Main auron ke dal-dal mein apna kamal khilaata hoon". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shahid Kapoor sent fans in a frenzy when he had said he would be teaming up with Imtiaz Ali for a film but the project never happened and the filmmaker says queries around the movie should not be directed to him as he never announced it in the first place. In December last year, Shahid had expressed excitement about his team up with his "Jab We Met" director for a new film with an "interesting" subject. The actor had said he would start shooting for the same after wrapping up his upcoming release "Batti Gul Meter Chalu". Soon after there were reports that the project was shelved and Shahid later told reporters that the film is "not happening this year" and they might "probably work on something else." When asked about reports regarding the film with Shahid, Imtiaz said, "There will be more like this because the fact is, I keep meeting actors and there is always going to be some speculation..." "I never announced a film. I never said I am making a film. I never said I am working with Shahid Kapoor. So now when people ask me that the film is not happening, I reply, 'Which film?' I never said it. Jisne bola usko bolo (Talk to the person who spoke about it). There's no truth to it," the director said in a group interview. Imtiaz last directed Shah Rukh Khan starrer "Jab Harry Met Sejal" and the filmmaker says he has currently written four stories and has developed two screenplays. "I have turned producer so I have to keep some material ready... The only asset that you have in this work is script. So once these four scripts are ready, depending up on the availability of the suitable actors, I will start working. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India Inc today paid a glowing tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, describing the former prime minister as a "great economic reformer" under whose visionary leadership the country made rapid strides in economic growth. Vajpayee's death was announced by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital where he was admitted on June 11 with a variety of ailments. "All of us who knew Vajpayee are saddened to hear of his passing away. He was a great leader with a great sense of compassion and humour. He will be remembered fondly by a vast number of us," said Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Trusts. A guiding light for the nation through all his years in public life, Vajpayee remained a strong proponent of industrial and economic development through market reforms, noted industry the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). "The second generation of economic reforms introduced under his visionary leadership contributed greatly to a facilitative investment climate which in turn promoted India's rapid growth," CII President Rakesh Bharti Mittal said. "The nation has lost a statesman of independent India. An iconic leader on the world stage, Vajpayee led India with great wisdom, foresight and love for the country," said N Chandrasekaran, Chairman Tata Sons. "A great economic reformer, as a Prime Minister he was always guided by a strong conviction that liberalisation would help us realize our economic potential and ultimately open the doors to becoming a globally competitive, strong and resilient economy," Bharti Enterprises Founder and Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said. Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra also recalled his meetings with the late former prime minister. "RIP Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The leadership lesson that I learned from my interactions with him was that no matter how significant your achievements while in office, you ultimately earn the affection of people through your humanity and your humility...," he said in a tweet. Ficci President Rashesh Shah said the former prime minister was one of the most dynamic leaders who ushered in an era of reforms, progress and took the country forward. "Our nation has lost one of our great political leaders who steered our country as Prime Minister to great heights. A man of great vision and charisma," Biocon Chairperson and MD Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw tweeted. Assocham President Sandeep Jajodia said Vajpayee's towering personality, vision for nation building and deep respect for democratic institutions would remain an inspiration for the present and coming generations. "He (Vajpayee) put the nation on fast track with initiatives like Golden Quadrilateral project, the New Telecom Policy, the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and the Fiscal Responsibility Act that laid down the path for future governments to follow," Dr Prathap Reddy, Founder & Chairman, Apollo Hospitals said. PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Anil Khaitan expressed deep anguish over the passing away of Vajpayee, saying that a vacuum has been created with his death which would be extremely difficult to fill. Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani said Vajpayee will inspire the generations to come. Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) Chairman Naveen Jindal said He was a great leader and excellent statesman who was loved and admired all. Vedanta Resources Plc Group Chairman Anil Agarwal said in a statement that today, India has lost a true son of the soil, who rose from a very humble background to lead the country at a crucial juncture. An excellent orator, a mass leader, a fire power and a sensitive human being, Vajpayee was one of India's tallest leaders and was the first to address United Nations in Hindi, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Governor K N Tripathi today mourned the death of former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, and said not only India but the world has lost one of the greatest politicians and diplomats. He was incomparable, a loving leader and a true guide to the nation and party workers, he said in a statement. "I am deeply grieved to learn that our beloved leader Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee is no more. Not only India, but the world has lost one of the greatest politician and diplomat. He was a symbol of unique political cooperation, which he enjoyed as three-time prime minister of this country. "He has left a deep mark in the heart of the people of the country. Respected by the international community of leaders, Shri Vajpayee had unique quality of taking people with him. He was a nationalist in the true sense of the word. He never compromised with his principles and wanted India to be a strong and prosperous country," the Governor said. Describing him as a multifaceted personality, Tripathi added, "I had the privileges of having his advice and guidance on a number of occasions. His demise is a personal loss to me. I pray his soul rests in peace. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dr Sudha Sundar, a leading Indian-origin cancer woman expert was today named as President-elect of the prestigious British Gynaecological Cancer Society. Sundar, the first female gynaecological oncologist to be elected to the prestigious post at the British Gynaecological Cancer Society (BGCS), is Senior Lecturer in Gynaecological Oncology at the University of Birmingham's Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences. The surgeon-cum-academic is working with partners across India and Africa to establish matched cohort studies that will help investigate ethnic diversity in women's cancer genomics. "This is an exciting time to be elected as President-Elect of the BGCS; we have a vibrant multidisciplinary society working together and engaging with patients. This is a real opportunity to improve outcomes for women with gynaecological cancer and I look forward to contributing to this," said Sundar, who is the third BGCS President to be elected from the University of Birmingham. The BGCS described itself as a society of professionals dedicated to improving the care provided to patients with gynaecological cancers. It develops guidelines, advocates for advances in care, helps improve training and education for gynaecological cancer professionals and works in partnership with charities and patients. In addition to her clinical and teaching work, Sundar's research programme investigates clinical challenges in patients with ovarian and endometrial cancer, using a combined clinical trials and translational research approach, the University of Birmingham said. She is Chief Investigator for the ROCKETS project, which aims to achieve earlier diagnosis of ovarian cancer a collaboration between international experts from KU Leuven (Netherlands), University College London and the University of Birmingham. Translational research in genomics, steroidomics, and metabolomics is also underway, the university added. Sundar is also leading the SOCQER 2 study, commissioned by the UK's National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which investigates surgical outcomes in advanced stage ovarian cancer in 15 cancer centres in the UK, India and Australia. As cancer surgery work package lead for the NIHR global health research unit on Global Surgery, she is carrying out surgical research across sub-Saharan Africa, India and other countries. Sundar trained in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Oxford and in Gynaecological Oncology at the Three Counties cancer centre, Gloucestershire. Dr Sundar also trained in Molecular Oncology as a Cancer Research UK Clinical Fellow at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian and Singapore navies will conduct joint exercises next month to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the maritime bilateral exercise between the two countries. Our excellent defence relationship is a reflection of deep mutual trust and a shared vision for the region, Indian High Commissioner Jawed Ashraf said here last night. This year, in just a few weeks from now, we will be celebrating 25 years of our bilateral naval exercise, the longest uninterrupted naval exercises that India has with any country in the world, he said. Later in the year, the two countries' air forces and armies will also conduct joint exercises, he added. Singapore is a leading source of investment in India and a key financial market for Indian companies. The country is the gateway to the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and a broader East. The economic partnership is of a great value to both the countries, Ashraf said at the India's 72nd Independence Day celebration reception held here. Elaborating, he said Singapore is a leading destination for outbound Indian investments, which accounts for about 20 per cent. Approximately 8,000 Indian companies are registered in Singapore, Ashraf said. He pointed out that the two nations are working together in the fields of technology and innovation solutions that inspire hope and provide solutions for the weak and vulnerable. The Indian professionals and the startups here provide the spark that is igniting the eco system and creating the cyber bridge between our two countries, he said. Singapore's education minister Ong Ye Kung was the Guest of Honour at the Independence Day celebration. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the horrific suicide bombing the previous day that targeted a Shiite area of the Afghan capital, killing 34 students. The claim of responsibility was posted today on the IS-affiliated Aamaq agency. IS says its bomber, identified as "martyrdom-seeking brother Abdul Raouf al-Khorasani" carried out the attack, allegedly killing or wounding more than 200 students. Afghanistan's Health Ministry has released a revised casualty toll, saying 34 students were killed and 57 were wounded. Afghanistan's IS affiliate is known as The Islamic State in Khorasan Province. Khorasan is the ancient name for an area that encompassed parts of present-day Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israel has 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." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing and the expansion of the fishing zone off Gaza, said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Guterres "is 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," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The bridge that collapsed in the Italian port city of Genoa was considered a feat of engineering innovation when it was built five decades ago, but it came to require constant maintenance over the years. Its design is now being investigated as a possible contributor to its stunning collapse. The Morandi Bridge was severed in its midsection during a heavy downpour Tuesday, killing at least 39 people. Italian prosecutors focused their investigation into possible design flaws or inadequate maintenance of the 1967 bridge. Engineering experts said the disaster points to the challenges of maintaining any aging bridge, regardless of its design. "What the general public does not comprehend is that bridges have been traditionally designed in the past for a life span of 50 years," said Neil Hawkins, a professor emeritus of engineering at the University of Illinois, who specializes in reinforced and prestressed concrete design. "The environment in which the bridge exists can have a major effect on how much it can last beyond that 50-year design life span." The structure is a cable stayed bridge designed by Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi, who died in 1989. Among its unusual features were its concrete-encased stay cables, which Morandi used in several of his bridge designs instead of the more common steel cables. There are two similar bridges in the world, in Libya and Venezuela. Experts have said a number of factors could have contributed to the collapse, including wear and tear from weather and traffic that surpassed what the bridge was originally built to sustain. "Genoa is a port city so that there can be marine effects and also it is a major industrial center so that there can be air pollution that impairs the concrete," Hawkins said in an e-mail. "Whether any of these effects, or other major deficiencies in the foundations, were present I have no knowledge. But all can contribute to a bridge failure." Antonio Brencich, a professor of construction at the University of Genoa, said the design lent itself to swift corrosion and the bridge was in constant need of maintenance. Most recently, a 20 million-euro ($22.7 million) project to upgrade the bridge's safety had been approved before its collapse, with public bids to be submitted by September. According to the business daily Il Sole 24 Ore, the improvement work involved two weight-bearing columns that support the bridge including one that collapsed Tuesday. But Brencich, who warned two years ago that the design of the bridge was a failure, said the structure should have been destroyed rather than be subjected to more repairs. The Genoa bridge, along with the two similar bridges in Libya and Venezuela, have deteriorated at "unimaginable speeds," Brencich told Sky Italian television station Wednesday. "Since this bridge was under constant maintenance, the time had come to consider a replacement for the bridge." The Italian CNR civil engineering society said structures as old as the Morandi Bridge had surpassed their lifespans. It called for an ambitious plan to repair or replace tens of thousands of Italian bridges and viaducts built in the 1950s and 1960s, citing a series of collapses in recent years, not all fatal. The collapse of a freeway bridge in Minneapolis in 2007 drew similar alarm bells about aging infrastructure in the U.S. The Interstate 35W bridge, whose collapse into the Mississippi river killed 13 people, was also built in the 1960s, though federal investigators ultimately concluded that poor maintenance wasn't the main cause of the disaster. Instead, they pointed to a design defect, saying crucial gusset plates that held the beams together were only half as thick as they should have been. Since then, there has been a push to improve bridge designs and make changes to the way they are inspected. A more recent fatal collapse involved a newly constructed pedestrian bridge in Florida. US investigators have said they are looking at the emergence of cracks in the structure before the collapse of the bridge near Florida International University, which killed six people. Matteo Pozzi, an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, said the bridge in Italy "was known to have problems," as evidenced by the upcoming upgrades. But he said older bridges can often be sustained with maintenance and repairs and collapses are rare. "It's still a challenge to predict exactly when, or if, a bridge will collapse," Pozzi said. "Overall, we are doing a good job because a failure of this kind is rare. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jharkhand government mourning the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has announced a state holiday tomorrow. Jharkhand, which came into being during Vajpayee's tenure, also announced a seven-day state mourning, an official release said. Governor Droupadi Murmu, Chief Minister Raghubar Das, Speaker Dinesh Oraon and other leaders today expressed deep sorrow at Vajpayee's death. In her condolence message, the governor said Vajpayee was popular not only in India but also in the world and was respected by even opposition leaders. Murmu said he was known as a successful creator of coalition politics, never used disrespectful language and dedicated his life for the uplift and welfare of the country and mentioned the quadrilateral roads, Sarva Sikhsa Abhiyan, self-help groups, womens uplift and rural road works taken during his time. She said Vajpayee had taken brave intiatives like the Pokhran tests and the Kargil victory, which boosted the morale of the armed forces, came during his time. "He was a great political leader of the age, poet, journalist and orator," she said adding Vajpayees death will be deeply felt. Chief Minister Raghubar Das said he was saddened with the death of Vajpayee. "I lost a guru akin to my father." "The demise of the creator of Jharkhand has plunged the whole country into deep sorrow," he said adding Vajpayee would remain etched in the memory for his contribution in Indian The void created by the death would be impossible to fill, he added. Speaker Dinesh Oraon said "The guardian of the nation is no more". A true and humble tribute would be to pursue the path shown by Vajpayee, he added. Former Jharkhand chief minister and JMM president Shibu Soren said Vajpayee's demise has left an irreparable loss to His son and JMM working president Hemant Soren also expressed his condolence and said Vajpayee had given a new direction to Indian Ajsu party president Sudesh Mahto said the passing away of Vajpayee had ended an age. The country lost a great path shower and skillful leader, Mahto said, adding Jharkhand would remain indebted to him for creating the separate state. Congress leader Sukhdeo Bhagat said that Vajpayee was a source of inspiration to all. Senior BJP leader Arjun Munda expressing deep grief said in his condolence message that Vajpayee is in the hearts of the 3.25 crore people of Jharkhand whose dream of a separate state he had fulfilled. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telecom operators have announced free calls and data, extension in bill payment due dates and other relief measures for subscribers in flood-hit state of Kerala. Reliance has announced free services for seven days while BSNL is offering unlimited free calls within its network and data services along with 100 SMS per day for a week to customers. Telecom major has offered Rs 30 talk-time credit and free 1GB data for pre-paid customers for seven days. "We stand firmly with you in these unfortunate times. To help you stay in touch with your loved ones and remain connected, we are extending a complimentary 7 days unlimited voice & data pack to you," said in a message sent to customers. BSNL is offering 20 minutes free call everyday on other network for seven days in the areas that are effected by flood, company's Chairman and Managing Director Anupam Shrivastava said. "BSNL stands with its customers in Kerala. For next seven days BSNL will offer unlimited on-net calls and data to customers in flood hit area of Kerala. They can also make 20 minutes of calls on any network everyday in next seven days," Shrivastava said. ALSO READ: Crop loss in one week of Kerala rains estimated to be around Rs 550 million extended bill payment dates for its postpaid and home broadband customers to ensure they have uninterrupted access to services. " to deploy VSAT at five major relief centres in Kerala to provide free wi-fi and calling facility to people," the company said in a statement. The Sunil Bharti Mittal led firm said that its network is up and running despite the challenge of lack of power supply and disruption in movement of fuel supplies. Citizens at large can charge (power) their mobile phones and make free calls from select Airtel stores located in Thrissur, Calicut, Malappuram, Kannur, Kottayam, Trivandrum & Ernakulam, Airtel said. Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has directed the state home department to take necessary action based on the full report on sacrilege cases, which was submitted by Justice (retd) Ranjit Singh today. The Justice (retd) Ranjit Singh Commission on June 30 had submitted the first part of the sacrilege cases report to the chief minister. The report had dealt with the incidents of sacrilege at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala, Bargari, Gurusar and Mallke villages, as well as the firing incident in Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura. The final report is in three parts, said an official spokesperson. Part-II deals with incidents of sacrilege in SAS Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Rupnagar and Patiala districts, while Part-III is on incidents in SBS Nagar (Nawanshahr) and Hoshiarpur. Part-IV relates to sacrilege incidents in Amritsar, Bathinda, Barnala, Faridkot, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Mansa, Moga, Sangrur, Sri Muktsar Sahib and Tarn Taran districts. The complete set of reports, along with an 'action taken report (ATR)', will be tabled in the next session of the Vidhan Sabha, as was already announced by the chief minister. The chief minister asserted that those found guilty of trying to create religious disharmony in the state through such actions would be punished. The commission was set up in April 2017 by the Congress government to investigate various incidents of sacrilege. The Congress government had decided to constitute the panel after rejecting the findings of Zora Singh Commission, which was set up by the erstwhile SAD-BJP government, calling its as 'inconclusive'. The new commission was to conduct an enquiry into the cases of sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Srimad Bhagwad Gita and Holy Quran Sharif and enquire into the detailed facts and circumstance and chronology of events of what actually happened and to identify the role played by various persons into what happened, and also to enquire into the truth of what occurred in such incidents and factual role of the persons who may have been involved. The commission was also mandated to enquire into the firing in Kotkapura on October 14, 2015 and village Behbal Kalan, district Faridkot, in which two persons died, besides identifying and enquiring into the role of the police officers/officials in inconclusive investigations in the earlier incidents of sacrileges. Acting on the first report submitted by the commission, the Punjab Police has included the names of four police personnel in the FIR registered in 2015 in the Behbal Kalan firing incident. In accordance to the recommendations of the commission, and on the directives of the chief minister, the roles of five other police officers will also be thoroughly investigated. Regarding the Kotkapura firing, a case under various sections of IPC and Arms Act was registered on August 7, as per the commissions recommendation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP's Karnataka unit today accused the HD Kumaraswamy government of tapping phones of politicalleaders across party lines fearing that a few disgruntled MLAs from the ruling Congress-JDS coalition may resign. The government did not have belief in their own MLAs and alliance partners and was worried that leaders may "betray" them, BJP general secretary C T Ravi told reporters. "According to my information phone numbers of political leaders and MLAs from both opposition and ruling side are being tapped by this government through its officials and police department," Ravi said responding to a question about reports that some MLAs from the ruling side may resign. There were reports that some disgruntled MLAs from the Congress party were in touch with BJP, with plans to bring down the government and thereby paving the way for the saffron party to stake claim. There was no need for BJP to make any attempts to topple the government as preparations are already on within the coalition for it, Ravi said. "Manycoalition leaders, especially those from the Congress, arefacing existential crisis," he said. "In the state there is a daily wages government.. ministers in this government are only concernedabout their day-to-day gains," he said and alleged that there was no trust and coordination within the coalition government. Referring to reports that Kumaraswamy and former chief minister and coordination committee chief Siddaramaiah were allegedly not willing to share the stage at an event yesterday, Ravi said "this shows the level of coordination in this government." Asked if BJP would play any role if at all the government falls, he said "we shall cross that bridge when we come to it." On the heavy rains lashing coastal and Malnad regions of Karnataka, Ravi claimed some parts of the regionhave broken a 34-year-old record. Explaining the situation in districts of Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga and UttaraKannada, he accused the state government of not having made enough preparations to address the situation and called it "unfortunate". "Immediately government has to take necessary steps to address this grave situation.District in-charge ministers should camp in their respective districts and monitor the situation," he added. Hitting out at Kumaraswamy, Ravi said the chief minister is undertaking pilgrimage as though he was not concerned about the situation. "Let him go on a pilgrimage, it is personal, but this is not the time for it..." he said. The senior BJP leader also requested the state election commission for the postponement of urban local body polls in the rain-affected districts. "How can the elections be held in such a situation? Should the officials look into election work or take up relief work? So we appeal that elections in these districts be postponed....helping the needy is important than holding elections," he said. Polls to 105 urban local bodies in the state are scheduled for August 29. (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 announced a grant-in-aid of Rs 200 crore for relief work in districts hit by floods and landslides in the State due to incessant rains. He was speaking to reporters after reviewing the situation inthe rain-affected districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkmagaluru, Kodagu and parts of Hassan and Uttara Kannada. The Chief Minister said Rs 237.55 crore was available with alldistrict commissioners and there was no dearth of funds totake up relief measures. He said the district administrations have been asked to estimate the losses andsubmit a report in couple of days. Asked whether the State would be approaching the Centre for relief, Kumaraswamy said he would certainly be seeking its assistance for which the losses have to be estimated. The Chief Minister, who held a high-level meeting with senior officials and Ministers, said the rains have been heavier than normal. Ministers have been camping in the affected districts and secretaries in-charge asked to rush to those places, he said. A press release from the Chief Minister Office said 29 reliefcamps have been set up and 1,755 people provided shelter. The release said two deaths in Kodagu and one each in Udupiand Shivamogga have been reported till now. Kodagu has been badly affected by flood and mudslides and many people were stranded in various places. Help of the Army has been sought to rescue the people, theChief Minister said. Though helicopters were readyfor rescue operations, they could not take off owing to rough weather. However, efforts would be taken again tomorrow to rescue them, he said, adding that there was sufficient food for the affected. "We have got the first-hand information based on which we have decided to release Rs 200 crore and instructed theofficials to take up the relief work," the Chief Minister said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With his mantra of 'Insaniyat, 'Jamhooriyat' and 'Kashmiriyat', former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee endeared himself to the people of Kashmir who finally saw a leader willing to look beyond political calculations in his attempt to solve the vexed problem of the strife-torn valley. People of the valley vividly remember Vajpayee as the man, who despite his Jan Sangh past, extended a hand of friendship to Pakistan and offered dialogue to the separatists in a historic speech here in April 2003. "We are again extending the hand of friendship, but hands should be extended by both sides," Vajpayee said, the first such initiative by a prime minister of the country in many many years following the eruption of militancy in the state. The 'hand of friendship' to Pakistan was a complete reversal to the earlier stand of his government of not engaging with Islamabad till cross-border terrorism continued. At the same rally, Vajpayee extended an olive branch to the separatists saying dialogue was the only way to resolve issues. The sincerity of the effort immediately elevated Vajpayee's stature in the eyes of the common Kashmiri, who bore the brunt of decades of violence in the state. Days later, Vajpayee elaborated on his Srinagar speech in the Lok Sabha. "Issues can be resolved if we move forward guided by the three principles of Insaniyat (Humanity), Jamhooriyat (Democracy) and Kashmiriyat (Kashmiri values)," he said. The peace overture was all the more a surprise as it came just over two years after the Parliament was attacked by Jaish-e-Mohammad militants. Vajpayee had, however, made efforts to foster friendly relations with Pakistan, earlier as well. He travelled to the neighbouring country in the inaugural Delhi-Lahore bus in 1999, the efforts of which were negated by the Kargil intrusion later that year. Senior PDP leader Naeem Akhtar said Vajpayee had become a reference point "in Kashmir and about Kashmir". "His electoral loss in 2004 (Lok Sabha polls) is considered a loss for Kashmir and south Asia. He was one PM who bonded with the sentiments of Kashmiris and scripted a new peace agenda for south Asia, establishing in the process the centrality of the sentiment of the people of Kashmir and that Kashmir can be resolved without the use of force and without redrawing borders," Akhtar told PTI. CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said Vajpayee had tried to reach to the people of Kashmir by initiating important initiatives which helped in creating hope. "Opening of dialogue with stake holders including Pakistan and other dissenting voices were meaningful steps," Tarigami said. The ground work for opening of trade and people-to-people contact across LoC were seen as major confidence building measures. "Despite severe limitations of the BJP's policies, he will be remembered for not following the beaten tracks," Tarigami asserted. Not just politicians, even the man of the street in Kashmir is full of admiration for the former prime minister. "While every Prime Minister in India has always worried about the next election and used Kashmir as an issue to win the polls, Vajpayee was different as he made sincere efforts to initiate a process that could lead to a resolution," Abdul Rehman Khan (75), a retired government employee, said. Often Vajpayee's out of the box thinking surprised even the Pakistani estbalishment. Reacting to his unexpected 'hand of friendship', the then Pakistan Foreign Minister Khursid Mahmud Kasuri said he was hopeful that there will be no "clarification" from India or even from Vajpayee on the statement. Kasuri had said he was "thrilled" over the development and termed Vajpayee's statement as a positive movement forward in India-Pakistan relations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has been re-elected for a five-year term after winning 67.17 per cent of the vote in a runoff, the government announced today. Opposition challenger and former finance minister Soumaila Cisse, who also ran against Keita in 2013, won 32.83 per cent on Sunday, Local Government Minister Mohamed Ag Erlaf said on national television, giving provisional figures. Turnout was low, at 34.5%. Violence, low public enthusiasm and accusations of fraud marred the vote. Cisse, 68, on Monday said he would reject the results. Keita, 73, will take office on September 4, with hopes he can strengthen a 2015 peace accord between the government, government-allied groups and former Tuareg rebels. Mali, a landlocked nation home to at least 20 ethnic groups where the majority of people live on less than USD 2 (1.76 euros) a day, has battled jihadist attacks and intercommunal violence for years. Islamist attacks have spread from the north to the centre and south of the vast country and spilled into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, often inflaming communal conflicts. Yesterday, the opposition claimed a technician working for Cisse was tortured while detained by security forces for three days. Internet access was cut on mobile networks in Bamako today ahead of the announcement, AFP journalists witnessed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal condoled the demise of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today, saying his death was "a great loss" for the country. Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia had visited the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, where Vajpayee was admitted since June 11, earlier today. "Am deeply saddened. A great loss for India," Kejriwal tweeted. The chief minister, who turned 50 today, had appealed to his party's volunteers and well wishers to avoid celebrating his birthday. Vajpayee, one of India's most charismatic leaders, died at AIIMS, following prolonged illness, at 5.05 PM, AIIMS hospital announced. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who turned 50 today, appealed to the AAP volunteers and his followers to avoid birthday celebrations in view of deteriorating health condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The chief minister along with his deputy Manish Sisodia visited All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) this morning to enquire about Vajpayee's health. "Sad to hear about Atalji's health. I pray to God for his fast recovery," he tweeted. The media advisor to the chief minister, Nagender Sharma, said he has requested party volunteers and well wishers to avoid his birthday celebration and refrain from paying visit at his residence for this. "Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal requests party volunteers & well wishers not to celebrate his birthday in view of deteriorating health condition of former Prime Minister Sh Atal Behari Vajpayee ji. Volunteers are requested to refrain from visiting CM residence (sic)," Sharma tweeted. The condition of Vajpayee remains critical and he continues to be on advanced life-support system, AIIMS said in a statement today. The 93-year-old BJP veteran was admitted to the hospital here on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala today mourned along with the rest of the nation the death of former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee. Governor P Sathasivam said the nation has lost one of the most beloved and respected leaders whose charisma stood above political considerations. "With the loftiest ideals of statecraft, the noblest sense of diplomacy and a masterfully poetic oratory, he was a perfect synthesis of sage-like wisdom and modernism. May his soul rest in peace." Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan described Vajpayee as a great parliamentarian, orator and a diplomat who ably presented India's rights in international platforms. As one of the founding leaders of BJP, he had exhibited skills to take along various groups while leading the coalition government, Vijayan added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Twelve fresh teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been rushed by the Centre today to rain-battered Kerala. Six teams each are being airlifted from Delhi and Gandhinagar (Gujarat) and they will be dropped at Thiruvananthapuram today, a force spokesperson said. Only yesterday, 4 teams of the federal disaster contingency force were sent to Kerala and with their addition the total number of NDRG teams operating in the state had gone up to 18. The teams had been deployed in the flood affected areas of Idukki, Ernakulam,Palakkad, Alaphuza, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Thrissur and Pathanamthitta, the spokesperson said. A single NDRF team has about 45 personnel. So far, NDRF teams have rescued 7 people and evacuated 685 people in the state that has been severely hit by rains and floods, he added. Heavy rains in Kerala have so far claimed the lives of 72 people and the Kochi International Airport has been shut till Saturday. A red alert has 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.) As roads turn into 'rivers' in many places in rain-battered Kerala, families trapped in high rise flats, students stranded in hostels and devotees in churches are using social media platforms to seek help and pass on information about their location. Videos of people pleading for help with folded hands, are being posted and shared by hundreds of people on WhatsApp groups since last night. Panic-struck relatives are also sharing the location of their near and dear ones trapped in various places using Google maps. Various regional channels have also published their numbers through bulletins for stranded people to contact them and share details of their location, to be passed on to authorities. "We are in the second floor of the house... the first floor is almost flooded... the mobile phone is running out of charge... please rescue us... please," a man from Ranni said in a video which has gone viral on social media. "There are tiny tots and senior citizens with us... water is now scaling up to the second floor," he said. An NRI woman was heard pleading on a TV channel for help to rescue her relatives stranded in a house in Pathanamthitta district, which has been witnessing heavy rainfall since last evening. In Pathanamthitta, a district in central Kerala which is submerged in water, students and devotees trapped in churches are seeking help through social media. A family with a two-month-old baby is stranded at a house at Athani near Kochi and sought help via WhatsApp. Patients of a private hospital in Kozhencherry, the first floor which was flooded, also appealed for help. Those stranded were worried about lack of drinking water and food and disruption of power supply. "We are awaiting rescue teams... TV channels are showing that the Army and Navy personnel will come to rescue us... we are trying to contact the emergency numbers... but nobody is picking up," an anxious man was seen telling a television channel over phone. With the flood situation going out of control, local people are also doing their bit helping police, fire service and other defence personnel in most places. With water overflowing on roads and national highways, people are using every possible mode from huge vessels to 'vallam' (wooden country boats) to rescue and ferry people especially women and children to safer places. A weeping woman carrying her new-born twins was rescued from near Aluva, which has been battered in the monsoon fury. Elderly men and women were seen thanking rescuers with teary eyes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The prime accused in a case of trafficking children to the US was arrested by the Mumbai Police from Gujarat, a senior official said today. Rajesh Ghamelawala, 54, and members of his syndicate allegedly used to send children to the United States on demand, he said. The racket was unearthed in March this year when two girls, in the age group of 11 to 16 years, were rescued by the police near a salon in suburban Versova where they were brought for make-up, the official said. Four persons -- Amir Khan (36), Tajuddin Khan (48), Afzal Shaikh (38) and Rizwan Chotani (39) -- who were along with the girls were then arrested by the police, he said. The two girls were natives of Gujarat, he said. During the interrogation of the four accused, Ghamelawala's name cropped up as the kingpin of the racket, the official said. "He was wanted in connection with the trafficking of the two girls," he said. Based on the information provided by the four accused, the Mumbai Police tracked Ghamelawala to Ahmedabad in Gujarat and arrested him from there on August 11, the official said. He was later produced in a court which remanded him in police custody till August 18, Versova's senior police inspector Ravindra Badgujar said. Ghamlewala was arrested earlier in 2007 in connection with a passport forgery case, another official said. On reports in a section of media about 300 children having been trafficked to the US as part of the racket since 2007, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-IX) Paramjit Singh Dahiya said, "We don't know from where the figure of 300 children came from. We did not given this figure." "In our case, there are only two children," he said. To a query that traffickers were reportedly charging Rs 45 lakh per child, Dahiya said, "We are investigating what amount the accused persons were charging for the children. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Leh-bound South Korean passenger was today apprehended by the Central Industrial Security Force at the IGI airport here for allegedly carrying an unauthorised satellite phone, a senior official said. J Geonchang (35), who had a South Korean passport, was apprehended by CISF personnel after the satellite phone was detected in his baggage, he said. Geonchang was handed over to the Delhi Police as carrying a satellite phone is against the law, an official said. Only defence and other authorised personnel are allowed to posses the communication gadget, he added. This is the fourth such incident in the last month. Earlier an Indian, a Danish and a British national have been apprehended at this airport for the same offence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A massive landslide killed eight people in Palakkad district of Kerala this morning even as there was no let-up in the torrential rains in the state where additional defence teams have been rushed to scale up rescue and relief operations. With this, the death toll in the second spell of monsoon fury since August 8 has risine to 75. Panic-stricken people in marooned buildings and high-rise flats sought help using social media platforms and patients, including those in ICUs, from various hospitals were shifted to safer places as the flood situation worsened this morning. As many as 20 people stranded in a theology seminary were airlifted from Ranni in the worst-hit Pathanamthitta district and brought to Thiruvananthapuram by an Air Force helicopter. Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, told reporters here that eight people lost their lives today in a landslide at Nenmara in northern Palakkad. The situation in the state was "extremely grave", said Vijayan, who spoke to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Home minister, Rajnath Singh, this morning seeking more central assistance for relief operations. "This sort of a situation has never been faced by the state. Areas where floods had never occurred, are witnessing inundation," he said. "We are doing all that is humanly possible and rescue efforts are going on," he said and urged people not to panic, but take all precautions to keep themselves safe. Trains services from the state capital have been suspended as of now and Kochi Metro operations have come to a halt. The Kochi International Airport was already shut till Saturday as rain water entered the airport area. The 58 dams of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and 22 of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) have touched their maximum capacity, which was unprecedented, Vijayan said. A PIB release said the Cabinet Secretary chaired a high-level meeting on the Prime Minister's instructions and Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and NDRF have been asked to mobilise additional manpower, boats and helicopters to scale up rescue and relief operations. Food packets and drinking water are also being rushed, the release said. The Central Water Commission Chairman will be monitoring the situation at Mullaperiyar Dam in view of the rising water and heavy inflow. With possibility of water level rising in Periyar and Chalakudy rivers, people living on the banks, even one km away should shift to safer places, Vijayan said. The Centre will be sending personnel from the Army's special forces, 40 more teams of NDRF personnel, 200 life buoys and 250 life jackets, he said adding that 10 more helicopters of the Air Force will be arriving in the state today. Besides, four more Navy helicopters and marine commandos (special force) will be deployed, Vijayan said. Two Coast Guard ships have moved to Kochi and two more will be arriving soon. A total of 52 teams of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and NDRF are already engaged in rescue and relief operations. Reports of massive landslides have been received from high ranges of Thrissur, Kannur and Kozhikode districts. Causing further concern to the authorities, a series of massive landslides rocked Ambayathode region in Kottiyam in northern Kannur district this afternoon. Visuals aired by TV channels showed trees being uprooted en masse and huge mud blocks raining down as flood waters gushed down from atop a mountain. Floods continue to ravage most parts of Kerala, especially Pathanamthitta, Ernakukam and Alappuzha districts, where several people, including children and elderly, are trapped in their houses. Rise in flood waters in Periyar River due to rains and opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir, and Idamalayar, have severely affected lives of people in downstream areas. A high alert situation continues in all the 14 districts in the state. Over 1.5 lakh people have been moved to hundreds of relief camps across the State, sources said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court today observed that mere granting of awards to honour persons for their contribution to an industry would not make sense, if no helping hand is extended to their kin. Justice R Mahadevan made the observation on a petition by Punniavathi, wife of late comedian Kumarimuthu, seeking to restrain the authorities from evicting her from the house allotted to her husband, who was a Kalaimamani awardee. The petitioner submitted that the Tamil Nadu government had allotted a house in Nandanam here to Kumarimuthu under discretionary quota in 2001, honoring his contribution as comedian, to the Tamil film industry. However, after he died in 2016, the petitioner claimed that on October 24, 2016 the housing and urban development department authorities had issued a notice to her seeking an explanation as to why the allotment should not be cancelled since the original allottee has died. Challenging the move, she moved the high court which had in March 3, 2017 directed the department to take a decision on her representation and restrained the authorities from disturbing her possession till a final decision is made. On June 27 this year, the department had passed a final order directing the petitioner to vacate the premises claiming that they were going to demolish the existing building, following which she approached the court again. Admitting her plea, the court asked the department to find out whether an alternative residence could be allotted to her in the department's housing complex in Thirumangalam. During the hearing, the judge observed that mere granting of awards in a paper honouring persons for their contribution to an industry would not make sense, if no helping hand is extended to the family members of the honoured persons. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leaving boundaries of their respective parties, political leaders today bid an emotional goodbye to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee describing him as a visionary statesman with acceptability across a diverse ideological spectrum. Vajpayee, who was 93, died at AIIMS this evening after a prolonged illness. Several leaders saw a personal loss in death of Vajpayee, one of India's most respected leaders who led the nation through several crises and held together a tenuous coalition with his inclusive Veteran BJP leader L K Advani, who along with Vajpayee was a central figure in the party for much of its existence, described the former prime minister as one of the country's tallest statesmen and his closest friend for over 65 years whom he will miss immensely. President Ram Nath Kovind said the "gentle giant" will be missed by one and all. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh said Vajpayee was a great patriot and among modern India's tallest leaders who spent his whole life serving the country. Congress President Rahul Gandhi said India has lost "a great son" who was loved and respected by millions. Several of his own party leaders also said Vajpayee was an inspiration to millions, an intense speaker and a true diplomat. Union Minister Jitendra Singh said even non-BJP supporters would listen to Vajpayee in public rallies just to pick up speaking skills from his oratory. Singh, Minsiter of State in the Prime Minister's Office, said Vajpayee's demise is a great loss to the nation. "We grew up listening to him, learning from him,inspired by him. There was no electronic media those days, but many of our college-mates,who did not subscribe to our ideology, would come over to his rallies, just to pick up speaking skills from his oratory," Singh told PTI. Union Minister Harsh Vardhan said he has lost his "mentor and guide" who had hand-held him into "A visionary statesman, with political sagacity, his acceptability across diverse ideological spectrum endeared him to all," Vardhan said. He said Indian scientific community would ever be grateful to Vajpayee who he expanded the 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' slogan to include 'Jai Vigyan' after the Pokhran nuclear test and his courageous decision to go for the second nuclear test was the beginning of an India to reckon with. Another Union Minister V K Singh said he was deeply saddened by the demise of our beloved leader. "India has lost one of her most beloved sons, a statesman, and unarguably one of the best PMs to have led the country. Rest In Peace Atal ji, we will miss you," he tweeted. Congress MP Milind Deora said, "Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a poet and statesman who put country before party. In the spirit of bipartisanship, he worked closely with my late father Murlibhai to strengthen Indo-US ties and liberalise India's insurance sector. My condolences to Gunu didi, Ranjan, his family & supporter." Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan said many people are known by the post, but the post of prime minister was very small in front of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "He was a great politician, intense speaker, a true diplomat, having clarity in thinking, warrior of social justice and a great nationalist," Paswan tweeted. Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said, "Atal ji struggled all his life to uphold the ideals so dear to him, it culminated in his becoming PM In 1996, period of 1998-2004 when he held the position again,will be always remembered #GoodGovernance. Fought with ailments, last few years, today fight ends. We always will miss you". Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said, "It is a great loss to the country. It was a joy to listen to Atal ji, he cut across ideology, he was a person who had compassion and his belief to take India together is to be remembered. India has become poor in his loss. He has left a deep imprint." Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the death as his personal loss. Describing him as one of the greatest leaders ever, Fadnavis said his footsteps are followed by many, he is an inspiration to millions, encouraged and taught everyone how to serve the last man with the weapon of democracy. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandra Babu Naidu also expressed deep sorrow and condolences on the sad demise. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also offered his condolences to Vajpayee and said the inspiration will survive even after the end of a great life. Odhisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said,"I am deeply grieved by the sad demise of Atalji. India has lost the tallest leader. May his soul rest in peace.". Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, said he can't imagine that Vajpayee is no more. "He was an inspiration and support. It's an end of an era of Indian He wasn't among those to lose battle. He was a fighter," he said. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said," I just pray the almighty to receive his soul and give strength to his followers and well wishers to bear the loss. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leaving boundaries of their respective parties, political leaders today bid an emotional goodbye to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee describing him as a visionary statesman with acceptability across a diverse ideological spectrum, a gentle giant and a consensus seeker. Vajpayee, who was 93, died at AIIMS this evening after a prolonged illness. Several leaders saw a personal loss in death of Vajpayee, one of India's most respected leaders who led the nation through several crises and held together a tenuous coalition with his inclusive Veteran BJP leader L K Advani, who along with Vajpayee was a central figure in the party for much of its existence, described the former prime minister as one of the country's tallest statesmen and his closest friend for over 65 years whom he will miss immensely. President Ram Nath Kovind said the "gentle giant" will be missed by one and all. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh said Vajpayee was a great patriot and among modern India's tallest leaders who spent his whole life serving the country. Former president Pranab Mukherjee said India had lost a great son and an era has come to an end, as he described the BJP stalwart as a reasoned critique in the opposition, who dominated the space like a titan, and a seeker of consensus as prime minister. Describing him as a democrat to the core, Mukherjee, in a letter to Vajpayee's adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya, said the former prime minister led the government with aplomb and was an inheritor and practitioner of the best traditions and qualities of leadership. Congress President Rahul Gandhi said India has lost "a great son" who was loved and respected by millions. Several of his own party leaders also said Vajpayee was an inspiration to millions, an intense speaker and a true diplomat. BJP chief Amit Shah said Vajpayee nursed the party from its inception to make it a banyan tree and left an indelible mark in Indian The party would work to fulfil the mission he has left behind, Shah told reporters. Union Minister Jitendra Singh said even non-BJP supporters would listen to Vajpayee in public rallies just to pick up speaking skills from his oratory. Singh, Minsiter of State in the Prime Minister's Office, said Vajpayee's demise is a great loss to the nation. "We grew up listening to him, learning from him,inspired by him. There was no electronic media those days, but many of our college-mates,who did not subscribe to our ideology, would come over to his rallies, just to pick up speaking skills from his oratory," Singh told PTI. Union Minister Harsh Vardhan said he has lost his "mentor and guide" who had hand-held him into "A visionary statesman, with political sagacity, his acceptability across diverse ideological spectrum endeared him to all," Vardhan said. He said Indian scientific community would ever be grateful to Vajpayee who he expanded the 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' slogan to include 'Jai Vigyan' after the Pokhran nuclear test and his courageous decision to go for the second nuclear test was the beginning of an India to reckon with. Paying tribute to Vajpayee, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said we are trying to run the government on the path shown by the former Prime Minister. Veteran leader Sharad Yadav said Vajpayee was a great human being whose qualities cannot be explained in words. "He was a great poet, leader, Parliamentarian and an able Administrator. His services will always be remembered," he said. Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan said Vajpayee had a rare personality and his affectionate nature was unique to him. "He was crafted by the god with special care," she said. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said he was deeply saddened by the sad demise of Vajpayee who was a great human being and a true statesman. "He never hesitated in giving full credit to his opposition party leaders whenever due," he said. Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan said many people are known by the post, but the post of prime minister was very small in front of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "He was a great politician, intense speaker, a true diplomat, having clarity in thinking, warrior of social justice and a great nationalist," Paswan tweeted. Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said, "It is a great loss to the country. It was a joy to listen to Atal ji, he cut across ideology, he was a person who had compassion and his belief to take India together is to be remembered. India has become poor in his loss. He has left a deep imprint." Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the death as his personal loss. Describing him as one of the greatest leaders ever, Fadnavis said his footsteps are followed by many, he is an inspiration to millions, encouraged and taught everyone how to serve the last man with the weapon of democracy. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandra Babu Naidu also expressed deep sorrow and condolences on the sad demise. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also offered his condolences to Vajpayee and said the inspiration will survive even after the end of a great life. Odhisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said,"India has lost the tallest leader." Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said he can't imagine that Vajpayee is no more. "He was an inspiration and support. It's an end of an era of Indian politics. He wasn't among those to lose battle. He was a fighter," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese technology giant Lenovo today recorded a sharp rise in first quarter net profit as the company's turnaround gathered pace. The PC maker posted a USD 77 million net profit in the quarter to June 30 -- up from a USD 72 million loss in the same period last year. "The Group remains confident in its core PC business, and aims to grow ... without compromising on profitability," chairman Yang Yuanqing said in a statement. Analyst Jackson Wong said competition between PC makers "is not as fierce as it is in the mobile sector", while Lenovo's focus on hardware has also contributed to the positive results. Lenovo also reported a 19 per cent rise in revenue to USD 11.91 billion -- its second consecutive quarter of double-digit revenue growth. The tech giant is turning its fortunes around following a USD 189 million net loss for the full fiscal year, dragged down by a USD 400 million non-cash write-off charge from deferred income tax assets. The company's shares rose up to six percent to Hong Kong dollar 4.72 mid-morning after the results were released. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) When Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke of the 'lotus (BJP's poll symbol) blooming at a public rally here in 1980, Ram Naik, now Uttar Pradesh Governor, was president of the party's Mumbai unit. "In the rally, Atalji had said: Andhera Chhatega, Sooraj Niklega, Kamal Khilega (The darkness will go, the sun will come out and the lotus will bloom)," Naik said. "As soon as he made the statement, there were slogans of 'Agli Baari, Atal Bihari' from the audience," Naik told PTI. Naik said the organisers of the BJP Mahaadhiveshan (grand convention) had expected much lesser number of attendees. "Over 58000 delegates were present, much more than we anticipated," the former Union minister said. "After the 1985 elections, BJP had just two members in Lok Sabha, one from Gujarat and another one from Andhra Pradesh. People then ridiculed Atalji as to how his party was going to come to power with such a tally," Naik said. "But he proved his detractors wrong by making BJP the ruling party and becoming the prime minister," he said. At the 1980 meeting in Mumbai, the party leadership had drawn the likes of Mohamed Ali Currim Chagla, eminent jurist, to the inaugural session. Chagla had then declared that the BJP was the only party that could replace Indira Gandhi and asserted it to be the only viable alternative to the Congress at the Centre. "Chagla said that from where he was sitting, which was to Vajpayee's left, he saw a mini-India. He said that to his right was the next prime minister of India," Naik recalled. "It was the evening of December 30, 1980 and the public at the Shivaji Park ground in Mumbai had assembled to witness the birth of BJP," he said. Naik also lauded Vajpayee's "acumen in successfully leading the ruling coalition of 23-24 parties". There will never be a leader of his stature, Naik added. "On a personal note, Atalji came to meet me twice when I was undergoing treatment for cancer. He later told me that I had returned from the jaws of death," Naik said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Punjab court today reserved its order on a former SSP's plea to hear him before accepting a close report of the alleged Rs 1,100-crore Ludhiana City Centre scam, in which Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, his son and son-in-law are among the accused. The case, alleging that a private builder was favoured during Singh's previous term as CM, was filed in 2007 when the SAD-BJP was in power. But last year, the state Vigilance Bureau had filed a closure report, saying its reinvestigation of the alleged Rs 1,144-crore scam found nothing to substantiate the charges against Singh, his son Raninder Singh, son-in-law Raminder Singh and 33 others. In July, Kanwarjit Singh Sandhu, former SSP, vigilance, Ludhiana, had pleaded with the court to hear him before accepting the bureau's closure report. Sandhu had said as a key investigator in the case he was "privy to certain important facts", which he wanted to bring to the notice of the court. Sandhu's counsel, Vijay Mahendru, today argued that the former SSP was the main complainant in the case and, therefore, the court should hear him before accepting or rejecting the closure report. The court reserved its orders on the SSP's application for August 24, his counsel said. Sandhu also moved another application in the trial court against the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT), saying it could not "sail in two boats" at the same time. His counsel said a case was pending in which a Delhi-based private company, Today Homes, one of the accused in the case, had moved court, demanding compensation from the LIT, which opposed the demand. "LIT cannot sail in two boats. In one court, they are opposing this company and in the second one, they are giving clean chit to it, saying there was no scam. If the court decides in favour of the company, assets of LIT will be auctioned to pay compensation in crores to the company," Mahendru added. Touted as one of the biggest projects in the state, the Ludhiana City Centre plan was rolled out in 2006. To be spread over 25 acres, the project proposed to have shopping malls, multiplexes, residential apartments, helipad and parking slot. The project site on Pakhowal Road of Ludhiana, however, is currently in ruins. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A case of treason has been filed against three teachers of a madrasa here after a video purportedly showed them stopping children from singing the national anthem during the Independence Day function, the police said today. The video of Maulana Zubaid Ansari of madrasa Arbia Ahle Sunnat stopping the children from singing the national anthem during the I-Day function after unfurling of the national flag went viral in the district yesterday. District Magistrate Amarnath Upadhaya ordered an inquiry by district minorities officer Prabhat Kumar and a case was lodged against three teachers under various sections of the IPC, including treason. One of the teachers has been arrested and a hunt was on to nab the remaining two, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Malaysian court ruled today that the murder trial of two women accused of assassinating the half-brother of North Korea's leader in a hit that shocked the world can proceed. "I must accordingly find that the prosecution had made out a prima facie case against the accused persons and I must therefore call upon them to enter their defence on their respective charges," judge Azmi Ariffin told the Shah Alam High Court, outside Kuala Lumpur. The ruling means the prosecution, which has been presenting its case for several months, has shown that there is sufficient evidence to support a murder charge against the women. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Malaysian drug dealer dubbed the "Iceman" was sentenced to death today by a court in Thailand after he was convicted of running a narcotics network that funnelled huge profits into legitimate businesses. Tun Hung Seong was arrested in April last year after a tipoff that he had hired a man to smuggle nearly 300 kilogrammes of crystal meth -- known as ice -- through the violence-scarred south. Investigators believe he acted as a gatekeeper to the Malaysian drug market just over the border and laundered money through karaoke bars, hotels and restaurants. The Bangkok court convicted Tun, 65, on drug trafficking charges alongside two Thai women and a Taiwanese man. All four were sentenced to death, although the sentences of the Taiwanese man and one of the Thai women were reduced to life imprisonment due to their "useful" confessions. Situated along the drug-running routes of the "Golden Triangle," Thailand provides overland routes for the smuggling of meth from factories in lawless parts of neighbouring Myanmar and Laos, in a trade estimated to be worth USD 40 billion a year. Drug seizures across the region have shot up to record levels in recent months. Malaysian authorities in May said they seized a record 1.2 tonnes of crystal meth from Myanmar hidden in tea packets, believed to be the largest ever in the country in terms of value and weight. Thailand torched more than six tonnes of narcotics in June, most of it meth. From October to July this year, some 1,705 drug cases were reported in the kingdom, compared to 453 in the same period the year before. Suspects convicted of serious drug offences face harsh sentences in Thailand in one of its many overcrowded prisons. The country carried out its first execution since 2009 in June, after previously sending signals it would abolish the practice. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Concerned over the deteriorating health condition of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today left for the national capital to enquire about his health. "I had shared a very cordial relationship with Atal-ji. I hold highest regards for him. That is the reason I have cancelled all my programmes and going to New Delhi to see him," Banerjee told reporters at the airport. Banerjee was a cabinet minister in the NDA government led by Vajpayee and held the portfolio of the Union Railways Minister from October 1999 to March 2001 and then the Ministry of Mines from January to May 2004. In between, she was also a minister without portfolio from March 2001 to January 2004. Recalling her memories of working closely with Vajpayee, Banerjee further added, "The pattern of Atal-ji's work was quite different from the manner the current BJP government functions. There is no similarity." "We had provided them support from outside. We (Trinamool Congress) were like a pillar to him," she added. Remembering Vajpayee's visit to her Kalighat home to meet her mother Gayatri Devi in July 2000 along with his family, Banerjee said, "He had come to my residence and I am grateful to him for that. Both families share a very cordial relationship." During the visit, Vajyapee had touched Gayatri Devi's feet. "She is scheduled to head straight to the AIIMS where Atal-ji is undergoing treatment," a senior official of the chief minister's office said. Vajpayee continues to remain in a critical condition. He is currently on life support. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A resident of Punjab was arrested and 20 kg of poppy was allegedly recovered from his possession in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir today, police said. Acting on a tip off, police intercepted a truck at Hatli and seized 20 kg of poppy, police official said. The arrested person was identified as Mohammad Ramzan of Malerkotla in Punjab. A case was registered against him, the official added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 55-year-old woman and her nephew were stabbed multiple times with a shovel allegedly by her brother-in-law at their residence in central Delhi's Paharganj area, police said today. The police were informed yesterday about the incident. The deceased were identified as Kaushalya and her 30-year-old nephew Purushottam. Kaushalya's son, 25-year-old Rohit, was also injured in the attack. The accused Rajkumar alias Raju attacked the trio with a shovel and aa kitchen knife while they were asleep and fled from the spot. Subsequently, he was nabbed. When police reached the spot, they found Purshottam's body lying in a pool of blood on the first floor. Kaushalya and her son were rushed to a hospital where she was declared brought dead. Tarachand, who is the brother of the accused, had informed the police about the incident. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem, police said adding that a case has been registered. Police are probing the reason behind the killings. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 75-day long agitation at Manipur University will be temporarily suspended from tomorrow after the stakeholders reached a mutual agreement today. The students of the university have been demanding the removal of Vice-Chancellor AP Pandey and constitution of an Independent Enquiry Committee to look into the allegations of administrative and financial lapses made by the V-C. The decision to temporarily suspend the agitation was made today following rounds of talk held consecutively from August 14, according to a copy of the memorandum made available to the media. The memorandum, signed by Joint Secretary GC Hosur of the Union HRD Ministry, Commissioner (Higher and Technical Education) Government of Manipur and leaders of the agitating bodies, stated that there will be "temporary suspension" after issuance of the official orders tomorrow. The agitation, that began on May 30, is being spearheaded by the University Community functioning under the aegis of Manipur University Students Union, Manipur University Teachers Association and Manipur University Staffs' Association. The agitation had affected the academic activities in the Central varsity as well as stopped the declaration of the exam results of the final year college students. Chief Minister N Biren Singh had yesterday promised that the impasse will be over within 2-3 days. As per the memorandum, the fact finding committee will be reconstituted as an independent 2-member enquiry committee chaired by former acting chief justice of Meghalaya High Court T Nandakumar Singh. Earlier, the University Community had remained adamant that they would not accept the fact finding committee which was constituted by the HRD ministry on July 12 and later reconstituted on July 16. The agitating bodies did not approve the two officials included in the committee saying that one of the member was a close associate of the V-C AP Pandey. They also had declared they will not allow any member of the committee enter the university. According to the agreement today, the two official members in the existing fact finding committee will be replaced by a retired cice chancellor of a university mutually acceptable to all the stakeholders and that the order of reconstituting the independent committee shall be issued on August 17. The memorandum further informed that "during the period of enquiry and until follow up action was taken on the inquiry report by the competent authority," Prof AP Pandey shall be on leave. It was also agreed that the copies of the report will be made available to the University Community and that the Registrar shall be the nodal officer for the enquiry committee. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre today launched a massive relief and rescue operations in flood-hit Kerala, involving the three defence forces and other agencies, even as Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha chaired a high-level meeting following a directive from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Besides the Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force, the Coast Guard and the National Disaster Response Force have been asked to mobilise additional manpower, boats and helicopters to scale up the rescue and relief operations, a home ministry spokesperson said here. Food packets and drinking water are being rushed to Kerala for distribution among the people in 14 worst affected districts, while additional NDRF teams are also being sent to the state to assist the local administration in operations. The cabinet secretary chaired a high-level meeting to review the flood situation and rescue and relief operations in the southern state following a directive of the Prime Minister, the spokesperson said. The meeting was attended by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, top officials of the Ministries of Defence, the National Disaster Management Authority and the NDRF. It was decided that the Chairman of the Central Water Commission will monitor the situation at the Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala in view of the rising water level and continued heavy inflow. The Prime Minister has spoken to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan this morning and discussed with him the flood situation. Modi had spoken to Vijayan yesterday too. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh too had a telephonic conversation with the Kerala chief minister this morning on the prevailing situation. Singh had spoken to Vijayan twice yesterday. During his visit to Kerala on Sunday, the home minister had announced a Rs-100 crore immediate assistance package. Five people were killed in a landslide in Palakkad district of Kerala today even as torrential rains led to the collapse of the public transport system in many parts of the state with the southern Railways and Kochi Metro suspending operations. Palakkad district police sources said the five persons were killed in Nenmara while two were rescued, taking the death toll to 72 in the current phase of Monsoon fury. Reports of a landslide have also come in from Thrissur district and some people are said to be missing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Veteran actor Michael Caine has offered his take on the ending of Christopher Nolan's mind-bending feature "Inception". The 2010 film, considered a pioneer in the sci-fi genre, featured Leonardo DiCaprio as Dominic Cobb, a professional thief who steals information by infiltrating the subconscious or dreams of a person. The film's end scene where Cobb is eventually reunited with his children is often debated by the fans who wonder whether he was still in a dream or ultimately returned to reality. In an interview with Esquire magazine, Caine, 85, who played DiCaprio's mentor and father-in-law, Professor Stephen Miles, said Nolan had explained the film to him. "When I got the script of Inception, I was a bit puzzled by it, and I said to (Chris), 'I don't understand where the dream is'. I said, 'When is it the dream and when is it reality?'" he said. "He said, 'Well, when you're in the scene it's reality.' So, get that if I'm in it, it's reality. If I'm not in it, it's a dream," he added. Evidently, the veteran actor did feature in the film's finale and by his logic, it means the scene was reality and not dream. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A four-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 14-year-old boy in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain district, police said today. The boy, who was absconding, often visited the victim's house in Jalva village to watch television, a police official said. Last evening, she was alone at her house and when the boy went there and raped her, Police Sub Inspector Manoharlal Patel said. The victim disclosed the incident to her parents who filed a complaint at the Ghatiya Police Station, Patel said. A case was registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said. A search was on for the boy, Patel added. Several cases of rape of minors in the state have been reported in the recent past. The state government had last year approved the provision of capital punishment for those found guilty of raping girls aged 12 or below. A four-year-old girl was raped and killed by a 23-year -old man in MP's Shahdol district in May last year, police said earlier. The accused was sentenced to death by a court in Shahdol in February. On June 26, an eight-year-old girl was kidnapped by two men while she was waiting for her father outside her school in Mandsaur district. The two men then raped the minor and she suffered severe injuries to her neck, face, head and private parts, police said. On July 18, a 10-year-old girl was raped by a 40-year- old man in Sagar district, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One man was lynched and three others were critically injured by a mob in Biswanath district of Assam that suspected them to be cattle lifters, police said today. Biswanath Superintendent of Police Diganta Kumar Choudhury told PTI the incident took place early yesterday at Line Number 15 of Diplonga Tea Estate under the Sootea police station. The SP said as per preliminary inquiry, the four men had allegedly stolen two cows from a person named Sankat Tanti and were fleeing in an auto van which had no number plate. "After Tanti shouted for help, the villagers intercepted the four and started thrashing the suspected thieves. We have recovered the auto van and the two cows," Choudhury said. Village defence party personnel called the police, which reached the spot immediately and rescued the four from the clutches of the attackers and rushed them to hospital, he said. "One among them died, while the other three persons were being treated at a private hospital in Biswanath Chariali," Choudhury said. The dead man was identified as Deben Rajbongshi (35) and the injured as Pujan Ghatowar (40), Phulchand Sahu (25) and Bijoy Nayak (25), he added. All the four were residents of the nearby Gereki village, whose residents claim they were pig traders. The police registered two cases, one against the four men for allegedly lifting two cows and another against the public for beating them but no arrest has been made yet. Cases of vigilantism and moral policing have been reported in recent months from different Assam districts. On June 8, two friends, Nilotpal Das and Abhijeet Nath, who had gone to Kangthilangso waterfalls in Karbi Anglong and while returning their vehicle was stopped at Panjuri Kachari by a group of irate villagers, who pulled them out and lynched them following rumours that they were childlifters. Ten days later a mob attacked a couple, who they claimed were unmarried, when they were travelling in a bike in Pukhurpur village of Goalpara district. In yet another incident on June 23 a couple was assaulted the whole night by villagers of Jhumurmur in Nagaon district for allegedly having an illicit relationship before handing them over to police next day morning. A mentally challenged woman was tied to a pole and tortured by village mob that suspected her to be a child lifter in a village under Thelamara police station in Sonitpur in Assam on July 1. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The mortal remains of Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Dass Tandon were consigned to the flames with full state honours in Chandigarh today. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore, Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana K P Singh, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher and others paid tributes to the leader. The funeral pyre was lit by Tandon's son, Sanjay Tandon, who is the chief of the Chandigarh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Earlier in the day, the body of the veteran BJP leader, wrapped in the Tricolour, was brought to the Punjab BJP office here for people to pay their last respects. Thereafter, the body was brought to the cremation ground at Sector 25. Tandon, 90, passed away on Tuesday at a hospital in Raipur after he complained of uneasiness. He had assumed the office of governor of Chhattisgarh on July 2014. He was one of the founder members of the Jan Sangh, from which the BJP was born. During his long political career, he served on various posts, including as deputy chief minister of Punjab. The six-time MLA was also jailed from 1975 to 1977 during Emergency. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 32-year-old man, arrested in May for allegedly planning to carry out terror attacks in several cities, had received training in "explosive making" and "suicide bombing" in Pakistan, the Maharashtra Police said in its charge sheet filed in a court today. Faisal Mirza underwent terror training in the neighbouring country for 12 days, the state's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) said in the 1,155-page charge sheet filed in the special court of Sessions Judge MB Dattye here. Mirza, an electrician from suburban Jogeshwari, went to meet his cousin, Farooq Devadiwala, in Dubai on March 1. His cousin, with the help of an ISI agent and a Pakistan-based terror outfit, sent Mirza to a terrorist training camp near Rawalpindi in Pakistan, the ATS said. "There he was trained in using weapons, making explosives and suicide bombings for the purpose of carrying out terror activities in Mumbai, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh," the agency said. After 12 days of training, he was sent back to India via Dubai by his cousin. He was waiting for orders from his handlers to carry out attacks but was arrested from Jogeshwari on May 11, it said. During his interrogation, Mirza gave the ATS the names of some people who he was in touch with, following which a search operation was launched, the charge sheet said. Based on the information, ATS sleuths arrested a man, identified as Allarakha Khan (32), on May 16. Khan, a driver by profession, was arrested from his residence in Gandhidham, Gujarat, it added. According to the ATS, Khan was tasked with arranging vehicles and explosives for the attacks. The duo is currently lodged in jail under judicial custody. They were booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and sections of the IPC. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today left for New Delhi to inquire into the health condition of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpyee at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). "Vajpayeeji is very very unwell. I am flying to Delhi. You may remember that I served as cabinet minister in his government for two years. To hear about his health, is very distressing," Patnaik told reporters before leaving for New Delhi. Asked about his experience of working with the leader, Patnaik said "Vajpayee is a great leader and it was always a very good experience to have worked under him." Patnaik had served as union minister for steel and mines in the Vajpayee government from March 1998 to March 2000 till he assumed the office of Odisha chief minister. Vajpayee was admitted to the AIIMS on June 11. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State-owned NBCC (India) Ltd today said it has bagged Rs 250 crore order from SAIL for the construction of Ispat post-graduate medical institute and super-speciality hospital at Rourkela Steel Plant. The proposed hospital will have 156 beds accommodating super-specialities like cardiology, cardiac surgery, neurology and nephrology, the statement said. The new super-speciality block, 500-seater Auditorium and the medical institute will be spread across 3 lakh sq ft, it added. NBCC will plan and design the building as a 'Steel Intensive' structure and execute the works as project management consultant using green and energy-efficient technologies. The company has three main business segments: Project Management Consultancy (PMC), real estate development and EPC contracting. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The country's apex body to handle emergency situation today decided to scale up relief and rescue operations in flood-hit Kerala by involving the three defence services and other agencies, besides providing essential commodities to marooned people in 14 worst-affected districts. Chaired by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha and attended by chiefs of the three services, secretaries of home, defence and others, the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) took stock of the prevailing situation in Kerala and directed all concerned to ensure continued assistance to the state government to meet the crisis, a home ministry spokesperson said. The meeting was held following a directive of the prime minister. The central government has been providing full support to Kerala and has launched massive relief and rescue operations in the state, the spokesperson said. In the meeting, the cabinet secretary pressed into service all the forces - Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, National Disaster Response Force and other central armed police forces (CAPFs) and directed that all possible assistance be provided to Kerala for relief and rescue operations. The cabinet secretary also directed that relief material including supply of drinking water, dry food packets and powdered milk should also be made available to Kerala, the spokesperson said. For proper reservoir management in Mullaperiyar Dam, the NCMC constituted a committee chaired by Chairman of Central Water Commission and engineers-in-chief of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. As of now, 18 teams of NDRF, 9 columns and 8 teams of Engineering Task Force (ETC) of the Army, 22 teams of Coast Guard, 24 diving teams of Navy along with helicopters, aircrafts, boats, equipment, life buoys, life jackets, etc., have been dispatched to Kerala in rescue operations as well as evacuation of stranded people. Besides these, medical assistance is also being provided by the NDRF, the Army, the Navy including in special medical camps. So far, 2,182 people have been rescued, 968 stranded people have been evacuated through prompt action of the forces. The NCMC meeting was also attended by secretaries of Union Water Resources Ministry and chiefs of the Coast Guard, the NDRF, Member, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Chairman, Central Water Commission (CWC) and other senior officers. Kerala Chief Secretary and his team also participated through video conference. The NCMC will meet again tomorrow to review the situation. The prime minister spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan this morning and discussed with him the flood situation. Modi had spoken to Vijayan yesterday too. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh too had a telephonic conversation with the Kerala chief minister this morning on the prevailing situation. Singh had spoken to Vijayan twice yesterday. During his visit to Kerala on Sunday, the home minister had announced a Rs-100 crore immediate assistance package. There was no let-up in the torrential rains in the state. A massive landslide killed eight people in Palakkad district of Kerala this morning. With this, the death toll in the second spell of monsoon fury since August 8 has risen to 75. Panic-stricken people in marooned buildings and high-rise flats sought help using social media platforms and patients, including those in ICUs, from various hospitals were shifted to safer places. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Council of Teacher (NCTE) today celebrated its 23rd foundation day as it moved to a new campus. Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, who was to inaugurate the new building, could not attend the event due to critical health condition of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who died at the hospital at 05:05 pm. Rina Ray, School Secretary, HRD Ministry, spoke about the bill which was recently introduced in Rajya Sabha to provide retrospective recognition to central and state government funded institutions offering B.Ed and related courses which are not recognised under NCTE Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Malaysia's new government has repealed a widely criticized law prohibiting "fake news," in a move hailed as a landmark moment for human rights by a group of Southeast Asian lawmakers. The bill was passed in April under former Prime Minister Najib Razak despite concerns that it would be used to silence dissent ahead of a May 9 general election. Najib's long-ruling coalition was ousted in the polls, ushering in the country's first transition of power since independence from Britain in 1957. After an intense six-hour debate in Parliament and protest by lawmakers in Najib's party, the law was repealed Thursday with a simple voice vote. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today rushed to New Delhi on hearing the that the former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who has been admitted to AIIMS, is in a critical condition. Before his departure, Kumar, who had served as a cabinet minister under Vajpayees Prime Ministership, issued a statement wherein he called the nonagenarian "a guardian...whose affection and guidance I have always received and from whom I have learnt the finer points of public life." "I pray for his early recovery," he said. The chief minister had visited AIIMS in June this year to enquire about the well-being of the ailing stalwart. Sources in the state BJP headquarters here said that all party functions for the day have been cancelled in view of top leaders leaving for New Delhi to meet the BJP veteran. Among those who are said to be leaving for the national capital are Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, state BJP president Nityanand Rai and former state party chief and minister Mangal Pandey. The BJP leaders, talking to media separately, recalled Vajpayees deep association with Bihar and expressed their wish to see the former Prime Minister fully recovered. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A notorious criminal was nabbed by from Jind, the Haryana Police claimed today. Two pistols and two cartridges were recovered from the possession of Puneet alias Kadwa, who was wanted in 11 cases of murder, attempt to murder, robbery and dacoity, said an official spokesman of the police department here. Police received information that a suspect with a bag was waiting for someone near village Bahamanwas here, he said. A police team rushed to the spot, he said. On seeing policemen, the accused tried to flee and fired a gun shot, the spokesman said. He was, however, nabbed, he added. During preliminary interrogation, he confessed to his involvement in 11 cases of murder, attempt to murder, loot and dacoity in Bhiwani, Jind, Hansi and Rohtak, he said. He was out on bail from jail on May 14, 2018, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha government today announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 crore for flood-ravaged Kerala, where the death toll in the second spell of monsoon fury since August 8 has risen to 75. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik talked to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan over telephone, following which the financial aid was announced, the CMO said. Patnaik also offered any other kind of support required to tackle the calamity, as Odisha has expertise in dealing with disasters like flood and cyclone, it said. The situation in the state was "extremely grave", said Vijayan, who spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh this morning, seeking more Central assistance for relief operations. Heavy rains continue to batter most parts of Kerala, especially Pathanamthitta, Ernakukam and Alappuzha districts, where several people, including children and elderly, are trapped in their houses. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh government today declared closure of all offices, schools and colleges tomorrow as a mark of respect to Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The former prime minister passed away in New Delhi today following prolonged illness. "All schools, colleges and offices in UP will remain closed tomorrow to mark respect to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee," an official spokesman said here. The announcement regarding the same was made by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in New Delhi, where he has gone to condole the death of the former PM, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa today endorsed the death sentences of 15 "hardcore terrorists" convicted by special military courts. These courts were set up after the deadly Peshawar school attack of December, 2014, for speedy trials of militants. The army said in a statement that the convicted militants were involved in "attacks on armed forces and law enforcement agencies, destruction of educational institutions and killing of innocent civilians". Collectively, the terrorists were found guilty of killing 45 people, including four civilians and 41 security personnel and injuring 103 people. Arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession, and that they all confessed to being part of proscribed organisations, the army said. The courts also awarded imprisonment of varying periods to six other militants. The date of conviction and the venue of trial was not revealed due to the security of the trial courts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's prime minister-in-waiting Imran Khan today expressed condolences over the demise of former premier Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying his efforts for India-Pakistan peace will always be remembered. Khan said in a statement that Vajpayee was a prominent political personality of the sub-continent and his death has created a big void. Vajpayee died aged 93 in New Delhi today. "Efforts of Mr Vajpayee for improvement in relations between Pakistan and India will be remembered forever," said Khan. He said Vajpayee started efforts for improving Indo-Pak ties and continued them after becoming prime minister. "As foreign minister Vajpayee strived to open up ways towards normalisation of relations among neighbouring states and had successfully taken this agenda to new heights after assuming the office of prime minister," the statement read. Khan said, "I extend sympathies to the people of India in this hour of grief". He further said that by creating peace between the two countries, "we can truly recognise the service of Vajpayee". Khan said both countries have just celebrated their independence and there is also a desire for peace on both sides of the border despite political differences. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan today paid tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee hailing him as a "statesman" after he passed away, aged 93. Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) spokesman said in a statement that "we have learnt with sadness the passing away of Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee". "Mr Vajpayee was a renowned statesman who contributed to bringing a change in India-Pakistan relations and remained a key supporter of SAARC and regional cooperation for development," the spokesman said. He said the government and people of Pakistan extend their "heartfelt condolences" to Vajpayee's family and to the government and people of India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire in Tangdhar sector in Kupwara district, officials said here today. The ceasefire violation took place in Saedapora area along the Line of Control in Tangdhar sector late last night as Pakistani troops opened fire towards Indian posts, the officials said. They said the Indian Army retaliated in adequate measure, triggering intermittent exchange of fire between the two sides. The firing stopped at 5.00 am, the officials said, adding there was no report of any casualty on either side. Defence officials said they were ascertaining the details from the ground. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan will hold presidential elections on September 4 to elect President Mamnoon Hussain's successor at the end of his five-year-tenure, the election commission announced today. Pakistan's president is elected indirectly by the members of Parliament and the four provincial assemblies. "Presidential election will be held on September 4," the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said as it issued the schedule of the election. The candidates can filed nominations by August 27 and the final list of contesting candidates will be issued on August 30, it said. The polling will be held in the buildings of the federal parliament and provincial assemblies. In Pakistan, the President is considered as a symbol of the federation and head of the state and exercises all powers on the recommendations of the prime minister. Mamnoon Hussain, elected in September 2013, was a nominee of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led by former jailed prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Hussain's parents migrated from Agra and settled in Karachi after partition. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will return to his home state from the USA on August 22, an official said today. Parrikar, 62, had left for the US on August 10 for a follow-up check-up of his pancreatic ailment. "The Chief Minister will reach Goa from the USA on August 22," a senior official from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) told PTI today. Before leaving for the USA, Parrikar had attended the monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly and also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. The former Defence Minister had availed medical treatment in the US for three months from March to June this year. He had returned to Goa in the last week of June. Unlike last time, Parriakar did not set up a Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) to look after the local administration before flying out on August 10. Meanwhile, another BJP MLA and Urban Development Minister Francis D'Souza would be flying to the USA on August 20, according to sources in the CMO. D'Souza has submitted a letter informing the chief minister that he would be in the USA for a month, they said, adding that the minister was suffering from some undisclosed ailment. D'Souza had failed to attend the monsoon session of the state assembly, as he remained hospitalised in Mumbai during that period. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ayurved's messaging app 'Kimbho' was on Thursday pulled down from Google Play Store, a day after its beta trial version was introduced on the platform. The Baba Ramdev-led firm alleged that it was a conspiracy by multinational against a Swadeshi firm and said the app will be back soon. "# #kimbho App has fallen victim of conspiracy of foreign #MNCs. We regret the inconveniences. It will be back soon," said a tweet by Ayurved Spokesperson S K Tijarawala. When contacted, Tijarawala said the trial version of the 'Kimbho' app was removed by Google without citing any reason. ALSO READ: Patanjali's 'upgraded' Kimbho messaging app to be launched on August 27 "We are communicating with them asking the reason why it was removed from the Play Store," he added. E-mails sent to Google did not elicit a response. Yesterday, the Haridwar-based firm had put Kimbho's trial version on for downloads almost two months after it was taken down hastily. It had also said the app will be launched officially on August 27 after fixing the shortcomings. On May 31 this year, Patanjali had removed Kimbho, which means 'how are you' or 'what's up' in Sanskrit, from and Apple's App Store just a day after launch, saying it was released only for a one-day trial. At that time, several technical experts had pointed out security flaws in the app. Patanjali is pitching 'Kimbho' as a competitor to Facebook-owned Whatsapp. Patanjali, known for its range of FMCG products, had claimed that Kimbho had witnessed around 150,000 downloads in the first three hours. NCP president Sharad Pawar hailed former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as one of India's greatest parliamentarians, while Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he was a great leader as politicians from across the spectrum condoled the BJP stalwart's death. Prominent political leaders cutting across party lines were effusive in their praise of Vajpayee and said his death has caused an "irreparable loss" to the country. "With the sad demise of Bharatratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, we have lost a great soul, an eloquent poet, orator par excellence, an excellent human being and one of the greatest Parliamentarians of India," Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party chief, said on Twitter. Pawar said Vajpayee's demise was a "personal loss" for him given the two had spent "numerous" years together in parliamentary life. "I pray eternal peace for his departed soul," the former Union minister said on the micro-blogging site. Fadnavis expressed similar sentiments. "It is my personal loss.. One of the greatest leaders ever, Atalji, is no more!" he said on Twitter. Fadnavis hailed Vajpayee, saying the latter taught leaders like him to serve the last man with the "weapon of democracy". "We are in deep pain by the demise of the Former and one of the best Prime Ministers of India, an ocean of knowledge, an excellent orator, a great humanitarian and everyones idol, #AtalBihariVajpayee ji!" Fadnavis said. The chief minister also posted a poem and picture from his childhood along with the BJP veteran as he paid respects to the late leader. Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan described the BJP stalwart as the "paragon of high moral values" in public life. "My deepest condolences to his loved ones and his followers. #AtalBihariVajpayee," Chavan tweeted. Former Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar described Vajpayee as a leader who followed principles and had faith in the parliamentary democracy. "His oratory skill was unique. There cannot be another orator, leader and human being like him," Ajit Pawar said. Maharashtra education minister Vinod Tawde said though the country will mourn the loss of a "great leader, extraordinary orator and an exceptional visionary" in Vajpayee, the latter's voice of conviction will continue to live on in each of the BJP's workers. "Today, though India mourns the loss of a great leader, extraordinary orator and an exceptional visionary. #AtalBihariVaajpayee ji and his voice of conviction, will continue to live on in each of us, strengthening our morale in the service of our great nation. RIP, Atal ji!" Tawde tweeted. Maharashtra BJP chief Raosaheb Danve said Vajpayee and another BJP stalwart, L K Advani, built the saffron party with tremendous hard work. Danve recalled Vajpayee's famous lines: "Andhera chatega, suraj niklega, kamal khilega" (Sun will rise, darkness will fade and Lotus (the BJP's poll symbol) will bloom," which he had said in 1980 when the BJP's Mumbai unit was established. "Atal ji, along with L K Advani, built the party with tremendous hardwork. Today, the BJP is the No. 1 party in the country credit for which largely goes to Atal ji," Danve said. Vajpayee died at the AIIMS hospital in New Delhi this evening at the age of 93 after a prolonged illness. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A delegation of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today called on Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra here and emphasised the need to defend Article 35-A, which guarantees special status to the state, before the Supreme Court. The delegation led by senior leader Abdul Rehman Veeri included Ghulam Nabi Lone, Ashraf Mir, Mehbooba Beg and Nizamuddin Bhat, a party spokesman said. "The delegation conveyed to the Governor their concern over the offensive being launched against the special status of the state and also underscored the need of defending Article 35-A in the Supreme Court for state's overall prosperity and tranquility," the spokesman said. The delegation also highlighted the need to defend the Article in the Supreme Court with the same seriousness as was exhibited by the PDP when it was the part of government in the state, he added. The PDP leaders expressed hope that the Governor administration will take similar measures to defend the special position of Jammu and Kashmir in the top court of the country, he said. The delegation also pitched for speeding up of the developmental projects in the state that were executed during the tenure of PDP led regime, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee continues to battle for life at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, people of all faiths in his "karam bhoomi" Lucknow held special prayers for his long life. Shortly after the spread that the veteran leader's health has deteriorated, people began flocking to temples to offer prayers and hold 'havans' for his longevity. Special prayers were organised at Dakshinmukhi Hanuman temple and the one at the BJP office in Lucknow. Children offered prayers and said 'duas' at madarsas and a public school in the city. Vajpayee's long-time associate, senior BJP leader and former Lucknow MP Lalji Tandon said, "Just like millions of people in India, I am also praying for Atalji. I pray to God for his better health." Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is on a visit to Gorakhpur, is said to be rushing to New Delhi to see the BJP patriarch. Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma was in tears, recalling his association with Vajpayee, whom he referred to as his inspiration. The opposition Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh also hoped for his speedy recovery in a tweet in Hindi. AIIMS officials said in New Delhi that the 93-year-old leader is battling for life and remains on advanced life support at the hospital. The former prime minister was admitted to the hospital on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minster Narendra Modi today asked the Defence Ministry to further step up relief and rescue operations across Kerala which is facing a severe flood situation. He also spoke with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan again this morning. "We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala," the PM tweeted. Yesterday evening, Modi had told Vijayan that the Centre stood firmly behind Kerala and was ready to provide any assistance. Rains in the state 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.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Nepal for the fourth time later this month to attend the BIMSTEC conference in Kathmandu, the Indian envoy here has said. Modi will also inaugurate a 400-bed 'dharamshala' built with Indian assistance at the Pashupatinath temple premises here during his visit, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri said yesterday. Speaking at a function to mark India's Independence Day, Puri underlined the need to strengthen connectivity between Nepal and India through railways and waterways and added that India is willing to cooperate with Nepal towards this end. Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali said that India has shown the world how democracy and development can coexist for the betterment of the people. "India, being the largest democracy, has shown to the world, how democracy and development can go together for the betterment of the people," the minister said at the programme organised by the Nepal-India Friendship Society on the occasion of India's 72nd Independence Day. Nepal and India can work together forging partnership in the areas of hydropower, trade and commerce for mutual benefit of their people, he said. On the occasion, former Nepal premier Baburam Bhattarai, former minister and Nepali Congress leader Ramsharan Mahat, Rastriya Prajatantra Party leader Pashupati Shumsher Rana and Chief Election Commissioner Awadhi Prasad Yadav also spoke on various aspects of NepalIndia relations. India has also provided financial assistance of almost NRs 500 million to Nepal government for the construction of postal highways across the Himalayan nation to aid transportation and facilitate postal services. Puri handed over a cheque worth NRs 470 million to Madhusudan Adhikari, secretary in Nepal's ministry for physical infrastructure and transport. The amount has been released to maintain fund liquidity for the ongoing construction of 14 roads under the Postal Highway Project. With this payment, a total of NRs 2.35 billion has been released to the Nepal government out of the total grant assistance of NRs 8 billion committed by India for implementing 14 packages under Packages 2-6 of Phase I of the Postal Highway Project. Package 1 of the project comprising two roads has already been completed with the Indian government's grant assistance worth NRs 1.02 billion, and was inaugurated in January, 2017. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Nepal later this month to attend the BIMSTEC conference in Kathmandu, the Indian envoy here has said. Prime Minister Modi, who will be visiting Nepal for the fourth time during his current tenure, will also inaugurate a 400-bed 'dharamshala' built with Indian assistance at the Pashupatinath temple premises here during his visit, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri said yesterday. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organisation comprising seven Member States lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity. The 4th BIMSTEC Summit will be held in Nepal from August 28 to 31. The seven members of the BIMSTEC are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. Speaking at a function to mark India's Independence Day, Puri underlined the need to strengthen connectivity between Nepal and India through railways and waterways and added that India is willing to cooperate with Nepal towards this end. Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali said that India has shown the world how democracy and development can coexist for the betterment of the people. "India, being the largest democracy, has shown to the world, how democracy and development can go together for the betterment of the people," the minister said at the programme organised by the Nepal-India Friendship Society on the occasion of India's 72nd Independence Day. Nepal and India can work together forging partnership in the areas of hydropower, trade and commerce for mutual benefit of their people, he said. On the occasion, former Nepal premier Baburam Bhattarai, former minister and Nepali Congress leader Ramsharan Mahat, Rastriya Prajatantra Party leader Pashupati Shumsher Rana and Chief Election Commissioner Awadhi Prasad Yadav also spoke on various aspects of NepalIndia relations. India has also provided financial assistance of almost NRs 500 million to Nepal government for the construction of postal highways across the Himalayan nation to aid transportation and facilitate postal services. Puri handed over a cheque worth NRs 470 million to Madhusudan Adhikari, secretary in Nepal's ministry for physical infrastructure and transport. The amount has been released to maintain fund liquidity for the ongoing construction of 14 roads under the Postal Highway Project. With this payment, a total of NRs 2.35 billion has been released to the Nepal government out of the total grant assistance of NRs 8 billion committed by India for implementing 14 packages under Packages 2-6 of Phase I of the Postal Highway Project. Package 1 of the project comprising two roads has already been completed with the Indian government's grant assistance worth NRs 1.02 billion, and was inaugurated in January, 2017. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several Goa Congress leaders, including state unit chief Girish Chodankar, were detained today near here when they gathered to protest against frequent traffic jams on a key national highway. The opposition party leaders, who had assembled at Cortaim village, 15km from here, were detained as a precautionary measure, police said. "Congress workers, who had gathered at Cortalim to protest against traffic jam, were detained as their protest would have led to a chaotic situation on the highway," Superintendent of Police (South) Arvind Gawas told PTI. They were taken into custody to ensure their protest does not lead to more traffic snarl on the busy motorway, he said. The Congress was protesting against frequent traffic jams witnessed on the Panaji-Margao National Highway near the Zuari Bridge in Cortalim. Construction of a new bridge has been causing traffic obstructions. Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee president Pratima Coutinho, who was amongst those detained, slammed the police action. "We were agitating peacefully and wanted to highlight the plight of people, but the BJP-led government sent police force to detain us," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A police officer was arrested in Odisha's Kandhamal district today allegedly for taking Rs 10,000 bribe from a man for not entangling him in a case, a vigilance official said. Officer in-Charge of Chakapada police station, Haribandhu Parida, red-handed while accepting the money inside the police station, Vigilance SP, Mayadhar Swain, said. The accused police officer had allegedly demanded Rs 10,000 as bribe for sparing the complainant in a case. The complainant reported the matter to the vigilance. A trap was laid and he was captured, Swain said adding that and the bribe money was recovered from Parida. The arrested police officer's residential quarter at Chakapada and paternal house at Ganapati Nagar in Berhampur were being searched, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Guwahati: A Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) between Indian Army and Chinese People Liberation Army (PLA) troops was held in Arunachal Pradeshs Bumla on Wednesday on the occasion of the 72nd Independence Day. In last 28 years, the Border Personnel Meeting mechanism has evolved into a vital platform for resolving local issues and fostering mutual confidence with a view to enhance peace and tranquillity in the sector. Tezpur based Defence PRO Harsh Wardhan said that, the delegation team of Indian Army was led by Brig MP Singh, YSM, SM Commander of Tawang Brigade and senior Colonel Wu Guo Hua from Chinese side. Bumla, located above 15,134 feet from sea level and 42 km north of Tawang town, is one of the five designated BPM venues between Indian and Chinese troops. The joint celebrations on Indian Independence Day started as a step towards enhancing bonhomie and cooperation between the two Asian giants. The Border Personnel Meeting was marked by unfurling the National flags of India and China followed by formal address by the both delegation leaders. The proceedings reflected a mutual desire of maintaining and improving relations along the sensitive Line of Actual Control (LAC). Both delegations interacted with each other in a congenial and cordial environment. The delegations parted amidst feeling of friendship and commitment towards further enhancing mutual trust friendship and maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Insurance portal on Thursday said it has appointed Ashish Gupta as the Chief Executive Officer of its new healthtech venture, DocPrime. Besides, it has named Richit Ummat as the Chief Operating Officer of the new venture. The appointment is an elevation for Ashish Gupta, who has been serving as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at since November 2015, said in a statement. Gupta will continue in his current role of CTO until a successor is announced, it added. Prior to joining DocPrime, Ummat has worked with Health Insurance in a leadership role of driving sales for the digital channel and has had multiple stints in the sector in the past, the statement said. "We are excited for Ashish and Richit to take on leadership positions in our new healthtech venture. Both of them bring diversified experience spanning nearly three decades in technology, business development, strategic planning, and sales," Policybazaar Group CEO and co-founder said. Policybazaar's foray into health-tech through DocPrime comes on the heels of signing USD 238 million funding round, led by Japan's and existing investors. With DocPrime, PolicyBazaar Group intends to become a one-stop shop for consumer's and financial needs. By March 2019, DocPrime is looking to build an extensive network of over 1.5 lakh doctors in more than 200 specialities, and 20,000 labs on its platform, the company said. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has formed a group to coordinate and run US policy toward Iran as the Trump administration moves ahead with efforts to force changes in the Islamic Republic's behaviour after withdrawing from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Accusing Iran of unleashing "a torrent of violence and destabilising behaviour against the United States, our allies, our partners and, indeed, the Iranian people themselves," Pompeo announced the creation of the Iran Action Group, which he said would drive administration policy in Washington and overseas. He said the administration remains willing to talk to Iran but that in order to do so "we must see major changes in the regime's behaviour both inside and outside its borders." Pompeo named Brian Hook, who is currently the State Department's director of policy planning, to run the group with the title of special representative for Iran. Hook led the administration's ultimately unsuccessful attempt to negotiate changes to the nuclear deal with European allies before President Donald Trump decided in May to pull out of the accord. Since withdrawing, the administration has re-imposed sanctions that were eased under the deal and has steadily ramped up pressure on Iran to try to get it to stop what it describes as "malign activities" in the region. In addition to its nuclear and missile programs, the administration has repeatedly criticised Iran for supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad, Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, Shiite rebels in Yemen and anti-Israel groups. It has also in recent weeks stepped up criticism of Iran's human rights record and is working with other nations to curb their imports of Iranian oil. The administration is warning Iran's oil customers that they will face US sanctions in November unless they significantly reduce their imports with an eye on eliminating them entirely. It has also told businesses and governments in Europe that they may also be subject to penalties if they violate, ignore or attempt to subvert the re-imposed US sanctions. Hook, accusing Iran of being "a force for instability and violence," said he would also kept the door open to talks but made clear that US efforts to isolate Tehran both economically and diplomatically would not end until its leadership changed policies. "The burden is on the Iranian regime to change its behaviour," he said. Critics of the administration's approach suggested that Hook's new position was a sign the US was adopting a policy of regime change in Iran, something that Pompeo and other officials have denied. They maintain they only want to see the government change course. Some critics noted that the creation of the Iran Action Group was announced during the 65th anniversary of the five-day period in 1953 in which former Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh was overthrown in a US- and British-backed coup. Hook said the timing was "pure coincidence" and rejected comparisons between the Iran group and an earlier State Department initiative known as the "Future of Iraq Project" that was undertaken when US policy was to promote the downfall of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Hook is expected to be replaced as policy planning chief by Kiron Skinner, a foreign policy academic and adviser to several Republican presidential candidates who served on Trump's national security transition team and very briefly at the State Department after Trump took office, according to officials who were not authorised to publicly discuss personnel matters and spoke on condition of anonymity. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy today felicitated freedom-fighters at the historic site of Keezhur village near here today on the occasion of the 57th De Jure Transfer Day which marks the merger of the former French colony with the Union of India. He said the role played by veterans like late V Venkatasubba Reddiar, Muthukumarappa Reddiar, Edouard Goubert and V Subbiah in getting freedom for Puducherry would also be remembered. The Chief Minister said the Territorial government had drawn up plans to open a museum, library and other facilities at the memorial for martyrs in Keezhur. Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi addressed the freedom-fighters and referred to the historic significance of the village. Speaker of the Puducherry Assembly V Vaithilingam, son of the late Venkatasubba Reddiar, legislators and others who took part in the freedom movement were among the others who spoke on the occasion. It was in Keezhur that the French rulers held a referendum in October 1954 and decided on the merger of all the French establishments in Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam with the Indian Union. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Roman Catholic priests across Pennsylvania used religious rituals, symbols of the faith and the threat of eternity in hell to groom, molest and rape children, a grand jury found, in what the state's top prosecutor called the "weaponisation of faith". An 884-page report on the statewide grand jury's investigation, released Tuesday, detailed how "predator priests" used the children's own religious faith and trust in them as religious leaders to victimize and then silence them. One priest tied up a victim with rope in the confessional in a "praying position," the grand jury wrote. When the victim refused to perform sex, the angered priest used a 7-inch crucifix to sexually assault him, the report said. Another victim recounted how a priest used a metal cross to beat him. At a parish rectory, the report said, four of the priests made a boy strip and pose as Jesus on the cross while they took photos. "He stated that all of them giggled and stated that the pictures would be used as a reference for new religious statues for the parishes," the jury wrote. Two of those priests later did jail time for sexually assaulting two altar boys. Another priest told a boy he was fondling that it was OK because he was "an instrument of God". Priests also found in the sacrament of confession the opportunity to perpetrate acts against children, the report said. 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. More than 1,000 children and possibly many more were molested since the 1940s, the report said. The dioceses represent about 1.7 million Catholics. 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. Diocese leaders on Tuesday expressed sorrow for the victims and unveiled, for the first time, a list of priests accused of some sort of sexual misconduct. "Predators in every diocese weaponized the Catholic faith and used it as a tool of their abuse," Attorney General Josh Shapiro said at a conference Tuesday unveiling the grand jury's report, which documented allegations against 301 priests over seven decades. Only two of the priests have been charged with crimes as a result of the grand jury investigation, though a number were prosecuted in years past. Over 100 have died, and many others have retired. Church leaders say most of the offenses occurred some time in the past and note that major reforms were adopted starting in 2002 to safeguard children. Terence McKiernan, president of the watchdog group BishopAccountability.org, said the ritualization of abuse was a fundamental part of how children were sexually exploited. "Even when the Catholic rituals and doctrines are not specifically mobilised by the priest, they are in play," he said. Threats of eternal damnation were not uncommon, the grand jury found. Priests told children they would "go to hell" if they told anyone what happened and "nobody would believe a lying child over a man of God's word". One priest was quoted as telling altar boys they should serve naked beneath their cassocks "because God did not want any man-made clothes to be worn next to their skin during Mass", the jury wrote. In one church, a priest told a boy who confided he had been gang-raped as a 7-year-old that he had to provide sex to get to heaven. He would then be molested for three years before the priest was transferred. In a case highlighted on the day the grand jury report was made public, a priest rinsed a boy's mouth with holy water after abusing him. The predator priests used any opportunity they could to molest children while they had them alone, the investigation found. Several priests used hypnosis during counselling sessions to manipulate their victims. Helping a priest grade papers in his rectory somehow became a session of nude weightlifting. One boy was abused when he went to collect his report card from school. When a bishop asked the Vatican to remove a priest who used physical force and threats to abuse children, the bishop noted the priest "invoked the name of God to justify his actions against his victims while using their faith and the priesthood to manipulate them and secure their silence". Parishioners were never told why he was removed in 2006. The grand jurors pointedly wrote that the investigation was not an attack on the faith, noting many are Catholics themselves. "People of all faiths and of no faith want their children to be safe," the grand jurors wrote. "But we were presented with a conspicuous concentration of child sex abuse cases that have come from the church. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Punjab Cabinet today paid tributes to Chhattisgarh Governor and former minister of Punjab Balramji Dass Tandon, who passed away on Tuesday. The cabinet observed a two-minute silence and remembered him as a seasoned politician and an able administrator who worked tirelessly for overall development and prosperity of the state, an official spokesperson said. The cabinet prayed to the almighty to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and courage to the bereaved family to bear the loss, he said. The state government had declared a half-day holiday yesterday, besides one-day state mourning today as a mark of respect, he said. Tandon will be cremated here today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Punjab Cabinet today gave its nod to model rules for appointments, salary and service conditions of president and members of the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) and District Consumer Forums (DCF). The rules, aimed at boosting transparency in such appointments, were approved during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh this morning. An official spokesperson said the 'Punjab Consumer Protection (appointment, salary, allowances and conditions of service of President and Members of the State Commission and District Forum) Rules 2018, would come into force on the date of their publication in the official gazette. The Supreme Court, in Civil Appeal 2740 of 2007 titled as State of Uttar Pradesh through Principal Secretary and others, had directed the Government of India to formulate draft rules for the appointment of president/members. Subsequently, the Centre presented the draft rules before the apex court, which had approved the same and directed states to adopt them within three months. Punjab has a State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission with a network of 20 District Consumer Forums, which are entrusted with the task of Consumer Complaint Redressal at the state and district level. The Administrative Department of these bodies is Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A head constable posted in police lines here was arrested on charges of consuming heroin, police said today. One gram heroin was also recovered from his possession, the official added. Speaking to media persons, DSP Sarabjit Singh said head constable Manmohan Singh was arrested during routine checks here. A police team spotted Manmohan consuming heroin in a car, the DSP said. Manmohan tried to flee the spot but the police team nabbed. During preliminary interrogation, the accused said he was a drug addict, who had been consuming narcotics for the last two years. A case under relevant sections of NDPS Act was registered against the accused, police said. SSP Satinder Singh said Manohan was suspended from duties. Meanwhile, Kapurthala police recovered 110 kilogram of poppy husk from a truck and a car here. Truck owner Jaswant Singh Bittu and car occupants Kuljit Singh and Lakhbir Singh were arrested. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Qatar has promised to make a USD 15 billion direct investment in Turkey, badly hit by a currency crisis amid a widening diplomatic standoff with the United States, officials said. "Qatar has pledged USD 15 billion of direct investments in Turkey," presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin wrote on Twitter yesterday. "Turkish-Qatari relations are based on solid foundations of true friendship and solidarity," he said. The announcement came after Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani held lunchtime talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan thanked the emir and the people of Qatar for "standing by Turkey," the official Anadolu agency reported. He said relations with Qatar, which he described as a "friendly and brotherly country," would be boosted in many areas. Turkish Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, who is Erdogan's son-in-law, and his Qatari counterpart Ali Sharif Al-Emadi were present at the talks in the capital Ankara. 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 while Ankara has sharply hiked tariffs on some US 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 - which is also a very close US ally - have become close economic and political partners in recent times. Doha has USD 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 failed coup in Turkey in 2016. 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress chief Rahul Gandhi today took on the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at a meet of the united opposition here, hitting out at the dispensation on the contentious Rafale deal and resolved to dislodge it. He claimed while his party viewed the country as pure as Ganga river, where people amalgamate with each other, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) viewed it from the prism of 'sone ki chidiya' (golden bird) to make money out of it and favour their friends and crony capitalists. "Today while they are busy in making that cage, we will try to stop them from making it," he said. He was speaking at the sixth edition of the 'Sanjhi Virasat Bachao Sammelan' (Save composite culture convention), a platform of more than 15 opposition parties. The event today was attended by leaders from the major opposition parties such as the Left, RJD, JD-S, SP, DMK, RLD, NCP among others. The forum was being piloted by estranged JDU leader Sharad Yadav to put up a united fight against the BJP-ruled government. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh also attended the event. "For us where rain takes place, it becomes a river and everyone gets associated with it. For them (BJP) it is a sone ki chidiya," he said. Gandhi said they did not want a "BJP mukt Bharat" nor did they want to destroy the BJP but they wanted to tell them that "our ideology is stronger and we will defeat their ideology". "In the end, we will together remove the BJP from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and then from the rest of the country," Gandhi said. The Congress chief, who has been quite vocal about the Rafale deal, targeted the government at the meet, alleging that jets worth Rs 524 crore were purchased at an inflated rate of Rs 1,600 crore. Gandhi said he met the French president here during his visit, the president said there was no secrecy which binds the government from disclosing the prices of the jets to the people of the country. He said when he raised this issue in Parliament during the no trust vote, the prime minister remained silent but spoke at length on "useless" issues. Gandhi alleged during the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort yesterday he observed the PM point out to teachers after completing a sentence who would then ask the children to cheer and clap for the him. "This was a show, a drama," he alleged. He said while the government was busy benefiting "friends and industrialists", it had least regard for the farmers. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said the aim of the Sanjhi Virasat Bachao Sammelan was to save the democracy. The BJP-led government, he alleged, was misusing governance and had ruined the life of the common man with demonetisation and then with the implementation of the GST. Referring to the prime minister's Independence Day speech, he accused Modi of misleading the nation by announcing that the country would send a manned mission to space by 2022. Yechury reminded of Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to go to space in 1984. He also criticised the Modi for "failing" to speak against incidents of mob lynching and lamented that the accused in rape of minors are still at large. He accused the government of systematically muzzling the freedom of expression and imposing its ideology on educational institutes and other bodies. JD(S) spokesperson Danish Ali alleged the BJP government was misleading the nation on issues and there was an attempt to disturb the communal harmony in the country. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah attacked at the government saying, they would not tolerate any religious discrimination in the country. "Today the fight is to live in dignity," he said. Senior NCP leader Tariq Anwar claimed there was a sense of fear among the citizens in the country today and Modi's slogan of 'sab ka saath and sab ka vikas' was a big "lie". Tiruchi Shiva (DMK) described Gandhi as the future of India and the light of secular India. He said certain mischievous elements had become "hyperactive" in the country and slammed attempts to divide it in the name of religion. TMC leader Chan Mitra, who quit the BJP recently to join the Mamata Banerjee's party, said he felt "bad" observing certain things in the BJP, claiming there was a sense of "disillusionment" in the society today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi spoke to Prime Minister on Thursday and requested him to increase the deployment of Army and Navy in flood-hit Kerala and give special financial assistance to the state. Gandhi spoke to the prime minister over phone and announced it on Twitter. He noted that the tragedy is unparalleled in Kerala's history and the state is in "great pain". Expressing concern over the flood situation in Kerala, he took to Twitter to make a fervent appeal to people for help by contributing to the chief minister's relief fund. He tagged the link of the chief minister's relief fund to his tweet asking people to contribute, and said "it is time to step up and help". "Kerala is in great pain. I spoke to PM and requested him to massively increase deployment of the Army and Navy. I also said that it is critical that he gives the state special financial assistance as this is a tragedy without parallel in Kerala's history," he said on Twitter. Kerala is in great pain. I spoke to PM and requested him to massively increase deployment of the Army & Navy. I also said that it is critical that he gives the state special financial assistance as this is a tragedy without parallel in Keralas history. #IndiaStandsWithKerala Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 16, 2018 "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. It's time to step up & help. Please contribute generously to the CM's relief fund (sic)," he had in another tweet. The death toll in the current phase of monsoon fury in the southern state has touched 79. Rise in flood waters in Periyar River due to the rains and opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir, and Idamalayar, have severely affected lives of people in downstream areas. Kerala Chief Minister once again called up and apprised him of the flood situation in the state. The state has also sought the services of additional Army personnel and helicopters and the prime minister has assured all help, Vijayan said. Kochi Metro suspended operations this morning after flood waters entered the Muttom yard near Aluva and train services have been affected in various parts of the state with cancellation of many passenger trains and partial cancellation of some long distance train. Afghan men mourn over a dead body after a blast outside a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan August 15, 2018.(REUTERS) Kabul: A suicide bomber struck a private education center in a Shia 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 Afghanistans 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 Farebas 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 citys 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. 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 provinces 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 citys 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 citys 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. Ration and other essential commodities were supplied with the help of a helicopter to a Himachal Pradesh village today, as a road was damaged in heavy rains, an official said. A total of 10.90-quintal ration was supplied to Bara Bhangal village in Baijnath area of Kangra district via four helicopter sorties from Chamba. It was done as per the instructions issued by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, said Sandeep Kumar, district deputy commissioner. The pedestrian path between Bara Gaon and Bara Bhangal was damaged in heavy rains, Kumar said. Baijnath MLA Mulkh Raj personally monitored the entire process. Ration will also be supplied to the village through helicopter tomorrow, Kumar said. Earlier, ration and other essential commodities were sent through a route from Patikuhal village of Kullu district as the helicopter could not fly due to bad weather, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kerala government today described as "completely baseless" rumours being spread in social media sites like WhatsApp and Facebook that the Mullaperiyar dam has developed some cracks. "This rumour is completely baseless and the dam has not developed any cracks as alleged. These rumours are creating unnecessary panic among people living in downstream in the Periyar catchment," Water Resources secretary Tinku Biswal said. In a letter to DGP Loknath Behara, she wanted the Cyber cell to trace the source of the rumours and take immediate action against them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 40-year-old man was arrested today from Pydhonie in south Mumbai, a week after he had fled with Rs 40 lakh given to him by his friend for safekeeping, police said. The accused, Datta Ghargade, had fled to Kundapuram district in Karnataka with the cash given to him by his friend Natha Gawli from Masjid bunder area of south Mumbai, a police official said. Gawali had collected the cash from a businessman on the instructions of his boss, he said. Gawali had filed a complaint with Pydhonie police in south Mumbai following the incident. On specific information, a police team went to Kundapuram district, where they came to know that Ghargade had already left Karnataka, the official said. Subsequently, police received a tip-off that Ghargade was on his way to Mumbai and laid a trap near Sion lake today, from where he was arrested with Rs 39.92 lakh cash, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three Russian journalists killed in Central Africa last month as they reported on Russian mercenaries there were targeted in an ambush, a media organisation that was backing them said today. The claim contradicts the version of events put forward by the Kremlin, which said initial evidence suggested the journalists were killed after resisting robbers. The men -- reporter Orkhan Dzhemal, director Alexander Rastorguyev and cameraman Kirill Radchenko -- were killed on July 30 shortly after arriving in the war-torn country to report on a private army known as Wagner Group. "The version of a simple theft as the criminals' main motive is contradicted by many factors," said the MBK media organisation, owned by exiled former oligarch and Kremlin foe Mikhail Khodorkovsky. "The criminals were waiting...for the very car carrying Dzhemal, Rastorguyev and Radchenko," the organisation said in a statement on its website, after sending investigators to the region. MBK said it "does not exclude the involvement of Russian mercenaries" in the alleged ambush. "A group of about ten people waited for several hours for the journalists' car", which had made a detour at the last moment, leading them to the spot of the killing. Another car carrying "three armed white people, resembling mercenaries, and two Central Africans" passed through the same checkpoint as journalists shortly before them, the statement said. The vehicle returned in the other direction an hour later. In an earlier interview with CNN, Khodorkovsky rejected the theft-gone-wrong theory. Wagner's soldiers have fought in conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, according to Western and independent Russian media reports as well as foreign governments. Russia officially has military and civilian instructors in CAR to train local troops and experts have suggested they could be part of Wagner. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi forces have arrested a heavily armed "extremist" after wounding him in an exchange of gunfire in the kingdom's conservative central heartland, the interior ministry said today. The man had embraced the Islamic State group's "ideology" and was found to be in possession of a machine gun, a pistol and multiple rounds of ammunition, the ministry said in a statement. The man in Al-Bukhariya city was also wearing what appeared to be an explosives-laden belt, state-run Al-Ekhbariya television reported. The incident comes as the kingdom prepares to host the annual hajj pilgrimage from August 19-24. The kingdom has seen numerous attacks in recent years by jihadists, including Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, against security forces. It has also seen clashes between Shiite militants and security forces in the eastern provinces. In July, a drive-by shooting against a checkpoint in central Saudi Arabia and an ensuing gunfight left a security officer, a Bangladeshi civilian and two attackers dead, according to the interior ministry. And in April, four Saudi policemen were killed and four others wounded in an attack targeting a checkpoint in the southwestern province of Asir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today asked the Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC) coordinator to place before it the data of district-wise percentage of population excluded from the NRC draft in the state. A bench comprising justices Ranjan Gogoi, Navin Sinha and K M Joseph sought the response of all the stakeholders including All Assam Students Union, All Assam Minority Students Union on the Centre's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on the NRC issue. It directed the state NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela to make available the copies of draft NRC at all panchayat offices so that public can access it easily. The apex court said that the claim and objection forms on the Assam NRC issue will be made available to the general public from August 20. It also said that the receipt of claim and objection forms from the public will commence on August 30. The court posted the matter for further hearing on August 28. On August 14, the Centre had told the apex court that distinct IDs will be created by collecting biometric details of 40 lakh people filing claims and objections with respect to the NRC. It said that after the publication of the final list of NRC, those people whose names will figure in it will be given usual Aadhaar number as applicable to legal residents in the country. On July 31, the apex court had made it clear that there will be no coercive action by authorities against over 40 lakh people, whose names do not figure in NRC, observing that it was merely a draft. It had asked the Centre to formulate modalities and the SOPs including timelines for deciding claims and objections arising out of the publication of the draft NRC. Second draft NRC list was published on July 30 in which out of 3.29 crore people, names of 2.89 crore have been included in the draft NRC. Names of 40,70,707 people do not figure in the list. Of these, 37,59,630 names have been rejected and the remaining 2,48,077 are on hold. The first draft of the NRC for Assam was published on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 according to the top court's direction. Names of 1.9 crore people out of the 3.29 crore applicants were incorporated. Assam, which had faced influx of people from Bangladesh since the early 20th century, is the only state having an NRC, which was first prepared in 1951. The top court, which is monitoring the NRC work, had earlier said that the claims of those citizens, whose names do not figure in the draft NRC for Assam published by December 31 last year, would be scrutinised and included in the subsequent list, if found genuine. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking note of the "grave" flood situation in Kerala, the Supreme Court today ordered the disaster management panel of the Mullaperiyar Dam to urgently decide on lowering the water level by three feet by holding a meeting tomorrow. The direction to the disaster management sub-committee to reduce the water level up to 139 feet from the existing 142 feet came in the backdrop of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan writing to his Tamil Nadu counterpart E K Palaniswami seeking lowering of the water-level in the Mullaperiyar dam in the interest of its safety. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Indu Malhotra considered the plea for urgent hearing at 2 PM and decided to hear it today itself, observing that the flood situation the state was "grim and grave". The court directed the Disaster Management sub-committee of the Mullaperiyar Dam, set up by the Centre under section Section 9 of the Disaster Management Act, to hold an urgent meeting tomorrow with the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMS) and the Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu and Kerala to deal with the situation. It said if the physical presence of the officials for the meeting cannot be ensured, then the meeting should be held via video-conferencing tomorrow morning. It fixed the matter for hearing at 2 PM tomorrow. "An effort has to be made to bring down the water level of the Mullaperiyar dam to 139 feet so that the people living downstream do not live in constant fear," the bench said. It asked the Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments to cooperate with the NCMS for providing adequate relief immediately to the displaced flood-affected families. On being told that there was a system to warn people living downstream of the Mullaperiyar dam about release of water, the bench said the committee may suggest measures before releasing water in the downstream areas to handle the disaster so that the people are not hit by "the catastrophe of the flood". However, Tamil Nadu government opposed the plea with regard to bringing down the water level in the dam, saying the current inflow of water into the dam was 20,000 cusecs and due to rains, it may not be possible to reduce water level immediately. Kerala government said the water level of the Mullaperiyar dam should be reduced to 139 feet to ensure that there was no safety issue with the barrage itself. The bench said no party should take an adversarial stand in view of the crisis and observed: "You cannot bring the past into this. The present crisis requires a situational adjustment". The bench was hearing a plea filed by Kerala resident Russel Roy seeking, among other things, a direction to Tamil Nadu to manage the water level in the dam as the floods in Kerala have created a havoc. It also directed the committee and the NCMS to come out with a disaster management plan and asked the two state governments to implement the decisions of the panel. The Centre, represented by Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha, informed the court that the NCMS headed by Cabinet Secretary had held a meeting today and all possible relief was being sent to the flood-affected people of Kerala. The death toll in the current phase of monsoon fury in the southern state has crossed 70, while rains and flood water have caused extensive damage. Rise in flood waters in Periyar River due to the rains and opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir and Idamalayar, have severely affected the lives of people in downstream areas. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today sought the views of stakeholders including the All Assam Students Union (AASU), All Assam Minority Students Union (AAMSU) and Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, on the modalities and Standard Operating Procedures for filing and disposal of claims and objections regarding the National Register of Citizens (NRC). It asked the state NRC coordinator to file in a sealed cover the data of district-wise percentage of population, excluded from the NRC draft in the state. The bench also decided not to seek the views of any political party in this regard. A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R F Nariman said it has considered the SOP for final NRC and wanted the views of all the stakeholders on it. "At this stage without commenting on any of the modalities suggested on behalf of the Union of India in consultation with the Government of Assam, Registrar General of India and State Coordinator for NRC, we are of the view that the stakeholders ought to be given time until August 25, 2018 to indicate their views in the matter," it said. Besides AASU, AAMSU and the Jamat, the court sought views of stakeholders which include petitioners Assam Public Works, Assam Sanmilita Mahasangha (an indigenous peoples organisation of Assam), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Progressive), Indigenous Tribal Peoples Federation, All Assam Bhojpuri Parishad and the Joint Action Committee for Bengali Refugees. It asked the Attorney General K K Venugopal and the state NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela as to who were the stakeholders whose views were taken earlier. Hajela replied that there was a state sub-committee in 2012-13, which had taken the views of AASU, AAMSU and different political parties on the NRC issue. The bench said it would not like to seek views of political parties on the issue this time. The bench said that it has perused the Centre's SOP and timeline but would not like to comment on it, except that the date for receipt of claims and objections from public on NRC, should be August 30. The court said that as per the rules, the period for receipt of claims and objections should be 30 days. It said that further dates given in the Centre's SOP drafted in consultation with Registrar General of India and state NRC coordinator will be deliberated at a later stage after getting the views of stakeholders. Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Assam, said that for the convenience of people, the copy of the draft NRC should be made available at panchayat offices in every village and all the deputy commissioners' offices. It said the forms for claims and objections will be made available by August 20 and directed the state NRC coordinator to make the copy of draft NRC available in all Panchayat offices and other places so these are freely available. The bench also asked Hajela to make available a copy of report in sealed cover giving the percentage of the population in each district who have been left out of the final draft NRC and the percentage-wise data of the population excluded from draft NRC by August 25. The bench posted the matter for further hearing on August 28. On August 14, the Centre had told the apex court that distinct IDs will be created by collecting biometric details of 40 lakh people filing claims and objections with respect to the NRC. It said after the publication of the final list of NRC, those people whose names will figure in it, will be given the Aadhaar numbers as applicable to the legal residents. On July 31, the apex court had made it clear that there will be no coercive action by authorities against over 40 lakh people, whose names do not figure in NRC, observing that it was merely a draft. Second draft NRC list was published on July 30 in which out of 3.29 crore people, names of 2.89 crore were included in the draft NRC. The names of 40,70,707 people do not figure in the list. Of these, 37,59,630 names have been rejected and the remaining 2,48,077 are on hold. The first draft of the NRC for Assam was published on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 according to the top court's direction. Names of 1.9 crore people out of the 3.29 crore applicants were incorporated. Assam, which had faced influx of people from 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 Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has donated Rs 30 lakh to the relief fund for Kerala flood victims. In a circular issued by the SCBA, it also called up on its members to contribute "generously" towards 'SCBA Calamity Relief Fund' that has been set up for this purpose. It said a corpus of about Rs 30 lakh lying in the account shall be transferred for Kerala flood relief operations. "The SCBA, as always, must come forward not only to express its solidarity with the people of Kerala in times of this crisis, but also provide help to bring some relief in mitigating the miseries of millions," the circular undersigned by SCBA secretary Vikrant Yadav said. The bar body of the apex court said the calamity had struck Kerala in enormous proportions. It said the state has completely come to a halt and people are deprived of their basic needs such as food, water, shelter and electricity. "I request all members of the Supreme Court Bar Association to contribute generously to help our brethren suffering overwhelming and insurmountable difficulties on account of incessant floods," Yadav said in the circular. There has been no let-up in the torrential rains in the southern state which have claimed 97 lives since August 8. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Shiv Sena termed today Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech "fireworks of numbers, announcements and schemes" and slammed him for the depreciating rupee. It claimed that while Modi emphasised on his government's development credentials, he overlooked the slide in the Indian rupee, which has hit an all-time low against the US dollar. On August 14, the rupee breached the historic low of 70-mark against the US dollar before recovering at close on possible RBI intervention. In this context, the Sena questioned the BJP's claims of development during the last four years of its rule. "The prime minister's speech consists of fireworks of numbers, announcements and schemes and the Red Fort is used for the purpose," it said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. "The prime minister says development had ceased during the Congress rule. However, the rupee has touched a historical low today. When a dollar equals to Rs 70, it is not a sign of a good economy and development," the Sena said. The editorial noted that while in opposition, the BJP used to attack the UPA government for the depreciating rupee and pin the blame on corrupt and financial scams, and asked whether the reasons for the currency's slide in the last four years were any different from those during the previous rule. It also questioned Modi's assertion that India will be a "superpower", at a time when its currency is falling. "The prime minister cites an international agency as stating that five crore Indians have been lifted from below the poverty line. The PM should name this organisation and reveal from where those five crore Indians were found," Saamana said. Noting that Modi wore a "saffron" turban while delivering his Independence Day speech yesterday, the Sena claimed this was a bid to reach out to voters ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as a Hindu. "However, will wearing the saffron turban solve questions of Hindutva?" asked the Sena, which is an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra. It sought to know the fate of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uniform Civil Code, Article 370 and Kashmiri Pandits. Farmers are committing suicide and almost all castes have come out on streets, demanding reservation for being backward, the Sena said and taunted that instead of abolishing caste system, the prime minister reiterated that caste-based reservations will stay. The Sena claimed that Modi, in his previous speeches from the Red Fort, had said the Indian Army may intervene in the trouble-hit in Gilgit-Baltistan areas of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. But, a number of jawans on the Indian side have died due to cross-border firing, it said. In remarks laced with sarcasm, the Sena said while the prime minister praised citizens for paying their taxes on time, fugitives like diamantaire Nirav Modi looted taxpayers' money and fled the country. "It is from the taxpayers' money that the prime minister goes on foreign tours and the BJP spent Rs 4,000 crore on advertisements," the editorial stated. "The PM gave a good 2019 election speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Two years back when Modi had spoken about demonetisation, terrorism had increased and a bigger number of jawans were martyred," the Sena claimed. "Initially (before note ban) fake notes were being printed in Nepal and Pakistan, but (fake) Rs 2,000 notes printed in China have (now) reached here," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kathmandu, Nepal: Nagh Panchami is being observed across the country today. The Hindus used to celebrate the festival on the fifth day of bright half of Lunar month of Shrawan believing the snake as the symbol of the god. The Nagh Panchami, which also known as Sukla Panchami festival used to celebrated by posting the picture of snake 'Nagh' above the front door of the house with the help of the cows dung and worshipping with cow's milk and flowers. The rural police in Maharashtra's Thane district today claimed to have arrested seven Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in the country. The accused, who were staying in Bhayander area of the district, had no valid documents for entering the country, police said. Offences under the Passport Act were registered against them at Mira Road police station. The accused were identified as Rabul Salim Shaikh, Solina Munna Khan, Ibrahim Farookh Khan, Ashia Ibrahim Khan, Reza Siraz Shaikh, Sahana Dulal Shaikh and Bilal Kamrul Shaikh. The owner of the house where they were living was also arrested for allegedly giving shelter to illegal migrants and not informing local police about tenants, which is mandatory, police said. The arrested Bangladeshi nationals did jobs such as driver or domestic help, police added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The public transport system collapsed in many parts of central Kerala with the Southern Railways and Kochi Metro today suspending their operations due to floods. Rise in flood waters in Periyar river due to continuous rains and opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir, and Idamalayar, have severely hit life of people in the downstream areas. The floods have affected the transport system to the Kochi city. "Due to rise in water level at Bridge No 176 on Downline between Angamali and Aluva, The services on this bridge is suspended," a Southern railway spokesman said in a statement early today. The Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) also suspended its operations this morning after its yard in Muttom near Aluva submerged in the flood waters. "Kochi Metro train operation is suspended as the water level rises in Muttom yard area," a KMRL statement said. The service will be resumed once the water comes down and the systems are back in good condition, its spokesperson said. Bus services to Kochi were also affected after National Highways connecting the city submerged in Kalamassery area, officials said. Cochin International Airport had yesterday suspended all flight operations till Saturday as water entered in the airport area following continuous rains and the opening of dam shutters in Periyar river. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Students at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school began a new school year amid beefed up security six months after a mass shooting that claimed 17 lives and rekindled the US debate over guns. "It's never going to be normal again," said Lauren Hogg, a 15-year-old survivor and co-author with her brother David of a book about the wave of student activism set off by the Parkland, Florida massacre. "I can't help but constantly think about not only myself and my friends at my school, but constantly thinking about my friends at other schools who don't have as many safety precautions as we now do, and I worry about them," she told the ABC podcast "Start Here" yesterday. Reminders of the February 14 mass shooting - one of the deadliest in recent US history - are everywhere at the school in a suburban community north of Miami. The banners that went up on the fence surrounding the school after the shooting are still there, along with their still timely message: "Be strong/Parkland strong." The actual building where the mass shooting - one of the deadliest in recent US history - unfolded remains closed, still considered a crime scene by police. But other buildings in the high school complex have undergone changes: there are more surveillance cameras, more security personnel and just a single point of entry to the campus. Broward County, where Parkland is located, has invested six million dollars to strengthen security in its public schools. School superintendent Robert Runcie says the county's 234 schools now have 10,000 up-to-date security cameras and a control center monitoring suspicious activity. Fencing and door systems that limit visitors' access to a single entry point are being installed in all the schools, he said in a column last month in the Sun-Sentinel, a local daily. All students, staff and visitors are required to wear identification badges. And emergency drills are being increased. But not everybody feels reassured. Anthony Borges, a 15-year-old who was shot five times during the rampage by a 19-year-old former student and is still recovering from his wounds, told ABC he won't go back to Majory Stoneman Douglas. "Maybe I'm not lucky next time, if it happens again," he said. Borges, a native of Venezuela, has been nicknamed "Iron Man" because he stopped the bullets while holding a door closed to a room where 20 of his classmates were hiding. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the accused gunman, Nikolas Cruz, in a trial that could begin at the end of next year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several students' organisations today took out a protest march, blocked the Nagaon-Morigaon road and burnt an effigy of Morigaon district Deputy Commissioner Hemen Das demanding his arrest for engaging a declared foreigner in the NRC updation process. Members of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), Tiwa Yuba Chatra Parishad and All Koch Rajbongshi Students Union today took out a protest march in Morigaon town and blocked the Nagaon-Morigaon PWD road, official sources said. The demonstrators shouted slogans against Morigaon DC Hemen Das accusing him of "safeguarding" the interests of illegal Bangladeshis in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) update process in Morigaon district. The protestors also burnt Das' effigy. Lalit Pachani, president of Morigaon district unit of AJYCP told reporters how a Bangladeshi -- Khairul Islam -- declared foreigner by the Foreigner Tribunal, Morigaon and Gauhati High Court, was entrusted with the NRC updation works in Kolmoubari NRC Seva Kendra (NSK). Pachani also wondered how the names of 39 illegal Bangladeshi families in the district were included in the complete draft NRC published on July 30. The protestors demanded immediate punitive action against the DC of Morigaon and a thorough probe into the "gross anomalies" in the NRC update process in the district. Khairul Islam, who was working as a government school teacher, was detained by police last night near Moirabari in Morigaon district, said Superintendent of Police Swapnanil Deka. On August 13, the district administration, which had engaged Islam with the NRC work, had relieved him of his duties considering the sensitivities involved, said Morigaon DC Hemen Das. The teacher was declared as a Bangladeshi citizen by the Foreigners Tribunal Morigaon in 2015. Islam had entered Assam after March 25, 1971 (the cut off year as per the Assam Accord for declaration of foreigner in Assam). Following receipt of the Gauhati High Court verdict in June this year upholding the Foreigner's Tribunal Morigaon declaring him as foreigner, Police tracked down Islam and arrested him from Moirabari village, said Superintendent of Police Swapnanil Deka today. As per the procedure, Islam will be sent to Foreigners Detention Camp in Goalpara district today, Deka added. Khairul Islam was working as a teacher in Khandapukhuri Lower Primary School in the district and engaged by Morigaon district administration in Kolmoubari NRC, under Mikirbheta Police Station, as one among the over 40,000 government employees drawn from all departments to be deputed for NRC updation work across the state, official sources said. The NRC is now being updated in Assam to include the names of those persons (or their descendants) who appear in the NRC, 1951, or in any of the Electoral Rolls or any admissible documents up to the midnight of 24 March, 1971. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jharkhand Governor Draupadi Murmu today cancelled the customary At Home function at Raj Bhavan as part of the Independence day celebration following the critical condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Raj Bhavan spokesman said the cancellation was directed by the governor following the critical condition of Vajpayee. Like in the past, invitation for the "t Home" function at the Raj Bhawan as part of Independence day celebration was given to ministers, senior civil and police officials and mediapersons. But, in view of critical health condition of the Vajpayee it was cancelled. The of Vajpayee's falling health has saddned people of Jharkhand along with other countrymen. Chief Minister Raghubar Das expressed distress at the ill health of Vajpayee and prayed for his speedy recovery. BJP activists and several other people are praying for the speedy recovery of the former prime minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, former Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and Congress' Telangana president N Uttam Kumar Reddy today mourned the death of former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee. Vajpayee upheld lofty values in his political life and stood as a role model not just in the country but to the entire world, Rao said. The chief minister hailed Vajpayee as an outstanding parliamentarian and his virtues of being a great humanist. Dattatreya said he entered after being appreciated by Vajpayee for his work as a RSS volunteer in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh following the devastating Diviseema tidal wave and cyclone in 1977. Dattatreya, who had served in the cabinet headed by Vajpayee, said the departed leader gave lot of respect to his colleagues. Vajpayee used to take on board the views of his colleagues, whether it was a cabinet rank minister or a minister of state, Dattatreya said. Vajpayee was able to successfully run a coalition of parties with divergent views because of his broad-mindedness, Dattatreya, now a BJP MP, said. "It is sad that Vajpayee, who introduced BJP to every individual either in a village or town, is not able to witness how the party has become highly successful," he said. Vajpayee was liked and respected cutting across party lines and the Pokhran nuclear test, victory in Kargil war and the golden Quadrilateral road project were some of his great successes as prime minister, BJPs Telangana unit president K Laxman said. Laxman announced postponement of various party programmes and urged cadres to organise events in Vajpayees memory. Several leaders of Telangana unit would go to Delhi tonight to pay their last respects, he said. The party leaders and workers observed silence for a few minutes as a mark of respect to the departed leader at the state unit office here. Hailing Vajpayee as a role model for political leaders of the present generation, Congress' Telangana chief Uttam Kumar Reddy said his death was a great loss to the country. Telugu actor-turned-politician and Jana Sena Party founder Pawan Kalyan also condoled the death. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A three-year-old kindergartener died after she was left behind in a hot school van in Thailand, police said Thursday after arresting the driver. The girl was discovered Wednesday afternoon after her mother went to pick her up at the end of school in the southern province of Pattani and was told the child was absent. The mother and a teacher located the driver, who led them to the locked van where they found the body. "The girl's body was pale, no wounds, with a little blood stain at her nose," Montri Kongwatmai, commander of the Sai Buri district police, told AFP. "She must have thrashed around." The heat inside the stuffy van and a lack of air caused her death, Montri said, citing the autopsy results. The 23-year-old driver admitted to failing to check whether all the children had gotten out of the vehicle in the morning, Montri said. He was charged with negligence resulting in death. Between 2012 and 2016 in Thailand, there were 13 cases of children abandoned inside school buses or private cars, statistics show, part of a worldwide phenomenon referred to as "Forgotten Baby Syndrome". Six of the cases were fatal. The previous such death occurred in June when a five-year-old was left in a school van in Khon Kaen province. "The problem with child deaths in school vans... is that (it) keeps repeating itself due to the negligence of the service provider," Adisak Plitponkarnpim, director of the Thailand's National Institute of Child and Family Development. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor TJ Miller has denied the claims of his "Silicon Valley" co-star Alice Wetterlund that he bullied her on the show's sets. Wetterlund, who played Carla Walton for two seasons on the HBO series, had last month tweeted that her experience show was "kind of a nightmare". The 37-year-old actor had also alleged that her co-stars from the show enabled Miller's inappropriate behaviour on sets. During an interview on SiriusXM's "Jim Norton & Sam Roberts" show, Miller, 37, denied Wetterlund's accusation, saying it was "difficult to work" with her. "She may have had that experience, but it's people trying to enter the headlines and get into the media cycle. It was not my experience that anyone was bullying her or being mean to her," Miller said. "Truthfully, I felt like it was difficult to work with her because she kept interrupting Zach Woods ... during takes and even when she was off camera. Obviously, there was some sort of disconnect because she's saying these negative things about me and then attacking the mostly all-male cast of 'Silicon Valley'," he added. The "Deadpool 2" star said he was disappointed with the way digital media treats "gossip" as "immediately true". "It's just a confusing time right now because there's so much anger and they don't know where to fire. I've been talking about the internet in general turning the world into high school, where gossip is immediately true," Miller said. "There's no court of law any time you get into the he-said-she-said stuff, you get into a difficult gray area because there's no proof either way, but people love to bully and mob mentality is very easy to get into," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam today expressed grief over the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. DMK working president M K Stalin also mourned the death. The dignitaries would pay their last respects to the leader at Delhi. Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi chief Thol. Thirumavalavan, MDMK leader Vaiko, DMK's A Raja and party's Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, BJP leaders Tamilisai Soundararajan would also visit Delhi to pay homage to the departed leader. In his condolence message, Governor Purohit said "Vajpayee was an outstanding statesman, a great orator and role model for politicians and poets and his death "fills me with great shock and grief." "A great son of Mother India is no more. But his service to the people of India as the Prime Minister of the nation, memories of his speeches in Parliament and outside, and his qualities of tolerance and magnanimity will live on forever," he said. Highlighting his administrative skills, Palaniswami said Vajpayee, the first prime minister from BJP, had slogged his entire life. Stalin said despite ideological differences, the late 'Kalaignar' M Karunanidhi shared cordial relationship with Vajpayee. "By taking part in a protest by Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation, organised in Madurai, for the rights of Tamils in Sri Lanka, Vajpayee made TN proud...it is a big loss to the country," he said. AMMK, DMDK, MDMK, Tamil Maanila Congress also expressed grief over the death. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister K Palaniswami today expressed grief over the death of former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee. In a statement, Purohit said Vajpayee was an outstanding statesman, a great orator and role model for politicians and poets and his death "fills me with great shock and grief." "A great son of Mother India is no more. But his service to the people of India as the Prime Minister of the nation, memories of his speeches in Parliament and outside, and his qualities of tolerance and magnanimity will live on forever," the governor said. Highlighting his administrative skills, Palaniswami said Vajpayee, the first prime minister from BJP, had slogged his entire life. DMK working president M K Stalin said, Despite ideological differences, the late 'Kalaignar' M Karunanidhi shared cordial relationship with Vajpayee. "By taking part in a protest by Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation, organised in Madurai, for the rights of Tamils in Sri Lanka, Vajpayee made TN proud...it is a big loss to the country," he said. AMMK, DMDK, MDMK, Tamil Maanila Congress also expressed grief over the death. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The dark night comes covering the dirty marks of streets giving you peace and calmness Desiring the isolation and loneliness. Walking in your dreams The beauty of blurring and emptiness only old cats watch you. Seeing no one but a few strangers. The fewer you had The lower you desired The smaller you achieved The easier you took. Sitting on a stool with your night soup and meal, face an old man, the night god and king of murder, rape and blackmail. Smiling at you His mind reaches you The conversation is silent The king of night fetches your soul. This not a dream but the real. Controlling you to steal. The silence is an order To commit the sinnest kill The night, ugly with fantasy The night, evil with creation The night, dirty with entertaining The night, empty with peace. Trying a crime never committed Trying a dream you dreamed Trying madness you desired Trying destroying you wished. You cant rebuild a destructive world You must destroy the destruction The night with you from punishment The darkness shields you from burning light. What you remembered is what you forgot. What you hated is what you loved. Only the dark night your safe heaven walked out with hope because you cant see and miss. The temptation of night you only home of hope. The evil king disappeared With heartless thrust. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has called a Delhi Trade Bandh tomorrow as a mark of respect to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away here today. In a statement, the traders' body said his demise has sent shock waves among trading community across the country. "CAIT has appealed to the traders of Delhi to close their business establishments and markets tomorrow to pay respects and join the last rites of Atal Ji. It is noteworthy that Atal ji was instrumental in formation of CAIT," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A training-cum-processing unit for bamboo craft would soon be set up at Mathpada area in Koraput district to strengthen tribal economy in the backward region, a forest official said. The proposed unit will be established at Mathpada forest beat under Boipariguda forest range by the Jeypore forest division, he said. Bamboo was not only environment-friendly but also available in plenty in the area, hence it had been decided to impart training to local communities for its commercial use, Aswin Kumar Kar, Divisional Forest Officer, Jeypore, said. "Despite its importance and utility, little has been done to develop, promote and commercialise the use of bamboo," the DFO said. At least 10 master trainers have been empanelled by the forest department to impart training to the village communities, including women, in preparing decorative items, flower vases, artificial flowers and furniture from bamboo, he said. Training will be provided at no cost to the village communities and the local Vana Surakhya Samiti will be entrusted with the responsibility to select the people, who will be provided training in batches. "Bamboo is widely seen as a low-cost-material for building houses, animal shelters and fencing, but people lack the knowledge of processing bamboo to make it last longer. We have procured various types of machinery to process raw bamboos to ensure their longevity," the DFO said. The department has also prepared a blue-print for marketing the bamboo products made by the communties. "We have opened a bamboo bazaar at our central nursery in Jeypore and the bamboo products will be displayed there for sale. We are also in talks with various other government agencies for marketing of the products," he said. The project report has been approved by the concerned authorities and the district administration and the project will take off soon, he said. Local tribal communities have hailed the decision to impart training to them on bamboo craft. "The training will not only provide us proper techniques of using bamboo but also provide an alternative source of income," said a resident of Mathpada village. To promote bamboo cultivation, the forest department has also undertaken bamboo plantation on 65 acres under Boipariguda forest range. "Local farmers are being motivated to take up bamboo cultivation as it gives good returns from the fifth year of plantation," said Uma Mahesh, forest range officer of Boipariguda. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jammu University hoisted a 135-ft national flag, highest in all educational institutions in the city, on the Independence Day. Newly appointed vice chancellor of the university, Manoj K Dhar, exhorted youth to rededicate themselves towards nation building with renewed vigour and work for heralding peace and tranquillity across the country, an official statement said today. "An onerous responsibility lies on our youth to contribute in the gigantic effort of steering the nation and the state towards peace, progress and all round development," the vice chancellor said while unfurling the tricolour on the 72nd Independence Day at the university campus here. The university has become one among the few institutions in the country where the national flag of this much height is erected as per the directives of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Registrar Meenakshi Kilam said. "The main highlight of this year's Independence Day celebrations at the university was the hoisting of the tricolour on the 135-feet mast at the Fountain Plaza in the campus," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A joint meeting of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi state committee, MPs and MLAs, proposed to be organised here tomorrow, has been put off in view of heavy rains lashing some places in Telangana. TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao asked them to be available to people and take part in relief measures, party sources said. A fresh date for the proposed meeting would be finalised after the rains subsided, Rao said. The party meeting is proposed to be organised against the backdrop of the ruling party's plans to hold a public meet on September 2 to present its progress report to the people. Rao had also said the candidates for next year's elections would be announced in September. Legislative Assembly elections in Telangana would be held simultaneously with Lok Sabha polls next year. Normal life was thrown out of gear as heavy rains lashed some places in Telangana today. Rao instructed officials to be alert in the wake of the downpour. According to a report of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) this morning, Southwest Monsoon has been vigorous over Telangana. It said "very heavy" rain occurred at isolated places in the districts of Jayashankar Bhupalpally and Kumaram Bheem. It also said "heavy rain" occurred at some places in districts of Adilabad, Mancherial, Peddapalle, Rangareddy and others. Several rivulets were in spate in Adilabad district, affecting roads, according to official sources. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today postponed a joint meeting of the party's state committee, MPs and MLAs which was proposed to be organised tomorrow, in view of heavy rains lashing some places in the state. He asked the public representatives of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to be available to the people and take part in relief measures, party sources said. A fresh date for the proposed meeting would be finalised after the rains subsided, Rao said. Normal life was today thrown out of gear at some places in Telangana as heavy rain occurred. Most places in the state received moderate rainfall. The party meeting is proposed to be organised against the backdrop of the ruling party's plans to hold a massive public meet on September 2 to present its progress report to the people. Rao had also said the candidates for next year's elections would be announced in September. Legislative Assembly elections in Telangana would be held simultaneously 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.) President Donald Trump has abruptly revoked the security clearance of ex-CIA Director John Brennan, an unprecedented act of retribution against a vocally critical former top US official. Trump also threatened to yank the clearances of eight former officials and a current one, mostly top intelligence and law enforcement officials from the Obama and previous administrations. Trump denounced Brennan's criticism and spoke anxiously of "the risks posed by his erratic conduct and behaviour. The president described his own action as fulfilling his "constitutional responsibility to protect the nation's classified information." However, Democratic congressmen said it smacked of an "enemies list" among fellow Americans and the behaviour of leaders in "dictatorships, not democracies." Brennan tweeted: "My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent." Trump's action, critics and nonpartisan experts said, marked an unprecedented politicization of the federal government's security clearance process. It also was a clear escalation in Trump's battle with members of the US intelligence community he inherited and has attempted to reorient since he took office. And it came in the middle of the president's latest controversy accusations of racism by former assistant Omarosa Manigault Newman and his bitter reaction to them. Trump's statement, distributed to reporters, was dated July 26, 2018, suggesting it could have been held and then released when needed to change a damaging subject. Trump, in a statement read by his press secretary and distributed by the White House, accused Brennan of having "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." "Mr Brennan's lying and recent conduct characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary is wholly inconsistent with access to the nations' most closely held secrets," the statement said. Brennan has indeed been deeply critical of Trump's conduct, calling his performance at a press conference last month with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland "nothing short of treasonous." He said of Trump's order yesterday, "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." Brennan said he learned of Trump's action only when the White House announced it. Former intelligence officials are wondering how far Trump will go, according to a former senior intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity to share private conversations he's had with people who have worked in the field. They said Trump has moved from threatening to revoke security clearances of former intelligence officials who have not been involved in the Russia investigation to former officials who did work on the probe. Trump's statement said the Brennan issue raises larger questions about the practice of allowing former officials to maintain their security clearances, and said that others officials' were under review. They include former FBI Director James Comey; James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence; former CIA Director Michael Hayden; former national security adviser Susan Rice and Andrew McCabe, who served as Trump's deputy FBI director until he was fired in March. Also on the list: fired FBI agent Peter Strzok, former FBI lawyer Lisa Page and senior Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, whom the president has tweeted about recently. At least two of the former officials, Comey and McCabe, do not currently have security clearances, and none of the eight receive intelligence briefings. Trump's concern apparently is that their former status gives special weight to their statements, both to Americans and foreign foes. Ohr is the only current government employee on the list. Former CIA directors and other top national security officials are typically allowed to keep their clearances, at least for some period, so they can be in a position to advise their successors and to hold certain jobs. The office of the Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats declined to comment on Trump's decision to revoke Brennan's security clearance. The CIA referred questions to the White House. Clapper, reacting on CNN, said he didn't plan to stop speaking out when asked about the Trump administration. "If they're saying that the only way I can speak is to be in an adulation mode of this president. I'm sorry, I don't think I can sign up to that," Clapper said, adding: "This is at least in my memory unprecedented." Asked what linked those threatened by the White House, Clapper said he and the others have been outspoken about the Trump administration, have "directly run afoul of it" or have taken actions the president dislikes. "So I guess that's what we all have in common," Clapper said. When Trump first threatened to revoke former high-ranking national security officials' clearances, former Brennan deputy chief of staff Nick Shapiro said Brennan had not made any money off his clearance and "doesn't need a security clearance to speak out against the failings of Trump." Hayden, too, said revoking his clearance wouldn't have any effect on what he says or writes. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trump's press secretary, insisted the White House wasn't targeting only Trump critics. But Trump did not order a review of the clearance held by former National Security Adviser Mike Flynn who was fired from the White House for lying to Vice President Mike Pence about his conversations with Russian officials and pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about the same. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two loaded trucks carrying essentials were torched by unidentified miscreants at a village in Tamenglong district of Manipur today, police said. The incident was reported during a 24-hour 'Zeliangrong area' bandh called by Zeliangrong Baudi and its allies since yesterday midnight. The trucks were torched at Tupul area along the NH-37 (Imphal-Jiri Road) at around 2 am, said a senior police officer. Tupul is located at least 54 km from the state capital. Reinforcements have been sent to the area from Keithalmanbi police station, the officer said. The bandh has been called to protest the alleged move by the NSCN(IM) to create divisions in the Zeliangrong community, settled mostly in the Tamenglong district of Manipur and adjoining areas of Assam and Nagaland. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray may leave for New Delhi this evening to enquire about the health of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is on life support at the AIIMS, sources said. The 93-year-old BJP leader is battling for life and remains on advanced life support at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences for the second day. "Atal ji and Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray shared close relations when the Sena supremo was alive. Their personal bonding was one of the reasons why the BJP-Sena alliance stayed strong for decades. It would be natural for Uddhav ji to visit the former Prime Minister to check on his health," a source close to Thackeray said. A battery of leaders from the BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah, Lal Krishna Advani and Union ministers, have visited the AIIMS, as anxiety grew over the health of Vajpayee. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UK-based industrialists G P Hinduja and Lord Swraj Paul today praised the statesmanship and leadership of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying his demise marks the end of an era. Hinduja, co-chairman of the Hinduja Group, said Vajpayee had led India with sagacity and left a huge impact on the country and the world. "We had the privilege of knowing Atalji for several decades, from the time he was a member of Parliament. He was a wise and able political leader, a great human being, and also a poet. He was truly a colossus," Hinduja said adding, "It is a great loss to he world and to all of us in the family". The leading businessman conveyed his sincere condolences to Vajpayee's family members and colleagues and said he would "pray to God for his soul to receive peace". "He cannot be forgotten because he did a lot for the nation and was instrumental in bringing the BJP to power. Such was the respect he commanded that even the Opposition would praise him," he added. NRI industrialist Paul also paid his "heartfelt condolences" to the friends and relatives of Vajpayee, saying India owes a lot to the former prime minister who died aged 93 in New Delhi today. "Very sad to hear of his demise. I had the honour to know him and he was always very warm and kind. He was a great human being," Paul said. "The whole country is very proud of him and India owes a lot to him," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hundreds of UN-run schools for Palestinian refugees will open on time after fresh funding temporarily staved off a financial crisis triggered by a US contributions freeze, the United Nations said today. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said all 711 schools it runs for 526,000 pupils in the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria would open for the coming school year. There had been warnings from UN chief Antonio Guterres and others that the schools might not be able to open due to funding shortages provoked by US President Donald Trump's decision to withhold aid to the Palestinians. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) said it had mobilised an additional $238 million since the start of the year, but added that it currently only had enough cash to keep its services operating through September. "We need a further $217 million to ensure that our schools not only open but can be run until the end of the year," the agency said in a statement. The schools are due to open over a staggered time period between August 29 and September 2. UNRWA has faced a $300 million freeze in funding from the United States as Trump demands changes to the agency and seeks to pressure the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table. Other countries have since provided additional contributions but UNRWA says it is not enough. The agency provides services to more than three million Palestinian refugees and their descendants across the Middle East and employs more than 20,000 people, the vast majority Palestinians. Last month, UNRWA announced it was cutting more than 250 jobs in the Palestinian territories due to the funding crisis. UNRWA was set up after the 1948 war that accompanied the creation of Israel, during which more than 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes. Israel argues the agency is biased against it and perpetuates the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. UN officials and others say that the agency provides vital services to the vulnerable communities under its mandate. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special United Nations panel is urging Bahrain to immediately release imprisoned activist Nabeel Rajab, describing him as the victim of government-sponsored "persecution" for his political views in the island kingdom. The statement by the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention comes as Rajab is serving a five-year prison sentence for tweets he sent, a case widely criticised internationally as the kingdom's government continues a crackdown on dissent. He faces further time in prison on other charges similarly denounced abroad. Bahrain, home to the US Navy's 5th Fleet and a British naval base, did not immediately respond to a request for comment today on the panel's statement. The kingdom did not respond to the UN panel's questions regarding Rajab's case. "Mr Rajab's political views and convictions are clearly at the centre of the present case and that the authorities have displayed an attitude towards him that can only be characterized as discriminatory," the panel said. "He has been the target of persecution, including deprivation of liberty, for many years and there is no other explanation for this except that he is exercising his right to express such views and convictions." Rajab has faced years of imprisonment and a government campaign coordinated against him for backing the island's 2011 Arab Spring protests. Then, the island's Shiite majority and others demanded more political freedoms from the kingdom's ruling Sunni family, the Al Khalifa. Bahrain ultimately put down the demonstrations, relying on reinforcements from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Rajab was sentenced in August 2012 to three years in prison for allegedly fomenting clashes between police and protesters, a case similarly criticized by the UN panel. At the time, he was already serving a three-month sentence for posting anti-government comments on Twitter. He was released in May 2014 after serving two years, but was detained again over his comments on Twitter. Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa pardoned Rajab in July 2015 over concerns about his health after the activist served some three months in prison. But Rajab was again arrested in June 2016 over his tweets alleging abuse at Bahrain's Jaw prison and criticizing civilian casualties in the Yemen war waged by a Saudi-led coalition, of which Bahrain is a member. Prosecutors also investigated the 53-year-old activist for letters he wrote while imprisoned that were later published by newspapers Le Monde and The New York Times. Bahrain's constitution guarantees its citizens freedom of speech. However, Rajab was prosecuted under laws making it illegal to offend a foreign country, spread rumors at wartime or "insult" a government agency. The UN panel criticised those laws being as "vague and overly broad." "Denials of a universally accepted human right to freedom of opinion and expression should not be meekly condoned by a domestic court," the panel said. The panel's appeal is unlikely to sway the rulers of Bahrain, an island off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf. The United States previously publicly pushed back against Bahrain on human rights matters, using its influence as the island's defense guarantor with over 7,000 US troops attached to a sprawling base in Manama that hosts the 5th Fleet. However, President Donald Trump's administration has approved a multibillion-dollar sale of F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain without the human rights conditions imposed by the State Department under President Barack Obama. Trump himself told also King Hamad in May 2017 "there won't be strain with this administration". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An undertrial sitting in a police van was shot at by a bike-borne assailant outside a court in Chhata town today, a police official said. Karmveer was rushed to a private hospital, where his condition is stated to be critical, SP (rural) Aditya Kumar Shukla said. He was brought to the court from jail by police for appearance during the hearing of a case. A probe into the matter is underway, Shukla said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttar Pradesh government might drop the Jewar International Airport project in Gautam Buddh Nagar on Delhi's outskirts if the farmers do not agree to hand over their land for acquisition, a top official said today. Chairman of Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development authority (YEIDA) Prabhat Kumar told PTI here they met over 100 farmers of six villages yesterday in Noida and tried to clear their doubts regarding the land acquisition. "We met village heads and farmers of six villages, where land was proposed to be acquired for the project. They were given offer regarding land rates and other benefits. If they (farmers) do not agree, the airport project might be dropped," he said. "The farmers were assured that their land will not be procured without their willingness as per the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The farmers will consider our proposal and respond. We hope for the best," said Kumar, who is also UP agriculture production commissioner. Top officials of Gautam Buddh Nagar administration, including District Magistrate Brajesh Narayan Singh today held discussions with the farmers in Jewar to negotiate the deal. As per the offer, farmers would be given Rs 2,300 to Rs 2,500 per square metre for the agricultural land that is to be acquired for an international airport in Jewar, along the 165 km Yamuna Expressway. Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh said if the farmers settle for Rs 2,500 per sq foot, the YEIDA would not provide them rehabilitation and other services but if they negotiate the deal at Rs 2,300 per sq foot, the authority would assist them in rehabilitation. "However, the government will take a decision with mutual consent from the farmers. No farmer would be pressured for the land acquisition," he added. During a visit here on August 3, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had held a meeting with the farmers over the issue. He had then directed the district administration to resolve the concerns of the farmers and submit a report on the land acquisition in eight days. The state government, in the first phase, wants to acquire 1,441 hectare from eight villages -- Rohi, Parohi, Banwaribas, Ramner, Dayanatpur, Kishorpur, Mukimpur Shivara and Ranhera. Of these, three villages will be excluded from the acquisition process as of now, as land from Ramner, Mukimpur Shivara and Banwaribas will not be needed. The government will acquire a total of 5,000 hectares for the project and its estimated budget is Rs 15,000- 20,000 crore. As per plans, the airport is expected to become operational by 2022-23. "If farmers agree to the offer, the land will bought by September and immediate payment will be made and the project will be inaugurated in October," a senior official said. Conceived in 2001 when Rajnath Singh was the chief minister, the Jewar Airport project has seen several hurdles, mostly owing to a tussle between the central and state governments. The plan was forgotten after the BJP was voted out of power in Uttar Pradesh. In the years that followed, the state saw the BSP and SP in the saddle. In 2010, then chief minister Mayawati attempted to revive the project. But, then UPA government at the Centre raised objections, saying an airport in Jewar could affect business at IGI Airport in the national capital. When the SP came to power in 2012, it moved a fresh proposal for the airport to be built in Agra. After concerns were raised by the then defence minister over its proximity to the IAF base in Kheria, it was proposed that the project be moved to Firozabad or then party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's village, Saifai. It was in 2014, when the BJP came to power at the Centre, that current Union minister Mahesh Sharma, elected as MP from the Gautam Buddh Nagar Lok Sabha constituency, said setting up an international airport in Jewar was one of his top priorities. In 2017, ten months after the Civil Aviation Ministry asked the government to conduct a fresh techno-economic feasibility and obstacle limitation survey, YEIDA appointed engineering consultancy company RITES for the job. The project was put on fast track after the BJP won the Assembly polls in UP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US newspapers big and small today hit back at President Donald Trump's relentless attacks on the media, launching a coordinated campaign of editorials stressing the importance of a free press. Leading the charge was The Boston Globe, which had issued an appeal for this drive -- accompanied by the hashtag #EnemyofNone -- that has been joined by more than 200 newspapers around the country. "Today in the United States we have a president who has created a mantra that members of the media who do not blatantly support the policies of the current US administration are the 'enemy of the people,'" the Globe editorial said. "This is one of the many lies that have been thrown out by this president, much like an old-time charlatan threw out 'magic' dust or water on a hopeful crowd," it added in a piece entitled "Journalists are not the Enemy". Trump's treatment of the press is also encouraging strongmen such as Vladimir Putin of Russia and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey to treat journalists like enemies, the Globe argued. The coordinated effort comes amid Trump's persistent claims that mainstream media outlets that publish articles critical of him are churning out "fake news". Free press advocates argue that Trump's efforts threaten the role of the media as a check against abuse of power in government and imperil the constitutional First Amendment guarantee of freedom of the press. The New York Times, one of the most frequent targets of Trump's criticism, ran a short, seven-paragraph editorial under a giant headline with all capital letters that read "A FREE PRESS NEEDS YOU" and with the statement that it is only right for people to criticize the press, say, for getting something wrong. "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," the Times wrote. Across the country, other papers joined in, defending their place in society -- from upholding the truth to simply saving people time. "At a practical level, we journalists sit through boring government meetings and learn about public school financing formulas, so you don't have to," said The Arizona Daily Star. "It's not as lofty a statement as the First Amendment, but it serves." Free press advocates say Trump is a real threat to the role of the press. "I don't think the press can just sit back and take it, they need to make their case when the most powerful man in the world tries to undercut the First Amendment," said Ken Paulson, a former editor-in-chief of USA Today who heads the Newseum's First Amendment Centre and is dean of communications at Middle Tennessee State University. But Paulson questioned whether editorials would be effective. "The people who read editorials don't need to be convinced," he said. "They are not the ones trying to shout you down at presidential rallies." In the face of a White House onslaught, Paulson said the media needs a broader marketing campaign to highlight the importance of a free press as a core value. The campaign also faces the potential for galvanising supporters of the president around the notion that the media is out to get him. "The media are organising an ever more deliberate and public attack on @realDonaldTrump and on the 'deplorable' half of the country who support him. And the media wonders why we think they are 'fake '" tweeted Mike Huckabee, a former Republican governor who is a Fox News commentator. But media rights advocates say the stakes are too high to allow the president's claims to go unchecked. Some say Trump's comments have incited threats against journalists covering his events, and may have created a climate of hostility that opened the door to violent attacks like a deadly one in June against the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US, Russia and Japan today condoled the demise of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Vajpayee, one of India's most charismatic leaders, who led the nation through several crises while holding together a tenuous coalition with his inclusive and superlative oratory, died here today at the age of 93. The American Embassy here, in a statement, said the US grieves with India on the loss of the former prime minister. "He will be remembered for his immense contribution in bolstering US-India relations. During his tenure, Prime Minister Vajpayee advocated for a robust partnership with the United States, referring to us as 'natural allies'," it said. The US mission in India extends its deepest condolences to the family of Vajpayee and the citizens of India, it said. Ambassador of Russia to India Nikolay Kudashev said, "We mourn the death of Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a great statesman". Vajpayee's name became an integral part of a whole era in Indian politics, the envoy said. "His devoted service to the nation can hardly be overestimated. Mr Vajpayee enjoyed due respect in India and globally. We knew him also as a poet, a man of knowledge and a true friend of our country, where he is well-known as one of the architects of our long-lasting and time-tested privileged strategic partnership," Kudashev said. Japanese envoy to India Kenji Hiramatsu said, "I am deeply saddened by the passing away of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee". Hailing Vajpayee as one of the most inspiring world leaders, the envoy said the upswing in India-Japan relations was only possible by the initiatives started by the former Indian prime minister. "The demise of such a great leader is a great loss not only to India but also to Japan and other part of Asia as well as the entire international community," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has issued a warning letter to Apotex Research, the Indian arm of Canadian pharmaceutical major Apotex Inc, for violating current good manufacturing practice norms at its Bengaluru-based plant. In the letter, the USFDA said inspectors during November 6-17, 2017, had found significant deviations from standard manufacturing practices at Apotex Research Pvt Ltd's Bengaluru-based plant. "This warning letter summarises significant violations of current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) regulations for finished pharmaceuticals...because your methods, facilities, or controls for manufacturing, processing, packing, or holding do not conform to CGMP, your drug products are adulterated," USFDA said. The significant violations included company's failure to thoroughly investigate any unexplained discrepancy or failure of a batch or any of its components to meet any of its specifications, the US health regulator said. USFDA said the company's investigations into out-of-specification (OOS) laboratory results and manufacturing deviations were insufficient and did not include scientifically-supported conclusions. Besides, "Your firm failed to establish appropriate in-process specifications to ensure the quality..Your firm's quality systems are inadequate," it added. USFDA noted that the company's inspectional history indicates that its quality unit does not fully exercise authority, such as ensuring that appropriate investigations are performed with sound conclusions, identifying root causes, and supporting scientific justification. "Your firm must provide your quality unit with appropriate authority, sufficient resources, and staff to carry out its responsibilities and consistently ensure drug quality," it said. Because the company failed to correct repeat violations, USFDA strongly recommends engaging a consultant to assist the firm in meeting CGMP requirements, it added. Until all corrections have been completed and FDA has confirmed corrections of the violations and the firm's compliance with CGMP, FDA may withhold approval of any new applications or supplements, the USFDA said. In addition, the company's failure to correct these violations may result in FDA continuing to refuse admission of articles manufactured at the plant into the US, it added. The FDA issued the letter on August 9, and has given the company 15 days to respond. The company could not be reached for comments over the FDA letter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a jovial person and a simple human being, recalled his relatives from Ahmedabad in Gujarat. Local BJP leader Poonam Vajpayee, who is married to Vajpayee's nephew Surendra Kumar Vajpayee, said the former PM's death is a great loss to the nation. "This is a moment of grief for the entire family as well as our nation. We feel that our family has lost its guardian. However, it is also true that Vajpayeeji will always remain alive into the minds of people through his work, poetry and memories," she said. Poonam said personalities like Vajpayee never die. "I had last met Vajpayee in 2006. He was my husband's uncle. My son is already in Delhi and my husband is about to leave for Delhi to attend last rites of Vajpayee," she said. Surendra Kumar Vajpayee's sister Binaben shared some memories of Vajpayee. "Vajpayeeji was my uncle. We all belong to the same family. Such was his influence on us that we started living a simple life. He was very jovial and always met us with warmth," Binaben recalled. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi today described former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a "towering figure" who stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts. Expressing sadness over his demise, the former Congress chief said his warm personality and gift of friendship won him admirers and friends across the political spectrum and every walk of life. "I am deeply saddened by the passing away of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee....His death leaves behind a huge void. I join millions of our fellow Indians in mourning his loss and pray for the departed soul," she said in her condolence message. "Shri Vajpayee was a towering figure in our national life. Throughout his life, he stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts, whether as a parliamentarian, a cabinet minister, or prime minister of India. He was a spell-binding orator, a leader of great vision, a patriot to the core for whom the national interest was paramount. "But above all, he was a man with a very large heart and a real spirit of magnanimity. One saw that in all his interactions -- with other political parties and their leaders, with foreign governments, with coalition partners, and indeed with his own political colleagues, whom he always treated with respect and courtesy," she said. Vajpayee, one of India's most charismatic leaders who led the nation through several crises while holding together a tenuous coalition with his inclusive and superlative oratory, died here today. He was 93. Vajpayee, a bachelor, is survived by his adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. He will be cremated tomorrow in New Delhi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai played a significant role in the political journey of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Vajpayee, who died today, had announced his retirement from public life in 2005 at a rally at Shivaji Park after the party's national executive meeting here, BJP leader Madhav Bhandari said. "Atalji had then declared that he was retiring from public life and announced that L K Advani would lead the party," Bhandari recalled. The 2005 national executive meeting here was held to mark the party's Rajat Jayanti (silver jubilee) celebrations, he said. Vajpayee's speech during the BJP Mumbai Maha Adhiveshan (grand convention) in 1980 mesmerised many a BJP worker and the sign-off is still quoted during poll campaigns. At the rally after the convention, Vajpayee had expressed confidence that the 'lotus' (BJP's poll symbol) will bloom. "Atalji had said: Andhera Chhatega, Sooraj Niklega, Kamal Khilega (The darkness will go, the sun will come out and the lotus will bloom)," he said. During the convention, Vajpayee stayed at party leader Vedprakash Goyal's home, while Advani stayed with his relative in Mumbai. In 1995, at the BJP Maha Adhiveshan at the Mahalaxmi Race Course, Advani announced Vajpayee's name as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar said. Vajpayee was always supportive of the alliance with the Sena, he said. After the alliance was formed in the early 90s, Thackeray was invited for a BJP national executive meeting here, he added. In 2001, the arthritis-affected right knee of Vajpayee, then prime minister, was successfully replaced in an operation at the Breach Candy Hospital here. Vajpayee had been awake during the 70-minute surgery, performed under epidural anaesthesia (in which the body down the waist becomes numb) by Dr Chittaranjan Ranawat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) FM welcomes UN secretary-general call to investigate into Thursday's coalition warplanes airstrikes in saada [16/August/2018] SANAA, Aug. 16 (saba) Foreign Affairs minister, Hisham Sharaf, on Wednesday met with acting Resident Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sana'a. The meeting dealt with mutual cooperation between Yemen and the commissioner and the means to develop it. Sharaf welcomed the call of the UN general-Secretary to investiage on Saudi-led warplanes' crime against a schoolchildren bus in Dahyan district of Saada. During this meeting, the FM delivered to the official of the commission a message addressed to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein , in which he welcome the call of UN general-secretry to investigate into Thursday's airstrikes against a bus carrying schoolchildren in Dahyan district of Saada. FM welcomed the condemnation of Al-Hussein to this crime. Ahmed Al-Mutawakel saba Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was often described as the moderate face of the BJP, was a true believer in a multi-party democracy, Left parties said today. Left leaders, who were otherwise strong critics of the former prime minister's ideology, said Vajpayee always kept open the lines of consultation when he was in government and reached out to opposition parties before taking important decisions. "When the US invaded Iraq and asked India to be a part of the coalition forces, Vajpayee had called Left leaders - CPI leader A B Bardhan and CPI(M) leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet - at an all-party meeting to discuss the matter. "Left leaders had raised objection to India supporting the US. Vajpayee told the Left leaders that 'jao bahar jake jor se bolo', meaning they should raise their voice against the US on streets. Next day Parliament passed a resolution stating India will not be part of the coalition forces," CPI leader D Raja told PTI. CPI(M) said the very fact that such an important issue was brought to Parliament, displayed that Vajpayee valued the observations of opposition parties. "There are other instances where he displayed character which is very different from today's government. That is - ideologically or politically there can be issues of confrontations, but when it comes to personal rapport with other leaders or parties there was difference that we don't see today. That is why he was acceptable to a large section of people. Whatever face he had he had good relations with all parties," CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said. Though the Left parties used to call Vajpayee a "mask" of the RSS, hiding his party's links with Hindu groups, they, however, agreed that he openly disagreed with his party's line on several issues. "Vajpayee's trusted lieutenant L K Advani and most BJP politicians supported the demolition of Babri Masjid but Vajpayee condemned the attack unequivocally," Raja said. Noting that the former prime minister had taken political positions according to the BJP-RSS agenda, the two Left leaders said he never showed the aggressive of the BJP present today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha government declared a public holiday tomorrow and a seven-day state mourning as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee who passed away in New Delhi today, an official release said. State Governor Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed deep grief over the demise of Vajpayee. Patnaik, who had served as union minister for steel and mines in the Vajpayee government from March 1998 to March 2000 before assuming the office of Odisha chief minister, said: "It is a great national loss today as much as a personal loss for me." The official release said during the seven-day state mourning period, there will be no official celebration and the National Flag will fly half-mast on government buildings. Besides all educational institutions, banks operating in the state will remained closed tomorrow, the release said. "I am deeply grieved to learn about the passing away of former prime minister, a great statesman and Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee," the governor said in a condolence message. "He (Vajpayee) had love for everybody and was loved by everybody. His demise is the end of an era. Yug Purush Atalji's thoughts, sentiments and emotions were all dedicated and devoted to the uplift of the nation and for the welfare of the humanity at large," the governor said. Stating that he will always cherish the association with Vajpayee, Patnaik said "I will remember my initial years in He (Vajpayee) embodied a unique combination of grace, idealism and tolerance in " Patnaik entered in 1997 after the demise of his father Biju Patnaik. He was elected to Lok Sabha on Janata Dal ticket from Aska Lok Sabha seat in 1997. He was elected to Lok Sabha from the same seat also in 1998 and 1999. "I am deeply grieved over demise of Vajpayeeji. India has lost one of its tallest leaders. He was loved by the people of India and of course the people of Odisha as well. May his soul rest in peace," Patnaik told reporters after paying his tribute to the late leader at the AIIMS, New Delhi. Describing Vajpayee as a statesman, who was admired across political spectrum which is rare, he said his depth of vision and understanding of issues was unparalleled. "He was a man of firm principles and an idealistic poet," Patnaik said. "It is truly the end of an era. Vajpayeeji had a large heart with a special corner for Odisha, a love that it was equally reciprocated by the people of Odisha. We will miss you Vajpayeeji," Patnaik, president of ruling Biju Janata Dal, said in a statement. Earlier today, Patnaik had rushed to the national capital to enquire about Vajpayee's health condition as soon as he received about the worsening health condition of the former Prime Minister. However, Vajpayee's passing away was announced when Patnaik had been in the AIIMS premises. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An astute politician known for his great oratory skills, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee won the hearts of many across the political spectrum with his wit and sobriety and was by far one of the most respected leaders in the country's history. Vajpayee enjoyed a good rapport with leaders of different political leanings including Chandrashekhar, Sonia Gandhi, Narasimha Rao, Pranab Mukherjee, Sharad Pawar, and Left stalwarts like Harkishen Singh Surjit, A B Bardhan and former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee. Though his government collapsed first after 13 days and then again after 13 months, his pragmatic approach attracted many allies towards the BJP which was earlier considered as "untouchable" especially after the Babri Masjid demotion. During a debate on trust vote in Parliament, opposition leaders had said that Vajpayee was a good leader but in the wrong party. He responded by saying, "Vajpayee to achha hai, par party theek nahi hai. Toh achche Vajpayee ka kya karne ka iraada rakhte hain. (You say that Vajpayee is good, but his party is not...Then what do you intend to do with the good Vajpayee.) The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government that he ran in 1998 enjoyed the support of a large number of political parties and leaders like Jayalalithaa and Mamata Banerjee. In his 13-month NDA government in 1998, he had the support of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Samata Party, Biju Janata Dal, Shiromani Akali Dal, Nationalist Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Lok Shakti, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhhagam, Haryana Vikas Party, Janata Party, Mizo National Front, NTR TDP(LP). In 1999, the NDA government, which was the only non-Congress government to have lasted its full term, had the suppport of Janata Dal United, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Samata Party, Biju Janata Dal, Shiromani Akali Dal, Nationalist Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Lok Shakti, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhhagam, Haryana Vikas Party, Indian National Lok Dal and Mizo National Front, Sikkim Democratic Front, Manipur State Congress Party. The Telugu Desam Party extended external support. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh described Vajpayee as a great patriot and among modern India's tallest leaders who spent his whole life serving the country. He also described him as a great prime minister and an outstanding parliamentarian, besides being an excellent orator. "His ability and personality were such that people from all walks of life, irrespective of their political leanings, loved and respected Shri Vajpayee ji," he said today. Sonia Gandhi said Vajpayee was a "towering figure" who stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts. "His warm personality and his gift of friendship won him admirers and friends across the political spectrum and from every walk of life," she said. He was a spell-binding orator, a leader of great vision, a patriot to the core for whom the national interest was paramount. But above all, he was a man with a very large heart and a real spirit of magnanimity, she said. One saw that in all his interactions -- with other political parties and their leaders, with foreign governments, with coalition partners, and indeed with his own political colleagues, whom he always treated with respect and courtesy, the former Congress president said. Former President Pranab Mukherjee said Vajpayee was a reasoned critique in the opposition, who dominated the space like a titan, and a seeker of consensus as prime minister. "A democrat to the core, Atalji dominated the opposition space like a titan and led the government with aplomb. An inheritor and practitioner of the best traditions and qualities of leadership," he said. One of his associates, who worked closely with Vajpayee said, "he was affable and shared very personal relations with opposition leaders". He also said that the former prime minister shared an excellent rapport with leaders of various parties, who despite being his political adversaries, liked and admired him. Once when the opposition wrote a letter bearing Vajpayee's signature to Speaker Somnath Chatterjee raising objections over his "bias" towards, Chatterjee, who shared a good rapport with the BJP leader, expressed his pain and sadness but Vajpayee said he had his "party compulsions". When Chatterjee asked what were his "party compulsions", Vajpayee retorted that he will invite him to his residence along with BJP allies after which he would understand his situation better. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to leave for Delhi later today, in the backdrop of critical condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, an official said. "The chief minister is now in Chimur in Vidarbha region for a public event. He will go to Nagpur and from there, fly to Delhi later this afternoon," a CMO official told PTI. Vajpayee, 93, was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. The BJP veteran's condition remains critical and he continues to be on advanced life-support system, AIIMS said in a statement today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda today mourned the death of A B Vajpayee, saying with his passing a vacuum has been created in polity, as several state leaders joined him in expressing grief. In his condolence message, Gowda said with the death of Vajpayee, the country lost a statesman and politician who believed in the country's diverse culture. "He was a true parliamentarian. With his death, a vacuum has been created in polity and end of an era of in this country. He was a great orator who refused to attack hisopponent personally. He did not allow the House to be disturbed during my tenure as the prime minister for the 11months," Gowda said. Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy described Vajpayee as being among a "rare breed" ofpoliticians who lived as per the values they believed in. "His death has created a vacuum in the political circle of the country," he said. Quoting a line from Vajpayee's poem that said "Will never accept defeat, will never be afraid of new challenges", Kumaraswamy said it was a mirror to his personality. He was a great orator and parliamentarian, he said. Congress' Karnataka president Dinesh Gundu Rao took to Twitter to condole the death. "Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of the most well-respected, loved and broad hearted political statesman India has seen. A towering personality and a great orator. I express my deepest condolences on his passing away. We are all going to miss him," he tweeted. BJP state president and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa said it was a great loss to the country, especially BJP, for which he was a leading and guiding spirit. "Country has lost a great political thinker and a statesman in the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee," Yeddyurappa said in his message. The former chief minister recalled that Vajpayee's organisational and political acumen were put to test during his regime when he led the NDA comprising more than 25 parties with political agenda of their own. "Still the words of Vajpayee at Mumbai plenary session of BJP in the 1990 when BJP got only two seats in the Lok Sabha, 'Andhera Chatega, Suraj Niklega, Kamal Khilega' (Darkness goes, sun rises and lotus blooms) keeps reminding me of his vision and optimism in This vision and optimism of Vajpayee made the workers and leaders to work harder and Narendra Modi to win the elections 2014 by a thumping majority," Yeddyurappa said. Others who expressed grief over the death were deputy chief minister Parameshwara, Congress vice president Eshwar Khandre and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra BJP Office Secretary Mukund Kulkarni is still overwhelmed by the presence of Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his wedding ceremony in Delhi in 1996. "It was January 26. Atalji, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, reached my wedding venue in Delhi shortly after 10 am, after the Republic Day event in the national capital," Kulkarni said. "His presence at the wedding of a BJP 'karyakarta' (party worker) like me is a moment I shall cherish," Kulkarni told PTI. When Vajpayee was informed that the wedding 'muhurat' was at 12.40 pm, he said time was not an issue and stayed for over three hours, leaving only after the ceremony got over, Kulkarni said, mourning the veteran leader, who died today. "Atalji met everyone, including my mother and other family members," he said. State BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said he had the "privilege" of watching Marathi movie Shwaas (The Breath), which was India's official entry to the 2004 Oscars. The film depicted the story of how an old man tries to show his grandson the preciousness and beauty of life. Vajpayee watched the movie at a special screening in Mumbai in October 2004, taking time out from election campaign. Later, addressing a rally at Shivaji Park here, he digressed from poll speak to extol the movie which was the first Marathi film to win a national award in nearly five decades. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the first external affairs minister to deliver a speech in Hindi at the UN General Assembly, effectively raised India's stand on key issues like nuclear disarmament, state-sponsored terrorism and reforms at the world body. Vajpayee, in his role as foreign minister and prime minister, visited the UN headquarters to deliver speeches to the UNGA on seven occasions from 1977 to 2003. Known for his great oratory skills, Vajpayee first addressed the UNGA's 32nd session in 1977 as the foreign minister under the Janata Party government headed by then prime minister Morarji Desai. "I am a newcomer to the United Nations, but India is not, having been associated actively with the Organisation from its very inception. "As one who has been a parliamentarian in my own country for two decades and more, I feel a special sense of exhilaration in attending this assembly of nations for the first time," Vajpayee said in the historic address. It was the first time that an Indian leader had delivered the speech in Hindi at the UNGA as other Indian leaders had opted to speak in English, the dominant language at the forum. It is said that Vajpayee, who was also fluent in English, was the force behind uplifting Hindi to the international platform by using the language at the UN each time de delivered a speech. He touched the subject of the Non-Aligned Movement and said that the India "stands firmly for peace, non-alignment and friendship with all countries." "The vision of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakum - the world is one family - is an old one. We in India have all along believed in the concept of the world as one family," Vajpayee said. In his speech, he said that India looks forward to consolidating the process of normalisation of relations with Pakistan, not only to ensure durable peace, but to promote beneficial bilateral co-operation. In 1978, Vajpayee again visited the UNGA as the foreign minister and raised the issue of nuclear disarmament. "There is no let-up in the arms race either quantitatively or qualitatively. Disarmament is still a distant goal; and the probability of a nuclear war looms over us like a menacing shadow. "India believes that partial measures such as the creation of zones free of nuclear weapons comprising the nuclear 'have-nots' are not likely to generate any genuine feeling of security unless there is, at the same time, significant progress towards nuclear disarmament," he said. In 1998, Vajpayee returned to deliver a speech at the UNGA as prime minister and met then Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif in New York. "India has demonstrated that democracy can take root in a developing country. "I am confident that the Indian experience will prove that democracy can also provide the basis for stable, long-term economic growth in developing societies. That is the path that the people of India have chosen, and I stand before the Assembly today as the symbol of this new resurgent," he said. In 2000, Vajpayee went to the UNGA to address the Millennium Summit of the UN. He spoke about terrorism, the danger of a nuclear war and India's nuclear programmes. "The danger of nuclear war remains a serious threat to global peace and security in the new era whose arrival is marked by this Summit. "India was forced to develop these weapons in 1998 because the principal nuclear-weapon States refused to accept the almost-universal demand for disarmament. Moreover, the spread of nuclear weapons in our neighbourhood made us especially vulnerable," Vajpayee said. He returned to address the UNGA's 56th session in 2001 and talked about the policy of sponsoring terrorism by some states as the session was being held in the shadow of the 9/11 attacks. "We in India know from our own bitter experience that terrorists develop global networks driven by religious extremism. Their operations are supported by drug trafficking, money laundering and arms smuggling. "Some states follow a policy of sponsoring and sheltering them. Terrorists can only be countered through closely coordinated efforts of the international community," he said. In 2002, Vajpayee again raised the issue of state-sponsored terrorism and nuclear blackmail in South Asia in his address at the 57th session of the UNGA. "In our South Asian region, nuclear blackmail has emerged over the past few months as a new arrow in the quiver of state-sponsored terrorism. "Dark threats were held out that actions by India to stamp out cross-border terrorism could provoke a nuclear war," he warned. Vajpayee's last address at the UNGA came in 2003 when he criticised the world body at the 58th session, saying "the United Nations has not always been successful in preventing conflicts or in resolving them and cited the example of Iraq. He said that "we need to introspect on some of the assumptions that have been made over the years concerning the will and reach of the UN. "We realised that the United Nations does not possess magical powers to solve every crisis in all parts of the globe or to change overnight the motivation of leaders and communities around the world." Vajpayee said that there is a need to clearly recognise, with a sense of realism, the limits to what the United Nations can achieve, and the changes of form and function required for it to play an optimal role in today's world. A 10-time Lok Sabha member, Vajpayee announced his retirement from in 2005. He died in New Delhi today at the age of 93. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee would always listen to his alliance partners as that was his style of working, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee recalled today after paying tribute to the BJP stalwart. Banerjee, who flew to Delhi from Kolkata this evening, spent an hour at Vajpayee's residence to pay her last respects to the leader, under whom she had served as a Union minister. "We have worked together. We supported his government from outside. He worked with all. It was his style of working. He always listened to us. Nitishji, Jayalalithaaji, Navinji -- we were all together. There was no difference among us," she said. Banerjee said she could not control her emotions when she visited the "great leader" in 2011 after she became the chief minister of West Bengal. "He wanted to say something to me, but could not. I kept in touch with his daughter," she told reporters outside Vajpayee's residence. The residents of Harish Chatterjee Street in south Kolkata still remember the day in July 2000 when then prime minister Vajpayee came calling to their narrow lane. Vajpayee had come to visit Banerjee, then railway minister in his cabinet. The veteran politician, along with his family members, paid a visit to Banerjee's house and met her mother Gayatri Devi. He had touched Gayatri Devi's feet. He was greeted with the blowing of conch shells. Remembering Vajpayee's visit to her Kalighat home, Banerjee, before leaving for Delhi, said, "He had come to my residence and I am grateful to him for that. Both families share a very cordial relationship." MPs Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Dinesh Trivedi will represent the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) at Vajpayee's cremation in the national capital tomorrow. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today expressed profound grief over the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said the life of a "shining star" in Indian has come to an end. Singh said Vajpayee was not only a towering figure in the Indian politics, but also an international leader. "In dont have words to bid farewell to Atal ji. He was my 'guru' (mentor) and father figure to me. Like 125 crore people of India, I am also stunned and disturbed on his death," Singh said in a statement issued here. "He was a great leader not only for India, but for the entire world. In his passing away, the life of a shining star in has come to an end," Singh said. Vajpayee was popular among all sections of the society and also political parties, the BJP leader said. "Over 2.50 crore people of Chhattisgarh will always remember him as the founder of this state. In 1998, Vajpayee had promised to form Chhattisgarh while addressing a massive public rally in Raipur and he fulfilled his promise in 2000 (the year the state came into existence)," he said. He had visited the state several times, Singh added. Remembering his association with Vajpayee, Singh said, "I got the opportunity to work under the leadership of the then prime minister from 1999 to 2003 as a Union minister." Singh was in Chandigarh today to take part in the final rites of Governor Balramji Dass Taondon, who died on August 14 at a government hospital in Raipur. The chief minister later left for New Delhi. Vajpayee (93) died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital in New Delhi after a prolonged illness. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) This statement was originally published on article19.org on 10 August 2018. On 6 August 2018, Bangladeshi photojournalist Shahidul Alam was arrested and detained for allegedly "making provocative comments", and "giving false information" to media, contrary to the Information Communications Technology Act (ICT Act). He remains in detention. Since being taken into custody, Alam has been denied access to his lawyers, and was reportedly beaten and is in poor health. Authorities initially agreed that Alam would be taken to hospital for medical assistance, but after a brief visit on 8 August he has been returned to detention. We, the undersigned civil society organisations, call for Shahidul Alams immediate and unconditional release, that all allegations against him be dropped, and that he receive proper medical care. 63-year old Alam was arrested at his home in Dhaka on the evening of 5 August 2018 and brought into police custody a few hours after he posted a video on Facebook and participated in an interview with Al Jazeera about the ongoing road safety protests in Dhaka, where more than 40 journalists and media workers have been injured by groups of armed men. Alam is accused of violations under Section 57 of the Information Communications Technology Act. However, journalists and rights activists have consistently raised concerns that the law is incompatible with international human rights standards, including Bangladeshs international obligations under Article 19 of the ICCPR, due to its broad powers to restrict online expression. It has been widely applied against journalists and ordinary citizens who have been arrested, prosecuted and jailed solely for their expression. On 9 August, a petition by Alams lawyers was heard at the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh demanding they have access to Alam, that he be brought before the court and seeking a court order that he is not subjected to ill-treatment while in custody. The High Court ordered the Home Secretary of the Government of Bangladesh to "arrange medical treatment" for Alam in accordance with Section 2(6) of the Torture and Custodial Death Prevention Act 2013, to make a full medical assessment for ill-treatment, and to report to the court by 13 August 2018. ARTICLE 19 and the undersigned national and international human rights organisations call for Shahidul Alams immediate and unconditional release, and that all allegations against him be dropped as they represent a blatant violation of his right to freedom of expression. We further urge the Ministry of Home Affairs to immediately comply with the courts order and grant Alam proper medical assistance without delay. We remain deeply concerned by the use of laws such as the ICT Act in Bangladesh to legally harass journalists and media workers and violate the right to freedom of expression, and call for its urgent repeal. Signed ARTICLE 19 Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) IFEX Index on Censorship Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) Bandhu Social Welfare Society (BSWF) Bangladesh Adivasi Forum Bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Rights Movements (BDERM) Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) German Section of Amnesty International Sramik Nirapotta Forum (SNF) Boys of Bangladesh (BOB) Friends Association for Integrated Revolution (FAIR) Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) National Alliance of Disabled Peoples Organizations Nijera Kori Steps Towards Development Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) Nagorik Uddyog Open Society Foundations Program on Independent Journalism Jagriti Prokashoni Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today expressed deep grief over demise of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and described him as one of the "tallest leaders" of the country. Patnaik had served as union minister for steel and mines in the Vajpayee government from March 1998 to March 2000 till he assumed the office of Odisha chief minister. "I am deeply grieved over demise of Vajpayeeji. India has lost one of its tallest leaders. He was loved by the people of India and of course the people of Odisha as well. May his soul rest in peace," Patnaik told reporters after paying his tribute to the late leader at the AIIMS, New Delhi. Earlier, Patnaik had rushed to the national capital to enquire about Vajpayee's health condition as soon as he received about the worsening health condition of the former Prime Minister. However, Vajpayee's passing away was announced when Patnaik had been in the AIIMS premises. Before leaving the state capital, Patnaik, who is also Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president, had said: "I served as cabinet minister in his (Vajpayee) government for two years. To hear about his health, is very distressing," Asked about his experience of working with the leader, Patnaik said "Vajpayee is a great leader and it was always a very good experience to have worked under him. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today condoled the death of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said the former prime minister will be remembered for his keen interest to develop the North Eastern states. "Under Prime Minister Vajpayee, the Central government created a separate department of Development of North-Eastern Region (DONER) to ensure all-round development in the region, the East-West corridor connecting Assam's Silchar with Gujarat's Porbandar and many more," he said in a statement. Stating that the nation had lost an eminent public figure with his demise, the chief minister said Vajpayee "made immense contribution for the greater good of our country". The Meghalaya government has declared a state holiday tomorrow to mourn his death. "Meghalaya declares State Holiday on August 17 to mourn the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee ji. All schools, colleges and government establishments will remain closed," the Chief Minister's Office said in a Facebook post. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu visited AIIMS today to enquire about the condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who has been undergoing treatment at the premier institute. Vajpayee's condition is critical and he continues to be on advanced life-support system. BJP chief Amit Shah, Union Health Minister J P Nadda, are at AIIMS, while Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and Union ministers Prakash Javadekar, Dharmendra Pradhan are expected to visit the premier medical institute soon. Home Minister Rajnath Singh is also likely to visit AIIMS. The 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party leader was admitted at 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 veteran BJP leader, a diabetic, has one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited AIIMS last evening to enquire about the condition of Vajpayee. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today visited AIIMS to enquire about the health condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who has been undergoing treatment at the premier institute. Vajpayee's condition is critical and he has been put on life-support system. The 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party leader was admitted at the premier 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 veteran BJP leader, a diabetic, has one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited AIIMS last evening to enquire about the condition of Vajpayee. After Modi, several leaders and ministers also visited the hospital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An outspoken activist in Vietnam was jailed for 20 years today for allegedly calling for an election boycott and inciting environmental protests in the one-party state that has little tolerance for dissent. The communist country is notorious for jailing its critics but the harsh sentence was the heaviest in years as a hardline administration in charge since 2016 intensifies its crackdown against activists. Le Dinh Luong was convicted for "attempting to overthrow the state" in a half-day trial against the 52-year-old who appeared gaunt and grey-haired in court in central Nghe An province. The swift trial was conducted with none of his witnesses allowed to testify, which the court mysteriously blamed on "health reasons", his lawyer Ha Huy Son told AFP. "I asked for a cancellation because witnesses were not allowed to speak, but they were not brought to court," Son said, confirming the 20-year jail term. A prominent activist in the region, Luong was accused of posting clips online inciting people to join months-long protests following a toxic leak by a Taiwanese steel firm that caused mass fish deaths in 2016. Luong was also blamed for calling for an election boycott that year, according to state media. His wife told AFP today that he had been unfairly targeted for trying to help people. "My husband is innocent. He has only acted on behalf of the poor and victims of injustices," Nguyen Thi Quy said. Luong joins scores of dissidents, bloggers and lawyers behind bars in Vietnam, where public protests of any kind are banned and political parties prohibited from forming. All media is state-run in the country and many activists like Luong have turned to social media to air grievances. But a new cybersecurity bill that requires Facebook and others to hand over user data and remove "offensive" content if requested by the government threatens to censor one of the few remaining platforms available to activists in the country. Human Rights Watch slammed the charges against Luong ahead of Thursday's verdict. "Locking people up for simply exercising their rights isn't working, and more activists will continue to step forward," deputy Asia director Phil Robertson said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Violence erupted today when cow vigilantes tried to force closure of an unlicensed slaughter house in a remote part of the district, prompting the police to fire in the air and burst tear gas shells for bringing the situation under control, official sources said. The incident took place in Bishanpur locality under Kochadhaman police station area where activists, including a woman, of NGO "Gau Gyan Foundation" asked those running an illegal abattoir to shut shop, a statement issued from the office of District Magistrate Mahendra Kumar said. A mob gathered at the spot and began moving menacingly towards the activists, who rushed to a police outpost nearby and locked themselves inside. When the SHO Abhay Kumar tried to pacify the crowd he was heckled and his uniform ripped apart. As the mob went on the rampage, setting vehicles parked inside the premises on fire, senior officials including the DM and Superintendent of Police Kumar Ashish rushed to the spot. Lathi charge, firing gunshots in the air and bursting of teargas shells were resorted to by the police personnel to quell the mob which fought a pitched battle. Local Congress MP Asrarul Haq Qasmi, Kochadhaman MLA Master Mujahid Alam and AIMIM state president Akhtarul Imam also reached the spot and tried to pacify the angry mob. A flag march was also taken out by police, which was assisted by a battalion of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). The statement issued by the DM's office added that those involved in vandalism and arson at the police outpost would be identified and action will be taken against them once situation was brought fully under control. Kisanganj is in the northeastern part of Bihar bordering with the West Bengal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special court here rejected the bail plea of a former chairman of a private medical college today in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh. Special Judge Samaresh Singh remanded accused Vinod Bhandari to judicial custody. The case against Bhandari was registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). An ED official said Bhandari was the chairman of Indore-based Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences and Medical College (SAIMS) at the time of the alleged admission-and-recruitment scam, commonly known as the Vyapam (Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board) scam. Bhandari was booked on charges of colluding with Madhya Pradesh government officers and the exam mafia responsible for committing irregularities in holding the entrance exams for graduate and post-graduate medical courses during 2012 and 2013, the ED official said. The exams were conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board. Bhandari allegedly collected a huge amount, selected ineligible candidates after the entrance examination and granted them admission in his college, the ED alleged. The agency official said Bhandari was accused of buying properties worth Rs 7 crore with the black money earned in the process. The ED has already attached the immovable assets of Bhandari. The agency has also lodged cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against the government officials who are accused in the Vyapam case. It has also filed a prosecution complaint in the court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Walmart raised its financial outlook for the year after beating Wall Street's expectations for its fiscal second quarter and seeing the strongest growth in more than a decade in sales at established stores. Its shares surged 10 per cent before the opening bell today. The report is strong evidence that Walmart's efforts to improve the experience shoppers have at its stores and expand its online services, particularly in grocery, are helping bring people to its websites and stores. Like many other retailers, Walmart is also benefiting from a stronger job market and rising confidence. Revenue at stores open at least a year rose 4.5 percent at Walmart's U.S. division, topping analysts' expectations for a 2.4 percent increase. The measure is a strong indicator of a retailer's health. The figure was helped by a more than 2 percent increase in customer traffic and in transactions. Online sales soared 40 percent, up from a 33 percent increase the previous quarter. With shoppers feeling confident, the National Retail Federation trade group raised its annual sales forecast this week, citing the results of tax cuts and an improving job market. But it warned that trade wars between China and the US could dampen consumer confidence in the second half of the year, the busiest time for retail. Since buying Jet.com for more than $3 billion two years ago, Walmart has been bolstering its online business by acquiring brands like Bonobos and ModCloth. It's also working to speed up delivery to compete better with Amazon, and is expanding same-day grocery delivery. Walmart is also revamping its website with a focus on fashion and home furnishings and to highlight what services are available, like the ability to order groceries online and pick them up. It has also teamed up with Lord & Taylor to offer the department store dedicated space on its site. Internationally, Walmart has been refocusing on areas with big growth potential like India and China. In May, it acquired a controlling stake in Flipkart, India's largest online retailer, for $16 billion in its biggest acquisition yet. And it is selling its British unit, Asda, which has been struggling with intense competition from German no-frills discounters Aldi and L idl. For the quarter, Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart had a loss of $861 million, or 29 cents per share, because of some sizeable investments. It was also hurt by its investment in online retailer JD.com. Adjusted for those one-time costs, it earned $1.29 per share, easily topping Wall Street projections of $1.21 per share, according to Zacks Investment Research. Revenue came to $128.03 billion, also beating projections. Walmart now projects earnings for the current fiscal year of $4.90 to $5.05 per share, excluding charges related to Flipkart. Analysts expected $4.78 per share, according to FactSet. Walmart shares rose $9.51 to $99.75 in pre-market trading. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his arrest was held for allegedly robbing a cash van and killing two men at Narela in April, police said today. Jitender alias Jeetu (29) was wanted in several murder-cum-robbery cases in the National Capital Region (NCR), Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said. Cash van robberies were reported in Delhi earlier this year. One such incident had taken place at Narela on April 26. Three bike-borne men had allegedly robbed the cash van of a company, after killing two of its employees who had come to collect cash from a wine shop in Vardhman Mall. The accused had decamped with Rs 12 lakh in cash. Three men were arrested in connection with the incident, but Jitender was absconding. Subsequently, Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his arrest. The accused kept changing his hideouts frequently, but the police got to know that he would come to meet some of his associates on a white motorcycle in the early hours of August 11, Yadav said. Accordingly, a trap was laid. When the police tried to nab Jitender, he sped away with the men in uniform on his trail. During the chase of about 10 kilometres, the accused tried to hit the motorcycles of the Special Cell sleuths, who finally managed to intercept him in the Goga Dairy area. The accused tried to flee, leaving his motorcycle behind. He whipped out his pistol and made an attempt to fire at the policemen, but was overpowered. A pistol with four bullets in its magazine and another one in the chamber was seized from him, Yadav said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The residents of Harish Chatterjee Street in South Kolkata still remembers the day in 2000 when the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee came calling to their narrow lane. Vajpayee had come to visit Mamata Banerjee, the then Railway minister in his cabinet. Vajpayee, along with his family members, paid a visit to Banerjee's house and met her mother Gayatri Devi. Vajpayee had touched Gayatri Devi's feet during the visit. He was greeted with the blowing of conch shells. Remembering Vajpayee's visit to her Kalighat home in July 2000, Banerjee, before leaving for Delhi said today, "He (Vajpayee) had come to my residence and I am grateful to him for that. Both families share a very cordial relationship. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had displayed humility by offering his chair on a stage to the wife of his colleague L K Advani at the latter's birthday at a hotel here in 1995, a hotelier recalled today. The hotelier, Dattatreya Chitale, also recalled Vajpayee's fondness for "Kanda Pohe", the traditional Marathi breakfast, whenever he used to visit the hotel located on Apte Road in the city. Chitale, the owner of hotel "Shreyas" which serves vegetarian 'Puneri' cuisine, said Vajpayee must have stayed at his hotel at least 15 to 16 times between 1980 and 1995. He recalled that a three-day national executive meet of the BJP was organised at Arora Tower in Pune in November 1995. BJP leaders, including Advani and Vajpayee, had come to Pune to attend that meet. "Since the BJP had earlier organised their national executive meet at our hotel in 1984, I insisted that all the BJP functionaries should at least have one meal at our hotel. Since Vajpayee always had penchant for our food, he readily consented and it was decided to have dinner on November 7, 1995, on the event of Advaniji's birthday," he recalled. Chitale said after dinner, BJP leaders decided to celebrate Advani's birthday at midnight when Vajpayee, who was declared as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the BJP, was supposed to felicitate Advani. "Two chairs were arranged on a small stage at the hotel as a makeshift arrangement, for Advani and Vajpayee. "All BJP leaders gathered inside the hall and were expecting Advani and Vajpayee to occupy the chairs, Vajpayee did unthinkable," Chitale said. Vajpayee said he was not going to sit beside Advani and invited the latter's wife Kamala Advani from the front row to come and sit beside her husband, according to Chitale. Quoting Vajapyee, he said, "Today this chair belongs to Kamalaji". Recalling Vajpayee's love for 'Kande Pohe', Chitale said the BJP patriarch had come to attend a programme in 1996 in a five-star hotel in Pune. "Since he was a former prime minister (after NDA's first stint ended in 13 days) he was accorded a high-level security. I went to the hotel with 'Kande Pohe' but was stopped by security personnel at the door of his room. "While I was asking the security personnel to let Vajpayeeji know that Chitale has come with 'Kande Pohe', he yelled from inside and instructed the security personnel to allow me inside the room," he recalled. He said Vajpayee was also fond of Marathi theatre. "Once after concluding a programme in Pune, we were returning to the hotel. While our car reached near famous Balgandharva auditorium, Vajpayee hurriedly enquired about the play being staged there and said lets go and watch it. However, that could not happen as it was 11 pm," Chitale recalled. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Long before Atal Bihari Vajpayee became Prime Minister, he used to visit the homes of his childhood friends riding a bicycle, much to the surprise of many here in Madhya Pradesh, his niece Kanti Mishra said. Kanti Mishra said Vajpayee, who died today at the age of 93, was humble in his conduct despite becoming a towering personality in the Indian politics. "Years ago, Atalji used to take my son Nitin Mishra's cycle and often visited his childhood friend Deepak, a Kashmiri, to far off Murar area," Kanti Mishra told PTI. He used to cycle down to the homes of other childhood friends in the city also, she said. The 75-year-old lives next door to the former PM's house in Kamal Singh Ka Bagh area, which plunged into grief after the of Vajpayee's death came. "On hearing about his humble gesture, BJP patriarch Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia once told my Chachaji that if he (Vajpayee) just informs her about his movements in Gwalior, she can send a chauffeur-driven car for him to go around," said Kanti Mishra, taking a trip down the memory lane. "He was a jewel in the crown of India," she said, adding he was the last man of his generation in their family tree. "Chachaji had three brothers, including my father Sada Bihari Vajpayee' and as many sisters - all of them are no more," she said. "I don't have words to express the grief of our family. Chachaji was too fond of me," she added. Kanti Mishra said she visited the BJP stalwart four years ago in New Delhi. "I had visited him four years ago. It was painful to see him lying on the bed. Before this, I had always seen him happy and full of life," she recalls. "My husband O P Mishra rushed to Delhi this afternoon after getting to know that Chachaji was critical," she said. Kanti Mishra said Vajpayee last came to Gwalior, his native town, around 12 years ago. "Chachaji came to Gwalior last time round in 2006 to celebrate his birthday and stayed here for three days," she recalls. Ravi Upadhayay, a photo journalist who lives close to Kanti Mishra's house, said Vajpayee got his two-storey house converted into a free computer training centre and children's library in 1997 in the memory of his father late Krishnaji. The house is spread in an area of around 2,000 sq feet, he adds. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP patriarch Atal Bihari Vajpayee had unsuccessfully tried to file his nomination from Bhind in Madhya Pradesh in 1984 and travelled in a car for the purpose, after Congress' Madhavrao Scindia had jumped into the fray from Gwalior at the last moment. The former prime minister, who died at the AIIMS hospital in Delhi this evening at the age of 93, had represented Madhya Pradesh twice in the Lok Sabha--from his birth place Gwalior in 1971 and Vidisha in 1991. Vajpayee had won the Gwalior Lok Sabha seat in 1971 as a Jan Sangh candidate. However, he lost Gwalior to Madhavrao Scindia, the royal of the Scindia dynasty, of the Congress in 1984. Recalling the events of 1984, veteran journalist Dr Rakesh Pathak said today that Vajpayee was surprised to find that Scindia had filed the nomination papers for the Gwalior seat on the last day of filing the nominations. Pathak claimed that Scindia had jumped into the fray at the behest of the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. He said Vajpayee then tried to file his nomination papers from neighbouring Bhind seat and travelled there in a car, but couldn't make it in time. After his defeat in Gwalior at the hands of Scindia, Vajpayee contested from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh in 1991 and won both the seats, said senior journalist Rakesh Dixit. However, he quit as Vidisha MP and retained Lucknow seat. Vajpayee had won from Lucknow five times (including 1991-96). Another scribe and social worker Dr Keshav Pandey said, "Vajpayee's father Krishna Bihari Vajpayee was working as a teacher at Gorkhi School". He said Vajpayee had studied at Gorkhi School in Gwalior and graduated from Victoria College (now called as Maharani Laxmi Bai College). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) If his popularity helped him win Parliamentary elections 12 times in India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's oratory _ passionate in words and sincere in message _ endeared him to people in Pakistan as well. So much so that after a powerful appeal for peace by Vajpayee in a speech during a historic visit to Lahore in 1999, then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif quipped: "Vajpayee ji ab to aap Pakistan me bhi election jeet sakte hain" (Vajpayee ji now you can win elections in Pakistan also) Such was the charisma of Atal-ji for whom I had the privilege of working. _________ Ashok Kumar Tandon, a former PTI Special Correspondent who was also posted to London, was the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee's media adviser from 1998 to 2004. He is currently the media adviser to Union minister Nitin Gadkari, and wrote this first-person account for PTI of his impressions working with Vajpayee. _________ I had accompanied Atal-ji on his historic bus trip from Amritsar to Lahore _ on the first ever direct bus service between India and Pakistan _ as part of his effort to build peace with Pakistan, a goal that remained close to his heart. As we all know, he signed the Lahore declaration with Nawaz Sharif. I remember in his speech from the lawns of Lahore Governor's House he literally engaged the people of Pakistan in a sort of a dialogue and he made a very passionate appeal for peace which was broadcast live by Pakistan Television. Besides achieving peace with Pakistan, Atal-ji's dearest wish was to restore normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir. Once we were on a holiday in Manali immediately after the 1998 government was formed. At a brainstorming session Atal-ji indicated his mind about his priorities and said his topmost priority would be to improve relations with all our neighbours including Pakistan in a peaceful manner through bilateral dialogues and other priority set was if he could resolve the Jammu & Kashmir issue. He said both the issues were inter-related and then started working in that direction because when he met Mr. Sharif at the Colombo SAARC summit they had one on one talks on the sidelines. He broke the ice and there and I think the dialogue also started there. Then we went on the Lahore Bus peace mission and then the Lahore Declaration followed. Mr. Sharif's comment on Atal-ji's popularity was not only interesting but spoke volumes of his charisma. The Lahore Bus initiative failed and we had to face Kargil. There again he showed his leadership and encouraged the armed forces. India literally emerged victorious in the Kargil war. And his party returned in a big way and NDA got majority. During Atal-ji's first visit to the Kashmir Valley he again touched the chord with the people when he declared that "we want peace in the Valley, we want to resolve all your problems in the spirit of "Jamhuriyat, Insaniyat and Kashmiriyat." His use of expression Kashmiriyat and that the Kashmiri identity would be preserved appealed tremendously to the agitating minds of people in Kashmir. When he talked of the Kashmiriyat and the spirit of Insaniyat that again was an appeal that "we want to solve all your problems without resorting to force and then of course when he said democracy, that means within the framework of the Indian Constitution. So all these terms coined as Vajpaee doctrine on Jammu & Kashmir remain relevant even today. And yesterday also Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the ramparts of the Red Fort made an appeal in the spirit of same doctrine of Kashiriyat, Jamhuriyat and Insaniyat. That was one dimension of Vajpayee ji-s personality. Atal-ji used to work till late in the night and after the office work, he would retire to his Race Course Road residence and then go through his programm for the next day, go over the speeches he had to deliver. He himself would go through that text. Sometimes he would call one of us, suggesting something in his draft speech. He would work till midnight. He used to take his engagements very seriously. If necessary he would stay up beyond midnight also. He used to do his homework. For that he could find time only in the night. Atal-ji began his day with some kind of physical exercise, sometimes using the treadmill and regular walks on the track. Because he wanted to be fit as early as possible after the knee transplant surgery, he used to do extensive physiotherapy. Then he would be meet with the Principal Secretary, PS etc. Atal-ji was very fond of spicy food and sweets, and would order these from special food chains of Lucknow as well as Chandni Chowk. He loved chaat, pakori, kachori. Sweets also. He was very fond of chatpata food. Besides, Atal-ji was very particular about taking care of his guests and would take personal interest in ensuring that visitors were served food of their choice. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The White House has said that Turkey's tariff hikes on US products in retaliation for sanctions against Ankara were "regrettable" and again called for the immediate release of American pastor Andrew Brunson. "The tariffs from Turkey are certainly regrettable and a step in the wrong direction," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said, while stopping short of announcing fresh retaliatory measures. The White House defended a slew of tariffs and sanctions that have substantially weakened Turkey's currency and forced regulators to take steps to curb financial flows out of the country. "The tariffs that the United States placed on Turkey were out of national security interests. Theirs are out of retaliation," said Sanders yesterday. She added that even if pastor Andrew Brunson was released, tariffs would remain in place on steel. Sanders lamented that Turkey had treated Brunson, "who we know to be a very good person and a strong Christian who has done nothing wrong, very unfairly, very badly." When asked about the impact of the US spat with Turkey on the country's currency, the spokeswoman said Washington was "monitoring the situation." But she added: "Turkey's economic problems - those are a part of a long-term trend, something of its own making and not the result of any actions the United States has taken. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today asked the Centre why it should allow the redevelopment of seven south Delhi colonies after it was told that the clearance for the project was granted on the basis of an Impact Assessment (EIA) report that had "copy-pasted" its contents from another project report in Tamil Nadu. A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao said if it allowed the project to go ahead and later it was found that the clearance (EC) was wrongly granted, everything would have to be started afresh, "leading to wastage of public money". "Better to stop now, when the loss would be only Rs 150 crore, than stop later, when the loss would be much more," the court said, while refusing to issue any direction allowing commencement of work at Nauroji Nagar, one of the seven colonies, as sought by the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC). The observation of the bench came after hearing the submissions made by one of the two amici curiae (friends of the court) appointed by it to look into the clearances granted to the project that entailed the felling of over 16,500 trees. Amicus curiae Gautam Bhan, an urban planning expert, told the bench the EIA report for Nauroji Nagar contained several portions "copy-pasted" from the EIA report seeking clearance for a mine in Tamil Nadu and based on it, the EC was granted to fell trees and go ahead with the work. Pointing out that the names of lakes in Tamil Nadu were mentioned in the EIA report for Nauroji Nagar, Bhan said it clearly showed "non-application of mind". The NBCC, on the other hand, claimed that these were "typographical errors". The bench was not convinced by the NBCC's explanation and said even the presence of such typographical errors showed non-application of mind. Bhan also told the bench that the entire redevelopment project of the seven colonies was integrated and therefore, an integrated EC was required and not separate clearances, as granted in the instant case. He also questioned how the Centre could allow cutting of trees for such a project in Delhi, which was categorised as one of the most polluted cities in the world and was also fast running out of water. The NBCC, which is executing the project along with the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), was seeking an order from the bench, clarifying that it could continue with its work at Nauroji Nagar, where it is constructing a commercial hub, including a World Trade Centre. The NBCC said it had excavated the site to a large extent and if left open, the rainwater going into it could lead to caving in of the Ring Road running adjacent to it. The court, thereafter, allowed the NBCC to secure the site to the extent that no untoward incident, which could endanger human life, took place and listed the matter for further hearing on August 30, when the "responsible officers" of the central government would have to be present to explain whether the entire project would be given a re-look. During the hearing, senior advocate Pinaki Misra, appearing for the NBCC, told the bench that there was a possibility that the plans for the six other colonies would be re-visited. He also said the NBCC had spent over Rs 150 crore on the work at Nauroji Nagar. The court had earlier said "we cannot compromise on environment, no matter the cost". It had also prohibited felling of trees in the national capital while hearing the matter. The court was hearing several PILs that have challenged the terms of reference (ToR) and the ECs granted to the housing projects at Sarojini Nagar, Nauroji Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Thyagaraja Nagar, Mohammadpur, Kasturba Nagar and Srinivaspuri, claiming that it would result in the felling of over 16,500 trees. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scientists claim to have discovered the world's oldest cheese inside an Egyptian tomb dating back over 3,000 years. Archeologists from the University of Catania in Italy found broken jars inside the tomb of Ptahmes - mayor of Memphis in Egypt during the 13th century BC - which was initially unearthed in 1885. After being lost under drifting sands, the tomb was rediscovered in 2010, according to the study published in the journal Analytical Chemistry. One jar contained a solidified whitish mass, as well as canvas fabric that might have covered the jar or may have been used to preserve its contents. Enrico Greco, from the University of Catania, and colleagues from Cairo University in Egypt, analysed the whitish substance to determine its identity. After dissolving the sample, the researchers purified its protein constituents and analysed them with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Liquid chromatography is a technique used to separate a sample into its individual parts, while as mass spectrometry measures the masses within a sample. 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, researchers said. Other peptides in the food sample suggest it was contaminated with Brucella melitensis, a bacterium that causes brucellosis, they said. This potentially deadly disease spreads from animals to people, typically from eating unpasteurised dairy products. If the preliminary analysis is confirmed, the sample would represent the earliest reported biomolecular evidence of the disease, researchers said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vedanta today said it is yet to receive notification from the Madras High Court on the latter issuing notice to the group's Sterlite Copper plant on a petition seeking Rs 750 crore compensation and asserted that it will evaluate further course of action upon study of the same. "This is with reference to your email... regarding a item titled 'Madras HC issues notice to Vedanta's Sterlite on plea for Rs 7.5 bn relief'," the company informed the BSE. In this regard, it said, the company is yet to receive the notice as well as the copy of the petition from the court and will evaluate further course of action upon study of the same. "Further, the company upon receipt of the communication, will make necessary announcement," it added. The Madras High Court had earlier this week issued a notice to the Sterlite Copper plant on a petition seeking Rs 750 crore towards rehabilitation of people affected by pollution allegedly caused by it and relief for victims of the police firing during a protest in May. Petitioner Vijaya Nivas had sought a court direction to the company to pay Rs 620 crore for rehabilitation of people in and around its plant in Tuticorin, apart from a compensation of Rs 10 crore each for the 13 people killed in police firing during the anti-Sterlite agitation on May 22 and 23. When the matter came up for hearing, Justices M M Sundaresh and Satheesh Kumar issued notices to Sterlite Copper chairman Anil Agarwal and the central and state governments. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Ben MartinLONDON (Reuters) - Jon Moulton, the founder of private equity house Better Capital, was "absolutely staggered" when he learned that his firm's 44 million-pound sale of British company Northern Aerospace was being investigated by the UK government.Better Capital had announced on June 8 that it had agreed to sell the aircraft components supplier to a subsidiary of Chinese company Shaanxi Ligeance Mineral Resources. Nine days later, Britain's business secretary Greg Clark unexpectedly intervened on the grounds of national security, plunging the deal into jeopardy."We truly, truly ... By Valentina Za and Stefano BernabeiMILAN (Reuters) - Italy's anti-establishment government, outraged at the deadly collapse of a 50-year-old bridge, has presented the disaster as a warning to Brussels to give it more leeway to upgrade the country's ageing infrastructure.But the political anger generated by Tuesday's tragedy in Genoa, in which at least 38 people died, could instead end up piling even more financial pressure on the state - from nervous holders of its 2 trillion euros ($2.3 trillion) in bonds.Within hours of the viaduct giving way and sending vehicles plummeting, Deputy Prime ... FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Bayer can begin folding Monsanto into its organisation as the antitrust-related sale of assets has been completed, fulfilling final requirements by the U.S. Department of Justice, the German drugmaker said on Thursday."The integration of Monsanto into the Bayer Group can begin following the completion on Thursday of the divestment by Bayer to BASF of certain Crop Science businesses with a total sales volume of around 2.2 billion euros," it said in a statement.Bayer already closed the deal, becoming the sole owner of Monsanto, on June 7 but had to hold off on the ... By David StanwayJURONG, China (Reuters) - China's leading solar equipment manufacturer GCL is planning a move into the electric vehicle sector, aiming to make use of its expertise in energy to gain a vital competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded industry, executives said.The firm is currently building a 5 billion yuan ($721.19 million) solar production base in a new "eco-town" at Jurong near the city of Nanjing, which will also involve the construction of solar-powered residences, warehouses and public amenities.But the firm is now in talks with auto manufacturers to build facilities ... By Michael Martina and David LawderBEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China and the United States will hold lower-level trade talks this month, the two governments said on Thursday, offering hope that they might resolve an escalating tariff war that threatens to engulf all trade between the world's two largest economies.Still, White House Economic adviser Larry Kudlow warned Beijing not to underestimate President Donald Trump's resolve in pushing for changes in China's economic policies.A Chinese delegation led by Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen will meet U.S. representatives led by ... By Christopher Bing and Jack StubbsWASHINGTON/LONDON (Reuters) - Hackers operating from an elite Chinese university probed American companies and government departments for espionage opportunities following a U.S. trade delegation visit to China earlier this year, security researchers told Reuters.Cybersecurity firm Recorded Future said the group used computers at China's Tsinghua University to target U.S. energy and communications companies, as well as the Alaskan state government, in the weeks before and after Alaska's trade mission to China. Led by Governor Bill Walker, representatives of ... WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Citigroup agreed to pay $10.5 million to settle two separate complaints, one relating to bad loans made by its Mexican subsidiary, Banamex, between 2008 and 2014, U.S. regulators said on Thursday. The other concerned a trader mismarking illiquid positions and unauthorized proprietary trading by Citigroup Global Markets Inc (CGMI) from 2013 to 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission said. "Fraudulently-induced loans" made by Banamex to Oceanografia that led to $475 million in losses were the result of inadequate controls that prevented them from registering ... WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Citigroup has agreed to pay $10.5 million to settle charges related to bad loans made by its Mexican subsidiary, Banamex, between 2008 and 2014, and to trader mismarking and unauthorized proprietary trading by Citigroup Global Markets Inc. from 2013 to 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission said on Thursday.The SEC said the "fraudulently-induced loans" to Oceanografia that led to $475 million in losses were the result of inadequate controls that prevented them from registering "numerous red flags" in the borrower's documents. Similarly, it said that inadequate ... (Corrects surname to Liang not Gao in paragraph 8)WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States imposed sanctions on a Russian port service agency and Chinese firms on Wednesday for aiding North Korean ships and selling alcohol and tobacco to North Korea in breach of U.S. sanctions aimed at pressuring it to end its nuclear programs.The U.S. Treasury said in a statement China-based Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co. Ltd and its Singapore-based affiliate SINSMS Pte. Ltd had netted more than $1 billion a year by exporting alcohol and cigarette products to North Korea.The ... By Carolyn Cohn and Simon JessopLONDON (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc is sounding out some of Europe's top insurance firms to see if they would contribute products to a UK price comparison website in what would be a major foray by the U.S. online retail giant into the region's financial services.Three industry executives told Reuters they had held talks with Amazon about the possible launch of a site. One said the talks were part of several discussions Amazon is having with insurers. A second said there were no imminent launch plans.While it was not immediately clear what type of insurance would ... By Norihiko Shirouzu and Yilei SunBEIJING (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp is likely to make 120,000 more cars a year in the Chinese port city of Tianjin as part of a medium-term strategy that's gathering pace as China-Japan ties improve, said four company insiders with knowledge of the matter. The Japanese auto maker's plan to boost annual production capacity by about a quarter in the port city will lay the foundation to increase sales in China to two million vehicles per year, a jump of over 50 percent, the four sources said.The Tianjin expansion signals Toyota's willingness to start adding ... By Bate FelixPARIS (Reuters) - Shortly after launching a new project in Angola, French oil major Total said it was searching for more resources in Africa, including in Senegal and Mauritania.The company is historically strong in Africa and, buoyed by rising oil prices and improved terms for its multi-billion dollar Kaombo contract in Angola, it is doubling down.Guy Maurice, Total's head of exploration and production in Africa, told Reuters that the company had completed seismic surveys and planned to start drilling exploratory wells in Senegal and Mauritania in West Africa.He did not give a ... BERLIN (Reuters) - German rail operator Deutsche Bahn and Deutsche Telekom are ending projects in Iran after Washington imposed new sanctions against Tehran and said firms doing business with Iran would be barred from doing business with the United States.New U.S. sanctions against Iran took effect last week and several European companies have suspended plans to invest in Iran in light of the U.S. sanctions, including oil major Total as well as carmakers PSA, Renault and Daimler.State-owned Deutsche Bahn is involved in two projects in Iran via its subsidiary DB Engineering&Consulting, a ... By Timothy GardnerWASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal judge in Montana on Wednesday ordered the U.S. State Department to do a full environmental review of a revised route for the Keystone XL oil pipeline, possibly delaying the project's construction and dealing the latest setback for Canada's TransCanada Corp.For more than a decade, environmentalists, tribal groups, and ranchers have fought the $8-billion, 1,180-mile (1,900-km) pipeline that will carry heavy crude to Steele City, Nebraska from Canada's oilsands in Alberta. U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris ruled for the Indigenous ... By Ilaria PolleschiGENOA, Italy (Reuters) - Italy's biggest toll-road operator came under heavy stock-market attack on Thursday after Rome criticised it for a deadly bridge collapse this week, moving to revoke its concession and accusing it of failing to ensure the viaduct's safety.An 80-metre-long section of the bridge, part of a motorway linking the port city of Genoa with southern France, gave way on Tuesday in busy lunchtime traffic, sending dozens of vehicles into free-fall and killing at least 38 people.Autostrade per l'Italia, part of Milan-listed international toll-road group Atlantia ... JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's Aeronautics, which makes military unmanned aerial vehicles, has rejected a 430 million shekel ($117 million) acquisition offer from state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and businessman Avihai Stolero."The company's board has decided to reject the proposal, among other reasons, because of the amount that was offered," Aeronautics said in a statement to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange on Thursday.The drone maker disclosed the acquisition offer last week.In November, Israeli police said they were investigating Aeronautics over a deal involving the drone maker. ... By Ilaria PolleschiGENOA, Italy (Reuters) - Italy's biggest toll-road operator came under heavy stock-market attack on Thursday and the government said it could impose a heavy fine or revoke its concession over a bridge collapse that killed at least 38 people.An 80-metre-long section of the bridge, part of a motorway linking the port city of Genoa with southern France, gave way on Tuesday in busy lunchtime traffic, sending dozens of vehicles into free-fall.Autostrade per l'Italia, part of Milan-listed international toll-road group Atlantia and owned by the Italy's Benetton family, operated ... By Tetsushi KajimotoTOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's export growth slowed more than expected in July as shipments to the United States fell for a second straight month, with the automotive sector down sharply as global trade disputes cast doubts over the strength of foreign demand.Ministry of Finance (MOF) data out on Thursday showed exports rose 3.9 percent year-on-year in July, far below a 6.3 percent increase expected by economists in a Reuters poll. The rise followed a 6.7 percent year-on-year gain in June.Japan's exports to the United States fell 5.2 percent year-on-year in July, down for a ... HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese PC maker Lenovo Group swung to a profit and beat estimates in the first quarter on Thursday, helped by a sharp jump in revenue.Net profit came in at $77 million for the three months ended in June, compared with a loss of $72.3 million in the same period a year. That was ahead of an average estimate of $59.37 billion from six analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.Revenue rose 19 percent from a year earlier to $11.91 billion, compared with an average analyst estimate of $11.26 billion. (Reporting by Sijia Jiang and Donny Kwok; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)(This ... By Amanda CooperLONDON (Reuters) - Oil edged higher as global markets steadied on Thursday, recouping some of the previous day's 2 percent slide, though a weakening outlook for crude demand kept prices in check.The oil market had felt the effects on Wednesday of a large build in U.S. inventories that added to concern over the outlook for fuel demand while crude was also swept lower by broader selling of industrial commodities such as copper.China and the United States have implemented several rounds of tit-for-tat trade tariffs and threatened further duties on exports worth hundreds of ... NEW DELHI/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - India's Reliance Industries, operator of the world's biggest refining complex, has cancelled lifting of vacuum gas oil (VGO) cargo from local refiner Nayara Energy due to shutdown of its gasoline making unit, three sources said on Thursday.Reliance on Wednesday announced that it has shut a gasoline-producing fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) unit in its export-oriented 704,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery. The unit is expected to restart within two week, it said.spReliance was to lift 40,000 tonnes of VGO, a feedstock for FCC, from Nayara's refinery in Vadinar ... By Marc JonesLONDON (Reuters) - Investors rattled by events in Turkey, China and South Africa have pulled $1.3 billion out of emerging-market stocks in the last week and $100 million from bonds, according to the Institute of International Finance, which tracks financial flows.An emerging-market selloff has picked up pace over the last week as concerns about Turkey and others have compounded longer-term worries about a global trade war, a strong dollar and rising borrowing and energy costs.The Washington-based IIF said the exodus of investment money this week has largely been concentrated in ... HONG KONG (Reuters) - Shares of Chinese technology giant Tencent Holdings were set to slide 4.8 percent on Thursday after it reported its first quarterly profit fall in nearly 13 years and said it had no clarity on when it may get China approval for its most popular game. Tencent's shares, which have dropped 13.5 percent so far this week, were set to open at HK$320. Shares of South Africa's Naspers , which owns a 31 percent stake in Tencent, slid 8 percent after the results were announced on Wednesday. (Reporting by Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)(This story has not been edited ... HONG KONG (Reuters) - Shares of Chinese technology giant Tencent Holdings plunged on Thursday after it reported its first quarterly profit fall in nearly 13 years and said it did not know whether it would get Chinese approval for its most popular game. Chinese censors' sometimes abrupt and haphazard regulatory measures have clouded the outlook for the world's largest market for mobile games in a country where the government can make or break a business. Tencent said late on Wednesday the biggest issue facing the company before it could return to rapid revenue growth was to gain regulatory ... By Anna Mehler PapernyTORONTO (Reuters) - Electric vehicle-maker Tesla Inc is taking the Ontario government to court over the Canadian province's cancellation of an electric vehicle incentive programme, according to documents filed in court on Aug. 10.In July, shortly after coming to power in Ontario, the Progressive Conservative government under Doug Ford cancelled a slew of green energy initiatives, including an Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Incentive Program that provided rebates of up to C$4,000 ($3,040) for people who bought electric cars.The government made provisions for people who ... WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump praised the strength of the U.S. dollar on Thursday after the greenback reached a 14-month high against a broad basket of other currencies a day earlier."Money is pouring into our cherished DOLLAR like rarely before," Trump wrote on Twitter, citing the strength of the U.S. economy. The U.S. economy grew at a 4.1 percent annualized rate in the April-June period, nearly double the 2.2 percent rate in the first quarter. Growth in the July-September period is forecast to top 3 percent.Contributing to the strength of the dollar has been the ... WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday his tariffs on foreign steel are saving the U.S. industry and he predicted that in the future American steelmakers will mostly face domestic competition, the Wall Street Journal reported.In a 20-minute interview with the newspaper, Trump said some people may complain that steel prices may be "a little more expensive" in the short term because of the tariffs, but that ultimately they will drop. (https://on.wsj.com/2KYrku2)He told the Journal the 25 percent tariffs on steel will rescue an industry important to U.S. national ... WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lower-level trade talks between U.S. and Chinese officials will take place on August 22 and 23, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, offering financial markets hope that the globe's two largest economies could end trade tensions.Beijing announced earlier on Thursday the talks would take place in Washington later this month. (Reporting by Makini Brice)(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States imposed sanctions on a Russian port service agency and Chinese firms on Wednesday for aiding North Korean ships and selling alcohol and tobacco to North Korea in breach of U.S. sanctions aimed at pressuring it to end its nuclear programs.The U.S. Treasury said in a statement China-based Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co. Ltd and its Singapore-based affiliate SINSMS Pte. Ltd had netted more than $1 billion a year by exporting alcohol and cigarette products to North Korea.The department also sanctioned Russian-based Profinet Pte Ltd ... WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States imposed sanctions on a Russian port service agency and Chinese firms for aiding North Korean ships and selling alcohol and tobacco to Pyongyang in breach of U.S. sanctions. The U.S. Treasury said in a statement on Wednesday that China-based Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co. Ltd and its Singapore-based affiliate SINSMS Pte. Ltd had netted more than $1 billion a year by exporting alcohol and cigarette products to North Korea.The department also sanctioned Russian-based Profinet Pte Ltd and its director general, Vasili ... LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Takeover Panel said on Thursday it had confirmed its ruling that Walt Disney might have to offer at least 14 pounds a share to buy UK pay-television group Sky.Disney would only be forced to make such an offer if it completes a deal to buy Twenty-First Century Fox's TV and film assets, which include a 39 percent stake in Sky, before either Fox or rival suitor Comcast succeed in taking control of the British broadcaster.The price is designed to reflect the level of the offer Disney is making for Fox, and its holding in Sky. The regulator had set the level of a ... By Jason Lange and Steve HollandWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Thursday expressed hope a breakthrough could be made in coming days on reworking the NAFTA trade deal, though his Mexican counterpart said flexibility was needed to reach agreement.Lighthizer was speaking in Washington during the latest round of high-level talks between U.S. and Mexican officials to rejig the North American Free Trade Agreement, known as NAFTA, with a deal still elusive a year after the renegotiation began."I'm hopeful that in the next several days we'll have a breakthrough," ... LONDON (Reuters) - Asda, the British supermarket arm of Walmart that has agreed to be acquired by Sainsbury's, reported a 0.4 percent rise in underlying sales, and said it was more profitable due to improvements in non-food margins. Asda, the UK's third largest grocer after Sainsbury's and market leader Tesco, said on Thursday like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, rose 0.4 percent, in its fiscal second quarter, on a gross profit rate that increased compared to last year. In the previous quarter, underlying sales had risen 1.0 percent, adjusted for Easter. (Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by ... By Nandita BoseNEW YORK (Reuters) - Walmart Inc reported quarterly earnings and sales that topped estimates on Thursday, driven by strong grocery sales and a revamped website that boosted online purchases, and the company's shares soared over 10 percent in early trade.The world's largest retailer also raised its sales and earnings outlook for the full year, excluding any impact from its acquisition of Indian e-commerce company Flipkart, which it is still in the process of closing.Walmart's U.S. comparable sales grew the most in a decade, boosted by strong performance in grocery, apparel and ... It's turning out to be a big year for hospitality company OYO. In March it notched up its first major acquisition, two months later it expanded its global footprint by moving into China and is now close to turning profitable. But there's more. The company reportedly also has its eye on the coveted unicorn club. According to The Economic Times, OYO is in advanced talks to raise up to $1 billion in a deal that could value it at over $4 billion - in the same league as Ola, India's largest taxi-hailing service. Citing people in the know, the report said that the Gurgaon-based startup is in talks with two consortiums, a combine of SoftBank Vision Fund and co-working giant We-Work, and a set of US-based strategic investors in the travel space. But it is yet to finalise things. "OYO has got multiple term-sheets and is expected to finalise the deal by the end of this month," said a source, adding, "Venture capital investors Sequoia Capital and Lightspeed are also participating in the round in a meaningful way." Though the company is yet to decide on the quantum of the fund raise, the sources pegged it at between $500 million and $1 billion. Depending on this, they added that the company could be valued between $4.5 billion and $5 billion. In its previous round last September, when OYO had raised about $260 million from SoftBank and other investors, it had been valued at about $850 million. Founded by 24-year-old college dropout Ritesh Agarwal in 2013, OYO has raised about $450 million so far. The buzz last month was that the company was in talks with Chinese technology giant Tencent to raise up to $500 million, but according to the daily the talks did not progress. The funds raised in the next round will reportedly be used to deepen its presence in China as well as the other countries where it has set up operations, such as Malaysia, Nepal, Indonesia and UAE. "If Oyo has to make an impact in China, they have to do it in a big way. It's a large market and they have to put a lot of feet on the ground, understand the local ways of doing business, understand the consumer, and build a brand. That requires a lot of money and [OYO] will have to raise a substantial sum to be successful," Harish HV, a consultant and until recently a partner at Grant Thornton India told the daily. Last September, OYO had signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding ("MoU") with the China Lodging Group to facilitate and strengthen collaboration in order to build a global market leading hospitality business. Then, earlier this month, the company announced that it already has 50,000 rooms across 50 cities in China. And SoftBank's CEO Masayoshi Son can't stop raving about its growth. In an investor presentation on August 6, Son compared OYO's growth to Marriott, the world's biggest hotel chains. "By the end of the year, I would say 150,000 more rooms or maybe 200,000 rooms, which will be 10x more than Taj group's rooms will be OYO's," said Son, adding "If you look at [OYO's] monthly number, 25,000 rooms were created every month... how many net room ads were created by Marriott monthly? It's 8,000. Hilton, the second biggest, 7000, and Intercontinental, the third biggest hotel chain in the world - they grew number of hotels in last three months - 2,000". With a 45% stake, Japanese behemoth is already OYO's largest shareholder. "If SoftBank leads the round then they will get close to a majority stake but the management team led by Agarwal will continue to run the operations as they have executed well," added a source. The other stakeholders include Lightspeed Venture Partners (15%) and Sequoia Capital India (11%). The founder holds a 11-12% stake. In India, the company currently boasts 100,000 keys across 230 cities and is racing towards profitability. Last December, the company had claimed that it had narrowed its losses by 27% to Rs 363.7 crore in 2016-17, mainly on account of a high degree of operating leverage in the business model. Industry sources also point out that OYO has hiked up the commission it charges hotels from 11-12% last year to over 20%. The report added that between January and June, OYO clocked 17 million booked rooms nights domestically. Its switch to the pure-play franchise business - it had started out as an online hotel aggregator has helped improve customer experience. Edited By Sushmita Choudhury Agarwal It would be fair enough to call Atal Bihari Vajpayee a true mass leader. His efforts to push development to the rural level along with his vision to make India a global leader made the far-sighted Vajpayee an iconic national leader. He had the courage to take bold decisions. As the nation mourns Vajpayee's loss, let's looks at the reasons why the country should be thankful to the poet prime minister. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan was started with the motto of providing education to all. It provided free elementary education to children aged 6-14 years. New schools were opened and existing ones were renovated. It is believed that within four years of its launch, the number of out-of-school children dropped by 60 per cent. The literacy rate of India also increased from 64.8 per cent in 2001 to 74.04 per cent in 2011. Made India a nuclear state The story of Pokhran is the story of Vajpayee's courage. India conducted a series of nuclear bomb explosions at Pokhran in May 1998. It consisted of five detonations of which one was fusion bomb and four were fission bombs. Post this, India became a full fledged nuclear state. More than anything, it revealed to the world the strength of India. He was well aware of the consequences of the tests and global condemnation it would invite, but he went ahead and carried out the mission. Road revolution Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid the foundation of golden quadrilateral on 6 January 1999 that connects India's four main cities - Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai. This was done with the ambition of providing an impetus to smoother movement of products and people within India and enabling industrial and job development in smaller towns through access to markets. He wanted the villages to grow parallel with the cities. He therefore initiated the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana on 25 December, 2000. Telecommunication revolution Atal Bihari Vajpayee is considered as the architect of telecommunication sector in India. He brought a revolution by bringing a revenue sharing agreement in place of fixed license fees. During this time, the country saw a reduction in the service fee leading to a drop in call costs that enabled even middle-class India to afford a cell phone. It is believed that nearly 32 million handsets were sold in India. Privatisation Vajpayee was in favor of reducing government's role in running businesses to boost rapid growth. For this purpose, he introduced a separate Disinvestment Ministry. Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited and VSNLwere amongst the few famous disinvestments. Disinvestment Ministry is now renamed as Department of Investment and Public Asset Management. This was a very futuristic step keeping in mind that the resources with government were limited. It created new opportunities for private enterprises. Science and Research Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed the Chandrayan-1 project on India's 56th Independence Day. This gave a major thrust to Indian space mission. Atalji said, "Our country is now ready to fly high in the field of science. I am pleased to announce that India will send her own spacecraft to the moon by 2008. It is being named Chandrayaan." Peace building efforts In spite of Pakistan's continuous efforts to de-stabilise Kashmir, Vajpayee wanted peace with our neighbor. He was of the view that violence will bring loss of man and money on both the sides. He invited Pervez Musharraf for peace talks to Delhi and Agra. Delhi-Lahore bus service, which started in 1999, is seen as one of the biggest steps in building mutual trust with Pakistan. Besides all such initiatives, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was respected even by his political rivals. Atal Bihari Vajpayee served thrice as the prime minister of India. He was the first non-Congress prime minister to serve a full-five year term. Edited By Rahul Bhargave P V Narasimha Rao and Dr Manmohan Singh are credited as the architects of economic reforms in India - albeit under pressure from the International Monetary Fund. But, it was Atal Bihari Vajpayee who rolled out the economic template and policies that would be followed by the prime ministers who succeeded him. While there are plenty of people who praise Vajpayee for his dignity, his unfailing courtesy, his wit and his oratorical skills and his ability to take the opposition parties along, the economic contribution of his government is often overlooked. He attracted some brilliant and committed and highly educated followers, gave them critical portfolios and set about fixing many of India's long standing problems. So you had Arun Shourie rolling up his sleeves and chalking out a blue print for selling off ailing PSUs, which the government should never have been running. You had Yashwant Sinha moving to simplify taxes and free up businesses even further and creating an atmosphere conducive for attracting more foreign direct investment. (And later on Jaswant Singh carrying on the path of liberalisation after taking over as finance minister). You had Major General B C Khanduri setting up connecting India through the highway projects in a systematic and planned manner. And you had Pramod Mahajan changing the telecom policy that would allow mobile penetration across the country at affordable rates, and make India the cheapest country in the world when it came to mobile telephony rates. In between, a change in the budget had allowed IT services companies to charge all expenditure on their Y2K business as revenue expenditure, and which in turn led them to grow at breakneck speed. Finally, the Vajpayee government brought in the Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs), the first move to help banks deal with their bad loans, and the credit bureau. None of these were easy. Vajpayee was running a coalition government with all its attendant pulls and pushes. The RSS was reportedly not very happy with him either because they saw him as too liberal and too welcoming of foreign direct investment. And, post Pokhran, many developed countries tried to stymie India's economy in big and small ways. He also had to deal with the Kargil war. In the political and diplomatic arena, Vajpayee was soft spoken and suave and not frightened of extending the olive branch to Pakistan for peace talks. But he had enough steel inside - which Musharraf found out in the Kargil war. Equally, Pokhran showed the world that India was not just a nuclear power, but perfectly comfortable in showing off its capabilities on the nuclear front. Vajpayee is no more, but no one can doubt his contribution on economic, political and diplomatic fronts. After a 9-week long struggle, India's former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away at AIIMS in New Delhi today. The 93-year old political icon was suffering from kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection and even respiratory problems. In 2009, he suffered a stroke leading to loss of speech and subsequently causing dementia. Vajpayee was a monumental figure in both BJP and India's political landscape. He was the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete his five-year term. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924 to a schoolmaster from Gwalior. In 2014, the NDA government declared his birthday would be observed as the Good Governance Day. His political life started early when as a teenager he was jailed briefly for opposing British colonial rule. In 1939, he joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and became a full member in 1947. However, before that he did try his hand at communism. He dropped out of law school to run an RSS magazine in the early 1950s. In 1951, he was drafted, along with Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, to work with the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the predecessor of BJP. Vajpayee rose swiftly up the ranks and gradually, he grew as the moderate voice of the RSS and BJP. Vajpayee became a close aide of Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) founder Shyama Prasad Mookerjee and was by his side when he went on a fast-unto-death in Kashmir in 1953 to protest against the system of carrying a permit to enter the state and the "inferior" treatment of Indian citizens. Both protested against the special treatment accorded to Kashmir because it had a Muslim majority. The incident was a turning point in Vajpayee's political career. Vajpayee served the Lok Sabha for 10 terms that began in 1957 and concluded in 2009. He was first elected through the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. In total, he was elected thrice from Bharatiya Jana Sangh. In 1977, he was elected from the Janata Party. Following Janata Party's victory in the 1977 general elections, he became the Minister of External Affairs in Morarji Desai's cabinet. As foreign minister, Vajpayee became the first person to deliver a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi. Because of his charisma, wit and oratorical skills, he won popularity and respect from all political leaders. In 1980, Vajpayee along with his Bharatiya Jana Sangh and RSS colleagues, such as L K Advani and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, formed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was the first party president and was instrumental in bringing about a strong opposition against the Congress (R) government. He first became India's Prime Minister in the year 1996. However, he couldn't retain the same for more than 13 days due to lack of numbers. He came back to the same position in 1998 but couldn't carry on with it for more than 13 months due to lack of a stable majority. Vajpayee was re-elected in 1999 with a more stable coalition. This was the first time a non-Congress member held the PMO for a complete term of five years. Manmohan Singh succeeded him as the Prime Minister in 2004. Vajpayee served as a Lok Sabha till the year 2009. But after the stroke in 2009, his health conditions did not allow him to continue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort announced his ambitious Ayushman Bharat scheme that aims to provide health insurance to all. However, even before the scheme is launched on September 25, the birthday of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Deen Dayal Upadhyay, a number of fake websites have come up with the aim of cheating prospective beneficiaries. Social media is abuzz with messages propagating these fake websites whose aim is to lure people by offering attractive scheme and cash in on their money. These websites are lookalikes of the official website of the Ayushman Bharat scheme. They also prominently display photographs of PM Narendra Modi and finance minister Arun Jaitley. Messages asking people to avail the benefits of this scheme are doing the rounds on WhatsApp. People are being told that they can avail the benefits of the scheme by paying premiums of Rs 1,000-Rs 2,000. Besides this, people are being asked to spread this information among the poor people residing in their areas and encourage them to avail the scheme using these websites. The government has now issued messages asking people to be cautious. Taking cognizance of the matter, Ayushman Bharat CEO, Indu Bhushan has appealed to the people to be cautious against these websites even as they are planning police action. "The scheme envisioned by the government is completely cashless and the beneficiaries do not have to pay any premium. Besides this, no registration is required for it," Bhushan said. To start with, the government has identified the poorest-of-thepoor households for this scheme. At present, 28 states have given their nod to this scheme that is expected to benefit nearly 10.74 crore poor households. Under the scheme, every family will be entitled to Rs 5 crore of medical insurance. Bhushan has clarified that there is only one government helpline number for this scheme (1455). "Once the scheme has been launched, letters will be sent to the beneficiaries informing them about the scheme. People can also know about the scheme from their local government hospitals."Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Ayushman Bharat is being seen as a major effort by the Modi government to reach out to the common people. India Today TV 14 Nov 2018, 12:51 PM Cosmos Bank ATM hack: NPCI says cyber fraud due to malware attack on bank's IT system 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. 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. Rupee hits fresh record low of 70.32 against US Dollar The rupee opened at a record low of 70.25 a dollar and weakened further to trade at a fresh low of 70.32, down by 43 paise, reported news agency Press Trust of India (PTI). Experts attributed the fall in rupee to the trade deficit hitting a 5-year high. PTI reported forex dealers as saying that besides strong demand for the American currency from importers, capital outflows mainly weighed on the domestic currency. NTPC to set up a subsidiary for coal mining soon State-run power giant NTPC Ltd. will soon set up a subsidiary to handle coal mining operations as it plans to enter commercial coal mining after meeting its own requirement, an official said according to PTI. The power sector behemoth also has a plan to list the coal subsidiary subsequently on stock exchanges. The power PSU has been allotted 10 coal mines to meet its fuel requirement of which work has been started in five mines. Patanjali to launch Kimbho chat app on August 27 More than two months after it was taken down hastily, Baba Ramdev-led Patanjali Ayurved has said that its messaging app 'Kimbho' is ready with new features and plans to re-launch it this month. The Haridwar-based company has now put Kimbho's trial version on Google Play Store for downloads and plans to launch the app officially on August 27. It will also be available on Apple App store shortly. Blackstone may buy stake in Jet Airways' frequent flyer arm, says report US-based private equity firm Blackstone Group is in talks to acquire a stake in the frequent-flier loyalty program of Jet Airways, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. A potential deal could value the loyalty program, Jet Privilege Private Ltd, between $429.1 million to $572.1 million and would be dependant on Jet Airways securing adequate funding for its airline operations, Bloomberg said. Beware of fake Ayushman Bharat websites trying to lure people with bogus schemes Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort announced his ambitious Ayushman Bharat scheme that aims to provide health insurance to all. However, even before the scheme is launched on September 25, the birthday of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Deen Dayal Upadhyay, a number of fake websites have come up with the aim of cheating prospective beneficiaries. Social media is abuzz with messages propagating these fake websites whose aim is to lure people by offering attractive scheme and cash in on their money. These websites are lookalikes of the official website of the Ayushman Bharat scheme.The government has now issued messages asking people to be cautious. Taking cognizance of the matter, Ayushman Bharat CEO, Indu Bhushan has appealed to the people to be cautious. 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 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. 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 EU261 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. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie A new report to coincide with Airbnbs global 10-year anniversary has found that approximately 640,000 people will travel in Ireland using Airbnb this summer (during 21st June to 22nd September). It is estimated that a typical host on the platform in Ireland will earn 2,000 this summer on average and guests and hosts on Airbnb will contribute 57 million to the Irish economy. Dublin and Galway take the top two most travelled hotspots in Ireland, followed by Killarney, Cork and Dingle, as tourists follow the Wild Atlantic Way. The US tops the list of most guest arrivals in Ireland, followed by domestic travellers who are making the most of this summers heatwave. The report shows that some of the top trending destinations in Ireland this summer are: Claremorris, Co Mayo (+204%) Claregalway, Co Galway (+190%) Strandhill, Co Sligo (+173%) Blarney, Co Cork (+199%) Dunmore East, Co Cork (172%) Commenting on the summer results, Ireland Site Lead and Global Head of Community Support Operations at Airbnb, Aisling Hassell said, "We are delighted to celebrate Airbnbs 10th anniversary, and reflect at how much we have grown in Ireland over the last number of years. This data on this summers activity alone shows that the popularity of Airbnb continues to grow steadily in Ireland, with guests choosing to stay in the many villages, towns and cities across the country. Airbnb also creates new economic opportunities by allowing people to unlock their passions, talents and interests and make money from them through Experiences." Source: www.businessworld.ie news, latest-news You may not have considered sitting down and having a cry on Lake Burley Griffin, but there's now a piece of public art that encourages just that. A new interactive sculpture, the Crying Dinghy, by prominent local artist Dr Hanna Hoyne has been unveiled at Henry Rolland Park, at West Basin, on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin. The $100,000 dollar piece of artwork is part of Dr Hoyne's Cosmic Recharge series with other artworks featured in Sydneys Sculpture by the Sea and another at the University of Canberra. She said public enjoyment of her artwork was a key way of finding meaning in her work. The vessel was designed to lie in, with the two giant pipes coming out the pillow representing ears. "It's a spirit recharge vessel," she said. "It's something we can physically inhabit that also gives us a sense of a moment to reflect and go into our own thoughts. "You throw yourself on your bed when you have had a bad day to have a good cry and soak your pillow and tears will go out onto your pipes. "Once you've had a good cry you feel a little less heavy and more buoyant and lighter. It talks to our individual vulnerability, our need to communicate it, but also to the idea of rescue, safety and inner resourcefulness." Dr Hoyne said she wanted the artwork to be relevant to the people living in Canberra and encourage people to ponder how we relate to ourselves and others around us. She was thrilled when passing cyclists took interest in the sculpture as it was unveiled and laid in it. "That made me a bit teary," she said. "I want people to feel it and inhabit it. "My hope is that it will have grubby fingerprints all over it soon. "Sometimes being an artist can feel superfluous because you're not a medical officer or helping more. "To be able to see people actually own a work of yours that is made for others makes it so worthwhile." City Renewal Authority chief executive Malcolm Snow said the sculpture would complement the other facilities and landscape features in the first stage of the West Basin redevelopment. Great cities around the world have a rich fabric of both permanent and temporary artworks throughout their public places, he said. Unlike other artworks, people are encouraged to play, touch and interact with the sculpture." Hanna Hoynes collaboration with Redbox Design and UAP was chosen following a tender process for a new public artwork costing $100,000. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/7568301e-a3f0-4336-9936-5af73ac62528/r0_222_4256_2627_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg An India Office Records file that was recently catalogued by the British Library/Qatar Foundation Partnership programme contains a number of photographs showing the biodiversity of what is now the Dhofar Governorate, in the Sultanate of Oman. In 1947, Brian Hartley, Director of Agriculture in the Aden Protectorate, was invited by the Sultan of Muscat and Oman, Said bin Taymur Al Bu Said, to visit Dhofar, in order to carry out a survey of the conditions there, and in particular to provide advice on the growing of sugar cane in the region. Hartleys resulting report, 'A Preliminary Survey of the Land Resources of the Dhufar Province, Sultanate of Muscat and Oman', which was completed in March 1948, covers water supplies, crop production (specifically sugar cane), hill cultivation, animal husbandry, irrigation and livestock improvement, mountain farming, and fisheries. A selection of photographs from Hartleys visit, which appear in the file at the end of the report, can be seen below, along with Hartleys original captions. IOR/R/15/6/282, f 56 2: Photograph of Dahaq, 1948 IOR/R/15/6/282, f 57 1: Photograph of sugar cane, Rizat Irrigation System IOR/R/15/6/282, f 58 2: Photograph of a palm grove, Salalah IOR/R/15/6/282, f 59 1: Photograph of the Northern Watershed of Al Qutun IOR/R/15/6/282, f 60 1: Photograph of a herd of Cattle on the Qutun Uplands The remaining photographs, together with Hartleys report, will be made available on the Qatar Digital Library website later this year. David Fitzpatrick Content Specialist, Archivist, British Library/Qatar Foundation Partnership Further reading: 'File 8/90 II ECONOMIC, Agricultural & INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN MUSCAT TERRITORY', IOR/R/15/6/282 news, crime A 25-year-old man has been charged with 22 offences linked to historic aggravated crimes that occurred in the last decade. As part of Operation Athabasca, ACT Policing's crime disruption team linked 14 incidents, including 13 aggravated robberies on licensed premises between 2009 and 2018. The man, who police say was not working alone, will face ACT Magistrates Court next month on charges including attempted murder, forcible confinement and aggravated robbery. Detective station sergeant Harry Hains said police were continuing their investigations and further arrest and charges were expected to be made. "It's clear from the videos and appeals we have released that there was more than one alleged offender," Detective Hains said. "I'm not ruling out laying further charges against any persons at this moment - in-fact we would hope to lay more charges." He said an amount of more than $385,000 was allegedly stolen in the time period. Detective Hains thanked the public for their assistance and said their help was a significant contributing factor to the operations success. "I would like to acknowledge the courage of victims and others who came forward with information, even though they were still recovering from these traumatic events," he said. "Our officers followed up this information and today, we have laid nearly two dozen serious criminal charges. "This is a significant milestone for Operation Athabasca, which is ongoing and will continue to target other offenders in this series of events." He said some of the offences involved extreme violence, including a stabbing. "The effects upon the victims are huge," he said. "You are entitled to feel safe in your workplace - it is expected that you're entitled to feel safe workplace and these events have violated that right." The man will face the ACT Magistrates Court on September 26 the following charges: Detective Hains spoke directly to the people involved in the crimes. "There are further people that we want to talk to ... I hope they're watching," he said. "My detectives are looking forward to meeting with you." Operation Athabasca is ongoing, and Police urge anyone who may have any information that could assist police to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website. The 25-year-old will face court on September 26. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/4b0e3966-931c-4234-bea0-17295841bb3b/r0_302_3264_2146_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, act-politics Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris says the territory's health sector has "turned a corner", months after a scathing anonymous letter was penned by staff at Canberra Hospital's maternity ward. She said discussions had begun on a new territory wide approach to maternity services, which was announced after The Canberra Times revealed staff had serious concerns for patient safety. The letter from clinical staff at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children outlined a series of issues including chronic overcrowding, bullying and understaffing. Ms Fitzharris today responded to a Legislative Assembly resolution in May calling for information about the future of maternity services in the ACT. She said the concerns outlined by staff in the letter had been "heard". "ACT Health has since held forums to engage with staff over the issues raised and it's important to recognise that all staff at Centenary, including those who wrote the letter, are caring people who want the best for their patients," Ms Fitzharris told the Assembly. Ms Fitzharris said the recent renovation of Calvary Hospital's maternity unit would make it a more attractive option for births and would encourage more mothers from the northside to consider the hospital. She said ACT Health was conducting an internal review of the continuity of midwifery care models at Centenary Hospital, which was expected to be finalised later this year. Following The Canberra Times' reports of the letter, a plan to develop a new territory wide approach to better manage maternity care across the ACT was announced. Ms Fitzharris on Thursday told the Assembly the government was currently in discussions with key stakeholders about the new approach, with broader consultation to occur later in the year. "Ultimately we want to develop a service which will make it much easier for people to navigate," she said. "It will be easier for pregnant women and their GPs to understand the range of options available, what the best option for them is and where to go to get high quality care close to home. "The recent accreditation process for Canberra Hospital ... also made it clear that health has turned a corner." Opposition health spokeswoman Vicki Dunne said Ms Fitzharris had not offered any solutions for the "unrelenting pressures" on hospital staff in the maternity ward. The completion date for upgrades to the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children has blown out every year since the election," she said. Clearly, Ms Fitzharris cant be taken at her word. Maternity staff needed these upgrades yesterday. Canberra Hospital flunked its accreditation earlier this year, with some of the failed criteria placing patients at "extreme risk". An interim accreditation report by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards identified 33 of 209 core criteria where standards were not met. ACT Health was given three months to fix the problems, with the government now confident it is on track to pass. Ms Fitzharris has come under intense pressure following the letter and the disastrous accreditation report, surviving a motion of no confidence in May. While publicly ACT Health has maintained staff would not be punished for sharing concerns, internal emails revealed a staff member accused of sending it was investigated for breaching the public service code. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/eda94b91-be15-4da6-95a8-dfe176332374/r0_108_2000_1238_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, act-politics The ACT's parliament has rebuked senators who changed their vote at the last minute to kill a bill to restore territories' rights to make laws on euthanasia, in a rare motion of remonstrance. The private members bill from Liberal Democrats Senator David Leyonhjelm suffered a shock defeat in the Senate overnight, after several senators reversed their support, including Liberal Anne Ruston, Nationals Steve Martin, Labor's Alex Gallacher, and crossbenchers Brian Burston and Peter Georgiou. The bill was widely tipped to pass the Senate by a slim margin, however the tide began to turn on the second day of debate, amid intense lobbying from groups opposed to voluntary assisted dying. In the end it was defeated by two votes. Chief Minister Andrew Barr vowed this would not be the end of the push for territory rights. "Canberrans have been let down by the Australian parliament, again, after the Senate narrowly rejected reforms that would have allowed the ACT and the NT to consider our own voluntary assisted dying legislation," Mr Barr said. "I want to thank the 34 Senators who stood up for the Australian territories and the communities we represent. It is disappointing that we fell two votes short tonight, but we will not give up. The restoration of territory rights will be back before the parliament soon." He said marriage equality advocates had experienced similar setbacks before same-sex marriage was legalised. I recall many people telling me there was no way that marriage laws would ever change and we kept chipping away at that and worked across the nation to garner sufficient support for that to happen. I think a similar approach can work here," Mr Barr said. The chief minister also moved an unusual remonstrance motion to formally express the territory's displeasure with the Senate over the failed vote. It was the first remonstrance motion to pass in the ACT parliament's history. Another remonstrance motion was moved in 2009 after the federal government interfered with the Civil Partnerships Amendment, however it was watered down and passed as just a regular motion. The ACT Legislative Assembly also endorsed a remonstrance motion passed by the Northern Territory's parliament in 1996 after their euthanasia laws were quashed by the Commonwealth. The list of grievances will be presented to the president of the Senate, and accuses senators misrepresenting the intentions of the ACT parliament and conflating their own personal views on euthanasia with the issue of territory rights It also criticised senators for drawing on debunked sources and for reneging on previously stated positions at the last minute. The Liberals treated the motion as a conscience issue so Nicole Lawder, Jeremy Hanson, Mark Parton, and Elizabeth Lee were able to put on the record for the first time their desire to restore territory rights, despite their concerns about euthanasia. ACT Opposition leader Alistair Coe denied that his party members had been restricted from speaking out before the vote, rather that they wanted democracy to run its course. Members have always been able to do what they wish on this issue, the Canberra Liberals have never had a strong arm approach on this policy issue or any other," Mr Coe said. Mr Barr said advocates for territory rights would continue to target politicians on the hill over the next year in the hope that a change of government may shift a few votes their way. He added territory rights would likely be a federal and territory election issue. "People have a pretty clear choice between the two leaders of the major parties as to who is going to advocate strongly for territory rights and who isnt," Mr Barr said. Greens crossbencher Caroline Le Couteur remained optimistic the territories rights to legalise euthanasia would one day be restored. Ms Le Couteur was scathing of ACT Senator Zed Seselja, who voted against restoring territory rights because he was concerned about the kind of scheme the Labor-Greens government would introduce. She said Senator Seselja should reflect on his role in this debate. "Given the small margin, the Senator refused to allow our community to decide for ourselves - instead, he felt his own views more important than those of the Canberra community. He also could have urged his colleagues to simply allow Canberrans to have their own say," Ms Le Couteur said. The people of the ACT are tired of being treated as second class citizens. While bowed, we remain undeterred. The fight to restore territory rights will continue. The lower house could be forced to confront the issue next week when a private members bill similar to the one voted down by the Senate appears on the notice paper. That bill is co-sponsored by Canberra MP Andrew Leigh and his Labor colleague, Northern Territory MP Luke Gosling. However if Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull doesn't grant leave for debate, the majority of the house would have to vote to suspend standing orders for debate to occur. Given Labor does not hold the numbers in the lower house, even with their whole party and the entire crossbench on board, it is unclear if or when the issue of territory rights will be debated again. However Mr Leigh said he would keep up the pressure. "It's always tough for the opposition to get a private members bill debated in the house, the government controls the agenda," Mr Leigh said. "[The Senate vote] wasn't resounding, only two people switched sides. Moving motions in both places is important to keep the conversations going. We can push hard to make sure the voices of territorians are heard." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/1fd8be52-fd75-4f3b-b3ba-53d3fa069593/r0_211_3825_2372_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news 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. 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. What facts were known were that she was an inexperienced, first-term MP in a hotly-contested marginal seat. She could easily have been a one-term MP anyway. She was also a single woman with children, and one of the children has special needs. These facts alone made for a combustible mix, but other MPs have probably survived similar circumstances. There was nothing about her age (38), qualifications or previous occupation (fundraising and events manager and, briefly, political advisor). The case fuelled several widespread beliefs about party politics. The first was that factional political warfare is so widespread and toxic that the idea that one faction would deliberately undermine an MP from another faction within the same party was credible. That fact in itself reflects badly on all political parties. The second accepted belief was that for a party based on workers rights the Labor Party was no better than its rivals in protecting the rights of its own employees. This apparent hypocrisy delighted its critics. However it would be a mistake to believe that such workplace issues are restricted to political workplaces because they are in some way special. There are enough examples of widespread bullying and misuse of entitlements in other private and public sector workplaces for this to be untrue. But the fact that this occurred in a political workplace had two undeniable consequences. One is that the general public is unwilling to be sympathetic towards the troubles faced by seemingly privileged members of the political class. If politicians are seen to have a sense of entitlement then the public, encouraged by the media, are keen to think the worst of them and to cut them down to size. Secondly, the other side of politics, in this case the government, will also have no sympathy at all, despite the dangers of the pot calling the kettle black. Labor has also shown no sympathy in the past to allegations of misuse of entitlements by Liberals, including the former speaker Bronwyn Bishop, and the Liberals are happy to reciprocate. They did so with their erstwhile colleague, Peter Slipper, another former speaker Peter Slipper. The desire to reciprocate is even greater in an election environment. A seat is a seat. The Liberals want to win back Lindsay and they also want to defeat Bill Shortens Labor at the general election. The Husar case ran during the Super Saturday by-elections campaigns to her detriment. It increased the chances of the government intervening enthusiastically for election purposes. The Husar case once again has thrown light on the demanding work and life of parliamentarians. It is an all-consuming occupation, yet that fact receives little sympathy from the wider community, which compare the demands to their own real and imaginary problems. Politicians such as Gai Brodtmann retire for family reasons and some, such as Tim Hammond, the former member for Perth, become so desperate that they resign early during their first term, causing a byelection. Another aspect is the well-known hot-house environment of Parliament House. Together with the Barnaby Joyce case this one has turned attention once again to the old metaphor of the Parliament as an isolated school boarding-house (now reworked as a prison), in which stress, exhaustion and extreme competitiveness prevail. The processes of dealing with wrong-doing and poor performance need improvement whether the correct image of the parliamentary work-place is one large corporation or the equivalent of a collection of small-businesses co-located in a shopping mall. Like the citizenship controversies both the political parties and the parliament itself need far greater awareness of the circumstances of their MPs. In this case Labor failed and deserves censure, at the very least for being inattentive and careless with an asset. But in other equivalent cases the Liberals and the Nationals also failed to keep tabs on their MPs. Each MPs office has its own dynamics. At their best, like any small business or family, the relations between MPs and their staff are commonly characterised by close friendships and mutual loyalty well beyond the bounds of any rules and regulations. This is the good news story. When some of those relationships break down flawed personalities contribute, but others are more likely to be the consequence of the untoward demands of political life conducted in the glare of publicity. John Warhurst is an Emeritus Professor of Political Science at the Australian National University /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/3145f918-2976-4847-8a6c-444c87bcb48f/r0_171_3065_1903_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. Bharat PetroResources Limited (BPRL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), is looking to hire candidates for the posts of Drilling Manager and Company Secretary. Attractive pay packages await qualified candidates. According to the official notification, BPRL is looking for a senior professional who wishes to leverage his or her experience and knowledge to enable high business results and take BPRL to greater heights. BEL Is Hiring 147 Engineers: Apply Now! BPCL Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Drilling Manager and Company Secretary Organisation Bharat PetroResources Limited (BPRL) Educational Qualification Graduate degree in petroleum, mechanical or drilling engineering from a recognised university for Drilling Managers and ACS degree for Company Secretaries Experience 8 to 12 years Job Responsibilities Supervision and data sheet preparation for Drilling Managers and looking after the activities related to compliances of the company and other laws for Company Secretaries Skills Required Communication skills Job Location India Salary Scale INR 14 to 22 lakhs per annum Industry Petroleum Application Start Date August 14, 2018 Application End Date September 20, 2018 Maximum Age Limit: 40 years Also Read: ISRO Recruitment 2018 For Scientist/Engineer At LPSC How To Apply For BPCL Recruitment 2018 In order to apply for BPCL Recruitment 2018, follow these steps: Step 1: Log on to the Bharat PetroResources Limited official website. Step 2: The list of vacancies will be displayed on the screen. Click on the application link against the relevant post. (Currently, the link is being updated and not active.) Step 3: The application form will be displayed on the screen. Enter your details in the fields provided. Step 4: Upload the relevant documents and submit your details. Step 5: Follow the subsequent pages to complete the application process. Click here to read the detailed official notification. Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), a public sector enterprise that has major operations in Delhi and Mumbai, has released a recruitment notification for the post of Assistant Manager. The notification was released for a total of 38 vacancies. The selection of the candidates will be based on the online examination. The selected candidates will undergo on-job training for a period of one year. They will also earn a stipend of INR 30,000 per month during training period. On successful completion, one will earn up to INR 46,500. Candidates can apply for the position until September 27, 2018. MTNL Assistant Manager Vacancy Details Assistant Manager (HR): 06 Assistant Manager (Sales & Marketing): 15 Assistant Manager (Finance)/JAO: 17 CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Assistant Manager Organisation Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) Educational Qualification 2 years MBA with specialisation in the related field is required for Assistant Managers in HR and sales & marketing; for finance, a CA/ICWA certificate is required. Job Location Delhi and Mumbai Salary Scale INR 30,000 to INR 46,500 per month Industry Telecom Application Start Date August 13, 2018 Application End Date September 27, 2018 Age Limit Assistant Manager (HR): 23 to 30 years Assistant Manager (Sales & Marketing): 23 to 30 years Assistant Manager (Finance)/JAO: 20 to 30 years Application Fee INR 1000 for general/OBC category INR 500 for SC/ST/PWD category Click here to apply online. Click here for the official notification. How To Apply Step 1: Visit the official website of MTNL. Step 2: Click on the ''Apply Online on 13/08/2018''. Step 3: A new page will be displayed and click on the ''Click here for New Registration''. Step 4: Fill all the mandatory fields. Step 5: Pay the prescribed fee. Step 6: Submit the application form. Step 7: Take a printout of the application form for future reference. Federal Bank Recruitment: Apply Online For Officer And Clerk Positions Hyundai has launched a naming campaign Naamkaran for its upcoming hatchback AH2. Set to make its world premiere during the festive season, this new hatchback will be slotted in between the Eon and Grand i10 . As a part of the campaign Hyundai is inviting name suggestions for the new car from its customers. The participants can suggest the name for their favourite car through an official website as well as on WhatsApp and via SMS. The winner of this contest will win a new AH2 hatchback when it is launched. This is the second major announcement about the car today. Earlier in the day, Hyundai released its first official rendering for the hatchback. In an official statement, the South Korean automaker has hinted that it will be a tall boy in terms of design. Keeping in line with the likes of the Grand i10 and Elite i20, we believe that the AH2 will revive the Santro moniker but with a second name to give it a unique identity Hyundai Santro 4.77 Lakh Onwards Hyundai | Santro | Hyundai Santro Photo: The Canadian Press Crown prosecutors are appealing the sentence of a man who left his 89-year-old mother on the floor of their home for several weeks until she died. Ronald Siwicki, 66, was sentenced in July to three months in jail for criminal negligence causing the death of his mother Elizabeth. One month was deducted as credit for the time he spent in custody before the trial. Elizabeth Siwicki fell out of bed at their Winnipeg home in November 2014 and, when she was unable to get up, she was left on the floor for more than three weeks. An autopsy found she suffered bed sores so severe, they went down to her bones and were the cause of her death. In a notice of appeal filed earlier this month, Crown prosecutors said Court of Queen's Bench Justice Colleen Suche erred in her assessment of aggravating and mitigating factors and handed down an unfit sentence. Defence attorney Mike Cook said he was surprised by the appeal. "Justice Suche pronounced a very well-crafted sentence taking into consideration every conceivable principle of sentencing from the Criminal Code and the jurisprudence," Cook said in an emailed statement. "She made no error in her decision." The Crown had asked for a 35-month sentence, while Cook wanted a suspended sentence with probation. During sentencing, the judge cited a psychiatric evaluation and pre-sentence report that said Siwicki has taken responsibility for what happened and is a low risk to reoffend. He also has no previous criminal record. Court previously heard how Siwicki had promised his mother, who was suffering from dementia, that she could die at home, but he was not equipped to deal with her declining health. After she fell out of bed, Siwicki gave his mother nutritional drinks and water. But as the weeks went by, he never called for help. Photo: The Canadian Press Bell Canada head office is seen on Nun's Island. Bell Media has signed a new long-term agreement that will see it become the exclusive Canadian broadcaster for new programming from Vice Media network Viceland. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately available. The companies say the shows will debut on multiple Bell Media platforms, including CraveTV, in the fall. They say new Vice shows will exclusively air on television on Bell Media channels, while it has also acquired the rights to more than 650 hours of Vice library programming. Bell Media and Vice will also explore co-production opportunities. The deal follows the end of a deal between Rogers Media Inc. and Vice earlier this year. Photo: Vancouver Police Department Marc Laurin A man wanted in connection with a fatal automotive crash in Toronto is believed to be in Vancouver. A 71-year-old man riding a motorcycle was struck by a black Dodge Challenger and killed Friday night in Toronto's east end. The man driving the Challenger fled the area on foot. Now, 29-year-old Marc Laurin has been charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, failing to stop after a collision, and being unlawfully at large. A Canada-wide arrest warrant has been issued for his arrest. "He is believed to be violent and dangerous," the Vancouver Police Department said Thursday. "If you see him, call 911 and do not approach." Police describe Laurin as a 5-foot-6, 160-pound man with a medium build, short, black hair and an unshaven face. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, dark pants and a dark blazer. with files from CTV Vancouver The Federation of Fuel and Derivatives Transporters of Minas Gerais (Sindtanque-MG) has informed that it will not participate in the... Discussion This case series of contact lensrelated corneal infections highlights the burden these infections place on contact lens wearers and the serious outcomes associated with them. All of the patients required treatment with antibiotic eye drops, sometimes requiring administration hourly for weeks or months. This finding is consistent with a previous analysis of administrative health care data, which indicated that 76% of keratitis patient encounters were associated with an antimicrobial prescription (1). Some of the patients described in this series sought care in an emergency department, where it is more costly to receive care (1). One patient was lost to follow-up care, suggesting possible complete resolution of disease, but also highlighting the challenge of complying with medical care by patients who might be busy with work, school, or household obligations. Two patients required surgery, and most were left with permanent eye damage or vision loss. Contact lens wearers are younger on average than nonwearers and bear a burden of disease despite being viewed as healthy. Exam findings in these patients were indicative of active infection including stromal opacification, anterior chamber reaction, and hypopyon. Cultures and diagnostic testing identified various organisms, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acanthamoeba spp., which might suggest contamination of contact lenses and supplies with tap water. In three of the six cases, contact lenses were purchased without a valid prescription. In one case, they were decorative lenses, which are lenses that alter the appearance of the eye (e.g., change the color) but might not improve vision. Decorative lenses, similar to lenses that are prescribed for vision correction, are classified as medical devices. The sale of all contact lenses is regulated and should require a valid prescription from an eye care professional. In the United States, contact lens prescriptions are valid for only 12 years, depending on the state. Visits with an eye care professional to renew a prescription serve as opportunities for reeducation about safe contact lens wear and care practices. Sleeping in contact lenses is one of the most frequently reported contact lens risk behaviors and one with a high relative risk for corneal infection (3,4). Sleeping in lenses has been shown to be a risk factor regardless of lens material and frequency, with even occasional overnight use conferring risk (5,6). Although some contact lenses are approved by FDA for overnight wear, the increased risk for infection is acknowledged by their classification as a Class 3 medical device, which includes medical devices with the greatest risk for harm such as intraocular lenses and implantable pacemakers. Postmarketing surveillance of drugs and devices is important to the health and safety of the general public. Whereas medical device manufacturers are required to report adverse events, not all adverse events come to the attention of manufacturers (7). Patients and physicians can fill this gap. The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, cases were chosen by practicing ophthalmologists (who can perform eye surgery), and are likely referred cases of contact lensrelated eye infections that are more serious and might require surgical intervention. Therefore, the cases presented here are not necessarily representative of the typical contact lensrelated eye infection. Second, as a case series, there are no definitive statements that can be made regarding the association of the reported risk factors and the contact lensrelated eye infections. Finally, the patients in the cases reported here might have had an innate susceptibility to developing an eye infection; other contact lens wearers with the same habits might be able to sleep in lenses without adverse outcomes. Cases of contact lensrelated infections, such as those described here, should be reported as adverse events to the FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program at http://www.fda.gov/MedWatchexternal icon. The Eye and Contact Lens Association is working to promote contact lens safety for patients by encouraging eye care professionals and patients to voluntarily report contact lensrelated eye infections to FDA. Using the data accumulated in the adverse event reporting program, contact lens stakeholders (industry, regulatory authorities, eye care professionals, and public health) can work together to determine what improvements can be made to contact lenses, care products, manufacturer guidelines, and labeling. Health education measures directed toward contact lens wearers should emphasize raising awareness of the risks of sleeping in contact lenses as well as adherence to all recommendations for the wear and care of contact lenses. Cemex's Davenport site still seeks new use 16 August 2018 Cemex's Davenport facility in Iowa, USA, has remained empty since the plant was closed in 2010. Cemex maintains ownership of the plant, and while it has been in negotiations to sell the site, the talks with an aviation company have stalled. The preferred bidder, Joby Aviation, is no longer planning to move its production to part of the empty 104-acre Cemex site, founder and CEO, Joe Ben Bevirt confirmed Monday. Instead, the company is in talks with the city of Marina to open a new production facility at the Marina Municipal Airport early in 2019. "The other options were not really viable, nor were they well received by the community, because we don't want a big hotel there it would not be in keeping with the character of Davenport," said Noel Bock, a longtime resident who chairs the Davenport North Coast Association. Now the community is 'left hanging", Mr Bock said. But he added that a number of his neighbours may be just as happy to see the plant remain empty. "It'll sort of be an eyesore, but it wont disrupt Davenport," he said. In its heyday, the plant drove Davenport's economy and produced cement for major California projects such as the Golden Gate Bridge. Published under Royal White Cement joins the WCA 16 August 2018 The World Cement Association (WCA) announces that Royal White Cement, one of America's white cement companies, has joined its international membership as a Corporate Member. "We are delighted to welcome this US-based member to our expanding global network," said Norman Greig, Secretary General of the WCA. "The United States is the world's third biggest cement producer and we are looking forward to working together with such an important local player to promote and strengthen the goals of the global cement industry." Royal White Cement was established in 1999. The Houston-based firm has a capacity of 0.5Mta and supplies white cement to customers throughout the United States from its seven locations. Published under Tanzania government meets with stakeholders over cement prices ICR Newsroom By 16 August 2018 The Tanzanian government called an emergency meeting with stakeholders in Dar es Salaam to discuss the rising cement prices and the lack of product availability in the countrys market, according to a report in The Citizen. The closed-door meeting was chaired by the Deputy Minister for Industries, Trade and Investment, Stella Manyanya, who wanted producers to explain why there was scarcity of cement in the market. "We conducted a quick survey in the market and established that cement is not available and if you found it, it is sold at a high price," she said. However, she said there was not a strong reason from producers. We expected that since there are ongoing massive projects like SGR, the cement producers could increase the production but we are wondering why cement is not available currently," she said. While she said she understood that there may be technical issues in one or two plants, she added that this could not be the case for all cement plants in the country. Published under 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. Vietnam sees 63% advance in exports in 7M18 ICR Newsroom By 16 August 2018 Vietnams cement and clinker exports surged 63.2 per cent to 17.65Mt and 73 per cent to US$656.3m in the first seven months of 2018, according to the countrys General Department of Customs. Around 26.9 per cent of exports were shipped to Bangladesh, Vietnams largest cement and clinker export market. In terms of volume, deliveries rose by 4.9 per cent to 4.75Mt while the export value increased by 15.8 per cent to US$152.8m YoY. The average price of exports was US$32.2/t. Volumes to China rose 80-fold with a 90-fold advance in value, reaching 4.52Mt and US$158.35m, respectively, when compared with 7M17. They represented a six per cent share of total export volumes and 24.1 per cent of total turnover. Export prices to China increased 12.6 per cent YoY with the average price per tonne at US$35. Vietnams third-largest cement and clinker export market, the Philippines, paid on average US$45.30/t for some 3.49Mt of Vietnamese product, which saw a 23.5 per cent YoY advance in volumes. Export turnover from these exports were up 28.1 per cent to US$159.73m. In addition, there was particularly strong growth over the same period in Malaysia, where Vietnamese cement exporters increased their volumes by 87.9 per cent to 0.52Mt and turnover by 102.2 per cent to US$17.85m (average export price: US$34.20/t, up 7.6 per cent YoY). Cement producers also saw the off-take by Peru surge 74.7 per cent in volume and 72 per cent in value to close at 0.57Mt and US$26.49m. Cement and clinker exports to the Australian market were particularly noticeable with a very strong increase of 96.2 per cent over the same period last year, with record prices of US$66.7/t. However, exports declined sharply by 90.2 per cent and turnover fell 80.8 per cent to 23,504t, equivalent to US$1.57m. In addition, exports to Sri Lanka also decreased 68.3 per cent in volume and 64.3 per cent in turnover, reaching 128,059t, equivalent to US$4.23m. Exports to Mozambique fell by 47.9 per cent in volume and 40.8 percent in value to 156,120t, or US$5.14m. Published under TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) African 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 percent salary cut that has driven them further into poverty. Israel's roughly 35,000 African migrants and the groups that support them say the recent law in which Israel withholds the money from their paychecks 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. 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 doesn't 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 percent 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 doesn't grant the migrants any additional social services, to which their access is already limited. Employers are also tasked with storing an additional 16 percent of migrant's 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 doesn't shy away from the law's goals, a spokeswoman suggested the money serves as a savings account for migrants choosing to leave Israel. Interior Ministry spokeswoman 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 country's 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 law's implementation, the 20 percent salary reduction has been deeply felt by Tel Aviv's 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 baby-sitters, and giving up on paying for their children's health insurance. ASSAF, an Israeli aid group for migrants, has tracked the law's 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 percent 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 it's 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 children's 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. 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. I am proud to have the support of the Dolphin Democrats, Equality Florida, and the Sun-Sentinel for my re-election as the Broward County School Board Member, Countywide. I have spent the last 7 years fighting for ALL of our children and their backing affirmed many years of my support for the LGBTQ+ community. I shared my passion for education, at their recent meeting, and was overwhelmed with their gracious and emphatic support. Because I support the LGBTQ+ community and identify myself as an ally, it is critically important, to me, to clarify statements that I made at a debate that I attended on August 7th. The moderator, with implied bias, posed his own question as follows, A lot of families are pulling their kids out of school. I have friends who have pulled all their kids out of school and have gone to homeschooling because they are concerned about what the students are getting taught specifically in terms of some of the radical ideologies, as they see it, like allowing kids as early, as young as 5 years old to choose their gender, for example and being taught all these ideas that there are 13 or 14 genders and you can pick which ever bathroom you want to go toI wanted each of you to address that from a standpoint of what families feel that its not appropriate at 5 years old to tell a child you can pick from 13 genders and pick whatever bathroom they want to go to. This is a clear misrepresentation of Broward County Public Schools Policy and of the choice that many exercise to homeschool their children. The question was of great concern to me, as gender identity and sexual orientation are not a choice. I immediately and passionately responded that if a child comes to a teacher and says they have questions they need to be given support at school. In addressing the question, about sharing information with families, I intended to state we share information with the family if a student has been harmed such as in the case of rape. It was not my intent to imply that LGBTQ+ identities should be connected with past trauma. The childs safety is always our first priority. My words were clearly poorly chosen and did not convey my intent. For this I apologize for how any of this may have been perceived and promise that I will be more sensitive and particular in my communication. I emphatically believe, as I stated in the debate, that we have to support every child as they come to us because every child is perfect in their own way. IM HERE FOR EVERY SINGLE CHILD! Donna Korn Broward County School Board Member, Countywide 1,800 Soldiers Have Professed Faith in Christ at Missouri Army Base in Last 6 Months Christian Post Contributor | 16 August, 2018 by Samuel Smith Over 1,800 soldiers have made professions of faith in the last six months at an Army base in Missouri, a chaplain says. On Sunday, U.S. Army Chaplain Capt. Jose Rondon took to Facebook to rejoice in the fact that nearly 400 soldiers came to faith in Christ that day. And that total is only a small part of a broader revival that has been occuring on at Fort Leonard Wood. "Today, 380 Soldiers came to salvation in Christ once and for all. Thanks CH Tony Cech for the excellent, clear, and powerful messages during the three services," Rodon wrote in a post. "Since March 11 2018, we have seen 1,839 Soldiers coming to Christ." In his Facebook post, Rondon shared a video that showed the Main Post Chapel at Fort Leonard Wood packed with soldiers singing along to worship music. "God's doing an unbelievable work through our military at Fort Leonard Wood, MO.," Rondon added in his post. "May God bring the same powerful conviction of sin and love for Him that we are experiencing at Main Post Chapel all throughout our Nation and His world. Thanks for your love and prayers!" On July 29, Rondon posted on Facebook saying that 307 Soldiers gave their lives to Christ during three services that day. At the end of July, the total number of salvations was up to 1,459. Last week, Rondon posted a video of a large group of soldiers attending a service and singing "Amazing Grace." In a video posted to Facebook about a month ago, Rondon is seen baptizing nine soldiers. A soldier whose name is also Jose, was asked by Rondon to tell the crowd why he was getting baptized. "I was baptized when I was younger but it wasn't really my decision," Jose explained. "Now it is my decision to follow Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior." On that same day, Rondon baptized another soldier who Rondon said can run two miles in 11 minutes. "It doesn't matter how fast he is," Rondon told the crowd. "He understands that he needs Christ." Rondon, a native of Venezuela who emigrated to South Carolina, told ChurchLeaders.com last month that he has never seen such a response and desire for salvation in his 25 years of preaching. Rondon holds master's and doctoral degrees from the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dealing mostly with soldiers in basic training, Rondon told the outlet that these soldiers are more open to faith because many of them are separated from family and loved ones for the first time. "I believe that the message of salvation goes to the core of these individuals because they have finally come to realize that God has always been there to love them, guide them and protect them," Rondon stated. "In other words, through the encouragement of God's Word life starts to become meaningful for these soldiers in training as they realize that it is not as bad as they think with the help of God and the encouragement of practical applications to live tougher lives in the Army setting." In June, Rondon wrote on Facebook that the key to the recent rise in baptisms has been intentionality. "If we want to see people coming to Christ we must be intentional to speak clearly about 1. Our problem as sinners; 2. God's solution to the sin-problem through Christ's death, burial, and resurrection; and 3. Our individual response to God's desire to forgive us of our sins and His desire that nobody will go to Hell," Rondon wrote. "To Christ's church: Stay INTENTIONAL." Retired Major General Doug Carver, who serves as executive director of chaplaincy for the North American Mission Board, told Baptist Press that the faith movement going on at Fort Leonard Wood is only part of a larger movement of God happening across the military. "Our troops, who are increasingly hungry for truth and relevancy in their lives, are finding a faith that works through a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ," Carver was quoted as saying. "The current spiritual awakening at Fort Leonard Wood is indicative of a great move of God taking place within the Armed Services today." Read more about soldiers professing Christ on The Christian Post. Churches in Bars, Movie Theaters, in the Bible Belt, As Other Churches Close CP Reporter | 16 August, 2018 by Brandon Showalter Amid dozens of church closures in the heart of the Bible Belt, some in South Carolina are planting congregations in bars, movie theaters, and in homes. South Carolina newspaper The State reported Thursday that across the traditionally conservative state, many churches have closed 97 since 2011 and others are slowly dying, reflecting a nationwide trend, yet there is new growth amid the decay. Reflecting on the article Thursday, Mark Tooley, president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy in Washington D.C., noted that the South Carolina newspaper's account of the unconventional ways of doing church shows that stories of decline are "more complicated than church shrinkage ... as people leave old denominations, especially Mainline Protestant, in favor of newer churches." In West Columbia, New Brookland Tavern, a bar that features punk and metal bands on Saturday nights, hosts services on Sunday morning once per month. "Everybody just goes, 'What?'" when they hear about having church services in a bar, said Jody Ratcliffe, who had been a Southern Baptist pastor and now leads Church at West Vista. The church is a network of home groups that worship in homes three times per month and meets in the bar on the remaining Sunday. "And then they think and go, 'Wait a minute, that's really cool,'" he said. This particular church speaks to people who have ever been hurt in the past and do not want to go to church ever again, he said. "The traditional church has the mentality that everyone knows we're here, and if we just open our doors, people will come if they want," the pastor continued, explaining this is an ineffective approach to ministry particularly among the younger generations. "Millennials don't value legacy. ... A lot of our older churches, they've been relying on legacy for decades." Read more about Churches in Bars, Movie Theaters, in the Bible Belt, As Other Churches Close on The Christian Post. Justin Bieber Reading Timothy Keller's 'Meaning of Marriage' Book After Engagement Christian Post Contributor | 16 August, 2018 by Stoyan Zaimov A Baptist pastor has hailed Justin Bieber for reading and promoting Christian author Tim Keller's book on marriage following his engagement to model Hailey Baldwin. TMZ released a video of the popstar leaving Baldwin's apartment in New York City on Wednesday night, where he briefly stopped to chat with fans before going into a car. Bieber was holding Keller's 2011 book The Meaning of Marriage, and even showed it to the camera, saying: "You have good days and you have bad days. It's not real if it doesn't have any bad days." Murray Campbell, lead pastor at Mentone Baptist Church in Melbourne, explained in The Gospel Coalition on Friday about why the book, and the world-famous Christian pop star's promotion of it, is important. Campbell said that some in the media find the book controversial for its defence of monogamy and for telling men and women to abstain from sex before marriage, as well as for suggesting that wives should submit to their husbands. "Yes, all of these things are unpopular today, but none of them are controversial in most contexts," Campbell wrote. "They are, and have been, shared by Christians (and many others) all over the world for millennia. These are aspects of a marriage that are taught and encouraged in the Bible. However what the Kellers achieve (following the Bible) is to frame marriage relationships in a consistent and attractive way that helps makes sense of why marriage should be monogamous and why there are gender complementary roles in a marriage." The pastor, who says that he uses Keller's book regularly for both pre-marriage and marriage counselling at his church, warned that too often people "parody and caricature ideas that we don't like or can't comprehend, rather than taking the harder and more honest approach, which is to understand concepts on their own terms." "In reading the book, we discover that the Kellers are only too aware of how marriage is being reframed in Western cultures, and while critiquing these trends, they are not sending readers back to the conservative 1950s either," he added. "That's why it's worth reading the book; it will surprise. Tim and Kathy Keller are neither mirroring the less-than satisfying views of sex and relationships that turn up on Netflix and Amazon, neither are they reproducing unhelpful marital myths from previous generations." Read more about Justin Bieber Reading Timothy Keller's 'Meaning of Marriage' Book After Engagement on the Christian Post. Youve grown World Vision US from $350 million to $1 billion over your two decades as president and CEO. Today 40,000 international staff serve children in 100 countries, and you just visited Rwanda to launch a five-year plan to make it the first developing nation with universal access to clean water. Why retire now? I believe that everything has a season. Like Moses with the staff in his hand, I brought what I had to offer World Vision and made it available to the Lord. Ive had a wonderful season here, but I dont want to be that guy the board is whispering about: Whens the old boy going to leave? Isnt it about time? Im 67. Its time for World Vision to have a fresh vision and a new leader who has new things to offer. When World Vision first courted you, you said it was looking for a leader who was part CEO, part Mother Teresa, and part Indiana Jones. Is that who youve become? I think to some extent [yes]. The Mother Teresa part is you got to have a big heart for the poor and a passion for the least of these. The CEO part is its a billion-dollar organization, and its more complex today than when I started. And the Indiana Jones part is sometimes you find yourself in places like South Sudan surrounded by AK-47s. Youve got to have a certain amount of adventuresome-ness in your bones to do that travel and enter into the worlds heartbreak. What are some of your proudest accomplishments? AIDS, refugees, and WASH [water, sanitation, and hygiene] have all been major passions of mine. When tackling the HIV/AIDS crisis in the early 2000s, my marketing VP said, Were a G-rated ministry, and this is an R-rated issue. ... 1 You have reached the end of this Article Preview You have reached the end of this Article Preview To continue reading, subscribe now. Subscribers have full digital access. Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here. Dealing with Anxiety and Panic Attacks: 5 Tips for Getting Through the Work Day For those who struggle with anxiety and panic attacks, simply getting through a work day can be tough. From dealing with difficult coworkers and demanding bosses to meeting deadlines and making presentations, the stressors that come along with a work environment are often overwhelming. Experiencing stress at work is perfectly normal and can happen to anyone; theres no such thing as a worry-free life. Yet, anxiety disorders, or living in a continual state of anxiousness and emotional distress, are very real issues and can leave sufferers feeling lonely, isolated, and hopeless. According to statistics, anxiety disorders are incredibly common, affecting 40 million adults or 18.1% of the population every year. Chronic job-related stress, another survey found, affects more than one-third of working Americans, yet just 36 percent said their organizations provide sufficient resources to help them manage that stress. If you are one of the millions of Americans who suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, here are five tips to help you get through your workday. 1. Learn Your Triggers Identifying the things that trigger your anxiety can help you proactively fight an oncoming panic attack the physical response to stress. Is it finances, looming deadlines, or piles of paperwork? Keep a record of when youre feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious, and then pay attention to your symptoms and identify patterns. Once you identify your patterns, you can make rational, informed decisions about what to do with your anxiety instead of letting it cascade into a full-blown panic attack. Oftentimes, its possible to reduce stress by preventing a trigger from turning into worse anxiety. 2. Practice Self-care Instead of self-medicating through unhealthy ways, practice mindful and constructive self-care. Make sure you get sufficient rest, eat nutritious foods that keep your blood sugar steady, and take time to engage in exercises that relax your body. A recent study showed that those who regularly exercise were 25 percent less likely to develop depression or an anxiety disorder over the next five years. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) recommends including at least 2 hours of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, 1 hours of a vigorous-intensity activity (such as jogging or swimming laps), or a combination of the two. Additionally, the ADAA advises limiting both alcohol and caffeine, as both can aggravate anxiety and trigger panic attacks. Finally, be intentional about what you watch on TV, read, or listen to. Carefully consider the thoughts you allow to run through your mind. Do they worsen your anxiety? Philippians 4:8 says this: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirableif anything is excellent or praiseworthythink about such things. 3. Take a Break The idea of taking a break during a busy workday can seem counterintuitive when tasks continue to pile up. Yet, to avoid getting over-stressed, experts advise taking two 15-minute relaxation breaks in the day. During these breaks, practice stress-management techniques like meditation, prayer, or reading all of which can help diminish anxiety. The Bible is full of full of wisdom and encouragement for those suffering from anxiety disorders. Philippians 4:6-7 says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Similarly, God encourages us to Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). When anxiety begins to creep in, make a conscious effort to listen to your bodys stress signals and briefly remove yourself from the situation to clear your head. Take a few deep breaths, go for a walk, relax, and renew your mind. 4. Set Attainable Goals Anxiety can make its sufferers forget their successes and achievements, constantly feeding them the lie that they arent good or accomplished enough. A key way to avoid anxiety during the day is to work within your limits. Instead of powering through a project and becoming frustrated, pace yourself and set realistic, attainable goals. Make a physical list and cross off each task as you complete it. Its easier to motivate yourself and remain mentally healthy when your goal is within reach. Remember that perfection isnt possible and applaud yourself for what you do accomplish, no matter how small. Instead of berating or criticizing yourself, switch to positive self-talk and identify three things youve done right. The Bible tells us that in Gods eyes, we are accepted, loved, and worthy. Rom. 8:1 says, There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 5. Stay Connected When in the throes of anxiety, its easy to forget that there are those around us who want the best for us and will not leave us to suffer alone. Both in your professional and personal life, make an intentional effort to surround yourself with positive, encouraging individuals. Support groups, whether through a church, clinic, or online, can provide an opportunity to share experiences and coping techniques. At work, establish relationships with co-workers who will support and encourage you. Dont be afraid to ask for help, whether its from family, friends, or a mental health professional. And be intentional about creating a work/life balance. The ADAA recommends volunteering or getting involved with a local charity or church; becoming active in your community, it says, creates a support network and gives you a break from everyday stress. Anxiety can be debilitating and isolating. Sometimes, successfully getting through a workday can feel like an impossible task. In these times, take time to relax, breathe, and be kind to yourself. Remember: You are not alone! God promises, I will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). >>>Request for Liberty University Online degree info now. Liberty University, also referred to as Liberty, is a private, non-profit Christian research university in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty is one of the largest Christian universities in the world and the largest private non-profit university in the United States, measured by student enrollment. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Since President Trump's nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, there has been a flurry of public opinion surveys on the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. While all of these polls purportedly show strong public support for Roe v. Wade, nearly all of them are flawed in at least one of two ways. The first common flaw is that many polls fail to fully explain the policy implications of the Roe v. Wade decision. Indeed, Roe v. Wade went well beyond legalizing abortion in the first trimester -- instead Roe effectively legalized abortion on demand and made it difficult to limit late-term abortions. The second flaw is that many survey questions fail to explain the full implications of reversing Roe v. Wade. A reversal of Roe would not ban abortion but would instead return abortion policy to the states. However, last month The Wall Street Journal and NBC News commissioned a poll that managed to combine both of these flaws. The survey question began by stating that Roe v. Wade established a right to an abortion, "at least in the first three months of pregnancy." It then asked respondents if they would like to see the Supreme Court "completely overturn" Roe v. Wade. As such, many respondents likely concluded that Roe v. Wade only legalized abortion in the first trimester and a reversal of Roe would ban first-trimester abortions. Furthermore, The Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll was the only recent poll that specifically asked respondents if they would like to see Roe v. Wade "overturned." Negative words like "overturn," "reverse," and "ban" all tend to poll poorly. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that this poll purportedly found that 71 percent of respondents support the Roe v. Wade decision -- the highest level of support for Roe among any of the recent public opinion surveys. Naturally, the subsequent media coverage of this poll uncritically touted the high levels of support for Roe v. Wade and failed to consider other dimensions of public attitudes toward abortion. Indeed, certain aspects of Roe v. Wade are very unpopular with the American public. A body of research shows many incremental pro-life laws such as limits on mid- and late-term abortions -- enjoy widespread support. The most sophisticated abortion polls have shown most Americans oppose most abortions for the reasons they're actually done finances, relationship problems, timing of pregnancy and they prefer adoption and other alternatives. Finally, there is also research which shows that swing state voters would rather have abortion policy decided by their own elected officials, instead of by the U.S. Supreme Court. Detailed polling data usefully inform public policy debates. Unfortunately, much of the recent polling on Roe v. Wade, especially the latest NBC News/The Wall Street Journal poll, has generated more confusion than insight. Originally posted at townhall.com Michael J. New is a Visiting Associate Professor at Ave Maria University and an associate scholar at the Charlotte Lozier Institute. Follow him on Twitter @Michael_J_New Former lesbian and LGBT activist says she has renounced homosexuality A prominent lesbian and LGBT activist in Uganda has reportedly renounced her same-sex attraction and now says homosexuality is a 'sin.' Val Kalende shocked members of the international LGBT community when she made the public declaration during a church service in Uganda that was broadcast live on Christian channel Salt TV last month, according The Edge. She came out as a lesbian in 2002 and spent over a decade advocating for LGBT rights, with her writing featuring in The Huffington Post, among other publications. When Uganda passed laws criminalising homosexual behaviour in 2014, she sought refuge in Canada. According to The Edge, she said in last month's broadcast that she 'joined' lesbianism after university, at which point her Christian parents 'cut their times with me for being gay.' 'I became rebellious,' she said, according to The Edge's translation. 'We always wondered why the world forced us to become girls who do not love men' The newspaper also reported that the former lesbian has now returned to Uganda and is getting married soon. According to Ugandan newspaper the Monitor, Kalende elaborated further on Facebook about the change in her sexual identity. The website quoted her as saying: 'I'd be glad to respond to questions concerning what I have learned about the sin of same-sex attraction and the mystery that surrounds the homosexual lifestyle, especially for Christians, parents and people with family members or friends who struggle with same-sex attractions.' According to PinkNews, the declaration has taken the LGBT community by surprise, with Frank Mugisha, executive director of Sexual Minorities Uganda, telling the website that he was 'very much worried about her.' Ugandan human rights activist Stella Nyanzi, who identifies as queer, reportedly responded to the news by saying on Facebook that religion is 'powerful and dangerous.' "She is not the first homosexual to make public declarations about converting back to heterosexuality. Religion does all sorts of things to people," she was quoted as saying by Nairobi News. Jack Phillips is back in court, this time for refusing to bake cake celebrating gender transition Colorado baker Jack Phillips, who earlier this year won a United States Supreme Court case over his refusal on religious grounds to make a same-sex wedding cake, is back in court over his objection to making a transgender-themed cake. In June, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of Phillips, arguing that the Christian baker had been mistreated by Colorado's Civil Rights Commission due to his sincerely-held religious beliefs. The Alliance Defending Freedom, the conservative legal group that successfully argued Phillips' case before the high court, filed a lawsuit Tuesday on behalf of Phillips regarding the latest case. At issue was a decision by Colorado a few weeks after the Supreme Court decision, in which the state ruled that Phillips had violated the law by refusing to make a cake celebrating a gender transition. ADF filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado and named as defendants members of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, as well as Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman and Governor John Hickenlooper. "After Phillips defended himself all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and won, he thought Colorado's hostility toward his faith was over. He was wrong," reads the suit's introduction. "Colorado has renewed its war against him by embarking on another attempt to prosecute him, in direct conflict with the Supreme Court's ruling in his favor. This lawsuit is necessary to stop Colorado's continuing persecution of Phillips." According to the suit, last year a Colorado lawyer requested that Phillips make a cake celebrating a gender transition, with the exterior being blue and an interior that was pink. Phillips also received requests to make cakes celebrating Satan, marijuana usage, and sexually explicit imagery, with at least some of these requests allegedly coming from the lawyer. "Phillips declined to create the cake with the blue and pink design because it would have celebrated messages contrary to his religious belief that sex the status of being male or female is given by God, is biologically determined, is not determined by perceptions or feelings, and cannot be chosen or changed," explained the lawsuit. "The state's 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 Colorado's unconstitutional bullying." On June 4, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission that Colorado violated the First Amendment when it punished Phillips for refusing to bake a custom cake for the wedding of Dave Mullins and Charlie Craig in 2012 when same-sex marriage was illegal in Colorado. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the majority opinion, being joined by Justices Elena Kagan, Samuel Alito, Stephen Breyer, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Chief Justice John Roberts. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote a dissent, which Justice Sonia Sotomayor joined. "When the Colorado Civil Rights Commission considered this case, it did not do so with the religious neutrality that the Constitution requires," wrote Kennedy. "Given all these considerations, it is proper to hold that whatever the outcome of some future controversy involving facts similar to these, the Commission's actions here violated the Free Exercise Clause; and its order must be set aside." This article was originally published in The Christian Post and is re-published here with permission Newspaper editorials across US rebuke Trump for attacks on media More than 300 US newspapers have pledged to run editorials on Thursday defending freedom of the press in response to President Donald Trump calling some media organisations enemies of the American people. The Boston Globe organised the editorial push, which was joined by the New York Times and a number of smaller newspapers, including some in states that Trump won during the 2016 presidential election. The Boston Globe editorial board, in a piece posted online on Wednesday, accused Trump of carrying out a 'sustained assault on the free press'. 'The greatness of America is dependent on the role of a free press to speak the truth to the powerful,' the Globe piece said. 'To label the press 'the enemy of the people' is as un-American as it is dangerous to the civic compact we have shared for more than two centuries.' Trump, in treating the media at times like an opposition party, has responded to unflattering reports as 'fake news'. For instance, in February 2017 the president tweeted that 'The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American people!' A representative for the White House could not immediately be reached for comment on the editorials. At conservative website Townhall.com, an opinion piece from Tom Tradup accused newspapers taking part in the editorial push of 'collusion'. 'Unlike the mastodons at The Boston Globe, I would not presume to tell anyone else what to think or what to do,' Tradup wrote. 'But as for me and I suspect many others I won't be putting any coins in any newspaper box August 16th.' The publication of the editorials follows similar criticism of Trump by a number of public figures over the issue of press freedom. In January, US Senator Jeff Flake, a Republican from Arizona, said Trump had embraced the despotic language of former Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. The Kansas City Star, in Missouri which Trump won in the 2016 presidential election, in its editorial also compared Trump's comments on the media to Stalin's silencing of his critics. And it took issue with the term 'fake news'. 'Everywhere in the country, any matter that an official doesn't want to talk about or that a reader doesn't want to hear about is "fake news" now,' the Star said in its editorial, which ran online on Wednesday. True repentance: Slow, costly and sometimes impossible The Jewish community is currently in the penitential month of Elul, when we recite Selichot, asking G-d for forgiveness. Observant Judaism believes in stages. A sudden conversion or change of heart is regarded with suspicion and this is for good reason. In Jewish history we have experienced fellow Jews going off the rails due to epiphanies that have led to destruction. In some cases new sects have been formed, and in others novel interpretations have been formulated that contradict the teachings of observant Judaism. So any sort of repentance, or conversion, whether of oneself or of people who want to join the observant Jewish community, takes a very long time. The journey includes Torah learning of necessity, leading to cultivation of character traits, which in turn lead to actions geared towards G-d, known in Hebrew as the 'mitzvot', but always with kavvanah (right intention). As we gear up for the High Holy Days of Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), we gradually wean ourselves into the proper state of mind open to the incredible sounds of the shofar which wake us up from our slumber. The Elul Selichot service is part of this process and here is a flavour from a local synagogue. Many Christians see things through their own prisms and regard rabbis as Jewish priests or vicars. This is the opposite of the case. The synagogue rabbi is an employee of the synagogue and it is up to congregants to choose him and if necessary replace him with someone else. The rabbi emphatically does not repent on behalf of everyone else and in many synagogues a rabbi is deemed unnecessary the service being taken by knowledgeable members of the congregation. In Judaism every person is equal in the sight of G-d. We are all part of G-d's creation. And every person is equally responsible for their actions. The rabbi does not grant us absolution. There is no Jewish intermediary to G-d. The role of the rabbi (if such a person exists in the synagogue) is to encourage education in Torah for both men and women, the very young and the very old. This learning is not academic. It is essential to learn, in order to understand G-d's word, to argue over this word with a learning partner, to hone one's character traits as a result, and then to go out into the world and act on this theory and practice. This is what is meant by being 'a light unto the nations'. Action is paramount in Judaism. This is the moment that this realisation came home to one young Jewish man living under the Jewish Mandate period in Israel. This young man, aged 20, realises that learning Torah and commentaries are simply not enough. The Jewish people now has to act. And being humble like Moses entails utilizing leadership qualities for the greater good of one's people. He wrote: 'I dreamed a dream. And in that dream I envisioned a group of Torah scholars and Yeshiva students living the words of verse 7 of the wonder Psalm 149: "Let the high praises of G-d be in their mouths and a two-edged sword in the hands."' Thus started the idea of the hesder Yeshiva movement, where learning and training to fight for one's country go hand in hand. At that time back in 1947 there was an initial reluctance by the average Yeshiva student to join such a scheme. 'This was not enough for me. The dream was not being fulfilled. I thought that if I myself made the first move, then others would follow me. I no longer allowed false modesty to hold me back two sides of the same coin theory buttressed by practice.... 'I didn't believe it was feasible to serenely study Torah amid firestorms of shells detonating all around us, with our comrades dying by the dozen.... I did not believe in a heavenly Jerusalem if there was no earthly Jerusalem here below.' Many people would be stunned at the idea of a rabbi deciding to fight for what he believes in. But I believe that this is because 2000 years of Jews in Diaspora has Christianized the Jewish religion to the extent that many rabbis are now simply vicars in all but name and this is not good for the future of Diaspora Judaism. Twelve years ago to the day, on August 16th 2006, I landed in Israel, ready for my new life in Haifa, which was enveloped in the 2nd Lebanon War. I had chosen Haifa as my home because it was in the north-west. It was on the sea. It had a great musical tradition and two superb universities. It was also beautiful, more relaxed than most Israeli cities, and with a very diverse community. I will never forget on arrival in Haifa when the 20-year-old student, now nearly 80, invited me into his home and asked me, in the wake of the 2nd Lebanon War bent on destroying Haifa (and he refused to abandon the city when the vast majority of pensioners fled south to escape the bombardments), for my advice on whether or not to accept the invitation he had received from the then Archbishop of Canterbury to consider working with the Church of England to overcome centuries of hostility. 'What do you think?' he said. 'Have they truly repented?' I thought about this. 'They may not have repented and maybe never will. But at least they will have a chance to make some amends by working with you as the representative of the Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel.'And so it happened. Is everyone capable of repentance? In theory probably 'Yes'. But in practice probably 'No'. There are some crimes so heinous (and we in the UK are learning about some of these on a daily basis as I write) that no matter how many times a truly evil person says 'Sorry', it is obvious to all that he is simply making it up as it goes along. Judaism does not believe in 'Original Sin'. We believe that we are born with two instincts, for good and for evil. We have free choice all the way. We are all capable of not just listening to the shofar but heeding what it means. For this we need learning, humility, good deeds and the openness for real change. Unfortunately, in our tunnel-visioned world, openness to the sound of the shofar is not always evident, and laxity in learning, humility, good deeds and openness has led to very great difficulties in the capacity to change. For as it states in Isaiah 6:10: 'This people's heart is becoming fat and their ears are becoming heavy. And their eyes are becoming sealed. Lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed.' Dr Irene Lancaster is a Jewish academic, author and translator who has established university courses on Jewish history, Jewish studies and the Hebrew Bible. Signs of easing tensions between the world's two largest economies helped to lift oil a little after the U.S. reported a surge in crude stockpiles Wednesday and futures flirted with a key technical level. Oil in New York was capped at a 0.7 percent gain Thursday despite the announcement that the U.S. and China will resume trade talks in an attempt to defuse geopolitical tensions. Amid macro-economic fears, WTI, the U.S. crude benchmark, briefly dipped below $65 per barrel early Thursday and neared its 200-day moving average for the first time since October. The revival in trade talks, if successful, could be a "light at the end of the tunnel," but only if the market is offered something substantial, said Michael Loewen, commodities strategist at Scotiabank in Toronto. "You would have renewed expectations for continued growth out of China, which is underpinning everyone's assumptions. If those trade concerns go away, then the world is going to look a lot more rosy." Prices flirted early Thursday with the 200-day moving average, seen as a key support level for the market. Ongoing market fears "came to the fore" Wednesday, said John Kilduff, a partner for New York-based hedge fund Again Capital LLC, as the jump in crude inventories and struggles in emerging markets continue to spark concerns about diminishing demand. A breakdown in negotiations between the U.S. and China two months ago raised concern that global economic growth could slow, curbing energy consumption. A standoff between the U.S. and Turkey subsequently sparked fears of contagion among emerging markets. China will dispatch Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen to the U.S. in late August for low-level trade talks in the first official exchanges since those negotiations broke down. The two nations had appeared to have reached a deal in May, but U.S. President Donald Trump backed away from the agreement a few days later. Washington and Beijing have since been locked in a trade standoff as they slapped tariffs on billions of dollars of each other's goods. West Texas Intermediate crude for September delivery rose 45 cents to settle at $65.46 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Average volume traded Thursday was about 32 percent below the 100-day average. Brent for October gained 67 cents to $71.43 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The global benchmark crude traded at a $6.55 premium to U.S. benchmark WTI for the same month. The gain in U.S. crude inventories held oil prices back Thursday, analysts said. Nationwide stockpiles rose by 6.81 million barrels last week, the most since 2017, and Cushing, Oklahoma, stockpiles expanded for the first time since May. Other oil-market news: Gasoline futures dropped 0.50 percent to settle at $1.9874 per gallon. WTI crude sentiment is bearish, analysts and traders said in a weekly Bloomberg survey. In November, U.S. sanctions on Iran are due to enter into force that could drive down the Persian Gulf nation's exports and upend the global oil market. The Keystone XL Pipeline will get a new environmental review from the U.S. State Department, a federal judge ruled. The U.S. district court judge in Montana sided with indigenous and environmental groups Wednesday. --With assistance from Tsuyoshi Inajima and Ellen Milligan. 2018 Bloomberg L.P. The driver charged with striking and killing a California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer and another man at a traffic stop last week on Interstate 80 in Fairfield was on his cell phone and distracted at the time of the crash, the CHP said Wednesday. Sean Matthew Walker, 38, of Rocklin (Placer County) was arrested and held on two charges of vehicular manslaughter, filed by the Solano County district attorneys office. Artist's view of a sunset over KELT-9b. The nearby warm blue star covers 35 in the planet's sky, about 70 times the apparent size of the sun in the Earth's sky. Under this scorching sun, the planet's atmosphere is warm enough to shine in reddish-orange tones and vaporize heavy metals such as iron and titanium. Exoplanets, planets in other solar systems, can orbit very close to their host star. When, in addition to this, the host star is much hotter than our Sun, then the exoplanet becomes as hot as a star. The hottest "ultra-hot" planet was discovered last year by American astronomers. Today, an international team, led by researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), who joined forces with theoreticians from the University of Bern (UNIBE), Switzerland, discovered the presence of iron and titanium vapours in the atmosphere of this planet. The detection of these heavy metals was made possible by the surface temperature of this planet, which reaches more than 4000 degrees. This discovery is published in the journal Nature. KELT-9 is a star located 650 light years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus (the Swan). With a temperature of over 10,000 degrees, it is almost twice as hot as the Sun. This star is orbited by a giant gas planet, KELT-9b, which is 30 times closer than the Earth's distance from the Sun. Because of this proximity, the planet circles its star in 36 hours and is heated to a temperature of over 4,000 degrees. It's not as hot as the Sun, but hotter than many stars. At present, we do not yet know what an atmosphere looks like and how it can evolve under such conditions. That is why NCCR PlanetS researchers affiliated with the University of Bern recently performed a theoretical study on the atmosphere of the planet KELT-9b. "The results of these simulations show that most of the molecules found there should be in atomic form, because the bonds that hold them together are broken by collisions between particles that occur at these extremely high temperatures", explains Kevin Heng, professor at the UNIBE. This is a direct consequence of the extreme temperature. Their study also predicts that it should be possible to observe gaseous atomic iron, in the planet's atmosphere using current telescopes. Light reveals the chemical components of the atmosphere The UNIGE FOUR ACES1 team, which is also part of the NCCR PlanetS at the Department of Astronomy of the Faculty of Science of the UNIGE, had observed this planet precisely as it was moving in front of its host star (i.e. during a transit). During transit, a tiny fraction of the light from the star filters through the planet's atmosphere and analysis of this filtered light can reveal the chemical composition of the atmosphere. This is achieved with a spectrograph, an instrument that spreads white light into its component colours, called a spectrum. If present among the components of the atmosphere, iron vapour would leave a well-recognisable fingerprint in the spectrum of the planet. Using the HARPS-North spectrograph, built in Geneva and installed on the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo in La Palma, astronomers discovered a strong signal corresponding to iron vapour in the planet's spectrum. "With the theoretical predictions in hand, it was like following a treasure map," says Jens Hoeijmakers, a researcher at the Universities of Geneva and Bern and lead author of the study, "and when we dug deeper into the data, we found even more," he adds with a smile. Indeed, the team also detected the signature of another metal in vapour form: titanium. This discovery reveals the atmospheric properties of a new class of so-called "ultra-hot Jupiter". However, scientists believe that many exoplanets have completely evaporated in environments similar to KELT-9b. Although this planet is probably massive enough to withstand total evaporation, this new study demonstrates the strong impact of stellar radiation on the composition of the atmosphere. Indeed, these observations confirm that the high temperatures reigning on this planet break apart most molecules, including those containing iron or titanium. In cooler giant exoplanets, these atomic species are thought to be hidden within gaseous oxides or in the form of dust particles, making them hard to detect. This is not the case on KELT-9b. "This planet is a unique laboratory to analyze how atmospheres can evolve under intense stellar radiation," concludes David Ehrenreich, principal investigator with the UNIGE's FOUR ACES team. 1.FOUR ACES, Future of Upper Atmospheric Characterisation of Exoplanets with Spectroscopy, is a project funded by a Consolidator grant of the European Research Council in the frame work of the research and innovation programme Horizon 2020 of the European Commission (grant no. 724427). Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Three suspects have been arrested in connection with an apparent murder-robbery of a teenager at a northwest Houston apartment complex on Wednesday night, the Houston Police Department stated Thursday in a news release. Eighteen year-old Jashon Romero Freeman, 19-year-old Jacorey Jervar Randolph and 18-year-old Albert Ray Edmond were arrested "without incident" by Spring Valley police Wednesday night, according to authorities. The three young men face murder charges. Earlier on Wednesday evening, the men allegedly "got into an altercation" with a 15-year-old victim at the Innsbruck-Lemoyne Apartments at 4603 Sherwood Lane in northwest Houston, near the 610 Loop and U.S. 290, according to the authorities. FOUND NEGLECTED: Houston Humane Society seizes nearly 300 animals living in their own filth After the altercation, a suspect "shot the victim multiple times and then stole property from him," authorities stated. The three men fled the scene in a black BMW sedan with paper plates. The victim, identified only as a young man at the time, was pronounced dead at the scene. Houston police stated on Thursday the victim was 15 years old but gave no further information on his identity. That victim was Bryan Escalante, ABC 13 reported. The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office did not immediately respond to calls seeking confirmation.. On Thursday, Paloma Villanueva set up a GoFundMe for Portales's family titled "RIP BRYAN PORTALES, Forever Loved." "Bryan was a normal 16 year old," Villanueva wrote in the fund's description, describing Portales as "funny" kid with "great energy" and a "passion for music." "Unfortunately his dreams were cut short," she wrote. "Your [sic] forever with us baby boy" Well-wishers sent in money and shared memories of Portales. "A boy full of life and dreams," one person wrote, in Spanish. By Thursday night, the fund had raised $500 of its $10,000 goal. CREDIT CARD FRAUD: Houston police warn people to look out for hotel scam Spring Valley police arrested the suspects "without incident" later on Wednesday night after police spotted the vehicle and "conducted a traffic stop," authorities stated. Spring Valley police also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Spring Valley is near Spring Branch. More than 100 barrels of drilling fluid poured out of a natural gas well before it ignited and killed five people, a volume of fluid that should have triggered alarms at the drilling site in Oklahoma, federal investigators said Thursday. The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, probing the January explosion on a natural gas drilling rig near Quinton, Okla., said it found that 107 barrels of oil-based drilling mud the fluid pumped down the drill pipe during drilling operation to cool the drilling bit, remove particles and to keep petroleum products such as natural gas from escaping the well hole flowed into the site's mud pits between 7:57 a.m. and 8:35 a.m. on Jan. 22. That amount is far above the five to 10 barrels of drilling mud outflow threshold that is used to trigger an alarm at oil and gas operations, indicating that natural gas had flooded the well at dangerous levels, said the board's lead investigator Lauren Grim. The drilling fluids, pushed out the well by the natural gas, started pouring from the blowout preventer, the safety device designed to prevent well explosions. Grim said it remains unclear whether it was minutes or seconds from the time workers noticed the surge in drilling fluids to the explosion. The ignition source that led to the explosion and fire is also unknown. RELATED: Drilling rig blasts draws high-level inquiry Brian Dunagan, chief investigator for the Houston safety and fire consultant IFO Group, said it appears the workers understood they had a problem with controlling the well and were trying to fix it. He noted that the company man who oversees the site and would have final word on shutting the well down was in the control room at the time of the blast. The company man is typically on site, but not on the drilling rig unless a significant decision has to be made. He added that a lack of experience may have played a role in the accident. It's a problem that has plagued the oil field for years as experienced hands retire at high rates and young workers flood into the booming industry, Dunagan said. The investigation is expected to continue for several more months. Kristen Kulinowski, interim executive director of the chemical safety board, said the goal is to complete the investigation within 12 to 18 months of the accident. The well fire and explosion, which occurred Jan. 22 near Quinton, Okla., about 100 miles southeast of Tulsa, was the deadliest U.S. accident in the oil and gas industry since 11 workers were killed in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. The drilling rig was owned by the Houston oilfield services company Patterson-UTI Drilling, the main contractor for Red Mountain, a small Oklahoma oil and gas company operating the well. In a statement released after the chemical safety board discussed its findings at an Oklahoma City news conference, Patterson-UTI said it is cooperating with the investigation. "We will be working with the (chemical safety board) to understand their potential recommendations when they are available at the conclusion of their investigation," the company said. "We remain committed to providing a safe working environment for our employees and others we work with in the field." Michael Lyons, a Dallas attorney representing the family of Parker Waldridge, one of the men killed in the explosion, called the investigation "critical" for safety in the oil and gas industry. "The (chemical safety board's) investigation reveals, along with the independent investigation by my firm, that this tragedy was 100 percent preventable," he said in a statement. "This disaster was the product of multiple failures to adhere to safe oilfield drilling practices." Oklahoma regulators said shortly after the tragedy that their initial findings suggested that the blowout preventer the same piece of equipment that failed in the Deepwater Horizon disaster may also have failed at Red Mountain well site. That equipment is usually the last line of defense to prevent a disaster. Grim, the lead investigator said it appears that one of the rams in the blowout preventer may have partially closed, but that further tests had to be conducted on the blowout preventer, which is in CSB's possession. A ram is a piece of steel in the blowout preventer used to block and shut down a well. In addition to Waldridge, the victims are Josh Ray of Fort Worth; Cody Risk of Wellington, Colo.; and Matt Smith, and Roger Cunningham, both of Oklahoma. Ray, Smith and Risk were Patterson-UTI employees. In July, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA said three companies, Patterson-UTI and two other contractors on the site, Crescent Consulting and Skyline Directional Drilling, both of Oklahoma City, face combined penalties of more than $118,000 for "exposing employees to fire and explosion hazards." "These employers failed to properly control hazards involved in oil and gas extraction activities, and the result was tragic," David Bates, director of OSHA's Oklahoma City office, said in a statement. "Employers are required to monitor their operations to ensure workplace health and safety procedures are adequate and effective." Patterson-UTI officials told the Associated Press that they disagreed with the finding and filed a notice of contest. A representative for Crescent Consulting declined to comment, and Skyline Directional Drilling did not respond to the AP's requests for comment. Rye Druzin covers energy news. | rdruzin@express-news.net | Twitter: @druz_journo More than 15 billion gallons of ethanol flows into the U.S. fuel supply each year, big business for midwestern corn farms and a drag on oil refineries in Texas. But with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency now exempting smaller refineries from the federal mandate they blend ethanol into the fuel supply, farmers and ethanol producers are arguing ethanol demand could be in decline. "The waivers have resulted in a significant decline in demand for biofuels and have cost U.S. corn growers, ethanol producers, and ethanol blenders more than $5 billion in economic losses," the Renewable Fuel Association said in a statement last weekend. Now with the EPA scheduled to finalize the ethanol requirement for 2019 in a few months time, ethanol lobbyists are pressing the government to increase the mandate above the 15 billions gallons the agency proposed earlier this year to account for the exemptions. RELATED STORY: With flood of EPA waivers, refineries find way around ethanol mandate The issue is getting increasing attention as national politicians stop in at the Iowa State Fair this week, eager to drum up support ahead of midterm elections. More than 70 percent of ethanol comes from six Midwestern states, with Iowa the top producer, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Among those dropping in was EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler, who met with farmers and local political leaders on the issue Monday. Oil and gas lobbyists are fighting any move to raise the mandate, arguing that it unfairly decreases demand for gasoline and risks damaging vehicles with higher concentrations of ethanol than they were designed to handle. "By increasing biomass-diesel and the overall biofuels volumes the government is putting its thumb on the scale, picking winners and losers," Frank Macchiarola, downstream group director at the American Petroleum Institute, said in June. "It's an annual example of a broken government program that needs a comprehensive legislative solution that includes the sunset of the program." The EPA estimates it handed out exemptions on 2.25 billions of gallons of ethanol in 2016 and 2017. On Tuesday, Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath announced that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has been awarded more than $174 million in new federal assistance under the Temporary Emergency Impact Aid for Displaced Students program (Emergency Impact Aid). The money was set aside by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in the amount of $359.8 million for 20 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The program only targets those states affected by the cost of educating students displaced by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria or the 2017 California wildfires. The impact of natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires goes beyond the disaster area. The effects are felt nationwide, especially in those communities that take in displaced students and families, said Secretary DeVos. This additional funding will ensure schools serving displaced students are able to meet their unique needs under such difficult circumstances. The announcement of the funds is so new that Morath and his staff have yet to figure out how the funding will be distributed to the more than 300 school districts in Texas that qualify for the funds. Were working on determining amounts and how it will be awarded to the districts since this was just announced yesterday, said DeEtta Culbertson, spokesperson for TEA. Culbertson said the money has been tabbed for those districts who took in displaced students from Hurricane Harvey. It will be used for those students who were displaced and any educational services that were used to provide for those students, she said. Those services could include special education aides, additional faculty, bilingual educators, and much more are under consideration. Thats going to vary by school district, so well see what the criteria will end up being, she said. The Liberty County area schools that qualify for the program are Cleveland, Coldspring-Oakhurst, Crosby, Dayton, Devers, Hamshire-Fannett, Hardin, Hardin-Jefferson, Huffman, Hull-Daisetta, Liberty, Splendora, and Tarkington ISDs. Dayton ISD Superintendent Dr. Jessica Johnson was happy to hear of the much-needed funds. We will wait to hear from the TEA on how to proceed, she said. They sent a letter to us to inform us they would be in contact with LEAs [local education agencies] soon. Margaret Gardzina, director of curriculum and instruction at Liberty ISD, said the same. We really dont know how many students will be affected by this until we can see the criteria and then research PEIMS [Public Education Information Management System] to discover which students exactly fall under that category, she said. These awards were made based on the quarterly counts of displaced students that are included in the State Educational Agency (SEA) applications for Emergency Impact Aid. The statute specifies that the annual per-pupil amounts shall be the sum of $9,000 for each displaced student who is an English learner, $10,000 for each displaced student who is a child with a disability; and $8,500 for each student who is not reported as a child with a disability or an English learner. Congress appropriated a combined amount of approximately $2.5 billion for Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations (Restart) and Emergency Impact Aid programs. The amounts awarded under each program are based on demand and specific data received from eligible applicants. The Department anticipates granting a second round of Emergency Impact Aid awards in the coming weeks which will include awards for both California and Puerto Rico. An entire list of schools eligible for funding can be found on the TEA website. Culbertson said that TEA will be contacting the eligible LEAs to provide instructions on how to apply for the federal grant funding. dtaylor@hcnonline.com When flooding from Harvey swamped homes and displaced residents in Friendswood last August, neighbors rallied to help each other, aid poured in from throughout the nation and the Friendswood ISD Education Foundation turned into a busy hub for assistance. On Aug. 26, the school district is invited residents to an event to commemorate the communitys response during Harvey. The 5 p.m. event in the Friendswood High School cafeteria, 702 Greenbriar Drive, will include hot dogs and beverages and speakers, according to a district press release. Joining with the district, the local Rotary Club and other organizations after flooding began last summer, the foundation was at the center of efforts including trading sessions where residents could swap needed household items to cope with losses from flooding related to unprecedented rainfall, including 40 inches of rain on Aug. 26 alone. Teaming with Rotary and Hometown Bank of Friendswood, the foundation set up a way for donors from around the nation to contribute to storm victims through it and get a tax break. Foundations are a great source for school districts to have anytime, but were also here in times of crisis because this is what youre supposed to do, help one another out, Executive Director Paige Ridout said. The communitys response was inspiring, she said. Ultimately, more than $200,000 was collected for hurricane victims. Friendswood High School served as a shelter for many driven out of their homes by flooding. Volunteers immediately got to work in gathering supplies and helping clean up homes that were damaged. Boats from a group of Louisiana volunteers dubbed the Cajun Navy were used to rescue stranded people. One response that gained widespread attention was a video showing residents singing, One Day More from the epic Broadway musical "Les Miserables as they stood amid debris piles from the storm. Another video that went viral showed Aric Harding paying his piano as he sat almost waist-deep in flood water in his home. FISDs maintenance department loaded and delivered large household items to residents. Ridout said her organization was careful about protecting the privacy of those in need. In the months after the storm, as mountains of debris was hauled away, the city didnt forget what it had gone through. First responders were honored as grand marshals for the Fourth of July parade. Recording artist Vanessa Carlton replaced Hardings piano. The storm recovery effort gave Friendswood a whole new meaning of community, Ridout said. We rallied together and didnt ask questions. It didnt even matter if you knew the person in need or not. People were just walking into strangers homes in the clean up after Harvey. Were family here, and there was just a huge amount of goodwill that spilled over, Ridout said. Authorities have arrested a "'baby face' man" accused of robbing a bank Wednesday evening in Humble. At around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, a man robbed a First Convenience Bank inside a Kroger grocery store at 9475 FM 1960 Bypass Road, the FBI Houston Field Office stated in a news release Thursday. The suspect walked around the store and went to the restroom before walking up to a bank teller and handing her a "threatening note demanding money," according to the news release. IN COURT: Verdict reached in case of ex-Baylor doctor accused of rape The teller gave the suspect an "undisclosed" amount of money and the suspect fled in a waiting black, four-door Dodge Charger, authorities stated. In an update posted on social media Thursday, the FBI Houston Field Office said the Humble Police Department had "identified and apprehended" the unnamed suspect. Humble police did not immediately respond to a request for comment The number of theater classes at College of the Mainland has doubled in the past three years, with the number of students actively pursuing theater as a major soaring from one to more than 40, head of theater H. Russ Brown said. Max Estudillo was the lone major prior to my arrival, recalled Brown, a Friendswood resident whose tenure at the Texas City school began in 2015. They told me coming in they wanted me to grow the program on the academic level, he added, explaining that he also serves as artistic director for the schools community theater, now called COM Theatre. The first thing my colleagues and I did was offer ourselves as free resources to all of the local high schools, said Brown, referring to himself and COMs technical director, Curt Meyer, and costume director Amanda Bezemek. They became familiar faces at Bay Area high school theater departments, whose faculties accepted COMs offer to advise student on stage combat, dialects, set design and other specialties. The COM professors helped out a lot, and they are really cool and fun, said Meredith Fraga, 18, a 2018 graduate of Friendswood High School. Meyer helped FHS students design the lighting for productions of Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame that won Tommy Tune Awards for best lighting design. The experience inspired Fraga, the daughter of Tommy and Laura Thornton of Friendswood, to enroll this fall as a theater major at COM. Im a real dork about (lighting), she said. I also hope to learn acting and other aspects of technical theater, and its affordable and close to home. Course offerings this fall will include acting I, II and III, as well as introductory classes in costume, theater and cinema. They are fine arts credits, no matter what your major is, he said. Aspiring actress Jordyn OBanion met Brown when he taught a stage combat class at Clear Falls High School. I really felt he was really good at what he was doing, said the 18-year-old daughter of Cliff and Amy OBanion of Kemah. Issac Lopez of La Marque, who graduated last year from Deer Park High School, said he felt at home with Brown when Lopez auditioned at the annual Texas Educational Theatre Associations TheatreFest convention last January in Galveston. Within seconds of Lopez performing both a comedic and a dramatic monologue at the convention, he said that Brown emailed his Deer Park High theater director, In all caps, I WANT ISSAC LOPEZ AT COM. Born in Matamoras, Mexico, Lopez is the son of Jose Francisco and Berenice Lopez. He recently became an American citizen. I knew since the end of my junior year of high school that I wanted to go to college and major in theater, he said. Estudillo might have been the only active theater major when he attended COM, but he enjoyed the company of nonstudents who worked backstage or portrayed older characters in shows at COM Theatre. "We only do age-appropriate casting; so we have students playing characters their age alongside seasoned actors in older roles," Brown said. "You won't see students playing grandfathers here." That arrangement suited Estudillo just fine. Oh my goodness, it was super-exciting and wonderful getting to work with people outside of school who took theater so seriously, he said. COM Theatre recently announced its six-season schedule with the following shows: Driving Miss Daisy" by Alfred Uhry, "Noises Off" by Michael Frayn; "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" based on the Comic Strip "Peanuts" by Charles M. Schultz; "Born Yesterday" by Garson Kanin; "The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams and the musical, "Thoroughly Modern Millie," with music by Jeanine Tesori, lyrics by Dick Scanlan and book by Richard Henry Morris and Dick Scanlan. For further information, call 409-933-8345 or visit www.com.edu/theatre. Don Maines is a freelance writer who can be reached at donmaines@att.net When she was a girl, Kallie Smith sat in her moms classroom, watching her teach and pretending the class was hers. I would sit there by the overhead projector and pretend like I was teaching the class, Smith said. I always wanted to be like my mom and do what she did. She was and still is amazing at her job. This year, Smith will be living those little-girl dreams as she begins teaching a first-grade class at Dabbs Elementary in Deer Park ISD, the same district where her mother, Melanie Smith, still teaches. technologyat Fairmont Elementary School. A 2018 graduate of Texas A&M University, Kallie Smith, 22, spent the week before classes readying her room for her new students. A last-minute change of plans left her scurrying to move her Dr. Seuss-themed decorations to another classroom. We had to switch my room to another room because an additional kindergarten teacher was coming in and my original room was closest to the kindergarten area, but it was actually a wonderful experience, she said. My principal and team leader were right there to help me move all of my things to the new room. Its so nice to know that this is the level of support we have at the school and in the district. Smith wants parents of her students to know that communication is a key.. Communication between teachers and parents is so vital to the success of the child, she said. If parents have concerns or questions, I want them to know that I will be available to talk whenever they need, and if theres something they think I should know about their student, I really, really want to know about it. Feel free to share anything they think is necessary thats the way their student will come out of the year ready to take on second grade. Smith admitted there might be some first-day butterflies when school startson Aug. 20. She attributed those to the excitement of meeting her new students and build relationships with them and their families. Im really looking forward to meeting my students, working with my team, meeting my students families and knowing that I am in a position to make a difference in my students lives, she said. Her preparation included discussing ideas with her mom. I guess it makes sense that we have a similar style, said Kallie Smith, who is single. I would be decorating the class or talking through ideas with her, and Id suggest something and my mom would say, I was just thinking about that, or I was going to tell you the same thing. Its really helped having her here with me. jennifer.bolton@chron.com Montgomery County commissioners approved a year extension to a tax abatement agreement with Galdisa USA Inc. due to development setbacks by Hurricane Harvey. Tax Assessor-Collector Tammy McRae presented the amendment to the agreement to the court Tuesday. The commissioners and the Conroe City Council both approved the original tax abatement agreement in November 2016. They were in the process of construction when Hurricane Harvey hit, McRae said. Galdisa is planning the construction of a $5.4 million peanut-processing facility at Conroe Park North industrial park. However, McRae said the company asked for an extension on the employment requirement. According to the original agreement, Galdisa was to have already hired at least 24 employees with a payroll of over $750,000. They are just slightly below, McRae said adding the company to date has only hired 18 employees. Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador said he was in support of the amendment. Theyll get there, he said of the employment requirement. Galdisa USA is an affiliate of Galdisa Mexico and specializes in supplying and processing peanuts, pumpkin seeds, hibiscus flower, broad beans and chickpeas. Representatives with Galdisa could not be reached for comment. According to the agreement, the city will abate the property tax on the 10-acre plot for six years beginning in 2017. The first two years will be at 100 percent abatement before stepping down to 80, 60, 40 and 20 percent each subsequent year. cdominguez@hcnonline.com A jury returned with a guilty verdict late Wednesday afternoon in the trial of Magnolia resident Nelson Segovia-Amaya in the shooting death of his step-brother in December 2016, After nearly five hours of deliberating, 9th District Court Judge Phil Grant read the jurys decision aloud. Segovia-Amaya did not seem to react to the verdict or when his handcuffs were placed back over his hands for transport back to the Montgomery County Jail. He will return to court on Friday morning for the sentencing phase of the trial where several witnesses will speak and share what impact this had on their lives. Segovia-Amaya, 30, was found guilty for shooting his 20-year-old stepbrother, Oscar Salazar, at their residence in the 29000 block of Aberdeen in the Magnolia area on Dec. 26, 2016. Salazar was shot several times and died in one of the bedrooms of the home. The murder trial began Monday afternoon with the defense and the state presenting their opening statements where Segovia-Amayas defense attorney, Jeremy Finch, stated that this was a case of self-defense. We intend to show this is an issue of self-defense, Finch said during his opening statement on Monday. We anticipate the evidence will show that Oscar and Segovia-Amaya had a tumultuous relationship. After the shooting, Segovia-Amaya fled the scene but was captured almost two hours later when a Texas Department of Public Safety Cpl. Troy Phipps responded to the call to find the possible murder suspect who had fled the scene and was believed to be driving along FM 1488 near Interstate 45. Phipps stopped the truck and the suspect, driving the vehicle, matched the description of the suspect the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office was looking for in regards to the fatal shooting, as he stated in his own words as a witness during the trial on Monday. Throughout Tuesday, several witnesses took the stand to describe what happened at the scene and the relationship between Segovia-Amaya and Salazar as well as the rest of the family. On Wednesday, Salazars father spent most of the day in the courtroom and was expected to take the stand, but it was not needed because of all the evidence and testimony presented beforehand. Segovia-Amaya did a brief stint in the Harris County Jail in 2011 for two non-violent charges, court records show. In March 2010, Segovia-Amaya gave a Harris County Sheriff's Office deputy a fake name and was charged with Class B misdemeanor failure to identify. After bonding out of jail while that charge was pending, he again gave a Tomball Police Department officer a fake name in November 2011 but was this time charged with Class A misdemeanor failure to identify as a fugitive since he had an open warrant for his arrest stemming from the March 2010 incident. Segovia-Amayas sentencing portion of the trial begins again on Friday morning. jennifer.summer@hcnonline.com One of Atlantic Canada's most popular harness racing events for years, the Monctonian Pace was last contested in 1993. Twenty-five years later, the race will celebrate a revival during Old Home Week. A small group of Moncton-area racing enthusiasts have located the original Monctonion trophy, and on Thursday night (August 16) at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park, the ninth race has been carded as The Monctonian Pace. Power Baron winning the 1976 Monctonian Pace at Brunswick Downs, one of his three Monctonian wins. Power Baron winning the 1976 Monctonian Pace at Brunswick Downs, one of his three Monctonian wins. According to horseman and co-organizer Al MacNutt, the original Monctonian Cup trophy will even be on hand. "Three or four years ago, I went looking for the trophy, the Monctonian Cup, and we didn't know where it was. We checked with different tracks and it turned out it was in a storage closet at (Moncton) City Hall," MacNutt told the Telegraph-Journal. "I made arrangements with the Moncton Museum to take care of it and store it away. So, with it being 25 years now since the last race, our guys said, 'Let's take another run at it this year.'" In 1947, Moncton Raceway hosted the first Monctonian Pace. The brainchild of track owner George Gray, the race boasted an unheard-of $5,000 purse. The race would continue on as the track changed from Moncton Raceway to Brunswick Downs and then Champlain Raceway, and converted to a five-eighths mile track in 1984. "When it changed from a half-mile track to five-eighths, there was nothing like it in Eastern Canada. It was the fastest track around," said MacNutt. "Everything about it was classy. The concessions were good and the barns were always kept nice. It was there they started simulcasting, where you could sit at your table and bet on other tracks around the Maritimes. It was a nice spot to be." In recognition of the history and horse-people associated with the Moncton tracks, PEI Harness Racing will hold a reunion at the EastLink Trade Centre on Thursday from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. All horsepeople and race fans associated with Moncton tracks are welcome to attend and share the memories of this premier maritime race from the past. Those unable to attend can share memories through a Facebook page dedicated to racing in the Moncton area. "It will be fun to see the old faces from the track. The guys who had stables there, the people that worked in the office, the fans," continued MacNutt. "It's going to be a nice touch." The $2,500 purse, cooler and trophy for the 2018 Monctonian Pace are sponsored in full by the Moncton Standardbred Racing Association, the City of Moncton, the family of the late Bazil Lund, and Dr. M.L. Patriquin. MacNutt told Trot Insider that the group is seeking sponsorships for future editions of the Monctonian to keep the race's tradition alive. A Willis man remains in the Montgomery County Jail on several felony charges after allegedly firing several rounds from a gun during a fight with his wife on Wednesday. Several law enforcement agencies arrived at the Omega Farms RV Park in Willis Wednesday in response to a disturbance with reports of gunfire. The Willis Police Department first received the call about a disturbance at approximately 11:15 a.m. where a witness said a man identified by police as Willis resident Forest Hugh Olive, 41, was allegedly fighting with his wife at a residence in the 11000 block of Old Montgomery Road. While officers were en route, we learned that Olive had a gun and was reportedly threatening his wife, Willis PD Lt. Alton Nelson said. The Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constables Office was first on the scene which caused Olive to flee the location and lead police on a short chase. We spoke with several witnesses at the scene, who reported Olive allegedly fired shots before fleeing the scene, Nelson said. We found a .40 caliber shell casing and recovered the weapon. After a short chase that lasted a few minutes around the Willis area, the suspects vehicle was stopped on Old Montgomery Road and two men were taken into custody. The male passenger was later released due to his non-involvement in the incident. Olive was transported from the scene to the hospital because he was complaining about back pain but was later transported by Willis PD to the Montgomery County Jail where he remains on several felony charges such as aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, evading arrest/detention with a vehicle and deadly conduct for discharging a firearm. He remains in jail on $50,000 bond. Nelson said they have dealt with Olive in the past for family violence. jennifer.summer@hcnonline.com The Grimes County Sheriff's Office, working with the Houston Humane Society, seized almost 300 animals from a property on Wednesday, the human society stated Thursday in a news release. A total of 291 animals were seized from the undisclosed location, including 242 "various small dog breeds" and 49 "mini horses and Shetland ponies," according to the news release. An appeals court has reeled in a Houston federal judges order requiring that certain people charged with low-level offenses be released from custody whether or not they have the cash to pay bail. The ruling this week by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals came after 14 Harris County court-at-law judges objected to a recent order in the landmark 2016 civil rights lawsuit that upended the way bail works for thousands of people arrested on misdemeanor charges. The 14 judges, who have opposed the lawsuit from the start, objected to portions of an updated order this summer that they said unduly inhibited the courts discretion. The majority opinion by Circuit Judge Jerry E. Smith halted part of the Houston trial judges instructions calling for certain defendants to be released immediately on no-cost bail in cases where another person with the money who is arrested on the same charge would be released immediately. Violates the mandate The appeals court left in place U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthals requirement that the courts make individualized bail determinations within 48 hours for people jailed on misdemeanors. However, the circuit panel opinion said that despite Rosenthals well-intentioned effort to comply with the 5th Circuits instructions, the immediate release of qualified poor defendants easily violates the mandate, which explicitly found that individualized hearings would remedy the identified procedural violations. In a dissenting opinion, Circuit Judge James E. Graves Jr. wrote that Rosenthals order corrects an inequity that is protected by the U.S. Constitution. However thorough and fair it may be, an individualized hearing 48 hours after arrest cannot fix the deprivation of liberty and equal protection suffered by an indigent misdemeanor arrestee who is automatically detained prior to that hearing solely because [she is] too poor to pay a preset amount of secured money bail, Graves wrote. Graves was the only African-American assigned to the three-man panel. Similarly, two African-American court at law judges have parted with their colleagues, opting not to oppose the indigent defendants lawsuit. Judicial discretion The majority opinion held that Rosenthals orders were too expansive and strayed from the courts earlier instructions to narrowly tailor her 2017 injunction to address deficiencies that were pressuring judges to move too quickly. The 14 judges who questioned this portion of Rosenthals ruling were likely to win on the merits, the majority said. The county sheriff and the county itself did not join the judges request for a stay. However, most of the misdemeanor judges felt Rosenthals order weakened judicial discretion and put public safety at risk. Although he did not join the 14 judges appeal, Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan welcomed the ruling, saying the New Orleans-based court recognized the responsibility and discretion of judicial officers to determine conditions of release. Ryan said his office is committed to a bail settlement that maximizes the number of people arrested on misdemeanor charges who are eligible for quick release on unsecured bail and also preserves victims rights. The county has racked up more $6.7 million in legal costs, hiring dozens of lawyers to defend itself in the case, according to Ryans office. Pct. 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis puts the countys legal tab at more than $7.6 million. Ellis disappointed Ellis, a longtime advocate for criminal justice reform, contends the county is frittering away money and quibbling over technicalities, while poor people clock unnecessary hours and days behind bars. He said in a news release he is disappointed in the 5th Circuits finding that bail hearings may take place 48 hours after arrest. That time spent behind bars can cause significant harm to defendants who may lose their jobs or be unable to care for their families simply because they cannot afford bail, underscoring the real-world impact of a two-tiered justice system that allows wealthy defendants to walk free after paying bail and keeps poor people stuck behind bars, Ellis said in the statement. The circuit judges had asked Rosenthal to revise her order, allowing judges 48 rather than 24 hours to make bail determinations for defendants. However, the circuit agreed with Rosenthals finding that the countys bail practices violated due process and equal protection, unfairly discriminating against poor people and relegating them to wealth based detention while they awaited trial. Rosenthal noted in her original opinion that these high bail costs have catastrophic effects of poor people, causing defendants to lose jobs, get evicted and miss payments. The class-action lawsuit, handled by two civil rights groups and a local law firm, was brought on behalf of a young mother, Maranda ODonnell who spent two days in jail because she couldnt come up with $2,500 bail. It now includes all indigent misdemeanor defendants. gabrielle.banks@chron.com 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 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. When conservative radio host Mark Levin appeared on Fox News' "Hannity" last week to discuss the latest in the Russia investigation, he ended up baffling even some of his most conservative allies. "Robert Mueller is a greater threat to this republic and the Constitution than anything Vladimir Putin did during the campaign," Levin said. "And I am no fan of Vladimir Putin." While bringing up a basket of old claims about the Mueller investigation, Levin did not say specifically what made Mueller a larger threat than Putin. Still, the following night, "Hannity" guest host Jeanine Pirro made the same comparison. "Is Mueller a greater threat than Putin to this country?" Pirro asked Fox commentator Dan Bongino. "Well, he's a serious threat," Bongino replied. Though far from the first fringe theory pushed by Fox against special counsel Robert Mueller, it marks the latest effort to say anything and everything to undermine an investigation that has led to more than two dozen indictments and five guilty pleas in less than two years. And it comes as President Donald Trump and his lawyers make a final push to undermine Mueller's probe ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. It also closely aligns with another fringe theory long-pushed by Fox: Mueller is part of a coup d'etat to overthrow Trump. No fewer than nine Fox hosts and pundits have suggested as much since February 2017, including: Sean Hannity Lou Dobbs Jesse Watters Mark Levin Mike Huckabee Joseph diGenova John Bolton Jeanine Pirro Dan Bongino The coup theory even made it into the congressional record in November. Rep. Matt Gaetz tweeted "'I'm calling for Mr. Mueller's resignation or his firing'" Fox pundits have also called the investigation a "witch hunt," "illegitimate" and "corrupt," and Hannity called it "a direct threat to this American republic" on the anniversary of Mueller's appointment. It was a far cry from what he said exactly one year prior. "I think this is a good thing," Hannity said of Mueller's appointment on May 17, 2017. "I think, you know what, they've been clamoring for it, let them get it. . . . Let's get to the bottom of it, game on." --- Video Embed Code Video: Some Fox News pundits now say an ex-Marine Corps officer is more dangerous than an ex-KGB officer.(JM Rieger/The Washington Post) Embed code: Earlier this month, Denmark became the fifth country in Europe to introduce a ban on face coverings in public places. The policy is widely viewed as being targeted at Muslim women who wear veils such as the niqab. Despite protests in the capital, Copenhagen, police have started enforcing the law in earnest. On Aug. 3, a 28-year-old wearing the niqab, which covers the entire body except the eyes, was attacked by another Danish woman who tried to pull her veil off, the Guardian reported. Police fined the Muslim woman $156. Legislation around full-face veils has grown increasingly common in Europe, particularly in the past three years. Six countries have now passed nationwide laws that partially or fully ban face veils in public places. The latest is the Netherlands, which voted in June to partially ban face veils in locations such as schools and hospitals, but not on public streets. Several other European countries, including Spain and Italy, have banned them in individual cities and towns, and even more have reviewed proposals for bans at a local or national level. Widespread calls for legislation outlawing face veils in public places started in France, which in 2011 became the first European country to introduce a nationwide ban. At the time, French President Nicolas Sarkozy argued during a state-of-the-nation address that the burqa -- a head-to-toe covering with mesh screening the eyes, mainly worn in Afghanistan -- was a "sign of subservience and debasement." "I want to say solemnly, the burqa is not welcome in France. In our country, we can't accept women prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity. That's not our idea of freedom," Sarkozy said to rapturous applause from lawmakers, the Guardian reported. Another common justification for the ban is that face veils conceal the wearer's identity, posing a security threat. In Latvia, for example, where just three women among the country's population of 2 million are estimated to wear the burqa, debates around a proposed ban on face veils have frequently featured concerns over security. In 2016, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, the former president of Latvia, told the New York Times that "covering one's face in public at a time of terrorism presents a danger to society.. . . You could carry a rocket launcher under your veil. It's not funny." Politicians also frequently contend that face veils are inconsistent with existing "European values," mounting what experts describe as a "clash of cultures" argument. In 2017, Germany's then-interior minister, Thomas de Maiziere, called for a nationwide ban on face veils in an editorial that stated: "We are an open society. We show our face. We are not burqa." Earlier this year, while Denmark's Parliament debated the face-veil bill that would later become law, Justice Minister Soren Pape Poulsen contended that a person concealing her face was "disrespectful" to others and "incompatible with the values in Danish society." Regardless of the justification, policies governing head veils are likely to grow more prevalent, experts said, particularly as European governments try to stave off the growing influence of right-wing leaders in their countries. Countries having nationwide or partial bans are France, Belgium, Bulgaria, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands. Spain and Italy have some local bans in cities or towns. Legislation is pending for local or national bans in Germany, Latvia, Finland, Switzerland and Luxembourg. The percentage of women who wear the niqab or burqa is tiny in most European countries, said Akbar Ahmed, chairman of Islamic Studies at American University, but their veils are visible markers of the Islamic community that right-wing leaders point to as evidence of the "Islamization" of Europe. And as right-wing groups gain more traction, even moderate or liberal administrations may feel pressure to make a strategic choice to ban face veils, explained Asma Uddin, a senior scholar and faculty member at the Religious Freedom Center of the Newseum Institute. Perhaps more importantly, she added, governments in Europe now feel like they have license to take such steps because of the legal precedents set by their neighbors. In 2014, the European Court of Human Rights upheld the French ban on face veils, ruling against a 24-year-old Muslim woman who argued that she wanted to wear her burqa as a matter of religious freedom. In 2017, the court issued similar decisions against two Belgian women, ruling that the country's ban on face veils does not violate the European Convention on Human Rights. As Uddin explained, "We can say all these things about them violating freedom of religion, but over there, their own highest court is saying to them, 'You're not. You're justified in what you're doing.' " Canadian officials have decided that the countrys cannabis farmers are eligible for federal funding that supports innovation and sustainability efforts in agriculture. The decision in Canada happened as the country gears up to launch a nationwide, regulated cannabis industry on Oct. 17. Its yet another stark contrast to what is happening in the United States, where marijuana businesses still operate in a system where their product is illegal at the federal level. Related: Just to Keep an Open Mind, What Are Some Arguments Against Legalizing Marijuana? Farm Aid The U.S. has similar programs to support farmers but, with marijuana still listed as an illegal Schedule I drug in the U.S., that cash is not available for those who grow cannabis. U.S. marijuana businesses cant even get banking services. Canadian politicians went the other way. In a meeting earlier this summer in Vancouver, British Columbia, agriculture ministers from various levels of the Canadian government formerly voted to allow access to federal funds for pot farmers. The decision will allow cannabis businesses the chance to apply for funds that supports innovation in farming practices and farmers who promote environmentally sustainable agriculture. Cannabis farmers can make requests for federal funds. Such applications will need approval by both local and federal officials. Administration of agricultural programs in Canada are a joint responsibility of the federal government and the provinces and territories. This oversight comes together in what is known as the Canadian Agriculture Partnership. The program, which is funded in five-year increments, currently has $3 billion in funding. The goal is to strengthen the agriculture and agri-food sector. The partnership has streamlined the process for farmers making applications for federal funds. Lawrence MacAulay, the Canadian agriculture minister, told The Canadian Press that the group made its decision on allowing cannabis farmers access to partnership funds because marijuana is considered an agricultural crop. Related: Facebook Has 'Shadow Banned' Marijuana Businesses Some Exceptions Canadian cannabis growers will not have access to two agricultural programs - AgriStability and AgriInvest. Both are designed to help farmers weather price fluctuations and sharp increases in crop insurance. These exemptions are practical reasons. Canadian officials said the new marijuana industry in the country is still too unstable for them to commit federal funds to support them in these specific areas. However, they said the issue would be revisited as the Canadian marijuana market matures and stabilizes. Canada has a long list of programs to support farmers. They include programs that support innovation, sustainability, marketing, diversity, debt mediation, research and development, and advanced payments on agricultural products. Critics have argued that marijuana is not food, so therefore should not be eligible for federal funds. However, at least some of the marijuana grown in Canada will be used in the rapidly growing marijuana edibles market. Follow dispensaries.com on Instagram to stay up to date on the latest cannabis news. Related: Canada Makes Marijuana Farmers Eligible for Government Agriculture Programs 5 Things That Spell Success for Hemp Entrepreneurs She Broke Barriers in Tech and Now Runs the Largest International Cannabis Women's Network Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved By Guest Blogger Sasha Jones Students returning to Virginia and New Yorks classrooms this fall will be required to participate in mental-health education as part of their health and physical education courses. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed a bill into law in March that requires a mental health curriculum for 9th and 10th graders. In consultation with mental health experts, the Virginia Board of Education will review and update its Health Standards of Learning to reflect the new legislation. A similar bill was signed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in September 2016, and became effective on July 1 of this year. The first-of-its-kind law requires schools to address mental health in health education programs for students in grades K-12, but, unlike Virginia, does not tie that to a specific set of mental health standards. Unrecognized, untreated, and late-treated mental illness elevates the risk of mental health crises such as suicide and self-injury. Early treatment enhances potential for recovery and also diminishes negative coping behaviors such as substance abuse, Glenn Liebman, CEO of the Mental Health Association in New York State, said in a press release . Empowering young people with knowledge will have a powerful impact in helping them protect and preserve mental health and wellness for themselves and their peers. Since New Yorks law does not outline a specific curriculum, MHANYS plans to launch a resource and training center to help schools prepare for the upcoming school year. Still, it will be up to the New York State Education Department to decide how to implement the law. According to the National Institute of Mental Health , 18 percentnearly 1 in 5U.S. adults live with a mental illness. This increases to 49 percent in adolescents, with 22 percent experiencing severe impairment as a result of mental illness. Additionally, according to the Centers for Disease Control , suicide rates from 1999 to 2016 have increased in all states, but Nevada. Twenty-five states saw an increase of over 30 percent. Other states have responded to the increase in mental illness rates with increased funding for school counseling and training teachers to recognize the symptoms of mental illness in order to better refer students to mental health resources. Photo by Getty An Illinois Supreme Court decision has placed the liability of injuries happening on sidewalks on the cities themselves. Until now, municipalities and thus taxpayers were largely protected against such concerns. But in the case Barbara Monson v. the City of Danville, the state Supreme Court ruled that Danville was responsible for Monsons injuries. She tripped on a sidewalk in 2012 and sued the city for not having fixed the sidewalk that caused her fall. According to court documents, Monson had left a pawn shop and headed back to her car on the sidewalk. It had been raining, causing 1 inch puddles to form on the sidewalk that concealed a piece of concrete that caused her to trip and sustain multiple injuries. Danvilles Public Works Department Director Doug Ahrens and superintendent of Downtown Services Shelly Larson testified there was a project in 2011 into 2012 in which they both did a walk-through of the city sidewalks and marked problem areas that needed to be repaired or replaced. Ahrens testified that the portions of sidewalk where Monson had fallen were either not prioritized to be in need of replacement at that time or such replacement could not fit with the allowable time and budget for that project. Therefore, in or around the fall of 2011, I used my discretion as Public Works Director not to replace that portion of the sidewalk, Ahrens testified. Lower courts ruled in favor of Danville, but the Supreme Court determined that it is the common-law duty of a local public entity to maintain its property in a reasonably safe condition. In other words, the duty for a city to keep its property in a safe condition outweighs the general immunity municipalities have had from such lawsuits in the past. Critics of the decision say that the precedent set by the decision could leave cities vulnerable to individuals looking to sue the city for personal gain. Additionally, even if a city is not sued, such liability could come with steeper insurance costs due to new risk. In Jacksonville, Mayor Andy Ezard said that this has been an issue that has been on their radar. Myself, City Attorney Dan Beard and our insurance carrier Steve Turner have been following it and were very aware of it, Ezard said. They are reviewing the case and eventually theyll make recommendations and we will bring it forward to the city council if we need to make a new policy. Its going to be a little while until they get enough research, however. Beardstown Mayor Leslie Harris said that when the issue comes up for Beardstown it will also be brought before the council for review and deliberation, with a similar sentiment coming from Carrollton Mayor Joe Montanez. State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer said that he personally felt the potential precedent set by the decision to be worrying. Its kind of scary that a sidewalk in disrepair can bake the city liable for something like that, he said. Whats next? A pothole in the road that causes damage to a car? Is the city liable for that? It makes you question where does it end? When it comes to potential state assistance, Davidsmeyer said he didnt feel the state was realistically in a position to assist with major sidewalk repairs but noted that the legislature may have to look into laws to shift that liability, if needed. Davidsmeyer said that during his time on the city council there were always discussions about how to improve city sidewalks and encourage people to improve the sidewalks in front of their homes. However, he said that he fears that the decision by the Supreme Court could result in municipalities deciding to do away with sidewalks entirely. You want to make sure theyre there for pedestrian safety and things of that sort, Davidsmeyer said. But if [municipalities] cant afford to replace their sidewalks, it might be cheaper for them just to remove them. We dont want that to happen. Nick Draper can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1223, or on Twitter @nick_draper. Hunter 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 didn't appear to be slippery," 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. There have been at least eight fatal accidents here since 1992. Six of them in the past decade. The soaring popularity of this oasis in the Catskill Mountains, lifted by internet fame, has aggravated the problem. In response, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has implemented new safety features over the past four years. According to Rob Dawson, a state forest ranger, the last four people who died at Kaaterskill Falls were either taking or posing for pictures. Forest rangers have struggled to keep the growing crowds safe. They estimate the falls see 100,000 visitors a year, a tenfold increase from a quarter-century ago. Dawson said he believed social media was responsible. "Just talking to people who come up here, they say, 'Yeah, we saw this on the internet we're trying to find it,'" Dawson said. "The unfortunate thing is, with those pictures, there's nothing informing people that you could get seriously hurt here, too." And the site is far from the only one under such pressures, as young explorers guided by their phones visit spots that were once local secrets. On a recent Sunday, dozens of cars were parked along the narrow edge of Route 23A in the Catskills, a mountain road that courses along several swimming holes. Residents say they are worried about safety and parking. Some favorite swimming holes on private land have been closed, and once-pristine sites are strewn with trash. At Breakneck Ridge, a steep hiking trail on the Hudson River about 50 miles north of Manhattan, a surge in visitors has necessitated a multimillion-dollar response. "Breakneck is a magnet for new hikers," said Hank Osborn, senior program coordinator for the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, which maintains the route and staffs the trailhead on weekends. "It's one of the places that is getting a lot of attention from hikers who are seeking out a destination from New York City. It's what they're learning about online and through social media." The planned projects for Breakneck Ridge include a new train platform and a safer path along Route 9D near the trailhead. Construction is aimed to begin in 2019. Kaaterskill Falls, about 110 miles north of New York City, is misty and tranquil in times of low rainfall but can become thunderous and fierce for days after a heavy rain. At 230 feet, the combined drop of its upper and lower tiers is higher than Niagara Falls. The state has spent $1.25 million at the Kaaterskill Wild Forest to make the area safer and more accessible for visitors. The changes include a 200-step stone staircase connecting the bottom of the falls to the middle pool and the top of the falls. The staircase takes visitors through an area that was beyond the marked trail but used anyway by thousands of visitors. The work also included expanding two parking lots and adding a viewing platform, new fencing, warning signs, hand railings and a bridge over a creek upstream from the falls. New rules, effective Wednesday, will ban fires, alcohol, most glass containers and amplified music in the area around the falls. The rules also prohibit visitors from going within 6 feet of most cliff edges and ban swimmers from entering the stream within 150 feet of the top of the waterfall. "We're doing everything in our power to provide a safe experience there," said Basil Seggos, the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation. "We've got rangers and staff there who can help to guide people in the right direction," he said, adding: "Stay on the trail; wear the right footwear; don't wear flip-flops." Long before Kaaterskill Falls were Instagram-famous, they were simply famous. Hudson River School painters like Thomas Cole and Frederic Church made the site, and the whole region, a sensation in the 1800s. Three large hotels hosted tourists close to the falls well into the 1900s. But the flood of tourists slowed to a trickle as vacationers found new destinations. New York state acquired Kaaterskill Falls and the forest around it and razed what was left of the hotels in the 1960s. With nearly 1,000 visitors a day on summer weekends, it is easy to find someone at the falls who has had a brush with danger. Lauren Sansaricq, 28, an artist who lives in nearby East Jewett, works in the style of the Hudson River School painters. She has painted Kaaterskill Falls, which she called a timeless and sacred place, hundreds of times, she said. Sansaricq said she was painting just downstream from Kaaterskill Falls in 2009 when a person fell and died. WASHINGTON - FCC Chairman Ajit Pai told a Senate committee Thursday that he did not update Congress or the public about the true nature of a website malfunction at the agency because he was bound by a confidentiality request by the agency's inspector general. Pai said he initially relied on the agency's then-chief information officer in claiming that the FCC had suffered a cyberattack after people experienced difficulties filing online comments regarding the future of net neutrality rules - even though Pai suspected that this wasn't the case. Pai and other members of the Federal Communications Commission went before a congressional committee for the first time since an internal investigation found that the agency misled the public by claiming it had been hit by a cyberattack last year. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., opened the hearing by stressing that it was "absolutely critical that the information provided to Congress and the American people be correct" regarding the issue. "I look forward to hearing how the commission will prevent such mistakes in the future," Thune said. Earlier this month, the FCC's inspector general released a report that found the agency "misrepresented facts and provided misleading responses to Congressional inquiries" regarding an alleged cyberattack. The FCC had said that its online commenting system malfunctioned after it had suffered multiple distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. The malfunction occurred while the agency was soliciting public feedback on a draft proposal to roll back net neutrality rules, the FCC said then. But the inspector general found that the probable reason behind the commenting system failure was a rush of incoming Web traffic, not malicious automated bot accounts. At the time of the malfunction, comedian John Oliver urged his audience of the HBO show "Last Week Tonight" to submit their comments to the FCC. That flood of comments from Oliver's viewers was "likely the reason" for the computer system stumble, the report found. Pai said that his first reaction to the news of the malfunction was that it was probably linked to Oliver's show. He said he had his chief of staff relay that hunch to the chief information officer, who responded that he was "99 percent confident" that the breakdown was caused by a malicious attack. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, asked Pai why he didn't quickly correct the FCC's public allegation that the malfunction was the result of a cyberattack. "At some point before the IG report came out, did it occur to you to communicate back with the public that this may not have been a DDoS attack?" Schatz asked. Pai insisted that he was bound by a request for confidentiality by the inspector general, who had referred the improper claims of a cyberattack to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution. The FCC "wanted you to get this information sooner," Pai said, but the inspector general requested that he not comment publicly on the matter while the investigation was conducted. "I made the judgment that we had to adhere to the [inspector general's] request, even though I knew we would be falsely attacked for having done something inappropriate," Pai said. "The story in this report vindicated my position." Schatz acknowledged that Pai was in a "difficult position" but stressed the importance of accountability and transparency during the contentious debate over net neutrality. "I can't imagine that there was not another way to thread this needle and deal with us in our oversight capacity," he said. In her opening remarks, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, the sole Democratic commissioner on the panel, criticized the agency's claims of a cyberattack. "Our claim that the agency suffered a DDoS attack following John Oliver's report on net neutrality is just not credible," Rosenworcel said. "And in the meantime, this agency has ignored the fact that this public docket is flooded with fraud," she added, referring to reports that millions of comments submitted to the FCC were signed with stolen identities. Pai, who enjoys a Republican majority on the commission, defended his move to roll back net neutrality. He cast the criticism against his efforts as overblown and unconvincing. "We were told for many months that this decision would be 'the end of the Internet as we know it' - that if this decision passed you would get the Internet one word at a time," Pai said. "That has proved flatly false. It has been 67 days since the repeal. The Internet is still working." Republican Sens. Roger Wicker, Miss., and Ted Cruz, Texas, praised Pai's leadership in steering the repeal of net neutrality rules established under the Obama administration. "I want to commend you for having the courage to do that, because there was a lot of political animus," Cruz said. Committee members addressed other pressing issues covered by the FCC, including the development of broadband services across the country, consumer protection from unwanted robo-calls, the shifting media landscape, and the race against China and South Korea to build the next-generation 5G wireless network. "It's critical that the United States win this race and the jobs and investment that will come with victory," Thune said. Cruz also seized on the global rush to develop high-speed networking, citing an industry report detailing China's massive investments in wireless infrastructure. He asked Pai if it is possible for the United States to catch up. Pai called government regulations designed for older communications infrastructure a major hurdle for American competitiveness. "You will never get 5G infrastructure at scale if you have these multiple levels of regulatory review, which China, for obvious reasons, doesn't observe," he said. Congress, Pai said, should consider allowing the FCC to establish uniform regulations for 5G deployment, but all four FCC commissioners at the hearing agreed that nationalizing a 5G network would be misguided. Pai was also asked whether the Trump administration had contacted him about the proposed merger of Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tribune Media. In July, Pai highlighted "serious concerns" with the deal, and the agency voted to refer the matter to an administrative law judge; the merger would have created a conservative television powerhouse. Pai told the committee that White House Counsel Donald McGahn called him in July to ask about the status of the issue but that McGahn did not express a view. WASHINGTON - Former CIA director John Brennan struck back at President Donald Trump on Thursday, writing in a blistering op-ed that Trump's claims of no collusion with Russia in the 2016 presidential election are "hogwash." The piece, posted on the New York Times website, came a day after Trump announced he was stripping the security clearance of Brennan, who led the CIA during most of President Barack Obama's second term and has emerged as one of Trump's fiercest critics. In his op-ed, Brennan characterized Trump's action as "politically motivated" and said it was "an attempt to scare into silence others who might dare to challenge him." Brennan wrote that it is "critically important" that special counsel Robert Mueller be permitted to complete his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether Trump's campaign coordinated with Russia. While Trump has repeatedly insisted there was "no collusion," Brennan wrote that the "only questions that remain are whether the collusion that took place constituted criminally liable conspiracy, whether obstruction of justice occurred to cover up any collusion or conspiracy, and how many members of 'Trump Incorporated' attempted to defraud the government by laundering and concealing the movement of money into their pockets." The former CIA director took aim at Trump for his public call as a candidate in July 2016 for Russia to help find missing emails of his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, who was being scrutinized for having used a private email server while secretary of state. "By issuing such a statement, Mr. Trump was not only encouraging a foreign nation to collect intelligence against a United States citizen, but also openly authorizing his followers to work with our primary global adversary against his political opponent," Brennan wrote. "Such a public clarion call certainly makes one wonder what Mr. Trump privately encouraged his advisers to do - and what they actually did - to win the election," Brennan said. "While I had deep insight into Russian activities during the 2016 election, I now am aware - thanks to the reporting of an open and free press - of many more of the highly suspicious dalliances of some American citizens with people affiliated with the Russian intelligence services. Mr. Trump's claims of no collusion are, in a word, hogwash." Trump said Wednesday that he is also reviewing the security clearances of nine other former officials, including former FBI director James Comey, all of whom have criticized the president or been targeted by congressional Republicans seeking to discredit the Russia probe. Trump appeared to make a direct link in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. "I call it the rigged witch hunt," Trump said of the Russia probe. "And these people led it. So I think it's something that had to be done." --- The Washington Post's David Nakamura and Felicia Sonmez contributed to this report. Toronto The number of border crossers entering Canada illegally from the U.S. rose from June to July, but remained sharply below the pace of last summer. Canada's immigration department said this week the Royal Canadian Mounted Police intercepted 1,634 migrants last month. That's up from 1,263 in June but far below the 3,134 caught in July 2017 or the record 5,712 in August last year part of a surge that strained Canada's immigration system. Officials say the drop is likely due to warnings that winning asylum isn't as easy as some believed. Canadian officials say economic reasons are not grounds for asylum and many crossing the border illegally won't be allowed to stay. "While these numbers are promising, Canadians expect all levels of government to work together to live up to our international and humanitarian obligations," said Mathieu Genest, a spokesman for Canada's immigration minister. Genest said the government is making investments to improve border security and speed up the processing of asylum claims. Michelle Rempel, opposition Conservative immigration critic, noted the numbers between January and August are up this year over the same period last year. The surge in migrants to Canada began last year shortly after the Trump administration announced plans to withdraw temporary protected status for individuals living in the U.S. from certain countries, including Haiti and El Salvador. Many of the migrants have said they left the U.S. fearing deportation due to increased immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump and believing Canada would automatically give them residence, only to experience a rude awakening upon arrival. Of the 3,462 claims that were finalized between February 2017 and March 2018, just 36 percent were approved. The immigration department said 1,257 were rejected while others were abandoned or withdrawn for other reasons. Rempel blamed part of the influx on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's January 2017 tweet welcoming migrants. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Thursday appeared to publicly acknowledge for the first time that his administration helped negotiate the release of a Turkish national being held in Israel as part of a broader deal that would have freed an American pastor jailed in Turkey. The breakdown of the deal has led to weeks of increasing tensions between Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that threaten the relationship between the United States and a key NATO ally that straddles Europe and the Middle East. Trump brought up the dispute at a Cabinet meeting Thursday, requesting an update on sanctions he recently slapped on senior Turkish leaders over the detention of American Andrew Brunson. "Turkey, they have not proven to be a good friend," Trump said. "They have a great Christian pastor there. He's a very innocent man . . . I just think it's a terrible thing that they're holding him." He then seemed to acknowledge that he was disappointed that Turkey did not release Brunson after the United States helped negotiate the release of the Turkish national jailed in Israel. "We got somebody out for him," Trump said, referring to Erdogan. "He needed help getting somebody out of someplace; they came out." "They want to hold our wonderful pastor," Trump added. "Not fair. Not right." Perhaps unwittingly, Trump opened a window into what is behind the intensity of the standoff with Erdogan, a strongman who shares Trump's highly personalized, top-down leadership style and emphasis on projecting strength and rallying national pride. Neither wants to be the one who blinks amid hard feelings over who is responsible for the deal falling apart. The Washington Post reported on July 26, citing a person familiar with the arrangement, that Trump had directly intervened with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to win the release last month of a Turkish woman accused of being a smuggler for the Palestinian military group Hamas. Brunson's release after nearly two years in jail was supposed to be next step in a multipart deal worked out by diplomats and by Trump and Erdogan directly during a meeting at the July NATO summit in Brussels, said other officials familiar with the plan who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations. Trump's July 14 phone call to Netanyahu came two days after the close of the NATO summit, where he singled out Erdogan for praise and fist-bumped the grinning Turkish leader. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were incensed when a Turkish court instead ordered Brunson released from jail but held under house arrest. Trump directly blamed Erdogan, raging to aides that the Turkish leader had reneged on their handshake deal, people familiar with his reaction said. Pence has been closely involved in the Brunson negotiations, largely because the minister has become a major cause among American evangelicals, who turned out overwhelmingly for Trump in the 2016 election and have remained among his most loyal supporters. Trump took the collapse of the negotiation as a personal slight, and is furious at the appearance that the United States was duped, U.S. officials said. Trump has complained that Erdogan is trying to make him look "weak," one official said. The administration responded with human rights sanctions that were unusually harsh - targeting two senior government ministers rather than lower-level officials - and has prepared even stiffer financial penalties that could be applied at any time. "We have more that we are planning to do if they don't release him quickly," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told Trump at the Cabinet meeting, without providing details. Trump also announced last week that the United States was doubling tariffs on imported Turkish metals. Turkey has responded by declaring that it will raise tariffs on a number of U.S. imports, including cars, tobacco and spirits. Erdogan this week accused the U.S. leader of attempting to bully him. "We feel that Turkey, and specifically President Erdogan, have treated Pastor Brunson - who we know to be a very good person and a strong Christian who's done nothing wrong - very unfairly, very badly," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday. "And it's something that we won't forget in the administration." The Brunson case was the flash point for a standoff with Erdogan, although the larger U.S.-Turkey dispute involves Erdogan's tilt toward Iran and Russia, his purchase of Russian armament instead of NATO materials and a brewing trade war. The relationship deteriorated over the last year, despite what the White House sees as extraordinary effort capped by Trump's personal diplomacy in Brussels. "Trump thinks he's done a lot and he comes to Erdogan with one of his concerns - Brunson - and it doesn't happen," said Amanda Sloat, a former State Department official who is now a Turkey specialist at the Brookings Institution. The U.S. effort included a flurry of diplomatic meetings in February involving Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and then-White House national security adviser H.R. McMaster, and a plan by Tillerson to create several working groups. In June, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Turkey that the FBI would investigate what Turkey claims are American groups that support a Turkish cleric whom Erdogan blames for a failed coup. Federal prosecutors also dropped assault charges against several security guards for Erdogan who were allegedly involved in a melee in May, 2017, outside the Turkish ambassador's residence in Washington. Video of the incident, which showed guards for the visiting Turkish president charging and beating protesters who had gathered outside the Sheridan Circle residence, sparked international condemnation. Trump and Erdogan got along well at the start of Trump's presidency, and with good reason. Unlike many European leaders Trump found snooty or weak, Erdogan is earthy and carries himself with a hint of street-tough swagger. Both Trump and Erdogan frequently pick out enemies for attack; both have been called bullies. "Something went wrong or something was misunderstood," after Brussels, and now the two leaders are in a faceoff that it is difficult for either to defuse, Sloat said. The administration's threat Thursday to impose more sanctions escalates the dispute, and "Erdogan certainly does not like to look like he is folding," Sloat said. Current and former U.S. officials said Erdogan has misjudged Trump, despite their similarities, and overplayed his hand. U.S. and Turkish officials whisper differing versions of how the deal fell apart, and whether Trump was willing to trade a Turkish banker convicted in New York of helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions. Turkish media have reported that the banker would have been sent to Turkey to serve his sentence. Erdogan sees Brunson as a "bargaining chip" whose price was especially high because of the White House interest in his case, said Aykan Erdemir, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "Erdogan has a tactic of hostage diplomacy," Erdemir said, adding that the United States would be treading on potentially dangerous ground if it agreed to release the banker, Mehmet Hakan Atilla, who was sentenced in May to 32 months in prison. "There is a kind of moral imbalance in the leaked deal, you're swapping a convicted sanctions-buster for an innocent pastor," Erdemir said. The United States will take further action against Turkey if it continues to detain American pastor Andrew Brunson, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday, in a sign that tensions between the NATO allies will continue to escalate over the issue. "We have more that we're planning to do if they don't release him quickly," Mnuchin said when asked by President Donald Trump at a Cabinet meeting for an update on U.S. sanctions on Turkish officials. He did not provide further details. Brunson is under house arrest after spending nearly two years in a Turkish prison under what the Trump administration has said are bogus allegations of aiding terrorists. The issue has led to a dramatic souring of U.S.-Turkey relations. The Treasury Department earlier this month levied sanctions on two senior Turkish officials in retaliation for Brunson's continued detention. That move was followed by an announcement by Trump last week that the United States was doubling tariffs on imported Turkish metals. Turkey has responded by declaring that it will raise tariffs on a number of U.S. imports including cars, tobacco and spirits. In remarks at Thursday's Cabinet meeting, Trump voiced his disappointment with Turkey in personal terms, saying the country has "not proven to be a good friend." "They have a great Christian pastor there. He's an innocent man," Trump said. He also appeared to acknowledge that he was disappointed that Turkey didn't release Brunson after the United States helped negotiate the release of a Turkish national being held in Israel. "We got somebody out for him," Trump said, referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "They want to hold our wonderful pastor," Trump added. "Not fair. Not right." - - - The Washington Post's Karen DeYoung and Kareem Fahim 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. Houston Chronicle Partially-decomposed skeletal remains were discovered Wednesday along train tracks in Rosenberg, police said. A train conductor reported that he spotted what appeared to be a human skull while traveling along the tracks at the 1500 block of Avenue G, police said. WASHINGTON - Sen. Elizabeth Warren is keeping Wall Street centered in her sights as she lays the policy foundation for a potential presidential bid. The Massachusetts Democrat unveiled a proposal Wednesday aimed at fundamentally recalibrating the mission of the biggest corporations, pushing them away from maximizing immediate returns for shareholders and executives and toward investing in longer-term value and sharing gains with workers. The bill, called the Accountable Capitalism Act, won't win Warren new fans in C-suites. But it's telling that she premiered it in hostile territory, describing her thinking in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. That followed a sit-down three weeks ago with CNBC's John Harwood - an interview that drew follow-up questions from my colleague Jennifer Rubin, a right-leaning columnist, about the nature of Warren's views on free markets and regulation. Unprompted, Warren answered them. A strategy appears to be emerging from those recent media interactions and the rollout of the bill this week. As Democrats wrangle with the new lefty momentum energizing the party's base, Warren is defining an economic vision that's bolder than Hillary Clinton's incrementalism while less hostile than Bernie Sanders's program to the underpinnings of the free market. "I am a capitalist," she told Harwood. "I love what markets can do, I love what functioning economies can do. They are what make us rich, they are what create opportunity. But only fair markets, markets with rules." Her new bill would force companies with more than $1 billion in annual revenue to secure a charter from an Office of United States Corporations, which the measure would establish in the Commerce Department. The charter would require corporate boards to weigh the interests of all stakeholders - including workers and local communities, in addition to shareholders - in its decision-making. Drawing from the German concept of co-determination, 40 percent of board seats would be reserved for employees. And three-fourths of directors and shareholders would need to sign off on political expenditures. Finally, to discourage managers from seeking to pump the share price to line their own pockets, the bill would bar executives and directors from selling stocks within five years of receiving them, or within three years of a buyback. Robert Hockett, a professor at Cornell Law School who worked with Warren's staff to develop the proposal, says the basic concept is simple. It seeks to restore a contract between government and U.S. corporations that existed for most of their existence: "If you're going to get the limited liability privilege, you should show you're giving something back to the community," Hockett tells me. That bargain, Warren and her backers argue, has eroded since the advent in the early 1980s of a management philosophy that has elevated maximizing shareholder value as a corporation's singular purpose. "As more Americans become aware again of how the corporate privilege used to work, they'll see this bill is really a modest first step in the direction of what we used to have," Hockett says, likening the proposal to a general-purpose version of the regulatory regime that banks face today. Hockett says he advocated going further - arguing, for example, for "a tripartite board structure, like regional Fed bank boards," that could have included representation by local businesses - but Warren "is trying to be a little more moderate about this." Critics, including big business interests in Washington, disagree. Warren name-checked the Business Roundtable in her Wednesday commentary, noting that the lobby group for Fortune 200 CEOs stated as recently as 1981 that a corporation's goal should be to "enhance the enterprise, provide jobs, and build the economy." But by 1997, reflecting the shifting consensus, the BRT said the "principal objective of a business enterprise is to generate economic returns to its owners." In a statement, a BRT spokeswoman said "it is a fallacy" to argue the two aims are mutually exclusive. "Corporate governance measures should not be based on the misconception that the objective of increasing long-term shareholder value conflicts with the well-being of workers and consumers," the spokeswoman said. "Instead it should be based on promoting best practices of responsible corporate citizenship and supporting long-term economic opportunity and innovation in the United States, issues that Business Roundtable will continue to provide leadership on." Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean for leadership studies at the Yale School of Management, says Warren is right that so-called short-termism has proved destructive for the country's biggest public companies. He points to a 2005 survey that found 80 percent of CFOs at 400 of the largest U.S. companies admitted they would sacrifice research-and-development spending to meet a quarterly earnings target. But Sonnenfeld says Warren misses the mark in targeting the behavior of boards and management when the fault lies elsewhere. "Regulatory changes have made it easy for activists investors to conspire with institutional investors to promote a short term agenda," Sonnenfeld writes in an email. "Instead of Warren's approach, a better method is to encourage investors to hold onto assets for longer. Presently, assets held for less than one year are taxed as ordinary income, but assets held for more than a year are treated as long-term investments and taxed with a lower tax rate (15%). That could be lengthened or [subjected to] some sort of gradual tax rate, depending on the holding period." Clinton proposed something similar in her 2016 platform as part of an effort to curb what she called "quarterly capitalism." Reporting on the proposal at the time, Bloomberg's Jennifer Epstein wrote that it appeared "calibrated to hit a sweet spot that will satisfy progressive Democrats while not angering Clinton's Wall Street donors." William Lazonick - a University of Massachusetts economist who's done extensive research into the surge over the last three decades of stock buybacks, a practice he describes as the "legalized looting of the U.S. industrial corporation" - says Warren's bill "takes a big problem head on." "In terms of the corporate charter, it really is saying that if workers are on the boards, they're going to start looking at who's benefiting from this sort of corporate allocation of resources," he says. "Right now there is absolutely no worker input, and there should be." WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Wednesday followed through on threats to strip the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, igniting a firestorm of criticism that the president was recklessly attempting to distract from his own political problems and silence high-profile critics. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the decision at a White House briefing, reading a statement from Trump that accused Brennan of making "a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations - wild outbursts on the internet and television - about this administration." Brennan, who led the CIA during most of President Barack Obama's second term, has emerged as one of Trump's fiercest critics, denouncing his performance at a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month as "treasonous." On Tuesday, Brennan lambasted Trump's personal character after he derided former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman as a "dog." "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," Trump said in his statement. "Mr. Brennan has a history that calls into question his objectivity and credibility." Trump added that he is reviewing the security clearances of nine other former officials, including former FBI director James Comey, all of whom have criticized the president or been targeted by congressional Republicans seeking to discredit the ongoing Russia probe. The move sent shock waves through Washington's political class and the nation's intelligence community, which has traditionally sought to avoid public partisanship but has been dragged into the debate as Trump has accused the "deep state" of seeking to undermine his presidency through leaks of sensitive material. The president also has lashed out repeatedly against the ongoing investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller III into the Trump campaign's contacts with Russian operatives accused of tampering in the 2016 presidential elections. Trump appeared to make a direct link in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. "I call it the rigged witch hunt," Trump said of the Russia probe. "And these people led it. So I think it's something that had to be done." Brennan was a longtime intelligence official who briefed three presidents and served as CIA station chief in Saudi Arabia, CIA chief of staff, director of the Terrorist Threat Integration Center, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, and assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism. His former colleagues rallied to his defense, hailing his service to the nation, including a key role in the 2011 operation that killed Osama bin Laden. In a tweet Wednesday, former vice president Joe Biden said Trump's decision was "unbecoming of a President" and praised Brennan as someone who "has never been afraid to speak up." "If you think it will silence John, then you just don't know the man," he wrote. Brennan reacted to the news by comparing Trump's actions to "foreign despots and autocrats." "I never, ever thought I'd see it here in the United States," Brennan said on MSNBC. "I believe all Americans need to take stock of what is happening right now in our government - how abnormal and how irresponsible and how dangerous these actions are. If Mr. Trump believes this going to lead me to just go away and be quiet, he is very badly mistaken." Sanders cast Trump's decision as the outcome of an ongoing review of former and current officials whose conduct has led the president to question their willingness to "protect classified information." But since aides first raised the specter that Trump would strip Brennan and several others of their clearances, security experts have described such a move as unprecedented and warned that words and actions protected by the First Amendment aren't grounds to take a clearance away. "As far as we know, this is the first time that a president of the United States has individually taken action against somebody's security clearance," said Mark Zaid, an attorney who represents government employees in security-clearance disputes. Last month, the White House said that along with Brennan and Comey, the president was scrutinizing former CIA director Michael Hayden, former national security adviser Susan Rice, former director of national intelligence James Clapper Jr. and former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe. On Wednesday, Sanders expanded that list to include former acting attorney general Sally Yates, former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, former FBI agent Peter Strzok and Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, who was recently demoted. Yates was fired by Trump last year after she defied the president and ordered federal attorneys not to defend his controversial travel ban. Strzok and Page, two of Trump's favorite targets on Twitter, became the centerpiece of Republicans' efforts to discredit Mueller's Russia probe after anti-Trump texts between the two were revealed last year. Strzok was fired over the texts this week. Ohr is also the frequent object of GOP criticism; he was named by Republicans in a memo earlier this year that targeted his ties to the former British intelligence officer who wrote the controversial dossier on the Trump campaign's alleged contacts with Russian officials. Comey lashed out at Trump and said the significance of his actions should not be lost in the constantly churning news cycle.: "In a democracy, security clearances should not be used as pawns in a petty political game to distract voters from even bigger problems. This president befriends and praises despots and dictators like Putin and Kim Jong-un. Those friends provide stark contrast to patriotic Americans he disrespects, threatens, and calls enemies: a war hero like John McCain, members of our country's free press, and devoted public servants like John Brennan." The timing of the announcement suggested the president may also have been trying to distract public attention from saturation media coverage of Manigault Newman's accusations in a new book that Trump made racist statements before he took office that were captured on tape. After Sanders' briefing Wednesday, the White House released the written statement from Trump dated July 26 - before quickly releasing an identical statement with the date removed. That led some of Trump's critics to conclude he had made the decision on Brennan's security clearance weeks ago, but that the White House strategically delayed an announcement for maximum political benefit. "This might be a convenient way to distract attention, say from a damaging news story or two," Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said on Twitter. "But politicizing the way we guard our nation's secrets just to punish the President's critics is a dangerous precedent." Some Republicans, including Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., applauded Trump's move. In a statement, Paul sought to take credit for the idea of revoking Brennan's clearance. "I urged the President to do this," Paul said. "I filibustered Brennan's nomination to head the CIA in 2013, and his behavior in government and out of it demonstrate why he should not be allowed near classified information." Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian, called Trump's action unprecedented, saying he knew of no such historical example of a president trying to "dehumanize and embarrass an outstanding intelligence officer like John Brennan. There has always been a bipartisan spirit of support since the CIA was created in the Cold War." Brinkley suggested the closest antecedent was President Richard Nixon's attempts to use the Internal Revenue Service to harass rivals on his "enemies list" and former senator Joseph McCarthy's congressional hearings to try to identify and punish suspected communists inside the U.S. government in the 1950s. "The public outcry of Brennan being stripped will echo long and far in the annals of American history," Brinkley said. "It will be seen like McCarthyism - a dark stain on our democracy." Nearly 4.1 million Americans have federal government security clearances of varying levels up to "top secret," according to government estimates. In some cases, former officials retain their clearances and are called on to provide advice or input on classified or highly sensitive matters, experts said. Some former officials also have jobs that require a security clearance. It's not clear how much of an impact Trump will have if he seeks to strip others of their clearances. Comey and McCabe have said their security badges were automatically demagnetized after they were fired. But the action was the latest in a long battle between Trump and top members of the intelligence and national security communities. During the 2016 campaign, a bipartisan group of national security experts, including Hayden, signed on to a pair of "Never Trump" letters, asserting that he "lacks self-control and acts impetuously," has demonstrated "erratic behavior" and is "fundamentally dishonest." Since taking office, Trump has faced criticism that he has been reckless in his own handling of sensitive information, including disclosing highly classified material during an Oval Office meeting last year with the Russian foreign minister. And at his Florida retreat, Mar-a-Lago, Trump appeared to discuss the U.S. response to a North Korean missile launch in full view of patrons. Questions also have been raised about Trump's staff, including son-in-law Jared Kushner, who had his security clearance downgraded in February before being granted a permanent clearance in May. Former White House staff secretary Rob Porter was granted clearance despite allegations that he had been violent toward two of his ex-wives, charges he has denied. "This is not merely erratic - it's somewhat dangerous, using clearances to get at political opponents," Eliot Cohen, a former State Department counselor during the George W. Bush administration who organized one of the "Never Trump" letters, said of president's decision on Brennan. Rep. Adam Schiff, Calif., the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Trump's move demonstrates "how deeply insecure and vindictive he is - two character flaws dangerous in any President." "An enemies list is ugly, undemocratic and un-American. I also believe this action to silence a critic is unlawful," Schiff said in a tweet. Republicans were more muted. Last month, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., had minimized Trump's threats, suggesting the president was merely "trolling people." Ryan's office declined to comment Wednesday. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who has said he won't seek reelection after tangling with Trump on foreign policy issues, called it a "banana republic kind of step." Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Brennan has been "far too political" in his commentary about Trump. But she added that recently retired intelligence officials generally have worthwhile expertise to offer and called Trump's move "unwise." - - - The Washington Post's Mike DeBonis and Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report. One day after President Donald Trump stripped former CIA director John Brennan of his security clearance, the commander of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden said it would be an honor if the president would take away his own clearance next. William McRaven, a retired four-star admiral who oversaw the 2011 Navy SEAL raid, directly addressed Trump in a Washington Post op-ed published online Thursday. In the op-ed, McRaven, who retired from the Navy in 2014, described Brennan as "a man of unparalleled integrity, whose honesty and character have never been in question, except by those who don't know him." "Therefore, I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency," McRaven said in the piece. In revoking Brennan's clearance, Trump on Wednesday accused the former CIA director, one of his most outspoken critics, of making "a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations - wild outbursts on the internet and television - about this Administration." Trump said that in addition to Brennan, the security clearances of nine other former officials are under review. All of them have either sharply criticized Trump or are in the crosshairs of the president's congressional allies as they seek to cast doubt on the special counsel probe led by Robert Mueller III. Experts have described Trump's move as an unprecedented effort to silence prominent detractors, with some likening it to Sen. Joseph McCarthy's anti-communist crusade in the 1950s or President Richard M. Nixon's targeting of critics on his "enemies list." McRaven echoed those sentiments, arguing in his op-ed that Trump has "embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation." "If you think for a moment that your McCarthy-era tactics will suppress the voices of criticism, you are sadly mistaken," McRaven said. "The criticism will continue until you become the leader we prayed you would be." McRaven previously has been vocal in his criticism of Trump's performance as president. Last year, in a speech at the University of Texas, he pushed back against Trump's assault on the news media as "the enemy of the American people." "This sentiment may be the greatest threat to democracy in my lifetime," McRaven said, according to the Daily Texan. Wildfires strike California every year. But they're getting worse, causing deaths and uprooting communities. But who's to blame for these increasingly destructive wildfires? According to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, it's "environmental terrorist groups." During a radio interview with Breitbart News, Zinke said that "environmental terrorist groups" are preventing the government from managing forests and are largely responsible for the severity of the fires. But fire scientists and forestry experts pointed out that climate change is the main factor behind the problem. Zinke claimed during the interview that an overabundance of fuel load-things like twigs and leaves that make it possible for fires to burn-make fires more intense. "There have been a number of instances where environmental groups have submitted petitions to the Bureau of Land Management, halting companies from removing dead and dying timber until the BLM can sort through each petition point," Department of the Interior spokesman Faith Vander Voort said in an email. "These actions halt proper forest management and leave the West vulnerable to incredible devastation." But Monica Turner, an ecologist at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, said this argument doesn't address the bigger problem. "Making minor changes in the fuels [which] you then have to do repeatedly for many years is not going to solve the bigger problem of having to face climate change," she told The Washington Post. "We cannot clear or thin our way out of this problem." While the devastation has gotten significantly worse, people living in wildland-urban interface, communities next to natural areas, make the severity of the fires more palpable. "While these fires are a tragedy, its also an opportunity to rethink our fire policies on a broader level as well as how and where we build our homes," Yana Valachovic, a forest management expert told The Post. Many took issue with Zinke's refusal to acknowledge that climate change is a major factor in the California. "This has nothing to do with climate change," Zinke told NBC affiliate KCRA this month. "This has to do with active forest management." Research shows that human-caused climate change is a primary factor behind the recent increase in fire severity. A 2016 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that the heat and drought brought about by climate change was responsible for doubling the amount of land burned in the western U.S. between 1984 and 2015. "There is a broad effort to deny the science of climate change and its links to the horrible wildfires in California and its just not accurate," Leah C. Stokes, professor of environmental and political science at University of California at Santa Barbara told The Post. "I don't think the scale of reducing fuel load is a realistic policy proposal, that would magically stop all fires in the western United States. Forests burn and it is going to get a lot worse unless we do something about climate change." Environmental groups also took issue with the labeling of "terrorist." "Zinke's inability to understand basic fire science is leading him to turn to dangerous and inflammatory quips," said Athan Manuel, director of Lands Protection Program at the Sierra Club. "We do think we need to do sensible forest management. But this should be driven by science and practicality. This does not seem be a priority for the secretary." President Donald Trump was last week criticized for tweeting that "bad environmental laws" magnified the fires. Trump's claim was quickly debunked by experts on Twitter. "California's forests are burning because of past severe drought and current extreme temperatures and weather, worsened by human-caused #climatechange, which you think, in your fantasy world, doesn't exist," tweeted Peter Gleick, a scientist and co-founder of Pacific Institute. "Oh, and one last thing," Gleick added. "#Water in California rivers isn't being "diverted" into the Pacific. It all used to flow there. What little #cawater reaches the sea now is all that's left after farms and cities have diverted most of it out of rivers. - - - The Washington Post's Sarah Kaplan contributed to this report. A Houston jury Thursday convicted a former Baylor College of Medicine physician of raping a woman who had been hospitalized at Ben Taub Hospital for an acute asthma attack in 2013. The jury of five women and seven men reached its verdict after about 15 hours of deliberation over two days. The defense team admitted the doctor had sex with a patient but said it was consensual. The woman reported the rape to Ben Taub staff, saying an unknown physician came to her bedside three times in the dark, sexually assaulting her while she was tethered to machines. The call button she repeatedly pressed to summon a nurse was unplugged. But it took investigators two years to identify Dr. Shafeeq Sheikh as the suspected attacker, based on DNA from her rape kit. Sheikh, an internal medicine resident on call at Ben Taub, was spotted on surveillance video and logged swiping his badge to enter her floor at least 12 times, even though she wasnt assigned as his patient. TRIAL: Former Ben Taub doctor accused of raping patient testifies sex was consensual In court this week, the 32-year-old woman testified that the attack upended her life and precipitated the end of her marriage. She was identified as Laura in a series of Houston Chronicle columns by Lisa Falkenberg about the incident. The Chronicle does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault. Sheikh, now 46, lost his job, and the Texas Medical Board revoked his license in 2015, finding that he posed a continuing threat to public welfare. In 2016, a Harris County civil court cleared Ben Taub and Baylor of liability in a lawsuit the patient brought. Prosecutors this week told jurors the doctor betrayed the womans trust when she was at her most vulnerable. Caregivers rushed to her room for several acute medical episodes and she was was unable to fight off the doctors assault, they said. BACKGROUND: Patient says she became doctor's prey at Ben Taub A lawyer defending Sheikh picked at inconsistencies in the womans account and vigorously questioned her credibility, asking about her career as an actress and model, and whether she agreed she had posted sexually suggestive photos and videos on social media. Records showed her cellphone transmitted many texts and logged lengthy phone calls during her stay at the hospital, which indicated she was alert. DNA indicated she had sexual relations with her husband her first night at the hospital, which meant she couldnt have been incapacitated, the defense said. Their client violated medical ethics, the lawyers said, but placed the blame on the patient for allegedly seducing him to make her husband jealous and cash in on a lawsuit. Sheikh, a father of four who emigrated from India, told jurors the patient led him on. He said she took his hand to her breasts when he was performing a chest exam. He returned later, allured by her breast implants, and she touched his genitals, he said. She then shifted onto one side and pushed her buttocks to the edge of the gurney, signaling that she wanted more, he said. After he completed a sex act with her, without a condom, he testified, 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. COLUMN: Immunity law works against victim of alleged rape in hospital When he realized she had reported the incident as an assault, Sheikh said, he began checking her chart hourly. He did not come forward because he was terrified of the consequences of an obvious breach of ethics. Baylor College of Medicine declined to comment. But Bryan McLeod, a spokesman for the county health 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. Late Thursday, the jury began hearing evidence for the punishment phase of the trial. Final arguments are expected Friday. gabrielle.banks@chron.com The Houston Humane Society seized nearly 300 animals on Wednesday from a home in Anderson, where authorities found neglected small dogs, mini horses and Shetland ponies living in their own feces, according to humane society spokeswoman Monica Schmidt. The humane society partnered with the Grimes County Sheriff's Office on the seizure at a home in the 7400 block of State Highway 30. RELATED: Abandoned dog at the Houston Humane Society gets showered with internet love Investigator Kindale Pittman of the sheriff's office said the 75-year-old homeowner surrendered the animals on her property when police arrived. Criminal charges are pending. "As soon as we get that [evidence] back, we will present that to DA's office," Pittman said. The animals included 49 mini horses and Shetland ponies, as well as 242 various small dog breeds, including Pomeranians, Min Pins and Chinese Cresteds. Schmidt said all the animals showed signs of years of neglect that piled up. "There's skin abrasions and skin sores. And it's hard to know if they scratched themselves on the cage or if they scratched themselves that hard because they're covered in lice, fleas or both," Schmidt said. Many animals were housed in rusted out cages and forced to live in their own filth. They were malnourished, matted, soiled and covered in parasites, Schmidt said. The homeowner appeared to be breeding the animals, as many pure breed dogs and puppies were found on the property, Schmidt said. PET OF THE WEEK: Here are the Houston Humane Society animals that need homes now The animals are currently receiving medical attention. It'll likely take weeks before they're put up for adoption, she said. "It's a very tough situation these animals that have been going through for a very long time," she 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 See inside Magic Island as construction crews work to renovate it for a planned fall revival... Magic Island, once an '80s and early '90s Houston nightlife attraction, is getting new life after a decade of inactivity. The site at 2215 Southwest Freeway, the large, white building with the pharaoh head on top, has been buzzing with construction crews working to transform the dining and performance venue. MAY 2018: Magic Island, one of Houston's most peculiar buildings, prepares for a revival Manny Fahid and his assistant, Sue Smith, are working for the building's owner Mohammad Athari to get the venue open by Nov. 15. Chron.com toured the building Thursday to check on the progress. First opened in 1983, Magic Island was a destination dining experience featuring magic shows, music, dining and drinking. Acts like Don Rickles, Tiny Tim, and Frank Sinatra Jr. played its stage. It wouldn't be a stretch to call it a piece of Vegas on Greenbriar. OLDEN DAYS: Paul Driscoll, one of the magicians at Houston's old Magic Island, reminisces about the club According to Fahid on Thursday they've installed all new wiring and plumbing in the building that had been a haunt for transients since it closed after Hurricane Ike in 2008. A decade of damage, including fire and vandalism, wasn't easy to undo. Every lick of electrical wire was taken by scavengers. It's also been a favorite site for urban explorers looking for thrills and chills in old, abandoned buildings. "We had to rip down all the sheet rock and basically reduce the building to a shell," Fahid told Chron.com, pointing to walls reduced to the studs on the first floor. "We were able to save some of the antique furniture though." The decorations from Magic Island that weren't pilfered over the years are in safekeeping offsite, ready to go back inside. LOOKING BACK: See what some of Houston's favorite buildings, landmarks looked like while under construction Currently three Egyptian statues are sitting in the parking lot waiting for a date a with a painter who will hopefully return them to their '80s luster. Stacks of sheet rock are on the second floor ready to be installed. The elaborate Egyptian-style molding has been restored where it was salvageable. Around-the-clock armed guards watch over the construction site. Fahid was an employee at the venue back in 1983 when it first opened and he's also emotionally invested in seeing Magic Island not just get back to what it once was, but even better. HIGH ON HOUSTON: Get a bird's eye view of the city from high atop downtown Houston's Heritage Plaza "We had painters come in already and restore some of the murals upstairs," Fahid said, pointing to a large "Ask Alexander" mural near where a new bar should reside in a few months. A large patio on the building's western end is currently being dug out, which Fahid said should be able to seat up to 200 people. As for pharaoh head on the roof, which presides over Houston traffic, it's in the process of getting a facelift of its own. "We're excited to bring the magic back to Houston," Fahid said. 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 An 18-wheeler caught fire on Texas 225 Thursday morning, slowing traffic around Allen Genoa. The brakes on the back of the big rig locked and caught fire as the truck was traveling westbound on Texas 225 around 3:50 a.m., according to Metro Video. The fire was quickly extinguished, and no one was injured. The truck was carrying pallets of plastic pellets, Metro Video reported. All lanes were closed immediately after the fire, but several lanes are now open, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. A federal appeals court on Wednesday affirmed a lower court's decision to toss a Louisiana police officer's lawsuit against Black Lives Matter and several of the group's most prominent members. The officer - who is not named in court filings - sued Black Lives Matter leaders DeRay Mckesson, Johnetta Elzie, and others, after being ambushed in Baton Rouge by Gavin Long, a 29-year-old former Marine. During the July 2016 incident, three officers died and three were injured. Long was also killed in the shootout. BACKGROUND: Baton Rouge shooter made stop in Houston, ranted about police online Wednesday's opinion noted that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson dismissed the case in part because the plaintiff "utterly failed to state a plausible claim for relief." The officer argued that the shooter "followed and mimicked" a Black Lives Matter activist and argued Mckesson and other Black Lives Matter activists were liable for the injuries he suffered. Only at HoustonChronicle.com: Alive Inside -- A Baton Rouge shooting survivor's story "After consideration of the complaint, district court opinion, briefs, and applicable law in this matter, we conclude that no reversible error occurred," the opinion stated. The lawsuit is one of five police officers have filed against Mckesson and Black Lives Matter activists over the last four years. Mckesson and other BLM activists have participated in numerous protests against police violence over the last four years, ever since the 2014 deaths at the hands of law enforcement of Eric Garner, in New York City, and Michael Brown, in Ferguson, Missouri, set off a firestorm of debate over law enforcement's use of force against civilians. "I'm thankful that this case has been resolved," Mckesson said, "and look forward to the resolution of the other lawsuits from officers suing me." St. John Barned-Smith covers public safety and major breaking news for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Send tips to st.john.smith@chron.com. Vice President Mike Pence will visit Houston's Johnson Space Center -- home of NASA's astronaut corps -- next week. Pence announced his impending visit in a Tweet on Thursday, saying only that he was coming to "talk about the future of human space exploration." "Under [President Donald] Trump's administration, America is leading in space once again!" he said. Pence will visit on Thursday, Aug. 23, according to NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. Johnson officials said they are ironing out the details with the White House. NEW FRONTIER: Department of Defense delivers Space Force plans to Congress QUICK TAKE: Ted Cruz thinks Trump's Space Force is 'a great idea' Johnson is home to the nation's astronaut corps, where human space flight research and training take place. The Houston center had a budget of $4.5 billion in fiscal year 2017 and employs about 10,000 civil service and contractor employees. It is also home to the international space station mission operations and the Orion program. Pence is head of the National Space Council, which was revived by President Donald Trump last year after being dissolved for more than two decades. It's just one way Trump has pushed for bolstered human exploration during his time in the oval office. LAST YEAR: VP Mike Pence will visit NASA, but Twitter is having none of it Trump's $19.9 billion NASA budget proposal for the coming fiscal year funnels billions of dollars to human exploration. It tasks the space agency with sending Americans around the moon in 2023, while also setting aside $504.2 million in the coming year to begin working on the foundation of a $2.7 billion Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway basically, a mini-space station orbiting the moon where astronauts could live and work. In April, NASA abruptly ended a $250 million rover mission meant to find water on the moon. Earlier this month, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine was in Houston to announce first nine astronauts to fly on commercial vehicles being built by Boeing and SpaceX. Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey. The Houston native who was jailed 40 days after protesting in Vietnam's largest city pledged Thursday to help others who remain detained by the communist government. "I was able to escape... others are not so lucky," William Nguyen said in Houston in his first public remarks since returning to the U.S. Aug. 3. "I will be devoting my foreseeable future to ... freeing local Vietnamese dissidents who don't have the shield of American citizenship to protect them." Nguyen, who grew up in Sugar Land, gave remarks at a news conference at the posh Houstonian Hotel with U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif. Nguyen lived in Lopez's Los Angeles district before moving to Singapore for graduate school. EARLIER: Nguyen returns to Houston after release from jail in Vietnam After completing his program this spring, Nguyen vacationed in Ho Chi Minh City and on June 10 participated in a protest against special economic zones the government had proposed and which critics say would benefit Chinese investors. He was arrested and jailed at the high-security Chi Hoa Prison. For five days, his family knew nothing of his location or condition, knowing only he had been beaten. Protests in the streets of Vietnam are rare, according to the Associated Press. Vietnamese authorities convicted Nguyen of disturbing the peace and deported him. Protests in the streets of Vietnam are rare, according to the Associated Press. Vietnamese authorities convicted Nguyen of disturbing the peace and deported him. Others who have participated in similar demonstrations have received sentences of up to 2 years in prison. Nguyen said he feels fortunate to have avoided a prison sentence, and wants to "pay it forward" by advocating for the release of others. He accused the communist government of inventing national security threats to justify a crackdown on protests. "The Vietnamese government is actively moving to quash dissent and keep people in the dark," Nguyen said. Nguyen's mother, Vicky, brought the family to southwest Houston in 1979, where thousands of Vietnamese formed a community that continues to thrive. She smiled nervously on Thursday afternoon when her son said he was open to returning to Vietnam, though he is unsure if the government would again grant him a visa. MORE: Family focused on freedom for Houston man detained in Vietnam A bipartisan group of Texas congressmen, including Reps. Gene Green, Al Green and John Culberson, as well as Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, had urged the Vietnamese government to release Nguyen. Gomez thanked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for diplomats' role in securing Nguyen's release. Zach Despart covers Harris County for the Chronicle. You can follow him on Twitter or email him at zach.despart@chron.com. Powerful health care groups are rallying behind New York City Public Advocate Letitia James campaign for state attorney general, according to recent campaign financial disclosures. Jamess campaign has received more than $100,000 from a combination of for-profit nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, health care unions and industry political action committees since the beginning of June, more from such sources than any other candidate in the Democratic primary. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, the attorney general candidate who raised the most in the last reporting period, received a $10,000 donation from the drug company Pfizers political action committee. Rivals Zephyr Teachout and Leecia Eve have not received any money from the health care sector. PACs play a big role in the funding that James has received from the health care industry, with four PACs accounting for about three-quarters of her fundraising from the sector. The top donors were the labor-affiliated 1199 SEIU PAC ($21,000) and the New York State Nurses Association PAC ($10,000), Empire Dental PAC ($20,000), which represents dentists, and Medical Liability Mutual Insurance Company PAC ($20,000), which is associated with a medical malpractice insurance company. These totals do not include donations from employees who of the related organizations or individual dentists, nurses and so forth. James work on a non-health care issue played into at least one of the large donations. Our members are enthusiastically in support of Leticia James (sic) for attorney general, Gabby Seay, political director for the 1199 SEIU, said in an email. As the public advocate, Tish has stood up for 1199 members and workers in New York City including the fight for a $15 minimum wage and keeping healthcare accessible and affordable. A handful of James donations come from a group of controversial nursing homes that have contributed at least $4,000 to her campaign. This includes a donation made in the name of one Buffalo-area facility, Safire Rehabilitation of Southtowns, that came under media scrutiny earlier this year for a reported lack of quality that drove resident Barbara Kent to call a local news outlet for help. Nobody should have to live like this, she told WKBW. Another facility in the Goshen area gained notoriety for slashing staff in its effort to turn a profit from what was previously a nonprofit nursing home, resulting in a state-ordered plan to redress issues there. A spokesperson for James did not comment on the donations from the nursing homes, even as she receives from organized labor. In an email sent to City & State, the campaign emphasized its labor support. Our campaign has a broad and diverse base of grassroots support, and we are especially proud our brothers and sisters in organized labor have endorsed Tish James for attorney general, Jack Sterne, the James spokesperson, said in the email. Throughout her career, Tish has defended healthcare workers and fought for patients rights and she will continue that important work as attorney general. The high volume of support from health care organizations is noteworthy because James would have enforcement powers over much of the health care industry if elected in November. The state attorney general also has the power to bring suits at the federal level, lending the position a national voice on health care issues, antitrust regulations and patients rights. For example, former state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman reached a $6.4 million settlement with a Brooklyn home health care provider for false Medicaid billing. James fundraising advantage from health care-related organizations contrasts with the real estate industry, which has split its support roughly evenly between James and Maloney both of whom have received upwards of $150,000 from the industry, City & State reported previously. James is leading in fundraising overall, with about $1.2 million on hand to Maloneys $795,000, Eves $160,000 and Teachouts $474,000. Teachout is the only candidate in the race who has stated that she will not accept any donations from corporations or limited liability corporations. Despite the range in fundraising hauls, the race still appears wide open with just about a month to go until the Sept. 13 primary. Two recent polls from Quinnipiac University and Siena College have James in the lead with support from about 25 percent of voters. Maloney is about 10 percentage points behind, but about two out of five voters remain undecided. With reporting by Jeff Coltin Just over a month after the well-publicized steakhouse dinner agreement between the Independent Democratic Conference and the mainline Democrats in the state Senate, some elected officials appeared to contradict the widely reported terms of the truce when New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer and City Council members Costa Constantinides and Jimmy Van Bramer endorsed Jessica Ramos in her race against state Sen. Jose Peralta. Queens County party chairman Rep. Joseph Crowley, who had been involved in hammering out the deal, stayed on Peraltas side. Since then, more Democratic players and institutions, including New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and Rep. Jerry Nadler, have backed anti-IDC challengers. This has led to media reports, such as David Freedlanders recent piece in New York magazine, claiming that Democratic officials have reneged on their side of the deal. Johnson, wrote Freedlander, officially broke the truce. This is false, because Johnson was never party to the agreement, according to both sides. He could not break the truce, because he did not commit to any of its terms in the first place nor did his City Council colleagues, or any other elected officials who were not present, except for those in the state Senate. This notion that it was a steakhouse dinner and everybody, like in the movies, shakes hands and swears loyalty to the king, that didn't happen, Hector Figueroa, the president of SEIU 32BJ, told City & State about the April meeting, which he attended. 32BJ endorsed Jeff Kleins opponent, Alessandra Biaggi, earlier this summer, while staying neutral in the other state Senate primaries, despite the unions involvement in the reconciliation between the two sides. Figueroa was a signatory of a November letter from party leaders to Klein and state Senate Minority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, including Buffalo mayor and chairman of the state Democratic Party Byron Brown, former City Council Speaker and party vice-chair Christine Quinn and Crowley, asking the two sides to reconcile. Figueroa, though, says he signed the letter as a member of the Democratic National Committee, not as president of 32BJ. Similarly, Figueroa told City & State that the presence of the unions political director, Alison Hirsh, at the dinner never indicated the union was signing up to support every IDC incumbent. We were at that meeting to be supportive of Andrea-Stewart Cousins, and we made no commitment verbally or otherwise to stay away from any race involving IDC candidates, Figueroa said, explaining that attending the meeting couldnt supplant the unions endorsement process in which members are polled on what direction they want the union to take. Biaggi won her endorsement after Klein refused to sit down the union, according to Figueroa, and the union president said that over 90 percent of the districts 6,000 members are on board with the decision. But Figueroas explanation that he is a man of many hats didnt fly with state Sen. Diane Savino, a former member of the breakaway conference. So when he speaks to you, its as the president of Local 32BJ, Savino told City & State. When he signs a letter along with the other chairs of the state Democratic Party, of which he's one, then hes a private citizen. Disingenuous doesn't begin to describe what he's doing. Savino said, however, that political figures who werent present at the meeting and have endorsed anti-IDC candidates, such as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Johnson, Nadler and members of the Assembly, were not violating the truce because it was supposed to be between members of the state Senate only. Assemblyman Walter Mosley said the truce did not amount to a broader state party edict that no one could assist challenges to former IDC members. I wasn't a part of the truce, Mosley told City & State after a July 12th campaign event where he and three more members of the Assembly Diana Richardson, Jo Anne Simon and Robert Carroll endorsed Zellnor Myrie, who is running in Brooklyn against for IDC member state Sen. Jesse Hamilton. Nobody came to me as a member of the Assembly, I read about it just like anybody else. It was never an agreement hashed out amongst legislators across the board. Jeffries also said that while the truce was brokered by powerful members of the party, elected officials werent beholden to them. It was my understanding that the truce was negotiated by a lot of individuals who I respect, including the governor and Joe Crowley, but there are 435 members of Congress, which means you have 435 independent contractors accountable only to the districts that we represent, Jeffries told City & State after endorsing Myrie this month. By that standard, the ceasefire is holding. Some IDC members say they arent concerned about the prominent politicians backing challengers, and they downplay the endorsements significance. Klein spokesperson Barbara Brancaccio dismissed Johnsons and Stringers support for Biaggi as angling for a promotion. These two wannabe candidates for mayor, who represent the Manhattan elite, are indulging their ambitions in communities and races they know nothing about, she wrote to City & State in a statement. If Cuomo expected Assembly members to stay out of IDC races, he hasnt conveyed that to them. So its safe to assume that no one who has endorsed an anti-IDC candidate fears punishment. Some who have sided against former IDC members say they wouldnt let such a demand, even from a powerful official such as Cuomo, affect their decision anyway. There is nothing about me that says I am afraid of anybody about anything anywhere, Assemblywoman Diana Richardson told City & State when asked if she thought her Myrie endorsement could cause her political harm. There's only one person that is the leader of my life, and that's the man above. Even if the elected officials endorsements of anti-IDC candidates are not violating the reunification terms, a few actual parties to the agreement are starting to walk away from it but none of them are officeholders. While Dennis Trainor, president of the Communications Workers of America, District 1, was at the unity meeting in April, according to 32BJ spokesperson Eugenio Villasante, the CWA also very recently backed a number of challengers to the former IDC members, despite Trainors signature on a May letter from labor leaders asking both sides to stick to the truce. CWA didnt respond to a multiple requests for comment when asked if the endorsements violated their own previous commitment. Democratic state senators are also capable of following the terms of the deal, by not endorsing IDC opponents, while still making their feelings towards the turncoats apparent. When asked about the status of the truce while he was at an event in July, longtime IDC-foe state Senate Democratic Conference Chairman Michael Gianaris told City & State, I know I'm not supporting any of the former IDC members. Too often people seeking safety in the UK are forced into poverty and crisis. Cuts to legal aid mean it is often impossible to access the vital representation and advice needed to navigate our complex asylum system. Many voluntary sector organisations step in to help people in crisis by providing food, shelter, clothing and advice about the support they are entitled to. But few have experimented with structured approaches to prevent people falling into poverty and destitution in the first place, to de-escalate crises before lives are at risk. Services for people seeking asylum in the UK have become reactive and crisis driven. But Refugee Action believes this doesnt have to be the case and that the sector can be transformed by adopting early action approaches that will ensure better outcomes for people forced to flee conflict and persecution. Two and half years ago, the charity created a good practice and partnerships team with the aim of building a movement based on a sector-wide, evidence base about the types of services that most benefit those in the asylum system. A recent and long-awaited success has been the launch of an ambitious England-wide partnership between eight frontline organisations working with people seeking asylum, to test preventative approaches over three years and transform current ways of working. The 1.1m Early Action Charter for People Seeking Asylum Programme is possible thanks to funding of over 850,000 from the Big Lottery Fund and capital raised by Refugee Action. Along with Refugee Action, the partnership includes: Refugee Women Connect Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum Action Foundation Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers Southwark Day Centre Bristol Refugee Rights Brushstrokes The success of early action approaches The idea for the programme came from Refugee Actions growing awareness that early action approaches used in its own services, such as Asylum Guides, which provides information and guidance to equip people to successfully navigate the asylum system, were successful and empowering the people it works with. One refugee supported through the project is Tejvir, a Sikh man who fled Afghanistan where he was persecuted because of his religion. He had no solicitor or any knowledge of the asylum system. His guide helped him find legal representation and gave him advice about his claim and how his religious identity would be scrutinised. Tejvir and his family were granted refugee status and his guide referred him to services that would enable him to rebuild his life. The good practice team approached the Early Action Taskforce, a group that works to promote the type of preventative work that is already providing successful outcomes in the care, health and education sectors. In October 2017, Refugee Action co-hosted one of the Taskforces Insight events. The good practice team spoke to more than 20 organisations to gauge who might be the early adopters of early action approaches within the refugee and migrant sector. The aim was to bring together organisations working with people seeking asylum, to share learning and Refugee Actions vision for preventing and de-escalating asylum crises. By collaborating and building an evidence base, funders would see what could be achieved if they invested in preventative services for people seeking asylum. The challenges of collaboration At the start of this year, Refugee Action had brought together eight organisations interested in collaborating and working together to test early action approaches. Bringing together a diverse group of organisations from across England is not without challenges, such as finding time for everyone to connect about the project and ensuring the internal resources are available for data collection. Meetings are held via Zoom and planned with long lead-in times so everyone knows what is expected. Researchers from the universities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton are supporting with impact monitoring and creating a baseline for data collection. The groups diversity is also its strength along with members willingness to learn from each other and collaborate. There is a real determination to work together to achieve long-lasting outcomes to improve the lives of people seeking asylum. An Early Action Charter, which aims to inspire organisations across the sector to adopt preventative ways of working, will be developed by partners. We hope the programme will produce enough evidence and shared learning to bring systemic change and influence funders to see that the sector is ready and capable of delivering early action approaches. Carolina Albuerne is good practice and partnerships manager at Refugee Action. The third Global NGO Technology Report was published last week by the Public Interest Registry, the body that runs the .org domain. Its findings paint a positive picture for charities, which are making more and better use of the internet and social media to raise money and awareness. Though its worth adding the caveat that its a self-selecting online survey of respondents with access to the internet. Just over 5,000 NGOs responded to the survey from 164 countries, including the UK. Some 92 per cent of respondents have a website the same percentage as last year, with 87 per cent of them considered mobile-compatible an increase of 9 percentage points on last year. However just 38 per cent of respondents said that they regularly publish a blog on their website. Nearly two-thirds use email to regularly send fundraising appeals, mostly using an email marketing service. The average number of email subscribers for organisations that described themselves as small was 7,357. For medium it is 28,932 and for large it is 63,048. When it comes to fundraising nearly three-quarters of respondents accept donations via their websites. This is up from 67 per cent last year. For those that take donations online, 80 per cent accept credit cards, 47 per cent accept PayPal, 40 per cent accept direct debit. 3 per cent have a digital wallet to take other kinds of money transfer and 1 per cent accept Bitcoin. Social media Facebook proves to be the most popular social media channel for both non-profits and users. 93 per cent of organisations have a Facebook page and one quarter of them post daily. Charities also seem to believe this is time well-spent, with 80 per cent saying social media is an effective way of finding volunteers. For small charities the average number of Facebook followers is 8,722. For medium organisations its 32,092 and for larger ones its 109,158. Just over three-quarters have a Twitter page and average follower numbers a lower than for Facebook. For larger organisations the average follower count is 39,496. For medium it is 17,737 and for smaller it is 4,241. Some 56 per cent use LinkedIn and 50 per cent use Instagram. Nearly 20 per cent of organisations use messaging apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger to communicate with supporters. What does this tell us? The figures here suggest a much more positive outlook about how well charities are using online tools than many other studies, which often claim that charities lag behind other sectors. In all likelihood these figures are a little high. This likely to because as a self-selecting survey it wont have captured the small charities which have never needed to, and possibly never will, communicate online. But it does suggest that for many that are online they feel that they are making the most out of it. The Charity Technology Conference takes place on 7 November 2018. For more information and to book click here. On July 30, The Washington Post published a story, White, and in the Minority, profiling Heaven Engle, 20, and Venson Heim, 25, both factory workers at a Bell & Evans chicken plant in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania. Engle and Heim are white and do not speak Spanish; their colleagues, predominantly from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, are described as speaking little to no English. Over the past two decades, the Post reports, the demographics of the surrounding countylargely rural and conservativehave changed, as Latinos have been recruited for jobs (White people didnt want to work in the stinky chicken shop, a former employee at the plant is quoted as saying) and built a sizeable community. But Fredericksburg remains 95 percent white; homes downtown fly Confederate flags. The piece, which is about 4,000 words, expresses the isolation, sorrow, and frustration that Engle and Heim feel navigating language and cultural barriers at work; at moments, it depicts their prejudice without challenge. Terrence McCoy, the author, quotes Engle and Heim at length but never the plants Latino employees. Denisse Salvador, a demure 25-year-old from the Dominican Republic, is written of indirectly, as Engle wonders why she cant learn English; in another scene, Heim and other English-speakers make racially insensitive jokes to Juan Leon, the only Latino worker in the break room. Readers never hear Leons response. Criticism of the article rolled in quickly. The editors of Latino Rebels, a commentary site, detailed their problems with the language, citing, for example, how McCoy refers to Engle being pressed closer and closer to the wall in a hallway that was now filled with workers, all Latino, evoking a physical threat. While the premise of the articleexploring the impact of changing American demographicswas sound, the Rebels wrote, its framing and the choice not to include the voices of Latino employees only feeds into the white fear. Esther Cepeda, a syndicated columnist with The Washington Post Writers Group, wrote to Martin Baron, the executive editor of the Post, with complaints about the piecefor one, she found, it was absent key context about the management of the plant and life for employees in the world outside it; the line in McCoys story about population shifts that will, with little historic precedent, reconfigure the racial and ethnic geography of an entire country, she tells CJR, conjures an argument used by white supremacists when theyre getting their troops to rally that immigration must be stopped. In a statement, the National Association for Hispanic Journalists expressed similar concerns. Hugo Balta, the organizations president, reached out to Baron asking for a meeting. RELATED: Washington Post kills story over retweet On Wednesday, Baron responded to Baltas request by phone, in a call that lasted about 30 minutes. Balta began the conversation with an open question: What did Baron make of the criticism hed seen of the piece thus far? In Barons view, according to Baltas recounting of their conversation, the story had been widely misread. Outrage directed at the newspaper, and at McCoy, was unfair. Balta, who is ESPNs senior director of multicultural initiatives, replied that the absence of Latino voices seemed to reinforce the main characters embrace, developed throughout the narrative, of fear on the basis of race. NAHJ did not believe that the context provided on changing demographics replaced the need to include quotes from Latino workers, Balta told Baron. To CJR, he says, That would have provided the reader a broader and, in our opinion, fairer telling of this story. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Baron, Balta recalls, Stuck to his guns and said thats an opinion thats been shared, they understand, but that from an editorial standpoint the decision was to focus on the point of view of this young woman, and he didnt feel it necessary to include other voices, other than how they were mentioned in the piece. When Balta asked if Baron would consider assigning a story on Latinos working at the Bell & Evans plant, Baron said that he didnt feel McCoys piece merited a follow-up. Barons comments echoed those made on Monday by McCoy, who is white, in an interview with WBUR. At the Washington Post we have a long history of profiling immigrants as they come to this country and the immigrant struggle, the hardship they face, McCoy said. This story was about the anxiety that some whites are feeling as the country catapults towards majority-minority America, and what that means. In reply to the note from Cepeda, Baron noted that, in the article, McCoy acknowledges the historic discrimination of minority communities, and frames his telling of Engle and Heim as a reckoning with what their colleagues have long had to deal with. Baron told Cepeda that the story was edited by a person of color, reviewed by other individuals of color, and highlighted that the Post has one of the most diverse newsrooms in the country. When CJR reached out to the Post, a spokeswoman sent a statement with much the same message. McCoys story captured the perspective of those who feel displaced by demographic change, by conveying what it is like for two white Americans who must themselves adapt to a new America, the statement read. McCoy portrays their fear, resentment and xenophobia as well as their responses to the attempts of their Latino co-workers to interact with them. McCoys work will continue to explore the emergence of a multicultural majority in America. During their call, Balta and Baron discussed how the piece was edited, and Baron again mentioned the diversity of the Post newsroom. As he did so, the conversation went from being about critiques of a single story to something more fundamental, in Baltas view. Having a diverse newsroom is a success, Balta argued, but the use of those perspectives and talents in shaping stories, not merely headcounts, offer the ultimate litmus test for inclusion. The editor of the article at hand, Baron said, was not Latino. By way of argument, Balta replied, I would not propose I am the best person to say with authority what is right or wrong in a story about African-Americans, Asian-Americans, or people who belong to the LGBTQ community. Baron, Balta tells CJR, pushed back at what he took as a suggestion that only members of particular communities can write stories covering them. Balta aimed to clarify. Thats not what I am saying, Balta says he told Baron. A good journalist can tell any story. But if you have a diverse newsroom, its my experience that its in the best interest to draw from the depth of experience and talent and background you have in the newsroom. Recalling Barons response, Balta tells CJR, I dont think he agreed with meand I didnt agree with him, that just because a person of color edited it, it was the best person. Having a person of color edit a story, he adds, does not absolve a piece of mistakes. The conversation was calm and respectful. To Balta, however, it seemed stuck in a tussle between intent and impact. Most newsrooms arent reflective of communities they serve, he tells CJR. In specifically speaking about Hispanics, were not telling our stories. The stories where the focus is on Hispanics, in most cases, are being produced by people who are not members of that community. And not just the writer or reporter, but also the editor, and producers, and people that support the forward-facing journalist. In those circumstances, he goes on, It is frustrating to try to explain to news managers that are overwhelmingly white and male that there is a huge gap between intent and impact. And not acknowledging that storytelling with a narrow focus is feeding into the continuing polarization of a communitykey to the future of this countryis frustrating. Newsrooms will continue to miss the mark in doing basic storytelling thats fair and accurate until they do a better job at being inclusive of the diversity they have within those newsrooms. Wrapping up the call, Balta extended an offer for NAHJ to work with the Post on diversity and inclusion training. Baron told him that he appreciated the offer; no plans were made. (The Post spokeswoman tells CJR, Staff training on all journalism-related issues is handled in-house. Groups that engage in advocacy, regardless of the subject, are not brought in for that purpose.) Balta remains focused on what happens next. In future assignments, people will be taking pause, he hopes, and be thoughtful about how a story will be positioned and used in this continuing tug of warthe us vs. them mentality we have seen in the last couple years. RELATED: The Washington Posts secret weapon Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Alexandria Neason was CJRs staff writer and Senior Delacorte Fellow. Recently, she became an editor and producer at WNYCs Radiolab. Pick up a copy of your local paper today, and its likely youll find within a defense of the free press. More than 350 newspapers have responded to the call put out by Boston Globe deputy editorial page editor Marjorie Pritchard to unite in the face of President Trumps criticism of the media. From Georgia to Nebraska to Oregon, editorial boards are weighing in on the importance of the work that journalists do. Today in the United States we have a president who has created a mantra that members of the media who do not blatantly support the policies of the current US administration are the enemy of the people, reads the Globes offering. This is one of the many lies that have been thrown out by this president. In its editorial, which includes excerpts from across the country, The New York Times notes that 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. Hundreds of editorial boards around the country are joining with @GlobeOpinion to defend the #FreePress. Heres why: https://t.co/pXHa55uELM pic.twitter.com/nPwtIYrEi4 The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) August 15, 2018 While press defenses are necessary in the face of an unrelenting assault from the president and his lackeys, some have argued that the coordinated response plays into Trumps hands. Politicos Jack Shafer writes that the similar scripts will provide Trump with circumstantial evidence of the existence of a national press cabal that has been convened solely to oppose him. The San Francisco Chronicle raised the issue of independence in its decision not to join other papers in todays effort. Another thread of this reasoning questions whether editorials have the power to move the needle at all. As David Uberti wrote for CJR prior to the 2016 election, newspaper editorial boards threw everything they had against Trumps candidacy, to seemingly minimal effect. ICYMI: Teamwork in the midst of tragedy Sign up for CJR 's daily email But with the president consistently tweeting fake news through the worlds biggest megaphone, a united front from those on the ground is welcome. Not every paper is taking on Trump directly, and the most effective pieces I read were those reminding readers of the valuable work that reporters do in their communities. Despite what plays on cable news, most journalists arent focused on Washington; theyre reporting on local issues, working to keep their communities informed of issues that impact their daily lives. Washington Post Editor Marty Baron has made a habit of repeating that, when it comes to reporting on Trump, journalists are not at war, theyre at work. The implication of the statement is that reporters cant play into the presidents us vs. them framing. Similarly, the messages in todays newspapers are best read not as a drift toward war footing, but rather as a reminder that journalism is important work. Below, a check-in with editorials from around the country. Bangor Daily News (Maine): [News organizations] are the only way you know when your government isnt working as it should. They are the only independent way to know what elected officials are doing. Often, if the government doesnt like journalists, its probably because theyre doing their job right. Albuquerque Journal (New Mexico): For more than two centuriessince the birth of our nationthe press has served as a check on power, informing the American people about corruption and greed, triumphs and tragedies, grave mistakes and misdeeds and even ineptitude and dysfunction inside the halls of government, institutions and businesses. Tampa Bay Times (Florida): In such a toxic environment, Trumps declarations undermine not just journalists and news organizations but the communities and democracy we endeavor to serve. It is an attempt to blur the difference between fact-based news gathering, and the lies and propaganda that spread like wildfire through social media. Ultimately, engaged citizens must play the vital role in distinguishing one from the other as they choose their elected leaders and shape civic life. Bozeman Daily Chronicle (Montana): Weve been complacent. We thought everybody knew how important a free press was to our world and that all this talk about us being the enemy of the people would be dismissed for the silliness that it is. But the reckless attacks have continued, instigated and encouraged by our president. The Salt Lake Tribune (Utah): This editorial is one of more than 200 such pieces running today in newspapers across the nation.As such, it runs the risk of being seen as a mass collusion on the part of the media against the president. But this is a fight he chose. And it is essential that the press stand up for its rightits dutyto tell what may be unpleasant or unpopular truths. Other notable stories A Reuters special report by Steve Stecklow explores why Facebook is losing the war on hate speech in Myanmar . Earlier this year, Mark Zuckerberg pledged to dedicate more resources to combat the sort of posts that had incited violence against the Rohingya minority. Four months later, Stecklow finds that little has changed. For CJR, Maia Szalavitz takes on the relatable addict narrative that describes much of the coverage of the opioid epidemic. The relatable story journalists and editors tend to seekof a good girl or guy (usually, in this crisis, white) gone bad because pharma greed led to overprescribing does not accurately characterize the most common story of opioid addiction , she writes. Washington Post book critic Carlos Lozada read half a dozen hagiographies of the president , finding that some are born Trump sycophants. Some achieve Trump sycophancy. And some have Trump sycophancy thrust upon themsince hes a star, they let him do that. The Wall Street Journal s Peter Nicholas snagged an Oval Office interview with President Trump on Wednesday. The 20-minute conversation focused largely on the impact of Trumps tariff regimen, and Nicholas does an excellent job within the story of puncturing Trumps inflated claims with actual numbers and context. The Post s Paul Farhi profiles CNN digital sleuth Andrew Kaczynski , who he calls the foremost practitioner of the journalistic equivalent of dumpster diving. Kaczynski and his KFile team have been responsible for dozens of scoops about troubling comments by public figures, several of which have resulted in resignations. ICYMI: Most Americans think platforms should stop filtering news Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Pete Vernon is a former CJR staff writer. Follow him on Twitter @ByPeteVernon. In June, the New Jersey legislature will invest $5 million in local news initiatives. Its not the amount of the money thats shocking$5 million for such purposes is a pittancebut the fact that an American state government wants to invest in journalism at all. In other countries, this wouldnt be news. Per capita, Western countries spend an average of $86 annually on public broadcasting, but in the U.S. that number is about $3. The distaste for government money in journalism runs on both sides. American journalists tend to bristle at the idea; terms like state-run media get thrown around. What is so interesting about the New Jersey Civic Information Bill is it seems to acknowledge in a very concrete way that journalism is not just its own island floating out in the middle of the ocean somewhere, but rather is just one part of a larger interconnected system that supports democratic life. Its easy to pontificate about the crucial role of journalism in a democracy. British journalists will point out with a derisive snort that American journalists take themselves too seriously already. But what would happen if we took that idea further? If we came to see the crisis in journalism as so interconnected with other problems that it ceased to be specifically about journalism at all? ICYMI: What the media gets wrong about opioids The long view Imagine you have a camera zoomed in on journalism. If you were to pull your focus outif you considered it a wicked problemyoud see the boundaries of journalism start to blur into the boundaries of voting rights, education, the balance of power between the legislative branches, a fair judicial system, and so onin other words, all the other elements put in place by Americas founders to give democracy a fighting chance. All of these factors are interdependent on each other, like the root system of a rhizomea subterranean plant system whose above-ground parts are expressions of its roots, and not the other way around. Its not a coincidence that journalism is in crisis at the same time that our education system is in crisisour public schools struggling to produce literate citizens, our higher education institutions putting a generation in crippling debtor that voting rights are in serious jeopardy, or that the justice system sends African-Americans to prison at five times the rate of whites. Its not a coincidence that all this is happening as the top 1 percent of American households has come to control more wealth than the bottom 90 percent combined. The whole system is out of whack. Sign up for CJR 's daily email It might sound horribly overwhelming, or perhaps just not very practical, to think of the crisis in journalism as part of a problem as vast as how to maintain a democracy. On the other hand, when you expand the boundaries of the problem, you also expand the scope of possibilities. Could fixes for the crisis in journalism lie outside of journalism? Should we be working to shrink the growing divide between rich and poor as hard as were working to launch audience-focused newsletters? The undemocratic repercussions of vast income disparity has long been understood: In his 2003 book Wealth and Democracy: A Political History of the American Rich, Kevin Phillips (a former Republican party strategist) wrote that Americas founders nearly passed an amendment to the constitution that no one person would ever be worth a certain percent more than another. Civilization itself holds a stake in journalism Journalism training in American teaches us to believe were supposed to be neutral. But the reality is journalists are as much stakeholders in the success or failure of the democratic experiment as anyone. Does this lead to partisanship? According to the Oxford English dictionary, partisanship comes from the 16th-century French, and means a strong supporter of a party, cause or person. Considering the American free press was established as part of a system of safeguards against tyranny, it would seem odd for journalists to refuse to acknowledge themselves as strong supporters of democracy. This doesnt mean supporting a certain party, but it should mean supporting those who help real democracy flourish. The New Jersey Senates decision to invest money in local journalism was an acknowledgment that all the stakeholders in a real democracy need to rethink their relationships to one another. The bill creates a consortium led by The College of New Jersey, Montclair State University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rowan University, and Rutgers University to fund both start-ups and legacy organizations to produce more and better journalism. It will also make grants specifically for work done in low-income and minority neighborhoods, which are disproportionately underserved. This might feel uncomfortable at first. Its certainly a change, and it wont be easy. Well have to navigate around pitfalls, and hold on tight to our goals and values; evaluate and reevaluate. But these are extraordinary times and everything is at stake. If we can overcome the discomfort, and the fear of pitfalls, we will find ourselves with a long list of potential new alliespeople across the spectrum working to bring balance to our system. READ: When a candidate has fake credentialsand sends you her fake diploma Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Heather Chaplin is founding director of the Journalism + Design program at The New School. A $90 million billing scheme found last year at a rural Missouri hospital spread to as many as 10 other hospitals, according to lawsuit filed by a couple from suburban Kansas City. James and Phyllis Shaffer are suing Jorge Perez over what the Mission Hills, Kansas, couple alleges were replays of the original scheme discovered at Putnam County Memorial Hospital in Unionville, Missouri, the Kansas City Star reported. Missouris auditor released a report in 2017 saying the hospital billed insurance companies for lab tests that didnt occur at the facility and received a cut of payments funneled to another lab company. The audit doesnt name Perez, but records show hes vice president of Florida-based Hospital Partners Inc., which the audit prominently mentioned. The newspaper was unable to reach Perez for comment. The Shaffers are shareholders in a company that owns 20 percent of each of the 10 hospitals, four of which are in Kansas and Missouri. Their lawsuit alleges Perez and others seized control of the 10-hospital group, called HMC Hospitals, during a meeting last year in Kansas City. The suit also claims Perez took control after the HMC Hospitals board failed to immediately accept their proposed laboratory testing program. Perezs group intended to implement at the HMC Hospitals and did implement in at least some of them an illegal billing scheme that was substantially similar to the scheme then being operated at Putnam County Memorial, according to the lawsuit. The couple alleges the scheme used the hospitals to submit reimbursement claims for lab work not done at hospitals, but rather at other laboratories. The lawsuit said the scheme took advantage of the hospitals status as critical access rural hospitals under designations by Medicare and Medicaid that allow the facilities to claim substantially higher reimbursements for the lab work than the other labs should be able to claim. Perez is also president of Empower H.I.S. LLC, a company thats a defendant in the lawsuit. Michael Murtha, a spokesman saying he represented Empower, called the lawsuit frivolous. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Louisiana expects to spend $649 million on homeowner rebuilding aid after the 2016 floods, only about half the federal money Congress set aside for the effort. The Advocate reports 44 percent fewer households than anticipated are expected to access money allocated for homeowners in the Restore Louisiana program. Despite heavy publicity, a new state report says more than 20,000 south Louisiana households with significant damage never took the first step to tap into the $1.3 billion in assistance. All they had to do at first was fill out a five-minute damage survey. There is definitely a group of people in Louisiana who because they went and got their house rebuilt, theyre resilient, whatever, their son-in-law came and helped, they never asked us for money, said Pat Forbes, director of the Office of Community Development, which oversees flood recovery. Theres just a population in Louisiana thats like that. They dont want help. In addition, more homeowners than expected withdrew from the recovery program. Also, higher-than-expected numbers had potential award canceled out by U.S. Small Business Administration loans, flood insurance and other grants. Nearly 54,000 households filled out damage surveys before a July 20 deadline. So far, 13,324 of those households have been awarded nearly $438 million in grant money. Forbes said he hopes to have all applications processed by the end of the year. Of the more than 20,000 households that did not fill out surveys, more than half of them were in the worst-hit parishes during the August 2016 flood: East Baton Rouge, Ascension and Livingston, according to Restore Louisiana data. As many as 12,000 of those 20,000 households didnt receive SBA loans or flood insurance payments and likely would have needed help, program officials said. U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, a Republican from Baton Rouge whose district encompasses much of the worst-hit areas, said his office, like the state, heavily encouraged residents to fill out the initial survey even if they had doubts that they could get assistance. But he said people may have considered the paperwork too much red tape. The people that we are dealing with, were hearing a lot of people say, You know what? Look. Its just a pain in the butt, Graves said. Forbes said the state attempted to limit the bureaucracy by tapping existing databases to avoid additional paperwork submissions and speeding up reviews. Al and Darlene Taillon, of Ascension Parish, received a small amount of money from FEMA and had flood insurance. But they still had to pay several thousand dollars out of pocket to return to their home in spring 2017. They had no plans to seek a Restore Louisiana grant. We take care of us, Darlene Taillon said. And we take care of our neighbors and our community, and they help take care of us when we need it, as it should be. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. After Ezra Claycomb was born with severe brain damage and cerebral palsy, his mother considered filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. But in 2017, Kentuckys Republican-controlled legislature passed a law requiring all such lawsuits first be reviewed by a panel of doctors. The law gave the panel nine months to issue an opinion on whether the lawsuit is frivolous yet section 14 of Kentuckys Constitution says every person has access to the courts without delay. Claycombs parents sued to block the new law, making Kentucky the latest state to have its medical review panels challenged in court. A circuit judge agreed the law was unconstitutional. But Republican Gov. Matt Bevin appealed that decision to the state Supreme Court, which heard arguments Wednesday. This is a modern day version of the poll tax, said attorney J. Guthrie True, who represents Claycomb in a lawsuit he says has class action status to represent all patients. This has one purpose, and that is to obstruct the courthouse door. Matthew Kuhn, an attorney for the governor, said the state Constitutions ban on delaying access to the courts only applies to the court system itself. It does not apply to the legislature, which he says has the power to impose rules on the court system. He noted Kentucky has other laws that limit when people can file lawsuits. For example, heirs wanting to sue the executor of an estate must wait at least six months after the executor has been appointed before they can do so. Kuhn says that law has never been challenged. Kuhn said the medical review process is helpful because it gets the two sides talking before a lawsuit is filed, which could jumpstart settlement discussions. It also makes sure both sides have all the evidence collected before they go to a judge. I think delay is the wrong word here, Kuhn told the court. The medical review panel process, if you are going to use it, is going to speed up. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 17 states and the Virgin Islands require that medical liability or malpractice cases be heard by a screening panel before trial. Kentuckys medical review panels have been in place for a year. Since then, 531 lawsuits have been filed, 11 percent have been assigned to a medical review panel and findings have been issued in 3 percent, according to a review of court records by the Courier Journal. Kuhn did not mention those statistics in court Wednesday, but he said any hiccups with the law should be addressed by the legislature, not the courts. Justice Lisabeth Hughes seemed surprised to hear Kuhn argue that the state Constitutions ban on delaying access to the courts does not apply to the state legislature, asking: Isnt it directed at the people? Justice Michelle Keller was interested in Kuhns argument that without delay should be read as without unreasonable delay. Its interesting to me that you all want us to read language into the Constitution, she said. Kuhn said he does not want the court to read into the Constitution, but apply the same standard it does to other laws. True argued that the medical review panel law doesnt pass the rational basis standard, which requires a law to be rationally related to a legitimate state interest. But Kuhn said the legislature passed the law because Kentucky has a doctor shortage and wants to encourage more doctors to practice in Kentucky. True said that argument is faulty, because Kentucky has more doctors per capita than Indiana and Texas, both states that have medical review panels. Several justices noted the court gives the legislature great discretion in passing laws, with Hughes saying we are not some super-legislature. I dont think you are a super-legislature, but you are not unhinged from the facts, True said. The court did not issue a decision Wednesday. There is no deadline for them to issue a ruling. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. California homeowners may find themselves facing insurance headaches even if their houses werent affected by this years blazes. The California Department of Insurance had already warned this year that the increasing number and severity of wildfires were making it harder for homeowners in the state to find and hold onto insurance. And now it says the most recent massive fires nearly 20 blazes are burning across the state, with 20,000 people under evacuation orders may make the problem more acute. We are not at a crisis point yet, but you can see where the trends are going, California Insurance Commissioner David Jones said in an interview. He expects more insurance companies to opt not to renew policies or to simply stop writing homeowners policies in areas with the highest fire risk. He also anticipates rate increases, and for parts of the state to be reclassified from safe to high-risk. State officials dont track exactly how many people are dropped by their insurance companies, but the number of homeowners complaining about it happening more than tripled from 2010 to 2016. The problem is most pronounced in high-risk fire areas. In the 24 California counties with the highest fire risk, the number of non-renewals increased 15 percent from 2015 to 2016, according to a Department of Insurance report. Insurers dropped more than 10,000 policies in those counties in 2016. Homeowners who need new or replacement policies may have to look harder or pay more. A standard homeowners insurance policy will cover losses from a wildfire. If someone cannot find a policy in the traditional market, they can get one through whats called surplus lines, which are policies that dont have to follow the same state regulations. Theres also Californias FAIR plan, which is considered an insurer of last resort. The FAIR plan offers insurance for high-risk properties but provides only basic coverage. Jones said enrollment in FAIR has been increasing each year. Consumers may also get frustrated when they find out their policies will not be renewed or cannot find coverage easily. We do have a healthy market and we do have insurance available, said Janet Ruiz, the West Coast representative of the Insurance Information Institute. You do have to shop and compare. Last years wildfires in California caused roughly $12 billion in insurance claims, the most expensive year on record. But officials and experts warn that the state could be facing its toughest wildfire season yet: The fires now burning include the Mendocino Complex fire, which is the largest the state has ever seen. The historically worst months still to come. State law prohibits all of an insurers catastrophic losses from being passed on to consumers at one time. So the impact on rates may come over several years. California is seeing earlier, longer and more destructive wildfire seasons because of drought, warmer weather attributed to climate change and home construction deeper into the forest. That is where the insurance becomes the most challenging. An estimated 3.6 million California homes are in whats called the wildlife urban interface, and of those more than 1 million homes are at high or very high risk of fire. As this trend continues, more and more homeowners who cannot afford insurance may decide to go uninsured, risking their life savings and ultimately seeking relief from federal and state governments, the states report said. Fire has been part of Californias landscape for some time and will continue to be, said Nicole Mahrt-Ganley, spokeswoman for the Property and Casualty Insurers Association of America. Its hard because we want to live in these beautiful spaces, but there is some personal responsibility you have to take to protect yourself. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. He cracked jokes, complimented the professional demeanor of an air traffic controller and apologized for making a fuss. But the friendly tone of a 29-year-old airport worker who stole a commercial plane Friday night, performing acrobatic stunts before the fatal plunge into a thick island forest, belied his desperate actions. I think Im going to try to do a barrel roll, and if that goes good Ill go nose down and call it a night, Richard Russell said from the cockpit, according to a recording of his conversation with the controller. The Pierce County Medical Examiners Office confirmed Sunday that Russell had died in the fiery wreckage, but whether the crash was deliberate or accidental was one of several topics remaining for investigators. Others include how, nearly 17 years after the 9/11 attack, someone can simply take a passenger plane from a major U.S. airport without authorization. The Seattle FBI office said Sunday that it had recovered the flight data recorder and components of the cockpit voice recorder from the Horizon plane. The NTSB is now processing the equipment. Tragic as Russells death was, he could have inflicted vastly more damage had he been so inclined. Potential targets included tens of thousands of fans assembling at Safeco Field, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) away, for a sold-out Pearl Jam concert just as he took off. Last nights event is going to push us to learn what we can from this tragedy so that we can ensure this does not happen again at Alaska Air Group or at any other airline, Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Airlines, told a news conference Saturday. The plane was a Bombardier Q400, a turboprop that seats 76 people, owned by Horizon Air, part of Alaska Airlines. It had been parked at a cargo and maintenance area for the night after arriving from Victoria, British Columbia, earlier in the day. Russell, a 3 1/2-year Horizon employee, worked as a ground service agent. His responsibilities included towing and pushing aircraft for takeoff and gate approach, de-icing them, and handling baggage. Authorities said he used a tractor to rotate the plane 180 degrees, positioning it so that he could taxi toward a runway. They said its not clear whether he had ever taken flight lessons or used flight simulators, or where he gained the skills to take off. The plane didnt require a key, but it did require buttons and switches to be activated in a particular order. His 75-minute flight during the golden twilight took him south and west, toward the Olympic Mountains. As a flight controller tried to persuade him to land, he wondered aloud about whether he had enough fuel to make it to the Olympics, talked of the beautiful view, and said he had a lot of people who cared about him, apologizing for what he was doing. He complimented the controller: You are very calm, collect, poised, he said. He said flying was a blast and that he didnt need much help: Ive played some video games before. You think if I land this successfully Alaska will give me a job as a pilot? he joked. He also told the controller he wasnt really planning on landing the aircraft, and he described himself as just a broken guy. Authorities sent fighter jets to escort him, and the controller repeatedly tried to direct him to runways. But the plane slammed into tiny Ketron Island, a sparsely populated island southwest of Tacoma. Russell went by Beebo on social media. On his Facebook page, which had limited public access, he said he was from Wasilla, Alaska; lived in Sumner, Washington; and was married in 2012. In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his travels. I lift a lot of bags. Like a lot of bags. So many bags, he said. Russells family said in a statement that they were stunned and heartbroken. They said its clear Russell didnt intend to harm anyone, and he was right in saying that there are so many people who loved him. Associated Press reporters Rachel La Corte in Olympia, Washington, and Keith Ridler in Boise, Idaho, contributed. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. CLEVELAND, Ohio - A year ago, trainer John Beck was teaching donation-based fitness boot camp classes out of his minivan at public areas such as Edgewater Park. To keep his startup business sustainable in the cold months, he temporarily rented space at a local VFW hall. Getting a loan for a permanent site seemed out of reach after he was turned down by a bank. It's a familiar story, especially considering minority-owned businesses that receive loans are under-capitalized at 43 percent of the non-minority level, according to Ohio-based microlender Economic and Community Development Institute. "My banker referred me to ECDI. It probably took about a month after that to get funding. I was on a mission and so was my relationship manager," said Beck, owner of 1000 Times Lighter, which opened in May at 131st and Miles Road on Cleveland's East side. Since 2004, Ohio-based microlender Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI), has helped 13,000 individuals like Beck with 2,000 loans. On Thursday, Wells Fargo is giving ECDI a $200,000 grant to help them continue their mission. The loan is geared toward helping minorities who are willing to open businesses in blighted areas. So far, ECDI reports dispersing more than $44 million and creating 7,600 jobs through programs available in offices in Columbus, Cleveland, Akron, Toledo, and most recently Cincinnati. The microlender's mission is to offer affordable lending and small business development services to help low- and moderate- income, and other disadvantaged people and communities join the economic mainstream. Beck said ECDI not only loaned him $25,000 over a five-year-period, but they also helped him to negotiate his lease terms and introduced him to free services available to small businesses, including opportunities at the Hispanic Business Center, such as developing a business website. The $200,000 grant that ECDI is receiving is a grant that's one of 12 organizations nationwide selected in round four of the Wells Fargo Works for Small Business: Diverse Community Capital program. Through the program, Wells Fargo will distribute $50 million in lending capital and $25 million in grant capital to be disbursed over three years. By financing community-based businesses - including small businesses, micro-enterprises, nonprofit organizations and affordable housing - CDFIs will spark job growth and retention in communities across the nation. Inna Kinney, founder and CEO of ECDI said that ECDI and Wells Fargo share a common goal of breaking down barriers that prevent minority entrepreneurs from starting or expanding their business. PARMA, Ohio --Richard Hill faces a $750 fine after he shattered a car window to rescue two dogs on a hot July afternoon, but given the chance, he said he would do it all over again. "I've done nothing wrong and I had the best of intentions," Hill told reporters Wednesday after his arraignment. Hill made his first appearance Wednesday before a Parma Municipal Court judge where he is charged with a second-degree misdemeanor count of criminal damaging. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. While an Ohio law might protect him from conviction, police said that Hill should have waited longer before he busted out the window on behalf of the two dogs. It was about 78 degrees on the afternoon of July 28 when Hill left the Walmart in Parma and saw two dogs locked in a car. The home improvement contractor grabbed a hammer from his work van and broke a car window in an attempt to save the dogs inside. Moments later, police arrived in response to a 911 call someone else made about the dogs in the car. Sergeant Dan Ciryak said Hill should have waited longer, as it only took four minutes for police to arrive after they received a call. Hill maintains that he was acting in accordance with Senate Bill 215, also known as Ohio's "Hot Car" legislation, which protects Good Samaritans who find a child or pet in a hot vehicle. The law says nothing about a Samaritan waiting until police arrive. It only specifies that the person must call 911, check to see if the door is unlocked and if they feel it is an emergency. Hill certainly felt that it was an emergency for the two dogs in the car. "At one point, the large dog even stepped on the little puppy, who I believe was two, maybe three months old," Hill said. "The little puppy itself was not moving. His eyes were open and blinking, but he was not moving around. "I made the decision (to break the window) after trying to locate the owner and calling the police. I had to go ahead and get him out of there." Sergeant Ciryak said he wasn't sure this incident was "a matter of life and death," especially since the dog owner's sunroof was open and the rear windows were cracked open. Hill disagrees, saying the sunroof was only cracked open and all the windows were closed. Hill said he has received an outpouring of support from animal advocates. He is still deciding whether he wants to retain an attorney to assist in his case. "Hopefully, after all this is said and done, the next person that ends up having to do this won't have to go through what I'm going through," Hill said. "I'm trying to redeem myself so I don't look like a bad guy, like I was just up there trying to destroy somebody's vehicle." Hill's next court date has not been set. To comment on this story, visit Wednesday's crime and courts comment section. CLEVELAND, Ohio - President Trump has called any number of stories "fake news," and labeled journalists "enemies of the people." Dozens of my colleagues across the country today are sounding alarms about the dangers that official scapegoating can pose to civil society. I've already lamented the "enemies" rhetoric, and discussed our efforts to be fair in The Plain Dealer. So today, I'm going to check the facts on "fake news" claims. President Trump's "Fake News" awards, back in January, offer a starting point. Let's review them, against the dictionary definition of "fake" (counterfeit, a forgery or a sham). That's important, because a mistake is not the same as a fake. Were these stories not only wrong, but deliberately false? Did the people who erred suffer any consequences? Consider: A Nov. 9, 2016 column by Paul Krugman A Dec. 3, 2017 report from ABC's Brian Ross A Dec. 8, 2017 story in which CNN An Inauguration Day tweet by Time's Zeke Miller A Dec. 9 tweet from Washington Post writer Dave Weigel A CNN video of President Trump dumping food from a container A CNN report on Anthony Scaramucci. Newsweek's July 6, 2017 report that the president's handshake CNN's June 2017 report that FBI Director James Comey's congressional testimony An August 7, 2017 New York Times report on a global warming study "RUSSIA COLLUSION!" We also can look at significant stories where Trump or his aides complained about "fake news," and where solid evidence of the facts later emerged. A few examples: Michael T. Flynn's pre-inaugural conversations The firing of FBI Director James Comey. Payoffs to Trump's mistresses: Meeting Russians to gather dirt on Clinton: Summing up Of the almost uncountable number of stories, videos and tweets about him, Trump chose 11 as his best examples of "fake news." By my count, two were not provably false and four were trivial; a single tweet, for example, about a peripheral issue. Two of the cases involving video edits do, I think, at least approach the threshold for "fake." The people who edited the fish-feeding video and the hand-shake video presumably saw the full context, but either cut the video short or zoomed in on only part of it. The result was misleading; the audience deserved better. Those two cases provide notably weak support for the idea that professional journalists commonly slant their coverage against the president. But the president's rhetoric goes beyond whether isolated individuals occasionally portray him unkindly. He is accusing news organizations of producing or condoning "fake news." His own evidence says otherwise. All the errors, trivial or not, were quickly corrected. In two of the five cases that I'd call serious (ABC's report from Brian Ross, and CNN's report on Scaramucci), reporters and editors who erred lost their jobs. Meanwhile, many of the White House's repeated claims and denials were proven to be false or misleading. Indeed, The Washington Post's fact checkers have found that Trump made more than 4,229 false or misleading claims in his first 558 days in office. Journalists have had a duty to keep politicians honest since the birth of the Republic. That is why we have a First Amendment. We may err in pursuit of the truth, but we must doggedly pursue it, especially when we have reason to believe the public is being kept in the dark. That doesn't make us enemies of the people, or even of the president. It just means we are doing our jobs. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The city of Cleveland has confirmed that it is offering to pay controversial new jail fees imposed by Cuyahoga County for suspects brought in by 10 police agencies operating inside the city. The offers are good through Dec. 1 and can be extended, but are contingent on the agencies agreeing to adhere to the city's guidelines about policing and restrictions on who is jailed, according to documents provided to cleveland.com. The offers went to police departments operated by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority, Cleveland Metropolitan School District, University Circle, MetroHealth, Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University and Cuyahoga Community College. (Cleveland MetroParks said Thursday that it was finalizing an agreement with the county for its suspects.) Cleveland.com reported Wednesday that some police agencies said they had received an offer from the city. By making the offers, the administration of Mayor Frank Jackson assumes the role of peacemaker in a months-long dispute between the county, city and the police agencies, some of which contend they can't afford the fees. On Wednesday, University Circle Inc. President Chris Ronayne said he was told by County Executive Armond Budish's chief of staff, Earl Leiken, that the county would turn away prisoners if the agencies didn't strike agreements to pay the fees. The county opted to impose the fees after taking over operations of the downtown jail from the city in July. As part of the deal, the city agreed to pay the fees, but only for suspects arrested by city police and suspects brought in by other departments on city warrants. The county has said it needs $99 per night per inmate to cover the costs of operating the jail. Prior to the that, Cleveland had covered jail costs for all of the agencies. The city extended its offers Tuesday, one day before the county's initial deadline for the agencies to start paying the $99 rate each jailed suspect. The county now has given the agencies until Sept. 1 to agree to the fees. The city's proposal suggests that the agencies will not have to sign agreements with the county, and that the jailing of their prisoners would fall under an agreement reached last fall between the county and city. If the agencies accept the city's terms, the city would agree to pay for the jailing of people accused of misdemeanors in the same way that it pays for the jailing of Cleveland police's misdemeanor suspects, according to letters sent by Cleveland police Chief Calvin Williams and Public Safety Director Michael McGrath to each of the agencies. Read one of the letters below or click here on mobile. Some exceptions would apply: *The agencies would still have to pay for inmates' hospital costs. *Any costs that fall outside of the current agreement between the county and city would need to be paid by the agency, including transportation, guard duties, prescriptions and other medical needs. *The agencies can't ask the county to jail anyone charged with fourth-degree misdemeanors. If they do, the agencies must promptly reimburse the city for the jail fees. The city agreed to cover the costs through Dec. 1. After that, the city is asking the agencies to accept the same terms for four years. The terms would be included in broader agreements each agency has with the city that allows them to conduct police work in Cleveland, according to the letters. The updated agreements with the city would require the agencies to adopt new police practices that may or may not already be required of them in their standing agreements. The proposed new terms are: *Failing to renew the agreement after the four-year period will result in the agency being required to stop exercising all police authority that is obtained from its agreement with the city. *Expediting or reducing incarceration times, including abiding by Cleveland Municipal Court rules that prohibit detentions longer than 36 hours. *Guarding prisoners arrested on Cleveland police warrants until relieved by Cleveland police officers. *Annually providing training that is identical to, or exceeds, city police training around use-of-force, crisis intervention, bias-free policing, community policing, searches, arrests, and stops. *Participating in annual joint training at the request of Cleveland police. *Adopting Cleveland police's use-of-force and pursuit policies. *Establishing a complaint board of non-police personnel to investigate and review civilian complaints. If discipline is recommended, agencies must take appropriate action. *Holding the city harmless against any claims resulting from negligent conduct in the exercise of policing powers under the agreement. (This applies only if the police agency is not a governmental agency.) Thursday, August 16, 2018 AzBigMedia, ASU Law Continues to Raise Bar With Incoming Class: For the second year in a row, the Sandra Day OConnor College of Law at Arizona State University welcomes a record-setting class of new students. With a median grade-point average of 3.76 and a median LSAT score of 163, the 2018 fall JD class comes in even more highly credentialed than the 2017 class, which had set top marks for the law school. Hailing from more than 140 different undergraduate schools in more than 40 different states, the 291 new students admitted in fall 2018 and taking first-year JD classes are a testament to ASU Laws status as a destination law school. ASU Law received over 3,300 JD applications, a 64 percent increase over last year. From Law School Transparency: The rising talent level matches the upward trajectory of ASU Law, which in just a half-century of operation is a relatively young law school but has ascended to the top 8 U.S. public law schools by U.S. News & World Report, and is rated the 22nd-best law school globally by the Academic Ranking of World Universities. That burgeoning reputation is built on the credentials of the schools instructors and the accomplishments of its alumni. Excellence breeds excellence, said ASU Law Dean Douglas Sylvester. We have the faculty, resources and dedication to offer a world-class legal education, thats borne out by the incredible accomplishments of our graduates. Those results are attracting an increasingly talented pool of applicants from throughout the country, which allows us to keep aiming higher. https://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2018/08/arizona-state-increases-1l-class-by-35-raises-lsat-163-gpa-376-medians-following-64-increase-in-appl.html Featured stories Hundreds, maybe thousands of cockroaches take over Elyria neighborhood (WKYC Channel 3) Surveillance video shows man attacked on RTA bus, police search for suspect (WJW Channel 8) Ohio's ties to sweeping Pennsylvania grand jury report on clergy sex abuse (cleveland.com) Crime School warned of suspicious relationship between Warrensville Heights band director and student, reports say (cleveland.com) Pittsburgh women robbed at gunpoint outside Tremont bar while waiting for Uber (cleveland.com) Man attacked in Akron after being accused of stepping on cat (cleveland.com) Parma man pleads not guilty to criminal damage after rescuing dogs from hot car (cleveland.com) Cleveland man accused of stabbing man at ex-girlfriend's home (cleveland.com) Grafton teen avoids jail time in crash that killed Midview High School prom date (WKYC Channel 3) Man sentenced after allegedly robbing 3 Dollar Tree stores, posting about it on Facebook (WEWS Channel 5) Local internet cafes raided in illegal gambling investigation (Elyria Chronicle-Telegram) Elyria man gets eight years for assault on trooper (Lorain Morning Journal) Ohio's 10 oldest and 10 youngest prison inmates (cleveland.com) Cleveland / Cuyahoga County Cleveland police recruits accused of cheating lose argument, won't be allowed to take state certification test (cleveland.com) Cleveland crime, police use of force dropped in first five months of 2018, monitor says (cleveland.com) Cleveland police chief says his goal is to complete consent decree work by end of 2020 (cleveland.com) University Circle CEO says county threatening to turn away suspects unless he pays fees for using jail (cleveland.com) Cleveland City Council OKs incentives to help overhaul of downtown eyesore (cleveland.com) ACLU analysis of 14 mayor's courts finds evidence of bias and profiteering (cleveland.com) City Council action clears way for new life at old Midland Steel site on Cleveland's West Side (cleveland.com) Cleveland Clinic London opening will coincide with system's centennial (cleveland.com) Free tours, food trucks and festivities on tap for 100-year anniversary of Veterans Memorial Bridge (cleveland.com) Flight bound for Cleveland canceled after ground collision at Chicago's O'Hare (WOIO Channel 19) Local news East Amazon plans mid-September opening for North Randall fulfillment center (cleveland.com) GOP Rep. Dave Joyce's latest commercial pushes back on Donald Trump and the Republican Party (cleveland.com) Lake County residents sound off on ICE ahead of Aug. 16 commissioners meeting (cleveland.com) Local news West Lorain County's chief adult probation officer fired (Elyria Chronicle-Telegram) Akron / Canton area University of Akron to phase out almost 20 percent of degrees and programs, will hire in 'areas of strength or opportunity' (cleveland.com) Goodyear's newest airship to be christened by female aviator Shaesta Waiz (cleveland.com) eBay's Retail Revival showcases 17 Akron small businesses in New York City (cleveland.com) Akron family hopes to identify loved ones remains lost during Korean War (WKYC Channel 3) Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad acquires a bit of history with four Zephyr cars (Akron Beacon Journal) State Sen. Sherrod Brown renews effort to crack down on bank overdraft fees (cleveland.com) Feds don't follow-up on child immigrant placements, says new report from Sen. Rob Portman (cleveland.com) Donald Trump to headline August fundraisers for Ohio Republicans (Associated Press) AKRON, Ohio -- A man was injured Tuesday when he was attacked in his car by a person who accused him of stepping on a cat, police say. Police say the 29-year-old victim was sitting in his 2002 Jaguar on the 100 block of Brooklands Avenue, south of Goodyear Heights Metro Park, at about 9:30 a.m. when the unknown suspect approached his vehicle. The suspect used a what police believe was a hammer to break out the windows of the Jaguar, sending glass into the victim's eye. The suspect then accused the man of stepping on the suspect's cat. The suspect then attacked the man in his car before running away, police say. The victim suffered a lump on his head, got glass in his eyes and had abrasions on his chest. He was treated by EMS workers at the scene. Police say they were not given a description of the suspect. To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments page. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A 2-year-old boy is not expected to survive after police say he was beaten by his mother's boyfriend, according to reports. Tyreese Gray, 27, appeared in Franklin County Court on Wednesday on a charge of felonious assault, 10tv.com reports. The boy's mother, Jquanna Davis, 20, is charged with endangering children. According to WMCH Channel 4, police say Gray grabbed the boy by the head and hurled him into a bathroom door. He also smacked the boy in the head, police say. The boy fell and struck his head on a vanity, 10tv.com reports, causing bleeding on the brain. Police accuse the boy's mother of failing to get him medical care when needed, including for previous injuries from Gray. The boy is on life support in a hospital, reports say. To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments page. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio's prescription drug middlemen kept 31 percent of the money they were paid to manage generic medications for Medicaid patients, reducing the amount pharmacies were paid to dispense the drugs, according to a new state auditor's analysis of drug transactions. But the analysis left many more questions unanswered about whether Ohio is getting the most for its money. The "price spread" on generics collected by pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, totaled $208 million from April 2017 through March 2018, according to a report of the analysis issued Thursday morning. The average spread across all drugs was 8.9 percent, which was about the same as an analysis commissioned by the Ohio Department of Medicaid earlier this year. The agency-initiated report found PBMs saved taxpayers at least $145 million annually by negotiating drug prices. Legislators asked Auditor Dave Yost to examine transparency among PBMs serving Ohio's Medicaid program, spread pricing and whether CVS Caremark was giving better prices to CVS pharmacies earlier this year. Yost told lawmakers Thursday the PBM issue highlights what can happen when government privatizes public services. He said jumping to a "pass through pricing model," as the Medicaid Department proposed this week, might not lead to lower costs or greater transparency. "It is time for us to think carefully about when we should be willing to use private contracts to obtain public goals, and what safeguards are necessary to preserve transparency, assess effectiveness, and understand collateral and often unintended consequences," Yost said while presenting the report to the Joint Medicaid Oversight Committee. Average prescription drug price spread netted by pharmacy benefit managers that work with Ohio's Medicaid managed care plans. What did the analysis find? Two PBMs -- CVS Caremark and OptumRx -- negotiate prices for the five managed care organizations in Ohio that offer health plans through Medicaid, the joint state and federal health insurance program for poor and disabled people. Managed care plans paid $2.5 billion for prescription drugs during the 12-month period, and PBMs collected $224.8 million in fees, according to the report. For generic drugs, PBMs netted $208 million, or 31 percent of the $662.7 million the plans spent on all generics. Average fees, or price spreads, were higher in some parts of the state. Fees from generics were 19 percent higher than the state average in Northeast Ohio and 17 percent higher in Northwest Ohio. On brand-name drugs, the price spread was 69 percent higher in northeastern counties and 77 percent higher in northwestern counties. In Cuyahoga County, the spread was lower than the state average for brand-name, generic and all types altogether, but more than twice as high for specialty drugs. But neighboring Lake, Geauga and Summit counties had price spreads higher than the state average. Yost's office found CVS Caremark received about the same spread at pharmacies operated by its parent company as independent pharmacies. But Yost said CVS Caremark and, by extension its parent company, are still benefiting from the overall higher spread prices. "The money is in different pockets, but the pockets are still in Caremark's pants," Yost said. What was missing from the analysis? Yost's report did not take into account rebates PBMs received from drug manufacturers to offset price increases, and Yost cautioned that the companies' total profits cannot be determined by examining Medicaid transactions. The analysis left many unanswered questions: What other fees and rebates are PBMs getting to offset drug costs? Why are drug reimbursement rates lower in Northeast and Northwest Ohio? Do PBMs sell data as another revenue stream? What's next? On Tuesday, the state directed the managed care plans to cancel their contracts with PBMs and enter into new agreements for "pass through pricing." In such arrangements, the plans pay the actual discounted price negotiated by the middlemen but may pay higher administrative fees. Yost said that new transaction fee could be another "black box" where lawmakers and the public don't know what they're getting for their money. Medicaid oversight committee chairman Sen. Dave Burke said lawmakers are still learning about the issue and a fix will likely happen through several steps and through changes in next year's state budget bill. Burke, a Marysville Republican and pharmacist, said lawmakers have little information about drug pricing and costs but can easily find out how much the state pays for a yard of concrete or a truckload of gravel. "I can't do that in health care, which is very tangent to every Ohioan whether you're paying for the system or you're in it," Burke said. "With a for-profit entity, there's nothing wrong with them making money. Our job in the General Assembly is to make sure that efficiency and effectiveness happen in that space." WASHINGTON, D.C. - Members of a Senate investigative subcommittee on Thursday excoriated federal immigration officials for failing to safeguard children who come to the United States by themselves and are subsequently placed with sponsors. "Unfortunately, we have seen examples of children placed with sponsors being trafficked, and right now, the best information that we have is that about 50 percent of these children do not show up for their immigration court proceedings," said Sen. Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican and chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Portman said problems include immigration courts backed up with 80,266 unaccompanied minor cases, 8,000 of which have been pending for more than three years, and the Department of Health and Human Services' inability or unwillingness to follow up on the well-being of minors it places with sponsor families who don't respond to its phone calls. Portman's subcommittee prefaced the hearing by releasing a report on problems with the system. The report said 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. 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. 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. Officials from the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services defended their handling of child immigrants, with HHS Assistant Secretary Jonathan White telling the subcommittee that no children were lost. He said many are placed with family members who are in the United States illegally and won't take follow-up calls from HHS because "they believe they have cause to fear us." Portman disputed White's statement that no children were lost. "Of course there are lost children--and that's the whole point here. No one's responsible," said Portman. "You just made the good point that they don't have to take the call. Why don't they have to take the call? What does the sponsor agreement mean if they don't have to take a call at least? And who enforces that sponsor agreement? And your answer to me is going to be nobody." Members of the subcommittee said they were drafting legislation to help federal agencies better track unaccompanied children who immigrate to the the United States. They asked whether placing the children with sponsors who are legally in the United States would help solve problems, whether more money and courtrooms are needed for immigration judges, and whether it would be helpful to give HHS more authority and money to track down children. "Please don't make us a law enforcement agency," White responded. " Law enforcement should be the prerogative of trained law enforcement professionals, care of children should be up to social workers." Justice Department immigration review director James R. McHenry agreed with suggestions that more judges are needed, and that video conferencing might help address problems created by the scarcity of judges and difficulties the children might have traveling to hearings in distant cities. The only Ohio judges who handle child immigration cases are in Cleveland, which makes it hard for kids outside Northeast Ohio to get there. Homeland Security Department representatives suggested that committee members close a loophole that allows them to return children to Canada and Mexico to their home countries if they request it, but doesn't allow them to return children from non-contiguous countries. Many of the children at issue are from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. "Just because a juvenile is Mexican or Canadian, they should not be treated differently from Central Americans," Robert Guadian of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement told the subcommittee. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A U.S. Marshals task force arrested a Cleveland fugitive wanted in connection with the beating death of his boyfriend. The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested Levi King on Thursday afternoon on Stock Avenue near West 65th Street in Cleveland, the U.S. Marshals said in a news release. "Our task force officers were determined to find King and worked tirelessly to bring him into custody," U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said in the news release. King, 53, is charged with aggravated murder in the deadly beating of his boyfriend Guy Valentine on April 29 at their home on Clark Avenue near West 43rd Street in Cleveland. Valentine, 69, died nearly two months later on June 18 at the Hospice House of the Western Reserve, according to police reports and court records. The two men had been in a long-term relationship and lived together for several years, police said. King called his landlord shortly after the deadly attack and said he'd "finally killed him," referring to Valentine, police reports say. King left the home before the landlord arrived and found Valentine unconscious in a bathtub with serious injuries to his face. Detective initially obtained an arrest warrant charging King with felonious assault. The aggravated murder charge was filed a month after Valentine died, according to court records. King had been accused of attacking Valentine before, according to police reports and court records. In one 2015 incident, he punched Valentine in the face and bashed his head on the ground, causing Valentine to lose consciousness and three teeth, court records say. King eventually pleaded guilty in that case and was sentenced to two years on probation. To comment on this story, visit Thursday's crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Buckeye Shaker Square Development Corporation, which has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal money to help stabilize impoverished East Side neighborhoods, last year stopped paying federal payroll taxes on its employees. As a result, agents for the Internal Revenue Service visited the organization to establish a repayment plan for unpaid taxes, according to a BSSDC document obtained by cleveland.com. The document shows that BSSDC owed the IRS more than $24,000 as of January 2018. "The only comment that I will make on the IRS issue is that the board was informed of an agreement between the IRS and BSSDC for back payroll taxes," said former board Chairman Brad West, when contacted by cleveland.com about the unpaid taxes. West, who resigned earlier this year as cleveland.com began highlighting problems of the organization, said he did not know the "current status" of the agreement. John Hopkins, BSSDC's executive director, repeatedly said in a brief interview with cleveland.com last week that he will not comment on unpaid taxes or any other issue about the organization. Last month, cleveland.com reported that BSSDC also has failed to pay tens of thousands of dollars in property taxes since January on houses being rented to low-income families on the city's East Side. The delinquent taxes total more than $50,000 and involve 75 houses that BSSDC owns and manages through an entity called Cleveland New Homes LP, Cuyahoga County property records show. The homes are a part of a rent-to-own program. Hopkins told cleveland.com last month that the organization is working with Cuyahoga County to repay back taxes. BSSDC took control of the rent collection and related responsibilities for the homes on Jan. 1. At the time, it received tens of thousands of dollars in rent deposits and operating reserves from the previous property manager and yet still missed tax payments due in January and July of this year. When asked by cleveland.com last month about what happened to the rent money and reserves, Hopkins said it was used for "maintenance and other expenses." Cleveland.com began looking at BSSDC as a result of the agency's close ties to Ward 4 City Councilman Ken Johnson. For years, the councilman earmarked hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal community block grants to the organization for use in a lot cleanup and grass-cutting program that employs Johnson's son and his council assistant. In July, the city of Cleveland has cut off all federal money to the organization. CLEVELAND, Ohio - After a narrow loss in the 12th Congressional District special election, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is doubling down on supporting Democrat Danny O'Connor in a November rematch. With votes not entirely counted, O'Connor is still down by less than 1 percentage point to Republican Troy Balderson in a Central Ohio district that hasn't elected a Democrat to office since 1982. That surprise showing in a seat that voted for Republican President Donald Trump by 11 percentage points has Democrats excited they may be able to flip a seat they normally would have no business winning. As such, the DCCC - the campaign wing of House Democrats - announced Thursday it added O'Connor to its "Red to Blue" program, a list of candidates in competitive districts who meet certain criteria like fundraising goals. The program gives organizational and fundraising support for the candidates. "Danny didn't just talk the talk, he literally walked the walk, knocking on doors and speaking to voters in every corner of his diverse district about the issues that matter in their lives every day," said DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Lujan. "With votes still being counted in the special election, we know that Danny isn't done yet, and he is ready to win in November." In a statement, O'Connor thanked his campaign volunteers for building energy and momentum. "(I'm) excited to have this recognition of our efforts and success, but in the end our grassroots energy is what is going to carry us across the finish line," he said. Balderson campaign manager Jenna Knepper took O'Connor's inclusion on the list - which is explicitly for districts the DCCC is looking to flip - as an admission of victory for Balderson in the race. Official results for the race have not been submitted yet. "We're pleased to see the DCCC is finally admitting that voters rejected Danny O'Connor's far-left agenda," Knepper said. An aide with the DCCC said if the results change, the group has a program for incumbents, which O'Connor would be able to take full advantage of if he is declared the winner. O'Connor's inclusion on the Red to Blue list points to increased enthusiasm among Democratic Party higher-ups that the district will remain competitive as the November midterm elections move closer. The district was drawn to favor Republicans, but O'Connor's strong showing has given Democrats the feeling they could win. The National Republican Congressional Committee, the House Republicans' campaign arm, spent $1 million on the special election, part of the more than $5 million in outside Republican money that flooded the district. The Congressional Leadership Fund, which is linked to House Speaker Paul Ryan, accounted for more than $3 million of that total. A spokesman for the NRCC did not respond to a question asking if it planned to spend in the general. O'Connor's is the fourth candidate in Ohio on the DCCC's Red to Blue program. The others are Aftab Pureval in the 1st Congressional District in Cincinnati, Ken Harbaugh in the 7th Congressional District in North Central Ohio and Betsy Rader in Northeast Ohio. 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. How he did it Although Tesla wouldn't let Rosso purchase the car directly with his credit card, they accepted the payment through Plastiq, a third-party service that charges a 2.5 percent fee. "The trick with my Tesla purchase is the card I used, [the] Chase Ink Business Preferred, earned 3X points for the purchase," Rosso tells CNBC Make It. Ink Business Preferred cardholders receive 3 points on every dollar spent in a range of categories designed to benefit small-businesses owners. Those categories include travel, shipping, advertising and internet, phone and cable services. Purchasing the car through Plastiq qualified for that 3-point reward rate, although Rosso notes that there's no guarantee that will always be the case. The Ink Business Preferred may one day only reward Plastiq purchases with 1 point per dollar. The 2.5 percent fee came out to about $1,470, while the purchase earned him nearly 180,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points. At minimum that's $1,800 in value, but it could be worth even more when redeemed for travel. If Rosso transfers the points to the right hotel or airline rewards programs, he estimates that they'll be worth as much as $5,000. In short, the rewards easily make up for Plastiq's fee. What you need to keep in mind If you plan to try this at home, do some math to ensure you'll get enough rewards to justify the fee, and do the research to make sure everything will go smoothly. For instance, Rosso warns that "certain cards code Plastiq purchases as a cash advance, so you do not want to use such cards when paying through Plastiq." Cash advances are usually accompanied by a fee of around 5 percent. To buy something as expensive as a Tesla, you'll also need a high credit line, which can be a perk of a business card. Technically you need to run a business to qualify for a business card, but the definition of "business owner" these days can be broader than it may seem. "Do you sell items on Amazon, eBay or Craigslist? Do you teach music or sports? Ever act as a freelance writer or photographer? If you sell any goods or services, that could qualify you as a business owner," reports The Points Guy. When it comes to the markets, many forecasters are waiting for the big one. And no, it's not the next stock to pop. It's the downturn that will end the nine-year bull market. The market's run since the financial crisis is on the brink of reaching a historic mark. Next week, it is poised to cross a threshold that will make it the longest bull market, besting the previous record from October 1990 to March 2000. The S&P 500 index has climbed 325 percent since its low of 666 in March 2009. Despite those gains, the effects of the financial crisis still loom. Recent research from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco estimates that the crisis cost every American about $70,000 in lost lifetime income. Investors' memories, however, seem to have recovered. A Bank of America Merrill Lynch survey of fund managers released this week found that they are the most bullish on U.S. stocks that they have been since 2015. Still, a downturn or even a correction can come at any time. Turkey's currency crisis has reignited some of those fears. Financial advisors offer the following tips for how you can make sure you are prepared before a big dip. Amazon is speaking with a number of leading European insurers about the creation of a price comparison website in the U.K., Reuters reported Thursday. The report, which cited three executives within the insurance industry, said it was not immediately clear what kind of insurance products Amazon's site would offer, and that there were no imminent launch plans. The company is speaking to insurers in the continent about whether they could contribute products to the website, the report said. According to one of the industry sources, the discussions are just part of a broader dialogue Amazon is having with insurers. As Amazon narrows down the choices for its coveted $5 billion second headquarters, it would do well to consider Austin and Dallas the two finalists located in Texas, CNBC's 2018 America's Top State for Business. That is according to a new CNBC analysis of the 20 finalist locations, based on our latest data. Other strong finishers include Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Miami, Nashville and Northern Virginia. The retailer has promised to name a location this year for the so-called HQ2 project, which it claims will ultimately employ 50,000 people. Amazon refuses to comment further about the timeline, but there is widespread speculation it could narrow the list of finalists as soon as this month. Amazon's initial request for proposals last year touched off a huge bidding war, with some 238 locations from Canada to Mexico submitting bids. The company listed four main criteria for the new location: Metropolitan areas with more than 1 million people. A stable and business-friendly environment. Urban or suburban locations with the potential to attract and retain strong technical talent. Communities that think big and creatively when considering locations and real estate options. Each finalist passes the population test with flying colors, but their grades in the other categories vary widely. Of course, it is impossible to get into the heads of the planners at Amazon, especially Chairman and CEO Jeff Bezos. But CNBC used data from our 12th annual America's Top States for Business study to grade the locations based on the company's criteria. In the case of Washington, D.C., and Toronto which are not included in our Top States study we used comparable data from U.S., Canadian, District of Columbia and Ontario provincial sources. Our analysis has its limits. For example, most of the data is at the state level, so grades are identical for Austin and Dallas, as well as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Our report cards also assume that Amazon is giving equal weight to each of its four main criteria. But we do not know that to be the case, and the company is not saying. There is also that bit about trying to get into Jeff Bezos' head. Nonetheless, a few broad trends emerge. ATLANTA Overall Grade: B+ Michael Dunn | EyeEm | Getty Image Georgia slipped to No. 7 in this year's Top States rankings. But Atlanta is still an economic powerhouse, especially considering Amazon's priorities. The city gains great stability from one of the best state economies in the nation. State finances are strong, and job growth is among the fastest of any state. But some weakness in quality of life, particularly when it comes to health, could make it difficult to attract and retain talent. And by the numbers, Georgia can be stingy with incentives. Population: A+ Stability: B+ Talent: B Location: C+ AUSTIN Overall Grade: A- Texas seems to have many attributes that align well with Amazon's needs. No state has a better infrastructure, and the state's business climate is the picture of stability, thanks to the nation's best all-around state economy. Austin offers not only those attributes but also a legendary tech scene fed by the state's flagship university and a vibe that tech talent can love. Texas does have some quality-of-life issues when it comes to crime, health insurance and inclusiveness. And while the state gets points for having no corporate income tax, high property taxes cancel out some of that cost advantage. Population: A+ Stability: B+ Talent: B Location: A BOSTON Overall Grade: B+ Heavy traffic on a Thursday in Boston, Massachusetts. Jim Davis | The Boston Globe | Getty Images If Amazon's biggest priority for its new location is the workforce, Boston has a compelling story to tell. Massachusetts workers are among the highest educated in the nation, and no state gets better results from its workforce training programs. But anyone who has tried driving in the city's notorious traffic knows that the infrastructure leaves plenty to be desired. Combine that with the very high cost of doing business, and it means Boston will have to be especially creative in order to meet Amazon's location needs. Population: A+ Stability: B Talent: A- Location: C CHICAGO Overall Grade: B- The Windy City seeks to reclaim a part of its heritage by winning Amazon's HQ2. This, after all, was the home of Sears and Montgomery Ward the Amazons of their day. Chicago does have a lot going for itself, including some of the world's most prestigious universities, such as Northwestern and the University of Chicago. It is a transportation hub, including O'Hare International Airport, which is set to undergo an $8.5 billion expansion. But Illinois is the antithesis of stability and business-friendliness. Population: A+ Stability: D- Talent: B- Location: B COLUMBUS, OHIO Overall Grade: B The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State or OSU, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. Getty Images Columbus may well have made the list of finalists thanks to its brain power. The Ohio State University is one of America's most prestigious institutions and no, we are not talking about the football team. It is also a magnet for research funding. But Ohio struggles a bit when it comes to the quality of life that tech talent craves. The state leaves some business friendliness to be desired when it comes to regulation. Air travel options can be limited. Population: A+ Stability: C- Talent: B- Location: B+ DALLAS Overall Grade: A- Dallas offers the same Texas advantages that Austin does great infrastructure, a strong and stable economy, and a world class workforce. It also offers more air travel options. DallasFort Worth International Airport is the world's fourth busiest based on aircraft operations, serving 233 destinations including 57 international cities. But Dallas also shares Texas' disadvantages when it comes to quality of life and cost. Plus it suffers a relative shortage of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workers that companies like Amazon crave. Population: A+ Stability: B+ Talent: B Location: A DENVER Overall Grade: B+ Denver's economy is solid, and it has a strong, educated workforce. It also has the nations fourth-largest concentration of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) employees. photoquest7 | iStock | Getty Images The Mile High City offers many similarities to Amazon's current home, Seattle. Both cities' population and demographics are almost identical, and so are their overall vibes. That may not be foremost on Amazon's checklist, but it probably does not hurt. Also working in Denver's favor are a strong and relatively stable business climate, a great workforce that is chock full of tech talent, and one of America's top airports. But Colorado's strong economy has left the state with severe worker shortages, contributing to the high cost of doing business. Population: A+ Stability: B+ Talent: A- Location: B- INDIANAPOLIS Overall Grade: B Indiana claims to be the Crossroads of America, and if Amazon chooses to build its new headquarters there, it would be hard to dispute that. The state capital provides a wholesome, heartland life at a fraction of the cost of most metropolitan areas its size. Indiana offers a stable economy, and it is nothing if not business-friendly. Roads are great, and commuting is a breeze. Its costs are among the lowest of any big city in the country. But air travel options are limited, with just two flights a day to Seattle, and international flight destinations limited to Paris, Cancun and the Dominican Republic. Quality of life can leave something to be desired, and the workforce ranks in the bottom 10 for educational attainment. Population: A+ Stability: B+ Talent: D+ Location: B LOS ANGELES Overall Grade: B Gerald French | Getty Images Some were surprised that L.A. made it to the finals, particularly those who believe Amazon wants to expand its corporate presence beyond the West with its new headquarters. But the company has never said that geography was part of its selection process. If it is not, there is plenty to argue for the City of Angels. Home to the burgeoning Silicon Beach tech scene, L.A.'s workforce is top-notch. No state has more higher-education institutions than California. They are turning out droves of STEM workers who are happily staying in the Golden State. But the state is hardly business friendly when it comes to regulation, it is expensive, and a little time on an L.A. freeway will tell you most of what you need to know about the infrastructure. Population: A+ Stability: C Talent: B+ Location: C+ MIAMI Overall Grade: B+ If Amazon is serious about expanding its presence in Latin Americait already opened a new office in Buenos Aires this yeara Miami headquarters makes perfect sense. Few places offer more air travel options, with hundreds of flights each day from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. A wealth of colleges and universities feed the talent pool, though STEM workers are in short supply. Florida's economy is relatively strong and stable. But high crime and poor health hurt the quality of life. Population: A+ Stability: B+ Talent: C+ Location: B+ MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND Overall Grade: B- Rockville is a city located in the central region of Montgomery County, Maryland. Denis Tangney Jr. | Getty Images Montgomery County is one of the three locations in and around the nation's capital that are on Amazon's short list, a nod to the region's high-caliber workforce Maryland boasts the highest concentration of STEM workers of any state and its booming economy. But Maryland's regulatory climate can be tough. Maryland also has serious infrastructure woes, and it can be prohibitively expensive, with some of the highest wage costs in the country. That helps explain why the state has offered Amazon an $8.5 billion incentive package the largest HQ2 offer, at least among those that have been disclosed. Population: A+ Stability: C Talent: B- Location: C- NASHVILLE Overall Grade: B+ Music City is the picture of stability and business friendliness. Tennessee state finances are solid, the economy is growing, and regulation is accommodating. The infrastructure is solid, and costs are low. However, crime, poor health, and a relative lack of inclusiveness in state laws could hurt Nashville's ability to attract and retain talent, which may already be evidenced by a severe shortage of STEM workers Population: A+ Stability: A- Talent: C- Location: B+ NEW YORK Overall Grade: B- Billboards in Times Square, New York City Joecho | Getty Images New York State was the most improved state in our 2018 Top States rankings, and much of that had to do with New York City. The Big Apple is an increasingly powerful magnet for tech talent. Higher education is plentiful, there is lots to do, and while the city's airports need some work, there is no shortage of options for travel. But the rest of New York's infrastructure is a mess. The city is notoriously expensive, and businesses face a tangle of red tape. New York State has tried to make up for some of that with the most lavish business incentives in the nation, though it is unclear whether the Empire State is prepared to match the $7 billion being offered to Amazon if it locates across the Hudson River. Population: A+ Stability: D+ Talent: B- Location: B- NEWARK, NEW JERSEY Overall Grade: C+ New Jersey raised eyebrows with its offer of at least $7 billion to lure HQ2 to Newark, a package developed and signed into law by former Gov. Chris Christie. His successor, Phil Murphy, agreed to stick with the deal as well. Will it sway Amazon? The company would have to look past New Jersey's high costs, crumbling infrastructure and sometimes oppressive business regulations. If it can do that, it will find a high-quality workforce with a large concentration of STEM workers. New Jersey is giving Amazon 7 billion reasons to think about it. Population: A+ Stability: D Talent: B- Location: D NORTHERN VIRGINIA Overall Grade: B+ Northern Virginia Cameron Davidson | Getty Images Another of Amazon's options for the D.C. area is Northern Virginia, an area that has regained much of its competitive swagger as federal government spending in areas like defense have recovered. Virginia businesses are benefiting from a bipartisan push to cut regulations. Combine that with a strong economy, and the Old Dominion is enjoying renewed stability. Virginia's workforce is world-class, with much less of a union presence than in Maryland or the District of Columbia. The state has been working for several years to improve its infrastructure, but commuting times can still be rough. Population: A+ Stability: B+ Talent: A- Location: B- PHILADELPHIA Overall Grade: B- The City of Brotherly Love offers Amazon an East Coast presence without some of the hassles of a city like New York. Pennsylvania is full of colleges and universities, all happy to supply the skilled workers Amazon needs. The state is fighting in court to keep the details of its offer of incentives for HQ2 a secret, but in the past, Pennsylvania has been especially generous with tax breaks and subsidies to businesses. That could help to cancel out Philly's high costs, though it would not help with quality-of-life issues, particularly involving environmental quality. Population: A+ Stability: C- Talent: B- Location: B- PITTSBURGH Overall Grade: B- Long known for its transformation from a dying steel town to a new economy wonder, HQ2 could seal Pittsburgh's modern-day reputation. Like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh offers easy access to a wide range of higher education, including the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne in town, and Penn State a couple hours away. Pennsylvania's economy is on the lackluster side, which hurts the stability of both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Among the weak spots is job growth, the third lowest in the country statewide. Amazon could change that, or so the Keystone State hopes. Population: A+ Stability: C- Talent: B- Location: B- RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA Overall Grade: B One corner of the famed Research Triangle, Raleigh has been attracting top technical talent for decades. But it has also been attracting unwanted attention for its relative lack of antidiscrimination protections. The state repealed the most controversial provisions of its so-called "bathroom bill," and Gov. Roy Cooper has signed executive orders aimed at promoting inclusiveness. The political environment in North Carolina these days is anything but stable, but a strong economy helps to balance things a bit. Population:A+ Stability: B+ Talent: B Location: C+ TORONTO Overall Grade: B- Canadian flag and the Toronto skyline. Roberto Machado Noa | LightRocket | Getty Images Locating HQ2 north of the border would create some cost advantages for Amazon at least for now thanks to the strength of the U.S. dollar. Plus, Ontario has a long history of generosity when it comes to business incentives. Canada's federal corporate tax rates were among the lowest in the G-7 for years privately-owned small businesses pay as little as 10 percent; others pay 15. Ontario tacks on another 11.5 percent. While there are concerns up north that U.S. tax reform has wiped out Canada's competitive advantage, the economics of a Toronto headquarters are hard to ignore. The city also has a strong, well-educated workforce, though it is heavily unionized, and inclusiveness is enshrined in federal law. There are issues, however. Business regulation is sometimes harsh, the economy is sluggish, and infrastructure needs work. And one can only imagine the presidential tweets over such a move. Population: A+ Stability: C- Talent: C+ Location: C+ Melbourne, Australia Michael Dodge - Getty Images Australian Senator Fraser Anning this week reinvigorated long-standing debates about immigration after calling for a national vote to ban people of non-European descent from migrating to the country. Delivering his first-ever address to parliament on Tuesday, the politician advocated a return to the "White Australia" policy, which existed in the country for most of the 1900s before being abolished in 1973. Anning, a member of the right-wing Katter's Australian Party, singled out Muslims in particular, associating their presence with terrorism and claiming they were the group least able to integrate. His comments prompted an immediate rebuke from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and major political parties, which quickly branded Anning a racist. Even the leader of the anti-Islam, anti-immigration One Nation Party that Anning previously belonged to criticized the speech, describing it as "straight from Goebbels' handbook from Nazi Germany." The speech drew comparisons to Nazism in part because of Anning declaring a vote on a Muslim ban would be "the final solution to the immigration problem." (The Final Solution, or the Final Solution to the Jewish Question, was a Nazi plan for the genocide of the Jews during World War Two. Anning has since said he did not know the phrase's historic connection to the murder of millions.) 'A long-standing strain of racism' Anning's views don't suggest a rising trend of conservatism Down Under, according to commentators who said his perspective is only shared by individuals at the margins of Australian political thinking. Tuesday's speech "reflects a long-standing strain of racism that pervades a small corner of Australian society, as it appears to do in most societies," said Damien Kingsbury, professor of international politics at Melbourne's Deakin University. "Australia has long had a small, if vocal, racist minority and over the past decade, a small number of them have managed to gain a place in Australia's Senate, based on its sometimes skewed system of allocating preferences," he explained. The speech, however, does highlight more widely shared concerns about the impact of immigration on housing and infrastructure. That's a factor that Turnbull, who leads the center-right Liberal Party, can't afford to ignore as he seeks re-election next year. Australia, considered one of the world's most immigrant-friendly nations, is currently experiencing soaring population growth as more skilled migrants head to its resource-rich territories. In the country's 2016-2017 fiscal year, net overseas migration reflected an annual gain of 262,500 persons, 27.3 percent more than in the 2015-2016 period, according to government data. Demand triggered by newcomers is believed to boost the economy: Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Philip Lowe recently attributed the country's high average growth to population expansion. But it's also seen driving property prices and congestion higher, and that's led many to call for lower migration rates. Former Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr is one of those voices. At a televised ABC panel in March, the Labor Party leader said immigration rates should be halved, suggesting the country could still achieve the same benefits from migration with lower numbers. Carr previously argued that the quality of life in metropolises such as Sydney and Melbourne would deteriorate if migration continued at current levels. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, meanwhile, has repeatedly argued that a migrant intake cut would benefit the economy and alleviate overcrowding of big cities, particularly on roads and hospitals, according to local media reports. China said on Thursday it will hold a fresh round of trade talks with the United States in Washington later this month, offering a glimmer of hope for progress in resolving a conflict that has set world markets on edge. A Chinese delegation led by Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen will meet with U.S. representatives led by Under Secretary of Treasury for International Affairs David Malpass, the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on its website. The world's two largest economies have implemented several rounds of tit-for-tat tariffs on each others goods since the start of the year and have threatened further tariffs on exports worth hundreds of billions of dollars. The announcement of the forthcoming meeting comes after a lull in talks between the two sides, but it is unclear whether it will take place before or after Aug. 23, when Washington is due to activate additional tariffs on $16 billion of Chinese goods. Beijing has said it will retaliate in kind. The last official round of talks was in early June when U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross met Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in Beijing. There was no immediate response from the U.S. Treasury to the announcement from Beijing. The upcoming meeting is lower-level compared with four previous rounds of talks that involved Liu, Ross and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. HONG KONG For years, fish sellers in China have labeled something other than salmon as salmon, according to a local media report that outraged sushi lovers across the country. Now, Chinese fish authorities have responded: That's perfectly O.K. with them. Chinese regulators said this week that rainbow trout can be sold as salmon, according to new standards set by a government-affiliated fish association and 13 commercial fisheries. To justify the change in definition, officials cited biology: Salmon and rainbow trout belong to the same fishy family. They also required sellers to note the exact type of fish elsewhere on the label. More from The New York Times: A question for Tesla's board: What was Elon Musk's mental state? Chocolate-making is secretive. This chocolatier isn't. When the menu says 'organic,' but not all the food is Still, the fuzzy definition touched a nerve in a country with a long history of food labeling issues and a vast population of increasingly sophisticated consumers. Thousands took to the internet to blast regulators for lowering food standards instead of fixing the issue. Some declared they would never eat salmon again. Even patrons at a sushi restaurant said that they could no longer trust salmon enough to eat it raw. "If I come across especially cheap salmon that is hard to tell apart from rainbow trout, I probably will not order it," Ma Xinyi, a 20 year-old college student, said. She has eaten only cooked salmon since news of the salmon-trout switching began to circulate three months ago. At issue for many is where the two fish swim. Most Asian salmon spend the bulk of their lives in saltwater. Rainbow trout are often cultivated in water tanks or ponds, which could expose them to freshwater parasites that could infect humans if the fish is eaten raw. The United States Food and Drug Administration warns of potential parasite hazards from eating freshwater fish. In Hong Kong, a Chinese city that operates under its own laws, serving freshwater fish raw is illegal. "It's not only the issue of rainbow trout being substituted for salmon, but whether freshwater fish should be used for sashimi at all," Dr. Kevin Kwok, an assistant professor in the department of applied biology and chemical technology at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, said. Regulators elsewhere take a dim view of substituting one kind of fish for another. Fish is often mislabeled around the world in order to fetch higher prices, such as labeling yellowtail as mahi mahi or sea bass as halibut. Regulators in the United States label these substitutions as economic deception. That goes for salmon, too. Officials in the United States forbid fish sellers from labeling steelhead trout essentially, rainbow trout that swim in saltwater as salmon. Generally, salmon spawn in freshwater but return to the sea. In China, the salmon labeling controversy follows a litany of food labeling problems that have angered consumers and cast doubt on the country's ability to enforce safety standards. Melamine, a chemical used to make plastics, was found in dairy products that sickened tens of thousands of children in 2008. In 2013, police accused traders of selling rat and mink as mutton. In 2014, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. recalled meat labeled as donkey after testing showed it contained fox meat. The new rules in China came three months after state media recirculated a video segment profiling a large freshwater fishery at the Longyangxia Reservoir in Qinghai Province. The company, it said, supplied one-third of China's salmon. That piqued the interest of other media in China, as Qinghai is an inland province far from the ocean. Subsequent reports said a considerable amount of fish labeled as salmon in China was actually rainbow trout. The industry argued that the fish are essentially the same and Chinese regulators this week agreed. The rules issued this week by the China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance, an industry group affiliated with China's Ministry of Agriculture, said that though rainbow trout can be marketed as salmon, markets and restaurants also have to list the species of the fish and its origin. For example, a label might read "salmon (Atlantic salmon)" or "salmon (rainbow trout)." Higher-cost rainbow trout are often raised in fiberglass tanks or in cages in oceans. Some fish breeders add salt into the water, though its effect on parasites has not been widely studied, said Dr. Kwok, the fish farming expert. He said Atlantic salmon also carry parasites, but they are highly unlikely to be infectious to humans. China's fish industry defends the safety of its freshwater production, saying that the waters at China's fish farms are carefully controlled. "Whether salmon has parasites does not depend on whether it is bred in seawater or freshwater, but rather on whether its growth can be safely monitored," said another industry group, the China Fisheries Association, in an announcement that has since been removed from its website. In fact, the group added, consumers might be pleased with rainbow trout instead of salmon. In countries like Norway and Chile, it claimed, "many locals prefer rainbow trout, and the price of rainbow trout is higher than that of Atlantic salmon." Chinese internet users ridiculed claims about the rainbow trout's higher value, saying that they would rather just have the regular salmon, please, because they could not afford to carry parasites. While Senator Elizabeth Warren's economic policies are known to spark divisive reactions, CNBC's Jim Cramer thinks that investors shouldn't be too quick to write off her ideas. On Wednesday, the Democratic Senator from Massachusetts sat down with Cramer to discuss her new bill called the Accountable Capitalism Act. The bill would require large companies to consider the interests of not just shareholders, but also employees, customers and communities where the company does business, when making decisions. Cramer said he doesn't believe that a federal corporate charter, as proposed by Warren, is the best way to achieve the goals of the bill. However, the "Mad Money" host pointed out that "some of the best-run companies I follow have already taken a page from Senator Warren's playbook." Cramer cited Costco, Domino's and Salesforce.com as three companies that exemplify one of the core ideas of "Mad Money" also shared by Senator Warren, that "doing well and doing good can go hand-in-hand." Cramer recalled when former Costco CEO Jim Sinegal told him that "one of the big differences between Costco and nearly every other retailer is that Costco gives its workers better pay and more benefits." Paying workers more leads to less employee turnover, which is a boon for companies because constantly training new employees can be costly and lead to a poor customer experience. Former Domino's CEO Patrick Doyle once told Cramer that during his 8-year tenure, he was most proud that 90 percent of franchise owners used to be hourly workers. The "Mad Money" host said that having franchise owners who are intimately familiar with the business is one of the reasons why Domino's "consistently beats the competition." According to Cramer, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has spoken of "the need to reward stakeholders, not just shareholders" more than any other CEO in the country. While these three companies have policies that would be "music to Senator Warren's ears," their bottom lines haven't suffered as a result. On the contrary, Costco shares are up 20 percent this year, while Salesforce and Dominos posted even bigger gains 42 and 52 percent, respectively. In Cramer's view, Senator Warren might have a winning formula for choosing high-performing stocks. "Look for the companies that take care of their employees and you'll find some fabulous stocks," he concluded. It might be time to rethink FANG, according to CNBC's Jim Cramer. FANG, which stands for Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google, was coined by the "Mad Money" host himself to refer to the group of high-performing tech stocks. But given Thursday's market moves, Cramer thinks WANG Walmart, Apple, Netflix and Google might be the new group to watch. Walmart released strong second-quarter earnings numbers on Thursday that sent the stock surging more than 9 percent. "The strength in Walmart impacted the whole psyche of the market," Cramer said, with the Dow posting its biggest gain since April. Along with Walmart reporting 4.5 percent same-store sales growth, the best in a decade, subsidiary Sam's Club had an even bigger growth of 6.5 percent. But to Cramer, growth in brick-and-mortar sales is just the icing on the cake. "I'll tell you what I liked best: when it comes to e-commerce, Walmart is finally catching up to and passing" its competitors, said the "Mad Money" host. He pointed out a feature on the Sam's Club website that shows users their closest store locations, saying that it was something he might expect from Amazon, not Walmart. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon's said on a call with investors, "We continue to bring digital capabilities to our stores to deliver a seamless experience for customers however they choose to shop." Cramer thinks he's done a phenomenal job. To complete WANG, Cramer's keeping Netflix and Google, but he's interested in swapping Amazon for Apple, which has climbed more than 12 percent since its earnings report last month. Apple also hit a new all-time high on Thursday sparked by news that the U.S. and China will resume trade talks. "We've also been fearful that Apple would get caught up in the trade war," said Cramer. "You get a truce, it lowers the chance of a Chinese Apple boycott." If WANG continues to outperform, maybe Thursday's market gains "will last longer than the bears think," Cramer said. Silicon Valley is still finding plenty of reasons, and money, to pour into the cryptocurrency industry. Despite bitcoin slumping by half this year, crypto hedge fund Pantera Capital is well on its way to hitting a $175 million target for its third and largest fund yet. According to a SEC disclosure filed this week, the firm has raised at least $71 million. Pantera executives said the total is now closer to $100 million. Investors appear to be drawn to the focus of the newest Pantera fund. It's more broadly about blockchain, which some pundits have called as transformative as the internet, instead of just cryptocurrency, which Warren Buffett famously called rat poison. In the newest fund, which has 140 investors so far and a 10-year investment period, buyers get equity in a blockchain company instead of just investing in a "coin." Initial coin offerings, or ICOs, often promise investors a piece of that company down the road or access to a product that might not even exist yet. Democrats have reason for optimism heading into November's midterms, according to one widely followed election forecaster. The party has about a 70 percent chance of flipping enough Republican-held House seats to take a majority in the chamber, according to models from FiveThirtyEight, the analytics site run by data guru Nate Silver. The outlet's forecasts project an average Democratic gain of at least 32 seats, comfortably above the 23 districts the party needs to gain to win a majority. The figures reflect a feeling among most election analysts that Democrats are at least slight favorites to win back the House. The party not in the White House generally performs well in midterm years. Democrats have tried to leverage opposition to health care and tax policies pushed by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans into electoral success. Democrats have generally led Republicans in polls measuring which party voters prefer to hold a majority in Congress. An average of polls measured by Real Clear Politics puts the Democrats' lead on the generic ballot at 6.8 percent. Still, FiveThirtyEight gives the GOP about a three in 10 chance of holding on to its House majority. Also, much can change to affect races during the nearly three months between now and the Nov. 6 elections both at the national level and in individual districts. President Donald Trump took to Twitter to deride the Democratic governor of his home state for having "a total meltdown" after the latter said at an event that America "was never that great." "Can you believe this is the Governor of the Highest Taxed State in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown!" Trump said on Twitter on Wednesday evening. Cuomo is often floated as a potential Democratic challenger to Trump's re-election campaign in 2020. Trump on Twitter: "WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, IT WAS NEVER THAT GREAT." Can you believe this is the Governor of the Highest Taxed State in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown! At a bill signing earlier in the day, Cuomo, the governor of New York, appeared to be giving his take on the president's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again." "We are not going to make America great again. It was never that great," he said. There was a mix of gasping and cheering from the audience following that comment, as seen in video recordings of Cuomo's speech. "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 woman's full potential is realized and unleashed," said Cuomo, a Democrat seeking re-election for his third term. The governor's office did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment on the criticism from the president. Cuomo's Republican challenger in this year's gubernatorial race, Marc Molinaro, also issued a statement to counter Cuomo. "America, with its imperfections, has always been great," Molinaro said in a statement posted on Twitter. "Mr. Cuomo owes the nation an apology. He should be ashamed of himself." Molinaro on Twitter: America, with its imperfections, has always been great. U.S. regulators cleared the first generic competitor to Mylan's EpiPen, after a yearslong delay that many said contributed to the emergency allergy drug's rapid rise in price. Teva Pharmaceuticals received Food and Drug Administration approval for generic versions of both the EpiPen and EpiPen Jr, the agency said in a statement Thursday. The products are the first competitors cleared by the FDA that are direct generic copies of the EpiPen and could be substituted for the brand-name product by a pharmacist. Other versions of epinephrine auto-injectors, such as the Adrenaclick and Auvi-Q, are on the market, but aren't considered EpiPen generics. Teva shares rose nearly 6 percent on the news. "This approval means patients living with severe allergies who require constant access to life-saving epinephrine should have a lower-cost option, as well as another approved product to help protect against potential drug shortages," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in the statement. It may be an especially welcome time for a new entrant into the market, as the EpiPen has been facing supply issues, according to Mylan and Pfizer, which makes the EpiPen in a partnership with Mylan. "We're applying our full resources to this important launch in the coming months and eager to being supplying the market," Teva said in a statement. The company didn't provide any details about specific timing or the planned price. Mylan introduced its own authorized generic form of the EpiPen in late 2016, after an uproar about the branded version's price, which rose more than 400 percent over a decade. The authorized generic, identical to the original except without the brand name, cost half the price: $300 for a two-pack. Mylan wasn't immediately available to comment on the FDA's decision. Teva could seek to compete by pricing its generic version even lower; typically, it takes multiple generic copies of a medicine entering the market to see prices collapse substantially. The Israeli company's application for a generic EpiPen was rejected by the FDA in early 2016, not long before the rising price of Mylan's product exploded into a major news story heading into back-to-school season, when parents often stock up for kids with allergies. Though the key ingredient in the EpiPen, epinephrine, has been available for decades and is no longer covered by a patent, generic copies of the device have struggled to reach the market because the product is technically a drug-device combination, and the delivery device proved hard for generic competitors to copy to a degree that would satisfy regulators. The FDA issued guidance in November 2017 to try to make it easier for generic copies of complex medicines like the EpiPen to reach the market, saying some design differences may be approved as substitutable products, as long as those differences don't affect patients' ability to use the product the way it's intended. The FDA said Teva's generic products are expected to produce the same clinical effect and have the same safety profile as the EpiPen and EpiPen Jr. There are small differences in design, the regulator said, but they won't affect safety or efficacy. Hundreds of Google employees, upset at the company's decision to secretly build a censored version of its search engine for China, have signed a letter demanding more transparency to understand the ethical consequences of their work. In the letter, which was obtained by The New York Times, employees wrote that the project and Google's apparent willingness to abide by China's censorship requirements "raise urgent moral and ethical issues." They added, "Currently we do not have the information required to make ethically-informed decisions about our work, our projects, and our employment." The letter is circulating on Google's internal communication systems and is signed by about 1,000 employees, according to two people familiar with the document, who were not authorized to speak publicly. The protest presents another obstacle for Google's potential return to China eight years after the company publicly withdrew from the country in protest of censorship and government hacking. China has the world's largest internet audience but has frustrated American tech giants with content restrictions or outright blockages of services including Facebook and Instagram. It is also the latest example of how Google's outspoken work force has agitated for changes to strategy. In April, the internet company's employees spoke out against its involvement in a Pentagon program that uses artificial intelligence to improve weaponry. By June, Google had said it would not renew a contract with the Pentagon for A.I. work. Google's interest in bringing search back to China came to the forefront earlier this month, when reports surfaced that the company was working on a search app that restricts content banned by Beijing. The project, known internally as Dragonfly, was developed largely in secret, prompting outrage among employees who worried they had been unwittingly working on technology that would help China withhold information from its citizens. "We urgently need more transparency, a seat at the table, and a commitment to clear and open processes: Google employees need to know what we're building," the letter said. Google has maintained a significant presence in China even though its flagship services are not accessible in the country. The letter also called on Google to allow employees to participate in ethical reviews of the company's products, to appoint external representatives to ensure transparency and to publish an ethical assessment of controversial projects. The document referred to the situation as a "code yellow," a process used in engineering to address critical problems that impact several teams. Google declined to comment on the letter. It has said in the past that it will not comment on Dragonfly or "speculation about future plans." Employees are expected to press management about Dragonfly at a weekly staff meeting on Thursday. As of late Wednesday, one of the top questions on an internal software system called Dory, which lets employees vote for the questions that executives should answer at the meeting, asked whether Google has lost its ethical compass, said employees familiar with the letter. Other questions on Dory asked directly about the Dragonfly project and specific information that may be censored by the Chinese government, such as air pollution data. This week's staff meeting will be the first opportunity for Google's work force to ask executives about Dragonfly since the meeting was not held last week. The absence of a gathering the result of a regularly scheduled break in the summer, according to company spokesman Rob Shilkin led to fears among employees that leadership was becoming less transparent following several controversies over Google's government work. Historically, Google has been more responsive to employee concerns and more transparent about future projects and inner workings than other major technology companies, inviting questions from workers at its staff meetings and encouraging internal debate. The internal dissent over Dragonfly comes on the heels of the employee protests over Google's involvement in the Pentagon project to use artificial intelligence. After Google said it would not renew its contract with the Pentagon, it unveiled a series of ethical principles governing its use of A.I. In those principles, Google publicly committed to only use A.I. in "socially beneficial" ways that would not cause harm and promised to develop its capabilities in accordance with human rights law. Some employees have raised concerns that helping China suppress the free flow of information would violate these new principles. In 2010, Google said it had discovered that Chinese hackers had attacked the company's corporate infrastructure in an attempt to access to the Gmail accounts of human rights activists. The attack, combined with government censorship, propelled Google to pull its search engine from the country. The exit from China was a seminal moment for the company a symbol of its uncompromising idealism captured by Google's unofficial motto of "Don't Be Evil." At the time, Chinese internet users marked the loss of Google's search engine by laying flowers at the company's Beijing offices in what became known as an "illegal flower tribute." A possible re-entry to China, according to current and former employees, is a sign of a more mature and pragmatic company. Google has maintained a significant presence in China even though its flagship services are not accessible in the country. Last year, Google announced plans for a research center in China focused on artificial intelligence. And it has introduced translation and file management apps for the Chinese market. Google now has more than 700 employees in China. Google's work on Dragonfly is not a guarantee that its search engine will be welcomed back to China. The government would have to approve its return and it has kept American technology firms like Facebook at arm's length, opting instead to work closely with homegrown internet behemoths. Some employees are in favor of re-entering China, arguing that exiting the country in protest of censorship has done little to pressure Beijing to change its position while it has made Google nonessential among the world's largest base of internet users. When Google pulled out of China in 2010, Sergey Brin, the company's co-founder, said it objected to the country's "totalitarian" policies when it came to censorship, political speech and internet communications. If anything, China has only tightened its controls in the last eight years leaving the company in a bind for how to justify its return. "You can never satisfy a censor, particularly the ones in China," said Charles Mok, member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council who advocates for information technology and who is affiliated with the territory's democratic camp. Google is probably facing intense pressure to introduce more of its products in China, Mr. Mok said, but added that the company would lend legitimacy to government censorship if it debuted a censored search product in China. "Then the Chinese government can say, 'Google is O.K. with it too,'" he said. A bipartisan bill now in Congress would give the National Institutes of Health $95 million over five years to fund studies on how media and technology effect children. The proposed Children and Media Research Advancement Act , or CAMRA, outlines an ambitious research agenda. It calls for studies on the impact of social media, applications, websites, television, motion pictures, artificial intelligence, mobile devices, computers, video games, virtual and augmented reality, and other media formats as they become available on childrens cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development. The bills prospects are unclear, although it is has the backing of heavy-hitters on both sides of the aisle in the U.S. Senate. Our kids are immersed in technology that didnt exist five years ago and probably wont exist in another decade, said Sen. Ben Sasse, a Republican from Nebraska. Some of that is good and some of that is badwhats certain is that we know less than we ought to. In the Senate, Sasse was joined by Republicans Roy Blunt (Missouri) and Susan Collins (Maine) and Democrats Michael Bennet (Colorado), Edward Markey (Massachusetts), and Brian Schatz (Hawaii) in sponsoring the CAMRA Act. A companion bill was also introduced in the House by Republican Ted Budd of North Carolina and Democrat John Delaney of Maryland. Researchers across the country and globe are already busy examining the impact of media and tech on children. Proponents say this new, federally funded research effort is necessary because it will add rigor and independence to the field and allow for a new focus on long-term studies often missing in the current literature. The longitudinal aspect of this is really important, because right now we dont really understand the cause-and-effect relationships between technology use and childrens development, said Ariel Fox Johnson, the senior counsel for policy and privacy at Common Sense Media, which has been aggressively pushing the CAMRA Act. Third Time a Charm? Similar bills were introduced in Congress in 2005 and again in 2007 , without ever being passed. Fox Johnson of Common Sense said she expects this time may be different, in part because the current CAMRA Act also has support from both industry and advocates. According to a statement released by Sen. Markeys office , the companies and industry groups supporting the legislation include Facebook and the Internet Association, as well as the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and the Center for Digital Democracy. Internet companies care deeply about the safety and well-being of their users and welcome scientific research on this important issue funded through the CAMRA Act, said Melika Carroll, senior vice president of global government affairs at the Internet Association, a trade group representing leading internet companies, according to the statement. The current bill calls for the directors of the National Institutes of Health and other leaders to develop a research agenda and fund an expanded research program, with a progress report due to Congress one year after the law is enacted. The bill calls for $15 million per year from 2019 to 2021, and $25 million per year in 2022 and 2023. In the Senate, the CAMRA Act is currently awaiting consideration by the Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions. Photo: U.S. Sen. Ed Markey speaks during the 2018 Massachusetts Democratic Party Convention in Worcester, Mass. in June.--Michael Dwyer/AP See also: for the latest news on ed-tech policies, practices, and trends. Google is a highly sought-after employer, fielding more than 50,000 applicants a week. Yet just a sliver of those applicants actually get hired, thanks, in part to poorly-written resumes. While Google automatically rejects resumes with typos, a more critical error won't get flagged by spellcheck. Most resume job descriptions, according to Google recruiters and hiring experts, are too vague and too lengthy. More critically, those descriptions don't explicitly demonstrate how candidates made big things happen how they led projects, boosted sales or saved the company money. To help you avoid making that same error, a Google software engineer and recruiter shared a simple job description formula in a company-sponsored YouTube video designed to make resume-speak easy: "Accomplished X, as measured by Y, by doing Z." Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito told CNBC on Thursday that she worries social media companies may lean left. "That's a source of concern for me as a conservative and as a Republican. Absolutely. You can see that in some of the decisions that have been made previously," Capito said on "Squawk Box" ahead of an FCC oversight hearing. The West Virginia senator did not elaborate on any of those decisions or name any companies. "Good common sense judgment here is what we're looking for, and less political judgments. I think that's the beauty of the internet, is you can find any opinion anywhere," she said.. But she declined to address whether conspiracy theorist Alex Jones should be put in that category. "I'm really unfamiliar with what he does. I know he's very much on the extreme. And I'll have to leave that conversation to another day," said Capito, a member of the Senate Commerce and Appropriations committees. On Tuesday, Twitter suspended Jones for seven days for violating company policies, a holdout among internet giants from Apple to Facebook to Alphabet's YouTube that removed some or all Jones-related content last week. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey told NBC News in an interview that aired Wednesday that temporarily or permanently barring people from the platform has the ability to "impact and change behavior." He said he's not sure whether it will work in Jones' case. "But this is consistent with how we enforce," Dorsey added. The actions imposed by social media companies against Jones are a "slippery slope" at a time when the nation remains so divided along conservative and liberal ideological lines, according to a veteran Washington crisis manager. Without commenting on Jones' views, Eric Dezenhall, co-founder and CEO Dezenhall Resources, told "Squawk Box" that "if you're going to ban or suspend someone with a right-wing view, are you going to suspend somebody with a left-wing view?" "I do think there is a lot of concern among conservatives that social media has a left-of-center bias in large measure because of where they are based," said Dezenhall, echoing what Capito said. "I've been in Washington for 35 years and by way of disclosure I worked in a Republican White House, I worked for [Ronald] Reagan when I was in my 20s what you see sometimes is when Democrats are aggressive it's community organizing when Republicans do it, it's dirty tricks," he said. A Google spokesperson told CNBC via email, in part, that the company's "policies apply evenly to all users regardless of politics, religious beliefs, or ideology." Through a spokesperson, Facebook said, "[It] was built to give people a voice, regardless of their political beliefs. ... We do not suppress content on the basis of political viewpoint or prevent people from seeing what matters to them." Last week, after removing Jones' podcasts, Apple said, "We believe in representing a wide range of views. ... Apple does not tolerate hate speech, and we have clear guidelines." A controversial Hong Kong politician wants the United States to sanction his city as part of its ongoing trade war with China in hopes of somehow achieving his dream of independence and democracy. Analysts and investors largely agree that sounds far-fetched even accounting for U.S. President Donald Trump's willingness to break longstanding norms though some wouldn't completely rule it out. Andy Chan Ho-tin, a member of the Hong Kong National Party, says China poses an increasing existential threat to local rights and freedoms since British colonial rule ended in 1997. He has become a local lightning rod, criticized by many for advocating independence but also seen as a symbol of free speech after Chinese and Hong Kong officials called for a public address of his this week to be canceled. In that address, he called for the U.S. to review legislation that governs its relations with the territory, condemn Hong Kong government officials he claimed suppress human rights and potentially target mainland Chinese financial assets in Hong Kong. "Think about how much more clout the U.S. would have on China if the current trade war extends to Hong Kong," he said Tuesday in the closely watched speech to the city's Foreign Correspondents' Club, adding that such a move could strike a real "economic blow" to Beijing. "Many of the Chinese already store their actual capital here," Chan said. The politician's call for Hong Kong to break away does not appear to be widely shared and police have called for the party to be banned on national security grounds. Both Chinese and Hong Kong authorities say independence is out of the question. And while many analysts have expressed concern over the threat to Hong Kong posed in recent years by tighter Chinese control, experts deemed the city unlikely to play a role in the trade war. "I think the Hong Kong issue is not something that is right up there on the Trump hit list," Tim Summers, a lecturer in Chinese studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, told CNBC. "The U.S. government's basic strategic interests are in Hong Kong continuing to be treated separate from the rest of China for all sorts of economic, financial, business reasons," he said. "And that's why these policy instruments are in place." "All main political parties, particularly the government parties, are eager to score political points," Federico Santi, Europe analyst at Eurasia Group, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Thursday. The country's political parties have apportioned blame for the disaster to, variously, previous governments, the European Union, the road management company and even the Mafia. Italy is embroiled in a blame game after a freeway bridge collapsed on Tuesday in the city of Genoa, killing at least 39 people. The current government, a coalition between the far-right Lega and the leftist Five-Star Movement (M5S), is nearing a critical point with its first budget in office due before mid-October. The financial plan will be critical to understanding the relationship between the two parties, how they might conflict with the EU, and whether investors think their plan is credible. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced that his government would revoke road management company Autostrade's concession without waiting for the findings of a criminal investigation. Autostrade is responsible for 3,000 kilometers of toll roads in Italy, about half of the total amount, and has been under intense scrutiny after the incident in Genoa. The firm has been criticized for charging the highest tolls in Europe and yet failing to prevent the infrastructure collapse. Autostrade said this week that quarterly checks had produced "adequate reassurances" on the state of the bridge. However, the company is reported to have started bids for improving the bridge in Genoa in April. Shares of its mother company Atlantia fell by as much as 23 percent on Thursday morning. Tweet 1 Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who heads the Eurosceptic party Lega, was quick to turn the tragedy against the EU. "Italy must be able to spend the money needed to secure rivers, schools, highways and hospitals, without any foolish European constraints to prevent it. First comes the security of the Italians," Salvini said on Twitter, criticizing fiscal rules applied across the EU to prevent countries from hitting excessive deficits. Santi from Eurasia described Salvini's comments as "a stretch." "Blaming the EU for this is quite a stretch Infrastructure spending is very much a remit of national governments still. In fact, the EU has been encouraging Italy to spend more in infrastructure and has made funds available," he told CNBC. Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort arrives for arraignment on a third superseding indictment against him by Special Counsel Robert Mueller on charges of witness tampering, at U.S. District Court in Washington, June 15, 2018. We're gonna need a bigger evidence cart. Special counsel Robert Mueller has given lawyers for ex-Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort "well over 1000 proposed exhibits," or pieces of evidence, which prosecutors want to show jurors at Manafort's next federal criminal trial in Washington, D.C., a court filing revealed Thursday. That number of exhibits dwarfs the fewer than 400 pieces of evidence Mueller's team of prosecutors introduced at Manafort's ongoing trial in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia. Jurors in that case began deliberations Thursday morning. They have yet to reach a verdict on bank fraud and tax crime charges. Manafort, 69, a longtime Republican consultant, is scheduled to next go on trial Sept. 17 in Washington, where he is accused of money laundering and failing to register as an agent for a foreign government. Charges accusing him of trying to tamper with witnesses were lodged in June, months after the original case was filed. Both trials are related to the lucrative work Manafort did for a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine, years before he became chairman of Donald Trump's presidential campaign in 2016. Manafort, who was jailed without bond in June after being accused of witness tampering, has pleaded not guilty in both cases. Taking Tesla private is going to be very complicated at best and a complete nonstarter at worst. It's not going to be a fun task for Tesla's legal and financial advisors, unless their idea of fun is a lot of consternation. The special committee of Tesla's board that has been put in charge of assessing the prospects of going private still hasn't chosen a financial advisor, according to people familiar with the matter. Centerview, Evercore and Lazard have all pitched their services to the board, and a decision should be made soon, said the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private. The special committee has retained Latham & Watkins as its legal counsel. Spokespeople for Centerview, Evercore and Lazard declined to comment. Whichever firm ends up with the responsibility to help Tesla's independent directors assess a take-private is going to have its hands full. Let's briefly lay out the variables. Financing Who's bankrolling Musk's dream? That continues to be the stumbling point more than a week after Musk tweeted "funding secured." It's still unknown who is willing to put up billions of dollars to buy out current shareholders at $420 per share. Are these financing sources viable counterparties? What costs will be associated with the financing, and how much more expensive will it be than staying public? Musk said in a blog post Monday that he had discussions with the Saudi sovereign wealth fund about providing funding to take Tesla private. Musk did not say if the Saudi fund committed money. The Saudi sovereign wealth fund declined to comment. If the financing isn't there right now, how can an advisor even assess this? It can't. Furthermore, Musk will likely be in deep trouble with the SEC. Federal regulators have already sent subpoenas to Tesla, Charlie Gasparino of Fox Business and other outlets reported Wednesday. "Musk's only ticket out to avoid civil and enforcement litigation is a successful transaction or a transaction the special committee rejects when fully financed," said Jim Rosener, a partner at Pepper Hamilton who specializes in private equity mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. The business model Going private makes little sense for a company that's burning cash quickly and reliant on government grants and subsidies. Will states be as willing to do business with Tesla if it's a cash-burning, leveraged, privatized company with less clarity around its quarter-to-quarter finances? Can it keep filling backlogged orders and maintaining its factories without cheap public equity financing? All of this must be assessed by advisors and compared with the company's current profile as a publicly traded entity. Tesla shares have more than doubled since November 2013. Public markets haven't stymied the company, even if short selling puts future valuation in jeopardy. The price of the offer It's possible Tesla isn't a viable take-private candidate at $420 per share but could be at a lower per-share price. Again, that will fall on advisors to figure out. A fair value will also have to be assessed by calling other parties, or including a go-shop provision, which would allow outside bidders to challenge Musk and his financiers on their acquisition. When Michael Dell tried to take his company private in 2013, he was challenged by Carl Icahn, who accused him of trying to steal Dell for a low price. "I agreed with the shareholders that he was not paying a fair price for Dell and that they were getting hosed," Icahn said at the time. In other words, just because Musk says he will take out shareholders at $420 per share doesn't mean the transaction will get done at $420 per share. What happens to Tesla debt There are all sorts of change-of-control provisions associated with Tesla's bonds. The company could be required to buy back $920 million of bonds at par, or above, if there is a "fundamental change" in the company, which includes the delisting of public shares, according to the FT's Alphaville blog. It's possible, as the blog notes, that a special-purpose vehicle that maintained some existing ownership could get Tesla out of the woods on "change of control." Yet another task for advisors. That special-purpose vehicle Musk tweeted he envisions a structure where current owners could roll their stakes into a new private company. Nothing like this at this scale has ever been attempted, so there's no clear template to follow. And the SEC has rules that say a public company can't go private if it has more than 300 shareholders. So there would need to be conditions around who can and can't roll over -- possibly based on how many shares they currently own, said Rosener. This may kill the dream of Elon Musk fans who want to stay investors in a private company. Regulatory hurdles 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 longstanding 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. More from The New York Times: "There are levels above what we could consider safe in very popular breakfast foods," said Alexis Temkin, the group's 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 on Wednesday that hundreds of studies had validated the safety of glyphosate and that it doesn't 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 Organization's 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 man's lawyers said he developed non-Hodgkin's 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 United States 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 E.P.A. is currently reviewing public comments on that assessment as part of a standard review, and will decide on whether or not the agency needs any "mitigation measures" by 2019, a spokesman said Wednesday. The United States Food and Drug Administration, which regulates domestic and imported food to make sure it does not exceed levels set by the E.P.A., said that based on 2016 samples, it had not found any violations of E.P.A. standards with glyphosate. More recent samples are still under review, an agency spokeswoman said. The F.D.A. said Wednesday that it would consider the Environmental Working Group's findings. 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." Follow Mihir Zaveri on Twitter: @MihirZaveri. Tesla declined to comment. The SEC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The agency is pressing Tesla's board for details on how much information he shared with them prior to announcing his plans on Twitter, the report said, citing a source. Two key questions are what Musk may have told directors before he spoke publicly about the possibility of taking Tesla private and when he spoke to them. The Securities and Exchange Commission is looking into whether Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted about taking the company private in order to hurt those who were shorting Tesla's stock, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal Thursday. Last week, short-sellers betting against Tesla lost big after the CEO tweeted "considering taking Tesla private at $420 a share. Funding secured." At that level, the company would be valued at $72 billion. "Funding Secured" Tesla shares rose 11 percent following Musk's tweet on Aug. 7, meaning short sellers lost about $1.3 billion in mark-to-market losses, according to estimates from financial technology and analytics firm S3 Partners. The data firm said roughly 35 million Tesla shares are held short and the cumulative mark-to-market paper loss for those betting against the automaker as of last week was roughly $3 billion for this year. Short selling is a practice in which traders can bet against a company by selling shares they don't own and buying them back at a lower price. There are few if any details on where the money for a deal like this would come from. Some legal experts have said that if Musk really had not secured the funding for the deal, he could be accused of fraud or market manipulation. Since his first tweet Musk said in a blog post that he had had conversations with members of the Saudi Arabian wealth fund about investing in a buyout deal, and said he is working with Silver Lake Partners and Goldman Sachs on the deal. Goldman Sachs moved Tesla to "not rated" status on Wednesday and confirmed it is advising Musk on the deal. Tesla shares closed Thursday at $335.45, down less than 1 percent, and valuing the company at $57.2 billion. Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is trying to appeal to Wall Street and big business as he unveils his new pro-Trump political operation during the final stretch of the midterm election campaign. The outspoken economic nationalist told CNBC on Thursday that his group, Citizens of the American Republic, is planning to push the idea that a vote for Democrats is a vote against what he describes as President Donald Trump's "reorientation of the global economic supply chain." "One of our goals is to let the investment community and Wall Street community know that we aren't the wolf at the door," said Bannon, who steered the Trump campaign during the last leg of the 2016 election. "The wolf at the door is Democratic socialism." Bannon's pitch to voters and business leaders is that Democratic majorities in Congress would roll back the administration's economic initiatives. "It's been more than tax cuts. It's been a complete reorientation of the American economy and of the global supply chain," Bannon said. "The Trump economic program is disruptive and innovative, and people should be worried that Democrats will try to roll back the tax cuts. It will all come to a crashing halt if Democrats are elected." CNBC reported in June that Bannon, who fell out of grace with Trump in January but continued to press the president's agenda, was preparing for a comeback. The effort would include calling on his allies to record advertisements in support of the president's agenda and the creation of a war room. Bannon said his objective is to target approximately 40 congressional districts around the country, but he declined to name the districts. He will work with the help of longtime pollster and former advisor to President Jimmy Carter, Pat Caddell, along with John McLaughlin, a fellow consultant and pollster who boasts past clients such as former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. A spokeswoman for McLaughlin did not return requests for comment. A flag bearing the Tencent logo is displayed alongside a Chinese flag outside the company's offices in Beijing, China. Tencent's stock was in focus after the company posted a quarterly earnings report on Wednesday that missed analyst expectations. Thursday morning trade saw the Chinese tech giant's Hong Kong-listed stock sliding around 3 percent following the news. The company's profit for the quarter ending in June dipped 2 percent to 17.87 billion yuan ($2.59 billion), which was weaker than analysts had anticipated. That was also the first decline in profit for the company in almost 13 years. "The disappointment will be broad based from these results, particularly in a market that's still sensitive to the downside globally at the moment," said Douglas Morton, head of research at Northern Trust Capital Markets. Being more specific in his critique of Tencent's performance, Leo Sun, a technology specialist at The Motley Fool, said: "The big surprise was definitely the online gaming business." Speaking with CNBC's "Squawk Box," Sun said the 6 percent year-over-year growth from the segment was "pretty disappointing" as it usually reports numbers in the double digits. Furthermore, he added, most of the growth came from older games such as "Honor of Kings." To exacerbate matters, Sun pointed to the company's reported 19 percent sequential fall in smartphone gaming revenue, saying it is a result of Tencent's inability to obtain regulatory approval for the sale of in-game items in the mobile version of the popular battle royale game "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds." According to the Wall Street Journal, the roadblock toward approval is largely due to "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds" being a product developed by a company out of South Korea, a country that has had strained ties with China. "PC games were also a problem," Sun said, pointing to an 8 percent sequential fall in revenues as personal computer gamers made the transition toward mobile devices. Tesla has allegedly hired several employees accused of spying on competitors while they worked at Uber, according to a new whistleblower complaint against the company. Nick Gicinto, who is named in a statement about the complaint, formerly ran Uber's Strategic Services Group. The group was accused of unauthorized surveillance of competitors, including recording private conversations and wiretapping, in an explosive piece of evidence revealed during the lawsuit between Uber and Alphabet's self-driving car company, Waymo, earlier this year. The complaint, filed to the SEC by Tesla ex-security employee Karl Hansen, accuses Tesla's security team of unauthorized wiretapping and "hacking" of employee cell phones and computers, including accessing the cell phone of Martin Tripp, another Tesla whistleblower, after he was fired. Hansen says that Tesla CEO Elon Musk "specifically authorized" these tactics. The Uber memo, dubbed the Jacobs Letter, contained a long list of unethical surveillance techniques allegedly used by Gicinto and others while trying to obtain trade secrets from competitors such as Waymo and DiDi Chuxing. At the time, Uber said it hadn't substantiated all the claims in the letter but that "going forward [it] would compete honestly and fairly." Uber and Waymo settled the high-profile case in February, with Uber paying Waymo an equity stake worth approximately $245 million. In April, four Uber security managers, including Gicinto, sued the author of the letter, Richard Jacobs, for defamation. The complaint against Tesla alleges that Gicinto now leads Tesla's security unit, and that there are several other former Uber employees on the team as well, "despite the revelation of a purported investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office in San Francisco this past December 2017 as to the actions related to the Uber security team." It additionally alleges theft and drug dealing at one of Tesla's factories. In a statement to CNBC, a Tesla spokesperson called some of Hansen's allegations "outright false" and said others "could not be corroborated." The company said it made "numerous attempts" to get more information from Hansen. "He rejected each of those attempts, and to date has refused to speak with the company further," Tesla said. "It seems strange that Mr. Hansen would claim that he is concerned about something happening within the company, but then refuse to engage with the company to discuss the information that he believes he has." The accusations against Tesla come as Musk faces scrutiny for a controversial tweet last week in which he said he was looking to take the company private at $420 a share with "funding secured." The SEC has reportedly served Tesla with a subpoena to determine whether the tweet violated SEC rules that public statements made by company executives must be true. Here is the release about the most recent SEC complaint: Tesla's Model 3 sedan is blowing engineers away, but it might be a big headache for folks in finance. Analysts at UBS pulled apart three different electric cars to compare their technology and production costs: a new Tesla Model 3, a 2014 BMW i3 and a 2017 Chevy Bolt. The engineers hired by UBS to examine a $49,000 2018 Model 3 were "crazy" about the powertrain, "highlighting next-gen, military-grade tech that's years ahead of peers," said UBS analyst Colin Langan in a note dated Wednesday. But the costs were higher than expected, and the cars would lose about $6,000 each at Tesla's original plan to sell an entry model at $35,000, he said. It is another sign Tesla may have trouble turning into the mass-market automaker it said it wants to become. Plans to manufacture the lower-cost vehicle have been delayed since its announcement in 2016 as the electric car manufacturer struggled to meet demand. CEO Elon Musk said in May that manufacturing the Model 3 at that price "right away" would cause Tesla to "die." The company had originally billed the Model 3 as a sleek electric vehicle for the masses, and the car that would turn Tesla from a smaller maker of expensive electric cars to a volume manufacturer. Instead, Tesla focused on higher-cost versions that yield better margins. The profit margin on the $49,000 version UBS tore apart was about 18 percent, for example. UBS hired the engineers for a breakdown of each car's powertrain and battery, electronic controls, frame and body as well as interior and safety features. They evaluated each part's design, ease of manufacturing and cost. Tesla beat its two competitors in cost, but the Model 3 didn't have has big a lead over the other automakers as UBS had expected. UBS based its estimates on consultations with engineers and industry research. Tesla, Chevrolet and BMW were not immediately available for comment. However, some of the Model 3's technology seems to be far ahead of Chevrolet and BMW. In particular, Tesla's electric powertrain stood out as exceptionally simple and flexible. BY THE NUMBERS IN THE NEWS TODAY STOCKS TO WATCH Cisco Systems (CSCO) reported adjusted quarterly profit of 70 cents per share, beating estimates by 1 cent. The networking equipment and software company also saw revenue top forecasts, and it also gave a better-than-expected current quarter forecast as its subscription-based software business gains traction. NetApp (NTAP) beat estimates by 24 cents with adjusted quarterly profit of $1.04 per share, with the cloud data storage company's revenue slightly above Street forecasts. U.K. regulators have confirmed a prior decision that Walt Disney (DIS) will have to pay at least 14 pounds per share for British broadcaster Sky, if it completes its deal to buy Twenty-First Century Fox (FOXA) assets before either Fox or NBCUniversal parent Comcast (CMCSA) succeeds in taking control of Sky. Fox's 39 percent stake in Sky is among the assets Disney is buying. Pfizer (PFE) has struck an alliance with privately held German biotech company BioNTech to develop more effective flu vaccines. BioNTech could receive up to $425 million depending on the achievement of certain development goals. Best Buy (BBY) is buying health services company GreatCall for $800 million in cash in the electronics retailer's largest-ever acquisition. Best Buy already sells GreatCall merchandise, including emergency response services and mobile products aimed at senior citizens. Activist investor Starboard Value has taken a 5.8 percent stake in cybersecurity software maker Symantec (SYMC), according to the Wall Street Journal, and has nominated five directors to the 11-person board. Starboard is said to be pushing for operational changes to improve profit margins. WATERCOOLER President Donald Trump cited the ongoing probe into Russia's attack on U.S. elections in 2016 as a reason he revoked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, a frequent critic of the president. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump made a more direct connection between his action against Brennan and the investigation than he had in a statement released Wednesday. He told the newspaper he believes Brennan is one of the people responsible for special counsel Robert Mueller's probe. "I think that whole I call it the rigged witch hunt is a sham," Trump told the Journal on Wednesday. "And these people led it!" "So I think it's something that had to be done," he added, referring to his revocation of Brennan's clearance. Trump also told the Journal the investigation is "so badly discredited" but stressed that he isn't a target of Mueller's team. "You know, in theory I'm not under investigation," the president told the newspaper. "I'm not a target." Trump has repeatedly denied colluding with Russia to sway the election. The president's originally stated rationale for revoking Brennan's clearance, in a statement dated July 26 despite being released Wednesday, cited "erratic conduct and behavior" from the former CIA boss. (Trump told the Journal he was prepared to announce his decision on Brennan during his vacation last week, but that it was too "hectic.") The president also accused Brennan of lying about intelligence community conclusions about the 2016 election and purported surveillance of congressional staffers. Brennan swiftly condemned Trump's decision, saying the president was "trying to get back at me" for intense criticism. "I think Mr. Trump is getting more and more concerned, more and more desperate and I would say more and more frightened, as there is closer and closer magnification of some of the things that those around him have been involved in," Brennan told MSNBC on Wednesday afternoon. "So I do think it's important that I continue to speak out." Brennan is a contributor for NBC News and MSNBC. He continued his onslaught against Trump on Thursday with an op-ed in The New York Times. "Mr. Trump's claims of no collusion are, in a word, hogwash," he wrote. Brennan, who served as President Barack Obama's CIA director from 2013 to 2017, is one of the highest-profile and most caustic critics of Trump. He was one of the national security officials who briefed Trump on Russia's attacks on the 2016 election before his inauguration in January 2017. The officials showed Trump highly classified evidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin had personally ordered the cyber warfare, the Times reported. Despite that briefing, Trump has often played down Putin and Russia's role in the election hacking. It culminated in a joint press conference with Putin in Helsinki earlier this summer, when Trump indicated he could accept Putin's denial of interference over the conclusions of the U.S. intelligence community. Brennan called Trump's performance at the press conference "nothing short of treasonous." Trump is also considering revoking the security clearances of former FBI Director James Comey, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former NSA Director Michael Hayden, former national security advisor Susan Rice, former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, former FBI agent Peter Strzok, ex-FBI lawyer Lisa Page and current Justice Department official Bruce Ohr. Read the full Wall Street Journal report here. This story was originally published Aug. 16, 2018, and has an updated timestamp because a video was recently added. The text of the article has not been updated since the story was originally published. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump's military parade postponed after this article was originally published is shaping up to cost $80 million more than initially estimated. The Department of Defense and its interagency partners have updated their prospective cost estimates for the parade, according to a U.S. defense official with firsthand knowledge of the assessment. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity. The parade, originally slated for Nov. 10 but now potentially set for 2019, is estimated to cost $92 million, the official said. The figure consists of $50 million from the Pentagon and $42 million from interagency partners such as the Department of Homeland Security. An initial estimate last month pegged the prospective cost for the parade at $12 million. A Pentagon spokesman said in an email to CNBC that the Defense Department expects to make an announcement soon, but he would not comment further. The White House referred questions to the Defense Department. The $92 million cost estimate includes security, transportation of parade assets, aircraft, as well as temporary duty for troops. The official also noted that while the size and scope of the military parade can still shift, the plans currently include approximately eight tanks, as well as other armored vehicles, including Bradleys, Strykers and M113s. The official also said that experts put to rest concerns about whether the Abrams tank, which weighs just shy of 70 tons, would ruin infrastructure in Washington. Their analysis found that, because of the vehicle's distributed weight and track pads, the streets of the nation's capital would not be compromised. The parade is also expected to include helicopter, fighter jet, transport aircraft as well as historical military plane flyovers. Troops in period uniforms representing the past, present and future forces will march in the parade, as well. Trump's charge of media "collusion" highlights his acrimonious relationship with the press, which he often accuses of bias against him. He's particularly enraged by coverage of special counsel Robert Mueller 's investigation of potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Trump also claimed in that tweet that The New York Times had purchased the Globe for $2.1 billion, and had sold it two decades later for just $1. A Times report announcing that 2013 sale , however, shows that the paper was bought in 1993 for $1.1 billion and sold for $70 million. "The Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press," Trump said in a tweet. "PROVE IT!" he added, without elaborating. President Donald Trump attacked The Boston Globe in a tweet on Thursday after it coordinated efforts with hundreds of newspapers across the country to publish editorials defending a free press. At campaign-style rallies and on social media Trump regularly calls the mainstream media "fake news" and "the enemy of the people." He has increasingly taken to Twitter to rail against the Mueller probe, calling the investigation a "rigged witch hunt" and saying there was "no collusion" between his campaign and Russia. The Globe's coordinated efforts resulted in editorials in more than 350 outlets pushing back against Trump's attacks. "For more than two centuries, this foundational American principle has protected journalists at home and served as a model for free nations abroad. Today it is under serious threat," the Globe's editorial board wrote. "And it sends an alarming signal to despots from Ankara to Moscow, Beijing to Baghdad, that journalists can be treated as a domestic enemy." In a follow-up tweet Thursday, Trump asserted that "there is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS." He then repeated his "FAKE NEWS" taunt. Trump tweet Globe 2 The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that Congress cannot enact laws prohibiting the freedom of the press. Trump's critics have argued that the president's continued attacks on the media create a chilling effect that hinders press freedom. Later on Thursday, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution condemning "attacks on the institution of the free press." It was pushed by Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., as well as Democratic Sens. Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Connecticut's Richard Blumenthal. The document affirmed that the Senate "views efforts to systematically undermine the credibility of the press as an attack on the democratic institutions of the United States." A source familiar with the resolution said it was introduced today in order to line up with the spree of free-press editorials. More than 300 U.S. newspapers are running editorials Thursday that promote press freedom to counter Donald Trump's attacks on the media, in a move coordinated by The Boston Globe. President Trump has often attacked some media reports as "fake news" and called journalists the "enemy of the people," and "very dangerous and sick," in a tweet earlier this month. In July, he blasted The New York Times and The Washington Post as "anti-Trump haters" who "do nothing but write bad stories even on very positive achievements they will never change." The Globe's initiative aims to denounce "the war against the free press" and it suggested that editorial boards take a stand against Trump's words regardless of their politics. TWEET Larger papers such as the Chicago Sun-Times, The New York Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer have published editorials and the list extends to small weeklies, the Globe reported. In its own editorial, published Wednesday, the Globe's editorial board wrote under the headline "Journalists are not the enemy." It published the results of a poll that showed 48 percent of Republican voters agreed with the statement: "The news media is the enemy of the American people," with 28 percent disagreeing. The Globe wrote: "Today in the United States we have a president who has created a mantra that members of the media who do not blatantly support the policies of the current U.S. administration are the 'enemy of the people.' This is one of the many lies that have been thrown out by this president, much like an old-time charlatan threw out 'magic' dust or water on a hopeful crowd." If you follow Warren Buffett's warning on Walmart stock, you might look past the retailer's earnings pop on Thursday and find better stocks for your money. Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is a long-time Walmart shareholder, but in 2016 it sold a large chunk of its stake, then valued around $3 billion. At that time, Buffett cited fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos, Amazon and the pressures ecommerce had created in the retail sector. Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors in the world Adam Jeffery | CNBC Walmart shares have done very well since then. In the second half of 2016, when Berkshire was selling, Walmart was trading near $70. Even though its shares are basically flat so far this year, Walmart is now trading close to $100, with a 10 percent post-earnings gain on Thursday. Berkshire still held roughly 1.4 million shares of Walmart at the end of June, valued at roughly $140 million. Was it a mistake to get out? Buffett didn't bash Walmart when he sold in fact, he had plenty of good things to say about the company. Berkshire's wholly owned retail distributor subsidiary, McLane, has a key business relationship with Walmart. Berkshire bought McLane from Walmart decades ago and still has to negotiate pricing agreements with the retail giant negotiations that have become even tougher in the Amazon era. "Walmart is a fabulous company and what Sam Walton and his successors did is one of the great stories of American business," Buffett told CNBC in 2016. But the investing great stated his case pretty simply in recent years, based on CNBC interviews and Berkshire shareholder meeting commentary culled from CNBC's new Buffett archive: Retail is rough as long as Amazon is growing. There are less worrisome ways to put money to work in the stock market: "Retailing is too tough for me," he said in the 2016 interview after Berkshire sold the majority of its Walmart stake. "I've been in various things in retailing...and got my head handed to me." He added, "The online thing is very hard to figure out. ... I just decided I would look for a little easier game." Berkshire has done very well with Apple, its biggest tech bet since the IBM mistake. It has also made some well-timed deep value plays, such as Teva Pharmaceuticals. Walmart's earnings report on Thursday did show strength in online sales, but also was a read on the strength of U.S. consumer spending at this moment in the economic cycle and after the tax cuts, which have boosted earnings for other retailers this season, such as Home Depot. Buffett has remarked in the past on how well Walmart has done in online sales in response to the Amazon threat. A former top Amazon executive, Marc Lore, is now running Walmart's ecommerce business after its acquisition of Jet.com. One strength in particular that he cited was having stores all over the country that can act as pick-up spots for online customers. This month, Amazon announced a similar grocery pickup service at its Whole Foods stores, following Walmart's lead. Walmart also is integrating its acquisition of India ecommerce company Flipkart. Just as Walmart was once totally underestimated by the seers of its time, the idea some guy in Bentonville, Arkansas, would would take them to cleaners, that was the situation at first with traditional retailers, and Amazon. You want to be underestimated at first. Warren Buffett Berkshire Hathaway CEO and chairman But speaking to CNBC in 2016, Buffett pointed to a number that scared him: Walmart's total global online sales was roughly in line with the annual gains that Amazon was making. "Worldwide you're talking maybe $12 billion to $14 billion. ... Amazon is having annual gains of numbers like that." According to a July forecast from consulting group eMarketer, Amazon has over 49 percent of the U.S. online retail market. It estimated Walmart's share at 3.7 percent, slightly below the share held by eBay and recent Buffett stock buy Apple, at 3.9 percent. Back in 2015, well before he sold most of the stake, Buffett was clear about the threat Amazon presented. "Ecommerce has to be enormously important to them, it's a game that they've got to become very, very competitive in." Walmart said U.S. online sales climbed 40 percent during the second quarter, and the company is still anticipating an increase of 40 percent for the full year. But that is down from a 50 percent jump logged in the third quarter of last year. When asked by CNBC at a time when Walmart was exerting pricing pressure on suppliers like McLane, Buffet remarked on similarities between Walmart and Amazon, similarities which have favored Amazon in the past decade. "Just as Walmart was once totally underestimated by the seers of its time, the idea some guy in Bentonville, Arkansas, would would take them to cleaners, that was the situation at first with traditional retailers, and Amazon. You want to be underestimated at first." "Jeff Bezos has built extraordinary economic machine from standing still, a start of zero, with competitors with lots of capital." Is Walmart being underestimated by Buffett again? As large healthcare chains are looking at expanding their footprint, Malaysia based IHH Healthcare and Indian conglomerate Hinduja Group are looking to run operations of Mumbais Jaslok Hospital, reported The Economic Times The Hospital trusts in India are looking increasingly to hand over their operations to healthcare companies, which can bring in advanced, global medical practices and a higher level of professionalism, the report said. IHH Healthcare, which recently won the bid to acquire debt-laden Fortis healthcare, and the Hinduja Group are in talks with the 348-bed multispecialty south-Mumbai based hospital to take over its operations, the report added. Mumbai, which is dominated by singular trust hospitals saw KKR-backed Radiant Life Care taking over Nanavati Hospitals operations in 2014, while Bengaluru based Narayana Health had a similar arrangement with Mumbais SRCC Childrens Hospital, the daily said. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Indus Towers announced successful installation of 55 Smart Poles in Connaught Place. Each Smart Pole is equipped with Wi-Fi access points, Smart lighting solution (warm LED lights consuming lesser energy), and CCTV cameras (for video surveillance). 18 Environment sensors to measure Air Quality Index are installed for real time monitoring and the information will be displayed on 9 Variable message Display installed in the NDMC area. All the smart services are integrated to the command and control center at NDMC Palika Kendra to provide real time monitoring and control. The smart poles also enable installation of 4G technology by Telecom service providers to support best in class mobile data network. These Smart Poles will help achieve the smart city mission objectives keeping in mind Citizens requirement in the areas of Safety, Environment, Connectivity and next generation mobile services along with a robust Fiber infrastructure and to make the city clean, safe and smart. The successful deployment of these poles is part of Indus Towers collaboration for entailing digital network across the NDMC area and in line with its vision of transforming lives by enabling communication. Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Bimal Dayal, CEO, Indus Towers said, Indus Towers is very happy to partner with NDMC in rolling out this prestigious, first time in India, Smart Poles and Services project. This has been a journey of partnership under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. Indus Towers unique proposition of building shared infrastructure will enable formation of sustainable public and private partnerships model to implement integrated Smart city Services and create a robust future ready telecom infrastructure. The first of its kind partnership will create common infrastructure which can be shared by NDMC for its Smart city initiatives and multiple telecom operators to provide their mobile and broadband services to citizens of Delhi. Embedded in the PPP model is the commitment to provide uninterrupted maintenance services with best in class service level targets for the upkeep and uptime of smart elements and assets for over the next 12 years. for City surveillance, Public Wi-Fi, environment monitoring, smart lighting. In the first phase, Indus towers will commission 72 poles to enable more than 4000 concurrent users with Public WiFi,18 Environment sensor locations and 9 Variable displays to present live data. This is in line with Values of our Company and it truly demonstrates Putting India First. Indus Towers is committed to make New Delhi Municipal Council realise its Smart City vision. Technuter.com News Service Indias IT giant Infosys is planning on selling its learning platform Lex to the clients after rebranding the product, The Economic Times reported. The mobile app platform has content from Infosys as well as third party specialised content. In an effort to monetise and build expertise in business, IT companies such as Infosys and TCS are willing to sell their learning platforms built for their employees, the ET report said. The Lex platform that we have built has become so powerful that our clients want to buy it. This has also become a sales tool kit for us. Internally, it will be Lex, but it will be something else outside. We havent sold anything but if it starts to pick up, say 500,000 employees of different companies could start to use it and that is what we are looking at, Salil Parekh, chief executive officer, Infosys told the paper. Tata Consultancy Services is also looking to sell its re-skilling services Ion to provide online courses and enter the digital learning space and content marketplace, the report said, adding that it has already taken its platform to Japan, among other countries. REFINITIV 15 How the journey of Sarvatra Technologies began and what are the problems the company is solving in India? In 2010, NPCI allowed Sarvatra to be the first ASP to connect directly to NFS (National Financial Switch), thereby ushering in a revolution in small cooperative banks that were not direct members of NFS and could not become one as they were not members of RTGS, because of which co-operative banks were not interoperable with other banks. Our first breakthrough came in when HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank became the sponsor banks for Dr. Annasaheb Chougule Urban Cooperative Bank and Pandharpur Urban Cooperative Bank respectively, allowing us to on board any cooperative banks in India. Sarvatra has evolved into a leading end-to-end solution provider for urban, semi-urban and rural banking sectors, always striving to stay ahead on the technology curve. Sarvatras focus since its inception has been to address the special requirements of the rural/cooperative banking sector, endeavouring to remove all budgetary, technological, operational, and infrastructural problems faced by the sector. Overall idea is to bring them on a digital platform and be a part of financial inclusion. Sarvatra Technologies is also providing Micro ATM solutions. What are the benefits of Micro ATMs and how do you envisage its importance going forward? Providing banking facilities and an array of ATMs throughout the rural areas is unviable for banks due to high Infrastructure cost, low number of accounts, low volume and value of transactions. The government has suggested a Micro ATM model for increasing transactions in the rural areas. Micro ATM is a bank-led model which facilitates online interoperable financial inclusion transaction using handheld terminals through Business Correspondent (BC) / Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS). Micro ATM solution is integral part of Government of Indias financial inclusion mission. It offers various banking services at an affordable cost to the vast sections of disadvantaged and low-income group. The various solutions include: a) RuPay Card-based On-us and Off-us transaction on Micro ATMs b) AEPS Cardless On-us and Off-us transactions on Micro ATMs c) eKYC transactions d) alternate banking channel for Banks own customers. The importance of Micro ATM solution is going to increase, due to its following benefits: Micro ATM solution enables the unbanked rural people to easily access micro banking services in a very cost-effective manner at remote locations. Micro ATM solution creates additional earning opportunity to the BC as well as Acquiring Bank. Micro ATM enables online updating of transactions, thereby helping rural banking digitalisation. Micro ATM are cost-effective. They support vernacular language display and voice with inbuilt biometric authentication that helps the banks to achieve total financial inclusion in real terms. What is the trend in UPI transactions during the first half of 2018? How much growth do you foresee in the next half of the year? In January 2018, a total of 151 million UPI transactions were conducted in India with a total value of Rs. 15,571 Cr. By June 2018, i.e. in 6 months, the national volume increased by 61% to 246 million UPI transactions while the total value more than doubled to Rs. 40,834 Cr., a whopping 260% increase. We envisage this exponential growth trend to continue in the coming months and years. Sarvatras UPI solution implements complete UPI functionality and has been operational since the launch of UPI in April 2016. June 2018 registered 132 million transactions aggregating a value of around Rs. 20,000 Cr. on the Sarvatra UPI platform. Thus, Sarvatra has maintained its leadership position by accounting for more than 50% of the national transactions on UPI today. How is Sarvatra Technologies helping rural banks in India? Prior to Sarvatra, possessing their own world-class Data Centre and Payments Infrastructure was difficult for small rural / cooperative banks due to the huge capex involved in owning and managing the required infrastructure. Sarvatra provided the entire infrastructure required for a bank to centralize its system and to participate in the national payment network as a managed service. The entire setup is managed by Sarvatra, while the operating cost is on a pay-per-use basis. This enables even the smallest rural / cooperative bank to offer modern customer facilities with minimal expenditure and shortest time to go live. Our shared infrastructure includes: Payments Switches EFT (ATM, POS, E-Com), IMPS, BBPS, UPI, AEPS, eKYC, Micro ATMs, Aadhaar Data Vault Core Banking System with more than two decades of experience in providing complete functionality and ease of use Mobile Banking Platform providing mobile banking, funds transfer IMPS & UPI, bill payments, card management and such facilities at the fingertips of customers of the banks. It also offers mobile apps for AEPS, eKYC, Aadhaar Pay, Daily Deposits Collection, BBPS (agent app) Self service Web Portal for banks for card management, ATM monitoring, dispute management, MIS, Reconciliation and so on Monitoring Interface ATM/POS monitoring, Card Management, Network link monitoring Data Centre PCI-DSS v3.2, ISO 27001:2013 (Information Security Management System), ISO 22301:2012 (Business Continuity Management System) Best in class technical infrastructure including Oracle Exadata engineered system, Nutanix hyper converged systems, top of the line CISCO networking components and firewalls, Multiple redundant HSMs providing best in class security, scalability and reliability Disaster Recovery (DR)site with similar Server, Network, and DB hardware as the primary Data Centre Integrated Payments Platform Comprehensive payment functionality and end-to-end transaction processing for greater efficiency, security, easy integration and advanced risk management 247 Service Desk Our solution for the rural banks in India has the following salient features: Advanced technology at an affordable price. Access to a large national ATM/Merchant network. Access to real time data to offer modern banking services to customers across branches affordably. Multiple connectivity options between branches & Data Centre. Easy to deploy across a wide area. Generates MIS. No special training required. Offers a new paradigm for increasing efficiency and new revenue streams. How exactly is Sarvatra Technologies associated with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)? Sarvatra is Indias pioneering technology company to develop payment solutions on the NPCI platform. Our several firsts include being Indias first ASP to enable sub-member banks on RuPay ATM, E-Com, VAS, and IMPS. We have developed 5 different switches (EFT, IMPS, BBPS, UPI, AEPS) for various NPCI products. Today, Sarvatra enjoys 55% market share in NPCIs sponsor model, with more than 1.5+ Crore debit cards issued till date. How is Sarvatra Technologies contributing to financial inclusion goals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi? On 31st December 2016, Indias Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi in his New Years Eve speech addressed the nation and announced a slew of measures to boost the digital economy of the country. One key announcement was that in the next 3 months, RuPay debit cards will be issued to Kisan Credit Card (KCC) customers, totalling 3 Crore (30 million) to enable the rural bank customers to withdraw money from ATMs and sell and buy at any place through digital transactions. Sarvatra singlehandedly issued 1 Crore Debit Cards to KCC (Kisan Credit Card) customers, thereby achieving 1/3rd of the 3 Crore national target set by the PM. District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs), the issuers of KCCs, were amongst Sarvatras clients, and we helped them achieve the target comfortably within time. Also, the Bhim AadhaarPay product inaugurated by PM Mr. Narendra Modi was running on Sarvatras AEPS platform at ICICI Bank. Please share some of the key milestones that company has achieved till now? (2010) Indias first ASP certified by NPCI to provide switch-to-switch connectivity under sub-membership model for nationwide connectivity through NFS ATM network. Indias first ASP to get a sub-member bank live on RuPay Debit. (2013) Indias first ASP to get a sub-member bank live on IMPS. Invented Indias first POS-based ATM. (2015) Indias first ASP to get a sub-member bank live on RuPay E-com (2018) Sarvatras technology platforms handle more than 50% UPI transactions and 30% IMPS transactions nationally. 10 million transactions for ATM, POS and E-Com with a total value of Rs. 3,000 Crore were managed on Sarvatra hosted payments platform in June 2018. Technuter.com News Service 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 There has been some concern that Windows 10 gathers too much private information from users. Whether you think Microsoft's operating system crosses the privacy line or just want to make sure you protect as much of your personal life as possible, we're here to help. Here's how to protect your privacy in just a few minutes. Note: This story has been updated for the Windows 10 May 2021 Update, version 21H1. If you have an earlier release of Windows 10, some things may be different. [ Further reading: 15 ways to speed up Windows 10 ] Turn off ad tracking At the top of many people's privacy concerns is what data is being gathered about them as they browse the web. That information creates a profile of a person's interests that is used by a variety of companies to target ads. Windows 10 does this with the use of an advertising ID. The ID doesn't just gather information about you when you browse the web, but also when you use Windows 10 apps. You can turn that advertising ID off if you want. Launch the Windows 10 Settings app (by clicking on the Start button at the lower left corner of your screen and then clicking the Settings icon, which looks like a gear) and go to Privacy > General. There you'll see a list of choices under the title "Change privacy options"; the first controls the advertising ID. Move the slider from On to Off. You'll still get ads delivered to you, but they'll be generic ones rather than targeted ones, and your interests won't be tracked. IDG You can turn off Windows 10's advertising ID if you want. You'll still get ads, but they'll be generic ones. (Click image to enlarge it.) To make absolutely sure you're not tracked online when you use Windows 10, and to turn off any other ways Microsoft will use information about you to target ads, head to the Ad Settings section of Microsoft's Privacy Dashboard. Sign into your Microsoft account at the top right of the page. Then go to the "See ads that interest you" section at the top of the page and move the slider from On to Off. Turn off location tracking Wherever you go, Windows 10 knows you're there. Some people don't mind this, because it helps the operating system give you relevant information, such as your local weather, what restaurants are nearby and so on. But if you don't want Windows 10 to track your location, you can tell it to stop. Launch the Settings app and go to Privacy > Location. Underneath "Allow access to location on this device," click Change and, on the screen that appears, move the slider from On to Off. Doing that turns off all location tracking for every user on the PC. IDG Clicking the Change button lets you turn location tracking on or off for every user on the Windows 10 device. (Click image to enlarge it.) This doesn't have to be all-or-nothing affair you can turn off location tracking on an app-by-app basis. If you want your location to be used only for some apps and not others, make sure location tracking is turned on, then scroll down to the "Choose apps that can use your precise location" section. You'll see a list of every Windows 10 app that can use your location. Move the slider to On for the apps you want to allow to use your location for example, Weather or Maps and to Off for the apps you don't. That doesnt cover desktop apps, though. So after you turn on location tracking, go to Allow desktop apps to access your location. When you do that, a list of desktop apps that use location tracking appears. Move the slider to On for each of the apps you want to use your location and Off for each app you dont. When you turn off location tracking, Windows 10 will still keep a record of your past location history. To clear your location history, go to the Privacy Dashboard, scroll down to the Location Activity section, click View and Clear Location Activity, and delete all or some of your location history. There's a lot more you can do to protect your privacy when you're there. For details, see "Use Microsoft's Privacy Dashboard" below. Turn off Timeline Timeline is a Windows 10 feature that lets you review and then resume activities and open files you've started on your Windows 10 PC, as well as any other Windows PCs and devices you have. So, for example, you can switch between a desktop and a laptop, and from each machine resume activities you've started on either PC. In order to do that, Windows needs to gather information about all your activities on each of your machines. If that worries you, it's easy to turn Timeline off. To do it, go to Settings > Privacy > Activity history and uncheck the boxes next to Store my activity history on this device and Send my activity history to Microsoft. IDG Here's how to turn off Timeline so that Microsoft doesn't gather information about your activities on your PC. (Click image to enlarge it.) At that point, Windows 10 no longer gathers information about your activities. However, it still keeps information about your old activities and shows them in your Timeline on all your PCs. To get rid of that old information, go down to the "Clear activity history" section of the screen and click Clear. Note that you'll have to take these steps on all of your PCs to turn off the tracking of your activities. Curb Cortana Cortana is a somewhat useful digital assistant, but there's a tradeoff in using it: To do its job well, it needs to know things about you such as your home location, place of work, and the times and route you take to commute there. If you're worried it will invade your privacy by doing that, there are a few things you can do to limit the information Cortana gathers about you. But there's some information you'll have to share with Cortana if you want to use the assistant at all. Start by opening Cortana settings: Click the Cortana icon to the right of the Windows search box (it's a circle), then click the three-dot icon in the upper left of the screen and select the settings icon that appears in the pane. Then click Privacy. A panel appears that lets you, to a limited extent, limit the information Cortana gathers about you. IDG Here's the central location for handling privacy in Cortana, but there's not a lot you can do to limit its privacy gathering if you want to continue to use it. (Click image to enlarge it.) Click Revoke permission and sign out, and you'll be signed out of Cortana, your chat history will be cleared, and Cortana won't track information such as your location or connect with your calendar, email, contacts and other apps and services. But you won't be able to use Cortana, either. The next time you sign in, Cortana will once against track you and connect with all those services. If you only want to clear your chat history but remain signed into Cortana, click Clear in the chat history section. Your chat history will be deleted, but once you start using Cortana, you'll once again build up a chat history. Note that the Microsoft Privacy dashboard section of Cortanas settings is outdated. It brings you to the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard, but the Dashboard no longer lets you clear Cortana data. Ditch a Microsoft account for a local account When you use your Microsoft account to log into Windows 10, you're able to sync your settings with all Windows devices. So, for example, when you make changes to your settings on a desktop PC, those changes will also be made on your laptop the next time you log in. But maybe you don't want Microsoft to store that information about you. And maybe you want to cut your ties as much as possible to anything Microsoft stores about you. If that's the case, your best bet is to stop using your Microsoft account and instead use a local account. To do it, go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users. Then click Add someone else to this PC. From the screen that appears, select I don't have this person's sign-in information. On the next page, select Add a user without a Microsoft account and follow the instructions to create and use a local account. Keep in mind that when you do this, you won't be able to use Microsoft's OneDrive storage or download and install for-pay apps from the Microsoft Store. You can, however, download and install free apps from the Microsoft Store. Change your app permissions Windows apps have the potential to invade your privacy they can have access to your camera, microphone, location, pictures and videos. But you can decide, in a very granular way, what kind of access each app can have. To do this, go to Settings > Apps. Below "Apps & features" you'll see a list of your installed apps. Click the app whose permissions you want to control, then click Advanced options and set the app's permissions by toggling them either on or off. IDG Setting permissions for Microsofts 3D Viewer app. (Click image to enlarge it.) Note, though, that not all apps have an "Advanced options" link. And of those that do, not all let you customize your app permissions. However, there's another way to change app permissions. To do it, go to Settings > Privacy and look under the "App permissions" section on the left-hand side of the page. You'll see a list of all of Windows' hardware, capabilities and features that apps can access if they're given permission location, camera, microphone, notifications, account info, contacts and so on. Click any of the listed items for example, Microphone. At the top of the page that appears, you can turn off access to the microphone for all apps. Below that you'll see a listing of all the apps with access to the microphone, where you can control access on an app-by-app basis. Any app with access has a slider that is set to On. To stop any app from having access, move the slider to Off. Control and delete diagnostic data As you use Windows 10, data is gathered about your hardware and what you do when you use Windows. Microsoft says that it collects this data as a way to continually improve Windows and to offer you customized advice on how to best use Windows. That makes plenty of people uncomfortable. If you're one of them, you can to a certain extent control what kind of diagnostic data is gathered about you. To do it, head to Settings > Privacy > Diagnostics & Feedback. In the "Diagnostic data" section, you can choose between two levels of diagnostic data to be gathered. Note that there's no way to stop Microsoft from gathering diagnostic data entirely. Here are your two choices: Required diagnostic data : This sends information to Microsoft "about your device, its settings and capabilities, and whether it is performing properly." If you're worried about your privacy, this is the setting to choose. : This sends information to Microsoft "about your device, its settings and capabilities, and whether it is performing properly." If you're worried about your privacy, this is the setting to choose. Optional diagnostic data: This sends the whole nine yards to Microsoft: It will send info about the websites you browse and how you use apps and features, plus additional info about device health, device usage, and enhanced error reporting." It also sends along required diagnostic data. If you're worried about your privacy, don't make this choice. IDG Go here to control what diagnostic data Windows 10 gathers. (Click image to enlarge it.) Next, scroll down to the "Tailored experiences" section and move the slider to Off. This won't affect the data Microsoft gathers, but it will turn off targeted ads and tips that are based on that information. So while it won't enhance your privacy, you'll at least cut down on the annoyance factor. Now scroll a bit further down and in the "Delete diagnostic data" section, click Delete. That will delete all the diagnostic data Microsoft has gathered about you. However, after you delete it, Microsoft will start gathering the data again. Finally on this screen, consider scrolling up to the "Improve inking & typing recognition" section and moving the slider to Off. That will stop Windows 10 from sending to Microsoft the words you input using the keyboard and inking. One final note about diagnostic data. You may have heard about a tool Microsoft has been hyping, called the Diagnostic Data Viewer, which you can download from the Microsoft Store. Microsoft claims it lets you see exactly what kind of diagnostic data Microsoft gathers about you. Don't believe it. It's something only a programmer could love or understand. You won't be able to use it to clearly see the diagnostic data Microsoft collects. Instead, you'll scroll or search through incomprehensible headings such as "TelClientSynthetic.PdcNetworkActivation_4" and "Microsoft.Windows.App.Browser.IEFrameProcessAttached" with no explanation of what it means. Click any heading, and you'll find even more incomprehensible data. Use Microsoft's Privacy Dashboard Microsoft has built an excellent, little-known web tool called the Privacy Dashboard that lets you track and delete a lot of information Microsoft gathers about you. To get to it, go to https://account.microsoft.com/privacy/. As covered earlier in this story, here you can turn off ad targeting. You can also view and delete your browsing history, search history, location activity, voice activity, media activity, and more. (Note that for your browsing and search history, it only tracks your activity when you use Microsoft Edge or Internet Explorer. It doesn't track data when you use other browsers, like Chrome or Firefox. And it only tracks your location history when you're using Microsoft devices, not those that use iOS or Android.) IDG Microsoft's little-known Privacy Dashboard is a great place to delete much of the information Microsoft gathers about you. (Click image to enlarge it.) To use it, head to the information you want to view and clear, then click the appropriate link for example, View and delete browser history in Microsoft Edge. Note that in some instances, you wont have full control over deleting and managing data. Get granular in the Settings app All this shouldn't take that long and will do a great deal to protect your privacy. However, if you want to dig even deeper into privacy protections, there's something else you can do. Launch the Settings app and click Privacy. On the left-hand side of the screen, you'll see the various areas where you can get even more granular about privacy for example, in the Windows permissions section you can change your global privacy options for things such as speech recognition and inking. And here's where you'll get access to all app permissions, as outlined earlier in this article. These steps can take you a long way towards making sure that Windows 10 doesn't cross the line into gathering data you'd prefer remain private. This article was originally published in January 2016 and most recently updated in August 2021. More privacy tips The Treasury Department recently released a report urging state and federal regulators to revamp outdated statutes and support technological innovations such as AI, machine learning and blockchain that could make the U.S. financial system more nimble and competitive. The 222-page report, commissioned by the Trump Administration 18 months ago, focused on non-bank financial services firms, such as credit lending, servicing organizations and payments networks, as well as fintech companies tech vendors focused on innovation. The landscape for financial services has changed substantially, the report said, noting that from 2010 to the third quarter of 2017, more than 3,330 new technology-based firms serving the financial services industry had been founded, 40% of them focused on banking and capital markets. According to the report, financial services are being significantly reshaped by several important trends, including: Rapid advances in technology; Increased efficiencies from the rapid digitization of the economy; And an abundance of capital available to push innovation. The financing of digital financial services firms has been growing just as fast, reaching $22 billion globally in 2017, a thirteen-fold increase since 2010. And lending by high-tech, non-bank firms now makes up more than 36% of all U.S. personal loans, up from less than 1% in 2010. "Many statutes and regulations addressing the financial sector date back decades. As a result, the financial regulatory framework is not always optimally suited to address new business models and products that continue to evolve in financial services," the report stated. Steven DAlfonso, a research director with IDC Financial Insights, disagreed that financial institutions ability to innovate and experiment has been stifled by outdated regulations. "Banks are very adept at innovating and experimenting with new products and services. The catch is the implementation of those products and services to ensure data privacy and security; it may take months or longer to prove data privacy and security efficacy," he said. The federal agency, however, specifically identified a need to remove legal and regulatory uncertainties that hold back financial services companies and data aggregators from establishing data-sharing agreements that would effectively move firms away from screen-scraping customer data to more secure and efficient methods of data access. Today, many third-party data aggregators unable to access consumer data via APIs resort to the more arduous method of asking consumers to provide account login credentials (usernames and passwords) in order to use fintech apps. "Consumers may or may not appreciate that they are providing their credentials to a third-party, and not logging in directly to their financial services company," the report noted. The Treasury also called on federal and state financial regulators devise a way to coordinate and expedite regulatory relief under applicable laws and regulations "to permit meaningful experimentation for innovative products, services, and processes. "It is important that state regulators strive to achieve greater harmonization, including considering drafting of model laws that could be uniformly adopted for financial services companies currently challenged by varying licensing requirements of each state," the report said. Ashley Hutto-Schultz, a financial services regulatory attorney with the Washington law firm of Hogan Lovells, agreed there is a "perception" the current U.S. regulatory structure makes innovation difficult because, for example, businesses with new technologies that want to launch a product nationwide must analyze risk and exposure at a state level. "If they are subject to state laws, they must also set up their compliance management systems to track and stay updated on state legislative and regulatory changes. Treasury advocates more streamlined approaches for several areas of law and regulation," Hutto-Schultz said via email. While the Treasury made some "very pro-fintech" recommendations in its report, some have perceived its position as possibly stepping on the authority of individual states to regulate local business, he said. "Consumer advocates may also take issue with recommendations from Treasury that seem sympathetic to certain industries, such as short-term small dollar lenders," Hutto-Schultz said. Regulatory uncertainty may create hesitation Regulatory uncertainty has also been cited as a reason emerging technologies, such as distributed ledger technology (blockchain), have seen relatively slow adoption. "Regulatory issues are primarily a challenge for permissionless public blockchains where anyone can join and people are really already moving significant amounts of value," Paul Brody, Ernst & Young (EY) global innovation leader for blockchain technology, said during the firm's recent annual Global Blockchain Summit in New York. Regulators around the globe have been working on how best to handle blockchain networks and the cryptocurrencies the technology enables. For example, the cryptocurrency Ether is now under scrutiny by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which is reportedly weighing whether it qualifies as a security or a commodity. Recently, an SEC official clarified the agency's position on at least one cryptocurrency. Treasury Department Technology adoption and usage The Treasury report limited its assessment of blockchain and digital tokens, deferring to a separate interagency effort led by a working group of the Financial Stability Oversight Council. The working group is a designed to promote coordination among regulators as those technologies evolve. The Treasury also recommended that banking regulators clarify guidance regarding bank partnerships with nonbank financial firms, particularly smaller, less-mature companies using cutting-edge technologies that can help promote industry innovation. Playing nice in the sandbox The adoption of a "regulatory sandbox" a mechanism for developing regulation that keeps up with innovation was also highlighted in the Treasury's report. In 2015, the U.K. was among the first nations to roll out a regulatory sandbox, focusing first on fintech services. U.K. companies can now apply to the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to test technologies, such as blockchain services, in the sandbox. Last year, Arizona's Attorney General submitted a legislative proposal to establish a fintech regulatory sandbox for corporations to develop the technology. The legislation HB 2434 passed the state House and is now making its way through the Senate. Many banks, D'Alfanso said, have established innovation labs in which fintech companies can develop new products and services. "From my perspective, vendors and financial institutions must work more closely with their regulators to help them understand how new technologies can meet customer demands, enhance existing processes and reduce risk," D'Alfanso said. "At the same time, regulators must be more open to engaging with tech suppliers and [financial institutions], providing proactive assessments of how they may interpret the risks associated with a new technology." The Treasury's recommendations to regulators fell broadly into four categories: Adapting regulatory approaches to changes in the aggregation, sharing, and use of consumer financial data, and to support the development of key competitive technologies; Aligning the regulatory framework to combat unnecessary regulatory fragmentation, and account for new business models enabled by financial technologies; Updating activity-specific regulations across a range of products and services offered by non-bank financial institutions, many of which have become outdated in light of technological advances; And advocating an approach to regulation that enables responsible experimentation in the financial sector, improves regulatory agility, and advances American interests abroad. Financial technologies have enabled financial services firms to gain efficiencies and lower regulatory compliance costs that followed new regulations put in place after the financial crisis of 2007 and 2008. Startups and other tech-based firms are now competing or partnering with traditional software and service providers in nearly every aspect of the financial services industry as the proliferation of mobile devices and apps and the expansion of information flow have broken down barriers to entry, the report said. "The increasing scale of technology-enabled competitors and the corresponding threat of disruption has raised the stakes for existing firms to innovate more rapidly and pursue dynamic and adaptive strategies," the report said. "As a result, mature firms have launched platforms aimed at reclaiming market share through alternative delivery systems and at lower costs than they were previously able to provide." Workstations represent what I think is the strongest personal technology implementation in the PC space, albeit at the high end. What Im talking about is the almost laser-like focus workstation vendors have on workstation users. This is largely something we lost in the general corporate PC space that I think was a good part of the cause in the general PC space, the vendors focused excessively on IT (which focused them on price, cookie cutter boring designs, and excessively long model runs) rather than user needs. In the workstation space no one seemed to lose track of the people that used the products but, as focused as these vendors were workstations started to look pretty similar even though the people that used them have vastly different jobs. With this weeks launch of the Nvidia RTX (disclosure: Nvidia is a client of the author) line of rendering-focused cards it hit me that this is changing big time because these cards arent generically targeting every workstation user. They are focused like a laser just on those that do rendering, and this really isnt the first Nvidia has done this. I think this even tighter focus on users is not only a competitive advantage for Nvidia, it is a competitive advantage for workstation users who qualify for the related parts, and it is the way we should start to consider building the next wave of personal technology. DGX to RTX I really should have seen this when Nvidia brought their DGX workstation to market. The problem they were solving was that there really was no workstation designed to support people that were working in the artificial intelligence field. Yes, you could use generic GPUs, which formed much of the basis for current AI development, but like a Swiss Army Knife it was never going to be as good as something that was purpose built for the segment. Nvidia created a wicked expensive workstation that had massive performance improvements but focused on this AI segment and used it heavily internally. This appears to have advanced their lead in the AI segment significantly and, for those on the cutting edge of AI development, short of having their own Watson implementation (which also uses Nvidia technology) the DGX is the most powerful AI development tool in market. RTX, on the other hand, is massively focused on rendering, and by focusing they were able to bring a concept developed by J. Turner Whitted in 1979 to the desktop. This concept called Multi-Bounce Recursive Ray Tracing was, at the time, impossibly compute-intensive, requiring what was estimated to be a super computer for every pixel rendered. But this was what was required to properly deal with the biggest problem, according to Nvidias CEO Jen-Hsun Jensen Huang, light. Apparently light is really nasty to deal with. This is because of the way it bounces around a scene changing who textures and surfaces appear, created reflections and shadows, and generally making the creation of artificial objects that look real very, very difficult. But by creating a platform that could aggressively deal with light they were able to focus on the platform and the RTX line of video cards is uniquely focused as a result. One other interesting thing about these cards is the way the get to their impressive rendering performance level (about 6 times faster than prior technologies according to Nvidia). They do this by first rendering in low resolution then using a unique AI technology branded NGX using deep learning to up-convert to high resolution. An incredibly creative approach to this problem. However, the point is that both DGX and RTX product lines are focused not on general workstation users but on those that work on AI or rendering respectively. Though not quite the same thing, because the use model is very different, Ive also noticed that both AMD (disclosure: AMD is a client of the author) and Nvidia have been working with their licensees to create cryptocurrency focused graphics cards as well. I believe this focus on the kind of work the user does will not only significantly benefit related productivity, it will advance significantly advancements in the fields where these workstations are used. There are some indications of similar tends in the general PC space. For instance, the Always Connected PC effort driven by Qualcomm and Microsoft (disclosure: both Qualcomm and Microsoft are clients of the author) appear focused on those that are ultra-mobile as is the new Surface Go, which broke 12 minimum size barrier. Wrapping up In the book Technically Wrong by Sara Wachter-Boettcher the author goes into great detail on how technology companies lost focus on those that buy and use their products. Workstation offering have always been better focused on users who generally ignored IT to demand what they needed and generally got it. However, with the recent DGX and even more recent RTX announcements we can see that even more focus is needed and Nvidia, at least, is stepping up. I think this is a powerful trend and one that seems to be drifting to the PC space all of which should drive more interest and satisfaction in the segment. This should also significantly advance technology in the targeted segments. Overall, this should be a really good thing for the health of the PC Workstation segment and a lesson we shouldnt again forget. Workers are generally better when the tools conform to their needs and not the other way around, and it fascinates me how often we seem to forget this. Corbyn shared platform with leader of group which murdered British rabbi Brown refuses to say Labour leader is fit to be Prime Minister Daily Mail Corbyn says he was standing up for democracy with Muslim Brotherhood hand gesture Daily Mail Opposition prepare for compromise on antisemitism code The Guardian MP suggests leader could be ousted next month The Sun Lavish Tunisian hotel raises fresh doubts over failure to declare it FT Lord Sheikh face Tory probe after Halfon complaint Jeremy Corbyn shared a platform with a senior official from a terrorist group that murdered a British rabbi in a Synagogue attack a month later. Mr Corbyn stood alongside Maher al-Taher, the leader-in-exile of the proscribed Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) at the wreath-laying ceremony in Tunisia in 2014. He and Mr Corbyn, who became Labour leader the following year, were invited to attend the event with the official Palestinian Authority delegation. A month later Mr Tahers group claimed responsibility for an axe attack at a Jerusalem synagogue in which four rabbis were killed during morning prayers. A statement on the groups website said it was a natural response to the ongoing racist policies and crimes of the occupation. The Times 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.' Daily Mail Tories want peer expelled The Times Nightmare for May as Johnson plans conference comeback speech Bookmakers slash odds on former mayor becoming next Tory leader Daily Express Call for ex-Foreign Secretary to repay cost of Afghanistan trip FT 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 Mr Johnsons 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. Daily Mail >Today: ToryDiary: The gathering wait for a Johnson burka inquiry decision Javid attacks May for blocking police pay rise Sajid Javid accused Theresa May of making the wrong decision after she blocked a 3 per cent pay rise for the police, The Telegraph has learned. In a letter to Downing Street, the Home Secretary criticised the Prime Minister for rejecting an official recommendation on increasing pay for officers of all ranks. He said that he had been strongly in favour of the recommendation and warned the failure to accept it means officers will receive only a small 1 per cent pay rise in reality. On Tuesday Mrs May hailed the formidable courage and professionalism of the police and other emergency services who ran towards danger in the Westminster attack. Since his appointment earlier this year Mr Javid has repeatedly clashed with the Prime Minister over policing and her migration policy, including calling for more front-line officers. Daily Telegraph Police Federation accuse the Prime Minister of stabbing officers in the back The Times Brokenshire backs calls for mandatory longer-term tenancies As a social landlord, I want a proper plan to tackle homelessness Alan Fraser, The Guardian Partys actions on behalf of working people need to be louder Robert Halfon MP, The Sun Millions of Brits who rent will be given a right by law to three-year tenancies under a radical shake-up approved by Ministers. The Sun can reveal that Communities Secretary James Brokenshire is backing calls to make three-year terms mandatory across England and Wales despite fierce opposition from private landlords. A formal decision is due to be announced by the Government next week. Scotland implemented indefinite tenancies last year Ministers proposed three-year tenancies in July but said one option was to allow landlords a voluntary opt-out. Another was to offer tax breaks to encourage landlords to adopt them. A move to mandatory three-year deals while allowing tenants a break-clause if they want a shorter deal will delight campaigners. The Sun >Yesterday: Experts warn that Mays opt-out donation policy may not boost organ transplants Theresa Mays plan to make organ donations automatic by 2020 is doomed to failure, according to new research. The opt-out register is unlikely to increase the number of organs donated for lifesaving transplants and could possibly even lead to a reduction. Instead, donors should be encouraged to actively choose to opt-in to ensure they genuinely wish to donate their organs, say scientists. Three studies involving almost 1,300 US and European men and women aged 18 to 72 showed that a donors underlying wish to donate was perceived to be stronger if they had opted in. Organ donation will be made automatic under plans backed by the government. Ministers believe that the move could save 200 extra lives every year. People will have to opt out of having their organs donated when they die under the terms of a presumed consent scheme. The Times Brexit: Brussels claims British spies are bugging talks EU rebuffs idea of escalating talks to leaders summit The Guardian Details of EU meeting which blew away UK strategy were suppressed before Chequers Daily Telegraph May told to come clean about post-Brexit immigration plans The Sun Daily Mail prepares for softer Brexit tone under pro-EU editor FT Brexit negotiations took a bizarre turn last night after claims British security services are bugging Brussels officials. EU officials raised concerns after the UK obtained the contents of an unpublished slide show presentation within hours of a meeting, the Daily Telegraph reported. A senior member of Michel Barniers negotiating team raised the issue at a meeting on July 13, it was claimed. Sabine Weyand reportedly told the European Councils Article 50 Working Party that it could not be excluded that British intelligence had penetrated their meetings. The claims are likely to be seen as a bid to undermine Britains attempts to present itself as an honest broker as talks intensify. Last night a senior Government source denied the crazy claims outright. Daily Mail >Yesterday: Peter Lilley in Comment: Dear Agony Aunt our friend Theresa has a problem with Michel. Can you help? as Hunt urges other countries not to leave the EU Brexit is challenging, divisive and difficult and Britain does not want other countries to quit the EU, Jeremy Hunt has admitted. On a visit to Denmark yesterday the new foreign secretary struck a notably different tone from his predecessor, Boris Johnson. I would not seek to tell Denmark what they should do, he told the countrys TV2 network. However, he added: You can see from the kind of debates that we have had in the UK that this is a very challenging and divisive and difficult process The UK wants the EU to be successful. We want stability and prosperity next door to us. We want to find an outcome that works for the EU and keeps the EU together. We have no strategic desire for Dexit or for any outcome that sees other countries leave the EU. Mr Hunt is on a three-day trip to Finland, Latvia, Denmark and the Netherlands to try to sell Theresa Mays Chequers plan. Negotiations resume in Brussels today on the Irish border. The Times Foreign Secretary warns that no deal risks a sharp fall in the pound FT Fury at Hunts fear talk The Sun More: Burt faces backlash over bid for second referendum Daily Express Grayling has no credible plan for no deal, warn hauliers Daily Telegraph and RBS faces backlash from MPs for threatening to pull millions out of the UK Bank must put up posters showing it ranks worst for customer service The Times 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, shouldnt we?' Daily Mail More: Brown claims a million Labour Leave voters have changed their minds Daily Telegraph Iain Duncan Smith: Ignore Project Fear, we do not face a cliff edge The Project Fear claim that the EU will carry out hostile non-cooperation with the UK is ridiculous, too. First, the EUs constitution requires it to establish an area of good neighbourliness with bordering countries. Secondly, the WTO treaty forbids discrimination against trading partners. And thirdly, the new Trade Facilitation Treaty commits members to facilitating trade, not obstructing it. After all, its not as if the UK wants to do something no other country in the world is doing. An informed and impartial look would show that there is in reality no such thing as a no deal, cliff edge or crashing out. It does not mean shortages of products, still less some kind of national failure. If the EU rejects a free-trade deal with the UK, what is described as no deal is a process where we move to a different deal: trading under WTO rules. Daily Telegraph Dont worry, we can get a no-deal Brexit deal Iain Martin, The Times To get the best deal, prepare for no deal David Paton, Daily Telegraph Will a second referendum be just another Brexit fantasy? Martin Kettle, The Guardian University applications fall to lowest level since 2012 Teenagers receiving their A-level results this morning will have places on more than 30,000 university courses to choose from as the number of applicants fell to its lowest level since tuition fees trebled in 2012. Just over half a million school leavers have sought places, presenting universities with a challenge to fill their courses. A watchdog has already warned them against offering places to those who lack the academic ability to cope. If students miss their target by one or even two grades, the chances are high that they will still be offered a place. Universities are heavily dependent on tuition fees for funding. Most British students pay 27,750 over three years, leading to significant commercial pressures to fill courses and maximise numbers. Clearing is also expected to be frenetic, both for those who have failed to get into their university of choice and for those to go somewhere better. The Times University isnt the only option for A Level students Esther McVey, The Sun Obsession with sending people to university is holding us back John Caudwell, Daily Telegraph seeking to trade up >Today: Sir Graham Brady in Comment: Let technical and vocational schools fulfil their potential by allowing them to select >Yesterday: John Bald in Local Government: Its time to boost the Further Education sector Proxy voting to be allowed in the Commons Proxy voting is to be allowed in the Commons after the pre-summer outcry over a new mum being unable to have her say during a crunch Brexit debate. Under a paternal leave motion, parliamentarians not physically able to vote will be able to nominate a colleague on their behalf. Ministers are drawing up a motion to be put forward in September when MPs return from recess. It followed a row earlier in the summer when Tory Party chairman Brandon Lewis broke a pairing arrangement with Lib Dem Deputy Leader Jo Swinson who was away on maternity leave. Instead of abstain as agreed, Mr Lewis voted with the Government although he later apologised claiming it was an error. The proxy voting plans are likely to be supported across the board by most parties. The Sun Khan wants power to cap Uber drivers Tory mayoral shortlist lacks big-name candidates FT 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. Daily Mail More: Labour councillor who voted twice receives police caution Daily Mail Swinney faces threat of boycott over controversial exams John Swinney has been presented with an ultimatum of scrapping the SNPs controversial primary one tests or facing a mass boycott. Upstart Scotland, a literacy charity, is distributing 30,000 postcards urging parents with children starting P1 this week to sign up to withdrawing from the literacy and numeracy assessments. Parents whose children are starting primary school this month are being urged to sign the postcards, fill in their childs name and send them to the head teacher. The initiative is part of a joint campaign by childrens charities, parents groups and teaching unions to force the Education Minister to dump the scheme. It won support from the Tories, Labour and the Liberal Democrats, which have united in demanding that the tests be scrapped. Daily Telegraph Mackay accused of passing the buck on private school tax changes The Scotsman Majority of Scottish voters feel ignored by UK ministers The Guardian Source close to Paisley denies claims he intends to resign News in Brief: Genoa bridge disaster shows tragic Italy is falling apart Iain Martin, Reaction Britains technical education system needs a radical reboot Ben Ramanauskas, CapX How Britain ended up being run by eloquent chancers James Ball and Andrew Greenway, The Spectator Trade expert: We cant harden Brexit later if we agree to Chequers David Scullion, Brexit Central The inhuman politics of artificial intelligence Jon Cruddas, UnHerd A source close to Ian Paisley camp has firmly denied speculation that he may resign to halt a formal petition which could unseat him as MP for North Antrim. According to one media report Mr Paisley may stand down when Parliament resumes in three weeks. The move would halt the ongoing petition of recall, in which his electorate can force a by-election for the seat if 10%, or 7,543, of them sign it. Such a move could bring forward any by-election by two weeks and could allow the MP to participate in some critical knife-edge Brexit votes he might otherwise miss. Mr Paisley is favourite to retain the seat in light of his 20,500 majority in 2017. The recall petition was triggered after he failed to declare luxury family holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government and was banned from Westminster for 30 days. However, a well-placed source close to the Paisley camp rubbished speculation he would resign. That story is a bum steer, they said. News Letter Cllr Sally-Ann Hart is the Cabinet Member for Tourism and Culture on Rother District Council. As a district councillor, I recently chaired a licensing panel hearing which was held to review a local restaurants alcohol premises licence. The panel decided to revoke the alcohol licence for this premises after hearing evidence on operations carried out by both Sussex Police and the Home Office. On two separate occasions, the restaurant was found to be employing illegal immigrants, and on one of these occasions was also employing an underage child without the necessary Employment Permit (as required by East Sussex County Council). It transpired, during the hearing, that not only was the owner not paying the illegal workers, but it appeared that he had also taken away their identification documents. As a licensing panel, we were not concerned with whether or not a crime had been committed (that is the polices job), but whether the owner had complied with, and would be able to comply with the licensing objectives in the future; we did not have such confidence. Revoking the licence, which was widely reported locally, sent out a strong message to our local communities; that their Council expects licensees to do everything they reasonably can to comply with the law, and that those who choose not to do so can expect to face the consequences. I found this glimpse of modern slavery happening in a rather gentle and fairly law-abiding town rather disconcerting; if such iniquitous criminality can happen here, goodness knows what goes on in other cities, towns and villages across the country. Crime prevention and the maintenance of law and order are generally seen by the voting public to be the responsibilities of the police. But they are equally the responsibilities of local communities, using a working together approach. To combat modern slavery, an initiative championed by our local MP, Amber Rudd (as a former Home Secretary), Hastings, and Rothers Project Discovery brings together a number of local agencies and groups, including representatives from the police, fire services, Hastings and Rother Councils, a local church, Stop the Traffik, immigration, and local charities, all with the aim of ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice, preventing modern slavery and seeing victims of modern slavery rescued and supported. It is a great example of partnership working. As Rudd has said, we are all connected to modern slavery; and we all bear the solemn responsibility of seeing it wiped out. Listening to concerns that the police do nothing at local parish council meetings in my Ward, I probed some local councillors and members of the public as to whether they knew about Project Discovery and the Sussex Police Modern Slavery (telephone) Helpline. As suspected, the response was overwhelmingly that they did not only one person I spoke to knew about this project. The publics lack of awareness, let alone that of elected local representatives, may not only inhibit effective partnership working, but also the success of an ingenious initiative all vital in preventing and reducing crime to ensure that our communities are safe, secure and strong. Modern slavery is not the only criminal behaviour present in Hastings and Rother; we have an increase in violent and sexual crime: ongoing drug abuse and drug related crime, an increase in a sordid practice known as cuckooing (where criminal gangs use vulnerable peoples homes to sell drugs, making the drug dealers less easy to identify), cybercrime, and domestic and child abuse. Much of this criminal behaviour is committed behind closed doors, and the police cannot solve these problems alone; individuals, communities, public bodies, GPs, social workers, hospitals, schools, businesses and so on can all play our part. But to do so, it needs to be known what are the issues, what can be done and what a targeted working together approach will achieve. To prevent crime, early intervention by the police working with partner agencies is key. Rother District Council is a member of the Safer Rother Partnership (and of the wider East Sussex Safer Communities Partnership), which includes East Sussex County Council, Sussex Police, East Sussex Fire & Rescue, and Hastings & Rother Primary Care Trust. The role of these Partnerships is to work with other statutory and voluntary agencies within the Rother district to develop and implement a crime and disorder prevention strategy. These partnerships also depend on engagement by individuals and communities reporting crime and anti-social behaviour. Whilst Sussex Police and RDCs websites, for example, contain detailed information and signposting to relevant services and helplines, it is clear that most people remain unaware of the local crime reduction initiatives. Active engagement with local communities and efficient, effective communication is key and it needs to be improved. In the same way that crime prevention and the maintenance of law and order is not the sole responsibility of the police, the responsibility for open, efficient and effective communication and community engagement can be shared. We all need do our bit, and local authorities, through their councillors, are in an excellent position to do so, but they also need to be well informed. Over the years, the nature of policing may have changed, but Sir Robert Peels principle that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police are only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interest of the community welfare has not changed. We just need to know how and be encouraged to help. Sir Graham Brady is MP for Altrincham and Sale West and Chairman of the 1922 Committee. In every sense, I owe my career to selective education. It was getting into a grammar school in Altrincham, as the child of parents who grew up in Salford terraced houses, that put me on the path to a successful future, eventually earning a place at Durham University. It was Labours threat to abolish grammar schools in Trafford that inspired me to become a political campaigner. My first parliamentary speech, in 1997, was in opposition to Labours abolition of the assisted places scheme as, indeed, was Theresa Mays. And of course it was to campaign in defence of grammar schools that I resigned from David Camerons shadow ministerial team in 2007. Throughout that time, the most common accusation I have heard is that selection is just about helping the affluent: any new grammars will immediately be colonised by the pushy-elbowed middle classes. But a new report on technical and vocational education by Toby Young for the Centre for Policy Studies of which I am Deputy Chairman shows clearly that selection is not about helping the few. It is about giving pupils of every kind a better chance of ending up in the school that is right for them. Everyone, or at least everyone sensible, accepts that teaching should be tailored to suit the ability and aptitude of different pupils. That may involve streaming and setting within a school, or it may be done by different schools specialising in different types of education and parents should be free to choose the school that best suits their childs interests and talents. There are plenty of pupils who have a passion and an aptitude for technical and vocational education, and would thrive in an environment tailored to letting them explore their talents while still doing the core academic curriculum. Unfortunately, as Toby sets out in his report, Technically Gifted, the University Technical Colleges and studio schools set up for the benefit of these pupils have not done as well as they should. Why? Because instead of being able to select students who actually want to be there, they have been used as dumping grounds by nearby comprehensives, who resist losing bright kids with a technical aptitude but are happy to see the back of those who are dragging them down in the Ofsted ratings, whether due to behavioural problems or a lack of academic aptitude. Tobys solution is to cut the Gordian knot linking technical and vocational education to academic failure by enabling these schools to select. He points out that two of the very best schools in England the BRIT school in London and Birmingham Ormiston Academy are selective technical schools of exactly the type he proposes. These schools managed to survive previous waves of educational reform and emerge as successful flagship institutions, both of which are socially inclusive. He also cites other examples from overseas of selective technical and vocational schools that have established themselves as a valuable and highly valued alternative to mainstream schools. None of this should be a surprise. Those of us who defend selective education are often told that we are living in the past. Yet, in fact it is the opponents of selection who are harking back to the past, to the days when it was secondary moderns for the many and grammars for the few and who want to preserve that divide today. The defining feature of todays education system, by contrast and a defining achievement of this Conservative Government is the expansion of provision to suit all needs. From the excellent high schools of my Trafford constituency, to the free schools and academies of all stripes, to the growing technical and vocational sector. Yet still, absurdly, the core of the education system still operates (at least in most parts of the country) under the Henry Ford approach to parental choice you can have any kind of school you like, as long as it is comprehensive. This despite the mountains of evidence that it is selective and partly-selective areas that continue to dominate the league tables not just the grammar schools in those areas, but the local eco-system of thriving schools that have grown up around them. Because the approach provides a better fit between pupils aptitudes and abilities and the schools they are taught in. By tailoring their teaching to childrens particular needs, these areas frequently outperform comprehensive areas with similar demographic profiles. And we also know, from the Governments own figures, that selective education is better for children of every ethnic group. I have never wanted to tell people what schools should be available to them. But if we believe in opportunity and social mobility and if we want to create a pathway through technical and vocational education, and on into highly specialised roles in the workforce, that is genuinely attractive to parents and children then selective education must be part of the solution. I have previously argued that new grammar schools should be targeted not at the middle classes, but at the most deprived communities putting beacons of excellence within reach of, for example, the white working-class boys who have the lowest GCSE grades in the country. The same applies to Youngs selective technical and vocational schools. At the moment, because they cannot choose their pupils, these schools are forced to take those that other schools want to move on pupils who are not at all suited to the occupational specialisms that these schools teach, and who in some cases ruin the experience of those who are. Wouldnt it be better, as Young argues, if these schools were able to select those students with a particular aptitude for their specialisms? This should be the starting point in the Governments efforts to revitalise technical and vocational education a journey that leads to T-levels (which include a mandatory work placement), a place at an Institute of Technology, before entering a skilled occupation. The choice, in other words, is not between grammars and comprehensives. It is between a flourishing ecosystem of schools, both selective and not, which do the best possible job of matching pupils and education and a one-size-fits-all model which is increasingly out of step with the modern world. Garvan Walshe is a former National and International Security Policy Adviser to the Conservative Party. He runs TRD Policy When, on the eve of the triggering of Article 50, the Irish columnist Fintan OToole asked who will be Brexits Michael Collins, he didnt, of course mean who would be the first Brexiteer to be shot by his own side. He had in mind a different vision of Collins: of the man who made the compromises necessary to make independence possible. The Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 fell far short of the Irish revolutionaries expectations. Most famously, they would exercise control over only 26 of Irelands 32 counties. But other restrictions on sovereignty were also severe. The 26 counties would not be a fully independent country, as the entity called the Irish Free State became officially a Dominion of the British Empire. The Royal Navy retained control of the strategic ports of Berehaven, Queenstown (now Cobh) and Lough Swilly; and the Kings Governor-General continued to reside in what had previously been the Viceregal lodge in Dublins Phoenix Park. These were bitter concessions to swallow, but Collins, who led the Irish negotiating team in his capacity as Finance Minister of the new government, decided it was necessary to accept them. Had he not, he risked what the chief of the Imperial Task force 50, Winston Churchill, threatened would be immediate and terrible war on a scale far greater than the counterinsurgency, restrained by the standards of the time, that Britain had so far deployed. Defending the concessions, Collins turned to an indirect argument: he may have not got full independence yet, but he had won the freedom to win freedom. All but the most hardline Irish Republicans now concede he was correct. The post of Governor-General was abolished in 1936. The Royal Navy gave up the ports in 1938. Ireland became a Republic in 1949. And though the six counties in Ulster would remain part of the United Kingdom, the Belfast Agreement of 1998 created institutions based on there being two communities in that part of the island. Ireland became independent, but by degrees. Collinss strategy would have been familiar to another 20th century independence leader, David Ben-Gurion. Referring to the land allotted to the Jewish community by the UN Partition Plan of 1947, he said what was decided upon is part of the Land of Israel. Nevertheless, all through our entire history, the Jewish people has never achieved in one moment what has been achieved now. In this Ben-Gurion was opposed by the maximalists of the Irgun, and Collins by his own formal boss, Eamonn de Valera. De Valera knew compromises would have to be made, and these would damage the man who made them. He stayed in Ireland and sent Collins to negotiate. Despite Collinss formal plenipotentiary powers, de Valera ensured that he got the blame for selling out. In supporting the Prime Ministers Chequers plan, and even floating the possibility of staying in the EEA while preparations were made for a post-Brexit British economy, Michael Gove appears to have understood what Collins and Ben-Gurion knew. The UKs position, always weak compared to the EU because of its much smaller size and great distance from alternative trading partners, is made more vulnerable still by the structure of Article 50. Conceived as a deterrent to seceding states, it gives the EU the control of the timetable. Threatening to walk away from the negotiations is merely to pull the pin out of a hand-grenade strapped to ones own arm (the only country to be as seriously damaged as the UK would be Ireland; the other 27 EU members would be able to weather the consequences with relative equanimity). Yet, once the UK has left the full structure of the EUs legal order, it will be easier for it to go further. Leaving the EEA would involve economic dislocation, but not as much as leaving the EUs regulatory environment completely. The same is true for leaving the customs union. In the meantime, UK business would be able to plan for and adjust to the new environment. Brexit by degrees gives Britain the best chance reducing the damage to acceptable levels, and make the price of freedom one that even a moderate Remainer could understand as being reasonable to pay. Yet, just as it is easier for the UK to adapt if it can spend time in the decompression chambers of the EEA and EFTA as it ascends towards greater sovereignty, it could also be easier for Brexit to be reversed from there. Not a few Brexiteers might think I am proposing this for precisely this reason. And as he aligns himself with Brexit by degrees, Gove is being watched by a tall Catholic of stern convictions, as fond of top hats as he is of his own elaborate name. Like de Valera avoided the negotiations, Jacob Rees-Mogg has avoided office, where he might have to dirty his hands with concession and compromise. Outside, he can stay pure, and sanction deviation. When the Irish put aside their membership of the worlds largest trading bloc, and representation at the Imperial parliament at Westminster, to take back control in Dublin, theirs was an act of supreme economic irresponsibility. It was indeed followed by decades of poverty and stagnation. But, the revolutionaries believed it was justified by advantages of political freedom. In the end, Ireland found a new economic path, and in the end Brexit Britain will, too. That they did so by degrees was too much for the hardliners, who rejected the 1921 treaty. They fought a civil war against Irish Free State, during which Collins was assassinated. Brexits revolution is peaceful, and theres no question of violence being deployed. But if he can steer the Government towards Brexit by degrees, Gove will need to defend his patriotism against political attack from the hardliners on his own side. This Page has moved to a new address: Sorry for the inconvenience Redirection provided by Blogger to WordPress Migration Service Henry Hill: Scottish Tories on the offensive as SNP come under pressure on education Scottish Conservatives go on the offensive as SNP come under pressure on education Its been a week of miserable headlines for the Scottish Nationalists as their education record and policy agenda has come under sustained attack on multiple fronts. Yesterday the Daily Telegraph reported that more than 200 Scottish schools are advertising staff vacancies after the figure was made public by the Scottish Tories. With the Scottish Government already under fire for collapsing pass rates (as covered here last week), Ruth Davidson used an op-ed in the Scotsman to launch a scathing attack on the SNP record. Amongst other measures she called for Primary 1 tests to be scrapped. John Swinney, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, is facing calls for a boycott of the controversial exams if they arent abandoned. Nor is the trouble confined to the state sector. Derek Mackay, the Finance Secretary, has been accused of passing the buck for supporting private schools to local authorities after he advised a leading public school to apply for rates relief to offset the impact of the Scottish Governments plans to end business rates charity relief for such institutions. Meanwhile it also emerged that private school pupils are now appealing exam results at three times the rate of their state school counterparts after the SNP introduced charges to do so. Home Office proposals for Ulster stop and search zones spark hard border fears The Government has been criticised for undermining its invisible border pledge over plans to introduce stop and search zones along the Northern Irish border. Under proposals from the new Counter Terrorism and Border Security Bill, police and border officials could stop, search, and detain any individual suspected of planning hostile activity within one mile of the border on its northern side, as well as train stations with connecting services to the Republic. Although the move has been attacked by campaigners and individual Irish politicians, Dublin has not made an official comment. Ben Wallace, the Security Minister, has described those trying to conflate the new measures with Brexit as a bit desperate, and argued that the plans are simply an extension of existing powers. However, a former senior officer in the Royal Ulster Constabulary has rejected claims by Sinn Fein that the move will politicise the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the News Letter reports. Alan McQuillan, a former assistant chief constable, pointed out that several impartial oversight bodies will scrutinise the use of any new powers. In other news, the journal.ie reports that Mary Lou McDonald, the leader of Sinn Fein, has said that the Republic ought to consider rejoining the Commonwealth in order to encourage unionists to participate in a debate around a united Ireland. Tory and Labour candidates set out their Welsh leadership credentials Pretty much all of Wales major parties currently undergoing leadership elections, which is keeping the political writers busy. Wales Online has profiled Paul Davies and Suzy Davies, the two AMs vying for the leadership of the Conservative Assembly group. On the Labour side, Alun Davies has set out his stall to succeed Carwyn Jones as First Minister and Vaughn Gething, the current Health Secretary, has secured enough support to enter the race too. Meanwhile, the fact that an anti-devolution candidate has won the leadership of the UKIP group has prompted a couple of interesting articles on how a campaign against the Welsh Assembly could make headway in the years ahead. Its obviously heartening to see the prospect getting some press time, but a cursory glance as the Peoples Armys decaying Welsh brigade suggests they are not the vehicle to take integration forwards. Democratic Unionists accused of betraying their voters with lack of Westminster staff The News Letter reports that Chris Montgomery, who until last year was Chief of Staff for the Democratic Unionist Partys Westminster group, has accused the party of a betrayal of unionist voters for its anaemic London office. According to Montgomery, at present the DUP doesnt employ so much as a secretary in Westminster, despite having access to ten MPs staff allowances as well as short money. He puts this down to irredeemable laziness, and claims that the party is failing to exploit a once-in-a-generation opportunity for a Northern Irish party to make a huge impact on national politics. Montgomery also highlighted specific measures, such as failing to crack down on Sinn Feins foreign funding, which he claims the party could have delivered if it put its mind to it. In response the DUP claimed that there was only a short gap in their Westminster staffing arrangements, and that a new team would be in place come September. We are analyzing the site. Please wait a few seconds.. 100% Website tecnoandroid.it 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 58545 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 441012 bytes (430.68 kb uncompressed) and 50633 bytes (49.45 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-10-15, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. We expect the growth to continue, said Ingrid Berezin, cruise and ferry manager for the port of Tallinn. That growth is 30 more calls in 2018, up to 341 over 311 last year, with more expected in 2019, she said. Passenger estimates call for around 565,000 cruise guests this year to the Estonian port. Berezin said the port offered a suitable location in the Baltic, near both Stockholm and St. Petersburg. The harbor is located right in the city center, close to the so-called Old Town and main tourist attractions. We offer modern port infrastructure, special cruise quays and cruise vesselsservicing areas, and a high level of port services, continued Berezin. There is also an attractive discount system for port fees. The green light has happened for a new cruise terminal which will double as an event venue, with construction set to begin later this year for a 2021 completion. Old City Harbor is a big port, Berezin said. Today we can berth seven ships at the same time. We have two double-sided cruise quays for four big ships, and three quays inside the harbor that can be used by smaller ships. We are ready to expand the cruise area and build additional quays for big vessels if needed. 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. It feels like a natural fit when you think of digital identity and relationships. We use our identity to form relationships that are then used to perform tasks and carry out roles in society. Human beings are creatures that strongly identify as one thing or another. It is the basis of both good and bad things in our world. But, whether good or bad, identity is a strong driver and a deep-seated trait that our society is built upon. Relationships, by definition, are dovetailed by identity. We use identifying measures like family ties or shared values, to build relationships in the real world. One engaging story about identity and relationships is that involving Irish pubs of the late 60s and 70s who ended up acting as a bank. Ireland in those times was going through a lot of industrial disputes which involved bank closures, often for months at a time. The Irish kept money moving by cashing in on relationships. Pub landlords, often the center of a community in Ireland, acted as a kind of notary - customers would create ad hoc checks which the landlord would cash because they identified the person, had a relationship with them, and knew they would honor the check. The relationship was the pivot of the transaction; people acknowledged each other, money was exchanged, the task was performed. The intricate pieces of the exchange, like money, people, recognition of another, are all the same parts that are needed in the digital equivalent of a transaction. Digital identity is as dependent on relationships as our offline self. And, creating a digital identity system, especially a customer IAM platform, must be built with this in mind. Building trust through reciprocal altruism Customer or consumer IAM is entering the mainstream with market size projections of $37.79 billion and a CAGR of almost 19% by 2023. This fast growth is because digital identity platforms based on identity data, give the users and the services using them, a lot of power. Digital identity in the 21st century is the perfect convergence of human-beings and technology. To make the most of this and build structures that mimic our evolved traits, like trust and relationships, we have to work out how to use technology to express this. One of the most important evolved traits that help to build trust is reciprocal altruism. Reciprocal altruism is based on the notion that if I help you now, hopefully, youll help me later. Whereas altruism is found in nature between related entities, like a mother and son, reciprocal altruism is where one party helps out another who is not related to them. Human knowledge sharing and helping out strangers following an accident are examples. Using altruism in a reciprocal way is about creating mutual advantage and trustworthiness and is a crucial aspect of the underlying model. Digital identity platforms and ecosystems require this same reciprocity in action. We can state that: The actors are not related, and: do not have a natural instinct to trust each other; do not have any innate sense of trustworthiness. To build identity ecosystems that work, we need to build reciprocity into the design as this will generate trustworthiness and create more robust identity services. How to build a reciprocal identity ecosystem This is just an article and not a blueprint, and each use case will have a different emphasis, but certain aspects of a reciprocally optimized ecosystem are fundamental - the tenets of reciprocal altruism can act as guides to the tenets of the identity ecosystem: The value of a good brand When scientists looked at altruistic behavior in human beings they found that people were altruistic more often towards people they liked. Do not underestimate the value of building a respected brand when implementing an identity platform. Detecting cheats Reciprocal altruism in the real-world is fundamentally dependent on being astute at detecting cheats. Consequently, a very important part of a system that uses identity and identity data is to make sure these data are true. Verified and assured identity is a good way to do that, but it is usually one-sided. Verification processes the identity owners identity but what about the service that consumes the identity data? Reciprocally altruistic identity systems are two-way. The service needs to prove it is trustworthy too. A good brand helps, but you need a way to show your brand is not a cheat. This can be achieved through excellent security, proven privacy and using consent to communicate. These things are not achieved in one fell swoop. Instead they are built up over time and this needs to be factored into the system too. Building for trustworthiness The Irish pubs in the 70s that were able to vouch for the trustworthiness of their customers did so because they had, over time, built a relationship with those customers. Digital identity platforms and services based on identity data can be designed to become better over time. This can potentially be speeded up using big data and Machine Learning. Information (data) is the center of the identity ecosystem - digital identity being the conduit to share these data. Information can be added to, augmented, and enriched over time, and with use. Build platforms that become more assured and more trusted the more they are used. Give something back An identity ecosystem needs to be based on mutual advantage. If a user gives you data give them something back. If you want a user to share information, make it worth their while. This also includes making sure that personal data privacy is upheld. Multi-party altruism Robert Trivers seminal work on reciprocal altruism published back in the early 70s, pointed out that human beings act in a mutually beneficial way across multiple parties. Identity systems should be designed, where appropriate, to allow for delegated access to accounts. Delegated access also has the potential to add weight to an identity verification status. For example, you could use professional associations to verify an individual in the same way a professional is used to validate a passport photo - a method of anti-cheating in reciprocal altruism terms. Human-centered design of digital identity platforms This was a high-level look at how a reciprocal altruistic design of an IAM system could be beneficial. In reality, there are a number of other moving parts that need to be factored in; this includes a more holistic inclusion of anti-cheating or fraud which is covered throughout the original work on reciprocal altruism. The bottom line is that our identity systems, especially those that utilize personal data, need to be designed, not built. The design has to be human-centered and based on our current understanding of human behavior. An evolutionary anthropologist or behavioral ecologist can be as important as a software developer when creating digital identity and identity data-based services. We need to lead with human-centered design and let the technology follow. If youre interested in evolutionary biology you can read more about the science of reciprocal altruism which was originally proposed by Robert Trivers. Every morning, like thousands of other people, I pick up a coffee at my local Dunkin Donuts on the way to the office. And every morning, I order the same thing, using the mobile app: a medium cup of French Vanilla, regular cream. Theyve gotten so used to my order, they dont even ask me who I am when I walk in. Instead, my coffee is waiting for me on the counter, so I can just quickly grab it and go on my way. But one day last week, something different happened. I was headed in for an early-morning meeting with a couple of other RSA folks, so I ordered three coffeesone for each of us. When I got there, as I looked around for my order on the counter, the store manager waved me over. Jim? he said, a little warily. Did you order three coffees? And when I confirmed I had, he reached under the counter and handed me a cardboard carrier with three piping hot coffees in it. I just wanted to be sure, he explained, since you usually only order one. Now, you may be wondering what in the world all this talk about coffee has to do with identity and access management. But thats exactly the subject that leapt to my mind on that anomalous three-coffee day. After all, what happened is a perfect example of what I want to explore here now: the idea of continuous identity and access managementspecifically, continuous authentication. Continuous is the third of the three characteristics of authentication (along with pervasive and connected) that are needed to transform secure access to meet modern workforce requirements. Continuous authentication requires constantly taking in and learning from connected systems Continuous authentication is all about the ongoing, uninterrupted gathering of information that a modern authentication solution can learn from over time and use to deliver smart, secure access. Its a far cry from the days when every request for access was a one-time event that happened in isolation, forcing the user to do the equivalent of repeating his coffee order every time he walks in to pick up the coffeebecause theres no other way to be sure the person really is who he claims to be. With continuous authentication, a user only has to provide additional assurance when an unexpected event or other indication of risk warrants it. An identity and access management system capable of continuous authentication is one that constantly gathers intelligence about users and their behavior so that it eventually knows enough to authenticate and grant access based on that knowledgejust like the Dunkin Donuts manager. Because of what he had come to recognize as my normal behavior, it was only when I strayed from that behavior that he felt compelled to double-check and be sure I had really placed that order. In much the same way, an identity solution thats capable of continuous authentication takes in information about the user (and the resources the user wants to access); learns from that information whats normal and whats an anomaly; and then responds appropriately to access requests. For example, if a user logs in from the same device and location every morning, and requests access to the same apps every day, the system comes to recognize that behavior and minimize friction for the user, requiring little additional assurance that the user is who they claim to be. But if the user does the equivalent of placing an unexpected coffee orderby logging in from a device never logged in from before, or requesting access to an app theyve never usedthe system can ask for additional authentication to confirm identity before handing over the order, so to speak. Continuous authentication relies on identity insights, threat intelligence and business context The key to continuous authentication is the ability to connect your authentication solution with other sources of information for access decisions, in order to acquire comprehensive information for decision-making. In the very first post I wrote for this series, I talked about identity insights, threat intelligence and business context being the three types of information that form the foundation for transforming secure access. They come from different sources and, together, they provide knowledge that is collectively the basis for continuous authentication. Identity insights include user-profile information from the identity and access management systemthe kind of behavioral information in my Dunkin Donuts analogy. Threat intelligence is suspicious-activity information from threat detection systems, which the identity and access management system can take into account to make informed decisions about requiring users to prove theyre who they claim to be. And business context includes essential data, often from integrated risk management systems, about the degree of risk associated with various applications and data. This last category of information in particular is as likely to affect identity governance and lifecycle decisions as it is to affect authentication decisions, as I explain next. Connected systems provide information for continuous decision making beyond authentication The intelligence that enables continuous authentication can also inform ongoing decisions related to identity and lifecycle governance. For example, identity governance teams armed with a view of risk across users and applications can use application criticality and usage data to inform certification reviews and policy decisions. This enables organizations to focus on the access that poses the greatest risk, and it provides insights to reviewers about application usage that can help improve the effectiveness of certifications. Theres also one other advantage to having connected systems that enable continuous authentication that goes beyond responding to access requests: An identity and access management solution that exchanges information with other systems can use that information to trigger action against a high-risk user after that user has gained access. For example, if threat intelligence indicates a problem with a user after the user has connected to the VPN, that information can prompt the identity solution to disconnect the user from the network. Its as if the Dunkin Donuts manager had the ability to recognize that the person trying to walk off with my coffee wasnt really meand also had a security guard at the door to stop him from getting any further. Whether the goal is more effective authentication, better governance or improved threat response, the need is the same: to constantly acquire input to improve the decisions you make about access. Thats why continuous is an essential quality for the secure access transformation organizations must undertake to meet tough security challenges today. The idea that organizations should be doing more to protect the personal data they hold about individuals has been gaining ground in recent years. The European Unions General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) sparked a scramble to operationalize data management and security. If you thought that it was a one-off, then the incoming California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) may have been a nasty surprise, but it really shouldnt have been. A sea-change in attitudes and government willingness to legislate to protect individual privacy is sending a clear message that organizations need to get their data handling in order. High profile data breaches are expensive and worryingly commonplace. When they do occur, theyre often woefully mishandled, but an increase in punitive fines and public frustration strongly suggests that the smart move is to get your data management strategy in place today. A new level of transparency Many companies that may have buried their heads in the sand in the past are now coming clean about breaches under the threat of fines. The potential cost of non-compliance with the GDPR is high and the same is true of the incoming CCPA which goes into effect on January 1, 2020, and slaps fines of up to $7,500 per record for violations that arent resolved within 30 days. It may also expose companies to class action lawsuits and the risk of being sued by individuals when guidelines are violated, even when theres no actual breach. The GDPR only came into effect in May, but we can already see the scale of data breaches that were likely going unreported before the law changed. The GDPR stipulates that companies must report breaches within 72 hours of becoming aware of them. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the U.K., one of the bodies to which organizations must report breaches, recently revealed that reports of breaches went from around 400 in March and April to 700 in May and then jumped to 1,750 in June the first full month after GDPR went into effect. The CCPA has a broader definition of personal data than the GDPR, so while compliance with GDPR is likely to stand organizations in good stead to prepare for CCPA, there may still be more to do. It may be tempting to do the bare minimum and wait for further legislation, but all youre doing is deferring work and shifting the burden down the line. Striving for more transparency and better data privacy protections now is the right decision both financially and ethically. Reassess your data collection practices Before poring through the guidelines and drawing up a plan of attack its a good idea to take a step back and assess the data your organization collects. Begin by ensuring that you know precisely where all your data is and cast a critical eye over your justifications for collecting it in the first place. The initial promise of big data encouraged many organizations to hoard data in hopes of working out how to monetize it or extract insights later, but this attitude could prove disastrous in the current climate. Consider streamlining your data collection to what actually produces value and reduce it down at the point of collection wherever possible. Reducing the amount of data you collect can also reduce your potential exposure, not to mention the associated costs in terms of network traffic, processing, and storage. With a clear picture of the data you need and when and where its collected and stored, you can move on to strategizing about how to manage and protect it effectively. The right of access and choice Two important principles that are enshrined in data protection legislation are the right for individuals to access the personal data you hold on them and the power to opt out. They may also want to find out what youve done with their data, specifically what third-parties it has been shared with or sold to. Requests for information will have to be met within a reasonable timeframe, so there needs to be a system in place thats efficient and secure. Where organizations have anonymized and aggregated data some of the new legislation could make life very difficult. What happens when someone wants to withdraw their personal data? Can it be extracted in a timely manner? It may prove sensible to craft a data strategy that takes these considerations into account. Proper storage and breach procedures Encrypting data and limiting access is obviously essential, but the challenge of introducing greater transparency without comprising security is one that requires some serious thought. When the worst does happen, as it inevitably will from time to time, organizations must have proper procedures in place that alert the right responsible people and trigger an investigation that can be used to report the breach and serve as the basis for mitigation. When responsibilities are unclear, or action is discretionary, problems will arise. Clarity in your procedures is vital if you want to meet reporting requirements, identify the source of the breach, and act to resolve it as quickly as possible. A proactive approach to data protection and efficient management today could drastically the reduce the potential expense and risk of disruption that further legislation poses. You take time with your staff to regularly review what they should do in a fire (where are the exits? Dont use the elevator. Where is the muster point? Is the fire department called automatically, or will someone have to call when they are safely out of the building? Who is responsible for doing a count and making sure everyone is accounted for?). You should be doing the same for your cybersecurity. That is where tabletop exercises come in. The value of tabletop exercises Tabletop exercises are an essential part of any overarching security strategy. Security needs to be looked at holistically, not as individual disparate areas or functions but as a series of functions that come together under one overarching umbrella. Security exercises like tabletop exercises are a useful way to gauge how effective a companys current security strategy currently is and help them determine how they can achieve their short-term, medium-term, and long-term security goals. Tabletop exercises involve addressing a hypothetical cybersecurity breach and working as a team to find a solution to patch the breach and minimize or even prevent damage. You cannot predict every tool you may need tomorrow in the world of cybersecurity, but you can see where gaps are apparent and how to fill those gaps based on priority: high priority gaps must be filled in the short term, the lower priority gaps can be dealt with on a mid to long-term time range. Running tabletop exercises When running tabletop exercises, it is important to make sure all of your key stakeholders are involved. This way you can account for each role in the exercise. If your company does not yet have a security strategy or that strategy is not as comprehensive as it needs to be, you should be running exercises that are designed to expose gaps that hackers and other criminals could exploit. Once any gaps have been identified, you will be able to create or improve the security protocols to needed to address possible hacks, breaches, or other cybersecurity crises that may arise. During your tabletop exercises, your team should run through a variety of possible scenarios that might arise, and analyze how and where they would occur. The four steps of dealing with a cybersecurity attack are: See the attack Correlate the attack Stop the attack Remediate the attack When planning your tabletop exercises focus on three to five cases that your team has identified as being the most likely types of attack, or the ones that would cause the most amount of damage. It is crucial that your team conducts tabletop exercises that include both broad and specific attacks. Broad tests could consist of simulating a brute force attack on your email server or trying to breach your companys firewall (a test that could expose a large number of vulnerabilities). Specific tests could include scenarios such as what to do if an employee picks up a USB stick in the parking lot and connects it to a machine in your network, thereby granting an unauthorized party inside access to your network. Another type of specific test could involve determining a strategy for a scenario in which an employee downloads a bad payload (such as a computer virus) when they open a suspicious link in an email. Penetration tests If you want to take your cybersecurity tests even further, you may want to consider running a penetration (or pen) test. A penetration test essentially entails hiring an ethical (or white hat) hacker to try and break into your system. If they find any weak spots that they can exploit to gain entry they will then disclose these weak points to your company so you can create solutions and improve your security. There are different levels of pen tests. A well-conducted pen test, like the ones we run at VirtualArmour, will test many areas of your security system. External pen tests involve having someone try and break into your system from the outside using a hole or vulnerability and gain access. Internal pen tests are similar, but the attack is launched from inside the network (such as the employee with the USB stick or the employee who opened the suspicious email attachment). Running tabletop exercises and penetration tests is an integral part of preparing for and minimizing the damage of, cybersecurity breaches. By working through possible scenarios thoroughly when nothing is at risk you and your team will be much better prepared should there ever be an actual breach. Basic cybersecurity relies on a secure network, and vulnerability management is key to keeping your network secure. The vulnerability landscape is changing by the second and its imperative that your company is made aware of any security gaps as quickly as possible so they can be patched and mitigated swiftly. The tools hackers use to do things like perform brute force attacks, look for holes in security and crack WiFi networks are continually evolving. Conducting tabletop exercises and pen tests is one way you can help your company remain secure. BRIDGEPORT Sixteen people are homeless, one person injured and two firefighters were hospitalized after a fire Wednesday above Sorrento Importing Co. The cause of the blaze, which ignited around 8 p.m., remains under investigation. Fire investigators are looking into whether it started in a third-floor apartment where the tenant, described by neighbors as a stroke victim in his mid-30s, was taken unconscious from the site and transported to the hospital. The two firefighters who were sent to the hospital for heat exhaustion were released Thursday morning. The day after the blaze, not much fire damage could be seen from the street, although firefighters said that there wasnt much left of the unit were the blaze apparently began. While firefighters worked to battle the flames during the night, several police units blocked off nearby intersections, causing traffic delays at one of the busiest areas in the city. Traffic was diverted onto several narrow side streets, testing the patience of motorists on a warm summer night. They shut down half the town, complained a woman driving by in a car that pulled over to check out the scene and ask what happened. The building where the fire broke out houses seven small apartments above the Italian market and deli. Residents were evacuated from the building and were unable to return because of water and smoke damage. The owners of Sorrento Importing Co., who were born in Sicily, Italy, said the business will be closed for about a month. I started this business 52 years ago with my brother, Tom, said Joe Milazzo. Its family-owned and we have a lot of loyal customers its been great, until this happened. He said that hes been in touch with the city health inspector and he hopes to talk with his insurance agent soon. We just got through replacing the ceiling before the fire, Milazzo said with a sigh. Sorrentos is well known in the fire department ranks its where many firefighters pick up sandwiches as well as platters for firehouse events. When the first call on the radio was made, the dispatcher just said Sorrentos and everyone knew where it was, said Fire Chief Richard Thode. Sorrento Importing Co. is at 2487 Main St. The first units at the scene reported heavy smoke and fire coming from the third floor. Firefighters immediately started to extinguish the fire and frantically searched the building for people and pets. The tenants were all evacuated without problems. If it was 2 a.m., it might have been a different story, Milazzo said. The blaze was knocked down quickly; by 8:53 p.m., fire units began returning to their firehouses. jburgeson@ctpost.com After a string of K2 overdoses in New Haven on Wednesday, the city saw many more drug emergencies Thursday. Officials said there were 17 more overdoses as of Thursday evening, though it wasnt known whether the substance was the same as the K2 that caused the overdoses in the previous 36 hours. K2, also known as spice, is a potent, synthetic cannabinoid. Emergency personnel had been run ragged on Wednesday, as crews responded to a total of 76 overdoses over the span of 24 hours, officials said. Its very reminiscent of a mass casualty incident, said New Haven Office of Emergency Management Director Rick Fontana. Nationally, overdose deaths reached 72,000 in 2017, The Associated Press reported. In Connecticut, there were 3,090 visits to hospital emergency rooms for suspected drug overdoses between January and April of 2017. Preliminary data from the state Department of Public Health showed that Connecticuts emergency rooms saw an average of 156 suspected drug overdose visits per week in January and February of 2018. A breakdown of the data showed 405 suspected drug overdose visits in New Haven County and 186 in Fairfield County during that time. Ready for trouble Several local officials in Fairfield County said Thursday that treating overdoses has become an increasing part of the job for first responders. Between Jan. 2017 and Wednesday, Trumbull first responders had 18 cases classified as overdoses, Police Capt. Keith Golding said. In 2016, there were a lot of cases of ODs caused by fentanyl-laced heroin, but fortunately those number have gone down, Golding said. In Milford, the citys Prevention Council said first responders used Narcan about 80 times in 2017. We have seen more overdose cases and the administration of Narcan, said Wendy Gibbons, the councils program director. We try to be proactive. Tammy Trojanowski, who administers Stratfords Drug-Free Communities Grant, said the town is not immune to overdoses and addiction, referring in this case specifically to opioids, not K2. Weve installed a medication drop-box at the Police Department thats open 24/7, and response has been fantastic, she said. We publish information on how to talk to your kids about prescription drug safety, and we have a support group ... for families that are struggling with this problem. Should Bridgeport see any kind of mass-overdose incident similar to the one on the New Haven Green, first responders are ready, officials said Thursday. We would bring in the Health Department immediately, Police Chief Armando Perez said. Bridgeports Emergency Operations Center would kick into high gear and immediately evaluate the situation, constantly touching base with any necessary agencies and spreading the word, Perez said. When it comes to K2, the substance hasnt been an issue in Bridgeport since 2011, Perez said. But he said a major concern with synthetic marijuana is how its made. Its a substance that is created, he said. They add chemicals, but theyre not chemists. It can be deadly. K2 confined Bridgeport Police Capt. Brian Fitzgerald, who runs the departments Detective Bureau, said the police department would call on mutual aid from State Police and police in surrounding towns in the event of a large-scale event. He said the department is working to outfit the entire police force with the overdose-reversal nasal spray, Narcan. All Bridgeport fire vehicles have Narcan supplies on board, which are replenished as needed. Fitzgerald said overdoses in Bridgeport are fairly common, estimating that there are roughly two a day. Some days are high, some are lower, he said regarding the number of overdose calls. Fortunately, we havent seen the issues with K2 like whats going on in New Haven. We dont see widespread use of it. But in New Haven, at least two men, who are not being named at this time, were arrested in connection with the overdoses and have been known to sell K2 in the past, Police Chief Anthony Campbell said. New Haven officials said the Drug Enforcement Administration office in New York confirmed the substance in a joint taken from one victim was K2. Only a small percentage of the patients admitted to the hospital in New Haven had fentanyl in their systems, Fontana said. He said it was likely ingested from a separate injection. Many victims told police they were given free samples of K2, and Campbell said he thinks one of the men was trying to get people addicted to establish a clientele. We will have a continued presence on the New Haven Green, both today and in the days to come, to ensure that no further victims can purchase, or no further sales can be done (there), Campbell said. WASHINGTON - Lawmakers increased pressure on the Trump administration over the war in Yemen this week after an airstrike killed dozens of children, urging officials to explain and possibly adjust U.S. support for nations waging war against rebels there. Democratic members of the House and Senate have sent three separate letters in the past three days to officials at the Defense and State departments and in the intelligence community, asking for an accounting of American involvement in a conflict that critics say has exposed the U.S. government to claims of responsibility for thousands of civilian deaths. Since Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other members of a mostly Arab military coalition began a campaign against Yemen's Houthi militants in 2015, the Pentagon has conducted aerial refueling of Gulf planes and provided some intelligence support. But U.S. officials have sought to distance themselves from the operation as suffering has intensified in Yemen, where coalition pilots have repeatedly struck civilian sites and residents have fallen victim to increasing hunger and disease. In a letter on Monday to Gen. Joseph Votel, the head of U.S. Central Command, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., made reference to the bombing of a bus last Thursday in Yemen's northern Saada province, which local officials said killed at least 40 children. In her letter, Warren asked Votel to clarify his recent assertion that Centcom is unable to determine whether the United States assisted specific coalition flights that resulted in civilian deaths. A recent report in The Intercept alleged that U.S. intelligence officials had detailed information about one such strike. In another letter on Tuesday, 30 House Democrats asked Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Daniel Coats, director of national intelligence, for a briefing about U.S. involvement in the war, including efforts to avert a battle in the coastal city of Hodeidah, a key humanitarian portal. "The ongoing military escalation threatens millions of civilians, and hundreds of thousands are at risk of starvation," minority whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said in a statement to The Washington Post. "The United States must have a cohesive strategy to address the situation." In a third letter, Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., a former Air Force lawyer, on Monday appealed to the Defense Department inspector general to open an investigation into whether American military personnel have violated U.S. or international law by supporting the Saudi-led coalition. "I am deeply concerned that continued U.S. refueling, operational support functions, and weapons transfers could qualify as aiding and abetting these potential war crimes," he wrote. The letters are the most recent expression of mounting congressional frustration about the war, most prominently among Democrats but also Republicans. On Monday, President Donald Trump signed a defense authorization law containing a new bipartisan measure that requires the administration to ensure that Gulf nations are taking steps to protect civilians and end the war before the Pentagon can continue its support. Sen. Todd Young, an Indiana Republican who co-sponsored that measure, said he looked forward to monitoring the administration's compliance with new Yemen requirements. "Our humanitarian principles and our national security interests require that the United States use its influence to end the civil war in Yemen and address the world's largest humanitarian crisis," he said in a statement. It's not clear whether the administration intends to comply with that certification clause, which the White House flagged as one of several measures in the law it found objectionable. Congress has also focused on weapons sales in an effort to limit U.S. involvement in the war. New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, has placed a hold on a proposed sale of precision munitions to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Last week's bus strike, which killed children on an end-of-summer excursion, has also galvanized opposition to the coalition's conduct within the Trump administration, which has generally voiced strong support of its Gulf allies and echoed concerns about Iran's links to the Houthis. According to U.S. officials, Saudi military personnel, which have publicly described the strike as a "legitimate military action," told U.S. diplomats they targeted the bus because they believed it had two Houthi leaders aboard. A spokesperson for the National Security Council, who provided a statement on the condition of anonymity, said the administration would look forward to "timely and transparent" results from an ongoing Saudi investigation of the strike. "All of our assistance to the Saudi-led coalition is predicated on their continued adherence to the Law of Armed Conflict and International Humanitarian Law," the spokesperson said. "We have been working with Saudi Arabia and the UAE to help them further minimize civilian casualties." A senior U.S. official, speaking to reporters in Cairo on Wednesday, said results of the Saudi-led investigation were expected in days but expressed doubts about the coalition's ability and willingness to complete a probe in the desired manner. When asked if the U.S. military could have refueled the warplane that launched the strike on Saada, the official said it was possible but not certain. When asked why the United States could not determine this, or whether a U.S. bomb was used, the official said that "we would have to have Saudis provide us information, but they don't in the normal course of events." When pressed on why the United States could not ask Saudi Arabia, a close ally and major purchaser of U.S. arms, for such information, the official said it would require more U.S. manpower to oversee the Saudi inventory and how they use it. The official questioned whether anything would be gained by knowing the details of the U.S. role in each specific airstrike. "There are people asking the question," the official said. "Well, what difference does that make? We are providing the refueling and support to Saudi aircraft. We are also selling them munitions that are being used in these strikes. . . . We are not denying that." - - - The Washington Post's Sudarsan Raghavan in Cairo contributed to this report. When someone seeks medical care for food poisoning in Connecticut, it triggers a series of actions designed to protect the health of the public. A health professional follows up with an interview about what that person ate, and the incident is reported to the state in a system that local health departments can access in real time. And if another person falls ill after eating at the same place, the Department of Health is called and an investigation is opened into the restaurant. Similar processes are in place for chicken pox, carbon monoxide poisoning, syphilis and 79 other conditions. Thats because theyre on the state list of reportable diseases, emergency illnesses and health conditions, which mandates which conditions must be reported by health professionals. Cases of West Nile virus, which killed three people in Connecticut between 2000 and 2016, must be reported. But opioid overdoses, which claimed more than 1,000 lives in Connecticut last year? Not on the list. This is in spite of efforts by a local health official and nonprofits to have overdoses added to the list of reportable conditions. Every year, the Department of Public Health Advisory Committee meets to review proposed changes to the list of reportable diseases. At the meeting for the 2018 list, David Knauf of the Darien Health Department, Jeff Holland and Ingrid Gillespie of the Connecticut Prevention Network based out of Stamford and Shane Lockwood of the Plainville-Southington Health District traveled to Hartford in an attempt to sway the committee. The local health professionals believed overdoses should be added to the list. There is no mechanism for reporting overdoses. None at all, Knauf said. This means that, even as an opioid pandemic sweeps Connecticut, the state has very little data on how many overdoses actually occur. At the end of the year, the medical examiner issues a report on how many people died from opioid overdoses. But that report does not include people who survive. Instead, health departments are forced to grapple with a problem that is largely unseen until its too late. Because the opioid epidemic is rapidly evolving, it would help if departments could monitor overdoses, Norwalk Director of Public Health Deanna DAmore said. If overdoses were labeled a reportable disease, the information would come in directly to the departments. We have a system called Maven so we could easily pull that information from the health department side. Dr. Byron Kennedy, the New Haven health director, also supported legislation to add opioid overdoses to the list of reportable conditions. It is imperative that health departments are provided accurate and timely information on these overdoses, the health department reported to the Board of Health Commissioners. More Information Significant holes in overdose data In 2017, over 1,000 people died of overdoses in Connecticut. However, data on nonlethal overdoses is scant. In 2017, state police received 83 calls for service that resulted in the administering of Narcan. Twenty-seven of those were in the Western District, which includes Fairfield County. In the past two years, the Norwalk Fire Department has administered Narcan 18 times. See More Collapse The scourge of fentanyl has accelerated the urgent need for data describing just about every aspect of overdose cases, whether fatal or not, so health officials can start tracking and preventing them, New Haven Mayor Toni N. Harp said. That means the states mandatory reporting requirements should be adjusted, which would seem to be the administrative purview of DPH, but if a legislative directive is necessary, so be it. Every letter written to the commissioner on the subject supported adding overdoses to the list. The level of attention was unusual for the committee, which usually proceeds without controversy. The state epidemiologist at the meeting said it was the first time hes had people testify ever for a request, Knauf said. But when the updated list of reportable conditions was emailed out in January, the only condition that was added was ventilator-associated events, which can lead to pneumonia. The Department of Health did not respond to a request to comment on why opioid overdoses were not added to the list, but minutes from the meeting showed concerns over the best way to capture overdose information. Michael Parry, a Stamford Hospital doctor who was present at the meeting as an expert in infectious disease, said he believed that further discussions were probably needed about the optimal ways to gather data. Now the Knauf, Holland and Gillespie are lobbying state lawmakers to create legislation requiring that overdose poisonings be added to the list. State Rep. Terrie Wood, R-Darien, said the public health committee planned to raise a bill within the next three weeks. Its important to have the number of overdoses that do not result in death, she said. Because that number is unknown. For years, legislators came up with a list of responsibilities for local health departments, Knauf said. And number one in the 10 essential services is to monitor the health status of the community to identify and solve local health problems. And to me, this screams for having data on local overdoses, in real time. Without that information, we cannot do the number-one defined responsibility that we have. Congress is currently allocating $6 billion from the two-year federal budget for addiction recovery and mental health. It has yet to be determined what types of programs will receive that money, and when U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and Rep. Jim Himes sat down with advocates from Fairfield county to hear their thoughts on how the funds should be used, some frustration was expressed at the lack of data. We have great difficulty in getting real-time data on the magnitude of the issue because of the way overdoses are recorded or not recorded, noted Dariens first selectman, Jayme Stevenson. However, some medical professionals believe that reporting opioid overdoses would not be enough. Patrick Broderick, a doctor at Danbury Hospital who has worked in emergency medicine for three decades, said that he saw many patients with substance abuse disorders who had not overdosed. The people who take Narcan for an overdose are really a fraction of the problem, Broderick said. He believed somewhere between 20 and 30 percent of the patients he saw in the emergency room suffered from a substance abuse disorder, which includes opiate abuse but could also refer to misuse of other drugs. But he and Knauf agreed on one thing. What we can kind of generalize is deaths due to overdoses are just the tip of the iceberg, Knauf said. WASHINGTON - Democrats have found themselves once again in the uncomfortable position of trying to determine how to judge one of their own accused of misdeeds. For now, at least, Rep. Keith Ellison's fellow Democrats have taken a wait-and-see approach following allegations that he was abusive toward a now-former girlfriend, an accusation that went public just days before he won the party's nomination for Minnesota attorney general in November. Ellison, a prominent supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders's 2016 presidential bid, also serves as deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee, the organization that has said it is reviewing the allegations. Does Sanders have an opinion on what Ellison should do? "Nope, nothing," the Vermont independent said Thursday, rushing for the Senate doors. "You'll excuse me, I've got to get going." Other Democrats expressed support for the DNC review but much less of a rush to judgment as they did last fall when accusations against other members surfaced at the height of the #MeToo movement. "I know that the DNC is investigating it, so we'll see and let that run its course," Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., said Wednesday as the Senate returned from a two-week recess. "I think that's appropriate to look into it," said Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. Many Democrats were harsher last year when their Senate colleague Al Franken faced accusations of groping women and other inappropriate sexual advances. Within an hour of the first accusation, Harris and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., forcefully called for the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate, making clear they would not spare the Minnesota senator just because he was a leading liberal. "Sexual harassment and misconduct, should not be allowed by anyone, and should not occur anywhere against anyone," Harris said then. Three weeks later, as other allegations came forward, Gillibrand led the calls for Franken to resign, which he did. So far no congressional Democrat has called for a House Ethics Committee investigation into Ellison, instead settling for the somewhat vague DNC "review" of the situation. Gillibrand has not issued a statement about Ellison, and her press office did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday. The difference between the two cases illustrates just how inconsistent the approaches have been to allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior with members of Congress. Ellison is at least the 10th member of the House or Senate to face some type of harassment allegations: four, including Franken, announced they would resign immediately; three decided to retire rather than run for reelection in November; and two said they would retire but then immediately resigned rather than answer questions before the ethics committee. And now Ellison stands in the rarest of positions, holding an official party position at the DNC and pursuing a job that would give him a high-profile role opposing President Trump's agenda in the courts. On social media posts beginning Saturday Ellison's former girlfriend, Karen Monahan, and her son alleged the lawmaker psychologically abused her and, in one case, pulled her off a bed while screaming obscenities. They suggested that there was a video of the bedroom incident, but no such video has surfaced. On Sunday Ellison acknowledged his past relationship with Monahan but denied that he had ever been abusive. "We are going to keep on fighting all the way through. We are going to be respectful to all, and we are going to stand like steeples, and insist upon the truth," Ellison told supporters Tuesday night after his primary victory. Perhaps no Democrat demonstrates the situation's political vice grip better than Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who served alongside Franken for more than eight years. Klobuchar serves as the top Democrat on the Senate Rules Committee, which has been trying to pass new legislation to rewrite outdated laws governing harassment cases on Capitol Hill. Initially, in the wake of Franken's exit and the other cases, this overdue legislation seemed to be one good thing that would come of the allegations. "I think the process needs to be shored up," said Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev. Those negotiations are stalled over how much liability lawmakers should face personally in these cases, and now another member is facing allegations - and no one is sure anymore how to respond. On Wednesday, leaving the Capitol, Klobuchar declined any comment on Ellison. He's another prominent figure from the Democrat Farmer Labor Party, as Minnesota's Democrats formally call themselves, facing allegations as his career is taking off. A small but very vocal faction of DFL activists believe Franken fell victim to a right-wing conspiracy because the ex-comedian had become such a prominent Trump critic. "I thought it was extremely politicized. I think Franken was a strong presence, and a lot of people were afraid of him. He was a straight shooter, and that made him more vulnerable when people wanted to bring him down," Sally McCartney, 77, told The Washington Post's David Weigel after a campaign event Saturday in St. Louis Park, a Twin Cities suburb. That sentiment has left the state's Democrats fearful of a backlash in how they handle questions about Franken. "Al is a friend of mine," Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., who was appointed to Franken's seat, told Weigel just hours before the Ellison allegations broke. "He was a great champion for Minnesota and a champion for the country. He had to make a really, really tough decision, and I respect the decision that he made." Gillibrand received initial praise for her consistent approach in calling on Trump and Franken to resign for the abuse allegations they faced, as well as suggesting that, in retrospect, President Bill Clinton should have resigned when word of the Monica Lewinsky affair broke. Ever since prominent donors, close to both Franken and Clinton, have vowed to oppose Gillibrand if she runs for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. Now, with another prominent Minnesota liberal under fire, other Democrats have decided to largely keep their powder dry, unsure of what the right approach is. McCaskill, who called on Franken to resign, let out a loud sigh when asked about Ellison. She was not sure what the line would be to call for Ellison to resign from his party leadership or give up his nomination. "I'm not going to do a hypothetical like that," she said. "I think it's going to depend on what the facts show." Lauren Baer, a former Obama administration foreign policy adviser, has been buoyed by a string of endorsements from Democratic Party officials and national House leaders in her first-time bid for Congress. But for all the attention on her race in South Florida - one of the most competitive in the country - Baer has one significant disadvantage in her campaign to unseat Republican Brian Mast: money. "I know that we have a message that resonates in our community," said Baer, who had raised less than half as much as Mast by the end of June. "But I also know that my viability, at the end of the day, depends on the amount of money that exists in my campaign coffers." Even as a record number of women run for office this year, female congressional candidates overall are lagging behind their male counterparts when it comes to pulling in campaign cash, according to a Washington Post analysis of federal campaign finance reports. Men running for the House had collected almost 17 percent more on average than their female counterparts by the end of June, The Post found in its examination of candidates who showed viability by raising at least $50,000. One driving factor: Many female candidates lack relationships with longtime political donors who work in traditionally male-dominated industries such as finance. That is a particular challenge for women this cycle, because the majority are newcomers to politics and, like any non-incumbent, must build donor networks from scratch. But their task is often more difficult, some female candidates said, because of skepticism about their potential, based on their gender. "The assumptions that are built into our political system is that the candidate is male," said Baer, who said she has frequently been asked by donors and supporters about who is caring for her young child. One group of female candidates who outraised their male counterparts: Democratic women seeking office in districts that lean left - a sign of the enthusiasm in the base to support women this year. In those districts, women collected an average of $97,000 more than men, The Post found. In Minnesota, for example, state legislator Ilhan Omar, a Somali refugee who would be one of the first Muslim woman elected to Congress, handily outraised two of her three Democratic challengers - including a male opponent - before winning her primary Tuesday. Female candidates in some marquee toss-up races are also seeing a flood of cash. That has been the case for Katie Hill, a 30-year-old nonprofit-group executive from Santa Clarita, Calif., who is seeking to dislodge Rep. Steve Knight, the last Republican who still holds a congressional seat in Los Angeles County. Hill had raised $2.5 million to Knight's $1.7 million by the end of June - a remarkable feat in a district that has been held by a Republican for 25 years. In a sign of grass-roots enthusiasm for her bid, one-quarter of her campaign cash came from donations of $200 or less. Such donations made up just 1.4 percent of Knight's haul. Hill, who is bisexual, has attracted backers from an array of constituencies, including LGBTQ advocacy groups, a Los Angeles-area women's network and Hollywood celebrities such as actress Kristen Bell, whom she met through her work advocating for the homeless. "I met people who took me under their wing, and then it sort of spread . . . into this Venn diagram of relationships that you have to keep building and building," Hill said in an interview after a recent campaign event in her district. "That is something I couldn't have really anticipated before I was a candidate - how much the momentum builds on itself, like a snowball." But such a dramatic financial windfall is the exception for female candidates. Men raised an average of $849,000 by June 30 - according to the most recent data available - while women pulled in an average of $728,000, The Post found. Republican women posted a higher average of $941,058, largely driven by huge hauls by GOP incumbents and millions in contributions that have poured into several high-profile races. Overall, female candidates in general did better in fundraising in the 63 competitive House races tracked by the Cook Political Report but still trailed male candidates by an average of $63,516, The Post found. The gap reflects a widespread hurdle that could hobble women hoping to make history in November, largely because just 71 of the 476 women who launched House bids this cycle are incumbents, according to data from the Center for American Women and Politics, a nonpartisan research center at Rutgers University. In Illinois, nonprofit executive and first-time candidate Betsy Dirksen Londrigan has raised $1 million less than Rep. Rodney Davis, the three-term GOP incumbent she is challenging. She said she has logged nearly 50,000 miles on her car driving around the 13th District to make her case to voters and donors. "We don't have any Hollywood actresses in Springfield, Illinois, but we do have a lot of people who are equally as excited and equally as committed," Londrigan said. Londrigan, who co-founded Women Rising, a group working to support female candidates, hopes to draw on the donor networks of her three male primary opponents, who she said have all offered to help her raise money. Still, for all the inspiration she gets from the stories of first-time female candidates, Londrigan said she worries that voters may overestimate their chances of winning in November. "I don't want a repeat of 2016, frankly," Londrigan said. "I don't want anyone making the assumption that the woman in the race is going to win or that they can stay home that day." One factor that has slowed fundraising for some women: competition. Of the 272 female candidates still in the running for House seats, 207 are Democrats, according to the tally by the Center for American Women and Politics. That has led to crowded primary contests in many states - and prompted one major potential ally on the left, Emily's List, to hold off giving its endorsement in some races until the general election. The advocacy group, which supports female candidates who back abortion rights, is sitting out the 18th District in Florida, where Baer is facing off against former naval officer and lawyer Pam Keith in the Aug. 28 Democratic primary. Baer said that the absence of early backing by Emily's List "disadvantages one as a candidate, not having that stamp of approval." Emily's List considers a number of factors when weighing whether to endorse early - mainly whether the "bones of the campaign are strong," according to spokeswoman Julie McClain Downey. "We consider having this many women running a good problem," she added. Meanwhile, many female candidates on the left have pledged not to take contributions from corporate PACs, which have long been reliable and early sources of campaign cash. "That does obviously create more of a challenge," said Kara Eastman, a nonprofit executive who has raised $1 million less than incumbent Republican Don Bacon in Nebraska's 2nd District. "We are dedicated to this being a people-powered campaign." There are some signs that female candidates on the left are generating more enthusiasm among grass-roots donors than men. Women running for federal office, on average, received contributions from 10 percent more first-time donors this cycle than male candidates, according to ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising platform. They spurred an even greater increase in first-time female donors, drawing donations from 23 percent more than male candidates. "Folks are legitimately excited by all the first-time candidates who are running," said Erin Hill, ActBlue's executive director. "We've never seen this type of influx of growth." In Connecticut, Jahana Hayes, a history teacher and political novice, raised nearly $40,000 in less than 24 hours after clinching Tuesday's Democratic primary - mostly in small donations under $200, according to her campaign. For Katie Hill, that excitement is translating into donations and volunteers. At a recent training session for volunteers before they went door-to-door to speak to voters, several supporters said they were drawn to Hill because she has proved her viability with her robust fundraising. "I'm out here because I want to make sure that communities are aware there are other options," said Ashley Orozco, a 27-year-old campaign volunteer who wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the words "The Future is Female." Hill said she is sharing the lessons she has learned about fundraising with other female candidates and hopes to see mentorship programs develop to help other first-time candidates build donor networks. In May, Vice News aired a 30-minute documentary featuring Hill and her campaign team's fundraising strategies, including how her team leveraged her Emily's List endorsement to broaden its network of wealthy female donors in the Los Angeles area. "I want this to get out. I'm not shy about my 'secret' about how we fundraise. I've talked about it from early, early on," Hill said. "I want to learn from other women who can look at this and share what did they do and, frankly, what we could have done better." The debate at the heart of President Donald Trump's decision to revoke the security clearance of CIA Director John Brennan is political free speech. Essentially: How much is too much for a former top member of the U.S. intelligence community? Trump has left little doubt that he decided to revoke the security clearance of Brennan for being involved in the early days of the Russia investigation. Trump's aides and allies have also accused Brennan of being inappropriately political, transforming from his once-nonpartisan role as CIA director under President Barack Obama into one of the most outspoken members of the intelligence community about Trump and Russia. It's not just Trump allies who are caught off guard by Brennan's willingly molding himself into a lightning rod. "As a recently retired CIA chief, John Brennan has been far too political in his comments," Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a moderate Republican, told reporters Wednesday, though she said Trump should not have revoked his security clearance. Brennan has indeed grown a lot more willing to accuse Trump of wrongdoing. Around this time last year, Brennan said he didn't know whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia. He didn't even want to say that word, "collusion." Now Brennan straight up accuses the president's campaign of colluding with Russia. He called Trump's denials of collusion "hogwash" in a provocative op-ed in the New York Times published less than 24 hours after Trump revoked his security clearance. That's something many of Trump's other critics aren't willing to say. So is Brennan becoming too political for democracy's good? Or have the facts compelled him to speak out in increasingly alarming language, politics be damned? That's a question of intent that both sides will no doubt have strong feelings about. But since Brennan's intent does get at the heart of whether Trump just appropriately punished him, it's worth looking back at what Brennan said last summer about Trump and Russia and how he has changed his tune now. - Brennan a year ago, on the Trump campaign's naivete about Russia: He testified to Congress in May 2017 that he thought it was possible the Trump campaign was tricked into collusion with Russia but that the campaign naive about it. He worded his thoughts carefully so as never to accuse the campaign of anything directly. "My radar goes up early when I see certain things that I know what the Russians are trying to do, and I don't know whether or not the targets of their efforts are as mindful of Russian intentions as they need to be," said Brennan, who had been out of the CIA for several months at this point. Brennan now: He is far less willing to give the Trump campaign the benefit of the doubt that it had innocent motives. After Trump's Helsinki summit with President Vladimir Putin in July, Brennan said the president's deference to Putin was an impeachable offense. "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???" Brennan tweeted July 16. - Brennan last year on Russia's motives for getting involved: It was definitely to hurt Trump's presidential rival, Hillary Clinton, he told Congress last May: "I believe they tried to damage and bloody her before the election." Brennan now: He still feels that way. That Brennan would keep repeating this is notable because it's something Trump has refused to acknowledge, even though his own intelligence community has reached this conclusion. - Brennan last year on Trump asking Russia during the campaign to hack into Clinton's emails: It didn't come up in his hours-long testimony to Congress about Russian interference, suggesting that members of Congress and Brennan just weren't focused on this moment in the broader context of Russian election interference. Brennan now: This moment is now a linchpin in Brennan's argument that Trump likely colluded with Russia. In making such comments, Brennan said, Trump was "openly authorizing his followers to work with our primary global adversary against his political opponent." "Such a public clarion call certainly makes one wonder what Mr. Trump privately encouraged his advisers to do - and what they actually did - to win the election," he wrote in the Times. It's worth noting that a recent federal indictment against Russian hackers points out that "on or about" the same day Trump said that, Russians did try to get Clinton's emails, though it does not allege behind-the-scenes coordination between the two sides. - Brennan last year on the existence of Trump-Russia ties: He testified to Congress that he was concerned enough to alert the FBI of what he was finding, but he let the investigation play out: " I encountered and am aware of information and intelligence that revealed contacts and interactions between Russian officials and U.S. persons involved in the Trump campaign that I was concerned about because of known Russian efforts to suborn such individuals and it raised questions in my mind, again, whether or not the Russians were able to gain the cooperation of those individuals." Brennan now: He is convinced there were inappropriate Trump-Russia ties. "While I had deep insight into Russian activities during the 2016 election, I now am aware - thanks to the reporting of an open and free press - of many more of the highly suspicious dalliances of some American citizens with people affiliated with the Russian intelligence services," he wrote in the Times. - Brennan then on Trump-Russia collusion: He made no judgments other than to say it could have happened inadvertently. Asked directly by Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., if evidence of collusion existed, Brennan said: "I don't know whether or not such collusion - and that's your term - such collusion existed. I don't know. " Brennan now on collusion: He says it definitely happened. He cites Trump campaign members' ties to Russia, the trial of former campaign chairman Paul Manafort on bank and tax fraud charges, and Trump's publicly asking Russia to release Clinton's emails. In the Times, he concludes: "The only questions that remain are whether the collusion that took place constituted criminally liable conspiracy, whether obstruction of justice occurred to cover up any collusion or conspiracy, and how many members of 'Trump Incorporated' attempted to defraud the government by laundering and concealing the movement of money into their pockets." So 1 1/2 years into Trump's presidency, Brennan is much less willing to give the benefit of the doubt to the president than he was a few months in. The question about Brennan vs. Trump then becomes twofold: whether that's acceptable behavior for the former head of the CIA and whether that warrants revoking his security clearance. As the Washington Post reported this week, a dispute over Turkey's continued detention of an American clergyman has spiraled into the worst crisis between the two countries in more than four decades. President Donald Trump has exultantly slapped tariffs on Turkish imports, an act that sent the country's currency into a tailspin over the weekend. Now Turkey has retaliated, announcing on Wednesday that it would levy its own tariffs on a slate of U.S. products. The increasingly nasty fight between two NATO allies is bad enough, but a potentially bigger crisis looms in neighboring Iraq, which is feeling the effects of Trump's attempts to squeeze Iran. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi reluctantly admitted last week that Iraq had no choice but to abide by the terms of renewed sanctions imposed on Iran by the Trump administration. Reports suggest that the United States would sanction any Iraqi bank that runs afoul of American prohibitions on doing business with the Islamic Republic. "We don't sympathize with the sanctions, we don't think they are appropriate . . . but we are committed to protect our people," Abadi said. But a two-pronged backlash - not only were some Iraqis angered, but the Iranians apparently canceled a meeting with the Iraqi prime minister scheduled for this week - prompted Abadi to change tack. "On Monday, Abadi walked back his earlier commitment, saying Iraq would refrain only from conducting business with Iran in U.S. dollars," explained my colleagues Tamer El-Ghobashy and Mustafa Salim. "He said there was no decision yet on whether Iraq would suspend imports of major goods from Iran. In a concession to his powerful neighbor, Abadi said visa fees for Iranian pilgrims to Shiite holy sites in Iraq would be reduced to compensate for the weakened value of the Iranian rial." Abadi is at the helm of a caretaker government, with Iraqi politicians still grappling over the makeup of a new ruling coalition for the country. He is in an unenviably delicate position: Though he is liked in Washington, he is also beholden to Iran's interests and influence inside his country and its constellation of political parties. He can afford neither a rupture with the United States, a critical security partner, nor a real fight with Tehran, with which it does some $12 billion worth of annual trade and shares myriad other connections. Things may get even trickier in November, when a tougher round of U.S. sanctions on Iran's oil industry is slated to take effect. Nabil Jafar, a professor of economics at the University of Basra, told Al-Monitor that Iraq might "be denied exporting its oil" if Baghdad doesn't comply with those measures. But Genevieve Abdo, a resident scholar of the Arabia Foundation in Washington, argued in Politico that Iraq has no choice but to violate the sanctions. If Iraq adhered to the Trump administration's demands, Iran could cut off desperately needed resources to its neighbor. Iraq's chronic electricity shortages would become exponentially worse if its supplies of Iranian natural gas dried up; its droughts would be far more severe if Iran diverted flows of water into away from rivers. "Iraq relies on its eastern neighbor for everything from gas supplies to electricity to water and foodstuffs," wrote Abdo, before putting her finger on the irony of the moment. "Not only is Iraq in a no-win position, but it is the United States, which still maintains some 5,200 troops in Iraq, that put it there: The country's dependence on Iranian trade and public services is largely due to the U.S. invasion in 2003." For Trump and his allies, though, that's Iraq's problem. The White House is bent on pushing back Iranian influence across the Middle East and hobbling the theocratic regime in Tehran. Critics argue it's an overzealous mission that both obscures potential avenues for cooperation - not least in Iraq, where both Iran and the United States worked to defeat the Islamic State - and overstates the scale of the Iranian threat. Tehran's military budget is smaller than those of Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia - three traditional U.S. allies in the region who are vehement foes of Iran. "The United States' treatment of Iran as a serious strategic competitor is deeply illogical," wrote Steve Simon and Jonathan Stevenson, former Obama administration officials, in Foreign Affairs. " Iran imperils no core U.S. interests. It refrains from attacking U.S. forces or using terrorism to target U.S. assets or territory, co-exists with the United States in Iraq with little friction, and has agreed to limits on its nuclear program. Tehran scarcely reacts to Israeli strikes on its assets in Syria, where it maintains only a small forward-deployed force supplemented by ragtag Afghan, Iraqi, and Syrian Shiite militias." Meanwhile, ordinary people are suffering while foreign powers play their games. The precipitous decline of the Iranian rial, sparked by Trump's unraveling of the nuclear deal, has had unintended consequences in countries nearby. Tens of thousands of Afghan migrant workers have left Iran over the past year as the economy tanked; a recent report by Radio Liberty warned that their departure (and a drop in remittances sent home to impoverished Afghan families) could have ruinous consequences for Iran's western neighbor and could even fuel militancy. And as my colleagues reported, countless Iraqis who had invested their savings in schemes offered by Iranian banks are seeing their money rapidly dwindle. These investments were mostly made a few years ago, when the situation across the border seemed far more stable than in Iraq, where the Islamic State was overrunning whole cities. Now, what seemed a safer bet has turned into a new source of misery. Hussain al-Kaabi, a 41-year-old real estate investor who spoke to my colleagues, estimated that the current turmoil has set him back a decade. "The Americans have never done anything good in the Middle East," Kaabi told The Post. "Everything they do damages us, whether militarily, politically or financially." The definition of news has always been something unexpected. In journalism school, man bites dog was used as an example. Dogs bite people all the time; thats not news. But a person biting a dog? We cant help but wonder why. Thats news. Social media has allowed more of these unexpected events to cross the line into becoming news, because news requires something else: an audience. Newspapers and television once owned the audience monopoly, but now social media has expanded news channels. Instead of editors determining what events qualify as news, the audience themselves decides with the power of a click. As a result, news has expanded beyond the realm of press releases and publicists. Viral posts now compete and often win top spots in most read media lists. Think of the viral videos last week that became news. Did you see the one about the grocery store clerk who allowed an autistic teenager to help stock orange juice? How about the parents who bought their childs teacher a new car so she doesnt spend hours commuting each day by bus? In these examples, what made these events news were unexpected act of kindness that made people feel good. What a contrast to the political strife and natural disasters that dominate the rest of our news channels. How can your credit union update its approach to news? Rather than spend resources on another rate sale or membership drive that will only capture the attention of those who happen to need your products and services today, what if you instead attracted attention with some unexpected kindness? Maybe it would make a world of difference to a single parent in your market if you donated a repossessed vehicle or even a foreclosed property. Or perhaps, as so many credit unions have done, your team collected home goods for a financially distressed retiree. If done right, such an event has the potential to generate far more attention in your market than a traditional press release. Here are three key pieces to include. 1. Let somebody else take center stage as the good guy. Work with your local police department or school system to identify who would benefit from your kindness and allow them to deliver the goods. Make sure they mention that your credit union was the donor, but allow them to star in the viral video. Otherwise, it could come off as a sales pitch. 2. Make a video of the gift presentation. It doesnt have to be high quality, but it must show enough to deliver all the feels. That means also interviewing the recipient afterward so they can explain what a big difference the gift will make in their lives. 3. Pack an emotional punch. If the thought of your gift doesnt make you tear up, it probably wont do the same for anyone else, either. It must be meaningful to be shared and go viral. The great thing about this publicity strategy is its in alignment with the credit union philosophy of people helping people. It may not be what you think of as publicity, but thats just the point. It will stand out from the rest. The Senate Commerce Committee today holds an oversight hearing for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Ahead of the hearing, NAFCU Executive Vice President of Government Affairs and General Counsel Carrie Hunt sent a letter outlining credit unions concerns related to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and asked that senators raise them to the commission. The letter was sent to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and Ranking Member Bill Nelson, D-Fla. In it, Hunt reinforced credit unions priorities for TCPA modernization with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals March decision in the ACA International suit, which found the FCCs definition of autodialer to be arbitrary and capricious. The court also rejected the FCCs interpretation of when a caller violates the TCPA by calling a reassigned number. NAFCU has called for the FCC to take a narrower approach to defining an Automatic Telephone Dialing System (ATDS) to ensure credit unions can contact members about their accounts without fear of inadvertently violating the TCPA. The association and its member credit unions also support creating a centralized reassigned numbers database managed by the FCC. The Korean cult accused of brutalising slaves in Fiji The Spinoff, New Zealand/August 14, 2018 By Jamie Tahana A cult leader arrested in Korea has been accused of forcing devotees into slave labour in Fiji. And the Fijian government is staying tight-lipped about their own links to the Grace Road Church. Jamie Tahana writes for RNZ Pacific. Theres an apocalypse coming and only one place will escape it: Fiji, the so-called centre of the world as promised in the Bible. Well, thats what South Koreas Grace Road Church and its founder, Shin Ok-ju, has preached to hundreds of followers, many of whom have cashed in and moved to Fiji for salvation. But the promised land took a darker turn earlier this month when Ms Shin and three others were arrested in Seoul and charged with the enslavement of some 400 followers. Korean authorities said that when church members arrived in Fiji, their passports were seized and some were forced to endure violent rituals. Many more were either forced to work on a plantation or at several other church-run businesses. Those businesses, which South Korean prosecutors said were the front for a violent cult, were widely endorsed and supported by the highest levels of Fijis Government. Last year, it received a Prime Ministers Business Award. In their announcement, Korean authorities said those who were forced to work were watched over by guardians, who were personally selected by Ms Shin to prevent the followers from leaving. While in Fiji, prosecutors said, they were forced to perform ritual beatings on one another, which Ms Shin said was done to avoid punishment from God. A father was forced to hit his son more than 100 times, while another was beaten so badly they have lasting brain damage, they said. Eventually, five people managed to escape and contact South Korean authorities. Grace Road Church, in a statement, denied the allegations, calling itself a victim of slander. The Fiji Government has not responded to requests for comment. Korean Roots The Grace Road Church was founded by Pastor Shin Ok-ju in 2002, said Professor Tark Ji-il, an expert in Korean cults from Busan University. The church had a mission to craft a world where, in her words, only God is God. She preached that there was an imminent famine, and her followers needed to find and prepare a new home for the second coming of Jesus. The church was radically different in its interpretation of the Bible, Professor Tark said, and as it grew it came under increasing scrutiny from South Koreas Christian circles. However, in a country with an abundance of cults, Grace Road never really gained significant traction. Its power and reach paled in comparison to, say, Choe Tai-mins Church of Eternal Life, whose links with former President Park Guen-hye and some of the countrys biggest companies led to Ms Parks downfall and imprisonment in 2016. Despite its small stature, Professor Tark said Grace Road still managed to amass hundreds of followers. In the past few years, it became increasingly scrutinised by the countrys Christian circles, and was in 2014 officially isolated as a heresy group. While it wasnt the largest, Professor Tark said Grace Road shared similarities with many other Korean cults. Firstly, absolute obedience to the religious leader; secondly, wrong interpretation of the Bible; and thirdly, teaching of the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ; and lastly, provision of the place for the final shelter, he said. One thing different is that Shin Ok-ju chose Fiji as the final shelter, while others generally choose Korea as the final shelter, he said. A Fijian Embrace But if South Korea was looking upon Grace Road Church with increasing suspicion, then the opposite appeared to be the case in Fiji. The Church first lay its roots there in 2014 at the same time it was being ostracised in South Korea and since then, it has grown something of a small business empire, with various layers of government endorsement and support. This was soon after Ms Shin was sued in New York for US$6 million by a man with schizophrenia who said she supervised his strapping down for 10 days as part of a healing treatment. He alleged the restraints cut the blood flow to his legs, one of which later required amputation for gangrene. According to Grace Roads website, a missionary for the church was sent around the world with a one-way ticket to find the land that will survive the famine, as promised in the Bible. After scouting 60 countries, they landed in Fiji, with its warm climes and fertile soil. This was the prophesised land. Fiji divides into two syllables Fi and Ji, said Professor Tark. In Korean characters, Fi means escape or shelter and Ji means place or land, so its interesting, isnt it? To fulfil this prophecy, Grace Road took out a 50-year lease on a plot of land in Navua, to the south of Suva, where it started planting rice to prepare for the famine. According to a 2014 report in the Fiji Sun newspaper, it received tremendous support from the Ministry of Agriculture, although its not clear what this support entailed. It developed its farm with intensive methods, modern technology and cut-throat efficiency, sending vast quantities into the local market and employing some 100 locals. It has also cultivated relationships with several government ministers, who have attended launches and other Grace Road events, as well as spoken effusively about its presence in Fiji. Last year, Grace Road won the Prime Ministers International Business Award in the primary industries category. The awards organisers said: Grace Road Group successfully demonstrates how innovative farming methods, passion and a strong desire for quality can lead to excellence. Since its establishment the group has focussed on developing its rice production for Fiji to ultimately become self-sufficient. In a picture that was posted to Twitter, but has been deleted since Ms Shins arrest, Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama is seen smiling with several Grace Road representatives. Beyond the farm, the Grace Road Group spread its roots into various branches of Fiji industry. It opened a chain of restaurants, a laundromat, a salon, a hardware store and other businesses. It even created a construction arm, which pitched in to help after the devastation wrought by Cyclone Winston in 2016. That construction arm has won several lucrative contracts, including with the government. It currently holds the tender for an extension at the presidential palace on Suvas waterfront, as well as to upgrade the Prime Ministers official residence. But not everybody embraced it so openly. In 2016, the Fiji Methodist Church the countrys largest denomination issued a statement warning members to be wary about Grace Road, labelling it a cult. A spokesperson for the church, Wilfred Regunamada, said the church released a circular after it was warned by its sister branch in South Korea. But there were worrying signs already, he said. Some of our friends have said that people who work for [Grace Road], they work in fear, he said. There is like a fear of doing something wrong and something will happen. A decision has been made for them. The Fiji government has not responded to requests for comment, but the Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, has been quoted by Fiji media saying that Ms Shins arrest will have no effect on business in Fiji. But Mr Regunamada said the Fiji Government needs to do more than that, and fully explain its connections with Grace Road Church and whether or not it had any inkling of whats been alleged by South Korean authorities. There is nothing that the government talks about investigating or looking deep into it, but [instead praise] how they have been investing here, he said. That is the way we see it: There is a relationship between this organisation and the people who are leading the nation. Strong Denials In a statement, Grace Road Church denied the allegations against its founder, labelling itself a victim of slander. [They] have created unspeakable lies about passport confiscation, forced labour, incarceration and violence, it read. Because we are enraged by blasphemy of the name of God and dishonouring our reverend and GR Group, 400 of us want to speak up that all these are not true. The Group, which has made no secret about its plantation and business operations being in preparation for armageddon, accused those who laid the complaint of treachery and betrayal. Because our reverend has been leading the biblical reformation she has been attacked and slandered by those who speak lies different from the Bible, it said. They were joined by the ex-members, who disagreed with our mission and vision and pursued their own greed, and made up all the lies. On Friday, RNZ Pacific received an email from somebody called Angela, with Grace Road letterhead, who said she wanted to testify the truth in a statement that echoed that of the Churchs official one. Angela said she went to Fiji in July 2015 with great joy and happiness. I was never told, nor forced to go there. I was never told, nor forced to work. I was never held there against my will, nor did anyone ever touch me in a manner of violence. I am deeply saddened and outraged by hearing these slanderous, vicious and utterly despicable lies being told through the media. They are blaspheming the name of God, she said. God will reveal the truth in his time. For now, though, Ms Shin remains in custody in South Korea facing a multitude of charges. The authorities there said their immediate concern was the 400 people they say were stranded. But there were worries they could be guarded by some of Ms Shins more strident followers the guardians. The police in Fiji said they were also investigating the Grace Road Group, but it was unclear what involvement they had before Ms Shins arrest. Professor Tark added that repatriation would likely be difficult because many of the followers may not be willing to admit to their situation, and are unlikely to view themselves as being enslaved. Its going to be difficult for her followers to accept the situation they are facing, he said. Accepting what happened to them is to admit their choice or their belief was not correct. So I think for a while they will deny or avoid the reality, not for Shin Ok-ju, but for themselves. To see more documents/articles regarding this group/organization/subject click here. 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 on Tuesday. The report, which covered six of the states eight Catholic dioceses and found more than 1,000 identifiable victims, is the broadest examination yet by a government agency in the United States of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. The report said there are likely thousands more victims whose records were lost or who were too afraid to come forward. 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, ever since explosive allegations emerged out of Boston in 2002. But even after paying billions of dollars in settlements and adding new prevention programs, the church has been dogged by a scandal that is now reaching its highest ranks. The Pennsylvania report comes soon after the resignation of Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington, who is accused of sexually abusing young priests and seminarians, as well as minors. Despite some institutional reform, individual leaders of the church have largely escaped public accountability, the grand jury wrote. 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. The grand jury said that while some accused priests were removed from ministry, the church officials who protected them remained in office or even got promotions. One bishop named in the report as vouching for an abusive priest was Cardinal Donald Wuerl, now the archbishop of Washington. Until that changes, we think it is too early to close the book on the Catholic Church sex scandal, the jury wrote. The report is unlikely to lead to new criminal charges or civil lawsuits under the current law because the statute of limitations has expired. Only two of the cases in the report so far have led to criminal charges. In statements released on Tuesday, Pennsylvanias Catholic bishops called for prayers for victims and for the church, promised greater openness and said that measures instituted in recent years were already making the church safer. But several bishops, including Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh, rejected the idea the church had concealed abuse. There was no cover-up going on, Bishop Zubik said in a news conference on Tuesday. I think that its important to be able to state that. We have over the course of the last 30 years, for sure, been transparent about everything that has in fact been transpiring. Church officials followed a playbook for concealing the truth, the grand jury said, minimizing the abuse by using words like inappropriate contact instead of rape; assigning priests untrained in sexual abuse cases to investigate their colleagues; and not informing the community of the real reasons behind removing an accused priest. Tell his parishioners that he is on sick leave, or suffering from nervous exhaustion. Or say nothing at all, the report said. Attorney General Josh Shapiro, whose office initiated the investigation, said in a news conference, They protected their institution at all costs. As the grand jury found, the church showed a complete disdain for victims. He said that the cover-up by senior church officials stretched in some cases all the way up to the Vatican. No other state has seen more grand jury investigations of abuses in the church than Pennsylvania, where about one of every four residents is Catholic and the local attorneys general have been particularly responsive to victims. Previous grand juries examined the dioceses of Philadelphia and Altoona-Johnstown; the new report covers the rest of the state. Mr. Shapiro was surrounded on Tuesday by about 20 abuse victims and their family members, who gasped and wept when he revealed that one priest had abused five sisters in the same family, including one girl beginning when she was 18 months old. Some victims said in interviews that they were relieved to finally be heard and to have their perpetrators publicly named. I had gone to two bishops with allegations over five years, and they ignored and downplayed my allegations, said the Rev. James Faluszczak, an Erie priest on extended leave who was abused as a child and who testified before the grand jury. Its that very management of secrets that has given cover to predators. For others, it was too little, too late. Frances Samber, whose brother Michael was abused by a priest in Pittsburgh and committed suicide in 2010, said, Its good that the public sees this, but where is the justice? What do you do about it? Why arent these people in prison? There has been no comprehensive measurement of the full scope of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in the United States, though some have tried. American abuse survivors have pushed for years for the government to undertake a nationwide inquiry similar to the one conducted in Australia, where a royal commission spent four years examining the sexual abuse of children by a variety of religious and civic institutions, including the Catholic Church. Books on the run from Somerset County libraries to just about anywhere The Standing Committee on external affairs, headed by Shashi Tharoor, former minister of state, was recently in the news. After several hearings on the Doklam episode, some of its conclusions were leaked to the media. Of course, one could ask: Are the MPs not under oath when they get confidential briefings? But it is perhaps too much to expect from some of the peoples representatives. Remember, on June 16 last year, Indian and Chinese troops faced each other for 73 days after India decided to stop the construction of a road on Bhutanese territory, near the tri-junction between India, China and Bhutan. Chinese military According to PTI, though the Committee report did not clarify whether the committee was favouring increasing the deployment of Indian troops in the region, Delhi should encourage Thimphu to ensure a larger deployment of its soldiers in the Northern Doklam area to check the activities of Chinese military in the sensitive region. The above recommendation raises the crucial issue of the relation of Bhutan and China. In this context, it is interesting to look into the past. In June 1955, RK Nehru was foreign secretary, when he decided to pay an official visit to Bhutan. At that time, to go to Bhutan, the easiest way was to cross through the Chumbi Valley (north of Doklam) in Tibet, before proceeding to Paro. After a stay of a few days in Yatung, the main village of the Chumbi Valley where India had an important Trade Agency, Nehru left for Bhutan on June 14; he returned on June 26 and again stayed a couple of days in Yatung. In his report, the foreign secretary wrote: My visit to Bhutan via Yatung had been notified to the Chinese. We were given to understand that I would receive all facilities and courtesies. I received all the facilities needed, but no special courtesies were shown. Why? China was simply jealous of Indias special relation with Bhutan. China was deeply unhappy when India was responsible for Bhutan's foreign relations (File photo: PTI) Nehru mentioned that South Block had notified Beijing about his visit: but we were aware that they claim Bhutan as their vassal state. This claim was last made in 1910, but it has never been given up. The question may be different today, but the fact remains that the leadership in Beijing has always thought that it was natural for Bhutan to have special relations with China. The then foreign secretary continued: As recently as 1948, the claim was repeated. The Chinese position in the past has been that we [India] cannot have special relations with Bhutan without their concurrence. I presume this is still their position, though it is not being asserted openly. Nehru admitted: For all these reasons, they could have refused to give transit visas, but this would have led to a conflict. The alternative was to give visas, but to take no special notice of the visit. This is what they actually did. It was not the first time that China was trying to play the Bhutan Card. First meeting In August 1950, the Indian Mission in Lhasa reported an encounter between Bhutans commercial agent in Lhasa and General Zhang Jingwu, Maos representative in Tibet, who had just arrived in Lhasa; it was the first meeting between the Chinese general and a foreign diplomat posted in Tibet. It was quite farcical. The agent had to state his name, age and functions; then he was required to explain why restrictions were imposed on Tibetan traders entering Bhutan. The agent had to explain to the tough general that his government had stationed five or six men along her frontier merely to prevent Tibetans from stealing mules from villages in Bhutan. Let us remember that at that time, India was responsible for Bhutans foreign relations; China was deeply unhappy about this. On October 1, 1950, on the first anniversary of the Peoples Republic, the Chinese gave a party in Lhasa. Zhang gave special considerations to Bhutan: of foreign representatives Bhutan Agent received much attention and encouragement verging on patronage, wrote Sinha, the head of the Indian Mission. The PLA general constantly praised the Bhutanese Agent, even styled Envoy of the Independent Asian State of Bhutan. Sinha informed Delhi through [the] questions put to the Agent, [it was as if] Bhutan had nothing in common with India. Bhutan was coolly told that it would be invited to send a Mission to Peking next year. Diplomatic relations The Chinese were very much aware that the Dragon Kingdoms diplomatic relations were taken care by Delhi, but it was clearly a calculated move to put Bhutan and India on the same diplomatic level. Even the Tibetans were quite surprised about the new status of Bhutan Agent and the fuss made of him. Today like yesterday, though not openly asserted, the Chinese mindset remains the same; this partially explains why Beijing decided to start building a road near the tri-junction, without informing Thimphu or Delhi. Beijing could not think that a foreign country (India) would intervene and stop the work. A few weeks ago, though Thimphu does not have formal diplomatic relations with its northern neighbour, Chinese vice foreign minister Kong Xuanyou spent three days in the Dragon Kingdom. It was the first high-level visit post-oklam. Kong, accompanied by the Chinese ambassador to India, met Bhutans King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and foreign minister Damcho Dorji; they discussed matters of mutual interest, acknowledged Bhutan. Though Bhutan kept India in the loop about Kongs visit, there is no doubt that the Chinese pressure on Bhutan will increase in the coming months, especially as the parliamentary elections are coming soon in Bhutan. In these circumstances, it is unsure Bhutan will agree to increase its deployment in the Doklam area. 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Unum Group is engaged in providing financial protection benefits. It operates through the following segments: Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, Closed Block and Corporate. The Unum US segment comprises of group long-term and short-term disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment products, and supplemental and voluntary lines of business. The Unum International segment engages in the operations of UK business, which includes insurance for group long-term disability, group life, and supplemental lines of business that include dental, individual disability, and critical illness products; Poland business primarily includes insurance for individual and group life with accident and health riders. The Colonial Life segment includes insurance for accident, sickness, disability products, life products, and cancer and critical illness products. The Closed Block segment consists of individual disability, group and individual long-term care, and other insurance products no longer actively marketed. The Corporate segment refers to investment income on corporate assets and other corporate income and expenses not allocated to a line of business; and interest Read More Ad Legacy Research 1,095 Interested This Week GM and Toyota Shut Down Once again, the word "Crisis" is being thrown around. But this is unlike anything we've seen before... Major automakers - from GM to Toyota are shutting their factories. Analysts are warning that Christmas, as we know it, may not happen this year. And massive food distributor, Sysco, says it's going to have trouble stocking grocery store shelves. Not because of a recession or virus...not because of a new lockdown or war... But the very opposite. A new threat which could soon cause empty shelves as far as the eye can see. ConocoPhillips engages in the exploration, production, transportation and marketing of crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and liquefied natural gas on a worldwide basis. It operates through the following geographical segments: Alaska; Lower 48; Canada; Europe, Middle East and North Africa; Asia Pacific; and Other International. The Alaska segment primarily explores for produces, transports and markets crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. The Lower 48 segment consists of operations in the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico. The Canada segment is comprised of oil sands development in the Athabasca Region of northeastern Alberta and a liquids-rich unconventional play in western Canada. The Europe, Middle East and North Africa segment consists of operations and exploration activities in Norway, the United Kingdom and Libya. The Asia Pacific segment has explorations and product operations in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. The Other International segment handles exploration activities in Columbia and Argentina. The company was founded in 1875 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. Read More Oasis Petroleum Inc., an independent exploration and production company, focuses on the acquisition and development of onshore unconventional oil and natural gas resources in the United States. It operates through Exploration and Production(E&P), and Midstream segments. The E&P segment engages in the acquisition and development of oil and gas properties. The Midstream segment offers midstream services, such as natural gas gathering, compression, processing and, gas lift supply; crude oil gathering, terminaling, and transportation; produced and flowback water gathering, and disposal; and water distribution. As of December 31, 2020, the company had 401,766 net leasehold acres in the Williston Basin; and 24,396 net leasehold acres in the Permian Basin, as well as approximately 152.2 million barrels of oil equivalent of estimated net proved reserves. The company sells its crude oil and natural gas to refiners, marketers, and other purchasers that have access to pipeline and rail facilities. Oasis Petroleum Inc. was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Read More 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. HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and sells lighting and electronic components and systems for automotive industry worldwide. It operates through three segments: Automotive, Aftermarket, and Special Applications. The Automotive segment offers headlamps, rear combination lamps, car body and interior lighting products, and radomes; and body electronics, energy management, lighting electronics, and steering solutions, as well as driver assistance systems and components, including sensors and engine compartment actuators. The Aftermarket segment produces and sells automotive parts and accessories primarily in the areas of lighting, electrics, and electronics; and provides workshop solutions in the areas of diagnostics and calibration, as well as various services for wholesalers and workshops. The Special Applications segment develops, manufactures, and markets lighting technology and electronic products for special vehicles comprising construction and agricultural machinery, buses, and motor homes, as well as for the marine sector. The company has strategic collaboration with AEye, Inc. to develop LiDAR sensor systems. The company was formerly known as HELLA KGaA Hueck & Co. and changed its name to HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA in October 2017. HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Lippstadt, Germany. As of June 26, 2020, HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA operates as a subsidiary of Hella Stiftung GmbH. Read More National Bank of Canada engages in the provision of commercial banking and financial services. It operates through the following segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, Financial Markets, US Specialty Finance and International (USSF&I), and Other. The Personal and Commercial segment involves in banking, financing, and investing services offered to individuals and businesses as well as insurance operations. The Wealth Management segment focuses on the investment solutions, trust and lending services, and other wealth management solutions offered through internal and third-party distribution networks. The Financial Markets segment includes banking and investment banking services and financial solutions for large and mid-size corporations, public sector organizations, and institutional investors. The USSF&I segment comprises specialty finance expertise activities of subsidiary ABA Bank, which offers financial products and services to individuals and businesses; and activities of targeted investments in certain emerging markets. The Other segment encompasses treasury activities such as asset and liability management, liquidity management and funding operations, certain no Read More Rayonier Advanced Materials, Inc. engages in the production and sale of cellulose products, which is a natural polymer commonly used in the production of cell phone and computer screens, filters, and pharmaceuticals. It operates through the following segments: High Purity Cellulose, Forest Products, Paperboard, Pulp and Newsprint, and Corporate. The High Purity Cellulose segment manufacture and market high purity cellulose, which is sold as either cellulose specialties or commodity products in U.S., Canda, and France. The Forest Products segment manufacture and market construction-grade lumber in North America through seven sawmills located in Canada. The Paperboard segment comprises paperboard products. The Pulp and Newsprint segment involves in the production of pulp and newsprint in Canada. The Corporate segment consists senior management, accounting, information systems, human resources, treasury, tax, and legal administrative functions that provide support services to the operating business units. The company was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. Read More Wall Street analysts have given iShares Russell 3000 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 Russell 3000 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 Abbott Laboratories: 3A Nutrition (Vietnam) Company Limited, ABON Biopharm (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AGA Medical Belgium, AGA Medical Corporation, AGA Medical Holdings Inc., ALR Holdings, AML Medical LLC, APK Advanced Medical Technologies LLC, ATS Bermuda Holdings Limited, ATS Laboratories Inc., Abbott, Abbott (Jiaxing) Nutrition Co. Ltd., Abbott (UK) Finance Limited, Abbott (UK) Holdings Limited, Abbott AG, Abbott Asia Holdings Limited, Abbott Asia Investments Limited, Abbott Australasia Holdings Limited, Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd, Abbott B.V., Abbott Bahamas Overseas Businesses Corporation, Abbott Belgian Investments, Abbott Bermuda Holding Ltd., Abbott Biologicals B.V., Abbott Biologicals LLC, Abbott Bulgaria Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Capital India Limited, Abbott Cardiovascular Inc., Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., Abbott Delaware LLC, Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., Abbott Diabetes Care Limited, Abbott Diabetes Care Sales Corporation, Abbott Diagnostics GmbH, Abbott Diagnostics International Ltd., Abbott Diagnostics Technologies AS, Abbott Doral Investments S.L., Abbott Equity Holdings Unlimited, Abbott Equity Investments LLC, Abbott Established Products Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Finance Company SA, Abbott Financial Holdings SRL, Abbott France S.A.S., Abbott Fund Tanzania Limited, Abbott Gesellschaft m.b.H., Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Abbott Health Products LLC, Abbott Healthcare (Puerto Rico) Ltd., Abbott Healthcare B.V., Abbott Healthcare Costa Rica S.A., Abbott Healthcare LLC, Abbott Healthcare Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Healthcare Private Limited, Abbott Healthcare Products B.V., Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd, Abbott Holding (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding GmbH, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited Luxembourg S.C.S., Abbott Holdings B.V., Abbott Holdings LLC, Abbott Holdings Limited, Abbott Holdings Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Hungary Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Iberian Investments (2) Limited, Abbott Iberian Investments Limited, Abbott India Limited, Abbott Informatics Asia Pacific Limited, Abbott Informatics Canada Inc, Abbott Informatics Corporation, Abbott Informatics Europe Limited, Abbott Informatics France, Abbott Informatics Germany GmbH, Abbott Informatics Netherlands B.V., Abbott Informatics Singapore Pte. Limited, Abbott Informatics Spain S.A., Abbott Informatics Technologies Ltd, Abbott International Corporation, Abbott International Enterprises Ltd., Abbott International Holdings Limited, Abbott International LLC, Abbott International Luxembourg S.ar.l., Abbott Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Ireland, Abbott Ireland Financing Designated Activity Company, Abbott Ireland Limited, Abbott Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Abbott Knoll Investments B.V., Abbott Korea Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Bangladesh) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco (Dos) SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Laboratories (Mozambique) Limitada, Abbott Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Philippines), Abbott Laboratories (Puerto Rico) Incorporated, Abbott Laboratories (Singapore) Private Limited, Abbott Laboratories A/S, Abbott Laboratories Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Abbott Laboratories B.V., Abbott Laboratories C.A., Abbott Laboratories Finance B.V., Abbott Laboratories GmbH, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Abbott Laboratories International LLC, Abbott Laboratories Ireland Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited - Laboratoires Abbott Limitee, Abbott Laboratories NZ Limited, Abbott Laboratories Pacific Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Laboratories Products B.V., Abbott Laboratories Residential Development Fund Inc., Abbott Laboratories S.A., Abbott Laboratories SA, Abbott Laboratories Services Corp., Abbott Laboratories Slovakia s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trustee Company Limited, Abbott Laboratories Uruguay S.A., Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises, Abbott Laboratories d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories de Chile Limitada, Abbott Laboratories de Colombia S.A., Abbott Laboratories de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Abbott Laboratories druzba za farmacijo in diagnostiko d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories(Hellas) Societe Anonyme, Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios del Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Abbott Laboratuarlari Ithalat Ihracat ve Ticaret Ltd.Sti, Abbott Laboratorios Lda, Abbott Laboratorios do Brasil Ltda., Abbott Limited Egypt LLC, Abbott Logistics B.V., Abbott Management GmbH, Abbott Management LLC, Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Private Limited, Abbott Mature Products International Unlimited Company, Abbott Mature Products Management Limited, Abbott Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Abbott Medical (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Medical (Portugal) Distribuicao de Produtos Medicos Lda, Abbott Medical (Schweiz) AG, Abbott Medical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Australia Pty. Ltd., Abbott Medical Austria Ges.m.b.H., Abbott Medical Balkan d.o.o. Beograd (Novi Beograd), Abbott Medical Belgium, Abbott Medical Canada Inc./ Medicale Abbott Canada Inc., Abbott Medical Danmark A/S, Abbott Medical Devices Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Espana S.A., Abbott Medical Estonia OU, Abbott Medical Finland Oy, Abbott Medical France SAS, Abbott Medical GmbH, Abbott Medical Hellas Limited Liability Trading Company, Abbott Medical Ireland Limited, Abbott Medical Italia S.p.A., Abbott Medical Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Korea Limited, Abbott Medical Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Medical Laboratories LTD, Abbott Medical Nederland B.V., Abbott Medical New Zealand Limited, Abbott Medical Norway AS, Abbott Medical Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Medical Sweden AB, Abbott Medical Taiwan Co., Abbott Medical U.K. Limited, Abbott Medical spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Middle East S.A.R.L., Abbott Molecular Inc., Abbott Morocco SARL, Abbott Nederland C.V., Abbott Nederland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Netherlands Investments B.V., Abbott Norge AS, Abbott Nutrition Limited, Abbott Nutrition Manufacturing Inc., Abbott Operations Singapore Pte. Ltd., Abbott Operations Uruguay S.R.L., Abbott Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Overseas Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Overseas S.A., Abbott Oy, Abbott Point of Care Canada Limited, Abbott Point of Care Inc., Abbott Poland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Procurement LLC, Abbott Products (Philippines) Inc., Abbott Products (Spain) S.L., Abbott Products Algerie EURL, Abbott Products B.V., Abbott Products Distribution SAS, Abbott Products Egypt LLC, Abbott Products Limited, Abbott Products Limited Liability Company, Abbott Products Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Products Operations AG, Abbott Products Operations LLC, Abbott Products Romania S.R.L., Abbott Products Tunisie S.A.R.L., Abbott Products Unlimited Company, Abbott Resources Inc., Abbott Resources International Inc., Abbott S.r.l., Abbott Saudi Arabia Trading Company, Abbott Scandinavia Aktiebolag, Abbott Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Abbott South Africa Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Strategic Opportunities Limited, Abbott Trading Company Inc., Abbott Universal LLC, Abbott Vascular Devices (2) Limited, Abbott Vascular Devices Limited, Abbott Vascular Inc., Abbott Vascular Instruments Deutschland GmbH, Abbott Vascular International, Abbott Vascular Japan Co. Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc., ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics. 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. Andeavor, through its subsidiaries, operates as an independent petroleum refining, logistics, and marketing company in the United States. The company operates in three segments: Marketing, Logistics, and Refining. The Marketing segment sells gasoline and diesel fuel through retail, branded, and unbranded channels. This segment operates a network of 3,255 retail stations under the ARCO, Shell, Mobil, and SUPERAMERICA brands. The Logistics segment gathers and transports crude oil by pipelines, as well as by trucks. It operates approximately 13 million barrels of crude oil, feedstock, blendstock, refined product, and asphalt storage tanks. The Refining segment buys and refines crude oil and other feed stocks into transportation fuels, such as gasoline and gasoline blend stocks, jet fuel, and diesel fuel, as well as other products, including heavy fuel oils, liquefied petroleum gas, petroleum coke, calcined coke, and asphalt. It also sells refined products in the bulk market principally to independent unbranded distributors, other refining and marketing companies, utilities, railroads, airlines, and marine and industrial end-users in the western United States. This segment owns and operates 10 petroleum refineries with a combined crude oil capacity of approximately 1,157 thousand barrels per day. The company was formerly known as Tesoro Corporation and changed its name to Andeavor in August 2017. Andeavor was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. Read More 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. Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. The company's personal banking products and services include checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and financial and investment advice services; and commercial banking products and services comprise business deposit accounts, commercial credit cards, business loans and commercial mortgages, cash management solutions, foreign exchange, specialized banking programs, treasury and payment solutions, and risk management products for small business and commercial banking customers. It also offers investment and wealth advisory services; digital investing services; financial services and solutions; and investment management, and trust and custody services to institutional, retail, and high net worth investors. In addition, the company provides life insurance, accident and sickness insurance, and annuity products; creditor and travel insurance to bank customers; and reinsurance solutions. Further, it offers client's debt and equity capital-raising services, as well as loan origination and syndication, balance sheet management, and treasury management; strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations, as well as valuation and fairness opinions; and trade finance, risk mitigation, and other operating services. Additionally, the company provides research and access to markets for institutional, corporate, and retail clients; trading solutions that include debt, foreign exchange, interest rate, credit, equity, securitization and commodities; new product development and origination services, as well as risk management advice and services to hedge against fluctuations; and funding and liquidity management services to its clients. It operates through approximately 1,400 bank branches and 4,800 automated banking machines in Canada and the United States. The company was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of IQVIA: 159 SOLUTIONS, 159 Technology Solutions Private Ltd, AHM Global Operations Inc., AHM Global Services LLC, AHM Logistics Inc. (Canada), AIECO IT Solutions India Private Ltd., ALIMED Egeszsegugyi Szolgaltato Kft., Advanced Health Media LLC, Advanced Health Media Services, Aileron Solutions, Albatross Financial Solutions Limited, Appature, Ardentia International Limited, Ascott Sales Integration, Asesorias IQVIA Solutions Chile Limitada, Asserta Centroamerica Medicion de Mercados, BUZZEOPDMA LLC, Battaerd Mansley Pty. Ltd., Benefit Canada, Benefit Holding, BioFortis, CDS - Center de Service SAS, COORDINATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, CRM Health Korea Ltd., CSD Health Korea Ltd., Cambridge Pharma Consultancy, Cambridge Pharma Consultancy Limited, Cegedim Venezuela C.A., Cenduit (India) Services Private Company Limited, Cenduit Limited, Cenduit Mauritius Holdings Company, Clinical Financial Services, Clinical Lab Minority Shareholder Limited, Coordinated Management Holdings L.L.C., Cote Orphan, Cote Orphan Consulting UK Limited, DATA NICHE ASSOCIATES, Datadina Ecuador S.A., Dataline Software Limited, Datec Industria e Comercio, Dimensiions Healthcare LLC, Drug Dev Inc., DrugDev, DrugDev Limited, EA Institute L.L.C., ENTERPRISE ASSOCIATES, EPS Research Limited, EPS Software Limited, Epernicus, Forcea NV, Foresight Group International UK LTD, Foresight Group Japan G.K., Foresight IT Solutions Consulting India Private Limited, GRACE DATA CORPORATION, Global Crown Investment Limited, HIGHPOINT SOLUTIONS, Hospital Marketing Services Ltd., Hotel Lot C-8B, IMS (GIBRALTAR) HOLDING LIMITED, IMS (UK) Pension Plan Trustee Company Limited, IMS AB, IMS CHINAMETRIK INC., IMS HEALTH GROUP LIMITED, IMS HEALTH KOREA LTD, IMS HEALTH KOREA LTD., IMS HEALTH PUERTO RICO INC., IMS HEALTH TAIWAN LTD., IMS Health (Australia) Partnership, IMS Health Analytics Services Private Limited, IMS Health Bangladesh Limited, IMS Health Bolivia S.R.L., IMS Health Cyprus LTD, IMS Health Egypt Limited, IMS Health Information Solutions Argentina S.A., IMS Health Information Solutions Australia Pty. Ltd, IMS Health Information Solutions India Private Ltd., IMS Health Information Solutions Japan K.K., IMS Health Lanka (Private) Limited, IMS Health Networks Limited, IMS Health Pakistan (Private) Limited, IMS Health Paraguay SRL, IMS Health Surveys Limited, IMS Health Technology Solutions (China) Co. Ltd., IMS Health Technology Solutions Australia Pty. Ltd, IMS Health Technology Solutions Colombia Ltda., IMS Health Technology Solutions Holdings AB, IMS Health Technology Solutions Hungary Ltd., IMS Health Technology Solutions India Private Ltd., IMS Health Technology Solutions Japan K.K., IMS Health Technology Solutions Kazakhstan, IMS Health Technology Solutions LLC, IMS Health Technology Solutions Sweden AB, IMS Health Technology TUNISIA, IMS Health Tunisia sarl, IMS Health Uruguay S.A., IMS Health de Venezuela C.A., IMS Holdings (U.K.) Limited, IMS Hospital Group Limited, IMS Information Solutions Medical Research Limited, IMS Information Solutions UK Ltd., IMS International (Proprietary) Limited, IMS Market Research Consult (Beijing), IMS Meridian Limited, IMS Meridian Research Limited, IMS Republica Dominicana, IMS SOFTWARE SERVICES LTD., IMS Technology Solutions UK Limited, INTERCONTINENTAL MEDICAL STATISTICS INTERNATIONAL, IPP Informacion Promocional y Publicitaria S.A. de C.V., IPP Technology Solutions Mexico SA de CV (FKA Cegedim Mexico SA de CV), IQVA Romania S.R.L., IQVIA (Thialand) Co. Ltd., IQVIA AB, IQVIA AG, IQVIA AG (Mexico Branch), IQVIA AG (UK Branch), IQVIA Adriatic d.o.o. za Konzalting, IQVIA Asia Pacific Commercial Holdings LLC, IQVIA Beteiligungs-gesellschaft mbH, IQVIA BioSciences Holdings LLC, IQVIA CHINAMETRIK INC., IQVIA COMMERCIAL FINANCE INC., IQVIA COMMERCIAL INDIA HOLDINGS CORP., IQVIA COMMERCIAL LICENSING ASSOCIATES LLC, IQVIA COMMERCIAL SERVICES LLC, IQVIA COMMERCIAL TRADING CORP., IQVIA Clinical AB, IQVIA Commercial Deutschland GmbH, IQVIA Commercial GmbH & Co. OHG, IQVIA Commercial I LLC, IQVIA Commercial Software GmbH, IQVIA Commercial Sp. z.o.o., IQVIA Commerical Consulting Sp. z.o.o., IQVIA Consulting Solutions bvba, IQVIA Consulting and Information Services India Private Limited, IQVIA Finance Ireland Designated Activity Company, IQVIA GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS INC., IQVIA Healthcare QFC branch, IQVIA Hellas Technology Solutions S.A., IQVIA Holdings France SAS, IQVIA IES (UK) Limited, IQVIA IES Brasil Ltda., IQVIA IES Europe Limited, IQVIA IES European Holdings, IQVIA IES Italia S.r.l., IQVIA IES OY, IQVIA IES Overseas Holdings Limited, IQVIA IES Portugal, IQVIA IES Portugal Unipressoal Ltda., IQVIA IES Puerto Rico Inc., IQVIA II Technology Solutions Portugal, IQVIA INC., IQVIA INFORMATION MEDICAL STATISTICS (ISRAEL) LTD., IQVIA Information, IQVIA Information Solutions (China) Co., IQVIA Information Solutions GmbH, IQVIA Informations Solutions France SAS, IQVIA Istanbul Saglik Hizmetler Arastirma ve Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, IQVIA Korea Co. Ltd., IQVIA LTD, IQVIA Market Intelligence LLC, IQVIA Marktforschung GmbH, IQVIA Maroc SARL, IQVIA Mauritius Holdings, IQVIA Medical Communications & Consulting, IQVIA Medical Development (Dalian) Co., IQVIA Medical Education Inc., IQVIA Medical Radar AB, IQVIA Operations France SAS, IQVIA PHARMA Inc., IQVIA Partners AS, IQVIA Pharma Services Corp., IQVIA Pharmaceutical Marketing Services Ltd., IQVIA Phase One Services LLC, IQVIA RDS (India) Private Limited, IQVIA RDS (Pty.) Limited, IQVIA RDS AG, IQVIA RDS Argentina S.A., IQVIA RDS Asia Inc., IQVIA RDS Austria GmbH, IQVIA RDS BT Inc., IQVIA RDS Brasil Ltda., IQVIA RDS Bulgaria EOOD, IQVIA RDS Canada ULC, IQVIA RDS Chile, IQVIA RDS Colombia S.A.S., IQVIA RDS Consulting Inc., IQVIA RDS ESTONIA OU, IQVIA RDS East Asia Pte. Ltd., IQVIA RDS Eastern Holdings GmbH, IQVIA RDS Finland OY, IQVIA RDS France SAS (formerly, IQVIA RDS Funding LLC, IQVIA RDS GesmbH, IQVIA RDS GesmbH Greek Branch, IQVIA RDS Guatemala S.A., IQVIA RDS Holdings, IQVIA RDS Hong Kong Limited, IQVIA RDS ISRAEL LTD., IQVIA RDS Inc., IQVIA RDS Ireland (Finance) Ltd., IQVIA RDS Ireland Ltd., IQVIA RDS Italy Srl, IQVIA RDS Latin America LLC, IQVIA RDS Latvia SIA, IQVIA RDS Magyarorszag Gyogyszerfejlesztesi es Tanacsado Kft., IQVIA RDS Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., IQVIA RDS Moscow, IQVIA RDS Novosibirsk, IQVIA RDS Panama Inc., IQVIA RDS Peru S.r.l., IQVIA RDS Philippines Inc., IQVIA RDS Poland Sp. Zoo, IQVIA RDS Pty. Limited, IQVIA RDS Slovakia s.r.o., IQVIA RDS Spain, IQVIA RDS Spain S.L., IQVIA RDS St. Petersburg, IQVIA RDS Support Sarl, IQVIA RDS Switzerland sarl, IQVIA RDS Taiwan Ltd., IQVIA RDS Transfer LLC, IQVIA RDS UAB, IQVIA RDS UK Holdings Ltd., IQVIA RDS and Integrated Services Belgium NV, IQVIA RDS d.o.o. Beograd, IQVIA SOLUTIONS ASIA PTE. LTD., IQVIA SOLUTIONS CANADA INC., IQVIA SOLUTIONS JAPAN K.K., IQVIA SOLUTIONS OPERATIONS CENTER PHLIPPINES INC., IQVIA SOLUTIONS PHILIPINES, IQVIA SOLUTIONS PHILIPPINES, IQVIA Services Japan K.K., IQVIA Solutions (NZ) Limited, IQVIA Solutions (Pty.) Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Argentina S.A., IQVIA Solutions Australia Holdings Pty. Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Australia Pty. Ltd., IQVIA Solutions B.V., IQVIA Solutions Belgium S.P.R.L., IQVIA Solutions Bulgaria EOOD, IQVIA Solutions Colombia S.A., IQVIA Solutions Consulting Myanmar Company Limited, IQVIA Solutions Denmark AS, IQVIA Solutions Enterprise Management Consulting (Shanghai) Co., IQVIA Solutions Finance B.V., IQVIA Solutions Finance UK I Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Finance UK II Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Finance UK III Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Finance UK V Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Finland OY, IQVIA Solutions Global Holdings UK Ltd., IQVIA Solutions GmbH, IQVIA Solutions HQ Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Holdings (Pty.) Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Hong Kong Limited, IQVIA Solutions Ireland Limited, IQVIA Solutions Italy W.r.l., IQVIA Solutions Kazakhstan LLC, IQVIA Solutions LLC, IQVIA Solutions Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., IQVIA Solutions Norway AS, IQVIA Solutions Pharmaceutical SRL, IQVIA Solutions Portugal, IQVIA Solutions Regional Pte. Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Services Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Sweden AB, IQVIA Solutions UK Investments Ltd., IQVIA Solutions UK Limited, IQVIA Solutions a.s., IQVIA Solutions del Peru S.A., IQVIA Solutions do Brasil Ltda., IQVIA Solutions s.r.o., IQVIA Solucoes de Tecnologia DO Brazil Ltda., IQVIA Staff Services Sp.A., IQVIA TRANSPORTATION SERVICES CORP., IQVIA Technology Services Ltd., IQVIA Technology Solutions Egypt LLC, IQVIA Technology Solutions Finland OY, IQVIA Technology Solutions Poland SP. z.o.o., IQVIA Technology Solutions Romania Srl, IQVIA Technology Solutions S.R.O. Branch Bulgaria, IQVIA Technology Solutions Ukraine LLC, IQVIA Technology Solutions s.r.o., IQVIA Technology and Services AG, IQVIA Tibbi Istatistik Ticaret ve Musavirlik Ltd. Sirketi, IQVIA Trading Management Inc., IQVIA World Publications Ltd., IQVIA Zagreb d.o.o., Iasist Holdco Limited, Iasist Potugal, Iasist SAU Agencia en Chile, Iasist Sociedad Anonima Unipersonal, Impact RX, Infocus Health Limited, Infopharm Ltd., Innovex Holdings I LLC, Innovex Merger Corp., Innovex Saglik Hizmetleri Arastirma ve Danismanlik Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Innovex Saglik Urunleri Pazarlame ve Hizmet Danismanlik Anonim Sirketi, Institute of Medical Communications NCO, Interstatistik AG, Kun Tai Medical Development Hong Kong Limited, Kun Tuo Medical Research & Development (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Laboratorie Novex Pharma Sarl, Laboratorio Commuq Pharma SL, Linguamatics, M&H Informatics (BD) LTD., M-TAG Australia Pty. Ltd., MED-VANTAGE, MG Recherche, Mecurial Insights Holding Pty. Ltd., Mecurial Insights Pty. Ltd., Mercados Y Analisis, Meridian Research Vietnam Ltd., Nordisk Medicin Information AB, Novella Clinical LLC, Novella Clinical Ltd., Novex Pharma Gmbh, Novex Pharma Laboratorio S.L., Novex Pharma Limited, Nuevo Health Pty Ltd, Onkodatamed GmbH, Operaciones Centralizadas Latinoamericana Limitada, Optimum Contact Limited, Outcome Sciences LLC, PILGRIM SOFTWARE HOLDING B.V., POLARIS MANAGEMENT PARTNERS LLC, POLARIS SOLUTIONS LLC, PR Editions S.A.S., PT IMS Health Indonesia, PT Quintiles Indonesia, Penderwood Limited, PharmARC Consulting Services GmbH, PharmARC Inc., Pharma Deals Limited, Pharma Strategy Group Ltd., Pharmadata s.r.o., Pharmaforce, Pilgrim Quality Solutions EMEA BV, Pilgrim Software Asia PVT, Polaris Solutions BV, Polaris Solutions Ltd., Primeum IQVIA SAS, Privacy Analytics Inc., Professional Pharmaceutical Marketing Services (Pty.) Ltd., Pygargus AB, Q Squared Solutions (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Q Squared Solutions (India) Private Limited, Q Squared Solutions (Quest) LLC, Q Squared Solutions (Quest) Limited, Q Squared Solutions (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Q Squared Solutions B.V., Q Squared Solutions BioSciences LLC, Q Squared Solutions China (Quest) Limited, Q Squared Solutions China Limited, Q Squared Solutions Expression Analysis LLC, Q Squared Solutions Holdings B.V., Q Squared Solutions Holdings LLC, Q Squared Solutions Holdings Limited, Q Squared Solutions K.K., Q Squared Solutions LLC, Q Squared Solutions Limited, Q Squared Solutions Proprietary Limited, Q Squared Solutions Pte. Ltd., Q Squared Solutions S.A., Q2 Metrics, Q2 Solutions, QIMS Pharma Services SA DE CV, QUINTILES MEXICO, QUINTILESIMS EUROPEAN HOLDINGS II C.V., Qcare Site Services, Quintiles B.V., Quintiles Benin Ltd., Quintiles Clindata (Pty.) Limited, Quintiles Clindepharm (Pty.) Limited, Quintiles Clinical and Commercial Nigeria Limited, Quintiles Commercial ApS, Quintiles Commercial Germany GmbH, Quintiles Commercial Rus LLC, Quintiles Commercial South Africa (Pty) Limited, Quintiles Commercial US. Inc., Quintiles Costa Rica S.A., Quintiles Czech Republic, Quintiles Denmark, Quintiles East Africa Limited, Quintiles Egypt LLC, Quintiles Enterprise Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Quintiles Finance Sarl, Quintiles Finance Uruguay, Quintiles GmbH, Quintiles Holdings S.a.r.l., Quintiles IMS European Holdings C.V., Quintiles Lanka Private Limited, Quintiles Latin America Inc., Quintiles Luxembourg European Holding, Quintiles Luxembourg European Holding S.a.r.l., Quintiles Luxembourg France Holdings SARL, Quintiles Medical Development (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Quintiles Netherlands, Quintiles New Zealand, Quintiles Norway, Quintiles Phase One Clinical Trials India Private Limited, Quintiles Russia LLC, Quintiles S.a.r.l., Quintiles Site Services, Quintiles South Africa (PTY.) Limited, Quintiles UK (Japan Holdings) Limited, Quintiles Ukraine, Quintiles Vietnam, Quintiles West Africa Limited, RX India LLC, Radar Acquisition Blocker, Redsite Limited, Reportive SA, STI Technologies Limited, Schwarzeck Verlag GmbH, Secureconsent, Shanghai IMS Market Research Co. Ltd., Source Informatics Limited, Spartan Leasing Corporation, Statfinn Oy, Strategique Sante, THE AMUNDSEN GROUP, Targeted Molecular Diagnostics, Tarius A/S, Temas Srl - Societa Unipersonale, TforG Connect BVBA, Themis Limited, UAB IQVIA Commercial, VALUEMEDICS RESEARCH, VCG&A Inc., and iGuard. The following companies are subsidiares of American Tower: 10 Presidential Way Associates LLC, 3267351 Nova Scotia Company, 3286208 Nova Scotia Company, 3298099 Nova Scotia Company, 52 Eighty LLC, 52 Eighty Partners LLC, 52 Eighty Tower Partners I LLC, ACC Tower Sub LLC, AT Kenya C.V., AT Netherlands C.V., AT Netherlands Cooperatief U.A., AT Sao Paulo C.V., AT Sher Netherlands Cooperatief U.A., AT South America C.V., ATC Africa Holding B.V., ATC Africa Shared Services (Pty) Ltd, ATC Antennas Holding LLC, ATC Antennas LLC, ATC Argentina C.V., ATC Argentina Cooperatief U.A., ATC Argentina Holding LLC, ATC Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., ATC Atlantic C.V., ATC Atlantic II B.V., ATC Atlantic III B.V., ATC Backhaul LLC, ATC Brasil Servicos de Conectividades Ltda., ATC Brazil Holding LLC, ATC Brazil I LLC, ATC Brazil II LLC, ATC Burkina Faso S.A., ATC CSR Foundation India, ATC Chile Holding LLC, ATC Colombia B.V., ATC Colombia Holding I LLC, ATC Colombia Holding LLC, ATC Colombia I LLC, ATC EH GmbH & Co. KG, ATC Ecuador Holding LLC, ATC Edge LLC, ATC Ethiopia Infrastructure Development Private Limited Company, ATC Europe B.V., ATC Europe LLC, ATC European Holdings Inc., ATC Fibra de Colombia S.A.S., ATC France Cooperatief U.A., ATC France Holding II SAS, ATC France Holding SAS, ATC France Reseaux SAS, ATC France SAS, ATC France Services SAS, ATC GP GmbH, ATC Germany Holdings GmbH, ATC Germany Services GmbH, ATC Ghana ServiceCo Limited, ATC Global Employment B.V., ATC Heston B.V., ATC Holding Fibra Mexico S. de R.L. DE C.V., ATC IP LLC, ATC India Infrastructure Private Limited, ATC Indoor DAS Holding LLC, ATC Indoor DAS LLC, ATC International Cooperatief U.A., ATC International Financing B.V., ATC International Financing II B.V., ATC International Financing II Holding LLC, ATC International Holding Corp., ATC Iris I LLC, ATC Kenya Operations Limited, ATC Kenya Services Limited, ATC Latin America S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., ATC MIP III REIT Iron Holdings LLC, ATC Managed Sites Holding LLC, ATC Managed Sites LLC, ATC MexHold LLC, ATC Mexico Holding LLC, ATC Niger Wireless Infrastructure S.A., ATC Nigeria C.V., ATC Nigeria Cooperatief U.A., ATC Nigeria Holding LLC, ATC Nigeria Wireless Infrastructure Limited, ATC On Air + LLC, ATC Operations LLC, ATC Outdoor DAS LLC, ATC Paraguay Holding LLC, ATC Paraguay S.R.L., ATC Peru Holding LLC, ATC Polska sp. z o.o., ATC Ponderosa B-I LLC, ATC Ponderosa B-II LLC, ATC Ponderosa K LLC, ATC Ponderosa K-R LLC, ATC Sequoia LLC, ATC Sitios Infraco S.A.S., ATC Sitios de Chile S.A., ATC Sitios de Colombia S.A.S., ATC Sitios del Peru S.R.L., ATC South Africa Investment Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, ATC South Africa Services Pty Ltd, ATC South Africa Wireless Infrastructure (Pty) Ltd, ATC South Africa Wireless Infrastructure II (Pty) Ltd, ATC South America Holding LLC, ATC South LLC, ATC Spain LLC, ATC TRS I LLC, ATC TRS II LLC, ATC TRS III LLC, ATC TRS IV LLC, ATC Tanzania Holding LLC, ATC Telecom Infrastructure Private Limited, ATC Tower (Ghana) Limited, ATC Tower Services LLC, ATC Uganda Limited, ATC Uganda ServiceCo (SMC) Limited, ATC Watertown LLC, ATC WiFi LLC, ATS-Needham LLC, ActiveX Telebroadband Services Private Limited, Adquisiciones y Proyectos Inalambricos S. de R. L. de C.V., Agile Airband Ohio LLC, Agile Connect LLC, Agile IWG Holdings LLC, Agile Network Builders LLC, Agile Networks Indiana LLC, Agile Networks Site Development LLC, Agile Towers LLC, Alternative Networking LLC, American Tower Asset Sub II LLC, American Tower Asset Sub LLC, American Tower Charitable Foundation Inc., American Tower Delaware Corporation, American Tower Depositor Sub LLC, American Tower Guarantor Sub LLC, American Tower Holding Sub II LLC, American Tower Holding Sub LLC, American Tower International Holding I LLC, American Tower International Holding II LLC, American Tower International Inc., American Tower Investments LLC, American Tower LLC, American Tower Management LLC, American Tower Mauritius, American Tower Servicios Fibra S. de R.L. de C.V., American Tower Tanzania Operations Limited, American Tower do Brasil - Cessao de Infraestruturas Ltda., American Tower do Brasil Communicacao Multimidia Ltda., American Towers LLC, BR Towers, Blue Sky Towers Pty Ltd, Blue Transfer Sociedad Anonima, Broadcast Towers LLC, CNC2 Associates LLC, California Tower Inc., Cell Site NewCo II LLC, Cell Tower Lease Acquisition LLC, Central States Tower Holdings LLC, Colo ATL LLC, Colo Atl, Communications Properties Inc., Comunicaciones y Consumos S.A., Connectivity Infrastructure Services Limited, DCS Tower Sub LLC, Eaton, Eaton Towers (Lilongwe) Limited, Eaton Towers Ghana (M) Limited, Eaton Towers Ghana Limited, Eaton Towers Holdings Limited, Eaton Towers Kenya Limited, Eaton Towers Limited, Eaton Towers Niger S.A., Eaton Towers Uganda Limited, Essar Telecom Infrastructure, Eure-et-Loir Reseaux Mobiles SAS, GTP Acquisition Partners I LLC, GTP Acquisition Partners II LLC, GTP Acquisition Partners III LLC, GTP Costa Rica Finance LLC, GTP Infrastructure I LLC, GTP Infrastructure II LLC, GTP Infrastructure III LLC, GTP Investments LLC, GTP LATAM Holdings B.V., GTP LatAm Holdings Cooperatieve U.A., GTP Operations CR S.R.L., GTP South Acquisitions II LLC, GTP Structures I LLC, GTP Structures II LLC, GTP TRS I LLC, GTP Torres CR S.R.L., GTP Towers I LLC, GTP Towers II LLC, GTP Towers III LLC, GTP Towers IV LLC, GTP Towers IX LLC, GTP Towers V LLC, GTP Towers VII LLC, GTP Towers VIII LLC, GTPI HoldCo LLC, Ghana Tower InterCo B.V., Global Tower Assets III LLC, Global Tower Assets LLC, Global Tower Holdings LLC, Global Tower LLC, Global Tower Partners, Global Tower Services LLC, Gondola Tower Holdings LLC, Grain HoldCo LLC, Grain HoldCo Parent LLC, GrainComm I LLC, GrainComm II LLC, GrainComm III LLC, GrainComm LLC, GrainComm Marketing LLC, GrainComm V LLC, Haysville Towers LLC, IW Equipment LLC, IWD Equipment LLC, IWG Holdings LLC, IWG II Holdings LLC, IWG II LLC, IWG Miami LLC, IWG Towers Assets I LLC, IWG Towers Assets II LLC, IWG-TLA Australia Pty Ltd., IWG-TLA Canada Corp., IWG-TLA Encanto 1 LLC, IWG-TLA Encanto 2 LLC, IWG-TLA Encanto 3 LLC, IWG-TLA Encanto LLC, IWG-TLA Holdings LLC, IWG-TLA Media 2 LLC, IWG-TLA Media LLC, IWG-TLA Telecom LLC, IWL-TLA Telecom 2 LLC, Idaho Tower Company LLC, InSite (BCEC) LLC, InSite (MBTA) LLC, InSite Borrower LLC, InSite Co-Issuer Corp., InSite Guarantor LLC, InSite Hawaii LLC, InSite Issuer LLC, InSite Licensing LLC, InSite Towers Development 2 LLC, InSite Towers Development LLC, InSite Towers International 2 LLC, InSite Towers International Development LLC, InSite Towers International LLC, InSite Towers LLC, InSite Towers of Puerto Rico LLC, InSite Wireless Development LLC, InSite Wireless Group, InSite Wireless Group LLC, Insite Wireless LLC, Invisible IWG Holdings LLC, Invisible Towers LLC, JT Communications LLC, LAP Inmobiliaria Limitada, LAP Inmobiliaria S.R.L., LL B Sheet 1 LLC, Lap do Brasil Empreendimentos Imobiliarios Ltda, Lease Advisors-AU PTY LTD, Loxel SAS, MATC Digital S. de R.L. de C.V., MATC Infraestructura S. de R.L. de C.V., MATC Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., MC New Macland Properties LLC, MCSU Properties LLC, MHB Tower Rentals of America LLC, MIP III Iron Holdings LLC, MIP III U.S. Iron LLC, Microwave Inc., Municipal Bay LLC, Municipal-Bay Holdings LLC, New Towers LLC, PCS Structures Towers LLC, R-CAL I LLC, RSA Media Inc., Repeater Communications Group I LLC, Repeater Communications Group II LLC, Repeater Communications Group III LLC, Repeater Communications Group IV LLC, Repeater Communications Group LLC, Repeater Communications Group V LLC, Repeater Communications Group VI LLC, Repeater Communications Group of New York LLC, Repeater IWG Holdings LLC, Richland Towers LLC, Signum/IWG Tower Corp., Southeast Network Access Point LLC, SpectraSite Communications, SpectraSite Communications LLC, SpectraSite LLC, T8 Ulysses Site Management LLC, TLA PR-1 LLC, TLA PR-2 LLC, Telecom Lease Advisors Management 2 LLC, Tower Management Inc., Towers of America L.L.L.P., Transcend Infrastructure Holdings Pte. Ltd., Transcend Towers Infrastructure (Philippines) Inc., Turris Sites Development Corp., Turris Sites IWG Corp, Tysons II DAS LLC, UNIsite, Uganda Tower Interco B.V., Ulysses Asset Sub I LLC, Ulysses Asset Sub II LLC, UniSite LLC, UniSite/Omnipoint FL Tower Venture LLC, UniSite/Omnipoint NE Tower Venture LLC, UniSite/Omnipoint PA Tower Venture LLC, Vangard Wireless LLC, Verus Management One LLC, Viom Networks, and Virdi IWG Holdings LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of Caterpillar: Advanced Tri-Gen Power Systems LLC, Anchor Coupling Inc., Asia Power Systems (Tianjin) Ltd., AsiaTrak (Tianjin) Ltd., Banco Caterpillar S.A., Berg Propulsion International Pte Ltd., Bucyrus, Bucyrus Australia Surface Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Holdings Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Limited, Bucyrus International (Chile) Limitada, Bucyrus International (Peru) S.A., Bucyrus Mining Australia Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Mining China LLC, Bucyrus UK Limited, Cat Rental Kyushu LLC, Caterpillar (Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar (China) Financial Leasing Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Machinery Components Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (HK) Limited, Caterpillar (Huainan) Machinery Service Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Langfang) Mining Equipment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Luxembourg) Investment Co. S.a r.l., Caterpillar (NI) Limited, Caterpillar (Newberry) LLC, Caterpillar (Qingzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Logistics Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar (U.K.) Limited, Caterpillar (Wujiang) Ltd., Caterpillar (Xuzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Zhengzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar Acquisition Holding Corp., Caterpillar Americas C.V., Caterpillar Americas Co., Caterpillar Americas Funding Inc., Caterpillar Americas Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Asia Limited, Caterpillar Asia Pacific L.P., Caterpillar Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Asset Intelligence LLC, Caterpillar Belgium S.A., Caterpillar Brasil Comercio de Maquinas e Pecas Ltda., Caterpillar Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Brazil LLC, Caterpillar Castings Kiel GmbH, Caterpillar Centro de Formacion S.L., Caterpillar China Limited, Caterpillar Commercial Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Commercial LLC, Caterpillar Commercial Northern Europe Limited, Caterpillar Commercial S.A., Caterpillar Commercial S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Commercial Services S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Communications LLC, Caterpillar Corporativo Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Cote DIvoire, Caterpillar Credito S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., Caterpillar DC Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Digital Services & Solutions SARL, Caterpillar Distribution International LLC, Caterpillar Distribution Services Europe B.V.B.A., Caterpillar East Real Estate Holding Ltd., Caterpillar Emissions Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH, Caterpillar Energy Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions S.A., Caterpillar Energy System Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Engine Systems Inc., Caterpillar Equipos Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Eurasia LLC, Caterpillar FS (QFC) LLC, Caterpillar Finance France S.A., Caterpillar Finance Kabushiki Kaisha, Caterpillar Financial Acquisition Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Aftermarket Solutions Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Australia Leasing Pty Limited, Caterpillar Financial Australia Limited, Caterpillar Financial Commercial Account Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Corporacion Financiera S.A. E.F.C., Caterpillar Financial Dealer Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Funding Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Caterpillar Financial Leasing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial New Zealand Limited, Caterpillar Financial Nordic Services AB, Caterpillar Financial Nova Scotia Corporation, Caterpillar Financial OOO, Caterpillar Financial Receivables Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Renting S.A., Caterpillar Financial SARL, Caterpillar Financial Services (Dubai) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services (Ireland) plc, Caterpillar Financial Services (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Argentina S.A., Caterpillar Financial Services Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Financial Services CR s.r.o., Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Services GmbH, Caterpillar Financial Services India Private Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Leasing ULC, Caterpillar Financial Services Limited Les Services Financiers Caterpillar Limitee, Caterpillar Financial Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Caterpillar Financial Services Netherlands B.V., Caterpillar Financial Services Norway AS, Caterpillar Financial Services Philippines Inc., Caterpillar Financial Services Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, Caterpillar Financial UK Acquisition Funding Partners, Caterpillar Financial Ukraine LLC, Caterpillar Fluid Systems S.r.l., Caterpillar Fomento Comercial Ltda., Caterpillar Forest Products Inc., Caterpillar France S.A.S., Caterpillar GB L.L.C., Caterpillar Global Investments S.a r.l., Caterpillar Global Mining America LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Equipamentos De Mineracao do Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Expanded Products Pty Ltd, Caterpillar Global Mining Germany Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining HMS GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong AFC Manufacturing Holding Co. Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Global Mining SARL, Caterpillar Global Mining U.S. Parts LLC, Caterpillar Global Services LLC, Caterpillar Group Services S.A., Caterpillar Holding (France) S.A.S., Caterpillar Holding Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Holdings Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Hungary Components Manufacturing Ltd., Caterpillar Hydraulics Italia S.r.l., Caterpillar IPX LLC, Caterpillar IRB LLC, Caterpillar Impact Products Limited, Caterpillar India Private Limited, Caterpillar Industrial Inc., Caterpillar Industrias Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Industries (Pty) Ltd, Caterpillar Insurance Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Insurance Company, Caterpillar Insurance Holdings Inc., Caterpillar Insurance Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Finance Designated Activity Company, Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg I S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg II S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Product SARL, Caterpillar International Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Services del Peru S.A., Caterpillar Investment Limited, Caterpillar Investment One SARL, Caterpillar Investment Two SARL, Caterpillar Investments, Caterpillar Japan LLC, Caterpillar Latin America Services S.R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Panama S. de R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Servicios de Chile Limitada, Caterpillar Latin America Support Services S. DE R.L., Caterpillar Leasing (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar Leasing Chile S.A., Caterpillar Leasing GmbH (Leipzig), Caterpillar Leasing Operativo Limitada, Caterpillar Life Insurance Company, Caterpillar Logistics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Logistics (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Logistics Inc., Caterpillar Logistics ML Services France S.A.S., Caterpillar Logistics Services China Limited, Caterpillar Luxembourg Group S.ar.l., Caterpillar Luxembourg LLC, Caterpillar Luxembourg S.a r.l., Caterpillar Machinery Nantong Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asset Intelligence, Caterpillar Marine Power UK Limited, Caterpillar Marine Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Maroc SARL, Caterpillar Materiels Routiers SAS, Caterpillar Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Mexico S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Mining Canada ULC, Caterpillar Mining Chile Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Motoren (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG, Caterpillar Motoren Henstedt-Ulzburg GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Rostock GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Verwaltungs-GmbH, Caterpillar Netherlands Holding B.V., Caterpillar North America C.V., Caterpillar Operator Training Ltd., Caterpillar Overseas Credit Corporation SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Investment Holding SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Limited, Caterpillar Overseas SARL, Caterpillar Panama Services S.A., Caterpillar Paving Products Inc., Caterpillar Paving Products Xuzhou Ltd., Caterpillar Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Power Generation Systems (Bangladesh) Limited, Caterpillar Power Generation Systems L.L.C., Caterpillar Power Systems Inc., Caterpillar Power Ventures International Ltd., Caterpillar Precision Seals Korea, Caterpillar Prodotti Stradali S.r.l., Caterpillar Product Services Corporation, Caterpillar Propulsion AB, Caterpillar Propulsion International Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Italy S.R.L., Caterpillar Propulsion Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar Propulsion Production AB, Caterpillar Propulsion Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Singapore Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar R&D Center (China) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe LLC, Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe Servicios S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Reman Powertrain Indiana LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Drivetrain LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Renting France S.A.S., Caterpillar Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar SARL, Caterpillar Services Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Servizi Italia Srl, Caterpillar Shrewsbury Limited, Caterpillar Skinningrove Limited, Caterpillar Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd., Caterpillar Special Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Switchgear Americas LLC, Caterpillar Switchgear Holding Inc., Caterpillar Tianjin Ltd., Caterpillar Torreon S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Tosno L.L.C., Caterpillar Transmissions France S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Holdings Ltd., Caterpillar Tunnelling Canada Corporation, Caterpillar Tunnelling Europe Limited, Caterpillar UK Employee Trust Limited, Caterpillar UK Engines Company Limited, Caterpillar UK Group Limited, Caterpillar UK Holdings Limited, Caterpillar Undercarriage (Xuzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Used Equipment Services Inc., Caterpillar Venture Capital Inc., Caterpillar Work Tools B.V., Caterpillar Work Tools Inc., Caterpillar World Trading Corporation, Caterpillar Xuzhou, Caterpillar of Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar of Canada Corporation, Caterpillar of Delaware Inc., Centre de Distribution de Wallonie SPRL, CleanAir Systems, Downer Freight Rail, ECM Railway Evolution Romania s.r.l., ECM S.p.A., EDC European Excavator Design Center GmbH, EMC Holding Corp., EMD International Holdings Inc., ERA Information & Entertainment (BVI) Limited, ERA Mining Machinery Limited, Electro-Motive Diesel Limited, Electro-Motive Locomotive Technologies LLC, Electro-Motive Technical Consulting Co. (Beijing) Ltd., Energy Services International Limited, Equipos de Acuna S.A. de C.V., Eurenov S.A.S., F. G. Wilson (Proprietary) Limited, F. Perkins Limited, FG Wilson (Engineering) Limited, GB Holdco (China) Inc., GFCM Comercial Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., GFCM Servicios S.A. de C.V., Gremada Industries - Assets, Hong Kong Siwei Holdings Limited, Inmobiliaria Conek S.A. de C.V., JCS Co., Kemper Valve & Fittings Corp., Leo Inc., Locomotive Demand Power Pty Ltd., Locomotoras Progress Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Lovat, M2M Data Corporation, MGE Equipamentos & Servicos Ferroviarios, MWM, MWM Austria GmbH, MWM Benelux B.V., MWM Energy Australia Pty Ltd, MWM France S.A.S, MWM Real Estate GmbH, MaK Americas Inc., MaK Americas Inc. (Canada), Magnum Power Products LLC, Marble, Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH, Mec-Track S.r.l., Metalmark Financial Services Limited, Motoren Steffens GmbH, Nippon Caterpillar LLC, P. T. Solar Services Indonesia, PT Caterpillar Finance Indonesia, PT. Bucyrus Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia Batam, PT. Caterpillar Remanufacturing Indonesia, Perkins Engines, Perkins Engines (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, Perkins Engines Group Limited, Perkins Engines Inc., Perkins Group Limited, Perkins Holdings Limited LLC, Perkins India Private Limited, Perkins International Inc., Perkins Japan LLC, Perkins Limited, Perkins Machinery (Changshu) Co. Ltd., Perkins Motores do Brasil Ltda., Perkins Power Systems Technology (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines LLC, Perkins Small Engines Limited, Perkins Technology Inc., Progress Metal Reclamation Company, Progress Rail Arabia Limited Company, Progress Rail Australia Pty Ltd, Progress Rail Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Equipamentos e Servicos Ferroviarios do Brasil Ltda., Progress Rail Equipment Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Holdings Inc., Progress Rail Innovations Private Limited, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems GmbH, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems S.r.l., Progress Rail International Corp., Progress Rail Leasing Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Progress Rail Locomotivas (do Brasil) Ltda., Progress Rail Locomotive Canada Co., Progress Rail Locomotive Chile SpA, Progress Rail Locomotive Inc., Progress Rail Maintenance de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Progress Rail Manufacturing Corporation, Progress Rail Raceland Corporation, Progress Rail Rocklin Corporation, Progress Rail SA Proprietary Limited, Progress Rail Services Corporation, Progress Rail Services Holdings Corp., Progress Rail Services LLC, Progress Rail Services UK Limited, Progress Rail Switching Services LLC, Progress Rail Transcanada Corporation, Progress Rail Welding Corporation, Progress Rail Wildwood LLC, Progress Rail de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pyroban Group, Pyroban Group, Pyrrha Investments B.V., Pyrrha Investments Limited, S&L Railroad LLC, SCM Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., SPL Software Alliance LLC, Sabre Engines, Servicios de Turbinas Solar S. de R.L. de C.V., Shandong SEM Machinery Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines (Beijing) Trading Services Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines (Thailand) Ltd., Solar Turbines CIS Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Canada Ltd./Ltee., Solar Turbines Central Asia Limited Liability Partnership, Solar Turbines EAME s.r.o., Solar Turbines Egypt Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Europe S.A., Solar Turbines India Private Limited, Solar Turbines International Company, Solar Turbines Italy S.R.L., Solar Turbines Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Solar Turbines Middle East Limited, Solar Turbines New Zealand Limited, Solar Turbines Saudi Arabia Limited, Solar Turbines Services Company, Solar Turbines Services Nigeria Limited, Solar Turbines Services of Argentina S.R.L., Solar Turbines Switzerland Sagl, Solar Turbines Trinidad & Tobago Limited, Solar Turbines West-Africa SARL, Tangshan DBT Machinery Co. Ltd., Tecnologia Modificada S.A. de C.V., Towmotor Corporation, Traction & Mining Motor Repairs Pty Ltd, Turbinas Solar S.A. de C.V., Turbinas Solar de Colombia S.A., Turbinas Solar de Venezuela C.A., Turbo Tecnologia de Reparaciones S.A. de C.V., Turbomach, Turbomach Endustriyel Gaz Turbinleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited, Turbomach France SARL, Turbomach GmbH, Turbomach Netherlands B.V., Turbomach Pakistan (Private) Limited, Turbomach S.A. Unipersonal, Turbomach Sp. Z o.o., Turner Powertrain Systems Limited, UK Hose Assembly Limited, Underground Imaging Technologies Inc, United Industries LLC, VALA Inc., Vasky Energy Ltd., Wealdstone Engineering, Weir - Oil & Gas Division, West Virginia Auto Shredding Inc., Western Gear Machinery LLC, Wetland Sustainability Fund I LLC, Williams Technologies, Yard Club, Zhengzhou Siwei Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Sales Co. Ltd., and okyo Rental Ltd.. The following companies are subsidiares of Crown: Adularia Inversiones 2010 S.L., Angleboard Sweden AB, Bates Cargo-Pak ApS, Butimove, CMB Machinery and Technology (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CROWN AP (Thailand) Company Limited, CROWN Aerosols & Promotional Nederland, CROWN Aerosols Italia Srl, CROWN Aerosols Nederland BV, CROWN Aerosols UK Limited, CROWN Americas LLC, CROWN Arabia Can Company Ltd, CROWN Asia Pacific Holdings Pte. Ltd., CROWN Asia Pacific Investments (T) Limited, CROWN Bevcan Espana S.L., CROWN Bevcan France SAS, CROWN Bevcan Slovakia s.r.o., CROWN Bevcan Turkiye Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, CROWN Bevcan and Closures (Thailand) Company Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans (Cambodia) Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans (Dong Nai) Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Beijing Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Changchun Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Danang Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Hangzhou Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Hanoi Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Heshan Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Hong Kong Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Huizhou Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Malaysia Sdn Bhd, CROWN Beverage Cans Nanning Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Putian Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Saigon Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Shanghai Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Sihanoukville Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Singapore Pte. Ltd., CROWN Beverage Cans Ziyang Limited, CROWN Beverage Packaging LLC, CROWN Beverage Packaging Puerto Rico Inc., CROWN Cans Ghana Limited, CROWN China Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited, CROWN Commercial Belgium BVBA, CROWN Commercial France SAS, CROWN Commercial Germany GmbH & Co. KG, CROWN Commercial Hungary Kft, CROWN Commercial Netherlands B.V., CROWN Commercial Vermogensverwaltung GmbH, CROWN Cork & Seal USA Inc., CROWN Embalagens Metalicas da Amazonia S.A., CROWN Emballage France SAS, CROWN Emirates Company Limited, CROWN Envases Mexico S.A. de C.V., CROWN Famosa S.A. de C.V., CROWN Food Packaging (Thailand) Public Company Limited, CROWN Foodcan (Hat Yai) Company Limited, CROWN Foodcan (Nakhon Pathom) Company Limited, CROWN Foodcan Germany GmbH, CROWN Foodcan GmbH, CROWN Imballaggi Italia Srl, CROWN Imgallaggi Italia Srl, CROWN Italy Finance srl, CROWN Khmer Beverage Cans Limited, CROWN Maghreb Can, CROWN Magyarorszag Csomagoloipari KFT, CROWN Metal Packaging Canada Inc., CROWN Metal Packaging Canada LP, CROWN Middle East Can Co. Ltd., CROWN Packaging (Barbados) Limited, CROWN Packaging Holdings LLC, CROWN Packaging Investment (H.K.) Limited, CROWN Packaging Ireland Ltd, CROWN Packaging Jamaica Limited, CROWN Packaging Polska Sp.z.o.o., CROWN Packaging Technology Inc., CROWN Packaging Trinidad Limited, CROWN Packaging UK Limited, CROWN Promotional Packaging UK Ltd, CROWN SIEM, CROWN Senegal, CROWN Societe Malgache d'Emballages Metalliques, CROWN Speciality Packaging BV, CROWN Speciality Packaging Investment Pte. Ltd., CROWN Specialty Packaging UK Ltd, CROWN TCP Beverage Cans Company Limited, CROWN Verpakking Belgie NV, CROWN Verpakking Nederland B.V., Caretex Asia Ltd., CarnaudMetalbox Engineering Ltd, CarnaudMetalbox Food South Africa (Pty) Limited, CarnaudMetalbox Group UK Limited, CarnaudMetalbox Overeseas Limited, CarnaudMetalbox Overseas Limited, Cierres Hermeticos S.A. DE C.V., Constar International, Crown Americas Capital Corp., Crown Americas Capital Corp. II, Crown Americas Capital Corp. III, Crown Americas Capital Corp. IV, Crown Americas Capital Corp. V, Crown Americas Capital Corp. VI, Crown Brasil Holdings Ltda., Crown Canadian Holdings ULC, Crown Closures Spain S.L., Crown Colombiana S.A., Crown Comercial de Envases S.L., Crown Commercial Italy Srl, Crown Commercial Polska Sp. z.o.o., Crown Consultants Inc., Crown Cork & Seal Company (DE) LLC, Crown Cork & Seal Company Inc., Crown Cork & Seal Deutschland Holdings GmbH, Crown Cork & Seal Receivables (DE) Corporation, Crown Cork & Seal de Portugal Embalagens S.A., Crown Cork Kuban, Crown Cork and Seal Receivables II LLC, Crown Developpement SAS, Crown European Holdings, Crown Food Espana S.A.U., Crown Foodcan Turkey Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Crown Hellas Can Packaging SA, Crown Heshan Trading Company Limited, Crown Holdings Italia Srl, Crown Holdings Spain S.L., Crown International Holdings B.V., Crown International Holdings Inc., Crown Luxembourg Holdings, Crown Mexican Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., Crown Overseas Investments B.V., Crown Packaging Commercial UK Limited, Crown Packaging Distribution UK Limited, Crown Packaging European Division GmbH, Crown Packaging European Division Services SAS, Crown Packaging European Holdings GmbH, Crown Packaging Lux I S.a.r.l., Crown Packaging Lux II S.a.r.l., Crown Packaging Lux III S.a.r.l., Crown Packaging Manufacturing UK Limited, Crown Packaging Maroc, Crown Receivables III, Crown Services Iberia, Crown UK Holdings Limited, Crownway Insurance Company, Dacro B.V., EMPAQUE, Fabricas Monterrey S.A. de C.V., Form Koruyucu Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Foshan Continental Can Co. Limited, Foshan Crown Easy-Opening End Co. Limited, Glass & Silice S.A. DE C.V., Globoplastt s.r.o., Gunther S.A.S., Haloila Bulgaria EOOD, Interstrap B.V., Josef Kihlberg AB, Kiwiplan GmbH, Kiwiplan Inc, Lachenmeier ApS, Liljendals Bruk AB, Litec France S.A.S., Mezger Heftsysteme GmbH, Mima Films S.a.r.l., Mima Films Sprl, Mima Packaging Systems S.A.S., Mivisa, Nordic S.A.S., Norsk Signode AS, Oy M. Haloila AB, PT CROWN Beverage Cans Indonesia, Package Design and Manufacturing, Prolatamex S.A. DE C.V., Quandel Verpackungs- und Foerdertechnik GmbH, SMB Schwede Maschinenbau GmbH, SMP Schwede Maschinenbau Weischlitz GmbH, SPG Denmark, SPG France Holdings SAS, SPG Germany Service Management GmbH, SPG Industrial Packaging S.a.r.l, SPG Netherlands B.V., SPG Packaging Ireland Limited, SPG Packaging Systems GmbH, SPG Packaging UK Ltd, Scybele S.A.S., Shippers Europe S.p.r.l., Signode BVBA, Signode Brasileira Ltda, Signode Hong Kong Limited, Signode Industrial Group, Signode Industrial Group AB, Signode Industrial Group Colombia S.A.S., Signode Industrial Group GmbH, Signode Industrial Group Holdings Lux S.a.r.l., Signode Industrial Group Holdings US Inc, Signode Industrial Group Lux S.A., Signode Industrial Group Mexico, Signode Industrial Group Sweden AB, Signode International Holdings LLC, Signode International IP Holdings LLC, Signode International Investment LLC, Signode Kabushiki Kaisha, Signode Korea Inc, Signode NZ Limited, Signode Netherlands B.V., Signode Packaging (Qingdao) Co., Signode Packaging (Shanghai) Co., Signode Packaging Espana S.L., Signode Packaging Group (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Signode Packaging Group Australia Pty Ltd, Signode Packaging Group Canada ULC, Signode Packaging Group NZ, Signode Packaging Systems Limited, Signode Pickling Holding LLC, Signode Polska sp. Z.o.o., Signode Singapore Pte. Ltd., Signode Sweden Holdings AB, Signode System GmbH, Signode System Packaging GmbH & Co. KG, Signode Systems (Thailand) Ltd., Signode US IP Holdings LLC, Silice De Veracruz S.A. DE C. V., Silice Del Istmo S.A. DE C.V., Silices De Veracruz, Societe Civile Immobiliere Rousseau-Ivry, Societe Civile Immobiliere des Baquets, Societe de Participations CarnaudMetalbox, Stopak India Pvt. Ltd, Strapex Austria GmbH, Strapex Embalagem L.d.a., Strapex Holdings Limited, Strapex S.A.S., Strapex Srl, Superior Investments Holdings Pte. Ltd., Superior Multi-Packaging Limited, TopFrame LLC, V.A.C. B.V., Vichisa S.A. de C.V., and Warehouse Automation Iberia S.L.. By 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. The following companies are subsidiares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft: 87 Leonard Development LLC, ABFS I Incorporated, ABS MB Ltd., Acacia (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Accounting Solutions Holding Company Inc, Alex. Brown Financial Services Incorporated, Alex. Brown Investments Incorporated, Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft mbH, Amber Investments S.a r.l., Ambidexter GmbH, Ambidexter GmbH i.L., Argent Incorporated, BHW - Gesellschaft fur Wohnungswirtschaft mbH, BHW Bausparkasse Aktiengesellschaft, BHW Holding GmbH, BHW Kreditservice GmbH, BNA Nominees Pty Limited, BT Globenet Nominees Limited, BTAS Cayman GP, BTD Nominees Pty Limited, Baincor Nominees Pty Limited, Bainpro Nominees Pty Ltd, Baldur Mortgages Limited, Bankers Trust Investments Limited, Barkly Investments Ltd., Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc, Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc., Berkshire Mortgage Finance, Betriebs-Center fur Banken AG, Biomass Holdings S.a r.l., Birch (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Blue Cork Inc, Blue Cork Inc., Borfield Sociedad Anonima, Breaking Wave DB Limited, Cape Acquisition Corp., CapeSuccess Inc., CapeSuccess LLC, Cardales UK Limited, Cardea Real Estate S.r.l., Career Blazers LLC, Career Blazers Management Company Inc, Career Blazers Management Company Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc, Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services of Washington D.C. Inc. Washington D.C., Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc, Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc., Carpathian Investments Designated Activity Company, Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Asset Management Company Limited, Cathay Capital Company (No 2) Limited, Cedar (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Centennial River 2 Inc., Centennial River Corporation, Chapel Funding, Charlton (Delaware) Inc, China Recovery Fund LLC, China Recovery Fund LLC, Cinda - DB NPL Securitization Trust 2003-1, City Leasing (Thameside) Limited, City Leasing Limited, Consumo S.p.A., Consumo Srl in Liquidazione, Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., D B Investments (GB) Limited, D&M Turnaround Partners Godo Kaisha, D.B. International Delaware Inc., D.B. International Delaware Inc., DAHOC (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DAHOC Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DB (Barbados) SRL, DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Asing) Sdn. Bhd., DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Tempatan) Sendirian Berhad, DB (Pacific) Limited, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB Abalone LLC, DB Alex. Brown Holdings Incorporated, DB Alps Corporation, DB Aotearoa Investments Limited, DB Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (in voluntary liquidation), DB Asset Finance I S.a r.l., DB Asset Finance II S.a r.l., DB Aster II LLC, DB Aster III LLC, DB Aster Inc., DB Aster LLC, DB Beteiligungs-Holding GmbH, DB Boracay LLC, DB Capital Investments Sarl, DB Capital Markets (Deutschland) GmbH, DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Chestnut Holdings Limited, DB Commodity Services LLC, DB Consorzio S. Cons. a r. l., DB Corporate Advisory (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., DB Covered Bond S.r.l., DB Credit Investments S.a r.l., DB Delaware Holdings (Europe) Limited, DB Direkt GmbH, DB Elara LLC, DB Energy Commodities Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Energy Trading LLC, DB Enfield Infrastructure Holdings Limited, DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equity Limited, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance International GmbH, DB Ganymede 2006 L.P., DB Global Markets Multi-Strategy Fund I Ltd., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology SRL, DB Group Services (UK) Limited, DB HR Solutions GmbH, DB Holding Fundo de Investimento Multimercado Investimento no Exterior Credito Privado, DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (South America) Limited, DB IROC Leasing Corp., DB Immobilienfonds 1 Wieland KG, DB Immobilienfonds 2 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 4 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 5 Wieland KG, DB Impact Investment (GP) Limited, DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Industrial Holdings Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, DB Industrial Holdings GmbH, DB Intermezzo LLC, DB International (Asia) Limited, DB International Investments Limited, DB International Trust (Singapore) Limited, DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Resources (US) Corporation, DB Investment Resources Holdings Corp., DB Investment Services GmbH, DB Io LP, DB Litigation Fee LLC, DB London (Investor Services) Nominees Limited, DB Management Support GmbH, DB Managers LLC, DB Municipal Holdings LLC, DB Nexus American Investments (UK) Limited (in members'voluntary liquidation), DB Nexus Investments (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Nominees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB Nominees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, DB Omega BTV S.C.S., DB Omega Holdings LLC, DB Omega Ltd., DB Omega S.C.S., DB Operaciones y Servicios Interactivos Agrupacion de Interes Economico, DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Holdings Limited, DB PWM, DB Portfolio Southwest Inc., DB Print GmbH, DB Privat- und Firmenkundenbank AG, DB Private Clients Corp., DB Private Wealth Mortgage Ltd., DB RC Holdings LLC, DB Re S.A., DB Service Centre Limited, DB Service Uruguay S.A., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Servizi Amministrativi S.r.l., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Finance 1 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Finance 2 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Holdings Luxembourg S.a r.l., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Trustee Services Limited, DB Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB U.S. Financial Markets Holding Corporation, DB UK Bank Limited, DB UK Holdings Limited, DB UK PCAM Holdings Limited, DB USA Core Corporation, DB USA Corporation, DB Valoren S.a r.l., DB Value S.a r.l., DB VersicherungsManager GmbH, DB Vita S.A., DBAB Wall Street LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBCIBZ1, DBCIBZ2, DBFIC Inc., DBFIC Inc., DBNZ Overseas Investments (No.1) Limited, DBOI Global Services (UK) Limited, DBOI Global Services Private Limited, DBR Investments Co. Limited, DBRE Global Real Estate Management IA Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management US IB L.L.C., DBRMS4, DBRMSGP1, DBUK PCAM Limited, DBUKH No. 2 Limited, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBX Advisors LLC, DBX ETF Trust, DBX Strategic Advisors LLC, DBO Vermogensverwertung GmbH, DEBEKO Immobilien GmbH & Co Grundbesitz OHG, DEE Deutsche Erneuerbare Energien GmbH, DEUFRAN Beteiligungs GmbH, DEUKONA Versicherungs-Vermittlungs-GmbH, DEUTSCHE BANK A.S., DG China Clean Tech Partners, DI Deutsche Immobilien Treuhandgesellschaft mbH, DIB-Consult Deutsche Immobilien- und BeteiligungsBeratungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., DISCA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DNU Nominees Pty Limited, DSL Portfolio GmbH & Co. KG, DSL Portfolio Verwaltungs GmbH, DTS Nominees Pty Limited, DWS Alternatives France, DWS Alternatives Global Limited, DWS Alternatives GmbH, DWS Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, DWS Beteiligungs GmbH, DWS CH AG, DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Far Eastern Investments Limited, DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA, DWS Group Services UK Limited, DWS Grundbesitz GmbH, DWS International GmbH, DWS Investment GmbH, DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment S.A., DWS Investments Australia Limited, DWS Investments Hong Kong Limited, DWS Investments Japan Limited, DWS Investments Shanghai Limited, DWS Investments Singapore Limited, DWS Investments UK Limited, DWS Management GmbH, DWS Real Estate GmbH, DWS Service Company, DWS Trust Company, DWS USA Corporation, De Heng Asset Management Company Limited, De Meng Innovative (Beijing) Consulting Company Limited, DeAM Infrastructure Limited, Deloraine Spain S.L., Delowrezham de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Deposit Solutions, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Capital Holdings New Zealand, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Foreign Investments New Zealand, Deutsche (Mauritius) Limited Port, Deutsche (New Munster) Holdings New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Access Investments Limited, Deutsche Aeolia Power Production Societe Anonyme, Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (France) SAS, Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (UK) Limited, Deutsche Asia Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd, Deutsche Asset Management (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, Deutsche Asset Management S.A., Deutsche Asset Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsche Australia Limited, Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Limited, Deutsche Bank (Chile), Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, Deutsche Bank (Suisse) SA, Deutsche Bank (Uruguay) Sociedad Anonima Institucion Financiera Externa, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Americas Holding Corp., Deutsche Bank Bauspar-Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance LLC I, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance Trust I, Deutsche Bank Europe GmbH, Deutsche Bank Financial Company, Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency Incorporated, Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency of Delaware, Deutsche Bank International Limited, Deutsche Bank Investments (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A., Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Deposits, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Note Programme, Deutsche Bank Mutui S.p.A., Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Los, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Polska Spolka Akcyjna, Deutsche Bank Representative Office Nigeria Limited, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao Sao, Deutsche Bank SPEARs/LIFERs Series DBE-8011 Trust, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Limited, Deutsche Bank Services (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Societa per Azioni, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Delaware, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Corporation, Deutsche CIB Centre Private Limited, Deutsche Capital Finance (2000) Limited, Deutsche Capital Hong Kong Limited, Deutsche Capital Management Limited, Deutsche Capital Markets Australia Limited, Deutsche Capital Partners China Limited, Deutsche Cayman Ltd., Deutsche Colombia S.A.S., Deutsche Custody N.V., Deutsche Domus New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Equities India Private Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 1 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 2 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 3 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 4 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Foras New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankterHaftung, Deutsche Global Markets Limited, Deutsche Group Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Deutsche Group Services Pty Limited, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Deutsche Grundbesitz-Anlagegesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Holdings (BTI) Limited, Deutsche Holdings (Grand Duchy), Deutsche Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Deutsche Holdings (Malta) Ltd., Deutsche Holdings Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 3 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 4 Limited, Deutsche Immobilien Leasing GmbH, Deutsche India Holdings Private Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services (Ireland) Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services Limited, Deutsche International Custodial Services Limited, Deutsche Inversiones Dos S.A., Deutsche Inversiones Limitada, Deutsche Investments (Netherlands) N.V., Deutsche Investments India Private Limited, Deutsche Investor Services Private Limited, Deutsche Knowledge Services Pte. Ltd., Deutsche Leasing New York Corp., Deutsche Mandatos S.A., Deutsche Master Funding Corporation, Deutsche Mexico Holdings S.a r.l., Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Limited, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Public Limited Company, Deutsche Mortgage & Asset Receiving Corporation, Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Nederland N.V., Deutsche New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Nominees Limited, Deutsche Oppenheim Family Office AG, Deutsche Overseas Issuance New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Postbank, Deutsche Postbank Finance Center Objekt GmbH, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC I, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC II, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC III, Deutsche Private Asset Management Limited, Deutsche Securities (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Securities (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities (SA) (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities Asia Limited, Deutsche Securities Australia Limited, Deutsche Securities Inc., Deutsche Securities Israel Ltd., Deutsche Securities Korea Co., Deutsche Securities Mauritius Limited, Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Deutsche Securities S.A., Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia, Deutsche Securities SpA, Deutsche Securities Venezuela S.A., Deutsche Securitisation Australia Pty Limited, Deutsche Services Polska Sp. z o.o., Deutsche StiftungsTrust GmbH, Deutsche Strategic Investment Holdings Yugen Kaisha, Deutsche Trust Company Limited Japan, Deutsche Trustee Company Limited, Deutsche Trustee Services (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Trustees Malaysia Berhad, Deutsche Wealth Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsches Institut fur Altersvorsorge GmbH, Durian (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., EC EUROPA IMMOBILIEN FONDS NR. 3 GmbH & CO. KG i.I., Elba Finance GmbH, Elizabethan Holdings Limited, Elizabethan Management Limited, Emerald Asset Repackaging Designated Activity Company, Erste Frankfurter Hoist GmbH, European Value Added I (Alternate G.P.) LLP, Exinor SA, FARAMIR Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs GmbH, FRANKFURT CONSULT GmbH, Fiduciaria Sant' Andrea S.r.L., Finanzberatungsgesellschaft mbH der Deutschen Bank, Franz Urbig- und Oscar Schlitter-Stiftung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-037, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-039, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-040, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-041, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-043, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-044, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-047, Funfte SAB Treuhand und Verwaltung GmbH & Co. Suhl "Rimbachzentrum" KG, G Finance Holding Corp., G.O. IB-US Management L.L.C., G918 Corp., GAC-HEL Inc., GWC-GAC Corp., Galene S.a r.l., Gemini Technology Services Inc., German American Capital, German American Capital Corporation, Gladyr Spain S.L., Global Markets Fundo de Investimento Multimercado, Global Markets III Fundo de Investimento Multimercado - Credito, Greenwood Properties Corp., Grundstucksgesellschaft Frankfurt Bockenheimer Landstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Kerpen-Sindorf Vogelrutherfeld GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Leipzig Petersstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Wiesbaden Luisenstrae/Kirchgasse GbR, HTB Spezial GmbH & Co. KG, Hollandsche Bank-Unie, IOS Finance EFC S.A., ISTRON Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH, IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben I GbR, Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben II GbR, Immobilienfonds Mietwohnhauser Quadrath-Ichendorf GbR, Immobilienfonds Wohn- und Geschaftshaus Koln-Blumenberg V GbR, J R Nominees (Pty) Ltd, Joint Stock Company Deutsche Bank DBU, Jyogashima Godo Kaisha, KEBA Gesellschaft fur interne Services mbH, Kidson Pte Ltd, Konsul Inkasso GmbH, Kradavimd UK Lease Holdings Limited, LA Water Holdings Limited, LAWL Pte. Ltd., Latitude Australia Secured Personal Loans Trust, Leasing Verwaltungsgesellschaft Waltersdorf mbH, Leonardo III Initial GP Limited, Lindsell Finance Limited, London Industrial Leasing Limited, MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MHL Reinsurance Ltd., MIT Holdings Inc., MIT Holdings Inc., MPP Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Maher Terminals Holdings (Toronto) Limited, Morgan Grenfell & Company, MortgageIT, MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Securities Corp., Motion Picture Productions One GmbH & Co. KG, NCW Holding Inc., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., New 87 Leonard LLC, Nordwestdeutscher Wohnungsbautrager Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, OOO "Deutsche Bank TechCentre", OOO "Deutsche Bank", OPB Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungs-GmbH, OPB Verwaltungs- und Treuhand GmbH, OPB-Holding GmbH, OPB-Nona GmbH, OPB-Oktava GmbH, OPB-Quarta GmbH, OPB-Quinta GmbH, OPB-Septima GmbH, OPPENHEIM Capital Advisory GmbH, OPPENHEIM Flottenfonds V GmbH & Co. KG, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Manager GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, OPS Nominees Pty Limited, OVT Trust 1 GmbH, OVV Beteiligungs GmbH, Opal Funds (Ireland) Public Limited Company, PADUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, PARTS Funding LLC., PB Factoring GmbH, PB Firmenkunden AG, PB International S.A., PB Spezial-Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, PBC Banking Services GmbH, PCC Services GmbH der Deutschen Bank, PT Deutsche Sekuritas Indonesia, PT. Deutsche Verdhana Sekuritas Indonesia, Pan Australian Nominees Pty Ltd, Peruda Leasing Limited, Plantation Bay Inc., Plantation Bay Inc., Postbank Akademie und Service GmbH, Postbank Beteiligungen GmbH, Postbank Direkt GmbH, Postbank Filialvertrieb AG, Postbank Finanzberatung AG, Postbank Immobilien GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH & Co. Objekt Leipzig KG, Postbank Leasing GmbH, Postbank Service GmbH, Postbank Systems AG, QR Tower 2 LLC, Quantiguous, R.B.M. Nominees Pty Ltd, REO Properties Corporation, RREEF, RREEF America L.L.C., RREEF China REIT Management Limited, RREEF European Value Added I (G.P.) Limited, RREEF Fund Holding Co., RREEF India Advisors Private Limited, RREEF Management L.L.C., RTS Nominees Pty Limited, Reference Capital Investments Limited, RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., Route 28 Receivables LLC, Route 28 Receivables LLC, SAB Real Estate Verwaltungs GmbH, SAGITA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SAPIO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SCUDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SEDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SENA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Kamenz KG, SIFA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SOLIDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SP Mortgage Trust, SPINO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SPV I Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, SPV II Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, STATOR Heizkraftwerk Frankfurt (Oder) Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Sal. Oppenheim, Sal. Oppenheim Alternative Investments GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. AG & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Beteiligungs GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Komplementar AG, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Service Company Four Limited, Sharps SP I LLC, Singer Island Tower Suite LLC, Somkid Immobiliare S.r.l., Stelvio Immobiliare S.r.l., Structured Finance Americas LLC, Structured Finance Americas LLC, Swabia 1. Vermogensbesitz-GmbH, Suddeutsche Vermogensverwaltung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, TAKIR Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TELO Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, TEMATIS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TERRUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Halle I KG i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Nordhausen I KG i.L., TOSSA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRIPLA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRS Aria LLC, TRS Leda LLC, TRS Maple II LTD, TRS Oak II LTD, TRS SVCO LLC, TRS Scorpio LLC, TRS Tupelo II LTD, TRS Venor LLC, TRS Walnut II LTD, Tagus - Sociedade de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Tasfiye Halinde Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Tempurrite Leasing Limited, Thai Asset Enforcement and Recovery Asset Management Company Limited, Tianjin Deutsche AM Fund Management Co. Ltd., Treuinvest Service GmbH, Triplereason Limited, UKE Beteiligungs-GmbH, UKE Grundstucksgesellschaft mbH, UKE s.r.o., Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksgesellschaft Kirchnerstrae GbR, Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Disternich GbR, Ullmann Ullmann Krockow Krockow Esch GbR, VCJ Lease S.a r.l., Vesta Real Estate S.r.l., VOB-ZVD Processing GmbH, WEPLA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, WEPLABeteiligungsgesellschaftmbH, Wealthspur Investment Ltd., Whale Holdings S.a r.l., World Trading (Delaware) Inc., World Trading(Delaware)Inc., Zumirez Drive LLC, db PBC, and norisbank GmbH. Deutsche Telekom AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated telecommunication services. The company operates through five segments: Germany, United States, Europe, Systems Solutions, and Group Development. It offers fixed-network services, including voice and data communication services based on fixed-network and broadband technology; and sells terminal equipment and other hardware products, as well as services to resellers. The company also provides mobile voice and data services to consumers and business customers; sells mobile devices and other hardware products; and sells mobile services to resellers and to companies that purchases and markets network services to third parties, such as mobile virtual network operators. In addition, it offers internet services; internet-based TV products and services; and information and communication technology systems for multinational corporations and public sector institutions with an infrastructure of data centers and networks under the T-Systems brand, as well as call center services. The company has 242 million mobile customers and 22 million broadband customers, as well as 27 million fixed-network lines. Deutsche Telekom AG has a collaboration with VMware, Inc. on cloud-based open and intelligent virtual RAN platform to bring agility to radio access networks for existing LTE and future 5G networks; and partnership with Microsoft to deliver high-performance cloud computing experiences. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Bonn, Germany. Read More Petrus Resources Ltd., an energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and exploitation of oil and gas development assets in western Canada. It primarily explores for natural gas, natural gas liquids, and crude oil and condensate. The company primarily holds an average 51% working interest in the Ferrier/Strachan area comprise 43,159 net acres, which include 29,219 net acres of undeveloped and 13,940 net acres of developed land located in west central Alberta near the town of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. It also has an average of 64% working interest in the Thorsby/Pembina area consisting of 69,042 net acres of land covering 22,135 net acres of undeveloped land and 46,907 net acres of developed land located in the southwest of Edmonton, Alberta; and an average of 50% working interest in the Foothills area that consists of 30,748 net acres of undeveloped land and 6,687 net acres of developed land located northwest of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. Petrus Resources Ltd. is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More Medtronic Plc is a medical technology company, which engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of device-based medical therapies and services. It operates through the following segments: Cardiac and Vascular Group; Minimally Invasive Technologies Group; Restorative Therapies Group; and Diabetes Group. The Cardiac and Vascular Group segment consists of products for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cardiac rhythm disorders and cardiovascular disease. The Minimally Invasive Technologies Group segment focuses on respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, renal system, lungs, pelvic region, kidneys, and obesity diseases. The Restorative Therapies Group segment comprises of neurostimulation therapies and drug delivery systems for the treatment of chronic pain, as well as areas of the spine and brain, along with pelvic health and conditions of the ear, nose, and throat. The Diabetes Group segment offers insulin pumps, coninuous glucose monitoring systems, and insulin pump consumables. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Eaton: ADF Systems SARL, Abeiron III Limited, Aeroquip (UK) Limited, Aeroquip Financial Ltd., Aeroquip Iberica S.L., Aeroquip International Inc., Aeroquip Limited, Aeroquip do Brasil Ltda., Aeroquip-Vickers, Aeroquip-Vickers Canada Inc., Aeroquip-Vickers International S.a.r.L., Aphel Technologies, Argo-Tech, Arrow Hose & Tubing, Arrow-Hart S. de R.L. de C.V., Azonix Corporation, Babco Electric Group, Beijing Internormen-Filter Ltd. Co., Beijing Yoosung Shinhwa Automobile Parts Co. Ltd., Blinda Industria e Comercio Ltda., Bussmann International Holdings LLC, Bussmann International Inc., Bussmann S. de R.L. de C.V., Bussmann do Brasil Ltda., CBE Services Inc., CEAG Notlichtsysteme GmbH, CI ESI de Colombia, CTI-VIENNA Gesellschaft zur Prufung elektrotechnischer Industrieprodukte GmbH, Cambridge International Insurance Company Ltd., Cannon Technologies Inc., Centralion Industrial Inc., Chagrin Highlands III Limited, Cobham, Componentes de Iluminacion S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper (China) Co. Ltd., Cooper (Ningbo) Electric Co. Ltd., Cooper B-Line Inc., Cooper Bermuda Investments Ltd., Cooper Bussmann (U.K.) Limited, Cooper Bussmann Hungaria Kft., Cooper Bussmann LLC, Cooper Capri S.A.S., Cooper Colombia Investments Ltd., Cooper Controls (Watford) Limited, Cooper Controls Limited, Cooper Crouse-Hinds (LLC), Cooper Crouse-Hinds (UK) Ltd., Cooper Crouse-Hinds AS, Cooper Crouse-Hinds B.V., Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH, Cooper Crouse-Hinds LLC, Cooper Crouse-Hinds MTL Inc., Cooper Crouse-Hinds Pte. Ltd., Cooper Crouse-Hinds S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper Crouse-Hinds S.A., Cooper Csa Srl, Cooper Edison (Pingdingshan) Electronic Technologies Co. Ltd., Cooper Electric (Changzhou) Co. Ltd., Cooper Electrical Australia Pty. Limited, Cooper Electrical International LLC, Cooper Electronic Technologies (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Cooper Enterprises LLC, Cooper Finance (Canada) L.P., Cooper Finance Group Ltd., Cooper Finance USA Inc., Cooper Germany Holdings GmbH, Cooper India Private Limited, Cooper Industrials, Cooper Industries (Canada) Inc., Cooper Industries (Electrical) Inc., Cooper Industries Colombia S.A.S., Cooper Industries FZE, Cooper Industries Finance B.V., Cooper Industries Finanzierungs-GbR, Cooper Industries Global B.V., Cooper Industries Holdings (Canada) Inc., Cooper Industries Holdings GmbH, Cooper Industries International LLC, Cooper Industries Japan K.K., Cooper Industries LLC, Cooper Industries Malaysia SDN BHD, Cooper Industries Middle East LLC, Cooper Industries Poland LLC, Cooper Industries Romania SRL, Cooper Industries Russia LLC, Cooper Industries Trading Limited, Cooper Industries UK Subco Limited, Cooper Industries Unlimited Company, Cooper Industries Vietnam LLC, Cooper Interconnect, Cooper International Holdings S.a.r.l., Cooper Investment Group Ltd., Cooper Investment Group S a.r.l., Cooper Investments Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Cooper Korea Ltd., Cooper Lighting LLC, Cooper Lighting de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper Menvier France SARL, Cooper Mexico Distribucion S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper Netherlands Investments Ltd., Cooper Notification Inc., Cooper Offshore Holdings S.a.r.l., Cooper Power Systems LLC, Cooper Power Systems do Brasil Ltda., Cooper Pretronica Lda., Cooper Safety B.V., Cooper Securite S.A.S., Cooper Security Limited, Cooper Shanghai Power Capacitor Co. Ltd., Cooper Switzerland Investments Ltd., Cooper Technologies Company, Cooper Univel S.A., Cooper Wheelock Inc., Cooper Wiring Devices Inc., Cooper Wiring Devices Manufacturing S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper Wiring Devices de Mexico S.A de C.V., Cooper Xi'an Fusegear Co. Ltd., Cooper Yuhua (Changzhou) Electric Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Copperlogic, Cutler-Hammer Electrical Company, Cutler-Hammer Industries Ltd., Cutler-Hammer SRL, Cyme International T & D Inc., D.P. Eaton Electric, Digital Lighting (Dong Guan) Co. Ltd., Digital Lighting Co. Limited, Digital Lighting Holdings Limited, Dongguan Cooper Electronics Co. Ltd., Dongguan Fu Li An Electronics Co. Ltd., Dongguan Wiring Devices Electronics Co. Ltd., E. Begerow, E.A. Pedersen Co., EIC Holding GP I, EIC Holding GP II, EIC Holding GP III, EIC Holding GP IV, EIC Holding I LLC, EIC Holding II LLC, EIC Holding III LLC, EIC Holding IV LLC, EIC Holding V LLC, EIC Holding VI LLC, ETN Asia International Limited, ETN Holding 1 Limited, ETN Holding 2 Limited, ETN Holding 3 Limited, EX Innovations Limited, Eaton (China) Investments Co. Ltd., Eaton Aeroquip, Eaton Aerospace LLC, Eaton Ann Arbor LLC, Eaton Asia Investments Corporation, Eaton Automation G.m.b.H, Eaton Automation Holding G.m.b.H., Eaton Automotive Components Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Automotive Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Automotive Systems Spolka z.o.o., Eaton B.V., Eaton C.V., Eaton CHB LLC, Eaton Capital Unlimited Co., Eaton Controls (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Eaton Controls (UK) Limited, Eaton Controls S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Corporation, Eaton ETN Offshore Company, Eaton ETN Offshore II Company, Eaton Electric, Eaton Electric & Engineering Services Limited, Eaton Electric (Japan) Ltd., Eaton Electric (South Africa) Pty Ltd., Eaton Electric (Thailand) Ltd., Eaton Electric AS, Eaton Electric ApS, Eaton Electric Company Ltd., Eaton Electric G.m.b.H., Eaton Electric Holdings LLC, Eaton Electric Limited, Eaton Electric Manufacturing Middle East LLC, Eaton Electric S.I.A., Eaton Electric S.a.r.l., Eaton Electric S.r.l., Eaton Electric SPRL, Eaton Electric Sales Ltd., Eaton Electric Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Electric d.o.o., Eaton Electric s.r.o., Eaton Electric s.r.o. (Slovak Republic), Eaton Electrical (Zhongshan) Co. Ltd., Eaton Electrical Equipment Co. Ltd., Eaton Electrical IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton Electrical Ltd., Eaton Electrical Products Limited, Eaton Electrical S.A., Eaton Electrical S.A. (Venezuela), Eaton Electrical Systems Limited, Eaton Electro Productie S.r.l., Eaton Elektrik Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Eaton Elektrotechnika s.r.o., Eaton Energy Solutions Inc., Eaton Enterprises (Hungary) Kft., Eaton Enterprises Limited, Eaton Enterprises S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton FZE, Eaton Filtration, Eaton Filtration (Denmark) ApS, Eaton Filtration (Italy) S.r.l., Eaton Filtration (Poland) Sp. z.o.o., Eaton Filtration (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Filtration BVBA, Eaton Finance (Ireland) Limited, Eaton Finance S.a.r.l., Eaton Fluid Power (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Fluid Power Limited, Eaton Fluid Power S.r.l., Eaton France Holding S.A.S., Eaton Germany G.m.b.H., Eaton GmbH & Co. KG, Eaton Holding (Austria) G.m.b.H., Eaton Holding (Netherlands) B.V., Eaton Holding (UK) II Limited, Eaton Holding G.m.b.H., Eaton Holding I B.V., Eaton Holding I Limited, Eaton Holding II LLC, Eaton Holding II Limited, Eaton Holding II S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding III B.V., Eaton Holding III Limited, Eaton Holding III S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding IV S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding IX S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding International LLC, Eaton Holding LLC, Eaton Holding Limited, Eaton Holding S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding SE & Co. KG, Eaton Holding SRL, Eaton Holding V B.V., Eaton Holding V S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding VI B.V., Eaton Holding VI S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding VII B.V., Eaton Holding VIII S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding X S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding XII B.V./S.a.r.l., Eaton Holec AB, Eaton Holec OY, Eaton Hydraulics (Luzhou) Co. Ltd., Eaton Hydraulics (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., Eaton Hydraulics (Proprietary) Limited, Eaton Hydraulics LLC, Eaton Hydraulics Systems (Jining) Co. Ltd., Eaton I Spolka z.o.o., Eaton II LP, Eaton III LP, Eaton IV LP, Eaton India Innovation Center LLP, Eaton Industrial Clutches and Brakes (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Industrial Corporation, Eaton Industrial IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton Industrial Systems Private Limited, Eaton Industries (Argentina) S.A., Eaton Industries (Austria) G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries (Belgium) BVBA, Eaton Industries (Canada) Company, Eaton Industries (Chile) S.p.A., Eaton Industries (Colombia) S.A.S., Eaton Industries (Egypt) LLC, Eaton Industries (England) Limited, Eaton Industries (France) S.A.S., Eaton Industries (Ireland) Ltimited, Eaton Industries (Israel) Ltd., Eaton Industries (Italy) S.r.l., Eaton Industries (Japan) Ltd., Eaton Industries (Jining) Co. Ltd, Eaton Industries (Korea) Limited, Eaton Industries (Luxembourg) B.V./S.a.r.l., Eaton Industries (Morocco) LLC, Eaton Industries (Netherlands) B.V., Eaton Industries (Philippines) LLC, Eaton Industries (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Industries (Spain) S.L., Eaton Industries (Thailand) Ltd., Eaton Industries (U.K.) Limited, Eaton Industries (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Eaton Industries Company, Eaton Industries EOOD, Eaton Industries G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries Holding G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries Holdings Ltd., Eaton Industries II G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries KFT, Eaton Industries LP, Eaton Industries Manufacturing G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries Panama S.A., Eaton Industries Pte. Ltd., Eaton Industries Pty. Ltd., Eaton Industries S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Industries SAC, Eaton Industries Sdn. Bhd., Eaton Industries s.r.o., Eaton International B.V., Eaton International Corporation, Eaton International Industries Nigeria Limited, Eaton Japan Co. Ltd., Eaton LLC, Eaton LP, Eaton Leasing Corporation, Eaton Ltda., Eaton MEDC Limited, Eaton Madeira SGPS Lda., Eaton Manufacturing G.m.b.H., Eaton Manufacturing II G.m.b.H., Eaton Manufacturing III G.m.b.H., Eaton Manufacturing LP, Eaton Middle East LLC, Eaton Moeller B.V., Eaton Moeller S.a.r.l., Eaton Phoenixtec MMPL Co. Ltd., Eaton Power Quality (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Power Quality AB, Eaton Power Quality Limited, Eaton Power Quality OY (Finland), Eaton Power Quality Private Limited, Eaton Power Quality S.A.S., Eaton Power Solution Ltda., Eaton Production International G.m.b.H., Eaton Protection Systems IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton S.A.S., Eaton S.r.l., Eaton SAMC (Shanghai) Aircraft Conveyance System, Eaton SE, Eaton Safety IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton Safety Limited, Eaton Senstar Automotive Fluid Connector (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Services S.a.r.l., Eaton Solutions S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Switzerland Holding I GmbH, Eaton Switzerland Holding II GmbH, Eaton Technologies (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Eaton Technologies G.m.b.H., Eaton Technologies IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton Technologies Private Limited, Eaton Technologies S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Technologies S.A., Eaton Trading Company S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Truck Components (Proprietary) Ltd., Eaton Truck Components S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Truck Components Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Truck and Bus Components (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton US Holdings Inc., Eaton Worldwide LLC, Eaton-Powerware, Electromanufacturas S de R.L. de C.V., Electrum Group Ltd., Elpro Technologies Pty. Limited, Ephesus Lighting, Ephesus Lighting Inc., FHF Bergbautechnik GmbH & Co. KG, FHF Funke+Huster Fernsig GmbH, FHF New World GmbH, Fast Eaton (Xi'an) Drivetrain Company Ltd., Fifth Light Technology Ltd., Funke+Huster (Tianjin) Electronics Co. Ltd., Funke+Huster GmbH, GeCma Components electronic GmbH, Georgetown Financial Services Ltd., Gitiesse Asia Pte. Ltd., Gitiesse S.r.l., Green Holding Company, Green Motion, Guangzhou Nittan Valve Co. Ltd., Hein Moeller Stiftung G.m.b.H., Hernis Scan System do Brasil Comercio E Servicos LTDA, Hernis Scan Systems - Asia Pte. Ltd., Hernis Scan Systems A/S, IE Power, Illumination Management Solutions Inc., Iluminacion Cooper de las Californias S de R.L. de C.V., Innovative Switchgear Solutions Inc, Institute for International Product Safety G.m.b.H., Integrated Hydraulics, Integrated Partial Discharge Diagnostics, Intelligent Switchgear Organization LLC, Internormen Filters Private Limited, Internormen Technology, Jeil Hydraulics, Kaicheng Funke+Huster (Tangshan) Mining Electrical Co. Ltd., Lian Zheng Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., MP Group SAS, MTL Instruments (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, MTL Instruments B.V., MTL Instruments GmbH, MTL Instruments LLC, MTL Instruments Private Limited, MTL Instruments SARL, MTL Italia Srl, MTL Partners II Inc., MTL Partners Inc., Marina Power and Lighting, Martek Power F SAS, Martek Power GmbH, Martek Power Limited, Martek Power Limited (UK), Martek Power S.A. de C.V., Martek Power SA, McGraw-Edison Development Corporation, Measurement Technology Limited, Menvier Overseas Holdings Limited, Micro Innovation Holding, Moeller Electric (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Moeller Electric Ltda., Moeller Electrical Equipment (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Moeller Holding Gmbh & Co. KG, Moeller Industria de electro-electronicos do Amazonas Ltda., Morestana, Nittan BVI Co. Ltd., Nittan Euro Tech Spolka z o.o., Nittan Global Tech Co. Ltd., Nittan Valve Co. Ltd., Norex AS, Ocean Technical Systems Limited, Oxalis Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Oxalis Group, Oxalis Group Limited, PKL LLC, PT. Eaton Industries, PT. Fluid Sciences Batam, PerkinElmer - aerospace division, Phoenixtec Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Phoenixtec International Corp., Phoenixtec Power, Pigozzi, Polaron Components Limited, Polimer Hortum Teknolojileri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Polimer Kaucuk Sanayi Ve Pazarlama, Polimer Kaucuk Sanayi ve Pazarlama A.S., Power Distribution, Pringle Electrical Manufacturing, Productos Eaton Livia S.L., Pulizzi Engineering, RTE Far East Corporation, RTK Instruments Limited, Riseson International Limited, Rizhao Yoosung Shinhwa Automobile Parts Co. Ltd., Rolec Comercial e Industrial, SOURIAU, Santak Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Santak Electronics Company Limited, Saturn Insurance Company Ltd., Scantronic Benelux B.V., Schreder-Hazemeyer, Scoremax Limited, Sefelec GmbH, Sefelec SAS, Semelec SAS, Senyuan International Holdings Limited, Senyuan International Investments Limited, Shinhwa Precision Co. Ltd., Shinhwa Takahashi Precision Co. Ltd., Silver Light International Limited, Silver Victory Hong Kong Limited, Standard Automation & Control LP, Sure Power Inc., TGM Automotiva, TT (Ireland) Acquisition Limited, Tai Ah Electrical Ltd., Taiwan Nittan Industrial Co. Ltd., Telkom Kenya, The MTL Instruments Group Limited, The Oxalis Protection Technology India Private Limited, Tractech, Tractech (Ireland) Limited, Tractech Industries (Ireland) Limted, Tripp Lite, Turlock B.V., Tuthill Coupling Group, U.S. Engine Valve Company, UPE Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Ultronics, Ultronics Nordic Sales AB, Ulusoy, Vickers International Inc., Vickers Systems Limited, Viking Electronics Inc., WPI-Boston Division Inc., Winner Hydraulics Ltd., Wireless Power and Communications AS, Wright Line, Wright Line Holding Inc., Wright Line LLC, and Zhenjiang Daqo Eaton Electrical Systems Co. Ltd.. By Trend The Turkish economy's strength is important for Germany, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday during a phone call with President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, according to presidential sources. Erdo?an and Merkel also agreed on a meeting between Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak and the German ministers of economy and finance. The leaders asserted their commitment to strengthen Turkish-German cooperation with more high-level talks and visits. The two leaders also discussed bilateral relations and the situation in Syria, the sources added. Erdo?an will travel to Germany on Sept. 28 for a two-day state visit, where he is expected to hold talks with Merkel. 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 Saudi Aramco, Air Products, and Acwa Power have announced the signing of a term sheet to form a gasification/power joint venture (JV) located at Jazan Economic City (JEC) in Saudi Arabia. The JV will purchase the gasification assets, power block and the associated utilities from Saudi Aramco for approximately $8 billion. These assets are currently under construction and will be transferred to the JV upon successful start-up, scheduled in 2019, said a statement from the company. The JV will own and operate the facility under a 25-year contract for a fixed monthly fee. Saudi Aramco will supply feedstock to the new venture, and the JV will in turn produce power, hydrogen and other utilities for Saudi Aramco. Air Products will own at least 55 per cent of the JV, with Saudi Aramco and Acwa Power owning the balance. The JV builds upon the importance and recognition that critical infrastructure assets in the region are being developed and operated under the public private partnership (PPP) model. The consortium will increase job opportunities and transfer the most advanced technologies in this field to the kingdom, and enable Saudi talent to employ this technology for the first time, said a statement from Saudi Aramco. The JV will serve the Saudi oil giants Jazan Refinery and terminal at JEC, a megaproject that will process heavy and medium crude oil to create liquefied petroleum gas, sulphur, asphalt, benzene and paraxylene, and add 400,000 barrels per day of refining capacity. Saudi Aramco senior vice-president of downstream Abdulaziz M Al Judaimi pointed out that the Gasification/Power JV would be central to the self-sufficiency of its megaprojects at Jazan. "It will enhance the overall value of the refinery and integrated gasification combined cycle power plant, and aid in transforming the province by positioning JEC for additional foreign direct investment and private sector involvement, stated the top official. Air Products chairman, president and CEO, Seifi Ghasemi said: We are very honoured to be given this outstanding opportunity to expand our involvement in this megaproject in partnership with Saudi Aramco, the worlds largest company, and Acwa Power, the leading private power producer in the Middle East." Earlier this year, Air Products had acquired the patents for the Shell liquids gasification technology, which is the core technology for the Jazan gasification facility, he explained. "Building on the success of our LuAn project in China, this new project further extends Air Products leadership position supplying syngas to major companies around the world. We appreciate the trust that Saudi Aramco continues to place in us, first in awarding us the air separation unit, and now moving toward an expanded scope of supply at Jazan," he added. Ghasemi noted that the JV furthers the efforts of the PPP model to develop critical infrastructure assets in the region, a key component of the Kingdoms Saudi Vision 2030. Acwa Power chairman Mohammad Abunayyan said the company was committed to the expansion of the PPP model into the power sector. "Acwa Power plays an important role in the power sector in the kingdom and welcomes the opportunity to assist in the further development of Jazan economic corridor. Furthermore, our collaboration with industry leading companies, Saudi Aramco and Air Products, will stimulate growth and innovation, aligned with Saudi Vision 2030. - TradeArabia News Service Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. engages in the exploration, development, and recovery of minerals and precious metals located primarily in Africa. It explores for platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, gold, rhodium, zinc, silver, germanium, and lead deposits. The company's projects include the Platreef project located in the Northern Limb of South Africa's Bushveld Complex; the Kipushi project located in Haut-Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of Congo; and the Kamoa-Kakula project located within the Central African Copperbelt. It also holds a 100% interest in the Western Foreland exploration project covering an area of approximately 2,550 square kilometers located in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It has a strategic partnership agreement with China Nonferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. to examine exploration, development, and acquisition of mineral projects, as well as production, smelting, and logistics opportunities in Africa. The company was formerly known as Ivanplats Limited and changed its name to Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. in August 2013. Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. was incorporated in 1993 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Read More The Williams Cos., Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company, which explores, produces, transports, sells and processes natural gas and petroleum products. It operates through the following segments: Transmission and Gulf of Mexico; Northeast G&P; and West. The Transmission and Gulf of Mexico segment comprises of interstate natural gas pipelines, Transco and Northwest Pipeline, as well as natural gas gathering and processing and crude oil production handling and transportation assets in the Gulf Coast region. The Northeast G&P segment includes midstream gathering, processing, and fractionation businesses in the Marcellus Shale region primarily in Pennsylvania and New York, and the Utica Shale region of eastern Ohio. The West segment consists of gas gathering, processing, and treating operations in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado and Wyoming, the Barnett Shale region of north-central Texas, the Eagle Ford Shale region of south Texas, the Haynesville Shale region of northwest Louisiana, and the Mid-Continent region which includes the Anadarko, Arkoma, and Permian basins. The company was founded by David Williams and Miller Williams in 1908 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Read More The National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC), in partnership with Halcyon Incubator, recently hosted a delegation of 15 Saudi women social entrepreneurs from Taibah University in Madinah. The NUSACC Roundtable celebrated the entrepreneurial spirit of these aspiring business leaders, connected them with American women who have experience growing companies, and tackled questions about ways to take these early stage startups to the next level. TradeArabia News Service 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.. Alstom has been awarded a contract to supply 5 additional Citadis trams to Bordeaux Metropole for a total amount of nearly 14 million ($15.8 million). This order comes in addition to a tranche of 25 trams currently being manufactured on Alstom's site in La Rochelle, said a statement from Alstom. These new trams, 44-m-long, are identical to those of the previous orders and are intended to reinforce the multi-line transport offer of the city of Bordeaux from 2019. They can accommodate between 218 and 300 passengers each, the equivalent of more than 3 buses. Alstom's Citadis trams offer optimal on-board journey quality with a fully low floor, air conditioning, a video monitoring system and audio-visual information. Up to 98 per cent recyclable, Citadis trams help to preserve the environment. Since its entry into service in 2003, the Bordeaux tramway system transports almost 280,000 passengers every day on its three lines. With Phase III adopted in 2009, the network will consist of 4 lines (line D is scheduled to open in 2019), representing a cumulative total length of 79 km. The Citadis tram has completely transformed the city and is popular with the inhabitants, who appreciate its speed and comfort of use. With 130 Citadis, Bordeaux Metropole will have one of the largest tram fleets in France, ordered in four tranches since the year 2000. "We are very happy that our historic customer Bordeaux Metropole has once again placed its confidence in us. We delivered the first tram of the current order to our customer in May 2018, and the next four will be delivered and enter commercial service in September, remarked Francois Papin, Alstom site manager in La Rochelle. All the Citadis trams (33 and 44 metres) for Bordeaux Metropole are equipped with the innovative ground-level power supply system APS, which has also been incorporated into the tramway systems of cities such as Reims, Angers and Dubai. Bordeaux Metropole was the first customer to rely on Alstoms new power supply solutions, which represent an alternative to conventional catenary power supply. Besides APS, other new technological innovations are available to reduce energy consumption and preserve city centres: SRS, an innovative ground-based static recharging system, Citadis Ecopack, batteries and super capacitors. The trams will be manufactured at six Alstom sites in France: La Rochelle for the design and assembly, Le Creusot for the bogies, Tarbes for the traction equipment, Villeurbanne for the on-board electronics, Vitrolles for the APS and Saint-Ouen for the design. In total, over 2,500 Citadis trams have been sold to more than 50 cities in 20 countries.-TradeArabia News Service SunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank that provides various financial services for consumers, businesses, corporations, institutions, and not-for-profit entities in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Wholesale. The Consumer segment provides deposits and payments; home equity and personal credit lines; auto, student, and other lending products; credit cards; discount/online and full-service brokerage products; professional investment advisory products and services; and trust services, as well as family office solutions. This segment also offers residential mortgage products in the secondary market. The Wholesale segment provides capital markets solutions, including advisory, capital raising, and financial risk management; asset-based financing solutions, such as securitizations, asset-based lending, equipment financing, and structured real estate arrangements; cash management services and auto dealer financing solutions; investment banking solutions; and credit and deposit, fee-based product offering, multi-family agency lending, advisory, commercial mortgage brokerage, and tailored financing and equity investment solutions. This segment also offers treasury and payment solutions, such as operating various electronic and paper payment types, which comprise card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, check, and cash; and provides services clients to manage their accounts online. The company offers its products and services through a network of traditional and in-store branches, automated teller machines, Internet, mobile, and telephone banking channels. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 1,218 full-service banking offices located in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. SunTrust Banks, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Read More Rayonier, Inc. is a real estate investment trust, which engages in investment in timberlands. It operates through the following business segments: Southern Timber, Pacific Northwest Timber, New Zealand Timber, Real Estate, Timber Funds and Trading. The Southern Timber, Pacific Northwest Timber and New Zealand Timber segments reflect all activities related to the harvesting of timber and other value-added activities, such as recreational licenses, within each respective geography. The Real Estate segment reflects all U.S. land sales, which are reported in the following sales categories: Improved Development, Unimproved Development, Rural, Non-Strategic and Timberlands, and Large Dispositions. The Timber Funds segment represents operations of the three private equity timber funds included in the Pope Resources transaction. The Trading segment reflects the log trading activities that support New Zealand operations. The company was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Wild light, FL. Read More Wall Street analysts have given iShares Core MSCI EAFE 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 Core MSCI EAFE 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 SPDR Gold Shares 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 SPDR Gold Shares wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Italy-based Pirelli, a leading global tyre manufacturer, has signed an agreement with Luna Rossa Challenge for the constitution of a partnership aimed at the development of a multi-year project. The project will lead to Luna Rossas participation in the next edition of the Americas Cup, set for New Zealand in 2021, said a statement from the company. Now in its 36th edition, the Americas Cup is the oldest trophy in the history of sport, which sees the participation of the most technologically advanced boats in the world. Pirelli and Prada will be co-titled sponsors of the vessel and will detail their plans at a soon to be organised event, it said. The project will entail, over the four-year period 2018-2021, a series of regattas, events and activities with the two brands as protagonists, it added. In 2019 the first two regattas of the Americas Cup World Series will take place in the Mediterranean; in 2020 another three World Series regattas will be held in Europe, the US and Asia; from January 2021, always in Auckland, there will be the Prada Cup, Challenger selection regattas, followed by the 36th edition of the Americas Cup Presented by Prada, scheduled for March 2021, said a statement. This will be Luna Rossas fifth tilt at the trophy and in this edition it will be the Challenger of Record, that is, the first challenger of the last editions winning team, Emirates Team New Zealand. Patrizio Bertelli, chairman of Luna Rossa Challenge, said: Pirelli is the ideal partner for this new Americas Cup challenge. With over half a centurys experience at the highest levels of high technology world sports, it will be an important asset at the heart of our project. In this sense it is correct to speak of a real and true collaboration between the team and Pirelli, he added. Marco Tronchetti Provera, executive vice president and chief executive officer of Pirelli, said: Our company chose to be part of this project because it represents both a sporting and technological challenge, and will also bring Italy and the Pirelli brand to the attention of the entire world. The Americas Cup, as Formula 1 is to motorsport, is the most prestigious sailing competition, with a great history and tradition. It embodies values and is for a public of impassioned fans that perfectly match ours, enabling the company to continue enriching its brand, reinforcing its positioning in high technology with clients around the world and its relationship with consumers through traditional channels and all the new digital platforms, he added. TradeArabia News Service TCF Financial Corporation operates as the financial holding company for TCF National Bank that provides various financial products and services in the United States and Canada. It operates through Consumer Banking, Commercial Banking, and Enterprise Services segments. The company offers checking, savings, and money market accounts; certificates of deposit; individual retirement accounts; debit and credit cards; and check cashing and remittance services. It also provides investment management and custodial services, trust services, financial and estate planning, and retirement planning and employee benefit programs; residential, consumer, and small business lending products; and consumer real estate secured lending, consumer loans, loans secured by personal property, and unsecured personal loans. In addition, the company offers loans and lines of credit, deposits, cash management, capital market products, international trade finance, letters of credit, foreign exchange management services, and loan syndication services. Further, it provides commercial and industrial, commercial real estate banking, and lease financing; and treasury services comprising investment and borrowing portfolios, as well as manages capital, debt, and market risks. As of December 31, 2020, the company operated 478 branches, including 373 traditional branches, 102 supermarket branches, and three campus branches located in Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Colorado, Ohio, Wisconsin, Arizona, and South Dakota; and 1,062 ATMs. TCF Financial Corporation was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. Read More Wall Street analysts have given Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care 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 Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Health Care ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. 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 Nearly 100 people have lost their lives since August 8 as Kerala reels under one of the worst floods in its history. On Thursday, torrential rain and floods claimed 30 lives, swamping homes, destroying roads, and disrupting air and rail traffic in many places, local media reports said citing officials. Overall, 97 people have died in rain-related incidents since the second spell of monsoon fury got unleashed on August 8, reported the Indian Express. For the first time in history, the state has opened 35 of its 39 dams. Meanwhile, operations at the Cochin International Airport have been suspended till August 26 due to flooding in and around the airport. A red alert has been issued in all the 14 districts of the state. Battling inclement weather conditions, the Indian navy began airlifting marooned people in Trichur, Aluva and Muvattupuzha. Dramatic videos showed people stranded atop flooded homes and hills being winched up by Navy choppers. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called Prime Minister Narendra Modi again, seeking more aid considering the situation. He also sought additional Army personnel and helicopters. Praying for the safety of the people of Kerala, the PM has asked the Defence Ministry to accelerate relief and rescue operations across the state. Meanwhile seeing the gravity of the situation, the Premier is scheduled to visit the flood-hit state. Modi is scheduled to touch down in Thiruvananthapuram late on August 17 to review the flood situation in Kerala. Top police officials told The Hindu that the Prime Minister would stay overnight in the Raj Bhavan and set out early on August 18 to flood-devastated regions on a military helicopter. Modi was likely to fly down to Thiruvananthapuram after attending the state funeral of Vajpayee in New Delhi. The State police have upped security because of the PMs visit. The Forward Base Supply Unit of the Southern Air Command would host the PMs special aircraft. Officials said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and senior State bureaucrats would accompany the Prime Minister on his aerial survey of the inundated regions. The PM was likely to return to New Delhi after a spending a day in Kerala on August 18. Many trains in the Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil route have been cancelled due to flooding and landslips. Kochi metro services have been suspended until further notice. Officials said a red alert has been sounded off till Sunday, with heavy rains predicted in 12 districts. 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. With Kerala grappling with unprecedented flood situation, the Education Department has rescheduled Onam vacation for schools in the state. The holiday will be from August 17 to 29. Rise in flood waters in Periyar River due to the rains and opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir, and Idamalayar, have severely affected lives of people in downstream areas. Yext, Inc. is an emerging growth company engages in software development. It offers a cloud-based digital knowledge platform, which allows businesses manage their digital knowledge in the cloud such as financial information, resources and performance of these resources on a consolidated basis and sync it to other application such as Apple Maps, Bing, Cortana, Facebook, Google, Google Maps, Instagram, Siri and Yelp. It offers the Yext Knowledge Engine package on subscription basis, which has an access to Listings, Pages, Reviews and other features. The Listing feature provides customers with control over their digital presence, including their location and other related attributes published on the used third-party applications. The Pages feature allows customers to establish landing pages on their own websites and to manage digital content on those sites, including calls to action. The Reviews presence enables customers to encourage and facilitate reviews from end consumers. The company was founded by Howard Lerman, Brent Metz, and Brian Distelburger in 2006 and is headquartered in New York, NY. 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 contact@marketbeat.com | (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. Dubai-based Phanes Group, an international end-to-end solar provider, today (August 7) announced the 2nd edition of its Solar Incubator programme, aimed at identifying PV projects of potential in sub-Saharan Africa by providing support to funding, and commercial and technical knowledge. The initiative held under the theme, Your Project, Our Expertise, For a Sustainable Future, will be held in collaboration with Hogan Lovells, responsAbility Renewable Energy Holding, RINA and Solarplaza, and invites PV developers to submit proposals for projects based in sub-Saharan Africa that have a clear corporate social responsibility (CSR) component, said a statement from the company. Candidates are asked to submit their proposals by September 27 (11.59 pm CET) via the process established on Phanes Groups website. Those who are shortlisted will be invited to present their projects to an expert panel comprised of the Solar Incubator partners at the Unlocking Solar Capital: Africa 2018 conference in Kigali, Rwanda, on November 7 and 8, where the industrys key players will hold extensive discussions on solutions for Africas solar energy requirements and bridging the bankability gap, it said. It comes as part of Phanes Group's core strategy to collaborate with Africa-focused counterparties, such as local project owners, governments, and developers on projects that seek to create a sustainable future for urban and rural communities across the sub-Saharan African region, it added. Martin Haupts, chief executive officer, Phanes Group, said: The majority of our business focus lies in electrifying new markets in sub-Saharan Africa. With CSR at the heart of our business model, we launched this initiative with the goal of bringing bankability to projects that stand to provide clean energy to economies that need it most. The incubator programme is an example of this. Entering our Solar Incubator means creating the opportunity to not only win, but the possibility to gain further exposure to key industry players through the evaluation panel. We have already seen great success from last years projects, and we are confident that as this initiative continues to grow, more and more businesses across the continent will be able to effectively address local needs for clean and affordable energy, he added. Christopher Cross, partner of law firm Hogan Lovells, who will be part of the evaluation panel at the event, said: We are delighted to be invited again this year to take part in such an exciting and on-the-ground initiative such as this. I had a great experience last year and very much look forward to seeing what is in store for us in Rwanda. As stated previously, the incubator seeks to foster both local innovation and investment to bring potential opportunities to fruition for the social and economic benefit of the region and its people, he added. With almost 700 million people in sub-Saharan Africa living without electricity, the Phanes Group Solar Incubator aims to enable solutions by supporting developers not only during the funding phase, but throughout the project development and delivery, said a statement. Phanes Group, along with its partners, will provide PV developers with access to the expertise that will support them in reaching bankability. During the initial phase, extensive mentorship and access to the right network will enable this years winner(s) to roll out a sustainable energy solution for their community and develop a long-term CSR concept, it said. Wilfred van den Bos, head of investments, responsAbility Renewable Energy Holding, said: We are proud to be participating in the Phanes Group Solar Incubator once again this year. It is important to ensure that energy projects within the solar sector start and remain financially viable, and we hope that our continued partnership will foster successful entrepreneurship that will benefit communities across sub-Saharan Africa, he added. Lee Smith, sector manager, RINA, said: Our company is proud to partner with Phanes Group again for the incubator programme, which produced some interesting projects in 2017. It was encouraging to see the emergence of strong CSR propositions in line with the vision of the initiative. We look forward to this years proposals and helping to shape the winners future, he said. Similar to last year, the developer(s) of the winning project(s) will be invited to join Phanes Group for an intensive workshop at its headquarters in Dubai, UAE. This will help lay the foundations for delivering a bankable and sustainable project, it stated. TradeArabia News Service Leading global maritime industry experts will be in Dubai to discuss the issues of cybersecurity in the increasingly technology-dependent global maritime industry in light of the costly, growing attacks targeting major international shipping companies will be highlighted at the Seatrade Maritime Middle East 2018 to be held in Dubai, UAE. The event, a leading maritime exhibition and conference in the region, will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from October 29 to 31, under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. The event will highlight the nature of known cyber threats, their serious impact on the maritime community, the risk factors involved, and effective measures combatting the evolving cybercrimes, said a statement from the organisers. Stakeholders and senior executives from all over the world have identified cybersecurity as a topic of global importance especially after the International Maritime Bureaus warning that shipping is becoming the next playground for hackers. There are now mounting calls for companies to prioritise their cybersecurity measures as a result of this valid concern, it said. Emma Howell, global head of marketing, Seatrade Portfolio, said: It is highly encouraging that stakeholders are now coming together to discuss the subject of cyber security in the maritime industry. The industry has already implemented contingency plans, learning from serious incidents of cyberattacks involving prominent shipping firms. However, we admit that much still needs to be done and, as such, we are putting the spotlight on the importance of proactively building an ever-evolving cybersecurity system that can effectively fight off cyber threats, she said. The event is a timely platform to exchange experiences and propose more efficient and modern solutions that will help shield the industry from future costly network intrusions, she added. Cosco Shipping Lines and A P Moller-Maersk were two of the shipping giants recently hit by cyberattacks, prompting the leading firms and the entire industry to beef up their cybersecurity systems. Cybersecurity has become an urgent need as next-generation technologies are steadily being integrated into the maritime sector, with the prospect of autonomous shipping now becoming a possibility and millions of maritime operations data being churned out weekly. The topics of intelligent shipping as well as the tangible benefits and efficiencies offered by intelligent shipping technologies will be tackled during the three days of the event, which is an integral part of the UAE Maritime Week. A focused session will take place on October 30, during the second UAE Maritime Future Leaders Seminar, organised by the Dubai Maritime Cluster Office. The session, entitled Security from cyber-attack: how safe are we? will be moderated by Katharina Stanzel, managing director of Intertanko. Part of the seminar, this dedicated session is part of a one-day programme that expands its focus to the intelligent shipping and the tangible benefits and efficiencies offered by intelligent shipping technologies and includes individual presentations by industry expert speakers, followed by interactive round tables with the audience. One of the sessions speakers, Jason Stefanatos MSc, senior research engineer and maritime R&D and advisory, DNV GL Maritime, said: Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting the shipping industry and the recent attacks on leading shipping companies Cosco Shipping Lines and A P Moller-Maersk demonstrates the importance and critical-nature of being cyber resilient. We need to step up our game to protect the industry from these network breaches--a challenge that requires all maritime stakeholders to work together and improve the conditions, he said. Owners, flag administration and class societies should help contribute in the campaign towards achieving a cyber-safer sea trade, he added. TradeArabia News Service As competitive market conditions create significant underwriting losses in the (re)takaful sector, many operators based in the Mena region have become dependent on the Qard Hasan, according to a new briefing by A.M. Best. However, the report, titled, Takaful Trends; Breaking the Reliance on the Qard Hasan, states the continued dependence on this interest-free loan, which is provided by the shareholders to cover any deficit in the policyholders fund, does not provide enough incentive to operators to manage their companies in the best interest of policyholders and shareholders. A.M. Best considers it can to lead to an uneven distribution of profits and increasing policyholder deficits. The overreliance on the Qard to fund continued policyholder deficits has led to the so-called Perpetual Qard Syndrome. Salman Siddiqui, associate director, said: The need for the Qard can arise from a variety of market conditions, most of which conventional (re)insurers also encounter. These include deficits in the policyholders fund and non-payment of contributions, i.e., bad debt, as well as poor risk selection, inadequate pricing and weak investment management. In practice, however, deficits generally arise out of excessive management fees a unique characteristic of the (re)takaful model and poor underwriting discipline. The briefing examines potential solutions to break the pattern of Qard reliance, which include obliging its write-off every three to five years, maintaining greater control over the fees charged to the policyholder funds by shareholders, operators moving toward a profit-sharing approach and the adoption of the Saudi Cooperative model. Yvette Essen, director of research, said: Driven by weak underwriting discipline and high wakalah fees, policyholders funds continue to generate deficits, whilst shareholders funds enjoy reasonable profits. As a result, policyholders funds continue to accumulate higher deficits, with the Qard continuing to rise to meet these deficits. A.M. Best notes that not all operators exhibit these trends, with some annually generating surpluses and distributing them back to policyholders. However, this tends to be the exception rather than the rule in the Mena region. TradeArabia News Service The H Dubai Hotel has appointed Mohamed Mattar as its new food and beverage (F&B) manager. Mattar joins the H Dubai from his recent post as F&B operations manager at Fairmont Dubai - Sheikh Zayed Road. and carries with him 20 years of hospitality experience. He started his career with Hilton Hotels & Resorts Taba, Egypt, after which he moved to Dubai, UAE to join Accorhotels and grew in positions with different brands within the group, including Sofitel, Fairmont & Raffles Dubai. In his new position, Matar will manage all aspects of The H Dubai food and beverage department consisting of five concepts and restaurants including the authentic Indian and Parsi restaurant Moombai & Co and the all-day dining restaurant Eat and Meat. Commenting on Mattars appointment, Gonzalo Rodriquez, general manager of The H Dubai Hotel, said: Mattar's personality is full of energy and dynamic and always looking for implementing entrepreneurial projects in his area. He is a revenue-driven person and will be a great asset to the team. - TradeArabia News Service Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (Adnec) has renewed a landmark MoU with the Emirates Medical Association (EMA) and the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, a division of the Department of Culture and Tourism, to promote Abu Dhabi as a hub for world-class healthcare services and a global knowledge destination. The renewal of the MoU aims to increase the number of international medical conferences and congresses hosted in Abu Dhabi. The tripartite agreement is expected to usher in a new wave of opportunities for international events within the Emirate. Saif Saeed Ghobash, undersecretary of DCT - Abu Dhabi, said: We are delighted to be once again working closely with both Adnec and the EMA, via our Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, to reinforce and grow the healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi. We are happy to renew this cooperation agreement with our trusted partners for the development of a healthcare network of services that is based on international standards and can help achieve our goals and enhance our globally competitive position in the healthcare sector. The MoU will also further reinforce the communication opportunities and play a key role in the development of promotional strategies designed to attract and retain the very best international medical conferences and congresses to the UAE capital with its capabilities and advanced infrastructure, which enables it to host these most prominent international events. This move indicates all vital signs are good for the emirates future in the healthcare sector, he added. Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, group CEO of Adnec, said: Adnec was able to consolidate its position as a preferred partner for conference organisers at the local and international levels within a short period of time and reinforce its potential to attract specialised, new global conferences across key sectors identified in the Abu Dhabi Plan and Economic Vision 2030. This was made possible due to the continuous efforts of the Adnec team comprising exceptional national competencies, who were willing to go that extra mile to maintain Abu Dhabis growing global reputation. Dr Mouza AlSharhan, president of the Emirates Medical Association, said: We are delighted to renew this agreement with Adnec and the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, and together we are committed to growing the UAEs role as a knowledge hub. With this MoU, we aim to develop Abu Dhabi as a preferred global medical destination by attracting international, regional and local medical conferences. When high-profile international health congresses are organised in Abu Dhabi, local practitioners get unprecedented access to the top professionals and latest developments, while acquainting themselves with global best practices in their field. Adnec, EMA and the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau have collectively made successful bids for landmark events in the coming years, such as the Congress of the International Society for Hemodialysis 2018, World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2019, World Congress of Endourology 2019 and the World Congress on Family Doctors 2020. These events will provide Abu Dhabi with an increased exposure to global thought leaders, thereby helping the emirate emerge as a knowledge hub in the healthcare sector. The MoU will have direct and indirect impact on the business tourism landscape of Abu Dhabi and showcase the advancements in Abu Dhabis medical sector. Adnecs flagship venue, the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, offers 133,000-sq-m of interconnected floor space to meet the requirements of a wide variety of conferences, events and exhibitions. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and built to international standards, it hosted a total of 442 local, regional and international events and welcomed more than 2 million visitors in 2017, leading to a contribution of Dh3.9 billion ($1.06 billion) to the Abu Dhabi economy. Adnecs pursuit of excellence was rewarded last year, when it bagged several awards for its noteworthy contributions, among them being the first company within the Mice sector in the region to be awarded EFQM certifications. At the MESE awards in May 2018 the company bagged the Best Venue award for its Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. - TradeArabia News Service Auckland will welcome a flagship InterContinental hotel in 2022 with IHG and Precinct Properties, the largest city centre real estate owner in New Zealand, signing an agreement to open InterContinental Auckland. InterContinental Auckland will enjoy an unrivalled location on the citys waterfront, with a halo address at 1 Queen Street that will inevitably become a destination in its own right. It will complete the $1 billion Commercial Bay mixed-use development, which boasts the largest concentration of high-quality retail facilities in the city and a new 39-level office tower with 39,000-sq-m of premium office space. The world-class waterfront development is also destined to become Aucklands newest, shopping, dining and social hub, offering a vast range of food and beverage outlets that are perfectly complemented by the hotels luxury dining experience, which includes all-day dining and bars. The hotel will be dedicated to those who appreciate and enjoy The InterContinental Life, featuring the brands signature Club InterContinental experience, as well as a gym and meeting facilities. In order to give guests an unparalleled experience that shows off the best of the City of Sails, 90 per cent of the hotels 244 guest rooms will offer water views. Abhijay Sandilya, IHGs senior director of development Australasia, said: Its high time Auckland got a taste of the InterContinental Life, so we are very excited about this announcement. Being part of such an iconic mixed-use development ensures the hotel, dining, retail and commercial components form a symbiotic relationship. Together with Precinct Properties, we will deliver a distinctive product that inspires those travellers who are looking for the InterContinental understated luxury, both in the leisure and corporate space. Scott Pritchard, chief executive officer at Precinct Properties, said: Commercial Bay is set to transform Aucklands CBD and reshape the waterfront area in the heart of the city, so its absolutely fitting that one of the worlds best-known luxury brands is part of this world-class development. The addition of the InterContinental Life further solidifies Commercial Bay as a truly mixed-use precinct, and were very proud to partner with IHG to bring this flagship property to life. InterContinental Auckland will benefit from convenient access to corporate and leisure demand generators including, the New Zealand International Convention Centre, Viaduct Harbour, Britomart precinct, Wynyard Quarter, Vector Arena, the international cruise ship terminal, Sky City and Sky City Casino. It sits at the heart of Aucklands transport infrastructure which includes train, bus and ferry, as well as being just 20km to Auckland Airport, the largest and busiest airport in New Zealand. InterContinental Auckland will be the second for the brand in New Zealand, after InterContinental Wellington, and adds an important piece to IHGs Australasia luxury credentials, complementing InterContinental Hotels in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Sanctuary Cove, as well as the 194 globally. IHG currently has 48 hotels operating under four brands in Australasia, including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express, with another 22 in the pipeline, including Hotel Indigo, Even Hotels and voco. - TradeArabia News Service By Auqib Javeed, TwoCircles.net Srinagar: The awarding of Shaurya Chakra to Major Aditya Kumar, whose unit allegedly killed three civilians in Shopian, with Shaurya Chakra on Independence day has been met with strong disapproval and resentment from the Kashmiri population. People said such decisions will only alienate the Kashmiri population further from the Indian state. Shaurya Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice while not engaged in direct action with the enemy. The official list of gallantry award winners was released by the defence ministry on the eve of the Independence Day. Support TwoCircles Major Aditya Kumar, who was embroiled in a controversy after his unit fired upon protesters in South Kashmirs Shopian in January this year leading to the death of three civilians, was among 20 armed forces personnel who were honoured with Shaurya Chakra award. After the killing of three civilians in Shopian on January 27 2018, the Jammu and Kashmir police filed an FIR against the army personnel involved in the incident. Journalist and Political Commentator Gowhar Geelani said that this followed an ugly pattern of rewarding and awarding those army officers guilty of human rights violations in Kashmir. A message is telegraphed that violating rights of Kashmiris has sanctity in mainland India. Even after Indias premier investigative agency, CBI produced a charge sheet in the Pathribal fake encounter case of March 2000, not a single armed personal was prosecuted and punished. We also saw how Major Gogoi, who tied a civilian Farooq Dar to the bonnet of a jeep in central Kashmir, was accorded a commendation medal. And now Major Aditya, who is accused of killing three teenagers in Shopian in south Kashmir, has been awarded Shaurya Chakra, he said. Gowhar further pointed out that earlier Major Avtar Singh who was accused of killing a leading Human Rights defender advocate Jaleel Andrabi was allowed to flee to California. Where on earth do you see a democratic country awarding its Army officers for killing innocent civilians? asked Javid Ahmad lone, father of slain youth Suhail Ahmad who was among the three civilians allegedly killed by Major Adityas unit in Shopian. It was shocking for me, but at the same time what can we do? lamented Javid. For Gods sake tell me should the killer of any civilian be hanged or awarded? questioned Wasim Ahmad Bhat, brother of another slain youth Javid Ahmad Bhat who was also killed in Army firing. Student activist Shehla Rashid is of the view that awarding Major Aditya is state sanction for human rights violations This seems to be becoming a trend nowadays as last year, Major Leetul Gogoi, who tied a civilian to an Army Jeep and paraded him through a dozen villages in Budgam, was also awarded, she told TwoCircles.net. Rameez Makhdoomi, a Kashmir-based journalist, said gallantry awards are always needed to keep the national armies motivated and value their sacrifices. In India, this trend of bestowing such awards to controversial officers who are facing serious allegations of civilian killings does not augur well from any parameter, he said, adding, It also signifies how little care is shown towards the emotions and sensitivities of Kashmiris by the government of India. The large trend followed in India nowadays is to promote ultra-nationalism and this gallantry award to Major Aditya signifies same. Peace in Kashmir can never be imposed by valuing the barrel of a gun. The two main political parties of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party reacted vehemently against the Shaurya Chakra being awarded to Major Aditya Kumar. Honouring Major Aditya with the Shaurya Chakra would serve to further alienate the people of Kashmir, PDP chief spokesman Rafi Ahmed Mir said in a statement. Firebrand lawmaker of Kashmir Er Rashid says, on one hand Modi is saying Kashmir issue can be resolved only by hugging Kashmiris and on the other hand they are rewarding those who kill Kashmiris in cold blood, so there is a contradiction in itself, it is the murder of democracy and justice nothing else, it is message to all Kashmiris your life doesnt matter to us. Rashid says it would have been appreciable if the Major would have been punished but in turn he was rewarded. I can say that those who will kill Kashmiris will get such Nobel prices, and whosoever is behind the killing of innocent people will be rewarded, says Yaqoob Dunoo, a businessman who owns a houseboat in Kashmir. On selecting major Aditya for Shaurya Chakra, an official release said he is being awarded for meticulous planning and gallant action during an anti-terror operation in Budgam in Kashmir in November 2017. In February, the father of Major Aditya had moved the Supreme Court seeking quashing of the FIR filed against his son. During hearing of the case, the Centre said the state government cannot lodge an FIR against serving Army personnel when the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) was in force in the state. Subsequently, during a hearing on his fathers petition in March, the state government told the apex court that Major Aditya had not been named as an accused. But in July, the J&K government told the Supreme Court that a probe into the Shopian case was justified. 3:00pm 8:00pm Dalhousie University and the University of Kings College, together and in partnership with the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia, are pleased to announce an online pre-conference event ahead of the 2023 Universities Studying Slavery Conference. Dayton Ohio - Disney On Ice presents FROZEN Past Event - Sunday, October 14, 2018 This page may be updated if the event is repeated $15 to $65 | Ages 2 and over need a ticket for entry. See website for specials, restrictions, parking. Enter a fantastical winter wonderland when Disney On Ice presents Frozen - live on ice at The Nutter Center! Disney On Ice presents FROZEN After two long years, Disney On Ice returns to Dayton! For the first time ever in Dayton, discover the full story of Disneys Frozen like never before at Disney On Ice presents Frozen! Join Anna as Olaf, Kristoff and Sven help her find Elsa and bring back summer. Hosted by Mickey and Minnie, delight in unforgettable music and special appearances by favorite Disney stars. Create memories to last a lifetime at the show worth melting for! Showtimes: Thursday, October 11, 7 pm Friday, October 12, 7 pm Saturday, October 13, 11 am Saturday, October 13, 3 pm Saturday, October 13, 7 pm Sunday, October 14, 1 pm Sunday, October 14, 5 pm RELATED EVENTS The carmaker will be offering free roadside assistance to the customers to tow their cars to the nearest service centres. Volkswagen India has announced special services and discounts for its flood-affected customers in Kerala. The carmaker will be offering free roadside assistance to the customers to tow their cars to the nearest service centres. Customers can also dial a toll-free number mentioned below to intimate Volkswagen service executives for assistance and instructions for getting their cars to service stations. Volkswagen India has also trained the technical support staff to look after the maintenance and sourcing of necessary parts. In the light of the untimely floods in Kerala, the initiative comes as a much-needed relief for VW customers in the state. Heres the companys official statement regarding the same: Press Release Volkswagen India extends Service Support to Flood Affected Customers in Kerala Mumbai/Cochin: Volkswagen, Europes leading car manufacturer has announced extended support and services for vehicles affected by the untimely floods in Kerala. Due to heavy torrential rains that lashed the city of Kerala and the subsequent water logging condition, Volkswagen has announced free road-side assistance and special initiatives in support of affected customers. Customers in Kerala can avail the free road-side assistance by dialing 1800 102 1155 or 1800 419 1155. Under road-side assist, affected cars would be transported free of cost to the nearest Volkswagen dealer. To ensure customer support at this crucial time, Volkswagen has issued flood-repair guidelines across dealerships for a standardized repair approach and has geared-up technical support staff and parts supply chain in the region. All affected customer vehicles will also be supported with benefits on the service repair invoice by Volkswagen dealer partners in Kerala. The Volkswagen team is closely monitoring the status of all vehicles under repair to ensure quality repair and necessary actions. Commenting on the special initiative, Mr. 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 water logging 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. Disclaimer: This article has not been edited by Deccan Chronicle and is taken from a syndicated feed. Photos: CarDekho. In a significant development in the ongoing war against bank fraud, Dubai authorities have reportedly arrested Nitin Sandesara, one of the co-accused in the Sterling Biotech loan fraud case amounting to Rs 5,383 crore. New Delhi: In a significant development in the ongoing war against bank fraud, Dubai authorities have reportedly arrested Nitin Sandesara, one of the co-accused in the Sterling Biotech loan fraud case amounting to Rs 5,383 crore. Two months ago, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed a charge sheet against Rajbhushan Dixit, director of Sterling Biotech, in the case. Sources close to developments revealed to FC that Nitin Sandesara is likely to be deported to India shortly because CBI, the nodal agency, has been informed by Interpol of the grab. This is a big catch. Nitin Sandesara was an absconding director of Sterling. Official sources 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. 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. 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. This would be the biggest win in terms of a big defaulter cum absconder being arrested in UAE and is part of the growing closeness and enduring relationship between the Emirates and India. Several other defaulters have been picked up in the Emirates and packed off to India. As have many terror suspects too. On June 1, the ED had attached assets worth over Rs 4,700 crore of the Gujarat-based company under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. A money laundering case was registered by the agency based on a CBI FIR against Sandesara group of companies, including Sterling Biotech. The main accused in the case, Sandesara brothers, Nitin and Chetan Sandesara, allegedly defrauded a consortium of government banks. They fled the country before the CBI registered a case against them last year in August. The ED probe, according to senior officers, revealed that the Sandesara group of companies have allegedly cheated several banks and the total outstanding amount against banks and investors may go beyond Rs 10,000 crore. The ED had earlier arrested three persons, including Delhi-based businessman Gagan Dhawan, former director of Andhra Bank, Anup Garg, and Rajbhushan Dixit, director of Sterling Biotech. Earlier, in a major crackdown, the ED had attached movable and immovable properties worth more than Rs 4,700 crore. The attached assets include immovable properties of about 4,000 acres, plant machinery, around 200 bank accounts of various companies and accounts of promoters, shares worth Rs 6.67 crore and various high-end luxury cars. It is alleged that several companies promoted by Sandesara brothers had, on the basis of false and fabricated documents, fraudulently obtained credit facilities of about Rs 5,383 crore from various banks, which subsequently turned non-performing assets (NPA). The loans were sanctioned by a consortium of banks led by Andhra Bank and comprising UCO Bank, State Bank of India, Allahabad Bank and Bank of India. Till date, the banks have declared as fraud the various outstanding loan accounts in respect of the Sterling Group, including Sterling Biotech, Sterling Port, PMT Machines, Sterling SEZ and Infrastructure and Sterling Oil Resources. The Sandesaras had allegedly floated more than 300 shell and benami companies in India and abroad to divert and misuse loan funds. The modus operandi of money laundering involved the formation of shell/benami companies, manipulating balance sheets, inflating turnovers and insider shares trading. These companies were controlled by the Sandesaras through dummy directors, who were or are employees of the various companies of the Sterling Group, it is alleged. Bogus sale/purchases were shown between the benami companies and the Sterling group firms to divert loan funds and inflate turnovers to obtain further loans from banks. The funds so raised were rotated in multiple layers to conceal the source of such funds. A major breakthrough in the case came when the ED successfully recovered truckloads of material connected to the formation and management of the shell and benami companies, such as original cheque books, rubber stamps, company seals, original property documents, original PAN cards, and more than 10 lakh pages of other incriminating documents, according to the ED. The materials were seized from a room in Jogeshwari (East), Mumbai, where it was shifted from various premises and was being concealed to evade seizure. The ED has carried out more than 50 searches at various premises in multiple cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Surat, in connection with the case. The siphoned off loan funds were used to buy properties in the names of various companies, to purchase shares of Sterling Biotech and Sterling International Enterprises to attract market fancy and project a healthy picture of the companies. Luxury vehicles were bought and a total of Rs 140 crore was withdrawn from bank accounts of various shell/benami companies. Some of these companies have been identified as Dipraj Trading, Embio Trading, Gatsby Trading, Newport Enterprise and Raj Bones. Some of the diverted loan funds were also paid to public servants. The ED is investigating this aspect of the case. It is also investigating various cross-border transactions undertaken by the group, said an official. India has exported tobacco worth Rs 1,447.80 crore in the first quarter of the current fiscal, an increase of 7 per cent since last year, mainly to Europe and South East Asia, according to the Tobacco Board. New Delhi: India has exported tobacco worth Rs 1,447.80 crore in the first quarter of the current fiscal, an increase of 7 per cent since last year, mainly to Europe and South East Asia, according to the Tobacco Board. In volume terms, the export of both tobacco and its products rose by 2.65 per cent to 53,213 tonnes during the April-June quarter of the 2018-19 fiscal. In the year-ago period, the country had exported 51,802 tonnes valuing Rs 1,352 crore. Much of the exports were in unmanufactured form especially flue-cured virginia (FCV) tobacco -- a variety used in cigarettes -- followed by small quantities of tobacco products like cigarettes, bidis, hookah tobacco paste, cut tobacco, snuff and cigars, the board's data showed. Export of FCV tobacco declined to 32,687 tonnes in the April-June period of this fiscal from Rs 33,401 tonnes in the year-ago. However, in value terms, the shipments rose to Rs 814.37 crore as against Rs 791.46 crore in the said period. However, the export of non-FCV tobacco rose to 12,620 tonnes valued at Rs 202.77 crore during the first quarter of this fiscal from 10,043 tonnes valued at Rs 137.07 crore in the same quarter previous fiscal. Belgium, Philippines, Nepal, Korea, Germany and the UAE are the major markets for unmanufactured tobacco. The board data showed a decline in exports of tobacco products in volume terms to 7,906 tonnes during the first quarter of this fiscal from 8,358 tonnes in the year-ago. In value terms, it stood at Rs 430.66 crore as against Rs 423.49 crore in the said period last year. Among tobacco products, the country exported 4,442 tonnes of chewing tobacco (zarda), 1,812 tonnes of cigarettes, 1,077 tonnes of hookah tobacco paste, 507 tonnes of cut tobacco, 61 tonnes of bidis, 6 tonnes of cigars and one tonne of snuff during the first quarter of this year. Panama, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Sudan, South Africa, Afghanistan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Israel are major markets for export of tobacco products. During the full 2017-18 fiscal, the country had exported 2,12,916 tonnes worth Rs 5,539.94 crore of tobacco and its products. While exports are rising, the government is encouraging farmers to shift to alternative crops so that production and area of tobacco remains lower. Days ahead of the September 1 deadline, insurance companies are worried about the lack of clarity in pricing and paucity of time to implement the mandatory long-term third party motor insurance for new private vehicles. (Photo: PTI) Chennai: Days ahead of the September 1 deadline, insurance companies are worried about the lack of clarity in pricing and paucity of time to implement the mandatory long-term third party motor insurance for new private vehicles. They also apprehend an adverse impact of the long-term third party policy on own damage cover. In July, the Supreme Court had ordered insurance companies to sell long-term third party motor insurance policies for new private vehicles from September 1. The new private cars sold in the market from that date onwards should have mandatory third party cover of three years while two-wheelers should have a cover of five years. However, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) has not yet announced the pricing, commissions and other details of the cover. The pricing has to be determined on the basis of actuarial estimates and with past data available with Irdai, the regulator has to come out with the details. We are still waiting for the announcement from the regulator, said R Chandrasekaran, secretary general, General Insurance Council. According to him, the greatest challenge for insurers will be on the logistics front. With only half-a-month left, the insurers have to get the pricing details across all outlets which sell new vehicles. However, the insurers find that determining pricing itself is a challenge before the Irdai. Usually the regulator revises third party premiums every year based on the loss ratios in each segment. When premiums are fixed for a longer term, the pricing calculations have to be done based on projections, said a top official of an insurance company. The pricing can either turn out to be inadequate for the insurance company or expensive for the customer. Usually, insurance companies combine both third party and own damage cover while selling the motor cover. Paying the entire cover upfront for three years or five years will be a burden for the customers. If the yearly premium of a car is Rs 28,000, paying Rs 84,000 upfront will be considered a burden, he said. In such a situation, there are high chances that customers may not buy own damage policy for all the years together. Customers usually renew the motor cover, as the third party portion is mandatory. If the third party premium is already paid for the long term, customers may not bother to renew the own damage cover. Own damage accounts for almost 85 per cent of the motor cover and such a situation will lead to significant loss of business for insurance companies. There is lack of clarity about the product, pricing and commissions. We expect the deadline to be extended to address all the issues, said the official. Director Anubhav Sinhas film Mulk, which had a rather slow start at the box-office despite being critically acclaimed, seems to have got a boost through word-of-mouth publicity. The films lead actress Taapsee Pannu confirms, Some theatres are increasing the number of shows of the film. Weve visited theatres and spoken to the audience. Some of them have told us that they think Mulk is the most important film of our times. Theyve also said that they would want more people to watch the film, the actress adds. Taapsee Pannu Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha says that he has received some of the best compliments of his career after Mulk. People have thanked me for making this film, and thats important, he says. Ask him if the controversy surrounding the films alleged pro-Muslim theme gave it a boost, and he says, There was hardly any controversy with this film. Its only a real controversy when people take out processions either for or against a film; thats what happens with Sanjay Leela Bhansalis films. Sanskriti Media HT13 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. (Photo: AP) According to new reports, 41 people have perished form Ebola in a fresh outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A news published in MailOnline cite official figures that say the death toll gas jumped by a fifth in the space of weeks while air workers try to control the situation round the clock. 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 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'. Speaking to reporters 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. 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. Speaking to MailOnline, Professor Paul Hunter, a virologist at the University of East Anglia, praised an experimental vaccine that can stop the spread of Ebola. He added, However, the effectiveness of any immunization campaign depends on the ability to deliver that vaccine to the appropriate people is a timely manner. The unsafe burial of a 65-year-old Ebola sufferer triggered the latest outbreak in the DRC, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). PARIS: 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 pesticides -- which remain on the surface of foliage -- neonicotinoids 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 (UN) warned last year that 40 percent of invertebrate pollinators -- particularly bees and butterflies -- risk global extinction. When she resisted, he banged her head against the wall and continued to throttle her. Hyderabad: A 22-year-old man who allegedly choked his wife to death after suspecting her fidelity and later tried to stage the death as a suicide was nabbed by Habeebnagar police. According to the police, Mohd Imran, 22, a worker in a furniture store, had a love marriage with Shareefa Begum, also 22, about two years ago and the couple were staying in a rented house in Subhanpura of Habeebnagar. The couple were initially happy but since the last few months, Imran allegedly started harassing her suspecting her fidelity, said police inspector of Habeeb Nagar, P. Madhukar Swamy. He added that she lost their first baby due to complications during delivery two months ago. Shareefa delivered a lifeless baby recently at Niloufer Hospital, post which, the harassment increased. She often used to stay with her elder sister in the neighbourhood due to the constant fights, police said. After their meal, he picked a fight over the same issue and allegedly throttled her with his hands. When she resisted, he banged her head against the wall and continued to throttle her. Imran was produced before court and remanded in judicial custody. He went to her sisters place and informed her that Shareefa was lying unconscious in the house. He hired an auto-rickshaw and took her to Osmania General, where the doctors declared her brought dead. He told the medics there that she consumed an unknown poison, added the police. However, when her family suspected something fishy and alerted the police, Imran was questioned and he was arrested late Monday night. The knife used to commit the offence, some sachets of ganja, a few injections and vials were recovered by the police from Afrozs room. Hyderabad: A 22-year-old Sudanese national, who was here on an education visa, was allegedly stabbed to death on the night of August 14 by another Sudanese national, after a quarrel over disturbing the latters privacy at his home. The victim, Abdul Basheer alias Rashes, died after being stabbed allegedly by Abdul Afroz at P & T Colony in Rajendranagar. Rajendranagar police said that Rashes was staying with some of his compatriots in Rajendranagar till August 10, but was asked to leave the room after his strange behaviour and regular fights with roommates and other locals. Rashes and Afroz were allegedly drug users, police said. On August 11, Rashes moved to Abdul Afrozs apartment at P & T Colony in Sun City. Afroz was staying with his girlfriend Lissa and gave him a room to stay. Afroz came to India on an education visa while Lissa, hailing from the North-East, has a job. Rajendranagar inspector G. Suresh said that Rashes, Afroz and Lissa had dinner together at the flat on August 14. After that Rashesh who was in an inebriated state, reportedly troubled Lissa, when she and Afroz were having a private moment in the flat. Enraged Afroz beat Rashes with a bucket after which there was a scuffle. Then, Afroz took a kitchen knife and allegedly stabbed Rashes in the chest. The stabbing was so deep that Rashes was bleeding out. They were quarreling as they came out on to the road and some teenagers in the locality saw it. They alerted the police and also called for an ambulance, but Rashes suddenly collapsed and died, said inspector Suresh. The knife used to commit the offence, some sachets of ganja, a few injections and vials were recovered by the police from Afrozs room. Inspector Suresh said that Afroz had a valid passport and visa, while further details about the deceased are yet to be identified. The body had been sent for postmortem to the Osmania General Hospital morgue, he said. Atal Bihari Vajpayee respected the right to dissent or disagree, as a part of polemics, and yet engaged with the dissenter, within and beyond his own party, which is so important in current times. (Photo: File | PTI) Much is being spoken about former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and rightly so. Today is the day to remember the great son of India. If we glance through his life and work, for me these ten things below stand out glowingly as lessons from his life and work for the nation. First and foremost, Vajpayee had been a gentleman politician, and a poet politician. As several channels today are showing clips of his speeches in the parliament, both as the Prime Minister and as the leader of the Opposition, we can see that whenever he stood to speak in the parliament, no one disturbed and people listened to him with rapt attention, enjoying the way he would blend poetry into politics seamlessly. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru respected young Vajpayee as a leader in the Opposition, and sent him to represent India in UN General Assembly. Vajpayee respected the right to dissent or disagree, as a part of polemics, and yet engaged with the dissenter, within and beyond his own party, which is so important in current times. Second, that Vajpayee was a loved leader is proven by the fact that between 1957 and 2009, he was continuously a parliamentarian, being elected ten times to the Lok Sabha. He believed in the seriousness of a lawmaker's job, proposed training for newbie legislators, and proposed National Agenda of Governance including role of parliamentarians. The purposefulness of the parliament was writ large in his work while in the Opposition or in power. Also Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Poet, Politician, Prime Minister Third, Vajpayee was a value-oriented leader. He lost his first government of 13 days in 1996 for lack of numbers in the Lok Sabha, and also his next government in 13 months, in 1998, again for lack of support of just one more MP. But he did not compromise on ethics. He was optimist that if your politics is right, people will back you. His writing, 'Andhiara fir hatega, ek naya savera ayega' and poem, 'Geet Naya Gata Hoon', bear testimony to his spirit against adversity and acceptance of the same to win another day. People rewarded him with full majority in 1999 and he ruled full term as the first non-Congress PM to have finished a full term. Fourth, Vajpayee was a thorough nationalist, but one who advocated and practised positive nationalism. He proudly took Hindi to the UN first time, and spoke it in the General Assembly. He represented the best of Indian ethos and culture. Fifth, this nationalism of Vajpayee made him perhaps the only right-wing leader of India ever who represented the Ganga-Jamuni culture of India to the hilt, and was loved by Hindus and Muslims alike in Lucknow. He was elected with record margins as MP from Lucknow which has a large percentage of Muslim votes. Vajpayee bitterly criticised the failure of Raj Dharma during Gujarat riots. His philosophy of being a Hindu, was aptly described in his poem, 'Hindu tan man, Hindu jeevan'. Sixth, Vajpayee was the man who ushered in an infrastructural revolution in India. His model of development was inclusive, for the common man on the street. He initiated the Delhi Metro rail as a mass transit system, and encouraged Sheila Dixit of Congress to take it forward. He brought in National Highway Development Project leading to East West North South Corridor or the Golden Quadrilateral, and put his confidante B C Khanduri to lead the project to success which has surely revolutionized road transport in India. He envisaged and executed the first round of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana which connected rural India greatly. The New Telecom Policy of 1999 brought in by him was also a crucial part of Indian telecom revolution. Also Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee no more, here's a look at the writer and his works Seventh, Vajpayee was the Messenger of Peace. Against many odds, he himself rode a bus to Lahore in 1999 for Indo-Pak peace, along with many Indian celebrities. Sad that the Pak hawks got the better of the civilian government in Pakistan and did not allow it to go ahead and then Kargil war started. But it is to the credit of PM Vajpayee that he did not allow India to cross the Line of Control during the Kargil War to avoid being called the aggressor and due to Pakistans nuclear status. He, even in duress, gave peace a chance. Eighth, PM Vajpayee gave a great push to science and technology. He conducted the nuclear test in Pokhran in 1998, and made the hero of this achievement, Dr APJ Kalam the next President of India, who was later named as the true People's President. Vajpayee coined the slogan: Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan. He promoted scientific spirit, and not just technology. Ninth, Vajpayee as a Prime Minister was against rule through ordinances, and while turning POTO into POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance/Act), he took the entire belligerent Opposition into confidence through his now famous tea-party diplomacy. His was a perspective of reconciliation with the Opposition, and respect and consensus for the allies (he ran a government of 24 parties and Akalis and Shiv Sena still calls for the 'Vajpayee touch' in current dispensation). Tenth, as a person and politician, he was not a hypocrite. The famous line of his, "I am a bachelor, but not a brahmachari", says it all. When he disputed on a serious point of difference, he did not play Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. When the RSS ideologue Govindacharya called him 'mukhouta', he ensured that this view does not gain currency. Govindacharya is still in political wilderness. So, here was a right-wing leader (who was briefly into communism as a young adult during Quit India movement), who was truly the leader of a diverse India of many languages and religions, for whom reconciliation and engagement were the keywords of politics, and who considered peaceful and mass-oriented transformation as the only way to go ahead. Rest in Peace, honourable former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. (The writer is a media academic and columnist, School Head of School of Media, Pearl Academy, Delhi and Mumbai.) Atal Bihari Vajpayee was elected to the Lok Sabha ten times and twice to the Rajya Sabha. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Three-time prime minister and a towering politician admired by colleagues across party lines, Atal Bihari Vajpayee died in Delhi on Thursday. He was 93. Vajpayees health turned critical on Tuesday, and doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences subsequently put him on life support. He was admitted in AIIMS on June 11 with infection in his kidneys and urinary tract and chest congestion. Also Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Poet, Politician, Prime Minister Top leaders visited Vajpayee since Wednesday evening Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah rushed to see him twice within 24 hours. The former Prime Ministers closest colleague L K Advani was also by his side. Since Thursday morning, top BJP leaders as well as those from other parties visited the tenth Prime Minister of India. Those who could not come to Delhi kept him in their thoughts as they tweeted for his recovery throughout the day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent out heartfelt tweets after the former prime minister passed. I am speechless, I am in a vacuum, but my emotions overflow. Our beloved Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee is no more with us. He spent each moment of his life for the country. His passing is the end of an era. Also Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee: 10 things the nation will never forget He further said: It was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atalji that BJP was built brick by brick. He travelled across the length and breadth of India to spread the BJPs message, which led to the BJP becoming a strong force in our national polity and in several states. The government has also declared a seven-day national mourning throughout the country. The national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India where it is regularly flown. State funeral will also be accorded to the departed politician. The mortal remains of the BJP veteran were brought to his official residence- 6A Krishna Menon Marg on Thursday evening and wrapped in tricolour. The last rites of the former prime minister will take place at 4 pm on Friday at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal BJP chief Amit Shah said. He said people can pay homage to the departed leader at his residence from 7:30 am to 8:30 am on Friday. The body would then be taken to the BJP headquarters at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg at around 9 am. The funeral procession would leave the BJP headquarters at 1 pm and the last rites would be performed at 4 pm, the BJP chief added. Vajpayee was under the supervision of Dr Randeep Guleria, a pulmonologist and currently the Director of AIIMS. Dr Guleria has served as personal physician to the former prime minister for over three decades. Also Read: End of an era: PM Modi expresses grief over Atal Bihari Vajpayees death A team of doctors from the nephrology, gastroenterology, pulmonology and cardiology departments looked after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was in the hospital for the last nine weeks. Born on December 25, 1924, Vajpayee served as India's prime minister for first for a term of 13 days in 1996, and then from 1998 to 2004. He is the only non-Congress prime minister to complete the full term of five years, from 1999 to 2004. He was elected to the Lok Sabha ten times and twice to the Rajya Sabha. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had called him the Bhishma Pitamah of Indian politics in 2008, urging him to rise above party politics and support the Indo-US nuclear deal. Following health problems, Vajpayee had slowly withdrawn himself from public life and rarely moved out of his home. Vajpayee, a diabetic, had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Here is the full statement from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences announcing the death of former prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee: It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at 05:05 pm on 16.08.2018 Shri Vajpayee was admitted in AIIMS on 11.06.2018 and was in the last 9 weeks under the care of a team of AIIMS doctors. Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems. Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today. We join the nation in deeply mourning this great loss. New Delhi: The nation mourns the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who died at 93. He breathed his last on Thursday, August 16. Soon after the news of his death became public, President Ram Nath Kovind took to Twitter and said, Atalji, the Gentle Giant, will be missed by one and all. Extremely sad to hear of the passing of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, our former Prime Minister and a true Indian statesman. His leadership, foresight, maturity and eloquence put him in a league of his own. Atalji, the Gentle Giant, will be missed by one and all #PresidentKovind President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 16, 2018 Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu also mourned the death of Vajpayee and called him the tallest leader in India post-independence. Never expected end will come so soon. He was a true Indian. He never hesitated to speak from his heart. He was the tallest leader in India post-independence. Vajpayee ji is 'ajatshatru' of modern times because he always maintained dignity and decorum, he said. Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bhishmah Pitamah of Indian politics, dies at 93 Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent out heartfelt tweets after the former prime minister passed. I am speechless, I am in a vacuum, but my emotions overflow. Our beloved Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee is no more with us. He spent each moment of his life for the country. His passing is the end of an era. : , , , Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2018 - ? , , , , , ? Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2018 He further said: It was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atalji that BJP was built brick by brick. He travelled across the length and breadth of India to spread the BJPs message, which led to the BJP becoming a strong force in our national polity and in several states. Also Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Poet, Politician, Prime Minister Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu also condoled the death of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying he will be remembered for his remarkable leadership and devotion to duty. He will be remembered for ushering in the connectivity revolution in the country. His personality, oratory, devotion to duty and friendliness all combined in his remarkable leadership will be remembered for a along time to come," Naidu said. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan also expressed profound grief at Vajpayees death and called him star in the sky of politics. Atal ji was like a star in the sky of politics, which shone brighter than everyone else. He had the unique ability to bring everyone together. Even if you ask the opposition they hold a sense of respect for him, Mahajan said. Condoling the death of Vajpayee, former president Pranab Mukherjee said that India had lost a great son and an era had come to an end. He also described the BJP stalwart as a reasoned critique in the opposition and a seeker of consensus as prime minister. Deeply saddened at the passing away of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. A reasoned critique in opposition and a seeker of consensus as PM, Atal Ji was a democrat to the core. In his passing away, India has lost a great son and an era has come to an end. My deepest condolences. Pranab Mukherjee (@CitiznMukherjee) August 16, 2018 BJP president Amit Shah described the former prime minister as multifaceted and pole star of the Indian sky. The nation lost a tall leader, BJP lost its first National President, crores of youth lost their inspiration. It is impossible to fill that void, Shah added. Congress president Rahul Gandhi also expressed his sorrow over the death of former PM and BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Today India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family & all his admirers. We will miss him. #AtalBihariVajpayee Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 16, 2018 Expressing his sorrow, former vice president Mohd Hamid Ansari said, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was an eminent statesman known for his wisdom moderation intact. His way of communication was unique and made him extremely popular. This kind of a person comes once in a blue moon. He will be remembered for a long time. Calling Vajpayee an outstanding parliamentarian and a great Prime Minister, former prime minister Manmohan Singh also mourned the death of Atal Bihari. I have learnt with profound sorrow about the sad demise of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. An excellent orator, an impressive poet, an exceptional public servant, an outstanding parliamentarian and a great Prime Minister, he said. Also Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee: 10 things the nation will never forget Remembering the BJP stalwart, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, He worked in the national interest rather than personal interest. He brought a political stability to our country. His ashes will be spread in every river in UP to respect his grand stature. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan echoed PM Modis sentiments and said, Vajpayee ji was a great politician and loved by millions. It's unimaginable to think that our beloved Atal Ji is no more with us. This is an end of a political era, the void of his absence can never be filled. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also expressed sadness over Vajpayees death and said, He may be not with us physically but his vision will always be with us, losing a person whom we always looked up to is a personal loss for all of us and I am sure we will always take inspiration from his ideology. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also condoled the death of Vajpayee and said his passing away is a big loss to the country. I will always cherish the many fond memories, Banerjee, who was the Railways minister in Vajpayee government, tweeted. Very very saddened that the great statesman and former PM Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji is no more with us. His passing away is a very big loss to our nation. I will always cherish the many fond memories. Condolences to his family and his many admirers Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 16, 2018 Also Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the first Indian leader to address UNGA in Hindi Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who had appealed to his party's volunteers and well-wishers to avoid celebrating his birthday today, also condoled the death of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said his death was "a great loss" for the country. Am deeply saddened. A great loss for India. https://t.co/rPNC7AoPpH Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 16, 2018 Expressing grief, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, I am deeply grieved at the sad demise of Vajpayee Ji. India has lost one of its tallest leaders." Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav described Vajpayees death as a big loss for country and added he was a very simple man in spite of being such a senior leader. There was not even a shred of arrogance in him. Present leaders need to learn a lot from him. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti condoled the death of Vajpayee and said, The demise of Atal Bihari Vajpayee is not only a loss for the country, it is big loss for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He was the first Prime Minister to understand the agony of our people. The United States also expressed heartfelt condolences over the death of Vajpayee. The United States embassy in India said, United States grieves with India on the loss of former prime minister Atal BihariVajpayee. He will be remembered for his immense contribution in bolstering US-India relations. During his tenure, Prime Minister Vajpayee advocated for robust partnership with the United States, referring to us as natural allies. The US Mission in India extends our deepest condolences to the family of former Prime Minister Vajpayee and the citizens of India, it added. Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee died at the AIIMS hospital in Delhi Thursday evening at the age of 93 following a prolonged illness. A man of great stature and few words, Atal Bihari Vajpayees birthday on December 25 is commemorated as Good Governance Day. (Photo: File | PTI) New Delhi: A journalist, a poet, a politician and Prime Minister. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was many things at once. As his millions of admirers across the political clan would say, He was a man for all seasons. Indias Bharat Ratna (conferred in 2015), Vajpayee was Prime Minister of India thrice for 13 days in 1996, then 11 months from 1998 to 1999 and then a full term from 1998 to 2004. He was the first non-Congress politician to have served a full term. A man of great stature and few words, Atal Bihari Vajpayees birthday on December 25 is commemorated as Good Governance Day. Vajpayee was a Member of Parliament for four decades, being elected to the Lower House 10 times and twice to the Rajya Sabha. He retired from active politics in 2009 due to failing health. Under his leadership when he was Prime Minister for the second term, India conducted five underground nuclear tests in Pokhran, Rajasthan, 24 years after the first tests in 1978. This move prompted Pakistan to respond two weeks later with its tests, revealing it to be the latest nation with nuclear weapons. During this term too, Vajpayee moved ahead full throttle to establish a new level of diplomatic negotiations with Pakistan. He inaugurated the historic Delhi-Lahore bus service in February 1999, which became a significant step towards deescalating tension with Pakistan, keeping Kashmir in mind. His leadership during the Kargil war, that India won, was lauded across the country as bold and unwavering. Vajpayee was among the founders of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and also headed it from 1968 to 1972. He served as Minister of External Affairs when Morarji Desai was Prime Minister. After the Janata government collapsed, Vajpayee is credited with restructuring Jana Sangh to be Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980. As Prime Minister a third time, Vajpayee concentrated on much-needed reforms in the countrys economy and infrastructure. He encouraged private sector and foreign investment, as well as research and development. He aggressively pursued privatisation of government-owned concerns. Vajpayee picked up the thread from former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao to promote free-market reforms that would boost the economy. Under his pet National Highways Development Project, was initiated the Golden Quadrilateral 5,846 kilometers to link Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Vajpayee commanded respect from all politicians, whether warring or at peace with each other. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called him the Bhishma Pitamah of Indian politics in an address in the Rajya Sabha. His life and times is best encapsulated in what he once said of his poetry: My poetry is a declaration of war, not an exordium to defeat. It is not the defeated soldier's drumbeat of despair, but the fighting warrior's will to win. It is not the dispirited voice of dejection but the stirring shout of victory. Known for his great oratory skills, Vajpayee first addressed the UNGA's 32nd session in 1977 as the foreign minister under the Janata Party government headed by then prime minister Morarji Desai. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the first external affairs minister to deliver a speech in Hindi at the UN General Assembly, effectively raised India's stand on key issues like nuclear disarmament, state-sponsored terrorism and reforms at the world body. Vajpayee, in his role as foreign minister and prime minister, visited the UN headquarters to deliver speeches to the UNGA on seven occasions from 1977 to 2003. Known for his great oratory skills, Vajpayee first addressed the UNGA's 32nd session in 1977 as the foreign minister under the Janata Party government headed by then prime minister Morarji Desai. "I am a newcomer to the United Nations, but India is not, having been associated actively with the Organisation from its very inception. As one who has been a parliamentarian in my own country for two decades and more, I feel a special sense of exhilaration in attending this assembly of nations for the first time," Vajpayee said in the historic address. Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bhishma Pitamah of Indian politics, dies at 93 It was the first time that an Indian leader had delivered the speech in Hindi at the UNGA as other Indian leaders had opted to speak in English, the dominant language at the forum. It is said that Vajpayee, who was also fluent in English, was the force behind uplifting Hindi to the international platform by using the language at the UN each time de delivered a speech. He touched the subject of the Non-Aligned Movement and said that the India "stands firmly for peace, non-alignment and friendship with all countries." "The vision of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakum - the world is one family - is an old one. We in India have all along believed in the concept of the world as one family," Vajpayee said. In his speech, he said that India looks forward to consolidating the process of normalisation of relations with Pakistan, not only to ensure durable peace, but to promote beneficial bilateral co-operation. Also Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Poet, Politician, Prime Minister In 1978, Vajpayee again visited the UNGA as the foreign minister and raised the issue of nuclear disarmament. "There is no let-up in the arms race either quantitatively or qualitatively. Disarmament is still a distant goal; and the probability of a nuclear war looms over us like a menacing shadow. "India believes that partial measures such as the creation of zones free of nuclear weapons comprising the nuclear 'have-nots' are not likely to generate any genuine feeling of security unless there is, at the same time, significant progress towards nuclear disarmament," he said. In 1998, Vajpayee returned to deliver a speech at the UNGA as prime minister and met then Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif in New York. "India has demonstrated that democracy can take root in a developing country. I am confident that the Indian experience will prove that democracy can also provide the basis for stable, long-term economic growth in developing societies. That is the path that the people of India have chosen, and I stand before the Assembly today as the symbol of this new resurgent," he said. Also Read: End of an era: PM Modi expresses grief over Atal Bihari Vajpayees death In 2000, Vajpayee went to the UNGA to address the Millennium Summit of the UN. He spoke about terrorism, the danger of a nuclear war and India's nuclear programmes. "The danger of nuclear war remains a serious threat to global peace and security in the new era whose arrival is marked by this Summit. India was forced to develop these weapons in 1998 because the principal nuclear-weapon states refused to accept the almost-universal demand for disarmament. Moreover, the spread of nuclear weapons in our neighbourhood made us especially vulnerable," Vajpayee said. He returned to address the UNGA's 56th session in 2001 and talked about the policy of sponsoring terrorism by some states as the session was being held in the shadow of the 9/11 attacks. "We in India know from our own bitter experience that terrorists develop global networks driven by religious extremism. Their operations are supported by drug trafficking, money laundering and arms smuggling. Some states follow a policy of sponsoring and sheltering them. Terrorists can only be countered through closely coordinated efforts of the international community," he said. In 2002, Vajpayee again raised the issue of state-sponsored terrorism and nuclear blackmail in South Asia in his address at the 57th session of the UNGA. Also Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee: 10 things the nation will never forget "In our South Asian region, nuclear blackmail has emerged over the past few months as a new arrow in the quiver of state-sponsored terrorism. Dark threats were held out that actions by India to stamp out cross-border terrorism could provoke a nuclear war," he warned. Vajpayee's last address at the UNGA came in 2003 when he criticised the world body at the 58th session, saying "the United Nations has not always been successful in preventing conflicts or in resolving them and cited the example of Iraq. He said that "we need to introspect on some of the assumptions that have been made over the years concerning the will and reach of the UN. We realised that the United Nations does not possess magical powers to solve every crisis in all parts of the globe or to change overnight the motivation of leaders and communities around the world." Vajpayee said that there is a need to clearly recognise, with a sense of realism, the limits to what the United Nations can achieve, and the changes of form and function required for it to play an optimal role in today's world. A 10-time Lok Sabha member, Vajpayee announced his retirement from politics in 2005. He died in New Delhi on Thursday at the age of 93. Kaurav kaun kaun pandav hain, dhera sawal hain Dono aur shakuni ki faila kutjaal hain Dharamraj ne chhori nehi juye ki lat hain. Har panchayat me Panchali apamanit hain Bina Krishna ke aaj Mahabharat hona hain Koi raja bane rank ko toh rona hain (A question remains who are Kauravas, who are Pandavas, everywhere Shakuni has spread his net, (Yudhishtir) a man of righteous virtue remains addicted to gambling, Panchali (Draupadi) is being humiliated in every panchayat, the Mahabharat is being fought without Krishna, no matter who becomes the king, the poor will have to weep) A poet, a politician and a gentleman. A visionary, a master orator. A nationalist and an internationalist. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who always called himself a swayamsevak and was apparently steeped in RSS ideology, managed to carve out a niche of his own. BJP's tallest leader always stood apart. At a time when Jawaharlal Nehru has become Sangh Parivar's Voldemort (He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named) and is engaged in erasing his legacy, one recalls a much famous story of Vajpayee's first day in South Block as external affairs minister. As the anecdote goes, when in 1977 Vajpyee entered his new office, he looked around the walls. He saw a blank spot. He turned to one of his officials and asked, This is where Panditjis protrait used to be. I remember it from my earlier visits to this room. Where has it gone? I want it back. In 1957, mesmerised by Vajpayee's speech in Parliament, Jawaharlal Nehru had predicted: This young man one day will become the country's Prime Minister. After nearly four decades, his prediction came true. Often called the right man in the wrong party, Vajpayee adhered to Nehru's idea of liberal pluralism. Vajpayee is also called the Nehru of the Right. He was the saffron leader responsible for bringing right wing politics to the mainstream. Vajpayee became the first and only person since Jawaharlal Nehru to occupy the office of the Prime Minister of India through three successive Lok Sabhas and the first Prime Minister since Indira Gandhi to lead his party to victory in successive elections. Vajpayee was born to Krishna Devi and Krishna Bihari Vajpayee on 25 December 1924 in Gwalior. His father was a poet and a schoolmaster. After his schooling Vajpayee attended Gwaliors Victoria College (now Laxmi Bai College) and graduated with distinction in Hindi, English and Sanskrit. He completed his post-graduation with an MA in Political Science from DAV College, Kanpur. He was awarded a first-class degree. In the early 40s, Vajpayee joined Arya Kumar Sabha of Gwalior, the youth wing of the Arya Samaj. He also plunged into the freedom struggle and he and his brother Prem were arrested for 23 days during the Quit India Movement. However, in 1939, Vajpayee, who had already joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a swayamsevak went on to become a full-time worker in 1947. He left his law studies during the Partition riots. As recorded, RSS despatched Vajpayee as a vistarak (probationary pracharak) to Uttar Pradesh and he also began working for the newspapers of Deendayal Upadhyaya, Rashtradharma (a Hindi monthly), Panchjanya (a Hindi weekly) and the dailies Swadesh and Veer Arjun. Vajpayee's rise in the Sangh was meteoric. In 1951, he was appointed as the national secretary of Jan Sangh (the previous avatar of BJP), in charge of the Northern region. Vajpayee became one of the closest aides of the founder of Jan Sangh, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. In 1954, Vajpayee was with Mukherjee when he went on a fast-unto-death in Kashmir to protest the perceived inferior treatment of non-Kashmiri Indian visitors to the state. Following his oratorical and organisational skills, he became the face of the Jana Sangh and after the death of Deendayal Upadhyaya, he became the national president of the Jana Sangh in 1968. Along with Nanaji Deshmukh, Balraj Madhok and L K Advani, he led the Jana Sangh to national prominence. Among these leaders, Advani shared a rare friendship. Advani would often talk about their younger days and how Vajpayee would ride pillion on his scooter to have chaat at his favourite golgappawala in Connaught Place. Vajapyee was among the prominent Opposition leaders who was jailed during the Emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Among one of the finest speeches Vajpayee delivered in his long political career was just after the Emergency in February 1977 at Ramlila Ground where several anti-Congress leaders came on a common platform to form the Janata Party. Among the top leaders who attened the historical event included Jagjivan Ram, Morarji Desai, Charan Singh and Chandra Shekhar. But it was Vajpayee, who the crowd had turned up to listen to. Journalist and author, Tavleen Singh in her book Durbar recollects: It was well past 9.30 pm when Ataljis turn finally came and as he rose to speak the huge crowd stood up and started to clap. Softly, hesitantly at first, then more excitedly, they shouted, Indira Gandhi murdabad! Atal Bihari zindabad! He acknowledged the slogans with hands joined in a namaste and a faint smile. Then, raising both arms to silence the crowd and closing his eyes in the manner of a practised actor, he said, Baad muddat ke mile hain deewane. (It has been an age since we who they call mad have had the courage to meet.) He paused. The crowd went wild. If Indira Gandhi was called the Iron Lady of India, Vajpayee was the perfect blend of vikas and lauha purush. While at one front he was the architect of the River-Linking Project and the Golden Quadrilateral, a highway network connecting many of the major industrial, agricultural and cultural centres of India, on the other he flexed his muscles with Pokhran II (a series of five nuclear bomb test explosions conducted by India at the Indian Army's Pokhran Test Range in May 1998) and a decisive victory against Pakistan's incursion at Kargil war in 1999. As a messenger of peace, it was Vajpayee who extended the hand of friendship to India's next door neighbour with his bus to Pakistan. In its inaugural run on February 19, 1999, the bus carried Vajpayee to attend a summit in Lahore and was received by his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif at Wagah. He offered Jammu and Kashmir the healing touch with his famous slogan: Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat, Kashmiriyat (Humanism, Democracy Kashmir's age-old legacy of Hindu-Muslim amity). Who can forget Vajpayee cracking the whip when a subtle challenge to his leadership was brewing within the organisation? In 2004, some leaders hinted of Vajpayee passing on the baton to Deputy Prime Minister, L K Advani. Vajpayee struck back in his own inimitable style by saying: Na tired, na retired, chalo vijay ki aur Advaniji ke netritva mein. The remark threw the party into a tizzy and panic stricken leaders rushed to say that: Vajpayee would lead the party to the polls in 2004. The all powerful BJP ideologue, K N Govindachaya had to exit the party when he dared to call Vajpayee a mukhauta (mask). During his conversation with some British officials, Govindacharya had reportedly said: Vajpayee is not the internal strength of the BJP, merely a mask. A mask is useful only for theatre. Govindacharya's proximity to Advani and the RSS could not save him from Vajpayee's wrath. The master politician, who led the BJP to the national stage, had to bow out after he decided to hold early polls in 2004. Some say, Vajpayee was against holding early elections but gave into pressure as the party strategists with BJP's Indian Shining campaign thought it was the right time to hold polls. He apparently refused to be carried away by this feel-good wave and opposed to the India Shining slogan. Vajpayee, who received Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian honour at his home in 2015, was also a politican with many layers. In his book The Untold Vajpayee: Politician and Paradox, author and journalist Ullekh N P writes, From being in awe of Jawaharlal Nehrus liberalism to being a flag-bearer of Hindutva to being an admirer of Indira Gandhi to being her trenchant critic to being a moderate to being a trend-setter in managing political coalitions, he often flummoxed his supporters and won over opponents. He adds: You just couldnt ignore him, and not only because of his good looks and poetic outbursts and oratorial skills. He was a consummate politician who knew the pulse of the people -- and more importantly, the pulse of the moment. Today not only does Vajpayee remain BJP's tallest leader ever, but also a ruler who believed in Rajdharma. Chennai: Despite increasing awareness on child marriages by stakeholders across the state, data accessed by DC from the Southern Regional Resource Centre, Childline India Foundation (CIF) reveal that about 2,807 child weddings were reported (prevented) during 2017-18 (from April to March), up from 940 child weddings during 2015-16. The shocking data is that Salem, Theni, Dindigul, Namakkal and Dharmapuri districts are among the top five districts that reported more child weddings in the last three years. Chennai reported 59 such weddings during 2017-18, up from 38 during 2015-16. Of 2,807 child marriages reported during 2017-18, child welfare officials intervened in around 2,711, and 1989 weddings were stopped, the data stated. Speaking to DC, Anuradha Vidyasankar, head, Southern Regional Resource Centre, Childline India Foundation, pointed out, Unlike in the past years, awareness on child marriage has been well disseminated and as a result, calls flood 1098 Childline helpline. As soon as we receive calls about child marriages, we immediately inform the concerned district level officials to visit the minor girls fixed for marriages and we stop the wedding, if the girl is found minor after thorough verification. They were also continuously conducting programmes to prevent child marriages she added. School friends and relatives turn whistle blowers to stop marriages Childline officials say that they receive more calls nowadays from minors themselves to inform about their friends early marriage. It is a clear indication how far awareness has reached out to students. For instance, we received a call from a student studying plus one, who said that her friend was under stress and was not speaking to anyone. When she insisted to know why, her friend spilled the beans and said that she was going to get married soon. The friend noticed a bill stuck on her school compound wall and called Childline helpline 1098 and informed the same,said an official, CIF. The CIF alerted the school management and concerned officials to stop the marriage, the official noted. How is Chennai in terms of child marriages? Going by the data, Chennai reported 21 child marriages during 2015-16, 37 during 2016-17 and 59 marriages during 2017-18 respectively. Siva Jayakumar, former District Child Protection Officer (DCPO), Chennai and a child rights activist, explained that some time, parents themselves play the main role for child marriages. As far as Chennai district is concerned, there is awareness among people and some parents take their minors to neighbouring districts like Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur for the wedding, she pointed out. New Delhi: While unfurling the flag on the occasion of the 72th Independance Day at the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday, BJP president Amit Shah ended up pulling the flag down rather than hoisting it up on the pole, a video of the ceremony shows. However, he immediately held the string and pulled the flag up in time. Telecasting it live, Doordarshan News anchor after a brief silence calls it a disaster. In a reaction to the event, the Congress quickly tweeted that the one who cannot hold the flag of our country, how can he be expected to run our country? The Congress also posted a video of the incident on its official Twitter handle . The Congress tweeted, Those who cannot handle the flag, how will they handle the country..If those people who have treated the flag with contempt for over 50 years had not done so, the flag would not have been insulted like it was today. The Union finance ministry stuck to 12 per cent GST on all government water projects while the state government advocated 5 per cent from the contractors. Hyderabad: The Union finance ministry and the state governments were not unanimous with regard to the Goods and Service tax (GST) imposed on government lift irrigation projects. The Union finance ministry stuck to 12 per cent GST on all government water projects while the state government advocated 5 per cent from the contractors. However, in April this year, the state lost the negotiations with the Centre and the GST stands at 12 per cent for contractors and 18 per cent for sub contractors, according to the current law. This burden does not fall on the state government. The contractors are now crying foul as they were caught unaware in the recent searches carried out by the Central GST sleuths against infra companies in the city. The contractors are caught midway because unless the state government clears their bills, 12 per cent GST cannot be paid. Sources told Deccan Chronicle, Since negotiations between the Union finance ministry and the state government did not turn in favour of the contractors, the state government agreed to the 12 per cent GST. In a letter dated April 24, it informed the contractors that the pending government bills for contractors who were allocated multi-crore lift irrigation projects, would be cleared so that they could pay the remaining 7 per cent GST. Unless the government clears the pending bills, contractors will find it difficult to pay tax, a contractor told this newspaper on condition of anonymity. Hyderabad: Irrigation minister T. Harish Rao on Wednesday retaliated against Congress president Rahul Gandhi through Twitter for levelling corruption allegations against Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao with regard to redesigning of irrigation projects. The minister was addressing a public meeting at Saroornagar Stadium on Tuesday. He advised the Congress president to be aware of his ignorant scriptwriters as they made him read out lies at public meetings without having minimum knowledge about how irrigation projects were executed. Reacting to Mr Gandhi's allegation that the Chief Minister had increased the Kaleshwaram project cost to Rs 1 lakh crore, Harish Rao said, Your scriptwriters do not know that the Central Water Commission approved Kaleshwaram project cost Rs 80,190 crore and not Rs 1 lakh crore. Refuting the Congress presidents charge of the Chief Minister changing the name of Ambedkar irrigation project to Kaleshwaram project, the minister said, Again your scriptwriters have misguided you. The Ambedkar Pranahitha project is still there, which will cater to the needs of 2 lakh acres of ayacut in Adilabad district. During the Congress rule, in one year, even without starting project work, the Pranahita project cost was enhanced to Rs 38,000 crore in 2008 and it was further increased to Rs 40,000 crore by 2010. Can you explain why the cost of the project was increased even when work had not commenced? he asked. Hyderabad: Protesting the bad roads at Prem Nagar, a group of irked residents conducted a mock fishing in the stagnant water on Wednesday. Citizens were aware that public representatives would use this road near Chaitanya Model School road to attend Independence Day programmes and decided to draw their attention by fishing in the stagnant water. Mr Ahmed Iftekar, the president of Prem Nagar A&B Colony Welfare Association, said, We wanted to conduct a non-violent protest on Independence Day as we are not getting freedom from bad roads and drainage issues. Our corporator did not care to look at our issue and just went away. But former MLA Bikshapati Yadav said that he would take up the issue immediately. Members of the association alleged that despite their repeated requests over the past few years, there has never been a permanent solution. Another resident, Mr Shaik Ibrahim said, Some of us took the initiative and paid property tax, but some were not even informed how much to pay. We are close to the posh Hitec City and Kondapur, but our area has been constantly neglected. Several times over the past six months, Deccan Chronicle had highlighted the condition of the roads in Prem Nagar. A GHMC official said, As the road is not even, water stagnates at the Eidgah. There is a storm water drain where this water is drained. Due to silt and sand, the water is not being drained. We will look into the issue immediately and clear it. The commuters demand that at least one traffic cop must be deployed in every cross roads from 8 am to 10 am to avoid traffic congestion.(Representational Image) Hyderabad: City commuters are facing trouble at signals due to the lack of traffic police officials at junctions like Suryanagar, Karkhana and Nagaram. Commuters were struck in a traffic jam for over half an hour during peak hour traffic. The commuters demand that at least one traffic cop must be deployed in every cross roads from 8 am to 10 am to avoid traffic congestion. Venkata Yogi Sreedhar, a private employee said, While going to office along the Nagaram Dammaiguda stretch, there is normally a traffic constable. But on Tuesday, absence of a traffic cop only added to the chaos and there was a traffic jam that lasted 15 minutes. Later, when I reached Suryanagar, Karkhana the situation was no different and I was stuck in a jam that lasted 15 minutes. Though there were traffic cops, he could not control the situation immediately. I request traffic officials to post at least one traffic constable during peak hours every day. Another commuter under condition of anonymity said, If they had gone somewhere, it is dereliction of duty. The department cannot keep a tab on everyone and can only give them a warning. It is upto the people to check with them. However, inspector of police (Traffic), Marredpally K. Chandrashekar Reddy said, There is no chance of traffic cops not attending to their duties in the morning as everyone joins duty at about 8 am. We frequently conduct checks to ensure everything is alright. He might have gone to attend natures call or drink water at that time. At least 72 people have died since August 8 after incessant rains lashed Kerala and triggered massive floods and landslides. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Disaster Management sub-committee of Mullaperiyar Dam to consider reducing water level up to 139 feet from the present 142 feet, considering the "grave" flood situation in all the 14 districts of Kerala. The top court also asked the sub-committee to hold an urgent meeting on Friday morning with the Centre's National Crisis Management Committee (NCMS) and the Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu and Kerala through a video-conference if physical presence of officials cannot be ensured. However, Tamil Nadu government opposed the plea with regard to bringing down the water level in the dam, saying that the inflow of water presently is over 12,000 cusec in contrast to the outflow of 5,000 cusec. The bench said this was not the time to go into the past and efforts to be made to deal with the present crisis and posted the matter for further hearing at 2 pm on Friday. At least 75 people have died since August 8 after incessant rains lashed Kerala and triggered massive floods and landslides. Rain red alert has been issued in the entire state after the rivers in Kerala breached the danger mark. The Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are working on war footing to rescue people affected due to floods. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday morning and apprised him of the flood situation in the state. The state has also sought the services of additional Army personnel and helicopters and the prime minister has assured all help, Vijayan said. After the CM's request, 12 more teams of NDRF - 6 from Delhi and 6 from Gandhinagar - have been airlifted to Thiruvananthapuram. 18 teams have already been deployed in the state. Chennai: DMK working president M. K. Stalin has threatened to move the court if the state government declines to hand over the Rs 6,000 crore coal import scam to the CBI for investigation. Demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the Rs 6,000 crore scam in coal imports by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd (Tangedco), Mr Stalin said in a statement on Wednesday that the situation warranted a CBI probe immediately. His party would approach the court if a CBI probe is not sought by the state government. He alleged that Tangedco had imported inferior quality coal at higher prices showing the coal as superior quality, resulting in scam of Rs 6,000 crore. The woman knelt down and first tugged at the newborns foot with mild force and when certain that the baby could be pulled out safely, she took it out from the drain and gently untwined the cord as not to hurt the baby's neck. (Screengrab | Twitter | @umasudhir) Chennai: While India celebrated its 72nd Independence Day on Wednesday, a woman in Chennai was alerted early morning by a milkman about a sound coming from a nearby storm water drain in Valasaravakkam. Initially they thought it must be a kitten. The woman, Geeta, stopped and decided to take a look and see what was stuck in the drain. What she saw, mad her jump in apprehension. An abandoned newborn with the umbilical cord still intact, wrapped around the neck, was stuck in the drain. Within moments, Geeta knew what needed to be done. The woman knelt down and first tugged at the newborns foot with mild force and when certain that the baby could be pulled out safely, she took it out from the drain and gently untwined the cord as not to hurt the baby's neck. Geeta gave a thorough washing to the newborn to remove the dirt before taking him to Chennai's Egmore Hospital. Click here to watch the video. According to doctors at the hospital said the baby is doing fine now. Speaking to NDTV, Geeta said, I am naming him Suthanthiram (freedom) since we found him on Independence Day. I am glad he got his freedom to live. Police sources, in conversation with NDTV said that a milkman alerted them and they reached the spot immediately. Fortunately there was no water in the place where the infant was kept. The baby is fine. He is presently at the government children's hospital, Egmore. We will send him to a children's home later," a police officer added. People are now enquiring about the baby and many have shown interest in adopting him. People from around the city and country have congratulated Geeta for her intervention. The newborn was found abandoned despite government a programme launched by former chief minister J Jayalalithaa where hospitals in Tamil Nadu have a cradle for unwanted babies to be placed so the state government could take care of them. Lucknow: After renaming Mughalsarai as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Nagar, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has now sent a letter to the centre, seeking its approval to rename three airports in the state. The airports to be renamed are Bareilly, Kanpur and Agra and all three are defence airports but the state government is in consultation with the Airports Authority of India to facilitate flyers under the regional connectivity scheme in these airports. 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. 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 belongs to the Nath sect and is the Mahant (priest) of Gorakhnath temple. He had earlier renamed the civil terminal of IAFs Gorakhpur airport as Maha Yogi Gorakhnath Airport, founder of Nath Pant (monastic movement). Kanpurs Chakeri airport is proposed to be named after freedom fighter Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi. New Delhi: Statesman and pragmatist, orator and poet, a man of peace and conviction. Atal Behari Vajpayee was a towering nationalist who softened the often sharp edge of his partys politics with sophisticated inclusiveness, earning him the sobriquet ajaat shatru or the man with no enemies. The first prime minister from a non-Congress party to complete a full term in office, Vajpayee began shakily his first stint as prime minister in 1996 lasted only 13 days when his unlikely coalition government failed to get support from other parties. The BJP-led coalition government came back to power in 1998, and this time Vajpayee stayed in office for 13 months before losing a no-confidence motion by one vote. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) returned to power in October 1999 with Vajpayee as prime minister once again. This time he lasted the entire term, capping a glorious career that saw him go from student activist to journalist, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh pracharak, Member of Parliament, foreign minister, opposition leader and finally a much-loved leader of the nation. Like many of his generation, Vajpayee who died on Thursday at age 93 came into politics as an 18-year old during the Independence movement in 1942 when the Quit India movement was going on. A lifelong bachelor, Vajpayee was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1957 from Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh in Indias second general elections. His maiden speech in Parliament so impressed his peers and colleagues that the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru introduced Vajpayee to a visiting foreign dignitary thus: This young man one day will become the countrys prime minister. Time Line 1924: Born in Gwalior, India 1942: Arrested during the Quit India Movement 1951: Joins Bharatiya Jana Sangh 1957: Elected as LS member (1st term) 1968: Becomes BJS national chief 1975: Jailed during the Emergency 1977: Becomes foreign minister in the Janata Party govt 1980: Restarts BJS as BJP; becomes its first president 1998: Second term as PM begins. Govt lasts 13 months, Pokhran nuclear tests conducted 1999: Launches the Delhi-Lahore Bus service, Launches Operation Vijay to clear Kargil, Third term as PM begins 2001: Launches Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan 2004: BJP loses parliamentary elections 2005: Retires from politics 2009: Suffers a stroke 2014: 90th birthday observed as Good Governance Day. 2015: Awarded the Bharat Ratna He remained a member of Parliament for 47 years elected 10 times to the Lok Sabha and twice to the Rajya Sabha. The only time he lost a Lok Sabha election was against Madhavrao Scindia of Congress from Gwalior in 1984, when he lost by a margin of close to 2 lakh votes. Vajpayee represented Lucknow in the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th Lok Sabha from 1991 to 2009. He represented Balrampur in the second and fourth Lok Sabha, Gwalior in the fifth and New Delhi in the sixth and the seventh LS. In 1962 and 1986, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha. Vajpayees signature in politics was achieving pragmatic consensus, and in this process he earned the respect of his party, allies and opponents. Abroad, he projected a harmonious image of India and connected it to the world through his foreign policy outreach. Fluent in English, his oratory was at its best in Hindi. With his well-timed wit, and carefully-chosen words delivered with trademark long pauses, Vajpayee immediately connected with all those who came in contact with him the common man, politicians, bureaucrats, students and world leaders. As foreign minister under the Janata Party government headed by Morarji Desai in 1977, Vajpayee was the first leader to deliver a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi. He was awarded Indias highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in March 2015. While his six years in office were defined by several crises including the hijacking of an Indian Airlines jetliner to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 1999, an attack on the Parliament building in 2001, communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 he also left a mark with peace initiatives and infrastructural projects. Chief among them is the Golden Quadrilateral Highway network, connecting Indias four major metropolises with 5,846 km of roads. During his second term as prime minister, Vajpayee ordered nuclear tests in May 1998 in a strategic masterstroke to blunt Pakistans nuclear ambitions while at the same time announcing a moratorium on future testing. He followed this up with peace overtures to Pakistan, riding on the first direct bus from India to Pakistan in February 1999. Undeterred by party hawks, Vajpayee arrived in Lahore on the bus, accompanied among others by legendary actor Dev Anand. Vajpayee met with then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in what was hailed as the dawn of a new era in India-Pakistan relations. However, then Army Chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf did not turn up to greet him at the Wagah border. It soon became clear why. Only months later, in June 1999, Pakistan began hostilities in Kargil that took the two countries to the brink of a full-scale war. Vajpayee felt betrayed and never hid his bitterness whenever Kargil was mentioned. He tried again to build peace with Pakistan which people close to him say was the mission of his life by holding a historic summit in Agra with Musharraf in 2001, who by then had become the president. But the summit too failed spectacularly. Another historic event that he expressed anguish about was the post-Godhra communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 when Prime minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister. Unwilling to hide his feelings over the riots, Vajpayee said the government must follow raj dharma. In his autobiography, former President Pranab Mukherjee wrote that the Gujarat riots were possibly the biggest blot on Vajpayees government that could have cost the BJP the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. After the NDA was routed in the election. Bengaluru: Atal Behari Vajpayees ability to seize the moment and turn it to his advantage, captivating his audience with the power of both poetry and prose was never in doubt; his oratory legendary, the long pause before delivering the punch line, his leitmotif. But at the Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on February 19, 1999, Pakistans eponymous monument to its creation, the statesman-poet did more than that. He reduced every Pakistani in that gathering, from hardened diplomats and Lahores socialites as well as the ordinary Lahori, to tears as he promised that Indian tanks would never roll into Pakistan again. There wasnt a dry eye in that audience. He didnt know that Pakistans army chief had already put Kargil into play. Arriving in a bus just hours before, alongside his close friends and advisers, National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra and external affairs minister Jaswant Singh, and of course, Bollywoods Dev Anand, there was no missing the Indian Army tanks from the 1965 war, that still sit on the outskirts of the Punjab capital, and served as a daily reminder of their untrustworthy neighbour. Few know however that the seed for the Lahore summit was planted in Colombo, where within minutes of meeting Pakistans young prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Sri Lankan capital on the sidelines of the Saarc summit, Prime Minister Vajpayee quickly realized that this was probably a man that India could do business with. They sent their aides away and as Mr Sharif admitted to me, in an interview at his London home in 2006, they met alone and spoke for another half an hour before entrusting the Wagah to Lahore bus diplomacy plan to their aides. In an interview at his Park Lane residence in London in 2006, he described Vajpayee and himself as the architect of peace. Mr Sharif objected very strongly in that same interview to Prime Minister Vajpayee reaching out to his arch-enemy, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, barely two years later to host a India-Pakistan summit in Agra, which unlike Lahore, did not see an agreement, and ended badly. Vajpayee with his almost lifelong friend L.K. Advani after being announced as the BJPs prime ministerial candidate in 1995. New Delhi: Veteran BJP leader L K Advani, who along with Atal Behari Vajpayee was a central figure in the party for much of its existence, has described the former prime minister as one of the countrys tallest statesmen and his closest friend for over 65 years whom he will miss immensely. Vajpayees captivating leadership qualities, mesmerising oratory, soaring patriotism and above all, his sterling humane qualities like compassion, humility and his remarkable ability to win over adversaries despite ideological differences have all had a profound effect on him, Mr Advani said in his condolence message. I cherish the memories of my long association with him, right from our days as pracharaks of the RSS, to the inception of Bharatiya Jana Singh, the struggle of the dark months during the Emergency leading to the formation of Janata Party and later the emergence of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980, he said. Mr Advani said he was at loss for words to express his deep grief and sadness. Atalji will be remembered as the pioneer of the first ever stable non-Congress coalition government at the Centre and I had the privilege of working as his deputy for six years. As my senior, he always encouraged and guided me in every possible manner, he said. The deputy prime minister in the Vajpayee government said he will miss him immensely. Mr Advani, whose Rath Yatra from Somnath to Ayodhya in 1990s gave huge electoral dividends to the BJP, announced Vajpayee as the prime ministerial candidate of his party in 1995. Though both of them were lifelong friends, some leaders tried to create friction between by calling Vajpayee a mukhota (mask) while Advani the real leader. While hearing the petition, the court said that the civic bodys grant of online permission for sacrifice of goats without verification on Bakri-Eid is ridiculous. (Representation image) Mumbai: After being pulling up by the Bombay High Court, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) informed the court on Wednesday that it will stop with immediate effect issuing online licenses for the sacrifice of goats and sheep during Bakri-Eid. While hearing the petition, the court said that the civic bodys grant of online permission for sacrifice of goats without verification on Bakri-Eid is ridiculous. A division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Riyaz chagala was hearing a PIL filed by Jeev Maitri Trust which is opposing the blanket online permission to citizens to buy maximum five goats to sacrifice during Bakri-Eid. It was the apprehension of the petitioner that online license without verification sacrifice of animals can be happened on footpath, society; pavements; public roads etc. and it would create health hazards and severely affect the environment as well as groundwater. On Thursday, petitioners lawyer Sujay Kantawala informed the court that BMCs online licences granting system is so weak that two persons had even got the permission to sacrifice four goats in the court room of Chief Justice of Bombay High Court and Court room number 13, where the case is being heard. He also showed the relevant permissions. The court also noted that despite directing the BMC commissioner look into the matter, he didnt do anything. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the plea for getting suggestions from various political parties on the Special Operating Procedure to deal with claims and objections from 40 lakh persons who are left out from the National Register of Citizens (NRC). A Bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Rohinton Nariman while taking on record the SOP filed by the Centre made it clear that no political party or fresh interveners would be allowed to file their objections/suggestions to the draft SOP placed before it by the Union home ministry. The Bench sought a sealed cover report of the district wise percentage of population left behind in the draft NRC that had deleted over 40 lakh persons names in Assam for determination of citizenship. The Bench asked the State level coordinator Pradeep Hajela to submit these details on the next date of hearing on August 28. The Union home ministry said the process of informing the public about the reasons for non-inclusion was started on August 10. Claims and objections would be received from August 30 till October 28. The FIR filed against the Delhi CM, his deputy and 13 others for the alleged assault on the chief secretary last February could only lead to revisiting the bad blood that inevitably marks the ties between the government of Delhi and the Centre. The crime itself would appear serious regardless of who perpetrated the assault on a senior bureaucrat at the residence of the CM. No one is above the law and complaints against anyone must be looked into fairly. However, the officious route of FIRs encompassing everyone on the scene can only lead to further stress in relationships governing the Centre, the Delhi CM, the lieutenant-governor, the chief secretary and his team of bureaucrats. It remains to be seen what sort of evidence can be gathered when the CCTVs were switched off. Ever since the second regime of Arvind Kejriwal came into place, all we have seen occurring is a set of events showing up the fissures in governance with the Centres representative at odds with the elected government. Delhis peculiar status as a territory to be administered by a chief minister and his Cabinet under a L-G and the police coming under the home ministry has inevitably led to tensions that can be overcome only if reasonable positions are taken by all sides. However, under Mr Kejriwal, seemingly more intent on the theatrics of dares and protests, a permanent standoff has become the new normal. FIRs will be perceived as political witch hunts if they do not quickly lead to judicial scrutiny and a verdict. H10 Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day, in New Delhi on Wednesday. ( Image: PTI) Delivering his last Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort in this term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi could have left no one in doubt that he wished desperately to return as the leader of the government after the next Lok Sabha election. Mr Modi left no stone unturned in his speech, that was close to an hour and a half long, to persuade the people that he still had big dreams to fulfil for India, that he was impatient for change. He made repeated references to not just the people in the greatest need but also the lower middle class, the middle class and the upper middle class, some of which he may have discerned are not as enamoured of his words as when he was the challenger in 2014. The burden of his message was that he had taken positive steps for all categories. Separately, he sought to highlight the steps taken in his tenure for women too. Much of the long peroration, in essence an appeal for endorsement in the next election, was devoted to practically every single scheme of his government, ambitious or mundane, even if many of these have left India baffled and several have performed well below par. The mantra at the Red Fort was enumeration of the record. The social violence that has raised its head through the action of lynch mobs, cow vigilante groups, and public violence was conspicuous by its absence in the PMs address. But he did not fail to say, The rule of law is supreme. In 2014, Mr Modi had memorably spoken of a moratorium on violence for 10 years. This was effectively obscured this Independence Day. Typically, the PMs Independence Day address aims for loftiness, even if this is a formality, besides pointing to key gains made by the government and recording the ambitions and hopes of the country. In this regard, the PMs speech stuck to day-to-day matters in the main. Also, as in a campaign speech, it took well-directed pot-shots at the Congress by claiming a superior record of government than the one that obtained in 2013 in the time of the Congress-led UPA. During his own tenure, Mr Modi said the sleeping elephant was taking strides and the world had noted this, implying that life really began in 2014. There was a major announcement that India will send a manned space mission by 2022 latest, testimony to Indias front-ranking position in the world in the space sciences, which long pre-dates Mr Modis tenure. The PM also announced the launch of a national health insurance mission next month, about which the criticism has been that it is grossly under-funded. The PMs address made it plain that Mr Modi will go hell for leather in winning the next election. H10 Haj is a set of rituals that takes place in and around Mecca each year in this month of Zil-haj, the last and 12th month of the Islamic calendar. One of the five pillars of Islam is the pilgrimage of Haj. Muslims are required to make this pilgrimage if they are financially and physically able to do so. The word Haj, literally means, to set out for a higher destination. Haj is a set of rituals that takes place in and around Mecca each year in this month of Zil-haj, the last and 12th month of the Islamic calendar. A whole chapter of the Quran is devoted to Haj and it warns of the Day of Judgment where each soul will have to account for its deeds. Haj is a spiritual awakening where pilgrims renew their covenant with Allah. It is intended to make one move away from the involvement of this world to an engagement with the almighty. The two unstitched pieces of white cloth that men wear during the Haj, strips them of clothes that could reveal worldly status. This ihram, that male pilgrims wear resembles the shroud are wrapped up in before being lowered into their graves, a reminder of death and the afterlife. It is almost like a rehearsal for the Day of Judgment, where pilgrims leave the comforts of their home, and a sea of humanity from different countries and backgrounds come together on a desert land. Haj has always been looked upon as a kind of death, because the Quran repeatedly mentions death as the meeting with God, and the Kaaba in Mecca is the house of God. According to Islamic traditions, the Kaaba, a black cube like structure in Mecca was built by Adam. It was then destroyed in the flood during the time of Noah and later rebuilt by Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael. An important ritual of Haj is running seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa near the Kaaba. In this running, pilgrims are following the footsteps of Hajar, Abrahams wife and mother of Ishmael, his first-born son. The festival of Id al-Azha, the celebration of sacrifice, marks the culmination of the Haj pilgrimage, when millions of Muslims throughout the world join the pilgrims in their joy of completing the pilgrimage. H11 India will send a manned flight into space by 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Wednesday as part of Indias 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 Indias 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. Modis 80-minute speech, broadcast live from the historic Red Fort in New Delhi, comes months before national elections. Modi listed his governments achievements in the past four years in reforming the countrys 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 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. 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. Malaysia's new government repealed a widely criticised law prohibiting "fake news," in a move hailed as a landmark moment for human rights by a group of Southeast Asian lawmakers. Malaysia's new government repealed a widely criticised law prohibiting "fake news," in a move hailed as a landmark moment for human rights by a group of Southeast Asian lawmakers. The bill was passed in April under former Prime Minister Najib Razak despite concerns that it would be used to silence dissent ahead of a May 9 general election. Najib's long-ruling coalition was ousted in the polls, ushering in the country's first transition of power since independence from Britain in 1957. After an intense six-hour debate in Parliament and protest by lawmakers in Najib's party, the law was repealed Thursday with a simple voice vote. The group ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights hailed the move, saying the law shouldn't have been approved in the first place because it was clearly designed to silence criticism of the government and quell the public debate. "It not only shows that the (new) government is serious about its promises to strip controversial laws from the legal books, it also sends a signal to the wider region that positive human rights change is within reach," its board member, Filipino lawmaker Teddy Baguilat, said in a statement. He urged Malaysia to follow up and repeal all other repressive laws, including the Sedition Act. "This must also be a wake-up call for other ASEAN governments to follow suit and ensure their legal codes are not used to restrict human rights," he added. 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. Twitter said it had asked Jones late Tuesday to delete the tweet that contained a video. (Photo: Pixabay) Twitter Inc has banned US conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his website Infowars from tweeting for seven days, saying their tweets violated companys rules against abusive behaviour. The microblogging site said it had asked Jones late Tuesday to delete the tweet that contained a video, which according to a company spokesman had a segment that is an incitement to violence. As of Wednesday, the tweet has disappeared from his account. The Infowars account repeated the same content that Jones had posted on Tuesday night and the company took a similar action on Wednesday, the spokesman said. The temporary ban means Jones and Infowars can browse and send direct messages to followers, but would not be able to tweet, retweet, or like. Twitters rules against abusive behaviour say that a user may not engage in the targeted harassment of someone or incite other people to do so. Last week, major tech companies including Apple, Alphabets YouTube, and Facebook took down podcasts and channels from the Infowars author, saying he broke community standards. 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. His government was accused of sleeping for almost a year over intelligence reports about Pakistan armys preparations for what later turned into a bloody war in Kargil and nearby areas across the Line of Control a conflict, which cost the Indian Army the lives of more than 500 soldiers. His much-hyped summit with President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan in Agra in 2001 ended in a spectacular failure. Yet Atal Bihari Vajpayees tenure as prime minister will always be remembered for his efforts to bring about a thaw in Indias relations with Pakistan. It was during his tenure that the back-channel negotiators of India and Pakistan first mooted what till today remained the most workable formula to resolve the row over Kashmir. The formula had its roots in the Lahore Declaration, which Vajpayee made jointly with Prime Minister M Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan on February 21, 1999, a day after his historic bus ride from New Delhi to the neighbouring country. It, however, could not make progress, as the Indian Army had to respond to Pakistan armys aggression along the LoC. The Kargil War in May-July 1999 took the relations between the two neighbouring countries back to square one. It returned to the table only when Vajpayee met Musharraf on the sideline of the SAARC summit in Islamabad in January 2004 almost three years after the July 2001 Agra Summit between the two leaders failed. The formula was never made public officially, but Musharraf later spelt out its contours in an interview in August 2006. It was based on the demilitarisation or phased withdrawal of troops by India and Pakistan from both sides of the LoC in Kashmir, making borders irrelevant instead of redrawing it and allowing trade, commerce and free movement of people of Kashmir across the border, more autonomy for Kashmir and constitution of a joint body with representatives of India and Pakistan to oversee certain affairs related to Kashmir. Letter to Manmohan The grapevine in New Delhi is that Vajpayee left a letter for his successor Manmohan Singh on his desk when he left the office in May 2004 and the letter did mention the formula he and Musharraf had mooted to end the dispute over Kashmir. Singh did take it forward, but November 26-28, 2008, terror attacks in Mumbai again derailed the process. Musharraf did make it a point to meet Vajpayee when he came to New Delhi in April 2005 to meet his new counterpart Singh. Sharif also drove to Vajpayees residence in Krishna Menon Marg in New Delhi when he came to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2014 ostensibly to recognise the efforts made by his former counterpart to end the festering acrimony between India and Pakistan, sometimes even at the cost of annoying the hawks within his BJP. Long before prime ministership Vajpayee, in fact, made his first contribution to efforts to make peace between India and Pakistan long before he took the office of the prime minister. He visited Islamabad in February 1977 as foreign minister of the Janata Party government led by prime minister Morarji Desai. It was during his visit that India and Pakistan had agreed on allowing each other's media organisations to station correspondents in each other's capitals, in addition to liberalising visa regime, taking measures for expanding trade and frequent exchange of visits. As a Bharatiya Jan Sangh leader, Vajpayee had earlier criticised the Shimla Agreement, which prime minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistan president Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, had signed on July 2, 1972. But during his February 1977 visit to Islamabad as foreign minister, Vajpayee maintained that India would be ready for talks with Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir within the framework of the Shimla Agreement once the bilateral ties would be normalised. After his return to New Delhi, when journalists asked him about the change in his view on Shimla Agreement, Vajpayee told them smilingly that he was trying to forget his past and that they should also do the same. New Delhi still remains firm on its stand that any discussion with Islamabad on the issue of Kashmir should be within the framework of the Shimla Agreement inked by Indira Gandhi and Bhutto in 1972 and the Lahore Declaration signed by Vajpayee and Sharif in 1999. India maintains that the Shimla Agreement had left no scope for any third party to get involved in the process to resolve the disputes between the two nations and it had again been reaffirmed by the Lahore Declaration. Vajpayee extended his strong support to Indira Gandhi during the India-Pakistan war in 1971 which led to the birth of Bangladesh. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government in Dhaka in 2015 honoured him with Foreign Friend of Bangladesh award and acknowledged his support to Bangladesh's war of liberation from Pakistan. With China, Russia and the US Vajpayee's tenure as prime minister also saw two significant breakthroughs in India's complex relations with China. It was during his visit to Beijing in June 2003 that Vajpayee and Chinese President Hu Jintao agreed on a process, which finally culminated with China giving up its claim on Sikkim and acknowledging it as a part of India. They also agreed to start a mechanism led by Special Representatives of both the governments to explore ways to resolve the vexed Sino-India boundary dispute. It continues to be the official forum for both sides to find solutions to the boundary dispute, with Modi's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval being the current Special Representative of New Delhi. Doval and his counterpart Yang Jiechi, the then State Councilor of China, held the last round of talks in New Delhi in December 2017. Vajpayee's term in the office of the prime minister also saw India and Russia elevating their time-tested relations to a strategic partnership. He and Russian President Vladimir Putin held the first annual summit in New Delhi in October 2000. Putin is set to visit New Delhi later this year to meet Modi for the 18th summit. Though the May 1998 nuclear test in Pokhran prompted the US to impose sanctions on India, the strains in the relations were eased by Bill Clinton's visit to New Delhi in March 2000 and Vajpayee's to Washington in September the same year. It was during his tenure as prime minister that New Delhi had first started talks with the George Bush Administration, exploring the possibility of an India-US civil nuclear cooperation agreement, which finally turned into reality in October 2008. Related Links: Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said on Wednesday that to criticise, attack and destroy a system was easy but it was difficult and challenging to transform it into a performing one. The Chief Justice, while delivering his speech after unfurling the national flag at the 72nd Independence Day celebrations organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), said one has to transcend his personal ambitions and take constructive steps with a positive mindset so that the institution can go to greater heights. "To criticise, attack and destroy the 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 and rather constructive steps need to be taken with positive mindset of reforms...with rationality, maturity, responsibility and composure," Justice Misra said. He said there may be some elements that may endeavour to weaken the institution but everyone together have refused to succumb to them. "There may be some elements that may endeavour to weaken the institution. But we refuse, we all together, to succumb to them. I will tell them and quote Alfred Lord Tennyson's 'Ulysses' 'but strong in will, to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield'," Justice Misra said. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who was also present at the event, said that it was necessary to have some kind of audit and understanding so that larger perspective of public interest litigations (PIL) is not lost. He was referring to the recent imposing of heavy cost by the apex court for filing frivolous PILs. "People have faith in judiciary. I always say judiciary must intervene to set things right. But this I need to gently add today that the Supreme Court of late is imposing heavy costs in case of fly-by-night PILs. "There is a need to have some kind of audit, some kind of understanding so that the larger perspective of PILs is not lost," Prasad said. SCBA President Vikas Singh said that passing oral observation in the court has been damaging the institution. "We have to realise that this is the only institution where the decision making is done in front of the public. Every word spoken in court is reported in the media and unfortunately the words spoken can't be erased or expunged. I feel that as an institution we need to introspect that we should not pass any oral observations in any court proceedings both on the bench side as well as from the lawyers side. Even lawyers make observations for the only purpose of getting reported in the media and which damages the institution," Singh said. Justice Misra, in his address, said that no one should "hurt the Lady Justice". He said the scales in the hands of Lady Justice symbolises the act of delivering a balanced justice and anyone trying to disturb that balance would hurt the queen. "We have to serve the lady of justice, the queen of justice and she holds the scales of justice. Symbolising the act of delivering an important justice has to be balanced as far as possible and that's the true essence of justice and anyone who tries to create any type of dent in that balance is hurting the queen of justice and when queen of justice shed tears, possibly all of us will have to shed tears. "We will never ever allow the queen of justice to shed tears," Justice Misra said. He also said that it was necessary to be productive in order to take the institution to greater heights. "It's necessary to be productive instead of being counter-productive and then only the institution can go to greater heights. Vikas Singh says arguments are advanced for some other reason. Yes, judges listen to them. That's different. But then everyone should remember it's essential that one should work hard in silence and with utmost sincerity and his works shall make the noise," the CJI said. Law Minister, in his address, urged the young lawyers to visit the Cellular Jail in the Andaman islands and visit the cell in which V D Savarkar was lodged for 11 years. He mentioned a freedom fighter from Gaya in Bihar who had languished in the Cellular Jail for 15 years and said that he had refused to take pension from the government saying he was fighting for freedom of the country and not for pension. "From Mahatma Gandhi, (Jawaharlal) Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose to Sardar Patel, they all are legendary figures. But the sheer sacrifice of these revolutionaries was no less. So whenever you visit these places at least go and visit them and shower two words of praise," Prasad said. However, Justice Misra said the freedom fighters fought for the country and not for our praise. "Law Minister said wherever we go meet the freedom fighters and praise them. I disagree. The people who fought for this country they did not fight for our praise. They did not really bother about it. They fought because they fought for the country. And that is what people fight for, own country, civilisation and their own rights. Possible that's a tribute to them than showering praises on them," Misra said. The silence and the awkward pause in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's speech speaks a lot and are well known. He weaves in the message so silently in such pauses that it is eloquent enough for none to miss. However, not much is known about how he dealt with ideas pushed by hardliners, which he did not believe. Some Opposition leaders have tales to tell about and one is how he used the 'Comrades' to ensure that India does not send troops to Iraq under pressure from the United States in 2003. The Left leaders recall a meeting with the then CPM general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet and his CPI counterpart A B Bardhan had with Vajpayee at the height of the US' attack in Iraq in the 2000s. While Vajpayee was not keen to send Indian troops to Iraq, there was a section in the government that was cool to such an idea. Then minister Jaswant Singh was one while Advani, an earlier advocate of the idea, changed his stand later. As the pressure was building, Vajpayee called Surjeet and Bardhan for tea at his official meeting but they were not told the agenda. The chat went on but Vajpayee was circling around and one point, one of the comrades asked him, So what is the issue? Vajpayee then opened up a bit saying there is pressure from the US to which Surjeet said one of your ministers have already said that the government is ready to send troops. Vajpayee, who was not enthusiastic to the idea, immediately snapped, Jaswant might have said. I have not. When the Left leaders said they were opposed to any deployment in foreign soil, the then prime minister said, I can't hear any protest, and the meeting soon ended with the Left leaders getting an impression that Vajpayee wanted them to raise the rhetoric higher. The Left did step up the protests and days later, the government decided not to send the troops. Vajpayee got what he wanted with the help of the Opposition. Bardhan later recalled this incident in a UPA-Left Coordination meeting to suggest that they could help the government wriggle out of the US pressure on Indo-US nuclear deal. The then prime minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi were present in the meeting. A leader recalled Bardhan telling them that Singh sat with a stony face while Sonia nodded. Related Links: The role of the state governments in recognising as well as achieving their investment and business potential is increasingly acknowledged both at the federal and state levels of governance. At the same time, the idea that the implementation and management of such policies has to necessarily be initiated at the state-level, since they know their local needs better, has gained ground with the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP) programme of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). Under the BRAP programme, annual ranks are generated for each of the 36 states and Union Territories (UTs). The underlying philosophy of BRAP is to inculcate a spirit of competitiveness among states. The ranks are based on the states reforms undertaken to simplify regulatory burden on the businesses and reworked every year. The state governments work to embrace reforms to simplify ways of doing business and expedite pending project clearances which help in attracting funds and investments for economic development. The BRAP programme measures the involvement of the state in the process of reform implementation. The reform coverage has expanded over time to include more relevant reforms for business operations under 10 broad areas setting up a business, allotment of land and obtaining construction permit, complying with environment procedures, complying with labour regulations, obtaining infrastructure related utilities, registering and complying with tax procedures, carrying out inspections, and enforcing contracts, access to information and transparency enablers and single window system. The states are also required to provide evidence to support their claims on implementation of the reforms. The evidence comprises rules, notifications, circulars, screenshots of the websites or other relevant documents. The states have been assessed on 419 action points for reforms implemented in 2017. States reforming in less than 80% of the action points are termed Aspirers, which look up to the Top Achievers having reformed more than 95% of the action points. Between the two extremes, are placed the Achiever and Mover states which have reformed 90-95% and 80-90%, respectively. The aspirer states include UTs and northeastern states having abundance of natural resources and land availability due to lesser population. Although services such as tourism or education can be a source of development for the North-East, the expansion of industries is imperative for capitalising on their natural resource strengths and check their underutilisation. The relatively low performance of the Northeastern states Manipur, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya has important repercussions for Indias Look East policy too since these states are our gateway to the East. While factors such as labour, materials, credit, transport system, marketing facilities, natural resource, technology, political stability, regional importance and complementarily of industries can be decisive for industrial development, not all of these are equally important across regions and states. For instance, the Northeastern states have a rich resource of oil, coal, limestone, wood, rubber, forest-based products, agriculture and horticulture products for food processing, rubber, uranium, which can attract investors to set up units there. Given the resource-rich nature of activities which depend on stringent environmental clearances, these states should work on simplifying the institutional mechanism. The strengthening of resource based activities will provide stimulus to other industrial activities. This refers to their huge potential in hydro power, mineral extraction (oil, limestone), food processing, rubber plantations, tea industry and handicrafts. For instance, adequate power supply through hydro projects will facilitate setting up cement units which thrive on limestone as a key raw material. Power supply Cheap and assured power supply will improve viability of cement units which is otherwise low due to high transportation costs of limestone outside the state. The growth of specific sectors will introduce industrial opportunities to the population which is relatively less oriented and skilled for industrial activities. This may have a spill over effect for skill development in other industries. Another potential reform area for the state governments is to work on land reforms. Despite land availability, land acquisition for industrial purposes remains a problem due to ownership ambiguities. Transferability of land rights, specifically in the hilly areas of the states as compared with the plain, is also a constraint on bank credit. Cadastral surveys and land settlement will be helpful to ascertain formal property rights which will facilitate land acquisition for business and market operations. The aspirers are required to fasten their belts and move in top gear on reforming the business-to-government environment. Although no reform areas can be ignored for action, reform priorities can surely be identified based on regional and local characteristics. For instance, smoothening and expediting the environmental clearances for existing and new business, and land reforms, appear to have low hanging fruits for business facilitation in the Northeastern states. (The writer is Associate Professor, Institute of Studies in Industrial Development, New Delhi) I started visiting the San Rafael Swell in 1988. After visits to Temple Mountain, Goblin Valley and the Little Grand Canyon of the San Rafael, I broadened my experiences. Aided by not-so-trusty vehicles like my 1969 Chevy Suburban, my friends and I pushed on to Tomsich Butte where the Muddy Creek cuts through the northern side of the Swell, and the Hidden Splendor Mine where it cuts its way out of the Swell. The variety of terrain and recreation opportunities kept us coming back for more. It is a little sobering to realize that in 30 years I have spent more than 300 days immersed in the Swell. Many of these days and nights were spent along the Muddy and associated lands. I never tire of its great and grand views and fantastic campsites. There is more than a lifetime of cliffs to climb, canyons to explore, native rock art sites to appreciate and special spots to go back to again and again. The Emery County Public Land Management Act of 2018 just does not go far enough in designating deserving lands as wilderness in and around Muddy Creek. This act, introduced by Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch and Rep. John Curtis, proposes to designate only the current Bureau of Land Management Muddy Creek Wilderness Study Areas and a portion of the Natural Area. The WSAs were identified in hasty and incomplete BLM surveys conducted in the mid-80s to early 90s. The much more thorough survey conducted by the Utah Wilderness Coalition, which I participated in, identified additional parts of the Muddy Creek area as having wilderness-quality lands and are included in Americas Red Rock Wilderness Act. Since that survey, the BLM itself has confirmed the coalitions findings and currently recognizes that these additional lands have wilderness character and natural value. Places like Segers Hole where Cable Canyon and The Squeeze offer technical canyoneering, the Moroni slopes where Horse Heaven Canyon offers a less challenging journey, to the black lava dikes wandering in the badlands before the Muddy digs its way into the Swell need to be included as wilderness in the bill. So should the Hondu and Keesle Country and McKay Flat. To the south, in Wayne County, the Greater Muddy Creek incorporates the iconic Factory Butte and its surrounding blue badlands, reaching northeast Capitol Reef. This amazing block of wild land contains soaring cliffs, multicolored badlands, ancient cultural resources, deep canyons and open grasslands. It should all be designated wilderness, ignoring the arbitrary, straight county boundary. The bill also establishes a San Rafael Swell Western Heritage and Historic Mining National Conservation Area. The legislation, written by Emery County officials, is myopic. Only the last 150 years of land exploitation seem to deserve conservation. The prior 10,000 years of human history documented by faint paintings and chipped art matter much less than old mine dumps. Millions of years of natural heritage count less than old line cabins. The NCAs purpose appears to be increasing vehicle use. Designating the Greater Muddy Creek Wilderness would close unnecessary vehicle routes and preclude reopening of other routes that have been closed for decades. An example of such a route follows the exit gorge of the Muddy Creek as it cuts it way out of the Swell.This impressive gorge is an important riparian area for wildlife and quiet recreation. It was closed years ago due to resource damage caused by motorized vehicles. It should stay closed. Future generations of Utahns will be thankful that it was. SALT LAKE CITY A horse in Oregon is suing his former owner for negligence. Lets run through that again: A HORSE is suing his former owner. Thats right. An 8-year-old horse named Justice is suing his former owner after suffering for years under the name Shadow. During a veterinarians exam in 2017, the horse was 300 pounds underweight, his black coat was dotted with lice and his skin remained scabbed, according to The Oregonian. The previous owner, who left the horse outside and underfed, pleaded guilty to criminal neglect last year. Now, Justice yes, the lawsuit is filed under his new name in the county court is seeking $100,000 for veterinary care, as well as damages. Justices case is the most recent example of courts recognizing animals in the court of law, according to The Washington Post. 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, according to The Washington Post. But Justice's 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 nation's 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 Defense Fund, which technically filed the suit in Justice's name. He said they "haven't found the right key to the courthouse door. And we're hopeful that this is the key." Liebman said horses can sue people in the state of Oregon. In fact, in 2014, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled animals can be victims of crimes by their own right, according to ABC News. The Oregon Legislature clearly established an anti-cruelty statute for the safety and protection of animals, Sarah Hanneken, one of the attorneys representing Justice, told The Oregonian. Victims of crimes can sue their abusers and animals are sentient beings that are recognized as victims under Oregon law. So with that premise, weve come to the conclusion that animals can sue their abusers and were confident of our stance in this case. Weve seen this play out before. In 2013, for example, a chimpanzee named Tommy sued his owners for freedom in New York. The chimp lost the case, according to The New York Times. More recently, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled monkeys who took selfies with a photographers camera didnt own the rights to the images, The Los Angeles Times reported. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. OREM In Utah Valley Universitys Woodbury Art Museum, two small boys grab paint markers and a color guide, walk into the gallery and begin to color on the paintings. This painting in particular is a giant 40-by-60-inch, black-and-white, custom-made canvas of a comic-style rendering of teenage Medusa holding a partially eaten burger while one of her hair snakes drinks her soda. Its hung low, specifically so the children can reach it. On the surrounding walls are other giant comic book depictions of classical Greek monsters like a hydra, a minotaur and a cyclops most of which are drawn by Guy Francis, a childrens book illustrator born and raised in Provo. The exhibition, Heroes and Villains: How Mythology Made Comics, runs through Sept. 15 and contains 44 giant canvases with comic-style drawings of classical Greek and Roman heroes, villains and monsters from 12 artists and illustrators and you can paint on all of them. Ive never seen a museum do anything like this before. Most art museums dont want people to paint things on their walls, said Lisa Anderson, the museum's director, co-curator of the exhibition and adjunct art professor at Utah Valley University. She and her co-curator, Chad Hardin, wanted to turn an art gallery into a life-size coloring book so the community could co-create works of art. Hardin draws Harley Quinn and Wonder Woman for DC Comics and is the lead artist of the exhibit, as well as an assistant professor of art and design at UVU. For him, Heroes and Villains is not only about bringing community together to interact with art but also an attempt to revitalize the world of comics by introducing it to a younger generation. I think with my generation, comics were sort of the thing. If you were into art and you liked to draw, comics were the rock star thing you could do. And they were everywhere, he said. The exhibition's 12 featured artists and animators are some of the top in the industry, and theyre all local. They include Francis, Hardin, Bill Galvan (Archie, The Simpsons), Ian Johnston (Clipstick), Phillip Sevy (Tomb Raider), Sal Velluto (Black Panther, The Flash) and Jemma Young (Children of Elder), with the color guides done by Travis Walton, Ryan Brown and Chynna Miller. Hardin called in every favor he had with his fellow Utah comic artists to put in weeks of work for free in the hopes that they could bring comics back into the public sphere. Every blockbuster movie is based on comics, but what people dont realize is that the comic circulation itself is a struggling market and a shrinking market. If we dont get the younger generation to come in and give comics a try, it could all go away, Hardin said. Anderson and Hardin chose to use original artwork portraying traditional Greek figures partially to avoid entanglements with copyright but also to show that comic book characters are basically mythological heroes in masks. There is a great amount of connection between Superman and Hercules. All of the modern comic book characters that we have have roots in mythology, Anderson said. People love comic books, but they dont consider the origins of the characters beyond the stories that they know. We wanted to introduce the community to the deeper story. Fitting the comic book focus into the creation of the exhibition was an epic undertaking, Hardin said. The co-curators gave the featured artists the task of looking at the characters they usually draw and figuring out what archetype those characters fit into and what their traditional Greek representation could be. When the drawings came in, the curators found that each artist had their own take on their assignment. Award-winning artist Mike Grell, known for Superman and Green Arrow, chose dramatic, intricate and classical portrayals of Zeus and other Mount Olympus gods, while Mel Milton, a former artist and video game animator for Disney, chose a wide-eyed, Disney-esque look for his portrayals of Athena and Artemis. Hardin pulled from his job drawing the dangerous beauty Harley Quinn to depict powerful Greek femme fatales: sirens pulling unsuspecting sailors underneath the water to their deaths. Opening up all of this hard work to the public to draw on did involve some trust, but the curators believe in building community. And the community seems to be responding, the curators are noticing, with some patrons visiting the museum to meticulously paint a cheek or a forehead or a mask for hours at a time. It was an experiment, Anderson said. "We werent sure with how they would look at the end, but we werent concerned with that. And actually people have really taken it very seriously. They put a lot of effort into it." If you go What: Woodbury Art Museum's "Heroes and Villains: How Mythology Made Comics" When: Through Sept. 15; Tuesday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Wednesdsay-Saturday, 11 a.m. -5 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday Where: Woodbury Art Museum, 575 E. University Parkway N250, Orem How much: Free Web: uvu.edu/museum SALT LAKE CITY State employees don't make as much money as their private sector counterparts but get more in benefits, Utah lawmakers were told Wednesday. "We hear a lot about needing more money, we need to pay people more," Sen. Dan Hemmert, R-Orem, told the Government Operations Interim Committee. "The total compensation is actually not too far out whack with market." Hemmert and State Auditor John Dougall presented to the committee a recent compensation study comparing state pay to private sector pay. Hemmert said the idea is to make better decisions about salary plans and benefits packages to attract and keep good workers. "The goal of this, to be absolutely clear, is not to reduce anyone's pay, not necessarily to reduce anyone's benefits," he said. Dougall said the state needs to come up with a compensation philosophy that includes employee retention, recruitment and skill development. Lawmakers intend to draft a bill for the Legislature to consider in 2019. "We have lots of different agencies, lots of different employers. What may be good for one may be a challenge for another. One may have retention issues, one may have recruitment issues," he said. Dougall said in his office, working fathers want more cash while working mothers want more leave time. He said there's no "sweet spot" where everyone is happy. Sen. Jim Dabakis, D-Salt Lake City, said he welcomes opening "this can of worms." He said he hopes it doesn't turn into how to get more out of state workers for less. "We're not paying, we're just not," he said, adding lawmakers also "gored" employee benefits some years ago. Rep. Adam Robertson, R-Provo, said he'd like to see state salaries follow the general market because complaints about low pay would go away. SALT LAKE CITY The Girl Scouts of the USA announced a new flavor cookie Tuesday caramel chocolate chip. Oh, and its gluten-free. The new cookie will have a limited release in select areas. It will come with caramel, semi-sweet chocolate chips and some sea salt sprinkled on top. The Girl Scouts currently release only one other gluten-free cookie the Toffee-tastic cookie, which also is only available in select areas. NEW COOKIE FLAVOR: The Girl Scouts are introducing a new option called the Caramel Chocolate Chip cookie. https://t.co/brwSbDIoDQ Action News on 6abc (@6abc) August 15, 2018 The new cookie will become available on Jan. 2, 2019, according to Today.com. That date marks the beginning of Girl Scout cookie-selling season. Were excited to announce the new Caramel Chocolate Chip cookie as part of the 2019 Girl Scout Cookie lineup," Stewart Goodbody, senior director of communications and external affairs, Girl Scouts of the USA, told Today.com. "The flavor is on-trend: chocolate and caramel cookie flavor combinations are increasingly popular among consumers." Goodbody said the desire for gluten-free options among millennials inspired the decision. The Girl Scouts' cookie-selling program helps young women learn how to be entrepreneurs, the company told People magazine. The Girl Scout Cookie Program plays a powerful role in developing financially savvy girl leaders, Girl Scout USA CEO Sylvia Acevedo said in a press release. Girl entrepreneurs learn valuable interpersonal and business skills via the cookie program that help them become successful in their future careers, no matter what path they choose. In 2016, the organization added two smores flavored cookies, according to People magazine. As I wrote for the Deseret News in 2017, Utahs favorite Girl Scout cookie is Thin Mint. Editor's note: The following is a transcript of the seventh episode of Therefore, What? a podcast from Deseret News opinion editor Boyd Matheson. It's been edited for clarity. Boyd Matheson: America is facing a crisis, not a crisis of government, not a crisis of business or the economy. It's a crisis of remembering. One of the greatest threats to a vibrant civil society is simple forgetfulness. What we forget, our children may never know; what our children do not know, our grandchildren are unlikely to possess. Real remembering includes not only the history of those who have gone before, but the principles they live by. Our communities, our nation and the world is in need of a renaissance of remembering. Artist and entrepreneur Eric Dowdle shares his vision of how to create that renaissance of remembering in Utah this week on Therefore, What? We are pleased to be joined today by Eric Dowdle. He's a TV personality, world-renowned artist, and really, the ultimate master of vision and creativity. One of the things I really appreciate about Eric is that like the founders of this country, he really gets it that inspiring ideas, transformational thoughts, powerful principles, these things are the things that really matter. And Eric's got a very unique gift to bring to life the talent, the vision and to pull people together. Most of all, what I love about Eric is that he's committed to creating a space where character and creativity and liberty that liberty contained in America's history and founding can be brought forward. So Eric, welcome to the program. Eric Dowdle: Well, thank you, Boyd, after an introduction like that, I want to sit back and listen to that cool guy you're talking about. But its just me. I'm sorry. BM: Hopefully we can find him. ED: Well, thank you for those kind words. Thank, you. BM: You bet. It's great to have you on and as you've traveled the country, and the world, as you try to capture as you do so well, just that essence of a place for everything from simple puzzles that you're doing from places all around the world, to the intricacy of I loved seeing the other day your depiction of the Air Force, including the "candy bar bomber" in that, and really capturing the principles that go with the story is really a magical thing. ED: Well, I think you said it right there. People love a good story. And whether it's your own personal life, your own personal activity, or event or function, or your city or town, there's some pride around what you're doing. And in the end, we want nice things to be said about us, don't we? And in doing a painting or a piece of art that hopefully can capture that moment or thought, yeah, folk art really has an ability or way of telling a story. It breaks a lot of rules, which I like, in the art world, it's not photorealistic. I color inside the OK, I dont color inside the lines but you know, it's folk art. And that's why sometimes folk art and when I was a kid, it's looked at as, you know, the lesser kind of art, because it doesn't look like a photo. Anyhow, that was my background so that when I jumped into it, I discovered this. I mean, it was a delightful experience moving back East where folk arts big, coming from the West and seeing this form of art that allows you to really tell a story. And so that's what I've engaged in in the last 30 years. And it's brought me to a point where now I think there's so many more stories to tell, and everybody wants their story to be told. So we're jumping into the deep end of the pool. BM: That's great. And it's so true. Everybody wants to be part of a story. And I really think that is the essence of America, is that there is this unique story in liberty and hope and opportunity. And so I know that's been kind of picking at you and nudging you a little bit over the last few years. I know you you grew up on the East Coast, you're born here in Utah, and then moved east. Tell me a little bit about that experience and how you connected to those American stories when you were back East? ED: Yeah, well, thanks for asking. And I was born in the West and there is a difference between the West and East. In fact, when I moved from Wyoming to Boston, I literally had somebody come up to me in a public setting and they were like, tell me about the Indian situation in the West. They really thought that I had taken handcarts to the Mississippi and got a bus of some kind. And so there is a disconnect a little bit, but when I moved back East, the history of America came alive. And it was exciting. It just felt so real. And I saw a patriotic side of the country that exists in the West, but it's a little bit different because it didn't happen in the West. And as I was going back and forth, and eventually I moved out here to Utah. I experienced the same thing here. But it was a pioneer history or heritage. And it's a great story. And it's very beautiful and I have the same feeling surrounding that as I do the American story. But again, there seems to be a little bit of a disconnect. And it wasn't until a time where I was standing on the back porch of Mount Vernon, George Washington's home in Virginia, where I looked over the Potomac and I thought, wow, some way, somehow we need to bring this feeling to the West. We need to bring this building, Mount Vernon, to the West, and that was 30 years ago. And the vision hasn't died. It's just really been a matter of patience for the right time for this to happen. And with America turning 250 in 2026, now's the time. And that's what we're engaged in, or what all this travel and all this information has brought about. And I can see that we need to tell a different story, or a more accurate story even in a lot of ways, about our history so that our children can kind of have I mean, Boyd I don't know what it was like for you growing up you had a good childhood, you felt like you belonged to something great. Or you are a citizen of an awesome country. Tell me about how you grew up, and then I can relate it to why we're doing this. BM: Yeah, you know, I was really fortunate grew up in a family of 11 kids. I think we share large family stuff in common. ED: Wow. We shouldve been neighbors, we couldve formed our own city or something. BM: Yeah, and one of the most interesting things so we had a little tradition on Saturday evenings, where all 11 of us were expected to be home Saturday night, 5 o'clock, and we'd sit around the counter and I don't know about your house, we had like the mother of all counters, like a cafe counter, and we'd all sit around and my dad would make pancakes for us, and you know this better than anybody in large families, pancakes do not come in stacks. One of my older sisters, she would always say, you know, eating pancakes with the Mathesons is like the early stages of labor pains. You get them one at a time and about 10 minutes apart. And so we'd hang around. Yeah, but yet it was during that time where we were waiting for those precious pancakes to come our way that my dad was asking us questions. And he was sharing stories and helping us feel part of all kinds of different stories, whether it was the founding of the country, whether it was our local community, or just opportunities to make a difference. And I think we're forgetting that. And to me, the biggest threat to the country is that we forget our place in the American story. ED: Well, I'm just picturing that experience. And I believe as I've traveled and seeing some of the transition in people's homes, and how we do different they Boyd, eating dinner as a family is one of the most important things you can do as parents if you're going to pass on that patriotic tradition, or feel a gratitude for what you have. What a brilliant idea of your parents. So I picture that same well, we have the same kind of experience, we had different rules. One was anytime we're eating, you just keep one foot on the ground. Because that one pancake, there was a serious competition for it. Yeah, I bet we could go off on a whole story of eating in a large family and the scarcity of food. BM: We might have to do a separate podcast on that one. ED: No doubt it would be a fun one. But here's what I'm hearing from your story and what I've seen today that has you, I, and frankly, anybody who's had a background where they've seen the gratitude or traveled enough to see what we have. The narrative that is out there today for our children isn't the same one we grew up with. It's not a positive one. We're concentrating on our negatives or the mistakes we've made; the problems and because of the news cycle, if you aren't lighting your hair on fire, nobody's watching or listening. And if that's what's going on with our children over and over, I equate it to raising kids in the sense that if every day I reminded my children of what they're doing wrong, or what they did wrong, or how ashamed that they should be for who they are, which is what it feels like as a youth today in America. Well, it's going to affect your personal self-esteem. And what I kind of feel as I've traveled around the country is this yearning inside of all of us for a better self-esteem. As a nation, because we, the news cycle, and the conversation in our schools, frankly, it's in our schools, where we're talking about our problems, and kids come home, and they talk about "Did you know, we did this did, you know, we did that?" And it's more of a negative, and I'm going all right, if we're going to build this Mount Vernon in Utah, if we're going to build a museum, then that is the cornerstone. We're going to tell the story as of the positive, or at least in any story you do tell, there's always a moral to the story, there's always a silver lining, this is what we learned. And this is where we're going. And it's exciting. And it's wonderful. And when you approach history from the achievement perspective, your self-esteem goes up. All the sudden you're a citizen of a great nation. And I don't believe our youth really have that feeling, and that passion that you and I had. And so I see that, and I'm going, well, I can't sit back and just let it happen. I can paint pictures of cats the rest of my life and have a very good life. I need to paint pictures of things now that matter. BM: And that's part of your art, your ability to create a place and a space for people to feel like they're suddenly part of that picture. They're part of that story. And I want to get to some of the specifics in terms of this vision, in terms of really bringing a place and a space out here to the West, where people can come and experience those principles through music, through art, through story and history. Give us some of that vision. Because I don't know that there's anything more important out there. I often talk about it in terms of that forgetfulness, that you know, faith and freedom can can crumble really fast in the face of forgetfulness. And that lost sense of story. ED: You make a good point, I hope I can give you the Reader's Digest version or the thumbnail, that's an art term for you, a thumbnail of this project. What we need, what we're trying to accomplish here is we need a physical facility here in the West. There are people who can't load up the family and go east to see the history and be around all of that. And even in going east there feels like there's a change in the story. And as I've experienced interviewing many of these historical places, there is a concerted effort to tell a different story. And it's not the story I grew up knowing. And so I would like us to the goal is to bring all that history into one facility, a physical facility, where we educate and celebrate that through the creative process. And so let me explain. I mean, again, back to the painting and the art side of it, where I would like to participate in the museum. I want to work with other artists and musicians and people who have this same vision in that we're declaring this a renaissance, if you will, of the arts. It's time now to do new paintings, and create new music and have a place for those. But now with today's technology it goes way, way beyond just a painting. We now need to film and understand the story behind that. We need the music to give us the energy and the emotion behind it. And then, I mean, now an element that we can't even put into our business plan at this point, because by the time this gets built, virtual reality, we don't know where it's going to be. But there needs to be an element of that so that the younger crowd can come in. And yes, they'll see George Washington's writings, some of his relics and some historical pieces, but they need to come alive, there needs to be motion around that. So this physical facility that we're going to build is massive. In order to tell our history, you know, it goes way back before 1776. But it also goes forward from today. And we oftentimes get stuck in the revolution. We talk about America, right? What about the '50s, the '60s, the '70s, and who were the great leaders then? And what are the great inventions? And where's the character and the creativity at those times? And what are we doing to make sure that goes forward? In the end, when somebody finishes going through our museum, we want them to leave with a spirit of civility, which is George Washington's cornerstone, and a feeling of celebration and hope for what they can do as a citizen going forward. Let me ask you this, have you ever been to a naturalization ceremony where somebody becomes a citizen? BM: Absolutely. One of my favorite experiences. I'm a crier anyway. But it is instant. Because it's so exciting to see someone who has gone through that process, usually battled through that process, and they know exactly what they're raising their hand to do, and the story that they're about to become part of. Its a thrilling thing to watch. ED: It is. I was born into this, and so are you. So we never went through that. And as you transition. And again, to watch it I don't want to admit to being a crier, but I do. Usually alone. But you can't help it at a naturalization ceremony. In fact, you look around, you're going if you are not moved to tears as these people leaving countries or circumstances of difficulty have found their way here and are looking for a better way of life. And they are weeping knowing that they are becoming a citizen. And you're going I've always been one. Yeah, where's my emotion. And yes, it's like anything when you've had it for a long time you take it for granted. Well, when they go through our museum, we want to create a process, some curriculum, some online curriculum, where all of the work we're doing, if you're not able to access this information, or the reason why America is great through school systems, or through your personal studies, you will have a place no matter where you live, but especially in the West physically, but anywhere because of online curriculum, people will have a place to go and refresh that spirit that is so readily available, or that we see in these new citizens, new blood, it is an exciting thing, and we want to move people like that. BM: Fantastic. Well, this is going to be a great thing to watch as we go through the next few years as we march towards 2026. But Eric, we appreciate your being on the podcast today. And for your vision. This is one of those of those grand, audacious, very American pursuits. And I appreciate your vision in this because it does matter. This is something that can really move people and, as you said, create that space to feel the principles of freedom in a whole new way. So thanks for being with us today. We'll continue to follow you as this marches forward. ED: Thanks for giving me a voice on your program. I appreciate it so much. BM: All right. All the best. Eric Dowdle, thanks so much for being with us today. I love Eric's passion and enthusiasm for the principles and the stories that have made America great and will continue to make America great for many years to come. I just kept thinking over and over and over as I listened to Eric, that really the problem we have is if we don't create space for that kind of remembering we get in trouble. Faith and freedom and family, those things all falter in the face of forgetfulness. It's where commitments that used to be really solid and concrete, they crack and they crumble through neglect and forgetfulness. And we're seeing that all across the country. We forget who we are. And what we have to remember is that casualness or neglect by one generation can rapidly spiral into apathy in the next. And I think that's one of the things that Eric was really trying to get us to, in terms of the "Therefore, what?", what are we going to do about this? Because if we get casual, if we become neglectful, I think how rapidly that can spiral into apathy. And apathy is really one of the great challenges in the country right now. It's always one of the great challenges. You know, we're trying to do something in this country that really hasn't been done in history. We're trying to outlive our own success. All the great empires, Mayan Empire, Roman Empire, Greek Empire, British Empire, they all achieved some level of greatness. But then they got comfortable, they rested on their laurels, they started to forget who they were, and the principles that allowed them to succeed and to thrive and grow. And then they started to settle and they became apathetic, they lost that drive, that commitment to excellence. And that's always the beginning of the end, whether that's a country or a business. I would always tell businesses when I was a business consultant, the most dangerous day in the life of a business is the day you hit number one. It's the day youre successful, it's the day you get the great accolades and press. Because it's so easy to rest on your laurels and forget what got you there. And then you get wiped out by someone who's hungry. And I think we're seeing that. There are hungry nations around the world that are going to compete. And if we're not careful, if we continue to forget who we are, what the principles are that made this country extraordinary, and has lifted more people out of poverty, and has fueled more freedom and dreams than any civilization in history. That's scary to me. And we all have to think about that. Because, again, if we get casual in that commitment to principles, the people that we love, the people that we lead, the people who are part of our community, they may start to wonder what we know. They might start to question what we believe. They may really wonder, what is it you're going to do next? And really, our children should never have to question where we stand in relationship to our principles and values. Our friends and neighbors should never have to strain to discern our commitment to character, and to the cause of freedom and liberty. And so that's the real test. And the thing that excites me about what Eric has is this vision, just imagine a life-size real version of Mount Vernon in the state of Utah. A place in the West that will house great music, great art, great stories, great exhibits where people can experience the greatness of the country. And he's brought in some wonderful people to work on that with him, from Paul Cardall, a great musician, and composer Timothy Ballard, who will lead a lot of the story and the history components. That's really exciting stuff. And it's a challenge for us. The reality is we don't even need to have a place to go to as long as we're creating space in our homes and in our communities for those principles to really come to life. It is about telling the stories. More important, it's about helping the young people in this country to feel like they are a vital, important part of the American story. Because if we are going to make this country truly extraordinary for the long haul, if we're going to outlive our own success like few societies ever have, it's going to take some real work. It's going to be a real challenge, but it is something we're up for. So I love the ideas that Eric shared today. And more importantly, I hope it gives you something to think about in terms of how are you passing that on? How are you going to create space for those that you care about, or those that you lead in your business or community to feel like they're part of that story? So it'll be fun to watch over the coming years, the George Washington Museum of American History will be a fascinating place to visit and to really bring the American story to life. Remember, after the story is told, after the principle is presented, after the discussion and debate have been had. The question for all of us is "Therefore, what?" Don't miss an episode, subscribe to this podcast on Apple podcast or whatever you're listening today. And be sure to rate this episode and leave us a review. Follow us on Deseret News.com/podcast and subscribe to our newsletter. This is Boyd Matheson, opinion editor for The Deseret News. Thanks for engaging with us on Therefore, what? You dont need to be a genius to figure out the main cause of large-scale fires that always seem to choke the air this time of year. Global warming? Hot temperatures certainly are a contributor, but no. Poor forest management? Yes, even a recent New York Times story on fires said controlled burns would help reduce the severity of wildfires. But that doesnt explain the cause. Lightning? True, a small portion of fires are caused by this. No, all you have to do is pick up a newspaper. Ill give you an example from Tuesday. A 27-year-old man was charged with criminal mischief after he decided to steal gas from cars at a Hertz rental lot. When siphoning didnt work, he came up with the idea of using a power drill to make holes in gas tanks. And they say people today arent resourceful. The only problem with this scheme was that the power drill became hot, which ignited the gasoline. The suspect wasnt completely stupid. He made sure his own pants and shirt were extinguished before he ran away, never bothering to report the fire he saw rapidly growing as he left. Or you might have read about the West Valley City man last week who killed a city code enforcement officer, then set fire to her truck and his neighbors house. No, folks, the culprit is staring us in the mirror. And frankly, thats a tougher thing to battle than global warming or forest management. It doesnt just require lawmakers to outlaw being stupid, although that uniquely human trait appears in abundance when one studies such things. It also involves identifying and treating mental illness in various forms. But with the West becoming both drier and more populated with each passing year, its a problem we need to confront. The two cases I cited did not result in wildfires, but they are indicative of the larger problem. A study published last year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that humans caused 84 percent of the wildfires during a 21-year period ending in 2012. Not only that, the man-made fires made the annual fire season three times longer, and humans tended to set fires where moisture was higher than where nature started them. Human-caused blazes covered areas seven times larger than lightning-caused fires. No one knows yet what started the Mendocino fire in California, which tragically resulted in the death of Draper Battalion Chief Matthew Burchett. Other fires in the West are raging from causes yet to be determined. Maybe lightning is to blame, but statistically it is more that humans were involved. A recent fire on Lake Mountain near Saratoga Springs, Utah, was caused by people target shooting. The costs of the annual fires are enormous, not only in money and homes lost, but in human lives. Yes, lightning is a problem in tinder-dry conditions. It caused Utahs Coal Hollow Fire near Spanish Fork. But if all we had to worry about were lightning- fires, the costs would be much lower. Last summer, a woman in Oregon described for the Willamette Week how she came upon a group of teenagers one day during a hike along the Columbia River Gorge. She saw a boy throwing firecrackers down a ravine while another young person recorded it on video. Do you realize how dangerous it is what you just did? she asked. The boy didnt say a word. But soon she saw smoke coming from the ravine in growing billows. She ran back down the trail warning people away, then found a law enforcement officer in the parking lot. He ended up pulling over a van carrying the teenagers. She described their attitudes. I felt like I was in a nightmare because these kids were not reacting the way I felt normal people would react, she told the Willamette Week. When I sat and watched the kids being interviewed by the police, I dont know what they were feeling but I got a glimpse of at least one young woman or girl who looked like she was just hanging out like it was just any other day. Perhaps the best we can do is work to detect fires more quickly and to respond before they grow. Perhaps better forest management would make fires less severe, kind of like how even a weak batch of flu vaccine can lessen the symptoms. But unless we can make humans more responsible, smoke-free summer days in the West are bound to become even more rare. To the World Relief volunteers in a mobile welcome center parked outside the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Wash., it was clear that the woman released from the center moments before had been separated from her children while seeking asylum at the United States border with Mexico. The woman, called Karla to protect her identity, was smiling as she got into a car with Robin Jacobson, a board member with Advocates for Immigrants in Detention Northwest, which runs the welcome center. But as soon as the car door closed, Karla burst into tears. In the short drive to Jacobsons home, it all spilled out, with help from the Google Translate app: how Karla and her family had fled gang violence in El Salvador, how shed been separated from her two daughters, how the 6-year-old hadnt wanted to let go, how Karla hadnt known where her 13-year-old was for 25 days, how the time spent in detention was marked by unexpected suffering. Now Karla had a plane ticket to reunite with her family the next day in California, where she would stay while her case is pending. Jacobson volunteers with a team from her church, hosting people coming out of detention through World Relief. After Karla had a nights sleep, Jacobson drove her to the airport, something Jacobson said was probably more transformative and meaningful for us and our family than it was for her. For us to be able to share in a joyous part of her journey allowed a moment of relief for us in what can seem like unrelenting bad news, she said. Providing support to families like Karlas is one way faith-based agencies normally tasked with welcoming refugees got involved in the crisis at the border. Six of the nine groups currently helping officially designated refugees find a home in America claim a religious affiliation: World Relief, Church World Service, Episcopal Migration Ministries, HIAS (founded as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society), Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. As the number of refugees admitted into the U.S. has dropped dramatically the Trump administration reportedly is considering lowering the 2019 limit on refugees entering the country to 25,000 after cutting it from 110,000 to 45,000 this year these groups continue to find ways to be available to those who need us the most, said Erol Kekic, senior vice president of Church World Service. We frequently tell the government weve been doing this work since before they were involved. Well continue to do the work, Kekic said. For us, its really about our calling to help others in need. Caring for children Two of those agencies Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and the USCCB were instrumental in caring for children separated from their parents after the Trump administrations zero tolerance policy was announced in May. For us, honestly, the dust is still settling, said Kay Bellor, vice president for programs at LIRS. Of 62 children ages 5 to 17 placed in transitional foster care with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, 85 percent had been reunited with a parent by July 26, the deadline set by a federal judge for the U.S. government to reunite more than 2,500 children with their families (a higher success rate than the governments). The deadline for reunification for more than 100 children under age 5 passed earlier in July. The agencies have offered similar care for unaccompanied children under several administrations. But Nathan Bult, director of governmental affairs at Bethany Christian Services, a Michigan agency that contracts with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, said, Weve never seen anything like whats been happening over the last couple of months with the crisis of children being forcibly separated from their families at the border and this whole reunification process. The faith-based agencies are concerned that the executive order President Trump signed in June that stopped the mass separations wont end them altogether and that children are still being detained, even with their families. Though the executive order continues the zero tolerance policy, and family unity must be maintained, and child safety and welfare is paramount, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson told Religion News Service, there still are instances when a child can be separated from a parent or an adult for his or her safety. Those include cases when the parent presents a danger to the child, has a criminal history or outstanding warrant, is participating in a criminal activity at the time of entry or has a communicable disease. They also can be separated if the adult falsely claims to be a parent or guardian. Reunifying families At first, the agencies didnt realize the children they were receiving were any different from the unaccompanied children they had cared for under past administrations. Figuring out they had been separated from their parents at the border under the zero tolerance policy took some investigative work, according to Bult. So did finding the detention centers where parents were being held. We would have phone numbers for all the detention centers up on our wall, and the staff would just start dialing, trying to figure out where their parents were. Once the agencies located the parents in a detention center, caseworkers traveled with the child to be reunited. Even then, the conditions of those reunions were beyond the caseworkers control, and cause for concern. Some children were flying cross-country at night. Others were parked in rental cars for hours, or arriving at detention centers that werent ready for them. Bult said Bethany workers had heard pretty horrific stories about children spending the night alone in those centers. The USCCB had served about 500 families with children over age 5 at Catholic-affiliated reception centers across Texas in El Paso, McAllen and San Antonio by the reunification deadline, according to Ashley Feasley, director of policy for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Migration and Refugee Services. At least one Catholic reception center still was receiving a handful of families considered reunited days after the deadline. Altogether, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service helped about 200 families at its Phoenix center, then set up another virtually overnight in Albuquerque, N.M., to take in an additional 30 families. In addition to providing clothing and shelter, those centers helped families connect with services that can help them comply with asylum and immigration proceedings. People are simply confused, and I dont blame them because things do change daily, said Kekic of Church World Service. Now that the separations largely have ended, there is a great need for additional services, he said, including help navigating legal proceedings or finding family in the U.S. or abroad, as well as medical assistance. HIAS is focusing its efforts on providing legal aid to families, according to president and CEO Mark Hetfield. The U.S. asylum system hasnt had enough resources for some time, Hetfield said, and if theres a silver lining to the situation, its that it has reawakened the American Jewish community. Advocating for refugees Bult said he still has a lot of questions. The government has said the 711 children who had not been reunited with family by the July 26 deadline have been deemed ineligible, mostly because their parents waived reunification rights or have not yet been found. But thats according to the federal government, Bult said. He is concerned that federal officials are determining which parents are fit to parent their own children after they had their children forcibly removed by the U.S. government. Some parents in countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras have asked caseworkers not to send teenage children back because its not safe, he said. But most do want to be reunited in their home countries, he said, and thats not going to happen quickly. At least three federal agencies the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, the Department of Health and Human Services and the judiciary need to coordinate with several foreign governments in what Bult calls a very bureaucratic process. Its important to look at the conditions they are fleeing from, he said. Ninety-five percent of them are coming from three countries: Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador three countries that rank first, third and fourth in the world for child murder rates. So many of these families and children are truly fleeing for their lives. Its important they are treated as refugees and asylum-seekers. Their interest in refugee work is what got the six faith-based refugee resettlement agencies involved in the family separation crisis in the first place. Their interest in refugee work is what got the six faith-based refugee resettlement agencies involved in the family separation crisis in the first place. The two arent unrelated, according to Matthew Soerens, U.S. director of church mobilization at World Relief. If people need to come, theyre going to come, said Jacobson, the World Relief volunteer who helped Karla. If they cant get permission beforehand, theyre going to show up at the border and then ask. LEHI Ask any entrepreneur and you'll hear that growing a new company from scratch is an uphill battle, regardless of your product or service, and the adage that success is "1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration" is one that has sprung directly from the struggles of the startup world. For Utah's Podium, one can only imagine the work behind its growth rate over the last three years, a staggering 13,645 percent, that has landed it in the No. 13 spot on the just-released Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. The company shared that news Wednesday at an event to celebrate the grand opening of its brand-new, $10 million, 125,000-square-foot headquarters in Lehi. Podium co-founder and CEO Eric Rea told the Deseret News that the rate at which his company has expanded has been breathtaking. "It's a little bit surreal," Rea said. "I just think back to 3 1/2 years ago, operating the business out of a spare bedroom in my apartment and fast-forward to becoming the 13th fastest-growing business in America. It's pretty amazing." The company specializes in helping offline businesses attract, communicate with and retain customers through the careful management of their online presences. Podium has built a client list numbering over 20,000, and its platform is generating more than 4 million customer/business interactions every month. The just completed Lehi office will be the new home for Podium's current roster of 350 employees, but Rea noted the company is on track to hire an additional 400 employees by 2020. Podium's potential was spotted early by Utah venture capital firm Peak Ventures, and Peak Managing Partner Sid Krommenhoek joined Rea, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and others for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday. He noted that even for the sometimes hyper-velocity tech realm, Podium is a unique performer. "There are companies that take decades to accomplish what Podium has accomplished," Krommenhoek said. "There's something extra about how Podium has done it." That extra, Rea noted, has been about never resting on laurels or feeling satisfied with the status quo. "Our goal continues to be how to modernize the way business happens locally," Rea said. "We have so much more to do and so much opportunity ahead of us." That view appears to be one shared by the heavy-hitting investors who have been drawn to the company. Podium has attracted over $90 million in venture investment, with the latest infusion coming earlier this summer via a $60 million round led by Silicon Valley's Institutional Venture Partners, with participation from GV (formerly Google Ventures), Accel, Summit Partners and Y Combinator. The company has also earned the support of Utah's Governor's Office of Economic Development. In June, the agency granted Podium a $1.1 million, post-performance tax credit on the company's anticipated expenditures of $124.7 million in wages over the next five years. In a statement, Inc. Editor-in-Chief James Ledbetter said Podium's success reflects the incredible drive of its founders and employees. "If your company is on the Inc. 5000, it's unparalleled recognition of your years of hard work and sacrifice," Ledbetter said. "The lines of business may come and go, or come and stay. What doesn't change is the way entrepreneurs create and accelerate the forces that shape our lives." SALT LAKE CITY Utah's crime lab has not hit benchmarks for processing evidence in new sexual assault cases, but its director says the progress will speed up as new employees finish their training. In the last year, 11 percent of the kits were analyzed within designated time frames that range from about a month to roughly six months, depending on the urgency of the case. The lab will have more capacity next year when each of its nine new scientists will have finished training, lab Director Jay Henry told the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee on Wednesday. Of the 373 kits that were analyzed in the last year, the lowest-priority cases had a goal of a 180-day turnaround, but the median time was 595 days. The kits contain swabs and other evidence collected by forensic nurses that are forwarded to police after analysis. The lab has separated them into first-, second- or third-tier priority, depending on whether the perpetrator poses a public safety risk, a court date is approaching, or they are deemed urgent for another reason. A 2018 law established timelines for processing the kits, Henry noted, but the Department of Public Safety received funding for just nine of the 17 new analysts it requested. "Overall, we're really encouraged by the progress we've made, but we still have a ways to go," Henry said. Rep. Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, said she will propose the Legislature set aside an extra $1.2 million to help the lab bring on the additional employees next year. The Department of Public Safety also is working through a backlog of more than 3,000 kits that a 2014 survey revealed were awaiting analysis. The presentation Wednesday reviewed progress of more recent cases. SALT LAKE CITY With the state's new school report card or dashboard a work in progress, Utah State Board of Education staff asked lawmakers Wednesday for suggestions for alternatives to letter grades so constituents get an accurate picture of academic progress of Utah schools. The Utah State Board of Education has suspended assigning letter grades to schools for one year while the public school system transitions to new statewide tests and state education leaders develop a results-based accountability system. Absent grades, state education administrators are attempting to develop a report card of accessible, meaningful indicators. After a year's moratorium, the board could return to letter grades given the current design of the new report card or use some other indicator, such as stars, to show how a school performs in terms of student achievement, academic growth, equity and proficiency of English language learners. One option is using points on a scale of 0-900, with schools scoring 617 to 900 deemed top performers or schools that score 400 or less considered those with critical needs. Rep. Brad Last, R-Hurricane, said he understands that many educators chafe at assigning letter grades to schools. "Is it just the ABCs that stresses everybody out? It seems to me, you're talking about the exactly the same thing by a different name," Last said. Nationwide, states take several different approaches to school ratings, according to the Education Commission of the States, a nonprofit education think tank. Thirteen states use letter grades, while 11 use a descriptive rating such as "needs improvement, average, good, great, excellent," according to the commission. Twelve states use index rating such as 1-100, while four states and the District of Columbia use stars ranking schools 1-5. Rep. Derrin Owens, R-Fountain Green, said as a former educator, he considers letter grades for schools "insulting." During the 2017 General Session, he successfully amended legislation that called for the new statewide school accountability report to forego letter grades for one year as new testing programs are implemented. Owens said it has been particularly frustrating when parents allow their children to opt out of statewide testing programs and "that affects your overall grade and defines who you are." Owens said he appreciates the latest version of the accountability report, which places more weight on achievement growth and tracks the proficiency of English learners among other indicators. "That tells me a lot more about a school and where I can improve in a variety of areas. It think it says a lot more to our parents and our whole education community. When we just put one letter grade on the whole school I think it can sometimes be demeaning when you don't have any control over some of those things," Owens said. Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay, also questioned how the State School Board will address the growing numbers of students who opt out of statewide testing, which is permitted by state law. "What are you going to do to lessen the effect? It's just a growing number. I see it in schools in my district that are the highest-performing kids," Moss said. Some schools went down a full letter grade because of reduced participation by students in testing and "it's skewing the results. How are we going to handle this?" she asked. Darin Nielsen, assistant superintendent of student learning, said preliminary data suggests there were slightly fewer opt outs on the most recent year of testing, although the opt-out rate statewide will likely be about 5 percent of students. "For this coming year, the fact that there's no overall grade on the report card, that resolves the concern for a year, temporarily. As a state board, we'll have to continue to work on a more long-term solution or solutions to that challenge," he said. Testing provides valuable information "and right now, a lot of people don't think it's valuable for any purpose," said Moss, a retired teacher. Nielsen said the upcoming changes in statewide assessments provide an opportunity "to communicate about those changes and also the value that statewide assessments provide to the community as a whole for transparency as we see on the report card. The less reliable our data is, the less reliability we have on our report card," which communities use to guide instructional, program and funding decisions. The issue of students opting out of statewide testing is a "multi-prong" challenge, Nielsen said. "The state board is doing the things within their power to address that," he said. Starting with the 2018-19 school year, students in grades 9 and 10 will be tested using the Utah Aspire Plus test. Earlier this year, the State School Board approved a contract with Questar Assessment Inc. for testing grades 3-8 after the existing contract for SAGE (Student Assessment of Growth and Excellence) expired. Eleventh graders will continue to take the ACT. Tiffany Stanley, chief of staff for the Utah State Board of Education, said the board plans to address the school report card again in September. SALT LAKE CITY The Utah Chiefs of Police Association told legislators Wednesday it has concerns over how feasible it will be for officers to quickly determine whether a person is lawfully or unlawfully carrying marijuana with them, in the event that a ballot initiative permitting its medical use passes. "We recognize that for a law enforcement officer on the street, it could be difficult for them to distinguish between legal cannabis possession, purchase and cultivation, versus illegal," said Tom Ross, Bountiful police chief and president of the board of directors for the Utah Chiefs of Police Association. "We're not sure how the officer on the street is going to be able to easily make a determination." The organization spoke Wednesday to the Health and Human Services Interim Committee about issues they believe may need addressing in implementing Utah's medical marijuana ballot initiative if voters pass it. The Department of Health, Department of Public Safety, Department of Agriculture, and Utah Administrative Offices of the Courts also spoke to the committee to weigh in on challenges their agencies might face in implementing the initiative, prompting committee members to open a bill file specifically to address those concerns. The initiative would allow patients with certain illnesses to obtain clearance for a medical card through their physician, allowing them to possess marijuana legally. Ross, who was also speaking on behalf of the Utah Sheriff's Association, said enforcing laws against marijuana possession may also be complicated if the initiative passes because "individuals will be able to legally possess cannabis before the medical cards are even in place and ready to go." Ross was referring to a portion of the Utah Medical Cannabis Act which states that until July 1, 2020, just a short time after medical cannabis cards would first be issued, "it is an affirmative defense to criminal charges ... that the individual would be eligible for a medical cannabis card, and that the individual's conduct would have been lawful" after that date with such a card. "Looking at it from an officer-on-the-street perspective, how are they going to be able to recognize all the qualifying illnesses?" Ross said, talking of the conditions that can qualify a person for a doctor-approved medical marijuana card. Connor Boyack, president of Libertas Institute an organization tightly connected with the origins of initiative campaign and the Utah Patients Coalition, the campaign's largest in-state donor spoke to the committee on behalf of the initiative's advocates and responded to concerns about implementation. Boyack contends that the reason for the "affirmative defense is just to say, if you want to go to a judge and appeal your case" on medical grounds, "you will at least have the option of doing so." He said it wouldn't be fair to patients not to preserve that legal defense while bureaucratic efforts to produce cards would be still catching up with Utahns' vote to protect medical use of marijuana. Jacey Skinner, deputy court administrator for the Utah Administrative Offices of the Courts, told the committee that the affirmative defense portion of the initiative would likely lead to "hotbeds of discussion and lots of motions" in Utah courtrooms, but "those are things the courts are well accustomed to dealing with." "The language itself doesn't present specific problems for the courts," Skinner added. Boyack also said legal versus illegal possession of marijuana will be more easily identifiable for police officers thanks to the initiative mandating that lawfully purchased product be kept in a secure container with specified labeling and packaging requirements including a trackable batch identification number. Despite his counterarguments, Boyack said, he and other advocates are not trying to say provisions detailing how the initiative should be implemented should be left untouched by legislators after being passed by voters. "(We are) more open than ever to say we recognize the legislature has an interest in making sure appropriate safeguards are in place," he said assuming a good faith effort to ensure "the core of what the public has passed is being enacted." Dr. Marc Babitz, deputy director of the Utah Department of Health, said the initiative would require that his agency build an electronic system keeping track of doctors' recommendations granting patients medical cannabis cards. "We don't have that system. ... There's a whole new system required," Babitz told the committee. Babitz said that and several other implementation tasks "would be very difficult on our budget and other responsibilities." Babitz worried that "there's nothing in the initiative that helps us verify that dispensaries are complying with the guidelines that are listed." Boyack disagreed with the characterization of a lack of enforcement ability regarding dispensaries. He said the initiative specifies "inspections can be conducted at any time." Scott Ericson, deputy commissioner of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, said there are currently multiple laws whose regulations conflict with that of the initiative, meaning such contradictions would need to be settled one way or another if the measure passes. Ericson also said the initiative could, in fact, undo the effects of recent Utah laws enabling the sale of CBD oil at pharmacies and other places. "The initiative language, from our understanding ... would require all cannabis products sold in the state to be sold in a dispensary," he said. "So the current language makes (CBD oil) available in many more places ... than the initiative would." Boyack said he is of the view that "there is no conflict" between the initiative and Utah laws expanding CBD oil availability in the state. WEST VALLEY CITY Three Arizona residents were charged Thursday with kidnapping a teenage boy this week and holding him hostage while demanding a ransom from his mother for his safe return. At one point, the trio was told to kill the boy, but his kidnappers opted to hold out for the money, charging documents state. Juan Carlos Moreno Trinidad, 41, Issa Al-Sadoon, 26, and Nadia Avalos, 31, all of Phoenix, were arrested Tuesday by West Valley police. They were each changed in 3rd District Court Thursday with aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony; and theft by extortion, a second-degree felony. A 17-year-old was "forcefully" taken and held hostage in a hotel room where his kidnappers demanded money for his return, "all while indicating (through the victims phone calls) that they would kill or do bodily harm to the victim if their demands were not met," according to Salt Lake County Jail reports. When police later rescued the boy, he told them "that he had been taken at gunpoint, and he believed if he did not go with them his mother would likely be hurt. The victim gave information that he was told to make the phone calls to his mother for the ransom demands," the reports state. The boy's mother was told "she needed to pay $5,000 if she wanted to see him alive," according to charging documents. The trio called from two different numbers and sent her a video message showing her son in the back of a truck, investigators say. West Valley police spokeswoman Roxeanne Vainuku said the boy was taken from the area of 3500 S. Redwood. She said the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force was working on an unrelated investigation when it learned about the kidnapping. That's when both West Valley police and the FBI became involved in the case. With the help of surveillance video from businesses in the area of the kidnapping, detectives were able to track down the teenager and the kidnappers, Vainuku said. One of the defendant's phones was pinged to a park-and-ride lot off I-15 near 7200 South, the charges state. Police found the abandoned truck there. Zip ties and duct tape were also found in the vehicle. Surveillance video shows the three take the teen into another car, according to the charges. Another phone ping led investigators to Motel 6, 315 W. 3300 South, where they surrounded the hotel and arrested one of the men when he left the room to go to his car, Vainuku said. Inside the vehicle investigators found a gun and a "large knife." Contact was then made with the remaining two people inside the room who were talked into surrendering, according to Vainuku. She said from the time her department was notified until the teen was recovered was about eight hours. Investigators believe the alleged kidnapping was drug-related and that the teen was not chosen at random. The three drove to Utah from Arizona on Aug. 10 to look for the boy's mother to collect a drug debt, according to the charges. Three days later, they went to the store where the woman worked and spotted her son. They had the boy take his mother's truck and kidnapped him at gunpoint, according to court records. Two of the suspects called their "boss" who told them to kill the boy and take the truck, the charges state. Trinadad wanted to kill the teen but Al-Sadoon wanted the money, so they kidnapped him instead, investigators wrote. The three allegedly told the boy that if he came up with $2,000 they would let him go. When he told them he didn't have the money, the men told the boy "that he needed to hide" from his mother for a few days "so that they could leave the state" and get his mother to pay the ransom, according to the charges. Details about the possible connection between the three suspects and the boy and his family were not revealed. According to the reports, at least one of the alleged captors "admitted to being addicted to heroin and said he was going through withdrawals." Inside the hotel room, "a second loaded firearm, several phones and a small amount of a crystal-like substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine were located," the reports state. SALT LAKE CITY President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Thursday that church leaders have launched a major effort to use the full name of the church instead of nicknames or abbreviations. "The Lord has impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He has revealed for His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," President Nelson said in a statement. "We have work before us to bring ourselves in harmony with His will. In recent weeks, various Church leaders and departments have initiated the necessary steps to do so." A style guide released by the church alongside the statement said, "Please avoid using the abbreviation 'LDS' or the nickname 'Mormon' as substitutes for the name of the Church, as in 'Mormon Church,' 'LDS Church,' or 'Church of the Latter-day Saints.'" The announcement and style guide raised questions about the future of the names of famous church institutions like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, LDS Business College and the Mormon Channel. It also appeared to represent a seismic cultural and linguistic shift with more heft than previous efforts to encourage members to avoid "Mormon," a complicated term in church history. Ironically, the announcement came via one of the church's official websites, mormonnewsroom.org. That site and others, including possibly the church's main website, lds.org, could receive updated names and shows the enormity of the challenge ahead for the church. 'Monumental lift' The news elicited immediate questions on Twitter and elsewhere: What will happen to the names of mormon.org, LDS Charities, Mormon Messages, the "Meet the Mormons" movies or LDS Philanthropies? The church declined to comment on specifics, pointing to its statement, which added, "In the coming months, Church websites and materials will be updated to reflect this direction from President Nelson." For the past decade and more, the church has used the nickname "Mormon" in the official names of websites, media channels and international branding campaigns like "I'm a Mormon," in which church members were encouraged to share in videos and written statements who they are in their regular lives and finish by stating their name and saying, "... and I'm a Mormon." Additionally, the terms are ingrained in daily life within the church. "It's going to be a huge lift internally," said Patrick Mason, the Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University. "It will be a monumental lift." He noted that church members quickly adopted the new vocabulary of ministering brothers and sisters, introduced in April, but said that Mormon is a "much steeper climb of name recognition." "There's always been a kind of ambivalence about this, and I think the problem is a practical one of how do you get around the word Mormon? It's a word that's nearly 200 years old. It's far better known than the preferred usage from the church." He said that while church members may adopt the new verbiage, it will find tougher sledding outside the church. Still, Mason said the emphasis on the name could resonate internationally. Mormon carries a lot of negative connotation, we know from surveys, he said. Mormon is even a more fraught term internationally than domestically. Maybe this is yet another part of President Nelsons administration keeping an eye on the global church even if it causes a little discomfort or anxiety within the U.S. church. Changing the name of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir would grab attention. The new style guide hinted the choir's name might be among extensive changes that would separate the effort announced Thursday from attempts by past church leaders to create distance from the nickname. The church's old style guide for its name, published on what was then Mormon Newsroom, said that "Mormon" was an appropriate adjective for phrases like Mormon trail, Mormon pioneers and Mormon Tabernacle Choir. On Thursday, the new style guide on Newsroom no longer included the pioneers or the choir as examples of appropriate uses. The history The church has had a complicated relationship with the term Mormon since its restoration in 1830. Church leaders long chafed at antagonists calling them Mormons and, early on, Mormonites, but in recent decades they have been more accepting of the nickname. Joseph Smith received the full name of the church by revelation in 1838. Before that, it had gone by the Church of Jesus Christ and, from 1834-38, the Church of the Latter-day Saints. At various times, leaders have encouraged the use of the full, official name of the church. Late President Marion G. Romney of the First Presidency said in a 1979 general conference that church members do not resent being called Mormons but said the term Mormon church is inaccurate. In 1990, then-Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a conference talk titled "Thus Shall My Church Be Called." "By divine directive, the title of the church bears the sacred name of Jesus Christ, whose church this is," he said then. "He so decreed more than once. Nearly two thousand years ago, the Lord said, 'Ye shall call the church in my name; And how be it my church save it be called in my name?'" In the next conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley of the First Presidency endorsed Elder Nelson's talk but noted the stickiness of the nickname. "I suppose that regardless of our efforts, we may never convert the world to general use of the full and correct name of the Church. Because of the shortness of the word Mormon and the ease with which it is spoken and written, they will continue to call us the Mormons_,_ the Mormonchurch and so forth." He added his hope that the actions of church members would lead others to think of the word Mormon meant "more good." "We may not be able to change the nickname," he said, "but we can make it shine with added luster." In 2001, then-Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Twelve told the New York Times that he didn't mind being called a Mormon, but didn't want to be said to belong to "the Mormon church." At that time, the First Presidency issued an official letter posted in church buildings that encouraged use of the full, official name or shortened versions that included the name of Jesus Christ. "We discourage referring to the Church as 'The Mormon Church,' 'The Latter-day Saints Church or 'The LDS Church,'" the letter said. It added that the nickname Mormon was acceptable to describe church members. In 2008, Elder Lance B. Wickman, the church's general counsel, asserted the church's intellectual property rights to the term Mormon with journalists, a clear effort to create distance between the church and polygamist groups. In 2011, the late Elder Boyd K. Packer said, "It is one thing for others to refer to the Church as the Mormon Church or to us as Mormons; it is quite another for us to do so." Six months later, then-Elder M. Russell Ballard, today the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve, said the nickname Mormon was acceptable but encouraged use of the full, official name of the church and discouraged the term "Mormon church." "(The full name of the church) is the name by which the Lord will call us at the last day," he said. "It is the name by which His Church will be distinguished from all others." He returned to the subject in 2014, when he additionally discouraged the use of "LDS Church." Now, with President Nelson and President Oaks in the First Presidency, and President Ballard at the head of the Twelve, the issue has returned, with President Nelson indicating that the full force and weight of church headquarters and departments will be behind the emphasis this time. Sheri Dew, executive vice president and chief content officer of Deseret Management Corporation, heard President Nelson refer briefly to the name of the church in his message at a sacrament meeting on Sunday. "He said we need to restore and use the full name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that we would be hearing more about it," she said in a KSL NewsRadio interview. "Here we are four days later, and were hearing more about it. "This appears to be a more seismic shift than just a reinforcement of a former policy," she said. "I don't believe this is a name change. It is a correction. One major problem with every nickname we have used through the years is that they all cut out the name of Jesus Christ She later added, "The other problem is that the Savior himself told us what he wanted the church to be called. We are followers of Jesus Christ, and we need to be willing to declare it." She also noted President Nelson's language. "This is pretty clear language from the president of the church," she said. "It seems that he is saying he feels compelled to address this. And that is a signal to all of us as members to listen up." The statement, along with the style guide, were posted on the church's Newsroom website. Updated style guide The updated style guide states, in part: In the first reference, the full name of the Church is preferred: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." When a shortened reference is needed, the terms "the Church" or the "Church of Jesus Christ" are encouraged. The "restored Church of Jesus Christ" is also accurate and encouraged. While the term "Mormon Church" has long been publicly applied to the Church as a nickname, it is not an authorized title, and the Church discourages its use. Thus, please avoid using the abbreviation "LDS" or the nickname "Mormon" as substitutes for the name of the Church, as in "Mormon Church," "LDS Church," or "Church of the Latter-day Saints." When referring to Church members, the terms "members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" or "Latter-day Saints" are preferred. We ask that the term "Mormons" not be used. "Mormon" is correctly used in proper names such as the Book of Mormon or when used as an adjective in such historical expressions as "Mormon Trail." The term "Mormonism" is inaccurate and should not be used. When describing the combination of doctrine, culture and lifestyle unique to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the term "the restored gospel of Jesus Christ" is accurate and preferred. When referring to people or organizations that practice polygamy, it should be stated that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not affiliated with polygamous groups. SALT LAKE CITY Orem ballroom dance group The Pulse had an unusual challenge when they performed a dance routine to Jennifer Lopezs song Amor, Amor, Amor Wednesday night: Impress the very woman who sang that song and make it on to the next World of Dance round. It was close but the group with the women wearing hot pink fringe jumpsuits pulled it off, receiving a combined score of 84.3 from judges Lopez, Derek Hough and Ne-Yo for their Latin ballroom routine. The eight-member team, with dancers ages 15-17, beat their rival for the round, Iowa Girlz, by the slim margin of 0.3. By the hairs on your chinny chin chin, said Hough, a Utah native who studied at the same Orem dance studio as The Pulse, after the scores were revealed. That was close. Wow! The Pulses full performance didnt air on Wednesday night's Duels round the second stage of the competition but NBCs World of Dance YouTube channel released a digital exclusive of the performance. Wednesday night marked the end of the Duels round, and all three World of Dance acts from Utah this season The Pulse, Jaxon Willard and Charity and Andres have advanced to the third round of the competition, the Cut. The Cut will begin airing on NBC next Wednesday at 8 p.m. MT. Google brought numerous changes and additions to the Android ecosystem with the latest Android 9 Pie. Almost all of these changes were for helping users be more productive, while adding to their overall security and privacy. However, some users might find one of these changes unwelcoming as the company has made it impossible for call recording apps to work on devices running on Android Pie unless one roots their device. As per a report by PunikiaWeb, via XDA Developers, third-party developers of well-known call recording apps like CallRecorder ACR and BoldBeast Android Call Recorder have confirmed that their apps will not work on Android 9 and above unless the device is rooted. To recall, Google killed the official call recording API with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The only way to get the feature was via third-party apps as developers were still able to come up with a workaround. However, with Android Pie, Google has reportedly blocked the workaround and as per third-party app developers, Google has added more call recording limits and they have discovered that the workaround allowing calls to be recorded up until Android 8.1 Oreo has apparently been closed. A Boldbeast admin did say that users can enable the feature using their app if they root their device. However, its a complex process that could be inconvenient for a large number of users and not to mention, rooting will also void the warranty of an Android device. Its been almost a week since Google announced the final build of Android 9 Pie for its Pixel series of smartphones. The new operating system comes with inbuilt support for display with a notch, brings new navigation methods and a slew of visibility changes. Android Pie brings many new features and alterations to the existing Android Oreo ecosystem like Adaptive Battery, Adaptive Brightness, App Actions and more. You can read our in-depth rundown of the new features in Android Pie here. Modi announces Ayushman Bharat health insurance launch on 25 September Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort in the national capital, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reiterated his government's unwavering commitment to the take the nation to newer heights. In his Independence Day speech that lasted nearly 82-minutes, the prime minister spoke on a wide range of issues and made several key announcements, including an ambitious healthcare scheme and Indias plan for a manned mission to the space in 2022. In perhaps his last Independence Day address in the present government ahead of the Lok Sabha elections due next year, the PM spoke at length about the progress India has made under his government and asserted that the world is taking note of its rise. Modi said India will launch its first manned space mission by 2022, which could make it the fourth nation to do so after the United States, Russia and China. On the occasion of the 72nd Independence Day, Modi also announced an ambitious medical insurance scheme for the poor to be launched on 25 September, which would benefit about 500 million people. It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare, Modi said in his address. He said the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan (Ayushman Bharat) will be launched on 25 September 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. Asserting that technology will play a crucial role in the implementation of the programme, he said in four to six weeks, testing of these technology tools under the scheme will start. He said the Swachh Bharat Mission will enable lakhs of children in leading healthier lives. On Jammu and Kashmir, the prime minister quoted Atal Bihari Vajpayees words - Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, Jamuriyat. 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 Kashmi, Modi said. He said the eastern states like 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, he said. 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. Modi said his government 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. In today's India, there is no place for nepotism. We have ensured environmental clearances are done transparently. 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, Modi said. The prime minister also announced that women officers who joined the armed forces under short service commission are now eligible for permanent commission. 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. As important as economic growth is the dignity of the individual. Initiatives such as Ujjwala and Saubhagya Yojana are enhancing the dignity of fellow Indians, he said. On the agricultural front, Modi said his government will give full attention on modernisation. With a 'Beej Se Bazar Tak' approach, we are bringing remarkable changes in the agriculture sector. The aim is to double farmer incomes by 2022. India, he said, is proud of its scientists, who are excelling in their research and are at the forefront of innovation. We have decided to send an Indian to space before or by 2022 when India celebrates its 75 years of Independence, Modi said. 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 he said. India seeks China role in northeast connectivity plan After 20 rounds of border talks, India seems to have veered round to accepting Chinas belt-and-road initiative, at least in newly-drafted project that involves connecting the northeastern states with Bangladeshs Chittagong port. Wikimedia Commons Cabinet ministers of three BJP-ruled states Assam, Tripura and Nagaland are currently in China looking for scope of cooperation between the two neighbours, especially in the eastern sector that is also key to Indias Look East policy. 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. Of late, there has also been a thaw in India-China relations, which had deteriorated after the Doklam stand-off and some other events in 2017, including the visit of Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh and Indias critical stance on Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. The change in Chinas attitude became evident this year when China informed India that it will resume military exchanges one of the key takeaways from the Wuhan summit, according to the foreign ministry. Last month, a PLA delegation visited India with a reciprocal trip by Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Abhay Krishna. India, on the other hand, seemed to give Taiwan the status of a Chinese territory, when it changed the name from Taiwan to Chinese Taipei in Air Indias route map. Foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale is reported to have told members of the parliamentary standing committee that India had in 1949 made a declaration making the Ambassador of the Republic of China a persona non-grata. Gokhale stated this was an irretrievable step. Gokhale also noted that the trajectory of Indias relationship with China, in terms of number of agreements, official presence or trade, has been moving upwards, although there has been no official agreement on it. So I would certainly say that within the policy parameters that the government of India has laid down, we are making efforts to ensure that in non-official ways and in terms of people-to-people relations and within the constraints of our policy, we will reach out and we are trying our best to ensure that contact takes place between Taiwan and India. While India has so far been reluctant to allow implementation of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative across its borders, Ram Madhav of RSS said Chinese investments can be in consumer goods and products like batteries for e-bikes. He did not mention infrastructure development by the Chinese. Where there is mutually beneficial arrangement possible, there well take them. Where there are concerns, we wont allow many people there, he said. Very little has so far been done to improve connectivity in the northeast. Southwest China can use the northeast as a hub to go to the Indian Ocean through Chittagong, said Madav, who is in charge of BJPs northeast affairs. Madhav said India is developing Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal as sub-regional hubs and even invited Chinese to use northeast to access the Indian Ocean through Chittagong. The new plan involves moving goods from the northeast to Chittagong port instead of shipping them all the way from Mumbai and Chennai ports. Right now, goods to northeast are taken by rail and road from Mumbai or Chennai through Kolkata to Guwahati, he said. Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee passes away Former Prime Minister and a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away in the afternoon today, after undergoing treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for the past two months. Vajpayee (93), and a diabetic patient, has been undergoing treatment at the AIIMS since 11 June. He was under critical life support for the past 24 hours after his condition deteriorated, the AIIMS said in a release. "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 system," said a statement from AIIMS. Vajpayee is known for his earnest efforts at reconciliation with a hostile Pakistan and placing development on the forefront of the country's political agenda. The former PM has left an enduring legacy for the nation and the region where he was much loved and respected across the political spectrum and national boundaries, including in Pakistan. Vajpayee is a three-time prime minister and is the only non-Congress prime minister to complete the full term of five years, from 1999 to 2004. Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited AIIMS to enquire about Vajpayees health. AIIMS authorities said that the Prime Minister visited the hospital around 7.18 pm and was with Vajpayee for about 15 minutes. Union finance minister Piyush Goyal and union textiles minister Smriti Irani also visited AIIMS in the evening around 8.30 pm and 6.00 pm, respectively, to enquire about the health of the 93-year-old BJP stalwart. Vajpayee was born in the year 1924 he presided over the countrys destiny in the tumultuous period. Vajpayee, a peace lover, stunned the world by making India a declared nuclear state and then almost went to war with Pakistan before making peace with it in the most dramatic fashion. In the process, his popularity came to match that of Indira Gandhi, a woman he admired for her guts even as he hated her politics. He also became the best-known national leader after Indira Gandhi and her father Jawaharlal Nehru. Vajapyee first became the prime minister of the country for just 13 days, from 16 to 28 May 1996, after his deputy LK Advani, chose not to contest elections that year. His second term came on 19 March 1998, and lasted 13 months, a period during which India stunned the world by undertaking a series of nuclear tests that invited global reproach and sanctions. But the blasts enabled him to return as Prime Minister for the third time on 13 October 1999, a tenure that lasted a full five-year term. When finally he stepped down in May 2004, after an election that he was given to believe he would win, it marked the end of a long and eventful political career spanning six decades. He did his Masters in Political Science, studying at the Victoria College in Gwalior and at the DAV College in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, where he first contested, and lost, elections. He began his professional career as a journalist, working with Rashtradharma, a Hindi monthly, Panchjanya, a Hindi weekly, and two Hindi dailies, Swadesh and Veer Arjun. By then he had firmly embraced the ideals of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). His first entry into Parliament was in 1962 through the Rajya Sabha, the upper house. It was only in 1971 that he won a Lok Sabha election. He was elected to the lower house seven times and to the Rajya Sabha twice. Vajpayee spent months in prison when Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency rule in June 1975 and put her political opponents in jail. When the Janata Party took office in 1977, dethroning the Congress for the first time, he became the foreign minister. The lowest point in his career came when he lost the 1984 Lok Sabha polls, that too from his birthplace Gwalior, after Rajiv Gandhi won an overwhelming majority following his mother Indira Gandhi's assassination. He brought into governance measures that created for India a distinct international status on the diplomatic and economic fronts. In his third prime ministerial stint, Vajpayee launched a widely acclaimed diplomatic initiative by starting a bus service between New Delhi and Pakistan's Lahore city. Its inaugural run in February 1999 carried Vajpayee and was welcomed on the border by his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif. It was suspended only after the 2001 terror attack on the Indian Parliament that nearly led to a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. The freeze between the two countries, including an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation on the border for nearly a year, was finally cracked in the spring of 2003 when Vajpayee, while in Kashmir, extended a "hand of friendship" to Pakistan. That led to the historic summit in January 2004 with then President Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad -- a remarkable U-turn after the failed summit in Agra of 2001. Despite the two men being so far apart in every way, Musharraf developed a strong liking for the Indian leader. But reconciliation with Pakistan remained an unfinished agenda for Vajpayee. Rare cancer could be caught early using simple blood tests A pioneering study into myeloma, a rare cancer, 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) and is published in the British Journal of General Practice. 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 2,703 cases taken up to five years prior to diagnosis were analysed and compared with those of 12,157 patients without the 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. Constantinos Koshiaris, lead author of the study, from Oxford University, 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". Each year approximately 5,700 people are diagnosed with myeloma in the UK alone. It can lead to symptoms such as bone pain, fatigue and kidney failure. It 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 having had at least three primary care consultations. Professor Willie Hamilton, of the University of Exeter Medical School, is principal investigator on the study. He said "Ordinarily a GP will see a patient with myeloma every five years - and early diagnosis matters. More timely treatment could significantly improve survival rates for this disease. 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. Why do women get more migraines? Research published today reveals a potential mechanism for migraine causation which could explain why women get more migraines than men. The study, in Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences, suggests that sex hormones affect cells around the trigeminal nerve and connected blood vessels in the head, with estrogens at their highest levels in women of reproductive age being particularly important for sensitizing these cells to migraine triggers. The finding provides scientists with a promising new route to personalized treatments for migraine patients. "We can observe significant differences in our experimental migraine model between males and females and are trying to understand the molecular correlates responsible for these differences," explains Professor Antonio Ferrer-Montiel from the Universitas Miguel Hernandez, Spain. "Although this is a complex process, we believe that modulation of the trigeminovascular system by sex hormones plays an important role that has not been properly addressed." Ferrer-Montiel and his team reviewed decades of literature on sex hormones, migraine sensitivity and cells' responses to migraine triggers to identify the role of specific hormones. Some (like testosterone) seem to protect against migraines, while others (like prolactin) appear to make migraines worse. They do this by making the cells' ion channels, which control the cells' reactions to outside stimuli, more or less vulnerable to migraine triggers. Some hormones need much more research to determine their role. However, estrogen stands out as a key candidate for understanding migraine occurrence. It was first identified as a factor by the greater prevalence of migraine in menstruating women and the association of some types of migraine with period-related changes in hormone levels. The research team's evidence now suggests that estrogen and changes in estrogen levels sensitise cells around the trigeminal nerve to stimuli. That makes it easier to trigger a migraine attack. However, Ferrer-Montiel cautions that their work is preliminary. The role of estrogen and other hormones in migraine is complex and much more research is needed to understand it. The authors emphasise the need for longitudinal studies focusing on the relationship between menstrual hormones and migraines. Their current work relies on in vitro and animal models, which aren't easy to translate to human migraine sufferers. Nonetheless, Ferrer-Montiel and his colleagues see a promising future for migraine medication in their current findings. They intend to continue their research using pre-clinical, human-based models which better reflect real patients. "If successful, we will contribute to better personalized medicine for migraine therapy," he says. The research is part of a special article collection on cell membrane proteins as targets for drugs. BMW has begun slowly lifting the sheet off its seventh-generation 3-Series. Along with images of a camouflaged mule testing at the gruelling Nurburgring, the German maker has added specific details of its newest rival to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4. The new model sits on platform architecture underneath the 5-Series and 7-Series, with a stiffer body, wider track, reduced noise and weight savings of up to 55kg. The car will also have a 50:50 weight distribution and a lower centre of gravity, all helping the M3 and M4 performance models gain an edge. Steering response and feel sees an overhaul with a new variable ratio steering setup, more camber and 10mm lower ride height via optional M suspension dampers. New lift-related dampers will be fit to all models and are said to improve compliance and comfort while still providing a stable footing for sporty driving, at least according to head of driving dynamics Peter Langen. "We're using the lift-related dampers as an active set-up element so as to create supreme driving properties in all conditions," he said. "With short spring travel, a sensitive damping response ensures comfortable vibration compensation. When the car passes over large bumps, the body movements are controlled by increased damping forces." 'Serious delays' to maintenance and repair works on houses owned by Louth County Council is causing worry and stress for tenants, according to a Dundalk councillor. Sinn Feins Anne Campbell says there has been a massive slow-down in getting maintenance and repairs completed with council officials saying that all works are subject to the maintenance budget in the second half of the year. Cllr Campbell raised the issue at the last meeting of Louth County Council. According to the figures, maintenance requests have increased by 20% in two years, I also noted that work had been approved at tenants homes, but had not been done because of cost. I asked director of housing, Joe McGuinness, if there was a problem with money. In response, Mr McGuinness said: There are issues with a significant number of housing maintenance requests and there are budgetary pressures. They are being prioritised and some will be done. Cllr. Campbell said: I have noticed that the delays between maintenance or repair requests going in and the work getting done have been getting longer and longer since June. I have sought updates on behalf of a number of constituents and have been told that there are 'budgetary pressures' and each job is subject to the funding being available for it. There are people who have come to me who have been waiting for months to get relatively small, but important, work done to their council houses and it's just not happening. Indeed, there is currently no indication, in many of these cases, when the work may be carried out. Cllr Campbell pointed out that Louth County Council has a responsibility to its tenants in the same way a private landlord has certain obligations to his/her tenants, including repairing and maintaining the structure of the property and maintaining the interior of the property to the standard it was at the start of the tenancy. We would not accept budgetary pressures from a private landlord and we should not accept this reason from local authorities either. This is causing a lot of stress and worry for people who are waiting to get work completed. 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. The principal of St Vincents Secondary School in Dundalk has issued a statement in the wake of a comment made in an article published on the Dundalk Democrat website yesterday. All students deserve to be celebrated for sitting their Leaving Certificate examinations and celebrated for their individual achievement and success, said Mrs Matthews, in a statement which was published on the schools website on Thursday. Looking at the text of the Dundalk Democrat article in print, I can understand how it could have been misinterpreted. It is upsetting for me as the Principal and for us as a school community if any student felt as a result of that comment she has not achieved success. We at St Vincents are absolutely delighted with the achievement of all our students and we would like to congratulate them and their families on their success, the statement added. We would remind all students and parents, as I stated on graduation night, that Leaving Certificate results do not define them as a person. Mrs Matthews wished all students who took the exams every success in the future. Statement in full: http://www.stv.ie/Content/2018/8/Statement_18.8.18.pdf Instantly delete email threats for Office 365 With the free app, 365 Threat Monitor, scan all emails as they reach your users' mailboxes to detect ransomware, phishing and spam. Get real-time phone alerts + security breach updates and delete threats instantly with just one click. Download now! The Internet of Things may be in its infancy, but the U.S. government has been gearing up to determine what the proper federal role should be, both for encouraging and for regulating the use of IoT technology. Two recent developments have underscored the government's interest in IoT. On the regulatory front, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has launched an initiative to determine a framework for regulation related to IoT. The agency finished taking comments from IT providers, other affected businesses and the public last month. The comment period followed a public hearing this spring, during which major interested parties presented their views on potential IoT regulation. The second action was the recent introduction of the SMART IoT Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill includes two major elements. First, it directs the U.S. Commerce Department to conduct a comprehensive study of virtually all aspects of the "Internet-connected devices industry" -- also referenced in the bill as the "Internet of Things." The legislation further directs the Commerce Department to describe, in a comprehensive fashion, what various federal agencies have been doing with regard to the development and potential regulation of IoT. Currently the CPSC, the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and the National Institute of Standards, among other federal entities, have embarked on some kind of IoT program. The bill is designed to provide lawmakers with the appropriate background to shape federal policy regarding the IoT. A key sponsor of the bill, Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, noted that "because IoT is increasingly becoming ubiquitous, it is very difficult to know who is doing what -- both in the federal government and in the private sector." The bill, H.R. 6032, is pending a vote by the full House. Actions Reflect Caution However, the IT community should not be overly concerned that a robust federal regulatory regime is looming -- at least not at this point. Take the actions by the CPSC, for example. In its invitation for public comment, the agency specifically sought information on how Internet-connected products might be hazardous to consumers, and what actions the commission could take to eliminate or mitigate those hazards. In addition to discussing potential safety hazards resulting from connecting consumer products to the IoT, the hearing was meant to address the CPSC's role in addressing them. With its latest actions, the CPSC appears more interested in exploring the impact of IoT than in contemplating any specific set of regulations. "I think it's appropriate for CPSC to take a look at the IoT and how cyberthreats can lead to product safety issues and [consider the] agency's oversight function," said Ari Schwartz, executive director of the Cybersecurity Coalition, which includes AT&T, Cisco, Microsoft and Symantec. "Of course, we would favor the use of industry standards in any regulatory regime," he told the E-Commerce Times. "Right now, it's too early to tell what direction the CPSC will take. The agency has to determine how broad its scope will be," Schwartz said. "I think CPSC is currently in the exploratory phases as to its role with IoT. The agency is genuinely interested in just learning more about IoT and its impacts," said Rachel Weintraub, general counsel for the Consumer Federation of America. In its comments to the CPSC, the Cybersecurity Coalition stressed that safety and security standards for loT devices were inextricably linked and should be addressed in tandem, and that any standards should be set through a voluntary, consensus-based, and industry-led approach. The wide array of IoT products and applications mitigate against any one-size-fits-all approach to standardization and regulation, the group contended. A single standard "runs counter to where the industry is going," Schwartz said at the CPSC hearing. "While best practices and voluntary standards are helpful, they may not be adequate to protect consumers from the potential safety risks of using connected devices," CFA's Weintraub said at the hearing. "The IoT raises questions about whether current product safety and product liability laws need to be rethought," she noted, referencing a report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Mandatory vs. Voluntary "Mandatory standards have an inherent enforceability and stronger compliance element," Weintraub told the E-Commerce Times. Still, by statute the CPSC's regulatory approach generally centers on the use of voluntary standards, she acknowledged, although mandatory actions are permitted under certain circumstances. That issue aside, CFA strongly recommends two actions designed to get ahead of any formal regulatory scheme, Weintraub said. First is that producers should strive to incorporate safety into the original design of any connected device, product or application. Second is that all federal agencies with a stake in IoT regulation should cooperate in a working group to determine jurisdictional scope, adequate risk analysis, and a truly outcome-oriented approach, to ensure that nothing falls through the cracks in the federal effort to protect consumers from IoT related risks. The focus of the SMART IoT Act appears to be striking a balance between regulation and connected technologies development -- with a tilt toward encouraging innovation. The act explicitly refrains from setting out a stringent national regulatory program. At the federal level, the legislation "will help promote interagency discussions and help avoid conflicting or duplicative obligations or requirements that may slow innovation and progress," said sponsor Latta. Private Sector Engaged At the industry level, the SMART IoT Act "will help innovators and businesses know how entities are developing, using and promoting use of IoT solutions," Latta noted. The bill also will "highlight industry-based efforts to self-regulate and provide industry with a one-stop-shop for a compilation of industry-based standards -- both ones already in effect and those currently being developed," he said. While the SMART IoT Act can be helpful in describing federal efforts related to the technology, significant actions already are under way within and between agencies, and between agencies and the private sector, the Cybersecurity Coalition's Schwartz noted. The Commerce Department itself has organized an internal Internet policy task force composed of NTIA, NIST, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the International Trade Administration to keep tabs on Internet commerce, including IoT. The NTIA, for example, last week conducted a multi-stakeholder public dialogue on software component transparency related to IoT. Representatives from Rapid 7, Microsoft, and the Atlantic Council assisted in coordinating the meeting. NTIA also has initiated an effort to ensure the integrity of IoT software, including the establishment of adequate patching mechanisms and security functions, and in the process has engaged with the private sector. Recent federal developments clearly indicate that IoT is firmly on the radar screen of federal agencies charged with electronic commerce policy, but the current posture is consistent with that of the previous administration. Just days before the Obama administration left office, the Commerce Department released a green paper examining the benefits and challenges of the evolving IoT landscape, and suggesting that the federal government should continue to nurture innovative technology. John K. Higgins has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2009. His main areas of focus are U.S. government technology issues such as IT contracting, cybersecurity, privacy, cloud technology, big data and e-commerce regulation. As a freelance journalist and career business writer, he has written for numerous publications, including The Corps Report and Business Week. Email John. 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. Large corporations are not the only businesses governed by the European General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, which became effective last month. Small and mid-sized businesses also are subject to its provisions. The regulation applies to the processing of personal data of individuals in the EU by an individual, a company or an organization engaged in professional or commercial activities. "The common misconception is that if you don't have an office in the EU, then the GDPR doesn't apply to you," said Cindy Zhou, principal analyst at Constellation Research. However, shipping products to the European Economic Area (EEA) or sourcing them from the region are activities governed by the GDPR, she told the E-Commerce Times. "The online marketplace has no borders," noted Wesley Young, VP for public affairs at the Local Search Association. That may be changing, however. "We have seen many small businesses ... exclude EU subjects from their clientele to avoid exposure to GDPR risks," observed Andrew Frank, distinguished analyst at Gartner. "This could impact assumptions about the frictionless global nature of e-business," he told the E-Commerce Times. GDPR Pitfalls for Unwary SMBs The GDPR's definition of personal data is "very broad," LSA's Young told the E-Commerce Times. "That would include IP addresses, location information, demographic information, and other general data used for targeting ads." The term "process" also is broadly defined, "and includes collecting and storing data, even if it isn't further used," he observed. "The breadth of the GDPR's application lends itself to be easily but unintentionally violated," Young noted. For example, not following through on policy changes -- failing to abide by new privacy policies, or not training staff to adhere to them -- might be a violation. Using data beyond the reason for which it was collected might be a violation, suggested Young, as consent has to be given for specific purposes. The Ins and Outs of Consent The GDPR "allows six different legal bases for collecting or processing personal data, of which consent is but one," said Robert Cattanach, partner at Dorsey & Whitney. For most e-commerce situations, the transaction arguably constitutes a contract, and "additional consent may not be required" to collect personal data necessary to conclude the transaction, he told the E-Commerce Times. However, the question of consent will arise when a merchant engages third-party vendors to track or monitor customer behavior on its website. Monitoring or aggregating customer behavior on a merchant's website to learn when a customer decides to place an order or abandon the search by using cookies is one option, Cattanach noted. "The UK's Information Commissioner's Office has opined that implied consent may be sufficient for such site tracking," he pointed out. Therefore, a pop-up banner stating continued use of the site means consent to the use of cookies might suffice -- although some of the German data protection authorities might not agree. For the collection of personal data, a pop-up requiring the customer to independently agree to it would be necessary. Two major issues remain unresolved, according to Cattanach: What constitutes informed consent is still "a matter of ongoing dispute"; and Responses to data subject access requests -- such as the right to discover what data has been collected, correct errors, and request to be forgotten -- "are legally less problematic on their face but, as a practical matter, may be more difficult to execute." Requests to be forgotten require merchants to establish process flows for the intake of such requests; set policies for when such requests will be granted or denied; and implement procedures for responding within 30 days. That is "no small undertaking," Cattanach remarked, "which is why many SMBs have just decided to avoid triggering GDPR by expunging all existing data of EU residents and blocking EU IP addresses from accessing their websites going forward." Records of processing were expected to be the most challenging of the data subject rights requirements by 48.5 percent of more than 1,300 U.S. business users and consumers who participated in an online survey CompliancePoint conducted this spring. Only 29 percent of respondents to the CompliancePoint survey were fully aware of the GDPR; 44 percent were somewhat aware and 26 percent were unaware. Other data subject rights problems they anticipated: Accountability - 41 percent; Consent and data portability - 39.7 percent each; and Right to be forgotten - 35.3 percent. GDPR Readiness Twenty-four percent of business respondents to the CompliancePoint survey said their organizations were fully prepared for the GDPR, while 31 percent said they were somewhat prepared and 36 percent said their organizations were not prepared. Following are some of the factors that kept the organizations of CompliancePoint respondents from being GDPR compliant: Waiting to see what enforcement would be applied - 45.6 percent Lack of understanding of the regulations - 39.7 percent; No budget for compliance - 36.8 percent; Low brand visibility - 33.8 percent; and Unconcerned - 27.9 percent. "SMBs are not immune to the risk of GDPR," said Greg Sparrow, general manager at CompliancePoint. "The risk of fines and regulatory action are the same for businesses large and small," he told the E-Commerce Times. The financial penalties -- 4 percent of annual revenue or 20 million euros -- are large, noted Constellation's Zhou. However "the indirect costs in terms of impact on customer trust and brand reputation may be even greater," said Gartner's Frank. CRM Software to the Rescue CRM systems that make it relatively easy to execute functions like erasure and consent modification "can help considerably," Frank suggested. "SugarCRM recently released a data privacy module that automates much of the processes for managing the required data governance," remarked Rebecca Wettemann, VP of research at Nucleus Research. Zoho, Hubspot, Salesforce and other CRM vendors "are touting GDPR compliance," Zhou noted. "SMBs running cloud CRM applications will likely find the easiest path to compliance, because data privacy capabilities have been or are being built into these applications," Wettemann told the E-Commerce Times. That said, CRM companies are data processors by definition, Zhou pointed out, and under the guidance of the company that collected the customer data. "Privacy policies, cookie notices and age consent forms all need to be managed by the SMBs themselves," she said, "and are often placed on a website or on the e-commerce site which isn't related to the CRM solution." Richard Adhikari has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2008. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, mobile technologies, CRM, databases, software development, mainframe and mid-range computing, and application development. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including Information Week and Computerworld. He is the author of two books on client/server technology. Email Richard. Instantly delete email threats for Office 365 With the free app, 365 Threat Monitor, scan all emails as they reach your users' mailboxes to detect ransomware, phishing and spam. Get real-time phone alerts + security breach updates and delete threats instantly with just one click. Download now! During the same week it was sued by irate investors over progress moving its customer base to the cloud, Oracle protested a procurement process for the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, or JEDI, according to The Washington Post. The lawsuit will take a long time to resolve, and it's difficult to see how the plaintiffs can prove their case -- but in comparison, the Department of Defense's procurement will run at light speed. Oracle's primary beef with the government seems to be the winner-take-all nature of the procurement, which could be worth US$10 billion. It's never good to see a company involved in excessive amounts of litigation that are orthogonal to its primary business, which in this case is developing software and supporting enterprise customers. However, the stakes are high with that much money on the table, and there are some reasons for the protest that are worth considering. Oracle and other vendors, like Microsoft, appear to be upset that a single vendor, presumably Amazon, is best positioned to capture the contract, which would leave the rest out in the cold. So we're seeing a protest about the award even before it is made. The emphasis in this dispute might be on the wrong thing, but to know this you'd have to look at the long history of government sponsorship of the tech sector and consider where it's all going. On that scale, the $10 billion might seem small change. CIA Connection Larry Ellison founder, former CEO and current CTO of Oracle, on numerous occasions has told audiences that one of the company's first customers was the CIA. The agency needed a better way to store and search its data, and the potential of the relational database made it a worthwhile platform for experimentation compared to the flat file systems on offer elsewhere. It was a lucky break, and if the government hadn't taken a chance on Oracle, some other big company would have, because the state of data storage was at a crisis point in the 1970s. There was too much data, and the existing tools weren't adequate. Almost sounds like today, doesn't it? Oracle's gig with the CIA isn't an isolated case. In the post-war period, the Defense Department alone spent lavishly on research projects that resulted in much of the hardware and software we use today. Government bought everything from flight simulators, to computers and storage devices, to all kinds of software for defense and many other areas. Many people are aware that DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, initiated the project that supported the early effort to develop the Internet, for instance. DARPA's mission statement is "to make pivotal investments in breakthrough technologies for national security." Sounds reasonable. You might wonder how the Internet could be essential to national security, but recall that it is a network that won't go down when individual nodes crash as they might in a hostile attack on a country. Whatever you think about the Internet and some of DARPA's other investments, we might be at a similar point today with the JEDI acquisition. Islands in the Cloud Because JEDI deals with real-time day to day operations in the Defense Department, it would be an inappropriate project for R&D experimentation, but we're not at that point. Cloud computing is well understood by all of the participants in the JEDI process, and any R&D would be of the applied variety rather than primary research. Nonetheless, JEDI highlights the need for a new round of research and development in IT so that cloud IT could become more like a fully interoperable utility than a set of vendor islands. Various integration providers have been working out some of the ideas needed to do this, and it likely will involve lots of metadata and APIs, but it's a doable thing. The biggest incentive might be the JEDI procurement, not because it would serve as a development platform, but because it concretely shows the vendors involved that it's time to come together to develop the necessary interoperability, so that none of them has to be shut out of a winner-take-all deal again. From this perspective, protesting the procurement process seems too little too late. Once the award is announced, the remaining vendors ought to begin the process of standardizing the cloud utility, or whatever they want to call it. Interestingly, a completely analogous process resulted in the SQL and relational database standards, so there's a strong precedent. It won't be easy, there will have to be new standards -- probably a standards setting board and all that goes with it. This necessarily also means that some vendor application level secret sauces will be commoditized, and vendors will be forced to compete at new levels with different differentiators. That's all right. It shows that despite all the automation and commoditization already on display in IT, this is still a thriving market and one that modern life vitally depends on. So think of JEDI as a canary in a coal mine, and look to the new opportunities it represents. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ECT News Network. Denis Pombriant is a well-known CRM industry analyst, strategist, writer and speaker. His new book, You Can't Buy Customer Loyalty, But You Can Earn It, is now available on Amazon. His 2015 book, Solve for the Customer, is also available there. Email Denis. 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. Security vulnerabilities in tracking apps often allow the creation of motion profiles. Tracking apps with which parents can monitor the whereabouts of their children, for example, all have security vulnerabilities. They are so large that a hacker can easily create motion profiles of thousands of people. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology have examined popular tracker apps from the Google Play Store. The result: None of them was securely programmed, some of them had serious weak points. Attackers can use them to create motion profiles, read chats and SMS messages, and view images. Especially explosive: Attackers do not have to monitor each smartphone individually, but can simultaneously attack millions of users who have these apps installed on their smartphones. For the first time, the scientists presented their results on August 11 at the DEF CON Hacking Conference in Las Vegas. Smartphone users can be monitored with so-called monitoring or tracker apps. For example, parents use such an app to know where their children are at any time or what messages and pictures they are sending. The use of these apps is legal if the person being spied on agrees. Athletes like to use tracking apps to participate in virtual competitions or share their data with friends. Stored in Plain Text Scientists at Fraunhofer SIT have examined 19 legal apps offered on the Google Play Store. According to Google, the apps have been installed several million times. The scientists have examined how the highly sensitive user data collected by these apps is protected. The result: All apps have serious vulnerabilities, not a single application was programmed securely. In total, the researchers found 37 security holes. Highly sensitive data is usually stored in plain text on a server without being secured by correct encryption. We only had to call up a specific website and enter a user name in the URL or guess it to call up a person's movement profile, explains Fraunhofer project manager Siegfried Rasthofer, who investigated the apps together with the Fraunhofer hacking group TeamSIK. The researchers not only found data from individual persons on the servers, but were also able to read complete motion profiles from all users of these apps, which were stored on a server in an unsecured fashion. This makes real-time tracking of thousands of people possible, says Rasthofer. Using the insecurely programmed apps, attackers can not only retrieve metadata such as whereabouts, but also read and view content such as SMS messages and images of the monitored app users. This enables complete monitoring, explains Stephan Huber, member of TeamSIK and researcher at Fraunhofer SIT. In addition, the scientists have succeeded in reading the login information of the app users. In most apps, these were also stored unencrypted or only secured with completely insufficient encryption - the team around Siegfried Rasthofer and Stephan Huber had, for example, found 1,700,000 login data in an app. The Fraunhofer scientists informed the app providers and the Google Play Store about their discoveries. 12 of the 19 apps examined have since been removed from the Play Store. Other providers, on the other hand, have not reacted at all. Loganair to operate London City route Flights between the Isle of Man and London City Airport will have a new operator later this year. The British Airways service will be taken over by partner airline Loganair from September 1st, when BA's agreement with Eastern Airways comes to an end. British Airways will lease an aircraft from Loganair, who already operates the airline's Highlands and Islands services as a codeshare partner. Flights between Ronaldsway and London City will operate three times a day. Ministers face questions about impact of dry weather Details about fires during the dry spell are being sought by Speaker of the House of Keys Juan Watterson Government Ministers will face questions about the impact of the recent prolonged spell of dry weather on the Isle of Man. A number of questions relating to the recent weather have been included on this month's Tynwald question paper. Speaker of the House of Keys Juan Watterson will ask the Chairman of Manx Utilities about the Island's reservoir capacities after a hosepipe ban was brought in earlier this month. The Rushen MHK is also seeking details from the Home Affairs Minister about the number of additional fires attended by the Island's firefighters compared to 2017. Environment, Food and Agriculture Minister Geoffrey Boot will face a query about the additional cost of support to farmers as a result of the dry conditions. Tynwald doesn't sit this month, but the written answers will be provided to the questions next week. Population has been seemingly left out of climate change assessments, including by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In this Policy Forum, John Bongaarts and Brian O'Neil highlight several reasons why, and they also discuss why addressing our rapidly growing global population in the context of climate policy is so important. According to Bongaarts and O'Neil, several misconceptions about population policy have likely led to its neglect. Among those is a sentiment that population policies are not effective in reducing population growth. However, voluntary and culturally-sensitive family planning programs could play a notable role in reducing the nearly 85 million unintended pregnancies worldwide each year, the authors argue based a 2014 study on family planning, particularly in areas with little or no access to family planning resources. Another misconception about population that has left it largely undiscussed, according to the authors, is that population policy is too controversial. Like climate change itself, family planning draws great criticism from religious, political and social groups, which is perhaps why the climate community has avoided a focus on it. According to the authors, population information must be included in future IPCC assessments, a change that could be facilitated by including more social scientists working in the field of reproductive health and population policy in related discussions. ### SYRACUSE, NY (August 16, 2018) -- New research suggests that shifts in the bacteria within a child's mouth could provide objective biomarkers for identifying autism spectrum disorder. The findings of this research, conducted by scientists from Penn State Medical Center, SUNY Upstate Medical University, and Quadrant Biosciences, Inc., catalyze development of a novel, saliva-based panel to aid clinicians in the early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. The new study, "Oral Microbe Activity in Autism," was published online by the journal Autism Research. Previous research has suggested that bacteria living in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract may influence autistic behavior. Moreover, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with several abnormalities related to the mouth and throat, including taste and texture aversions, speech difficulties and salivary transcriptome alterations. "There is mounting evidence that the GI microbiome is disrupted in children with ASD, and this study shows that this disruption may extend to the mouth and throat. It appears that gene expression activity within oral microbial communities is altered in children with autism spectrum disorder," said Steven Hicks, MD, Ph.D., of Penn State Hershey, lead investigator on the project. "The shifts in microbial populations were associated with ASD co-morbidities such as GI disturbances, as well as social and repetitive behaviors. This research suggests that measuring activity of these microbial populations in saliva may provide objective biomarkers to aid in the clinical evaluation of ASD." In this study, researchers identified changes in the salivary microbiome of 346 children aged 2-6 years across three developmental profiles: ASD (n=180), non-autistic developmental delay (DD) (n=60), and typically developing children (TD) (n=106). Saliva was collected via cheek swab from each study participant. RNA from actively transcribing microbes was sequenced, quantified and analyzed across the three groups of children. ASD children with and without GI disturbances were also compared. The researchers found 12 groups of microbes to be altered between the development status groups and identified 28 groups that distinguished ASD patients with and without GI disturbances. Five ratios of microbes distinguished ASD from TD children (79.5% accuracy), three distinguished ASD from DD (76.5% accuracy), and three distinguished ASD children with/without GI disturbance (85.7% accuracy). Interestingly, the microbial gene expression patterns associated with autism were implicated in energy processing. "The underlying association of specific microbial population shifts with ASD status will require further study, but may result from alterations of microbial metabolism, or through pathogenic microbial-host relationships," said Frank Middleton, Ph.D., study co-investigator from SUNY Upstate Medical University. "We saw significant differences in gene expression in these organisms that were associated with lysine degradation, an important building block in neurotransmitter production." Richard Uhlig, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Quadrant Biosciences and one of the co-authors of the study, noted that Quadrant is developing a saliva-based biomarker panel to aid clinicians in the earlier diagnosis of ASD. "These research findings have been fundamental in our ongoing efforts to develop a biomarker panel that can provide clinicians and parents with more confidence in the diagnosis of ASD. Examining microbial activity will be a crucial element of the panel," he said. "Our aim is to offer a molecular diagnostic that can provide objective support for the diagnosis of ASD as early as possible, when treatment is most efficacious." ### About Quadrant Biosciences Quadrant Biosciences, Inc. is developing clinical assessment and molecular diagnostic tools to help physicians assess brain health and support more rapid accurate diagnoses of brain-based disorders. The company's tests are expected to improve the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of serious health conditions including autism spectrum disorder, concussion and Parkinson's disease. Quadrant is collaborating with leading research institutions and hospitals to develop novel saliva-based tests that measure epigenetic biomarkers related to gene expression patterns underlying these disorders. Current products include the FDA-compliant ClearEdge toolkit for functional assessment of neurological disorders, and the Clarifi epigenetic biomarker panel in development to aid clinicians in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Quadrant Biosciences is a participant in START-UP NY, a New York State economic development program. For more information about the company, contact info@QuadrantBiosciences.com or visit our website at http://www.QuadrantBiosciences.com. Contacts: Quadrant Biosciences: Richard Uhlig Founder and CEO Quadrant Biosciences Inc. Richard.uhlig@quadrantbiosciences.com For Media: Bioscribe, Inc. Joan Kureczka Joan@bioscribe.com (415) 821-2413 Or Nicole Litchfield Nicole@bioscribe.com Conducted by computer scien-tist Anna-Lisa Vollmer of the Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC) at Bielefeld University as well as her colleagues from Plymouth University (United Kingdom), the Max Planck Institute for Human Development (Berlin) and Ghent University (Belgium), this study appeared on Wednesday (15.08.2018) in the scientific journal "Science Robotics." The research team used the "conformity experiment" - the experiment psychologist Salomon Asch became known for in the 1950s. The experiment shows just how much a group can influence the opinion of an individual. "The test subjects are tasked with evaluating a visual image, and they hear the incorrect assessment from the others in the group - who are all 'in' on the experiment," explains Anna-Lisa Vollmer, who is a member of Applied Informatics, a research group led by Professor Dr. Britta Wrede that is part of the Faculty of Technology and CITEC. In this new study, it is not people who are "in" on the experiment, but rather three Nao robots. These humanoid robots are able to speak and gesticulate, and are significantly smaller than adult humans (standing at approximately 60 centimeters). The study was divided into two parts. In the first phase of the experiment, the researchers investigated whether adults adjusted their assessment based on the one put forth by the three robots present. In the second phase, 7-9 year-old children took part in the experiment. The study participants viewed a vertical line on a screen. They had to compare the length of this line with three other lines (A, B, and C), and then say which of these lines was the same length. If the right answer was "B," the robot would, for instance, incorrectly claim that "C" was correct. The results: "Children give into the social pressure induced by the group of robots," says Anna-Lisa Vollmer. "Adults, on the other hand, withstand this influence, even though they would be influenced by other humans in the same situation." According to Vollmer, the factors responsible for the Nao robots exerting peer pressure or not have yet to be determined. The size of the Nao robots might be the reason why they were not able to influence the adults in this experiment. "Due to their appearance and size, the Nao robots might be more likely to be perceived as being on the same level by the children." That said, the researchers made effort to compensate for size: in both experiments, the robots' seat level was adjusted to that of the participants. The current study is pioneering work: "Even though children are considered to be an important user group in the future, it is not really known what influence robots have on children, and how robot behavior impacts childhood development," says Anna-Lisa Vollmer. The results of this study are also of practical relevance for the use of humanoid robots. "There are applications in which having influence is advantageous, such as in healthcare or education," says Anna-Lisa Vollmer. "But of course we cannot disregard abuse or erroneous use. For example, how do we deal with a situation in which several robots in a store advertise a product and get a person to buy it even though they would not have done so otherwise? Other risks include cases in which autonomously learning robots draw incorrect conclusions from their sensory data and then go with this to people who trust the robot's assessment," as Vollmer explains. ### In this study, Bielefeld computer scientist Vollmer worked together with roboticist Dr. Robin Read from Plymouth University, psychologist Dr. Dries Trippas of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, and computer scientist Dr. Tony Belpaeme of Ghent University. 35-year-old Dr. Anna-Lisa Vollmer has been conducting research at the Cluster of Excellence CITEC since 2008 - first as a doctoral student, and then as a postdoctoral researcher. From 2011-2014, she was a researcher at Plymouth University. (Boston)--Terence M. Keane, PhD, professor of psychiatry and clinical psychology and assistant dean for research at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), has received the Presidential Award from the Division of Trauma Psychology at the American Psychological Association (APA). The award, presented at the APA's 2018 annual meeting, is given annually to "an individual who has made unusual and outstanding contributions to the Division of Trauma Psychology." Keane, who also serves as associate chief of staff for research and development at VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder's Behavioral Science Division, is a national leader in the field of psychological trauma, having published more than 300 articles and book chapters on the assessment and treatment of PTSD. His current work revolves around constructing an internet-based treatment program to help war Veterans with post-deployment behavioral health problems readjust to life outside of the military. Keane is a fellow of the APA and the Association for Psychological Science, as well as the current president of the American Psychological Foundation. He has been the recipient of numerous awards, such as the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Robert Laufer Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and the Harold Hildreth Award for Contributions to Public Service from the APA. He has also received two honorary doctorates in recognition of his contributions to the field of psychology. Keane completed his predoctoral clinical internship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center/VA Jackson Consortium. He received his PhD in psychology from Binghamton University and his bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Rochester. ### Continued growth in global demand for palm oil is expected to mean an expansion in oil palm plantations in Africa. The continent offers the low-lying tropical ecosystems oil palm prefers, hence an opportunity for States, businesses and local farmers to generate income. However, the lessons learned from Southeast Asia, where most oil palm plantations are located, prompted the international team to assess the potential impact on primates of an expansion in oil palm cultivation in Africa. In the study, the researchers set out to identify 'areas of compromise' in which oil palm cultivation would be most productive while having little impact on primates. They concluded that such areas were rare across Africa, covering only 0.13 to 3.3 million hectares (Mha). There are only 3.3 million hectares available with little impact on primates In total, according to the study, 273 Mha of land could be planted with oil palm in Africa: 84 Mha with low yields, 139 Mha with average yields and just 50 Mha with high yields, in view of local soil and climate criteria and assuming crops are solely rain-fed with intermediate use of inputs. "If we combine these figures with the data on primate vulnerability, oil palm could only be grown with little impact on primates on 3.3 Mha. That figure drops to 0.13 Mha if we only consider high-potential land" , says Ghislain Vieilledent, CIRAD ecologist and co-author of the study. Those figures of 3.3 Mha and 0.13 Mha correspond to just 6.2% and 0.2% respectively of the demand for additional land by 2050, given that 53 Mha of additional land is forecast to be needed by then. There may be mitigation strategies, but the impact remains high "One potential mitigation strategy would be to identify alternative trajectories for agricultural expansion, using 'smart' criteria to minimize and and delay the loss of primate home range as much as possible," says Ghislain Vieilledent. The researchers compared two income-driven oil palm expansion scenarios and two conservation-driven scenarios. The income-driven scenarios would see the most productive and accessible land converted to oil palm cultivation first. In the conservation-driven scenarios, it is land with low carbon stocks and low primate vulnerability that would be converted first. The researchers showed that even in a scenario seeking to minimize the impact on primates, five species, on average, would lose 1 ha of habitat for every 1 ha of land converted to oil palm cultivation. Levers to help mitigate the impact of oil palm cultivation "Levers for the successful conservation of African biodiversity do exist," says Ghislain Vieilledent. "One way could be to increase yields in existing plantations by using high quality seed and adopting better agricultural practices." Initiatives such as the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) should also be supported, with a strengthening of the environmental component of this certification. Another possible solution lies in reducing future demand for palm oil in the northern hemisphere by raising consumer awareness and seeking alternatives to biodiesel. However, given the population growth expected across Africa over the next 30 years and the increased food consumption which will inevitably accompany it, the effects could be limited. There is already momentum for change and the researchers hope their findings will contribute to this. Primates are a good indicator of biodiversity The researchers focused on primates because they are a good indicator of overall biodiversity. "There is a correlation between primate diversity and the richness of species in other taxonomic groups. They play an important role in seed dispersal and in maintaining the composition of forest ecosystems," explains CIRAD ecologist Ghislain Vieilledent. Populations of many primate species are in decline: 37% of primate species in mainland Africa and 87% of species in Madagascar are under threat of extinction according to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria. In this study, the distribution of 193 African primate species was taken into account (at a resolution of 10 x 10 km) along with their vulnerability (IUCN conservation status). ### Reference Giovanni Strona, Simon D. Stringer, Ghislain Vieilledent, Zoltan Szantoi, John Garcia-Ulloa, and Serge A. Wich (2018). Small room for compromise between oil palm cultivation and primate conservation in Africa. PNAS Chinese researchers have developed interfacially polymerized porous polymer particles for low- abundance glycopeptide separation. These polymer particles - with hydrophilic-hydrophobic heterostructured nanopores - can separate low-abundance glycopeptides from complex biological samples with high-abundance background molecules efficiently. Results were published in the journal Advanced Materials in an article entitled "Interfacially Polymerized Particles with Heterostructured Nanopores for Glycopeptide Separation." Qualitative/quantitative analyses of low-abundance biomolecules from complex biofluids are critical in clinical diagnosis and prognosis. For example, glycosylated A peptide can help identify Alzheimer's disease and circulating tumor DNA can help identify cancer. Porous polymer materials have been extensively used for separation. However, most existing porous polymer materials have homogeneous compositions or pores. As a result, efficiently and specifically separating subsets of low-abundance biomolecules from complex samples (such as serum and plasma) is a great challenge. Although recent molecule-level surface modification efforts for these homogeneous porous polymer materials have demonstrated enhanced separation specificity, unspecific adsorption of high-abundance background molecules still exists. Endogenous glycopeptides are significant biomarkers for many diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer. However, their separation is always plagued by the low abundance of glycopeptides (generally 10 to 500 pg/mL in biofluids) and the high abundance of background molecules (such as proteins and non-glycopeptides) in complex biofluids. Researchers from the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry (TIPC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently developed an emulsion interfacial polymerization approach to synthesize polymer particles with hydrophilic-hydrophobic heterostructured surfaces and two-dimensional Janus film actuators. On the basis of previous studies, the researchers recently synthesized a series of polymer particles with hydrophilic-hydrophobic heterostructured nanopores by emulsion interfacial polymerization, realizing efficient separation of low-abundance glycopeptides from high-abundance proteins and non-glycopeptides. The efficient separation is achieved by allowing solvent-dependent local adsorption of biomolecules on the heterostructured surface inside the nanopores via switching the solvent polarity. The researchers found that the particles with large nanopores (average pore size, 33 nm) can adsorb proteins and non-glycopeptides in high-polarity solvent via hydrophobic interactions, while the particles with small nanopores (average pore size, 3 nm) can adsorb glycopeptides in low-polarity solvent via hydrophilic interactions. Thus, a two-step protocol was rationally designed to separate low-abundance glycopeptides from high-abundance proteins and non-glycopeptides. First, the hydrophobic region of the particles with large nanopores removed high-abundance hydrophobic proteins and non-glycopeptides in high-polarity solvent. Second, low-abundance hydrophilic glycopeptides were efficiently separated via the hydrophilic region of the particles with small nanopores in low-polarity solvent. The separation efficiency of the interfacially polymerized particles is superior to existing porous materials used for glycopeptide separation. These particles provide a good candidate for application in the separation of low-abundance biomolecules from biological samples and downstream clinical diagnostics. ### This work was financially supported by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars and the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, among others. Hydrogen is the most-abundant element in the universe and the simplest, but that simplicity is deceptive Washington, DC--Lab-based mimicry allowed an international team of physicists including Carnegie's Alexander Goncharov to probe hydrogen under the conditions found in the interiors of giant planets--where experts believe it gets squeezed until it becomes a liquid metal, capable of conducting electricity. Their work is published in Science. Hydrogen is the most-abundant element in the universe and the simplestcomprised of only one proton and one electron in each atom. But that simplicity is deceptive, because there is still so much to learn about it, including its behavior under conditions not found on Earth. For example, although hydrogen on the surface of giant planets, like our Solar System's Jupiter and Saturn, is a gas, just like it is on our own planet, deep inside these giant planetary interiors, scientists believe it becomes a metallic liquid. "This transformation has been a longstanding focus of attention in physics and planetary science," said lead author Peter Celliers of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The research team--which also included scientists from the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, University of Edinburgh, University of Rochester, University of California Berkeley, and George Washington University--focused on this gas-to-metallic-liquid transition in molecular hydrogen's heavier isotope deuterium. (Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.) They studied how deuterium's ability to absorb or reflect light changed under up to nearly six million times normal atmospheric pressure (600 gigapascals) and at temperatures less than 1,700 degrees Celsius (about 3,140 degrees Fahrenheit). Reflectivity can indicate that a material is metallic. They found that under about 1.5 million times normal atmospheric pressure (150 gigapascals) the deuterium switched from transparent to opaque--absorbing the light instead of allowing it to pass through. But a transition to metal-like reflectivity started at nearly 2 million times normal atmospheric pressure (200 gigapascals). "To build better models of potential exoplanetary architecture, this transition between gas and metallic liquid hydrogen must be demonstrated and understood," Goncharov explained. "Which is why we focused on pinpointing the onset of reflectivity in compressed deuterium, moving us closer to a complete vision of this important process." ### The research team included: Marius Millot, Dayne Fratanduono, Jon Eggert, J. Luc Peterson, Nathan Meezan, and Sebastien Le Pape of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories; Stephanie Brygoo and Paul Loubeyre of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission's Division of Military Applications; R. Stewart McWilliams of University of Edinburgh; J. Ryan Rygg and Gilbert Collins of University of Rochester (both also of LLNL); Raymond Jeanloz of University of California Berkeley; and Russell Hemley of George Washington University. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract DE-AC52-07NA27344, Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC. This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration under Grant No. DE-NA0001944, the University of Rochester, and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Individual scientists were funded by EPSRC, the Army Research Office, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Chinese Academy of Science, DOE/NNSA, and the University of California. The Carnegie Institution for Science is a private, nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with six research departments throughout the U.S. Since its founding in 1902, the Carnegie Institution has been a pioneering force in basic scientific research. Carnegie scientists are leaders in plant biology, developmental biology, astronomy, materials science, global ecology, and Earth and planetary science. Flowering plants are well known for their special relationship to the insects and other animals that serve as their pollinators. But, before the rise of angiosperms, another group of unusual evergreen gymnosperms, known as cycads, may have been the first insect-pollinated plants. Now, researchers reporting in the journal Current Biology on August 16 have uncovered the earliest definitive fossil evidence of that intimate relationship between cycads and insects. The discovery came in the form of an ancient boganiid beetle preserved in Burmese amber for an estimated 99 million years along with grains of cycad pollen. The beetle also shows special adaptations, including mandibular patches, for the transport of cycad pollen. "Boganiid beetles have been ancient pollinators for cycads since the Age of Cycads and Dinosaurs," says Chenyang Cai, now a research fellow at the University of Bristol. "Our find indicates a probable ancient origin of beetle pollination of cycads at least in the Early Jurassic, long before angiosperm dominance and the radiation of flowering-plant pollinators, such as bees, later in the Cretaceous." When Cai's supervisor Diying Huang at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, first showed him the beetle trapped in amber, he was immediately intrigued. He recognized that its large mandibles with bristly cavities might suggest the beetle was a pollinator of cycads. After cutting, trimming, and polishing the specimen to get a better look under a microscope, Cai's excitement only grew. The beetle carried several clumps of tiny pollen grains. Cai consulted Liqin Li, an expert in ancient pollen at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who confirmed that the pollen grains belonged to a cycad. The researchers also conducted an extensive phylogenetic analysis to explore the beetle's family tree. Their analysis indicates the fossilized beetle belonged to a sister group to the extant Australian Paracucujus, which pollinate the relic cycad Macrozamia riedlei. The finding, along with the current disjunct distribution of related beetle-herbivore and cycad-host pairs in South Africa and Australia, support an ancient origin of beetle pollination of cycads, the researchers say. Cai notes that the findings together with the distribution of modern boganiid beetles lead him to suspect that similar beetle pollinators of cycads are yet to be found. He's been looking for them for the last five years. The challenge, he says, is that older Jurassic beetles are generally found as compression fossils not trapped in amber. ### Financial support was provided by the Strategic Priority Research Program (B) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) program Macroevolutionary Processes and Paleoenvironments of Major Historical Biota, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the CAS, and a Newton International Fellowship from the Royal Society. Current Biology, Cai et al.: "Beetle Pollination of Cycads in the Mesozoic" http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(18)30827-3 Current Biology (@CurrentBiology), published by Cell Press, is a bimonthly journal that features papers across all areas of biology. Current Biology strives to foster communication across fields of biology, both by publishing important findings of general interest and through highly accessible front matter for non-specialists. Visit: http://www.cell.com/current-biology. To receive Cell Press media alerts, contact press@cell.com. Scientists have confirmed that the 3.4 billion year old Strelley Pool microfossils had chemical characteristics similar to modern bacteria. This all but confirms their biological origin and ranks them amongst the world's oldest microfossils. The work is presented at the Goldschmidt geochemistry conference in Boston, with simultaneous publication in the peer-reviewed journal Geochemical Perspectives Letters (see below for reference). A team of scientists, led by Dr Julien Alleon (IMPMC, Paris, France; and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA) have been able to show that the chemical residuals from ancient microfossils match those of younger bacterial fossils, and so are likely to have been laid down by early life forms. They compared the results of synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis of the Strelley Pool microfossils with more recent ones from the Gunflint Formation (1.9 billion years old, found on the shores of Lake Superior, Ontario, Canada) and with modern bacteria. All showed similar absorption features, indicating that the residual chemicals were made from the same building blocks, thereby supporting a biological origin (see illustration below). Dr Jullien Alleon said: "There are a couple of important points which come out of this work. Firstly, we demonstrate that the elemental and molecular characteristics of these 3.4 Ga microfossils are consistent with biological remains, slightly degraded by fossilization processes. This effectively supports the biological origin of the Strelley Pool microfossils. There are competing claims over which microfossils are actually the world's oldest, this analytical strategy needs to be applied to other ancient samples to help settle the controversy. Secondly, it is remarkable that these echoes of past life have survived the extreme conditions they have experienced over the last 3.4 billion years: we know from the molecular structure of the microfossils that they have been exposed to temperatures of up to 300 C for long periods. And yet we are still able to see signs of their original chemistry. This is a step forward to confirming that these are indeed the oldest fossils yet discovered." Commenting, Professor Vickie Bennett (Australian National University) said: "This is exciting work with the new types of analyses providing compelling evidence that the cherts contain biogenic microfossils. This is in line with other observations for early life from the Strelley Pool rocks, including stromatolites interpreted as microbial mats, and further confirming that the minimum age for life on Earth is 3.4 billion years. The techniques used here are not applicable to the older rocks that host the claims for the oldest terrestrial life, as these rocks were exposed to much higher temperatures. These samples include the 3.7 billion year old stromatolites from Isua, Greenland and the 4.1 billion year old Canadian microfossils. However, this work shows how quickly the field is developing and that new capabilities for testing and confirming earlier evidence of life are in reach". ### *There is some evidence that life may have developed earlier, perhaps around 4.1 bn years **The Strelley Pool fossils were discovered in 2013 in Western Australia. They are probably simple prokaryote bacteria, i.e. without a cell nucleus or other sub-cellular bodies https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301926812002823 This work is simultaneously published in the peer-reviewed journal Geochemical Perspectives Letters, Reference: Alleon J., Bernard S., Le Guillou C., Beyssac O., Sugitani K. & Robert F. Chemical nature of the 3.4 Ga Strelley Pool microfossils. Geochemical Perspectives Letters 7, 37-42, 2018 - doi: 10.7185/geochemlet.1817. https://www.geochemicalperspectivesletters.org/ This paper is available from the press officer. New study suggests manipulating the intercellular environment of cancer cells to be more acidic can slow down disease growth TAMPA, Fla. - A new study focusing on the environment inside cancer cells may lead to new targeted treatment strategies. Moffitt Cancer Center researchers, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Maryland and the Institute for Research in Biomedicine Barcelona, suggest that lowering the pH inside cancer cells to make it more acidic can slow down the growth and spread of the disease, and possibly provide new options for treatment. Their results were published in Nature Communications. "We see the alkaline pH of cancer cells as an evolutionary advantage. To exploit it, we designed a system biology approach to harness this as a targetable vulnerability against cancer cells," said Mehdi Damaghi, Ph.D., co-first author on this study and a research scientist at Moffitt. Cancer cells have the ability to adapt and change their metabolism in order to survive, grow and reproduce. The research team, which included a computer scientist, bioinformatics expert, tumor biologist and cancer metabolism scientist, utilized data from previous biochemical assays and a database on the gene expression of cancer cells to develop a computational model that analyzes how variations in pH affect the activity of nearly 2,000 metabolic enzymes. "If we can better understand how the metabolism works in different pH environments, we can determine the changes cancer cells make to survive and grow," said Robert J. Gillies, Ph.D., senior member and chair of the Department of Cancer Physiology at Moffitt. The researchers found that cancer cells proliferate more with an alkaline intracellular pH, making them more vulnerable under acidic pHi. They also identified the metabolic enzymes that have their highest activity under alkaline pHi during the development of cancer, which can now be used as possible therapeutic targets. "We have already tested five of these potential targets using breast cancer cell lines and had positive results," said Damaghi. "While more research is needed in the pre-clinical trial setting, this study provides us with a promising new therapeutic strategy." ### The study was partially supported by a grant from the National Cancer Institute. About Moffitt Cancer Center Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 49 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt's scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt is a Top 10 cancer hospital and has been nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report since 1999. Moffitt devotes more than 2 million square feet to research and patient care. Moffitt's expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet status, its highest distinction. With more than 6,000 team members, Moffitt has an economic impact in the state of $2.1 billion. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-888-663-3488), visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. A new study by researchers at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City has found that patients with low-risk blood clots may be better off receiving treatment at home versus being admitted to the hospital. For the study, published in the journal CHEST, researchers tracked 200 patients who were treated for acute pulmonary embolisms or serious lung blood clots in five Intermountain Healthcare emergency departments, including Intermountain's Level I trauma center, Intermountain Medical Center, from 2013 to 2016. Through a series of tests including echocardiograms and ultrasounds, the patients were determined to have a low risk of developing severe complications from the blood clots. Instead of being admitted to the hospital, patients were given an outpatient management strategy, which included steps like an oral anticoagulant or blood thinner, and/or blood thinner injections administered at home, and close follow up in clinics. The patients were then tracked for 90 days. Researchers found that only one out of 200 patients enrolled in the study had any follow-up incidents that required hospitalization, and that patient's hospitalization was the result of an accident. The study also found that patients were much more satisfied with at-home care. "We found a large subset of patients with blood clots who'd do well at home - in fact who probably did better at home," said Joseph Bledsoe, MD, research director in emergency medicine at Intermountain Medical Center. "When patients are sent home versus staying in the hospital, they're at lower risk of getting another infection. It's a lot less expensive, too." Currently, the standard of care in the United States for acute pulmonary embolisms, which affect more than 200,000 patients in the U.S. annually, is hospitalization for all patients. That's recommended, in part, because their overall mortality rate is 17 percent. However, the lower mortality rate among some appropriately risk-stratified patients suggests that at-home care, which has become the norm in some European countries, leads to better outcomes for those patients overall and less chance of a hospital-introduced infection, said Dr. Bledsoe. "Our findings show that if you appropriately risk stratify patients, there are a lot of people with blood clots who are safe to go home," he said. Dr. Bledsoe says the next step for researchers is for similar research to be conducted outside of the Intermountain Healthcare system to confirm the results, and with a larger group of people. ### This study was made available online in February 2018 ahead of publication in the print edition of Chest this month. Members of the Intermountain Healthcare research team include: Scott Woller, Scott Stevens, Todd Allen, Valerie Aston, Richard Patten, Lydia Dong, James Lloyd, James, Benjamin Horne, Troy Madsen, and Greg Elliott. Most of the plastic objects we see are created using injection molding, but designing such molds is a difficult task, usually requiring experts. Now, computer scientists from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), the University of Tokyo, and CONICET have created an interactive design tool that allows non-experts to create molds for an object of their choice. The software will be presented at this year's prestigious SIGGRAPH conference, one of IST Austria's five successful submissions. Molding is a popular method for the mass production of objects. Essentially, two (or more) mold pieces are fit together, leaving the shape of the desired object as a hole. During fabrication, a fluid is introduced into this cavity and is allowed to harden. Once the fluid has solidified, the pieces of the mold are removed, leaving behind the molded object. While the process is fairly simple, creating the mold to produce an object is extremely difficult, and a multitude of considerations go into its creation. How should the object be oriented and divided to ensure that the pieces of the mold can be removed? If the object should be hollow, how should it be decomposed into pieces? Figures with loops or holes add further complications, as do aesthetic considerations, such as avoiding a parting line through a face. In mass fabrication, the high costs of the initial mold design are offset by the low per-unit cost of production. For a small-scale designer, however, or a novice interested in experimenting with injection molds, hiring a professional mold designer is impractical, and creating the molds unaided infeasible. Similarly, 3D-printing the desired number of objects would be far too time- and resource-intensive. CoreCavity, a new interactive design tool, solves this problem, and allows users to quickly and easily design molds for creating hollow, free-form objects. Created by Kazutaka Nakashima, a PhD student from the University of Tokyo visiting IST Austria, Thomas Auzinger (IST Austria), Emmanuel Iarussi (CONICET, IST Austria), Ran Zhang (IST Austria), Takeo Igarashi (University of Tokyo), and Bernd Bickel (IST Austria), this software tool opens up opportunities for small businesses and enthusiasts. Given a 3D-scan of an object, the software analyzes the object, and creates a "thin shell", essentially a hollow version of the object, where particularly small gaps are considered solid--another of the team's innovations. The software then proposes a decomposition of the object into pieces; each piece will be created by one mold, then joined together at the end. Moreover, the program is able to suggest slight modifications to the original design, for instance to eliminate tiny hooks that might complicate unmolding. "Previous tools were unable to suggest such changes," says Thomas Auzinger, a postdoc at IST Austria. The user can adjust the decomposition simply by clicking, and choose to accept or reject any proposed modifications. When the user is satisfied, the software automatically produces the mold templates, which can then be 3D-printed and used for molding. The decompositions suggested by the design tool are often surprising: "The computer is able to find solutions that are very unintuitive," says Bernd Bickel, professor at IST Austria. "The two halves of the rabbit, for instance, have a curving, complicated connection--it would have been extremely difficult for a human to come up with that." Industry designers, as well as previous design programs, generally rely on straight cuts through the object. In practice, this often leads to a larger number of pieces, as well as "unnatural" divisions. "The software tool could also be extremely useful in industry--it would fit seamlessly into the production process," adds Bickel. The team has already tested some of their molds at an injection-mold factory near Linz. "The factory employees were surprised at how easy it was to extract the finished objects, as well as how durable the 3D-printed molds were. Even after creating a hundred objects, the molds were still working," says Auzinger. The team already has further improvements in mind. One idea is the inclusion of connectors that snap together to ease the final assembly of the object. ### Project page (including paper and video): http://visualcomputing.ist.ac.at/publications/2018/CoreCavity/ Original Paper: Kazutaka Nakashima, Thomas Auzinger, Emmanuel Iarussi, Ran Zhang, Takeo Igarashi, and Bernd Bickel. 2018. CoreCavity: Interactive Shell Decomposition for Fabrication with Two-Piece Rigid Molds. ACM Trans. Graph. 37, 4, Article 135 (August 2018), 13 pages. DOI: 10.1145/3197517.3201341 https://repository.ist.ac.at/1037/1/CoreCavity-AuthorVersion.pdf About IST Austria The Institute of Science and Technology (IST Austria) is a PhD-granting research institution located in Klosterneuburg, 18 km from the center of Vienna, Austria. Inaugurated in 2009, the Institute is dedicated to basic research in the natural and mathematical sciences. IST Austria employs professors on a tenure-track system, postdoctoral fellows, and doctoral students. While dedicated to the principle of curiosity-driven research, the Institute owns the rights to all scientific discoveries and is committed to promote their use. The first president of IST Austria is Thomas A. Henzinger, a leading computer scientist and former professor at the University of California in Berkeley, USA, and the EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland. The graduate school of IST Austria offers fully-funded PhD positions to highly qualified candidates with a bachelor's or master's degree in biology, neuroscience, mathematics, computer science, physics, and related areas. http://www.ist.ac.at BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- New research from Indiana University suggests that computer models used to predict the spread of epidemics from climate change -- such as crop blights or disease outbreaks -- may not take into account an important factor in predicting their severity. A study recently published in the journal Ecology has found that pathogens that grow inside organisms at higher temperatures produce offspring that cause higher rates of infection compared to pathogens that grow inside organisms at lower temperatures. This suggests that climate can cause an "echo effect" in future pathogens, ultimately making them more infectious. "It's well known that environment can affect offspring across generations in plants and animals," said Spencer Hall, a professor in the IU Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Biology, who is senior author on the study. "This study is one of the first to suggest that similar cross-generational effects occur in parasites and pathogens." The work was led by Marta Strecker Shocket, a Ph.D. student in Hall's lab at the time of the study. Hall is also a member of the Environment Resilience Institute at IU, part of the IU Prepared for Environmental Change Grand Challenge. "If past environmental conditions impact the frequency or severity of future infections, then current climate models are not taking an important factor into consideration when predicting threats from climate change," said Shocket, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. "This might include threats to animals, plants and people." The researchers' analysis draws in part upon research in water fleas conducted at three freshwater lakes in southern Indiana where Hall's lab has collected samples since 2009. Located on the site of a former coal mine in Green-Sullivan State Forest in Linton, Indiana, the lakes are known locally as Lake Gambill, Lake Clear and Lake Scott. Water fleas, also known as Daphnia, are small crustaceans that contribute to the health of lakes by feeding on algae. Without these organisms to control algae, a lake can quickly degrade into a turgid brew that resembles pea soup. Water fleas are susceptible to infection from a fungal pathogen called Metschnikowia, which reproduces inside water fleas as needle-like spores that multiply until they kill them and burst out of their bodies to infect the next generation. A single autumn can produce six to 10 generations of the spores, with up to 60 percent of water fleas infected at the epidemic's peak. For the study, Shocket conducted lab experiments that found that the fungus caused more infections when higher temperatures were observed in the previous generations of water fleas. She then conducted research in the field to compare the lab results against fresh lake samples collected in late autumn. The analysis found that an increase of merely 6.5 degrees Fahrenheit caused the fungal spores to become two to five times more likely to infect a new host. Shocket said additional research is needed to explore these effects in other pathogen systems, especially since they could have an impact on agriculture. This is because the effect of climate across generations in parasites is more likely to have an impact on cold-blooded host organisms, such as crop plants or the insects that eat them. The study also features mathematical methods to predict the effect of temperature changes on spore infectiousness across generations. Hall said the principles behind these models could potentially enhance other simulations that draw upon many factors to predict disease outbreaks. "The translation of observational data into computational models is important in the field of ecology since nature is so messy," he added. "The refinement of the algorithms to predict risks from climate is a crucial step in our ability to prepare for environmental change." ### Other authors on the paper are IU Ph.D. student Jason Walsman; Andrew Sickbert, an IU undergraduate at the time of the study; and Alexander Strauss and Jessica Hite, IU Ph.D. students at the time of the study. Additional contributors are Meghan Duffy of the University of Michigan and Carla Caceres of the University of Illinois. The Prepared for Environmental Change Grand Challenge brings together a broad, bipartisan coalition of government, business, nonprofit and community leaders to help Indiana better prepare for the challenges that environmental change brings to our economy, health and livelihood. Announced in May 2017, it is the second initiative to be funded as part of the Indiana University Grand Challenges program. This study was supported in part by the National Science Foundation and Environmental Protection Agency. Kaiser Permanente researchers have received a major grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to examine the role of opioid use in suicide risk and develop better tools to help clinicians identify patients who are at highest risk. The three-year, $1.4 million study will be led by Bobbi Jo Yarborough, Psy.D., an investigator at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Oregon. Both suicide deaths and opioid-related overdose deaths in the U.S. are on the rise. In 2015, the age-adjusted suicide rate was 13.3 per 100,000 -- a 27 percent jump from 1999, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Over the same period, the rate of suicides with opioid poisoning as a contributing cause doubled, and the rate of opioid-related overdose deaths tripled. "We've done preliminary work suggesting that 22 to 37 percent of opioid-related overdoses are, in fact, suicides or suicide attempts," said Dr. Yarborough. "While health care settings are ideal places to intervene to prevent suicides, clinicians aren't able to easily determine which of their patients are at elevated risk. Our ultimate goal is to develop the most accurate suicide risk prediction tools and put them into the hands of clinicians. If our study is successful, clinicians will have a powerful new resource in the fight against suicide." The new study will use the power of machine learning and predictive analytics, which allow researchers to find meaningful patterns in large datasets. The study will leverage Kaiser Permanente's industry-leading electronic health record system to create the best available tools for clinicians to help prevent future suicides. The existing suicide prediction models were developed under the auspices of the Mental Health Research Network, a group of 13 research sites embedded within U.S. health systems that serve a combined 12.5 million patients. The models include a large number of variables that can predict the likelihood of a suicide attempt within 90 days of a mental health or primary care outpatient visit. These variables include medical, mental health and substance use disorder diagnoses; current and past prescriptions; and health care use patterns. Under the new study, researchers will evaluate the following variables for their ability to improve prediction of suicide attempts or death: illicit or prescribed opioid use, opioid use disorder, discontinuation or substantial dose reduction of prescription opioids, and prior nonfatal opioid-related overdoses. Dr. Yarborough and her colleagues will also assess whether the strength of these risk predictors varies between men and women. "We know that opioid use, opioid overdose and suicide are related, but we need much more specific information to guide our efforts at prevention," said Gregory Simon, M.D., M.S. in public health, principal investigator of the Mental Health Research Network and a co-investigator on the new study. "The findings from this study will be a great asset to the public health community." ### The new study will include all seven of the Mental Health Research Network sites that collaborated in the development of the existing suicide risk prediction model: Health Partners in Minnesota; Henry Ford Health System in Michigan; and the Kaiser Permanente regional groups in Colorado, Hawaii, Southern California, Washington and the Northwest (Oregon and Southwest Washington). The researchers from these sites will be working with a dataset that includes approximately 24 million medical visits, 35,000 suicide attempts and 2,600 suicide deaths. About the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research The Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, founded in 1964, is a nonprofit research institution dedicated to advancing knowledge to improve health. It has research sites in Portland, Oregon, and Honolulu. Visit kpchr.org for more information. About Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve more than 12.2 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: kp.org/share. New Orleans, LA; KFAR SABA, ISRAEL - CartiHeal, developer of Agili-C, a proprietary implant for the treatment of joint surface lesions, and two LSU Health New Orleans orthopaedic surgeons announced today the successful enrollment of the first two US patients in the Agili-C IDE pivotal study. The first two cases in the United States were performed by Principle Investigator Dr. Vinod Dasa, Associate Professor and Director of Orthopaedic Research, and Dr. Michael Hartman, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, on August 14, 2018. The first patient who was randomized to receive an Agili-C implant in the US is a 53-year-old male. He suffered from a chronic painful cartilage lesion in the trochlea's center and received a single implant in a mini-arthrotomy approach. "Currently we lack good treatment options for patients who experience persistent knee pain due to cartilage problems and are too young for knee replacement" said Dr. Dasa. "The Agili-C implantation was smooth without complications. We plan to enroll more patients in the upcoming weeks and hope that this lDE trial finds that the Agili-C implant alleviates pain in these patients, allowing them to return to an active lifestyle." In Europe and Israel, 80 patients have already been enrolled and treated in the study, which will include a minimum of 250 patients in US and OUS centers, aiming for an FDA PMA application. The trial's objective is to demonstrate the superiority of the Agili-C implant over surgical standard of care (microfracture and debridement) for the treatment of cartilage or osteochondral defects, in both arthritic knees and knees without degenerative changes. Nir Altschuler, Cartiheal's founder & CEO said, "We would like to congratulate Dr. Dasa and Dr. Hartman for enrolling the first two US patients. This is a significant milestone for our company and for our study. We are very pleased with the enrollment rate to date, and plan to open more US sites in the near future." CartiHeal's cell-free, off-the-shelf implant is CE marked for use in cartilage and osteochondral defects. Agili-C was implanted in a series of trials conducted in leading centers in Europe and Israel, in over 400 patients with cartilage lesions in the knee, ankle and great toe. In these trials, the implant was used to treat a broad spectrum of cartilage lesions, from single focal lesions to multiple and large defects in patients suffering from osteoarthritis. ### For more information about the Agili-C IDE study at LSU Health New Orleans, contact Cara Rowe, MSW, CCRP, Orthopaedics Clinical Research Coordinator at 504-568-4640. About CartiHeal CartiHeal, a privately-held medical device company with headquarters in Israel, develops proprietary implants for the treatment of cartilage and osteochondral defects in traumatic and osteoarthritic joints. In the United States the Agili-C implant is not available for sale - it is an investigational device limited for use in the IDE study. LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans educates Louisiana's health care professionals. The state's flagship and most comprehensive health sciences university, LSU Health New Orleans includes a School of Medicine, the state's only School of Dentistry, Louisiana's only public School of Public Health, and Schools of Allied Health Professions, Nursing, and Graduate Studies. LSU Health New Orleans faculty take care of patients in public and private hospitals and clinics throughout the region. In the vanguard of biosciences research in a number of areas in a worldwide arena, the LSU Health New Orleans research enterprise generates jobs and enormous economic impact. LSU Health New Orleans faculty have made lifesaving discoveries and continue to work to prevent, advance treatment, or cure disease. To learn more, visit http://www.lsuhsc.edu, http://www.twitter.com/LSUHealthNO, or http://www.facebook.com/LSUHSC. Certain female mosquitoes quickly evolve more selective mating behavior when faced with existential threats from other invasive mosquito species, with concurrent changes to certain genetic regions, according to new research from North Carolina State University. The findings shed light on the genetics behind insect mating behavior and could have implications for controlling mosquito pests that plague humans. At issue is the displacement of Aedes aegypti (yellow fever) mosquitos by a cousin species, Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger), which occurred in the southeastern United States in the 1980s. In this "battle of the Aedes," the invading A. albopictus decimated A. aegypti populations throughout the Southeast, leaving smaller A. aegypti populations in Key West, Florida, Arizona and a few other southern locales. A. aegypti mosquitoes carry and spread many diseases that harm humans, including Zika, dengue fever and chikungunya. Part of the takeover was attributed to how the larvae of each species grew; A. albopictus mosquitoes seemed to be able to outcompete the native mosquitoes. But another factor also played a huge role in the battle: When A. aegypti females mated with A. albopictus males - a genetic no-no - those females became sterile for life, a process called "satyrization." A. albopictus females didn't face the same fate; no offspring were produced when they mated with A. aegypti males, but they were later able to be fertile when mating with males of their own species. Martha Burford Reiskind, research assistant professor in the Department of Applied Ecology at NC State and corresponding author of a paper describing the research, and colleagues wanted to understand more about how A. aegypti females respond to this type of threat and what happens in their genetic blueprint as their responses change. The researchers found that A. aegypti females quickly - in just six generations - became more picky when selecting mates, eschewing A. albopictus males for males of their own species. This response occurred when A. aegypti females were exposed to cousin males in the lab and in the wild. Geographic location didn't seem to make a difference: The female mosquitoes in both Florida and Arizona exhibited similar genetic changes. "We wanted to know what genes were involved in the evolution of this choosiness in female A. aegypti mosquitoes," Burford Reiskind said. "We can now look at certain gene regions and feel confident that they are involved in mating behavior." Choosiness had its costs, though. Burford Reiskind said choosy female A. aegypti mosquitoes mated later in their brief lifespans - most live for two or three weeks - and were generally smaller. "Invasive species are often seen as better competitors for scant resources, but that doesn't seem to be the case for these mosquitoes," Burford Reiskind said. "This study suggests other mechanisms are at play." Burford Reiskind hopes to continue learning more about the genes involved in mating behaviors by conducting a larger-scale study, perhaps in places where A. aegypti and A. albopictus mosquitoes live in relatively equal densities. ### The research appears in Molecular Ecology. Michael Reiskind, associate professor of entomology at NC State, and Paul Labadie, an NC State agricultural research technician, co-authored the paper, as did Irka Bargielowski and Phil Lounibos from the University of Florida. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health Grant R21 AI095780 and by a Dean's Enrichment Grant from NC State's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. - kulikowski - Note to editors: An abstract of the paper follows. "Rapid evolution and the genomic consequences of selection against interspecific mating" Authors: Martha Burford Reiskind, Paul Labadie and Michael Reiskind, North Carolina State University; Irka Bargielowski and Phil Lounibos, University of Florida Published: Online Aug. 1, 2018 in Molecular Ecology DOI: 10.1111/mec.14821 Abstract: While few species introduced into a new environment become invasive, those that do provide critical information on ecological mechanisms that determine invasions success and the evolutionary responses that follow invasion. Aedes albopictus (the Asian tiger mosquito) was introduced into the naturalized range of Aedes aegypti (the yellow fever mosquito) in the USA in the mid-1980s, resulting in the displacement of A. aegypti in much of the southeastern USA. The rapid displacement was likely due to the superior competitive ability of A. albopictus as larvae and asymmetric mating interference competition, in which male A. albopictus mate with and sterilize A. aegypti females, a process called "satyrization." The goal of this study was to examine the genomic responses of a resident species to an invasive species in which the mechanism of character displacement is understood. We used double-digest restriction enzyme DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) to analyze outlier loci between selected and control lines of laboratory-reared A. aegypti females from two populations (Tucson, AZ and Key West, Florida, USA), and individual females classified as either "resisted" or "mated with" A. albopictus males via mating trials of wild-derived females from four populations in Florida. We found significant outlier loci in comparing selected and control lines and between mated and non-mated A. aegypti females in the laboratory and wild-derived populations, respectively. We found overlap in specific outlier loci between different source populations that support consistent genomic signatures of selection within A. aegypti. Our results point to regions of the A. aegypti genome and potential candidate genes that may be involved in mating behavior, and specifically in avoiding interspecific mating choices. Astronomers using the ultraviolet vision of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have captured one of the largest panoramic views of the fire and fury of star birth in the distant universe. The field features approximately 15,000 galaxies, about 12,000 of which are forming stars. Hubble's ultraviolet vision opens a new window on the evolving universe, tracking the birth of stars over the last 11 billion years back to the cosmos' busiest star-forming period, which happened about 3 billion years after the big bang. Ultraviolet light has been the missing piece to the cosmic puzzle. Now, combined with infrared and visible-light data from Hubble and other space and ground-based telescopes, astronomers have assembled one of the most comprehensive portraits yet of the universe's evolutionary history. The image straddles the gap between the very distant galaxies, which can only be viewed in infrared light, and closer galaxies, which can be seen across a broad spectrum. The light from distant star-forming regions in remote galaxies started out as ultraviolet. However, the expansion of the universe has shifted the light into infrared wavelengths. By comparing images of star formation in the distant and nearby universe, astronomers glean a better understanding of how nearby galaxies grew from small clumps of hot, young stars long ago. Because Earth's atmosphere filters most ultraviolet light, Hubble can provide some of the most sensitive space-based ultraviolet observations possible. The program, called the Hubble Deep UV (HDUV) Legacy Survey, extends and builds on the previous Hubble multi-wavelength data in the CANDELS-Deep (Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey) fields within the central part of the GOODS (The Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey) fields. This mosaic is 14 times the area of the Hubble Ultra Violet Ultra Deep Field released in 2014. This image is a portion of the GOODS-North field, which is located in the northern constellation Ursa Major. ### The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, conducts Hubble science operations. STScI is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy in Washington, D.C. NASA's Aqua satellite provided a look at water vapor in the Atlantic Ocean's Sub-Tropical Storm Ernesto and found the storm looking somewhat "patchy." NASA's GPM satellite provided an earlier look at Ernesto's rainfall and cloud heights. Ernesto is on track to visit the United Kingdom by the end of the week. Analyzing Rainfall in the Storm When Sub-Tropical Storm Ernesto was still a depression, Tropical Depression 5, the GPM or Global Precipitation Measurement mission core observatory satellite passed above the western side of newly formed storm on Aug. 15, 2018, at 6:46 a.m. EDT (1046 UTC). The GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments revealed that most of the rainfall within the subtropical depression away from the middle of the low level center of circulation. The heaviest rainfall was measured by GPM's DPR in a large feeder band that was spiraling into the southern side of the system. Powerful convective thunderstorms in that area were measured dropping rain at a rate of over 101 mm (about 4 inches) per hour. GPM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA. Looking at the Storm in 3D At NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, GPM's radar data (DPR Ku Band) were used to create a 3D view from the East of the subtropical depression 5. DPR's scans were used to show the precipitation structure of storm tops within subtropical depression 5. DPR found that storm tops were reaching heights above 11 km (6.8 miles) in convective storms located southeast of the system's center of circulation. Storm top height estimates over a larger area than the GPM's radar swath were made possible by blending measurements from DPR with cloud top heights based on the GOES-East satellite's infrared temperatures. What Water Vapor Revealed in Ernesto Water vapor analysis of tropical cyclones tells forecasters how much potential a storm has to develop. Water vapor releases latent heat as it condenses into liquid. That liquid becomes clouds and thunderstorms that make up a tropical cyclone. NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Ernesto on Aug. 16 at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard found patches of convection in curved bands around the center. The circulation of the system appears somewhat elongated from north to south, and dry air is wrapping into the western portion of the system. At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC), the center of Subtropical Storm Ernesto was located near 40.8 degrees north latitude and 44.1 degrees west longitude. The storm is moving toward the north-northeast near 13 mph (20 kph). A significantly faster northeastward motion is expected during the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 kph) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next couple of days. The National Hurricane Center forecaster Cangialosi noted in the 5 a.m. EDT update on Aug. 16, "The subtropical storm has a limited amount of time to strengthen as it will remain over marginally warm waters and in a low wind shear environment for only another 12 hours. After that time, the cyclone is expected to cross over a sharp SST gradient and move into an environment of higher shear. These conditions should cause Ernesto to lose its tropical characteristics in about 24 hours, when the sea surface temperatures beneath the cyclone become colder." Ernesto is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone Thursday night or early Friday, Aug. 18 and merge with a frontal zone near Ireland and the United Kingdom on Saturday, Aug. 19. ### For updated forecasts, visit: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov CORVALLIS, Ore. - New research suggests the removal of timber harvest residue during harvesting may be a boon for wild bees, an important step toward better understanding the planet's top group of pollinators. The findings are important because bees are the driving force behind $100 billion in global economic impact each year, with insect pollinators enhancing the reproduction of 90 percent of the Earth's flowering plants, including many food crops. Insect pollinators are also ecologically critical as promoters of biodiversity. Bees are the standard bearer because they're usually present in the greatest numbers and because they're the only pollinator group that feeds exclusively on nectar and pollen their entire life. Researchers at Oregon State University spent two years studying 28 contiguous 1-acre clearcut sites. They assessed whether the abundance and diversity of wild bees was affected by the removal of timber harvest residue, also known as slash, and the soil compaction that goes along with it. "Bees are important for biodiversity in managed forest landscapes but we just don't have a very good handle on them in these areas," said lead scientist Jim Rivers of the OSU College of Forestry. The study plots occurred within a managed conifer forest in western Oregon. Each plot received one of five unique treatments, ranging from removing only the boles - tree trunks that are used to make lumber - without compacting the soil at all (no heavy equipment used on the plot) to removing all of the logging slash and compacting the entire plot. The findings were surprising, Rivers said. "The combination of the most intense timber residue removal and soil compaction treatment made for the greatest number and diversity of bees," he said. Over the two years of the study, scientists collected more than 7,500 bee specimens representing 92 distinct species of wild bees from five of the seven bee families. The number of trapped bees tripled from year one to year two despite identical sampling techniques. Most of the trapped bees were ground-nesting species, and more than half of them were members of the sweat bee family. "Sweat bees were really common in our traps, and there were many different species of them," Rivers said. "We know there are wild bees in managed forest landscapes in our region, particularly young forests. But it was surprising that there were that many bees in our study, particularly because floral resources were missing from our sites because of herbicide application that occurred as a part of the broader study." While the most intensive harvest residue treatment led to the greatest abundance and observed species richness, the other four treatments also harbored a diversity of wild bees. The findings are an early step toward understanding how forest management actions might affect bees, a critical knowledge gap that has not been addressed by researchers to date. "These results are an eye opener," Rivers said. "It made me think about how we can use the lessons from this study to provide habitat for wild bees. What I'd love to do is attempt to create nesting areas for soil-nesting bees within our working forests." After clearcutting, Rivers explains, there may be some soil exposed by harvest operations, but it's typically for a limited amount of time. "I'd like to take some sites, say 10 x 10 meters, and scrape off the duff to see if we can promote populations of soil-nesting bees, which are important for forest biodiversity and may even contribute to crop production," he said. "Although most managed forests are not adjacent to crops that require pollination, native bees are critically important for promoting biodiversity through their pollination of natural plants that, in turn, are used by a large number of wildlife species that eat fruits, nuts and seeds." ### The research was part of a Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance project to explore using timber harvest residue as a basis for biofuel for jets, and to determine the ecological consequences of that process. Jet fuel consumption is expected to increase by 40 percent in the next quarter century, and the alliance is a research collective of universities, government laboratories and private industry. Joining Rivers in the research were College of Forestry colleagues Codey Mathis and Matthew Betts, as well as Andrew Moldenke of the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences. The Native Plant Society of Oregon, the Oregon Community Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture provided funding. Findings were published in GCB Bioenergy. Transmission of toxoplasmosis from mother to fetus can lead to severe congenital problems and fetal death, and tests for the parasitic infection during pregnancy are critical. Now, researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have showed the efficacy of a low-cost whole blood test for toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis results from infection with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, usually transmitted to humans from eating undercooked contaminated meat or through exposure to infected cat feces. Existing tests for the infection are serum tests, which require blood samples to be processed using infrastructure and technology which can be prohibitive in developing areas and unaffordable in developed countries like the United States. Rima McLeod of the University of Chicago and her colleagues, including Joseph Lykins and Karen Leahy, tested 205 individuals. The individuals tested included patients, volunteers, and obstetrical patients from Chicago and Morocco known to be infected with T. gondii. A team led by coauthor Dr. El Bissati tested the pregnant patients in Morocco, and Dr. McLeod's team tested the patients in Chicago. The blood was tested for T. gondii infection status using reference tests, standard-of-care serum tests and the new whole-blood point-of-care (POC) test obtained by finger stick. The whole blood POC test had 100% agreement with the reference and serum-variant testing, and proved highly sensitive and specific, with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 100%. The scores held true even for women with lower levels of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies. However, the test cannot distinguish between acute and chronic infections. The authors note, "Our work establishes a new point of care test in the outpatient setting at very low cost enabling diagnosis and prompt treatment for toxoplasma infections acquired for the first time during pregnancy. This enables life, sight and cognition saving treatments. If combined with multiplexed testing for other congenital infections and markers associated with premature birth, it will markedly improve maternal child outcomes and save lives." ### In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper: http://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0006536 Citation: Lykins J, Li X, Levigne P, Zhou Y, El Bissati K, et al. (2018) Rapid, inexpensive, fingerstick, whole-blood, sensitive, specific, point-of-care test for anti-Toxoplasmaantibodies. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 12(8): e0006536. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006536 Image Credit: McLeod, et al. (CC BY 4.0, 2018) Image Caption: "Performing the Toxoplasma ICT IgG-IgM Test" Funding: We gratefully acknowledge support of this work by the Thrasher Foundation (Award #- 13796) [Rima McLeod, Yvonne Maldonado, Jose G. Montoya, Despina G. Contopoulos-Ioannidis], NIH NIAID DMID R01 AI027530 [McLeod] and The Mann Cornwell, Van Dusen, Morel, Goldberg, Rooney, Taub, Drago, Orlinsky families. The work in Morocco was also funded, in part, by the Fulbright US Scholar Program [Kamal El Bissati]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: Dr. Rima McLeod worked on a literature review for Sanofi Pasteur. Ant-Man knows--the quantum realm holds shocking revelations and irrational solutions. Taking a page from the Marvel Universe, researchers based at the National Institute of Informatics (NII) in Tokyo, Japan, designed a more efficient quantum transport system by adding even more noise to it. They published their results on July 24 in Quantum Information, a Nature Partner Journal. "Energy transport is at the core of natural life, as well as our current technology," said Kae Nemoto, a professor at the National Institute of Informatics and an author of the paper. "Many technological improvements have been achieved by better device-engineering to reduce the effects of noise and imperfections, which seems like a perfectly logical approach. We found--although nature already knew this--that energy transport can actually be enhanced by adding environmental noise." Within quantum mechanics, energy behaves like a child in a mirror funhouse. The child's face stares back from a maze of reflective surfaces, and it's almost impossible for her to find the exit until she moves. As she moves, the faces move across the mirrors. Once she finds the exit, she moves through, and her reflection is gone from the mirrors. The scientists examined how bacteria manage to efficiently harvest energy from light sources through photosynthesis. In photosynthesis, the energy moves throughout the cell all at once, looking for where it should go. Once it finds the spot, all of the other versions collapse in. The energy doesn't expend itself bouncing all over the cell--it splits the work. However, this process cannot be exempted from environmental effects. Usually, environmental noise is considered as a negative factor. For example, interference from physically close neighbors tends to slow down the process significantly. The researchers designed a computer simulation based on this process, but added a correlated noise to the path where energy is going through. Surprisingly, the energy transfer was significantly accelerated with anti-correlated noise. "There is now clear evidence that noise can help in energy transport," Nemoto said. "This can be applied to more complex networks, and we are working on designing more realistic energy transport systems. If we can speed up energy transport, we must also be able to slow it down, too." The researchers plan to continue studying exactly how noise influences the speed of energy transport with the goal of gaining control over the system to precisely fine tune its efficiency. ### Study co-authors include Chikako Uchiyama, professor at the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Research at the University of Yamanashi and a visiting professor at the National Institute of Informatics in Tokyo, Japan, and William Munro, the head of the Research Center for Theoretical Quantum Physics at NTT Basic Research Laboratories. This work was funded in part by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the John Templeton Foundation, and the Research Organization of Information and Systems (ROIS). NII is one of the four research institutions associated with the ROIS. Global Research Center for Quantum Information Science National Institute of Informatics The Global Research Center for Quantum Information Science at the National Institute of Informatics brings together computer scientists, physicists, mathematicians and engineers to establish the foundations of quantum information science and technology while exploring the advantages a quantum world could provide. Our center provides the opportunity and environment for researchers from different backgrounds to collaborate effectively with each other. New researchers are always welcome to join these activities. More than 200 scientists from 73 research institutes in 20 countries over 13 years have produced the most comprehensive map of a wheat genome, paving the way for more resilient and nutritious varieties of a staple crop that feeds more than a third of the global human population. The detailed findings, published tomorrow in Science, describe more than 94% of the genome of Chinese Spring, a variety of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum), which is the world's most widely cultivated crop. But all wheat varieties will benefit from the knowhow. The project has been an immense challenge, acknowledges the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium (IWGSC), which co-ordinated work. The wheat genome is five times the size of the human genome, with now well over 100,000 genes and more than 4 million molecular markers already identified and positioned across 21 chromosomes in three sub-genomes. "For me, as a functional genomics and genetics researcher, having a continuous and fully annotated sequence for each of the 21 wheat chromosomes is of paramount importance," says Kostya Kanyuka who, with bioinformatician Rob King, represented Rothamsted Research in the IWGSC. "This will greatly speed up our efforts on identification of agriculturally important wheat genes, including those that would help to combat major fungal diseases," notes Kanyuka. "This will also be hugely and immediately beneficial for wheat breeders, accelerating development of new elite varieties." Kanyuka and King provided manual annotation and curation of all genes belonging to two large families, Amino Acid Transporter (AAT) and Wall Associated Kinase (WAK), which are particularly important for wheat breeding and improvement. Wheat productivity needs to increase by 1.6% a year to meet the demands of a projected world population of 9.6 billion by 2050. And to preserve biodiversity, water and nutrient resources, the world needs to produce more from existing cultivated land rather than cultivate more land. Wheat breeders now have new tools at their disposal to address these challenges. They will be able to identify more rapidly factors that underlie agronomic traits, such as yield, grain quality, resistance to fungal diseases and tolerance to abiotic stress, and produce hardier wheat varieties. "The publication of the wheat reference genome is the culmination of the work of many individuals who came together under the banner of the IWGSC to do what was considered impossible," says Kellye Eversole, IWGSC's Executive Director. "The method of producing the reference sequence and the principles and policies of the consortium provide a model for sequencing large, complex plant genomes and reaffirms the importance of international collaborations for advancing food security," notes Eversole. Details of this high-quality reference genome sequence are expected to boost wheat improvement over the next decades, with benefits similar to those observed with maize and rice after their reference sequences were produced. ### NOTES TO EDITORS Publication: Shifting the limits in wheat research and breeding using a fully annotated reference genome IWGSC, 2018, Science http://science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi/10.1126/science.aar7191 [link live to paper after publication; for embargoed copies and/or IWGSC's embargoed media kit, contact erin.orourke@rothamsted.ac.uk or gary.frewin@rothamsted.ac.uk] Rothamsted Research contacts: Kostya Kanyuka, Functional Genomics Scientist Tel: +44 (0) 1582 938 232 E-mail: kostya.kanyuka@rothamsted.ac.uk Susan Watts, Head of Communications Tel: +44 (0) 1582 938 109 Mob: +44 (0) 7964 832 719 E-mail: susan.watts@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. International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium contact: Isabelle Caugant, Communications Director communications@wheatgenome.org Tel : +1 (0) 916 840 8801 Twitter: @wheatgenome About the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium The IWGSC, with 2400 members in 68 countries, is an international, collaborative consortium, established in 2005 by a group of wheat growers, plant scientists, and public and private breeders. The goal of the IWGSC is to make a high-quality genome sequence of bread wheat publicly available, in order to lay a foundation for basic research that will enable breeders to develop improved varieties. The IWGSC is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation. For more information http://www.wheatgenome.org Lausanne, Switzerland - In a series of studies, social psychologists show that educational tracking - grouping students based on their achievement levels - encourages evaluators to artificially create social class inequalities. Three studies reveal that evaluators consider a lower track more suitable for a low socioeconomic status (SES) pupil and a higher track more suitable for a high-SES pupil, even when school achievement was identical. The results appear in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. "Our research suggests that the selection required by the tracking system may lead evaluators to artificially create academic differences among students, as a function of their socio-economic status," says Anatolia Batruch one of four researchers from Universite de Lausanne, Switzerland associated with the studies. Frederique Autin, Fabienne Bataillard and Fabrizio Butera are the other collaborators on the project. The researchers designed their experiments to resemble actual tracking dilemmas that can occur in Swiss schools when teachers and the principal can offer a second chance to pupils who are borderline cases for a higher track. These tracking systems, grouping students by abilities and academic achievements, are similar throughout many countries. In the first two studies, college students playing the role of teachers, (N =99), and teachers, (N = 70) decided which school track was suitable for a pupil whose socioeconomic status (SES) was manipulated. Although the students' achievement was identical, participants considered a lower track more suitable for lower SES than higher SES pupils, and the higher track more suitable for higher SES than lower SES pupils. A third study (N = 160, first year college students), explored the language used to describe the function of school and its goals. The results showed that a focus on selection, or "to orient students according to academic abilities and lead everyone to the maximum of their potential", led tracking to be associated to SES inequalities--even when achievement was identical--more than when participants were presented with a description focused on education. "Allowing students who almost meet the criteria to follow an academic path could be interpreted as offering these students a privilege, which is, in the case of our studies, more readily offered to high-SES students than to low-SES students," says Fabrizio Butera. Batruch and colleagues would like to explore evaluators expectations in future research, and how those expectations might be influenced by the "selective practice of tracking." ### Keywords: social class inequalities, achievement gap, selection practices, tracking, teacher The deadly Nipah virus and others like it assemble themselves in a much more haphazard manner than previously thought, new UBC research has found. The discovery could allow scientists to develop more effective vaccines and rule out many approaches to fighting these viruses. Chemistry professor Keng Chou and his team of researchers from UBC and Cornell University used a super-resolution microscope patented by UBC to observe whether viruses actually assemble in the way scientists have hypothesized. "We looked at hundreds of images, and we couldn't find anything that supported the current model," said Chou. "For some of these deadly viruses, the replication process is actually not as complicated as some thought." Nipah is an example of an "enveloped" virus, which gets its outer wrapping from the infected host cell, much like the viruses that cause influenza, rabies, measles and AIDS. Nipah can cause severe diseases and fatal brain swelling in both humans and animals. Yearly outbreaks in southeast Asia kill 40 to 90 per cent of those infected. In 2018, only two out of 19 people infected by Nipah in India survived an outbreak. Nipah virus has three structural proteins: a matrix protein that provides structure, and two envelope proteins that enable the virus to attach and fuse with host cells. Scientists have believed that matrix proteins "recruit" envelope proteins, sending out some sort of signal so they can all join together on the cell membrane and become a functional virus. Researchers have tried to identify this signal in hopes of finding ways to disrupt the process. However, Chou and his team observed that envelope proteins tend to be scattered randomly on the cell membrane. They now believe these proteins are picked up purely by chance when they are incorporated into a virus. This produces virus particles more quickly than previously envisioned, but many matrix proteins don't pick the envelope proteins up at all, and don't become functional viruses. This observation has implications for vaccination, not just against Nipah but potentially against influenza, HIV and other enveloped viruses. Vaccines work by exposing a person to a small amount of modified virus or viral proteins, which rallies the body's natural defense. Currently, there is no Nipah vaccine approved for human use. One of the potential strategies under development is to use virus-like-particles, which are protein-based structures that mimic viruses, to stimulate immune response. "If a vaccine contains a large percentage of virus-like particles that have only the matrix protein but not the envelope proteins, it won't trigger a strong immune response to the proteins that are most essential for helping a virus enter cells," said Qian Liu, a postdoctoral fellow in UBC's chemistry department who was lead author of the study. "Vaccines could be made more effective if we find a way to exclude those non-functional particles from the mix." ### The study, supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Canada Foundation for Innovation, was published earlier this month in Nature Communications. In a randomized, Phase III trial led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the PARP inhibitor talazoparib extended progression-free survival (PFS) and improved quality-of-life measures over available chemotherapies for patients with metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer and mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes. The results of the EMBRACA trial were published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. The findings were first presented at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium by Jennifer Litton, M.D., associate professor of Breast Medical Oncology, also corresponding author of the study. "The trial found that talazoparib provides a significant clinical benefit to all patient subgroups, including those with hormone receptor-positive and triple-negative disease," said Litton. "The results of this trial are quite exciting and indicate talazoparib is a novel treatment option for patients with metastatic breast cancer and BRCA mutations." Mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes, which account for 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancers, cause defects in normal DNA damage repair. PARP inhibitors block an additional DNA repair pathway, and the anti-tumor effects of PARP inhibitors can be intensified in patients with BRCA mutations. Talazoparib works by not only inhibiting the PARP enzyme, but by trapping the enzyme on DNA to further prevent DNA repair. The international Phase III clinical trial, EMBRACA, enrolled 431 patients with locally advanced or metastatic and hereditary BRCA1/2 gene mutations. Patients with HER2-positive disease were excluded as there are approved targeted therapies for those cancers. Patients could have had up to three previous chemotherapies, including platinum-based therapies. Participants were randomized 2:1 to receive either talazoparib (287) or physician's choice of treatment (PCT) of single-agent therapy (144), either capecitabine, eribulin, gemcitabine or vinorelbine. Fifty-four percent of participants had HR+ disease and 46 percent had TN breast cancer; BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations were split at 45 and 55 percent, respectively. "Importantly, the trial met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival. Patients were nearly 46 percent less likely to have progressed on talazoparib compared to physician's choice," said Litton. "Secondary endpoints also were promising, including a dramatic improvement in time to clinical deterioration among patients receiving talazoparib." The median PFS, assessed by blinded independent review, was 8.6 months in the talazoparib arm, compared with 5.6 months in the PCT arm, a statistically significant improvement. The overall response rate, or percentage of patients with tumor shrinkage, was 62.6 percent and 27.2 percent in the talazoparib and PCT arms, respectively. Twelve participants had complete responses, all in the talazoparib arm. Patient-reported quality-of-life measures revealed a prolonged time to deterioration of overall health, 24.3 months in the talazoparib arm compared to 6.3 months for the PCT arm. Grade 3-4 hematological adverse events occurred in 55 percent of patients receiving talazoparib and 39 percent of those on chemotherapy, but talazoparib was associated with fewer high-grade non-hematological events, including gastrointestinal and skin/subcutaneous tissue disorders. Grade 3-4 serious events occurred in 26 and 25 percent of patients receiving talazoparib and PCT, respectively. Adverse events resulting in death occurred in 2.1 percent of patients on talazoparib and 3.2 percent on PCT. Final overall survival will be reported at a later date when the data fully matures, said Litton. "It is encouraging to see this oral PARP inhibitor was well-tolerated and superior to chemotherapy alone. We look forward to seeing how overall survival is affected, but I think talazoparib will be an excellent option for patients with metastatic disease and BRCA mutations," said Litton. Litton hopes to continue investigating the utility of PARP inhibitors in additional breast cancer patients with BRCA mutations, including those with early-stage disease, as well as possibilities for enhancing the activity of PARP inhibitors in patients without inherited BRCA mutations. ### The study was sponsored by Pfizer. Litton has research funding with EMD Serono, Astra-Zeneca, Pfizer and Genentech, and she serves on advisory boards for Pfizer and Astra-Zeneca, all uncompensated. As follow up, a Phase I talazoparib in combination trial is ongoing at MD Anderson; Litton hopes that this study and other combination studies may expand who can benefit from PARP inhibitors and improve responses for more patients. In addition to Litton, co-investigators on the study include: Hope S. Rugo, M.D., UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco; Johannes Ettl, M.D., TU Muenchen III, Munich; Sara Hurvitz, M.D., University of California, Los Angeles; Anthony Goncalves, M.D., Ph.D., Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille; Kyung-Hun Lee, M.D., Ph.D., Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul; Louis Fehrenbacher, M.D., Kaiser Permanente, Northern California, Velljo, CA; Rinat Yerushalmi, M.D., Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Israel; Lida A. Mina, M.D., Banner Health, Phoenix; Miguel Martin, M.D., Instituto de Investiga?ion Sanitaria Gregorio Maranon, Ciberonc, Universidad Complutense, Madrid; Henri Roche, M.D., Ph.D., Institut Universitaire du Cancer Toulouse, Toulouse, France; Young-Hyuck Im, M.D., Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Ruben G. W. Quek, Ph.D., Denka Markova, Ph.D., Iulia C. Tudor, Ph.D., and Alison L. Hannah, M.D., all of Pfizer, Inc., San Francisco; Wolfgang Eiermann, M.D., Interdisziplinares Onkologisches Zentrum Muenchen, Muenchen, Germany; and Joanne L. Blum, M.D., Ph.D., Baylor Sammons Cancer Center, Texas Oncology, US Oncology, Dallas. South Korean Moon Jae-in yesterday called for the creation of road and rail links between his nation and North Korea by the end of the year. Moon proposed creating a northeast Asian railroad community between the two Koreas, the US and four unnamed parties, in a speech marking the 73rd anniversary of the end of Japanese colonial rule on the Korean Peninsula. As Taipei Times writes in the article South Korean president calls for train route to North Korea by end of year, the Blue House later said the other partners would include China, Russia, Japan and Mongolia. However, the proposition is complicated by international sanctions meant to punish the North for its nuclear program. Moon pointed to the early days of the EU as a model, when the trade and political bloc began as a steel and coal-trading community. He also said that increased contacts and potential economic cooperation could be a driving force toward denuclearization. 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 according to a translation by the Souths Yonhap news agency. 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 coexistence and prosperity in northeast Asia, he said. This will mark the start to a multilateral security system in northeast Asia. However, he added that economic cooperation could not be fully realized as long as North Korea maintained its nuclear arsenal. Moon is expected to travel to Pyongyang by the end of next month to hold a third meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. South Korea is increasingly pursuing its own diplomatic efforts with its neighbor as talks between the North Korea and the US have stalled. Shortly after Moon and Kims first meeting in April, officials from the two Koreas began exploring how the nations could link their rail systems. A common joke among young South Koreans has been that the most tangible outcome of better relations would be the ability to take a train all the way to Europe. However, Moons plan might be complicated by UN sanctions designed to limit trade with North Korea. US officials have said that the North has not taken steps to dismantle its nuclear program and Pyongyang has reportedly rebuffed multiple suggestions to hand over nuclear warheads. To live up to mankind's challenges, we are in constant need for new molecules. New drugs need to be designed and tested, new materials prepared and this is the challenge faced by the organic chemist. When organic chemists want to synthesise molecules, they will analyse the functional groups present within the target and choose a suitable strategy accordingly. However, for some molecules, identifying a suitable strategy can be very challenging when the distances between the functionalities in the molecule do not match the "natural" polarity of potential precursors. One classical example is that where two carbon-oxygen double bonds (also called "carbonyl" groups) are separated by four carbon atoms. "These so called '1,4-dicarbonyl compounds' are significantly more difficult to make than the corresponding 1,3- or 1,5-analogues, and this is something we teach every student in Organic Chemistry I, already at the 2nd semester of studies, at the University of Vienna", says Nuno Maulide, Professor for Organic Synthesis at the Institute of Organic Chemistry of the University. To make these motifs in the lab, no good strategy exists. "What we teach our students is that a so-called 'Umpolung' of one of the reaction partners is required, but this is no real good solution to the problem", so Maulide. This is a severe problem, especially 1,4-dicarbonyls are found in many natural products, drug targets and several enzyme inhibitors used in pharmaceuticals. Nuno Maulide and his coworkers from Organic Chemistry Department of the University of Vienna have now developed a new synthetic route to these structures using reagents called sulfoxides, an oxidized species of sulfur. "What makes our method so fascinating is that sulfur is decisively involved in the reaction, but it doesn't even appear in the final molecule" explains Immo Klose, DOC-fellow of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and co-first author of the study. "This is also what makes this reaction very intriguing because it is not obvious at first sight how the starting materials form the product", so Klose. Indeed, during the reaction sulfur leaves the reactive molecule in a so-called "traceless" manner, meaning it is not present in the final products. Not only is the sulfoxide partner critical in the reaction, the researchers have shown that by choosing the right starting sulfoxide each and every single one out of four possible isomers of the product can be obtained selectively. "Our sulfoxide reagents have two positions which can be changed: the sulfur itself and the two carbons that are connected to it. This gives us 4 possible combinations", explains Dainis Kaldre, former PostDoc at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and co-first author. "The great thing is, by changing between these 4 possible combinations we effectively 'fine-tune' the reaction into delivering selectively each and every one of the 4 configurations of the final product that are possible", says Kaldre. This makes the method extremely general and powerful. New drug molecules unlocked "The flexibility of our method can now be used to make a breathtaking amount of molecules that were not even thinkable before", explains Maulide. The Group has already shown this in the initial report in the renowned journal Science, whereby they demonstrate a simple way to make matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors. "There was no good way to make these compounds. In particular, it was very difficult to make a specific configuration in selective way; now, with our method, we can make any one out of the 4 possibilities, at will.", enthuses Maulide. The reactive species with which the sulfoxides are combined are somewhat exotic intermediates called "vinyl cations". For doing research with such species, Maulide won a prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant of 2.0 million Euro. "It is remarkable, how basic research on 'exotic molecules' can so easily result in breakthroughs for society. This is a very welcome - and timely - reminder of the immense value that lies in investing in basic research", so Maulide concluding. ### Publication in Science "Stereodivergent synthesis of 1,4-dicarbonyls by traceless charge-accelerated sulfonium-rearrangement": Dainis Kaldre, Immo Klose und Nuno Maulide. In Science 2018 DOI: 10.1126/science.aat5883 New Haven, Conn. - An international, Yale-led research team has taken a new approach to stabilizing high-power lasers: They're fighting chaos with chaos. There has been a rapidly growing demand for high-power lasers for applications such as materials processing, large-scale displays, laser surgery, and Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) remote sensing systems. A long-standing challenge for powerful lasers is taming their erratic pulsations and chaotic fluctuations of emission power and beam profile. These issues hinder practical applications that require stable, controllable laser light. Previous strategies to reduce temporal fluctuations have involved lowering the number of modes the laser might use. As a result, none of the previous approaches are scalable to the power levels required for an increasing number of applications. "We present a radically different approach based on the new principle of fighting laser chaos with wave-dynamical chaos," said Hui Cao, principal investigator of a study published online Aug. 16 in the journal Science. Cao is the Frederick W. Beinecke Professor of Applied Physics and a professor of physics at Yale. "We use wave-chaotic or disordered cavities to disrupt the formation of self-organized structures such as filaments that lead to instabilities," Cao said. "The laser instabilities are suppressed by a chaotic cavity geometry. This approach is compatible with high-power operation since it allows many spatial modes lasing simultaneously." Stefan Bittner, a Yale associate research scientist and the first author of the study, said the simplicity and robustness of the new system make it broadly applicable to other high-power lasers, including fiber lasers and solid-state lasers. Furthermore, he said, this novel approach of suppressing instabilities and chaos with complex geometries can be applied to numerous other unstable dynamical systems. ### Other Yale authors are Hasan Yilmaz and Kyungduk Kim. The research was done in collaboration with the theoretical group of Ortwin Hess at Imperial College London and the nanofabrication group led by Qi Jie Wang at Nanyang Technological University, in Singapore. Yale's research was supported by the Office of Naval Research and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Danske Bank: Turkish Lira may resume losses The Turkish Lira exchange rate (TRY) complex steadied on Monday, but this did not appear to provide much support to the Euro, even if risk-on appeared to be back. The problems with the Euro could arguably be about more than just Turkey, with Italy a pressing concern or it could simply be ECB dovishness. Whichever it is, Analysts at Danske Bank believe that the downward trajectory in the Lira may not yet be done and there could be more bad news to come, FX markets calmed somewhat on Monday in the absence of new significant TRY developments. That said, we still stress that the combination of Turkeys confrontational tone and lack of bold measures to calm markets mean we would not call off the flight-to-safety move nor the downward pressure on the euro just yet. ING: Mexican Peso positioning a worry if weakness returns The Mexican Peso (MXN) exchange rates were able to appreciate in the risk on rally that was seen on Tuesday but it now remains to be seen if this can continue. The apparent detente between the new Mexican President and Trump has been viewed positively by investors and as such the MXN has performed well. Now the stakes are higher, and ING are concerned that excessive longs could put the Peso at risk if things deteriorate, Gustavo Rangel notes that new Mexican President AMLO is enjoying a domestic honeymoon after Julys election victory. The Mexican peso could hold gains if the emerging market environment settles but long MXN positioning is a worry if EM deteriorates. Maybank: New Zealand and Australian Dollars struggle to continue Poor data out of China likely put a cap on the NZD and AUDs response to the risk on rally in exchange rate markets. Both rely heavily on the worlds second-largest economy for trade, with Australia seen as a bit more reliant perhaps than New Zealand which exports a sizeable amount to the EU. FX strategists at Maybank believe that the AUD may remain range bound, While the NZD is likely to continue falling in this worrying risk environment in Asia, AUD remains soggy at recent lows; last seen at 0.7270 levels. Daily momentum is mild bearish while stochastics is falling. Next support seen at 0.7250/60. Break below this could open room for further downside towards 0.7160. Resistance at 0.7320 levels. Suggest 0.7260 0.7320 range NZD continued to trade near recent lows amid risk-off sentiment arising out of Turkish rout. Pair was last seen at 0.6585 levels. Bearish momentum on daily chart remains intact while stochastics is falling into oversold conditions. Next support at 0.6580 before 0.6540 levels. Resistance at 0.6660 Euro to Pound Exchange Rate View by Lloyds: EUR/GBP to eventually hit 0.75 The PoundSterling (GBP) exchange rate complex was the weaker performer in G10 FX for a lot of the last few months, but of late the Euro has been taking the brunt of the market selling. This has allowed the Euro to Pound exchange rate (EUR) to drop back beneath 0.9 and has kept the longer term range intact. Forex strategists at Lloyds now expect the pair to drop further and in a few years would not be surprised if the pair eventually dropped as low as 0.75 as the Pound makes more of a comeback, Through [Mondays] session, the cross was limited to 0.8880- 0.8950 interim range resistance, within the broader 0.8620- 0.9050 range process. While below 0.8950, and with momentum reversing sharply from its highs, there may be scope for prices to decline further. 0.8880-0.8850 is pivot support, ahead of 0.8825-0.8805 then 0.8725-0.8690. On a break above 0.8950 and 0.9040/50, resistance is in the 0.9160- 0.9300 region. Long term, we still cannot rule out a retest of the 2008 highs at 0.9802. However, the risks of that decrease the longer we remain within this medium-term range under 0.9300-0.9710. A decline through 0.8250 key support would negate upside risks and suggest a move back to 0.8000 and then 0.7500. So myself and my partner have applied for a U.K. unmarried partner visa as we plan to return to the U.K. from Australia. Im a 29 year old British citizen and my partner is a 30 year old kiwi. We have received some mixed advice in regards to the success of our visa. We meet all the criteria for income, accommodation etc but not the cohabitation part. From peoples experience how likely is our application to be approved if we havent lived together for 2 years? We have been advised its not a refusal as they consider the whole application. We have applied from Australia yet they expect you to provide a pre paid envelope, how do they think this is possible to send a pre paid envelope with our documents from Australia is beyond me. The whole process is a bit of a joke imo. Stevesolar said: Hi, Barclaycard recently told me that they dont accept overseas addresses any more unless you provide them with a valid UK contact address (for which they require evidence that it is actually your proper address) Cheers Steve Click to expand... Well I'm a Barclaycard holder with a Spanish address although I've held my Barclaycard since beforemoving to Spain.So far Barclaycard have no issues with my Spanish address and I had my new Barclaycard sent toSpain this year, no problem at all.I've certainly had no letters from Barclaycard about any rule change as described above by Steve.Although we have to be careful that were asking these UK banks an credit card the right question,namely the continuation of our existing accounts BEFORE moving abroad and not opening a UKBank account or applying for a UK credit card AFTER moving abroad.Whether rules change or are changing this year - I cannot say, as I exchanged the same sortinformation regarding Halifax not accepting non UK addresses ( as I was told by theirTamworth branch ) with snikpoh in another thread. 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. 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. As China.org writes in an article "Turkey, Russia come closer amid common tension with US", 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. Thursday, August 16, 2018 Jeffrey Gitomer, King of Sales, will appear live in Chicago to provide sales training for both salespeople and sales leaders. The sales training course in Chicago for salespeople is called Sales Mastery. The sales training course in Chicago for sales leaders is called Sales Leadership. [embedded content] Sales Training in Chicago for salespeople and sales leaders When you attend the Sales Training in Chicago for salespeople you will learn: Sales attitude Gaining referrals The law of sales attraction Improving relationships How to give BEST Presentations Value vs. Price Asking vs. Telling Satisfaction vs. Loyalty When you attend the Sales Training in Chicago for Sales Leaders you will master: How to hire the best people Retain an amazing team Exceed all of your goals Find Jeffrey Gitomers live sales training in Chicago: What are you learning new every day? Something or nothing? How often do you get sales training? When I was 20, I knew everything. By the time I reached 21, I realized how stupid I actually was. Somewhere between the ages of 20 and 21 (personal enlightenment), I rededicated myself to education, personal development, and professional development. And Ive stayed on that track for more than 45 years. My goal then, and my goal now, is learning something new every day. And the only way that I can achieve that goal, is to expose myself to new information on a daily basis. The great Jim Rohn said, All the information you need to succeed already exists; the only problem is youre not exposing yourself to it. In todays world of information overload, I have to be selective about what I subscribe to, and what I read. I feel certain that you are the same. Your challenge is to learn something new every day. And attending my live sales training in Chicago is the best place to start. When you join my live sales training in Chicago youll Work on improving yourself Work harder on yourself than you do your job is advice legendary author Jim Rohn used to teach. He was right. We must never stop learning and growing. Part of that work is listening to yourself. When your heart speaks take heed and take good notes. You see being a person of character has little or nothing to do with the position you hold or the title you carry. Its all about the way you do your job (the attitude, energy, competency, creativity and perspective you bring to life everyday). Your insight, ideas, and thinking process come from exposing yourself to other insightful thinkers. From Albert Einstein to Oscar Wilde. From Abraham Lincoln to Martin Luther King. From John F. Kennedy to Benjamin Franklin to my sales information at my live sales training in Chicago begin to expose yourself to new information even if its 100 years old. How to register for sales training in Chicago Go here, select the event you want to attend and get your seat! What to expect when you attend sales training in Chicago Watch and listen to what our sales training attendees say Have questions about attending the live sales training in Chicago? Contact helpme@gitomer.com or call (704) 585-8087 From: Rose Lee Archer M.S. Palm Beach County , FL Wednesday, August 15, 2018 Did you know, 80% of Americans will seek expert help for back pain at some point of their lives? Lifestyle is the main factor contributing to Americans' back pain & it's an epidemic. According to the American Physical Therapy Association (2012) -54% of Americans that experience back pain spend their day sitting. Spine pain is the third most costly health condition trailing diabetes & heart disease. Last year back and neck pain cost Americans over 87 billion dollars. Dr Jeremy James, DC, CSCS, the Director of the Aspen Club Back Institute and the Co-Author of "The Younger Next Year Back Book." Dr. James offers a Whole Body Plan for Conquering Back Pain Forever-- to teach patients how to use his simple adjustments that can be made to relieve back and neck pain. Illustrations of various exercises help target a patients area of pain and Dr. James tells our audience that "we all do dumb stuff that we know will trigger back pain, stop doing the dumb stuff." Oh the amazing World of SharksFlorida Fish & Wildlife list Blacktip Shark, Bonnethead Shark, Bull Shark, Great Hammerhead Shark, Lemon Shark, Nurse Shark and Tiger Shark as common species of sharks found in Florida waters. George Burgess is the director of the University of Florida Program for Shark Research and one of the top shark attack experts in the world. George offered our viewers insight into the world of sharks and factual shark stories combined with innovative research findings to better understand the most unique shark species in the world. George is a passionate shark expert who documents every shark attack in his shark attack file. He reminds us about his ratio that is surprising about shark attacks; more sharks die after attacks then the humans they attack. Another interesting fact is we are seeing more shark attacks in the U.S. than ever due to technology like smart phones users who photograph shark attacks. George suggests, if your being attacked try to probe the inside of a sharks eyes a very sensitive area for sharks and they can react by opening their mouth and freeing the victim from the attack. Summers are filled with memories of families & friends enjoying fun in the sun activities. No matter if your kids are off to camp or daycare, one thing is for sure- kids will bring germs & illnesses shared with their playmates home to your household. Did you ever think of the germs you are in contact enjoying a day at the beach as you snack between dips in the water? Or have you considered how many parasites and germs live in beach sand? Even when your kids stay home enjoying a play date at an amusement park or a visit to a majestic state park or if you choose a staycation & play in your backyard with friends & pets you will be bringing germs into your household. The Center for Disease Control, (CDC) recommends if you're committed to stay active & on the go with your family you need to be aware of how to avoid spreading disease. Michele Hlavasa is an epidemiologist at the CDC shared a healthy reminder to help stop spreading disease. Most people are not aware of the thorough process of riding germs through hand washing. The steps begin with wetting hands, creating a lather, scrubbing hands by rubbing them together with soap getting in between fingers and under your nails for at least 20 seconds. If you don't have a clock nearby scrub along to the Happy Birthday son and sing the song twice and while singing rinse with clean running water to finish off. Don't forget to dry hands using clean towel or an electric hand dryer. Michele say's it's very important to wash your hands using these steps to get hands completely clean. This process will rid of all germs and chemicals so that you don't pass them on to your foods and drinks when preparing meals as well as eating or drinking them, which can make us sick. Also, germs and chemicals from unwashed hands can be transferred to other objects, like cellphones, table tops, or toys, and then transferred to other people's hands. For more information visit cdc.gov/handwashing. The 2018 Atlantic hurricane season is an ongoing event each season that officially begins on June 1, 2018, and will end on November 30, 2018. I'm a seasoned Floridian who is not new to tropical storms or hurricanes. In fact my biggest lesson in life was the impact from Hurricane Andrew, which made landfall 26 years ago as the Category 5 Hurricane that laid to waste many suburb areas of Miami. According to the National Hurricane Center the 10 most hurricane prone states - #1 Florida, #2 Texas, followed by Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, New York & Virginia. Since 1851, 40 % of U.S. hurricanes hit Florida. Having a Plan is essential to survive a hurricane no matter what part of the U.S. coastline a storm hits Having a Communication plan is of most importance because cell towers go down and electricity takes down the power of land lines and you must be able to communicate with loved ones. The fact is you must take seriously the message from Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen from The Department of Homeland Security; Kirsten urges our nations residents to "Have a Communication Plan to implement at the beginning of the storm to let a family member or friend know where you are and how to contact you after the storm passes." earn more at https :// www.ready.gov /hurricane Welcome to the News Release Wire Selection Control Panel. Instant News Wire 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. Whats more, the gamified public service app is interactive, rewarding users points and badges for engagement, allowing them to follow others and be followed, and let them see whats being reported citywide. Residents can download the app from the iTunes store or Google Play under the name 311SA or find it on www.sanantonio.gov/311 . RELATED: How do San Antonio city officials grade your street? No other application in any city has this, where you can vote and interact directly with anyone on the platform, said Alberto Beto Altamirano, Cityflags CEO and a co-founder along with Eduardo Bravo and Alberto Gomez. Cityflag won an initial $40,000 contract last year as part of a nearly $8 million city initiative to become a smart city by increasing digital connectivity and internet-of-things initiatives. Im thrilled that here in the city of San Antonio, where we have pledged to be smarter, to be funner, were doing that here today, city Mayor Ron Nirenberg told the packed launch party at the Geekdom Event Centre. I get calls about potholes and graffiti and you know street crimes and things like that and its a lot of fun to be able to work on that and improve it, Nirenberg said. Now, for the first time ever, citizens are going to have the power in their hands to be able to experience that as well. City Manager Sheryl Sculley said the Cityflag partnership gave residents a new way to communicate with their city. We worked to find new ways to further engage the community ... to get the public more involved and make it easy for them to respond or report things that are going on, she said. RELATED: Biting dogs are a vicious problem in San Antonio Cityflag founders have spent much of the past year working with city department heads to customize the app for San Antonio residents. Paula Stallcup, who manages the citys 311 center, said residents should think of 311 as that first point of contact with the city of San Antonio. Were here seven days a week to take those calls from the residents, whatever service it is, she said. Cityflags concept dates back to Altamiranos 2008 stint helping local Democrats during Barack Obamas 2008 election campaign. I knocked on a lot of doors and I remember getting the same replies: Whos going to fix the potholes in the streets? he said. By 2030, 70 percent of the populations going to be in the cities. ... So why not create some type of communication platform to make it easier to communicate with city government. And thats what were doing. A mid-2014 brainstorming session with friend Beto Gomez, a college professor, led to the idea of a civic engagement app. They used it to enter, and win, a national competition known as the Voto Latino Innovators Challenge, which was spearheaded by Voto Latino, a national nonprofit supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation through a grant from the University of California. About a month later, they won the Startup Mexico competition in Mexico, which provided 18 of 400 competing teams with funding and office space in Mexico City. Altamirano in November was named to Forbes Magazines prestigious 30 under 30 list. Asked if he saw Cityflag leading up to his own political career, he said, I wouldnt be opposed to it. Im excited right now about what were doing in business, he said. I think were nurturing economic development when we talk about innovation and technology, but as of right now Im focusing on my company. lbrezosky@express-news.net U.S. District Judge Fred Biery is known for colorful opinions and orders, often sprinkling quotes and nuggets of history into his prose. This week as part of an uber acrimonious business dispute he offered up a collection of his greatest hits. In a seven-page order Tuesday, the San Antonio federal judge expressed little patience for any Rambo tactics or elementary school behavior by attorneys involved in a battle between San Franciscos HouseCanary Inc. and Detroits Quicken Loans Inc. over alleged stolen trade secrets and fraud. Biery cited some ways he might sanction the lawyers if they misbehave. Although he does not expect counsel to hold hands and sing Kumbaya, Biery warned in his order that unprofessional conduct or acerbic shrillness in the pleadings may result in visiting attorneys having their court privileges revoked or even worse, sitting in timeout in the rotunda of the courthouse and opposing counsel kissing each other on the lips in front of the Alamo with cameras present. These are no idle threats. RELATED: Wells Fargo countersues USAA over patent infringement claims Biery actually carried out the first two punitive measures in other cases hes presided over. The attorneys in two other cases only had to be threatened with having to lock lips in front of the Alamo for the misconduct to stop, he added. The case before Biery is part of an escalating feud between HouseCanary and Quicken Loans. HouseCanary and Title Source Inc., a Quicken Loans affiliate, squared off earlier this year in a Bexar County District Court that produced a record $706 million jury verdict for real estate analytics firm HouseCanary. The animus has only ratcheted up since that verdict, with title insurance firm Title Source Inc. now known as Amrock Inc. recently alleging that the seven-week trial was tainted by a widespread fraud. HouseCanary filed suit against Quicken Loans in May in San Antonio federal court, raising allegations similar to those it made against Amrock. I dont always enjoy Judge Bierys Orders, but I enjoyed this one, Ricardo Cedillo, a San Antonio lawyer for HouseCanary, said in an email. A Quicken Loans spokesman had no comment. It appears from Bierys order he doesnt relish wading into the legal quagmire that has landed in his court. Condensing 14 billion years into a twenty-four hour time line reveals that our ancestors showed up at about a minute before midnight, which means that our biblical three score and ten and the time of this litigation is a nanosecond blink of an eye, Biery said, crediting Carl Sagans Cosmic Calendar. RELATED: Was there fraud in the Bexar County jury trial that led to $706M verdict Accordingly, Biery continued, may we move toward a reasonable conclusion with or without a trial whether in this Court or some other. Biery revived a classic in his repertoire and included it as an attachment at the end of his order: A photo of Abraham Lincoln with the quote, Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. Also attached to the order was Bierys The Rule for the Practice of Law, which begins Treat others (including lawyers, parties, witnesses and Court staff) as you would like to be treated. Those who dont follow The Rule and act particularly childish are subject to writing it in multiples of 50 on a Big Chief tablet with a Number Two pencil. Offenders may also be required to donate numerous pictures of George Washington to deserving charitable organizations. Bierys lamented in his order, which began with a quote from Elvis Presley (Truth is like the sun; You can shut it out for a time, but it aint going away), about the influx of attorneys from parts outside San Antonio. He included an image of the state of Texas with arrows pointing toward its northern border and the words Foreign Migration. At least 11 of the roughly 25 lawyers involved in the case are from other states. As another old school San Antonio lawyer, Hobart Huson Jr., was fond of saying, Biery noted, Texans, you are guarding the wrong river. Patrick Danner 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. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD 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. Radio Farda in the article Why Trumps Arab NATO Plan Wont Curb Iran reminds, that 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. HARWOOD Visitors to the spacious HeartBrand Ranch in prime Gonzales County cattle country are greeted by the Johnny Appleseed of beef. There in the ranch office entryway stands the full taxidermied remains of Big Al. In his 15 years of life, mostly spent in Texas, Big Al sired so many offspring at the ranch and around the world that a good chunk of the breed outside of Japan can be genetically traced back to him. The massive, 2,000-pound bull came from a highly prized lineage of a Japanese breed known as Akaushi. He was the first pure-bred Akaushi bull born outside the Japanese mainland when his mother, Akiko, gave birth to him Jan. 27, 1995 in Wisconsin. How many descendents can this mac daddy claim? I cant say with certainty that it would be a majority, but the number would have to be well into the thousands, said JoJo Carrales, HeartBrands vice president of cattle operations. We have full-blooded (Wagyu) cattle in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela with Als genetics. The arrival of Big Al heralded a new trend in cattle ranching and dining. Wagyu beef has exploded in popularity, both regionally and globally, and is a growing presence on menus and in the local meat case. Its turned this very Japanese meat into a profitable new niche for Texas cattlemen, with customers who dont seem to mind paying upward of $50 a pound for gourmet steak cuts. Texas is thought to be the biggest producer of this exclusive beef, with a growing list of area ranchers converting their herds to Wagyu through selective breeding. Akaushi, also called Japanese Brown or Japanese Red, is one of four breeds including Japanese Black, Japanese Polled and Japanese Shorthorn under the Wagyu beef label (Wa means Japanese and gyu means cow). The U.S. leads the world in the breeding and production of Wagyu from Japanese Black herds that are raised around the country and in Akaushi, bred mostly in Texas. Polled and Japanese Shorthorn are still exclusive to Japan, according to wagyu.org. And while Wagyu meat sells at a premium, Texas ranchers are also profiting from selling straws of semen, priced at $20 to $4,000 per straw, from prized Akaushi bulls to customers all around the world. Wagyu meat is known for its deep red coloring and a rich, intensely flavored fatty marbling. Unlike traditional American beef cattle that develop a fat cap over fairly lean muscle, Wagyu breeds create layers of fat that weave through the inside of the muscle like an underground ant colony a characteristic that purportedly makes Wagyu a heart-healthier alternative to traditional U.S. beef. That fat renders into the muscle as it cooks, creating super juicy steaks and brisket and earning Wagyu the nickname butter beef. San Antonio chefs such as Mark Bohanan (Bohanans Prime Steaks & Seafood) and William Goro Pitchford (Godai Sushi Bar & Restaurant) proudly feature the meat, and local barbecue spots are getting in on the trend as well, selling Wagyu brisket. Pitchford finds the Wagyu sirloin and New York strip cuts to be so pure, he serves them sliced raw and paper-thin as a sashimi special. Ill never forget my first taste of it, he said. Everybody likes to say something melts in your mouth, but with this meat, it really does. I compare it a lot to foie gras. Joe Paschal, a livestock specialist and expert in animal breeding at Texas A&M University, said its unclear why Wagyu breeds marble so differently. Apparently, they have the genetics that puts more fat inside that muscle, and I really dont know why that is. Theres still plenty of great marbling in U.S. beef, but its a little different, he said. How it began In the 1860s, beef from the Kobe region of Japan was shipped to various ports for consumption, and Japanese cattle producers started to experiment with cross-breeding with European and Asian breeds. Those experiments yielded the Wagyu breeds. The Japanese are the ones that did all the hard work. None of us can take credit for that, said Jordan Beeman, president of HeartBrand Beef. They created animals with marbling that cant be found anywhere else in the world. Japan banned the export of its prized cattle, but that didnt reduce the worlds curiosity and hunger for the exotic breeds. In 1976, somehow, four bulls two Japanese Black and two Akaushi arrived in the U.S. to breed with cattle here, the first step in establishing an American Wagyu bloodline. Akiko, Big Als mama, was part of a group of eight Akaushi cows and three bulls that entered the U.S. in a specially equipped Boeing 747 airliner in 1994 thanks to a group of wily Texas ranchers exploiting a loophole in the export ban. Those animals were bred to start a herd that was eventually purchased in its entirety by Jordan and Ronald Beeman, creating HeartBrand Beef in 2006. George Owen, executive director of the American Wagyu Association, said that a few other shipments of Japanese Blacks to the U.S. were also made before the Japanese government closed the loophole in the late 1990s. The overwhelming majority of Wagyu herds that are raised in Australia, Spain, South Africa and other parts of the world were started with genetics from the animals imported into the U.S. Now, did somebody at some point smuggle semen or embryos out of Japan? I dont know, Owen said. But we can say the global Wagyu supply funneled through the U.S., and most certainly the (Akaushi) trace back to Texas. Building the herd Now, cows and bulls dont breed like rabbits not even the prolific Big Al so it took more than 25 years of deliberate breeding to distill the cross-bred bloodlines to as close to pure Wagyu as possible. Even so, the total cattle numbers remain low enough that they arent even charted by the U.S. beef industry. When you are killing 28 million head of cattle per year, the Wagyu portion of that doesnt even register as a blip, Paschal said. But Texas is the biggest cattle producer with the most numbers, most breeds, most ranches, and we are No. 1 in production. I would suspect we are primary source for this line of beef, too. HeartBrand currently manages a herd of more than 14,000 full-blooded Akaushi. About 800 head are kept on the 1,600-acre ranch for breeding and calving, while the others are moved to the Panhandle or other parts of the country and put on feed. We are by far the largest operation in Texas and probably the second-largest Wagyu provider in the country, Jordan Beeman said. I think in the long-term game, we have more potential than grass-fed beef. Grass-fed beef fills an emotional need; people arent necessarily eating it because it tastes great. Our focus is to provide a top-rate beef eating experience. In addition to selling its processed beef to restaurants and distributors, HeartBrand also sells semen from its vast collection of bulls to other cattle operators who wish to enter the Wagyu business. The ranch keeps a catalog of its frozen offerings from more than 40 different bulls, including some from Big Al himself. Prices per straw range from $20 for semen from younger bulls on the ranch to $4,000 for long-frozen semen from the original bulls shipped from Japan. The U.S. Wagyu breeding process is called grading up, and it is slow. Ranchers just getting into the biz inseminate American breeds of cattle, like Black Angus or Hereford, and create 50/50 hybrids. Those female hybrids can then be bred with different Wagyu bulls to create offspring considered 75 percent Wagyu. When an animal is bred out to four generations, Paschal said it is generally considered purebred. One straw serves one cow, so even on the low end for a small herd of 20 cows, it would cost at least $1,600 over the years to get to purebred stock. On the high end, it would cost at least $320,000 a tidy profit for the rancher selling the genetic material. Peeler Ranch, just outside of Floresville, acquired semen from bulls in Australia about six years ago to start a Wagyu breeding program and now handles about 800 head of cattle that have been graded up to pure standards. We started early and hope to stay ahead of the pack with it, said Marianna Peeler, who manages all of the Wagyu production. Hopefully, the demand is there and will continue to grow at the rate it has. Paying the price High-end cuts of Wagyu regularly retail for $50 or more per pound and whole briskets can carry a $200 price tag. Thats about a 400 percent markup from current prices for traditional choice beef cuts, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture reports. But there is a big reason for that. Like beauty contestant judges, USDA inspectors give their top prime rating to beef thats almost perfect: hearty meat from a young (20 to 24 months), well-fed animal that has deep red meat laced with marbling. Beeman claims that out of the 25,482 Akaushi cattle that have been processed by HeartBrand since 2013, 39 percent of it was graded prime, and 57 percent was graded choice, the next best. Only about 2 percent of traditional U.S. beef earns a prime rating. Bohanan might have been the first local chef to offer the beef in his acclaimed Bohanans Prime Steaks & Seafood restaurant on Houston Street downtown in 2003. It has remained a menu staple ever since. We would showcase it to customers on a tray, their eyes would light up, and they were quick to say I want that, Bohanan said. Bohanan later started to grind the beef into burgers, and hes started using the primal cuts. Hes about to launch a fall menu at his Peggys on the Green restaurant in Boerne that will feature Wagyu corned beef and pastrami. Wagyu has also started to infiltrate the barbecue scene, with at least two San Antonio-area restaurants, Black Board Bar B Q in Sisterdale and Smoke Shack on Broadway, offering Wagyu brisket for $24 per pound. I get a laugh out of the customers that ask for lean cuts (of Wagyu), Black Board co-owner Jake Gandolfo said. It has so much fat, thats impossible. But I get it. Its still an unfamiliar product to a lot of folks. I try to make a point to watch them take that first taste, though. You can tell that its the best bite of brisket theyve ever had in their life. Chris Conger features Wagyu from Peeler Ranch in his Smoke Shack Meat Market. He buys all 12 of the briskets the ranch processes weekly in addition to steaks, short ribs and roasts. For the foreseeable future, I think Wagyu is going to continue to very much be a specialty product, Paschal said. But people have done a great job advocating the grass-fed movement, and if you have the right support, and people are willing to pay for it, anything can happen. So what happened to Big Al? Well, he met his doom in 2010 when he broke into a pen of 30 2-year-old bulls. Carrales said that after he whooped up a few of them, the young bulls most of them his descendents ganged up on Al and killed him. It probably wasnt as dramatic as the end of 300, but what a way to go, Carrales said. And through the power of genetic science, hes still making Little Als all over the world. cblount@express-news.net | Twitter: @chuck_blount | Instagram: bbqdiver Note: This is a full Taste Test review, with a star rating based on multiple visits. Hot Joy caused a sensation when it opened in 2014 with its crossover Asian food and an experimental pop-culture subtext. Bon Appetit magazine named it the No. 7 best new restaurant in all of America. Southtown blushed. Its been a long, strange trip from then to now. Rising star chef Quealy Watson, who opened the restaurant, left in 2016. Hot Joy launched what it planned to be a two-year pop-up location in Dallas last year that a critic torched as a clueless white-dude fantasy. It closed after only a few months. Back home, Hot Joy rolled out a new Thai-inspired menu this summer and dialed its tiki bar cocktail menu all the way to 11. The results are an uneven mashup of influences that step on each other on their way to nowhere in particular. Now Playing: Hot Joy brings together flavors from all over the world, for better or worse. Video: mysavideo, tastevideo, mysafood Squid fried rice was too busy with its own sticky problems to get along with its loudmouth pepperoni roommate. A crock of scallop and pork dumplings couldnt decide if it was gumbo or gyoza, so it picked both and succeeded at neither. A crunchy rice salad invited curry, coconut, sausage and cheese to the party before the salt police shut the whole thing down. I should have known; the server tipped me off beforehand and offered to remake the dish before it even hit the table. Hot Joy * 1014 S. Alamo St., 210-368-9324, hotjoysa.com Quick bite: Asian-influenced food and stylish cocktail bar in Southtown. Hit: Whole crispy duck, crab-fat caramel chicken wings, Spam steamed buns Miss: Squid fried rice, crispy rice salad, screechy soundtrack Hours: 5-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 5 p.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday Price range: Appetizers, $4.99; small plates, $11.99-$14.99; noodles, $11.99-$16.99; entrees, $14.99-$16.99; family-style entrees, $24.99-$59.99. Alcohol: Cocktails, beer and wine **** Superior. Can compete nationally. *** Excellent. One of the best restaurants in the city. ** Very good. A standout restaurant of its kind. * Good. A restaurant that we recommend. (no stars) We cannot recommend this restaurant at this time. Express-News dining critics pay for all meals. See More Collapse Related: The top 10 pollos asados roasted chicken places in San Antonio I like a good khao soi, kind of a brothy buffet in a bowl with chicken and the interplay of boiled and crispy fried noodles. No luck here. Hard knobs of chicken and an oppressive top layer of crunch sucked up most of the liquid, leaving something like a gloppy red salsa behind. I should save gloppy for the Spam fried rice, though, because there was no getting around the mayo holding the salty mass together, like eating it right out of the jar with a spoon. Soft-shell crab curry with tater tots sounds like stoner food with a culinary degree. But the tots just got mushy, and the crab reinforced my notion that most of the time, its like eating a beast made of wet popcorn hulls. It seemed like the food was trying to do everything all at once. Too many influencers, not enough decision-makers. A comically loud, screaming surf punk soundtrack accelerated the sense of anarchy, a tone-deaf surrender to Hot Joys own self-deprecating sense of cool, which creates its own mystique. Lots of red lantern light and broken shadows through painted screens. Samurai cats guarding a bathroom. A wall of living bamboo lining the front walk, and the lobbys towering curio of Eastern ephemera. The Bruce Lee booth never seems to sit empty for long. Surrender to the kitsch and clamour and youll find something to like. Love, even. Hot Joy makes one of the best dishes Ive had in San Antonio: a whole roasted duck with all the sides for a feast: massaman curry, rice, sauces, pickles and a fluffy toasted flatbread called paratha. When I say whole, I mean head and neck and wings and everything, glazed tawny brown from the flash-frying that left the skin crispy and preserved the noble scarlet of the meat underneath. The leg quarters were tucked alongside, neatly separated with a confit-style lacquer. The rest of the bird was left unsliced and unscored, a challenge for anybody whos never carved a Thanksgiving turkey. Properly sliced, the breast medallions could go up against any roast duck in town. Related: Review: Jamaican heat sets The Jerk Shack ablaze Chicken wings brought the same kind of bliss in a smaller format. Fried twice, seasoned from the inside out and drenched in sweet caramel with the seagoing swerve of crab fat, theyre the thing Hot Joys kept on its evolutionary menu since its first days as a pop-up at the old Monterey in 2012. The wings fought with Spam steamed buns for best bar food at Hot Joy. A nice piece of fried Spam is its own reward, but folded inside a soft pillow of starch with avocado and Thai herbs and drowned like tacos ahogadas in red curry? Its Hot Joys most successful fusion of Asia and San Antonio. Chef John Philpots menu also found solid ground with a straightforward larb-style preparation of ground pork to wrap inside leaves of Bibb lettuce with pickles and rice. And though I didnt pick up on the fish-sauce brine, the kitchen made nice work of Thai fried chicken platter with enough sauces and sides to keep greasy fingers busy. Meanwhile, pastry chef Jessica Philpot (theyre married) added nice finishing notes with a tannic and sweet ice cream version of Thai iced tea with sponge cake and a bowl of coconut tapioca with crispy rice and passionfruit sorbet that brought childlike wonder into this loud post-teen clubhouse. Tiki drinks tend to coalesce around a fruit juice-and-fire motif for me. Hot Joy broke the pattern with the Oaxacan Sparrow, a hurricane glass of mezcal and rum and, get this, smoldering cinnamon sticks. The Frozen Zombie produced a powerful grown-up Slurpee buzz, and Wave to the Grave won Best in Show for its iridescent blue curacao heart and a crown of snowy fluffed egg white over a bracing swirl of rhum agricole and pineapple. The bar softened some of the ragged edges, a nod to the notion that even if Hot Joy cant sustain the buzz that fueled its early days, it can at least help sustain yours. msutter@express-news.net | Twitter: @fedmanwalking Experts of American military-themed website "We are the Mighty" told why Russia can't be conquered through military means. According to website, the main reasons are harsh climate conditions, extremely huge territory, strongs army, as well as unique national mindset. Experts also believe that residents of Russia will rather destroy their own country than leave it to invader. At the same time, website adds that invader will have to fight with Russians in 11 time zones. In addition to Russia, publication notes, it's also impossible to conquer China, India, Afghanistan and the United States. When it comes to India, potential invaders to will have to deal with unique climatic and geographic features, as well as a large number of submarines in the coastal waters. As for Afghanistan, there will be difficulties with relief and multinational population. Website stresses that it will be impossible to conquer China due to its 1.3 billion population, as well as big territory, diseases caused by overpopulation, and developed economy that replicates technological achievements of other countries, which may result in creation of powerful aviation forces. Speaking about the United States, experts noted that it's impossible to defeat this country not only because of its powerful armed forces, large territory and huge population, but also because citizens can have guns. HOUSTON Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who wants to be the future speaker of the House, spent nearly six hours in Texas campaigning for Democrats on Wednesday, yet another sign of the states significance on the national political landscape with November midterm elections just 11 weeks away. Pelosis visit to Houston comes a week before Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to visit and raise money for endangered Republican U.S. Rep. John Culberson, who holds a Houston district both parties acknowledge is a jump ball. President Donald Trump has donated to Culbersons campaign. Earlier this week, former Vice President Joe Biden threw his support behind Democrat Lizzie Pannell Fletcher, Culbersons opponent. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said just last week that hes talked to President Donald Trump about campaigning in Texas to help Cruz and other Republicans. Its definitely competitive here, Pelosi said. Were going to get a big turnout in all of these races. Still, Pelosi stopped short of declaring that Texas will turn blue this year. She said it could be turning at least purple pretty soon. RELATED: Gun of ex-sheriff running for Texas governor still missing We must own the ground, Pelosi told Democrats at Talento Bilingue, where she attended a town hall meeting Wednesday with state Sen. Sylvia Garcia, a Democrat running against Republican U.S. Rep. Phillip Aronoff in District 29. Within Texas, Harris County has grown as a target for Democrats since the 2016 elections, when Hillary Clinton won over 100,000 more votes in the county than then-President Barack Obama did four years earlier. Vlad Davidiuk, communications director for the Harris County Republican Party, said Harris is the largest swing county in the nation and could be a deciding factor in statewide races in Texas. On both sides, they are trying to find ways to motivate their voters, he said. Pelosi said the key to every race is an effective ground game to get voters who are very energized this year, partly in response to Trump to the polls. At a Moms Summit at Houston Community College with Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee, D-Houston, and then later at Talento Bilingue, Pelosi hammered home what shes calling a For the People campaign agenda that Democrats hope will return the U.S. House of Representatives to their control for the first time in eight years. The themes for Democrats are lowering health care costs, getting better wages for workers and cleaning up the government, Pelosi said. She said no issue, however, is bigger than health care. She said voters are turning to Democrats for help as they see the Affordable Care Act dismantled and the threat that people with pre-existing medical conditions could once again find themselves unable to afford health insurance. Health care is not just about peoples health and well-being, it is about their economic security and their financial security, said Pelosi, who is on a campaign run through nine cities. At the moms event with Jackson Lee, Pelosi took aim at the Republican tax cuts Trump signed into law. She said those cuts mostly benefit the rich and are adding to the national debt. RELATED: Julian Castro's Iowa trip is another must for a presidential campaign Americas moms need a better deal, an agenda that works for all the people, said Jackson Lee, a senior member of the House Budget Committee. Theres little doubting Pelosi sees a big role for Jackson Lee if Democrats win back the majority of seats in Congress. Pelosi called Jackson Lee a force of nature who commands respect in the community and on Capitol Hill. Pelosi, 78, has said she intends to make another bid to become speaker of the House if Democrats pick up the 23 seats they need to retake the majority. Congressional watchers like Nathan Gonzales at Inside Elections in Washington, D.C., have predicted Democrats are positioned to pick up 20-30 seats, with the possibility of larger gains. Republicans scoff at the idea of a blue wave flipping Texas. On the campaign trail, Cruz has said there are clearly more Texas conservatives than liberals and that the GOP needs only to make sure they turn out their numbers to keep the state bright red. Some Republicans have welcomed Pelosi campaign visits, saying she helps fire up Republican voters, too. On the other side, Democrats point to strong turnout among women voters in special elections as a reason for optimism. Pelosi said Democrats have recruited more women to run for Congress to accentuate that advantage. Its really important for young moms out there raising families to see people who share their experience, their hopes their aspirations, their challenges, Pelosi said. In a major victory for a coalition of labor and community organizations, the City Council on Thursday adopted a mandatory paid sick leave ordinance that would ensure nearly all workers in San Antonio earn the benefit. In a 9-2 vote, the council adopted the ordinance that will become effective next year. It would apply to both for- and not-for-profit businesses. Officials expect that the Texas Legislature will move to preempt the ordinance and similar laws in Austin and Dallas, if voters there approve it in November. If it isnt addressed by state lawmakers, Mayor Ron Nirenberg suggested that the city would work with those who presented the petition for the ordinance and business owners who have voiced concerns with mandating that businesses offer paid sick time. Councilmen Greg Brockhouse and Clayton Perry voted against the measure. RELATED: Judge sides with San Antonio firefighters union Moments after the vote, supporters of the measure broke out with cheers, culminating with Si se puede! chants in Main Plaza. Earlier in the day, the council voted unanimously to do its ministerial duties of calling a Nov. 6 charter-amendment election for three propositions put forth by the local fire union. Unless a judge intervenes, three propositions will appear on the ballot that could make sweeping changes to municipal government. Those amendments would: cap the salary of future city managers and place term limits on them; lower the threshold for signatures on referendum petitions, increase the amount of time allowed for gathering them and remove prohibitions against overturning utility rates, tax levies and appropriations; and give the union sole discretion to declare an impasse on contract negotiations and force the city into binding arbitration, removing its right to seek relief in the court system. Opponents of the proposals failed Wednesday to obtain a restraining order preventing the council from taking action today. Several residents chastised the council for the lawsuit and implored the council to call the election and stop attempting to block voters from the ballot box. Prior to the vote, economist Steve Nivin presented a report to the council on the negative fiscal impact should the amendments pass. Nivin said the amendments would ultimately cause the city to lose revenue and be forced to cut resources or find new ways to increase revenue sources. There was no council discussion on the matter. This is a developing story. Check 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 A last-ditch effort to knock a set of proposed city charter amendments off the November ballot failed Wednesday when a judge refused to intervene before Thursdays council meeting. A business-backed political action committee called Secure San Antonios Future had asked District Court Judge Cathleen Stryker for a temporary restraining order to block City Council from calling the November election, even though proponents of the charter amendments have gathered more than enough valid signatures to put the matter to a vote. The PAC contended that the election should not take place because the San Antonio firefighters union, the driving force behind the charter change campaign, violated state law in the way it funded its signature gathering. Stryker declined the request for an immediate restraining order, but did not dismiss the PACs suit. The decision puts the issue back in the hands of council members. They face an Aug. 20 deadline to put ballot measures before voters in the Nov. 6 election. Thursdays meeting is their last scheduled session before that deadline. The charter amendments arent the only high-profile ballot decision facing the council. Working Texans For Paid Sick Time, a coalition of labor and community organizations, has gathered enough support to get its proposal to require private-sector business in San Antonio to provide paid sick leave on the ballot. Nirenberg, other city officials and their political adviser are worried that having both issues on the same ballot would complicate efforts to defeat the charter amendments, which is their top priority. The proposed charter changes would make 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. Mayor Ron Nirenberg and other elected officials say the unions proposed amendments would severely erode the citys ability to operate effectively. Having the paid sick leave proposal on the ballot with the charter amendments would put city leaders in the position of trying to persuade voters who are inclined to vote yes on sick leave to simultaneously vote no on the charter amendments. The council is expected to avoid that predicament by adopting a paid sick leave ordinance at Thursdays meeting. Adopting the sick leave ordinance, which would take effect next August, is considered low-risk politically, even though business groups oppose such a mandate, because the Texas Legislature is expected to act next year to prohibit local governments from requiring paid sick leave. And keeping it off the ballot also allows city officials to focus on its fight to block the charter amendment proposals at the ballot box. Although Wednesdays ruling clears the way for the council to put the proposed charter amendments on the Nov. 6 ballot, it doesnt end the legal battle. Cris Feldman, a Houston attorney representing the fire union, said shortly after the judges order that he was pleased with the decision and that the fire union hadnt violated the Texas Election Code. The big thing that came out today was that nothing happened to stop the City Council from proceeding (Thursday), he said, And it sounds like City Council is prepared to put this on the ballot in November. Both Mikal Watts, the attorney for Secure San Antonios Future, and Andy Segovia, the city attorney, responded that the judge had not concluded that there wasnt a violation made she simply rejected the request for a TRO. Today the judge simply ruled to deny the TRO, Segovia said. The lawsuit filed by the PAC is still active and the case has not been decided on the merits. Watts said he intends pursue the lawsuit. He also plans to file an appeal by Monday. I have the highest respect for Cathleen Stryker, who calls balls and strikes as she sees them, he said. We respectfully disagree with her decision and will seek a call from an appellate court who will review the strike zone that she saw. Feldman said he was prepared for more legal action. The lawsuit centers on the $510,000 the fire union spent on its petition campaign, which culminated in union members and their allies in April delivering dozens of boxes full of petitions signed by San Antonians. Watts based the lawsuit on reporting by the San Antonio Express-News, which showed that the fire union and its political action committee had failed to disclose expenditures it made on the campaign paid to Texas Petition Strategies, a Central Texas petition firm that paid its signature gatherers based on the number of signatures they obtained. Feldman argued that the failure to disclose the expenditures and then the subsequent errors made in correcting and recorrecting reports were merely clerical errors that have been fixed. He said the union has the constitutional right to spend union dues on political activity, such as the gathering of signatures for charter amendments. Watts said Texas law lays out a specific way for labor organizations to use union dues on political activity, which requires making a political contribution from those dues to a specific-purpose political action committee. The union didnt have one when it cut three checks totaling more than a half-million dollars to Texas Petition Strategies, although its since created one called San Antonio First. Had the union funded a so-called S-PAC, it wouldnt have run afoul of the law, he said. Watts said litigation would continue and the Secure San Antonios Future PAC would continue to fight the election. The vote should not occur because the union broke the law, and we should not require the city to waste its resources to call an election that should never be called, he said, noting an imminent appeal. And if the appeals court agrees that the union can do what it did, then we will respect the decision of the appeals court. Christian Archer, the political consultant whos managing the PAC, said his group is prepared to campaign against the proposed charter amendments and has significant backing from the community to do so. 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 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 None of the immigrant children still detained at a tent city in the desert outside El Paso is among those who were separated from their parents under the Trump administrations family-separation policy, which ended in June. But lets be clear: The ongoing operation of the facility in Tornillo is a direct legacy of that abhorrent policy. Originally scheduled to close in July, the site will remain open for at least another month. Thats important to remember as the government continues to dole out between $400,000 and $500,000 a day to keep it open, even while dragging its feet in releasing the children there to adult sponsors. San Antonio-based BCFS Health and Human Services currently operates the facility; one of its subcontractors is the RK Group, a local catering firm. RELATED: Tent city extended 30 more days, elected officials say As San Antonio Express-News staff writer Silvia Foster-Frau reported last week, the delay in closing the facility is a result of a new government policy requiring background checks and fingerprinting of the sponsors. There have been sponsors identified for all of (the children), state Rep. Ina Minjarez, D-San Antonio, who toured the site last week, told me on Wednesday. The hiccup is there are new rules required by the Department of Homeland Security that these sponsors and everyone who lives in the household has to undergo extensive fingerprint and background checks. State Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio, toured the site alongside Minjarez. The person running the operation said, If we got the information back from the federal government that we need, if there wasnt a backlog, we could shut this thing down by Sunday, Bernal said. It doesnt take that long to run the background check and run the fingerprints. All the sponsors and family members have submitted everything to the government, and the government is taking a long time. Bernal added, Saying its bureaucracy is giving them a pass. I think the delay is a part of the overall effort for this to be as punishing and abrasive as possible. If that sounds conspiratorial, remember punishment was a goal from the tent citys inception. That much was clear from the Trump administrations own prediction that its zero-tolerance policy would deter immigrants trying to enter the country illegally. RELATED: Authorities launch probe into reports of migrant child dying after stay at immigration facility The Tornillo facility was only constructed because the resulting family separations led to an influx of children in other shelters. In June, nearly 300 children were being detained there, 23 of whom had been taken from their parents. About 175 unaccompanied minors remained at the facility last week. Theres still a need for bed capacity. Thats all I really got, Minjarez said. She added, They said that children who were separated under the Trump administration policy, those children are already out of the tent city to be reunified. The clarification is theyre not with family. Theyre just being put close to family. That state of limbo is emblematic of delays in the process of reunifying separated families. Last month, the government missed a court-imposed deadline to reunite more than 2,500 children who were separated from their families at the border. Among those children who are yet to be reunited, hundreds remain separated from parents who have since been deported. On the morning that Bernal toured the tent city along with other members of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, he heard the facility would expand to 4,000 beds. When Bernal asked those operating the site whether this was true, he wasnt able to get a straight answer. By the end of the day, the rumor had proved false. Bernal said he suspects the shifting narratives are purposefully chaotic. Its hard to focus advocacy efforts to create policy or demand transparency or accountability if its always a moving target, Bernal said. He added, But for the zero tolerance policy, there wouldnt be a tent city. And there wouldnt have been a discussion about expanding it tenfold, which for all I know is still in the air. bchasnoff@express-news.net AUSTIN Attorney General Ken Paxton refuses to defend the Texas Ethics Commission in court as one of his largest political donors sues to dismantle the agency. A newly revived lawsuit threatens to strip the ethics commissions power to enforce state laws that shine a light on where politicians get their money. The lawsuit is the latest in a yearslong siege from Empower Texans, a tea party group that promotes small government and low taxes and aggressively campaigns against establishment Republicans. In a budget request to state lawmakers filed last month, the commission said it will need $600,000 to pay a private lawyer to defend it in court because the attorney general will not. By law, the states lawyer is supposed to defend challenges to state laws, state agencies and individual state employees. The attorney general can decline to represent agencies, but that seldom occurs, experts say. It is rare that the attorney general refuses to help its regulatory agency, particularly one of the most important agencies the one that tracks money in politics, said Craig McDonald, director of Texans for Public Justice, a group that tracks political spending. The attorney general has turned his back on campaign finance regulation in the state, and it sends a terrible signal to those who might abuse campaign finance laws. Paxton is following in his predecessors footsteps. In August 2014, then-Attorney General, now Gov. Greg Abbott refused to represent the agency. The practice has continued under Paxton, who took office in 2015. Both have received hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions from Empower Texans and its chairman. Since then, the ethics commission has spent $430,000 defending itself against five Empower Texans lawsuits and seven appeals. Marc Rylander, a spokesman for Paxton, declined to explain why Paxton refuses to represent the commission, saying he will not comment on confidential discussions between the attorney generals office and the ethics commission. All of our decisions are guided by the same principle: We take the duty to defend the state seriously and routinely defend agency enforcement actions whenever consistent with our duty to uphold the Constitution, Rylander said. However, where we determine those two duties are in conflict, our first obligation is to defend the Constitution and the basic rights it guarantees to each and every Texan. Rylander declined to say whether Paxtons donations from Empower Texans or its chairman, Midland oil and gas developer Tim Dunn, factored into his refusal to represent the ethics commission. Rylander also would not say whether Paxton has refused to represent other agencies. The commission, created by the legislature in the 1990s, is critical to ensuring transparency in elections. Ethics commission legal fees keep software updates on hold Empower Texans, founded in 2006, describes itself as a non-profit service organization that seeks to educate and inspire Texans to exercise effective citizenship. It runs several organizations, including two nonprofits and a political action committee. Dunn, who has given more than $6 million to the PAC, is its largest donor, records show. Information on donors to the nonprofits is not publicly disclosed. The greatest threat to our states economic growth and competitiveness is the weight of government on the economy, the group says on its website. We seek policy outcomes that provide increasing levels of economic liberty and opportunity for all Texans by controlling the size of government. Government power and reach must be strictly limited Consistent with that creed, Empower Texans is suing to strip the ethics commission of its regulatory powers. The commission is responsible for collecting information on political contributions and making it available to the public. The commission also enforces laws requiring politicians to disclose personal financial information. Put another way, the commission enforces the laws that allow the public to see that since 2014, Paxtons campaign has received $377,000 from the Empower Texans PAC, according to campaign finance disclosures filed with the commission. Empower Texans also secured a $1 million loan for Paxtons campaign in 2014, and Dunn is Paxtons largest donor, shelling out $405,000 since 2014, records show. The problem with any litigation where the agency has to spend its own funds to defend itself, is the unpredictability, said Seana Willing, the ethics commissions executive director. If we had the Attorney Generals Office representing us, it wouldnt be coming out of our general revenue. Willing said the legal fees are preventing the commission from increasing salaries and updating the software that allows the public to inspect campaign finance data. That $300,000 that we are using each year for outside counsel, if the [attorney general] were representing us, we could use that to make sure the electronic filing system remains state of the art. Empower Texans has given Paxton $782,000 in contributions The commission and Empower Texans have fought in court for years. In 2012, two state representatives claimed one nonprofit arm of Empower Texans had morphed into a political action committee because it endorses candidates and grades lawmakers on their fiscal responsibility. The donors to nonprofit organizations are not public information, but if an organization is operating as a political action committee, then donors must be reported to the state. The commission demanded that Empower Texans disclose the nonprofits donors and register its president, Michael Quinn Sullivan, as a lobbyist. Empower Texans refused the demands of the Ethics Commission, which eventually dropped its case in 2016. But Empower Texans shot back, asking a judge to rule that the commission cannot regulate campaigns and political donations because it is a legislative agency that is acting with executive powers. We will pursue the separation of powers cases until the end, said Joe Nixon, Empower Texans lawyer, adding he is confident the group will prevail. An Austin appeals court ruled earlier this month that a district judge should consider Empower Texans claims. That will likely mean a costly trial for both sides. The commission is also involved in two other lawsuits with Empower Texans. Paxton, who was first elected in 2014, has received a total of $782,000 from Empower Texans and Dunn. Empower Texans has also donated $100,000 to his wife, Angela, who is running for the state Senate. Paxton is currently under indictment, accused of securities fraud and failing to register as an investment adviser. The ethics commission has no current role in the case, but in 2016 it issued an opinion that Paxton could not raise money for his legal defense outside of Texas. Dunn also gave $60,000 to Abbott, who was the attorney general in 2014 when the office first declined to represent the commission. Willing said the commission will continue to defend itself against Empower Texans legal challenges, but its unclear how long those will continue. The agency has 45 days to appeal the recent ruling. In the meantime, the commission will present its budget request to the legislature in September. McDonald, with the Austin-based watchdog organization, said the legal challenges against the commission could be detrimental. We have to know who are politicians are beholden to. We have to know who they are representing, McDonald said. One key way to find that out is to find out who is paying for their campaigns. In Texas, where there is so much big money flowing, it can have tremendous influence over a politician. HOUSTON Former (and possibly future) Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi spent nearly six hours in Houston campaigning for Democrats on Wednesday, yet another sign of the citys significance on the national political landscape with November midterm elections just three months away. Pelosis visit comes a week before Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to visit and raise money for endangered Republican U.S. Rep. John Culberson, who holds a west Houston district both parties acknowledge is a jump ball. President Donald Trump has donated to Culbersons campaign. Earlier this week, former Vice President Joe Biden threw his support behind Democrat Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, Culbersons opponent. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said just last week that hes talked to Trump about campaigning in Texas to help Cruz and other Republicans. Its definitely competitive here, Pelosi said. Were going to get a big turnout in all of these races. Harris County has only grown as a target for Democrats since the 2016 elections, when Hillary Clinton won over 100,000 more votes in the county than former President Barack Obama did four years earlier. All of the national attention speaks highly of the political dynamic in Harris County, said Vlad Davidiuk, communications director for the Harris County Republican Party. He said Harris is the largest swing county in the nation and can be a deciding factor in statewide races in Texas. On both sides, they are trying to find ways to motivate their voters, he said. Maybe no candidate is feeling the pressure as much as Culberson. Despite being in Congress for almost 18 years, Culberson is considered one of the most endangered Republicans because Clinton won more votes in his 7th Congressional District than Trump. Fletcher raised over $1 million in the last financial quarter, more than double what Culberson reported receiving. WHAT 2016 ELECTIONS SHOWED: Diversity powers change in Houstons 7th Congressional District But its not just that race. Pelosi said Democrat Todd Litton is giving the party a shot at picking up another Republican-held seat in Houston. Litton is battling Republican Dan Crenshaw for the 2nd Congressional District that has been held by retiring U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, R-Atascocita. Democrats have also shown increased energy in the 22nd Congressional District, where Democratic challenger Sri Preston Kulkarni is banking on a big turnout from Hispanic and Asian voters to knock off incumbent Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land. Pelosi said the key to every race is an effective ground game to get voters energized this year partly in response to Trump to the polls. Still, Pelosi stopped short of declaring that Texas will turn blue this year. She said it could be turning at least purple pretty soon. We must own the ground, Pelosi told Democrats at Talento Bilingue, where she attended a town hall meeting with state Sen. Sylvia Garcia, a Democrat running against Republican Phillip Aronoff to replace retiring Democratic Rep. Gene Green the 29th Congressional District. At a Moms Summit at Houston Community College with Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, and then later at Talento Bilingue, Pelosi hammered home what shes calling a For the People campaign agenda that Democrats hope will return the U.S. House of Representatives to their control for the first time in eight years. The themes for Democrats are lowering health care costs, better wages for workers, and cleaning up the government, Pelosi said. She said no issue, however, is bigger than health care. She said voters are turning to Democrats for help as they see the Affordable Care Act dismantled and the threat that people with pre-existing medical conditions could once again find themselves unable to afford health insurance. Health care is not just about peoples health and well being, it is about their economic security and their financial security, said Pelosi, who is on a campaign run through nine cities. At the moms event with Jackson Lee, Pelosi took aim at the Republican tax cuts Trump signed into law. She said those cuts mostly benefit the rich and are adding to the national debt. Americas moms need a better deal, an agenda that works for all the people, said Jackson Lee, a senior member of the House Budget Committee. Theres little doubting Pelosi sees a big role for Jackson Lee if Democrats win back the majority of seats in Congress. Pelosi called Jackson Lee a force of nature who commands respect in the community and on Capitol Hill. Pelosi, 78, has said she intends to make another bid to become Speaker of the House if Democrats pick up the 23 seats they need to retake the majority. Congressional watchers like Nathan Gonzales at Inside Elections in Washington, D.C., have predicted Democrats are positioned to pick up 20 to 30 seats, with the possibility of larger gains. Republicans scoff at the idea of a so-called blue wave flipping Texas. On the campaign trail, Cruz has said there are clearly more Texas conservatives than liberals and the GOP only needs to make sure they turn out their numbers to keep the state bright red. Some Republicans have welcomed Pelosi campaign visits, saying she helps fire up Republican voters, too. On the other side, Democrats point to strong turnout among female voters in special elections as a reason for optimism. Pelosi said Democrats have recruited more women to run for Congress to accentuate that advantage. Its really important for young moms out there raising families to see people who share their experience, their hopes their aspirations, their challenges, Pelosi said. Pelosi is no stranger to Houston. With grandchildren who live in the area, Pelosi said shes frequently in Houston and held up a Houston Strong T-shirt to a loud round of applause while campaigning with Garcia. AUSTIN Gov. Greg Abbott is attacking rival Lupe Valdez for misplacing her government-issued pistol as the former Dallas County Sheriff resigned at the end of 2017. Abbotts campaign tweeted Thursday about the missing gun, posting an online video that paints Valdez as a hypocrite for saying parents should be held accountable for the reckless storage of weapons that can lead to crimes, and questioning whether she is responsible enough to lead the state. Shes running on her law enforcement background. Thats one of the premise (sic) of her campaign, says a narrator in the Abbott ad. And she cant even keep track of her gun. Valdez, the Democratic candidate in the governors race, released a statement Thursday saying she takes full responsibility for the Beretta 9 mm pistol, which was misplaced after she followed protocol to return it to the Dallas County Sheriffs office when resigning from the department last year. It is not clear what she means by following protocol, and her campaign did not immediately respond to a reporters question. Valdez said the gun was misplaced during her transition out of office. She said she tried to locate it after she learned it was missing. The Dallas County Sheriffs office filed a report last month documenting that the weapon was missing in the event it is later used in a crime. GUNS ON CAMPUS: Santa Fe shooting prompts jump in number of Texas school marshals, who can carry guns on campus Reports of the missing gun come at a bad time for Valdez, who has been pushing for a conversation about gun reform in light of a shooting in May at Santa Fe High School. The 17-year-old shooter used his fathers guns to kill 10 people. In Dallas, Valdez was elected county sheriff four times. She has also served in the Army National Guard, U.S. Customs and the Department of Homeland Security. The head of Armenias State Revenue Committee (SRC) David Ananyan downplayed allegations of local companies that SRC launched tax terror against businesses, describing them as groundless. "We fulfill our mission. Taxpayers make their subjective conclusions about our work. We do not use tough administration methods to monitor small businesses," Ananyan said. Asked to comment on a sudden search at the Russian-owned South Caucasus Railway (SCR) company on August 15 overnight, the committee's head said he could not provide the details as the operation has secret elements. According to reports by local mass media, masked officers of SRC conducted surprise searches in the offices of the South Caucasus Railway. "There were no masked people. They waited outside in their cars and only in the end they helped to take the documents to the cars," ARKA cited him s saying. As for the timing of the search, Ananyan said it was conducted immediately after the court's permission was granted. Yesterday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a meeting with the CEO of SCR Sergey Valko. According to an official statement, they discussed current and future plans of the company and ways to improve the efficiency of the companys services. 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 Ameriprise Financial Services is paying $4.5 million to settle a Securities & Exchange Commission investigation into the theft of $1 million in client funds by representatives in three states. The SEC stated the Ameriprise failed to have reasonable safeguards in place to deter theft, with the company having fired five representatives in Virginia, Ohio and Minnesota where it has its headquarters in Minneapolis; with three of them having pleaded guilty to criminal charges. FAIRFIELD While turnout here for the primary elections were nothing to write home about, they were slightly higher than previous primaries. Registered Republicans and Democrats went the polls to choose candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer, and attorney general. Republicans also voted for comptroller and U.S. Senate candidates. This year, a total of 3,599 Democrats cast a ballot, ultimately selecting Ned Lamont over Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, a convicted felon. The field was larger for the GOP five candidates for governor alone and 3,047 voted. Bob Stefanowski, who won the primary, also won Fairfield with 828 votes, a 120-vote margin over the closest contender. As of Aug. 4, there were 11,224 registered Democrats and 10,443 registered Republicans. The last time both parties had a gubernatorial primary was in 2010, with Dannel Malloy faced Lamont, and Republicans Michael Fedele, Oz Griebel and Tom Foley vying to be the partys candidate. That year, 2,714 Republicans cast a ballot in the primary and 2,439 Democrats voted. This year had very competitive races on the Republican side for several offices, and all the candidates were working hard and spending a lot of money to get the vote out, Republican Town Committee Chairman James Millington. With that said, the turnout was disappointing. Millington said Democrats he spoke with at the polls were very motivated to see Ned Lamont as their candidate, and were fearful that Ganim would negatively impact their chances in November. But Millington said voters on both sides of the aisle were focused on Connecticut and the mess our state is in. Millingtons counterpart Steven Sheinberg said the DTC worked hard to get out the vote in the primary. Secondly, many Democrats voted to send a message that we must oppose the extreme policies of the Trump administration and their supporters here in Fairfield and Connecticut that gave him a grade of A, Sheinberg said. greilly@ctpost.com; 203-842-2585 Ankara is determined to step up the visa liberalization dialogue with the bloc, as relations between Turkey and the European Union have begun normalizing, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said amid recently exacerbated Ankara-Washington tensions. "We intend to continue negotiations on visa liberalization with the European Union. In the coming days, a delegation from the Turkish Foreign Ministry will meet with European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans," the diplomat stressed. "We intend to intensify contacts with the European Union on visa liberalization," Anadolu agency cited the minister as saying. Cavusoglu added that Ankara was open to an impartial dialogue with Washington to settle existing disagreements, provided that the United States did not use "the language of threats." Toyota Motor Corp. engages in the manufacture and sale of motor vehicles and parts. It operates through the following segments: Automotive, Financial Services, and All Other. The Automotive segment designs, manufactures, assembles and sells passenger cars, minivans, trucks, and related vehicle parts and accessories. It is also involved in the development of intelligent transport systems. The Financial Services segment offers purchase or lease financing to Toyota vehicle dealers and customers. It also provides retail leasing through lease contracts purchase by dealers. The All Others segment deals with the design and manufacture and sale of housing, telecommunications and other businesses. The company was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda on August 28, 1937 and is headquartered in Toyota, Japan. Read More Former Armenian president Robert Kocharyan announced his political comeback. "Consider that I came back," Kocharyan said in response to a question whether he was returning to politics, ARKA reported. A Yerevan district court late on July 27 ruled that the Armenian Special Investigative Service could hold Serzh Sargsyans predecessor Robert Kocharyan for two months in pre-trial detention pending investigation. The case dates back to late February and early March 2008 following the disputed presidential election, when then prime minister Serzh Sargsyan was declared the winner, angering the opposition, led by the first Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosyan and setting off 10 days of nonstop protests that led to a crackdown on March 1, in which 10 people were killed and more than 200 injured. Kocharyan was charged with toppling constitutional order in collusion with other persons. The same charge was brought against Yuri Khachaturov, secretary general of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, who had been the chief of the Yerevan garrison at the time of the bloody events of 2008. However, Khachaturov was released on bail. In addition, former defense minister Mikael Harutyunyan is wanted by the law-enforcement authorities as a defendant in the case. He is accused of illegally using the Armenian armed forces against opposition supporters who demonstrated in Yerevan in the wake of the disputed presidential election held in February 2008. Kocharyan was released from custody on June 13 after Armenias Court of Appeals ruled that he could not be prosecuted for the post-election violence. One of his defense lawyers, Ruben Sahakyan, said that the court based its decision on Article 140 of the Armenian Constitution, which says that during the term of his or her powers and thereafter, the President of the Republic may not be prosecuted and subjected to liability for actions deriving from his or her status. The ruling of the Court of Appeals was denounced by the Special Investigative Service, which described it as illegal, saying that the Court of Appeals overstepped the bounds of its authority. It said also that it will ask the Prosecutor General to appeal the decision at the Court of Cassation. The following companies are subsidiares of Continental Aktiengesellschaft: A-Z Formen- und Maschinenbau GmbH, ADC Automotive Distance Control Systems GmbH, ALPHALOR 3 EURL, AZ-CZECH s.r.o., Adam Touring GmbH, Advance Tyre Company Ltd., Advanced Imaging Technologies, Advanced Imaging Technologies (Pty) Ltd, Advanced Scientific Concepts, AlMutlak Continental Company Limited Liability Company, Application Solutions (Electronics and Vision) Ltd., Argus Cyber Security Ltd, BENECKE-KALIKO S.A., BENECKE-KALIKO S.A., BEST DRIVE CTM S.A. de C.V., BV Environmental Limited, BV F1rst Limited, Bandvulc Tyres Limited, Belt Concepts of America Inc., BeltTrade Inc., Benecke Changshun Auto Trim (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd., Benecke Changshun Eco Trim (Changzhou) Co. 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Ltd, ContiTech Holding Netherlands B.V., ContiTech IMAS A.E., ContiTech India Pvt. Ltd., ContiTech Japan Co. Ltd., ContiTech Kautschuk- und Kunststoffvertriebsges. mbH, ContiTech Kuhner Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, ContiTech Kuhner GmbH & Cie. KG, ContiTech Lastik Sanayi ve Ticaret AS, ContiTech Luftfedersysteme GmbH, ContiTech MGW GmbH, ContiTech Magyarorszag Kft., ContiTech Maroc SARL, ContiTech Mexicana S.A. de C.V., ContiTech North America Inc., ContiTech Oil & Marine Corp., ContiTech Power Transmission (Ninghai) Ltd., ContiTech Power Transmission (Sanmen) Ltd., ContiTech Power Transmission Korea Co. Ltd., ContiTech Print Service (S) Pte. Ltd., ContiTech Printing Blanket Shanghai Ltd., ContiTech Roulunds Rubber A/S, ContiTech Rubber Industrial Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, ContiTech Scandinavia AB, ContiTech Schlauch GmbH, ContiTech Services (Pty.) Ltd., ContiTech Shanghai Rubber & Plastics Technology Ltd., ContiTech Singapore Pte. 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OHG, Continental Teves Portugal - Sistemas de Travagem Lda., Continental Teves UK Ltd., Continental Tire Andina S.A., Continental Tire Canada Inc., Continental Tire Chile SpA, Continental Tire Colombia S.A.S., Continental Tire Corporativo S.A. de C.V., Continental Tire Holding US LLC, Continental Tire Japan Co. Ltd., Continental Tire Korea Co. Ltd., Continental Tire Sumter LLC, Continental Tire West Africa Limited, Continental Tire de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Continental Tire the Americas LLC, Continental Tires (China) Co. Ltd., Continental Tires (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Continental Tires Espana S.L., Continental Tires Holding Singapore Pte. Ltd., Continental Trebbin GmbH & Co. KG Sondermaschinenbau, Continental Trebbin Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungs-GmbH, Continental Tyre AS Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre Group Ltd., Continental Tyre Investment UK Ltd., Continental Tyre Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre Management Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre Marketing Malaysia Sdn. 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Ltd., Elektrobit France SAS, Elektrobit India Private Ltd., Elektrobit Nippon K.K., Emitec Denmark A/S, Emitec France SAS, Eu-Retec (Private) Ltd., FSC Franchising Service Company S.p.A., Formpolster GmbH, General Tire International Company, Granite Investments Limited, Holding ContiTech SAS, Hoosier Racing Tire Corp., Hornschuch (Shanghai) Surface Technology Co. Ltd., Hornschuch Consulting GmbH, Hornschuch Group GmbH, Hornschuch Italia S.r.l., Hornschuch Stolzenau GmbH, Hornschuch UK Ltd., Hornschuch-Markt GmbH, INTECH Thuringen GmbH, Kathrein Automotive, Kathrein Automotive Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Kathrein Automotive North America Inc., Kathrein Automotive Portugal Sociedade Unipessoal Lda., Kim Holdings Scotland Limited, Kolubara-Univerzal D.O.O., Konrad Hornschuch AG, Konrad Hornschuch International GmbH, Legg Company Inc., Libra Associates (Properties) Limited, MISA GmbH & Co. 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DE C.V., PT Continental Tyre Indonesia, PT Quantum Inventions Indonesia, Parkpocket, Phoenix Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Phoenix Compounding Technology GmbH, Phoenix Conveyor Belt India Private Ltd., Phoenix Conveyor Belt Solutions Inc., Phoenix Conveyor Belt Systems GmbH, Phoenix Fluid Handling Industry GmbH, Phoenix Oil & Marine Ltd., Phoenix Service GmbH & Co. KG, Phoenix Shanxi Conveyor Belt Co. Ltd., Phoenix Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Pneu Egger AG, Profi Reifen- und Autoservice Gesellschaft mbH, Prazisionstechnik Geithain GmbH, QUANTUM INVENTIONS SDN. BHD., Quantum Inventions, Quantum Inventions Private Limited, R & J Strang Tyre Services Limited, REG Reifen-Entsorgungsgesellschaft mbH, REPARATION PNEUMATIQUES DU SUD EST (REPNEU) SAS, ROSEA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Hannover-Stocken KG, Reifen Apel GmbH, Reifen Kauffmann GmbH, Reifen-John GmbH & Co KG, Reifen-Service Clemens & Hegel GmbH, Rengasmaailma Oy, Road-Broad Automotive Electronics (Qufu) Co. Ltd., Rundpneu Beteiligungsges. mbH, S.C. ContiTech Fluid Automotive Romania S.R.L., S.C. ContiTech Romania S.R.L., S.C. Continental Automotive Products SRL, SAS CONTITRADE FRANCE, STEINEBRONN BETEILIGUNGS-GMBH, Semperit (Ireland) Ltd., Semperit (UK) Ltd., Semperit Reifen Gesellschaft mbH, Senior Experts Services GmbH, Siemens VDO Automotive S.p.A., Specialised Belting Supplies Ltd., Specialty Fabrics & Converting Inc., Specialty Yarn & Converting Inc., Stable One Insurance Company LLC, Synerject Taiwan Co. Ltd., Syrma A.E., TON Tyres Over Night Trading GmbH, TOO "Continental Matador KZ", Temic Automotive (Phils.) Inc., Tikka Spikes Oy, Tyre Maintenance Limited, Tyre Reinsurance (Ireland) DAC, Tyre and Auto Pty Ltd, UMG Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Union-Mittelland-Gummi-GmbH & Co. Grundbesitz KG, Unterstutzungskasse mbH der Goppinger Kaliko- und Kunstleder-Werke GmbH, VIVAX Trading GmbH, Vanvulc Tyres Limited, Vaysse SAS, Vergolst GmbH, Veyance Distribuidora de Produtos de Engenharia Ltda., Veyance Hong Kong Co. Ltd., Veyance Industrial Services Inc., Veyance Qingdao Engineered Elastomers Company Ltd., Veyance Technologies, Veyance Technologies Australia Pty. Ltd., Veyance Technologies Canada (NS) ULC, Veyance Technologies Hong Kong Co. Ltd., Veyance Technologies Zambia Ltd., Viking Tyres (UK) Ltd., Vitesco Technologies (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Vitesco Technologies 1. Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Vitesco Technologies 1. Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies 2. Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Vitesco Technologies 2. Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Automotive Cuautla S.A. de C.V., Vitesco Technologies Canada ULC, Vitesco Technologies Czech Republic s.r.o., Vitesco Technologies Delavan LLC, Vitesco Technologies Eisenach Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Emitec GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Engineering Romania SRL, Vitesco Technologies France S.A.S., Vitesco Technologies GDL S. de R.L. de C.V., Vitesco Technologies Germany GmbH, Vitesco Technologies GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Group Aktiengesellschaft, Vitesco Technologies Holding 1 Canada Inc., Vitesco Technologies Holding 2 Canada Inc., Vitesco Technologies Holding China Co. Ltd., Vitesco Technologies Holding Netherlands B.V., Vitesco Technologies Hungary Kft., Vitesco Technologies India Private Limited, Vitesco Technologies Italy S.R.L., Vitesco Technologies Japan K.K., Vitesco Technologies Korea, Vitesco Technologies Lohmar Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Vitesco Technologies Roding GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Romania SRL, Vitesco Technologies Singapore Pte. Ltd., Vitesco Technologies UK Ltd., Vitesco Technologies USA LLC, Vitesco Tecnologia Brasil Automotiva Ltda., Vogtlandische Reifenwerke Sitz Bad Nauheim GmbH, Vulcanite Holdings Pty Ltd, Vulcanite Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Vulcanite Pty Ltd, Wohlfahrtseinrichtung fur die Arbeiter und Angestellten der Semperit Reifen AG GmbH, Zonar, Zonar Systems Inc., Zytek Automotive, Zytek Automotive Ltd., Zytek Group Ltd., balance GmbH Handel und Beratungsservice im Gesundheitswesen, co-pace GmbH, inotec Innovative Technologie GmbH, and kek-Kaschierungen GmbH. DTE Energy Co. operates as a diversified energy company, which engages in the provision of electricity and natural gas sales, distribution and storage services. It operates through the following segments: Electric, Gas, Non-Utility Operations, and Corporate & Other. The Electric segment engages in the generation, purchase, distribution and sale of electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers in south-eastern Michigan. The Gas segment engages in the purchase, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of natural gas to residential, commercial and industrial customers throughout Michigan and the sale of storage and transportation capacity. The Non-Utility Operations segment engages in gas storage and pipelines, power and industrial projects, and energy trading. The Corporate & Other includes various holding company activities, holds certain non-utility debt, and holds energy-related investments. The company was founded in January 1995 and is headquartered in Detroit, MI. Read More Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI Austria 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 Austria ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Ormat Technologies, Inc. operates as a holding company. The firm engages in the provision of geothermal and recovered energy power business. It operates through the following segments: Electricity, Product and Energy Storage. The Electricity segment focuses in the sale of electricity from the company's power plants pursuant to PPAs. The Product segment involves in the manufacture, including design and development, of turbines and power units for the supply of electrical energy and in the associated construction of power plants utilizing the power units manufactured by the company to supply energy from geothermal fields and other alternative energy sources. The Energy Storage segment consists of battery energy storage systems as a service and management of curtailable customer loads under contracts with U.S. retail energy providers and directly with large commercial and industrial customers. The company was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Reno, NV. Read More U.S. Vice President Mike Pence threatened Turkey with unspecified consequences if it continues to hold American pastor Andrew Brunson in custody, according to a statement. "Pastor Andrew Brunson is an innocent man held in Turkey and justice demands that he be released. Turkey would do well not to test POTUS Trumps resolve to see Americans who are wrongfully imprisoned in foreign lands returned home to the United States," Pence said via Twitter yesterday. Washington has previously imposed sanctions on Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, blaming both officials for the continued imprisonment of Brunson. Yesterday, Turkey rejected Washingtons latest appeal for the release of Brunson and imposed retaliatory duties on US products. The following companies are subsidiares of Sealed Air: A.P.S. (Holdings) Limited, AFP Trading (China) Co. Ltd., AFPTOH LTD, APS Automated Packaging Systems GmbH & Co. KG, APS Verwaltungs-GmbH, Air Ride Pallets Hong Kong Limited, Austin Foam Plastics Inc. (dba AFP Inc.), Automated Packaging Systems, Automated Packaging Systems Asia Holding Company Limited, Automated Packaging Systems Comerciale Importacao do Brasil Ltda., Automated Packaging Systems Europe, Automated Packaging Systems LLC, Automated Packaging Systems Limited, Automated Packaging Systems Southeast Asia Co. Ltd., B+ Equipment, B+ Equipment SAS, Beacon Holdings LLC, Biosphere Industries, BluPack (New Zealand), Blue Dot Packaging Pty Ltd., Cactus (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Cryovac (Malaysia) SDN. BHD, Cryovac Brasil Ltda., Cryovac Holdings II LLC, Cryovac International Holdings Inc., Cryovac LLC*, Cryovac Leasing Corporation, Cryovac Londrina Ltda., Cryovac Packaging Portugal Embalagens Ltda., Cryovac-Sealed Air de Costa Rica S.R.L., DELTAPLAM Embalagens Industria e Comercio, Diversey, Diversey J Trustee Limited, Diversey Trustee Limited, Entapack Pty. Ltd., Fagerdala (Chengdu) Packaging Co. Ltd, Fagerdala (Shanghai) Foams Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Shanghai) Polymer Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Suzhou) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Thailand) Limited, Fagerdala (Xiamen) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala Leamchabung Limited, Fagerdala Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Fagerdala Mexico S.A. de C.V., Fagerdala Mexico Supply Chain S.A. de C.V., Fagerdala Packaging Inc. (Indiana), Fagerdala Singapore Pte Ltd, Fagerdala Singapore Pte. Ltd., Getpacking.com GmbH, Invertol S. de R.L. de C.V., JSC Sealed Air Kaustik, KRIS Automated Packaging Systems Holding Company, Kevothermal LLC, Kevothermal Limited, Nelipak Holdings, Pack-Tiger GmbH, Polyrol Limited, Polyrol Packaging Systems LLC, ProAseptic Technologies S.L., Producembal- Producao de Embalagens LTDA, Reflectix Inc., SLD Air Packaging Paketleme Malzemeleri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Saddle Brook Insurance Company, Sealed Air (Asia) Holdings BV, Sealed Air (Barbados) S.R.L., Sealed Air (Canada) Co./CIE, Sealed Air (Canada) Holdings B.V., Sealed Air (China) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air (China) Limited, Sealed Air (Israel) Ltd., Sealed Air (Korea) Limited, Sealed Air (Latin America) Holdings II LLC, Sealed Air (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sealed Air (New Zealand), Sealed Air (Philippines) Inc., Sealed Air (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Sealed Air (Ukraine) Limited, Sealed Air Africa (Pty.) Limited, Sealed Air Americas Manufacturing S. de R.L. de C.V., Sealed Air Argentina S.A., Sealed Air Australia (Holdings) Pty. Limited, Sealed Air Australia Pty. Limited, Sealed Air Australia Real Estate Pty Ltd, Sealed Air B.V., Sealed Air Belgium N.V., Sealed Air Central America S.A., Sealed Air Chile SpA, Sealed Air Colombia Ltda., Sealed Air Corporation (US), Sealed Air Cyprus Ltd., Sealed Air Denmark A/S, Sealed Air Finance B.V., Sealed Air Finance II LLC, Sealed Air Finance Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Funding LLC, Sealed Air General Trading LLC, Sealed Air GmbH (Germany), Sealed Air GmbH (Switzerland), Sealed Air Hellas SA, Sealed Air Holding France SAS, Sealed Air Holdings (New Zealand) Pty. Ltd., Sealed Air Holdings South Africa Proprietary Limited, Sealed Air Holdings UK I Limited, Sealed Air Holdings UK Limited, Sealed Air Hong Kong Limited, Sealed Air Hungary Ltd., Sealed Air Investment and Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Japan G.K., Sealed Air LLC, Sealed Air Limited (Ireland), Sealed Air Limited (UK), Sealed Air Luxembourg (I) S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Luxembourg (II) S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Management Holding Verwaltungs GmbH, Sealed Air Multiflex GmbH, Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) I B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) II B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands Holdings V B.V., Sealed Air Norge AS, Sealed Air OY, Sealed Air Packaging (India) Private Limited, Sealed Air Packaging (Shanghai) Co. Limited, Sealed Air Packaging (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Packaging LLC, Sealed Air Packaging Materials (India) LLP, Sealed Air Packaging S.L.U., Sealed Air Peru S.A.C., Sealed Air Polska Sp. Zoo, Sealed Air Pty Limited, Sealed Air S.A S., Sealed Air S.r.l., Sealed Air South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Sealed Air Svenska AB, Sealed Air Taiwan Limited, Sealed Air UK Limited Partnership, Sealed Air US Holdings (Thailand) LLC, Sealed Air Uruguay S.A., Sealed Air Verpackungen GmbH, Sealed Air de Mexico Operations S. de RL. de C.V., Sealed Air de Venezuela S.A., Sealed Air s.r.o., Shanklin Corp, Shanklin Corporation, TTS-Ciptec, TXAFP Asia Pacific Ltd., TXAFP GP LLC, and Trigon Industries. 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 United Technologies Corporation provides technology products and services to building systems and aerospace industries worldwide. Its Otis segment designs, manufactures, sells, and installs passenger and freight elevators, escalators, and moving walkways; and offers modernization products to upgrade elevators and escalators, as well as maintenance and repair services. The company's Carrier segment provides heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration, fire, security, and building automation products, solutions, and services for commercial, government, infrastructure, residential, and refrigeration and transportation applications. This segment also offers building services, including audit, design, installation, system integration, repair, maintenance, and monitoring. Its Pratt & Whitney segment supplies aircraft engines for commercial, military, business jet, and general aviation markets; and provides aftermarket maintenance, repair, and overhaul, as well as fleet management services. The company's Collins Aerospace Systems segment provides electric power generation, power management, and distribution systems; air data and aircraft sensing systems; engine control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems; engine components; environmental control systems; fire and ice detection, and protection systems; propeller systems; engine nacelle systems; aircraft lighting, seating, and cargo systems; actuation and landing systems; space products and subsystems; avionics systems; flight controls, communications, navigation, oxygen, and training systems; food and beverage preparation, and storage and galley systems; and lavatory and wastewater management systems. The company offers its services through manufacturers' representatives, distributors, wholesalers, dealers, retail outlets, and sales representatives, as well as directly to customers. United Technologies Corporation was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut. Read More By Susan Crowell / editor@farmanddairy.com In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson, upon hearing the death of WWII correspondent and pioneering television journalist Edward R. Murrow, said Murrow dedicated his life as a newsman and as a public official to the unrelenting search for truth. And still today, within the field of journalism, Murrow is held up as an example of an independent journalist, determined to uncover truth regardless of repercussions. He was, most notably, a force in fighting U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthys crusade against alleged Communist influence in the 1950s. The unrelenting search for truth by members of a free press is one of the hallmarks of this nation. Who else keeps the public informed, who shares stories of outrage, courage and hope, who shines a light on injustices, who keeps public and private leaders from the local school board to the Oval Office accountable, if there is no scrutiny by a free and independent press? Today, Aug. 16, 2018, more than 300 media around the United States are publishing editorials that emphasize the importance of a free press particularly calling out President Donald Trumps war on journalism. Mr. Trump is not the first U.S. president to object to or try to influence news coverage, and he wont be the last. Public officials and the press have always had a love-hate relationship. But the presidents rhetoric and disdain have broadly served to discredit the free press, triggering hate speech and death threats against individual journalists. And that fury hits those of us in farm media, too. Read related commentary by Greg Horstmeier, editor-in-chief of DTN/Progressive Farmer. We dont care where you fall on the political spectrum. We simply hope that you care about the preservation of a free press and the role we play. We are not the enemy of the people, a sentiment that sadly resonated with 29 percent of Americans polled this month. Even scarier was this: Thirteen percent of those surveyed thought that President Trump should close down mainstream news outlets, like CNN, The Washington Post and The New York Times. Whats left? A state-run news bureau? Yes, the media and individual reporters like me are biased. We work very hard to remain objective and share information from all sides, but subtle biases remain because were human. And, yes, there are media who lean one way or the other Farm and Dairy has never hidden its bias for agriculture, including support for free trade and fewer onerous regulations. There is fair criticism when this bias colors complete information to our readers. But Farm and Dairy also works hard to present opposing viewpoints, whether in opinion columns or to present opposing sides in a news article. In fact, I remember one phone conversation during the height of Ohios livestock care ballot issue when a reader accused Farm and Dairy of being owned by the Humane Society of the United States because we shared their anti-animal agriculture voice in our coverage. The bottom line is that a free press is an essential part of democracy. We need information. We need to seek viewpoints that might be different from the ones we currently hold. The media may not tell you what you want to hear, but we always strive to give you information that is accurate and factual. And, trust me, there are plenty of people out there who would give you willful misinformation. The media are not the enemy of this great country. Neither is President Trump. Farm and Dairy is committed to earning your respect and your trust every day with accuracy, fairness and objectivity. The fundamentals of journalism are more important than ever freedom of speech is the cornerstone of freedom itself. Thank you for your support. Tom and Kay Latham of Homeworth, Ohio, took the Farm and Dairy newspaper on their four-day trip to The Shack on Robinson Lake in White Cloud, Michigan. The owner of The Shack is an old engine collector and reserves a time annually for others to display their engines, tractors, cars, trucks and machinery. STAY INFORMED. SIGN UP! Up-to-date agriculture news in your inbox! Armenia's government decided to terminate the powers of the Council of Elders of Yerevan, suspending the activities of the citys municipality as well. The country's Minister of Territorial Administration and Development Suren Papikyan said the Central Election Commission (CEC) will announce the date of early elections to the Council of Elders not earlier than 30 and not later than 40 days after the publication of the government's decision. Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the election will be the first election of this scale for the new government and expressed hope that everyone realizes that the polls must be legal, transparent and fair. The elections to the Council of Elders are scheduled for September. Members of the Council will then elect a mayor during their first session. If a party participating in elections receives more than 50 percent of the seats in the Council, the person who tops its list of candidates is considered elected mayor, ARKA reported. An Australian dairy farmer has made an emotional-plea to supermarkets urging them to pay farmers more amid the worst drought Australia has faced in years. 42-year-old Shane Hickey, a father of three, took to Facebook on Tuesday (14 August) to explain how he is earning a measly AUS$2.64 an hour. It comes as Australia suffers one of the worst droughts in a generation. Im a proud dairy farmer I work very hard, the New South Wales farmer said to the camera. But Id like to say that I worked this month [July] and we just got paid in August for a whole month. I worked for $2.46 an hour. Something has got to change. You cant keep this sh*t up. People cant expect farmers to continually work for nothing. Thats basically slavery. 'Production is down' In the video, Mr Hickey urges Australian supermarket chains Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA to pay more to farmers. Coles and Woolies keep selling milk and cheese and keep screwing the arse off us all, he added. If the drought keeps up, I dont know where they are going to get it from. Its not coming from here. Our production is down 50 per cent to this time last year and our water is disappearing quickly. Social media users flooded the post with concerns and questions about how they can help dairy farmers. Carrollyn Marshall Lowe said: "I am positive all the negative commentators wouldnt work for $2.36 an hour. Most farmers have massive overdrafts, work longer hours than any of us and deserve the good times." Robert Goldspink added: "Who would pay an extra dollar per litre for milk if the supermarkets passed all extra dollars directly to the farmers? I would." The desperate situation in Australia comes as British farmers face issues with sustained hot, dry conditions. The impact of the summer heatwave on livestock and growers will be felt for months to come, according to the Royal Agricultural University. The NFU has explained how crops are "being parched to the bone", and how vegetable farmers are facing issues as their depleted reservoirs, used for irrigation, begin to dry up. A farm has made history by constructing the UK's first drive-thru offering on-the-go consumers the estate's organic meat. Rhug Estate, situated near Corwen, Denbighshire, north Wales, has made retail history this week. It has broke ground by opening the drive-thru at the entrance to Rhug farm. It is believed to be the first drive-thru, set up on a farm, in the UK. The farm will offer organic meat to consumers, including beef, lamb, chickens, turkeys, geese, wild bison, and Japanese Sika deer. The new drive-thru is positioned at the entrance to the farm, situated on the busy A5 road running in to north Wales. Visitors who are short of time can now visit the drive-thru to purchase food and drink from the farm. Lord Newborough, owner of the Rhug Estate said: In this busy world we live in I recognise that not everyone has the time to stop and enjoy a delicious meal. "The new Drive Thru will complement the facilities that we already have and provide an easy, quick, solution to the hungry traveller who wants to get back on their journey without delay. This will hopefully have broad appeal to locals and holiday makers alike. The organic farming enterprise extends to two farms and has grown over the past 20 years to nearly 8,000 acres. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category The Birthday Boy With The Birthday Cake Saif wore a white Chinese-collar shirt and pants with a red bandana on his head. On the other hand, Kareena looked stunning in a black lace top and flared grey pants. Karisma opted for a black outfit for the evening. The trio are seen posing here with Saif's birthday cake. A Sweet Treat Here's a close-up of Saif's birthday cake. It looks yummy with the molten chocolate garnish, KitKats, chocolate wafer decorations and all sorts of chocolate candies. A Perfect Couple The Nawab and his Begum make for one adorable pair and this picture is a proof to that. And There We Say 'Cheese' Soha Ali Khan shared this snap on her Instagram where we see everyone squeezing in with Saif for a picture. Someone has rightly said that birthdays are just incomplete with pictures and more pictures! One More For The Camera Please Saif and Kareena pose for one more picture and we just can't keep our calm! Nobody Does Poses Better Than Bebo And here's how Bebo stole the limelight from the birthday boy. It looks like everyone just couldn't get enough of Saif at the bash. Saif Poses With His Kids They say, 'Good looks run in genes' and we couldn't agree more. The Chhote Nawab is seen posing for the shutterbug with his kids- Ibrahim and Sara. Drama, is the upcoming film of the Mohanlal-Ranjith team and the movie is expected to come out in the theatres during the month of September. Earlier, the makers of the film had announced that the trailer of Drama will be released on August 15, 2018. But the makers have decided to postpone the release of the trailer of the movie. The land of Kerala has been affected by the heavy rains, which have caused floods in many of the regions. It is one of the worst floods that the state has ever witnessed. Team drama has decided to postpone the release date of its trailer, considering the present situation in Kerala. The team has also send out a poster informing the same. Drama is touted to be a film that will be quite different from the movie of Mohanlal-Ranjith team from the past. The film has been pre-dominantly shot in London. Apart from Mohanlal, Drama also features Asha Sarath, Dileesh Pothen, Kaniha, Shyamaprasad, Tini Tom, Suresh Krishna etc., in important roles. Meanwhile, Mohanlal will be next seen in the film Kayamkulam Kochunni in which he will be seen essaying a special role. The movie has been touted for a release during the Onam season. Meghas Quirky Wedding Anniversary Wish Megha took to social media to wish Siddhant on their wedding anniversary with an adorable picture. She wrote, "Well well.. we made it another year without one of us either dead or ending up in jail. I call that a win!" - (sic) Siddhant & Megha Celebrate Their Second Wedding Anniversary "Today we celebrate the best decision you ever made @siddhantkarnick, now let's go out get drunk. Yes this picture is from our marriage. Yes, I will laugh with my mouth wide open. My tongue showing." - (sic) Interesting Hastags The actress further wrote with many interesting hashtags such as BuriNazarWaaleTeraMooKala' rollerCoasterRide', "Because he makes me that happy.. Most of the times #siddhantkarnick #meghagupta #MeghaSiddhantkarnick #2ndAnniversary #marriageAnniversary #rollerCoasterRide #anniversary #red #sindoor #saree #TouchHimAndIllShootYou #socialinfluencer #vlogger #actor #husband #wife #couple #picoftheday #travelinfluencer #indian #indianBride #BuriNazarWaaleTeraMooKala." - (sic) TV Actors Wish Megha & Siddhant On Their Anniversary TV actors, Meghna Naidu, Pankit Thakker, Vahbz, Kishwer and Aashka too wished the couple on their wedding anniversary. Vabbz wrote, "awwww such a cute pic.. happy anniversary my jaans @siddhanthkarnick @meghaguptaofficial." - (sic). While Kishwer wrote, "Happy anniversary u two ," and Aashka wrote, "more n more." - (sic) Turkey is fending off an economic coup attempt, Turkish Presidency Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said, referring to the ongoing row with the United States. With the acumen of our nation and the leadership of our president, we are fending off this economic coup attempt. This dear nation will remember both those who stand with and against it in this process, Altun said in a tweet on Aug. 16. "We will never allow our industry to be affected negatively. Our strong industrial infrastructure and dynamic entrepreneurs are our most important support against internal and external attacks targeting our country," Hurriyet daily cited him as saying. Commenting on the rise in Turkey's industrial output in June, Varank said the economy is going "robustly" as led by its industry. Turkey's industrial production rose 3.2% this June compared to the same month last year, the country's statistics agency announced on Aug. 16. "The 17.9% rise in high technology production is the mark of a trend we want to capitalize on," Varank added. The aid also said the recovery of the country's export markets and its buoyant tourism sector are contributing to industry. Meanwhile, the country's Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank said "necessary mesasures were taken against financial attacks." Chinas recent shift towards short-term monetary loosening has failed to arrest a default on a local government debt vehicle in the western province of Xinjiang, renewing concerns over Beijings determination to contain systemic risk. The timing of the default, however, is more surprising. Authorities in Beijing have recently loosened their grip on monetary policy in an attempt to shore up the balance sheets of struggling companies, as a trade war with the US threatens the export-dependent economy. The National Development and Reform Commission, the countrys top economic planner, said on Wednesday that Beijing was looking to boost investment in infrastructure projects to alleviate financing pressure on... So it's not a blip. Following HSBC, Citi too has created a senior banking role dedicated to the Belt and Road Initiative as Western banks step up their efforts to splice their operations into China's grand inter-regional blueprint and, perhaps, ingratiate themselves more with Beijing. On Thursday Citi said it had appointed Beibei Li as head of banking and origination for Belt and Road in Asia, having already been the only external global coordinator bank on Bank of Chinas $10 billion Belt and Road multi-currency international bond issue in April. That's after Mukhtar Hussain started his similarly new-fangled role as HSBC's head of Belt... Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2018) - American Lithium Corp. (TSXV: LI) (OTCQB: LIACF) (FSE: 5LA) ("American Lithium" or the "Company") announces that, further to its news release of July 24, 2018, it is expanding its non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") to include investors who have received suitability advice regarding their investment from a registered investment dealer. As previously announced, the Offering will consist of up to 11,250,000 units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.40 per Unit. Each "Unit" will consist of one common share and one-half-of-one common share purchase warrant (each full warrant, a "Warrant"). Each "Warrant" will entitle the holder to purchase one common share at a price of $0.75 per share for a period of twenty-four months. The Offering is not subject to any minimum size, and the Company may elect to increase the size of the Offering based on market conditions at the time of closing. The Company now expects that a portion of the Offering will be completed pursuant to Multilateral Notice 45-318 - Prospectus Exemption for Certain Distributions through an Investment Dealer ("CSA 45-318") and the corresponding blanket orders and rules implementing CSA 45-318 in the participating jurisdictions (collectively, with CSA 45-318, the "Investment Dealer Exemption"). As at the date hereof, the Investment Dealer Exemption is available in each of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and New Brunswick. Pursuant to CSA 45-318, each subscriber relying on the Investment Dealer Exemption must obtain advice regarding the suitability of the investment from a registered investment dealer. The proceeds of the Offering will be used by the Company for lithium brine and claystone drilling programs at the Fish Lake Valley in the State of Nevada, for future strategic acquisitions, marketing and general working capital. As at the date hereof, the Company has not allocated specific portions of the proceeds from the Offering to these activities. There is no guarantee that the Company will raise sufficient funds to meet its objectives, and in the event the Company fails to raise the expected proceeds, it may be required to allocate proceeds to different activities. The Company may pay finders' fees to parties who have assisted with the introduction of subscribers to the Offering. All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a four-month-and-one-day statutory hold period from the date of issuance. There is no material fact or material change regarding the Company that has not been generally disclosed. The Company does not expect to provide any offering materials to subscribers in connection with the Offering. INVESTOR RELATIONS CONSULTANT RETAINED American Lithium also announces it has engaged Deepak Bhatti to provide investor relations and shareholder communications services for an initial period of six months commencing Aug. 1, 2018. Compensation is $2,000 per month over the term of the agreement. About American Lithium Corp. American Lithium is actively engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of lithium deposits within mining-friendly jurisdictions throughout the Americas. American Lithium holds options to acquire Nevada lithium brine claims of over 22,000 acres (8,900 ha) in Fish Lake Valley, Esmeralda county. The company's Fish Lake Valley lithium brine properties are located approximately 38 kilometres from Albemarle's Silver Peak, the largest lithium operation in the United States. The companies Lithium Claystone assets are juxtaposed to Global Geosciences Rhyolite Ridge Project. For more information, please contact the Company at info@americanlithiumcorp.com or visit our website at www.americanlithiumcorp.com. On behalf of the Board, American Lithium Corp. Michael Kobler, Chief Executive Officer Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements Statements in this release that are forward-looking information are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here. Information provided in this release is necessarily summarized and may not contain all available material information. All such forward-looking information and statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by American Lithium management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements, however, 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 information or statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include those described under the heading "Risks Factors" in American Lithium's most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or revise the forward-looking information contained in this news release, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2018) - This press release is being disseminated as required by National Instrument 62-103 The Early Warning System and Related Take Over Bids and Insider Reporting Issues in connection with the acquisition of securities of the Company by InCoR Energy Materials Limited (the "Acquiror", together with InCoR Technologies limited "InCoR"). The Acquiror announces that, on August 15, 2018, LeadFX Inc.("LeadFX" or the "Company") closed its previously announced private placement (the "Placement") and issued the Acquiror 3,643,008 common shares (the "Common Shares"). The Common Shares were issued to InCoR at a price of $0.80 per Common Share for gross cash consideration of $2,914,406.40. Prior to the transaction, InCoR held 27,306,475 common shares representing approximately 39.2% of the issued and outstanding common shares (assuming no exercise of warrants) and 5,879,131 warrants exercisable into 5,879,131 common shares, together representing approximately 43.9% of the issued and outstanding common shares (assuming full exercise of all warrants held by InCoR). After giving effect to the acquisition of the Common Shares, InCoR owns an aggregate of 30,949,483 Common Shares in the capital of the Issuer representing approximately 42.2% of the outstanding common shares (assuming no exercise of warrants), and warrants to acquire up to an additional 5,879,131 Common Shares. Assuming InCoR exercised the Warrants, InCoR would own an aggregate of 36,828,614 Common Shares of the Issuer representing approximately 46.5% of the outstanding Common Shares (assuming no exercise of any other warrants). The Common Shares were acquired on a private placement basis by InCoR for investment purposes and InCoR may, depending on market and other conditions, increase or change its beneficial ownership over the common shares or other securities of the Company through market transactions, private agreements, treasury issuances, exercise of convertible securities or otherwise. There is a proposed "go private" transaction of the Company, to be implemented under a statutory plan of arrangement, in which InCoR and Sentient Executive GP I, Limited, Sentient (Aust.) Pty Ltd, Sentient Executive GP II, Limited, Sentient Trustees PTC Limited, Sentient Executive GP III, Limited and Sentient Executive GP IV, Limited (collectively, "Sentient") are involved, which includes a share consolidation, the acquisition by the Company of the fractional post-consolidation common shares, the cancellation of all outstanding options to acquire common shares, the cancellation of unexercised common share purchase warrants and the cancellation of all performance share units to acquire common shares of the Company, with certain exceptions, as further detailed in the Company's press releases issued as of July 23, 2018 and August 10, 2018 (the "Arrangement"). As a result of the Arrangement, InCoR, together with Sentient Executive GP III, Limited and Sentient Executive GP IV, Limited, will own 100% of the common shares of the Company. Assuming the full completion of the Arrangement, substantially in the form as disclosed by the Company and briefly described above, the common shares of the Company would be delisted from the TSX, and it is anticipated that the Company would apply to cease to be a reporting issuer in Canada. As a result of the Arrangement, InCoR, together with Sentient Executive GP III, Limited and Sentient Executive GP IV, Limited, would own 100% of the common shares of the Company. Assuming the full completion of the Arrangement, substantially in the form as disclosed by the Company and briefly described above, the common shares of the Company would be delisted from the TSX, and it is anticipated that the Company would apply to cease to be a reporting issuer in Canada. A copy of the Early Warning Report filed under applicable securities laws is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). A copy of such report may also be obtained by contacting DS Lawyers Canada LLP, the Acquiror's Canadian legal counsel, at kwells@dsavocats.ca. As disclosed on its SEDAR profile, LeadFX's head office is located at Suite 1D, 21 Teddington Road, Burswood WA 6100, Australia. The name and address of the "Acquiror" filing the report is: InCoR Energy Materials Limited Attn: Jocelyn Bennett Palladium House 1-4 Argyll Street London W1F 7LD United Kingdom INC 5000 award recognizes Perceptyx's continued innovation and partnership with many of the world's best companies SAN DIEGO, Aug. 15, 2018of America's fastest growing private companies. A recognized leader in people analytics, Perceptyx specializes in facilitating organizational change through the strategic use of employee surveys and management consulting. Longtime partners with many of the world's largest organizations, Perceptyx is uniquely capable of delivering insights across heavily distributed organizations with complex hierarchies in a way that's as unique as an organization's culture and brand. "We're proud to be recognized among America's fastest growing companies again," says John Borland, Co-founder and CEO of Perceptyx. "We believe that our clients are the real heroes of their organizations. It has been our honor to help so many of the world's best companies realize their goals for strategic HR." Since 2003, Perceptyx has worked hard to earn the trust of many of the world's largest and best-known brands, investing heavily in technology and the consulting practice to continually deliver thought leadership and insights that facilitates real change within an organization. This has led to tremendous growth and recently international expansion. With new offices in London and Amsterdam, Perceptyx is positioned to meet the growing demand within Europe, and better able to support global organizations. John Borland adds that "our mission is to help people and organizations thrive. Our continued growth is evidence of our team's dedication to our core values , and their continued efforts to pioneer new and innovative solutions that give companies the insights they need to make better decisions with greater speed and confidence." About Perceptyx: Perceptyx people analytics and employee surveys has helped hundreds of the world's largest and most complex organizations to truly listen to their employees and immediately discover the insights they need to make business decisions with greater speed and confidence. A trusted partner to companies like Nike, P&G, 21st Century Fox, and Hitachi, Perceptyx has been enabling people and organizations to thrive for over 15 years. Shantal DiGerolamo Perceptyx Tecan Group AG / H1 2018: Tecan posts strong increase in sales, driven by growth in the Partnering Business . Processed and transmitted by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Financial results for the first half of 2018 Sales of CHF 273.5 million (H1 2017: CHF 252.2 million) Growth of 6.9% in local currencies or 8.4% in Swiss francs Strong growth in the Partnering Business Operating profit before depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of CHF 48.1 million (H1 2017: CHF 41.6 million) Increase of 15.5% EBITDA margin of 17.6% (H1 2017: 16.5%), including integration costs related to already completed acquisitions- Net profit of CHF 29.2 million (H1 2017: CHF 26.0 million) Net profit margin of 10.7%, including integration costs (H1 2017: 10.3%) Increase in earnings per share by 10.7% to CHF 2.49 (H1 2017: CHF 2.25) Organic outlook for full-year 2018 confirmed (excluding acquisitions announced after the end of the first half of 2018) Operating performance in the first half of 2018 Market launch of Fluent Gx platform variant for regulated markets; successful registration as a Class I medical device in the US Considerable progress made with several development projects in the Partnering Business Event after the end of H1 2018: Tecan accelerates broad genomics strategy with the acquisition of NuGEN Technologies (see separate press release) Mannedorf, Switzerland, August 16, 2018 - The Tecan Group (SIX Swiss Exchange: TECN) posted a substantial increase in sales in the first half of 2018, driven by strong growth in the Partnering Business. As a result, net profit for the period rose at a double-digit percentage rate. Tecan CEO David Martyr commented: "Tecan's sales have developed well, once again, in the current financial year, and this has been achieved almost exclusively through organic growth. The performance of the Partnering Business has been particularly pleasing, with considerable demand for a broad range of instrument platforms and consumables. In the Life Sciences Business, we are particularly delighted with the successful market launch of Fluent Gx for customers in clinical diagnostics and other regulated markets. The newly launched platform variant with its specific functionalities enjoyed strong demand and contributed significantly to the sharp rise in order backlog in the Life Sciences Business, which will have a positive impact on sales in the second half of the year." Financial results for the first half of 2018 Despite a high comparative basis, order entry increased by 2.8% to CHF 298.1 million in the first six months of the year (H1 2017: CHF 290.1 million), thus substantially exceeding sales. This equates to a rise of 1.3% in local currencies. As previously reported, order entry in the first half of 2017 was extraordinarily strong, influenced by the timing of several large orders in the Partnering Business. Sales climbed by 6.9% in local currencies or 8.4% in Swiss francs to CHF 273.5 million in the first half of the year (H1 2017: CHF 252.2 million). This resulted almost exclusively from organic growth excluding acquisition effects. Growth at Group level was driven by a double-digit sales increase in the Partnering Business, while sales in the Life Sciences Business were virtually unchanged following growth of more than 18% in local currencies in the prior-year period. Recurring sales of services and consumables increased in the first half of 2018 by 6.8% in local currencies and 8.3% in Swiss francs, and therefore amounted to 44.8% of total sales (H1 2017: 44.9%). The operating profit before depreciation and amortization (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; EBITDA) rose by 15.5% to CHF 48.1 million in the reporting period (H1 2017: CHF 41.6 million). The EBITDA margin improved to 17.6% of sales (H1 2017: 16.5%) including integration costs associated with acquisitions. The margin improvement of 110 basis points was mainly driven by positive volume effects, lower acquisition-related integration costs compared to the prior-year period and increased operational efficiency in procurement and production. Net profit for the first half of 2018 increased by 12.1% to CHF 29.2 million (H1 2017: CHF 26.0 million). Alongside the higher operating result, contributing factors included the lower tax rate, primarily as a result of the tax reform in the US that came into effect in the reporting period. By contrast, the financial result had an inhibiting effect on net profit, falling by CHF 4.6 million year-on-year due to currency hedging losses. The net profit margin in the first half of 2018 thus increased to 10.7% of sales (H1 2017: 10.3%), while earnings per share rose to CHF 2.49 (H1 2017: CHF 2.25). Cash flow from operating activities climbed 21.0% to CHF 38.4 million (H1 2017: CHF 31.7 million), thereby corresponding to 14.0% of sales in the first half of 2018 (H1 2017: 12.6%). Information by business segment Life Sciences Business (end-customer business) Sales in the Life Sciences Business increased by 1.7% to CHF 140.5 million (H1 2017: CHF 138.2 million) in the first half of the year and were 0.6% below those of the prior-year period in local currencies. After the segment generated particularly high growth of 18.2% in local currencies in the first six months of 2017, a smaller sales increase had been expected. Despite a similarly high comparative basis from the prior-year period, order entry in the Life Sciences Business posted moderate growth in local currencies, however, with the order backlog growing at a double-digit rate on the back of orders for new instruments. The newly launched Fluent Gx platform variant enjoyed strong demand on the market and also led to numerous orders, which contributed significantly to this growth. In some cases, customers ordered several of these innovative instruments at once. Operating profit in this segment (earnings before interest and taxes; EBIT) rose to CHF 18.1 million (H1 2017: CHF 17.8 million). The operating profit margin was comparable to the prior year period at 12.2% of sales (H1 2017: 12.4%). Partnering Business (OEM business) The Partnering Business generated sales of CHF 133.0 million in the period under review (H1 2017: CHF 114.1 million), which corresponds to an increase of 16.1% in local currencies and 16.6% in Swiss francs. The segment posted continued strong growth from existing instrument platforms and the consumables business. Operating profit in this segment (earnings before interest and taxes; EBIT) rose by 32.2% to CHF 25.6 million (H1 2017: CHF 19.3 million). This positive performance is primarily a result of sales growth as well as further efficiency gains. The operating profit margin improved by 230 basis points to 19.1% of sales (H1 2017: 16.8%). Additional information Regional development In Europe, Tecan's sales in the first six months of 2018 increased by 19.9% in local currencies and by 24.4% in Swiss francs, with the Partnering Business performing particularly well in this region. The Life Sciences Business benefited from a stronger euro, and was therefore able to post solid growth in Swiss francs. In local currencies, sales were stable against the high base of the prior-year period. In North America, sales in the first six months of 2018 fell by 2.5% in local currencies and by 4.5% in Swiss francs compared to the same period of 2017. This development was mainly due to the high comparative basis of the prior-year period, when Tecan posted a sales increase of 31.7% in local currencies in this region, with both business segments contributing clear double-digit growth. In Asia, Tecan generated an increase in sales of 5.4% in local currencies and 10.6% in Swiss francs. Both segments contributed to this result with good growth in all of the region's key national markets. Operating performance in the first half of 2018 The Fluent Gx platform variant was launched in various regions in the first half of 2018, after successful registration as a Class I medical device also in the US. Fluent Gx was developed for the automation of laboratory workflows in regulated markets. The last remaining major market segment for Fluent - the market for clinical diagnostics and other regulated sub-markets - has now been developed. Its specific functionalities, which facilitate greater process security, traceability of samples and stricter user management, have met with a lot of interest. Within the space of a few months, prestigious customers in clinical diagnostics have already been acquired who will now be able to benefit from the high level of productivity and performance offered by the Fluent platform. Overall R&D activities and gross expenses were higher compared to the prior-year period, however due to customer funding of projects and higher capitalized development costs, net R&D expenses were reported lower. Tecan made considerable progress with a number of development projects in the Partnering Business in the first half of 2018. More than five projects are currently in the development phase, the sales potential of which ranges from single-digit to clear double-digit million amounts in Swiss francs per year. The first market launches are expected within the next six months. Strong balance sheet - high equity ratio Tecan's equity ratio reached 71.1% as of June 30, 2018 (December 31, 2017: 68.4%). Net liquidity (cash and cash equivalents minus bank liabilities and loans) reached CHF 284.1 million (December 31, 2017: CHF 290.7 million). The company's share capital was CHF 1,175,926 as at the reporting date of June 30, 2018 (December 31, 2017: CHF 1,166,487), consisting of 11,759,259 registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.10. At the Tecan Group Annual General Meeting on April 17, 2018, shareholders approved an increase in the dividend from CHF 1.75 to CHF 2.00 per share. The payout of dividends totaling CHF 23.5 million took place on April 23, 2018. Acquisition of NuGEN Technologies In a separate press release, Tecan announced today the acquisition of US-based NuGEN, Inc. NuGEN is a leading provider for innovative next-generation sequencing (NGS) sample preparation solutions, the fastest growing field within the genomics area. Through this acquisition, Tecan expands its dedicated solutions offering into the new market segment of NGS reagents, accelerating its broad genomics strategy and further increasing recurring revenues. Organic outlook for full-year 2018 confirmed (excluding acquisitions after the end of the first half of 2018) On the basis of an unchanged scope of consolidation compared to the first half of the year, Tecan continues to expect organic sales growth for full-year 2018 in the mid-single-digit percentage range in local currencies. After the significant margin increase in 2017, partly on the back of non-recurring positive effects, Tecan anticipates that the EBITDA margin will continue to exceed 19% of sales in 2018. These expectations regarding profitability (excluding NuGEN and any additional acquisitions) include integration costs for already completed acquisitions in a low single-digit million Swiss franc amount. They are based on an average exchange rate forecast for full-year 2018 of one euro equaling CHF 1.15 (2017: 1.07) and one US dollar equaling CHF 0.96 (2017: 0.99). The impact of the NuGEN acquisition on Tecan's 2018 financial results depends on the exact timing of the closing of the transaction. Currently, the closing of the transaction is anticipated within the coming weeks. The acquisition could generate additional sales in a low single-digit million Swiss franc amount. Initial integration costs in a low single-digit million Swiss franc amount together with reduced margins associated with the acquisition are expected to lower the communicated Group EBITDA margin outlook by around 50 to 75 basis points. Financial Report and Webcast The full 2018 Interim Report can be accessed on the company's website www.tecan.com (http://www.tecan.com) under Investor Relations. An iPad app for the Tecan Financial Reports is also available from the App Store. Tecan will hold a conference call to discuss the results in the first half of 2018 today at 10:00 a.m. (CEST). The presentation will also be relayed by live audio webcast, which interested parties can access at www.tecan.com (http://www.tecan.com). A link to the webcast will be provided immediately prior to the event. The dial-in numbers for the conference call are as follows: For participants from Europe: +41 (0)58 310 50 00 or +44 (0) 207 107 0613 (UK) For participants from the US: +1 (1) 631 570 5613 Participants should if possible dial in 15 minutes before the start of the event. Key upcoming dates - The 2017 Annual Report will be published on March 14, 2019. - The Annual General Meeting of Tecan's shareholders will take place in Zurich on April 16, 2019. About Tecan Tecan (www.tecan.com) is a leading global provider of laboratory instruments and solutions in biopharmaceuticals, forensics and clinical diagnostics. The company specializes in the development, production and distribution of automation solutions for laboratories in the life sciences sector. Its clients include pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, university research departments, forensic and diagnostic laboratories. As an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Tecan is also a leader in developing and manufacturing OEM instruments and components that are then distributed by partner companies. Founded in Switzerland in 1980, the company has manufacturing, research and development sites in both Europe and North America and maintains a sales and service network in 52 countries. In 2017, Tecan generated sales of CHF 548 million (USD 560 million; EUR 494 million). Registered shares of Tecan Group are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (TECN; ISIN CH0012100191). For further information: Tecan Group Dr. Rudolf Eugster Martin Brandle Chief Financial Officer Vice President, Communications & Investor Relations investor@tecan.com (mailto:investor@tecan.com) Tel. +41 (0) 44 922 84 30 www.tecan.com (http://www.tecan.com) Fax +41 (0) 44 922 88 89 Press Release with financial tables (http://hugin.info/100384/R/2210978/860958.pdf) Cloud allows insurer to continue global expansion while providing their customers with new digital, omni channel solutions BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today that NOVIS, a growing European insurance company, has adopted IBM Cloud to help accelerate its international expansion, streamline business processes and gain efficiencies with innovation in a secured environment. NOVIS runs its IT systems on IBM Cloud in all branches across ten European countries. NOVIS Insurance Company Inc. was established with international capital and is headquartered in Bratislava, Slovakia. Currently NOVIS operates in Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Finland. In 2017, the company launched its operations in Italy and in the beginning of 2018 in Sweden and Iceland. "From the very beginning, we truly believed that introducing genuinely new and innovative financial products can best be achieved through the establishment of a new company focused on such products," says Siegfried Fatzi, general manager, NOVIS Insurance Company. NOVIS is focused on delivering innovative services to its clients. Its concept includes more than 25 innovative insurance offerings previously unavailable on the market. They are neatly organized into five equally important pillars represented in the NOVIS Pentagon of Innovations, including new forms of savings, wide insurance coverage, new ways of using capital, expanded flexibility and liquidity. As the insurance company has grown and it began its rapid expansion across European markets, it turned to agile business processes and started to seek for flexible IT infrastructure models. New generations of clients using mobile technologies and social networks in their daily lives demand customer-focused enterprises, increased flexibility and optimized multi-channel interactions with minimized risk. With plans to expand its insurance service to other countries and offer it worldwide, NOVIS needed a highly reliable, flexible and secured cloud infrastructure to grow with its business. It therefore decided to move fully into IBM Cloud with VMware virtualization - all used as a service. "For us as an innovative insurance company, cloud computing offers the potential for significant improvements. It helps us transform and optimize operations, improve governance and transparency, and expand business agility and capability. At the same time, we wanted to run our enterprise systems in a cloud environment with no increase of the cost if our cloud consumption is constant and unmodified. When we compared the performance of our enterprise systems on cloud services from several providers, the IBM Cloud came out on top," says Siegfried Fatzi, general manager, NOVIS Insurance Company. "NOVIS is just one of the real examples of how IBM can help clients deploy their ideas to global markets with speed, scalability and elasticity," said Zuzana Kocmanikova, country general manager, IBM Czech Republic and Slovakia. IBM Cloud is accelerating digital transformation across the global insurance industry by providing a secured platform for creating new business value through services such as analytics, artificial intelligence and blockchain. Today's announcement builds on IBM's recent announcement that German private insurers joined IBM and the country's largest statutory health insurer to offer electronic health records to 17.5M clients on the IBM Cloud. About IBM Cloud With $18.5B in annual cloud revenue, IBM is the global leader in enterprise cloud with a platform designed to meet the evolving needs of business and society. Moving past productivity and cost improvements, the IBM Cloud is tuned for the AI and data demands that are driving true differentiation in today's enterprise. IBM's private, public and hybrid offerings provide the global scale businesses need to support innovation across industries. For more information on IBM Cloud, visit: https://www.ibm.com/cloud/ For more information about NOVIS, visit: https://www.novis.eu/en Media Contact: Vladislav Doktor IBM Media Relations vladislavdoktor@sk.ibm.com Sarah Murphy IBM Media Relations srmurphy@us.ibm.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/95470/ibm_logo.jpg ROMSEY, England, August 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Chemring Technology Solutions (CTS) has completed the successful demonstration of VIPER, the world's first Electronic Warfare (EW) manpack geo-fencing capability, at this year's Cyber Quest. CTS's participation in the US military's Cyber Quest exercises followed a competitive down-select after it attended the event for the first time last year. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/731108/Chemring_Technology_Solutions_Logo.jpg ) Led by the US Army's Cyber Center of Excellence, Cyber Quest is a sequence of advanced technology experiments using EW war gaming. The month long exercises saw operational units participate in a series of experiments to evaluate multiple-vendor systems, and the results will be briefed to coalition partners. The current and future need for EW capability was particularly highlighted by the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon. CTS demonstrated VIPER, its new whole-mission support and information system. When integrated into the RESOLVE EW system, VIPER delivers actionable intelligence and provides operators with pinpoint accuracy for superior target precision, significantly reducing the task, time and reporting burden. Cyber Quest also successfully experimented with LOCATE-T, the CTS wideband High Frequency Direction Finding (HF DF) tactical system, which is fully-transportable and provides an essential complement to existing static HF sites. Chesapeake Technology International (CTI) once again provided the core architecture and primary Cyber/Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) operator's display for the Cyber Quest experiments. Both LOCATE-T and RESOLVE were interfaced with CTI's Thunderstorm architecture to help define the common operational picture using the CTI Caper plug-in for RaptorX during the exercises at Fort Gordon. Ben Vogel, Regional Manager for North and South America, at Chemring Technology Solutions, said: "Cyber Quest supports the evolution of EW systems for US and other militaries worldwide, and provided us with the ideal platform to demonstrate how VIPER delivers a new level of EW capability. VIPER was developed by EW operators for EW operators and the Cyber Quest trials allowed us to engage with end users to show them how we have created the most capable and user-friendly EW manpack system. VIPER's deployment at Cyber Quest has shown how it offers the next step to counter current and evolving threats." About Chemring Technology Solutions http://www.chemringts.com Chemring Technology Solutions, part of Chemring Group PLC, is a global provider of advanced protection systems covering Electronic Warfare, Signals Intelligence, EOD, Counter IED, Tactical Comms and Cyber Security. Trusted by governments, national security and commercial customers to provide military and commercial advantage, its products are relied upon by the best equipped armed forces in the world, including the UK MOD and NATO allies. AMSTERDAM, August 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Quest will be the very first magazine in the world to give away cryptocoins. Every buyer of the September issue will receive 100 free Qryptonites, a newly launched cryptocurrency. Never before has it happened that a magazine gives away cryptocoins. Quest readers can easily collect their coins online. The magazine's campaign is an experiment that is aimed at not only informing readers about the world of cryptocurrencies, but also actively involving them and offering 'added value'. Sanne Groot Koerkamp, chief editor of Quest: 'Thanks to this new cryptocoin, our readers are right on top of the latest developments. And by giving away free coins with the entire edition, we also enable them to experiment with these, which is of course great fun. And incredibly exciting, as the crypto market does not yet have many rules at present.' Qryptonite Qryptonite (qryptonite.io) is a new cryptocoin, comparable with Bitcoin. Qryptonite was independently developed by a Dutch team and aims to become a worldwide available loyalty system. Quest is media partner of the cryptocoin and closely followed its development in earlier issues. Remco Vlierman, CTO, founder and developer of Qryptonite: 'It seemed a great idea to us to connect the old 'printing world' to the new world of the cryptocurrency in this way. In addition, this is also just a fun experiment. Is it possible to market your own coin and make it worth some money? That's what we are going to find out.' The value The free Qryptonites are available for all subscribers and for everyone who buys the September issue of Quest in the store. The exact value of the new coin will depend on the market and become apparent in the time to come. The developers aim for a value of six cents per Qryptonite. In that case, the 100 cryptocoins Quest readers will receive would be worth six euros, which is more than the purchase price of the magazine. But the value may also turn out higher, if the coin is successful, or lower. Future Currently, readers are free to trade in Qryptonites among themselves to convert their possession into cash. New possibilities are in full development. The intention is that in the future, products can be bought with the coin as well, ranging from magazines to maybe even cars. The Qryptonites are distributed through the September issue of Quest. Each copy of Quest contains a unique code, which readers can exchange for 100 Qryponites. Quest Quest helps you get cleverer in a fun way. Every day, the biggest braintainment brand in the Netherlands proves that gaining relevant knowledge is still both immensely popular and fun. Quest is everywhere at any time, relevant and successful at virtually every existing platform. With more than 43 issues on the store shelves this year, for a target group ranging from 8 to 94 years of age, male, female, both highly and less educated, well-to-do as well as middle class, Quest is one of the broadest media brands in the Netherlands. On average, an edition of Quest reaches 1 million readers, which is 23% of all Dutch people aged thirteen and over. The September issue will be in stores from Thursday 16 August 2018. LONDON, August 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Leesa's luxurymattresses and pillows can now be experienced in West Elm's stores throughout London Leesa Sleep, the online luxury mattress company and modern home furnishings retailer West Elm today announced an exclusive partnership in the UK, which expands upon the brand alliance which launched in the United States last year. For the first time in the UK, this partnership enables customers to experience the comfort of a beautifully designed and crafted Leesa mattress at any West Elm UK location including Tottenham Court Road, Westfield London and Kingston Upon Thames, before purchasing it. Leesa's recently launched pillow, designed to cool one's head while keeping the neck and spine aligned, will also be available at all three West Elm stores. The pillows combine with the Leesa mattress to deliver the deep restful sleep that has made Leesa one of the largest sleep companies in the U.S. in under 4 years. The mattress features Leesa's proprietary Avena performance foam while the newly-developed pillow incorporates temperature control technology developed for NASA. Both products will be introduced at West Elm's stores and will continue to be available at Leesa.co.uk The mattress and the pillows are manufactured in England, enabling the assurance of outstanding quality and consistency, as well as the minimisation of carbon footprint. Leesa's long-standing policy of providing a 100-night risk free trial will also apply to mattresses and pillows purchased through West Elm stores, giving customers additional peace of mind. "A lasting partnership requires shared values. Both West Elm and Leesa are organisations with a powerful social mission," said David Wolfe, Co-Founder and CEO of Leesa Sleep. "Since day one, Leesa has donated one mattress for every ten sold and to-date we have donated over 30,000 mattresses. Our social impact programs make Leesa a different kind of company and to celebrate our partnership with West Elm, we are making an additional donation in London next month when we will be giving 50 mattresses to London-based charity, the Single Homeless Project." "We share a mission with Leesa of helping our customers make conscious purchase decisions that can shape their communities and make a difference in their everyday lives at home. We are pleased to extend our partnership with Leesa to the UK and offer our customers another compelling reason to shop for change at their local West Elm UK store," said West Elm President Alex Bellos. West Elm is a home furnishings retailer committed to offering unique, approachable designs that make an impact in everyday life, from creating affordable products for modern living to its commitment to Fair Trade Certified, local and handcrafted products to its community-driven collaborations and events. West Elm is a division of Williams-Sonoma, Inc.'s portfolio of brands. This announcement comes after a breakout year for Leesa, which included a 17.6million round of Series B funding, the addition of former Seventh Generation CEO John Replogle and former President and COO of Rent the Runway Beth Kaplan to its Board, and the inclusion in Forbes' list of Next Billion Dollar Startups. As a certified B Corporation, Leesa is one of about 2,500 companies that meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. The company is part of a global movement using business as a force for good and has donated over 30,000 mattresses since launching in 2015. Leesa is excited to continue the momentum and global growth through prestigious partners like West Elm. For more information on Leesa, visit http://www.leesa.co.uk. About West Elm Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY since 2002, West Elm opened its first store in DUMBO, the neighbourhood it still proudly calls home. With a mission of harnessing the power of design and human connection to enrich lives, everything West Elm does is designed to make an impact in everyday life, from creating unique, affordable designs for modern living and commitment to Fair Trade Certified, from LOCAL and handcrafted products to community-driven collaborations and events. The brand operates more than 100 retail stores as well as e-commerce websites in the United States, Australia, Canada and the UK, ships internationally to customers around the world, and has unaffiliated franchisees that operate stores in Mexico, Middle East, Philippines and South Korea. In addition to home furnishings retail, West Elm operates in the commercial furnishings industry and announced its expansion into the travel and hospitality industry with the launch of West Elm Hotels. West Elm publishes the blog Front+Main and is part of an active community on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube. West Elm is a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) portfolio of brands. About Leesa Sleep LTD With its European Headquarters in Manchester, UK, Leesa is a direct-to-consumer online luxury mattress company that offers UK-made mattresses delivered directly to customers' doors. From its start, Leesa has measured its success as much by its impact on the world as by its financial performance. To date, Leesa's One-Ten programme has provided over 30,000 mattresses to those in need. To its customers, Leesa offers a 100-night risk-free trial, free shipping, and no-hassle returns. In 2016, Leesa was recognised as a certified B Corporation, joining forces with more than 2,500 companies using business as a force for good. The company currently offers free shipping to the US, UK, Germany and Canada. For more information visit http://www.leesa.co.uk The Leesa Mattress was awarded a Which? Best Buy, in January 2018, and is Good Housekeeping Institute and Men's Health Lab approved. Media images available to downloadhere. A Russian visa center will open in Tbilisi on August 17, which should speed up processing documents for Georgian citizens, the Interests Section for the Russian Federation at the Swiss Embassy in Georgia said. Two sources in Russian diplomatic circles told the Izvestia newspaper, that on one hand, opening the center says that so far Moscow does not intend to cancel visas for Georgians, on the other - there is a desire to go along the path of further simplifying the procedure for issuing the document. The simplified visa regime for citizens of the country has been in effect since 2016, Special representative of the Georgian Prime Minister for relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze said. "Indeed, on August 17, the official visa center opens. Its staff will help with the processing of Russian visas, but the decision on each applicant will still be made in the Interests Section of the Russian Federation," the Russian mission in Tbilisi said. Thus, processing documents will be accelerated and the burden on the Section will be reduced. HONG KONG, August 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Reinforcing CRYPTO.com's expertise with appointments of SVP, Head of Product, Lead Blockchain Engineer, and SVP, Risk Management CRYPTO.com, the pioneering payments and cryptocurrency platform, today announced a series of new hires with Adrienne Wong as Senior Vice President, Head of Product, Cerulean Hu as Lead Blockchain Engineer, and Ivan Stefanov as Senior Vice President of Risk Management. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/715181/CRYPTO_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/731461/Adrienne_Wong.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/731459/Cerulean_Hu.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/731460/Ivan_Stefanov.jpg ) "Recruiting Adrienne, Cerulean, and Ivan to our team bolsters CRYPTO.com's ability to offer innovative financial services products and ultimately power our mission of accelerating the world's transition to cryptocurrency," said Kris Marszalek, Co-Founder and CEO of CRYPTO.com. Adrienne Wong, Senior Vice President, Head of Product, CRYPTO.com Adrienne Wong joins CRYPTO.com as Senior Vice President, Head of Product. She joins from fintech company Square where she managed global strategy and market launches for its flagship product, Square Point of Sale. She had also led growth and expansion efforts in the Canada, UK, Australia, and US markets. A former Deloitte strategy and operations consultant, Adrienne graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and a concentration in Global Management. "I'm excited to be part of a team that is working to revolutionize the financial services industry and make cryptocurrency a key part of people's lives," Adrienne said. "I'm keen to bring my background in financial services product strategy to the company as we launch our product suite globally." Cerulean Hu, Lead Blockchain Engineer, CRYPTO.com Cerulean Hu joined CRYPTO.com as Lead Blockchain Engineer with a strong background in both the blockchain and traditional financial services industries. In her past roles, Cerulean developed easy-to-use and robust financial products and systems. Previously, she was lead engineer at Equichain, implemented blockchain solutions at FINCOVA, led finance and trading systems development at ANX. Prior to that, she was responsible for developing trading algorithms at HSBC. Cerulean graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering. "I'm thrilled to be a part of the CRYPTO.com team as the potential for blockchain in the financial services industry is endless. It's exciting to work with a talented and highly motivated team at the forefront of facilitating mass adoption of blockchain and cryptocurrency." Ivan Stefanov, Senior Vice President, Risk Management, CRYPTO.com Ivan Stefanov joined the CRYPTO.com team as Senior Vice President of Risk Management with more than 11 years of experience in risk management in different sectors of the online payments ecosystem. His background in digital wallets, working on international companies Skrill and NETELLER, allowed him the opportunity to manage large teams across multiple markets and enhance the existing fraud prevention and payments setup. Ivan also cofounded NOTOLYTIX, an innovative data processing startup that caters to all aspects of risk management. "Joining CRYPTO.com is an exciting next step in my professional development," Ivan said. "I'm looking forward to applying my experience as I work to ensure that CRYPTO.com products are compliant with evolving global regulations, industry's best practices, and protect consumer interests." About CRYPTO.com CRYPTO.com, the pioneering payments and cryptocurrency platform, seeks to accelerate the world's transition to cryptocurrency. Its MCO branded consumer financial services, including the MCO Visa Card, MCO Wallet App, and MCO Token embrace a vision of Cryptocurrency in Every Wallet. CRYPTO.com is headquartered in Hong Kong. For more information, please visit: http://www.crypto.com. ROCKVILLE, Maryland, August 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Regulations apropos of organic feed, which ensure utilization of purest methods of production, have led to lack of commercially available & permitted organic feed ingredients. Established stakeholders in the organic feed market are aiming to improve relationship between the requirements of the livestock sector and the organic feed market, while complying with organic farming regulations and address sustainability challenges. A recent study of Fact.MR envisages that organic feed market to record an impressive 7.6% volume CAGR between the period of forecast, 2018 and 2028. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/713666/FactMR_Logo.jpg ) Supremacy of North America in the organic feed market is poised to prevail, in terms of revenues, with majority of the region's market expected to remain consolidated in the U.S. Recent rise in dependency of the U.S. organic feed market, which has put operations at risk and cut down incentive of producers, has led the regional organic feed producers to spur domestic production for creating healthier soil and greater returns for farmers. Request For Sample Report-https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=1552 Although North America reigns supreme in the organic feed market, growth in Europe is foreseen to be comparatively faster through 2028. Government support to farmers transitioning from conventional to organic feed production is a key growth determinant for the organic feed market in Europe. Huge ambitions shared by the EU appertaining to future agriculture strategy to prioritize environment protection as the primary agenda is another growth influencer for the organic feed market in Europe. Ruminants segment comprise a revenue share of more than 30% of the global organic feed market by livestock and are predicted to remain the key opportunity throughout the duration of the forecast period. With the increasing demand for organic feed products, there has been a persistent increase in the price of the feed. The high prices of organic feed is a barrier for consumers. To address this concern, global organic feed manufacturers are working towards reducing the existing price difference between organic and inorganic feed. Moreover, as demand for organic feed products increases, product innovations and economies of scale would result in reducing the cost of production, further driving consumption of organic feed products. The APEJ region is estimated to account for more than 16% market share in the global organic feed market in 2017 and this share is expected to grow by a massive rate of 550 BPS, causing the APEJ market to grab 22.5% market share by the end of 2028. This highly populous continent is spearheaded by the rapid economic growth in China, India, and Australia and New Zealand and customers in these countries will continue to demand the maximum organic food products such as meat and dairy. A volume of more than 10,976,311 tons and a value of over US$ 8,069.4 Bn in 2028 makes APEJ the behemoth in the global organic feed market. To know the Insights of Organic Feed Market, Visit-https://www.factmr.com/report/1552/organic-feed-market Among the distribution channels of the organic feed market business to business channel have relatively more share than the other sales channels which is likely to grow with moderate growth rate during the forecast period, however business to consumer channel shows lucrative growth rate during the forecast period in organic feed market by the end of 2028. Fact.MR has profiled some of the most prominent companies active in the global organic feed market such as Cargill Incorporated, Land O'Lakes Inc, SunOpta Inc, ForFarmers NV, Scratch and Peek Feeds, Feedex Companies LLC, Kreamer Feed, LLC, Aus Organic Feed, and Green Mountain Feeds. The key market players in organic feed market are focusing on backward integration for business development and expansion of their existing production capabilities. The organic feed market has grown consistently at a CAGR of 7.1% and the organic food market has been expanding at a greater pace. The Government is optimistic about organic feed products and are boosting the market competitiveness through various schemes. However, there is need to have an organic policy and organic cell to monitor organic feed and to take necessary steps to dampen the use of conventional feed. To Buy this Report-https://www.factmr.com/checkout/1552/S About Fact.MR Fact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports. Contact Us Rohit Bhisey Fact.MR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Email: sales@factmr.com Web: https://www.factmr.com/ Fosun's Partnership will Promote The Floor's Unique Platform to Asia's Financial Industry and Accelerate its Global Business Expansion SHANGHAI and TEL AVIV, Isreal, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Fosun and Fosun Hani Securities Limited ("Fosun Hani") jointly announced a strategic investment of US$5 million into Israeli fintech company, The Floor. This marks Fosun's second fintech investment in the State of Israel, and Fosun will join the Board of Directors of The Floor. The Floor is headquartered at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) and operates a branch in Hong Kong. As a global fintech platform working with six of the world's largest financial institutions, The Floor is shaping the 'Bank of The Future' by leveraging Israeli exceptional technologies and expertise in verticals including fintech, blockchain and cyber. Founded in 2016, The Floor has rapidly positioned itself as a tier-1 innovative solutions provider by helping global financial institutions to tackle their business pain points. The company's long term vision is to bring Israeli technologies to Asia and connect with local players. Recently, The Floor has established a branch in Hong Kong. In May 2018, The Floor announced its strategic partnership with TASE to jointly establish a blockchain securities lending platform. The company has been dedicated to leading several R&D initiatives capable of delivering new technologies to financial institutions, alongside plans for global business expansion, especially in China. Guo Guangchang, Chairman of Fosun International Limited said, "We are pleased to have The Floor to join the Fosun Family. As a family-focused multinational company rooted in China and with profound industrial operations capabilities, Fosun's mission is to create global ecosystems in 'health, happiness and wealth' through technology and innovation. The Floor will assist Fosun to radiate Israeli fintech companies and introduce advanced technology and industries to Fosun's platform, and fulfil our mission of providing high-quality services and products for family customers around the world." Yao Wenping, Vice President of Fosun International Limited, Chairman of Technology and Financial Group said, "The Technology and Financial Group, serving as one of the key driving forces of Fosun's wealth ecosystem, has been actively scouting for leading fintech companies globally. The investment in The Floor can accelerate the implementation of the group's key investment projects. In addition, The Floor can also inject new vitality into the technology and financial group as well as to Fosun's wealth ecosystem." Charles Xie, Co-CEO of Fosun Hani said, "Fosun Hani has an experienced and professional finance team, while The Floor has many top-tier fintech companies on its platform. The cooperation between the two companies can empower each other in the financial and technology aspects. Furthermore, The Floor can be effectively integrated into Fosun's global happiness ecosystem with a view of providing our customers with tailor-made financial services and products." Avi Cohen, Co-Founder and CEO of The Floor said, "Introducing Fosun as a strategic investor of The Floor is an important step towards our vision of improving the financial industry. As a start-up serving tier-1 multinational banks, our aim is to partner with global players like Fosun to promote our platform and expand our business scale. The Floor is shaping future technologies across fintech verticals and we believe that Fosun will lead us to the fast track to becoming a market leader." About Fosun Fosun was founded in 1992. Fosun International Limited is a family-focused multinational company that has been listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (00656.HK) since 2007, with total assets exceeded RMB530 billion (c.US$81 billion) as of December 31, 2017. With its roots in China, and through technology and innovation, Fosun's mission is to create customer-to-maker (C2M) ecosystems in health, happiness and wealth, providing high-quality products and services for families around the world. For more information about Fosun, please refer to https://www.fosun.com/. About Fosun Hani Fosun Hani is Fosun's only integrated financial services platform and an important investment entity in Hong Kong. Based onHong Kong, grafting mainland China's power, radiating the world, Fosun Hani provides comprehensive and integrated professional financial services for Fosun's internal and external customers. Founded in 1987, formerly known as "Hani Securities (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd.", it was acquired as a wholly-owned subsidiary by Fosun International Limited (0656.HK) in September 2014 and renamed as "Fosun Hani" in January 2016. Since then, Fosun Hani has become an important part of Fosun's overseas financial strategy and the key part of Fosun's wealth ecosystem. Furthermore, Fosun Hani has comprehensively enhanced Fosun's investment and overseas asset management capabilities. For more detailed information, please refer to https://www.fosunhani.com/ About The Floor The Floor, based at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) and Hong Kong, is a global fintech platform working with six of the world's largest financial institutions. Empowered by its tier-1 bank partners, The Floor operates a Reverse Innovation Platform through which it sources business pain points and transforms them into innovative solutions. For more on The Floor: www.thefloorhub.com Energy Company Takes Top Spot; Nearly Half of Brits Cite Work-Life Balance as Major Factor in Job Search LONDON, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Glassdoor, one of the world's largest job and recruiting sites, today revealed Newcastle-based Northern Gas and Power as the highest rated company for work-life balance in the UK. The top 20 winners are ranked based on their overall work-life balance rating from UK employees1. A recent Glassdoor survey2 among UK adults (currently employed or looking for work) highlights that offering good work-life balance is a key factor for enticing job seekers at application stage. When asked what would make Brits more likely to apply for a job at a company, nearly half of UK workers/job seekers (48 percent) cited a convenient commute followed closely by offering a good work-life balance (47 percent). These factors are both seen as more important to potential employees than company culture (35 percent) and the state of the company's finances (25 percent). The 20 Highest Rated Companies for Work-Life Balance in 2018 are: 1. Northern Gas and Power Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.7 2. Love Energy Savings Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.7 3. Chess ICT Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.6 4. Environment Agency Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.6 5. Skyscanner Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.6 6. Equal Experts Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.6 7. RHP Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.6 8. Capital One Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.5 9. Bank of England Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.4 10. Sytner Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.4 11. M&G Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.4 12. Citizens Advice Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.4 13. Goodman Masson Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.4 14. Bromford Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.4 15. Purplebricks Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.4 16. Arm Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.3 17. VMware Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.3 18. Civica Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.3 19. Anglian Water Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.3 20. Thomson Reuters Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.3 "While tech companies get a lot of attention for offering amazing perks and handsome salaries, these results indicate that it's the non-tech businesses which provide UK employees with the best levels of work-life balance," said John Lamphiere, Glassdoor's Managing Director, EMEA. "If you want to attract quality talent you need to be able to provide flexible working conditions and have a management team open to the idea of their employees working from home. We know that a good work-life balance is important to UK job seekers, so being a workplace where it's valued can be a serious recruiting advantage." Glassdoor has published a range of articles to help job seekers achieve a good work-life balance: 10 Interview Questions to Ask to Evaluate a Company's Work-Life Balance Here's How to Negotiate Flexible Hours 5 Essentials to Create a Good Work-Life Balance Methodology: For a company to be considered in Glassdoor's report, Highest Rated Companies for Work-Life Balance 2018, a minimum of 80 work-life balance ratings must have been submitted on Glassdoor by UK-based employees as of 12/7/18. For reporting simplicity, ratings are rounded to one decimal place though actual calculations extend beyond the thousandth decimal place to determine rank. Academic institutions such as universities are excluded from these rankings. The job seeker preferences survey was conducted online within the UK by The Harris Poll on behalf of Glassdoor between 7-9 May, 2018 among 715 UK adults ages 18+ who are employed full-time/part-time/self-employed, or not employed but looking for work. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. Read the full study here. About Glassdoor Glassdoor combines all the latest jobs with millions of reviews and insights to make it easy for people to find a job that is uniquely right for them. As a result, Glassdoor helps employers hire truly informed candidates at scale through effective recruiting solutions like job advertising and employer branding products. Launched in 2008, Glassdoor now has reviews and insights for 770,000 companies located in more than 190 countries. For more information, visit glassdoor.com. Glassdoor is a registered trademark of Glassdoor, Inc. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/449764/Glassdoor_Logo.jpg Swiss Re Institute preliminary sigma estimates: catastrophes cause global economic losses of USD 36 billion in the first half of 2018 16 August 2018, Zurich Total global economic losses from disasters in H1 2018 were USD 36 billion, significantly down from USD 64 billion in H1 2017 and well below average Global insured losses from disasters were USD 20 billion in H1 2018, down from USD 30 billion in H1 2017 Winter storm Friederike was the largest H1 2018 loss event with insured losses of USD 2.1 billion Disaster events claimed approximately 3 900 victims in H1 2018 - the lowest half-year total in over three decades According to Swiss Re Institute's preliminary sigma estimates, global economic losses from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters in the first half of 2018 were USD 36 billion. This figure is well below the ten-year average of USD 125 billion in economic losses and significantly lower than the losses reported for the same period a year earlier. Of the total global economic losses in the first half of 2018, USD 20 billion were covered by insurance. A series of winter storms in Europe and in the US caused the largest losses in the first half of 2018. Globally, around 3 900 people lost their lives or went missing in disaster events during the first six months of 2018, compared to approximately 4 600 for the same period in 2017. Of the USD 36 billion in total global economic losses, natural catastrophes accounted for the majority, or USD 34 billion in the first half of 2018, compared to USD 58 billion in H1 2017. The remaining USD 2 billion of losses were caused by man-made disasters. Global insured losses from natural catastrophes fell to USD 18 billion, from USD 25 billion the year before, while insured losses from man-made disasters decreased to USD 2 billion from USD 5 billion in the first half of 2017. Nearly 56% of all global economic losses were insured as most disastrous events occurred in areas with high insurance penetration. Harsh winter weather in Europe and the US cause H1 2018 losses From a loss perspective, winter storm Friederike in Europe was the costliest event in the first half of 2018. The storm caused significant losses in Germany and the Netherlands, although France, Belgium and the UK were also impacted. Swiss Re Institute's sigma estimates the total economic losses at USD 2.7 billion. Approximately USD 2.1 billion of these losses were insured. A series of winter storms in the US, including the "Nor'easter" storm in March, brought heavy snow, ice, freezing rains, and flooding from snowmelt and coastal flooding to large parts of the US, causing total economic losses of USD 4 billion, including USD 2.9 billion in insured losses. The March Nor'easter storm was the largest loss for the insurance industry in the US during the first six months of 2018, with claims of USD 1.6 billion. Other events during the first half of 2018 A series of convective storms, including thunderstorms, tornadoes and hailstorms hit the US, Europe, and other parts of the world. The costliest event for the insurance industry was a four day spring storm that affected the south eastern states of the US with tornadoes and large hail, resulting in combined insured losses of over USD 1.1 billion. In addition, major volcanic eruptions in Hawaii and Guatemala, and earthquakes in Japan, Taiwan, and Papua New Guinea have caused damage and not yet fully determined insured losses. Higher losses may still lie ahead for 2018 Already in the first half of 2018, several parts of the world have been in the grip of heatwaves and severe dry weather conditions, triggering major wildfire outbreaks in California and Greece, and causing widespread drought across Europe and southern Australia. Numerous regions are exposed to above average temperatures and drier weather conditions. Southern Australia, for example, is experiencing its second-driest autumn on record according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Losses from droughts in the agriculture sector and from wildfires are yet to be determined. Martin Bertogg, Head of Catastrophe Perils at Swiss Re, says, "We expect to see more extreme weather conditions such as intense heatwaves and dry spells of the like we've seen over the last few weeks. This may well become the new normal. According to scientific climate models, temperature, and atmospheric humidity will increase in many parts of the world, and at the same time also become more volatile." Bertogg adds, "We will experience more variable rain patterns and severe droughts and in consequence raging wildfires. Accelerating urbanisation and the ongoing expansion of dwellings in natural forest areas will considerably exacerbate this loss potential. Society will need to adapt and prepare for these increasing occurrences." (http://media.swissre.com/images/nr_2018_08_16_table1.jpg) (http://media.swissre.com/images/nr_2018_08_16_table2.jpg) (http://media.swissre.com/images/nr_2018_08_16_figure1.jpg) The sigma explorer web app (http://www.sigma-explorer.com/) has been enriched further. Go to sigma-explorer.com (http://www.sigma-explorer.com/) to view, download and share natural catastrophe data projected onto world maps (http://www.sigma-explorer.com/explorer/scatter/index_natcat_map.php?auswahl=Storms|Floods|Earthquakes|Drought,%20bush%20fires,%20heat%20waves|Cold,%20frost|Hail&continent=Africa|Asia|Europe|South%20America|North%20America|Oceania/Australia|Seas%20/%20Space%20/%20Worldwide&mode=victims&ext=1). Notes to editors This year marks the 50th anniversary of sigma, Swiss Re's flagship and the insurance industry's leading research publication. Please visit the sigma 50 years section on the Swiss Re Institute website to find out more about the evolution of sigma, and the breadth and depth of the overall research offering from the Swiss Re Institute: institute.swissre.com/sigma50years (http://institute.swissre.com/research/overview/sigma_50years/?utm_source=press_release&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=sigma_3_2018) Swiss Re The Swiss Re Group is one of the world's leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer, working to make the world more resilient. It anticipates and manages risk - from natural catastrophes to climate change, from ageing populations to cyber crime. The aim of the Swiss Re Group is to enable society to thrive and progress, creating new opportunities and solutions for its clients. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1863, the Swiss Re Group operates through a network of around 80 offices globally. It is organised into three Business Units, each with a distinct strategy and set of objectives contributing to the Group's overall mission. Accessing data by sigma: The data from the study can be accessed and visualised at www.sigma-explorer.com (http://www.sigma-explorer.com/). This mobile enable web-application allows users to create charts, share them via social media and export them as standard graphic files. The thin-film specialist has met representatives of the municipality of Uberaba, in the west of the state of Minas Gerais, to discuss project details. Planned investment may reach $1 billion as the Chinese manufacturer, like its peers, targets overseas markets.Jose Renato Gomes, Municipal Secretary for Economic Development and Tourism in the Brazilian municipality of Uberaba - in the state of Minas Gerais - has had talks with the CEO of Hanergy Holding Group, Han Rui, and Sales Director Ren Yushi, about an industrial project the Chinese thin-film company intends to build, according to the Brazilian ... 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. WARSAW, Poland, August 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning solutions provider deepsense.ai recently laid out its five-year strategy. Building on its accomplishments to date, the company aims to move further into the skyrocketing AI solutions market and grow fivefold in size by focusing its services on three key technologies: Predictive Modeling, Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing. It will pair that work with comprehensive Data & Analytics Platforms advisory and artificial intelligence/machine learning workshops. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/730547/Deepsense_ai_Logo.jpg ) Earlier this year, deepsense.ai was spun off from CodiLime to independently focus on artificial intelligence/machine learning projects and solutions for industry. According to Tomasz Kulakowski, CEO of deepsense.ai, "a clear strategy and strong vision are crucial in building a successful IT business, especially in a cutting-edge segment like AI. By giving deepsense.ai independence to grow, we enabled the company to forge its own strategy." In the vanguard of progress Analysts at Gartner and Deloitte believe the Artificial Intelligence & machine learning market is set to grow at a roughly ~50% compound annual rate over the next few years. "The opportunity is immense," says Kulakowski. "It's no longer only a field for academic research. Companies are joining the party and want to see real business results from AI. Our full attention and a coherent plan on where we believe change will happen, and where we will focus our activities, were therefore essential." In addition to Predictive Modelling, Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing, deepsense.ai intends to invest heavily in advanced R&D activities, particularly in reinforcement learning, general adversarial networks (GANs) and environment simulation. This combination will keep it at the forefront of the AI/ML market. The company is already partnered with tech giants Google, Intel and NVidia, with whom it plans to further cooperate in delivering value to clients and continue joint research work. "We see reinforcement learning as a technology of the future and that's why we focus on it in our research. It can reshape the landscape in various ways. For instance, we are currently applying it in our work on autonomous vehicles," says Kulakowski. "There's no challenge in following the trail blazers. Real technological leadership means being the trail-blazer." deepsense.ai will continue its development strategy by hiring talented data scientists and providing them opportunities to grow. "Business is always built by people, so hiring top talent is a cornerstone of deepsense.ai's success," says Robert Bogucki, deepsense.ai Chief Technology Officer. "We are and will continue to be an employer of first choice for data scientists." The last pillar of the strategy is built around providing tailored training to companies seeking to build AI competences. "Our most formidable competition is not other AI providers, but doubt and a lack of practical knowledge about AI solutions. That's why we share our knowledge with other companies during seminars, training and tech-talks, providing both education and mentoring for organizations that would like to transform their business using AI," adds Kulakowski. Download: For more on deepsense.ai's business strategy, see the presentation. About deepsense.ai: deepsense.ai helps companies gain competitive advantage by providing them with AI-based end-to-end solutions, with the main focus on computer vision, predictive analytics and NLP. The company also delivers machine learning and deep learning training programs to support companies in building AI capabilities in-house. Research shows just 30% of organisations use analytics to improve their data insight Experian has launched a new analytics solution in the UK to help organisations make fast, reliable decisions with deeper insight than ever before. Experian Ascend Analytics on Demand is an integrated data and analytics platform which offers cutting-edge insights to businesses of all sizes. The UK launch follows a successful introduction in North America. Ascend allows Experian's clients to access a full range of Experian's anonymised trended data, delivering results securely in real time in a range of formats to suit the user's preference. Enabled by open-source technology, the platform allows users to build their own predictive models to develop business strategies, including machine learning and Artificial Intelligence techniques, and make decisions. The Ascend launch marks the first time this level of tailored self-service and instant analysis has been available to in-house analytics teams. Tom Blacksell, Managing Director of B2B at Experian, said: "Businesses must be able to call upon and understand a range of data assets to compete in today's economy. Ascend brings the very latest in analytical innovation to help them turn vast quantities of data into actionable insights. Leading in turn to more accurate and well-informed decisions, and ultimately bringing better services to market, more quickly, and increasing their revenues." Experian's combination of data, technology and analytics helps businesses unlock insights and take decisive actions in the moments that matter. Bringing unique scale, speed and intelligence that deliver the best results for both businesses and their customers. Ascend is an integral part of a suite of market leading Experian innovations, all of which will accelerate the ability of UK businesses to harness the full potential of big data. Experian Ascend Analytics on Demand is being rolled out across UK&I and EMEA in the Autumn. Organisations can register interest here. The launch comes as research shows organisations are struggling to extract the full potential of the data available to them despite the variety of advanced analytics available. Experian's Business Review found only one in three businesses currently use advanced analytics techniques and technologies to develop a deeper, more meaningful understanding of their data. Just 29% combine both traditional and non-traditional data sources to gather more insight. Two in five businesses still rely on instinct and subjective opinion to make decisions. However, 78% of organisations have made investments in advanced analytics to ensure they can deliver better business outcomes, while 71% plan to enhance analytics capabilities in the next 12 months making it one of the biggest priorities overall. To read the full results of the research, click here. - ENDS - About the research This Technology Adoption Profile was commissioned by Experian. The custom survey questions were fielded to 590 C-level professionals (26%) and functional leaders (74%) in Europe, the Middle East, Russia, and South Africa. The study focused on traditional brick-and-mortar organisations in the financial services, retail, and telecommunications industries. Respondents were responsible for, or had a significant role in, the decision-making process for enterprise risk, analytics, customer data management, fraud management, and customer data management. The auxiliary custom survey was completed in June 2017. For more information on Forrester's data panel and Tech Industry Consulting services, visit Forrester.com About Experian Experian is the world's leading global information services company. During life's big moments from buying a home or a car, to sending a child to college, to growing a business by connecting with new customers - we empower consumers and our clients to manage their data with confidence. We help individuals to take financial control and access financial services, businesses to make smarter decisions and thrive, lenders to lend more responsibly, and organisations to prevent identity fraud and crime. We have 16,500 people operating across 39 countries and every day we're investing in new technologies, talented people and innovation to help all our clients maximise every opportunity. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Learn more at www.experianplc.com or visit our global content hub at our global news blog for the latest news and insights from the Group. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005208/en/ Contacts: Experian Ade O'Connor, PR Manager, Corporate B2B, UK&I Tel: 07583 085 796 Email: ade.o'connor@experian.com BURLINGTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Linkage, Inc., a global leadership development consultancy, announced that it has awarded the 2018 Warren Bennis Award for Excellence in Leadership to Sir Andrew Witty, a leader in the pharmaceutical industry. Sir Andrew Witty spent over three decades at GlaxoSmithKline, most recently serving as CEO from 2008 to 2017. He is credited with reshaping the pharmaceutical industry's reputation by shifting GSK's strategy to include a focus on affordable medicines and vaccines in the poorest countries. On July 1, he started his new role as CEO of Optum, an organization that leverages technology, data and expertise to improve health care delivery, quality and efficiency. "Sir Andrew Witty is a remarkable leader characterized by his broad reaching impact in healthcare globally and by his success uniting populations around a common purpose for the greater good of mankind," said Sam Lam, CEO of Linkage Asia and Chair of the Warren Bennis Award Committee. The Award is named after Warren Bennis, referred to by Forbes Magazine as the "Dean of Leadership Gurus." He was an exemplary leader who practiced, studied, wrote about and taught leadership for decades. Established by Linkage in 1999 to honor Bennis' legacy, this Award honors a recipient who demonstrates courage, endurance, capability and success in his or her field and is a role model for current and aspiring leaders. It is presented annually at Linkage's Global Institute for Leadership Development (GILD), a five-day immersive learning experience. Past recipients include Mikhail Gorbachev (former President, Soviet Union), Rosabeth Moss Kanter (author and Harvard Business School Professor), and Howard Schultz (former CEO, Starbucks), among others. Sir Andrew Witty will receive the award on October 4, 2018 at Linkage's Global Institute for Leadership Development in Palm Desert, CA. About Linkage and the Warren Bennis Leadership Award At Linkage, we are passionate about developing leaders who create lasting impact in and outside of their organizations. We believe that becoming the best requires a lifelong commitment to learning, improving, adapting and developing. Linkage established the Warren Bennis Award for Excellence in Leadership in 1999 to honor the legacy of long-time partner Warren Bennis. Warren co-founded Linkage's Global Institute for Leadership Development 22 years ago. Click here for a list of past recipients. Learn more about Linkage: http://www.linkageinc.com. Sarah Breigle | Director, Marketing Linkage, Inc. sbreigle@linkageinc.com 781-402-5599 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/730559/Linkage_Andrew_Witty.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/730558/Linkage_Logo.jpg ALBANY, New York, August 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the report, the operating room equipment market is likely to rise to a revenue opportunity of US$42,873.3 mn by 2023 from US$29,105.4 mn in 2017, registering a promising CAGR of 6.7% over the period between 2017 and 2023. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/664869/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg ) North America and Europe Remain Largest Markets on Account of Larger Affordability Of the key varieties of products that come under the purview of the global operating room equipment market, the segment of movable imaging systems accounted for the dominant share in the overall market in 2017 when the segment generated a revenue of US$8,384.9 mn. The segment is also expected to account for the dominant share in the overall market over the report's forecast period. Geographically, the markets in Europe and North America re presently the leading regional markets for operating room equipment, thanks to the technologically well-established healthcare industry and the larger affordability of advanced healthcare equipment in these regions. Timely upgradation of operating room equipment in these regions is also a key factor driving the market. Get PDF Brochure for Research Insights at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1674 Increased Global Prevalence of Chronic Diseases to Boost Market Growth Some of the leading factors working favorably for the global operating room equipment market are the exponential rise in the prevalence of a number of chronic diseases, rapidly rising global geriatric population, and the increased awareness regarding the larger set of benefits minimally obtrusive surgical treatments offer. Moreover, the rising patient pool that can afford complex surgeries that involve the use of technologically advanced surgical equipment, and promising development of basic healthcare facilities and rising funds being poured into the adoption of modern medical devices in emerging as well as developed economies are also driving the market. Request a Sample of Operating Room Equipment Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1674 A recent instance is the decision of the Hong Kong government to devote a sum of US$200 bn towards a ten-year hospital improvement programme in its 2016-17 spending plan. The spending was sought to encourage updation of healthcare institutions and establish more numbers of advanced healthcare facilities in Hong Kong. The funds would also help increase the number of operating performance centers in Hong Kong by 40% while also striving to increase pro outpatient benefit limit by 40%, serving nearly 10 mn people a year. The presence of a large number of regional and international vendors has made the vendor landscape of the global market for operating room equipment largely fragmented, observes Transparency Market Research in a recent report. The highly diversified and competitive market calls for technological innovations for companies to stay ahead of their peers. A thriving medical tourism industry in Latin America and Asia Pacific is providing immense growth opportunities and companies are focusing their resources towards these regions to gain profitable growth avenues. Focus on the development of innovative products for hybrid operating rooms is also a popular strategy adopted by companies to stay ahead of the competition in the global operating room equipment market. Request a Custom Report athttps://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=CR&rep_id=1674 Presently, a notable share of the market is held by three companies, namely Siemens Healthcare, GE Healthcare, and Stryker Corporation. Other leading companies in the market are Maquet Holding B.V. & Co. KG (Getinge AB), Philips Healthcare, TRUMPF GmbH + Co. KG., Skytron, LLC, Olympus Corporation, and Steris Corporation. Read Press Release:https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/operating-room-equipment-market.htm This analysis of the global operating room equipment market is based on a recent market research report by Transparency Market Research, titled "Operating Room Equipment Market (Product Type - Movable Imaging Systems, Biomedical Systems, Endoscopes, Anesthesia Systems, Operating Tables, Operating Room Lights, Surgical Imaging Displays, Operating Room Integration Systems, Surgical Booms, and Microscopes) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017-2023." Popular Research Reports by TMR: Surgical Tables and Lights Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/surgical-tables-lights-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/surgical-tables-lights-market.html Hybrid Operating Room Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/hybrid-operating-room-market.html About Us Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company's exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. TMR's data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. Contact: Mr. Rohit Bhisey Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Research Blog: https://theglobalhealthnews.com/ Former Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan will be interrogated regarding the March 1 case, the head of the Special Investigation Service (SIS), Sasun Khachatryan, said today after the government meeting. He recalled that it is the investigator that decides who, when and on what issues to interrogate and the investigator should be allowed to plan his/her activities so that the interrogation is effective. Khachatryan noted that interrogation is not an end in itself, the goal is to receive certain information. It has been said numerous times that all those who are associated with the case will be questioned, including Serzh Sargsyan," Sputnik Armenia cited Khachatryan as saying. Former head of the Central Bank of Armenia Bagrat Asatryan, speaking with the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that very many citizens are waiting for Sargsyan's arrest. "Most recently, many were very pleased that Robert Kocharyan was arrested. Kocharian and Sargsyan placed themselves above the law on all counts, from corruption to the March 1 crimes. For ten years they were in charge of Armenia's citizens and property. I think that we need an objective investigation, and we should do everything to solve the case of the March 1 crimes," he said. "Let me remind you that the March 1 crimes, when the authorities shot people who just demanded that the Constitutional Court examine the violation of the law in the elections, is a very big problem for our society. For 10 years this case has not been closed, and I hope, that the actions of the Special Investigative Service will help to answer the question of "who is to blame," which is a matter of concern to the entire Armenian society," Bagrat Asatryan added. "The current authorities, including Nikol Pashinyan, even 10 years ago said that an objective investigation of the March 1 events is one of the most important tasks. Now they are just fulfilling their promises. But this issue has become a ticking bomb, laid down in the very foundation of our civil society. If there is no objective investigation, this bomb will explode in 5-10 years. The chapter of this criminal case should be closed. The answer, who killed the citizens of Armenia, should be given," the former head of the Central Bank of Armenia concluded. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 16, 2018) - StrikePoint Gold Inc. (TSXV: SKP) (OTCQB: STKXF) is pleased to announce that, further to its press release dated August 14, 2018, it completed the acquisition of the Porter Idaho Property near Stewart, British Columbia, indirectly through the acquisition from Skeena Resources Ltd. ("Skeena") of all of the outstanding shares of Mount Rainey Silver Inc. (the "Transaction") on August 15, 2018. The Company's drilling campaign for the Porter Idaho property has also commenced. 2018 Drill Campaign The drill program at Porter Idaho will consist of up to 3,000 meters of diamond drilling on the property, and is designed to test two main areas of interest: possible new extensions to the existing veins that would have not been included of the historic resource and, drilling of known veins to recover ore zone material for assaying, the results from which could be used to modernize the historic resources. This is the first drilling on the property since Teck in the early 1980's, and some of the planned drill holes would not have been possible during their time due to extensive ice cover that has since receded. This gives Strikepoint the unique opportunity to test new targets with the aim of adding ounces to the resource model. A total of twelve diamond drill holes are planned for this season, with depths ranging from 100 meters to 300 meters. Holes will be paired from a shared pad to increase our understanding of the subsurface geometry of the veins. Porter Idaho Camp The camp facilities at Porter Idaho are now complete and fully occupied. Strikepoint chose Matrix to build and manage the camp and opted for a range of prefabricated steel buildings that could be flown into place and rock bolted to the ground. These buildings are designed to withstand up to 100 feet of snow burial in the winter and provide a safer work environment for employees. This style of camp will also be easier to winterize and will not require lengthy reestablishment in the new year, thus allowing the 2019 exploration season to start up more quickly. The Porter Idaho - Silverado Mines The Porter Idaho Project contains two shear hosted silver-rich vein systems: the Silverado and Prosperity-Porter Idaho. The showings are 2km apart, located on opposite sides of Mt. Rainey, overlooking the town of Stewart. The Project is strategically located at the head of the Portland Canal, a deep-water port with year-round, ice-free access. Since the initial discovery of silver mineralization on Mt. Rainey in the early 1900's, most of the work was focused on the Prosperity-Porter Idaho veins, where mineralization is hosted in six dipping parallel shear zones tracked on surface for 200 meters and one kilometer down dip with widths between 2 and 13 meters. The vein system was mined between 1929 and 1931 and produced 27,123 tonnes with recovered grades of 2,542 g/t silver (73.8 oz/ton) and 1 g/t gold (yielding approximately 2.2 million ounces of silver). The ore was shipped to the port at Stewart via aerial tramway. Historic Silver Resource The Porter Idaho Project contains an historical Indicated Resource of 394,700 tonnes grading 868 g/t silver, 3.37% lead and 1.41% zinc (435,000 tons @ 25.2 oz/ton silver or a contained 11 million ounces) and an Inferred Resource of 88,900 tonnes grading 595 g/t silver (97,900 tons @ 17.3 oz/ton silver or a contained 1.7 million ounces). Figure 1: Porter Idaho Historical Estimates To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5044/38130_a1534385527584_89.jpg Estimates of mineral resources are dated March 10, 2008, and were prepared by independent consulting geologist N.C. Carter, Ph.D., P. Eng. for Raimount Energy Inc. and re-stated for Mount Rainey Silver Inc. on May 15, 2012. The foregoing estimates made use of an extensive database detailing results of both underground sampling programs as well as surface and underground diamond drilling and were prepared pursuant to CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves. Nevertheless, the reader is cautioned that a Qualified Person on behalf of StrikePoint has not done sufficient work to verify either the underlying sampling data or the calculation methodology to consider this to be a current resource and, as a result, StrikePoint is treating this mineral resource as a Historical Estimate, as defined in National Instrument 43-101. StrikePoint has not yet determined what work needs to be completed in order to upgrade or verify the Historical Estimate. Transaction As stated above, the Transaction was completed on August 15, 2018, whereby the Company acquired Mount Rainey Silver Inc. from Skeena for aggregate consideration of the issuance of an aggregate of 7,100,000 common shares and 2,400,000 special warrants (each a "Special Warrant") and the payment $1,500,000 in cash, of which $250,000 was paid at closing. The remaining cash payments due are secured via a pledge over the Mount Rainey shares, with the last payment being due on December 31, 2019, subject to acceleration in the event the Company completes a financing as outlined in the Company's August 14, 2018, press release. The Special Warrants have a five year term expiring on August 15, 2023, and are convertible into an additional common share of the Company for no additional consideration at such time and from time to time as will not result in Skeena holding more than 10% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares. The Company also granted to Skeena a 1% NSR on the Porter Idaho property, with the option to buy back 0.5% at any time for a price of $750,000. All of the securities issuable to Skeena pursuant to the Transaction are subject to a four month hold period expiring on December 16, 2018. About the Golden Triangle The Golden Triangle is an area of northwestern British Columbia that has seen extensive historic mining and prospecting activity, and has recently been the site of modern discoveries, including the Premier Gold, Snip and Eskay Creek Mines. The area has seen a resurgence in infrastructure investment which supports exploration activities, including upgraded transmission lines supplying clean, affordable and reliable hydroelectric power. Other recent improvements include highway upgrades, new ocean port infrastructure at the ice-free port of Stewart and the commissioning of three hydroelectric facilities. StrikePoint Gold is a well-financed gold exploration and development company. The company controls a portfolio of gold properties in the Yukon and throughout Canada. The technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Andy Randell, P. Geo., Vice President, Exploration of StrikePoint Gold. Mr. Randell is a qualified person as defined in NI 43-101. For further information please visit our website: www.strikepointgold.com ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD of STRIKEPOINT GOLD INC. Shawn Khunkhun, CEO and Director For more information, contact: Shawn Khunkhun 604-602-1440 sk@strikepointgold.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. Zoho to Automatically Import Uber for Business Receipts into Zoho Expense Zoho today announced that it will automatically import Uber for Business trip receipts into Zoho Expense, its expense reporting and tracking software. With direct integration between the Uber and Zoho apps, business travelers no longer need to manually forward Uber receipts to Zoho Expense. Instead, Uber users worldwide will be able to select Zoho Expense from the Uber app, and their receipts will be automatically added to Zoho Expense reports to streamline tracking and reimbursement. "Uber for Business provides organizations with the billing, reporting and management software that they need as employees turn to Uber for safe, reliable transportation across the globe," said Michael Goodwin, head of business development and partnerships, Uber for Business. "Our integration with Zoho Expense will automate a key step in the process, making that expense-related work faster and easier for business riders and travel managers alike." "Zoho and Uber are committed to making business simple for our customers," said Raj Sabhlok, president of Zoho Corporation. "Simplifying expense reporting of Uber rides is a reflection of that commitment. After a long business trip, the last thing travelers want to do is dig through their inboxes for Uber receipts. With Zoho Expense and Uber, they won't have to." Pricing and Availability Zoho Expense will be available to Uber app users with a business profile in early September. Zoho Expense offers two subscription plans: the Free plan and the Standard plan ($15/month for 10 users). Each additional user is $2 per month. For more information on Zoho Expense, please visit https://www.zoho.com/expense. Additional Resources Zoho news coverage: https://www.zoho.com/inthenews.html Zoho press releases: https://www.zoho.com/press.html Zoho videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/zoho Zoho blogs: http://blogs.zoho.com Zoho on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/zoho Zoho on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/zoho About Zoho Expense Zoho Expense is expense reporting software that automates business and travel expense management. Available in mobile and web versions, it takes the hassles out of expense reporting and reimbursements for sales reps, employees, managers and finance departments. It also works with Zoho's online accounting and customer relationship management applications Zoho Books and Zoho CRM to unify an organization's front office and back office operations. Users can try a 14-day, free trial account of Zoho Expense at https://www.zoho.com/expense/. About Zoho Zoho is the operating system for business-a single online platform capable of running an entire business. With apps in nearly every major business category, including sales, marketing, customer support, accounting and back office operations, and an array of productivity and collaboration tools, Zoho is one of the world's most prolific software companies. In 2017, Zoho introduced the revolutionary Zoho One, an integrated suite of applications for the entire business. Zoho respects user privacy and does not have an ad-revenue model in any part of its business, including its free products. More than 35 million users around the world, across hundreds of thousands of companies, rely on Zoho every day to run their businesses, including Zoho itself. Zoho Corporation is privately held and profitable with more than 5,000 employees. Zoho is headquartered in Pleasanton, California, with international headquarters in Chennai, India. Additional offices are in Austin, Utrecht, Singapore, Yokohama, and Beijing. For more information, please visit www.zoho.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005149/en/ Contacts: Zoho Sandra Lo, 1-925-924-9500 slo@zohocorp.com VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 16, 2018 / Skeena Resources Limited (TSX.V: SKE, OTCQX: SKREF) ("Skeena" or the "Company") is pleased to announce final assay results from the 9,583 m Phase II surface and underground drilling program at the Company's 100% owned Snip Gold Project ("Snip") located in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia. Building upon the data gathered from the Phase I campaign, the Phase II program was designed to expand newly modelled zones via widely spaced exploratory drill step-outs, further delineate known mineralization in areas of low drilling density and validate the historical data in preparation for a maiden resource estimate at Snip. A reference mine section is presented at the end of this release, and on the Company's website. Phase II Drilling Highlights: 13.80 g/t Au over 18.00 m (UG18-110) 34.73 g/t Au over 3.50 m (UG18-109) 11.75 g/t Au over 5.40 m (UG18-107) 31.20 g/t Au over 0.75 m (UG18-107) Eastern Twin Zone Demonstrates High-Grade, Continuity and Widths The recently completed Phase II drilling on the Eastern Twin Zone continues to encounter gold grades and mineralization thicknesses which are significantly above those from historical drilling programs. These results are in part due to a more comprehensive sampling protocol which does not rely on selective sampling but instead samples the entirety of the drillhole. This protocol is intended to provide a complete database to support economic analyses using current gold prices and cut-off grades. Phase II drillhole UG18-110, which intersected 13.80 g/t Au over 18.00 m including 42.84 g/t Au over 2.90 m in the Eastern Twin Zone, is located on section between previously reported 2018 drillholes UG18-096 and UG18-097 which averaged 11.81 g/t Au over 12.20 m and 16.02 g/t Au over 12.25 m respectively. The UG18-110 intercept occurs 12 m up-dip of historic drill hole UG-1706 which intercepted 36.80 g/t Au over only 0.40 m from within a selectively sampled interval of 7 m. The inconsistency in zone thickness and gold grade is either related to incomplete historical sampling practices or geological and grade variability within the same mineralized zone of interest, or both. A further 65 m down-dip of UG18-110, drillhole UG18-109 intersected 34.73 g/t Au over 3.50 m which positively correlates 15 m up-dip with Skeena 2017 drillhole UG17-044 which averaged 12.59 g/t Au over 4.70 m. "The results from the Eastern Twin Zone are very encouraging as we continue to populate the historical database with modern sampling protocols. Assay results are demonstrating substantially larger widths of mineralization that were left undeveloped due to lower historical metal prices," commented Paul Geddes, the Company's Vice President of Exploration. "The respectable grades and widths that we are delineating in the Phase II program should be amenable to underground mining scenarios that historically would have been below the necessary cut-off grade." Discussion of Historical Data and Practices Since mineralization in areas such as the Eastern Twin Zone did not meet the required grade cut-off and mining widths when the mine was in operation, these areas were never drilled at spacings necessary for advancing future resource development and mine planning. Furthermore, the high cut-off grades used during operation meant that drillholes were not sampled in their entirety as only high-grade mineralization was relevant and hence drillholes were selectively assayed. Prior to the implementation of National Instrument 43-101 standards, reclamation of the mine in 1999 included disposal of all historical drill core, resulting in the inability to fully validate any prior operators' databases to modern standards. The lack of historic drill core and supporting drilling documentation, paired with the wide spacing of historical drilling in undeveloped areas necessitates that Skeena devote a percentage of its drilling campaign to validate the historical data. This will allow for high confidence underground resources to be reported. The Company is now compiling all data received from the 2018 Phase II drilling campaign and a summation news release will be released shortly, along with information about future drill plans. Corporate Update Skeena is also pleased to announce the closing of the sale of Mount Rainey Silver Inc. and the Porter Idaho project to StrikePoint Gold Inc. ("StrikePoint"), as announced on July 16, 2018. Pursuant to the agreement, StrikePoint acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Mount Rainey Silver Inc. from Skeena in exchange for 9,500,000 securities (the "Securities") and a series of cash payments totalling C$1.5M, secured by a first claim over the issued and outstanding shares of Mount Rainey Silver Inc. The Securities consist of a combination of 7,100,000 common shares in the capital of StrikePoint, and 2,400,000 special warrants, that are convertible to common shares in the capital of StrikePoint for no additional consideration, provided that the conversion will not result in Skeena becoming an insider of StrikePoint. The common shares held by Skeena represent 9.96% of the undiluted issued and outstanding common shares of StrikePoint, and the special warrants represent an additional 3.37% of the undiluted issued and outstanding common shares of StrikePoint. Together the Securities represent 13.33% of the current issued and outstanding StrikePoint common shares, or 12.89% on a partially diluted basis. About Skeena Skeena Resources Limited is a junior Canadian mining exploration company focused on developing prospective precious and base metal properties in the Golden Triangle of northwest British Columbia, Canada. The Company's primary activities are the exploration and development of the past-producing Snip mine and the recently optioned Eskay Creek mine, both acquired from Barrick. In addition, the Company has completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment on the GJ copper-gold porphyry project. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Skeena Resources Limited, Walter Coles Jr. President & CEO Qualified Persons Exploration activities at the Snip Gold Project are administered on site by the Company's Exploration Managers, Colin Russell, P.Geo. and Adrian Newton, P.Geo. In accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, Paul Geddes, P.Geo. Vice President Exploration and Resource Development, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has prepared, validated and approved the technical and scientific content of this news release. The Company strictly adheres to CIM Best Practices Guidelines in conducting, documenting, and reporting its exploration activities on its exploration projects. Quality Assurance - Quality Control Once received from the drill and processed, all drill core samples are sawn in half, labelled and bagged. The remaining drill core is subsequently securely stored on site. Numbered security tags are applied to lab shipments for chain of custody requirements. The Company inserts quality control (QC) samples at regular intervals in the sample stream, including blanks and reference materials with all sample shipments to monitor laboratory performance. The QAQC program was designed and approved by Lynda Bloom, P.Geo. of Analytical Solutions Ltd., and is overseen by the Company's Qualified Person, Paul Geddes, P.Geo, Vice President Exploration and Resource Development. Drill core samples are submitted to ALS Geochemistry's analytical facility in North Vancouver, British Columbia for preparation and analysis. The ALS facility is accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard for gold assays and all analytical methods include quality control materials at set frequencies with established data acceptance criteria. The entire sample is crushed and 250 grams is pulverized. Analysis for gold is by 50g fire assay fusion with atomic absorption (AAS) finish with a lower limit of 0.01 ppm and upper limit of 100 ppm. Samples with gold assays greater than 10 ppm are re-analyzed using a 1,000g screen metallic fire assay. A selected number of samples are also analyzed using a 48 multi-elemental geochemical package by a 4-acid digestion, followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements Certain statements made and information contained herein may constitute "forward looking information" and "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. These statements and information are based on facts currently available to the Company and there is no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements and information may be identified by such terms as "anticipates", "believes", "targets", "estimates", "plans", "expects", "may", "will", "could" or "would". Forward-looking statements and information contained herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and other matters. While the Company considers its assumptions to be reasonable as of the date hereof, forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue importance on such statements as actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Table 1: Snip Project Phase II length weighted drillhole gold composites: HOLE-ID FROM (M) TO (M) CORE LENGTH (M) AU (G/T) AREA UG18-105 86.00 86.76 0.76 1.80 EASTERN TWIN ZONE UG18-106 68.50 70.00 1.50 5.39 EASTERN TWIN ZONE UG18-106 80.00 81.50 1.50 5.01 EASTERN TWIN ZONE UG18-106 108.50 109.00 0.50 6.93 HWEASTERN TWIN ZONE UG18-107 70.75 71.50 0.75 31.20 EASTERN TWIN ZONE UG18-107 78.60 84.00 5.40 11.75 EASTERN TWIN ZONE INCLUDING 82.10 83.40 1.30 35.80 EASTERN TWIN ZONE UG18-108 100.00 100.50 0.50 8.52 412 COORIDOR UG18-108 121.00 122.50 1.50 6.29 EASTERN TWIN ZONE UG18-109 130.50 134.00 3.50 34.73 EASTERN TWIN ZONE INCLUDING 131.00 131.50 0.50 44.10 EASTERN TWIN ZONE AND 131.50 132.00 0.50 150.00 EASTERN TWIN ZONE UG18-110 141.00 159.00 18.00 13.80 EASTERN TWIN ZONE INCLUDING 143.00 144.00 1.00 24.35 EASTERN TWIN ZONE AND 145.50 147.50 2.00 20.16 EASTERN TWIN ZONE AND 151.20 154.10 2.90 42.84 EASTERN TWIN ZONE AND 156.60 157.10 0.50 62.00 EASTERN TWIN ZONE UG18-110 165.50 166.00 0.50 42.40 HW EASTERN TWIN ZONE S18-029 113.50 115.00 1.50 1.18 TWIN ZONE S18-030 106.30 107.30 1.00 2.01 TWIN ZONE True widths cannot be accurately determined from the information available therefore core lengths are reported. Top cuts have not been applied to high grade assays. Table 2: Mine grid Phase II drillhole locations and orientations. HOLE-ID EASTING NORTHING ELEVATION LENGTH (M) AZIMUTH DIP S18-029 4274.0 1845.0 295.0 182.3 4.7 -70.6 S18-030 4274.0 1845.0 295.0 178.9 359.9 -49.5 UG18-105 4849.4 2310.4 574.5 110.6 166.8 57.6 UG18-106 4848.2 2308.2 573.6 115.2 190.7 27.7 UG18-107 4848.4 2308.9 574.1 110.6 190.4 44.1 UG18-108 4962.9 2371.2 551.6 200.0 175.2 0.4 UG18-109 4962.8 2371.1 552.5 178.6 176.1 20.5 UG18-110 4962.9 2372.2 553.3 187.8 166.6 47.5 SOURCE: Skeena Resources Limited Reno, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - August 16, 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 PAB Coventry Ltd. ("PAB") to test scandium-containing alloys in aluminum sheet forming applications. PAB is a privately held manufacturing and prototyping company offering specialty metal parts and design capabilities, serving the automotive, aerospace, defense and HVAC industries. PAB has been a well-known parts and forms supplier to the upper market segment of the British automotive industry for decades. The LOI calls for the Company to contribute various aluminium alloy samples containing scandium, for process testing by PAB, in their testing/manufacturing facilities in Coventry, UK. PAB 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 to PAB , PAB commits to test the contributed samples with their forming systems , Forming r esults are to be shared , understood, possibly publicly disclosed, recognizing any intellectual property discovery, PAB is a recognized leader in various complex aluminum forming technolog ies , servicing customer s in automotive , aerospace, and defense applications , and Successful prototype testing results potentially forms basis of direct customer use of Al-Sc alloys with PAB's clients, or with PAB itself. DISCUSSION: PAB Coventry is a specialty metals forming company, prototyping parts design, and production company, focused on developing lightweight high-performance components from steel, metal composites, magnesium, and aluminum. PAB offers production runs for customers at their primary Coventry UK location, and design support to customers intending to produce on larger scale, with integrated manufacturing platforms. PAB is recognized as an industry leader in innovation, design, and product development. PAB has been involved in a number of leading research and development initiatives focused on the use of Hot Form Quench (HFQ) technology, a patented process directly licensed from Impression Technologies Ltd ("ITL") also located in Coventry, UK (please refer to the Company's August 15, 2018 News Release on ITL). HFQ technology is a production method for stamping complex-shaped aluminum components from high strength and ultra-high strength alloys, involving heat treatment, forming, and in-die quench systems to produce complex, lightweight, high-strength alloy parts in a single pressing operation. PAB also work with their end user clients on developing and testing novel ways of cold forming aluminum for niche volume manufacture. Select, current PAB aluminum parts forming initiatives include: Prototyping . Design and production of aluminum automotive components, in conjunction with ITL, using HFQ technology. Process Design . Involvement in ongoing production system design programs to manufacture lightweight, high strength aluminum panel components, for automotive and aerospace applications. Production. Active planning to apply the HFQ process to an existing full-scale PAB production line, to service lightweighting parts requirements in mass market automotive. R&D Programs.Applying HFQ technology to larger scale aluminum sheet stock, to demonstrate the attractiveness of HFQ in combination with friction stir welding (FSW) for aluminum parts manufacture. More information on PAB Coventry Ltd. and their capabilities can be found on the PAB website, at http://www.pabgroup.co.uk/research-development/. Further information on HFQ technology is available on http://hfqtechnology.com/, and more about Impression Technologies Limited (ITL) is available on the ITL website, http://www.impression-technologies.com/. HFQ is a registered trademark of Impression Technologies Ltd. George Putnam, CEO of Scandium International Mining Corp. commented: "We are pleased to add PAB to our list of partners exploring scandium's advantages in aluminium parts manufacturing using HFQ technology. PAB is an established, recognized aluminium alloy solutions-provider to UK automotive and UK/European aerospace customers. PAB also represents a pathfinder in the commercial application of HFQ forming technology, developing what is required to meet the tougher demands of large scale production applications. HFQ shows excellent promise for high volume commercial application in aluminium formed parts and products, and we believe scandium additions could offer additional benefits, when combined with this process." 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. TALLINN, ESTONIA / ACCESSWIRE / August 16, 2018 / With the advent of the "big data" era, the importance of data in all walks of life has been greatly enhanced, so the data collection, storage and analysis have become an industry direction which is desiderated to be promoted. And existing infrastructures have become increasingly difficult to cope with the requirements of more than 3.6 billion connected people and the massive amounts of data generated in the process. The server storage of nowadays and the framework which provides data access are both expensive and inefficient. In the era of increasing geometrical number of connected devices, data access efficiency, storage cost and performance stability, etc., are facing great challenges. Today's central intermediary - the server storage, and the framework which provides data access, are very expensive but also very inefficient. Meanwhile, data center consumes between 1.5% and 2.0% of global electricity, and grows at a rate of 60% per year. With the accelerated integration of the Internet and industry at this stage, the volume of global data will show an exponential upward trend. As early as 2010, the scale of global data has reached the level of "ZB" (1ZB = 1024TB). And through IDC's estimation, the total amount of global data information can be doubled every two years or so. Only a year later, in 2011, the total amount of data created and replicated worldwide exceeded 1.8ZB. Nowadays, owing to the rise of the concepts of "Internet +" and smart cities, etc., the world has gradually realized the valuable application value of data. According to the prediction of IDC, global data usage will reach 40ZB in 2020, and such a large amount of data is equivalent to about 42.9 billion 1TB hard disk storage space. However, the most pressing challenge in the industry today is the issue of security and integrity. Security aims at the security of data storage and the privacy of data, while the integrity is mainly for the compatibility of data interaction and the continuity of data. Especially in the AI industry, stable data storage is the foundation of the AI industry. The important technique of the AI industry is to make the robots learn and complete through a large amount of data information so as to make it more intelligent. Therefore, the stability of data storage can affect the normal operation of the entire AI framework. If the storage system encounters some problems such as data loss and downtime, etc., it will have a fatal impact on AI products. Secondly, because the performance of the data storage has a great impact on the efficiency of the whole AI and the reading speed of the storage system is up to the efficiency of data storage and extraction, so it directly limits the maximum efficiency of AI. Thirdly, the scalability of the data storage system will determine the scalability of the entire AI. Therefore, a stable storage system is crucial to the development of artificial intelligence applications. And AI has extremely high requirements on the processing technique of data storage. Data is one of the raw materials for the development of AI. As an intangible asset, any organization that wishes to get involved in AI is increasing its importance. However, at this stage the data collection and storage technique still fails to solve the following pain points. 1. Data Security Regardless of how the data storage industry develops, data security is always a key issue that cannot be ignored. It can be divided into two parts, one is the problem of data storage time, and the other is the problem of data loss and theft. Many big data stores in the fields of business, law and medical, etc. all involve the issue of storage time, which require storage periods ranging from a few years to decades. As the foundation of big data analysis, historical data undoubtedly puts higher requirements on data storage time. It is the key to ensure the validity and availability of data in the long-term phase. At present, data theft and data trafficking have formed a complete industry chain, people pay more attention to the security of data. In areas of finance, healthcare and government, there is a clear demand for data security. Big data analysis often requires a comprehensive reference of multiple types of related data, and in the past, there is no mixed data access. Therefore, big data storage and processing gradually present some new security issues. 2. Data Validity Discrimination In the context of big data, the data scale and file quantity are increasing substantially, and the management of metadata accumulated at the file system level becomes a difficulty. In addition to the continuous upgrade of storage capacity, the identification of data validity has become an urgent demand of the current market. The most efficient solution is to identify data and filter invalid data to effectively reduce the demand of data storage capacity and solve the problems of system delay. 3. Slow Speed of Data Processing The requirements for immediacy are high in the application and coordination of data, so more and more big data application environments require higher IOPS performance, and the widespread popularity of virtual servers comes up with severe challenges to processing performance and processing efficiency. 4. High Cost of Data Storage Whether it is a hardware device or a software platform for data storage, it takes a lot of time and money for enterprises to build their own data storage system from scratch. At present, in order to help users reduce building cost, more and more storage products are available in pure software form, which can be directly installed on existing, general or off-the-shelf hardware devices, but obviously, the enterprises which have a high demand for big data cannot accept this form. The problem in the data storage market is how to complete the input and save of data with the fastest time and the least budget under the premise of software and hardware. We saw many losses and inconveniences caused by these problems, so we established Cyberange. Cyberange is a basic chain for data collection and storage. It aims to offer a large block of data storage space and cross-chain technique for storage technique by combining all the blocks with blockchain technique and Artificial Intelligence technique. As a public chain designed for data collection and storage, Cybrange is a blockchain infrastructure which is similar to the operating system designed for data managers. Cyberange AS storage system is a decentralized file data storage system, which aims to provide permanent, stable and secure storage services for each individual or group in the big data waves, and is connected to the browsing function of any web browser to achieve the retrieval management of accessible online data. The Cyberange AS system provides basic services for platform users who hold the CRAT tokens based on the Star File System (IPFS) and Cyberang Message. The owners of the block storage data space are motivated to manage and share their own data resources. IPFS, as the most reliable method for permanent decentralization of saving and sharing files, is a distributed protocol for content addressable, versioned, peer-to-peer hypermedia. Therefore, we chose IPFS as the design basis of our public chain, and extended and upgraded it based on the project features. In the CM data ecosystem, there are three roles of users: data uploader (data owner), data demander and data integrator. The unique point is that the identity of each user is not fixed, but he or she changes with his or her own needs. As the cornerstone of the entire ecosystem, the data uploader is the largest, obtaining Token incentives by uploading first-hand data and actively sharing its own data can also make the overall data storage ecology in a state of information flow, which helps to maintain the validity of data and promoting data update. Data demanders play a role in promoting the entire ecosystem. By continuously proposing data requirements and analysis programs, data volume is increasing and data analysis capabilities are constantly improving; data integration is the key in the ecosystem. A small number of integrated parties can systematically and completely classify and sort out existing data, and with the emerging techniques such as AI and so on, it can also effectively maintain the continuous operation of the CM data ecosystem. Faced with the problem of data storage and slow analysis under the background of big data, Cyberange has sharply grasped the market demand, and constructively increased the AI sector in the data collection and storage public chain model. With the accuracy of artificial intelligence and even data classification and screening, it can greatly improve data storage capacity and improve analysis speed. Similarly, the rapid learning ability and stylization of artificial intelligence also make it more universal market application value, so it is extremely feasible to upgrade the existing data storage public chain model with the help of AI. Cyberange performs the analysis of data storage by combining blockchain and AI techniques. Blockchain storage technique enables accurate recording, authentication, and execution, while artificial intelligence helps make decision, evaluate, and understand certain patterns and data sets, ultimately resulting in autonomous interactions. Artificial intelligence and blockchain require data sharing, and distributed databases emphasize the importance of sharing data between multiple clients on a particular network. Similarly, artificial intelligence relies on big data, especially the data sharing. The more open data available for analysis, the more predictable and evaluated the machine will be, and the more reliable algorithms generated. In addition, security is also an important advantage. When dealing with high-value transactions on a blockchain network, there is a strong demand for network security. This can be implemented through existing agreements. For artificial intelligence, machine autonomy also requires high security to reduce the likelihood of catastrophic events. Cyberange has the confidence and ability to build a basic public chain for all industries and provide storage space, technique and analytical services, and build a fair, transparent, secure and efficient information data ecosystem. Then it will promote the long-term healthy development of the entire data storage analysis industry and improve the data management concept in the era of big data. Contact: Dalio 3206678586@qq.com SOURCE: Cyberange Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 16, 2018) - Advantagewon Oil Corp. (CSE: AOC) (OTCQB: ANTGF) (the "Corporation", "Advantagewon", "AOC") provided today an update on the production increase achieved on the 32 additional wells recently put back into production. As previously announced in the Corporation's July 23, 2018 press release, the Corporation anticipated that combined production from these 32 wells would ultimately add approximately 16 to 64 barrels of oil per day ("bopd") and indicated it would provide a progress report mid-August. As of the date of this press release, the 32 wells have added production of 22 bopd. The Corporation is continuing work to better equip some of these wells and anticipates further improvements. Operations are underway on additional wells to improve their deliverability. As stated in the Corporation's April 30, 2018 press release, the Corporation has been diligently working on identifying and evaluating opportunities in the LaVernia area. This work was instrumental in increasing the undiscounted reserve value in LaVernia which, as stated in the Corporation's NI 51-101 Report, increased from $98,712,300 USD in 2016 to $175,867,450 USD in 2017, representing a 78% increase in the undiscounted reserve value. The Corporation has prepared the first of the two wells drilled last March for the frac to address the formation damage. The procedure on the well has been delayed as cost quotes on the frac on the single well have been high and additional quotes have been requested. About Advantagewon Oil Corp. Advantagewon is focused on building consistent cash flow from low cost, low risk oil wells in the State of Texas. AOC applies specialized expertise to increase oil recovery from 10-15% to up to 75% for each well. Once the enhanced recovery strategy is successfully applied, AOC will repeat the process throughout the oil pool to maximize output and minimize cost and risk. Advantagewon's common shares are listed on the OTC Markets in the United States and on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") in Canada. Advantagewon is a member of the CSE Composite Index (CSE: AOC). For more information please visit www.aoc-oil.com. For further information please contact: Mr. Charles Dove CEO & Director Advantagewon Oil Corp. T: (403) 815-2440 E: charles.dove@aoc-oil.com W: www.aoc-oil.com Mr. Paul Haber Chairman & Director Advantagewon Oil Corp. T: (416) 318-6501 E: paul.haber@aoc-oil.com W: www.aoc-oil.com Mr. Frank Kordy Secretary & Director Advantagewon Oil Corp. T: (647) 466-4037 E: frank.kordy@aoc-oil.com W: www.aoc-oil.com Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. The forward- looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made as of the date of this document and the Corporation 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 securities legislation. Although Management believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such. Neither 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. - 30 - Aspo Oyj / Telko Oy Press release August 16, 2018 Telko Ltd has acquired the business of the Danish company Square Oil A/S Telko Ltd has acquired the business of the Danish company Square Oil A/S. Square Oil is a service and distribution company dealing in lubricants, and its main principal is BP Castrol. Square Oil A/S has concentrated on demanding industrial lubricant customers. Net sales of the company is about EUR 3 million, half of which comes from Norwegian and the other half from Danish markets. Telko has similar significant long-standing cooperation in industrial lubricants with BP Castrol in Finland, Sweden and Norway. The transaction has no significant impact on Telko's result in 2018. "Square Oil's business fits to Telko excellently. Principal of Square Oil, BP Castrol, is already significant partner for Telko. With the acquisition, we get good customer base in Denmark and Norway, and we also get very competent organization", says Kalle Kettunen, CEO of Telko. kalle.kettunen@telko.com This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Aspo Oyj via Globenewswire Telko Ltd is owned by Aspo Plc which was founded in 1929.For more information please contact:Kalle Kettunen, Telko Ltd, CEO, tel. +358 40 558 5478,is a Finland based leading distributor and expert of raw materials (plastics, chemicals, lubricants) having daughter companies in 16 countries and representing leading principals of the industries. The Company operates locally in the Nordic countries, Baltics, Russia, Ukraine, Poland and in many other growing markets in Eastern part of the world. Telko's extensive customer service includes also tailor-made technical support and development of production processes together with customers. Company's strength is comprehensive knowledge of raw materials, which knowledge Telko's specialists have got during the years while working with holistic customer projects. Telko has also a terminal in Rauma and many local warehouses in different markets where the company operates. www.telco.com (http://www.telco.com/)is a conglomerate that owns and develops business operations in Northern Europe and growth markets focusing on demanding B-to-B customers. Our strong company brands - ESL Shipping, Leipurin, Telko and Kauko - aim to be the market leaders in their sectors. They are responsible for their own operations, customer relationships and the development of these. Together they generate Aspo's goodwill. Aspo's Group structure and business operations are continually developed without any predefined schedules. www.aspo.com (http://www.aspo.com/) Leading Data Privacy Management Platform Recognized as the Best Governance, Risk & Compliance Solution SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TrustArc, the data privacy management company, today announced that the TrustArc Data Privacy Management Platform has been recognized by two organizations, further validating it as the leading privacy compliance and risk management solution. It was named the winner of a Gold Stevie Award in the Best New Product or Service of the Year - Software, in the Governance, Risk & Compliance Solution category in The 15th Annual International Business Awards. In addition, the TrustArc privacy platform has also been shortlisted as a finalist for the 2018 SaaS Awards in the Best Security Innovation in a SaaS Product category. "We are honored to receive these award recognitions for our SaaS privacy management platform," said Chris Babel, CEO of TrustArc. "Our technology is constantly evolving in tandem with the rapidly changing regulatory landscape to enable our customers to meet challenges and scale their compliance with global regulations such as the EU GDPR, EU-US Privacy Shield and APEC CBPR." 2018 International Business Awards, Also Known as the "International Stevies" The International Business Awards (IBA) 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. More than 3,900 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories. 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." Judges' commentary on the TrustArc Data Privacy Management Platform includes: "The system is impressive considering it increases productivity, reduces costs and provides compliance assurance." "In the world of compliance, this is an exciting solution!" "This product addresses an important need in the marketplace and has been designed with some future-proofing and attention to other privacy requirements beyond GDPR." Finalist: Best Security Innovation in a SaaS Product, SaaS Awards Now in its third year, the Software-as-a-Service Awards program recognizes innovation and excellence in software. For the 2018 SaaS Awards, the TrustArc Privacy Management Platform has been named finalist in the Best Security Innovation in a SaaS Product category. Under today's global privacy regulations, companies rely on technology to automate compliance processes in order to reduce cost. TrustArc's SaaS Privacy Platform meets the needs of the marketplace by automating compliance processes with embedded privacy rules. The willingness of major corporations to manage and report their sensitive data using the TrustArc SaaS platform marks the next step in companies becoming more comfortable with cloud security. SaaS Awards and Cloud Awards organizer Larry Johnson said, "All entrants demonstrated considerable commitment to innovation in software solutions, and to make the shortlist itself is a huge achievement. With such a concentrated level of success in the shortlist, our judges have a significant task ahead of them to arrive at our final award winners." For more information about the TrustArc Data Privacy Management Platform, please visit: https://www.trustarc.com/products/privacy-platform/ About TrustArc TrustArc is the leader in data privacy compliance and risk management solutions through its unmatched combination of innovative technology, expert consulting and TRUSTe certification solutions that together address all phases of privacy program management. The TrustArc Privacy Platform is the foundation for all of its solutions, delivering a flexible, scalable and secure way to manage privacy and comply with the global privacy regulations, including the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Refined over seven years of operating experience across a wide range of industries and client use cases, the TrustArc Privacy Platform is fortified by its in-depth services that leverage deep privacy expertise and proven methodologies that it has continuously enhanced over two decades and thousands of client projects. Headquartered in San Francisco, and backed by a global team, TrustArc helps over 1,000 clients worldwide demonstrate compliance, minimize risk and build trust. For more information, visit the TrustArc website, blog and LinkedIn. 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. Details about The International Business Awards and the lists of Stevie Award winners are available at www.StevieAwards.com/IBA. About the SaaS Awards The SaaS Awards is a sister program to the Cloud Awards, which was founded in 2011. The SaaS Awards focuses on recognizing excellence and innovation in software solutions. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/730814/Stevie_Gold.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/520330/TrustArc_The_New_TRUSTe_Logo.jpg Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 16, 2018) - Ridgestone Mining Inc. (TSXV: RMI) (the "Company" or "Ridgestone"), is pleased to announce that it has established a 100% owned Mexican subsidiary, Cerro de Oro Minerales S.A. de C.V., to facilitate its mineral exploration and development activities in Mexico. Initial efforts will focus on the Rebeico Gold and Copper project which the Company has optioned from YQ Gold de Mexico S,A. de C.V. ("YQ Gold") giving it the right to earn a 100% interest, as previously announced. YQ Gold will be the initial operator of the project given its team's extensive experience and success in mineral exploration in Sonora. The YQ Gold team includes Alfonso Daco, Francisco Navarro and Jonathan George. Alfonso Daco, BSc. Geology, has worked in the mineral industry for over 45 years and held senior positions with numerous prominent companies. From 1972 to 1992, Mr. Daco was President of Campbell Resources' Mexican subsidiary and his team was credited with the discovery of the La Colorado Gold Mine in Sonora, currently owned and operated by Argonaut Gold, where over two million ounces of gold and eighteen million ounces of silver have been delineated. Mr. Daco and his teams have also been credited with the discoveries of the El Castillo gold mine (over one million ounces of gold) and the Lluvia de Oro/ La Jojoba gold mine (over half a million ounces of gold). Francisco Navarro, BSc. Geology, has been fully engaged in all facets of mineral exploration, development, acquisitions and negotiations for over 30 years. Mr. Navarro has held numerous executive and managerial positions with foreign and local companies. Mr. Navarro was a key member of the teams that led to the discoveries of La Colorado, Cuatro Hermanos (over one billion pounds of copper and one hundred million pounds of molybdenum), as well as the El Castillo and Lluvia de Oro/ La Jojoba gold mines. Mr. Navarro's deep roots within the Mexican mining community, particularly Sonora, are invaluable to the acquisition, advancement and development of exceptional mineral projects. Jonathan George, BSc. Geology, has been active in mineral exploration, development and resource capital markets for over 35 years, with extensive experience in Mexico. As the President, CEO and co-founder of Creston Moly Corp., Mr. George was instrumental in the acquisition and development of Mexico's largest molybdenum deposit, resulting in a mineral resource valuation of $560 million, and an ultimate merger with Mercator Minerals worth $178 million. Erwin Wong, Director and CFO commented, "Given their depth of expertise and familiarity with conducting mineral exploration in Mexico, we are very fortunate to have YQ's team manage our exploration program and are confident that they will be very successful in advancing the promising Rebeico Gold- Copper project." For further information, please contact: Ron Birch, Director Ridgestone Mining Inc. Telephone: 1-800-910-7711 About the Company Ridgestone is a TSX Venture Exchange -listed junior mineral exploration company with offices in Taipei and Vancouver, B.C. The Company's focus is on precious metals and copper in Sonora, Mexico, and specifically the Rebeico Gold-Copper project. 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 statements or information (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking statements"). Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements and are not guarantees of future performance of the Company. In this news release such statements include but are not limited to the preparation of a definitive agreement and the requirement of TSX Venture Exchange approval therefor. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates and assumptions which may prove to be incorrect. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the Company's Prospectus dated February 9, 2018 available on www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the Company's assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of risks, uncertainties and other factors is not exhaustive. Unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed could also have material adverse effects on forward-looking statements. The impact of any one factor on a particular forward-looking statement is not determinable with certainty as such factors are dependent on other factors, and the Company's course of action would depend on its assessment of the future considering all information then available. All forward-looking statements in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change. Infiniti Research, a global market and customer intelligence solutions provider, has announced the completion of their new customer intelligence assessment on the media industry. A leading media industry player, offering a variety of media services wanted to employ both quantitative and qualitative techniques to gauge their brand health. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005369/en/ Customer Intelligence Assessment: Reigniting Business Growth with the Help of Brand Health Assessment for a Leading Media Services Provider (Graphic: Business Wire) According to the media industry experts at Infiniti "Advancements in technology and changes in lifestyle globally have severely impacted content production, demand, and consumption for companies in the media industry." Request for a Proposal to see how Infiniti Research's solutions can help you. Globally, the media industry is witnessing major transformations due to factors such as digitization and globalization. The next wave of change for media industry players is expected to arrive with the introduction of next-gen technology, the emergence of business intelligence platforms, and the proliferation of social media channels. Thriving in such a business environment is not easy and media industry players are expected to face several challenges in the form of market disruptions. With the ongoing changes in the way content is created, distributed, and utilized, the media industry is poised to witness a transformational phase, which will bring in new challenges for media companies worldwide. To know more about our customer intelligence assessment solution, get in touch The customer intelligence assessment solution presented by Infiniti Research helped the media industry client to measure brand affinity and determine their future growth prospects. This customer intelligence assessment solution provided benefits that helped the client to: Identify and categorize key metrics affecting brand value Uncover new market segments To know more about our customer intelligence assessment solution, request a proposal This customer intelligence assessment solution provided predictive insights on: Leveraging customer intelligence to tap into customer needs and drive demand Understanding key strategies that help cultivate a stronger brand equity To read more about the scope of our engagement, get in touch View the customer intelligence assessment here: https://www.infinitiresearch.com/casestudy/media-services-customer-intelligence About Infiniti Research Established in 2003, Infiniti Research is a leading market intelligence company providing smart solutions to address your business challenges. Infiniti Research studies markets in more than 100 countries to help analyze competitive activity, see beyond market disruptions, and develop intelligent business strategies. With 15+ years of experience and offices across three continents, Infiniti Research has been instrumental in providing a complete range of competitive intelligence, strategy, and research services for over 550 companies across the globe. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005369/en/ Contacts: Infiniti Research Anirban Choudhury Marketing Consultant https://www.infinitiresearch.com/contact-us U.S. President Donald Trump said in the interview released by The Wall Street Journal that his steel tariffs on China and other countries are rescuing a U.S. industry. He also predicted that the competition U.S. companies will face in the future will mostly be domestic due to his actions. According to Trump, some people may complain that in the short term steel prices may be a little more expensive, but that they ultimately will drop and his moves will have preserved an industry important to national security. Competition will be internal, like it used to be in the old days when we actually had steel, and U.S. Steel was our greatest company, the U.S. president said. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 16, 2018) - Ancient Strains Limited ("Ancient Strains" or "ASL") is pleased to announce that it has signed two binding agreements with strategic cannabis service providers that will greatly enhance Ancient Strains' ability to expand its international footprint and develop unique medicinal cannabis products. One is with CannOps Consulting Services Ltd. ("CannOps") and one is indirectly through Battalion Consol Corp. ("BATC"). Under the terms of the agreement with CannOps (the "CannOps Agreement"), CannOps will, among other things, supply product from its genetic library, work with Ancient Strains to develop medicinal cannabis extract product lines and assist in marketing and distribution. Ancient Strains will use the genetics and strains to enhance its position in the international business of medicinal cannabis. Pursuant to the confidential terms of the agreement with Battalion Consol Corporation (the "BATC Agreement"), Ancient Strains will purchase BATC's minority equity interest in a licensed analytics lab located in Canada (the "LD"). The BATC Agreement will allow Ancient Strains full access to the services of the LD including import and export of product and product testing. Both agreements are subject to final due diligence and definitive documentation, and all business dealings will be subject to regulatory approvals. Summary of Terms CannOps Agreement: CannOps will provide seeds for cultivation and strain development; CannOps will assist in offshore license acquisition, and protocols for extracts; CannOps will assist in marketing and product development; CannOps will receive warrants to purchase 2.5 million ASL shares exercisable at $0.40 for five years. Battalion Consol Agreement: BATC will sell its minority equity position and underlying agreement in a licensed laboratory; ASL will have access to the full services of the LD including testing and services; ASL will have exclusivity for product testing from India and Uruguay; ASL will issue 1 million warrants exercisable at $0.40 per warrant for five years and pay $500,000 to BATC within three years to acquire the minority interest in the LD. Samir Biswas, President of Ancient Strains, commented: "We are very pleased to have signed these agreements. The CannOps Agreement allows Ancient Strains to source high quality Canadian medicinal cannabis strains and expertise to develop our international business units, while the BATC Agreement would allow us to import and export, test and combine Canadian and Ancient Strains acquired offshore. Working closely with the experienced team at CannOps and the LD, Ancient Strains is now poised to expand its international footprint and develop unique medicinal cannabis products for what we believe is rapidly becoming a global business." Ancient Strains Near Term Plans: Near-term Objectives of Ancient Strains in 2018 are: Close on the current $3 million financing; Continue expanding operations in Uruguay; Conclude one or more international grow, extract, and sales agreements; Attract additional Canadian expertise to complement the international strategy; Complete a 'go-public' transaction and list the shares on a Canadian stock exchange. This Press Release Is Available on The Company's website www.AncientStrains.ca About Ancient Strains Ancient Strains Limited is a private Canadian federally-registered company planning to become a vertically integrated international producer of cannabis and hemp and related products, where legally allowed, as required for medical use by patients. Ancient Strains goal is to develop an international business, using low-cost cultivation and extractions using innovative strains of cannabis genetics and Canadian expertise that will have a positive impact on people's health worldwide. About CannOps Consulting Services Ltd. CannOps is an Ontario provincially-registered company founded by experts in the medicinal cannabis industry providing extensive services to the industry ranging from design and construction advice to genetics, efficacy, and standard operating procedures (SOP's) for dosing and patient management. The dedicated staff are well-respected and have a long history of assisting both patients and companies establish appropriate medicinal protocols. About Battalion Consol Corp. BATC is a Canadian, federally-registered company providing merchant banking services to startup companies with a focus on the cannabis space. Disclaimers: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "may", "plan", "will", "would", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "in the process" and other similar expressions which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current expectation and assumptions, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company's on-going filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. For further information contact Daryl Hodges, Chairman and CEO Tel (647) 271-3817 Samir Biswas, President and COO Tel: (416) 545-7214 www.AncientStrains.ca Frontline Ltd.'s preliminary second quarter 2018 results will be released on Wednesday August 22 2018 and a webcast and conference call will be held at 3:00 p.m. CET (9:00 a.m U.S. Eastern Time). The results presentation will be available for download from the Investor Relations section at www.frontline.bm ahead of the conference call. In order to attend the conference call you may do one of the following: a. Webcast Go to the Investor Relations section at www.frontline.bm and follow the "Webcast" link. b. Conference Call Participant dial-in telephone numbers: International Dial-In/UK Local +44 (0)330 336 9411 Norway +47 2350 0296 Norway Toll Free 800 14947 UK Toll Free 0800 279 7204 USA Toll Free 888-254-3590 USA Local +1 929-477-0448 Conference ID5146133 Participants will be asked for their full name & Conference ID. A Q&A session will be held after the teleconference/webcast. Information on how to submit questions will be given at the beginning of the session. The presentation material which will be used in the teleconference/webcast can be downloaded from www.frontline.bm. Replay details (available for 7 days) International Dial-In/UK Local +44 (0) 207 660 134 UK Toll Free 0 808 101 1153 Norway Dial-In +47 23 50 00 77 Norway toll free 800 196 72 USA Toll Free 888-203-1112 USA Local +1 719-457-0820 Replay Access Number5146133 Participant information required: Full name & company Dow Jones received a payment from EQS/DGAP to publish this press release. DGAP-Media / 2018-08-16 / 17:29 *Topping out of the Heeresbackerei project: Instone builds around 350 apartments in Leipzig* *- *_After completing the shell, the residential developer is completely on schedule_ _- Almost all of the apartments have now been sold _ _- Scheduled to be ready for occupancy at the end of 2019 _ *Essen/Leipzig, 16 August 2018: *Instone Real Estate has celebrated the topping-out of its Heeresbackerei project in Leipzig. A total of 347 condominiums are planned for the roughly 36,500-square-metre historical site in the Gohlis district, of which 245 will be apartments in an old, refurbished building, and 102 will be new-build apartments. The residential quarter should be ready for occupancy in late 2019. The listed residential developer is completely on schedule with the progress of its construction activities. Andreas Ruhle, COO of Instone Real Estate for the Saxony region, says: "As planned, when we began construction, we had already sold a large percentage of the apartments, taking into account the proportion of apartments in the protected older building structure. At the time of the topping-out, we have now almost completely sold out. Huge demand from capital investors and owner-occupiers are testament to the project's huge appeal." Torsten Kracht, CSO of Instone Real Estate Group, adds: "With the Heeresbackerei, we are realising Leipzig's largest current residential project, creating new, urgently required residential space. At the same time, this unique construction project stands out due to the way that it combines modern and historic architecture in an urban residential environment. This is where we can put our expertise in the realisation of exciting revitalisation projects and contemporary residential concepts to excellent use." The Heeresbackerei is being developed in Leipzig's former barracks quarter. The location to the north of the city centre is characterised by its many parks and excellent infrastructure. *About Instone Real Estate (IRE)* Instone Real Estate is one of Germany's leading residential developers. Instone develops modern urban multi-family and residential buildings and refurbishes listed buildings for residential use. Instone develops and markets flats for owner-occupiers, private investors and institutional investors. In 27 years, we have successfully developed more than one million square metres. Around 300 employees work at eight locations nationwide. As of 31 March 2018, Instone's project portfolio consisted of 45 development projects with an expected total sales volume of around EUR 3.4 billion and more than 8,000 units. Since February 2018 Instone has been listed in the Prime Standard at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. *Press contact Instone Real Estate* c/o RUECKERCONSULT GmbH Franziska Jenkel Wallstrae 16 10179 Berlin Tel.: 030 2844987-61 Fax: 030 2844987-99 Email: instone@rueckerconsult.de End of Media Release Issuer: Instone Real Estate Group N.V. Key word(s): Real estate 2018-08-16 Dissemination of a Press Release, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de Language: English Company: Instone Real Estate Group N.V. Baumstrae 25 45128 Essen Germany Phone: +49 201 453 550 E-mail: ir@instone.de Internet: www.instone.de ISIN: NL0012757355 WKN: A2JCTW Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange End of News DGAP Media 715019 2018-08-16 (END) Dow Jones Newswires August 16, 2018 11:29 ET (15:29 GMT) Order book still solid in new houses and strong growth in renovation activity Launch of a real estate development activity Consolidated (M) - non audited 2018 2017 Variation M Variation % Q1 Sales 190.1 171.8 +18.2 +10.6% Q2 Sales 221.1 199.7 +21.5 +10.7% TOTAL FIRST HALF 411.2 371.5 +39.7 +10.7% Strong increase in sales for the first half of 2018: + 39.7M 2nd quarter 2018 business was sustained with sales of 221.1M, up 10.7% at constant scope. In the first half of 2018, the MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT Group's sales stand at 411.2M up 10.7% over last year. This healthy production level reflects the record commercial performances recorded during 2017. At constant scope, first half growth stood at 8.9%. Over the period, BtoC and BtoB Renovation activities represent a total turnover of 50.0M, including 29.8M in the 2nd quarter of 2018. The Group gains market share in new construction and renovation is enjoying strong growth After a record financial year 2017 in terms of booked orders in house construction and a 1st quarter 2018 heavily penalised by both: Highly unfavourable weather conditions and uncertainties linked to a reduction in interest free loans for new houses in the B2 and C areas, 2nd quarter 2018 sales activity confirms its recovery with +0.1% in value and -4.7% in number against the same period last year. The Group thus shows once again its ability to win market share within a more difficult context (market down -12% over the 2nd quarter according to the Markemetron index). At end June 2018, the Group recorded 3,612 booked orders in the house construction activity representing a turnover of 427.9M (before tax), i.e. down 10.5% in number and 6.2% in value against 2017 that constituted a particularly high basis of comparison. In renovation, the BtoC business activity (Camif, Illico Travaux and Renovert) confirms its dynamism with 29.3M in sales, up 14.0% against 1st half 2017. Order intake for the BtoB renovation activity has also maintained its strong growth standing at 33.2M against 17.2M at 30 June 2017, i.e. an increase of 93% over the 1st half 2018. Launch of a real estate development activity with the creation of HIBANA 18 June last, the MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT Group announced the creation of the Ile-de-France based company HIBANA in collaboration with 3 real estate development professionals. The ambition of HIBANA is to produce houses for the most part intended for home ownership (first and second time buyers). Within 5 years, the aim of HIBANA is to produce 50 houses per year, i.e. a turnover of some 100M yearly. The launch of a real estate development activity is in perfect synch with the development plan of the MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT Group with a view to diversifying its activities in the area of new builds and renovation and to increase operational profitability in the long term. Growth and continued good profitability expected in 2018 For 2018, with order book-backed strong visibility and taking into account the level of projects in progress, the MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT Group anticipates recording new organic growth in turnover with a good level of operating profitability. The development of renovation activities (BtoB and BtoC), the launch of a real estate development activity made possible by the Group's financial strength and finally a real capacity to acquire market share and develop new partnerships in house construction, means the MAISONS France CONFORT Group can be fully confident of its short and medium-term market plan. Next press release: 1st half year 2018 results, on 18 September 2018 after stock exchange closing ABOUT MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT: Founded in 1919, MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT is the oldest builder of single-family homes in France and the largest builder of single-family homes on individual plots. Already leader in the house construction, MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT became in 2015 the French No. 1 in house renovation. The Group operates in all 12 regions in France, with more than 375 sales offices. Staff at 30 June 2018: 1,990 people. MAISONS France CONFORT equities are eligible for PEA-PME equity savings plan. MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT is listed on the Euronext Paris - Compartment B. ISIN Number: FR 0004159473 - Index: CAC Small, CAC Mid & Small, CAC All-Tradable, CAC All-Share Commercial site: www.maisons-france-confort.com - Financial site: www.groupe-mfc.com CONTACTS: MAISONS FRANCE CONFORT Patrick Vandromme Chairman and Managing Director Tel +33 (0)2 33 80 66 61 Email pvandromme@maisonfc.fr ACTUS Amalia Naveira Analyst/Investor/Press relations Tel +33 (0)4 72 18 04 90 Email anaveira@actus.fr Jean-Christophe Godet Finance & Administration Manager Tel +33 (0)2 33 80 66 61 Email finances@maisonfc.fr Marie Claude Triquet Press relations Tel +33 (0)4 72 18 04 93 Email mctriquet@actus.fr GLOSSARY: Gross order intake: a contract is recorded in gross order intakes on signature by the client and acceptance by our sales administration departments (control of accounting documents and validity of the project's financing plan, return of the field survey, verification and acceptance of the selling price). The amount recorded corresponds to the pre-tax turnover generated on this contract Order book: all recorded orders which have not been cancelled or transferred to "Work in progress". Work in progress: all orders for which the suspensive conditions to begin work have been met (building permit and customer financing obtained, customer ownership of the land) and which have not been accepted (delivered) by the customer. Evolution of sales at constant scope: evolution of sales of periods to be compared, recalculated as follows: In the event of acquisition, the turnover of the acquired company that has no correspondence in the comparison period is deducted from the current period, In the event of transfer, the turnover of the transferred company that has no correspondence in the current period is deducted from the comparison period B2B (business to business): refers to transactions conducted between two companies. B2C (business to consumer): refers to transactions that take place between the company and consumers. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-54715-mfc-060818-ca-t2-18-fr_revu-ang2.pdf ABUJA, Nigeria, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A ten-member delegation including NetDragon Websoft Inc. (NetDragon)'s management team led by founder and chairman Liu Dejian, product designers and technical engineers, visited Nigeria and Kenya from August 13 to August 18, 2018. The delegation hosted several events during which they investigated the local education environment and provided exchange opportunities for local educators in a move to leverage NetDragon's cutting-edge internet technologies to support the development of a smart education industry & ecosystem in the two countries. The events were attended by Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Minister of State for Education Anthony Gozie Onwuka and Minister of Communications Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, as well as Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of ICT of Kenya, Joe Wakaba Mucheru and Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Education Amina Chawahir Mohamed, in addition to NetDragon Vice Chairman and Executive Director Dr. Leung Lim Kin Simon, Executive Director Zheng Hui, and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Xiong Li. During the visit, Chairman Liu was named as Nigerian SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Ambassador , NetDragon and the Nigerian government jointly launched the Initiative of Digital Education in Africa (IDEA). Prior to the company's Nigerian visit, senior government officials from Nigeria had been to China. During the tour, officials signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NetDragon, following their introduction and demonstration of educational products and solutions developed by their education subsidiary, Elernity. Details of the MoU included solutions to provide core elements of digital education combining VR, AR, and AI technologies. As a result, both parties are now taking action to implement the MoU, just four months after its signing; with the announcement of the partnership with the joint introduction of IDEA with the Nigerian government signifies the major first step. Mr. Liu said "the challenge of unbalanced education resources facing the world is reflected in the investment in hardware and the allocation of soft resources. The IDEA concept, jointly developed by NetDragon and the Nigerian government, aims to help students across Africa benefit from the wisdom of a Chinese internet company while providing technology-enhanced education to more children." As a key part of IDEA, NetDragon will build a national public service platform of educational resources, a national network platform for the teaching community, a national digital talent training platform and a national future education experience center, all aimed at helping Nigeria create a high-quality education service system. The efforts will focus on primary, lifelong and future education. NetDragon CEO Xiong Li indicated that the new platforms and center "would promote an educational balance by integrating the company's years of experience in education and innovation, superior internet technologies and an open ecological teaching model with customized educational resources". He went on to add, "NetDragon adheres to the United Nation's Sustainability and Development Goals, to promote e inclusive, quality education and lifelong learning for all." In addition to supporting Nigeria's education service system , NetDragon also signed a collaborative agreement with the Nigerian government to build smart classrooms, preceded by the opening ceremony of the N-Power Junior Smart Classroom Project held in Nigeria on August 14. As part of its efforts in providing Nigeria with access to its education platforms and resources as well as one of its key products, Edmodo, NetDragon plans to make a donation to the smart classroom building project in Nigeria's capital Abuja. The N-Power Junior Smart Classroom Project, managed by Nigeria's National Social Investment Office, is committed to improving local primary and secondary school students' scientific knowledge and skills in the disciplines of programming, computer graphics and computer-aided design, applications in robotics as well as network and fundamental engineering. The smart classroom donated by NetDragon is to be equipped with Promethean's interactive displays, 101 PADs and VR headsets, and other components of an integrated intelligent classroom solution. Following the visit to Nigeria, the delegation arrived at the second stop of their African tour, Kenya, where the company will sign an MoU with the Kenyan government to engage in a collaborative effort to improve the country's educational system. The MoU marks a milestone in NetDragon's expansion into the African education market. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/731545/NetDragon.jpg Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 16, 2018) - Carube Copper Corp. (TSXV: CUC) wishes to advise that is has received notice from Tigers Realm Metals (TRM), its second largest shareholder, that as part of a winding up process of that company, TRM intends to undertake an in-specie distribution of its 6.6% shareholding (11,066,960 shares) in Carube Copper to individual shareholders of TRM and/or complete a partial sale of its shareholding in Carube, to third parties. TRM anticipates that these transactions will be completed by the end of September 2018. Tony Manini, Chairman of Carube Copper Corp. is a founder and a major shareholder of Tigers Realm Metals. About Carube Copper Carube Copper is focused on creating substantive long-term value for its shareholders through the discovery and development of world class copper and gold deposits. Carube currently holds a 100% interest in 11 licenses covering 535sq km of highly prospective copper-gold terrain in Jamaica, and a 100% interest in three porphyry copper-gold properties covering 492sq km within the Cascade Magmatic Arc in southwestern British Columbia. Carube is actively searching for additional high potential copper and gold properties to add to its portfolio. Stephen Hughes, CEO and President +1 (647) 517-4574 shughes@carubecopper.com Jeff Ackert, Vice President, Business Development +1 (647) 957-2249 jackert@carubecopper.com www.carubecopper.com Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. DISCLAIMER & FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, and by their very nature involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on currently available information, Carube Copper Corp. provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Factors which cause results to differ materially are set out in the Company's documents filed on SEDAR. Undue reliance should not be placed on "forward looking statements." IMPORTANT NOTICE: Carube Copper hereby incorporates the entire disclaimer set forth on its website at http://www.carubecopper.com/uploads/1/6/5/2/16521880/disclaimers-and-forward-statements.pdf. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 16, 2018) - Westminster Resources Ltd. (TSXV: WMR) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Farm-In Agreement with AusQuest Limited (ASX: AQD). The Agreement covers 5 of the 36 Peruvian copper licences recently acquired by Westminster, covering 4,900 hectares. These particular licences form part of the Ilo Sur project, which Westminster acquired along with the flagship Ilo Norte and Ilo Este projects. The Farm-In Agreement contemplates AusQuest completing 13,000 metres of drilling over 7.5 years to earn 65%, with an option to earn 75% by completing a Pre-Feasibility Study. Glen Indra, Westminster's President and CEO, commented: "AusQuest is an active and well-funded explorer in the southern Peru region, and we welcome their involvement in our portfolio of projects. I'd like to thank Chris Gale, incoming director of Westminster, for his assistance in arranging this agreement, and look forward to AusQuest success, while Westminster focuses on its wholly-owned Ilo Norte and Ilo Este Copper Projects." The 5 licences being farmed to AusQuest are part of a 12,225 ha project area lying southwest of Westminster's Ilo Este Copper Project. AusQuest have licences adjacent to the Westminster licences which were drilled in 2016, providing them with encouragement to continue exploring this area for a possible buried porphyry copper target. From a regional geological perspective, this project area is dominated by a Cretaceous-age diorite-granodiorite batholith, with coincident magnetic and radiometric anomalies adjacent to known structures, hosting multiple porphyry targets. Terms of the Farm-In Agreement include an 18-month Phase 1 program to identify drill targets, a 3-year Phase 2 program of a minimum 3,000 m of drilling to earn the initial 35%, a 3-year Phase 3 program of a further 10,000 m of drilling or US$2.5 million of additional expenditure (whichever comes first) to achieve 65% interest, and then a final Phase 4 PFS program, to complete a Pre-Feasibility Study to achieve a 75% interest in the licences. Once AusQuest has earned 75%, it can offer to buyout Westminster's remaining 25% interest for fair market value. This news release has been reviewed and approved by Kerry Griffin, MAIG. (a qualified person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101, standards and disclosure for mineral projects.) About AusQuest: AusQuest Limited is an active exploration company, focused on base metals in large-scale provinces - currently Peru and Western Australia. AusQuest has attracted significant funding from major mining companies over the last 15 years, most recently with a Strategic Alliance with South32 (spun out from BHP Billiton in 2015). Under the terms of the SAA, South32 has exclusive rights to AusQuest's projects by funding selected projects up to the drilling stage and can elect to spend a further US$4.0 million on each project to earn a 70% interest with the right to earn an additional 10% interest by completing Pre-Feasibility Studies. AusQuest is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange under the symbol AQD. About Westminster: Westminster Resources is a Latin American focussed mining exploration company. The company has recently acquired a 100% interest in a package of highly prospective copper properties in southern Peru. These properties total over 36,000 hectares within the country's prolific coastal copper belt-source of nearly half of Peru's copper production. Prior work has identified both porphyry and IOCG style mineralization. The company also holds a 100% interest in the 18,000-hectare El Cobre property in Sonora, Mexico, prospective for world-class epithermal and copper-gold porphyry systems. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WESTMINSTER RESOURCES LTD. "GLEN INDRA" President & CEO For further information regarding Westminster Resources Ltd., please call 604-608- 0400, Toll Free: 1-877-608-0007. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward- looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward- looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release may include, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, including the proposed transaction with Latin Resources Limited and closing of such transaction. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, those risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. 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. Tel-Instrument Electronics Corp. ("Tel", or the "Company") (NYSE American: TIK) today reported that the German government has notified our U.K. distributor of its intent to award a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract for the purchase of up to 275 TS-4530A Mode 5 test sets. The German government has received a protest to this planned award from an unsuccessful bidder and this must be resolved prior to any contract being awarded. Jeffrey O'Hara, the Company's President and CEO indicated that "this is the first multi-million international contract for Mode 5 test sets and provides an indication of the scope of the international Mode 5 market and the competitiveness of our test sets. We are working with our U.K. distributor and the German government to resolve the protest, and hope to have the contract issued this quarter. This pending order would entail the shipment of up to 200 test sets within the next 12 months. The Company is also in discussions with other major international customers that have evaluated our Mode 5 test sets and anticipates volume contracts to commence starting later this year as countries work to become Mode 5 compliant prior to the January 1, 2020 decertification of Mode 4 IFF. The Company is actively working to secure additional equity financing to support the planned growth in our business and we expect to have this financing in place by the end of the current fiscal quarter." About Tel-Instrument Electronics Corp. Tel-Instrument is a leading designer and manufacturer of avionics test and measurement solutions for the global commercial air transport, general aviation, and government/military aerospace and defence markets. Tel-Instrument provides instruments to test, measure, calibrate, and repair a wide range of airborne navigation and communication equipment. For further information please visit our website at www.telinstrument.com. This press release includes statements that are not historical in nature and may be characterized as "forward-looking statements," including those related to future financial and operating results, benefits, and synergies of the combined companies, statements concerning the Company's outlook, pricing trends, and forces within the industry, the completion dates of capital projects, expected sales growth, cost reduction strategies, and their results, long-term goals of the Company and other statements of expectations, beliefs, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends, and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. All predictions as to future results contain a measure of uncertainty and, accordingly, actual results could differ materially. Among the factors which could cause a difference are: changes in the general economy; changes in demand for the Company's products or in the cost and availability of its raw materials; the actions of its competitors; the success of our customers; technological change; changes in employee relations; government regulations; litigation, including its inherent uncertainty; difficulties in plant operations and materials; transportation, environmental matters; and other unforeseen circumstances. A number of these factors are discussed in the Company's previous filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press release. The safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act") protects companies from liability for their forward-looking statements if they comply with the requirements of the Act. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005603/en/ Contacts: Tel-Instrument Electronics Corp. Joseph P. Macaluso, 201-933-1600 Beyond the initial enthusiasm, there are major challenges the government will have to face in the rollout of Ayushman Bharat Ayushman Bharat is too good to be real for Indias poor. Considering the implementation hurdles, there are no arguments on that. This is a high stake game for both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress party in the 2019 poll battle. But, above all these, the prospect of at least half of the population, hopefully, the poor, getting free medical care is nothing but a big revolution any country can hope for. Political and economic costs shouldnt be the reason to kill the scheme. If the Narendra Modi government manages to pull off 'Modicare' (so-called by a section of the media) by 25 September, this will tower above any social sector scheme this government has done in its term so far. The UPA-government too had attempted to introduce a universal healthcare scheme when Manmohan Singh was the prime minister and had initiated discussions with expert agencies, but that remained on paper due to implementation hurdles. There are similar schemes operating on a smaller scale such as Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) that began with a Rs 30,000 cover for beneficiaries, and also underwent a few names changes to increase the cover up to Rs one lakh. Several states, too, have run similar schemes in the past such as Aarograshri in Andhra Pradesh, Vajpayee Arogyashree in Karnataka, Bhamashah Swasthya Bima Yojana in Rajasthan, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) in Maharashtra, Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana in Goa. Most recently, Odisha government introduced a healthcare scheme that resembles the contours of Ayushman Bharat. But despite all these, if implemented in its entirety, Modis promise of a universal scheme where the government is paying up to Rs 5 lakh free healthcare services to almost half of (50 crore) the country will have no parallels anywhere in the world. It will be a dream coming true for the average Indian. Thats because, despite all the state and central-level schemes, 70-80 percent of Indias population cannot afford healthcare facilities because the majority live on an annual income of a mere Rs 2-3 lakh. Right now, India has one of the most affordable healthcare systems when compared with comparable markets such as Pakistan and Indonesia, but it is still not affordable for a large section of the country's poor. The Global Burden of Disease study revealed in May 2018 that India ranks 145th among 195 countries in terms of quality and accessibility of healthcare, even behind neighbours like China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. Also, the government contribution to free healthcare as a percentage of GDP is almost negligible compared with most countries. According to a healthcare expert with one of the leading consultancy firms who spoke on conditions of anonymity, the total cost of the scheme will work to around Rs 30,000-Rs 40,000 crore provided public healthcare system is equipped in terms of infrastructure and human resources. In a country where lakhs and crores worth taxpayers money is used to bail out state-run institutions gone broke on account of fraud and poor governance, money shouldnt be the reason to kill a revolutionary scheme that benefits a large number of Indias poor. Of course, the cost of launching Ayushman Bharat is one of the major hurdles in the path of its implementation. What the government has allocated in the budget for the existing scheme at Rs 2,000 crore is too little. It needs to find ways to put more money on the table. This is not unachievable as 21 states have already signed up for the scheme and may have existing infrastructure. The central government needs to pay only 60 percent of the total expenses while the rest will be contributed by the state governments. According to the consultancy expert quoted above, the average premium worked out for the scheme per family can be brought down to Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 if the modalities are worked out properly. Right now, the average annual premium paid by consumers for a private healthcare scheme to avail similar cover is around Rs 10,000. But these products are mostly for the upper-end customers using top rate private hospitals. If the public healthcare system is prepared to take up a major role in the schemes rollout, alongwith government assistance Ayushman Bharat can become a much more affordable product for the poor. This will also create a major disruption in the health insurance market forcing even big companies to think of low premium products to compete with the government scheme. But, beyond the initial enthusiasm, there are major challenges the government will have to face in the rollout of Ayushman Bharat: One, identifying the right beneficiaries. Ensuring that the scheme reaches the needy is a big challenge. Proper machinery needs to be instituted for assessment. This is critical since the benchmark the government is using right nowthe 2011 census datamay be outdated to identify the income groups eligible under the scheme. Chances of fraudulent activities using forged documents to claim the insurance amount in connivance with the hospital authorities cannot be ruled out. This is a major risk in the rollout phase. Second, ensuring quality treatment to patients in hospitals under the scheme is critical. This can be done only through periodic monitoring and proper assessment of the implementation. A group of medical experts and law enforcement officers must be deputed to make sure that hospitals indeed offer proper treatment to the poor and not compromise on the quality aspect to pocket the insurance money. Third, the government needs to ensure the programme doesnt break the back of state-run insurers roped in to rollout the plan. Presently, New India Assurance is the only leading state-run agency that offers health insurance products. Fourth, some state governments are reluctant to join the scheme fearing loss of political points. In such cases, the centre can agree for jointly named schemes incorporating the states identity to generate a consensus. Ultimately, if one works out the cost-sharing, state governments that already run similar programmes are set to gain from the centre-state sharing formula. A nationwide political consensus is essential to make the scheme effective. When Ayushman Bharat is rolled out in full scale, there will be a fiscal shock to the government to deal with. There will be political claims and counterclaims, but regardless of the political and economic hurdles, Indias poor need a universal health protection scheme badly, be it in the name of Modi or Gandhi. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that the tariffs imposed on Turkey's steel by the U.S. are not related to American pastor Andrew Brunson. "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," Sander stressed. "The sanctions that have been placed on Turkey are specific to Pastor Brunson and others that we feel are being held unfairly," she added. By Norihiko Shirouzu and Yilei Sun BEIJING (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp is likely to make 120,000 more cars a year in the Chinese port city of Tianjin as part of a medium-term strategy that's gathering pace as China-Japan ties improve, said four company insiders with knowledge of the matter. By Norihiko Shirouzu and Yilei Sun BEIJING (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> is likely to make 120,000 more cars a year in the Chinese port city of Tianjin as part of a medium-term strategy that's gathering pace as China-Japan ties improve, said four company insiders with knowledge of the matter. The Japanese auto maker's plan to boost annual production capacity by about a quarter in the port city will lay the foundation to increase sales in China to two million vehicles per year, a jump of over 50 percent, the four sources said. The Tianjin expansion signals Toyota's willingness to start adding significant manufacturing capacity in China with the possibility of one or two new assembly plants in the world's biggest auto market, the sources said. Car imports could also increase, they said. The move comes at a time when China's trade outlook with the United States appears fraught and uncertain. Toyota plans to significantly expand its sales networks and focus more on electric car technologies as part of the strategy, the sources said, declining to be identified as they are not authorised to speak to the media. Toyota sold 1.29 million vehicles in China last year and while sales are projected at 1.4 million this year, "capacity constraints" have restricted stronger growth, the sources said. Toyota's manufacturing hub in Tianjin currently has the capacity to produce 510,000 vehicles a year, while Toyota as a whole, between two joint ventures, has overall capacity to churn out 1.16 million vehicles a year. Graphic: Auto sales in China - https://tmsnrt.rs/2vHLtzS Manufacturing capacity numbers provided by automakers are called straight-time capacity without overtime. With overtime, a given assembly plant can produce 20 to 30 percent more than its capacity. According to two Tianjin government websites last week, Toyota has been given regulatory approval by the municipal government's Development and Reform Commission to pursue its expansion. The two websites - including the official website for the Tianjin development district where Toyota's production hub is based - said the Japanese automaker plans to expand its Tianjin base to be able to manufacture 10,000 all-electric battery cars and 110,000 so-called plug-in electric hybrids annually. It wasn't immediately clear when Toyota will be able to start producing those additional cars. A Beijing-based Toyota spokesman declined to comment. The Tianjin facilities, which produces cars such as the Toyota Corolla and Vios cars, are owned and operated by one of Toyota's joint ventures in China. The venture with FAW Group Corp [SASACJ.UL] in Tianjin plans to invest 1.76 billion yuan ($257 million) for the expansion, according to the two Tianjin websites. HISTORICAL BACKLASH China is sometimes a market difficult to operate for Japanese companies because of historical reasons. In 2012, cars sold by Toyota and other Japanese automakers were battered when protests erupted across China after diplomatic spats over disputed islets known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan. Since then, Toyota has emphasised steady growth rather than taking on risky expansion projects. According to the four sources, Toyota's attitude towards China began changing markedly after an official visit to Japan by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in May. During the visit, Li toured Toyota's facilities on the northern island of Hokkaido, and was escorted by Toyota's family scion and chief executive Akio Toyoda. Toyoda has since sought to boost his company's presence in China, a vision that had culminated in an active effort to identify specific ways to do just that, according to the four sources. They said aside from boosting capacity, Toyota is also looking at the possibility to significantly expand its distribution networks for the mainstream Toyota and premium Lexus brands. It wasn't immediately clear how significant a distribution network expansion Toyota is planning for both brands. Currently, Toyota has more than 1,300 stores for the Toyota brand and nearly 190 for its Lexus luxury cars. The timing for the China expansion couldn't be better. Earlier this year, Toyota was able to finally launch a couple of much anticipated, potentially high-volume subcompact sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) - two China-market versions of the Toyota C-HR crossover SUV which hit showrooms in the United States last year. The C-HR variants are relatively small crossover SUVs that other manufacturers, most notably Japan's Honda Motor Co <7267.T>, have leveraged to grow sales rapidly and sell more cars in China than its much bigger rival Toyota. Honda sold 1.44 million vehicles in China last year. Lexus is also deemed likely to benefit from a windfall from growing trade tensions between China and the United States. In retaliation for U.S. trade actions, China raised tariffs on automobiles imported from the United States in early July to 40 percent, which, among other things, has forced Tesla Inc , BMW , as well as Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz to raise prices on certain U.S.-built vehicles, such as the hot-selling BMW X5 and X6 crossover sport-utility vehicles. One likely consequence for those brands is a sales fall, a profit squeeze, or both. By contrast, all Lexus cars Toyota sells in China are brought in from Japan and benefit from a much lower tariff rate of 15 percent levied on non-U.S. produced car imports. (Reporting by Norihiko Shirouzu and Yilei Sun; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Alcock Ashdown, originally a British-owned company, was taken over by the Union government in 1975 and subsequently acquired by the Gujarat government in 1994. Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government has decided to shut down the state-run ship-building company Alcock Ashdown (Gujarat) Ltd (AAGL), which was incurring losses for several years, an official today said. A communication in this regard was sent to the Bhavnagar-based company a few days ago, and a board meeting has been called by the management on 24 August to finalise the modalities of winding up, a senior official today said. "The state government has decided to shut down Alcock Ashdown. It was incurring losses for many years and was virtually defunct. No commercial activity was going on," said B S Mehta, Joint Secretary, state Industries Department. In the communication sent to the company, which is signed by Mehta, the department said the decision was taken following the state finance department's approval. "Matters related to the incomplete projects, including of Indian Navy and Andaman and Nicobar Island administration, and matters pertaining to relieving employees, decisions regarding assets and court cases will now be handled by the Gujarat Maritime Board," the communication said. Bhavnagar Municipal Commissioner M A Gandhi, who is ex-officio managing director of the company, said a board meeting has been called on August 24 by the management. "The company, with around 60 employees at present, is almost defunct...Regarding the employees, the decision will taken as per the Companies Act," Gandhi added. Alcock Ashdown, originally a British-owned company, was taken over by the Union government in 1975 and subsequently acquired by the Gujarat government in 1994. The company is mainly into ship-building, ship conversion and ship overhaul projects. It owns two ship-building yards, one on the coast of Bhavnagar and another at Chanch in Amreli district. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced the launch of the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme (c) on a pilot basis in some states on the occasion of Independence Day, with a full-scale rollout of his pet project scheduled on 25 September. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced the launch of the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme on a pilot basis in some states on the occasion of Independence Day, with a full-scale rollout of his pet project scheduled on 25 September. The ambitious AB-NHPM aims to provide a coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10 crore poor families. The scheme will target poor, deprived rural families and identify occupational category of urban workers' families, 8.03 crore in rural and 2.33 crore in urban areas, as per the latest SECC data. It will cover around 50 crore people. Here is all you need to know about Ayushman Bharat: The Centre has allocated about Rs 10,000 crore for the project, which is claimed to be the world's largest government-funded healthcare insurance programme. It is yet to release its share of the funds to the states. The Union health ministry has launched a formal process to empanel public and private hospitals to achieve universal health coverage under the programme. The Centre is simultaneously carrying out identification of beneficiaries. 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. 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 percent cheaper rates than the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS). Each empanelled hospital will have an 'Ayushman Mitra' to assist patients and will coordinate with beneficiaries and the hospital. They will run a help desk, check documents to verify the eligibility and enrolment to the scheme," the official said. Also, all the beneficiaries will be given letters having QR codes which will be scanned and a demographic authentication conducted for identification to verify the individual's eligibility to avail the benefits of the scheme. Further, the government recently clarified that the NABH is not mandatory for hospitals to get empanelled under the scheme. However, hospitals with NABH/NQAS accreditation can be incentivised for higher package rates subject to procedure and costing guidelines. Also, the basic empanelment criteria allows empanelment of a hospital with a minimum of 10 beds, with the flexibility provided to the states to further relax this if required. While Punjab, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi are yet to come on board, Odisha has refused to be a part of the scheme. As many as 22 states have preferred to run the scheme on "trust model". Sub-group to be set-up to study treatment pricing NITI Aayog will set up a sub-group to look into the complaints of private hospitals regarding pricing of treatment of key ailments proposed by the government under Ayushman Bharat. The government has already come out with a draft model tender document, which was shared with the states last month. It has proposed prices of knee and hip replacements at Rs 9,000 each, stenting at Rs 40,000, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) at Rs 1.10 lakh, caesarian delivery at Rs 9,000, vertebral angioplasty with single stent at Rs 50,000 and hysterectomy for cancer at 50,000. Responding to the draft tender, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in June had said that the package rates were too low and "unacceptable". Hospitals would have to compromise on quality, exposing patients to danger, it said. In order to resolve the impasse between the government and IMA, Niti Aayog decided to set up a sub-group of experts to go into the pricing of treatment under the Ayushman Bharat. Beneficiary level of Ayushman Bharat All families listed in the SECC database as per defined criteria will be covered. No cap on family size and age of members. Priority to the girl child, women and senior citizens. Covers secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. All pre-existing diseases covered. Hospitals cannot deny treatment 1,350 medical packages covering surgery, medical and daycare treatments, cost of medicines and diagnostics You can check online whether you are eligible for the cover under the scheme by following below mention steps: Log on to the Ayushman Bharat website Click on the Download Beneficiary List tab Select Rural or Urban depending on you place of residence Enter mobile number to receive one-time password Enter the OTP and download the list With inputs from agencies This will help NTPC in recruiting professional and have a different cadre which would eventually help in their career progression New Delhi: State-run power giant NTPC will soon set up a subsidiary to handle its coal mining operations and also plans to enter commercial coal mining after meeting its requirement, an official said. The power sector behemoth also has a plan to list the coal subsidiary subsequently on stock exchanges. "The NTPC will set a coal subsidiary. It would cover operations of its all coal mines and will be run like a coal company. It will have a culture of coal mining. This will help in recruiting professional and have a different cadre which would eventually help in their career progression," the official said on the condition of anonymity. The power PSU has been allotted 10 coal mines to meet its fuel requirement of which work has been started in five mines. "NITI Aayog has already given its approval for setting up a separate subsidiary for coal mining business. Finance Ministry's approval has been sought for the purpose." The official further said that there is a possibility of commercial coal mining at a later stage. "The company will sell coal to others from these coal mines in open market. But that will happen only after the NTPC meets its owns requirement. Thereafter, the surplus would be sold in open market." The official said that the subsidiary will be listed on the bourse at a later stage. NTPC has been allotted 10 coal blocks with geological reserve of over 7.3 billion tonnes and production potential of about 111 MMTPA (million metric tonnes per annum). At present, the power PSU is working on five coal blocks with total geological reserves of 3.8 billion tonnes and mining capacity of 56 MMTPA. NTPC has started mining at its first coal block Pakri-Barwadih in Jharkhand. As much as 4.3 MMT (million metric tonne) of coal has been extracted till June 2018. The production target for this mine in 2018-19 is 6.27 MMT. Besides mining has been started at Dulanga mines in Orissa. The company plans to produce 1.68 MMT in 2018-19 from Dulanga mines. The company has incurred a cumulative expenditure of Rs 5,063.75 crore till March 2018 for coal mining. During first quarter of this fiscal Rs 350.56 crore has been incurred on coal mining by the company. Tata Steel Ltd CEO and Managing Director TV Narendran hailed the initiatives taken by the state and the Union government for the betterment of the steel sector Jamshedpur: Tata Steel Ltd CEO and Managing Director TV Narendran on Wednesday 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 in Jamshedpur, he said the current demand for steel in the country is more than expected, buoyed by the robust performance of the automobile and construction sectors. The demand for steel was projected to grow by 5-6 percent, but it has been 8 percent, 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. 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. 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. (Reporting By Allison Lampert; Editing by Susan Thomas) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. 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. New Delhi: 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 the 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 31 December 2016. The ED has taken the First Information Report (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. 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, 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. 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, 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) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Heather Somerville SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc said on Wednesday it narrowed its quarterly losses from a year earlier, although the ride-hailing company is still a long way from proving it can be profitable as it gears up to go public in 2019. By Heather Somerville SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc said on Wednesday it narrowed its quarterly losses from a year earlier, although the ride-hailing company is still a long way from proving it can be profitable as it gears up to go public in 2019. Under the leadership of Dara Khosrowshahi, who became chief executive in September, Uber has juggled investing in new markets while retreating from others where it was losing millions of dollars. It is building up services like food delivery and freight hauling as it seeks new revenue, and possibly a path to profitability, outside its core business. Uber's net loss narrowed to $891 million in its second quarter ending June 30 from $1.1 billion a year earlier. Its adjusted loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization was $614 million, down from $773 million a year earlier. Net revenue rose more quickly than gross bookings in the second quarter from the prior period as the company dialled back on promotional subsidies of rides. But its growth faces risks from decisions like that by New York City this month to cap licenses for ride-hailing services for one year. Uber has also had to grapple with corporate scandals and has lingering and costly legal battles, including over its classification of drivers as independent contractors, and federal probes to resolve. "I remain unimpressed," said Brent Goldfarb, associate professor of management and entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland. Improving losses by cutting "the lowest hanging fruit doesn't mean the underlying model is profitable." The company's most recent valuation was pegged earlier this year at $72 billion. But that was based on Uber becoming the global winner in ride-hailing and logistics, a vision it has retrenched from, and public investors may see a smaller company worth less. Uber can expect a valuation haircut in an IPO if it does not show more progress towards becoming profitable, said David Brophy, professor of finance at the University of Michigan. Adjusted losses in the first quarter were $312 million, excluding gains from Uber selling some overseas businesses to local competitors. The sale of its Russia and Southeast Asia operations resulted in a one-time $2.5 billion gain in the first quarter and lowered second-quarter costs. Under pressure from its board, Uber has endeavoured to find more savings after years of a growth-at-all-cost mentality under prior CEO Travis Kalanick, enabled by billions of dollars in private investment. The company had $12 billion in quarterly gross bookings, which includes rides and Uber Eats, up 6 percent from the previous quarter and about 40 percent from a year before. Net revenue, which strips out what gets paid to drivers as well as promotions and refunds, was $2.8 billion, up 8 percent over the first quarter and more than 60 percent from last year. "We had another great quarter, continuing to grow at an impressive rate for a business of our scale," Khosrowshahi said in a statement. STICKING WITH INDIA, MIDDLE EAST Uber is a private company and not required to publicly disclose financials, but recently boosted transparency by starting to release selected figures as it eyes an initial public offering. Faced with criticism about flooding cities with cars, Uber is spending on bike and scooter rentals, including its acquisition of JUMP electric bikes in April. While Uber has retreated from China, Southeast Asia and Russia, it says it is sticking with India and the Middle East, tough markets with strong local competitors. "We are cementing our leadership position," in India and the Middle East, Khosrowshahi said. Several Uber investors have told Reuters they want Uber to leave these costly markets too and focus on North America, where U.S.-based Lyft continues to pose a threat, and pull back on ancillary businesses like Uber Freight. Uber has $7.3 billion in cash on hand, up a billion dollars from the end of the first quarter. The company listed an inflow of $1.5 billion from term loan issuance, net of costs. (Reporting by Heather Somerville; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Heather Somerville SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc said on Wednesday it had narrowed losses from a year earlier, although the ride-hailing company is still a long way from proving it can be a profitable business even as it gears up to go public in 2019. Under the leadership of Dara Khosrowshahi, who became chief executive in September, Uber has juggled investing in new markets while retreating from others where it was losing millions of dollars, while also building up services like food delivery as it seeks new revenue outside its core ride-hailing business By Heather Somerville SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc said on Wednesday it had narrowed losses from a year earlier, although the ride-hailing company is still a long way from proving it can be a profitable business even as it gears up to go public in 2019. Under the leadership of Dara Khosrowshahi, who became chief executive in September, Uber has juggled investing in new markets while retreating from others where it was losing millions of dollars, while also building up services like food delivery as it seeks new revenue outside its core ride-hailing business. Uber's net loss narrowed to $891 million in its second quarter ending June 30 from $1.1 billion a year earlier. Its adjusted loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization was $614 million, down from $773 million a year earlier. Net revenue rose more quickly than gross bookings in the second quarter from the prior period as the company dialled back on promotional subsidies of rides. But its growth faces risks from decisions like that by New York City this month to cap the licenses for ride-hailing services for one year. Uber has also had to grapple with its own corporate scandals, and still has a number of lingering and costly legal battles, including over its classification of drivers as independent contractors, and federal probes to resolve. Adjusted losses in the first quarter were $312 million, excluding gains from Uber selling businesses in Russia and Southeast Asia to local competitors. Khosrowshahi started as CEO in September. "I remain unimpressed," said Brent Goldfarb, associate professor of management and entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland. Improving losses by cutting "the lowest hanging fruit doesn't mean the underlying model is profitable." Uber sold Russia and Southeast Asia operations to local competitors earlier in the year, booking a one-time $2.5 billion gain in the previous quarter and lowering second-quarter costs. Under pressure from the board, Uber has endeavoured to lob off costly experiments like autonomous trucking and find more efficiencies in the business after years of a growth-at-all-cost mentality under prior CEO Travis Kalanick. The company had $12 billion in quarterly gross bookings, which includes both rides and its food-delivery service, Uber Eats, up 6 percent from the previous quarter and about 40 percent from a year before. Net revenue, which strips out what gets paid to drivers as well as promotions and refunds, was $2.8 billion, up 8 percent over the first quarter and up more than 60 percent from the same quarter a year earlier. "We had another great quarter, continuing to grow at an impressive rate for a business of our scale," Khosrowshahi said in a statement. Uber continues to invest in areas outside its core ride-hailing business to find profit, including Uber Eats, a business Khosrowshahi has said is growing quickly and helping to drive increases in gross revenue. Uber is also expanding into new forms of transportation as it faces criticisms about flooding cities with more cars, spending on bike and scooter rentals, including its acquisition of JUMP electric bikes in April. This month its freight brokerage business was spun off into an independent business unit. STICKING WITH INDIA, MIDDLE EAST Uber has retreated from China, Southeast Asia and Russia, where fierce competition with local rivals led to untenable losses. But Uber says it is sticking with India and the Middle East, tough markets with strong competitors. "We are cementing our leadership position," in India and the Middle East, Khosrowshahi said. Several Uber investors, however, have told Reuters they want Uber to leave these costly markets too and focus on North America, where U.S.-based Lyft continues to pose a threat, and pull back on some of its ancillary businesses like Uber Freight. Uber is a private company and not required to publicly disclose its financials, but recently boosted transparency ahead of its planned IPO in 2019 by starting to release figures. Uber can expect a valuation haircut in an IPO if it does not show more progress towards becoming profitable, said David Brophy, professor of finance at the University of Michigan. The company's most recent valuation was pegged earlier this year at $72 billion. That was based on Uber becoming a globally dominant logistics company, a vision it has retrenched from. Uber has $7.3 billion in cash on hand, up a billion dollars from the end of the first quarter. The company listed an inflow of $1.5 billion from term loan issuance, net of costs. (Reporting by Heather Somerville; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Jason Lange and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. By Jason Lange and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Thursday expressed hope a breakthrough could be made in coming days on reworking the NAFTA trade deal, though his Mexican counterpart said flexibility was needed to reach agreement. Lighthizer was speaking in Washington during the latest round of high-level talks between U.S. and Mexican officials to rejig the North American Free Trade Agreement, known as NAFTA, with a deal still elusive a year after the renegotiation began. "I'm hopeful that in the next several days we'll have a breakthrough," Lighthizer said in response to a question from U.S. President Donald Trump on how talks were progressing during a U.S. cabinet meeting at the White House. Trump himself said he was in "no rush" to conclude the talks, repeating his oft-stated complaint that the 24-year-old trade agreement had been a "disaster" for the United States. "We have much better alternatives than that. So if you can't make the right deal, don't make it," Trump told Lighthizer. Departing from morning talks at Lighthizer's offices, Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo suggested there was still work to be done before agreement could be reached. "Everybody has got to show flexibility," he told reporters. Guajardo last month expressed hope that there could be a preliminary NAFTA deal by the end of August, but he has since appeared to pull back from that position. NAFTA talks ground to a halt in late May in the run-up to the presidential election in Mexico on July 1. After the election, U.S. and Mexican officials began meeting again without the third member of the pact, Canada, in an effort to tackle difficult issues, including revamped automotive sector rules and a sunset clause that could kill NAFTA after five years if it is not renegotiated. "We have everything on the table, there are no preconditions and we'll see at the end how the whole thing falls into place," Guajardo said as Thursday's meetings concluded. He added that they would resume talks on Friday, but the sunset provision would be among the "very last items" to be dealt with in the talks. Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, said he was more optimistic a deal on NAFTA would be reached after a recent phone conversation with Lighthizer. "Ambassador Lighthizer has been making some phone calls and without talking about the specifics I am pretty optimistic, more optimistic than I have been in a while, Cornyn told reporters at the Capitol, adding that this would calm anxiety among farmers and businesses over Trump's trade disputes. AUTO TARIFF ISSUES LINGER Some auto industry executives have said the United States and Mexico are close to a deal to increase North American automotive content thresholds, with substantial requirements for content produced in high wage areas, namely the United States and Canada. But preserving Trump's ability to levy national security tariffs on Mexican-produced autos that either do not comply with the new rules or from newly built auto plants has been a thorny issue in recent weeks. Industry officials said on Thursday that the administration still has not agreed to remove the threat of "Section 232" tariffs on vehicles built at new plants nor specified whether passenger vehicles that do not comply with the rules would face a higher tariff than the current 2.5 percent. Trump has driven the U.S. negotiating process, threatening to dump NAFTA if it is not renegotiated in favor of the United States. The U.S. president has argued the deal has facilitated an exodus of manufacturing jobs from the United States to Mexico, but NAFTA's supporters say it has kept the region competitive. (Reporting by Jason Lange, Steve Holland, David Shepardson and David Lawder; writing by Daina Beth Solomon and David Lawder; editing by Dave Graham and Gary Crosse) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Ghazni is a historic and strategically important city in Afghanistan. It has just witnessed a fierce battle between Afghan security forces and the Afghan Taliban Ghazni is a historic and strategically important city in Afghanistan. It straddles the Kabul-Kandahar Highway, and is also close to the tribal areas in neighbouring Pakistan. The unfortunate city has just witnessed a fierce battle between Afghan security forces and the Afghan Taliban. The city residents remain caught in an increasingly dangerous situation, with both sides suffering heavy casualties numbering in hundreds. The daring and surprising Taliban assault on Ghazni is a part of its well-calculated strategy that entails enjoying the military initiative in the insurgency that has been weaning down the Afghan security forces, while taking advantage of insurgent safe havens in Pakistan. The Afghan Talibans show of strength in Ghazni is reminiscent of a similar assault on Kunduz in 2015. The latest development comes on the heels of tentative signs that diplomatic efforts to kickstart the Afghan peace process are bearing fruit following landmark preliminary talks in Qatar between the US and the Afghan Taliban last month. Before that, the Afghan Taliban and the Kabul regime held a truce for Eid-ul-Fitr, leading to unprecedented scenes of the insurgents entering many cities to embrace their government opponents. Where does India stand on the direct talks between the US and Afghan Taliban? Nowhere. Officially, India has always been against any differentiation within the Afghan Taliban between reconcilable and irreconcilable elements because it views the insurgent group as a militant proxy of Pakistan. Other regional countries may not entirely differ with Indias arguments, but their official stand is unlike that of New Delhi's. Russia, China and Iran consider the Islamic State's Afghan branch as their biggest enemy. Moscow has been consistent in its approach that the growing IS footprint in Afghanistan is a huge danger to the security of Russia and the Central Asian Region. Iran is also willing to cooperate with its erstwhile adversary, the Taliban, to fight the new enemy, the IS. The narrative that has gained extensive acceptability is that the Afghan Taliban needs to be politically rehabilitated in order to wipe out the IS. It also perfectly suits the Pakistani military establishment, since it takes the focus away from the Afghan Taliban, allowing it to consolidate its territorial gains and find much-needed access into the Afghan governing structure through sheer military pressure. Anything that promotes political negotiations with the Afghan Taliban also has the effect of allowing Pakistan to remain strategically vital to the US and the international community, while weakening Indias efforts to have Pakistan viewed internationally as a supporter of terrorism. Despite their wide-ranging differences, Afghan president Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah agree on one point: Pakistan is the reason for most of the challenges confronting the Afghan State and its National Unity Government (NUG). Unless Afghan people are allowed to own their country, the Pakistani military establishment will continue to toy with Afghan geography, resources and lives. The existing American strategy in Afghanistan, articulated exactly a year ago in a major speech by the US president Donald Trump, has not succeeded in finding a lasting solution to the ongoing conflict. Almost all of the critical military and strategic objectives to deny safe havens in Pakistan, to reduce the fighting capability of the Afghan Taliban, and to disincentivise Pakistans nurturing of the Afghan Taliban remain unfulfilled. Consequently, the Trump administration has been forced to enter into direct negotiations with the Taliban, conceding to the group's longstanding demand. The previous American stance was that it would sit on the sidelines of an "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned" peace process. This has been India's stance as well. The primary aim of Washington's attitudinal shift is to bring a semblance of stability and final closure to the protracted military campaign in Afghanistan. The Afghan Taliban is absolutely aware of the fact that a major military and territorial victory on the eve of direct talks with the US can certainly help it gain more political weight. This explains the Ghazni operation. In May this year, the Afghan Taliban briefly took over parts of the western city of Farah, killing many before eventually being vanquished. And Pakistan's military establishment has also surmised correctly that the longer it plays the double game of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds, the smaller the US appetite to remain invested in the 'graveyard of empires'. An emboldened Pakistan will certainly aim to reverse all the gains India has made at great cost over the years in Afghanistan. This puts New Delhi in a diplomatically uncomfortable and militarily precarious situation. India has not been able to insist on an entirely military-focussed approach towards the Afghan Taliban since it would prompt Washington to ask New Delhi to contribute militarily. As India's political establishment has ruled out sending Indian troops to Afghanistan, New Delhis leverage with the Trump administration has not been very evident in this regard. India has never sougght to reduce Afghan territory to a playground for the India-Pakistan rivalry as New Delhi has had no particular favourites in Kabul. But that does not apply to Pakistan which seeks to instal a pliant regime in Afghanistan to be exploited for strategic advantage and depth against India. Since the balance of power between Kabul and Islamabad is skewed in favour of the latter, India's preferred approach has been to ensure the establishment and survival of the Afghan regime that does not work against its security interests. It should not be forgotten that the Afghan Taliban and other Pakistani proxies frequently orchestrate deadly attacks on Indian interests in Afghanistan. As a stakeholder in a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, New Delhi has no choice but to find imaginative ways to convince all stakeholders of the dangers of bringing back the militarily well-built Afghan Taliban into the corridors of power in Kabul. By creating a choice between the Afghan Taliban and the IS, the Pakistani military establishment seems to have brought the region back to the 1990s when Afghanistan, engulfed in the civil war, had become the recruiting and training ground of jihadist forces from around the world. If the Afghan Taliban assures New Delhi that it has no malevolent intentions against India, New Delhi has no business to be concerned about who controls Ghazni or Kabul. Is India so lucky? Imran Khan, unfortunately, may not be able to answer this question if and when Narendra Modi meets him. Except for the Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, and the Hindus from Pakistan who fled during partition, the other displaced people who chose to settle in Jammu are, strictly speaking, not refugees, though they are legally classified as such. Jammu: Except for the Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, and the Hindus from Pakistan who fled during partition, the other displaced people who chose to settle in Jammu are, strictly speaking, not refugees, though they are legally classified as such. Like Moti Lal Raina, 72, a Kashmiri Pandit who fled Srinagar after Pakistan-backed terrorists targeted them and other Hindu groups in the Kashmir Valley during the 1990s. Like Des Ram, 44, whose grandfather migrated from Mirpur, in what is now Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), after the Kashmir war of 1947. But unlike Mohinder Lal, 42, whose grandfather moved from Sialkot in Pakistan after partition during the great Migration. And Mohmmad Islam, 31, a Rohingya who fled during the attacks against his community in Myanmar during 2016 and chose Jammu as his temporary home. Separate colonies housing these communities have sprung up in the region over the years, with each group living under different rules and restrictions. The Rohingya, of course, have no rights in the state, though they do get humanitarian assistance. The Pandits and those from what is now PoK, who migrated mainly from Mirpur, Muzaffarabad and parts of Poonch, can vote in Assembly and Parliament elections, and can own land and get government jobs as they are state citizens. But the refugees from Pakistan can only vote in Parliament elections and are denied the other rights. The one bright spot for these refugee families, except in some instances for the Rohingya group, is the way the Hindu Dogra community welcomed and enabled them to raise their families with respect and dignity. Not that nostalgia for their original homes ever leaves them. Leaving your home in a single night forever is a difficult task, said Moti Lal Raina. But the love and affection we received in Jammu has been exemplary. Although there will always be memories of Kashmir, at least we have been able to survive after our exodus from the Valley, added Raina, whose grandson is pursuing engineering from a Pune college with his son serving as a senior officer in Jammu PWD. For over 70 years, Jammu has been a melting pot of people who landed upon its verdant slopes to escape persecution and forge a new life. Today, these four different groups of refugees who arrived in Jammu during different eras, have enjoyed government assistance in terms of housing and other humanitarian help. Yet, they also have their own grievances. Immigrants from West Pakistan 'invisible people' Rajiv Chuni, Chairman of SOS International, an organisation for PoK refugees, says that they are not treated at par with Kashmiri Pandits. The central government says PoK will be re-captured and refugees from there will be settled back, said Chuni. But It has been 70 years since our forefathers migrated from PoK and we are still living the life of refugees. As per the figures put forth in the state Assembly, a total of 31,619 families had migrated from PoK. Of these, 26,319 families settled in Jammu while the rest settled elsewhere in the country. But they do get the benefits of being state subjects, unlike the 5,764 families from Sialkot in Pakistan, mainly from the SC community, who are not considered permanent residents of the state. Labha Ram, president of West Pakistani Refugees Action Committee, said that the irony is that while these families are allowed to build houses in the border belt of Jammu where they settled, they do not own the land but only bricks of their homes. This has become a political issue as Kashmir-centric parties do not want us to become residents and vote in state Assembly, Labha Ram said. They say it will change the demography of the state." Brig (retd) Anil Gupta, state spokesperson of BJP, added that while some Muslim refugees from other countries were given citizenship rights in Jammu and Kashmir, these Hindus from West Pakistan are leading a life of invisible people. Also, according to Ram, the number of families from Pakistan are much more than the officially registered 5,764 families. The pandits have a wholly different set of demands. Panun Kashmir, one of the groups speaking for Kashmiri Hindus who were forced to flee their homes, has demanded a separate homeland within Kashmir for this group, ruled as a Union territory (UT). Kuldeep Raina, general secretary of Panun Kashmir, said that Jammu supported and treated the Kashmiri Pandit community well when there was no hope. But he argues that pandits cannot live openly in Kashmir as we will be an easy target of Islamic insurgents. The Kashmiri Hindus need a separate 'homeland'. According to Raina, about 60,000 such families had migrated to Jammu and other parts of the country. Rohingya migrants on target The presence of the one outsider community in Jammu, the Rohingya, however, has become a controversial issue. They have been accused, by politicians and local residents, of becoming a potential threat to national security. As per official records, there were 5,743 Burmese nationals in Jammu in 2016, up from 5,107 in 2014, though police sources say their numbers have swelled since 2016. (The number of Tibetan and Burmese refugees combined is 13,433 in Jammu and Kashmir, but most Tibetans are settled in Ladakh region.) As per an official document placed in the state Assembly in 2017, they have been involved in crimes like illegal border crossings, with 17 FIRs filed against 38 Rohingya for various cases, according to the state government. Cases of Rohingya possessing Aadhaar cards had set off alarm bells among the security agencies but no action seems to have been taken on this. Some NGOs from Jammu and Kashmir and outside are helping Rohingya in cash and kind from time to time. However, strict surveillance is kept on the activities of these foreigners and the organisations extending a helping hand to them. Mohammad Islam, a Rohingya, when asked whether he would prefer to go back to his home once the condition improves, says that their homes have been destroyed by the army in Myanmar. "Except on few occasions when we felt threatened, there has been a general atmosphere of peace. Despite being a refugee from a far off area, I am running a tea stall," says Mohammad, who runs a tiny tea kiosk at Bathindi in Jammu. Zorawar Singh Jamwal, who is the chief of a pressure group Team Jammu, says that the Rohingya are a threat not only to Jammu but to entire nation. "They have been settled here as per a plan of demographic change of Hindu dominated Jammu. Their deportation is must as the condition in Myanmar has improved now," says Jamwal. (Arjun Sharma is a Ludhiana-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com.) Four people were brutally beaten by a mob on suspicion of being cattle thieves at Diplonga Tea Estate under the Sootea police station in Biswanath district in Assam. One person succumbed to his injuries, while other three remain injured in the hospital. Guwahati: One man was lynched and three others were critically injured by a mob in Biswanath district of Assam that suspected them to be cattle lifters, police said on Thursday. Biswanath Superintendent of Police Diganta Kumar Choudhury told PTI the incident took place early Wednesday at Line Number 15 of Diplonga Tea Estate under the Sootea police station. The SP said as per preliminary inquiry, the four men had allegedly stolen two cows from a person named Sankat Tanti and were fleeing in an auto van which had no number plate. "After Tanti shouted for help, the villagers intercepted the four and started thrashing the suspected thieves. We have recovered the auto van and the two cows," Choudhury said. Village defence party personnel called the police, which reached the spot immediately and rescued the four from the clutches of the attackers and rushed them to hospital, he said. "One among them died, while the other three persons were being treated at a private hospital in Biswanath Chariali," Choudhury said. The dead man was identified as Deben Rajbongshi aged 35 and the injured as Pujan Ghatowar aged40, Phulchand Sahu aged 25 and Bijoy Nayak aged 25, he added. All the four were residents of the nearby Gereki village, whose residents claim they were pig traders. The police registered two cases, one against the four men for allegedly lifting two cows and another against the public for beating them but no arrest has been made yet. Cases of vigilantism and moral policing have been reported in recent months from different Assam districts. On 8 June, two friends, Nilotpal Das and Abhijeet Nath, who had gone to Kangthilangso waterfalls in Karbi Anglong and while returning their vehicle was stopped at Panjuri Kachari by a group of irate villagers, who pulled them out and lynched them following rumours that they were childlifters. Ten days later a mob attacked a couple, who they claimed were unmarried, when they were travelling in a bike in Pukhurpur village of Goalpara district. In yet another incident on 23 June a couple was assaulted the whole night by villagers of Jhumurmur in Nagaon district for allegedly having an illicit relationship before handing them over to police next day morning. A mentally challenged woman was tied to a pole and tortured by village mob that suspected her to be a child lifter in a village under Thelamara police station in Sonitpur in Assam on 1 July. It was not without reason that Atal Bihari Vajpayee's expositions in Parliament endeared him to first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru "Acche Vajpayee ka kya karoge (what will you do with a good Vajpayee)?" Atal Bihari Vajpayee once responded to the Opposition's barb that he was "a good man in the wrong party" in his inimitable style during the trust motion in 1996. The style of delivery was such that the house plunged into a peal of laughter. The Vajpayee government lasted only 13 days but the Lok Sabha witnessed his oratory at best. It was not without reason that his expositions in Parliament endeared him to first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. There is an apocryphal story about Nehru predicting that Vajpayee would be the "future prime minister". Without doubt, Vajpayee in the 1950s and 1960s had emerged as a public speaker par excellence in his own right. But he was one who never lost touch with reality. He realised very early that the crowds enthralled by his speeches would not be turned into voters for his party, the then Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS). "Sunne sab aate ho, par vote nahi dete ho (you come here to listen to me, but you don't vote for us)," he said at one of his rallies in Kanpur in the 1970s. There is an interesting anecdote narrated to me by his old friend Yadav Rao Deshmukh. In the early 1970s, Vajpayee contested from two Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh and lost both. After losing the election, he asked Deshmukh to go watch a film with him. Both of them rode a cycle and watched a film. In fact, there is no doubt that Vajpayee symbolised Indian genius. On the face of it, he looked quite ordinary and vulnerable, yet, he was endowed with a charm unparalleled since Nehru. In a party in which a section of orthodoxy is stuck in a time-warp, Vajpayee stood for everything that is nothing short of heresy. He was fond of good food, including non-vegetarian. His lifestyle was spartan, but not ascetic. He lived with an adopted family, even though he was a bachelor. One of the things that will always stand out were his innovative puns that could disarm even his worst foes. In one of the national executive meets at Goa, he wore jeans and a T-shirt, and looked at the weather, saying, "It is very madak (sensuous) weather." A colleague of mine standing close by quipped, "How do you know this, Sir, since you are a bachelor?" Vajpayee looked at him mischievously and said, "Arre bhai shaadi nahi ki to kya baraat to gaye hain (I am not married, but I've attended many weddings)." Needless to say that his remark evoked a hearty laughter in the audience. But behind the facade of light banter and his amiable disposition lay a serious politician who was committed to the upliftment of the poor and a tough taskmaster who brooked no nonsense when it came to governance. Remember the manner in which he stoutly defended his turf in 1998 when he did not concede to J Jayalalithaa's demand of inducting Subramanian Swamy in the Cabinet. Similarly remember the manner in which he dropped Ram Jethmalani from the Cabinet over his falling out with the then Chief Justice of India. Similarly, when Pramod Mahajan proved to be too big for his boots, Vajpayee very swiftly transferred him. That his one-liner was often quite forceful became evident when he was confronted with a situation of Jena Krishnamurthy not relinquishing the post of BJP president during his second stint as the prime minister. He only said, "Who am I to ask him to quit? He can remove me as the prime minister." Of course, the message was enough to send Jena packing. Although a Brahmin by caste, Vajpayee in his heart was consistent in his politics that was favourably disposed towards backward classes, Dalits and marginalised sections of society. There were several instances at the height of anti-reservation movement in Gujarat in the 1980s when Vajpayee visited the state and distanced the party from the stir. In one of his meetings, he is believed to have said, "Even if God tells me to do it, I will never remove reservation." That showed his commitment to the uplift of marginalised sections of society. And he insulated the BJP from the anti-reservation stir. However, his soft exterior was quite deceptive when it came to taking a tough decision. Pakistan must have realised it after the Kargil intrusion. Although maintaining a balanced approach without falling for warmongering hysteria, he flushed out intruders in a manner that won international acclaim. He maintained extraordinary restraint while sending out the toughest message to Pakistan. His closest friend and then home minister LK Advani described Vajpayee as a leader who had "the exterior of a lotus, but was as strong as Vajra (Lord Indra's weapon) from within." However, the fragility of human life caught up with Vajpayee after the 2004 election. By 2009, he was not in a position to continue with his political life, even though he occasionally kept on guiding his colleagues as long as his physical conditions allowed him. In the truest sense, there was something mystically transcendental in Vajpayee's political persona that made him an unparalleled leader in Independent India. Vajpayee, a bachelor, is survived by his adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. He will be cremated on Friday in New Delhi. New Delhi: Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of India's most charismatic leaders who led the nation through several crises while holding together a tenuous coalition with his inclusive politics and superlative oratory, died in New Delhi on Thursday. He was 93. Vajpayee, a bachelor, is survived by his adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. He will be cremated on Friday in New Delhi. "It was Atalji's exemplary leadership that set the foundations for prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, leading the nation in mourning the demise of the nationalist stalwart whose popularity cut across party lines. Vajpayee's death was announced by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital where he was admitted on 11 June with a variety of ailments. "It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of Former Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, at 5.05 pm," the AIIMS said in a statement. It said his condition was stable for the last nine weeks, but "unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems." As it became clear that the end was near, a host of politicians and well-wishers began gathering at AIIMS since morning. A pall of gloom descended at the BJP headquarters as soon the news of Vajpayee's demise broke. Modi said Vajpayee's passing is a "personal and irreplaceable" loss for him and that his futuristic policies across various sectors touched the lives of each and every citizen of India. "It was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atal Ji that the BJP was built brick by brick," Modi said in a tweet. "He travelled across the length and breadth of India to spread the BJP's message, which led to the BJP becoming a strong force in our national polity and in several states," he added. A seven-day state mourning was announced by the government as a mark of respect to Vajpayee. Vajpayee, who joined the Rastriya Swamsevak Sangha (RSS) in 1947, rose through ranks to become a stalwart of the BJP and was the first non-Congress prime minister to complete a full term in office. In the evening, Vajpayee's body was taken to his residence at Krishna Menon marg in New Delhi where host of leaders cutting across party lines and people from different walks of life paid their last respects. Seen as a moderate face of BJP, Vajpayee's first became prime minister in 1996, leading a shaky coalition whose members were suspicious of the BJP's right-wing politics. It lasted for 13 days and collapsed after losing a vote of no-confidence. His second stint as prime minister was in 1998 when the National Democratic Alliance again came to power but that lasted for just 13 months. Finally, the NDA with Vajpayee as PM returned to power in 1999 and was voted out in 2004. A lifelong bachelor, Vajpayee was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1957 from Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh in India's second general elections. His maiden speech in Parliament so impressed his peers and colleagues that the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru introduced Vajpayee to a visiting foreign dignitary thus: "This young man one day will become the country's prime minister." He remained a member of Parliament for 47 years elected 10 times to the Lok Sabha and twice to Rajya Sabha. Vajpayee's signature in politics was achieving pragmatic consensus, and in this process he earned the respect of his party, allies and opponents. Abroad, he projected a harmonious image of India and connected it to the world through his foreign policy outreach. The former prime minister was admitted to the hospital on 11 June with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. Vajpayee, a diabetic, had only one functional kidney. He suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia. Vajpayee was born on 25 December, 1924 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh to a school teacher, Krishna Bihari Vajpayee, and Krishna Devi. Today, his birthday is celebrated as Good Governance Day'. After schooling, he graduated from Victoria College in Gwalior, now known as Laxmi Bai College. He did his MA in political science from DAV College in Kanpur. Following a brief flirtation with communism, he became a full-time worker of RSS in 1947. In his tribute, BJP president Amit Shah said he was a "rare politician, brilliant speaker, poet and patriot, his demise is not just a irreparable loss for the BJP but also for the entire country." Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter: "Today India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family and all his admirers. We will miss him." Manmohan Singh, who succeeded Vajpayee as PM in 2004, hailed the BJP stalwart as a great patriot and among modern India's tallest leaders who spent his whole life serving the country. Shah said the last rites Vajpayee will take place at 4 pm on Friday at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi. The body would be taken to the BJP headquarters at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg at around 9 am and the funeral procession would leave the party office at 1 pm. Former prime minister and veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee has not only been a daft politician but a maverick orator as well. Former prime minister and veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee has not only been a deft politician but a maverick orator as well. From speaking with elan in the Paliament to using humour and wit to tackle questions on a tricky issue like Kashmir, Vajpayee has always used the gift of gab to manoeuver through the hearts of the masses. Here is a look back at some of his most memorable and historic addresses: When he defied all odds and brickbats to go ahead with the Pokhran-II nuclear test "Today, at 3.45 pm, India conducted three underground nuclear tests in the Pokhran range. These tests conducted today were with a fission device, a low-yield device and a thermonuclear device. The measured yields are in line with the expected values. Measurements have also confirmed that there was no release of radioactivity into the atmosphere. These were contained explosions like the experiment conducted in May 1974. I warmly congratulate the scientists and engineers who have carried out these successful tests," Vajpayee said in his media address post the success of the tests. And when he spoke in the Lok Sabha defending the nuclear tests "We have been the victims of three attacks. This fate should not repeat. We are not getting ready to attack anyone. We don't have that intention. I was asked about the connection between Pokhran-II and the Lahore bus service. They are two sides of the same coin the strength of our defence and the hand of friendship the hand of friendship through honesty." Vajpayee asserted that India had to be fully self-reliant in matters of national security" as he reminded his critics: "Vah purusharth ke prakateekaran ke liye nahin tha (We did not do it to boast our valour). Rather, he said that India's policy was to "have a minimum and credible deterrent so that no external power will ever dare threaten us". Even when India was hit with economic sanctions by the United States of America and several other western powers including Japan, Vajpayee stood firm to give out a clear message to the world. "We knew that India would have to face some difficulties. But we were also confident that Indians would overcome these difficulties with courage and determination. Economic sanctions could not stop Indias progress. We have never taken any decision, nor shied away from taking any decision, under foreign pressure", he boldly remarked in the Parliament. When he announced his resignation in the Loks Sabha post the fall of his 13-day government in 1996 "You want to run the country. It's a very good thing. Our congratulations are with you. We will be completely involved in the service of our country. We bow down to the strength of majority. We assure you that till the time the work that we started with our bare hands in national interest is not completed, we shall not rest. Respected Speaker, I am going to the president to tender my resignation", Vajpayee remarked as he read out his speech which was titled 'Here comes my resignation, Mr Speaker'. His confidence was evident as he came back to form the government two year later 1998 and again in 1999 after the AIADMK withdrew its support to the NDA. While addressing a joint session of the US Congress in 2000 "As we talk with candour, we open the doors to new possibilities and new areas of cooperation in advance in democracy, in combating terrorism, in energy and environment, science and technology and international peacekeeping. And we are discovering that our shared values and common interests are leading us to seek a natural partnership of shared endeavours. India and the United States have taken a decisive step, away from the past", Vajpayee had said. "The dawn of the new century has marked a new beginning in our relations. Let us work to fulfil this promise and the hope of today. Let us remove the shadow of agitation that lies between us and our joint vision. Let us use the strength of all that we have in common to build together a future that we wish for ourselves and for the world we live in", Vajpayee asserted in a firm and straight address which was a marked contrast from his soft candour. His Independence Day address from the Red Fort in 2002 "My dear countrymen, on this independence anniversary, we have a message - to come together, to work hard together to realize the dreams of our country. Our aim may be as high as the endless sky, but we should have a resolve in our minds to walk ahead, hand-in-hand, for victory will be ours. Come, let us strengthen this resolve with the cry of 'Jai Hind'. Join me in raising the slogan - Jai Hind. Jai Hind. Jai Hind. Thank you", Vajpayee said. Advani, in his autobiography, My Country My Life, talks about his political journey in Delhi which started with Atal Bihari Vajpayee being a Lok Sabha member. 'It is during these two decades that I gained advanced experience in political organisation, political strategy and leadership,' says Advani. LK Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee shared a rare friendship in the political circle, with Advani describing Vajpayee as the countrys most outstanding prime minister. They entered politics almost at the same time decades ago and remained each others trusted advisor and friend ever since. Advani served as Indias deputy prime minister and home minister in the Vajpayee-led government of the National Democratic Alliance between 1998-2004. Advani, in his autobiography, My Country My Life, talks about his political journey in Delhi where he started work as a political aide to Vajpayee, who had just been elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time. "It is during these two decades that I gained advanced experience in political organisation, political strategy and leadership," says Advani. Vajpayee and Advani, whose friendship goes back to the 1950s, are credited to have helped build the Bharatiya Jana Sangha in its nascent years. The BJP was formed on 5-6 April 1980, after it broke away from the Janata Party. The Janata Party had been formed a few years earlier in 1977, with the merger of Congress O, Bhartiya Lok Dal, the Socialist Party and the Jana Sangh (the BJP's earlier avatar), with the idea of taking on Indira Gandhi and her Congress party in the 1977 Lok Sabha elections. Advani explains the stress of the coalition in his autobiography, The stress from the beginning was not on harking back to our Jana Sangh past but on making a new beginning. The new beginning happened primarily because both Vajpayee and Advani had been influenced a lot by Jaiprakash Narayan, who was the main architect behind the Janata Party. Throughout his autobiography, Advani praises Vajpayee's leadership. "Some of them, such as the bold decision to make India a nuclear power and our sincere efforts to normalise relations with Pakistan in spite of the latters betrayal, will have a permanent place in our countrys history. History will record that India became a stronger nation, and a more self-confident nation, under Ataljis visionary leadership," he said. According to DNA, Advani said that Vajpayee's six years as prime minister were better for India's development than the long rule of Congress' prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. In May 2013, Advani had also released a blog on the BJPs website, describing Vajpayee as the countrys most outstanding prime minister. In his blog criticising the Manmohan Singh government, he praises Vajpayee's ability to create three new states without any disturbance. "Under Vajpayee ji the NDA divided three major States Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and created three new States Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand without even a ripple of disturbance." In an interview to NDTV, Advani termed Vajpayee a "great consensus builder" and that his legacy of consensus building was very important for all parties. Advani said he had written to then prime minister Manmohan Singh, saying Vajpayee deserves Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour, and that he would feel "grateful and happy" if the government acceded to his request. The letter listed 10 reasons for giving the honour to Vajpayee. "He (Manmohan Singh) may have considered it or not but I feel I would not have written such a letter today. It would seem I was demanding it as our government is in place," he said. Speaking to CNN-IBN, Advani said, "In Vajpayee's entire tenure as PM there is not one single aspect which I can regard as been a blot on him in his career." He also spoke about how he conceded being the prime ministerial candidate for Vajpayee. "Very often it is thought that I conceded the space, but it was his natural space. I always regarded him as my leader. I, in fact, have been saying now these days after these interviews that for me he was a role model. How the leader of the country should be like. Both in respect of his attitude to issues as well as in respect above all his absolute modesty and humility even when he could credit himself with many achievements," he said. Advani in one of his blogs in 2010, had mentioned that how under the then UPA government the country's equation with Pakistan was in shambles. He then recollected how Vajpayee under his regime had successfully led the Pakistan Army general to surrender before him, hailing his confidence and the stand he too on Kashmir. Indias Independence was accompanied by the creation of Pakistan. Partition had traumatic consequences: the killing of lakhs of innocent men, women and children, and the uprooting of crores. Since Independence, therefore, a vital touchstone for judging Government of Indias handling of external affairs has been its Pakistan Policy. Only a government confident of itself could have responded to all this in the manner in which Vajpayee did. He first had the Army use its full might to quell the Kargil operation, which was the Generals own adventure. And he followed it up by another brave move: an invitation to the General for talks at Agra. It was this firm stand that made the General ultimately discard his Agra attitude and at Islamabad in January 2004 sign a joint statement with Vajpayee that he will not permit any territory under Pakistans control to be used to support terrorism in any manner . As per a report by Mid Day, Advani had once revealed that during their younger days, the two would often go to eat gol-gappas on the streets, with Advani driving the scooter and Vajpayee riding pillion. He reportedly said, "And I remember those days, Rivoli and Regal (cinema halls), in the middle was a golgappawala. We would go there and have chaat. Those days, I would drive the scooter and he (Vajpayee) would ride pillion. I was not particular about chaat. But he (Vajpayee) would sit beside the chaatwala and eat, also golgappas." The former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on Thursday in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital in Delhi. He was admitted to AIIMS on 11 June and his health deteriorated on Wednesday. Advani and daughter Pratibha Advani visited Vajpayee on Thursday morning. Advani had been a regular visitor to the hospital. Vajpayee had been undergoing treatment at AIIMS for a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion for the past nine weeks. The 93-year-old BJP leader was a diabetic and had only one functional kidney. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the last Indian politician who was universally loved, respected and perhaps even revered. If you want to understand the importance of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, make a trip to Srinagar or even Anantnag. While you are there, strike a conversation with a cross-section of Kashmirispoliticians, students, hoteliers, drivers, shopkeepers, even separatistsand ask them which Indian politician they love the most. The universal answer would be: Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Everywhere you go in Kashmir, people would refer to the Vajpayee doctrine of Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat and his famous recital of local poet Mehjoor: Wala ho baghawano, nav bahurak shaan paida kar, phoolon gul gaath karan bulbul, timay saman paida kar. This love for Vajpayee in Kashmir requires a bit of deconstruction. Here is a leader of a party that has opposed Article 370, practiced hardline Hindutva and has always opposed the Nehruvian model of going soft on Kashmir. Yet, in the mind of heart of Kashmiris, Vajpayee towers over everyone. But, thats quintessential Vajpayee for you the last Indian politician who was universally loved, respected and perhaps even revered. The man who straddled ideological divides and represented an India that is liberal, inclusive and believes in the principles of humanity (insaniyat) and democracy (jamhooriyat). Unlike those who followed or preceded him in his own party or its alma mater, the RSS, Vajpayee was perhaps the only contemporary Indian who had no enemies. The masses loved him for his oratory, an impromptu mix of rousing rhetoric, poetic flourish, biting sarcasm and regaling humour, delivered with trademark pauses and dramatic gestures of his right hand. Vajpayee, as Edward Murrow famously said about Winston Churchill, could mobilise language and send it to battle. Such was his mastery over oratory, even his political rivals relied on it to represent India in major verbal wars. A classic example is the then PV Narasimha Raos decision to ask Vajpayee to represent India in the UN, convinced that Vajpayees words would neutralise the Pakistani onslaught. (That reminds us of the famous banter between the two. Once Rao called Vajpayee his guru. Vajpayee immediately retorted by saying, 'If I am guru, you are guru ghantalmaster of mischief.) One reason for this love for Vajpayee even among rivals was his own ability to rise above the political divide. If he was loved by rivals, it was because he gave the same respect to his rivals. It is often said that Vajpayee called Indira Gandhi, who was to later send him to jail during the Emergency, an avatar of Durga. When Jawaharlal Nehru died, Vajpayee delivered a speech in Parliament that is remembered as an epitome of Indian democracys values of respect, admiration and civility that prevailed in that age. On Nehrus death, Vajpayee said: a song has become silent, and a flame has banished into the Unknown. The loss, said Vajpayee, was not that of a family or community or party. Mother India was in mourning because "her beloved Prince has gone to sleep". Humanity was sad because its servant and 'worshipper has left it forever'. The 'benefactor of the downtrodden has gone.' The 'chief actor of the world stage has departed after performing his last act,' he said. Vajpayee went on to compare Jawaharlal Nehru to the most hallowed of all Indian heroes. In "Panditji's life", he said, "we get a glimpse of the noble sentiments to be found in the saga of Valmiki". For, like Ram, Nehru was 'the orchestrator of the impossible and inconceivable'. He too 'was not afraid of compromise but would never compromise under duress'. In remembering the deceased prime minister, Vajpayee celebrated the human being whom 'no one can replace'. That "strength of personality", he remarked, "that vibrancy and independence of mind, that quality of being able to befriend the opponent and enemy, that gentlemanliness, that greatness this will not perhaps be found in the future". If Nehru were alive today, he would have read a similar encomium for Vajpayee, called him a great son of India who represented everything that this great land stands forlove, compassion, idealism and unflinching dedication to the ideals of humanity. The irony, however, is this: The politics of a man who talked of love and compassion was chequered by two of the most violent episodes of Indian politics. One, the Ramjanmbhoomi movement that changed the contours of Indian politics with its trail of bloodshed and blatant communalism. Two, the Gujarat riots that changed the way India looked at the BJP. But, it is perhaps to Vajpayees credit, the former prime minister managed to rise even above these cataclysmic events. The BJPs kamandal movement, in spite of Vajpayee being part of the leadership troika, is still considered LK Advanis political adventure. Vajpayee managed to distance himself from that violent phase by walking away with the moniker of a mukhauta (mask) a term then considered a pejorative , and not the real face of the militant BJP. And, though he was the prime minister then, people still remember Vajpayee for advising the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi to 'follow raj dharma' during the Gujarat riots. Somehow, Vajpayees image of an avuncular man with a happy-go-lucky mien, helped him rise above hatred, animosity and remain the only man trusted and loved above the political divide. This contradiction was evident throughout his tenure. Vajpayee was credited with Pokaran II, but also pilloried for the Kandahar surrender and the accompanying exchange of terrorists. His government was guilty of lapses in Kargil but also winning the war without letting it escalate into a nuclear exchange. But, in spite of swaying between aggression, surrender and diplomacy marked by the Lahore trip and Agra invite to Pervez Musharraf, Vajpayee retained the aura of a statesman whose primarily call in life was love and peace. The greatest tribute to him would be for India to remember his ethos of Hindustaniyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat. All of them today need a Vajpayeethe last Indian who neither made enemies, nor had enemies. Someone who was loved and respected from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, perhaps more by his rivals than followers of the Hindutva ideology his alma mater claims to represent. Follow updates on Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health here. Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee firmly believed that it was necessary for India to become a nuclear-armed nation and took the world by surprise by the Pokhran-II tests on 11 May, 1998. "The answer to an atom bomb is an atom bomb, nothing else." Rajya Sabha MP and Bharatiya Jana Sangh (later Bharatiya Janata Party) leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the aforementioned words in the Parliament in 1964 after the People's Republic of China detonated a 16-kiloton bomb, its first nuclear test, on 16 October, 1964, to become the fifth nation in the world to join the exclusive nuclear-armed State club. The late leader's words were not new at the time, for the Bharatiya Jana Sangh had profusely expressed its support to making India a nuclear-armed nation as part of its "Hindu nationalist" agenda. The statement was met with thunderous approbation and was crucial in a demoralised time, where India had suffered a humiliating defeat to China two years earlier, in the 1962 war, under Jawaharlal Nehru's leadership. Thrity-four years later, Vajpayee's words took concrete shape and shook the world when India conducted nuclear tests and emerged as a nuclear power with Operation Shakti in Pokhran in 1998. The Jana Sangh and Vajpayee's commitment to nuclear research was so colossal that in 1969, economist and party member Subramanian Swamy published a comprehensive study on Indian nuclear strategy titled 'Systems Analysis of Strategic Defence Needs' in the Economic and Political Weekly. In it, Swamy argued that while India could be faced with a nuclear threat from China, other superpowers or nuclear nations aimed to keep India from acquiring such arsenal as it would diminish their power. "We may be faced with a nuclear threat from China and be without help because a direct confrontation among the superpowers which have nuclear capability is impossible and has been made remote by mutual agreements among them. Also, it is in the superpowers' interest to keep other countries like India from acquiring nuclear defence capability as it would reduce their own manoeuvrability and power," he wrote in the abstract of the paper. When erstwhile prime minister Indira Gandhi conducted the Pokhran-I test in 1974 on Buddha Purnima, she called it a "peaceful nuclear explosion" to pacify the western powers and avoid the threat of sanctions from them (it didn't work). For more than two decades after that, subsequent prime ministers such as PV Narasimha Rao attempted to revive nuclear research, only to be thwarted by American surveillance satellites and threat of sanctions. In 1995, Rao approved a nuclear test, but had to abort it after the CIA detected suspicious movement at Pokhran. A subsequent New York Times report on 15 December, 1995, on the same sent alarm bells ringing through the power corridors of Washington, compelling US Ambassador to New Delhi Frank Wisner to return to New Delhi with photographs of the hole being dug at the test site and caveats of impending sanctions if India went ahead with it. Just before elections in 1996, Rao again tried to conduct nuclear tests, but a courtesy call from CIA officials put an end to that as well. Vajpayee's first steps towards nuclear testing That year in May, Vajpayee came to power as the head of a rocky coalition government and took the first steps towards nuclear testing. He called his private secretary Shakti Sinha and asked him to locate chief scientific adviser Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who was also the secretary of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). However, before the preparations could take shape, Vajpayee's government fell within a mere 13 days. This was also before the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was ratified by 149 countries at the United Nations. Subsequent governments headed by HD Deve Gowda and IK Gujral did not bother with the nuclear programme, and the plans were put in cold storage. Before Vajpayee and Narasimha Rao, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1998 had authorised PK Iyengar, chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, and DRDO chief VS Arunachalam, to start producing a limited number of weapons. This was after Gandhi was reportedly certain that Pakistan possessed more than one nuclear weapon, while India had none, according to an Indian Express report. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre director Anil Kakodar, who was involved in the 1974 and 1998 nuclear tests, later told The Indian Express, that one of the reasons conducting the nuclear tests were important for India was that post-1974, China had begun sharing technology and materials with Pakistan. "If India had to carry on with its business, including the business of developing itself, it could not possibly be doing under the threat of two nuclear adversaries. We had to have a deterrent," he said in the interview. When the BJP government came back to power in March 1998, with Vajpayee at its helm again, the party veteran and prime minister began laying the ground for the nuclear tests. On 8 April, he summoned Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) chief R Chidambaram and DRDO chief APJ Abdul Kalam to give them the thumbs-up for the tests, reported India Today. Principal secretary Brajesh Mishra and Vajpayee's closest aide, was responsible for conducting the entire operation from the Prime Minister's Office. The entire operation was conducted in such high secrecy that nobody except the aforementioned and home minister LK Advani knew about it. Defence minister George Fernandes was told about the tests on 9 May. The next day, the three service chiefs and foreign secretary were informed. On the morning of 11 May, members of the Cabinet Committee on Security were formally informed about it. May 1998 Pokhran was host to an unusual set of guests in the balmy month of May 1998. Along with Kalam and Chidambaram, director of test sites preparation Dr K Santhanam and a team of nuclear scientists and engineers moved at night to avoid the prying eyes of US spy satellites so that drilling for a deep tunnel could be done when they were turned the other way, according to The Quint. They wore ill-fitting army uniforms and assumed false identities to disguise themselves from prying villagers. The scientists and army worked at night to avoid detection and visited Pokhran separately. Bomb shafts were dug under camouflage and the dug out sand placed in dune shapes to avoid detection. The nuclear devices were also flown and driven in from different places, according to the report. 11 May, 1998: D-day After the wind died down and under cloudy skies, at 3.45 pm, three devices thermonuclear device (Shakti I), the fission device (Shakti II), and a sub-kiloton device (Shakti III) were detonated on 11 May, which also happened to be Buddha Purnima. Thanks to the weather condition, US satellites could detect nothing. Later in the day, Vajpayee, the weeks-old government, announced the news to the world. "Measurements have confirmed that there was no release of radioactivity into the atmosphere. These were contained explosions like in the experiment conducted in May 1974. I warmly congratulate the scientists and engineers who have carried out the successful tests. Thank you very much indeed," he said, concluding his statement. Principal secretary Mishra later said ''that India has a proven capability for a weaponised nuclear programme.'' On the other side of the world, US deputy secretary of state, Strobe Talbott found out about India's entry into the nuclear weapons club from CNN. Two days later, on 13 May, two more sub-kiloton devices, Shakti IV and V, were detonated. International outrage The day after Vajpayee's press conference, The New York Times ran a story with this headline: "India sets 3 nuclear blasts, defying a worldwide ban; tests bring a sharp outcry". The Clinton Administration condemned the tests and said it was "deeply disappointed" and subsequently slapped sanctions against India. Britain conveyed its "dismay" and Germany called it "a slap in the face" for the countries that ratified CTBT and the then-UN secretary general Kofi Annan issued a statement expressing his "deep regret". Back home, BJP bathed in triumphant glory, while the Opposition sat stunned. BJP general secretary M Venkaiah Naidu said all those who did not hail the tests were "unpatriotic", reported India Today. Congress president Sonia Gandhi issued a statement 10 days later and said that real strength lay in restraint and "not in the display of shakti". The Left slammed the government and accused them of "trying to equate the bomb with patriotism and whip up a jingoistic fervour". Addressing the Lok Sabha in the Parliament later on, Vajpayee defended his actions and asked why shouldn't the country be self-sufficient in matters of national security. "I was in the House in 1974, when under Indira Gandhi's leadership, nuclear tests were conducted. We had welcomed it, despite being the Opposition, because it was done for national security. What danger was there at that time? Should we begin to prepare ourselves only when we are posed with danger? If we are well-prepared, any danger in future can be taken care of," he said in the Lok Sabha. Vajpayee clarified India's position on use of nuclear weapons: "No-first use. We also said, those who don't have weapons, we will not use it against them." "Pokhran-II was not done to boast our valour. Our policy is that our country should have a minimum and credible deterrent so that no external power will ever dare threaten us," he said, adding that atomic weapons could be used for a country's safety and security too. Following the Pokhran-II tests, in a letter to US president Bill Clinton, Vajpayee expressed his fears about having nuclear-armed neighbour and the rationale behind conducting the nuclear tests. Without directly referring to China, Vajpayee wrote, "We have an overt nuclear weapon state on our borders, a state which committed armed aggression against India in 1962. Although our relations with that country have improved in the last decade or so, an atmosphere of distrust persists mainly due to the unresolved border problem." He further explained that China attempted to turn its other neighbour, Pakistan, into a covert nuclear weapons state. Vajpayee also clarified that tests were limited in number and posed no danger to any country with no ill-feelings towards India. "We value our friendship and cooperation with your country and you personally. We hope that you will show understanding of our concern for India's security. I assure you that India will continue to work with your country in a multilateral or bilateral framework to promote the cause of nuclear disarmament," the letter read. Atal Bihari Vajpayee not only removed the untouchability tag from the BJP, but also made Indian politics bipolar where national politics and consequent alignment would revolve around two lead poles, the BJP and the Congress Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee appears to have prophesied his current condition. Long ago in one of his poems, Vajpayee said, Than gayee, maut se than gayee. Jujhne ka mere irada na tha, mod pe milenge iska wada na tha, rasta rok kar wo khadi ho gayee... Maut ki umra kya hai? do pal bhi nahi. Jindgi silsila, aaj kal ki nahi. (I am confronted, confronted with death. It was not my intention to fight, meet her at the turn, but she stood in my way... What is age of death? Not even two moments. Life is continuation, it's not about today or tomorrow). The ever optimist and eternal fighter in Vajpayee has been fighting for weeks with death at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. He has been fighting for decades, first to make his party Bharatiya Jana Sangh and then its later avatar, the Bharatiya Janata Party, which he founded in 1980, to grow and acquire power at the Centre and in various states, and then with with his failing health for over a decade. At another point, he wrote: "Haar nahi manoonga kal ke kapal par likhta mitata hoon. Geet naya gata hoon. (Will not give up... I write an erase on tomorrow's forehead. I sing a new song. But as the irony would have it, the leader revered by millions within and outside of his ideological family as a person, as a leader and as a statesman, whose sentences, loaded or straight, and trademark pauses were endlessly debated and interpreted has been completely silent for about a decade now. No one in the outside world has heard his voice at least since 2007. His written messages were used in the 2009 election or earlier, but later even his written messages died down. He has been termed 'margdarshak' for the BJP and rightly so, because for decades he carried that role for his party as well as sympathisers. Vajpayee showed the courage and conviction to state that the life of a prime minister is that of "a loner". Though that didn't impact his work and philosophy, but somewhere down the line, the peoples man in him felt the pinch. At a function in New Delhi when he was at the helm, leading the country, Vajpayee recited few lines of his poem in the presence of his predecessors PV Narasimha Rao and VP Singh, and friends like Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and LK Advani: Shunya me khada hona pahar ki mahanta nahi Majboori hai Jo jitna uncha, utna ekaki hota hai chehre pe muskan chipka man hi man rota hai. (Being idle is not the mountain's greatness but helplessness... the higher one goes, the lonelier one gets... with a smile on his face, he cries in his heart). The import of his narration of this poem was not lost to those present, and like any other of Vajpayees statements, this was interpreted in multitude forms. After all, he successfully ran a coalition of around two dozen parties at the Centre for six years. Though there was an agenda for governance and a formal forum for consultation among the NDA allies, his persona and interpersonal dealing with the leaders in the then-ruling coalition and across party lines kept the coalition going. One must remember that the BJP was considered a political untouchable. And even when BJP emerged as the single largest party in 1996 and Vajpayee was sworn-in as the Prime Minister of India, no political party, except for Shiv Sena and Akali Dal, were willing to support it. After being in office for 13 days, Vajpayee resigned on 1 June, 1996. By the time the next election took place in 1998, people were sympathetic to Vajpayee and wanted to give him and his party a chance to rule the country. The BJP went to the polls with the slogan Abki Bari, Atal Bihari. (This time Atal Bihari)". Leaders of some other regional parties too sensed his growing popularity and all India impact, and they joined hands with him and the BJP to make him the prime minister. If he lost confidence motion in the Parliament in 1999 (after withdrawal of support by AIADMK) by one vote, the BJP would came out in the election with a slogan: "Kya Kasoor tha iss admi (Vajpayee) ka (What was this man's fault)" and people would yet again repose their faith in him and make him the prime minister for another five years. He not only successfully removed the untouchability tag from the BJP, but also made Indian politics bipolar where national politics and consequent alignment would revolve around two lead poles, the BJP and the Congress. A leader who is about 90 seats short of the majority mark and is running a coalition government with support from varied shade of parties would be generally taken to be slightly weak in decision making, but the turn of events proved that Vajpayee is made of different metal. He surprised the world by conducting Pokhran II nuclear blasts or "Operation Shakti" as it was officially called. He didnt care about American and Western sanctions and went ahead what he thought was best in national interest. Look at the timing Vajpayee assumed office of Prime Minister on 19 March 1998 and Pokhran II nuclear blasts were conducted on 13 May 1998. He has an untiring resolve to fight and win. In the late 1950s, the Bharatiya Jan Sangh was in its early days, Vajpayee and his fellow traveler Advani were in their 30s, the party badly lost the Delhi Municipal Corporation election. The two wouldnt rue over theirs or the partys fate. They quietly moved to Connaught Place in New Delhi to watch a movie which Advani says was aptly named, Phir Subah Hogi. One of its songs written by Sahir Ludhianvi and sung by Mukesh and Asha Bhosle, Woh Subah Kabhi to Aayegi was internalised by the duo. Vajpayee later wrote Aao Phir Se Diya Jalayen. The rest, as they say is history. Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose birthday on 25 December is celebrated as 'Good Governance Day', has been lauded for his policies on Kashmir since he became the prime minister of India for the first time in 1996. Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose birthday on 25 December is celebrated as 'Good Governance Day', has been lauded for his policies on Kashmir since he became the prime minister for the first time in 1996. Vajpayee held the position of prime minister (the second time around) between 1998 and 2004. His approach towards addressing the Kashmir issue came to be called the Vajpayee Doctrine. It also included improving relations with neighbouring Pakistan. The Vajpayee doctrine on Kashmir first coined the slogan 'Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat, Kashmiriyat', which meant humanity, peace, and keeping the sanctity of the people of Kashmir. His doctrine aimed at achieving peace, progress and prosperity in the Valley. The doctrine received universal acclaim, and more consequentially, it was lauded by extremist elements in the state. Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat, Kashmiriyat Speaking in the Lok Sabha on 21 April, 2003 Vajpayee had defined his plan to deal with the complex issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir. He spoke of major economic projects in areas such as the development of road and rail infrastructure and promoting employment for the youth, The Hindu Businessline noted. Regarding relations with Pakistan Vajpayee had said, "We have extended our hand of friendship to Pakistan. Let us see how Pakistan responds. Stopping cross-border infiltration and destruction of terrorist infrastructure can open the door for talks. Talks can take place on all issues including Jammu and Kashmir. The former prime minister had further added that the gun could not solve problems. He had said, "Issues can be guided by the three principles of insaniyat (humanism), jamhooriyat (democracy) and kashmiriyat (Kashmirs legacy of amity). The perspective was coined after the military face-off with Pakistan after the December 2001 terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament had ended. The Businessline article said, "Back channel talks with Pakistan were under way, resulting in a ceasefire across the Line of Control in November 2003. In January 2004, India agreed to resume dialogue with Pakistan, following an assurance from President Pervez Musharraf that 'territory under Pakistans control' would not be used for terrorism against India. Dialogue was resumed only after this categorical assurance". Lately, the media has been abuzz with different interpretations of his slogan. The term implied that India had a viable new strategy to ensure peace in the Valley. Unfortunately, the slogan disappeared after the fall of Vajpayee's government, until Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought it back into the public's consciousness in 2014. Modi said it was his 'mantra'. Bilateral talks with Pakistan A big part of Vajpayee's efforts to resolve the conflict in Kashmir, was to initiate bilateral dialogue with Pakistan. He aimed to keep third-party interventions out of the India-Pakistan equation. Vajpayee forwarded a hand of friendship based on reciprocity and mutual trust. He believed a collective fight against poverty and terrorism in the subcontinent would help to strengthen bonds between the two neighbours. In February this year, the then Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had appealed to Modi to initiate discussions with Pakistan once again to iron out the differences over Kashmir, which could result in peace for the conflict-torn state. She said, "Dialogue with Pakistan is necessary if we are to end the bloodshed," in a tweet on 12 February. Mufti's hope that dialogue between the two neighbours would solve the long-standing dispute has been shared by leaders in Kashmir. The Abdullahs, Mufti's political rivals, have also demanded talks in the past. Mufti referred to the bilateral talks that Vajpayee participated in, during his tenure as the prime minister. The Agra Summit of 2001 was hailed as a breakthrough for peace between India and Pakistan. It was the cause for hope that resolution of the conflict was possible. News18 reported that the then Pakistani president Musharraf had put forward a 'four-point solution' to the unrest in Kashmir. According to reports, the pointers were, in principle, acceptable to Vajpayee, but just hours before the signing ceremony, the deal did not come to pass. Vajpayee had also signed a Lahore Declaration with then prime minister Nawaz Sharif on 21 February 1999. As part of the declaration, Pakistan agreed to resolve all bilateral issues between the two countries, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in a peaceful manner. Vajpayee's bus service to Pakistan On 19 February, 1999, Vajpayee rode the bus to Pakistan on the Delhi-Lahore bus service called 'Sada-e-Sarhad', which means 'Call of the Frontier'. It was launched as a symbol of the efforts made by the Vajpayee government to initiate a peaceful equation with Pakistan. India Today reported that Vajpayee made a visit to Minar-e-Pakistan where he re-affirmed India's commitment to the existence of Pakistan. His emotional speech in Lahore made Sharif say, "Mr Vajpayee, now you can win elections even in Pakistan," according to the report. Even in the face of Pakistan's attack in Kargil between May and June 1999, Vajpayee did not terminate the bus service. The attack was successfully pushed back by the Indian armed forces. However, the service was suspended during tensions in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament on 13 December, 2001. Kashmir after Vajpayee On the 72nd Independence Day, Modi said that the BJP government would follow Vajpayee's perspective for peace in Kashmir. In his Independence Day address, Modi said that Vajpayee's vision of Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat would be followed in Kashmir. It was at a public rally in Mumbai in 1995 that LK Advani announced Atal Bihari Vajpayee's name as BJP's prime ministerial candidate. Mumbai: Mumbai played a significant role in the political journey of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Vajpayee, who died on Thursday, had announced his retirement from public life in 2005 at a rally at Shivaji Park after the party's national executive meeting in Mumbai, BJP leader Madhav Bhandari said. "Atalji had then declared that he was retiring from public life and announced that LK Advani would lead the party," Bhandari recalled. The 2005 national executive meeting here was held to mark the party's Rajat Jayanti (silver jubilee) celebrations, he said. Vajpayee's speech during the BJP Mumbai Maha Adhiveshan (grand convention) in 1980 mesmerised many a BJP worker and the sign-off is still quoted during poll campaigns. At the rally after the convention, Vajpayee had expressed confidence that the 'lotus' (BJP's poll symbol) will bloom. "Atalji had said: Andhera Chhatega, Sooraj Niklega, Kamal Khilega (The darkness will go, the sun will come out and the lotus will bloom)," he said. During the convention, Vajpayee stayed at party leader Vedprakash Goyal's home, while Advani stayed with his relative in Mumbai. In 1995, at the BJP Maha Adhiveshan at the Mahalaxmi Race Course, Advani announced Vajpayee's name as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar said. Vajpayee was always supportive of the alliance with the Sena, he said. After the alliance was formed in the early 90s, Thackeray was invited for a BJP national executive meeting in Mumbai, he added. In 2001, the arthritis-affected right knee of Vajpayee, then prime minister, was successfully replaced in an operation at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. Vajpayee had been awake during the 70-minute surgery, performed under epidural anaesthesia (in which the body down the waist becomes numb) by Dr Chittaranjan Ranawat. While new principal Ganesh Kumar insisted that the exodus of doctors had nothing to do with last years oxygen tragedy, Purak Mishra, son of Mishra, as well as Kafeel said that all resignations had been tendered out of fear. Editor's Note: BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur witnessed a spate of tragic deaths of children in its neo-natal ICU and encephalitis ward last year. The poor state of affairs at this medical college which serves a population of over two crore in eastern Uttar Pradesh hogged headlines when more than 20 kids died within 24 hours owing to shortage of oxygen at the facility. A year later, a reality check was conducted to assess the situation on the ground. The outcome of the study, which is covered in a three-part series, paints a grim picture in the face of tall claims of improvement in healthcare for kids made by the Uttar Pradesh government. This is the third and last part of the series. Gorakhpur: Gorakhpurs BRD Medical College has been putting on a brave front, ever since the death of more than 60 infants at the hospital last year. But a visit to the hospital premises narrates a different story of neglect, lack of hygiene and shortage of doctors. In fact, the doctors there including Kafeel Ahmed who made news for his efforts to save the children and later for being jailed have faced the brunt of the tragedy, tendering resignations en masse. The result a year later is an acute shortage of practitioners not just in the paediatrics department but the entire institute. The colleges principal admitted that much, while talks with erstwhile doctors revealed their reasons for quitting. Numbers speak Till the time of the tragedy last August, the medical college was already short of 23 doctors. For 100 MBBS seats and 68 postgraduate seats, a total of 124 doctors (teachers) were supposed to be available, but in reality, only 101 posts were occupied. The combined shortage in different departments was 18 percent. Later, in 2018, 50 temporary MBBS seats were added and the requirement of teachers (doctors) rose to 145 from 124, but the hospital failed yet again to fill the vacancies. Not just this, it couldnt even keep the existing doctors in place in the aftermath of the tragedy when close to 15 doctors resigned. Reportedly, no one from the medical college or the Uttar Pradesh health department even tried to talk to the doctors or take measures to redress their grievances. None of the doctors who have resigned has joined any other hospital. Doctors tale A senior doctor from the anaesthesia department who recently tendered his resignation told this reporter that the Uttar Pradesh government was not serious about solving the problems of the hospital. "Everyone knows patients come here when things are out of control and thats why the death rate here is high, but no one wants to improve things. When problems are raised in the media, the doctor becomes the culprit," he said, adding that he did not want to land in the kind of situation faced by Kafeel or Rajiv Mishra (former principal jailed in connection with the infant deaths at the state-run hospital in 2017). The senior doctor also said that it was better to sit at home and search for jobs instead of working at BRD Hospital and spoiling ones career, narrating how he was recently blamed for a heart attack death there. While new principal Ganesh Kumar insisted that the exodus of doctors had nothing to do with last years oxygen tragedy, Purak Mishra, son of Mishra, as well as Kafeel said that all resignations had been tendered out of fear. "My father gave 40 years of his life to the medical profession and there was no blot on him, but the oxygen tragedy which happened due to government negligence ruined not just his career but also his life. He remained in jail for months and was admitted thrice to the hospital while there. He is still in the hospital and we are left with nothing. My mother who was not even related to BRD Hospital was also put behind bars on fake charges," Purak said. He further told this reporter that he had to quit his job as a doctor in Delhis Apollo Hospital to look after his family. "No one in the family has a job now and we are surviving on our savings. It is not just my family who has suffered but everyone who was arrested after the oxygen tragedy. And there is no one to listen to us," the doctor said. According to Kafeel, who has been suspended from the hospital, doctors fear to continue practising at the BRD Medical College and do not want to go bankrupt like him. "Fighting my case, my family lost all savings. My brothers business suffered because of the news about me. We have land but we do not get buyers. I get only Rs 26,000 as salary while suspended and cannot even join elsewhere as per law. The government is not even revoking my suspension. I am bankrupt," he said, adding that he had taken to crowdfunding to survive. Looking back at the tragedy It was alleged in the aftermath of the 10 August, 2017, tragedy, that the infant deaths occurred due to a disruption in oxygen supply over unpaid bills to the vendor. Documents reveal that the Yogi Adityanath-led state government did ignore the many red flags raised by BRD Medical College over the issue in the preceding months. One of these is a letter sent from the college principals office on 22 February, 2017, to the National Human Rights Commission, complaining about the threats by the vendor to stop supply if the hefty bills were not cleared. The letter clearly states that loss of lives will occur if supply was disrupted. On the same date, another letter was sent to Pushpa Sales by the hospital, stating why the bills couldnt be paid and requesting them to continue oxygen supply. Despite more requests to the state in the following months for funds to clear the dues, the college did not receive any monetary help. By July 2017, the dues of Pushpa Sales had risen to Rs 50 lakh. Pushpa Sales finally stopped the oxygen supply first on August 3, 2017. A day later, the principal officer of BRD Hospital once again requested the government for funds to settle the bills. The letter this time clearly stated that casualties could occur in case of further disruption of oxygen and also mentioned that the number of encephalitis patients was surging. This letter too was ignored. The dues of Pushpa Sales were finally settled on 11 August, a day after the huge loss of lives that made news for weeks. State of affairs now On 5 July this year, the medical college last issued an advertisement for vacancies at 63 doctor posts, also offering a fixed payment of Rs 63,000. The maximum vacancies are in the paediatrics department, and 82 doctors (teachers) currently tend to 218 students. (embed vacancy notification) According to principal Kumar, an advertisement is issued in the newspaper every Tuesday to fill the vacant posts. "A counselling session was held on 14 July but only 15 applications were received. We have conveyed the message about lack of doctors to the director general for medical education and within a few weeks all vacant positions will be filled," he said confidently, adding that there was nothing to panic about and all operations were going smoothly. What greeted the eyes, however, on visiting the hospital was crumbling infrastructure, dirty corridors, people cooking and even selling food inside the paediatrics ward and medical garbage dumped outside the toilets. Also Read BRD Medical College: Gorakhpur hospital learns little from past tragedies; encephalitis continues to kill kids at a higher rate BRD Medical College: Yogi Adityanath govt should fill up vacant posts of doctors, not hide encephalitis deaths The author is a Lucknow-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com. Several low-lying areas were inundated along the banks of Cauvery river and its tributary Bhavani in various parts of Tamil Nadu on Thursday in view of discharge of 1.60 lakh cusecs of water from the Mettur dam following heavy inflows from Karnataka. Chennai: Several low-lying areas were inundated along the banks of Cauvery river and its tributary Bhavani in various parts of Tamil Nadu on Thursday in view of discharge of 1.60 lakh cusecs of water from the Mettur dam following heavy inflows from Karnataka. Chief Minister K Palaniswami chaired a high-level meeting in Chennai to review the situation as a flood alert was sounded in 11 districts. Water from Cauvery and Bhavani rivers entered some villages in Dharmapuri, Salem and Erode districts and people had been shifted to safer places, reports received here said. Meanwhile, rains lashed parts of the state and two people died in rain-related incidents in Valparai in Coimbatore district, officials said. The water level in the Mettur dam today stood at 120.29 feet as against its maximum of 120 feet and the storage 93.9 tmc against the capacity of 93.4 tmc, prompting authorities to discharge marginally higher than the inflow. At 8 pm, the inflow into the reservoir was 1,65,000 cusecs and the discharge 1,65,800 cusecs. The dam has already surplussed twice this month in the wake of the copious inflows triggered by heavy rains in Karnataka. The flood alert has been sounded in 11 districts as the discharge from Mettur, Bhavanisagar and Amaravati dams were further expected to go up with Karnataka releasing 2.1 lakh cusecs from Kabini and KRS dams into Cauvery. The Central Water Commission's Southern Rivers Division, in an advisory, said a combined release of about 2.5 lakh cusecs was expected to be made from Mettur and Bhavanisagar dams and asked the state government to take precautionary steps. Also, the downstream areas of Thirumukkudal in Karur district was expected to see a combined release of about 2.6-to 2.8 lakh cusecs, it said. State Revenue Minister RB Udayakumar said people living in low-lying areas of the districts, including Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur in the Cavuery Delta region, have been advised to move to the relief centres. As many as 492 personnel of State Disaster Response Force have been deployed in districts along the banks of Cauvery, he told reporters in Chennai. A total of 3,956 people have been accommodated in 46 relief centres in six districts including Namakkal, Erode and Karur, an official said. A report from Kanyakumari said about 100 villages were hit by inundation following breaches in tanks and ponds besides release of water from Pechiparai and Perunchani dams. The swelling Cauvery caused inundation of low-lying areas in several districts, including Dharmapuri and Erode, with people being shifted to relief centres. In Coimbatore district's hilly Valparai area, normalcy was affected as rain waters entered nearly 500 houses. A holiday was declared for schools in Valparai and Pollachi taluk in the district and Kanyakumari district on Thursday. A 17-member NDRF team is on stand-by at Mettur to meet any eventuality, officials said. 'There may be some elements who try to weaken the institution,' but 'I and you (lawyer community) together will refuse to succumb,' CJI Dipak Misra said in an apparent reference to discordant voices coming from within the top judiciary and outside New Delhi: 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 KK 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. A third of teaching posts are vacant in Indias central universities and no Indian university finds a place in the global top 100. By Shreya Raman Mumbai: India is one of the worlds top five economies and the country with the worlds largest working-age populationaround 861 million aged between 15 and 64. These data points emphasise why education is critical to Indias future growth. Yet, a third of teaching posts are vacant in Indias central universities, no Indian universityIndia has 36.6 million university studentsfinds a place in the global top 100 and the highest rank achieved this year was 420 by Indian Institute of Science, a five-year low. The rankings of Indian universities have steadily declined over four years to 2018. In 2014, the highest rank an Indian university reached was 328, in 2015, it was 341, in 2016, it dropped to 354 and in 2017, it was 397. These ranks primarily focus on the quantity and quality of research papers55 percent of the weightagehow many appear in top-tier or influential journals and how many are cited by other researchers. Professors play a leading role in conducting academic research, apart from teaching duties. But India is short of professors, with 5,606 posts vacant in central universities, a shortfall of 33 percent, Satya Pal Singh, minister of state, ministry of human resources development (HRD) told the Lok Sabha on 23 July, 2018. At the flagship Indian Institutes of Technology, 2,802 (34 percent) teaching posts are vacant. Vacancies affect quality of teaching, research Vacancies have been affecting the quality of teaching and research, professors told IndiaSpend. For the last 15-20 years, universities have been neglected, said K Laxminarayana, a professor from the University of Hyderabad. There have been no teacher recruitments. A majority of the posts are vacant. When there are no teachers in the university, the quality of education will be low. Permanent teachers have the 'time and responsibility' for research since they are not concerned with job security, Laxminarayana said. But 'nowadays, the entire system is made up of contract teachers.' Professors who do not have a permanent jobcalled 'ad hocs'find themselves on a contract that can range from four months to a year. Recruitments have not taken place for a number of years now, a Delhi University professor told IndiaSpend on condition of anonymity. A lot of teachers have been working as ad hocs. The ministry has not given a nod to the recruitment process. Even if the recruitments dont take place, the teaching has to go on. So a huge number of ad hoc teachers are hired, who dont have a sense of belonging to the institution. The government said recruitment is controlled by universities, and the ministry and Universities Grants Commission only monitor the process. Occurring and filling up of vacancies is a continuous process, Indias HRD minister Prakash Javadekar told the Lok Sabha on 23 July, 2018. Universities being autonomous institutions, the onus of filling up of vacant teaching posts lies with them. Universities are empowered to take a decision to engage contract faculty, if the recruitment is delayed due to court cases or such other contingencies, R. Subrahmanyam, secretary of higher education in the HRD ministry, told IndiaSpend over email. The question of money Funding appears to be a key issue in filling vacant teaching posts. The government says they dont have enough money to recruit professors, said Laxminarayana. So, instead of hiring one permanent teacher, which costs around Rs 100,000 to Rs 150,000, the universities hire three to four contract teachers. India spent 4.13 percent of its GDP on education in 2014, according to HRD Ministry data. This is lower than the UK, US and South Africacountries that spent 5.68 percent, 5.22 percent and 6.05 percent respectively, of GDP on education. Fifty one of the top 100 universities in 2018-19 were from the US and eight from the UK. The Indian government does plan to increase higher-education funding, with an increased focus on research. Government has embarked on improving the funding for research, among other measures, to make the universities more competitive at (the) global level, said higher-education secretary Subrahmanyam. (Shreya Raman is a data analyst with IndiaSpend.) A voracious crop-chomping pest which has wrought havoc in Africa could threaten millions of farmers in Asia, UN experts warned recently, as India battles the continents first reported infestation of fall armyworm London: A voracious crop-chomping pest which has wrought havoc in Africa could threaten millions of farmers in Asia, UN experts warned recently, as India battles the continents first reported infestation of fall armyworm. The pest a moth which devours crops in the caterpillar stage of its life cycle prefers maize but can feed on some 80 crops, including rice, vegetables, groundnuts and cotton. "Fall armyworm could have a devastating impact on Asias maize and rice producers.... This is a threat that we cannot ignore, the Food and Agriculture Organisations (FAO) regional representative Kundhavi Kadiresan said in a statement. The moth can fly 100 kilometres a night and the female can lay up to 1,000 eggs in her lifetime, the FAO said. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research sent out a pest alert on 30 July after fall armyworm was detected in Karnataka. Indian media reported that the pest was spreading at an alarming rate in the region. The FAO said fall armyworm could threaten millions of small-scale farmers who depend on their crops for food as well as income. Southern China and Southeast Asia are at greatest risk due to their climate, it added. More than 200 million hectares of maize and rice are grown annually in Asia, which produces most of the worlds rice, the FAO said. China is the second largest maize-producing country in the world behind the United States. Fall armyworm, which is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, has spread rapidly across Africa since being detected in West Africa in early 2016. Almost all sub-Saharan countries have reported infestations which have affected millions of hectares of crops and threatened the food security of more than 300 million people, according to the FAO. The UN agency said it was offering guidance to Asian governments and farmers on how to identify and deal with fall armyworm. In Africa, FAO field schools have trained thousands of farmers to recognise and report infestations. Farmers have been taught how to crush the pest by hand and curb its spread with bio-pesticides made from plants like neem and tobacco or by using natural predators like ants. Other remedies include applying ash, lime, sand or soil to infested plant parts. Addressing a gathering of lawyers, judges and politicians, CJI Dipak Misra said that he will never 'succumb' to the pressure of those trying to weaken the judiciary Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra broke his silence over dissent within the judiciary on Wednesday. Addressing a gathering of lawyers, judges and politicians, Misra said that he will never "succumb" to the pressure of those trying to weaken the judiciary. The statement was apparently directed at the four Supreme Court judges J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph who earlier this year in a press conference, had criticised the chief justice's administration of the apex court. Claiming that democracy was at stake, the four Supreme Court judges had also questioned the allocation of cases especially the assignment of "sensitive cases to junior judges". Misra, however, had maintained silence over the issue. On Wednesday, while speaking at a gathering organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association in New Delhi, Misra made several observations on issues that are plaguing the judiciary, and the country overall. Criticism is easy, transformation is difficult Addressing a gathering of lawyers, Supreme Court judges and politicians including law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, the CJI said, "To criticise, attack and destroy the 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 and rather constructive steps need to be taken with positive mindset of reforms... with rationality, maturity, responsibility and composure." It's clear that the CJI was referring to Supreme Court judges criticism over the allocation of cases, which was one of the major highlights of the 12 January press conference. Will not succumb to pressure In April this year, a group of MPs from seven political parties signed a notice of initiating impeachment motion against the CJI in the Rajya Sabha. Though Vice-President and Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu rejected the notice sighting lack of sufficient grounds to initiate the impeachment motion, it somehow appears to have impacted the judiciary's image in the public. "There may be some elements that may endeavour to weaken the institution. But we refuse, we all together, to succumb to them. I will tell them and quote Alfred Lord Tennyson's 'Ulysses' 'but strong in will, to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield'," Justice Misra said. Attempts to dent scales of justice will not be allowed One of the cases which became a point of friction between the CJI and the four dissenting judges was the Justice Loya murder case. Judge Loya was hearing the Sohrabuddin case, in which BJP president Amit Shah was an accused. Judge Loya died due to a heart attack while he was hearing the case. While four judges accompanying Judge Loya at the time of his death have said that the death was due to natural causes, the Mumbai Lawyers Association filed a petition, demanding an independent probe in his death. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court began hearing the Judge Loya case even when the Bombay High Court is seized of the matter. The four judges had pointed out that it's not proper (also argued in this Firstpost article) of the apex court to hear a case when the matter is besieged in a lower court, and that it would raise doubts on the apex court. When Justice Misra, in his address at the Supreme Court Bar Association on Wednesday, said that no one should "hurt the Lady Justice", he was probably referring to these accusations. He said the scales in the hands of Lady Justice symbolises the act of delivering a balanced justice and anyone trying to disturb that balance would hurt the queen. "We have to serve the lady of justice, the queen of justice and she holds the scales of justice. Symbolising the act of delivering an important justice has to be balanced as far as possible and that's the true essence of justice and anyone who tries to create any type of dent in that balance is hurting the queen of justice and when queen of justice shed tears, possibly all of us will have to shed tears. "We will never ever allow the queen of justice to shed tears," Justice Misra said. He also said that it was necessary to be productive in order to take the institution to greater heights. "It's necessary to be productive instead of being counter-productive and then only the institution can go to greater heights. Vikas Singh says arguments are advanced for some other reason. Yes, judges listen to them. That's different. But then everyone should remember it's essential that one should work hard in silence and with utmost sincerity and his works shall make the noise," the CJI said. On intolerance, nationalism, etc During the SCBA event, Prasad mentioned "polity of identity" in his speech stating that people should visit the family members of the freedom fighters in recognition of their contribution to the freedom struggle and praise them. Misra didn't stop himself from expressing his disagreement. "I do not deny that each citizen during that period, in his own or her own way fought for the freedom of the 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. Misra also shared his concerns over identity politics in the country. He 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 added. With inputs from agencies The GATE 2019 scores will be used for admissions into various postgraduate programmes offered by the Indian Institutes of Technology. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras has released the official details for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2019 exam. The exam will be held in two sessions on 2, 3, 9 and 10 February, 2019. Candidates can register for the examination online between 1 September and 21 September, 2018 on the GATE official website: gate.iitm.ac.in. The application fee for GATE 2019 is Rs 1,500, and Rs 2,000 for fees submitted during the extended period, which is after 1 October, 2018. The examination will be conducted online, where some questions will be numerical, but most will be multiple choice. Candidates can solve numerical questions using only a virtual calculator, and no physical calculators will be allowed. They can then key in their answers using a virtual keypad. Candidates can access the syllabi for all the subjects at http://gate.iitm.ac.in/Syllabus. The GATE scores, which will be conducted in 24 subjects as of 2019, are used for admissions into various postgraduate programmes offered by the IITs. The Congress and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday took a swipe at the BJP after Amit Shah fumbled with hoisting the tricolour and it slid to the ground at the ruling party's headquarters. The Congress and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday took a swipe at the BJP after the tricolour slid to the ground at the ruling party's headquarters when BJP chief Amit Shah was trying to unfurl it. It questioned how the BJP planned to manage the country when they cannot even handle the national flag. The party posted a video on its official Twitter handle in which the BJP chief was seen unfurling the flag, which slid to the ground accidentally when he pulled the string to unfurl it. However, Shah immediately caught hold of the string and pulled the flag up. The Congress tweeted, "Those who cannot handle the flag, how will they handle the country?" "If those people who have treated the flag with contempt for over 50 years had not done so, the flag would not have been insulted like it was today," the party said. Those that give "certificates of patriotism" to people, do not even know the etiquettes of the national anthem, the Congress said. Kejriwal also commented on the incident, saying that Bharat Mata is sad and added that no matter how strong, one has to bow down before nature. "Nature works in strange ways. No matter how strong one is, he has to bow down before 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. With inputs from PTI While there are 104 pesticides that are used in India but are banned in other countries, the Central governments is reviewing only 66 pesticides of them. Coming out of a slumber after thousands of farmers committing suicides or accidentally inhaling toxic pesticides, the Union Ministry of Agriculture on 8 August put out a gazette notification banning 18 neonicotinoid pesticides in the country. While 12 of them are banned with immediate effect, six will be phased out by December 2020. The notification bans all manufacture, import, formulate, transport, sell the pesticides listed. It all specifies that all certificates that anyone holds to sell these pesticides be returned within three months. Every state government shall take such steps under the said Act (Insecticides Act, 1968).., read the notification. While there are 104 pesticides that are used in India but are banned in other countries, the Central governments is reviewing only 66 pesticides of them. This is a good start, but in the same breathe I would like to say that we are disappointed, said Kavitha Kuruganti, the lead petitioner in a Supreme Court public interest litigation, looking into pesticides violating the right to life of farmers and agricultural workers. In 2013, some 23 children died when their mid-day meal was cooked in the same vessel that used for storing monocrotophos. In 2017, of the 40 who died in Yavatmal due to accidental inhalation of pesticides, 12 were died by inhaling monocrotophos. Earlier this week, the California Superior Court ruled that Roundup, which contains glyphosate, was the cause of cancer for Dewayne Johnson, a school groundskeeper. It ordered Monsanto, the manufacturer of the weedicide, to pay $289 (US dollars) million in damages. In India, glyphosate is the most commonly used weedicide. According to the Directorate Of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage, 148 of the 414 metric tonnes of weedicides consumed in the country in 2014-15 was glyphosate. In 2015-16, a little more than 370 metric tonnes of monocrotophos was used on Indian soil. Both these pesticides do not figure in the list in the notification. It looks like the authorities chose the pesticides, many of which were already on their way out. With delays up to two years, the pesticide industry had enough time to clear their stock, said Kuruganti. The gazette notification does not mention how banned pesticides will be recalled from shops and dealers, and how the government intends to dispose of them. Anupam Verma, who leads the committee that reviews the list of 66 pesticides and their usage in the country said that this was the first time that such a large number of pesticides were being banned at one go. The last time a pesticide ban made news was when endosulfan was banned by the Supreme Court after it reviewed the toxic effects in Kerala. We did discuss a few strategies while reviewing the list. The steps (to remove existing stock from dealers) should have been taken much earlier. It is the responsibility of Registration Committee to implement the ban successively, he told Firstpost. For the effective implementation of the notification, the government must ask the pesticide industry to recall the pesticides banned with immediate effect from their dealers and dispose of the entire stocks following the guidelines of the Ministry of Environment and Forests for the disposal of hazardous waste, Verma said. Activists from Greenpeace India questioned the seemingly arbitrary selection of 18 pesticides out of the official list of 66. We appreciate the government stand of banning 12 deadly pesticides with immediate effect and six more in the coming two years. But why out of 66 universally banned pesticides, have only 18 been banned that too after almost five years of commissioning and three years after the submission of the Anupam Verma committee report? asked Sehar Iqbal, the manager food for life campaign, Greenpeace India. The current ban leaves out monocrotophos and glyphosate, which still leaves farmers, farm workers and rural families (especially children) at risk and poisons the soil affecting farmer livelihoods, not to mention seriously compromising the health of consumers, she said. SK Malhotra, Agriculture Commissioner at the Department of Agriculture and Family Welfare, leads a committee to review the suggestions made by the Anupam Verma committee. He was not available for a comment, despite several attempts. The staff at the Ashish Kumar Bhutani, the joint secretary who signed the notification said: Though he signed the notification, he is not directly working on the issue. Aparna Deshpande, the assistant executive director at the Pesticides Manufacturers and Formulators Association of India (PMFAI) also refused to comment. While the latest available data from the National Crime Records Bureau shows that nearly 24,000 people killed themselves using insecticides, a study by the Centre for Pesticide Suicide Prevention puts the number at 92,000. A large proportion of pesticide suicides are impulsive, with a person contemplating suicide for less than 10 minutes. If a person is prevented from using a highly lethal method, they may use a method with lower lethality, with an increased chance of survival, or the suicidal impulse may pass, reads their expert submission to Malhotra. An Indian oil tanker suffered an explosion off the coast of Oman. The shipping company said that three of its crewmen were missing Dubai (United Arab Emirates): An Indian shipping company says one of its crude oil tankers suffered an explosion off the coast of Oman and three of its sailors are missing. The Shipping Corporation of India says the explosion struck the MT Desh Vaibhav on Tuesday in the Gulf of Oman while it was en route to Fujairah on the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The shipper says one crew member suffered burns in the blast and was evacuated by helicopter. It says the Omani navy and other ships responded to the fire. A subsequent stock disclosure filed by the shipper said: "The fire has been extinguished and the ship is fully manned and operational." The company did not identify the nationalities of the missing. A company spokesman declined to comment Wednesday. The CPM appealed to people of the country on Thursday to contribute generously to aid the rescue and relief operations in Kerala which has been hit by unprecedented floods. New Delhi: The CPM appealed to people of the country on Thursday to contribute generously to aid the rescue and relief operations in Kerala which has been hit by unprecedented floods. The death toll in the current phase of monsoon fury in the southern state has touched 72, while rains and flood water caused extensive damage in the state. "Given this unprecedented situation that the people of Kerala are confronted with, the politburo of CPI(M) fervently appeals to people of the entire country to contribute generously to aid the rescue and relief operations. "Given the urgency, party members, sympathisers and the general public are requested to rush their individual contributions either through drafts/cheques drawn in favour of the party or send it directly to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund," the CPM said in a statement. It said flood water and heavy rains have affected all districts and 1,654 villages of the southern state. Though the state government is rendering all possible help to the people and the army, navy, the air force, and other central agencies are also rendering all possible help, people are still marooned in various parts of the state, the party said. Rise in flood waters in Periyar river due to the rains and opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir, and Idamalayar, have severely affected lives of people in downstream areas. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan once again called up Prime Minister Modi and apprised him of the flood situation in the state. The state has also sought the services of additional army personnel and helicopters and the prime minister has assured all help, Vijayan said. Kochi Metro suspended operations this morning after flood waters entered the Muttom yard near Aluva and train services have been affected in various parts of the state with cancellation of many passenger trains and partial cancellation of some long distance trains. Follow LIVE updates here on Kerala floods Torrential rain and floods played havoc in Kerala, claiming 30 lives today, swamping homes, destroying roads, and disrupting air and rail traffic in many places, officials said. . Auto refresh feeds In Ernakulam district, at least 30,580 people have been moved to relief centres, after discharge from the Idukki reservoir was increased overnight to tackle the heavy inflow from catchment areas and the unexpected discharge from the Mullaperiyar dam, which is in Kerala, but controlled by Tamil Nadu. Kochi metro service has been suspended due to rising water levels. The service will be resumed once the water recedes. The Centre, so far, has agreed to give an assistance of Rs 100 crore to the state and home minister Rajnath Singh has also assured the state government that they will get all kinds of assistance required. As death toll in Kerala floods rose to 67, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted on Wednesday that he spoke to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and discussed the situation at length. The minister will be in Trivandrum today evening to meet concerned authorities for any coordination. He will be available at Trivandrum Secretariat and Disaster Management Rescue office for all assistance. The minister said that he spoke to Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary. Union Minister of State for Information Technology and Tourism Alphons Kannanthanam met the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Defence Minister and Finance Minister to discuss the floods situation in Kerala on Wednesday. According to his statement on Twitter, Alphons said: "Additional relief teams are being rushed to places requested by State government. Spoke to the District Collector, Pathanamthitta and asked him to make sure that all families stuck in their houses in Ranni, Kozhencherry,Aranmula and other places are rescued urgently." The flood situation in Kerala has further worsened with many areas inundated with death toll in the current spell of heavy rain rising to 35. Four people were killed when a mass of earth fell on a house at Erattupetta in Kottayam district on Thursday. Two people were killed in a house collapse at Thrissusr. All rivers from northern district of Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram in the south are in spate. Railways have suspended operations between Ernakulam and Palakkad stretch. The Kochi Metro has also suspended operations. Acute shortage of boats is hampering rescue operations in many areas in the state. The Pathanamthitta district administration has sought the services of fishing boats from Kollam to rescue hundreds of people stranded in various parts of the district following flood in the Pampa and Killiyar rivers. The Thrissur district administration has also sought fishing boats to rescue people stranded in the floods. The IMD has issued red alerts in all districts today and in seven districts tomorrow. Hilly districts of Idukki and Wayanad are experincing extremely heavy rain and heavy rainfall in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts. As the flood situation in the state is deteriorating day-by-day, a total of four teams went out on Wednesday to help those already deployed in the areas. More than 81 people were rescued yesterday and many of them were also provided with food and shelter by setting up a rescue camp. On the seventh day of Operation Madad, Southern Naval Command deployed 21 rescue and diving teams with Gemini boats in flood-hit Kerala as the monsoon has intensified in the state. Seven teams with one Gemini boat each are deployed in Ernakulam district at various places. One team is set up on Pizhala Island and is continuously patrolling the flood-hit area. The team has been interacting with the inhabitants of the island and providing assurances for their safety. Overall, five naval teams with five Gemini boats were deployed at different places in Wayanad district. Two teams were at Thalapuzha, and one team each at Porunnannur, Anchukunnu and Wayanad respectively. The Wayanad team was employed for assisting the civil administration in distribution of relief material and vehicle management while the other four teams were deployed in general rescue operations. Two diving teams have been sent to North Paravur to undertake rescue operations. Subsequently, based on request received from District Collector, these two teams along with four more teams have proceeded to Aluva for augmenting rescue efforts there in light of the Periyar being in spate. One rescue team stationed at Edapally under the District Collector, Ernakulam has rescued two persons till now from flooded houses at Kunnukara. Three teams deployed around Perumbavur were able to rescue in excess of 45 stranded personnel and is carrying out further relief operations, ANI reported. Ten companies of Navy have been rushed to Chalakkudy, five each to North Parvaur and Muvattupuzha to rescue people trapped in homes as a result of flood in Periyar and Muvattupuzha rivers. The Muvattupuzha town, 41 kilometres from Kochi, is under water. All major roads in the area remain submerged in water. Thousands of vehicles are stranded on the NH 47 as several stretches between Aluva and Chalakkudy are in deep waters. Train services in the Ernakulam-Thiruvananthapuram are also disrupted. All trains from Thiruvananthapuram side have been held up in the Thiruvananthapuram Central station. Keralas commercial capital of Kochi is being cut off from rest of the state with train services coming to a halt and road traffic disrupted in the NH 47. The Kochi airport on Wednesday had suspended operations till 2 pm on 18 August. The Pampa river is in spate and has entered Pathanamthitta town. People are marooned in Chalakudi and Aluva. Disaster management work is on in full swing but even rescuers are struggling to cope with the enormity of situation. The death toll has risen to 78, sources have told Firstpost. More shutters of Banasura Sagar Dam will be opened today making the situation at Wayanad even more serious it currently is. 27 dams, including Malampuzha Dam, Idamalayar Dam, Peechi Dam and Idukki Dam, have been opened. IMD has predicted heavy rainfall for next 3 days. According to sources, the high tide is expected around noon today and sources in the Met department said that water logging is expected to recede after the high tide. Seven people were killed in a landslide at Nenmara in Palakkad district in the morning. Three people including a child is feared to be trapped in the debris. Three houses were completely destroyed in the landslide, according to local MLA K Babu. The situation in Aluva, which is the worst-hit by the flood, has worsened with water entering even in relief camps. Local MLA Anwar Sadath said that thousands of people were trapped in seven panchayats of the taluk. The authorities have not been able to reach out to them in the absence of sufficient boats. Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan has requested Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh 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, the CM's office tweeted. Pinarayi also raised the issue of the 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, the chief minister tweeted. Heavy rains lash Kodagu, in Karnataka. Reports have said that the Cauvery river is flowing above danger mark in Medikeri. Eight people have been trapped in a landslide at Athani in Thrissur district. Three members were rescued by police and fire team. However, the authorities are finding it difficult to take them to the hospital as the roads leading to the area are under waters. The landslide had occurred two hours ago at Kurancherry village. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Pinarayi Vijayan after the Kerala chief minister demanded more central government assistance in rescue operations. "Have asked Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state," Modi tweeted. Officials manning the Harangi Dam sub-division in Hulugunda village of Somwarpet taluk sounded an alert at 7.30am on Thursday morning saying nearly 65,000 cusecs of water is being released to Harangi river through the crest gates after heavy rainfall lashed the catchment area in last 48 hours. Meanwhile, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has convened an emergency meeting to review the unprecedented situation caused by heavy rains. Besides senior state government officers, representatives of the Navy are also attending the meeting. The Kerala government has set up a helpline capable of tracking the location of the caller. Chief Ministers office has appealed to people trapped in the floods to call 1077 from mobiles. Aluva town has been marooned. Hospitals in Aluva have been flooded and patients have been moved out to either their homes or to rescue camps. Train services between Kochi and Chalakudy have been suspended since morning. Heavy traffic is being reported from Aluva city as Periyar river touches the town. Thousands have been evacuated from both sides of sides of Periyar river. Sources told Firstpost that, at least, 50,000 evacuated from Ernakulam city. Over 400 people, including at least 100 mentally-impaired people, are stranded at a Christian retreat centre at Muringoor in Thrissur district. The trapped people, include many from other states. The rescue teams have not been able to reach the centre as the roads leading to it are flooded. Munnar is isolated. Low lying areas and places next to river banks are majorly affected. People have voluntarily evacuated alongside the Chalakudy river in Thrissur. Waters of the Pampa river have risen and access to the area has been cut off. Educational institutions have declared a two-day holiday today and tomorrow. On account of incessant rains over the past three days, Ernakulam city roads are waterlogged. Train services have been cut. Kochi Metro is not functioning. Several areas in Ernakulam city are languishing without electricity as power lines have been shut since Wednesday night. Many districts are being cut off due to surging water limiting access. Waynad, Pathanamthitta districts are among the worst adversely hit. The Palakkad district administration has started evacuating people from Athanad near Nenmara in Palakkad district following a landslide at Cherumkaad. Eight people, including a three-month-old child were killed in the landslide. The administration has urged people living in the area to move to safer places as further landslide was possible at Cherumkaad. The services of central forces and disaster response forces were made available without delay, the chief minister noted in his letter. "Now, we have an important duty before us, the task of bringing life back to normalcy. The people of state must come together for this effort." In a letter, Pinarayi Vijayan urged everyone to show compassion for the people of Kerala and come together to rebuild what was destroyed in the rains. "For the first time in history, 27 dams in the state had to be opened. Never before had the state witnessed a calamity of this scale. In spite of that, we responded to the crisis quickly." CM Vijayan tweeted that air lifting of stranded people has begun in Chalakudy and Bhoothathankettu areas in Thrissur district. "Please stand in open areas on top of buildings and houses to avoid possible hindrances by trees," Vijayan said. A man stranded inside his house in Chengannur recorded a video which has gone viral on social media. Speaking to the camera, the man says, "There is no way to escape from this place. I have tried contacting authorities. None, including MLA, have come to the help. This is the condition inside the house. Water will soon move up. It has already reached the stair case level. Please pray. After incessant rains for over several days, the Cochin International Airport suspended operations as the premises got flooded. Relief and rescue operations are underway. Manorama Online reports that since most of the roads and landmarks are submerged, the GPS location tracking is the only easy way to reach the victims. Even that is not working most of the time. He said that he had asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to personally intervention in the situation and send more Army and Naval forces to the state. He said there was big need for boats. The fibre and wooden boats available in the state were not suitable for the rescue operation. The state needs rubber boats, which are available with the Army and Navy. Ernakulam MP K V Thomas said that the rescue operations in the state were slipping from the hands of the state administration and large-scale help of the central government was required to save the state from the biggest disaster. Area adjacent to the National Highway from Mallapuram to Thrissur has now become a raging river, a resident told Firstpost. "There is a traffic jam and I am stuck here for over two hours," 34-year-old Deepak KK said. But enroute he was stuck at Kadavaloor between Kunnamkulam and Changakulam in Thrissur. He said that the situation in the flood affected areas was alarming. He said that the number of people shifted to relief camps in his constituency in Ernakulam district had risen from 10,000 to 30,000 in few hours. Many relief camps are also flooded. There is acute shortage of safe drinking water in many places, he added. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) vice-president and Paravur MLA V D Satheeshan has urged the government to leave the rescue operations to the defence forces. The Kerala police and other agencies should play a supporting role, he added. Calling it the worst floods since 1924, Union minister KJ Alphons said that 12 districts in Kerala are severely affected. "These are the worse floods since 1924," Alphons told ANI. The Union Minister met with Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh and Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the Centre had asked the Air Force to send 10 more helicopters and Navy four more to the state. The additional helicopters are expected to arrive at Kochi by 1 pm, he added. The Centre has also asked Air Force to send 10 more helicopters The central government has agreed to deploy 40 more teams of National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) to tackle the flood situation in the state. The decision was taken at a video conference state chief secretary had with the Union cabinet secretary today. Major landslide on the Palakkad- Thrissur road. Traffic blocked since morning. Many vehicles are said to be trapped under the debris. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the water level in the Periyar river was likely to rise by one more meter and urged people living on the banks of the river to move to safer places. He has also asked people living within 1 km from the bank of Chalakkudy river to be prepared to move out. Vijayan said people in many places were not willing to leave the homes thinking their area will not be flooded. People who have been rescued from Pathanamthitta and evacuated to Thiruvananthapuram have been accommodated at Chala Boys High School, Thiruvananthapuram Strong winds from Westerly direction speed occasionally reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph are also likely along and off south Kerala coast. Strong winds mainly from the western direction with speed reaching upto 35-45 kmph gusting to 60 kmph likely along and off Karnataka coast, North Kerala coast and over Lakshadweep area, said a statement by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea over Karnataka, North Kerala coasts, over Lakshadweep area and Southwest and central Arabian sea. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has warned high waves in the range of 3.5 - 4.0 meters till 11.30 pm on 17 August along the coast of Lakshadweep Islands from Minicoy to Bitra, Kerala from Vizhinjam to Kasargod and along the coast of Karnataka from Mangalore to Karwar. The agency said that sea condition was likely to be rough to very rough over Southwest and central Arabian sea. The Chengannur railway station in Pathanamthitta district was submerged under water. The station is the main alighting point for Sabrimala pilgrims Union Minister Rajnath Singh had a telephonic conversation with Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan regarding the prevailing flood situation in the state. "The Centre is rushing additional NDRF teams to Kerala. We are providing all possible assistance. I am in constant touch with Kerala CM," Singh said. According to a resident in Mallapuram, 11 have so far died in the area due to floods and landslides. The video, taken by a resident of the area, shows flooded neighbourhoods and people using inflated rubber boats to commute from one place to another. On Wednesday, four teams of the federal disaster contingency force were sent to Kerala and with their addition the total number of NDRF teams operating in the state had gone up to 18. Twelve fresh teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been rushed by the Centre today to rain-battered Kerala. Six teams each are being airlifted from Delhi and Gandhinagar (Gujarat) and they will be dropped at Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, a force spokesperson said. Given this "unprecedented situation that the people of Kerala are confronted with," the CPM PolitBuro has appealed to the entire country to contribute "generously to aid the rescue and relief operations." Nirmala Sitharaman in a series of tweets assured that every help sought by Kerala government will be extended. "Several MPs have called for help. NRIs highlighted Pattamthitta, Ranni & Aranmula. Have directed Indian Air Force for airlifting people stranded on rooftops," Sitharaman tweeted. The defence minister said that she spoke with Pinarayi Vijayan who requested more boats, and life jackets. "Have instructed Defence Secretary to respond immediately. Awaiting the list from Chief Secretary, Kerala. There shall be no delay from our side. Additional IAF helicopters will be deployed," the defence minister said. Kumaraswamy said he has already spoken to the Air Force chief of Southern command to help the stranded people to be airlifted with the help of helicopters. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy took stock of the flood situation in Kodagu and the coastal areas in Karnataka. He sent his brother and state minister for Public Works Department H D Revanna and the district incharge of Kodagu Sara Mahesh to camp in Madikeri and to oversee the relief measures taken up by the NDRF and SDRF. The flow of Cauvery in Mandya is the highest since the crest gates were lifted on 9 August. On that day, the water was being discharged from KRS at the rate of 43,809 cusecs. Since then it has been steadily increasing and today 1,22,486 cusecs of water is reportedly being discharged. View of the iconic Wellesley Bridge in Srirangapatna, where waters have reached the deck. The quantum of flow in Cauvery in Mandya has been adjudged as dangerous to the low-lying areas on either side of the river. Tourism activities at the famed Brindavan Gardens, near the KRS entrance, Balmuri and Edmuri Waterfalls, Ranganathittu Bird sanctuary, Paschima Vahini, near the historical Wellesley Bridge, various bathing ghats at Srirangapatna, Dakshina Cauvery at Srirangapatna, Mahadevapura, Muthathi and Shimsha have been banned in view of safety concerns. But, tourists are still being allowed to visit Gaganachukki waterfalls. Scenes from the submerged Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary. Following Narendra Modi's instructions, the chief secretary chaired a high-level meeting. Army, Navy, IAF, Coast Guard and NDRF asked to mobilise additional manpower, boats and helicopters to scale up rescue and relief operations. With the overflowing Cauvery posing a severe threat in Mandya, the district administration has established a helpline and a dedicated control room. The numbers are 0823-224888 and 1077. The residents can also contact the nearby police stations for further assistance. Today, Mandya Deputy Commissioner N. Manjushree and Pandavapura Assistant Commissioner HNShailaja led team visited the flood-affected villages and inspected the situation. According to a report in The Hindu, a total of 20 deaths have been reported so far from various parts of Kerala. This has taken the total toll, since 8 August when the worst floods in the history of Kerala hit state, up to 87. According to a state disaster management authority data quoted by several journalists, over 3393 hectares of land is under spate due to unprecedented floods in Kerala. The magnitude and scale of the Kerala floods is such that till yesterday, 85,398 people were forced to flee their homes and take refuge in over 718 relief camps across Kerala. The state disaster management authority estimates that at least 22115 families were displaced until yesterday. Today, the number of distress calls being made through social media and other channels have climbed further up, with armed forces and state authorities carrying out relentless rescue operations. So far, at least 87 people are feared dead. The sub-committee, constituted under section 9 of Disaster Management Act, will meet representatives of Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments by tomorrow morning to chalk out ways to reduce the water level in Mullaperiyar dam to 139 feet. In view of the worsening flood conditions in Kerala, the Supreme Court has asked an authorized high-level committee to convene a meeting by tomorrow morning in connection with the rising water level in Mullaperiyar Dam. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced assistance of five crores rupees for relief and restoration of the damage caused by floods in Kerala and expressed solidarity with those affected by the extreme weather event, the chief minister's office tweeted . The Central Water Commission has sounded a fresh warning in the Cauvery river basin. The CWC said that there is a likelihood of heavy water discharge from the Kabini dam and Krishna Raja Sagara Dam. The combined released water would subsequently reach the Mettur Dam, Bhavani Sagar Dam and Amravathi Dam, which could cause severe flooding in downstream areas of Bhivani (Erode district) and Thirumukkudal (Karur district) in Kerala's neighbouring state Tamil Nadu. Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac, on Thursday, informed via Twitter that the excise duty on liquor in state will be increased by 0.5 to 3.5 percent for a period of 100 days to facilitate additional resource mobilisation. "Yes, there is a financial resource crunch. But we shall overcome," Isaac said in his tweet. He said that an additional Rs 230 crores are expected to be raised from the move and the additional fund shall be used to carry out relief and rescue operations. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan appealed to the people living along the Chalakudy river and its tributaries to move to higher places. The Kochi Metro has decided to resume the services as part of rescue and relief operations. "Kochi Metro has resumed its operations at 4 pm, today, to do its bit in ensuring that help is not denied to the needy who are affected by the floods. All of Kochi Metro's resources will be used to assist rescue missions and hence the services will be free of charge for the day," the Kochi Metro rail authority tweeted. The ghats of the sacred Paschima Vahini in Srirangapatna are completely submerged currently. This is a popular religious point considered to be the confluence of the rivers Cauvery, Kabini and Hemavathi. Aviation secretary RN Choubey told The Times of India , "The Cochin International Airports Ltd has informed that due to rains, the airport is not available upto 2 pm on August 26. Therefore, Air Navigation Services wing of Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued NOTAM (notice to airmen) till the date and time mentioned above. As a result, aviation operations and flights will remain suspended till then. The situation is being constantly reviewed in consultation with the state government." The Kochi Airport, which is completely inundated by flood water, will remain closed till 26 August. Earlier it was to resume operations on Saturday, however, the closure has been extended till 26 now. He said the first 12 teams are being airlifted from Ghaziabad (6) and Vadodara (6) in Gujarat. "The 18 teams already present in Kerala are engaged in relief and rescue operations on a war footing," the DG said. "The first 12 teams will reach Kerala by this evening. The rest 23 teams are being sent gradually. The teams have been equipped for assisting the state government authorities in launching quick relief, rescue, medical aid and food distribution tasks in both day time and at night," NDRF Director General Sanjay Kumar told PTI. After the meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) early in the day, the government initially directed sending 12 fresh teams of the federal disaster contingency force to the state and later decided to airlift 23 more teams in order to scale up the operations. The Centre today decided to send 35 more NDRF teams comprising nearly 1,000 personnel to shore up relief and rescue operations in rain-battered Kerala. The Delhi chief minister, instead, urged his party workers to contribute to the relief and rescue operations in Kerala owing to the unprecedented floods. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who turned 50 today, stepped out of his home earlier in the day to request AAP workers gathered there not to celebrate his birthday. Kejriwal made the decision owing to Vajpayee's critical health at the time. The former prime minister later passed away. The bench said this was not the time to go into the past and efforts to be made to deal with the present crisis and posted the matter for further hearing at 2 PM on Friday. However, Tamil Nadu government opposed the plea with regard to bringing down the water level in the dam, saying that the inflow of water presently is over 12,000 cusec in contrast to the outflow of 5,000 cusec. "An effort has to be made to bring down the water level of the Mullaperiyar dam to 139 ft so that the people living downstream should not live in constant fear," the bench said. The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Disaster Management sub-committee of Mullaperiyar Dam to consider reducing water level up to 139 feet from the present 142 feet, considering the "grave" flood situation in all the 14 districts of Kerala. My 90-year-old mother-in-law, sister-in-law who is a cancer patient, and other relatives are living in a precarious condition as water is rising not just outside their home near Thiruvalla but inside, too," a relative told IANS. "When we spoke to the authorities there, they said they are helpless as boats are not available," he said. The Centre has urgently deployed 12 NDRF teams, and is seding 23 additional NDRF teams as well. Reports said hundreds of people are perched on the roofs of their houses in the worst-hit southern district of Pathanamthitta, where attempts to airlift the marooned families have failed. Thousands of flood-affected people in Kerala -- mostly in Pathanamthitta and parts of Ernakulam and Thrissur -- have been stranded as rescuers battle heavy rains to reach out to them even as the death toll in the unprecedented floods rose to 88 on Thursday. According to News18, water resources secretary, Tinku Biswal, said in a statement: "Rumours are being spread in social media sites like WhatsApp, Facebook, etc that the Mullaperiyar Dam has developed some cracks. This rumour is completely baseless and the Dam has not developed any cracks as alleged." Torrential rain and floods played havoc in Kerala, claiming 30 lives today, swamping homes, destroying roads, and disrupting air and rail traffic in many places, officials said. Altogether 97 people have died in rain-related incidents since the second spell of monsoon fury got unleashed on 8 August. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kerala tomorrow evening, Union Minister Alphons Kannathanam told reporters. The prime minister will leave Delhi after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cremation and will land in Kochi tomorrow night. He will tour the state to take stock of the flood situation on Saturday. Over 300 medical students are reportedly stuck at Sree Narayana Medical college in Chalakka, North Paravur, Ernakulam district. In a distress message spread on social media and Whatsapp groups, the students appeal for urgent help and say they are falling short of drinking water. The Times of India put the number of those stranded at around 600 as it reported that those stuck include 100 patients, 150 medical students, faculty, locals and even those who were involved in rescue operations. Konkan Railway on Thursday cancelled five trains emanating from Kerala, following the flash-floods in the southern state, a spokesperson said. The cancelled trains are train no. 12202 KCVL-LTT Garib Rath, train no. 16346 TVC-LTT Netravati Express, train no. 12617 ERS-LTT Mangala Express, train no. 19424 TEN-GIMB Humsafar Express and train no. 22114 KCVL-LTT Express for 16 August. He said the first 12 teams are being airlifted from Ghaziabad (6) and Vadodara (6) in Gujarat. "The 18 teams already present in Kerala are engaged in relief and rescue operations on a war footing," the DG said. "The first 12 teams will reach Kerala by this evening. The rest 23 teams are being sent gradually. The teams have been equipped for assisting the state government authorities in launching quick relief, rescue, medical aid and food distribution tasks in both day time and at night," NDRF Director General Sanjay Kumar told PTI. After the meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) early in the day, the government initially directed sending 12 fresh teams of the federal disaster contingency force to the state and later decided to airlift 23 more teams in order to scale up the operations. The Centre today decided to send 35 more NDRF teams comprising nearly 1,000 personnel to shore up relief and rescue operations in rain-battered Kerala. Calling on all AAPian friends to celebrate @ArvindKejriwal s 50th Birthday by making a donation for Kerala flood relief - our brothers & sisters in Kerala need all our help. Just made a small contribution. https://t.co/8WXfJs6mk3 The Delhi chief minister, instead, urged his party workers to contribute to the relief and rescue operations in Kerala owing to the unprecedented floods. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who turned 50 today, stepped out of his home earlier in the day to request AAP workers gathered there not to celebrate his birthday. Kejriwal made the decision owing to Vajpayee's critical health at the time. The former prime minister later passed away. The bench said this was not the time to go into the past and efforts to be made to deal with the present crisis and posted the matter for further hearing at 2 PM on Friday. However, Tamil Nadu government opposed the plea with regard to bringing down the water level in the dam, saying that the inflow of water presently is over 12,000 cusec in contrast to the outflow of 5,000 cusec. "An effort has to be made to bring down the water level of the Mullaperiyar dam to 139 ft so that the people living downstream should not live in constant fear," the bench said. The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Disaster Management sub-committee of Mullaperiyar Dam to consider reducing water level up to 139 feet from the present 142 feet, considering the "grave" flood situation in all the 14 districts of Kerala. My 90-year-old mother-in-law, sister-in-law who is a cancer patient, and other relatives are living in a precarious condition as water is rising not just outside their home near Thiruvalla but inside, too," a relative told IANS. "When we spoke to the authorities there, they said they are helpless as boats are not available," he said. The Centre has urgently deployed 12 NDRF teams, and is seding 23 additional NDRF teams as well. Reports said hundreds of people are perched on the roofs of their houses in the worst-hit southern district of Pathanamthitta, where attempts to airlift the marooned families have failed. Thousands of flood-affected people in Kerala -- mostly in Pathanamthitta and parts of Ernakulam and Thrissur -- have been stranded as rescuers battle heavy rains to reach out to them even as the death toll in the unprecedented floods rose to 88 on Thursday. According to News18, water resources secretary, Tinku Biswal, said in a statement: "Rumours are being spread in social media sites like WhatsApp, Facebook, etc that the Mullaperiyar Dam has developed some cracks. This rumour is completely baseless and the Dam has not developed any cracks as alleged." Torrential rain and floods played havoc in Kerala, claiming 30 lives today, swamping homes, destroying roads, and disrupting air and rail traffic in many places, officials said. Altogether 97 people have died in rain-related incidents since the second spell of monsoon fury got unleashed on 8 August. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kerala tomorrow evening, Union Minister Alphons Kannathanam told reporters. The prime minister will leave Delhi after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cremation and will land in Kochi tomorrow night. He will tour the state to take stock of the flood situation on Saturday. Over 300 medical students are reportedly stuck at Sree Narayana Medical college in Chalakka, North Paravur, Ernakulam district. In a distress message spread on social media and Whatsapp groups, the students appeal for urgent help and say they are falling short of drinking water. The Times of India put the number of those stranded at around 600 as it reported that those stuck include 100 patients, 150 medical students, faculty, locals and even those who were involved in rescue operations. Kerala floods LIVE updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kerala tomorrow evening, Union Minister Alphons Kannathanam told reporters. The prime minister will leave Delhi after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cremation and will land in Kochi tomorrow night. He will tour the state to take stock of the flood situation on Saturday. Torrential rain and floods played havoc in Kerala, claiming 30 lives today, swamping homes, destroying roads, and disrupting air and rail traffic in many places, officials said. Altogether 97 people have died in rain-related incidents since the second spell of monsoon fury got unleashed on 8 August. The Centre today decided to send 35 more NDRF teams comprising nearly 1,000 personnel to shore up relief and rescue operations in rain-battered Kerala. The government had initially directed sending 12 fresh teams of the federal disaster contingency force to the state and later decided to airlift 23 more teams in order to scale up the operations. 18 teams of NDRF are already deployed in the state. Kochi Metro has resumed its operations at 4 pm, today to help with the relief and rescue operation in the flood-hit district. The service will be free of charge for today. Meanwhile, the Kochi Airport which is completely inundated by flood water will remain closed till 26 AUgust. Earlier it was to resume operations on Saturday. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan appealed to the people living along the Chalakudy river and its tributaries to move to higher places. The Central Water Commission has sounded a fresh warning in the Cauvery river basin. In a fresh release, it has said that there is a likelihood of heavy water discharge from the Kabini dam and Krishna Raja Sagara Dam. The combined released water would subsequently reach the Mettur Dam, Bhavani Sagar Dam and Amravathi Dam, which could cause severe flooding in downstream areas of Bhivani (Erode district) and Thirumukkudal (Karur district). Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami, on Thursday, responded to a letter by his Kerala counterpart, Pinarayi Vijayan. Palaniswami told the Kerala government that the Mullaperiyar dam which is managed by the Tamil Nadu government, is perfectly safe and it has been inspected by experts from time to time for any structural damages. A total of 20 deaths have been reported so far from various parts of Kerala. This has taken the total toll, since 8 August when the worst floods in the history of Kerala hit state, up to 87. National Crisis Management Committee met to review Kerala floods situation. Chiefs of three Services, Home and Defence secretaries attended the meeting. Nirmala Sitharaman in a series of tweets assured that every help sought by Kerala government will be extended. "Several MPs have called for help. NRIs highlighted Pattamthitta, Ranni & Aranmula. Have directed Indian Air Force for airlifting people stranded on rooftops," Sitharaman tweeted. The defence minister said that she spoke with Pinarayi Vijayan who requested more boats, and life jackets. "Have instructed Defence Secretary to respond immediately. Awaiting the list from Chief Secretary, Kerala. There shall be no delay from our side. Additional IAF helicopters will be deployed," the defence minister said. Twelve fresh teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been rushed by the Centre today to rain-battered Kerala. Six teams each are being airlifted from Delhi and Gandhinagar (Gujarat) and they will be dropped at Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, a force spokesperson said. As the flood situation in Kerala gets worse, Pinarayi Vijayan warns people to move to safer locations as the water level in, both, Periyar and Chalakudy rivers will rise. "The water-level in both Periyar and Chalakudy rivers will rise. People in 1 km radius of Chalakudy, and those inside km of radius of Aluva, must evacuate the place immediately," the chief minister tweeted. The Indian Air Force has rescued 28 people from Pathanamthitta district. The survivors were rescued in INS Garuda. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has warned high waves in the range of 3.5 - 4.0 meters till 11.30 pm on 17 August along the coast of Lakshadweep Islands from Minicoy to Bitra, Kerala from Vizhinjam to Kasargod and along the coast of Karnataka from Mangalore to Karwar. The agency said that sea condition was likely to be rough to very rough over Southwest and central Arabian sea. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea over Karnataka, North Kerala coasts, over Lakshadweep area and Southwest and central Arabian sea. The central government has agreed to deploy 40 more teams of National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) to tackle the flood situation in the state. The decision was taken at a video conference state chief secretary had with the Union cabinet secretary today. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the Centre had asked the Air Force to send 10 more helicopters and Navy four more to the state. The additional helicopters are expected to arrive at Kochi by 1 pm, he added. The Centre has also asked Air Force to send 10 more helicopters Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the water level in the Periyar river was likely to rise by one more meter and urged people living on the banks of the river to move to safer places. He has also asked people living within 1 km from the bank of Chalakkudy river to be prepared to move out. Vijayan said people in many places were not willing to leave the homes thinking their area will not be flooded. Speaking to reporters, Union Minister KJ Alphons said that these floods were the worst since 1924. At least, 12 districts in Kerala have been severely affected. "These are the worse floods since 1924. I met PM, Home Minister and Defence Minister yesterday. Army, Navy, IAF, Coast Guard and NDRF are conducting rescue and relief ops. It is predicted that water levels will rise," said KJ Alphons. Ernakulam MP K V Thomas said that the rescue operations in the state were slipping from the hands of the state administration and large-scale help of the central government was required to save the state from the biggest disaster. He said that he had asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to personally intervention in the situation and send more Army and Naval forces to the state. He said there was big need for boats. The fibre and wooden boats available in the state were not suitable for the rescue operation. The state needs rubber boats, which are available with the Army and Navy. Unprecedented rain swells Muvattupuzha river, Ernakulam, leaves most places inundated. People are being airlifted in Chalakudy and Bhoothathankettu areas. Survivors are advised to stand in open areas on top of buildings and houses to avoid possible hindrances by trees. The flood situation in in Alappuzha district turned grim, especially in several places in Chengannur and Kuttanad taluks which are isolated and an unknown number of people remain stranded in their homes awaiting rescue. Water level has risen in the region after the shutters of the Kakki, Anathodu and Kochu Pampa reservoirs, part of the Sabarigiri hydroelectric project in Pathanamthitta district, were opened, The Hindu reported. The Kerala government has set up a helpline capable of tracking the location of the caller. Chief Ministers office has appealed to people trapped in the floods to call 1077 from mobiles. Meanwhile, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has convened an emergency meeting to review the unprecedented situation caused by heavy rains. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has just called Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has requested him for more central forces to help in rescue and relief work. He has also asked for more helicopters. PM has promised all help. The situation in Aluva, which is the worst-hit by the flood, has worsened with water entering even in relief camps. Local MLA Anwar Sadath said that thousands of people were trapped in seven panchayats of the taluk. The authorities have not been able to reach out to them in the absence of sufficient boats. Keralas commercial capital of Kochi is being cut off from rest of the state with train services coming to a halt and road traffic disrupted in the NH 47. The Kochi airport on Wednesday had suspended operations till 2 pm on August 18. Thousands of vehicles are stranded on the NH 47 as several stretches between Aluva and Chalakkudy are in deep waters. On the seventh day of Operation Madad, Southern Naval Command deployed 21 rescue and diving teams with Gemini boats in flood-hit Kerala as the monsoon has intensified in the state. As the flood situation in Kerala is deteriorating day-by-day, a total of four teams went out on Wednesday to augment those already deployed in the areas. More than 81 people were rescued yesterday and many of them were also provided with food and shelter by setting up a rescue camp. The IMD has issued red alerts in all districts today and in seven districts on Thursday. Hilly districts of Idukki and Wayanad are experincing extremely heavy rain and heavy rainfall in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts. The IMD has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfalll in the remaining districts, including Ernakulam Acute shortage of boats is hampering rescue operations in many areas in Kerala. The Pathanamthitta district administration has sought the services of fishing boats from Kollam to rescue hundreds of people stranded in various parts of the district following flood in the Pampa and Killiyar rivers. The Thrissur district administration has also sought fishing boats to rescue people stranded in the floods. Nearly 70 people have been reported dead and thousands stranded in various part of Kerala after days of incessant rains. The flood situation in Kerala has further worsened with many areas inundated with death toll in the current spell of heavy rain rising to 35. Four people were killed when a mass of earth fell on a house at Erattupetta in Kottayam district on Thursday. Two people were killed in a house collapse at Thrissusr. All rivers from northern district of Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram in the south are in spate. Railways have suspended operations between Ernakulam and Palakkad stretch. The Kochi Metro has also suspended operations. 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. 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 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. "Kochi airport 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 Kerala floods 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 10,000/7,500 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. On the seventh day of Operation Madad to provide relief from the Kerala floods, Southern Naval Command deployed 21 rescue and diving teams with Gemini boats in flood-hit state as the monsoon has intensified. Kochi: On the seventh day of Operation Madad, Southern Naval Command deployed 21 rescue and diving teams with Gemini boats in flood-hit Kerala as the monsoon has intensified in the state. As the flood situation in the state is deteriorating day by day, a total of four teams went out on Wednesday to augment those already deployed in the areas. More than 81 people were rescued on Wednesday and many of them were also provided with food and shelter by setting up a rescue camp. Overall, five naval teams with five Gemini boats were deployed at different places in the Wayanad district. Two teams were at Thalapuzha, and one team each at Porunnannur, Anchukunnu and Wayanad respectively. The Wayanad team was employed for assisting the civil administration in the distribution of relief material and vehicle management while the other four teams were deployed in general rescue operations. Seven teams with one Gemini boat each are deployed in Ernakulam district at various places. One team is set up on Pizhala Island and is continuously patrolling the flood-hit area. The team has been interacting with the inhabitants of the island and providing assurances for their safety. One team stationed at Edapally under the District Collector (Ernakulam) has rescued two persons till now from flooded 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. Two diving teams have been sent to North Paravur to undertake rescue operations. Subsequently, based on the request received from the district collector, these two teams along with four more teams have proceeded to Aluva for augmenting rescue efforts there in light of the Periyar being in spate. As the flooding was reported near Varapuzha residential area, a primary school has been turned into a relief camp by Naval Armament Depot (NAD) wherein relocation of rescued persons is in progress. Meals and lodging arrangements for rescued people have been arranged from the pooled resources of Defence Services Corps (DSC), NAD and the civil administration. A Medical Inspection (MI) room 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 Naval Base, Kochi to meet any other requirement. Also, the naval hospital, INHS Sanjivani is prepared and standing by with medical brick (packages) to provide medical aid, while INS Venduruthy is standing by for setting up community kitchen. So far, at least 67 people have lost their lives in the havoc created by incessant rains in Kerala. On Wednesday morning, Indian Meteorological Department had issued a red alert for eight districts of the state. It had predicted heavy to very heavy rains at most places in Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasargode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki and Ernakulam Districts until Thursday. Follow Kerala floods LIVE updates here Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has donated Rs 30 lakh to the relief fund for Kerala flood victims New Delhi: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has donated Rs 30 lakh to the relief fund for Kerala flood victims. In a circular issued by the SCBA, it also called up on its members to contribute "generously" towards 'SCBA Calamity Relief Fund' that has been set up for this purpose. It said a corpus of about Rs 30 lakh lying in the account shall be transferred for Kerala flood relief operations. "The SCBA, as always, must come forward not only to express its solidarity with the people of Kerala in times of this crisis, but also provide help to bring some relief in mitigating the miseries of millions," the circular undersigned by SCBA secretary Vikrant Yadav said. The bar body of the apex court said the calamity had struck Kerala in enormous proportions. It said the state has completely come to a halt and people are deprived of their basic needs such as food, water, shelter and electricity. "I request all members of the Supreme Court Bar Association to contribute generously to help our brethren suffering overwhelming and insurmountable difficulties on account of incessant floods," Yadav said in the circular. There has been no let-up in the torrential rains in the southern state which have claimed 97 lives since 8 August. A KSDMA official said that the situation they faced was very complex as it was for the first time that shutters of such large number of dams were opened together. The resurgent monsoon that wreaked extensive devastation in more than 90 percent areas of Kerala has tested the state administrations capacity to deal with an unprecedented situation of this magnitude. The disaster management machinery that got off a severely testing phase from 6 to 9 August, when water from 28 reservoirs flooded most of the central and northern districts of the state, appeared bewildered when rains acquired an unprecedented ferocity from 12 to 16 August ravaging 13 of the 14 districts. Murali Thummarukudy, chief of Disaster Risk Reduction in the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said that the disaster management authority had faltered in dealing with the situation due to lack of farsightedness. Sitting at Geneva, I had on 14 June cautioned that the reservoirs will be filled by July. I had made the prediction based on the experience in Thailand and Pakistan. Unfortunately, our engineers did not foresee this, he said in an article in Malayala Manorama daily. He said that the shutters of the Idamalayar dam in Ernakulam and Banasara Sagar dam in Wayanad were opened without prior preparation and notice. The opening of the shutters of these two dams led to the displacement of a large number of people in the low-lying areas of Ernakulam and Wayanad district. Most people had to leave their homes abandoning their valuables in the flooded homes as they were not given sufficient time to remove the things to safe places. On the other hand, the people displaced by the shutters of the Idukki dam did not cause such a loss as it was done after sufficient warning to the people. Murali has viewed the efficient management of the heavy inflow of water in the catchment areas of the Idukki reservoir as a sign of professionalism being gained by the disaster management personnel in the state. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) is less than 10 years old. Still, it has managed the worst flood situation well with the help of all concerned departments and other agencies in the lower level, including the local bodies. This is a correct model of disaster management, he said. Murali said it was normal for authorities to open shutters of dams without informing residents. However, the UN official felt that the damage caused by the opening of the dams could have been minimised if there was unity between the civil engineers who look after the safety of the dams and reservoir managers who plan water utilisation. Safety engineers may like to release water when levels begin to rise, but those managing the reservoirs would like to hold maximum water in the reservoir. This is not a right way. Those who manage the dams should find out the water level increase in a reservoir by factoring in the rain pattern and water usage every year, he said adding that there was no need to keep the dam full in the middle of a rainy season. Kerala Dam Safety Authority chairman and former high court judge CN Ramachandran Nair has denied Muralis allegation regarding the opening of the shutters of the dams without prior notice. He claimed that the officials had taken all the precautions before opening the dam shutters though this is the first time that water has been released from so many dams in a single day. Weather experts are not ready to blame the government and the disaster management for the present situation. Vinson Kurian, who made presentations on disaster management at various international forums, including UNESCAP, Bangkok, said that none even weathermen had expected the monsoon to change its course in this manner. The monsoon 2018 has had a conventional onset and progress over the country during the first two months (June and July) through typically roller-coaster in nature. Nothing big or drastically different was being anticipated for August. There was no hint of anything drastic happening as per the observations made by most major global weather models," Vinson told Firstpost. He said that the situation had suddenly changed towards the end of the first week of August, with rains acquiring an unexplained ferocity that grew by the day. He said that the authorities were found wanting when nature struck a second time, around 12 to 15 August. Vinson said that weathermen are still at a loss to figure out what changed the course of the monsoon leading to a gruelling 10-day devastation. None has come up with any cogent explanation, except saying that another rain-generating low-pressure area may form in the Bay of Bengal by Saturday resulting in another bout of heavy rains. The current rain phase has been orchestrated by a predecessor depression. What is causing the Bay to churn up these systems one after the other? And why Kerala the focus? One plausible explanation could be the evolving positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) in the Indian Ocean. This is the equivalent of the ENSO (El Nino-La Nina) phase in the far-off Pacific that is being replicated next door to us (in the Indian Ocean), he added. However, he said that the positive IOD is only one cause. The other is the location of the rain-driving depression. It had popped up along the Odisha coast, which is the ideal spot to drag the monsoon moisture over Kerala. As they blast into the heights of the Western Ghats, the moisture-laden flows from the Arabian Sea blow up in heavy rain along the ghats, into the valleys, rivers, rivulets and dams. The 'neutral' phase in the Pacific itself may have been favourable to the monsoon, as it has proved in the past, and the positive IOD and the ideally located rain systems in the Bay may have piled on another to drive the monsoon into a frenzy this time, said Vinson. A KSDMA official said that the situation they faced was very complex as it was for the first time that shutters of such large number of dams were opened together. He said that they had faced a very unprecedented situation. Yet we have managed to tackle it without causing much damage. This is the result of the perfect combination of science and experience, said the official, who did not want to be identified. The official told Firstpost that lack of modern equipment to rescue people trapped in the floods in residential areas had hampered the rescue operations to a great extent. This was solved by involving the defence forces, Coast Guard and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the official claimed. He said that it was a tough situation with all 13 of the 14 districts reeling under heavy rain, landslides and flooding. Roads and infrastructure have been so badly damaged that it sent some parts of the state back to the stone age. After the meeting of the NCMC on Thursday, the government initially directed sending 12 NDRF teams to Kerala and later decided to airlift 23 more teams in order to scale up the operations. New Delhi: The Centre Thursday decided to send 35 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams comprising nearly 1,000 personnel to shore up relief and rescue operations in rain-battered Kerala. After the meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) early on Thursday, the government initially directed sending 12 fresh teams of the federal disaster contingency force to the state and later decided to airlift 23 more teams in order to scale up the operations. "The first 12 teams will reach Kerala by this evening. The rest 23 teams are being sent gradually. The teams have been equipped for assisting the state government authorities in launching quick relief, rescue, medical aid and food distribution tasks in both day time and at night," NDRF Director General (DG) Sanjay Kumar told PTI. He said the first 12 teams are being airlifted from Ghaziabad (6) and Vadodara (6) in Gujarat. "The 18 teams already present in Kerala are engaged in relief and rescue operations on a war footing," the DG said. An NDRF spokesperson said the 23 other teams are being sent from Patna (Bihar), Haringhata (West Bengal), Mundali (Odisha) and Bathinda (Punjab). "These teams are ready to be airlifted as soon as they get aircraft," the spokesperson said. "More units have been put on operational readiness to be sent at a short notice to Kerala," he said. He added that NDRF teams Thursday evacuated a total of 707 persons from Pathanamthitta (172), Ernakulam (151), Kozhikode (99), Alapuzha (202) and Thrissur (83) till the last report came. "Evacuation operation is still in progress at these locations," the spokesperson said. The 18 operational teams are deployed in the districts of Thrissur and Pathanamthitta (3 teams each), Ernakulum, Alappuzha, Wayanad and Kozhikode (2 teams each) and Idukki (4 teams). One National Disaster Response Force team has about 35 personnel. The enhanced deployment of the force comes after the country's apex body to handle emergency situations decided to scale up relief and rescue operations in the state by roping in the three services of the armed forces and other agencies, besides providing essential commodities to marooned people in 14 worst-affected districts. "At the meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha and attended by chiefs of the three services, secretaries of home, defence and others, the NCMC took stock of the prevailing situation in Kerala and directed all concerned to ensure continued assistance to the state government to meet the crisis," a home ministry spokesperson said. There has been no let-up in the torrential rains in the state which have claimed 75 lives since 8 August. A massive landslide killed eight people in Palakkad district of Kerala Thursday morning. Panic-stricken people in marooned buildings and high-rise flats sought help using social media platforms and patients, including those in ICUs, from various hospitals were shifted to safer places. In view of the worst devastation in nearly a century suffered by Kerala due to rains and floods, the government on Tuesday cancelled this year's Onam celebrations, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced. Thiruvananthapuram: In view of the worst devastation in nearly a century suffered by Kerala due to rains and floods, the government on Tuesday cancelled this year's Onam celebrations, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced. The harvest festival is one event that is celebrated across the state. The Kerala government, which had earmarked Rs 30 crore for the cultural events to be held all across the state, decided to divert that amount to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. The week-long festivities were to take place in August with the Thiru Onam falling on 25 August. "What has occurred in our state has been the worst ever (disaster). A total of 444 villages have been affected. The money set aside for Onam will be used for relief. We seek everyone's help in our efforts," Vijayan told the media after a cabinet meeting. Since 8 August, there has been widespread destruction following incessant rains, causing rivers to overflow. The opening of shutters of 35 dams in the state led to huge destruction of crops and properties. In the last one week, 38 people have died and four are missing. According to a rough estimate, more than one lakh people have been affected. The worst affected have been Idukki and Wayanad districts. Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Ernakulam too have been badly hit. Vijayan said the cabinet had decided to form a cabinet sub-committee to look into the quick implementation of the relief and rehabilitation programmes. "From September 3 to 15, special courts would be held to see that all those who lost valuable records are issued duplicate ones and that too free of cost. We have also asked the State Level Bankers Committee to see that when the compensation amount is transferred, they should not levy any charges," said Vijayan. The meeting was held following a directive of the prime minister. The central government has been providing full support to Kerala and has launched massive relief and rescue operations in the state, New Delhi: The country's apex body to handle the emergency situation on Thursday decided to scale up relief and rescue operations in flood-hit Kerala by involving the three defence services and other agencies, besides providing essential commodities to marooned people in 14 worst-affected districts. Chaired by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha and attended by chiefs of the three services, secretaries of home, defence and others, the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) took stock of the prevailing situation in Kerala and directed all concerned to ensure continued assistance to the state government to meet the crisis, a home ministry spokesperson said. The meeting was held following a directive of the prime minister. The central government has been providing full support to Kerala and has launched massive relief and rescue operations in the state, the spokesperson said. In the meeting, the cabinet secretary pressed into service all the forces - Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, National Disaster Response Force and other central armed police forces (CAPFs) and directed that all possible assistance be provided to Kerala for relief and rescue operations. The cabinet secretary also directed that relief material including the supply of drinking water, dry food packets and powdered milk should also be made available to Kerala, the spokesperson said. For proper reservoir management in Mullaperiyar Dam, the NCMC constituted a committee chaired by Chairman of Central Water Commission and engineers-in-chief of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. As of now, 18 teams of NDRF, 9 columns and 8 teams of Engineering Task Force (ETC) of the Army, 22 teams of Coast Guard, 24 diving teams of Navy along with helicopters, aircrafts, boats, equipment, life buoys, life jackets, etc., have been dispatched to Kerala in rescue operations as well as evacuation of stranded people. Besides these, medical assistance is also being provided by the NDRF, the Army, the Navy including in special medical camps. So far, 2,182 people have been rescued, 968 stranded people have been evacuated through prompt action of the forces. The NCMC meeting was also attended by secretaries of Union Water Resources Ministry and chiefs of the Coast Guard, the NDRF, Member, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Chairman, Central Water Commission (CWC) and other senior officers. Kerala chief secretary and his team also participated through video conference. The NCMC will meet again tomorrow to review the situation. The prime minister spoke to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan this morning and discussed with him the flood situation. Modi had spoken to Vijayan on Wednesday as well. Union home minister Rajnath Singh too had a telephonic conversation with the Kerala chief minister this morning on the prevailing situation. Singh had spoken to Vijayan twice on Wednesday. During his visit to Kerala on Sunday, the home minister had announced a Rs 100 crore immediate assistance package. There was no let-up in the torrential rains in the state. A massive landslide killed eight people in Palakkad district of Kerala this morning. With this, the death toll in the second spell of monsoon fury since 8 August has risen to 87. Panic-stricken people in marooned buildings and high-rise flats sought help using social media platforms and patients, including those in ICUs, from various hospitals were shifted to safer places. Kerala's two-page letter pleaded with Tamil Nadu to start releasing water in smaller quantities, instead of doing so only after the water reached the level of 142 feet. "As I write to you, I am informed that Tamil Nadu field engineers (at Mullaperiyar dam) have informed that their digital water level recorders are now malfunctioning and hence are unable to record water levels accurately and are measuring the same manually from ordinary gauge posts installed in the river. Such a stand is inappropriate as the readings from manual gauge posts are prone to error, more so given the current weather and wind conditions at the dam site." This was part of the Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan's SOS to his Tamil Nadu counterpart Edappadi Palaniswami on 15 August and focused on Kerala's biggest natural calamity. It pointed to what seemed like being in the battlefield with your weapons not in working condition. Palaniswami's reply came 24 hours later. "The Chairman, Sub-committee of Mullaperiyar dam during the inspection on 15.8.2018 has found that the digital water level recorder is functioning well. I would like to point out that Kerala is not permitting Tamil Nadu officials to gauge the rainfall in the catchment area and Tamil Nadu officials are therefore compelled to assess the inflow only based on the actual rate of raise in water level of the dam," wrote Palaniswami. This in a nutshell tells you that at least at a government-to-government level, it is not a friendly neighbourhood in India's south. And one of them is not speaking the truth. Kerala's two-page letter pleaded with Tamil Nadu to start releasing water in smaller quantities, instead of doing so only after the water reached the level of 142 feet. The Mullaperiyar dam, though it is located in Kerala, is operated by Tamil Nadu. It serves the irrigation and power needs of the southern part of Tamil Nadu, besides releasing water into Idukki. Put this in context. Vijayan's was no ordinary distress call. This happened on Independence Day, when 29 people were killed in floods in Kerala on a single day, taking the death toll in the last week to 67. When 1.5 lakh people had been moved to over 1,060 relief camps. When the Kochi airport was shut till Saturday. When the army and the NDRF were fighting against nature to save stranded people. When hospitals were under water with no power supply and water and landslides were being reported from the Malabar region. Within a few hours of Vijayan's letter reaching Chennai, the water level surged to 142.3 feet. It was then that Tamil Nadu engineers opened the shutters. The Kerala chief minister was not amused. "We have been releasing water from our dams in different stages since the beginning, considering the extreme weather situation. But Mullaperiyar dam water was released only after it touched 142 feet, leading to intensified water discharge and impact,'' Vijayan said. Tamil Nadu was reluctant to release water between 139 feet and 142 feet in comparatively smaller quantities, citing the Supreme court order that had asked to maintain water level at 142 feet. Kerala, on the other hand, was in panic mode, knowing that once it crossed 142 feet, the mass of water released from Mullaperiyar would be far more huge and would result in increased damage to property and loss of life downstream. "The government of Tamil Nadu will take all necessary steps to manage the water level, as per law, in the Mullaperiyar dam,'' said D Jayakumar, Tamil Nadu's fisheries minister, refusing to understand the nature of Kerala's request. Kerala alleges the outflow from Mullaperiyar has resulted in a flood crisis in central Kerala. Finance minister Thomas Isaac tweeted: "Focal point of flood crisis shifting to Chalakudy river basin due to severe excess release of water from dams partly also arising from non-synchronised release of dam on Tamil Nadu side. The situation in Periyar is also worsening. Much better inter-state coordination required." That's exactly the heart of the problem. In his reply to Vijayan, Palaniswami made it a point to insist that the dam is "hydrologically, seismically and structurally safe". Kerala asks if this is the appropriate occasion to establish that the Mullaperiyar dam is strong when the state is gripped with fear. The state has all along maintained that the dam is not safe and should be replaced by a new construction while Tamil Nadu says it is in good condition after repairs were undertaken. "Their attitude has been the same as in Chennai 2015 floods when the government released water from the Chembarabakkam reservoir without adequate warning. Here, we lost critical time, escalating it to the CM's level, writing letter to the Tamil Nadu CM and also calling the Union Home ministry. They showed no respect for people downstream. Mullaperiyar has to go to a central control, not Tamil Nadu," says James Wilson, Special Officer in the Government of Kerala. Once Kerala gets over handling this disaster, Mullaperiyar will be its top agenda to ensure the lives of people in the state are not at the mercy of its neighbour. Prime accused in a case of trafficking children to the US was arrested by the Mumbai Police from Gujarat Mumbai: The prime accused in a case of trafficking children to the US was arrested by the Mumbai Police from Gujarat, a senior official said Thursday. "Rajesh Ghamelawala, 54, and members of his syndicate allegedly used to send children to the United States on demand," he said. "The racket was unearthed in March 2018 when two girls, in the age group of 11 to 16 years, were rescued by the police near a salon in suburban Versova where they were brought for make-up," the official said. Four persons - Amir Khan (36), Tajuddin Khan (48), Afzal Shaikh (38) and Rizwan Chotani (39) - who were along with the girls were then arrested by the police. According to police, the two girls were natives of Gujarat. "During the interrogation of the four accused, Ghamelawala's name cropped up as the kingpin of the racket," the official said. "He was wanted in connection with the trafficking of the two girls," he said. The official said that based on the information provided by the four accused, the Mumbai Police tracked Ghamelawala to Ahmedabad in Gujarat and arrested him from there on 11 August. "He was later produced in a court which remanded him in police custody till 18 August," Versova's senior police inspector Ravindra Badgujar said. Another official said that Ghamlewala was arrested earlier in 2007 in connection with a passport forgery case. On reports in a section of media about 300 children having been trafficked to the US as part of the racket since 2007, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-IX) Paramjit Singh Dahiya said, "We don't know from where the figure of 300 children came from. We did not given this figure." "In our case, there are only two children," he said. To a query that traffickers were reportedly charging Rs 45 lakh per child. Dahiya said, "We are investigating what amount the accused persons were charging for the children." The students of Manipur university have been demanding the removal of Vice-Chancellor AP Pandey and constitution of an Independent Enquiry Committee to look into the allegations of administrative and financial lapses made by the V-C Imphal: The 75-day long agitation at Manipur University will be temporarily suspended from Friday after the stakeholders reached a mutual agreement on Thursday. The students of the university have been demanding the removal of Vice-Chancellor AP Pandey and constitution of an Independent Enquiry Committee to look into the allegations of administrative and financial lapses made by the V-C. The decision to temporarily suspend the agitation was made Thursday following rounds of talk held consecutively from 14 August, according to a copy of the memorandum made available to the media. The memorandum, signed by Joint Secretary GC Hosur of the Union HRD Ministry, Commissioner (Higher and Technical Education) Government of Manipur and leaders of the agitating bodies, stated that there will be "temporary suspension" after issuance of the official orders. The agitation, that began on 30 May, is being spearheaded by the University Community functioning under the aegis of Manipur University Students Union, Manipur University Teachers Association and Manipur University Staffs' Association. The agitation had affected the academic activities in the Central varsity as well as stopped the declaration of the exam results of the final year college students. Chief Minister N Biren Singh had Wednesday promised that the impasse will be over within 2-3 days. As per the memorandum, the fact finding committee will be reconstituted as an independent 2-member enquiry committee chaired by former acting chief justice of Meghalaya High Court T Nandakumar Singh. Earlier, the University Community had remained adamant that they would not accept the fact finding committee which was constituted by the HRD ministry on 12 July and later reconstituted on 16 July. The agitating bodies did not approve the two officials included in the committee saying that one of the member was a close associate of the V-C AP Pandey. They also had declared they will not allow any member of the committee enter the university. According to the agreement Thursday, the two official members in the existing fact finding committee will be replaced by a retired vice chancellor of a university mutually acceptable to all the stakeholders and that the order of reconstituting the independent committee shall be issued on 17 August. The memorandum further informed that "during the period of enquiry and until follow up action was taken on the inquiry report by the competent authority," Prof AP Pandey shall be on leave. It was also agreed that the copies of the report will be made available to the University Community and that the Registrar shall be the nodal officer for the enquiry committee. Over the past decade, the MSP seems to have become the prime political tool of the party in power to woo the farm vote. Editor's Note: With arithmetic for the 2019 elections in motion, the Union government on 4 July, 2018 announced a bumper hike in minimum support prices (MSP) for various crops to grab farmers goodwill and the attention of citizens and policymakers. Every pre-poll year witnesses this welfare phenomenon. Stories in this three-part series analyse the politics behind MSP, the effectiveness of the policy as an incentive to agriculture, and its impact on other businesses. What is perplexing is the politicking around MSP that is blown beyond proportion, considering the minuscule impact it has on farmers lives and nations agricultural well-being. Ludhiana: Even by his extravagant standards, Prime Minister Narendra Modis promises to farmers seem far-fetched. He has vowed to double farm income by 2022 and pay farmers a support price of 50 percent over the cost of production. Now, the Centre has announced a big increase in the minimum support prices (MSP) of 14 crops, an increase in the scope of the programme that the agriculture ministry describes as a paradigm shift. The announcement of the MSP hike came at a kisan kalyan rally, jointly organised by the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on 11 July at Muktsar in Punjab where Modi addressed a huge gathering of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, who will be among its largest beneficiaries. It marked the launch of the BJPs 2019 re-election campaign. Over the past decade, the MSP seems to have become the prime political tool of the party in power to woo the farm vote. And, with general elections less than a year away, the Modi government is proving to be no exception. A year before the 2009 general elections, the MSP of agricultural products was hiked by 25-50 percent. In the following years, the increase was a measly 3-7 percent. But, a year before the 2014 general elections, the MSP increase was in the range of 28-52 percent, followed by a meagre rise in the next three years. In the 1997 Assembly election in Punjab, the SAD-BJP combine had promised farmers free electricity, which played no small role in their victory. Hiking the MSP has become a similar poll gimmick. Huge hikes every fifth year The recent hikes include a 28 percent increase in cotton prices, 42 percent in the case of jowar, 36 percent for bajra, 52 percent for ragi and 19 percent in the case of maize. The MSP of paddy has been increased by Rs 200 per quintal as compared to Rs 50-60 earlier. Political parties in power are using MSP hike as a vote seeking tool in the Lok Sabha election year to remain in power, says Manpreet Singh Grewal, president, Punjab Agricultural University Kisan Club. With about 60 percent of the population dependant on agriculture and allied sectors, he says, MSP should be declared on a yearly basis on the actual increase in costs. Dharam Vir Gandhi, MP from Patiala, agrees. "MSP should be enhanced on the basis of the increased cost of production every year instead of once in 4-5 years, he says. This MSP hike is a vote-seeking tactic. The UPA government too played the same music before the 2009 and 2014 elections. The trend to woo farmers only during election years is adversely affecting the whole agriculture sector and the consumer. The Commission on Agricultural Costs and Prices (CAPC) should consider all factors before fixing MSP of agricultural products." As Mewa Singh Kular, president of the Innovative and Progressive Farmers Association explains, Cost of seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and labour go up every year more than the MSP hike. Punjab BJP spokesperson Anil Sarin, however, claims that the BJP-led government had kept its promise of ensuring 150 percent of the input cost to farmers. The BJP is committed to double the MSP by 2022, says Sarin. Now that a formula has been devised, MSP hike will be made on a yearly basis to ensure adequate margins for farmers. Prescriptive prices, meager buying But even if the MSP were set annually to reflect the true cost of production, there is no guarantee that there would be many takers at those prices. The government, through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) buys only wheat and rice, while the state-owned Cotton Corporation of India buys raw cotton and sugar mills buy sugarcane at pre-set prices. For all the other commodities, the MSP is just a prescriptive price backed by no buying power. Moreover, even in the case of rice, wheat and cotton, the volumes actually procured at the MSP has fallen far short of targets. For example, in 2017-18, the FCI and other state agencies procured 308.24 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of a total production of 985.10 LMT of wheat, or just 31.29 percent of that harvested. In 2016-17, of the 1,086.6 LMT of rice produced, the FCI and other state agencies procured 381.06 LMT, or almost 35 percent of the total. In 2014-15, India produced 386 lakh bales of cotton of which the CCI procured 86.97 lakh bales (of 170 kg) or 22.5 percent of the crop. With the government unable to buy more than a third of the crop, the announced MSP does not make much difference to farmers' pockets. As a result, the bulk of Indias agricultural produce is sold for a fraction of that price. All that a higher MSP does is benefit a section of rich farmers with surpluses to sell, while the cost is borne by the urban and rural poor and the tax payer. For all the attention it has garnered, tinkering with MSP will do little to improve farm productivity and raise living standards in rural India. What will make a difference are structural reforms that enable the farmer to grow whats sustainable, that leave him free to sell where and to whom he chooses, that improve credit availability and a host of other measures that will boost Indias agricultural ecosystem and make farming profitable. Also Read Minimum support price: Unkept promises on cost mitigation, bad formula to determine MSP compound farm woes The author is a Ludhiana-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com. A government release said Vijayan spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the grave situation in Kerala following the rains New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday morning spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan to discuss flood situation in the state. He also asked the Defence Ministry to step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. "Spoke to Kerala CM Shri Pinarayi Vijayan again this morning. We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked the Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala," he tweeted. Kerala has been witnessing incessant rain since past few days, causing flooding and landslide in the state. So far, at least 67 people have lost their lives in the havoc. As the flood situation continues to grow worse in the state, rising level of water in Muttom Metro Yard area led to the suspension of train services at Kochi Metro on Thursday. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation bus services have also been stopped from Chamarajanagar district for Tamil Nadu's Ooty and Kerala's Kochi. Taking note of the crisis, Southern Naval Command has suspended all training activities to support in the flood relief operations as requested by Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA). All resources have been mobilised for rescue and relief efforts in Ernakulam and Trichur cities in the state. Follow LIVE updates on Kerala rains. Narendra Modi will visit Nepal later in August to attend the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) conference in Kathmandu Kathmandu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Nepal later in August to attend the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) conference in Kathmandu, the Indian envoy has said. Prime Minister Modi, who will be visiting Nepal for the fourth time during his current tenure, will also inaugurate a 400-bed 'dharamshala' built with Indian assistance at the Pashupatinath temple premises in Kathmandu during his visit, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri said Wednesday. BIMSTEC is a regional organisation comprising seven Member States lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity. The fourth BIMSTEC Summit will be held in Nepal from 28 August to 31 August. The seven members of the BIMSTEC are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. Speaking at a function to mark India's Independence Day, Puri underlined the need to strengthen connectivity between Nepal and India through railways and waterways and added that India is willing to cooperate with Nepal towards this end. Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali said that India has shown the world how democracy and development can coexist for the betterment of the people. "India, being the largest democracy, has shown to the world, how democracy and development can go together for the betterment of the people," the minister said at the programme organised by the Nepal-India Friendship Society on the occasion of India's 72nd Independence Day. "Nepal and India can work together forging partnership in the areas of hydropower, trade and commerce for mutual benefit of their people," he said. On the occasion, former Nepal premier Baburam Bhattarai, former minister and Nepali Congress leader Ramsharan Mahat, Rastriya Prajatantra Party leader Pashupati Shumsher Rana and Chief Election Commissioner Awadhi Prasad Yadav also spoke on various aspects of NepalIndia relations. India has also provided financial assistance of almost NRs 500 million to Nepal government for the construction of postal highways across the Himalayan nation to aid transportation and facilitate postal services. Puri handed over a cheque worth NRs 470 million to Madhusudan Adhikari, secretary in Nepal's ministry for physical infrastructure and transport. The amount has been released to maintain fund liquidity for the ongoing construction of 14 roads under the Postal Highway Project. With this payment, a total of NRs 2.35 billion has been released to the Nepal government out of the total grant assistance of NRs 8 billion committed by India for implementing 14 packages under Packages 2-6 of Phase I of the Postal Highway Project. Package 1 of the project comprising two roads has already been completed with the Indian government's grant assistance worth NRs 1.02 billion, and was inaugurated in January, 2017. Many people have asked why Indian Muslims are silent despite lynchings and other atrocities against them. So let me attempt an answer. In Hyderabad, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two Muslim youths, Mohammed Abdullah Basith (24) and Mohammed Abdul Qadeer (19) for "allegedly conspiring to further the Islamic State (IS) ideology to carry out terrorist activities in India". It is alleged that they were in touch with one Adnan Hassan who is facing trial in the 2016 IS module case. From what I could make out, this is just another instance of the doctrine 'guilty by association' which has been rejected and held invalid by the Supreme Court of India in Sri Indra Das versus State of Assam, following its earlier decision in State of Kerala versus Raneef and several decisions by the US Supreme Court, such as Elfbrandt versus Russell. In Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee versus McGrath, Justice William Douglas of the US Supreme Court observed, "(I)in days of great tension when feelings run high it is a temptation to take short cuts by borrowing from the totalitarian techniques of our opponents, but when we do so we set in motion a subversive influence that destroys us from within." Perhaps these youths will be released after spending 20 years in jail, during which they will have to undergo terrible torture, until they are ultimately found innocent by the court, as in the case of Nisaruddin Ahmed (who spent 23 years in jail before the Supreme Court found him innocent), Amir (who spent 14 years in jail before his acquittal) and several others. Many people have asked why Indian Muslims are silent despite lynchings and other atrocities against them. So let me attempt an answer. In one word, the answer is fear, but this has to be elaborated. We must first understand that secularism is a feature of modern industrial, not a feudal, society. India is still semi-feudal, as is borne out by the rampant casteism and communalism still prevalent in our society. No doubt we have provided for secularism in our Constitution, but that is only on paper. The truth is that most (not all) Hindus are communal as are most Muslims. This I can say from my personal experience. When I am with Hindu friends and relatives, and they are sure no Muslim is around, they often spout venom against Muslims, calling them fanatics and terrorists. When a Muslim is lynched, most Hindus are indifferent, and some even happy: "One terrorist less". There is an unwritten policy in the Indian police to recruit very few Muslims. For instance, as revealed in the reply to an RTI query, in the Uttar Pradesh Police, only two percent of sub-inspectors, three percent of head constables and four percent of constables are Muslims. This is negligible in a state that comprises 18 to 20 percent Muslims in its population. Now since the vast majority of policemen are Hindus, and since most Hindus are communal, and since the police is armed while most Muslims are not, it follows that Muslims are usually at the receiving end in most incidents eg the Batla House or Bhopal 'encounters'. What can unarmed people do when faced with an armed organisation? Who can fight the State? Also, since Muslims have been demonised as terrorists and fanatics, they are often falsely implicated in incidents of terrorism. When a bomb blast or such other incident takes place, the police is often unable to apprehend the real culprit. This is because criminal investigation is a science. In western countries, when a crime is committed, the police collects fingerprints, blood, hair, fibres etc from the spot and sends them to a laboratory for scientific tests, and only thereafter is the crime solved. On the other hand, in India, most policemen are neither trained in scientific investigation nor have the equipment for it, and yet there is pressure on them to solve the crime. So what do they do? They often apprehend some Muslim youths on mere suspicion, fabricate evidence against them and charge them. Their bail application is usually rejected as the public prosecutor informs the court that the accused is a dreaded terrorist, and the case lingers on for years. Often after 10 years or more the accused is found not guilty, but all these years he had to spend behind bars. Who will restore these years of his life ? So Muslims have learnt, as the Jews had learnt under Nazi rule, to be quiet. After all, what can they do? Who will hear them? The film Mulk accurately describes their plight. As the great Urdu poet Faiz wrote: "Bane hain ahal-e-hawas muddai bhi munsif bhi Kise vakeel karein? Kisse munsifi chaahen?" The author is a former judge of the Supreme Court of India The 15th of August is not just Independence Day but also a day of introspection. Patriotism is not just of the chest-thumping variety. It is also the quieter, softer variation of helping the nation grow, through teaching its citizens to question. Josh Malihabadi once wrote: "Hashr tak rehne na dena tum Dakkan ki khaak mein, Dafn karna apne shaayar ko watan ki khaak mein (Oh my country! Do not let me remain in the soils of the Deccan till the Day of Reckoning, bury your poet in the soil of his land Malihabad, Uttar Pradesh) And then, the man ultimately emigrated to Pakistan, many years after Partition, under Congress rule. This becomes relevant today, when all those who dissent on any issue from the BJP/RSS vision of India are asked to emigrate to Pakistan by entities ranging from supporters of the saffron brigade to Union ministers. To a country that currently has no scope for freedom of speech, culture and beyond certain limits, even political assertion. The 15th of August was Independence Day and a day of introspection. Why did someone who did not even want to be interred in the Deccan ultimately choose to live out the last parts of his life in a country he professedly, did not even like? Perhaps it was because he was made to feel like he did not belong here. Perhaps because someone else extended a hand to him when he most needed it when freedom implied freedom from the British and not much else. In the past few years, we have seen a lot of chest thumping about nationalism. Could there be a better song to express one's love for the nation than this (in reference to the nazm below)? "Bazm e agyaar mein aaraam ye paayenge kahaan, Ghar jo chhodenge to chhaavni chhaayenge kahaan". (In a gathering of strangers/ in a strange land, where shall I find this peace? Leaving this home, where shall I find shelter?) Where indeed will all those people go, whom the State is slowly delegitimising as Indians? Everyone affected by the National Register for Citizens (NRC), everyone lynched, everyone whose love for the nation is being suspected. Where do all of these people go? Patriotism is not just of the chest-thumping variety. It is also the quieter, softer variation of helping the nation grow, through teaching its citizens to question. It's every doctor who has gone above and beyond the call of duty. It is every person who votes intelligently, and every person who uses the arts to bring colour to life. It's every person fighting to combat climate change and pollution. Love for the nation goes above and beyond just borders and flags and the military. It's love as subtle and sublime as Malihabadi proves. Let's not lose a potential national treasure again because the State was too busy alienating it, in creating its own vision of India. The only acceptable form of nationalism incorporates a concern for the standard of living of the masses, recognises cultural diversity and also imbibes a sense of internationalism. Shorn of these values, nationalism is at its best an acknowledgement of contemporary geopolitical realities, and at its worst, often reduced to chauvinism, bigotry, and imperialism. "Haddiyaan apne buzurgon ki tere khaak mein hain" (The bones of my ancestors/elders are in this soil ) Josh Malihabadi Rahat Indori once wrote: "Sabka khoon shaamil hai yahaan ki mitti mein, kisi ke baap ka hindostaan thode hai" (Everyone's blood is a part of this soil/India is no one's property) Independence is tied to the idea of absolute freedom in this country. The shortcomings today, under BJP rule, cannot be more apparent: Are you a newspaper editor planning to carry a critical headline about the prime minister? Think twice. Are you a college student on your way to a public protest? Think twice. Are you a cartoonist yanking your felt tip pen out to doodle the truth? Think twice. Are you a Muslim doctor out to save dying kids in a failing government hospital? Think twice. Are you a comic who wants to talk about the men in power to make people laugh? Think twice. Are you a student who wants to organise a college seminar on Indian history? Think twice. Are you a woman planning to return home later at night? Think twice. Are you a director who wants to make a period drama? Think twice. Are you a news anchor slated to deliver a fact-check primetime slot about a government policy? Think twice. Are you a dairy farmer on your way to the daily market with your cattle? Think twice. Are you a foreigner who wants to take shelter in India till your rogue army stops chasing your ilk? Think twice. Are you a pacifist who doesn't seem to be hating on Pakistan enough? Think twice. Are you an Indian doubly sure of your nationality? Think twice. Do you want to live in this country like who you are? Think twice. Think twice. Thrice. A hundred times. Think before you have to stop doing even that. The need of the hour is to make an India we love, where the head is held high and the mind is without fear for everyone. Happy Independence Day! The author is a PhD research scholar in Modern and Contemporary History at Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. Angshuman Choudhury is a researcher at Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS) The Shiv Sena on Thursday termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech 'fireworks of numbers, announcements and schemes' and slammed him for the depreciating rupee. Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Thursday termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech "fireworks of numbers, announcements and schemes" and slammed him for the depreciating rupee. It claimed that while Modi emphasised his government's development credentials, he overlooked the slide in the Indian rupee, which has hit an all-time low against the US dollar. On 14 August, the rupee breached the historic low of 70-mark against the US dollar before recovering at close on possible RBI intervention. In this context, the Sena questioned the BJP's claims of development during the last four years of its rule. "The prime minister's speech consists of fireworks of numbers, announcements and schemes and the Red Fort is used for the purpose," it said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. "The prime minister says development had ceased during the Congress rule. However, the rupee has touched a historical low today. When a dollar equals to Rs 70, it is not a sign of a good economy and development," the Sena said. The editorial noted that while in opposition, the BJP used to attack the UPA government for the depreciating rupee and pin the blame on corrupt politics and financial scams, and asked whether the reasons for the currency's slide in the last four years were any different from those during the previous rule. It also questioned Modi's assertion that India will be a "superpower", at a time when its currency is falling. "The prime minister cites an international agency as stating that five crore Indians have been lifted from below the poverty line. The prime minister should name this organisation and reveal from where those five crore Indians were found," Saamana said. Noting that Modi wore a "saffron" turban while delivering his Independence Day speech on Thursday, the Sena claimed this was a bid to reach out to voters ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as a Hindu. "However, will wearing the saffron turban solve questions of Hindutva?" asked the Sena, which is an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra. It sought to know the fate of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uniform Civil Code, Article 370 and Kashmiri Pandits. Farmers are committing suicide and almost all castes have come out on streets, demanding reservation for being backward, the Sena said and taunted that instead of abolishing caste system, the prime minister reiterated that caste-based reservations will stay. The Sena claimed that Modi, in his previous speeches from the Red Fort, had said the Indian Army may intervene in the trouble-hit in Gilgit-Baltistan areas of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. But, a number of jawans on the Indian side have died due to cross-border firing, it said. In remarks laced with sarcasm, the Sena said while the prime minister praised citizens for paying their taxes on time, fugitives like diamantine Nirav Modi looted taxpayers' money and fled the country. "It is from the taxpayers' money that the prime minister goes on foreign tours and the BJP spent Rs 4,000 crore on advertisements," the editorial stated. "The PM gave a good 2019 election speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Two years back when Modi had spoken about demonetisation, terrorism had increased and a bigger number of jawans were martyred," the Sena claimed. "Initially (before note ban) fake notes were being printed in Nepal and Pakistan, but (fake) Rs 2,000 notes printed in China have (now) reached here," it said. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched Dial 100 Mobile app, which will help the needy during emergencies and said that when a call is received through application, Madhya Pradesh Police will reach the location as soon as possible. Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has hailed the police for using modern technology to control crimes in the state. Taking one more step towards providing safety to the people, the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister on Wednesday launched Dial 100 Mobile app, which will help the needy at the time of emergency. According to Chouhan, as soon as police receive the call through Dial 100 application, Madhya Pradesh Police will reach the location as soon as possible. In the launching event of the application, Chouhan said, "Technology like CCTV cameras turned to be useful for police to nab the accused in any case. I congratulate Madhya Pradesh Police for using modern technology for keeping the state safe by controlling crimes. Modern technology has played a major role for arresting rapists in rape cases." Meanwhile, Chouhan also said that other states are getting inspired from Madhya Pradesh in dealing with rape cases of minors. He added that according to his sources, Union Minister Rajnath Singh has written to the Chief Ministers of other states to study how Madhya Pradesh is able to deal with rape cases of minors in short span of time. "I am told that PM in his speech mentioned about death penalty that was given to rapists of minors in 2 incidents that took place, recently. I have come to know that Rajnath ji has written to the Chief Ministers of other states to study how we were able to do this in short span of time," he said. The Chief Minister also announced that more CCTV cameras would be installed outside schools or public and private areas. Last year, Madhya Pradesh assembly had passed 'The Penal Law (Madhya Pradesh Amendment) Bill-2017' awarding death penalty to convicts found guilty of raping girls aged 12 or below. In an another event after unfurling the national flag at the Independence Day function in the Motilal Nehru Stadium in Bhopal, the Chief Minister had said, "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." Supreme Court asked the Assam NRC coordinator, Prateek Hajela, to place before it the data of district-wise percentage of population excluded from the draft in the state and has directed to make available the copies of draft NRC at all panchayat offices so that public can access it easily. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC) coordinator to place before it the data of district-wise percentage of population excluded from the NRC draft in the state. A bench comprising justices Ranjan Gogoi, Navin Sinha and K M Joseph sought the response of all the stakeholders including All Assam Students Union, All Assam Minority Students Union on the Centre's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on the NRC issue. It directed the state NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela to make available the copies of draft NRC at all panchayat offices so that public can access it easily. The apex court said that the claim and objection forms on the Assam NRC issue will be made available to the general public from 20 August. It also said that the receipt of claim and objection forms from the public will commence on 30 August. The court posted the matter for further hearing on 28 August. On 14 August, the Centre had told the apex court that distinct IDs will be created by collecting biometric details of 40 lakh people filing claims and objections with respect to the NRC. It said that after the publication of the final list of NRC, those people whose names will figure in it will be given usual Aadhaar number as applicable to legal residents in the country. On 31 July, the apex court had made it clear that there will be no coercive action by authorities against over 40 lakh people, whose names do not figure in NRC, observing that it was merely a draft. It had asked the Centre to formulate modalities and the SOPs including timelines for deciding claims and objections arising out of the publication of the draft NRC. Second draft NRC list was published on 30 July in which out of 3.29 crore people, names of 2.89 crore have been included in the draft NRC. Names of 40,70,707 people do not figure in the list. Of these, 37,59,630 names have been rejected and the remaining 2,48,077 are on hold. The first draft of the NRC for Assam was published on the intervening night of 31 December and 1 January according to the top court's direction. Names of 1.9 crore people out of the 3.29 crore applicants were incorporated. Assam, which had faced influx of people from Bangladesh since the early 20th century, is the only state having an NRC, which was first prepared in 1951. The top court, which is monitoring the NRC work, had earlier said that the claims of those citizens, whose names do not figure in the draft NRC for Assam published by 31 December last year, would be scrutinised and included in the subsequent list, if found genuine. A rakhi challenge to ensure the safety of women is not only insulting to men but also an outdated idea in a world where women are proving that they excel at all spaces occupied by men and dont need to be subservient to a brother or any other man for protection Theres something inherently ironic about the concept of enforced brotherhood in a country that has a population of one billion. Clearly whatever social monitoring that the elders have put in place over the years to stop the proliferation of adult romantic relationships between willing men and women isnt working. As a woman, I find that the concept of tying a rakhi on an unrelated man borders on the ridiculous. Growing up, it was a running joke between friends that boys would stay away from school or college on Raksha Bandhan to avoid being ensnared by sisterly love from women theyve been meaning to ask out. The finesse of the emotional manipulation of the rakhi between strangers is deeply rooted in the failure of a society as a whole to allow its women free agency in defining relationships on their own terms. Such is the guilt and perversion, that men who tie a rakhi on unrelated women are conditioned to put a hypothetical bond of protectiveness before their emotions. The purest form of honesty is the realisation of self. To deny a man or a woman that would mean suppression of instincts that will sooner or later seek other forms of actualisation in a country of repressed sexual urges and taboo around free sexual expression. You know how deep the perversion runs when a religious man reacts to the horrific gangrape of a woman in Delhi by stating that she should have called her rapists the ones that brutalised her body with an iron rod her brothers and appealed to their protectiveness. Dont get me wrong. Between willing men and women who want to enter a filial bond, its a matter of choice. But its not a choice that should be encouraged. Its a choice that is born out of the patriarchal conditioning of men to label women as weak and claim ownership over their bodies. This is how the transfer of ownership happens in country where still a large number of women go from the supervision of their father and brothers to that of their husbands and male in-laws. While the intention of the Chilkur Balaji Temple in Hyderabad is noble starting a rakhi challenge that will involve women picking random men and tying rakhis on them to spread awareness about womens safety it is grossly misguided. What does it say about the agency of men when they have to be tied down by a bond of brotherly commitment to be able to keep their junk in their trunk? It is not only insulting to men, it is an outdated idea in a world where women are proving every day that with enough institutional support and good practices in place, they are excelling at all spaces occupied by men and dont need to be subservient to a brother or any other man for protection. The regressive concept of binding them in a vague and unenforceable commitment to a strange man is creepy and should have gone out with 80s Bollywood cinema. Has a rakhi stopped a predator from attacking a woman ever in the history of mankind? Strong security and a supportive legal justice system, timely prosecution and checks against impunity and social awareness in the form of school and college level sex education has. The first step towards that is enforcing the culture of looking at women as human beings, and recognising their rights, starting at home. This Rakhi, men should rather take up the Womens Safety Challenge a pledge to protect all women irrespective of whether they are related to them or not, without fear and expectation of favour. Not because they are answerable to an eternal pledge of commitment, but because they are fellow human beings who deserve to be treated with respect and their choices honoured. India, standing at the brink of an impending moral crisis, does not need rakhis to be tied between men and women to enforce familial ties to prevent rape. It needs rakhis to be used the way Rabindranath Tagore once used them, to promote oneness and unity between all men and women. Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray respected each other, due to which the alliance between the two parties had a smooth sailing, compared to the frosty ties now Mumbai: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray respected each other, due to which the alliance between the two parties had a smooth sailing, compared to the frosty ties now. "Even as prime minister, Vajpayee was in constant touch with Thackeray and always discussed various issues," Sena MP Sanjay Raut said. Vajpayee, who passed away Thursday following prolonged illness, shared a "relation of comfort and warmth" with Thackeray, Raut told PTI. Senior journalist Ambarish Mishra said Thackeray had a "high regard" for Vajpayee. "During the joint rallies they addressed, Thackeray would always speak before Vajpayee," he said. "This was a departure from the usual scene at the Sena rallies where Thackeray was the last speaker," he added. "After the joint rallies at Shivaji Park, both leaders would chat and joke over a cup of tea at the Mayor's Bungalow next to the rally ground. Former Union minister Pramod Mahajan is considered the "architect" of the BJP's first ever state-level alliance. Differences between the saffron partners would always be resolved at the co-ordination committee meetings chaired by Thackeray and Mahajan," Raut recalled. Mishra said Mahajan acted as a conduit between the Vajpayee and Thackeray and helped clear any misgivings between the two political partners. "Vajpayee would always tell Mahajan: Aap sambhal lo (you take care) and Mahajan would go to Matoshree, the Thackeray residence, to resolve the problems," he said. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was strong as Vajpayee took everybody along, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said, adding the late BJP stalwart was "bereft of qualities like ego of power". "My heart is not ready to accept that Atalji is no more with us. He is in our hearts. Qualities like ego due to power always remained far away from him. He was a simple man and an innocent politician," he said. "Though Vajpayee was a 3-time prime minister, he believed in taking "all small and big" allies of the NDA along," he said. Senior Sena leader Manohar Joshi said Vajpayee was "friendly with everybody". Though Balasaheb Thackeray and Vajpayee were poles apart in nature, the common factor between them was their funny streak and poetic mind," the former chief minister said. The former Lok Sabha Speaker told PTI that Vajpayee and Thackeray "didn't like politics to be brought in" when dealing with every issue. "Balasaheb was a cartoonist and Vajpayee was a poet. Both were creative and hence bonded well," Joshi said. "Both were bound by the Hindutva ideology," Joshi said. "Balasaheb's approach on ways to implement the ideology was different than that of Vajpayee," he said. But this didn't prevent both the leaders from getting along very well, he added. UK's government on Wednesday returned a Buddha statue stolen from a museum in Bihar's Nalanda to mark India's 72nd Independence Day 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, YK Sinha, as part of a 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 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. JNU student leader Umar Khalid on Thursday tweeted out a photo of a man who allegedly tried to kill him in New Delhi. The tweet comes after Naveen Dalal and Darvesh Shahpur uploaded a viral video claiming responsibility for the attack, JNU student leader Umar Khalid on Thursday tweeted a photo of the shooter, who allegedly fired at him in New Delhi recently. Umar identified the alleged shooter in a photo, where the accused, he claimed, is standing next to the Editor in Chief of a Noida-based TV news channel. Umar had escaped unhurt after an unidentified man shot at him outside the Constitution Club of India on Monday. He was at the venue to attend an event titled Khauff Se Azaadi, organised by the United Against Hate group. The person who attacked me (on the right) with Editor in Chief of Sudarshan News, Suresh Chavhanke. No further comments!!! pic.twitter.com/IfQBwLNcwA Umar Khalid (@UmarKhalidJNU) August 16, 2018 The tweet comes after the alleged shooter and his accomplice, identified as Naveen Dalal and Darvesh Shahpur, uploaded a viral video claiming responsibility for the attack, The Indian Express reported. In the four-minute video being circulated on WhatsApp, two men, one of them holding the Indian flag, claimed, by attacking Umar we wanted to give a gift to the people on the occasion of Independence Day". According to a report from The Quint, two men further said: He (Umar) had said India, you will be in pieces. We will not tolerate those who stay in India and try to break India into pieces, those who commemorate the death anniversary of a terrorist by chanting anti-national slogans like 'Long Live Pakistan'. We seek the help of all our fellow Indians in this fight that we have started. They should not support such anti-nationals." They went on to appeal to the police not to "harass" others for the attack. The police are still on the hunt for Dalal and Shahpur. According to an eyewitness, who identified himself as Khalid Shafi, Umar was attending an event at the Constitution Club when the incident occurred. "We were at a tea stall when a man in a white shirt came, pushed and opened fire at him. Umar lost his balance and fell down, and the bullet missed him. We tried to catch the man. He fired aerial shots and the pistol slipped off his hands before he fled," ANI quoted him as saying. Chairman of Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) Prabhat Kumar said that if the farmers do not agree to hand over their land for acquisition then the Uttar Pradesh government might drop the Jewar International Airport project in Gautam Buddh Nagar on Delhi's outskirts. Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government might drop the Jewar International Airport project in Gautam Buddh Nagar on Delhi's outskirts if the farmers do not agree to hand over their land for acquisition, a top official said on Thursday. Chairman of Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) Prabhat Kumar told PTI that they met over 100 farmers of six villages on Wednesday in Noida and tried to clear their doubts regarding the land acquisition. "We met village heads and farmers of six villages, where land was proposed to be acquired for the project. They were given offer regarding land rates and other benefits. If they (farmers) do not agree, the airport project might be dropped," he said. "The farmers were assured that their land will not be procured without their willingness as per the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The farmers will consider our proposal and respond. We hope for the best," said Kumar, who is also UP agriculture production commissioner. As per the offer, farmers would be given Rs 2,300 to Rs 2,500 per square metre for the agricultural land that is to be acquired for an international airport in Jewar, along the 165 km Yamuna Expressway. The state government, in the first phase, wants to acquire 1,441 hectare from eight villages Rohi, Parohi, Banwaribas, Ramner, Dayanatpur, Kishorpur, Mukimpur Shivara and Ranhera. Of these, three villages will be excluded from the acquisition process as of now, as land from Ramner, Mukimpur Shivara and Banwaribas will not be needed. The government will acquire a total of 5,000 hectares for the project and its estimated budget is Rs 15,000- 20,000 crore. As per plans, the airport is expected to become operational by 2022-23. "If farmers agree to the offer, the land will bought by September and immediate payment will be made and the project will be inaugurated in October," a senior official said. Conceived in 2001 when Rajnath Singh was the chief minister, the Jewar Airport project has seen several hurdles, mostly owing to a tussle between the central and state governments. The plan was forgotten after the BJP was voted out of power in Uttar Pradesh. In the years that followed, the state saw the BSP and SP in the saddle. In 2010, then chief minister Mayawati attempted to revive the project. But, then UPA government at the Centre raised objections, saying an airport in Jewar could affect business at IGI Airport in the national capital. When the SP came to power in 2012, it moved a fresh proposal for the airport to be built in Agra. After concerns were raised by the then defence minister over its proximity to the IAF base in Kheria, it was proposed that the project be moved to Firozabad or then party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's village, Saifai. It was in 2014, when the BJP came to power at the Centre, that current Union minister Mahesh Sharma, elected as MP from the Gautam Buddh Nagar Lok Sabha constituency, said setting up an international airport in Jewar was one of his top priorities. In 2017, ten months after the Civil Aviation Ministry asked the government to conduct a fresh techno-economic feasibility and obstacle limitation survey, YEIDA appointed engineering consultancy company RITES for the job. The project was put on fast track after the BJP won the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu visited AIIMS on Thursday to inquire about the condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who has been undergoing treatment at the premier institute. New Delhi: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu visited AIIMS on Thursday to enquire about the condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who has been undergoing treatment at the premier institute. Vajpayee's condition is critical and he continues to be on advanced life-support system. BJP chief Amit Shah, union health minister JP Nadda, is at AIIMS, while Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and Union ministers Prakash Javadekar, Dharmendra Pradhan are expected to visit the premier medical institute soon. Home Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit AIIMS at 10.30. The 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party leader was admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on 11 June with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. The veteran BJP leader, a diabetic, has one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited AIIMS last evening to enquire about the condition of Vajpayee. Before the modern-day Gregorian calendar year-month-week-day breakdown of our lives began, what would we have used? A look at the days of the week in the Hindu calendar reveal that they are exact correspondents to the Roman one, from distribution to superstition. It is Thursday as I'm writing this. Thursday, from the Norse god Thor (the original, not the Marvel version), also the ruling god of the planet Jupiter. In Hindu mythology too, it corresponds to the god of Jupiter, Brihaspati. Brihaspati was the teacher to all the gods, which means he's also known as Guru, which means today in Hinduism is either Brihaspativar or the much more commonly used Guruvar. Time is a weird thing. I started thinking about it when I was researching my last novel book two in a series about the women of the Mahabharata. Before the modern-day Gregorian calendar year-month-week-day breakdown of our lives began, what would we have used? I assumed they thought about time like seasons the last rain, the last cold season, or even the last time the moon was full but it got me curious about how we arrived at where we are today. A look at the days of the week in the Hindu calendar reveal that they are exact correspondents to the Roman one. Sunday is Ravivar, the god of the sun, Monday is Somvar for the moon, Tuesday is Mangalvar for Mars, Wednesday is Budhvar for Mercury, Thursday, like I already said, is Guruvar for Jupiter, Friday is Sukravar for Venus and Saturday is Shanivar for Saturn. This is a relatively new way of looking at the calendar new for Hinduism, ie dating back to about the 4th or 5th century, when a king called Rudraman I, asked for a Greek text on horoscopes to be translated into Sanskrit. This book, called the Yavanajataka (Yavana is Greek, jataka is nativity) is what led to Hinduism's days of the week, and a text modern-day Indians use to this day. If you spend enough time on the internet, you'll see a certain type of person complaining about how kal-yug is here already, and what are we going to do, we're all going to die in pits of fire and whatnot. The kali-yuga, the era associated with goddess Kali and also disharmony and strife and the rest of them, are measurements of eras by early Indian astrologers. They all stack downwards from the all-encompassing era or yuga, which is the life of Brahma, the creator god. Brahma's 311-trillion-year lifespan is also how long the universe will last. This is also one exhalation of the god Vishnu's breath each exhale leads to thousands of new universes and new Brahmas. (Each inhalation well, you should just hope he's holding his breath.) Too much math? Here's more: according to calculations based on this calendar, we still have over four million years to go before this era is over. That's comforting when you think about climate change. There's an old English rhyme that goes: Monday's child is fair of face/Tuesday's child is full of grace/Wednesday's child is full of woe/Thursday's child has far to go/Friday's child is loving and giving/Saturday's child works hard for a living/But the child that is born on the Sabbath day, is happy and good and bonny and gay. The Hindu days of the week well, more like the Hindu planets are associated with traits of character as well. Remember that old rumour about Aishwarya Rai having to marry a tree before she married Abhishek Bachchan? That came about because she was born under the planet Mangala, making her full of anxious thoughts [...] and will lose her land, trees and good name. Mangala is better than being born under the influence of Shani, who is represented, no surprise, as a black man with four arms riding a crow. If you have Shani in your birth influence, you're basically doomed: he will be slandered, says my book of Hindu mythology by WJ Wilkins, his riches dissipated, his son, wife and friends destroyed, he will live at variance with others and endure many sufferings. Poor old Shani. He was born to the god Surya and his wife's shadow; the wife herself couldn't put up with how bright her sun god husband was, and took a little break back at her parents house, by leaving her shadow behind, as her stand-in. The shadow (Chhaya) and Surya had three children of their own, one of them the god Shani, who was born so dark, Surya doubted it was his kid. Shani was born with a temper though, so he burnt his father to a crisp with his own blazing eyes. Who needs a DNA test after that display of sunburn? As for me, since I'm going on a short trip this Thursday, I'm going to send up some salutations to Zeus, Thor and Brihaspati. Who knows maybe it'll bring me some luck. Read more from the 'Mythology for the Millennial' series here. Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan is the author of several books, including The One Who Swam with the Fishes: Girls of the Mahabharata. She tweets @reddymadhavan UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi described former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a 'towering figure' who stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts. Auto refresh feeds "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 system," Dr Aarti Vij said in a press release. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is critical and has been put on life support system after his health deteriorated in the last one day, AIIMS said in a statement on Wednesday night. The health update came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the AIIMS on Wednesday evening to inquire about the condition of the former Prime Minister. Modi reached the hospital at around 7.15 pm and spent about 50 minutes there. This was his fourth visit since Vajpayee got admitted at the hospital on June 11. Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Suresh Prabhu, Jitendra Singh and Harsh Vardhan, and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi also visited the hospital to check on Vajpayee. Earlier in the evening, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani was also seen at AIIMS. The condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has worsened over the past 24 hours and he has been put on life-support system, the AIIMS said in a statement on Wednesday night. "Unfortunately, his condition has worsened over the last 24 hours. His condition is critical and he is on life-support system," the AIIMS said in the statement. Firstpost oped says: In the course of his long political journey, Vajpayee's personal integrity did not receive a single stain and his political chastity and credibility remained impeccable. Better known as Atalji, he could easily make space among people through his mild manners, gentle humour and poetic lilt. After Jawaharlal Nehru, he is the only Indian political leader under whose direction a party won three general elections in a row. Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu leaves All India Institute of Medical Sciences where former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been admitted. "Sad to hear about Ataljis health. I pray to God for his fast recovery", Kejriwal tweeted on Thursday morning. According to reports, another medical bulletin on Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health is expected to be released by AIMS in an hour. Vajpayee, a diabetic, has only one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. And subsequently, he developed dementia, according to PTI. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is also expected to soon pay a visit to ailing former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Atal Bihari Vajpayee is under the supervision of Dr Randeep Guleria who is currently the director of AIIMS. Dr Guleria has been the personal physician of Vajpayee for over three decades. A team of doctors from the nephrology, gastroenterology, pulmonology and cardiology departments is keeping round-the-clock check on the ailing leader, Moneycontrol reported . Dr Randeep Guleria is expected to visit Vajpayee in the ICU at 10 am, after which a health bulletin is expected around 10.30 am by AIIMS, CNN-News18 reported. Union home minister Rajnath Singh will visit ailing Vajpayee at AIIMS at around 10.30 am on Thursday, CNN News18 reported. Indias independence was accompanied by the creation of Pakistan. Partition had traumatic consequences: the killing of lakhs of innocent men, women and children, and the uprooting of crores. Since independence, therefore, a vital touchstone for judging Government of Indias handling of external affairs has been its Pakistan Policy. Only a government confident of itself could have responded to all this in the manner in which Vajpayee did. He first had the Army use its full might to quell the Kargil operation, which was the Generals own adventure. And he followed it up by another brave move : an invitation to the General for talks at Agra. It was this firm stand that made the General ultimately discard his Agra attitude and at Islamabad in January 2004 sign a joint statement with Vajpayee that he will not permit any territory under Pakistans control to be used to support terrorism in any manner . BJP veteran LK Advani in one of his blogs in 2010, had mentioned that how under the then UPA government the country's equation with Pakistan was in shambles. He then recollected how Atal Bihari Vajpayee under his regime had successfully led the Pakistan Army general to surrender before him, hailing his confidence and the stand he too on Kashmir. Prayers and rituals to wish for Atal Bihari Vajapyee's health have started across the country with some students performing a havan to pray for his speedy recovery. Vajpayee while grieving Rajiv Gandhi's death in 1991 had addressed him as his "younger brother" and had said that. "Rajiv Gandhi is the reason I am alive today." As CNN News 18 reported, this goes on to show the kind of equation he shared with even his political opponents. The BJP leader was admitted to AIIMS with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. "Both his lungs are not in good condition because of pneumonia on both sides and kidneys are also weak. He is critical," a source said on Thursday, as reported by PTI. Vajpayee has pneumonia in both lungs and his kidneys are also weak: Sources Senior BJP leader LK Advani and daughter Pratibha Advani arrived at AIIMS hospital on Thursday morning to see ailing former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "I have been praying to god that just once I can see him give a speech again. Our family can never ever erase that image of his from our minds. I hope he gets well soon," said his niece, Kanti Mishra to ANI. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was conferred India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 2014. The same year, Modi government declared that Vajpayee's birth anniversary, i.e., 25 December, would be marked as Good Governance Day. Vajpayee was honoured with Bharat Ratna in 2014; his birthday is celebrated as Good Governance Day AIIMS director will brief the Prime Minister's Office about the health of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Doctors at AIIMS are presently monitoring Vajpayee in ICU and the next one hour is said to be crucial, News18 reported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi may pay a second visit to Atal Bihari Vajpayee in AIIMS. The hospital is expected to release the latest medical bulletin after Modi's visit, according to News18. Narendra Modi may visit AIIMS again; next medical bulletin to be released after his visit, say reports In view of Atal Bihari Vajpayees critical health, BJP has suspended all its programmes. An event scheduled for 20 August where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to launch a book on Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidus one year in office has also been postponed, according to News18. "Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition continues to remain the same. He is critical and on life support systems, read the AIIMS statement released on Thursday morning. The entire Karnataka BJP leadership is heading from Bengaluru to Delhi, including Union minister Sadananda Gowda. Former Karnataka chief minister and state BJP President BS Yeddyurappa has suspended all meetings and scheduled plans in view of Vajpayees sensitive health, News18 reported. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has requested his party volunteers not to celebrate his birthday in view of the deteriorating health condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vaajpayee. He has requests the volunteers to refrain from visiting his residence, according to reports. "We all should pray for his recovery. We should not forget that he is a leader who wanted to make the country strong. He wanted peace not only in our country but the whole world: National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said after visiting ailing former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in AIIMS, ANI reported. Farooq Abdullah visits Vajpayee in AIIMS, says 'he is a leader who only wanted peace' "Deeply concerned about the deteriorating health condition of former minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Going to Delhi to see him at AIIMS. Praying to Lord Jagannath for his speedy recovery," the BJD chief tweeted. Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje also visited AIIMS. She had cancelled her 'gaurav yatra' to the Delhi to see an ailing Atal Bihari Vajpayee. While security outside AIIMS hospital and Atal Bihari Vajpayee's residence in Delhi has been beefed up, traffic has also been blocked and no new entries are being allowed inside the hospital premises. Prime minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah are expected to visit the AIIMS hospital again soon, according to reports. This will be Modi's second visit to the hospital within 24 hours. Narendra Modi has re-visited the AIIMS hospital in Delhi. He will be briefed by the team of doctors treating former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The West Bengal chief minister said, "I have cancelled my work to visit Atal Bihari Vajpayee today. I got chance to work with him. He is a statesman like figure. We supported him when his govt was falling. His pattern of work was different and not like present politics." Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur will be leaving for Delhi at 3 pm. He will be accompanied by minister Satpal Satti. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is expected to land at Delhi airport soon and reach AIIMS at around 2.45 pm, News18 reported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left the AIIMS hopsital in Delhi after get briefed by the team of doctors treating former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Special prayers were organised at Dakshinmukhi Hanuman temple and the one at the BJP office in Lucknow. Children offered prayers and said 'duas' at madarsas and a public school in the city. Shortly after the news spread that the veteran leader's health has deteriorated, people began flocking to temples to offer prayers and hold 'havans' for his longevity. As former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee continues to battle for life at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, people of all faiths in his "karam bhoomi" Lucknow held special prayers for his long life. According to reports, movement in and around All India Institutes of Medical Sciences has been restricted. An official statement on Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health is expected soon. Loktantrik Janata Dal Sharad Yadav tweeted saying that he worked with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a minister in his government and that the former prime minister loved him a lot. "His health is not well. I pray for his early recovery and long life," he said in the tweet. Leaders cutting across party lines on Thursday prayed for the recovery of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajayee, who is in a "critical" condition. Among those who visited him at AIIMS hospital in Delhi are senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda, party president Amit Shah, Shahnawaj Hussain, Manoj Tiwari, Anurag Thakur, Union ministers Prakash Javedkar, Harsh Vardhan visited him at the hospital. Addressing the media, Health Minister JP Nadda said that former prime minister's condition is "still critical", and that the doctors at AIIMS are taking efforts to revive his health. He also said that the medical bulletin will be out soon. Congress president Rahul Gandhi visited former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at AIIMS on Thursday. Earlier, at 'Sanjhi Virasat Bachao Sammelan' event in Delhi, Rahul had said, "Vajpayee is in the hospital and we pray for him." The prime minister was at the hospital for a little over 45 minutes. Modi had visited the hospital on evening also to enquire about Vajpayee's condition. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan was also at the hospital. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited AIIMS to enquire about the health condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, his second visit in less than 24 hours. BJP president Amit Shah also reached the hospital for the second time since morning. Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi was seen arriving at All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi where former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is admitted and is in a "critical condition. "Atal ji and Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray shared close relations when the Sena supremo was alive. Their personal bonding was one of the reasons why the BJP-Sena alliance stayed strong for decades. It would be natural for Uddhav ji to visit the former prime minister to check on his health," a source close to Thackeray said. Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray may leave for New Delhi on Thursday evening to enquire about the health of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is on life support at the AIIMS, sources said. As anxiety grew about the state of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health, then advisor to former prime minister Ashok Tandon explained why people are praying for 93-year-old leader's recovery."Entire country loves him. Present generation of politicians draws inspiration from him. The manner in which he maintained dignity in the Parliament is exemplary," he said. In a tweet, Stalin, also leader of opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, said, "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the senior leader and we join them in wishing him a speedy recovery." "As of now, the national executive has been postponed, and its dates will be finalised later," a party leader said. The BJP on Thursday postponed its two-day national executive, slated for 18-19 August, in the wake of critical health condition of its veteran leader and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi arrived at All India Institute of Medical Science. They were accompanied by Bihar minister Nand Kishore Yadav. Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot and Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Raj Babbar have reached AIIMS where the former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is on life support. Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh said that the entire country is praying for the health of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "Chhattisgarh and the entire nation is praying for him. We pray to the God to make him healthy soon and bless him with a long life," he said. A number of chief ministers, including Madhya Pradesh's Shivraj Singh Chouhan, West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee, Assam's Sarbananda Sonowal, are expected to arrive in Delhi later on Thursday. Several governors, including Assam's Jagdish Mukhi, are also arriving in Delhi. A large crowd of mediapersons and others have gathered outside the hospital in south Delhi to get updates on Vajpayee's heath, affecting movement of traffic on the road today. Policemen have been deployed to manage the crowd and traffic outside the hospital. Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia has cancelled his Guna tour in view of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health. Scindia will be flying to Delhi from Bhopal on Thursday evening. Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is under the supervision of Randeep Guleria, a pulmonologist and currently the Director of AIIMS. Guleria has served as personal physician to the three-time prime minister for over three decades. "Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today," it said. In a statement, AIIMS said that former prime minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee passed away at 5.05 pm on Thursday. "It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former prime minister of India Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at 5.05 pm," the hospital said in a statement. "Atal ji's passing away is a personal and irreplaceable loss for me. I have countless fond memories with him. He was an inspiration to karyakartas like me. I will particularly remember his sharp intellect and outstanding wit," he said. In a series of tweets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness," Modi said. President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted after the demise of former prime minister Ram Nath Kovind. "Extremely sad to hear of the passing of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, our former prime minister and a true Indian statesman. His leadership, foresight, maturity and eloquence put him in a league of his own," he said. The Gentle Giant, will be missed by one and all, says Ram Nath Kovind News agency Xinhua tweeted about former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's demise by using the image of former defence minister George Fernandes. In a tweet, former president Pranab Mukherjee said, "A reasoned critique in Opposition and a seeker of consensus as prime minister, Atal ji was a democrat to the core. In his passing away, India has lost a great son and an era has come to an end. My deepest condolences." According to India Today, the Union Cabinet is like to meet at 6.30 pm to pass a resolution about national mourning in wake of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death In another tweet, Naidu said that Vajpayee's speech inspired him to join politics. "I used to be such a fan of his from my college days," he said. Remembering Atal Bihari Vajpayee as "a friendly and lovable prime minister India has had", Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu said that, India has "lost a multi-faceted Ratna, a diamond that adorned Bharata Mata for many decades." "Today India lost a great son. Former prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family and all his admirers," Congress president Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet. Speaking to reporters, Venkaiah Naidu hailed Atal Bihari Vajpayee as "a big reformer". "He brought connectivity revolution in the country. For five years, he provided a stable government. He was a true Indian. It was his remarkable humility to take everyone along with him. He was an honest leader of the country post-independence. It's a big loss," he said. "The nation pays homage to the great son of this country." The body of Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been taken out of AIIMS. Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that his mortal remains will be taken to his residence, where people can pay tribute to him. Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said, "He was a very simple man, in spite of being such a senior leader. There was not even a shred of arrogance in him. Current leaders need to learn a lot from him." The BJP has canceleed its national executive meeting, which was scheduled to be held on 18-19 August, reported ANI . Condoling the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik said, "I am deeply grieved at the sad demise of Vajpayee ji. India has lost one of its tallest leaders." "I have learnt with profound sorrow about the sad demise of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vaajpayee ji. An excellent orator, an impressive poet, an exceptional public servant, an outstanding Parliamentarian and a great prime minister" ANI quoted former prime minister Manmohan Singh as saying. "Atal ji will be remembered as the pioneer of the first ever stable non-Congress coalition government at the Centre and I had the privilege of working as his deputy for six years." Referring to Atal Bihari Vajpayee as his "closest friend for over 65 years", senior BJP leader LK Advani said that he was at a loss of words to express his "deep grief and sadness". "I cherish the memories of my long association with him, right from our days as pracharaks of the RSS, to the inception of Bharatiya Jana Singh, the struggle of the dark months during the Emergency leading to the formation of Janata Party and later the emergence of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980," Advani was quoted as saying on Thursday by PTI. Vajpayee will be remembered as pioneer of first stable non-Congress govt, says LK Advani The mortal remains of Vajpayee are expected to reach his residence in Delhi shortly. The mortal remains of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will reach his residence shortly, where people will be able to pay their last respects. The body will be taken to BJP headquarters at 10 am on Friday, according to reports. The central government has announced a seven-day State mourning throughout India. During this period, the National Flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India where its regularly flown. A State funeral will also be accorded. Meanwhile, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, "He may be not with us physically, but his vision will always be with us, losing a person whom we always looked up to is a personal loss for all of us and I am sure we will always take inspiration from his ideology." Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan described Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a "great politician who was loved by million. "It's unimaginable that our beloved Atal ji is no more with us. This is an end of a political era, the void of his absence can never be filled," he said. Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia announced on Twitter that all Delhi government offices, schools, and other institutions will remain closed on Friday as "a mark of respect" for Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Reacting to the passing of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said, "Atal ji was like a star in the sky of politics, which shone brighter than everyone else. He had the unique ability to bring everyone together. Even if you ask the opposition they hold a sense of respect for him." Twenty-four years later, Vajpayee's words took concrete shape and shook the world when India conducted nuclear tests and emerged as a nuclear power with Operation Shakti in Pokhran in 1998. Rajya Sabha MP and Bharatiya Jana Sangh (later Bharatiya Janata Party) leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the aforementioned words in the Parliament in 1964 after the People's Republic of China detonated a 16-kiloton bomb, its first nuclear test, on 16 October, 1964, to become the fifth nation in the world to join the exclusive nuclear-armed State club. "The answer to an atom bomb is an atom bomb, nothing else." How the former PM cemented India's position as a nuclear power with Pokhran-II in 1998 "His vision, oration, poetry, blended with his national commitment earned him respect from both friends and opponents." Taking to Facebook, Union minister Arun Jaitley wrote, "Saddened by the demise of Atalji, unquestionably one of the tallest leaders of India. His contribution to India and Indias democracy will be always remembered. The Jharkhand government has declared a seven-day mourning in memory of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, while the Punjab government has declared a three-day mourning. All offices/boards/corporation and educational institutions in Punjab will remain closed on Friday as a mark of respect, while Jharkhand has announced state holiday tomorrow. "He (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) worked in the national interest, rather than personal interest. He brought a political stability to our country. His ashes will be spread in every river in Uttar Pradesh to respect his grand stature," Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said. The Uttar Pradesh government has also declared a public holiday on Friday. They immediately introduced him to Dixit who was in attendance, and soon the film buff in Vajpayee took over as the two went on to talk about movies. "Meanwhile, the aides quickly removed the desserts from his line of vision," recalled Kidwai. Senior journalist Rasheed Kidwai remembered how while attending an official lunch, Vajpayee, then the prime minister, was headed for the food counter even though he was on a strict diet. Anxious aides then struck on a plan. Such was Atal Bihari Vajpayee's love for food that it once took a wily plan by his aides to deploy Bollywood star Madhuri Dixit to draw him away from gulab jamun at an official lunch. Another senior scribe said that on numerous occasions he and his fellow journalists were treated to dishes cooked by the Vajpayee himself. "He would cook at least one dish for us. It could be a dessert or something non-vegetarian," she recalled. Those close to him recalled how he relished every meal he ate. Bureaucrats who worked with Vajpayee said that wherever he went he insisted on tasting the local cuisine. "So it was puchkas in Kolkata, biriyani and halim in Hyderabad, Galoti kebabs in Lucknow. He specially liked his pakodas with lots of chat masala accompanied with masala tea," said one bureaucrat. "He hasn't just worked as a BJP leader but also as a patriot." Speaking at Vajpayee's residence in Delhi, BJP chief Amit Shah told reporters, "Today, the pole star of Indian politics is no more. With his passing, the country has lost a great leader, a poet, a writer. The constitution has lost a voice. BJP has lost its first national president, and crores of youth lost their inspiration. It is impossible to fill that void. BJP chief Amit Shah announced that Atal Bihari Vajpayee's mortal remains will be kept at his residence for till Friday morning. "His body will be taken to BJP headquarters at 9 am on Friday. At 1 pm, the funeral procession will begin. The last rites cermony will be held at Smriti Sthal at 4 pm," he said while addressing reporters at the former prime minister's residence. The State funeral of Vajpayee will be held at Delhi's Smriti Sthal on Friday. The home ministry has declared a half day holiday in all central government offices, central public sector undertakings across the country and the Delhi government offices of NCT of Delhi. "He was a wonderful orator, a prolific writer and he dutifully served our country. I have lost a father figure today. Atal Ji taught me valuable aspects about organisation and governance. Through his leadership and struggles, Atal ji strengthened the Jana Sangh and the BJP. He took these parties to every part of India. The thoughts, ideals and words of Atal ji will always remain with us and inspire us." In an address from Atal Bihari Vajpayee's residence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "We have lost our inspiration. We have lost an "Atal Ratna" (prime jewel). The personality of Atal ji and the sadness due to his demise cant be described in words. It said due to flood situation in some parts of the state, other than those involved in the relief work, schools, colleges and government offices would have holiday on Friday. During this period there would be no official entertainment programmes, and the national flag would fly at half mast atop all government buildings, a government release said. The Karnataka government has declared seven days state mourning till 22 August as a mark of respect to departed former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The body of the BJP veteran has been kept at his residence, 6A Krishna Menon Marg till the morning. People can pay homage to the departed leader at his residence from 7.30 am to 8.30 am on Friday. Top BJP leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah are at Atal Bihari Vajpayee's official residence to pay homage to the late prime minister. The Pakistani government condoled the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "We have learnt with sadness the passing away of Atal Bihari Vajpayee former Prime Minister of India, who was undergoing treatment in a hospital in New Delhi," ANI quoted it as saying, in a statement. "He was a renowned statesman who contributed to bringing a change in India-Pakistan relations and remained key supporter of SAARC and regional cooperation for development. The Pakistan government and people extend their heartfelt condolences to his family and to government and the people of India." Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, President Ram Nath Kovind, and former prime minister Manmohan Singh were among the top leaders who paid their respects at Vajpayee's residence on Thursday night. BJP leaders LK Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi also paid tributes. In a condolence message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina expressed condolences to the government and the people of India. "He was our friend and highly respected in Bangladesh. As a token of recognition for his invaluable contribution to our Liberation War in 1971, Bangladesh government conferred on him Bangladesh Liberation War Honour. Today is a day of great sadness for all of us in Bangladesh," she said. "His warm personality and his gift of friendship won him admirers and friends across the political spectrum and from every walk of life. His death leaves behind a huge void. I join millions of our fellow Indians in mourning his loss and pray for the departed soul," she said. UPA chairperson and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said that she was deeply saddened by the passing away of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "Vajpayee was a towering figure in our national life.Throughout his life, he stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts whether as a parliamentarian, a cabinet minister or the prime minister," ANI quoted her as saying. Pakistan's prime minister-in-waiting imran Khan remembered Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a "tall personality of the subcontinent". "His attempts for the betterment of India-Pakistan relationship will always be remembered. Vajpayee, as a foreign minister, took responsibility of improving India-Pakistan ties," ANI quoted him as saying. In a statement, he said Vajpayee was a great humanist and a great visionary who always led a principled life. "Vajpayee was instrumental in strengthening the BJP. From a party that had just two members in Lok Sabha, Vajpayee rode it to power. He was a successful MP, Leader of Opposition, Minister of External Affairs and eventually the prime minister," he said. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday expressed grief over the demise of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, describing him as the "political Bhishma of India" and crediting him with strengthening the BJP. "My heart is not ready to accept that Atal ji is no more with us. He is in our hearts. Qualities like ego due to power have always remained far away from him. He was a simple man and an innocent politician," Thackeray said in a condolence message. Earlier, terming Vajpayee as an "innocent politician" and the "Bheeshm Pitamah", Thackeray said the former prime minister remained unaffected by ego that comes along with power in politics. "We have worked together. We supported his government from outside. He worked with all. It was his style of working. He always listened to us. Nitish ji, Jayalalithaa ji, Navin ji we were all together. There was no difference among us," she said. Banerjee, who flew to Delhi from Kolkata this evening, spent an hour at Vajpayee's residence to pay her last respects to the leader, under whom she had served as a Union minister. Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee would always listen to his alliance partners as that was his style of working, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee recalled on Thursday after paying tribute to the BJP stalwart. "Atal ji had then declared that he was retiring from public life and announced that LK Advani would lead the party," Bhandari recalled. The 2005 national executive meeting in Mumbai was held to mark the party's Rajat Jayanti (silver jubilee) celebrations. He had announced his retirement from public life in 2005 at a rally at Shivaji Park after the party's national executive meeting here, BJP leader Madhav Bhandari said. The police will close general traffic on many roads in Central Delhi including Krishna Memon Marg, Tughlaq Road, Akbar Road, Mansingh Road, a part of Janpath, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Road, where BJP has its headquarters, and several others, leading to C Hexagon of India Gate. The funeral ceremony of the founding member of the ruling BJP will be held at Smriti Sthal on the banks of the Yamuna in East Delhi. Delhi Police on Thursday announced rerouting of traffic on certain roads in anticipation of a surge in crowd for the funeral ceremony of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Friday. In a condolence message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina expressed condolences to the government and the people of India. "He was our friend and highly respected in Bangladesh. As a token of recognition for his invaluable contribution to our Liberation War in 1971, Bangladesh government conferred on him Bangladesh Liberation War Honour. Today is a day of great sadness for all of us in Bangladesh," she said. "His warm personality and his gift of friendship won him admirers and friends across the political spectrum and from every walk of life. His death leaves behind a huge void. I join millions of our fellow Indians in mourning his loss and pray for the departed soul," she said. UPA chairperson and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said that she was deeply saddened by the passing away of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "Vajpayee was a towering figure in our national life.Throughout his life, he stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts whether as a parliamentarian, a cabinet minister or the prime minister," ANI quoted her as saying. Pakistan's prime minister-in-waiting imran Khan remembered Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a "tall personality of the subcontinent". "His attempts for the betterment of India-Pakistan relationship will always be remembered. Vajpayee, as a foreign minister, took responsibility of improving India-Pakistan ties," ANI quoted him as saying. In a statement, he said Vajpayee was a great humanist and a great visionary who always led a principled life. "Vajpayee was instrumental in strengthening the BJP. From a party that had just two members in Lok Sabha, Vajpayee rode it to power. He was a successful MP, Leader of Opposition, Minister of External Affairs and eventually the prime minister," he said. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday expressed grief over the demise of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, describing him as the "political Bhishma of India" and crediting him with strengthening the BJP. Everywhere you go in Kashmir, people would refer to the Vajpayee doctrine of Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat and his famous recital of local poet Mehjoor: Wala ho baghawano, nav bahurak shaan paida kar, phoolon gul gaath karan bulbul, timay saman paida kar. If you want to understand the importance of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, make a trip to Srinagar or even Anantnag. While you are there, strike a conversation with a cross-section of Kashmirispoliticians, students, hoteliers, drivers, shopkeepers, even separatistsand ask them which Indian politician they love the most. The universal answer would be: Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "My heart is not ready to accept that Atal ji is no more with us. He is in our hearts. Qualities like ego due to power have always remained far away from him. He was a simple man and an innocent politician," Thackeray said in a condolence message. Earlier, terming Vajpayee as an "innocent politician" and the "Bheeshm Pitamah", Thackeray said the former prime minister remained unaffected by ego that comes along with power in politics. "We have worked together. We supported his government from outside. He worked with all. It was his style of working. He always listened to us. Nitish ji, Jayalalithaa ji, Navin ji we were all together. There was no difference among us," she said. Banerjee, who flew to Delhi from Kolkata this evening, spent an hour at Vajpayee's residence to pay her last respects to the leader, under whom she had served as a Union minister. Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee would always listen to his alliance partners as that was his style of working, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee recalled on Thursday after paying tribute to the BJP stalwart. "Atal ji had then declared that he was retiring from public life and announced that LK Advani would lead the party," Bhandari recalled. The 2005 national executive meeting in Mumbai was held to mark the party's Rajat Jayanti (silver jubilee) celebrations. He had announced his retirement from public life in 2005 at a rally at Shivaji Park after the party's national executive meeting here, BJP leader Madhav Bhandari said. The police will close general traffic on many roads in Central Delhi including Krishna Memon Marg, Tughlaq Road, Akbar Road, Mansingh Road, a part of Janpath, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Road, where BJP has its headquarters, and several others, leading to C Hexagon of India Gate. The funeral ceremony of the founding member of the ruling BJP will be held at Smriti Sthal on the banks of the Yamuna in East Delhi. Delhi Police on Thursday announced rerouting of traffic on certain roads in anticipation of a surge in crowd for the funeral ceremony of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Friday. Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Ghulam Nabi Azad pay tribute to former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee at his residence in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/ni1MRfEFmL Atal Bihari Vajpayee dead; latest updates: UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi described former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a "towering figure" who stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts. She also paid last respects at Vajpayee residence in Delhi. The Pakistani government condoled the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "He was a renowned statesman who contributed to bringing a change in India-Pakistan relations and remained key supporter of SAARC and regional cooperation for development," it said in a statement. In an address from Atal Bihari Vajpayee's residence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered the late prime minister as a father figure. "Whenever he met me, he would hug me like a father. For me, the void he has left can never be filled. He made BJP's ideology reach every corner of the country. It's because of him that BJP has come this far." Speaking at Atal Bihari Vajpayee's residence in Delhi, BJP chief Amit Shah said that Atal Bihari Vajpayee's mortal remains will be kept at his residence till Friday morning. "His body will be taken to BJP headquarters at 9 am on Friday. At 1 pm, the funeral procession will begin. The last rites cermony will be held at Smriti Sthal at 4 pm," he said. The Jharkhand government has declared a seven-day mourning in memory of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, while the Punjab government has declared a three-day mourning. All offices/boards/corporation and educational institutions in Punjab will remain closed on Friday as a mark of respect, while Jharkhand has announced state holiday tomorrow. The central government announced a seven-day State mourning throughout India. Meanwhile, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia announced on Twitter that all Delhi government offices, schools, and other institutions will remain closed on Friday as "a mark of respect" for Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that the mortal remains of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be taken to his residence, where people can pay tribute to him. The body will be kept at the BJP headquarters in Delhi on Friday. In a series of tweets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness," Modi said. Ex-prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away at 93. In a statement, AIIMS said, "It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former prime minister of India Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at 5.05 pm," the hospital said in a statement. A large crowd of mediapersons and others has gathered outside the hospital in south Delhi to get updates on Vajpayee's heath, affecting movement of traffic on the road. Policemen have been deployed to manage the crowd and traffic outside the hospital. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi arrived at All India Institute of Medical Science. They were accompanied by Bihar minister Nand Kishore Yadav. Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh said that the entire country is praying for the health of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "Chhattisgarh and the entire nation is praying for him. We pray to the God to make him healthy soon and bless him with a long life," he said. Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray may leave for New Delhi on Thursday evening to enquire about the health of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is on life support at the AIIMS, sources told PTI. "Atal ji and Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray shared close relations when the Sena supremo was alive. Their personal bonding was one of the reasons why the BJP-Sena alliance stayed strong for decades. It would be natural for Uddhav ji to visit the former prime minister to check on his health," a source close to Thackeray said. Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi was seen arriving at All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi where former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is admitted and is in a "critical condition. Meanwhile, Loktantrik Janata Dal Sharad Yadav tweeted saying that he worked with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a minister in his government and that the former prime minister loved him a lot. "His health is not well. I pray for his early recovery and long life," he said in the tweet. Addressing the media, Health Minister JP Nadda said that former prime minister's condition is "still critical", and that the doctors at AIIMS are taking efforts to revive his health. He also said that the medical bulletin will be out soon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi left the hospital after being briefed about Vajpayee's health. According to reports, movement around the institute has been restricted. While security outside AIIMS hospital and Atal Bihari Vajpayee's residence in Delhi has been beefed-up, traffic has also been blocked and no new entries are being allowed inside the hospital premises. "I served as a member of his cabinet for two years, to hear about his health is distressing. He is a great leader and to work under him was a very good experience. I would be flying to Delhi today, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik told ANI. The Bharatiya Janata Party has postponed its national executive meeting in view of Atal Bihari Vajpayee's deteriorating health condition, News18 reported. According to CNN-News18, roads leading to Krishna Menon Marg and Vajpayee's home have been blocked. The BJP stalwart has been admitted to AIIMS for the last nine weeks, where his condition remains critical. The entire Karnataka BJP leadership is heading from Bengaluru to Delhi, including Union minister Sadananda Gowda. Former Karnataka chief minister and state BJP President BS Yeddyurappa has suspended all meetings and scheduled plans in view of Vajpayees sensitive health, News18 reported. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has requested his party volunteers not to celebrate his birthday in view of the deteriorating health condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vaajpayee. He has requests the volunteers to refrain from visiting his residence, according to reports. BJP chief ministers such as Devendra Fadnavis, Yogi Adityanath, Shivraj Singh Chouhan are rushing to AIIMS in New Delhi to visit Vajpayee as he continues to be in a critical condition and on life support. Union ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Uma Bharti also visited AIIMS hospital in Delhi to inquire about Vajpayee's health. "Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition continues to remain the same. He is critical and on life support systems, read the AIIMS statement released on Thursday morning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi may pay a second visit to Atal Bihari Vajpayee in AIIMS. The hospital is expected to release the latest medical bulletin after Modi's visit. AIIMS director will brief the Prime Minister's Office about the health of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Doctors at AIIMS are presently monitoring Vajpayee in ICU and the next one hour is said to be crucial, News18 reported. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also paid a visit to ailing former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at AIIMS in Delhi. In view of Atal Bihari Vajpayees critical health, BJP has suspended all its programmes. An event scheduled for 20 August where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to launch a book on Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidus one year in office has also been postponed, according to News18. Senior BJP leader LK Advani and daughter Pratibha Advani arrived at AIIMS hospital on Thursday morning to see ailing former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The BJP leader was admitted to AIIMS with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. "Both his lungs are not in good condition because of pneumonia on both sides and kidneys are also weak. He is critical," a source told PTI on Thursday. Congress president Rahul Gandhi will also visit AIIMS where former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is admitted, ANI reported. BJP President Amit Shah arrived at AIIMS on Thursday morning where former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is admitted. Union home minister Rajnath Singh will visit ailing Vajpayee at AIIMS at around 10.30 am on Thursday, CNN News18 reported. Meanwhile, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will fly to Delhi today to check on Atal Bihari Vajpayee at AIIMS. Atal Bihari Vajpayee is under the supervision of Dr Randeep Guleria who is currently the director of AIIMS. Dr Guleria has been the personal physician of Vajpayee for over three decades. A team of doctors from the nephrology, gastroenterology, pulmonology and cardiology departments is keeping round-the-clock check on the ailing leader, Moneycontrol reported. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is critical and has been put on life support system after his health deteriorated in the last one day, AIIMS said in a statement on Wednesday night. Vajpayee, a diabetic, has only one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. And subsequently, he developed dementia, according to PTI. "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 system," Dr Aarti Vij said in a press release. According to reports, another medical bulletin on Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health is expected to be released by AIMS in an hour. Vajpayee was admitted at the AIIMS on 11 June with a kidney infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. Vajpayee, a diabetic, has only one functional kidney, reports PTI. Vajpayee also suffered a stroke in 2009. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited AIIMS Wednesday evening to inquire about Vajpayee's condition. Modi reached the hospital at around 7.15 pm and spent about 50 minutes there. Vajpayee's care team at AIIMS is led by Dr Randeep Guleria, a renowned pulmonologist and Director of AIIMS. Guleria has worked as personal physician to Vajpayee for over three decades. News18 is reporting that a stomach infection has gotten worse for Vajpayee. AIIMS did not mention specifics but the storyline remains the same: "Unfortunately, his condition has worsened over the last 24 hours. His condition is critical and he is on life-support system," AIIMS said. Born 25 December 1924, Vajpayee served three times as India's prime minister, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, and then from 1998 to 2004. He was elected to the Lok Sabha ten times and twice to the Rajya Sabha. Vajpayee was the first non Congress prime minister to serve a full five-year term. At age 93, Vajpayee is currently the oldest living former Indian Prime Minister. #EXCLUSIVE - I will only say that he is very critical and we are all praying for him and thats all. I met whosoever @drharshvardhan to @Runjhunsharmas upon visiting former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee in #AIIMS, New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/W9GHsIBD8Y News18 (@CNNnews18) August 15, 2018 In 1996, Vajpayee was sworn in as India's 10th prime minister but the BJP couldn't cobble together a majority. Vajpayee resigned after 13 days. After the fall of the two United Front governments between 1996 and 1998, the 1998 general elections saw a bloc of political parties joining the BJP to form the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and Vajpayee was sworn in as PM for the second time. This NDA government lasted 13 months until mid-1999 when the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) under Jayalalithaa withdrew its support. In the 1999 general elections, the BJP-led NDA won 303 seats out of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha. On 13 October 1999, Vajpayee took oath as PM for the third time. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala called Narendra Modi's I-Day speech 'meaningless' and challenged the prime minister for a debate on Rafale deal and other issues New Delhi: Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 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. tech2 News Staff Shortly after the OnePlus 6 launched in May, it became one of the first devices to receive the Android P Developer Preview. In fact, OnePlus ensured that the Developer Preview was available for the phone the day it went on sale globally. Fast forward to August and it seems like OnePlus is finally ready to roll out the final version of Android 9.0 to its HydrogenOS users in China. This makes the OnePlus 6 also one of the few non-Google devices (barring the Essential PH-1) to get the final update. The release was confirmed by XDA user SuzutsukiKaede who shared screenshots to confirm that the download is rolling out to users in China. Based on what we make of the screenshots shared, the release comes with OnePlus' usual set of customisations, features and tweaks, all on top of a stock-like Android Pie experience. The user, however, did not disclose the changelog or how large the download file is. We also need to bear in mind that this is HydrogenOS we are talking about and not OxygenOS. So users in countries other than China will need to hold their horses a little longer before getting too excited right away. Unless you want to try the features right away and decide to flash HydrogenOS onto your OnePlus and download the update using this link. The good news though is that OnePlus usually follows a HydrogenOS update with a similar update for OxygenOS, so the wait might be long before OnePlus 6 users in India start receiving the Android P stable update. Indo-Asian News Service As industry watchers think that Apple car is dead, the iPhone maker could launch it anytime between 2023 and 2025, a top Apple analyst with Hong Kong-based TF International Securities has claimed. "Apple will earn its 2 trillion dollar market cap through its services business, an Augmented Reality headset, and an Apple Car, according to famed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who now works for TF International Securities," MacRumors reported late on Tuesday. The analyst, who was earlier with Taiwan-based KGI Securities, has reportedly sent a new note for investors, outlining products that he expects to be released by Apple in future. "Apple will launch an Apple Car some time between 2023 and 2025, with the car set to be positioned as 'the next star product'. Kuo foresees the Apple Car revolutionising the automobile market much as the iPhone did back in 2007," the report added. However, Kuo did not provide details of the possible car or when exactly it might be unveiled. The Cupertino-based company has largely remained silent on its plans about the Apple Car. Notably, it has more self-driving car permits in the US state of California than any other technology company. Many industry watchers have called the Apple Car the worst-kept secret of the Silicon Valley. Nimish Sawant Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is in damage-control mode. After dilly-dallying over not banning the InfoWars handle and the handle of its founder Alex Jones, and this is after the rest of the tech world had banned them, Twitter has now handed out a 7-day suspension to the handle. The reason for banning the account now is that Jones was found to be in violation of Twitter's content policy. The New York Times reported that Jones tweeted a link to a video calling for supporters to get their battle rifles ready against media and others. The account has not been banned, but only the controversial tweet has been asked to be deleted. As per Twitter's policy, while Jones can browse and send direct messages to his followers, he will not be able to tweet, retweet, or like anything for a week. While this punishment seems mild as compared to the blackout of Jones on other social media platforms, online chatter about Twitter being biased against right-wing and conservative parties is back on. The background Silicon Valley giants such as Apple, Facebook, YouTube and Spotify banned Alex Jones and InfoWars content from their platforms on 6 August. Jones has a vast audience, almost 891,000 Twitter followers, but his views and statements have amounted to spreading hate speech and conspiracy theories. Some of the conspiracy theories he has spoken about include categorising the world trade centre attacks as an inside job, the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting being a hoax created by left-wing forces to promote gun control, tweeting that Muslims in England were demanding that the Queen either convert to Islam or leave the country, and much more. While Jones and InfoWars have been banned on Apple and YouTube, the InfoWars app is still available on the Google Play Store and Apple Store, as technically it does not violate the app store guidelines. Alex Jones has been suspended by Twitter for 7 days for a video talking about social media censorship. Truly, monumentally, beyond stupid. On the same day that the Infowars website was brought down by a cyber attack. Will this madness ever end? pic.twitter.com/hXDzH2b7rT Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) August 14, 2018 Infowars editor-at-large Paul Joseph Watson said in a tweet that these takedowns of Jones' and InfoWars' social media presence amounted to censorship. Watson also alleged that it was being done to help Democrats in the congressional elections due in November. Alt-right supporters and those with a conservative bent of mind are already calling this a form of censorship. Silicon Valley companies have been at the receiving end when it comes to matters like free speech when seen from the conservative lens and the act of banning Jones is being seen as a continuation of that sentiment. Dorsey's justification When every major big tech company in the Valley was banning Jones and InfoWars, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey sent out this tweet defending his reasons for not being part of the ban brigade then. We didnt suspend Alex Jones or Infowars yesterday. We know thats hard for many but the reason is simple: he hasnt violated our rules. Well enforce if he does. And well continue to promote a healthy conversational environment by ensuring tweets arent artificially amplified. jack (@jack) August 8, 2018 Dorsey went on to say, "Truth is weve been terrible at explaining our decisions in the past. Were fixing that. Were going to hold Jones to the same standard we hold to every account, not taking one-off actions to make us feel good in the short term, and adding fuel to new conspiracy theories." Post his tweet on 8 August, Dorsey was seen as an outlier as he had taken a stand against what was being called the 'collective censorship' of alternative viewpoints. But since banning Jones for 7 days, Twitter too is facing the ire of Jones' followers. Dorsey acknowledges there are issues with the platform. In an interview to The Washington Post, Dorsey said that he was experimenting with various features to promote alternative viewpoints, to tackle issues like fake news and creation of 'echo chambers'. In another interview with NBC News, Dorsey reiterated that Twitter cannot be a service that is subjective to the whims and fancies of what its team or a group of people personally believe. Speaking on suspending Jones for 7 days, Dorsey said, "I feel any suspension, whether it be a permanent or a temporary one, makes someone think about their actions and their behaviour." He also said that he wanted to ensure that the enforcement of rules should be more consistent on Twitter. He also acknowledged that Twitter had been slow to respond in a lot of instances. Twitter and its controversies Twitter has more often than not been in the grey area in such matters. Twitter is where news breaks, it's a platform used by many prominent personalities, including the US President himself, to put forth their views on matters. It's been a major tool during events such as the Arab Spring and has been an important communication portal in countries where only the State governs the media outlets and censorship of news is high. But, these same aspects make Twitter a source for promoting false news, hate speech, being misused by State actors (as we had seen with Russian involvement with the US Presidential elections in 2016). Online harassment is something that is faced by on a daily basis by many Twitter users. Unlike other platforms, Twitter allows you to register on its platform with a pseudonym. The reason given is that it allows vulnerable users to be able to freely share their views on the platform without the fear of persecution. Of course, this has also made Twitter a fertile ground for users who may not really have the best intentions in mind. For instance, Twitter has been used by terror organisations to propagate their messaging. It was only recently that Twitter took down close to 1 million accounts for promoting terrorism since 2015. Solution to Twitter woes: A work in progress Over the last few months, we have seen a lot of changes on Twitter and according to Dorsey, these efforts will continue. Twitter has already said that election integrity (mid-term elections in the US in November) will be its top priority for the rest of the year. Dorsey reiterated the fact during the NBC interview. He said that Twitter has limited resources as compared to Facebook or Google, so the company has to really think it through before going ahead with any policy change, without coming across as biased. But more than policy changes, Dorsey spoke about making product changes at a fundamental level, which would help take care of some of the inherent issues facing the platform. One solution being tried to contain fake news is to have false tweets surrounded by factual tweets or tweets which call out the said tweet as obviously fake, which could help people make judgements for themselves. Labelling automated tweets sent from company accounts trying to sell to you or updating you about something is also being considered. Dorsey also spoke about looking at the way Twitter displays follower counts. All these solutions are still a work-in-progress and it will take some time before any of they are implemented, and longer still before we find out if these measures are indeed effective. But it's good to see Dorsey accepting that Twitter has some fundamental issues. Just as it can be used as a source for good, Twitter can also be weaponised to fulfill certain objectives. Twitter has not really been growing at the same rate as Facebook, but the last few quarters have been mostly positive for the company. Twitter posted a quarterly profit in Q1 2018, one of the very few profitable quarters in the company's history. It has taken some corrective measures such as deleting spam or bot accounts since last month, which will affect its active user numbers. But with the way social media users have been manipulated in the last US elections, and after getting a rap on the knuckles from the Senate for the Russian involvement in spreading misinformation through social media, Twitter has to be quite proactive to ensure that its platform isn't misused during the upcoming primaries in the US in November. At the same time, it also has to ensure that it is not viewed as an organisation with an agenda against a particular ideology. Balancing all these things is a tough act and Dorsey is looking at a thorny road ahead. The Associated Press A day after Twitter gave right-wing conspiratorialist Alex Jones a weeklong timeout, CEO Jack Dorsey is mulling deeper changes to the social media service that might limit the spread of fake news, misinformation and hate speech. Twitter joined other prominent tech companies in muzzling Jones, the founder of the Infowars site, who has used Twitter and other social outlets to spread false information. Twitter had resisted the move despite public pressure, but the holdout lasted less than two weeks. They seem to be reacting to the backlash they received when so many other companies in Silicon Valley ended up taking action, said Keegan Hankes, research analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Centers Intelligence Project, who focuses on far right extremist propaganda online. Its illustrative of a broader trend of reactive enforcement by the companies, he added. Then on 15 August, Dorsey told the Washington Post that he is exploring changes to core elements of Twitters service that could promote alternative perspectives in its timeline. The move could address falsehoods, conspiracy theories, and other misinformation, and might also reduce online echo chambers, in which users are exposed mostly to viewpoints they already agree with. The CEO said the most important thing that we can do is to revisit the incentives Twitter uses to shape how people behave on the service. Because they do express a point of view of what we want people to do and I dont think they are correct anymore, he said Twitter later confirmed Dorseys comments. Dorsey said Twitter is also exploring ways to label automated accounts, known as bots, which are often used to inflate follower counts or to amplify harassment or false accusations on the service. (Many bots also have benign uses.) The executive told the Post that Twitter hasnt reconsidered its core incentives, designed to keep users engaged and interactive, in the dozen years of its existence. We often turn to policy to fix a lot of these issues, but I think that is only treating surface-level symptoms that we are seeing, he said. The situation with Jones may be illustrative. Late 14 August, Twitter said it had limited Jones personal account for seven days because he had violated the companys rules. Jones wont be able to tweet or retweet, though he will be able to browse Twitter. The company would not comment on what the offending post said. But in a video posted 15 August to the Twitter account for Infowars, Jones said the company suspended him and may shut him down completely because he violated its rules by posting a video I shot last night saying (President Donald) Trump should do something about the censorship of the internet. Later 15 August, Twitter put the Infowars account on the same seven-day timeout as Jones, apparently for posting the same video. Paul Joseph Watson, the editor-at-large for Infowars, posted a screenshot of a Twitter notice that said Jones had his account temporarily limited because he violated its rules against targeted harassment of someone, or (inciting) other people to do so. The video is no longer available on Twitter or Periscope, where Jones posted it. But it is still up elsewhere on the web. In it, Jones says people need to have their battle rifles and everything ready at their bedsides and you got to be ready because the media is so disciplined in their deception. This punishment is light compared with that leveled by Apple, YouTube and Spotify, which permanently removed material Jones had published. Facebook, meanwhile, suspended him for 30 days and took down four of his pages, including two for Infowars. Dorsey had originally defended his companys decision not to ban Jones, tweeting that Jones hasnt violated our rules but if he does well enforce. Were going to hold Jones to the same standard we hold to every account, not taking one-off actions to make us feel good in the short term, and adding fuel to new conspiracy theories, Dorsey tweeted on Aug. 7, after the other companies took action against Jones. The apparent change of heart reflects a Twitter still hanging onto its roots as a free-wheeling Wild West of the internet in an age where online words can have serious real-life consequences. Along with other social media companies, it is now grappling with how to enforce sometimes vague rules without appearing partisan and while leaning toward promoting, rather than curbing, free speech. When deciding what the rules are and how to enforce them especially when it comes to gray areas they are up against both conservatives and liberals claiming bias and feeling silenced. There are also users who often just want to post about their daily lives, and even against their own employees, be they free speech absolutists or those who feel people like Jones do not deserve an online megaphone. The platforms cannot win because some constituency will be offended no matter what they do, said Nathaniel Persily, a Stanford law professor. Twitter, Hankes said, is either underequipped or unwilling to enforce its written rules, instead embracing the idea of an online free-speech utopia. But, he added, the unchecked use of these platforms by bad actors does not make utopia. Press Trust of India The Telecom Commission, apex decision-making body at the telecom department, is likely to meet on 31 August to discuss TRAIs recommendation on spectrum allocation, according to official sources. The next Telecom Commission meeting is proposed for 31 August, an official source told PTI without disclosing agenda of the meeting. Another Department of Telecom (DoT) source said though agenda has not been frozen for the meeting 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 TRAI on spectrum auction 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 an auction, TRAI recommended allotment of radiowaves without bidding route for Public Mobile Radio Trunking Service (PMRTS). Unlike cellular services, PMRTS are operated for two-way communication within a small distance of around 30 kilometer-range by police, security agencies, construction companies etc. The recommendations were made after the telecom department requested the TRAI to suggest an appropriate method of spectrum allocation for PMRTS. The Supreme Court order in 2012, which canceled 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 regulators views on method that should be used for spectrum allocation for PMRTS. Reuters Investors have told Uber Technologies Inc it would be wise to sell off its self-driving car unit after it racked up losses of $125 million to $200 million each quarter for the past 18 months, tech news site The Information reported on 15 August, citing an unnamed person familiar with the issue. Uber did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Uber is due to release its second-quarter earnings to investors later on Wednesday. Srinivasa Prasad Was Atal Behari Vajpayee terribly interested in sending an Indian to the moon when he was the prime minister? This is what K Kasturirangan, the then chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) told me in an interview in January 2003: ...The prime minister once asked me if there would be a meaning in sending a man to the moon and, if so, what were the advantages. This is a long-term vision... I cant say now (when we can do it). What we are doing now could be the building blocks you need if we decide to have a manned mission... He (Vajpayee) is interested in India doing this kind of thing he thinks big. So Narendra Modi was not the first prime minister to think big when he announced in his Independence Day address on Wednesday that India would send a man or woman to space by 2022 or even earlier. In fact, he is not even thinking as big as Vajpayee, who was imagining an Indian on moon. Modi is only talking about a Gaganyan mission, a basic human spaceflight programme which aims to put two or three people in space to circle earth at an altitude of 300-400 kilometres for up to seven days. 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 #IndiaIndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/MwvBXmUY8x ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018 In fact, neither Vajpayee nor Modi can take credit if Indias man-in-space dream comes true. The idea had been part of the countrys space programme since 2004, though the deadline for it has been pushed back several times because of technical failures that are natural in any space programme and the pressure to commercialise satellite launch capability. Modi fast-tracks project But Modi is the first prime minister to slap a deadline on the human spaceflight project. If India can put gagannauts as Indian astronauts will be called in space by 2022, Modi can justifiably take credit for fast-tracking the countrys painfully and sometimes necessarily slow process in space programmes. If Jawaharlal Nehru could be credited with the setting up in 1969 of the Indian National Committee for Space Research, which later became ISRO, Modi may go down in the history as a prime minister who goaded space scientists into expediting their project to send a man to space, if that happens. Habitual Modi-baiters are entitled to their daily dose of enjoyment in tearing into every word he utters and rubbishing his talk as pre-election bluster. But their anti-Modi evangelism shouldnt make them blind to see the fact that his I-Day pronouncement, if followed by the necessary funds and action by ISRO, can make an immense difference to Indias space programme. Putting a man in space wouldnt be an isolated flash of brilliance; the deadline of 2022 means speeding up the development of a many technologies that will simultaneously have other commercial and developmental uses on ground. Like Elon Musk, Modi is not talking about colonising Mars. Nor is Modi day-dreaming about building homes and shopping malls on Jupiter. He is only talking of putting people in space, and India is already well into the job of achieving that ability. Work has been going on to perfect the GSLV Mark-3 launch vehicle that will hurl Gaganyaan into space. Something is already being done about making a controlled crew module in which humans can survive in space, and even designing a space flight suit the outfit a gagannaut will wear. There has been some progress in ensuring re-entry of crew module to earth and a variety of other complex technologies. Only last month, ISRO conducted the first of its tests on a pad-abort system which helps return of crew to safety in case of a launch mishap. 2022 deadline tough to meet Without doubt, plenty more needs to be done. For instance, India must also pick the gagannauts and train them in zero-gravity environment. All this wont be easy: sending a man to space is not like building a multiplex. Space programmes call for complex designs, skills and pre-launch tests and trials, and can be rushed through only up to a point. Considering where India stands in all this, the 2022 deadline is indeed a tough one. It imposes a very, very tight schedule, as ISRO Chairman K Sivan said. But the skills and devotion that ISRO has exhibited in the past make India more than qualified to have a go at it. While there has been no definite deadline so far, Modi has now injected a sense of urgency into the whole business. For its ambitious projects including the manned flight, ISRO indeed badly needed moral and financial support. Modis announcement from the ramparts of Red Fort means that ISRO can expect both. In one stroke, Modi has supplied the moral boost. Presumably, this will also result in the necessary funds that ISRO needs. The manned mission could cost something close to Rs 10,000 crore, or even more. Why sceptics dont want it A moral uplift became necessary in the context of sceptics questioning the economic wisdom and scientific utility of a manned mission at this juncture of worldwide development of space science. Some compare a manned mission to a something as silly as an attempt to reinvent the wheel. A senior scientist once went to the extent of saying it was the stupidest thing India could do. Critics also argue that competing with rich nations in doing something they had already done would only amount to satisfying Indias nationalist egos and needlessly showing off technical prowess. But there is a great deal of merit in the argument of scientists supporting a human spaceflight that reaching that goal means a wide variety of spin-off benefits that will be of use to industry and common man, not to speak of the morale-boosting it means for scientists gets. Such a morale-boosting cant be measured in kilograms or kilometres. The advantages of gaganyan are too many to ignore. And Modis statement has removed whatever uncertainty there has been about the priority given to the manned spaceflight. That makes an immense difference to ISRO. The author tweets @sprasadindia Fraser 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. 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." 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. BUDAPEST (Reuters) - A terminal of Budapest Airport was briefly shut down late on Wednesday due to an overheated container carrying an isotope, a spokesman for the Hungarian Disaster Management Authority said. 'Material damaging to health did not get into the environment,' Marton Hajdu told Reuters, adding that Terminal 2B was shut down to facilitate a fast investigation BUDAPEST (Reuters) - A terminal of Budapest Airport was briefly shut down late on Wednesday due to an overheated container carrying an isotope, a spokesman for the Hungarian Disaster Management Authority said. "Material damaging to health did not get into the environment," Marton Hajdu told Reuters, adding that Terminal 2B was shut down to facilitate a fast investigation. "Passengers are perfectly safe, " he added. The terminal was shut between 7.30 p.m. (1730 GMT) and about 10.30 p.m. and eight incoming and eight outgoing flights were affected, Budapest Airport spokesman Laszlo Kurucz told Reuters. Passengers and crew of the flight that carried the container and passengers at the airport were not in danger, according to information from the Disaster Management Authority, Hajdu added. The officials did not name the flight or the isotope. A Reuters photographer at the airport saw firemen enter a Turkish Airlines plane parked on the tarmac. Neither the airport nor the disaster control authority confirmed the flight affected was operated by Turkish Airlines. The airport office of Turkish Airlines was not immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Sandor Peto, Gergely Szakacs and Bernadett Szabo; editing by Catherine Evans and James Dalgleish) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Riyadh abruptly severed diplomatic and trade ties earlier in August in response to Canada's demand the release of civil society activists in the kingdom. Toronto: Canadian Muslims travelling to the Hajj pilgrimage face delays coming back due to a diplomatic dispute with Saudi Arabia, that is also prompting thousands of students from the kingdom to scramble to sell their assets and return home to meet a month-end deadline. As the stalemate continues, Canada is reaching out to its allies, including the United States and European Union, to rally support, and talking to Saudi Arabia to resolve the dispute. Riyadh abruptly severed diplomatic and trade ties earlier in August in response to Foreign Minister Chrystia Freelands tweet demanding the release of civil society activists in the kingdom. Riyadh also ended state-backed educational and medical programs in Canada, resulting in Saudi students hustling to return home. In Halifax, the Ummah Masjid organized yard sales to help students sell their furniture, electronics and even cars. Some of them, they only came one week ago and they are prepared to leave, said Abdallah Yousri, the mosques imam. Some of them, they were in Saudi Arabia for summer vacation, and they just came to sell their products and then [leave]. As of the end of June, there were more than 5,100 Saudi students with valid study permits for post-secondary institutions in Canada. Many Canadian Muslims had booked flights with Saudia, the Kingdoms official airline, to perform the Hajj pilgrimages in the Saudi city of Mecca, which takes place from 19 to 24 August this year. While Saudia trips to Mecca before 13 August were not affected, returns home prove to be a concern for many. Were nervous as a family because we dont want her to be stranded in an airport, Jawad Chaudhry, a real estate broker in Hamilton, said of his mother, who is travelling via Saudia for Hajj. Silent Allies Freeland has spoken with officials of the European Union, Germany, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates in an effort to find support, a spokesman for the foreign minister told Reuters. We have a dialogue that is continuing with the Saudis, thats encouraging, we know that we need to maintain an open dialogue with them to resolve this issue, he added. But silence from Canadas traditional backers has sparked some soul-searching in Ottawa. The big issue is the future of foreign relationships in a world where Canada can no longer count on support from its major allies, said Roland Paris, a former foreign affairs adviser to Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Were getting a glimpse of what the world looks like when the United States isnt a strong advocate of human rights, one in which liberal democracies are keeping their heads down, Paris said. The US State Department last week urged Canada and Saudi Arabia to use diplomacy to resolve their dispute, which did not come up during a phone call between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday. Bob Rae, former leader of the federal Liberal party, said Canada has to be more strategic about how to push its human rights agenda. There needs to be a clearer sense of strategy about why we are intervening in some situations and not in others, and how one would ever expect countries to take criticism without responding, Rae told Reuters. The truth is finally out. US pesticide maker Monsanto, which had recently been acquired by German giant Bayer, gave Dewayne Lee Johnson cancer. The truth is finally out. US pesticide maker Monsanto, which had recently been acquired by German giant Bayer, gave Dewayne Lee Johnson cancer. A California Superior Court, San Francisco in a grand jury decision awarded Johnson $289 million dollars as damages from Bayer/Monsanto. This David and Goliath battle between Johnson, an African-American man of modest incomewho works as a school groundskeeper, and the German agri-chemical conglomerate Bayer/Monsanto, resulted in victory for real science and Johnson. This historic judgment comes at a time when there are "4,000 other cases" filed in the US alone by victims who have been affected by the toxicity of the worlds most used herbicide Roundup (Glyphosate). Even now, countless others are suffering terrible deaths stretched across India to Argentina after being exposed to this herbicide. Bayer/Monsanto's love affair with industrial poisons and biological weapons is hardly a new one. Over the last century, they have manufactured the deadliest chemicals, starting from mustard gas in World War I to Zyklon-B for Hitler's concentration camps, and finally, known for the production of the infamous bio-weapon Agent Orange, used extensively in Vietnam. But war crimes are not what they have been charged for this time. Bayer/Monsanto mislabeled its Roundup and Ranger-Pro range of herbicide as safe products, even after the World Health Organisation (WHO) in its assessment found it to be a probable carcinogenic in a 2015 report, and yet, Monsanto countered them with their companys belief and Monsanto science that it did not give cancer. Bayer/Monsanto cheated and withheld information about the probable carcinogenic properties of Roundup. Bobby Kennedy Jr, one of the lawyers representing Johnson, termed this case a fight between Monsanto science vs the American Jury and American justice system". There is no doubt that Monsanto propaganda in guise of science failed to impress the jurors. Elaborating further on Bayer/Monsanto, Kennedy adds, Here is a company that used all of the plays in the playbook developed by the tobacco industry to escape the consequence of killing one out of five of their customers. There is strong scientific evidence that Monsanto product has given him (Johnson) this cancer. Roundup Roundup is a trade name for Bayer/Monsanto glyphosate-based herbicide, which currently is the most sold pesticide/herbicide in the world. In India, this herbicide is rampantly being used, most often illegally and without the knowledge of the farmers. It is being sold from Punjab to Maharashtra over the counter by Mahyco Monsanto, a 50-50 joint venture of Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Co and Monsanto, agents and traders. Roundup in India is being sprayed heavily on tea plantations and even being used on wheat as a desiccant. Various medical defects result from the ingestion or contact with this herbicide. They range from birth defects, kidney and liver failures, DNA damage, infertility, cancer, mineral depletions, endocrine disruptions, cerebral atrophy, heart cell toxicity and overall toxicity in human cells. The full list of damages done by the use and ingestion of Roundup is a very, very long one. The Roundup mystery is far from solved. Earlier this year, a group of French scientists found out that Bayer/Monsanto has been lying about the toxicity and formulants of Roundup. On scientific analysis, they found that Bayer/Monsanto has been selling highly hazardous heavy metals such as arsenic, cobalt, chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb) inside an innocuous looking bottle of Roundup, disguising them as formulants. They also discovered that the formulants (mixture of heavy metals) were about 1,000 times more toxic and poisonous than the already toxic active ingredient glyphosate. Sri Lanka took cognisance of this public health epidemic in 2014 and banned the herbicide after a scientific study proved the connection between over 40,000 kidney failures and Roundup. This emergency step was taken contrary to the interests of the powerful tea industry, in order to avert a public health disaster. The French professor Dr Gilles-Eric Seralini, University of Caen and an expert on biosafety of Roundup and GMOs, in a statement after the victory, said, The toxicities of GMOs tolerant of Roundup, and of the Roundup itself, are now demonstrated. The Roundup contains glyphosate, but also arsenic and highly toxic petroleum derivatives not declared as active principles." "Arsenic in Roundup may explain skin cancer, it is recognised by professionals (scientists/doctors) but it was not declared by (Bayer/Monsanto) Monsanto. This has held up in the appeal court, in my opinion. Poison in our rotis It's 5.30 am in Bathinda, the rural cancer capital of India, the sun is almost breaking the twilight on Ramandeep Singhs (name changed) farm. He has been waiting for the rain, that failed to bless his farm once again this morning. His hybrid seeds may fail for lack of rain. Ramandeep is anxious. Fearing a pest attack, he runs back to his thatched shed, to get to his field the latest medicine (pesticide/herbicide) to spray on his field. As he opens the yellow bottle, he shows us the label Glyphosate. Unaware of the toxicity, he mixes it with water, and begins readying his spray machine for the day. This is the story of millions of farmers in India, who are sold this highly toxic pesticide in India for its strong pesticidal properties, without no warning of its toxicity. Punjab is the hotbed of rural cancer in India. A cancer train leaves almost everyday to cancer hospitals in Rajasthan. Medical experts have linked pesticides to the many unknown causes of cancer in the area. A few studies also point to the high level of pesticides in human blood samples from the area. So, I ask Ramandeep about the use of this glyphosate-based medicine. He confirms all my fears, We use it in all seasons, mostly on cotton, rice and wheat too. We also use it to dry our wheat crop faster, it's easier that way. There have been studies that have confirmed Roundup and GMO contamination in US and Europe. India too is now a major victim of Roundup poisoning. From our infant products to beer, we have hidden Roundup residues in most of our food, in particular, wheat, soybean oil, corn and corn-based produce imported from GMO growing countries like Brazil, USA, etc. India has no public mechanism to control this, despite the concerns expressed by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) on the use of Roundup. The Technical Expert Committee of the Supreme Court has asked for a ban on all herbicide tolerant (HT) crops. While Bayer/Monsanto lobbyists are calling for HT/Roundup-ready Bt Cotton to double farmers' incomes, science seems to speak against this step. Not only will the introduction of Roundup-tolerant crops mandate the increased use of Roundup but they will also be directly responsible for an exponential increase in farm debt and a rural cancer epidemic. There are civil society groups who have been working in strong opposition to this step. In a press conference last year, Dr Vandana Shiva and Ashwani Mahajan, national co-convenor of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, came out to explain the harms of Roundup for Indians, calling for a ban on the pesticide in India. It is public knowledge now Mahyco Monsanto, the Indian subsidiary of Bayer/Monsanto, had huge stocks of HT Bt Cotton. In fact, a report of CICR-Nagpur confirmed the presence of these seeds being grown illegally in parts of India. Bayer/Monsanto is using contamination as a way to enter the Indian market illegally. We have written to the prime minister about this, clearly highlighting the damages caused by Roundup and even launched an India-wide campaign against the spread of Roundup, Mahajan said. Whispers in India have been heard at the level of highest office that Monsantos time maybe up. Americas Bhopal? In 1984, the world saw the worst industrial genocide occur in Bhopal. A Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) (a pesticide) cloud engulfed Bhopal, causing the death of thousands, the continuance of birth defects and deformities in the millions till today. While Bhopal still bleeds, the perpetrators of Union Carbide Company (UCC), now Dow/Dupont, remain free of any liability. Wes Anderson died comfortably at his home in Cape Cod, while the maimed victims can only dream of death in Bhopal. With the might of money, UCC made a one-time settlement of $470 million for the 'reported' 6,00,000 victims. The amount was not enough even to provide basic medical relief to the victims and ignored victims who were still to be born with defects and abnormalities. Will Roundup be the worlds Bhopal 2.0? What will happen to the claimants? To get these answers, I contacted Pedram Esfandiary, an attorney at Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldmans, who represented Johnson in the case against Bayer/Monsanto. Pedram was confident that this verdict will have a tremendous impact on all cases going forward. Speaking to Firstpost, he said, "Twelve impartial members of society reached the decision that Roundup is carcinogenic, based on the evidence presented to them. Much of this evidence will be the same in other pending cases. Monsanto now has to choose whether it will do right by the thousands of individuals who, like Mr Johnson, were deprived of making an informed choice." At this stage, it seems appropriate to draw comparisons between Bayer/Monsantos conduct and those of other companies like Dow/Dupont that have led to the loss of human life or serious injuries by the millions. Pedram's next statement portrays the deep insensitivities cultivated by Monsanto, The same reckless disregard for human safety in the pursuit of profit recurs in these tragic tales, until the perpetrators day of reckoning, which, for Monsanto, arrived with Mr Johnsons verdict. Pedram, like most of the team of attorneys, is certain that Bayer will be liable for Monsantos poisons and calls the verdict consequences of their egregious conduct. Bayer and Monsantos denial cannot make them escape their liability, in his opinion. And as for the scientists, journalists and PR agencies spreading misinformation about Roundup, he had a simple yet grim warning, Monsanto has no first amendment right to manipulate science and mislead regulators in a bid to protect a cancerous product that has caused serious harm to thousands. The jurys verdict took into account Monsantos covert efforts to influence the direction of science and collusion with regulators, and rightly returned a punitive damages award aimed as dissuading future repeated conduct. So why is this verdict so important? Because it proves to us that our world has become a concentration camp sans walls, and our foods the poisonous gas. With each bite, we are poisoning ourselves, while the same companies that profited from Hitlers Germany continue to do so at the cost of spreading death and disease right up to the present. The argument here is not and shouldnt be about world hunger or agri-tech, but about life. Will India yield to propaganda or stand by science? Bayer/Monsanto is spreading death through their poisons, each day, while we are still debating and trying to intellectualise poisoning our worlds population in the guise of alleviating world hunger. Goliath is a terrible poison-making giant, but what can one terminally ill David do by slinging the rock of truth? Well, in this case, Johnson has changed the world. The author tweets @IndraSsingh US President Donald Trump is lashing out at the press as newspapers nationwide launch a coordinated rebuttal to his attacks against what he calls 'fake news.' Washington: US President Donald Trump is lashing out at the press as newspapers nationwide launch a coordinated rebuttal to his attacks against what he calls "fake news." Trump tweets: "There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS!" Trump is sensitive about his media coverage and says the press is "fake" and the "enemy of the people." Trump also is criticizing The Boston Globe, which spearheaded the newspaper editorial campaign. He tweets that the Globe "is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT!" Newspapers from Maine to Hawaii pushed back against President Donald Trump's attacks on "fake news" Thursday with a coordinated series of editorials speaking up for a free and vigorous press and, not surprisingly, Trump didn't take it silently. The Boston Globe, which set the campaign in motion by urging the unified voice, had estimated that some 350 newspapers would participate. They did across the breadth of the country. The Portland (Maine) Press-Herald said a free and independent press is the best defense against tyranny, while the Honolulu Star-Advertiser emphasized democracy's need for a free press. "The true enemies of the people and democracy are those who try to suffocate truth by vilifying and demonizing the messenger," wrote the Des Moines Register in Iowa. In St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch called journalists "the truest of patriots." The Chicago Sun-Times said it believed most Americans know that Trump is talking nonsense. The Fayetteville Observer said it hoped Trump would stop, "but we're not holding our breath." "Rather, we hope all the president's supporters will recognize what he's doing manipulating reality to get what he wants," the North Carolina newspaper said. On Thursday morning, Trump took to Twitter to denounce the effort, saying the Globe was in collusion with other newspapers. The Morning News of Savannah, Georgia, said it was a confidant, not an enemy, to the people. "Like any true friend, we don't always tell you what you want to hear," the Morning News said. "Our news team presents the happenings and issues in this community through the lens of objectivity. And like any true friend, we refuse to mislead you. Our reporters and editors strive for fairness." Some newspapers used history lessons to state their case. The Elizabethtown Advocate in Pennsylvania, for instance, compared free press in the United States to such rights promised but not delivered in the former Soviet Union. The New York Times added a pitch. "If you haven't already, please subscribe to your local papers," said the Times, whose opinion section also summarized other editorials across the country. "Praise them when you think they've done a good job and criticize them when you think they could do better. We're all in this together." That last sentiment made some journalists skittish. Some newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal and the San Francisco Chronicle, wrote editorials explaining why they weren't joining the Globe's effort. The Chronicle wrote that one of its most important values is independence, and going along with the crowd went against that. Both the Chronicle and Baltimore Sun said that it plays into the hands of Trump and his supporters who think the media is out to get him. Nolan Finley, columnist and editorial page editor of The Detroit News, spoke up for the press but added a scolding. He said too many journalists are slipping opinion into their news reports, adding commentary and calling it context. "Donald Trump is not responsible for the eroding trust in the media," Finley wrote. "He lacks the credibility to pull that off. The damage to our standing is self-inflicted." The Radio Television Digital News Association, which represents more than 1,200 broadcasters and web sites, is also asking its members to point out that journalists are friends and neighbors doing important work holding government accountable. "I want to make sure that it is positive," said Dan Shelley, the group's executive director. "We're shooting ourselves in the foot if we make this about attacking the president or attacking his supporters." It remains unclear how much sway the effort will have. Newspaper editorial boards overwhelmingly opposed Trump's election in 2016. Polls show Republicans have grown more negative toward the news media in recent years: Pew Research Center said 85 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said in June 2017 that the news media has a negative effect on the country, up from 68 percent in 2010. By Karen Freifeld and Nathan Layne ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Reuters) - Paul Manafort had 'a huge dumpster of hidden money' abroad, a prosecutor said on Wednesday, urging a jury to convict U.S By Karen Freifeld and Nathan Layne ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Reuters) - Paul Manafort had "a huge dumpster of hidden money" abroad, a prosecutor said on Wednesday, urging a jury to convict U.S. President Donald Trump's former campaign chief on financial fraud charges based more on a paper trail of evidence than on the testimony of a former protege. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Andres gave his closing statement in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, where Manafort is on trial on tax and bank fraud charges, along with failing to disclose foreign bank accounts. The jury is expected to begin deliberating on a verdict on Thursday morning. The trial is the first to come out of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. The charges involve tax and bank fraud, not possible collusion between Russia and Donald Trump's campaign for president. A Manafort conviction would undermine efforts by Trump and some Republican lawmakers to paint Mueller's Russia inquiry as a political witch hunt, while an acquittal would be a setback for the special counsel. The star witness against Manafort was seen as Rick Gates, his former right-hand man, who was indicted along with Manafort but pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the government. The defence has portrayed Gates as a lying thief who had his hand in the "cookie jar" and was only trying to reduce his own sentence, noting Gates will be allowed to argue for probation even though he admitted to embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars and being involved in Manafort's alleged crimes. Andres argued that while Manafort did not "choose a Boy Scout" as his associate, Gates' testimony was corroborated by other evidence, including nearly 400 exhibits, and a series of financial professionals who took the stand for the prosecution. "The star witness in this case is the documents, Andres told the jury. "That wasnt a cookie jar," he added, referring to the tens of millions of dollars Manafort held overseas. "It was a huge dumpster of hidden money in foreign bank accounts." DOCTORED STATEMENTS Prosecutors say Manafort, 69, tried to mislead bankers with doctored financial statements in 2015 and 2016 to secure more than $20 million in loans and failed to pay taxes on more than $15 million that he earned as a political consultant in Ukraine. Defence lawyers decided not to call any witnesses in the trial, and Manafort, a veteran Republican political operative, did not testify in his own defence. In the defence's closing argument, Manafort's lawyers argued that issues with his financial situation were known to the bankers before they extended him the loans. They also sought to emphasize the idea that Manafort did not knowingly break the law - a requirement for conviction - and was rather failed by the bookkeepers, accountants and other professionals in whom he trusted his financial affairs. "Sometimes the people we rely on are trustworthy. Sometimes they are not," said lawyer Richard Westling. The defence took particular aim at Gates, who admitted in court to an extramarital affair. Gates also said he helped Manafort doctor financial statements, hide foreign income and evade hundreds of thousands of dollars in U.S. income taxes. Manafort's attorneys have portrayed Gates as living a secret life of infidelity and embezzlement. Defence lawyer Kevin Downing told the jury that Gates had shown himself to be a liar. "He came in here trying to look all clean shaven," Downing said. "He came in here and tried to get one over on you." Manafort made millions of dollars working for pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians before taking an unpaid position with Trump's campaign. He was on the campaign team for five months and led it in mid-2016 when Trump was selected as the Republican presidential nominee. Prosecutors say Manafort hid money in offshore bank accounts and then used it to pay for over $6 million in New York and Virginia real estate, items such as antique rugs and fancy clothes, including a $15,000 jacket made of ostrich skin. If found guilty on all 18 charges by the 12-person jury, he could face eight to 10 years in prison, according to sentencing expert Justin Paperny. Manafort also faces a second trial in September in Washington, where he is accused of failing to disclose lobbying for Ukrainian politicians, among other crimes. After the defence concluded its closing argument, Andres objected to Downing's suggestions that a civil audit would have been more appropriate for Manafort's tax issues and that Mueller's office had unfairly singled him out. Judge T.S. Ellis sided with Andres, and when he later gave instructions to jurors, he told them that the government was not required to do a civil tax audit before bringing criminal charges. He also instructed them to ignore any argument about the Department of Justice's motives in bringing the case. "We don't want the jury deciding this case on that issue," Ellis said earlier. Before the jurors left for the day, the judge suggested that they not discuss their deliberations with the media after the verdict, claiming it might have a "chilling effect." (Reporting by Karen Freifeld and Nathan Layne; additional reporting by Amanda Becker; writing by Alistair Bell; editing by Jonathan Oatis and James Dalgleish) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte declared a 12-month state of emergency after the motorway collapse in Genoa killed 39 people. Rome (Italy): Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Wednesday declared a 12-month state of emergency after a section of a motorway bridge recently collapsed in Genoa that claimed 39 lives. Conte further announced that he allocated five million euros for the smooth facilitation of search and rescue operations. He added that his administration would withdraw the concession from Autostrade, the private company responsible for the maintenance of the Morandi Bridge that collapsed on Tuesday. Conte was quoted by CNN as saying, "These are tragedies that are unacceptable in modern society." Although rescue operations were on till Wednesday evening, the hopes of finding more survivors in the mishap are now appearing to be dim. Fire services chief Emanuele Gissi told CNN that the rescue workers were working with care and caution amid concerns of the stability of the Morandi Bridge. Initially, the local authorities blamed heavy thunderstorms in the region for the mishap, but Conte clarified later that the investigators were working on the reason for the "structural failure" of the bridge. Genoa Mayor Marco Bucci said that the disaster was "not absolutely unexpected." Meanwhile, Italian President Sergio Mattarella has called for a "serious and severe examination of the causes" of the bridge collapse. On Tuesday, the head of the Italian Civil Protection Agency, Angelo Borrelli, confirmed that 13 people were injured in the incident, with the number of casualties expected to grow further. He added that around 30 vehicles and many heavy-duty trucks were present when the Morandi Bridge collapsed. The police had said that maintenance work was underway to consolidate parts of the bridge. The motorway bridge, which opened in 1968, is a major highway for residents and tourists in the city of Genoa. The route links the Italian coast with French coastal cities to the west, along the Mediterranean region. (Reuters) - Google has added a section to its twice-yearly transparency report to show who buys U.S. election ads on its platform and how much money is spent on political advertising, the search engine giant said on Wednesday. The move follows similar steps from Twitter and Facebook in late June, as social media platforms face the threat of U.S (Reuters) - Google has added a section to its twice-yearly transparency report to show who buys U.S. election ads on its platform and how much money is spent on political advertising, the search engine giant said on Wednesday. The move follows similar steps from Twitter and Facebook in late June, as social media platforms face the threat of U.S. regulation over the lack of disclosure on such spending. The new data https://transparencyreport.google.com/political-ads/overview?spend_by_geo=state:&lu=spend_by_geo from Alphabet Inc's Google gives details on advertisers who have spent more than $500 on political ads from May 31, 2018. With a spend of $629,500, the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, a fundraising organization for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, stood as the top U.S. political ad spender, according to the data. Google said it would update the report every week and the public can view new ads that get uploaded or new advertisers that decide to run ads. (Reporting by Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Mohammad Ismail KABUL (Reuters) - Gunmen attacked an area around a security base and training centre for Afghanistan's intelligence service in the capital Kabul on Thursday, holding off security forces for hours before being killed. The incident comes at a time of high tension after a series of attacks across Afghanistan, including a full-scale assault on the city of Ghazni by the Taliban last week that killed as many as 150 civilians and destroyed houses and a local market. By Mohammad Ismail KABUL (Reuters) - Gunmen attacked an area around a security base and training centre for Afghanistan's intelligence service in the capital Kabul on Thursday, holding off security forces for hours before being killed. The incident comes at a time of high tension after a series of attacks across Afghanistan, including a full-scale assault on the city of Ghazni by the Taliban last week that killed as many as 150 civilians and destroyed houses and a local market. There was no immediate word on any casualties from Thursday's attack, the latest in a long series to target military and intelligence facilities in Kabul. Islamic State issued a statement claiming responsibility in a statement on its Amaq news agency. Staff and officials at the training centre took shelter in a protected area of the compound as gunfire came from a half-finished building near the site. Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanekzai said the attackers had fired rocket-propelled grenades as well as automatic rifles, and that security forces had held back from assaulting the building where the gunmen had taken position. Afghan Special Forces, backed by advisers from the NATO-led Resolute Support mission, surrounded the site and kept the attackers in a standoff for hours, with the occasional sound of gunfire or explosions. After some seven hours, officials said the two attackers were killed. Separately on Thursday, Islamic State also claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Kabul that tore through an educational centre on Wednesday where teenagers had been studying for a university entrance examination. The public health ministry has put the death toll at 40, and rights group Amnesty International condemned the attack as a "war crime". GHAZNI CALM AFTER FIGHTING In Ghazni, heavily damaged by five days of heavy fighting this week, there were warnings of the danger posed by unexploded ordnance and there were still problems with water and power but otherwise the situation was calm. "Clearing operations in Ghazni continue, but violence in the city, which is recovering from the Taliban's aftermath, has abated and the city remains quiet," said Lt. Col. Martin O'Donnell, spokesman for U.S Forces-Afghanistan. The latest fighting has raised questions over prospects for peace talks between the Taliban and the Western-backed government ahead of next week's Eid al-Adha, a major annual Muslim festival. Taliban officials have told Reuters the movement's leadership was considering a ceasefire, following a three-day truce during the Eid al-Fitr holiday in June, but there has so far been no confirmation. The last Eid truce, which saw unarmed Taliban fighters mingling with soldiers and police in Kabul and other cities, offered a rare glimpse of peace and Taliban officials say they have held preliminary meetings with U.S. diplomats. But officials have also said they are bracing for more violence with the approach of parliamentary elections in October. (Additional reporting by Akram Walizada; Abdul Qadir Sediqi, Hamid Shalizi, Omar Fahmy in CAIRO; Editing by Robert Birsel and Alison Williams) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. IS says its bomber, identified as 'martyrdom-seeking brother Abdul Raouf al-Khorasani' carried out the attack, allegedly killing or wounding more than 200 students. Kabul: The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the horrific suicide bombing the previous day that targeted a Shiite area of the Afghan capital, killing 34 students. The claim of responsibility was posted on Thursday on the IS-affiliated Aamaq news agency. IS says its bomber, identified as "martyrdom-seeking brother Abdul Raouf al-Khorasani" carried out the attack, allegedly killing or wounding more than 200 students. Afghanistan's Health Ministry has released a revised casualty toll, saying 34 students were killed and 57 were wounded. Afghanistan's IS affiliate is known as The Islamic State in Khorasan Province. Khorasan is the ancient name for an area that encompassed parts of present-day Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia. A dozen relatives of MH370 passengers gathered outside the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing, and handed over a letter addressed to the Malaysian government. Beijing: Chinese relatives of those who disappeared on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 on Thursday asked to meet the country's Prime Minister Mahathir Bin Mohamad when he visits China this week. The plane disappeared in March 2014 with 239 people mostly from China on board, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Amid a heavy police presence, about a dozen relatives gathered outside the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing where they handed over a letter addressed to the Malaysian government. "We ask that Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir, or other representatives (of the Malaysian government) meet with Chinese relatives of those on board MH370 during the official visit," the letter read. Mahathir, who became Malaysia's premier for the second time after a shock election victory in May, will arrive in China on Friday for a five-day visit, including a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday. Other requests include resuming the search, a monthly meeting with airline and Malaysian officials, as well as for investigators to thoroughly explain the recent investigation report. A similar letter was also given to the foreign ministry. "We're holding out hope that on this visit to China, (Mahathir) can quickly resolve the issue with MH370," said Gu Xiu Fang, whose son and his family were on the plane. "We don't know anything about the situation. Our lives have stopped at 8 March, 2014," she said. Relatives had earlier this month expressed frustration that the long-awaited official report totalling some 1,500 pages had no new clues about the missing airliner and had not been translated into any Chinese language. The investigation team wrote that it was unable to determine the real cause for the disappearance of the plane. The vanished airliner sparked the largest hunt in aviation history but no sign of the jet was found in a 120,000-square kilometre Indian Ocean search zone, and the Australian-led hunt was suspended in January 2017. US exploration firm Ocean Infinity resumed the search in a different location at the start of this year on a "no find, no fee" basis, using high-tech drones to scour the seabed. The private search was called off after failing to find a trace of the plane but Mahathir had said the search could resume if new evidence shows up. Only three confirmed fragments of MH370 have been found, all of them washed up on shores in the western Indian Ocean. Saudi forces captured an Islamic State militant in the city of Al-Bukhariya three days before the kingdom hosts the annual Hajj pilgrimage Riyadh: Saudi forces have arrested a heavily armed "extremist" after wounding him in an exchange of gunfire in the kingdom's conservative central heartland, the interior ministry said on Thursday. The man had embraced the Islamic State group's "ideology" and was found to be in possession of a machine gun, a pistol and multiple rounds of ammunition, the ministry said in a statement. The man in Al-Bukhariya city was also wearing what appeared to be an explosives-laden belt, state-run Al-Ekhbariya television reported. The incident comes as the kingdom prepares to host the annual hajj pilgrimage from 19 to 24 August. The kingdom has seen numerous attacks in recent years by jihadists, including Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, against security forces. It has also seen clashes between Shiite militants and security forces in the eastern provinces. In July, a drive-by shooting against a checkpoint in central Saudi Arabia and an ensuing gunfight left a security officer, a Bangladeshi civilian and two attackers dead, according to the interior ministry. And in April, four Saudi policemen were killed and four others wounded in an attack targeting a checkpoint in the southwestern province of Asir. By Steve Holland and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump moved to penalize an outspoken critic on Wednesday, revoking the security clearance of Obama-era CIA Director John Brennan for what he said was 'a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations' about his administration. Trump, in a statement read to reporters by White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, also announced he was evaluating whether other former high-ranking officials - all of whom have criticized him - should have their security clearances withdrawn as well. By Steve Holland and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump moved to penalize an outspoken critic on Wednesday, revoking the security clearance of Obama-era CIA Director John Brennan for what he said was "a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations" about his administration. Trump, in a statement read to reporters by White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, also announced he was evaluating whether other former high-ranking officials - all of whom have criticized him - should have their security clearances withdrawn as well. The decision came a day after Brennan, who headed the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency under Democratic President Barack Obama, levelled a blistering attack against Trump for the president's tweeted criticism of former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, who wrote a book critical of Trump. "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. Trump, without mentioning specific comments made by Brennan, said the former CIA leader had engaged in "frenzied commentary" and had sought to "sow division and chaos" about the Trump administration. "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 said. Brennan, in a tweet, said he would not back down. "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 said. Trump said he may also revoke the clearances of other critics, including former U.S. national intelligence director James Clapper, former FBI Director James Comey, former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice, former National Security Agency director Michael Hayden and former deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, among others. Also on the list was Bruce Ohr, a current Justice Department official in the criminal division. Brennan has frequently appeared on cable television news shows and punched out lashing tweets to attack Trump's foreign policy positions. He was particularly biting about the president's joint news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki a month ago. Trump said he tended to believed Putin's denials about Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election despite the U.S. intelligence community view that Moscow was to blame. Brennan in a tweet suggested Trump could be impeached, saying his performance in Helsinki "rises to & exceeds the threshold of 'high crimes & misdemeanours' and was "nothing short of treasonous." High-ranking government officials sometimes retain their security clearances after leaving office, allowing them the ability to provide advice as needed to their successors. "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 behaviour ... That conduct and behaviour has tested and far exceeded the limits of any professional courtesy that has been due to him," Trump said. A spokesman for Brennan declined to immediately comment. Ned Price, a former National Security Council spokesman for Obama and former CIA official, said Trump was trying to shift public attention away from the critical book by Manigault Newman. "The proximate target was John Brennan, but the real intent of todays announcement was to simultaneously shift and silence," he said. "The White House knows as well as anyone that Brennan, in his criticism of Trump, has never disclosed classified information. And thats always been the metric when it comes to a revocation of a clearance," Price said. Hayden, asked for his response to Trumps announced review of his security clearance, replied in an email, Meh. 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. If I were to lose my clearance, it would have a marginal impact on the work I do." (Reporting by Steve Holland and Jeff Mason; additional reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by James Dalgleish and Tom Brown) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. China will send a negotiator to US to ease trade tensions between the country. Beijing says that it welcomes dialogue on the basis of 'equality and reciprocity' Beijing: China will send a top negotiator to the US in late August to resume trade talks, the commerce ministry said on Thursday, the first public meeting on the subject in weeks as the trade conflict intensifies. Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen, the deputy representative on international trade negotiations, will meet with a senior US treasury official, David Malpass, at the invitation of the US, the ministry said in a statement. "The Chinese side reiterates that it opposes unilateralism and trade protectionism practices and does not accept any unilateral trade restriction measures," the ministry said. "China welcomes dialogue and communication on the basis of reciprocity, equality and integrity." US Commerce Minister Wilbur Ross held talks with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in Beijing in June. But the discussions failed to reduce tensions as the US slapped tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods in early July, triggering an immediate dollar-for-dollar retaliation from Beijing. The two countries plan to launch a new round of tit-for-tat tariffs on $16 billion worth of goods from each country on 23 August. Washington has also lined up an additional $200 billion in Chinese imports and US President Donald Trump said he could raise tariffs on those products to 25 percent instead of the previously touted 10 percent. "It is hard to tell how the talks will go but it's a positive signal that the two countries are looking for some compromise plan," said Makoto Sengoku, market analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Institute. "If they were determined to fight it out, they wouldn't meet," he told AFP. Chinese officials say the tariffs have yet to make an impact on the country's economy, with its exports even beating forecasts in July. But analysts warned that China could feel the full effect of tariffs in August. Trump has boasted that trade wars are "easy to win" and warned he would hit virtually all Chinese imports if Beijing does not back down and take steps to reduce its $335 billion surplus with the US. China does not import enough from the US to match Washington dollar-for-dollar, but it has warned that it could fire back with other measures. The yuan has declined in recent weeks, helping Chinese exporters as it makes their products cheaper, but it could fuel tensions with Trump, who has accused Beijing of manipulating its currency. Google back in May had introduced the Google One brand and it also converted all Google Drive paid storage plans to Google One. After a few months in invite-only beta, the Google One is now available in the U.S. It gives more storage across Drive, Gmail, and Photos. The company is also improving the prices of the storage plans and adding new options, so you can find one that works for you. The Google One storage plans offer 15GB free space to every user, while the paid plans start at 100GB at $1.99/month, up next is the 200GB plan for $2.99/month and a whopping 2 TB for $10/month. Though Google is not widely publicizing, there are much bigger plans at the 10TB account for $99.99/month, 20TB for $199.99/month, and 30 TB for $299.99/month. You can also share your plan with up to five additional family members. Beyond storage, Google One product also offers 24/7 live support for Googles products from Google Calendar to Gmail to Google Docs. The company is also announcing new perks for subscribers including special Google Store and Google Express deals. Google One is publicly available starting today in the United States and will be rolled out to other countries around the world eventually. Source TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX) has a retailing approach that works across a wide range of economic environments. Lately, its value-based selling model has helped deliver healthy sales gains and steady profitability at a time when many of its full-price peers are struggling. Investors are expecting the good news to continue when the owner of the Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, and HomeGoods chains reports its fiscal 2019 second-quarter earnings results on Tuesday. Below, we'll preview that highly-anticipated report. Sales are headed higher There are a few competitive assets that set TJX Companies apart from rivals, including its deep experience in acquiring off-price merchandise, its flexible selling format, and its huge store footprint. These characteristics have helped the company grow comp sales for 22 consecutive years, which is a much longer streak than peers like Target can claim. The retailer has also delivered healthy customer traffic growth, with shopper volume rising in each of the last 15 quarters. Investors will be looking for extensions of both of those trends on Tuesday. In its fiscal first quarter, TJX Companies posted a 3% comparable-store sales increase, powered by a 4% comp sales spike from its core Marshalls and T.J. Maxx brands. The company also experienced customer traffic growth across each of its four divisions. More gains on these metrics in the second quarter would show that the retailer is still finding ways to soak up market share in a highly competitive industry. Management is targeting more modest comp sales gains of between 1% and 2% this quarter. Pricing power TJX Companies entered last quarter in what management described as an "excellent inventory position." For this off-price seller, that means its stores were stocked with just the right levels of fresh, high-quality merchandise that it believed would appeal to its core shopper demographics. We'll find out on Tuesday whether that strong positioning translated into healthy profit margins. For context, in the first quarter, gross profit margin held steady at 29% of sales, and operating margin ticked up slightly to 11% of sales. Just like many of its peers, TJX Companies is spending more on wages and on building out its e-commerce infrastructure these days. However, its pricing power -- and the corporate tax cuts that were instituted in December -- have cushioned its earnings so far. The updated outlook CEO Ernie Herrman and his team left their fiscal 2019 sales targets in place last quarter, saying they still expect comparable store sales to rise by between 1% and 2%. That would give the company its 23rd straight year of positive comps, which is a testament to its ability to adapt to a wide range of retail environments. Yet if that forecast holds up, it will also mean that sales growth would have decelerated for the second year in a row. Comps jumped 5% in fiscal 2017, after all, before slipping to a 2% increase last year. Strengthening sales trends over the last few months might convince management to lift that outlook, though, so I wouldn't be surprised to see TJX Companies update its forecast with more aggressive revenue and earnings targets on Tuesday. Last month, your Motley Fool Answers cohosts Robert Brokamp and Alison Southwick debuted a new recurring segment for the show: "The Philanthropist Next Door." This new series of profiles features millionaires whose wealth stayed under the radar all their lives -- until they bequeathed big money to worthy causes. In this episode, we meet not one but four philanthropists who lived full (though frugal) lives, and via the power of long-term investing, amassed fortunes that they dedicated to charity after their deaths. A full transcript follows the video. This video was recorded on Aug. 7, 2018. Robert Brokamp: Ding dong! Alison Southwick: Who's there? Brokamp: It's the philanthropist! The philanthropist next door! Southwick: I don't know why that's funny. Brokamp: So, a few episodes ago, as longtime listeners will remember, we launched a new segment we're calling The Philanthropist Next Door, which profiles people who have lived seemingly financially modest lives but actually accumulated impressive wealth that they used to make the world a better place. Rick Engdahl: Or they collect stamps. One or the other. Brokamp: Or something like that. In the first installment we delved into the story of Oseola McCarty, a washer woman from Mississippi who accumulated hundreds of thousands of dollars that she then used to create a scholarship fund that has been helping students for more than 20 years and is set up to continue for decades to come. Southwick: That's a great story. Brokamp: It is a great story. This week, though, we go for more breadth than depth by profiling four other people who turned their frugality into philanthropy. First up, No. 1 is Genevieve Via Cava. Genevieve began teaching in the schools of Bergen County, New Jersey in 1945 and she taught general ed and special ed kids until she retired in 1990. She lived in the home she grew up in. She was known to clip coupons. Known to be pretty frugal. She scolded friends if they went out to eat too often. She was married but she didn't have kids. One example of her frugality was told by a friend of hers named Richard Jablonski who also ended up being the executor of her estate. As she got older and started losing her hearing, she refused to spend the $4,000 on new hearing aids, and she told him, "Don't be foolish with money, Richard. It's not how much money you earn. It's how much you save." Southwick: Actually what she said was, "Don't be foolish with money, Richard!!!" Brokamp: That's probably true. Southwick: Was I far enough from the mic for that? Brokamp: But when she died in 2011, her estate was worth several million dollars. Of that amount she left $100,000 to the Salvation Army, $100,000 each to the country's animal shelters, and $1 million to the school district for whom she worked which will provide college scholarships to a special needs student each year and perhaps two scholarships depending on how the investments in the trust perform. Jablonski told People magazine, "Genevieve was very smart. She knew finances and now she'd be thrilled to hear that the interest, alone, from her $1 million gift to the school district will pay for a scholarship every year. She was a strict teacher, but she loved those kids. They meant the world to her and now her legacy will live on forever." No. 2. Ronald Reid. Reid was born in 1921. He was the first in his family to graduate from high school, and he had to walk every day, or hitchhike, to get to the school. He served in World War II and then he returned home to Vermont. Married a woman who had two kids. He worked at a gas station for 25 years and then he retired. He found retirement kind of boring, so he went back to work as a janitor for J.C. Penney's and then retired in 1997. According to his lawyer, he had two favorite hobbies: chopping wood and investing. One of his friends said, "I'm sure that if he earned $50 in one week he probably invested $40." According to The Wall Street Journal, he owned at least 95 stocks at the time of his death in 2014, many of which he held on for decades. His attorney said that he only invested in what he knew and what paid dividends, so companies like AT&T, John Deere, Procter & Gamble. At his death his portfolio was worth more than $8 million and most of it he left to the local library and the local hospital; not because he needed the healthcare, but he went to the hospital's cafeteria every morning and ordered the same thing. He lived so frugally few people knew about his wealth. There's a video about his life. His house was actually pretty nice. A very lovely town in Vermont, but not even his stepson knew how much money he had. In fact, he said the only clue was that he read The Wall Street Journal every day. No. 3 is Sylvia Bloom. Sylvia was the child of Eastern European immigrants and grew up in Brooklyn. In 1947, she began working as a legal secretary at a Wall Street law firm and she kept that job for 67 years learning about investing from the lawyers she worked with. Her niece told The New York Times, "she was a secretary in an era when they ran their boss's lives, including their personal investments." Southwick: Wait! What? Oh, wow! So she would actually call and execute the actual transactions. Brokamp: Yes, she was like an administrative assistant type of thing. When the boss would buy a stock, she would make the purchase for him and then buy the same stock for herself but, of course, in smaller amounts because she was on a secretary's salary. She and her husband, who was a firefighter, teacher, and a part-time pharmacist [that's kind of interesting] lived modestly but comfortably in a rent-controlled apartment. When she died in 2016 at the age of 96 her portfolio was worth more than $9 million. She left more than $6 million to the Henry Street Settlement for disadvantaged students in New York. Part of the money will be used to help students from 9th grade through college graduation with free counseling, tutoring, SAT prep, and college visits. She also left $1 million to her alma mater, Hunter College, and created a scholarship fund with another $1 million. And lastly No. 4 is Leonard Gigowski. So like Ronald Reid, Gigowski also served in World War II, specifically as a cook in the Navy. When he returned to his home town in Wisconsin, he worked as a butcher in a grocery store, receiving some company stock that he held onto for a very long time, and then when he sold it he bought some other stocks. He eventually opened up his own grocery store, and then a nightclub, and then a dance studio... He never married, but a few times a week he'd go out in a tux for some ballroom dancing. He also kept 50 to 100 pigeons that he raced, even winning a few trophies. But those were pretty much his only extravagances. One of his friends said this about Gigowski. "He was a tight man. Leonard would buy shoes at discount, even if they didn't fit him, just to save a buck. He wanted to save money and give it to people needier than he was." While he was alive he began funding scholarships for the Catholic high school that he attended when he was young, which back then was a seminary. Gigowski, like yours truly, at one point was studying to be a priest. For his 90th birthday the school surprised him by assembling the students to sing "Happy Birthday" to him. He passed away in 2015 leaving the school $13 million as a scholarship fund, which will disburse 5% of its assets every year and thus is set up to last in perpetuity. I got a few takeaways from these stories. Obviously the first takeaway is you don't need a large salary to build a large portfolio. You just have to prioritize where your money goes and time. Keep an eye on your spending and start as early as possible. No. 2 is if you are inspired to leave money to charity, get good legal help. You don't want family members disputing the bequest. Via Cava, the teacher who left the special ed scholarship died in 2011, but the school just found out this year about the inheritance. I don't know why that is. I don't know if some relatives came out of the woodwork and tried to dispute it. I read another article about a man who had neither kids nor a wife. He died and left all his money to the people who ran his apartment. Then a long-lost nephew showed up and tried to get some of the money, so they had to go to court because his will was just written on paper. Basically, if you want to do something like this, make sure you get good, legal help so the money goes to where you want. And third, don't go nuts. If you read online some of the comments about these articles written about these people, some do think that some of these people take it too far. They go a little too crazy with the frugality, maybe denying themselves some healthcare that they needed. Maybe they should have taken a few more trips. I think the people we talk about, here, are perfectly reasonable, but there are other stories that I come across where people really denied themselves too much in order to accumulate a lot of money. So while I like the message of what all these people are trying to do, obviously you should enjoy some of it and don't deny yourself the things that you really need. But some people do enjoy spending money on clothes, on travel, on things; but, other people do value financial security and financial peace of mind, and really value spending money on ways that will help other people and in a lot of ways the world is a better place because of it. This year or next, wind farms will overtake hydroelectric dams as the top renewable energy source in the United States, providing roughly 7% of the country's total electricity demand from an installed base of over 90,000 megawatts. And almost all the turbines will be located on land, with offshore projects kicking in a paltry 30 megawatts, or 0.033%, of that total. While offshore wind power in the United States is not very impressive today, there are signs that the sleepy industry may finally be waking up. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the country currently boasts a pipeline containing 28 commercial offshore projects with a combined capacity of 23,735 megawatts. Not every project will become a reality, and those that do may not come on line until the mid-2020s. But investors may want to begin preparing for this renewable energy opportunity. Here are three of the early movers and top stocks in offshore wind power. First in flight, or close enough Just off the coast of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, where the Wright brothers made their pioneering flight, the renewable energy subsidiary of Avangrid (NYSE:AGR) is planning a 1,500-megawatt project on a 122,000-acre site. It's still in the earliest stages of development, but the company is keen to be a first mover in the American offshore wind industry. On the fourth-quarter 2017 earnings conference call, CEO Laura Beane told shareholders, "whoever gets started first is likely going to be the foundation, or one of the primary foundations, for the U.S. offshore industry." Not wanting to waste any time, Avangrid is actively engaged in securing the development rights to other plots in the Atlantic Ocean. The Kitty Hawk project isn't expected to begin construction until after 2020 (perhaps a good thing for shareholders, considering that the cost of offshore wind power is falling rapidly each year). But the company is still one of the largest owners of renewable energy assets in the United States, with 6,000 megawatts of total installed onshore wind and solar spread across 22 states. Avangrid has used low-cost renewable energy to its advantage, rewarding investors with three-year total returns of 51% (beating the S&P 500) and sporting a 3.5% dividend yield. While 81.5% of common shares are owned by Spanish utility Iberdrola, the stock's relatively low float hasn't been an obstacle to individual investors. This could be an under-the-radar renewable energy stock worth a closer look. Empire state of mind Equinor (NYSE:EQNR), formerly known as Statoil, is also sizing up America's incredible potential in offshore wind power. The company thinks it can leverage its expertise from decades of offshore oil and gas operations in the rough waters of the North Sea to tackle some of the biggest challenges in offshore wind. Such as, you know, how exactly does a company go about erecting hundreds of wind turbines, each hundreds of meters tall, in a field that's 10 to 20 miles away from the closest land? The oil major thinks it can supply the global industry with much-needed answers. While it has used waters closer to its European home as a test bed of sorts, Equinor is also in the early stages of planning a 1,500-megawatt wind farm in a 79,000-acre plot off the coast of Long Island, New York. Construction for the Empire Wind project is expected to begin in 2023 and wrap up in 2025, although delays are always possible for an industry still trying to establish itself. If Equinor succeeds with the Empire Wind project and other projects in Europe, then it should be well positioned to drive global growth for the offshore wind industry, which boasted just 19,000 megawatts of installed capacity at the end of last year. That was well behind the nearly 500,000 megawatts of wind capacity on land. So, securing a leadership position in the offshore industry would no doubt accelerate the company's move away from its legacy operations in fossil fuels. Tapping the mid-Atlantic for renewable energy growth Navigating the sweeping changes underway in American energy has not been easy for Dominion Energy (NYSE:D). The company's geographic locations just below the Mason-Dixon Line and in coal-friendly states out West mean it has historically relied on coal-fired power plants for power generation, while also slightly handicapping operations with relatively poor wind and solar potential. That has made it more difficult to retire aging assets, power up cleaner assets, and invest in energy efficiency projects (where it ranks pretty poorly). But Dominion is keen to become a leader in renewable energy, and it sees offshore wind power as a crucial part of its long-term viability. In early August, Dominion Energy took the first step to begin the lengthy development process for what could be a massive offshore wind farm. Initially, the company will install just 12 megawatts of wind-power capacity off the coast of Virginia, which it will use to study a larger, adjacent 112,000-acre plot it owns the development rights to. If the economics work out, then the site could one day support 2,000 megawatts of offshore wind power. The company appears to be taking the opportunity very seriously. Dominion Energy tapped the planet's leading offshore wind developer, the Danish company Orsted, to build the first leg of the project. The partnership, combined with the power generator's commitment to have 3,000 megawatts of new wind and solar in development or operating in the State of Virginia by 2022, hints that it will become a leading offshore wind developer in the next decade. Can this industry finally get off the ground? Despite the slow start, the United States has the best offshore wind potential of any country in the world thanks to the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, a handful of Great Lakes, and the coastal waters of Alaska (which boast more technical offshore wind potential than all other states combined). As the country's current pipeline of projects demonstrates, there's a renewed excitement domestically for the future of the industry. While there are still obstacles, like economics and construction difficulty, the early days of wind power on land were accompanied by a similar laundry list of hurdles. Today it's the cheapest source of electricity in the United States. Some of the early movers in onshore wind have also been some of the best stocks to own in the last decade (including NextEra Energy and Xcel Energy). So investors might want to begin paying attention to the awesome potential of offshore wind power. The United States has certainly enjoyed the spoils of technological know-how and robust national energy infrastructure in the last decade or so. In a virtually overnight transformation, the country went from being the world's largest energy importer in 2005 to on the brink of becoming a net energy exporter. The expectation is for the incredible rise to continue for the foreseeable future, with booming crude oil production from the Permian Basin in West Texas suffocating pipelines, and natural gas production in the Appalachian region of the Northeast doubling in the next five years. Yet, while crude oil and natural gas get all the headlines and glory, they're not the only products spawned from the shale energy revolution that will alter global trade flows. Less-appreciated natural gas liquids (NGLs) are quietly becoming the go-to inputs for world-class chemical manufacturing facilities right here in the United States. That creates significant growth opportunities up and down the industry's value chain -- and Enterprise Products Partners LP (NYSE:EPD) is uniquely positioned to capitalize both upstream and downstream. American chemical production is about to soar Natural gas is a mixture of various chemicals. The sought-after component of natural gas is methane (with one carbon atom), although several others -- ethane (two carbon atoms), propane (three carbon atoms), butane (four carbon atoms), and so on -- are present in lesser quantities. These are natural gas liquids. While NGLs can be upgraded in petrochemical facilities to various building-block chemicals that power modern society (many everyday plastics and polymers are made from ethylene and propylene), they've historically been produced in such small quantities with such erratic prices that it never made much economic sense. Thus, petrochemical manufacturing is typically based on a petroleum byproduct called naphtha. But booming American natural gas production has changed the calculus. The United States now pulls so much natural gas out of the ground that there's a steady and low-cost supply of NGLs, especially ethane. Because there's so little infrastructure to handle the byproduct, what can be exported is, and the rest -- up to 40% in 2016 -- simply gets sent through pipelines as dry natural gas for heating and power generation (called "ethane rejection" in industry jargon). That's all about to change, as the global petrochemical manufacturing industry is finally catching up to the opportunity. According to the American Chemistry Council, since 2010 capital investments totaling around $181 billion have been announced for new petrochemical manufacturing capacity in the United States -- all of which plan to use low-cost ethane, propane, and butane as inputs. Over 62% of the financing is from a foreign company or includes a foreign partner, and many foreign companies worry that American NGLs will steal market share from more expensive naphtha, the global standard. They might be right to be worried. Consider the expected growth in U.S. ethylene manufacturing facilities alone over the next five years or so: Date Ethane Consumption (in barrels per day) Annual Ethylene Production (billion pounds) Existing supply 340,000 12.2 By end of 2019 615,000 22.3 Early 2020s 880,000 32.0 Enterprise Products Partners will be all over the opportunity. 53% of the company's $5.2 billion in capital investments this year and next is slated for NGL projects. That includes processing facilities that will separate NGLs from natural gas, dedicated NGL pipelines with long-term contracts, and storage and export terminals for both NGLs and upgraded chemicals such as ethylene. The opportunity will begin with the existing Aegis pipeline in Texas. While it boasts an ethane capacity of 425,000 barrels per day (BPD), the slow start of the American chemical manufacturing industry means it will only see 297,000 BPD of contracted volumes by the end of 2018. But that'll grow to 362,000 BPD in 2019. In the second quarter of 2019 Aegis will be joined by the Shin Oak NGL pipeline, which will boast an initial capacity of 550,000 BPD. Enterprise Products Partners already has a deal in place to take 100% of NGL production from Apache's Alpine High acreage in West Texas, with minimum volumes of 205,000 BPD. The expansion of the Orla gas processing center, also expected to be completed by June 2019, will boost Enterprise Product Partners' Delaware Basin NGL production from just 50,000 BPD today to 200,000 BPD. The combination of Aegis, Shin Oak, and Orla will allow Enterprise Products Partners to produce and supply NGLs, but those assets will be part of a larger network that gives the company an unprecedented advantage in America's budding petrochemical industry. In 2019 a combination of storage assets, pipelines, and a massive export terminal will be connected for the first time. The system will aid the manufacture of over 12 billion pounds of ethylene per year and export up to 2.2 billion pounds of ethylene each year -- a healthy chunk of the domestic industry's excess production. NGLs will grow this company's earnings and distribution Put it all together, and Enterprise Products Partners is quietly poised to exploit one of the most under-discussed growth opportunities in American energy: the overnight rise of a state-of-the-art, low-cost petrochemical manufacturing base. That bodes well for unitholders relying on the stock's 5.9% payout, and for the business's ability to grow the distribution above and beyond its 3% year-over-year increase ($0.01 per unit) in 2018. Management is expecting the increased earnings from growth projects to deliver enough free cash flow to self-fund 50% of growth capital expenditures in 2019, and potentially more in the future. Given that, this $63 billion company might be on the cusp of record financial flexibility. The ability to produce, supply, transport, and export NGLs and chemical products further down the value chain will play a major role. We recently got a look at Berkshire Hathaway's (NYSE:BRK.A) (NYSE:BRK.B) closely watched stock portfolio, and it turns out that Warren Buffett and his stock-picking team had a fairly active second quarter. One of the most significant changes was that three of Berkshire's bank stock positions significantly increased during the quarter, with the company investing about $1.2 billion altogether. Here's a rundown of Berkshire's latest bank stock investments, why Buffett may have loaded up on these banks, and whether there could be more buying yet to come. Buffett's latest bank stock buys Bank (Stock Symbol) New Shares Total Shares Owned Total Market Value U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB) 9,846,153 100,693,874 $5.0 Billion Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE:BK) 2,608,928 64,800,376 $3.5 Billion Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) 2,294,971 13,254,490 $2.9 Billion While these aren't quite as large as Berkshire's investments in Wells Fargo or Bank of America, they still represent a significant portion of the portfolio. As of this writing, U.S. Bancorp is the seventh-largest position in Berkshire's portfolio, and Bank of New York Mellon and Goldman Sachs are 10th and 12th, respectively. Why is Buffett loading up on bank stocks now? Bank stocks make up more than $71 billion of Berkshire's stock portfolio, so it's fair to say that Warren Buffett is a big fan of the banking industry as a long-term investment. And if you're familiar with Buffett's investment style, it makes sense. Banks are a "forever" business, they use low-cost capital (customer deposits) to generate returns, and as a group, they tend to trade at relatively low valuations compared with other sectors. As far as why Buffett and his stock-picking team spent over $1.2 billion on bank stocks during the second quarter, I'd have to say it was Buffett doing what he does best -- bargain hunting. While we don't know for sure why Buffett (or one of his stock-pickers) made these investments, it could have something to do with the relatively poor performance of the financial sector. Bank stocks have underperformed the S&P 500 so far in 2018 by more than five percentage points, and there were times during the second quarter where the difference was even more pronounced. Why these three banks? As I said in the last section, we don't know with absolute certainty why Buffett made any of his recent investments. Having said that, we can make some educated guesses. U.S. Bancorp is simply one of the best-run banks in the nation. It consistently delivers stronger returns on equity and assets than the rest of the big U.S. banks. Because of its tremendously high quality, U.S. Bancorp trades at a higher valuation than its peers, and rightly so. However, the bank's stock has performed even worse than the overall banking sector so far in 2018, and Buffett may have decided to pick up some shares on sale. Bank of New York Mellon is the oldest continuously operating bank in the U.S., and has a diverse revenue stream featuring private banking, asset management, and institutional banking businesses. Berkshire has added to its stakes in U.S. Bancorp and Bank of New York Mellon several times recently, including in the first quarter of the year, so I'm not shocked to see the positions continue to increase. Goldman Sachs first became part of Berkshire's portfolio thanks to a savvy financial-crisis-era deal by Buffett. The original investment was in the form of preferred stock with warrants, which were eventually exchanged for 43.5 million common shares. Berkshire sold most of these in the years since, as you can see in the chart at the top of the page. However, it looks like Buffett and company think that Goldman might have gotten cheap again. I couldn't agree more, and I've written before that Goldman looks like a compelling value at the current price. Goldman has been one of the worst performers in the sector, down nearly 10% so far in 2018 despite rather strong results and a rapidly growing consumer banking segment. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Buffett buys even more if the price stays rather low. Will Buffett keep adding to Berkshire's bank stocks? If the financial sector continues to underperform the market, I'd be surprised if Buffett didn't continue to build his bank positions. The U.S. Bancorp and Bank of New York Mellon positions have been slowly growing in recent years, and with a stake of approximately 6% in each one, Berkshire could potentially continue to buy them (Note: Berkshire can't own more than 10% of a bank for regulatory reasons, unless it gets special permission.) Goldman Sachs remains a compelling value, so if I were making investment decisions for Berkshire, that's the one I'd be aggressively adding. Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) is another Berkshire bank stock trading at a big discount after just losing its Walmart partnership, and as Berkshire's smallest current bank position, I wouldn't be surprised if Buffett decided to double down. The bottom line is that there are some compelling values in the banking industry, and during the second quarter, Buffett and his team did what they do best -- put money into excellent companies trading at fair prices. As of June, the Social Security Administration was divvying out a traditional benefits check to nearly 62.5 million people each month. These folks are primarily retired workers, albeit the program also covers a fair amount of long-term disabled workers and the survivors of deceased beneficiaries. For a majority of these folks, Social Security is indispensable. Over 60% of aged beneficiaries count on the program to provide them with at least half of their monthly income. Among this group, a third are reliant on Social Security for virtually all of their income (90% to 100%). It's for these reasons that I often refer to Social Security as "America's most important social program." But whether you realize it or not, this vital social program is heading toward disaster. Here's why seniors should be concerned In early June, the newest annual report from the Social Security Board of Trustees painted a pretty grim picture of the program's future. Beginning this year, and continuing in each subsequent year, its expenditures are expected to outpace revenue. Though this net cash outflow will begin small, with $1.7 billion and $0.2 billion expected to be removed from its asset reserves in 2018 and 2019, respectively, this outflow will surge to $169 billion by 2027. The fact is that the program can't continue running a deficit forever -- even with $2.9 trillion in asset reserves. By 2034, it's been forecast that the program's $2.9 trillion in excess cash will be completely drained. Should this cash disappear, Social Security will motor on. Thankfully, the 12.4% payroll tax on earned income and the taxation of benefits will ensure that money continues to flow into the program to be disbursed to eligible beneficiaries. But it clearly demonstrates the unsustainability of the current payout schedule. At the pace we're on, an across-the-board cut to benefits of 21% may be needed in 2034 to sustain payouts through the year 2092, without any further cuts. Keeping in mind the statistics of aged-beneficiary reliance, you can see why Social Security's issues are so worrisome. What is means-testing? Clearly, Social Security needs help from lawmakers on Capitol Hill to right the ship. The question is: What solution should be implemented? Of the more than one dozen fixes that have been considered in the past, the idea of means-testing eligible beneficiaries is one possible solution. In its simplest form, means-testing would look at the annual income of Social Security beneficiaries and determine, based on that income, whether they'd receive a reduced benefit check, or no benefit check at all. As a fictitious example, lawmakers could choose to implement partial reductions at say $80,000 in adjusted gross income (AGI) and cut benefits completely at $120,000 in AGI. That would mean anyone currently receiving benefits, who earned less than $80,000 in AGI in the previous year, would receive their full Social Security monthly benefit in the current year. However, if someone earned between $80,000 and $119,999 in AGI, their monthly benefit would be partially reduced. Should they make $120,000 or more in AGI, they'd forfeit their benefit entirely. The idea of means-testing is to ensure that Social Security benefits are going to people who really need them, which is how the program was designed in the mid-1930s. By cutting back benefits to higher-income individuals, it could save the program money over the long run, pushing back its asset reserve depletion date. Why hasn't means-testing been implemented for Social Security? Interestingly enough, it's Republicans, not Democrats, who've been behind some of the more prominent calls for means-testing the wealthy. During presidential campaigning in 2015, then-presidential candidate Chris Christie offered a proposal that would, among other things, reduce benefits once AGI hit $80,000, and eliminate them completely for individuals making more than $200,000 per year. Also before the November 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump suggested, in a roundabout way, that he (and implying the rich people like him) should forgo Social Security benefits in order to help sustain the program. Though Trump has taken a hands-off approach to the program since taking office, it's an idea he's nonetheless previously put on the table. So, why hasn't means-testing been implemented as a way to save Social Security money? It appears to a combination of factors. For one, it doesn't appear that means-testing alone would erase the projected $13.2 trillion cash shortfall the program is facing over the next 75 years. Make no mistake about it, means-testing would put Social Security on a better path forward than it's on now. But it's not a cure-all for the program, and my suspicion is lawmakers are looking for a one-and-done solution. Secondly, it could be argued that means-testing isn't fair and punishes folks who are successful. Even though we're talking about individuals who are unlikely to be reliant on their Social Security income, they nonetheless paid into the system throughout their working career just like everyone else, and should therefore be due a payout. And finally, passing an amendment for means-testing would require bipartisan support, which is few and far between on Capitol Hill. With 60 votes needed in the Senate to pass a Social Security amendment, it's unlikely this would happen anytime soon. Though it's an intriguing proposal that could buy Social Security some added time without the need for a benefits cut, means-testing isn't considered a go-to solution by Washington at the moment. Medical bills are the most common cause of bankruptcy in the United States, and unfortunately, they're not always avoidable. Health insurance rarely covers the full cost of your medical procedures, and even the deductibles can be challenging to meet if your budget is tight. It's an overwhelming situation that most people don't know how to handle. Some choose to ignore the bills, while others charge it to their credit cards just to get the hospital off their backs. But neither of these approaches works very well, and they could end up damaging your credit or making your debt problem worse. Here are a few practical steps you can try instead to lower your costs and come to a resolution that makes both you and the hospital happy. Make sure the charges are accurate It's a good practice to look over any bill you receive to ensure that the charges are accurate, and medical bills are no exception. Look for errors like double charges for the same procedure or charges for procedures you didn't receive. Contact the hospital billing department if there's anything you don't understand and speak to your insurance provider about anything you feel should have been covered under your policy. If you're not sure whether something should normally be covered by insurance or not, reach out to someone who does know. If you get insurance through your employer, your benefits administrator may be able to help. The hospital may also be willing to advocate on your behalf -- for example, by explaining to your insurance company why a procedure was medically necessary. However, you may need to ask for this kind of assistance. If you find any erroneous charges, point them out to the hospital's billing department and request that they fix the mistakes and provide you with an accurate bill. If for some reason the hospital refuses to do so, it's a good idea to file an appeal with your insurance company. It doesn't want to pay out more than is necessary for your procedures, so it may be willing to negotiate with the hospital for you to get your -- and its -- costs down. You can also try reaching out to your medical provider's patient advocate, if there is one. They work with you and the hospital to come to a mutually beneficial agreement, and they may be able to get you discounts. Negotiate Many people don't realize it, but medical bills can be negotiated. A good first step is to do your research and figure out how much the medical treatment you need usually costs. Healthcare Bluebook can help you determine a fair price for services. Your health insurance provider may also have a similar tool that estimates how much procedures cost. Compare these prices to your bill to determine if you have been charged unfairly. You may also be able to use this information to negotiate with doctors and hospital billing staff before you even receive treatment in some cases. Armed with this information, speak to your hospital's billing manager about the situation and request that they offer you a fairer rate. They are under no obligation to comply, but oftentimes they will, especially if you can pay the negotiated price in full. Many hospitals would rather accept a large sum now -- even if it's not the full payment -- than get smaller payments over a period of several years, particularly if there's a risk that you could file for bankruptcy. Even if your hospital has charged a fair price for its services, you may still be able to negotiate a better deal if you promise to pay the full balance within a set period of time or to make a large down payment upfront. If you are going to try negotiating, the best time to do it is right away. Don't way until you have collections agencies calling you for the money. Remember to be firm, but polite. Hospitals are less likely to accommodate you if you come off as hostile and demanding. See if you qualify for assistance Some hospitals offer assistance programs to help low-income households pay off their medical bills. If you fall into this category, ask your hospital's billing department to see if you qualify for help with your medical bills. You may also be eligible for Medicaid, though the exact criteria necessary for approval vary from state to state. If you do qualify, you should apply as soon as possible. Medicaid will often help you pay off any outstanding bills in your name, even if the charges are from before you signed up. Work out a payment plan If all else fails, talk to the hospital about setting up an interest-free payment plan. That way, you can pay your bills off over time at a manageable pace. Make sure you get a copy of the agreement in writing so you can refer back to it later. Again, the best time to do this is as soon as you get the bill. Hospitals may be more reluctant to work with you if you've ignored the bill until your account is on the brink of collections. Medical debt can be overwhelming, but you can make it a lot more manageable by doing a little research and creating a plan for paying back what you owe. The sooner you get started, the easier it will be. Inc. 5000 Adds Experimac to List of Fast Growing Companies for 2018 Local Company to Be Honored at Gala in October WEST PALM BEACH, FL, August 16, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Inc. 5000 has named Experimac, a company with 93 locations throughout the United States and 13 in Florida, as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. The prestigious list ranks companies by overall revenue growth over a three-year period and Experimac has been ranked at 57 out of 5000 recipients, making it part of the Inc. 500. Honorees will be recognized at a conference and gala, October 17-19 at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, San Antonio, Texas. "Being recognized by Inc. 5000 is a true honor because it not only recognizes our growth, but it's also a reflection of the hard work and dedication all team members bring to the workplace each day," said Jim Muir, president of Experimac. "The list is literally an indicator of success and achievement, and we are extremely pleased to have been added." Based in West Palm Beach, and a brand of the United Franchise Group, Experimac specializes in the sale of certified pre-owned Apple* computers and devices. As a retail leader in sales and services for more than two decades, the company and its franchisees are one-stop shops for everything Apple. In 2017, Experimac opened more than 50 new locations, including eight international franchise locations. This year, the brand is on track to double their growth rate across the United States and internationally. "We stock the highest quality RAM, hard drives and logic boards in house, and our huge inventory enables us to make used gadgets work better or like new at an affordable price," Muir said. "We also provide full diagnostic services, but if a customer's device is at the point of no return, we can save that customer up to 60 percent on high-quality, certified pre-owned products that include Mac computers, iPhone, iPod and Apple TV devices and iPad tablets." One of the essentials that Experimac takes pride in is the fact that all products are thoroughly cleaned, inspected and brought up to the brand's highest standards before they are made available for sale. In addition to selling certified pre-owned Apple products, the company offers repair and upgrade services, and its team of technicians is available to fix cracked phone screens, recover data, and improve a computer's overall performance. "Before any of our pre-owned Apple products are sold, we perform a rigorous and complete certification process," noted Muir. "All products and services are backed by Experimac's warranty, which is normally one-year from the date of purchase. We believe in what we sell, and do everything necessary to make sure that customers are satisfied with their purchase." Experimac does not charge to examine Apple devices. The technicians provide essential information and suggestions on how to maintain the product and improve performance. Each Experimac store is independently owned and operated, offering competitively priced Apple products delivered with excellent customer service. Visit www.Experimac.com to find a location near you. About Experimac Experimac is a unique franchising concept that specializes in the sale of certified pre-owned Apple products. Your Local Experimac can also repair, upgrade or buy your current device, and no appointment is ever necessary. The brand offers a one-year warranty at most locations, which takes the risk out of buying pre-owned. Experimac was founded by Jim Muir in 2009, and began franchising as one of United Franchise Group's affiliated companies and brands in 2014. Today, there are more than 100 locations across the globe; Experimac stores can be found in Australia, Mexico, Chile, South Africa, France, Canada, Uruguay and Ireland. The brand has seen tremendous growth with no sign of slowing down. For more information, visit www.ExperimacFranchise.com. About United Franchise Group "The Global Leader for Entrepreneurs." United Franchise Group is a group of affiliated companies and brands. Led by CEO Ray Titus, United Franchise Group is home to a variety of internationally recognized brands including Signarama, Fully Promoted, Experimac, Jon Smith Subs, Venture X, SuperGreen Solutions, Transworld Business Advisors and The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill. With over three decades in the franchising industry and more than 1600 franchisees throughout the world, United Franchise Group offers unprecedented leadership and solid business opportunities for entrepreneurs. *The use of the Apple Inc. logo or trademark does not represent an endorsement by Apple Inc. of Experimac or United Franchise Group. Apple, Mac, iCloud, iPhone, and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Discover places in the vicinity of Tbilisi - GeorgianJournal Android Pie will not support third-party calling apps News oi-Sandeep Sarkar The latest version of the Android will not support the third-party call recording apps. Google has recently released the stable version of Android 9 Pie. The latest Android version brings a number of useful features for the users. However, it appears that Google is not done yet. The tech giant has reportedly removed some features with the latest Android update. One such feature is the 'call recording' feature. The latest version of the Android will not support the third-party call recording apps such as Automatic Call recorder app and Call recorder app. The reports come from some developers of the call-recording apps. According to the developers, this is due to some of the changes which were implemented by Google restricting third party-apps to bring the call recording feature to the Android devices. The 'call-recording' feature will still be supported on the Android Lollipop smartphones. Google has currently discontinued the official call-recording API with Android Marshmallow. This makes it difficult for the developers of these apps to implement the smartphones that run on Marshmallow and Nougat version of Android. With the latest developments, it will now be impossible to run third-party call-recording Apps on Android smartphones running on Marshmallow and above without root. The smartphone manufacturers, on the other hand, will still be able to use their own solutions to enable the call-recording feature in the Android smartphones. There is currently no information available as to why Google had blocked these third-party call recording apps. Google still needs to acknowledge the issue and release an official statement on the same. The call recording feature has its own sets of merits; this feature can come handy in recording spam and fake calls. Many users have used this feature to record spam calls for legal purposes. The call recording feature is pretty useful for users to verify their claims in case of any con attempt such as bank-related fraud calls and others. With this feature gone users will have no option rather than relying on their respective device manufacturers for the same. Google's decision to block the third-party apps might come as a surprise; however, we still need to wait to see how the company's decision affects the users in a long run. Best Mobiles in India JBL Xtreme 2 portable waterproof Bluetooth speaker launched in India News oi-Vishal Kawadkar JBL has a new offering for the audiophiles. HARMAN International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, has announced the launch of JBL Xtreme 2 portable speaker in India. The second generation of the JBL Xtreme claism to have a new durable design, superior and powerful audio performance, up to 15 hours of playtime and an IPX 7 rating for a full waterproof design. Priced at Rs 21,999, JBL Xtreme 2 comes in colors such as Midnight Black, Forest Green and Ocean Blue. The speaker is immediately available at www.JBL.com and other online and retail channels, including 350 Samsung brand stores across the country. Product Features JBL Xtreme 2 comes a new design in a rugged fabric coupled with an IPX7 rated, fully waterproof feature that allows the user to even submerge the speaker in the water. With the addition of newly designed 3D bass radiators and upgraded drivers, users can hear powerful, room-filling sound, and also physically see and feel it. The speaker's built-in rechargeable 10,000mAh Li-ion battery supports up to 15 hours of playtime. The JBL Connect+ feature can be used to wirelessly connect more than 100 Connect+ enabled JBL speakers, amplifying the experience through a connected ecosystem. Bluetooth streaming capability allows up to 2 users to connect to the same speaker. The new speaker incorporates a noise and echo cancelling speakerphone, allowing it to be used to make clear calls in any environment when paired with a smartphone. It also features a USB charging port, allowing users to charge any smartphone or tablet. Integrated hooks, a durable metal base, and a bottle opener added to the carrying strap makes the speaker a fun and easy-to-transport addition, as well as a perfect audio solution for any home. Previously, the company also launched JBL's online brand store - www.JBL.com in India. As part of the inaugural promotion, two new JBL products - JBL Go+ Bluetooth speaker and JBL T205BT headphone were launched on this website. The online brand store will feature and sell the entire range of JBL consumer products - from headphones and Bluetooth portable speakers to home and multimedia solutions. From pre-sales previews of upcoming products to exclusive new product releases, customers will get the deals and a rich and interactive experience on this platform. 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 Best 10 smartphones with notch display to buy in India Features oi-Harish Kumar Apple phones have been inspiring to other OEMs with their highly advanced features and premium design. Talking about display and design, it is quite interesting to see that the anomaly of a full-view screen is now becoming a trend. It is much alike of a iPhone that other manufacturers are now coming with notch display. The highlight of a notch display is that it provides the optimum solution for maximizing screen area without compromising on the critical hardware at the top, such as the front camera, receiver speaker, RGB sensor and LED indicator. This design display allows you to put a 6.2-inch display panel on to the body of a 5.5-inch smartphone. Best Samsung Smartphones with fingerprint sensor Under Rs 15,000 Apple is most likely to continue and even expand the "Notch" to its entire portfolio this year and it looks like Android OEMs aren't shying away to this uniqueness either. Even Google will be adding the support for the notch in the upcoming Android P. List of smartphones that run Android P beta At the end of the day, It's about giving consumers what they want and the force seems to be really strong with the notch. As a matter of fact, some OEMs have already released or are confirmed to be working on Notched-display devices. Here are some of the mobiles that you can have a look. Oppo F7 Best Price of Oppo F7 Key Features 6.23-inch (2280 x 1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19:9 IPS display Octa Core MediaTek Helio P60 12nm processor with 800MHz ARM Mali-G72 MP3 GPU 4GB RAM with 64GB internal memory 6GB RAM with 128GB storage expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD Dual SIM (nano + nano + microSD) ColorOS 5.0 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo) 16MP rear camera with LED flash 25MP front-facing camera Fingerprint sensor Dual 4G VoLTE 3400mAh (typical) / 3300mAh (minimum) battery Vivo V9 Best Price of Vivo V9 Key Features 6.3-inch (2280 x 1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19:9 IPS display 2.2GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 626 Mobile Platform with Adreno 506 GPU 4GB RAM 64GB internal memory expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD Dual SIM (nano + nano + microSD) Funtouch OS 4.0 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo) 16MP rear camera and secondary 5MP camera 24MP front-facing camera Fingerprint sensor 4G VoLTE 3260mAh battery OnePlus 6 Best Price of OnePlus 6 Key Features 6.28-inch (2280 1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19:9 aspect ratio AMOLED display with DCI-P3 color gamut, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection 2.8GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 10nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 630 GPU 6GB LPDDR4X RAM with 64GB (UFS 2.1) storage 8GB LPDDR4X RAM with 128GB (UFS 2.1) / 256GB (UFS 2.1) storage Android 8.1 (Oreo) with OxygenOS 5.1 Dual SIM (nano + nano) 16MP rear camera and secondary 20MP camera 16MP front-facing camera Fingerprint sensor 4G VoLTE 3300mAh battery with Dash Charge (5V - 4A) Vivo V9 Youth Best Price of Vivo V9 Youth Key Features 6.3-inch (2280 x 1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19:9 IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection 1.8GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 450 14nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 506 GPU 4GB RAM 32GB internal memory expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD Dual SIM (nano + nano + microSD) Funtouch OS 4.0 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo) 16MP rear camera with LED flash, secondary 2MP camera 16MP front-facing camera with soft LED flash Fingerprint sensor 4G VoLTE 3260mAh battery Huawei P20 Lite Best Price of Huawei P20 Lite Key Features 5.84-inch (1080 x 2280 pixels) Full HD+ 19: 9 2.5D curved glass display with toughened glass protection Octa-Core Kirin 659 processor (4 xA53 at 2.36GHz + 4 x A53 at 1.7GHz) with MaliT830-MP2 GPU 4GB RAM 64GB storage expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD Android 8.0 (Oreo) with EMUI 8.0 Single / Dual SIM 16MP rear camera and secondary 2MP camera 16MP front-facing camera Fingerprint sensor 4G VoLTE 3000mAh (typical) / 2900mAh (Minimum) battery with fast charging Apple iPhone X Best Price of Apple iPhone X Key Features 5.8-inch (2436 x 1125 pixels) OLED 458ppi Super Retina HD display display Six-core A11 Bionic 64-bit processor with three-core GPU, M11 motion co-processor 64GB and 256GB storage options iOS 11 Water and dust resistant (IP67) 12MP wide-angle (f/1.8) and telephoto (f/2.4) cameras 7MP front camera 4G VoLTE Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery Huawei Nova 3i Best Price of Huawei Nova 3i Key Features 6.3-inch (2340 x 1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19:5:9 2.5D curved glass display, 85% NTSC Color Gamut Octa-Core Kirin 710 12nm with ARM Mali-G51 MP4 GPU 4GB RAM with 128GB storage 6GB RAM with 64GB / 128GB internal storage expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD Android 8.1 (Oreo) with EMUI 8.2 Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD) 16MP rear camera and secondary 2MP rear camera 24MP front-facing camera and secondary 2MP camera Fingerprint sensor Dual 4G VoLTE 3340mAh (typical) / 3240mAh (minimum) battery Vivo X21 Best Price of Vivo X21 Key Features 6.28-inch (2280 1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19:9 Super AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection Octa Core Snapdragon 660 AIE 14nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 512 GPU 6GB RAM 128GB internal memory expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano/microSD) Funtouch OS 4.0 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo) 12MP rear camera and secondary 5MP camera with f/2.4 aperture, AI HDR 12MP front-facing camera 4G VoLTE 3200mAh (typical) battery with fast charging Asus Zenfone 5Z Best Price of Asus Zenfone 5Z Key Features 6.2-inch (2246 1080 pixels) Full HD+ 19:9 2.5D curved glass Super IPS display Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Mobile Platform with Adreno 630 GPU 6GB LPDDR4x RAM with 64GB / 128GB storage 8GB LPDDR4x RAM with 256GB storage expandable memory up to 2TB with microSD Android 8.0 (Oreo) with ZenUI 5.0, upgradable to Android P Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD) with Dual VoLTE 12MP rear camera and secondary 8MP camera 8MP front-facing camera Fingerprint sensor Dual 4G VoLTE 3300mAh battery with ASUS BoostMaster fast charging and AI charging Huawei P20 Pro Best Price of Huawei P20 Pro Key Features 6.1-inch ( 2240 x 1080 pixels) Full HD+ OLED 2.5D curved glass display Octa-Core Huawei Kirin 970 with 10nm processor + i7 co-processor,Mali-G72 MP12 GPU, NPU 6GB RAM, 128GB internal storage Android 8.1 (Oreo) with EMUI 8.1 Dual SIM 40 MP + 20 MP (Monochrome, f/1.6 aperture) + 8 MP rear camera 24MP front-facing camera Fingerprint sensor Dual 4G VoLTE 4000mAh battery with fast charging Honor 9N Best Price of Honor 9N Key Features 5.84-inch (1080 x 2280 pixels) Full HD+ 19:9 2.5D curved glass display Octa-Core Kirin 659 processor with MaliT830-MP2 GPU 3GB RAM with 32GB storage 4GB RAM with 64GB / 128GB storage expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD Android 8.0 (Oreo) with EMUI 8.0 Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD) 13MP rear camera and secondary 2MP camera 16MP front-facing camera Fingerprint sensor 4G VoLTE 3000mAh (typical) / 2900mAh (Minimum) battery 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 Oppo to launch R17 with 8GB RAM and in-display sensor on August 23 News oi-Karan Oppo all set to announce its upcoming latest smartphone with 8GB RAM and in-display fingerprint sensor on August 23. All you need to know about the phone. Oppo has already confirmed the details about its latest R17, and the company has confirmed that the smartphone will be introduced at an event in Shanghai. The launch event is scheduled for August 23. The phone has been in news for quite a long time now and finally, it going to see its official announcement. Oppo teased the poster on the Chinese microblogging website Weibo. OPPO R17 specifications According to Oppo, the smartphone will come with a 6.4-inch Full HD+ with a resolution of 2280x1080 pixels. The smartphone features a 19:9 aspect ratio display with a notch and 91.5% screen-to-body ratio. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 6. Under the hood, the R17 is backed by a Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC, clubbed with Adreno 615 GPU. The Oppo R17 is backed by 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of onboard storage. It runs on ColorOS 5.2 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo). On the optical front, the listing suggests that the phone will come with dual camera setup with the combination of the 16MP rear camera with LED flash, and secondary rear camera. At the front, the smartphone will house a 25MP front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture, AI, Sony IMX576 sensor, it also supports 3D Portrait. The Oppo R17 will also come with an In-display fingerprint sensor for quick unlocking the phone. It has been expected that the phone will also come with a cheaper variant with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. On the connectivity part, the phone will offer dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C. It also comes with dual SIM support. The Oppo R17 is fueled by a powerful 3500mAh battery which supports VOOC Flash charger. The OPPO R17 will come in Twilight Blue and Starry Purple color options with gradient finish. The smartphone will be available in Twilight Blue and Starry Purple color option along with gradient finish. According to the company announced the phone will be available for order from August 18. So far the company hasn't disclosed the price of the smartphone, but we will get to know about the price once the Oppo R17 will go official. 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 Twitter might face a ban in Pakistan threatens Pakistan Telecom authority News oi-Sandeep Sarkar Unlike Twitter, the other social media platforms reportedly have already taken down the offensive content. Twitter has been asked by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to comply with the regulator's request to block the objectionable content on its platform. As per some reports Twitter has been threatened to face a complete shutdown in case of failing to comply with the requests made by the PTA. As per some reports from the Dawn online, Twitter might get banned in Pakistan. The reason behind this is speculated to be the Pakistan government's inability to get Twitter in line with its set of guidelines which the government believes is suitable for public consumption and falls in line with the constitutional realm of legitimate free speech. It is also being reported that the PTA had informed the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Wednesday that other social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and others have already complied with the request made by the Pakistani government, whereas Twitter didn't comply with the request. The other platforms reportedly have already taken down the content, while; Twitter still needs to remove them. Nisar Ahmed, Director General of PTA's Internet Policy and Web Analysis had told the committee "Out of a hundred requests from Pakistan to block certain offensive material, roughly five percent are entertained. Twitter ignored all the remaining requests." The committee had also held a meeting for a briefing on the penalties that were fixed by the PTA against "derogatory" comments. These derogatory comments were spread through social media targeting the state, its citizen, and institutions. Ahmed had further informed the committee about the directive by Islamabad High Court (IHC) to serve Twitter with a final notice. In the final notice served by the court, Twitter was asked to respond to the request from Pakistan and if failed to comply then face the risk of getting banned in the country. Ahmed further mentioned that "The PTA has conveyed the court's concern to Twitter, but has not got a response. The regulatory authority will implement court orders if Twitter does not respond to the final notice." According to Ahmed, Twitter is not as popular in Pakistan as Facebook. Therefore they will have little to lose if Twitter was blocked in the country. However, if the micro-blogging platform gets banned in the country then it will lose business adds another official. "The court is determined to teach Twitter a lesson - they will lose business," the official added. It appears that Twitter might experience some tough time in Pakistan if it fails to comply with the rules set by regulating authorities. Twitter will now need to monitor the content that is being posted on its platform in the country to avoid any ban in the coming days. 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 Trump Revokes Ex-CIA Director's Security Clearance By Steve Herman, Jeff Seldin August 16, 2018 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 has been sowing "division and chaos" about his administration. The clearances of other former officials also are 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 lost their security clearance may not be able to have it reinstated," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said to reporters Wednesday, reading out a statement in the president's name. Sanders, responding to reporters' questions, denied that Brennan and others are being singled out because they are critics of Trump. Critical of the president The president's statement accuses 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 accuses 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, calling Trump's performance at a joint news conference last month with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland "nothing short of treasonous." Brennan, on Twitter, described Trump's action Wednesday as 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," former CIA deputy director of intelligence Carmen Medina 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." Matter of courtesy 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 all of VOA's questions about the matter to the White House. Two senators applaud Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky 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. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana also defended Trump's action, telling CNN that he does not see why Brennan should continue to have a security clearance. "I think most Americans look at our national intelligence experts as being above politics. Mr. Brennan has demonstrated that that's not the case," Kennedy said. Danger 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," Clapper said on CNN. Clapper, a retired Air Force lieutenant general who had been appointed to top intelligence posts by both Republican and Democratic party 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 has had no access to intelligence information since he left government on the day Trump was inaugurated. The threat to pull his security clearance, Clapper added, will not silence him. "I don't plan to stop speaking when I'm asked my views on this administration," said Clapper on CNN. Critical of the president The president's statement accuses 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 accuses 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, calling Trump's performance at a joint news conference last month with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland "nothing short of treasonous." Brennan, on Twitter, described Trump's action Wednesday as 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," former CIA deputy director of intelligence Carmen Medina 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." Matter of courtesy 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 all of VOA's questions about the matter to the White House. Two senators applaud Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky 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. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana also defended Trump's action, telling CNN that he does not see why Brennan should continue to have a security clearance. "I think most Americans look at our national intelligence experts as being above politics. Mr. Brennan has demonstrated that that's not the case," Kennedy said. Danger 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," Clapper said on CNN. Clapper, a retired Air Force lieutenant general who had been appointed to top intelligence posts by both Republican and Democratic party 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 has had no access to intelligence information since he left government on the day Trump was inaugurated. The threat to pull his security clearance, Clapper added, will not silence him. "I don't plan to stop speaking when I'm asked my views on this administration," said Clapper on CNN. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Department of Defense Press Operations News Transcript Presenter: Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis August 15, 2018 Secretary Mattis Press Gaggle en Route to Buenos Aires Q: -- you used, we'll not stand idly by, we'll defend ourselves in space. Should one interpret that as meaning that you would respond in kind? In other words, with military force? SECRETARY OF DEFENSE JAMES N. MATTIS: No, no. I don't -- I don't tell adversaries in advance what we will do or what we will not do. We will not stand idly by if someone tried to deny us the use of space; we will protect that just like in any other domain. Q: Okay. So as I was writing that, I was thinking it sounds like he's saying we would respond (inaudible). SEC MATTIS: (Inaudible) not stand idly by, but we -- there's a lot of things you do in this world. You've seen the way we have reacted to North Korea's provocative missile shoots in order to react to it in such a way that it went back into the diplomats' corner. We reacted with diplomacy, United Nations, economics sanctions -- economic sanctions -- you saw all of that in use. We did not stand idly by when we saw someone violating the United Nations Security Council Resolutions office but I wouldn't read anything more into it. Q: Okay. Good. I'm glad I asked. SEC MATTIS: Yes, yes, yes. Really. Yes, good. Q: Last night in the hotel, do you hear the shots near the favela? SEC MATTIS: I was not out, if that's what you're asking. Q: Was that you? SEC MATTIS: No, it -- remember, every time you hear one of those shots somebody's life could be changing and so I didn't make light of it. I was sad to hear it, frankly, but the Brazilians are dealing with this. They're trying to stop this, OK? Q: A lot of time you don't hear shots like this in no traditional area or not in a -- that... SEC MATTIS: We have some cities in America that we know are tragically having this problem as well. This is -- this is what happens if we don't keep -- I would call it, consensual policing, where the whole community is helping police and able to keep the lawless elements at arm's length. This is not unique to Brazil; Brazil knows it has a problem. It came up in my discussions and we have the problem in cities in the United States; we've seen the problem in London today. I don't have any more details on it than what I've seen from you all. The military reporting's come in but we, too, don't have any additional details. But just look at this as how you hold civilization together and -- and I don't, you know -- Q: -- what were you told happened? What were you told happened at the hotel? SEC MATTIS: In where? Q: At the hotel? Or outside the hotel... SEC MATTIS: Oh, I -- I -- I wasn't -- no, no, that's... Q: -- I know you weren't there, but I just wondered what you were told. Q: Did you hear it real-time, sir? SEC MATTIS: Pardon? Q: Did you hear it real-time? SEC MATTIS: Yes. Q: Me too. Q: May I ask you, Secretary, you were -- well, if you want to add anything, sorry? Q: Yes, I just wondered -- I was just wondering what you were told actually happened? SEC MATTIS: I didn't ask about it. It was a local law enforcement issue and I try to stay in my portfolio, you know, about it. I -- it would have been -- probably not a professional courtesy to ask about something like that. Q: ... OK, OK. Q: ... you were quite tough today with regime of Nicolas Maduro and you were talking about the leadership of Brazil on this issue. What do you expect Brazil to do exactly? What's -- what do you want to see from Brazil? SEC MATTIS: From who? Q: From Brazil. Q: Brazil. Q: Yes, what -- when you talk about their leadership, what do you expect to see from Brazil in this issue? Q: In the case of Venezuela. SEC MATTIS: Oh, Maduro? Q: Yes. Q: Yes. SEC MATTIS: Maduro. You know, I don't want to -- I'd prefer not to comment on this at this point and leave that in the diplomats' hands. That's who's working this issue right now; it's not a military matter. Q: But you have talk about this issue with, like, your counterparts during this trip? SEC MATTIS: Yes. About how -- how to at an international group, the Lima Group and the others who are working together, how to diplomatically address this. Q: And are you -- and are you going... Q: But that's why I -- that's why I'm a little bit (facile ?); Brazil one month ago said they were in favor of helping or -- against Maduro but that they would refuse or reject any kind of military intervention. So I understand that's -- so I don't quite understand what is the Secretary of Defense doing talking to the Ministry of Defense in this issue? SEC MATTIS: Yes, sure. So, why were we talking about it? Security for their people is directly impacted by the refuge flows, by the violence in one country. It doesn't stop at the border. We've all seen this in the world. So the resolution of this, and trying to get the -- back to Democratic principles inside Venezuela, so people have a future, they have economic stability and that sort of thing, is in the interest of all the countries of the hemisphere, so that's why we were talking about. Q: Are you going... SEC. MATTIS: You've been patient. Q: Yes. Are you going to talk about that issue in Argentina, too? What's (inaudible) role for Argentina in the in Venezuela situation. SEC. MATTIS: Thank you. Yes, the regime's actions in Cararacas are of concern all across the hemisphere, from Ottowa to Buenos Aires. This is not what we stand for in -- in the Americas. We stand for -- all of the things I spoke about this morning, democracy, freedom. We've all been through periods, some of us long, some of us more recently, where people didn't have the personal freedoms at all, so we don't take it cheaply. So this is a matter of a lot of concern, of big concern from the tip of South America all the way up to Canada. Q: Mr. Secretary, would you meet with Nicholas Maduro if -- if there was an opportunity. SEC. MATTIS: Yes, I'd prefer not to -- that's -- that situation is firmly in the diplomats' hands right now. Q: Are you going to sign any kind of agreement in Argentina, cybersecurity or something like that? SEC. MATTIS: Sergio, I don't think we -- no, what I want to do in Argentina principally is do a lot of listening, find out what we can do to help them as far as any G-20 issues as they prepare security for all of the world's leaders that are coming, make certain that I know where their military is looking, what direction they're looking in, I should say, for their future transformation, the kinds of things that military to military talk about, and we've not been working closely together for some time. So it's kind of an opening opportunity here. Q: You say the transformation that now the army is allowed to fight with -- against terrorism and... SEC. MATTIS: This is why I need to go and talk with them. I mean, at one time we had worked closely together, as you know, and you -- I don't want to be frozen in time thinking about these times in the past. I want to know where they're at today, and again, the kind of -- many of the same issues, as you heard today at the War College in Rio. Q: Thank you, sir. So... Q: Anything on Afghanistan you can update us on, the Ghazni situation? SEC. MATTIS: Yes, the fighting continues. It looks like many of the enemy have run. But some are in the town in homes, fighting from inside homes, with all the danger and the slowness that requires in order to get them out without hurting innocent people. Q: Does it say anything too about their -- the Taliban's either their capabilities or their intentions, having launched these attacks? SEC. MATTIS: Yes, it -- to me it's simply a continuation of their willingness to put innocent people in harm's way; nothing new. It's the usual endangering civilians that's part and parcel of what they've done for the last 20 years. Q: They used Apache helicopters apparently as part of the response. Does that suggest they needed more help than usual, the Afghan forces? SEC. MATTIS: We'll -- we work together and -- you know, we bring in NATO air support when it's -- there's nothing unusual about it, yes. It's more anytime you're fighting around innocent people -- I used the term this morning, a battlefield when you're fighting among the people. What British (inaudible) generals called wars among the people. Every battlefield is a humanitarian field. It is sometime -- often time a conventional war, too, but especially so on counterterrorism when you have people who lack any kind of manhood, would fight among innocent people, and use them for protection. OK, I've got to go back to working you guys. Good to see you. Q: Well, thank you for swinging by. Thank you. We really appreciate that, sir. http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/1603525/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Department of Defense Press Operations News Transcript Presenter: Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis; Argentine Minister of Defense Oscar Aguad August 15, 2018 Remarks By Secretary Mattis with Argentine Minister of Defense Aguad, Buenos Aires, Argentina MINISTER OF DEFENSE OSCAR AGUAD: (UNTRANSLATED) SECRETARY OF DEFENSE JAMES N. MATTIS: Well, Minister Aguad, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for hosting me. Thank you for the very kind words and warm welcome, Mr. Minister. It's a pleasure to meet you today on my first visit to what is -- can only be described as a beautiful country, a country we consider a partner and a friend highly respected in the United States. Our conversation today continues the relationship begun more than 200 years ago. After we had our own bad argument with a European king that resulted in a revolution, we sympathized with our New World neighbors seeking to chart their own destiny. In the early 1800s, U.S. merchants supplied Argentine patriots with supplies in your struggle for independence. Argentine ships were repaired in New Orleans, Philadelphia and other U.S. ports. And Argentine nation builders were guests of President James Madison and Secretary of State James Monroe in Washington. So today, as Western Hemisphere nations, Argentina and the United States are bound by ties of geography, of history and of our shared love of freedom, democracy, the rule of law, to guarantee personal liberty of our citizens. This historic influence was evidenced this last month when, just days apart, our nations celebrated birthdays of our respective independence, reminders that our forefathers fought for the freedom that we enjoy today. The United States does not forget how Argentina strengthened this bond over the years since your independence, supporting us against Russians bringing missiles into our hemisphere during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Argentina sending two warships to the naval blockade of Iraq during the Gulf War, helping to free the Kuwaiti people from Saddam Hussein's merciless occupation. You are leading by example and providing needed military support for respect for the international rule of law. No relations between countries are frozen in time, so today we, too, look to build on our shared foundation of defense cooperation. We are working together across a wide range of issues, from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations to non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We are also engaging in transparent, bilateral working groups and military-to-military engagements, like the state partnership program with our Georgia National Guard. This gives us the heartening image of our men and women from a state with the Blue Ridge Mountains, which aren't very high, to your soldiers who -- from Argentina, with the Andes Mountains that are quite high. But these soldiers come together from our two countries to strengthen the military relations, person to person, soldier to soldier. They remind us that trusted military relations -- transparent military relations between democracies in our hemisphere are a positive factor in terms of stability and safety of our people. The United States appreciates Argentina's growing role on the global stage, illustrated by your hosting the G-20 summit this summer here in Buenos Aires. And as Vice President Pence said when he visited last year, "Argentina's global leadership is good for our hemisphere." Since arriving in Buenos Aires last evening, I have enjoyed the same warm, gracious hospitality that our vice president enjoyed in this city, hospitality that the Argentine poet Jorge Luis Borges called "as eternal as water and air." Mr. Minister, I have come here to listen and to learn, and I look forward to finding new ways to deepen our mutually beneficial defense relationship. Together, we can help forge a brighter future for the next generation of Argentines and North Americans, a future enhanced by transparent, respectful military teamwork between the soldiers, sailors and airmen of our two democracies. When trouble looms, whether a natural disaster or a naval vessel in distress, you will find us standing beside you. Thank you. http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/1603453/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemeni army launch missile attacks on Saudi troops position IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Aug 15, IRNA -- Saudi troops position near Al-Mokha port in southwest Yemen were hit by two missiles Tuesday night, according to Almasirah news network. The Yemeni-made Zelzal missiles were fired by the Yemeni army and popular committees at the position of the aggressor Saudi military forces near the port city of Al-Mokha. On August 10, the missile unit of the Yemeni army and popular forces targeted a Saudi military base in Dharan in the southern province of Asir with a ballistic missile. Saudi jet fighters bombed a bus carrying Yemeni school children in Saada province of Yemen on August 9, killing 51 and wounding scores of others. Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia and some of its Arab allies have been carrying out deadly, indiscriminate airstrikes on civilians in an attempt to restore power to fugitive president, Abd-Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh. Over 14,000 Yemenis, including thousands of women and children, have lost their lives in the deadly Saudi aggression. 1396**1396 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address F-35 mapping event sets course for better organic supply chain management Navy News Service Story Number: NNS180815-02 Release Date: 8/15/2018 2:24:00 PM By Jeff Landis, Deputy Director, NAVSUP WSS Public Affairs/Corporate Communications PHILADELPHIA (NNS) -- With the greatest fighter aircraft of modern times comes enormous responsibility. A team from the F-35 Integrated Weapon Systems Team (IWST) at Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support (NAVSUP WSS) recently made a trip to Hill Air Force Base in Utah, July 16-20, to map out a course for F-35 future sustainment and supply chain management. Hosted by the Air Force Sustainment Center, subject matter expert participants for the F-35 Provisioning Mapping Event included the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Departments of the Navy and Air Force, F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), covering supply chain management (SCM) areas of finance, provisioning, contracting, engineering and logistics reassignment. The Boston Consulting Group facilitated the mapping event a follow-on provisioning conference for an organic SCM option to sustain the F-35 in the near future. The first meeting was a pre-provisioning conference hosted by NAVSUP in April 2018, where specific provisioning technical data was provided to the JPO to incorporate into contract data requirements lists. The U.S. Marine Corps' deployment of 16 F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters (the Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant) to Japan with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 came under scrutiny in early 2017 when issues regarding "lengthy travel times for parts, inaccurate estimated delivery dates and delays at customs and difficulty shipping Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) equipment," surfaced from a Government Accountability Office(GAO) report in April. According to a separate GAO report, the F-35 fighter jet is the defense department's largest and most expensive weapons program, with a projected life-cycle cost of more than $1 trillion over a 60-year lifecycle span. "In order to effectively integrate and sustain the F-35 in the joint force, the military departments must have more direct ownership of the F-35 program and leverage organic capabilities, processes and infrastructure," said Ellen Lord, Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisitions and Sustainment wrote in a letter to Congress in March 2018 in response to the GAO reports and to the seemingly unsurmountable sustainment costs. Lord and other OSD leadership, like Robert McMahon, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Logistics Materiel and Readiness, directed DLA to start accelerating the cataloging of the F-35 to explore the option of organic supply support. According to Jack Courtney, F-35 IWST lead at NAVSUP WSS, there was already a body of research to draw information. "There was a concerted effort about five years ago called the organic supply chain working group that went on for months," said Courtney. "I think that now there is greater emphasis on this recent effort for programs like the F-35, and the work we did at the mapping event leveraged all of that great work and research that was done previously to look into an organic solution." According to Lord, lethality and readiness drive acquisition and sustainment reform. "We need to start thinking about sustainment more when we design systems, so that we are designing [them] to be maintainable," she explained. "To be able to change out parts quickly, we need to make sure that we think about the costs of sustaining systems." Lord added that 70 cents of every dollar DoD spends over the lifecycle of a program goes to sustainment. Will Roper, U.S. Air Force assistant secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, mentioned that a lot of the sustainment challenges can be solved through software modernization. "Supply chain management happens via software," said Roper, who intends to drive down the F-35's sustainment costs. "Predictive maintenance could significantly drive down sustainment costs, especially if the department utilizes new technologies that help it pinpoint exactly when maintenance should be done on the jet." The mapping event, although not focused on maintenance just yet, is a result of the services and JPO's preliminary efforts to collaborate on materiel provisioning for future F-35 sustainment. As the Navy's only Program Support Inventory Control Point (PSICP), NAVSUP WSS naturally took great interest in the mapping event and how to best support the total program lifecycle for end-to-end support of the F-35. After OSD tasked DLA to accelerate the F-35 cataloging effort, and after the NAVSUP-hosted pre-provisioning conference, NAVSUP WSS pulled together to do some "homework" before heading out to Utah for the Provisioning Mapping Event. The "homework" included reading over the all the data gathered from previous working groups and looking over lessons learned from other programs' transition records. After a week of discussions, breakout sessions, and working group meetings, the team provided a framework for establishing an executable organic supply chain management option with a Material Support Date (MSD), potential courses of action and conditions for each, and a summary of transition tasks, risks, roles and responsibilities. According to Lt. Cmdr. Danny Ewing, NAVSUP WSS F-35 IWST, the working group formed as a result of this mapping event is using a phased approach to achieve its milestones. Those milestones include establishing and validating a DLA managed set of common consumables, so long as the customers' demand data is made available for accurate requirements forecasting. Another quick win would be exercising the flexibility of the Working Capital Fund to support a more continuous logistics support execution. "Overall, I think the mapping event was very positive," Courtney concluded. "The group dynamics were very productive with excellent collaboration with the Air Force and DLA, and I think we have made some substantial headway in looking at an organic program support option." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Innovation Hub Opens at Patuxent River Naval Air Station Navy News Service Story Number: NNS180814-14 Release Date: 8/14/2018 2:43:00 PM From Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Public Affairs PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (NNS) -- Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's (NAWCAD) Innovation Hub opened to the workforce during an open house event Aug. 7-9 at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. The iHUB is a new collaborative environment created to foster and enhance the command's organic talent in rapid response to Fleet process and technical problems. The facility features prototyping equipment, materials, technical support and training. It is also home to the FABLAB, NAWCAD's mobile suite of digital fabrication and rapid prototype machines. The iHUB'S mission is to empower the workforce to deliver warfighting capabilities faster by providing modernized tools on-site and an environment to innovate and collaborate. The space includes digital fabrication and prototype machinery, laser cutters and milling machinery, 3-D printers, programming software and electronics, work benches and hand tools, data and application development software and high-tech collaboration space. The facility is available to all Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and NAWCAD military personnel, civilians and contractors. Brought to life by Denise Cifone, director of NAWCAD's Strategic Operations and Initiatives Office, the iHUB and FABLAB are direct responses from Gahagan and Taylor following a command climate survey where the workforce requested modernized resources to keep up with a rapidly changing tech and defense industry. The team also included rotation support from the developmental community, the Information Technology and Cyber Security group, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, the Army Corps of Engineers and industry partners who took the project from concept to ribbon cutting in just over 18 monthsa true testament of the command's charge for "speed to Fleet." "The iHUB is part of the NAWCAD innovation initiative to establish an environment in which the workforce can fashion the future," said Cifone, "Aided by disruptive leadership, these resources help the command focus on creativity, technological advancement, process improvements, information sharing and networking." To date, the iHUB and FABLAB have facilitated over 50 projects ranging from fabricated engine nozzles to optical lens fixtures. Its latest success story comes from NAWCAD's Propulsion and Power division. The engineering group was tasked with supporting the F/A-18 and EA-18G program office on the redesign of a Super Hornet engine exhaust actuator. The engineers realized they needed a special tool that was uneasy to procure. The program office's business partners offered to produce a new set for $100,000 with a delivery date 10 months later. Instead, the engineers did it themselves. Leveraging the resources at the iHUB, the engineers designed and prototyped the tool within 24 hours using Computer Aided Design (CAD). The item worked as intended on first attempt costing the Navy less than $5 in material and was pivotal in keeping the actuator project on schedule and budget. Propulsion and Power also used the iHUB to redesign a fuel sampling probe for Fleet aircraft maintainers. The current probe fits improperly into the fuel pod during sampling sometimes causing spillage that splashes sailors with fuel. While this isn't a critical safety issue, it was an issue noticed by NAWCAD engineers who knew it could be a simple, quick fix making the job of the warfighter easier. So far the division's organic probe design has evolved over six iterations in less than 20 labor hours saving the Navy thousands in design engineering dollars. The group has also strategically built the product to utilize commercial of the shelf components available from any catalog industrial supply company. Up next, the team will finalize the prototype after the Fleet validates and verifies its function ahead of third party production. These are two examples of a new way of doing business at NAWCAD and the innovation would not have been possible without the command leadership's support. But the command isn't alone in adapting to an evolving battlespace. Marine Corps leadership is also moving to equip its units with 3-D printers in a push for self-sufficiency, and to facilitate direct support with its systems commands. The vision is for squadrons to identify Fleet issues and have the ability to print spare parts and equipment on the spot, or interface directly with engineers like those at NAWCAD who can use the innovation space to provide immediate solutions digitally. Other innovation spaces at NAWCAD include command huddle spaces, the Innovation Garage at NAS Webster Field Annex, a Software Sandbox for cyber and app development, and a future Logistics Immersive Virtual Environment (LIVE) Lab dedicated to digitizing logistics at NAS Patuxent River. It is critical for command leadership at the division level to encourage employees to work creatively and collaboratively now that resources to do so are available. Empowerment at the lowest level is a key also echoed in the latest NAVAIR Commander's Intent focusing on mission, relationships and people in the years to come. "Engineers have an innate desire to engineer, to design and innovate" said NAWCAD engineer Chuck Stouffer, "Employees are not realizing their full potential project managing industry's solutions to our Navy problems from afar." Stouffer also says the iHUB is a leap in the right direction. "Command innovators need no longer wish they had more capability because it's here. The facility is fully equipped and readily available. Get up and go make it or take training to learn how." The iHUB also offers prototyping courses at the iHUB expanding the skillset of the command's employees. The iHUB's most requested classes are introductory, intermediate and operator 3-D printing courses. The facility is on track to train over 400 employees at NAS Patuxent River by end of FY2018a number hugely surpassing its initial attendance goals. iHUB courses are available to every employee through NAVAIR University. With facilities in Patuxent River, Maryland; Lakehurst, New Jersey; and Orlando, Florida, NAWCAD supports the research and development, engineering, test and evaluation of all Navy and Marine Corps air vehicle systems and trainers. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Britain's RAF scrambles jets intercept Russian bombers over Black Sea Iran Press TV Wed Aug 15, 2018 05:16PM British air force fighter jets stationed as part of a NATO mission in Romania have been scrambled to intercept Russian bombers flying over the Black Sea in Eastern Europe. The Royal Air Force (RAF) said Wednesday that its Eurofighter Typhoons were launched two days ago from their base in Romania to force Russian Su-24 Fencer planes leave the skies above the region. The RAF said in a statement that the operation began after the Russian planes were flying close to NATO air space and having "significant ... air activity through most of the night." The statement added that Russian aircraft eventually turned towards Crimea, a peninsula on the Black Sea, which has been at the heart of a row between Russia and NATO since it disintegrated from Ukraine and joined Russia four years ago. The RAF said the operation was in accordance with the "NATO Enhanced Air Policing," a mission which is part of a wider NATO deployment in countries to the west of Russia to allegedly counter Moscow's expanded military activity. The Kremlin denies the allegations, while it accuses NATO of threatening the security of its borders. Britain has deployed four RAF Typhoons at the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base near Constanta in southeast Romania. The United States, which leads NATO mission in the region, maintains several hundred troops in the base while four of its F-15C Eagles are also deployed in neighboring Bulgaria. Encounters between Russian and British air forces have occurred in the past almost on a regular basis. In late July, two Typhoon jets were scrambled from Kogalniceanu to stop a Russian aircraft that allegedly flew near NATO airspace. RAF jets were scrambled to intercept a Russian warplane approaching NATO airspace in May while there was also a similar incident in January. Russia has repeatedly announced that it is ready to launch a dialogue with NATO countries to prevent dangerous military incidents in the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 48 killed in bomb explosion in Shia neighborhood of Afghan capital Iran Press TV Wed Aug 15, 2018 02:36PM Nearly 50 people have been killed in a bomb attack in front of an educational center in a mainly Shia Muslim area of western Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. "We can confirm the attack was caused by a bomber on foot. The bomber detonated himself inside the education center," said police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai. The ministries of interior and health confirmed that at least 60 people were injured in the Dasht-i Barcha neighborhood. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. But previous attacks on Shia targets in the area have been claimed by the Daesh Takfiri terrorists. On August 3, nearly 40 people were killed and dozens more injured in a bombing and shooting attack on Shia worshippers in eastern Afghanistan near Pakistan's border. The attack was carried out in the city of Gardez, the center of Paktia province. The Hazara Shia community, the poorest of the country's ethnic groups, accounts for about 22 percent of Afghanistan's population. Its members have been targeted in several large-scale kidnappings and killings across Afghanistan in the past, prompting demonstrations and sit-ins in Kabul and elsewhere. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said last year civilian casualties in sectarian attacks across Afghanistan, primarily against Shia mosques, had sharply risen. Last December, dozens were killed in an attack claimed by Daesh on a Shia cultural center. Daesh has been growing in size and expanding its operations in the country over the past few years. Daesh terrorists and Taliban militants also massacred dozens of civilians, mostly Shia Hazaras, during an attack on a village in the northern province of Sar-e Pul last August. The rise of Daesh in Afghanistan has triggered concerns in a country that has already been torn apart by decades of Taliban-led militancy and the 2001 invasion of the United States and its allies. Daesh, which has been crushed in Iraq and Syria, has reportedly managed to take recruits from Taliban defectors in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saudi warships strike northwestern Yemeni village, six civilians dead Iran Press TV Wed Aug 15, 2018 02:16PM At least six civilians have lost their lives when Saudi military vessels deployed in the Red Sea launched a barrage of missiles at a residential area in Yemen's northwestern province of Hajjah as the Riyadh regime continues with its atrocious military campaign against its crisis-hit southern neighbor. Local sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Yemen's Arabic-language al-Masirah television network that the warships fired the projectiles at al-Sadah village in the Hayran district of the province on Wednesday afternoon. The sources added that there were women and children among the fallen victims. Later in the day, scores of Saudi-backed Yemeni militiamen loyal to resigned president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi were killed and injured when a powerful bomb explosion ripped through their position in the al-Zobab region of Yemen's southwestern province of Ta'izz. Yemeni governor escapes assassination attempt in Aden Meanwhile, the governor of Ta'izz province has survived a roadside bomb that struck his convoy in the port city of Aden A local security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Ameen Mahmoud was targeted in the Enma neighborhood of the city, which is located approximately 420 kilometers (260 miles) south of the capital Sana'a, on Tuesday following a meeting with a number of high-ranking Saudi-backed officials. The official added that the governor escaped the explosion with minor wounds, but a number of his companions were killed during the incident. Ambulances quickly rushed to the bombing site, while security forces were deployed around the area. No group has claimed the responsibility for the attack yet, but local Yemeni sources blamed al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militants for being behind such explosions. The assassination attempt came as the city of Aden has been recently witnessing a growing number of assassinations of security officials and Muslim preachers. The Yemeni Ministry of Human Rights announced in a statement on March 25 that the Saudi-led war had left some 600,000 civilians dead and injured since March 2015. The United Nations says a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in need of food aid, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. A high-ranking UN aid official has warned against the "catastrophic" living conditions in Yemen, stating that there is a growing risk of famine and cholera there. "The conflict has escalated since November, driving an estimated 100,000 people from their homes," John Ging, UN director of aid operations, told the UN Security Council on February 27. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban attack another army base in north Afghanistan Iran Press TV Wed Aug 15, 2018 09:46AM Dozens of Afghan police personnel and soldiers have been killed in a Taliban attack on a military base in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan Province, while reports from the southeastern city of Ghazni indicate security forces have managed to push the Taliban back after five days of fierce fighting. In the early hours of Wednesday, the militants attacked Allahuddin base in the Baghlan-e-Markazi district of the province, killing "35 army soldiers and 10 local policemen," said a police source. Following the initial attack, the Taliban set fire to two other checkpoints, according to head of provincial council Mohammad Safdar Mohseni. The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the assault. This is the second time in two days that the militants have attacked a military base. They captured an army base in the northern province of Faryab on Monday. At least 14 soldiers were killed and over a dozen wounded in that attack. Meanwhile, Afghan security forces have been fighting the Taliban in the strategic town of Ghazni, south of the capital Kabul. The Taliban launched an assault on Ghazni late on Thursday. The fighting has killed at least 140 members of the security forces and dozens of civilians. Officials said hundreds of Taliban militants were also killed in the battle. On Wednesday, residents were finally seen emerging onto the streets of Ghazni, AFP reported, saying security forces appeared to have pushed the Taliban out of the city. Ghazni is ruined however, with a hospital overcrowded with hundreds of injured people and dozens of bodies. Many residents have also fled to Kabul. "The city smelled of blood," said a resident who escaped to Kabul. "People were fearful that the fighting could start again anytime." The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was providing medicine to treat the wounded at the provincial hospital. It has also sent fresh water and electricity generators for operating rooms. "Our concern is the protection of civilians and that all wounded are able to access medical care. Health workers and health facilities must also be respected and protected," said the head of delegation of the ICRC in Afghanistan, Juan Pedro Schaerer. The committee also provided material for the management of the bodies of the dead, such as hygiene packages and coffins. Schaerer said on Tuesday that "the bodies of dead persons are beginning to be collected and transported to their families, the hospital, or military bases." The assault on Ghazni was the largest since a ceasefire put a halt to fighting between the Taliban and security forces back in June. The Taliban have intensified their attacks in Afghanistan. They have rejected an offer of peace talks by the Kabul government but have been talking to the US in negotiations the details of which are unclear. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Duterte says China should 'temper' behavior in contested sea Iran Press TV Wed Aug 15, 2018 05:08AM Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte says Beijing should "temper" its behavior in the South China Sea, warning of a potential confrontation between China and the United States, which he says could affect his country. Duterte, who is known for his quick temper approach to politics, directed the rare public criticism toward China notably in the presence of the US ambassador to Manila and other foreign guests at a meeting in the Philippine capital on Tuesday evening. China lays historical claims to much of the South China Sea parts of which are also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei and has built islands up from reefs and put military installations on them. Considering the areas part of its territory, Beijing has also introduced restrictions for the movement of foreign vessels there but has been implementing them only laxly. Military vessels from the US and other countries have sailed in those areas, and China has merely issued standard warnings to them while allowing them to pass. Duterte was blatant. "They (Chinese officials) have to rethink that because that would be a flash point someday," he said. "You cannot create an island. It's man-made and you say that the air above this artificial island is yours. That is wrong because those waters are what we would consider international sea. And the right of innocent passage is guaranteed." "I hope that China would temper... its behavior," Duterte said. "One of these days a hothead commander there will just press a trigger." In the dispute between China and other countries in the South China Sea, the US has invariably been taking the side of Beijing's rival claimants. Beijing says the US is an extra-territorial power and is only stoking tensions. Duterte has zigzagged on China, but generally, he has tilted more toward Beijing than Western capitals, especially over Western criticism of the human rights situation in the Philippines under his rule. He has been eager to develop closer trade and political ties with China. When he took office in June 2016, Duterte invited his Chinese counterpart to Manila. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit the Philippines by yearend. Duterte has also been critical of his predecessor, Benigno Aquino, who took the dispute with Beijing over the South China Sea to an international tribunal in The Hague. But the Philippine president has also previously criticized Washington for not blocking Beijing's construction of the islands. While partially meant to appease the US ambassador, his sharp remarks against China on Tuesday are likely to meet a Chinese response. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemeni retaliatory attack leaves three Saudi soldiers dead Iran Press TV Tue Aug 14, 2018 03:47PM At least three Saudi soldiers have been killed when Yemeni army soldiers and allied fighters from Popular Committees launched an attack against a military base in Saudi Arabia's southwestern border region of Jizan as they continue their retaliatory raids against the Riyadh regime's aerial bombardment campaign. Yemeni forces and their allies fatally shot the troopers in the al-Farizeh military base of the region, located 969 kilometers south of the Saudi capital city of Riyadh, on Tuesday afternoon, the website of the Houthi Ansarullah movement reported. Later in the day, scores of Saudi-backed Yemeni militiamen loyal to resigned president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi were killed and injured in a roadside bomb attack in Yemen's northern province of al-Jawf. A Yemeni military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Arabic-language al-Masirah television network that Yemeni army soldiers and Popular Committees fighters detonated an explosive device as a vehicle carrying the Saudi mercenaries was traveling along a road in the Khabb wa ash Sha'af district of the province. Elsewhere in the al-Durayhimi and Hays districts of Yemen's western coastal province of Hudaydah, a host of Saudi-backed militiamen lost their lives and sustained injuries when Yemeni forces targeted their military vehicles. Separately, Saudi fighter jets and artillery units launched two airstrikes and a barrage of projectiles at the Shada'a district of the northwestern Yemeni province of Sa'ada. There were no immediate reports about possible casualties and the extent of damage caused. The Yemeni Ministry of Health also revised the death toll from an earlier Saudi airstrike against a residential area in the al-Durayhimi district of Hudaydah province, stating that the number of deaths now stands at 13, based on public health records. Twenty-two people have also suffered injuries. The ministry added that ongoing Saudi aerial attacks have prevented ambulances and medics from reaching the area, calling on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to intervene in order to help the wounded. Some 15,000 Yemenis have been killed and thousands more injured since the onset of the Saudi-led aggression on Yemen in March 2015. The United Nations says a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in need of food aid, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. A high-ranking UN aid official has warned against the "catastrophic" living conditions in Yemen, stating that there is a growing risk of famine and cholera there. "The conflict has escalated since November, driving an estimated 100,000 people from their homes," John Ging, UN director of aid operations, told the UN Security Council on February 27. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan Agree To Work On Land Swap Near Border RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service August 15, 2018 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 Kyrgyzstan's 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. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-uzbekistan-agree -to-work-on-land-swap-near-border/29435146.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bosnian Serb Lawmakers Reject 2004 Srebrenica Report, Call For New Probe RFE/RL's Balkan Service August 15, 2018 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 Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/bosnian-serb- lawmakers-reject-2004-srebrenica-report-call- for-new-probe/29435079.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address At Least 30 Afghan Soldiers, Police Killed In Taliban Attacks August 15, 2018 Taliban attacks on several military facilities in the northern Afghan province of Baghlan have killed at least 30 soldiers and police officers, provincial officials say. Mohammad Safdar Mohseni, head of provincial council, on August 15 said the militants set fire to two adjacent checkpoints following an overnight attack in the Baghlan-e Markazi district. Two other council members, Hayatullah Wafa and Asadullah Shabaz, said Taliban fighters had stormed at least one military base and three checkpoints. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the assault, the latest in a series of attacks that have killed dozens of members of the Afghan security forces across Afghanistan in recent days. Afghanistan's Western-backed government has been struggling to fend off the Taliban and other militant groups since the withdrawal of most NATO troops in 2014. In the southern province of Zabul, provincial police chief Mustafa Mayar said Taliban fighters attacked several security posts early on August 15, killing four police officers and wounding three others. Mayar said the Taliban used artillery and heavy guns during their attacks in the provincial capital, Qalat. He said seven Taliban fighters were killed and five were wounded. Meanwhile, residents in the city of Ghazni have begun returning to the streets and some shops have reopened after five days of fighting between Taliban militants and government forces. Arif Noori, spokesman for Ghazni's provincial governor, said that "life is getting back to normal." But he said people wounded in the battle were still arriving on August 15 at the city's hospital, which has been overwhelmed by casualties. The battle began early on August 10 when the Taliban launched an assault and captured several neighborhoods of Ghazni, a strategic city located on the main highway linking Kabul with the southern city of Kandahar. Afghan forces backed by air support struggled to push back the militants, who had fortified themselves in residential areas. An unidentified Taliban commander was quoted as saying that the militants decided to pull out of Ghazni to prevent further destruction to the city of 270,000 people. But an AFP reporter saw Taliban forces in at least one village on Ghazni's outskirts, and residents cited security forces as warning that the militants remained nearby. Hundreds of people have fled the fighting. About 100 members of the Afghan security forces and at least 20 civilians were killed. The United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said that up to 150 civilians have reportedly been killed or injured in the battle for Ghazni, but said the number of civilian casualties still needed to be verified. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was providing equipment and medicine to treat the wounded at the provincial hospital. The organization is also organizing emergency water supplies to cover the needs of about 18,000 people, as the city water system was shut down when the fighting began. With reporting by AP, dpa, and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-security-personnel -killed-in-taliban-attack/29434861.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban Forces Overrun Military Base, Key Highway in Endless Afghan War Sputnik News 03:44 15.08.2018 Afghan Security Forces (ASF) were stretched thin in the past three days of fighting in the country, which saw surprise attacks in northern and central provinces. Taliban forces overran an army base in the Ghormach district of the Faryab province, killing some 17 soldiers, according to a Defense Ministry spokesperson, and capturing 40, according to a local MP cited by Channel News Asia. Faryab's head of provincial council, Tahir Rehmani, said soldiers at the base begged Kabul for air support and reinforcements, but authorities were "too busy with Ghazni." The Taliban led an onslaught into the city in Ghazni, killing some 100 ASF soldiers and about 20 civilians in three days, the Defense Ministry said Monday. Afghan forces, with US and NATO "advisers," said they retook control of the center of the province which contains much of the highway between the government capital of Kabul and the country's second largest city, Kandahar. It "effectively [serves] as a gateway between the capital and militant strongholds in the south," Channel News Asia reported. While the Taliban is said to have lost control of the city, pockets of Taliban fighters remain, and militants have flooded the rural areas surrounding the city in that province. Resolute Support, the US and NATO mission in Afghanistan, tweeted on Monday that Ghazni city "remains under Afghan control," and that US aerial assaults have killed more than 140 Taliban fighters. Taliban forces have not captured a major district center since the city of Kunduz in 2016, and experts believe the renewed push to do so may be linked to the Islamist group's quest for leverage in the event peace talks are held with the Americans, a possibility US President Donald Trump has floated. According to a May 1 US military report, the Taliban controls, influences or contests 43.7 percent of the country. But some analysts take issue with the metrics. For example, some areas listed as under control of the government are only actually only occupied by government forces in small portions or centers, while the countryside remains the domain of the Taliban. In Ghanzi, before the recent incursion, the governor was only able to travel safely from one government building to another in armored convoys, Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the neoconservative Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of the think tank's Afghanistan-focused Long War Journal, told The Washington Times in early August. Meanwhile, one Afghan general, Laal Jan Zaheer, said that 77,000 Taliban fighters are in the country, an apparent surge in the group's strength. In an effort put an end to the 17-year-old conflict, the US has been bombing the country at a rate that is unprecedented since the US military started publishing data on its aerial campaigns in 2009. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban Stops Guaranteeing Safety of Red Cross Workers in Afghanistan By Ayaz Gul August 15, 2018 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban Kill 40 Afghan Forces, Overrun Northern Army Base By Ayaz Gul August 15, 2018 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 city's 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address FM: 20 pc of Caspian Sea resources should belong to Iran IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Aug 16, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Iran believes that it should own 20 percent of the Caspian Sea resources and the issue of an 11-percent share originates from an illusory line related to the former regime of Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran has never accepted such an illusory line, Zarif said in a TV program, adding that the idea that Iran should possess 50 percent of the Caspian Sea is wrong because in that case Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan would have no share. Unfortunately, at the time of the former regime of Iran, due to its dependence on foreigners the ex-Soviet Union never allowed Iran to take even a step across the so-called Asta line and Iran did not get even a drop of oil, Zarif said. 'What happened after the establishment of the Islamic Republic is that we did not allow Iran's share to be decreased. The illusory 11-percent line is no longer valid. Of course some tried to revive this illusory historical procedure which had been forcibly imposed on Iran during the former regime but the Islamic Republic rejected it,' the foreign minister said. He said the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea does not allow the littoral states to use the waters for military purposes against other countries, expressing surprise that some friends were bringing such matters of national pride under question. 'There are kilometers of pipelines in the Caspian Sea which date back to the era of the former Soviet Union and no one used to consult us in this regard. But this does not bring them any right,' Zarif said. The foreign minister made it clear 'Demarcation of the sea has not been done yet and Iran's territorial integrity has been preserved in the Convention. Preparations have been made for future negotiations.' On the latest developments concerning the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Zarif said the Europeans have acted well concerning their commitment to the deal and they are now standing up to their ally. The world has come to a conclusion that an individual based on his own personal interest cannot decide on behalf of others and this can be seen in the behaviors of Europe, Turkey, China and Russia. 1396**1396 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Death toll from Kabul suicide attack rises to 48 IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Kabul, Aug 15, IRNA -- A suicide attack on an education center in the Afghanistan capital city of Kabul Wednesday killed 48 and wounded 67 others. A big explosion was heard in western Kabul at 16:00 hours local time which was later made known that a suicide bomber targeted students taking exams at a private education center. The spokesman for the Afghan ministry of health in his latest interview said 48 people had been killed and 67 others wounded in the attack. Taliban in a statement said it had no part in the attack. Usually the blame for attacks on defenseless people in mostly Shia-populated areas in Afghanistan is put on Daesh terrorist organization while Taliban claims responsibility of attacks on government forces and military centers. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in a statement issued today denounced the deadly Kabul attack. 1396**1396 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel to build 20,000 new settler units in occupied Quds Iran Press TV Thu Aug 16, 2018 06:44AM The Israeli authorities have approved plans to construct 20,000 new settler units in the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds, once again defying international calls for the regime to stop its settlement activities in Palestinian lands. Jerusalem al-Quds municipality announced Wednesday that it had agreed to building more than 20,000 new settler units along with industrial areas and hotels in the occupied Palestinian city, Israeli media said. Under the plan, around 12,600 new living units and an additional 8,000 units will be built as part of "urban renewal initiative" in existing structures. The project is expected to cost some 1.4 billion Israeli shekels (roughly $379 million). Emboldened by the all-out support of US President Donald Trump, the Tel Aviv regime has been stepping up even further its settlement construction activities in the occupied territories in defiance of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2334. The resolution states that "it will not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem al-Quds, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations." It calls on Israel to "immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem" al-Quds. Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds during the Six Day War in 1967. It later annexed East Jerusalem al-Quds in a move not recognized by the international community. About 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built illegally since the 1967 occupation of the Palestinian lands. Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital. Palestinians have been holding regular anti-US protests since December 6, when Trump declared that Washington recognized Jerusalem al-Quds as the "capital" of Israel and was moving the American embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city. Many say Trump's move has effectively killed any chances of further negotiations. The dramatic shift in Washington's Jerusalem al-Quds policy drew fierce criticism from the international community, including Washington's Western allies, and triggered protests against the US and Israel worldwide. The United Nations General Assembly later voted by a resounding majority to reject Trump's Jerusalem al-Quds move. Israel lays claim to the whole of Jerusalem al-Quds, but the international community views the ancient city's eastern sector as occupied land and the Palestinians consider it their future capital. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gunmen Attack Afghan Spy Agency Compound In Kabul August 16, 2018 Gunmen have launched an attack on an Afghan intelligence training center in Kabul, officials say. Police officer Abdul Rahman said on August 16 that the attackers were holed up in a building near the compound overseen by the National Security Directorate in a western neighborhood of the Afghan capital. He said the gunmen were shooting at the facility and it wasn't immediately clear how many gunmen were involved in the assault. Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanekzai said the attackers were firing rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons. Special units arrived at the scene, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi. There was no initial word on any casualties or claim of responsibility for the attack, which comes a day after a suicide bombing in a Shi'ite area of Kabul killed 34 people and wounded 56 others. The Islamic State (IS) extremist group on August 16 claimed responsibility for the bombing. Afghanistan's Western-backed government has been struggling to fend off the Taliban, the Islamic State, and other militant groups since the withdrawal of most NATO troops in 2014. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/gunmen-attack-afghan- spy-agency-compound-in-kabul/29436832.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Jury To Start Deciding Case Against Trump Ex-Campaign Chairman RFE/RL August 16, 2018 The case against U.S. President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, has been sent to a jury for deliberations after prosecutors presented closing arguments portraying an alleged web of lies Manafort laid to escape paying U.S. taxes on the income he earned for political-consulting work in Ukraine. The jurors on August 16 will begin deliberating their verdict on 18 counts of tax- and bank-fraud prosecutors have leveled against Manafort in a U.S. district court outside Washington. If found guilty on all the charges, he could face eight to 10 years in prison. It is the first case to go to trial that emerged from U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Prosecutor Greg Andres told the jurors that the government's case boils down to "Mr. Manafort and his lies." "When you follow the trail of Mr. Manafort's money, it is littered with lies," Andres said. Attorneys for Manafort argued that he was not guilty because he left the details of his finances to other people, including his former deputy, Rick Gates, who appeared as the government's star witness. None of the charges against Manafort involve anything he did during his five-month stint as Trump's campaign chairman in mid-2016, but many of them involve political work he did for the former pro-Russian president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, before he was ousted by street protests in 2014. About $16 million in income that prosecutors alleged Manafort hid from U.S. tax authorities came from his work in Ukraine between 2010 and 2014. Manafort faces a second trial in September where he is accused of failing to disclose lobbying he did in Washington for the Ukrainian politicians, among other alleged crimes. Defense attorney Richard Westling told jurors that the fact that Manafort employed a team of accountants, bookkeepers, and tax preparers shows he wasn't trying to hide anything from U.S. tax authorities. Some of the people who handled Manafort's finances, including his bookkeeper, testified that he concealed offshore bank accounts and lied to them about it. Westling said the evidence against Manafort had been cherry-picked by Mueller's team and didn't show jurors the full picture. "None of the banks involved reported Manafort's activities as suspicious," he said. Westling also questioned whether prosecutors had shown criminal intent by the former Trump campaign chairman, and pointed to documents and e-mails that the defense lawyer said might well show numerical errors or sloppy bookkeeping, but no overt fraud. During the prosecution's arguments, jurors took notes while Manafort gazed at a computer screen where documents were shown. The screen showed e-mails 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. Prosecutors highlighted one e-mail in which they said Manafort sent an inflated statement of his income to bank officers reviewing a loan application. They highlighted another in which Manafort acknowledged his control of one of 31 offshore companies that prosecutors say he used to hide more than $60 million he earned advising politicians in Ukraine. Prosecutors say Manafort falsely declared a large portion of that income from Ukrainian clients to be "loans" in a ruse 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. Prosecutors charged that Manafort's lies did not end after his income from Ukraine dried up largely as a result of Yanukovych's ouster. They said at that point, he started defrauding banks by lying about his income on loan applications. Manafort's lawyers blamed their client's financial maneuvers on Gates, who they portrayed in cross-examination as a liar, thief, and philanderer. Gates, who pleaded guilty to similar charges earlier this year and testified in hopes in getting a reduced sentence from prosecutors, told jurors he helped Manafort conceal millions of dollars in foreign income and submitted fake mortgage and tax documents. Andres said the government isn't asking jurors to decide the case based only on Gates' testimony. He said the testimony of several other witnesses and the hundreds of documents presented as evidence are enough to convict Manafort on tax-evasion and bank-fraud charges. 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 he stowed in foreign accounts and used to pay for $6 million in U.S. real estate and other luxury items. In 2012, Manafort's most successful year during his stint as a Ukrainian political consultant, he reported $5.3 million in income. But he told the government nothing about another $9.2 million he earned that prosecutors said was put into "a huge dumpster of hidden money in foreign bank accounts" and used to pay for his expenses. Defense lawyer Kevin Downing argued that the government was so desperate to make a case against Manafort that it gave a sweetheart plea deal to Gates, and Gates would say whatever was necessary to ensure prosecutors do not send him to jail. Leaving the courthouse, Downing said he felt "very good" about Manafort's chances of being acquitted. "Mr. Manafort was very happy with how things went today," Downing said. With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/jury-start-deliberating- case-against-trump-ex-campaign-chairman-manafort -ukraine-yanukovych/29436573.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bucharest Protesters Keep Up Pressure On Government Eugen Tomiuc August 16, 2018 BUCHAREST -- Despite the sweltering heat and the start of a long weekend, groups of hardcore demonstrators gathered again outside the government building in Bucharest for a sixth night in a row on August 15. A couple of hundred people demanding the resignation of Romania's leftist government, which they accuse of corruption and attacks on the rule of law, chanted slogans against the government and the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD), accompanied by the noise of vuvuzelas and monitored by regular police. Unlike the previous couple of nights, and despite the smaller number of protesters, a pair of dark-clothed riot police were also standing guard on the sides of Victoria Square, and refused to allow people to take their pictures. The government has decreed a five-day vacation starting on August 15, and although the decision was made months ago, some of the protesters in the square vented furiously against the decision, calling it a bribe by the government for state employees. Some protesters told RFE/RL that they had jobs in the private sector and would keep going to work every day during the short vacation. But they said they would still keep coming to the protest every evening after work. EU Presidency Meanwhile, European Parliament member Guy Verhofstadt who is the Leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) which includes the homonymous ALDE of Romania, the junior coalition partner of PSD, said in a Facebook post that "the right to protest and freedom of assembly may never be restricted if it takes place in a peaceful manner." Verhofstadt added that it was '"essential that Romania stays on the path of reform and progressive policies especially ahead of its stint as Presidency in office of the European Union." Bucharest will take over the EU rotating presidency in January. After winning power in 2016, the PSD attempted to decriminalize several corruption offenses through an emergency decree, leading to thousands of Romanians taking to the streets in protest and forcing the party to back down. President Klaus Iohannis, a critic of the left-wing government, has been at loggerheads with the PSD, accusing it of attempting to weaken the fight against corruption, putting pressure on the judicial system, and of implementing bad fiscal policies. Iohannis, the European Commission, and the U.S. State Department criticized the proposed changes to judicial legislation, saying they could derail the rule of law. Romania is one the poorest members of the European Union, with an average monthly wage of about 520 euros ($590). It is also one of the EU countries most plagued by corruption and has seen frequent protests in the past year and a half. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/bucharest-protesters- keep-up-government-pressure/29436004.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemeni Deputy Minister Accuses Iran of Supplying Ballistic Missiles to Houthis Sputnik News 12:06 16.08.2018(updated 13:31 16.08.2018) Iran has repeatedly denied that it provides Houthis with weapons, while however, admitting to politically supporting the Shiite movement that has been fighting the government of President Hadi and a Saudi-led coalition. The Yemeni deputy defense minister Abdel Kader Al Amoudi has accused Iran of supplying ballistic missiles to the Shiite Houthi movement and assisting the rebels in modernizing old rockets. "Iran is directly involved in the ongoing war. Tehran supplies the Houthis with ballistic missiles and helps them to improve those missiles that were previously used by the Yemeni army, which have now come into the possession of the rebels," the official stated. Addressing the situation around the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, Al Amoudi stated that importance for global energy trade will force the international community to do everything possible to stop the destruction of the city. "Military means will not decide Al Hudaydah's [fate] as this city holds strategic importance for the Red Sea and [the Bab-el-Mandeb] Strait, through which the majority of the world's oil deliveries pass," Al Amoudi said. He also noted that only small groups of the foreign forces, from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Sudan assist the government in its fight against the Houthis, while the overwhelming majority of the government forces consists of the Yemeni soldiers. The country has been engulfed in an ongoing conflict between the government and the predominantly Shia-led Houthi movement. Since March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Yemeni President Hadi's request. The movement has repeatedly launched missiles from Yemeni territory targeting different cities in Saudi Arabia over the course of the conflict. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gunmen Attack Intel Service Center in Kabul Day After Deadly Blast Sputnik News 08:55 16.08.2018(updated 13:34 16.08.2018) The incident comes just a day after a deadly explosion at an educational center in the western part of the Afghan capital killed up to 34 people, injuring about 67 more, with most of the victims being students. According to the Reuters news agency, an official at a training center for Afghanistan's intelligence service reported the attack on the facility. However, it wasn't immediately clear, how many gunmen were involved in the attack. "Clashes are ongoing and the area is cordoned off by the Afghan security forces," confirmed Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai. According to TOLOnews, the security forces are engaged in a fight with the insurgents. The shooting followed a series of assaults in Kabul in recent months. Just a day before, a blast killed at least 34 people, while earlier in July four police officers were killed and five others injured in a suicide attack, with the Taliban* movement claiming responsibility for the incident. This latest round events is part of the difficult situation in the country. Afghanistan has long been suffering from the ongoing fight between the central government and various militant groups, including the Taliban and Daesh*. *Daesh (also known as IS/ISIS/Islamic State) and Taliban are terrorist organizations, banned in Russia. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Manafort Jury Begins Deliberations By VOA News August 16, 2018 A jury begins deliberations Thursday on whether former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is guilty of tax and bank fraud. Manafort faces decades in prison if convicted. Prosecutors and defense lawyers presented their closing arguments Wednesday, the prosecution arguing Manafort's life was "littered with lies" as he pursued a lavish lifestyle. "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 said. No reasonable doubt, defense says But 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. Star witness 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 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 extramarital affair in London and lied about his own role in hiding money in offshore accounts. 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. 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. 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gunmen Attack Afghan Intelligence Center in Kabul By Ayesha Tanzeem August 16, 2018 Gunmen launched an attack on a training center on the grounds of Afghanistan's intelligence service in Kabul, a day after a dozens of people were killed in assault on an education institution in the capital. Bahar Mehr, an advisor to minister of interior told VOA that four suicide attackers were involved in the latest attack on Thursday. He said one bomber exploded himself and three others were killed in fighting with security forces. He said three Afghan security personal were also wounded in cleanup operations but no civilians were harmed. On Wednesday, at least 34 people were killed in a suicide bombing attack on Mowoud Academy, in a Shi'ite-dominated part of town. The blast happened when students were taking a university entrance examination. The Afghan Taliban has denied any role in the attack. Islamic State, which has carried out previous attacks on Shi'ites in Kabul, has claimed responsibility. Elsewhere in Afghanistan 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. Ghazni situation dire Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan warned of dire humanitarian consequences for residents of Afghanistan's second most populous city, Ghazni, after five days of fighting. Taliban had launched an attack last Friday and managed to make their way to the city center. 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. The Afghan news site Pajhwok reported that 70 security personnel have been under siege in central Uruzgan province's 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. Dim hopes for a cease-fire 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 Ramadan the 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address British Citizen From Sudan Held in London Car Attack By VOA News ugust 15, 2018 British counterterrorism police searched several properties Wednesday as they tried to determine what made a 29-year-old Sudan-born man crash a car outside Britain's Parliament in what police were treating as an act of terrorism. Salih Khater, a British citizen of Sudanese origin, was arrested at the scene of Tuesday's crash. British authorities do not identify suspects by name until they are charged, but media reports and neighbors said the arrested man was Khater. He was being held on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, as well as attempted murder. Police said Wednesday that the priority for investigators remained figuring out the motivation behind the incident, which injured three people. Two of those hurt were taken to a hospital for treatment, but both have since been released. Officers completed searches at two sites in the central England city of Birmingham, including the apartment where Khater lives, and one in Nottingham. A search was continuing Wednesday at a third site in Birmingham, 160 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of London. Ali Mohamed, a member of Birmingham's Sudanese community, told reporters that Khater had gone to the Sudanese Embassy in London to apply for a visa to go back to his homeland. Neil Basu, assistant commissioner of the London police, told reporters Tuesday that based on what authorities knew about the suspect so far, it did not appear that he was someone previously known to British counterterror or intelligence agencies. Prime Minister Theresa May wrote in a post on Twitter: President Donald Trump also reacted to the incident on Twitter: Last year, a man drove a car into pedestrians on nearby Westminster Bridge, killing four people there before fatally stabbing a police officer outside Parliament. Police shot and killed that attacker. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India to Launch Manned Space Mission by 2022, PM Declares on Independence Day Sputnik News 08:20 15.08.2018 As India is celebrating its 72nd Independence Day with gaiety and fervor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the ramparts of Delhi's historic Red Fort amid tight security. The first all-women anti-terror squad was the major highlight of the event. New Delhi (Sputnik): Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has declared that the country would be launching its first even manned-mission to space by the year 2022. He was addressing the nation on the occasion of the 72ndanniversary of India achieving freedom from British colonial clutches. Elucidating on India's journey from a fragile economy to a robust investment destination, Prime Minister Modi said, "India was once counted in the Fragile Five, today India is being hailed as a multi-trillion dollar investment destination." Earlier, before his address to the nation, Prime Minister Modi led the nation in paying homage to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi at his resting place in Rajghat, New Delhi and saluted the freedom fighters who laid down their lives for the country's independence. Another highlight of this year's Independence Day celebrations was the first all-woman Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team for anti-terrorist operations to secure the function at Red Fort, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation. In 1947, on this day, India achieved independence from the British colonial clutches. Lord Mountbatten, the last British Viceroy of India introduced the Indian Independence Bill in the British House of Commons on July 4, 1947, and passed it within a fortnight. It provided for the end of the British rule in India, on August 15, 1947, and the partition of India into the two dominions of India and Pakistan. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lockheed Martin to Build Infrared Spacecraft for US Air Force - Pentagon Sputnik News 03:29 15.08.2018 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin won almost $3 billion to build three space vehicles to operate in geosynchronous high earth orbits (HEO) 22,000 miles above the planet, the Defense Department said in a press release. "Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, California, has been awarded a $2,935,545,188 not-to-exceed undefinitized contract for three Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Geosynchronous Earth Orbit Space Vehicles," the release said on Tuesday. The contract encompasses requirements analysis, design, development and early manufacturing, the release added. Work on the three new infrared satellites will be performed in Sunnyvale in the US state of California over the next three years and is expected to be completed by April 30, 2021, the release added. Last week, the Pentagon unveiled a report on establishing a Space Command as a separate branch of the US armed forces that the White House said would be in place by 2020. According to the report, command capability development efforts will focus on global surveillance for missile targeting and other priorities. The report also identified China and Russia as America's primary adversaries in space. Congressmen Mike Rogers and Jim Cooper, high-ranking members of a House subcommittee on strategic forces, said the Pentagon's new report will be helpful in speeding up acquisitions of more advanced systems to boost US capabilities in space. In June, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to start the creation of a new space force despite a 1967 treaty signed by more than 100 nations banning the militarization of space. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hong Kong Independence Speech Draws Warnings By Suzanne Sataline August 16, 2018 Officials in the Chinese capital, Beijing, and in Hong Kong have issued a string of warnings after a journalists' association broadcast a speech by an advocate for the city's independence. The immediate censure by Chinese and Hong Kong officials hinted that city lawmakers may soon be pressed to pass a law against sedition and treason, which could stifle protest in the partially autonomous territory. Earlier this week, Andy Chan Ho-tin, convener of the Hong Kong National Party, told a crowd at Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondents' Club, or FCC, that "if Hong Kong were to become truly democratic, Hong Kong's sovereignty must rest with the people of Hong Kong. And there is only one way to achieve this: independence." Chan, who was banned from being a legislative candidate in 2016, denounced China as a worldwide threat to freedom. He also called on foreign governments, including the United States, to help Hong Kong. "China is, by nature, as an empire, a threat to all free peoples in the world," Chan told the audience. "Simply saying you are pro-independence is somehow the same as committing treason. There is, in other words, no longer freedom of speech in Hong Kong, but instead, the freedom to think and say whatever Peking (Beijing) wants us to. Hong Kong is no longer that much different from China, and the international community has to acknowledge that." Pressure to cancel appearance Public officials had pressured the club to cancel the talk, which was carried live on Facebook. The local public radio broadcaster, RTHK, refused to air the speech live, saying it refused to be a platform for Hong Kong independence. Soon after the speech, the director of Beijing's State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office hinted the city should deploy national security legislation to protect against threats to the Chinese nation. Hong Kong last considered such a security law in 2003, when a half million people poured into the streets in protest. The bill was later shelved. "The HKNP and people, including Chan, have plotted, organized and carried out activities with seditious intention. They want to break up the nation," Zhang Xiaoming said Thursday. Pro-Beijing media groups, which often speak more directly than the government, have routinely denounced Chan, especially since last month, when Hong Kong police served the 27-year-old activist with a letter advising him to close his party. The police argued the party posed an "imminent threat" to national security even though neither Chan nor his few members have been accused of committing violence since the group formed in 2016. In an interview with VOA before his speech, Chan said he had been given until early September to voluntarily end the political group. He said the letter from the police came as a surprise, but that he wasn't worried. "I'm fine. I'm not arrested," he said. China condemns correspondents club China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong condemned the FCC and accused the institution of abusing local freedoms by providing a platform for Chan. "Freedom of expression is fully protected by the Chinese Constitution, the Hong Kong Basic Law and related laws in Hong Kong. Yet there are bottom line and limitations for such freedom. Advocacy for 'Hong Kong independence' violates the constitution and the law. It by no means falls within the purview of free speech," the ministry said. The Hong Kong government scolded Chan and the FCC. "Providing a public platform for a speaker to openly advocate independence completely disregards Hong Kong's constitutional duty to uphold national sovereignty. It is totally unacceptable and deeply regrettable," it said in a statement. After the talk, the club's board said in a statement: "The FCC stands for freedom of speech and freedom of the press in Hong Kong and across Asia, and neither endorses nor opposes the views of its various speakers and panelists," it said. The platform to speak at the club, an institution that routinely hosts talks by newsmakers, drew fire from the city's former chief executive. C.Y. Leung, who was once a target of a massive anti-government protest in 2014, urged the club to withdraw the invitation. He said the government should consider leasing the FCC's longtime headquarters in the city center to another tenant. Beijing sovereignty More than 30 Hong Kong lawmakers have issued a joint statement urging the government to take concrete measures to prevent local organizations from providing venues for separatists. Chinese President Xi Jinping, during a visit to the former British colony last year, said no one should challenge Beijing's sovereignty over the city. Since then, the city's courts have imprisoned several activists in the city's independence and pro-democracy movement. In June, Edward Leung, a onetime legislative candidate, was sent to jail for six years on charges of rioting and assaulting an officer. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US targets Russian, Chinese firms for violating North Korea sanctions Iran Press TV Thu Aug 16, 2018 01:44AM The US Treasury is imposing new sanctions on companies in Russia, China and Singapore for violating North Korea sanctions. The US government's announcement on Wednesday was part of an effort to increase economic pressure on Pyongyang. "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 a statement. "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," One individual and three shipping companies in Singapore, China and Russia were listed for the new sanctions. China's Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co. and Singapore-based affiliate SINSMS Pte. Ltd. were accused of violating restrictions on trade with North Korea. They reportedly facilitated exports of alcohol, tobacco and cigarette products through using fake documents. Russia's port service agency, Profinet Pte Ltd, and the company's director general, Vasili Aleksandrovich Kolchanov, were also sanctioned after providing port services to DPRK-flagged vessels. Back in July, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said that Washington is in possession of "photographs of proof of ship-to-ship transfers." "Now for China and Russia to block it, what are they telling us? Are they telling us that they want to continue supplying this oil? They claim they need more information. We don't need any more information. The sanctions committee has what it needs. We all know it's going forward," she added. Following a summit in Singapore in June, US President Donald Trump said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un promised to immediately end Pyongyang's weapons programs. Pyongyang has urged Washington to take reciprocal measures including officially declaring an end to the war and removing sanctions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Seoul Intends to Establish Single Economic Community With Pyongyang - Reports Sputnik News 05:08 15.08.2018(updated 07:00 15.08.2018) South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said Wednesday his planned third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un next month would be another step towards the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and an end to the 1950-53 Korean War. Establishing a joint economic community between North and South Korea and introducing the possibility of unrestricted cross-border travel will be "true liberation," South Korean President Moon Jae-in said. "We must overcome such a division for our survival and development. 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 Jae-in was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency. Moon said the community would include six Northeast Asia countries and the United States, while the president's office specified that the community would include North, South Korea, China, Japan, Mongolia, Russia, and the United States, according to the Yonhap news agency. "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. And this will mark the start to a multilateral security system in Northeast Asia," Moon Jae-in was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency. Moon added that he hoped for the full denuclearization of North Korea. When the peace has been established, the countries may set up at least two special economic zones next to Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces, Moon said, according to the Yonhap. South Korea's President reportedly added that the railways of South and North Korea could be linked up by the end of the year, stressing that a Northeast Asia linked railroad may help facilitate further regional integration. Moon also added, citing research data, that the benefits from North and South cooperating could reach at least about $150 billion in the next 30 years Moon's special adviser on foreign affairs said Tuesday that the next summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may take place on September 12-13. The official reportedly said the meeting was unlikely to take place earlier than September 9. On that date Pyongyang is celebrating the Day of the Foundation of the Republic. At the same time, the presidential adviser said that the possibility of North and South Korea announcing the end of war at the General Assembly of the United Nations at the end of September "decreased," but it still existed. Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un have met twice since the beginning of the year, in April and then in May. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia regrets US suspension of cooperation within Open Skies Treaty Iran Press TV Tue Aug 14, 2018 02:20PM Russia has expressed its deep regrets that the United States has ceased to financially support the Open Skies Treaty, a 16-year-old agreement designed to build up confidence through opening the skies of both countries to mutual military survey flights, Russian state news agency RIA reports. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov made the comment on Tuesday, a day after US President Donald Trump signed the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act into law, according to which Washington will not allocate any funds to implement the Open Skies Treaty until penalties are imposed on Russia for previous purported violations. "Instead of addressing this issue within the framework of the Open Skies Consultative Commission, we learn from the new bill that the funding for implementation [of the treaty] would be suspended. Well, this is a choice of the United States. This is the path toward further intoxication of international relations by unilateral methods. We can only regret it," Ryabkov said. The senior diplomat further said that Moscow was also concerned over the record-high US allocations for military purposes under the new military budget and that the Kremlin would carefully examine the document. In September last year, Russia criticized the US for placing restrictions on Russian military flights over American territory, vowing to retaliate against any further restrictions by Washington. Earlier that month, The Wall Street Journal claimed that the US restrictions on Russia had been in response to Moscow preventing US observation flights over its heavily militarized Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad. The Treaty on Open Skies was struck on January 1, 2002 between the US, Russia, and more than thirty other countries. It was designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all participants a direct role in gathering information about the military forces and activities of concern to them. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Officials Denounce U.S. Move To Suspend Funding For Treaty RFE/RL August 15, 2018 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 Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-officials-denounce-us-move- suspend-funding-open-skies-treaty/29434660.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Military Denies Interception of Russian Su-24 Bombers Near NATO Airspace Sputnik News 20:23 15.08.2018(updated 21:23 15.08.2018) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian Defense Ministry refuted on Wednesday claims of the alleged interception by NATO fighter jets of Russian Su-24 attack aircraft over the Black Sea. "On August 13, 2018, four Black Sea Fleet jets, with no Su-24 bombers among them, were conducting regular training flights over the waters of the Black Sea," the ministry said in a statement. "After accomplishing their mission in the assigned area, the Russian jets detected a NATO military aircraft at the distance of over 30 kilometers [about 19 miles]," the ministry added. According to the statement, the detected jet did not perform any maneuvers, did not deviate from its course and did not attempt to approach the Russian aircraft which were heading back to their base. On Monday, the Royal Air Force said that two Eurofighter Typhoons followed six Russian Su-24 aircraft near the NATO airspace. The UK jets observed the Russian aircraft until they left the proximity to the NATO territory, the British military said. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address White House says U.S. not to lift tariffs on Turkey even Brunson released People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 07:37, August 16, 2018 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey to Challenge US at WTO Over Steel, Aluminum Import Tariff Hike Minister Sputnik News 13:54 16.08.2018 ANKARA (Sputnik) Ankara will challenge recent Washington's decision to double tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Turkey at the World Trade Organization (WTO), Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said Thursday. "Turkey has invited the United States to come in front of a panel of arbitrators at the World Trade Organization. The United States has already received this invitation. Therefore, we have launched a dispute settlement process within the framework of the WTO," Pekcan said on the sidelines of the 10th Conference of Ambassadors of Turkey in Ankara, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency. On August 10, US President Donald Trump said he had authorized the doubling previously imposed import tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel to 20 percent and 50 percent, respectively. The US move resulted in the Turkish lira losing about 20 percent of its value and hitting a historic low. Turkey has been in conflict with the United States over trade issues since March, when Trump initially introduced the 10 and 25 percent duties on imports of aluminum and steel, respectively, from US trade partners, including Turkey. Ankara has called the tariffs unacceptable and pledged to take retaliatory measures. Earlier this week, Ankara doubled import duties on 22 US goods worth some $533 million. Turkey is not the first country to file a WTO complaint over the US trade practices. Others, including Canada, China, the European Union and Russia, have challenged the import tariffs at the WTO. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Vancouver, August 16, 2018 - Westminster Resources Ltd. (TSXV: WMR) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Farm-In Agreement with AusQuest Limited (ASX: AQD). The Agreement covers 5 of the 36 Peruvian copper licences recently acquired by Westminster, covering 4,900 hectares. These particular licences form part of the Ilo Sur project, which Westminster acquired along with the flagship Ilo Norte and Ilo Este projects. The Farm-In Agreement contemplates AusQuest completing 13,000 metres of drilling over 7.5 years to earn 65%, with an option to earn 75% by completing a Pre-Feasibility Study. Glen Indra, Westminster's President and CEO, commented: "AusQuest is an active and well-funded explorer in the southern Peru region, and we welcome their involvement in our portfolio of projects. I'd like to thank Chris Gale, incoming director of Westminster, for his assistance in arranging this agreement, and look forward to AusQuest success, while Westminster focuses on its wholly-owned Ilo Norte and Ilo Este Copper Projects." The 5 licences being farmed to AusQuest are part of a 12,225 ha project area lying southwest of Westminster's Ilo Este Copper Project. AusQuest have licences adjacent to the Westminster licences which were drilled in 2016, providing them with encouragement to continue exploring this area for a possible buried porphyry copper target. From a regional geological perspective, this project area is dominated by a Cretaceous-age diorite-granodiorite batholith, with coincident magnetic and radiometric anomalies adjacent to known structures, hosting multiple porphyry targets. Terms of the Farm-In Agreement include an 18-month Phase 1 program to identify drill targets, a 3-year Phase 2 program of a minimum 3,000 m of drilling to earn the initial 35%, a 3-year Phase 3 program of a further 10,000 m of drilling or US$2.5 million of additional expenditure (whichever comes first) to achieve 65% interest, and then a final Phase 4 PFS program, to complete a Pre-Feasibility Study to achieve a 75% interest in the licences. Once AusQuest has earned 75%, it can offer to buyout Westminster's remaining 25% interest for fair market value. This news release has been reviewed and approved by Kerry Griffin, MAIG. (a qualified person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101, standards and disclosure for mineral projects.) About AusQuest: AusQuest Limited is an active exploration company, focused on base metals in large-scale provinces currently Peru and Western Australia. AusQuest has attracted significant funding from major mining companies over the last 15 years, most recently with a Strategic Alliance with South32 (spun out from BHP Billiton in 2015). Under the terms of the SAA, South32 has exclusive rights to AusQuest's projects by funding selected projects up to the drilling stage and can elect to spend a further US$4.0 million on each project to earn a 70% interest with the right to earn an additional 10% interest by completing Pre-Feasibility Studies. AusQuest is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange under the symbol AQD. About Westminster: Westminster Resources is a Latin American focussed mining exploration company. The company has recently acquired a 100% interest in a package of highly prospective copper properties in southern Peru. These properties total over 36,000 hectares within the country's prolific coastal copper beltsource of nearly half of Peru's copper production. Prior work has identified both porphyry and IOCG style mineralization. The company also holds a 100% interest in the 18,000-hectare El Cobre property in Sonora, Mexico, prospective for world-class epithermal and copper-gold porphyry systems. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Westminster Resources Ltd. "GLEN INDRA" President & CEO For further information regarding Westminster Resources Ltd., please call 604-608- 0400, Toll Free: 1-877-608-0007. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward- looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward- looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release may include, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, including the proposed transaction with Latin Resources Ltd. and closing of such transaction. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, those risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. 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. Kimi Raikkonen has released a book about his career today in Finland. The Ferrari driver has been tipped to sign a new contract with the team after recent speculation linked him with a vacant Sauber seat left by his possible replacement Charles Leclerc. Raikkonen attended the launch with wife Minttu at the Resturant Wallis in Helsinki and was interviewed by Finnish broadcaster MTV3 about the biography. Written by popular Finnish author Kari Hotakainen, the book has been released in Finnish and Swedish and will be available in other languages soon. In an Instagram post last week, Raikkonen announced the book himself: My story so far, available in Finnish and Swedish on August 16, 2018. Other languages will follow soon after. Raikkonen's story from humble beginnings to world champion at Ferrari gives insight into one of the most popular drivers in recent times. Raikkonen's monotone and uninterested demeanour endeared him to fans around the world in a sport full of PR interference. Whether or not Raikkonen does continue on in Formula One beyond the current 2018 season remains to be seen. Whilst teammate Sebastian Vettel is happy with having the experienced Finn as his teammate, Ferrari may opt to put the promising Leclerc alongside the four-time champion for next season. 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. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 16, 2018 | WICKLIFFE By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 16, 2018 | 07:52 AM | WICKLIFFE Representatives from Verso Corporation, Governor Matt Bevin, and representatives from Global Win Wickliffe, LLC., a Chinese company, announced that the paper mill in Wickliffe will reopen, hopefully by the end of the year. Global Win Wickliffe will be a tremendous addition to West Kentucky, and the 500 jobs associated with the reopening of this paper mill will provide opportunities for years to come, Governor Bevin said in a press release. Since the facilitys closure two years ago, our economic development team has worked tirelessly alongside Verso to find the right match for the regions workforce, and we are confident we have found that in the buyer. We want to thank Global Win Wickliffe for locating its first US operation in Kentucky, and we wish the company much success in this exciting venture. Governor Bevin also added, "This will be a good partnership. The seeds will germinate, the roots will grow deep, and fruit will be borne for generations to come, generations to come." Executives of Global Win Wickliffe signed the agreement with representatives of Verso to buy the facility for approximately $16 million, and the sale should close this fall. The new owners will refurbish the mill with new equipment and updated technology, and they anticipate reopening the mill by the end of 2018. The facility, which is the first U.S. facility for Global Win, will produce pulp and brown paper packaging. Verson idled the plant in November 2015, laying off over 300 workers. They closed the plant in 2016. Sen. Danny Carroll, of Paducah, said the arrival of Global Win could be a difference maker for the west Kentucky workforce. I want to welcome Global Win to Ballard County and thank the company for bringing much needed jobs back to our region, Sen. Carroll said. It says everything about our workforce and the available resources in our area that the company has chosen Wickliffe for its first US operation. It required a lot of people working together to make this project possible, and this promises to be a major boon for west Kentucky. Rep. Steven Rudy, of Paducah, said the community is ready for the new opportunity. Global Win will be a great fit for west Kentucky, and I look forward to the company thriving in an area with a dedicated workforce that has awaited this type of opportunity for the past two years, Rep. Rudy said. The paper mill is an important factor in the Ballard County economy, and its reopening is fantastic news. Thanks to the company and all those who made this project a reality. Ballard County Judge-Executive Todd Cooper said the project will positively impact more than just the local region. We are so excited Global Win Wickliffe LLC has purchased the Wickliffe Paper Mill, Judge-Executive Cooper said. This will be a tremendous job creator and economic engine for the entire Purchase Region and surrounding states. I want to thank Governor Bevin and the staff of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development for the hard work and effort put forth to help Global Win Wickliffe locate in Kentucky. Cooper went on to say it is not just huge for Ballard County, but for the entire region of the country including Western Kentucky, Southern Illinois, Southeast Missouri, West Tennessee, Eastern Arkansas, North Mississippi, and North Alabama. He explained that these outlying areas are where much of the logging operations will be coming from, which will be a major economic impact for those areas. Carlisle County Judge-Executive Greg Terry expressed gratitude for the group effort to reopen the paper mill. Carlisle County is very excited to hear about the reopening of the paper mill in Wickliffe. Its a good day for western Kentucky to hear that the paper mill will be back in production, Judge-Executive Terry said. Its also a blessing to the citizens of our counties that there will be more jobs available. Ballard county leaders have worked tirelessly to make this happen. Several former employees of the paper mill came to the facility Thursday afternoon to celebrate the announcement. Lawrence Otey, a 43 year employee of the mill, told West Kentucky Star, that this means a lot for the whole county, and the people that lost their jobs, and now having the potential of getting their job back, to hopefully be the way it was years ago. Advertisement By The Associated Press Aug. 16, 2018 | DETROIT By The Associated Press Aug. 16, 2018 | 09:11 AM | DETROIT Aretha Franklin, the undisputed "Queen of Soul" who sang with matchless style on such classics as "Think," ''I Say a Little Prayer" and her signature song, "Respect," and stood as a cultural icon around the globe, has died at age 76 from pancreatic cancer. Publicist Gwendolyn Quinn told The Associated Press through a family statement that Franklin died Thursday at 9:50 am at her home in Detroit. The family added: "In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds." The statement continued: "We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time." Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days. Franklin's career spanned every decade since the 1960's. Top five singles in the U.S. include: "Respect" and "Chain of Fools" (1967), "Spanish Harlem" (1971), "Day Dreaming" (1972), "Until You Come Back to Me" (1973), "Freeway of Love" (1985), "I Knew You Were Waiting for Me" with George Michael (1987). She hit the top 40 in 1994 with "Willing to Forgive," and "A Rose is Still a Rose," in 1998, and her last charting single was a cover of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," which peaked at number 47 in 2014. By The Associated Press Aug. 14, 2018 | 07:28 AM | FRANKFORT Facing a growing trade dispute between the world's largest economies that threatens Kentucky's growing auto industry, Republican Gov. Matt Bevin struck an optimistic tone during a meeting with China's ambassador to the U.S. as he pledged to woo more Chinese-owned companies to the state. Bevin and Ambassador Cui Tiankai met Monday in the Kentucky Governor's Mansion. The meeting comes after President Donald Trump's administration announced it would impose tariffs of 25 percent on $16 billion worth of Chinese goods. China responded by pledging equal duties on $16 billion of U.S. goods. Both tariffs are set to take effect Aug. 23 and will apply to cars, which are largely responsible for Kentucky's 60 percent increase in exports to China last year. At a joint news conference with Cui, Bevin defended Trump and described the trade dispute as part of a larger negotiation that will eventually "settle down." "I think the intent for the long term is to make sure we get to the point where the nations are trading not only freely, but in a fair and equitable way given we are the two largest economies in the world," Bevin said. Bevin said he and Cui did not discuss the tariffs much but focused on economic development opportunities in Kentucky. Bevin noted China is the world's second-largest economy, yet only seven Chinese companies operate in Kentucky, employing about 8,200 workers. By comparison, more than 200 Japanese companies operate in Kentucky, employing about 45,000 people. Cui said that for many in China, knowledge of Kentucky begins with Kentucky Fried Chicken, a chain of fast food restaurants whose parent company is headquartered in Louisville. He said Kentucky has more to offer. "The business community in China has a strong interest in making investments in the United States in general and in Kentucky in particular," Cui said. "The job of the governments is to try to reduce possible barriers so people could facilitate such economic trade and investment and cultural ties between our two people." It's unclear how that can proceed with a growing trade dispute between the two countries. Last week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told Kentucky reporters he supports Trump's aggressive actions toward China because the country has been "eating our lunch" on trade. Bevin noted decisions on trade are above his authority. But he predicted prosperous future between the two countries, saying he would like to see 200 Chinese companies operating in Kentucky over the next two decades. Bevin is scheduled to attend the China International Import Expo in Shanghai this November. He said he's going because China has "a massive appetite in products made in the United States." "This should excite all of us. It should excite consumers in China, excite those of us in the United States that make products," he said. "This is not a bad time for business between China and the United States. This is a great time, an incredible time." Joshua Lyons, 36, of 1778 Villers Road, was sentenced Wednesday, Aug. 15 to two to 10 years in the West Virginia Division of Corrections. Lyons pleaded guilty in July to child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury. Lyons had previously been indicted by the May 2018 term of the Wetzel County Grand Jury with the charge, along with a second count malicious assault. During Lyons Aug. 15 sentencing, Judge Jeffrey Cramer stated he would talk to the parole board and ask that Lyons remain in prison for 10 years. The judge said he didnt know if his request would do any good. Lyons was given credit for time served and was sentenced to 25 years of supervised release upon his release from prison. He was further ordered to register as a child abuser for 10 years after he is released from prison. Lyons was found to be an abusive parent, and the judge terminated his parental rights. Lyons is to have no contact with his child. He is also to pay a fine of $5,000, along with the cost of prosecution, including court-appointed fees. The New Martinsville Police Department investigated this case, and their quick action responding to the scene earned Chief Tim Cecil, Detective Donnie Harris, Patrolmen Timothy Chichick and Jason Utt, and Dispatcher Iris Isaacs Distinguished Service awards. The NMPD responded to a 911 call at 619 Foundry Street on April 4, which resulted in Lyons arrest. Chief Cecil previously reported that at the residence, officers found a three-month-old baby boy, blue and barely breathing. Cecil had reported that he found a slight pulse on the baby and ordered Patrolman Chichick to bundle the baby. The officers took the baby, via cruiser, to the Wetzel County Hospital. During transport, Chief Cecil remained on the phone with the hospital nurse for the safety of the child. Cecil Cecil said he was met halfway to the hospital by Patrolman Utt, who had been at the scene of a vehicle accident. Utt cleared traffic for Cecil and led the officers to the hospital. According to Cecil, officers arrived at the Foundry Street location of the baby within three to four minutes from the time of the initial call; officers arrived at the hospital within 10 minutes of the initial call. Cecil said the doctor on duty at WCH performed CT scans and decided to have the child transported to UPMC. After an investigation by Detective Donnie Harris, police then arrested 36-year-old Lyons on child abuse and neglect charges. Kamala Harris of California joined her fellow U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut on a conference call Wednesday night to urge Democratic activists and supporters in Connecticut to back Democratic gubernatorial nominee Ned Lamont in the November election. Ned, given his work and his voice, which has been a voice of courage and a voice that is not afraid to stand up for what he knows we have to do, is the kind of voice that we need as a governor of a major state in this country, said Harris, a Democrat. In that way, the work that you all will do in electing Ned is going to have not only impact to the people of Connecticut but frankly the whole nation because we need these strong voices in the field. 3 1 of 3 Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 3 U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and U.S. Rep. Jim Himes will host a roundtable discussion on health care at Norwalk Hospital Friday afternoon. The Connecticut Democrats say they are fighting against the Trump administrations efforts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, which is contributing to rising costs. Plenty of people have dreamed of buying a private island. Not many expected it to bear the name of the 45th president. But that's exactly what Trump Island has been up against; since it was first listed more than a year and a half ago, the San Juan island the name has become a bit of a sticking point. There's more to the listing of course -- after all, when an actual private island goes up for sale, there's a lot more to consider than the usual real estate machinations. The name just makes it stand out a little extra. The truth is it has no relation to Donald J., or any of his family, historical or otherwise. While his grandfather did have a brief stint in Seattle after he immigrated to the states, the name could predate his arrival. RELATED: Trump family local legacy: Not as seedy as once thought? "The name has been used since at least the mid-1870s as determined by the Washington State Board of Geographic Names in 1976," Kevin Loftus, executive director of the San Juan Historical Museum, told the Washington Post last year. So how do you handle a unique sale like this? Well you remember the whole package, for starters: There is, after all, the secluded 29-acre island, with a luxurious home spanning more than 7,000 square feet. As one might imagine, the process to buy an estate of this caliber is different than usual, even in a market as ferocious as Seattle. Background For starters, there's the vetting. In order to even see the island you have to be checked out for whether or not you'd actually be able to make the purchase, should you like what you see. "With other homes you never have to go through the seller as far as vetting them and really getting their background and checking them out before they view a home," Leigh Zwicker, the Windermere broker said. Which is easier than you'd think: The only way to get to the island is by boat, seaplane, or the private water taxi, who will always check in with the island's caretaker (another point for how high-end this sale feels). Power Another key factor to consider in the realm of island buying is utilities; while you may have your pick of islands to buy, either locally or globally, the process of setting up electricity, plumbing, and other utilities is not an easy -- or cheap -- one. "Most islands out there, unless they're Orcas, or properties that are on islands that have electricity and all those good things -- this didn't have anything when the seller bought the property," Zwicker said. "It's a really unique property in the San Juan Islands compared to what else is out there." RELATED: Come sail away on this rockin' $1.2M houseboat in Seattle In this case the home and its separate -- built in 2000 after the now-seller bought the island as a raw piece of land -- comes with the full nine: Runoff from the roof that gets collected and desalinized, submarine batteries to power the island, and so on. "It's a private island, it has all these details that are essential to the functioning of the island; it's a property that's very unique to anything else that's out there. It's not just a house being hauled up on a piece of property," Zwicker said. Structure Which is another point that's important to consider when buying a private island, of course: The actual house you're buying. In this case Zwicker describes the house as "quite a beautiful piece of property," that had "amazing forethought in the planning process." The whole thing was done locally -- designed by a Seattle architect and built by a Lopez Island contractor -- and was even more cumbersome than one might imagine, since the dock was the last thing to get built. But get built it did, complete with wine cellar, wet bar, three fireplaces, a boat house, a barn, a green house, and separate caretaker home. RELATED: Seattle tops report where it pays to move farther out And for those who like their estates secluded, Trump Island delivers (even more than the "private" part of the island might suggest). "The way it's designed, you can't see the house when you're down on the water, because of the trees," Zwicker said. "But when you're sitting up on the patio you can see the water; so it's like you don't even know it's there." Market After more than 18 months on the market, Zwicker is close to closing a contract on Trump Island. That's certainly longer than most things stay on the market in the state, where we've been notoriously and historically low on housing supply for a long time. But the market works differently for luxury listings, who cater to a different base than the usual market. "Seattle may seem expensive from a Seattle perspective, but it's deemed a relative value when compared to other West Coast, gateway cities," Dean Jones, principal and owner of Realogics Sotheby's International Realty, said in an interview with SeattlePI last year. "If you compare the ratio (of median household incomes for our region over median prices of homes), and you were to take that same ratio to Vancouver, San Francisco or Orange County, we're a relative bargain some would even suggest globally undervalued." Zwicker agrees, noting that there have been tremendous efforts in marketing this property. "It's all global these days, especially luxury listings like this," Zwicker said. "It's on a Chinese website through Windermere, it's on a luxury website, it's been advertised on 'Private Islands' which is part of HGTV...Architectural Digest. "In the end it works out," she continued. "It's a beautiful property." You can click through the slideshow to see the details of 1 Trump Island. It's currently listed for $8,750,000; the full listing is here. Nokia 6.1 Plus inches closer to Indian launch as teaser campaign heats up HMDs teaser campaign heats up as the Nokia Mobile India Twitter account promises the most awaited phone. The campaign operates under the #BringItOn hashtag and has been building anticipation for the August 21 event. The Nokia 6.1 Plus is the most likely device to be featured, though HMD hasnt confirmed anything officially. The support page has been up on the Nokia India site since late June. We are thrilled to bring you the Nokia smartphones event for the most awaited phone. Stay tuned to #BringItOn with #NokiaMobile pic.twitter.com/v1ZHBnTSri Nokia Mobile India (@NokiamobileIN) August 16, 2018 The phone initially launched in May as the Nokia X6, a China exclusive, but then went global as the Nokia 6.1 Plus in mid-July. Its the first notched Nokia, theres a piece missing from its 5.8 1080p+ screen (19:9). Its powered by a Snapdragon 636 chipset and boasts a 16+5MP dual camera on the back and a 16MP selfie camera in the notch. Source WhatsApp has been offering to backup all your conversations, photos, and videos to Google Drive for a while now. It used to take up some space on the cloud, but today all users received emails saying the backup package will not count towards your available quota of storage, meaning you can store all the data for free. The email from Google to every WhatsApp user Google sent out the message, stating the change is due to a new agreement with WhatsApp. The transition is starting today but might take some time to come into effect for everyone. The policy will be available to all by November 12. Not all backups will be stored, though. Google said any packages that are more than a year old will be automatically removed, meaning if you have a backup but havent restored it, it will get deleted. To avoid any loss of data, you should do it manually via the app settings and going to Chats from where you can control what and when is saved remotely. 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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) 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 By Vasia Orion | Published on 2018/08/15 Jin-woo is finally pushed to some necessary limits, as his brother's involvement drags him to the spotlight of this battle. At the same time, a worrying twist has surfaced regarding Seon-woo, and I am hoping that the creators will not do what I fear. Seung-hyo is starting to see the value of this hospital's work among the organizational filth and personal ambitions of its top brass, but will his master allow him to achieve something for all? Advertisement I nearly cheered when Jin-woo (Lee Dong-wook) stepped up and took responsibility for his true thoughts, physical harm and blackmail aside. Given his hallucinations and the reasons behind them, it is no mystery that Seon-woo (Lee Kyu-hyung) is his one sole motivator when it comes to speaking out versus keeping it all in, but I hope that he will be as willing to shoulder some of the burden for Kyeong-moon (Yoo Jae-myung) as well. The reason behind the good doctor's familiarity with Seon-woo's case worries me, however. Using marginalized groups for "pity porn" or to prop up a conventional hero's suffering is a major pet peeve of mine, and I sincerely hope that they are not setting Seon-woo up for heart-related problems and death. He has been a great, rare example of portraying the challenges of disability while being a complete, nuanced character, rather than a stereotype of his health. Speaking of scary possibilities, the romantic baiting is not out of the picture yet, but my hope is that reporter Choi Seo-hyeon (Choi Yu-hwa) is a sign of the drama opting for more natural relationships, rather than engaging in further love geometry tropes. Whatever may be happening between No-eul (Won Jin-ah) and Seung-hyo (Cho Seung-woo) is fine within the current context, especially since No-eul is, so far, not being sacrificed as a character for it. The same can be said for Seung-hyo, who at the very least has a trusted contact to guide him through his business's realities in a way everyone else's rejection would not allow him to experience. The president is still balancing between numbers and ethics, between Hwajeong's threats and the hospital's needs. I love his recent hint of respect for Jin-woo, because his dislike for the reactionary members of the staff clouds his judgement as well. Moving forward, I hope to see the lovely, but full of baggage, relationship between Jin-woo and Seon-woo develop and mature away from all the guilt and regrets holding it back. I hope to see Seung-hyo dive into the hospital's needs from a more humane point of view. Most of all, I hope to see Lee Soo-yeon-I explore the other fields and doctors more. Reactionary queen Se-hwa (Moon So-ri) could be next, because she has more potential than constant eye-rolling. "Life" is directed by Hong Jong-chan and Lim Hyeon-wook , written by Lee Soo-yeon-I, and features Lee Dong-wook, Cho Seung-woo, Won Jin-ah and Yoo Jae-myung. Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings' Watch on Netflix Note: Due to licensing, videos may not be available in your country Last updated 8/16/2018 at 2pm Editors note: This version corrects the spelling of Angel Care LLC Local people met with Kirk Bruce, executive director of Affiliated Developers Inc., Wednesday to discuss a potential $3.5 million renovation of the Oakwood Village apartment complex in Havre. They also had the opportunity to ask for an update on Affiliated Developers negotiations over Eagles Manor. Bear Paw Development Corp. hosted the meeting in its conference room and Bear Paw Executive Director Paul Tuss introduced Bruce to the attendees. The number one issue Bear Paw hears about in Havre, Tuss told the group,... The sign for Northern Auto Repair at 2 Second St. in Havre stands above vehicles in its parking lot. The business was opened and is operated by three partners who worked in Havre before before starting their own business. Northern Auto Repair brings a personal touch to Havre with personal, hands-on, service, said part-owner Craig Shaw. The repair shop is owned equally between Shaw, Zach Carlson and Matt Barkley, all of whom are graduates of Montana State University-Northern, who personally work on the vehicles themselves, with the goal of providing great service, Shaw said. Northern Auto repair opened its doors in December at 2 Second St., the former Eddies Bread building. Carlson said the business hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Havre-native Shaw said they had all been in... The National Retail Association (NRA), for example, claims wage non-compliance exists because there will always be a business operator with insufficient understanding, or insufficient scruples, for this to occur. If workers are being cheated, it is because of a failure of the wider system not just legislation to inform workers of their rights, the NRA said. On the other hand, the Housing Industry Association argues that the notion of wage theft has been greatly exaggerated by implying that all underpayment of wages is theft. The Australian Industry Group, for its part, believes the term risks inappropriately branding employers who mistakenly underpay their employees as criminals. Penalising underpayments ushers in an unnecessary and unwarranted shift in the industrial relations system, the group said. The Queensland council said 169 people have approached them with details of how they have encountered wage theft. The parliamentary inquiry is looking into criminalising the act. Commissioners threaten to defund Sunday voting After threatening to withhold funding for Sunday voting before the Nov. 6 election, the Henderson County Board of Commissioners backed off and directed the county attorney to draft a letter protesting the Sunday early voting day the state elections board is requiring the county to offer. When the local board of elections could not unanimously agree in its meeting on July 17 to the days for early voting for the fall election, the board had to go before the state Board of Elections, which voted on Aug. 5 to require Henderson County to offer voting on Sunday, Oct. 21. Henderson County was among 15 counties statewide that failed to reach a unanimous vote on some detail of early voting, triggering the state board's orders. The law says you have to have a unanimous plan, Henderson County Elections Director Beverly Cunningham said Thursday. In our county, Mr. Livingston wanted to have Sunday voting, so it was a 3-1 vote. Therefore, we had to appear before the state board and the state board went with the minority plan. So were open that first Sunday. She estimated staffing the polls that day would cost $2,500 to $3,000 for personnel and overtime. The county Board of Elections is made up of two Democrats Robert Livingston and Tom Wilson and two Republicans Deborah Dante and Linda Rebuck. During its regular meeting on Wednesday, the Board of Commissioners heard from Jane Bilello, a Tea Party leader who lambasted the action by the state Board of Elections. Sunday early voting was imposed upon Henderson County and many other counties by nameless, faceless, unelected elitist, rude, condescending N.C. Board of Elections after thousands of comments were submitted across the state strenuously opposing Sunday early voting, she said. "Don't allow these condescending bureaucrats to hijack the authority we the people gave you to decide how to best utilize our tax money." Later, when Cunningham appeared before the Board of Commissioners seeking approval for new voting machines, Commissioner Grady Hawkins brought up the state boards action. If our board (of elections) had a unanimous to not vote on Sunday, we wouldnt be open on Sunday, so now were being ruled by a minority instead of a majority and that doesnt make sense, Hawkins said. The state Board of Elections is considerably overstepping their authority because this board (of commissioners) is elected by our citizens to determine how we spend their tax dollars. Hawkins asked what would happen if the county defunded Sunday voting. Ive never heard of any county in North Carolina that did not do what the state board told it to, Cunningham said. Was she not, Hawkins asked, an employee of Henderson County? Im actually an employee of Henderson County but I work under the guidance of the state Board of Election, she said. Hawkins persisted. It would be one thing if it came from the Legislature but if it comes from the (state) Board of Elections that nobody elected and is down there cranking out minority rules rather than majority rules (policies) I dont feel like thats something we should be mandated to follow. Hawkins suggested it would be worthwhile to sue the state Board of Elections, on the grounds that it has no authority to dictate spending at the county level. We might lose the case but Id like to hear the argument that we dont have that authority, he said. The board stopped short of that after seeking County Attorney Russ Burrells advice. Burrell responded that judges almost always come down on the side of more access to the polls, not less. In every election going back for 15-20 years somewhere something happens and there are court orders keeping the polls open hours later than normal, Burrell said in an interview Thursday. Ive never seen one turned down. Commissioners instead voted unanimously to draft a letter to the state Board of Elections expressing the countys strong opposition to the Sunday voting mandate. Burrell said he hoped to meet with County Commission Chair Michael Edney later this week to draft the letter. A newlywed American man who arrived in Dublin last week with his wife for an Irish honeymoon has appeared at Limavady Magistrates Court charged with attempting to murder three men. The three, two in their 30s and one in his 60s, sustained stabbing injuries in an incident outside a bar in the Co Antrim village of Ballycarry on Saturday night. Nicholas Keith Warner (31), an electrical engineer from Morrow Lane in Summerville, South Carolina, denied attempting to murder the three men and a charge of assaulting a fourth man. He further denied causing an affray but Mr Warner admits possessing a knife. As part of his bail conditions he was banned from possessing or drinking alcohol and must wear an electronic tag. Mr Warner, who sustained a broken leg in the incident, was helped by two police officers as he walked on crutches from a police van on Main Street, Limavady, into the courthouse for his remand appearance. Alcohol His wife Kaylee, a nurse, was present 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, ma'am." A detective constable told Deputy District Judge Ted Magill that he believed he could connect the defendant to the charges. He added that alcohol was an issue in the case. Defence solicitor David Jones told the court that bail conditions proposed by gardai and the Public Prosecution Service were acceptable to Mr Warner. "He accepts he was the individual who caused the injuries," Mr Jones said. "From the moment of his arrest prior to his interviews he accepted he possessed the knife to defend himself. "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. Jeopardy "It is regrettable in that he is here on his honeymoon and his employment as an electrical engineer is now is jeopardy," the solicitor added. Mr Warner was released on his own bail of 1,000 (1,120) 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 8pm to 11am 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. Mr Warner must also maintain an absolute ban from both possessing and consuming alcohol and he must agree to undergoing a preliminary breath test if asked to do so by the police. An additional bail condition is that the defendant must not enter the 30mph zone around the village of Ballycarry. A young man allegedly attacked an 18-year-old woman 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 teenager to the head and body in what a detective said 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, Dublin District 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 to appear before Cloverhill District Court on August 22. The accused, who is of no fixed abode but from the Bluebell area of Dublin, is charged with robbery, possession of a knife and seriously assaulting the 18-year-old woman. The attack allegedly took place in Golden Lane, Dublin 2, shortly after 7pm on Tuesday. Gda Hunt said it was alleged that the victim was attacked by a man and woman 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 officer said. PUNCHED Gda Hunt said 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 added that Mr Twomey then took the teenager's iPhone 6, worth 500, and fled the scene. He said the assault lasted 30 to 45 seconds, and the emergency services were called to the scene following a 999 call. The victim was left with two serious injuries, a large deep cut to the arm, which exposed the bone, and a large cut stretching from her ear to her mouth. The court heard the woman had surgery on Tuesday night, was still in hospital and would require plastic surgery on her face, for what was described as a "life-changing injury". Gda Hunt said the incident was caught on CCTV cameras and was witnessed by two independent witnesses. He added that the accused was "caught red-handed", was arrested about 500m away and made admissions at the scene. The detective said Mr Twomey admitted to him that he targeted the victim because he believed she had been involved in an incident with a member of his family. This theory was "unfounded" and "unsubstantiated", the garda said. Gda Hunt added that Mr Twomey gave him a list of names of other individuals he was willing to attack. The judge ordered that Mr Twomey be medically assessed while in custody. All hospitals in Dublin are actively discharging patients to free up hospital beds ahead of the Pope's visit next weekend, the Herald has learned. The decision was made after hospitals were asked to review their capacity to deal with a potentially large number of admissions arising from the visit. As part of the HSE's medical event plan, patients will be discharged "where medically appropriate" to ensure that extra beds are freed up. Organisers fear there will be a large number of casualties and hospital admissions given the number of people attending various events next weekend. Discharged Pope Francis's address in the Phoenix Park for the World Meeting of Families is expected to attract 500,000 alone, including many elderly people, and a further 70,000 are expected to attend a Croke Park concert the day before on the Saturday. Several hospitals including St James's Hospital located close to the Phoenix Park, have reviewed their inpatient lists to determine those who might be fit to be discharged. Additional staff including security, administration and nurses have been allocated to deal with a potentially large number of admissions. A spokeswoman for the HSE confirmed discharges were being sought as part of the medical event plan for the visit. "The HSE confirms that as part of the medical event plan for the papal visit, the main Dublin hospitals in the period prior to such a large crowd event would be seeking to actively discharge patients as appropriate. This is to ensure that the hospitals are in a position to address capacity issues and receive admissions as may arise," she told the Herald. "This applies to all hospitals in Dublin. We would stress that this would be carried out on a planned basis with discharge occurring as deemed medically appropriate for the individuals concerned." Health concerns have already been raised, particularly with the elderly walking the large distance to the Phoenix Park. Organisers have stressed that people who attend can expect to walk between 4km and 7km to the venue and in the park itself. Meanwhile, a council enforcement notice has been issued to the developer of a large-scale student accommodation complex, after complaints were made over rooms being advertised for the papal visit. Aparto, the owners of the 447-bedroom Dorset Point on Dorset Street, insists it is operating within all statutory obligations, with rooms in the complex being rented out for 179 for Saturday, August 25. Rooms at the complex are available to rent for other dates across the summer months with some nights advertised for 74. The owners say this is within the planning laws. In response to a complaint from Green Party councillor Ciaran Cuffe, Dublin City Council's planning department said it had initiated enforcement procedures in accordance with part eight of the Planning Act and have issued a warning letter to the developer of 104-115 Dorset Street. The recipient has four weeks to respond. "After that four-week period, the council will undertake an inspection to establish if the development requires further enforcement action. Additional investigations may also be necessary to obtain sufficient evidence to sustain legal proceedings," the council said. A charity that helps women affected by sex trafficking has said the link between a knife attack in Dublin and forced prostitution is "no great shock". The attack in Beresford Place on Monday is believed to have involved crime gangs linked to the city's organised prostitution trade. A Romanian man in his 30s was stabbed 13 times in a frenzied attack after a car he was travelling in was rammed at around 5am. Gardai believe the victim ran from the car and five men chased him on foot. The victim was stabbed 13 times when the gang caught up with him on the city's north quays. He is being treated at the Mater Hospital for injuries to his legs, body and hands following the horrific incident. Investigators believe the attackers and the victim are known to each other and have links to Romanian organised crime gangs involved in the city's prostitution trade. Rape Frontline service Ruhama said it had supported 304 women, transgender people and men during 2017, the majority of whom had experienced multiple incidents of physical violence, rape and sexual assault, at the hands of pimps, traffickers, sex buyers and opportunistic criminals. The charity's chief executive, Sarah Benson, said: "News of this level of violence within Ireland's sex trade comes as no great shock to us. "This particular incident is a reminder of who really controls prostitution in Ireland. "It's an insight into the violence it thrives on. "If this is what prostitution organisers are prepared to do to each other, then it doesn't take much imagination to consider how they treat the women they exploit. "This has to stop. Ruhama has long campaigned to see greater measures taken to reduce the harm and exploitation of the commercial sex trade. "As ever, we urge An Garda Siochana to use all of the legislative and operational tools at their disposal to step up their efforts to clamp down on those who organise prostitution in Ireland, those who profit from it and those who fuel it." A garda spokesman said: "Gardai at Store Street are investigating an incident which occurred at Beresford Place. "It is understood from initial investigations that a car was rammed by another car." $80M transformation planned for historic clothing company buildings Monument Companies of Richmond, Va., plans the $80 million project, which will remediate and revitalize the former Interwoven Mill and Perfection Garment Co. sites. Independence Day 2018 saw the release of two big films, Akshay Kumars Gold and John Abrahams Satyameva Jayate. Both actors put their star power to good use and continued the publicity drive even on release day. On August 15, both chose to spend the day in their own ways -- Akshay was spotted at PVR Juhu, possibly to check the first day public response to his film while John spent the day at a charitable hospital, run the Wadia Group. A host of Bollywood A-listers were also seen at the airport. Saif Ali Khan, who was away, made it back to Mumbai in time to ring in his birthday on August 16. Shilpa Shetty was spotted with her husband and son, Disha Patani and Sonal Chauhan were seen at the airport. TV star Gurmeet Chaudry was seen posing with a child, waving the tricolour. Check out what the other stars were up to. Sonal Chauhan, Shilpa Shetty with family, Saif Ali Khan and Disha Patani spotted at the airport. Gurmeet Chaudry, Akshay Kumar and Ranveer Singh had a busy day on Independence Day. John Abraham at Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital to celebrate Independence Day. Follow @htshowbiz for more Riding high on the success of Sacred Games, it is indeed a happy birthday for Saif Ali Khan. So, lets begin by going out and saying it: Happy Birthday Saif! The actor turns 48 on Thursday but it seems wife Kareena Kapoor Khan, children Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan and the rest of the family were in no mood to wait. On Thursday night, Kareena, Karisma, Sara, Kunal Kemmu, Soha Ali Khan gathered together for a midnight birthday party that was all about a gorgeous cake, golden balloons and birthday boomerangs. While birthday boy Saif stood out with a flowing beard and a red bandana, it was Kareena who was photographers favourite. Saif should not mind as we also saw her giving him a tonne of kisses in a video shared by Karisma. A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@therealkareenakapoor) on Aug 15, 2018 at 4:01pm PDT A post shared by Sassi_Girl (@my_sassi_girl) on Aug 15, 2018 at 8:19pm PDT A post shared by Pure-Unadultered Entertainment (@buzzing_bollywood) on Aug 15, 2018 at 8:15pm PDT A post shared by Bollywood Current Insta (@bollywoodcurrent_insta) on Aug 15, 2018 at 7:26pm PDT A post shared by Bollywood Current Insta (@bollywoodcurrent_insta) on Aug 15, 2018 at 7:22pm PDT In a lace top and grey pants, Kareena was every bit the stylish begum. Her sister Karisma Kapoor came in a black dress. Saifs daughter and Bollywoods debutant to look forward to, Sara Ali Khan, wore a gold velvet dress and it was hard to look away. Sara also celebrated her birthday earlier this week and it might have been a joint birthday party for Saif and her. The only one missing from the inside photos and boomerang videos that Saifs family put up was son Taimur Ali Khan. Bollywoods favourite toddler was spotted earlier with his dad but was missing from Saifs birthday party. After a string of flops such as Kaalakandi and Chef, Saif made a spectacular return to form with Netflix show Sacred Games. The show has not only garnered great reviews but has also booked future seasons. Directed by Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, the show had Saif as a cop, Sartaj Singh. Follow @htshowbiz for more Producer Nikhil Namit has shared pictures of Salman Khans swanky vanity van on the Malta sets of his upcoming film, Bharat. Namit took to Instagram to share the pictures. Salman Khans Bharat recently completed its first shooting schedule in Mumbai, after which the crew arrived in Malta to commence filming the second schedule. The two pictures of the van show the exterior and interior - which is plush with comfy couches, a kitchen counter and an en suite bathroom. You can check out the pictures below. Salman will be joined in Bharat by actors Katrina Kaif, Disha Patani and Nora Fatehi. Salman on Independence Day shared a title teaser of the film on his social media accounts. Salmans leading co-star in the film was initially supposed to be Priyanka Chopra, who dropped out of the project a mere 10 days before she was supposed to begin filming. In fact, it was Namit who described her departure as unprofessional even as his star said that he wishes her well for the future. No official reason was given by Priyanka, but director Ali Abbas Zafar in a double entendre-laden tweet hinted that Priyankas impending wedding to boyfriend Nick Jonas might be the reason. Katrina, a frequent collaborator of both Ali and Salmans, was chosen as her replacement. Ali also provided the only details we have of Bharat, a drama that will be set across several decades and will feature Salman in five different looks. The idea is to create an Indian-Russian circus like Raj Kapoors Mera Naam Joker. Performers from all over the world are flying down for the circus tricks which will be a mix of trapeze hoops and rope stunts. This is Salman and Dishas introduction. He plays a daredevil stunt motorcyclist in the circus while she is a trapeze artiste, he had told Mumbai Mirror. Follow @htshowbiz for more Along the river Beas in North India sits a sprawling spiritual commune thats somewhere between a traditional ashram and a Florida gated community. Theres a grand meeting hall with tiered spires and pearl domes, but also tract housing and an American-style supermarket. Its home to 8,000 devotees of the Master: Gurinder Singh Dhillon. His group, the Radha Soami Satsang Beas, says it has more than 4 million followers worldwide. Many call him a God in human form. But in the secular world of money, Dhillon, 64, is a key character in one of the most dramatic collapses in the annals of Indian business: The unraveling of the financial and healthcare empire owned by the Singh brothers, Malvinder and Shivinder. Over the years, the brothers main holding company loaned about 25 billion rupees ($360 million) to the Dhillon family and property businesses largely controlled by them, according to documents and people familiar with the matter. Some of those outlays were financed with money borrowed from the Singhs listed companies, and when combined with other Singh investments gone bad threw their empire into a debt spiral, a Bloomberg News analysis of public records and interviews with 10 people familiar with the finances of both camps showed. Heirs to a generations-old business house once worth billions, the brothers have in the last six months seen a dramatic fall in their fortunes. Theyve had their public shareholdings seized by lenders. Theyre under a criminal probe by financial authorities over 23 billion rupees missing from their listed companies. They owe $500 million over fraud allegations related to the 2008 sale of drugmaker Ranbaxy Laboratories. Theyve also lost the family mansion. Both deny any wrongdoing. Dhillon is a cousin of the Singhs mother, and he became a surrogate father to them after the death of their own in the late 1990s. Since then, the finances of the spiritual leader and the brothers have grown intertwined, with money flowing from the Singhs to the Dhillon family via loans through shell companies and an array of arcane financial instruments, according to the documents and people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because of the ongoing legal probes. Dhillon hasnt been accused of any wrongdoing. All members of the spiritual commune, including the guru, are expected to support themselves financially, and the sects representatives said the Masters business dealings are a personal matter separate from his role at the spiritual group. The Singhs downfall comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi pushes to increase transparency and attract more foreign investment to the worlds fastest growing major economy. But the brothers story is a cautionary tale to anyone doing business in India, offering a window into the opaque corporate structures common in the family dynasties that dominate Indian commerce. This opacity makes for risk, said Arun Kumar, an economist with the New Delhi-based Institute of Social Sciences. Legitimate business people may not want to come to India. The Singhs are famous for expanding their two public firms hospital operator Fortis Healthcare Ltd. and financial firm Religare Enterprises Ltd. at breakneck speed after reaping $2 billion from the Ranbaxy sale. Less known is the massive debt they took on to do so, all while they were financing a real-estate portfolio largely owned by their gurus family. Malvinder, 45, and Shivinder, 43, havent been charged with any crimes. The brothers acknowledge having financial ties to Dhillon, and in written comments said they are in dialogue with the Dhillon family and its companies to address the money owed to them. But they also said it would be untrue to suggest that the guru was a cause of their groups financial troubles. Malvinder and Shivinder are unequivocal about this: Mr. Dhillon is their spiritual Master, the brothers wrote. He has only ever acted out of love and has only ever had their best interests at heart. Theyre less generous to another follower of the spiritual group, Sunil Godhwani, whom they say was appointed to lead Religare at Dhillons recommendation. They say Godhwani was also in charge of their holding company, RHC Holding Pvt., and often took decisions without informing them. They say he was the architect of the financial structures, including the loans to the Dhillon family and companies, that led to their financial troubles.Bloomberg News has been unable to independently verify the Singhs claims that Godhwani ran their holding company in the period between 2010 and 2016, when most of the major borrowing, loans, investments and routing of funds occurred. RHC says he was president there between 2016 and 2017. Godhwani declined to comment, and he left his role as chairman of Religare in 2016. For his part, Dhillon also declined to be interviewed. A statement from JC Sethi, secretary of Radha Soami Satsang Beas, said Dhillon played a role helping the Singhs assert control of their fathers businesses following his death, and in guiding them after. But since 2011, ill health, including a battle with cancer, caused the guru to step back to focus on his spiritual duties, he said. The Master can advise but he cannot make a choice for you, he added.Representatives for the spiritual group said the Master has no role in its administration or finances. Earlier this year, Bloomberg News reported that the Singhs had taken 5 billion rupees from Fortis without board approval and that a New York investor had filed a lawsuit accusing the brothers of siphoning 18 billion rupees from Religare. The Singhs say they didnt do anything illegal. They say Godhwani was in charge of both Religare and RHC at the period in question. The movement of funds at Fortis were part of normal operations at the time, and only later became related-party transactions, according to the brothers. Indias stock market and fraud regulators launched investigations into financial irregularities at both companies, although they are yet to report their findings. Both agencies didnt respond to requests for comment. The Singhs rise as businessmen in their own right began in 2008, when they sold Ranbaxy, then Indias largest drugmaker, to Japanese pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo Co. The sale occurred just as the US Food and Drug Administration started raising questions about the Indian firms manufacturing practices and the safety of its drugs, although Ranbaxy denied the allegations at the time. The brothers went on to use their cash reserves aggressively to build up Fortis and Religare -- which would each top $1 billion in market value as Indias demand for health and financial services surged. They took their fathers place in Delhi high society among other old business families, becoming patrons of Indian artists and socializing at exclusive clubs. Then in 2013, Ranbaxy pleaded guilty to criminal felony charges in the US and faced $500 million in fines. In an arbitration tribunal in Singapore, its new owner, Daiichi Sankyo, accused the Singhs of concealing the extent of its regulatory problems during the sale. The Singhs say they didnt conceal any information. Father figure By that time, Dhillon was playing a big role in the Singhs finances. He was their central father figure after their own died in 1999, they wrote in their statement. Sect members held key positions in the Singh empire: One became chairman of Ranbaxys board, helping ensure Malvinders swift rise to the top. Another devotee, Godhwani, led Religare. The Dhillon family would eventually become Religares second-largest shareholder, after the Singhs, with money lent to them by the brothers, according to people familiar with the matter. Godhwani consulted with Dhillon regularly on Religare, as would the Singhs on Fortis, the people said.In 2015, the younger brother, Shivinder, briefly took a hiatus from the business to work at the spiritual group full time.A photograph on the sects website shows Dhillon with a white beard, white turban and flowing white tunic. But several people who know him say hes fond of self-deprecating jokes, and in private is more charismatic everyman than ethereal mystic. As many as 500,000 devotees sometimes visit the ashram at once to listen to his teachings of how meditation, vegetarianism and high moral values can help one escape the cycle of death and rebirth. Sunil Godhwani in New York on October 26, 2010. (Ramin Talaie/Bloomberg) He emphasizes community service. On a recent Tuesday at the commune, a battalion of women volunteers sat at giant wood-fired griddles, making chapatis, the Indian flatbread. Some days they roll out more than 80,000 an hour to feed hungry pilgrims. Still, Dhillon hails from a family of major landowners in Punjab, and was himself a businessman in Spain prior to his ascension at the spiritual group. So he took an active interest in the Singhs holdings, the people said. I think hes a businessman in his mind first, and a guru second, said Brian Hines, an American who was a member of the sects U.S. community for 35 years and has visited Beas. He now blogs critically about it, having since left. New millionaires By 2010, another business opportunity emerged. Towns outside Indias capital, New Delhi, were experiencing a property boom that was turning farmers into millionaires. The Singhs resources were marshaled to help the Dhillon family build a real-estate empire. Two companies, Prius Real Estate Private Ltd. and Lowe Infra and Wellness Private Ltd., were set up by people close to the guru, and although partly hidden by layers of shell companies, the Dhillon family had ownership interests in both, people familiar with the matter said and filings show.Over the next two years, these firms together received about 20 billion rupees in zero-interest loans from the Singhs private holding company or its subsidiaries, according to the people and the documents. Funds were then disbursed to other companies controlled by the Dhillons. The Singhs owned a 51 percent stake in Lowe. Debt mountain These loans proved costly to the Singhs, coming on top of other major financial commitments that were underway. From 2011 onwards, the brothers holding company went on to sink at least 12 billion rupees to cover losses at their investment banking venture Religare Capital Markets Ltd. Other loans went to Ligare Voyages Ltd., a money-losing charter airline. The Singhs holding company also loaned at least 7 billion rupees to cover losses at a firm that had been spun out of Religare to manage the financial firms administrative costs. The loss-making firms biggest expense was rent, much of which was paid to buildings owned by the gurus family, according to documents and people familiar with the matter. In some cases, Religare had no use for all the space it was leasing from the gurus buildings and large parts sat empty, the people said and internal documents show. RHC, the holding company, also made personal loans of 5 billion rupees to Dhillon family members, via a network of shell companies, people familiar with the matter said. The Singhs funded all these outlays to the gurus businesses and to their own ventures with borrowing. And a substantial portion came from Fortis and Religare, often through the same network of shell companies used to lend to the gurus family, people familiar with the matter said. Taken together, the zero-interest loans to Dhillon firms and Singh investments gone bad created a crushing debt load that required even more borrowing to service. Their total borrowings hit about $1.6 billion by March 2016, filings show.As things deteriorated, funds at the two primary public companies controlled by the Singhs, Fortis and Religare, were continuously routed back and forth via shell companies to deal with cash shortages elsewhere in the Singh family empire, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. Then came the final blow. In 2016, the Singapore tribunal sided with Daiichi Sankyo in its long-running suit against the brothers, awarding the Japanese firm about $500 million in damages and interest. The Singhs are appealing the ruling. But with the added liability, outside lenders to the brothers were reluctant to keep the taps open, even as the brothers offered up their family home and company shares as collateral. By 2016, they couldnt pay back the latest in the series of loans that had been going in and out of Fortis for four years, which amounted to about 5 billion rupees. When Indias central bank discovered 18 billion rupees taken from Religare had gone to subsidiaries of the Singhs main holding company, it demanded it be paid back, but it still hasnt been. Finally, banks seized assets backing their loans, including the majority of their shares in Fortis and Religare. They had to sell the home they grew up in to pay back another lender. The Singhs have said they are working to resolve issues with stakeholders. Minority shareholders took over at Religare. A bitter takeover battle kicked off for Fortis and Malaysias IHH Healthcare Bhd in July agreed to take control of the hospital operator. The New Delhi property boom Dhillons family companies invested in has since gone bust. And those real-estate companies have their own debt beyond what was lent by the Singhs, according to people familiar and documents. Between personal loans and complicated company structures, its hard to tell exactly how much Dhillon still owes his nephews and what assets they still hold. For the Singhs other lenders, Daiichi Sankyo, or law enforcement seeking penalties, recovering this money from the Singh empire may depend on the terms of arcane debt securities, which arent public and can be changed with the consent of both parties. Complicating matters is that ancient ties of clan and religion are hard to shake in India. Asked what the Singh brothers would do for their Master, one person who knows the family answered in one word: Anything. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) 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. 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 IAFs 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. Kanpurs 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. A new scheme to revive over 700 ghost villages of Uttarakhand, rendered uninhabited, owing to migration and lack of facilities, will be launched by the Uttarakhand government soon. A decision in this regard was announced by chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on the occasion of Independence Day on Wednesday. We are planning to acquire land in all those villages, so that entrepreneurs can utilise the land for horticulture, growing medicinal plants or for tourism related activities, said Rawat after unfurling the national flag. Expressing concern over the dwindling number of students in schools, from 11 lakh to 4.5 lakh, in the last three years, Rawat said that his government would come up with a white paper soon. He also warned teachers from going on frequent strikes. In schools the focus is on teachers rather than students. We shall not let that happen in this state, he said. The chief minister said the government has plans to set up a separate Uttarakhand Diaspora Board for the development of the mountain state. We have a number of people, scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs, hailing from the state settled in different countries who can who can make a significant contribution to the economy, he said. According to him, the government would expedite the rehabilitation of some 350 villages falling in disaster prone areas. A separate fund has now been created (for this purpose). People living in these villages will be relocated to safe and secure areas in the next 8 to 10 years, he said. Rawat said the government would open 550 farm machinery banks in rural areas by 2019, so that farmers could avail the latest farm equipment. Elaborating on healthcare benefits, Rawat said that every family would be entitled to free medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh under the Bharat-Ayushman Uttarakhand yojna. In addition to this, the government is also focussing on road, rail and air connectivity. Helicopter services from Pithoragrh, Chinyalisaur, Gauchar, Haldwani and Sahastradhara (Dehradun) would begin from October 4. Rawat also announced that the government would provide full financial help for marriages of daughters of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and destitute widows. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said that people were being made to fight in the name of religion but for the progress of the country there was a need to spread love and respect. After unfurling the tricolour at the Independence Day celebrations at north Delhis Chhatrasal Stadium on Wednesday morning, Kejriwal began his speech with Bharat Mata Ki Jai and end it with singing Hum honge kaamyaab (We shall overcome). Kejriwal said that these days, the countrys atmosphere is vitiated. In our country, research and science experiments have stopped. Today, India is known as a place where Hindu-Muslim riots and rapes occur, he said. But I am happy in the last three years, certain good things such as our mohalla clinics project are being discussed in London... France, Canada and many other countries, Kejriwal said while listing out the AAP governments achievements in Delhi. He announced that in the next five years, his government will make the national capitals sewer system the best in the country. Kejriwal said that unprecedented development took place in the national capital in last three years during AAP governments tenure because of an honest government in the city. In the last three years, our every file was checked by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) but got nothing police, Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate could not get anything against our legislators. This is first time that such an honest government is in Delhi, he said. Kejriwal said that if Delhi could achieve success in education, health, supply of water and electricity in three years, why could it not take place in the rest of India. On September 6, former secretary general of the United Nations Kofi Annan along with six other dignitaries is coming to see our mohalla clinics. Our happiness curriculum, which has recently been started in schools, is being discussed in Europe and Washington (the US), the CM said. Citing the example of Japan, Kejriwal said that despite being ravaged by the World War II, the East Asian country managed to rise again and was far ahead of India. Only shouting slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai will not lead to any progress; it can only be achieved if good education is given to all children in the country irrespective of caste, creed and religion. All we need is a clear intention to bring changes, he said. Kejriwal added that around 1,500-2,000 years ago, Nalanda University was the most famous academic institution of the world but these days, Indias universities dont even figure in the top 10 list across the globe. Around 2,000 to 3,000 years back there used to be the best sewer system in Harappan civilisation but we could not establish a good sewer system in our national capital in last 70 years. We have started preparations to change Delhis sewer system and in next five years it will have the best sewer system in the country, he said. Vijender Gupta, leader of opposition in the Delhi Assembly, criticised Kejriwal for his Independence day speech. Arvind Kejriwals Independence Day speech was shallow. He only listed out his governments achievements but there is no authentication of these claims. He should think before making tall claims at such a platform. People of Delhi very well know that what kind of governance they have received. The Aam Aadmi Party is a sinking ship as many of its leaders are leaving the party, Gupta said. A 28-year-old woman was shot dead by her husband in south west Delhis Rajkori village on Thursday afternoon, allegedly after a heated argument between the couple. Police said the man was drunk at the time of the incident and was later arrested from the spot. Police have identified the deceased as Gunjan and her husband as Anil Kumar, a native of Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh, who had been living in Rajokri village with his wife and three kids as a tenant for the past seven months. The children were at their school during the incident, police said. Senior officers said that a PCR call was received at 1pm reporting that a woman has been shot at by her husband inside their house. A police team then rushed to the spot and found a woman lying unconscious on the floor. She was rushed to a hospital in Vasant Kunj where the doctors pronounced her dead. The body was shifted to AIIMS for post-mortem, police said. The neighbours and family members told us that, Anil Kumar (33), the husband of the deceased woman, works as a security guard with a private firm. On Thursday morning, when he returned home from duty, he was drunk. The couple had a fight over Kumars drinking habit, after which he left the house and returned in the afternoon, allegedly after having consumed more alcohol. The couple then again had a fight during which Kumar shot his wife in her chest with his double barrel licensed gun, said a senior police officer, not authorised to speak to media. Police said, that the couples landlord who also stay in the same building, heard the gunshot and rushed down. He saw the woman bleeding and called the police. The suspect was found sitting in the same room near his wifes body, police said. Devendra Arya, deputy commissioner of police (southwest), said that a case has been registered at Vasant Kunj (south) police station under IPC Section 302 for murder. Resident and market welfare associations of south Delhis Sangam Vihar felicitated 50 alleged former bootleggers on Wednesday who had last week surrendered to the police and made a promise not to sell illicit liquor. The area residents also promised to find them new jobs and help them with the legal fee in their old cases. Last week, a number of families, that sold illicit liquor in Sangam Vihar, had pasted placards outside their homes urging residents not to knock at their door and ask for alcohol. A notice on the house of Sangam Vihar resident Heera Devi(43) read You wont get alcohol here. Only milk is sold here now. Please do not ask for alcohol. Other residents, similarly, have reportedly turned to selling vegetables in the area. On August 1, HT had reported about the families who had given up selling illicit liquor. Last week, the local market welfare associations approached police, and told them that they wanted to present flowers and sweets to bootleggers who had quit selling liquor. Residents said the illicit liquor mafia in Sangam Vihar was the source of a number of problems. Most gangsters of south Delhi, such as Raju Ramakant Rao alias Raju Baba, are known to have a history of being indulged in the illicit liquor business. It has also led to several gang wars. Rao was murdered in August 2015, by his rivals. Locals said the liquor mafia has also taken advantage of the fact that for about 16 lakh Sangam Vihar residents, there was not a single licensed liquor shop in the area. Around 90% of the residents in Sangam Vihar are poor or hail from the working class. They are mostly migrants with odd jobs. Not everyone can afford to buy liquor from licensed shops so they depend on cheap illicit liquor made in homes by residents. The local residents also earn money this way, said Panna Lal, 74, who has lived in the area for over two decades. Vinay Gupta, president of D block Market Welfare Association, said illicit liquor sale was the source of many a law and order problems. Till last year, drunkards would roam the streets till 2-3 in the morning and harass residents. Women in the area also felt unsafe. They had complained to the market association many times. After police launched a crackdown on illicit liquor sellers, the problems have stopped. In my market area there were two women, who sold liquor. We thanked them for deciding to give up their business and handed flowers to them today. We will help them find jobs and offer all other possible help, Gupta said. Station house officer of Sangam Vihar, Upender Singh, said over the past year, there has been a massive crackdown on the liquor mafia. We have arrested at least 42 persons under the excise act and seized around 6,000 bottles so far. Not just criminals but children of the area were also coming under the influence of the mafia. Most local criminals are those who started consuming illicit liquor at an early age. They were tired of being under the police radar and chose to surrender. We will also help them in their reform. A 55-year-old woman and her nephew were killed and her son was injured after her brother-in-law allegedly attacked the trio with a spade and a knife at their home in central Delhis Paharganj in the early hours of Thursday, police said. Police attributed the double murder to a property dispute and domestic quarrels within the joint family that lived in their three-storey building in Paharganjs Kaseru Walan. The 48-year-old suspected killer, Raj Kumar, was arrested from the same neighbourhood within hours of the crime, said MS Randhawa, deputy commissioner of police (Central). Kaushalya and her nephew Purushottam, 30, died while Kaushalyas 25-year-old son was injured police said. The joint family is headed by 80-year-old matriarch Kela Devi, a mother to five sons. In the last eight years prior to Thursdays murders, she had lost three sons and a daughter-in-law to illnesses. One of those sons, Om Prakash, had died four years ago. The sale of a shop owned by Prakash after his death had fetched our family 4 lakh, all of which was used by Prakashs wife, Kaushalya, to buy a house in west Delhi. She lived there until a month ago, said Devi. Prakashs younger brother Kumar, who was unemployed and unmarried, had allegedly wanted a share of the money. Police said he was also angry at having to share the Paharganj home with Kaushalya and her three sons, who had returned to live there a month ago. My son is a drug addict and would often threaten to do something that would land him in jail. We didnt know he planned to destroy our family, said Devi. According to the police, the trigger for Thursdays murders was a quarrel between Kumar and Purushottam, who was visiting their home for the first time. Kumar allegedly held a grudge against Purushottam as he suspected him of advising Kaushalya to take all decisions after her husbands death. On Wednesday, Kumar and Purushottam got into a fight. Kumar decided to kill him and purchased a spade from the local market, said an investigator. Police said Purushottam was sleeping in a room around 2.30 am on Thursday when Kumar attacked him repeatedly with the spade. Hearing his cries, Kaushalya woke up and rushed to save Purushottam. Kumar attacked her too, said the officer. Kela Devi said she too awoke to loud cries. To stop my son from attacking Kaushalya, I shielded her and told him to hit me instead with the spade. He hurled the spade away and picked up a kitchen knife to run to the terrace where Kaushalyas three sons were sleeping, said Devi. Devi tried to run behind him, but she was unable to climb the steep stairs. I could hear Kaushalyas son Rohit beg for his life. Rohits two brothers ran downstairs while he was being attacked, said Devi, adding she wanted her son to be jailed forever. Leaving Rohit with multiple stab wounds, Kumar scaled the terrace wall and escaped, said police. Kaushalya and Purushottam were declared brought dead at a hospital while Rohit is expected to survive, said the DCP. Water level in the Yamuna continued to flow above the danger mark of 204.83m on Wednesday forcing the government to restart evacuation of people living on the floodplains. From Tuesdays 205.30 m, the rivers level increased to 205.72m on Wednesday, prompting the Delhi government to evacuate at least 600 people, comprising mostly labourers, farmers and cattle-grazers, from the low-lying areas of floodplains to makeshift camps set on higher grounds. This is the second time this monsoon that the government has had to start the evacuation process along the river. Before this, the last time the Yamuna breached the 205m was in 2013 when the water level touched 207.3 m. According to the governments report, until 7:30 pm, the city administration had pitched 432 tents to shelter the evacuated. There are 613 people living in these tents, even as food is being served to 1991 people, said an official on condition of anonymity. The biggest evacuation took place in the north-east district where 716 people were evacuated. This was followed by the south-east district where 300 people were taken to the tents. Officials of the irrigation and flood control department, however, said the river water was unlikely to enter the main city. It could at the most inundate the floodplains. This season, the water level in Yamuna had touched a five-year peak of 206.5m for the first time on July 31, resulting in a flood. At least two persons, including an 11-year-old girl, were killed more than 13,900 people had to be evacuated. But, this time, the water level is not expected to breach the 206m mark. The chief secretary of Delhi held a meeting with various departments on Tuesday to take stock of the flood situation and preparedness. Six men and three dogs were rescued from Usmanpur five Pushta. Leaves of the government officials concerned were cancelled. Apart from setting up tents, food packets are also being distributed. Boats have been kept ready, said K Mahesh, district magistrate of east Delhi. The Rajasthan Police Constable recruitment examination result 2018 is expected to be released within a few days. The Rajasthan Police issued a notification recently saying that the holding of Physical Efficiency Test (PET/PST) for recruitment of constables in the state police has been proposed to be conducted from August 20. The notification further said that the admit cards for the PET/PST will be released for download soon and so candidates should keep visiting the Rajasthan Police website regularly for latest updates. The Rajasthan Police Constable examination 2018 was held on July 14 and July 15 to fill in 13,142 posts in the state. The examination was held in four phases: two phases on the first day and the remaining two on the second day. A total of 7.50 lakh candidates appeared for the exam each day. The answer key for the written examination was released on July 20. I have very fond memories of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and all of them are very vivid. I remember the tense negotiations that went into the drafting of a joint statement to be issued on January 6, 2004 after talks between Pervez Musharraf and Vajpayee. Vajpayee was not very comfortable at the beginning of the meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the official residence of the Pakistan president. But the fact that he was in Pakistan, for attending a South Asian summit, indicated the importance he gave to Indias ties with Pakistan. He also knew how to lighten such moments. He spoke about the great achkans the Pakistani tailors make. We immediately ordered two sets of achkans from top Pakistani designers that were sent to him later. He sent his autographed photographs to these designers later. It was under Vajpayee that the two sides began back-channel diplomacy on Jammu & Kashmir. When Vajpayee lost power in 2004, we were worried about the future of these talks. But to his credit, his successor continued the process that was begun by Brajesh Mishra (Vajpayees principal secretary and national security advisor) through J N Dixit (the NSA under PM Manmohan Singh) and SK Lambah. Read - Gently into the Valley: How Vajpayee won over Kashmir These discussions were initiated under Vajpayee and the solutions we proposed were a win-win for all three-- first for the people of Pakistan and then for both India and Pakistan. No one can better them. No future leaders could ignore what had begun under Vajpayee and carried forward by Manmohan Singh. India and Pakistan need to resolve their differences. Vajpayee, a statesman, showed the way. (As told to Jayanth Jacob) (Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, is a Pakistani politician and writer who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan between November 2002 until November 2007) It was one of those Rajya Sabha debates in which Opposition parties united to denounce the Prime Ministers newest foreign policy venture. Finally, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Prime Minister, stood up to reply. And after half-an-hour, even as their arguments lay demolished, Opposition leaders had no choice but to laugh heartily; Vajpayee was at his wittiest best. He reminded Congress Natwar Singh, the most critical voice in the debate, that once he wrote a letter praising Vajpayees parliamentary speeches. Kuldeep Nayyar had asked Vajpayee what happened to his promise to move forward. Vajpayee retorted, Nayyar ji, we met at the stairs. You asked me, where do I want to go? I replied, main aage jaana chahta hoon. His best was reserved for Ram Jethmalani who launched a bitter attack on Vajpayees close friend and then national security advisor, Brajesh Mishra. Ram Jethmalani ji is a senior advocate. He loves to stand up for any case. He fights a case which he understands. He also fights cases he doesnt understand, quipped Vajpayee amid roars of laughter. Watch: Remembering Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Poet, politician and statesman Vajpayee, arguably the greatest statesman in Indias recent history, showed us that you dont necessarily need aggression and shrillness of voice to counter Opposition forces. In Parliamentary politics, he conquered his opponents but left no bitter aftertaste. His world was not confined to his own party, he kept the doors open for everyone. During the second Iraq war, a senior cabinet minister had floated news that India may back US forces against Saddam Hussain. A few days later, Vajpayee invited then Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet and his Communist Party of India counterpart AB Bardhan for tea. They chatted about the old days until the Left leaders sensed that Vajpayee might have some serious reasons to sit with them. Surjeet thought of the Iraq situation and asked if the government would indeed send Indian troops there. Vajpayee sounded stoic, I havent said it. But what to do? I dont see any protests against this plan! Read: The uncompromising patriot: Shakti Sinha on working closely with Vajpayee The ace Leftists got the signal. The very next day, the Left launched country-wide protests against sending troop to Iraq and at the next cabinet meeting, Vajpayee announced that in view of the protests, India could not send its troops to Iraq. Hours after terrorists attacked the Parliament building in 2001, then Congress president Sonia Gandhi called Vajpayee to enquire about his wellbeing. Next day, Vajpayee told the Lok Sabha, When the Leader of the Opposition calls the Prime Minister to enquire about the latters health, then we know that Indias democracy is in good health. For many years, Vajpayees dear friend, Congress veteran Pranab Mukherjee, used to narrate this anecdote in his speeches to Congress workers to underline the value of Indian politics. He epitomised the ideals of tolerance. The liberal ideal amid many hawks, Vajpayee occupied the high moral ground throughout his life. One of his finest speeches was the one during the floor test his 13-day government faced in 1996. The first leader to deliver a Hindi speech at the United Nations, Vajpayees Hindi became the gold standard of political oratory. In Parliament, he found friends and admirers, not adversaries. Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayees complex relationship with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Uneasy, frosty and strained were some of the adjectives commonly used to characterise the relationship between Atal Bihari Vajpayee when he was prime minister in the early 2000s and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), ideological mentor of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Both sides KS Sudarshan was the RSS chief at the time made little effort to hide the fact that they had their differences. Yet, in the Sangh Parivaar, Vajpayee is feted today for the ease with which he straddled the roles of a political leader and an ideal Swayamsevak. Also read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee: A towering leader, his work set the gold standard for statecraft Vajpayees foreign policy, the firmness with which he kept the Sangh out of political decision making and his outreach to the minorities were distant from the RSSs ideological positions on these issues. There were disagreements and even complaints from the RSS. Each time, the former PM prevailed. The Sanghs open criticism of his economic policies and his non-committal approach towards the construction of a Ram Temple on a disputed site in Ayodhya set him up for criticism, but his ideological moorings remained unwavering. Watch: Remembering Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Poet, politician and statesman As leader of a government that was a coalition of 24 parties, Vajpayee had the unenviable task of giving space to allies and at the same time accommodating the views of the Sangh and its hardline Hindutva affiliates. Although he credited the RSS for shaping his politics, he was acutely aware of the ramifications of giving in to some RSS demands. Also read: Updates: Atal Bihari Vajpayees death marks end of an era, says PM Modi Former Rajya Sabha member and journalist HK Dua, who worked as media advisor to the former PM, recalls Vajpayee was a man of consensus and took the decision to improve ties with Pakistan, China and the US, which was out of line with the Sanghs position. Dua recalled how during his visit to Lahore in 1999, making a speech from the Minar-e-Pakistan, Vajpayee said that India accepted the birth of Pakistan. That was in contrast to the stand of the RSS, which still swears by the concept of Akhand Bharat. Despite Kargil, he went ahead and had talks with the author of the war Gen Parvez Musharraf, he wanted peace and to improve ties with the neighbour, Dua said, recalling the Kargil conflict that followed months after Vajpayees historic bus journey to Pakistan. He wanted to resolve the Kashmir issue and announced a unilateral ceasefire and spoke of having talks within the ambit of insaniyat ( humanity).. On Vajpayees ties with the RSS, Dua said he kept the organisation at a distance, not allowing it to dictate policy to the government or weigh in on crucial appointments. He did not seek their approval or advice. He would not meet Sudarshan for months. He was a statesman not a politician who won the faith of the minorities and his constituency was larger than the RSS and BJP, Dua said. Discordant note between the Sangh and Vajpayee were conspicuous over issues such as the Rath Yatra (led by his long-term associate LK Advani to espouse the cause of a Ram temple in Ayodhya) and over his response to the 2002 Gujarat riots, yet the communication channels were kept open, a senior RSS functionary said on condition of anonymity. The Sangh was not very happy with his decision to hire Brajesh Mishra as the national security advisor, they did not approve of Jaswant Singh being given a ministerial berth, so while he agreed to drop Singh, he was steadfast in letting Misra hold the top job. He managed to bring people around, the functionary said. His ability to win people over, including political opponents, is what former RSS functionary and BJP general secretary Govindacharya remembers. Govindacharya ,who was famously quoted once as having called Vajpayee a Mukhota or mask, said that as a Swayamsevak Vajpayee stood out for his mental matrix and conviction. His 1991 speech on Hindutva at the Boat Club in Delhi is unparalleled. He said we are not all Shakha goers, so we must learn to see the others point of view. His responses were different and even while disagreeing with the Sangh, he knew where to draw the line, Govindacharya said. On calling Vajpayee a mukhota, he clarified : I had called him the most popular and acceptable face of the BJP; someone misconstrued the sentence it and turned face into a mask. Naturally, Vajpayee was upset and complained to Sudarshan, but I got a chance to explain my position to him. I wrote a 17-page letter to clarify what I had said and we were back to being amiable. He was fond of me. Also read: The life and times of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former prime minister and admired leader The first swayamsevak to have risen to the post of PM, Vajpayees relations with the RSS functionaries did not sour although the working relationship with the parent organisation remained testy for most part of his prime ministership. In a piece written for an RSS publication in 2012, Vajpayee said the simple reason for his long association with the organisation was that he liked the Sangh. I like its ideology, and above all I like the RSS attitude towards people, towards one another which is found only in the RSS, he wrote. Having come into contact with the RSS in 1939 through Arya Kumar Sabha, a youth branch of te Arya Samaj, in Gwalior, he began to attend the Shakha on the suggestion of Bhoodev Shastri, a senior worker of the former. He creditedRSS pracharak Narayanrao Tarte for shaping him. He wrote his famous poem Hindu Tan-man Hindu Jeevan in class X in 1947 and decided to give up studies to become a whole-time volunteer of the RSS. In the piece, Vajpayee referred to how the Sangh fostered the spirit of social harmony by citing the example of his older brother who had refused to eat food cooked by others, but eventually came around. The RSS does not change only individuals. It changes also the collective mind. This is the beauty of the RSS ethos. In our spiritual tradition an individual can attain great heights, he wrote about the organisation. When it came to diplomatic matters, Atal Bihari Vapayee was a traditionalist who held that it wasnt feasible to radically reshape foreign policy in a short span because it stood on the twin foundations of consensus and continuity. Yet, for Vajpayee, external relations were not cast in an unchanging mould either. He wasnt risk-averse, but above all, pragmatic and worldly-wise. The risk-taking ability came to the fore when India, with Vajpayee as PM, conducted its second set of nuclear tests in May 1998, almost a quarter of a century after the first. All hell broke loose. Led by the United States,global powers slapped economic sanctions on India when liberalisation was yet to complete a decade. Also read: Updates: Atal Bihari Vajpayees death marks end of an era, says PM Modi It was the biggest foreign policy crisis in a generation or more. At the end, it was defused. The US and India charted a new course of strategic relationship a few years from then, said former foreign secretary Lalitman Singh. Watch: Remembering Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Poet, politician and statesman Many were caught by surprise when Vajpayee first declared that India and the US , the worlds largest and oldest democracies, were natural allies. Of course, the Cold War had become history by the time Vajpayee became Prime Minister of India. But trusting the Americans had never come naturally to generations of Indian leaders. The Vajpayee government invented the term natural alliance which has been adopted by Prime Minister(Manmoha) Singhs government ,and American officials, foreign affairs expert Stephen P. Cohen wrote. In his 2000 address to the US Congress, Vajpayee said India and the US had taken a decisive step away from the past. The dawn of the new century has marked a new beginning in our relations, Vajpayee said. And he presided over the dawn of the new phase in Indias relationship with the US. Dealing with Pakistan was more challenging although Vajpayee consistently maintained that stopping cross-border infiltration and destruction of terrorist infrastructure by Pakistan could open the doors for talks. Talks can take place on all issues, including that of Jammu & Kashmir, he said. Also read: Atal Bihari Vajpayees complex relationship with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh When he took over as PM, cross-border terrorism was rampant, but much to Indias discomfiture, world powers then were not ready top support New Delhis contention that Pakistan was sponsoring terror outfits to carry out attacks on India. Against heavy odds, he sought normalisation of ties with Pakistan, reasoning that one can change friends, but had to live with ones neighbours. In 1999, Vajpayee made his historic bus journey to Lahore in quest of peace. The partition of our country had caused a wound in our heart, that wound had healed and the mark left by it reminds us that we have to live in harmony with one another, Vajpayee said at a civic reception in Lahore in February 1999. Months after that initiative, India fought a limited war to stop Pakistans aggression in the Kargil sector of J& K in the summer of the same year. The 2001 Aqra summit between Vajpayee and then Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, too, collapsed in mutual acrimony. Vajpayee, like present Prime Minister Narenadra Modi, departed from the long-standing hostility towards China of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological fount of the Bharatiya Janata Party.. As foreign minister in the Janata Party government of 1977-79, Vajpayee began the effort to normalise relations with China that had been held hostage to the 1962 war over a border dispute that persists to this day. The last rites of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will take place at 4 pm on Friday at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi, BJP chief Amit Shah said. The body of the BJP veteran has been kept at his official residence -- 6 A Krishna Menon Marg. Shah said people can pay homage to the departed leader at his residence from 7.30am to 8.30am on Friday. The body would then be taken to the BJP headquarters at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg at around 9am, he told reporters outside the late leaders residence. Indias former prime minister and one of the countrys most-loved and respected leaders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, died on Thursday evening, uniting an otherwise deeply divided political class in grief. Vajpayee, three-time PM, 12-time parliamentarian, former president of both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its earlier avatar, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, and a popular mass leader who brought both respectability and power to the BJP for the first time, passed away at the All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at the age of 93. It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former Prime Minister of India Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at 5.05 pm, Aarti Vij, who heads the media and protocol division of AIIMS, said in a statement. Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated over the last 36 hours and he was put on life support systems. Despite the best of efforts, we have lost him today. We join the nation in deeply mourning this great loss, Vij added. A galaxy of political dignitaries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, LK Advani, an associate of Vajpayees for seven decades, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, visited AIIMS before the announcement was made. Vajpayees overall health had deteriorated after he suffered a stroke in 2009. He was admitted to AIIMS on June 11 with infection of the kidney and urinary tracts, and chest congestion. On Wednesday, AIIMS said his condition had worsened over the past 24 hours. Watch: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the poet: Kashmir pe bharat ka kad nahi jhukega Vajpayees death led to tributes from across the political spectrum, with everyone from Prime Minister Modi to Congress president Gandhi expressing their sadness. I am speechless...I feel a deep void...He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP Karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness, Modi said in a Twitter post. it was Vajpayees exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century. His futuristic policies across various sectors touched the lives of each and every citizen of India. Modi said Vajpayees death was a personal and irreplaceable loss for him. I have countless fond memories with him. He was an inspiration to karyakartas (functionaries) like me,?he said. I will particularly remember his sharp intellect and outstanding wit. Gandhi said in a Twitter post, Today India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family & all his admirers. We will miss him. I am at a loss of words to express my deep grief and sadness today as we all mourn the passing away of one of Indias tallest statesmen, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. To me, Atalji was more than a senior colleague -- in fact, he was my closest friend for over 65 years, Advani was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Vajpayees singular contribution to Indian politics was making a party like the Jana Sangh and then the BJP, which had misgivings about Indias liberal and secular constitutional project, more mainstream, while forcing the existing political mainstream, represented by those who had apprehensions about the BJP , to give space and respect to his party through his sheer force of personality and the electoral successes it scored. It was this balancing act that made Vajpayee a unique figure in the annals of Indian political history, but also often led to questions about his own political identity. Born in Gwalior in 1924, Vajpayee was politically socialised in the pre-Independence era and joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He eventually joined the Jana Sangh, when RSS seconded a set of pracharaks and swayamsevaks to the then-new party in 1951. Vajpayee worked as a close aide to the Jana Sangh founder, Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who died early, aged 52. The Jana Sangh was then led by Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, who provided it both the larger ideological orientation as well as led the organisational effort of the party. But the star of the partys rather tiny parliamentary wing was Vajpayee, who first entered the Lok Sabha in 1957 and quickly made a name for himself as a fiery debater, earning the praise of then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Vajpayees transition to the organisational leadership position took place after Upadhyayas assassination; he became the Jana Sangh president in 1968. It was a time of great tumult in Indian politics. The Congress had lost power across north Indian states. Socialists and the Jana Sangh had come together to form the government in many of these states, but the coalitions did not last. Read: The uncompromising patriot: Shakti Sinha on working closely with Atal Bihari Vajpayee Indira Gandhi returned to power with a bigger majority in 1971; the subsequent Bangladesh war made her appear even more invincible, although the jury is still out on whether Vajpayee called her Durga in recognition of the win, as urban legend has it. Within a few years, Indira Gandhi declared Emergency rule. Vajpayee, along with the rest of the Opposition leaders, was arrested. The Emergency ironically energised the Opposition. Congress dissidents, socialists,and the Jana Sangh eventually merged to form the Janata Party and dislodged the Congress in 1977. Twenty years after becoming an MP, Vajpayee now became Indias external affairs minister in the Morarji Desai cabinet, and displayed a surprising flair for diplomacy. But despite being a member of the first non-Congress cabinet, he retained respect for Nehru. In a parliamentary debate two decades later, Vajpayee was to recall that he once saw Nehrus portrait removed from the ministry -- and immediately got it put back on. The coalition collapsed soon after. The other components of the Janata Party insisted that the former Jana Sangh members either remain with the party or with the RSS, a section chose to walk away. Vajpayee was among those, in a clear illustration of his abiding commitment to the Sangh. He formed the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980, with Gandhian socialism as one of the precepts, which was seen as a departure from the orientation of the Jana Sangh. Vajpayees biggest electoral setback came in 1984. Soon after Indira Gandhis assassination, a sympathy wave swept through India. In a last-minute surprise nomination, Congress leader and member of the Gwalior royal dynasty, Madhavrao Scindia ,filed his nomination papers against Vajpayee. Vajpayees loss was symbolic of the larger setback for the new party, which only had two MPs in the house. But this was temporary. The BJP slowly shifted track and under Advani, who took over the party, became closely associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. The party did well in the 1989 elections and became a supporting pillar of the VP Singh-led National Front government. This eventually led to a fault-line surfacing between supporters of Mandal -- the report of a commission headed by BP Mandal, who backed reservations for other backward classes in government jobs and educational institutions -- and Mandir, those who invested their passion in the Ram temple movement. This was Advanis moment as he led a Yatra (road journey) for the cause. Vajpayee was relevant, but not the central decision-maker in the party at this stage. The demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 made him deeply uncomfortable. But while the BJP under Advani was becoming organisationally robust, its most popular and acceptable face remained Vajpayee. He was projected as the partys PM face in the 1996 elections. The rub was this -- Vajpayee had come so close to power because BJP had grown. The BJP had grown because of aggressive Hindu cultural and nationalist politics, from which Vajpayee had stayed away from to some extent. And it was this distance that then enabled Vajpayee to become more acceptable to a wide range of non-core voters of the party. Thus began the final stage of Vajpayees political career. The BJP emerged as the single-largest party. Vajpayee was sworn in as PM, but the partys communalism, which political rivals accused it of, prevented it from getting the numbers . He resigned in 13 days. The BJP isnt a party that has cropped up like a mushroom, it has worked for 40 years among the masses to make its place, Vajpayee said during the debate, adding that even in the opposition, the party will continue to play critical role in nation-building. But in 1998, after mid-term polls, Vajpayee was back -- and this time, he was able to prove his majority. Vajpayees second term in office was marked by three significant events -- the nuclear tests of May 1998, the Lahore visit in early 1999, and the Kargil war in the summer of 1999. This helped project him as a leader committed to national security, though there were a range of critics on all three issues. Kargil has once again shown that whenever our patriotism is aroused, all of us stand as one with full confidence and determination, as a fist clenched in conviction. We face our challenges unitedly. Our adversaries should beware of this, he said during the Independence Day address in 1999 after the war. In April 1999, his government lost a no-confidence vote in the Lok Sabha by a single vote after the withdrawal from the coalition of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, whose leader J Jayalaithaa was upset because the government had refused to dismiss the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government in Tamil Nadu. This Vajpayee government lasted 13 months. After the 1999 elections, Vajpayee mobilised support from a range of parties and the National Democratic Alliance stayed together until the end of its term. In his third term, Vajpayee came to be identified with ambitious infrastructure projects, particularly the Golden Quadrilateral highway initiative. It was also a reformist government which had an ambitious disinvestment agenda. Vajpayee also remained personally invested in foreign policy. He began a process of rapprochement with Pakistan with the Agra summit in 2001 that collapsed; had to face a terrorist attack on Parliament; mobilised forces at the border and came close to a war. Eventually, Pakistan was forced to accept the existence of terrorism and categorically commit to stop supporting it. But he also dealt with bigger powers, laying the foundations of a deep strategic partnership with the US and striking a deal with China wherein Beijing accepted Sikkim as a part of India while India reiterated that Tibet was a part of China. The PM had one difficult moment -- in 2002, when the Gujarat riots took place. He encouraged the then chief minister Narendra Modi to follow his rajdharma, and was inclined to remove him, but did not do so based on the mood of the party and his senior colleague Advani. But Vajpayees political gamble of calling elections early backfired in 2004. The India Shining plank did not resonate with voters. The NDA had shrunk, with key partners switching sides. And Congress eventually ended up becoming the single-largest party -- and forming a United Progressive Alliance government with the support of the communists. The Vajpayee era ended with the defeat in 2004. He stayed on as a parliamentarian, but it was never the same. Age and health had caught up with the man known for his ability to also enjoy a good time. A series of medical setbacks led to his complete withdrawal from politics. Vajpayee has died at a time when the party he helped found is in its most dominant position ever. What he thought of the current trajectory of the BJP will never be known -- but the fact that the party owes him an enormous debt is acknowledged by all. Vajpayees contribution will go beyond what he did for his party alone. He ranks as one of Indias finest prime ministers. As PM Modi put it, India grieves the demise of our beloved Atal ji. His passing away marks the end of an era. The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday questioned the logic behind granting reservation in promotion in government jobs to the creamy layer within the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC and ST) communities. It felt it was necessary to have a quantifiable data and benchmark to determine who among the socially disadvantaged sections should be given the benefit of the affirmative action. Attorney General KK Venugopal, however, told a Chief Justice Dipak Misra-led constitution bench that the court should leave this question to the Presidents wisdom. He said the President alone has the Constitutional prerogative to determine castes, race, and tribes for classification under SC and ST category. Venugopal argued for proportional representation for SC and STs when it comes to promotion in jobs, besides entry level reservation. He said there has to be adequate representation of the communities that have remained suppressed. Misra asked Venugopal to clarify the concept of adequacy in representation, especially in the absence of quantifiable data. We want to know precisely what is meant by adequacy, he remarked. The bench, also comprising justices Kurien Joseph, Rohinton Nariman, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Indu Malhotra, is hearing the Centres request to refer the top courts 2006 judgment in the Nagaraj case to a larger bench of nine judges for reconsideration. According to the government, the verdict that stopped states and the Centre from having reservation in promotion unless it was backed by a data to justify the affirmative action was against the Constitution. Should the creamy layer be excluded? justice Joseph asked Venugopal, telling him that the government must address the issue. Venugopal pleaded that SC and STs have for centuries been subjected to discrimination. He added hence they are entitled to reservation in promotion as part of the affirmative action under the Constitution. Misra said that supposing there are 100 posts due for promotion, then the government cannot say that it would reserve certain number of posts for SC and STs, unless it has the requisite data to justify inadequacy of representation of the two communities. But Venugopal replied that at least 10% of the posts should be reserved for the socially-disadvantaged communities. When Misra said the policy must be rationale and reasonable, Venugopal replied: Principle of proportional representation will be most reasonable. Venugopal said the government was of the view that for certain posts, which require intelligence and skill, merit alone should be the criteria. Venugopal highlighted how SC and ST were looked down by high castes and members of the two communities never married each other. To this, Justice Kaul said that not marrying in some other caste is not restricted to SC/ST and that it was rampant in our society. During the hearing, Justice RF Nariman remarked that caste permeates every religion in India. A Parsi himself, the judge observed that Zoorastrianism, too, has been Hinduised. There is no caste in the mother country of my religion. But here, we have it. It does not matter there, where you are born, but here you have to take birth in a priestly family to become a priest. I could not have become a priest, if I was not born in a priestly family, the judge said. He remarked the church to which Justice Kurien Joseph belongs did not marry outside gotra for generations and the practice was broken only over the last two generations. People have socially come up, Justice Joseph replied. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who turned 50 on Thursday, appealed to the AAP volunteers and his followers to avoid birthday celebrations in view of deteriorating health condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The chief minister along with his deputy Manish Sisodia visited All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) this morning to enquire about Vajpayees health. Sad to hear about Ataljis health. I pray to God for his fast recovery, he tweeted. The media advisor to the chief minister, Nagender Sharma, said he has requested party volunteers and well wishers to avoid his birthday celebration and refrain from paying visit at his residence for this. Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal requests party volunteers & well wishers not to celebrate his birthday in view of deteriorating health condition of former Prime Minister Sh Atal Behari Vajpayee ji. Volunteers are requested to refrain from visiting CM residence (sic), Sharma tweeted. Also watch: PM Modi visits Vajpayee at AIIMS for the second time in 24 hours The condition of Vajpayee remains critical and he continues to be on advanced life-support system, AIIMS said in a statement today. The 93-year-old BJP veteran was admitted to the hospital here on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) The pot holed road, ravaged by rain, which leads to the sleepy town of Hojai in central Assam is lined with billboards and posters about the philanthropic work done by its most famous resident - perfume baron and Lok Sabha MP Badruddin Ajmal who heads the All India United Democratic Front. He runs a hospital, a public school among other things. While Ajmals name figures in the complete draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC), almost every third applicants name in Hojai district does not. A total of 3,36,789 applicants or 33% of the total applicants have been excluded from the draft, maximum in the state, a senior district administration official said on condition of anonymity. Shamsuddin, a cleric who works as a vice president in one of the organisations connected to Badruddin Ajmal, is clueless why he and five others in the family do not figure in the complete draft. I submitted copies of my land document from 1966 which I got from Bihar, said Shamsuddin (62), who moved to Hojai from East Champaran to work as a teacher in a local madrassa. Like Shamsuddin, Nanigopal Debnath, too, moved to Hojai town in 1970s. He first left his home in Jamunamukh, a neighbouring town in 1960 when violence erupted between Bengalis and Assamese. Debnath says the families, which had returned had to leave again in 1972, when there was renewed violence. Debnath, is unemployed, distraught and claims that despite the documents, the whole family has been left out of the draft. Debnath claims that in Shanti Ban, where the family lives, more than 30% Bengali Hindus have been left out of the draft. The figures are more stark in Derapathar, a remote village in Lumding block, which its inhabitants claim was settled in 1967 when refugees from East Pakistan, who had crossed over from Garo Hills into Goalpara in lower Assam, were moved here by the government. Locals, comprising six communities --- Hajongs, Koch Rajbongshis, Garos, Dalu and Bengalis --- say almost 70 % of the locals are out of the list. We cant even complain. Whom do we even discuss it with? Almost every house has someone or the other missing from the list, Subimal Hajong, who took voluntary retirement from Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). His entire family has not made it to the NRC draft. The reason for exclusion given to him says his list A documents are not valid. Subimal Hajong is an ex-SSB personnel. His entire family has been left out of the NRC. (HT Photo ) Will they make us a foreigner again? asks Sipendra Dalu as he recounted how there was a jungle when the refugees were moved here. We cut the jungle and built houses. They gave us money, clothes, even a blanket, he said, showing a card which listed the relief given by the government. Even then the whole family is out of the list. We are about to die. What about the children and their future? he asked. While the districts of Dhubri, South Salmara and Karimganj along the Indo-Bangladesh border have an exclusion rate of 8.3% or less, what made Hojai top the exclusion list? Nestled between Brahmaputra Valley and Barak Valley, the region has seen migration all through, from Sylhet, Mymensinh, Dhaka and from Bihar, UP and even from other parts of Assam and North East, a district official explained. It is mostly a district of migrants. There are only about 5% who come in the category of original inhabitants, he said. Atal Bihari Vajpayee is remembered in Kashmir for his April 2003 speech in Srinagar in which he extended his hand of friendship to Pakistan. He reiterated the gun was no solution and went on to resume a composite dialogue process with Pakistan. Kashmir reaped its peace dividend for the next decade with a decline in militant violence. A ceasefire along the Line of Control, the de facto border between India and in Kashmir, was agreed upon in November 2003 and largely observed. Cross-border bus services and trade was introduced between two sides of Kashmir. Vajpayee met Kashmiri separatists in January 2004 while Pakistan put its insistence on the implementation of UN resolution for a plebiscite on the backburner. Vajpayees vision for resolving the problems in Kashmir within the framework of insaaniyat, (humanism) Kashmiryat (inclusive Kashmiri culture) and jhamooriyat (democracy) remains his abiding legacy. It won him accolades from separatists and mainstream politicians alike. Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Main jee bhar jiya, main mann se marun For separatist leader Abdul Gani Bhat, Vajpayee rose above everything in choosing to address the Kashmir issue. Bhat believes the things in Kashmir would have been different had not Vajpayee lost elections in 2004. Read: Insaniyat set Atal Bihari Vajpayee apart, writes Shashi Tharoor Former Central University of Kashmir dean Noor Baba said Vajpayee was ready to take a difficult path if it was necessary. He had the clarity and had reached that maturity to realise that India has to make peace with Pakistan. Baba said he continued with the process despite setbacks. After (Vajpayee)s Lahore (visit in 1999), Kargil (war) happened because of Pakistan but he again wanted to talk But there was a setback in Agra but it was not because of him, he said, referring to the failure of Vajpayees summit with Pakistani military ruler, Pervez Musharraf, in 2001. Baba said the people in Kashmir understand Vajpayees commitment to peace and that is why they quote him often. Not only mainstream (politicians) but also separatists feel Vajpayee was different. Peoples Democratic Party leader Waheed ur Rehman said Vajpayee won hearts of Kashmiris because he conveyed to them that they are owners of the Valley. Read: Vajpayee was an uncompromising patriot, writes Shakti Sinha Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohammad Yusuf Taragami said the first unilateral ceasefire during the fasting month of Ramzan was observed under Vajpayees rule in 2000. Congress leader Saifudin Soz said Vajpayee was always interested in solutions. ...it is the reason why he is liked in Kashmir, despite being a big BJP leader. Unfortunately, the system failed him. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written a blog post in tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who died in a Delhi hospital on Thursday. Here is the full text of the post, titled A leader for the ages--ahead of his times. In times of turbulence and disruption, a nation is blessed to have a leader who rises to become its moral compass and guiding spirit, providing vision, cohesion and direction to his people. And, in such a moment at the turn of the century, India found one in Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was gifted in spirit, heart and mind. For those of us who knew him, he was, first, the rarest of human beings, who touched and inspired everyone he met. He was compassionate to the core, generous in spirit, warm beyond measure and kind to a fault. He was deeply respectful of others and gifted with a rare sense of humour that he often turned upon himself. Orator without parallel, he could switch from disarming humour to a lofty vision with ease, with a rare ability to connect with people naturally, to stir them to self-belief and to a higher cause. Sharply perceptive, he could summarize the most complex issues and discussions in a single sentence or question. Born into a family of modest means and high ideals, he hailed from a small town in Madhya Pradesh. His youth was defined by academic excellence and quest for public service during the gathering momentum of freedom struggle. Starting as an ordinary Karyakarta in the Jana Sangh, he organized the only truly national-level party to be formed in independent India the BJP and helmed its organization work after the passing away of Shri Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. Through the four decades of leadership in Parliament, the struggle against Emergency (who can forget that memorable rally in Delhis Ramlila Maidan when his speech became the roar of the nation), the clarity to represent his party with passion but always speak for the nation, he defined the spirit of democracy in India. Firm in his political beliefs, but always accommodating and respectful of other points of view, he set the standards of debate in Parliament. In his simplicity and integrity, in his dignity and empathy, and a sense of personal non-attachment to the office, he became an inspiration for a nation of youth. He rescued the economy from the morass of the mid-1990s, when political instability at home and an uncertain global environment had threatened to derail a still incipient economic reforms process. He sowed the seeds of much of the economic success that we have experienced over the past two decades. For him, growth was a means to empower the weakest and mainstream the marginalized. Its that vision that continues to drive our governments policy. Atal Bihari Vajpayee: From a 13-day PM, to a skilled politician and statesman It was Atal Ji who prepared the foundations of an India that is ready to take on the mantle of global leadership in the 21st century. The futuristic economic policies and reforms of his Government ensured prosperity for several Indians. His thrust on next-generation infrastructure particularly roads and telecom contributed to our countrys economic as well as social empowerment. Atal Ji irreversibly changed Indias place in the world. He overcame the hesitation of our nation, the resistance of the world and threat of isolation to make India a nuclear weapons power. It was not a decision he took lightly, but one he knew was of paramount importance in the face of mounting challenges to Indias security. No longer would Indias security be vulnerable. At that moment of surge in national pride, his was a voice of restraint and responsibility. And, the world listened to the wisdom of the man of peace. Equally important, he then brought to bear his extraordinary understanding of world affairs and formidable diplomatic skills to gain global acceptance of new realities. Indeed, it is the combination of his legacies of creating strategic capabilities, promoting stronger economic growth, undertaking multi-directional diplomacy and harnessing of diaspora energies that is today the basis for the respect we command across the world. He transformed five decades of estrangement with USA into an enduring strategic partnership in the course of five years. He also steered India to deep friendship with a new post-Soviet Russia through a strategic partnership in 2000. I had the privilege of accompanying him on a visit to Russia in November 2001 when we concluded a sister province agreement between Gujarat and Astrakhan. With China, he made the boldest move for peace in an effort to overcome the burdens of a difficult past by establishing the mechanism of Special Representatives for boundary talks. Atal Jis conviction that these two ancient civilisations - which are rising powers - can work together to shape the global future continues to guide my thinking. A person of grassroots, our neighbours were his priority. In many ways, he was the inspiration for, and even pioneer of, our Neighbourhood First policy. He was unwavering in his support as an opposition leader towards Bangladeshs liberation. He went to Lahore in search of peace. With persistence and optimism that was his nature, he continued to search for peace and heal the wounds in Jammu and Kashmir. But, he was resolute in winning the Kargil War. And, when our Parliament was struck, he made the world recognize the true nature and source of cross-border terrorism against India. Personally, Atal Ji was an ideal, a Guru, and role model who inspired me deeply. It was he who entrusted me with responsibilities both in Gujarat as well as at the national level. It was he who called me one evening in October 2001, and told me to go to Gujarat as the Chief Minister. When I told him that I had always worked in the organization, he said he was confident I would fulfill the peoples expectations. The faith he had in me was humbling. Today, we are a self-assured nation, brimming with the energy of our youth and resolve of our people, eager for change and confident of achieving it, striving for clean and responsive governance, building future of inclusion and opportunity for all Indians. We engage the world as equals and in peace, and we speak for principles and support the aspirations of others. We are on the path that Atal Ji wanted us to take. He was ahead of the times, because he had a deep sense of history, and he could peer into the soul of India from his grasp of our civilizational ethos. A life is to be judged not just by the extent of grief that follows when its light goes out. It is also to be measured by the lasting impact on the lives of people and the course of time. For that reason, Atal Ji was a true Ratna of Bharat. His spirit will continue to guide us as we build the New India of his dreams. Heavy rains continued to batter the northern parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for the second day on Thursday as governments in both the states asked all district authorities to remain on high alert. The northern Telangana and north-coastal Andhra districts are witnessing heavy rains due to a depression over Odisha, which moved in the west-northwest direction and lay over south Chhattisgarh and adjoining Vidarbha. It is very likely to move towards the north-west direction and weaken gradually into a well-marked low pressure during the next 24 hours, Hyderabad meteorology departments head of weather forecast Dr K Nagaratna said. Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao held a high-level review meeting with officials of the relief and rehabilitation departments and asked them to be in touch with the district administration. He instructed his ministers, members of Parliament and legislators to remain available to people in their respective districts and constituencies and monitor relief operations wherever required in coordination with police and other officers. In Telangana, the Godavari river and its tributaries are in spate due to heavy rains measuring 10-12cm, disrupting normal life in several parts of Adilabad, Mancherial, Komuram Bheem, Karimnagar and Warangal districts. Reports said several tribal villages in Komuram Bheem district were cut off from other parts of the district due to overflowing of streams. Five teachers were rescued from being washed away in Vagapur village of Mavala block in Adilabad on Thursday when their car was caught in the midway of a stream. State forest minister Jogu Ramanna, who was touring the nearby areas, rushed there along with a fire engine and managed to rescue Ramesh, Praveen Kumar, Pratap, Chandrasekhar and Sujatha, but their car was washed away in the flood waters. In Andhra Pradesh, the flood situation is very grim as heavy rains battered several areas of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, East and West Godavari districts. Seven fishermen, who ventured into the sea off the Kakinada coast in East Godavari district in a mechanised boat on August 7, were rescued after an intense search operation launched by the Coast Guard, They were found at Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam district hundreds of kilometres away after they were caught in a stormy weather. Several villages amidst the distributaries of the Godavari in East Godavari are facing a threat of inundation due to the increasing water levels in the river. East Godavari District collector Karthikeya Mishra has asked people to stay indoors and declared a three-day holiday for all schools and colleges. Heavy rains in Srikakulam district resulted in the disruption of road connectivity to several villages, as two major rivers -- Nagavali and Vamasadhara, began overflowing. Almost all the major dams in Telangana and Andhra have been receiving massive inflows of waters. The Srisailam reservoir on the Krishna river is receiving over 1.5 lakh cusecs of water from upstream of the river. The water level in the dam has reached the height of 872ft against the full reservoir level of 880ft. More than 75,000 cusecs of water is being released from the dam to the Nagarjunasagar dam in the downstream. In Godavari river basin, dams like Sripadasagar and Sriramsagar reservoirs in Telangana are getting huge flood waters. Several tanks like Ramappa and Laknavaram are filled to the brim due to the heavy rains. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Atal Bihari Vajpayee was like a father figure to him and his death has a created a void that cant be healed. We have lost our inspiration. We have lost an Atal Ratna. The personality of Atal ji and the sadness due to his demise cant be described in words, said Modi in televised speech mourning the former prime minister. Modi called Vajpayee a wonderful orator and a prolific writer. I have lost a father figure today. Atal ji taught me valuable aspects about sangathan (organisation) and shaasan (governance), he said. The three-time prime ministers death has sparked tributes from across the political spectrum. Vajpayee will be cremated on Friday in Delhi with full state honours, BJP chief Amit Shah had earlier said. Watch: Ive lost a father figure today, says PM Modi on Vajpayees death The longest-lived Prime Minister of India is no more, taken away at 93. But in many ways ill-health had deprived India of his sage counsel for nearly a decade before the end came. The mellifluous oratory, the sparkling wit, the laughing eyes had not been seen or heard since he departed the national stage. Now, sadly, the loss is permanent. Many will speak of his Prime Ministership, his political leadership of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh and then the Bharatiya Janata party, both of which he built up to national prominence and led with elan. But there have been other Prime Ministers, and other political leaders. What distinguished Atal Behari Vajpayee was what he himself called insaniyat his humanity. Also read: Updates: Centre announces 7-day state mourning over Atal Bihari Vajpayees death At a time when the BJP has become synonymous with the ruthless, single-minded acquisition of power and its deployment in disregard of all others, Vajpayee harked back to a kinder, gentler era. No talk of Congress-mukt Bharat for him; he spoke with enormous respect of his opponents and predecessors.Upon Nehrus death in 1964, Vajpayee delivered a magnificent elegy in Parliament that a dream has remained half-fulfilled, a song has become silent, and a flame has vanished into the Unknown. The dream was of a world free of fear and hunger; the song a great epic resonant with the spirit of the Gita and as fragrant as a rose; the flame a candle which burnt all night long, showing us the way. When he took over as Minister of External Affairs in Indias first non-Congress Government in 1977, Vajpayee noticed that a portrait of Nehru was missing from its usual spot in the ministerial chamber, removed in an excess of zeal by functionaries anxious to please the new rulers. Though a lifelong critic of the Congress, Vajpayee demanded its return. As he had said in his elegy, the sun has set, yet by the shadow of the stars we must find our way. That was the essence of Atal Behari Vajpayee a great-heartedness that embraced even those with whom he disagreed. His Prime Ministership is chiefly remembered by his own political party for its emphasis on road development the national highways he conceived and built, and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, which did so much for rural connectivity. But I will remember him more for his extraordinary though in the end unsuccessful attempts to make peace with Pakistan. The amiable Vajpayee, unexpectedly made Foreign Minister in Morarji Desais government, had already surprised many by conducting a Nehruvian foreign policy with grace and conviction. As Chairman of Parliaments External Affairs Committee, he led many Indian delegations abroad in an admirably non-partisan spirit. But even then his dramatic initiative, to take a bus journey to Lahore in February 1999 and to disown his lifelong prejudices in a stirring speech at the Minar-e-Pakistan, surprised many. It was a brave gesture that only one with his impeccably Hindutva credentials could have risked, and it opened the genuine prospect of real peace with our truculent neighbour. But the spirit of Lahore was soon buried in the snows of Kargil, as the Pakistani military betrayed the peace-maker. Undeterred, Vajpayee called the new military ruler, Gen. Musharraf, for talks in Agra in 2001, and when those also failed followed by an attack on the Indian parliament he still summoned up the spark for a final diplomatic thrust for peace in 2003-4. The thaw that Vajapyee established lasted till Pakistani jihadists again put an end to it in the Mumbai massacre of 26/11 in 2008. When challenged on his repeated attempts to make peace with Pakistan, Vajpayee memorably respondedthat you can change history but not geography. Pakistan was next door: you had to live with it. It was in the same vein as his attempt to settle the Kashmir situation by initiating dialogue with secessionists. When it was pointed out to him that they would not discuss a settlement under the Indian Constitution, Vajpayee suggested that the talks could take place under the rubric of insaniyat the humanity that we all share. That humanity shone forth in his poetry, his personal reflections and occasionally in his speeches, which were masterpieces of artfully-constructed political rhetoric delivered with great flair. In later years his famous pauses were longer than his sentences, leaving foreign interlocutors puzzled as to whether he had finished his statement or was still collecting his thoughts. It was my misfortune that I only got to know him towards the fag end of his career, when, as Under-Secretary-General of the UN, I was accorded an annual meeting with my Prime Minister before his address to the UN General Assembly. I enjoyed those brief yearlyencounters, and will cherish the blessing he gave me when I called on him in 2006 to seek his benediction for my bid to become Secretary-General of the United Nations. Atal Behari Vajpayee leaves India the better for his contributions to it. His pioneering Sarva ShikshaAbhiyan, which put serious money into primary education, his stewardship of economic reforms, and his skilled management of an unruly coalition, made his six-year stint as Prime Minister (after the collapse of his first 13-day government) a memorable one. But more than the specific accomplishments, Vajpayee should be remembered for the way he achieved them. His gentle, patient disposition, his unfailing courtesy, his graciousness of conduct and his all-encompassing humanity leave a towering legacy. It is one that deserves all the more to be remembered and hailed, in an era where such virtues appear to have disappeared from our public life. More than 40 people were swept away on Thursday by rising waters as the worst flood in Kerala in nearly a century, which has claimed more than 100 lives, threatened to sink neighbouring other southern Indian states, where dams neared maximum capacity and rivers in spate. The airport in Kochi, the states largest, was declared shut till August 26 and Southern Railway and Kochi Metro suspended their operations. More than 150,000 people jostled for space in relief camps as their houses collapsed under heavy rainfall or were cut off by surging waters that have damaged more than 10,000 kilometres of roads. Kochi Airport operations is temporarily suspended up to 2 pm on August 26 due to very high flood situation and key essential facilities like runway, taxiway and apron are under submerged condition, an airport statement said. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan warned of a grimmer situation as more rain has been forecast till Saturday. The Centre has sanctioned more men and material, Vijayan said after a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central leaders. Thursday saw 10 more helicopters joining the existing fleet in the massive rescue operation while 40 additional teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and a team of marine commandos also arrived. Thirty three of the states 39 dams have opened their sluice gates to discharge water, adding to the surge in already overflowing rivers. Pathanamthitta district in central Kerala continued to be the worst affected in the last 24 hours as thousands of people are trapped in their homes in the towns of Ranni, Aranmula and Kozhencherry. This sort of a situation has never been faced by the state. We are doing all that is humanly possible and rescue efforts are going on, Vijayan added. Visuals showed hundreds of people perched on rooftops, as attempts to airlift some marooned families failed. The worst flood in the state since 1924 has wrecked havoc across the coastal state, with damages estimated to be more than Rs 8,000 crore. Torrential rainfall also battered neighbouring Tamil Nadu, where a 42-year-old woman died after a flash flood submerged her home in Valparai and a Tamil Nadu electricity board staff was buried under a landslide. The victims were identified as A Velankani and Vigneshwaran. But heavy rainfall has forced Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to release excess water into the Cauvery, endangering the lives and property of people residing along the river basin. Specific spots like Mukkombu, Kollidam and Valparai have been put on alert due to excess floods and the southern districts are also now vulnerable for floods, state revenue minister R B Udayakumar told reporters. The minister also said that all the six major rivers of Tamil Nadu including Cauvery, Bhavani Sagar, Vaigai, Thamirabharani, Kothayar and Manimuthar are in spate due to continuous rains, he said. The state sounded a flood alert for nine districts. In Karnataka, the districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkmagaluru, Kodagu and parts of Hassan and Uttara Kannada have been hammered by heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours, forcing the state government to set up relief camps and move people from low-lying areas.Two deaths in Kodagu and one each in Udupiand Shivamogga have been reported, a statement from the chief ministers office said. Kodagu has been badly affected by flood and mudslides and many people were stranded in various places. The northern parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh also battled heavy showers for the second straight day. In Telangana, the Godavari river and its tributaries are in spate, disrupting normal life in Adilabad, Mancherial, Komuram Bheem, Karimnagar and Warangal districts. Several tribal villages in Komuram Bheem are marooned and in Adilabad, five people were rescued from being washed away by rising waters on Thursday. In Andhra Pradesh, rainfall has flooded several areas of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, East and West Godavari districts. Seven fishermen, who ventured into sea off Kakinada coat in East Godavari district in a mechanised boat on August 7 have not returned since then. (with agency inputs) Three people, including a Muslim cleric, were booked on charges of sedition for allegedly stopping children at a madrasa from singing the national anthem during Independence Day celebrations in Uttar Pradeshs Maharajganj district on Wednesday, police said on Thursday. The incident took place at Madrasa Arabia Ahle Girls College where its staff and children gathered to hoist the national flag on Independence Day. The video of the incident that went viral on social media shows cleric Juned Ansari, who is not associated with the madrasa, stopping the children and staff from singing the national anthem. Additional superintendent of police (ASP) Ashutosh Tripathi said a case has been registered against Ansari and two other unidentified people. Juned allegedly opposed the singing of national anthem in madrasa saying it was not permissible in Islam, he said. Police said the three were booked under sections 124-A (sedition) and 153B (imputation assertion prejudicial to national integrity) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, Criminal Law (Amendment) Act and the Information Technology Act Sunil Tripathi, who teaches science under Madarsa Modernisation Scheme, lodged a complaint. He also handed over the video clip showing Ansari opposing the singing of the national anthem to the police. Principal Fazal-ur-Rahman and one other staff member stood silent. They neither supported Juned nor opposed him. Juned was in favour of singing Saare jahan se achcha (Tarana-e-Hind or an Urdu language patriotic song) instead of the national anthem but Tripathi opposed him, the ASP said. Ansari was arrested on Wednesday and efforts are on to identify the other two accused, police said. District minority officer Prabhat Kumar, who was asked by Maharajganj district magistrate Amarnath Upadhyay to probe the matter, said the students later sang the national anthem. When asked about the role of principal, he said he did not prevent the singing of national anthem. The Maharashtra government has constituted a special investigation team (SIT) headed by deputy commissioner (economic offences wing and cyber cell) Jyotipriya Singh to probe into the Rs 94.42 crore cyber robbery at Cosmos Bank. The team comprises members from forensic institutions in Hyderabad, Mumbai police and cyber security experts from private sector. Besides, Maharashtra polices cyber-security head and the official chief information security officer (CISO) of the department will also be a part of the team along with three inspectors. The cyber attack on Cosmos Bank is a challenge before the police and we have started the investigation, Pune police commissioner K Vekatesham said. DCP Singh told HT his team would assist and guide the investigators on technical details. We would look into area domain expertise, switch, network compromise, forensic domains like gathering details of malware act and malware samples and other core technical aspects, he said. On August 14, Cosmos Bank announced that a multinational hacking ring siphoned off ~94.42 crore from the pool account of the Pune-headquartered bank on August 11 and 13. Chairman Milind Kale called it an attack on the Indian banking industry from multinational cyber criminals operating from 22 nations. System is safe: NPCI The National Payments Council of India (NPCI) has blamed the Cosmos Banks vulnerable IT infrastructure for the theft. Bharat Panchal, head, risk management, NPCI, issued a statement saying that its systems were foolproof and that the cyber fraud took place within the banks digital infrastructure. The NPCIs response has come in the wake of bank chairman Kales statement that it was an attack on Indias banking industry and not Cosmos Bank alone. This has happened due to malware-based attack on the banks IT system which caused a fraud. Under the attack, maximum transactions have been reported from outside India, Panchal said in the statement. (With inputs from agencies) The juvenile justice board in Berhampore on Thursday sent a 16-year-old boy to a welfare home after the Bengal police charged him under the stringent Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for allegedly raping a three-and-a-half-year-old on Wednesday night in Bahagalpur-Dakshin Namopara village in Murshidabad district . The girl was admitted to a hospital with serious injuries. Section 6 of the POCSO states, Whoever, commits aggravated penetrative sexual assault, shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may extend to imprisonment for life and also be liable to fine. Primary investigation suggests that the girl was raped, but we are waiting for the medical report for confirmation, said officer in charge of Suti police station Biswabandhu Chattaraj. We slapped section 6 of POCSO Act on the basis of a written complaint. Police officers said the child was playing alone on a rickshaw near her house in the evening when the accused, who lives barely 20 meters away from the victims house, lured her with chocolates. My daughter calls the boy dada (elder brother). She went with him happily. He took my daughter to a nearby house and raped her there, said the father of the child. Villagers caught the youth red handed when the girl started screaming in pain. The police was immediately informed. The father of the child lodged the complaint after the police arrested the teenager. Though Bengal accounts for a large number of cases of atrocities on women -- in 2016, it accounted for the second highest cases in the country after Uttar Pradesh -- instances of a minor raping a minor are not common in the state. We work in different areas for children. But we cant remember of any incident where a girl of such a tender age was preyed upon by a minor in recent times in the state, said Jayanta Chowdhury, assistant director, CINI, an NGO that was set up in Bengal in 1974. The Pakistan Army violated the ceasefire tonight by firing on the forward posts along the Line of Control (LOC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, drawing retaliation from the Indian Army. The Pakistani troops resorted to moderate firing on the forward posts along the LoC in the Poonch sector, defence sources said. The Indian troops guarding the border retaliated and the exchanges were on, they added. Commander of the Armys Northern Command Lt Gen. Ranbir Singh visited the forward areas along the LoC, met the field commander and reviewed the security situation and operational preparedness of the Indian troops. The Pakistani troops had violated the ceasefire in the Tangdhar sector in Kupwara district last night, officials said. The ceasefire violation had taken place in the Saedapora area, along the LoC, as the Pakistani troops opened fire at the Indian posts, they added. The Indian Army retaliated in adequate measure, triggering an intermittent exchange of fire between the two sides, the officials said. The firing stopped at 5 am today, they said, adding that there was no report of any casualty on either side. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked the Defence Ministry to step up rescue and relief operations across flood-hit Kerala after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called him this morning We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state, Prime Minister Modi tweeted. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh who also spoke to Vijayan said the Centre was sending additional teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to Kerala. More than 80 people have lost their lives after nonstop rain triggered floods and landslides in many parts of the state. Had a telephonic conversation with Kerala Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan regrading the prevailing flood situation in the state. The Centre is rushing additional NDRF teams to Kerala. We are providing all possible assistance. I am in constant touch with Kerala CM, he tweeted. Late Wednesday night, the Kerala Chief Minister had appealed for more personnel from the armed forces to boost rescue and relief operations in the state which has been struck by the worst natural calamity in its history. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday visited AIIMS hospital to enquire about the health condition of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, his second visit in less than 24 hours. BJP president Amit Shah also reached the hospital for the second time since morning. The Prime Minister was at the hospital for a little over 45 minutes. As anxiety grew about the state of the 93-year-old leaders health, a stream of leaders, including vice president M Venkaiah Naidu and Union ministers Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh, visited the hospital. Modi had visited the hospital on Wednesday evening also to enquire about Vajpayees condition. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan was also at the hospital. Vajpayee is battling for life and remains on advanced life support at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences for the second day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi mourned the death of veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Thursday as a personal and irreplaceable loss as he paid rich tribute to his exemplary leadership and futuristic policies. Vajpayee, the first non-Congress leader to serve a full term in power, died on Thursday at the All India Institute of Medical Science where he had been undergoing treatment for a kidney ailment since June. He was 93. India grieves the demise of our beloved Atal Ji. His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP Karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness. Om Shanti, Modi said in a series of tweets. It was Atal Jis exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century. His futuristic policies across various sectors touched the lives of each and every citizen of India, he said. Read: The uncompromising patriot: Shakti Sinha on working closely with Vajpayee The Prime Minister said Vajpayees perseverance and struggles helped in forming the saffron party brick by brick. ... He travelled across the length and breadth of India to spread the BJPs message, which led to the BJP becoming a strong force in our national polity and in several states, he added. Atal Jis passing away is a personal and irreplaceable loss for me. I have countless fond memories with him. He was an inspiration to Karyakartas like me. I will particularly remember his sharp intellect and outstanding wit. Watch: Remembering Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Poet, politician and statesman Vajpayee, one of the founder members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), served as prime minister for 13 days in 1996, 13 months (1998-99) at the head of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government and then for a full five-year term (1999-2004). Renowned for his powerful oratory and poetry, he had announced his retirement from electoral politics in 2005 and withdrew further from public life in 2009 after suffering a stroke that weakened his cognitive abilities. Subsequently, he developed dementia. Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayees complex relationship with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Leaders from all political spectrums on Thursday condoled the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and paid their tributes to the veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader. Vajpayee, the first non-Congress leader to serve a full term in power, died on Thursday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences where he had been undergoing treatment for a kidney ailment since June. He was 93. Here how leaders mourned his passing: A true Indian statesman: President Ramnath Kovind Extremely sad to hear of the passing of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, our former Prime Minister and a true Indian statesman. His leadership, foresight, maturity and eloquence put him in a league of his own. Atalji, the Gentle Giant, will be missed by one and all, President Kovind said. Tallest leader in post-independent India : Vice-president Venkaiah Naidu I never expected the end will come so soon. He was a true Indian. He never hesitated to speak from his heart. He was the tallest leader in post-independent India. Vajpayee ji is the Ajatshatru of modern times because he always maintained dignity and decorum, Naidu said. End of an era: Prime Minister Narendra Modi India grieves the demise of our beloved Atal Ji. His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP Karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness. Om Shanti, Modi said in a series of tweets. It was Atal Jis exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century. His futuristic policies across various sectors touched the lives of each and every citizen of India, he said. The Prime Minister said Vajpayees perseverance and struggles helped in forming the saffron party brick by brick. Watch: Remembering Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Poet, politician and statesman I will miss Atalji immensely: LK Advani I am at a loss of words to express my deep grief and sadness today as we all mourn the passing away of one of Indias tallest statesmen, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. To me, Atalji was more than a senior colleague- in fact, he was my closest friend for over 65 years, Advani said. I cherish the memories of my long association with him, right from our days as Pracharaks of the RSS, to the inception of Bharatiya Jana Singh, the struggle of the dark months during the Emergency leading to the formation of Janata Party and later the emergence of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980. Atalji was a true Ajatshatru: Union home minister Rajnath Singh Pained beyond words at the demise of Shri Atalji. He had cherished the idea of a developed and powerful India in which all persons lived together in unity, peace and harmony. Atalji was a true Ajatshatru who had many friends across the political spectrum. He believed in political consensus and his beliefs had consequential effect on Indian politics. Loved and respected by millions: Rahul Gandhi Today India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family & all his admirers. We will miss him. #AtalBihariVajpayee, Gandhi tweeted. A great PM: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh I have learnt with profound sorrow about the sad demise of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee. An excellent orator, an impressive poet, an exceptional public servant, an outstanding parliamentarian and great PM, Singh said. Reasoned critique, seeker of consensus: Former president Pranab Mukherjee Deeply saddened at the passing away of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. A reasoned critique in opposition and a seeker of consensus as PM, Atal Ji was a democrat to the core. In his passing away, India has lost a great son and an era has come to an end. My deepest condolences, Mukherjee said on Twitter. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the first non-Congress prime minister to complete a full term in office, died in Delhi on Thursday after a prolonged illness, doctors said. He was 93. Here is a brief time of his lifeline and career. 1924: Atal Bihari Vajpayee is born in Madhya Pradeshs Gwalior 1942: Arrested and held for 24 days. He later wrote in a piece titled The Sangh is my Soul: I participated in the Quit India movement in 1942 and was jailed 1951: After working as a journalist, he joins the newly formed Bharatiya Jan Sangh 1957: Elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time 1962: Becomes a member of the Rajya Sabha 1975: Jailed during the Emergency 1977-79: Serves as the external affairs minister in the Janata Party government 1980: Cuts ties with the Janata Party and helps found the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is chosen as the president of the party 1992: Awarded the Padma Vibhushan for contribution in the field of public affairs 1996: Becomes the Prime Minister but is forced to resign in 13 days after the BJP unsuccessfully attempts to stitch together an alliance with regional parties. On May 28, he in what has become a landmark speech resigned on the floor of the House before a trust vote 1998: Sworn in as PM after the BJP emerges as the single largest party and forms the National Democratic Alliance government 1998: Under Vajpayees leadership, India conducts five nuclear tests on May 11 and 13 at the Pokhran range in Rajasthan. Seventeen days later, Pakistan conducts its own nuclear tests 1999: The government lasts a little over a year. Vajpayee resigns in April after his party loses the vote of confidence 1999: Becomes the PM for a third time in October after the NDA emerges as the largest political alliance 2000: Signs a statement on US-India Relations: A Vision for the 21st Century along with Bill Clinton during the US Presidents visit to India in March. The statement talks of a pledge to reduce impediments to bilateral trade and investment, and to expand commerce between the two nations 2000: In September, after an invitation to address a joint session of the US Congress, he speaks at a joint session. Vajpayee says his visit to Washington has consolidated relations between the worlds two largest democracies and marked a new era in bilateral and global affairs 2004: In May, he resigns as the PM following the NDAs defeat in the Lok Sabha elections 2005: Retires from active politics 2009: Has a stroke that impairs his speech 2015: Conferred the Bharat Ratna, the countrys highest civilian award. In a departure from protocol, President Pranab Mukherjee drives to Vajpayees residence and presents the award to the ailing leader. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says: There are crores of workers around the country who draw inspiration from Atalji August 16, 2018: Vajpayee passes away in Delhi It was the almost ever-present twinkle in his eyes that let the secret out. Atalji was not a uni-dimensional politician. The man who strode like a colossus across the national stage for decades, was a man of many parts. He was far from being only obsessed with power. He had a side to him that was, in fact, transcendent of politics, or of power. He was a lover of life, a sensitive human being, a man of aesthetics who wrote poetry and loved music, a great raconteur with a great sense of humour, but also a statesman, who had the ability to carry all the people of India with him. I got to know him well when he asked me to translate his Hindi poetry into English. The evening when we discussed this at the PMs residence is vividly etched in my memory. When I went to see him, I knew that this was what we would discuss. At the time, I was a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. Ataljis book of poems, entitled Ikyavan Kavitaen, or 51 Poems, had been sent to me by his office. Colleagues in the PMO had also told me about what was on the PMs mind. Atalji was seated in his customary chair at 7 Race Course Road when I entered. After the initial courtesies, when he made the request, I was prepared with my answer. I said that I was deeply honoured, but had three conditions. His twinkle became more luminous, and he said: Kahiye. I would not, I said, translate his political poems, which were, to my mind, a trifle polemical and predictable in nature. Secondly, my focus would be on those of his poems that dealt with his personal life, his vicissitudes, his occasional existential doubts about the ultimate purpose of life, about friendships and partings, joy and grief, memories and aging. And, lastly, I said, he should not say yes or no right away, but see some of my translations, and then give a final confirmation. This time the twinkle was accompanied by a broad smile. Manzoor hai, he said, and shook hands with me. The book was published by Penguin Books, and titled 21 Poems. I had omitted as many as thirty poems, and he never demurred. In a sense, this provides a glimpse to the greatness of the man. He wrote poetry, but there was never a sense of overriding ego attached to his creativity. He took his personal and public achievements lightly, with a sense of abandon, but without devaluing them in any way. He was an astute politician, but not addicted only to the power game. He was, in that sense, perhaps happier sitting in the opposition, than shouldering the ceaselessand often sterileburden of managing a coalition and running a government. Above all, Atalji was a peoples man. I have not met any public personality in my life who was such an eloquent speaker and so genuinely able to establish a rapport with the audience. When I was posted to Cyprus as High Commissioner, I went to say goodbye to him. As I was leaving, he simply said: Aap chaliye, main aata hoon. I laughed, as did he, and I never thought anymore about the comment, until a few months after I reached that beautiful island, I was informed that the PM would be coming on an official visit to Cyprus! I knew from official records that such a visit was not on the anvil. The simple truth was that, whenever the PM goes for the UN General Assembly session in New York every year in September-October, his plane needs to land somewhere enroute to refuel. That halt, if the PM so desires, gets converted into a short official visit to the country where the halt is made. That year, Atal ji said: Cyprus mein kyun na ruk jaayein. For me, his coming was a matter of deep personal happiness. On the day he came, I arranged for him to address a crowd of around 2000 young Indian IT professionals who were working in the many offshore international firms in Cyprus. Just before the function, he asked me: Kya mujhe kuch bolna bhi padega?. I told him that that was precisely what the huge crowd was looking forward to. He was a little tired after the journey. By Indian time, it was past 10 pm when the function began. But, as we came to the venue and he saw the hugely appreciative crowd, he visibly perked up. Speaking, as usual, extempore, he spoke for close to an hour to an absolutely spellbound audience. He stayed in Cyprus for two days, and apart from all the official paraphernalia of the visit, we hadfor he loved good foodsome wonderful meals together. It was a great privilege to talk with him and understand his mind. There was not a whiff of bigotry in his thinking. His spirit was eclectic, his patriotism transparent, and his worldview suffused with a rare idealism. But, in all of this, there was always that irrepressible humour. Once his foster daughter, Namita, told me that Baapjias Atalji was fondly calledtold her that it would be nice if I could write some of his written speeches. But, perhaps, Pavanji is annoyed with my party, Atalji said. Please tell him, he quickly quipped, I am not happy with my party either! Atalji was the great synthesizer. He could win over even his most trenchant critic, not by Machiavellian manipulation, but by his effortlessly disarming and inclusive personality. It was because of his insistence that I became the first foreign service officer to be appointed Director of The Nehru Centre in London. Even today, one of my most treasured possessions is a signed copy of 21 Poems, wherewith his usual humility and gracehe wrote in his own hand: Pavan has translated my poems and made them more meaningful. (Pavan Varma, a former Indian Foreign Service officer, is the national general secretary of the Janata Dal - United) Veteran politician LK Advani once told a group of journalists it took a lot of effort to convince Atal Bihari Vajpayee of the need for a new political party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Indias current ruling party was founded on 6 April 1980 it was Easter Sunday that year after an executive meeting of the erstwhile Janata Party decided on 4 April that year to expel all members of the former Jan Sangh over dual membership. A membership of Janata Party mandated affiliation to no other outfit not even the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). There was some conspiracy to throw us out, Advani said in the interaction some years ago. Advani and Sundar Singh Bhandari, a fellow pracharak of the RSS, returned to Vajpayee after travelling across the country between February and March 1980. There was deep resentment among Jan Sangh activists at being treated as second class citizen and Advani insisted Vajpayee should lead the new party. He had some doubts, Advani said. Is there scope for another party in India? Some persuasion from Advani and fellow party men, and Vajpayee gave in. The BJP was born at an executive meeting called at Delhis Ferozeshah Kotla grounds with Vajpayee as its first president and LK Advani, Sikander Bakht and Suraj Bhan as its general secretaries. The BJP suffered a humiliation in the 1984 parliamentary election, winning just two seats. Vajpayee lost to Madhavrao Scindia in Gwalior. A tough phase started for him. Advani took over from Vajpayee as the BJP president in 1986, and steadily grew into Indias first Hindu Hriday Samrat (king of Hindu hearts) with his Ram Rath Yatra. Vajpayee had taken a back seat of sorts, spending a lot of time on something he loved cinema, reading, meeting, travelling, gossiping, cooking and, of course, eating. The 1989 election injected a huge dose of euphoria into the BJP. It won 85 Lok Sabha seats in 1989; and 120 in 1991. The limitation of BJPs image as a hard-line Hindu party was exposed. The demolition was Babri mosque at Ayodhya in December 1992 made it a political untouchable. This was when the need for Vajpayee was more acutely felt. And Advani himself declared, at a party national executive in Mumbai in 1995, that Vajpayee would be the partys prime ministerial candidate. In general election the next year, the partys tally touched 161. If Advani took the BJP up from 2 seats in 1984 to 120 in 1991, it was Vajpayees magic and personal charisma that helped the BJP achieve 161 seats in 1996 and 182 in 1998 and 1999. And this helped the party grab power. Vajpayees contribution was two-fold. One, he appealed to a large swathe of voters beyond the BJPs core. And second, his presence made many leaders such as George Fernandes, Farooq Abdullah, Chandrababu Naidu, Naveen Patnaik, Mamata Banerjee, and even Karunanidhi shed their misgivings about the BJP and support the partys bid for power. This was the reason he became the first non-Congress PM to complete a full term in office. The BJP today has grown into Indias most powerful political force. It would not have arrived here but for the contribution of Vajpayee from the days of being a grassroots organiser and a backbencher MP to eventually becoming Indias most popular leader and widely loved Prime Minister. Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayees condition continued to be critical after he was put on life support on Wednesday, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said on Thursday, as leaders from several political parties visited him at the New Delhi hospital. He is critical and is on life support systems, the media and protocol division of the hospital said in the update about the 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party leader. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the hospital around 2pm, the second time in the less than 24 hours, to visit the BJP leader. Several senior leaders and Union ministers also visited AIIMS to inquire about Vajpayee after his condition deteriorated drastically on Wednesday. Those who went to the hospital included senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader LK Advani, vice-president Venkaiah Naidu, the saffron partys chief Amit Shah and Union ministers Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda, Harsh Vardhan, Anupriya Patel, and Ram Vilas Paswan. Doctors trying to restore his health, says health minister Nadda Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah were also among those who came to the hospital. We all should pray for his recovery. We should not forget that he is a leader who wanted to make the country strong. He wanted peace not only in our country but the whole world, Abdullah said. He is our idol. With just his presence we got inspiration and encouragement. We pray for his health. No one can ever be like Atal Ji. Campaigning for him was an honour for me, Madhya Pradeshs chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said. Other leaders like the Peoples Democratic Partys chief Mehbooba Mufti and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu N Chandrababu Naidu prayed for the veteran leader. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her counterpart in Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje, and Odisha Naveen Patnaik have said they will travel to Delhi to inquire about Vajpayee. The hospital issued a statement late on Wednesday that said the condition of Vajpayee, who has been at AIIMS for the last nine weeks, had worsened over the past 24 hours. Vajpayee 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 in June to help his kidneys heal and is being treated in the intensive care unit of the cardiothoracic and neuroscience tower at AIIMS since then. The former prime ministers overall health had deteriorated after he suffered a stroke in 2009 that hampered his brain function. He has diabetes, has one functional kidney and developed dementia after the stroke. Saudi Arabia hopes India and Pakistan will resume peace talks and will be happy to help the process but only if it is asked to do so, Saudi ambassador Saud bin Mohammed al-Sati said on Thursday. He said he had noted the reference that the Prime Minister-elect of Pakistan, Imran Khan, made regarding India that if India takes one step, we will take two. It was encouraging, he said, that this was followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modis phone call to Khan to congratulate him on his electoral success. These were very positive. Pakistan is a strong partner of Saudi Arabia and India is our strategic partner and we hope that dialogue will be resumed between the two countries, he said. If we can and if we are asked to help, we will be very happy to help, he added. During an interview, al-Sati spoke on a wide range of issues, including bilateral security cooperation and Irans alleged meddling in Afghanistan. Referring to the arrest of a suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operative at the New Delhi airport after his deportation from Saudi Arabia on August 5, the envoy said there is excellent cooperation between the two sides to counter extremism and terror financing. There is no outstanding issue in terms of security cooperationthere is zero terror financing (from Saudi Arabia) and we dont allow any (illegal) money transfers to any organizations worldwide and particularly to India, he said. Asked what action Saudi Arabia will take if controversial preacher Zakir Naik, whose extradition has been sought from Malaysia, returned to the kingdom, al-Sati said he would not go into hypothetical matters. All I can say is Zakir Naik is an Indian national who visited Saudi Arabia like any other Indian national and left... he is not in the kingdom anymore. We dont intervene in other countries matters, he said. While backing efforts to reconcile with Taliban elements that give up violence in Afghanistan, al-Sati said his country hosted a conference of ulema that encouraged national reconciliation to end instability and war. Afghani national reconciliation is very important for the political process to succeed. The main principle here is denouncing terrorism and putting aside weapons to come to the political process and working with other Afghan groups to reconcile, he said. However, the envoy criticised Irans intervention in Afghanistan, including the recruitment of Afghan Shias and training them and sending them to areas of conflict such as Syria. He said there were also reports of Iran recruiting from among Afghan refugees and sending them to countries such as Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Using these recruits to intervene in other countries internal affairs and destabilising their security is not going tohelp in countering terrorism. So we have to pay attention to this, he said. Next month, Sao Paulo will welcome more than 900,000 culture vultures to its 33rd Bienal, the worlds second-oldest art biennial after Venice. They better come hungry. All the qualities that make Brazils art hub popits sophistication, experimentation, and international and local mixcan 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 barbut 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 Paulos 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. Its caused the citys 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 hes been democratizing that philosophy at the citys 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 communitiesprimarily Arabic, Japanese, and Lebaneseand a staggering uptick in culinary schools, and Sao Paulo is at the beating heart of Brazils food revolution. Heres where to make your reservations. The Newcomers Balaio IMSInside the Instituto Moreira Salles, a glass-enclosed cultural center on Avenida Paulista, youll find a culinary oasis that focuses on lightened Brazilian classics. The star of the show is Chef Rodrigo Oliveiras 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 (Cafeteria of the Future), an ambitious new restaurant with an open kitchen and neon signage inside a former parking garage. (Roberto Seba) 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. Dont 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. The all-female staff at Fito 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. (Facebook.com) 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 mustas 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. Leites 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 its my home, said Leite, who grew up around the corner. I have an opportunity to show [visitors] the truth of this place. The Cant-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 its less talked about, his use of Brazilian seafood is equally a standout. Take D.O.Ms Santa Catarina oysters on the half shell: Theyre 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, its 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 frittergolden crispy on the outside, succulent in the middlethat 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. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more The Bombay high court on Thursday paved the way for expansion of the Veer Jijamata Udyan at Byculla, popularly known as Byculla Zoo, by dismissing a petition filed by Mafatlal Industries Limited. A division bench of justice SC Dharmadhikari and justice Bharati Dangre also refused to continue the status quo order granted earlier on the petition, thus making available 27,284 square metres (around 7 acres) of land for expansion of the zoo. The status quo order had withheld the expansion of the zoo. Two plots, together measuring 70,360 square metres (around 17 acres), were leased out by the state government to the predecessor of Mafatlal Industries Sassoon Spinning and Weaving Company Limited in 1923. In 1966, the entire plot was reserved for expansion of the zoo. In February 2004, the state released about half of this land from reservation and allowed the company to commercially exploit that portion by developing it. Mafatlal entered into an agreement with a developer and sold development rights of the 50% plot, to be commercially exploited. It approached the HC after the then collector of Mumbai issued a notice to it on October 15, 2016, demanding 454.35 crore towards unearned income from the sale of development rights. The company contended it continued to be the owner of the entire plot and apart from seeking waiver of the demand of the unearned income, also staked claim to the rest of the land, measuring 27,284 square metres, and sought compensation for it either in the form of transferable development right (TDR) or its market price. Acting on the petition filed by Mafatlal, a single-judge bench of HC had in March 2017 ordered all parties to maintain status quo on the plot thus prohibiting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)from using the 27,284 sqmt plot for expansion of the zoo. It had also challenged the governments handing over possession of this part of the property to the BMC in January 2017. Senior advocate Anil Sakhare, who represented the BMC, strongly contested the companys claim that it was the owner of the entire property. Sakhare submitted that the government was the owner of the entire property, which was leased out to Mafatlal and since leases had expired, the company cannot claim ownership over the property handed over to the BMC. The HC accepted his contention and dismissed Mafatlal Industries petition, paving way for the zoos expansion. The number of accident prone spots in Maharashtra has gone up by nearly 100%, with the state registering 1,324 accident prone spots in 2018 compared to 634 last year, according to a report by a panel formed by the Supreme Court. Accident prone spots, or black spots, are areas which witness five or more deadly accidents in three years. The state ranks third in the country with about 12,250 road fatalities every year. With 51 black spots, Mumbai ranks sixth in the list. Rural parts of Nashik district have the highest number of black spots at 107, followed by Nanded (87), Kolhapur (85), Satara (84), rural Aurangabad (63) and Brihan Mumbai (51). In the 2017 list, Kolhapur was ranked first with 61 black spots, followed by Nashik Rural (58), Mumbai (39), Wardha (38) and Dhule (37). In 2018, National highways have the highest number of black spots (628), followed by state highways (315), district roads (374) and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway (7). In 2017, the number of black spots on national highways was 307, while state highways had 307 spots and others 242. The number of black spots on Mumbai-Pune expressway reduced from 11 to 7. Of the seven black spots, five are in Raigad and one each in Navi Mumbai and Pune Rural. A senior official associated with the process said the list of black spots are prepared on the directives of a committee set by the Supreme Court to curb road accidents in the country. Mostly police identify black spots. The issue came for the discussion in the 7th meeting of the state road safety commission, chaired by transport minister Diwakar Raote, on Monday. Transport secretary Ashish Singh said the number of black spots had increased mainly because of the wrong classification of the roads. About 30 kilometre long village roads are now classified as MDR (main district roads). This is one of the major reasons for the increase in the number of black spots in the state, said Singh. An RTO officer said the department has taken up several short and long measures to make the roads safer. In a major public announcement, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh said that passenger planes will soon start operating from Halwara air force station. We have received all requisite approvals from the defence and aviation ministry. The airport will soon be used for passenger travel, said CM Amarinder Singh during an interaction with industrialists, councillors and government officials at a local hotel. The CM also announced a package of Rs 32 crore for the development of road, sewerage and other infrastructure at Focal Point in Ludhiana. He said that because of his governments efforts, the sick units in Mandi Gobindgarh were revived. We are very firm against corruption and if someone is found indulging in malpractices, we will take strong action, said the CM while exhorting the industrialists to bring more investment in Punjab. The CM also said his government is going to set up 250 smart schools across the state. One such smart school has been inaugurated today, said the CM. The CM also came down heavily on the deaths due to talcum-powder being mixed in drugs. Heroin which was available for Rs 1,200 a gram rose to Rs 6,000 per gram and then just disappeared out of the market. So addicts started turning to other things. They started mixing the a drug used for neutralising the effect of drugs in medical clinics with talcum powder and injecting themselves. This instantly stops the persons heart, killing them on the spot, claimed CM Amarinder Singh. Two minor girls who fled a government-aided shelter home Sahyog village in Jharkhands Khunti district were traced in Uttarakhand, officials said on Thursday. The girls were rescued by Child Line, an NGO working for child rights, from Haridwar and shifted to government-run State Girls Shelter Home (SGSH), Kedarpuram, in Dehradun, said district child protection officer (DCPO) of Khunti, Altaf Khan. Khan is the investigating officer of the case. We will send a four-member team comprising a sub-inspector, a protection officer and two woman constables to bring the girls to Khunti on Friday, Khan said. An 11-year-old and another 13-year-old girl fled the Sahyog village on the night of August 5 using a ladder, according to the CCTV footage collected by the district administration. Torn pages of a notebook helped the management of State Girls Shelter Home (SGSH) in Dehradun track the whereabouts of two minor girls, who were found in Haridwar on August 13. They were handed over to child welfare committee (CWC), Haridwar unit, the same day and on August 14 were brought to Dehradun. When the girls were handed over to us, we checked their belongings. There was a notebook which was torn to pieces. But, we somehow managed to join the pieces and found a mobile number. Luckily, that contact belonged to Sahyog village management, Meena Singh, the superintendent of the SGSH informed. The CWC team that handed them to us directed not to talk about their native place. So, we didnt. They are absolutely fine and eating well, she added. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Garhwal, Ajay Rautela added, The girls are safe and will be handed over to Jharkhand administration upon their arrival. Khunti shelter home superintendent Sosan Purty said she received a call on Wednesday afternoon from the Dehradun-based shelter home, who said that the two girls were staying there. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday revoked the security clearance of one of his most vocal critics - former Central Intelligence Agency director John Brennan - and indicated that other critics from previous administrations could face the same action. As the head of the executive branch and commander-in-chief, I have a unique constitutional responsibility to protect the nations classified information, including by controlling access to it. I have decided to revoke the security clearance of John Brennan, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Trump said in a statement read out by White House press secretary Sarah Sanders. Trump said Brennan had displayed erratic conduct and behavior, misled Congress on accessing staffs computer and made a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations -- wild outbursts on the Internet and television -- about this administration. Undeterred by the White House announcement, Brennan tweeted, 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. Earlier, Brennan had called Trumps performance at his joint news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin treasonous and that Not only were Trumps comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Others who could face a similar action include former director of national intelligence and countrys top spy James Clapper, former national security adviser Susan rice, former FBI director James Comey and deputy attorney general Sally Yates, all Obama appointees; and Michael Hayden CIA director from the Bush administration. Also on the list are former FBI official Andrew McCave, Peter Strzok and Lisa Page and, a currently serving official, Bruce Ohr, all of whom have had some role to play in Special Counsel Robert Muellers ongoing investigation into Russian interference in US polls in 2016 and the Trump campaigns possible collusion. Security clearances are extended to officials from previous administrations to enable to continue to interact with their successors and share their knowledge and expertise with them. There are nearly 4.1 million people with security clearance currently, 1.3 million of them with top security clearance, according to an official report cited by US media. Administrations routinely extend them to outgoing administration officials out of, among other thing, courtesy, as President Trump noted in his announcement. Hayden, for instance, retained his security clearance through eight years of the Obama administration. Trump has been perturbed and angered by continuing criticism from them, which has been relentless and serious, and the administration threatened some days ago to rescind their security clearance. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Thursday offered condolence at the demise of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said the best way to honour the towering leader is by establishing peace between India and Pakistan. In a statement, Khan said Vajpayee was a known and respected political personality of the subcontinent and his attempts for the betterment of India-Pakistan relationship will always be remembered. He added that Vajpayee, as a Foreign Minister, took the responsibility of improving India-Pakistan ties. As Prime Minister, Vajpayee sahab took the initiative to further improving Indo- Pakistan relations. With the death of Vajpayee sahab, South Asian politics now left with a huge political vacuum. There can be political differences but both sides of the border want peace. It is only through establishing peace that we can really honour the legacy of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In this moment of grief following the demise of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, I stand with the people of India, Khan said in a statement. Meanwhile, Pakistans Foreign office in a condolence message said that Vajpayee will be remembered as a renowned statesman who contributed to bringing a change in India-Pakistan relations. We have learnt with sadness the passing away of Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister of India, who was undergoing treatment in a hospital in New Delhi. Mr. Vajpayee was a renowned statesman who contributed to bringing a change in India-Pakistan relations and remained a key supporter of SAARC and regional cooperation for development. The Government and people of Pakistan extend their heartfelt condolences to his family and to the Government and people of India, the Pakistan Foreign Office statement said. In his efforts to bring peace between the two countries, Vajpayee had travelled to Lahore in the inaugural Delhi-Lahore bus service on February 19, 1999 to attend the Lahore Summit. Vajpayee was received at Wagah by then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. US newspapers big and small today hit back at President Donald Trumps relentless attacks on the news media, launching a coordinated campaign of editorials stressing the importance of a free press. Leading the charge was The Boston Globe, which had issued an appeal for this drive -- accompanied by the hashtag #EnemyofNone -- that has been joined by more than 200 newspapers around the country. Today in the United States we have a president who has created a mantra that members of the media who do not blatantly support the policies of the current US administration are the enemy of the people, the Globe editorial said. This is one of the many lies that have been thrown out by this president, much like an old-time charlatan threw out magic dust or water on a hopeful crowd, it added in a piece entitled Journalists are not the Enemy. Trumps treatment of the press is also encouraging strongmen such as Vladimir Putin of Russia and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey to treat journalists like enemies, the Globe argued. The coordinated effort comes amid Trumps persistent claims that mainstream media outlets that publish articles critical of him are churning out fake news. Free press advocates argue that Trumps efforts threaten the role of the news media as a check against abuse of power in government and imperil the constitutional First Amendment guarantee of freedom of the press. The New York Times, one of the most frequent targets of Trumps criticism, ran a short, seven-paragraph editorial under a giant headline with all capital letters that read A FREE PRESS NEEDS YOU and with the statement that it is only right for people to criticize the press, say, for getting something wrong. 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, the Times wrote. Across the country, other papers joined in, defending their place in society -- from upholding the truth to simply saving people time. At a practical level, we journalists sit through boring government meetings and learn about public school financing formulas, so you dont have to, said The Arizona Daily Star. Its not as lofty a statement as the First Amendment, but it serves. Free press advocates say Trump is a real threat to the role of the press. I dont think the press can just sit back and take it, they need to make their case when the most powerful man in the world tries to undercut the First Amendment, said Ken Paulson, a former editor-in-chief of USA Today who heads the Newseums First Amendment Centre and is dean of communications at Middle Tennessee State University. But Paulson questioned whether editorials would be effective. The people who read editorials dont need to be convinced, he said. They are not the ones trying to shout you down at presidential rallies. In the face of a White House onslaught, Paulson said the media needs a broader marketing campaign to highlight the importance of a free press as a core value. The campaign also faces the potential for galvanising supporters of the president around the notion that the media is out to get him. The media are organising an ever more deliberate and public attack on @realDonaldTrump and on the deplorable half of the country who support him. And the media wonders why we think they are fake news? tweeted Mike Huckabee, a former Republican governor who is a Fox News commentator. But media rights advocates say the stakes are too high to allow the presidents claims to go unchecked. Some say Trumps comments have incited threats against journalists covering his events, and may have created a climate of hostility that opened the door to violent attacks like a deadly one in June against the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland Pakistan on Thursday paid tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee hailing him as a statesman after he passed away, aged 93. Pakistans Foreign Office (FO) spokesman said in a statement that we have learnt with sadness the passing away of Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Mr Vajpayee was a renowned statesman who contributed to bringing a change in India-Pakistan relations and remained a key supporter of SAARC and regional cooperation for development, the spokesman said. He said the government and people of Pakistan extend their heartfelt condolences to Vajpayees family and to the government and people of India. Shortly after a US congressional panel cleared a bill in July that paves the way for removing the country cap on Green Cards, which will speed up the process for more than 300,000 backlogged Indians, opposition came from an unexpected quarter: Iranians also waiting for permanent residency. Some of it was overt, such as the argument by the National Iranian American Council, an advocacy body, that removing the country cap will benefit applicants from larger countries Indians and Chinese, but not by name at the cost of applicants from smaller countries such as Iranians. There was also a covert campaign on social media, whereby US officials and lawmakers were lobbied using xenophobic arguments used by immigration hardliners and India-baiters about Indians coming in larger numbers to take away jobs and the country from Americans, and Indianise it. The Daily Caller reported on Monday Iranians were posing as anti-immigrant Americans to campaign against the bill. The website gained entry to online groups on the Telegram app by posing as an Iranian. It gathered Twitter handles shared by members to identify fakes used for the campaign. America will be Indianized with HR392 approval. Let skilled people get the jobs not the fake engineers who have connections everywhere in the US thanks to abusing H1B visas already. #RemoveHR392, someone called Masha tweeted. The handle gave no details about the account holder. On July 25, a committee of the House of Representatives cleared a spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security that contains a section called HR 392, which seeks to remove the annual cap of 9,800 on employment-based Green Cards that can be issued to applicants from any one country. Indians are worst hit by the cap, accounting for more than 300,000 of those in the waiting line, or three-fourths of those in the backlog. According to some estimates, it could take up to 90 years for them to get permanent residency. Leon Fresco, a strategist for an advocacy group for Indians in the Green Card line called Immigration Voice, said they had noticed opposition from Iranians almost immediately. The group flagged it on its Facebook page some days ago, calling it the work of an Iranian supremacist group. Iranians and applicants from smaller countries get Green Cards faster, usually in six months, under the current system, according to reports. Their situation could change for the worse if the country cap is removed and replaced by a first-in-line system. Many other Twitter handles, with little by way of names or details of the account holder, are posting appeals against the bill, using language and idioms popular with immigrations hawks. They target officials and pressure lawmakers who managed the bills passage by naming them. Fellow #Americans, ask him to #removeHR392 and keep jobs for the US not foreign cheap labors, tweeted Hudson. This persons name in the Telegram group is Hossein, Daily Caller reported. The report said an administrator of the Telegram group admitted in an online chat that its members are adopting American identities to push rhetoric against Indians, but out of frustration and not bigotry. I personally love my Indian friends and I dont see other Iranians dislike them. Their culture is so close to our culture. We are like each other. There is no reason we dislike them, the administrator wrote. But Indians forced them to hide behind American names when they began belittling us over President Donald Trumps travel ban. There was no response from the National Iranian American Council to a request for comment to the report. But Jamal Abdi, a senior official of the body, said in a statement: Congress should not rush through any legislation that significantly reduces or eliminates per-country limits for permanent residency without undertaking basic steps to ensure that Iranians and other nationals that have nearly been locked out of the visa system entirely by the Trump administration are not further disadvantaged by changes ostensibly designed to level the playing field. Supplier News 16 August 2018 Vizergy, the hospitality industry's leading digital marketing and technology company celebrates it's 20th anniversary while enjoying record growth and revenues. The company, originally branded as Secure-Res, started in 1998 with a goal of helping hotels and resorts solve a common problem: understanding how to capture customers and generate revenue in the early years of the Internet. "Our founder Joe Hyman really was a bit of a visionary in our space. He developed a piece of software that allowed consumers to make online reservations before platforms like Travelocity and Expedia were household names. This booking engine was a cloud-based solution that hotels licensed for a monthly fee rather than the standard percentage model and the market loved it. Joe and Secure-Res quickly had thousands of customers, many of whom are with us today," says Robert Arnold, Vizergy's President. In the late 1990's, most of these types of software applications were downloaded on location-based servers and connected through an Application Service Provider (ASP). Vizergy's booking engine has undergone a number of transformations over the years and is now a fully functional cloud-based tool recognized by hoteliers as a reliable and secure revenue generation tool. Today, Vizergy serves more than 1400 clients in more than 20 countries. Working with internationally recognized brands such as Hard Rock International, Marriott, Hyatt and the Melting Pot, Vizergy enjoys a strong reputation for creativity, service, technology platforms and execution. That reputation earns them engagements with several of the country's top independent hotels. The company, with a team of more than 70, offers a full suite of digital marketing solutions including website design, search engine optimization, media planning and buying and database leveraged marketing. The centerpiece of its portfolio is the Vizergy Marketing System (VMS), a complete cloud-based toolkit allowing client to manage their own content, deploy media strategies and measure their results, in real time. Recently, the VMS added TargetingHub, a data marketing platform that allows hotels to use existing customer databases to pinpoint, engage and capture past guests and find new guests using online media, social platforms and email. Joe Hyman, the company's CEO says "our goal has always been to be the best at what we do. We are specialist in hospitality marketing. Our tools are built for hospitality marketers. We know how travel buyers shop and what it takes to win in this highly competitive space." Over the years, Vizergy has been named to the Inc Magazine 500/5000 Fastest Growing Companies twice. Additionally, Vizergy's been honored with hundreds of awards, co-authored several publications and developed a secondary certification program (Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer), with the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association International. In 2017, Vizergy was recognized by CIO Magazine as one of the Top 10 Digital Platforms. Asked what's next for Vizergy, Hyman says "Innovation. We are always listening to our customers. We work hard to understand their challenges and what they need to achieve and move our business to those opportunities. The development of TargetingHub is a great example of that. We heard, loud and clear, that marketers wanted to make big data easy to manage. We built a platform that solved that problem and makes our clients money at the same time. This kind of thinking has kept Vizergy relevant from our earliest days and will carry us into the future." To commemorate the anniversary, the company has planned a celebration this month with staff members, friends and family. Additionally, there will be several events throughout the remainder of the year to honor clients, long time partners and team members. About Vizergy Digital Marketing Vizergy serves the world's hospitality industry with stunning website design and fiercely competitive tools to maximize revenue. Our formula for success includes cutting-edge technologies, proven digital marketing programs and the best professionals in the industry. At Vizergy, hospitality marketing is not only our mission, it's our sole focus. For almost 20 years, Vizergy has relentlessly developed and deployed the best technologies and talent to serve thousands of hospitality clients with excellence. We deliver best-in-class solutions and the most meaningful results for our clients" bottom lines. From complete responsive website design and development, to proven award-winning digital marketing programs, strategies, and media campaigns, Vizergy deploys turnkey online marketing solutions to empower clients to win in today's complex and competitive hospitality industry. For more information, please visit www.vizergy.com. Press Release 16 August 2018 The rising security requirements of Vietnam's commercial and residential property sectors have set the stage for a fruitful three days of business at the show, which takes place from 16 - 18 August 2018. A new zone showcasing smart home and smart building technology is among numerous additions, which have seen total exhibition space climb 11% to a new record of 10,000 sqm (2017: 9000 sqm). Advertisements A new record has also been set for the exhibitor list, which has expanded by 13% to include a total of 310 solution providers from 19 countries and regions (2017: 270 exhibitors). A strong international contingent includes brands from China, Croatia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the UAE, the UK, the US and Vietnam. The diverse line-up is expected to be a strong draw for trade visitors, which are predicted to increase in number from last year's total of 12,097. Speaking optimistically ahead of the show's opening, Ms Regina Tsai, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd, said: "Vietnam is continuing to establish itself as one of the most significant security markets in the ASEAN region. The commercial and residential property sectors are just one driving force behind these positive conditions. An increase in urban infrastructure projects and strong GDP growth are also two significant factors. We expect to see a good mix of government and commercial sector buyers through the doors over the coming days, a high proportion of which will be system integrators, distributors and end users." A convenient sourcing experience awaits buyers at the fair in the shape of three distinct product zones. Namely, the Security Zone, the Fire Safety & Rescue Zone and the Smart Building & Smart Home Zone. A strong line-up of brands represented across these zones include ASTEC, Bosch, Dahua , Hanwha Techwin, Samsung, Seagate, TECHCARD, Nha An Toan, Phuong Viet, VIETSAFE and many more. Of particular interest to system integrators, distributors and end users in the smart home sector will be SMAhome, which makes its debut at Secutech Vietnam this year to serve as the IoT technology platform for Vietnam's smart home market. Products on display here will reflect the modern drive towards increased home automation including home automation kits, IoT gateways, smart locks and smart surveillance systems. The new coming Z-Wave Pavilion will also spark the interest of buyers in the smart home sector with an array of Z-Wave solutions for home and building. A further addition to the list of debutants is the Singapore Pavilion. Led by the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME), the pavilion comprises surveillance solutions, facial recognition technology, modular control platforms and key management systems that have various security applications for home, building, factory and much more. Two returning pavilions in the Fire Safety & Rescue zone will also add to the product line-up on the show flow. The Korea Fire Institute Pavilion brings leading companies to demonstrate their range of fire extinguishers, fire alarms, hoses, smoke detectors, fire fighting suits and escape chutes, while the UL Pavilion will feature seven suppliers from around the world to display their latest UL-certified fire systems and products. Fire & Safety Rescue Seminar and Smart Solutions Vietnam forum to serve as information exchange platforms for growing markets In addition to exploring the varied product offerings at the show, stakeholders in the fire and safety sectors will have ample opportunities to gain industry insights at the returning Fire & Safety Rescue Seminar. A highlight will be discussions on applications for industry 4.0, while experts from Firesmart, GP International Technology, the Korea Fire Institute, Nhuan Phat, Pyrovia, SmartZ and UL will also gather to examine fire safeguarding solutions for factory, building and personal safety. Meanwhile, visitors looking to learn about new technologies and integrated security solutions for the vertical markets of smart city, smart building, smart home, smart transportation and smart factory will have an excellent opportunity to do so during the Smart Solutions Vietnam forum. Held concurrently on the second day of the show, the forum provides a platform for suppliers Bosch, ICP DAS, Kedacom, Samsung, Seagate and Western Digital to deliver presentations on their newest product offerings. Topics will include 'Integrated Solutions for Smart Transportation and Smart Buildings' as well as '4G Mobile Surveillance for Smart City Solution'. The forum will be followed by a business networking party to give attendees the chance to form new business connections. For more details, please visit www.secutechvietnam.com. Alternatively, please call Ms Michelle Chu at +886 2 8729 1068 or send an email to [email protected] Safety and security are increasingly important basic needs and, therefore, stand for a growing global market. With eleven trade fairs, congresses and forums around the world, Messe Frankfurt brings together demand and supply worldwide with progressive, connected products, applications and services focusing on commercial security and the protection of buildings, spaces and people. The Safety, Security & Fire business cluster offers access to the dynamic markets of the Arabian Peninsula, Asia, Europe and South America. Further information at www.safety-security-fire.messefrankfurt.com. Completion of Capital Raise Sydney, Aug 16, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Hastings Technology Metals Ltd (Hastings or Company) ( ASX:HAS ) is pleased to advise that it has completed the capital raising announced on 6 August 2018, raising $13,978,231, before costs.The Company has issued 66,563,708 new ordinary shares under LR7.1 at a price of 21 cents per share.The funds will be used for further development of the Yangibana rare earths project, and in particular to enable the order of the long lead time equipment for the processing plant, being the rotary kiln and the sulphuric acid plant.About Hastings Technology Metals Ltd Hastings Technology Metals Ltd (ASX:HAS) (FRA:5AM) is advancing its Yangibana Rare Earths Project in the Upper Gascoyne Region of Western Australia towards production. The proposed beneficiation and hydro metallurgy processing plant will treat rare earths deposits, predominantly monazite, hosting high neodymium and praseodymium contents to produce a mixed rare earths carbonate that will be further refined into individual rare earth oxides at processing plants overseas. Neodymium and praseodymium are vital components in the manufacture of permanent magnets which is used in a wide and expanding range of advanced and high-tech products including electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics, medical applications and others. Hastings aims to become the next significant producer of neodymium and praseodymium outside of China. Hastings holds 100% interest in the most significant deposits within the overall project, and 70% interest in additional deposits that will be developed at a later date, all held under Mining Leases. Numerous prospects have been identified warranting detailed exploration to further extend the life of the project. Brockman Project The Brockman deposit, near Halls Creek in Western Australia, contains JORC Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources, estimated using the guidelines of JORC Code (2012 Edition). The Company is also progressing a Mining Lease application over the Brockman Rare Earths and Rare Metals Project. Hastings aims to capitalise on the strong demand for critical rare earths created by the expanding demand for new technology products. Press Release 16 August 2018 Kinseth Hospitality Company (KHC) is pleased to announce the official Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening Celebration of the TownePlace Suites by Marriott hotel in Minooka, Illinois. The grand opening ceremony for the TownePlace Suites by Marriott, located at 630 Bob Blair Road, took place on Tuesday, August 14, 2018, with nearly 150 guests in attendance. To kick-off the event, Pat Brennan, Village of Minooka President; Christina Van Yperen, Executive Director of Grundy County Chamber of Commerce; Nancy Norton, President and CEO of the Grundy County Economic Development Council; and Bruce Kinseth, VP of Kinseth Hospitality, shared their excitement about the new TownePlace Suites hotel. Advertisements "Kinseth Hospitality is happy to bring this Marriott branded hotel to the great community of Minooka. We look forward to the continued partnership with the Village of Minooka and Grundy County through the new TownePlace Suites by Marriott hotel," said Bruce Kinseth. TownePlace Suites by Marriott is an extended-stay hotel where you can balance work and life as you like with the comfort, flexibility and affordability you require. Relax and feel at home with a fully equipped kitchen, high-speed Internet access, Container Store closet system, and laundry facility. Maintain healthy living with our Get Fit center, and a wide variety of options on our breakfast buffet. Our TowneMap will help you become an area expert and enjoy everything Minooka has to offer. Get a breath of fresh air in our exterior lounge area, cozy up by the fire pit, or quickly become a grill master in our exclusive Weber grilling station. Let our friendly, knowledgeable and experienced staff help make your stay a memorable one. TownePlace Suites Minooka These suites are built for the extended stay traveler who appreciates independence and the space for a relaxed and productive stay. Guests have come to know us by our modern spacious suites with full kitchens, free Wi-Fi, free breakfast and friendly staff who deliver a warm "hello" when you walk through the door. Guests will also receive complimentary hot breakfast, free Wi-Fi, and access to the business center, fitness center, indoor pool, and outdoor patio and grill area! Easily make reservations through Marriott's Global reservation system and earn Marriott Rewards points for every stay. For more information, visit towneplacesuites.marriott.com. About Kinseth Hospitality Kinseth Hospitality is a leading hotel management, development and ownership company. KHC has a proven track record of developing and operating award-winning hotels, restaurant and meeting facilities. Kinseth Hospitality is based in North Liberty, Iowa and currently operates over 70 hotels and 5 branded restaurants in 11 states. For more information regarding KHC please contact our Corporate Sales and Marketing Team at 319-626-5600 or visit www.kinseth.com. Opinion Article 16 August 2018 Are you old enough to recall the excitement over the debut of the first Blackberry and its speedy texting system at the dawn of the new millennium? It was quite the revolutionary and addictive feature, so much so that today we may be taking a short messaging service (SMS) like this for granted as our minds are constantly distracted by one of many quotidian ways that we use on our mobile phones. Advertisements With social media, texting, emails, forum threads and a myriad of other notifications pinging your phones every minute, has the need to stay constantly connected via our electronic devices usurped our need for proper and personal business relationships? Recently I was invited to attend a weekly executive committee meeting where the GM asked me to present to the group on my secret shopper observations from a weekend's stay, and then to stick around afterwards to audit the leadership team's participation. Over the course of only an hour, it was clear to me that the group's attention was hampered by individuals glancing at their devices subtly placed nearby. Are these folks so important that they can't sequester themselves away from their phones for at least 60 minutes to go through matters that could have a profound impact on their jobs? A possible solution to this prevalent social problem presented itself was I visited Lake Austin Spa Resort tucked away outside of Austin, Texas. In our room was a small cotton bag with the line, "Let your cell phone sleep. Hear the beauty around you." The idea was to use this short stay to break the bonds of being on the beck and call of your mobile device. The spa itself also politely encouraged you to leave your cellular in your room. At first, I thought this to be overly intrusive. But just as an individual sheds his or her outer layers when journeying to the beach, giving up your mobile has a similarly liberating effect. You are then forced to rekindle your relationship with your natural surroundings, rather than hiding in your own thoughts while concentrating on responding to some remote request. On checkout, I had easily survived 48 hours without my iPhone. Next, I looked at the hundreds of texts, emails, LinkedIn and Facebook notifications that had been accumulating during my absence and awaiting my response. None were urgent or all that relevant. The resort, it seemed, had weaned me off the dangerous habit of being continually hooked to the communications pipeline. It is not hard to see such 'digital detox' nudges or programs becoming relatively popular in the coming years. But to apply this to your own regimens or to your property is not going to be easy. We are in a service business. Our culture demands that we be available for our guests at all times, and mobile communications afford us this capability. So, start small and start internally. Let everyone know that their cell phones are not allowed in weekly planning meetings, even when put on silent or vibrate mode. Next, ensure that you set an example by, say, switching your phone off when dining or meeting with a guest, including contractors and suppliers. Reduce the number of times you look at your device so that you are in control rather than the notifications. When working away at your desktop, switch off SMS and set your computer to check for incoming emails only once every 15 to 30 minutes instead of continually. It is not going to be easy, but you'll appreciate the freedom. Then once you have improved or, dare I say, mastered the art of weaning your team off their cellular addictions, look to what you can do to help your guests in this regard. It doesn't have to be as drastic as making everywhere on property except the guestrooms a mobile-free zone. You can start with specific areas like the spa and perhaps one lounge or restaurant. Gauge the response as for all you know this attitude can garner a new audience you never knew you had. Revenue per available room up 0.3 Percent to CAD146.18 The Canadian hotel industry recorded mixed year-over-year results in the three key performance metrics during the week of 5-11 August 2018, according to data from STR. In comparison with the week of 6-12 August 2017, the industry reported the following: Occupancy: -1.3% to 79.8% Average daily rate (ADR): +1.6% to CAD183.25 Revenue per available room (RevPAR): +0.3% to CAD146.18 Among the provinces and territories, the Northwest Territories reported the largest increases in each of the three key performance metrics: occupancy (+1.0% to 58.5%), ADR (+18.7% to CAD167.84) and RevPAR (+19.9% to CAD98.17). Ontario experienced the only other rise in occupancy (+0.5% to 84.2%) and the second-largest jump in RevPAR (+5.1 to CAD150.98). British Columbia posted the second-highest lift in ADR (+5.0% to CAD238.64) and the third-largest increase in RevPAR (+2.7% to CAD208.94). Newfoundland and Labrador registered the only double-digit drop in occupancy (-18.5% to 66.4%) and the largest decreases in ADR (-9.8% to CAD142.26) and RevPAR (-26.5% to CAD94.47). Manitoba reported the second-largest declines in occupancy (-7.6% to 74.2%) and ADR (-4.6% to CAD121.29) as well as the only other double-digit decrease in RevPAR (-11.8% to CAD90.04). STR provides clients from multiple market sectors with premium, global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 10 countries around the world with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and an international headquarters in London, England. For more information, please visit str.com. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource AccorHotels began with two friends. Paul Dubrule and Gerard Pelisson opened their first Novotel in 1967 in France. More than 50 years later, AccorHotels has over 4,300 properties in 100 countries. Excerpt from USATODAY AccorHotels began with two friends. Paul Dubrule and Gerard Pelisson opened their first Novotel in 1967 in France. More than 50 years later, AccorHotels has over 4,300 properties in 100 countries. Since then, the company has made strategic partnerships with companies such as Qatar Airways, which allows them to offer their customers reciprocal loyalty program benefits. In recent years, it has grown by acquiring other hotel chains, such as its purchase of Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotels in 2016. The company now has brands such as the high-end Sofitel and the boutique and hip 25hours. Heres a look at their numbers as of July: Headquarters: Paris CEO: Sebastien Bazin Locations: 100 countries Number of hotels: More than 4,400 hotels, resorts and residences Number of room: More than 620,000 rooms Frequent guest program name: Le Club AccorHotels Click here to read complete article at USATODAY. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Joali Maldives today revealed its opening plans as well as its full range of amenities, including the Joali Spa by ESPA and an immersive art studio and gallery, available to guests starting October 1. Joali Maldives today revealed its opening plans as well as its full range of amenities, including the Joali Spa by ESPA and an immersive art studio and gallery, available to guests starting October 1. Located on its own private island in the Raa Atoll, Joali Maldives will offer unconventional luxury through the lens of the resorts Joie de Vivre philosophy, which welcomes guests to celebrate the joy in every passing moment. Guests will experience a new kind of sustainable glamour and a dedication to immersive art that has never before been seen in the Maldives, in addition to elegant overwater and beach villas including two-, three- and four-bedroom residences, thoughtful programming and four innovative restaurant concepts with a distinct focus on design. Located in one of the largest and deepest atolls in the world, Joali Maldives is teeming with life, surrounded by tranquil lagoons, pristine white-sand beaches and a lush landscape of coconut palms. Internationally-renowned design studio, Autoban, architecture and design studio, Atolye4n, and Tokyo-based Studio Glitt were tapped to lead the overall design and architectural ingenuity throughout the 24-acre resort from an inviting Maldivian entrance featuring artisan wood to encompassing the feminine spirit of the property through natural, subtle colors and smooth transitions that blend with the islands spirit and culture. The resorts sustainability story begins with its master plan and layout, which preserved over 1,000 trees during the construction process. In pursuing our teams collective passion for nature conservation and Maldivian culture, we are thrilled to announce such a special opening and have the utmost confidence that Joali will set a new bar when it comes to a meaningful and immersive luxury hospitality experience, said Steven Phillips, General Manager at Joali Maldives. We have an accomplished team of dedicated hospitality professionals who are devoted to offering truly bespoke experiences and intuitive service at every turn and delivering our Joie de Vivre promise. Advertisement Luxury Villas The Joali experience begins shortly after arrival at the Male airport where guests are invited to relax in a private lounge before taking a 45-minute seaplane to the resort. Accommodations include 73 private beach and water villas and residences ranging from one- to four-bedrooms, influenced by individual stories and designed to take guests on a sensory journey. Each villa features a private infinity pool, butler service, artisanal amenities, curated in-villa libraries, thoughtful design and handpicked art. Standout accommodations include the Three Bedroom Ocean Residence and Four Bedroom Beach Residence. Within the Three Bedroom Ocean Residence, guests can expect over 4,000 square feet of lavish living space across three bedrooms, three dressing rooms featuring two walk-in closets each and two living rooms. Two striking infinity pools, a spa room and sauna, butler and valet service and an on-call Dhoni, a Maldivian sailboat, are also included for guests staying in this outstanding residence. Four Bedroom Beach Residence boasts over 5,000 square feet across four exquisite bedrooms nestled in a private beach enclave, offering guests sunrise and sunset views. The extravagant accommodations include indoor and outdoor living space, private infinity pool, spa cabana and sauna, curated library and guest quarters. Guests staying in the either residence also have 24-hour access to a personal butler and valet service, buggy and personal driver. As one of the first immersive art resorts in the Maldives, Joali is surrounded by interactive and experiential artistic pieces that incorporate surrounding nature and celebrate young designers, including Misha Khan, Nacho Carbonell, Porky Hefer, London-based Studio Glithero, Zemer Peled, Chris Wolston, Doug Johnston, Ardmore and more. Guests can explore the resorts extensive art collection with an exclusive art map which spotlights areas of interest including those works created in collaboration with local artisans to support the Maldivian community. Whimsical work is also featured at the Art Studio & Gallery, which invites international guest artists to exhibit throughout the year. Eye-catching art and true relaxation is also delivered in the resorts Living Room, where guests can decompress in comfort while reading one of the over 1,000 books available. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource 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. 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. "Greg is a seasoned leader and knows the hospitality sector well, and we are pleased to be able to add him to our executive team," said Rob Palleschi, CEO of G6 Hospitality. "As we continue to move through a period of change for the business, we're confident that Greg will help us advance a number of exciting initiatives, including reinvigorating our owned and managed asset platform." 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. 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 yet another win for Netflix, the streaming service has grabbed another talented writer and producer to create compelling work solely for their online, membership-based viewing pleasures. According to Vulture, the Black-ish creator and Girls Trip writer Kenya Barris has landed a multimillion-dollar deal that begins immediately. The exact figures have not been disclosed, but the agreement reads it is a multi-year overall deal to produce new series exclusively at Netflix, starting today." Ryan Murphy and Shonda Rhimes have also been grabbed by Netflix in the past, adding the list of former linear TV elites heading for the streaming world. Cindy Holland, Netflix's original content chief, issued a statement calling Kenya one of our great modern storytellers. Kenya uses his voice to make audiences more aware of the world around them, while simultaneously making them laugh. "When my agents reached out to me about this little garage start-up called Netflix, I wasnt sure what to think, Kenya said in a statement of his won. But after I talked to Ted and Cindy, I started to believe that maybe this mom-and-pop shop with only 130 million subscribers might just be something so I decided to take a swing a leap of faith if you will, and take a chance with the new kids on the block. It would mean the world to 10-year-old Sofia Sanchez if Drake could visit the Lurie Childrens Hospital and cheer her up for her 11th birthday. The little cutie has been at the Chicago hospital for several weeks waiting for a new heart and she found time to do a little dance for the "In My Feelings Challenge" to let Drake know her love for the rapper is real. "I just had surgery three weeks ago. The surgery was to help my heart pump," Sofia said in her Instagram video below. "I love your music and I was hoping that you could come and cheer me up for my birthday." Drake is performing in Chicago on Friday, August 17th and Saturday, August 18th (Sofia's birthday) and she's hoping Drizzy can find time to pop by before or after his performances. "Sofia was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a condition that often leads to heart failure and need for heart transplantation in order to survive," the post reads. "Three weeks ago, she underwent open heart surgery in order to connect a VAD (ventricular assist device), which is a mechanical pump that helps support the heart and blood flow in people with heart failure. Most often, it serves as a bridge to heart transplantation. Each year Lurie Childrens performs only four VADs." In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Jim Carrey has revealed the reasons behind his temporary departure from the film industry. "I just didn't want to be in the business anymore, he told Lacey Rose. "I didn't like what was happening, the corporations taking over and all that." Carrey's disenchantment with the corporate aspects of the industry also coincided with his budding interest in painting as a creative outlet. It wasn't until Jim was optioned the script for Kidding that he decided to TV was worth a shot. After experiencing a profound level of loss in the form of his girlfriend's passing, then to have her family present him with a wrongful death lawsuit, it all culminated in him resetting his priorities. The acting role of Mr. Pickles in Kidding really spoke to his breadth of experience. His character experiences a tragic downfall after building an multi million-dollar branding empire from scratch. The Showtime series will be directed by Michel Gondry, his director on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. There was a brief enclosure where Jim Carrey could do no wrong, but life was passing him by at a breakneck speed. The days where he commanded $20 million a pop per big screen performance may be long behind, but the demand is still incredibly high. At this point of his career Jim isn't concerned about money, nor does he require it to survive. Check out the rest of the interview here. Menswear label Public School NY is teaming up with Nike again for a special Air Force 1 collection that features premium materials, exposed stitching and an overall deconstructed look, similar to those ever-popular Off-White x Air Jordan 1s. According to Nike, the makeshift Air Force 1s were actually designed last year by PSNY's Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne in honor of the AF1's 35th anniversary. Next month, the limited edition kicks will release in a trio of colorways; white, black and grey. Each of the sneakers are constructed with parts from the Air Force 1 Low, Air Force 1 Mid and Air Force 1 High, using the unaltered pattern parts to reconstruct a Frankenstien version of the iconic sneaker. The PSNY x Air Force 1, retailing for $200 each, will initially release on September 4 at PSNY's pop-up shop located at 3 Howard Street in NYC, followed by a global drop on September 5. It's unclear exactly how many pairs will be available but you can bet they'll be just as limited as previous PSNY collabs with the Jordan Brand. Change of Chief Executive Corporate Update Adelaide, Aug 16, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - With the current activity and focus of Investigator Resources Limited ( ASX:IVR ), a mutual decision has been made for Mr John Anderson to step down from his long-term role of Managing Director and CEO. Mr Anderson has been the face of Investigator for over a decade, from its inception as Southern Uranium, to the discovery and delineation of the Paris Silver Project. Mr Anderson's engagement will terminate on September 28, following a long-planned and overdue European holiday.The Board of Investigator wishes to thank John for his unwavering determination to add value through discovery and is grateful for the application of his knowledge and support during his tenure.An executive search has been commenced to secure a new Managing Director. In the interim Mr Andrew McIlwain who was appointed as a Non-Executive of Investigator in June this year, will be Acting CEO effective immediately. Remuneration for Mr McIlwain during the period he is the Acting CEO will total $200k per annum, inclusive of current director's fees.Mr McIlwain has extensive knowledge and experience in the minerals industry and has led teams that have developed new mines both domestically and internationally. Mr McIlwain has senior level board experience including corporate development, strategic planning, asset acquisitions, corporate finance, project development and stakeholder relations. He has served on the board of various ASX, AIM and TSXV listed companies and currently serves as Non-executive Chairman of Emmerson Resources Limited ( ASX:ERM ).Andrew said: "John has built a great foundation for Investigator with the significant discovery of the Paris deposit. We have an opportunity to sensibly bring value accretive assets into the portfolio and diversify Investigator's risk. I look forward to assisting the Board in delivering value to Investigator shareholders".REVIEW OF CORPORATE STRATEGYThe Board of Directors of Investigator Resources Limited has completed a review of the corporate strategy and management structure of the Company, principally due to the challenges of raising capital to financing high risk exploration from traditional sources in the current market. Generally speaking Investigator has specialised in grass-roots exploration for mainstream Tier 1 metallic commodities. This strategy depends upon a high level of technical expertise and the ability to source funds comfortable with the high implied geological risk. The current IVR property portfolio, entirely within South Australia, reflects this strategy and the attendant high risk. It has been successful to the extent that it resulted in the discovery of the Paris Silver Deposit in 2011 but lacks appeal in the current equity market.The Board believes a change in direction is needed to better position the Company to succeed in a challenging financing environment and announces the following initiatives:- Paris Silver ProjectThe Paris Silver Prospect is the key asset of the Company and provides significant upside to the silver market. A JORC compliant resource of 42 million ounces of silver positions Paris as one of the best undeveloped silver projects in Australia.Work is continuing to investigate opportunities to improve metallurgical recoveries, with focus upon a better understanding of the geological and chemical domains of the mineralisation.Review of this work should be completed next week and the future for the Paris Deposit defined.- Maslins IOCG TargetMaslins is a high profile IOCG target located on the Stuart Shelf. Magneto-Telluric surveys by Geoscience Australia and proprietary data compiled by Investigator has defined a drillable target realistically analogous to Olympic Dam. This potential has attracted interest from several parties and discussions are in progress with the objective of drill testing Maslins in the final quarter of 2018.It is anticipated that Investigator should be in a position to announce the outcome of these discussions in coming weeks.- Regional ExplorationA review of the Company's exploration assets is currently underway and a rationalisation of the property portfolio will ensue over the next two quarters.- Project GenerationThe Company aims to acquire a high-profile advanced exploration project by the end of 2018. No restriction is as to commodity focus or jurisdiction is currently defined. Considering the supportive shareholder base, sufficient available cash and the augmented corporate capacity in the Board and management to advance other opportunities, a number of projects have been offered independently to Investigator over the past three months. These, and other opportunities will continue to be reviewed.About Investigator Resources Ltd Investigator Resources Limited (ASX:IVR) is a metals explorer with a focus on the opportunities for greenfields silver-lead, copper-gold and other metal discoveries in South Australia. The Company's priority is progressing the development pathway for the Paris silver project with the preparation of a pre-feasibility study. The Paris Mineral Resource Estimate is 9.3Mt @ 139g/t silver and 0.6% lead, comprising 42Moz of contained silver and 55kt of contained lead, at a 50g/t silver cut-off. The resource has been categorised with an Indicated Resource estimate of 4.3Mt @ 163g/t silver and 0.6% lead for 23Moz contained silver and 26kt contained lead, and an Inferred Resource: 5.0Mt @ 119g/t silver and 0.6% lead for 19Moz contained silver and 29kt contained lead. The Company has applied an innovative strategy that has developed multiple ideas and targets giving Investigator first-mover status. These include: the Paris silver discovery; recognition of other epithermal fields and the associated potential for porphyry copper-gold of Olympic Dam age; extending the ideas developed at Paris-Nankivel and using breakthrough government Magneto-Telluric surveying to rejuvenate targeting with the Maslins IOCG target as the next priority drill target. Hancock Whitney recently acquired Capital Ones trust and asset management business, establishing itself as a top 50 wealth management provider and giving itself a strong presence across the Gulf South region. A significant portion of the business Hancock Whitney recently acquired is in South and East Texas. The firm has assets under administration of about $26 billion and assets under management of about $10 billion. Hancock Whitneys chief wealth management officer, Miles Milton, recently spoke with the Chronicle about the companys business and cutting-edge technology. Q: Could you give us a quick overview of Hancock Whitneys business? A: Hancock Whitney has been around for around 125 years. We have a substantial operation in Houston. The franchise covers five states along the Gulf Coast, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and we have a lending operation in Tennessee as well. We are a very well-established bank, and were known for our commercial lending. The bank has also been in the trust and asset management business for over 100 years, and thats continually growing. We got together with Capital One when it announced it was divesting its trust and asset management business and beat out a number of other financial institutions to win the business. It made a lot of sense in the way we conduct business, and 80 percent of this business is in Louisiana and Texas. We now rank in the top 50 trust and investment managers in the U.S. The merger put us in the position to be a dominant investment management and trust provider from Houston over to Jacksonville. Q: What is the significance of your acquisition for Houston? A: We have over 20 people in Houston, and our chief investment strategist is located in Houston. The strategist gets deep into the quantitative analytics of what our clients are buying and selling what stocks and bonds to buy and builds portfolios for people. So Houston became the heart of our investment strategy business. Q: Does your company invest in Houston? A: We have a mutual fund that invests primarily in Gulf South businesses. Its called Burkenroad, and the fund itself is the No. 1 small cap mutual fund ranked by The Wall Street Journal based on 15-year performance. We only invest in small-cap companies from Houston to Florida, and Houston is a big contributor due to the energy component. Q: Do you see a lot of new business and building in Houston? A: The short answer is yes. In real estate, there was a significant amount of building several years ago, so theres a lot of inventory that is still on the market and has to be absorbed. Its healthy, but its not a tight market. But people are expanding their businesses and increasing employees. Business is good. I run the wealth management division for the bank, so I see all these things that are happening. The Capital One acquisition gets us into Beaumont for the first time; were going to open a branch there. Capital One had people and assets there, so were going into that market, and we have a robust trust and investment management group there and Beaumont has a lot of old money, a lot of oil and gas and rice fields. As a subsection of that, were picking up pretty strong minerals management and timber management groups. As younger generations inherit this land, theres a need for us to help manage the leases and drilling rights, etc. Q: What does your division do? A: First, we spend time planning with the client. We need to understand what theyre trying to accomplish retirement, kids college, donating to charity. That really dictates the most appropriate investments. We look at time horizons, which affects risk levels. Then we sit down with clients and construct investment portfolios. Thats for individuals, but 50 percent of our business is with institutions and foundations. They invest for the long haul. On the banking side, we offer private banking, lending, mortgages, checking accounts, online banking, insurance planning, estate planning we look at all these things, particularly with high net worth individuals who have more complex needs. Its not just investments; we get into pretty complicated estate planning that requires a lot of expertise. We have a team of estate planners, CPAs and attorneys. We have very small cohesive teams that work together. We are also rolling out technology capabilities that we pioneered. We have a brokerage firm and a trust and asset management firm both do investments using different operating models. But we put an investment platform over the top of them. Most organizations will run a brokerage firm and a trust and asset management firm, and clients will get different experiences depending on which door they walk into. The client may say the same thing about their goals but get different plans depending on which door. Its confusing for clients. We wanted to change that and provide similar experiences regardless of which door. Q: So, you integrated the experience, so the client gets the same results? A: Yes, same experience, same investments. This ties things together. Were also rolling out a client portal next month. It will allow clients to view all their financial relationships together in one place e.g., checking accounts, loans, investments, 401(k)s. Then their financial plan also goes on that portal, and they see how their investments are all tracking every day through the ups and downs of the markets. Thats a pretty unique view. Planning is long term, but lets face it, we look at things daily. People want to know how theyre doing when the market gets volatile. People want peace of mind, to know they are OK through the ups and downs. Q: Does the software flag poorly performing or overly risky investments? A: Thats our job. We look at that constantly. We can tell how were performing and how much risk were taking and the return for that risk. These are mathematical calculations that the industry uses. Our Ph.D. mathematicians build proprietary investment models that review multiple factors and determine when to get in and when to get out. Its very complex, and it works. The tools make it look simple. Q: Why is the acquisition of Capital Ones trust and asset management business a big story? A: I dont think people knew how powerful Hancock was to be able to buy Capital Ones business, or just how big the combined entity is. Were a major investment player. For Houston, we have a full wealth management team with estate planners, CPAs, certified financial planners, bankers. Our organization has the strength and the capability to compete with the best firms out there, but we still have a very close one-on-one approach with our clients. Well sit with you and ask what you are trying to accomplish. We simplify things, invest for the long term, and provide access to all private wealth management services in one place: investing, banking, planning, insurance, commercial lending. Our approach is very holistic, and it makes life simpler for the client. The Greater Houston Partnership has at last declared the end of the oil bust with almost all of the citys major energy companies back in the black, ramping up spending and hiring to reflect higher crude oil prices and stronger profit margins. The energy sectors steady recuperation gave way to full recovery in the second quarter, when 20 of the citys 25 largest oil producers and oilfield services companies posted profits, the partnership reported. By comparison, only five of those companies made money during the same period two years ago, when U.S. crude prices hovered near $40 a barrel and cost the region tens of thousands of jobs. Now, with oil prices well above $60 a barrel for most of the year, bankruptcies and layoffs within the industry have slowed substantially. Companies are boosting exploration budgets and energy services companies are adding jobs. Patrick Jankowski, senior economist with the Greater Houston Partnership, said those factors collectively spell the end of Houston's fifth energy downturn in the past 40 years and should spur faster job growth throughout the local economy. Already, companies are hiring at their fastest rate in almost five years. Second quarter profits: Exxon Mobil: $4 billion Chevron: $3.4 billion ConocoPhillips $1.6 billion Occidental Petroleum: $848 million EOG Resources $697 million Source: Company filings See More Collapse Ive been watching the recovery for the last 12 months, and I didnt see all the signs align, Jankowski said. Now, everything I see tells me that the downturn is over. The question, analysts say, is whether the energy industry can sustain the same rate of growth as production costs increase, bottlenecks in prolific Permian Basin in West Texas limit the transportation of oil and natural gas and trade patterns shift as the U.S. imposes tariffs on imported steel and aluminum and other materials needed to support a surge in domestic production. Ian Nieboer, director at Canadian research firm RS Energy Group, said those factors will test the industrys ability to capitalize on the recent upswing in crude oil prices and preserve the efficiency gains achieved during the oil bust. Domestic producers have learned to pump more oil and gas for less money, achieving record production with far fewer rigs than they had at the height of the 2014 boom. Its a show me the money moment, Nieboer said. The dynamics are in place, and its time to make all that come together. The bust began in 2014 and accelerated in 2015 as crude oil prices sank to their lowest levels in years, bottoming at about $26 a barrel in February 2016. Relief came later that year when OPEC cut its crude oil output, lifting prices worldwide. Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates in Houston, said the recovery began in earnest in late 2017 as U.S. oil prices approached $60 a barrel, well above the break-even point for most companies. It started with oil producers being able to make money again, he said. The Permian Basin in West Texas has driven much of the recovery as producers rush to invest in wells and pipelines to capitalize on seemingly boundless supply of oil and gas. The region now accounts for just under one-third of U.S. oil production, which is approaching 11 million barrels day. Still, energy company stock prices haven't fully recovered amid investor concerns about climate change and long-term oil demand. The Greater Houston Partnership noted that a third of Houston's top 25 energy companies are trading at prices between 80 and 95 percent of their peak prior to the bust, while the rest are trading at prices well below those levels. Major oil companies in the second quarter reported earnings that showed improvement, but at times disappointed Wall Street with lower-than-expected earnings and higher-than-expected spending forecasts. But companies, including Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Anadarko Petroleum, have recently expanded share buyback programs and increased shareholder payouts to reflect stronger cash flows and boost stock prices. Oil prices have fallen in recent weeks on news of higher global supplies and concerns about a global economic slowdown. The Energy Department on Wednesday reported a jump in domestic crude inventories, pushing the U.S. benchmark down 3 percent at $65.01, the lowest price since June, in New York trading. Paul Tossetti, oil analyst with research firm IHS Markit, said his firm has lowered its oil price outlook for September and October on expectations of higher global stockpiles. But he expects prices to rise considerably come November, when the U.S. reimposes sanctions on Iranian oil exports, curtailing output there. The global economic outlook is still fairly strong, he said. It looks like we are going to continue on the current path, which is one of recovery. Jordan Blum contributed. katherine.blunt@chron.com twitter.com/katherineblunt Houston First is expected to vote today on deal that could bring a W hotel to downtown Houston. The hotel would be built atop the Partnership Tower, Houston First's new 10-story office building next to the George R. Brown Convention Center. At its board meeting Thursday afternoon, Houston First will consider a preliminary agreement with developer Texas Hospitality Partners to build the hotel. The city's convention arm solicited proposals in 2014 from developers who could build the hotel, which was in the original plan for Partnership Tower. The structure at 701 Avenida de las Americas was designed to support the hotel. Now Playing: A view of the Presidential Suite at the Post Oak Hotel, 1600 West Loop South, Tuesday, June 5, 2018, in Houston. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle ) RELATED: The Marlowe marks Randall Davis' return to downtown development Texas Hospitality Partners and W hotel parent Marriott made their pitch earlier this year. The developer would build, finance and operate the hotel. It would lease air rights from Houston First. Steven Yari of Stockdale Capital Partners is also part of the development team. If the board approves the deal, it will then head to Houston City Council for a final vote. The $120 million hotel would be privately financed and create a minimum of 275 permanent jobs worth more than $14 million annually and more than 745 construction jobs, said Al Kashani of Texas Hospitality Partners. RELATED: Design concepts for East River take shape There deal would include a tax abatement component. Houston First is the city's convention arm. It manages more than 10 city-owned buildings, including the Hilton Americas-Houston hotel, the convention center, Jones Hall for the Performing Arts and Wortham Theater Center. Something so rare was spotted in Utah recently the only appropriate response was -- oh, deer. Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources posted a series of photos on Facebook Aug. 1 showing a buck sporting a double set of antlers. Typically, a cyclical drop in testosterone level in winter triggers the shedding of antlers bucks; when that cycle fails, this is the result, the Division of Wildlife Resources wrote in its post. It's hard enough opening one restaurant, let alone a highly-anticipated venue from a culinary mover and shaker. But that's what chef Ford Fry, the former Houstonian and current Atlanta-based restaurant powerhouse, is doing in Houston. Fry, owner of State of Grace on Westheimer, just debuted of two side-by-side restaurant concepts Superica and La Lucha at the former Bernadine's and Hunky Dory spaces at 1801 N. Shepherd. At nearly 9,000 square feet, the two adjacent spaces offer distinct dining adventures in a growing, pedestrian-friendly corner of the Heights. Of the two concepts, Superica is already a known quantity Fry opened his first take of an Austin-style Tex-Mex restaurant in Atlanta in 2015 (followed by a second in Atlanta and another in Charlotte, NC). Houston's Superica kitchen is under the direction of chef Kevin Maxey, an East Texas native who also serves as Fry's company's vice president. Glenn Johnson, former general manager at Hunky Dory and Bernadine's, will resume the same position at Superica. Superica's menu follows what Fry and Maxey call the "Tex-Mex Playbook." Expect to see Tex-Mex calssics such as tacos, tamales and enchiladas as well as grilled fajitas and more traditional Mexican dishes such as menudo, ceviche and pozole. The bar offers frozen and shaken margaritas as well as Mexican lager and American craft beer and a wine list favoring California, Spain and South American wines. Superica will be open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and offer a "siesta hour" Monday thorugh Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. with a limited menu of queso, guacamole, flautas, crispy tacos and tamales. La Lucha is described as Fry's homage to the former San Jacinto Inn that he visited as a child for fried chicken and Gulf seafood dinners. In addition to the made-to-order fried chicken, the menu will feature a fried oyster loaf, shrimp tacos "dorados," peel-and-eat shrimp, an old-school burger and banana pudding soft serve ice cream. The bar will feature signature cocktails, craft beer, and wine. Both Bobby Matos and Matt Crawford, who opened State of Grace, Fry's first Houston restaurant in Oct. 2015, are on hand as La Lucha's executive chef and general manager/sommelier, respectively. La Lucha will be open Monday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., Friday from 5 to 11 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon until (closing hours not provided). Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Follow him on the podcast BBQ State of Mind to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture. Sami Failing was looking for a romantic spot to serve as the backdrop for her engagement photos when she struck gold: A love lock fence. Just above Allen Parkway, on a pedestrian bridge with unobstructed views of downtowns skyline, a growing number of padlocks loop around the chain links, being sealed for all eternity in a symbol of everlasting love. Failing and her then-fiance, now-husband John, were blown away when they found this hidden bit of romance. We were walking to the Sabine Street Bridge, and we wanted to see what the skyline looked like from the chain link fence, so we climbed up, she remembers. And when we saw it, we were like, Oh my goodness. Wed heard about the one in Paris. Ah yes, the one in Paris. Millions of people have heard about the Pont des Arts bridge over the Seine, which grew so heavy under the weight of 700,000 locks that its panels had to be removed in 2015. But most Americans are unaware that this is not where the trend began. For that, we head to Serbia. Local legend holds that when two lovers were separated during World War I, the left-behind lover attached a lock to a bridge in the small town of Vrnjacka Banja. The tale was immortalized decades later in a famous poem by Desanka Maksimovic. But while it became the stuff of local legends, it wasnt until much later that love locks took the world by storm. In 2006, Italian writer Federico Moccia penned the novel Ho Voglia di Te (I Want You), which is regarded as an Italian Twilight, meant to stir the romantic senses of teens. In the book, a young couple loops a padlock around the cables of Romes Milvian Bridge to signify unbreakable love. And as with Twilight, which came out in America at roughly the same time, teens couldnt stop at simply reading. Soon, fixing locks on the Roman bridge was as common a sighting as tourists tossing coins in Trevi Fountain. By 2008, the trend had popped up in Paris. And Florence. And Moscow. Then Kansas City. And Pittsburgh. And San Antonio. And, apparently, Houston. Wed seen one in San Antonio, and wed even mentioned to each other, Wow. Houston needs to do something like that, Failing says. When they discovered the pedestrian bridge, just west of Sabine, the Failings were beyond thrilled to learn the city had quietly beat them to the punch. They called their wedding photographer and made plans to begin their engagement shoot there. It was the first scene we shot, says Failing. While the superstition compels young lovers to toss their padlock key over the edge of a bridge, into the water, this move poses some issues here in Houston, where the go-to love-lock bridge runs over bustling Allen Parkway. The Failings kept their key. Theyd originally planned to have their padlock engraved, but in a time crunch, they inked their initials and the date of their wedding on the metal lock with a Sharpie. We actually still have the key to go get it, so we can have it engraved, says Failing. Were going to put a twist tie in its place while its gone, so we know where to put it back. They shouldnt have any problem with this. While municipalities across the globe have cracked down on love locks Florence outlawed the practice, and Paris covered Ponts Des Arts with plexiglass to deter would-be lockers Houston officials think its kind of sweet. Its certainly not an issue from a maintenance standpoint, says Mike Isermann, deputy director of facility management and development for the citys parks department. In Paris, bridge panels were crumbling under the weight of what amounted to 20 elephants stressing the structure. But here in Houston, thats just not happening. The structural integrity of the bridges we have are pretty stout, and it would take a considerable amount of locks to be a problem and were not anywhere close, he says. While locking has been around in Houston for several years, according to the dates scrawled on some of the locks, it has yet to hit critical mass. On the pedestrian bridge over Allen Parkway, there are only a few hundred locks; on other bridges, such as the Rosemont Pedestrian Bridge in Buffalo Bayou Park, the smattering is even sparser. Other mini-constellations of locks have popped up across the city, too. Pittsburgh shares a similar story. A bridge that spans the divide between the citys major universities is bursting with locks. So, after about a decade, officials there decided to make that the citys official love-lock location. Weve allowed that one bridge to accumulate love locks, says Mike Gable, director of public works for Pittsburgh. But last year, they started to show up on another bridge. And basically because there were so few locks on that bridge, Ive instructed the staff to take them off. Its an endearing tradition, Gable says. But he doesnt want to see every gorgeous view in the city obstructed by $3 padlocks. Its colorful, but it starts to look a little trashy, he says. Here in Houston, trashy isnt the word used to describe the pedestrian bridge, where a hole in the chain links opens up for an intimate peek at some of the citys prettiest high-rises. Its romantic a reason for couples like the Failings to drive from their home in Rosenberg and stage some of the most memorable photos of their lives. I think this is another unique way that people express themselves at a park. And it beats graffiti, says Isermann. Well keep an eye on it and monitor it. But honestly, you dont want to take away something thats special to people like that. maggie.gordon@chron.com Police are asking hotel guests in Houston to be cautious of a phone scam targeting their credit cards. The scam involves a person calling a hotel's front desk and asking to be transferred to a random room number, according to Houston police officer Mike Francois. FRIENDSWOOD POLICE: Watch out for the 'grandparent scam' The scammer pretends to be hotel staff when the guest answers the phone. The scammer will usually say there was a problem with the guest's credit card and ask the guest to re-read the card number. While many hotels have policies designed to protect guests from unsolicited phone calls, police say any hotel guests who receive such a call should first confirm it's from the hotel. "HPD is aware of these types of scams, and we recommend that guests try to rectify the situation with the front desk," said spokesman Victor Senties. It's unclear how prevalent the scam is in Houston. Senties said financial crimes investigators were aware of the scam, but couldn't pinpoint specific cases. Now Playing: Days of strong storms have left homeowners with a lot of cleanup and repairs, and the spike in home repairs is bringing out scammers as well. Fox 10's Nicole Garcia reports. Video: Fox10Phoenix Workers at several hotels in Houston say that if a caller wants to be transferred to a specific room, the caller first needs to provide a first and last name. Also, many hotels typically ask for credit card payments in person. Despite those policies, scammers can still find a way to get through to a guest, according to one hotel manager at The St. Regis Hotel in the River Oaks area. The manager, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak on the matter, said a scammer contacted one of their elderly guests several months ago pretending to be hotel staff. Luckily, the guest was vigilant and checked with the front desk before giving his information. RELATED: Common tactics used in Houston scams The manager said the caller was transferred to the room despite the hotel's requirement for a first and last name. "I'm not sure how he got through," the manager said. "It's possible he was able to get the name of the guest. Sometimes, they scan your hotel. They hang out in the bar or wherever, trying to get a room number." 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 Its been nearly a year since Hurricane Harvey paid its regards to southeast Texas, and Harris County voters have a chance to commemorate the occasion by approving a $2.5 billion flood bond proposal. The special election will be held on Aug. 25, the anniversary of Harvey making landfall. Early voting is already underwayand turnout, thus far, has been low. As of Tuesday, just 50,000 votes had been cast. Thats not shocking. Its a special election, in August, and Proposition A is the only item on the ballot. The measure is expected to pass, with or without your vote. A survey from the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston, earlier this month, found that 55 percent of respondents approve of the proposal. Just 35 percent were undecidedand I dont see any reason to think Harris County voters will sour on the concept of flood prevention and mitigation this month, in light of what happened last year. Before Harvey coalesced over the Caribbean, Texans knew a few things about severe weather. Its always been true that the Gulf Coast occasionally gets walloped by hurricanes. And most Texans know that meteorologists expect such storms to become more frequent and severe in the future, as the risks presented by geography are exacerbated by climate change. Because Houston is a low-lying city, criss-crossed with swaths of cement, sprawling over a number of floodplains, we also know that Harris County is prone to flooding in heavy rain events. Last summer, after Harvey turned toward southeast Texas, I felt a strange mixture of anxiety and relief. The region, which includes Americas fourth-largest city, had about 48 hours to prepare for a terrifying storm. The millions of people in its direct path couldnt count on any outside help. The nation, as a whole, was distracted by Donald Trump, who had provoked a debate over whether neo-Nazis might be very fine people. And state leaders were, for the most part, nowhere to be found. On the other hand, it was reassuring as Harvey barreled toward the coast, to know that the major American city under threat was, as it happens, the city most comfortable in MacGyver mode. Houston is oddly well-equipped to deal with a crisis improvisationally, and on its own. Its done so before, for example, after Hurricane Ike when the rest of the country was focused on the financial crisis and Sarah Palin possibly being the nations next vice president. Most Americans, as a result, probably dont realize how destructive Harvey was. It was one of the costliest storms in U.S. history, but far from the deadliest. The damage was diffused over a vast area of Texas. And state leaders havent tapped into the states more than $11 billion rainy day fund to help with the recovery effort. That has, perhaps, given national observers the impression that Houston doesnt need the help. But the fact is that Harvey was an incredibly destructive storm. The region, including Harris County, is still at the beginning of a recovery process which will take years, if not decades, and which could easily be jeopardized by subsequent storms. And the reason that state leaders havent tapped the rainy day fund is that they literally cant. The Legislature wasnt in session when Harvey made landfall. Its next regular session begins in January 2019. Gov. Greg Abbott could, in the meantime, call a special session dedicated to Harvey relief. However, its been a year since Harvey and Abbott evidently doesnt want a special session. Thats why local leaders have called for Harris County to issue $2.5 billion in flood bonds. Even if approved, the funds wouldnt be sufficient to pay for all the flood prevention and mitigation projects local leaders have called for to ensure that Houston has a viable future. The money would pay for some projects and enable Harris County to access federal funds for others. So Proposition A isnt a Band-Aid, its a start. Although the state obviously has a role to play in the regions recovery, theres no guarantee that leaders like Abbott will act accordingly, if re-elected. But I think they are more likely to treat flood mitigation and prevention as a priority if Proposition A passes. The arguments in favor of its passage are straightforwardso straightforward, in fact, that I wasnt sure whether I should even write a column about it. The flood bonds are about the future of this city, said a colleague, when I asked if he thought it would be a good topic. If we dont do it, Harris County will get shellacked, again, and well deserve it. This is the minimum we can do, he continued, in a state of slight agitation. He corrected himself: This isnt even the minimum. But it is something we can do. Thats correct, of course. And if theres something you can do, in response to a disaster like Harvey, you shouldwhether youre a statewide elected official or a Houstonian with a kayak whose neighbors need help. The Aug. 25 special election offers Harris County voters an opportunity to remind Abbott of that. And Id encourage everyone to take it, whether via early voting which ends Tuesday, Aug. 21 or on the anniversary of Harvey making landfall and of Texans rising to the occasion. Maiden Gold Resource for Emu and Southwark, Increases Bottle Creek Gold Project to 206,800oz Maiden Gold Resource Increased at Bottle Creek Canberra, Aug 16, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Alt Resources Ltd ( ASX:ARS ) (Alt or 'the Company') is pleased to advise a maiden JORC compliant Mineral Resource estimate for the Emu and Southwark deposits, at Alt's Bottle Creek Gold Project of 1.65Mt @ 2.1 g/t Au, for 109,500 oz gold (see Table 1 in link below), including 1.55Mt @ 13.0 g/t Ag for 0.65 Moz silver. This constitutes the first modern resource for the Bottle Creek Project, and the first resource estimate undertaken by Alt Resources within its larger Mt Ida Gold Project. The Mt Ida Gold Project is rapidly evolving into a promising gold hub, with multiple exploration and mining targets throughout the vicinity. In combination with existing Mineral Resources within the Mt Ida Gold Project, at the Quinns and Mt Ida South projects, Alt's combined Mineral Resource Inventory now stands at 2.8 Mt @ 2.25 g/t Au, for 206,800 oz Au(see Note below). See Appendix 1 (see link below) for a summary of the existing Mt Ida Project resources.HIGHLIGHTS:- Maiden JORC Resource estimate for Emu and Southwark deposits at Bottle Creek; 109,500 oz Au and 650,000 oz Ag- Greater Mt Ida Project combined resource inventory now stands at 2.8Mt @ 2.25 g/t Au for 206,800 oz Au and 650,000 oz Ag- 70,000 oz Au in Indicated category- Maiden Resource produced within 6 months of project acquisition, at a discovery cost of $9.80 per ounce- Emu and Southwark Resource delivers approximately 12,000 oz Au per 100m of ground covered, with only 900m of strike length covered- Resource includes 11,690 m of new RC drilling across the un-mined Emu and Southwark deposits- High degree of confidence achieved in 11,890m historical drilling- Second stage of RC Drilling extends strike length to 1.6 km- Results from second stage drilling will be incorporated in an updated resource estimate- Drilling to commence beneath the VB and Boags pits, testing mineralisation potential at depth- Laterite drilling program to commence in coming weeks- Mine planning, pit optimisation underway, and metallurgical study commissioned, ahead of Pre-Feasibility Study- RC and Diamond drilling will continue through the remainder of 2018 and 2019 to test extensionsThe Emu and Southwark Mineral Resources are based in an area measuring 9.96 ha, with a strike length of 1.4 km (see Figure 1 in link below). There is significant growth potential outside of these zones based on known gold mineralised extensions to the north, south and at depth. Further potential exists between the Emu and Southwark deposits, which are 500m apart along strike. The Maiden Emu and Southwark Mineral Resource delivers approximately 12,000 oz Au per 100m of ground along the defined mineralised trend. Of this trend, only 900m of strike length has been covered thus far, therefore significant exploration potential remains.The resource includes 11,692 m of Alt's new drilling as well as 11,887 m of historical drilling. 65 % of the resource estimate is in the higher confidence Indicated category (70,000 oz Au), with the remainder classified as Inferred. The cut-off grade for the Mineral Resource calculation was 0.5 g/t Au.Alt CEO, James Anderson, commented, "The Company focus now is to deliver JORC compliant resource ounces as quickly and as cost effectively as possible. Everything we undertake moving forward is to progress the Mt Ida project to a mass that will support a processing plant for a minimum of 5-6 years. This Maiden Resource at Emu and Southwark is an excellent result in the first instance and we have demonstrated the quality of the Bottle Creek Project.The most significant takeaway from this Maiden Resource is how many ounces we have delivered per 100 metres of ground covered and the cost per resource ounce. It is important to keep in mind that Bottle Creek mineralisation stretches over 7-8 kilometres of undeveloped strike. The mineralisation along this strike length is largely from surface and the success of the historical operation suggests the project is amenable to open pit mining of oxide ore. Everyone has done a great job delivering this Maiden Resource and for our investors it is only the start; there will be a lot more to look forward to as we progress this project."Mineral Resource EstimateProject Location and GeologyThe Bottle Creek Gold Project lies 100 km north east of Menzies in the Mt Ida gold belt (see Figure 2 in link below). The gold mine is located on the northern extremity of the Mt Ida-Ularring greenstone belt extending from Davyhurst to Mt Alexander (see Figure 2 in link below). The Ularring greenstone belt forms the western part of the Norseman-Wiluna Province of the Yilgarn Craton. The location of mineralisation and local geology, is shown in Figure 3(see link below). Locally, gold and silver mineralisation is hosted in carbonaceous, sulphidic shales, within a larger package of interbedded basaltic volcanics, sediments and ultramafic rocks. The area is tightly folded and metamorphosed, with intrusion of younger dolerite dykes (Robertson, 2003). Mineralisation at Bottle Creek occurs over a strike length of 11km, running north-west-south east and is interpreted to be nearly vertical, to steeply west-dipping.Bottle Creek Drilling and Assay SummaryAlt commenced RC drilling at Bottle Creek in March 2018, completing a first phase program of 11,692 m (140 drillholes) in May 2018. This drilling forms the basis of the JORC Mineral Resource. Full details of this drilling, including comprehensive reporting of assay results and intersections for all Alt drillholes used in the Resource have been previously reported. A listing of relevant ASX announcements is provided in Appendix 2(see link below).Alt's drilling at Bottle Creek extends for approximately 1.4 km north-north-west/south-south-east. The main mineralised zones at Southwark and Emu are drilled on 25 m spaced sections, with Alt's new drilling infilling the historical drill fence spacing to between 10 and 25 m. Drillholes on the sections are 1 to 20 m apart. This density of drilling provides an excellent opportunity for constraint on geological and mineralisation interpretations.2018 Bottle Creek Maiden Resource EstimationAlt Resources employed the services of Jorvik Resources to undertake the Maiden JORC Mineral Resource Estimation for the Bottle Creek Gold Project. The Mineral Resource incorporates all drilling data undertaken by Alt Resources up to the 2nd May, 2018, as well as historical drilling conducted by Electrolytic Zinc Company and Norgold Ltd between 1985 and 1989. The combined drillhole dataset includes 23,532m metres drilled over 342 RC and 15 DD holes. Table 1 (see link below) gives the summary Mineral Resource Estimate for the Bottle Creek.This Mineral Resource Estimate is the Maiden Resource for Alt Resources. Bottle Creek is a brownfields project that has not been worked since 1989. The resource is reported in accordance with the guidelines of the 2012 Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (JORC, 2012).Classification of the resource estimate, as described below, is based principally on data density, geological confidence criteria and representativeness of sampling. The in situ mineral resource is constrained by the mineralisation domain boundaries.Assumptions and MethodologyThis Mineral Resource estimate is based on a number of factors and assumptions:- All of the available drilling data was used to define and model the mineralised domains for Au.- Only Diamond, RC and Air Core drilling data was used for the Mineral Resource estimation. Historical RAB holes were not used in the Mineral Resource estimation due to sample quality.- The recent Alt drilling has had all collar positions surveyed. A detailed topographic surface was available for the EMU deposit. Historical drill hole collars were registered to this surface. At Southwark a topographic surface was generated from the surveyed drillholes and used to register the historical drill collars. The survey control for collar positions was considered adequate for the purposes of this study.- The mineralised domains were interpreted from the drilling data by Alt in Micromine software. This string interpretation was modelled in 3D by Jorvik using Vulcan software. Mineralised domains and weathering surfaces were modelled and used to flag the density and grade sample data for statistical analysis and estimation.- A review of the quality assurance and quality control (QAQC) data was completed. The QAQC program included company standards, duplicate samples and blanks. Overall, data quality was deemed satisfactory for the current Mineral Resource classification.- Statistical and geostatistical analysis was carried out on drilling data composited to one metre downhole. This included variography to model spatial continuity in the geological domains.- A block model was constructed using 10 m x 10 m x 10 m parent cells covering the extent of Emu and Southwark (see Figure 6 in link below).- The Ordinary Kriging interpolation method was used for the estimation of Au using variogram parameters defined from the geostatistical analysis. Top cutting was used in selected domains to reduce the influence of outlier composite samples.- A subset of the Au data also has Ag assays. There is a poor correlation between Au and Ag. Ag was estimated into the model using Ordinary Kriging and the same parameters as those used for Au. No top cutting of Ag values was applied.- Dry Bulk Density ("density") was assigned by material type. Density values were derived from measured values included in the drilling database.The mineralised envelope was wireframed using both geological logging information and assay data for Au (g/t). The Mineral Resource has been divided up into discrete deposits at Southwark and Emu. Figure 6 (see link below) shows the calculated block model for Southwark and Emu. The block model is coloured by grade as shown in the legend. This image demonstrates the high-grade core present within the main lodes at both Emu and Southwark (pink-red colours), with peripheral structures or mineralised stringers forming the bulk of lower grade material (yellow-green-blue).Mineral Resource StatementThe resource estimates are classified in accordance with the Australasian Code for Reporting of Identified Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (JORC, 2012).The Emu and Southwark Mineral Resource estimate was completed by Stephen Godfrey, Senior Resource Geologist with Jorvik Resources, who is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Mr Godfrey has sufficient and relevant experience in modelling and resource estimation be considered a "Competent Person" as defined by the JORC Code (2012).The classification was considered appropriate on the basis of drill hole spacing, sample interval, geological interpretation and representativeness of all available assay data. The primary lodes of the Emu resource are classified as Indicated. The minor Emu lodes are classified as Inferred due to insufficient sampling and/or geological continuity. The Southwark deposit is classified as Inferred. Drilling and sampling data are adequate but increased geological complexity reduces the confidence in the interpretation. The areas of laterite overlaying both deposits have been classified as Indicated.The resource is based on an Ordinary Kriging interpolated block model. The Resource is subdivided by deposit, mineralised domains and material type. Table 2 (see link below) reports the gold Mineral Resource at a 0.5 g/t Au lower cut off. Table 3 (see link below) reports the silver Mineral Resource contained within the gold Resource in Table 2 (see link below).Progressing Towards DevelopmentAlt Resources is committed to advancing the Bottle Creek Gold Project towards development. A number of technical studies are currently underway to facilitate this goal, including mine planning and pit optimisation, as well as metallurgy.Consistent with the Corporate Strategy to fast track the Bottle Creek Project, Alt has commenced Metallurgical and Flowsheet Development to establish an operation capable of processing an initial ~500ktpa ore with potential to expand in the future. The Company has engaged METS Engineering to review all historical documentation from the Bottle Creek gold plant and cost the Metallurgical Testwork and Flowsheet development.Alt has also engaged Minecomp Kalgoorlie to commence the Mine Plan and Pit Optimisations for the pre-stripped Emu deposit and the Southwark deposit. On completion, the Mine Plan will be submitted to the Department to commence the approval process.Alt has focused on realising the Company's vision of expanding existing Mt Ida JORC Resources and making new discoveries in the Mt Ida Gold Belt. We are moving towards our goal of establishing a central gold production hub at the Bottle Creek mine site.Note: See Quinns and Mt Ida South Mineral Resource Inventory in ARS ASX Announcement, 16th January, 2018: http://www.abnnewswire.net/press/en/91683 To view tables and figures, please visit:About Aurenne Alt Resources Pty Ltd Aurenne Alt Resources Pty Ltd is an Australian based mineral exploration company that aims to become a gold producer by exploiting historical and new gold prospects across quality assets and to build value for shareholders. See inside Magic Island as construction crews work to renovate it for a planned fall revival... Magic Island, once an '80s and early '90s Houston nightlife attraction, is getting new life after a decade of inactivity. The site at 2215 Southwest Freeway, the large, white building with the pharaoh head on top, has been buzzing with construction crews working to transform the dining and performance venue. MAY 2018: Magic Island, one of Houston's most peculiar buildings, prepares for a revival Now Playing: It's been a busy summer for the owners of Magic Island since Chron.com visited in early May. Once a '80s and early '90s Houston nightlife icon, it fell into disrepair over the past decade of inactivity. Now the site at 2215 Southwest Freeway, the one with the pharaoh head gazing at the city up top, has been buzzing with construction crews efforting to bring the dining and performance venue back to life. Video: Craig Hlavaty, Houston Chronicle Manny Fahid and his assistant, Sue Smith, are working for the building's owner Mohammad Athari to get the venue open by Nov. 15. Chron.com toured the building Thursday to check on the progress. First opened in 1983, Magic Island was a destination dining experience featuring magic shows, music, dining and drinking. Acts like Don Rickles, Tiny Tim, and Frank Sinatra Jr. played its stage. It wouldn't be a stretch to call it a piece of Vegas on Greenbriar. OLDEN DAYS: Paul Driscoll, one of the magicians at Houston's old Magic Island, reminisces about the club According to Fahid on Thursday they've installed all new wiring and plumbing in the building that had been a haunt for transients since it closed after Hurricane Ike in 2008. A decade of damage, including fire and vandalism, wasn't easy to undo. Every lick of electrical wire was taken by scavengers. It's also been a favorite site for urban explorers looking for thrills and chills in old, abandoned buildings. "We had to rip down all the sheet rock and basically reduce the building to a shell," Fahid told Chron.com, pointing to walls reduced to the studs on the first floor. "We were able to save some of the antique furniture though." The decorations from Magic Island that weren't pilfered over the years are in safekeeping offsite, ready to go back inside. LOOKING BACK: See what some of Houston's favorite buildings, landmarks looked like while under construction Currently three Egyptian statues are sitting in the parking lot waiting for a date a with a painter who will hopefully return them to their '80s luster. Stacks of sheet rock are on the second floor ready to be installed. The elaborate Egyptian-style molding has been restored where it was salvageable. Around-the-clock armed guards watch over the construction site. Fahid was an employee at the venue back in 1983 when it first opened and he's also emotionally invested in seeing Magic Island not just get back to what it once was, but even better. HIGH ON HOUSTON: Get a bird's eye view of the city from high atop downtown Houston's Heritage Plaza "We had painters come in already and restore some of the murals upstairs," Fahid said, pointing to a large "Ask Alexander" mural near where a new bar should reside in a few months. A large patio on the building's western end is currently being dug out, which Fahid said should be able to seat up to 200 people. As for pharaoh head on the roof, which presides over Houston traffic, it's in the process of getting a facelift of its own. "We're excited to bring the magic back to Houston," Fahid said. 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 Tarrant County 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. Vice President Mike Pence will visit Houston's Johnson Space Center -- home of NASA's astronaut corps -- next week. Pence announced his impending visit in a Tweet on Thursday, saying only that he was coming to "talk about the future of human space exploration." "Under [President Donald] Trump's administration, America is leading in space once again!" he said. Now Playing: V.P. Mike Pence tours NASA facility in Huntsville Video: WVTM Pence will visit on Thursday, Aug. 23, according to NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. Johnson officials said they are ironing out the details with the White House. NEW FRONTIER: Department of Defense delivers Space Force plans to Congress QUICK TAKE: Ted Cruz thinks Trump's Space Force is 'a great idea' Johnson is home to the nation's astronaut corps, where human space flight research and training take place. The Houston center had a budget of $4.5 billion in fiscal year 2017 and employs about 10,000 civil service and contractor employees. It is also home to the international space station mission operations and the Orion program. Pence is head of the National Space Council, which was revived by President Donald Trump last year after being dissolved for more than two decades. It's just one way Trump has pushed for bolstered human exploration during his time in the oval office. LAST YEAR: VP Mike Pence will visit NASA, but Twitter is having none of it Trump's $19.9 billion NASA budget proposal for the coming fiscal year funnels billions of dollars to human exploration. It tasks the space agency with sending Americans around the moon in 2023, while also setting aside $504.2 million in the coming year to begin working on the foundation of a $2.7 billion Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway basically, a mini-space station orbiting the moon where astronauts could live and work. In April, NASA abruptly ended a $250 million rover mission meant to find water on the moon. Earlier this month, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine was in Houston to announce first nine astronauts to fly on commercial vehicles being built by Boeing and SpaceX. Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey. The president would have you believe that we the reporters, editors, opinion writers, photographers, designers of the newspaper you are reading now are your enemy. He is only right if your friend is unchecked government power. If your allies are corruption and misuse of taxpayer dollars. Biased grand juries and wrongful convictions. A state policy illegally denying special education services to thousands of Texas children. Short-sighted policies that worsened Harveys epic destruction. Unpoliced stockpiles of deadly chemicals across Houston that leave residents and first responders vulnerable. These are the true enemies of everyday Americans. They are among the problems that journalists at the Houston Chronicle have worked to expose, to critique, to change. RELATED: Newspaper calls for war of words against Trump media attacks President Trumps hostile rhetoric declaring journalists very dishonest people, and branding stories critical of his policies fake news is concerning in a democratic republic that cant survive without a free, vibrant and, yes, trusted, press. Is Trump the first president to excoriate the news media? No. Thomas Jefferson famously wrote were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. When the papers which fell far short of todays standards of fairness began to attack Jefferson as president, he returned the insults. But he never stopped defending newspapers right to publish such offending words. EDITORIAL: Trump vs. Jefferson: The best monument to our Founding Fathers is a robust First Amendment and free press President Nixon had a list of press enemies audited, his Justice Department unsuccessfully sued The New York Times over the Pentagon Papers and he called reporting during Watergate vicious, distorted. President Obama said the right things supporting the news medias role, but his administration was known to be opaque and his Justice Department prosecuted leakers and seized journalists phone records. The American Society of News Editors had to fight for access for photojournalists to cover Obama. What makes Trumps undermining of the press worse is that its not taking place in bureaucracys back rooms. Trumps insults directed at reporters and news organizations, and his threats to limit press access and freedoms, are front and center at press conferences, at rallies, on Twitter. And theyre incessant. Not only do they pose a danger to journalists safety history tells us mere bias can progress to harsh words, to bullying and even to violence if society comes to accept the escalating forms of ridicule as normal but theres a more insidious threat. Trumps broad brush undermines the collective credibility of thousands of American journalists across the country, and the world, who make up the Fourth Estate so called for its watchdog role over the other three branches of government. The only business in America specifically protected by the Constitution, as President Kennedy once said of the press. EDITORIAL: On Trump, where is your red line? GOP candidates owe voters an answer. The relationship between the press and power was never designed to be comfortable. No leader wants to have her actions questioned, his words scrutinized, her spending subject to open records laws. How easy it would be for our elected officials to govern without that pesky impediment called the free press. But how easy it would be for an unhindered government to become a regime, for people deprived of information to become subjects, for individual freedoms to evaporate. That impediment a free press is the most powerful tool Americans have to protect other constitutional rights. Without the press, how would you know if Congress one day decided to curtail your right to own a gun, or to vote? There would be no one to text you a breaking news alert. The Founders understood that the First Amendment, protecting speech, the press and religious expression, is the bedrock of any free society. We set the standard for the world. OPINION: Trump attacks the institutions that must contain his power If Trump continues to attack the messenger, the public will lose trust in truthful messages. Fact will become subjective. Americans may come to believe that the best version of the truth is a press release on official letterhead written by someone on the government payroll. While the news media, like any other institution, is made up of humans who harbor bias and make mistakes, its also made up of professional skeptics who abhor group-think and prescribed agendas. That insolent gaggle of questioners and sleuthing malcontents that Trump likes to lump into one foe actually work for hundreds of different news organizations. They compete. They scoop each other. They check each other. Somewhere in that messy process of competitive newsgathering, a consensus arises a truth derived from reporting, interviews and observation not from a corporate statement or government mouthpiece. Much of journalism is hard, thankless work. For many, it is a calling to wake up every morning, seek the truth, tell the stories of regular folks. Chronicle journalists have a track record of rooting out corruption, waste and injustice. Readers, trusting in our work, have demanded change. We strive to keep that trust. In the end, were fighting for you. The next time the president starts in on the press, remember: Journalists who report facts that powerful people dont want you to know are not the enemy; theyre the strongest ally democracy has. Boardroom Media Interview Brisbane, Aug 16, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Argentine-focused lithium exploration and project development company Lake Resources NL ( ASX:LKE ) advises that Managing Director, Mr Steve Promnitz, has spoken with Boardroom Media today to discuss the Company's exploration and development plans for its 100%-owned Cauchari Lithium Brine Project in Jujuy Province, Argentina.The interview can be found at: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. In a demanding and competitive business environment, our employees are our biggest asset, UTACs CEO Dr John Nelson told HRD. We have invested significantly in skills development and have robust training programmes and learning activities in place to bring out the best in our employees and enable them to continuously provide great value to our customers. UTAC manages all employees learning activities via an in-house developed, web-based application called the UTAC Learning System (ULS). ULS is designed with an interface that features an e-University portal that allows employees to study courses on their own before attempting e-assessments. At UTAC, our HR teams continuously endeavour to appreciate the evolving skills needed to be competitive in our business and provide multiple platforms for our employees to upskill themselves with relevant skill requirements, said UTAC Groups CHRO, K. Thiveanathan. In this journey, we work closely with Singapore government agencies, who are extremely supportive of our efforts with their industry-friendly approaches. Note: Our accounts contain the personal recollections and opinions of the individual interviewed. The views expressed should not be considered official statements of the U.S. government or the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. ADST conducts oral history interviews with retired U.S. diplomats, and uses their accounts to form narratives around specific events or concepts, in order to further the study of American diplomatic history and provide the historical perspective of those directly involved. Cyprus gained independence from the United Kingdom on August 16, 1960, but the agreements that led to sovereignty failed to resolve serious differences between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. The first President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III, introduced amendments to the constitution in 1963 to eliminate some of the provisions favoring the participation of Turkish Cypriots in the government. The 1960s and early 1970s saw violence and foreign intervention by Greece and Turkey. Since 1974, Cyprus has been divided, and United Nations peacekeeping forces have maintained a buffer zone between the two sides. The Moment was compiled from interviews by ADST with the first Cyprus desk officer, Archer K. Blood (interviewed beginning in June 1989) and Charles W. McCaskill (July 1993), the first Economic-Commercial Officer to Cyprus. You can read the entire Moment on ADST.org Advertisement BLOOD: I became the first Cyprus desk officer. This would have been 1958. Cyprus, of course, didn't achieve independence until 1960. It was still a British colony. There was an insurrection going on in Cyprus of the EOKA, the [a paramilitary organization of] Greek Cypriots trying to achieve union of Cyprus and Greece. [There were] many negotiations with Greece, with Turkey, and the British. It was coming up in the U.N., brought by the Greeks every year.... [The U.S. was] trying to, of course, bring about a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus problem that would secure our military concerns in the area and not upset Turkey too much. We were trying to block -- the time I was there -- the Greek efforts to use United Nations General Assembly to try to force some action with respect to Cyprus. Eventually we [favored an independent Cyprus], but we didn't start off that way. I remember drawing up a plan myself that called for "enosis" [union] of Cyprus with Greece with Turkish bases on the island. That didn't get very far either. I've always thought that the Greeks misplayed the Cyprus -- Makarios particularly, the Greek Cypriot leader. If they had -- and this is my own theory -- accepted the early British offers for limited self-government...that eventually and gradually, and without Turkish resistance, Cyprus would have become part of Greece.... The Greek Cypriot resistance worried and antagonized the Turkish Cypriots and then the Turkish government. When the Turkish government became intimately involved, the problem became much more intractable. Advertisement The chance for enosis, that is, union of Cyprus with Greece, which I always had favored myself, disappeared. The key event in the move toward independence was the defeat of the Greek effort at the United Nations in November of 1959. The Greeks had made the mistake of allowing Krishna Menon of India to stage manage their effort. [The U.S.] was against the Greek initiative. We were getting many telegrams from Greek-Americans throughout the country urging us to support Greece in the United Nations. The Queen of Greece, Queen Frederica, had a very long-standing letter writing relationship with George Marshall, who was, of course, retired by then. But she was pressing him to intervene on behalf of Greece. Our feeling was that if the Greeks realized that they couldn't get anywhere in the U.N., then they would be forced into negotiations with the Turks and the British. And we wanted to stop, once and for all, the U.N. effort which had been conducted on a yearly basis. We wanted to make it clear to the Greeks that they better give up this U.N. route and resign themselves to negotiations. .. I think we independently arrived at [this decision]. Our primary contacts were with the Greeks. They were in [the State Department] constantly, berating us. The Turks came to see us much less frequently. And the contacts with the British were not as frequent as with the Greeks and the Turks... The Turks were playing to their strength. They had won our gratitude in Korea. They were, in terms of military significance to NATO, more important than Greece, and they knew it. And they sensed that we were probably not going to accede to Greek wishes. Advertisement McCASKILL: The London-Zurich Agreements establishing the new Republic of Cyprus had been signed in February 1960, and there was some relief (obviously premature) among all parties concerned (except the Greek Cypriots) that "The Cyprus Problem" was settled. Athens was truly anxious to put the Cyprus Problem to rest, to get on with solving some of Greece's problems. It should be kept in mind that Greece was at war longer than any other single European country -- from October 28, 1940 to the end of the Bandit War in 1949 -- and the Greek Government wanted to get on with rebuilding the country. When I arrived in Cyprus I was surprised to find a general feeling among the Greek-Cypriot community -- which was 80% of the population -- that the London-Zurich Agreements would not work, that the safeguards written into the agreements for the Turkish Cypriots were extreme, that the agreements were "not fair," and on and on. In truth, the agreements were an extremely complicated set of agreements which did, in my opinion, give the Turkish Cypriots too many safeguards. Former Under Secretary of State George Ball described the Agreements as an "impressive diplomatic tour de force" which were "too complex to be workable." Most objectionable to the Greek Cypriots, Turkey could, under the Treaty of Guarantee, intervene in Cyprus. The Turkish Cypriot community's vetoes, legislative and executive, could bring the government to a standstill. The Turkish Cypriots, 20% of the population, were given 30% of the civil service and the legislature. The Greek Cypriots vigorously opposed the concept that the two communities on the island were equal partners, that there was no majority community and no minority community, that they were both equal participants in the government. The Greek Cypriots, including Makarios, felt that the agreements had been imposed on Cyprus by circumstances, that Makarios had been "forced" to sign; no Greek Cypriot was present when the Greeks and the Turks reached agreement. Makarios stated later that he signed because the British threatened to partition the island if he did not agree to the agreements and he feared that inter-communal fighting like that of 1958 would begin again. Moreover, Greek Prime Minister Karamanlis rebuked Makarios rather strenuously at the first meeting in London and threatened to withdraw Greek support if Makarios refused to sign the agreements. Makarios had indicated in 1958 that he could accept a solution of an independent Cyprus rather than insisting on union with Greece. Great Britain by 1958 had reviewed its security position and had decided that bases on the island would satisfy its security requirements and that it did not need to hold the entire island. All of this led to the conference in Zurich and later in London.... I might add that I have thought about the London-Zurich Agreements over the years, and I have concluded that it was probably impossible for a small group of Greek and Turkish diplomats to work out, even in outline, such complicated agreements, and I have wondered if the agreements were drafted in London and slipped to the Turks who then put them on the table in Zurich. You may recall that they met in Zurich for less than a week and drew up an outline of the agreement. They then met in London a few days later to sign them. Many of the provisions had been contained in previous British proposals -- most recently the MacMillan Plan -- but one still has to wonder if the Greeks and Turks had the diplomatic expertise for such an undertaking. Advertisement Speaking of the pressures on Makarios, Ambassador Nikos Kranidiotis, the Cyprus Ambassador in Athens for many years, in his book entitled Difficult Years says that Makarios anguished all night over whether or not to sign. He received calls from Queen Frederica in Athens, from former Governor of Cyprus Hugh Foot, and from the leader of the British Labor Party, all urging him to sign... Cyprus was dubbed by some over the years as "The Reluctant Republic" since it was felt that the solution really desired by the majority Greek Cypriots was union with Greece rather than independence, and that independence was "forced" on Makarios. Those very early days were very interesting and exciting and even humorous as we approached independence. There was a story on the island that Makarios, by then the President-elect, and Turkish Cypriot Vice President-elect Fazil Kucuk realized rather late that they had not even thought of a flag. After all, every country had to have a flag on independence day. They agreed on a temporary flag which was a sort of yellowish-clayish outline of the island on a white background with olive branches underneath. That was to be temporary, and they were to design a more appropriate flag later with their help of time. Nobody has yet designed another flag of Cyprus and that one is still used as the official flag... There was actually widespread interest in Cyprus when it became independent. It was one of the first newly-independent small republics. With a population of 600,000 it was considered a very small country in those days, and there was considerable interest in seeing that it worked. Because of the long fight against the British and the fact that the problem was debated at such length in the UN, everybody knew where and what Cyprus was. Our own interests were several: (1) to deny the Soviets access to the Mediterranean through Cyprus. There was a well-organized Communist Party of 10,000 members on Cyprus and in 1960, this was of considerable concern to us; (2) to insure the continued function of US facilities -- our Federal Broadcasting Information Service (FBIS) facility, our relay facility -- on the island; (3) to insure the continued functioning of the British Sovereign Bases on the island; (4) to work to prevent Cyprus from disrupting the southeastern flank of NATO by becoming an issue between our NATO allies Greece and Turkey. These are given in no particular order, though there was some preoccupation with the "Communist threat" in Cyprus, and even President Kennedy (seen here with President Markarios in June 1962) was said to be taken with the island and the problem in the early days. [FBIS] is an overt monitoring service, and that particular location was highly effective for monitoring internal domestic broadcasts in the Soviet Union. It was said to be one of our most effective FBIS stations. Secondly, we had a tremendous radio relay station, only a relay point. Communication facilities were not as sophisticated as they are today. The relay station had direct lines to Washington. Messages would go, for example, from Beirut to Cyprus, off of one wire onto another for direct transmission to Washington. And then there was another facility referred to just as "a station." I suppose it was an NSA [National Security Agency] facility. It was staffed when I was there by US Navy personnel because, during the Greek Cypriot terrorist campaign against the British, life became so tense that the Department had problems getting civilians to go there. We had a rather large complex of facilities and a very real interest in the island. We wanted to protect our interests and keep Cyprus from falling under Soviet influence. Remember that the Soviet fleet was active in the Mediterranean at the time, and our interests in Cyprus were real. To show our interest we wanted to get off to a quick start. One possibility we had was a PL 480 program [legally justifying providing foreign aid] which we were able to justify on the basis of a drought of several years. It took some doing -- we did not even have a copy of PL 480 in the Embassy when we started talking about it with the Cypriots. A couple of AID [Agency for International Development] types came over from Amman to help us out, and we drew up a program for 50,000 tons of wheat and barley. We gave it to Cyprus under Title II of PL 480. It was worth several million dollars and the Cypriots appreciated the gesture. The British had given Cyprus a golden handshake, really in return for the sovereign bases, and ours was the first assistance of any kind outside the British. Advertisement We also began an Exchange Program and other USIS [United States Information Service] activities. And significantly, Makarios paid an official visit to Washington, and Vice President Johnson (seen here) paid a return visit to Cyprus. Two visits in the first couple of years of Cyprus's independence were proof of our interest in the island. The Soviets had a tremendous diplomatic establishment in Nicosia, and we concluded that it was a regional Soviet base. They had an excellent Turkish language officer in their Embassy, and one or more Greek speakers. Our Embassy was relatively small. [It consisted of] the Ambassador, the DCM, a Political Officer, an Economic/Commercial Officer, and a rather large administrative section because we gave administrative support to FBIS, the relay base, etc. The station was composed of three officers and two clerical staff. But, as I said, the Embassy proper was very small. [Fraser Wilkens was ambassador for] all but about six months. Ambassador Wilkins arrived in Nicosia in September, 1960. I do not know for sure, but looking back I believe his only instructions were to encourage the Cypriots to make London-Zurich work. I have recently read some declassified materials that would seem to indicate that Wilkins did not believe the [Central Intelligence] Agency's reporting and did not seem convinced that trouble was on the horizon. I had heard this from some of the Agency people some time ago, but only recently have seen a few things indicating that it was indeed the case. By Susan "Honey" Good Advertisement As our jet dropped below cloud level, I was taken aback as I looked down on the capital of Panama, Panama City! It is the most vibrant cosmopolitan capital in Central America. Skyscrapers framed by the Pacific Ocean and the man-made Panama Canal took my breath away. I could hardly wait to touch down, grab our ride and head into the city to explore! If you want to have a successful, joyful and stress free adventure to a new country, not a resort area, I suggest you follow 'my Honey Good 1st rule of advice,' darlings: Spend your money on choosing a first rate guide. You have 2 options. You can travel with a reputable travel group such as Tauck Travel or Abercrombie and Kent or, if you prefer, you can travel with a private guide hired for you through your travel agent. Shelly and I have traveled near and far with groups and privately. There are wonderful advantages to both and, in my opinion, there is no value in spending money on travel without investing in an experienced guide; your teacher. It is impossible to see and experience a city or country otherwise. I wanted to learn the history of the famed Panama Canal linking itself to the Atlantic and Pacific and I wanted to travel through her locks. I wanted to take a city tour to learn its heartbeat, experience Panamanean dining and foods, meet the people of the city and come home with a Panama Hat! (And, as you can see in the above photo, I found my hat!) Advertisement We did all that and more with professional guides who tutored us on all that was Panama. Our drive from the airport struck me most pleasantly. Bougainvillea lined a first-rate highway system. I had been told that the Government of Panama, out of all the South and Central American countries, was patterned after the USA economically and politically. Therefore, many ex-patriots are in Panama. American citizens are leaving America to become Panamanian citizens because of its' life style; gorgeous beaches, the weather, cheaper living, less crime, the political system and lower taxes. As we drove into the city to our hotel, I felt joyous seeing the calm Sea and colonial-era landmarks and bougainvillea filled plazas lined with cafes and bars. Further into Panama City I noticed loads of people wearing, what else, but Panama Hats! It was warm and mildly humid and I was happy and content. Panamanian music greeted us as we entered our very modern hotel. To give you a feeling for Panama's upscale economy, a Ritz Carlton was under construction not far from our hotel and a Trump Tower was close by. Advertisement If you plan a trip to Panama remember this: The people, unlike the economy, are very laid back. If you ask for a wake-up call I can guarantee you it will be 15 minutes late! Fortunately we learned early on and turned to our i-Phones to wake us! Your must-sees and must-dos: ~Take a city tour: the first on your 'must sees and must dos,' darlings! And then proceed... ~ A trip through the locks of the Panama Canal. We took the full day trip through the locks. You can be driven or drive yourself to Mirafores, a large building, located at the Canal and watch the ships go through the locks. This would not be my choice. Visit the Frank Gehry Biodiversity Museum near the Mirafores building on your way back to the city. ~ Casco Viejo, Panama City's Historical Sector- UNESCO site. Darlings, this is where Shelly bought me my Panama hat! Highlights of Casco Viejo: Major nightlife scene. Special jewelry: Reprosa. Advertisement 17th Century churches. French monument to the 22,000 Frenchmen who died building the Panama Canal. Excellent restaurants (ask your concierge). The President's Palace. ~ Rainforest in the city/ Ancon Hill. ~ Metropolitan Park~ The Canopy Tour. ~The Night Life: Panamanians love to dress so bring outfits that will make you shine. We enjoyed eating on Roof Top restaurants that have bay views. Well my darlings, I have given you a 'small taste' of Panama City; acted as your travel guide and given you a head start if you choose Panama City as your destination point. Completion of Sale of Pilbara Gold Project to Pacton Gold Perth, Aug 16, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Impact Minerals Limited ( ASX:IPT ) ( OTCMKTS:IPPTF ) is pleased to announce that it has now completed the Share Sale Agreement for sale of the Company's Pilbara gold project to Pacton Gold Incorporated as announced to the ASX on May 29th 2018.Under the terms of the Share Sale Agreement, Pacton has purchased a 100% ownership interest in Impact's wholly owned subsidiary Drummond East Pty Limited which holds seven 100% owned granted Exploration Licences in the Pilbara region of Western Australia (E45/4971-72-73; E46/1171-72; and E46/1188-89).The total consideration to be paid by Pacton to Impact for the purchase will be CAD$350,000 and 2,125,000 common shares of Pacton as follows:- CAD$25,000 on signing of the Letter of Intent (completed);- CAD$325,000 and 2,125,000 common shares (current value CAD$1.06 million) in Pacton Gold Inc (subject to a four month escrow period from date of issue);- CAD$500,000 if an Inferred Resource of 250,000 ounces or greater is discovered on the licences;- A 2% NSR with Pacton retaining the right to buy back 1% of the royalty for CAD$500,000 at anytime.This transaction is only subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange which is now in progress.Impact also will provide on-going technical advice to Pacton's team and looks forward to working with them as exploration in the Pilbara progresses. Pacton has a strong business plan for its exploration in the Pilbara and is well funded following a recent CAD$5.5 million raising including CAD$2 million from Eric Sprott, a major direct and indirect shareholder in Novo Resources Corporation.Impact is focusing its exploration for conglomerate-hosted gold at the Blackridge Project located 30 km north of Clermont in central Queensland where Impact has an option to acquire 95% of an advanced project with previous production of about 185,000 ounces of gold from small shafts and related underground workings.In addition Impact has an adjacent 100% owned application for an Exploration Licence and together the project area covers 23 kilometres of strike and 37 square kilometres of prospective basal conglomerate of Permian age.Further details on the production and previous exploration at Blackridge were reported to the ASX on May 29th 2018.Over the past two months Impact has advanced the grant of its Exploration Licence as well as the grant of four Mining Lease applications all of which include Native Title and Land Owner Access agreements. These should progress to completion in the next Quarter.A review and synthesis of previous exploration data at Blackridge is also on-going. In addition compilation of previous production data and historical maps from the early 1900's is in progress to more accurately assess the likely positions of the richer portions and palaeochannels of the Blackridge gold field. Once complete, areas will be selected for detailed mapping and bulk sampling.COMPLIANCE STATEMENTThis release does not contain any new Exploration Results or information not previously released.About Impact Minerals Limited Impact Minerals Limited (ASX:IPT) is an exploration company listed on the ASX in November 2006. The Company manages extensive tenement holdings (>2,000 km2) within Australia featuring significant potential for high-grade mineral deposits of gold, silver, lead, zinc, copper, nickel and PGM's. The Directors of the Company have extensive experience in mineral exploration and a strong history of exploration success, business development and corporate management. Impact Minerals intends to build wealth for its shareholders through a vigorous campaign of project generation and evaluation with a view towards profitable mining operations. to Acquire International Health Food Brands Sydney, Aug 16, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The Board of Queensland Bauxite Limited ( ASX:QBL ) (or "the Company") is pleased to advise that it has entered into a Heads of Agreement with Sebastian and Samuel Edwards (HHC) to acquire their Health Food Brands.Sebastian & Samuel Edwards are the owners and directors of Hemp Hulling Co (HHC), of which QBL's subsidiary Medical Cannabis Limited (MCL) owns 55%. The business relationship between QBL/MCL and HHC and the Edwards family has developed significantly during 2018. The expertise and work ethic of the Edwards family on behalf of the development of MCL has been impressive.Seb & Sam Edwards are the founders of Organic Markets Direct (OMD), a major wholesaler of health foods that include Hemp Seed products, Chia Seeds, Green Leaf Stevia, Cacao, Buckwheat, Brown Rice and other well known health foods.The Edwards have established Australian & International brands EM Super Foods, Australian Grown Naturals (AGN), Black Bag and OMD. These brands are 100% owned by T12 Holdings Pty Ltd, and should assist significantly in the distribution and production of QBL/MCL's suite of nutritional hemp products.Organic Markets Direct via brands AGN & OMD, are Australia's largest exporter of Chia Seeds (Australian Grown) into Vietnam, Singapore and Hong Kong. MCL now has direct access to these markets, through this new deal with the Edwards brothers.QBL, in discussion with the Edwards, felt the time was right that these brands are merged with QBL/MCL, and create one large Health & Wellness Food group underpinned by QBL/MCL's expanding hemp business. This is a true whole-food collective of street market knowledge, corporate knowledge and experience. This newly combined group has a common passion for Australian grown and selective high-end imported health foods.The terms of the acquisition is an issue of 21,621,622 QBL shares in return for 100% of the shares in T12 Holdings Pty Ltd. This acquisition is subject to shareholder approval to be sought at the upcoming shareholder meeting.QBL prides itself on connecting dots, finding the right people to enhance its core values, who can produce profits and are motivated to continually do it better. With this new acquisition/merger QBL/MCL have connected with an entire hard-working family, which includes Peter Edwards from VitaHemp. A solid foundation has now been firmly established for QBL/MCL, creating an infrastructure which is now primed for expansion into the burgeoning multi-billion dollar Health Foods market in Australia.About Queensland Bauxite Ltd Queensland Bauxite Limited (ASX:QBL) is an Australian listed company focused on the exploration and development of its bauxite tenements in Queensland and New South Wales. The Company's lead project is the South Johnstone Bauxite Deposit in northern Queensland which has rail running through the project area and is approximately 15-24 kilometres from the nearest deep water port. The Company intends to become a bauxite producer with a focus on commencing production at South Johnstone as early as possible. The Company also pursues additional investment opportunities, and has agreed to acquire a 100% shareholding in Medical Cannabis Limited, an Australian leader in the hemp and Cannabis industries, and a 100% shareholding in Medcan Australia Pty Ltd, a company with an ODC cultivation and production License and a DA approved Cannabis production and manufacturing facility. DOES NREL Acquires Powerful New High-Performance Computing System Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced today that it has selected its next high-performance computing (HPC) system, which will be used to advance early-stage R&D on energy technologies spanning multiple DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) programs. The new system, named Eagle, will be installed this summer in NRELs Energy System Integration Facility (ESIF) data center and put into production use in January 2019. "NRELs new high performance computing system pushes the frontiers of science and innovation," said Secretary of Energy Rick Perry. "Eagle's advanced capabilities will enable researchers and industry to solve our nation's most pressing energy challenges and help ensure our global leadership in supercomputing for years to come." Today, Secretary Perry is touring the NREL campus, as well as speaking with employees at an all-hands meeting with Senator Cory Gardner. NREL continues to be an international leader in implementing the latest technologies in science and energy research, said Senator Cory Gardner. I am proud of the work NREL does and remain committed to making sure that the hardworking men and women at NREL have access to the resources they need to continue their invaluable mission. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) will build Eagle, which will include the latest Intel Xeon processors. The new high-performance computer will have a peak performance of 8.0 petaflops, meaning it can carry out 8 million-billion calculations per secondan approximately three-fold increase in the amount of scientific computing capability relative to Peregrine, the current NREL supercomputer. "High-performance computing plays a vital role in nearly every R&D area at NREL, said NRELs Director Martin Keller. It is essential to advancing the leading edge of energy analysis and research in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. High-performance computers such as Eagle allow researchers to run increasingly detailed models that simulate complex processes, systems, and phenomena, enabling them to gain new insights and drive innovations in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. Key features of the new HPC system include: Secretary Pompeo's Call With Republic of Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa Washington, DC - Secretary Michael R. Pompeo spoke with Foreign Minister Kang of the Republic of Korea by phone. They discussed DPRK denuclearization efforts and the need to maintain pressure until we achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK as agreed by Chairman Kim, 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. Aryan Khan Released | What Are The Bail Conditions For SRK's Son In The Drugs On Cruise Case This week Christine Hallquist, Jahana Hayes, and Ilhan Omar made headlines for their success in the primary election. Each of their victories broke down some sort of barrier, making it even more powerful of a win. Christine Hallquist is the first transgender candidate to be nominated to run for governor under the democratic party. Former National Teacher of the Year, Jahana Hayes' win in the primary puts her on track to be the first black Democrat in Congress from Connecticut. And, Somalian-American refugee Ilhan Omar's victory could lead her to become the first Muslim woman in Congress. It's clear to see the walls that these candidates (and their campaigns) are bringing down. Which is why their wins are such valuable lessons in leadership, communication, and branding. Whether you're a CEO, entrepreneur, or the future president of the United States these three lessons can show you how to get the support and outcomes you seek to be successful. 1. Walk the walk and talk the talk. Hallquist is making history for being the first transgender candidate to win the primary and be nominated for governor by a major party. Yet what appealed to her Vermont based voters wasn't her gender identity, it was her message and her credentials that supported that message. As a candidate, Hallquist is perceived as genuine and someone who really does want to help the state of Vermont. She has had a lot of experience providing service to the state. She's known for her 12 years of work at CEO of the Vermont Electric Cooperative (one of the largest electric companies in the state) where she helped elevate the states power utility--including making WIFI accessible throughout the state. These efforts have shown her voters that she can walk the walk. She also made sure to speak to issues such as renewable energy, a $15 minimum wage, and universal health care, that were specifically pressing to voters in the area This helped her connect with and build a loyal audience. If you want the support of your peers, voters, or anyone else you to show them that they can trust you. Good leaders build credibility with their subordinates and their constituents by being accountable. Your actions and words need to display your values, and the valuable change you wish to provide them. 2. Do the unprecedented. This past week Jahana Hayes became one step closer to becoming Connecticut's first black Democrat in Congress by winning the primary in her district. Like any good candidate, Hayes did this by running a campaign that resonated with her voter base, and that spoke to her story. Her campaign advocated protecting the public education system, aligned with her as a former teacher. She also said she wanted more gun control legislation which she attributed to the Sandy Hook Elemraty School shooting that happened in 2012 in Connecticut. Points such as those really connected her to a voter base. Still what sets her apart from a normal candidate was her ability to do the unprecedented. "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." Most entrepreneurs understand the logic of going after what you want--even though the rest of the world may be telling you not to. This dedication of putting yourself on the line and doing something that no one has done before makes for great leaders and self-starters. From the entrepreneurial space to politics, standing out and getting ahead can stem from your ability to double down on yourself and your vision. 3. Forge your own path, break your own barriers. Ilhan Omar is an empowering example of the power of breaking down barriers. She was born in Somalia and later lived in a refugee camp in Kenya for four years before moving to the United States when she was 12. In 2016, she was voted into the Minnesota House of Representatives, which made her the first Somali-American legislator. Today, her win in the primary allows her the opportunity to possibly become the nation's first Muslim women in Congress. Her commitment and perseverance is a powerful lesson to anyone who's ever wanted to give up. Omar's ability to continue to break down barriers is what has set her apart from other candidates. She's said that being bold in her progressive beliefs allows her to represent her voter base--even though they may come from different backgrounds. A four-day work-week is not out of the realm of possibility. I've heard of many companies that move everyone to "summer hours" and let them work longer days from Tuesday to Friday, and I've heard of companies that don't bother tracking hours that closely at all. Most of us have a hard time transitioning from the weekend to the work week, and a buffer day makes sense--perhaps one that's meant to help people rebound, work from home, catch up on email, or just chill as a way to gain momentum for the rest of the week. I hate Mondays, so the idea of simply eliminating that work day could be a brilliant strategy. (It could also be a disaster for productivity, if your employees simply work less.) You might think the day to eliminate would be Friday, but that doesn't help with the transition from weekend to work, and people are usually ready to let tasks slip by Friday. Another nail in the Monday coffin? A school district in Colorado has opted out of Mondays, explaining that a class schedule that runs from Tuesday to Friday (with 40 minutes added to each day) would save them as much as $1 million per school year. It's a novel idea. The school district will also offer daycare services on Monday for $30 per child. About 18,000 students won't have to deal with the Monday blues. District 27J in Colorado could eventually experiment with other options--the first day of the week could be used for online learning and self-education, suggested one LinkedIn user named Zachary Keys. Other LinkedIn users weighed in and said businesses could potentially save money as well on building costs; a few thought it was a terrible idea. The question you might ask, though, is whether Tuesday will become the new Monday. That all depends on how people use the buffer day. I like the idea of spending Monday preparing for the week, possibly still going into the office for a bit, scheduling your week, and communicating with folks over email and on Slack. The first official day of the week could mainly be used for meetings and communicating in person, and for working as a team. Monday would become a "personal day" in that you become the most productive with your own work and focus on kicking things off, instead of the usual Monday drag. This would not work for every business, of course. Companies that provide tech support are dependent on the hours their customers work. Realtors tend to do most of their postings on Mondays after a busy weekend of showings and meetings. (I learned this after selling a house recently; it's amazing how many new listings appear on Mondays.) Yet, for a business that is mostly focused on creating new products and services, the concept of shortening the week makes sense. It means a more concentrated mindshare during the days when everyone is in the office, and I can see that this tighter schedule could lead to better ideas, more productivity, and maybe even happier employees who always enjoy a three-day weekend. It's a perk, but one that would have to be closely evaluated to see if it helps or causes even more problems. 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. 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." When American business executive Douglas Conant took over as the president and CEO of Campbell's Soup, in 2001, he was faced with a formidable task. "The company's stock was falling steeply," writes Roger Dean Duncan in a profile for Fast Company. "Of all the major food companies in the world, Campbell's was the rock-bottom performer. Conant's challenge was to lead the company back to greatness." To many, the assignment seemed near impossible. Conant himself described the company culture as "toxic." According to Duncan, employees were discouraged, management was dysfunctional, and trust was practically nonexistent. Yet, somehow, Conant achieved the impossible. In less than a decade, the company had completed a remarkable turnaround and was outperforming the S&P 500. Sales and earnings rose. Employee engagement went from among the worst in the Fortune 500 to one of the best, as the company won multiple awards. So, how did he do it? Conant used emotional intelligence to build trust. He communicated well, set the example, praised sincerely and specifically, and delivered on his promises. For example, shortly after taking over, Conant began a signature practice: he put a pedometer on his belt, strapped on his walking shoes, and interacted meaningfully with as many employees as possible. "His goal was to log 10,000 steps a day," relates Duncan. "These brief encounters had multiple benefits. They helped him stay informed with the goings-on throughout the company. They enabled him to connect personally with people at every level. They enabled people to put a human face on the company's strategy and direction." The new CEO also handwrote up to twenty notes a day to employees celebrating their achievements. "Most cultures don't do a good job of celebrating contributions," says Conant. "So I developed the practice of writing notes to our employees. Over 10 years, it amounted to more than 30,000 notes, and we had only 20,000 employees. Wherever I'd go in the world, in employee cubicles you'd find my handwritten notes posted on their bulletin boards." Douglas Conant didn't turn around Campbell's fortunes by chance. He focused on building relationships and changing its culture--one step (and thank-you note) at a time. So, how can you begin turning around a toxic culture? In my new book, EQ Applied: The Real-World Guide to Emotional Intelligence, I explain how to take a page out of Conant's playbook. It all starts with practicing the following behaviors: 1. Get down and dirty. Think about your favorite boss. Did you care about where they went to school, what degree they had, or even what they accomplished before you knew them? All of this was irrelevant to your relationship. But what about the hour they took to listen to your problem, and the steps they took to help? How about their readiness to roll up their sleeves, get down in the trenches, and do whatever needed to be done? Actions like these inspire trust. 2. Show some love. People nowadays are worn down and underappreciated. These two factors are a breeding ground for toxic behavior--because when people don't feel valued, they lose their desire to try. What's the antidote? Sincere and specific commendation. Train yourself to look for the good in others. When you see something you like, tell the person right away. Set aside time to handwrite thank-you cards. Tell your people what you appreciate, and why. Everyone deserves commendation for something. By learning to identify, recognize, and praise those talents, you bring out the best in them. 3. Set the example. Let's say you ask me how to get somewhere you've never been before. I could outline step-by-step directions, draw you a map, even provide details about landmarks to look out for. Or I could say: "That's not too far out of my way. Why don't you just follow me?" Nice-sounding value statements, rules, and processes will only get a company so far. If you truly want to affect your culture, work hard to show others your values and priorities, and they'll naturally follow. 4. Humble yourself. Being humble doesn't mean you lack self-confidence or that you never stand up for yourself. Rather, it involves recognizing that you don't know everything--and being ready to learn from others. For example, if you're younger or less experienced than colleagues or clients, acknowledge that and keep it in mind. If you demonstrate a willingness to learn, you will display humility and naturally earn respect. In contrast, if you're older or more experienced, show respect by not quickly dismissing new ideas or techniques. Instead, dignify those you work with by asking for their opinions and perspectives--and actually paying attention when they speak. Humility also means being willing to apologize. "I'm sorry" can be the two most difficult words to say, but also the most powerful. When you're willing to admit your mistakes, you make a big statement about how you view yourself in relation to others. This naturally draws others closer to you, building trust and loyalty. 5. Be constructive. After you've done these other four things--and only then--can you begin to share critical feedback. This is vital because many people find it difficult to hear that they need to improve on something. But if you don't share that feedback, they'll never grow. If you make sure to gain their trust first--and deliver your feedback with emotional intelligence--they'll no longer interpret your critical feedback as a threat. Instead they'll see it as an effort to help, to make them better. Remember, it all starts at the top. If you hold a leadership position, whether you're the CEO, middle manager, or team lead, never underestimate the power of your influence. Every time you get down and dirty, every word of commendation or thank-you note you give, every time you set the example, every mistake you admit, and every piece of constructive advice you give will contribute to building deep and trusting relationships. What inspired the creature who was shortish and oldish and brownish and mossy? The one who spoke in a voice that was sharpish and bossy? He spoke for the trees, yet he called them his own. All that he left in this mess was a small pile of rocks, with the one word: unless. In 1970, millions of people observed Earth Day for the first time, and the Environmental Protection Agency was born. Joni Mitchells Big Yellow Taxi was in the charts. And in the La Jolla section of San Diego, Theodor Geisel, also known as Dr Seuss, was fighting to keep a suburban development project from clearing the eucalyptus trees around his home. But when he tried to write a book about conservation for children that was not preachy or boring, he got writers block. At his wifes suggestion to clear his mind, they travelled to the Mount Kenya Safari Club, an exclusive resort where guests watched animals along Kenyas Laikipia plateau. (NYT) And if you have not guessed by now, it was there that The Lorax took shape on the blank side of a laundry list, nearly all of its environmental message created in a single afternoon. It has been translated into more than a dozen languages, sold more than 1 million copies and adapted into a 2012 film. It was Dr Seusss favourite book and one that was much discussed for its environmental resonance. In it the Lorax, who speaks for the trees, pops up from a chopped-down tree stump and angrily demands that a businessman called the Onceler stop cutting down Truffula trees to knit thneeds. But the Onceler does not listen and eventually is left alone in a crumbling, empty factory on a barren landscape. Despite an unsuccessful attempt by the logging industry to ban The Lorax in the 1980s, many have embraced the storybook as a critical tale about environmental policy, especially for children, ultimately heeding a hopeful message that future generations can save the environment by caring for it. But some have worried that the Lorax, with his possessive use of my when referring to the trees and other creatures, is not really a good teaching model because he comes off as a self-righteous eco-warrior with an unfounded anger. In an essay published last month in Nature Ecology & Evolution, the authors argue that the Lorax may not have been as bossy and ineffectual as he seems. Rather, the authors posit that he may have been involved in a type of symbiotic relationship with the Truffula trees and his surroundings, threatened and defensive. The prevailing sense among literary critics is that the Lorax is too angry and that environmentalists cant afford to adopt that kind of rhetoric because it will never work with policymakers, says Nathaniel Dominy, an anthropologist and evolutionary ecologist at Dartmouth College and lead author of the paper. If you see the Lorax not as some indignant steward of the environment, but instead, as a participating member of the ecosystem, then I think his anger is so much more understandable, and I think, forgivable. Was the patas monkey the inspiration for the Lorax? (AFP/Getty) The case for the Loraxs Kenyan inspiration emerged after Dominy grasped for something to talk about at a dinner with Donald E Pease, an English professor at Dartmouth College, praised for his lectures and biography on Dr Seuss. And it evolved into a scientific process that included feeding the Loraxs cartoon face into sophisticated monkey face-recognition software. Dominy, also a father, raised the topic of the Lorax, suggesting that the fuzzy, moustachioed protagonist of the book resembled the patas monkey, a fluffy, orange, real-life creature with a raspy alarm call that he had observed while working in Kenya. The monkey gets most of its nutrients from a gnarly tree called the whistling thorn acacia, in a type of interaction called commensalism, wherein one organism benefits from another without harming it. The tree also looks like barren trees in the story. If Dr Seuss would ever make a monkey, he told Pease, that would be the one. Pease questioned the notion that a creative master like Dr Seuss would ever use a real life reference, but became convinced after considering how the Lorax appeared from that chopped-down tree stump, suggesting, in a way, that the Lorax was part of it. This made the characters use of my trees more reasonable. The Lorax no longer sounded like an eco-policeman, Pease says, but instead was a creature that could be understood as the spirit in place for the entire ecosystem. To him, Dominys otherwise silly conversation topic deserved attention because it enriched previous understanding of the work and addressed critical concerns. In what became their passion project, they searched for clues to support Dominys hypothesis. After scouring the literature and talking with Audrey Geisel, Dr Seusss widow, they determined that the author had most likely devised his story after observing the relationship between the patas monkey and whistling thorn acacia during his Kenyan vacation. (NYT) They also teamed up with an anthropologist at New York University who had developed a machine learning algorithm for analysing similarities among a large database of African monkey faces. Together, they fed the faces of five real Kenyan monkeys, the cartoon Lorax and a character from The Foot Book (its most common Seussian ancestor, they figured) into a program. Analysis revealed that the Lorax looked more like the patas monkey than the Foot Book creature. Were taking real tools from biology and applying them in super-serious ways, Dominy says. I hope people find the humour in this. In the book, once the forest and all its inhabitants vanish and the Onceler is left with his empty factory, the Lorax blasts off into the sky leaving behind the rocks and the word unless. Years pass, and a regretful Onceler finally understands these words when a visitor asks what happened to the Lorax. He throws the last Truffula tree seed to the child, and says UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. Its not. New York Times Disney and Marvel have decided not to reinstate James Gunn as director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 after firing him last month. The studio head Alan Horn met with Gunn to discuss his future with Disney as a courtesy to clear the air with the filmmaker. According to Variety, Marvel president Kevin Feige while rumoured to be supporting Gunns reinstatement stands by Disneys ultimate decision. Gunns firing came after an alt-right site unearthed controversial tweets the director made in which he joked about paedophilia and rape following his criticism of Trump. Recent reports stated there were no plans to re-hire him as director despite a backlash from the world of celebrity including his Guardians cast who signed an open letter supporting his re-hiring. Dave Bautista later said the prospect of working on the sequel without Gunn was nauseating. Disney bosses announced they had severed ties with Gunn branding his comments indefensible and inconsistent with [its] values. Gunn previously apologised for the ill-judged tweets ahead of his employment by Disney for the first Guardians of the Galaxy back in 2012. Disney claims it had no idea they existed and only learned about them when they recirculated. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 Show all 34 1 /34 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 1. Captain America: Civil War Release date: 6 May 2016. Iron Man and Captain America are set to face off in this superhero blockbuster that will feature nearly all the Avengers but wont be an Avengers film. It will also mark the first time Spider-Man will feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Sony having made a deal with Marvel Studios. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 2. X-Men: Apocalypse Release date: 27 May 2016. Following the success of Days of Future Past, Apocalypse will follow the young X-Men team as the battle against Oscar Isaacs titular villain as he gathers his four horsemen; Magneto (Fassbender), Angel (Hardy), Storm (Shipp), and Psylocke (Munn). Expect carnage and no Wolverine. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 3. Suicide Squad Release date: 5 August 2016. The first supervillain film, Suicide Squad is also based in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe, where Batman and Superman live) and will introduce the world to Margot Robbies Harley Quinn and Jared Letos Joker. One of the more exciting upcoming DC films thats for sure. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 4. Doctor Strange Release date: 4 November 2016. Benedict Cumberbatch will debut in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe, where Captain America and Iron Man live) as the Sorcerer Supreme. The film already has an incredible cast, including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachael McAdams and Tilda Swinton. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 5. Untitled Lego Batman film Release date: 20 February 2017. Kicking off 2017 is the Lego version of Batman, who will lead his own spin-off, having already featured in the amazing Lego Movie. Will Arnett voices the titular character, while Zach Garfianakis - from the Hangover - will voice The Joker. But will he better than Leto? 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 6. Untitled Wolverine film Release date: 3 March 2017. Having not starred in X-Men: Apocalypse, Wolverine will return to the big screen in a solo film which was recently made R-Rated following the success of Deadpool. It is expected to be Hugh Jackmans last outing as the titular character. Fox 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Release date: 5 May 2017. Chris Pratt and the crew are returning to space in the sequel to the surprisingly successful Guardians of the Galaxy. According to director James Gunn, the film will not feature Thanos, even though he will to play a major role in phase MCU Phase 3. Cast includes newcomers Kurt Russell and Pom Klementieff, as well as, rumour has it, Sylvester Stallone. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 8. Wonder Woman Release date: 23 June 2017. Gal Gadot is returning to the DCEU in her very own film, marking the first female-led superhero film on this list. Chris Pine is on board to play Wonder Womans love interest. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 9. Untitled Spider-Man reboot Release date: 7 July 2017. Yes, it is another Spider-Man reboot, having previously been redone with Andrew Garfield as the lead. However, this time it is part of the MCU, with Tom Holland as the titular character, and a heavily rumoured cameo by Iron Man could be in the pipeline. We can dream. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 10. Untitled Fox film Release date: 6 October 2017. In a strange announcement, Fox decided to withhold the release of Gambit until a future, as-yet unannounced date, which could be here, or this could be a completely separate project. Many suspect Deadpool 2 could nicely fit here, Fox capitalising on the success of the first film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 11. Thor: Ragnarok Release date: 3 November 2017. Chris Hemsworth will be returning as the Norse God in his third solo MCU film. Flight of the Conchords Taika Waititi is on board to direct, and promises a fun adventure that will likely lead into Marvels next project, Infinity War. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 12. Justice League Part One Release date: 17 November 2017. Hot on the heals of Thor comes Justice League Part One, the first DCEU team-up flick which will see Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg work together to fight bad guys. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 13: Untitled Fox film Release date: 12 January 2018. Kicking off 2018 will likely be the second Deadpool film, but then again, this could very well be another X-Men team-up. Theres also talk of an X-Force film, with Deadpool and other mutants teaming up to fight evil. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 14. Black Panther Release date: 16 February 2018. The first non-white male-led superhero film in the MCU comes in the form of Black Panther, with Chadwick Boseman reprising the titular role, having also starred as the Panther in Civil War. Creeds Ryan Coogler is on to direct what could be a very exciting film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 15. The Flash Release date: 16 March 2018. The Flash will be the first DCEU film since Justice League, and sees Ezra Miller take the lead. Phil Lord and Chris Miller were supposed to pen the film before Disney snapped them up for the Han Solo-film, leaving Seth Grahame-Smith to take charge. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 16. Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 Release date: 4 May 2018. And so, we finally get to the point of all these Infinity Stones! Thanos will be the big bad, with the Avengers needing to team up to defeat their biggest foe yet. It has previously been described as the end of the Avengers as we know it. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 17. Ant-Man and The Wasp Release date: 6 July 2018. Peyton Reed will be back to direct this surprise sequel to one of the better received MCU films. While the name is ridiculous, at least Marvel are finally having a leading female superhero. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 18. Untitled Fox film Release date: 13 July 2018. Again, not much word on this one except it is thought to be X-Men spin-off New Mutants, something Josh Boone has been hit up to write. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 19. Animated Spider-Man Film Release date: 20 July 2018. Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and Amy Pascal - the team behind the live-action Spider-Man films - are producing this unrelated animated adaptation of the hero. Because you can never have too much Spider-Man, right? 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 20. Aquaman Release date: 27 July 2018. Another Justice League spin-off, Jason Momoa plays the leading man. Furious 7s James Wan is on to direct, but little else is known about the film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 21. Captain Marvel Release date: 8 March 2019. Weve hit 2019, and the first confirmed superhero film will be the first proper female-led MCU film. No-one is confirmed to be in the titular role of Carol Danvers just yet. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 22. Shazam Release date: 5 April 2019. Dwayne Johnson stars as the villain in this DCEU film which will be somewhat separate to the other DC films. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 23. Avengers: Infinity War Part 2. Release date: 3 May 2019. The conclusion to the long drawn MCU saga. Expect a big finish with at least a few planets being destroyed. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 24. Justice League Part Two Release date: 14 June 2019. Soon after the Infinity War story reaches its conclusion, so will the Justice Leagues. Not much is known, except Darkseid will likely be the villain for at least one of the parts. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 25. Inhumans Release date: 12 July 2019. The concept of Inhumans (or Marvels mutants) has already been introduced in TV, through Marvels Agents of Shield, yet the film is expected to introduce the Royal Family who have yet to be seen in the show. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 26. Cyborg Release date: 3 April 2020. Having debuted in Justice League Part One three years previously, Cyborg will finally be making his own outing, with Ray Fisher as the titular character. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 27. Untitled MCU film Release date: 1 May 2020. The first of three untitled Marvel films. There are a couple of contenders, the first is a likely sequel to Spider-Man with Sony, or a third Guardians of the Galaxy film, thus finishing the trilogy. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 28. Green Lantern Corps. Release date: 19 June 2020. Before you start to worry, this has nothing to do with the Ryan Reynolds-starring flick that hit cinemas a little while ago. Instead, this will be another DCEU film that will likely spin-off from Justice League after the Green Lantern Corps cameo in one of the parts. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 29. Untitled MCU film Release date: 10 July 2020. As well as Spider-Man or Guardians of the Galaxy sequels, a Doctor Strange or Black Panther one could fit in nicely here. Or perhaps Black Widow may finally get the solo-film she deserves. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 30. Untitled MCU film Release date: 6 November 2020. Some speculators also think a Blade film could fit in here, marking over 20 years since the first Blade. But many believe the character may be better suited to a Netflix series, as with Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Theres also talk of a Runaways film reaching cinemas at some stage. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 31. Untitled Ben Affleck Batman film Release date: TBA. Now were onto the TBA release dates, the first of which is a Batman solo film, written and directed by Ben Affleck. When this is due, no one is quite sure but expect it sooner rather than later if Batman v Superman is a success. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 32. Suicide Squad 2 Release date: TBA (rumoured 2017). A sequel to Suicide Squad is expected to come in 2017 according to recent reports, but nothing has been confirmed. If the first is successful, it should come as no surprise for Warner Bros to rearrange their schedule to fit in this surefire hit. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 33. Venom Release date: TBA. This is an odd one, as it has been confirmed Sony are wanting to release a Venom film completely unrelated to the upcoming Spider-Man reboot. Venom, as you may know, is a Spider-Man villain, intrinsically linked to Spider-Man, so it seems odd they would release a film unrelated to the rebooted project and not linked to the MCU. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 Anything else? Well, now you mention it, theres also that sequel to Fantastic Four that has seemingly been dropped by Fox. Plus, theres the Gambit film which has been put on hold (but will likely fill an untitled Fox slot so we havent added it extra). Then again, it could be shoehorned in somehow Marvel There has been no word on who could replace James Gunn, though many are calling upon Disney to hire a female director in his place. Its also unclear whether Disney bosses plan to use his script which has already been completed. Sponsored: Read more on The Nutcracker and the Four Realms and Misty Copeland Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is the latest star to support Gunn, telling The New York Times that, while hes yet to read the jokes, he believes if Gunns words were intended to be funny then it doesnt matter. Its been five long years since Kendrick Lamar came to Helsinki. He gets a hero s welcome at Flow Festival in an industrial district of the Finnish capital, looking out on the redbrick chimneys of a nearby power station and a gas holder lit up by giant fairy lights. This is the final festival leg of the Damn tour that started a summer and more than 60 shows ago. Kendrick mostly stays faithful to the tour set, starting with DNA, Element and King Kunta, losing some of the deep cuts off untitled unmastered, and ending with the triple hit of Bitch Dont Kill My Vibe, Alright and Humble. The biggest festival addition comes in the encore with All the Stars, the closing track on the Black Panther soundtrack which has gone top ten in Scandinavia since the tour began. The Finns know every word. The moment doesnt appear to be lost on Kendrick, who singles out crowd members and thanks them for their support: Youve been waiting a long time for this. I made you a promise, and were going to make that same promise again tonight. Repeat after me: I will be back! Kendrick cant be the only one plotting his return to Flow Festival before hes even left the site. Now in its fifteenth year, Flow brings world-class international acts to a Finnish audience fiercely loyal to homegrown talent. On the European festival circuit it stands out for its commitment to diversity: only one of the headline acts this year is white and male (Arctic Monkeys), while lower down the bill young, female artists and artists of colour abound. Helena Hauff, Peggy Gou and Yaeji are among a lineup of champion DJs on a Resident Advisor stage. The former brings her record boxes for two and a half hours of acid techno played solely on vinyl, ending the set with a massive grin at the packed-out crowd and a 12 inch raised aloft. On the Sunday before Kendrick, Kamasi Washington plays not one but two sets in a circular theatre stage beneath a giant balloon. In the red tent, Fever Ray performs in a bodysuit and Joker-style smeared makeup in support of her latest album Plunge, grinding up against other female dancers in a fantastical celebration of queerness. Later on that same stage, St Vincent closes the festival in an orange latex dress and stilettos, the male members of her three-piece band wearing faceless masks. It is a surprisingly smiley festival set for someone who started her tour playing solo with her back to the audience. Its not only diversity that sets Flow apart. The site is home to 40 food vendors for the weekend, including the Michelin-starred Gron and an extensive Lanson champagne bar (80 for a bottle, with a side of Balearic house and beanbags). I settle down to eat a cauliflower ramen on a picnic table one night to find the people next to me tucking into bamboo plates of steak tartare and rib-eye with perfectly seared vegetables. Fancy. All festivals aim for sustainability but not all offer a deposit for returned cans, rank food vendors based on the sustainability of their meals (points for locally-sourced and seasonal ingredients) or manage to be carbon neutral. Flow is also dotted with art. A collaboration with art students from nearby Aalto University yields installations with platforms and arches to hide in, plus corners brightened with video-work in a blacked-out aircraft hangar. This cavernous warehouse is laid out with concert seating for experimental artists like Terry Riley, who turns from his Steinway grand piano to play the melodica on Indian raga-influenced tracks. At 83, he leaves the stage talking to his son Gyan on guitar, but the energetic jazz solos speak for themselves. Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Other festival highlights include both first and second-day headliners Ms. Lauryn Hill and Arctic Monkeys. This is Hills only European date of the summer. Her attendance seems less likely when, earlier in the summer, she cancels the entire US tour. Its still a toss-up that shell show even as the hour approaches. A hypeman with a military approach to waving keeps us waiting far too long. Then, all at once, she is there in voluminous red skirts and a massive denim jacket, commanding her 13-piece band with an iron fist through renditions of Lost Ones, Everything is Everything, Ex-Factor and When It Hurts So Bad. This year marks 20 years since the release of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, an anniversary not lost on the band. Hills and valleys but we here, Hill tells the audience. Closer Doo Wop (That Thing) is played almost double time and double volume, while images of Hill through her career flash dizzyingly on the big screens. Arctic Monkeys, by contrast, are taking every big festival of the summer in their stride. Alex Turner is newly shaven, wearing yellow Bono sunglasses that keep slipping off his head. He stalks around, skipping between piano, guitar and snake-hipped dancing. Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino gets a good airing, but its the songs off previous album AM that get the biggest cheers, phones whipped from pockets at the opening riff to Do I Wanna Know. This is a rock band so well-oiled that Turners instruction to guitarist Jamie Cook to bring us home, Cook before closer R U Mine comes with a whiff of complacency. Perhaps not ideal, weeks before the start of a stadium tour that will see them grace the biggest stages in the UK and US through to the end of the year. Nonetheless, its the Finnish acts who get the biggest crowds at Flow, testament to the fact that the radio and most festivals here are dominated by home-grown acts. An afternoon set from Vesta attracts a massive audience for her synth folk-pop on the main stage, while fellow Finnish act Alma is billed as a headliner alongside international acts ten times her size. No one is checking wristbands at an infamous afterparty on the edge of a building site outside the festival walls. Drum & bass blares out from a DJ just visible behind a graffitied stone ship, lit with green disco lights. Just a little further on through a car park, we hear the sound of someone sawing wood. Its Finlands favourite cultural activity, barely visible in the pitch blackness. Not Scandi Noir - though no one would hear you scream out here - but Finnish sauna in a wooden shed by the water. Squint and you can just make out bare bottoms dashing from the steam-filled shed into the sea. The amount of water used at fracking wells in parts of the US has increased by up to 770 per cent, sparking fears the industry could cause water shortages in arid regions. There was also a massive increase of up to 1440 per cent in the amount of toxic wastewater generated in the first year of operation at fracked oil and gas wells over the same period. A study charting the intensification of the controversial fossil fuel extraction technique looked at changes in its water footprint between 2011 and 2016. Previous work had suggested that fracking does not use more water than other energy sources, but this more comprehensive investigation found that future operations may not be sustainable due to the volume of water required. The authors of the study warned that if rapid intensification continues, the industrys water use in some regions could be 50-times greater by the year 2030, which would lead to water shortages. I think this is really important in places like the western US where water availability is limited, study co-author Professor Avner Vengosh from Duke University told The Independent. There the water could very soon become a limiting factor for the industry to extract those hydrocarbons. 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke filled with the carbon that is driving climate change drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan More water is required at fracking sites as wells are dug ever further into the ground, which explains why water use has increased even as unconventional oil and gas production has more broadly declined in the US. These findings were published in the journal Science Advances. Though the UK fracking industry is only in its preliminary stages, concerns have been raised over the industrys water footprint on this side of the Atlantic. The government was recently given the go-ahead to allow fracking at a site in Lancashire for the first time since exploratory drilling caused two minor earthquakes at a site nearby in 2011. Friends of the Earth campaigner Connor Schwartz said that during a summer of drought and hosepipe bans, there was a need to consider how dwindling resources are used. The overall findings of this report is that water usage in the US has risen dramatically per well. We have a meaningful moment here in the UK to ask if that industry is one we want to mimic, he said. Climate change is going to restrict resources like water if we dont get to grips with it, in which case, why waste precious water on fracking? However Ken Cronin, chief executive of UK Onshore Oil and Gas (UKOOG), said they were working with the water industry to help minimise the impact of onshore oil and gas development in the UK on the countrys water resources". He noted that water use in fracking is negligible compared to other industrial water use. A broad estimate for the UK shows the amount of water required to run a shale well for a decade is the equivalent the amount needed to run a 1,000 MW coal-fired power plant for 12 hours, he said. Professor Richard Davies, a fracking expert at Newcastle University who was not involved in the new study, said that while parts of the US may be in danger of drying up the UKs main fracking concern is not drought but the disposal of wastewater. Flowback water is the challenge in the UK its a matter of how do you clean or dispose of volumes of water, he told The Independent. If youre fracking one well in Lancashire it can probably be handled, but if you were to scale up and start fracking tens of wells you need to find an efficient way to dispose of wastewater. The waste from fracking consists chiefly of salty water that can contain toxic and naturally occurring radioactive elements. It is therefore difficult to dispose of safely. In the US wastewater tends to be injected back underground, but this practice is mostly banned in the UK as it has been linked to earthquakes in some locations. The UK has experienced the driest start to a summer since records began in 1961, but safe drinking water remains in plentiful supply. Others around the world are not so fortunate. According to the charity WaterAid, millions of people are going thirsty this year despite high levels of local rainfall. The organisation has warned that climate change is having a harmful impact by making water sources increasingly unreliable. Increased flooding in some parts of the world has contaminated previously drinkable supplies. Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia get around double the amount of rain that falls in the UK on average each year, yet at least one-third of the population in those countries is without clean drinking water. In Papua New Guinea, where rising seas and extreme weather have tainted groundwater sources, the problem has become severe. The number of people without access to clean water close to home has increased to 4.8 million people 63 per cent of the population. Not having clean water to drink is not, for most people, due to a lack of rain, says Jonathan Farr, senior policy analyst on water security and climate change. For the one in nine people around the world 844 million who do not have clean water close to home it is usually because there is not enough investment in systems to ensure rainwater is captured, stored, treated and piped effectively. 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke filled with the carbon that is driving climate change drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan Some countries do still have significant groundwater reserves, but have struggled with a lack of investment in the infrastructure needed to deliver a reliable supply of clean water. In 2015, world leaders pledged to bring safe water and toilets to everyone, everywhere by 2030, said Mr Farr. In July, during a high-level meeting in New York, they renewed this promise and now it is time to act. Earlier this year a WaterAid report revealed 60 per cent of the world is living in water-stressed areas. The charity estimates that around 289,000 children under the age of five die from diarrhoeal diseases caused by water and sanitation problems. Rum remains a misunderstood and underused spirit in Britain. Many drinkers still associate it with cheap cocktails on teenage nights out, or sickly sweet holiday drinks. At the other end of the spectrum, rum is perennially overlooked as a sipping drink in favour of cognac or whiskey or brandy. Few think to uncork a rum for a nightcap. Yet connoisseurs know that when rum is done right, not many drinks can match it for depth, variety or smoothness. Rum combines the depth and sophistication of whiskey with the glamour and history of the Caribbean: its a drink of pirates and admirals and revolutionaries, reggae and reggaeton. Whats more, in recent years the market has expanded greatly, with thousands of artisanal distilleries offering innovative rums from all over the world. But with more choice than ever, which one is the best? How we tested Rum cocktails are still a cornerstone of every drinkers arsenal, so from daiquiris to dark and stormies, we tried the rums as the base of countless iconic drinks. Theres a rum for every palate, and a rum for every rum-based drink, so weve assessed the best rums for each situation, at a range of prices, so you can make sure youre never getting a rum deal. Salud! The best rums for 2021 are: Best overall Ron Zacapa 23: 54.95, Thewhiskeyexchange.com Ron Zacapa 23: 54.95, Thewhiskeyexchange.com Best all-rounder Havana Club anejo especial: 16, Sainsburys.co.uk Havana Club anejo especial: 16, Sainsburys.co.uk Best budget rum Aldi old hopking dark rum: 9.99 Aldi.co.uk Aldi old hopking dark rum: 9.99 Aldi.co.uk Best for a daiquiri Equiano rum: 39.90, Masterofmalt.com Equiano rum: 39.90, Masterofmalt.com Best spiced rum Dead Mans Fingers spiced rum: 18, Amazon.co.uk Dead Mans Fingers spiced rum: 18, Amazon.co.uk Best budget spiced rum Aldi cassario black spiced with rum: 14.99, Aldi.co.uk Aldi cassario black spiced with rum: 14.99, Aldi.co.uk Best for an old fashioned Diplomatico rum: 35.99, Houseofmalt.co.uk Diplomatico rum: 35.99, Houseofmalt.co.uk Best for mojitos Flor de Cana 4: 22.95, Masterofmalt.com Flor de Cana 4: 22.95, Masterofmalt.com Best rum for entertaining Bacardi superior, Carta Blanca: 13, Sainsburys.co.uk Bacardi superior, Carta Blanca: 13, Sainsburys.co.uk Best for rum punch Mount Gay eclipse: 18, Waitrose.com Ron Zacapa 23 Best: Overall Rating: 9/10 This glorious aged rum, now distributed by Diageo, has won several big prizes, and now its our best buy too. Hailing from Guatemala in central America, the 23" refers to the age of some of the rums that are blended together to make each bottle. Its a rich, smooth, full-bodied rum with deep flavours of vanilla, citrus fruit and chocolate that earns a place in every drinks cabinet. Buy now 89.95 , Thewhiskyexchange.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Havana Club anejo especial Best: All-rounder Rating: 8/10 Every rum cupboard needs something from Cuba, and Havana Club is the iconic Cuban rum brand. For fine sipping there are more aged versions, but for a widely available, smooth dark rum that tastes good on its own or as the base for cocktails try a dark and stormy or a Cuba libre its hard to beat this classic. Buy now 16 , Sainsburys.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Aldi old hopking dark rum Best: Budget rum Rating: 7/10 Once again the German supermarkets come up trumps when it comes to a value option. Aldis old hopking rum is an expert blend of vanilla, caramel and coffee, drinkable on its own or in cocktails, and available at a price that means you can make grog for the whole ships company. Buy now 9.99 , Aldi.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Equiano rum Best: For a daiquiri Rating: 9/10 Named after the abolitionist Olaudah Equiano, this African-Caribbean crossover is a blend of liquids from Barbados and Mauritius, brought together in bourbon casks. Its chocolate and oak flavours add depth to the classic Cuban rum cocktail. Hemingway would approve. Whats more, five per cent of profits go to equality charities around the world, so you can kick back with a clear conscience. Buy now 39.90 , Masterofmalt.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Dead Mans Fingers spiced rum Best: Spiced rum Rating: 7/10 Spiced rum is traditionally the poor cousin to the good stuff, with spices used to mask the inferior flavour, but it neednt be the case. Drawing on Cornwalls history of smugglers and pirates, Dead Mans Fingers made by the owners of a seafood shack in St Ives blends rums from the Caribbean to create a range of potently flavoured rums. This spiced version has notes of vanilla, citrus, spice, nutmeg and vanilla. Enjoy on its own or as the basis for ice-cold cocktails with plenty of fresh lime. Buy now 18 , Amazon.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Aldi cassario black spiced with rum Best: Budget spiced rum Rating: 7/10 Aldis spiced rums have won plenty of awards, offering exceptional value. Although its not a pure rum, this is a rum-based drink with a similar richness of vanilla, spices, citrus and coffee flavours. At just 14.99, it is offers a superior experience for a fraction of the cost of other premium drinks. Buy now 14.99 , Aldi.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Diplomatico rum Best: For an old fashioned Rating: 9/10 Hailing from Venezuela, Diplomatico is a firm favourite among rum connoisseurs. It has delicious sweetness and lightness, which means that although Old Fashioneds are traditionally made with bourbon or even gin Diplomatico works a treat. Buy now 36.95 , Houseofmalt.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Flor de Cana 4 extra seco Best: For mojitos Rating: 8/10 This dry, clear light rum is the perfect base for one of the quintessential rum cocktails, the mojito, with enough pep to give depth to the flavours beneath the drinks sugar, lime and mint notes. Alternatively, it goes perfectly well with other mixers. The spirit of summer, bottled. Buy now 22.45 , Masterofmalt.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Bacardi superior, Carta Blanca Best: Rum for entertaining Rating: 7/10 For all that there are dozens of small-scale artisanal rum producers, sometimes you dont need to go fancy to have a good time. When you need to pep up a house party, Bacardi is the classic base for a daiquiri, mojito or other cocktails, with a clear, smooth flavour. Buy now 17 , Sainsburys.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} Mount Gay eclipse Best: For rum punch Rating: 8/10 No list of rums would be complete without an appearance from Mount Gay, and what better expression of the classic Barbados rum than a classic rum punch? As the ancient recipe goes: one of sour (lime juice), two of sweet (sugar syrup), three of strong (rum), four of weak (water). Add a dash of angostura bitters and some nutmeg to taste and you can be on a Caribbean holiday in minutes. Remember, your living room is always on the green list. Buy now 18 , Waitrose.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{/hasItems}} {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}} {{#hasItems}} {{/hasItems}} The verdict: Rums Everyone should have a decent sipping rum at home, something cooler than whiskey or brandy to offer after dinner. Tastes will vary as much as they do with other spirits. Its not the cheapest rum on the market, but Ron Zacapa 23 ticks all the boxes, a dark, deep, balanced drink that will convert the staunchest rum refuseniks. For a mid-range classic dark rum, look no further than Havana Club anejo especial, smooth enough to drink on its own but also not so fancy youll feel guilty mixing it. At the other end of the market, Aldi continues the low-cost German supermarkets keen eye for great value in drinks. Their wines and whiskeys routinely win awards against rums twice as expensive, and rum is no exception. Voucher codes For the latest alcohol deals, try the links below: Beer Hawk discount codes BrewDog discount codes The Whiskey Exchange discount codes Stock up your drinks cabinet with one of the best tequilas 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. Avoiding alcohol, exercising on the plane and eating cherries are among the most effective ways to combat jet lag, according to a new study. A poll of 2,000 adults who have experienced jet lag found more than eight in 10 have struggled with severe fatigue after a long-haul flight. Other methods used to avoid jet lag include drinking lots of water, avoiding caffeine and sleeping on the plane as much as possible. The study was conducted by Love Fresh Cherries, the industry body which supplies cherries to UK supermarkets - in association with NW Cherries. Anita Bean, a registered nutritionist, said: Jet lag occurs when your internal body clock becomes disrupted due to crossing time zones. The main symptoms include fatigue, insomnia, digestive problems, appetite changes and concentration and memory problems. Theres no cure for jet lag but there are steps you can take before, during and after the flight to help minimise the effects. Other techniques to regulate your body clock include keeping your watch set to the time back home and staying awake until pre-travel bedtime. UK-Australia nonstop: record-breaking 17 hour flight Show all 10 1 /10 UK-Australia nonstop: record-breaking 17 hour flight UK-Australia nonstop: record-breaking 17 hour flight The Qantas flight is the first nonstop UK to Australia passenger route Qantas UK-Australia nonstop: record-breaking 17 hour flight Welcome party: the scene at Heathrow Terminal 3 greeting the first non-stop passengers from Australia to Britain Simon Calder UK-Australia nonstop: record-breaking 17 hour flight Last call: departure screen at Heathrow for the first nonstop passenger flight to Australia Simon Calder UK-Australia nonstop: record-breaking 17 hour flight Qantas' Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner used for the historic flight Qantas UK-Australia nonstop: record-breaking 17 hour flight Travel appetite: Inflight breakfast on London-Perth nonstop flight Simon Calder UK-Australia nonstop: record-breaking 17 hour flight Globe shrinking: Moving map on Qantas flight 10 Simon Calder UK-Australia nonstop: record-breaking 17 hour flight World beater: The first London-Perth nonstop flight at dawn over the Indian Ocean Simon Calder UK-Australia nonstop: record-breaking 17 hour flight Chicken or ...? Beef option for dinner on flight QF10 Simon Calder UK-Australia nonstop: record-breaking 17 hour flight Long haul: Qantas Boeing 787 just arrived at Perth from London Simon Calder UK-Australia nonstop: record-breaking 17 hour flight Land fall: Simon Calder (left) grabs a selfie with two didgeridoo players who greeted the maiden flight from London Perth Airport It also emerged that 44 per cent have been unable to sleep the night after returning from a different time zone. On average it takes those polled more than three days to get back to their normal sleeping routine after flying long-haul. Typically a case of jet-lag causes people to loose nine hours of sleep. Three in 10 British people have struggled to concentrate when returning to work and one in 10 have even suffered anxiety brought on by shifting time zones after travel. One in 10 have struggled with constipation and a third have suffered from a debilitating headache. A quarter of jet lag sufferers said the condition makes them feel frustrated and nearly four in 10 claimed it leaves them feeling totally unproductive. Nearly half admitted that jet lag makes them more irritable and 20 per cent feel a general heightening of emotion. A quarter of respondents have even fallen asleep somewhere unusual due to fatigue from jet lag. Three in 10 have nodded off at work and a quarter have even fallen asleep behind the wheel of their car. In 16 per cent of cases respondents said their jet lag was so bad that they had to phone in sick for work. Studies have shown cherries can help prevent jet lag because they are one of the only natural sources of melatonin, a hormone which helps regulate sleep patterns. Anita Bean said: Research has found that drinking tart cherry juice twice a day raises the bodys level of sleep-inducing melatonin and can increase sleep time by more than 80 minutes a night. The extra melatonin may help your body fight jet lag and regulate its natural sleep cycle when you arrive in your new time zone. Top 20 ways British people combat jet lag: Force yourself to stay awake until bedtime when you get home Sleep as much as possible on the flight Walk around on the plane Avoid alcohol on the plane Drink more water than usual on the plane, and following the flight Make sure to stay in general good physical fitness before travel Avoid caffeine on the plane Do exercises on the plane Keep your watch set to your home/normal time when on holiday Avoid alcohol when you get home Take extra vitamins / supplements before, during or after the flight Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables on the plane Avoid caffeine when you get home Eat ginger before, during or after the flight Exercise more following the flight Take sleeping pills when you cant sleep Force yourself back to work early after the flight Eat goji berries before, during or after the flight Eat cherries before, during or after the flight Arrange parties or social occasions to force yourself to stay active after the flight Anita Bean's top tips for minimising the effects of jet lag: Before you travel: Gradually change your sleep routine start going to bed and getting up an hour or so earlier or later than usual, in line with the time of your destination Try to eat your meals in line with or at least closer to the new time zone Avoid eating a large meal just before travelling During your flight: Drink plenty of water or non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated drinks being properly hydrated will help offset the effects of jet lag Skip in-flight meals this will cause your body clock to temporarily reset and help you adjust to the new time zone faster If you cant go without food that long, keep your meals light and sync them to the local meal times Avoid drinking coffee and energy drinks as too much caffeine disrupts your sleep and can make jet lag worse Flying overnight? Try to sleep in the early or middle part of your flight but make sure you wake up at least 10 - 12 hours before the planned bedtime in your new time zone Unplug in the air exposure to blue light can disrupt your sleeping pattern and make jet lag symptoms worse After your arrive: Eat cherries or drink cherry juice Cherries are one of the only natural sources of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate our sleep patterns Research has found drinking tart cherry juice twice a day raises the bodys level of sleep-inducing melatonin and can increase sleep time by more than 80 minutes a night The extra melatonin may help your body fight jet lag and regulate its natural sleep cycle when you arrive in your new time zone Get lots of daylight exposure, ideally in the morning (aim for a minimum of 20 minutes) natural light will help your body clock adjust quicker The best way to get yourself on to the new time zone as quickly as possible is to stay up until a normal bedtime Push through tiredness and avoid the urge to nap longer than an hour during the daytime as this will make your jet lag feel worse Start eating meals at the normal times for your new time zone as this will help reset your body clock Do some exercise soon after arriving at your destination, it will make you feel more alert during the day and help reset your body clock more quickly SWNS Less than half of all cryptocurrencies actually serve any useful function or provide "real value" to the public, according to a study of the top 100 cryptocurrencies. Research by Invest in Blockchain, a cryptocurrency analysis site, looked at the most valuable cryptocurrencies in terms of their market capitalisation. Only 40 were found to have working products. "We evaluated each project's status, looked at its roadmap, checked its release history, and compared completed features to what the team promises to deliver in the future," the researchers said. "A working product is active and available to the public... There are many projects in the top 100 [claiming] to have a 'working product' by a loose definition. [But] the mere existence of a product does not necessarily mean that the product is working." The study comes amid a market-wide crash, with bitcoin, ethereum and other cryptocurrencies continuing to fall in value since markets shifted direction at the beginning of 2018. 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 One thing all of the top 100 cryptocurrencies have in common is that they're built on top of a blockchain a type of online ledger that was first described bitcoin's 2008 white paper. However, simply building a blockchain is not enough to meet the criteria for utility set by the researchers. Among the projects that were found to have working products were popular cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, litecoin and bitcoin cash, as well as smart contract platforms like ethereum. Less well known coins like the privacy-focussed Zcash and ZenCash also featured on the list of cryptocurrencies with a working product. Functionality of these coins include secure transaction technology and in-built chat messaging services. Uber narrowed its losses in the second quarter, but failed to turn a profit, the ride hailing apps latest financial results show. The company reported a loss of $891m (700m) for the quarter, a 16 per cent improvement on the $1.1bn loss recorded the same period of the previous year, but down from a $2.5bn profit in the first quarter of 2018. The losses continued as Uber ramped up spending on new markets, such as India and the Middle East, and its food delivery business. The firm has also been tied up in a number of costly legal battles. Meanwhile, Uber investors have reportedly told the company to sell its self-driving car unit after it racked up losses of between $125m and $200m. Revenue was up 51 per cent to $2.7bn, however, growth slowed compared to the first quarter, and gross bookings rose 41 per cent to $12bn. Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi has previously hinted that the company may float on the stock market by 2020, however, analysts are looking for profitability before the firm goes public. Mr Khosrowshahi said: We had another great quarter, continuing to grow at an impressive rate for a business of our scale. He was brought in one year ago after Uber suffered a series of setbacks, including allegations of sexual assaults committed by its drivers, sexual harassment within the company and a legal battle with Google, which ultimately forced the departure of founder Travis Kalanick. Since joining, Mr Khosrowshahi has faced further difficulties, with a number of major cities banning Uber from operating. Last year, Transport for London revoked Ubers licence to operate in the capital. The decision was overturned by a London court in June this year. Additional reporting by newswires Chico, Calif. -- What does Chico have in common with a major European city and travel destination? That is a question Action News Now Morning Anchor Julia Yarbough asked and found out, during a ride-along with a member of the Chico Police Department. One local officer is the conduit between the two regions and he is connected through a unique professional and personal level. When Chico Police Officer Cedric Schwyzer has the opportunity to speak his native language, which is Swiss-German, it is a rare treat. When the conversation takes place with police narcotics investigator Patrick Joray, the benefit is even more so. The only problem with working in a dual language, is switching back and forth. Officer Schwyzer says he tried telling his Sergeant something and accidentally talked to him in German. The last time Officer Schwyzer and Detective Joray saw each other was four years ago. That is a long time for colleagues and even more so for family members. You see the two law enforcement professionals are cousins! Joray described the day as awesome. He said the time together was great and because he loves and respects his cousin, it was especially nice to visit him in Chico. Joray is a member of the Luzern, Switzerland Police Department. Spending one day with his cousin is an opportunity to experience policing from a different perspective. Both men say they have the same jobs, therefore there is a great deal to talk about. The two try and find similarities and differences between their approaches to law enforcement, how the departments work, the resources available and how cultural differences affect how they interact with the public. For example, the first call Officer Schwyzer arrived to was for a report of a young woman experiencing mental health issues. The officer was able to talk her into a less combative mode and then members of the Chico Police Department Mobile Crisis Unit took over. This type of response to a mental health situation is not something Detective Joray says his team has in Switzerland. He says when officers encounter similar situations, they make sure to record the persons name and personal information and offer to get them to a doctor. They file a report, so if there is a call to the same address involving the same person in the future, other officers are aware. But there is nothing such as a mobile crisis unit to assist on-scene. The next call the two men arrive on is locating two men loitering behind a Chico business. As Officer Schwyzer speaks to what appear to be young transients; collecting information about them including where they are from, where they are planning to go and what resources are available to help them get off the streets. For Detective Joray the encounter is almost foreign. He says Switzerland offers a wide and deep social safety net for citizens and he believes for that reason, his region does not deal with issues of homelessness and people living on the streets. He describes what he witnesses on the call as sad and unfortunate. Officer Schwyzer and Detective Joray grew up together in small, neighboring villages in Switzerland. Both say they have fond memories of their childhood. Neither anticipated entering law enforcement and say it was simply chance they are now in the same profession. Now, the two men exchange ideas and information; compare and contrast their approaches to interacting with the public and sharing concepts about how to do their jobs better. As for Officer Schwyzer, the journey which brought him to the Chico Police Department is a unique one. He says he first came to Chico as a high-school exchange student. He fell in love with the area, returned for college and then eventually became a U.S. citizen. He says he went into the law enforcement professions because he wanted to help people. And if his name sounds familiar, it could be because Action News Now introduced you to Officer Schwyzer last year as a result of him helping someone. He was instrumental in assisting a local youth who was involved in gangs and had run away from home. The officer encouraged the young man to focus on setting his life straight and finishing school. That teen finished a youth work program, earned his high school diploma and then landed a job working with the City of Chico Parks Department. At the time, Officer Schwyzer said he simply saw something in the youth and suspected he was a good kid who had simply lost his way. Virgin Media has announced price hikes for its cable service, which includes broadband, TV and fixed-line phones, which will affect five million customers. The broadband provider said prices for the significant majority of customers will rise by between 2 and 4 per month, or an average increase of 4.5 per cent. The company said this was a lower price hike than last year, despite the fact that broadband usage on its network had increased by almost 40 per cent since then, with approximately 60 per cent of total traffic now due to more streaming of video. Recommended Virgin Media to close call centre with loss of 800 jobs Virgin blamed a 300 per cent increase in business rates on broadband networks for making it necessary to raise bills, as it faces higher costs to build and run the network. The changes to bills will take effect from October onwards. A spokesperson for Virgin Media said: Increasing prices is not a decision which we take lightly. We work hard to keep our prices competitive while continuing to invest in our network and improve the services we offer our customers. Over the past year weve invested around a billion pounds in our network and upgraded many of our customers to faster broadband while introducing a new top speed of 362Mbps the fastest widely available speed in the market. The company also said the price hikes had nothing to do with a recent dispute with UKTV over digital rights. In July, Virgin Media told customers that it would slash UKTV channels, including Gold and Dave, from its offering. UKTV is jointly owned by the BBC and US broadcaster Discovery, and the dispute was linked to the BBCs claim to the streaming rights of its programming, which it does not want to make freely available through UKTV Play, the companys on-demand service. UKTV was resisting price cuts proposed by Virgin. However, Virgin Media and UKTV have since come to an agreement which will see the channels restored on the Virgin Media service, and new ones added. More students sat A-levels in Chinese than in German this year amid a continuing decline in modern foreign languages, the latest figures show. Chinese has become more popular among sixth formers than German for the first time with 3,334 students taking the subject this year compared to 3,058 students who sat exams in the European language . A-level Chinese which saw a rise of 8.6 per cent in entries compared to 2017 has bucked the trend of students moving away from modern foreign languages in sixth form. The number of students opting to study German, French and Spanish has fallen by 7.9 per cent, new figures from exam boards show. Entry rates for German were down by 16.5 per cent on last year, while entries for French declined by 8 per cent to 8,713 and entries for Spanish dropped by 4 per cent to 8,255. Suzanne OFarrell, curriculum and assessment specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, said: Were seeing German just moving into extinction really. It is in severe decline. The move towards Chinese at A-level comes after the government launched a 10m Mandarin Excellence Programme which is aiming for 5,000 young people to become fluent Mandarin speakers by 2020. Mandarin Chinese is the first language of over 1.25 billion people worldwide, and fluency in the language is widely considered to be useful in an increasingly global economy. Mark Herbert, director of schools and skills at the British Council, said the continued decline in pupils taking a modern language A-level in the first place was a real concern. Student perceptions that languages are more difficult and less important than other subjects need to be tackled, he said. A-level results 2018 in pictures Show all 21 1 /21 A-level results 2018 in pictures A-level results 2018 in pictures Students celebrate their A Level results from Ark Academy in Wembley PA A-level results 2018 in pictures Charlie Jenner, Nathan Sharp and Abhinav Boddu receive their A Level results at Norwich School PA A-level results 2018 in pictures Students collect their A Level results at Brighton College PA A-level results 2018 in pictures Students celebrate their A Level results from Ark Academy in Wembley PA A-level results 2018 in pictures Twins Himmat (left) and Arjun Sohal, who both got 3 A's in Maths, Physics and Chemistry, and will both be going to Bath Universirty to study Chemical Engineering, celebrate their A Level results at Peter Symonds College, Winchester PA A-level results 2018 in pictures Students celebrate their A Level results from Ark Academy in Wembley PA A-level results 2018 in pictures Alex Cox receiving his A Level results at Mander Portman Woodward College, Edgbaston, Birmingham PA A-level results 2018 in pictures Students react as they receive their 'A' level results at Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form in London Reuters A-level results 2018 in pictures Moyle Oloko with her results at Brighton College in East Sussex PA A-level results 2018 in pictures Grace El-Mokadem, Maddie Backhouse, Claudia Ballard and Sophie Plumber read their A Level results at Brighton College in East Sussex PA A-level results 2018 in pictures Twins Emily and Molly Goldberg receive their A Level results at Merchant Taylor School in Crosby, Merseyside PA A-level results 2018 in pictures A student reacts as she receives her 'A' level results at Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form in London REUTERS A-level results 2018 in pictures Students react as they receive their 'A' level results at Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form in London Reuters A-level results 2018 in pictures Simran Kaur Bahia 20 receiving her A Level results gaining an A*, A and B at Mander Portman Woodward College, Edgbaston PA A-level results 2018 in pictures Students pose for a photograph as they receive their A Level results from from Merchant Taylor School in Crosby, Merseyside PA A-level results 2018 in pictures Amanda Georgevic with daughter Phoebe Georgevic 19, who got two A's and one B in her A Level results at Mander Portman Woodward College, Edgbaston PA A-level results 2018 in pictures Students react as they receive their 'A' level results at Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form in London Reuters A-level results 2018 in pictures Harriet Selway, 17, left, and Niamh Davies, 17, right, both from Horfield, Bristol, react as they open their A Level results at St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School PA A-level results 2018 in pictures Eleanor Elizabeth Sykes 18 receiving her A Level results gaining 2 A's at Mander Portman Woodward College, Edgbaston PA A-level results 2018 in pictures A group of students talk after receiving their A Level results at Mander Portman Woodward College PA A-level results 2018 in pictures A student reacts as she receives her 'A' level results at Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form in London Reuters Mr Herbert added: Against this overall downward trend, the increasing popularity of Chinese proves that our young people can be enthused to study languages. Our research shows that Mandarin will be one of the most important languages for the UKs future prosperity and global standing but we mustnt neglect Spanish, French and German which will still be vital post-Brexit. Scientists have reversed a form of congenital blindness in living mammals for the first time with a technique that could lead to new treatments for humans. US researchers have shown that it is possible to convert nerve cells performing other jobs in the eye in to light-sensitive rod cells. These are responsible for identifying light changes, shapes and movement as well as our night and peripheral vision. Experts said the study was a "big deal" and represents a major step forward from other treatments available for blindness which tend to stop, or slow, sight loss but not reverse it. Harnessing the power to grow these photoreceptors on demand could help people born blind as well as those who lost their vision from progressive forms of eye disease. Restoring rod cells has also been shown to protect cone cells responsible for colour and detailed vision, and this could help preserve detailed vision lost in eye disease. Scientists studied zebrafish as part of their research, which are able to convert these retinal nerve cells, called Muller glia, into rods at will, and are capable of repairing significant sight loss. In mammals this process only occurs in response to damage and is much less efficient, but the researchers believed this regenerative machinery may still exist. From a practical standpoint, if youre trying to regenerate the retina to restore a persons vision, it is counterproductive to injure it first to activate the Muller glia, said Dr Bo Chen from the Icahn School of Medicine, New York. We wanted to see if we could program Muller glia to become rod photoreceptors in a living mouse without having to injure its retina. They developed a two-stage process, published on Wednesday in the journal Nature, where mice were first given a treatment which introduces a gene responsible for making the protein beta-catenin. Producing this protein causes the Muller glia to multiply, and then a second treatment is used convert them into the rod cell photoreceptors. Chens team tracked the development of the new cells over several weeks and found they looked identical to normal healthy rod photoreceptors, and formed all the nerve system connections needed to process sight. In trials, mice genetically engineered to be born blind also showed the treatment reactivated the parts of the brain required for visual processing. Professor Chris Inglehearn, professor of molecular ophthalmology at the University of Leeds told The Independent there was a long way to go before human trials "but it's a big step nonetheless". He added: "What these researchers have done is to reprogram whole cells within the retina, cells that previously carried out other functions, and turn them into new light-sensitive photoreceptors, to replace the ones the mice had lost and so restore some of their vision. "It will not restore perfect sight, but fear of complete blindness is one of our greatest healthcare fears, and restoration of even limited sight in such patients would mean a great deal to them." Chemicals found in 3.4 billion-year-old rocks have confirmed them as contenders for the title of oldest evidence of life on Earth. Discovered in Western Australia back in 2013, the Strelley Pool microfossils are thought to be all that remains of ancient bacteria. But the passage of time takes its toll on all fossils, especially microscopic ones. This means any remains that are discovered are the subject of enormous debate in the scientific community. In their latest study, a team of scientists used the chemical traces left on the miniscule structures found at Strelley and compared them with the chemical signatures of modern-day bacteria. They also used more recent microfossil evidence from 1.9 billion year-old Canadian rock formations as an additional comparison, and found that the characteristics of each were roughly the same. We demonstrate that the elemental and molecular characteristics of these 3.4 billion year-old microfossils are consistent with biological remains, slightly degraded by fossilisation processes, said Dr Julien Alleon, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientist who led the study. This effectively supports the biological origin of the Strelley Pool microfossils. Fossilised tick shows relationship between parasites and dinosaurs Dr Alleon said it was remarkable that these echoes of past life have survived for so long, especially given the extreme conditions they would have been exposed to over the years. We know from the molecular structure of the microfossils that they have been exposed to temperatures of up to 300C for long periods. And yet we are still able to see signs of their original chemistry, he said. Their results were published in the journal Geochemical Perspectives Letters. The tiny structures the researchers examined belong to a limited club of formations touted by different groups as the oldest ever fossils. Even in the wider Strelley Pool formation, which geologists think was once submerged underneath a shallow ocean, there are other ancient structures called stromatolites thought to be the remains of ancient colonies. Some proposed microfossils discovered in Canada have pushed the origin of life on Earth back even further to over 4 billion years ago. Besides confirming that lifes history stretches back at least 3.4 billion years, the scientists behind the new study which was presented at the Goldschmidt geochemistry conference in Boston want to use their methods to investigate specimens with competing claims. There are competing claims over which microfossils are actually the world's oldest, this analytical strategy needs to be applied to other ancient samples to help settle the controversy, said Dr Alleon. Professor Vickie Bennett, a researcher at the Australian National University with expertise in this area who was not involved in the new study, agreed this work provided compelling evidence that the Strelley microfossils were evidence of life on ancient Earth. Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary However, she said the same techniques would not be able to end the debate once and for all. The techniques used here are not applicable to the older rocks that host the claims for the oldest terrestrial life, as these rocks were exposed to much higher temperatures, she explained. These samples include the 3.7 billion year old stromatolites from Isua, Greenland and the 4.1 billion year old Canadian microfossils. However, this work shows how quickly the field is developing and that new capabilities for testing and confirming earlier evidence of life are in reach. The Earth is pretty normal as far as the universe goes and there could be many more planets like our own than we ever realised, according to a new study. The building blocks that helped create our own planet are spread across the universe, the researchers discovered. As such, other planets like our own are probably out there just waiting to be found, according to researchers. The study is one of the biggest investigations into how other planetary systems are formed and what materials are used, as well as looking at what that might mean for other Earth-like planets elsewhere in the galaxy. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region Looking for such planets and trying to understand their makeup is difficult because any signals from them are usually completely drowned out by the stars that are near them, the researchers said. So they looked into other ways of examining those planets and examining their composition. Most of the building blocks we have looked at in other planetary systems have a composition broadly similar to that of the Earth, said researcher Dr Siyi Xu of the Gemini Observatory in Hawaii. The discovery was made by looking at white dwarfs, stars that have shrunk down to be very small and dense, a fate that awaits our own star in just 5 billion years. As they get so small, they pull in other material from nearby. That can then be seen as it moves closer to the star, allowing scientists to explore what the planets that surround it are made of. White dwarfs atmospheres are composed of either hydrogen or helium, which give out a pretty clear and clean spectroscopic signal, said Dr Xu. However, as the star cools, it begins to pull in material from the planets, asteroids, comets and so on which had been orbiting it, with some forming a dust disk, a little like the rings of Saturn. As this material approaches the star, it changes how we see the star. This change is measurable because it influences the stars spectroscopic signal, and allows us to identify the type and even the quantity of material surrounding the white dwarf. These measurements can be extremely sensitive, allowing bodies as small as an asteroid to be detected. Looking through those measurements, scientists found that most of the planets were made up of the same materials that are beneath our feet. This would mean that the chemical elements, the building blocks of earth are common in other planetary systems, said Dr Xu. From what we can see, in terms of the presence and proportion of these elements, were normal, pretty normal. And that means that we can probably expect to find Earth-like planets elsewhere in our galaxy. In the depths of space, astronomers have discovered galaxies that were some of the first ever to form in the universe. Identifying these 13 billion-year-old cosmic entities has been compared to finding the remains of the first humans that inhabited the Earth. The relatively small satellite galaxies, including Segue-1, Bootes I and Ursa Major I, are orbiting the Milky Way, but scientists did not previously realise quite how old they were. Recommended Giant rogue planet with mystery aurora glow found drifting in space Finding some of the very first galaxies that formed in our universe orbiting in the Milky Ways own backyard is the astronomical equivalent of finding the remains of the first humans that inhabited the Earth, said Professor Carlos Frenk, director of Durham Universitys Institute for Computational Cosmology. It is hugely exciting. In a study published in the Astrophysical Journal, Professor Frenk and his colleagues describe two satellite galaxy populations that together tell the story of the early universe. The galaxies began to form when the universe was only about 100 million years old (Durham University/Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies/Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics) Scientists think the first atoms only formed when the universe was 380,000 years old. These atoms clumped together to form clouds, which gradually cooled and settled into the halos of dark matter that had emerged from the big bang. This sparked a period of the universes history known as the cosmic dark ages that lasted 100 million years. Cooling hydrogen atoms inside the halos brought this period to an end with a flash as the gas became unstable and started forming stars. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region Among these stars was a population that formed one of the galaxy groups identified in the new study. The second population of galaxies they found is still ancient, but far later than the first as the initial burst of galaxy formation destroyed the remaining hydrogen atoms and brought the process to a halt for hundreds of millions of years. After collecting data from these faintly visible galaxies, the researchers found that it fitted well with a model of galaxy formation they had previously produced. This allowed them to estimate the formation times of these galaxies. Nasa's Parker Solar Probe mission launches succcessfully on second attempt Their findings agree with the current model for the development of the universe, known as the Lambda cold dark matter model. A nice aspect of this work is that it highlights the complementarity between the predictions of a theoretical model and real data, said Dr Sownak Bose of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, who led the research. A decade ago, the faintest galaxies in the vicinity of the Milky Way would have gone under the radar. With the increasing sensitivity of present and future galaxy censuses, a whole new trove of the tiniest galaxies has come into the light, allowing us to test theoretical models in new regimes. Experiments with the worlds biggest laser have given scientists fresh insights into Jupiter and Saturn, the largest planets in our solar system. Inside these giant planets, the hydrogen gas that forms a key part of their structure is subjected to pressures and temperatures 6 million times higher than Earths atmosphere. Under these extreme conditions, hydrogen stops behaving like a gas and instead is squeezed until it takes on the properties of a liquid metal. To understand this process, researchers made use of the National Ignition Facility in California, the largest and most advanced laser in the world. They fired powerful beams at a gas sample, raising it to a pressure similar to that found on Jupiter. In doing so, they watched as hydrogen turned from an invisible gas to a transparent liquid, which then turned black as the pressure mounted even further and ultimately resembled a reflective metallic substance similar to aluminium. Arguably we have known about the existence of this metallic state of hydrogen for roughly 100 years, and it has been measured for around 25 years, Dr Stewart McWilliams of the University of Edinburgh told The Independent. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region But the question that has been persisting is where inside Jupiter, for example, this transformation to a metallic state would occur. In their study, published in the journal Science, Dr McWilliams and his colleagues documented this process in unprecedented detail. They found that the transition from transparent to opaque material took place as the hydrogen was squeezed under about 1.5 million times normal atmospheric pressure, and the metallic state arrived as this came closer to 2 million times. Recommended Cassini sends back stunning last pictures of Saturn to Nasa To build better models of potential exoplanetary architecture, this transition between gas and metallic liquid hydrogen must be demonstrated and understood, explained Dr Alexander Goncharov from the Carnegie Institution for Science. Which is why we focused on pinpointing the onset of reflectivity in compressed deuterium [a type of hydrogen], moving us closer to a complete vision of this important process. Besides probing the inner workings of these distant planets, subjecting hydrogen to such intense treatments has a role to play closer to home in the development of new energy sources. The ultimate goal of the National Ignition Facility, where the research took place, is to use lasers to compress hydrogen fuel with the goal of inducing nuclear fusion reactions. Video of Jupiter's Moon Ganymede based on images from NASA's Galileo orbiter Fusion energy is the opposite of fission energy the type generated in nuclear power stations and scientists have been trying to find a way to harness it for decades. Unlike fission, which produces dangerous radioactive waste, fusion is expected to come with minimal safety concerns. The main models for nuclear fusion are stars, and attempts to produce a workable fusion-based power source are in part attempts to emulate them. Dr McWilliams said their research adds another piece to this on-going puzzle. We are mapping the path hydrogen takes from a gas to the conditions we might see in the centre of Jupiter, and ultimately this will tell us how we reach conditions in the centre of stars which are even more extreme than those we studied, he explained. The United States has voiced concern about Russias launch of a mysterious satellite that is exhibiting very abnormal behaviour, raising suspicions about Moscows pursuit of new space weapons. The Russian government has insisted the satellite is a space apparatus inspector, but an American official said the objects movements in orbit were inconsistent with anything seen before in that capacity. We dont know for certain what it is and there is no way to verify it, said Yleem Poblete, US assistant secretary for arms control, verification and compliance. But Russian intentions with respect to this satellite are unclear and are obviously a very troubling development. Speaking at the UN Conference on Disarmament, Ms Poblete suggested the object could be a weapon, a prospect she described as disturbing given the recent pattern of Russian malign behaviour. A Russian delegate at the conference said Ms Pobletes comments were unfounded and slanderous. The Kremlins foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, stressed the importance of preventing an arms race in outer space during a meeting of the conference in February. But the next month, Russian president Vladimir Putin unveiled in March six new major offensive weapons systems, including the Peresvet military mobile laser system. Russias space agency is also said to be developing a laser that can destroy objects in space. To the United States this is yet further proof that the Russian actions do not match their words, Ms Poblete said. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region Referring to the space apparatus inspector, whose deployment was announced by the Russian defence ministry last October, the US official added: The only certainty we have is that this system has been placed in orbit. The rest of its demonstrated behaviour is unexpected and unclear to us. We are concerned with what appears to be very abnormal behaviour by a declared space apparatus inspector. She said a draft treaty proposed by China and Russia on the prevention of a space arms race would not prevent the pursuit of counterspace capabilities or stop the testing or stockpiling of anti-satellite weapons. Alexander Deyneko, a senior Russian diplomat in Geneva, dismissed what he called the same unfounded, slanderous accusations based on suspicions, on suppositions and so on. The United States had not proposed amendments to the draft treaty, he said. We are seeing that the American side are raising their serious concerns about Russia, so you would think they ought to be the first to support the Russian initiative, Mr Deyneko added. They should be active in working to develop a treaty that would 100 percent satisfy the security interests of the American people. But they have not made this constructive contribution. Mike Pence 'The time has come to establish the United States Space Force' Chinas disarmament ambassador Fu Cong called for substantive discussions on outer space, leading to negotiations. China has always stood for peaceful use of outer space and we are against weaponisation of outer space, an arms race in outer space, or even more turning outer space into a battle field, he said. A US intelligence report published earlier this year warned Russia and China were developing destructive counterspace weapons which could be ready to use in the next few years. New anti-satellite weapons could be used as a means to reduce US and allied military effectiveness in future wars, it said. In June, Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to create a space force to establish American dominance outside the Earths atmosphere. The US president told a meeting of the National Space Council that we dont want China and Russia and other countries leading us and announced his intention to reclaim primacy in the extra-terrestrial arena with a new branch of the military. The move has been opposed by senior members of the US armed forces. Armed police have been called to two mosques in Birmingham after windows were smashed during evening prayers. There were initial fears someone could have shot at the Masjid Qamarul Islam mosque and Al-Hijrah mosque, which were targeted minutes apart in Small Heath. Worshippers thought they were under attack by someone with a gun, Imam Usman Hussain, of the Masjid Qamarul Islaml, told the BBC. We heard a loud bang, people were very frightened, there was a sense of panic, but we don't know what the motive was. Police said windows were smashed on Wednesday evening, amid counterterror investigations into the alleged Westminster attacker Salih Khater elsewhere in Birmingham. West Midlands Police said the first attack came at 10pm and the second 20 minutes later. The first [attack] broke a window in the on Fosbrooke Road around 10pm, followed by another broken window at the Al-Hijrah mosque on Hob Moor Road, a spokesperson said. Firearms officers were deployed as a precaution, but the bearings recovered are thought to be from a heavy-duty catapult. The reason for the attacks aren't clear at this stage, but officers are continuing to patrol the area to reassure worshippers and local residents. No one has been arrested in connection with the attacks and police continue to investigate. 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 They came hours after leaders of Birmingham Central Mosque, which was not targeted, said they feared further Islamophobic incidents in the wake of the Westminster incident. Mr Khater, a 29-year-old British citizen originally from Sudan, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and committing an act of terrorism and police have searched his current and previous homes in Birmingham. Some community members are upset, in this time of heightened Islamophobia against our community and with the focus by the far right on Muslims as the bogeyman in society, said Nassar Mahmood, a trustee at Birmingham Central Mosque. Generally, who tends to suffer is our women, because theyre more visible [as Muslims], and in this way the recent comments by Boris Johnson havent helped either. Were used to people from the EDL, BNP, the far right using us as scapegoats, but when people in the government say this its particularly harrowing for the community. Its affecting people who are the most vulnerable in society. Islamophobia reporting group Tell Mama called the mosque attacks extremely worrying after it revealed an uptick in recent incidents. Several Muslim women have reported being called letterboxes since Mr Johnsons column used the same insult earlier this month, and on Saturday a Muslim family were called f***ing terrorists following an accidental car crash in the West Midlands. Tell Mama recorded a 30 per cent rise in Islamophobic street incidents and a 16 per cent rise in 2017, taking the number of verified reports to a record of 1,201. Its annual report warned of a marked shift towards more serious offline incidents like physical attacks, vandalism and abuse, as hatred continues to spread on social media. Researchers said perpetrators felt emboldened by terror attacks and political discourse, adding: Events which stimulate public discourse on immigration and Islam can correspond with a demonstrable spike in anti-Muslim hate crimes and incidents. It is vital to note that these events are not the underlying cause of anti-Muslim incidents, but rather act as triggers, where people with latent racial prejudices feel emboldened to act on their views, violently or otherwise. A neo-Nazi who was building a bomb has been jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of preparing for a terror attack. Peter Morgans home was filled with explosive components, terrorist literature and Nazi memorabilia including a swastika flag and Second World War dagger. He claimed he only wanted to blow up a turkey and film it for YouTube but was convicted of terror and explosives offences. Police uncovered the stash accidentally in July last year when they were called to help a woman who collapsed in an unrelated incident in his block of flats. The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the 35-year-old had also collected explosive substances, propellants, containers, and a model rocket initiator along with a large quantity of fireworks. Morgan, of Edinburgh, had modified a vinegar bottle with ball bearings and nail gun cartridges to create a device capable of causing horrific injuries, a judge said. No target was identified for the bombing but the court heard Morgan had not not disavowed his extremist views. Bomb components found at Peter Morgan's flat in Edinburgh (COPFS ) (COPFS) He had attended Scottish Defence League protests and was photographed holding a National Front sign at the 2015 White Pride Worldwide Rally in Manchester. A forensic examination of his computer revealed that he had been viewing and downloading documents on bombmaking, how to remove DNA from a dead body, and the best way to dispose of a dead body. He also had files on his computer covering torture methods, buying and transporting weapons and guerrilla warfare, and was active on numerous online forums airing his racist anti-Muslim beliefs, prosecutors said. Morgans stash of literature included items from al-Qaeda and the IRA, along with a racist and antisemitic novel that served as inspiration for atrocities including the Oklahoma City bombing, the 1999 London nail bombings, and the attempted murder of a Sikh man in a Welsh supermarket. Giving evidence, Morgan claimed he merely intended to blow up a turkey and film it for YouTube but a jury found him guilty of possessing terrorist publications, preparing an act of terrorism and explosives offences. Lord Boyd of Duncansby sentenced him to 12 years' imprisonment and a further three years under licence, saying his offences threaten the safety of the public, our values as a democracy and strike at the dignity and respect which all members of our community are entitled to expect whatever their race or religion. Explosive black powder found at Peter Morgan's home in Edinburgh (COPFS ) (COPFS) You assert your right to freedom of speech. However abhorrent some may find your views, you are entitled to hold them, the judge continued. What you are not entitled to do is to act on these views for the purpose of committing or preparing an act of terrorism. Over a period of five years you amassed a collection of neo-Nazi, anti-Muslim, antisemitic and racist material. You downloaded documents from the internet including guides relating to the operation of explosive devices and the manufacture of explosive substances. Of most concern is that you not only possessed the ingredients for the making of an improvised explosive device but you had begun to assemble it. Lord Boyd said Morgan had attempted to make his device more lethal, adding: The bomb disposal expert described the injuries that might be sustained if one was exploded within three to five metres of a person as horrific. Fuses found at Peter Morgan's home in Edinburgh (COPFS ) (COPFS) Morgan, who has a lengthy criminal history including drugs offences, had not been investigated for suspected terrorism before. The prosecutor fiscal for specialist casework, Liam Murphy, said the authority had a duty to keep the people of Scotland safe from harm and working with police, government and other agencies are committed to ensuring that those involved in committing offences under the terrorism legislation are brought to justice. Morgans was the latest in a series of neo-Nazi terror plots, including the planned assassination a Labour MP and a machete and axe attack at a gay pride event in Cumbria. British security services have thwarted 13 Islamist and four far-right terror plots since the Westminster attack in March 2017. Islamists make up the vast majority of suspected terrorists arrested in Britain, but the number of far-right terrorists in prison has more than tripled in a year amid warnings over a rising threat. Not much is changing in your Thursday forecast, but the active weather we saw yesterday in the Sierra and Cascades have shifted off to our East this morning. Dry weather has returned to all of Northern California for the start of your Thursday. Smoke from current wildfires will continue to leave the region with hazy skies today. The worst impacts on air quality are expected to stay in areas around or North of the Carr Fire. Shasta, Trinity, and Siskiyou Counties will likely have air quality in the unhealthy or unhealthy for sensitive groups range, while areas to the South of Shasta County will have air quality ranging from good to moderate. Temperatures have dipped into the mid 60's in the valley overnight, and into the 40's to mid 50's in the mountains. Winds are starting out light, but will pick up to around 10mph out of the South this afternoon. Humidity will likely dip into the 15 to 30 percent range later today. High temperatures are projected to climb into the 93 to 98 degree range in the valley this afternoon, while mountain areas top out in the low to mid 90's later today. Temperatures will climb back into the mid 90's to low triple digits across the valley for the end of your work week, and upcoming weekend. Mountain areas will likely continue to top out in the low to mid 90's during that time, but portions of the Northern Mountains may end up in the high 90's this weekend. South winds will continue to drive the worst of the air quality into areas North of the Carr Fire through the weekend. Temperatures will start to cool back into the mid to high 90's early next week in the valley, and the dry weather will continue. Police have been granted extra time to question a man accused of launching a terror attack in Westminster, after friends claimed the crash may have been an accident. Salih Khater, a British citizen who came to the UK as a refugee from Sudan, was arrested on suspicion of an act of terrorism and attempted murder after the incident on Tuesday. The 29-year-old remains in custody after Westminster Magistrates Court granted the Metropolitan Police a warrant to detain him until Monday, when he must be charged or released. Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the head of UK counterterror policing, said the main priority for investigators was establishing a potential motive for the alleged attack. They are treating the incident as an act of terrorism given that it appears to have been a deliberate act, the method used and the iconic location. The suspect was the only person inside the Ford Fiesta as it ploughed through cyclists, injuring three people, crossed a central reservation and smashed into barriers outside the Houses of Parliament. Police had to leap out of the vehicles path and armed officers surrounded it in seconds, launching a large-scale security operation in Westminster. No other weapons were found in the car, which has been removed from the scene of the crash and searched. 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 Police have raided four properties linked to Mr Khater, including his Birmingham flat, another property in the city and two of his former homes in Birmingham and Nottingham. 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 drove around the city centre for almost eight hours before the crash. Friends of Mr Khater claimed he had driven to London to get a visa from the Sudanese embassy so he could visit relatives in the country in the wake of his fathers dead. Recommended Westminster could be pedestrianised to stop vehicle terror attacks One man, who did not want to be named, told The Independent he was a normal guy who was not radicalised. He's a very good man, a very friendly man, everybody knows him, he added. His father died six or seven months ago and that's why he was stressed. In my opinion he was going the wrong way and he didn't know what he was doing and when he saw the police he got scared - he's lucky they didn't shoot him. 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 don't know why he got into that incident. (Graphic News (Graphic News) Mr Khater's 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: We've been cautioning people against apportioning guilt before the police have concluded their investigation. Armed police were called to two other mosques in Birmingham on Wednesday night after windows were smashed during evening prayers. Police said a heavy-duty catapult was used to target the Masjid Qamarul Islam mosque in Small Heath, followed by the nearby Al-Hijrah mosque around 20 minutes later. 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. Police searched a flat above an internet cafe and barbers' shop in Sparkbrook, Birmingham (Lizzie Dearden) He studied English at City College from 2010 to 2011, then a diploma in science at Birmingham's South and City College 2014 from 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. He described 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]. Mr Khater said he studied at Sudan University of Science and Technology and went to school in Wad Madani, a city south-east of Khartoum. The car struck metres away from where Khalid Masood was shot dead after murdering five people in the Westminster attack in March 2017. Since that atrocity, Westminster has been the planned location of four disrupted plots, making it currently the biggest since 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. Authorities 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 UKs terror threat level is currently set at severe, meaning further attacks are considered highly likely. 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. Unite general secrtary Len McCluskey has waded into the row over Labour antisemitism, accusing Jewish community leaders of "truculent hostility" and "refusing to take yes for an answer". The close ally of Jeremy Corbyn claimed Jewish groups had shown "an utter refusal to engage in dialogue" and were guilty of "petulant trolling". In an explosive article likely to fuel the bitter dispute over Labour antisemitism, Mr McCluskey said he did not understand the "motives" of Jewish community leaders and urged them to "dial down the rhetoric". But he said the party needs to "move on" and joined calls for Labour to adopt the full version of an internationally-recognised definition of antisemitism that has been the subject of a major row in recent weeks. Recommended Jewish Labour members boycott antisemitism talks with party leaders Mr McCluskey is one of Mr Corbyn's closest allies and a vocal supporter of the Labour leadership. Writing for HuffPost, the Unite general secretary claimed Labour had agreed to all the requests made by Jewish community leaders. He wrote: "I am at a loss to understand the motives of the leadership of the Jewish community the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Jewish Labour Movement. "What is the response from the leading Jewish community organisations to this record of reaching out, of understanding, and of action? Intransigent hostility and an utter refusal to engage in dialogue about building on what has been done and resolving outstanding difficulties." He also accused three Jewish newspapers of "a thoroughly irresponsible act of fear-mongering" in relation to a joint front page story accusing Mr Corbyn of posing "an existential threat to Jewish life" in the UK, and said the Board of Deputies of British Jews was guilty of "petulant trolling" for claiming Mr Corbyn had gone "into hiding" over the summer. Mr McCluskey said: "I therefore appeal to the leadership of the Jewish community to abandon their truculent hostility, engage in dialogue and dial down the rhetoric, before the political estrangement between them and the Labour Party becomes entrenched. "Surely a community leadership which had time to publicly challenge the BBC over a news headline critical of the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza has the time to meet the Leader of the Opposition?" Protests against Labour antisemitism Show all 14 1 /14 Protests against Labour antisemitism Protests against Labour antisemitism Protesters clashed during the demonstration Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Members of the Jewish community hold a protest against Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn and antisemitism in the Labour Party AFP/Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism Protesters hold placards and flags during a demonstration, organised by the British Board of Jewish Deputies for those who oppose antisemitism, in Parliament Square Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Hundreds of people gathered in Parliament Square to protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party EPA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour MP Luciana Berger speaks during the protest PA Protests against Labour antisemitism A protester blows through a shofar during the demonstration Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism Members of London's Jewish community protest in support of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn outside parliament EPA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour MP John Mann speaks during a protest against antisemitism PA Protests against Labour antisemitism People protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party as Jewish community leaders have launched a scathing attack on Jeremy Corbyn, claiming he has sided with antisemites again and again PA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour politicians Stella Creasy and Chuka Umunna leave after attending the demonstration Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism A pro-Jeremy Corbyn protester holds a placard during a counter-protest Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism A support of the Labour Party hold up a placard during the demonstration Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Jeremy Corbyn supporters during the demo Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism A protester holds up a sign reading For the many, not the Jew AFP In response, a Board of Deputies spokesperson said: "We note that Len McCluskey has advocated the adoption of the full IHRA definition of antisemitism and its illustrative examples. "However, his attack on the Jewish community is both unfair and unwarranted. We have had a deluge of words from the Labour leadership. It is about time that the party resolved this crisis by taking the firm and decisive action which the communal leadership set out for them in detail months ago. They have so far failed to do what is right. Mr McCluskey also launched a scathing attack on Chuka Umunna over an article for The Independent in which the Streatham MP said Labour had a problem with "institutional antisemitism". The Unite leader wrote: "Chuka Umunnas article this week was an exercise in Blairite triangulation and cynicism. He equates Tory anti-Muslim racism with alleged institutional antisemitism in Labour, despite providing no serious evidence that the latter exists. "Given the paucity of evidence that he actually produces to sustain his charge that he is a member of an institutionally antisemitic party, it is fair to ask whether Umunna is merely exploiting the latest episode to justify his moves to breakaway from Labour, the plotting for which has been widely reported elsewhere." Mr Umunna immediately hit back: "I stand by what I've said on racism in the Labour Party and won't be bullied into silence, not least because my family have experienced racism too. Jeremy Corbyn himself has said it is a problem Labour has not properly dealt with. If Len McCluskey doesn't like that, so be it. "Instead of attacking the victims of racism, our values dictate that we stand up for them - that is what I have done. It's shameful the general secretary of the union of which I am a member should make a personal and political attack against me instead of facing up to this issue." Labour and the SNP in Scotland are under pressure to adopt a stronger stance on Brexit as a new poll shows Scottish voters strongly support a fresh referendum on the final deal. The YouGov survey for the Peoples Vote campaign calling for a public vote on the deal Theresa May returns from Brussels with found that 48 per cent of respondents were in favour of the idea, with 31 per cent opposed. While the SNPs leader Nicola Sturgeon has previously said the case for a second vote may become irresistible, the party does not support the policy and Jeremy Corbyn has repeatedly said Labour is not backing the idea. Peter Kellner, former president of pollster YouGov, said the new poll suggested both party leaders were in the wrong place with most of their supporters and claimed their could be electoral benefits to reap if either party strengthened their position on Brexit. The Independent launched its campaign to win a Final Say Brexit referendum for the British people just three weeks ago with more than 610,000 people signing the petition so far. Recommended Senior Conservative asks constituents if they want new Brexit vote Researchers, who surveyed 2,013 adults in Scotland, found rising support for staying in the European Union. After the dont-knows were removed, two-thirds (66 per cent) said they wanted to remain while 34 per cent were pro-Brexit. At the 2016 EU referendum Scottish voters, 62 per cent backed Remain and 38 per cent opted for Brexit. The poll also indicated widespread support among SNP, Labour and Liberal Democrat voters for staying in the EU at 73 per cent, 67 per cent, and 77 per cent respectively. SNP voters back a Brexit deal referendum by a margin of more than four to one 66 per cent to 18 per cent when the dont-knows have been removed while for Labour this is 64 per cent to 21 per cent. 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 Mr Kellner said the poll was evidence of public opinion shifting on Brexit. Support for a public vote on the outcome is growing across the UK but is particularly strong in Scotland where most people did not want to leave in the first place, he said. There is deep pessimism about what Brexit will mean for Scotland and the next generation. Around two-thirds of Scots think the UK is ignoring their concerns and dont trust Westminster to take the decisions. He continued: But the survey suggests the leaderships of both the SNP and the Labour Party are in the wrong place with most of their supporters. There may be an electoral dividend in Scotland for one of these parties if they strengthen their position. For instance, by a margin of three to one Labour supporters want Jeremy Corbyn to campaign for a public vote, while Nicola Sturgeon may yet want to move faster than she has in backing such a route on Brexit. Brexit relations hit a new low today after Brussels refused to deny that EU negotiators have raised concerns that they are being spied on by MI6. The European Commission declined to comment on the reports that British intelligence assets are suspected of being used to give the UK an upper hand in Brexit talks. It was reported that officials first suspected they were being bugged after the UK obtained sensitive documents within hours of them being presented to EU officials last month. A European Commission spokesperson would neither confirm nor deny the situation, telling reporters in Brussels: The commissions position today is that we cannot comment on these press reports. The document obtained was said to be a political explosive slide presentation that contained a highly negative economic assessment of British plans to stay aligned for EU rules. The Daily Telegraph reports that following the internal EU meeting the UK began immediately lobbying against Brussels releasing the assessment, for fear it could damage reception of Theresa Mays Chequers plan. Both some EU member states and cabinet ministers have suggested a the likelihood of no-deal is now at least 50:50, with Liam Fox the international trade secretary suggesting it was more likely than not. Negotiations between officials at a technical level restarted again on Thursday in Brussels, and will continue on Friday, discussing the Northern Ireland border issue and the future relationship. Neither Dominic Raab, the Brexit secretary, nor Michel Barnier, the EUs chief negotiator, are attending the discussions. When asked what progress could be made this week the European Commission spokesperson avoided giving a direct answer. Both sides say they want to reach a deal by October in order to have an agreement ready by the time the UK automatically leaves the bloc in March 2019, barring an extension or revocation of Article 50. The main sticking point preventing a deal is the Northern Ireland border and the question of a backstop to prevent a hard border in all circumstances. The UK has flat out rejected EU proposals to keep Northern Ireland in the EUs customs area, but Brussels says alternative proposals made by the UK would not prevent a hard border and has said the UK should de-dramatise its response to the EU plans or come up with its own workable solution. Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures An abandoned shop is seen in Mullan, Co Monaghan. The building was home to four families who left during the Troubles. The town was largely abandoned after the hard border was put in place during the conflict. Mullan has seen some regeneration in recent years, but faces an uncertain future with Brexit on the horizon Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A defaced Welcome to Northern Ireland sign stands on the border in Middletown, Co Armagh Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Mervyn Johnson owns a garage in the border town of Pettigo, which straddles the counties of Donegal and Fermanagh. Ive been here since 1956, it was a bit of a problem for a few years. My premises has been blown up about six or seven times, we just kept building and starting again, Johnson said laughing. We just got used to it [the hard border] really but now that its gone, we wouldn't like it back again Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Farmer Gordon Crocketts Coshquin farm straddles both Derry/Londonderry in the North and Donegal in the Republic. At the minute there is no real problem, you can cross the border as free as you want. We could cross it six or eight times a day, said Crockett. If there was any sort of obstruction it would slow down our work every day Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures John Murphy flies the European flag outside his home near the border village of Forkhill, Co Armagh Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Potter Brenda McGinn stands outside her Mullan, Co Monaghan, studio the former Jas Boylan shoe factory which was the main employer in the area until it shut down due to the Troubles. When I came back, this would have been somewhere you would have driven through and have been quite sad. It was a decrepit looking village, said McGinn, whose Busy Bee Ceramics is one of a handful of enterprises restoring life to the community. Now this is a revitalised, old hidden village Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Union Flag colours painted on kerbstones and bus-stops along the border village of Newbuildings, Co Derry/Londonderry Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Grass reflected in Lattone Lough, which is split by the border between Cavan and Fermanagh, seen from near Ballinacor, Northern Ireland Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Donegalman David McClintock sits in the Border Cafe in the village of Muff, which straddles Donegal and Derry/Londonderry Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures An old Irish phone box stands alongside a bus stop in the border town of Glaslough, Co Monaghan Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Billboards are viewed from inside a disused customs hut in Carrickcarnon, Co Down, on the border with Co Louth in the Republic Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Seamus McQuaid takes packages that locals on the Irish side of the border have delivered to his business, McQuaid Auto-Parts, to save money on postal fees, near the Co Fermanagh village of Newtownbutler. I live in the south but the business is in the North, said McQaid. "I wholesale into the Republic of Ireland so if theres duty, Ill have to set up a company 200 yards up the road to sell to my customers. Ill have to bring the same product in through Dublin instead of Belfast Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A disused Great Northern Railway line and station that was for customs and excise on the border town of Glenfarne, Co Leitrim Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Alice Mullen, from Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland, does her shopping at a former customs post on the border in Middletown, Co Armagh. Id be very worried if it was a hard border, I remember when people were divided. I would be very afraid of the threat to the peace process, it was a dreadful time to live through. Even to go to mass on a Sunday, youd have to go through checkpoints. It is terribly stressful, said Mullen. All those barricades and boundaries were pulled down. I see it as a huge big exercise of trust and I do believe everyone breathed a sigh of relief Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A bus stop and red post box stand in the border town of Jonesborough, Co Armagh Reuters Officials have previously suggested the EU may be working on another proposal of its own to prevent border checks from having to be erected but none has yet been published. Both sides also want to reach an agreement on the future trade relationship between the UK and EU, though a withdrawal agreement could technically be signed without much detail on this issue and the details worked out during the two-year transition period Theresa May has asked for. There will be no transition period without a withdrawal agreement covering Northern Ireland, citizens rights, and the financial settlement, however and the UK has said it wants the nature of the future relationship to be agreement before Britain leaves. British steelworkers today throw their weight behind The Independents campaign for a Final Say referendum on Brexit. The Community union representing some 30,000 workers in total calls on Theresa May to do the right thing and allow the British public to determine their own future. In a further significant development in the drive for a new referendum, The Independent and the Peoples Vote campaign are joining forces for a mass march through central London later this year. The alliance will see the two organisations mobilise activists and media across the country to capture the growing tide of opinion that a further referendum on Brexit must be held. Polls show fast increasing support for the idea amid deepening Tory divisions, doubts that Ms May can secure parliamentary backing for her plans and meagre public support for her approach. Relations between UK and EU negotiators have also descended into a new state of paranoia this week, with Brussels not denying reports that its officials believe they are being bugged by British spies. It is against this backdrop that Community general secretary Roy Rickhuss writes exclusively for The Independent, saying: In June 2016, the British public gave our government a mandate to go and negotiate a withdrawal from the European Union. Dominic West discusses the People's Vote March for the Future Exactly what that looked like was unclear, but Theresa May told us she would go in and negotiate a deal that is in the best interests of British workers and their families. It now seems that such a deal is unachievable or may not exist. That is why my trade union, Community, is backing The Independents Final Say campaign, to secure a peoples vote on the final deal. Contribute to the march of a generation Make it too big to ignore At the last Peoples Vote March in June, well over 100,000 people marched on parliament. Since then, the crisis around Brexit has become worse. So the next event, the Peoples Vote and The Independent March for the Future, must be bigger and better. To make it happen, the organisation needs help to pay for the staffing, the leaflets, the advertising, the security and the audiovisuals that will make this march too big to ignore To chip in what you can today to help make this happen visit www.peoples-vote.uk/crowdfunder Communitys roots are in textile manufacturing and the steel industry pushed to the brink of collapse in recent years as much larger economies such as China distort international markets. In 2018 the industry has faced new pressure in particular from steel tariffs imposed by Donald Trumps US administration, which Brexiteers are relying on for a favourable future trade deal. Community also supports prison and justice workers, logistics, finance, politics and public affairs staff, the charity and freelance sectors and is affiliated to the Labour Party. Mr Rickhuss highlighted London School of Economics data concluding Brexit was already costing the average UK household more than 404 a year by June 2017. 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 He argued that the facts of withdrawal were now profoundly different to those presented in 2016, branding the promise of 350m a week for the NHS worthless and the guarantee that European trade would not be harmed as at best a mistake, and at worst a deliberate lie. The general secretary added: When Theresa May believes she has got the best outcome she can, then she must come back and allow us to decide if her best is good enough. When Theresa May believes she has got the best outcome she can, then she must come back and allow us to decide if her best is good enough. If that outcome is rejected, then all options should be on the table Community general secretary Roy Rickhuss If that outcome is rejected, then all options should be on the table, including reopening negotiations with Europe and retaining the status quo. Community would not shy away from asking our members to vote on important or difficult issues in the workplace; our politicians must do the right thing and give the people a Final Say on their future. The Peoples Vote launched in April demanding a referendum on the deal agreed with the EU and has a grassroots network of around 1 million people, holding rallies and action days across the country. The Independent launched its own Final Say campaign three weeks ago, so far gathering 615,000 names to its petition along with a string of political endorsements. Indy Brexit Debate: UK will have 'state of emergency if there is no deal' says Dominic Grieve In June this year more than 100,000 people from all walks of life marched on parliament to demand their democratic voice be heard in a new Brexit referendum. But following the newly forged alliance, the Peoples Vote and The Independent March for the Future, on Saturday 20 October in London, is set to be much larger. It received backing from British film star Dominic West today, who said: Please sign the petition, join us on our march, and lets get a peoples vote to say that we wont be dictated to. The gathering, with young people whose voices were not heard two years ago at its forefront, will constitute one of the most significant demonstrations in British history just as Ms May returns from Brussels from a critical Brexit summit. Amatey Doku, vice-president of the 7 million-strong National Union of Students and a supporter of the For our Futures Sake group that backs a new referendum, said: This Tory government, unfortunately assisted by the Labour Party, threaten to harm young peoples futures. Jacob Rees-Mogg suggests a second Brexit referendum would be acceptable in clip from 2011 Thats why students across the country are coming together for the Peoples Vote and The Independent March for the Future. Students and young people can no longer be ignored and on 20 October, we wont be. The prime minister had once aimed to have a deal agreed with Europe earlier this summer, but with negotiations badly stalling and a major cabinet fallout, expectations turned to the October summit. British ministers privately admit it is now unlikely the UK will be able to agree a deal even by October, with a special summit potentially needed before Christmas leaving just three months in the new year for the UK and the EU to ratify any agreement. It is also unclear if Ms May will be able to navigate any deal across her partys deep divisions, with the European Research Group of backbench Tory MPs drawing up alternative proposals highlighting the benefits of a no-deal Brexit. An exclusive poll carried out by BMG Research this week found that 48 per cent of the public would now back a vote on any deal struck between the UK and the EU up from 44 per cent just four weeks ago. Just 24 per cent opposed the idea, down three points over the same period. Only 14 per cent of the 1,500 people surveyed supported Ms Mays chequers deal given a choice. Jeremy Corbyns leadership ratings have fallen behind Theresa Mays following of a month of stories about Labour antisemitism and Tory Islamophobia. A YouGov poll showed the proportion of people thinking Mr Corbyn was doing well in his job has fallen significantly since mid-July, while Ms Mays figures have slightly improved. The survey suggested the latest story on Mr Corbyn attending a controversial wreath-laying ceremony in Tunisia has changed some voters minds but had a limited impact, with half of those polled either not having followed it closely or being completely unaware of the row. Recommended Corbyn denies laying wreath at grave of Munich terrorists The Labour leader came under pressure when pictures emerged of him at a 2014 memorial event at the Palestinian Martyrs Cemetery in Tunisia. The images appeared to show him holding a wreath next to the graves of Palestinian leaders accused of involvement in the 1972 Munich massacre, which killed 11 Israeli Olympic athletes. According to the YouGov poll, only 20 per cent of people now think Mr Corbyn is doing well as party leader down from 27 per cent last month - while 65 per cent say he is performing badly (up from 59 per cent). In contrast, the proportion of people who think Ms May is doing well has increased from 24 to 27 per cent, while the number criticising her performance has dropped from 66 to 63 per cent. The change came as many voters expressed doubts over Mr Corbyns version of events in relation to his visit to the cemetery. The Labour leader has insisted he only laid a wreath for the victims of a 1985 Israeli airstrike on a Palestinian base in Tunisia. He admitted being present when another wreath was laid at the graves of those accused of masterminding the 1972 Munich massacre, but said he did not lay one himself. Among people who were aware of the row, only one in five (21 per cent) said they believed this was an honest account, while 44 per cent said they did not. The rest did not know. Forty-four per cent also said they thought it was likely that Mr Corbyn had laid a wreath at the graves of the Munich terrorists, despite him denying this, while 25 per cent said he probably had not. However, few people said they had followed news coverage about Mr Corbyns attendance of the memorial service closely. While 74 per cent were aware of the story, only 26 per cent said they were following it either very closely of fairly closely. Protests against Labour antisemitism Show all 14 1 /14 Protests against Labour antisemitism Protests against Labour antisemitism Protesters clashed during the demonstration Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Members of the Jewish community hold a protest against Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn and antisemitism in the Labour Party AFP/Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism Protesters hold placards and flags during a demonstration, organised by the British Board of Jewish Deputies for those who oppose antisemitism, in Parliament Square Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Hundreds of people gathered in Parliament Square to protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party EPA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour MP Luciana Berger speaks during the protest PA Protests against Labour antisemitism A protester blows through a shofar during the demonstration Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism Members of London's Jewish community protest in support of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn outside parliament EPA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour MP John Mann speaks during a protest against antisemitism PA Protests against Labour antisemitism People protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party as Jewish community leaders have launched a scathing attack on Jeremy Corbyn, claiming he has sided with antisemites again and again PA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour politicians Stella Creasy and Chuka Umunna leave after attending the demonstration Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism A pro-Jeremy Corbyn protester holds a placard during a counter-protest Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism A support of the Labour Party hold up a placard during the demonstration Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Jeremy Corbyn supporters during the demo Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism A protester holds up a sign reading For the many, not the Jew AFP Anthony Wells, director of political research at YouGov, said: The poll shows the political argument over the wreath has not been particular widely noticed, and has made little difference to perceptions of Jeremy Corbyn. Over half the public are unaware of the story or are not following it, and a large majority of those who are aware say it has made no difference to their view of Jeremy Corbyn. This is actually fairly typical many stories that dominate Westminster dont really cut through to the wider public. When people do notice them, they often see them through the prism of their existing political support. People who already had a negative view of Jeremy Corbyn may react negatively, but people who support Jeremy Corbyn are happy to give him the benefit of the doubt. Of those who were aware of the story, 16 per cent said it had worsened their opinion of Mr Corbyn, compared to 3 per cent who said it had improved their perception of him. Most said it had not changed their view, with 47 per cent maintaining their negative perception of Mr Corbyn and 21 per cent continuing to have a positive opinion of him. Mr Corbyn has admitted being present when wreaths were laid at the grave of Atef Bseiso, a senior Palestinian Liberation Organisation official who was accused of involvement in the Munich massacre. However, he said he did not think he had laid a tribute to the alleged terrorists himself. He said: I was present when it was laid. I dont think I was actually involved in it. I was there because I wanted to see a fitting memorial to everyone who has died in every terrorist incident everywhere, because we have to end it. You cannot pursue peace by a cycle of violence. They only way you pursue peace is by a cycle of dialogue. A 61-year-old man who was bitten by a shark in Massachusetts has suffered puncture wounds to his torso and legs, officials say. The unidentified victim was swimming on the Long Nook Beach in Truro, on Cape Cod, a peninsula that extends into the Atlantic Ocean, at approximately 4pm local time when the attack happened. According to the Truro Police Department, the 61-year-old reported to be standing in shallow waters, approximately 30 yards (27 metres) offshore when he was bitten. He was transported by a medical helicopter to a hospital in Boston. Recommended How to survive a shark attack A recent nursing school graduate, who was among a group of people that rushed to the mans aid, told USA Today there was clearly a shark bite on his leg. A bunch of people helped carry him down the beach, then we gave him towels, wrapped his leg up because there was clearly a shark bite there, she said. We sent him off with great people who seemed like they really knew what they were doing. Chris Meyers, who survived a 2012 shark attack in Truro, was swimming with his then 16-year-old son off Ballston Beach when he was bitten. He was reportedly first bitten in his left leg and suffered puncture wounds on his right leg when he kicked the shark in the snout. Mr Meyers' injuries required 47 stitches. Clash of the fiercest predators as shark eats polar bear Show all 2 1 /2 Clash of the fiercest predators as shark eats polar bear Clash of the fiercest predators as shark eats polar bear Alamy Clash of the fiercest predators as shark eats polar bear Alamy Seashore Chief Ranger Leslie Reynolds told The Cape Cod Times that the shark had yet to be identified but noted that encounters with white sharks are as terrifying as they are rare. The population of great white sharks in the region has risen due in part to the abundance of seals, which sharks feed on, the Times reported. Truro Fire Chief Timothy Collins told The Times the man was conscious and talking as he prepared to fly in the medical helicopter. The US National Park Service rangers are investigating the incident. The husband of a missing family in Colorado has been arrested in connection with the case, police say. The Frederick Police Department said officers had made an arrest in connection to the case involving 34-year-old Shanann Watts and her two daughters, Bella and Celeste. The family were reported missing on Monday and a friend of Shannan's posted on Facebook that the Colorado woman had left her phone, purse, car seats and children's medicines at home that day. Recommended Police find body in search for missing midwife Samantha Eastwood The police said on Twitter that Chris Watts was taken into custody and will be held at the Weld County Jail. He has not yet been charged. Chris Watts spoke previously with The Denver Channel and pleaded for his familys safe return. The FBI and Colorado Bureau of Investigation are working with local authorities in the case. Authorities did not release any information on the whereabouts or conditions of the missing wife or daughters. Associated Press Officials have announced a state of emergency in New Haven, Connecticut after at least 76 people overdosed on a synthetic marijuana alternative. The harrowing incident is just the latest in a wave of synthetic marijuana overdoses nationwide, in which hundreds of victims have suffered a myriad of side effects, from bleeding out of their eye sockets to delusional thinking and repeated vomiting. The synthetic drug is known as K2; it looks similar to marijuana and is smoked the same way as cannabis, but can cause deadly side effects due to its unregulated and varying mixture of chemical compounds. Researchers and police believe the recent string of K2 overdoses may have been caused in part by mixing the drug with opioids, fentanyl, or unknown compounds imported from Russia and China. "Its really hard to say what causes these big outbreaks, because people dont really know what theyre getting when they buy K2 spices," said Paul Prather, a principle investigator for the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Services. "These products are made specifically to evade detection, so what may be going on is that were seeing the introduction of new compounds into the market that have never been tested on animals or humans." Police arrested a 37-year-old man believed to be connected to the overdoses at New Haven Green, a city park near Yale University. There were nearly 25 overdoses in a three-hour period at the park on Tuesday, with dozens more continuing throughout the night and into Wednesday. Victims began collapsing in broad daylight and convulsing on the floor, as paramedics rushed to the scene. Its not the first time an outbreak of overdoses occurred at "the Green," as locals refer to the city park known for attracting drug users and the homeless. Nearly a dozen victims overdosed at the park on 4 July this year. City officials warned residents about the dangerous drug after numerous victims were hospitalised with life-threatening conditions, telling locals not to buy K2 at the Green or anywhere, for that matter. "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," New Haven Mayor Toni Harp said in a statement. Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy also echoed that warning, saying in a statement, "The substance behind these overdoses is highly dangerous and must be avoided." 76 people overdose on synthetic marajuana in a single day at a park in Canada Mr Prather, whose conducted years of studies into K2 and its potentially lethal side effects, described a black market system behind K2 in which street dealers are buying and mixing unknown chemicals themselves. "Its mostly nefarious people trying to make a buck, who maybe have a chemistry degree or know a little about this or that they order the chemicals off the internet," he said. "The powders are ordered from China and Russia, then people who want to sell them dissolve the compounds with acetone and spray them on plant material to usually sell them for $10 or $20 dollars a bag." There are hundreds of types of varying synthetic marijuana drugs typically called "spices" or K2. They derive from research conducted by John W Huffman, a Clemson University professor who developed the first synthetic cannabinoids in the early 1990s to test the brains regulation of appetite, nausea, mood pain and inflammation. Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin Show all 14 1 /14 Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin Heroin the chemical name for which is diacetylmorphine was originally synthesized by British chemist C.R.Alder Wright (pictured overleaf) in 1874, by adding two acetyl groups to the molecule morphine, which is naturally found in the opium poppy. Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin Bayer, the German pharmaceutical company behind Alka-Seltzer and Aspirin, bought the rights to diacetylmorphine, marketing it under the name Heroin in 1895 because early testers said that it made them feel heroisch or heroic. Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin By 1898, it was ready for mass marketing. It was originally sold as an over-the-counter cough suppressant that didnt have problematic side effects, like addiction (the irony) - while alternative treatments morphine and codeine did. This was before they realised that, when taken into the body, it actually converts into morphine, and is ferociously addictive. Thus defeating the object and defining what was to become a historically embarrassing moment for the company in later years. Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin By 1899 Bayer was producing a ton of Heroin and exporting the drug to 23 countries, while free samples sent to doctors and studies appeared in medical journals. It was also around this time that early reports of addiction began to surface. The company wisely released Aspirin this year, which would go on to become one of the most popular and widely used pain relief drugs in the world. Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin US medicines containing heroin were available over the counter from 1907, after the American Medical Association gave it its stamp of approval. Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin As Heroin dependency became a torrent and overdoses began to be reported, Heroin was made illegal to obtain without a prescription from a doctor in the US in 1914. Bayer lost some of its trademark rights to Heroin and Aspirin under the Treaty Of Versailles in 1919, after the German defeat in World War I. Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin In the early 1920s, a number of addicted users in New York supported themselves by collecting and selling scrap metal retrieved from industrial dumps. It was from this that the label junkies was born. The behavior of Heroin addicts was soon, however, to cause a concern to the public and the authorities. In 1924, it became completely illegal, and doctors were told they could no longer prescribe the drug. Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin By this point, Heroin had become popular among creative industries. Pictured left is famed actress Jeanne Eagels, who died of a Heroin overdose in 1929. Its outlawed use had pushed manufacturers underground, and the purity of the product illegal traders now used varied in quality. Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin In the UK, the Rolleston Committee Report in 1926, illegal Heroin dealers were prosecuted, but doctors could prescribe diacetylmorphine to users when they were withdrawing from it, if it would cause harm or severe distress to the patient to go without it. This would be the law until 1959 when the number of diacetylmorphine addicts doubled every 16 months between 1959 and 1968. Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin The Brain Committee recommended that only selected, specially approved doctors at specialized centres were allowed to prescribe diacetylmorphine to users in 1964. The law was further restricted in 1968, and by the 1970s, the emphasis shifted to encouraging abstinence and the use of substitute methadone. Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin In the 1980s, the UK experienced a surge in Heroin supply because of a sudden cheap influx from Pakistan (the main supplier had been and is now Afghanistan). Cues from popular culture and a social downtown caused by the economic and industrial crisis in the late 1970s created the perfect environment for the Trainspotting generation. Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin In the 1990s, Heroin use was again popularized by the rise of grunge and Britpop, while the emergence of the waif in fashion, of which Kate Moss is often cited as the originator, would give rise to the term Heroin chic. In 1994, the Swiss began to trial a diamorphine maintenance program for users who had failed multiple withdrawal programs. It aimed to maintain the health of the user, by discouraging the use of illicit street Heroin. It was deemed a success. Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin Today, the largest producer of opium, needed to create Heroin is Afghanistan. This is closely followed by Mexico, who increased their rate of production sixfold between 2007 and 2011. Diacetylmorphine is a controlled, Class A substance in the UK, but continues to be used in palliative care for the treatment of acute pain, such as in severe physical trauma, post-surgical and chronic pain, as well as relieving sufferers of terminal illnesses. Drug addiction, overdoses, and a very brief history of Heroin Key figures continue to campaign for greater sympathies and better treatment of Heroin addicts as they attempt to rehabilitate themselves and re-enter society. Russell Brands Give it Up Fund, run in conjunction with Comic Relief, aims to provide financial aid to help people remain free from substance abuse by setting up support groups. "It's integral that people entering a life of abstinence after the chaos of addiction have stability, support and a role to play in the wider community," he said. Synthetic cannabinoids have since found their way into recreational drugs like K2, which began being seen in overdoses in the US and UK around 2009. The effects of taking K2 are far different from that of actual marijuana because weed includes mitigating compounds that reduces its toxicity on brain receptors. Whats more, whereas marijuana has just one compound that causes psychoactive effects, synthetic marijuana typically has between three to five. And unlike weed, K2 is designed to activate 100 per cent of a brain receptor, whereas cannabis has a much weaker effect. K2 is meant to fully activate the receptors, so theyre much more efficacious at activating those than THC, Mr Prather continued. "Its a much bigger activation, no mitigating compounds to remove toxicities and an overall much bigger bang." Outbreaks of synthetic drug overdoses have become a constant news story, with thousands of people being sent to the emergency room each year across the country for issues related to ingesting K2 and other products. At one point two years ago, New York City was seeing nearly 40 people hospitalised on a daily basis due to K2. Research indicates the use of K2 has increased in recent years, with nearly 500 cases of highly toxic effects caused by synthetic cannabinoid drugs between 2010 and 2015 according to one study. The 32nd Annual Willows Car and Bike show takes place Friday, August 17th and Saturday August 18th at Jensen Park in Willows. It's a benefit to raise money for scholarships for Glenn County High School Students. Over the years the event has raised $24,000 for scholarships and another $10,000 for various community causes. The non-profit association that runs the car/bike show is entirely volunteer and keep everything family friendly. You will find 13 classes of motorcycles and 22 classes of cars. along with 50 vendors. Kids can enjoy a bounce house and there will also be a Swap Meet and Power Lifting Demonstrations. Admission is FREE. This year the event is dedicated to the member of Linda Carney and Heart Awareness. Carney was a member of the Willows Car and Bike Association, and died of a heart attack the day after the show last year. It runs from 5-9:30 p.m. Friday evening and the gates open at 7 a.m. Saturday. It ends with the Awards Presentation at 3 p.m. To learn more, visit www.willowscarandbikeshow.org. A new wave of political candidates both Democratic and Republican have gained tremendous momentum ahead of the 2018 midterm elections under Donald Trump. Their ideologies range from Democratic Socialism to conservative populism. They arrived on the national stage from a vast array of backgrounds and religious affiliations; however, many of them share a singular common trait. The most successful candidates in recent primaries across the country have virtually all taken strong stances on Mr Trumps presidency, either supporting or rebuking the current White House wholeheartedly. While the most popular Republican candidates have often backed the administrations hardline agenda on issues like immigration and trade, a breadth of diverse Democratic hopefuls have added fuel to the Resistance Movement, vowing to fight the president at every turn. Christine Hallquist, a transgender woman who won the Democratic Partys nomination in Vermonts gubernatorial primaries, said Mr Trumps presidency was in part responsible for her recent political success. You know, in the physics world we say for every action there is an opposite and opposing reaction, what were looking at in our political world is a definite reaction to what happened in 2016, she said in an interview with CNN. People like myself and people who wouldnt normally be involved in politics are rising up all over. I think thats what a healthy democracy looks like. Im hoping that, years from now, we can look back and say, Isnt American democracy wonderful? We survived a despot, she continued. Ms Hallquists win which positions her to face the Vermont incumbent Republican governor come November wasnt based solely on her rejection of the president, however. Nationally, Ms Hallquist is running her campaign as the first transgender gubernatorial candidate and a fierce opponent of conservative, anti-environmental policies. However, the Democrat is focusing on hyperlocal issues when speaking to Vermont voters about policy initiatives, from expanding healthcare access to improving the economy and education system. Other candidates who have repeatedly spoken out against the Trump administration also enjoyed strong support from a newfound base of Americans they say werent involved in the political process until after 2016. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeats fellow Democrat Joe Crowley in New York primary elections Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, the 28-year-old Democratic Socialist who unseated a 10-term Democrat in the New York primaries, was one of those candidates. The former bartender and organiser for Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign ran on a platform of Medicare-for-all, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and opposing many of Mr Trumps most controversial policies. Her candidacy was not solely based in nor exclusively successful because of her rebuke of Mr Trumps presidency. However, voters may have seen her as an outsider capable of taking on the administration, unlike a career politician poised to become the next Democratic speaker of the House. Other diverse candidates who stand in direct opposition to Mr Trump also saw unprecedented victories in recent primaries. Jahana Hayes is expected to become the first black woman representing New England in Congress after winning the Democratic nomination this week. Ilhan Omar, a Somali-American Muslim woman who won in Minnesotas primary, gained prominence after becoming an outspoken voice against Mr Trumps travel restrictions on several Muslim-majority nations. 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 The Democratic Party is gaining support nationwide ahead of the midterm elections, with Democratic candidates leading Republicans by 52 percent to 41 percent in a new CNN poll. But there is an arm of the Republican Party that has enjoyed victories leading up to the 2018 midterms: candidates embracing Mr Trump. Numerous Republican candidates who have aligned themselves with the president have received his endorsements on Twitter, with Mr Trump travelling the country to stump for his most ardent supporters running for office. Claire McCaskill, the incumbent Democratic senator from Missouri, is now in a dead heat with Josh Hawley, a populist Republican candidate who sailed to victory in the states recent primaries. She was previously leading her opponent in the polls before Mr Hawley received Mr Trumps endorsement and the president joined him in Missouri for a fundraising event. Mr Hawley has even begun tweeting like the president, referring to his opponent as #PhonyClaire. In Minnesota, former governor Tim Pawlenty lost the nomination he was once expected to receive after referring to the president as unhinged and unfit at a campaign event earlier this year. The loss in his support made way for Jeff Johnson, a relative political outsider. The Republican Party has shifted, he said in a speech as he lost. It is the era of Trump, and Im just not a Trump-like politician. Almost 100 days from the midterm elections, Steve Bannon says Republicans need to 'wake up' Republican candidates more closely aligned with Mr Trumps politics also won gubernatorial primary victories in Minnesota and Kansas this week. As voters learn more about the candidates vying for political office in 2018, it appears as if Mr Trumps political presence is a double-edged sword. For those who support the president, aligning with his ideologies could mean a national endorsement, increased fundraising opportunities and more. But candidates also appear to be able to usher in bold new campaign ideas and push their party further from the centre, so long as they stand against the president at least within the Democratic Party. For now, it seems the biggest losers in the 2018 midterm elections are candidates afraid to take a stance on Mr Trump or worse, those who play politics from centre-field as often as possible. Close Manafort Trial Turns from Prosecution to Defense as Manafort's wife and attorneys arrive The jury began its first day of deliberations in the case against Donald Trumps former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, who is on trial for financial fraud. On Wednesday, prosecutors told jurors Mr Manafort had lied to keep himself flush with cash for his luxurious lifestyle and then lied some more to procure millions in bank loans when his income dropped off. In his defence, Mr Manaforts attorneys told jurors to question the entirety of the prosecutions case as they sought to tarnish the credibility of Mr Manaforts longtime protege, and government witness, Rick Gates. It 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. While the case does not involve allegations of Russian election interference or possible coordination by the Trump campaign, it has been closely watched by Mr Trump, who has sought to publicly undermine Mr Muellers probe through a barrage of attacks on Twitter and through his lawyers. Follow the latest updates in the trial below Additional reporting by agencies Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is putting together a dedicated group to steer US policy towards Iran in the wake of President Donald Trumps decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement. The group is expected to be run by the State Departments director of policy planning, Brian Hook. Mr Hook was in charge of the failed negotiations with European allies to change portions of the Iran deal before Mr Trump pulled out in May, citing issues with the agreement he said left Iran capable of acts of war. The Trump administration has reimposed sanctions on Iran since that withdrawal, and has put increased pressure on the Iranian regime to stop what it calls malign activities in the region. Those sanctions had eased up after the Iran nuclear agreement was first reached, after being pushed for and negotiated heavily by the administration of former President Barack Obama. Included in the concerns held by the Trump administration are Irans ballistic missiles programme, as well as the countrys support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Shia rebels in Yemen, and anti-Israel groups. The Trump administration also cites Iran's enrichment of nuclear materials to attain a warhead, but experts have said that the Iran agreement Mr Trump tore up had essentially stopped that enrichment operation. Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Show all 10 1 /10 Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burnt a US flag in parliament after Donald Trump announced America's withdrawal from the nuclear deal. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal US President Donald Trump displays a presidential memorandum after announcing his intent to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement in the Diplomatic Room at the White House. Reuters Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Some Iranian MPs reacted after Trumps decision by shouting 'death to America'. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian lawmakers prepare to burn two pieces of papers representing the US flag and the nuclear deal. AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran said it will hold talks with signatories to the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to withdraw from the accord, which it branded "psychological warfare". AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Several Iranian MPs stood chanting in the Tehran parliament. AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iranian MPs burning a US flag AFP/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal President Hassan Rouhani addressed the nation in a televised speech in Tehran. He said he'd send his foreign minister to negotiate with countries remaining in the nuclear deal after Trump's decision to pull America from the deal, warning he otherwise would restart enriching uranium "in the next weeks." Iranian Presidency Office via AP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Iran's press condemned Trump's withdrawal from a multi-party nuclear deal but was divided over whether Tehran should react with patience or withdraw itself. AFP Iran parliament reacts after Trump's withdrawal from nuclear deal Trump announced the US withdrawal from what he called the "defective" multinational nuclear deal with Iran, and said Washington would reinstate sanctions against the Islamic republic. AFP/Getty In an apparent attempt to scare off support for Iran and the nuclear agreement, the Trump administration has also warned customers of Irans oil production that they could face US sanctions this November if imports from the country are not significantly reduced. The goal of those warnings is to ultimately see all imports of Iranian oil stop. Mr Hook will be trusted in his new role to watch over the implementation of the entire administrations Iran policy, according to State Department officials. Mr Pompeo and other US officials have denied that the Trump administration is seeking regime change in Iran, and have publicly said that they only want to see a course correction from Irans leadership. The secretary of State had previously created a similar group to work on North Korea policy when he was the director of the CIA. Associated Press contributed to this report After 12 days of trial, the fate of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in the hands of the Virginia jury that has sat through the proceedings for over two weeks a group who will be simultaneously deciding the fate of the first jury trial stemming from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign. Government prosecutors have sought to prove that Mr Manafort had avoided paying US taxes on income made overseas, instead masking payments through wire transfers to high-end clothing companies and for expensive contracting work on his home in Brooklyn. In the process, prosecutors have said, Mr Manafort dragged his former deputy Rick Gates into the alleged criminality, and ultimately sought to mislead banks in order to receive hefty loans to keep Mr Manafort financially afloat. "This is a case about lies," Greg Andres, a government prosecutor, told the jury during closing remarks Wednesday for Mr Manaforts trial on bank and tax fraud charges. Recommended Jury hears closing arguments in Paul Manafort trial Mr Manafort lied to keep more money when he had it, and to get more money when he didnt, Mr Andres said. In their closing remarks, the defence attacked the credibility of the evidence presented by the government before portraying Mr Gates the prosecutions star witness as a deceitful man who stole millions from his boss in order to pay for a lavish lifestyle that included a secret apartment in London, where he had an extramarital affair. Defence attorney Richard Westling told the jury during his remarks that the special counsel had cherry-picked inconsistencies from thousands of documents to bring the case forward against Mr Manafort, and told the jury that the evidence presented to them only looks like criminal actions after-the-fact, and would not have seemed so at the time. Its only when the government shows up and starts asking, How do you explain this? that people start feeling in hindsight something was wrong, Mr Westling said. He then attacked testimony from Mr Manaforts former accountant Cindy Laporta, saying her testimony cannot be trusted and that she seems like someone who worked pretty hard to stay on the right side of things. [But] we all feel a little guilty when the FBI shows up its just human nature. The closing remarks are the culmination of the highest profile case involving the special counsels 2016 Russia investigation, and stem from Mr Manaforts time working overseas as an adviser for Ukrainians with ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin, including Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych. During his time in Ukraine, Mr Manafort reportedly became a significant influence in the country, and had sway over politics as well as over policies that benefited American industries. From his work there, he was able to amass a considerable personal wealth, earning major payments for his advising work. Government prosecutors described Mr Manaforts efforts to allegedly avoid taxes back in the US after making all that money, buying up expensive clothing like ostrich leather jackets, and opulent suits using offshore accounts that made the origins of the money difficult to trace. Instead of paying for those expenses through a credit or debit card, the prosecutors said, Mr Manafort had the payments wired through Cyprus bank accounts thus obscuring the origins of the money. Mr Manafort later moved back to the US where he and Mr Gates joined the 2016 Trump campaign, a time during which the prosecution suggested that he was under considerable financial duress. The outcome of the trial could have major implications for President Trump, his administration, and any aides who may have information that could interest Mr Muellers team. While the case itself has largely been considered one that is only tangentially connected to Mr Trumps campaign, a win for Mr Muellers team could send concerned shockwaves through those close to the president and heighten the anticipation for Mr Muellers next move. At the same time, a loss would likely turn the volume up on calls for the end of the special counsel investigation. Mr Manafort is facing 18 charges of tax and banking crimes. He has pleaded not guilty to each charge. Mr Gates has agreed to work with prosecutors, and has pleaded guilty to similar charges levied against Mr Manafort. Donald Trump has lashed out at more than 350 newspapers across the US who launched a coordinated defence of press freedom, by calling the media the opposition party. The campaign, led by the Boston Globe, came after a number of attacks from the president who has repeatedly labelled journalists the enemy of the people and derided much of the media as fake news. A central pillar of President Trumps politics is a sustained assault on the free press, said the editorial by the Globe. The greatness of America is dependent on the role of a free press to speak the truth to the powerful... to label the press the enemy of the people is as un-American as it is dangerous to the civic compact we have shared for more than two centuries. The Globe had initially published an editorial over the assault on the free press and called on editorial and leader writers across the US to do the same. Mr Trump was not happy with the response. THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY, he wrote on Twitter. It is very bad for our Great Country....BUT WE ARE WINNING! Mr Trump continued by taking aim directly at the The Globe accusing the publication of being in collusion with other papers. He also claimed The New York Times sold The Globe, after purchasing it, for $1. Although the publication and its affiliated websites and businesses were sold for $70m in 2013. He also wrote there was nothing he would want more for the United States than true freedom of the press, but that much of what the media published was fake news, Pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS, he said. The US President has frequently criticised the press since taking office. As a then president-elect, Mr Trump notably told CNNs Jim Acosta at press conference last year that he would not allow him a question because his news organisation was fake news. Earlier this year, the US President announced a highly-anticipated 2017 fake news awards in which he tweeted a link to a blog sharing the winners names of journalists and their affiliated news organisations of fake news. The introductory line on the GOP blog charged: 2017 was a year of unrelenting bias, unfair news coverage, and even downright fake news. Studies have shown that over 90 [per cent] of the medias coverage of President Trump is negative. But Mr Trumps strained relationship with the media goes deeper than blog-site-fake-news-awards the US president has repeatedly and publicly undermined the value of the media. Last month, Mr Trump told supporters in Kansas City to not believe the crap they read or see in the news. Just remember, what youre seeing and what youre reading is not whats happening, he said. National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Show all 105 1 /105 National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK EPA National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Demonstrators on the 'Stop Trump' march through London PA National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Protesters in Trafalgar Square Getty National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Demonstrators gather in George Square, Glasgow, for the Scotland United Against Trump protest PA National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK PA National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK AFP/Getty Images National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn walks through a demonstration against President Trump's visit to the UK on his way to make a speech in Trafalgar Square Getty Images National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK PA National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Children were among thousands of people around the UK to protest against Donald Trump's visit Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Jessica Morgan National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Jessica Morgan National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Rex Features National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Jessica Morgan National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Jessica Morgan National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Drag queens take part in the Drag Against Trump protest in Piccadilly Circus EPA National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Jessica Morgan National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Jessica Morgan National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Edward Miliband joins the march Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Jessica Morgan National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Jessica Morgan National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK EPA National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Will Gore National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Will Gore National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK A drag queen joins protesters against the UK visit of US President Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Will Gore National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Will Gore National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Will Gore National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Will Gore National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Will Gore National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Protesters for the 'Stop Trump' AP National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK AFP/Getty Images National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK AFP/Getty Images National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK REUTERS National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK PA National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK PA National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou National Stop Trump protest: march against US President's visit to UK Angela Christofilou The mass editorials were not welcomed by all sections of the media, with some believing it could backfire and play into the presidents narrative that the media is out to get him. However, most tried to portray journalists as human who can make mistakes. In its editorial, The New York Times said it was correct to criticise the news media for underplaying or overplaying stories or for getting something wrong. News reporters and editors are human, and make mistakes. Correcting them is core to our job, the Times said. 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. Mr Trump, who once publicly questioned whether to revoke White House press credentials from journalists, recently addressed his enemy of the people rhetoric on Twitter. After his daughter and top aide, Ivanka Trump, said she did not believe the press to be the enemy, Mr Trump purported to clarify his stance that FAKE NEWS which he accused is a large percentage of the media is the enemy of the people. As well as the editorials on Thursday, The Senate unanimously adopted a non-binding resolution that affirmed the vital and indispensable role played by the news media and declared that the press is not the enemy of the people. Reuters contributed to this report At least 79 people have been killed as a result of flooding, landslides and bridge collapses in the southern Indian state of Kerala in the past week, officials have said. The worst floods in nearly a century in the popular tourist destination have led to rising water, which has stranded tens of thousands of people. The international airport at Kochi, a major port city, suspended flight operations until Saturday after rains flooded the runway. Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Show all 40 1 /40 Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India A man removes debris from a collapsed house after floods in Paravur Reuters Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India An ariel shot of Kerala from Thiruvanpuram Getty Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Murgan and his family clean up their house in Mundancavu village at Chegannur upon returning home after the flood waters receded Getty Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India People assess damage caused by floods on the outskirts of Kochi AP Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Men paddle their boat through the lawns of a partially submerged church at Kuttanad in Alleppey district Reuters Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Sandhya Biji and her son in front of their damaged house on the banks of Pamba river Getty Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Border Security Force distribute food food and water to the residents who are stuck in their houses as well who have not vacated houses because of the flood water in interior places at Allapy Getty Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India A damaged house on the banks of Pamba river Getty Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Murgan cleaning up his house Getty Images Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India An aerial view shows partially submerged houses at a flooded area in the southern state of Kerala Reuters Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Murgan and his family clean up their house Getty Images Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India People are airlifted by the Indian Navy soldiers during a rescue operation Reuters Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India People wait for aid on the roof of their house Reuters Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Indian volunteers and rescue personal evacuate local residents AFP/Getty Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Indian people use a boat to rescue an elderly man in the flooded water in Kochi EPA Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India An aerial view shows partially submerged houses at a flooded area in the southern state of Kerala Reuters Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India An Indian woman watches residents walking through flood streets next to their marooned houses AFP/Getty Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Indian army personal evacuate local residents AFP/Getty Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Indian commuters wade through flooded streets AFP/Getty Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India People move past a flooded road in Thrissur AP Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Water gushes out following heavy rain and landslide in Kozhikode AP Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Fire and Rescue personnel evacuate local residents in an inflatable boat from a flooded area at Muppathadam near Eloor AFP/Getty Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Indian residents look at the Shiva Temple submerged AFP/Getty Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Roads and houses engulfed in water following heavy rain and landslide in Kozhikode. AP Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India People look at vehicles stuck in the mud AFP/Getty Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India A young man wades through a flooded street in Kochi EPA Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Rescue operations being conducted at the landslide location at Kuttampuzha AFP/Getty Images Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India An elderly woman is rescued in a cooking utensil AP Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Local residents look at a partially destroyed house after heavy monsoon rains led to a landslide in Kannappankund AFP/Getty Images Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India An Indian woman sits inside her house immersed in flood waters in Ernakulam district of Kochi AFP/Getty Images Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Indian fire and rescue personnel evacuate local resident AFP/Getty Images Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India A woman stands at the door of her flooded home in Kochi EPA Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India India residents stand on the shore as Periyar river flooded AFP/Getty Images Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India An Indian man carries a basket of bananas next to houses immersed in flood waters AFP/Getty Images Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Laborers hailing from northern states wade through flood waters as they shift to higher ground AP Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan (L) along with opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala (2L) visit relief camp in Chengamanadu Government Higher Secondary School AFP/Getty Images Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Athirampally Falls EPA Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India EPA Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Indian residents look at houses destroyed by flood waters at Kannappankundu AFP/Getty Images Kerala floods: heavy monsoon rains lead to deaths in India Kochi's International airport apron flooded AFP/Getty Images Rain and floods have destroyed and damaged hundreds of houses in the past week and caused significant losses to crops in a state known for its spices and coffee. Authorities asked tourists to stay away from the popular hill station of Munnar in Idukki district because of flooding. People have also been asked to avoid the Sabarimala hill shrine as the water level in the nearby rainfed Pamba river was rising. Sabarimala, a Hindu pilgrimage centre in the mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta district, attracts around 45 million devotees each year. Indias metrological department has forecast heavy to very heavy rain in the state until Saturday, and has issued a red alert for 12 out of its 14 districts. Rescue workers evacuate people in Muppathadam in Kochis Ernakulam district (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images) Krishna Kumar, a relief official, said there would be no immediate respite for thousands of people in state-run relief camps. Heavy rains forced state authorities to release excess water from dozens of dangerously full dams, sending a surge into its main river and causing floods downstream. Presently, 35 reservoirs in the state are releasing water. Many districts in the state are facing floods, the states chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, said on Twitter. Another 12 deaths were reported on Thursday, putting the death toll since 8 August at 79, according to The Times of India. A structure is submerged in flood water following heavy rain in Kochi, Kerala state (EPA) (EPA/PRAKASH ELAMAKKARA) Monsoon rains kill hundreds of people each year in India. The monsoon season runs from June to September. Kerala is famous for its coastline and picturesque backwaters, and has become a major destination for Indian and international tourists. The state last saw such devastating flooding in 1924. At least 630 people have been evacuated from homes near the major motorway bridge which collapsed in Genoa, northern Italy, over fears about the stability of remaining sections of the structure. Around 1,000 rescue workers continued to search for survivors among towering slabs of concrete and twisted steel after part of the Morandi Bridge plunged around 45 metres, killing 39 people on the eve of Italys biggest summer holiday. Italys interior minister, Matteo Salvini, declined to say how many people might still be buried in the debris, and said trying to locate them was particularly difficult due to the holiday. Its not easy to distinguish between who dont respond because they are on the other side of the world and turned off their phone to relax on vacation, and whos not responding because they are under the rubble, he said. He said he hoped the death toll would not rise. Miracles are still possible, Mr Salvini added. Politicians have squabbled over who to blame, with Italys deputy prime minister, Luigi Di Maio, saying the state will have to take over the countrys motorways if companies who have concessions are not able to do the job properly. Speaking on Italian radio two days after the collapse, he also said the concessionary should have invested more in security instead of being concerned about dividends. 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 Authorities have called for the quick removal of tons of debris from a dry river bed so the rubble doesnt create a makeshift dam if heavy rains fall in the flood-prone city. Debris must also be cleared from railroard tracks, a vital link especially now Genoa is largely cut in half by the loss of such a key artery, the Italian prime minister, Giuseppe Conte said. Concerns over the stability of remaining large sections of the bridge prompted a wider evacuation order from nearby apartments, some of which are practically in the shadow of the elevated motorway. Firefighters went inside some of the vacated apartments briefly to retrieve documents and, in at least one home, pet cats. After leading an emergency cabinet meeting in Genoa, Mr Conte said there were 39 confirmed dead and 16 injured, including nine in serious condition. Three children were among those killed, Mr Salvini said. The dead included four French citizens travelling to a music festival and two Albanians. Italian motorway bridge collapses near Genoa The 50-year-old Morandi Bridge, named after the engineer who designed it, is part of a toll motorway run by Autostrade per lItalia linking the port city of Genoa with southern France and Milan. Genoa prosecutor Francesco Cozzi told reporters the investigation into the collapse was focused on human causes, specifically any possible design flaws in the bridges construction or any inadequate maintenance. He said he didnt know who might be responsible, but added: It wasnt an accident. Asked if authorities had any warning the bridge could be dangerous, Mr Cozzi indicated 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 20m (18m) project to upgrade the bridges safety had already been approved, with public bids to be submitted by September. 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. ITV news anchor Tom Bradby criticized for 'insensitive' coverage of Genoa bridge disaster Mr Conte said the government wouldnt wait until the investigation was completed to revoke the concession Autostrade per lItalia, which operates many of the nations toll motorways. The next company would be held to more stringent rules for maintenance, he said. Mr Di Maio, of the anti-business Five Star Movement, alleged Autostrades holding company took profits instead of investing money for maintenance. Mr Toninelli, the transportation and infrastructure minister and another populist Five Star leader, said his ministry had started procedures so Autostrade could be fined up to 150m. It emerged the governing populist party wrote off safety fears about the bridge as a childrens fairy story, with a statement on the Five Star Movements website in 2013 describing warnings of the imminent collapse of the Morandi Bridge as a favoletta, or childrens fairytale. Additional reporting by agencies Two weeks after the murder of three Russian journalists in the Central African Republic (CAR), a private investigation group has rejected the official explanation for their death. Both the government of the war-torn African republic and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had asserted that the men died in an armed robbery. But the initial findings of the investigation, commissioned by Putin critic and former oil magnate Mikhail Khodorkovsky, says this version does not bear scrutiny. Instead, it points to the involvement of local government forces and, possibly, to the private Russian military groups the journalists were investigating. Journalists Kirill Radchenko, Alexander Rastorguyev, and Orkhan Dzhemal had travelled to the CAR to investigate the activities of Wagner, a mercenary company associated with businessmen Yevgeny Prigozhin. Mr Prigozhin is widely referred as Putins chef on account of his links to and multiple catering contracts with the Russian government. He has also been linked to Russian troll farm operations, and was recently indicted by US special counsel Robert Mueller. The new investigation into the killings attempts to piece together a picture of the journalists last few days. It accepts some details are still hazy, but makes the following assertions. On 28 July, the journalists arrived in the countrys capital, Bangui. From there, they travelled west, to Berengo, and attempted to visit a base where they believed Wagner soldiers were based. At a checkpoint near to the base, they were turned back near to the base on account of them not possessing proper military accreditation. The group then communicated with a journalist working for the Federal News Agency, a Russian media structure linked to Mr Prigozhin. That journalist provided them with details of a fixer, who supposedly used to work for the UN. He may also have communicated details of their further plans elsewhere. The group arranged to meet that fixer later in their trip. On 30 July, the group headed towards diamond and gold mines in the east of the country. All the time, they kept in contact with editors back home. But as night fell, the group erred from a pre-arranged plan to follow a road eastwards. Instead, they travelled north, and were ambushed. It is unclear why they changed their route. Their bodies were found with multiple gunshot wounds, alongside an abandoned vehicle, approximately 20 miles north of the nearest major town, Sibut. Journalist Roman Popkov, who reported the groups initial findings, told The Independent that new understandings undermined the official robbery narrative. The investigation indicated that this was a pre-planned killing, he said: Our sources determined that the killers had set up a temporary camp at the point where the ambush happened. Whoever killed the journalists left expensive items in the car, including three full canisters of petrol, some of the technical equipment and clothing. And then they packed up their camp. None of that seems consistent with a robbery. Mr Popkov said that local sources had also identified a car carrying three armed men of European appearance, presumably mercenaries, and two locals. The car passed a checkpoint near to the site of the ambush a short while before the journalists car passed through. About an hour later, the first car returned in the opposite direction. Leaked footage shows Russian prison torture Rejecting the robbery theory, the interim report suggests two other working theories, requiring further investigation. First, that the journalists were killed by militants associated with the Seleka, a mainly Muslim coalition of rebels who control large parts of the country. Second, that CAR government forces were involved. According to the investigation, neither explanation excludes the participation of Russian mercenary forces, who, it claims, have developed close relationships with both groups. Over the past five to 10 years, Russia has stepped up its presence in the African continent. In the last year, it has paid particular attention to the CAR. Following decades of coups, famine and civil wars, the impoverished country is ranked by the UN as the least developed country in the world. It has a GDP of less than $400 (314) per capita. But by other measurements, the country is exceptionally rich in deposits of uranium, gold, diamonds and many other rare minerals. This is at least part of the story of Russias newfound interest in the region. There is hope for damaged victims of a brutal diamond war in the Central African Republic Show all 3 1 /3 There is hope for damaged victims of a brutal diamond war in the Central African Republic There is hope for damaged victims of a brutal diamond war in the Central African Republic appeal-afpgt.jpg AFP/Getty There is hope for damaged victims of a brutal diamond war in the Central African Republic AN13213881Children-at-the-C.jpg jordimatas.net There is hope for damaged victims of a brutal diamond war in the Central African Republic appeal2-unicef.jpg Jordi Matas/UNICEF Only bears in the Arctic would not be interested in African resources, admitted Evgeniy Korendyasov, head of Russian African studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. But the academic told The Independent that it was far from the only factor driving Russian foreign policy: Russia is interested in a wider agenda of geopolitical stability, fighting terrorism, about increasing its international prestige. In October last year, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov met with CAR president Faustin-Archange Touadera in Sochi, where they agreed on new terms of military cooperation. Then, Russia successfully lobbied for an exception to a UN arms embargo to provide weapons and training to the African state. In January this year, a Russian military IL-76 plane brought those weapons and 175 instructors to the country, only five of whom were officially military. Reports suggest other business and semi-official military operations seemed to have flowed from that. The Russian government has denied operative control of private armies the likes of Wagner, which are both unofficial and illegal under Russian law. It has also vehemently denied any involvement in the death of the three journalists. But Mr Popkov said that the investigation team are puzzled that the Russian government is sticking to the original claim of armed robbery. This is simply not consistent with the facts, he said. To insist on this weak explanation is, at a minimum, strange. Isis has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that targeted a Shia area of the Afghan capital, killing 34 students. The militant group said through its affiliated news agency Amaq that its bomber, identified as martyrdom-seeking brother Abdul Raouf al-Khorasani carried out the attack in Kabul. Afghanistan's health ministry has released a revised casualty toll, saying 34 students were killed and 57 were wounded. Recommended Isis claims deadly suicide bombing on Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan The attack targeted a building where students were preparing to sit university entrance exams. The bomber had walked into a classroom at a Shia educational centre in Dasht-e-Barchi. Most of the victims were young men and women who had recently graduated from high school. Authorities launched an investigation to determine how the bomber had managed to sneak into the compound in the area, which has its own guards. Afghan president Ashraf Ghani condemned the terrorist attack, saying it martyred and wounded the innocent. Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear Show all 16 1 /16 Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2001 Afghans at the Killi Faizo refugee camp desperately reach for bags of rice being handed out to the thousands who escaped the bombardment in southern Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. (Chaman, Pakistan, December 4, 2001) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2002 Mahbooba stands against a bullet-ridden wall, waiting to be seen at a medical clinic. The seven-year-old girl suffers from leishmaniasis, a parasitical infection. (Kabul, March 1, 2002) All photos Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2003 A mother and her two children look out from their cave dwelling. Many families who, fleeing the Taliban, took refuge inside caves adjacent to Bamiyans destroyed ancient Buddha statues now have nowhere else to live. (Bamiyan, November 19, 2003) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2007 Students recite prayers in a makeshift outdoor classroom in the Wakhan Corridor, a mountainous region in northeastern Afghanistan that extends to China and separates Tajikistan from India and Pakistan. (Northeastern Afghanistan, September 2, 2007) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2007 Bodybuilders in the 55-60 kg category square off during a regional bodybuilding competition. Many Afghan men, like others around the world, feel that a macho image of physical strength is important. (Kabul, August 6, 2007) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2008 A woman in a white burqa enjoys an afternoon with her family feeding the white pigeons at the Blue Mosque. (Mazar-e-Sharif, March 8, 2008) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2009 Addicts inject heroin while trying to keep warm inside the abandoned Russian Cultural Center, which the capital citys addicts use as a common gathering point. Heroin is readily available, costing about one dollar a hit. (Kabul, February 9, 2009) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2009 An elderly man holds his granddaughter in their tent at a refugee camp after they were forced to flee their village, which US and NATO forces had bombed because, they claimed, it was a Taliban hideout. (Surobi, Nangarhar Province, February 7, 2009) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2009 Seven-year-old Attiullah, a patient at Mirwais Hospital, stands alongside an X ray showing the bullet that entered his back, nearly killing him. Attiullah was shot by US forces when he was caught in a crossfire as he was herding sheep. (Kandahar, October 13, 2009). Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2010 US Army Sargeant Jay Kenney (right), with Task Force Destiny, helps wounded Afghan National Army soldiers exit a Blackhawk helicopter after they have been rescued in an air mission. (Kandahar, December 12, 2010) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2010 An Afghan National Army battalion marches back to barracks at the Kabul Military Training Center. (Kabul, October 4, 2010) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2014 Eid Muhammad, seventy, lives in a house with a view overlooking the hills of Kabul. He and millions of other Afghans occupy land and housing without possessing formal deeds to them. (Kabul, November 21, 2014) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2014 Razima holds her two-year-old son, Malik, while waiting for medical attention at the Boost Hospital emergency room. (Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province, June 23, 2014) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2014 Young women cheer as they attend a rally for the Afghan presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani. (Kabul, April 1, 2014) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2014 Burqa-clad women wait to vote after a polling station runs out of ballots. (Kabul, April 5, 2014) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2015 Relatives, friends, and womens rights activists grieve at the home of Farkhunda Malikzada, who was killed by a mob in the center of Kabul. Farkhunda was violently beaten and set on fire after a local cleric accused her of burning a Quran. (Kabul, March 22, 2015) Paula Bronstein The Dasht-e-Barchi area is populated by members of Afghanistan's minority ethnic Hazaras - a Shia community that has in the past been targeted by similar large-scale attacks. Isis, which considers Shia Muslims to be heretics, frequently targets them, attacking mosques, schools and cultural centres. In the past two years, there have been at least 13 attacks on the Shia community in Kabul alone. Grieving families have gathered to bury their dead after the atrocity, but even amid the sombre atmosphere there was no respite from violence in the city. Gunmen besieged a compound belonging to the Afghan intelligence service in a north-western Kabul area, opening fire as Afghan security forces moved in to cut them off. Two gunmen who attacked the compound were killed by security forces after a six-hour siege. A spokesman said police finally took control of a partially constructed building where the gunmen had holed up in order to shoot at the nearby compound. The attacks, which come at the end of more than a week of assaults that have left scores of Afghan troops and civilians dead, show how militants are still able to stage large-scale attacks - even in the capital, Kabul - and undermine efforts by Afghan forces to provide security and stability on their own. Afghanistan's IS affiliate is known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province. Khorasan is the ancient name for an area that encompassed parts of present-day Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia. Associated Press Eight years worth of undelivered letters and packages are finally arriving through Palestinian letterboxes after being held up by Israel on security grounds. Postal service workers at a sorting centre in Jericho in the occupied West Bank have been working around the clock to sift through the backlog since around 10 tons of post was released to the Palestinian Authority (PA) on Monday in a one-off deal. Letters, gifts, medicines, packages ordered online and even a wheelchair intended for a recipient in Gaza were among the items delivered from Jordan, some of it dating back to 2010. Ahed Tamimi: Teenage Palestinian protester released from Israeli prison Photos posted on the Palestinian postal services website showed rooms filled with hundreds of blue and white post bags, many packed on top of each other. Some of the goods were badly damaged, a statement from Palestinian officials said, and would be delivered with a note saying Israeli authorities had delivered them in that condition. Life in a Palestinian refugee camp Show all 12 1 /12 Life in a Palestinian refugee camp Life in a Palestinian refugee camp Ahmed Nabeel, 19, was born in the camp and now works as a welder Life in a Palestinian refugee camp Three boys sit on a wall watching what is going on in the camp Life in a Palestinian refugee camp Piles of rubbish are a direct result of US president Donald Trump cutting funds to UNRWA Life in a Palestinian refugee camp A young girl runs down one of the main streets to the marketplace Life in a Palestinian refugee camp A boy pretends his cigarette cards are Jordanian dinar Life in a Palestinian refugee camp Mohammed Saeed, 12, helps the elderly cart their shopping back to their homes Life in a Palestinian refugee camp Unrest in the camp, where many are living below the poverty line Life in a Palestinian refugee camp Alleyways where waste is left attract rats and cause illness Life in a Palestinian refugee camp Ibrahim Bassam, 11, spends his time playing with friends in mounds of rubbish Life in a Palestinian refugee camp A deserted marketplace Life in a Palestinian refugee camp Muhand Salem, 22, a university student studying mechanical engineering, one of very few scholarships available to refugees Life in a Palestinian refugee camp Nabeel Salem, 62, arrived in the camp at the age of 12 and still recalls his father telling him not to pack too many of his clothes and toys because they wouldnt be there long All goods intended for the West Bank and Gaza are controlled by Israel, and the Israeli postal service handles mail. Delays and blockages especially for the militant Hamas controlled Gaza Strip are common. Ramadan Ghazawi of the Jericho post office, told AFP the deluge of post appeared to have been blocked on both security and administrative grounds. Postal workers are hopeful the letters and packages will be sorted within the next two weeks. In 2016, an agreement was reached to allow Palestinians to receive international mail without it first being handled by Israel, but in a statement on Tuesday, PA communications minister Allam Moussa accused Israel of dragging its feet on implementing the deal, which continued to cost the Palestinian economy. Cogat, the Israeli military body responsible for civilian coordination in the territories, said the agreement had not yet fully come into force and that this weeks one-off delivery was a confidence-building measure. Israel has long maintained that international mail is promptly delivered to the PA, a claim Palestinian officials have challenged. The Hajj, the five-day annual pilgrimage undertaken by Muslims to the holy city of Mecca, is currently underway. The journey to Saudi Arabia results in the world's largest single gathering of people and this year began on the evening of Sunday 19 August and ends on Friday 24 August. Here's everything you need to know. What is it? One of the Five Pillars of Islam, the Hajj is a sacred duty every Muslim must undertake at least once in their lifetime (unless they are prevented from doing so by ill health or financial hardship). The Quran traces its origins to the story of Abraham, ordered by Allah to leave his wife Hajara and infant son Ishmael in the desert of ancient Mecca as an act of faith. Hajara searched frantically for water, passing between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times, but found none, only for a fresh spring to burst from the ground beneath the child's foot. Abraham constructed the Kaaba on the spot, the black stone cuboid at the the centre of what became the Great Mosque, around which worshippers walk counter-clockwise seven times in solemn contemplation of their faith as part of the Tawaf. The Prophet Muhammad later marched from Medina to Mecca, his own birthplace, to rid the Kaaba of pagan idols in 632, reconsecrating it in honour of Allah. The pilgrimage in homage to the miracle and its legend today serves to unite Muslims and remind all followers of Islam that they are equal in the eyes of god. As such, pilgrims strip themselves of the material trappings of wealth and status and wear the plain white seamless robes of Ihram to indicate their spiritual state. In addition to circling the Kaaba, pilgrims say two Rakaat prayers at the Place of Abraham, re-enact Hajarah's hunt for water between Safa and Marwah, drink from the Zamzam Well, stand vigil at Mount Arafat and on the plains of Muzdalifa and cast stones at three pillars, a symbolic act representing evil being driven from the hearts of men. When is it? The Hajj takes place between the eighth and 13th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the date of which alters every year by the Gregorian calendar because the Islamic lunar calendar is 11 days shorter. Eid al-Adha also falls on the 10th day of the month. This is a Festival of Sacrifice in honour of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Ishmael at Allah's request, a supreme act of faith, which he was prevented from having to carry out by the deity providing him with a goat to slaughter in his son's stead. Today, the same animal is sacrificed in memory of the story. It is cut into thirds: one portion is given to the impoverished, another to friends and relatives and the last retained and eaten by the family. Is the Hajj safe? Two million pilgrims are expected to take part this year, thousands of whom are embarking from the UK. While the occasion is a holy one, overcrowding led to a fatal stampede in 2015 which killed over 2,000 pilgrims and Hajj fraudsters attempting to con visitors remain a real problem. Some will arrive in Saudi Arabia to discover the accommodation they booked does not exist while others will find that their whole trip is in fact a scam set up by illegitimate travel operators that have disappeared with thousands of pounds of their money, the Metropolitan Police have warned. Advice on staying safe includes making sure you travel with a reputable tour operator who is ATOL-protected and part of a recognised trade association such as ABTA. All members of the latter have to follow a code of conduct, reducing the risk of fraud. Ensure you have all of your terms and conditions in writing and make sure your flight details, accommodation and Hajj visa are all valid, experts advise. In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Show all 19 1 /19 In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat (or the Mount of Mercy), where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his final sermon Reuters In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj A Muslim pilgrim prays as another takes a photo on the Mount Arafat AP In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims arrive at the plains of Arafat Reuters In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims arrive at the plains of Arafat AP In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Mount Arafat during the Hajj EPA In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims pray on Mount Arafat (or Jabal ar-Rahmah) during the Hajj AP In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims pray by the Namira Mosque on the plains of Arafat during Hajj Reuters In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims pray by the Namira Mosque on the plains of Arafat during Hajj Reuters In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat (or the Mount of Mercy) during the Hajj AFP/Getty In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj A Muslim pilgrim wheels his children on a wheelchair towards Mount Arafat AP In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Pilgrims circle the Kaaba as they pray in the Grand Mosque of Mecca ahead of the Hajj AP In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims arrive at the plains of Arafat Reuters In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat (or Jabal ar-Rahmah) during the Hajj EPA In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat (or the Mount of Mercy) during the Hajj AFP/Getty In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims shelter from the sun under a bridge near Mecca EPA In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims walk towards Namirah mosque on Mount Arafat during the Hajj AP In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat (or Jabal ar-Rahmah) during the Hajj AFP/Getty In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat (or the Mount of Mercy) during the Hajj AFP/Getty In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat (or Jabal ar-Rahmah) during the Hajj AFP/Getty You should make sure your travel insurance covers all aspects of the journey and that the appropriate vaccinations have been taken. Researching the local laws and customs is also recommended. Consular staff can be contacted on a 24-hour helpline in the case of emergencies during the Hajj on: +966 5010 04268. Before departing, be sure to check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website to keep up to date on all the latest travel advice regarding Saudi Arabia. The Emirati military has said it has absorbed into its local forces in Yemen former low-ranking al-Qaeda fighters left behind in the battlefield, as part of a counter-insurgency strategy, after facing backlash over its three-year battle against the terror group in the impoverished Gulf state. The United Arab Emirates has trained 30,000 Yemeni troops to fight what the US has called al-Qaedas most lethal franchise, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), since intervening in Yemen in early 2015. At its height, AQAP controlled most of Yemens southern coastline, including major provincial capitals like Mukalla, Yemens fifth biggest city, as well as Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan province, and Jaar. Backed by US drone strikes, the UAE and Yemeni forces have now forced AQAP into isolated pockets in centre of the country. However, the Gulf coalition has faced accusations its successes were not due to military prowess but rather deals struck with AQAP, including allowing militants to leave areas with looted cash, and to fight alongside its men. The Emirati military vehemently denied the claims as untrue and illogical but senior commanders have said that they had absorbed members into the Yemeni ranks, after they were extensively vetted. Many AQAP fighters were just young men under their control who were coerced or persuaded to take up arms. When we cleared al-Qaeda out of urban areas, they left behind many of these men and it made sense to recruit them, because it sent a powerful message about the Yemeni commitment to liberation, Brigadier Ali, a top UAE commander in the counter-terror operation, told The Independent. Counter-insurgency is primarily a battle for hearts and minds. AQAP were effective recruiters, but they did not recruit men to be terrorists, they recruited them to be soldiers. Its important to recognise the difference in such a complex conflict zone, Brig Ali whose full name cannot be published for security reasons added. The US, which has provided substantial support to the operation, including intelligence sharing and drone strikes, vigorously denied any complicity with AQ militants earlier this week. That is false, patently false, Pentagon spokesman Col Rob Manning said, according to The Washington Times. We do not pay al-Qaeda, we kill al-Qaeda, he added declining to comment further. When approached for comment on the Emirati admission, a spokesperson for the US State Department said that: AQAP is a known terrorist organisation that has killed Americans in the past and stated its intent to do so again. US policy is to combat these terrorists. AQAP is attempting to exploit the situation in Yemen to plot, launch and inspire terror attacks against Americans and our regional partners. The UAE began training local Yemeni tribesmen in 2015, when together with Saudi Arabia it intervened in Yemen to fight the Shia Houthi rebels and reinstate the recognised Yemeni government. The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, swept control of the country in early 2015, forcing Yemens president Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to flee the country and prompting the Gulf intervention. Thousands of Yemenis have been killed in the protracted and brutal conflict, which has sparked the worlds largest humanitarian crisis in terms of numbers. [AQAP] left behind many of these men and it made sense to recruit them, because it sent a powerful message about the Yemeni commitment to liberation Brigadier Ali, a senior UAE military commander Spearheaded by the UAE, the Gulf coalition and the Yemeni forces it trained have simultaneously been battling a second front: AQAPs thousands-strong force in the south. The first win was retaking Mukalla in April 2016. Since then, Emirati commanders told The Independent that AQAP has been driven back to a string of villages within the central province of Marib, to the south in Bayda and further east in Wadi Hadramawt. But questions have been raised over the methods used. A recent investigation by the Associated Press claimed that the coalition cut secret deals with al-Qaeda fighters, paid some to leave key towns and let others retreat with weapons, equipment and millions of dollars in looted cash. It said coalition-backed forces actively recruited al-Qaeda militants, or those who were recently members, because they were considered exceptional fighters. The report concluded that these compromises and alliances risked strengthening the most dangerous branch of the terror network. Yemeni soldiers loyal to the Saudi and UAE-backed government attending a mine clearance and dismantling training at a centre funded by the UAE armed forces in Mukalla (AFP) The Emiratis dismissed the report as untrue and denied striking deals with al-Qaeda leadership as well as letting fighters flee with cash. They told The Independent that they had absorbed low-ranking foot soldiers who had been lured by AQAP, arguing it was an effective way of reducing AQAPs numbers and winning over the local population. We recruited soldiers, not terrorists it was easy to distinguish between the two the soldiers were keen to join our ranks and the terrorists wanted to kill us. But we put our recruits through extensive psychological testing to be sure that they were not extremists, the brigadier told The Independent. Most of the AQAP fighters are motivated by other [elements] than ideological beliefs and can be absorbed readily (reintegrated) back into mainstream society. This process involves improving the general quality of life of the individual, by re-establishing normal societal structures and processes, which improve opportunities for employment, and, it follows, general welfare and happiness, he added. The senior commander did not elaborate about the exact number that had been absorbed. He replied: Not much because the fighters we recruited were mainly foot soldiers. They had little to no insights into the decision making of AQAP. We recruited soldiers, not terrorists... we put our recruits through extensive psychological testing to be sure they were not extremists Brigadier Ali, UAE military Al-Qaedas position is complex in Yemen, many of its leaders have married into prominent families, integrated into tribes and bought loyalty. Rather than a distinguishable international terror group it is considered by many Yemenis as another fighting faction in the country. The United Nations said in a report released this week that there are as many as 7,000 AQAP fighters in Yemen. The UAE said this week that it had killed over 1,000 core AQAP fighters since 2015. The group was officially established in 2009. It has claimed responsibility for numerous deadly killings in Yemen and abroad, most notably the attack on the offices of the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine in Paris during which 12 people were killed. A couple whose violent behaviour allegedly caused a Jet2 flight to Gran Canaria to divert in July 2017 has been charged with recklessly or negligently acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft. Ronald St Ville, 55, and Pauline Gordon, 65, have been accused of using foul language and hitting each other during the LS1507 flight from London Stansted on 6 July. The pair from London both deny the charges, which are currently being heard at Chelmsford Crown Court. Caitlin McAleese, a junior member of cabin crew, told the court that she had been alerted to a potential situation by another passenger, reports the Hertfordshire Mercury. When St Ville asked what wines were available, Gordon told him he shouldnt have any, according to Ms McAleese. Just f***ing leave it, that s*** wont let me, St Ville said, the court heard. From there, the situation quickly escalated, alleges Ms McAleese. She told the court: I heard raised voices and shouting. I turned around to assess the situation and I realised 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. She was shouting, Give me it back. Gordon was also witnessed hitting St Ville in the neck and the back by Felicity Scott, another member of cabin crew. Two police officers, one active and one retired, were on the flight, and stepped in to help cabin crew separate the couple. Gordon was told to sit at the back of the plane but attempted to sit in her previous seat across the aisle from St Ville several times, the court heard. Some of the children had got a bit upset, there were two crying children, said Ms McAleese. I felt very intimidated. I was scared of the potential of the gentleman. The woman did apologise to us a few times. After cabin crew conferred with the pilots, the decision was made to divert to Faro as the rest of the journey was over water the concern was that crew would not be able to perform their duties if anything went wrong because they had to focus all their attention on the couple. We would have felt completely on edge about what could happen next, said Ms Scott. I told the pilots because it was such a situation they needed to know about it. It was a situation we believed was endangering the safety to the aircraft. The trial continues. If you take a plane from the UK mainland to Belfast, you could believe that everything is roughly as it been since the Good Friday Agreement 20 years ago. It may be difficult, occasionally tense, but not impossible and, crucially, not at war. There are peace walls topped with coiled barbed wire, kerbstones painted in rival colours and rival flags flying at what are called the interfaces. But this year, as the police noted, was the first in four decades that there were no bonfires in Belfast to mark the 8 August anniversary of internment. While hotter weather-wise, this summer has so far been cooler in other respects than many. Say goodbye to Belfast, however, and take the bus west-northwest, to the city now called Derry-Londonderry (by those who prefer not to take sides), and you will soon be enveloped in a rather different vibe. The bus linking Northern Irelands two major cities takes two hours, with an extra 15 minutes at present for roadworks. The train takes a little longer. Either way, it will take you longer to traverse the distance between Northern Irelands two biggest cities than it takes to fly from anywhere in the mainland to Belfast. Traffic passes anti-Brexit signs on the County Derry/Londonderry Northern Ireland and County Donegal in the Irish Republic. Northern Ireland could be given joint EU and UK status and a 'buffer zone' on its border with the Republic, under new plans being drawn up by David Davis, according to reports. (EPA) And when you look at the road and rail map of Northern Ireland, you can partly see why. There are reminders here of just-united Germany or, say, Washington DC places whose fractured transport infrastructure betrays dislocation of a more profound kind. The lines may once have been intended to join up, but they dont and not just because the money ran out. I went to Northern Ireland in the hope of catching something of the mood at what seems a rather crucial time in a place that is potentially the Brexit frontline. As it turned out, I was following, unwittingly, hard on the heels of some very important guests. The previous 10 days had seen Theresa May give a speech in Belfast to defend her already moribund Chequers deal. It was a speech that pressed many loyalist buttons, while also recognising that many claimed Irish identity. But it was noted in the province for something else: in her speech, May had used the formulation Derry-Londonderry apparently becoming the first British prime minister to do so from a public stage. This went unremarked on the mainland. Northern Ireland police chief says he is taking responsibility for coordinating all of the difficulties with the border A few days later, Philip Hammond, the chancellor, had made a separate trip to Derry-Londonderry to hold out the prospect of a so-called City Deal an arrangement already widespread elsewhere in the UK, that gives local authorities more say in how central government money is spent. Belfast is still finalising its own City Deal, but Northern Irelands second city is now in line for one, too. And third belatedly, in the view of some had come Karen Bradley, the Northern Ireland secretary, who toured the areas of both cities where street violence had erupted, seemingly out of the blue, in early July. Police blame the rioting on new IRA dissidents and it seemed to die down as suddenly as it had flared suggesting that someone somewhere had the power to switch it on and off but 70-plus petrol bombs in one night in the Derry Bogside, with children as young as eight involved, cannot be dismissed as nothing. Was such a procession of senior British ministers to Northern Ireland unusual, I asked. Yes, it was and it stirred memories for me of how senior UK politicians had rushed to Scotland 10 days before the 2014 referendum after a poll suddenly showed a turn towards independence. Panic? What panic was the official mantra then, and it could apply again. So is the Westminster government finally waking up to the dangers that Brexit could present to Northern Ireland and not just to Northern Ireland, but to the uneasy peace that prevails there, and even to the current composition of the United Kingdom? Arch-Brexiteers argue that there is no risk indeed, that the whole issue is being inflated out of all proportion by Remainers in their flailing attempts to frustrate Brexit. Boris Johnson is reported to have applied the same profane dismissal to the concerns of Northern Ireland as he applied to the expressions of alarm from UK business. I would respectfully recommend that they follow me past Belfast (which hogs the bulk of Westminster subventions to the province and stands to survive any adverse Brexit effect better than the rest) to Derry Im dropping the Londonderry for practical not political considerations and just listen to what people say. It would not necessarily be what they expect. Once upon a time you might have been struck by the sectarian divide, here as in Belfast, which would have split opinion on everything. This August, that was not my first, or overwhelming, impression. The alignments of Protestant/unionist/loyalist on the one side and Catholic/republican/nationalist on the other seem less clear than they were. Whether you talk to engaged observers, such as Michael Goves much maligned experts or local journalists, to businesspeople, or to concerned individuals of the sort who crammed into talks organised for this the 26th years Feile (community festival), even if you just eavesdrop on people chatting among themselves in the walled citys cafes and bars, you will not have to wait long before you hear such terms as disaster, destruction, devastation. This is what they fear from a hard Brexit, from a no-deal Brexit, or from pretty much any Brexit that entails the reinstatement, however partial or technical, of the border that wends its way just a few miles/kilometres from their city. And they understand, with a stark clarity that seems totally lacking on the mainland, that when (not if) the UK leaves the European Union, there will be a land border with the Republic of Ireland, which will become a fully foreign country. Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures An abandoned shop is seen in Mullan, Co Monaghan. The building was home to four families who left during the Troubles. The town was largely abandoned after the hard border was put in place during the conflict. Mullan has seen some regeneration in recent years, but faces an uncertain future with Brexit on the horizon Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A defaced Welcome to Northern Ireland sign stands on the border in Middletown, Co Armagh Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Mervyn Johnson owns a garage in the border town of Pettigo, which straddles the counties of Donegal and Fermanagh. Ive been here since 1956, it was a bit of a problem for a few years. My premises has been blown up about six or seven times, we just kept building and starting again, Johnson said laughing. We just got used to it [the hard border] really but now that its gone, we wouldn't like it back again Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Farmer Gordon Crocketts Coshquin farm straddles both Derry/Londonderry in the North and Donegal in the Republic. At the minute there is no real problem, you can cross the border as free as you want. We could cross it six or eight times a day, said Crockett. If there was any sort of obstruction it would slow down our work every day Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures John Murphy flies the European flag outside his home near the border village of Forkhill, Co Armagh Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Potter Brenda McGinn stands outside her Mullan, Co Monaghan, studio the former Jas Boylan shoe factory which was the main employer in the area until it shut down due to the Troubles. When I came back, this would have been somewhere you would have driven through and have been quite sad. It was a decrepit looking village, said McGinn, whose Busy Bee Ceramics is one of a handful of enterprises restoring life to the community. Now this is a revitalised, old hidden village Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Union Flag colours painted on kerbstones and bus-stops along the border village of Newbuildings, Co Derry/Londonderry Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Grass reflected in Lattone Lough, which is split by the border between Cavan and Fermanagh, seen from near Ballinacor, Northern Ireland Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Donegalman David McClintock sits in the Border Cafe in the village of Muff, which straddles Donegal and Derry/Londonderry Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures An old Irish phone box stands alongside a bus stop in the border town of Glaslough, Co Monaghan Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Billboards are viewed from inside a disused customs hut in Carrickcarnon, Co Down, on the border with Co Louth in the Republic Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Seamus McQuaid takes packages that locals on the Irish side of the border have delivered to his business, McQuaid Auto-Parts, to save money on postal fees, near the Co Fermanagh village of Newtownbutler. I live in the south but the business is in the North, said McQaid. "I wholesale into the Republic of Ireland so if theres duty, Ill have to set up a company 200 yards up the road to sell to my customers. Ill have to bring the same product in through Dublin instead of Belfast Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A disused Great Northern Railway line and station that was for customs and excise on the border town of Glenfarne, Co Leitrim Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Alice Mullen, from Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland, does her shopping at a former customs post on the border in Middletown, Co Armagh. Id be very worried if it was a hard border, I remember when people were divided. I would be very afraid of the threat to the peace process, it was a dreadful time to live through. Even to go to mass on a Sunday, youd have to go through checkpoints. It is terribly stressful, said Mullen. All those barricades and boundaries were pulled down. I see it as a huge big exercise of trust and I do believe everyone breathed a sigh of relief Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A bus stop and red post box stand in the border town of Jonesborough, Co Armagh Reuters For younger people, this will be for the first time in living memory. You can talk about special bilateral arrangements as much as you like, about sophisticated Customs technology, or wistfully about drawing a new Customs border down the Irish Sea. But no one, it seemed to me, has any illusions. The Good Friday fudge that allowed the border to be visible for those who wanted to see it and invisible to those who did not, that allowed Northern Irelands population to choose to be British or Irish or both, is coming to an end. Now you might object that this alarm and it is alarm stems largely from the fact that the UK government has not been doing a sufficiently good job of reassurance. Maybe. But if the UK government in Westminster isnt profoundly worried by now about the Brexit effect on Northern Ireland, then it should be. The economic writing is already on the wall. The fall in the pound against the euro is not benefiting Northern Ireland. It is sending skilled EU workers home, or across the border. Uncertainty is killing investment. And it is not as though Northern Ireland was flourishing to start with. The Good Friday dividend never really arrived north of the border, and the comparative deprivation beyond Belfast is a shocking indictment of decades of poor government from London and Stormont. The northwest feels as abandoned by the UK as it ever has. Which is partly why the political writing is on the wall, too. The rioting that broke out early last month in places where rioting tends to break out was passed over as an unfortunate little local difficulty. Well, maybe. But levels of violence can also be a gauge of something else: morale, discontent, frustration. What was the trigger? Will it recur? And one reason why local politicians took such a dim view of the Northern Ireland secretarys tardiness in visiting was that the leader of the DUP, Arlene Foster, and the members of the currently defunct Stormont Assembly and the Irish foreign minister, Simon Coveney, had made a joint visit to the area more than a week before. What does that say about the engagement of the mother country? But something else is happening, too, which casts a slightly different light on this otherwise depressing scene. Late last month, after the week of riots, after the procession of UK visitors, the former DUP leader, now elder statesman, Peter Robinson used a conference speech just across the Irish border to reopen the taboo question of a united Ireland. In remarks received furiously by some fellow unionists, Robinson said he did not think Northern Ireland would vote to leave the UK, but people should prepare for the possibility and accept the result. It turned out that he was giving public voice to a discussion that had already begun, and that discussion exposes very different concerns from the past. It used to be that the power of the Catholic Church was the overriding objection. With the reputation of the church tarnished by child abuse scandals and social attitudes, both among the public and enshrined in law, more liberal than in much of the north, the arguments now are about the place of the British legacy, the economy, and the NHS (that is, keeping a health service that is free at the point of delivery). It is not clear where this might go. But the conversation now is not just about whether, but how. And allegiances appear to be more fluid, perhaps a lot more fluid, than they were thanks to generational change in the north, social and economic change in the Republic, and, of course, Brexit. The size of the majority for Remain in the EU referendum in Northern Ireland showed that it crossed the Catholic/Protestant, republican/unionist divide. A hard border, even the prospect of a hard border, could push the line even further. The result, in the event of a referendum on unification, may not be as predictable as it once was. What the UK has cooked up, courtesy of our Brexit vote, the ill-advised election that gave the Northern Ireland DUP a casting vote in Westminster, and some cack-handed negotiation with Brussels, is widely seen in the province as a disaster in the making, presaging penury or a return to violence, or both. Or, it could spell the end of the Union and pave the way Dublin willing for a united Ireland. Even a year ago, that would have been inconceivable. No longer. Does protesting change anything? Sometimes, yes. Marches and protest can and do bring rapid political change there are no rules about that. The louder, the more insistent, the more compelling the argument, the more chance of it prevailing. More than anything, a march is a visible symbol and is hard to ignore. So it is with a final say on Brexit. That is why The Independent is joining forces with the Peoples Vote March for the Future, taking place in London on Saturday 20 October. Peoples Vote has similar objectives to The Independents Final Say campaign, which calls for a public vote on a Brexit deal. Many other organisations, such as trade unions, professional associations and others in civic society, share those goals. Today we report that Community, the union for steelworkers and other trades, supports a final say for the British people, joining bodies as diverse as the British Medical Association and the National Union of Students in this broad-based coalition. The Independents petition for a final say numbers 615,000 signatures and counting: if you have signed it already, we thank you; if you havent yet and would like to do so, please follow the link below. When it reaches critical mass we will present it to government. The petition sponsored by Peoples Vote meanwhile boasts around 260,000 signatures. Even allowing for some overlap, that represents a powerful body of opinion and that is before any further debacles in parliament. The signatories will be well represented on the October march. With such support across so many bodies, it makes sense to come together at moments such as these to make the call for democracy loud and clear. It is becoming, indeed, almost a duty for anyone who cares about the future of Britain and an urgent one. Should you feel moved to join us on the march, it would help from an organisational point of view if you registered your intention via the link at the end of this article. You can also, if you wish to, donate to help cover the costs of putting on the event: again, details are available below. In the present uncertainty, the democratic case for a final say makes itself. Our political leaders, collectively, have proved unable to deal with the challenges facing the nation. The divisors within parties do not suit the Westminster system; the methods of debate and voting are also ill-suited to settling this sort of policy. Today an outcome that seemed unlikely, even unthinkable, a mere two years ago is spoken about as a real prospect: a no-deal Brexit. Where once he thought a deal would be the easiest negotiation in human history, Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, puts the odds of a no-deal outcome at 60 per cent. The British foreign secretary, once such a power on the world stage, a figure who held the balance of power in Europe and at the centre of a vast global empire, flies to Riga to ask the Latvian government for support over Brexit. In response, that countrys foreign minister, Edgar Rinkevics, tells the British public that Britain has a 50 per cent chance of crashing out of the EU next March with no transition deal. We are grateful to him for his candour, but it should tell us something about the contemporary balance of power between Britain and, 10 times its size, the remaining EU. Suddenly Brexit has turned Europes leaders into amateur bookmakers, laying odds on economic catastrophe. Thus has diplomacy been devalued. The reason for this gloom over impending disaster is plain: Britains leaders in government and in parliament, across parties, have been unable to agree on the way forward, whether between themselves or with the EU27. So far from taking back control, we have had indecision, chaos and a series of failed British initiatives. Ministers and civil servants can blame Brussels and the EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier all they like but much of the confusion about UK policy derives from the nature of Brexit itself. So often British policy is an attempt to reconcile the irreconcilable, to have your cake and eat it, that it seems obvious that the real obstacle to a red, white and blue Brexit isnt the adamantine autocrats or treacherous Conservative Brexit rebels, but the laws of logic themselves. The unacknowledged truth is that the British constitution, unwritten and flexible as it is, changed on Thursday 23 June 2016. The EU referendum, de facto if not de jure, transferred sovereignty from the British parliament to the British people. 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 British people are badly divided. Not all, obviously, want to leave; but some, with great passion and sincerity, wish to do so, and at any economic cost. Some would, in fact, welcome a no-deal Brexit, which they regard as a misnomer in any case. They argue that the UK will have a deal World Trade Organisation terms of trade, plus various other vestigial agreements. They too are entitled to their say, and they too can argue the case for their vision of Brexit when the time arrives for a final say. They, after all, were some of the most sunnily optimistic during the 2016 referendum. Now the time has come for them to make their case for the reality of Brexit as it will be in 2019. The next referendum will be different from the one that went before. The options for the country will be better understood; and the vote will be only representative of the options facing the UK if it includes an option to remain in the EU. Where the single market and customs union were, if at all, only vaguely comprehended in 2016, they are now debated in sometimes painful detail. The economic relationships of non-EU members such as Norway and Switzerland have been subjected to unprecedented scrutiny. The consequences for the Irish border and for Gibraltar, previously fringe issues, are now raised to the importance they deserve. It is a different referendum in more ways than one then, but it must be one where the public is given the options it has a right to expect. We should not have to demand it; but, come 20 October, demand it we shall. To register for the march in London on 20 October please click here The Peoples Vote campaign has organised the March for the Future please help it meet the cost by donating here Since the EU referendum, the BMA has thoroughly considered the impact of Brexit on the NHS and health services across the UK and Europe. We have produced a series of briefing papers which have highlighted the many ways in which the UKs membership of the EU has benefited patients, the health workforce and health services, and the need to proactively address the risks of leaving. From the free movement of highly skilled doctors to collaboration on medical research, health protection and more, our extensive range of briefings explain why its so important for the UK and EU to continue to have a collaborative relationship in the future. At our annual representative meeting in June 2018, doctors made it clear that they believe Brexit poses a major threat to the NHS and the nations health. With less than eight months to go until the UK leaves the EU, there is still far too much uncertainty and confusion around the implications of Brexit for patients, doctors and wider health services. For instance: how will the UK continue to secure a consistent supply of medical radioisotopes for cancer treatment once we leave the EU? What immigration system will be put in place to enable highly skilled EU nationals to come and work in the NHS? Could the introduction of a separate regulatory system for medicines in the UK lead to patients facing delays of up to 24 months to access lifesaving drugs? On an almost daily basis we hear of more warnings that, on 29 March 2019, the UK risks leaving the EU without a deal in place. A no-deal Brexit could have potentially catastrophic consequences for patients, the health workforce and services and the nations health. Such a scenario would raise immediate and urgent questions about the rights and status of EU nationals working in health and research across the UK as well as patients access to reciprocal healthcare arrangements both here and in the EU, and the future supply of medicines to name just a few. Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Show all 6 1 /6 Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves The elderly We acknowledge that there are pressures on the health service, there are always extra pressures on the NHS in the winter, but we have the added pressures of the ageing population and the growing complex needs of the population, Theresa May has said. Waits of over 12 hours in A&E among elderly people have more than doubled in two years, according to figures from NHS Digital. Getty Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Patients going to A&E instead of seeing their GPs Jeremy Hunt has called for a honest discussion with the public about the purpose of A&E departments, saying that around a third of A&E patients were in hospital unnecessarily. Mr Hunt told Radio 4s Today programme the NHS now had more doctors, nurses and funding than ever, but explained what he called very serious problems at some hospitals by suggesting pressures were increasing in part because people are going to A&Es when they should not. He urged patients to visit their GP for non-emergency illnesses, outlined plans to release time for family doctors to support urgent care work, and said the NHS will soon be able to deliver seven-day access to a GP from 8am to 8pm. But doctors struggling amid a GP recruitment crisis said Mr Hunts plans were unrealistic and demanded the Government commit to investing in all areas of the overstretched health service. Getty Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Simon Stevens, head of NHS England Reports that key members of Ms Mays team used internal meetings to accuse Simon Stevens, head of NHS England, of being unenthusiastic and unresponsive have been rejected by Downing Street. Mr Stevens had allegedly rejected claims made by Ms May that the NHS had been given more funding than required. Getty Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Previous health policy, not funding In an interview with Sky Newss Sophy Ridge, Ms May acknowledged the NHS faced pressures but said it was a problem that had been ducked by government over the years. She refuted the claim that hospitals were tackling a humanitarian crisis and said health funding was at record levels. We asked the NHS a while back to set out what it needed over the next five years in terms of its plan for the future and the funding that it would need, said the Prime Minister. They did that, we gave them that funding, in fact we gave them more funding than they required Funding is now at record levels for the NHS, more money has been going in. But doctors accused Ms May of being in denial about how the lack of additional funding provided for health and social care were behind a spiralling crisis in NHS hospitals. Getty Images Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves Target to treat all A&E patients within four hours Mr Hunt was accused of watering down the flagship target to treat all A&E patients within four hours. The Health Secretary told MPs the promise introduced by Tony Blairs government in 2000 should only be for those who actually need it. Amid jeers in the Commons, Mr Hunt said only four other countries pledged to treat all patients within a similar timeframe and all had less stringent rules. But Ms May has now said the Government will stand by the four-hour target for A&E, which says 95 per cent of patients must be dealt with within that time frame. Getty Images Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis except themselves No one Mr Hunt was accused of hiding from the public eye following news of the Red Crosss comments and didnt make an official statement for two days. He was also filmed refusing to answer questions from journalists who pursued him down the street yesterday to ask whether he planned to scrap the four-hour A&E waiting time target. Sky News reporter Beth Rigby pressed the Health Secretary on his position on the matter, saying the public will want to know, Mr Hunt. Sorry Beth, Ive answered questions about this already, replied Mr Hunt. But you didnt answer questions on this. You said it was over-interpreted in the House of Commons and you didnt want to water it down. Is that what youre saying? said Ms Rigby. Its very difficult, because how are we going to explain to the public what your intention is, when you change your position and then wont answer the question, Mr Hunt. But the Health Secretary maintained his silence until he reached his car and got in. Getty How does the health service even begin to prepare for the consequences of leaving the EU without an agreement in place which addresses the issues we set out? The UK government has finally started planning to ensure the health sector and industry are prepared in the short term for a no-deal Brexit, including stockpiling medicines and equipment and reviewing supply chains. We believe this is too little, too late and, quite frankly, proof that the impact on the NHS has not received the attention it deserves in the Brexit negotiations. It has become clear to the BMA that the risks of Brexit for the nations health are too great, and that it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure the kind of deal which will work to the benefit of patients, the medical workforce and health services across the UK and Europe. Now that more is known regarding the potential impact of Brexit on patients, the health workforce and health services, the BMA believes the public should have a final informed say on the Brexit deal, hopefully leading them to reject the notion of a no-deal scenario given all the serious risks that such an outcome carries. Some will say the BMA is scaremongering by warning of the dangers of a no-deal Brexit, but this is not the case. We have not shied away from discussing what is at stake for health services if the UK and the EU fail to reach a deal on the Withdrawal Agreement by March 2019. 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. Dr Chaand Nagpaul is chair of the Council of the British Medical Association as well as a general practitioner A homeless woman and her young children who slept at a Garda station have been offered accommodation by the local council. Margaret Cash has been told a three-bedroom apartment in Dublin city will be made available to her and seven children from Friday. The single mother and her children have been at the centre of national debate after photos emerged on social media of the family sleeping in Tallaght Garda Station last week. Ms Cash, 28, had turned down emergency accommodation that had been offered to the family in Co Meath because she said it was too far away. She said the situation had become so bad she felt compelled to highlight the familys plight. It has come to actually publicising your children, she said. She told RTE Radio Ones Today With Miriam programme that she felt guilty about not having a home for her children. I felt horrible as a mother you feel like, why is this me?, she said. Why it this happening to me? Ms Cash said she has been told she will be given a weeks trial in the apartment from Friday and after that they will take it month by month. Its better news than what it was last week, when they were expecting me to go night by night again, Ms Cash said. Im really happy. She added that her children will be over the moon. Inner City Helping Homeless has been working as an advocate for Ms Cash. Joe Devine gets a helping hand from his daughter Isobel on their County Leitrim Farm Securing sufficient feed ingredients for the Irish livestock sector this winter remains a challenge, importers and millers have warned. The drought across northern Europe and Russia has cut available feed supplies and increased demand and prices for stocks. John Bergin of feed importers R&H Halls urged both farmers and compounders to plan what they need now and take the necessary steps to secure supplies. Strong buying of feed ingredients by merchants in July has left the country well provisioned in the short-term, Mr Bergin said. However, the continuing drought on the continent has hit the availability of key grains and non-grains ingredients. Mr Bergin pointed out that disastrous harvests across Scandinavia and Germany means that Denmark, Germany and Sweden, traditionally wheat exporting countries, have become net importers of grain this year. The loss of these major European exporters has changed the sourcing of key ingredients leading to importers having to source and purchase in markets further afield, with consequent increases in shipping times. Mr Bergin said a combination of a reduced cereal crop gloablly and increased feed demand across northern Europe has led to significant upward pressure on prices. Strategie Grains has forecast that this year's EU wheat harvest will not top 130m tonnes, a six-year low. France's wheat harvest is expected to be back around 2.5m tonnes, at around 34m tonnes, on the back of the extreme weather. Farmers in Germany are also in trouble, and have sought a 1bn aid package as a result of the searing temperatures. Joachim Rukwied, head of German farming association DBV, claimed that farmers had lost around 30pc of the harvest due to the continuing drought. Meanwhile at local level, mills are still working at full capacity as the shortage of grass, particularly in the southeast, continues to bite. Compounders in the southeast have had to outsource significant tonnages to mills in other parts of the Republic and in Northern Ireland. Jimmy Brett of Brett Brothers said the grass supply situation across south Leinster and east Munster remained tight. Dairy farmers were continuing to feed 4-6kgs of rations per day and this was keeping the pressure on feed supplies, he added. Surveys carried out by the feed company indicated that farmers generally had around 50pc of their silage requirements, although some were in a far worse situation, Mr Brett explained. "I'd by hopeful that if we get adequate rainfall in the next fortnight that farmers will be able to make up some of that fodder shortfall and the feed companies will supply the difference," he said. "But farmers badly need to make silage this September. The best case scenario at this stage for the southeast is that we have a silage shortfall of 20-25pc," Mr Brett maintained. Grass growth across Europe at historic lows: Page 14 Irish Farmers Association President, Joe Healy has hit out at recent comments from junior Minister for Finance Michael DArcy who said that vulture funds are easier to deal with compared to the banks describing them as extremely disappointing. Minister D'Arcy said that, in his personal experience, funds who buy up distressed mortgages are interested in doing deals with homeowners. His comments come after Ulster Bank sold 5,200 mortgages to US firm Cerberus, in a move that debt campaigners say will see people "thrown to the wolves". Mr D'Arcy told the Irish Independent that some analysts are taking a view of the situation that is too simplistic. "My sense of it is that the Irish banks have made a decision that they aren't going to do write-offs. I know funds actually take what they can get," he said. However, IFA President Joe Healy said the Ministers comments where extremely disappointing and that has not been the experience in the cases his organisation have dealt with. It's a cause for concern that somebody in elected office would have such a view as people would be relying on him to sort this out. Its a cop out to say vulture funds dont need to be regulated. They do, and the Government needs to make it happen, he said. While it can be difficult to deal with banks too, they are regulated and because they are interested in new business, they have to at least be mindful of how they treat their existing customers, he said. The IFA is calling on farmers to 'stand back' from forced sales of farmland, as it estimates that at least 150,000 acres of farmland is under threat from forced sales. The faceless funds which have no understanding of farming are hellbent on destroying families while feeding on the carcass of the family farm, he said. The has said that debt restructuring should be based on the repayment capacity. Farm families should be given the time to repay their debts over a longer term to keep the farm intact. Farmers are particularly vulnerable because the security tends to be far higher in relation to the value of the loan in comparison to other SMEs. It is not acceptable for vulture funds to force a sale of land and cash in debts they have bought from a bank when there is a viable alternative. US President Donald Trumps America First slogan had caused only economic trouble for the country, including US soybean farmers. China said it will hold a fresh round of trade talks with the United States in Washington later this month, offering a glimmer of hope for progress in resolving a conflict that has set world markets on edge. A Chinese delegation led by Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen will meet with US representatives led by Under Secretary of Treasury for International Affairs David Malpass, the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on its website. The worlds two largest economies have implemented several rounds of tit-for-tat tariffs on each others goods since the start of the year and have threatened further tariffs on exports worth hundreds of billions of dollars. The announcement of the forthcoming meeting comes after a lull in talks between the two sides, but it is unclear whether it will take place before or after Aug.23, when Washington is due to activate additional tariffs on $16 billion of Chinese goods. Beijing has said it will retaliate in kind. The last official round of talks was in early June when US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross met Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in Beijing. There was no immediate response from the US Treasury to the announcement from Beijing. The upcoming meeting is lower-level compared with four previous rounds of talks that involved Liu, Ross and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Having made little progress in the previous meetings, the White House said on Aug. 3 that the United States is open to further talks with China on how to resolve the festering trade dispute. China has repeatedly pointed out that US companies and consumers will be hard hit by the trade war, a theme the ruling Communist Partys official Peoples Daily returned to on Thursday. US President Donald Trumps America First slogan had caused only economic trouble for the country, the paper said, pointing to examples like losses incurred by U.S. soybean farmers amid the trade war. Whats fantastical is that US trade policy-makers seem to be totally deaf. The voices of producers, the international community and expert groups have been pouring forth, but theyre turning a deaf ear to them, it said in a commentary. The news of the upcoming talks helped Chinese stocks pare losses, with the Shanghai Composite Index .SSEC and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index .HSI both down 0.4 percent, having fallen as much as 1.9pc and 1.7pc, respectively, in early trading on Thursday. US futures also gained, as Dow e-minis .1YMc1 rose as much as 0.5pc on the news, though they later trimmed some of those gains. The offshore Chinese yuan CNH=D3 rose briefly against the dollar, strengthening to a high of 6.9165 before wilting. Easing trade tensions helped lift Chinese copper futures SCFcv1 off 14-month lows, while prices of Chinese farm goods fell amid hopes that supplies of U.S. soybeans, used to make cooking oil and animal feed, may resume if disputes are resolved. The United States and China implemented tariffs on $34 billion of each others exports on July 6 and barring some breakthrough another tit-for-tat exchange is likely when Washington imposes additional tariffs on $16 billion of Chinese goods next week. Separately, China has said it is prepared to put additional tariffs on 5,207 goods imported from the United States with a total value of $60 billion, ranging from liquefied natural gas to some aircraft. The move was in response to a threat from Washington to increase tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25 percent from 10 percent. Spanish banking giant BBVA is pulling out of Ireland after a corporate reorganisation. The bank has an operation based out of Dublin that lends to BBVA clients. The most recently filed accounts for the Dublin business say it is "primarily engaged in syndicated lending to corporate clients of the BBVA Group in the form of revolving and term loan credit facilities". It also provides management and administration services to insurance activities the group has here. "The directors are satisfied with the results for the financial year," the accounts note. "Notwithstanding, in September 2017 the board of the company were made aware that BBVA senior management is considering options to wind down its operations in Ireland, including those of the company, following a BBVA group review of its business models throughout its operations in Europe and Asia. "A timetable for the transfer of the corporate lending portfolio has not been finalised and the board and management of BBVA Ireland plc expect the company to continue operating for a minimum of 12 months from the date of this report." The report is dated May 17, 2018. A spokesman for BBVA said the company's activities were limited here with just four employees. "It can be done from Spain," he said. The accounts, covering the year to the end of December 2017, put the Irish operation's net income at 9.5m for the year, compared to 5.7m the prior year. "This was considered a good result given the decrease in corporate lending activity the company has experienced in 2017," the accounts state. Almost 470m had been advanced to third parties in loans. The decision was taken before the plunge in the Turkish lira, which helped pull BBVA's share price lower on fears about its exposure to the country. According to Deutsche Bank, the five European banks with a significant presence or relationship with Turkey are BBVA, Unicredit, ING, BNP Paribas and HSBC. Separately, a senior Barclays trader has faced losses of about 15m (16.8m) on Turkish bonds over the past few days, according to people familiar with the matter. London-based credit trader Tolga Kirbay was caught on the wrong side of a wager over three trading days starting from Thursday, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the details aren't public. Barclays generally makes up to $100m (88.4m) in revenue each year trading emerging-market corporate bonds in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, according to the people. While the trade is relatively modest for the British bank overall - and while the lira has recovered some of its plunge in the past few days - it does highlight the growing appetite for risk at Barclays' securities unit. It's unclear whether the positions have been hedged and whether the trader recovered the losses. (Additional reporting Bloomberg) HOW very odd. There was a huge fuss and to-do in Britain recently for - not a wedding, or a funeral, or a birthday - but the anniversary of the National Health Service. Does any other country have a national commemoration for the creation of its health system? But then, the NHS is odd. First of all it was a genuine act of creation, largely by the remarkable Labour minister Aneurin 'Nye' Bevan. Most health services were long in gestation. He was also minister for housing in war-damaged Britain and went a long way towards fixing that too. They certainly don't seem to make them like that anymore. The health revolution which followed made the NHS the nearest thing Britain has to a national emblem, royalty apart. It is also regarded by the public as the best in the world. That may have been true for a while, but hardly stands up any longer. Even so, one of the most effective lies in the mendacious Brexit campaign was that EU membership was bad for the NHS. One might perhaps have expected the anniversary to be marked a bit more here. The NHS is something of a touchstone for Irish health policy wonks, because it is 'free' to the patients, with the money coming almost entirely from taxation. A wistful regard for this method runs through the Oireachtas committee Slaintecare report whose implementation, we were told last week, is about to commence. The committee chairwoman, Social Democrat co-leader Roisin Shortall TD, described it as Ireland's version of the NHS. That raises a lot more questions than just having services free to the patient. The commencement seemed more about plans, boards and reports than healthcare. That's a bit outside this column's remit, but as Ms Shortall, an economics graduate herself, said; it's all about the funding. Indeed it is, and that is about as big an economic issue as one could find. The confusions over the Irish health service - such as what exactly is it doing, how many work for it and can a fifth of the youngest population in Europe really be waiting for medical treatment? - is matched by obfuscation over the economics. A recurring theme in the discussions has been that the funding of the Irish system is really odd and the objective is to make the service like that of a normal EU country. There is, in fact, no such thing as a 'normal' European health service. The NHS is not in the least normal - quite exceptional in fact, and not always in a good way. The invaluable source for the economics of health systems is the OECD 'Health at a Glance' publication - a cornucopia of statistics. Luckily, the economics is a bit more straightforward than day care treatments or waiting times for cataract operations, but the differences between the systems still makes comparison tricky. The committee is right that health insurance plays almost no role in the UK system. It recommended that Ireland move towards that model, but it is not the norm. In the OECD, only Iceland, Latvia, Mexico and Turkey have similar systems, where insurance makes up 10pc or less of health spending. Insurance systems are the norm, not the exception, but they vary a great deal in kind. Supplementary insurance, to buy extra benefits, is common. Around 80pc of the population in the Netherlands has such insurance. More common still is complementary insurance, which meets any additional costs not covered by the general system. Almost everyone in France has such insurance. Ireland, though, has "duplicate insurance," defined as covering care which is already free. This is where we are abnormal. At 45pc of the population, Ireland has the highest proportion of such insurance, followed by New Zealand at 29pc. We all know the reasons - the ability to jump the queue - but it misses the point by a country mile to suggest that the Irish problem can be solved by replacing insurance designed to circumvent shortages while being unable to do anything about the shortages. Waiting lists and high costs. This the funding issues which no one is willing to discuss and which will doom all these grand plans before they begin - if they ever begin. The OECD uses three measures on health spending (at least) - as percentage of GDP, of dollars per person adjusted for purchasing power, and as a percentage of government revenues. The true level of Irish spending was hidden by an exaggerated GDP but this has now grown so grotesque that no-one dare defend it, although it is still the OECD method. The best measure now is GNI* (adjusted national income). Irish health spending on this basis is over 11pc, which is just about the highest in the entire OECD. The adjusted dollars mean they buy the same amount in each country, which removes the effect of high prices in Ireland. On that basis, the youngest population in Europe spends $5,500 per person per year. The British spend $4,200. The share of government revenue, at just over 18pc, tells a tale. It is about the same as the UK, which is an indication of how much less revenue the British government collects, with growing evidence that it does not collect enough. Were the NHS spending at the Irish level, it would have an extra 80bn a year to play with. Looked the other way, the Irish system would have to cost 1bn less than it does to be a "normal" European country, and 2bn less to reach the NHS level. That is what happens when the money all comes from eternally stretched public funds. This is the elephant from which everyone carefully averts one's eye. It is simply not possible to fund the kind of extra spending which the existing system would need to match the best services in Europe and the rise in demand for services which comes from an ageing population. Simple budget cuts will not do it. All health services need an annual increase just to maintain standards. The effects can be seen from the freeze on spending in Ireland after the crash and actual cuts in the UK. Nor is it any good pretending that the system can be improved simply by adding more services with vague, or even non-existent, costings. A simple question: how many staff will be relocated or become redundant and how many facilities closed because of the switch to primary care? Answers on a postcard please. The committee is right about one thing. With the Government owning most of the hospital system, a switch to European-style insurance would not work; as the Labour party found out and Fine Gael, who seem not to have read the documentation, found out again. Theoretically it would be easier to go to a purely public NHS system but the existing prohibitive costs will make it politically and financially impossible. The loss of their duplicate insurance would be accompanied by substantially higher taxes for those who have such insurance, since these are the people who pay the bulk of income tax. Yet no-one asks why the costs are prohibitive or why only the bizarre American system will soon be more expensive and what can be done about it. That is probably because they suspect they know what the answers would be. Costs will doom all these grand plans before they begin - if they ever begin. The Central Bank will consider putting quotas in place if there isn't more diversity at the top of Irish banks. Central Bank deputy governor Ed Sibley said low levels of diversity increase the risk of "over-confidence in decision-making, a lack of internal challenge and an excessive resistance to external challenges, and resistance to change". Speaking to the ECB newsletter, he said his preference was that banks would increase diversity themselves. "However, if diversity does not improve at senior levels, the central bank will have to consider whether further specific requirements should be introduced," he said. Mr Sibley said the Central Bank had been carrying out a "deeper dive" on the levels of diversity at Irish banks this year. He said that "by most measures" there is a lack of diversity at senior level in Irish banks. "The modicum of progress that has been made at supervisory board level is not reflected at the executive/management level. Gender imbalances at senior levels are even more acute in those roles that generate revenue and drive the business - such as chief executive officer, chief financial officer, heads of retail, and so on. Over the last six years 94pc of appointments into these roles have been awarded to men, typically men with similar backgrounds and experiences." Among the relatively few women in the top tier of Irish banking is Francesca McDonagh, CEO at Bank of Ireland, while Ulster Bank is set to appoint Jane Howard to lead it here. Mr Sibley said his objective was to encourage diversity of thought and perspective, not just a proportional representation of various demographic groups. The Central Bank expects that banks' boards and management should put in place diversity and inclusion policies that are subject to annual review and discussion, Mr Sibley said. Asked about the financial performance of the sector, Mr Sibley said Irish banks were emerging from the crisis with more sustainable profitability. "Balance sheets are stronger, funding profiles more resilient and there have been significant improvements in many other areas - including very significant reductions in non-performing loans. But there is still work to be done ... I have said previously that the Irish banking sector must ensure that the holes in the roof from the last storm are mended long before another set of storm clouds appears on the horizon. "This is particularly important in Ireland, given the openness of the economy and its strongly cyclical nature. These factors have contributed to our decision to raise the countercyclical capital buffer in Ireland to 1pc, to further enhance the resilience in the system." Mr Sibley said banks should be investing in technology in order to meet changing customer wants and guard against cyberattacks. He said group-think in the financial, political and regulatory systems had contributed to the depth of the crisis here, adding that this was one reason why the Central Bank wants to emphasise diversity of thought. Fexco's retail FX division now employs 500 people serving the travel money requirements of over four million customers through its UK and Ireland network of 125 branches. Fintech company Fexco has acquired London-based Thomas Exchange Global (TEG). It is understood that the acquisition of the retail foreign exchange company is valued at around 10m (11.2m). TEG has over one million customers across its 15 branches in London, making it one of the largest specialist foreign exchange businesses in the UK capital. The deal, Fexco's eighth acquisition in the UK since 2012, means that it now has a 12pc share of the estimated 9bn foreign exchange market in London. "We are very pleased to have acquired a business with the reputation and reach of TEG, the largest London-based FX retailer," Joe Redmond, MD of retail foreign exchange division, Fexco, said. "The deal confirms our belief in the future of cash and the incomparable role it plays in a balanced payments and travel money portfolio." Fexco's retail FX division now employs 500 people serving the travel money requirements of over four million customers through its UK and Ireland network of 125 branches. Sakthi Ariaratnam, CEO of TEG, said that the deal presented a "fantastic opportunity" for the two companies to "further capitalise on the significant opportunities present in the national and international FX marketplace." Founded in 1981, today Fexco employs over 2,300 people across the group. The company has operations in 29 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, North America and Latin America. Last month Fexco agreed a deal, understood to be for 150m, to sell Goodbody Stockbrokers to Chinese investors. In 2016 Fexco reported profits of 304m. The financial crash some ten years ago resulted in the demise of many firms - but this Irish software company partly attributes its current global success to the recession. Beauty salon software provider Phorest completed a 20m investment round, the company's third, with US investment firm Susquehanna Growth Equity (SGE), in June. First founded in 2004 by Ronan Perceval and Jamie Myerscough, the Dublin-headquartered developer provides management software for more than 4,500 salons in ten countries around the world. When personal trainer Jamie moved away from the day-to-day running of company to focus on his ambition to launch a gym business in 2006, Phorest was already feeling the impact of a shrinking economy. "All of our clients were in Ireland at the time. We hadn't made any money from the business at that point, we were always living month to month," Ronan told Independent.ie. "It pushed me to do something different and I moved to the UK to launch the product there. It's an incredibly competitive market but things started to grow for us over the years and today we are the number one provider of software to salons in the UK. "That experience really proved us. As an Irish company in a difficult space, we needed to be the best and have our software speak for itself so our product got so much better during that time. It made us a much better company." When Jamie's son was born in 2012, he returned to Dublin as the UK business was "rocking" at that point. But despite the success of the company in the UK, finding investors in Ireland willing to pump money into a software product for salons was difficult. "We had built up a business from nothing, completely bootstrapped, that was then doing 1m in revenue - and everyone turned us down," he said. "I think that most of them believed that you can't built a company on the salon industry. All the investors at the time were men and maybe could not see what potential the platform had. Read More "It wasn't until I worked in a salon myself, in the early days of setting up the company, that I got to witness all the opportunities of what the app could do. You get to like the salon and develop a passion for the industry by being on-the-ground". It was around this time that a number of HBAN angel investors provided 700,000 over two funding rounds to Phorest, the first in 2011 and the second in 2013. With the backing of HBAN and the Enterprise Equity Fund, the company had around 1m to focus on building out the product. "They believed in us and the funding allowed us to build a proper cloud platform and develop the app etc. But the biggest difference of all was the level of professionalism that was required of us. Suddenly we had a board and a chairman, and when we made promises at a board meeting, we knew we had to deliver it. "At first, it was really hard changing everything that we'd been used to but it was a great experience that we genuinely learned from. We had a proper structure, we were doing things on time, and if they weren't completed on time, there had to be a reason why. "That led to a much stronger company and much better management." Pat Garvey of Bloom Equity acted as lead angel on one of the investments and still serves as the chairman of Phorest. Meanwhile, with the latest funding round, a number of the original HBAN investors have been bought out for an amount that equals almost ten times their initial investment. However, some of those who took part in the 2011/2013 investment rounds have stayed involved as the company focuses on strengthening its foothold in a number of markets globally. With a team of around 160, Phorest currently has offices in Dublin, Philadelphia, Cologne, Helsinki and Australia. "There's a huge opportunity to grow in these markets so that's going to be our immediate focus. With our recent evergreen fund investor, and those remaining on board aware of our long term goals, we're in it for as long as it takes to become the number one provider across all of these markets." London-based Asper Investment Management and the Craydel Group have sealed financing for a 43MW wind farm in Co Mayo that will be built by their Invis Energy outfit. Invis has now raised more than 130m of project finance debt in 2018. It remains on track to close two further financings this year and expects 140MW of its wind energy generation capacity in Ireland to start operating within the next 12 months. Established in 2011, Invis is owned by Asper Investment Management, previously a unit of Hg Capital, and Craydel. Based in Macroom, Co Cork, Craydel is controlled by businessman Michael Murnane. A 60pc stake in five wind farms in Ireland was sold last year by Invis Energy to a Japanese consortium of Kansai Electric Power, Sojitz Corporation, and Mitsubishi UFJLease and Finance. The five wind farms have a total installed capacity of 223MW. The Mayo wind project that has just been financed will see 18 wind turbines installed. It's the seventh wind farm project financed by the Invis Energy partners. Asper is providing equity financing to the project, and raised a 75m senior debt facility from NordLB. Asper and Craydel reached financial close in June of a 35MW wind farm in Co Galway. That wind farm will include 11 turbines. Asper provided equity financing to the project, and raised a 58m debt facility from NordLB in relation to it. Invis has a number of operational and in-development wind farms in Ireland that are located around the country, in Mayo, Galway, Donegal, Kerry, Clare and Cork. It has 223MW of operational wind assets, with about 145MW in various stages of construction and a further 200MW in early-stage construction and planning. Invis said last year that the deal with the Japanese consortium represented that group's first investment in European wind energy assets. Invis Energy said it was a first step "towards developing a large renewable platform in a successful partnership with strong local expertise". Ireland's wind energy assets have attracted considerable international investor interest. US operator Element Power is currently up for sale, which could see a number of large Irish wind energy projects coming under new ownership. SSE and Scottish Power are among the interested parties for the business - owned by US private-equity business Hudson Clean Energy Partners - according to a report last month from industry publication 'Sparkspread'. Last week I was fortunate enough to fly home to Ireland after a very enjoyable summer holiday. The Aer Lingus flight from Geneva to Dublin was like many others I had taken with the airline over several decades. It is always nice to see that Aer Lingus logo, the sound of Irish accents and the familiar tones of a reassuring Aer Lingus flight captain (probably from Clontarf) that the weather in Dublin "isn't quite as good as here in Geneva". Perhaps the most reassuring part of the whole customer experience is how little has changed three years after the takeover of Aer Lingus by British Airways' parent group IAG. The brand remains the same, as does the presence of a Dublin-based senior management team, the positioning of the airline for consumers and the general feel of it. Yet, an enormous amount has changed at Aer Lingus in the last three years. This week in 2015 shareholders voted overwhelmingly (over 95pc) to approve the takeover of the airline by IAG. The buyout was facilitated by the Government's decision to back the 1.5bn takeover which ensured a 335m payday for the State's 25.1pc shareholding. After spurning two lower offers for the stake, the Government backed the 2.50 per share cash offer put on the table by IAG chief executive Willie Walsh. Since then, the financial position of the group has changed dramatically. Aer Lingus had reported revenues of 468m for the first six months of 2015 as the airline was in the throes of the takeover bid. In the first six months of 2018, revenues were 899m, an increase of 92pc in three years. The first half of 2015 saw the airline reach an operating profit of 34.5m. It was 104m for the same period this year. Bear in mind, Aer Lingus also had north of 640m in net cash on its balance sheet at the time of the bid. Such has been the rapid growth in revenues and profits, that it raises the obvious question - did the government sell too cheaply? The answer is speculative and would need to estimate how much of the airline's growth in the last three years would have come without the IAG takeover. Equally, the value of something is the price somebody is willing to pay for it at the time. Before Willie Walsh came knocking on the Aer Lingus's door, the company's shares were trading at 1.50 each, valuing the business at 900m. IAG paid a full 1 a share more in the takeover. And of course there is the question of what would have happened if the airline had insisted on going it alone. It would not have been able to catch the industry cycle to the same extent in the last three years and might have seen its share price suffer even more. The airline's operating profits in the first half of 2015 were not only one-third what they are now, but had declined by 10pc on the 2014 performance. The key to Aer Lingus's extraordinary growth under IAG has been its expansion into new transatlantic routes while developing Dublin as a transfer location. Not much had changed on my Geneva to Dublin flight last week except the number of travellers who weren't Swiss or Irish and who were flying on from Dublin to North America. Since the takeover, Aer Lingus has added routes from Dublin to Philadelphia, Seattle, Newark, Los Angeles, Connecticut, and Miami. There are two more routes due to be announced in the coming weeks. The airline has also ordered four new long-range Airbus A321 aircraft. These should help its reach even further. Aer Lingus CEO Stephen Kavanagh has said the airline has run a scoping exercise on dozens of US cities, examining passenger demand and correlating it with cities that might do a deal on landing charges. In an interview at the weekend he said it is not absurd to imagine Aer Lingus more than doubling its current transatlantic daily loads during his term in the job, while also investing further in the European network. One of the drawbacks of an international takeover, for an Irish firm, is that local management has to make an investment case to HQ for the resources to expand and grow. We see it with US multinationals with big operations in Ireland, such as Microsoft, Apple or Intel. However, in Mr Kavanagh's case, he is making the case for investment capital for Ireland, to a chief executive who used to do his job. It probably has pros and cons, but on balance is a far better situation. And Mr Kavanagh is probably pushing an open door right now with IAG. Aer Lingus has been the star performer within the wider IAG group. Between March and June for example, its operating margin was 20.8pc. Iberia's was 10.4pc, while British Airways managed 15.4pc. Vueling's operating margin was 9.3pc. But it is really on the scorecard of return on invested capital that Aer Lingus shines for IAG. Its RoIC in the last four quarters was a massive 27.8pc. This dwarfed other airlines in the group, with Iberia at 12.2pc, Vueling at 13.1pc, British Airways at 16.9pc and the overall group figure running at 16.2pc. It suggests that IAG is managing to milk very significant returns relative to the capital it has had to invest to achieve them. The question of getting it on the cheap rears its head a little again. The Government didn't snatch the offer out of Willie Walsh's hand three years ago, but instead spurned two lower offers and negotiated hard securing key commitments. The whole country was obsessed with retaining Heathrow slots after a takeover three years ago. The Government received a commitment the slots would be held by Aer Lingus. They were stronger assurances than what existed before but are not necessarily legally binding. Aer Lingus also committed to continue operating its daily winter and summer scheduled frequencies between London Heathrow and Dublin, Cork and Shannon for at least five years and a further two if airport charges do not increase above certain levels. At the time, IAG said it believed Aer Lingus could deliver up to 2.4 million more passengers by 2020 and the airline would have a net 150 new employees rising to 635 new jobs by 2020. The State put the 335m proceeds of the sale into a special connectivity fund within the Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), of which 93m has been invested so far. Given that ISIF has around 7bn to invest, the additional 335m doesn't seem too significant, but it could be useful post-Brexit when it comes to investing in new shipping infrastructure and export routes to Europe which need to bypass Britain. Dublin Airport has this week announced a new 16m passenger transfer facility which ties in well with the Aer Lingus expansion plan. The number of passengers using Dublin to transfer from one flight to another has grown from 550,000 to nearly 1.6 million since 2013. The Aer Lingus takeover has so far delivered what IAG promised and more. Yet it is obvious Willie Walsh bought it at the right time and for the right money. But there are possible clouds on the horizon. If other European airports secure US immigration clearance rights, Dublin's expansion could face fresh competition. US president Donald Trump's de-stabilising trade wars could seriously impact transatlantic passenger growth. Brexit remains a very uncertain issue. As fuel prices continue to tick up, airline management are always aware of the cycle in their industry. Perhaps the real test of the value of the takeover to Ireland Inc could emerge in tough times rather than in good ones. If there is a downturn, how quickly might Dublin's place within the wider group be truly tested? But three years after the sale of Aer Lingus as a standalone Irish company, the outlook is positive. Willie Walsh may have got a bargain, but Ireland Inc stands to do well out of it too. A United Nations programme that encourages sustainable and green finance in the operation of financial centres globally is setting up its European base in Ireland. The Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S) have appointed CEO of Sustainable Nation Ireland, Stephen Nolan, as strategic advisor to the global network. The new unit will coordinate from Dublin a network of pan-European cities committed to the expansion of green and sustainable financial services. That network will develop a common European assessment tool to evaluate climate and sustainability credentials for financial centres. Founded by the UN Environment Programme, the global FC4S network includes London, Frankfurt, Paris, Dublin, Toronto, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Zurich. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe welcomed the announcement of the new Dublin secretariat, which will be officially launched at the Climate Innovation Summit in Dublin in November. "Mobilising the worlds financial centres is essential to make progress on climate change and sustainable development," he said. Read More Under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, it was agreed upon to limit global temperature increases to 2 degrees or less. Following the US withdrawal, the European Union is taking the lead in implementing the agreement. Stephen Nolan said that choosing Ireland as a base is a "tremendous endorsement of the work being done by us and our partners to build Irelands low-carbon economy". "Financial centres are the locations where the demand for and supply of finance come together. They are the places where the expansion of green and sustainable financial services will need to be accelerated across banking, capital markets, insurance and investment in order to fully meet the needs of the Paris climate agreement." Kirsten Dunlop, Chief Executive of EIT Climate-KIC, which is supporting the establishment of the European hub co-ordinated from Dublin, said: "Transforming the financial sector so that it can accelerate transition to a zero-carbon economy necessitates not just new relationships with the finance sector, but new business models, new ways of accounting, reporting and understanding social and environmental value." President Trump with Jeff Bezos, far right, and Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft, during the American Technology Council round-table event hosted at the White House in 2017 Donald Trump often tweets about the many ways he dislikes Amazon.com and its founder Jeff Bezos - from the president's contention that the online merchant has a sweetheart deal with the US Postal Service to Bezos's ownership of what Trump calls "the Amazon Washington Post". Yet Trump hasn't tweeted a word about the $10bn Pentagon cloud contract that technology rivals complain Amazon is favoured to win. The impulsive president could weigh in anytime, but there's probably a good reason for his reticence so far: criticism from the commander-in-chief probably wouldn't derail the deal, and it might even help deliver it to Amazon. "If it were demonstrated that Amazon was denied the opportunity based on the president's business interests or inappropriate criteria, that would raise eyebrows," said Steven Schooner, a professor at George Washington University Law School with expertise in government procurement. Strict regulations govern what federal agencies can consider when awarding a competitive contract. If Amazon lost the deal after Trump interfered, the Seattle-based company could have grounds to challenge the decision, according to Schooner and other government-contracting experts. The Pentagon is sticking with its plan to pick a single winner for the contract that it calls the Joint Enterprise Defence Infrastructure cloud, or JEDI, in a hat-tip to the fictional heroes of 'Star Wars'. Proposals from contractors are due in September, and a contract award isn't expected until next April. The Defence Department has said using a single provider is the best way to deliver advanced, secure cloud services to warfighters who now depend on multiple outdated platforms. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, who has championed the project as a priority, has praised the Central Intelligence Agency's cloud project, which is run by Amazon. Oracle, IBM and Microsoft lobbied unsuccessfully for the Defence Department to split the broad contract among multiple suppliers, and Oracle lodged a challenge with the Government Accountability Office to the final request for proposals that the Defence Department issued last month. While Amazon could protest about any intervention by Trump, no law flatly prohibits a president from publicly or privately urging a federal agency to choose a particular vendor for a contract or change the requirements of a solicitation, procurement experts said. "The president can basically speak to anyone in the government he wants to," Schooner said. Trump hasn't been shy about his opinions on other multibillion-dollar defence contracts. He shocked the contracting world a month before he took office by criticising Boeing's deal with the Pentagon to build a new Air Force One. He also tweeted that he asked Boeing to determine a price for an alternative to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter that Lockheed Martin is building for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, a project that Lockheed won over a competing bid from Boeing in 2001. In both those cases, Trump was tweeting critical remarks about a deal after the company won the contract, when the risk of tainting the procurement process was less, said Rick Holgate, a research director for consulting firm Gartner. "I'm not sure the president would be likely to weigh in on this at this point," Holgate said of the JEDI contract. "He's probably going to wait to see how this plays out." Under the law, federal agencies have to make clear in the final request for proposals the requirements and criteria they will use to choose a winning bid. While agencies have a lot of latitude to make their vendor choices, losing bidders can challenge a decision contending that the ground rules weren't followed. "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. "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'." (Bloomberg) Traders work on the floor at the opening bell of the Dow Industrial Average at the New York Stock Exchange European shares slipped into negative territory yesterday after a doubling by Turkey of tariffs on some US imports soured sentiment and weak commodity prices impacted miners. Atlantia, which owns Autostrade per l'Italia, was down 5.4pc after Italy's transport minister called for senior managers of the company - which operated the bridge that collapsed in Genoa on Tuesday - to resign. Bearish Asian markets, a strengthening dollar and a surprise 2pc fall in Chinese technology giant Tencent Holdings' earnings also weighed. "In a market highly sensitive to downside sentiment, today's Tencent result could prove a fresh catalyst for continued emerging market pressure," said Douglas Morton from Northern Trust Capital Markets. By mid afternoon, the pan-European STOXX 600 was down 1pc with most major bourses trading lower as Wall Street opened in the red. In Dublin the Iseq's fall was less sharp, down 0.87pc heading into the close, with mainstays AIB, Bank of Ireland, Smurfit Kappa and Tullow all down. Ryanair was among the few names bucking the trend lower. Across Europe, car-makers were among the worst performers, pushing the DAX down to a six-week low after Turkey doubled tariffs on US alcohol, car and tobacco imports. The auto sector was down 1.7pc, near the 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 3.3pc and at an eight-month low as renewed anxiety over trade piled pressure on a sector already dented by falling copper prices. Corporate earnings triggered some share price moves: Danish wind turbine maker Vestas jumped 3.9pc after reporting better-than-expected second-quarter operating profits and launching a 200m share buyback. Noting the "sharp margin beat along with stable pricing", UBS analysts maintained their "buy" rating on the stock. Shares in Air France-KLM were up 0.9pc after reports its board was likely to appoint Air Canada's chief operating officer, Benjamin Smith, as its new boss. (Reuters) 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - L-R: Kathryn Thomas, Davy Fitzgerald and Anna Geary pictured at a photocall at Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs).Pic: Collins 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - Kathryn Thomas (Left) and Anna Geary (Right) ensure Co-star Davy Fitzgerald (Center) is looking his best ahead of a photocall at RTE Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs).Pic: Collins 16/8/2018 Things are looking up for Tubridy - RTE announce New Season Launch - Ryan Tubridy joins other RTE stars under an umbrella as rain interrupted a photocall at Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs) - L-R: Jenny Dixon, Doireann Garrihy, Dr Eva Orsmond, Amy Huberman, Anna Geary and Laura Whitmore.Pic: Collins 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - RTE stars under an umbrella pose for the media after rain interrupted a photocall at Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs) - L-R: Jenny Dixon, Doireann Garrihy, Dr Eva Orsmond, Ryan Tubridy, Amy Huberman, Anna Geary, Laura Whitmore and Kathryn Thomas.Pic: Collins 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - Laura Whitmore (Right of pic) rushes to join other RTE stars under an umbrella as they pose for a selfie after rain interrupted a photocall at Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs) - L-R: Doireann Garrihy, Dr Eva Orsmond, Amy Huberman, and Anna Geary.Pic: Collins 16/8/2018 RTE New Season Launch - L-R Anna Geary takes a selfie with Ryan Tubridy at a photocall in Donnybrook yesterday(Thurs) to announce the new season .Pic: Collins 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - who says news cant be colourful - L-R: News presenters, Keelin Shanley and Caitriona Perry at a photocall at RTE Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs).Pic: Collins 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - Davy Fitzgerald (Center) receives some special attention from co-stars, Kathryn Thomas (Left) and Anna Geary (Right) at a photocall at RTE Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs).Pic: Collins 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - Stripes or prints - who wore it best - Loraine Barry of Dancing with the Stars and Presenter, Laura Whitmore stand next to each other in clashing outfits at a photocall at Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs).Pic: Collins 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - Jenny Dixon and Rodrigo Ternevoy both of Fair City pictured at a photocall at Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs).Pic: Collins Ryan Tubridy gesticulates while in conversation at a photocall at Donnybrook in Dublin. Pic: Collins 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - front L-R Ryan Tubridy (Center) sits in between Amy Huberman and Doireann Garrihy, Back Row L-R: Ray D'Arcy, Jennifer Zamparelli, Brendan O Connor, Tommy Tiernan and Kathryn Thomas.Pic: Collins RTE's autumn schedule offers a strong line-up of home-grown drama from Taken Down to The Resistance, new and returning comedy with Amy Huberman's Finding Joy and Podge and Rodge (with Doireann Garrihy), and another Late Late Show special. Leading the charge of home-produced drama is Taken Down, the new Dublin-based crime drama from the team behind the phenomenally successful Love/Hate. Writer Stuart Carolan and director David Caffrey are on board as well as best-selling novelist Jo Spain. Lynn Rafferty takes on a very different role to her part in Love/Hate as she plays a detective investigating the death of a young Nigerian immigrant close to a Direct Provision Centre. Brian Gleeson, Orla Fitzgerald and Aissa Maiga star. Expand Close Lynn Rafferty as Detective Jen Rooney in Taken Down / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lynn Rafferty as Detective Jen Rooney in Taken Down The younger of the actor Gleeson brothers also stars in Resistance, a powerful-looking period drama set during the War of Independence, with Simone Kirby and Natasha O'Keefe. RTE has partnered with international broadcasters including the BBC for Death and Nightingales, the story of one young woman's struggle in Northern Ireland in the 1880s which stars Ann Skelly, Matthew Rhys and Jamie Dornan. Mother's Day, meanwhile, tells the story of two mothers affected by the Warrington Bombing. Vicky McClure, Anna Maxwell Martin, Daniel Mays and David Wilmot star in this BBC co-production. The BBC also co-produced Doing Money, the true story of Anan who was snatched from the streets of London and sold into sex slavery in Ireland. The Fall star Karen Hassan stars. The new season of The Late Late Show will be its 57th and its tenth with Ryan Tubridy at the helm. While the format will remain the same, there will be a one-off special which will see the show leave the studio for London for the first time since 1980. Expand Close 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - Ryan Tubridy pictured at a photocall at Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs).Pic: Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - Ryan Tubridy pictured at a photocall at Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs).Pic: Collins Video of the Day The live programme will celebrate the Irish who have made an impact in London and Tubridy will talk to people from all walks of life about what it is like for the Irish in Britain today. There are also apparently "ambitious plans" in store for The Late Late Toy Show with Tubridy's costume for the December special, for which he has already been fitted, reportedly something particularly spectacular. Elsewhere, RTE News will get a new look with a refurbished studio and technical upgrade, the first in ten years. The new look will be launched early next year. Expand Close 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - who says news cant be colourful - L-R: News presenters, Keelin Shanley and Caitriona Perry at a photocall at RTE Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs).Pic: Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - who says news cant be colourful - L-R: News presenters, Keelin Shanley and Caitriona Perry at a photocall at RTE Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs).Pic: Collins Sharon Horgan's highly anticipated Women on the Verge will also land this season. It's the darkly comic tale of three friends whose lives are going in the wrong direction. Horgan stars alongside Kerry Condon, Eileen Walsh and Nina Sosanya. Autumn will also finally see the arrival of Amy Huberman's six-part comedy series, Finding Joy. Laura Whitmore, Aisling Bea and Jennifer Rainsford star alongside Huberman herself in the show about a young woman struggling to find herself after a break-up. Expand Close Amy Huberman pictured at a photocall at Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs).Pic: Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Amy Huberman pictured at a photocall at Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs).Pic: Collins Those of a certain vintage will probably feel a little nostalgic about the return of Podge and Rodge to Ballydung Manor. The wonderful Doireann Garrihy will co-host. Also returning for a fourth series is Jennifer Zamparelli and Bernard O'Shea's hugely popular Bridget & Eamon. Beyond comedy, there will also be a new six-part series of Who Do You Think You Are? which will see Bertie Ahern, Laura Whitmore, Damien Dempsey, Adrian Dunbar, Pat Shortt and Samantha Power tracing their roots. Expand Close 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - Laura Whitmore pictured at a photocall at Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs).Pic: Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 16/8/2018 RTE announce New Season Launch - Laura Whitmore pictured at a photocall at Donnybrook in Dublin yesterday(Thurs).Pic: Collins Brendan O'Carroll will explore the bonds between Ireland and Britain in a one-off special (working title Brendan O'Carroll's Britain) while Mark O'Halloran has written Citizen Lane, a feature-length docudrama starring the brilliant Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as Sir Hugh Lane. A group of drama students with intellectual disabilities form their own touring stage company in Blue Diamond-One Love. Documentary CoCosain Cheol explores the modernisation of traditional music on the Irish and Scottish scenes over the past 60 years while Street Art charts the explosion of urban art across the country and Great Lighthouses of Ireland sees captains, weather forecasters, scientists, historians and the keepers, attendants and their families tell the tales of Ireland's lighthouses. Shooting the Darkness is a film about the men who unwittingly became war photographers when the streets of their own town in Northern Ireland became battlefields in The Troubles and Feile An Turas go Tipp! is an Irish language documentary celebrating the legendary early 90s music festival. Nationwide, meanwhile, celebrates 25 years this season. Dancing with the Stars will return as will Ireland's Fittest Family with new host Kathryn Thomas, and Brendan O'Connor's Cutting Edge. O'Connor will also front a new three-part series, Time Out, while The Tommy Tiernan Show will return for a new series. Expand Close RTE's Marty Morrissey. Photo: Kyran O'Brien / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp RTE's Marty Morrissey. Photo: Kyran O'Brien Ray D'Arcy will return on Saturday nights as will All Round To Mrs Brown's. Marty and Bernard's Road Trip will see DWTS besties Marty Morrissey and Bernard O'Shea hit the road together. They have no idea whether they'll be travelling across Ireland or abroad and how they'll get there yet, but we'll keep you posted. Younger RTE2 viewers can look forward to a new series of Bernard Dunnes Mythical Heroes and new series Mini Moguls, currently in production, and Drop Dead Weird has been commissioned for a second series. In factual programming, we'll be meeting the team and expectant parents on the maternity wards of The Rotunda as well as the various people affected by the property market in Our Lives in Property: Oxmanstown Road and Brendan Courtney will look at how we treat our elderly population in We Need to Talk About Mam. Other highlights include a documentary on Irish campaigner and journalist Orla Tinsley as she awaits a life saving double lung transplant in the US, and a documentary fronted by Philly McMahon on the underbelly of illicit drug use in Ireland, as well as Whistleblower, presented by Katie Hannon, about the Disclosures Tribunal. Vogue Williams is back with three new shows exploring the life of Instagrammers, trial by social media and whether monogamy has a future and Dearbhail McDonald: Fertility Shock explores how Irish people are leaving it later to have babies and how fewer children combined with an ageing population is a demographic time-bomb. Expand Close Vogue Williams. Picture: Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Vogue Williams. Picture: Instagram Elsewhere Drogheda actress Yasmine Akram test drives some of the most lavish Air BnBs on the planet in Billionaire BnBs and Dermot Bannon visits some of the worlds most jaw dropping homes from London to Australia in Dermot Bannons Homes. The hugely successful Irelands Rich List, presented by Joe OShea, returns for a new series. Read More On the flip side, financial planning series How to Be Good With Money sees Eoin McGee help households, some struggling, others less so, to get a grip on their finances. And Brendan Courtney returns with a second series of This Crowded House, following 12 Irish families as their adult children try to fly the coop during a property crisis. Expand Close Brendan Courtney. Picture: Mark Condren / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brendan Courtney. Picture: Mark Condren Dr Eva Orsmond returns with Dr Evas Great Escape, a documentary series following the obesity expert and her family as they leave the rat race behind to set up a brand new weight loss clinic in Portugal. And Baz Ashmawy helps dreams come true in his own inimitable style on brand new three-part series Wingman. And Daniel and Majella ODonnell are off to America for a road trip taking them from Chicago to North Dakota in Daniel and Majellas USA Road Trip. Also, RTE will mark the 100th anniversary of the War of Independence with a series of programmes including a three part documentary, The Irish Revolution, as well as Life Before Independence, and Keepers of the Flame about the generations dealing with the consequences of war and civil war. In a special event, Election 1918 presented by David McCullough, re-enacts how Irelands only 32-county election and its momentous results would have been covered by modern television. In sport, on All-Ireland Hurling Final day, The Dressing Room on Sunday Sport will air on RTE Player and RTE News Now with Jacqui Hurley and Darren Frehill joined by a panel for a different type of discussion around this years match. While Irelands Greatest Sportsperson will see the search for Irelands greatest sportsperson from the 1960s to the 2000s and Des Cahill and Evanne Ni Chuilinn and Darragh Maloney will celebrate the heroes of Irish sport at The RTE Sport Awards. Expressions of interest are being sought from developers for the construction of up to 1,200 homes in the north Dublin suburb of Donabate by Fingal County Council. The plan will significantly increase the population of the rapidly expanding town. It's also likely to put more pressure on already creaking infrastructure in and around the capital. The planned new homes, which will include a mix of houses and apartments, will be located on land at Ballymastone in the seaside town. But the council does not intend to hold a public consultation process in relation to the project. That is despite the fact it is holding a consultation in relation to the drafting of a masterplan for a large tract of land in Balbriggan, just north of Donabate, where it also plans to build a significant number of new homes. That has angered some Donabate residents. "We are calling on Fingal County Council to hold full community public consultation into the plans, as is happening in Balbriggan," said a spokesman for the Donabate Portrane Community Council. "Fingal County Council is not planning public consultation on the Ballymastone lands in Donabate, which is inconsistent and unfair. "People on the Donabate peninsula, which is chronically short of infrastructure, deserve to be consulted on such a large house-building plan." Fingal County Council insisted people will be able to make observations in respect of housebuilding on the site via the statutory planning process. It is intended that half the houses at the Ballymastone lands will be for private sale, 30pc for social housing, and 20pc for affordable housing. The council expects the land to be ready for construction next year after the completion of the Donabate Distributor Road. That 14m project is designed to open up lands around the town for development. Donabate has already become a significant focus for developers due to its relative close proximity to Dublin city centre. Among the developers involved in projects there are former billionaire property mogul Bernard McNamara. Fingal County Council has already embarked on a market-sounding exercise for the planned development on its lands at Donabate. "This market sounding is being conducted to solicit market feedback in order to assist FCC define various aspects of the project before commencing a procurement process," it told prospective builders. "We are strongly focused on increasing housing supply in Fingal and realise that we need to work with the private sector to ensure that we produce the right mix of housing on our lands," said Ann Marie Farrelly, director of planning and strategic infrastructure at Fingal County Council. The council said there are now 127 private sites in Fingal with planning permission to deliver 17,733 houses. The council has been set a target of delivering 1,637 social housing units in 2018 under the Rebuilding Ireland programme - the second-highest delivery target in the country. It has more than 200 acres of its own land earmarked for housing and set up an office called Project Talamh to co-ordinate development. 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. An American man who arrived in Ireland last week with his wife for their honeymoon has been charged with the attempted murder of three men. Nicholas Keith Warner (31), an electrical engineer from Morrow Lane, in Summerville, South Carolina, appeared at Limavady Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with an attack on three men, two of them aged in their 30s and one aged in his 60s. The three each sustained stabbing injuries in an incident outside a bar on Main Street in the Co Antrim village of Ballycarry on Saturday night. The American honeymoon couple had arrived in Dublin before travelling to Northern Ireland. Mr Warner denied attempting to murder the three men and also denied assaulting a fourth man. He further denied causing affray, but he admitted 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, who is a nurse and also from South Carolina, was seated behind her husband as he sat in the dock. A detective constable told Deputy District Judge Ted Magill he believed he would be able to connect the defendant to the charges. He said alcohol had been an issue in the incident. Defence solicitor David Jones told the court that 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. This case will come down to the argument of reasonable force or otherwise." The defendant was released on his own bail of 1,000 (1,120) to appear at Ballymena Magistrate's Court on September 6. As part of his agreed bail conditions, Mr Warner was ordered to hand over his passport to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), to observe an 8pm-11am curfew and to reside only at a bail address approved by the PSNI. The defendant, who will also be electronically tagged, was ordered not to leave Northern Ireland and not to contact any of the injured parties nor any other witnesses in the case. He was also ordered to maintain a ban from both possessing and consuming alcohol, and must agree to carry out a preliminary breath test if asked to do so by police. An additional bail condition was the defendant must not enter within the 30mph zone around 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" on Golden Lane, Dublin 2, shortly after 7pm on Tuesday night. The assault was based on the "unfounded" theory that the 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". Gda Hunt said it was alleged that the victim was attacked by a man and woman, not known to her, on Golden Lane. The accused was armed with a screwdriver and a Stanley knife, which he had in the waistband of his trousers, the garda said. The garda alleged Mr Twomey took the woman's iPhone 6, worth 500, and fled the scene. 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 from the Bluebell area of Dublin, appeared before Dublin District Court charged with robbery, possession of a knife and seriously assaulting an 18-year-old woman. Gda Hunt said the victim was left with two separate serious injuries. A SOLICITOR representing a youth accused of murdering a Japanese man in a stabbing in Dundalk has told a court he has serious concerns about his clients fitness to plead. Mohamed Morei, 18, has been held since January 4 after being charged with the murder of 24-year-old Yosuke Sasaki on the previous day at the Long Avenue, in Dundalk, Co. Louth. He was unable to attend 11 subsequent hearings at Cloverhill District Court. The accused had been receiving ongoing medical care in the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum in Dublin and was unfit to attend court on those occasions with doctors' notes being furnished stating he was continuing to get treatment. Expand Close Mohamed Morei (18) was charged with the murder of a Japanese national: Colin Keegan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mohamed Morei (18) was charged with the murder of a Japanese national: Colin Keegan In June he appeared in court and five additional charges were put to him. He appeared again at Cloverhill District Court last month and faced another hearing there on Thursday when Judge Alan Mitchell was told the book of evidence was ready. However, it was not in court to be served on Mr Morei who listened to the proceedings with the help of an Arabic interpreter. Defence solicitor Barry Callan asked for a four-week adjournment to be granted for a psychiatric report on his client to be completed. He said he had concerns at Mr Moreis fitness to plead and he required the report. He also had concerns at his clients capacity to give instructions, he told the court. Judge Mitchell said he did not have jurisdiction over the case and that issue would have to be considered by the Central Criminal Court. He said he did not want to unnecessarily delay the accused being returned for trial to the Central Criminal Court. Any other matters that come to light can be raised later, he said. He refused to accede to the defence application for a four-week adjournment and further remanded the accused in custody for another week. Mr Morei dressed in a tracksuit did not address the court during the hearing on Thursday. The judge further remanded him in custody to appear again at Cloverhill District Court on August 22 to be served with the book of evidence and returned for trial. In addition to murder he has five other charges: assault causing harm to two named men at the Inner Relief Road and on Quay Street, in Dundalk on Jan. 3; criminal damage to a car rear window at the Long Avenue, on the same date as well another for trespassing with intent to cause criminal damage at a property there between Jan. 2 and Jan. 3 last; the final charge was for obstruction of gardai at Dundalk station on Jan. 3, 2018. In June, Garda Damien Welby told the court the accused replied I dont remember any of this when the trespass charge was put to him and he said I dont remember anything in response to the criminal charge. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed that Mr Morei is to face trial on indictment in the Central Criminal Court on all charges. The DPP has also directed that he can be sent forward to that court "for sentence on a signed plea should that arise". However, today a query was raised by a State solicitor about whether that was permissible in a murder case. Mr Sasaki, from Ebina, west of Tokyo, was fatally stabbed on The Long Avenue shortly before 9am on Jan. 3 last. He had worked at National Pen, a call centre in Dundalk, Co. Louth and had lived in Ireland for the past year. Following his death, an Irish man was injured when he was stabbed a short time later at a nearby location. At 9.40am, gardai received a report that another local man had been injured in an attack. Mr Morei was initially remanded in custody by Dundalk District Court on Jan. 4 after he was charged with the murder of Mr Sasaki. The suspected driver of a truck that struck and killed a six year old boy in Shankill, Co Dublin is due in court later this year. Cian Marren of Oakdale Crescent in Ballycullen, Dublin 24 was hit by a white van on Shanganagh Road on July 28 2017. The boy was rushed to Temple Street Hospital where he was treated for injuries sustained in the incident. Sadly he passed away the following day, July 29. The cause of death was head injuries. An inquest into his death has been adjourned as Dublin Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane was advised that criminal proceedings are underway. The suspected driver of the vehicle is to be arraigned and served with the book of evidence in court next October. The boys family were present in court as Inspector Patrick Connell of Shankill Garda Station informed the coroner that criminal proceedings were underway. The boys father formally identified his son's body to gardai at Temple Street Childrens Hospital following the accident. A post-mortem conducted by pathologist Dr Emma Doyle gave the cause of death as cerebral trauma due to a road traffic accident. At a previous inquest at Dublin Coroners Court the boys parents, Liam and Lisa Marren, were commended for their generous donation of their beloved childs organs for harvesting. This is a wonderful gift to the those who benefit but it is a dreadful tragedy for you to lose your son in these circumstances, Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane told the childs parents. Gardai had appealed for witnesses following the collision that happened in Shankill, Co. Dublin on Friday the 28th of July 2017 at around 4.45pm, near the Hazelwood estate. The van was travelling in the direction of Shankill Village. The coroner adjourned her inquest until after all criminal proceedings are completed. Gardai in Dublin have seized two firearms and what they believe to be crack cocaine during two searches carried out in Dublin this morning. The searches were conducted in the Ballyfermot area of the city by gardai from the Ballyfermot Detective Unit assisted by the Armed Support Unit. During the course of the searches, two firearms and a quantity of what is believed to be crack cocaine with a street value of 85,000 was recovered. The exact nature of the drugs will be determined once analysis is completed. A 22-year-old man has been arrested and is being detained at Clondalkin Garda Station under Section 30 Offences Against The State Act. Students and twins Aidan and Kate Pepper from Kilbarrack who got Leaving Cert Results at Pobalscoil Neasain, Baldoyle, Dublin. Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins It was a double act in the Pepper household as twins Aidan and Kate collected their Leaving Cert results. Aidan notched up an impressive 602 points which included five H1s at Pobalscoil Neasain, Baldoyle, Dublin. He is hoping to go on to study medicine, while his twin sister is hoping to go on to social work in Blanchardstown IT. "I'm hoping Monday will go my way, I already have my HPAT results from earlier in the year," said Aidan. Meanwhile, Kate scored more than she needed for her course. "It was expected that Aidan would do better than me, because he was aiming higher. "I'm very confident I'll get my place in Blanch-ardstown, so it's just a wait till Monday now. Expand Close Students who got Leaving Cert results at Pobalscoil Neasain, Baldoyle, Dublin. Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Students who got Leaving Cert results at Pobalscoil Neasain, Baldoyle, Dublin. Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins "We weren't that competitive," continued Kate. "We are both so different in how we study and in what we want to do." The pair were head boy and head girl at the school, and Kate thought it would be strange going their separate ways for third-level. "It will be a bit weird not being in the same college - but you can't do anything else." While university was on the mind of many, Principal Patrick McKenna said that the paths the students at the school would take would be varied. Some 120 pupils picked up the all-important envelopes at the school yesterday morning. "Many students are going back in the direction of apprenticeships, while others are going straight to work," he said. One student who decided to go down a slightly different route was Emma Keogh, from Kilbarrack. Expand Close Andres Clarke, 18 with his Leaving Cert results: 8 H1s. Oatlands College, Mount Merrion, Dublin. Picture: Caroline Quinn / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Andres Clarke, 18 with his Leaving Cert results: 8 H1s. Oatlands College, Mount Merrion, Dublin. Picture: Caroline Quinn "Because social care is so wide, I'm not sure what I want to do in it yet so I decided I'd do a PLC (Post Leaving Cert) before going into a degree that I mightn't even enjoy or like." Meanwhile, 625 points waited for another student of the school, David McSharry. He was quite laid-back about the whole affair, as he turned up a little later than the rest of his classmates. The talented student represented Ireland at the International Chemistry Olympiad earlier this summer in Prague. "I wasn't expecting this at all, it's amazing," he said. "I got six H1s overall. I did applied maths outside of school, in which I got one of my H1s." He is now looking forward to starting in Trinity in September to study theoretical physics. Meanwhile, at Mount Temple Comprehensive School, in Marino, Dublin students started to arrive from 9am to open their brown envelopes. 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 the Irish Independent. School principal Liam Wegimont was on hand to congratulate those who were happy with their results, but believes there is room for improvement in the format of the Leaving Cert. "It 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 higher-order thinking," he said. "While it has its strong points, it is neither fair nor equitable." The number of Leaving Certificate candidates scoring high points for college entry has jumped since the changes to the exam grading system and CAO points scale. Figures from the CAO show that 11.9pc of students achieved between 500 to 599 points this year, compared with 9.6pc in 2016. There are also other candidates with 600 points, and even more if they have the 'honours' maths bonus. The total proportion of students with 500 or more is 13.2pc this year, compared with 9.9pc two years ago. Meanwhile, 37.2pc of the class of 2018 have 400 points or more, up from 35.4pc in 2016. At the other end of the spectrum, over the same period there has been a drop from 8.5pc to 6.5pc in the proportion of candidates awarded fewer than 100 points. The figures are based on a student's best six subjects for point scores, which is the basis for college entry via the CAO. The grading and points changes introduced in 2017 have encouraged more students to aim higher, and go for the "honours" paper, without the fear of gaining no points at all in a subject, if their mark fell below 40pc. Since last year, CAO applicants get 37 CAO points for a H7 grade, which is awarded for between 30-39pc in a higher level paper. That change took much of the credit for a 3.2pc rise in the uptake of higher level papers last year, a trend that continued in 2018, although not at the same rate. It remains to be seen how this will play out in the minimum points needed for entry to college courses when the CAO issues Round One offers next Monday. College entry is complicated by the fact that students may need minimum grades in certain subjects even before points are counted. So while a student may get 37 points for achieving 39pc at higher level, the grade may not be sufficient to qualify for a course. The upward trend in points for high-achieving students was evident last year and, while many courses saw an increase in points, there were also widespread falls. Even where points for individual courses vary between years, as is the norm, the restructured grading and points regime has reduced the possibility for wild fluctuations. As the Leaving Cert results were absorbed, the Institute of Physics (IOP) expressed concern about the low number of physics teachers. IOP chair Professor David Riley said while Leaving Cert candidate numbers were stable there was an urgent need for more teachers to sustain the pipeline of physics graduates. "Last year only 41 new physics teachers registered with the Teaching Council - a huge imbalance in the numbers qualified in physics compared to other sciences, with physics teachers making up just 17pc of the cohort of science teachers." He said the number of registered physics teachers in Ireland stood at 1,259 compared to 2,376 chemistry teachers and 3,878 registered biology teachers. He called on Education Minister Richard Bruton to urgently review the matter and to implement IOP proposals to address what he described as a crisis, noting that in England a similar situation was being tackled with some success Prof Riley said that physics had "a critical role to play in Ireland, with physics-based industries providing over 287,000 jobs and 38bn annually to the Irish economy". Meanwhile, IOP Ireland policy adviser Dr Sheila Gilheany said the uptake of physics by girls in Ireland remained stubbornly low at school level with only about a quarter of the Leaving Certificate numbers being female. Engineers Ireland welcomed continued growth in the number of students sitting the higher level maths and also noted a small increase in candidates sitting higher level biology. However, Engineers Ireland registrar Damien Owens highlighted concerns that the number of students taking other science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects "has not seen a marked increase for the first time in several years". A major garda alert is in place for the upcoming release of one of the country's most notorious gangland criminals. Patrick Irwin (36) is in the final days of consecutive seven and three-year jail sentences he received for drug dealing and assaulting a garda. Irwin, who had links to murdered gang boss Eamon 'The Don' Dunne and other Dublin-based gangsters, is expected to return to his native Sligo when he is released and sources say this has the potential to cause "major bloodshed". "Irwin is a hard man with many serious criminal connections, but he needs to understand that the crime scene in the north west has changed dramatically since he was first locked up," one source said. "There are drug dealers just as big as he was on the scene now and they are well capable of taking him on if he tries to step on their toes." A dangerous gang which is expected to oppose any attempts by Irwin to "muscle in" on its patch was connected to a disgraced garda who leaked sensitive information to the gang over a five-month period in 2014 and 2015. Expand Close Former Garda Jimell Henry, pictured arriving at Sligo District Court. Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Former Garda Jimell Henry, pictured arriving at Sligo District Court. Photo: Damien Eagers Former garda Jimell Henry (36) was jailed for 18 months in June after she accessed the force's Pulse system from her base in Dublin and passed details on to crime contacts in Sligo using a "gouger" phone. A court heard that she had become compromised by a drug habit and got involved with people from the "other side of the tracks" when she carried out the offences. The gang which is expected to oppose Irwin's crew was also closely associated with criminal Mark 'Guinea Pig' Desmond who was shot dead in a park in Lucan in December 2016. The Ballyfermot native had been based in Co Sligo in the years before his murder and was acting as a "heavy" for the dangerous local drugs gang which was itself previously involved in a dispute with dissident republicans in the north west. The Herald can reveal that Irwin will be released on standard remission despite being far from a model prisoner during his years locked up. In September, 2016, he launched a High Court challenge over being disciplined after he was found to have called a Mountjoy Prison officer "a dog". Irwin was the subject of a formal complaint made by a senior prison officer to the governor in June 2006. The officer said that while they were in the prison's visiting area Irwin verbally abused her after she had instructed prisoners and visitors to move off benches they had been sitting on and to sit on seats provided. The officer said Irwin had said "she is only a dog" to her and had tried to intimidate her. Irwin, when taken before the governor some days later, described the complaints as "a pack of lies". Irwin's former girlfriend Deirdre Moran (33) was jailed for five years for transporting a gun from Dublin to Sligo for the gang boss. She denied the charge at her trial but was found guilty. Moran was stopped by gardai near the M4 and the gun was found in a sock underneath the front passenger seat. Gardai had set up a surveillance operation and saw Moran drive into the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre car park where she then spent an hour. She returned to her car and was seen on her mobile phone appearing to look for another vehicle. A van and Moran subsequently drove in convoy to a nearby tyre depot. The driver of the van made contact with Moran and she then turned her car around and drove toward the M4, where she was stopped by gardai. Moran told RTE Radio in a 2014 interview that she began getting more involved in the gang when she "got back around" with Irwin in 2008. She had a son with Irwin in 2003 but their relationship had deteriorated in the following years. Irwin, of St Joseph's Terrace, Sligo, was jailed in 2011 for seven years after he was caught with 67,000 of cocaine. A further three years was added in June 2013 after he was sentenced for breaking the jaw of a garda sergeant in an incident in Collooney, Co Sligo. In 2012, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) seized Irwin's home in Dromahair, Co Leitrim. It was estimated by the CAB to have cost 400,000 when built. HOSPITALS are actively discharging patients to free up beds ahead of the Pope's visit next week, the Irish Independent has learned. The decision was made after hospitals in the capital were asked to review their capacity issues, to deal with a potentially large number of admissions arising from the papal visit. As part of the HSE's medical event plan, patients will be discharged "where medically appropriate" to ensure that extra beds are freed up. Organisers fear there will be a large number of casualties and hospital admissions will spike across the city given the large number of people attending various events on August 25 and 26. Pope Francis's address in the Phoenix Park for the World Meeting of Families is expected to draw a crowd of 500,000 alone, including many elderly people. Some 70,000 are also expected to attend a concert in Croke Park on the Saturday. Several hospitals across the capital, including St James's Hospital located close to the Phoenix Park, have reviewed their inpatient lists to determine those medically appropriate to be discharged. Additional staff including security, administration and nurses have also been allocated to hospitals to deal with admissions. A spokeswoman for the HSE confirmed that discharges were being sought as part of the medical event plan for the papal visit and that it will apply to all hospitals in the capital. "The main Dublin hospitals in the period prior to such a large crowd event would be seeking to actively discharge patients as appropriate to ensure that the hospitals are in a position to address capacity issues and receive admissions as may arise. "This applies to all hospitals in Dublin. We would stress that this would be carried out on a planned basis with discharge occurring as deemed medically appropriate for the individuals concerned," the HSE spokeswoman told the Irish Independent. Health concerns have been raised for people, particularly the elderly, walking the large distance to the Phoenix Park. Assistant Garda Commissioner Pat Leahy, who is responsible for policing in the Dublin region, previously stressed that it will be a challenge to move people out of the park and safely onto buses. The World Meeting of Families team have also stressed that people who attend can expect to walk from 4km to 7km in the approach to the venue and within the park itself. People are also likely to have to stand for long periods. A significant emergency event plan involving multiple agencies has been put in place, involving some 1,500 gardai and over 1,000 medical providers. More than 25 aid posts will also be positioned along numerous pedestrian routes and within the Phoenix Park. A HSE spokeswoman said that a wide range of additional services will be on hand to assist people in distress. "Additional ambulances will be available at strategic locations, foot patrols and bicycle units will be on duty allowing a rapid response along the pedestrian routes leading to the main venue, and an on-site medical assessment centre, staffed by experienced Emergency Department staff and linked to the main Dublin hospital emergency departments, will be provided to cater for patrons needs at venue." The World Meeting of Families has been dealt a blow following news that one of its most high-profile participants, Boston's Cardinal Sean O'Malley, has pulled out just days before he was due to take part in a pioneering seminar on child safeguarding. Yesterday, the cardinal, who heads up the Vatican's Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Children, issued a statement announcing he would not be able to participate in the seminar, the first of its kind at the World Meeting of Families Congress. "Important matters pertaining to the pastoral care of St John's Seminary in the Archdiocese of Boston and the seminarians enrolled in the formation programme there require the cardinal's personal attention and presence," the statement said. Last Friday, Cardinal O'Malley announced that he was placing the rector of the seminary on leave while allegations of misconduct at the seminary were investigated. Two former seminarians alleged on social media that during the time they were studying at St John's, "they witnessed and experienced activities which are directly contrary to the moral standards and requirements of formation for the Catholic priesthood". Cardinal O'Malley (inset) is also dealing with claims that his office ignored warnings about the disgraced former cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who is being investigated over alleged abuse of a minor and inappropriate behaviour with seminarians at a seminary in New Jersey. The Archbishop of Boston was due to moderate at the World Meeting of Families seminar on Friday week at the RDS. The other moderators are clerical abuse survivor and former member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, Marie Collins; Baroness Professor Sheila Hollins, another former member of the commission; Barbara Thorp, a former head of the Office for Pastoral Support and Child Protection in the Archdiocese of Boston; and Professor Gabriel Dy-Liacco from the Philippines, who is a current member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. It is the first ever seminar on safeguarding children to be hosted at a World Meeting of Families gathering. Cardinal O'Malley's withdrawal comes as the American Catholic Church is again mired in controversy over clerical sexual abuse following the damning findings of the Shapiro report and the recent fall from grace of McCarrick. 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 on May 10, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images) 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) Dawn O'Porter and Chris O'Dowd attend the 'The Program' screening, during the BFI London Film Festival, at Vue Leicester Square on October 10, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images for BFI) 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 O'Porter shared this sweet snap from her wedding to Chris O'Dowd on Instagram Dawn O'Porter has revealed she feels her career has benefited from her long-term love, actor Chris O'Dowd. The broadcaster, who recently launched her debut vintage fashion line, said she believes her work has been boosted by her high profile husband. And while she is thriving professionally, she spoke of the double standards applies to men and women in the public eye and the different quality of interviews. "I'm probably more successful than I would be if I hadn't met Chris. I'm alright with that, that's a fact, he elevated me to a position I wouldn't have got to on my own," she said on Angela Scanlon's Close Encounters on RTE Two. "But sometimes, when I'm promoting my work, I find it really annoying. Chris can promote a movie and just talk about the movie. Expand Close 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) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 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) "I have to talk about my intentions for children, my child, my relationship - all this stuff before I get asked about my work." Dawn, who recently welcomed her first child with her husband of three years, a son named Art, said their lives changed "within a week" of Chris' breakout role in 2011 smash hit Bridsemaids. "I was on massive red carpets but it was nothing to do with me, my career was going really badly at the time," she said. "It made me uncofmortable. Chris' success did remind me of my own lack of success. I was also very proud of him." Expand Close Dawn O'Porter shared this sweet snap from her wedding to Chris O'Dowd on Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dawn O'Porter shared this sweet snap from her wedding to Chris O'Dowd on Instagram Stacey Solomon, an unlikely bastion of body confidence, has earned fresh praise for her latest bikini picture on Instagram. The British tv presenter (28) and mother of two has always been quick to play up to her 'real woman' image, a trait which has made her one of the most popular personalities on British daytime television, but it's her authenticity that keeps us coming back for more. Solomon shared a picture from her recent sun holiday in a red bikini, drawing attention to her stomach only in a bid to normalise it. "Nature = the prettiest backgrounds. No filter needed. Loving my extra fold over tummy lines this year, they look like a six pack wahoo! Winning! Happy hump day xxx," she wrote. While our Instagram feeds are filled with an endless array of perfectly toned bodies and carefully edited backdrops, Stacey's desire to chance how women see themselves rings genuine. Earlier this year, the Loose Women panellist shared side by side pictures of her in a swimsuit shoot, ones which were airbrushed and ones which weren't, to widespread praise. "This is how scary airbrushing can be... just remember when youre looking at someones post or in a mag or poster you might not be looking at real life images," she said at the time. "I look better UN airbrushed in my opinion and love my natural lumps and bumps! If you want to see real women and read about not putting pressure on yourself... Love yourself because youre perfect." An Australian politician was widely condemned yesterday after demanding "a final solution" to immigration and a return to the White Australia policy favouring "European Christians". Queensland senator Fraser Anning stunned lawmakers when during his maiden speech he invoked the infamous Nazi phrase used in reference to annihilating Jewish people in Europe. He also sparked outrage by calling for a ban on Muslim migrants and for defending the race-based White Australia immigration policy which was in place for seven decades from 1901. "We as a nation are entitled to insist that those who come here predominantly reflect the historic European-Christian composition of Australian society," Mr Anning, formerly of the populist One Nation Party and now with the Katter's Australian Party, told the senate on Tuesday. He added that "ethnocultural diversity has been allowed to rise to dangerous levels in many suburbs" and that Muslims had "consistently shown to be the least able to assimilate and integrate". Mr Anning insisted yesterday that 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," he added. Data released last month showed annual migration to Australia hit a 10-year low of 162,00 last year as vetting procedures were tightened. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said: "We reject, we condemn racism in any form, and the remarks by Senator Anning are justly condemned and rejected by us all." Bill Shorten, Labor opposition leader, called the speech "a low point for our parliament". Even Pauline Hanson, who runs One Nation on a platform of zero-net migration and opposition to Islam, said Mr Anning went too far. BandQs sales have bounced back after taking a hit due to the Beast from the East at the start of the year (Paul Faith/PA) B&Qs sales have bounced back after taking a hit due to torrid weather at the start of the year, but the DIY chains parent company has been held back by poor performance in France. B&Q owner Kingfisher has posted group sales of 3.26 billion for the second quarter, representing like-for-like sales growth of 1.6%. Like-for-like sales were up by 4.2% across the UK and Ireland, but fell by 1% in France. Despite the company facing a weak UK consumer backdrop, B&Qs sales rose 3.6%, while Screwfixs sales climbed by 5.5%. DIY store Castorama was the drag on sales in France, with like-for-like sales dropping by 3.8% over the period. Kingfisher pinned the results in France on weaker footfall and the impact of a transformation plan under way in Castorama. Chief executive Veronique Laury said: We started our transformation two-and-a-half years ago and are on track to deliver our strategic milestones for the third year in a row. In the second quarter, Im pleased that we grew our sales after the exceptionally harsh weather conditions in the first quarter. Expand Close Kingfisher chief executive Veronique Laury (Charles Best/Kingfisher/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kingfisher chief executive Veronique Laury (Charles Best/Kingfisher/PA) She said Kingfisher was bringing forward new plans to help its results in France during the second half of the year. The results in the UK are a sharp turnaround from the first quarter, when the Beast from the East knocked B&Qs revenues by 8.8%. The DIY chain recently announced that it was investing 100 million as part of plans to lower its prices. It has been cutting back on its promotional activity and is offering lower, everyday prices to its customers instead. B&Qs sales bump comes shortly after rival Homebase announced plans to close 42 of its stores, with the likely loss of 1,500 jobs. The British woman, whose identity was not released, was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead. Photo: PA A British woman has been stabbed to death while visiting a New York woman she had just met, who pounced on her in the living room and claimed she had to "rid her home of evil". Faye Doomchin (66), from Long Island, met the 60-year-old on Monday. The two women had lunch with a male mutual friend who introduced the victim - who was visiting New York on holiday - and Doomchin to each other on the day of the murder. The trio then went back to Doomchin's house for coffee and cake and to hear the man play the piano. "While they were sitting in the living room, they were talking and Doomchin made statements that she did not like the woman from England," said Detective Lieutenant Stephen Fitzpatrick. At around 3.50pm, Doomchin, the detective said, "claimed she needed to rid the house of evil". "She then appeared from the kitchen with a knife, walked right over to her and stabbed her in the chest." The British woman, whose identity was not released, was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead. Doomchin has been charged with second-degree murder and is being held without bail after being brought before court. A member of the Russian military police and Syrian government forces patrol near the village al-Hamidia in the Syrian Golan Heights. Photo: Andrey Borodulin/ AFP/Getty Images Russian military police have begun patrolling the demilitarised zone between Israel and Syria in the Golan Heights, highlighting Moscow's increasing clout as a Middle Eastern power broker following its intervention in the civil war there. "The Russian military police are pioneers in renewing patrols of the Golan Heights," Lt Gen Sergei Kuralenko told journalists at a damaged United Nations observer post. "There is almost no danger besides from mines. The whole demilitarised zone (DMZ) is under control now." Following the start of the Syrian conflict, militants drove out the UN peacekeepers that had served in the area since 1974. The pockmarked guardhouses and discarded ammo and rocket-propelled grenade launcher boxes testified to the fierce fighting between Bashar al-Assad's regime and the Nusra Front before government forces pushed the al-Qa'ida-linked jihadist group from the post and the wider area last month. The militants turned many of the UN posts into suicide bomber schools, Mr Kuralenko said during a tour organised by the Russian defence ministry. The mission of Moscow's forces is to help the UN disengagement observer force restart its monitoring of the zone, he said. They have mapped safe routes and accompanied UN observers down the MCM road through the DMZ this month, he added. Russian military police have four bases in the area and will establish more on Bravo Line, the side of the zone held by Syria. President Vladimir Putin began backing his ally Mr Assad with bombing runs in 2015, but the Russian role has expanded to include military advisers, police, private military contractors and, according to some reports, ground forces. As it helped turn the conflict in Mr Assad's favour, Russia has positioned itself as a major voice in determining the post-war order, holding negotiations with rebels and serving as an intermediary with other governments in the region. Meanwhile, Syria's defence minister met with the head of the UN disengagement observer force to discuss co-ordinating peacekeepers' deployment and opening the Quneitra gate for Syrians to cross from the Israeli-occupied area into Syria, state news agency SANA reported. Benjamin Netanyahu has travelled to Russia to meet with Mr Putin and discuss Israel's concerns over Mr Assad's other major backer Iran, which has a long history of co-operation with Russia. Moscow said this month it brokered a deal to keep Iranian forces at least 80km back from Israel's border with Syria in the Golan Heights. ( Daily Telegraph London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] THE Vatican tonight broke its silence on the latest clerical scandal to rock America, condemning the sex abuse and saying Pope Francis is on victims side. A statement tonight said that Pope Francis understands how these crimes can shake the faith and spirit of believers". More than 300 predator priests were this week accused of abusing more than 1,000 children across seven decades in Pennsylvania. The Vatican called the sex abuse described in a grand jury report in Pennsylvania criminal and morally reprehensible. It said the church must learn hard lessons from its past as it vowed to root out this tragic horror. Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said that victims should know that Pope Francis is on their side. The outcry comes just days before the start of the World Meeting of Families in Ireland which culminates with a papal visit to Dublin and Knock. US Catholic bishops today called for a Vatican-led probe, backed by lay investigators, into allegations of sexual abuse by former Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who resigned last month. Whatever the details may turn out to be regarding Archbishop McCarrick or the many abuses in Pennsylvania (or anywhere else), we already know that one root cause is the failure of episcopal leadership, said Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, who is president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The group said it would create a new way for victims of sexual abuse by members of the clergy to report allegations, and for those claims to be investigated without interference by the bishops who oversee priests who are accused of sex abuse. It said that mechanism would involve more church members who were not members of the clergy - but had expertise in law enforcement or psychology. The Pennsylvania grand jury report on Tuesday was just the latest bombshell in a scandal that erupted onto the global stage in 2002, when the Boston Globe reported that for decades, priests had sexually assaulted minors while church leaders covered up their crimes. Similar reports have since emerged in Europe, Australia and Chile, undercutting the moral authority of the leadership of the Catholic Church, which has some 1.2 billion members globally. McCarrick last month became the first cardinal in living memory to lose his red hat and title. Amazon is reportedly looking into launching an insurance price comparison site (PA) Shares in MoneySupermarket.com and GoCompare.com have fallen amid fears that Amazon is laying the groundwork for its own insurance comparison website. The online retail giant has reportedly held talks with a number of insurance executives over whether companies would be willing to contribute products to a prospective comparison site of its own, according to Reuters. While the type of insurance to be sold is not clear, home and motor insurance are popular on existing websites in the UK. Amazon currently offers warranty extensions in Europe in partnership with The Warranty Group, as well as Amazon-branded credit cards in the UK and Germany. Expanding into financial services may seem a strange move for a retailer, yet it makes sense when you consider Amazons incredible reach and engagement with such a wide range of consumers.Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell It reportedly posted job adverts for a new insurance business in Europe last year. The news knocked stocks of potential rivals on Thursday, with shares in MoneySupermarket.com falling around 3.4%. GoCompare.com fell as much as 10% at the start of trading but was only lower by around 1% by mid-morning. Amazon said it would not comment on rumours or speculation. Commenting on the report, Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell said: Expanding into financial services may seem a strange move for a retailer, yet it makes sense when you consider Amazons incredible reach and engagement with such a wide range of consumers. Home, travel and car insurance are already highly competitive markets from both an underwriting perspective and the number of price comparison sites. That wont bother Amazon as its muscle power and wide reach could give it a fighting chance of making a big success from facilitating the sale of third party insurance policies. Other industries linked with a potential move by Amazon include pharmaceuticals and business supplies distribution. And it has already made waves with food delivery and logistics. Amazon already runs Amazon Fresh, its nascent delivery business, and last year splashed out more than 10 billion to acquire supermarket chain Whole Foods last year. The Press Association reported last year that Amazon was weighing up plans for a corporate partnership that could see it begin selling cars to UK consumers on its website after whetting its appetite in European markets including France and Italy. Mr Mould added: So whats next? Can Amazon become an estate agent? Perhaps a more logical move would be to extend into the travel sector, offering discounted holidays, cruises and car rental. Amazon UK made headlines earlier this month when earnings showed its corporate tax bill fell by 2.8 million last year despite seeing its pre-tax profits nearly treble to 72.4 million. But the company only paid 1.7 million in tax after deferring 2.9 million of that total. Ivanka Trump flexes her muscles as she poses with members of the Girls of Steel Robotics initiative during a visit to the Astrobotic Technology facility in Pittsburgh. Ms Trump is reportedly set to spearhead the White House campaign among suburban voters in the coming weeks, as strategists fear her father's hardline policies are turning off female voters whose support will be vital to keeping control of the House of Representatives. While Donald Trump's support among his base remains solid, suburban voters, some of whom may have voted for him in 2016, are rethinking their support. 'The Washington Post' said as a result, Mr Trump will campaign heavily in states including West Virginia and swing states such as Ohio. But his eldest daughter, a senior White House adviser, will travel to suburban districts and talk about the strong economy and her own efforts to help the workforce. "Ivanka Trump is trotted out when this administration wants to sound moderate. Few anti-Trump voters will be fooled," Larry Sabato, professor of politics at the University of Virginia, said. "Poll after poll has shown Trump is poison with female college-educated voters." A recent Marist poll found only 30pc of women approved of the president. Even most white women, a group that Mr Trump won two years ago, said they were more likely to vote Democratic rather than Republican. Paul Manafort had "a huge dumpster of hidden money" abroad, a prosecutor said yesterday, urging a jury to convict the former Trump campaign chief on financial fraud charges based more on a paper trail of evidence than the testimony of a former protege. Special Assistant US Attorney Greg Andres gave his closing statement in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, where Mr Manafort is on trial on tax and bank fraud charges, along with failing to disclose foreign bank accounts. The trial is the first to come out of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election. The charges involve tax and bank fraud, not possible collusion between Russia and Donald Trump's campaign for president. A Manafort conviction would undermine efforts by Mr Trump and some Republican lawmakers to paint Mr Mueller's Russia inquiry as a political witch hunt, while an acquittal would be a setback for the special counsel. The star witness against Mr Manafort has been viewed as Rick Gates, his former right-hand man, who was indicted along with Mr Manafort but pleaded guilty and agreed to co-operate with the government. The defence has portrayed Mr Gates as a lying thief who had his hand in the "cookie jar" and was only trying to reduce his own sentence. Mr Andres argued that while Mr Manafort did not "choose a boy scout" as his associate, Mr Gates's testimony was corroborated by other evidence, including nearly 400 exhibits. "The star witness in this case is the documents," he told the jury. "That wasn't a cookie jar," he added, referring to the tens of millions of dollars Mr Manafort had overseas. "It was a huge dumpster of hidden money in foreign bank accounts." Prosecutors say Mr Manafort (69) tried to mislead bankers with doctored financial statements in 2015 and 2016 to get loans and wilfully failed to pay taxes on more than $15m (13m) that he earned as a political consultant in Ukraine. Mr Andres said Mr Manafort, a veteran Republican political operative, "lies on his tax returns and lies to bank after bank after bank". Defence lawyers decided not to call any witnesses in the trial, and Mr Manafort himself will not testify in his own defence. Mr Manafort made millions of dollars working for pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians before he took an unpaid position with Mr Trump's campaign. He was on the campaign team for five months and led it in mid-2016 when Mr Trump was selected as the Republican nominee for the presidential election. Prosecutors say Mr Manafort hid money in offshore bank accounts and then used it to pay for more than $6m in New York and Virginia real estate, items such as antique rugs and fancy clothes, including a $15,000 jacket made of ostrich skin. Mr Manafort has been charged with tax and bank fraud as well as failing to disclose foreign bank accounts. If found guilty on all charges, he could face eight to 10 years in prison, according to sentencing expert Justin Paperny. The closely watched case was expected to go to the 12-person jury late yesterday, after Mr Manafort's lawyers made their closing arguments and the judge issued instructions to the jury. The court experienced one of its most crowded days during Mr Manafort's trial, with a long line of people waiting to get in and others seated in an overflow room. Attorneys Kevin Downing and Richard Westling were likely to deliver their closing arguments for the defence and argue that Mr Manafort did not intentionally engage in wrongdoing. They were expected to say Mr Manafort was busy working and trusted his affairs to others. Mecca Bingo was hit by a slump in customer visits (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Rank Group has pledged to charge ahead with a turnaround plan after profits fell 41%, having suffered from stricter checks on punters and a drop in bingo and casino customers. The group saw pre-tax profit for the year to June 30 tumble 41.4% to 46.7 million, against a 2.3% fall in like-for-like revenue to 738 million. Rank Group said it was a challenging year primarily due to a disappointing performance from its Grosvenor Casinos business, which suffered a 6.1% drop in revenue over the period. The business was knocked in by part extreme weather earlier in the year, as well as lower gambling margins from some of its major players. Rank is undervalued and there is a real opportunity to develop and grow this business Read CEO John O'Reilly's review of 2017/18 here: https://t.co/LFEhc3UnXx pic.twitter.com/zES5HsIOk7 The Rank Group Plc (@therankgroup) August 16, 2018 That was alongside a drop in casino-goers following more stringent checks on customers linked to new guidelines published by the UK Gambling Commission last September. Mecca Bingo was also hit by a slump in customer visits, which fell 7.9% over the year. However, it said new bingo concepts like Big Bingo Bash, Bonkers Bingo and student events were helping boost visits and a subsequent rise in revenue and profits. While operating profit for Mecca fell 4.3%, Rank Group said it was a smaller decline than expected thanks to improved cost controls. Rank Group chief executive John OReilly assured the company is now pushing ahead with a turnaround plan following its poor performance. With the backdrop of a disappointing performance in 2017/18, we are now moving quickly to identify the key priorities which will begin to realise the significant underlying potential that I have now seen first-hand since joining the group in early May. We are taking steps to increase our focus on the customer, to accelerate growth in the digital business, to drive cost efficiencies across the business and to strengthen our organisational capabilities. This will be delivered within a transformational programme framework, which will ensure that we deliver a growing Rank Group that is fit for the future. Expand Close Rank Group suffered a drop in customer visits to its bingo halls (PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rank Group suffered a drop in customer visits to its bingo halls (PA) Rank Group shares were down more than 6% in morning trading. Ed Monk, an associate director for Fidelity Personal Investings share dealing service, said: Investors have been betting against Grosvenor Casino and Mecca Bingo operator Rank Group since its profit warning in April and that seems unlikely to change after the final results today. The company itself described the last year as challenging and this was reflected in falling revenue that justifies the previous profit warning. He said the results show the digital business is growing but not fast enough to make up for fewer visits to its casinos and bingo halls. Digital revenue for the year was up 9% at 122.5 million. The silver lining for investors has been the companys dividend, which has been growing, Mr Monk said, noting the 2.1% rise in Rank Groups dividend to 7.45p per share. The payment is becoming less secure, however, as sales suffer, Mr Monk added. Mutual life and pensions firm Royal London has reported a 9% rise in pre-tax profits, but it blamed sluggish economic growth and the end of the auto enrolment roll-out for tough conditions in the first half of the year. The business struggled to boost its life and pension sales, which fell by 1 million to just over 6.077 billion, over the six months to June 30. It said a rise in new business sales in personal pension and life assurance helped offset the drop in group pension sales as the auto enrolment launch started to come to a close. But the firm still gained 86,000 new entrants to its group pension schemes over the first half of the year. Royal London said it logged a 9% jump in pre-tax profits to 358 million over the period, despite tough comparatives a year earlier when the company benefited from a one-off 30 million boost after restructuring a reinsurance agreement. Funds under management rose 3 billion to 117 billion over the period. Royal London chief executive Phil Loney said: Sluggish economic growth and the ending of the auto enrolment roll-out provided a challenging backdrop for pensions and investment companies in the first half of 2018. The group also experienced higher volatility in equity markets in the first half of 2018 due to continued political and economic uncertainty as well as talk of trade wars. However, investments backing the asset shares of its Open Fund still managed a 1.2% return over the period. Royal London assured the business is well placed to deliver on its future financial targets. The company also said it is confident that there will be no significant impact to the operations or the capital strength of the group as a result of Brexit. The firm is currently in the process of setting up a subsidiary in Ireland in order to safeguard its EU business. We will continue to monitor the implications of the UK leaving the EU, but expect we will trade as normal, Royal London said. We continue to work on behalf of our customers to provide them with stability and the best possible long-term returns. To start any kind of business activity in the state of Maharashtra, one has to acquire a Gumasta License, which officially registers the entity under state law. The license is issued by the Mumbai municipal corporation under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishment Act. Obtaining the Gumasta License is a mandatory requirement by the government and any bank doing business with a commercial entity as it serves as a proof of legal entity irrespective of whether it is run by a single individual or a company. For example, the license enables the entity to open a current account in a bank and apply for loans. Most importantly, a firm cannot be registered under the goods and service tax (GST) law without a Gumasta License. Steps to register under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishment Act The registration process is online through the website of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (link to access here). The Gumasta License application form is available to be filed under the Shops and Establishment section. Upon submitting the form, a challan (receipt) number gets generated and requires a fee to be paid. The fee payment results in the applicant securing the UTN number (unique reference number). The form must be printed and physically submitted with all the required documents to the Chief Inspector, Shop License Department of the Municipal Corporation. Once the documents are verified, the municipal official will provide the Gumasta License the official may also visit the location of the shop / establishment. The application must be submitted to the Chief Inspector within 30 days of starting the business. The application status may be tracked on the MCMG website Go to the Citizen Portal > Click Check Status > Enter UTN number. The website will state whether the status is either of the following Under Scrutiny; Approved; or Rejected. The entire process of registration takes between 10 and 15 days. The registration certificate must be prominently displayed at the shop or commercial establishment and should be renewed periodically, according to the rules of the Maharashtra Shops and Establishment Act. The Gumasta License is normally valid for a period of one year, but can be taken forward for a period of up to 10 years. The renewal application must be submitted at least thirty days before the date of expiry of the registration certificate. Cancelling the license When the shop or commercial establishment chooses to close down the business, the registered owner must inform the Chief Inspector within 15 days of ending operations. Upon reviewing the request for closure, the Chief Inspector will remove the shop or establishment from the official register and cancel the entitys registration certificate. Documents required for applying for a Gumasta License Specific documents are required when applying for the registration of the business entity. Below is a list of documents to be submitted for a sole proprietorship, partnership, and private company: Note: We explain the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2018 here. The Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017 came into effect December 20, 2017. The 2017 Act replaces the Maharashtra Shops and Establishment Act of 1948. Previously, the federal government enacted the Model Shops and Establishments Act in 2016 that revised the regulatory norms for operating commercial establishments in India. Following this, several states initiated legislation to implement the new rules in their respective state jurisdictions. Maharashtra is the first state in India to draft the new Shops and Establishments law. The law is applicable to all commercial establishments in the state, (not covered under the Factories Act), which employ 10 or more workers. Firms that employ more than 10 workers must obtain a license under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Act within 60 days after the new Act comes into effect (December 20) or once a firms current license expires. The registration can be done online, and all records will be maintained electronically. Further, the commercial entity can determine the validity period of its registration, which cannot exceed 10 years. Firms which employ less than 10 works must still register under the Act but do not require a license. Key changes to the 1948 Maharashtra Shops and Establishment Act The Act introduces significant reforms for the employment conditions for workers in the following areas: Hours of operation Certain businesses in Maharashtra may now stay open 24/7. This includes movie theaters, restaurants, financial institutions, medical practices, and retail outlets. The Act excludes any establishment which sells alcohol or cigarettes from remaining open passed existing deadlines. Working hours for women The Act allows female workers the ability to work work passed 9:30pm so long as their employer provides safe transportation from the work site to their residence. Protection of women The Act prohibits the discrimination of women workers in matters of recruitment, training, promotion, and wages. Generally, women workers will be required to work only between 7 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. In emergencies, women may choose to work beyond these hours, provided the work space is safe and transport is made available for her to commute back to her residence. Over time The working hours for employees will not exceed nine hours per day and 48 hours per week. Otherwise, the employer must pay employees double their regular wages as over time. Holidays and leave The Act specifies that workers are eligible to eight casual leaves (CLs), and can accumulate 45 days of paid leave during a year. The establishment will declare eight days as paid festival holidays, including four national holidays. The other four festival holidays may be mutually agreed between the establishment and its workers. Welfare of workers The law makes it mandatory for the establishment to ensure adequate arrangements are made for the health and safety of workers. Cleanliness, hygiene, ventilation, and lighting also come under the definition of safety of workers. Specifically, the law mentions the following safety measures: Provision of first-aid facilities in the place of work; Provision and maintenance of sufficient and clean drinking water at suitable points, conveniently situated for all persons employed in the establishment; Provision of washroom facilities for men and women; Establishments employing 50 or more workers must provide creche facility for the use of children of such workers; and Establishments employing 100 or more workers must provide and maintain a canteen for the use of its workers. Compliance and flexibility under the 2017 Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Act The Act appoints facilitators to enforce its provisions. Facilitators will inspect the premises of registered establishments, review documents, and advice establishments towards complying with the norms. Any establishment that deviates from the standards and norms specified under the Shops and Establishment Act will be liable to a fine of US$1,535 (Rs 100,000). However, it is useful to note that by not regulating the working conditions in firms engaging less than 10 workers, the Act provides significant compliance relief for micro, small, and medium sized firms (MSMEs). Finally, responding to concerns raised by business associations, the Maharashtra state government has proposed different working hours for different categories of establishments. Malls, restaurants, movie theatres, and other recreational centers are likely to benefit the most from this move. Dil Se DIl Tak and Tashan-e-Ishq actress, Jasmin Bhasin who is currently shooting for stunt based reality show, Khatron Ke Khiladi in Argentina is missing some one special. The actress posted a special message for her rumoured boyfriend Suraj Wadhwa. The actress posted a cute picture of her with Suraj and wrote a cute message "I just want you to know, that when I picture myself happy, it's only with you." Featured Video Jasmin also recently shared a post where she did not just wish the love of her life, but also regretted that she couldn't spent time with Suraj on his birthday. Kurdish YPG Shuts 2 More Armenian, Assyrian Schools in Syria The U.S.-backed People's Protection Units (YPG), the armed wing of the PKK terrorist group's Syrian offshoot the Democratic Union Party (PYD), shut down two more minority schools in northeastern Syria for refusing to implement the curriculum forced on them by the terrorist group. The Armenian and Assyrian private schools in the town of Malikiyah, also known as Derik in Kurdish, were closed on Aug. 7 with decrees issued by PYD-linked local education authorities citing that they did not take necessary permissions or abide by the curriculum. The terrorist group also closed three Assyrian schools last week in Malikiyah and the nearby town of Darbasiyah. The Assyrian Democratic Society (ADS) had accused the YPG of "intimidating" the region's Assyrian community. "The YPG is harming education by promoting its ideologies through school curriculum," the ADS said in a statement, going on to demand that the terrorist group immediately allow the schools to reopen. Various Christian groups also condemned the closures. The private Assyrian schools, administered by the Syriac Orthodox Church, have been operating in the region since mid-1950 and have been implementing a curriculum specialized in the Assyrian language and religion developed jointly with the Syrian Education Ministry. The YPG has used schools in areas under its control to indoctrinate students with its militarist, ethnocentric ideologies. During the upcoming academic year, the YPG reportedly hopes to expand the use of its curriculum to high schools. This has prompted many parents in the region, who do not want their children to be brainwashed by terrorist propaganda, to send their children to private schools instead. The YPG, however, has also reportedly threatened a number of private schools with closures. The terrorist group is the U.S.' closest ally in Syria, under the pretext of fighting Daesh and under the umbrella of the YPG-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), despite the group's history of human rights violations and its organic links with the PKK, a group recognized as a terrorist organization by the U.S., the European Union, and Turkey. Lovebirds Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are making headlines every now and then. The fans are more than happy to know the minutest details of the couple's whirlwind romance. It is said that PC and Nick are engaged and are also planning to get married soon. Rumours of their engagement became substantial when Priyanka was spotted hiding her engagement ring. When she landed in India, she quickly removed her ring and kept it in her pocket. However, the paps caught it on camera. Take a look: According to grapevine, it is being said that the duo is throwing an engagement bash in India, which is scheduled to take place on Aug 18. Nick Jonas family will also fly to India and meet Priyankas family. Also Read: Priyanka Chopra Flaunts Huge Engagement Ring From Nick Jonas, May Host A Party For Bollywood Twitter Amid all this, Priyanka Chopra was seen flaunting her enormous engagement ring at Manish Malhotras party on Tuesday, which has again set the tongues wagging. Take a look: If reports are to be believed, the ring costs Rs 1.4 crores ($200,000). Priyanka's ring is a high quality cushion cut weighing around 4 carats. It looks to be somewhere around a G color, VS1 clarity which, from Tiffany & Co, would have a value of around $200,000, Andrew Brown, President of WP Diamonds, told E! News. Rumour has it, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas will get married in London on PCs 36th birthday, on July 18 next year. And the fact that she has walked out of Salman Khans Bharat in the Nick of time (as director Ali Abbas Zafar tweeted), has added fuel to the speculations. A few days ago, Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer Mantos trailer was released, and since then it has been the talk of the town. The powerful storyline of the movie which is based on the life of controversial writer Saadat Hasan Manto, has raised the expectation level of the audiences. And with that, Nawazuddin Siddiquis performance is also winning praises. In the trailer of Nandita Das directorial, Rishi Kapoors character came across as an interesting character. Now, Rishi Kapoor has revealed that he is playing a sleazy Tharki film producer. . Just a guest scene for dear @nanditadas Dont miss the pants being worn nearly at the chest(the fashion those days-perhaps), he wrote. Played this incorrigible sleazy tharki(flirt) film producer in Mantoalong with the terrific @Nawazuddin_S . Just a guest scene for dear @nanditadas Dont miss the pants being worn nearly at the chest(the fashion those days-perhaps) pic.twitter.com/sbL66Xm3ty Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) August 15, 2018 Soon after a fan shared a picture from 1951 in which a film producer can be seen assessing a girl in scanty clothing. Here is a picture of auditions in Bollywood in 1951 The resemblance shows the great detailing by the director #Manto #IndiaIndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/NvtHSHKq21 Social Media (@TrendinglnIndia) August 15, 2018 "Manto follows the tumultuous years in the life of iconoclastic writer Saadat Hasan Manto and those of the countries -- India and Pakistan -- which Manto inhabited and chronicled. Apart from Nawazuddin, the film stars Rasika Dugal as Manto's wife and Tahir Raj Bhasin and Divya Dutta in prominent roles. The film is all set to release on Sep 21. India's former Prime Minister and veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was admitted to Capital's All India Institute Of Medical Science (AIIMS) since June 11 passed away. He was 93. His condition worsened on Wednesday night and the former PM was put on life support. Vajpayee remained India's PM for three terms, though only in his last term his was able to complete the full five years in office. He also holds the unenvious record of the shortest term in office as the PM, when he was in office only for just 13 days. Vajpayee, was also the first head of government from outside the Congress to serve a full five-year term. He was also a recipient of India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, which was conferred on him in 2015. Born in 1924, Vajpayee entered politics during the Quit India movement in 1942. He was also the first external affairs minister to deliver a speech in the UN Assembly in Hindi. A parliamentarian for over four decades, Vajpayee was elected to the Lok Sabha ten times, and twice to the Rajya Sabha. Vajpayee was elected to Lok Sabha from Lucknow in 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004 the last time he contested elections. His Prime Ministerial legacies include India's second nuclear test in 1998, in Pokhran in Rajasthan, 24 years after the first nuclear test in 1974, which was conducted just two months after his government assumed office. Reuters On the peace front, Vajpayee is credited with initiating a full-on diplomatic dialogue process with Pakistan, with an aim to resolve the Kashmir dispute. In 1999 he travelled to Pakistan on the historic Delhi-Lahore bus service to attend the Lahore Summit. However, the peace process which got a boot did not last long after a full on war broke out between the two countries in Kargil in June 1999. Over 500 Indian soldiers were killed in the three-month-long Kargil War, and it is estimated around 600-4,000 Pakistani militants and soldiers died as well. India pushed back the Pakistani militants and Northern Light Infantry soldiers. Almost 70% of the territory was recaptured by India. Reuters Vajpayee's second term in office was cut short after the Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK withdrew support for the government, which was just 13 months old at the time. Thanks to the Kargil war victory, Vajpayee managed to lead the BJP and NDA to a comfortable victory in the elections held in October 1999, winning 303 seats out of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha. In his third term, three major incidents remained a blot to the otherwise historic tenure, the hijack of the Indian Airlines flight IC 814 from Kathmandu in 1999. The hijackers only released the hostages after India freed dreaded terrorist Masood Azhar from prison. Another major blot as the 2001 terror attack on the India Parliament, when Vajpayee was the PM. On 13 December 2001, a group of armed terrorists stormed the Parliament House and managed to kill several security guards, but were gunned down before they could enter inside. The Vajpayee government had come under criticism various corners for failing in national security. Reuters The 2002 Gujarat riots which killed more than 1,000 people also happened during his last tenure. Vajpayee, the then PM is known to have asked the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was the then Gujarat CM to follow his Rajdharma. Following the NDA's election defeat 2004, Vajpayee announced his retirement from active politics in 2015 and was confined to his residence mostly. A lifelong celibate Vajpayee has an adopted daughter named Namita. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today breathed his last at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after his health deteriorated further and was put on life support. Read More. Here's More Top News For The Day 1) Another Mob Lynching In Assam, Man Beaten To Death For Suspicion Of Cattle Theft, Three Injured The lynch mob has struck again, this time in Assam, where a man was beaten to death and three others were injured in a mob attack. The incident was reported from Diplunga Tea Estate in northern Assam's Biswanath district on Wednesday. Read More. 2) Flood Ravaged Kerala Needs Your Support, This Is How You Can Extend Your Help AFP The Kerala government had sought Rs 8,316 crore as a special package from the Central Government for dealing with the situation. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh who visited the flood-hit state on Sunday announced an immediate relief package of Rs 100 crore.Here's how you can contribute.Read more. 3) After Mughalsarai Station, UP Govt Now Wants To Change Names Of Bareilly, Kanpur & Agra Airports Ten days after the famous Mughalsarai station was renamed as Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction, the Uttar Pradesh government has now approached the centre to rename Bareilly, Kanpur and Agra airports. Read More. 4) On Independence Day, UK Returns Buddha Statue To India Stolen 57 Years Ago From Nalanda London's Metropolitan Police, on Independence Day, returned a 12th century bronze Buddha statue stolen from a museum at Nalanda in Bihar nearly 60 years ago. Read More. 5) US Media Declares War On Trump, Publishes 300 Editorials Against His Attacks On Free Press 300 Newspapers pledged to run editorials on Thursday, dedicating precious space of their real-time coverage to highlight that Journalists are not the enemies. The move came after American President, Donald Trump called U.S media as enemies of the American people. Read More. Remember Lini Puthussery, a nurse from Kerala who had become the face of the state's determinate battle against the deadly Nipah outbreak? As Kerala battle's an unprecedented flood crisis, her husband Sajeesh, who had recently joined as a lower divisional clerk has donated his first salary to Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund (CMRDF). On Wednesday, Sajeesh met Kerala Minister for Labour and Excise, TP Ramakrishnan and handed over the cheque as his contribution. Lini who was working as a contract employee at the Perambra Taluk Hospital in Kozhikode had contracted the deadly infection while attending two brothers who were admitted in the hospital. Her emotional goodbye letter to Sajeesh who was at the time working in middle east had moved an entire state to tears. In the letter, written from the ICU, she begged for forgiveness for not being able to meet him one last time and requested him to take care of their two children. Following her death the Kerala government had announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs to the family and a job for her husband. Recently, the government also announced an award named after her. Even the WHO paid homage and called her a hero. London's Metropolitan Police, on Independence Day, returned a 12th century bronze Buddha statue stolen from a museum at Nalanda in Bihar nearly 60 years ago. 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. Lynda Albertson of the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art (ARCA) and Vijay Kumar from the India Pride Project identofied the statue at a trade fair in March this year, who then alerted the police. AP Scotland Yard returned the statue stolen to the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, YK Sinha, as part of a ceremony to mark Independence Day at India House in London. "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". Prime Minister Narendra Modi while delivering his fifth Independence Day speech, a crucial one before Lok Sabha elections, 2019 highlighted some important projects and missions that India will embark upon in the coming years. Speaking from the ramparts of Red Fort, PM Modi took this event as an opportunity to emphasize the current governments achievements and problem of lack of jobs and rising violence in the country. PM Modi waves as he leaves after addressing the nation during Independence Day celebrations at the historic Red Fort in Delhi, August 15, 2018. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi Modi announced a plan to take the Indian tricolour to space" in a manned mission that would make India the fourth nation to launch one, after the United States, Russia and China. Rakesh Sharma, a former Indian Air Force Pilot is the only Indian currently, to have travelled in space. A National Defence Academy alumnus, Sharma travelled to space aboard a Russian, Soyuz T-11 on April 02, 1984. Modi praised Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) efforts in making ground-breaking development in this field. Hearing this, an exhilarated, ISRO Chairman, K Sivan, told TOI, "It came as a surprise to us, I was not expecting this but it is a great gift to ISRO and we are confident of sending Indians to space in the next four years, although it is a tight schedule." While the technology related to this project, like the crew module, environmental control and life support system have all been developed, India now needs to begin the process of identifying adept human resource and set up a project team. Photo: Reuters/Representational Image To this, Sivan told the media, As the PM said, Indias first Gagannaut could be a woman. Infact, women nowadays are very competitive and are ready to take up any challenge. We will be glad to train a woman to send her to space on board the Gaganyaan. "We hope the budget for the mission would not exceed Rs 10,000 crore." He said, "An advanced version of GSLV MK III (Isro's fat boy with over 4-tonne payload capability) will be used for the mission." A human mission to space involves utmost care that requires continuous oxygen supply, controlled pressure, environment system, food supply, human waste discharge system and crew protection system that involves the escape capsule and rigorous astronaut training. Physical ailments can reduce the chances of an astronaut travelling to space. Hence, selection of a woman Gagannaut will require a series of rounds before the final choice can be made. Since 1984, India has not been able to send any human to space. If this project is implemented, Indias growth story will see a new light of the day. If youre prone to taking loads of photos everyday, and youre using an Android, chances are you rely on Google Photos to save all your pics. The problem arises when other items in your Drive start forcing you to delete photos. Now, theres at least a small reprieve. Google announced yesterday that its reached an agreement with WhatsApp, so the latters backups will no longer count towards your Drive storage limit. In essence, for the foreseeable future, you have free, unlimited WhatsApp backups for life. The agreement comes into effect November 12 this year. However, users that havent backed up their WhatsApp to Google Drive at least once in the past year will lose any backup in the cloud. That means you need to manually trigger a WhatsApp backup right now, if youve turned off the automatic feature. The announcement comes on the heels of the announcement of Google One, the new set of revamped cloud storage plans. Under it, free users get a 15GB storage limit, with 100GB available for $1.99 a month, 200GB for $2.99 per month, and 2TB available for $9.99 a month. If youve paid for the storage plan of your choice, odds are youre probably fine as far as space goes. Its mainly the free users that the agreement with WhatsApp will benefit. With chat backups not counting against your limit, theres much more space for all those photos you cant bring yourself to delete. A horrifying video is doing rounds on the internet where a teenage boy is trying to push his girlfriend in front of a moving train. His girlfriend was all of fourteen at that time. The horrible act was caught on a CCTV camera in South Australia's Adelaide. One can clearly see in the video that Lucas Narkle, 19, is dragging his girlfriend while she is trying to frantically free herself from his hold as a train approaches. Lucas Narkle has already pleaded guilty in front of the court. He was taken into custody soon after the incident and has already spent three months in jail before being granted bail. Talking about the scary act, the prosecutor said, "She wasn't to know that he was going to stop. There's no telling what harm that fear may cause in the future." The judge concerned for this case said that it is highly unlikely that Lucas will get a further sentence. Talking further about it, judge Simon Stretton said, "I have to bear in mind that his actual actions here are brief, irresponsible and didn't cause any physical harm at all. I think nothing is going to be served by imposing a further term of actual imprisonment but I am strongly inclined towards an extended community service work." In the wee hours of India's 72nd Independence day, Chennai resident Geeta woke up to the sound of a baby crying outside her house. Facebook According to an NDTV report, Geeta's milkman informed her that sound was coming from a storm drain near her house. What they found next shocked Geeta and the local residents. A feeble baby, probably just a few hours old, with the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck was pulled out. The entire episode, from the baby being found in the stormwater drain, to being washed, taken to the hospital and has been recorded and has sent shockwaves on social media. Soon after the baby was found locals residing in Valasaravakkam's SVS Nagar rushed the baby boy to the Chinna Porur government hospital. He was later shifted to the Egmore Children's Hospital where he was put on an incubator. The team of local residents including Geetha who rescued the baby named him 'Suthanthiram' owing to his birth on India's 72nd Independence Day. The doctors have declared him healthy and he is under the care of the governments Cradle Baby Scheme. For those of us who forgot, India is still a secular country. At least, according to the constitution. But apparently, these folks don't know the concept. Following the footsteps of Shariat court, the members of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha have now set up country's first Hindu court on India's 72nd Independence Day. #Shame Just like Shariat court resolves issues, according to the guidelines set by Islamic law, this court will make decisions on Hindu affairs. The announcement in this regard was made at party's office on Meerut's Sharda Road and the court even got its first judge. Pooja Shakun Pandey, national secretary, Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, has been appointed as the first judge. Pandey has a masters in Maths, Computer Science, and also is an M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Mathematics to her credit. Citizens of the country are obviously outraged and taking their anger out on Twitter. 1. Hindu Mahasabha sets up 1st Hindu court on lines of Sharia Court. What's next? Christian Courts? Sikh Courts? Jain Courts? etc. This mess is created by Imams & Maulvis of Sharia Courts and AIMPLB. India needs Uniform Civil Code before Nation doomed by Parallel Religious Judiciary Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) August 15, 2018 2. "We will have proper jails and our maximum punishment will be death. Says Pooja Shakun Pandey, national secretary, Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, who has been appointed as the first judge of the Hindu Court. The talibanisation is complete.https://t.co/EC33IhhJyt Anti Fascist (@RangaSiyaar1) August 15, 2018 3. Now our very own Sharia courts The Talibanization of India is on the fast track Countrys 1st Hindu court on lines of Sharia system #WahModijiWah https://t.co/SuqrAwd8B1 ScImItar (@Scimitar_SS) August 16, 2018 4. Hindus also need a prophet - Why not Modi? https://t.co/9u7hJsGdNS via @TOICitiesNews Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) August 15, 2018 5. Hope they will define some duties of Hindu wife after marriage unlike Hindu marriage act which requires lot of changes. This I-Day, Hindu Mahasabha sets up first Hindu court on the lines of Shariat court | Meerut News - Times of India https://t.co/cj3x6FEaY3 : Ahamasmi Yodh (@Sid837) August 15, 2018 This has got to be illegal for sure. 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. One exec said the talks were part of several discussions Amazon was having with insurers, while a second said there were no imminent launch plans, according to the report, on which Amazon declined to comment. It is not yet clear which lines of insurance would be sold on the comparison site, but one of the industry sources described the comparison site model as fitting with Amazons strategy of offering a range of products, rather than partnering with one firm. As Amazon becomes a larger part of the home, whether its products delivered to the home, security monitoring, home services like wifi installation, you can make the case that insurance is the next logical step for this company, Morningstar analyst RJ Hottovy said in the report. The analyst added that a price comparison site could also be used to help drive traffic to Amazons other online marketplaces. Rumours over Amazons plans for the insurance industry have been swirling since the company was seen recruiting for London-based insurance professionals in October 2017. The retail behemoth already offers a warranty product, Amazon Protect, which covers purchases against accidental damage, breakdown, and theft. The firm has also pumped US$12 million into the parent company of Mumbai-based Acko General Insurance, which is described as having a similar model to Direct Line. Admirals chief financial officer Geraint Jones told The Guardian that the insurer would be open to pairing up with Amazon if it did launch a new comparison offering. If it establishes a comparison site then I suspect Admiral will be interested in being a member, potentially. Price comparison is the main source of distribution of our products and well await with interest what they do, Jones said. "I don't think they're going to simplify anything at all; in fact, I think they're going to make it more confusing," Russell Schneider, former health insurance lobbyist, told 9news.com.au. Matthew Scott-Young, a spinal surgeon whose field will be one of the most impacted by the reforms, said the changes wont deliver the reliability and certainty people like with their insurance. The silver category will cover basic spinal treatments, but for costly procedures such as spinal fusion surgery, gold policies will be required. "The analogy would be that a lady who was pregnant came into hospital to deliver their child through natural birth, but unfortunately there was a complication such that a caesarean section had to be done and they found out they weren't covered," Scott-Young told the news website. Forty-five-year-old construction veteran Ben Lonnie suffers from severe back pain and requires three discs to be replaced. He currently has mid-range cover costing $191 a month that covers spinal fusion surgery; but under the changes, he would need to upgrade to top-level gold cover, which he cant afford. "I don't think it's fair, the level of arrogance for one person or a group of people to say, 'This whole bunch of people can't have their procedure, but all you rich people up here can'," Lonnie told 9news.com.au. Schneider, one of the architects of Australia's private health insurance landscape during the past three decades, said the system needed to be returned to the old structure, where theres just one level of cover for everyone. "Australia's got the best healthcare system in the world. Unfortunately, what's happening at the moment is the health funds are stripping value out of the product and making it less attractive to take it out," Schneider said. Schneider said the system must also get rid of the gaps consumers have to pay even when they have cover, by ordering hospitals to restrict doctors from charging any more than the agreed health fund benefit for a procedure. "Don't bill the patient extra," Schneider told 9news.com.au. "If the hospital wishes to pay the doctors more to attract the doctors to that hospital, they're free to do that, but the patient wouldn't pay anything out of their pocket." Several other properties were also raided in Concord West, Greenacre, and Homebush West with detectives seizing a number of items relevant to the investigation. According to law enforcement, the men were involved with fabricating crashes in order to lodge fraudulent claims against the compulsory third party or other insurance schemes. Police also confirmed that a 28-year-old man was charged with a string of offences, including dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception, conspiring to cheat and defraud, recruiting others to assist in carrying out criminal activity, and knowingly participating in a criminal group. A second man was charged with conspiracy to dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception and conspiring to cheat and defraud. Both were granted conditional bail and are due to appear at Burwood Local Court on Monday, September 10, 2018. The premium relief is effective from Oct. 1 and expires on March 31. Customers who wish to take advantage of the full six months of premium relief must apply by Oct. 31. This is a tough time for Australian farmers, said Dwayne Crombie, managing director of Bupa Health Insurance. We know that money may be tight due to the drought, but we wanted to ensure farmers and their families can still access the healthcare they need. In a time of stress, looking after your health is more important than ever. Hopefully this can provide a bit of relief for farmers on both their hip pocket and to maintain their overall health. To address the mental toll the drought takes on farming families, Crombie said the Bupa Telehealth team is also available to help customers navigate the system to access mental health support. CommInsure is a business that weve looked at from time to time, from the perspective of opportunities to do something with them, Harmer told The Australian Financial Review. If, and when, they do come to market we will be undoubtedly interested to have a look, but there are certain conditions that would have to be met... one of those would be the ACCCs [Australian Competition and Consumer Commission] review. The insurance boss said IAG was generating a lot of capital, referring to retained earnings, reinsurance arrangements, the sale of its Asian businesses, and accrued tax losses in New Zealand. If we had an opportunity and our existing sources of capital werent sufficient wed be very happy to come back to the market and discuss that opportunity, he told AFR. IAG said it forked out $10 million in the six months ending June 30 on the royal commission, inclusive of legal advisers and KPMG services, and that it was not yet formally called to appear at the September hearings. Speaking about the royal commissions request for information due this month, Harmer said it was general in nature across products, brands, and distribution. Late last year, IAGs Swann Insurance had been slammed for offering add-on insurance with low or no value, which led to the insurer paying $39 million in refunds for products brought through car and motorbike dealerships. By virtue of that, yes, we did report information that related to the Swann business and add-on insurance but there wasnt a specific focus on add-on, Harmer told AFR. All we can do is prepare to be as helpful and constructive as we possibly can. 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. To work alongside Nijhuis is Johan Roos, who is moving up to senior status after joining LSM in 2013 as GL underwriter. Also part of the team is underwriter Burak Bilgin, who arrived at the beginning of 2018. Recently appointed contractor Ruud van Nunspeet, meanwhile, will be working closely with Globex International Group as he services multinational GL programmes. We have written general liability from our Netherlands office since it opened, primarily for large domestic and mid-size risks, explained Rob Groenen (pictured), head of Benelux and Nordics. But around three years ago we identified a clear opportunity to boost our presence in this class. Since then, weve been developing our plans and are now ready to roll them out with the express aim of doubling the size of our GL book. We also see the potential for selling our GL expertise in the Benelux and Nordic regions, which would be the next step. Groenen described the team as very strong and ready to accelerate the GL business. Brit Global Specialty USA (BGSU) has affirmed its commitment to the US yacht market in response to recent reports of a departure from the yacht insurance space by Brit Ltd (Brit). Following recent press speculation as to the future of our London-based yacht business, we want to affirm our commitment to the US yacht market through our US-based service company, BGSU, said Nick Davies, president of Brit Americas. CrowdStrike provides endpoint protection, threat intelligence, and incident response for companies around the world through its Falcon platform. Groves says that the companys approach to security is not just about keeping everyone out of a particular network, but being able to detect a breach quickly often within two hours and containing it before the hacker causes damage across the network. In this day and age, we know its very difficult to keep adversaries out of the environment. With all of the social engineering and spearfishing, its really almost impossible, said Groves. Its really about early detection. Yet, even as cyber criminals continue to infiltrate companies, many still dont have the right security in place, even if losses have the potential to skyrocket. It used to be youre only up against a few adversary groups - now when these tools are in the hands of your average everyday hacker, and they can actually breach fairly sophisticated systems, absolutely the losses can be exponential, explained Groves, adding, Were still seeing [when] we advise clients that some of the basics are still not in place. The two things that come top of mind is administrative access why does a large portion of your organization have to have administrative access or multifactor authentication. Those are certainly easy ways to take a leap forward in maturity. Emerging cybersecurity tools can likewise help companies of all sizes protect their data and other assets from hack attacks. CrowdStrikes Falcon solution offers companies continuous breach prevention, and the company also recently announced a breach prevention warranty of up to $1 million in breach response costs if a breach occurs within the protected environment. We have enough confidence where we really could put our money where our mouth is, and really standing behind that and putting a warranty on that, said Groves. The offering itself is also very unique to the industry. This is the first time where a cybersecurity company, on top of their technology solutions, has also combined it with services that manage the entire platform for the client. It can even reach in and do remote remediation, so as soon as you see an issue within the environment, you can actually go take that machine offline, fix the problem, and bring it back, and theres no impact to the client. https://www.aish.com/jw/me/The-Missing-Israeli-Flags.html Arabs came to the protest in Tel Aviv because they oppose the very existence of a Jewish state, including its most innocuous symbol. Ever since Saturday nights demonstration against the nation-state law in Tel Aviv, which was organized by Israels Arab community, people have been talking about the presence of Palestinian flags. But too little attention has been paid to something even more disturbingthe enforced absence of Israeli ones. Certainly, demonstrators who wave Palestinian flags while chanting slogans like With blood and fire, we will redeem Palestine merit attention. As Jonathan S. Tobin noted earlier this week, those protesters clearly werent seeking to reform Israel, but to eradicate the Jewish state. Arab Israelis and activists in Tel Aviv protest against the new nation-state law on Aug. 11, 2018. Photo by Tomer Neuberg/Flash90. Nevertheless, the demonstrations organizers explicitly asked people not to bring Palestinian flags since they hoped to attract Jewish moderates rather than just the usual far-left fringe, and understood that Palestinian flags would make Jewish moderates uncomfortable. Nor is it their fault that some people ignored this request; at any demonstration with tens of thousands of participants, some people will disregard the organizers instructions. So while the chants and Palestinian flags certainly say something about the intentions of those particular demonstrators, they dont necessarily indicate the views of the majority. Whats far more telling is that the organizers also banned Israeli flags at the protest, arguing that they would make Arab demonstrators uncomfortable (here, too, some people disobeyed). They did this knowing that it would undermine their goal of strong Jewish participation since many Jews opposed to the nation-state law would still feel uncomfortable at a protest where Israeli flags were unwelcome. And this wasnt a decision by a few rebellious protesters; it was made by the Arab communitys most representative bodythe Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, which consists of elected mayors, Knesset members and other community leaders. In other words, the organizers believed that Israeli flags were unacceptable to most of their community. So they informed Jews that no partnership was possible, even over an ostensibly major shared concern, unless the Jews agreed to forgo even the most basic symbol of their Israeli identity. Imagine a protest against Trumps immigration policy at which protesters were forbidden to wave American flags. It would be ridiculous. If this doesnt immediately strike you as outrageous, try imagining, say, a protest against U.S. President Donald Trumps immigration policy at which protesters were forbidden to wave American flags. It would be ridiculous. After all, most of the policys opponents consider themselves proud Americans who object to the policy precisely because they think it contradicts Americas best values, and most of the immigrants themselves would like to become proud Americans. So why would anyone mind if American flags were present? For the same reason, Israeli flags were much in evidence at the Druze communitys protest against the nation-state law the previous week. Those demonstrators, Druze and Jews alike, considered themselves proud Israelis, nor did they have any objection in principle to Israels Jewish identity. They merely thought the law as currently worded contradicts Israels best values as a Jewish and democratic state. By banning Israeli flags, the Arab communitys protest sent the opposite message. Arabs didnt come as proud Israelis who felt that Israel was betraying its best values; they came because they oppose the very existence of a Jewish state, up to and including its most innocuous symbol: the flag. And they object to the nation-state law not because of any infelicitous wording, but precisely because it enshrines aspects of Israels Jewish identity in a quasi-constitutional law, thereby making it harder (at least theoretically) for the Supreme Court to continue eroding this identity by interpreting Jewish at a level of abstraction so high that it becomes identical to the states democratic nature (to quote former Supreme Court President Aharon Barak). In other words, Arab demonstrators were dismayed because they fear the nation-state law will impede their decades-long effort to erode Israels Jewish identitywhich, of course, is precisely why the laws supporters favor it. Lest anyone think Im reading too much into a flag ban, the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee said all this explicitly in a document it commissioned in 2006. The first operative paragraph of The Future Vision of the Palestinian Arabs in Israel reads as follows: Israel is the outcome of a settlement process initiated by the Zionist-Jewish elite in Europe and the west and realized by Colonial countries contributing to it and by promoting Jewish immigration to Palestine, in light of the results of the Second World War and the Holocaust. In other words, Israel is an illegitimate colonialist enterprise that has no right to exist. The document then proposed various mechanisms for eradicating Israels Jewish identity, such as demanding that the Arab minority be given veto power over any policy adopted by the Jewish majority. This, incidentally, would also destroy Israels democratic character: Countries where ultimate decision-making power rests with the minority rather than the majority arent generally classified as democracies. Nevertheless, over the past decade, theres been a slow, grassroots movement toward greater integration in the Arab community. So one could simply argue that more time is needed before this sentiment trickles up to the communitys leadership. But its never been clear whether this integrationist movement represented growing acceptance of a state thats both Jewish and democratic, or merely a growing belief that efforts to erase Israels Jewish identity were gaining momentum. After all, many Jews feel that the states Jewish identity is under siege, which is precisely why many supported the nation-state law. Thus it wouldnt be surprising if many Arabs had reached the same conclusion. Unfortunately, the Israeli flag ban at Saturdays demonstration indicates that the pessimistic interpretation may be more accurate. The worrying part isnt that Arab demonstrators didnt want to wave Israeli flags themselves; nobody has to wave flags at a demonstration. Its that any Jew who wanted to do so was declared persona non grata. In short, the Arab community wasnt willing countenance any form of Jewish-Arab cooperation that didnt include the Jews completely abdicating their identity. That is the real message of the missing Israeli flags. And its one that anyone dreaming of a glorious new era of Jewish-Arab civic partnership should keep in mind. Because no such partnership is possible as long as the price of entry for Jews is abandoning Israels Jewish identity. Evelyn Gordon is a journalist and commentator living in Israel. Townson is a former police officer for Prattville, Ala. He and his co-conspirators broke into a house, conspired to break into another residence and scammed Travelers Insurance by filing false information on a claim, according to WSFA. Townson collected $190,000 in insurance money after claiming that property had been stolen from his former business. However, a police search found some of the supposedly stolen property in Townsons home. In addition to his prison sentence, Townson has been ordered to pay restitution of more than $200,000. New Hampshire employers could pay less for their workers compensation insurance next year because of a filing that lowers the loss costs insurers use to develop prices. The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) filed a rate proposal with the New Hampshire Insurance Department to reduce voluntary loss costs by 14.0%. The loss cost is the portion of an employers insurance premium that pays claims costs for work-related injuries. The loss cost is ultimately used by insurers to set rates and premiums in the voluntary market. All insurers writing voluntary workers compensation in New Hampshire are required to use the new loss costs, along with a loading to cover company expenses. A decrease in workers compensation rates means a decrease in costs to New Hampshire businesses, said New Hampshire Insurance Department Commissioner John Elias. These considerable savings to employers could be used to bring more employees, higher wages and expanded operations into New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Insurance Department has scheduled a public rate hearing for 10 a.m. on October 18 to give the NCCI an opportunity to discuss the filing and interested parties and other stakeholders the ability to provide testimony or comments. After the hearing and a short public comment period, Commissioner Elias will issue a decision on the filing, and the new rates will apply to policies effective starting on January 1, 2019. The NCCI is a licensed rating and statistical organization that gathers data, analyzes industry trends and prepares workers compensation rate filings for New Hampshire and many other states. Source: New Hampshire Insurance Department Topics Trends Workers' Compensation Pricing Trends Home and business owners in New Yorks Finger Lakes region were dealing with flooded basements after heavy rains caused flash flooding that inundated roads in several towns Tuesday. A state of emergency was declared in at least one county. The Seneca County Sheriffs Office issued a no unnecessary travel alert Tuesday morning after roads flooded in four towns between Seneca and Cayuga lakes. County officials declared a state of emergency in the towns of Covert, Lodi, Ovid and Romulus. The National Weather Service said up to five inches of rain fell in that area, prompting a flash flood alert advising residents to seek higher ground. Emergency crews worked to evacuate residents surrounded by rising water, the weather service said. There were no reports of injuries. Gov. Andrew Cuomos office said he was on his way to Seneca County to survey the storm damage. The Democrats office said he planned to hold a news conference late Tuesday morning at Sunset on Seneca, a campground in the town of Lodi, on Seneca Lakes east shore. A message left on the campgrounds voice mail wasnt returned. Walter Rudolph and his wife Nancy had three-to-four feet of water in one of the two homes that make up their Glass Magnolia Bed and Breakfast in Covert. He said he woke up around 5 a.m. and watched water course through his property for the next hour. Rudolph said the flooding washed debris across his lawns and tore up his driveway, and his immediate neighbors all have damage to their property. We got whacked pretty good, Rudolph told The Associated Press over the phone. The weather service has issued flash flood warnings for parts of the Finger Lakes and New Yorks Southern Tier and bordering Pennsylvania counties, along with flash flood watches for upstate counties from central New York to New England. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Flood New York Homeowners Australias QBE Insurance Group Ltd. posted a better-than-expected 4 percent rise in first-half profit, helped by fewer natural disasters in its biggest markets, sending its shares up almost 9 percent to their highest since November. The strong result draws a line under a tumultuous period for the company that announced two profit warnings and slumped to a record annual loss last year as hurricanes swept the Atlantic and earthquakes rattled Mexico. The global insurance provider reported a net profit of $358 million for the six months ended June, compared to $345 million a year ago and a Citi forecast for $329 million. Its combined operating ratio claim payouts against premium income improved strongly, falling 240 basis points, against the 2017 financial year. The company expects the ratio to tighten further by end-December. There were no new bad surprises, said Morningstar analyst David Ellis. Theyre not stellar numbers, but when you put them all together it looks like the building blocks are being put in place, finally, to de-risk and simplify the business. Since January, when Pat Regan took over as CEO, QBE has moved to quit Latin America, selling operations there to Zurich Insurance Group AG for $409 million. It has offloaded underperforming units in Thailand and Hong Kong. These simplification initiatives will result in the exiting of businesses and portfolios that generated an underwriting loss of over $200 million in 2017, Regan wrote in a report attached to the firms annual results on Thursday. I am confident that we have the right program of work underway to meaningfully transform our business and am encouraged by our early progress. The company announced an interim dividend of 22 Australian cents, in line with last year. It marginally improved its combined operation ratio guidance for the full year to between 95 percent and 97 percent, having previously said it could have been as high as 97.5 percent. The higher the figure, the greater the payouts versus premium income, and the bigger the burden on the insurer. QBE shares rose almost 9 percent, before ending the day up almost 7 percent at A$10.89 ($7.91), while the broader market closed flat. ($1 = 1.3791 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Tom Westbrook in Sydney. Additional reporting by Nikhil Kurian Nainan in Bengaluru; editing by Grant McCool and Himani Sarkar) Topics Natural Disasters Profit Loss Australia Further evidence that Brexit is deterring European Union workers emerged in figures published Tuesday [Aug. 14]. The number of EU nationals working in the U.K. in the three months through June plunged by 86,000 from a year earlier to 2.28 million, the biggest decline since records began in 1997, the Office for National Statistics said in a report. The 3.6 percent drop was driven by citizens of the eight countries including Poland and Hungary that joined the EU in 2004. Theyre being deterred by a weakened pound, which makes their earnings in the U.K. worth less when repatriated, and the prospect of migration curbs once Britain leaves the bloc next year. Concerns about the surge in foreign arrivals over the past decade was a key reason why 52 percent of Britons voted for Brexit in 2016, though lawmakers have yet to decide on what kind of immigration system will replace the EUs free-movement policy. Prime Minister Theresa May is pledging to reduce total net migration to the tens of thousands, and industries such as farming, food and hospitality are already reporting labor shortages. Separate ONS figures published in July show that the number of EU citizens coming to the U.K. looking for work has plunged since the referendum. A government-commissioned report published earlier this year showed that businesses have become reliant on EU workers and are concerned about migration restrictions after Britain leaves the bloc, especially in lower-skilled sectors. Related: UK Should Drop Migration Target After Brexit: Business Lobby Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Europe Uk Brexit Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings Ltd. announced that its wholly owned European subsidiary R&Q Insurance (Malta) Ltd. has signed three new program underwriting partnerships or fronting arrangements with European managing general agents. They are: Futura, a Spanish MGA specializing in surety bonds Inspire, a UK-based MGA providing private motor insurance All Risks, an Italian MGA specializing in surety bonds, professional indemnity and third-party liability. By providing licensed insurance capacity and infrastructure, R&Q acts as a conduit between MGAs and non-EU licensed reinsurance capital providers, an R&Q representative explained. R&Q Malta provides a ready-made Brexit solution to European MGAs and reinsurers, the company said, noting that it is licensed to write all non-life classes in all European Union member states and is A- (Excellent) rated by A.M. Best. Similar program underwriting facilities are provided to U.S.-based MGAs via R&Q Maltas sister company, Accredited Surety & Casualty Co. Inc. We are delighted to confirm these three transactions and we look forward to finalizing a number of other deals in the coming months as we expand both the geographical spread and the number of classes we underwrite, said Colin Johnson, CEO of R&Q UK & European Program Management. These three transactions demonstrate R&Qs ability to provide high quality insurance coverage to MGAs throughout the EU, said Ken Randall, R&Q CEO and chairman. With a strong pipeline of new partnerships, R&Q is on target to exceed its expectations of at least 15 new program partnerships in Europe and the USA in 2018. R&Q Malta and Accredited to date have contracted programs expected to produce in excess of US$200 million in annual gross premiums and are on track to more than double this figure before year-end, Randall added. Source: Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings Topics Mergers Europe Underwriting Insurance Wholesale AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd. announced that Marcus Pollak has been appointed to the newly created role of head of Product Center for AXIS Re. Based in Zurich, Pollak will lead underwriting process and portfolio management activities for AXIS Re, and will report to Megan Thomas, chief underwriting officer, AXIS Re. Pollak joins AXIS Re from PartnerRe, where he spent 17 years and was most recently head of Analysis and Reporting. He also served on the companys senior management team. Prior to that, Pollak was the chief operating officer for Specialty Lines and the head of Credit and Surety. Marcus appointment as head of our newly created Product Center is an important step towards establishing a modern and sophisticated approach to underwriting and portfolio management, said Thomas. A proven leader with deep reinsurance underwriting and portfolio management expertise, Marcus is extremely well positioned to support the execution of AXIS Res goals and will be a valuable member of the Reinsurance Products team. Source: AXIS Capital Holdings Topics Mergers Supporters of legalizing recreational marijuana in North Dakota have succeeded in bringing the matter to a public vote later this year. Proponents submitted more than the required 13,452 valid petition signatures to get a measure on the November general election ballot, Secretary of State Al Jaeger announced Monday. Supporters submitted 17,695 signatures last month, and 14,637 were deemed valid, he said. The Legalize ND campaign was able to successfully channel the grassroots enthusiasm for recreational marijuana, said David Owen, chairman of the citizen group behind the petition drive. The proposal seeks to legalize marijuana for people 21 and older and also seal the records of anyone convicted of a marijuana-related crime that would be made legal under the measure. Supporters of legalizing recreational marijuana failed on a petition drive in 2016. That same year, North Dakota voters approved medical marijuana, and the state Health Department is in the process of setting up a system for the drug. Nine states and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational marijuana, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Legalize ND believes both of those developments improve the chances that a recreational marijuana measure will pass in North Dakota, generally a conservative state. We spend a lot of money imprisoning people (for marijuana). A real conservative doesnt want to lock up everybody, Legalize ND spokesman Josh Dryer said. The measure also shouldnt require an expansion of state government or additional state spending, he said. The North Dakota Sheriffs and Deputies Association believes legalizing recreational marijuana would create more problems for law enforcement in the state, where more than half of drug arrests already involve marijuana, according to statistics from the Attorney Generals Office. The association in May passed a resolution opposing the ballot measure. Officers worry about potential problems such as more impaired drivers and fatalities, and more domestic disputes. Mental health and addiction treatment facilities also could feel a strain, said Billings County Sheriff Pat Rummel, president of the association. We dont have enough facilities to take care of these people, he said. Thats going to have a huge impact, too, of where do we put these people that need to be into treatment? The association is meeting this week and will discuss how to oppose the ballot measure, Rummel said. The anti-legalization organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana also will work to oppose North Dakotas ballot measure, President Kevin Sabet said. Our nation is dealing with a five-alarm fire of addiction right now; the last thing we need is for more states to throw gasoline on it by promoting more drug use, he said. Legalize ND is planning to counter the opposition by bringing in members of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, or LEAP. The pro-legalization organization of former and current police officers, federal agents, judges and prosecutors will campaign in favor of the measure, Dryer said. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Cannabis North Dakota The former owner of multiple property/casualty insurance operations in northern Illinois has been sentenced to more than four years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $1 million in restitution for insurance fraud. U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala on Aug. 15 sentenced Todd J. Fendler, 42, of Rockford, Illinois, to 50 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. Fendler, formerly a licensed insurance producer who owned Surplus Market Solutions LLC, Northern Underwriting Managers Inc., Northern Illinois Insurance Billing Services and Northern Illinois Insurance Agency Inc., also was ordered to pay $965,879.63 in restitution to his victims. Fendler pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud on Jan. 17, 2018, following a lengthy investigation into alleged fraudulent activities intended to defraud more than 100 former insurance clients. At one point, Fendler faced an indictment that charged him with 19 counts of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud in connection with his alleged fraudulent schemes. He was first indicted in March 2017; an indictment handed down in August 2017 superseded the previous indictment. Complaints filed by former clients of Fendler and his insurance organizations with the Illinois Department of Insurance and the Missouri Department of Insurance alleged that Fendler and his company had a pattern of wrongly debiting funds from client accounts electronically, via Automated Clearing House (ACH) withdrawals, without authorization. Accounts were allegedly debited even when premiums had previously been paid or the policy had been cancelled. Even after having had his producer licenses revoked in 2014 and 2015 by the Illinois and Missouri insurance departments, Fendler continued to operate his businesses by taking advantage of legal appeals processes. In July 2016, Anjali Julka, a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Insurance, told Insurance Journal that while the licenses of NUM and that of its owner Todd J. Fendler were revoked, the revocation orders had been stayed by operation of law. Reporting on Fendlers sentencing, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Illinois said a written plea agreement confirmed Fendler obtained bank account information from businesses and individuals who had applied for insurance policies through Fendlers companies. He then used victims bank account information to create fictitious electronic checks purportedly issued by the victims and payable to Fenders companies. Fendler also made unauthorized electronic withdrawals from his clients bank accounts, as well as the bank accounts of insurance agents and agencies which Fendler did business. Fendler and Northern Underwriting Managers (NUM) at one time advertised with Insurance Journal and its affiliate, MyNewMarkets.com. IJ first became aware of the situation with NUM via complaints submitted to both sites that mirror those described in the indictment and the plea agreement. The U.S. Attorneys Office and of the U.S. Postal Inspection investigated Fendlers case. The sentencing was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Craig Goldberg, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John G. McKenzie and Scott R. Paccagnini represented the government in its case against Fendler. Related: Topics Agencies USA Fraud Illinois QBE North America has sold its personal insurance independent agency policies in 47 states to Safeco Insurance, a division of Liberty Mutual. The agreement was effective August 15, 2018. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The QBE North America 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 sale represents $230 million in gross written premium. QBE North America said the deal allows it to focus on its specialty, core commercial, program, crop and its reinsurance businesses. It is also not selling Westwood, a personal lines agency in California that it owns. 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, said Russ Johnston, CEO of QBE North America. Gary Fischer, senior vice president of Distribution Strategy and Operations Support at Safeco Insurance, said the two will work toward a smooth transition of the business. Safeco Insurance sells personal automobile, homeowners and specialty products through more than 10,000 independent insurance agencies. Australia-based QBE suffered a record annual loss last year due to hurricanes in the Atlantic and earthquakes in Mexico. For the first half of this year, the global insurer reported a net profit of $358 million for the six months ended June. In a previous adjustment in 2016, QBE North America exited the mono-line commercial auto segment. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. acted as exclusive financial advisor and Locke Lord LLP acted as legal counsel to QBE. Topics Mergers Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) has hired Scott Setzer as an executive underwriter for Aviation, and Adam Johnson as an Aviation underwriter. Setzer will be based in Alpharetta, Georgia and Johnson in Denver. They will focus on strengthening relationships with brokers and clients, securing new business as well as providing general underwriting support to the overall Aviation business in North America. Setzer joins with more than 30 years of experience in the aerospace industry, having held positions at AIG Aerospace, Global Aerospace and Travelers. Most recently, he was vice president with Berkley Aviation. Johnson most recently was a client support specialist for Transport Risk Management Inc. of Colorado, where he gained experience with unmanned aerial systems). Before this, he was a certified flight instructor for the University of North Dakota Flight Operations as well as a student services representative with the universitys Aerospace Foundation. Topics Underwriting Aviation Allianz Aerospace Global insurance brokerage Hub International Limited (HUB) has formed a comprehensive cannabis insurance and risk services offering under its Agribusiness & Farm Specialty Practice. The new offering is designed to reduce risks in all aspects of operations for medical and recreational cannabis producers, distributors and retailers. HUBs offering includes the following: General and product liability insurance Employee practices liability and directors & officers insurance Crop insurance Workers compensation cost and safety management Transportation insurance and fleet safety management Crisis coverage, including crime and cyber attacks Risk management and regulatory compliance assistance Operational hazard and site security assessments Claims management and advocacy services Employee benefits strategic planning and compliance Currently there are 26 carriers that are insuring the Cannabis industry in one way or another. HUB is working with standard and surplus lines carriers that are A rated. HUBs cannabis insurance and risk services will be managed by TJ Frost, U.S. Cannabis Segment Leader, and Phaedra Andrusiak, Canada Cannabis Segment Leader. Although marijuana is still illegal under U.S. federal law, 29 states, plus the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico, have legalized it for medicinal purposes, and eight states allow it for recreational use. Additionally, recreational marijuana has recently taken its place next to medical marijuana in being legal in Canada. Canada has nearly 100 cannabis producers. Cannabis insurance is part of HUBs recently announced Specialty Practices. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Hub International Limited (HUB) is a full-service global insurance broker providing property and casualty, life and health, employee benefits, investment and risk management products and services. Topics Excess Surplus Cannabis Canada A new insurtech agency has entered the Florida homeowners market space with a rating engine offering quotes from multiple domestic carriers and the ability to purchase coverage in one transaction. HoneyQuote.com, launching next month, was created by Franklyn Taveras and Justin Zemaitis, who are both former employees of Florida-based Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Co. and friends since they were kids. They say their agency is the future of online insurance agencies. HoneyQuote a prime example of what and independent agency will look like in the future we are going online where the consumer is, said Taveras. The current lite version of the HoneyQuote app sends customers homeowners insurance quotes within 24 hours but quotes will be available in real time once the full version of the rating engine is launched next month. Taveras said the beta mode has allowed HoneyQuote, based in West Palm Beach, to attract carriers and refine its customer experience, which he says needs to be easier and quicker from the entire industry. Customers are surprised when they hear it could take up to a week to get a [policy] quote, he said. HoneyQuote is not just about a great real time experience and quotes, but accurate rates that are viable and can cover someone that same day. Homeowners, renters and condo coverage quotes are currently available on the beta site from four Florida-based insurers: UPC Insurance, Florida Peninsula Insurance Co., FedNat Insurance Co., Edison Insurance Co. and Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Consumers enter their address, upload their current insurance policy, compare quotes from the insurers and can then bind coverage online through one of HoneyQuotes in-house licensed agents. Customers can also opt to speak with a HoneyQuote agent via the phone or online chat to buy coverage or if they have any questions. Once coverage is purchased, the policyholders documents are available through HoneyQuotes My Hive account. Available additional coverages include animal liability, earthquake coverage, flood coverage, identity theft, jewelry coverage, mold and water back-up coverage Taveras said their business model originally started with them partnering with local agencies and bringing those agencies direct carrier appointments onto to the HoneyQuote platform, but as they moved along it became clear HoneyQuote needed to be its own agency in order to take control of the customers journey and access carriers internal rating manuals and buying guides, he said. While they are still working with three local agencies, HoneyQuote is now an appointed agent with its carriers and selling through its own internal agents. Taveras said HoneyQuote is building its own management tools and down the line it could consider sharing those with other independent agencies. Taveras said they are open to investors and are still looking for additional carriers to partner with but noted their sweet spot is about six or seven. The goal is not to launch with a dozen different carriers. We are trying to find the right partners to take us across the state and really partner with us, he said. Creating the right system with the right carriers was part of the challenge in launching HoneyQuote, Taveras said, as they had to first create direct relationships with the companies and integrate the companies underwriting and rating criteria to ensure policies are properly underwritten and priced. There is little room for error when it comes to adequate pricing, Taveras said. In his previous role at Universal, Taveras was responsible for customer acquisitions for the companys direct to consumer venture where he saw the challenges carriers faced in trying to sell direct to the customer. The customers dont feel like they are getting the best rate and there is a lack of educational tools, he said. For that reason, Taveras said part of HoneyQuote.coms fundamental strategy includes offering educational content so customers can feel confident about the coverages being offered and what they are doing on our site. Taveras said a fundamental premise of HoneyQuote is to put out tools so customers know and understand the coverages they are choosing fit their profile. The goal is for people to educate themselves and we empower them to do it themselves, but of course we have a way for people to reach an agent, he said. For now, the online agency is completely focused on homeowners insurance but Taveras says they getting their feet wet with rental, landlord, and condo coverage. They have also been approached by flood insurance carriers and will test out offering that coverage very soon he said. As for the name HoneyQuote, Taveras said it has a special meaning that celebrates the years-long friendship between him and Zemaitis. Growing up, my buddies and I had a meet-up spot that we called the hive. Years later, Justin and I still used the term. So, when we finally got around to starting this business, we went through hundreds of domains and saw that HoneyQuote.com was available. We knew immediately that it was the perfect name and it has stuck ever since, Taveras said. We are childhood friends who have grown up together and shared this dream of starting our business. And here we are. Topics Carriers Agencies Florida InsurTech Tech Homeowners An upstate South Carolina city will pay $1 million to settle a lawsuit involving a bystander who died when hit by a wrong-way driver pursued by police. The Greenville News reports a municipal insurance fund will pay $750,000 to an heir of Steven Richardson and $250,000 to lawyers for the heir. Richardson died April 6, 2017, when Liberty police were chasing Nicholas Keith Blackstock on U.S. 123. Liberty Police Chief Adam Gilstrap has said police tried to pull over Blackstock for a brake light problem. But Blackstock fled at speeds up to 90 mph (145 kph), with police giving chase. He hit Richardson, a 59-year-old Easley resident who died at the scene. Blackstock was uninjured, later convicted of felony DUI resulting in death, and sentenced to 19 years in prison. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Law Enforcement South Carolina Mississippis Supreme Court says a state lawsuit against Google alleging violations of student privacy should stay in a northeast Mississippi court. The court voted 6-2 Aug. 9 to deny an appeal by the unit of California-based Alphabet Inc. Google wanted the Lowndes County lawsuit dismissed, saying Mississipi Attorney General Jim Hood filed it in the wrong place. A three-justice panel denied the appeal earlier, but Google asked the full court to reconsider. Hood, a Democrat, says Google violates Mississippi consumer protection law by selling ads using data from school services. Hood wants a judge to order Google to stop the practice. The suit says Google could be fined $10,000 for every student account in Mississippi. With half of Mississippi districts using Google services, that amount could top $2.5 billion. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Mississippi The nations largest legal marijuana market is struggling. Illicit sales continue to thrive in California and shaky supply chain has customers looking at barren shelves in some licensed 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 on Aug. 14 provided a window into the states 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 states 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 its 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. Thats 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 cant travel to make a cannabis purchase, making home delivery essential, especially in places that dont 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. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics California Cannabis Market Capitalization vs. Equity: An Overview Two of the most common ways of assessing a company's value are market capitalization and equity (also known as shareholder equity). Each term describes a different way of looking at a company's value. It is helpful to consider both to get the most accurate picture of a company's worth. Market Capitalization Market capitalization is the total dollar value of all outstanding shares of a company. It is calculated by multiplying the current share price by the number of outstanding shares. Market analysts commonly use this figure to designate a company's size, as many stock market indexes are weighted by market capitalization. Because market capitalization is dependent on share price, it can fluctuate greatly from month to month, or even from day-to-day. Key Takeaways Market capitalization is the total dollar value of all outstanding shares of a company. Equity is a simple statement of a company's assets minus its liabilities. It is helpful to consider both equity and market capitalization to get the most accurate picture of a company's worth. Market capitalization does not measure the equity value of a company. Only a thorough analysis of a company's fundamentals can do that. Shares are often overvalued or undervalued by the market, meaning the market price determines only how much the market is willing to pay for its shares. Although it measures the cost of buying all of a company's shares, the market cap does not determine the amount the company would cost to acquire in a merger transaction. A better method of calculating the price of acquiring a business outright is the enterprise value. Equity Shareholder equity is considered a more accurate estimate of a company's actual net worth. Equity is a simple statement of a company's assets minus its liabilities; it could also be seen as the net profit that would remain if the company was sold or liquidated at fair value. Unlike market capitalization, equity does not fluctuate day to day based on the stock price. Equity represents the true value of ones stake in an investment. Investors who hold stock in a company, for example, are usually interested in their personal equity in the company, represented by their shares. Yet, this kind of personal equity is directly tied to the company's total equity, thus a stockholder will also have a concern for the company's earnings. Owning stock in a company over time ideally yields capital gains for the shareholder and potentially dividends. A shareholder may also get the right to vote in the board of directors' elections. These benefits further promote a shareholders ongoing interest in the company. Key Differences Market capitalization value is nearly always greater than equity value since investors figure in factors such as a company's expected future earnings from growth and expansion. It can be helpful to make a historical comparison between market capitalization value and equity value to see if there is a trend one way or the other. If market capitalization has grown steadily higher and further above equity value, this indicates increased confidence on the part of investors. Both market capitalization and equity can be found by looking at a company's annual report. The report shows the number of outstanding shares at the time of the report, which can then be multiplied by the current share price to obtain the market capitalization figure. Equity appears on the company's balance sheet. What Is the Total Debt-to-Capitalization Ratio? The total debt-to-capitalization ratio is a tool that measures the total amount of outstanding company debt as a percentage of the firms total capitalization. The ratio is an indicator of the company's leverage, which is debt used to purchase assets. Companies with higher debt must manage it carefully, ensuring enough cash flow is on hand to manage principal and interest payments on debt. Higher debt as a percentage of total capital means a company has a higher risk of insolvency. The Formula for the Total Debt-to-Capitalization Ratio Is Total debt to capitalization = ( S D + L T D ) ( S D + L T D + S E ) where: S D = short-term debt L T D = long-term debt S E = shareholders equity \begin{aligned} &\text{Total debt to capitalization} = \frac{(SD + LTD)}{(SD + LTD + SE)} \\ &\textbf{where:}\\ &SD=\text{short-term debt}\\ 250m) portions of the Chucao vein system seen in hole L-004, are crosscut by late, barren calcite veins and veinlets, likely precipitated from steam-heated fluids. These massive and barren calcite veins have overprinted and diluted likely pre-existing hydrothermal breccias and veins. This is evident by the presence of quartz-vein breccia fragments within the late carbonate veins and carbonate cemented breccias encountered at depth in hole L-004. These breccia fragments may reflect a pre-existing mineralised quartz vein that could sub-crop in the flats under thick colluvial cover, immediately west of Cerro Millahue, where float blocks of quartz vein material occur. This idea is supported by the possibility that all the silver-rich quartz veins, veinlets and associated hydrothermal breccias encountered during this initial drill test along the Chucao vein system could represent the hanging wall expressions of the proposed new vein system lying under cover on the western edge of the Cerro Millahue dacitic dome complex. This idea requires further follow up and drilling. Elevated arsenic, antimony and mercury values suggest that the very upper portions of the epithermal vein system have been cut, with most of the drilling to date cutting structures at relatively shallow vertical depths of around 100 metres to 200 metres, with a maximum vertical depth of around 400 metres in the case of the western-most Chucao vein structure in hole L004. Current interpretations suggest that, apart from following up the possible covered vein to the west of Cerro Millahue, deeper drilling may be required. Typical ore shoots in such epithermal vein systems may have vertical extents of only 200m to 300m, and lateral extents of 100m to 300m. Additionally, and significantly, other geological, geochemical and geophysical features that may correspond to epithermal precious metals veins occur on the large property, within an overall corridor some 9Km (N-S) by 2Km (E-W), of which only a small part has been tested by drilling to date, including: Large and intense surface soil and colluvium, arsenic and antimony geochemical anomalies, in areas of little or no outcrop, some 500 metres or more to the east, southeast and south of the area targeted by the current drilling, within the Central Zone; Large area of chalcedonic silica float with possible characteristics of a high-level sinter deposit above an epithermal system, and associated with widespread surface soil and colluvium mercury anomalies, in the Northern Zone; and Magnetics features likely associated with at least three separate, en-echelon arranged, rhyo-dacitic dome complexes, centred on the North, Central and South Zones, which may be genetically and spatially related to the epithermal veins sought. All samples have been sent to ALS Chemex laboratories in Antofagasta, Chile for PREP-31B preparation, and subsequently sent to ALS Chemex laboratories in Lima, Peru for Au-AA24 analysis for gold, and ME-ICP61m analysis for 33 elements including silver. Mercury analyses are also being carried out using the Hg-MS42 (0.005 -100 ppm) package. Quality control measures include the insertion of 10% of standard materials, including blanks, together with 10% of field duplicates and 5% of analytical duplicates. ABOUT LORO Loro is located along the highly productive Paleocene (or Central) Mineral Belt in northern Chile that contains several important gold, silver and copper mines and projects. The project is located along trend and just 25 km due south of the Yamana Gold owned and operated, multi-million-ounce gold-silver district of El Penon. The project also lies just a few kilometers east of Revelo's important Las Pampas project, also prospective for low-sulphidation, epithermal precious metals veins. The 4,800-hectare Loro project area is located at relatively low altitudes (1,800m to 2,000m), has subdued topography, and is easily accessed, being located within a short driving distance from the Pan-American Highway along a dirt road, some two hours' drive from Antofagasta and 2.5 hours from Taltal. The Loro project is currently subject to an option, sale and royalty agreement with a subsidiary of Hochschild. Under the agreement, Revelo will operate Phases 1 and 2 of the exploration program (to end Year 3). Hochschild can earn a 100% interest in the Loro project over a maximum of five (5) years in exchange for a series of in-ground investments and/or drilling commitments totalling US$13 million and/or 30,000 metres, and a series of cash payments to Revelo totalling US$5.3 million. Further payments totalling US$15 million are due once the option has been exercised by Hochschild. Revelo will be the beneficiary of a 1% NSR royalty on any future production from the property. (See Company's News Releases dated June 6, 2017and September 05, 2017). For further details of the Loro Project please refer to the Loro Project page on Revelo's website (www.reveloresources.com). Dr. Demetrius Pohl, Ph.D., Certified Professional Geoscientist (CPG), an independent consultant, is the Company's Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosures for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators and has approved the written disclosure of the technical information contained in this news release. ABOUT REVELO Revelo has interests in an outstanding portfolio of projects prospective for copper, gold and silver located along proven mineral belts in one of the world's top mining jurisdictions Chile. The Company has a combination of wholly-owned projects (available for option, JV or sale), option agreements, royalty interests (non-producing to date), and equity interests in mining and exploration companies. Revelo's total exposure to mineral tenements in northern Chile, either wholly-owned or through royalty interests, is around 200,000 hectares. Revelo is a Canadian company and is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: RVL). For more information, please visit Revelo's website at www.reveloresources.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Michael Winn" Michael Winn, Chairman INVESTOR CONTACT Timothy J Beale President & CEO T: +1 604 687-5544 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.reveloresources.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Revelo 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 words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "indicate" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Revelo 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 may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Loro Project Geology Map Loro Project Drilling Program Completed Loro Project Schematic Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCwire) - PPX Mining Corp. (the "Company" or PPX) is pleased to announce that over 2,741 tonnes of bulk sample grading 8.30 gpt gold were mined and processed during the month of June 2018 at Mina Callanquitas. In addition, 215 metres of lateral mine development and exploration were also completed during the month as the Company continues to focus on the development of underground mine infrastructure. Highlights of the bulk sampling results for June are given below: The Companys mining partner Proyectos La Patagonia S.A.C. (PLP) provided the Company with a detailed report on operations at Mina Callanquitas for June 2018. PLP reports that 2,741 tonnes of gold mineralized rock were shipped to the Malin Plant of Silver Cascas S.A.C. (Silver Cascas). The average gold grade of the mineralized material was 8.30 gpt gold. Gold recoveries from processing the mineralized rock at the Silver Cascas processing plant ranged from 73.0% to 88.1%, consistent with gold recoveries observed in previous bulk samples. Since the inception of the test-mining program, PPX has bulk-sampled over 29,953 tonnes of mineralized material from the previously defined Inferred Resource at Mina Callanquitas. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the mineral resource will be converted into mineral reserves. PLP also completed over 215 metres of lateral development and exploration during the month of June. The development work will allow the use of real-life development costs in the Companys Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) that is expected to be completed in September 2018. With the completion of the PFS, it is anticipated that the bulk-sampling program will be concluded. The information in this press release and the test-mining/bulk sampling program do not represent a decision by the Company to commence commercial production at the Igor Project. The test-mining/bulk sampling program is designed to gather the required data to produce an accurate economic evaluation in the Companys PFS. Brian J. Maher, President and CEO of PPX Mining commented: PPX is working closely with our independent geological, engineering, and metallurgical consultants in order to complete the Igor Project PFS as soon as possible. Our consultants project a September timeline for completing the document. All data, including the most recent bulk-sampling results, are in their hands and the information is being integrated into the data analysis and PFS preparation. We look forward to reaching the Pre-Feasibility milestone and moving on to the next phase in advancing the Igor Project. About PPX Mining Corp: PPX Mining Corp. (TSX.V: PPX.V, SSE: PPX, BVL: PPX) is a Canadian-based exploration and development company with assets in northern Peru. Igor, the Companys 100%-owned flagship gold and silver project, is located in the prolific Northern Peru gold belt in eastern La Libertad Department. PPX is pursuing a two-prong strategy to further develop and explore the Igor Project. The Company has begun work on its underground test mining and bulk sampling program which is designed to upgrade the resource estimate and generate data to evaluate the possibility of future mine development at Igor through the PFS process. Simultaneously, PPX is accelerating its exploration program at Igor in order to fully evaluate the resource potential of the entire Igor project area. The Callanquitas Structure is open along strike and at depth. A new discovery has been made in the Portachuelos area that can potentially add significant new precious metal resources to the project. Coupled with the Domo and Tesoros exploration targets, Igor is evolving into a district scale project with multiple large mineralizing centers, each with significant gold and silver resource potential. Evaluating mine development alternatives at Callanquitas in parallel with exploration discovery provides dual catalysts for growth and increasing shareholder value. Previous exploration on the Callanquitas Structure discovered a significant Inferred gold and silver resource: 7,189,000 tonnes grading 1.94 gpt gold and 71.8 gpt silver containing 448,500 ounces of gold and 16,600,000 ounces of silver at a cutoff grade of 1.5 gpt gold equivalent. Included within this resource estimate is a higher grade zone consisting of 2,730,000 tonnes grading 2.73 gpt gold and 119.1 gpt silver containing 239,400 ounces of gold and 10,500,000 ounces of silver using a 3.0 gpt gold equivalent cutoff grade (Please see Technical Report, amended September 27, 2013, available on the Companys website or SEDAR). Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the mineral resource will be converted into mineral reserves. All scientific and technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Quentin J. Browne, P.Geo., Independent Consulting Geologist to PPX Mining Corp., who is a qualified person under the definitions established by National Instrument 43-101. On behalf of the Board of Directors Brian J. Maher President and Chief Executive Officer FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: PPX Mining Corp. Brian J. Maher, President and Chief Executive Officer Phone: 1-530-913-4728 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website: www.ppxmining.com Cautionary Statement: Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain disclosure in this release, June constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Canadian securities legislation. In making the forward-looking statements in this release, the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable. However, the forward-looking statements in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that June cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Such uncertainties and risks are detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the appropriate securities commissions, and June include, among others, market conditions, and delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required regulatory approvals or financing. 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. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, 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 law. TORONTO and VANCOUVER, Aug. 16, 2018 /CNW/ - Minera Alamos Inc. ("Minera" or the "Company") (TSXV: MAI) is pleased to announce the positive results of an independent Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for its La Fortuna Project (the "Project") in Durango, Mexico. The PEA was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") by CSA Global Geosciences Canada Ltd (CSA Global) of Toronto, Canada. (Note to reader: Unless stated all currency references are in US dollars). Table 1 - PEA Summary US$ CDN$ Pre-Tax NPV (7.5%) $103,800,000 $134,800,000 Pre-Tax IRR 122% 122% After-Tax NPV (7.5%) $69,800,000 $90,600,000 After-Tax IRR 93% 93% Pre-Tax Payback Period 9 months After-Tax Payback Period 11 months Average Annual Production 43,000 oz Gold, 220,000 oz Silver, 1,000 t Copper (50koz GEO1) Preproduction Capital $26,900,000 $34,900,000 LOM Average AISC 2 $440/oz $571/oz Mine Life 5 years Mill Throughput (avg. tpd) 1,100 Mill Grade & Recovery 3.68 g/t Au (90% recovery) Gold Price $1,250/oz Silver Price $16/oz Copper Price $5,725/tonne FX Rate (CDN$/US$) 0.77 Notes: 1. GEO Gold Equivalent Ounces 2. "AISC per ounce" is a non-GAAP financial performance measures with no standardized definition under IFRS; additional reference info at bottom of release 3. Base case prices for gold, silver and copper were assessed at values approximately 2%-7% below the three-year trailing average prices for each of the metals and below the majority of the publicly available forward looking estimates available as of July 2018 PEA Cautionary Note: Readers are cautioned that the PEA is preliminary in nature and there is no certainty that the PEA results will be realized. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Additional work is needed to upgrade these mineral resources to mineral reserves. "With an after-tax Internal Rate of Return in excess of 90%, today's excellent PEA results confirm that the La Fortuna Project provides a robust base for the next phase of gold production in the Company's growth pipeline," commented Darren Koningen, Chief Executive Officer. "The simplified gold recovery process outlined in the study represents a conservative starting point that is well suited to the initial project resource which, to date, has been based exclusively on previously drilled mineralization. As our engineering work progresses we continue to find opportunities to reduce the initial project capital requirements and improve overall project economics. Coupled with our strategic partnership with Osisko Gold Royalties that includes an option to provide a significant portion of the project capital requirements in return for a Project royalty, these additional optimizations will greatly reduce the upfront funding requirements of this already low capital cost operation." "This PEA represents a key milestone for the Company as we begin to deliver to the market's attention the underlying project economics of our development pipeline that focuses on cost-efficient and targeted production that can incrementally build a significant production profile over time," commented Doug Ramshaw, President. "With the recently submitted commercial permit applications at the Santana project and ongoing work at the Company's Guadalupe de los Reyes project we are aggressively expanding our activities on multiple fronts. We continue to envision a plan whereby targeted production from the development of the Santana project will support the modest capital requirements of the La Fortuna operation." Production and Economic Highlights Production highlights Average annual contained-metal production of approximately 50,000oz Gold Equivalent (43,000oz Gold, 220,000oz Silver, 1,000t Copper). 5-year mine life based on initial resource "starter pit" with 2.0 Mt of mineralization (3.68 g/t Au, 20 g/t Ag, 0.27% Cu) processed at 1,100 tpd average processing rate. 215koz of Gold, 1.1Moz of Silver, and 5kt of Copper produced in concentrates. Robust economics using metals prices of $1,250 /oz Au, $16 /oz Ag, and $5,725 /t Cu: All-In Sustaining Cost (AISC) of $440 /oz [net of by-product credits] After-Tax NPV at 7.5% of $69.8M and IRR of 93%. Pre-Tax NPV at 7.5% of $103.8M and IRR of 122%. /oz Au, /oz Ag, and /t Cu: Low initial capital costs and rapid payback: Pre-production capital costs of $26.9M . Payback period of 3.9 11 months. 2,000 t/d mill already purchased awaiting shipment to site reduces up-front capital. Significant Upside Current PEA completed on project "starter pit" resource only, a single zone of drilled mineralization that appears to remain open geologically. Additional milling capacity project permitted for a 2,000 tpd operation with the PEA based on a starting rate of 1,100 tpd. Numerous opportunities for significant economic improvement improved gold recoveries, reduced initial capital costs, etc. Table 2 - Overview of PEA Results and Assumptions Unit Base Case Inputs Gold Price $/oz $1,250 Silver Price $/oz $16 Copper Price $/t $5,725 Exchange Rate MXP/USD 19 Economics Net Cash Flows (Undiscounted) $ $141,000,000 Pre-Tax NPV at 7.5% $ $104,000,000 IRR % 122% Payback Period Months 9 Economics Net Cash Flows (Undiscounted) $ $96,000,000 Post-Tax NPV at 7.5% $ $70,000,000 IRR % 93% Payback Period Months 11 NPV Discount Rate Sensitivities Pre-Tax Net Cash Flows (Undiscounted) $ $141,000,000 NPV at 5% $ $114,000,000 NPV at 10% $ $94,000,000 Post-Tax Net Cash Flows (Undiscounted) $ $96,000,000 NPV at 5% $ $77,000,000 NPV at 10% $ $63,000,000 Capital & Operating Cost Estimates Table 3 - Initial and Sustaining Capital Costs (CAPEX) Area Initial ($000) Sustaining ($000) Total ($000) Mining (contractor mobilizations) $1,000 $1,000 Site Development/Infrastructure $3,500 $3,500 Mineral Processing $15,000 $7,100 $22,100 Tailings Management $2,000 $2,000 Closure $3,000 $3,000 Salvage Value ($3,000) ($3,000) Contingencies (incl. owner's costs) $5,400 $5,400 TOTAL PROJECT $26,900 $7,100 $34,000 *Note: Start-up working capital to be provided by concentrate purchasers on credit revolver basis. Table 4 - Operating Costs (OPEX) Area $/tonne Mineralized Material*2 $/unit Open Pit Mining $11.80 $2.15 per tonne mined Processing $15.95 $22.89 per tonne milled Stockpile/Ore Sorting*1 $1.73 $4.00 per tonne sorted G&A $3.86 $5.54 per tonne milled All-In OPEX $33.34 Notes: 1. "Ore Sorting" as used in the context of Table 4 is a commercial term referring to sensor-based rock sorting technology and is not related to project resources/reserves. Ore sorting equipment is implemented in Year 3 for upgrading of mid-grade stockpiles 2. "Mineralized Material" represents mined material in excess of 0.8 g/t Au cut-off (includes direct milling material + stockpiled material to be upgraded via ore sorting prior to milling) Mineral Resources This PEA is based on a new mineral resource estimate prepared for the La Fortuna project by Scott Zelligan, P.Geo., as part of the current report. The mineral resource estimate is based on the results from 125 core drill holes completed to date on the project. Wireframes were prepared using the drill hole information combined with geological interpretations of the deposit and validated through observations and sampling of accessible historical underground openings. Further details related to the current mineral resource estimate are presented in a later section. The table below outlines the total base case Mineral Resources, including those that were not included as part of the PEA mine plan. Table 5 - Mineral Resource Estimates (1.0 g/t Au cutoff grade) Resource Category Au (g/t) Cut-off Tonnes (t) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Cu (%) Au oz Ag oz Cu t Measured 1.0 1,755,400 2.96 17.5 0.23 167,100 987,800 4,000 1.5 1,309,700 3.55 19.5 0.25 2.0 1,012,100 4.09 21.0 0.28 2.5 795,300 4.59 22.4 0.30 3.0 639,400 5.04 23.5 0.32 Indicated 1.0 1,714,300 2.59 15.5 0.21 142,800 854,400 3,600 1.5 1,241,400 3.11 17.5 0.24 2.0 886,400 3.65 19.2 0.27 2.5 626,600 4.24 21.0 0.30 3.0 458,500 4.80 22.2 0.32 Measured + Indicated 1.0 3,469,700 2.78 16.5 0.22 309,800 1,842,200 7,600 1.5 2,551,100 3.34 18.5 0.24 2.0 1,898,500 3.88 20.2 0.27 2.5 1,421,900 4.44 21.8 0.30 3.0 1,097,900 4.94 23.0 0.32 Inferred 1.0 156,300 1.72 8.5 0.09 8,600 42,700 100 1.5 78,612 2.21 9.2 0.10 2.0 38,059 2.73t 11.1 0.12 2.5 18,169 3.28 13.1 0.14 3.0 7,589 4.04 15.6 0.18 Notes: 1. The effective date for this mineral resource estimate for La Fortuna project is July 13, 2018. All material tonnes and metal values are undiluted. 2. Mineral Resources are calculated assuming a cut-off grade of 1.0 g/t Au, which is considered reasonable and consistent for this type of deposit with open pit mining methods. 3. Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. 4. The mineral resources presented here were estimated using a block model with a parent block size of 5 m by 5 m by 5 m sub-blocked to a minimum block size of 0.6 m by 0.6 m by 0.6 m using ID3 methods for grade estimation as this method best represented the grade distribution in the sample data. 5. Due to the geometry of the deposit and the nature of the grade distribution, the estimation was divided between the upper and lower portions of the mineralized volume with search parameters optimized for each portion. 6. Individual composite assays were capped at the following values according to histogram/probability and decile analyses 30 g/t gold, 60 g/t silver, 1% copper 7. A density of 2.65 t/m3 was chosen for the tonnage estimate. Data available from dry bulk density studies indicated an average density of 2.72 t/m3 for mineralized material, while the quartz monzonite material had an average density of 2.61 t/m3. The value of 2.65 was chosen by averaging the two then rounding down to the nearest 0.05 interval to be conservative 8. The mineral resources presented here were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by CIM Council May 10, 2014. 9. The mineral resource estimate was prepared by Scott Zelligan, B.Sc., P.Geo., and independent resource geologist of Coldwater, Ontario. 10. Gold price is US$1,250/ounce, silver price is US$16/ounce, and copper price is US$5,725/tonne. 11. The number of metric tonnes is rounded to the nearest hundred. Any discrepancies in the totals are due to rounding effects. Mining The mineralization at the Project extends close to surface and is amenable to conventional open pit mining methods utilizing front-end loaders and trucks. Using a preliminary Whittle pit shell for the deposit ($1,250/oz gold, $2.50/t mining, $30.00/t processing, 95% recovery, 45-degree pit slopes) as a guide a full open pit mine plan was completed. LOM mineralized material was separated in grade baskets (+0.8, 1.2, 1.6, 2.0 g/t Au) so that a more complete engineering cost evaluation could be completed and used as the basis of a final five-year production plan for the project. Mineralized material was grouped as Direct Milling (>1.6 g/t Au) and Mid-Grade (0.8 1.6 g/t Au) which is to be stockpiled and upgraded via ore sorting prior to milling (starting Year 3). No inferred resources were utilized in the PEA mine planning and further optimization efforts aimed at cut-off grades and the smoothing of waste mining activities may provide additional economic upside for the project. Table 6 Fortuna Processing Plant Mill Feed Schedule (diluted) Year Total Mill Feed (tonnes) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Cu (%) Gold (ounces) Total Mined Material (tonnes) 1 380,000 3.86 21.24 0.29 47,200 2,814,400 2 380,000 3.91 20.27 0.27 47,800 2,848,200 3 410,000 3.39 21.85 0.28 44,700 2,335,700 4 410,000 3.47 19.98 0.29 45,800 4,637,200 5 418,400 3.78 16.79 0.22 50,900 3,095,700 1,998,400 3.68 19.96 0.27 236,600 15,731,200 Notes: 1. Mill Feed totals include direct milling material (1,626,000 tonnes) and mid-grade stockpiled material upgraded starting in Year 3 via crushed ore sorting (372,400 tonnes). 2. Mine dilution applied as follows 10% for direct milling material (dilution grade equivalent to average grade of next lower mine grade basket) and 25% for low-grade material to stockpile (0.5 g/t Au dilution grade 3. Total mined material values include all production from open pit mine (mineralization + waste) for noted intervals. Pit bench heights were selected at 5m intervals in order to provide good ore/waste selectivity although use of larger bench heights in zones of primarily waste should be considered as part of future optimization studies. Overall average pit slopes with the benches/ramps in place are approximately 43 degrees for three sides and 41 degrees overall for the north wall. Rock competency is reasonable and higher pit slopes may be considered once the appropriate geotechnical information is available. Mineralized and waste materials are hauled using 25t trucks approximately 500m (maximum) to the waste dumps/mineral stockpile locations near the mine. Crushed stockpile material is then transported to the plant processing facilities located at a distance less than 1.5km. All drilling/mining/crushing operations at the Project will be accomplished via an open pit mining contractor. Mining costs were developed for the project from first principals utilizing recent Mexican cost information. Contractor availability in northern Mexico is currently high and rates are competitive. An appropriate profit factor was applied to the calculated owner operator rates and the values were benchmarked against recent operational experience by Minera Alamos mining personnel. An additional factor was applied to account for the fact that the project is located a few hours from a major population base. Mine planning and supervision activities will be performed by Minera Alamos personnel and these costs are excluded from contractor rates. Processing A simplified base case process was utilized for the La Fortuna plant site. Mineralized material from the mine is stockpiled and crushed to a size of <3/4" prior to being transported to the process plant. The overall processing facilities consist of a primary coarse grind to 80% passing 250-300 microns followed by a bulk sulphide concentrate flotation. Bulk concentrate is reground (80 microns) prior to a final flotation producing a copper concentrate. Centrifugal gravity gold recovery circuits are included in both the primary and concentrate reground circuits to extract free gold as a concentrate. Tailings from the flotation circuit are dewatered via filtration and dry-stacked in the tailings containment area adjacent to the processing plant. Overall gold recovery for the PEA study has been conservatively estimated at 90%. No final gold refining facilities are to be constructed at the Fortuna site although this decision can be revisited in the future should site production rates increase. Approximately half of the gold is extracted as a gravity concentrate which will be cyanide leached at site and loaded onto activated carbon for shipping outside of Mexico for final dore production. The other half of the recovered gold reports to the copper flotation concentrate (along with the majority of the copper and silver) which is filtered and transported to the port facilities at Guaymas (approximately 500 km) for final sale. The Company has purchased a used 2000 tpd processing facility (grinding/flotation/filtration) that has been used as the basis for the Fortuna project processing facilities. The size of the major equipment items allows for plant throughput to be increased from the currently assumed 1100 tpd rate as the size of the project resource increases. DEXTR (x-ray) ore sorting has been included in the overall project plans as a method to upgrade mid-grade (0.8-2.0 g/t Au) mineralized material from the mine (and future potential project resources). Testwork has demonstrated that sorting of this material at normal project crush sizes can recover +80% of the contained gold into a sorted concentrate with gold contents similar to the high grade (3.5 4.0 g/t Au) direct milling material from the mine. It is conservatively assumed that an ore sorting machine will be purchased and installed in Year 3 of mining operations to upgrade this material. In the current operations plan only 20% of the LOM contained gold ounces sent to the processing plant have been upgraded in this manner. Table 7 - Summary of La Fortuna Metallurgical Results Product Grade Metal Recoveries (%) Au (g/t) Silver (g/t) Copper (%) Au Silver Copper Mill Feed (LOM) 3.68 20 0.27 Products Gravity Concentrate*1 N/A 45 Copper Flotation Concentrate 120 1250 18 45 85 90 *1Gravity concentrate is leached in cyanide and adsorbed onto activated carbon for shipping offsite for final processing. For PEA modelling purposes it was assumed that gold was the only material payable metal recovered by gravity Infrastructure Access The La Fortuna project is accessible by road from Culiacan (Sinaloa state capital population approx. 1MM), a driving distance of approximately 85 kilometers. At present the road is paved to within approximately 30 km of the town El Barco which is situated at the river immediately south of the project area. The remaining road is graveled, graded and of reasonable width for much of the route. It has been anticipated that some relatively minor upgrading of portions of this road (primarily in areas with a sharp turning radius) will be required in order to improve access for larger trucks to reach the Fortuna project area. Preliminary engineering has been completed to locate new access roads within the project area required for start of the La Fortuna operations. This includes a total of approximately 5 km of gravel surface suitable for the operation of mining trucks. Road from planned open pit to new processing plant area 1.5 km Initial mine truck access roads around planned open pit 2 km Miscellaneous additional access roads around mine/plant -- 1.5 km Power The closest small villages to the Project site (El Barco and San Fernando) have less than 100 inhabitants and are currently not serviced via the national power grid. Grid power is being extended along the state highway from Culiacan as it is widened and paved (currently within 30km of the project) but it is unknown when it will ultimately be available and what load capacity would exist. It is assumed for the foreseeable future that all power required for the Project will be generated at site via diesel generators. The total operating plant power load is estimated at approximately 2MW which will be supplied via multiple generator units (operating + standby) to build in redundancy for maintenance, etc. Primary generators are to be located within close proximity to the processing plant area so site power line requirements will be negligible. Wherever possible, large power consumers not associated with the processing plant (i.e. portable crushers) are self-contained with local diesel hydraulic/electric generation. Small auxiliary generators will be utilized as necessary for minor requirements (i.e. plant camp/offices). At current fuel prices in Mexico power generation via diesel equipment is equivalent to an electric power cost of $0.25-0.30/kWh which has been used for budgeting. Should grid power eventually arrive at the project area, power costs for the project would be reduced by 50% or more. Water Management The Humaya river flows roughly northwest-southeast approximately 500m from the planned La Fortuna processing plant area. This river has a year-round supply of flowing surface water and discussions with the relevant permitting authorities have indicated that the project would be permitted to extract river water directly for process uses. In addition, a seasonal creek bed that runs east-west and connects with the Humaya river is located a few hundred meters south of the plant site. Hydrogeological studies are underway to establish optimal sources of groundwater that would also be suitable for the project's requirements. Based on local observations, it is expected that river/ground water levels occur at the 250-300m elevation (above sea level). Water would be pumped from this elevation the short distance to the plant site which is located just above 500m (above sea level). Process water removed from the plant filtered tailings will be recycled as much as possible in order to minimize fresh process water make-up requirements. Permitting Status The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for mining projects in Mexico starts with an application for the following primary permitting documents: MIA - Manifestacion de Impacto Ambiental (Environmental Impact Statement) ETJ - Estudio Tecnico Justificativo (Technical Justification Study) that includes the ER - Estudio de Riesgo (Risk Study) and PPA - Programa de Prevencion de Accidentes (Accident Prevention Program) Following the completion of the EIA process a number of other registrations and local/state permits are required before the start of commercial production. Important among these are water rights through the Comision de Agua (National Water Commission or CONAGUA), permits for the storage and use of explosives as well as construction permits from the local municipality. The MIA-ETJ permit applications were submitted by Minera Alamos for the La Fortuna project in 2018 and are pending. The submitted permitting documents included an expanded scope of processing facilities that included additional stages not required for the current start-up plan (i.e. concentrate cyanidation and detoxification). This provides the company with added flexibility in the future to modify the existing operation in order to accommodate new potential regional sources of mineralization. The Company does not currently own any surface rights in the La Fortuna area. The surface rights over the area are held jointly by the residents of the Tabahueto ejido (a Mexican agricultural cooperative). In 2016 the Company started the discussions with the local ejido regarding the necessary surface rights for the development of the La Fortuna project. On February 16th, 2017 at a general meeting the community voted unanimously to enter into a 25-year agreement to rent 235 Ha of surface area required by the Company (agreement signed formally in June 2017). Sensitivity Analysis Table 8 - Sensitivity Analysis (7.5% discount / after-tax) NPV ($million) Input Factor Input -30% -20% -10% Base +10% +20% +30% Metal Prices/Recovery 25.1 40.0 54.9 69.8 84.7 99.6 114.5 OPEX 84.1 79.3 74.6 69.8 65.0 60.3 55.5 CAPEX 77.3 74.8 72.3 69.8 67.3 64.8 62.3 Chart 1 Sensitivity Analysis of Project NPV Project Opportunities The PEA identifies several project opportunities to further enhance project economics. These include: Footprint of the current known deposit is very small compared to the overall land position. Exploration potential exists over the 6200 Ha land package. A number of other areas of historical mining activities have been identified but most of the area has never been explored using modern exploration methods. No Inferred resources have been utilized in the current mining plans. Further step out drilling may be able to define additional extensions of the current resources. Further metallurgical test work to optimize the gold extraction process and further improve overall metal recoveries. A staged plant construction plan (possibly involving earlier use of ore sorting) to further reduce the initial start-up CAPEX and then expand the facilities once production is underway. Additional mine planning optimization studies to evaluate opportunities to delay portions of early waste removal until later in the mine life Further optimization studies are underway to determine if a more aggressive use of ore sorting may offer additional economic benefits for the project (i.e. plant CAPEX reductions, increased mineable gold ounces, etc.) Trade-off studies aimed at optimizing cut-off grades (w/wo ore sorting) and the incorporation of additional milling capacity the project is permitted for a 2,000 tpd operation with the PEA based on a starting rate of 1,100 tpd. Qualified Person Statements The 2018 PEA was prepared and led by CSA Global Geosciences Canada Ltd., in collaboration with other consultants, all Qualified Persons ("QPs") as defined under Canadian National Instrument 43-101. The QPs have reviewed and approved the content of this news release. All of the QPs are "independent" of the Company pursuant to National Instrument 43-101. The executive summary of the 2018 PEA, and subsequently a technical report will be posted on the Company's website and filed on SEDAR within 45 days. The PEA was conducted under the overall review and supervision of CSA Global Geosciences Canada Ltd of Toronto Ontario with the following Qualified Persons contributing to their respective sections. The listed Qualified Persons have reviewed the data contained in this news release and verified that it is accurately disclosed. Felix Lee P.Geo., Principal Consultant, CSA Global Geosciences Canada Ian Trinder P.Geo. Principal Consultant, CSA Global Geosciences Canada Scott Zelligan P.Geo., Independent Resource Geologist Bruce Brady P.Eng., Senior Associate Mining Engineer, CSA Global Geosciences Canada Chris Campbell-Hicks P.Eng., Senior Associate Metallurgist, CSA Global Geosciences Canada Gordon Watts P.Eng., Senior Associate Mining Engineer, CSA Global Geosciences Canada Mr. Darren Koningen, P.Eng, a 'Qualified Person' as defined under Canadian National Instrument 43101, is responsible for the other technical information (information not directly related to the PEA) in this news release. Conference Call The Company plans to host a telephone conference call to discuss the PEA results and general corporate plans. Conference call information will be provided publicly in the near future. About Minera Alamos: Minera Alamos is an advanced stage exploration and development company. Its growing portfolio of high-grade Mexican projects includes the La Fortuna open pit gold project in Durango and the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project in Sinaloa as well as the now combined Santana/Los Verdes gold-copper project in Sonora. The Company is well financed to conduct all of its planned exploration and development activities and continues to pursue additional project acquisitions in Latin America. Additional information about Minera Alamos Inc. and its La Fortuna Gold Project, can be found on the Company's website at www.mineraalamos.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . ON BEHALF OF MINERA ALAMOS INC. "Darren Koningen" CEO & Director NON-GAAP Financial Performance Measures The Company has included certain non-GAAP performance measures (All-in Sustaining Cost "AISC") in this document. The Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, certain investors and other stakeholders also use this information to evaluate the Company's economic performance estimates; however, these non-GAAP performance measures do not have any standardized meaning. Accordingly, these performance measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. The Company's primary business is gold asset development and maximizing returns from future gold production, with other metal production being incidental to the gold production process. As a result, where applicable, the Company's non-GAAP performance measures are disclosed on a per gold ounce basis. The Company has followed the guidance note released by the World Gold Council, which became effective January 1, 2014. The World Gold Council is a non-regulatory market development organization for the gold industry whose members comprise global senior gold mining companies. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release may contain forward-looking information and Minera Alamos cautions readers that forward-looking information is based on certain assumptions and risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations of Minera Alamos included in this news release. This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements", which often, but not always, can be identified by the use of words such as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". These statements are based on information currently available to Minera Alamos and Minera Alamos provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements with respect to Minera Alamos' future plans with respect to the Projects, objectives or goals, to the effect that Minera Alamos or management expects a stated condition or result to occur and the expected timing for release of a resource and reserve estimate on the Projects. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, results of exploration, the economics of processing methods, project development, reclamation and capital costs of Minera Alamos' mineral properties, the ability to complete a preliminary economic assessment which supports the technical and economic viability of mineral production could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons. Minera Alamos' financial condition and prospects could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: an inability to finance and/or complete an updated resource and reserve estimate and a preliminary economic assessment which supports the technical and economic viability of mineral production; changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand and prices for minerals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological and operational difficulties encountered in connection with Minera Alamos' activities; and other matters discussed in this news release and in filings made with securities regulators. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of Minera Alamos' forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on Minera Alamos' forward-looking statements. Minera Alamos does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by Minera Alamos or on its behalf, 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 THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 16, 2018) - Bayhorse Silver Inc., (TSXV: BHS) ("Bayhorse" or the "Company") is pleased to report both high silver, and good gold values from the newly accessible Big Dog mineralized zone, Bayhorse Silver Mine, Oregon, USA. The high-grade sample results received from Big Dog Zone at the eastern end of the newly opened 550 foot portion of the historic workings, are tabulated below: Sample Type Ag Oz/t Ag g/t Grab 73.00 2,270.5 Chip 18.50 575.4 Chip 27.00 838.8 Chip 19.50 606.5 Grab 56.20 1,748.0 Grab 32.50 1,010.8 Chip 5.28 164.2 (Chip & grab samples are selected samples and are not representative of the mineralization hosted on the property). These samples compare favorably with the sampling done in this zone by Cordex (1976) and Silver King in 1984, when historical mining reported 5,718 tons of which 23% graded between 21 oz/t 653 g/t) and 100 oz/t (3,110 g/t), 71% that graded between 6 oz/t (186 g/t and 20 oz/t (622 g/t) with the remainder grading under 6 oz/t. Additional sampling along the 1,500 feet of newly exposed workings is being undertaken by the Company, including long hole drilling sampling, to confirm other historical drilling results, and assays will be disclosed when received. The Company has been advised by Apex Geoscience Ltd (Apex), that it is in the final stages of preparing a revised NATIONAL INSTRUMENT-43-101 Technical Report on the Bayhorse that is anticipated to be completed and delivered in early September. Silver bearing stockwork Big Dog Zone. Photo encompasses a width of approximately 1 m. Bayhorse CEO, Graeme O'Neill comments: "Discovery of gold along with the very high grade silver in this zone, that mirrors the published historic sampling assay results, and identifying one of the number of mineralized zones Silver King blocked out in preparation for mining in 1984 should be extremely encouraging for our investors." As part of the NI-43-101 Report the Company has completed a review of the performance of the Steinert XRT ore-sorter and is pleased to report that it has shown consistent upgrading factor for sulfide material of between 20 and 25 times, that is far in excess of the originally calculated 5 to 10 times. Assaying for the samples reported above was undertaken by American Anaylytical Services of Labs of Osburn, Idaho. The analytical method used for the silver analysis consisted of a AT sample subjected to fire assay with gravimetric finish. This News Release has been prepared on behalf of the Bayhorse Silver Inc. Board of Directors, which accepts full responsibility for its contents. Dr. Stewart Jackson, P.Geol., a Qualified Person and Consultant to the Company has prepared, supervised the preparation of, or approved the technical content of this press release. On Behalf of the Board. Graeme O'Neill, President 604-684-3394 Bayhorse Silver Inc., a junior exploration company, has earned 100% interest in the historic Bayhorse Silver Mine, Oregon, USA. The Company has an experienced management and technical team with extensive exploration and mining expertise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 16, 2018) - Westminster Resources Ltd. (TSXV: WMR) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Farm-In Agreement with AusQuest Limited (ASX: AQD). The Agreement covers 5 of the 36 Peruvian copper licences recently acquired by Westminster, covering 4,900 hectares. These particular licences form part of the Ilo Sur project, which Westminster acquired along with the flagship Ilo Norte and Ilo Este projects. The Farm-In Agreement contemplates AusQuest completing 13,000 metres of drilling over 7.5 years to earn 65%, with an option to earn 75% by completing a Pre-Feasibility Study. Glen Indra, Westminster's President and CEO, commented: "AusQuest is an active and well-funded explorer in the southern Peru region, and we welcome their involvement in our portfolio of projects. I'd like to thank Chris Gale, incoming director of Westminster, for his assistance in arranging this agreement, and look forward to AusQuest success, while Westminster focuses on its wholly-owned Ilo Norte and Ilo Este Copper Projects." The 5 licences being farmed to AusQuest are part of a 12,225 ha project area lying southwest of Westminster's Ilo Este Copper Project. AusQuest have licences adjacent to the Westminster licences which were drilled in 2016, providing them with encouragement to continue exploring this area for a possible buried porphyry copper target. From a regional geological perspective, this project area is dominated by a Cretaceous-age diorite-granodiorite batholith, with coincident magnetic and radiometric anomalies adjacent to known structures, hosting multiple porphyry targets. Terms of the Farm-In Agreement include an 18-month Phase 1 program to identify drill targets, a 3-year Phase 2 program of a minimum 3,000 m of drilling to earn the initial 35%, a 3-year Phase 3 program of a further 10,000 m of drilling or US$2.5 million of additional expenditure (whichever comes first) to achieve 65% interest, and then a final Phase 4 PFS program, to complete a Pre-Feasibility Study to achieve a 75% interest in the licences. Once AusQuest has earned 75%, it can offer to buyout Westminster's remaining 25% interest for fair market value. This news release has been reviewed and approved by Kerry Griffin, MAIG. (a qualified person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101, standards and disclosure for mineral projects.) About AusQuest: AusQuest Limited is an active exploration company, focused on base metals in large-scale provinces currently Peru and Western Australia. AusQuest has attracted significant funding from major mining companies over the last 15 years, most recently with a Strategic Alliance with South32 (spun out from BHP Billiton in 2015). Under the terms of the SAA, South32 has exclusive rights to AusQuest's projects by funding selected projects up to the drilling stage and can elect to spend a further US$4.0 million on each project to earn a 70% interest with the right to earn an additional 10% interest by completing Pre-Feasibility Studies. AusQuest is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange under the symbol AQD. About Westminster: Westminster Resources is a Latin American focussed mining exploration company. The company has recently acquired a 100% interest in a package of highly prospective copper properties in southern Peru. These properties total over 36,000 hectares within the country's prolific coastal copper beltsource of nearly half of Peru's copper production. Prior work has identified both porphyry and IOCG style mineralization. The company also holds a 100% interest in the 18,000-hectare El Cobre property in Sonora, Mexico, prospective for world-class epithermal and copper-gold porphyry systems. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WESTMINSTER RESOURCES LTD. "GLEN INDRA" President & CEO For further information regarding Westminster Resources Ltd., please call 604-608- 0400, Toll Free: 1-877-608-0007. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward- looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward- looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release may include, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, including the proposed transaction with Latin Resources Limited and closing of such transaction. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, those risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. 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. Results Include 37.35 g/t Au Over Two Meters MONTREAL, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ALGOLD RESOURCES LTD. (TSXV: ALG the Corporation) today announced further preliminary assay results from its Phase IV 25,000-meter drilling campaign carried out on the Corporations Tijirit property (Tijirit) in Mauritania. Highlights Hole T18RC059 (Eleonore South) 37.35 g/t Au over 2 meters, including 60.7 g/t Au over 1 meter on section E8380, within the open pit limits defined in the preliminary economic assessment, and 30 meters north of hole T16RD041, which intersected 36.09 g/t Au over 1 meter, including 65.0 g/t Au over 0.5 meters (reference Algolds press release dated June 15, 2017). Hole T18RD054 (Eleonore South) 11.23 g/t Au over 2.7 meters, 7.65 g/t Au over 3.3 meters and 6.04 g/t Au over 4 meters on section E8430, located 40 meters below hole T17RC112, which intersected 1.21 g/t Au over 8 meters. Infill drilling on the same section, 58 meters above hole T18RD054, identified a visible gold bearing quartz-carbonate shear vein 59 meters depth in hole T18RD055 21.9 g/t Au over 0.5 meter.(Figure 1) Hole T18RC089 (Eleonore South) 1.75 g/t Au over 10 meters on section E7780, located 16 meters above hole T16RC077, which intersected 0.74 g/t Au over 4 meters. Hole T18RC090 (Eleonore South) 7.97 g/t Au over 3 meters on section E7825, located 25 meters south of hole T17RC122, which intersected 8.16 g/t Au over 5 meters (reference Algolds press release dated September 12, 2017). These drilling results reported, from the Eleonore South zone, continue to validate the spatial continuity of the mineralization identified to date and, importantly, demonstrate that high grades are recurrent along strike and dip. (Figure 2) The Eleonore South mineralization extends over 1.2 kilometers from north to south and is the southern-most zone defined thus far on the 3.4-kilometer-long Eleonore structure. Several discrete shear zones that may control the high-grade gold mineralization remain largely untested at depth. The Eleonore South zone geology is similar to other zones, with the mineralization hosted within mafic volcanics and quartz-rich porphyry; it is separated from Eleonore Central by a fault. Detailed observations from core drilling suggest dominant steep-dipping mineralized zones related to regional schistosity and folds. The presence of a possible shallow east-dipping late mineralized shear is being currently tested. Rheological contrasts and zones of weakness are important factors in the controlling of shear propagation and mineralization emplacement. The Phase IV 25,000-meter program was initiated on May 7, 2018 with an objective to complete an initial 15,000 meters of drilling by mid-July in order to upgrade inferred resources to the indicated and measured category using a 40x40-meter grid. To date, Algold has completed 12,900 meters of reverse-circulation (RC) and 6,930 meters of diamond drilling (DD). From the initial 15,000 meters of drilling, the Corporation is in receipt of results from approximately 80% of RC and 37% of core samples that were sent to the laboratory for analysis. Table 1: New Assay Result Highlights - Phase IV Drilling Program Hole ID Prospect East UTM North UTM From (m) To (m) Vertical Depth* (m) Average Grade ** (g/t Au) Width*** (m) T18RC059 Eleonore South 10282.14 8386.04 146 148 119 37.35 2 Including 146 147 119 60.7 1 T18RC066 Eleonore South 9933.5 7731.56 88 92 70 1.21 4 T18RC068 Eleonore South 9822.74 7726.24 96 100 78 1.61 4 T18RC072 Eleonore South 9904.52 8085.91 29 30 27 3.54 1 T18RC074 Eleonore South 9978.56 7677.56 96 97 75 8.05 1 T18RC076 Eleonore South 9855.11 7657.83 68 72 53 1.28 4 T18RC081 Eleonore South 9991.24 8077.85 65 66 49 1.56 1 86 88 66 3.36 2 T18RC082 Eleonore South 9868.15 7704.8 86 88 68 10.49 2 T18RC085 Eleonore South 9949.02 7706.88 36 37 28 4.8 1 T18RC089 Eleonore South 9820.31 7774.56 38 48 34 1.75 10 T18RC090 Eleonore South 10188.1 7825.19 29 32 23 7.97 3 T18RC091 Eleonore South 10199.93 7879.06 32 34 25 2.02 2 T18RC092 Eleonore South 10275.3 8309.69 34 40 29 1.64 6 T18RC093 Eleonore South 10022.2 8282.33 34 36 27 6.68 2 44 48 35 1.16 4 T18RC094 Eleonore South 9969.1 8001.85 26 28 21 1.8 2 75 77 59 1.91 2 T18RC095 Eleonore South 9995.55 8231.94 200 201 162 12.9 1 T18RC101 Eleonore South 10235.38 8305.7 10 11 8 1.31 1 23 24 18 2.14 1 T18RC102 Eleonore South 10257.05 8309.52 15 22 14 1.66 7 36 37 28 2.05 1 64 65 50 1.27 1 98 100 78 4.32 2 T18RD054 Eleonore South 9954.74 8428.84 92.3 95 72 11.23 2.7 162 165.3 126 7.65 3.3 180.5 184.5 141 6.04 4 T18RD055 Eleonore South 9897.91 8405.62 58.8 59.3 45 21.9 0.5 T18RD060 Eleonore South 10113.85 8326.92 21.45 22.45 17 1.92 1 *Vertical depth of intersection below RL collar. **Weighted average grade, composite based on a minimum grade of 0.3 g/t Au with an internal dilution of 0.005 g/t Au over 2 meters and an edge grade of 0.25 g/t Au permitted. ***Down-hole length (estimated between 70-90% of true width of mineralization). No capping of higher values has been applied. Note: Complete assay results are available on Algolds website (www.algold.com). Detailed geological descriptions of all mineralized zones can be found on Algolds website (www.algold.com) and on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) in the report entitled, Algold 43-101 Technical Report: Tijirit Maiden Mineral Resources Estimates for the Tijirit Gold Project in Mauritania. Following completion of the initial 15,000 meters of Phase IV drilling, Algold commenced the remaining 10,000 meters of drilling, which is aimed at testing the depth and strike extensions at Eleonore, as well as defining resources over new high-priority targets at Eleonore East and Salma. Algold looks forward to updating the market with additional exploration results in the near future. Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC) Analytical work for drill core and chips, geochemical samples and rock chip samples is being carried out at the independent SGS Laboratories Ltd. in Bamako, Mali. The 50 g fire assay with ASS finish analytical services are accredited by SANAS and are carried out with a quality assurance protocol in line with ISO 17025:2005. Samples are stored at the Corporations field camps and put into sealed bags until delivered by a geologist on behalf of Algold to the laboratory in Bamako, Mali, where samples are prepared and analyzed. Until the end of 2016, samples were analyzed at ALSs facility in Loughrea, Ireland. Beginning in 2017, samples are analyzed at SGS Laboratory, Bamako. Samples are logged in the tracking system, weighed, dried and finely crushed to better than 70%, passing a 2 mm (Tyler 9 mesh, US Std. No.10) screen. A split of up to 1,000 g is taken and pulverized to better than 85%, passing a 75-micron (Tyler 200 mesh) screen, and a 50-gram split is analyzed by fire assay with an AA finish. Anomalous samples greater than 5 g/t Au are re-analyzed by 50 g fire assay with gravimetric finish. Selected samples may be re-analyzed using a 1 kg cyanide leach (Bottle Roll) using LeachWELL or the 1 kg screen fire assay method. Blanks, duplicates and certified reference material (standards) are inserted to monitor laboratory performance during the analysis. This press release has been reviewed for accuracy and compliance under National Instrument 43-101 by Andre Ciesielski, DSc., PGeo., Algold Resources Ltd Lead Consulting Geologist and Qualified Person, and Alastair Gallaugher, C.Geo. (Chartered Geologist and Fellow of the Geological Society of London), BSc. Geology, Algolds Exploration Manager in Mauritania, Qualified Persons as defined by NI 43101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Andre Ciesielski has further approved the scientific and technical disclosure in the news release. ABOUT ALGOLD Algold Resources Ltd is focused on the exploration and development of gold deposits in West Africa. The board of directors and management team are seasoned resource industry professionals with extensive experience in the exploration and development of world-class gold projects in Africa. Algold is the operator of all of its exploration licenses in Mauritania. Algold owns 100% of Tijirit, which represents an area of more than 1,000 km2, situated approximately 25 kilometers southeast of the Tasiast gold mine as well as the Akjout properties, which were acquired from Gryphon Minerals (Australia) through a transaction completed earlier in 2016. Exploration is being carried out on the Eleonore, Sophie I, Sophie II-III and Lily zones. The Kneivissat property is 90% owned by Algold and the Legouessi property is being managed through a 51% earn-in interest agreement with Caracal Gold LLC. Algold can earn up to a 90% interest in the Legouessi exploration permit (reference Algolds press release dated October 10, 2013 for more details), however, Caracal has the right to participate in the joint venture at either 51% or 75% by funding its share of expenditures. CAUTIONARY LANGUAGE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This press release contains and refers to forward-looking information based on current expectations. All other statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward-looking statements (or forward-looking information). The Corporation's plans involve various estimates and assumptions and its business is subject to various risks and uncertainties. For more details on these estimates, assumptions, risks and uncertainties, see the Corporation's most recent Annual Information Form and most recent Management Discussion and Analysis on file with the Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and 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 that are included herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. For further information, please contact: Algold Resources Ltd. 1320, boul. Graham, bureau 132, Mont-Royal, Quebec, H3P 3C8, www.algold.com Samples return 0.9% to 3.3% Li2O at the FD5 Pegmatite Samples return 0.5% to 2.9% Li2O at the Eagle Pegmatite High purity Spodumene blade sample from FD5 assays 7.62% Li2O Over 100 pegmatites now mapped at Lithman East/Lithman East Extension projects; assays from more than 200 samples pending VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AZINCOURT ENERGY CORP. (Azincourt or the Company) (TSX.V: AAZ, OTC: AZURF), in conjunction with its JV partner, New Age Metals (TSX.V: NAM), is pleased to provide details on the current lithium exploration program underway in the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field, Manitoba, Canada. Lithium Two Project Sample Results The first assays from the summer exploration program have been received and reviewed. Channel samples obtained at the Eagle Pegmatite returned values from 0.5 to 2.9% Li2O (Lithium Oxide) (See Table 1). Assays from the FD5 Pegmatite returned values from 0.9 to 3.3% Li2O (See Table 2). The Lithium Two Project contains several known Spodumene bearing pegmatites. The 1100-meter long Eagle Pegmatite was drilled in 1947 with an historic (non-43-101 compliant) tonnage estimate of 544,460 tonnes grading 1.4% Li2O* to the 61-meter level and remains open to depth. The FD5 Pegmatite, located east of the Eagle Pegmatite, has never been drilled. All samples recently obtained at Lithium Two returned lithium values, with 14 samples returning greater than 1000 ppm Li. Highlights from grab samples obtained from the Eagle and FD5 pegmatites are tabled below: Eagle Pegmatite 2018 Assay Results (> 1000 ppm Li) Sample # UTM E UTM N Type Li2O % Cs ppm Rb ppm Ta ppm 172772 325650 5609759 Assay 0.84 52.1 1640 134 172773 325855 5609806 Assay 2.88 32 551 40.9 172774 325898 5609795 Assay 1.86 43.1 1160 75.9 172775 325804 5609786 Assay 0.87 26.2 658 57.4 172791 325855 5609806 Assay 0.52 54 1020 39.3 Table 1: Eagle Pegmatite 2018 Assay Highlights FD5 Pegmatite 2018 Assay Results (> 1000 ppm Li) Sample # UTM E UTM N Type Li2O % Cs ppm Rb ppm Ta ppm 172755 326393 5609879 Assay 0.94 1180 1180 340 172756 326395 5609878 Assay 3.25 217 607 75 172763 326396 5609879 Assay 3.10 158 470 77.7 172764 326397 5609884 Assay 2.97 392 997 213 172766 326396 5609875 Assay 0.25 618 781 116 172767 326403 5609877 Assay 2.00 162 1100 73.1 172768 326391 5609875 Assay 0.29 589 2360 224 Table 2: FD5 Pegmatite 2018 Assay Highlights In an effort to check the purity of the Spodumene, a sample of Spodumene blade (sample # 172753) was extracted from the FD5 Pegmatite. This sample yielded an assay value of 7.62% Li2O. A review of Spodumene Mineral Data (Click Here) indicates that Spodumene can contain Li2O content from 3.73% to 8.03% Li2O. This would tend to indicate that the Spodumene present in the pegmatite dykes on the project is high in purity. The phase one exploration work has already yielded meaningful results, said president & CEO, Alex Klenman. Sampling has reconfirmed the lithium bearing characteristics of Eagle and FD5, and, although already drill ready, this data will greatly assist us in determining priority locations for the upcoming drill program. In addition, mapping at Lithman East and the Lithman East Extension was very successful, having established the significant presence of over 100 pegmatites. These are the first results from the JV work to date, and we are pleased to report not only strong sample grades but also a substantial addition to our inventory of known pegmatites. The reality is we have a lot of ground and the overall potential of what this ground may yield is just coming into view. With additional mapping of project ground, more than 200 samples currently at the lab, and 3000 meters of drilling to come, the next few months will be a busy time, continued Mr. Klenman. Exploration on the Lithium Two Project consisted of reviewing, characterizing and sampling of known surface pegmatites. Fractionation samples of feldspars and micas were also collected, and this will give the Company an indication as to the degree of fractionation of the pegmatite, with the more fractionated pegmatites being the bodies that are more conducive to containing lithium and other rare metal minerals. Figure 1: Significant Lithium Assays at the Lithium Two Project, SE Manitoba * The mineral reserve estimate cited above as part of the Lithium Two project is presented as a historical estimate which does not conform to current National Instrument 43-101 standards. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Although the historical estimates are believed to be based on reasonable assumptions, they were calculated prior to the implementation of National Instrument 43-101 standards. These historical estimates therefore do not meet current standards as defined under sections 1.2 and 1.3 of NI 43-101; consequently, the issuer is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Cat 4 - Western Extension of the Eagle Pegmatite As detailed in a July 11, 2018 news release, New Age Metals has also entered into an agreement with Grid Metals (formerly Mustang Minerals) for the rights to explore for lithium on the claim (Cat 4) directly adjacent to the west of the Lithium Two Project, bringing this project into the existing joint venture with Azincourt. Upcoming field work will examine the strike projection of the Eagle Pegmatite as well as prospect the recently staked Cat Lake Project claims (See News Release dated June 6, 2018). Compilation of historic assessment reports revealed a Spodumene bearing pegmatite drilled in the late 1940s approximately 500 meters southeast of the Eagle Pegmatite surface exposure but not exposed on surface. No grades were provided at the time. This pegmatite will be drill tested during the upcoming drill program. The Company applied for drill work permits in the spring of 2018 and is presently waiting for approval from the province. Lithman East Project Update Presently the field crew is completing exploration on the Lithman East Project where over 100 surface pegmatites have now been observed, examined and sampled (see Figure 2). As well, limited field work has been undertaken on the Lithman East Extension Project. Figure 2: Examined Regions on the Lithman East/Extension Projects 2018 Lithman East/Extension - Mapped and Sampled Areas (as referenced in Figure 2): Lithman East-Lithman East Extension site visits have now observed 114 individual pegmatite units within four regional pegmatite field areas (see Figure 2). All pegmatites observed have varying degrees of evolved mineralogy with all observed sites containing potassic feldspar to albite feldspar mineralogy. One trenched site contains beryl mineral crystallization in an albite pegmatite. To date a total of 193 samples have been obtained from Lithman East Project, and a total of 17 samples have been obtained from Lithman East Extension sites. Assays are pending. 1. Booster Lake - Mapped & Inferred pegmatite occurrences Figure 3: Pegmatites observed in the Booster Lake area All observed mapped and inferred pegmatites (drawn in white) range from 1 to 3 meters surface thickness with undetermined strike length due to limited outcrop exposure. Some pegmatites measure as wide as 30 meters thickness. The pegmatite units are generally strata form with regional stratigraphic and/or major regional structural fabric, but local late oblique veining also is common. 2. Flanders-Summerhill Lakes - Mapped & inferred pegmatite occurrences Figure 4: Pegmatites observed in the Flanders-Summerhill Lakes area All observed mapped and inferred pegmatites (drawn in white) generally range from 1 to 3 meters surface width with undetermined strike length due to limited outcrop exposure. Some pegmatites measure as wide as 30 meters thickness - often with a sinusoidal contact shape indicating favorable fold structural dilation proximal to major fold axial traces. In the Flanders-Summerhill area, pegmatite occurrences increase in population proximal to inferred major fold/fault dilation sites near inferred axial traces. The pegmatite units are generally strata form with regional stratigraphic and/or major regional structural fabric, but local late oblique veining also is common. 3. Birse Lake (Lithman East Extension) - Mapped & Inferred pegmatite occurrences Figure 5: Pegmatites observed in the Birse Lake (Lithman East Extension) area All observed mapped and inferred pegmatites (drawn in white) generally range from 1 to 10 meters surface width with undetermined strike length due to limited outcrop exposure. South of Horodyski Lake, some albite pegmatites measure as wide as 250 meters surface width - often with a sinusoidal contact shape indicating favorable fold structural dilation proximal to major fold axial traces. South of the Horodyski Lake area, significant widths of albite pegmatite occurrences may represent a flattened axial trace proximity similar to and regionally aligned with the Tanco Pegmatite. The pegmatite units are generally strata form with regional stratigraphic and/or major regional structural fabric, but local late oblique veining also is common. 4. Osis Lake - Mapped & Inferred pegmatite occurrences Figure 6: Pegmatites observed in the Osis Lake area All observed mapped and inferred pegmatites (drawn in white) range from 1 to 10 meters surface thickness with undetermined strike length due to limited outcrop exposure. North and East of Osis Lake, some albite pegmatites measure as wide as 250 meters surface width - often with a sinusoidal contact shape indicating favorable fold structural dilation proximal to major fold axial traces. Significant widths of albite pegmatite occurrences may represent an axial trace proximity. The pegmatite units are generally strata form with regional stratigraphic and/or major regional structural fabric, but local late oblique veining also Is common. Lithman North Project Update The exploration crew has completed surface exploration on the Lithman North Project with 30 samples collected and sent to the assay lab. The Company is awaiting results. Results will be combined with 2016 field work for a final report on the project. QA/QC Protocol All samples were analyzed at the Activation Laboratories facility, in Ancaster, Ontario. Samples were prepared, using the labs Code RX1 procedure. Samples are crushed, up to 95% passing through a 10 mesh, riffle split, and then pulverized, with mild steel, to 95%, passing 105 m. Analyses were completed, using the labs Ultratrace 7 Package; a Sodium Peroxide Fusion which allows for total metal recovery and is effective for analysis of Sulphides and refractory minerals. Assay analyses are carried out, using ICPOES and ICPMS instrumentation. New Age Metals implemented a QA/QC field program with insertion of blanks at regular intervals. Activation Laboratories has their own internal QA/QC procedures that it carries out for all sample batches. Azincourt Energy New Age Metals Lithium Joint Venture The pegmatites in this region of southeast Manitoba are described as being a part of the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field. Several large lithium-bearing pegmatites exist in this region and exploration activity in the region is increasing. This pegmatite field is host to the world-class Tanco Pegmatite, which is a highly fractionated Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum (LCT Type) pegmatite and has been mined in varying capacities since 1969. The LCT-type pegmatites can contain large amounts of spodumene (one of the primary ores used in hard rock lithium extraction) and are a primary geological target in hard rock lithium exploration. They also can contain economic qualities of tantalum and cesium as well as other lithium bearing minerals such as mica. With eight projects totalling over 14,000 hectares the Azincourt-New Age JV is the largest claim holder for Lithium Projects in the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field. For a map of the project locations please visit www.azincourtenergy.com. Qualified Person The contents contained herein that relate to Exploration Results or Mineral Resources is based on information compiled, reviewed or prepared by Carey Galeschuk, a consulting geoscientist for New Age Metals. Mr. Galeschuk is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release. About Azincourt Energy Corp. Azincourt Energy is a Canadian-based resource company specializing in the strategic acquisition, exploration and development of alternative energy/fuel projects, including uranium, lithium, and other elements critical to the future. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF AZINCOURT ENERGY CORP. Alex Klenman Alex Klenman, President & CEO 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. This press release includes forward-looking statements, including forecasts, estimates, expectations and objectives for future operations that are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Azincourt. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information represents managements best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. For further information please contact: Alex Klenman, President & CEO Tel: 604-638-8063 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Azincourt Energy Corp. 1430 800 West Pender Street Vancouver, BC V6C 2V6 www.azincourtenergy.com Rights groups Thursday condemned a suicide blast inside a school that killed dozens of students in Kabul one day earlier, as outrage over the attack grew while tearful families buried loved ones in the war-weary Afghan capital. The Islamic State-claimed blast hit an education centre in a Shiite area of western Kabul where students were studying for college entrance exams. The attack was just one of the most shocking in a blood-soaked week across Afghanistan that has left security forces and civilians reeling. Two gunmen attacked an intelligence training centre in Kabul Thursday, firing on security forces for several hours before they were killed, police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said. There were no other casualties, he said, and no group has claimed the attack. Taliban militants also delivered high-profile, demoralising blows in the strategic city of Ghazni which they attacked last week, forcing security forces backed by US air power to struggle for days to push them out and in Faryab, where they captured a northern base, killing at least 17 soldiers. Security forces in Afghanistan, beset by desertions and killings, have taken staggering losses since US-led NATO combat troops pulled out of the country in 2014. The weeks violence has raised questions over their ability to hold off the resurgent Taliban. But civilians have long taken the brunt of the violence in Afghanistan especially in Kabul, a target of both the Taliban and IS and Wednesdays attack on the school was branded a war crime by Amnesty International. The majority of the victims were children, most aged between 16 and 18, authorities have said, and studying for their university entrance exams. Amnesty warned it proved beyond any doubt that Afghanistan and, in particular, its capital Kabul, are not safe, and said European countries must stop returning Afghan refugees to the war-torn country. UNICEF, meanwhile, branded the attack deplorable and called for parties on all sides of the conflict to protect children. Outrage was also growing on social media, where Afghans condemned the attack and angrily denounced those behind it as well as the government for failing to protect them. Facebook user Ramazan Ali Ramazan described the victims as an asset to the country. Death and hatred to this government and filthy terrorist that everyday they are killing innocent Afghans, he added. They are killing us Families of the dead held a mass funeral Thursday where mourners wept and clutched the wooden coffins. An industrial-sized digger helped soften the arid ground for the fresh graves as men removed rocks from the soil with pickaxes. Mourners decried the unrelenting bloodshed, while others dismissed murmurings of possible ceasefires and peace negotiations between the government and the Taliban, even though the attack was claimed by IS. Death to your ceasefire and death to your ghost peace talks, cried one of the funeral attendees. They are killing our educated people and every day they are killing us. The surge in violence comes just weeks after Afghans marked an unprecedented country-wide ceasefire between the Taliban and government forces in June, giving some temporary relief to civilians. The brief respite sparked hopes the truce could clear the way for talks to end the nearly 17-year-old conflict. However the devastating attacks across the country in recent days have led many to question how such negotiations could move ahead. Everyday we are witnessing deadly attacks in Kabul and other major cities. So, I believe the Taliban do not believe in peace talks, said shopkeeper Shahenshah Shahin in Kabul. Analysts have suggested the Taliban may be trying to shore up its position before any potential negotiations by proving they can hit government installations at will. The Taliban will try to have an upper hand during talks, so we cant rule out more attacks until a ceasefire, said Taliban expert Rahimullah Yusufzai. Its the fighting season and the Taliban will want to rack up victories before winter. The group has been conducting blistering attacks on security forces across Afghanistan, including the massive, days-long onslaught on the eastern city of Ghazni during the past week. Small pockets of Ghazni began opening up to humanitarian aid Thursday, while partial mobile service returned after telecommunications infrastructure and government buildings were destroyed during the onslaught. The UN has warned of unconfirmed reports suggesting up to 150 civilians might have been killed in the fighting. Militant attacks and suicide bombings were the leading causes of civilian deaths in the first half of 2018, according to a recent UN report. Sen. Jerry Moran to present Landon Lecture at Kansas State University Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 MANHATTAN U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, Kansas, will deliver the first Landon Lecture of the 2018-2019 school year at Kansas State University. Moran's lecture, "Answering the call: Serving a global society post 9/11," will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, in Forum Hall at the K-State Student Union, and is open to students, faculty, staff and the public. Sept. 11, 2018, marks the 17th anniversary of the day terrorists launched the largest attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor. It's a day not to be forgotten and a day that has changed the world in many ways, from international relations and world trade to security and defense. In this Landon Lecture, Sen. Moran will reflect on how these attacks invigorated his call to service and helped inform his ongoing priorities in Washington, D.C., on behalf of our global society. "Landon Lectures are an incredible opportunity for the K-State community to hear firsthand from today's national and international leaders," said Linda Cook, chair of the Landon Lecture Series and the university's chief of staff and director of community relations. "That's why we're especially pleased to kick off this year's lecture series with Sen. Moran, who has been representing Kansas in the U.S. Congress since 1996, first as a member of the House and now as a member of the Senate." A senator since 2011, Moran is a member of the Appropriations, Commerce, Veterans' Affairs, Banking and Indian Affairs committees. He is co-founder and a member of the Senate Hunger Caucus, Senate Community Pharmacy Caucus and the Senate Economic Mobility Caucus. He serves as co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Down Syndrome, Senate Aerospace Caucus, the Senate NIH Caucus and the Senate Defense Communities Caucus. Before his election to the Senate, Moran served seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. He has been returning to Kansas each weekend since he was first elected to Congress in 1996, and holds town hall meetings in all 105 Kansas counties during every session as part of his "Kansas Listening Tour." Moran's service has earned several prestigious honors, including the Science Coalition's Champion of Science Award and the National Rural Health Association's Legislative Award in 2014, the National Down Syndrome Society's Impact Award in 2017 and the inaugural Dennis Moore Alzheimer Champion Award from the Alzheimer's Association of Central and Western Kansas in 2018. Originally from Plainville, Moran attended Fort Hays State University and then the University of Kansas, completing a degree in economics. After an early career as a banker, he received his law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law where he graduated Order of the Coif. A member of the board of governors of the KU School of Law, the board of trustees of the Fort Hays State University Endowment Foundation and a former trustee of the Eisenhower Foundation, Moran is an active member of the Lions Club, Rotary Club and the Sons of The American Legion. He also serves on the U.S. Military Academy's board of visitors and previously served on the U.S. Air Force Academy's board of visitors. Moran and his wife, Robba, live in Manhattan and have two daughters Kelsey and Alex who both hold degrees from Kansas State University. The Alfred M. Landon Lecture Series is one of the most prestigious lecture series in U.S. colleges and universities. Instituted in 1966 by former Kansas State University President James A. McCain, the series is a tribute to the late Alfred M. Landon, who served as governor of Kansas from 1933-1937. On Dec. 13, 1966, Gov. Landon delivered the series' first lecture, "New Challenges in International Relations." Sept. 9, 2018, would have marked Gov. Landon's 131st birthday. Wheat code finally cracked; wheat genome sequence will bring stronger wheat varieties to farmers Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 The sun rises on a Kansas State University wheat plot in Manhattan. | Download this photo. MANHATTAN Kansas State University scientists, in collaboration with the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium, published today in the international journal Science a detailed description of the complete genome of bread wheat, the world's most widely cultivated crop. This work will pave the way for the production of wheat varieties better adapted to climate challenges, with higher yields, enhanced nutritional quality and improved sustainability. The article is titled "Shifting the limits in wheat research and breeding using a fully annotated reference genome." The research article authored by more than 200 scientists from 73 research institutions in 20 countries presents the reference genome of the bread wheat variety Chinese Spring. The DNA sequenceordered along the 21 wheat chromosomes is the highest-quality genome sequence produced to date for wheat. It is the result of 13 years of collaborative international research and the support of the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Kansas farmers and many others. "It is a dream come true for Kansas wheat farmers, who were the first to invest in the wheat genome sequencing project and were pivotal in rallying U.S. wheat farmers in support of the wheat genome sequencing project," said Bikram Gill, distinguished professor emeritus of plant pathology at Kansas State University who organized the first National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Agriculture-sponsored workshop planning meeting on wheat genome sequencing in Washington, D.C., in 2003. A key crop for food security, wheat is the staple food of more than a third of the global human population and accounts for almost 20 percent of the total calories and protein consumed by humans worldwide, more than any other single food source. It also serves as an important source of vitamins and minerals. Kansas farmers grow an average of 340 million bushels of wheat each year, but acres planted to wheat have dropped dramatically over the past decade, from 10 million acres to fewer than 8 million. To meet future demands of a projected world population of 9.6 billion by 2050, wheat productivity needs to increase by 1.6 percent each year. To preserve biodiversity, water and nutrient resources, the majority of this increase has to be achieved via crop and trait improvement on land currently cultivated, rather than committing new land to cultivation. In order for farmers to dedicate these precious resources to wheat production rather than production of other crops, wheat farming must become profitable. With the reference genome sequence now completed, breeders have at their fingertips new tools to address global challenges. They will be able to more rapidly identify genes and regulatory elements underlying complex agronomic traits such as yield, grain quality, resistance to fungal diseases and tolerance to physical stress and produce hardier wheat varieties. "Completion of the sequence is a landmark event that will serve as a critical foundation for future wheat improvement," said Allan Fritz, Kansas State University professor of agronomy and wheat breeder. "It is the key to allowing efficient, real-time integration of relevant genetics, making the selection process more efficient it's a turbocharger for wheat breeding." It is expected that the availability of a high-quality reference genome sequence will boost wheat improvement over the next decades, with benefits similar to those observed with maize and rice after their reference sequences were produced. "Kansas wheat farmers have been supporting the wheat genome sequencing efforts through the Kansas Wheat Commission's wheat assessment since the establishment of the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium in 2005, with a cumulative amount of nearly a quarter of a million dollars," said Justin Gilpin, chief executive officer for Kansas Wheat. "The sequence of the bread wheat genome has already had a positive effect on wheat improvement, which not only affects the science behind wheat breeding, but has a long-lasting positive outcome in regard to wheat producer productivity, profitability and, ultimately, livelihoods." Sequencing the bread wheat genome was long considered an impossible task because of its enormous size five times larger than the human genome and complexity bread wheat has three sub-genomes and more than 85 percent of the genome is composed of repeated elements. "It is exciting to be a part of this landmark achievement," said Jesse Poland, associate professor at Kansas State University and director of the Wheat Genetics Resource Center and the U.S. Agency for International Development Innovation Lab for Applied Wheat Genomics. "This international effort, toward something that was once deemed impossible, will have tremendous impact on wheat in Kansas, and the world." The impact of the wheat reference sequence has already been significant in the scientific community, as exemplified by the publication on the same date of six additional publications describing and using the reference sequence resource, one appearing in the same issue of Science, one in Science Advances and four in Genome Biology. In addition, more than 100 publications crediting the reference sequence have been published since the resource was made available to the scientific community in January 2017. "We are extensively using the new reference sequence for more informed molecular breeding," Poland said. "It is really having a big impact." In addition to the sequence of the 21 chromosomes, the Science article also presents the precise location of 107,891 genes and of more than 4 million molecular markers, as well as sequence information between the genes and markers containing the regulatory elements influencing the expression of genes. The International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium achieved this result by combining the resources it generated over the last 13 years using classic physical mapping methods and the most recent DNA sequencing technologies; the sequence data were assembled and ordered along the 21 chromosomes using highly efficient algorithms, and genes were identified with dedicated software programs. All consortium reference sequence resources are publicly available at its data repository at URGI-INRA Versailles and at other international scientific databases such as GrainGenes and Ensembl Plants. The International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium, with 2,400 members in 68 countries, is an international, collaborative consortium, established in 2005 by a group of wheat growers, plant scientists, and public and private breeders. The goal of the consortium is to make a high-quality genome sequence of bread wheat publicly available, in order to lay a foundation for basic research that will enable breeders to develop improved varieties. 217 Shares Share If someone asked you on day one of medical school, as a fresh-faced first year, to name the essential components of a successful career, what would you have answered? A solid education? Good test scores? Publications? An $800 otoscope? Some are more obvious than others. Who of the enlightened among us would have mentioned a proper work-life balance? How about a strong support system or the right mentor? Navigating the jungle of career advancement in the medical field can be treacherous without a guide, and, the experts agree, finding mentors can be paramount to your future success. That necessity is heightened for women physicians, who face barriers to promotion. KevinMD is ripe with physician commentary and advice concerning the subject. For example, Dr. Julie Silver at Harvard Medical School discusses the definitions and roles of sponsors versus mentors. Whatever term you use, the goal remains the same: finding someone senior who will provide specific opportunities and use her influence to help open doors. For most overachieving budding physicians, however, the question surrounding mentorship and sponsorship may not be: why, but rather: how. Who do I look for? Where do I look for them? What do I say when I meet them? For some, seeking out the right person might be as difficult and nerve-wracking as navigating the New York City subway system. This blog will summarize some of the best tips for finding a mentor that KevinMD physician-authors have suggested, with a few helpful additions. Join and actively participate in professional organizations Professional organizations provide online resources and databases to connect budding mentees to their future influencers. The American Medical Womens Association provides access to a widespread network of women physicians ready and willing to serve as mentors for their members. Similarly, other associations like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Student National Medical Association also provide assistance to connect its members through building fruitful interactions. For those already in residency, you may need to look no further than affiliated attendings or program alumni. Specialty conferences often sponsor networking events or job fairs, resulting in the opportunity to rub elbows with your fields trendsetters and ample time to strike up a conversation and introduce yourself. Join and actively participate in social media as a health care professional For the tech-savvy millennial generation, social media is emerging as a valuable platform for medical professionals to communicate. A professional Twitter account keeps your finger on the publication pulse and allows like-minded physicians, who would otherwise be separated by the specialty and geographic divide and to connect and collaborate. Once you have selected your prospective adviser, be it sponsor or mentor, advocate for yourself. Follow the steps suggested by Dr. Joannie Yeh in her blog titled Your first meeting with a mentor to maximize your chances of success. Diversify your portfolio: Multiple mentors can be a positive, as each person brings her own experience, talents, and connections. And lastly, if at first you do not succeed, get yourself up and try again. The first mentor does not have to be the final. Like any enduring relationship, it may take a few trial and errors before you land on the right person. As your career evolves, your specialty and area of interest may change with it. Maybe your prospective mentor seemed to be the right fit on paper, but your goals and interests are not aligned. Maybe they like Nickelback. There is no shame in professionally parting ways with a mentor. Chances are, you will both walk away having learned something. The field is full of able and eager sponsors, so keep at it with the determination of a third-year medical student taking a social history, and you will find the right fit. Lindsey Migliore is a physiatry resident and can be reached on Twitter @DrMigliore. Image credit: Shutterstock.com One of Kilkennys most highly-regarded choirs will be involved in two choral performances during the visit of Pope Francis to Ireland next week. Aris, under the musical direction of Veronica McCarron, will perform at both the concert for the Pope and the Papal Mass. The Pope will arrive in Dublin on Saturday, August 25, and Aris will perform with several other choirs at concert for him that day. Pope Francis Then, on Sunday, the Papal Mass takes place, with the Pope its chief celebrant. Aris will perform on their own while the congregation is gathering, singing four or five pieces from their album, ahead of the Mass which is due to begin at 3pm. Were very honoured to be singing for His Holiness, Ms McCarron told the Kilkenny People. Well be singing for half a million people. The local choir are fresh from performing for the crowds at the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin at on Monday. Choral director Veronica McCarron Aris was borne out of Ms McCarrons 25 years at Kilkennys Presentation Secondary School (during which the choir won much acclaim and even appeared on Britains Got Talent. After she left the school, she set up a group involving various students she had taught over her time there. The group now has between 40 and 50 members. Allianz came on board as sponsors, and this partnership has helped to open some doors. The company sponsored an album, which was recorded in Paris, with strings recorded in Prague, and then mastered in London. Plans are afoot to officially launch the new album, Aris: This is Us in September. The choirs musical director is Ollie Hennessy from Carlow, who is also musical director at RTE. Ms McCarron, who now lives in Donegal, has also set up a new group called Choir of Ages, which sees children aged 7-12, and adults aged 65-92, all performing together. The project was set up as part of the Donegal Age Friendly Programme to promote social inclusion. Ms McCarron also continues to provide choral workshops around the country. A Kilkenny family has launched a battle for the funds to secure life-changing drugs to give a precious family member a fighting chance against an aggressive form of cancer. Alice Taylor is 25, a quiet and gentle woman, beautiful, intelligent, and now facing the shock of Stage 3B terminal cancer. Treatment began following her diagnosis last year, however earlier this summer she was told that only palliative treatment would now be suitable for her. But her devoted family are not giving up and they need your help to raise the funds that will allow Alice access treatment that has been proven to help her form of cancer - but it is not available to her from the HSE. A Go Fund Me fundraiser was launched last week with the target of 150,000 to allow Alice pay for her treatment. Support has been generous and already 18,000 has been donated. We all take on this fight with her, and for her if needed, Alices sister-in-law Louise ODea explained launching the appeal. Alice, who is from Ballycallan, is more used to caring for others through her job at SOS Kilkenny than asking for help herself. In November of last year Alice was diagnosed with Stage 2B cervical cancer . Although shaken by this diagnosis, Alice and her partner David ODea approached it with a positive attitude. Alice also received the devastating news that she would never conceive or carry her own child. This news was as bad, if not worse than the diagnosis itself for Alice. Alice and David were offered one round of IVF before commencing treatment to eradicate the cancer. Following the IVF there was surgery and then, the week before Christmas 2017, the gruelling treatment commenced - external radiation, internal radiation and chemotherapy. Several sessions a week meant Alice practically moved to Dublin, her parents Wendy and Martin taking turns with David to care for her. A MRI scan was performed in January midway through her treatment, showing shrinkage of the tumour. We all held our breath and dared to hope, said Davids sister Louise. Alice returned home in February 2018, pale and weak but smiling as always and taking it all in her stride. However, the battle was not won. On May 24, the results of the post treatment scans had the worst possible news. The cancer had not responded to treatment. The scan showed Alice now had terminal cancer in the liver, lungs and heart. There are no words to describe the utter devastation, said Louise. We were all in shock and for a short time, defeated. Alice on the other hand soldiered on, she did not cry, she did not collapse, the only thing she did do was worry about all of us around her. And because of this - we are all at battle now. We all take on this fight with her, and for her if needed. All Alices medical care has been transferred to Kilkenny and Waterford from Dublin and is now palliative. No hope of survival was given, added Louise. No offer of progressive or immunotherapy drugs, no trials, nothing. This, to us, is unacceptable. Alice is 25 years old, beautiful, intelligent and above all, a kind and wonderful person, who asks for nothing and expects nothing from the world. Alices family have done their research and investigated further testing which at first was denied. It has taken constant calling and pushing to get any further options for Alice. While awaiting further testing and in order to buy Alice some time, she commenced aggressive chemotherapy on July 4. Recently Alice has gained access to the application for a DNA-based test in the UK to determine if her cancer is positive for the drug Pembrolizumab, the drug which has improved the health of fellow Kilkenny woman Vicky Phelan. There is also further genetic testing available in New York which will determine the most appropriate treatment. The drugs needed to fight this disease are not being made available by the HSE nor is any type of funding, continued Louise. Alice would never ask for this herself, we are asking on her behalf. She is far too precious to us and the very least she deserves is a fighting chance. Life-saving immunotherapy drugs will cost hundreds of thousands. All donations will be greatly appreciated. To donate to Alices appeal go to 'Save Alice' on Go Fund Me. The Herald reports: British Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn , who is facing allegations of enabling anti-Semitism, acknowledged today that he was present at a wreath-laying to Palestinians allegedly linked to the murder of 11 Israelis at the 1972 Munich Olympics. This is no surprise. But the Labour Party leader said I dont think I was actually involved in laying the wreath. The left-wing politician a longtime critic of Israels treatment of Palestinians has been facing mounting criticism since the Daily Mail published photos of Corbyn holding a wreath in a Tunis cemetery in 2014, near what the newspaper said were graves of Black September members. The Palestinian militant group carried out the kidnapping and massacre at the Munich games. Several members were later killed by Israels Mossad intelligence agency. Corbyn has previously said he was at the cemetery to commemorate the victims of a 1985 Israeli air attack on Palestinian Liberation Organisation offices in Tunis. Today, he acknowledged that a wreath had also been laid to those that were killed in Paris in 1992. PLO official Atef Bseiso, whom Israel has accused of helping to plan the Munich Olympic attack, was gunned down outside a Paris hotel that year. I was present when it was laid. I dont think I was actually involved in it, Corbyn told reporters. I was there because I wanted to see a fitting memorial to everyone who has died in every terrorist incident everywhere because we have to end it. By Tong Kim It is hard to know exactly what caused the current stalemate on the issue of North Korea's denuclearization. Yet, from sporadic reports, we can reconstruct what has happened since the dramatic U.S.-DPRK summit in June, when North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reaffirmed his commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton revealed last week that Kim had told President Moon Jae-in that he would finish "complete denuclearization within a year." Apparently on this assumption, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo unsuccessfully pressed the North for a list of Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal and a timeline for its denuclearization. An American news website called Vox reported on Aug. 8 that Pompeo presented a proposal on his July visit to Pyongyang that North Korea would turn over 60 to 70 percent of its nuclear bombs to the U.S. or to a third country, as a starting point within six to eight months. If true, it should have been unthinkable to expect the North to accept such a proposal. The North rejected it, calling it later a "gangster-like" demand. Vox reported the U.S. has repeated the same demand to no avail. Since Pompeo's unsuccessful rush on denuclearization, President Donald Trump has said, "no rush," "no speed limit," and "no time limit," but we will go through the process of denuclearization. Trump thanked Kim for returning 55 sets of remains of U.S. soldiers killed during the Korean War. Pyongyang says some officials of the Trump administration are acting on the contrary to the upbeat spirit and vague substance of the Singapore agreement reached by the top leaders of the two countries. In reaction to recent U.S. moves on strengthening sanctions with no clear prospect of a declaration to end the war in Korea, the North Koreans are attempting to create a divide between the U.S. president and his hardliner advisers. It appears as if Trump plays a good cop and his advisers a bad cop. Yet, there is no evidence that this division of the roles is based on a coherent policy. The DPRK's foreign ministry spokesman issued a special statement on Aug. 9 denouncing the pressure of sanctions as a policy that has failed in the past. The statement confirmed the Vox report that Pompeo "insisted on unilateral denuclearization first during the high-level talks in July." The North Koreans are now saying, "We have done our part enough for the time being stopping nuclear and missile tests, destroying the nuclear test sites, returning the remains of the war dead, and undertaking the dismantling of the missile test ground." From Pyongyang's media outputs, "Now, it's the U.S.'s turn to respond by issuing a declaration ending the war." Pyongyang claims, and Washington does not deny, that Trump agreed in Singapore to end the war, as the two Koreas did in Panmunjeom in April. Implementation of this agreement may contribute to creating a new atmosphere of building trust required for undertaking the next step in the denuclearization process. There is no short cut to denuclearization, no better peaceful ways than going through a phased but assured and verifiable process. Washington should study and prepare what concessions it should offer for positive actions that the North will be willing to make at the different phases of denuclearization. The idea of denuclearization first, rewards later, would not work because the North will never accept it. Negotiation is not making a unilateral demand from either side. Proposals can be made or rejected. Counter-proposals can be presented to see if the differences can be narrowed for possible adoption on each step of negotiation. It is not clear at this point what Trump will decide about North Korea. But it is clear that the policy pursued by his advisers is not working. The good news is that neither side is giving up its hope to improve mutual relations and realize a nuclear-free North Korea. Inter-Korean relations seem to be proceeding constructively. The two sides are holding high-level talks at Panmunjeom on Aug. 13 to discuss the next North-South summit and to check on the implementation of the April 27 declaration. Moon and Kim agreed on ambitious objectives, including complete denuclearization, ending the state of war and building a durable peace regime, as well as promoting economic cooperation for co-prosperity. In the meantime, peace continues as long as talks are under way. Protracted peace is better than tension and instability. Tong Kim (tong.kim8@yahoo.com) is a Washington correspondent and columnist for The Korea Times. He is also a fellow at the Institute of Corean-American Studies. Visitors are invited to join the staff of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park as they commemorate the 155th Anniversary of the Battle of Chickamauga with a series of ranger-guided tours, hikes, lectures, and living history demonstrations. Programs are scheduled to begin Friday, Sept. 14 and to conclude Sunday, Sept. 23."Beginning Sept. 18, 1863, Union and Confederate forces clashed along the banks of West Chickamauga Creek. At stake was the transportation hub of Chattanooga, and with it, the fortunes of the fledgling Confederacy and the future of the United States and its citizens.For three days the armies struggled through the woods and fields, leaving behind the broken dreams and lives of thousands of young men cut down in the prime of life. Despite the Confederate victory at Chickamauga, the Union Army regrouped in Chattanooga, where a Union victory marked the 'Death Knell of the Confederacy.'A complete program schedule, including times and descriptions, is available here For more information about programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, contact the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-866-9241 or the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center at 423-821-7786. Posted on: August 16, 2018 10:57 AM [The Melbourne Anglican, by Emma Halgren] Faith leaders can play a vital role in bringing about change, the Diocese of Melbournes first Prevention of Violence against Women program manager, Robyn Boosey, said. Speaking to The Melbourne Anglican, she expressed hope that clergy and other leaders in the diocese will feel equipped and empowered to lead change in the area of gender-based violence. Ms Boosey, who came to Melbourne from London to take up her role with the diocese, said that Australia, and Victoria in particular, was doing ground-breaking work and providing global leadership in the area of preventing gender-based violence. A lot of work on violence against women around the world mainly focuses on response or early intervention or prosecution of perpetrators, she said. In Victoria, the government is really invested heavily in this and has made it quite mainstream to . . . talk about prevention and say we want to stop this from happening in the future and we really want to grapple with this problem and understand whats causing it and seek to change that. She said she was excited to see the church taking up the opportunity to be part of driving change. She said: My vision is for the church to be able to play its part in preventing violence against women more fully, and Id love for leaders to feel equipped to lead change in this space, and for churches to become safe places for those who are experiencing or have experienced violence, and for people who are connected with local churches to also feel equipped to bring about the change they want to see. Since starting in her role in April, Ms Boosey has been focusing on getting to know the diocese and the context it is operating in. Ive been taking a lot of time to listen to church leaders, parishioners and experts in family violence across the diocese and to understand the challenges that people are facing and the opportunities for us to work together to see change, she said. And one of the keys that will help to bring about changes is leaders. For a long-term, deep change we need church leaders to really . . . capture the vision and run with it. Leaders are really well placed to bring people on board and create an enabling environment for transformation . . . and my role is about helping to ensure that they feel equipped to play their part in preventing violence against women. Ms Boosey has set up a taskforce of church and lay leaders which will help to shape her work. She is also guided by a Committee of Management which is chaired by Bishop Genieve Blackwell [a Suffragan Bishop in Melbourne with responsibility for the Marmingatha Episcopate] and has representatives from Anglicare Victoria, the Brotherhood of St Laurence, Lifeworks, Our Watch and ANSVAR. Ms Boosey, whose background is in international development, gender equality, tackling violence against women, and human rights, said that she had seen time and time again the critical role faith leaders could play in driving change. For example, before joining the diocese, Ms Boosey worked in policy and advocacy for the UK faith-based international relief and development agency Tearfund, which was involved in the response to the West African ebola virus epidemic. Some people in communities affected by the virus had, for deeply-rooted cultural reasons, not been following some of the health protocols that would have helped reduce rates of infection. Often they were not even aware of the health practices to follow. Ms Boosey said: The humanitarian sector was excluding faith leaders it just wasnt considering them in the response, even though theyre such a key part of society and they have such influence on peoples behaviours. There was a lot of advocacy from faith-based organisations like Tearfund to say that they should be included, and when they were and they were trained up, it was remarkable the change in communities and how peoples practices and behaviours and attitudes changed really quickly. It had life-saving consequences and that was recognised by a lot of decision makers higher up in government. Faith leaders can often be overlooked, but when theyre included then it makes such a dramatic difference in turning situations around. It can be an absolute game-changer. She said that the same was absolutely true in Australia as well. As parishioners we go to listen to [faith leaders] and learn from them on a Sunday and whether we realise it or not, we are looking at the example that theyre role-modelling. She said: Church leaders can start conversations in their church through sermons, Bible studies, and by inviting in local experts on family violence. They can also ensure their church has best practice policies and procedures in place to make it a safe and supportive environment for those experiencing or who have experienced violence. With the taskforce, we will be looking to develop resources to help them take action. Alongside her paid work at Tearfund, Ms Boosey also co-founded in 2014 the volunteer-led campaign IC Change, which is urging the UK government to ratify the Istanbul Convention on violence against women, which it had signed but not yet made a full legal commitment to through ratification. The campaigning work which involved bringing together an alliance of organisations, building cross-party support in parliament, mobilising supporters to write to MPs, creating engaging resources for churches and community groups, talking to the media, and working with a brilliant social media team resulted in a Private Members Bill on the Istanbul Convention being passed by the UK Parliament. Despite all the odds, with a great team, dedicated volunteers, an unexpected coalition and, if you ask me personally, through the power of prayer, the Bill ended up being passed, said Ms Boosey. The UK government is now legally required to report annually on its progress towards ratification. Mahindra & Mahindra, country's leading auto manufacturer revealed the production name for its upcoming MPV last month. Dubbed as Mahindra Marazzo, the company revealed few designs in the part underlining the design elements of the MPV. Mahindra has now released new set of images that completely reveals the cabin layout of the MPV. The company will be looking to target volumes with Marazzo as it will be positioned as a budget alternative to Toyota Innova. Mahindra U321 MPV Officially Named as Mahindra Marazzo; India Launch in September. As far as the design is concerned, the new upcoming Mahindra Marazzo MPV is expected to get more subdued dash design featuring piano-black finish. The instrument panel on the MPV will feature a bright backlighting. Another prominent feature will be the dash-mounted gear-lever generating free space between the front passengers. A bigger infotainment system will also be offerd on the MPV, however, the top variants will only feature the same. Mahindra Electric to Depend on Fleet Operators to Increase Sales. Mahindra Marazzo Interior (File Photo) On the inside, the MPV will carry dual-tone interior with touchscreen infotainment system as well as automatic climate control. The MPV will also carry a new steering wheel along with AWD drivetrain and much more. The MPV will share its monocoque construction with the XUV500 and KUV100. The MPV will be offered in 2 seating configurations - 7-seater and 8-seater layouts. Tata Motors Launches New Nexon XMA (Automatic) Variant in India; Prices Start From Rs 7.5 Lakh. Under the hood, the MPV is expected to be powered by Mahindra's new 1.6-litre diesel engine, which can develop maximum power of 128PS and 305Nm of peak torque. Moreover, the company will introduce the petrol derivative of the MPV on the later stage. More details about the upcoming Marazzo are expected to be revealed in the near future. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 16, 2018 03:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). The governments of Bangladesh and Pakistan expressed grief over the demise of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away at AIIMS on Thursday | (Photo Credits: Dunya TV and PTI) New Delhi, Aug 16: The governments of Bangladesh and Pakistan expressed grief over the demise of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away at AIIMS today. In the official statement issued, both Islamabad and Dhaka recalled Vajpayee as "statesman" who worked towards peace in the South Asian region. Pakistan PM-elect Imran Khan said Vajpayee's death has left an unprecedented void in South Asian politics. "In such difficult times, we stand with India," he said. "There can be political differences but the desire of peace remains present across the border," Khan added. In a separate statement issued, the Pakistan government said the nation would recall the statesman approach of Vajpayee towards Indo-Pak bilateral relations. "He was a renowned statesman who contributed to bringing a change in Indo-Pak relations and remained key supporter of SAARC and regional cooperation for development. Pakistan government and people extend their heartfelt condolences to his family and to the Government and people of India," the statement added. Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina said Vajpayee would be recalled in Dhaka as one who supported the war of Bangladesh's liberation. "As a token of recognition for his invaluable contribution to our Liberation War in 1971, Bangladesh government conferred on him Bangladesh Liberation War Honour. Today is a day of great sadness for all of us in Bangladesh," she said. "Deeply shocked at sad demise of former PM of India #AtalBihariVajpayee, one of the most famous sons of India. He'll be remembered for contributing towards good governance & highlighting issues affecting common people of India as well as regional peace and prosperity," Hasina added. On behalf of Govt&people of Bangladesh & on my own behalf, I express our heartfelt sympathy & condolences to Govt & the mourning people of India, and to the members of the bereaved family. We pray for the eternal peace of his soul: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina: Bangladesh PM pic.twitter.com/zla0VuaJmj ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018 Vajpayee passed away at 5:05 pm on Thursday after reeling under prolonged illness for over a decade. His overall health deteriorated in 2009, when he suffered a stroke and was subsequently gripped under dementia. Since then, he was left speech-impaired. The BJP patriarch was hospitalised on June 11, due to urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. His vitals began collapsing on Wednesday night. Within 24 hours, the former PM died. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 16, 2018 11:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, Aug 16: National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said that Kashmiris are not terrorists and they have no intention to separate from India, but added that they demand an India as envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi. "We are not terrorists, we don't want to separate from India, nor we are against India," Abdullah said speaking at a "Save Composite Culture" event organised by rebel JD-U leader Sharad Yadav here. "We will not accept an India which does not believe in equality of people and rather propagates discrimination of people on the basis of religion," Abdullah said. "Kashmiris demand the India which was envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi," the NC leader, also a Lok Sabha member, said. The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "dividing the nation on the basis of religion". "The current government has negated the vision of freedom fighters who made sacrifices to free India from the shackles of British rule," he said. "When the freedom fighters fought for the freedom of the country, they did not think in terms of Hindus, Muslims or Sikhs as their only mission was to seek freedom for India," he said. Abdullah also said that he would continue to fight for Article 35A until his death. "I will fight against them till I go down in my grave. They only remember Kashmir and not Himachal (Pradesh), Arunachal (Pradesh) and Nagaland, which also enjoy the special position," he said. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 16, 2018 10:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, Aug 15: 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 the 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. New Delhi, Aug 16: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Thursday remained on life support a day after his condition deteriorated at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) where he was admitted on June 11. The AIIMS is expected to released latest health bulletin on Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition shortly. Catch live news updates on Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health condition here. Earlier today, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and BJP chief Amit Shah visited the AIIMS where Atal Bihari Vajpayee is admitted. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee will also visit the AIIMS later today. Meanwhile, a special hawan was performed in Gwalior, the birthplace of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, for a speedy recovery of the ailing BJP veteran. On Wednesday, a host of political leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the AIIMS after the hospital said that Vajpayee's condition worsened. "Atal Bihari Vajpayee's condition has worsened over the last 24 hours. His condition is critical, and he is on life support system," said the last statement issued by AIIMS late on Wednesday. Vajpayee was admitted to AIIMS for a routine check-up. Vajpayee, a diabetic patient, 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. He served as the 10th Prime Minister of the country, first term for 13 days in 1996 and then from 1998 to 2004. He is the first non-Congress Prime Minister to serve a full five-year term. Stay connected with us to get instant updates on Vajpayee's health and bulletin. Kabul, Aug 15: A suicide bomber targeted students preparing for university exams in a Shiite neighborhood of Kabul today, 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 Afghanistan's 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 casualty figures were not final and that the death toll which steadily rose in the immediate aftermath of the bombing could rise further. Majroh did not say if all the victims were students and whether any of their teachers were also among the casualties.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. 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 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 group's involvement in the attack. Meanwhile, a Taliban assault on two adjacent checkpoints in northern Afghanistan late on 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. 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 the assault. Also today, life was gradually returning to normal in parts of the eastern city of Ghazni after a massive, days-long Taliban attack, though sporadic gunbattles was 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 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 have launched airstrikes and sent military advisers to aid Afghan forces as they fight for the city, just 120 kilometers from the Afghan capital with a population of some 270,000 people. Arif Noori, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said today 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 city's only hospital, which has been overwhelmed by the casualties. 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 today, killing four policemen, 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 US, which has been at war in Afghanistan for nearly 17 years. Also today, 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, aged 10-12, who were gathering firewood. He blamed the Taliban, saying the rockets they fire at Afghan security forces often harm civilians. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) 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 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 Oakland, CA A California judge has given the green light to settle several A California judge has given the green light to settle several California labor lawsuits alleging the retail giant violated Californias Private Attorneys General Act by failing to provide seating for more than 90,000 cashiers. State and Federal Seating Lawsuits Seating and the California Labor Code The $9 Million Target Settlement Retail Seating Tradition This settlement includes a California labor lawsuit filed March 2017 in state court and two federal lawsuits filed back in 2009. All three lawsuits allege that Target failed to provide its cashiers with seating during their shifts, which is in violation of Californias Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) . This act allows workers to sue to recover civil penalties for themselves and on behalf of other employees and the state of California for alleged labor code violations.The federal cases, which have been pending since 2009, are, case number 3:09-cv-01436, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, and, case number 2:16-cv-00839, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Both lawsuits claim that Target did not provide its cashiers with seats during shifts in violation of PAGA.And both lawsuits were stayed in 2012, pending the outcome of other lawsuits (CVS and JP Morgan Chase, below) involving seating that were being heard at the Ninth Circuit. In 2014 the issue went to the state Supreme Court, which clarified the state labor statutes seating provisions.The state case is, case number RG17853948, in the Superior Court of the state of California, County of Alameda. Valerie Enombang sued Target in a PAGA claim after the high court ruled.In May 2009 Target employee Danyell Murphy filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court, arguing that the position of cashier permitted seating but the company did not provide seats. Target argued that cashiers could sit during their breaks, and they need to stand to bag heavy items and scan items. As well, cashiers are expected to step into the aisles, greet shoppers and direct them to their registers when a customer is not at their cash station.U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo found that the company failed to prove that the active nature of the cashier position exempts Target from providing chairs as required under California employment law, according to court documents. And according to California employment law, employers must furnish employees with suitable seats when the nature of the work reasonably permits the use of seats. Section 14 of the California Industrial Welfare Commission's Wage Orders states that employees shall be provided with suitable seats when the nature of the work reasonably permits the use of seats.In May 2016 the California Supreme Court sided with the plaintiffs in another lawsuit CVS cashiers and JP Morgan Chase tellers who were also fighting for their rights to sit down on the job. There is no principled reason for denying an employee a seat when he spends a substantial part of his workday at a single location performing tasks that could reasonably be done while seated, merely because his job duties include other tasks that must be done standing, said Justice Carol A. Corrigan and reported by theAndopined that this victory, likely to have a ripple effect for businesses nationwide, now finds retail companies pondering how much wiggle room they might have in insisting that customer-facing employees (cashiers in particular) stay on their feet while working, how much measurable impact the optics of a seated cashier (versus a standing one) incur on their business and whether or not pushing back on the issue might be even worth it in the long run.Although Judge Brad Seligman approved the $9 million settlement, he was uncomfortable approving 40 percent of plaintiffs attorneys fees. Attorneys said they were warranted to encourage low-wage workers to take the risk and pursue litigation, arguing that, if the plaintiffs lost, the cashiers, who make about $30,000 annually would likely have gone bankrupt.Under the settlement, the four named plaintiffs in the three lawsuits will receive $20,000 each, and 75 percent of the money that remains after administration costs will go to a state's Labor Workforce Development Agency. The remaining 25 percent will go to the cashiers.The state case is, case number RG17853948, in the Superior Court of the state of California, County of Alameda. The federal cases are, case number 3:09-cv-01436, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, and, case number 2:16-cv-00839, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.Jason Goldberg, vice president of commerce at digital marketing firm Razorfish, toldthat Retailers have always liked the notion of employees standing to feel more open to approach from shopperspeople feel more comfortable engaging each other at eye level, so it can be awkward when a customer is standing, and has to look down at a seated store clerk. This tradition has been used as a legitimate argument for retailers faced with seating lawsuits. But traditions can be broken Aug 15, 2018, 4:14pm ET SEC launches formal Tesla inquiry with subpoena Reports indicate that the SEC has subpoenaed Tesla over Musk's take-private comments. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reportedly subpoenaed Tesla, likely indicating that the regulatory body will be conducting a formal investigation of CEO Elon Musk's publicly stated intention to take the company private. Theories about a potential SEC investigation have been circulating since Musk's tweet and corresponding blog post last week which both suggested that funding had been lined up to take Tesla private. A follow-up blog post on Monday indicated that the funding would be coming from the Saudi Arabian wealth fund. According to the New York Times, the regulator validated those theories Wednesday. At this point, it is unknown exactly what information the SEC wants to obtain from Tesla, as the subpoena itself has not been made public, however the likely materials sought would be material proof supporting the claim that funding had been secured for taking the company private. The SEC's primary concern in this case would be to protect investors from a "pump and dump" move by Musk, however if that was his intention, it appears to have backfired, as Tesla share prices have been retreating since trading of the stock was unfrozen late last week. On Tuesday, the Tesla board appointed a three-person panel to review any proposal to take the company private, and confirmed that no concrete plan has yet been submitted. Posted on: August 16, 2018 1:53 PM Moves to re-open St Marys Cathedral in Taranaki on New Zealands North Island have moved a step closer after New Plymouth District Council granted Resource Consent for the proposals. Resource Consent is the first stage in the planning process in New Zealand and relates to environmental measures. In giving the consent, the council commended the Cathedrals approach as a best practice blueprint that could be applied to other heritage buildings. As a result of the detailed knowledge collected on the building, the proposed alterations to the building have been well considered and are sympathetic to its scale, positioning and architectural design, the Council report said. The cathedral has been closed since February 2016 after a structural survey showed that it was rated at below 15 per cent of the national New Building Standard. The building, the oldest stone church in New Zealand, was constructed in 1846 and was described by Archbishop Philip Richardson as a national treasure with elements of Taranaki history and national history. The works will take the rating to at least 67 per cent. In addition to earthquake strengthening, the cathedral will undergo a number of additional developments and refurbishment. Its a really pleasing result and an important milestone, architect Jenny Goddard, the remediation and design manager for the Cathedral Project said, as she explained that the granting of Resource Consent puts the Cathedral on a sure footing to go ahead with further designs for the remediation of the cathedral. This now enables our engineering, historical and conservation specialists to prepare more detailed drawings on all aspects of the work, she said. Taranaki Cathedral is an historical building within a graveyard that includes a number of notable trees, so protecting those features, using like-for-like materials and concealing as much of the strengthening work as possible is a priority of the remediation work, Goddard said. The earthquake strengthening and refurbishment is the first part of a three-stage, five-year $15 million NZD (approximately 7.8 million GBP) project to create a precinct around the cathedral, with a welcoming atrium. In its decision, the Council praised the work of the Cathedral authorities, saying that the overall design approach brought to the project has been to provide as light a touch to the structure and grounds as possible, even where this significantly increases the complexity and cost of the project. The next stage of the development will be to present further detailed material in support of its application for building consent. UPDATE: 94-year-old burned on arms, head in Palmer fire, official says An elderly man suffered burns in a house fire Wednesday afternoon in Palmer Township, authorities said at the scene. It was reported about 2:45 p.m. at 2851 John St., at North Greenwood Avenue. A passerby ran into the Palmer Municipal Fire Department to report the blaze, as firefighters were returning from a fire alarm call, township fire Assistant Chief Jim Alercia said. Police and firefighters arrived to find flames coming out of the front bay window, in the area of the home's kitchen. Firefighters found the man lying on the grass in the back yard, Alercia said. He was able to get onto a stretcher under his own power and was taken by ambulance to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, police said at the scene. Firefighters had the blaze out by about 3:30 p.m. The cause remained under investigation. The kitchen area sustained fire damage, and other parts of the home saw smoke damage, Alercia said. Firefighters from the Wilson Borough Fire Department and the Nancy Run Fire Co. in Bethlehem Township assisted Palmer responders. Reporter Tony Rhodin contributed to this report. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. UPDATE: Why the woman saved from Easton river had resisted help An Allentown woman who became stranded along the rain-swollen Delaware River in Easton resisted help from city firefighters, complicating an already dangerous rescue. The woman appeared to become combative, shouting and cursing at firefighters trying to help her. A city police negotiator who responded finally convinced her to accept assistance. Amanda Williams, 35, ended up safe after about a half-hour, but faces a citation for disorderly conduct. The ordeal unfolded beginning about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Scott Park, just feet from the dangerous dam where the Lehigh and Delaware rivers meet. Both rivers were running high following recent rains. Williams told police she had maneuvered along the Delaware River beside a sheer wall that leads up to the park, according to police Sgt. Salvatore Cuccioffo. "Apparently she was going to see a butterfly exhibit that was there and make sure that the butterflies were OK and got caught, not at the bottom of the falls but near where the rapids were," Cuccioffo said. "I told officers to tell her to her hang on to a branch and let fire do their thing." Christine Schaeffer, of Bethlehem, was in the park and dialed 911 when she saw Williams apparently become stranded while trying to get near the rapids before turning back. "She was only in flip-flops, and her shirt and pants," Schaeffer said. Firefighters battled the current below the dam to maneuver their boat in among there trees where Williams appeared to have become stuck. Poison oak hung down along the wall to where she was thrashing about in the brush, the brownish river frothing at her feet. Shouting to Williams at first then talking with her via a two-way radio handed to her by a firefighter, Detective Chris Miller repeatedly tried to get her to don a life-vest. Firefighters were shouting to her over and over again to get into the boat. "I'm risking my life for you," a firefighter could be heard shouting to Williams, adding it's his job. Finally in the boat, Williams was brought around to the Scott Park boat launch. There, she passed a breath test to check for alcohol intoxication, police said. Williams was treated by the Easton Emergency Squad and slated to be released with the citation, according to police. Pennsylvania Water Rescue also responded on the call. It was the fire department's second Delaware River call of the day. About 1:30 p.m., firefighter launched their rescue boat to retrieve a personal watercraft rider who had lost power. The Easton Fire Department rescues the rider of a personal watercraft that lost power Aug. 15, 2018, on the Delaware River. (Tony Rhodin | For lehighvalleylive.com) It also came two days after multiple fire departments responded to the Lehigh River in Lehighton, Carbon County, to rescue some 50 rafters who ran into trouble due to the increased current. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Amanda S. Williams was back home Thursday in Allentown, a bottle of calamine lotion at her feet from the poison oak rash she picked up the day before in Easton. Williams, about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, found herself tangled up in trees and brush, in strong current, in the Delaware River where the Lehigh River pours over the dam in Scott Park. A woman who saw her, apparently in distress, dialed 911. Easton police responded, followed by city firefighters and Pennsylvania Water Rescue aboard two boats. With the rain-swollen rivers' brown water churning at the foot of the dam just feet away, Williams refused at first to get onto the boat the firefighters had powered into the stand of trees surrounded by the sloshing Delaware. "I ended up going out farther than I should have," Williams, 35, told lehighvalleylive.com Thursday. "I wound up losing my shoes. I wound up tangled up." Amanda S. Williams, 35, relaxes at home in Allentown on Aug. 16, 2018, a day after being rescued by Easton firefighters from the Delaware River despite resisting their help at first. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com) The current seemed to be strengthening, she said. She maintained, however, that once free from the brush she could have made her way back to safety by herself. The firefighters called to help her, she said, came off as abrasive and tried to grab her. She became scared. Over the roar of the water, a shouting match ensued between Williams in among the trees, the firefighters in the boat and city police atop a sheer, riverside retaining wall in Scott Park. Williams was insisting the rescuers not "touch me," as police yelled to her to put on the life vest firefighters were offering. She told them to back off. "I'm risking my life for you," a firefighter could be heard shouting. "You'll hug me afterwards. That's my job." Then he counted down from five and attempted to grab her. "Get off of me," Williams shouted. "No, I'll do it myself. Get off of me." Williams said she was insisting the firefighter, who'd gotten out to help her, get back into the boat first. "I can be a little stubborn like that," she allowed Thursday. Police Detective Chris Miller, negotiating with Williams via a two-way radio handed to her by a firefighter, assured her she could go home if she gave him her word she'd get on the boat. "I give you my word," Williams told Miller. About a half-hour after the call had begun, Williams was back safe on shore. She passed a breath test for alcohol intoxication, was checked out by the Easton Emergency Squad and was released with a $40.25 citation, plus $120 in costs, for disorderly conduct for having caused "public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm by walking in the river towards the rapids," according to the court records. Easton fire Deputy Chief Kevin Arnold said Williams was in a dangerous situation. And although he wasn't on scene, he listened to the call from home and believes firefighters approached the rescue appropriately. "Without hearing exactly what it is that concerned her, they were in an almost whitewater condition," Arnold said. At the foot of the Easton Dam, the Lehigh River pouring into the Delaware River creates a boil. "And the boil is where people get trapped in there and they roll and roll and roll and they drown," Arnold said. "It can suck boats under." Williams had never been to the confluence of the Delaware and Lehigh rivers, known as the Forks of the Delaware. She had taken the bus to Easton on Wednesday for an appointment and, afterward, was checking out shops and made her way down to the water. She's been through some issues in the past, she said, and has been trying to make more of a spiritual connection to the natural world. At the river in Easton, she said she had walked close to the dam then turned back, and noticed butterflies clustered around the poison oak draped along the retaining wall. "You could see all these cocoons, all these butterflies," Williams said. She was shocked by the number of people who gathered in the park as the rescuers responded. "I do thank them for taking the time out to help me, definitely," she said, adding later: "I didn't think it was going to be as dangerous a situation as it became." That dam can be deadly even when river levels are low, said Arnold, the deputy fire chief. "But right now it's raging," he said. "What she was doing down there I don't know," Arnold said. "I don't know how she got into the water, but it's our job to go in and get her out." Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Easton could be just weeks away from the opening of the long-promised location of Billy's Downtown Diner. In a video posted to the diner's Facebook page last week, Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. announced that Billy's would open on Tuesday, Sept. 4, "barring any unforeseen circumstances." Breaking News from Sal Panto - Mayor of Easton, PA Breaking news from the Mayor's office in Easton, PA. Sal Panto bringing you the latest on Billy's with a major announcement! <3 #EastonPA Posted by Billy's Downtown Diner Easton on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 You'd be forgiven for skepticism. The planned Billy's location in the city hall complex on South Third Street is no stranger to "unforeseen circumstances," with the project suffering repeated delays since its announcement in 2015. But owner Billy Kounoupis said he is optimistic about hitting the target date, while acknowledging the long wait that has preceded it. "Countless errors delayed our opening," Kounoupis said, including incorrect chairs delivered and mismeasured windows. He emphasized the scope of the project, which involved significant construction, installation of all new equipment, adjustments to the kitchen layout and more. Sept. 4 is the goal for the restaurant's soft opening, with a grand opening date still to be determined. "We're only two years behind schedule," Kounoupis joked. While nearly everything is now in place for the diner, Kounoupis said the opening is still at the mercy of some equipment installations and city inspections. The restaurant is also awaiting decor for the patio and wall artwork inside. The diner will seat 80 people inside with an additional 80 on the outdoor patio. Like the other Billy's locations in Allentown and Bethlehem, the focus will be on serving breakfast and lunch all day. But the Easton diner will be his first to offer full-service dinner every day. Kounoupis attributed the move to the demographics of Downtown Easton, and said he received hundreds of emails urging him to open the Easton location for dinner. "Easton is a very vibrant and dynamic city," he said. The restaurant will specialize in "modern American fare." New dinner options will focus on pan-seared dishes such as a strip steak. Meatless options will also be available. One of the diner's specialties will be "craft milkshakes," with inventive ingredients and visual punch. About 80 people have been hired to work at the diner. Kounoupis estimated his investment in the project, a public-private partnership, at around $800,000. The city has also committed hundreds of thousands. Despite the many hurdles, Kounoupis said he didn't second guess the Easton location. "It was always worth it," Kounoupis said. Years before this project, Kounoupis had hoped to turn a former Perkins building, which was located where the combination transportation center and city hall now stands, into a location of his diner. He backed out because of the poor shape of the building. A decade after that plan fell through, Kounoupis is looking forward to opening his doors to Easton. "I'm glad to see that the light at the end of the tunnel is not a train coming at us," he said. Andrew Doerfler may be reached at adoerfler@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @adoerfler or on Facebook. Upper Saucon Township police are trying to identify a man they say stole two donation boxes from Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church. The man, wearing tan shorts and a blue and white polo shirt with the letters "rkl" on the front and the number 26 on the back, arrived about noon Tuesday at the church at 4101 Old Bethlehem Pike, police said. He was driving a silver or gray crossover vehicle, police added. He stole at least two metal cash donation boxes from the sanctuary, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 610-282-1080 or submit a tip through the department's Crimewatch page. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. By MARC LEVY Associated Press A sweeping grand jury report into child sexual abuse in Roman Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania said church officials gave a former priest a positive reference to work at Disney World, even though they'd fielded at least one allegation about him sexually abusing a boy. The ex-priest, Edward Ganster, left the priesthood in 1990, moved to the Orlando area and went on to work at Disney World before he died in 2014. The report said Ganster worked at the theme park for 18 years. Ganster drove the train at the Magic Kingdom, according to an obituary in the Orlando Sentinel, which said Ganster worked there for 15 years. Disney World did not respond to a request for information. Ganster, who became a priest in 1971, was working at St. Joseph's Church in Easton in the late 1970s when a woman complained to a monsignor that Ganster had gotten in bed with her 13-year-old son on an overnight trip and "hurt" him, the report said. The boy also told his mother that "something happened" in the confession booth, it said. The monsignor told her Ganster would be given counseling and Ganster was promptly reassigned, the report said. About a decade later, Ganster was on sick leave at a Catholic mental health hospital as he sought to leave the priesthood and get married. Ganster wrote the Diocese to say he would apply for a job at Disney World and wanted to use the Diocese as a reference, the report said. Allentown's bishop, Thomas Welsh, wrote to Orlando's bishop that Ganster's problems were "partially sexual" and that he couldn't reassign him. A monsignor separately assured Ganster that he would get a positive reference. "I am quite sure that the Diocese will be able to give you a positive reference in regard to the work you did during your years of service here as a priest," the monsignor wrote, according to the report. A diocese spokesman, Matt Kerr, said he knows of no reference letter, or if one was written. "That should not have happened," Kerr said. "It would not happen today." More than a decade after Ganster left the priesthood, a man contacted the Allentown Diocese to report that Ganster had victimized him when he was 14 and an altar boy some two decades earlier, the report said. Ganster fondled, groped and beat him repeatedly, once dragging him across a living room floor by his underwear and once beating him with a metal cross, the report said. Years later, in 2015, the mother of another victim contacted the Allentown Diocese to report that Ganster abused her then 12-year-old son in 1977, the report said. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A California trucker was busted this week hauling more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana valued at $5.1 million near the New Jersey border, authorities announced Thursday. New Jersey State troopers allegedly found the drugs in 44 cardboard boxes as they searched a tractor-trailer Tuesday at the Interstate 78 weigh station in Greenwich Township, just a few miles from the Pennsylvania line. Guangyu Wu, 45, of Chino, California, is charged with possession with intent to distribute more than 25 pounds of marijuana, a first-degree offense, and a lesser possession charge, according to a news release from the Warren County Prosecutor's Office. Wu, who was sent to the county jail, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the first-degree count. This is not the first time the I-78 weigh station has uncovered huge shipments of illegal drugs -- three major drug busts happened there over just a few weeks in August 2016. First, 53-year-old trucker Eric T. Shan, of Baldwin Park, California, was charged Aug. 12 that year with transporting 53 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $324,000. A few days later, Oscar Franco, of Chula Vista, California, was caught with about 80 pounds of heroin worth $2.8 million. And a week after that, troopers made what was described at the time as the largest cold-stop heroin seizure ever in the U.S.: 40-year-old Henry A. Cruz Ventura, of Los Angeles, was found to be transporting about 140 pounds of heroin and 22 pounds of cocaine. Total estimated value: $6.7 million. Ventura and Franco both pleaded guilty and were each sentenced in 2017 to 10 years in state prison. Shan was sentenced in February to five years in prison. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveNovakLVL and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Laois people have the best accent in Ireland for robot assistants such as Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant to understand. In a new survey by Pure Telecom, the highest number of happy users was in Laois, 47% claimed to always be understood by their assistant. The survey of over 1,000 people found that Irish accents are baffling virtual assistants. The failure to understand accents and lingo is the top Irish complaint about virtual assistants. People from Donegal (39%), Clare (36%) and Kerry (33%) are only occasionally, or never, understood by their digital companions. Brush up on your Laois Lingo The online research, carried out by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom, surveyed 1,005 adults on the prevalence, usefulness, benefits and drawbacks of digital assistants in Ireland. The top grievance when it comes to using virtual assistants, according to Irish users, is getting the software to understand the Irish brogue. Some 32% cite the programmes inability to understand their accent and way of speaking as a significant drawback of using virtual assistants. Those living in Donegal experience the most difficulties, with 39% of users saying they are never, or only occasionally, understood by their chosen virtual assistant software. That is followed by Clare (36%) and Kerry (33%). In contrast, other counties experience far fewer issues. The best-spoken in the country, according to robots, live in Laois, with 47% claiming to always be understood by their assistant. That is followed by Roscommon and Carlow (39%); and Limerick (35%). Other issues for Irish users revolve around fears of constantly being listened to, with 28% worried about personal privacy. On the other hand, the biggest identified benefits of using the programmes include their availability at any time (36%); facilitating hands-free use of devices (30%); and being entertaining to use (25%). The vast majority (84%) of Irish people have used a digital assistant. Through their use of virtual assistants, 28% of users feel more informed, while 25% say they are more organised. Negative effects, however, include becoming lazier (12%) and more anti-social (7%). Commenting on the findings, Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: As the survey shows, digital assistants are becoming more and more commonplace in our daily lives. While Irish people may have issues being understood by their assistant, their always-on availability has driven widespread use for tasks like streaming music and organising calendars. Having a smooth and reliable internet connection is a must in order to enjoy the full benefits and fast responses of a digital assistant. Our survey showed that 59% of us use three or more internet-connected devices on a daily basis, highlighting our increasing reliance on fast broadband speeds. At Pure Telecom, we understand the enormous part fast internet connection plays in peoples lives. We strive to offer the fastest speeds and most reliable connection for each individual customer, while also working with our partners to increase our coverage across the country in both urban and rural locations. The government lacks vital data in the midst of housing crisis says a Laois Fianna Fail TD. Deputy Sean Fleming has today accused the Government of not treating the housing crisis with the seriousness it deserves. Deputy Fleming comments after obtaining new information which shows the Minister for Housing does not have basic data at his disposal to help tackle the housing crisis. Currently there are special arrangements in place under the Planning Acts for developments proposed by a Local Authority or a partnership between a Local Authority and another organisation, such as Approved Housing Bodies. These these special arrangements are an essential element in tackling the housing crisis. I recently raised this issue via parliamentary question with the Minister for Housing and asked for details on how many houses were granted planning permission under these arrangements. I was shocked by the reply I received from the Minister who stated that neither planning or housing statistics compiled annually by Local Authorities for the Department include information on planning approvals for houses under these special planning arrangements. Its astounding that the Minister does not have this basic information at his disposal during a national housing crisis. It shows that the Government simply isnt treating this issue with the seriousness it deserves. How can the Government implement a plan to deal with the housing crisis if they dont even know how many homes Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies have planning permission to build around the country? Its even more alarming that the Department of Housing does not hold data on the lands owned by Approved Housing Bodies. All of these lands are suitable for building new homes and the Government does not even know how much land is available for such use. Its perfectly clear for all to see that the Government has a haphazard approach to housing policy, concluded Deputy Fleming. A confidential memo drawn up by senior health professions proposes a 'hub-and-spoke' model of hospital care that would see Portlaoise hospital downgraded with the loss of its its intensive care unit. In the memo seen by the Leinster Express, National Critical Care Programme team members led by Dr Michael Power, propose the reconfiguration ICU care in the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group. The proposal would see critical care for acutely ill patients delivered at four hospitals - Tallaght, St James, Tullamore and Naas hospitals. The two Dublin hospitals would have Model 4 supraregional and regional specialty status. The Kildare and Laois hospitals would have Model 3 status feeding to the Tallaght and St James. Portlaoise would be bypassed with services removed. The loss of ICU would have knock on impact for many other Portlaoise services. A&E cannot be provided at hospitals that do not have ICU capability. A key reason for the change is the low number of ICU patients in Portlaoise. However, neither Naas or Tullamore meet the 200 patient threshold. Only 8 hospitals exceed this threshold. The memo was prepared in early August following a meeting in June at the HSE's HQ in Dublin. A source told the Leinster Express that the memo is part of an ongoing effort to undermine Portlaoise hospital. A consultation process on the future of Portlaoise hospital is due to get underway under the leadership of an independent facilitor appointed by the Minister for Health Simon Harris. The consultation group will be made of doctors who are National Clinical Leads and HSE officials. It is tasked with considering stakeholder views on plan which recommends extensive downgrade of Portlaoise hospital. A new acting principal has been appointed at Brannoxtown National School which reopens this September after almost an entire school term lying idle. The Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB) will be running the primary school and they have appointed Dr Sarah Fitzpatrick as acting principal. She currently teaches at Naas Community National School and is a former Deputy Chief Executive for the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). SEE ALSO: PHOTO GALLERY: Naas Leaving Cert students turn out to collect their results Dr Fitzpatrick stated she is excited by the opportunity to lead the school under its new patron. She also expressed a strong commitment to promoting childrens well being and to engaging students through authentic, enjoyable learning experiences both inside and outside of the classroom. Parents and students will get the opportunity to meet with Dr Fitzpatrick at the Brannoxtown Community National School Family Open Day this Saturday, August 18 at 3pm. The school closed last January after the remaining children left the school. Enrolment numbers had plummeted in previous years and efforts to save the school failed following a number of public meetings. The Archdiocese of Dublin stepped aside as patron and the SOS Brannoxtown group campaigned for a new patron to take over. For further information or enrolment forms email brannoxtowncns@kwetb.ie or call 087 1124310. During the course of Heritage Week the public will be invited to take part in numerous activities across County Kildare throughout the week of Saturday August 18 to Sunday, August 26. Canal Trip These include taking a cruise on a canal barge from Sallins to the Leinster Aqueduct and see one of the best examples of 18th-century canal engineering or travel by barge along the Barrow navigation from Emily square in Athy. Libraries Many of Kildare libraries will host a variety of talks. Join Kildare Historian James Durney for a talk about the end of the First World War End of Days: 1918 in a number of libraries or Mario Corrigan will examine the tragedy of the sinking of the RMS Leinster 10 October 1918, the single largest loss of life in the Irish Sea, and explore the many Kildare Connections to the sinking. Bog of Allen The Irish Peatland Conservation Council is hosting a fun family event at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre. The day will include a walk to Lodge Bog to showcase the restoration work that has been done to enhance the habitat for the rare breeding Curlew, followed by a sensory earth walk. Josephine Hardiman, artist and calligrapher, will host a calligraphy workshop Calligraphy Together A free workshop for children and their parents. Castletown House Castletown House will host many events including a musical recital by Patrick Rafter in the Long Gallery, a Country Market, a Below Stairs Tour focusing on lives and roles of servants at Castletown House, tours of the house and parkland and a display of the history of beekeeping in Kildare in the last century. Child Friendly A number of child friendly events are being held throughout the county including a series of fun events and activities aimed at primary school age, exploring Kildares natural heritage, including child focused tours of Castletown House and Maynooth Castle. Birdwatch The Kildare Branch of Birdwatch will host a child friendly introduction to bird watching in Donadea and Kildare Bat group are leading a number of bat walks in Newbridge, Maynooth and Kilcock. Private Property Many properties in private ownership are open during Heritage Week such as Tea Lane Graveyard, St Mullins Church Timolin and St James Church Castledermot and the Landmark Trust will host an open day at the Round House and Batty Langley Lodge at Castletown, Celbridge. Awareness Heritage Week is part of a European wide initiative with the express aim of fostering awareness of Irelands built, natural and cultural heritage, thereby encouraging its conservation and preservation and increasing interest in our shared heritage. Walks Heritage Week presents an opportunity to take part in one of the numerous walks organised by community groups to present and explain local heritage and to discover the wealth of fascinating heritage within the county. For a full list of everything thats going on during the week, go to the Kildare County Council website and click on Heritage Week. SEE ALSO: Free family adventure day at Kildare lake to mark National Heritage Week 2018 DISCOUNT retailer Aldi has reopened its store in Castletroy following a major refurbishment. The Project Fresh store has reopened its doors to customers following an extensive renovation project which began earlier in the summer. The store, which was closed for a week to facilitate the completion of the works, has received a full makeover. Featuring the companys Project Fresh layout, the Dublin Road store, which first opened in 2007, now offers almost 20% more fridge space, a wide selection of fresh food at the front of the store, hi-spec fixtures and fittings and new signage that provides a more efficient and hassle-free shopping experience. There are 138 free car parking spaces for customers. Attention Limerick Aldi Customers. Our refurbished Dublin Road Castletroy store will re-open at 9:00am tomorrow. Thanks to all our customers for bearing with us during the renovation works. pic.twitter.com/BPWSlTdyvJ Aldi Ireland (@Aldi_Ireland) August 15, 2018 The Castletroy store participates in Aldis national partnership with FoodCloud, donating surplus food to local charities and has donated over 24,000 meals to charity to date. Speaking at the reopening, Store manager Katriona Cross said: The whole Aldi team is looking forward to welcoming customers from the locality, both existing and new. We are confident our customers will find the new store provides a more enjoyable and spacious shopping experience. The refurbishment of the Dublin Road store is part of a 160m nationwide investment by Aldi. A BUSINESSMAN is due in court later after he was charged in connection with the seizure of tobacco, drugs and cash worth more than 250,000 As part of an intelligence-led operation, a number of premises in the Davis Street area were searched at 10am Tuesday. Gardai from the divisional drugs unit were involved in the search along with local gardai and officers from the Revenue service. Revenue detector dogs Eva and Harley were also deployed during the operation. A significant amount of cannabis worth around 100,000 was seized along with other controlled drugs which have been sent for analysis. Around 170,000 cigarettes and 60kg of tobacco was also seized along with 20,000 in cash. According to the Revenue service, the tobacco products of various brands have an estimated retail value of over 132,000, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of 105,000. A businessman, aged in his 50s, who was arrested at the scene was brought to Henry Street garda station for questioning. Gardai have confirmed he has now been charged and is due to appear before a vacation sittting of Tralee District Court this Thursday afternoon. The death has occurred of Samantha Corbett, Glenfield, Kilmallock, ater a short illness. Predeaceased by mother Paula. Sadly missed by her daughter Jasmine, father Anthony, brothers Richard, Sean, Christopher, sister Annie, grandfather, uncles, aunts, cousins, relatives and friends. Reposing at McCarthy's Funeral Home, Kilmallock, Thursday (August 16th) between 6:00-7:30pm, with removal to S.S Peter & Paul's Church, Kilmallock. Requiem Mass Friday (August 17th) at 12 noon. Burial afterwards in Tankardstown Cemetery. The death has occurred of Presley Osaretin, Allow Hill, Freemount, Co. Cork and late of Croom, Co. Limerick passed away in the loving care of Marymount Hospice, Cork. Beloved husband of Margaret. Dearly loved father of sons Oisin and Kaelin and daughter Neesha. Sadly missed by his mother, father, brothers, sisters, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family and a circle of friends. Reposing at Joe and Mary Lenihan's residence, Cois Abhainn, Athlacca (V35 WF84), this Friday evening from 6pm to 8pm. Arriving to The Holy Trinity Church on Saturday afternoon for Requiem Mass at 3.30pm with burial afterwards in Dromin Cemetery. The death has occurred of Liam Ryan, Beechwood Drive, Greystones, at Crumlin Childrens Hospital, Dublin. Cherished only son of Colm and Dorothy and darling brother to Aoife and Ciara. To the inexpressible grief of his loving parents, sisters, grandparents Tom & Dorothy Shine and Jim & Maura Ryan, uncles, aunts, cousins and his extended family. Reposing at his home on Friday, August 17th, for family only. Arriving at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Ennis Road on Saturday, August 18th, for Mass of the Angels at 12 noon. Private cremation later. Family flowers only ~ Donations, if desired, to Childrens Ark, UHL or Crumlin Childrens Hospital. THE HEALTH Service Executive has been given the green light to develop a four-storey, 60-bed block at University Hospital Limerick, which is being used as an interim measure to tackle the chronic overcrowding crisis. The HSE lodged a planning application on June 22 for the 14m project, which is expected to be delivered in late 2019. The massive construction is an interim measure while the UL Hospitals Group awaits the delivery of the 25m 96-bed block in 2021. However, a number of residents have submitted observations to Limerick City and County Councils planning authority, expressing concern over noise levels and car parking spaces. Two residents in Oakvale Drive said that they have ongoing parking problems with UHL staff and construction workers, and are calling for an adequate provision made for car parking for staff and visitors. According to the plans, the HSE is proposing to provide 20 public car parking spaces. Concerns have also been expressed over noise emissions from a proposed rooftop plant room. One resident from Maigue Avenue said that present sound mitigation on site is inadequate and must be satisfactorily addressed in the current or any future proposed development. Two residents in Maigue Avenue wrote to the planning authority that the construction of an additional building will add to the ongoing airborne noise caused to adjoining residential properties by the existing buildings. It is not known yet if any of the observers have submitted an appeal to An Bord Pleanala over the proposed development, which would delay the project. MORE tickets should be made openly available to Limerick fans at Croke Park this Sunday, Sinn Fein TD Maurice Quinlivan has said. In the region of 15,000 tickets are being made available to clubs in Limerick and likewise in Galway. The remaining 52,000 tickets are split between counties, GAA clubs the length and breadth of the country, former presidents and a number of other groups. What is likely is there will be tickets changing hands for above face value with tickets already appearing online for over the asking price. Unfortunately, thats going to happen," said Mr Quinlivan, who has prepared legislation to curb ticket touting. He said the allocation for Limerick clubs is ludicrous. We need balance. Limerick in the past wouldn't have been in the All-Ireland final. It's trying to get the balance right between whether genuine hurling fans across the country get to go. The allocation is very poor. Limerick is a traditional hurling county. The last game I was at in Croke Park was the semi-final in 2013, and before that was the 2007 final. We don't have many chances to go to the All-Ireland. It's very disappointing the number of tickets, the Limerick TD said. He said with a population the size of Limerick, 15,000 tickets is just not good enough. It is putting huge pressure on the club's staff themselves. I was talking to lads who said they work in the club, they do voluntary work, cutting the grass, yet they cannot get tickets. Mr Quinlivan also welcomed this weeks announcement that Ticketmaster is to close the Seatwave ticket selling web site, and replace it with a new fan-to-fan exchange. EMERGENCY services have rescued a man from the river in Limerick. After the alarm was raised overnight this Thursday, the man was located in fast flowing water, clinging to the pontoon at Barringtons Quay and was removed from the water. At approximately 12.40am this Thursday morning Limerick City Fire and Rescue Service was alerted to a river incident on the Abbey River at Barringtons Quay. A man, believed to be in his mid 20s, was seen entering the Abbey River by passers by. Four units of the Limerick City Fire Service was immediately dispatched by Munster Regional Fire Control, including fire rescue boat FireSwift with swift water rescue technicians on board. Within three minutes, FireSwift Crews quickly located the casualty, with the help of ground fire crews and voluntary river patrols. FireSwift Crews rescued the man, bringing him aboard their boat. He was bought to the city slipway at St Michaels Rowing Club where he was treated by HSE ambulance crews and removed to University Hospital Limerick. His physical condition is not life threatening. THE SEARCH for an All-Ireland Hurling Final ticket for Sundays big game is proving to be the most intense search in the history of Limerick. If Croke Park was three times the size it could be filled by our city and countys sporting supporters. Such demand for a ticket has not been seen since Torville last skated with Dean or Daniel O' Donnell played the Big Tree in Caherconlish . Ticket searchers have a number of personality types. They also have a selection of strategies. Ger Corrigan, who remains ticketless, outlines what you need to watch out for over the coming days. 1. Bandwagon Billy. Bandwagon Billy doesn't care what the event is. If it's popular he wants to be there and will leave no stone unturned until he gets a ticket.He wan't to tell people he has a ticket. He wouldn't know a hurley from the back end of racehorse but he is going and go he will! Billy used to go to formula one races, Munster rugby (during the glory days) and claims to have been at the Munster V The All Blacks victory. Amazingly he was born a year after that great day in Thomond park! 2. I've been to every Match Ian Yeah Ian, so has everyone else. Get over yourself Kid. 3. Friend of a Friend Frank Frank always has a friend of a friend who knows a lad who knows another lad who is well connected to another lad whose father in law carries great influence in Fermanagh Hurling circles. One can not be sure that Fermanagh Hurling circles even exist! Frank is frequently disappointed. 4. Cheeky Charlie Charlie will ring anyone. He may not have rang you in ten years but he's gonna call you and he will call everyone he knows. Charlie is the type who may end up with ten tickets. He will not ring you again until the next final. 5. Can you get me two stand tickets together Cathal This lad is deluded. He doesn't want one , he wants two. He doesn't want two that are separate, oh no, he wants two together and he will be in a bit of a strop if you don't get them for him. 6. After all the coaching I've done Alan Alan puts the cones out for the under six camogie team every saturday morning for half an hour. In his mind he thinks he is Brian Cody. He honestly believes his contribution to the game entitles him to a ticket and a premium ticket at that. To make him go away it's best to say "Alan your record speaks for itself" 7. Con the Chancer Con will ring Croke Park and tell them that the King of Spain is staying with him for two weeks learning English. Con will ask Croke park to provide him with two tickets because the King would love to go to the match. Croke Park will say " Jaaysus Con in 2007 twas the Sultan of Brunei" APPLIED LANGUAGES, medicine, primary school teaching, and physics; just some of the different fields Limerick students are hoping to break their way into, as more than 2,600 young men and women collected their Leaving Cert exam results across the city and county. And just as one long wait comes to an end, so another begins, albeit a shorter one. While Results-Day had finally arrived in Limerick City, another waiting game has now begun, with many students now on stand-by until Monday to hear if they have secured a place on their chosen courses. Many students collecting their results told the Limerick Leader they were really, really happy with how they did. It was an early start for teachers and admin staff at the Limerick Tutorial College, who arrived to the school for results-duty at 3:00 am that Wednesday morning. But look, this is it every year, principal John OHalloran quipped. You have to prepare for the students, so its par for the course. The students achieved fantastic results, with three receiving more than 600 points and 26 students receiving over 560, he added. These results are opening up avenues for these young students to go on and study what they want to do in college, further their careers and start off their lives so were thrilled for them. Danial Arbab, a Tutorial student from Dooradolye, secured 4 H1s, including a H1 in Maths. He told the Limerick Leader he was surprised to see his top marks in Maths but that he was very happy about all the same. They must have marked the paper nice and easy, he joked modestly. He is hoping to pursue a career in medicine, he added. On the opposite side of the city, a trio of Ardscoil Ris students each scored the maximum points in the State Exams. Eoin Corcoran, Ronan Connolly and Michael O'Callaghan received 625 points each. We had a lot of happy faces (on Wednesday) morning when the class of 2018 were collecting their results, thankfully, principal Tom Prendergast said. Siobhan Downes, a student at Laurel Hill Colaiste FCJ, hopes now to study physics, she told the Limerick Leader as she collected her results from the school. Her friends Margaret Heslin and Christina OBrien hope to study primary school teaching and applied languages, respectively. The girls opted to pick up their results from the school instead of online, Christina explains. In school we could get them earlier, so we just really wanted to get it out of the way early and just know what we got, and see everyone. Students at Laurel Hill Secondary School FCJ also achieved fantastic results, according to their principal Michael Cregan. Over 25% of them got over 500 points, he told the Limerick Leader. For us, this was one of the finest groups of students we ever had. Many students now must wait and watch ahead of course offers, he added. The biggest thing for us is that the CAO is not out until next week so they have to wait and watch, especially students going for medicine. The Leaving Cert is not just about the high grades, he added. Its about each student reaching their own potential. Each student is an individual and their life experiences are quite different as well. Students who were disappointed with their results should not be discouraged, he added. There are so many ways into it. You might think now you need to get 700 points between the Leaving Cert and the H-Pat to get into medicine but of course so many students can go back now and do it as a post-grad. Nearly every course has an alternative way into it. It might take you two years longer but maturity will come in time as well. Samaritans are on hand to offer support to any student worried about themselves or a friend on freephone 116 123, text 087 260 9090 or by email at jo@samaritans.ie. A helpline, operated by the National Parents Council is also on hand to provide information and advice to students and parents by calling 1800 265 165. GARDAI have issued an appeal for witnesses after a young boy was seriously injured in a road collision in Limerick city. The boy was struck by a car which was travelling at Hyde Road, Ballinacurra Weston shortly after 6pm on Wednesday. He was on a flicker-type scooter at the time and was treated at the scene by paramedics before being transferred by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick. While not life-threatening, his injuries have been described as serious and he remains at UHL. The driver of the car was not injured during the incident. A section of Hyde Road was closed for several hours on Wednesday evening to facilitate a forensic examination of the scene. While gardai have spoken to a number of witnesses including the driver of the car which struck the boy, they are appealing for anyone else who was in the area and who saw what happened to contact them. Gardai at Roxboro Road can be contacted at (061) 214340. An aerial view of Long Valley Caldera, on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Mountains, in California. Some 760,000 years ago, before our species took its first steps on Earth, an enormous eruption in what is now eastern California sent high-speed rivers of ash and lava across an area tens of miles across. The event ejected ash as far east as present-day Nebraska. When the dust settled, six days later, the Long Valley supervolcano had disgorged about 1,400 times the volume of lava, gas and ash as the famous 1980 supereruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington. And since 1978, Long Valley has shown signs of restlessness, with the depressed valley at the center of the volcano (the caldera) showing uplift, possibly from magma moving toward the surface. (Magma is the hot rock stored beneath a volcano that ultimately erupts onto land and is renamed lava.) Some scientists also argue that liquids from stored magma may be causing the uplift. [The 11 Biggest Volcanic Eruptions in History] Now, scientists think they've figured out what's happening in the bowels of this beast, finding evidence of a mother lode of magma some 240 cubic miles (1,000 cubic kilometers) stored like syrup between the rocks making up a giant stack of "pancakes." That's "enough melt [or magma] to support another supereruption" like the one 760,000 years ago, Ashton Flinders, of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Menlo Park, California, and colleagues wrote online Aug. 2 in the journal Geology. While the new findings don't solve the mystery of what's causing the recent uplift, they do provide a more detailed picture than ever of Long Valley's magma system, Flinders said. Beneath the caldera Until now, studies of Long Valley have fallen into one of two groups: They either imaged small features down to shallow depths (say, down to a few kilometers) or took take images of larger features down to much deeper levels. "This has left a bit of a shadow zone in the midcrust, where the shallow studies can't see and deeper studies tend to blur anything they do see," Flinders told Live Science. "What we're seeing isn't new. It's just that we're seeing it at this level of detail for the very first time." To capture that detail, the researchers looked at how ambient noise (the seismic waves that constantly travel through Earth) moved through the area beneath the Long Valley Caldera. "We used physics-based computer simulations to model the way this energy travels through the volcano," he said. The simulation needed a lot of computer power, so the researchers borrowed time on the supercomputer called Pleiades at NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California. "To do this research on a single computer like you might have in your home would require that one computer to run for about 22 years," Flinders said. The resulting 3D image shows quite a trove of partly melted magma beneath the caldera. But just because there's enough magma for a mega explosion doesn't mean that one is coming, he said. "While it's impossible to predict when an eruption might occur, we can say that an eruption from Long Valley in our lifetimes is extremely unlikely," Flinders told Live Science. To be safe, the USGS is monitoring Long Valley and the neighboring Mono-Inyo volcanic chain for any signs of unrest, he said. Originally published on Live Science. 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 Tuesday (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. Caves in eastern North America are being emptied of hibernating bats. Amphibians on several continents are vanishing. Infectious diseases are pushing some species to the brink of extinction or over it. Sick Wildlife: Do You Know the Diagnoses? 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. An old adage with a modern spin says that you shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet. Now, new research adds that you shouldnt believe everything you watch online, either. And that especially goes for plastic surgery videos on YouTube. That's because these videos can be misleading forms of marketing and, what's more, can offer bad advice for people seeking legitimate information about such procedures, according to the new study, published today (Aug. 16) in the journal JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery. [7 Beauty Trends That Are Bad for Your Health] In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey examined the digital-age trend of people turning to YouTube videos for information about medical procedures. This entailed combing through 240 of YouTube's most frequently watched videos on plastic surgery, all of which racked up a combined 160 million views. Those videos surfaced through 12 keyword searches of increasingly common cosmetic procedures, including "face-lift," "lip fillers," "nose job," "ear surgery" and "eyelid surgery." Next, the researchers evaluated the videos for factual information and the quality of the content therein using what's known as the DISCERN criteria a questionnaire that evaluates the reliability and quality of consumer health information. The team also examined the YouTube videos for the presence of U.S. board-certified physicians and specialists whose names were checked against the American Board of Medical Specialties database as well as the name of the person or group posting the YouTube videos. Their findings were startling: Even videos made to look like educational materials that were presented by certified medical professionals or specialists could be veiled marketing schemes, lead study author Dr. Boris Paskhover, an assistant professor of otolaryngologyat Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, said in a statement. "Patients and physicians who use YouTube for educational purposes should be aware that these videos can present biased information, be unbalanced when evaluating risks versus benefits and be unclear about the qualifications of the practitioner," Paskhover said. "YouTube is for marketing. The majority of the people who post these videos are trying to sell you something." The new research piggybacks on a previous study from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine published last year. That study found that approximately 26 percent of the top Instagram posts on plastic surgery were shared by cosmetic surgeons who weren't themselves board certified in plastic surgery (in other words, general surgeons, dermatologists, gynecologists and even family medicine doctors). That study found that much of that content (around 67 percent) was, in fact, self-marketing. Dr. Clark Schierle, director of aesthetic surgery at Northwestern Specialists in Plastic Surgery in Chicago and the study's senior author, told Live Science at the time that he had recently "found an oral surgeon who had undergone additional training in cosmetic surgery, and the oral surgeon is doing breast implants." Both of the above studies emphasize the importance of using caution around videos on this or any other topic, whether the person seeking information is a frequent social media user or a casual browser. It all boils down to this: Definitely do your research. Originally published on Live Science. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery is known for colorful opinions and orders, often sprinkling quotes and nuggets of history into his prose. This week as part of an uber acrimonious business dispute he offered up a collection of his greatest hits. In a seven-page order Tuesday, the San Antonio federal judge expressed little patience for any Rambo tactics or elementary school behavior by attorneys involved in a battle between San Franciscos HouseCanary Inc. and Detroits Quicken Loans Inc. over alleged stolen trade secrets and fraud. Biery cited some ways he might sanction the lawyers if they misbehave. RELATED: Uresti can't collect state pension, judge rules Although he does not expect counsel to hold hands and sing Kumbaya, Biery warned in his order that unprofessional conduct or acerbic shrillness in the pleadings may result in visiting attorneys having their court privileges revoked or even worse, sitting in timeout in the rotunda of the courthouse and opposing counsel kissing each other on the lips in front of the Alamo with cameras present. These are no idle threats. Biery actually carried out the first two punitive measures in other cases hes presided over. The attorneys in two other cases only had to be threatened with having to lock lips in front of the Alamo for the misconduct to stop, he added. The case before Biery is part of an escalating feud between HouseCanary and Quicken Loans. HouseCanary and Title Source Inc., a Quicken Loans affiliate, squared off earlier this year in a Bexar County District Court that produced a record $706 million jury verdict for real estate analytics firm HouseCanary. To read the full story, including more of Bierys pop culture references and complaints about out-of-state attorneys invading Texas, see Thursdays Business section or click here to visit our subscriber website, ExpressNews.com. Patrick Danner 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. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD The Gatsby Affair: Scott, Zelda, and the Betrayal that Shaped an American Classic By Kendall Taylor Rowman & Littlefield. 320 pp. $27 --- The summer of 1924 was a defining moment for F. Scott Fitzgerald: Most scholars agree that was when Scott, living with Zelda and their daughter in a rented villa on the French Riviera, finished the first draft of "The Great Gatsby." To do so, Scott stuck to a rigid schedule, secluding himself and writing every day until dinner. After that summer's labors - and the further labors of autumn and winter - Fitzgerald produced what many regard as the greatest of the great American novels. According to Kendall Taylor in her new biography, "The Gatsby Affair," Zelda had a defining moment of her own that summer. Freed by a nanny from child-care duties, Zelda swam and strolled the beaches; but she was also lonely. A welcome distraction came in the form of a handsome 25-year-old French lieutenant named Edouard Jozan, and he and Zelda soon began an affair, although biographers have disagreed on the nature of the liaison. After five weeks, Zelda told Scott she was in love with Jozan and, according to some accounts, asked for a divorce. The details are hazy, but the upshot was that Jozan, who seems to have had nothing more than a dalliance in mind, disappeared from Zelda's life. A few weeks later, Zelda attempted suicide with sleeping pills. The sad story of the Jozan affair is well-known, but it's been regarded as just one of many damaging episodes in the Fitzgeralds' marriage. Both Scott and Zelda wove the Jozan affair into their novels, including "Tender Is The Night," where Jozan appears as Tommy Barban. Taylor, however, sees the Jozan affair as much more than a bad bump: She claims that, for Zelda, the affair activated a traumatic memory of teenage sexual assault and sparked the decline that led to years spent in mental institutions. For Scott, Taylor says, the affair became the emotional center of his best-known work, with Jozan as the inspiration for Jay Gatsby. Taylor has previously touched on the Jozan affair in her 2001 biography of the Fitzgeralds, "Sometimes Madness Is Wisdom." Both of her books, like Therese Anne Fowler's best-selling 2013 novel "Z," set Taylor squarely in the "Team Zelda" camp of writers who see Scott as a Jazz Age Gothic villain jealously thwarting Zelda's gifts as a writer, ballet dancer and artist. In "The Gatsby Affair," Taylor idealizes Zelda and carries forward the tradition (perfected by Ernest Hemingway in "A Moveable Feast") of diminishing Scott by emasculating him. Thus, Taylor characterizes Scott as "[i]nexperienced and prudish in bed" and possessed of "what could only be described as a modestly sized penis." In contrast to Zelda and Jozan, who were "unafraid of strong currents near the shoreline," Taylor observes that squeamish Scott was someone who "hated sitting on the sand in a wet bathing suit." And, then, there's the matter of his feet. Taylor notes that Scott was so sensitive about his hammertoes that he "rarely removed his shoes and socks." Given all her husband's flaws, who could blame Zelda for wanting to run away with Jozan, a man's man "who exuded dominance"? Most of these tidbits have been reshuffled time and again in earlier biographies. The new angle Taylor purports to offer is access to Jozan's letters and recollections by his daughter Martine. As Taylor explains, her earlier biography caught the attention of Martine, who wrote her an admiring letter in 2003. Given that Jozan has always been an elusive figure, any mention of fresh material is tantalizing. Regrettably, what Taylor mostly serves up is a pile of unsifted information about Jozan's ancestry, schooling and military training. Descriptions here are so dense with trivia they make reading an act of the will. Jozan remained mum all his life about Zelda, so Taylor's account must rely on well-worn biographical sources and Zelda's fictionalized descriptions in "Save Me the Waltz" and her unpublished novel, "Caesar's Things." Perhaps it's a sign of desperation that Taylor resorts to reading Zelda's and Jozan's astrological signs: "Both were born on Leo's cusp ... this meant passionate natures." "The Gatsby Affair" is one of those wobbly biographies where a reader constantly flips to the "Notes" section, only to be frustrated by the lack of sources tethering pronouncements like: "Edouard Jozan was the type of man about whom Zelda always had fantasized." About Taylor's assertion that the brief affair with Jozan reawakened Zelda's earlier sexual trauma, one can only say, "Perhaps." There simply isn't enough medical or personal documentation. Taylor's other big claim, that Jozan is the direct inspiration for Jay Gatsby, is less persuasive. To make that theory stick, Taylor all but ignores "The Great Gatsby's" long gestation period, starting as far back as 1922. Gatsby himself is a composite of dreamers (chief among them, Scott himself), gangsters and con men. The events of that summer of 1924 are magical and melancholy because, even as Gatsby took shape, other things began to fall apart. Zelda's worsening depression and mental instability meant she would spend nearly two decades in and out of institutions, until her death at age 47 while awaiting electroshock treatment. Four years earlier at the age of 44, Scott died of a heart attack in Hollywood believing himself a failure, partly because "The Great Gatsby" was a commercial flop. And Jozan? He went on to become a commander of the French Naval Air Force during World War II. He joined the French Resistance, was captured by the Gestapo, escaped from a prisoner of war camp, endured over two years in a German concentration camp and ended his military career as an admiral. Jozan died at 82 in his luxurious apartment in Cannes. Whatever else is true or not about Jozan, he, unlike Jay Gatsby or Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, was a survivor. --- Corrigan, the book critic for the NPR program "Fresh Air," teaches literature at Georgetown University and is the author of "So We Read On: How The Great Gatsby Came To Be and Why It Endures." Coldspring-Oakhurst Consolidated ISD is proud to introduce two new campus principals for the 2018-19 school year. Frank Brown joins the COCISD family as the new principal of Lincoln Junior High School, and LJH assistant principal Paula McClendon will serve as principal of James Street Elementary and Coldspring Intermediate School. Brown brings 12 years of experience as a teacher and campus administrator and is coming from Fort Bend ISD. He was born and raised in Crockett and attended Sam Houston State University, where he earned a bachelors degree in criminal justice. Brown became the first African-American juvenile probation officer for Houston County, and served eight years as a juvenile probation officer for the Texas Youth Commission before he made a career change in 2006 to become an educator. He is married with three children, and he and his family are active members of Lilly Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Houston. Two teenagers were arrested in South Texas on Wednesday in connection with the killing of a Texas City woman that police say was part of a revenge plot over a stolen bank card. Cory McCray, 19, and Cindy Esquivel, 17, were taken into custody by Texas Department of Public Safety troopers on Interstate 37 between McCoy and Pleasanton in Atascosa County, south of San Antonio. Texas City police officials did not name Esquivel when announcing the arrests via press release, but a police complaint released by the Galveston County district attorney's office identified her. Murder warrants had been issued for McCray and Esquivel in connection with the death of Lucia Bertrand inside a home on Vance Avenue last week. Bertrand, 33, of Texas City, was found dead inside her Texas City home on Aug. 9. ALSO IN TEXAS CITY: Woman dead, man critically injured in shooting Amy Lynne Medina, 37, identified as Esquivel's mother, was arrested the day after Bertrand was found and charged with murder in Bertrand's death. Medina allegedly orchestrated a plan to rob and kill Bertrand as revenge for Bertrand having used Medina's bank card without permission. Relatives and acquaintances interviewed by Texas City Police detectives, including Esquivel's biological father, Daniel Reyes, say Medina plotted with McCray and Esquivel to break into Bertrand's home on the night of Aug. 8 while Medina was there with her to give the appearance of a home invasion. When Medina was arrested by police after Bertrand's death, she admitted to threatening Bertrand after finding that she had used her bank card to withdraw money, and told investigators she was in the home when Bertrand was killed. Medina told investigators that while she was laying on Bertrand's couch, two people dressed in black kicked in the door and attacked the two women, according to the complaint. Medina said the two attackers beat her and Bertrand, but that she eventually stopped fighting them while Bertrand continued fighting until the attackers killed her. ARGUMENT TURNED DEADLY: Man accused of fatally stabbing ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend in Katy Reyes, Esquivel's father, told investigators that Esquivel admitted to him that they killed Bertrand at Medina's behest, according to the police complaint. Reyes said that Esquivel told him she stabbed Bertrand while McCray beat her with a pistol. Esquivel told Reyes they were wearing gloves during the attack. Reyes told police that Esquivel and Reyes fled Texas City and spent the night at a hotel Houston. A spokesman for the Texas City Police Department did not have information about how McCray and Esquivel were tracked down in Atacosta County. McCray is in custody at Atacosta County Jail, while Esquivel was transported to Atacosta County Juvenile Detention Center. McCray and Esquivel each have bail set at $250,000 and are expected to be extradited to Galveston County in the coming days. Police arrested Medina on an unrelated warrant Friday, according to jail records. She was interviewed by police about Bertrand's death on Saturday and subsequently charged with murder, according to the complaint. Medina was held Wednesday in the Galveston County Jail with bail set at $250,000. Nick Powell covers Galveston County for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and send him tips at nick.powell@chron.com Rogelio Garcia is a small-town guy from Roma, Texas, but has accomplished big dreams at Texas State Technical College in Fort Bend County and will graduate with his associate degree in Cyber Security Technology this Thursday. TSTC has been a great ride, said Garcia. I never thought I could accomplish something like this at my age. This is a career change for the 37-year-old who spent nearly 13 years in the retail industry serving as a multi-unit manager for chains such as Kirklands, Annas Linens and Sears. Retail is all Ive known since high school, he said. I hadnt been in a college classroom since my early 20s. It was intimidating making a change. Garcia had attempted the college and university life before TSTC. He studied Criminal Justice at a Rio Grande Valley community college and a university in San Antonio, but neither was the right fit. In the long run I realized criminal justice was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, said Garcia. I couldnt find anything I was passionate about, until now. With the instability and hectic schedules that come with working retail, Garcia, with the support of his wife of 14 years, quit his job and they moved to Houston in hopes of finding better opportunities. We always heard from others that Houston has tons of opportunities and work available, so we decided to make the move, he said. And it was perfect timing with the opening of the TSTC campus in our area. Garcia said he did not know what he was getting himself into; he had no idea what cyber security was about. The only computer experience he had was with point-of-sale systems and online shopping. Disregarding his insecurity about the program, Garcia enrolled in January 2017 and since then has found success as a student and student leader on campus. Yes, there were moments I felt like giving up, he said. Moments I wondered what I was doing. It was a risk, but a risk worth taking. Garcia credits his Cyber Security Technology Instructor Ryan Hill for the reason why he did not quit school this time around. Mr. Hill was my guidance and saved me when I was ready to quit, said Garcia. He was the first person I saw on my first day and the one that mentored me along the way. Hes a great asset to TSTC and overall a great person. He believes in me and believes that I can do great things. Hill described Garcia as a great joy to have in class, a pleasure to work with, and one of the most dedicated students hes seen. As a dedicated student and leader, he was always the first to arrive and the last to leave, said Hill. It is his dedication and earnest involvement on campus and in the community that will allow him to graduate with distinction. It is this drive, determination and ability that will make him a valued asset at any company he chooses. Garcia will graduate with a 3.9 grade-point average, with honors and memories he said he will cherish and miss. Along with adjusting to student life and studying to maintain his impressive GPA, Garcia also served as TSTC in Fort Bend Countys Student Government Association president, where he recently led a school supply drive and benefit and was one of the first inductees into the campuses newly established honor society, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, where he served as vice president. Garcia also worked on campus as a Student Ambassador and New Student Orientation volunteer conducting campus tours and welcoming new and prospective students on campus. Being active on campus gave me a whole new outlook on college and improved my experience, said Garcia. It allowed me to meet new people, make new friends, make a difference in the community, and make college memorable. Ive enjoyed every moment and Im going to miss it. So whats next for Garcia? He already has a few job offers on the table that he is reviewing. He ultimately hopes to work as a network administrator and Garcia is looking forward to celebrating this accomplishment with his wife, parents and in-laws on Thursday and cant wait to put on his cap and gown and walk across the commencement stage. TSTC in Fort Bend Countys Commencement Ceremony will be held Thursday, August 16 at the Stafford Centre in Stafford, Texas at 6 p.m. BEIJING - By President Donald Trump's account, China is an economic behemoth, out to destroy the United States. In the last few years, he has compared China's leaders to "grand-chess masters" and accused Beijing of "raping" the U.S. economy and committing the "greatest theft in the history of the world." Last April, as the trade war with China was seemingly just ramping up, Trump tweeted thatit was "lost many years ago." China has a different message: We're not that great. Really. In the past several months, Beijing has urged its officials and party outlets to tamp down the swagger about China's economic strength. Rather than behemoth, Beijing has begun to pitch itself as a humble helper, an aide to countries in need. Editorials in the state-run People's Daily cautioned against describing China's accomplishments as "the world's first" or "number one in the world." This kind of braggadocio, writers argued, "could easily make people misunderstand or even misjudge" the country. (This month, a professor who dared suggest that China's economy had already surpassed the United States' faced a social media backlash of students and alumni suggesting he should be fired.) State media has been told to minimize references to Made in China 2025, a major initiative to turn China into a global leader in 10 key industries, including artificial intelligence, commercial airline development and pharmaceuticals. "The trade war has made China more humble," Wang Yiwei, a professor of international affairs at Renmin University in Beijing and deputy director of the institution's "Xi Jinping Thought" center, told Bloomberg. "We should keep a low profile." At a recent Washington reception, China's U.S. Ambassador Cui Tiankai said Beijing's goal is to develop itself, not to compete with other nations. "China has no intention to challenge the international standing and interests of any other country or the existing international order and system," he said. It's an odd turn for China under leader Xi, who has sought to shed his country's modest foreign policy for a more aggressive, in-your-face quest for dominance. But experts say it's an attempt to mollify the Trump administration and other foreign leaders. "There is an effort to downplay any potential Chinese threat to the U.S.," Bonnie Glaser, director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, wrote in an email. Trump's 2017 National Security Strategy accused China of using "economic inducements and penalties, influence operations and implied military threats to persuade other states to heed its political and security agenda." At the time of its release, a senior administration official called China a "strategic competitor." Glaser said the new modesty campaign was likely prompted by that American assessment. Richard McGregor, author of "The Party: The Secret World of China's Communist Rulers" called the shift "tactical, and little more." "There is a realization in China that they may have been playing into the hands of their critics in the West by displaying their ambition so openly," he wrote in an email. "That ambition goes well beyond economics - China is also catching up and challenging the West, and particularly the U.S., for technological and geopolitical ascendancy and even parading itself as a political model, as an alternative to democracy." China's modesty harks back to the rhetoric deployed by many of the country's past leaders. As Angela Stanzel, a senior policy fellow and editor of China Analysis at the European Council on Foreign Relations, put it, Xi's "predecessors have always downplayed China's development in comparison to the U.S." "Hide your strength, bide your time," was one of former leader Deng Xiaoping's most famous sayings, a guiding foreign-policy principle for decades. But when Xi came to power in 2013, he brought a different message, Stanzel said. China was a world-class country, Xi believed. It was time for it to behave that way. Some of Xi's biggest and most public projects - like Made in China 2025 - are efforts to do just that. Xi has also expanded China's military muscle: The country now has the second-largest military budget in the world, with nuclear submarines, an aircraft carrier and more on the way, and stealth-fighter programs. And he has built new kinds of alliances with regional trade deals and what China calls the Belt and Road Initiative, an international, billion-dollar infrastructure investment project. "It's a new narrative we haven't known before," Stanzel said. Since the trade war with the United States erupted, "China is trying to be much more careful in what it's saying to the outside world," she said. "But that doesn't mean China means it." China's current attempt to downplay its ambition may serve another purpose, too. In the last couple of months, a string of domestic challenges has shaken the country's faith in its leaders. Hundreds of thousands of children were given faulty vaccines, raising questions about whether parents can trust the medicine given to their kids. Earlier this month, several victims of a crackdown on peer-to-peer lending networks tried to organize a protest in Beijing, calling for stricter regulation and bailouts for people who lost money in the lending crisis. Officials tracked down several of the organizers at their homes or en route to Beijing, essentially shuttering the protest. There's frustration, too, over the party's response to President Trump's ever-escalating tariffs and threats. Beijing's more modest rhetoric may be an attempt to ease domestic expectations and urge Chinese people to be patient. But already, remnants of Xi's old message are filtering back into the official conversation. As a recent editorial in the People's Daily put it: "After more than a century of hard work, China has returned to the center of the world stage, and this is the basic fact we must observe in the China-U.S. trade friction . . . Such a large size, such a heavy thing, can't be hidden by 'being low key,' " it said. "Just like an elephant can't hide behind a sapling." - - - The Washington Post's Luna Lin contributed to this report. State mandated testing has detected elevated lead levels in drinking fountains and taps in schools in Montgomery County, Anne Arundel County and Baltimore city. A bill passed last year by the state legislature and signed by Gov. Larry Hogan, R, requires public and private schools to test for lead in drinking water outlets. That testing, the first phase of which had to be completed by July 1, yielded levels of lead above the EPA guideline of 20 parts per billion in water fixtures in several districts. There is no safe level of lead in blood for children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The metal is especially harmful for younger children, whose brains and nervous systems are still developing, and elevated levels can lead to behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and other lifelong ill effects. In Montgomery County - the state's largest school district - 238 of the 13,248 fixtures tested were found to have lead levels above 20 ppb. Those fixtures were taken off line and the district "implemented remediation measures," according to its website. Students won't have access to those fixtures again until they show lead levels below 20 ppb. "Any of the samples coming back above the acceptable level of 20 ppb is concerning and alarming and necessitates further evaluation," said Travis Gayles, health officer and chief of public health services for Montgomery County. Gayles, a pediatrician, said it would be difficult to determine just how much lead a child drinking from one of the affected spigots received, and what the effect might have been. "It's tricky to know how often a particular child was exposed to a particular source, how long," he said. "And it's tricky to really assess the effect of intermittent exposure to a particular source." Laura Stewart, a PTA leader in Montgomery, said she's hoping school officials will adopt a more stringent standard for taking action - rather than 20 ppb, she would like to see 5 ppb trigger an intervention to ensure children aren't exposed. Another parent, Rebecca Morley, testified to the Montgomery County Board of Education this summer after receiving a letter notifying her that the water at her child's elementary school had been tested and was safe. Citing a recent U.S. Government Accountability Office report, she asked the county to adopt a threshold of no more than 5 ppb, with a goal of lowering it if possible. Maryland Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous on Thursday seized on the issue at an appearance in Baltimore. Jealous - flanked by a Montgomery County public school teacher and a nurse represented by SEIU Local 1199, which has endorsed Jealous for governor - said the state was allowing children to "be the canaries in the coal mine on the issue of lead poisoning." "We don't act until there's 10 [micrograms] in their bloodstream. Other states say 5. Doctors will tell you the only safe number is zero," said Jealous, a former head of the NAACP who is challenging Hogan in November. D.C. and 18 states use the CDC's recommendation of requiring action when children's blood lead levels reach 5 micrograms per deciliter. Jealous said if elected he also would push for an additional $5 million for more lead inspectors for the state Department of Environment, and a $1,500-per-unit tax credit for property owners who need to remove sources of lead from residences, modeled after a similar program in Massachusetts. "It's a small price to pay for a big improvement in the safety of young people," Jealous said. Hogan has pushed through his own initiatives to tackle childhood lead exposure in the state. In 2015, for example, Hogan's administration announced it would begin requiring blood tests for lead for all children at 12 and 24 months of age, not just those at high risk of lead poisoning. A spokeswoman for Hogan said the governor has supported adopting the CDC's recommended 5 micrograms, but added that doing so would take an act of the state legislature. "It's great to see Ben Jealous follow the governor's lead in pushing for the adoption of the CDC's standards," Hogan spokeswoman Amelia Chasse wrote in an email, adding that legislation last year to change the standard, which Hogan supported, did not pass the General Assembly. "Doing a little homework before making ill-informed and unsubstantiated attacks is usually a good idea." Derek Turner, a spokesman for Montgomery County Public Schools, said fixtures that had results over 20 ppb were taken out of service to be fixed. A number of water fountains and taps with high lead levels were not accessible to children, or had been dormant, which may be why the lead levels were elevated, he said. Some hadn't been used in two years, he said, "so when we tested them the lead levels were through the roof." Officials are discussing which threshold makes sense "to make sure our kids' drinking water is safe," he said. He also encouraged parents to check their fixtures at home. "It's not just a school issue, but a community issue," he said. Montgomery County council member Marc Elrich, D, said he is drafting legislation to require schools to take action if a water fixture shows lead levels at more than 5 ppb - matching the requirement at District of Columbia schools. Elrich, who also is the Democratic nominee for Montgomery County executive, said it was just a first step to address the lead problem, noting that children also can be exposed to lead in water fixtures at day care, recreation centers and homes. "Nobody wants lead in the water of any fountain kids are exposed to, whether you're the government or a private provider," said Elrich, adding he wanted to study the cost of installing water filters at schools. Anne Arundel County Public Schools has gotten results back for 23 of the 33 schools and found 30 sources of drinking water with lead levels testing at 20 ppb or higher - 10 of those are at High Point Elementary School. Those outlets were shut off within 24 hours of getting results, said Bob Mosier, a spokesman for the district, which is replacing the fixtures. The water will be tested again, and access will not be restored until the lead levels drop to acceptable levels, he said, as officials work to find the source of the problem. "We have been trying to move as swiftly as possible," he said. A spokeswoman for Baltimore City Public Schools could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday. At Prince George's Public Schools, which has a standard of 10 ppb, spokesman John White said all drinking water sources in the schools were tested by the end of January. "If drinking water tested above 10 ppb, the school system attempted to remediate the problem, replacing old fixtures for example, and retested," he said. If water still tested high, those drinking water sources were turned off and capped, he said. The system has begun installing filtered water fountains in all 207 schools, work which will be completed this school year, he said. Most experts agree that 20 ppb is not a stringent enough threshold, said Marc Edwards, the Virginia Tech professor who is nationally known for his battles with government agencies for safer water in places such as the District and Flint, Michigan. A national standard is badly needed, he said. "It creates this very unfortunate contentious debate all over the country: How safe do we want our schools to be?" While he said research shows "lower and lower levels of lead are more harmful than we thought," he and colleagues recently wrote a paper cautioning against unrealistic standards. "If you're going to go with 1 [ppb] you probably just want to go with bottled water," he said. "Our filters, our existing plumbing systems just aren't set up yet to be below 1 all the time." He said the District of Columbia Public Schools' standard of 5 ppb is a reasonable solution, and could be a national model. "When it comes to lead in schools, no news is bad news," Edwards said, adding that testing for and detecting lead is key to preventing future harm. "If you're not hearing about this problem, that's when you should be worried." KABUL, Afghanistan - On a stony hilltop at the edge of a city in shock, 10 coffins were lowered into a freshly dug trench Thursday morning and covered with dirt and stones by a waiting bulldozer. Ten thin slabs were marked in white paint with first names - Farzana, Ataullah, Ali - and planted in a shallow row as several hundred mourners watched in silence. The dead were all students in their teens and 20s, victims of a suicide bombing Wednesday in the capital that was claimed Thursday by the Islamic State militia. Officials said the blast, inside a college preparatory center in the capital's minority Shiite and ethnic Hazara community, killed 34 people and wounded 57 others. The death toll has been revised several times amid confusion at hospitals. While friends and relatives were holding ceremonies for the blast victims, a group of armed men attacked a training compound operated by the national intelligence agency in another area of Kabul. Gunfire and explosions continued for several hours during the attack, which police said was staged from a nearby construction site. Authorities said three attackers were killed. No casualties on the government side were reported. The two attacks came amid an accelerating spate of violence, notably a deadly, four-day siege by Taliban fighters on the eastern city of Ghazni. The bloodshed has increased public fear and frustration with the Afghan government and has dimmed Afghan and American hopes to build on a cease-fire with the Taliban in June and an exploratory meeting between Taliban and U.S. diplomats last month. Among mourners at several funerals Thursday - including friends and relatives of the slain students, as well as strangers who felt the need to be there - the sense of grievance was specific, acute and expressed in increasingly angry terms. Some muttered about ethnic genocide, government conspiracies and the need to defend themselves. Others expressed a deeper, enduring worry that has been spreading across the city's Shiite and Hazara populace in the past several years, as Sunni Islamist militants have bombed and shot at a succession of mosques, shrines, religious processions, public rallies and education centers in their urban enclaves. It is the growing sense, voiced in numerous interviews this week, that an entire generation of young Hazaras is under threat. Many Hazaras feel that the best and brightest members of their long-suppressed, predominantly Shiite ethnic group - now beginning to compete with more dominant groups in professions, education and politics, - are not only being targeted by outside religious adversaries but also are underprotected by the Afghan government. "There is no security for us," said Soraya Samar, 19, a student who addressed the mourners from a bullhorn as she stood on top of a truck. "Every time an incident takes place, we ask for more security, but nothing changes. The government has done nothing to protect us since Deh Mazang." Samar was referring to a peaceful protest staged by Hazara students and young people just over two years ago at a traffic circle in Kabul. As a crowd of several hundred gathered, a suicide bomb exploded in their midst, killing more than 80 people and wounding many more. Some of the young Deh Mazang victims were buried in the same hills as those who died Wednesday. In a statement Thursday, the human rights group Amnesty International denounced Wednesday's bombing as a "war crime" that was apparently "motivated by sectarian hatred." To many, the attack on the Mowud learning center Wednesday was another assault on the educational and professional aspirations of Shiite Hazaras. Many people noted Thursday that the center had built an exceptional track record, with large numbers of its students scoring high marks on national college entrance exams. Now, some parents say they fear sending their children there. "As a father, the thing I care most about in the world is my kids' education. We are living in a democracy now, and the things of learning should replace guns and violence and blood," said Amir Jafferi, 42, a small-business owner in Kabul with three teenage children. "If education comes under attack, then there is no solution to our problems, and the violence and bloodshed will return." Jafferi, who like many Afghan Shiites spent years as a war refugee in Iran, said he had been planning to send his oldest daughter to Mowud for college prep classes. But now he is rethinking that decision. For the first time since returning home, he said, "I have a feeling of darkness for the future, and for the future of my children." - - - The Washington Post's Sharif Hassan and Sayed Salahuddin contributed to this report. 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 630 people out of apartments in nearby buildings. Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Danilo Toninelli raised the possibility that the evacuees may never again live there, saying the need to rebuild a new bridge on the city's key artery could require the destruction of nearby residential buildings. On Tuesday, just as many Italians were driving to vacation destinations on the eve of Italy's biggest summer holiday, a huge stretch of the 51-year-old bridge collapsed, sending more than 30 cars and three trucks plunging 150 feet. The section that collapsed was 260 feet long. Still dazed or shaken, survivors on Wednesday recounted their brushes with death. One truck driver provided a dramatic account, including a description of how an emblematic green truck seen in photos worldwide stopped just short off the abyss and of police heroism as the bridge crumbled. The truck driver identified only as Idris said the green truck was saved thanks to a car that passed it, forcing its driver to brake slightly. The car plunged off into the chasm. "That truck driver is the luckiest in the world," Idris told Sky TG24. "He should have fallen in but there is a car that passed him ... he braked right where the bridge was broken." Idris credited police for arriving quickly and moving 175 people who were on the bridge to safety in a tunnel then adding a real risk by returning to the bridge with car keys to bring some of the vehicles to safety. As this crippled Mediterranean port city of 600,000 reeled from the tragedy, 1,000 rescue workers kept up the search for victims, picking through tons of broken concrete slabs, smashed vehicles and twisted steel. At least two more bodies were pulled out. Tons of debris from the bridge landed in a dry stream bed, along a railroad track or crashed down perilously close to apartment buildings. At one point, Sky TG24 said, residents were temporarily blocked from even returning to their homes briefly to grab essential documents, medicine or other necessities. After the search for bodies ends, tons of debris needs to be cleared away as soon as possible. Genoa is a flood-prone city, and authorities warned that all the concrete in the dry riverbed could become a dam within hours if heavy rains arrived. Civil protection chief Angelo Borrelli confirmed Wednesday that 39 people died and 15 were injured. Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said three children were among the dead. Four French citizens traveling to a music festival and two Albanians were also reported 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 bridge's construction. "I don't know if there is responsibility. For sure it was not an accident," he said. Asked if authorities had been given any warning that the bridge a key link between two major highways, one headed toward France and the other to Milan 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," Cozzi said. A $22.7 million project to upgrade the bridge's safety had already been approved, with public bids 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 construction expert, Antonio Brencich at the University of Genoa, had previously called the bridge "a failure of engineering." Newton County Sheriff Billy Rowles and Jefferson County Commissioner Bo Alfred were among 67 people who wrote letters in support of the Diggles family, urging a lenient sentence for their federal convictions on fraud, money-laundering and conspiracy, according to court documents unsealed Wednesday. "I watched Walter Diggles stand in front of all the cameras, telling the nation and the world that Jasper, Texas was not racist," Rowles said in his letter, written on Sheriff's Department letterhead. "I can't tell you how many times Walter Diggles went to bat for the citizens of Jasper county during this tragic time." "I do not know about his case before you nor do I want to know," he said. "I just felt obligated to tell you how he helped the county during a very bad time in Jasper county history." Walter, Rosie and Anita Diggles were convicted last summer and sentenced in May for taking more than $1 million of federal grant money intended for hurricane relief efforts between 2006 and 2012 and diverting it to their own accounts. Walter Diggles, 66, former executive director of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison. He was convicted in August 2017 of 16 counts of wire fraud, money laundering and theft. His wife, Rosie, and daughter, Anita, each were sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison. A jury found Rosie Diggles, 64, guilty on 14 counts of fraud and money-laundering. Anita Diggles, 42, was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. More than $1.3 million was funneled through DETCOG to the Deep East Texas Foundation, which Walter Diggles founded and oversaw, to The Lighthouse Church, where he was pastor. They submitted reimbursement requests for federal funds at rates far higher than their actual costs for hurricane relief programs, according to trial evidence. At their sentencing in May, U.S. District Judge Ron Clark said the situation was "exceptional," and agreed with their attorneys' requests for shorter sentences, citing community support for the family. The letters were received before the sentence this spring, but unsealed Wednesday under a court order. Clark received "far more (letters) than almost anything I've ever seen," from a "wide variety of people," including elected officials, pastors and people that the family helped in the past, he said. "He (Walter) has always had a kind heart to help the less fortunate," Alfred said, in a letter written on county stationery in April 2018. "I do not know the circumstances of his case, but the man I affectionately know as Mr. D., was always above board and upright in the community during my tenure in East Texas." "I hope circumstances will allow him some leniency because he has done outstanding work for the people of the Deep East Texas region for so long," Alfred wrote. Former DETCOG board member Royce L. Garrett praised Walter Diggles' track record and "remarkable success throughout his career" as a "proven leader for our region." "It makes me wonder if the agents understood what they were investigating," he said. "Was this a racially motivated and politically motivated case to punish the minority members of the DETCOG staff, the Lighthouse Church Volunteers, and the Diggles family?" "They didn't deserve this nightmare and they certainly don't deserve to be sent to prison for doing all the good work that they did during a critical period in our region," he said. Clark also received character letters in support of Walter Diggles from the executive directors of the Texas Association of Regional Councils, the Houston Galveston Area Council and the North Central Texas Council of Governments. Several letter-writers praised Walter Diggles' efforts in the aftermath of James Byrd's murder in 1998, including Byrd's sister, Louvon Byrd Harris. "He served as one of the spokespersons for both our family and the community which helped to communicate our message of peace," she wrote. "This message of nonviolence was constantly emphasized and conveyed by Mr. Diggles to the local community as well as to outsiders. This helped to prevent further violence of retaliation." "His advice and leadership were invaluable during the entire James Byrd tragedy," St. Michael's Catholic Church pastor Ronald Foshage said. "He showed courage and valor and kindness on a daily basis and was a vital part of everything we did in the area of racial healing," he wrote. "Jasper is a better place because Walter Diggles has served our people well for many years," Foshage said. Bruce Samuel, who described himself as an unindicted co-conspirator and associate minister at Lighthouse Church, which Walter Diggles led, called him "a good Pastor, a faithful servant of the Lord, and someone who loves all people and has done everything he could to help as many people as possible." "I know that everything Mayor (R.C.) Horn and Mr. Diggles did was approved by the board of directors of DETCOG and reported every year in annual audits and annual reports," Samuel wrote. After Hurricane Rita hit in 2005, "the Church became an emergency shelter because the Pastor and his church members open their doors to strangers. The American Red Cross and the Salvation Army all came to the church to work with Pastor Diggles and his volunteer members after they used all their resources for months," Samuel said, calling it a "major oversight" by the prosecutors. Former Houston County Judge R.C. von Doenhoff, Nacogdoches County Commissioner Charles Simmons praised working alongside Diggles, and members of the church who worked on and were helped by its programs also wrote letters. Supporters praised the 21st Century Learning Center, which Rosie and Anita Diggles operated. "She (Rosie) had a heart for the children, and was there to be whatever they needed her to be," wrote Minnie West, who volunteered at the center. "If they fell and got a scrape, she was their nurse. If they were having a bad day, she was their counselor. If they couldn't stay on the right path, she was the one to put them back in line. She also worked in the classroom when needed." DeMonica Amerson, principal of Claughton Middle School, where Anita Diggles taught math before her sentencing, wrote that "the close, positive, supportive relationships she developed allowed her students to attain higher levels of achievement." "I hope you will consider the tenacity, dedication, and kindness of this amazing educator as she sits before you," Amerson wrote. The family was sentenced on May 23, and Anita and Rosie Diggles reported to prison on July 10, and Walter Diggles surrended himself at the federal prison in Beaumont on Aug. 13, after receiving an extension for medical reasons. All three have appealed their convictions, and their cases are ongoing in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Enterprise reporter Haley Bruyn contributed to this report. LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/LizTeitz Former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman released a secret recording Thursday in a bid to bolster her contention that she was offered a $15,000-a-month contract from President Donald Trump's campaign to stay silent after being fired from her job. On the recording, campaign aide Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law, can be heard discussing salary considerations and other aspects of a campaign job with Manigault Newman and makes clear that she expects her to be positive about the president. The release of the recording, during an interview with MSNBC, was the latest escalation of Manigault Newman's feud with Trump in the wake of the release of her tell-all book, "Unhinged," which depicts him as racist and in mental decline. The president has disparaged Manigault Newman in recent tweets, calling her a "dog" and "lowlife," among other things, and his campaign has filed an arbitration action in an attempt to silence her. On Thursday afternoon, the president retweeted a video sent out by the Republican National Committee featuring clips of Manigault Newman lavishing praise on Trump in various venues. "Thank you for the kind words Omarosa!" Trump said in the tweet. According to Manigault Newman, the recording made public Thursday is from Dec. 16, just days after she was fired from her job as a White House aide by Chief of Staff John Kelly for what Kelly has characterized as concerns about her ethics and integrity. During their conversation released Thursday, Lara Trump references a New York Times article from the day before that included comments by Manigault Newman that were critical of her time working for Trump. Manigault Newman says, for instance, that she, as the only African-American woman working in the White House, had seen things that upset her and considered that "a profound story that I know the world will want to hear." "It sounds a little like, obviously, that there are some things you've got in the back pocket to pull out," Lara Trump is heard telling Manigault Newman. "Clearly, if you come on board, like, we can't have --" "Oh God, no," Manigault Newman responds. "Everything, everybody positive, right?" Lara Trump says. The two go on to discuss salary, with Trump suggesting $15,000 a month would match the $179,000 annual salary Manigault Newman was making in the White House. Trump also makes clear that Manigault Newman would have a lot of flexibility in where she works. Manigault Newman ultimately refused the job, according to her book. The offer, she said, also came with a proposed nondisclosure agreement, which has recently been reviewed by The Washington Post. The proposed agreement said that Manigault Newman could not make any comments about President Trump, Vice President Pence or their families or any comments that could damage the president. It said she would do "diversity outreach," among other things, for the campaign. "She made it very clear that if I joined this campaign I'd have to be quiet," Manigault Newman told MSNBC's Craig Melvin on Thursday, referring to her conversation with Lara Trump. "I saw this as an attempt to buy my silence." In a statement released after the television appearance, Lara Trump said that after Manigault Newman was fired by Kelly, "my entire family was concerned for her because we had no idea about the basis of her dismissal." "We still wanted her on the team because we cared so much about her personally," she said. "That's why I reached out to her to offer her a position with the 2020 Trump Campaign before we knew anything about the gross violations of ethics and integrity during her White House tenure." White House aides have long described Manigault Newman as a problematic employee who tried to stage a wedding photo shoot at the White House, exploded at other West Wing aides and left shoes strewn around the West Wing. Manigault Newman, a former contest on Trump's NBC reality show, "The Apprentice," said during Thursday's television interview that she is prepared to continue sparring with the president. "I think you should watch his behavior and how he's unraveling, and I don't have any fear," she said. "I have a whole community of faith that's behind me, praying for me. And no matter who is in the Oval Office, Donald Trump needs to remember that God is on the throne." In her statement, Laura Trump said she felt betrayed by Manigault Newman. "Woman to woman, I shared a connection with Omarosa as a friend and a campaign sister, and I am absolutely shocked and saddened by her betrayal and violation on a deeply personal level," she said. "I hope it's all worth it for you, Omarosa, because some things you just can't put a price on." - - - The Washington Post's Josh Dawsey contributed to this report. London Detectives searched several properties as they built up a profile Wednesday of a Sudan-born man who crashed a car outside Britain's Parliament in what police are treating as an act of terrorism. Police are trying to determine what was in the mind of 29-year-old Salih Khater when he plowed a car into cyclists and pedestrians, injuring three, before smashing into a security barrier. Khater, a British citizen of Sudanese origin, was arrested at the scene of Tuesday's crash on suspicion of "the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism," police said. Police said later he was also suspected of attempted murder. British authorities do not name suspects until they are charged but media and neighbors said the arrested man was Khater. Police confirmed the suspect was a 29-year-old British man originally from Sudan. They said he was not previously known to counterterrorism officers or the intelligence services. Police said they had finished searching an apartment where the suspect had lived in Birmingham, as well as another property in the city and a third in Nottingham, about 50 miles away. They continued to search a third property in Birmingham, 100 miles northwest of London. 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 Khater had studied accounting there between September 2017 and May 2018 but had failed his first-year studies and was no longer enrolled. Ahmed Abdi, a neighbor of Khater in Birmingham, said he recognized him from news footage, "and I was shocked." "He was very, very quiet and he never spoke to anybody. He would say nothing to nobody," Abdi said. The suspect was being held at a London police station as detectives traced the movements of the Ford Fiesta which careered across a road, hitting cyclists and pedestrians, then crashed into a security barrier at Parliament. Three people were injured, but none remains hospitalized. Detectives say the car was driven from Birmingham to London late Monday, and drove around the area near Parliament for an hour and a half Tuesday morning before the rush-hour crash. Ali Mohamed, a member of Birmingham's Sudanese community, told reporters that Khater had gone to London for an appointment at the Sudanese embassy to apply for travel back to his homeland. The incident appears to be the second in less than 18 months in which a vehicle has been used to attack the heart of Britain's government. Over the past two decades authorities have tightened security around Parliament with fences, crash barriers and armed police. Now the rise of vehicle attacks around the world is triggering calls for traffic to be barred from Parliament Square, a busy traffic route. London Mayor Sadiq Khan told the BBC that the plan presented challenges, but "it's possible to have a design solution that meets the objectives ... in relation to keeping our buildings and our people as safe as we can do, but also not losing what's wonderful about our city, which is a vibrant democracy." Police on Tuesday flooded the streets around the iconic neo-Gothic Parliament buildings and cordoned off the area, which attracts tourists as well as lawmakers, after the crash in front of Parliament's House of Lords. The crash came less than 18 months after an attacker plowed a car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four people, then fatally stabbed a police officer before being shot dead in a courtyard outside Parliament. Less than three months later, a van rammed into pedestrians on London Bridge before three men abandoned the vehicle and attacked weekend revelers in the nearby Borough Market. Eight people were killed and 48 injured. A tiny village in Russia has said it will not host the country's first gay pride parade - despite activists sharing a letter that appeared to show the local government had already agreed to it. "This information is not true, we will not hold any gay parades," unnamed local authorities told the news wire TASS on Thursday. The village of Yablonevy, on the outskirts of Novoulyanovsk city, has a population of about seven people. However, it was brought to national attention on Wednesday when Moscow-based LGBT rights activist Nikolai Alexeyev wrote on the social network VK that the village had agreed to host a gay pride parade. Alexeyev wrote that Novoulyanovsk's mayor Svetlana Kosarinova agreed to host a parade in Yablonevy after plans to host an event in another nearby village (with a population of over 100) fell through. In his post, Alexeyev attached a letter that appeared to have been sent by Kosarinova approving the event, which said that the sparsely populated area of Yablonevy had been chosen for the event due to the "population's negative attitude" in the larger city. The event would take place on Aug. 26, 2018, Alexeyev wrote, adding that organizers should be careful not to go over the authorized number of attendees, which was 300. It would be the "coolest event in Russian history," he said. "You are a real liberal, a democrat and the greatest human being!" Alexeyev wrote on VK, addressing Kosarinova. If the event were to go ahead, it would likely to be the first officially approved gay pride event in Russia. Due to a 2013 law that banned expressions of "gay propaganda" and public speech or demonstrations that equate gay lifestyles to straight ones, local authorities have refused to give permissions to LGBT groups to stage gay pride parades. Alexeyev later wrote on VK that two other LGBT events had been approved by Kosarinova - these events, which would be rallies rather than parades, would take place in Novoulyanovsk, which has a population of over 16,000. On Thursday, however, local officials stepped in to say that the Gay Pride parade would not take place. Novoulyanovsk's city manager, Gennady Denikayev, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on Thursday that he had not been consulted on the event and that now he knew about it, he would not permit it. "I made a decision, there will be no gay parade," Denikayev said. "We intend to protect traditional family values and, foremost, our children from the propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations." It was not clear if the other LGBT events described by Alexeyev would be canceled too. On VK, the activist said that the dispute came down to a "real split in the local government" and argued that as city manager, Denikayev did not have the authority to overrule the local mayor on planning public events. Speaking to Russian news organization NSN, Alexeyev said the entire way the event had been handled was a "mockery" that was designed to drive Russia's LGBT community into the ghetto. A day after his pregnant wife and two daughters vanished, Christopher Watts stood in his front yard and faced the parade of news cameras with uniform solemnity. "I came home and walked in the house and nothing. Just vanished," the 33-year-old husband and father told Denver 7 ABC on Tuesday. "It just seems like I'm living in a nightmare and I can't get out of it," he told KUSA-NBC, as officers from the Frederick Police Department led search dogs through the family's 4,000-square-foot house. "In my heart I believe she is somewhere, and I hope she is safe," Watts told Fox 31 the same day, while dogs barked in the house behind him. There were no interviews the next day. Shortly before midnight, police returned to the house, quietly arrested Watts and began hauling trash bags out the front door. Now the same TV stations that had interviewed the father are reporting that he has been jailed on charges of murder, and his family is dead. Earlier in the week, when there seemed to be some hope of a happy ending, idyllic photos of the family plastered the news: 4-year-old Bella, her younger sister Celeste, Christopher and his wife, Shanann, who was in her second trimester with the newest Watts member. "She would take the kids to the pool, and he would always take them in a little wagon," a neighbor in the subdivision told KUSA. "We were always impressed by his doting over them and how much he appeared to love them." Their life, however, wasn't apparently perfect. Two years after buying their $400,000 house in 2013, the Wattses filed for bankruptcy. They were drowning in a mortgage and more than $50,000 in credit card debt, bankruptcy court documents show. His paycheck from an oil and gas company and hers from a children's hospital weren't nearly enough. But they resolved the bankruptcy: A deal was struck with the creditors, they stayed in the house and the family kept growing. This month, Shanann took a trip to Arizona to see her family and attend a conference for her new occupation, marketing a "lifestyle system" called Thrive. "Everyone have an amazing day and absolutely fantastic month!" she wrote on Facebook before leaving. It's unclear if the girls went too, or stayed home with their dad. KDVR reported that a friend picked Shanann Watts up at the airport when she flew home on Monday, dropped her off at home about 2 a.m. and never saw her again. Another friend called police after Shanann missed a doctor's appointment that morning, then didn't answer her door, ABC11 reported. By Tuesday, state investigators and the FBI had joined the search. Posters of the family were being handed out to drivers around the neighborhood as Watts stepped into his driveway to tell the reporters what it felt like to find out they were missing. "I was blowing through stoplights. I was blowing through everything just trying to get home as fast as I can, because none of this made sense," he told KUSA. He said he had left the house for work shortly after 5 a.m. on Monday - just a few hours after his wife came home from the airport. "I texted her a few times, called her, but she never got back to me," he told Denver 7. He figured she was just busy, he said. Only after one of Shanann's friends called him and said she wasn't at the house did he begin to worry. "Just vanished," Watts said. "Nothing was here. I mean she wasn't here. The kids weren't here. Nobody was here." Watts wanted to drive around looking for them, he said, but police told him it wouldn't do any good. All he could do was sit in his house or stand in his yard, listening to police dogs bark while he described his emotions. "Last night, I had every light in the house on," he told Denver7. "I was hoping I would just get ran over by the kids, running through the door and just, like, barrel rushing me. But it didn't happen." He paused a moment. "I mean the kids are my life," he said. "I mean, those smiles light up my life. And just, like, I mean, last night, when they usually eat dinner, it was like, I miss them. I miss telling them, 'Hey, you gotta eat that or you're not gonna get your dessert.' I miss that. I miss them, you know, cuddled up on their couches. They have like a Minnie Mouse couch and Sofia couch that they cuddle up on and watch Bubble Guppies, or something. And to just, like, you know, I was cr - it was." He sighed. "It was tearing me apart last night." There was another pause as Denver7's videographer shifted the angle. "This might be a tough question," the reporter asked, "but did you guys get into, like, an argument before she left?" "It wasn't an argument," Watts said quickly. "We got into a conversation, but I'll leave it at that." And then he talked some more about how much he missed them. This interview, and others like it, played over the news through the afternoon and into Wednesday. A few oddities about the search began to leak out. Shanann's friends said her phone, keys and wallet had all been found in the house, ABC11 reported. Her car was still in the garage, per NBC News. No one who knew her said she was the type to just pick up and leave. Late that afternoon, Frederick police held a short news conference. "There is a lot at stake here, and we are exploring all avenues to not rule anything out," a spokesman said. After dark, more police vehicles began to show up at the Watts house. Reporters photographed officers taking bags of evidence out and towing a pickup away. Things became clearer on Thursday morning. At a terse new conference in the late morning, flanked by police and FBI agents, Colorado Bureau of Investigations Director John Camper announced "absolutely the worst possible outcome anybody could imagine." "We've recovered a body we're quite certain is Shanann Watts," he said. "We have strong reason to believe we know where bodies of the children are." Their father was now officially a "suspect," he said. His arrest warrant had been sealed by court order, and he remained jailed on three counts of evidence tampering and three counts of first-degree murder. He had a bond hearing set for Thursday afternoon, and the district attorney's office is now reviewing whether to bring formal charges by Monday. Officials said what they believe to be Shanann Watts' body was found at a property belonging to Anadarko Petroleum, an oil company where Christopher Watts once worked, ABC11 reported. And Thursday evening authorities announced that two bodies believed to be the children were found nearby. Investigators released almost no other details about the killings or what made them suspect Watts, citing the need to protect an investigation that was only just beginning. It's unclear if Watts has a lawyer, and his wife's family could not be reached for comment. But a relative sent a statement to CBS4: "It is with deep hurt, confusion and anger to confirm our beautiful cousin Shanann Watts, her unborn child, and her two angelic daughters, Bella (4), Celeste (3) were viciously murdered by husband Chris Watts; who confessed to the killings," it reads. The family's house now sits unoccupied. In the same yard where Watts had spoke of his hopes and fears hours earlier, a memorial of crosses and stuffed bears lie in the grass. It's been just over two months since President Donald Trump met North Korea's Kim Jong Un in Singapore, and there has been little visible progress so far in persuading North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. On Wednesday, North Korean state media seemed to offer an explanation why: First, the Korean War must officially end. "Let us adopt the declaration on ending war, build a peace mechanism to make durable peace," the Korean Central News Agency said. "Let us not insist on 'denuclearization first' only and never pardon the unreasonable act of the U.S. forcing the north to make a unilateral concession!" The remarks were a reminder that the future of the two Koreas is still tightly tied to their past - in particular, to a war where the bulk of fighting stopped 65 years ago. - - - Why the Korean War didn't end Though the war lasted from 1950 until an armistice in 1953, the last two of those years were pretty much a deadlock. The end result was, in many ways, inconclusive. The first months of the war saw the North invade the South and storm nearly all the way down the peninsula; then a counterattack by United Nations troops that brought them to the North's border with China; and finally an invasion by China that pushed U.N. forces back to the area around the 38th parallel, where the front lines would remain. Even if little territory was exchanged, the rest of the war was devastating. North Korea was subjected to a huge bombing campaign, and estimates suggest that a total of 2.5 million civilians died during the conflict. For years, there was talk of an armistice agreement to end the fighting, but a number of issues, including the repatriation of prisoners of war, kept that from happening. The election of President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 and the death of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin helped spur negotiations, and North Korean and Chinese forces and the U.N. Command finally signed an armistice on July 27, 1953. The agreement halted fighting and established the demilitarized zone (DMZ). South Korea was not a party to the armistice; indeed, South Korean President Syngman Rhee had wanted to keep fighting. In theory, the armistice was meant to be temporary, calling for a "complete cessation of hostilities and of all acts of armed force in Korea until a final peaceful settlement is achieved." But a peace conference held in Geneva in 1954 failed to find a full peace deal, in large part because both sides considered themselves the victors. Escalating tensions in what was then French Indochina also complicated matters. The United States subsequently abrogated one part of the armistice by moving nuclear weapons into South Korea in 1958. Though full-fledged fighting never resumed, military tensions remained high. There have been a number of violent incidents, including an incident in 1976 when North Korean soldiers hacked two U.S. Army officers to death in the DMZ after they tried to trim a tree. Since the 1990s, North Korea has frequently said it would no longer abide by the armistice. - - - What is the current situation? When North Korea's Kim met South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Panmunjom truce village in the DMZ in April, the two men agreed to work toward "declaring an end to the war and establishing a permanent and solid peace regime." For North Korea, the appeal of the end of the Korean War is obvious: It would help legitimize the North Korean regime - perhaps even leading to diplomatic recognition from the United States - and also add another small barrier to renewed conflict on the peninsula. Some experts have suggested that the process could start with a joint U.S.-North Korea declaration that the Korean War has ended a move that would carry big symbolic weight but require fewer legal hurdles than turning the armistice agreement into a full peace treaty. That would potentially require coordination with Beijing as well as the approval of Congress. South Korea sees a declaration as a way to improve inter-Korean relations and pave the way for a peace treaty. But because Seoul is not a party to the armistice, its views carry less legal weight. And though Beijing has signaled its willingness for a peace treaty or declaration, the messages from Washington have been mixed. - - - What role does the United States play? President Trump has shown enthusiasm for the idea of a permanent peace, tweeting "KOREAN WAR TO END!" in April. And when North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol visited the White House in June, Trump told reporters that the two men "talked about ending the war." But while the agreement signed in Singapore by Trump and Kim contained a reference to building a "lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula," the United States apparently sees this as something that would only happen after North Korea agrees to give up its nuclear weapons. "Look, we support a peace regime, a peace mechanism by which countries can move forward toward peace," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Tuesday. "But ... our main focus is on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and that's something we've been very clear with many governments about." The U.S. government is wary of rushing into a declaration of the end of the Korean War for much the same reason that North Korea wants it. Even though such a declaration may not carry significant legal weight, it would serve as a symbolic recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state and strengthen calls to downsize the U.S. military presence in South Korea. Any declaration could also be seen domestically as a capitulation by Trump, marring what has been portrayed by the administration as a clear victory for his "maximum pressure" approach. If it the declaration were too weak, North Korea could reject it out of worries that it could be overturned by a subsequent government; were it too strong, the United States would have given up one of its strongest cards too early in negotiations. But with progress slow on the denuclearization front, the United States may be forced to consider methods of speeding it up. And with a month of North Korean diplomacy coming up in September, that decision may come sooner rather than later. Tuesdays rejection of a proposed tax hike by South San Antonio Independent School District voters has district leaders preparing to cut expenses including a still-unknown number of staff cuts to meet a budget deficit, officials said. The decision has been made, said superintendent Abelardo Saavedra, who had pushed for the failed tax ratification election, or TRE. We know what we have... to work with as we start the next school year ... We have numerous things that we will consider as far as reductions. If approved, the TRE would have increased the districts tax rate by 13 cents per $100 of property value, raising an estimated $6.3 million in revenue. Amid dropping enrollment and resources, it would have come close to filling a $6.4 million budgetary hole. But the results of Tuesdays election more than 57 percent of the votes were against the proposal, according to the districts Facebook page mean the shortfall will instead be met with cuts to programs and staff. Some of those cuts already have been decided, Saavedra said, such as a 10 percent reduction in all non-staffing budgets that will take effect immediately. But more are on the way and will be finalized in coming weeks. Saavedra said school principals have been asked to identify specific reductions they can make on their campuses. For instance, all elementary schools will eliminate around $55,000 in spending but can choose where that money comes from. We actually are talking about a lot of different options, he said. District-wide, he estimated on Wednesday that about 20 staff positions will be eliminated, based on current recommendations from principals and other leaders. On Tuesday, he had estimated about 30 positions were up for elimination. Some (cuts) are at the school level that principals have recommended; others will be at the central office level, Saavedra said. I also intend to go back to principals in the next few days to determine, is this their final decision? Are they cutting this position, or are they going to do something different, cut something else? So thats why its hard at this point to actually delineate ... specifically what are the things that are on the chopping block, because theres still a lot of negotiating ... that well need to have with individual administrators. He said three to five central office positions are being considered for elimination, but declined to specify which ones because the employees involved have not been briefed. Were asking that cuts only be made by attrition, and thats quite possible, said Tom Cummins, president of the Bexar County Federation of Teachers, the union representing South San teachers. So hopefully no actual person will be cut. The larger impact of the election remains to be seen, but the loss of support for desirable programs and opportunities increases the risk that parents will take their children elsewhere, Saavedra said. We are on a decline in reference to enrollment to begin with, Saavedra said. I anticipate this might increase that decline. For some, declining enrollment is what made downsizing necessary. Less students requires less professional staff to accommodate our students, wrote trustee Connie Prado who opposed the TRE in a statement. The Superintendent was not proactive at the end of this school year by eliminating professional positions through attrition i.e., resignations, retirements, etc. Prado said South Sans ratio of administrative staff to teaching staff leans too heavily toward the former, and suggested that the district consider placing some... professionals back in the classroom in order to fill vacancies. Chief academic officer Delinda Castro, responding to questions about the district being given a D by the Texas Education Agency in the state accountability ratings released Wednesday, said it is ultimately South San students who will be hurt most by the cuts. It will put a strain on resources to teachers and students, she said. It may limit the districts ability to provide choice. Saavedra said tax elections sometimes pass after initially failing at the polls and he would encourage the board to consider taking the proposal back to voters by as early as May. Cummins said the union will also be pushing for another vote. Theres no doubt that this district is in dire need of additional revenue if its going to continue to provide quality educational opportunities for kids, Saavedra said. Without additional revenue, you basically have your hands tied behind your back. By May, Saavedra will no longer be superintendent and will be teaching at Texas A&M University in College Station. The failure of the TRE might impact the search for his successor, he said. I think applicants will consider the outcome of this election in whether they apply or dont apply, Saavedra said. Any prudent applicant will consider all the dynamics of a particular school system, and I think this will be one of those dynamics that theyll consider. Brian Contreras is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. | brian.contreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @_B_Contreras_ If ever there becomes a movie that reveals the rotten side of politics, the script has just been written. My goodness, it has all of the hot words: liberals, Muslims, bedroom beds, spouse abuse, non-transparency (or is it collusion,) kids in shock, a seated member of Congress, vulgar language, the Democratic National Committee, a woman scorned, and best of all an election. You are going to love this feast. Keith Ellison, an eight-term Congressman from Minnesota, just waltzed in an overwhelming way on Tuesday to win the states primary in his quest to become the states next Attorney General. You may recall when he was first elected, he became the first Muslim to ever be seated in Congress. That is what drew the colorful Bernie Sanders to Minnesota to help him rev up the liberal voters in the state. So, trust me when I tell you the carnival bus took a violent flip on the eve of the election. The 25-year-old son of former Ellison girlfriend Karen Monahan took to the Tweeter airways last Saturday night to allege Ellison is a domestic abuser of the first order. Whats more, Austin Monahan claims he has a tape to prove it. Better yet, this dazzler is also the Deputy Chairman of the Democratic National Party.That is what drew the colorful Bernie Sanders to Minnesota to help him rev up the liberal voters in the state. So, trust me when I tell you the carnival bus took a violent flip on the eve of the election. The 25-year-old son of former Ellison girlfriend Karen Monahan took to the Tweeter airways last Saturday night to allege Ellison is a domestic abuser of the first order. Whats more, Austin Monahan claims he has a tape to prove it. Austins account of Ellisons abuse is pretty dramatic. He said that in the middle of last year he was using his moms computer when he came across a horde of emails between the two lovers. I found over 100 text and twitter messages and a video almost two (minutes) long that showed Keith Ellison dragging my momma off the bed by her feet, screaming and calling her a ------- b---- and telling her to get the ---- out of his house. His account also includes, There is a lot more he has done to my mom and others that (my brother and I) saw in the texts but our mom can decide if and when she wants to tell that part now I know both Democrats and Republicans could care less when it comes to violence toward women and girls. Rep. Ellison immediately denied everything, but the revelation set both conservative and liberal groups ablaze this week. The girlfriend, Karen Monahan, was an activist for the Sierra Club at the time and now her cause has a growing group of organizations demanding Ellisons head. Quickly Karen herself jumped into the fray. Her tweet: What my son said is true. Every statement he made is true. @keithellison, you know you did that to me. I have given you every opportunity to get help and heal. Even now u r willing to say my son is lying and have me continue to leak more text and info just so others will believe him. But guess who said nothing (!) for the first 72 hours The Democratic National Committee. Ignoring hundreds of media requests, the DNC waited until Tuesday afternoon, this just before the polls closed, to issue a statement: These allegations recently came to light, and we are viewing them. All allegations of domestic abuse are disturbing and should be taken seriously. Luis Miranda, a former communications director for the DNC, said the statement wasnt enough. The party has no choice but to suspend him until they figure out whats going on. Frankly, it would be malpractice not to, he said, adding, Weve made it clear we are going to take these accusations seriously, at a minimum. We set too high a standard not to take this seriously. What now has Minnesota in a snare is that late in 2017, Al Franken was forced to resign from the Senate for groping a woman. At the time, Ellison was among those who called for Frankens resignation. And not only that Ellison issued a press release the day Franken resigned. Hold tight as you read this from Dec. 7, 2017: "I commend the brave women who have come forward in recent weeks to share their experience of sexual harassment and assault. Their courage is immense and has sparked a long overdue national reckoning with persistent inequities and injustices in our society, Congressman Ellison wrote. "I am grateful for Al Frankens progressive record of accomplishment over the years Still, as elected officials, we must stand for safe communities and work environments for everyone. Senator Franken's decision to resign shows a strength of character that other elected officials havent. Als decision is the right one and will bring us one step closer towards a society of true justice and equality for all." Minutes after the election became final on Tuesday , Ellison told reporters that was a crucial difference between him and Franken. In this case, it's not true of me. It's just not true. We'll talk more about it in the coming days," he said. Ellison has maintained his innocence since the election and said of the alleged video, It does not exist because I have never behaved in this way." * * * Minnesotas Fifth Congressional District (Minneapolis), which seated Ellison as the first Muslim in Congress, chose Somali-American legislator Ilhan Omar to fill Ellisons vacant seat Tuesday , which all but guarantees the woman who spent the first 12 years of her life in a Somali refugee camp will be elected to Congress in November. Omar, who is a Muslim, will join Rashida Tlaib this fall as one of the two first Muslim females in Congress. Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian-American who won a Detroit-area Democratic primary last week, is unopposed in November. --- royexum@aol.com A group of Arkema executives, including CEO Richard Rowe, had a "crisis team meeting" on Aug. 25, the day Hurricane Harvey made landfall. But what they discussed is not clear. The French multinational company is claiming attorney-client privilege prevents them from releasing a note summarizing that meeting, which is attached to an email sent from Rowe on Aug. 25. In documents filed this week in the criminal case against Arkema, Harris County prosecutors are asking Judge Maria Jackson to order the release of the information. They are "significant because it provides the state with relevant and material information as to their 'awareness of' and 'appreciation of' the risk of flooding to their plant in the day preceding the heavy rainfall," court documents state. The document also is relevant as to if Arkema considered moving the organic peroxides at its Crosby facility offsite, prosecutors added, as well as the reasons why the company did not move them to another state like its competitor did. That company, AkzoNobel Polymer Chemistry, is 30 miles southwest of Arkema. Rusty Hardin, Arkema's attorney, previously said that the company didn't move the chemicals, in part, for fear of what might happen in transit if a road was flooded or there was a traffic jam. County prosecutors recently filed 50 pages of documents and emails showing the stark contrast between how Arkema and AkzoNobel handled the disaster. TRANSPORTING CHEMICALS AHEAD OF HARVEY: When Harvey hit, Arkema had chemicals onsite. Another company did not. Is there a fair comparison? In Pasadena, officials with AkzoNobel worked diligently to remove about 122,000 pounds of chemicals from their site Aug. 25, 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 Rowe and plant manager Leslie Comardelle. Earlier this month, a Harris County grand jury charged Arkema, Rowe and 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. "Given that this email was generated and drafted by Mr. Rowe after he felt compelled to call a crisis team meeting after watching the weather channel, the email is evidence that Mr. Rowe and other Arkema executives had an awareness that something needed to be done to better prepare the facility for the expected heavy rainfall," documents state. 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. 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. 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, the company said. 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. Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey. There is an assumption that the 2020 presidential election will be business as usual: Donald Trump will run on the economy, social issues and immigration, and the Democratic candidate will run on income inequality, Democratic socialism and Trumps character the 2020 version of right-left U.S. politics. But what if Mother Nature is on the ballot? What if all the extreme weather this year linked to climate change gets even worse and more costly? What if the big 2020 issue is not left-right but hot-cold or wet-dry? What if the big 2020 issue is not Who lost Russia? or Who lost North Korea? but Who lost planet Earth? Were talking about the natural world, so one has to be cautious. But if you look at all the destructive extreme weather buffeting the world this summer alone, its as if Mother Nature were saying to us: Oh, you didnt notice me tapping on your shoulder these past few years? OK. How about this: How about I bake Europe, set the biggest wildfire California has ever seen and more active wildfires 460 in one day than British Columbia has ever seen, and also start the worst forest fires in decades in Sweden, even extending north of the Arctic Circle where temperatures this month reached 86 degrees. Meanwhile, Ill subject Japan to the heaviest rainfall its ever recorded, and then a couple weeks later the highest temperature its ever recorded 106 degrees in Kumagaya, northwest of Tokyo. And for a punctuation mark, Ill break the heat record in Death Valley, reaching 127 degrees, and burn the worst drought in living memory into Eastern Australia. Democrats have been casting about for a big idea to propel them in 2020. My free advice: If Democratic socialism or Democratic Trotskyism or abolishing ICE the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is what will get you elected as a Democrat in your district in 2018, go for it. The Democrats must take the House back. But Trump would feast on those issues in a national election. However, if in 2020 were in the midst of even more damaging droughts and storms than we are today, Democrats may be able to run against Trumps make-America-polluted-again environmental strategy and his refusal to either acknowledge the threat of climate change or seize the incredible opportunity it offers America to become richer, healthier, more secure and more respected by leading the world in clean energy technologies. Trump is the president whos throwing away our umbrella right before the storm. Sure, Trump will sneer that green is girlyman, uneconomic, unpatriotic and vaguely French. But Democrats can easily counter that green is globally strategic, locally profitable and working class green is the new red, white and blue. One recent clean energy industry study found that 714,257 people in 12 Midwestern states work in renewable energy generation, clean transmission, energy efficiency, clean fuels and advanced transportation. The Democratic strategy should be built around putting together the performance standards, research and carbon pricing to achieve what Energy Innovation CEO Hal Harvey calls the four zeros. These are, Harvey explains: 1. A zero-carbon grid. Right now, Republican states like Texas and Wyoming dominate the U.S. wind industry and are reaping most of the jobs and environmental benefits. That should go national. 2. Zero-emission vehicles. When you combine a zero-carbon grid with electric vehicles, bingo, you have zero-carbon transportation. 3. Zero-net energy buildings. What if you could build a well-insulated home, put todays inexpensive solar panels on the roof and, over the course of a year, produce as much energy as you consume? Fantastical? No. Its now the law in Santa Monica, and getting most of the way there is already feasible and cost-effective throughout the country. 4. Zero-waste manufacturing. New techniques in manufacturing, such as 3-D printing or advanced chemistry, can slash waste and waste is a tax on both the budget and the earth. Now thats a platform worth running on, and its one that can do what Democrats need most: make them the party of strengthening the working class and American security. Let Trump fight that idea. Failure by the Texas Republican Party to get a state district judge to block the secretary of state from certifying candidates in the Senate District 19 special runoff election comes as no surprise. GOP lawyers were in court seeking a temporary restraining order to keep the election from going forward until a lawsuit challenging Democratic candidate Pete Gallegos residency in the district is resolved in court. That lawsuit is still pending, but Judge Tim Sulaks ruling on the temporary restraining order means the state can proceed with a runoff election set by Gov. Greg Abbott for Sept. 18. Residency is a recurring issue among candidates in Texas elections. Texas law is vague on the issue, and how the courts have pretty much held residency is a state of mind. Its not where a person lives but rather their intent that defines residency. Thats pretty vague and makes it nearly impossible for any legal challenge to residency to gain traction. State lawmakers need to make candidate residency laws less ambiguous. Representative government is based on the premise that the person seeking to represent a constituency lives among them and is not merely dropping in occasionally to take the pulse of the community. The most recent residency issue in the District 19 Texas Senate race is over whether Gallego lives in Alpine or in southwest Austin where his wife owns a house and resides with their son. Gallego claims his home is in a West Texas town where he was was born and raised. He is registered to vote in Brewster County and said he spends most of his time at his mothers home and pays utility bills there. As the law exists it appears Gallego fulfills the residency requirement. But just because something is permissible under the law does not means it passes the smell test. The Texas Legislature would be doing the voters a great service if it addressed this loophole in candidacy residency in the next session. The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks! Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics. The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc. The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics. The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates. Access to college recruiters and advisors its harder to line up higher education. Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family. Vote View Results Longfords commercial vacancy rate was 14.4 per cent in Q2 2018, down 0.5 percentage points (pp) compared to the same period in 2017 according to the latest GeoView Commercial Vacancy Rates Report, published by GeoDirectory today. The national commercial vacancy rate stands at 13.1%, with 14 counties recording 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, 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. Dublin was the county that recorded the largest commercial vacancy rate decline in Q2 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 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. Town Commercial Vacancy Rates GeoDirectory has carried out an analysis of 80 towns across the four provinces. In Longford, Edgeworthstown at 26% was the town with the highest commercial vacancy rate in Q2 2018. Longford Town was the area with the lowest commercial vacancy rate in Longford at 20.8%. The report found that Ballybofey in Co. Donegal was the town with the highest commercial vacancy rate at 28.8 per cent, followed by Kilrush, Co. Clare (26.6 per cent), Edgeworthstown (26 per cent), Edenderry, Co. Offaly (25.7 per cent) and Shannon Co. Clare (25 per cent). Of the 15 towns with the highest commercial vacancy rate, New Ross (21.3 per cent) in Co. Wexford was the only to be located in Leinster. Greystones, Co. Wicklow (5.7 per cent), Maynooth, Co. Kildare (7.5 per cent) and Gorey, Co. Wexford (9.1%) were the towns with the lowest commercial vacancy rates in the country. Analysis of Key Economic Sectors Of the 184,410 occupied commercial vacancy addresses in Ireland in June 2018, 86 per cent were allocated a NACE* code, allowing an analysis of the GeoDirectory database by economic sector. As per previous GeoView Commercial Vacancy Rates Reports, the services sector was the dominant economic sector for commercial activity, accounting for 47.6 per cent of the overall stock. This is followed by Retail and Wholesale (24.2 per cent) and Health (9.1 per cent). Speaking about the findings of the latest GeoView Commercial Vacancy Rates Report, Dara Keogh, CEO of GeoDirectory 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. 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. A copy of the GeoView Commercial Vacancy Rates Report is attached in PDF format and is available at www.geodirectory.ie No fewer than 15 cannabis raids have been recorded in Longford over the past year as gardai look to turn up the heat on crime gangs involved in the illegal supply and sale of drugs. One of the chief targets for detectives is a prominent criminal from the Dublin area and who is widely known for his heavy handed approach. He has been the subject of at least one planned operation with a string of others being aimed at crime gangs from eastern Europe. ALSO READ: Lithuanian pair to stand trial over discovery of 360k cannabis growhouse in Co Longford The relatively high number of targeted operations levelled against well established criminal enterprises is something senior garda management have been keen to continue on in recent times. Only eight weeks ago, 60 gardai and members of the Armed Support Unit arrested nine people following an 18 month surveillance led operation that concentrated on high value targets involved in the supply and distribution of drugs in the Longford town area. Eight of those nine individuals later appeared and were charged at a special District Court sitting on misuse of drugs charges. The Garda operation, which was conducted by two undercover gardai, included around 50 transactions with the estimated value of drugs seized at between 1,500 and 2,000. Three more people appeared at a subsequent court sitting just before the summer recess and are due back before Judge Seamus Hughes on September 25 next. That followed a further breakthrough back in January when two Lithuanian men were charged in connection with the discovery of professionally modified 360,000 cannabis growhouse in Abbeylara. In that operation, carried out by the Gardais Armed Support Unit, backed up by officers from Roscommon/Longford Divisional Drug Unit and local gardai, approximately 446 cannabis plants were discovered. The plants, valued at around 800 each, were at the mid stages of maturity. Cannabis cultivation requires a significant amount of electricity to ensure the drug can grow properly. In that particular episode, it was revealed in court that the carefully adapted growhouse was so competently managed its energy usage was more than 14 times above the average amount consumed by conventional households. In 2009, the World Health Organisation (WHO) caused global panic with warnings of a swine flu pandemic, prompting the Irish government to sanction the Pandemrix vaccine for use in Ireland, offering its manufacturer a full indemnity in the process. The vaccine has since been linked to the sleep disorder, Narcolepsy, and, last week, the Irish Independent revealed that the HSE released stocks of the same vaccine to use during a shortage of the usual flu jab - meaning some children received a double dose of the vaccine. ALSO READ: Nobody is listening - family claims teen adversely affected by vaccination And, while this was shocking news to much of the rest of the country, it certainly wasn't news to one local mother, Bridget Sullivan, who has been battling with the Government for eight years after her son, James, fell victim to some of the other deadly side effects of the controversial jab. It was January 22, 2010, when James woke up, just like he did any other day, completely unaware that his life was about to take an irreversible turn. We had no reason to question the vaccines. We always took our vaccines and we trusted the system, said Ms Sullivan, who sent her children to school that day to get the Pandemrix vaccine. Within hours, he came home. He wasnt feeling great. That night, he started having seizures, going stiff as a board. His eyes were rolling. It was frightening. We didnt know what to do. It scared the living daylights out of me and we didnt have anywhere to turn to. Probably what helped us get through that night was I had some anti-allergy things and I managed to get that into him. I had to stay up the whole night holding him. From that day on, nothing was the same for the Sullivan family. Bridget wrote to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the HSE and got no answers. But, she said, the EMA got back to her with a link to the vaccine insert, which listed all of the side effects - one of which was Encephalomyelitis, which is linked to a variety of sleep disorders, including narcolepsy. And things were increasingly bad for James, who tore his way through seven mattresses in his sleep. He clawed holes in the wall. He couldnt breathe, Bridget recalled. And the worst thing was that she was told all of this was psychological. We went to two neurologists who told me that the lesions and punctures in the brain of someone that age was normal and that I shouldnt be asking so many questions and that my family needs psychological help. Nobody wants you to question the vaccines. They said it was just coincidental. The prognosis, as it stands, isn't good for James, and his family are desperate to get him not just medical help, but acknowledgement from the HSE that his problems were caused by the swine flu vaccine. As well as Encephalomyelitis, James suffers from Sleep Apnea, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Borellia - all caused by the shot, his mother claims. I also know that at some stage James will get early onset dementia, Bridget explained as she started to get emotional. And thats frightening to think about. I get scared. He is determined to try and do his best and try and live his life. Several times here he wanted to commit suicide. My son nearly died and every day I have to live wondering is he going to be alive today. And Im doing everything I can to make him live life. I never know if Im going to go in there and find him dead. And its scary, she continued. When you see him out there hes pushing himself. Hes determined not to give up and hes got his list of things that hed like to accomplish or that hes planning in case something does happen. He wants to have things done. He wants to have a college degree. He wants to work. He doesnt want to sit at home waiting to die. I dont want to lose my child and I know that so many people out there may have already lost children how many have lost kids to suicide because maybe they had the shot or some other shot and they reacted and were then told that it was psychological and were put on psychological drugs? But James is one of the lucky ones, she added - or at least as lucky as he possibly can be in this bleak situation - because he's alive. But the family has struggled financially, almost losing the house in the process. On top of that, James' father has had to move to and work in New York in order to get him the medical cover he can't access here in Ireland. I think that if a person gets an illness that theres a vaccine for, youll get more sympathy and help than if you react to a vaccine. And thats the bottom line, said Bridget. Its the parents on the ground floor dealing with this every day who need help and who need to be acknowledged. If youre going to push vaccines, why cant you test people first to make sure that they can take the vaccines? We keep fighting and fighting and being ignored. Were getting nowhere. I used to be for vaccines and I had no problem with people who didnt take vaccines. Now Ill be labelled an anti-vaccer and I dont care. Im an ex-vaccer. Tarmonbarry Garda Station must be re-opened according to Roscommon-Galway Fianna Fail TD Eugene Murphy who says a full time Garda presence in Tarmonbarry is an extremely important tool in the fight against crime. Deputy Murphy said he has been assured by Minister Charlie Flanagan that his concerns about the lack of a local Garda presence in the Tarmonbarry area will be addressed. Tarmonbarry is one of seven stations in the constituency which were closed since 2012. Deputy Murphy commented: Garda resources across Galway-Roscommon were seriously depleted over the last number of years. The number of officers on the ground had fallen by almost 10%. Tarmonbarry is one of seven stations in the constituency which were closed since 2012. While large towns are feeling the strain of resource reductions, rural communities have also been hit. Fear levels have increased, particularly in areas which have seen their stations close. A strong Garda presence is an extremely important tool in the fight against crime, and these communities have lost a vital resource. Many people are now choosing not to report minor crimes as it involves travelling to another town where there is a Garda station. In the Tarmonbarry area in recent times there has been a number of burglaries and attempted burglaries. This area has seen a massive increase in population in recent times. Tarmonbarry is built on the N5 National Primary Route and the River Shannon. It is crucial that we re-open this land mark station as the East of Ireland meets the West. We do not want a meaningless gesture on this issue, a full time Garda presence in Tarmonbarry is what we need," concluded Deputy Murphy. Music, Movies & Entertainment, Local News, Arts & Culture, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: August 16 2018 "Crazy Rich Asians" touted as the first Asian contemporary piece in 25 years. Queens, NY - August 16, 2018 - "Crazy Rich Asians" lead actor Henry Golding unveiled his new film at the College Point Multiplex Cinema on Monday, August 13. The film releases in theaters on August 15 across the country. The new movie has made headlines for a very important factoid; it is the first with an all-Asian cast in 25 years (since The Joy Luck Club). Golding, an up-and-coming lead actor, spoke to the media about the films popularity as well as the importance of its message. "The movie is for everybody, it's touted as the first Asian contemporary piece in 25 years, but essentially it's a phenomenal movie and that's what people should take away from it," said Golding. Showcase Cinemas Hosts Crazy Rich Asians Actor Henry Golding At Red Carpet Event At College Point Multiplex Cinemas. Photo Credit: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images. When asked about the importance of an all-Asian cast and the continuing of racial diversity amongst lead roles, Golding expressed that the film was great progress. "I think it's a step in the right direction, it's taken this long and taken far too long," he said. "So hopefully it continues the trend of color-blind leads where Asian young actresses can play these beautiful roles...it should be that way, the story should take precedence." Showcase Cinemas Hosts Crazy Rich Asians Actor Henry Golding At Red Carpet Event At College Point Multiplex Cinemas. Photo Credit: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images. The film centers around an Asian-American woman meeting her boyfriend's extraordinarily rich family in Singapore, which until then was unknown to her. The film features Golding as well as Constance Wu, Michelle Yeoh, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, and Ken Jeong among others. Food, Wine, & Dining, Local News, Press Releases, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: August 16 2018 Governor Signs Bill to Expand Tax Credits for Farmers and Encourage the Growth of Hops Production. Albany, NY - August 16, 2018 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed two bills today to support the production of New York-grown hops and expand business opportunities for farm distilleries across the state. "This administration's efforts to roll back regulations and lower costs for New York's craft beverage industry continues to fuel the growth of breweries, distilleries, as well as cideries and wineries, in every corner of this state," Governor Cuomo said. "By providing new opportunities to increase the production of crops and craft beverages, this new legislation will help further diversify New York-made products, support our farms, spur job growth, and continue to grow the state's booming $100 billion tourism industry." "The agriculture industry is vital to our state's economy, and our local craft beverage producers provide some of the best products for customers in New York and beyond," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "We're continuing to support and grow the industry with assistance for farmers to expand production of hops and provide more opportunities for growth for craft beverage producers across the state." Expanding the Production of Hops Under current law, certain orchards and vineyards qualify for a real property tax exemption without meeting a $10,000 sales requirement due to the fact that these crops take longer than most to reach their full potential. Similar to crops produced on orchards and vineyards, hops also do not reach full production until years after planting. This bill (A.10097/S.8841), will provide relief from the annual gross sales requirement and encourage farmers to plant new hopyards in New York State. When using at least seven acres or more of land to produce hops, farmers can receive tax benefits in their first, second, third or fourth year of production. The bill, which takes effect immediately, will also provide a limited tax exemption for farmers replanting or expanding their production of hops for the first six years. This action will help New York's agricultural sector respond to the growing demand of farm breweries, which require New York-grown hops to qualify for a farm brewery license. Supporting the Growth of Farm Distilleries Additionally, Governor Cuomo signed legislation (A.10128A/S.7793A), to allow businesses with a farm distillery license to contract with a member of the public to produce a custom liquor for that individual's consumption. Under current law, New York wineries are authorized to manufacture custom wine for an unlicensed individual. These latest actions will support the state's growing craft beverage industry and the number of farm-based manufacturers, which have increased by more than 160 percent since Governor Cuomo hosted the first Beer, Wine Spirits and Cider Summit in 2012. New York's craft beverage industry has grown to more than 1,000 producers, including more than 400 farm, micro and restaurant breweries, and 132 farm distilleries - 104 of which have been added since 2012. This new legislation builds on changes implemented since the Governor took office in 2011, including lowering taxes and fees, creating new licenses for farm breweries and cideries, rolling back restrictive regulations, providing support for research, cutting the time it takes to obtain a license in half, and overhauling the state's archaic Alcoholic Beverage Control law. Senator Pamela Helming said, "As Senate Chair of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources, I heard from various stakeholders who agreed that it is vital to support our hops farmers who supply the New York-grown ingredients to our brewers. We brought people together across party lines to get this important legislation passed. My legislation, coupled with the additional $100,000 in funding for Cornell's hops and barley research in this year's budget, are critical steps forward that will encourage our farmers to grow hops and provide the state's booming craft beverage industry with the local resources they need to continue to thrive. Working with the Legislature and the Governor, we have helped New York's farming, food, and beverage industries grow exponentially and draw visitors to try some our award-winning products. I thank my Senate and Assembly colleagues for their bipartisan support of this bill, and I thank the Governor for signing it into law." Senator David Valesky said, "The growth of New York's craft beverage industry is undeniable, and working with the Governor, the Legislature has made it possible for our breweries, and wineries, cideries, and distilleries to experience a true renaissance. This latest action will deliver new opportunities for our farm distilleries to diversify their products and connect with customers from around the state and beyond. I thank the Governor for signing this legislation and am proud to support our agricultural and craft beverage businesses." Assembly Member Carrie Woerner said, "At one time, New York State produced 90 percent of the country's hops, and the industry is beginning to make a comeback. In the past year alone, the number of farm breweries has tripled. This legislation will establish hopyards as agricultural land with the same tax abatement as vineyards and orchards; allowing local farmers to thrive and contribute to a stronger, more diverse agricultural sector for years to come. I would like to acknowledge Governor Cuomo's commitment and recognition of the value and growth potential of our agricultural industry, and thank him for signing this bill into law." Local News, Health & Wellness, Press Releases, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: August 16 2018 Suffolk County Board of Health Adopts Resolution Deeming Dragons Breath Unfit for Human Consumption. Dragon's Breath is a dangerous new food fad that involves eating cereal frozen with liquid nitrogen to give the appearance of breathing smoke. Suffolk County, NY - August 16, 2018 - Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone today directed the Department of Health to prevent any food establishment regulated by the Suffolk County Health Department from serving Dragons Breath in Suffolk County. This action will prevent dangerous chemicals from winding up in the hands of children in Suffolk County, said Suffolk County Executive Bellone. We will not tolerate any establishment that seeks to peddle this poison and profit off of these actions in violation of our health code. Yesterday, the Suffolk County Board of Health unanimously adopted a resolution that has identified the novelty item, Dragons Breath, as an adulterated food, as defined in the Suffolk County Sanitary Code, and due to the potential for serious injury to consumers, considers this product as unsafe for human consumption. The serving of adulterated food is subject to the health commissioners police and enforcement powers under state and local law and sanitary code provisions. Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. James Tomarken said: The Department of Health, determined that the addition of liquid nitrogen to this novelty food product constitutes an adulteration of the food product and concluded it also has a significant potential to cause serious injury which far outweigh the novelty feature of the product. Liquid nitrogen puffs are a food novelty made by freezing cereal puffs or similar materials in liquid nitrogen, often called Dragons Breath. The frozen cereal is then served in a cup and eaten using a skewer or similar utensil. When the frozen cereal is chewed, the cold condenses moisture in the consumer's exhaled breath and gives the appearance of breathing smoke. Instances of frostbite and tissue damage have been reported when residual liquid nitrogen is left in the serving cup. If fingers are used to remove the product from the cup, skin contact with liquid nitrogen can cause frostbite. Ingestion of liquid nitrogen can cause severe damage to the mouth, esophagus, and stomach. The New York State Association of County Health Officials has expressed concerns regarding this product to the New York State Department of Health. Other counties such as Clinton and Cattaraugus either have or are considering not permitting its sale. Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com Columnists Press Releases A 61-year-old Chesterfield Township man was critically injured Tuesday afternoon when the motorcycle he was driving was hit by a pickup truck on 21 Mile Road in Chesterfield Township, according to township police. Police Chief Brad Kersten said the man was taken to McLaren Macomb Hospital with life-threatening injuries. A 58-year-Redford man, the driver of the second vehicle, a 2015 GMC truck, was uninjured. The collision occurred about 4:15 p.m. when the truck driver was making a left turn from eastbound 21 Mile into a gas station driveway and hit the 2001 Harley Davidson motorcycle traveling on westbound 21 Mile, Kersten said. The Redford man told police he did not see the motorcycle, but the accident remains under investigation. Kersten said there was no evidence of alcohol involved. We have numerous witnesses being interviewed, the chief said. The crash caused both lanes of westbound 21 Mile to be closed and one lane of eastbound 21 Mile to be closed for a few hours. Macomb Daily staff report Able-bodied adults in Macomb County will be among those who in October will have to work to receive food assistance from state government. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said in a news release Thursday it is sending letters this week to those who may have to work to receive the benefit, the result of the lowering of the state unemployment rate. The federal work requirements have been waived since the early 2000s. The state previously reinstated mandates in 14 counties, including Oakland and Washtenaw. Now the requirements will be reinstated in all other Michigan counties. MDHHS had been phasing in the reinstated requirements since being notified about the requirement by the federal government. Able-bodied adults are described as those aged 18 to 49 with no dependents, unless he or she has a disability that prevents him or her from working or meets other federal exemption criteria. Once recipients reach the date of their next annual case eligibility determination, they will have three months to meet the work requirements or qualify for an exemption. New applicants who are determined eligible for food assistance will be subject to the work requirement immediately. The new rules mandate a person to: * Work an average of 20 hours per week each month in unsubsidized employment, * Participate for an average of 20 hours per week each month in an approved employment and training program or * Participate in community service by volunteering at a nonprofit organization. MDHHS is prepared to assist affected individuals in meeting these work requirements so that they can achieve self-sufficiency, said MDHHS Chief Deputy Director Nancy Vreibel in the release. The good news is that Michigans economy is much-improved, and the job market is far better than it was when the state received the federal waiver. The federal government determines eligibility under the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The state DHHS administers federal food assistance benefits through the states Food Assistance Program. In 20 counties, including Macomb and Wayne, MDHHS and its partners at Michigan Works! Agencies and the Talent Investment Agency will provide resources such as approved training programs to help affected residents meet work requirements. For more details visit michigan.gov/foodassistance. Macomb Daily staff report The Macalope is happy to stipulate that there are some people for whom an iPad is not going to be a great work device. That doesnt mean, however, that the iPad is not a great work device for many. Writing for Macworld (hey, thats this publication!), Michael Simon says The iPad Pro needs more than smaller bezels to take on the Galaxy Tab S4 and Surface Go. It will have small bezels, according to images found in iOS 12. And it will also, most assuredly, have more. So, uh, yeah, its probably going to be fine. Apple may have started the post-PC revolution but its in danger of getting left behind. Long-time readers of his work will know that the Macalope does not think much of the market share metric. It should be obvious, however, that Apple has already locked up the profit share in the tablet market, so lets just, for fun, look at market share. iPad Putting Pressure on Windows and Android Tablet Competitors, Says Strategy Analytics. Strategy Analytics estimates Apples current share to be at 28.2 percent, leading the pack. IDC estimates it as high as 34.9 percent. Samsungs share fell 13 percent year-over-year to 12.2 percent. And how did the Microsoft Surface do? Oh, shipments fell two percent. So, it might take a little while before Apple gets left behind. Still, thats all history. Enter the Galaxy Tab S4 and the Surface Go. The Surface Go seems like a very solid device, albeit one thats likely to be outclassed in speed and battery life by the 2018 iPads. Its also more of a small laptop than a tablet and Simon spends most of his time talking up the S4. Samsung has created something of a hybrid system with DeX, basing it on the same foundation but retooling the interface to be more like Chrome OS than Android. Youre still using Android apps, but you can interact with them like you would on a PC. And this seems to be where the Macalope and Simon fundamentally disagree. Tablet productivity isnt about making it into a laptop by adding a cursor. Because tablet UI interaction is supposed to be different. What makes Windows 10 worse as a tablet operating system than iOS is that its not fully optimized for touch input. Its still predominantly a desktop operating system. And, surprise! Thats also what makes DeX worse! Turns out not everyone is as effusive about DeX as Simon is. Galaxy Tab S4 reviews put the nail on Android tablets coffin. Its all very finicky and feels unfinished its nearly impossible to predict what will work and how in DeX mode. Basically, its that great Samsung attention to software detail that weve all come to know and love. Beyond the sloppy execution, though, its still just trying to make a tablet into a laptop. And forget using your finger to manipulate those windows. Youll have to grab your S Pen or, better yet, a mouse. People who love to use the iPad to work arent sitting there thinking Oh, my God, I cant wait until this thing has a mouse and a cursor. Yeah, they might want better multitasking support, but productivity isnt about cursors and windowing. Its about app selection, focus, speed and decreasing friction. The iPad isnt perfect for every job by those measures, but its great at many. If Apple truly believes that the iPad is the future of computingand Im not here to dispute that assessmentthen the iPad needs to evolve beyond a new design. Lets remember for a second that this is all predicated on someone finding an unusual iPad icon in iOS 12, not an Apple announcement that says We redesigned the front of the iPad and thats all we did! Its been eight years and the only real productivity advantages between latest iPad Pro and the original iPad is the ability to run two apps side by side. Somewhere Federico Viticci angrily snapped an Apple Pencil in half, though he did not know why. Apple has also added a 12.9-inch screen, file management, a redesigned Dock, drag and drop, screen recording and a bunch of other stuff Viticci covered in his iOS 11 review. And soon well have Workflow. Pound for pound, the iPad Pro is still the best tablet you can buy. But when it comes to replacing your PC, the Surface Go and Galaxy Tab S4 have got it beat. There are definitely improvements Apple could make to the iPad to make it a better productivity device. But tablet productivity is not about replacing your PC. (Dont say Its about working different.) (Dont say Its about working different.) Its about working different. DANG IT. Curse these cliche-loving hooves! SPRINGFIELD -- As of Thursday, passengers can bring their bicycles on board CTrail Hartford Line trains, which stop multiple times each day in Springfield, the Connecticut Department of Transportation said. ConnDOT said it changed its rules in response to passenger desire to bring their bikes along. "Cyclists throughout Connecticut welcome the new bicycle access policy on the Hartford Line. For those who ride to and from stations or put their bikes aboard local buses or on other rail lines, this new policy extends the range for car-free travel in Connecticut," stated Paul Hammer, past president of the Connecticut Bicycle Coalition, in a statement. Riders must store bicycles in accordance with crew member directions to ensure the safety of customers and train crews, ConnDOT warned in its news release. Collapsible and folding bicycles must be folded before boarding the train, and they may be stored in luggage areas at the end of the car or under a seat. Bicycles may not be stored in overhead racks. ConnDOT said it will start installing bike racks on trains in the fall and continue the work into 2019. This will provide a permanent storage area for bicycles. For now, regular bikes are only allowed on the state-operated CTrail Hartford Line trains. Amtrak Hartford Line trains can accommodate collapsible bicycles only. Amtrak does take bicycles on its long-distance Vermonter train running north and south through Springfield. Bicycle racks are available at all stations except Windsor and Windsor Locks, ConnDOT said. Bicycle lockers are available at Hartford Union Station (in the Spruce Street Parking Lot, on the west side of the station) and New Haven Union Station. At Springfield Union Station, passengers may bring their bikes up to the platform using the elevator near the Lyman Street entrance, said Christopher Moskal, executive director of the Springfield Redevelopment Authority. If you're looking for a way to give back to society, but money is tight, Easthampton's Local Cultural Council has an answer for you: volunteer. The council is seeking new members to join its board as two openings will be coming up over the next year. The council is also currently seeking a new treasurer. Treasurer duties are fairly straightforward and would be very well suited to someone who already works with numbers, according to council chairperson Rachel Phillips, who added that working with numbers is not a prerequisite as the duties and process can be learned. The council's primary responsibility is to redistribute its annual allocation of grant funds from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. These funds may only be used to support programs in the arts, humanities and interpretive sciences in Massachusetts. The amount of money allocated to each community is determined by using a local aid formula. The formula is based on population and equalized property values in order to provide low-income communities with relatively larger allocations. One important aspect of these funds that Phillips stressed is that there is no cash match required of the municipality in order to receive its annual allocation. "LCCs are your 'arts lottery councils,'" Phillips said. "We work towards bringing funding into your communities to make quality cultural programming more accessible. I love the story of how LCCs came to be and I find value and inspiration in being part of this arts advocacy network and contributing to our vibrant city arts community." The story she refers to is stems from the 1970s, when arts advocate Jacqueline O'Reilly had the idea to use a lottery and give a portion of its profits to the arts; 1979 legislation authorized formation of the Massachusetts Arts Lottery Council (MALC) and cities and towns began organizing local cultural councils (LCCs) to distribute funds. In 1980, the first arts lottery tickets went on sale and in 1982, the arts lottery was reintroduced as the very successful game, Megabucks. Phillips said that the purpose of the LCC program is to support activities that contribute to the cultural vitality and well-being of the whole community. A public benefit must be demonstrated in all LCC programs. Individual artists, humanists and interpretive scientists are eligible to apply for funding and may request funds to cover their fees; however, they must have a public benefit component in their projects, such as exhibits, workshops, concerts, readings, etc. LCC funds may not be used to the sole or exclusive benefit of an individual. People wishing to volunteer can contact that council at eculturalcouncil@gmail.com A 26-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly shot and badly injured a man outside the MBTA's Massachusetts Avenue Station in Boston on Wednesday. Lishuan Gay was arrested by State Police shortly after the 10 p.m. shooting, according to Dave Procopio, a spokesman for the agency. Officers found a loaded 9-mm pistol in his backpack when they arrived, Procopio said. Gay is to be arraigned in Roxbury Municipal Court Thursday, according to Jake Wark, a spokesman for Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley's office. The victim - a 34-year-old man - is still in critical condition. He has not been identified. Police found Gay hiding under a stairwell behind the train station. Surveillance video connected Gay to the shooting, Procopio said. The surveillance video will not be made public at this time, Procopio said. An MS-13 member was convicted on charges that he shot a rival gang member and a bystander outside the MBTA's Maverick Station in court Wednesday. A jury found Rogelio Alvarado, 23, of Huntington, New York, guilty of two counts of assault and battery and firearm charges stemming from the 2016 attack, according to Jake Wark, a spokesman for the Suffolk County District Attorney's office. In January 2016 Alvarado had a "gang-related conflict" with another passenger riding the Blue Line train. Alvarado and the 29-year-old man got off the train at Maverick Station, according to the DA's office. Prosecutors said Alvarado pulled out a gun and shot the man twice at close range. Another 42-year-old man walking off of the train was hit in the head by a stray bullet. Both men survived. Alvarado fled to New York where he was arrested in June 2017 after driving the wrong way on a street there, prosecutors said. "Gun violence is the number one public safety threat facing Boston today," Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley said. "If you pick up an illegal firearm, if you fire it in a public place, if you hit your target or a bystander or anyone else, we're going to prosecute you." MS-13 is a violent international gang that started in Los Angeles in the 1980s. Alvarado is scheduled to return to court Aug. 20 for sentencing. BELCHERTOWN - Members of the Planning Board are digging in their heels scrutinizing a proposed solar farm off Gulf Road, saying the project requires an unprecedented level of study. The board must determine whether the nearly 8-megawatt facility would, or would not, be detrimental to the community prior to voting whether to approve it. Members voted unanimously at Tuesday's public hearing to require that the company seeking permission to build the solar farm complete a comprehensive environmental impact study. This is the first the board has required such a review for a solar project, members said. Blue Wave Solar, whose name on the application to the town is listed as BWC Scarboro Brook LLC of Boston, is seeking site plan approval and a special permit from the Belchertown Planning Board to operate the facility on land owned by W.D. Cowls Inc. of Amherst. A lawyer representing the business, Thomas R. Reidy of the Springfield firm Bacon Wilson PC, vociferously objected to the wide-ranging environmental requirements. Typically, the Planning Board focuses on proper management of water runoff from storms, requiring adequate mitigation measure as a condition of approval. Reidy urged the Planning Board to first consult with town counsel to verify if the additional requirement is legal prior to ordering the company to pay for the environmental study. The divergent viewpoints between the company and the board led to a testy exchange at the conclusion of the nearly three-hour hearing. The meeting was attended by by nearly 100 residents, some of whom urged the board to reject the project, saying it is detrimental to the community. Planning Board member Daniel Beaudette said regulations governing the large size of the proposal allow the panel not only to require Blue Wave to demonstrate adherence to stormwater concerns but also demonstrate that measures are taken to protect air quality and wildlife and to study traffic issues. Blue Wave's project engineer, Christopher Ryan, told the board that the solar farm is proposed on five parcels of land, totaling 156 acres, with 48 acres of forest to be cleared. The engineer said "30 percent" of the trees on the site would be cut. "We can go to the state MEPA standards," Beaudette said, referring to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act. "The size of this project requires a MEPA review," he said -- which his four colleagues on the board agreed would be done as part of the approval process. Beaudette said the additional requirement "opens the door to hyper-scrutiny" of the project. "I don't think we can adequately measure what is going on there with just stormwater" mitigation information, he said. "I think it is a dangerous precedent," Reidy told the board. "You take it your way; we'll look at it our way," Planning Board Chairman James Natle told Reidy after the panel approved the added layer of scrutiny. "We are asking for an environmental review," he said. "We are looking at a third-party peer" reviewer the company will hire to do the work. Reidy then asked Town Planner Doug Alberston to recommend one. Albertson said it was the first time this sort of thing had been required for a solar farm application, and he did not immediately have a firm to suggest. During the meeting, Planning Board members asked how Blue Wave could demonstrate that the project would not be detrimental to the community. "You are putting in solar panels and removing trees; that seems to be counterproductive," board member Louis Fassen said. Ryan responded: "It is being designed to be in full compliance with all Department of Environmental Protection standards." The trees cut down would be in the middle of a large wooded area, he said, meaning there would be no visual impact or only minor visual impact. Beaudette said the company had not registered with the secretary of state's office as a corporation in Massachusetts. Town Administrator Gary Brougham questioned whether it is proper for the board to consider the application given that Blue Wave is not registered. Reidy said Blue Wave would register this week. "I apologize for not being registered," he said. Some of the residents attending the hearing told The Republican they are offended by the throng of no trespassing signs that recently sprung up along Gulf Road, posted by W.D. Cowls. "Access to this working forest has been discontinued due to public disrespect and/or actions taken to limit landowner use and opportunity," the signs say. The names of company President Cinda Jones and Vice President Shane Bajnoci are also listed on the signs. Resident Sean Tarpey of 44 North St. said in an interview that Jones' statement on the signs is misplaced. "I haven't disrespected her in the slightest," he said. "I've seen about a hundred no trespassing signs." "They are obnoxious and a far cry from respectful guest welcome," resident Vivian Sarna said. In an interview on Wednesday, Bajnoci, who attended the public hearing, said installing the signs "was a difficult decision" the company would have preferred not to have taken. He said the decision was motivated by a necessity to defend the company against attempts to deny Cowls the legal use of its land. Bajnoci said the company may remove the signs in the future, but for now it is prohibiting public use of its approximately 1,300 acres in Belchertown. A special Town Meeting Aug. 20 will consider three articles related to solar farm regulations, clear-cutting of trees to build them and payments in lieu of taxes solar farm operators must make to the town. It is unlikely any decisions made at the meeting will affect the Blue Wave project or other solar farms already proposed. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) -- A California-based electric scooter rental company that left scooters on public sidewalks without warning has left two Massachusetts cities. The Boston Globe reports Bird Rides Inc. pulled out of Cambridge and Somerville. The company began renting scooters in both cities last month. Officials in Cambridge and Somerville say Bird never got a permit to conduct business and violated sidewalk safety laws. Both cities sent the company cease and desist letters. Bird claims its decision to leave was voluntary. The company is operating on a trial basis in Providence, Rhode Island. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has warned the company that they need permission to operate in the city. Cambridge spokeswoman Lee Gianetti says the city has planned a hearing on the issue. Somerville officials weren't immediately available for comment. The Truro beach where 61-year-old William Lytton was bitten by a shark Thursday will remain closed until the weekend. Longnook Beach, where Lytton was bitten on his left leg and hip, will be closed through Friday because of "shark activity," the Truro Recreation & Beach Department said on Twitter. The Town of Truro would like to report that due to shark activity at Longnook Beach on Thursday, August 16, swimming will be closed through Friday, August 17. If no sightings or activity are reported on Friday, swimming may reopen on Saturday, August 18. pic.twitter.com/TrmqjBCx4S Truro Recreation (@TruroRecreation) August 16, 2018 Lytton, a Scarsdale, New York resident, told rescuers he was standing in shallow water about 30 yards from the shore when the shark attacked him at 4 p.m., Cape Cod National Seashore Chief Ranger Leslie Reynolds told The Cape Cod Times. He was transported by helicopter from the beach to Tufts Medical Center in Boston. The beach was ordered closed at 6:04 p.m. It has not yet been determined what type of shark bit Lytton. The number of great white sharks swimming off the coast of Cape Cod has risen in recent years following preservation efforts that led to a resurgence in seal populations. "Encounters with white sharks in which people suffer injuries are as terrifying as they are rare. While we still don't know all of the details of this particular bite, sharks are not known to target people specifically and when they do bite people it's usually a case of mistaken identity," according to a statement from The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. "Sharks 'test the waters' with their teeth, much like we use our hands. It's how they determine if what they encounter is prey or something to avoid." The last fatal shark attack in Massachusetts was reported in 1936. In 2014, two kayakers were knocked out of their boats by a great white shark off Manomet Point in Plymouth but escaped without injury. SPRINGFIELD -- Over virtually an adult lifetime behind bars, Michael Alan Crooker has repeatedly sued the government for more information access, better medical care, consumer rights protections and myriad other gripes. He's won or settled dozens of self-drafted lawsuits, even if it's go-away money. After his release from federal prison last year, Crooker, 65, sued the FBI and Transportation Security Administration -- this time over his alleged placement on the "no-fly list," a post-9/11 watch list generally reserved for suspected terrorists. Crooker was charged in connection with weapons of mass destruction-related offenses. He later pleaded guilty to lesser charges including threatening a federal prosecutor and possession of a toxin, ricin, without registration. "I didn't have real ricin, weaponized ricin, like the government makes for assassinations. ... I had smashed up beans," he said this week. His latest stint in prison lasted 13 years. Crooker was released in March 2017. From behind his computer at his modest home in Southwick, Crooker is lately locking horns with Washington attorneys on behalf of high-level officials within the U.S. Department of Justice. While he is not the first to challenge placement on the no-fly list, his pro se lawsuit has brought the government to the edge of a brand new precipice, according to court filings. U.S. District Judge William G. Young recently denied the government's motions to dismiss Crooker's lawsuit altogether or put it on hold until he wades through further "administrative remedies" Crooker argues are not even available. Barring any concessions from the government, Young has ordered both sides be "trial ready" by Oct. 1. Crooker is the first to challenge his placement on the list -- which the government, on principle, has refused to even confirm -- without having ever booked a flight or attempted to cross a border. Crooker insists he is not a terrorist and should be allowed to fly. The rub is, he hasn't even tried, which was one of the government's central arguments in its unsuccessful motions. If Crooker's lawsuit is successful, it would mean virtually anyone can be granted access to no-fly list information. Government attorneys argued that making the list public in this way would enable terror groups to cherry-pick operatives and "open the floodgates" for frivolous inquiries. Crooker's lawsuit also has shone a light on little-known government criteria and procedures for collecting terror data. According to filings in the court case, the FBI maintains a Terrorist Screening Center to collect intelligence on potential extremists, which is then loaded into a classified Terror Screening Database and funneled to various government agencies, including TSA. That agency is responsible for ensuring safe air travel under the Department of Homeland Security. Crooker's lawsuit has forced the government to elicit an affidavit from the FBI's top terror screening czar, who argued the disclosures Crooker is seeking could even disrupt ongoing counterterrorism investigations. Timothy P. Groh, deputy director for the Terrorist Screening Center, is responsible for building and managing the Terrorist Screening Database, plus "managing encounters, and sharing intelligence with domestic and foreign partners." Groh said there are broad categories of people who find themselves on the no-fly list, including having threatened to commit international or domestic acts of terror and being "operationally capable of doing so," his affidavit reads. Crooker denies fitting any of these categories, arguing his threat against a government official was "decades ago." Groh says opening up inquiries about the no-fly list could be a valuable development for active and would-be terror plots. "It would also be of considerable value to terrorist groups to confirm which individuals are not the subject of ongoing investigations and who are more likely to escape scrutiny. In other words, efforts to reverse engineer information based on what is confirmed would be significantly simplified for those seeking to do harm," Groh said. Also attached to the government's recent filings is an affidavit by Deborah O. Moore, branch manager of the Transportation Security Redress Branch in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Ombudsman and Traveler Engagement at the Transportation Security Administration of the Department of Homeland Security. In short, Moore tracks traveler's disputes for TSA, including those who have been denied while attempting to board flights. In her affidavit, Moore says travelers who are denied the right to fly can appeal to the Homeland Security's Redress (TRIP) section, and if they have all the required documentation in order, may get a letter saying "You are on the No Fly List" and the underlying reasoning. Moore echoes several of Groh's arguments. "TRIP limited the applicability of revised redress procedures to United States persons who purchase an airline ticket resulting in a denial of boarding, in part, to avoid exploratory inquiries by individuals who, armed with the knowledge of who is and who is not on the No Fly List, may seek to harm the United States using the aviation system," her statement reads. Moore adds that, as it stands, 98 percent of those who seek redress through the TRIP program are not in the Terrorist Screening Database. Some are "misidentified" when they attempt to travel, she said. Crooker's litigation in U.S. District Court in Springfield was preceded by a lawsuit he filed in the Connecticut court system after he was fired from his job shuttling travelers from a private, off-site service to curbsides at Bradley International Airport. The gig was a lucrative one and the first legitimate employment Crooker held since his release from prison. According to correspondence he first filed in connection with the complaint in Connecticut, the state oversight agency for airports informed his employer, LAZ Fly Airport Parking, that Crooker was on the watch list and ordered him banned from any part of the airport -- even "non-sterile" areas not monitored by TSA. After months of litigation, Crooker settled the employment lawsuit for an undisclosed amount of money earlier this year. Crooker in 2017 challenged his alleged placement on the list to TSA, which rejected his complaint outright, arguing he had never been barred from a flight or crossing a border and it fell "outside the scope" of the redress offered by the agency. Those are the two narrow circumstances in which the government will entertain a challenge to the no-fly list, government attorneys argue in their briefings. The no-fly list is protected by law as "Sensitive Security Information" or "SSI," the government's briefings note. People land on the list after being included in the "watch list nomination process," according to court filings. In his ruling to deny the government's motions, Young concedes that a challenge to the no-fly list based on loss of employment is an unusual legal position -- but one the judge deemed has value. "He has lost a job, and a job that means a lot to him," Young wrote. Crooker's lawsuit in the Massachusetts federal court does not seek monetary damages. Instead, he asks for an order forcing the government remove his name from the list and to provide the basis of his placement on the list. It also asks for an opportunity to contest his inclusion on the list before a "live, neutral decision-maker." Crooker said he offered as a settlement to be "demoted" to the Selectee list, another government catalog that doesn't bar air travel, per se, but adds another level of scrutiny to its members. Crooker says he has no immediate plans to fly, and that his recent history of air travel has been limited, for obvious reasons. "Con Air, too many times to count," he said, referring to the U.S. Marshals Service's Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System, used to transport inmates and immigrant detainees to prisons, courthouses and detention centers across the country. Attorneys for the government recently petitioned Young for an extension of time to respond to Young's denial of its motions to dismiss and stay the action. The new deadline is Aug. 31. SPRINGFIELD -- City and school officials said Thursday they have invested $45 million into renovations, repairs and improvements to city school buildings since the spring, aided by state funds, with projects ranging from new windows and roofs to completely restored auditoriums. The school building improvements, which will continue through next spring, were discussed as officials visited M. Marcus Kiley Middle School on Cooley Street, part of a tour of school buildings where work was done or continuing. "I think our parents and kids are going to be excited on our first day of school to see the work that's been done this summer and over the years," Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick said. The average age of the schools is 55 years, with a median age of 65 years, "and it was time to reinvest in the schools," Warwick said. Funding assistance for the ongoing work was received from the Massachusetts School Building Authority. An analysis of Massachusetts School Building Authority data by The Republican found that in the 2016-17 school year, 70 percent of the city's students were enrolled at a school that was at least 50 years old. About 40 percent of the students were enrolled at a school that was at least 75 years old. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said the city and School Department, aided by the state authority, have invested more than $600 million in new schools and school renovations during the past decade under his administration. "Under the leadership of Superintendent Warwick, we're hitting on all cylinders when you look at our (improved) test scores, our graduation rates, all the intangibles ... and physical plant is very, very important not only to our students but to the teachers and staff," Sarno said. The largest project on the list was the new $21 million culinary and nutrition center on Cadwell Drive, which is slated to open in November. Warwick said he expects the culinary center, serving students throughout the school district, will be a national model including its focus on fresh, local healthy farm products. Other examples of major projects included new windows and doors at Kiley ($9,498,611), Alfred G. Zanetti Montessori Magnet School ($3,156,421) and Balliet Elementary School ($1,707,255). In addition, there were new roofs at Mary M. Lynch School ($2,117,130) Balliet ($2,089,300), and Kensington Avenue School ($1,488,913). The city has been assisted on the summer renovation program again by the Hampden County Sheriff's Department inmate work crew, with approximately 70 inmates involved in a restoration of the Kiley Middle School auditorium, including re-upholstering of all seats, painting and refinishing and sanding, officials said. The auditorium project saved the city approximately $140,000, officials said. Other officials participating in the tour included: Peter Garvey, director of capital asset construction; Patrick J. Sullivan, director of parks, buildings and recreation management; Timothy J. Plante, the city's chief administrative and financial officer; and Patrick Roach, the School Department's chief finance officer. Below is a document listing 2018 school-by-school improvements and spending (pages 2-3): Springfield Schools building improvements funding by The Republican/MassLive.com on Scribd SPRINGFIELD - Two city residents accused of renting out a home they did not own were arrested Monday, prompting police to put out a warning about a spate of real estate scams in the city. Scammers are targeting homes that are for sale or rent or have been foreclosed on and attempting to rent them through Craigslist and other classified websites. Some of the scams have been elaborate, with thieves copying pictures from Zillow and other real estate websites into their fake ads. In one case, a thief went so far as to break into a home and replace locks so the scammer could give keys to a potential renter, said Ryan Walsh, police spokesman. On Monday, a real estate agent was installing signs on a home at Jordan Street when three people arrived and told the agent they were moving into the home, which had not been rented. Soon after a man and a woman arrived to let the three prospective tenants into the home, but drove away when they saw the agent there, he said. The agent called police, who tracked down the car and stopped the couple on Dwight Street, Walsh said. Police arrested Alberto Ramirez, 33, of Beauchamp St., and Yaliber Aguiar, 26, of Sorrento Street, and charged both with larceny over $1,200 by single scheme. Ramirez was also arrested on motor vehicle violations and on a warrant charging him with armed robbery, Walsh said. People who have a home for sale or rent should call police if they start receiving suspicious inquiries, they find the locks have been changed or they see advertisements for the property which they did not post or authorize, he said. Those who are renting homes should know that reputable real estate agents do not post ads on Craigslist or similar websites, and should carefully verify any ad they see there. Potential renters should meet the owners in a public place, preferably at their business, and never send money through an app or internet transfer, he said. Some red flags that the rental ad is a scam include phone numbers from a nonlocal area code, the landlord being willing to text or email a rental application that is a standard form, and the offer appearing too good to be true, Walsh said. Maddilyn Burgess was a woman who appreciated the beauty of nature. She loved taking long walks and adored the rain, the stars and the ocean. In a thoughtful obituary, Burgess' family wrote that the 28-year-old woman is now "rockin' the heavens above." Burgess died on Aug. 9 in what authorities are calling a murder-suicide. Her body was found inside the trunk of a car driven by Gyrth Rutan. Rutan, of Sturbridge, was pulled over by police in Gardiner, Maine, after driving erratically, authorities said. Rutan got out of the car and shot himself. A crime scene was discovered at Rutan's residence in Sturbridge, according to the office of Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. Authorities did not disclose the relationship between Burgess and Rutan. Burgess, who friends and family called "Maddy," grew up in Oxford. She graduated from Medfield High School in 2008 and received an associate degree in medical assisting from Salter College, according to her obituary. "She loved to read, found deep meaning in the lyrics of her favorite songs, and enjoyed keeping a journal of quotes and mantras that inspired her," the obituary reads. "Her silly dance moves brought joy to many and she was often a source of encouragement to others with her sweet, genuine soul and infectious smile that lit up an entire room." Burgess will be remembered as a "precious daughter, devoted sister, loving granddaughter, cherished niece and forever friend," the family wrote. "Maddilyn is rockin' the heavens above, free from all earthly pain and sorrow," the obituary continued. "She would want to be remembered for the beautiful person that she was, and have her life celebrated without guilt, remorse or anger." Calling hours for Burgess will be held on Aug. 18 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Paradis-Givner Funeral Home at 357 Main St. in Oxford. UPDATE: The city has confirmed a press conference at 2 p.m. at Worcester City Hall. _____________ Worcester officials will make a major announcement Friday afternoon related to the city's bid to become the new home of the Pawtucket Red Sox. Multiple sources familiar with the discussions confirmed the existence of the announcement plans to MassLive. The announcement comes more than a year after the PawSox announced that they would enter into negotiations with cities outside Rhode Island, after legislators there failed to approve a new stadium deal for the team. The PawSox have played at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket for 48 years. Their stadium lease expires in 2021, placing a quickly approaching deadline on the team's efforts to find a new home. Rhode Island approved an $83 million proposal to build a new Pawtucket riverfront stadium in June. As recently as last week, Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien told the Providence Journal he believed his city had a 50 percent chance to retain the PawSox. Worcester has engaged in lengthy and secretive negotiations with the team, declining to comment on the talks even as PawSox chairman Larry Lucchino has been repeatedly spotted meeting with city leaders. Lucchino visited Worcester as recently as last week. At the same time, members of Worcester's business community have made public overtures to the team. The Canal District Alliance organized a campaign in 2015 that sent over 8,000 signed postcards to the PawSox, hoping to demonstrate the city's interest. Sources have told MassLive that the vacant Wyman Gordon lot off of Kelley Square has been pitched as a stadium site. A little thought experiment for those inclined to agree with President Donald Trump's frequent assertion that the news media are "the enemy of the people": Imagine that Hillary Clinton had been elected president over Trump back in November 2016. Suppose further that her administration got off to something of a rocky start, and that the press was unsparing in detailing the failings of the second President Clinton's new term in the White House. Now, imagine that Clinton, in a fit of pique, labeled the news media "the enemy of the people." You'd think it so very different, wouldn't you? You might even find yourself quite relieved, and cheered, to see the free press doing its job. Anyone who feels that Trump's dangerous attacks on the free press are just fine and dandy is simply not thinking clearly. And has no understanding of the fundamentally important role that the press has played in our nation from its founding. In the United States of America, where the power would flow uphill, from the people, government officials would be accountable to the citizenry. Period. As such, a free press was seen as essential to the functioning of our nation. When Thomas Jefferson was serving as minister to France, he wrote, in a letter dated Jan. 16, 1787: "The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and 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." The press provides the citizenry with a view of those serving the people. If it were not for reporters filing their dispatches, the only record the people would have of the doings of officials would be the word from those very officials. Think that would always be the whole, unvarnished truth? Think again. Reports in newspapers and on Websites and delivered on radio and television are essential in keeping officials accountable. Without the work of the diverse news media, public officials would be public in name alone. They'd be doing their work under the cover of darkness. Our founding fathers, of course, understood tyranny firsthand. Our Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, is largely a listing of grievances against the tyrannical King George III of the United Kingdom. The government they would create as a result of their rejection of the king and what he stood for took pains to put real power in the hands of the people. The First Amendment to our Constitution establishes freedom of the press, along with other fundamental rights, such as freedom of speech and religion. Because without an informed citizenry, a tyrannical ruler could come to power and seek to consolidate his authority. One way toward that end? Convincing the people that the press is the enemy. Those who know anything about history, and care even a whit about preserving liberty, won't buy it. Not from our reality TV star president, and not from anyone else. BOSTON -- A Superior Court judge will allow the man who is suing Bryon Hefner and Stan Rosenberg over Hefner's alleged sexual misconduct to continue to shield his identity until the case goes to trial. The man, identified in the lawsuit as John Doe, is a legislative aide who accused Hefner of sexually assaulting him three separate times in 2015 and 2016. Doe says Rosenberg, the former Senate president and Hefner's husband, knew about Hefner's behavior and still gave Hefner access to his political contacts. Doe sued Rosenberg and Hefner for civil damages. Hefner is also facing criminal charges. Attorneys for Rosenberg and Hefner had asked a judge to require the man to identify himself. They argued that it would "level the playing field" for the plaintiff to be required to stand by his allegations publicly. Doe's attorneys argued that anonymity is necessary to protect their client from emotional harm. In a decision dated Tuesday, Superior Court Judge Robert Tochka ruled that the man's identity could continue to be impounded. "The court finds that the particular circumstances of this case establish good cause for impoundment until the first day of trial, and orders the redaction of the plaintiff's true name and any information that may reasonably be used to identify him," Tochka wrote. Tochka cited a ruling from a prior case, which said public revelation of sexual abuse "revictimizes" the victim by reopening emotional wounds and potentially causing other people to treat the victim differently. Attorneys for Doe submitted a psychiatrist's report indicating that Doe already suffers from symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder, and publicizing his name would threaten "irreparable psychological harm," Tochka wrote. Attorneys for Rosenberg and Hefner argued that Doe did not deserve privacy protection since he already spoke to the Boston Globe. But Tochka noted that the Globe never reported the man's identity. While Tochka acknowledged that the public has a vital interest in this case, due to Rosenberg's former position, he wrote that Doe's interest in protecting his privacy is "so compelling" as to override the presumption of public access to court records. It remains an open question whether the man's identity will be revealed if the case goes to trial. When the question was raised at a hearing, Doe's attorneys, Mitchell Garabedian and William Gordon, said Doe would decide at that time whether he was emotionally comfortable revealing his identity. Garabedian said in an email Thursday, "My client should be proud of himself for coming forward anonymously and having the strength to proceed with litigation." This is the second court ruling this week allowing alleged victims in the Hefner case to remain anonymous. The Superior Court judge hearing the criminal case against Hefner earlier this week denied a request by Attorney General Maura Healey to provide prosecutors with the names and statements of people who spoke to Senate investigators looking into whether Rosenberg broke any Senate rules related to Hefner's alleged misconduct. BOSTON -- Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito this week acknowledged the difficulty of addressing domestic violence in family and probate court, and said the state is working to raise awareness of the issues surrounding domestic violence. "There's no question these family matters in the probate and family court are very challenging, very difficult," Polito said in an interview. The Republican/MassLive.com recently reported that many victims of domestic violence struggle to retain custody of their children in Massachusetts Probate and Family Court. Experts and advocates for these women say domestic violence often hurts the victim in custody cases, rather than the alleged batterer. Since the story was published, multiple women have contacted the reporter with similar stories. Polito co-chairs the Governor's Council to Address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, a council that Gov. Charlie Baker re-launched in 2015. The council includes 30 members, and a total of 80 experts serve on its working groups, which focus on prevention and education, military veterans and families, housing stability and self sufficiency, assessment and response, and child trafficking. An attorney, Polito also chairs the Governor's Council, which confirms judicial nominations. Polito spoke with a reporter about the story and the administration's efforts to address domestic violence more broadly in Massachusetts. She said cases involving domestic violence can be difficult, particularly when the alleged victim has no attorney. "In some cases, you have people coming before the court in a pro se manner without representation. When there are children involved, they're very difficult," she said. In one high-profile case in 2014, Jared Remy, the son of a Red Sox broadcaster, admitted to killing his girlfriend as their young daughter watched. That same year, then-Gov. Deval Patrick signed a major domestic violence law, creating new criminal charges related to domestic violence, requiring more research into domestic violence, and mandating training in domestic violence and sexual assault for court personnel, including all trial court judges, clerks and guardians ad litem. Polito said the council she leads spent its first year coordinating efforts with the trial court to establish better policies and implement the trainings. District Court Judge Marianne Hinkle, who heads the trial court's Domestic Violence Task Force and has overseen the training, told The Republican that experts spent a year developing the extensive online training, which nearly all Probate Court judges and guardians ad litem have undergone. Polito noted that the state provides $135,000 annually in grants to fund training and policy updates related to domestic violence for court personnel. Asked whether the system has improved with the new training, Polito said, "Certainly, it's better than not having it." "I do think there is more of an awareness and sensitivity around these issues," Polito said. Polito said the council, the trial court and prosecutors "are constantly talking about these issues and how to improve our service." One area the state has focused on is developing protocols for local police to use when responding to domestic violence and sexual assault cases. A pilot program was tested in Greenfield, Foxboro, Quincy and Woburn. Local police were given worksheets to fill out that asked potential victims specific questions aimed at determining the extent of domestic violence. The worksheets were used to guide police interviews and determine the history and risk of sexual assault or domestic violence in a particular case. The police also worked with prosecutors and community-based domestic violence organizations. Information collected through the worksheet can be used to prosecute court cases, and could also potentially be used in custody cases. The victim can be immediately connected with services. "Now you have a team that's available to a victim when that call is placed," Polito said. She said the victim receives access to resources that can help them find shelter, child care or whatever they need. "Right then and there, they have a support network to help them take the next steps to become safe and secure outside of that violent home," she said. Later in August, state officials plan to announce that the pilot program will be expanded to police stations in approximately 80 cities and towns, spanning Hampden, Worcester, Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol and Norfolk counties and the Northwestern district attorney's office. "While you talk about the courts' response, this is a community response," Polito said. "We feel we can have big impact on a community level in helping victims of domestic violence and sexual assault have an opportunity to break out of cycle of violence and get to a safer place." The administration also included in this year's state budget $500,000 for the Department of Public Health to launch a statewide public awareness campaign about domestic violence and sexual assault as a public health problem -- the first such campaign in 18 years. Polito said this is similar to what the state did in launching a public awareness campaign around treating opioid addiction as a public health issue, not a law enforcement issue. "We felt it was important to think about current-day challenges in society and develop a message that will bring public awareness towards sexual assault and domestic violence and how we as citizens, employers and government leaders can better support women, individuals and vulnerable populations in our communities," Polito said. President Donald Trump took aim at the Boston Globe Thursday for encouraging newspapers across the country to join it in publishing editorials that speak out against the White House's attacks on the press. The president, who has repeatedly criticized media coverage of his administration as "fake news," accused the Boston news outlet of being "in collusion with other papers on free press." "The Boston Globe, which was sold to the the Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses & investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT!" he tweeted Thursday. The Boston Globe, which was sold to the the Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses & investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018 Trump added minutes later that "there is nothing that (he) would want more for our country than true freedom of the press." "The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS!" he tweeted. There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018 Trump's tweet came as more than 300 news publications across the United States joined the Boston Globe in running editorials critical of the president's attacks on the media. The Boston Globe called on newspapers earlier this month to publish pro-journalism editorials on Aug. 16 as part of a collective defense of the free press. Although the Globe's effort drew criticism from Trump, several members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation lauded the move. Contending that "a free and independent press is one of the cornerstones of our democracy," U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, said she stands by the Globe's effort to defend the First Amendment. A free and independent press is one of the cornerstones of our democracy. I stand by the @BostonGlobes efforts to defend the First Amendment from @realDonaldTrumps attacks, and to pursue and report the truth. #FreePress https://t.co/45uuZEeowD Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) August 16, 2018 U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, said he was "proud and inspired by the Boston Globe today as they lead 300-plus editorial boards in sending a clear message: the press is not the enemy of the people." So proud of & inspired by @BostonGlobe today as they lead 300+ editorial boards in sending a clear message: the press is not the enemy of the people, its an indispensable part of our democracy. Today would be a great day to support the #FreePress & subscribe to your local paper. https://t.co/hhy2RAaG6L Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) August 16, 2018 U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Melrose, also said she's "proud to stand with the Boston Globe, New York Times and others in defense of a free press." U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Salem, meanwhile, praised the Boston newspaper's "impressive work" in leading the effort. Congressman Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline, offered that "a free press reflects our own words and actions for the world to see." The Boston Globe was sold to the New York Times Company for $1.1 billion in 1993. Red Sox principal owner John Henry purchased New England Media Group, which includes the Globe, for $70 million in 2013, according to the Associated Press. SPRINGFIELD -- U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, met with local law enforcement, addiction treatment and health care officials this week to discuss how federal lawmakers can better help address the opioid crisis -- an epidemic which has claimed more than 300 lives in Hampden County since 2015. Neal, the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, briefed Hampden County Addiction Task Force members Wednesday on legislation he is pushing to expand coverage of opioid treatment programs and medication-assisted treatment. The congressman also fielded questions and concerns from task force members, as well as offered possible legislative solutions during the panel's afternoon meeting. Offering that nearly everyone knows someone struggling with addiction, Neal said he believes local, state and federal officials all have a "vested interest" in addressing the opioid crisis. One step Congress can take, he argued, is to reduce treatment barriers in federal health care programs, like Medicare and Medicaid. Neal pointed to a bill package, which cleared the U.S. House earlier this summer, as an example of how Congress can help in the fight against opioid abuse. That measure, among many things, proposes: Expanding Medicare's coverage of opioid treatment programs and medication-assisted treatment; requiring that all state Medicaid programs cover medication-assisted treatment for five years; and allowing some providers to offer medication-assisted treatment to more patients. The congressman, who offered standalone legislation last fall to require that Medicare cover methadone and other outpatient forms of medication-assisted treatment, said the proposal sprung, in part, from his belief that addiction should be looked at as a health problem. "The idea is to treat addiction as a health issue -- a health-related issue. The idea was, that for those that have insurance, to make sure that they're covered, but for those who don't have health insurance, to mandate ... that assistance," he told task force members. Neal, who is up for re-election this fall, said he's confident the U.S. Senate will take up the bill package by the end of the year. "I can't imagine anyone not being in favor of extending Medicare to cover people with opiate addictions who are 65 and over ... I think (the Senate's) going to do it," he said in an interview. Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni, who convened the task force in June 2016, lauded federal efforts to address opioid abuse, offering that the congressman's proposal "is going to have an impact across the country and Hampden County," if signed into law. "I think one of the things most principally that the legislation does is it characterizes (addiction) as a public health issue and as a disease so those who are on Medicaid and Medicare can have those treatments paid for ... as opposed to coming out of their pocket, which is obviously something that would prevent, if not completely discourage, someone from seeking the treatment to get well and be sober," he said in an interview. Gulluni, however, acknowledged that "there's more work to be done" at all levels to end the opioid epidemic. That, the DA said, is why he hopes the task force will continue to look at solutions in the years ahead. "This is still at epidemic levels," he said. "There's still dozens of people of dying from overdoses on a daily basis. There's a critical need and there's a lot more to be done. So, the work that the congressman has to do at the federal level, the work that I have to do, the work that people across the spectrum of working on addiction and recovery have a lot more work to do. There's no question. But we're doing it and we're doing our best to save lives." Beyond focusing on the federal legislation, which passed the House on a 396 to 14 vote in June, the task force also discussed challenges in recruiting and retaining addiction treatment professionals, past failures with educational programs, employment barriers for those in recovery and law enforcement response. According to Massachusetts Department of Public Health estimates, nearly 16,000 people died in the state from opioid-related overdoses between 2000 and 2017, including 1,023 in Hampden County alone. Of those deaths, more than 2,000 came in 2017 -- up from 379 in 2000. This report focuses on the global Nurse Call System market status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Nurse Call System development in United States, Europe and China. A nurse call button is a button found around a hospital bed that allows patients in health care settings to alert a nurse or other health care staff member remotely of their need for help. When the button is pressed, a signal alerts staff at the nurses station, and usually, a nurse or nurse assistant responds to such a call. Some systems also allow the patient to speak directly to the staffer; others simply beep or buzz at the station, requiring a staffer to actually visit the patients room to determine the patients needs. Increasing investments towards various healthcare IT systems has led to the trend of adopting latest state of the art communication systems in hospitals. Healthcare facilities have been increasingly focusing on building efficient communication infrastructure in order to provide improved medical care to their patients. Furthermore, with the ongoing technological advancements in the IT and communication systems, the nurse call systems market is expected to continue witnessing strong growth in the following years. The key players covered in this study Ascom Jeron Electronic Systems Rauland-Borg TekTone Azure Healthcare Cornell Communications Hill-Rom Holdings Ascom Rauland-Borg Corporation Tyco SimplexGrinnell STANLEY Healthcare Vigil Health Solutions Intercall Systems Live Sentinel Elpas Request Sample Report at https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3339078-global-nurse-call-system-market-size-status-and-forecast-2018-2025 Market segment by Type, the product can be split into Wired Systems Wireless Systems Market segment by Application, split into Hospitals Ambulatory Surgical Centers & Clinics Nursing Homes & Assisted Living Centers Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers United States Europe China Japan Southeast Asia India Central & South America The study objectives of this report are: To analyze global Nurse Call System status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. To present the Nurse Call System development in United States, Europe and China. To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their development plan and strategies. To define, describe and forecast the market by product type, market and key regions. In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Nurse Call System are as follows: History Year: 2013-2017 Base Year: 2017 Estimated Year: 2018 Forecast Year 2018 to 2025 For the data information by region, company, type and application, 2017 is considered as the base year. Whenever data information was unavailable for the base year, the prior year has been considered. Table of Contents 1 Report Overview 2 Global Growth Trends 3 Market Share by Key Players 4 Breakdown Data by Type and Application 5 United States 6 Europe 7 China 8 Japan 9 Southeast Asia 10 India 11 Central & South America 12 International Players Profiles 13 Market Forecast 2018-2025 14 Analysts Viewpoints/Conclusions About Us: Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Contact Us: NORAH TRENT sales@wiseguyreports.com Ph: +1-646-845-9349 (US) Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK) The demand for the Medical Ventilator is increasing with the increasing number of critically ill patients. Additionally, the global ventilator market is experiencing a boost due to increasing lifestyle associated chronic diseases, environmental pollution, increasing incidence of asthma & bronchitis, and addictions. Ventilator associated pneumonia is a primary risk associated with the prolonged use of ventilators, which may act as a risk factor for this market. The Global Medical Ventilator Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.9% during the forecast period 2017-2023. Global Medical Ventilator Market Competitive Analysis Koninklijke Philips N.V. is the major player in the global ventilators manufacturers. The healthcare business of the company accounts for 42% of its total global sales revenue. It has more than 450 innovative products and solutions. The company offers various Products for respiratory care and ventilation such as Respironics NM3, Respironics V680 and Respironics Trilogy 202. Medtronic plc. Is another major player in this market with the products such as Puritan Bennet 980, Newport HT70, and Newport 360. In 2015, the company acquired Covidien with the market capitalism, which was about USD 100 billion. It is one of the largest medical device manufacturers in the world. ResMed is a global manufacturer of the machines and other products that diagnose, treat or help to manage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sleep-disordered breathing (particularly sleep apnea), or other respiratory conditions. It manufactures medical ventilator named Astral 150 and Astral 100. Global Medical Ventilator Market Major Players Key players in Medical Ventilator Market are: Koninklijke Philips N.V. Medtronic (Ireland) ResMed (U.S.) General Electric Company (U.S.) Becton, Dickinson and Company (U.S.) Allied Healthcare Products Inc. (U.S) Hamilton Medical (Switzerland) Teleflex Incorporated (U.S.) Global Medical Ventilator Market Regional Analysis The Global Medical Ventilators Market consists of four regions: Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East & Africa. Americas is the largest market for medical ventilators in the globe, whose growth is contributed to the increasing prevalence of smoking leading to lung diseases, the significant number of patients having chronic heart diseases, and the demand for mechanical ventilators. The market is growing continuously in Europe due to the great demand for Medical Ventilator in hospitals, and increasing healthcare expenditure. Owing to increasing environmental pollution, high incidence of asthma & chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and large patient pool, Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing market over the forecast period. The Middle East & Africa shows steady growth in this market and expected to continue during the forecast period. Get Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/695 Global Medical Ventilator Market Segmentation The Global Medical Ventilator Market has been segmented on the basis of types of ventilators, which includes non-invasive ventilators, invasive ventilators, and mechanical ventilators. Non-invasive ventilators are further segmented into volume-cycled, pressure-cycled, flow-cycled, and time-cycled ventilators. Mechanical ventilators are further segmented into positive pressure and negative pressure ventilators. On the basis of applications, the market is segmented into critical care, neonatal care, emergency care, and others. Major Table of Content Chapter 1. Report Prologue Chapter 2. Market Introduction 2.1 Definition 2.2 Scope of the Study 2.2.1 Research Objective 2.2.2 Assumptions 2.2.3 Limitations Chapter 3. Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Primary Research 3.3 Secondary Research 3.4 Market Size Estimation Chapter 4. Market Dynamics Continued. To Know More Enquire @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/695 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Contact: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: salesteam@marketresearchfuture.com (ANSA) - Rome, August 16 - Rome municipal police said Thursday that they nabbed a 21-year-old Romanian tourist trying to carve his name on the marble of the Trevi Fountain on Tuesday. After being caught in the act, the man made an unsuccessful bid to run away. "The vandal of the capital's historic and artistic heritage was trying to finish his uncivilised gesture and hide among the tourist crowds," a statement said. "But the local police put an end to that and took away the crime tools - a steel ring, which was seized, and two keys". He now faces charges of vandalism and resisting arrest. Saudi Arabia Medical Devices Market Predominant Players The major participants of this market are: Johnson & Johnson, General Electric, Medtronic, Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV., Baxter International, Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co., Cardinal Health, Al-Salehiya Medical Estableshment, Saudi Pharmaceutical Industries & Medical Appliances Corporation (SPIMACO), Al Amin Medical Instruments Company (AMICO), Al Faisaliah Medical Systems (FMS), Siemens Ltd and others. Get Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2801 Industry/Innovation/Related News: May 16, 2018 Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions (UK), a global organization, in charge of the healthcare portfolio and Global Exhibitions division, announced the Global Health Exhibition to be held from 10-12 September 2018 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, Saudi Arabia. One of the objectives of the exhibition is to avail Saudi Arabias leading healthcare platform to the global market to meet and network with Saudi healthcare sectors pioneers and officials. More than 10,000 industry professionals across the globe are expected to explore the opportunities, along with the more than 500 Saudi-based and international exhibiting companies showcasing the latest advances in health services, pharmaceuticals, training and education, and medical device technologies. Saudi Arabia Medical Devices Market Segmentation MRFR has segmented into 4 key dynamics for the convenience of the report and enhanced understanding; By Product Types: Comprises Diagnostic Devices, Monitoring Devices, Diagnostic Molecular Devices, Surgical Devices, Drug Delivery Devices, Bio Implants and Stimulation Devices, Automation and Robotics among others. By Therapeutic Applications: Diagnostic Imaging, General Surgery, Respiratory, Cardiovascular, Orthopaedics, Dental, Neurology, Ear-Nose-Throat (ENT), Ophthalmology, Nephrology and Urology, among others. By End-Users: Ambulatory, Home and Hospitals among others. By Regions: Geographical regions & Continents of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Medical Devices Market Highlights A Medical Device is any instrument, appliance including any software, biologic or non-biologic material, to be used for the diagnostic or therapeutic use for management of diseases and disorders. The Medical Device Industry witnessed one of the fastest growths propelled by innovation and rapid uptake of technologies. The Medical Devices Market has also resulted in the successful fusion of information technology and healthcare. Technology and product development remain the main pillars for the growing market for medical devices. The market involves two segments one high-tech devices with extreme sophistication and another is the low tech improved devices. The high tech segment such as diagnostic imaging devices is witnessing higher rates of growth. The low tech segment is also growing at a good rate but has witnessed growth in developing regions as the market for these in developed regions is stagnant. The other market driving factors are rising public healthcare expenditure in Saudi Arabia, development of large hospitals such as King Faisal hospital in Riyadh, demand for noninvasive therapy etc. The market constraints are strict and ambiguous regulatory framework, growing concern for security especially data security, differential availability between developed and developing regions, connectivity issues in Saudi Arabia, the interference Sharia courts etc. The future developments will include cloud integration, connected healthcare devices and growing demand for personalized medical wearable devices. Healthcare mobile applications will also lead the market. Saudi Arabia Medical Devices Market Regional Analysis The Healthcare Sector of Saudi Arabia is divided between private and state. The public healthcare expenditure accounts for approximately 75% of total health expenditure in 2014. Local manufacturing represents a poor outlook which is limited to consumables and ordinary articles. The government has established some of the best hospitals in the region such as King Faisal specialist hospital and research center, Riyadh military hospital, Saudi Arabias National Guard health affairs hospital etc. Saudi Arabia is extremely dependent on imports for medical devices and imports account for approximately 92% of total market for medical devices. U.S. medical device suppliers dominate the scenario with European vendors in the second position. Among the regions of Saudi Arabia Riyadh tops the healthcare expenditure list followed by Tabuk, Makkah and Madina. To Know More Enquire @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/2801 . Major Table of Content 1 Introduction 1.1 Definition 1.2 Scope of Study 1.3 Research Objective 1.4 Assumptions & Limitations 1.5 Market Structure: 2 Research Methodology 2.1 Research Process 2.2 Primary Research 2.3 Secondary Research 3 Market Dynamics 3.1 Drivers 3.2 Restraints 3.3 Opportunities 3.4 Challenges 3.5 Macroeconomic Indicators 4 Market Factor Analysis .Continued About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Contact: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: salesteam@marketresearchfuture.com by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, August 15, 2018 The Trump Make America Great Again committee across the U.S. spent $629,500 on political ads in the current U.S. federal election cycle from May 31, 2018 to the present date, according to Google data. The data appears in a new section in Googles Transparency report on political advertising, announced Wednesday, which provides a list of advertisers who have spent amounts greater than $500. These advertisers are listed from highest to lowest amount spent. Searchable and downloadable information on advertising spend in search, with display and video, details the amount that advertisers spent in any state. For example, political advertisers in California spent $356,900. The information is also categorized into congressional district. For example, advertisers in the CA-10 district spent $26,100. advertisement advertisement Other high spenders include One Nation, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and Rick Scott for Florida. Top keywords include aclu at $37,000; diane black at $37,300; ron desantis at $33,700; beto orourke at $29,800; rick scott at $28,700; and bill nelson at $25,200. The report shows who bought the federal election ads and how much money was spent across states and congressional districts on such ads. It also names the top political advertisers overall. The Political Ad Library enables people to search and view political ads by advertiser or candidate's name, including the amount spent, the dates when the ad ran, the number of impressions, and ad type. The feature also allows people to search and sort the ads by highest amount spent, most impressions, and most recently launched. Google plans to update the information weekly. Early in 2018, Google implemented new U.S. requirements for any advertiser purchasing election ads on its platform. Advertisers must provide a government-issued ID and other key information that confirms their U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency, as required by law. For any Google Ads Services, political election ads also must be clearly marked with a paid for by disclosure. by Ray Schultz , August 15, 2018 Twitter says it has blocked conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for a week and may shut him down completely because he violated its rules against "targeted harassment of someone, or (inciting) other people to do so," according to media reports. Prior to this, Twitter had not joined other tech giants such as Facebook and MailChimp in banning Jones. In addition, reports say Jones InfoWar website has been shut down. He wrote: Infowars.com has been taken down! Communist China and the democrats are making their move against American! However, the site was up on Wednesday afternoon, and it features an account of the Twitter stoppage. Infowars Editor Paul Joseph Watson tweeted a screenshot of the notification sent by Twitter staff to Jones, the story states. According to Twitter, a tweet by Jones one day earlier was considered to be targeted harassment, and, as a result, the Infowars host would have his access to the social-media platform restricted for one week. Watson described the situation as truly, monumentally, beyond stupid. advertisement advertisement Last week, Jones was booted off several online platforms, including Facebook and Google. He also was dropped by his email service provider MailChimp for violating its terms of service. The company said it will not allow people to use our platform to disseminate hateful content. Twitter, however, had not joined these firms in terminating Jones. We didnt suspend Alex Jones or InfoWars yesterday, wrote Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. We know thats hard for many but the reason is simple: he hasnt violated our rules. Some observers think that these cancellations may step on the First Amendment. However, others say private firms are free to do what they want, and have a responsibility to prevent hate speech. by Sarah Mahoney @mahoney_sarah, August 15, 2018 Foot Locker is teaming up with ASICS to introduce a line of shoes and gear called Welcome to the Dojo, kicking the launch off with a five-episode series meant to thrill American anime fans. Called The Sun and the Snake, the series stars our hero, Sneaker Samurai, who takes off his ASICS GEL-Lyte I sneakers before entering the dojo. When someone steals his kicks, he sets off to find them, and along the way, meets up with such notable rappers as Princess Nokia, who plays Kiku, and YFN Lucci, cast as Ghost Samurai. Our target demographic is looking for great product stories, says Patrick Walsh, vice president of marketing for Foot Locker, North America, about the East/West mashup. Theyre not just interested in another colorway. They see sneakers almost as a collectible, the same way theyd buy a T-shirt to commemorate a concert. advertisement advertisement Stepping into the fan-obsessed world of anime makes sense both for ASICS, which is making an effort to explore its Japanese culture and heritage, and Foot Locker, where were always looking to find new ways to connect with youth culture, Walsh tells Marketing Daily. This series, he says, is just the beginning. Because it was a new partnership, he says ASICS and Foot Locker opened the pitch to a bunch of agencies, ultimately selecting BBDO. We were so impressed with the work BBDO brought, and the level of detail in selecting who would work on the project, he says. Shotopop is the illustration/animation studio. Because anime fans are so fierce, we wanted to be respectful about how it came together. That meant choosing the right illustration team, and making sure we had young talent from the West, too. The first episode is scheduled to bow Aug. 21, with each episode running on Foot Lockers YouTube and Instagram channels. Each of the segments is shoppable, and viewers can buy the featured Welcome to the Dojo gear and footwear within the platforms. The Guardian, Thursday, August 16, 2018 7:33 AM The Guardian reminds British readers that nearly 350 US news outlets are due to carry editorials today countering President Trump's positioning the media as "the enemy of the people". The British paper makes clear its support of a free American press, pointing out that Presidents have previously complained about the press but nobody has ever run such as a concerted "dirty war" on the media. Read the whole story at The Guardian by Larissa Faw , August 16, 2018 Sparkling Ice, part of Talking Rain Beverage Company, has appointing marketing agency Epsilon as its new AOR. There was a formal review for the integrated AOR assignment. The new remit represents an expansion of a working relationship between the two firms that began in 2014. The agency will lead creative strategy, media, analytics and shopper solutions in North America per a new three-year contract. The partnership serves as a reset of sorts for the client that underwent significant challenges last year. In February 2017, Talking Rain and Seattle-based agency Wexley School For Girls introduced what the company called a "long-term platform" titled "Be Not Bland." This $37 million integrated marketing campaign served as the brand's first real awareness push to celebrate authenticity and individuality, celebrating the people, places and personalities that fill life with flavor and not bland moments, per a company release. advertisement advertisement However, one month after this release, Talking Rain CEO Kevin Klock abruptly stepped down after seven years amid a sexual assault lawsuit. Now, Epilson will help Talking Rain return to focusing on driving growth in the competitive flavored sparkling water category. Epsilons understanding of our brand, the beverage industry and their innovative approach to marketing were evident through their previous work. We trust that Epsilons integrated data-driven agency offerings will continue to efficiently grow our business, said Sarah Gustat, vice president of marketing, Talking Rain Beverage Company. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, August 16, 2018 A letter circulating around Googles headquarters raises concerns among hundreds of its employees about the companys willingness to launch a search engine app that abides by Chinas censorship requirements. The letter, obtained by The New York Times, stirs concerns among Google employees who say it raises urgent moral and ethical issues. The letter also states that the employees do not have the information required to make ethically-informed decisions about our work, our projects, and our employment. The letter demands more transparency on the part of the executives and leadership staff to help employees understand the ethical consequences of their work. Googles interest in China and bringing search back to the country resurfaced with reports that the company is working on a search app, and gaining aid from a director company, 265.com, that it acquired in 2008. advertisement advertisement The secret project, dubbed as Dragonfly, prompted outrage among employees who worried they had been unwittingly working on technology that would help China withhold information from its citizens according to the report. Google originally exited China in in 2010 after the company discovered an attack on its corporate infrastructure by Chinese hackers. They attempted to access Gmail accounts of human rights activists. The attack led to government censorship and prompted Google to pull its search engine from the country to make a statement. Its not the first time Google employees protested against the companys involvement in a Pentagon project to use artificial intelligence. Google eventually conceded, in part, and released a series of ethical principles around its use of AI. And at the companys shareholder meeting in June, the topic reared its head once again based on the blog post by Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai in which he outlined seven principles to guide Googles work in AI. A landmark study published this week in the American Journal of Psychiatry describes a correlation between pesticide levels in a mothers blood and autism risk in their infants. Share on Pinterest DDT, once widely used, may play a role in autism. Autism is a developmental disorder that affects an estimated 1 in 59 children in the United States. Though the condition varies between people, symptoms commonly include repetitive behavior, difficulties adapting to change, and trouble in social situations. Exactly what causes autism and how it develops is still up for debate, but it is widely recognised that there is likely to be interplay between environmental and genetic factors. Much headway has been made in autism research but, to date, there are few definitive answers, and there is no cure. Recently, a group of researchers set out to investigate whether there might be links between pesticide exposure and autism risk. In particular, they were interested in dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). Scientists from Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, NY, joined forces with researchers from the University of Turku and the National Institute of Health and Welfare, both in Finland. What is DDT? First synthesized in 1874, DDT kills a wide range of disease vectors and was used during World War II to control typhus and malaria in Europe and the South Pacific. It is such an effective pesticide that typhus was almost eradicated in some parts of Europe. By 1945, it was available for purchase in the U.S. and widely used in both private homes and agricultural businesses. Though effective, legitimate safety concerns were raised and DDT was eventually banned in many countries. In the U.S., for instance, it was banned in 1972. However, just stopping DDTs use did not make the chemical go away. DDT is a persistent organic pollutant, meaning that it breaks down slowly over decades, easily entering the food chain. Over time, levels of the chemical build up in an organism, especially in fatty tissue. Although the exact impact of long-term DDT exposure on human health is still not confirmed, it is widely thought to be an endocrine disruptor and a potential carcinogen. Because short-term exposure to the pesticide is considered relatively safe, it is still used to control mosquitoes and other pests in areas with particularly high rates of malaria, such as certain parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Worryingly, DDT can cross the placenta. So, if a woman already carries some of the pesticide, it can affect her unborn child. To find out whether DDT is related in any way to the development of autism in some people, they used data from the Finnish Prenatal Study of Autism. The scientists analyzed serum samples from more than 750 children with autism and a large number of matched controls without autism. Saif Ali Khan is on a new 'all time' high post the roaring success of his portrayal of Sartaj Singh in 'Sacred Games'. He has wowed the audience as the tough Sikh officer who is constantly battling his mind and heart between what his duty demands and what is ethical. Netflix Saif is known to be a very reserved person with a selected group of friends and even though he is a real life 'Nawab', his 48th birthday bash was a very private affair last night. A post shared by saif ali khan (@saif_alikan) on Aug 15, 2018 at 7:15pm PDT His kids, Sara Ali and Ibrahim joined the celebrations, though Taimur was missing from the pictures (the cute one anyway steals everyone's thunder!) Kareena and Saif make a gorgeous couple and hence their pictures were nothing less than glamorous. His sister Soha Ali and brother-in-law Kunal Khemu were also a part of the celebration. The 'Nawab' turned a glorious 48 yesterday and here's wishing him many more years of joy and success. More often than not, the endings of Leonardo DiCaprio movies need some more explanation and context, be it confusion or just anger. One such movie is obviously 'Titanic' with the age-old claim that there was enough space for both of them on that door. Special mention the twisted ending of 'Shutter Island'. But, probably the most confusing ending belongs to the even more confusing movie 'Inception'. Was it a dream or reality? Did Cobb finally go back to his family or did he just dream about that in the end? These are some questions that have been left unanswered for almost a decade and we may have finally gotten the answer. Let's just get a little background before we proceed to the ending. The movie basically follows a bunch of people who specialize in stealing information from someone's mind through their dreams. But, since that wasn't difficult and weird enough, they are then supposed to actually plant an idea in a powerful businessman's mind and as you know, things don't really go exactly as they were planned. Since it's so easy for the lines between reality and dreams to become blurred, Leo's character uses a spinning top fully aware that it spins forever in a dream but would topple if the situation is reality. In the end, though, we can see the top as it clearly kept spinning and the possibility of a happy ending becoming unclear. The mind-bending masterpiece of a movie by none other than Christopher Nolan came out eight years ago but that ending has never given us any proper answers. The supposed cliff-hanger is frustrating to say the least, but Michael Caine has finally cleared up some doubts. The actor gave everyone a little behind-the-scenes intel while attending the screening of the movie in London. When I got the script of Inception, I was a bit puzzled by it, and I said to him, 'I don't understand where the dream is,' Caine explained. He went on, I said, 'When is it the dream and when is it reality?' He said, 'Well, when you're in the scene it's reality.' So, get that if I'm in it, it's reality. If I'm not in it, it's a dream. That's actually a good point which makes things so much easier. Let's go back to that ending once again with this newfound information, shall we? Michael Caine may have been missing from most of the movie but he was in that ending scene, so if we're going by his explanation, the happy ending was real and Leo finally went back home to his kids! ROME - The international business law firm DLA Piper will hold a legal education programme titled "Know Your Rights" in Milan from September to November 2018, together with the organisation Italian Coalition for Civil Freedoms and Rights (CILD) and Pro Bono Italy. The programme will be offered to a maximum of 25 asylum seekers, refugees and migrants with various forms of protection and will last 10 weeks. The programme is aimed at migrants trying to build a new life in Italy who wish to know more about their rights and responsibilities regarding opening a business, looking for a job, healthcare, education, housing, and various other sectors. In a statement, CILD said that the programme, which is completely free, will include educational sessions on the right to work, education, healthcare, housing, literacy, entrepreneurship, contracts, police, and the Italian legal system. The goal is to give participants basic legal knowledge on a variety of topics, to allow them to have a better understanding of their rights and reach their goals in Italy. Each participant will be assigned an attorney as a mentor, who will meet with the refugee or asylum seeker during the course of the programme. The requirements for candidature include being over the age of 18, having a B1 level of Italian or English, and living in Milan or the surrounding area. DLA Piper has already held this programme in Amsterdam and Paris. In Milan as in previous cities, DLA Piper will hire a refugee or asylum-seeker attorney, legal apprentice, law school graduate, or law school student to support the coordination and management of the project. The sessions will take place at the DLA Piper associated tax law firm offices on Via della Posta 7 in Milan. Applications will be accepted via email at luna@cild.eu indicating name, age, gender, languages spoken, country of origin, and educational background by August 31, 2018. SEBEWAING Pam Beedle-Gee has seen first hand the healing power of prayer and divine intervention. I had cancer. I went through treatments for a long time. For over 10 years, and I had three surgeries. It got to the point where I could not take care of myself, said Beedle-Gee, who is now the paster of the United Methodist Church in Sebewaing. It was a long and taxing struggle agains the dreaded disease. My son got a call about having a friend come over. My son told his friend they couldnt play at his house because his mother was crazy. I had lost basically lost my mind and couldnt function after the last surgery. His dad had to take care of everything, explained Beedle-Gee. I prayed to God that if I cant take care of my family or myself, take me now. Like what is the purpose of my being here? I told God I would do anything You have to be careful when you make those kind of promises because then God will take you up on that. And, He did. I went to Bible study. It took me a long time to say anything about what I was going through. One of the ladies in the group said she had a husband who deals with my health issues and asked about making an appointment with him, she said. The doctor was able to see her right after Bible study. He put her on some different medication and she instantly felt better. He treated me for several years. Eventually, I was able to go back to functioning normally, she said. That was another God moment of many in my life. Who knows if I ever would have gotten better to be where Im at if it hadnt been for that meeting. God equips those He calls. According to Beedle-Gee, God interceded in her life many times. Because she started feeling better and because of her health struggles, she had a desire to learn more about God and went back to church. I went back with such a desire to learn more. I even went on a mission trip. My pastor asked me if I had ever thought about going into the ministry. I was like, no, I have six kids to take care of, Beedle-Gee said. My pastor told me that she knew that God had tapped me on the shoulder and that I would be going into the ministry. When that minister left, the next pastor to takeover the church took Beedle-Gee to the seminary. I ended up in the seminary and have been serving churches for a long time now, she said. It has been an amazing journey. That is the way God works. She went to the Garrette - Evangelical Seminary in Chicago. She has a masters in divinity and a masters in Christian education. Before taking over as pastor at the United Methodist Church in Sebewaing, she headed a church in Clinton, Michigan. The bishop appoints pastors to churches. We move and serve according to the bishops desire where he feels we need to be, said Beedle-Gee, who took over the Sebewaing church when Rev. Cindy Parsons retired. Ive just started to meet with the committees and different groups in the church, so we havent gotten to the point of making any changes, and Im not sure of the size of the congregation. This time of year, it is difficult to tell how big a congregation is, she said. There has been some influx. Im in the process of sending letters that I have arrived, and to come stop in." I want people to come to serve the Lord, to hear His word, and be inspired and help the community," she added. "As people see what we are working towards, they might be attracted to the church for those reasons. Making the world a better place is what we want to work towards, and thats what Im here to do. Beedle-Gees husband, John, is a retired Royal Oak police officer. The couple has six children and 12 grandchildren. United Methodist Church in Sebewaing, at 513 Washington St., has services at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. every Sunday. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. For more information, call 989-883-3350. ELMER TOWNSHIP A 61-year-old man was arrested recently after police discovered more than 700 marijuana plants at five different grow operations, according to a release from the Sanilac Drug Task Force. The Drug Task Force (DTF) followed up on several tips and complaints for marijuana grown in the 2000 block of West Frenchline Road in Elmer Township. It was initially unknown if it was a legal medical growing site or not. Investigators, upon checking, could clearly observe from the roadway violations of current medical marijuana laws for numerous plants growing in an open field plot. Shortly before noon on Aug. 9, investigators who obtained a search warrant attempted to make contact with the homeowner at his residence. The 61-year-old man saw law enforcement and fled from his home and out onto his pond using a canoe to avoid contact. After a period of time and discussion, he came back to the shoreline and talked with officers. The man indicated he initiated the marijuana grows on his property and had five separate grow locations. He did not have, and never applied for, any medical marijuana grow or caregiver card to possess any marijuana. Investigators located more than 700 plants at the five discovered plots. This amount exceeded any amount for a grower, even if properly licensed, to do so. The suspect, Hendrick Westers, was arrested and eventually arraigned on felony charges stemming from the marijuana plants seized on his property. He was also charged for attempting to flee from law enforcement, and several outstanding misdemeanor warrants and traffic warrants from outside of Sanilac County. The DTF was assisted on scene by the Sanilac County Sheriff's Office Uniform Division, Sanilac County Animal Control, and the Michigan DNR. Further investigation is pending. Westers is scheduled to appear in court next on Aug. 21. (ANSAmed) - Rome, August 16 - President Sergio Mattarella will attend Saturday's State funeral for the victims of the Genoa highway-bridge-collapse disaster, sources at the head of State's department said on Thursday. The Genoa prefect's office on Thursday corrected the death toll of Tuesday's highway-bridge collapse in the city, saying 38 people are known to have died, not 39 as previously reported. The death toll remains provisional. The office said 15 people are injured, including nine in a serious condition. (ANSAmed). President Donald Trump's top economic adviser welcomed China saying it will send Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen to the U.S. for low-level talks in late August, while also adding that the president's determination on trade shouldn't be underestimated. "It's a good thing that they're sending a delegation here - we haven't had that in quite some time," National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow told CNBC Thursday. "The Chinese government in its totality must not underestimate President Trump's toughness and willingness to continue this battle to eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers and quotas to stop the theft of intellectual property and to stop the forced transfer of technology." He said the Chinese economy and currency "are slipping, as you all know, but let's just see what happens." Talks can produce better outcomes than expected, and talking is better than not talking, he added. The Chinese delegation led by Wang will meet with an American group led by David Malpass, under secretary for international affairs at the Treasury Department, at the invitation of the U.S., China's Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on its website on Thursday. "This will be 'talks about trade talks,'" said Gai Xinzhe, an analyst at the Bank of China's Institute of International Finance in Beijing. "Lower-level officials will meet and haggle and see if there is a possibility for higher-level talks." Before an earlier deal collapsed in May, China agreed to "significantly" increase purchases of U.S. goods and services, and that may provide a guide for the next round of discussions. To restart trade negotiations with the U.S., China must offer a package of measures, according to Jacob Parker, the vice president for China operations for the U.S.-China Business Council in Beijing. China needs to make an offer that slashes the bilateral trade surplus, lowers import tariffs, provides better protection for intellectual property and stops forced technology transfers, Parker said earlier this month. Caution is warranted, according to Gai. "Even if the senior officials reach a deal, things could still change, as President Trump can easily flip-flop. We have been there." China's equity market has suffered declines and the yuan has been on a losing streak for more than a month. Chinese authorities, bracing for economic fallout, have introduced measures to support growth ranging from shifting toward a more accommodative monetary policy to boosting fiscal spending. The two nations had appeared to have reached a deal in May after Chinese Vice Premier Liu He - President Xi Jinping's top economic adviser - led a group of officials to Washington. But Trump backed away from the agreement soon afterward, and ever since the two sides have been locked in a trade standoff as they slapped tariffs on billions of dollars of each other's goods. The commerce ministry reiterated in the statement that China is against trade protectionism and won't accept any unilateral trade restrictions. "China welcomes communications and dialogue on the basis of reciprocity, equality and integrity," it said. The Trump administration imposed duties on $34 billion of Chinese goods last month, a move that also prompted immediate retaliation from Beijing. Another $16 billion in levies will be effective Aug. 23. Earlier this month, China announced a list of $60 billion worth of U.S. imports it plans to apply tariffs on, after Trump ordered officials to consider imposing a 25 percent tax on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, up from an initial 10 percent rate. Wang, who is the key official leading China's trade talks worldwide, led an advance team to Washington in May. In a July interview, he told Bloomberg that he didn't understand why the U.S. quickly reversed its course. "Good faith negotiation is required," Wang said then. "For any talk to be successful, no party should point a gun at the other party." Contributed photo ESSEX The Connecticut River Museum is looking for a variety of volunteer actors to help with the 2018 production of Haunted River. Auditions will take place on September 5 and 12 between 5-7 p.m. Available parts are for adults and children (ages 10 and up). Roles include actors for 7 minute scenes, theatrical tour guides, and musicians. No prior acting experience is necessary. Rehearsals will be held on Wednesday nights and run from Sept. 19 through Oct. 17 with a dress rehearsal on Oct. 24 and evening performances on Oct. 26, 27, and 28 from 5-9:30 p.m. File photo According to a report by WTNH-8, Life Star has been requested for a crash involving a motorcycle in Portland on Wednesday. The report says the crash happened on Route 66, but did not give an exact location. PORTLAND A 33-year-old motorcyclist suffered critical injuries when he apparently lost control of his motorcycle and crashed on Route 66 near the Butler Construction site just after 9 p.m. Wednesday. Police said the motorcyclist, who is believed to be from the Willimantic area, was among several cyclists leaving the annual Motorcycle Mania event in downtown Middletown when the accident occurred at 9:05 p.m. Butler Construction is located at 984 Portland/Cobalt Road, just east of the intersection with Route 17. The motorcyclist was riding a 2007 Harley Davidson FLTR Road Glide, according to Portland Police Capt. Ron Milardo. He was out in front of many of the cyclists with whom he was riding when he appeared to lose control and struck the medal guardrail in the median divider that separates the four lanes of Route 66 in that area, Milardo said. The victim was thrown from his bike and landed in the westbound lane, Milardo said. The motorcycle continued up the road for a considerable way another 100 feet, held upright in part by the guardrail, according to Portland Fire Chief Robert J. Shea. Once the guardrail ended, the riderless motorcycle crossed into the westbound lanes and eventually rolled down a driveway, where it came to rest, he said. Portland police were on the scene within three minutes, Shea said, while the first fire units arrived a couple minutes later. More for you Local man dies after motorcycle hits police car in East Hampton The rider sustained traumatic injuries to his lower extremities, Shea said Thursday, which prompted a call to LifeStar, the emergency medical evacuation helicopter. However, per Middlesex paramedics, we made the decision to ground transport him to Hartford because of the 20 minute (estimated time of arrival) for LifeStar, and because he was ready to go, Shea said. The accident remains under investigation by Portland police. It was one of two motorcycle accidents that took place on Route 66 overnight Wednesday. The second crash, which occurred at about 1:24 a.m., in East Hampton resulted in the death of a motorcyclist who apparently collided with a Portland police cruiser near the intersection of routes 66 and 151 in the Cobalt section of town. That incident is under investigation by the Connecticut State Police. Reporter Jeff Mill covers East Hampton, Cromwell and Portland for the Middletown Press. Contact him at jeff.mill@hearstmediact.com. A lawsuit filed by the Tennessee Democratic Party seeking to keep Robin Smith off the House District 26 ballot has cost taxpayers over $30,000 thus far. Kerry Steelman, election administrator, said the bill was for almost $30,000 from a Nashville lawyer who defended the case there. The case was moved to Hamilton County, and attorney Steve Duggan has been accumulating billable hours that will be charged to the election office. There has been one hearing and another was tentatively set for this afternoon. However, it was delayed until next Wednesday at 1 p.m. State Democrats are questioning the way Rep. Gerald McCormick departed the office, saying it was not according to exceptions for late withdrawal. Ms. Smith issued this statement "regarding the ongoing legal efforts of the Tennessee Democratic Party to disenfranchise Hamilton County voters." She said, 7,767 Tennesseans exercised their right to vote on August 2. Those election results were officially certified yesterday by the Hamilton County Election Commission. Ensuring their rights are protected is the most important aspect of this case, so I have today directed my legal counsel to file a motion with the Hamilton County Chancery Court seeking permission to intervene in the ongoing lawsuit between the Tennessee Democratic Party and the Hamilton County Election Commission. "By continuing this farcical legal action, the Tennessee Democratic Party has demonstrated its priority of securing an opponent-free election for its nominee, a self-described socialist, over any consideration for the voters of Hamilton County. It is my priority to give the nearly 8,000 Tennesseans at risk of being disenfranchised a voice in these proceedings. As the certified Republican nominee for House District 26, it is my responsibility to do everything possible to defend their voting rights. "My longstanding position in this matter has been that I am not and should not be a party. However, beginning with litigation that the Tennessee Democratic Party filed in Nashville, a dismissal, an appeal of that dismissal -- which itself has been dismissed, and a yet another lawsuit in Chattanooga, it was time to act to protect the voting rights under assault by Democrats. "It is ironic to see a political party that, at every opportunity, falsely accuses state and federal officials of attempting to disenfranchise voters and suppress voting rights working so blatantly and vigorously to strip us of our votes. It is particularly hypocritical that they are making this effort on behalf of a candidate who does not even live in the 26th District and publicly announced her withdrawal from the campaign only weeks ago. This has been a shameful episode for the Tennessee Democratic Party and only serves to reveal how weak and impotent a once-dominant political organization has become in Tennessee. "We remain confident that the courts will place the rights of our citizens above political gamesmanship. For the third time, Bredesen Democrats have asked a Tennessee court to waste the time of the judiciary and the money of taxpayers attempting to achieve in a courtroom a seat they cannot win at the ballot box. They will not succeed. "Despite these petty distractions, our campaign has continued at full speed. We will continue to carry a message of economic growth, opportunity for all, improvements in our health care system and standing for the values of hard work, freedom and limited government that Tennesseans have overwhelmingly made clear they want to see in Nashville. We are ready for the fall campaign and look forward to great victory on Nov. 6." TEL AVIV - A possible long-term agreement between Hamas and Israel is currently under discussion, with six main points including a year-long ceasefire, the rebuilding of infrastructure in Gaza, and a prisoner exchange that would bring the restitution of the bodies of Israeli soldiers killed in the 2014 conflict as well as civilians being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The UN and Egypt are at work on the agreement, for which Egyptian head of intelligence Abbas Kamel was in Tel Aviv on Wednesday and is in the West Bank on Thursday, meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Arab media sources said the agreement will also call for the introduction of an Israeli-controlled naval corridor between the Gaza Strip and Cyprus, with cargo traffic. Israeli daily Haaretz said there are six points that would gradually be put into place, in view of a restoration of the post-war situation of 2012 and 2014. The first of these points has already been enacted, with the reopening of the Karem Shalom commercial border crossing and the restoration of the nine-mile fishing zone. Sources said negotiations are now underway on the other points. PORT OF ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Just 20 U.S. sailors are currently stationed in Alaska. But thanks to a shift in how the U.S. is thinking about Arctic defense, that could be about to change. That, at least, is what this week's first-ever Arctic Maritime Symposium aims to explore, said Navy Capt. Layne McDowell, who directs plans, policy and resources for North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) Alaska region. "There's just right now not a lot of [Defense Department] effort that's focused on the Arctic," he said. This week, Navy leaders are meeting with experts to explore how that should change. With Russia and China as international neighbors and a primary focus of the Pentagon's current defense strategy, officials are thinking through ways to leverage Alaska's vast yet inhospitable territory. That could mean stationing more sailors in Alaska and increasing the service's Arctic surface capabilities, McDowell said. The Arctic Maritime Symposium was convened this week at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) to explore the logistics and "strategic challenges" of that subject. McDowell's small office of about 10 people -- some uniformed, some civilian -- worked with Alaskan Command's operations section to put together the three-day event, which ends Aug. 16. Led by the Navy, the symposium pulled in experts from multiple U.S. agencies, as well as Army, Air Force and Coast Guard representatives and international partners. If Arctic defense is important, the Navy needs to figure out how to train for it and operate in it, McDowell said. And that's going to take not just adding vessels to the surface fleet that can handle the rigors of cold and ice, but increasing the service's role in exercises and perhaps basing more sailors in the region. "What we're trying to do at the symposium is we're looking five to 10 years out to strategically see what the Navy's role in exercises should be," he said. The service needs ships designed not just to break ice, but to withstand the extra stress ice can cause on weight and balance, for example. "First, we need to set the requirements for ship acquisition," McDowell said. He spoke with Military.com while standing on a dock here next to the USS Momsen, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in port for the event, which is being hosted just a few miles away. Some of the symposium's 130 participants will tour the vessel before it departs Aug. 17. The ship offers a good example of a vessel that can handle some ice, thanks in part to its reinforced hull, said its commanding officer, Cmdr. Elaine Brunelle. Although the Coast Guard has a significant presence in Alaska, Navy vessels rarely visit the Port of Anchorage. Officials said they didn't readily know the last time a port call was made here. The state has hosted all three military service secretaries as well as the Coast Guard commandant over the last two weeks. And while Coast Guard officials visit regularly, the Army, Navy and Air Force secretaries do not. During a press conference just off the Momsen, Air Force Col. Mark Schmidt, who heads operations for Alaskan Command at JBER, said those official visits were made as part of an attempt to better understand the Arctic. "A lot of your higher-profile [visitors] are just trying to understand and learn the environment," he said. "Their understanding and their knowledge is important for Alaska but [also] America, because we are an Arctic nation thanks to Alaska. " Any effort to expand the Navy's or other services' presence in the Arctic will require a funding increase, an ever tricky subject. For example, although the authorization to buy six new ice breakers to add to the Coast Guard's current, ageing fleet of two was included in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act signed by President Donald Trump on Aug. 13, the cash to actually buy them is in limbo in separate legislation. But McDowell said funding is a question for a later time. For now, officials are focusing on the plug-and-play opportunities both for exercises in Alaska's waters and Navy and Marine training. As part of that, Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer on Aug. 13 visited Nome, a remote port town strategically placed in the Norton Sound of the Bering Sea. "We think he's the first secretary ever to visit Nome," McDowell said. "What he's looking at is what existing facilities he can plug into for the near term." -- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com. Twice as many Marines will deploy to Norway next year and train just hundreds of miles from the Russian border -- a move leaders in Moscow say will lead to retaliation. The Norwegian defense ministry confirmed Wednesday that it will move ahead with a plan to bolster the number of U.S. Marines rotating through the country to 700, Reuters reported. The plan, first announced by Norway in June, has drawn sharp protests from Russian leaders who've called the move "clearly unfriendly." The larger rotations are expected to start in 2019 and will last up to five years. Norwegian Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen has said the move isn't directed at Russia, but to enhance NATO allies' cold-weather training. About 300 Marines have been rotating through Norway every six months since January 2017. It's the first time foreign troops have been based in the country since World War II, according to Reuters. Members of the North Carolina-based 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, are deployed there now. The Marines currently train west of the Swedish border in Oslo. Norwegian officials said in June that they want the larger Marine rotations to push north past the Arctic Circle to Setermoen, about 250 miles from the Russian border. The Russian embassy hit back against that plan, warning that it could lead to "rising tensions and trigger an arms race, destabilizing the situation in northern Europe." "We consider [the plan] to be clearly unfriendly so they cannot go without consequences," it added. During a December stop in Norway, the Marine Corps' top general told the unit there at the time to always remain ready to fight. There could be a "big-ass fight" on the horizon, he added. "I hope I'm wrong, but there's a war coming," Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said. " ... You're in a fight here, an informational fight, a political fight, by your presence." -- Military.com's Hope Hodge Seck contributed to this report. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ginaaharkins. When a rogue civilian airliner took off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport last Friday, the military responded with a multifaceted, coordinated effort between two F-15 Eagle pilots, said officials at North American Aerospace Defense Command and the Defense Department. But days after the incident, it remains unclear why military officials and the F-15 pilots agreed not to shoot down the aircraft, given concerns the pilot might deliberately crash it into a populated area. "We cannot speculate the various considerations and decision-making processes that led to the decision to not shoot, but can confirm that they did not," Air Force Capt. Cameron Hillier, a NORAD spokesman, told Military.com on Wednesday. "While the fighters are armed during intercept missions as part of Operation Noble Eagle, the F-15 has a wide range of response options available, depending on the circumstances. They could shadow, intercept, escort or provide aid as required." Hillier said officials at NORAD, the Air Force's air operations center, and officials "at many levels," including the Office of the Secretary of Defense, monitored the situation as it unfolded Friday evening. "Through it all, there was a call not to take the shot," he said. An after-action report is in the works but will not be made public as it is classified, he added. A Horizon Air employee, later identified as ground service agent Richard Russell, stole the empty aircraft Friday evening, flying it south of Seattle just before crashing into Ketron Island in the Puget Sound, roughly 35 miles south of the airport. Russell, 29, died in the crash. Two F-15Cs from the Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Fighter Wing launched in response to the stolen Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft, which belonged to Alaska Airlines. The Q400 can seat 76 passengers and four crew at full capacity. Related content: The fighters "were directed to fly supersonic to expedite the intercept," NORAD said in a statement following the incident. The pilots attempted to redirect the aircraft over the Pacific Ocean, it added. The F-15C can carry a mix of AIM-9L/M Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles and AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles. It also has one internally mounted 20mm Gatling gun in the right-wing root, according to the Air Force. The ideal resolution would have been for Russell to land the Q400 at a remote location, Hillier said. "Effort one was to get him on the ground, but the pilot gets a vote in that." An air traffic controller tried to convince Russell to land at nearby Joint Base Lewis-McChord, according to audio recordings that surfaced on social media. However, he continued flying and performing aerial acrobatics before ultimately crashing. NORAD said that while the situation at Sea-Tac was "unique," it is tasked with monitoring many intercepts every year as part of Operation Noble Eagle, the operation name for all air sovereignty and defense missions in North America. "NORAD has conducted more than 1,800 intercepts of non-military aircraft since September 11, 2001," Hillier said. "While the majority of intercepts are conducted in the United States, NORAD focuses on the defense of both the U.S. and Canada and draws on forces from both countries as mission requirements dictate." -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214 Troops everywhere know PT belts are the height of military fashion. At one point, they were second only to the BCG. But then the military did away with those and knocked everyone's favorite reflective plastic belt to the top of the list of uniform items that are both beautiful and utilitarian. It's hard to be this cool both inside and outside a gym, but somehow military members worldwide do it every day. Soldiers from the 17th Field Artillery Brigade, use rower machines for a low impact cardio workout, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Feb. 22, 2017. (U.S. Army/Pete Mrvos) Which is why troops and their supporters appreciate the important fashion industry nod given recently by Urban Outfitters. Now, you don't need access to the exchange's Clothing and Sales shop or the PX to participate in this important military fashion movement. Instead, you can just hit up their site and shell out $30 plus shipping. Forget defending freedom. America should be thanking the troops for THIS. "Reflective training belt from Rothco perfect for night-time visibility," the site says of the accessory. "Complete with slide adjustment buckle + side release buckle closure." Honestly, though, Urban Outfitters isn't doing this item the justice it deserves. They only show it being used as a belt for pants. But what of its place on a ruck? U.S. Soldiers adjust a rucksack during the Third Annual Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Paul Airey Memorial Ruck/March/Run, on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, June 1, 2018. (U.S. Air Force/Elizabeth Baker) What of its use as a cross-body reflective sash? Sgt. Jason Guge of Billings, Mont., a Black Hawk helicopter mechanic, wears several physical training belts in a hanger at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq in 2009. (U.S. Army) Or for your dog? Or for your kid? You're welcome, America. BAY CITY, MI -- A Saginaw man is facing a felony charge after prosecutor's alleged he embezzled a six-figure sum from a deceased woman's trust fund when he served as a financial adviser. David J. Homan, 68, on Aug. 13 appeared in Bay County District Court for arraignment on one count of embezzlement between $50,000 and $100,000. The charge is a 15-year felony. Authorities had issued a warrant for Homan on Aug. 6, but police began investigating him in March 2015 after being contacted by attorney Joseph Weiler of Midland-based law firm of Chalgian & Tripp. Weiler told police that Homan, previously employed by Wells Fargo in Bay City as a financial adviser, had stolen more than $500,000 from a trust fund. The trust fund had been in the name of Elizabeth N. Stafford, a Saginaw resident who died in April 2009 at the age of 93. Her sister Frances I. Stafford was named as the beneficiary, but she died in October 2013 at 84, with sister Louise J. Larsen named as successor. Larsen too died in September 2014 at 92, leaving her three daughters as subsequent beneficiaries. After Larsen died, Weiler notified police as he was representing the trust's beneficiaries. Homan had been named co-trustee of the fund in September 2003 and became the fund's sole trustee after Elizabeth Stafford's death, at which time the fund reportedly contained about $516,000, court records state. During their investigation, police said they obtained a letter written by Homan on April 18, 2014, and sent to the fund's beneficiaries. "On occasion, I see things that help me to know how to do things better, and even at times, I learn things that help me to know that I may have done things in a way that others could perceive as inappropriate," Homan wrote in the letter, as noted in police reports contained in court files. Homan on April 28, 2014, resigned from Wells Fargo during an internal compliance review, court records state. Yeo & Yeo later conducted a forensic audit of the trust fund, which indicated money had been taken from it via electric fund transfers and checks written by Homan. The money was transferred to Homan's Chase Sapphire credit card, U.S. Bank credit card, and American Express account, court files state. One check was written Oct. 24, 2013, to a Bay City car dealership for $34,963.68 for a 2014 Chrysler Town & Country, which was then registered to Homan's wife, police reports state. An audit revealed a total of $513,211.57 had been misappropriated from the account between 2009 and 2014, the report states. During their investigation, police learned Homan had told Elizabeth Stafford's family he was related to them, which was untrue. Frances Stafford's 2013 death certificate lists Homan as the informant, erroneously describing him as her nephew, court records show. Interviewed by police, the three surviving beneficiaries said Elizabeth Stafford had hired Homan as her financial advisor in the late 1990s. Thereafter, he became "unusually close" and "attached" to both Elizabeth and Frances Stafford, the beneficiaries told police. Police also learned the trust fund had been the subject of a civil suit, which resolved in February 2015 when Bay County Circuit Judge Joseph K. Sheeran granted summary disposition on the trust's behalf for $1.5 million. During his civil suit deposition, Homan answered few questions and frequently invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, court records state. Homan is free on a personal recognizance bond. He is to appear for a preliminary examination on Aug. 30. BAY CITY, MI -- Two years ago, a local man settled a federal lawsuit with the Bay City Department of Public Safety for $25,000 after he accused three officers of violating his constitutional rights. The officers were forced to resign over the affair, with two of them facing criminal charges. Later pulled over and arrested suspicion of drunken driving, that man has now been sentenced to probation and ordered to pay a fine. Bay County District Judge Mark E. Janer on Aug. 10 sentenced 44-year-old Joshua H. Elzinga to six months' probation and ordered he pay a fine of $1,205. He also gave Elzinga credit for one day served in jail and held an additional 30 days in abeyance, meaning Elzinga will only have to serve them if he violates probation. Court records indicate Elzinga has already paid the $1,205 fine. Janer also ordered the public safety department to return to Elzinga his Springfield 9mm handgun, its ammunition, and its leather holster, all of which were seized and kept as evidence pending the case's resolution. Elzinga in May pleaded guilty to one count of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, second offense, a one-year misdemeanor. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed single counts of operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.17 or higher and carrying a concealed pistol while under the influence. Elzinga's crime occurred more than a year ago. A Bay City police sergeant at 1:11 a.m. on May 15, 2017, saw Elzinga drive his blue 2007 Ford F-150 pickup out of the Courtyard by Marriott hotel parking lot in the Uptown development and head northbound on Uptown Drive. Elzinga did not yield when exiting the driveway and quickly accelerated at least twice, reports indicate. The sergeant stopped Elzinga's truck on Saginaw Street, south of Ninth Street. The sergeant approached the vehicle on foot and wrote that Elzinga had bloodshot, glassy eyes and smelled of intoxicants. Elzinga also told the sergeant he had his pistol in his truck's center console. The sergeant issued Elzinga a citation, arrested him, and lodged him at the Bay County Jail, where he submitted to a Datamaster breath test. The results indicated Elzinga's blood alcohol level was 0.18. In Michigan, a person is legally intoxicated when his or her blood alcohol level reaches 0.08; a person is considered "super drunk" when that level hits 0.17. Defense attorney Adam C. Reddick in December filed a motion seeking to suppress the people's evidence, claiming the sergeant had obtained said evidence in violation of his client's Fourth Amendment rights. In the motion, Reddick argued the sergeant did not have a valid reason to stop Elzinga and had no probable cause to believe Elzinga had committed any traffic violations. Prosecutors filed a response motion arguing the sergeant had a reasonable suspicion Elzinga was violating the law by failing to come to a full stop when he pulled out of the hotel's parking lot. Judge Janer ended up denying the defense's motion to suppress. Elzinga's history with the Bay City Department of Public Safety Elzinga's prior interaction with police took place the night of May 1, 2013, and into the next morning at the then-Steamer's Pub, 108 N. Linn St. on Bay City's West Side. Also at the bar was Donald T. Aldrich, an off-duty officer celebrating his 41st birthday. Witnesses in two subsequent trials testified that Aldrich and Elzinga got into a heated argument after Elzinga took a photograph of an improperly parked police cruiser driven by an on-duty Brian K. Ritchey. Elzinga testified that after uploading the photo to Facebook with a mocking caption, Don Aldrich started threatening him, conduct which Elzinga said he recorded on his Samsung S3 smartphone. Later that night, Ritchey and fellow on-duty officer Keath B. Bartynski came to Steamer's, with Bartynski removing Elzinga from the bar, according to testimony. Bartynski then took Elzinga's phone from his hand, handcuffed him, frisked him, and put him in the back of a police vehicle, witnesses testified. Elzinga was released shortly thereafter, but the officers did not return his phone to him. The prosecution argued Don Aldrich, who followed Elzinga and Bartynski out of the bar, took the opportunity to grab Elzinga's phone once Bartynski set it on the ground. Video footage recorded by a bartender and played during court proceedings shows Elzinga handcuffed and being frisked by Bartynski. In the footage, Aldrich briefly appears with something in his hand. The defense argued Aldrich was holding his own phone. The prosecution alleged it was Elzinga's phone. Don Aldrich testified he never touched Elzinga's phone and had no idea what became of it. None of the witnesses testified they actually saw Aldrich touch or take Elzinga's phone. Aldrich, Bartynski, and Ritchey resigned from the force in June 2013 after an internal investigation leveled 13 allegations of misconduct against them. A special prosecutor from Midland County charged Bartynski with assault and public official-willful failure to uphold the law and Don Aldrich with larceny between $200 and $1,000 and drunk or disorderly conduct. Bartynski was found guilty of assault and Aldrich was found not guilty of the charges against him. A 2-year-old boy found his father's unsecured handgun under a couch in a Detroit home and accidentally shot himself about 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office says. The child is expected to survive and his father, 24-year-old Johntauris D. Barber, is now charged with second-degree child abuse, felony firearm and a misdemeanor count of marijuana possession. According to prosecutors, Barber, his wife and another man were in the family home on the 12600 block of Laing in Detroit when they heard "a loud bang in the living room area." Barber ran to the room and found his son bleeding from a gunshot wound to the right side of his body. The child was rushed to an area hospital by a neighbor. Prosecutors say Barber failed to properly secure his firearm. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office hasn't revealed how much marijuana was found in the home. Barbrer has no prior felony convictions, according to online Michigan Department of Corrections records. MACOMB COUNTY -- Voters across Metro Detroit showed strong support to renew the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation millage funding through 2021, but margins were especially slim in Macomb County. The SMART millage passed by 23 votes in Macomb County, and by more than 70 percent in Oakland and Wayne counties. Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel has often been outspoken about renewing the SMART funding over creating a new regional transit plan. "Let's break it down. If you watched the election results when they came in, the first thing you see are the numbers that came in the polls," Hackel said. "It was heavily in favor of SMART. Then what happened later in the evening, they started dumping in the tabulations for the (absentee) voters." The Michigan Taxpayers Alliance group attempted to target absentee voters, Hackel said, adding their flyers indicated taxpayers put down $11,000 per bus rider per year and that it would cost less to buy each rider a car or use ridesharing systems. "Some people thought there was reality to it," Hackel said, noting this was a specific Macomb County effort due to the opt-out communities in Oakland and Wayne. "A lot of the information is very misleading ... you can't do Uber or Lyft overnight," Hackel said. "The group said we will have time to institute something new. As of November, all of the ridership would've been shut down. Who's going to solve that problem?" "To kill it then come up with a plan leaves a lot of people in need of transportation in a vulnerable situation," Hackel added. Macomb County Commissioner Leon Drolet, chairman of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance, said the SMART system is an "expensive and inconvenient" mode of transit for the suburban areas as opposed to an urban area. "Its very, very lightly used," Drolet said, who suggested offering "transit cards" to anyone who is "economically disadvantaged" to use services such as Lyft, Uber or a taxi. Transit cards would be subsidized from current taxes and taxpayers would pay for 75 percent of their costs while the user would pay the other 25 percent. "It would be cheaper than running buses that are (empty) ... they would get picked up at their home and dropped off at their destination." He suggested that users could call the county and drivers would be dispatched to the designated location. Hackel is planning to meet Drolet on Tuesday to discuss ways to make the current transit system more efficient. But Hackel is still adamant on his position of being against the four-county $5.4-billion regional transit plan that the Regional Transit Authority board decided to postpone due to a lack of votes to put it on the November ballot. "The RTA conversation kept trying to say there's a disconnect in the system. I couldn't agree more but the disconnect isn't in Macomb County" Hackel said, adding the first step toward connecting a broad region would be to try connecting the opt-out communities and urging city leaders to to encourage their residents to vote. The Michigan Taxpayers Alliance ran a robo polling campaign asking 1,200 voters likely to engage in the Aug. 7 primary election whether they support the SMART renewal. Drolet said they received a 50-50 response and specifically targeted Macomb County because it does not have any communities that can opt-out of paying a public transportation tax. "Anybody can be negative ... but if you don't have a solution to make something better, I find that very disingenuous, especially if you're an elected public official," Hackel said. The Board of Canvassers has until Aug. 21 to certify the votes, but if a recount is initiated, which Drolet said he will likely request, it will cost the 338 precincts $25 each and an additional $25 for each absentee precinct. That's $8,450 for the 338, and could reach about $16,000 total with the absentees, Drolet added. The suspected al-Qaeda bomb maker and terrorist believed to have built the explosive intended to detonate inside a passenger plane destined for Detroit on Christmas Day 2009 may be dead, according to a recent United Nations Security Council report. "Some Member States report that explosives expert Ibrahim al-Asiri may have been killed during the second half of 2017," the July report says. "Given al-Asiri's past role in plots against aviation, this would represent a serious blow to operational capability." The report contains no details pertaining to how al-Asiri was killed or who might be responsible. The 25-page report summarizes counter-terrorism activity across the globe. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, then 23, was one of 289 passengers on Northwest Airlines flight 253, a Dec. 25, 2009 flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. As the plane made its final approach to Detroit Metro Airport in Romulus, officials say Abdulmutallab attempted to ignite explosives concealed in his underwear. The bomb malfunctioned, and while Abdulmutallab suffered burns, no one was seriously injured. Abdulmutallab, a native of Nigeria, pleaded guilty to eight charges filed against him and was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences, plus 50 years in prison. It was determined that al-Asiri played a role in construction of the bomb. According to a CNN report, some counter-terrorism experts are skeptical al-Asiri is really dead, because al-Qaeda hasn't issued any statements confirming al-Asiri's demise or praising him for martyrdom. "It would be extremely out of the ordinary for them not do this for a senior leader like al-Asiri, especially because his group in Yemen are putting out all sorts of statements all the time," Aimen Dean, a former spy for British intelligence inside al-Qaeda, told CNN. "Every time a senior leader within al-Qaeda or its affiliate in Yemen has been killed, they have been quick to put out a statement. It's seen as a religious necessity from a Shariah point of view." FLINT, MI - A former Southfield Public Schools official is set to take over the helm at Flint Community Schools. The school district has announced the hiring of Derrick Lopez after an extensive superintendent search and agreed to a three-year contract. He will start Aug. 20. "I am grateful to the Board of Education for the opportunity to take on this important role, and I look forward to building strong relationships with the Board, the community, partner organizations, teachers and staff, and most importantly, our students," Lopez said in a statement. The agreement will pay Lopez a base salary of $165,000 per year following negotiations after the district extended him the job offer last month. He was selected following a search in conjunction with the Michigan Association of School Boards that resulted in a list of 22 candidates, which was cut down to three finalists that included Lopez, assistant Flint schools superintendent Shelly Umphrey and Superintendent of Oak Park schools Daveda Colbert. "Mr. Lopez possesses the unique experience, qualities and passion needed to lead our school district and achieve our primary objective-improving student outcomes," said Diana Wright, school board president. "We are pleased to have him on board and to partner with him to foster success for our students and our community." Lopez's career in education began as a teacher at University of Detroit Jesuit High School & Academy, before serving as principal at schools in Highland Park, Berkley and Detroit. He's also served as the president and chief executive officer of Homewood Children's Village, a collaborative resource system supporting children through a holistic approach of child, family, community and research, in Pittsburgh before returning to Michigan. Lopez served as associate superintendent at Southfield Public Schools for two years before taking on the role of interim superintendent during the 2017-18 school year. He assisted in budgeting, incorporating wage increases for all employees, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, and helped with the district-wide accreditation process in his time with the school district. "The success of a district relies on strong ties between all school stakeholders, and I will work tirelessly to develop and implement a framework that provides the best path to success for all students in our district," said Lopez. Some challenges face Lopez in the new role including declining enrollment and possibility of building closures should the district not meet benchmarks for attendance, reducing out-of-school suspensions, and increasing test scores as laid out in a new partnership agreement entered into by the school district with the Michigan Department of Education. He becomes the district's fourth superintendent since 2015 when Larry Watkins stepped down after serving on an interim basis for two-and-a-half years and was replaced by Bilal Tawwab. Tawwab resigned effective April 13, approximately one month after he was placed on paid administrative leave along with former assistant superintendent Shawn Merriweather and general counsel Gwendolyn A. de Jongh. School board members unanimously approved hiring Gregory Weatherspoon, a former emergency manager for Highland Park and Muskegon Heights schools, as the interim superintendent at a March meeting, and made Umphrey assistant superintendent. UPDATE: BURTON, MI -- Police are investigating after a person was hit and killed by a train late Wednesday night in Burton. Officers with the Burton Police Department were called out shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 15 to the railroad tracks near Crystal Fieldhouse off Belsay Road for a pedestrian struck by an Amtrak train. "We arrived on location and discovered there was, in fact, a pedestrian that was struck by the train and it was a fatal injury," said Burton police Lt. Mike Odette. The person was located due north of Crystal Fieldhouse, Odette added. No information was immediately available regarding the victim. The train originated in Chicago and is heading to Port Huron. There were 60 passengers aboard at the time of the incident. Belsay Road was closed at the railroad tracks between Daly Farms Drive and Hugh Street approximately one hour to allow for police to investigate but it has since reopened. CN Police and Burton police are conducting a joint investigation on the incident. Burton firefighters responded to assist at the scene. ARGENTINE TWP., MI - When a caller told Argentine Township police Chief Dan Allen about seeing a bag of marijuana in the road, he was skeptical. But after driving to McCaslin Lake Road, Allen found a large freezer bag full of pot in the middle of the northbound lane on the bridge crossing the Shiawassee River. "I thought it was going to be somebody who didn't know what marijuana was," he said. "When I got there - sure enough - it was a big old bag." The marijuana weighed 190 grams and Allen said it is worth about $2,600. It was packaged for distribution and had individual bags inside that weighed between 10 and 30 grams each, Allen said. "I'm thinking someone's upset," Allen said with a chuckle. "We posted it on Facebook because it was kind of funny." A large quantity of Marijuana was found on Mccaslin lake Rd near the bridge. Posted by Argentine Township Police Department on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 The post led to a lot of comments, most making a joke of what happened. Allen said he hasn't gotten any phone calls from someone trying to claim ownership of the missing pot. "The point is, how can you actually prove it's yours?" he joked. "The law says safe and secure transport. That wasn't secure transport." UPDATE: Teen killed in crash was excited to start high school PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI -- A 14-year-old passenger died Wednesday, Aug. 15, following a multi-vehicle crash on U.S. 131 in Plainfield Township. Michigan State Police said the occupants of three involved vehicles were all transported to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The crash occurred around 7:10 p.m. Wednesday on northbound U.S. 131 near West River Drive. Preliminary investigation determined that a northbound vehicle rear-ended a Honda Odyssey van, causing the van to strike a Ford Escape in front of it. The van then left the roadway and struck a large freeway sign, police said. The 14-year-old was a passenger in the van. A witness at the scene said CPR was performed on the boy. Police said he was pronounced dead at the scene. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash, according to police. The incident remains under investigation and names of the involved parties are being withheld by police until family can be properly notified. State police troopers were assisted by the Kent County Sheriff's Department, Plainfield Township Fire Rescue, Life EMS, and "several good Samaritans." The Michigan Department of Transportation reported closing the right lanes of the highway in the area after I-96 around 7:15 p.m. The highway was returned to full use around 11 p.m. Joseph Hileski WALKER, MI -- The Kent County prosecutor has authorized a felony charge against a driver accused of killing a motorcyclist in a crash last month in Walker. Joseph Arnold Hileski, 36, will be charged with operating under the influence causing death for the crash that killed 35-year-old Jacob Craft of Walker, according to Prosecutor Chris Becker. Hileski was previously charged with resisting and obstructing police after he was accused of fleeing an area hospital while police were preparing to serve a blood search warrant upon him in connection to the July 17 evening crash. He remains in custody at the Kent County Jail and is awaiting arraignment in Walker District Court. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison for the new charge. The crash occurred shortly before 8 p.m. on July 17 at the intersection of Wilson Avenue and Leonard Street NW in Walker. Police said Hileski's vehicle was eastbound on Leonard Street when he failed to stop for a red light, and struck Craft's northbound motorcycle. Craft was wearing a helmet, police said, but he suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. Hileski was transported to Mercy Health St. Mary's hospital for treatment after the crash. He fled the hospital, but was arrested by police shortly after 11 p.m. at the Rapid Central Station. Becker declined to disclose what substance Hileski is accused of being under the influence of at the time of the crash. Craft was described by his sister-in-law as someone who was "laid back" but very loyal to friends and family. He worked as a service technician at Walmart in the automotive department for 15 years, and loved riding motorcycles. Hileski's driving record is extensive, with at least 18 traffic stops and 33 license suspensions since 2001, according to Secretary of State records. Some of his suspensions were stacked for failures to pay traffic tickets, pay driver responsibility fees, or show up to court hearings. His record includes citations for speeding (2004, 2006), disobeying a traffic signal (2008), disobeying a traffic control devices (2005, 2017), disobeying a stop sign (2008), careless driving (2008), failure to yield (2006), giving false information to police (2011), and driving with a suspended license. The stops were made in Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Rockford, and Kalamazoo. Hileski was incarcerated for much of the time between March 2012 and December 2017 for convictions of assault by strangulation or suffocation, possession of burglar's tools, and possession of a controlled substance, according to Michigan Department of Corrections records. His license was last reinstated Oct. 13, 2017, and was valid at the time of the July 17 crash. Hileski is expected to be arraigned on the new charge soon in Walker District Court. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- An Allegan man accused of befriending 50-70 young teens and persuading them to send him sexually explicit photographs has been ordered to serve more than 20 years in prison. James Theodore Pyle, 27, was convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor in U.S. District Court and sentenced to 245 months in prison. He's also ordered to spend 10 years on supervised release, and to pay a fine of $2,500. In 2014, prosecutors said Pyle posed as "Roman Kalhart" on Facebook and claimed he was 15 years old. He's accused of befriending as many as 50-70 young teens and persuading them to send him explicit photos. The victims include a 15-year-old boy in Wisconsin, and a 12-year-old boy in Minnesota. At least 20 victims were outlined in the pre-sentence investigation report. At the time of the offense, Pyle was on probation for a 2012 conviction of accosting a child for immoral purposes in 2009. His probation was revoked and, on Jan. 25, 2015, he was sentenced to 33 to 48 months in prison for that conviction. Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker ordered that Pyle serve his federal sentence consecutively to his state sentence, which will conclude on Nov. 20, 2018. "The U.S. Attorney's Office takes very seriously cases involving child predators," said U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge in a statement. "Those people who would use the internet to hide their true identity to befriend and exploit children deserve the fullest punishment the law provides." Pyle is incarcerated at the Carson City Correctional Facility in Montcalm County. He's listed on Michigan's sex offender registry as a tier 2 offender who registered on Nov. 19, 2012. Tier 2 offenders most remain on the registry for 25 years, not including prison/jail time. Pyle's most recent case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood -- a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Michigan Department of Corrections and the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. WYOMING, MI - Matthew Rodriguez is being remembered by his family as loving, carefree and a "very, very, very hard worker." Rodriguez, 24, died Saturday, Aug. 11 in a crash after losing control of his motorcycle. "He was just a loving, carefree kid," said Candace Coykendall, Rodriguez's cousin. "If anybody was in need, he'd give the shirt off his back for them, no matter if he knew them or not. He always made people smile." The crash occurred around 8:30 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Burton Street SW and Jerome Avenue SW in Grand Rapids. Police said Rodriguez lost control of his motorcycle when passing cars and hit a curb, which sent him into a telephone pole. Rodriguez was wearing a helmet, but when officers arrived at the scene, he was unconscious and transported to a nearby hospital where he died from his injuries. Family and friends held a candlelight vigil in Rodriguez's memory Wednesday, Aug. 15 at the location of the crash. It was a way to bring his family and friends together, Coykendall said. Rodriguez was a father of four children - the oldest is 5 years old. Coykendall said Rodriguez and his girlfriend planned to get married and he planned to adopt her child. "It's just a hard thing right now with him not being around, but at least we got them to carry on his name," Coykendall said of Rodriguez's children. She said Rodriguez was a very hard worker and did car detailing and body work. He was also well-known in the community, she said. "People that I work with knew him, people that my mom works with knew him, even the girl that does our nails knew him," Coykendall said. "You never heard a bad thing about him. Everybody just loved him." Memorial services for Rodriguez will take place sometime next month, she said. The family is still working out the details. More than anything, Coykendall said, Rodriguez had a heart of gold. "He's going to be remembered for making people happy," she said. "He just lived day by day." SUFFOLK, VA - An argument over whether Halle Berry played Aretha Franklin in a movie reportedly led to a person being shot in Virginia. The Suffolk Police Department is investigating the shooting which occurred around 10:43 a.m. at the intersection of East Washington Street and Liberty Street on Thursday, Aug. 16. Witnesses told WTKR in Norfolk that the shooting was between two people who were arguing whether the Academy Award-winning actress ever played the Detroit icon in a movie. Police have not confirmed or denied that detail. Franklin, The Queen of Soul, died in Detroit at the age of 76 on Thursday. According to the Suffolk Police Department, the verbal altercation between two adult males turned physical. One of the subjects produced a firearm, shooting the other involved subject at least once. Both subjects received emergency medical assessment and treatment by Suffolk Fire & Rescue personnel before being transported to local hospitals for further treatment. The gunshot victim is in serious condition, police said. The investigation is ongoing. Just in case you were wondering, Aretha Franklin said in a 2011 interview that she would want Halle Berry to play her in a biopic. LANSING, MI - The state of Michigan is expecting revenues of more than $200 million per year from increasing its collection of online sales tax, money Gov. Rick Snyder wants to put toward fixing roads. Following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that opened the door for it, Michigan is collecting its 6 percent sales tax from out-of-state companies doing online sales to Michiganders. It's expected to generate $203 million in Fiscal Year 2019, according to State Treasurer Nick Khouri, and move up to $248 million in Fiscal Year 2021. The governor wants that extra revenue to go to roads. "The condition of the roads is something that concerns residents statewide," said Snyder spokesperson Anna Heaton. It would come on top of increased road funding the legislature approved in 2015, which is still being phased in, and several cash infusions, including $175 million earlier this year. "The extra funding allocated in the spring for construction has had a positive impact and the Governor would like to see that progress continue," Heaton said. Khouri said the revenue was entirely new, so allocating it to roads wouldn't take away from other priorities. "This is new money, so it's not taking away any of the existing sales tax revenues to schools or to local governments," Khouri said. The Fiscal Year 2019 budget is already set and doesn't account for this money. Snyder and his administration are recommending the legislature act to dedicate the new dollars to roads before the end of the year. Amber McCann, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive, said Meekhof was "open to a discussion on the topic." Gideon D'Assandro, a spokesperson for House Speaker Tom Leonard, R-DeWitt, said Leonard hadn't yet spoken to Snyder about the plan and would like to do so before making any decisions. LANSING, MI -- Able-bodied Michigan residents receiving food assistance will soon need to prove they are working to continue getting those benefits, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday. Work requirements are part of the federal Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program. However, Michigan was exempt from those requirements starting in 2002 because of its high unemployment rate. With the state's unemployment rate dropping, the state is reinstating those work requirements. MDHHS has already applied the change to 14 counties, and will expand the change to every county starting Oct. 1. The work requirement will apply to able-bodied adults between the ages of 18 and 49 with no dependents. They can meet the requirement by working an average of 20 hours per week each month or doing employment training or volunteering at a nonprofit organization. Some, such as those with disabilities, may be exempt from the requirements under federal rules. The MDHHS estimates 67,000 people will be affected. The department is beginning to notify people of the change and will implement it starting Oct. 1. Those affected, once they reach the date of their next annual case eligibility re-determination, will have three months to either meet the work requirements or qualify for an exemption. If they don't do either of those things, they will lose their food assistance befits. New applicants, meanwhile, will be subject to the work requirements immediately. "MDHHS is prepared to assist affected individuals in meeting these work requirements so that they can achieve self-sufficiency," said MDHHS Chief Deputy Director Nancy Vreibel. "The good news is that Michigan's economy is much-improved, and the job market is far better than it was when the state received the federal waiver." In some counties MDHHS, Michigan Works! and the Talent Investment Agency will provide resources like training programs to help people meet the work requirements. Those counties are: Bay, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Genesee, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Isabella, Jackson, Lenawee, Macomb, Midland, Monroe, Montcalm, Muskegon, Saginaw, St. Clair, St. Joseph, Van Buren and Wayne. People who may be affected can call their MDHHS case specialist with questions or visit the department's website for more details. The move comes on top of a recent legislative change requiring able-bodied Michiganders receiving Medicaid assistance to work. That requirement is slated to take effect on Jan. 1, 2020. OSCODA, MI -- Oscoda public schools are connecting to municipal drinking water with the help of a federal grant because of PFAS contamination in local groundwater. Superintendent Scott Moore said the Oscoda Area Schools campus on River Road south of the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base plans to have drinking water from Lake Huron flowing through school pipes and faucets within the next two weeks. The estimated $123,000 project received a $50,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help with connection. Moore said the state of Michigan has offered to help with some cost, and any remaining will come from the district sinking fund. The Air Force is not helping fund the project, he said. The campus well is threatened by PFAS contamination caused by firefighting foam used to battle a nearby forest fire in 1987 and bus garage fire 1995. The foam was brought by Wurtsmith base firefighters as part of mutual aid responses, Moore said. Total PFAS, as well as the individual chemicals PFOS and PFOA, have tested above the Environmental Protection Agency's health advisory threshold of 70 parts-per-trillion in groundwater on the school campus and in residential wells. The school campus water has tested positive for low levels, around 4-ppt, Moore said. Although there are low PFAS levels in the Huron Shores Regional Utility Authority (HSRUA) water that will come through the municipal connection, Moore said the high groundwater concentrations under the school are forcing the district to act. "At some point, there's a high probability the plume will come into contact with our wells," he said. Total PFAS in treated HSRUA water ranged from 0.9 to 27.6-ppt across regular testing in 2016. The utility has not been tested since then, but is expected to be as part of the state's push to test all public water systems in Michigan for PFAS contamination. Moore said it's "disappointing" that the Air Force is not aiding the district. Discussions with the military have gone through the Restoration Advisory Board, which was convened last year to give local government and citizens greater input into cleanup decisions. The base and surrounding areas are heavily impacted by PFAS contamination from PFAS-laden foam use. Much of the contamination is draining into the Au Sable River and is carried into Lake Huron. "If it was a private citizen or industry (that caused the contamination), there would be accountability measures enacted, I would assume," Moore said. In a statement, the Air Force said it wont aid the project because the school water supply hasn't tested above the EPA's 70-ppt level -- the adequacy of which is hotly debated by academics and public health advocates -- and because "groundwater migration pathways from mission activities" at the base "have not been identified." The Air Force is disputing responsibility for some Oscoda PFAS plumes outside the former base boundaries, which has brought the service branch into conflict with the state of Michigan. The state and Air Force are nine months into a formal dispute over the pace and adequacy of PFAS efforts in Oscoda that could end up in court if not resolved under a joint state and federal defense program for military site contamination cleanup. U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint, helped secure the grant for Oscoda, which is within his district. Kildee said that "we must do more to urgently address PFAS contamination, as well as provide safe drinking water to those affected." ORLANDO, FL - The couples with a storybook romance have made their way to the unofficial world headquarters for fairy tales. Krissie Bevier married Zack Lewan Aug. 3, while their identical twin siblings Kassie and Nick married the following day. The Michigan couples celebrated part of their honeymoons together at Walt Disney World. "(We're) very happy that we set up the honeymoon that we four can all enjoy it together," Zack said to Disney officials. Disney provided the couples with matching "I'll be your Minnie" and "I'll be your Mickey" T-shirts, themed mouse ears and a meet-and-greet with the famous mouse characters. The Lewans and Beviers spent time at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, among other spots. Their love story garnered international attention earlier this month, with coverage from media, like Time Magazine, the "Today" show and dozens more. They didn't spend their whole honeymoons together. The 24 year olds spent time at a family beach house in Florida - one couple before the Disney meetup, one after. The girls grew up in Michigan Center, while the guys are from White Lake. They all met at Grand Valley State University. For the Lewan brothers, this was their first trip to Disney. All four agreed they hope to come back for various life celebrations. Once the honeymoon magic concludes, the couples will head back to Michigan, where three of them are finishing up grad school. "The ultimate dream is to get tons of land and have one house on this side and the other house on this side," Zack said last month. "And have the meetup in the middle." And live happily ever after. CAMDEN TWP., MI - The Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office has released the names of two men who died early Thursday in a shooting in rural Camden Township in the southern part of the county. Alexander Lee Dombrowski, 36, allegedly shot his father of the same name, 64, in their home at 15500 Grange Road, south of Camden and near the state border. Timothy John Curtiss, 56, who lives at a nearby address on Grange Road was shot outside the home while responding to calls for help, according to a statement from Sheriff Timothy Parker. The shootings were reported, by someone within the residence, after 4 a.m. Aug. 16. About five hours later, a deputy spotted the suspect, the younger Dombrowksi, walking in a field south of the home. The 36-year-old is to be arraigned Friday in Hillsdale County District Court. He is charged with two counts of open murder, according to the statement. Deputies and Michigan State Police troopers were able to remove other occupants from the home before dawn and the arrival of the state police emergency support team. Reading Emergency Unit personnel provided aid, when the scene was unsecured and at great risk to them, the sheriff reported. An extensive search then began. About 9:04 a.m., the deputy who spotted the younger Dombrowski and the state police team took him into custody "without incident." Involved in the investigation and search effort were the sheriff's offices in Branch County, Williams County in Ohio and Stueben County in Indiana; the Montgomery Fire Department; and emergency medical services in Williams County. JACKSON, MI - The Jackson County Animal Shelter, 3770 Spring Arbor Road, has many pets available for adoption. Here are two of them. Mabel is an adult female, grey-and-white pit bull mix, who was a stray and quite thin when she arrived at the shelter. She is the Audrey Hepburn of dogs: compassionate, composed, and classy. She's secure with herself and comfortable in any situation, be it with other dogs or kids. Mabel likes toys, but they're no substitute for your lap and a nice, comfy couch. She just wants to love. Smoke is a solid black 10-year-old male cat who was surrendered by his owner. He is neutered and declawed. Smoke is a pretty chill guy - curious about new surroundings but not nervous. All dogs and cats at the shelter are neutered/spayed and current on vaccines. Those interested in adopting these pets must come to the shelter to meet them anytime from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Saturday. Office closes daily for lunch from 1 to 2 p.m. No phone calls please. All dog adoptions require an application. More information is available on the shelter's Facebook page. See more pets available for adoption at jcasmichigan.petfinder.com. JACKSON, MI - Three men sentenced to life terms for Jackson County murders they committed as juveniles will be re-sentenced. After years of legal wrangling, Charles Porter, 49; Charles Finch, 58; and Stanley Fowle, 42, might have a shot at freedom. All three, as teens younger than 18, were given mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole, penalties deemed unconstitutional in 2012 by the U.S. Supreme Court, which clarified in 2016 that the decision was retroactive, affecting current prisoners. Charles Finch Finch was to be sentenced on Wednesday, Aug. 15, but the hearing was cancelled and is to be rescheduled. Fowle has a court date Aug. 24. And the status of Porter's case is to be evaluated in November. As was made clear by a Michigan Supreme Court ruling this year, Jackson County circuit judges have to decide whether to leave the life sentences in tact or give them a minimum of 25 to 40 years and a maximum of no less than 60 years, according to a law passed by the state legislature in 2014. The county prosecutor's office has taken the position the men should remain incarcerated until their deaths for what were three brutal crimes, two perpetrated against their own relatives. In 1976, when he was 16, Finch participated in the stabbing of John Clemons, 37, a janitor at Bill Knapp's. He, Roger Hinton, then 17, and a then 14-year-old went to Clemon's house on Dewey Street in Jackson. Knowing the teens, Clemons let them inside. Finch hit him on the head with a wrench. Hinton bound his hands and legs and guarded him while the other two teens ransacked his home, looking for money. It was Hinton who stabbed Clemons in the back. When the blade bent as it apparently struck a bone, he used a second knife to pierce Clemon's heart. Charlotte Richendollar, then 35, promised Finch and Hinton a $40,000 cut of a $75,000 insurance policy if they killed Clemons, her fiance. Stanley Fowle Both Hinton and Richendollar have since died as prisoners, Richendollar, 74, on May 5, 2015 at Henry Ford Allegiance Health and Hinton, 54, on March 27, 2014, also at a hospital, according to a Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman. Hinton would also have required re-sentencing, but his heart apparently failed him first. By 2011, when he granted an interview with a Citizen Patriot reporter for a series on juvenile lifers, he had endured six heart attacks since 1995, and already accepted his fate. "They pretty much told me I was going to die in prison. This is it," he said. If given a term of years, Finch, in prison more than 40 years, almost assuredly would soon be released, said Jerrold Schrotenboer, county chief appellate attorney. Fowle is in prison for suffocating his great-grandmother, Mary Ingels, an 86-year-old Catholic so devout she attended mass every day. Fowle, 17 at the time, broke into Ingel's home on Trail Street in Jackson while she was in bed on Aug. 11, 1993 and stole her purse and checkbook. Her homicide went undetected until a bank teller alerted authorities Fowle was cashing her checks. Porter too killed an older family member, his father. The 15-year-old greeted Charles D. Porter Sr., coming home from a night shift, with two short-range shotgun blasts the morning of June 19, 1984. The younger Porter wrapped his dad's body in plastic and dragged it to a bedroom. He and a friend then took the elder Porter's 1978 Suburban and fled to Florida, where they were arrested a few days later. Charles Porter Jr. "I deserve to be punished. I won't ever deny that," Charles D. Porter Jr. said in September 2011 at the Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater. "Do I deserve to be punished as much as someone who is in complete control of their faculties?" If he had a reset button, he'd have finger cramps, he said then. He said he is less impulsive, more rational and smarter. Finch and Fowle also contended they were changed. "I argue with people now and I feel bad because I made them feel like garbage. Back then, I didn't have that," Fowle said in 2011. Finch, troublesome in the beginning of his prison tenure, hasn't had any incidents of misconduct since 1989, Schrotenboer said. In 2011, he was working as an inmate maintenance worker. "I'd just as soon not dwell on it because I might never see it again anyways," the small, simple man said at the time about life outside prison. The men's cases, long delayed, have picked up speed since June, when the state Supreme Court ruled judges, not juries, would determine whether they and others in their situation would again be given life in prison without parole. U.S. Supreme Court justices have held such sentences, when automatically doled out to juveniles, violate the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. Instead, a judge or jury must have the opportunity to consider mitigating circumstances before imposing on children what is Michigan's harshest penalty, according to the highest court's 2012 ruling. Among the considerations should be: A defendant's age and level of immaturity, impetuosity and inability to appreciate risks and consequences; the home and family environment; the circumstances of the homicide, including the extent of participation; any familial or peer pressures; and the possibility of rehabilitation. KALAMAZOO, MI -- Police in Kalamazoo are crediting their work with violent groups for a downturn in homicide and non-fatal shootings in the city. So far, Kalamazoo has had three homicides this year, compared to eight homicides through August in 2017. Non-fatal shootings are down as well, with the city recording 14 so far in 2018 compared to 20 in 2016 and 2017 and 47 in 2014. Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety started its Group Violence Initiative in 2016, and public safety leaders say it's working. "We are doing a lot of work on reducing group violence and group violence intervention," Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Assistant Chief David Boysen said. "Our shooting numbers are trending down. We're still working on that. Historically that's pretty good for this time of year." Kalamazoo has seen 14 non-fatal shootings so far this year, compared to just over 20 shootings in 2017 and the same amount in 2016, Boysen said. Boysen compares the non-fatal shootings this year to 2014, before the city started its Group Violence Initiative. That year, Kalamazoo had 47 non-fatal shootings. The initiative involves a broad-based partnership that includes the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor's Office, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Michigan Department of Corrections Probation and Parole, Goodwill Industries of Southwest Michigan, the Northside Ministerial Alliance, and the Interfaith Strategy for Advocacy & Action in the Community. Pioneered by National Network Director David Kennedy and colleagues as "Operation Ceasefire" in Boston during the 1990s, this initiative has been implemented with encouraging results across the country in violent cities like Chicago, New Orleans, Oakland and Baltimore. Kalamazoo has seen three homicides so far in 2018. Terrance Jaleel Swinney of Kalamazoo was shot about 4 a.m. April 7 in the 900 block of North Burdick Street. Lonelle Lee Langston, 22, of Albion, was shot around 12:35 a.m. Saturday, June 23 in a parking lot in the 500 block of South Burdick Street. No one has been charged in either homicide. Authorities continue to investigate both deaths, which Boysen said are group-involved. Aniya Mack, 24, was killed in a Kalamazoo apartment, and her body was found days later in a creek off East Main Street near 26th Street in Comstock Township. Her boyfriend, Donnovan Lewis, has been charged with murder. On Jan. 28, the body of 16-year-old Mujey Dumbuya was found in a wooded area on North Prairie Avenue in Kalamazoo. Two men have been charged in the East Kentwood High School student's murder, but Boysen said it's believed she was killed in the Grand Rapids area, not in Kalamazoo. Boysen said the initiative allows law enforcement, community members and social services to work together to reduce violence and deliver an anti-violence message. "It seems to be working and I think we're much more responsive to non-fatal shootings and assaults that we think are group involved that can lead up to another homicide," Boysen said. "We're much better at getting ahead of it now." Boysen said if a victim cooperates with law enforcement and decides to press charges, the case proceeds as normal through the court system. In the event of a non-fatal shooting that involves violent groups, often the victim will choose not to press charges and instead will retaliate, Boysen said. Using the Group Violence Initiative, law enforcement officers will reach out to the victim and suspect to offer to connect them to local social services. Boysen said if the victim is not cooperative or there is not enough evidence to charge the suspect, officers will send them a letter saying they have looked at the person's criminal history and describe how much time that person could face in prison if caught with a gun. "We'll say, 'Of course we don't want you to take this route and if you want services this is the number to call and this is the person to talk to. Just to let you know if you pick up a gun we'll have to prosecute you because we need to protect the community from you," Boysen said. "What these letters do is if you get assaulted or shot and you're in these groups, it's expected among your peers that you're going to retaliate," Boysen said. "If you don't you show weakness among your friends. If we give them this letter it gives them a way out. It's kind of an honorable exit where they can say, 'Hey look, I got this letter, the cops said if I get caught with a gun I'm going to prison,' which is what we want. It is working fantastically." Boysen said the city had sent 16 such letters this year as of the end of July. Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief Karianne Thomas said the city has seen suspects call in response to the letters, asking the city and social service agencies to help them obtain drivers licenses, jobs and housing. "Dave and his team are working so hard to always identify those people that are causing the violence and picking up the guns," Thomas said. KDPS meets weekly to go over every violent event that has happened in the city and invites other local law enforcement, probation and parole officers and prosecutors to join. Getting others in the law enforcement community together face-to-face has been invaluable to developing intergovernmental relationships, Boysen said. Thomas said her department's success is measured on guns and shootings and the reduction of both. "If we're having to do a bunch of arrests then what we're doing isn't working," Thomas said. "It's really to prevent arrests and incarcerations and shootings." PARCHMENT, MI -- Documents show PFAS manufactured by 3M were used at a paper mill in Parchment, where the toxic compounds were found contaminating the water supply for 3,100 people. According to a 1994 chemical safety document obtained by MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette, a perfluoroalkyl polymer was a main ingredient in an oil and grease-repellent called "Scotchban FX-845." The repellent, patented by Minnesota manufacturing giant 3M, was used in laminated products produced by Fort James Corp. in Parchment. In a statement provided to MLive, a 3M spokesperson said the company "acted reasonably and responsibly in connection with products containing PFAS, and stands behind its environmental stewardship record." The document shows products now known to contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were once used at Parchment's shuttered paper mill. Former landfills used to dump paper-making waste are the likely source of contamination found in Parchment's water supply, according to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The 1994 Material Safety Data Sheet was found by the city of Kalamazoo as part of an investigation into sources of PFAS contamination in Parchment's water system. Kalamazoo treats wastewater discharged from Parchment and received the MSDS documents to be made aware of hazardous chemicals. Scotchban was used in various consumer products that resist grease, water and oil, including microwave popcorn packages. It was discontinued when 3M began phasing out products based on PFOS, one of many PFAS compounds, in 2000. The FDA approved the product to use in food paper packaging in 1987. Almost 30 years later, the FDA removed the approval after 3M discontinued use of PFOS products. Tom Neltner, chemicals policy director for the Environmental Defense Fund, said the FDA failed to protect residents from PFOS. "This chemical should never have been added to paper packaging to contaminate food, and ultimately the people who trusted the Food and Drug Administration to protect them," Neltner said. "Now we learn that the legacy of this use lingers in communities where paper was treated - communities like Parchment." An estimated 3,100 people in the city of Parchment and parts of Cooper Township that use Parchment city water were told to stop using water from their taps on July 26. Two rounds of DEQ testing showed water contaminated with high amounts of PFAS entered the municipal water system from three source wells. One source well was found to contain 1,839 parts-per-trillion of total PFOS and PFOA, two compounds given an EPA lifetime health advisory of 70 ppt. Contamination was also found to be greater than the health advisory in nearby private wells. (Milt Klingensmith | MLive.com) On July 31, the DEQ began taking samples from 14 monitoring wells on an 84-acre landfill formerly used to hold waste associated with paper-making processes. Results from the tests have not been completed. The landfill sits less than a mile south from Parchment's wellfield, which was found to be "highly susceptible to potential contaminants" by the DEQ in 2002. Meanwhile, 3M is facing a lawsuit in Kent County, where 400 people whose drinking water was contaminated are seeking damages. Last month, Gov. Rick Snyder asked Attorney General and GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Schuette to sue 3M over groundwater contamination linked to its products. "We are working closely with the Attorney General's Office to put together the best case we can as the state pursues this lawsuit, and that includes using all current and historical information related to chemical exposure for Michigan residents," said Ari Adler, communications director for Snyder. Scientists are still learning about the health effects of exposures to PFAS. However, the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry acknowledges an increased risk of thyroid disease, developmental effects in infants and children, reproductive effects, hypertension in pregnant women, increased cholesterol levels and other effects. Use in food packaging Fluorochemicals allow food packaging products to resist grease, oil and water. Scotchban is one of several brand names associated with packaging; others were manufactured by companies like DuPont and Bayer. Kalamazoo Vegetable Parchment Co. was the first paper company in Parchment, known as "The Paper City." Parchment grew under the paternal guidance of the mill and KVP founder Jacob Kindleberger, with its water system and much of its infrastructure built under his watch. Historic records related to KVP are kept by the Parchment Community Library, including a booklet given to tour guests who visited the plant. The 1947 document explains how the company's paper products were used "from the cradle to the grave." "Between birth and death are countless uses of products made by this mill," the booklet states. "There is scarcely a home in the U.S. or Canada into which some KVP paper does not often find its way." According to product listings in a booklet commemorating the company's 75th anniversary, paper was used to protect meats, dairy products, cereal, fish, shortening, bread, vegetables, and other food products. Special treated papers were also made at the KVP plant, which included treatments to make paper that was water- and blood-proof for the retail meat market. History of contamination Multiple companies have operated the mill since, including Sutherland Paper Co., Brown Co., James River Corp. Georgia-Pacific and Crown Vantage Corp. Fort James Corp., also known as James River, owned the Parchment paper mill, and a Cooper Township property that held two landfills, a wastewater treatment plant and wastewater lagoons from 1980-1995. The company was bought by Crown Vantage Inc. Crown Vantage Inc. operated the facility until it filed for bankruptcy and shut down mill operations in 2000. Before abandoning the landfill and mill site, Crown Vantage had to prove those properties didn't represent an "imminent and identifiable hazard" to public health and safety. A federal court in California found Crown Vantage met this standard, and the bankruptcy was approved in 2001. However, court documents state soil and groundwater contamination existed in 2001 from a solvent historically used in coating processes. James River Corp. used the landfill to dispose paper mill residuals, primarily clay and wood fiber, and fly ash was also connected to the site. A Type-II landfill, used to dispose non-hazardous solid waste, was closed under the Solid Waste management Act sometime before 1989. MDEQ issued a permit to James River Paper for construction of the Type-III landfill in 1987. The 40-acre landfill was used until Crown Vantage closed in 2000. A wastewater treatment plant was used by Crown Vantage to treat wastewater from the mill until 2001. Two aerated sludge lagoons were also at the site, while 11 wastewater lagoons were previously taken out of service when the wastewater plant was upgraded in 1995. DEQ is investigating whether other sites, some related to paper production, could be sources of PFAS in Parchment, said Michigan Department of Environmental Quality spokesperson Scott Dean. "This stuff was so commonly in consumer products it takes a detailed investigation to get to (an answer)," Dean said. Dean has previously referenced the former North American Aluminum Extrusion Co. site in Cooper Township as a possible source of PFAS. In 1968, the company was accused of polluting Travis Creek with a gray sludge. According to a Kalamazoo Gazette article at the time, the waste formed a gray-white precipitate that coated the sides and bottom of the creek." Monday, DEQ received PFAS test results for 102 private wells in Parchment and Cooper Township. A release from the Kalamazoo County Department of Health and Community Services states residents are being notified as results are received. Requests for the results by MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette weren't granted Wednesday. Dean said wells with the highest PFAS levels were generally found close to the Crown Vantage site. He did not give a range of levels found in private wells as of Wednesday evening, but said the largest amount found was around 340 ppt. WOW air, the budget Icelandic airline that started operating out of Detroit in April, is offering $129 one-way tickets to 11 European destinations between September and December of this year. The airline says it will offer the $129 one-way tickets out of all of the U.S. airports it currently operates out of, which includes Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati, St. Louis, New York, Miami, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Much like the other budget deals to foreign countries it offers, WOW requires customers to book a return flight to receive the $129 deal. As for the deal itself, the $129 one-way fare is available for trips to Paris, Brussels, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Dublin, Edinburgh, London, Stockholm, Milan, Lon and Barcelona. WOW says in a news release that the offer is valid for 5,000 seats on certain flights, and remains subject to availability. The airline recently announced a deal that offered flights from Detroit to Milan -- via Iceland -- for $389.99 between November and March 2019. The Icelandic airline first started operating out of Detroit Metro Airport back in April of this year when it was offering $69 one-way trips to Iceland. In that offer, the fare was available for travel in June, September and October and must be booked with a return flight to get the special price. WOW says it will use the Airbus A321 on Detroit to Reykjavik flights, and that these aircrafts have recently been upgraded with seats that feature at least 37 inches of legroom. The airline first expanded into the U.S. Midwest when it started offering the $69 one-way trips to Reykjavik out of Chicago O'Hare International Airport. After taking off from the Windy City, Wow added service in New York, Miami, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and, of course, Detroit. WOW says it now connects 39 U.S. and European cities with the Icelandic capital, and that it enjoyed a 69 percent increase in passengers to the tune of 2.8 million people in 2017. "We are pleased WOW air will bring new visitors to see Detroit's revitalization firsthand, thanks to the airline's low fares," Wayne County Airport Authority Air Service Development Director Joe Cambron said in a previous news release. "This partnership also means there are more ways for travelers to reach Europe, whether they're planning to explore Reykjavik, Iceland or connect to other great cities including Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt. WOW is the first new international carrier for our North Terminal since it opened in 2008." In order to help people stranded in Kerala due to the floods, Vistara has started flights from Trivandrum to help evacuate as many people as possible. Update #3: We are operating special flights to Trivandrum in view of Kochi airport closure. Flights will operate from Delhi and Chennai. Economy Class fares will be capped at Rs 10k/7.5k respectively one way. We dont normally operate to TRV,and have made special arrangements. pic.twitter.com/phYeO1LkrB Vistara (@airvistara) August 15, 2018 Vistara has made a special arrangement by operating flights to and from Trivandrum, and the flights will be operational from August 16 to August 17. The operational area at Cochin have been severely affected due to heavy rains and several airlines have cancelled their flights. Passengers will have the option of re-scheduling their flights from Trivandrum on a first come first serve basis. No fees would be chargeable for re-scheduling. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked airlines to provide relief flights to those stranded in Kerala and ensure tickets are not overpriced. Special relief flights would be available to passengers stranded at Bangalore, Coimbatore and Chennai on Wednesday. The government has notified all airlines to reschedule their flights. Commerce minister Suresh Prabhu 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 emergencyDGCA is coordinating.#KeralaFlood Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) August 15, 2018 Jet Airways and Air India have extended their support. #FlyAI : #update @KochiAirport Due to current suspension of service at Kochi airport, AI963, scheduled to fly from Cochin to Jeddah, will operate from Trivandrum Airport on 16th August, 2018. Dep 1730 local time and arrival 2045 local time at Jeddah. Air India (@airindiain) August 15, 2018 With a red alert in 14 districts, the death toll in Kerala has risen to 80, and 35 dams have been opened in the state. Tuticorin Alkali Chemicals & Fertiliser | Promoter entities Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation, Twinshield Consultants and South India Travels to sell 1,05,72,513 equity shares of the company via offer for sale on November 3-4. (Image: Reuters) live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Dhanuka Agritech reported a muted performance, with a 2.4 percent year-on-year (YoY) growth in revenue during the quarter under review, owing to a scattered onset of monsoon and deficit rains in key geographies. Volumes saw an around 5 percent uptick. With blockage on inventory channels, the management was unable to undertake price hikes, which resulted in a substantial 440 basis points contraction in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margin. An unfavourable product mix also played a part in the margin contraction. Net profit remained more or less flat. Other income saw an uptick on account of spurt in income from investments and a one-time key man policy inflow of around Rs 4 crore. Other expenses increased on account of higher spending on development of newly launched products. Q1 FY19 saw a scattered onset of monsoon in many key geographies of Dhanuka. This impacted topline growth during the quarter under review. This was due to compressed demand from the institutional segment, which forms its key customer base in the first quarter each year. With a substantial improvement in the monsoon coverage in July, the management expects overall growth to rise to double-digit again. Moreover, demand spillover from Q1 is expected to boost topline in Q2.With a steep correction in the rupee-dollar, the company saw an increase in the input costs during Q1 as around 25 percent of its raw material requirement is imported. With inventory piled up in distribution channels, the management was unable to undertake price hikes. Also, the impact of increased cost could not be passed on to dealers and farmers, resulting in margin contraction. Lower tax refund under the Goods & Service Tax (GST) regime as compared with a refund in the excise regime also ate into a portion of the profits. The management said the impact under the new tax regime was Rs 2 crore for the Udhampur plant in the current quarter, while the annual impact could be in the Rs 6-7 crore range.Of the 25 percent imported raw material, around 33 percent is imported from China and supply from there played a part in the companys profitability. The management said prices of key technical imports from China have stabilised in the current quarter, however, it continues to remain at elevated levels. There is an expectation that there will not be any further increase in prices, thereby protecting Q2 margin. Moreover the management expects a slight relief on the cost front from the Rabi season owing to stabilisation in the supply situation. While there are no major new product launches till Q3 of this fiscal, the management plans to aggressively push the recently launched products in the market. About 11 new products were launched by the company in FY18. These are seeing good response and a pick up in volumes. The management now plans to capitalise on these and launch them countrywide. From Q4, it plans to launch one grape fungicide product. With forecast of a normal monsoon, the management expects 10-15 percent revenue growth for FY19. The annual tax rate is expected to be around 29-30 percent, eating away a portion of its current net margin. We expect margin to remain intact in coming quarters.The stock has corrected 30 percent in the last 12 months and is currently 32 percent below its 52-week high. After the correction, the stock is now trading at FY19e price-to-earnings of 17 times. With the growth story remaining intact, the stock appears attractive. We expect consistency in earnings as the company has a healthy product mix, with more than half of its sales accruing from specialty molecules, strong pick up in recently launched products, low penetration of herbicides and fungicides in India, expectation of a normal monsoon and favourable macro and policy environment for agriculture companies. Follow @Ruchiagrawal For more research articles, visit our Moneycontrol Research page 53461176PM009_UK_Medical_Jo Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially announced the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme (AB-NHPS) in his Independence Day address. Under this scheme, which will be launched on September 25, all eligible individuals will receive a free cover of Rs 5 lakh. With less than a month-and-a-half left to its launch, there are many challenges as the deadline is close and target ambitious. The schemes CEO Indu Bhushan said close to 7,000 hospitals have applied to be empanelled. The magnitude of the scheme is another problem point as it aims to provide healthcare to 10 crore families. The availability of hospital beds in Tier II and III cities and rural areas will be challenging. While 10 states and Union Territories have been selected for the pilot run, Bhushan said a full roll-out, which will bring in about 50 crore Indians in 40 days, will be a tough task. We have, from the hospitals that have come on-board, 60,000 beds, he told BloombergQuint. He estimates that at least 2 lakh beds will be required if the scheme is to run at full capacity. Bhushan said pricing of health packages is another problem. The Indian Medical Association has questioned the viability of providing healthcare at the proposed low costs and this has been a bone of contention as well. Lack of uniformity of hospital procedures and protocols for doctors are among the other challenges. The success of the scheme would also depend on how supply-deficient Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and the north-eastern states implement the scheme, Chandrakant Lahariya told BusinessLine. Lahariya wrote a research article in Indian Paediatrics Journal about Universal Health Coverage about the proposed insurance scheme. In India, capacity of states to run insurance schemes is lowest where these are needed most, he added. Bigger corporate hospitals are not showing interest in the scheme due to lack of clarity and have yet to come on board. Private life insurer Bharti AXA Life Insurance and Airtel Payments Bank have entered a tie-up to offer Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) to the latter's customers. This government-sponsored term insurance scheme offers Rs 2 lakh insurance cover at an annual premium of Rs 330. Through this partnership, existing or new Airtel Payments Bank savings bank account holders between the age of 18-50 years can buy the . The process of purchasing this policy is secure, paperless and completely digital, ensuring convenience for consumers. Anubrata Biswas, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Payments Bank, said that their distribution network will allow financial inclusion to reach 190 million under-insured Indians. As per the tie-up, PMJJBY will be initially available at 100,000 Airtel Payments Bank - Banking Points across the country. According to a press statement, Airtel Payments Bank would steadily scale up the availability to over 500,000 banking points. Vikas Seth, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Bharti AXA Life Insurance said their alliance with Airtel Payments Bank will help strengthen the insurer's strategy of multi-channels distribution and presence across India. Iron & Steel | Imports from China, 2019: 4 percent. (Image: Moneycontrol) India is being hit by a wave of steel from producers in Japan and South Korea, a government document showed, as mills there redirect supply after US President Donald Trump slapped an import duty on the alloy earlier this year. During the first quarter of the fiscal year starting in April, India's steel imports from South Korea rose 31 percent from a year earlier, while those from Japan climbed 30 percent, according to an internal document from the Ministry of Steel that was reviewed. The flood of imports is so big that the government in New Delhi is considering measures to control imports, Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said. "The concern is there, of course, and if we are to take some measures, we will not hesitate on that account," Singh said in an interview. Between April and June, India became a net importer of steel, with foreign supplies reaching 2.1 million tonnes, 15 percent higher than a year earlier, according to the note. With the increase, the South Asian nation has now passed the United States as South Korea's third-largest market for steel, according to data from the Korea Iron & Steel Association. New Delhi could look at imposing safeguards, said a senior government official, who did not wish to be identified in line with government policy. Under World Trade Organization rules, safeguards are temporary restrictions on imports of a product to protect a domestic industry. However, renewed government measures would take place despite India's domestic steel industry being unable to meet the country's demand for high-end steel products needed for railroads and structural steel used in construction projects. India's imports of steel products used by railways rose to more than 18,000 tonnes during the April to June period compared with 500 tonnes a year earlier, the Steel Ministry note said. Imports of steel products used in construction more than doubled to nearly 22,000 tonnes during the same period, the note said. The United States imposed tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminium imports in March. South Korea was the fourth-biggest steel exporter to the United States and Japan the 10th largest, the Steel Ministry said in a report in April. Indian steel manufacturers are also impacted by the tariffs and the country will retaliate with duties on US products that will take effect next month. The falling rupee will adversely impact the domestic steel sector as import of various raw materials will become expensive and the cost of servicing debt would also go up, government officials and experts said today. The rupee slumped 43 paise against the US dollar to trade at a life-time low of 70.32 on strong demand for the American currency. In general, a weaker rupee supports exports and at the same time protects the domestic industry, including steel, from imports as they become costlier, Joint Plant Committee(JPC) Chief Economist A S Firoz told PTI. He, however, warned that a weak rupee will adversely affect the Indian industry as it has to extensively depend on imported inputs such as coking coal, steel scrap etc. Besides, export volumes also can not be pushed because of the robust domestic demand of steel, he said. India's total export of finished steel increased 16.7 per cent to 9.62 million tonne (MT) in 2017-18 as compared to export of 8.24 MT finished steel in 2016-17. Domestic steel demand grew at 8 per cent in the first quarter of 2018-19, according to JPC. JPC is officially empowered by the steel ministry to collect data on the Indian iron and steel industry. Anjani K Agrawal EY Partner said the weakening rupee will increase cost of debt for many steel producers. "The landed cost of imported coking coal will also rise. Passing through these cost increases may not be easy as steel is largely a domestic business, particularly in long products," he added. At the Interbank Foreign Exchange, the local currency opened at a record low of 70.25 a dollar, down from its previous close of 69.89, and weakened further to trade at a fresh low of 70.32, down 43 paise. Basic travel insurance policy This usually covers expenses related to emergency medical care and loss of belongings. (Representative Image) RN Bhaskar On Indias 72nd Independence Day celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan, also known as the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM), on September 25. The government-sponsored health insurance scheme will provide free coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year at any government or empanelled private hospital. The premium that will be charged is not yet known, nor whether it will be operated by the government or designated insurance companies. The Centre will foot 60 percent of the expense and the remaining by the respective state governments. It is not yet clear whether non-NDA states will adopt the scheme. The scheme, however, is meant only for poor and economically-deprived people. With barely 24 percent of the population having a medical cover of any kind and almost 67 percent of the medical cost for an individual being out-of-pocket expenses, India sorely needs a scheme like the AB-NHPM. Given this, all it takes is a serious ailment to bankrupt a middle-class family. Thus, the governments intentions deserve praise and support, but the scheme could eventually involve a financial outlay which will get frittered away and not benefit the poor. This is because any medicare service begins with having good doctors, which is followed by good hospitals, and supporting infrastructure. Medical insurance kicks in only after this is in place. The AB-NHPM places the cart before the horse. The World Health Organisation (WHO) data on Chart 2 is updated only till 1991, after which data collection from India has proved to be difficult or unavailable. Chart 3 shows that neighbouring countries, including Pakistan, appear to be doing a better job in data compilation and communication than India. Even available data shows how India has fewer doctors per capita than most of its neighbours. The lack of doctors is a result of a shortage of seats at medical colleges and this has resulted in capitation fees soaring to even Rs 3 crore for some courses. During the past decade, government colleges began reducing the number of postgraduate seats, leaving the private sector to increase capitation and tuition fees, even when facilities provided were not up to the mark. Horrifyingly, the government decided to address this shortage by offering a hare-brained scheme of allowing Homeopathy and Ayurveda doctors the chance to qualify as full-fledged Allopathy doctors by completing a short bridge course. To fix this shortage of doctors, it should be examined why medical education is so costly in India when in neighbouring China it can be done at a fraction of the cost. If the government is serious about medicare, it must begin with the doctors. Medical education must be de-licensed. Laws must be amended so that the government can take away medical colleges from inept administrations who do not score well on output norms (which must be carried out twice every year). Such colleges must be handed over to management who have done a better job on the output scores. Also, heavy penalties must be levied on errant management. Only when these measures are in place can medicare become meaningful. Similar measures can be taken for nursing courses as well. There are other related roadblocks as well. For instance, the Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI), which represents leading research-based medical technology companies with significant investments in India, has pointed out key areas that require urgent attention for the AB-NHPM to succeed. First, the healthcare sector stands on four pillars healthcare providers (hospitals), pharmaceutical companies, medical technology (MedTech) participants and health insurance. Governments have ignored the pharma and MedTech sectors. Second, a regulator for the sector is important, because only when there is a seamless amalgamation of all players in the healthcare value chain will AB-NHPM succeed. Third, rates for each healthcare process should be decided to keep the long-term sustainability of all stakeholders. Today, this is done on an ad-hoc basis, almost capriciously, by different state governments. Fourth, there is a need for standards to be prescribed. There are no uniform standards for pathology or the quality of medical devices used. Fifth, for the AB-NHPM to succeed, the government must create 150,000 wellness centres providing medicare. This will require a massive skill development. Modi must be lauded for announcing the scheme. It is aspirational and needs to be implemented but, arranging for funds for medical insurance packages without ensuring a good number of medical graduates qualifying each year is definitely not the right way forward. US and Mexican law enforcement authorities will set up a joint team based in Chicago targeting the leaders and finances of drug cartels that ship opioids into the United States, aiming to stanch a spike in overdose deaths, officials said on Wednesday. The new effort comes amid strained ties between the neighbors and about four months before Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a left-leaning nationalist, is due to take power. Lopez Obrador has vowed to shake up Mexico's war on drug cartels and wants to rewrite the rules, aides have said, suggesting negotiated peace and amnesties rather than a hardline strategy critics blame for perpetuating violence. He has also said he wants to reset relations with the United States, which have been rocky since Donald Trump became president. "We are sure the next president of the republic will be willing to collaborate in the fight against organized crime," Felipe de Jesus Munoz Vazquez, Mexico's deputy attorney general for the specialized investigation of federal crimes unit, told a joint US-Mexican news conference in Chicago. Lopez Obrador's team offered no immediate comment, but his future security minister, Alfonso Durazo, has said all co-operation pacts between the neighbors will be reviewed. A spokeswoman of the US Drug Enforcement Administration said the co-operation was the first of its kind since a Mexican delegation of this size had never before combined forces and traveled to the United States to publicly discuss ways to battle transnational criminal networks. Since the 1970s, the "DEA and the Government of Mexico have cooperated on combating the flow of illegal drugs through exchange of information and intelligence," the spokeswoman, Cori Rizman, told Reuters in an email. These efforts had aimed to disrupt and dismantle cartels affecting both sides of the border, she added. They include the decade-old $2.9-billion Merida Initiative that directs aid from US agencies to Mexico to fight organized crime and drug trafficking, Durazo said this month. Lopez Obrador wants to refocus aid to social and economic projects, he added. "The sole purpose of these entities is one thing and one thing only - money," said Anthony Williams, chief of operations for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, so that targeting cartel finances is crucial to stop the flow of drugs. Mexico remains the principal highway for cocaine to the United States and has become the top source of heroin, which is fueling a surge in opioid addiction. It is also a major supplier of methamphetamines. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Mexican cartels were responsible for much of the illegal drugs flowing into the nation's third-largest city, which has been plagued by gang violence and shootings. Officials and security experts in the United States have applauded long-running two-way efforts to crack down on drug gangs during the administration of outgoing Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and earlier. For the past 12 years, Mexico has deployed thousands of police, soldiers and intelligence officers to fight the violent cartels. On Wednesday, Mexico said it was offering a reward of 30 million pesos ($1.6 million) for information leading to the arrest of Nemesio Oseguera, whose cartel is blamed for driving heroin shipments to the United States. Known as "El Mencho," Oseguera has become Mexico's most-wanted drug lord after Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was extradited for trial to the United States last year. In March, U.S. agents in Chicago named El Mencho public enemy No. 1 and blamed his gang for using "extreme violence" to expand its share of the heroin trade. The United States is offering $5 million for information leading to his capture. 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 US 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. Rank 7 | Washington DC, USA | Score - 87.6 (Image: Reuters) The White House has said that Turkey's tariff hikes on US products in retaliation for sanctions against Ankara were "regrettable" and again called for the immediate release of American pastor Andrew Brunson. "The tariffs from Turkey are certainly regrettable and a step in the wrong direction," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said while stopping short of announcing fresh retaliatory measures. The White House defended a slew of tariffs and sanctions that have substantially weakened Turkey's currency and forced regulators to take steps to curb financial flows out of the country. "The tariffs that the United States placed on Turkey were out of national security interests. Theirs are out of retaliation," said Sanders yesterday. She added that even if pastor Andrew Brunson was released, tariffs would remain in place on steel. Sanders lamented that Turkey had treated Brunson, "who we know to be a very good person and a strong Christian who has done nothing wrong, very unfairly, very badly." When asked about the impact of the US spat with Turkey on the country's currency, the spokeswoman said Washington was "monitoring the situation." But she added: "Turkey's economic problems - those are a part of a long-term trend, something of its own making and not the result of any actions the United States has taken. Visionary leader and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away at the age of 93 at AIIMS (New Delhi) on August 16, was the forerunner for several economic reforms undertaken by his successors. Be it the Goods and Services Tax (GST), divestment programme of state entities or liberalisation of the insurance sector to allow private entities, Vajpayee was the man behind many key decisions. Here's a lowdown on five major economic decisions that former PM Vajpayee took to change the course of India's journey: Goods and Services Tax GST was implemented in India on July 1, 2017. However, it was Vajpayee who had first mooted the idea of a common tax structure for goods and services across the country. In 2000, the Vajpayee-led government had set up a committee to design the backbone of the GST model and ensure that the technology back-end was put into place. However, due to lack of consensus among the parties and individual states, the reform was delayed for as long as 17 years. The mission to provide free and compulsory education to all children between 6 and 14 years of age was driven by the former PM. The primary objective of the scheme, which commenced in 2000-01, was to reduce dropouts and increase the net enrolment ratio at primary level. In fact, the song School Chale Hum that was used to promote the scheme was penned by Vajpayee himself. With the mission in full force, the rate of dropouts reduced from almost 40 percent in 2000 to less than 10 percent in 2005. Fiscal Responsibility Act The government, under the former PM Vajpayee, enacted the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act in 2003. The Act had set targets to reduce fiscal deficits and boost savings in the public sector. While there were several amendments made to the Act, it was Vajpayee who brought forth the idea of keeping fiscal deficit under check at 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Telecom reforms India boasts 984 million active wireless phone users (as of May 2018)and credit for the same should go to Vajpayee. In 1999, his government took a decision to end state monopolies for entities like Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and introduced a new Telecom Policy where a revenue-sharing regime was started. This led to revenue sharing model and eventually paved the way for call rates getting cheaper as well as affordable mobile phones. Disinvestment/Privatisation One of the flag-bearers of divestments in public sector undertakings, former PM Vajpayee had set up a separate department for disinvestment as early as 1999. Under his leadership, large disinvestment initiatives including that of Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), Hindustan Zinc as well as Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited. The insurance sector, until 1999, was dominated by state-owned entities in both life and general insurance segments. The sector was privatised to allow corporates to set up insurance companies. Foreign direct investment of up to 26 percent was permitted that led to several global insurance companies entering India. Co-incidentally, the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act was passed in 2015 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership that allowed foreign shareholders to hold up to 49 percent stake in Indian insurance companies. Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The former Prime Minister and a BJP stalwart passed away in August, 2018. Although out of active politics for some time now, Vajpayee was a 12-time Parliamentarian. The RSS today paid tributes to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee saying he was a decisive leader who was acceptable to all. "With his ideas and conduct, he established the Indian cultural values in his public life. He was an intense, decisive leader who was acceptable to all," the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) said in a statement issued jointly by its chief Mohan Bhagwat and general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi. The vacuum created by the demise of such a tall leader will not be easy to fill, the Sangh said. Vajpayee died here at AIIMS hospital following prolonged illness. He was 93. The BJP veteran was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here on June 11. Unlucky Number 13! It could not have been truer for former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Vajpayee's first government in 1996 lasted 13 days while his second government lasted 13 months. In both cases, Vajpayee's government was defeated by no-confidence motions. While in 1996, Vajpayee stepped down ahead of a trust vote, he failed to secure enough support in the 1998 vote of no-confidence. Vajpayee, who died at the age of 93 at New Delhis All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday, had, on that day in May 1996, acknowledged his partys defeat, but asserted in an unusually thundering manner, We assure you that while you want power, we want to work for this country and we will never sit and rest in this endeavour. Vajpayee stuck to his assurance he came back to power for a second term in 1998, and lasted for the next 13 months, only to be plopped back to Premiership in 1999, this time seeing it to its conclusion. Also Read: Live updates as India bids adieu to a great leader In 1996, however, the Opposition never expected that Vajpayee who was the first prime minister from BJP, would actually tender his resignation, let alone come to power two more times after that. The 1996 general elections, and the BJPs rise as the single largest party, came on the background of several major developments in the country liberalization, the demolition of Babri Masjid, the riots and blasts in Bombay and the aftermath of Mandal Commission report. The BJP had won 161 seats, followed by Congress 140. President Shankar Dayal Sharma invited the BJP to form the government, and Vajpayee took oath on May 15, 1996, in the hope that regional parties would lend their support to the government in forming a majority. That, however, did not happen. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)s Mayawati, in fact, retraced her support minutes after she assured Vajpayee of it, rising up in the house to declare her opposition to the government. On May 28, Vajpayee promptly resigned, but not before delivering a stirring speech. Congress had rushed to knock on the doors of the United Front, first on Kolkatas Alimuddin Street where CPI (M)'s Jyoti Basu was offered the premiership, which he and his party refused and which Basu later decided was a historic blunder, and then Janata Dal, whose Deve Gowda eventually became the Prime Minister. Vajpayee came to dominate Indias political discourse in the years though, perhaps, not decades to come, and his policies, poems and polemics overshadowed the 13 heady days of his government. Vajpayee has always been the friendly leader who knew how to differentiate between the personal and the political. He was the leader who sat and gave interviews during the 1996 political campaigning while a picture of PV Narasimha Rao against whom Vajpayee was pitted adorned his wall. Whatever be our political differences, Vajpayee had said in an interview, he (Narasimha Rao) is a scholar, and he was the first to grasp the most significant of my poems. Representative Image 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. His comments came when asked whether the EC was ready if the Lok Sabha elections are held in December along with Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan. But Rawat emphasised that the question of advancing Lok Sabha polls is "hypothetical and totally speculative as the term of the House is not ending in the next six months." He also said the polls in the states will have to be held before December 15 and the paper trail machines which EC will get in October and November cannot be used and would create "severe constraints". 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 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, which is totally speculative, then the first level check (FLC) of the 1.5 lakh VVPATs (which EC would get in November end) would not be possible to have adequate reserves," 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. "There would be a serious constraint on the reserves. Instead of 135 percent (reserves), will have to go for 130 percent, 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 by the end of November, he added. Over 11 percent of the 10,300 VVPAT machines across 10 states had developed faults and had to be replaced during the May 28 bypolls. Former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of the BJPs founding members and a moderate face of the RSS, has died at the age of 93 after a prolonged illness. Vajpayee breathed his last at the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. The former prime minister passed away at 5.05 pm on Thursday, the hospital said in a statement. A string of leaders, from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah, former deputy prime minister LK Advani, among others, visited the hospital to pay their respects to the departed leader. As prime minister, Vajpayee will be remembered for unleashing a string of economic reforms during the NDAs five-year term between 1999 and 2004, and his deft handling of both the troubled relationship with Pakistan and his handling of demanding allies in a complex ruling alliance. An excellent orator and a statesman, Vajpayee retreated from public life after the NDAs loss in the 2004 Lok Sabha election. He suffered a stroke in 2009, which left him speech impaired. Vajpayee is survived by his adopted daughter, Namita. LIVE updates: BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee dies at 93, PM Narendra Modi calls it 'end of an era' Legacy The BJP veteran served as Indias prime minister from May 16, 1996 to June 1, 1996, then between 1998 and 1999 and lastly a full term from 1999 to 2004. He remains the only non-Congress prime minister to successfully complete a full term in office. Under Vajpayee, India in May 1998 conducted its second nuclear test at Pokhran. ALSO READ | Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 13-day term: The shortest PM stint in India's history In 1999, the former PM undertook a famous bus journey to Lahore, Pakistan, where he signed the landmark Lahore Declaration with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The Lahore Declaration, however, was soon followed by the Kargil conflict, in which the Indian army thwarted attempts by the Pakistani army to make incursions into Indian territory. Vajpayee then followed up with the Agra summit in 2001 which was attended by then Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. Vajpayees NDA government was known for its bold economic agenda: selling off loss-making public sector units, carrying out electricity reforms and investing in highways. GDP growth too saw a lift during the period, with the Indian economy expanding at 8.4 percent in the year Vajpayee left office. SLIDESHOW | RIP Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Memorable quotes of the visionary prime minister That, however, wasnt enough as the NDA surprisingly lost the 2004 election despite its high-decibel India Shining campaign, with critics saying the rural class did not view the governments policies favourably. In 2014, the NDA government led by PM Modi declared December 25 Vajpayees birthday as Good Governance Day. Vajpayees political ideology was right-of-centre but he was liked and respected by leaders across party lines, thanks to his statesman-like demeanour and consensus-based approach to policies. Early life and politics Vajpayee was born into a middle-class family in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh to father Krishna Bihari Vajpayee, who was a school teacher and poet, and mother Krishna Devi. He attended the Saraswati Shishu Mandir before going to Victoria College, where he graduated with distinction in Hindi, English and Sanskrit. He was awarded Master of Arts in Political Science from DAV College, Kanpur. Vajpayee joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1939. He attended the Officers Training Camp of the RSS and became a pracharak in 1947. Vajpayee was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time from Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh in 1957. SLIDESHOW | Atal Bihari Vajpayee's life in pictures: A poet, a visionary and an inspiring leader Vajpayee became the national president of the Jana Sangh, the BJPs forerunner, in 1968 following the death of Deendayal Upadhyaya. In 1977, the Jana Sangh united with the Bharatiya Lok Dal (BLD) and the Socialist Party to form the Janata Party. He was the Minister of External Affairs in Prime Minister Morarji Desais cabinet after the Janata Party came to power. In 1980, Vajpayee in collaboration with Lal Krishna Advani and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat formed the BJP in 1980 and also became the partys first national president. In 1993, he became the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and was declared as the saffron partys prime ministerial candidate in 1995. Moneycontrol News Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious solar project for farmers called Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) has been red flagged by the Finance Ministry, Business Standard reported. The scheme was announced in the last budget wherein farmers would be get loans and subsidy to instal solar water pumps. In his Independence Day speech, Modi said, "We have rolled out the [KUSUM] scheme. Farmers can now earn money from farming and earn extra at the same time by selling the additional solar power generated at their farms." The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has asked for Rs 28,000 crore to fund the scheme, a request the finance ministry has declined. We have conveyed to MNRE that Rs 280 billion budgetary support for the scheme cannot be given," a senior finance ministry official told Business Standard. Moneycontrol could not independently verify the news. The finance ministry has asked MNRE to rework the funding to partly finance the scheme through other channels, the report added. The allocation for any scheme should accompany a sound financing plan. MNRE has been told to come up with proposals to partly finance the scheme through other means, the finance ministry official told the paper. The total cost of the project was pegged at Rs 1.4 lakh crore, which includes budgetary support of Rs 48,000 crore over 10 years. The project needs initial funding of Rs 28,000 crore, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). However, the Finance Ministry has reportedly denied to provide the amount for the scheme and asked the MNRE to rework the funding. The MNRE is looking at raise capital through multi-lateral funding agencies, banks and co-operatives. The report quoted a source as saying, "We have conveyed to MNRE that Rs 280 billion budgetary support for the scheme cannot be given... The allocation for any scheme should accompany a sound financing plan. MNRE has been told to come up with proposals to partly finance the scheme through other means." Farmers in Gujarat and Maharashtra have already installed solar power pumps. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's craft for weaving word was second to none. Considered one of the most prolific orators in Indian politics, several of Vajpayee's speeches are inked in public memory. Here are five of the most popular speeches: Historic speech in Hindi in United Nations 1977: As a foreign minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the first person to speak in Hindi in the United Nations in 1977. Apart from highlighting the changing conditions of India after a period of emergency, Vajpayee pointed attention towards prevailing world problems. The challenge in Africa is staring at us. The question is if people in a country has the right to live with independence and dignity or the minority with beliefs in apartheid will keep suppressing the majority? Undoubtedly, all form of apartheid should be eradicated completely. Lok Sabha speech on the nuclear tests in Pokhran I am astonished that (Pokhran) nuclear test was also criticised. It was asked what the danger was? I was in the house when in the leadership of Indira Gandhi (first) nuclear test was done, and we welcomed that even though we were in opposition. What was the danger then? Will we prepare for self-defence only when danger arise? Here comes my resignation, Mr. Speaker! In 1996, Vajpayee formed a minority government which continued for 13 days. In a thunderous speech, he announced his resignation in the parliament. "You want to run the country. It's a very good thing. Our congratulations are with you. We will be completely involved in the service of our country. We bow down to the strength of majority and we assure you that till the time the work that we started with our bare hands in national interest is not completed, we shall not rest. Respected speaker, I am going to the President to tender my resignation." Speech in parliament on the confidence motion When I came to the parliament for the first time, Nehruji was the PM. For many years I saw him working. I used to sit in the opposition benches, at the back. At that time the party strength used to be low. The memories of those days have not faded yetBJP slowly increasing its strength and the impact became the main opposition party and today has emerged as the largest party after the election. This change is not sudden. On Nehru and the role of opposition in a democracy "My friends in Congress may not believe this. In South Block, a picture of Nehru used to be hung on a wall. I used to see it while passing through. An argument with Nehruji was common. I was new, used to sit at the back. Sometimes, just to speak, I had to stage a walkout. Slowly, I progressed and carved space for myself. When I became the foreign minister, I noticed one day, the picture of Nehruji is no longer there. I asked, where did the picture go? There was no answer. The picture reappeared soon." On December 24, 1999, Indian Airlines flight IC814 from Kathmandu, Nepal to New Delhi was hijacked by Pakistan-based terror group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. The hijack situation lasted for seven days, touching four countries and ended when the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government was forced to release three terrorists to save the lives of 176 passengers and 15 crew members on board. LIVE updates: BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee dies at 93, PM Narendra Modi calls it 'end of an era' Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh escorted the terroristsMasood Azhar, Omar Saeed Sheikh and Mushtak Ahmad Zargarto Kandahar, where the final negotiations were held. Azhar went on to establish the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in 2000 which was held responsible for the 2001 Parliament attack, while Sheikh allegedly played a role in planning the 9/11 terror attacks. Vajpayee, prime minister at the time, was criticised for the way the crisis was handled. Critics accused his government of compromising with terrorists. The Congress party also demanded an unconditional apology from Vajpayee for having aided anti-Indian elements. According to a report by The Hindu, the Congress also said that the BJPs soft approach laid the foundation of terrorism not only in India but the world. Former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) AS Dulat said there was a goof-up in the Kandahar hijack response by the government. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah did not want to release the militants in exchange for the safety of hostages, according to Dulat. The aircraft was hijacked at 5.30 pm IST and was first landed in Amritsar due to lack of fuel. The government could have taken the decision to immobilise the aircraft but was struck with paralysis at that point. IC-814 then flew to Lahore and then to Dubai, where 27 of the 176 passengers were released but one of them was stabbed to death. India was declined help from the West, from the UAE government and Pakistan government during as the hijacking situation unfolded. Vajpayee had convened an all-party meeting in which Manmohan Singh had participated as the Leader of Opposition. Former external affairs minister Jaswant Singh said it was a national decision and not a single party one. Observers believe that the partys hands were tied and there was no other outcome at that point. Vajpayee did not have an option other than giving in to the demands of the terrorists. To further complicate matters, the hijack was being played out in the land of Taliban and the hideout of terrorist Osama bin Laden. When the pilots, the crew and civilians returned to New Delhi, thousands gathered to welcome them at the airport. Some also suggest that the country would have erupted in anger if Vajpayee had sacrificed an innocent life. Representative image India has agreed to support the Afghan government in construction of the Shahtoot dam during the second meeting of Joint Working Group on Development Cooperation (JWG-DC). As reported by The Economic Times, Pakistan always had reservations about India helping rebuild Afghanistan and this move is likely to be met with stiff resistance from Pakistan. Islamabad claims that this dam will restrict the flow of water to Pakistan. The Kabul river originates from Sanghlak Range of Hindu Kush mountain and flows in Afghanistan through Kabul, Surobi and Jalalabad before it enters into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. New Delhi had previously helped build the Salma dam at Herat Province in western Afghanistan two years ago. Pakistan has also been asking Afghanistan to sign a bilateral treaty onsharing water from the river Kabul and its tributaries. However, theyhave not received a positive reply from the Afghan government on this matter. Afghan government officials expressed their reluctance towards this treaty because they feel that it may act as a hindrance in their plan to build irrigation and hydro-electric projects on the Kabul river basinin future. August 25, 2018 / 03:37 PM IST Requirements listed by CMO Kerala: Social Welfare Department has an urgent requirement of approximately 5000 pieces of wheelchairs, crutches and hearing aids each to support its efforts across Kerala. Kudumbasree needs over 40,000 volunteers, 20,000 pairs of Gumboots and 22,000 pairs of Gloves for its efforts in Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Thrissur and Wayanad districts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after visiting former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in New Delhi on Thursday, August 16, 2018. Vajpayee's condition is critical and he continues to be on an advanced life-support system. (PTI) In this file photo dated March 27, 2015, is seen former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence, in New Delhi. As per AIIMS authorities, Vajpayee's condition has worsened over past 24 hours and he is now on life support. (PTI) Rescue officials assist villagers out of a flooded area following heavy monsoon rainfall, near Kochi. (PTI) An aerial view of Derisanamcope following flash floods, triggered by heavy rain, in Nagercoil, in Kerala. (PTI) Rescue operations underway as tourists get stranded at a picnic spot in Sultan Garh Waterfalls after water level increased due to a sudden release from a dam in Shivpuri in Kerala. (PTI) People sit on the beach by the Promenade des Anglais looking at the first fireworks since July 14, 2016 truck attack, in Nice, France. (Reuters) Children pose for a photo on a giant waterlily leaf during an annual leaf-sitting event in Taipei, Taiwan. (Reuters) A demonstrator stands near a burning roadblock during student protests over public transportation fare increases, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. (Reuters) Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee died at the age of 93 after prolonged illness. He breathed his last at the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on August 16. Vajpayee was admitted in June for a routine check-up and was diagnosed with urinary tract infection. ALSO READ: Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee dies at 93 On Wednesday, the hospital had said in a medical bulletin that Vajpayee's condition had worsened over the last 24 hours. The hospital added that the visionary leader's condition was critical and that he was put on life support. A string of leaders condoled the demise of the revered leader on social media soon after the announcement was made. LIVE updates: BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee dies at 93, PM Narendra Modi calls it 'end of an era' Extremely sad to hear of the passing of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, our former Prime Minister and a true Indian statesman. His leadership, foresight, maturity and eloquence put him in a league of his own. Atalji, the Gentle Giant, will be missed by one and all #PresidentKovind President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 16, 2018 President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted, "Extremely sad to hear of the passing of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, our former Prime Minister and a true Indian statesman. His leadership, foresight, maturity and eloquence put him in a league of his own. Atalji, the Gentle Giant, will be missed by one and all." Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "India grieves the demise of our beloved Atal Ji. His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP Karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness. Om Shanti." India grieves the demise of our beloved Atal Ji. His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP Karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness. Om Shanti. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2018 "It was Atal Ji's exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century. His futuristic policies across various sectors touched the lives of each and every citizen of India," Modi said in another tweet. "Atal Ji's passing away is a personal and irreplaceable loss for me. I have countless fond memories with him. He was an inspiration to Karyakartas like me. I will particularly remember his sharp intellect and outstanding wit," he added. "It was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atal Ji that the BJP was built brick by brick. He travelled across the length and breadth of India to spread the BJP's message, which led to the BJP becoming a strong force in our national polity and in several states," the prime minister tweeted. SLIDESHOW: Atal Bihari Vajpayee's life in pictures: A poet, a visionary and an inspiring leader Today India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family & all his admirers. We will miss him. #AtalBihariVajpayee Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 16, 2018 Congress President Rahul Gandhi said, "Today India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family & all his admirers. We will miss him." ALSO READ | Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 13-day term: The shortest PM stint in India's history Earlier on Thursday, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted a few lines from one of Vajpayees poems on death. " " ! " ? -, , , , ?" Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 16, 2018 Filmmaker Muzaffar Ali told ANI earlier, "My prayers are with him, his presence is a great power to our democracy. He is a large-hearted person. Even if I opposed him, he was very dignified about it which speaks volume. He is very generous & very forthcoming." Ali had fought Lok Sabha elections against Vajpayee and had lost by 2.5 lakh votes. Atal Bihari Vajpayee | On August 16, India's most revolutionary politician and its first non-Congress prime minister breathed his last after prolonged illness. Vajpayee, who was 93, is known for the Pokhran nuclear tests conducted in 1998, which made India a nuclear-armed nation. The Congress in Gujarat remembered today former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a "statesman" who had adviced the then chief minister Narendra Modi to follow "rajdharma" during the 2002 communal riots. Vajpayee died at the AIIMS hospital in Delhi this evening at 93 following prolonged illness. "Vajpayee was a tall leader. He was a personality who can advice his party colleague to follow 'rajdharma'. He was a person who while being in the Opposition, could praise prime minister Indira Gandhi," said Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani. Gujarat unit Congress president Amit Chavda said the country has lost a father figure who always worked to ensure that 'rajdharma' (duty of rulers) was adhered to. In his autobiography, former President Pranab Mukherjee wrote that the Gujarat riots were "possibly the biggest blot" on the Vajpayee's government that could have cost the BJP the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. Vajpayee had contested and won Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat in 1996. He was also instrumental in ensuring a patch-up between the then chief minister Keshubhai Patel and BJP leader Shankersinh Vaghela who had rebelled in 1996. As prime minister, Vajpayee had visited the riot-hit Gujarat in the first week of April 2002 and gone to the camps housing the victims of riots. He later told a press conference at the city airport that an elected chief minister should follow his 'rajdharma'. The then Chief minister and incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was sitting beside Vajpayee, then told the latter that he was indeed following his "rajdharma". In his reply to Modi, Vajpayee had said, "Mujhe vishwash hai ke Modiji bhi wohi kar rahe hai," (I am confident that Modi is doing that). In his long political innings, Vajpayee had visited Gujarat, which had earned the tag of the laboratory of Hindutva, on many occasions. Vaghela, who had served as the president of the Gujajart BJP unit in 1990s, recalled today the simplicity of Vajpayee who used to visit BJP leaders during the formative years of the saffron party. Vaghela, who had represented Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in 1989, said the BJP wanted a safe seat for Vajpayee, who eventually contested from Gandhinagar in 1996 and won. Vaghela, a former chief minister, also claimed it was was Vajpayee who came to meet him after he broke away from the BJP in 1996, and asked him to rejoin the party. "However, some elements in the BJP and the VHP had opposed Vajpayee for allowing me to return to the BJP fold and blocked passage of his car in Gandhinagar," Vaghela claimed. He said Vajpayee was a politician of a different league "who was a core Hindu sans any malice for Muslims and Christians". Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on Thursday, 16 August at Delhis AIIMS hospital after fighting a month-long battle with kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. Vajpayee was one of the most celebrated and liked figures of the Bhartiya Janta Party. The former Prime Minister was at the helm of the current ruling party for several decades and was responsible for shaping the party in what it has become today. From conducting the first nuclear test in the country to recording a landmark six percent growth in GDP back in 2002-03, Vajpayee became the quintessential household figure by the turn of the millennium. Here are 10 lesser known facts about him: > The leader: He is the only Indian Prime Minister to serve three terms- first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months from 1998 to 1999 and finally a full five-year term from 1999 to 2004. He was the first non-congress Prime Minister to serve the full five-year term. > A bold prediction: In his maiden Lok Sabha speech in 1957, Vajpayee earned the laurels of senior parliamentary leaders including then PM Jawaharlal Nehru who said, "One day this young man will become the Prime Minister of India." > A freedom fighter: Vajpayee and his elder brother Prem participated in the Quit India Movement and were even incarcerated for 23 days. They were released after submitting a written undertaking, stating that they would not participate in the anti-British struggle, a promise that the brothers kept. > A veteran politician: Vajpayee was a member of the Indian Parliament for over four decades, as he was elected to the Lok Sabha, the lower house, ten times, and twice for the Rajya Sabha, the upper house. > The Pracharak: Babasaheb Apte inspired him to join RSS in 1939. He attended the Officers Training Camp of the RSS during 194044 and became a "full-time worker" in 1947. > His tryst with journalism: As a prolific writer, he worked for newspapers of Deendayal Upadhyaya, Rashtradharma (a Hindi monthly), Panchjanya (a Hindi weekly) and the dailies Swadesh and Veer Arjun. > The orator: In 1977, as the external minister, Vajpayee became the first person to deliver a speech in Hindi at the United Nations General Assembly. > He and his father went to the same Law College (DAV College in Kanpur) together for their Law studies and they even shared the same hostel room. > The good politician: Vajpayee's birthday, 25 December, is celebrated as Good Governance Day. > The UPA Government in July 2013 admitted before the Supreme Court that NDA Government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee has developed half the roads in last 32 years in their 5-year term. Representative image Congress workers and Dewas Daily Up Downers Association protest of playing a flute before a buffalo proved to be a costly affair, as the buffalo turned violent and injured a few protesters. This resulted in a chaotic situation as the protesters ran to save their lives from the buffalo. As per a report in The Times of India, the commuters and Congress functionaries were protesting against the delay in grant of approval by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government for operating an inter-city bus service between Indore and Dewas. The buffalo was garlanded by protesters, who then began playing flute. The protesters and the passers-by were enjoying the scene, however, the buffalo did not enjoy this act and turned violent. As the protesters ran helter-skelter, the cattle hit a few Congressmen, who were then given first-aid. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, as confirmed by a local Congress functionary. We were left with no option but to highlight to the public how the government was being indifferent to the long-pending public demand, said Manoj Rajani, Congress President of Dewas district. This was not the first protest of the Congress workers and members of the Daily Up Downers Associations. For the past two weeks, the agitators have been pressurising the authorities to expedite the work of plying buses between Dewas and Indore. The state government has approved the project to run intercity buses between the two cities for daily commuters and that the project will be implemented soon confirmed Mayor Subhas Sharma. He also added that the authorities have completed the mandatory procedures such as permits, work order, bus stands and other arrangements are needed for plying buses and these processes take time. The School Board recently tallied their score on each superintendent candidate on a scale of 0-5. If my math is correct, the most a candidate could receive was the score of 45. Dr. Justin Robertson received a 43 out of a perfect 45 as the School Boards choice for superintendent of Hamilton County Schools. The next highest candidate scored 28.5. Lets dont overthink ... (click for more) HALLOWEEN ONE LINERS For Halloween we dressed up as almonds. Everyone could tell we were nuts. The lesson of Halloween is that pretending to be something you're not may get you elected. I remember when Halloween was the scariest night of the year. Now, it's Election night. I want to be something really scary for Halloween so I'm dressing up as a phone with a battery ... (click for more) August 17, 2018 / 08:34 PM IST China on Friday paid homage to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, describing him as an outstanding politician who made path-breaking contributions to the development of bilateral relations. Vajpayee is an outstanding politician in India and has made path-breaking contributions to the development of Sino-Indian relations, the foreign ministry said in a statement. The Chinese side expressed deep condolences over his death to the Indian government and people and to the relatives of Vajpayee, the ministry said in the statement to PTI. Premier Li Keqiang has sent a condolence message, the ministry said. Vajpayee visited China in 2003 during which the two countries set up the Special Representative mechanism to resolve the boundary dispute. Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today rushed to New Delhi on hearing the news that the former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who has been admitted to AIIMS, is in a critical condition. Before his departure, Kumar, who had served as a cabinet minister under Vajpayees Prime Ministership, issued a statement wherein he called the nonagenarian "a guardian...whose affection and guidance I have always received and from whom I have learnt the finer points of public life." "I pray for his early recovery," he said. The chief minister had visited AIIMS in June this year to enquire about the well-being of the ailing stalwart. Sources in the state BJP headquarters here said that all party functions for the day have been cancelled in view of top leaders leaving for New Delhi to meet the BJP veteran. Among those who are said to be leaving for the national capital are Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, state BJP president Nityanand Rai and former state party chief and minister Mangal Pandey. The BJP leaders, talking to media separately, recalled Vajpayees deep association with Bihar and expressed their wish to see the former Prime Minister fully recovered. The Asian rout | The continents 128 billionaires lost $144 billion in 2018. The top three losers were from China, with Wanda Groups Wang Jianlin losing $11.1 billion this year. Close to 40 percent of the Asians under the index, lost their billionaire status as of December 7. (Image: Reuters) Jabin T Jacob Today, the Chinese portray the 15th-century voyages to the Indian Ocean by their admiral, Zheng He, as aimed at promoting diplomacy and trade. But the record shows that these expeditionary voyages by the Ming dynasty navy would not just offer gifts to local leaders and religious and other institutions along their route, but also allow the Chinese to involve themselves in local politics. In one case, in Sri Lanka, Zheng even effected a regime change. History has been repeating itself in the modern era with China throwing its support behind then Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksas in his fight against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), his economic development programmes and then his re-election effort in 2015. Following his loss, however, Beijing slowly warmed up to his successor Maithripala Sirisena, and recently announced a gift of USD 295 million to be utilised for any project of the latters wish. Of course, in the background also lies the transfer of Hambantota port in Sri Lankas south along with 15,000 acres around it on a 99-year lease to the Chinese company operating the port by way of Colombo meeting its debt obligations incurred under Rajapaksa. This had occasioned protests against the Chinese and the Sri Lankan government. Hambantota and other Chinese infrastructure projects in South Asia come under the rubric of Beijings Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). And if Chinas record is anything to go by, South Asian economies are walking into debt traps by participating in the BRI. As Sri Lanka has discovered, Chinese infrastructure development does not come free or even cheap. Even Pakistani politicians and intellectuals have frequently raised questions about the terms of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. In November 2017, Pakistan turned down the idea of including the Diamer-Bhasha dam in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the CPEC because as a Pakistani official put it, Chinas conditions for funding were not doable and against our interests. This followed Nepals termination of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a Chinese company for the joint construction of the $2.5 billion 1,200MW Budhigandaki Hydroelectric Project. The then Nepalese deputy prime minister declared the agreement was marred by irregularities. Meanwhile, in January this year, the Bangladesh government blacklisted the Chinese company that had been awarded the Dhaka-Sylhet road expansion project for attempting to bribe local officials. India has stridently opposed the BRI for a variety of reasons. These range from the violation of its sovereignty in PoK with the CPEC to the lack of transparency and accountability in the terms of the Chinese contracts, and their questionable environmental and labour standards and practices. While New Delhi is correct in raising these and other security-related concerns about the increasing Chinese presence in South Asia, it has also been doing this for too long without either offering credible alternatives to its smaller neighbours, including Pakistan, or even seeking to place its bilateral relations on a more stable, friendlier footing. The Indian fuel blockade against Nepal in 2015, for instance, appears to have fundamentally changed the mood in that country against India with all parties clear that any kind of dependence on India is unsustainable. The Chinese have nimbly stepped into the breach starting with offering Nepal among other things, an alternative Internet gateway and a new police training academy but also now using Tibet as the channel through which the BRI will connect with Nepal. The economic integration of South Asia has so far been a failure because India as the central player both in terms of geographic location and size of economy has failed to take leadership, and make the necessary concessions to persuade, cajole or incentivise its neighbours. Today with the BRI, however, China, which is not even a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) looks to knit the economies of South Asia together minus India and to reorient them away from their larger neighbour. When complaints are raised against the BRI, meanwhile, Beijing is quick to publicly offer to renegotiate terms as it has with Imran Khans government or to offer sweeteners as it did to Sirisena. While some of these announcements might not amount to much, Chinese confidence stems from the fact that its biggest challenger, India, is known in the rest of the region more for its big brotherly attitude and the lack of synergy and capacity to implement its promises. New Delhi, therefore, needs to reconsider its attitude towards its smaller neighbours and start walking the talk. Jabin T Jacob is a China analyst based in New Delhi. He tweets @jabinjacobt. The views expressed are personal Shekhar Iyer For a political stalwart gifted with great eloquence in public, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was either a man of few words or a great charmer if he chose to be, in interactions with journalists. In fact, my first interaction with him way back in the 1980s was an interesting revelation. I had called up his house one late evening, hoping to reach his staff to fix an interview with him or at least get his views on a particular subject. I didnt know that Vajpayee picked the phone himself (as was his practice once his aides left for the day). As I insisted that I speak to his aides for time, Vajpayee said with a chuckle, Why, would you not speak to me when I am on the line?! For a moment, I was lost for words to realise that Vajpayee was on the other end. For the next few minutes, Vajpayee was at his playful best wanting to know why his views were so important as to be chronicled. No wonder, Vajpayee remained any journalists delight: he could give great copy whether he was the leader of the opposition or even when he became the prime minister. Vajpayee loved the medias craze to unravel him and peel him layer by layer to fathom his mind. He could fend off such attempts by enigmatic one-liners on any subject ranging from his differences with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwarts including his close companion Lal Krishna Advani (with whom he shared a unique relationship spread over more than half a century) to complex issues that bedevilled his tenure as head of a BJP-led coalition which ruled between 1998 and 2004. But through the turmoils he faced, Vajpayee remained always dignified in private and in public, often preferring silence to allow others to interpret him the way they chose. Vajpayee knew that he was the most acceptable face of the BJP in terms of mass popularity. But he also knew that without the BJP, he was just Vajpayee. Vajpayee did not take part in the Ayodhya agitation. When journalists asked him whether he thought he was the wrong man in the right party, Vajpayee would appear to explain his dilemma with a simple counter query, jayein to jayein kahan? (If I want to go, where should I go?). On one occasion, Vajpayee chose to remind us that he needed no lessons from anyone on the RSS-BJP ideology recalling the fact that he was the first editor of Sangh mouthpiece, Panchjanya. But he was also very candid to declare that his views had undergone change from a hardliner to a moderate leader because of his experiences and understanding of the countrys ills. Old timers in the Sangh recalled the days when Vajpayee spoke like any other RSS leader. In a debate in the Lok Sabha in the 1970s, Vajpayee did not mince words with a statement that for 900 years, Hindus have tolerated Muslim domination, but now they will not. But in his later years, Vajpayee mellowed down and allowed both the BJP and the RSS to build his image as a moderate face and that of Advani as a hard-liner. However, when a Sangh ideologue like KN Govindacharya called him a mask, Vajpayee was livid. Vajpayee believed in fate and destiny and never gave an impression that he was ambitious. Everything happens for the good, was Vajpayees standard response even when his 13-day government in 1996 folded up for want of numbers in the Lok Sabha. It was a terrible loss of face. Also Read: Live updates as India bids adieu to a great leader In 1998, when Vajpayee was again sworn-in as the PM of a BJP-led coalition he would remind his colleagues of those words again. But as his government fumbled its way through the international fallout from India's nuclear tests in May 1998, an economic crisis, attacks on Christians in Gujarats Dang district, Jayalalithaas departure from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), followed by fresh elections and an open opposition from the Sangh parivar to the first NDA governments reforms, Vajpayee chose either silence or spoke through his favourite political aide and parliamentary affairs minister Pramod Mahajan. His interactions with journalists were limited to occasions like the New Year or Diwali Milan. To pointed questions, Vajpayee would confine himself to enjoying his dessert with three liners: lets debate it, there should be a consensus, or we hope to find a solution. Bragging was alien to him in private or in public. So was his anger, but he had a way to convey his angst. In June 2003, when Vajpayee was out of the country, Venkaiah Naidu, who was then the BJP president, told the press that the 2004 Lok Sabha election would be led by not just Vajpayee but also Advani. He described Vajpayee as the vikas purush (development man) and Advani as the loh purush (iron man). When Vajpayee returned home, he told an audience that had gathered at his official residence that while he was neither tired nor retired, but under Advani's leadership, the party will march towards victory (in the next election). The BJP had to do a lot of firefighting to quell the impression that it was letting Vajpayee rest his oars. Also Read: Vajpayee's life in pics: A poet, a visionary and an inspiring leader Later when he went abroad again, Vajpayee commented that there are several former prime ministers in our country and soon another one will be added to the list. But whatever I do, I will do it with dignity. Vajpayee remained committed on that count till his health gave away pushing him to even more eloquence silence. rahul gandhi Congress president Rahul Gandhi spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi today and requested him to increase the deployment of Army and Navy in flood-hit Kerala and give special financial assistance to the state. Gandhi spoke to the prime minister over phone and announced it on Twitter. He noted that the tragedy is unparalleled in Kerala's history and the state is in "great pain". Expressing concern over the flood situation in Kerala, he took to Twitter to make a fervent appeal to people for help by contributing to the chief minister's relief fund. He tagged the link of the chief minister's relief fund to his tweet asking people to contribute, and said "it is time to step up and help". "Kerala is in great pain. I spoke to PM and requested him to massively increase deployment of the Army and Navy. I also said that it is critical that he gives the state special financial assistance as this is a tragedy without parallel in Kerala's history," he said on Twitter. "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. It's time to step up & help. Please contribute generously to the CM's relief fund (sic)," he had in another tweet. The death toll in the current phase of monsoon fury in the southern state has touched 72. Rise in flood waters in Periyar River due to the rains and opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir, and Idamalayar, have severely affected lives of people in downstream areas. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan once again called up Prime Minister Modi and apprised him of the flood situation in the state. The state has also sought the services of additional Army personnel and helicopters and the prime minister has assured all help, Vijayan said. Kochi Metro suspended operations this morning after flood waters entered the Muttom yard near Aluva and train services have been affected in various parts of the state with cancellation of many passenger trains and partial cancellation of some long distance train. Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The former Prime Minister and a BJP stalwart passed away in August, 2018. Although out of active politics for some time now, Vajpayee was a 12-time Parliamentarian. Ramakrishna Upadhya When the state of Emergency was declared in India on the night of June 25, 1975, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, along with LK Advani, Madhu Dandavate and SN Mishra, was in Bangalore (Bengaluru) as part of a parliamentary delegation visiting public sector units. Madhu Dandavate was put up at the Ashok Hotel, while the other three preferred to stay at the more mundane legislators home, close to the state secretariat, Vidhana Soudha. The next morning, while Mishra was still busy doing yoga in his room, Vajpayee and Advani came down to the first floor to have their breakfast, where they were met by young ABVP activists, Dattatreya Hosabale and PGR Sindhia, among others. Even before breakfast was served, deputy commissioner of police Srinivasulu landed up with a posse of policemen. By then, Mishra also had joined the table. Srinivasulu politely told the gentlemen that an Emergency had been declared and he had been given orders to arrest and send them to the Central jail. He said he had a jeep waiting for them downstairs. Mishra immediately flared up and asked the police officer to show the arrest warrant. Srinivasulu told him it was only an oral order and he had to carry it out. A cool and composed Vajpayee then said: Ab tho hame mamaji ke ghar jaana padega (Now we will have to go to uncle's house) Narrating the above incident, Dattatreya Hosabale, who is currently the Joint General Secretary of RSS and No 3 in the organisations hierarchy, told Moneycontrol: Advani ji asked us to contact PTI and UNI (the news agencies) and confirm the news of Emergency. Those days, a trunk call had to be booked to speak to Delhi Meanwhile, Advani ji wanted to issue a statement to UNI condemning the Emergency. Hosabale recalled Vajpayees prophetic remark right then: Aap ka statement kaun chhapegaPress freedom bhi nahi hoga. (Who will print your statement...there will be no press freedom either). Within a few days of being incarcerated, along with Advani, Dandavate, Ramakrishna Hegde, Deve Gowda, Lawrence Fernandes (George Fernandes brother) and others, Vajpayee fell seriously ill in jail. He was shifted to the government Victoria Hospital. Vajpayee then suffered from an ulcer and a kidney problem, but the doctors soon discovered that he needed to undergo appendicitis operation immediately. Dr Srinivasa Gowda, a pathologist who was one of the doctors who attended on Vajpayee, recalled: He had developed retrocaecal, which meant that appendix was not in its normal position. It was not a major operation and Vajpayee ji recovered quickly. But he continued to suffer from high temperature for the next 4-5 days. Vajpayee asked Dr Gowda to find out whether the hospital authorities could contact the then Karnataka chief minister Devaraj Urs and arrange for him to be shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, for further treatment. They have been treating me for the last 3-4 decades and they know my medical history, Vajpayee said. Dr Gowda recalled that Devaraj Urs, who was very close to Indira Gandhi, had not used highhandedness against the political opponents jailed in Karnataka. He said within a matter of hours, Urs arranged for flying Vajpayee to AIIMS, and after his recovery there, he was shifted to a jail in Rohtak, Haryana. Dr Gowda said, within half an hour of Vajpayee being airborne, he got the microbiological report saying he had contracted malaria. I informed the doctors at AIIMS about the medial report and they were thankful that they could quickly begin treatment rather than subjecting Vajpayee ji to further investigation. Political activists S Suresh Kumar, V Nagaraj and K Narahari, who were among those who spent jail terms along with other national leaders, recalled that there was a lot of bonhomie among the inhabitants, though they came from different political backgrounds. There used to be intense political debates, but never acrimonious. We were able to understand each others point of view better and this perhaps helped the opposition leaders to come together and form the Janata Party soon after the Emergency was lifted, said Suresh Kumar, currently a former minister and BJP MLA. Giving a glimpse of another dimension of Vajpayee as a parliamentarian, veteran journalist and now Chairman of Prasar Bharati, A Surya Prakash, recalled: In the early 1980s, when I was covering Parliament, Vajpayee used to walk with me after the Lok Sabha got over, discussing the days proceedings and other developments, till I reached the bus stand to go Indian Express, my office. Vajpayee generally preferred to walk to his home at 7, Tuglaq Marg. After Vajpayee had become prime minister, Surya Prakash had written something critical in the paper about the government. Vajpayee accosted him at the Central Hall, and merely said: Aapne kya likha hai, mujhe samaj nahi laga (What have you written, I could not understand). In hindsight, Surya Prakash recalls, that he too was unconvinced about his own writing! That was Vajpayee, who mingled with the people, and who could disarm his own critics in a gentle way. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who died at 93 at AIIMs (New Delhi) on August 16 after prolonged illness, will go down in the history books as one of India's most prolific leaders. His visionary leadership skills helped India develop and make a mark on the world stage. Read on for some of the most remarkable quotes of the former prime minister. (Image: Network 18) September 25, 2003 - New York | Poverty is multidimensional. It extends beyond money incomes to education, health care, political participation and advancement of ones own culture and social organisation. Vajpayee said this when he addressed the 58th United Nations General Assembly. He was speaking on how globalisation can help alleviate poverty. (Image: Reuters) January 2004 | If you do not like anything in a particular book, then sit and discuss it. Banning a book is not a solution. We have to tackle it ideologically. Vajpayee said, adding that he did not approve of the ban on Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India by American writer James Laine. (Image: Reuters) September 25, 2003, New York | "The UN's unique legitimacy flows from a universal perception that it pursues a larger purpose than the interests of one country or a small group of countries." Vajpayee said this when he addressed the 58th United Nations General Assembly session (Image: Reuters) October 2002 | People who ask us when we will hold talks with Pakistan are perhaps not aware that over the last 55 years, every initiative for a dialogue with Pakistan has invariably come from India. Vajpayee had told this to a newspaper in an interview. (Image: Reuters) April 2003 | Quiet diplomacy is far more effective than public posturing. Vajpayee said on Indias stance on Iraq. (Image: Reuters) September 25, 2003, New York | Global interdependence today means that economic disasters in developing countries could create a backlash on developed countries. Vajpayee said this when he addressed the 58th United Nations General Assembly session (Image: Reuters) May 2003 | You can change friends but not neighbours. Vajpayee had said this in context of the Agra Summit before the Lok Sabha session. He had asserted that if Pakistan and India have to co-exist, they will have to do so as friends otherwise they will only be the butt of ridicule world-over. (Image: Reuters) (Image: @ChrisPaetkau) Much like Home Alone 2, where Kevin McCallister inadvertently boarded a wrong plane to New York, a man from Winnipeg, Canada, ended up taking the longest flight of his life after boarding a wrong flight. Filmmaker and wildlife photographer Christopher Paetkau intended to travel to Inuvik from Yellowknife, but an airport staff botch-up landed him on Iqaluit, 2,260 km in the other direction of his intended destination. Paetkau, who was set to board a First Air flight Sunday morning, said that the computers in the airline booth at the Yellowknife airport were down, and the staff had to feed ticket information manually. After his ticket was checked, he was directed to the tarmac where the confusion happened, according to a report in CBC. "I'm standing at Gate 4 and I see there were three aeroplanes that are sitting out there on the tarmac, and also three boarding calls happening simultaneously pretty much at Gate 4, and they're all final calls," he said. Uncertain whether he boarded the correct flight, Paetkau confirmed it with a flight attendant who reportedly responded to his "Is this flight going to Inuvik?" question with a 'yeah eventually.' The blunder came to the forefront only after Paetkau asked for another flight. The woman who told me that we'd be arriving in Inuvik eventually, she felt horrible. She was like, Oh my God I didnt take you seriously, like, I thought you were joking, he told CBC. Paetkau stated that despite the mix-up, the crew, as well as the airline, did everything they could to help him. "[The flight attendant] and I became basically buds. We were in the air for like 14 hours, longest flight of my life, longer than any international flight I've ever done," he said. (Image: @ChrisPaetkau) The Asian rout | The continents 128 billionaires lost $144 billion in 2018. The top three losers were from China, with Wanda Groups Wang Jianlin losing $11.1 billion this year. Close to 40 percent of the Asians under the index, lost their billionaire status as of December 7. (Image: Reuters) China's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the country does not allow Chinese firms to engage in activities that violate United Nations Security Council resolutions on North Korea. China opposes other countries implementing unilateral sanctions, the ministry said, responding to the United States imposing sanctions on a Russian port service agency and Chinese firms for aiding North Korean ships and selling alcohol and tobacco to North Korea. US President Donald Trump has acted on a threat to revoke the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, citing a constitutional responsibility to protect classified information. Brennan, who served in the Obama administration, had become an increasingly sharp critic of Trump's. Trump says he is reviewing security clearances for nine other individuals. Some have been publicly critical of the president, while others are linked to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference, which Trump calls "a witch hunt." A look at the 10 individuals: John Brennan In a written statement, Trump cited "erratic conduct and behavior" by President Barack Obama's CIA director as justification for revoking Brennan's security clearance. Trump also accused Brennan of "lying" and "wild outbursts." At a news conference last month in Finland, Trump stood alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and openly questioned US intelligence agencies' conclusions that Moscow tried to influence the 2016 election in his favor. Afterward, Brennan criticised Trump's performance as "nothing short of treasonous" and accused him of being "wholly in the pocket of Putin." On Wednesday, Brennan tweeted a response to Trump's decision to revoke his security clearance: "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." James Clapper Clapper served Obama as director of national intelligence and has held key positions in the U.S. intelligence community. He has been critical of Trump and told CNN on Wednesday that he has no plans to stop speaking out when he's asked for his views on the Trump administration. "If they're saying that the only way I can speak is to be in an adulation mode of this president, I'm sorry. I don't think I can sign up to that," Clapper said. James Comey Trump fired Comey from his post as FBI director in May 2017 over the bureau's Russia investigation. Comey had also announced in July 2016 that the FBI would not recommend charges against Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton for her email practices as Obama's secretary of state. Trump believes the investigation was handled unfairly because of what he alleges is political bias against him at the FBI. Comey does not have a security clearance; Trump said Comey may not be able to have it reinstated. On Wednesday, Comey tweeted a statement that said, in part: "Once again this president is 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." Michael Hayden The veteran U.S. intelligence official is a former director of the National Security Agency, principal deputy director of national intelligence and a past CIA director. He's also been critical of the president. Hayden said last month when the White House first issued the security clearance threat that losing it wouldn't affect what he says or writes. He published a book this year called "The Assault on Intelligence: American National Security in an Age of Lies." Ally Yates Trump fired Yates early in 2017 after she refused to enforce the new president's ban on travel to the U.S. by residents of several mostly Muslim countries. Yates served in the Obama administration and had agreed to stay in the job under Trump. She also had informed the White House that Michael Flynn, Trump's first national security adviser, was potentially compromised because of his contacts with Russian officials. Trump allowed Flynn to keep his security clearance after Yates' disclosure but later fired Flynn, citing misstatements he said Flynn made to Vice President Mike Pence. Referring to Trump's summit with Putin, Yates tweeted, "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." Last December she tweeted, "The FBI is in "tatters"? No. The only thing in tatters is the President's respect for the rule of law." Susan Rice Rice was national security adviser during Obama's second term and has criticized Trump policies. She wrote an op-ed for The New York Times in July, saying the U.S. had "so much to lose and so little to gain" from the Trump-Putin summit a "given this very atypical US President," she added in a tweet. Andrew McCabe McCabe is a former FBI deputy director who led the investigation into Clinton's email practices. Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired McCabe this year after FBI disciplinary officials and the Justice Department concluded he hadn't been candid during an inspector general investigation. Trump has alleged bias in the email investigation because McCabe's wife, Jill, ran as a Democrat for the Virginia state Senate in 2015 and accepted a campaign contribution from a longtime Clinton ally. But McCabe didn't become involved in the Clinton probe until after his wife's bid for elected office. Peter Strzok The longtime FBI agent was recently fired from the bureau, his lawyer said this week. Strzok had worked on the Mueller investigation but was removed after anti-Trump text messages that Strzok exchanged with an FBI lawyer became public. Trump has used the text messages to buttress his claims that the FBI is biased against him. Strzok's lawyer, Aitan Goelman, said in a statement Wednesday that security clearances shouldn't be taken away as a means of "punishing people who have criticized the President, or coercing others into silence." He said by stripping Brennan's clearance and threatening others with the same fate, "the President has taken us down one more step on the path toward authoritarianism." Lisa Page Page is the former FBI lawyer who exchanged anti-Trump text messages with Strzok. Trump has begun referring to Page as the "lovely Lisa Page" in his tweets about the Russia investigation. Bruce Ohr The Justice Department official has come under Republican scrutiny for his contacts with Glenn Simpson, co-founder of Fusion GPS. The opposition research firm hired former British spy Christopher Steele during the 2016 US presidential campaign to compile a dossier of information on Trump and his ties to Russia. Ohr's wife, Nellie, worked for Fusion GPS during the campaign a a fact Trump has tweeted about in recent days to highlight his assertions of political bias as motivation for the Russia investigation. The Quebec government on Wednesday said it would invest C$863 million ($657.32 million) over five years to help mitigate the impact of US 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. nuclear_missile Radioactive isotopes, recently discovered in Australian sheep have almost "confirmed" that a mysterious double flash detected over the Indian Ocean, 39 years ago, was after all a nuclear explosion. The findings, published in a new study for Science and Global Security, reveal new evidence about the mysterious Vela Incident on September 22, 1979. Ever since the flash was first observed in the Marion and the Prince Edward Islands region, located within the South Indian Ocean by the US Vela 6911 satellite orbiting above the Earth in 1979, speculations have been rife that it was a result of a nuclear test conducted by Israel. The radiation tests for the study were carried out at a US lab, on the thyroid organs of sheep from the Southeastern region of Australia. Researchers have stated that the thyroid samples obtained from the sheep in Melbourne were sent to the US regularly for testing - on a monthly basis in the 1950s, 1979 and 1980s. It was concluded in the research that the unstable radioactive form of Iodine, iodine-131, found in the thyroids of some Australian sheep would be consistent with them having grazed in the path of a potential radioactive fallout plume from a low yield nuclear test in the Southern Indian Ocean. According to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists by the nuclear weapons expert at Stanford University Leonard Weiss, the new study "removes virtually all doubt that the 'flash' was a nuclear explosion." A Professor from Otago University at Wellington, Nick Wilson, shed some more light on the findings and said, The research adds to the evidence base that this was an illegal nuclear weapons test, very likely to have been conducted by Israel with assistance from the apartheid regime in South Africa. He further added that the tests violated the Limited Test Ban Treaty that was signed in 1963 and suggested the United Nations conduct a full inquiry. Discovery of a hydroacoustic signal from underground listening devices during that time points to another clue of nuclear testing being performed. Israels ambassador to New Zealand, Itzhak Gerberg, had dismissed these claims, stating,"simply a ridiculous assumption that does not hold water. The recent heatwave in Switzerland has thawed the snow, thereby uncovering a Second World War plane that had crashed 72 years ago. The crashed war plane was an American C-53 Skytrooper and commonly known as Dakota. As reported by The Telegraph, the military transport plane had crashed on November 18, 1946, due to a snowstorm while flying from Tulln in Austria to Pisa in Italy, thus forcing the pilots to crash land into the Guali Glacier in the Bernese Alps. Flying at a speed of 174mph, the plane was believed to have taken a detour via Munich, Strasbourg and Marseille. An emergency radio message alerted the Swiss ski soldiers who then rescued everyone on board five days after the crash. The survivors included eight passengers and four crew members. Because of the recent heatwave in Switzerland, the plane was revealed alongside debris such as wings, propellers, tin cans, hangers and spoons. A local owner of a nearby mountain hut was asked to keep a stern eye of the plane ensuring that its parts stay safe and are not stolen. The heatwave in Switzerland has put an emphasis on the growing temperatures in recent months. Certain parts of the country have experienced a rise of over 35 degrees Celsius, the hottest and driest summers since the first one recorded in 1864. With such a rise in temperatures, the scientists have warned about the disappearance of glaciers from the Swiss Alps by 2050, and the biggest glacier, Aletsch Glacier, by the end of the century. Australian Economic News Updates Enjoy a contrarian outlook on the Australian economy and how movements beyond our borders could affect your stocks, retirement fund or the value of your home. Go here for more. Daily Chinese Economy News Chinas economy has been a powerhouse in recent years. But times are a changing and China, for better or worse, is a subject of heated debate. Are there investment opportunities to be still had from China, and how will they affect your wealth at home? Find out here. US Economy News The US economy is drowning under the weight of its public and private debt. But is it too soon to call the end of this financial, military and political empire? Only time will tell. Either way, you need to make sure your investments are on the right side of the trade. Eurozone Economy The Eurozone is in a huge mess right now. Can it hold it together or will, one-by-one, member states leave the Euro and go at it on their own? More importantly, what consequences will this have for Australia and your investments? More on that here. Global Economy News Dont just follow the news on the global economy get an inside peek into whats happening in developed and emerging economies around the world and what it could mean for your investments. Go here for more. If you are concerned about global warming and are a fund investor, one thing you can do now is invest in a low-carbon mutual fund. By that, I'm not talking about devoting a small portion of your assets to a fund focused on renewable energy or green solutions, although I think that's a good idea, too. I'm talking about lowering the carbon risk in your core portfolio by investing in a diversified low-carbon large-cap stock fund. Morningstar made that easier than ever to accomplish last May when we began identifying low-carbon funds across the universe of open-end funds and exchange-traded funds. Based on Sustainalytics' innovative new company carbon-risk scores, funds earn the Morningstar Low Carbon Designation if the companies they hold exhibit low overall carbon risk and have lower-than-average exposure to companies with fossil-fuel involvement. The following is our latest Fund Analyst Report for Fidelity Select Health Care (FSPHX). Morningstar Premium Members have access to full analyst reports such as this for more than 1,000 of the largest and best mutual funds. Not a Premium Member? Gain full access to our analyst reports and advanced tools immediately when you try Morningstar Premium free for 14 days. Fidelity Select Health Care's experienced, knowledgeable manager, deep resources, distinctive process, and relatively low costs earn the fund a Morningstar Analyst Rating of Silver. Vancouver-based financial technology firm Progressa announced earlier this week that it has gained $84 million in its latest equity funding round spearheaded by Canaccord Genuity and Gravitas, along with Eight Capital and Paradigm Capital. This was less than 3 years after the company raised $11.4 million, after which it inaugurated its marketplace investor platform. The fintech venture said that it is looking at nearly $100 million of loan funding before the end of 2018. Progressa indicated plans to use the proceeds in the creation and launch of a forward-flow whole loan purchasing program (valued at up to $72 million) with credit fund Cypress Hills Partners, also based in Vancouver. A former JPMorgan Chase banker has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for selling customers personal information. Peter Persaud, a former personal banker at Chase, received the sentence after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft in connection with access device fraud, according to the US Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York. Prosecutors said that between 2011 and 2015, Persaud sold the personally identifying information and account information of bank customers to others, or used it himself in order to make unauthorized withdrawals from customer accounts. The fraud was exposed when Persaud sold customer information to a confidential informant in 2014 and an undercover law enforcement officer in 2015. He told the undercover officer that he had to take it easy because Chase might notice that he had accessed all the bank accounts that got hit by the fraud. Persaud offered to sell the officer account information for a customer account containing more than $180,000. When EDM and dubstep artist Max Hype takes over a venue, his energetic beats have the crowds moving waiting for the big drop. Hes whipped his fans into a frenzy for just more than a decade. And he plans to continue that, despite his recent announcement on Twitter. In early August, he revealed his two-year struggle with numbness and pain in his legs and feet. Damaged nerves have affected his ability to stand for lengthy periods of time or to walk up the stairs. But for him, the show must go on. Ive been to a lot of doctors and we still dont know whats going on, he said in a phone interview from his Nashville home. Thats been frustrating, but Ive been doing some intensive therapy and feeling a lot better. While he may opt to sit during his headlining set at Fridays Foam Party at La Hacienda Event Center, Hype is still planning to bring the noise. Its going to be tight and I call them peak hour sets. Its going to be good times with all the hardcore kids there, he said. While he has cut back on touring, not all of it was due to his health. Amid his therapy and supporting his 2018 release Nimbus, Hype also has been busy teaching through his Production with Protohype. This somewhat-quiet venture provides mentoring and education for people looking to hone their skills in music production and the industry. Thats been the main reason Ive taken off time, and now I teach full time online, he said. Im really enjoying it and Im not sure why, but Ive had a huge influx of students. The teaching thing really clicks for me. He credits that to his parents, who were teachers. As a musician, its become both a fulfilling gig and a paying one. IF YOU GO Protohype Foam Party with DLP, Hookz, Nax, DrumAndrew. 8 p.m. Friday at La Hacienda Event Center, 12600 State Highway 191. $25. haciendamidland.com. See More Collapse I dont have to stress so much about playing shows all the time because I can make money in other ways, he said. As a touring artist building up your name, you have to play every show to get your name out there. After more than 10 years of this, its nice to play when I want to because the school affords me that. The profound effect of his school has also shown up in his music, although fans may not notice. Hype wants to be the best at teaching about the industry, so for him that meant getting back to square one with his own music. To be at the level I want to be, I have to be on point with all these different aspects. Most producers are self-taught, but Ive had to really hone my skills, he said. The cool thing about teaching is the positive effect its had on my production and skills. Hype might be considered more of a composer, than say a DJ, which is often the label thrown on many electronic artists. He crafts his music specifically just as a classical musician may create a new work -- only Hype does it with a large number of electronic drums and bass with some vocals thrown in for good measure. My biggest strength is melodies and chords. Thats where I start. After coming through with that, Ill start writing the keys and come up with chords and stab ideas, Hype said. After all that, Ill do the drop, he said. For the uninitiated, the drop is that buildup of music -- especially electronic dance music -- that rises with momentum and tension only to be released at the climax when the beat drops the hardest with its rhythm and both the song and crowd are stirred up into a dance floor mania. The drop is a common element in the genre, and Hype wants to take that to different levels in his live show. Thats the most intuitive part but I also want to breathe new life into this music I love so much, he said. CHICAGO (AP) 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 (3,218-kilometer) 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. RELATED: New report shows how Mexican cartels are infiltrating Texas 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. RELATED: Jalisco New Generation Cartel reportedly makes new members eat flesh of victims 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." RELATED: The Brooklyn Bridge is stuck in a traffic nightmare because of infamous drug kingpin El Chapo 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." RELATED: Mexico sees 16 percent rise in murders in 1st half of 2018 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. ___ Writer Peter Orsi in Mexico City contributed to this article. ___ Follow Michael Tarm on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mtarm Morgan County Jacksonville Police ACCIDENTS Shelby L. Brewer, 22, of New Berlin was cited about 9:20 p.m. Tuesday after a two-vehicle accident at South Church Street and West Morton Avenue. Police said Brewers vehicle was turning right onto West Morton Avenue when it and a westbound vehicle being driven by a 17-year-old boy collided. ARRESTS, CITATIONS Jacob C. Wilson, 18, of 2102 Day Road was booked into the Morgan County jail at 6:56 p.m. Tuesday on charges of violating an order of protection and criminal damage to property. BURGLARIES, THEFTS About $90 was taken from a home in the 300 block of Anna Street, according to a report filed at 9:14 a.m. Wednesday Murrayville Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS David N. Lawson, 38, of 203 E. Michigan St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 7:34 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of criminal damage to property. Cass County Beardstown Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Daniel L. Perez, 23, of 1012 Washington St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 1:18 a.m. Wednesday on a charge of having no valid drivers license and on a warrant accusing him of failing to appear in court on a charge of driving while license is suspended. Compiled by Greg Olson and Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree We are not at loggerheads with ... Pine tree camouflaged cell tower proposal View Photos Sonora, CA The Tuolumne County Planning Commission wants to hear from the public on three projects including cell towers camouflaged as pine trees and a property zoning change for an outdoor camp. Regarding the two wireless cell towers, one is proposed in the Chinese Camp area and the other in the Groveland area. The latter would be located at 10470 Shawmut Road between Highway 49/120 and the Don Pedro Reservoir. Peek Site-Com, Inc. is asking for a Conditional Use Permit to construct a tower that would be a 102 plus foot stealth broadleaf wireless cell tower with a 5 foot branch crown. It would house up to 12 antennas and remote Radio Units making the total height around 107 feet. There would also be cabinets and fencing around the facility. The other tower proposed by AT&T for Epic Wireless would be constructed at 22560 Ferretti Road near Clement Road in the Groveland area. It would be a 103 foot stealth monopine wireless with a 7 foot branch crown. There would be 12 antennas and nine remote radio units for a final height of 110 feet. This facility would also accommodate up to two additional wireless service providers, up to 12 radio units, 2 microwave dishes, and up to 36 antennas. There would also be an outdoor equipment shelter, a 35kw emergency standby propane generator all within a fenced compound. Additionally in Groveland, the Tawonga Jewish Community Corporation that operates Camp Towanga on a 160 acre site on 31201 A Mather Road has applied for a zone swap. It would rezone 16.2 acres from general recreation to open space and 9.8 acres from open space to general recreation. The group has a multi-phased master plan to upgrade the camp for longer season and generate a 12 percent increase in capacity during the summer season. Both towers would bridge a significant communication coverage gap in both Chinese Camp and Groveland, according to county staff, that recommends approval of the towers and property zone change for the camp. Tonights meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Chambers on the 4th floor of the county administration center on 2 South Green Street in Sonora. Protecting Structures from Donnell Fire View Photos Sonora, CA As the flames from the Donnell Fire in the Stanislaus National Forest destroyed structures and the Ferguson Fire shut down parts of Yosemite, impacted Mother Lode businesses could get some help recovering their loses. That assistance may come in the form of an Economic Injury Disaster Loan Assistance Program through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), but some paperwork is required. Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority Director Larry Cope details, Were asking for them [business owners] to fill these forms out and submit them back to us. We will then submit them onto the state and SBA. If we are fortunate, we will be able to set up a low interest loan program through SBA if we receive enough of these. The State of California Governors Office of Emergency Services is working with the county to see if it meets the criteria to request an Economic Injury disaster declaration from SBA. A minimum of five worksheets with substantial economic losses from the blazes is required, according to Cope, who adds that filling out this worksheet does not obligate a business to apply for a loan nor is it an application for assistance. Additionally, the program can also provide some operating expenses until a business recovers. For a worksheet, click here Economic Injury Worksheet, once completed emailed it to larry.cope@tceda.net. Questions regarding the loan program can also be emailed to that same address or call (209) 989-4058. To mail or hand deliver completed applications the TCEDA address is 99 North Washington Street, Sonora, California 95370.For a fact sheet on disaster loan assistance, click here Economic Injury Information. Wreaths Across America Location Leader Major Marty Nix, Civil Air Patrol, on Friday made the following remarks at the Chattanooga National Cemetery: "Although the annual placing of wreaths on our veterans headstones started in Arlington about 25 years ago, the initiative to expand the effort to all the national cemeteries started in 2006. Here in Chattanooga, this will be our 13th year of holding the Wreaths Across America ceremony and placing wreaths. In our early years, our community was able to raise funds to sponsor a couple hundred wreaths per year and it has grown to a few thousand wreaths per year. While we have been rotating the laying of wreaths among various sections of the cemetery, we have not yet been able to decorate the grave of every veteran here, not even once. "But starting in January of this year, members of our local Civil Air Patrol squadron started on a quest to find a way to fulfill the vision of honoring every veteran interred here in Chattanooga, this year, and every year. "Its been with the help of a couple of dozen volunteer organizations that we have gotten this far, but we recognize that it will take a lot more help to reach this worthy goal. Over the last couple of months, we have been working with Captain Mickey McCamish and several of his fellow associates from the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council member organizations. Together, we have set an ambitious goal; to raise the necessary $430,000 needed this year to honor every one of these 43,000 veterans resting here. "Chattanooga is proud of our U.S. Military members, from those that served during the Revolutionary War, all the way to modern day conflicts. We need to honor the ultimate sacrifice that many of our community have made on behalf of America, so we can enjoy the freedoms afforded to the citizens of this great country. "This is very personal to me, as it is to thousands of family members like me. My father served in the U.S. Navy, and he is buried here, as well as four of my uncles who served their nation. It's love and honor that compels me to continue to remember their sacrifice they made on our behalf. I know there are thousands of others that share what I feel. Every holiday season, we remember the veterans that arent able to be with us anymore, and sponsoring a wreath or placing a wreath on one of these 43,000 headstones, seems to me to be the least we can do to remember their service and honor their lives. "I hope you all, as citizens of Chattanooga, Hamilton County, and the Tri-State area, will join me in this worthy effort. We need donations to sponsor Wreaths Across Chattanooga. Donations as small as $10 can sponsor a wreath. We will post the results as we make progress towards the financial goal at our website: www.ChattanoogaWAA.com. "We will keep the community informed by announcing progress and developments on our Wreaths Across Chattanooga page on Facebook. "We hope, no we need hundreds of people to come out to the brief ceremony we will have here at noon on Dec. 15 and we hope you will stay and help us distribute 43,000 wreaths immediately after the ceremony. "We appreciate the support that our community leaders have shown and are continuing to show for this cause. We need the continued support of our local volunteer organizations who have faithfully supported Wreaths Across Chattanooga for a dozen years and counting. If you are a member of a volunteer organization, any group of citizens, or an employer please contact us and well help you get registered to gather support for the mission. "Even if you are not a member of one of the organizations, even if you cant make a corporate donation, or even sponsor a wreath, please come out and help us lay wreaths on December 15th. Bring your children so they can learn, in a tangible way, how we honor and treasure the sacrifice of our military members. "Finally, we appreciate the support that has been provided by the members of the media. The television stations that have covered past events, the radio stations that have welcomed us for announcement and interviews, and the print and electronic media that have helped us communicate the need and the news, we say thank you! We desperately need your continued help and support. "The mission of Wreaths Across America is to Remember the fallen, Honor those who serve, and their families, and Teach the children the value of freedom. On behalf of Civil Air Patrol, the dozens of veteran and volunteer organizations, the members of our organizing committee and every family represented with a headstone, I thank you in advance for your time, your efforts, and your generosity." Following Major Nix's remarks, Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger and Chattanooga City Councilman Anthony Byrd, each read proclamations declaring Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018 as "Wreaths Across Chattanooga Day." The event was attended by members of each of the branches of military service, several veteran groups and Wreaths Across Chattanooga committee members. Also in attendance were Civil Air Patrol leaders; Captain. Deming Gray, TN Group II Commander, Colonel Dent Young, Tennessee Wing Commander, and Colonel Barry Melton, Southeast Region Commander. For more information, please visit www.ChattanoogaWAA.com or Facebook @WreathsAcrossChattanooga Various measures taken by the government including implementation of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code has yielded good results. Asserting that the worst is behind for state-owned lenders, Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar on Thursday expressed hope that the banks would come out of the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework this fiscal. New Delhi: Asserting that the worst is behind for state-owned lenders, Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar on Thursday expressed hope that the banks would come out of the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework this fiscal. As many as 11 out of 21 banks are under the RBI's watch list. Of these, two banks -- Dena Bank and Allahabad Bank -- are facing restriction on expansion of business. Various measures taken by the government including implementation of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) has yielded good results in terms of reining bad loans and increasing recovery, he told reporters here. Noting that the resurgent public sector banks are growth engines, Kumar said, "cleaning of balance sheets has put worst behind. Banks have made recovery of Rs 36,551 crore during the first quarter registering a 49 per cent growth over the last fiscal." At the same time, operating profit has risen by 11.5 per cent while losses fell 73.5 per cent on quarter on quarter basis, he said, adding asset quality has been addressed through falling NPA slippage. Provision Coverage Ratio of banks have reached a healthy level of 63.8 per cent, he added. With all these efforts, he said, "I am sure the banks will come out of PCA this fiscal." The resolve of government is extremely clear that every stakeholder has to be responsible, he said. "Those who are not prudently behaving will have to face the consequences. The NPAs are also decreasing. Credit growth is simultaneously taking place," he said. With regard to capital, he said, "as and when they (banks) require. Some of it has already been given. As recoveries are taking place, there is possibility that some banks will not need it. As of now there is nobody breaching the regulatory norms. We are committed to maintain their regulatory capital." NPAs are by and large recognised, provisioning by and large made, the recoveries are on its course through NCLT and outside NCLT, he said, adding, the creditor-debtor relationship is under tremendous change. 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 Stuart Palley turned 30 last week, but he missed his birthday celebration back home in Southern California. In lieu of cake and candles, he drove hours north to photograph the impact of recent wildfires on Yosemite. "This was the best birthday present I could have gotten," he said, speaking by phone from a viewpoint in Yosemite. "I can celebrate my birthday any time," he continued. "I don't always get to photograph El Capitan and Glacier Point." Palley planned to stick around his perch overlooking Yosemite Valley until nightfall, when stars envelop the sky and project dappled light on the park. That was the plan at least. With smoke coverage severe due to the nearby Ferguson Fire, nighttime visibility was hard to predict. Over the last half decade, Palley has photographed more than 90 wildfires for major national publications and the U.S. Forest Service. By daylight, he's shooting the flames and the battle against them, as well as burned land and buildings what he calls the "standards in photojournalism" for fire photography. At night, his camera poised for a long-exposure shot, he captures an entirely different scene. "Fire is its own light source," he said. "When you're shooting a fire at night, the color palette looks different, warmer." One of his images shows the stars, stretched out by the exposure, whirling over what looks like orange clouds above a hillside. Another photo captures a dozen firefighters at work, toiling in the night with only the flames and their headlamps to illuminate their treacherous surroundings. View a collection of his images in the above gallery. Palley compiled 110 of his photographs, taken over the last five years of 45 different California wildfires, in a forthcoming book, "Terra Flamma" (Schiffer Publishing, 2018). Copies of the book are available for pre-order from most major bookstores, as well as Palley's website. All website orders will be signed by the photographer. Like their subject wildfire the images are beautiful but eerie. Palley wants them to get people's attention. "Maybe if I make pretty photos of wildfires, people will educate themselves about where and why they're happening." The "oohs" and "ahhs" will lead to knowledge, preparation, he hopes. It's a mission that he feels is becoming ever more exigent. "There's so much fire activity this year," he said, "it's hard to know which one to shoot." "Statistically we're ahead of last year," said Scott McLean, a Cal Fire deputy chief, of the volume of California wildfires in 2018. "Fire behavior this year is more aggressive earlier in the year." SFGATE producer Amy Graff contributed to this report. Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. / Associated Press An Iraqi man wanted for the terrorist murder of a police officer in his native country has been arrested in Sacramento, prosecutors said. Omar Ameen, 45, appeared in federal court and was held to await extradition proceedings to Iraq, the U.S. attorneys office said Wednesday. BROOKFIELD The Board of Education on Wednesday night approved a plan to build a new, three-level Huckleberry Hill Elementary School that officials said would serve about 1,130 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, while maintaing the neighborhood feel of the existing elementary schools. Board members praised the design of the $78.1 million building, which would promote collaboration and allow classrooms to be easily added for larger student populations. Its going to be a new educational experience, board member Rosa Fernandes said. Its not just a new building. Thats the direction we need to head. I love it. With the school boards approval, the Municipal Building Committee will finalize the plans, which the selectmen and finance board must approve ahead of a referendum, which could be held as soon as March. The project is part of a 10-year master plan to modernize the school buildings. A subcommittee of the school board created the plan with Tecton Architects. Under the 10-year plan, pre-kindergarten through fifth grade would attend the new, 138,00-square-foot Huckleberry Hill, while Center Elementary School would be vacated for town use. Pre-kindergarten through first grade now go to Center, while fifth-graders go to the middle school. Eventually, the middle school would be renovated, while the high school would undergo various capital improvements. The new Huckleberry Hill would cost $78.1 million, but the district plans to apply for a grant to bring the cost down to $63.3 million. Jeff Wyszynski, of Tecton Architects, said the town has a good chance of getting the grant. More for you Proposal on new Huckleberry school to be discussed in Brookfield The new Huckleberry Hill would be designed to keep the youngest kids separate from the older students, with the creation of an Early Learning Center, with a separate entry and courtyard, for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten. Its basically its own school, but benefits from leveraging all the core spaces that you can share, the media center, the gymnasium, the cafeterias, Wyszynski said. The layout would promote transitions between the grades, while a Fifth Grade Academy would prepare students to move to Whisconier Middle School. It creates this transitional space that is a shared community that may help them on their transition to middle school, Wyszynski said. The subcommittee reviewed several other options, including building a new school on another site, renovating Center for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, or building a new Huckleberry Hill but keeping the old school for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten. But the committee ruled out these ideas in part because the complicated construction schedule would be too disruptive to students. Under the approved plan, construction would be timed so students could stay in the existing Huckleberry Hill, Center and Whisconier buildings until the new school is complete. The old Huckleberry Hill would then be demolished. Construction would begin in 2020 and take almost two years. In 2023, the district would pursue town and state funding to renovate Whisconier, with construction lasting from 2026 to fall 2028. Huckleberry Hill was built in 1960 and underwent an addition in 1993. The building is not energy efficient and lacks a sprinkler system and adequate plumbing. Center is the oldest building in the district, built in 1937, and is the only completely wooden school left in the state. This structure makes it difficult to expand, while the windows and walls are in bad condition and the heating and security systems are outdated. Im thrilled with this plan, board Chairwoman Colette Sturm said. It solves all the problems we had from the onset. EAST HAMPTON A 27-year-old East Hampton man was killed early Thursday when his motorcycle collided with a police cruiser at the intersection of Route 66 and Depot Hill Road in the Cobalt section of town. State police, handling the accident investigation at the request of the Middlesex County states attorneys office, said the crash occurred at about 1 a.m. Evan J. Basso, of Chestnut Hill Road, was headed east on Route 66 on a motorcycle, identified by state police as a 2014 Harley-Davidson Street Bob, according to an accident report. He sustained fatal injuries. It was not clear whether Basso was wearing a helmet. Portland Officer James P. Capello was initiating a left-hand turn intending to enter onto the northbound lane of Depot Hill Road, according to the report. But as Capello did so, Bassos motorcycle struck the left rear end of the cruiser, a 2017 Ford Interceptor Utility. The force of the collision caused Basso to be thrown from his motorcycle. Capello, a member of Portland police since December 2000, according to officials, was taken to Middlesex Hospital for the treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, the report said. Bassos body was taken to the office of the chief states medical examiner in Farmington for an autopsy. More for you Man in critical condition following motorcycle crash in Portland The intersection remained closed to traffic until approximately 7:30 a.m. to enable members of the state police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Squad to conduct a recreation of the accident. Authorities are asking anyone who witnessed the accident or who may have information to contact TFC Mark DiCocco at 203-630-8079 or email Mark.DiCocco@ct.gov. Reporter Jeff Mill covers East Hampton, Cromwell and Portland for the Middletown Press. Contact him at jeff.mill@hearstmediact.com. Huge quantity of 20-litre water jars manufactured under brands 'Freshier', 'Parie' and 'Bisleri' have been seized by BIS. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has raided city-based company Hi-Tech Aqua for manufacturing packaged drinking water of 20 litres without licence, the government said on Thursday. New Delhi: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has raided city-based company Hi-Tech Aqua for manufacturing packaged drinking water of 20 litres without licence, the government said on Thursday. Huge quantity of 20-litre water jars manufactured under brands 'Freshier', 'Parie' and 'Bisleri' have been seized by BIS, it said. "The firm was manufacturing packaged drinking water in 20-litre capacity filled jars under brand 'Freshier' with spurious licence," the consumer affairs ministry said in a statement. A substantial quantity of empty 20-litre jars with brands 'Parie' and 'Bisleri' were also found in the premises, it said. "A huge quantity of above mentioned jars were seized." The manufacturing of packaged drinking water without a BIS licence is a cognizable offence under Section 17 (3) of the BIS Act, 2016. NEW HAVEN As they wait for a ruling by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the familys anguish is palpable. This is mental torture, Anwar Mahmud said as he sat in his living room with his wife, Salma Sikandar, and their son, Samir Mahmud, on Thursday. ICE has ordered Sikandar to return to Bangladesh in a week on Aug. 23. She has been here for 18 years after overstaying her visitors visa in 1999. Sikandar has lost multiple appeals to stay here since 2014, as she sought a cancellation of removal mainly connected to her sons health. Her attorney Robert Wang said the judge in her case at the Immigration Court in Hartford characterized his denial as a close call. Sikandar now has a pending case before the Board of Immigration Appeals which Wang hopes will be heard in a few months. She is also part of her husbands case in which he is seeking asylum based on his conversion to Mormonism in 1997. As a member of a religious minority, he would be in danger of being persecuted if he returned to Bangladesh. The three family members said their world has shrunk since Sikandar was given a deportation deadline almost two months ago. Anwar Mahmud, a general manager at a McDonalds in North Haven, said he has cut back his hours at the restaurant, given the anxiety he is feeling and his desire to spend as much time with his wife and son as the clock ticks down. He said his boss has been great, telling him family comes first. Mahmud said he is working about half his usual schedule because he cant give the proper attention to his job and doesnt want to cheat his boss. Sikandar, who is a crew member at the restaurant, is embarrassed to go to work since she has to wear a GPS ankle bracelet. The couple said they are dipping into their savings. Samir Mahmud, 17, said their life is governed by that bracelet. He wakes up at 5:45 a.m. to change the battery for his mother, which takes three hours to fully charge. It is changed again at 2 p.m. and later in the evening. Samir Mahmud said when they attempted to get in their car recently for a quick local trip, the mechanism sent a warning that they were beyond the restricted area. When they called the officials who are in charge of the bracelets, they were told dont worry, it was just a glitch, Samir Mahmud said. This house is falling apart. We dont eat well. We are not sleeping, his father said. They no longer take short trips on the weekend or visit friends. They have not shopped for groceries in weeks, grabbing quick bites at fast-food restaurants instead. They took our happiness. They took our freedom, Anwar Mahmud said. Sikandars last check-in with immigration officials is Tuesday. There is no word yet from the BIA. More than 100 people rallied for the family in Hartford on Aug, 7 and Sikandars appeal has the support of Connecticuts two U.S. senators, as well as U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3; U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-1; state Sen. William Tong, D-Stamford and state Rep. Roland Lamar, D-New Haven. A petition asking ICE to let Sikandar stay here has been signed by 42,000 people, the family said. The waiting is almost the worst part, Anwar Mahmud said. Samir Mahmud starts his freshman year at Quinnipiac University on Aug. 27, but these weeks he has been consumed with his mothers situation. Settling into college life is not a priority at the moment. Mahmud said he feels terrible that he cant protect this wife as they go through this crisis. He has said previously that he doesnt know how he would live without her. If reincarnation happens, Mahmud said, she would always be his choice for a spouse. I would marry her again, he said. She is a wonderful wife. She only thinks of us. Samir Mahmud said Bangladesh is a dangerous place, particularly for people who are westernized. I am losing hope. Im afraid, Sikandar said of returning there. mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com; 203-641-2577 / STOCK XCHANGE A San Francisco man has been sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for making pornographic videos of his lover, a minor, and later threatening to post them unless the youth resumed their relationship. Krishna Viramontes, 37, who was sentenced Wednesday, pleaded guilty in February to possessing and conspiring to produce child pornography and extortion. He admitted taking the videos of the youth, who was 15 when they met in 2016. When the teen broke up with him later that year, Viramontes sent him a series of messages, later obtained by prosecutors. A tiff between two key government agencies over how to justify one of President Donald Trump's biggest reversals of his predecessor's climate policies may provide progressive litigators with leverage to bring the rollback to a skidding halt. At the beginning of August, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a division of the Transportation Department, jointly estimated that keeping the gas mileage rules set by President Barack Obama for cars could cost lives. The restrictions on tailpipe emissions for future cars was one of the single biggest way the Obama administration planned to reduce climate-warming emissions. But behind the scenes, the two agencies squabbled when writing a rationale for the reversal. The key disagreement centered on the transportation agency's claim that the Obama-era car rules would lead to more deaths. The agency contended upping car mileage per gallon would cost automakers money and make new cars several thousand dollars more expensive - leading people to drive older cars that perform less well in accidents. But staffers at the EPA objected, according to documents released Tuesday. In a critique written less than two months before the proposal was released, one EPA expert, William Charmley, said the "EPA's technical issues have not been addressed, and the analysis performed . . . does not represent what EPA considers to be the best, or the most up-to-date, information available to EPA." Charmley later even pushed for the EPA's name to be taken off the document altogether, though it was ultimately included. EPA experts also called "indefensible" some aspects of a program the transportation agency used and said they had corrected "erroneous and otherwise problematic elements of the model's logic and algorithms." EPA's internal analysis suggested that freezing the Obama-era rules would lead to slightly more fatalities (seven for every trillion miles driven), cost jobs, and in economic terms, have a net negative impact of $83 billion. The EPA staff's critiques could empower critics of the proposed rollback, particularly in California. The Trump administration's proposal would block California's ability to set its own, more-stringent standards. "The EPA documents challenging the Administration's alleged safety rationale for rolling back fuel economy and tailpipe emissions standards are devastating from a legal perspective," said David Hayes, who served as the Interior Department's deputy secretary under presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. He added: "If in fact there was internal warfare, that just provides further grist for litigators." California's leaders had already given every indication they are preparing for a courtroom fight. Xavier Becerra, California's attorney general, said the freeze is "a brazen attack, no matter how it is cloaked." And California Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols said her team "will examine all 978 pages of fine print to figure out how the Administration can possibly justify its absurd conclusion." Next month, the California air agency will vote on scrapping a provision that would keep California's tailpipe rules in line with the federal government's. Though the federal Clean Air Act grants California special authority to restrict auto emissions to clean up its historically smoggy cities, for the past decade policymakers there and back east in Washington had agreed to keep a uniform set of standards so carmakers did not need to meet different rules in different U.S. states. World health Organisation estimates the global fake drugs market at about USD 30 billion. Companies offering magic pills for ailments ranging from common illness to life threatening diseases such as cancer and AIDS are now under the government scanner. New Delhi: Companies offering magic pills for ailments ranging from common illness to life threatening diseases such as cancer and AIDS are now under the government scanner. The I&B ministry through advisories has asked television channels not to air their promos. Alongside fake and substandard medicines, the market of magic pills has been thriving on misleading and false claims. It has emerged a big menace with social media and sponsored content in TV fuelling the growth of magic pills. The World health Organisation (WHO) has raised the alarm bell, saying fake drugs have become a big threat and might be killing tens of thousands of people. It estimates the global fake drugs market at about USD 30 billion. The information and broadcasting ministry (I&B) has issued instructions to all TV channels to advertise only those ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy (AYUSH) products which have valid manufacturing licence. They have also been told to abstain from telecasting such misleading advertisements which are in contravention of the provisions of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 and rules thereunder, an official said. Further, the ministry of AYUSH has signed an MoU with Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI) to undertake comprehensive monitoring of the quality of advertisements pertaining to alternative drugs in print and visual media. Besides crackdown on misleading advertisement, the Centre has forwarded consumer complaints to the concerned state drug regulator for taking action in accordance with the legal provisions. The Centre administers both Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Drugs & Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954. It has further decided to prepare fresh legislation for regulating drugs. The AYUSH ministry has already provided inputs to frame regulatory provisions pertaining to alternative medicines and prohibition of their misleading advertisements. The Ministry of AYUSH is pursuing the matter of introducing prohibitive measures for misleading advertisements and has notified draft Rules under Drugs & Cosmetics Rules, 1940. It has also constituted an empowered committee (EC) for controlling the publication of inappropriate and misleading advertisement/exaggerated claims of the alternative drugs. ROME - Calling sexual abuse revelations within the U.S. Catholic Church a "moral catastrophe," the head of the American bishops' group pushed Thursday for wider investigations of a former Washington archbishop and said laypeople should have a greater role in holding clerics accountable. The announcement, which also urges new steps to resolve complaints against bishops, provides the first sense of how a reeling church seeks to confront serial failures of its hierarchy to report abuse and remove predator priests. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called for an investigation of the "questions surrounding" prelate Theodore McCarrick, a former Washington archbishop, who resigned from the College of Cardinals last month amid allegations that he abused seminarians and minors. DiNardo said the U.S. bishops would ask the Vatican to conduct the inquiry, along with expert laypeople. Since McCarrick's resignation, questions have included how the onetime cardinal ascended the ranks of the church despite rumors about his behavior. DiNardo said the steps were not final and will be presented in more detail to the full group of U.S. bishops at a meeting in November. "This is a moral catastrophe," he said. "It is also part of this catastrophe that so many faithful priests who are pursuing holiness and serving with integrity are tainted by this failure." His announcement comes two days after the release of a scalding Pennsylvania grand jury report that depicted decades of systemic abuse, in which leaders kept potential criminal behavior "in house" and prioritized avoiding public scandal over protecting children. "Whatever the details may turn out to be regarding Archbishop McCarrick or the many abuses in Pennsylvania [or anywhere else], we already know that one root cause is the failure of episcopal leadership," DiNardo said. "The overarching goal in all of this is stronger protections against predators in the church and anyone who would conceal them, protections that will hold bishops to the highest standards of transparency and accountability," he added. DiNardo also called for new channels for reporting abuse allegations against bishops. He did not provide specifics about several parts of his plan, including the system that would be used to judge complaints. Davide Cito, a canon lawyer based in Rome, noted that only the pope has the authority to remove bishops under church law. "He has exclusive competence," Cito said. "We'll have to see how they'll reach an agreement." DiNardo said he will travel to Vatican City to present his plans to the Holy See. In recent weeks, multiple Catholic leaders have indicated that the church's earlier attempts to protect young people from abuse did not go far enough. Several prelates have suggested more closely involving laypeople in investigating bishops who do not report abuse. George Weigel, who has written many books about Catholicism and is a scholar at Ethics and Public Policy Center, based in Washington, said the plans laid out by DiNardo are a "significant step in the direction of real reform." "Cardinal DiNardo's acknowledgment of a major credibility chasm between bishops and their people, and his commitment to lay leadership in addressing that crisis, which really cuts to the core of the Church's governance, is entirely welcome," Weigel wrote in an email. The church has been ensnared by sexual abuse-related scandals in other countries such as Australia and Chile, creating a major challenge for Pope Francis. On Thursday, the Vatican called the abuses described in Pennsylvania grand jury report as "criminal and morally reprehensible." "The church must learn hard lessons from its past, and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur," the Vatican statement said. The Vatican three years ago announced - but never established - a tribunal to judge bishops accused of negligence or coverup. Proposals like DiNardo's can "make for good PR," said Donna Doucette, the executive director of Voice of the Faithful, an organization of Catholics seeking church reforms. "But as often happens with these kind of plans, it's the implementation - the failure to fully implement what was imagined at the beginning," she said. The Sanju star wants a bigger heroine and a better script for his next film. They say success changes your perception of the future. And weve seen that happen in the film industry. Actors back out of projects they agreed to do in tougher times after tasting a bit of success. The latest to follow suit is none other than Ranbir Kapoor. After the success of his film Sanju, the actor is reconsidering aspects of the film he is committed to doing with Luv Ranjan and Ajay Devgn. Ranbirs team understand that based on the performance of his last film, which had the producers laughing all the way to the bank, the actor is now in a different position. They want changes made to the script and the positioning of the film apart, as well as a bigger heroine than Luv had planned. Luv Ranjan It is normal for a stars management team to become more alert and responsible after every hit or flop and to make changes in their plans accordingly. Ranbirs team wants a bigger heroine in the film because there is a Rs 300 crore hero in it, as well as Ajay, who has delivered a Rs 200 crore film with the fourth instalment of the Golmaal series, says a trade source. The source also quashes rumours that Ranbir has dropped out of the project, saying that nothing of the sort has happened so far. Sanskriti Media Doxo is a "simple, secure way to pay your bills" that has been publicized in write-ups in Forbes, the Washington Post and beyond, according to its website. The city of Houston respectfully disagrees. In a news release from Houston Public Works on Wednesday, the city describes Doxo as a "suspicious" and "unauthorized" third-party website claiming to accept payment for Houston water bills. "Customers have stated they have made water bill payments through the website Doxo.com and those payments have not been received by the City of Houston," the news release states. "Customers also claim they have not been able to contact anyone with the website." BIG BIZ, BIG BILLS: Some of Houston's largest companies owe $1.5 million in overdue water bills According to both Doxo and Houston Public Works, the snafu arose after one Houston-area water customer had problems with a water-bill payment submitted through Doxo. The city is working to determine if any additional customers were affected, said Alanna Reed, a Houston Public Works spokeswoman. The "key point," Reed told the Houston Chronicle, is that Doxo is not "the official, authorized bill-pay system" for Houston water bills. That system is Houstonwater.org, she said. "If people choose to use a third-party like Doxo, the city can't guarantee when those payments will be posted," she said. WATER WOES: Houston on record pace for water use The experience has left Roger Parks, the co-founder of Seattle-based Doxo, feeling "immensely frustrated." He said Doxo has over 4 million users paying bills to around 50,000 different private or public entities, including Houston Public Works. Doxo has been paying bills to Houston Public Works on behalf of customers since 2011 with no apparent problems, Parks said. Worse, to his mind, is the fact Houston "did not reach out to us at anytime" before putting out what he says was a "defamatory" press release calling his company "suspicious." Parks also expressed frustration that the city had not shared any information on the customer who had payment issues. "How do I fix the problem?" he said. "What do you want from me?" Reed, the Public Works spokeswoman, confirmed that Houston had put out a press release without contacting Doxo, saying: "That's because there's no phone number for his website." She was looking at Doxo's page for Houston water bills, which lists a city number as the "support phone." When shown Doxo's main contact page, which a Chronicle reporter used to contact the company, Reed acknowledged the number but said it was an "auto answering service and just loops around." Reed was concerned that, on Google, Doxo's page was the fourth result for the search term "Houston water bill." That suggested a relationship between the city and Doxo when no such relationship existed, she said. She threw cold water on the positive reviews on Doxo's website, saying that one article, from Forbes in 2011, "references partners" which the Houston Public Works was decidedly not. Doxo is "not affiliated with the City," she wrote in an email. Doxo has been in this situation before. The Brown County Democrat, a paper in Indiana, wrote a story about Doxo last year after local water officials warned users about the company. That article was updated, however, after additional reporting "revealed that doxo.com is a legitimate site offering third-party bill and payment management." The new headline? "Online payment company caught in unfounded scam fears." The Coachella Valley Water District in California sued Doxo in federal court in 2017 for using the district's trademarks and contact information on its website. The district dropped the lawsuit later that year, court records show. In another case, from Texas, the San Bernard Electric Co-Op in Bellville put out a "warning" about the website. While acknowledging that "Doxo is third-party website that allows people to pay their electric bills," the co-op also stressed that Doxo "may charge the member extra fees, and SBEC cannot control when we will receive the member payments." The Better Business Bureau gives Doxo a B-rating and has logged almost 100 customer complaints. The BBB says it is "working with Doxo to eliminate customer confusion regarding its services offered in the marketplace," according to its website. The roots of Doxo's ongoing public-relations issues apparently stem from the fact that it's a consumer bill-pay company. That means that while customers must sign up with Doxo, the company doesn't always clarify its role with the billers themselves though it does send "postcards" to them, Parks, the Doxo co-founder, said. Parks acknowledges that Doxo has a "burden of educating the market" and admits that he doesn't "get it right every time." Those mistakes are his "responsibility," he said. Still, he is frustrated with how Houston handled the incident. "If there's a concern, I would expect a governmental entity to reach out and understand the facts before sending something like this out in the press," he said. 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 San Antonios finally getting a new federal courthouse albeit one much smaller than originally planned. The General Service Administration announced Wednesday that construction will start next spring on a $117.5 million, 230,536-square-foot U.S. Courthouse at Nueva and Santa Rosa. Thats almost 25 percent smaller than the 305,000-square-foot facility GSA originally approved in 2008. Austin-based White Construction Co., the original construction manager, determined that the bigger courthouse would cost close to $180 million to build or about $60 million more than what was budgeted. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez, who has been a point person on the project for 15 years, said he kept trying to press people for more money to cover the $180 million construction cost. GSA, though, stuck to the original $120 million that was appropriated by Congress, he said. So San Antonios Munoz & Co. and Lake | Flato redesigned the facility to fit the budget, Rodriguez said. Thats how we went from 305,000 square feet to 230,000 square feet. The architects have worked under immense constraints, Rodriguez said. Theyve done an admirable job of bringing us down on square footage to meet this budget that was imposed on us. The original design was elegant, the judge added, but the redesign was able to keep a lot of the elements. We still have a building that were going to be proud of, that will contribute to the skyline of San Antonio and will contribute to the western edge of our downtown area. GSA said Wednesday that Alabama-based Brasfield & Gorrie has been awarded a design-build contract for the new courthouse. The John H. Wood Jr. U.S. Courthouse, the current San Antonio federal courthouse at 655 E. Cesar Chavez Blvd., is a former theater built for HemisFair 68, the 1968 worlds fair. It has been plagued with problems, including high levels of lead in the drinking water, foundation issues, flea infestations and faulty heating and air-conditioning systems. A series of stories about the aging courthouse in the San Antonio Express-News in 2015 led to efforts by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar to secure the $120 million for a new building. The new facility will house the U.S. district courts for the Western District of Texas, the appeals court, the magistrate courts, the U.S. attorneys office and the federal public defenders office, among others. The new state-of-the-art facility will meet the security, accessibility and operational needs of the courts, Bobby Babcock, GSAs regional administrator, said in the agencys statement. The current courthouse and an adjacent judicial training center are being swapped with the city for the 6.5 acres that the new courthouse will be built on. The San Antonio Police Departments headquarters once stood on the site. The training center, where new magistrate judges are sent for computer training, will not be part of the new courthouse because of the smaller design, Rodriguez said. It has not been decided where the training will occur after the new courthouse opens. Patrick Danner 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. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD NRC is being updated with March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date to include the names of genuine Indian citizens. 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, said on Thursday that Haider's name was not in the draft NRC. (Photo: Facebook/@Mizanur Rahman) Dhubr/Guwahati: A nine-year-old boy, whose photograph of saluting the national flag 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 on Thursday that Haider's name was not in the draft NRC that was published on July 30, though those of his family members was 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 is 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, 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. As the rainfall inched higher during Hurricane Harvey last year, so, too, did the amount of toxic fumes that industrial facilities across the state reported releasing until it breached 8.3 million pounds of unpermitted air pollution. But companies later reduced those estimates by 1.7 million pounds, a steep drop that environmental experts say could have been prompted by Gov. Greg Abbott's decision to suspend Texas' environmental reporting rules for months after Harvey. It calls into question if the waiver "encouraged companies to downgrade or eliminate their pollution reporting after the fact," according to a report released Thursday by the Environmental Integrity Project, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit. "Such activity undermines public trust in our regulatory systems and may mask real health risks posed by air pollution releases during storms." The changing estimates underscore questions about just how much air and water pollution was truly released in the aftermath of Harvey and how much of it could or should have been avoided by better planning, maintenance and procedures. The report chronicles the amount of air and water pollution caused by Harvey and how state, local and industry officials can better prepare for the next big storm. For example, the organization found that industries in the Houston area waited more than three days after Abbott declared a "state of disaster" on Aug. 23 to shut down their plants, leading to more significant air pollution releases, on average, here than in Corpus Christi another major center for refineries that was hit by the storm before Houston. The report also found that Harvey-related water pollution was vastly underestimated. In all, industrial and municipal plants reported that more than 150 million gallons of sewage and industrial discharge spilled across the Texas coastline due to Harvey but at least 24 percent of facilities that reported spills provided no estimates of the overflows, listing them only as "zero." Andrea Morrow, spokeswoman for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, said in a statement that the agency does not comment on other organizations' reports, but that "we vigorously defend our practices." SILENT SPILLS, PART 1: In Houston and beyond Harvey's spills leave a toxic legacy The Environmental Integrity Project's findings confirm reporting by the Houston Chronicle and the Associated Press published in a series earlier this year on the government's inaction following more than 100 toxic spills on land, in water and in the air during and after Harvey. This, despite the fact that documents show 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 project recommended that TCEQ should, in the future, draft less ambiguous permits, as well as avoid suspending pollution reporting requirements. Both wastewater treatment plants and industrial plants should be better prepared for natural disasters like Harvey in the future. SILENT SPILLS, PART 2: For Crosby residents, a 'bitter taste' about Arkema and little help from government "While some pollution may be unavoidable during major storms, improvements like coordinated shutdowns of plants ... could help improve the responses next time there's a major storm," Ilan Levin, the project's Texas director, said Thursday during a conference call. And there will be a next time, said Ron Sass, a climate expert with emeritus status at Rice University. Climate change is making storms more intense, Sass said Thursday. "The time is here for all of us to put aside the old normal ... and deliver creative and effective policy to change and meet the new normal of our affected climate." Conflicting reports Workers at the Flint Hills Resources plant in Port Arthur were in the beginning phases of a planned shutdown on Aug. 29 when a loss of steam forced an emergency shutdown of their Light Olefins Unit. The company produces ethylene and propylene (both light olefins), which is used to manufacture parts for medical devices. The emergency shutdown caused a release of air pollution initially estimated at 533,200 pounds, project data shows. But in the company's final report to TCEQ, that number was cut to 33,490 pounds, an erasure of almost 500,000 pounds. The reason for such a drastic change is unclear. The company did not respond to a request for comment. MORE POLLUTION: After Harvey, a second storm of air pollution, state reports The project found 17 other examples of similar changes an erasure of 1.7 million pounds of air pollution in total by examining air emission reports from during and after Harvey at two different times, first in October 2017 and again in June 2018. Also in Port Arthur, the Chevron Phillips Chemical facility completely removed its initially reported 34,591 pounds of emissions, saying the pollution was authorized under its permit, the report found. In a statement Thursday, Chevron Phillips said it began shutting down in preparation for Harvey alerting officials and providing an estimated emissions amount but ultimately determined that a complete shutdown wasn't necessary. "Once it was apparent that the emissions would be within the allowable limit of the permit for a shut-down, the notice to the TCEQ was rescinded," the statement says. The state authorizes emissions for planned maintenance, startup and shutdown activities. But unplanned activities, like those that happen during a natural disaster, are not authorized and the limit for these events, effectively, is zero, the report states. MONITORING PLANTS: Government ill-equipped to monitor industrial plants damaged by Hurricane Harvey This suggests that the state is drafting permits that are too broad, the report says, and that Harvey-related releases are being mischaracterized "to hide the unauthorized emissions." Morrow, the TCEQ spokeswoman, said in the statement that "any emissions resulting from emergency or unplanned events would not be included in a permit." Within 24 hours of discovering an emissions event, she added, companies must file an initial report that contains emissions estimates, usually based on experience or engineering calculations. Those initial estimates can be revised in the final report due two weeks after the event ends which is then investigated by the TCEQ, she added. A disaster declaration On Aug. 28, three days after Harvey began pummeling the Houston area, Abbott suspended environmental reporting and record-keeping rules relating to air pollution, wastewater and fuel standards for vehicles, as well as liability for unauthorized emissions for the duration of the disaster declaration. He did not lift the suspension until April, just a few weeks after the Chronicle and the Associated Press published their series. Environmental experts believe this suspension also is partly to blame for the altered reports. SEVEN MONTHS LATER: Abbott lifts post-Harvey suspension of environmental regulations In its report, the project noted that this suspension likely led to an underestimation of Harvey-related air pollution. No one knows how many industrial plant operators opted out of reporting emissions because of this suspension, the report continued, and it led to "widespread confusion" because many companies still had to report their emissions to the federal government. Therefore, the report recommends that pollution reporting should not be suspended during major storms in the future. It also suggests that the state should bar plants from retracting pollution reports because of "disaster declarations or questionable interpretations of the state permits." But Morrow said companies had to comply with the reporting rules "at the earliest opportunity available," adding that companies claiming Harvey caused a "situation of noncompliance" have to demonstrate with documentation that they were unable to take the necessary actions to cope with the hurricane because of those requirements. "The TCEQ is and will continue to conduct investigations of Hurricane Harvey related incidents, including emissions events," she said. Spewing sewage The 150 million gallons of sewage and industrial discharges that spewed into local communities and waterways as a result of Harvey shocked residents and environmental experts alike. But the project found that the amount reported likely is low. ONE COMPANY, 100 MILLION GALLONS: Port Arthur plant had largest wastewater spill in Texas after Harvey Of the 691 sewage and industrial discharge spills reported to the state, about 24 percent reported releasing zero gallons. It's unlikely, however, that these facilities released nothing, the report stated. For example, Dow's Deer Park chemical plant near Houston reported releasing zero gallons, but the description of the incident states that 103.6 million pounds of non-hazardous biosolids and 17.4 million pounds overflowed from its treatment plants. It's also not clear what contaminants were released in many of these spills, the report found. $1 MILLION IN DAMAGES: 3 wastewater treatment plants offline because of Harvey. The project suggests TCEQ develop a better way to quickly assess dangerous chemicals discharged during floods and then communicate those risks to the public in a timely manner. It also suggests that these facilities be better prepared for future storms, which could include building better barriers or levees or moving the plants to higher ground. Morrow said that TCEQ "actively works to monitor" facilities that have reported spills, as well as provide guidance on how to handle these events. The facilities were prepared, she added, but "the magnitude and the nature of the record-setting flooding from Hurricane Harvey impacted facilities in a way that they could not respond to operationally." Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey. Vajpayee was admitted in AIIMS for a period of 9 weeks. He was elected to the Lok Sabha ten times and twice to the Rajya Sabha. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Three-time prime minister and a towering politician admired by colleagues across party lines, Atal Bihari Vajpayee died in Delhi on Thursday. He was 93. Vajpayees health turned critical on Tuesday, and doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences subsequently put him on life support. He was admitted in AIIMS on June 11 with infection in his kidneys and urinary tract and chest congestion. Top leaders visited Vajpayee since Wednesday evening Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah rushed to see him twice within 24 hours. The former Prime Ministers closest colleague L K Advani also visited him. Also Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Poet, Politician, Prime Minister Since Thursday morning, top BJP leaders as well as those from other parties visited the tenth Prime Minister of India. Those who could not come to Delhi kept him in their thoughts as they tweeted for his recovery throughout the day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent out heartfelt tweets after the former prime minister passed. I am speechless, I am in a vacuum, but my emotions overflow. Our beloved Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee is no more with us. He spent each moment of his life for the country. His passing is the end of an era. He further said: It was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atalji that BJP was built brick by brick. He travelled across the length and breadth of India to spread the BJPs message, which led to the BJP becoming a strong force in our national polity and in several states. Also Read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee: 10 things the nation will never forget The government has also declared a seven-day national mourning throughout the country. The national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India where it is regularly flown. State funeral will also be accorded to the departed politician. The mortal remains of the BJP veteran were brought to his official residence- 6A Krishna Menon Marg on Thursday evening and wrapped in tricolour. The last rites of the former prime minister will take place at 4 pm on Friday at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal BJP chief Amit Shah said. He said people can pay homage to the departed leader at his residence from 7:30 am to 8:30 am on Friday. The body would then be taken to the BJP headquarters at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg at around 9 am. The funeral procession would leave the BJP headquarters at 1 pm and the last rites would be performed at 4 pm, the BJP chief added. Vajpayee was under the supervision of Dr Randeep Guleria, a pulmonologist and currently the Director of AIIMS. Dr Guleria has served as personal physician to the former prime minister for over three decades. A team of doctors from the nephrology, gastroenterology, pulmonology and cardiology departments looked after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was in the hospital for the last nine weeks. Also Read: End of an era: PM Modi expresses grief over Atal Bihari Vajpayees death Born on December 25, 1924, Vajpayee served as India's prime minister for first for a term of 13 days in 1996, and then from 1998 to 2004. He is the only non-Congress prime minister to complete the full term of five years, from 1999 to 2004. He was elected to the Lok Sabha ten times and twice to the Rajya Sabha. Following health problems, Vajpayee had slowly withdrawn himself from public life and rarely moved out of his home. Vajpayee, a diabetic, had only one functional kidney. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities. The patient experience is going digital. Today, more than 47,000 mobile apps help patients track and record their health profiles. The volume of recordable health data has seen a massive uptick. Yet a recent survey found that 63 percent of Americans dont know where their medical data is stored or who has access to it. How are patients supposed to protect their data if they dont know where it is and who can see it? Fortunately, policymakers like Sen. John Cornyn are supporting innovation in Medicare Advantage plans through legislation such as the CHRONIC Care Act that will help ensure the entire health care system, including patients, benefit from new technologies and access to data. Policymakers must find the balance between policies that support both data accessibility and individual privacy. Few consumers have access to their health records, and most health care companies use data storage platforms that keep critical patient information in separate systems that are difficult for patients to access. Without direct ownership of health records, lab results or basic information from the practitioners who have treated them in the past, consumers are unable to benefit from the insights their data could offer. The federal government has attempted to address this issue by improving individuals health care rights through statutes in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. HIPAA mandates that health care organizations comply with patients requests for records. Still, serious institutional and financial hurdles deter Americans from accessing their data. A recent Government Accountability Office report found that patients are often faced with fees when they request copies of their medical records or ask for their records to be sent to another provider. Access to data is not a new issue, but recent initiatives by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, show the agency is working to fix the problem through the MyHealthEData Initiative. The initiative aims to give patients access to and control of their health data by revamping the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record system. The program will push all Medicare providers to update their online portals, and require hospitals and practitioners to ensure that their systems allow important exchanges of data. CMS has also begun to roll out a new software protocol called Medicare Blue Button 2.0, which will allow developers in the health care industry to build systems that directly connect claims data to relevant health care organizations, researchers, and useful applications. We applaud CMS efforts, and we encourage the agency and health insurers to do more to make data more easily accessible. Patients should own their health data. Making this happen requires policymakers to work with the private sector to develop a beneficiary-centered model in which health data can move with the patient. In essence, patients would control disclosure of their health data to the providers, health plans and health apps of their choosing. CMS should make consenting documents simple, clear and concise. Doing so would give patients easier access to their health records through regulatory uniformity. Its time patients get the access to the data they deserve, and we are hopeful CMS will pursue policies that empower beneficiaries. Its the only way to improve patient care, increase private sector competition, and reduce health care costs. Dr. Sophia Chang, a physician, is the chief clinical informatics officer for Clover Health and holds a masters degree in Public Health. Lynda Okafor, a nurse practitioner at Clover Health, has worked in San Antonios busiest emergency departments. With a luxurious tiled swimming pool and spa, three living rooms and four-car garage, a Dominion home on the market has more than enough features to satisfy San Antonio's high-budget home buyers. But the home's unique look is what's garnering attention from beyond the Alamo City. The ornate dwelling at 12 Esquire was recognized Wednesday by the Wall Street Journal as the House of the Day. With a U-shaped floor plan centered around an interior courtyard and filled with relics from the owner's antique collection, the "private retreat" is a departure from the type of mansions one usually finds in the high-profile San Antonio neighborhood. RELATED: 9 Dominion homes for sale that have seen significant price drops "Its design is meant to authentically replicate 1920s Spanish Revival architecture and feel," real estate agent Jason Glast told mySA. "You find that a lot in Olmos Park and Monte Vista but not usually in The Dominion." The house's current owner, Desiree Woody, told the Wall Street Journal that she was drawn to the 6,097-square-foot home because it reminded her of California, where she grew up. "The minute you walk through the iron gates in to the courtyard you leave everything else behind," said Woody, who purchased the home for $1.7 million in 2013. The five-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bathroom house also features four fireplaces, three living areas and a sauna in the master bathroom. Despite its large size, Woody told the Wall Street Journal that she and her husband "used every room in the house." RELATED: Homes for sale in San Antonio's most affluent communities The house, which went on the market in May, is the first from San Antonio-based Portfolio Real Estate to be recognized nationally, Glast said. It is currently listed at $1.69 million. Click through the gallery above to take a virtual tour inside the nationally recognized Dominion mansion. erobinson@mysa.com Twitter: @eeelizzzabeth "Real Housewives of Miami" star Adriana de Moura is selling her waterfront home in Miami Beach, FL, for $4.9 million. De Moura, who's known as the "Brazilian bombshell of the Miami art scene," along with husband Frederic Marq and 12-year-old son Alex were working to overhaul a 1920s motor yacht with plans to move on board once renovations to the vessel were complete. Those renovations must be finished, because their Spanish-style home featured on the show awaits a buyer. De Moura gave Bravo fans a full "MTV Cribs"-style tour of the home a few years back. She kept her sunglasses on the entire time while discussing her extensive art collection and her life in the multimillion-dollar property. Some of the areas she highlighted on the tour included the dock for quiet time, her piano, and the gorgeous views of Miami from the master bedroom. "This bedroom feels like living in a treehouse," de Moura said. Adriana de Moura's home tour BravoTV Built in 1938, the home has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and just under 2,800 square feet. There's a dock for boats and personal watercrafts, lush landscaping, as well as charming interiors full of South Beach sunlight. Exterior realtor.com Living room realtor.com Kitchen realtor.com Staircase realtor.com Dock realtor.com De Moura listed this home earlier this year for $5 million, and then reduced the price by $100,000 in mid-July. The home's located on Hibiscus Islandan exclusive, man-made island in Biscayne Baywhich is home to many celebrities and the affluent. The median home price there is close to $5 million. Before joining the Bravo franchise, de Moura studied art and culture in Florence, Italy, and the Sorbonne Institute in Paris. And while de Moura looks for the perfect buyer for this Miami retreat, we look forward to checking out the Brazilian bombshell at home on her newly renovated yacht. She'll definitely need a good pair of sunglasses for that home tour. The post 'Real Housewives' Star Adriana de Moura Selling Miami Beach Home for $4.9M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. There are some parts of the country where locals seem to have their bags packed practically from birthready to move at a moment's notice. And then there are others where they put down deep roots, sometimes forever. So which markets are seeing the most churn? Contrary to what you might think, it's not the big melting pots of New York and Los Angeles. Instead, the little-known port city of Wilmington, NC, topped the list in the second quarter of the year, according to a quarterly index created by real estate information firm ATTOM Data Solutions. The report looked at 131 metropolitan areas with at least 100,000 single-family homes and condos. (Metros are large cities and their surrounding suburbs and towns.) ATTOM created an index from data collected from mortgage applications for residential sales to show the average ratio of homes likely to be sold in a metro. "This is really a little bit of a heat check on real estate markets where we are expecting to see either strong sales or weak sales," says Daren Blomquist, a senior vice president at ATTOM. "This [report] points to which markets are going to have strong home sales in the third quarterand which ones aren't." Wilmington, where the popular '90s TV series "Dawson's Creek" was filmed, is known for its beaches and being the home of the University of North Carolina Wilmington. And it's becoming a go-to spot for seniors who moved from the snowy Northeast to sunny Florida, didn't like it, and settled on someplace warm in the middle. "North Carolina has become a popular destination particularly for baby boomers who are at or near retirement," Blomquist says. Its home prices aren't cheapbut are much less expensive than many of the bigger East and West Coast cities. The median list price was $329,050 in the metro area, roughly the same as a year earlier, according to realtor.com data. And the unemployment rate was 3.9% in Junejust under the national number of 4%. Rounding out the top five metros with the most turnover were Colorado Springs, CO; Manchester, NH; Chicago; and Washington, DC. Blomquist sees a lot of folks moving into Wilmington and Colorado Springs. But in DC, there are a lot of people moving in and out. "The draining of the swamp does relate to a high rate of churn in the DC area," he says. There are "a lot of government jobs changing hands, which will trickle out into the housing market. The states seeing the most activity in the housing market were North Dakota, Illinois, Nevada, Virginia, and Colorado. Where are homeowners sticking around? On the other end of the spectrum are homeowners who plan to stay put. They're most likely to do just that in Providence, RI; Albany, NY; Silicon Valley's ultrapricey San Jose, CA; Buffalo, NY; and Cleveland. "One of the common things I see in these markets is theres either not a strong demand for homes from buyers or theres not a lot of homes to sell," Blomquist says. "San Jose is an example of ... plenty of demand, but theres not a lot of inventory. So homes are not changing hands at a higher rate." Median home prices in Providence, the state capital of Rhode Island, were a little higher than Wilmington, at $349,950. Founded in 1636, Providence is home to schools such as the Ivy League Brown University, Johnson & Wales University, and the Rhode Island School of Design among others. The states where homeowners were also most inclined to stay where they are were Vermont, Iowa, West Virginia, New York, and Massachusetts. The post You'll Never Guess Where Homeowners Are Moving the Most, Really appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. A TOP Zimbabwean police officer, involved in bringing MDC Alliance principal Tendai Biti home after the latter fled political persecution and sought refuge in Zambia, yesterday told a Harare magistrate that they ignored a Zambian High Court order prohibiting their actions because they were not cited in the matter. Chief Superintendent Jealous Nyabasa made the claims after Biti appeared before magistrate Francis Mapfumo facing charges of public violence and contravening sections of the Electoral Act. The opposition leader, who was represented by lawyers Beatrice Mtetwa and Harrison Nkomo, challenged his arrest and deportation, saying he was abducted from Zambia, where he had gone to seek asylum. Nyabasa told the court that Biti was brought to him by the Zimbabwe immigration officials at Chirundu Border Post, who had a deportation and handover certificate signed by Zambian authorities. He said Biti was properly before the court as he was arrested upon handover to authorities on the Zimbabwe side. On August 8, I received information that Biti was at Chirundu Border Post. I made a follow-up then at around 8am the next day. I was handed over the accused by officers at Zimbabwe immigration, who then gave me a deportation form from the Zambian authorities and I then informed him that he was under arrest, Nyabasa told court. He said he was not privy to circumstances surrounding Bitis deportation by Zambian authorities. The accused person knew that we were looking for him as his lawyers, who include Alec Muchadehama, Jeremiah Bhamu and Harrison Nkomo, were keeping in touch with CID Harare office and were promising to bring him to the station for interviews, he said. Nyabasa further told court that Bitis rights were not violated as he appeared in court within 10 hours of his arrest. Mapfumo postponed the matter to tomorrow for cross-examination of the witness, saying the court was overwhelmed with other cases. Biti also wants the court to determine whether the police complied with the law after he argued that he was abducted in Zambia by unidentified Zimbabwean men. He also told court the circumstances that forced him to cross the border, his arrest and appearance in court. Biti told court that he was not running away from the police but his life was in danger. Biti added that he was unlawfully returned to Zimbabwe despite the fact that his life was in danger. He said no court in Zimbabwe had jurisdiction over him and should be in a Zambian court since an order was passed by a Lusaka judge and in light of violations of international laws, his deportation was a nullity and anything that follows is also a nullity. NewsDay Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Tourism is one of the key elements of the African economy. A number of tourists who choose Africa as their travel destination rise by 5-8 percent every year. If you have always dreamed about visiting exciting and beautiful places on the continent, you might find it challenging to decide what are the most popular countries in Africa. This continent is hugely diversified. You can see there wild animals, picturesque landscapes, beautiful waterfalls as well as ruins of ancient civilization, vibrant cultures, delicious food, etc. So, here are the top 10 most visited tourist destinations in Africa. Ten most visited countries in Africa We are sure you will be impressed by the beauty of the countries listed below. After visiting at least one of them, you will understand why so many tourists from different corners of our planet choose them as their favourute destinations. 1. Mozambique Every year Mozambique is visited by over 2.2 million tourists. Even though tourism here is facing a crisis, this country is worth seeing. Baby blue clean water contrasting with white hot sand, astonishing coastline, amazing culture, tasty food and kind people make a good lasting impression. Mozambique is a country located on the southeast coast of Africa. Mozambique has a tropical climate with wet and dry seasons. People speak Portuguese and some common native languages. Because of the 500-year presence of Portuguese presence in Mozambique, such foods as spices and seasonings (bay leaves, chili peppers, fresh coriander, garlic, onions, paprika, red sweet peppers), wine, potatoes, rice, sorghum and other were brought. If you are thinking about what are the most popular countries in Africa, Mozambique has a lot to offer. 2. Tanzania Tanzania is one of the top visited places in Africa. It is located on the east of the African continent. It is a neighbor with Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda, and other countries. Tanzanian people speak mostly Swahili but it's is not an official language. Over 100 different languages are spoken in Tanzania making it the most linguistically diverse country in East Africa. Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, is located in Tanzania. Tanzania is densely forested. On the north, Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, and Lake Tanganyika, African deepest lake, are located. It is interesting that half of the tourists visiting Tanzania are Africans and nearly a third are Europeans. There are a lot of places to see in Tanzania, particularly, Serengeti National Park where a million wild animals live. READ ALSO: The most beautiful country in Africa - Top 17 Photo from informereastafrica.com 3. Kenya Kenya is located on the equator neighboring Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia and other countries. Kenyans people speak Swahili and English. Kenya has a warm tropical climate on its coastline and cooler in the savanna. When visiting Kenya, you can see many National Reserves and Parks, Lamu Island, Kizingo resort, etc. In 2017, Kenya received World Travel award for the worlds best Safari destination. The north part of the country is a wild place, very sparsely populated with undeveloped infrastructure. 4. Zambia Zambia is located in the heart of Africa surrounded by Malawi, Botswana, Namibia, Congo and others. The official language in Zambia is English. A must-see place in this African country is 1 mile wide Victoria Falls which is simply unforgettable. Also, Zambia is a perfect place for safari. For example, Luangwa National Park that is popular for its leopard, lion, elephant, giraffe, hippo, monkey, crocodile, buffalo populations. It sometimes gets so crowded that it looks almost like Disneyland as the price is super low, starting at around $40. READ ALSO: Landlocked countries in Africa and their capitals 5. Uganda Uganda doesn't belong to the most famous countries in Africa though it is still an excellent destination. A trip there might turn out truly amazing. In this former colony of the British Empire, English and Swahili are spoken. About 1.32 million tourists visit Uganda annualy. Uganda is known for its primate populations which live close to humans. Also, Uganda is home to many bird species, particularly, storks. One more reason to go there is countless fields of tropical fruits, for example, juicy pineapples, and mangoes. 6. South Africa About 10 million tourists majority of which are from the UK come to South Africa every year. South Africa is probably the number 1 country in Africa by the popularity of its safari. It is a southernmost country in Africa that has a 3000 km coastline stretching along the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Here tourists will be amazed by diverse wildlife, beautiful plants, modern cities, and national parks. READ ALSO: South Africa visa application in Nigeria: form, tracking, fee & requirements 7. Ethiopia Ethiopia is a landlocked country located in east Africa near the Red Sea but with no access to it. More than a half of Ethiopians are baptized (Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church), while a third are Muslims. Over 80 languages are spoken in Ethiopia and Amharic is the official language. As for the wildlife, Ethiopia has 31 endemic species of mammals including the African wild dog. Also, you might be amazed by indigenous tribes such as Omo that have quite unusual standards of women beauty. Photo from wildimages-phototours.com The most popular countries in Africa to visit 8. Morroco Morocco is a country in northwest Africa visited by 11 million visitors annually, and this number is expected to increase. Morocco is home to the indigenous Berber people. You can take amazing photos when visiting Moroccan Atlas mountains, Sahara desert and coastline cities along the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Casablanca, Marrakech, Medina, Essaouira are cities which attract the attention of tourists. Photo from golgappatravel.com 9. Egypt Egypt is one of the most visited countries in Africa and the world. History of pharaohs, ancient temples, magnificent Pyramids of Giza, patient Sphynx, cruising the Nile River, diving in the Red Sea, visiting a market in Cairo. What could be more interesting? Egypt has so much to offer for every taste. 10. Tunisia Tunisia is a northwest African country bordered by Algeria, Libya, and the Mediterranean Sea. It is visited by about 6 milion tourists every year. Islam in Tunisia is the state religion, 99 percent of the Tunisian population are Muslims. Tunisia also has a high human development index. Tunisia has close relationships with Europe, particularly, with France and Italy as it signed an association agreement with the European Union. Tourists are amazed by the dry Sahara Desert, wild Atlas Mountains as well as luxurious resorts along the coastline. We hope you have enjoyed the amazing places listed in our post. Africa is a continent worth visiting. We listed only ten countries but, of course, there a way more wonderful places on the continent. Feel free to share your opinion with us in the comments below. READ ALSO: Most populated country in Africa Source: Legit - Arewa youths has announced their supports for Senate President Bukola Saraki - The group said the problem of APC has nothing to do with the Senate President - The group has also cautioned APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, to watch his utterance on Saraki A coalition of northern groups and associations called the Arewa Youths for Peace and Security (AYPS) has warned the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to watch his utterances on Senate President Bukola Saraki. The group, while professing its support for Saraki said that the Senate President has discharged its assigned mandate beyond rebuke and should be clothed in glory rather than harassed. READ ALSO: Large turnout at FEC meeting as Osinbajos fear reportedly catches ministers The group's national president, Alhaji Salisu Magaji, made the statement while addressing a press conference, on Wednesday, August 15. The Sun reports that Magaji counseled senators from the North against aligning themselves with any plot that designed to undermine or truncate Sarakis leadership in the Senate. Magaji said: "The rule of the Senate is clear. It states how to elect and how to impeach a Senate President. None of its processes or articles of association includes the kind of subtle force and desperation implied in the remarks by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. Dr. Saraki is not the problem of APC. He has exited to another party. APC has several problems to confront that have nothing to do with Saraki. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole should please leave Saraki alone." PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Oshiomhole said 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.ng Former head of state, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has said that the 2019 presidential election is not a do-or-die affair but called on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to make sure the election is free and fair. The Sun reports that Babangida gave this call when one of the partys presidential aspirants and former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, visited him in Niger state. READ ALSO: 9 things Saraki said as he considers running against Buhari 2019 He called on the PDP to learn from its past mistakes which led to its defeat in 2015. The former head of state spoke after the duo had a closed door meeting with Bafarawa as the latter continues to make consultation for his 2019 presidential ambition. Babangida noted that the party could not afford any crises and advise that the primary election be conducted freely and fairly. He also described Bafarawa as upright and honest and that your recent triumph at the court over corruption allegations is a clear indication that you are a honest and transparent person, and Nigerians need someone like you. It will be recalled thatS enator Bukola Saraki paid a visit to former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital. Premium Times reports that the Senate president arrived at the home of Obasanjo in the evening on Monday, August 13. The duo went in for a private meeting after the arrival of Saraki. Although details of the meeting have not been made public yet, there are rumours it is related to Sarakis possible presidential ambition ahead of 2019. Saraki recently defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party and has been in a tussle with his former party to relinquish his position as Senate president. Nigeria Latest News: Here's What Saraki and Tambuwal's Defection Means for the APC | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - Senator Philip Gyunka says any plot to illegally impeach Senate President Bukola Saraki will be resisted - He said PDP lawmakers were already keeping vigil to stop any such move - Gyunka cautioned APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, that the issue of removing a Senate president had to do with the Constitution, not unionism A federal lawmaker, Senator Philip Gyunka, on Wednesday, August 15, in Lafia, said that any plot to illegally impeach the president of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, will be strongly resisted. Gyunka, representing Nasarawa North, said this at a rally to mark his official declaration to run for the Nasarawa state governorship election, NAN reports. READ ALSO: Man sneaks into hospital ward, makes love to ailing wife Legit.ng gathers that Gyunka, who expressed concern over the role played by the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, in the matter, said the position of the Constitution on who should be president of the Senate was clear. According to him, unlike majority and minority leadership, which are from majority and minority parties, a lawmaker can be president of the Senate, irrespective of party affiliation. He said: Besides that, there are conditions for impeachment should lawmakers be dissatisfied with whoever they chose to lead them. The law is clear on this. If two third majorities say they do not want him, he will be removed. But for Oshiomhole to keep threatening that Saraki must be impeached when he is not a lawmaker, beats my imagination. It is obvious from all his threats that there might be plans to do something unlawful, which we will resist vehemently. It beats my imagination that Nigeria, a country that should play the big brother when it comes to respect for the rule of law would be disgracing itself before the international community with this kind of development. He pointed out that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers were already keeping vigil to stop any of such moves. We are keeping watch on their plans. If they want the Senate president removed, which is impossible, they must have two third majorities. They have been attempting and failing. I know they will still make attempts; but they will not succeed, because I know Nigerians will not allow them to make mockery of the nations democracy. If you hear a lawmaker speaking, he is speaking the minds of thousands of people. How then should someone, who was appointed and has neither gone to the rural areas to feel the pulse of the people, nor held town hall meetings be insisting that a man that was duly chosen by his colleagues be removed at all cost? Oshiomhole should be educated that this is not unionism. This is an issue that has to do with the Constitution, and we will not allow him to violate it, he said. On his ambition to run for the governorship election of the state, Gyunka said it was borne out of passion to bring the state out of the woods. He said it was disheartening that despite huge human and mineral resources among other potentials, the state had not been able to meet the needs of the people. He called on Nigerians to take advantage of the forthcoming general elections to vote for people that have their interests at heart. He urged them to go beyond expressing their grievances, to getting their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC's) before the expiration date, to vote for people that would meet their needs and aspirations. According to him, all the crises we are facing as a nation today is because we keep voting in the wrong persons. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, said that the Senate president would be legally impeached. Oshiomhole said the ruling party had resolved to explore all legal means to ensure the impeachment of Dr Bukola Saraki. Speaking at a 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. Here's what Saraki and Tambuwal's defection means for the APC - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit.ng The secretary of an NGO run by Baban Yadav had filed an FIR for assault and rape following which Yadav was expelled from the BJP. Patna: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Patna has been arrested for alleged sexual exploitation of the secretary of an NGO ran by him, police said on Wednesday. Baban Yadav was arrested late on Tuesday following an FIR lodged by the secretary of Buddha Society Seva Foundation, an NGO which he ran, under sections relating to assault and rape, Station House Officer of Digha police station S N Singh told PTI-Bhasha. He said Yadav has been sent to jail. Yadav, a small-time Bhojpuri movie actor, had joined the BJP recently. Meanwhile, BJP state vice-president Devesh Kumar issued a statement declaring Yadav's expulsion from the party. Rivers state police command on Wednesday, August 15, paraded 35 suspected armed robbers and kidnappers at the command headquarters in Port Harcourt, the capital of the state. Legit.ng regional reporter in Port Harcourt, Tony Ihunwo, who witnessed the parade, said that one of the suspects, Uchenna Chinaka, a driver of a bus carrying 15 passengers who were kidnapped on Wednesday, August 8, along the Elele axis of Ikwerre local government council area of the state but were later rescued by a crack team of anti-kidnapping unit of the police on Friday, August 10, was among those paraded. READ ALSO: 2019: Women group disowns Obasanjo, vows to work for Buharis re-election In an interview with Legit.ng during the parade, Chinaka, denied conniving with the abductors, adding that he ran into the gang of kidnappers around 10pm while returning to Port Harcourt from Abuja. Suspected armed robbers, kidnappers being paraded by the Rivers state commissioner of police, CP Zaki Ahmed. Photo credit: Tony Ihunwo He said that when they ambushed them they ordered him out of the bus and drove off into the bus. The driver further explained that three of the passengers who managed to escape from the kidnappers met him at the Elele police station where he was making a report about the incident. He tried to deny the allegations earlier made by some of his distraught passengers that before they ran into the ambush he made several calls on his cell phone to unknown persons. Arms and ammunition recovered by the suspected armed robbers, kidnappers in Rivers state The commissioner of police in Rivers state, CP Zaki Ahmed, who conducted the parade said among those paraded were two people suspected to be behind the killing of a police officer in Etche. Others were alleged to have killed a female student at the Ignatius Ajuru University. Also, among the suspects was a notorious cultist and leader of the gang that allegedly kidnapped and murdered a retired Army officer in the Ahoada west axis of Rivers. He also said the some members of a robbery syndicate terrorizing the Etche and Ikwerre axis of the state are now helping the police in its determination to fish out other members. "About the dangerous weapons recovered include: 25 arms of assorted types and stolen vehicles and other items were paraded", he said. Suspected armed robbers, kidnappers being paraded by the Rivers state commissioner of police, CP Zaki Ahmed. Photo credit: Tony Ihunwo CP Zaki Ahmed vowed that the police command under his watch would not rest until the state is rid of criminals. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the Nigeria Police force, Oyo state command, paraded 15 men arrested for allegedly being a member of a notorious robbery gang terrorising the state before their recent arrest by officials of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). It was gathered that among those paraded is a 28-year old Naval officer, Jimoh Adesoye, a soldier and twin brothers. The state commissioner of police, Abiodun Odude, during the parade, said the Naval officer was arrested with 12 members of his gang. Robbers return firearms to Nigerian Police | - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Hamza Al-Mustapha said if Nigerians want, he will run for presidency - The former CSO to late Sani Abacha said the EFCC could not fight corruption - He insisted he knows nothing about his former boss' loot Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to late head of state, General Sani Abacha, says he will join the presidential race if prevailed upon by Nigerians to do so. Al-Mustapha gave the indication on Wednesday, August 15 in Kaduna during an interview shortly after a meeting with United Christian Leaders Eagle Eye Forum which backed him to join the 2019 presidential race. READ ALSO: BREAKING: Saraki to run against Buhari in 2019 - Bloomberg I am not going to announce myself contesting for a presidential seat, but if people say so that, is the wishes of the people. I am not a power tasty person, if I am, I would have lost my personality long before now, but when people gather to speak and the decision is by them, then it is a call to serve, the retired Army Major said. According to him, his focus is the protection of the right of Nigerians as provided under the law. Al-Mustapha also spoke on the security situation in the country and called for the reintroduction of toll gates, which he described as an effective buffer of uncovering illegal weapons and movement of criminals. He also called for the overhaul of the Police Act to strengthen policing at the local level in the country. Al-Mustapha particularly said local government councils must be allowed to work effectively, so as to tackle local challenges including security. He described the efforts of the EFCC in fighting corruption as a small monkey given a thread to arrest an elephant, but abandoned it and is busy destroying the animal kingdom. If you have to fight corruption in Nigeria, you have to tackle it from multi faceted angles; the EFCC is not strong enough to fight corruption. It requires a bigger body that has the capacity of intelligence that can reach out to the international community to get our stolen funds stashed abroad and equally prosecute rather than relying on the regular Police to do that. On the Abacha loot, the former CSO to the late head of state said, he knew nothing about it. The fact that some of Nigerian leaders were corrupt does not mean that everyone that serve in government is a thief. Some of us can stand and challenge any institution or individual any day any time. Stealing is not what you require, but its service to the nation that matters. Any money that you steal not to render service to the people makes the owner an illiterate, vision less storekeeper. Earlier, Chairman of the United Christian Leaders Eagle Eye Forum, Pastor Aminchi Habu, said the forum, after critical analysis and observations has endorsed Al-Mustapha to contest in the upcoming Presidential election in 2019. He said the Forum will stand with Al-Mustapha once he makes up his mind to run for the presidency because of his integrity. Meanwhile, former head of state, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has said that the 2019 presidential election is not a do-or-die affair but called on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to make sure the election is free and fair. The Sun reports that Babangida gave this call when one of the partys presidential aspirants and former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, visited him in Niger state. Nigeria Latest News: Here's What Saraki and Tambuwal's Defection Means for the APC | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng The Nigerian Army in its intensification of the fight against criminality particularly in the north engaged in a gunfight with bandits in Zamfara. It was reported that the soldiers had gone after armed robbers before they were ambushed by the bandits. In a statement by Colonel Muhammad Dole who is the deputy director of army public relations, one soldier was killed in the ambush while two others were injured. Some of the weapons recovered from the bandits. Credit: Facebook, SK Usman READ ALSO: How Nigeria can fight and defeat corruption - Al-Mustapha Five bodies of bandits were recovered in the forest including that of one Sani Danbuzuwa. Read the statement below: One soldier lost his life in the ambush. Credit: Facebook, SK Usman "The Troops of 1 Division under Operation WHIRL PUNCH responded to a distress call about an armed robbery along Birnin Gwari - Funtua road. While on pursuit of the armed robbers, they were ambushed by suspected bandits. However, they fought their way and overpowered the bandits, who hastily withdrew into Kwuyambana forest in Zamfara State. During the pursuit of the bandits in the forest, 5 bandits' dead bodies were found. Among the eliminated bandits was a notorious bandit from Zamfara identified as Sani Danbuzuwa. Regrettably, we lost One soldier and Two were injured. The wounded soldiers were evacuated and they are responding to treatment in military hospital in Kaduna. After thorough searched of the ambush area, the following items were recovered: a. 1 x AK47 rifle. b. 3 x magazines. c. 87 rounds of 7.62mm (special). d. 1 x G3 rifle. e. 4 x magazines. f. 61 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO). Likewise, a wanted vicious kidnapper and expert in negotiations for ransom, called Yinusa Suleiman from Sambuwa village was apprehended by troops on 14 August 2018. He is currently assisting the security operatives in further investigations. The troops remain committed and determined to ensure security and safe passage to all commuters along highways of Kaduna - Abuja and Kaduna - Birnin Gwari roads as well as adjoining towns and villages." PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, the Zamfara state police command has captured 20 suspected bandits and recovered seven AK 47 rifles. The commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Kenneth Ebrimson, made the disclosure at a news conference in Gusau on Wednesday, August 15. Ebrimson said the suspects were captured by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) special tactical squad in collaboration with the command at various locations in the state. Lagos Police parades suspects - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit.ng - Eight police officers have been dismissed for very serious criminal offence, the Lagos state commissioner of police has said - Imohimi Edgal said a total of 108 officers were disciplined for various offences from January to July, 2018 in the Lagos state Command - According to Edgal,six other police officers were demoted from the various ranks The commissioner of Police in Lagos state, Imohimi Edgal, on Wednesday, August 15, said eight officers were dismissed over very serious criminal offences, while six others were demoted in ranks. Edgal, also said that 108 officers were disciplined for various offences from January to July, 2018 in the Lagos state Command. He made the disclosure at a Stakeholders Forum on Police Accountability and Presentation of Advocacy Materials at the commands headquarters, Ikeja. The police chief said that 58 other officers recorded major entries, six officers reprimanded, 28 officers got warning motors, four officers had extra fatigue, while five others were discharged for lack of evidences against them. READ ALSO: How Nigeria can fight and defeat corruption - Al-Mustapha The days of police officers receiving slaps on the wrist for offences are gone. When you performed excellently well, you will receive a CPs Commendation Letter. I am not happy punishing any officer, but that does not mean we should overlook unprofessional conducts. When I resumed as CP Lagos, I discovered that the public had lost confidence in the police. I set up a Citizen Complaint Hot Centre with 10 mobile phone lines through which people can complain about the wrongs of our men. I have received many complaints. However, there is no way I would know all that my men are doing if nobody complained, he said. Edgal called on people in Lagos to continue to assist the police with information and other assistance, stressing that the 28,000 officers and men in Lagos were inadequate to police the state. READ ALSO: I must be an insane person to contemplate to leave APC - Former governor According to him, community policing in the state is working as it had reduced crimes by 35 per cent. Commending the forum organised by the civil society groups, he said that it would also assist the police to perform better. Edgal, while appointing a senior police officer, SP Abubakar Aliyah from the X-Squad, as member of the forum, promised to monitor the activities of the forum, Also, Okechukwu Nwanguma, the National Coordinator, Network For Police Reform In Nigeria (NOPRIN) and Chairman of the forum, spoke on Toward Sustained Community Partnership with the Lagos State Police. Nwanguma said that the forum was formed with a view to have regular engagement and interaction with the Lagos State Police Command on issues of police accountability. The platform is to stand as a liaison between the police and the communities. This is with a view to deepening partnership between the police and the communities they serve and to improve public safety and security. We want to gain deeper understanding of the workings of the various complaints and disciplinary mechanisms within the Lagos State Police Command and the feedback system. We want to have a formalised and structured engagement with them, contribute to strengthening them and promoting police accountability, he said. Nwanguma commended Edgal for his human rights record, noting that he was one of the best commissioners in the country with good human rights police command. READ ALSO: BREAKING: I am considering running against Buhari in 2019 - Saraki The Head of Monitoring, National Human Rights Commission, southwest, Nneka Anigbo, said that the launch of the forum was a welcome development. Anigbo said the commission would support the forum to succeed, and commended the CP for a job well done in the state. The president of Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN), Odita Sunday, praised the initiative behind the forum, urging Edgal to maintain the high level of crime fighting. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that highlight of the launch included the presentation of some advocacy materials by Nwanguma and Mrs Bose Iro Ndu of Womens Rights and Health Project. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the commissioner of police in Kogi state, Ali Janga, has paraded two serving officers of the force as well as one personnel of the Nigerian Navy for alleged kidnapping and armed robbery. The suspects were said to be among others paraded by Janga, who gave the names of the police officers as Corporals Isiaka Suleman and Ibrahim James. The naval personnel was identified as Bature Habila. Evans the kidnapper lands in Kirikiri prison after first appearance in court - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - Governor Rauf Aregesola reportedly ordered the payment of full salary to Osun workers - The workers expressed pleasure at the new development - Pensioners have however not received their payment yet There was celebration in Osun state over the payment of full salary by Governor Rauf Aregbesola. Jacob Adekomi who is the chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Osun state chapter confirmed the payment according to The Punch. READ ALSO: How Nigeria can fight and defeat corruption - Al-Mustapha Adekomi confirmed receiving full salary for the month of July and said local government workers and primary school teachers have also started receiving payment alerts. He said: The state government has started paying us full salaries. But we are waiting for the payment of arrears of the balance of modulated salaries. We have already given them a 21-day ultimatum and we hope they will pay the arrears before the expiration of the ultimatum. Negotiation will soon commence and we are waiting for them to start paying us the arrears. But I can confirm that they have started paying us full salaries and I received the alert yesterday. However, the Secretary of the 2011/2012 Forum of Retirees in the state, Sola Olojode, said they had not received their own payment yet. He said: We went to the Head of Service two days ago and he assured us that we would be paid full pension for July. We will make noise again if we are not paid as they promised. He also assured us that those retirees whose N100, 000 cheques given to them bounced should present the cheques again. The cheques of N100, 000 out of millions of naira gratuities bounced. Can you imagine that? The cheques were given to teachers that retired through Teachers and Establishment and Pension Office. Oyebade Olowogboyega who is the head of service commended Governor Aregbesola for the double promotions they received without examinations and the employment of thousands of youths into the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme programme. He also said the arrears and leave bonuses would be paid and that the new promotion status of each worker would be reflected and not the former level, while the financial benefits attached to the promotion status would be fulfilled. Legit.ng had reported that 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. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app 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, August 16. He said the governors directive was to ensure that the workers have an enjoyable Sallah celebration. Eid-el-Kabir: Why the ram killed must not exceed three days in your house - On Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit All over the world, people bear names that are quite unique. In Nigeria for example, many are given names according to their ethnic groups. A number of people also make up names for their own kids. These names often have no meaning and parents mainly give their children the name just because they like the way it sounds. But rarely do we hear of a name being a hindrance to getting jobs or generally moving forward in life. An American woman named Hermeisha Robinson recently took to her Facebook page to reveal that she was denied a job because her employer thought her name sounded too ghetto. READ ALSO: For rushing neighbour to hospital, man spends 2 years in prison See her post below: I HAVE A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT I AM VERY UPSET BECAUSE TODAY I RECEIVED AN EMAIL ABOUT THIS JOB THAT I APPLIED FOR AS A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT Mantality Health. Hermeisha Robinson (Image courtesy Facebook) I KNOW IM WELL QUALIFIED FOR THE POSITION AS THEY SEEN ON MY RESUME! THEY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST ME BECAUSE OF MY NAME WHICH THEY CONSIDERED IT TO BE ghetto FOR THEIR COMPANY! A screenshot of the mail Hermeisha got. (Image courtesy Hermeisha Robinson Facebook) 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 I WOULD LIKE FOR EVERYONE TO SHARE THIS POST BECAUSE DISCRIMINATION HAS TO STOP! This is coming after a man shared a photo of elderly female twins who he claims are 120-years-old each. It is unclear what part of the country the photo was taken. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Nigeria Lagos News: 2baba Idibia, 9ice, Terry G and Falz Hold PVC Concert at National Stadium | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has scheduled October 5 and 6, for its national convention where its flag bearer for the 2019 presidential election will emerge. Below is a list of the presidential aspirants who are interested in taking over Buharis job in 2019. 1. Atiku Abubakar Former vice president Atiku Abubakar is one of the prominent PDP presidential aspirants. If he wins the presidential ticket or contests the 2019 presidential election under any other political party, he will be taking his fifth shot at becoming Nigerian president, The ICIR notes. 2. Sule Lamido Sule Lamido, a two-time governor of Jigawa state is another prominent member of the PDP with presidential ambition. At 70, by August 30, Lamido insists he possesses the qualities needed to move Nigeria forward. READ ALSO: How Nigeria can fight and defeat corruption - Al-Mustapha 3. Ahmed Makarfi Makarfi is also a former governor (Kaduna state). After spending two terms as governor, Makarfi contested and won the Kaduna North senatorial election and went on to spend another eight years in the National Assembly. He was appointed PDP National caretaker committee at a contentious national convention held in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers state capital. He handed over to Uche Secondus after a tumultuous regime characterized by a series of court cases. 4. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo Dankwambo hails from Gombe state. He is also a two-time governor of the state. 5. Attahiru Bafarawa Attahiru Bafarawa, 64, is bent on having another go at the Nigerian presidency after a failed first attempt in 2007. He ran under the platform of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) that he formed. 6. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, from Kebbi state, is a former minister of special duties and inter-governmental affairs between 2013 and 2015, former supervising minister, Ministry of Labour and Productivity between 2014 and 2015, and current chairman of PDP Former Ministers Forum of Nigeria. 7. Datti Baba-Ahmed Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed was elected a member of House of Representatives in 2003 under the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) representing Zaria federal constituency in Kaduna state. In 2011, he defeated Ahmed Makarfi, incumbent senator and former governor of Kaduna state, for the Kaduna North senatorial seat. 8. Senator Bukola Saraki The embattled Senate president, Saraki, is the latest to indicate his interest in the presidency. He is one of the heavyweight senators who left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the PDP recently. On Wednesday, August 15, Saraki in an interview with Bloomberg said he is considering running against President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general elections. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Saraki urged President 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. PDP's Magnificent 7 For 2019 Election | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit Newspaper - Justice Sylvanus Nsofor (rtd) has commended the president for not excluding his office in signing the Not-Too-Young-to-Run of the bill - The Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S, said the youth made up 75 per cent of Nigerias population. - The new law reduced the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 to 35, and state governors and senators from 35 to 30, while the age limit for state assembly is 25 Nigerias Ambassador to the U.S., Justice Sylvanus Nsofor (rtd) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for not excluding his office in signing the Not-Too-Young-to-Run bill into law. Nsofor, who gave the commendation as a guest speaker at the 2018 International Young Leaders Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, said the youth made up 75 per cent of Nigerias population. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buhari signed the bill into law in May following its passage by the National Assembly in 2017. Pursuant to the desideratum, President Muhammadu Buhari of The Federal Republic of Nigeria promulgated into law, on the May 31, 2018, Not Too Young to Run Bill thereby reducing the age qualification for elective offices or positions but not excepting his position or office, he said. He said based on the Nigerian Census, 2006, the youth population constituted 70 per cent adding, the world population of youth constitutes 25 per cent. The Nigerian envoy said the youth of a nation were the trustees of posterity and the the world changers. Nsofor said: The youths of today are the leaders of tomorrow. But I make haste to add, the youths are also partakers of today. The youth of or in any society or nation play vital and very important roles in shaping its moral tune, fostering the social cohesion, economic prosperity and its political stability. They provide the needed goods and services. I choose to dwell on the Role of Young People in National Development. The youth its leadership cannot and should not be left out in the national or international scheme of things. Indeed, this is an aphorism. They are the world changers. But why? Because only and only because the development of any society or its morality essentially depends on its productive and creative youths (or its leadership). And this, I may say is a sine qua non'. He noted that we could not always build the future for the youth but we could always build the youth for our future by instructing them at childhood in the way they should go and when they grow old, they would not leave it. Noting the theme of the conference, Moral and Innovative Leadership for Peace and Development, Nsofor said Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote represented a perfect illustration. This Nigerian of whom all are proud, at the early age of 20 years started a small business firm. And today the Dangote Group of Companies of which Alhaji Aliko Dangote is the Chief Executive Officer is the famous successor of that small business firm, he said. He admonished the youth to channel their energy and power, their noble thoughts and ideas into productive, moral, and lawful ventures to contribute meaningfully to the national or international growth, development and economy. The Nigerian envoy also urged them to be law abiding adding, the top and bottom of all the admonition is peace'. Sections 65, 106, 131, 177 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria stipulates that the president has to be at least 40, while senators and state governors have to be aged 35 or above. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app The new law, however, reduced the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 to 35, and state governors and senators from 35 to 30, while the age limit for state assembly is 25. In a previous report by Legit.ng, President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, May 31, finally signed the 'Not Too Young to Run' bill into law. This was disclosed in a tweet by the personal assistant to the president on new media, Bashir Ahmad. While signing the bill, the president, on a lighter mood, appealed to young people to defer their presidential ambition till after the 2019 general elections. He congratulated the young people over the signing of the bill, and urged them to be more enterprising and self-sustaining. 2019: Ahmed Buhari tells Nigerians he is the best option for president on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - The United Nations has said cash economy is encouraging Boko Haram activities - It says the activities of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups are increasing due to funds sent to them by non-governmental organisations - The UN says terrorist groups also get funds by kidnapping for ransom The predominance of the cash economy is a major factor fuelling the nefarious activities of the Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in the Lake Chad Basin region, a UN report has revealed. NAN reports that this was contained in the 22nd report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, pursuant to resolution 2368 (2017) concerning Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities. Legit.ng gathers that the report was submitted to the security council committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL, Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities. The UN said the number of doctrinally based non-governmental organisations sending funds to local terrorist groups was growing, and member states were concerned that radicalisation was increasing the threat level in the Sahel. READ ALSO: N189.2bn elections budget: National Assembly panels grill INEC chairman Yakubu The report said: Meanwhile, Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have had a similar impact in their areas of control, including the Lake Chad basin. The predominance in the region of the cash economy, without controls, is conducive to terrorist groups funded by extortion, charitable donations, smuggling, remittances and kidnapping. In Nigeria, 111 schoolgirls from the town of Dapchi were kidnapped on 18 February 2018 and released by ISWAP on 21 March 2018 in exchange for a large ransom payment." The UN Security Council had last week said it remained concerned by the security and humanitarian situation caused by the Boko Haram terrorists and other armed groups in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad. In a presidential statement, the 15-member body regretted that Central African countries were beset by ongoing terrorist activity, instability and the effects of climate change, and asked secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, to review the work of the UN regional office for Central Africa (UNOCA), and recommend areas for improvement. The presidential statement read: The Security Council strongly condemns all terrorist attacks carried out in the region, including those perpetrated by Boko Haram and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Daesh). These attacks have caused large-scale and devastating losses, have had a devastating humanitarian impact including through the displacement of a large number of civilians in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, and represent a threat to the stability and peace of West and Central Africa. The Council notes with particular concern the continuing use by Boko Haram of women and girls as suicide bombers, which has created an atmosphere of suspicion towards them and made them targets of harassment and stigmatisation in affected communities, and of arbitrary arrests by security forces." PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a representative of the United Nations (UN) said the Boko Haram group had been weakened but not yet defeated by the Nigerian forces. The UN secretary-general for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mohammed Ibn Chambers, told journalist on Tuesday, May 8, that Boko Haram still constituted a grave threat to the stability and survival of people in the Lake Chad region. Nigerian Air Force operations against Boko Haram - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - A former lawmaker, Senator Ayogu Eze, had defected from the PDP to the APC in Enugu state - APC members view Eze as a strong force who will help them dislodge the PDP from power in the state, come 2019 - The former senator has confirmed joining the APC Senator Ayogu Eze, a former lawmaker and 2015 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Enugu state has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Before moving to the APC, Eze had engaged in intensive consultations with political associates and stakeholders in Enugu and the ruling party, Daily Sun reports. READ ALSO: Edo APC stalwarts quit party, defect to PDP Legit.ng gathers that a grand reception is being planned to officially receive the two-time senator, who has already registered as an APC member in his ward. APC members in the state are reportedly overjoyed over the development, as they view Eze as a strong force who will help them dislodge the PDP from power in the state come 2019. Associates of the former lawmaker disclosed that it took a lot to convince him to make to move; pointing out that what eventually won him over was their emphasis on the need to move Enugu back to mainstream politics as a means of ending marginalization of the people of the state. The former senator has reportedly confirmed joining the APC. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the senator representing Ebonyi south senatorial district in the National Assembly, Sonni Ogbuoji, and an ex-minister of state for power and steel, Goddy Ogbaga and 13 others on Saturday, August 4, defected from the PDP to the APC. The defectors announced their defection during a rally organised by the state chapter of the APC in honour of President Muhammadu Buhari and the partys national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole. Senators, lawmakers defect from APC - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit.ng Under instructions from PM Modi, Defence Ministry rushed in fresh teams of the 3 wings of military for relief and rescue operations. People being rescued from a flood-affected region following heavy monsoon rainfall in Kochi on Thursday. (Photo: PTI) Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi/New Delhi: Torrential rain and floods played havoc in Kerala, claiming 30 lives on Thursday, swamping homes, destroying roads, and disrupting air and rail traffic in many places, officials said. Altogether 97 people have died in rain-related incidents since the second spell of monsoon fury got unleashed on August 8. The murderous weather has claimed 55 lives in the last two days alone. Battling savage weather conditions, the Indian navy began airlifting marooned people in Trichur, Aluva and Muvattupuzha. Dramatic videos showed people stranded atop flooded homes and hills being winched up by Navy choppers. #WATCH: A child being rescued by Indian Coast Guard in flood affected Aluva. 132 people have been rescued from Thrissur, Aluva & Perumbavoor by Coast Guard helicopters today. #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/DUNWelzo2I ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018 Under instructions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Defence Ministry rushed in fresh teams of the three wings of military for relief and rescue operations in the state where over 1.5 lakh homeless and displaced people are taking shelter in relief camps. Modi spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan again this morning and assured him of all central help in tackling the situation. "We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala," Modi tweeted. Twelve additional NDRF teams comprising about 540 personnel were also rushed to Kerala. The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), the country's apex body for handling emergency situations, met in New Delhi to take stock of the rapidly deteriorating situation caused by the worst floods the state has witnessed in close to a century. The meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha was attended by chiefs of the three services, secretaries of home, defence and other top officials. Taking note of the gravity of the situation, the Supreme Court ordered the disaster management panel of the Mullaperiyar Dam to urgently decide on lowering the water level by three ft to 139 ft. The directive came after Vijayan wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart K Palaniswami seeking release of water from the over 122-year-old dam to ensure its safety. The dam in Kerala's Idukki district is owned and maintained by Tamil Nadu. The Kochi International Airport today extended the suspension of all services up to 2 pm on August 26, with large parts of the facility flooded. (Photo: ANI/Twitter) "Kochi Airport operations are temporarily suspended up to 2 pm on August 18 due to very high flood situation and key essential facilities like runway, taxiway and apron are under submerged condition," an airport statement said. Services on the Kochi Metro were halted for a few hours as water levels rose in the Muttam yard, before resuming in the evening. Train services were also hit due to flooding. Over 25 trains were either cancelled or rescheduled, a Southern Railway statement said. As water levels rose to the height of double-storeyed buildings in some towns and villages in central districts, hundreds of people, including children and elderly, sought refuge on rooftops and took to social media to make desperate pleas for evacuation and relief. Newborn babies and patients in intensive care units of private hospitals in Aluva town of Ernakulam district were evacuated and shifted to facilities elsewhere. According to some reports, around 200 patients were stranded at a hospital in Muvattupuzha after rain water swamped the building. "This sort of a situation has never been faced by the state. We are doing all that is humanly possible and rescue efforts are going on," Vijayan told a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, asking people not to panic but take all precautions to keep themselves safe. Fifty-eight dams of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and 22 of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) were full to the brim. The state cabinet met and decided to raise excise duty on Indian Made Foreign Liquor till November 30 to mop up additional resources for relief and rehabilitation efforts, official sources said. TV channels broadcast a video shared by a Christian priest seeking food and water for about 1,500 people stranded at a religious centre in Muringur. Hundreds of students were marooned at the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady near Kochi. As woes rained on Kerala, able-bodied men and women were seen wading through chest-deep water carrying children on their shoulders in a bid to escape the flood fury. Roads and bridges have caved in and developed cracks in many places making rescue efforts difficult. United States Senator Bernie Sanders has won the Vermont Democratic primary election conducted on Tuesday, August 14. He defeated Nigerian-born Folasade Adeluola to clinch the ticket. However, NBC News reports that Sanders is expected to turn down the nomination and run as an independent candidate. Sanders was first elected to the Senate in 2006. He previously served in the House of Representatives and as Mayor of Burlington. Nigerian-born Folasade Adeluola was defeated by US Senator Bernie Sanders in Democratic primary. Credit: NBC News READ ALSO: Notorious bandit Danbuzuwa killed by army, weapons recovered (photos) Sanders waged a strong campaign for president in 2016 but was defeated by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He is ranked as the most popular Senator in the country. Sanders could run again for president in 2020. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that US President Donald Trump said he would be willing to shut down the government if the Democrats do not give their votes for the country's border security. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app President Trump made the threat on his Twitter page on Sunday, July 29, in which he said the United States must get rid of the lottery and have a system of immigration that is merit-based. He tweeted: "I would be willing to shut down government if the Democrats do not give us the votes for Border Security, which includes the Wall! Must get rid of Lottery, Catch & Release etc. and finally go to system of Immigration based on MERIT! We need great people coming into our Country!" Street Gist: Will Nigeria be a better place with Trump as president? | on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - A Niger state lawmaker Danladi Iyah's seat has been declared vacant - This is followed by his resignation as a member of the All Progressives Congress - He was also accused of fueling speculations that the gale of defections from the APC will soon hit the state Assembly The Niger state House of Assembly has declared Danladi Iyah's seat vacant for resigning his membership of the All Progressives Congress and fueling speculations that the gale of defection from the party will soon hit the Assembly. This Day reports that Iyah did not disclose what other political party he is panning to join. Legit.ng gathered that he conveyed his resignation to the state chairman of the party, Jibrin Imam, in which he gave the reason for leaving the APC to humiliation and hostilities I suffered while I was in the APC. READ ALSO: Ex-PDP senator defects to APC It was learnt that in a swift reaction to Iyahs letter, the APC wrote to the assembly asking that the legislators seat be declared vacant. Imam said in the letter: I want the House of Assembly to effect the provisions of section 109 sub section 1(g) of the Nigerian constitution and declare the seat of the member representing Tafa state constituency vacant. His reasons are not justifiable. According to the chairmans letter, the reason given by the legislator was not tenable as it was personal and not constitutional. When the APC chairmans letter was read at plenary on Wednesday, August 15, a member representing Borgu state constituency, Alhaji Bala Ahmed Abba, threw his weight behind the letter, saying the resignation of his colleague was unconstitutional. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Abba said: Declaring his (Iyah) seat vacant is the right thing to do. Mohammed Haruna seconded the motion. When the motion was put for voting, the members unanimously agreed that the legislators seat should be declared vacant. The speaker, Ahmed Marafa Guni, directed the clerk of the assembly to convey the decision to the relevant agencies. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Kaduna state House of Assembly elected Nuhu Shadalafiya as new deputy speaker following the defection of the former deputy speaker to PDP. John Audu's seat had earlier been declared vacant by the Kaduna state members of the Assembly on Wednesday, August 15. The former deputy speaker represents Kachia constituency at the Assembly. The speaker of the Assembly, Aminu Shagali, declared the seat vacant and Shadalafiya, the former committee chairman on information and member representing Kagarko constituency was subsequently elected as the new deputy speaker. Ahmed Mohammed representing Zaria/ Kewaye nominated Shadalafiya for the position. The motion was accepted by the lawmakers. Nigeria Latest News: Here's What Saraki and Tambuwal's Defection Means for the APC | Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - Senators in APC are allegedly divided over the choice of successor for Bukola Saraki - There is a camp in support of Ahmed Lawan and another in support of Godswill Akpabio There is a fresh crisis brewing in the All Progressives Congress (APC) as senators disagreed over who should take over Bukola Saraki's seat as Senate president. Trouble reportedly started after Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe) was selected against Senator Godswill Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom) as replacement of Saraki whom the party is allegedly working towards impeaching. Lawan was allegedly endorsed as Sarakis replacement and Sunny Ogbuoji (APC, Ebonyi) was selected as replacement for Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu. READ ALSO: APC presidential aspirant urges members to stop Buharis re-election bid The endorsements led to collation of signatures for the impeachment of Saraki and Ekweremadu. The move followed Sarakis defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). However, a source of Daily Trust in the party, claimed that some senators are not in support of Lawan and are demanding for a right to vote for the person to succeed Saraki between Lawan and Akpabio. The source said: A senator lamented that the trio were punished by Saraki because of Lawan. He said when Lawan became the Senate Leader he did nothing to address the situation, the source said. They are in total support of the removal of Saraki and Ekweremadu but the argument is the issue of Lawan. People are now canvassing for Akpabio because he sacrificed his seat (minority leader) for APC. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app What we are saying now is that the two should be allowed to campaign and senators should be allowed to select their leaders. Lawan should not be forced on us." Legit.ng earlier reported that Senator Philip Gyunka (PDP-Nasarawa North) disclosed that Peoples Democratic Party senators have begun taking turns sleeping at the National Assembly in order to prevent any nocturnal removal of Senate President Bukola Saraki by their colleagues in the All Progressives Congress (APC). Gyunka made the disclosure when he presented his letter of intent to contest for the Nasarawa gubernatorial election to the leadership of the PDP in the state on Wednesday, August 15. Here's what Saraki and Tambuwal's defection means for the APC - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit Newspaper - 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 - The airlift of pilgrims is expected to end Friday, August 17 - The Hajj 2018 proper is expected to commence with the movement of the nearly two million pilgrims The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has transported 34,978 pilgrims in 90 flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this years Hajj exercise. Legit.ng gathered that this was disclosed on Wednesday, August 15, by the commissions command control unit, which disseminates each airlift from various international Airports in Nigeria. The airlift of pilgrims which is expected to end this Friday, August 17, is being carried out by two local airlines, Max and Medview, and a Saudi Arabian owned Flynas Air. READ ALSO: Ex-PDP senator defects to APC 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, August 20, 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, Aliyu Tanko, NAHCONs logistics chief, said the stoning ritual will be done based on turn by turn arrangements. 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. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Legit.ng previously reported that the Sultan of Sokoto and president general of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammadu Saad Abubakar, has declared Sunday, August 12, as the first day of the Islamic month of Dhul-Hijjah. This was contained in a statement released on Sunday, August 12, by the deputy secretary general of the NSCIA, Prof Salisu Shehu. The statement said, after due consultation with scholars, the National Moon Sighting Committee (NMSC) and the Fatwa Committee of the NSCIA, it was decided that the dates of Dhul-Qaadah be adjusted to make Sunday, August 12, 2018, the 1st day of Dhul-Hijjah, 1439AH. Eid-el-Kabir: Why the ram killed must not exceed three days in your house - On Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - Protesters have stormed police headquarters to demand for the release of Premium Times reporter - He was arrested for publishing a report on the invasion of the National Assembly - The newspapers editor-in-chief, Musikilu Mojeed and another reporter, Azeezat Adedigba, were also briefly detained Some activists have stormed the Nigeria police headquarters in Abuja to demand the immediate release of Premium Times journalist, Samuel Ogundipe. Omoyele Sowore of the Sahara Reporters, social activist and music icon, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, and Deji Adeyanju were among the people protesting at the police headquarters. READ ALSO: Ex-PDP senator defects to APC The journalist was arrested for publishing a report on the invasion of the National Assembly by operatives of the Department of State Services. He was asked to reveal the source of his story on the IGPs memo to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on the invasion, Premium Times reports. The newspapers editor-in-chief, Musikilu Mojeed, Azeezat Adedigba, its education correspondent,were also briefly detained by the police at the SARS headquarters in Abuja. Sowore while speaking at the police headquaters insisted that the police should release Samuel to them. We came here so that we can resolve this problem. Bring out Ogundipe, we leave. Its as simple as that, Sowore said. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that two years after he was arrested and detained without trial by the Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly having links with militants in the Niger Delta region, Jones Abiri, has finally regained his freedom. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app The journalist was released on Wednesday, August 16, after outcry by Nigerians and many international agencies. Street Gist: Who is Nigeria's greatest president ever? | Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit Several times, Nigerians have made use of their social media handles to voice out their frustrations about the activities of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) operatives in Lagos and other neighbouring states. A young lady and lawyer based in Lagos, has taken to her Instagram account to narrate a story of how SARS operatives detained a young man for allegedly being stubborn. Kween_alobeda (@BOLLAR) disclosed that they switched off the boys phone so no one can reach him. Sharing the story of how he was found, she added that they went to report the case of a missing young man to the police and went back home. After a brief prayer session with family members, they called the police who revealed that the only son of his parents was in SARS custody. READ ALSO: Female corps member shows off her mum who sold fish to sponsor her education (photos) The post reads: One of my student got to work this morning and told me her brother (who is in his early 30's) that got missing for over 24 hours. That he left for work around 6:00am as usual and didn't come back home. His mother had been crying since she got the news and he happens to be the only boy. His numbers were not going through, they went to his office and they said he never came to office. There was no way to reach him, his friends said they hadn't seen him since weekend. So everyone had started thinking wild because nobody knew what had happened to him. So I advised her to file a missing person report at the police station, so she left. After she left, we held a prayer session with the others on her behalf for her brother's safety. Later called her in the evening to know how far, then she said the police found him in SARS office where he was detained. The SARS people said they punished him by switching off his phones so that nobody could reach him because he was being stubborn. Unbelievable! His whole family was thrown into confusion because of his sudden disappearance. This is kidnapping to me, how can an agency saddled with the responsibility of protecting its citizens become a terrorizing agency. One with lack of empathy for humans nor her rights. How did we get here, this is sad. See post below: PAY ATTENTION: Join Africa Love Aid today for your daily relationship tips and advice It was earlier reported that the acting President Yemi Osinbajo has directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to immediately overhaul the management and activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). Nawa o! Nigeria Latest News: I Was Arrested As a Soldier, the Uniform Belongs to My Roommate | Legit.ng TV - on Legit.ng TV. Source: Legit - Pat Utomi said the APC he and others hoped for when it was founded was not the same as the current APC - Utomi also spoke on his ambition to run the governorship election in Delta state A chieftain and founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pat Utomi, said the party he and others founded in 2013 in anticipation fo the 2015 general election cannot be compared to the party in the present time. Utomi, a Delta state governornorship aspirant, said he and others had hoped for a better party when they formed the APC five years ago. Confirming he was a founding member of APC, Utomi said: "Of course yes, I was a member of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) when the APC was founded, we were trying to merge. My protest has been simple and straightforward, opposition, and politics for change. I dont change political party; when the political party cannot bring change from within, I will withdraw and leave partisan political life. READ ALSO: 2019: List of PDP presidential aspirants who want Buharis job "I helped found the APC and we had our ideals. Has it been 100 percent what we hoped for? Far from it. Have we been unhappy at many points? Yes indeed, but everything is about evolution. In the Conservative and Labour parties in England, they have those they call backbenchers. These are people who are not happy with the things that are going on in the party and want a different thrust. "The Labour Party was floundering and doing so terribly and the backbenchers were in revolt until Tony Blair and Gordon Brown worked out some kind of third wing coalition that brought the Labour Party out of the doldrums. In that same way, I am convinced that if we are serious as political actors, we can find people who are not happy with the way things are going in our party to join hands together and we can make a difference. That is exactly what I am trying to do with this my final effort to provide example before I exit from partisan politics, "In the last one and half years or so, I have received quite a lot of comments, some accusatory others encouraging, but all asking me how I could be working on how to better the society for this long, yet the place I come from is the ultimate source of embarrassment in terms of development experience. They all said that my home state (Delta state) is in a sorry state of development. "I have taught about it in many different ways, the one that really got to me was when the Old Boys Association of Government College Ughelli, sought to see me. When they came they made a presentation of why I should go in and I told them why I was tired and that I had done enough and that nobody would hold it against me, that I had done enough and dont think that Nigerians are ready to think about making progress. I couldnt see why people work against their own good. Those conversations led to my decision to contest one final time to ensure that I absolve myself completely of blame." PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, urged party members in Delta state to mobilise people in the state in order to defeat Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019. Oshiomhole made the statement on Tuesday, July 24, after he succeeded in brokering a peace deal between APC factions in Delta state. Nigeria News: Will Senators, Lawmakers Defection from APC Change Power in 2019? | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit Newspaper Editor's note: Sunusi Musa an Abuja-based legal practitioner in this piece talks about how many senators are constitutionally required to remove Dr Bukola Saraki as the Senate president. The recent upheavals in the National Assembly has further brought to the fore the argument of what is the constitutionally required number of Senators or members of the House of Representatives to remove any of the presiding officers or their respective deputies. By this, I mean the president of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the deputy president of the Senate and the deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. While some lawyers hold the view that the removal of any of the above mentioned officers required 2/3 majority of the all the members of each house, others are of the view that what is required is 2/3 of the members present at a sitting provided they form a quorum. READ ALSO: Ex-PDP senator defects to APC Each of the two opposing views are basing their argument on the provision of the Section 50 (2) (C) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as altered) (1999 Constitution). It is apposite to quote the said provision before going further. The section provides; 2 The President or Deputy President of the Senate or the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives shall vacate his office if he is removed from office by a resolution of the Senate or of the House of Representatives, as the case may be, by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of the members of that House. The contention of both sides is with respect to the meaning of the phrase not less than two-thirds majority of the members of that House In other words, what does the framers of the constitution mean by two-third majority of the members of that House? Does it mean for instance to remove the President of the Senate, it requires a resolution passed by at least 73 Senators which is 2/3 of the 109 Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Or it means 25 Senators which the 2/3 of the 37 Senators that the Senate requires to perform its legislative duties as provided under Section 54 (1) of the 1999 Constitution. It is my humble opinion that for us to unravel the meaning of the phrase not less than two-thirds majority of the members of that House used in subsection (2) (c) of the Section 50 of the 1999 Constitution, the constitution must be looked at holistically. In other words, the provision shall not be read in isolation of other provisions of the constitution. It is important to consider other provisions of the Constitution in order to determine the meaning and effect of the words being interpreted. In this regard, the provisions of sections 54,143, and 188 are of relevance vis-a-vis interpretation of section 50 (2) (c) of the 1999 Constitution. This is because the sections contain provisions that deal with required number of legislators needed at different times with respect to particular legislative business. Section 54 of the constitution deals with the quorum required to conduct legislative business by each house of the National Assembly. Sub section (1) of the section provides; 54. (1) The quorum of the Senate or of the House of Representatives shall be one third of all the members of the Legislative House concerned. Section 143 makes provision with respect to the removal of president or vice president from office and of particular relevance here are subsections (1), (2), (4) and (9) thereof which provides; 143. (1) The President or Vice-President may be removed from office in accordance with the provisions of this section. (2) Whenever a notice of any allegation in writing signed by not less than one-third of the members of the National Assembly- (3) A motion of the National Assembly that the allegation be investigated shall not be declared as having been passed, unless it is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly. (4) Where the report of the Panel is that the allegation against the holder of the office has been proved, then within fourteen days of the receipt of the report at the House the National Assembly shall consider the report, and if by a resolution of each House of the National Assembly supported by not less than two-thirds majority of all its members, the report of the Panel is adopted, then the holder of the office shall stand removed from office as from the date of the adoption of the report. I have taken the pain to quote the above provisions in order to make it as easy for non-lawyers to understand my argument. The provisions above, like section 50 (2) of the same constitution make provision with respect to the number of legislators required at a particular time for particular legislative business. Sections 54 (1), 143 (4) & (9) and 188 (4) & (9) have a common denominator that qualifies the number of legislators required for a particular business of to be carried out. The denominator is the phrase all the members. On the other hand, reading section 50 (2) (c), 143 (2) and 188 (2) one will observe the absence of the phrase all the members in qualifying the number of legislators required for the legislative business being dealt with by the said provisions. From the provisions of the above sections of the 1999 Constitution, one can easily deduct that by the combined provision of Section 50 (2) (c) and section 54 (1) & (4) of the 1999 Constitution, what is required for any motion intended to remove President of the Senate or his deputy is two-third of the members present at any sitting of the Senate provided there are up to 37 senators when such motion is tabled. It amount to standing logic on its head to posit that a Constitution that empowers 37 Senators to exercise the legislative powers of the National Assembly provided by sections 58 and 59, will turn around and make the less important duty of dispensing with who is leading the Senators to perform the legislative duty more daunting. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app It cannot be the intendment of the framers of the same constitution to make it possible for 19 senators to make a President of the Senate to turn around to require 73 senators to unmake him. If 19 can make a President of the Senate, it is only logical to posit that 24 can unmake the same President of the Senate. If the intendment of the framers of the Constitution is to require 73 Senators to remove President of the senate, certainly the word all could have been inserted in between the words of and the in phrase not less than two-thirds majority of the members of that House of section 50 (2) (c) of the 1999 Constitution. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Legit.ng. Your own opinion articles are welcome at info@corp.legit.ng drop an email telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest contributors. Were ready to trade your news for our money: submit news and photo reports from your area using our Citizen Journalism App. Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Twitter. Nigeria Latest News: Here's What Saraki and Tambuwal's Defection Means for the APC | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - Not less than 1,196 females have been employed to work as secondary school teachers by the Kano state government - The state government also approved N450m for capacity building and training of 500 mathematics and science teachers by the National Teachers Institute (NTI) - Muhammad Garba, the state commissioner for information, youth and culture, said that this is part of the government's efforts to raise the standard of education in the state Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano has approved the employment of 1,196 female teachers with the National Certificate of Education (NCE) throughout the state, Vanguard reports. READ ALSO: Breaking: Osinbajo presides over NEC meeting The announcement was made by Muhammad Garba, the state commissioner for information, youth and culture, during his briefing to journalists in the state. The state government has therefore directed the Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) to prepare appointment letters for the prospective teachers and include their names in the state basic education board' s payroll. In the same vein, the state government recently approved N450 million for capacity building and training of 500 mathematics and science teachers by the National Teachers Institute (NTI). PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! According to Garba, this was part of the government's moves to boost the standard of education in the ultimate bid to give the state the lead in the sector and empower women through the provision of employment. Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that a video of pupils in Kano state who were served food in sheets of paper has set the social media ablaze with reactions and comments. The video was released by the Voice of America (VOA), Hausa on Monday, June 4. Legit.ng gathered that the pupils complained that the food served them lacked ingredients compared to what they get at their various homes. How workaholic Governor Ganduje is transforming Kano state - On Legit.ng TV Source: Legit People were air-lifted through the night as Kerala battles the worst floods in almost a century. The Southern Naval Command suspended all training activities to help with relief operations as requested by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA). (Photo: Twitter | @adgpi) Kochi: The flood situation in all 14 districts of Kerala, particularly in Pathanamthitta, remained grim on Thursday with all three arms of the defence forces, the NDRF and local rescue groups working overtime to pull out people stranded across the state. Seventy five people have been killed so far. The Southern Naval Command suspended all training activities to help with relief operations as requested by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA). All resources were mobilised for rescue and relief efforts in Ernakulam and Trichur. People were air-lifted from parts of the state through the night as Kerala battles the worse floods in almost a century. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan kept alerting people the moment air-lifting operations started in a particular area. For Chalakudy and Bhoothathankettu areas, he asked people to stand in open areas on top of buildings and houses to avoid possible hindrances by trees. (Photo: PTI) Transport systems in several parts of the state have collapsed due to the heavy rains which threaten to continue for a few more days. The Kochi metro services have also been suspended as water level rose in the Muttom Metro yard. The Railways has not indicated when suspended services will be resumed. The Kochi airport was shut yesterday till the afternoon of August 18. In the Thiruvananthapuram Railway station, authorities have stopped issuing tickets. In Ernakulam, train services between Aluva and Chalakudy has been suspended following the flooding in river Periyar. A few long-distance trains have been detained in stations enroute to these areas. Bus services were also disrupted in many places. Services in Thiruvall-Ernakulam section in MC Road have been suspended. Traffic has been stopped in Kuthiaran region connecting Thrissur-Palakkad on Salem-Kochi national highway. Power connections also remained disrupted in many places in Kochi with Kerala State Electricity Board Ltd (KSEBL) switching off supply to avoid electrification and also snapping of cables. Parts of national highways are also under water. Inter-state buses could not reach Kochi as the road in Kalamassery was flooded. #KeralaFloods Heavy to very heavy rainfalls expected in all 14 districts today. Airport shut, Metro shut, trains suspended, roads& highways heavily waterlogged. Thousands feared still stranded. Landslides continue. Things would be worse before they are better pic.twitter.com/VScVzyGNg9 Nidheesh M K (@mknid) August 16, 2018 After yesterdays SOS from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with him again on Thursday morning to review the flood situation. He later tweeted: We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and wellbeing of the people of Kerala. (Photo: PTI) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh echoed the PMs concern, stating the Centre was rushing additional NDRF teams to Kerala. He said he was in constant touch with Vijayan. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted she had instructed the Defence Secretary to immediately rush more helicopters, boats, life jackets and other rescue resources to Kerala. There will be no delay from our side, she tweeted. She said several MPs had called for help. NRIs have highlighted the situation in NRIs highlighted Pattamthitta, Ranni and Aranmula Assured them that instructions are for extending immediate help. Every help, she tweeted. All dams continue to remain open. The water level in Mullaperiyar was 142 feet as rain continued to lash the state. Plight of people in #KeralaFloods. Houses completed submerged. pic.twitter.com/Af4MXX82dU Sagay Raj P (@sagayrajp) August 15, 2018 The levels in the Achankoil river at Alappuzha's Kollakadavu too rose to dangerous levels. Interestingly, fishermen were commandeering rescue operations in many places, bringing in all their experience from navigating rough seas. Several country craft were carted by road to the affected hinterland. More units of the National Disaster Response Forces (NDRF) and Engineering Task Force (ETF) wing of Indian Army from Pune were airlifted to Kerala for relief operations later on Thursday. The troops were specially meant for Thrissur, Aluva and Alapuzha. Two AN 32 aircrafts and one IL-76 aircraft (among the biggest aircraft in the IAF fleet) were already deployed in Pathanamthitta and Alapuzha. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan later told reporters the Centre would send 40 more units of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) for to flood-ravaged Kerala,. In addition to this, the Air Force will send 10 more helicopters to the state to join rescue operations. The Navy will also send four more helicopters in addition to marine special commando units to the state, Vijayan said. The Coast Guard would also press into service two more ships. More boats and life jackets will also be sent to the affected regions. The state already has a combined force of 52 units of NDRF, Army, Navy and Coast Guard. The Chief Minister said he talked to the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister and the Home Minister on Thursday morning about the extremely grave situation in the state. The Union government has promised all possible help, he said. The state chief secretary has also held a video conference with the Union Cabinet Secretary on Thursday. (Photo: Twitter | @agdpi) - The federal lawmakers have queried discrepancies in the figures that President Buhari presented to the chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu - The Senate committee chaired by Nazif Suleiman said a special meeting of the committee would hold on Wednesday, August 15, to address the discrepancies in the budget proposal - Nazif, however, noted that the committee will remain focused and do everything in the best interest of Nigerians The Nigeria Senate has expressed concern over alleged discrepancies in the 2019 elections budget figures presented by President Buhari and chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu. Guardian reported that the Senate committee on INEC made the observations during its meeting with the commission at the National Assembly on Wednesday, August 15. While the INEC chairman presented a budget of N189,207,544,893.13 for the polls, Buhari had in July 17, 2018, tabled N143,512,529,455.00. Consequently, the committee led by Senator Suleiman Nazif declared it would hold a special meeting to resolve the issue. READ ALSO: Ex-PDP senator defects to APC Nazif said: It is important for us to note that there are some observations that were raised by distinguished senators in the course of this budget defence, which are very germane. These observations are: The president sent to the National Assembly a supplementary (budget) of N143 billion (for 2018). But what we have here presented by you is N189 billion. So, we will have an opportunity by tomorrow (Thursday) to sit down once again to see how we can reconcile and come up with one formidable budget. There was also an observation that the format being presented for this budget would have to be done again because there is the need for us to present it to the appropriation committee. I believe the meeting for tomorrow will give us another opportunity to sit down and discuss. And then we will know how to go about bringing it in such a format that will be accepted by the appropriations committee where the recurrent and capital expenditure will be clearly spelt out. This Senate committee on INEC will continuously remain very focused and we will continue to do what is in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. I want to assure everyone of us here that all this political brouhaha has been brought to an end. For those who are insisting that the National Assembly is not open, the National Assembly is now open with respect to the Committee on INEC. So, we are here today, tomorrow and next. And we will try to see how we can fast-track things and ensure we do what is right. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Explaining why the cost of conducting the 2019 election would be higher than that of 2015, Yakubu said: I wish to draw the attention of this committee to the fact that there is a difference of N69 billion in the budgets of 2015 and 2019. In 2015, we had 70 million registered voters. As of last week Saturday, we now have over 80 million. All major activities are pegged against the total number of voters. In 2015, we had only 42 political parties. We now have 91 registered political parties eligible to take part in the 2019 general elections. The cost of logistics is also different in 2019 as opposed to 2015, because the pump price of petrol in 2015, is different from that of 2019. This will also have an impact. With the increase of voters, we will have to increase the number of voting points. And with the increase of voting points, we will also have an increase in ad-hoc staff. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that President Buhari informed the National Assembly that the 2019 elections will cost N242.4 billion The president disclosed this in a letter to the Senate which was read on the floor during plenary session. The president in the letter explained that implementing a budget of N9.12 trillion for 2018 will be extremely challenging and therefore does not consider it expedient to increase the 2018 budget to accommodate the funds needed for the 2019 general elections. Street Gist: Nigerians Blow Hot as President Buhari Signs 2018 Budget in June on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - PDP has suffered another setback in Ogun state ahead of 2019 elections - The former ruling party lost 4 of its lawmakers to APC, ADC - A member of APC, Harrison Adeyemi, however, dumped his party and joined PDP The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suffers another blow as four of its member in the Ogun state House of Assembly defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and African Democratic Party (ADC). Legit.ng gathered that the speaker of the House, Suraj Adekunbi, read the separate letters of defection by the lawmakers during the plenary session in Abeokuta on Thursday, August 16. READ ALSO: 2019: List of PDP presidential aspirants who want Buharis job Adekunbi who represents Yewa north 1 state constituency, said that this was the first time the Assembly would be receiving such a high number of defection letters. He said the Assembly received only three such defection letters in the last dispensation. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that two of the lawmakers - Akintayo Folakemi (Yewa south) and Ojo Viwanu (Ipokia/Idiroko) defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress. He said that Jemili Akingbade (Imeko Afon) and Atanda Razaq (Yewa north 11) also left the PDP for the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC). A member of APC, Harrison Adeyemi (Ogun Waterside), however, defected to PDP. Speaking to NAN after her defection to the APC, Folakemi commended the ideology of her new party as well as Governor Ibikunle Amosun for ensuring rapid development in the state. She said the major reason for her defection was for her to be part of the Ogun west for governor campaign. I am an Ogun west person and whatever will make my people happy is what I will go for. Whatever is done that concerns Ogun west, I must be part of it, she said. She stated that it was high time somebody from the zone became the governor of the state, adding that this had eluded the zone since the creation of the state 42 years ago. Folakemi promised to continue to do her best in ensuring that the dividends of democracy got to the nook and crannies of her constituency. Some of the PDP lawmakers, who defected, hinged their decision on the crisis and division within the party at the state level. (NAN) Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that Senator Ayogu Eze, a former lawmaker and 2015 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Enugu state defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Before moving to the APC, Eze had engaged in intensive consultations with political associates and stakeholders in Enugu and the ruling party. Senators, lawmakers defect from APC - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - The United Nations says donations from charity groups and the cash economy are fueling the activities of the Boko Haram group in Nigeria - The international body states that the insurgents raise money through extortion and kidnappings - Acting President Osinbajo orders immediate overhaul of SARS The federal government paid a huge ransom to Boko Haram for the release of the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls in March 2018, the United Nations has said in a report. The report contradicted claims by the government that it did not pay any ransom for the release of the girls, because the hostages were released in exchange for detained Boko Haram commanders. READ ALSO: 2019: List of PDP presidential aspirants who want Buharis job However, the UN in its report highlighting how the terrorist group is funded, stated that ransom from abductions, donations from charity groups and the cash economy were fueling the bloody activities of the Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in the Lake Chad Basin region, The Punch reports. The report read in part: Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province have had a similar impact in their areas of control, including the Lake Chad basin. The predominance in the region of the cash economy, without controls, is conducive to terrorist groups funded by extortion, charitable donations, smuggling, remittances and kidnapping. In Nigeria, 111 schoolgirls from the town of Dapchi were kidnapped on 18 February, 2018 and released by ISWAP on 21 March in exchange for a large ransom payment. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app The report, which was submitted to the UN security council committee was signed by Edmund Fitton-Brown, coordinator, analytical support and sanctions monitoring team and Kairat Umarov, chair, of the security council committee. Meanwhile, in another news, the acting president, Yemi Osinbajo, has directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to immediately overhaul the management and activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). Legit.ng reports that the personal assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on new media, Bashir Ahmad, made it known in a tweet on Tuesday, August 14. 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. Exclusive: Freed Dapchi Girl Recounts Her Ordeal with Boko Haram (Nigeria Breaking News) Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng Elizabeth Warren introduced her Accountable Capitalism Act in the Senate yesterday and set forth the logic of her bill in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. The Massachusetts senator described how as recently as the early 1980s, even conservative groups acknowledged publicly that corporations were responsible to employees and communities as well as to shareholders. And as weve written, and is implicit in the Warren article, there is no such thing as a legal obligation to maximize shareholder value. Its simply an ideology that has become widely accepted, even as some of its most prominent advocates, such as Harvards Michael Jensen, have since renounced it. But this practice has become so deeply embedded and so damaging that it will apparently take a change in rules, or at least a credible and live threat to do so, to change behavior in boardrooms and the C-suite. We documented in the early 2000s that the cost of shareholder-fixated short-termimsm was that corporations as a whole were net saving, as in not investing, which was a disturbing departure from long-establihed norms. Corporate priorities have become even more warped in the post-crisis era as companies borrowed to buy back stock. Warren highlights how shareholders come first doesnt look to have been very positive for anyone save corporate execs who have asymmetrical pay deals. They get paid handsomely even in the face of so-so to lousy performance, and are paid egregiously if results are good.1 From her article: In the four decades after World War II, shareholders on net contributed more than $250 billion to U.S. companies. But since 1985 they have extracted almost $7 trillion. Thats trillions of dollars in profits that might otherwise have been reinvested in the workers who helped produce them. 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 arent getting what theyve earned. Companies also are setting themselves up to fail. Retained earnings were once the foundation for long-term investments. But from 1990 to 2015, nonfinancial U.S. companies invested trillions less than projected, funneling earnings to shareholders instead. This underinvestment handcuffs U.S. enterprise and bestows an advantage on foreign competitors. To put it another way, the notion that the US stock market is for raising funds so companies can invest has become a hoary old myth. And even back in the stone ages of my youth when companies actually believe in investing, the most important sources of corporate funding were retained earnings and borrowing. New equity offerings were third. Nevertheless, Warrens bill is sure to attract opposition from parties that will contend that interfering with the shareholders come first doctrine will hurt both investors and growth. They are wrong. Efforts to pursue shareholder value fail. Companies will do better not just for other constituencies but also for shareholders by pursuing a broader set of interests. Weve been writing about this issue since 2007. Our first post on this topic quoted a 2004 Financial Times article by John Kay: If you want to go in one direction, the best route may involve going in the other. Paradoxical as it sounds, goals are more likely to be achieved when pursued indirectly. So the most profitable companies are not the most profit-oriented, and the happiest people are not those who make happiness their main aim. The name of this idea? Obliquity Obliquity is characteristic of systems that are complex, imperfectly understood, and change their nature as we engage with themObliquity is equally relevant to our businesses and our bodies, to the management of our lives and our national economies. We do not maximise shareholder value or the length of our lives, our happiness or the gross national product, for the simple but fundamental reason that we do not know how to and never will. No one will ever be buried with the epitaph He maximised shareholder value. Not just because it is a less than inspiring objective, but because even with hindsight there is no way of recognising whether the objective has been achieved. I strongly urge you to read the article in full. Kay goes long-form through how ICI and Boeing went into decline after they made an explicit and sharp change in corporate goals from being ambitious leaders with aspirational goals for their products to maximizing shareholder value. When he returned to the theme in later articles at the pink paper, and then in his book Obliquity, he cited a study of paired companies in the same industry, one with broad and lofty aims with ones that cared only about share price, and the latter always showed worse investment performance. Or as reader Ruben said in 2017: Congrats, you have highlighted a trade secret held by experts in nonlinear optimization. The saying is: you cant go there from here. So whenever optimization (such as profit maximization) has to happen over an irregular landscape (often multidimensional, not just 3D as Earth landscapes) the process is multi-step (cannot go in straight-line, 2 steps) and so it happens that often times you take steps that move you in the opposite direction (less profit) of your final destination (maximum profit), but that was a necessary step to avoid a salient non-linearity (an obstacle). What you describe as the short term behavior of firms to show the rapidest result to shareholders is equivalent to getting stuck in a local maximum for not being able to look at the whole landscape and find the global maximum. A further complication of certain system such as markets is that the multidimensional landscape is not fixed, it is dynamic so the global maximum moves at a certain speed because the landscape changes its shape as a result of the actions of its agents and other forces. So even if Warrens bill merely winds up pressuring corporate executives and fomenting debate on what are corporations for and whose interest should they serve? that would be a very salutary development. Limited liability companies generate externalities (defaults, violations of laws and regulations that they are unduly willing to risk because executives and officers are not personally liable) that forcing them to be accountable to the communities in which they live is long overdue. And contrary to what lobbyists will lead you to believe, forcing them out of their tunnel-vision, local maximum focus will be good for investors too. _____ 1 It is actually far worse than that, since there are massively overpaid CEOs at poorly performing companies, plus most CEOs get to profit from mere market appreciation. And weve also discussed how comp consultants assure that CEO pay will ever and always keep rising by virtue of virtually ever company setting its pay target at 50% or higher of comparable companies. Companies that find themselves below their target must move their pay up. That moves up the average for that group and thus puts some companies below their benchmarks, leading to yet more pay increases. That assures ever-rising CEO pay, as well as ever-busy comp consultants. By Linas Jegelevicius, a veteran Lithuanian editor and freelance journalist, and the editor-in-chief of the Baltic Times newspaper, the longest running English print news outlet in the Baltics, and its news portal www.baltictimes.com. Originally published at SafeHaven In the onging Brexit debacle creating a lack of clarity over the future of European trade relations, France may end up getting cut out of important trade routes that bring billions in revenueand Paris is now up in arms. France has vehemently slammed the European Commissions proposal to exclude French ports from the planned re-routing of a strategic trade corridor between Ireland and mainland Europe after Brexit. The new route proposed by the Commission would link Ireland by sea with Dutch and Belgian ports, including Zeebrugge and Rotterdam. Meanwhile, Frances Calais and Dunkirk ports would be circumvented. French Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne excoriated the move, which could prevent France from taping billions of euros in an EU grant, as not acceptable. In a stern letter to European Commission transport authorities, she said France and Irelands important trade channels had not been taken into account: The geographical proximity between Ireland and France creates an obvious connection to the single marketSurprisingly, the Commission proposal in no way takes this into account This proposal therefore is not acceptable to France. For France, much is at stake, including potentially billions in revenues from the ports themselves, jobs and funding for infrastructure from EU programs. Now, the bulk of Irelands trade with the continent stretches via Great Britain in trucks. However, with Brexit looming within the next 8 months, opaqueness lingers not only on the UKs future trade relations with the bloc, but also on the nature of the Irish Republics border with the British province of Northern Ireland. While the UK can no longer be part of EU routes after Brexit, bypassing it prevents Irish exports to Europe from getting caught up in British customs. Frances Roscoff and Cherbourg, the other major portsboth of which are nearer to Irelandalso would be bypassed if the plan goes into effect, meaning that they and the transport infrastructure serving them would not be eligible for additional funding from Brussels to upgrade their facilities. The European Commission counter-argues that Frances exclusion from Brexit trade route reflects traffic flows. The Commission proposal is based on the current transport flows, said a Commission spokesman. It makes an adjustment to the corridor to ensure continuity of these traffic flows, which mainly go through certain core ports. There are currently no regular maritime connections between Irelands main ports at Cork and Dublin and French terminals, but services do run to Rotterdam and Antwerp and between Dublin and Zeebrugge, the spokesman said. Brittany Ferries runs a direct overnight freight route from Cork to Roscoff every Saturday for arrival in France on Sunday morning. Irish Ferries runs a weekly service from Dublin to Cherbourg, as well as services from Rosslare to Roscoff and Cherbourg every two days. The crossing takes 14 hours. The Commission, however, says that Roscoff and Cherbourg are too small to be included in an EU priority corridor. The existing route runs from Edinburgh and Dublin down to Marseille. Calais, along with the Dunkirk and Le Havre ports, are already listed in the North Sea-Mediterranean corridor and so can continue to obtain money from the EUs flagship infrastructure funding program, the Connecting Europe Facility. Other French ports excluded from the corridor including Brest along with Roscoff and Cherbourg can still seek funding from smaller EU programs aimed to support a Motorways of the Sea initiative. France is said to be preparing to veto the re-routed trade plan between Ireland and Europe as D-Day for Brexit is only eight months away. Childrens Writer Eduard Uspensky Dies at Age 80 Moscow Times (Dan K) How Millennials Killed Mayonnaise Philadelphia Magazine. Userfriendly: This is the best Millenials Killed XXXX article. For the record I love mayo. New Horizons Just Found Hints of a Huge Structure at The Edge of Our Solar System Science Alert (Kevin W) Climate change has doubled the frequency of ocean heatwaves Nature Water use for fracking has risen by up to 770 percent since 2011 PhysOrg (Chuck L) Scientists investigating unprecedented algae bloom in Lake Superior MPR News. Chuck L: My boyhood home was on the north shore of a lake that was roughly circular and a half mile in diameter, in a town of about 10K. At that time the city water was drawn from that lake and purified in a treatment plant on its ENE side. That site is now a park with a swimming or fishing pier. Algae blooms were chronic and were controlled by a barge driven by water plant personnel that went back and forth dumping tons of copper sulfate into the water. Only after I grew up and moved away did I realize how shitty the water tasted. Heres How to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions Without Taxing Them New York Times (UserFriendly). Prohibition is the better approach than taxes when societal cost are higher than private costs. The case for going to bed at 2:30 am Vox (UserFriendly) Following sex, some men have unexpected feelings study Big Think. Erm, the reported level of leave me alone behavior seem a lot lower than one would expect, given the prevalence of female grousing about that. New Zealand rolls out ban on foreign national property purchases Aljazeera (Kevin W) 5 problems about to hit Italys populist government Politico Brexit RBS must put up posters revealing it ranks worst for customer service The Times Turkey US-Turkish alliance reaches the point of no return Asia Times (Kevin W). Important. Big Brother is Watching You Watch Imperial Collapse Watch Botched CIA Communications System Helped Blow Cover of Chinese Agents Foreign Policy Trump Transition Democrats Must Reclaim the Center by Moving Hard Left Politico (UserFriendly). Also featured by Lambert in Water Cooler with some caveats re the author, but worth not missing. How Medicare Promotes Wasteful Innovation RealClearPolicy. UserFriendly: The latest half baked Koch bro funded anti-M4A skeet. New McCarthyism The time may be right for land-value taxes On firmer ground Economist (UserFriendly). Michael Hudsons long-standing recommendation finally goes mainstream. The Reason to Worry When Public Companies Disappear Bloomberg Conventional measures pose the wrong productivity question Financial Times (David L) Alibabas 20-F Annual Report Financial Comedy Gold!! Wolf Street Tesla Receives Subpoena Over Musks Take-Private Tweet Bloomberg Tesla whistleblower tweets photos of allegedly damaged batteries Techcrunch (Kevin W). This is getting to be FUN! See example: Class Warfare Antidote du jour. From guurst: And a bonus video. Note these birds arent mainly crows but they are all corvids. See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. Using state of the art CGI and the latest underwater technology and working alongside divers, wreck investigators and archaeologists, Ocean Wreck Investigation tells the stories of the final moments of ships and those on board. Thursdays from 9:30pm AEDT. Last Sunday was my second pilgrimage to the cross. The first was on November 12, 1950, when it was unveiled and blessed by Archbishop Patrick ODonnell, then Coadjutor Archbishop of Brisbane. The archbishop was a Fethard man home on holiday from his ministry in Australia. A few days before he had visited the Patrician Brothers National School where he had been a pupil. I was in First Class being taught by Brother Damian who had arranged for us to sing for the archbishop who seemed very touched by his welcome. On the Sunday I went with my father, Ned Healy, to the ceremony. The day was very wet and windy. Being November it was cold as well and we all got thoroughly soaked and chilled. However, it did not spoil our ardour and a huge crowd made its way to the site halfway up the mountain. We wore commemorative badges which cost a shilling. Mine blew away but Tommy Fogarty, who lived at Trehys at Kilnockin, bought me a replacement. I wonder if any of these badges has survived. The parish priest, Canon Ryan, made his way to the site on horseback. I do not remember how the archbishop made the journey. I suspect he did so like the rest of us, on foot. Tommy Healy, who travelled home from England photographed with organising committee members (from left) Kevin Ryan, Tommy Healy, Billy Prout and Joe Lee. The cross was erected to commemorate the Holy Year of 1950 and to mark the occasion when Pope Pius XII formulated the doctrine of the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven. The work of making the cross and conveying it up the mountain was organised by a committee from Killusty. It must have been a formidable task especially when machinery was limited in scope and impossible to employ on most of the terrain of the mountain. I can only marvel at the dedication and persistence of those who undertook and completed this project. I remember that the original cross was made of wood, not the best material to withstand the rigours of the Slievenamon climate. I also recall that, at certain times of the year, it was illuminated. The light came from a set of wet batteries which had to be recharged frequently. By the early 1970s the cross had deteriorated badly and was replaced by a more robust concrete structure which was blessed by Archbishop Thomas Morris in 1974. This has stood up well to what the mountain can throw at it and seems likely to last for a long time. The 2018 pilgrimage in pictures I was seven at the time, my birthday having arrived two days before the ceremony. The walk up the mountain did not seem to bother me in the slightest, such being the energy, agility and enthusiasm of youth. I wish I could say the same now. With my seventy-fifth birthday not so far off this years trip seemed more of a challenge. However, I enjoyed it immensely especially meeting so many people from the time when I lived in Fethard and bringing home to me that no matter how long you have been away the place still has the irresistible pull of home. What also impressed me greatly was the size of this years congregation. Despite the decline of religious faith and practice in Ireland the basics of that faith still exercise a deep and lasting influence. (Tommy Healy, August 2018) A Heritage Crafts Day is to be staged in Carrick-on-Suir next Wednesday, August 22 to showcase the town's traditional crafts and industries to more than 60 visitors from Newfoundland. The Suir Valley Ireland-Newfoundland Connections Committee is organising the series of free exhibitions and craft demonstrations at Ormond Castle, the Tudor Artisan Hub as well as Brewery Lane and The Strand Theatres. While the Heritage Crafts Day events are being organised for the Newfoundland group's visit, they will be also open to the general public. The Newfoundlanders are visiting the Carrick-on-Suir area as part of the Ireland/Newfoundland Connections Festival, which celebrates the strong historical and cultural ties between the South East of Ireland and the Canadian province. Thousands of emigrants from this region settled in Newfoundland between 1760 and 1830 because of the flourishing fishing industry. An estimated 500 people from Carrick-on-Suir and its surrounding hinterland were among this wave of emigrants. The Heritage Craft Day will re-create some of the crafts and industries that existed in Carrick-on-Suir at the time the Newfoundlanders' ancestors emigrated. During a visit to Ormond Castle, the visitors will view a display of basket making by Cathy Hayden, who trained with Shanahans Willow Craft in Carrick-on-Suir. Harpist Meadhbh Quinton, who performs at the Bunratty Castle banquets, will play a selection of 17th and 18th Century music. Carricks former woollen industry will be remembered with weaving and spinning displays at Camphill in Castle Street. Meanwhile, Brewery Lane Theatre will host a display, talk and film on River Suir cot building under the direction of Pat Drohan. A locally built river cot will be on display along with a model of a horse-drawn barge used to transport goods along the River Suir between Carrick and Clonmel. Examples of Ahenny slate-craft by Owen McCarthy will also be exhibited. Over at the Strand Theatre, Rose and Alan Wells will display and demonstrate rush craft; Eileen Murphy will showcase patchwork while John Davies will showcase candlemaking. James ODonoghue of Longways Tipperary Cider will highlight the excellent qualities of locally brewed cider and Kevin OToole of South Lodge Honey will illustrate bee keeping and honey production. Tony Fitzgerald will exhibit photographs and memories of Carrick-on-Suir's former leather industry. Many of them feature the Plunder & Pollak factory, Carricks major employer before its closure in 1984. In the Tudor Artisan Hub, Sheila Wood will paint a traditional Irish work scene. There will be two sessions during the day at each of the exhibition venues. They are: 10.30am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 4pm. The Suir Valley Committee of Ireland-Newfoundland Connections said it wished to acknowledge the support and assistance of Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District and the Co. Tipperary Festival Grants Scheme. (Natural News) The Left-wing media is becoming more desperate by the day as the real news coming from the Trump administration is nothing but good. In their reluctance to cover it, they distract the country with salacious rumors, phony Deep State allegations, sideshows, carnival acts, and noise even to the point where it is becoming a national security issue. The economy is booming. Joblessness for all ethnic groups is at historic lows. Negotiations are moving in our favor regarding the dismantling of horrible trade deals. POTUS Trump and the GOP Congress are rebuilding our military after years of neglect. Regulations have been slashed and burned and taxes have been cut. The presidents approval rating continues to hover around 50 percent. Meanwhile, the establishment media continues to jerk everyone around while these positive developments are being steadily documented and reported by the independent and pro-America media (like our site). In the eyes of tens of millions of Americans, that makes those of us in independent media invaluable to the maintenance of a healthy republic, for an informed public is one that chooses its leaders and votes on issues wisely. But to the corporate/establishment media we are not just a threat to their credibility and viability, we are, somehow, a threat to the country. As reported by Information Liberation, fake news central CNN actually published a writer who claimed that Infowars and other indy media are complicit in domestic terror without offering a shred of evidence to support it. CNN has published an article which literally claims Infowars is "complicit in domestic terror" with zero evidence to back up such an incendiary claim. This is why CNN is fake news.https://t.co/8NiVecNb6x pic.twitter.com/US35EFjFQ7 Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) August 14, 2018 Which news organization is the REAL terrorist? Pakistani writer Rafia Zakaria, writing at CNN (scroll down to find her) to offer her view on the de-platforming of Infowars and its creator, talk host Alex Jones, actually compared his speech to that of domestic terrorism. And like most other Left-wing Muslims, she equates Jones disdain (and that of most Americans) for Islamic extremism to (wait for it) racism and Islamophobia. The stripping of InfoWars from Facebook, Apple and other platforms is an important step in the recognition of nativist, nationalist and white supremacist hate speech as a form of terrorism, she writes. Translation: Its hate speech because I say it is, and Im Muslim, so there. Also, you Americans dont get to be patriotic, so cut it out. Only Lefties like me should be able to have voices and platforms and make a living. (Related: Fake news CNN plants regretful Trump voter in attempt to claim POTUS is losing his base.) In the aftermath of the decision of various service providers to stop carrying InfoWars content, there are many who will say that this represents an unprecedented affront to free speech and First Amendment rights, she continues. As a Muslim-American who has seen the detestable anti-Muslim propaganda of InfoWars content replicated across the worldwide web and popularized via Apple, Spotify, and others, I know nothing could be farther from the truth. Apparently, Zakaria hasnt read anything from ISIS or other Islamic terrorist organizations who constantly denigrate and disparage Americans and other citizens of the West. And notice how she decides on her own what constitutes detestable anti-Muslim propaganda; to her, anything critical of radical Islam is detestable and thus not worthy of First Amendment protections. Then theres the domestic terror issue that must be addressed as well. Lets never forget that CNN is essentially a propaganda arm for the Democratic Party, peddling fake news about POTUS Trump and his supporters to ensure our country remains as bitterly divided as possible. Much like what a terrorist would do. But hey, dont take my word for it. Take the word of a gay, liberal journalist who believes the same thing. Read more about fake news CNN and other establishment outlets at NewsFakes.com. Sources include: NewsTarget.com TheNationalSentinel.com InfoWars.com Mayawati said that the speech from Red Fort 'failed to infuse' new energy or hope among the people of the country Lamenting that the speech was used to speak about the works done by his government in the over four years, she said PM Modi has been doing this also in his rallies and election meetings as well as in Parliament. (Photo: File) Lucknow: BSP president Mayawati on Wednesday dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort as an "election speech in his political style". Mayawati said that the speech "failed to infuse" new energy or hope and the prime minister "failed to assure the safety of life" and property of people which is of utmost importance. "The speech was an election speech given in a totally political style ... it would have been better had the annual speech from the Red Fort not been used to serve political interests," the BSP chief said in a party release issued in Lucknow. "The BJP government needs to give the account of usefulness of policies and work in Parliament while the speech at the Red Fort needs to extend hope and confidence among the people to deal with new challenges facing the country," she said. "But, it seems that the BJP is not going to rise above its narrow and vindictive politics ... this seems impossible especially in view of the coming (Lok Sabha) elections," Mayawati said. Lamenting that the speech was used to speak about the works done by his government in the over four years, she said PM Modi has been doing this also in his rallies and election meetings as well as in Parliament. Mayawati also questioned the prime minister's "silence" over the fast-changing political situation and dangers facing the economy which has affected petrol, diesel, rupee, and the lives of Indians settled abroad. (Natural News) A study published online in the Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment journal revealed that taking extracts of the Rhodiola rosea plant may help relieve symptoms of work-related burnout. As part of the study, a team of Austrian and German researchers examined 118 men and women aged 30 to 60 who exhibited symptoms of burnout. The study participants were instructed to consume 400 mg of R. rosea extracts daily for 12 weeks. The results showed that a vast majority of burnout symptoms improved over the course of the study. The researchers also noted that the progress was already measurable during the first week of treatment. Likewise, the scientists observed marked improvements in specific symptoms such as emotional and physical exhaustion, fatigue, and lack of joy as well as loss of zest of life and depersonalization. The study participants reported increased sexual interest and functioning as well. Researchers said this effect demonstrate the potential of R. rosea in addressing stress-related impairment in sexual function. In this context, the outcomes of the [Perceived Stress Questionnaire] and [Numerical Analogue Scales of subjective stress symptoms] assessment suggest that the reduction of core values such as exhaustion, fatigue, and subjective stress perception during the treatment with R. rosea extract might be an important first step toward a continuous alleviation of burnout symptoms, thus inhibiting the exacerbation of the syndrome and preventing the development of subsequent disorders such as depression or physical illnessThe results presented provide an encouraging basis for clinical trials further investigating the clinical outcomes of R. rosea extract in patients with the burnout syndrome, the researchers wrote in Nutra Ingredients U.S.A. online. A 2009 study also demonstrated the plant extracts efficacy in relieving stress-related fatigue. Data on 60 participants aged 20 to 55 years old showed that people who took R. rosea extracts attained greater improvements in burnout levels and post-treatment cortisol responses to awakening stress. The findings suggest that the plant contains potent anti-fatigue properties, which in turn boosts mental performance and concentration, and reduces cortisol response to awakening stress in burnout patients exhibiting fatigue symptoms. What causes burnout in the first place? A stark mismatch between an employees unconscious needs and the opportunities and demands of work leads to the onset of occupational burnout, according to a study published last year. To carry out the study, researchers recruited 97 participants from a Swiss burnout website. The participants were instructed to accomplish questionnaires about their physical well-being, burnout levels, and job characteristics including its opportunities and demands. The researchers then examined the participants unconscious needs or implicit motives, which was comprised of two types: power motive and affiliation motive. Power motive was defined as the need to take responsibility and leadership in order to feel strong and self-efficacious. On the other hand, affiliation motive was characterized by the need for social belonging and positive personal relations. The results showed that a mismatch between an employees job characteristics and either of the implicit motive types may well result in burnout. The researchers also found that an imbalance between power and affiliation motives may also trigger the condition. (Related: Experts determine burnout and depression are closely linked.) We found that the frustration of unconscious affective needs, caused by a lack of opportunities for motive-driven behavior, is detrimental to psychological and physical well-being. The same is true for goal-striving that doesnt match a well-developed implicit motive for power or affiliation, because then excessive effort is necessary to achieve that goal. Both forms of mismatch act as hidden stressors and can cause burnoutA starting point could be to select job applicants in such a way that their implicit motives match the characteristics of the open position. Another strategy could be so-called job crafting, where employees proactively try to enrich their job in order to meet their individual needs, lead author Veronika Brandstatter said in a Science Daily article. Sources include: NutraIngredients-USA.com NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov 1 NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov 2 ScienceDaily.com (Natural News) We have become a society where Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! is no longer an ABBA song, but a philosophy. Our daily lives now revolve around material possessions the best and biggest homes, the most advanced gadgets, the fastest cars, and the latest fashion to the point that we break out backs and exhaust our bank accounts to get them. However, this lifestyle can only go so far in terms of happiness. Big homes depreciate over time. Fast cars are easily replaced by new models. Gadgets are practically overproduced; what looks cool now could be passe tomorrow. This just proves that more is not essentially better. The old adage of less is more might be a better disposition after all. Minimalism, a lifestyle that supports the removal of all things distracting and unnecessary, is marked by a clear intention to be free from all the hustle and bustle of modern life. BecomingMinimalist.com, an online self-help site, has included seven definitions of minimalism. According to the website, minimalism is the intention to give up unnecessary possessions and to live with only the things needed to survive. Minimalism promotes freedom from material things. The lifestyle values outside factors such as relationships, experiences, and soul-care. It also frees people from the unwanted hysteria of living life in a rush. The practice helps people to go beyond a life of duplicity. While being an inevitable lifestyle, living in duplicity requires people to portray different images for certain social circles. Minimalism eliminates duplicity by promoting a united and consistent lifestyle. Furthermore, minimalism helps people to assess themselves internally to improve relationships. The lifestyle is counter-cultural and is completely achievable, the website says. Seven simple ways to jump start your minimalist lifestyle Clothes Statistics show that people wear 20 percent of their clothes 80 percent of the time. This means that most closets contain clothes people no longer wear, which in turn takes up too much space. Removing all unused clothes may help clear the closet space, which makes for less stressful mornings. Decorations Most home decors do not hold personal value to the owners. Most decors may either be items purchased from a sale, or something that matches the houses color scheme. Decors, especially intricate ones, distract the visitors attention and makes communication a bit harder. It is recommended that homeowners scan their house with a discerning eye to leave only the most meaningful and beautiful decorations behind. Old decors can be dispatched through a garage sale. Toys Todays children are no exception when it comes to hoarding unnecessary possessions such as toys. This results in reduced creativity and perceptions of valuable traits such as being helpful, careful, and sharing. While dispatching old toys might be an issue with your child, chances are, these toys will be forgotten over time. Cooking utensils Most kitchens contain many cooking utensils that are otherwise unnecessary. Clear your kitchen of clutter by putting unneeded cooking utensils in a plastic bin and stash them away somewhere out of sight. Televisions A Nielsen survey showed that an average person spends more than four hours on television daily. Data also showed that typical American homes have 2.73 T.V. sets. Try owning fewer T.V. sets. Doing so will reduce screen time and may help the family bond by watching together. Counter-tops Clutter is a staple for counter-tops. Clear counter-tops of unnecessary clutter by storing them in drawers, cabinets and pantries. Furniture Removing excess furniture from your house may instantly provide space and promote airflow in the house. There is a misconception that this lifestyle choice entails sacrifice a term negatively associating with giving up all the good in the world. However, it must be stressed that simple changes to ones routine can dramatically impact quality of life. Instead of worrying about that new gizmo, place your focus on improving your body and mental state. You can learn more overall wellness by following the articles at Natural.news. Sources include: NoSideBar.com BecomingMinimalist.com (Natural News) Thanks to science, humans have been able to mimic the characteristics of many different animals. One example of this is human flight, which was made possible by drawing inspiration from the movement of birds, first and foremost. Now a team of Japanese researchers wants to take inspiration from fireflies and jellyfish by unlocking bioluminescence in humans. In a recent study, it appears that the team has been able to do just that. According to a paper titled, Single-cell bioluminescence imaging of deep tissue in freely moving animals, which was published recently in the journal Science, researchers from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan were able to create lab mice that had glowing neurons inside of their brains. To be more specific, the brains of the lab mice had glowing neurons in the hippocampus, which is said to be the center of the autonomic nervous system. These glowing neurons allowed observers from the outside to see changes to the brain in real time as the mice began learning and taking note of things about their environment. More than simply being just a neat parlor trick, the existence of the glowing neurons were meant to help researchers track individual cells in the animals with surprising accuracy. This method could also be applied to keep track of things like immune cells, stem cells, or even tumor cells to see where exactly they move in the body and how they move in the first place. For their mice experiments, the researchers focused on the hippocampus as they moved the animals from one cage to another. This showed them the changes to the brains of the mice as the mice began to get used to their new home. The researchers also used the exact same process to perform a separate experiment, wherein they tracked down the neurons in the brains of marmosets for a period of more than one year. All things considered, these experiments showed for the very first time that its possible to keep a close eye on changes to an animals brain for long periods of time from outside of that animals body. This is according to Atsushi Miyawaki, the lead researcher of the study. He said in a statement, This is the first time such a small ensemble of a few dozen deep neurons related to a specific learning behavior can be visualized non-invasively. The beauty of this method is that the researchers were able to perform their observations just by looking at the animals. The light from the neurons was said to be so bright that they could shine right through the skulls of both the mice and the marmosets. Such is the power of bioluminescence, which is something that occurs naturally in certain animal species like fireflies and jellyfish. Although the fact that certain animals possessed this ability was known to scientists for much of recorded history, it wasnt well-understood until fairly recently. Now that the chemical reactions that cause it to occur in the first place can be performed by humans in labs, scientists have started looking into possible future applications. An accompanying article to the research paper, written by Robert Campbell from the University of Alberta in Canada, has described the work as a substantial leap forward that could help in analyzing how cancer spreads around the body as well as how effective gene therapy is when used on the human body. These findings could someday lead to better ways of observing all sorts of changes to the cells in cancer patients, and possibly improve current forms of treatment for them as well. It will be up to the researchers to find a good way of applying the results of their research for the benefit of all humans in the future. Read more studies and stories about bioluminescence at Research.news. Sources include: TheGuardian.com Science.ScienceMag.org IFLScience.com (Natural News) Dont you just hate that nagging feeling of having an awesome dream but being unable to remember any of it? Scientists say its not that you have a weak memory its just how your brain works. Its something that happens to most people. According to Thomas Andrillon, a neuroscientist at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia: We have a tendency to immediately forget dreams, and its likely that people who rarely report dreams are just forgetting them more easily. What this means is that you do dream even during seemingly dreamless slumbers you just forget you did. But why? One of the reasons for this, according to scientists, has to do with how the hippocampus works. This curved structure in your brain, despite its small size, actually fulfills a significant role. Its one of several structures, along with the likes of the hypothalamus and amygdala, that help you feel and react to your environment. It also converts short-term into long-term memory. A 2011 study published in the journal Neuron found that the hippocampus is the last part of the brain to fall asleep. It stands to reason, therefore, that its also the last to wake up. So, you could have this window where you wake up with a dream in your short-term memory, but since the hippocampus is not fully awake yet, your brain is not able to keep that memory, explained Andrillon. This explains why sometimes, you wake up with a vivid memory of a dream only to forget it within minutes. Its because your brain needs, according to French researchers, approximately two minutes to function normally and regain its ability to store long-term memories. This finding came from a study that compared the sleeping patterns of people who recalled their dreams on a daily basis and those who infrequently recalled their dreams. The researchers discovered that people in the former category woke up more frequently during the night than those in the latter group. These moments of being awake lasted for two minutes on average for high-recallers and about one minute for low-recallers. Other studies offer a different, albeit related, explanation. A 2017 study looked into the activities of neurotransmitters in the brain during sleep and found a drop in acetylcholine and noradrenaline, also called norepinephrine. Both of these neurotransmitters are vital to storing memory. Once a person enters the rapid eye movement (REM) stage, the point during sleep when you have the most vivid dreams, acetylcholine surges back to normal levels while noradrenaline remains low. The shift in acetylcholine awakens the cortex, but the reduced levels of noradrenaline, a chemical thats also linked to your ability to concentrate, prevents you from remembering your dreams. A third explanation offers a much simpler take on things your dreams are just not interesting enough. Much like how mundane thoughts you have every day such as your random musings while you shower or brush your teeth dont make it to your long-term memory, unmemorable dreams are dismissed by your brain. This explains why you often remember only those dreams that have the most dramatic and compelling content, no matter how nonsensical they may seem. But what if you dont want to forget your dreams? Experts say it can be as easy as wishing for it. Every time you sleep, remind yourself to remember your dreams. Theres a good chance youll be able to remember your dreams more and more as you go. Another step is to keep a dream journal, a diary of your dreams, in other words. Once you wake up, try to hold on to the fragment of the dream you can still remember. Try to describe the dream in your journal in as detailed a manner as you can. This will train your brain to be better at remembering dreams in the morning. You could also eat the right food. Learn more about how your brain retains memories at Brain.news. Sources include: LiveScience.com MedicalNewsToday.com (Natural News) Spider silk is pretty strong stuff. Its so strong, Indian and South Korean researchers are using it to create nano-scale piezoelectric generators. In an article in Nanowerk, the researchers reported getting spider silk molecules to generate an electric charge when placed under physical pressure. This was the first time a piezoelectric response has been elicited from spider silk. Professor Bhanu Bhusan Khatua of the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) explained that they discovered natural silk fibers responded to pressure from vertical, out-of-plane directions. Although spider silk fibers show natures most outstanding mechanical properties, for example, excellent tensile strength and elasticity, and remarkable protein sequence structure, it remains completely unidentified how the mechanical properties of spider silk fibers effectively contribute to the performance of a piezoelectric nanogenerator (PNG), Khatua explained in an interview. He and the Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) study group led by Jin Kon Kim achieved the effect by applying tensile strength in the parallel direction to the fiber. They believed that the unorthodox piezoelectric effect depended on the unique structure of the spider silk. Their approach directly used unmodified silk fibers. The success of their experiment showed that the fibers do not need to be specially treated to be used as a piezoelectric material. (Related: Nano-sized cellulose fibers beat spider silk in being the strongest material on Earth.) Spider silk generates piezoelectricity in an odd way Study author Sumanta Kumar Karan of IIT Kharagpur said that earlier studies on the piezoelectric property of spider silk did not consider applying external force from vertical/out-of-plane to the direction of the fiber. Their experiment showed that silk fibers have strong vertical piezoelectricity. Karan theorized that the property stems from the complicated structure of spider silk. Each fiber is made up of highly-organized micro-fibrils, betas-sheet crystal, alpha-helix, a carbonyl group, and inter/intra-molecular hydrogen-bonding. The interaction between the crystalline domains and the strained elastic semi-amorphous regions could be the origin behind the extraordinary properties of silk fibers fiber, agreed POSTECH researcher Sandip Maiti, the co-first author of the paper alongside Karan. In their experiment, Maiti, Karan, and the other researchers used spider silk fiber to build a piezoelectric nanogenerator so that they could study its ability to harvest energy from pressure. They reported that the bio-generator achieved significant output voltage with matching instantaneous power density. They added that the generator performed effortlessly when it came to accumulating biomechanical energy. Our device also shows excellent energy conversion efficiency of ?66%, which are highest values among all the reported bio-based PNGs till date, to the best of our knowledge, Katua remarked. A single flexible silk fiber PNG can turn on 30 green LEDs through simple finger imparting. An assembly of three devices in series shows a maximum output voltage of ?65 V, which instantaneously can turn on more than 55 combined LEDs. He went on to say that the spider silk-based piezoelectric nanogenerator demonstrated the highest (66 percent) energy conversion efficiency among all of its biologically-based counterparts. Spider silk fibers could power smart clothing A single silk fiber PNG could turn finger pressure into electricity for 30 green light-emitting diodes (LEDs). A series assembly of three such devices could instantly turn on at least 55 combined LEDs. The PNG device of the IIT Kharagpur-POSTECH researchers is a one-dimensional nanowire. The wire can keep a significant output voltage while it is being bent, imparted, and stretched. One of the potential uses for this PNG is providing electrical power for smart clothing. Not only is the spider silk fiber device bio-compatible, but it is also capable of picking up arterial pulses, throat movements, and other normal signals given off by physiological activity. It could, therefore, be employed as a biomedical sensor. Read about other biotechnological advances at FutureScienceNews.com. Sources include: Nanowerk.com ScienceDirect.com (Natural News) In case you were wondering just how deep former President Barack Obamas fondness for Islam goes, this should give you a really good idea. In 2012, the Democratic National Committee launched its convention with a series of kick-off events that included the first-ever Jumah at the DNC, the term Juman being Arabic for gathering. That consisted of three Islam-centric events that began with afternoon Muslim prayers followed by a sermon, an Islamic banquet and an all-day festival highlighting Islam. As Counter Jihad reported at the time: Many of the individuals scheduled to speak during the DNC week have extremely spurious backgrounds, including, astonishingly, support for Al Qaeda and for the U.S. State Department-designated terrorist organization, Hamas. The celebrity Imam or Grand Imam slated for the event is Imam Siraj Wahhaj. Aside from Islamic guests who support a known terrorist organization, what importance does the event have today? Because it has a lot in common with a more recent event that should concern every American. In recent days, New Mexico police raided a rural compound, arresting 39-year-old Siraj Wahhaj and another man as part of their investigation into a missing three-year-old boy allegedly abducted from his Clayton County, Georgia home by Wahhaj. The younger Wahhaj is the son of the imam who oversaw the festivities at the 2012 DNC convention. While at the New Mexico compound, police discovered two women and 11 children ages ranging from one to 15 living in squalid conditions with little food. Wahhaj was wanted for the boys abduction, CBS News reported. Later, authorities found the as-yet-unidentified remains of a young child. Subsequent reporting noted that police believe Wahhaj is a radical Islamist who was training at least two older boys at the compound to carry out school shootings. USA Today reported an FBI agent testified in court this week that Wahhaj and the others were preparing attacks. Other law enforcement officials supported the FBIs contention, adding that they believe the children were being radicalized in Muslim extremism. Local station KOB reported that the Taos County Sheriff found children holding ammunition when his team raided the compound. He also told the court that one child told police he was armed. However, defense attorneys argued the Muslim group had a constitutional right to possess guns and freely practice their religion. Incredibly and despite the fact that three-year-old Abdul Wahhajs remains were discovered at the compound the judge, Sarah Backus, agreed in a hearing Tuesday and ordered Wahhaj and the others released on bond because she said they didnt pose any risk. (Related: Robert Mueller complicit in allowing Islamic terrorism to proliferate in the United States.) Another miss by the mainstream media But is that accurate? As Frontpage Magazine noted further, the elder Wahhaj has a history of making very controversial even dangerous statements regarding Islam in America. Islam is better than democracy- Allah will cause his deen [Islam as a complete way of life], Islam to prevail over every kind of system, and you know what? It will happen, he once said. He also said: As long as you remember that if you get involved in politics, you have to be very careful that your leader is for Allah. You dont get involved in politics because its the American thing to do. You get involved in politics because politics are a weapon to use in the cause of Islam. And: If only Muslims were clever politically, they could take over the United States and replace its constitutional government with a caliphate. If we were united and strong, we would elect our own emir and give allegiance to him. Take my word, if eight million Muslims unite in America, the country will come to us. And this is the man whom the Democrats, and by extension, former President Obama, associated themselves with (and continue to do so). Funny how the establishment media, despite all of their resources, havent put any of this together, isnt it? Read more about Islamic extremist terrorism at Terrorism.news. Sources include: CounterJihadReport.com USAToday.com TheNationalSentinel.com FrontPageMag.com (Natural News) There was a time when the cheerful singing of a canary was the only way for coal miners to know that their air supply was safe. Since these birds are extremely sensitive to the effects of carbon monoxide and methane, if one became ill or died it would serve as an early warning of danger to the vulnerable miners trapped deep underground. The practice of using canaries in this way was phased out long ago, but the analogy of the dying canary serving as a warning of a bigger problem has become entrenched in the English language, and is used to refer to an isolated event which on its own may not mean much but which serves as a tangible warning of a much bigger problem busy brewing. The censorship and attack on Alex Jones of InfoWars is the canary in the coalmine of censorship. True, many do not agree with his beliefs, and some of his theories are outrageous, but thats not the point. The point is that free speech is protected in the United States, and what social media platforms have done by turning on him as one, deciding for themselves that what he says constitutes hate speech, is nothing more than cyber bullying taken to a new level. (Related: Confirmed Google is actively censoring natural health websites to protect Big Pharma and destroy knowledge of natural medicine.) The right to speak We all like talking and we like to think that others are listening. Perhaps they really arent, but thats okay. None of us want our right to express our feelings and beliefs stripped from us. Of course, there is speech that foments hatred and violence which should not be given a voice, but when the biggest communication platforms of our time social media take it upon themselves to decide what is and isnt good or bad, right or wrong, hateful or good, a dangerous door is opened which will be very difficult to shove closed again. Whoever is at the helm of these organizations has opinions influenced by their own personal beliefs and convictions, and those convictions will inform their judgment of what is hateful. That is precisely why free speech has to be uncensored, because who gets to decide what is and isnt hate speech? (Related: University apologizes for censoring First Amendment rights of students who oppose abortion.) Think, for example, of the issue of abortion. To a Christian who is pro-life, any website favorable to abortion would be viewed as hate speech. To such a person abortion is murder, and what could be more hateful than inciting others to murder the innocent? Of course, someone who is pro-abortion has exactly the opposite view of the matter. What if the person censoring content at Facebook or Twitter is either pro- or anti-abortion? Now what? And the same could be said for virtually any divisive issue of our time. There are people firmly in one camp or the other on every issue from global warming to religion. So, who gets to decide what is and isnt hate speech? And, while westerners are more than likely in control of the content allowed on social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter and the like are used by billions of people around the world, many of whom have a totally different value system and set of beliefs. Who will decide which of these beliefs are right and wrong? Thats why whats going on with InfoWars is the canary in the coalmine. Alex Jones may just be one relatively small entity, but what his destruction means has far-reaching ramifications for everybody who wants the right to be heard. Bookmark Censored.news to stay up-to-date on the latest developments affecting free speech. Sources for this article include: Breitbart.com WiseGeek.com (Natural News) While sitting before the Senates Commerce and Judiciary committees earlier this year to answer questions about his companys alleged involvement in illegal spying and tracking of users, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was asked something along the lines of: do you have the ability to basically listen to what your users do outside of the social media platform? In typical robotic stance, Zuckerberg denied the question, insisting that his digital monolith remains in pristine compliance with the law. But is this actually true? During a recent episode of MFA TV News, host Scott discusses this important matter, which has escalated in recent days following the shocking news about Alex Jones removal from a number of major tech platforms. In a video clip posted to Brighteon.com, which you can watch below, Scott explains that, despite what they might claim, social media platforms do have the ability to track the movements and behavior of users even when theyre not actively using the associated social media apps. I started testing this about six months ago, Scott explains. I dont own a cat, and yet I talked about buying cat food and vitamins and different pet products all day long not in front of my computer, but with my trusty cell phone right next to me. As soon as I got home and turned my computer on and jumped on Facebook, all of a sudden there were cat food ads all over my Facebook page. No matter where I went, I was looking at something for cats, and then pets. Zuckerberg is a liar, a sellout, a traitor, and an anti-American globalist Scott tried the same experiment again, this time with webcam and other tech equipment that he uses on his computer. And sure enough, later that same day, he began to notice ads for new microphones and specifically boom microphones commonly used by radio stations and recording studios. What seems to be happening here, despite Zuckerbergs repeated denials, is that Facebook and possibly other social media sites are constantly listening to what users are saying whenever theyre in the vicinity of their smartphones or computers. It then populates online advertising accordingly. This is something that we covered earlier in the summer after Zuckerbergs hearing revealing how even the mainstream media now admits that this type of spying is becoming commonplace. VICE writer Sam Nichols conducted similar experiments to Scott, intentionally talking about certain subjects near his smartphone and computer to see if those subjects were snatched up by Big Brother. For the next several days, he, too, started to notice advertising that directly corresponding to the subject matter of his verbal statements. What are the odds that I was talking about all of this throughout the day probably over the course of eight hours, and then within four hours, the visual ads are appearing on my Facebook page, no matter where I go? asks Scott. Are they that good in target marketing, or was social media eavesdropping on everything that I said? he further asks. This should prove to you if you had any doubt whatsoever at any time if social media actually eavesdrops on you each and every day in order to advertise and sell something to you. Such activity is against the law, of course. But these tech companies seem to operate above the law, having so embedded themselves into the government apparatus that the two have become one the epitome of corporate fascism and the total surveillance society described in dystopian novels like 1984. To keep up with the latest news on social media spying and other crimes, check out Technocrats.news. Sources for this article include: NaturalNews.com Brighteon.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) At some point over the past several years, the American Left assumed the authority to make all of societys rules concerning how we can and cannot behave, what we can and cannot say, who we can and cannot support, and what we can and cannot do. Any violation of the tyrannical Lefts established protocols or any wavering outside the Lefts social, political, and cultural groupthink is met with severe ostracization, demonization, and increasingly physical punishment. This authoritarianism has been on full display for quite some time, but its been in hyper drive since POTUS Donald Trump smashed all predictions and handily defeated the most corrupt presidential contender to ever seek the Oval Office, Hillary Clinton. The Left has never accepted Trumps victory and as such has sought to punish as many of his supporters as possible. The latest episode occurred recently at a restaurant in Texas, where Leftists were triggered after Attorney General Jeff Sessions stopped in for a bite and the owner dared to thank the AG for dropping by. As reported by the Star Tribune: A popular Tex-Mex restaurant in Houston is facing backlash after it posted a photo of [Sessions] who has pushed for a wide crackdown on immigration. El Tiempo Cantina was targeted by hundreds of tweets and Facebook posts after Roland Laurenzo, president of the company that operates the chain, posted a photowith Sessions. The photo caption said it was an honor to serve Sessions, who delivered a speech in Houston that day. The report went on to note that Sessions visit and Laurenzos approving post offended Leftists opposed to policies like enforcing immigration laws, border security, border integrity, and ensuring that people who come to America legally stay at the head of the migration line. The lesson is this: If youre conservative or a supporter of POTUS Trump (whose policies are turning out to be to the right of Ronald Reagan), then youre not permitted to freely participate in society. The Left is destroying our unspoken social contract Conservatives cant have a meal without being harassed. Were not permitted to show any affection or approval at all for Trump via the donning of a pro-Trump article of clothing, lest it be ripped from our body and we are summarily pummeled. Were not permitted to say or point out anything positive about the president or his administration, no matter how much truth our statements contain without being shouted down or, in the case of Alex Jones and Infowars, deplatformed, censored, silenced, banned from existence. (Related: Will the next civil war begin in Portland? Antifa thugs discuss direct armed confrontation during upcoming free speech rally.) While AG Sessions, in the view of many, made a horrible error in judgment when he recused himself from all things Russia shortly after being confirmed to his post by the Senate, hes otherwise been a good and loyal subject to the president and to all of the American people even those who disagree with him and POTUS on policy. His presence at a restaurant in Houston and the chains owner relishing the opportunity to serve him not only shouldnt be newsworthy but should also not merit the imbecilic, immature response of the Left-wing masses who, by the way, are able to freely associate with and support whomever they choose in a hassle-free environment. For the most part, Trump supporters are max attentive and supportive of all forms of life in a free society and dont seek to curb someone elses behavior or actions simply because we disagree with their viewpoints. The Lefts destruction of the unspoken social contract we all have to abide by and support in order to maintain a free and functioning society for all citizens is continuing apace. If we continue down this same path, there will come a day when the contract is so damaged it cannot be reinstated without violence. And they will have pushed the country to that point. Read more about civil discourse turning into civil war at CivilWar.news. Sources include: StarTribune.com NewsTarget.com TheNationalSentinel.com After NBC Bay Areas Investigative Unit revealed a troubled safety record for the Oakland contractor whose worker was killed in the Twin Peaks Tunnel retrofit project, a San Francisco supervisor is calling for a formal hearing over apparent gaps in the citys contractor vetting process. Right now, theres a lot of red flags, said Jen Low, chief of staff to Supervisor Norman Yee, about how the city missed the ten-year history of Shimmick, whose signal technician Patrick Ricketts was killed when a steel beam fell on him Friday. We would like to have more confidence in our current procurement process to make sure we are vetting all contractors and their history of worker safety violations. NBC Bay Area first reported Tuesday that Shimmick had been cited nearly 50 times by the state worker safety agency over the last decade. Shimmick has repeatedly declined to comment about any worker safety violation cases. NBC Bay Areas review found the company and its joint venture partner, Obayashi, was cited for two serious and willful violations that were lodged after a back hoe operator twice struck an exposed gas line in Yorba Linda back in 2011. The willful conduct was alleged because the second strike occurred while the first was under Cal/OSHA investigation. The companies challenged the willful conduct finding and, while not definitive, state records suggest it may have been vacated by the appeals board in 2015. A separate serious and willful violation lodged in 2011 on the same project, however, was upheld in 2015 by a Cal/OSHA appeals board. The citation alleges Shimmick/Obayashi bypassed an engineers plan to shore up the walls of a trench to prevent a cave-in. Shimmick challenged the Cal/OSHA appeals boards ruling in Superior Court in Sacramento, saying the panels denial of its rehearing request was an abuse of power. That court challenge was still pending back in November when the Metropolitan Transportation Agency asked Shimmicks representatives if the company had been cited for a serious and willful worker safety violation within the past ten years. Shimmick checked no on the bidding questionnaire, enabling the firm to qualify for the city project. Legal experts say worker safety citation cases are not actually considered legally resolved until all appeals have been exhausted apparently enabling Shimmick to declare the company had not been cited. Garrett Brown, who worked for Cal/OSHA for 20 years, says the city has to stop contractors from using this loophole. Theyre claiming they've never been convicted because the entire appeals process has not reached the end, which takes years and years," Brown said. "Their lawyers tell them they can claim during this appeals process they were never cited, even though in common sense knowledge they were cited by Cal/OSHA. Theyve been cited by Cal/OSHA and are appealing the citations." Brown says its time to change the wording on the questionnaire. Ask the bidders, Have you been issued a citation by Cal/OSHA? In this case, theyve been issued citations more than 50 times, he said. Supervisor Yees chief of staff says the supervisor is concerned about the gray area in the law, given it appears the city simply relied on the contractors word without doing any independent vetting of safety records. We want to look into whether or not there is legal gray area that allows contractors to claim they do not have workplace and safety violations when in fact they do, Jen Low, Yees chief of staff, said in an interview. It could be a loophole that we need to expose to make sure we are getting the right answers in the questionnaire. While he would not answer questions, Paul Rose, spokesman for the city transportation agency, issued a statement Wednesday, saying: We relied upon the contractor to accurately disclose information about their operations as part of the prequalification questionnaire, in accordance with the contract procurement process. The final night of the 2018 Riverfront Nights music series will feature Southern Avenue Saturday at 8 p.m. The free outdoor concert series takes place on the city's waterfront Dirty Blonde kicks off the music at 7 p.m. Review for Southern Avenue: Southern Avenue is a fiery young Memphis quintet that embodies its home city's soul, blues and gospel traditions while adding a youthful spirit and dynamic energy all their own. For more information on Riverfront Nights please visit www.riverfrontnights.com or the Facebook page www.facebook.com/riverfrontnights. Manmohan says Vajpayee was a great patriot n Country lost a statesman who believed in the Indias diverse culture: Gowda. New Delhi: Leaders across party lines condoled the death of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee who was the railway minister in Vajpayee government, said she would cherish many memories. Very very saddened that the great statesman and former PM Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee ji is no more with us. His passing away is a very big loss to our nation. I will always cherish many fond memories. Condolences to his family and his many admirers, she said. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also mourned his death. In a letter to Vajpayees adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya, Dr Singh said Vajpayee was a great patriot and people from all walks of life, irrespective of their political leanings, loved and respected him. He wrote in the letter, I have learnt with profound sorrow about the sad demise of Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. An excellent orator, an impressive poet, an exceptional public servant, an outstanding parliamentarian and a great Prime Minister, Shri Vajpayee ji stood among the tallest leaders of modern India, who spent his whole life serving our great country. His services to our nation will be remembered for a long time to come. Congress president Rahul Gandhi said India has lost a great son and will miss the former Prime Minister. Today India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Behari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family and all his admirers. We will miss him, he said. The Left parties also condoled the death. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, There are instances where he displayed character which is very different from todays government. That is, ideologically or politically, there can be issues of confrontations, but when it comes to personal rapport with other leaders or parties, there was difference which we dont see today. That is why he was acceptable to a large section of people. He had good relations with all parties. Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda in his condolence message said with the death of Vajpayee, the country lost a statesman and politician who believed in the countrys diverse culture. He was a true parliamentarian. With his death, a vacuum has been created in polity. He was a great orator who refused to attack his opponent personally. He did not allow the House to be disturbed during my tenure as the Prime Minister for 11 months, Gowda said. NCP president Sharad Pawar hailed Vajpayee as one of Indias great parliamentarians. He said, With the sad demise of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, we have lost a great soul, an eloquent poet, an excellent human being and one of the greatest parliamentarians of India. DMK working president M.K. Stalin said despite ideological differences, the late Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi shared cordial relationship with Vajpayee. By taking part in a protest by Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation, organised in Madurai, for the rights of Tamils in Sri Lanka, Vajpayee made TN proud...It is a big loss to the country, he said. RJD president Lalu Prasad also expressed grief over former PMs demise. With death of Vajpayee ji I have lost a friend and a guardian. He was the last pillar of type of politics in which even leaders of rival ideologies could enter into dialogue with ease and in a dignified manner...Its matter of pride that his name also had Behari...You will be remembered, Prasad said in his tweet. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said, Am deeply saddened. A great loss for India. Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik expressed deep grief over demise of the former prime minister. I am deeply grieved over demise of Vajpayeeji. India has lost one of its tallest leaders. He was loved by the people of India and of course the people of Odisha as well. May his soul rest in peace, Mr Patnaik told reporters after paying his tribute to the late leader at the All-India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi. D03 A deadly bridge collapse in Italy is raising new concerns about the safety of bridges in the United States. The highway bridge located in Italys port city of Genoa was 51-years old when it collapsed on Tuesday, killing 39 people. NBC Bay Areas Investigative Unit reviewed the Department of Transportations 2017 National Bridge Inventory and found there are 13,721 bridges in California 50 years old or older 1,960 of which are located in the Bay Area. Senior Investigative Reporter Stephen Stock reports in a video that first aired on Aug. 15, 2018. NBC Bay Areas Investigative Unit reviewed the Department of Transportations 2017 National Bridge Inventory and found there are 13,721 bridges in California 50 years old or older 1,960 of which are located in the Bay Area. The Investigative Unit also found 336 bridges in the Bay Area are ranked as structurally deficient, meaning essential structural elements are in need of repair. [[490963681, LG]] I want to emphasize that if a bridge is not safe we shut it down, Laurie Berman, Director of Californias Department of Transportation (Caltrans), told the Investigative Unit in an interview earlier this year. The California Department of Transportation oversees and maintains the states 25,657 bridges. Berman says concerns over aging infrastructure come down to funding and prioritizing maintenance. We do need a new paradigm shift in how we look at our infrastructure, Berman said. It's a lot like when I put a new roof on my house. It's necessary but it's nothing I go and show off to my neighbors. But it's necessary and we need to recognize that our infrastructure is really necessary to maintain. Caltrans is facing a backlog of bridge repairs. NBC Bay Areas Investigative Unit found 135 Bay Area bridges deemed structurally deficient in 2013 remain on the list today. Getty Images Congressman Jeff Denham, who represents Californias 10th District and serves on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, says while Congress has taken notice the question remains wheres the money?. It's frustrating that we can't expedite them [bridges] or refurbish a lot of them rather than just rebuilding them, Congressman Jeff Denham said in an interview. These bridges, most of them, were having a life cycle of 50 years and they're now 100 years old. And so there are some that we just need to tear down and start anew. It's unacceptable for the state. It's unacceptable for the federal government. We not only need a big infrastructure package from a federal government perspective, but we also need the state to do a better job as well. Caltrans Director Berman agrees both the state and federal governments need to do more to address the issue. Berman says new money coming in from SB-1, which was signed into law in April 2017 and raised the Californias gas tax, will go a long way to fixing these problematic bridges. We believe that the SB-1 dollars are really going to make a significant difference in the structurally deficient bridges or the bridges that are rated poor, Berman said. And it's going to improve the whole system. SB-1 is expected to generate an estimated $52.4 billion between 2017 and 2027, according to the state Senate Appropriations Committee. The revenue is aimed at repairing Californias roads and bridges and other transportation projects. But SB-1 revenue is now at risk by Proposition 6, a California ballot initiative which would repeal taxes and fees enacted through SB-1 and require voter approval for future fuel and vehicle taxes. Voters will decide the future of SB-1 on November 06, 2018 in the General Election. 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 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. 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. A day after Republicans tried to rally support behind Governor Bruce Rauner at the Illinois State Fair, it was the Democrats turn as their slate of candidates hit the big stage. Former Vice President Joe Biden was originally set to keynote the event, but despite his absence the assembled group looked to fire up their followers ahead of Novembers election. Rauners opponent, J.B. Pritzker, slammed the governors comments about teachers and principals, saying that he would respect educators if he were elected to office. Bruce Rauner called school principals managerially incompetent, Pritzker said. Let me tell you whos managerially incompetent. The controversial comments, made in 2011 according to multiple reports, also included a comment from the businessman that half of CPS teachers were virtually illiterate. Now I dont know if you heard, but Rauner says he plans to move to Italy if he loses in November, Pritzker added. So, after four years of failure, of maligning and attacking the very people who make this state great, I have just one thing to say to this governor: Chiao, Bruce! South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttgieg, who has been floated as a potential 2020 presidential contender, criticized President Donald Trump, and implored Democrats to make sure to focus on down-ballot races too. Its time for Democrats to stop treating the presidency like its the only office that matters, he said. When the current president and his sons were busy working on Season 7 of The Apprentice, I was busy guarding convoys in Afghanistan. Other candidates, including Attorney General candidate Kwame Raoul, also addressed the crowd, and pressed the flesh at the beer tent following the speeches. House Speaker Mike Madigan was not among the latter group, however, saying that he had a packed schedule of speeches and fundraisers to attend. The wingtips of two aircraft came into contact Wednesday at OHare International Airport. United flight 645 bound for Portland, Oregon, and another aircraft parked at a nearby gate, a United spokesperson said. There were no customers on the parked aircraft and no injuries reported on either involved in the incident, the spokesperson said. We are assisting our customers and expect to operate the flight to Portland with a different aircraft shortly, they said. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed those details, adding there was left wing damage to both planes. The FAA will investigate the incident. No other information was available. A woman in her 40s was killed in a crash on Keeney Street in Glastonbury Wednesday night. Police said the woman died when her car struck a pole on Keeney Street between Howe Road and the Manchester town line. The victim has not been publicly identified. Police said no one else was in the vehicle. The road was closed while Metro Traffic Services and police investigated and the pole was repaired. It has reopened. A former University of Connecticut instructor and researcher has been arrested on child pornography charges. UConn police arrested 38-year-old Jason Gibson, of Glastonbury, Thursday. According to the arrest warrant, the investigation began when the FBI received an online tip claiming that Gibson was in possession of child porn. The tipster told investigators that he was inside a chat room called Sweet Children on Whatsapp, an online chatting app. The tipster sent along a conversation they claimed was copied from the app and links to the chat. The tip was passed along to UConn on July 14, and the investigation began. Police found the conversations in the group to contain pornographic images. Police also traced a phone number that was sharing links in the group and found that it was associated with Gibson, according to the warrant. Gibson admitted to downloading child porn and videos on his phone during an interview with police, according to the warrant. Gibson also turned over his phone and allowed investigators to view the contents of an application he used to store the porn. There were over 20,000 images and over 100 videos in the application, some showing children that appeared as young as 7 or 8. Gibson was charged with first-degree possession of child pornography. A UConn spokesperson confirmed Gibsons arrest. Gibson was an instructor and researcher in molecular and cell biology at UConn, but his contract ended before the investigation commenced. What to Know As of Thursday morning, New Haven first responders continue to treat patients on the New Haven Green for possible overdoses. It's unclear if Thursday's overdoses were connected. Some victims were in life-threatening condition, but there have been no fatalities. Police have arrested three people, but so far have not confirmed if any of them were responsible for distributing the drugs. For a third day in a row, New Haven emergency crews responded to multiple overdoses on the New Haven Green that are possibly linked to the synthetic drug K2. City officials said they have reports of a person handing out the drug for free, possibly to get people addicted. The total number of overdoses this week is now over 100, without any fatalities. New Haven Emergency Operations Director Rick Fontana said there were 36 suspected overdose calls from 10:15 p.m. Wednesday through 8:30 p.m. Thursday. K2 is considered synthetic marijuana, but experts say its nothing like actual marijuana and can be fatal if ingested. Emergency crews are looking into whether these most recent incidents are connected with the nearly 80 overdoses that took place in a 24-hour period Tuesday night and during the day on Wednesday, Fontana said. New Haven Police Chief Anthony Campbell said during a press conference with other officials Thursday that the city is a "great provider of service for people who struggle with addiction." "It is thereby the reason that so many people who struggle with these type of issues are then susceptible to those who would prey on them, who would give them drugs, who would come to areas where they go for services to try to sell them drugs," he said. New Haven Mayor Toni Harp said that the city is finalizing plans for Jim Carroll, the presidents nominee for drug czar, to be in the city Monday. Emergency crews in New Haven responded to at least 76 overdoses on the synthetic drug K2 between Tuesday night and Wednesday and another three early Thursday morning that appeared to be similar. Samples of the drugs that the city sent to the Drug Enforcement Administration for testing were identified as synthetic K2 and not tainted with other drugs, officials said. They have sent more samples for testing after receiving reports from Yale New Haven Hospital that some patients they treated had the opioid fentanyl in their system. Dr. Kathryn Hawk, an emergency medicine physician and professor, said some people got better when treated with the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone, while for others it had no effect, The Associated Press reported. The health emergency began escalating at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to city fire officials. Between Tuesday night and Wednesday, 79 overdoses suspected to be linked to K2 were reported and 72 of those cases resulted in hospitalizations. In Photos: New Haven Overdose Emergency On Thursday morning, a crew from NBC Connecticut witnessed first responders treating two people on the Green, including one person who was taken away on a stretcher. Then, during the news conference Thursday afternoon, officials said they were aware of reports of additional incidents on the New Haven Green. Some people who have gotten sick in the last couple of days have gotten sick several times. Officials said they were treated, went back to the Green and then got sick again, in some cases three times. [[49103251,C]] Chief Campbell said he witnessed up to eight people not being able to breathe and needing to be resuscitated. The experience of "compassion fatigue" for him and other responders "takes a toll," he said. After speaking to people on the Green, police 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 K2 on him at the time of his arrest, has yet to be charged in any of the overdose cases. Many of the victims did inform us that they did not purchase this K2, that one of the individuals was actually handing it out to them. It is our belief that this individual may have had the intent of trying to get people addicted to this product, and thereby starting a chain of clients for themselves Campbell said. A second suspect known for K2 sales in the past and also believed linked to the outbreak was also in custody, officials announced. Police earlier announced a third person had been arrested. Chief Campbell said authorities "have a good idea of where the product came from" and were serving search warrants. But he acknowledged not having all the product off the streets. He said police continue to investigate and there will be a large police presence on the Green of up 20 people patrolling to prohibit the sale and purchase of drugs. On a typical day, eight officers patrol downtown. Emergency crews in New Haven have responded to at least 76 overdoses on whats suspected to be a batch of K2 in a roughly 24-hour period. Mayor Harp has praised first responders for their work as the investigation continues, calling their work exemplary. Im extremely grateful for the timely and effective work of first responders who helped revive, transport, and save these victims," Harp said in a statement. Fontana warned the drug incidents are taxing first responders who are responsible for taking care of the entire city. 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. The city of Hamden also shared signs of an overdose, citing the Quinnipiac Valley Health District, for the information. Symptoms include: Person will not wake up Blue lips or fingernails Clammy, cool skin Shallow, slow breathing Seizures or convulsions No response to knuckles being rubbed hard on breastbone As the body of the BJPs tallest leader lay wrapped in the tricolour at his residence, leaders arrived to pay homage. New Delhi: The gentle giant of Indian politics, Atal Behari Vajpayee, who was behind bringing right-wing politics to the national stage, breathed his last on Thursday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences after a prolonged illness. The 93-year-old BJP leader and former Prime Minister was suffering from multiple ailments and was admitted to AIIMS on June 11. He was put on a life support system by doctors after his condition became critical over the past 24 hours. It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former Prime Minister of India Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee at 5.05 pm, AIIMS said in a statement. Vajpayee, a bachelor, is survived by his adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. Reports indicated that in order to honour the immense contribution of Atal Behari Vajpayee to Indian politics and nation-building, the Centre has decided to construct a separate samadhi-cum-memorial dedicated to the first BJP Prime Minister on the banks of the Yamuna near Rajghat in New Delhi. The last rites of Atal Behari Vajpayee will take place at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal on Friday at 4 pm. Vajpayees body was taken to his official residence 6A Krishna Menon Marg at 7 pm on Thursday and from around 9 pm people were allowed to pay their homage. It will be taken to the BJP headquarters at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg on Friday morning. The Prime Minister was among the first to reach Vajpayees residence at around 9.20 pm on Thursday. As the body of the BJPs tallest leader lay wrapped in the tricolour at his residence, leaders arrived to pay homage. Among the prominent leaders and dignitaries to go to his residence Thursday night were former President Pranab Mukherjee and former vice-president Hamid Ansari, as well as President Ram Nath Kovind, vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu and BJP president Amit Shah. The last journey of the poet politician, who once wrote Maut ki umra kya hai? Do pal bhi nahi, zindagi silsila, aaj kal ki nahi (What is the age of death? Not even two moments. Life is a journey, not a day-long affair. I have lived life to the fullest, I will die happily. I will return, why should I fear the end?), will begin from the party headquarters at 1 pm on Friday afternoon. The Central government has announced seven days state mourning throughout the country. During this period, the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India as well as at Indian missions overseas. The government also announced a half-day holiday on the funeral day in all Central government offices across India. The Delhi government also announced a holiday on Friday as a mark of respect to the former Prime Minister. In Delhi, all schools, offices and Delhi government institions will remain closed. Security all along the route of Vajpayees final journey has been tightened and barricades were being put up all along the way. The carriage carrying one of Indias most popular and iconic leaders will move through Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and from there move towards Smriti Sthal. Over 15,000 security personnel have been deployed as over one lakh people are expected at the funeral. As news of Vajpayees deteriorating condition spread, leaders from across India and several chief ministers rushed to Delhi. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Chhattisga-rhs Raman Singh, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje reached in the morning Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik will arrive late on Thursday night. Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to AIIMS twice in the last 24 hours to enquire about Vajpayees health. As the news of his death was declared by doctors, the Prime Minister tweeted: I am lost for words; a tide of emotions is swirling within me; his death is the end of an era. President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted: Atalji, the gentle giant, will be missed by one and all. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, at loggerheads with the BJP, was among the first leaders to reach AIIMS. He tweeted: Today India lost a great son. Former PM Atal Behari Vajpayeeji was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family and all his admirers. We will miss him. The representatives of the United States, Russia, Japan and Pakistan expressed their condolences while some leaders like Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina and Nepal PM K.P. Sharma Oli also paid their tribute. Vajpayee, who was accorded the Bharat Ratna in 2015, was loved even by his political rivals. This became evident when the BJP-RSS bitter critic Mani Shankar Aiyar described him as one of the best foreign ministers India had ever had. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, who had seved in Vajpayees Cabinet as railway minister, described him as a very kind-hearted man, who used to respect us a lot. The Left leaders, who never agreed with Vajpayees ideology, noted that he always kept open the lines of consultation when he was in government and reached out to the Opposition parties before taking important decisions. Talking about Vajpayees charisma and appeal across the border, his onetime media adviser Ashok Tandon recalled; If his popularity helped him win parliamentary elections 12 times in India, Atal Behari Vajpayees oratory passionate in words and sincere in message endeared him to people in Pakistan as well... Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif had quipped: Vajpayeeji, ab to aap Pakistan me bhi election jeet sakte hain (Vajpayeeji, now you can win elections in Pakistan too). Quinnipiac University is expanding its on-campus health services ahead of the new academic year, moving away from an around-the-clock health center. We are one of very few in the country, I think under five, that are open 24/7, explained Dean of Students Dr. Monique Drucker. Drucker said the university wanted to move away from an antiquated model of care. As of July 1, the center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the weekends. Weve heard a lot from our students who are interested in having providers, so having somebody who can diagnose and treat our students at our health center, Drucker said. So, we had previously had a model that was based on resident nurses and we are moving towards provider-based so we are going to have APRNs, PAs. Students said they welcome the change. Im really excited because were finally doing a quality over quantity sort of take on healthcare here, said former student Nikki Mecca. Students want to go into the health center and be diagnosed and treated immediately, very quickly, and now that we have so many more healthcare providers that are in the health center in that 8 to 8 period, I think students are going to be really happy and really receptive, said senior Joe Iasso. For emergency situations that may arise, Dr. Drucker said students should not be concerned. There is an after-hours phone service in place that will get help immediately. In an emergency, we wouldnt treat them here. In an emergency were going to get an ambulance and get them to the local hospital. AMR, which is an ambulance service that responds to the Quinnipiac University Campus, told NBC Connecticut the move will not significantly impact them because even with a 24/7 health center, they still respond to emergency calls. Oz Griebel, a former bank executive and President of the MetroHartford Alliance, is mounting a bid for governor outside of the two major parties. Hes joined in the effort by Monte Frank, an attorney from Newtown, who has been focused on the issue of gun violence prevention since 2012. Our view is, electing either the Republican or the Democrat is the definition of political insanity, repeating the same processes over and over again and expecting a different result, Griebel said. Griebel, who ran unsuccessfully for governor as a Republican in 2010, he lost in a three-way primary, says the failure to grow jobs over the past few decades is the failure of both Democrats and Republicans who have varying degrees of control over Connecticut government over the past three decades. The Oz and Monte platform has a plan for transportation that includes protecting revenues meant for infrastructure projects, reinstating a board that deals specifically with strategy relating to transportation, and instituting a pilot program for electronic tolls. Griebel says tolls are one part of a far more broad conversation about how to make Connecticut an easier place to navigate. The essence is, its not about tolls. Its about investment in transportation, Griebel said. Tolls are one element of the financial component of it. So is the gasoline tax. So is flexible work rules so people all dont come to work at the same time. Griebel and Frank met with reporters just 36 hours after the nominees for governor for both Republicans and Democrats had been decided. The winner of the November election will replace Democrat Dannel Malloy, who chose not to run for a third term. The campaign between the major party candidates started sharply on Wednesday, with both Democrat Ned Lamont and Republican Bob Stefanowski criticizing each other on varying points of contention. During one Twitter exchange, Lamont called Stefanowski, Trumpanowski, on the same day President Donald Trump endorsed the Madison businessman. Stefanowski responded on Twitter, calling Lamont, Ned Malloy. Frank, on the ticket with Griebel, said of that interaction, The two party primary winners on day one after the primary resorted to childish name calling. Griebel says his campaign does not anticipate a rush of donations to their cause, and said his outreach will be based on social media and old-fashioned retail politics. He said, the radical middle, is where his run will stand on many issues. I hope everyone keeps an open mind. I mean one of the things about the primary system is everybody goes for the red meat issues. Years of debate over increasing Dallas Independent School District taxes came to a head Thursday night as trustee approved a measure that will put the question before voters in November. Rising test scores and a strong B grade on the new state evaluation demonstrate that Dallas ISD is making progress that justifies the investment, according to Superintendent Michael Hinojosa. The Dallas school district has improved no matter which way you look at it, whether you compare with districts in the county, or in the state or urban districts, Hinojosa said. The 13 cent tax rate increase would raise an additional $126 million each year for Dallas ISD. It would offset the $65 million the district must now return to the state because of rising property values in the Texas Robin Hood funding formula that takes money from wealthier areas. The increase would cost the owner of a $185,000 home $240 more next year. Hinojosa said the money would continue and expand 4 key programs that helped improve the district, early childhood education, college credit high schools, teacher pay and choice schools. It could also help reverse declining enrollment by luring back families who send kids to private and charter schools. It does provide a specific opportunity to recapture our students and thats one of the reasons we put it together, Hinojosa said. The School Board rejected the measure two years ago but board member Justin Henry replaced tax opponent Bernadette Nutall. We know our kids can succeed. We know how to help them get there. But we need resources to do that, Henry said. We have to prove that we can deliver for our kids. Trustee Joyce Foreman voted against the measure before and said it is still a mistake. Many of our residents are not able to pay the taxes that they have, so well have more and more people losing their homes to taxes, said Foreman. Valuation of property is going up every year from about 7 to 10%, so every year people are paying more based on that. The Dallas School Board voted seven to one to approve sending the measure to voters in November. The Most Rev. Charles Grahmann, whose 17-year tenure as bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas was marred by one of the first church sex abuse scandals to explode into public view, died Tuesday. He was 87. Grahmann, who had endured a long illness, died during cardiac surgery in San Antonio, according to current Bishop Edward Burns. Grahmann was the sixth bishop of the Dallas diocese and served from 1990 to 2007, overseeing dozens of parishes and upward of 800,000 worshipers. He was appointed in 1982 as the first bishop of the Diocese of Victoria, in South Texas, before moving to Dallas, where he was known for his ministry to the poor and marginalized. "He built a number of parishes and schools and, of course, embraced the Hispanic community here within the Diocese of Dallas," Burns said Tuesday. "And it was, of course, during his tenure that he, too, shepherded this church during very difficult days." Burns was referring to the case of a priest, Rudolph "Rudy" Kos, who in 1998 was sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting children. A Dallas County jury a year earlier returned a $120 million civil judgment in favor of 11 victims after finding that the Dallas diocese committed gross negligence and concealed information about its handling of Kos. The judgment at that time was the largest ever awarded in the country involving a clergy sex abuse case. Grahmann had Kos defrocked and apologized to the victims, but his time as bishop was dogged by charges that he didn't move earlier to stop Kos from preying on children. The diocese at the time also was accused of failing to remove at least two others from the priesthood who displayed abusive behavior, according to the Massachusetts-based research and advocacy organization, BishopAccountability.org. Grahmann died on the same day a Pennsylvania grand jury report was released accusing church officials there of systematically covering up abuse complaints. More than 1,000 children were molested since the 1940s by some 300 Roman Catholic priests, according to the report. Bishop Burns, who spoke Tuesday during a news conference, said details in the report were "heart-wrenching." "I know all of us who love our faith can't believe that we must once again ask the question, 'How can this happen in our church?'" A murder trial for a former Balch Springs police officer who killed a black teenager highlights the heightened role video evidence plays in high-profile police shootings that have stirred discourse and triggered protests nationwide over issues of race and law enforcement. Parker County Jail Former Balch Springs officer Roy Oliver, who is white, opened fire last year into a moving car with five black teens inside, killing 15-year-old high school freshman Jordan Edwards. Oliver, 38, joined the department in the Dallas suburb in 2011 and was fired after the fatal shooting, an incident that was thrust into a national conversation on the shooting of African-Americans by police. Prosecutor Michael Snipes told jurors on Thursday Oliver's actions were unreasonable and said Edwards was an "innocent child" whose last words were "duck, get down." Snipes says the white former officer was angry, out of control and "trigger happy." Snipes said the prosecution will also show that Edwards and others in the car had nothing to do with shots that were heard outside the house. No guns were found inside the teens' car. Oliver has said he and his partner feared for their lives as the car sped toward them. But Oliver's partner, Tyler Gross, testified Thursday that he did not fear for his life as the vehicle went by and that he never felt the need to fire his weapon. During opening statements, Snipes told jurors Oliver fired at the car after it passed Gross and that Gross was in no danger. Defense attorneys opted Thursday to make their opening statement at a later time. They have previously said Edwards' death was a tragedy but evidence would show Oliver "reacted properly." A spokesperson for the Dallas County district attorney's office said the trial is expected to last about two weeks. NBC 5 News Following the shooting, the Balch Springs police chief reported that police video had contradicted his agency's original statement on the incident. Police first said the vehicle backed up toward officers "in an aggressive manner," but police later said video showed the vehicle was moving forward as officers approached. Gross estimates there were 100 to 150 kids coming out of the house and officers talked to the host about not having such a big party. Gross testified he saw no drunk teens among the 100 to 150 kids streaming out of the party and only saw one beer bottle. He also said there were no indications of violence. In body camera footage from Oliver that was shown during the trial, screams and honks could be heard after gunfire rang out near a nursing home. The video then shows Oliver getting a rifle from his patrol car. After firing on the car containing Edwards and the other teens, Oliver can be heard asking Gross if he's all right. Oliver then says the driver of the vehicle tried to hit Gross. Gal Pissetzky, a Chicago defense attorney, said he does not see any downsides for prosecutors heading into the case, particularly because it will be heard in front of a jury instead of a judge. Judges, he said, often seem more lenient to police officers. But some legal experts said ahead of the trial that securing a conviction against an officer is a challenge because criminal culpability in such cases is subjective and jurors are more inclined to believe police testimony. As the year draws to a close, NBC 5 looks back at the stories that gripped North Texas in 2017. Philip Stinson, a criminologist at Bowling Green State University in Ohio who tracks police shootings, said officers can testify they were in fear for their life, and jurors are often reluctant to second-guess the decisions of an officer faced with an intense street encounter. By Stinson's count, there have been 93 non-federal law enforcement officers since 2005 arrested for murder or manslaughter in on-duty fatal shootings as of Monday. Even when armed with video evidence, attorneys can fail to deliver a conviction against an officer, he said. "Video alone is not (going to) win the case for prosecutors," he said. Former Balch Springs police officer Roy Oliver, accused of killing a black teenager leaving a party in April, has responded to to the charges for which he was indicted. While video evidence cannot be altered, Pissetzky said defense attorneys can try to change the way jurors perceive the footage by telling the story through an officer's viewpoint. "Even a video can be watched in a couple of different ways," he said. Edwards' stepmother, Charmaine Edwards, testified that her stepson played football from the age of 6 and was also "really into his academics." She testified that he got A's and B's in school and was a people person, close to his brothers. Edwards' two brothers and two other teens were in the vehicle the night Edwards was killed. Oliver has a history of hostile and aggressive behavior and "flipped off" the vehicle that held Edwards' body following the shooting, according to court filings from the Dallas County district attorney's office tied to the criminal case. Oliver, while in the eighth grade, posted swastikas in public places, hated anyone who was not Caucasian and was also a member of the group "Caucasians in Effect," the court filing says. A pre-trial hearing was scheduled for Tuesday morning in the death of black teenager Jordan Edwards. He was shot and killed by Officer Roy Oliver while he was leaving a party, police said. The trial is scheduled to begin Thursday. In 2013, he was "uncooperative and used profanity" while testifying in trial, according to the records, and "communicated aggressively" and used profanity with prosecutors that same day. Oliver's legal troubles extend beyond the murder trial. A lawsuit has been filed over the shooting, and Oliver has been indicted in a separate 2017 incident in which police said he drew a weapon after he was rear-ended while off duty. Its a reunion four decades in the making. A group of 125 prisoners of war are in North Texas this week for a special opportunity to reconnect reminisce and celebrate their freedom. Five busloads of American veterans and their families arrived back in Frisco on Thursday afternoon. The Vietnam experience was such a significant part of our lives, said Steve Gray of East Texas. Its a wonderful thing for us all to get together and it really helps us deal with it and it really helps us deal with old wounds and kind of remember in a positive way and reaffirm the support we have for the nation we love. Its been 45 years since the last POW was released at the end of the Vietnam War. Large group of old friends. Friends that have went through hard times with me, said Alan Brunstrom of Florida. Reminisce. Think about our fellow comrades many of whom are not here anymore, said John Brodak of South Texas. After touring the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum the group was invited to a luncheon hosted by the local chapter of the U.S. Armed Force Association of Vietnamese Americans. I just wanted to have the opportunity to see the men who sacrificed for our country, said the chapters president Tanner Do. I feel good about being here seeing some of my fellow prisoners, families and stuff and its a blessing that we live in this great country, said Norm McDaniel of North Carolina. The Vietnam POW Return to Freedom 45th Anniversary Reunion will take POWs to tour the Cavanaugh Flight Museum and get a VIP tour of the Dallas Cowboys headquarters. The event will wrap up on Sunday. Nearly five years after Paul Walker's death, his brothers say they're open to playing his character again in the "Fast and Furious" franchise. Producers asked Caleb and Cody Walker to fill in for their brother and help complete "Furious 7" after he died in a fiery off-set car crash in November 2013. His face was digitally superimposed onto his brothers' performances for scenes that Walker had not yet shot and in a modified ending in which his character Brian O'Conner drives off into the sunset. The character remains alive in the fictional "Fast" universe and is mentioned twice in 2017's "The Fate of the Furious." "I just hope we get to I don't know have a little cameo and bring Paul back to save the day and I get to help create that again," Caleb Walker, 40, said in an interview last week. "That's my dream and I hope we get to do that in one of the future movies." "I think there could potentially be a way to do it. But it would take a lot of thought and it'd have to be tasteful. It would have to be tasteful," Cody Walker, 30, said in the interview. "He was the real deal, the real car guy. And in his absence, I you know I think it's lost its way in a big way." Caleb and Cody Walker were promoting "I Am Paul Walker," a new one-hour documentary about the actor's childhood, family and career directed by Adrian Buitenhuis. It premiered last weekend on the Paramount Network. Both Walker brothers became fathers for the first time last year and live in Southern California. They haven't re-watched the full "Furious 7" film since attending the premiere in April 2015. "It's kind of creepy sometimes when you're like, 'Oh, that's me.' It doesn't feel right," Caleb Walker said. "I think one day, when our kids are little older and we are able to share that experience with them and be like, 'Hey look, this is your uncle Paul. He was the greatest guy in the world and here we are being able to portray him and finish up this movie for him.' That's when I think it will really hit that I think it was really worth it and special and all that. But in the meantime, it's still a little conflicted." Walker was 40 years old when the Porsche Carrera GT he was riding in spun out of control, struck three trees and burst into flames on a street in Santa Clarita, California. The next scheduled film in the "Fast" franchise is a spin-off featuring Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham. It's set for release next year. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation filed a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles Wednesday seeking to halt the planned demolition of the former downtown police headquarters building, which the nonprofit wants to see converted into a homeless shelter. Representatives of AHF and two organizations it funds, the Healthy Housing Foundation and the Coalition to Preserve LA, held a news conference outside the building known as Parker Center to announce the suit. The LA City Council approved the demolition of Parker Center in March 2017 to make way for an office tower for city employees as part of a larger redevelopment plan for the Civic Center area. The City Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the AHF's lawsuit, which comes in the wake of the organization's announcement in May that it would launch a ballot initiative in a bid to save Parker Center. The suit cites California Civil Civil Code of Procedure 562a, which allows for lawsuits to be brought to prevent the waste of public funds, and says the AHF estimates the building could be converted to a homeless shelter for about $102 million, while the city estimates it would cost $295 million. "City officials are padding their estimate to rehab and repurpose Parker Center as housing because they are bound and determined to tear down it because they simply don't want it in their backyard," said AHF President Michael Weinstein. "It is a horrible waste of public funds and shows a lack of interest in the cost-effective use of existing resources at a time when the crisis of homelessness in Los Angeles rages on largely unabated." The estimated cost of demolishing Parker Center and building the new office tower is $708.9 million. The council, on a 12-0 vote, approved a public/private financing plan for the project and scheduled the demolition to begin this fall and be completed by December 2019. One of the goals of the project is to centralize more city employees in the Civic Center area by allowing the city to sell other buildings it owns or terminate leases in ones it rents, which the city estimates will save money and significantly reduce the overall cost of the new office tower. The council recently approved a plan to explore converting the former Los Angeles Children's Museum, which is about one block away from Parker Center, into a temporary homeless shelter as part of a plan to spend tens of millions on temporary homeless shelters around the city. Councilman Jose Huizar represents the Civic Center area and has been a leading advocate for the city to tear down Parker Center to make way for the Civic Center redesign. Huizar said at a July news conference that repurposing Parker Center for a homeless shelter would be too expensive. "I think the AIDS Healthcare Foundation hasn't looked at the true cost of repurposing that building," Huizar said. "We have been told by our staff that it will cost quite a bit to repurpose it for a homeless shelter, and we're so far down the line with moving forward with the demolition. If they had come forward months ago, or a year ago, we could have sat down and looked at those options." In voting for its removal in 2017, the City Council decided against naming Parker Center a historic-cultural monument even though the Cultural Heritage Commission recommended the move. Parker Center, which opened in the 1950s and was named for former Chief William Parker, has been mostly empty since 2009 when the LAPD moved to a new building several blocks away. It was designed by Welton Becket, who also designed the Capitol Records building, Music Center and Cinerama Dome. Police identified three young men Wednesday who were arrested in the July 1 shooting death of a community and anti-gang activist in South Los Angeles. Garry Dorton, 48, of Los Angeles was gunned down around 7:30 p.m. July 1 in the 4500 block of South Van Ness Boulevard and died at a hospital. The suspects, who were booked on suspicion of murder, were identified as Brandon Dixon, 24, and Dejone Wright, with bail set at $8 million and $7 million, respectively, and 18-year-old Omario Guerrero, who's being held without bail, according to police. Dorton was a community intervention worker for Soledad Enrichment Action Inc., a nonprofit founded in 1972 by mothers in East Los Angeles who had lost their sons to gang violence, according to the group's Facebook page. SEA provides services to high-risk individuals, families and gang-affected communities in Southern California. At a news conference at the LAPD's 77th Street Station this morning, Eula Hooks said her grandson was killed on her birthday. "It's hard for me to talk about it because it was on my birthday,'' Hooks said. "I even awaken at night, thinking about my poor baby." Earlier, SEA posted a statement about Dorton, calling him "a wonderful man'' who "spent his life fighting to prevent the senseless violence that took his life ... He worked with young people in South Los Angeles to help them avoid the kind of life he had at their age -- one where violence was the norm, not the exception.'' Dorton often worked with film productions in South Los Angeles, according to the nonprofit, which said he "negotiated with various communities in which the production would take place -- which often crossed enemy territories -- to ensure the safety of the shoot, but he would also devise ways in which youngsters from the various territories could be persuaded to work together as part of the production.'' "... His death is tragic, but his life was a marvel. His was a story of redemption. He managed to turn his life around in ways that few people -- even those with many more resources and privileges than he ever had -- could do,'' according to the SEA. "Through his strength and perseverance, he saved himself and then he dedicated his life to saving others. His is a life that even as we mourn should be celebrated -- always." The Santa Monica City Council approved an ordinance to ban a long list of single-use plastics Tuesday night. Santa Monica expanded its ban beyond plastic straws, which is a ban that has gained popularity in many cities over recent months. The new regulations now also ban utensils, cups, lids, lid plugs, stirring sticks, bowls and the list goes on. If local businesses want to distribute the aforementioned items to customers, they must be made from marine-degradable material, instead of plastic. Santa Monica, which is a coastal city, is the latest city to take bold measures in an effort to safeguard its coastline from plastic pollution. "Santa Monica is not the first city to take this step, a number of other coastal cities have done it, including Malibu and Manhattan Beach," says Dean Kubani, assistant public works director and chief sustainability officer for the city. "But we are expanding it beyond what they have done, too." By expanding the number of single-use plastic items that are banned, Santa Monica is hoping to set an example for other cites -- not only in Southern California but across the nation. "A lot of cities always look at what Santa Monica is doing," Kubani says. "An example is plastic bag bans. We were one of the first cities to ban plastic bags and then, basically, our ban turned out to be a state-wide ban." San Francisco and Seattle are among the other cities that have passed full plastic straw bans. Many notable companies, including Starbucks and American Airlines, have also announced efforts to stop offering plastic straws. For consumers worried about how they will eat their takeout lunches, many eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastics are starting to hit the market with noticeable popularity. Bamboo utensils and metal straws can be seen for sale in the windows of many shops in Santa Monica and are also popular on e-commerce websites like Amazon. Small pouches that contain a bamboo fork, spoon, knife, chopsticks and metal straw are designed to eliminate the need for single-use plastic utensils by giving customers a personalized pocket-size kit for everyday use. In the immediate future, however, Santa Monica's new plastics ban will impact more than 800 businesses, both big and small. According to a statement from the city, the ordinance requirements won't go into effect until January 2019, providing local businesses ample time to get information and assistance from an outreach program created by the citys Office of Sustainability and Environment. Nobody but a handful of Pakistani generals, who had boycotted the welcome ceremony as he got off the bus, did. Bengaluru: Atal Behari Vajpayees ability to seize the moment and turn it to his advantage, captivating his audience with the power of both poetry and prose, was never in doubt; his oratory legendary, the long pause before delivering the punchline his leitmotif. But at the Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on February 19, 1999, Pakistans eponymous monument to its creation, the statesman-poet did more than that. He reduced every Pakistani in that gathering, from hardened diplomats and Lahore socialites as well as the ordinary Lahori, to tears as he promised that Indian tanks would never roll into Pakistan again. There wasnt a dry eye in that audience. He didnt know then that Pakistans Army chief had already put Kargil into play. Nobody but a handful of Pakistani generals, who had boycotted the welcome ceremony as he got off the bus, did. But that evening, as Prime Minister Vajpayee spoke, within sight of the Badshahi Mosque, and recited his poem Hum jang na hone denge,..pyar karen ya vaar karen, dono ko hi sehna hain, teen bar lad chuke ladayi, kitna mehnga sauda... hum jang na hone denge... (I wont allow war... whether we love or quarrel, we have to bear both, we have gone to war thrice, a steep price to pay... I wont allow another war), he disarmed everyone in that audience, including the many sceptics in the journalistic community standing next to me, closely aligned to the Pakistan Army who had only minutes before the speech torn Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif apart for hosting the Indian Prime Minister. Arriving in a bus just hours before, alongside his close friends and aides, national security adviser Brajesh Mishra and external affairs minister Jaswant Singh, and of course Bollywoods Dev Anand, there was no missing the Indian Army tanks from the 1965 war that still sit on the outskirts of the Pakistan Punjab capital, and served as a daily reminder of their untrustworthy neighbour. Few know, however, that the seed for the Lahore summit was planted in Colombo, where within minutes of meeting Pakistans young Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Sri Lankan capital on the sidelines of the Saarc summit, Prime Minister Vajpayee quickly realised that this was probably a man that India could do business with. The two PMs sent their aides away, and as Mr Sharif admitted to me in an interview at his London home in 2006, they met alone and spoke for another half an hour before entrusting the Wagah to Lahore bus diplomacy plan to their aides. In an interview at his Park Lane residence in London in February 2006, he described Vajpayee and himself as the architects of peace. Peace with India can only happen when the leaders of both the countries trust one another, like Prime Minister Vajpayee and I did. We had an equation, we clicked, we had Lahore. Peace between our two countries has been possible only when elected governments are in place; leaders who represent the aspiration, sentiments of the people try to come together, bridge differences, Mr Sharif, who was then in exile, said. Mr Sharif objected very strongly in that same interview to Prime Minister Vajpayee reaching out to his arch-enemy, President Pervez Musharraf, barely two years later to host a India-Pakistan summit in Agra, which unlike Lahore did not see an agreement, and ended extremely badly. In fact, this was quintessentially Vajpayee; showing his ability to see beyond the here and now, and look into the future that drove him to accept the hand of friendship that Nawaz Sharif extended to him when they met at the Saarc summit in Colombo in July 1998. And again, when he reached out to Pervez Musharraf, the Kargil mastermind, the man who had brought nuclear-powered India and Pakistan to the brink. What to Know New lawsuit accuses former USC gynecologist George Tyndall of sexually assaulting 30 patients This brings the total number of civil cases filed by former patients to more than 300 Complaint alleges the women were sexually abused by Tyndall under the guise of legitimate medical exams 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. The new complaint, obtained first by the NBC4 I-Team, alleges the women, listed as "Jane Does" in court papers, were sexually abused by Tyndall under the guise of legitimate medical exams at the campus Student Health Center, sometimes while being observed by a USC-employed nurse. "I think that the sheer volume speaks to how many women were failed by USC and its administration," attorney John Manly told NBC4. He filed this most recent case and said his firm represents more than 100 plaintiffs. USC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Board of Trustees chairman Rick Caruso said in a letter to the campus in May that "profound" actions were needed in light of the allegations. "Our thoughts are with the families that have been affected by this situation, and our pledge to this community is that we will rebuild our culture to reflect an environment in which safety and transparency are of paramount importance, and to institute systemic change that will prevent this from occurring in the future," the letter said. On Aug. 6, attorney Gloria Allred announced she'd filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of 12 women who said they were abused by Tyndall during exams. Numerous alleged victims claim the university received complaints of Tyndall's alleged sexually abusive behavior dating back to at least 1988, and deliberately concealed Tyndall's actions. In June LAPD detectives assigned to the Robbery-Homicide Division served a search warrant at Tyndall's condo on Wilshire Boulevard in the Westlake District near downtown. Tyndall was not arrested. Manly said many of his clients have been frustrated by the pace of the criminal investigation. "Almost every one of our clients has had contact with the LAPD," Manly said. "Only six or seven have been interviewed by the LA County District Attorney's Office, and honestly, for our survivors, that's frustrating. They understand it's a slow process, but many of them fear without an arrest, he's going to flee." Prosecutors have begun to consider criminal charges in 28 cases presented by detectives in the last month, the DA's office told NBC4. "We are working closely with law enforcement to further investigate where necessary," a statement said. Attorneys for some victims have argued that following an internal investigation of complaints against Tyndall in 2016 the university paid Tyndall a substantial financial settlement so he would quietly resign. USC officials have denied any cover up, and Tyndall has denied any wrongdoing. In an open letter to faculty and staff in May, USC Provost Michael Quick said top administrators did not know about the complaints until 2016. "It is true that our system failed, but it is important that you know that this claim of a cover-up is patently false," Quick wrote. "We would never knowingly put students in harm's way." USC established a hotline for complaints about Tyndall and has offered free counseling to his former patients. What to Know Sept. 20 through Dec. 16 Mid-city area $95 plus fee You don't need to ponder for too long on the topic of whether people like to enter fantasy worlds, because here's your answer: They absolutely, vigorously, and passionately do. From cosplay at conventions to spooky theme park mazes to medieval festivals to escape rooms, strange and wild universes sprout around Southern California on a fairly regularly basis, as do the chances to become part of a story. And few fantastical, enter-this-world events have captivated people seeking a transformative experience like "Delusion," the falltime interactive theater that has popped up 'round these fantasy-loving parts for a half decade now, plus a year. Which means that the super-popular, highly atmospheric, step-into-the-story event is returning for year number six, to the mid-city area of LA, and, as in years gone by, tickets have flown as fast as a gasp. But spots do remain for the run, which will shine like a blade, a blue blade, in fact, on select nights from Sept. 20 through Dec. 16, 2018. Indeed, creator Jon Braver's "The Blue Blade," the intriguingly titled 2018 iteration of "Delusion," has tempted ticket buyers so strongly that what might be seen as a Halloweentime event is pushing all the way to the yuletide, or nearly. So what can you know, without spoilers flooding your pre-enjoyment? You'll be in a group of eight adventurers inside the new tale, which is described as an "...'Indiana Jones' meets 'Blade Runner'-style experience." It's an experience that "... invites its guests to a present-day world left erratic since the disappearance of the rare artifact, The Blue Blade." A lot is riding on you, as "the fate of time and space hang in the balance." Eeps. Better find the fabled blade with your tenacious team, all while dipping deeply into immersive thrills along the way. The kind of thrills that are only delivered when you're standing inside a story, and not looking in from some distant spot. A ticket is $95, plus fees, and there are still 2018 nights open. But not for long: Many people will be searching for "The Blue Blade," so best add your name to the list soon, brave and true voyager. What to Know A father from New York was handcuffed and hauled away by ICE agents in front of his child, the man's wife claims Marcia Pinos says her husband Carlos has lived in the U.S. for 20 years and declares ICE officials were not after the right guy in Ossining ICE disputes Pinos' claim, saying they did go to the home specifically looking for Carlos, who they say has a conviction for DUI A New York father was handcuffed in front of his loved ones and taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, but now his family is saying he isnt even the right man federal agents were looking for. Marcia Pinos says her husband Carlos has lived in the United States for 20 years, but she claims when ICE agents knocked on her Ossining home's front door they werent looking for her husband, but rather for somebody else. They asked for a gentleman named Luis, which she told them he does not live her, Pinos told NBC 4 New York through a translator. Then ICE went on to ask Who do you live with and said I live her with my husband. His name is Carlos. Pinos then claims ICE officers forced their way inside her Westchester County home and hauled Carlos off with no explanation. She also claimed the officers got physical with her, leaving her with a bruised wrist and scratches on her shoulder. ICE wouldnt respond to specific questions about the arrest to News 4, but a spokesperson disputes Pinos' claims, saying ICE agents did go to the home specifically looking for Carlos, who they say has a previous conviction for DUI. ICE arrested a national of Ecuador illegally in the U.S. during a targeted enforcement action in which this specific individual was sought, ICE spokesperson Khaalid Walls told News 4 in a statement. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. Afterward, about 100 people rallied at Ossining Town Hall in support of Carlos and Marcia, demanding he be released. We are not criminals, Marcia said through a loud speaker at the rally. We are human beings. Advocacy groups are helping the family with legal aid. Carlos fate will likely be determined by an immigration court judge. What to Know New Jersey Transit rail officials were on the hot seat to answer questions from lawmakers over the dozens of recent train cancellations A shortage of engineers combined with required track safety work has led to numerous cancellations and stoked commuter anger Murphy has called the recent NJ Transit rail cancellations a "crisis" New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has called the current state of New Jersey Transit a "crisis" as rail officials for the agency take the hot seat over dozens of recent train cancellations. New Jersey Transit officials face a difficult situation due to the recent train cancellations, while Murphy is urging legislators to change rules so the agency can address engineer shortage. Murphy says he wants legislators to change residency rules so New Jersey Transit can hire more engineers to address a shortage that has plagued the agency. A lack of engineers combined with a spate of unexcused absences andrequired track safety work has led to numerous cancellations and stoked commuter anger with continued gripes from riders following dozens of train cancellations recently. The disruptions are expected to ease up but still continue until the end of the year as NJ Transit finishes installing the federally required emergency braking system. Murphy, a Democrat, said Thursday he wants lawmakers to send him stand-alone legislation addressing the rule change as soon as possible. NJ Transit officials testifying at a legislative hearing Thursday in Trenton say they need the rule changes so they can hire engineers from neighboring states, citing that under-investment over the last decade has caused shortages. NJ Transit Executive Director Kevin Corbett said the agency could get more engineers from Pennsylvania and New York if the residency rule for critical employees is repealed. In an another effort to address the need for engineers, NJ Transit is working with community colleges as of this week to get engineer training into the curriculum, Corbett said while testifying Thursday. In regards to engineers calling out, Corbett said officials will try to renegotiate the contract that expires at the end of next year. Lawmakers also are criticizing NJ Transit for not adequately communicating effectively to commuters about cancellations. Corbett says the agency has moved its social media operation to a "war room" where train movements are monitored. Murphy has made reforming NJ Transit a key goal of his administration and has taken heat for the recent troubles. He has blamed the agency's problems on under-investment under former Gov. Chris Christie. Officials have already said commuters need reliable mass transit in New Jersey ahead of the Route 495 construction that is expected to jam traffic for two and a half years. What to Know NYC unveiled an ambitious plan on Wednesday to replace the notorious Rikers Island jail complex with four smaller lockups They'd have more humane settings that would feature community space, ground-floor retail outlets and offices for inmate support services The remake of the city jail system still faces an extensive public review process and uncertainty about its ultimate cost New York City unveiled an ambitious plan on Wednesday to replace the notorious Rikers Island jail complex with four smaller lockups located in densely populated neighborhoods, including turning an Art Deco government building that went up in lower Manhattan in 1930 into a tower for up to 1,500 inmates. Mayor Bill de Blasio and other city officials said they envision more humane settings that would feature community space, ground-floor retail outlets and offices for inmate support services. A proposal for a Bronx facility even calls for rezoning a portion of the site to allow for development of affordable housing. "We're taking a big step forward in the process of closing Rikers Island and creating a modern community-based jail system that is smaller, safer and fairer," De Blasio said in a statement announcing details of the plan. The remake of the city jail system still faces an extensive public review process and uncertainty about its ultimate cost. Some estimates have reached well into the billions. The announcement comes six months after officials decided to shut down Rikers by 2027 after years of complaints about violence by guards and gang members, mistreatment of the mentally ill and juveniles and unjustly long detention for minor offenders. Advocates for the closure also have argued that the island facility near La Guardia Airport - accessible only by a narrow bridge - is too isolated, cutting off inmates from the outside world in a way that hinders oversight and rehabilitation. Daily populations at Rikers have fallen to about 8,200 a day and could reach as low as 5,000 thanks to reduced sentences for low-level offenders and other criminal justice reforms, officials said. They said the lower inmate populations have made dismantling the complex and replacing it with the smaller facilities, each with 1,500 beds, more viable. Two locations proposed for Brooklyn and Queens already have existing jails that would be renovated. The property in the Bronx currently is used by the New York Police Department as a tow pound. For Manhattan, the new jail would occupy what's now a nine-story state office building that houses courtrooms, the Manhattan District Attorney's office, a marriage license bureau and other offices that all would have to relocate. The plan calls for more than doubling the square-footage of the building by allowing it to go up to 430 feet in height. The existing structure is "constructed of Maine Coast granite" and has a lobby "decorated in an elaborate Art Deco Egyptian design," according to a city website. Simone Bankoff, executive director of the Historic Districts Council, said in an email on Wednesday that he's already heard some concerns about the preservation of the building. "It aesthetically works well with the general monumental scale of the Civic Center area," Bankoff said. "Hopefully it could be sympathetically converted to jail purposes without unduly impacting it architecture." What to Know Police are searching for a pair of men who allegedly conned a 90-year-old woman out of $7,500 in New York City According to authorities, around 9 a.m. Tuesday, a man allegedly called the elderly victim, said he was her loved one and needed bail money A man allegedly went to the victim's home to pick up the money; Authorities urge anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers Police are searching for a pair of men who allegedly conned a 90-year-old woman out of $7,500 in New York City. According to NYPD, around 9 a.m. Tuesday, a man allegedly called the elderly victim on her house phone and said he was her loved one, was involved in a car accident and was subsequently arrested. The man also allegedly told the woman that he needed money to bail him out of jail and gave the phone to another man who identified himself as a lawyer. Police further say that the second man allegedly told the victim that he needed $7,500 in cash to bail out her loved one. Around 2:30 p.m. that same day, a man arrived at the womans apartment on 36th Avenue and allegedly received the cash and left, according to police. The men had no further contact with the victim, police say, adding it was later determined that the supposed loved one who was involved in a motor vehicle accident did not have an accident or have any contact with law enforcement. The man who allegedly went to the victim's home to pick up the cash is described as being 5'9" to 5'10" in height. Authorities urge anyone with information to contact the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS or for Spanish 1-888-57-PISTA. Tips can also be submitted at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com. What to Know Police said an NY man was bitten by a shark at Long Nook Beach in Truro, Massachusetts on Wednesday afternoon. The victim, a 61-year-old from Scarsdale, suffered "deep puncture wounds" to his torso and leg; he is hospitalized in serious condition There have been numerous shark sightings off Cape Cod in recent weeks, including several close calls involving fishermen A 61-year-old Scarsdale man remains hospitalized in serious condition Thursday, a day after he was bitten by a shark while standing in the water just 30 yards off shore of a Cape Cod beach, authorities said. William Lytton, a professor at SUNY Downtown, suffered "deep puncture wounds" to his torso and leg in the attack near Long Nook Beach in Truro, according to police. He was taken by medical helicopter to Tufts Medical Center in Boston. Tufts said his family has asked for privacy, and it will release no additional information about his condition. No one answered the door at his Scarsdale home Thursday, but neighbors said he has two children and they usually vacation at the Cape. It wasn't clear if the family was on vacation at the time of the attack. It's also not clear what kind of shark bit Lytton, who was the first person to be attacked by any kind of shark in those waters since 2012. Massachusetts' leading shark expert is trying to determine if his wounds are consistent with a bite from a great white. A group of nursing graduate students were at the beach at the time of the attack and stepped in to help the bitten man until emergency crews arrived. "We just kind of gave him towels, wrapped his leg up because there was clearly a shark bite there," said Molly Tobin, one of the grads. "A bunch of people helped with carrying him down the beach." "When he was transported, he was conscious, alert, speaking with rescue personnel," Truro Police Department Lt. Craig Danziger said. Long Nook Beach has been closed to swimming until further notice, according to the town's website, but some swimmers were still seen swimming in the water even after the attack. U.S. National Park Service rangers are investigating. There have been a number of close encounters in recent weeks, with sharks leaping out of the water after fishing lines and one even jumping at a shark scientist who was on a research boat. There have been 10 great white shark sightings in the past week, and more than 60 over the last month off Cape Cod, according to the Sharktivity app. It's been six years since a shark has attacked a person off the Massachusetts coast. What to Know Allentown's solicitor Thomas Traud was removed Wednesday night after being mentioned in the Pennsylvania priest sex abuse grand jury report. The report accuses Traud of repeatedly trying to discredit an abuse victim while he was the Allentown Diocese attorney. Allentown's city council voted unanimously to have Traud removed during a meeting Wednesday. A day after an explosive grand jury report was released accusing hundreds of Pennsylvania priests of child sex abuse, Allentowns solicitor was fired for allegedly trying to discredit one of the victims while he was the lawyer for the Allentown Diocese. Allentowns mayor confirmed city council voted unanimously to remove Thomas Traud as Allentowns solicitor Wednesday night after he was referenced in the 1356-page grand jury report. Traud was mentioned during a section of the report detailing the allegations against retired Allentown priest Father Francis J. Fromholzer. The report accuses Fromholzer of repeatedly sexually abusing two teen girls while he served as a religion teacher at Allentown Central Catholic High School in the 1960s. The report alleges that the Diocese of Allentown as well as Allentown Central Catholic High School were aware of the abuse allegations but took no action. After repeatedly trying to report the abuse over the span of several decades, one of the accusers began to pursue criminal charges against Fromholzer in 2002, according to the report. Traud was the attorney for the Allentown Diocese at the time. The report accuses Traud and the Allentown Diocese of repeatedly trying to discredit the woman and her family. In a fax sent in 2002, Traud referred to the woman as, overly dramatic and claimed that she made an awful amount of assumptions that just were unwarranted, according to the report. Traud also reported information on the womans sexual history and her family member who had spent time in prison in a further effort to discredit her, the report states. The report also mentions Traud in the section on David Soderlund, an Allentown Diocese priest accused of sexually abusing three boys in the 1980s. In 1987, the administrator for the hospital where Soderlund served as chaplain, advised that Soderlund be fired due to the amount of time he was spending with an eight-year-old boy, according to the report. The report alleges that Traud, who was also the Allentown Diocese attorney at the time, instead recommended that Soderlund trade places with the chaplain of another hospital. In 2009, Soderlund was arrested, convicted and sentenced for two to five years for sexual exploitation of children/possession of child pornography on his computer, according to the grand jury report. He is a registered sex offender in Wyoming. The allegations against Fromholzer are detailed from page 20 to page 29 in the report while the allegations against Soderlund are detailed from page 372 to 375. You can read those excerpts as well as the entire report here(warning: explicit and disturbing content). [[490838741, C]] Traud has not been arrested or charged in connection to the grand jury report. A spokesperson for the Allentown Diocese said none of the 37 priests named in the grand jury report are still on the job. Communications Director Matt Kerr told NBC10 the Diocese immediately reports any sexual abuse allegations to law enforcement. A more than 1300-page report details accusations against abusers in dioceses across Pennsylvania including clergy members in our area. What to Know Now deceased ex-priest, Edward Ganster, would work at Disney World after being accused of sexually assaulting a boy. Ganster was given a positive reference by church officials in Pennsylvania, according to a new grand jury report on sex abuse in the church. The report says a monsignor separately told Ganster he was sure the diocese would give him a positive reference. A sweeping grand jury report into child sexual abuse in Roman Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania said church officials gave a former priest a positive reference to work at Disney World, even though they'd fielded at least one allegation about him sexually abusing a boy. The ex-priest, Edward Ganster, left the priesthood in 1990, moved to the Orlando area and went on to work at Disney World before he died in 2014. The report said Ganster worked at the theme park for 18 years. Ganster drove the train at the Magic Kingdom, according to an obituary in the Orlando Sentinel, which said Ganster worked there for 15 years. Disney World did not respond to NBC10 Philadelphia's request for information. Ganster, who became a priest in 1971, was working at St. Joseph's Church in Easton in the late 1970s when a woman complained to a monsignor that Ganster had gotten in bed with her 13-year-old son on an overnight trip and "hurt" him, the report said. The boy also told his mother that "something happened" in the confession booth, it said. The monsignor told her Ganster would be given counseling and Ganster was promptly reassigned, the report said. About a decade later, Ganster was on sick leave at a Catholic mental health hospital as he sought to leave the priesthood and get married. Ganster wrote the Diocese to say he would apply for a job at Disney World and wanted to use the Diocese as a reference, the report said. Allentown's bishop, Thomas Welsh, wrote to Orlando's bishop that Ganster's problems were "partially sexual" and that he couldn't reassign him. A monsignor separately assured Ganster that he would get a positive reference. "I am quite sure that the Diocese will be able to give you a positive reference in regard to the work you did during your years of service here as a priest," the monsignor wrote, according to the report. A diocese spokesman, Matt Kerr, said he knows of no reference letter, or if one was written. "That should not have happened," Kerr said. "It would not happen today." More than a decade after Ganster left the priesthood, a man contacted the Allentown Diocese to report that Ganster had victimized him when he was 14 and an altar boy some two decades earlier, the report said. Ganster fondled, groped and beat him repeatedly, once dragging him across a living room floor by his underwear and once beating him with a metal cross, the report said. Years later, in 2015, the mother of another victim contacted the Allentown Diocese to report that Ganster abused her then 12-year-old son in 1977, the report said. Congress president Rahul Gandhi who led the attack on the Modi government, hit out at the dispensation on the contentious Rafale deal. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Loktantrik Janata Dal Party president Sharad Yadav, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury and other leaders during the Sanjhi Virasat Bachao Sammelan at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi. (Photo: Biplab Banerjee) New Delhi: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modis Independence Day speech, a united Opposition on Thursday challenged his idea of India and said that they would work to preserve the composite culture of the country. Congress president Rahul Gandhi who led the attack on the Modi government, hit out at the dispensation on the contentious Rafale deal. Mr Gandhi claimed that the vision BJP and Congress had for India were different. While BJP viewed India as a golden bird to make money, the Congress viewed it as a river, which can accept all views. Today while they are busy in making that cage, we will try to stop them from making it, he said speaking at the sixth edition of the Sanjhi Virasat Bachao Sammelan (Save composite culture convention), a platform of more than 15 Opposition parties. The Congress president further said: the Congress did not want a BJP mukt Bharat nor did they want to destroy the BJP but they wanted to tell them that our ideology is stronger and we will defeat their ideology. The programme was attended by leaders of all political parties, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, CPI(M) Sitaram Yechury, SPs Dharmendra Yadav, Trinamul Congress leader Chandan Mitra, CPIs G. Sudhakar Reddy and DMKs Tiruchi Siva. The Sanjhi Virasat series is being organised by rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said the aim of the Sanjhi Virasat Bachao Sammelan was to save the democracy. The BJP-led government, he alleged, was misusing governance and had ruined the life of the common man with demonetisation and then former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah attacked at the government saying, they would not tolerate any religious discrimination in the country. Today the fight is to live in dignity. A Philadelphia-bound flight was diverted Wednesday night due to an odor in the cabin. Frontier Airlines flight 1674 was traveling from Orlando, Florida, to Philadelphia International Airport when crew members and passengers noticed an unknown odor coming from the cabin. The flight was diverted and landed without incident at Raleigh-Durham International Airport at 7:15 p.m. Officials say eight people on the flight were evaluated after claiming they didnt feel well. Two passengers and a crew member asked to go to the hospital to be checked out as a precaution, a spokesperson for Frontier said. A total of 230 passengers and seven crew members were on board the plane. The spokesperson told NBC10 another plane will take the passengers to Philadelphia. Officials have not yet revealed the cause of the odor. Pope Francis denounced on Thursday the horrible findings of a years-long grand jury investigation into 70 years of sexual abuse by Catholic Church officials in six Pennsylvania dioceses. He said through a spokesperson that the abuses described in the 1,300-page report are "criminal and morally reprehensible" and that they "robbed survivors of their dignity and their faith." The leader of the Catholic church issued the statement two days after the release of the much-anticipated report, which is the most comprehensive investigation yet into systemic sexual abuse in the church in the United States. "The Holy Father understands well how much these crimes can shake the faith and the spirit of believers and reiterates the call to make every effort to create a safe environment for minors and vulnerable adults in the Church and in all of society," Francis's spokesman, Greg Burke, said in the statement. "Victims should know that the Pope is on their side. Those who have suffered are his priority, and the Church wants to listen to them to root out this tragic horror that destroys the lives of the innocent." Lurid details released throughout more than 1,300 pages include rape, abortions, confessions and cover-ups. It took the grand jury more than two years to fully investigate the claims contained in the explicit report. The grand jury investigated dioceses in Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Scranton, which together minister to more than 1.7 million Catholics. About 25 percent of people throughout the state identify as Catholic, according to the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference. NBC10 and Telemundo 62 were among the news organizations that joined a court case pressing for the report's release. Read it here (warning: explicit and disturbing content). "There have been other reports of abuse in the Catholic Church," the report said. "But never on this scale." The grand jury heard allegations against more than 300 clergy members, according to the report. Most of the victims were boys. Some were teens, while others were prepubescent. Several alleged victims were lured with alcohol or pornography. Afterward, they turned to substance abuse and even suicide to escape the lingering trauma. All told, more than 1,000 victims were identified from the church's own records and there could be thousands more, the grand jurors concluded. Some of the priests alleged to have been abusers have died. All but two allegedly committed crimes that are outside Pennsylvania's statute of limitations, meaning that criminal charges cannot be filed against many of so-called "predator priests" mentioned in the report. Laws governing the state's statute of limitations were described as "weak laws" in need of immediate change by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro and some lawmakers, including Rep. Mark Rozzi, a Democrat who represents Berks County. Rozzi has said he was sexually abused by a priest as a boy. Some victims' names were blacked out from the document but many were revealed with their permission. The grand jury named 99 so-called predator priests from the Pittsburgh diocese, however, including several whose actions were especially shocking. "One boy was forced to stand naked on a bed in the rectory, strip naked and pose as Christ on the cross for the priests," Shapiro said. "They took photos of their victim, adding them to a collection of child pornography which they produced and shared on church grounds." 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 got out ahead of the report and released the names of clergy members who were accused of sexual misconduct with children. 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. The grand jury's work might not result in justice for Catholics who say they were molested 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 vast majority of priests already identified as perpetrators are either dead or are likely to avoid arrest because their alleged crimes are too old to prosecute under state law. The document 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. The report reverberated around the country because of the movement of priests over the years. Father Raymond Lukac, who was named in the report, also had been assigned to parishes in Illinois and Indiana. In Pennsylvania, criminal charges can only be brought under the statute of limitations in effect at the time of the crime. For those alleging abuse in the 1970s, that means two years from when it happened. For others, it means two years after they turned 18. Current state law allows prosecutors to file criminal charges before the one-time child victim turns 50 and for victims to seek civil damages in court before they turn 30. Pope Francis through his spokesman seemed to suggest that wide-ranging abuse has been reduced following investigations of dioceses across the United States. "Most of the discussion in the report concerns abuses before the early 2000s. By finding almost no cases after 2002, the Grand Jurys conclusions are consistent with previous studies showing that Catholic Church reforms in the United States drastically reduced the incidence of clergy child abuse," Francis's spokesman, Burke, said. "The Holy See encourages continued reform and vigilance at all levels of the Catholic Church, to help ensure the protection of minors and vulnerable adults from harm." A more than 1300-page report details accusations against abusers in dioceses across Pennsylvania including clergy members in our area. A Santa Rosa family celebrated a first special day of school Monday because, thanks to a judges order, their 5-year-old child will be able to attend kindergarten and bring her medical marijuana products on campus. When Brooke Adams walked onto campus Monday morning she was setting a legal precedent. While medical and recreation marijuana became legal in the state of California, it's still illegal to have marijuana products on public school campuses. Brooke will be one of the first children in the state and country to be legally allowed to be given medical marijuana at school. When she was just an infant, Brook was diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome. It gives her seizures that dont stop very easily, or dont stop at all, her father Jon Adams told NBC Bay Area. Her seizures would last for half an hour or longer and paramedics would often have to be called. Doctors tried a number of powerful drugs to control and prevent them. But none seemed effective and they all had powerful side effects. Behavioral problems, sleep deprived, different things that not good for her, her mother Jana Adams said. When Brooke was a little more than a year old, she was issued a medical marijuana card. Her parents say the two products she uses daily CBD oil and emergency THC oil are very effective. CBD is a chemical found in marijuana plants that doesn't produce psychoactive activity the same way THC does. THC is the psychoactive constituent of cannabis that produces the "high" effect. Brooke now has fewer seizures and they only last three to four minutes after the administration of the oil, according to her family. With the emergency THC medicine, she pretty much just like, takes a nap, and shes back to normal, her father said. Lawmakers didnt take into account that maybe students would be on cannabis and need it at school, Adams said, so the family went to court. A judge is still weighing their case but he did issue a temporary stay, allowing brook to attend class at least until his decision. The school district issued this statement about brooks situation saying: "The Rincon valley unified school district is happy to have the opportunity to serve brook and now has direction from the court to be able to do so. The Adams have already met with the school nurse to teach her how to administer the emergency THC oil. The judge is expected to issue his final decision on this case in late September or early October. CORRECTION (Aug. 16, 2018. 8:39 a.m.): An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the first name of Jana Adams. When pressed about the increasing number of homicides in his city, the mayor of Tijuana said there are good things happening in his city that should be highlighted. Juan Manuel Gastelum Buenrostro made the statement as he visited San Diego Tuesday to mark the opening of the pedestrian bridge in San Ysidro. Tijuana residents have witnessed the bloodiest wave of violence in the history of the city with more than 1,500 people killed in eight months. After refusing to speak with T20 for several months, Gastelum was confronted by the Telemundo 20 cameras to ask him the questions that all of Tijuana is asking. When asked about security, Gastelum evaded the question. "With all due respect, right now we are seeing the good things and that is what should be highlighted," Gastelum said. Gastelum has refused numerous times to speak with the media about the violence that prevails in Tijuana. See the video on T20 here. What to Know Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort is accused of tax evasion and bank fraud unrelated to his work on the campaign. The judge on Tuesday rejected a defense motion that the case should be dismissed because the government had not met its burden of proof. Prosecutors say Manafort falsely declared his income from work with the Ukrainian government as loans to avoid paying taxes. Paul Manafort lied to keep himself flush with cash and later to maintain his luxurious lifestyle when his income dropped off, prosecutors told jurors Wednesday in closing arguments at the former Trump campaign chairman's financial fraud trial. The government's case boils down to "Mr. Manafort and his lies," prosecutor Greg Andres said. "When you follow the trail of Mr. Manafort's money, it is littered with lies," Andres said as he made his final argument that the jury should find President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman 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 his former deputy Rick Gates. 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 campaign the main topics of Mueller's probe. Neither Manafort nor Gates has been charged in connection with his Trump campaign work. But Mueller's legal team says it discovered Manafort hiding millions of dollars in income as a result of the ongoing probe. Defense attorney Richard Westling told jurors that the fact that Manafort employed a team of accountants, bookkeepers and tax preparers shows he wasn't trying to hide anything. The lawyer appeared to be trying to blunt the effect of testimony from some of the people who handled Manafort's finances, including his bookkeeper, who said he concealed offshore bank accounts and lied to them. Westling said the evidence against Manafort has been cherry-picked by Mueller's team and doesn't show jurors the full picture. "None of the banks involved reported Manafort's activities as suspicious, he said. Westling questioned whether prosecutors had shown criminal intent by the former Trump campaign chairman, and pointed to documents and emails that the defense lawyer said may well show numerical errors or sloppy bookkeeping but no overt fraud. During the prosecution's 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 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 client's financial mistakes 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 isn't 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 didn't 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 loans. In 2012, Manafort's most successful year during his Ukrainian work, he reported $5.3 million. But he told the government nothing about another $9.2 million that went to pay for loans and other items, prosecutors said. The prosecutor said Manafort should have been well aware each time he signed tax and financial documents indicating that he had no foreign accounts to declare. "Mr. Manafort was willful," Andres said. 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. Defense lawyer Kevin Downing said 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. After the closing arguments were finished, U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis III began his instructions to jurors, which he had earlier estimated could take up to an hour. On Tuesday, Ellis rejected a defense motion that the case should be dismissed because the government had not met its burden of proof. Manafort's lawyers asked the judge to toss out all the charges, but they focused in particular on four bank-fraud charges. Manafort's lawyers argued there is no way that one of the banks, Federal Savings Bank, could have been defrauded because its chairman, Stephen Calk, knew full well that Manafort's finances were in disarray but approved the loan to him anyway. Witnesses testified that Calk pushed the loans through because he wanted a post in the Trump administration. Ellis, in making his ruling, said the defense made a "significant" argument, but that the decision was "an issue for the jury" to decide. Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Anne Flaherty contributed to this report. A new app is available in the D.C. area to help women and men in abusive relationships find a safe escape when they need it most. The app called SafeNight sends an alert to its users when a victim of domestic violence needs a place to stay and there is no available space in a shelter. Users can make an immediate anonymous donation to pay for a hotel room for the person in need. "I was in a very stressful and trying, abusive situation," said one woman who was able to get shelter thanks to a SafeNight donation. To protect her safety, News4 isn't identifying the woman. She said it's been two months since she left her abusive relationship. "That's what I needed, was time to think, reflect, gather my thoughts so I can know which way I'm going," she said. SafeNight first launched in California and is now available in the D.C. region through Community Advocates for Family and Youth, or CAFY, a non-profit that helps victims of domestic violence. "We really believe we can place hundreds of people, that we can be in a position where no one is turned away when they're trying to get out of danger or trying to leave a domestic violence situation," Arleen Joell, the executive director of CAFY, said. App user Shelagh Casey Brown said it has given her an opportunity to help domestic violence survivors in a way she never could before. "You want to be able to help and yet you don't know how. Now you know how. You sign up for safe app and you can make a difference and you know you have," Brown said. The app will notify users when they've helped someone, but donors and survivors will likely never meet since the app is anonymous. SafeNight is available on Android and iOS devices. All donations are tax deductible. Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Washington, is facing a storm of criticism and calls for his resignation after becoming entangled in two major sexual abuse scandals roiling the church that he has served with distinction since 1966. A scathing grand jury report this week on rampant abuse in six Pennsylvania dioceses accused Wuerl of helping to protect some child-molesting priests while he was bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006. At the same time, Wuerl is facing widespread skepticism over his recent insistence that he knew nothing about years of alleged sexual misconduct by former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, his predecessor in the nation's capital. The Washington Archdiocese, home to more than 630,000 Catholics, is considered an important power center for the church in the U.S., and Wuerl has been ranked by commentators as one of the most influential of the 10 active American cardinals. The two scandals represent a stunning turn for the 77-year-old leader, who over the decades earned the respect of fellow bishops across the U.S. and prided himself in taking tough steps to combat clergy sex abuse during his 18 years in Pittsburgh. Some conservative Catholics are calling for his resignation or ouster, and a petition is circulating to remove his name from a parochial high school in suburban Pittsburgh. Wuerl has said he has no plans to resign. He apologized this week for the damage inflicted on the victims but also defended his actions in Pennsylvania. "The Diocese worked to meet or exceed the requirements of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the reporting requirements of Pennsylvania law,'' Wuerl said. "We showed pastoral concern by reaching out to victims and their families, while reporting allegations to the authorities so they could investigate crimes.'' The Vatican on Thursday issued its first statement on the grand jury report, expressing "shame and sorrow'' while also suggesting that reforms undertaken by U.S. Catholic leaders had sharply reduced the prevalence of clergy sex abuse since 2002. The statement did not mention Wuerl. Separately, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced an investigation into the McCarrick scandal and said it would invite the Vatican to participate. Wuerl has not been charged with any wrongdoing but is named numerous times in the grand jury report, which details instances in which he allowed priests accused of misconduct to be reassigned or reinstated. In one case, Wuerl acting on doctors' recommendation enabled priest William O'Malley to return to active ministry in 1998 despite allegations of abuse lodged against him in the past and his own admission that he was sexually interested in adolescents. Years later, according to the report, six more people alleged that they had been sexually assaulted by O'Malley, in some cases after he had been reinstated. "Cardinal Wuerl does not contest the facts. He should resign,'' tweeted Matthew Schmitz, senior editor of the conservative Catholic magazine First Things. Many of Schmitz's online followers expressed agreement. In Wuerl's defense, the archdiocese has released documents that include a detailed account of a case admirers cite as evidence of Wuerl's strong stand against sex abuse. The case surfaced in 1988, when a 19-year-old former seminarian, Tim Bendig, filed a lawsuit accusing a priest, Anthony Cipolla, of molesting him. Wuerl initially questioned Bendig's version of events but later accepted his account and moved to oust Cipolla from the priesthood. In 1993, the Vatican's highest court ordered Wuerl to restore Cipolla to the ministry, but Wuerl resisted and, after two years of legal procedures, prevailed in preventing Cipolla's return. Wuerl "made a lot of enemies, but he persisted,'' said author and journalist Michael Sean Winters, who writes for the National Catholic Reporter. "He risked his career over five years of battling.'' Looking more broadly at Wuerl's career, Winters described him as "kind of exemplary.'' "When he gets up and goes to the microphone, everybody listens,'' Winters said of bishops' conferences he has covered. "He's not an old leftie, he's not a right-wing culture warrior. To use a word that's out of currency, he's a churchman.'' The Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest who writes for Religion News Service, described Wuerl as an ideological moderate, "not someone who was part of one camp or another.'' "He was totally enthusiastic about John Paul II, and then Pope Benedict, and now he's totally enthusiastic about Pope Francis,'' Reese said. "There are not many people in the church who are totally enthusiastic about all three of them.'' Numerous conservative Catholic activists and commentators, though, consider him too tolerant of the LGBT community and too liberal on some other issues. They resent his pivotal role a decade ago in resisting a push by some of his fellow bishops to deny Communion to Catholic politicians who support the right to abortion. However, the dismay over the latest scandals goes beyond conservative circles. "The US Catholic Church is very close to becoming a decapitated Church,'' tweeted Massimo Faggioli, a relatively liberal theologian at Villanova University in suburban Philadelphia. "What Napoleon and Stalin couldn't do, the hierarchy of the Church itself did.'' Wuerl was born in Pittsburgh, attended Catholic University in Washington and received a doctorate in theology from the University of Saint Thomas in Rome. He joined the priesthood in 1966, was ordained a bishop by Pope John Paul II in 1986, and served briefly as auxiliary bishop in Seattle before going to Pittsburgh. Earlier this month, Wuerl proposed that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops create a new process, involving bishops and lay people, to evaluate any allegations or rumors of sexual misconduct against bishops. On Thursday, the conference moved in that direction, announcing plans for "new and confidential channels'' for reporting complaints. "I apologize and humbly ask your forgiveness for what my brother bishops and I have done and failed to do,'' said Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, conference president. "This is a moral catastrophe.'' On Wednesday, Wuerl celebrated Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington and referred to "the horror of child sexual abuse'' detailed in the grand jury report. "The pain, the suffering is something that we need to accept responsibility for,'' he said. "While we work to restore confidence in the ability of the church ... to treat this problem, we need constantly to be there for survivors.'' A refugee from Iraq was arrested Wednesday in Northern California on a warrant alleging that he killed an Iraqi policeman while fighting for the Islamic State organization. Omar Abdulsattar Ameen, 45, and other members of ISIS killed the officer after the town of Rawah, Iraq, fell to the Islamic State in June 2014, according to court documents. He was arrested by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force at a Sacramento apartment building based on a warrant issued in May by an Iraqi federal court in Baghdad. U.S. officials plan to extradite him back to Iraq under a treaty with that nation, and he made his first appearance in federal court in Sacramento on Wednesday. Ameen could face execution for the "organized killing by an armed group" according to Iraqi documents filed in U.S. federal court. Prosecutors say Ameen entered the U.S. under a refugee program, eventually settling in Sacramento, and attempted to gain legal status in the United States. He arrived in Turkey in 2012 and began applying to the U.S. for refugee status by claiming to be a victim of terrorism, according to a court document. He was granted refugee status in June 2014, but returned to Iraq to commit the slaying before traveling to the United States in November 2014, the document says. The Trump administration has sharply criticized the Obama-era settlement program, questioning whether enough was done to weed out those with terrorist ties. Officials said Ameen also kept secret his membership in two terrorist groups when he applied for a green card in the United States. State Department and Department of Homeland Security officials did not immediately respond to questions about Ameen. Benjamin Galloway, one of Ameen's public defenders, said he had just 10 minutes to meet with his client prior to his initial federal court appearance Wednesday afternoon and attorneys hadn't decided whether to contest that Ameen is in fact the man wanted by Iraqi authorities. Ameen was identified by a witness to the slaying who viewed a series of photographs of ISIS members, according to the Iraqi documents. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force has been investigating Ameen for filing fraudulent travel or immigration documents since 2016, according to a court filing. It says the FBI independently corroborated Ameen's involvement with the terrorist organizations and participation in the slaying. Ameen remained dressed in street clothing including a light blue T-shirt as he appeared in court handcuffed to a chain around his waist. U.S. Magistrate Judge Edmund Brennan ordered him detained until his next court appearance set for Monday, accepting prosecutors' argument that Ameen is dangerous and a flight risk. Prosecutors said in court filings that the release of an alleged member of a designated foreign terrorist organization would be a national security risk. The Iraqi arrest warrant and extradition request say that Ameen entered his hometown of Rawah in the Anbar province of Iraq with a four-vehicle ISIS caravan and drove to the home of Ihsan Abdulhafiz Jasim, who had served with the Rawah Police Department. He and at least five other named suspects opened fire and the man shot back, but the documents allege that Ameen fatally shot the man in the chest as he lay on the ground. The militants later claimed responsibility for the slaying on social media. The FBI has interviewed at least eight witnesses who identify the Ameen family including Ameen himself, his father, brothers, and paternal cousins as affiliated with al Qaeda and ISIS, prosecutors said. Court documents say Ameen's family also aided al Qaeda in Rawah and that Ameen was a member of both al Qaida in Iraq and ISIS. The documents allege that he did a number of things in support of the groups, including helping plant improvised bombs, transporting militants, soliciting funds and robbing supply trucks and kidnapping drivers on behalf of al Qaida. The FBI quotes one witness as saying Ameen's vehicle in 2005 was a Kia Sportage flying a black al Qaida flag with a cut-out roof and a machine gun mounted on the rear. What to Know The grand jury investigated dioceses in Allentown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Scranton. The scathing grand jury report marks the most sweeping look into sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in the United States. More than 1,000 victims were interviewed, but grand jury suspects many more have yet to come forward. With haunting images now tainting six of Pennsylvania's Catholic dioceses after an expansive grand jury report detailed decades of sexual abuse by clergy members, one question lingers: What now? For most of the thousands of alleged victims mentioned in the report, the answer is nothing. In nearly every case, prosecutors found that the statute of limitations had run out, meaning that criminal charges cannot be filed against many of so-called "predator priests" mentioned in the report. Changing the amount of time victims have to come forward and file suit was paramount among the recommendations issued by the grand jury, which investigated allegations in Allentown, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Erie, Scranton and Greensburg dioceses. In the 1,300-page report, the grand jury recommended eliminating the statute of limitations for sexually abused children, creating a window for older victims to sue for damages and imposing a legal obligation to report instances of abuse. The grand jury also recommended clarifying that confidentiality agreements could not legally prevent victims from reporting abuse to law enforcement. Current Pennsylvania law gives child victims 12 years to sue starting when they turn 18 years old. But victims that come forward in their 30s or older only get two years. Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, a Republican who represents Jefferson County, introduced a bill that would give victims more time to report abuse. Senate Bill 261 would give child victims until the age of 50 to bring civil lawsuits against abusers. It would also eliminate the statute of limitations for future criminal child sex abuse cases, but it could not be applied retroactively. Scarnati's bill passed unanimously in the state Senate and moved to the House in 2017, where it has since sat. Many of these crimes were committed numerous years ago and the church has since instituted desperately needed reforms, however the acts are no less reprehensible," Scarnati said. U.S. bishops adopted 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 Rep. Mark Rozzi, a Democrat who represents Berks County, said the bishop's changes, and even Scarnati's bill, is not enough. He was raped by a priest at the age of 13 and has since dedicated much of his time in public office to combating this kind of malfeasance. Rozzi's bill would add a two-year window for older victims to file lawsuits. The grand jury reported that it heard from alleged victims now in their 50s, 60s and 70s it said one was 83 when interviewed who have carried their burdens for decades. 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. "We wanted to charge as many of these predators as we could, but because of our weak laws in Pennsylvania, we could only charge two of the 301 predator priests that were identified," Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro told NBC News. "And so it was critically important, as the grand jurors said, to ensure that the truth be told." Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said that he supports Rozzi's bill and urges lawmakers to agree on legislative changes to protect victims. "Over the next few weeks, there must be active conversations with lawmakers and advocates about how we can break the logjam that currently exists and make real progress for victims," Wolf spokesman J.J. Abbott said in a statement. Shapiro said the investigation is ongoing and pushed state officials to adopt and support each of the recommendations made in the report. Stand up today and announce your support for these common-sense reforms, he said Tuesday. Thats the test that will determine whether things have really changed or if it will just be business as usual when the dust settles. The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference said it "does not oppose" efforts to repeal the statute of limitations for criminal cases, and as publicity about the release of the report built in recent weeks, it said it supported the new measure, NBC News reported. James Faluszczak, a former priest who was abused by a priest as a child in the Diocese of Erie, told reporters that his trauma was murder of a soul. There is no statute of limitations on the crime of murder," he said. NBC10 and Telemundo 62 were among the news organizations that joined a court case pressing for the report's release. Read it here (warning: explicit and disturbing content). When Mr Hou starts losing his way, he says the key is to just keep going. Isaac Hou is one of Taipeis 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 Taiwans capital, mainly in the shopping district of Xinyi. Mr 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, said Mr Hou. After high school, Mr 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 wouldnt have problems with the police chasing me around, said Mr Hou, who is married to Polish-Canadian dance teacher Magdalena Zieba. But the freedom he finds as a street artist also has its complications. Its hard to maintain a good schedule for a long period of time. When you have too much free time its easy to get distracted, he added. When Mr 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. After his pregnant wife and two daughters disappeared, Christopher Watts stood on his porch in Colorado and lamented to reporters how much he missed them. He longed for the simple things, he said, like telling his girls to eat their dinner and gazing at them as they curled up to watch cartoons. "Last night, I had every light in the house on. I was hoping that I would just get ran over by the kids running in the door, just barrel-rushing me, but it didn't happen," he told Denver TV station KMGH. On Thursday, Watts was in jail after being arrested on suspicion of killing his family, probably before he spoke those words. Authorities did not offer a motive. The body of 34-year-old Shanann Watts was found on property owned by Anadarko Petroleum, one of the state's largest oil and gas drillers, where Christopher Watts worked, police said. Investigators found what they believe are the bodies of 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste nearby on Thursday afternoon. "As horrible as this outcome is, our role now is to do everything we can to determine exactly what occurred," John Camper, director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, said at a news conference in Frederick, a small town on the grassy plains north of Denver, where fast-growing subdivisions intermingle with drilling rigs and oil wells. Watts, 33, has not been formally charged. A judge ordered him held without bail and told prosecutors to file charges by Monday afternoon. He set a Tuesday hearing to review the case. As he was escorted into the courtroom, Watts did not speak. He looked down for much of the hearing but made eye contact as the judge reviewed his rights. Watts's attorney, James Merson of the Colorado State Public Defender's Office, left without commenting to reporters. He did not immediately respond to a voicemail left at his office Thursday by The Associated Press. A family friend reported Shanann Watts and her daughters missing on Monday, police said. In his previous interviews with Denver TV outlets, Christopher Watts said his wife of nearly six years returned home about 2 a.m. Monday after a flight for a work trip was delayed. He said the two had an "emotional conversation" before he left for work a few hours later and that he became concerned after she did not return his calls or texts or those of her friends. He said he came home to an empty house after a friend knocked on the door at noon and got no answer. Shanann Watts' Facebook account paints a portrait of a happy married life, with a constant feed of photos and videos of friends, relatives and herself. Her comments were typically upbeat, whether she was running errands, playing with her kids or promoting a health program. The couple got married in North Carolina nearly six years ago and moved to Colorado around the same time. She posted selfies of her and her husband smiling in restaurants, at the ocean on vacation and at their house. On May 5, she wrote: "I love this man! He's my ROCK!" On June 19, she posted a photo of some texts with her husband after sending him a picture of a sonogram. He replied that he loved the baby already. She posted: "I love Chris! He's the best dad us girls could ask for." Her page has photo collages and video slide shows praising Chris Watts, describing how their love was growing stronger and how he gave her the strength to have a third child. The couple's 2015 bankruptcy filing captures a picture of a family caught between a promising future and financial strain. The filing estimated that they had the same range of assets as liabilities, according to court records. At the time, Christopher Watts worked for Anadarko, earning about $61,500 a year as an "operator." His wife was working at a call center at a children's hospital, making about $18 per hour. Combined, they earned $90,000 in 2014. But they also had tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt, along with some student loans and medical bills for a total of $70,000 in unsecured claims on top of a sizable mortgage. A spokeswoman for the oil company said Christopher Watts was fired Wednesday, but she declined to provide any details, citing the active investigation. Shanann Watts was one of the first customers to visit Ashley Bell's tanning salon in nearby Dacona two years ago. The two women quickly became friends, and before long they were texting or calling each other almost daily. Their daughters also played together during salon visits. On Thursday, Bell and her family added several items to a memorial of stuffed toys, candles and flowers on the lawn of the Watts family home. Bell said she never detected that anything was wrong between Shanann and her husband. Bell also got to know Christopher Watts and described him as a loving father. "I just don't understand it," she said, reaching out to accept a flower that her daughter picked from a nearby lawn. Shanann worked from home as a saleswoman for a freeze-dried food company and took her two girls everywhere, Bell said. "She was always about her girls," Bell said. "She would do anything for her girls." One day she came into the salon and announced that she couldn't tan for a while, then grinned and confirmed she was pregnant. Shanann's father, Frank Rzucek, said on Facebook that the family did not want to talk to the media. What to Know An initial estimate last month pegged the prospective cost for the parade at $12 million The ceremony is said to be largely inspired by Trump's front-row seat at France's Bastille Day military parade in Paris The U.S. has not held a major military parade in Washington since 1991 to mark the end of Operation Desert Storm The Pentagon said in a Thursday statement that it would "explore opportunities" in 2019 for President Donald Trump's military parade that originally had been set for November of this year. That development came just hours after CNBC reported that the parade had been shaping up to cost $80 million more than initially estimated. The Department of Defense and its interagency partners had updated their perspective cost estimates for the parade, a U.S. defense official with firsthand knowledge of the assessment had told CNBC. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity. The parade, originally slated for Nov. 10, had been estimated to cost $92 million, the official said. The figure consisted of $50 million from the Pentagon and $42 million from interagency partners such as the Department of Homeland Security. An initial estimate last month pegged the prospective cost for the parade at $12 million. That $92 million cost estimate included security, transportation of parade assets, aircraft, as well as temporary duty for troops. The official also noted that, while the size and scope of the military parade can still shift, the plans included approximately eight tanks, as well as other armored vehicles, including Bradleys, Strykers and M113s. Here's the statement from Defense Department Spokesman Col. Rob Manning: "The Department of Defense and White House have been planning a parade to honor America's military veterans and commemorate the centennial of World War I. We originally targeted November 10, 2018 for this event but have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019." This story first appeared on CNBC.com. More from CNBC: People on Cape Cod were shocked to witness a shark attack Wednesday. "I did notice he was breathing heavy," Nancy Bunson, an eyewitness, said of the male victim who was attacked at Long Nook Beach in Truro, Massachusetts. "He didn't look at us, maybe he himself was in shock and stuff. We didn't hear any complete words from him." After the attack, a large shark could be seen swimming just offshore. It's not clear if that was the shark that bit the 61-year-old man, whose name has not been released, but shortly after the attack, some people were back in the water. "I went in. I was looking around as I was in the water," said Elena Cervone. Word of the attack spread quickly. "It's just awful. I have two teenage girls who just surf in the area, in Wellfleet," said Mandy Carlozzi. "We're residents, and I mean, we've been hearing it's not if, it's when it happens." There are no lifeguards at the beach, although it's still a popular one for many locals and tourists. "I worry about my grandchildren because they go out and they're not afraid," said Bonnie Cooper. "We tell them all about how there's these great whites out there, and they still go out on their boards." Even though this beach is temporarily closed, some people plan to come back here Thursday and go swimming. Construction is underway on a home in Norridgewock, Maine, but the contractors wont be paid a dime. They are donating their services to a family who has already paid the ultimate sacrifice. It will be a house for the family of Cpl. Eugene Cole, the Somerset County Sheriffs Deputy shot and killed in the line of duty on April 25. When he died, his wife Sheryl Cole thought their plans to build a new home were gone too. But then she had a meeting with Joel Violette, President of Fairfield Drafting and Construction. After I first met her, I decided we were going to do everything we could to help, he said. Violettes team started drawing up blueprints for a home even bigger and better than Sheryl proposed. He wanted to make sure the home was built well, required little maintenance, and had room for Sheryls seven grandchildren to visit. While it would have been way over budget, Violette told her not to worry. Hed do it for free. She was a little overwhelmed and had to sit in my office for a while because she didnt think shed be able to drive home, Violette said. Soon, other contractors started lining up to pitch in offering to do their work for free, too. From the roof to the foundation, businesses from around central Maine are helping the Cole family rebuild. Its a fresh start, said Shawn Dixon, owner of Dixon Construction. Not so many memories wrapped up in the old home. They can hold on to the good memories, and create new ones. Dixons team laid the foundation on the home Thursday. He said he had to rearrange his schedule to work on the Cole home, but it was well worth the effort. I just think she deserves it, he said. Sheryl Cole is able to keep an eye on the work from the comfort of her current home. The new house is being built in their backyard. On Aug. 14, the posted a picture to her Facebook page with a message to her late husband: Happy Anniversary, hon. Its a bit ironic.... we laid our foundation 42 years ago today. Now, a whole new one is being done for us. I pray you have a great day, and I pray my tears wont last too long. I love you, and I just miss you so much. Violette said with most other projects, his crew and foreman would be out in the field. But this project means so much to him, he plans to oversee construction daily. He hopes it shows Coles grandchildren how many good people in the community care about them. We cant right a wrong, but hopefully we can make it not so hard, he said. Work is expected to be completed in 8 weeks. To help with the cost of materials, donations are being accepted through a fund at the Kennebec Savings Bank in Waterville. What to Know Families who have lost loved ones to opioid overdoes plan to march and hold a vigil outside of Purdue Pharma on Aug. 17. The support group called Team Sharing is planning the march at 9 a.m. for those who have lost loved ones to addiction. The march will take place outside of Purdue Pharma's Stamford, Connecticut headquarters. Hundreds of families from Massachusetts plan to make their way to Connecticut Thursday, getting ready to march outside of a drug manufacturer that they say has contributed to the deaths of their children. The organization leading the march at Purdue Pharma in Stamford is called Team Sharing. It is a support group for those who have lost loved ones to addiction. Kay Scarpone is on the board of directors and is heading to the march with her husband. They lost their son Joseph Scarpone, a marine who lived in Methuen, to addiction one month shy of his 26th birthday. They are bringing a poster with his picture on it to the march. We just feel its time, Scarpone said. They need to see the children that have died of overdoses. They need to see the faces of the parents who are going through this. Rhonda Lotti was making the same journey to Stamford from Watertown. Her daughter Mariah died of an overdose when she was just 19. They started selling these drugs to doctors saying it was safe and non-addictive and that you could give it to everybody, Lotti said. Purdue knew that wasnt the case and they lied. Deceptive marketing is the center of a lawsuit recently filed by Massachusetts, claiming Purdue peddled falsehoods and made profits at the cost of nearly 700 lives in the last decade. President Donald Trump said Thursday he is also looking into legal action at the federal level. A spokesperson for Purdue said they share the protestors concerns. The companys statement said in part, Purdue is committed to working collaboratively with those affected by this public health crisis on meaningful solutions to help them stem the tide of opioid-related overdose deaths. Many who are attending the protest calling for the company to contribute their profits to recovery resources and awareness education. But we want more than that, Maureen Cavanaugh said, who is attending the march and founded Magnolia New Beginnings after her daughters struggles with substance abuse. Money wont bring these children back. We want change and accountability. The march is happening at 9 a.m. outside Purdue Pharma headquarters. Team Sharing also plans to have several events locally to mark overdose awareness day at the end of the month. Quentin Palfrey has spent much of this past year introducing himself, making the case to voters why he's running to be the next lieutenant governor of Massachusetts. Palfrey made the decision in part based on the actions of President Donald Trump. "Fighting back against this awful, divisive and immoral Trump administration," Palfrey said. He is also basing it on his concerns for his three young children. "Sort of thinking about what is going to happen to their future," he explained. Palfrey, 44, has never held elected office, but he feels his career choices, focused on fighting poverty and inequality, say a lot about his commitment. Born and raised in Southborough, Palfrey spent his childhood watching his parents, both pediatricians serving some of the state's poorest communities. After earning degrees from Harvard University and Harvard Law School, Palfrey worked for anti-poverty, non-profit organizations and was chief of the health care division in the Attorney General's Office, where he expanded access to care. Palfrey said the honor of his career "was to serve as senior advisor to jobs and competitiveness in the White House under President Barack Obama." In Washington, Palfrey says he focused on ways states can take advantage of changes in the economy to broaden access to jobs and opportunity. It's why Palfrey says he's a better choice for lieutenant governor than his opponent, comedian Jimmy Tingle. Palfrey won the endorsement from Democrats at the state convention. "Our experience is quite different," Palfrey said. "I have spent my career in government and in law. I've spent a lot of time thinking about how we can use government to help ordinary people." Palfrey says if he wins, he would like to act as a bridge to cities and towns on issues like housing, education, transportation and the opioid crisis. By the numbers, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo should be sitting pretty in her bid for a second term. She's a Democrat in a state where Republican President Donald Trump remains unpopular after losing 54-39 percent in 2016. She's a woman in a year when a record number of female candidates are generating excitement around the country. And her campaign has raised $7 million, seven times her closest rival. But a lot of voters aren't sold, and Raimondo looks to be heading into a tough re-election fight. She faces a spirited, though poorly funded, challenge from the left in the Sept. 12 primary from former Secretary of State Matt Brown. If she wins, she'll face the victor in the Republican primary, likely Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, who has raised $1 million, or his rival, state Rep. Patricia Morgan. Former state Rep. Joe Trillo, who was Trump's state campaign chairman, is running as an independent and could act as a spoiler. Raimondo said she thinks her message about how she's running to strengthen and sustain the state's economic comeback is resonating. "I'm an outsider who has been bringing a lot of change and change is hard," she told The Associated Press. "Whether it has been the work I've done on economic development or infrastructure or tolling, you know, we've brought a lot of change to Rhode Island. And as an outsider bringing change -- that can make for a difficult campaign." Raimondo is pushing a record of accomplishments, including an improving economy in a state whose economic fortunes have perpetually lagged its New England neighbors and the rest of the country, and her work to rebuild crumbling schools and her free college tuition program. TV ads unanswered from her opponents this summer note how many jobs have been created during her time in office, and tout programs she has pushed to attract businesses, spur hiring and train workers. Meanwhile, her campaign is running hundreds of Facebook ads, which get so specific that they mention roads that have been repaired in particular towns. "There's more to do, but we're heading in the right direction," Raimondo says in one TV spot. Despite those accomplishments, her approval ratings have remained tepid -- a stark difference from 2014, when many saw her as a figure to watch nationally. She has been criticized for failures of leadership as governor, including her 2016 decision to launch a computer system for state benefits such as food stamps, despite warnings from federal officials that it wasn't ready. The resulting chaos left thousands without benefits, prompted lawsuits and a court-appointed overseer, who is still cleaning up the mess. A former venture capitalist, she's still deeply disliked by many members of public employee unions because of her work as general treasurer to cut and make other changes to state pensions. She also invested hundreds of millions of dollars of pension money in hedge funds, a decision she made to reduce risk but which her successor backed away from because of huge fees. She won in 2014 with just under 41 percent in a three-way race, beating Fung, who got 36 percent. To some, Raimondo's pension investments, huge fundraising numbers and tax incentives to corporations to lure them to Rhode Island have led to a perception that she's looking out for corporate interests rather than those of everyday people. Kendra Anderson, 61, an environmental activist who voted for Raimondo in 2014, is backing Brown this year. She said Raimondo's corporate connections have turned her off. "I was extremely happy and proud of having a woman governor," she said. "Yeah, I want women to excel, I want women to be in places of power, but I'm not going to do it at the expense of what's going on." A board member of the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats of America, Jennifer Siciliano, 48, of Warwick, said she was disillusioned by Raimondo's cuts to Medicaid reimbursements and corporate tax incentive program. She's voting for Brown in September and isn't sure yet who she'll back in November if Raimondo is on the ballot. "I don't want to have to make that decision yet," Siciliano said. Wendy Schiller, a professor at Brown University, thinks a lot of the dislike of Raimondo likely stems from her work to shake up the system. "She's challenged the old guard. She's challenged the longstanding distribution of patronage, distribution of benefits. She's pushing Rhode Island to change, and Rhode Islanders don't like change," Schiller said. While she doesn't agree with Raimondo on everything, Democratic state Sen. Gayle Goldin said the governor has taken the right positions on progressive values she supports, including reproductive rights, mandating paid sick days and paid college tuition. "The governor has been up there alongside me on those issues," Goldin said. Raimondo has her fans. During a recent visit to Pilgrim Senior Center in Warwick, the governor shook hands and highlighted face-to-face what she has been doing to improve the state. "We're trying to get things going for people. Fix the roads, fix the schools," she told Debbie Dion and her husband, Marcel, as they sat waiting for a Bingo game to start. Dion has noticed. "She's helped a lot," Dion said, adding that Raimondo has her vote. Schiller said it's a tight race and Fung, a Trump supporter, has an "excellent" chance of winning. Fung has said little publicly during the campaign. He hasn't put out any substantive policy proposals and hasn't been giving interviews apart from conservative talk radio. Democrats who don't like Raimondo will have a calculation to make in November, Schiller said. "The last time very liberal Democrats sat out an election and protested their candidate, it was Hillary Clinton, we elected Donald Trump," she said. "That is still a very resonant reality, even for the most progressive Democrats." Fiber transmission could be more efficient, go farther, carry more traffic and be cheaper to implement if the work of scientists in Sweden and Estonia is successful. In a recent demonstration, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, and Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia, used new, ultra-low-noise amplifiers to increase the normal fiber-optic transmission link range six-fold. And in a separate experiment, researchers at DTU Fotonik, Technical University of Denmark used a unique frequency comb to push more than the total of all internet traffic down one solitary fiber link. [ Read also: How Google is speeding up the Internet ] Fiber transmission limits Signal noise and distortion have always been behind the limits to traditional (and pretty inefficient) fiber transmission. Theyre the main reason data-send distance and capacity are restricted using the technology. Experts believe, however, that if the noise thats found in the amplifiers used for gaining distance could be cleaned up and the signal distortion inherent in the fiber itself could be eliminated, fiber could become more efficient and less costly to implement. Plus, if fiber could carry more traffic in single strands, it would be cheaper to power, and it would also keep up with rapidly escalating future internet growth. Those two areas of improvement are where many scientists are concentrating their fiber development efforts. The researchers at Chalmers University of Technology and Tallinn University of Technology said they can now send data 4,000 kilometers (nearly 2,500 miles) or roughly the air-travel distance from Los Angeles to New York. The team is using special, phase-sensitive amplifiers that handle both the noise and the distortion. The special amplifier functions using multiple pulses of different, very bright, compressed colors, polarized and then formatted into time division multiplexing, Chris Lee of Ars Technica explains in coverage of the research. The amplifiers can provide a very significant reach improvement over conventional approaches, Chalmers University says in its news release. Increasing the amount of data fiber can carry In more progress, another group has been concentrating on increasing the amount of data the fiber can carry. That multi-scientist team, from DTU Fotonik, Technical University of Denmark, said it can show that it can pump 661 terabits per second down a piece of fiber. Thats equivalent to more than the total Internet traffic today, the publication Nature explains in an abstract on its website. Worry over the amount of data being generated globally, and how to carry it, is behind the work. The Internet today transmits hundreds of terabits per second, consumes nine percent of all electricity worldwide and grows by 20 percent to 30 percent per year, according to the article in Nature. Multiple, parallel links handle the traffic now, but theyre not energy efficient. Thats primarily because each side-by-side stream needs its own power. The researchers think that if they can stuff all the traffic into one pipe, they would solve the electricity issue you wouldnt need so much power-hungry equipment. They DTU researchers are using a frequency comb made up of non-resonant aluminium-gallium-arsenide-on-insulator nanowaveguide. They seed the chip with 10 gigahertz-per-picosecond pulses. Frequency combs measure and detect disparate frequencies and map them. In this case: light. The tools are getting common, and might even become used in RF-based Wi-Fi, too, say researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. In this case, though, the optical, fiber-based frequency comb produced unprecedented high data-rate transmission, the Nature article says. The Danes used single-mode 30-core fiber for the six-mile experiment. Its robust to temperature changes, is energy efficient and facilitates future integration with on-chip lasers or amplifier. Importantly, too, the technique reduces bulk for the transmission equipment less data center or telco space will ultimately be needed. Animal rights group joins forces with Mumbai Police, Maharashtra Forest Department to stop exploitation of two Rhesus Macaques. In 1998, the central government issued a notification under The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, stating that monkeys and several other species of wild animals aren't to be exhibited or trained as performing animals. Mumbai: Acting on a tip from a concerned citizen, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India and officials from the Maharashtra Forest Department and the Mumbai Police sprang into action to rescue two monkeys who were being forced by two women to beg for money at the Dadar Central railway station in Mumbai. The rhesus macaques a protected species under Section II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 were sent to Mumbai range forest office for rehabilitation, and their apparently unlawful custodians were arrested. "Smart, social monkeys should be with their families in the wild, not begging for money in a crowded railway station under the command of cruel people," says PETA India Emergency Response Coordinator Deepak Chaudhary. "This type of incident is exactly why laws protecting imperilled wild animals from exploitation exist, and PETA India encourages all kind people to keep their eyes open and report any cases of animal abuse or illegal wildlife trading to authorities, he added. PETA India points out that monkeys are trained to "dance" through beatings and food deprivation. Their teeth are pulled out by the madaris so that they can't defend themselves. In 1998, the central government issued a notification under The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, stating that monkeys and several other species of wild animals aren't to be exhibited or trained as performing animals. The notification was issued based on the recommendation of a high-level expert committee which concluded that cruelty is inherent whenever wild animals are kept in captivity and that animals experience substantial pain and suffering when they're trained and forced to perform. Wild animals belong in their natural habitats, and exploiting them for profit or keeping them in captivity as "pets" is both morally wrong and punishable by up to seven years in prison and a fine of at least Rs 10,000 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. However, since animal-protection laws are poorly enforced, madaris can be found across India using monkeys to beg for money. Hospitals are energy hogs. With their 24/7 lighting, heating and water needs, they use up to five times more energy than a fancy hotel. Executives at some systems view their facilities like hotel managers, adding amenities, upscale new lobbies and larger parking garages in an effort to attract patients and increase revenue. But some hospitals are revamping with a different goal in mind: becoming more energy-efficient, which can also boost the bottom line. "We're saving $1 [million] to $3 million a year in hard cash," said Jeff Thompson, the former CEO of Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, Wis., the first hospital system in the U.S. to produce more energy than it consumed back in 2014. As an added benefit, he said, "we're polluting a lot less." The health care sector one of the nation's largest industries is responsible for nearly 10 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions hundreds of millions of tons worth of carbon each year. Hospitals make up more than one-third of those emissions, according to a paper by researchers at Northeastern University and Yale. Increasingly, though, health systems are paying attention: Gundersen Health System in Wisconsin employs wind, wood chips, landfill-produced methane gas and even cow manure to generate power, reporting more than a 95 percent drop in its emissions of carbon monoxide, particulate matter and mercury from 2008 to 2016. Boston Medical Center analyzed its hospital for duplicative and underused space, then downsized while increasing patient capacity. Among other changes, it now has a gas-fired 2-megawatt cogeneration plant that traps and reuses heat, saving money and emissions, while supplying 41 percent of the hospital's needs and acting as a backup for essential services if the municipal power grid goes out. Theda Clark Medical Center in Wisconsin is saving nearly $800,000 a year 30 percent of its energy costs after making changes that included retrofitting lights, insulating pipes, taking the lights out of vending machines and turning off air exchangers in parts of its building after hours. Kaiser Permanente aims to be "carbon-neutral" by 2020, mainly by incorporating solar energy at up to 100 of its hospitals and other facilities. One already in use at its Richmond (Calif.) Medical Center is credited with reducing electric bills by about $140,000 a year. (Kaiser Health News is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.) While the environmental benefits are important, "what I've seen over the years is cost reductions are the prime motivator," said Patrick Kallerman, research manager at the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, which released a report this spring outlining ways the hospital industry can help states such as California reach environmental goals by becoming more efficient. Some of its recommendations are simple: replacing old lighting and windows. Others are more complex: powering down heating and cooling in areas not being used and updating ventilation standards first set back in Florence Nightingale's day. Such tight standards "might not be necessary," Kallerman said. Loosening them could help save money and energy. When Bob Biggio was hired in 2011 to oversee Boston Medical Center's facilities, hospital leaders were about to launch a broad redesign. Yet the hospital was also facing serious financial struggles. He put the move on hold while analyzing how the hospital was using its existing space, looking for unused or duplicative areas. "My first impression with data I had gathered was our campus was about 400,000 square feet bigger than it needed to be, said Biggio. "A square foot you never have to build is most efficient of all." The new design is smaller but more efficient, handling 20 percent higher patient volume and eliminating the need for ambulance transportation between far-flung areas of the campus. It also cut power consumption by 42 percent from a 2011 baseline. While the hospital sunk a lot of money into the renovation, the center was able to sell off some of its land to help offset the costs, leading to about a five-year return on investment, Biggio said. "We are a safety-net hospital with a large Medicaid population," he said. "So this is the last place people expect to see the type of investments and progress we've made." But how to sell that in the C-suite? The environmental argument wasn't how Thompson convinced executives at Gundersen. "At no point did I mention climate change or polar bears," said Thompson. Instead, he focused on the organization's mission to improve health and the potential cost savings. "There are multiple examples at Gundersen and other places where, if we're thoughtful, we can improve the local economy, lower the cost of health care and decrease the pollution that is making people sick," he said. But hospitals' energy efficiency efforts vary, with only about 10 percent attempting changes as dramatic as those done at Gundersen, estimated Alex Thorpe, a hospital energy expert at Optum Advisory Services, a consulting firm owned by UnitedHealth Group. "About 50 percent are in the middle," he added, perhaps because these investments are weighed against other capital needs. "If you have a well-known doctor that wants a new cutting-edge piece of equipment, then it can be hard to make the business case [for investing in alternative energy]," said Thorpe. Of the more than 5,000 hospitals in the country, about 1,100 are members of Practice Greenhealth, a nonprofit that promotes environmental stewardship. Fewer than 300 hospitals qualify as Energy Star facilities, an Environmental Protection Agency program that recognizes buildings that rank in the top quartile for energy conservation among their peers. Greenhealth estimates its members average about a million dollars a year in savings, but it all depends what steps they take. There are modest savings from such things as reducing the heating and air conditioning in operating rooms during hours they are not in use, with median annual cost savings of $45,398, a report from the group notes. Other energy reduction efforts net another median $53,599 in annual savings, while swapping older lighting for new LED bulbs in operating rooms saves another $3,329. Individually, those savings are not even rounding errors in most hospitals' total expenses, which are measured in the millions of dollars. Still, within facility expenses, energy use accounts for 51 percent of spending, so even modest cuts are "significant," said Kara Brooks, sustainability program manager for the American Society for Healthcare Engineering. Ultimately, that may affect what hospitals charge insurers and patients. "If hospitals can lower peak demand through energy efficiency efforts, that will directly impact their pricing," said Thorpe. A happy relationship and a happy marriage are not flukes. You work towards it and meet each other halfway. Romeo-Juliet, Laila-Majnu and many other love stories that have become legends, do seem to suggest that love is worth all the attendant inconveniences accompanying its journey. Even if it means dying for it. That people retell these stories with poignancy also suggests that facing every adversity for love is seen as noble and heroic Were walking out of the movie Dhadak which has a story that quite shakes you up in the end. My mother in conversation asks me whether it had been worth all the tragedy, trial, hardship and travails. The story could be any couples love story in a country where religion, caste, colour, profession, monetary situation dictates ones conjugal compatibility and where parents more often than not call the shots as to who you may have permission to marry. Boy or girl, the situation is not very different. My view remains one in favour of love that comes with companionship, friendship and chemistry. Ive always believed with proof from my own life that love does conquer a lot and with true devotion and love one can pretty much take on the world. In my late teens my favourite love story was We the living by Ayn Rand where she even gives up her own self for the sake of her highest reverence her man Leo. But there is also the alternative outcome where love and all its demands does not seem worth it. The other side is as much a probability, especially with two strong egos in play. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan, had fallen in love with a much younger Rati Petit, who loved him passionately enough for the pair to disregard family, cut off financial and political setbacks. Social ostracisation and ensuing difficulties and tribulations didnt seem to matter in the adrenaline rush of love and longing. Yes, they were deliriously triumphant and happy in their love as a recently published biography of Rati narrates. But disenchantment, bitterness, loneliness and neglect followed. It is said that Rati died of a broken heart. After all, love is about individuals, and every story can have its own individual turn of events. We all like romantic stories where love triumphs over everything and yes, it does often happen that way, but there is no rule that the story will not disintegrate into dismay, disappointment and regret. Luck, destiny, lack of maturity... anything can spell the death knell and who can tell how the narrative will flow? Perhaps passion and love had not been worth all the sacrifice in the case of Rati Jinnah, one conjectures. Is it then the luck of the draw or a well thought out decision? At a young age when love is mostly blinding, one is not probably able to have well thought out pragmatic decisions, so you jump in often with raging passions and throw caution to the winds. But in my experience, the real outcome of love comes with maturity and growth. Growing and understanding each other together, making a concerted effort to work around differences and work towards synergy of thought, deed, action. Thinking and speaking positive and creating a decidedly win-win situation! A happy relationship and even a happy marriage is not a fluke. You work towards it and meet each other halfway. You care for each other and use a lot of empathy you put yourself in the others shoes and create a situation of compassion along with the passion. For every story there is also the other story but the power of creating your own desired happily ever after lies with you both! The writer is a columnist, designer and brand consultant. Mail her at nishajamvwal@gmail.com. DT25 A team of researchers from the School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences and the Dental Institute has secured a multi-million Euro award to conduct research into liver disease. The team, made up of clinicians and scientists from the Department of Inflammation Biology and the Centre for Host-Microbial Interactions, is led by Dr Debbie Shawcross, Reader and Honorary Consultant in Hepatology based within the Institute of Liver Studies. The 15 million Euro award will help research learn more about chronic liver disease, which causes 1.2 million deaths every year. This King's scientists will join an EU Consortium of researchers working on a project to identify microbiome-based biomarkers to predict the decomposition of liver cirrhosis and identify appropriate treatments. The gut contains tens of trillions of microorganisms, including at least 1000 different species of known bacteria with more than three million genes (150 times more than human genes). This collection of microorganisms and their association genes is known as the microbiome. One third of the gut microbiome is common to most people, while two thirds are unique to an individual. It is this unique element that has the potential to form the basis of personalised medicines and treatment. The gut microbiome is causally implicated in chronic liver disease, and is the first interaction point for drugs prescribed to patients with the disease, so improving the understanding of the interactions that place in the gut cold have major implications for the treatment of liver diseases. Speaking about the project, Dr Debbie Shawcross said: 'The microbiome in everyone is as unique as a fingerprint, and gaining a better understanding of how it contributes to the development of chronic liver disease offers an exciting opportunity to develop new therapeutic avenues. Liver diseases are becoming more prevalent and at the moment the only definitive treatment is liver transplantation. We are moving towards the frontiers of the microbiome and the King's team are delighted to be part of this journey.' The EU Horizon 20:20 funding is the largest EU research and innovation funding programme. Horizon 20:20 couples research and innovation with an emphasis on science, industry and tackling societal challenges. The aim of the program is to ensure Europe produces world-class science, removes barriers to innovation and makes it easier for the public and private sectors to work together in delivering innovation. Source: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/lsm/newsevents/newsrecords/2018/aug/researchers-secure-funding-to-investigate-disease-that-kills-millions.aspx In a randomized, Phase III trial led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the PARP inhibitor talazoparib extended progression-free survival (PFS) and improved quality-of-life measures over available chemotherapies for patients with metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer and mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes. The results of the EMBRACA trial were published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. The findings were first presented at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium by Jennifer Litton, M.D., associate professor of Breast Medical Oncology, also corresponding author of the study. "The trial found that talazoparib provides a significant clinical benefit to all patient subgroups, including those with hormone receptor-positive and triple-negative disease," said Litton. "The results of this trial are quite exciting and indicate talazoparib is a novel treatment option for patients with metastatic breast cancer and BRCA mutations." Mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes, which account for 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancers, cause defects in normal DNA damage repair. PARP inhibitors block an additional DNA repair pathway, and the anti-tumor effects of PARP inhibitors can be intensified in patients with BRCA mutations. Talazoparib works by not only inhibiting the PARP enzyme, but by trapping the enzyme on DNA to further prevent DNA repair. The international Phase III clinical trial, EMBRACA, enrolled 431 patients with locally advanced or metastatic and hereditary BRCA1/2 gene mutations. Patients with HER2-positive disease were excluded as there are approved targeted therapies for those cancers. Patients could have had up to three previous chemotherapies, including platinum-based therapies. Participants were randomized 2:1 to receive either talazoparib (287) or physician's choice of treatment (PCT) of single-agent therapy (144), either capecitabine, eribulin, gemcitabine or vinorelbine. Fifty-four percent of participants had HR+ disease and 46 percent had TN breast cancer; BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations were split at 45 and 55 percent, respectively. "Importantly, the trial met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival. Patients were nearly 46 percent less likely to have progressed on talazoparib compared to physician's choice," said Litton. "Secondary endpoints also were promising, including a dramatic improvement in time to clinical deterioration among patients receiving talazoparib." The median PFS, assessed by blinded independent review, was 8.6 months in the talazoparib arm, compared with 5.6 months in the PCT arm, a statistically significant improvement. The overall response rate, or percentage of patients with tumor shrinkage, was 62.6 percent and 27.2 percent in the talazoparib and PCT arms, respectively. Twelve participants had complete responses, all in the talazoparib arm. Patient-reported quality-of-life measures revealed a prolonged time to deterioration of overall health, 24.3 months in the talazoparib arm compared to 6.3 months for the PCT arm. Grade 3-4 hematological adverse events occurred in 55 percent of patients receiving talazoparib and 39 percent of those on chemotherapy, but talazoparib was associated with fewer high-grade non-hematological events, including gastrointestinal and skin/subcutaneous tissue disorders. Grade 3-4 serious events occurred in 26 and 25 percent of patients receiving talazoparib and PCT, respectively. Adverse events resulting in death occurred in 2.1 percent of patients on talazoparib and 3.2 percent on PCT. Final overall survival will be reported at a later date when the data fully matures, said Litton. "It is encouraging to see this oral PARP inhibitor was well-tolerated and superior to chemotherapy alone. We look forward to seeing how overall survival is affected, but I think talazoparib will be an excellent option for patients with metastatic disease and BRCA mutations," said Litton. Litton hopes to continue investigating the utility of PARP inhibitors in additional breast cancer patients with BRCA mutations, including those with early-stage disease, as well as possibilities for enhancing the activity of PARP inhibitors in patients without inherited BRCA mutations. The study was sponsored by Pfizer. Litton has research funding with EMD Serono, Astra-Zeneca, Pfizer and Genentech, and she serves on advisory boards for Pfizer and Astra-Zeneca, all uncompensated. As follow up, a Phase I talazoparib in combination trial is ongoing at MD Anderson; Litton hopes that this study and other combination studies may expand who can benefit from PARP inhibitors and improve responses for more patients. Promega UK the Life Sciences Company, based on the University of Southampton Science Park in Hampshire, is proud to announce that two UK iGem (The International Genetically Engineered Machine Foundation) groups are among 10 international projects to have won sponsorship from Promega Corporation as part of the worldwide iGem competition for up and coming scientists. Two teams from the University of Manchester and the University of Edinburgh will each receive free Promega products to the value of $2,000 to complete their research. Philip Hargreaves, Head of Strategic Marketing said: This is a testament to the work being carried out by students at universities in the UK and we are really excited to see what they achieve at the end of their projects and how they reach their results. The University of Edinburgh team will be investigating a novel and sustainable use for pot ale, a by-product generated in the production of whisky. The project aims to produce bioplastics, in particular polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) co-polymers of Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (P3HB-3HV) through utilizing propionate and acetate. Expensive production costs should be reduced by the team utilizing by-products from whisky distilleries. The project may also benefit the environment, by 'locking' carbon inside the bioplastic in sterile conditions, preventing carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. Craig Gilmour from the University of Edinburgh said: Its a really great opportunity to work with the latest technology. iGem also gives the team a great experience as we meet new people, develop project management skills and work with a mix of disciplines, while coming together as a team. The Manchester team, will be looking at designing a method of detecting key signal molecules produced by Listeria monocytogenes in infected cheese. Their Listeria detection method is advantageous compared to current methods, with the sensor fully integrated into the cheese-making process, reducing the time contaminated cheese is in factories or homes. The team will be working closely with cheese manufacturers, to ensure their product meets the real needs of the commercial environment. Ieva Norvaisaite from the University of Manchester added: We want to thank Promega, as winning this sponsorship has given us much more confidence and freedom in the lab, with more accessibility and less limitations; so we have the ability to carry on with our project in the way we want to. iGem is just the beginning of a journey for many of these students, with a mentoring and After iGem program available to encourage further career development. There are also PhD clubs but most importantly the iGem program gives students the opportunity to create a real impact and help society as well as looking at commercially driven solutions though biological investigation. All-women SWAT team, snipers and over 500 CCTVs ensure security in Red Fort. Members of the all-women SWAT team stand guard during the 72nd Independence Day function at the historic Red Fort in Delhi on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: In its maiden field job Indias first all-women SWAT team beamed with pride as it provided security cover to Red Fort on the Independence Day. In the wake of terror alerts, a security perimeter consisting NSG snip-ers, elite SWAT commandos, were guarding the Red Fort, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on the 72nd Independence Day. A senior officer said that they had also recei-ved inputs about the possibility of three men from Jaish-e-Mohammad being present in the national capital to carry out terror attacks. On Monday, police were informed that a man, wearing 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. While nearly 70,000 Delhi police personnel were guarding the national capital, close to 10,000 policemen have been dep-loyed at the Red Fort, which will see the presence of senior ministers, top bureaucrats, foreign dignitaries and common people during Mr Modis speech. The 36 members of all-women team, Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) has been trained by the NSG for anti-terrorism duty under the Delhi polices Special Cell. The entire team hails from northeast. 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, 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 northeast and realise their capability. Another team member, Mihnhunsa, felt proud to don the uniform. Even though it is difficult task to change peoples set notions about our region, we can try to do so through our uniform, she said. PM 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. D14 With so many mutants to pick and choose from, who is the best X-Men team of all time? It's a question that has plenty of answers, after all with mutants being "hated and feared," they tend to congregate together. There's your core X-Men, side teams ranging from X-Force and X-Factor, or even lesser-known ones like the Fallen Angels and Daydreamers. This week introduced a new mutant team in the Children of the Atom, and set up June's impending announcement of a new core X-Men line-up as an even bigger event than previously shown. But amongst all those teams and line-ups, there are some that stand out - helping define the X-Men mythos and what we think about when we consider a perfect X-Men line-up. So without further ado, here are the best X-Men teams of all time. 10. New Mutants (Image credit: Marvel) Established as a new class of students at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in their first appearance in 1982's Marvel Graphic Novel #4, the New Mutants returned the X-Men franchise to its roots, focusing on a group of young mutants discovering and first learning how to use their powers. Founded by a Brood-possessed Professor Xavier to be used as hosts for more Brood minions, the New Mutants managed to escape that fate and become mainstays at Xaviers school. Of course in true X-team fashion, the roster quickly grew, before even bigger changes led to New Mutants being cancelled and relaunched as X-Force with an almost entirely different cast, led by Cable, the enigmatic mutant from the future who would become a major part of X-Men lore. Both the New Mutants and X-Force have separate ongoing titles in the current 'Rein of X' X-Men line. 9. Excalibur (Image credit: Marvel) Formed back in 1987 by X-Men scribe Chris Claremont and artist Alan Davis, Excalibur combined the already established Marvel UK characters Captain Britain and Meggan with American X-Men characters Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, and Rachel Summers. As a counterpart to the soap opera of Uncanny X-Men, Excalibur focused on more light-hearted adventure with the team hopping dimensions and dealing more with outlandish, magical threats than mutant politics. Excalibur helped breathe new life into Captain Britain, and gave a couple of B- and C-listers the chance to shine to X-fans, even welcoming in stranger characters and other X-vets as the years went by. A relaunched Excalibur series is one of the core titles of the current 'Rein of X' line, picking up the original team's themes of mutants and magic. 8. New X-Men (Image credit: Marvel) Grant Morrison's New X-Men was the run that proved anything and everything could happen in the X-Universe. Grant Morrison simplified things by keeping the roster small and close-knit, focusing on developing and even overhauling their chosen characters. Reformed villain Emma Frost became the team's breakout character, with her romance of Scott Summers driving a wedge between the X-Men leader and his wife Jean Grey. Beast's appearance evolved, giving rise to his more cat-like form that lasted over a decade. And then there was the matter of Xorn, the helmeted mutant who turned out to be Magneto in disguise, betraying the team and even killing Jean Grey (or at least sending her to the White Hot Room, where former Phoenix hosts go when they're killed). Morrison also embraced the aesthetic of the 2000 X-Men film, outfitting everyone in sleek, black leather, and bringing back the idea of Xaviers School, creating characters like Beak, Angel Salvadore, Glob Herman, Quentin Quire, and more, who still play a role in the X-Men years later. 7. Magneto's X-Men (Image credit: Marvel) The '80s were an odd time for the X-Men as Professor X decided to stay in space with his main squeeze, Lilandra, and left Magneto in charge of the Xavier School. What seemed like a potentially bizarre idea turned out to be one of Uncanny's best runs, with Nightcrawler, Wolverine, and Colossus essentially becoming the mutant equivalent of the Fabulous Freebirds, newbies Shadowcat and Rogue getting some great development, and of course punk rock Storm fighting Cyclops for leadership. While this line up is one of the shorter lived in the team's history, writer Chris Claremont used this era to evolve and push the characters and let them actually grow older, making way for the newer heroes that would soon join the X-ranks. This era is also the indirect inspiration for the popular 'Pryde of the X-Men' cartoon pilot, and the X-Men arcade game of the late '80s, though Magneto is a villain in both of those adaptations. Eventually, Magneto reverted back to villainy after he left the school - though he's since become an X-Men mainstay again as one of the leaders of the sovereign mutant nation of Krakoa in the current 'Reign of X' era. 6. X-Factor Version 2.0 (Image credit: Marvel) Government sponsored and approved, the all-new all-different X-Factor, led by Cyclops's oft-overlooked younger brother Havok, showed us what misfits and rejects were all about. Mainly formed by supporting characters, writer Peter David was allowed to flesh out the personalities of the team's new roster with a healthy dose of humor and pop-culture that made them seem relevant despite their B-List status. As the years went by, the team gradually shifted again, bringing Forge into a leadership position when Havok was presumed dead, and adding former villains such as Mystique and Sabretooth, as well as even more obscure characters like Shard and Wild Child. Although it didn't sell as nearly as the other X-books of the time, it still found a fanbase through David's unique voice and keen character development skills. Before his eventual departure from X-Factor, David later re-reinvented the team as mutant investigators, a theme that has held over into the team's current 'Reign of X' title. 5. The 'Outback Team' (Image credit: Marvel) Probably the shortest tenure of any team on this list, lasting a little over a year before giving way to the Blue/Gold teams, the X-Men's so-called 'Outback' squad had a major impact nonetheless. After the team crossed the Siege Perilous (a portal that remakes the lives of those who traverse it), many of its core members were presumed dead. In fact, they took up residence in Australia, using their anonymity to save the world. The tail end of these years also added X-Men mainstays like Jubilee and Gambit to the team, along with the enigmatic teleporter Gateway - whose relative Manifold is now a key member of the current S.W.O.R.D. title. This era spun out of the first 'X-over,' a line wide story called 'Fall of the Mutants,' beginning a tradition of line wide stories that have a major impact on the X-Men - including the recent 'X of Swords' story. 4. The First Class (Image credit: Marvel) While most of these adventures have been retconned or ignored by modern day canon, the 'First Class' line-up set the stage for what was the come. It introduced Hank McCoy as a brilliant jock and a bit of a prankster, Scott Summers as the shy and almost hesitant leader, Bobby Drake as the class clown, Jean Grey as the new girl on campus (and prize pupil), with Warren Worthington III as the brash playboy who wasn't shy about saying what was on his mind. This line-up was also the longest running without any major shake-ups, changing only when Havok and Polaris joined in the late '60s. The team fractured after everyone but Cyclops was captured by the mutant island Krakoa (now the living land mass that forms the mutant nation of the same name), leading to a whole new team taking the X-Men name for the first time. After years apart, the original five reformed in the '80s as X-Factor before folding back into the main X-Men team in the early '90s, where they have remained core characters of Marvel's mutant mythos. 3. Astonishing X-Men (Image credit: Marvel) After Grant Morrison's groundbreaking run on New X-Men, a new flagship title, Astonishing X-Men, brought back the team's superhero roots while simplifying Morrison's trimmed down roster even more. Keeping the X-Men involvement in larger company crossovers to a minimum, Whedon focused on huge character moments, building on the already tense rivalry between Cyclops and Wolverine, and resurrecting Colossus which also reunited him with Kitty Pryde, reforging a relationship that was once central to the X-Men. Astonishing X-Men has been called a "love letter to Kitty Pryde," and that may be true. But the title was notable for giving no character short shrift, taking well-known relationships on the team in new directions and leading directly to everything that came after for years to come. 2. Blue and Gold (Image credit: Marvel) How do you solve a problem like having too many mutants on one team? You split them up, of course. That's exactly what writer Chris Claremont and superstar artist Jim Lee did when they launched X-Men #1 in 1991, creating a second core title for Marvel's mutants for the first time in their history and spreading the ever growing roster of mutant heroes over the color-coded Blue and Gold teams, featured separately in X-Men and Uncanny X-Men. With multiple covers and more hype than you can even imagine, X-Men #1 became the biggest selling comic book for modern times. Though the launch of X-Men also marked the end of Claremont's legendary tenure, it also began the era in which the X-Men were something of Marvels flagship franchise. This roster was immortalized in the 1992 animated series and for many fans is still the vision conjured when someone says "X-Men." 1. All New, All Different (Image credit: Marvel) When we talk about the best X-Men team of all time, the squad that started to form in Giant-Size X-Men #1 will more than likely be at the top of the list. Why? This was the first major shake-up to the X-Men roster ever, and introduced numerous characters that have been beloved mainstays of the team ever since. On top of that, it also propelled the X-Men into the center of the Marvel universe, making them popular in a way the original team had never been. Instigated by Lein Wein and Dave Cockcrum, Chris Claremont took over almost immediately for Wein and went on to be the X-Men's main writer and driving creative force until the early '90s. The Giant-Size team redefined the X-Men as a concept, and created almost everything we think of as the core aspects of the franchise. Claremont wasn't alone in this; many of the characters introduced with Giant-Size X-Men #1 were brought over by Cockrum, who scrapped together unused ideas from his Legion of Super-Heroes days to create Nightcrawler, and Storm the first Black super-heroine to play a major role at Marvel or DC and who, along with Colossus and massive breakout star Wolverine, became the core of the X-Men roster for decades. Along with these characters, Claremont also brought back Jean Grey, who, alongside her paramour Cyclops, became a central character in his stories, leading to the legendary Dark Phoenix Saga. GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more Islamabad : At least five people were killed and three others injured on Tuesday in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa district in firing at a Jirga - a tribal court - convened over a motorbike accident. The police said the incident in Battagram district happened when a verbal clash between two groups turned ugly and members of one group opened fire at the other, Xinhua news agency reported. The attackers fled the scene. Jirga or tribal court is a council which is responsible for settling disputes in tribal areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The council makes decisions by consensus and according to the teachings of Pashtunwali. Moscow : Russia was considering its response on Thursday to the US' expansion of sanctions against Moscow companies over their links to North Korea, the country's deputy Foreign Minister said. Sergey Ryabkov told the state news agency Interfax that the new sanctions imposed on the Russian company Profinet and its general manager Vasily Kolchanov for allegedly facilitating the delivery of illicit shipments to the North Korean regime "lacked any basis"."Regarding Profinet and Kolchanov, the restrictions were applied as the US tends to do now, without presenting any evidence and on the basis of empty and groundless accusations," Ryabkov said. "Russian leaders will decide on possible measures in response to this."He added that the result of the US broadening "anti-Russian" sanctions due to "pressure by the elites" would be the degradation of bilateral relations, "but Washington doesn't care about this prospect", Efe news reported."We proceed from the inevitability of a constant expansion of US sanctions," the Kremlin's number two diplomat said.The US Treasury Department on Wednesday sanctioned Profinet and Kolchanov for allegedly "providing port services on at least six occasions to North Korean-flagged ships", while also slapping restrictions on the Chinese firm Dalian Sun Moon Star and its Singapore-based affiliate, SINSMS, for the sale of cigarettes and alcohol to Pyongyang."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," Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said.The department also accused Kolchanov of being personally involved in the North Korean deals and interacting directly with representatives of the East Asian country's regime. Kathmandu : 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. The ATS filed the chargesheet under sections 16, 18(A), 18(B) and 20 of the Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (UAPA). According to the ATS, on May 11 this year, it had had arrested one of the accused, who is an electrician from Behram Baug area of Jogeshwari. (Representational image) Mumbai: The Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) on Thursday filed a chargesheet against four accused, one of them a fugitive Pakistani, who were allegedly provided terror training in Pakistan to orchestrate attacks in Mumbai, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. The accused were trained in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, by spy agency ISI and another terror outfit active there. The ATS filed the chargesheet under sections 16, 18(A), 18(B) and 20 of the Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (UAPA). A special ATS court has taken the cognizance of the said chargesheet and started the trial proceedings. According to the ATS, on May 11 this year, it had had arrested one of the accused, who is an electrician from Behram Baug area of Jogeshwari. On March 1, he allegedly went to Dubai along with his cousin who is a co-accused. Both, along with the Pakistani accused, who is an ISI agent, received training in Pakistan from the terror outfit. The ATS did not disclose the names of the accused on Thursday. According to the ATS, the training for the four lasted for 12 days. The four accused were taught how to assemble explosives, carry out suicide attacks and use weapons. After getting the training, the three accused, barring the Pakistani, returned to Mumbai via Dubai. One of the accused was arrested in on May 16 from Gandhinagar, Gujarat. He had been given the task of supplying cars and weapons to the electrician. Riyadh : Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday the arrest of its citizen suspected of planning a terror attack. The suspect, wearing what seemed like an explosive vest, resisted arrest and shot at the police, the Interior Ministry was cited as saying by Saudi Press Agency. In response, the police shot at the suspect, injuring him. No passerby or security personnel were wounded during the arrest on Wednesday in the northcentral city of Al Bukayriyah, the report said. A machine gun, two pistols and several bullets were confiscated from the man. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Shahid Kapoor sent fans in a frenzy when he had said he would be teaming up with Imtiaz Ali after 'Jab We Met'. Imtiaz had said that the sequels work is in progress, but nothing concrete can be said at the moment. Mumbai: Shahid Kapoor sent fans in a frenzy when he had said he would be teaming up with Imtiaz Ali for a film but the project never happened and the filmmaker says queries around the movie should not be directed to him as he never announced it in the first place. In December last year, Shahid had expressed excitement about his team up with his 'Jab We Met' director for a new film with an "interesting" subject. The actor had said he would start shooting for the same after wrapping up his upcoming release 'Batti Gul Meter Chalu'. Soon after there were reports that the project was shelved and Shahid later told reporters that the film is "not happening this year" and they might "probably work on something else." When asked about reports regarding the film with Shahid, Imtiaz said, "There will be more news like this because the fact is, I keep meeting actors and there is always going to be some speculation..." "I never announced a film. I never said I am making a film. I never said I am working with Shahid Kapoor. So now when people ask me that the film is not happening, I reply, 'Which film?' I never said it. Jisne bola usko bolo (Talk to the person who spoke about it). There's no truth to it," the director said in a group interview. Imtiaz last directed Shah Rukh Khan starrer 'Jab Harry Met Sejal' and the filmmaker says he has currently written four stories and has developed two screenplays. "I have turned producer so I have to keep some material ready... The only asset that you have in this work is script. So once these four scripts are ready, depending up on the availability of the suitable actors, I will start working," the director signed off. As a four-term mayor of Stamford, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy took the governors office having a familiarity with transportation, education and combatting crime, issues that he has attempted to make hallmarks of his two terms as governor. As for Ned Lamont and Bob Stefanowski, the two candidates who would replace him? They have made making money the cornerstones of their careers to date with the first years of the winners gubernatorial career hinging in part on getting Connecticuts economy to take flight on the wings of the best-paying jobs the state can attract. Economists have attributed Connecticuts comparative malaise to an inability to rekindle meaningful growth in high-paying professions like management and finance that generate income taxes and other state revenue, and there is evidence in the waning months of the Malloy administration to support that thesis heading into the fall elections. As of mid-August, the career website Indeed.com listed about 1,300 open jobs in Connecticut offering $100,000 or more, a threshold that 23 percent of earners in the state achieved as of 2015 as calculated by the Internal Revenue Service. Those $100,000 opportunities amounted to just 3.6 percent of the nearly 36,000 Connecticut total job openings posted on Indeed, however, a rate trailing that of the states Northeast economic rivals of New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. While not all companies list compensation estimates for the jobs they post including Norwalk-based Booking Holdings, which is currently seeking a director of executive compensation, salary terms unspecified Indeed is a useful barometer along with other job sites like CareerBuilder and Glassdoor. No return to 2006 Connecticut also had a smaller percentage of $100,000 openings as a ratio to the number of jobs at that floor in 2015, at 0.3 percent. By comparison, Massachusetts and New York had more than double that rate, and New Jersey ahead by a smaller margin. In August, UBS is listed on Indeed.com among the employers with the 10 largest numbers of $100,000 jobs in both New York and New Jersey. The Switzerland-based investment bank has scaled back dramatically its Stamford base of operations in the past decade along with Royal Bank of Scotland, with Stamfords cluster of commodities trading firms seeing significant cuts including Glencore which exited its downtown offices last year in favor of New York City. Connecticuts days of being a place where six-figure incomes are as abundant as, say, in 2006, are over, said David Lewis, CEO of the Norwalk-based human resources consultancy OperationsInc. There is no evidence none of a return of businesses to this region that pay the way financial services jobs had been paying. The Stamford-based information-technology prognosticator Gartner now leads southwestern Connecticut with about two dozen openings on Indeed.com offering annual income of at least $100,000, with fewer opportunities listed at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford; Boehringer Ingelheim in Ridgefield; and Henkel and Synchrony Financial in Stamford. And other companies are in growth mode in Connecticut, to include the worlds second biggest hedge fund AQR Capital Management, which is in the process of adding hundreds of jobs in Greenwich with financial assistance from the state. Not saying its going to be easy The average hedge fund portfolio manager makes $1 million annually including varying compensation like commissions and bonuses, according to projections published in November 2017 by Institutional Investor based on surveys of some 800 professionals in the hedge fund sector, with research analyst pay averaging more than $700,000. A separate Grant Thornton survey last year, meanwhile, pegged the average salaries of senior corporate financial executives between $130,000 and $350,000. Stefanowski is a former executive of both General Electric and UBS, with Lamont having run a cable TV company focused on university campuses, and his spouse Annie Lamont a senior executive in the Norwalk office of the private equity investment firm Oak HC/FT. Both candidates have as good a window into what corporations are looking for as any to make it to the cusp of statewide office. On his campaign website, Lamont touts a study he undertook on why General Electric moved its headquarters out of Connecticut, and what major employers in a range of industries are seeking, with state fiscal stability, a quality workforce and better roads and public transportation cited by executives with whom he has spoken. How about for the first time in generations you have a governor who actually started a business and created jobs, here in a state thats near the bottom of the barrel in starting businesses and creating jobs? Lamont said in a July debate at Fairfield University moderated by Hearst Connecticut Media. Thats how we start growing the economic pie again ... Thats how we get to our balanced budget and thats how we get Connecticut moving again. For his part, Stefanowski is promising to phase out the states income tax over eight years as well as inheritance taxes, citing data that Connecticuts economy grew at the fastest rate of any state over 15 years prior to Hartfords 1991 enactment of an income tax. Not only can we get rid of the state income tax we have to get rid of the state income tax, Stefanowski said in early August during a Republican candidate debate at Fairfield University. Im not saying its going to be easy. ... Were going to fund this tax cut by ripping costs out of this state like youve never seen. Includes prior reporting by Paul Schott. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman NEW HAVEN, Conn. Following a mass string of K2 overdoses Wednesday, the city was seeing more cases arise Thursday . Officials said there were 17 more overdoses as of Thursday evening, though it is not known yet whether the substance was the same as the K2 that caused the overdoses over the previous 36 hours. I think this is a lot more than we have normally seen. Weve had a couple of those outbreaks, but not to this level. Hopefully, today brings a different light, city Office of Emergency Management Director Rick Fontana said about the cases that began Tuesday night. Nationally, overdose deaths reached a record level of 72,000 in 2017, according to a recent federal report, The Associated Press reported. In Connecticut, there were 3,090 visits to hospital emergency rooms for suspected drug overdoses between January and April, Hearst has reported. During a news conference Thursday, Mayor Toni N. Harp praised the response of fire, police and other emergency responders for their work to save lives. She noted the assistance of state agencies and Gov. Dannel Malloy and said several services would be added to those already available, including a recovery coach. The citys response to this emergency has been exemplary, she said. But Harp said: We know a coordinated response among all three levels of government will be required to meet this challenge. We know that it is a chronic, relapsing disease, Harp said. We also know this is happening nationwide. Emergency personnel were run ragged Wednesday as crews responded to a total of 76 overdoses 72 were taken to the hospital and four refused treatment over the span of 24 hours, according to Fontana and Harp. Its very reminiscent of a mass casualty incident. Multiple people that were suffering from overdoses at the same time. At one point, we had seven people, all at the same time, falling ill from the use of K2 on the Green, Fontana said. We saw firefighters, paramedics, police officers running in different directions, attending to these people in a short period of time. There was no one who stayed on the ground longer than two minutes on this Green yesterday. Police Chief Anthony Campbell said some of the victims were repeat offenders, needing to be transported to the hospital multiple times. Douglas Gerald said he was sitting on a park bench when he looked over his shoulder and saw two people on the ground. I happened to look over and saw them passing out, so I ran and got help. They were shaking and holding onto each other, so I figured it was K2-related, he said. Douglas said it was scary to see them like that. People have got to be careful what they use today. They have to be careful, he said. Yale New Haven Hospital Center for EMS Medical Director Dr. Sandy Bogucki said the K2 involved with the overdoses was a short- and rapid-acting form of the drug, so people who smoked the synthetic marijuana tended to go down very fast almost right in their tracks and although many of them had to be resuscitated the effects did not last long, and they were able to be discharged from the hospital fairly soon, which meant they were able to return to the Green to seek another high. The state Department of Mental Health and Addictive Services as well as Cornell Scott Hill Health Center were stationed on the Green Thursday to provide individuals with cold beverages, food and basic medical services. Douglas Bruce, chief of medicine at Cornell Scott Hill Health Center, said the community health center set up a triage unit to help out, as not everyone using K2 on the Green needs to go to the emergency room. Bruce said they have been working cooperatively with the city, police and AMR and have Narcan and basic medical equipment on site. Police have arrested two people, who are not being named at this time, in connection with the overdoses. Campbell said the two men are known to police for selling K2 in the past. Many of the victims told police they didnt purchase K2 but were given free samples, and Campbell believes one of the men was trying to get people addicted, thereby establishing a clientele. We will have a continued presence on the New Haven Green, both today and in the days to come, to ensure that no further victims can purchase or no further sales can be done (there), Campbell said. Fontana said that the Drug Enforcement Administration office in New York confirmed that what was in a joint taken from one victim was K2, a potent, synthetic cannabinoid, and was not laced with any opioid. One of the patients admitted to the hospital did test positive for fentanyl in his toxicology screen, although it may have been from a separate injection or injections, he said. Fontana said, only a small percentage of the patients have been confirmed to have had fentanyl in their systems. Its very difficult to differentiate who did what, but we do know most of those folks who smoked the K2 actually were tested by the DEA in the New York laboratory, and that came back as synthetic K2 without the presence of any opioid or synthetic fentanyl, he said. Harp said the city has been working tirelessly over the past four years to address the issues on the Green. Moving forward, she said she wants to provide preventive services on the Green. She said the state DMHAS will provide recovery coaches, training and dissemination of Narcan, as well as help to find a street psychiatrist. She said it was brought to the citys attention that since K2 is such a fast-acting drug, when people come down they want to get high again. She said if New Haven had a way to prescribe Suboxone, a drug used to treat opioid addiction, immediately, then it could help with withdrawal. Were eager to raise awareness at the highest levels of the federal government for a better sense of what happened and the challenges that urban centers face in terms of combating a persistent, vexing presence of people with substance-induced disorder, Harp said. As Proprietors of the Green, the group that has owned the land since 1641, said in a statement: we are aware that this beautiful community space has become a hang out for people from across Connecticut who come to New Haven to treat their addictions. Unfortunately, a side effect is that the Green has become a space for those who have relapsed, seek to deal or acquire drugs, drink excessively or get high in a space that is intended for the enjoyment of all who live in this city. We have been in conversations with city officials, business leaders and other concerned citizens who want to improve the conditions of the Green and homeless people. We have a crisis that requires our immediate attention and the participation of the city, our universities, our business community, our professional and community workers and our neighborhood residents, the statement said. City Director of Communications Laurence Grotheer said Harp has been in touch with the state, which has pledged resources to the city in terms of outreach workers and counselors. As the mayor described yesterday, New Haven seems to be on the frontlines of the national concern, and its imperative all levels of government kind of focus on prevention and treatment resources, Grotheer said. Meanwhile, Malloy ordered officials from the Department of Public Health and DMHAS to remain in regular contact with New Haven officials to help the city in its response efforts. The support the state provided is: DPH delivered 50 doses of naloxone to the city to replenish the supply used by first responders during the last 24 hours. DPH officials also helped the city secure high-dosage naloxone. DPH facilitated prompt dissemination of data to the citys emergency response agencies. In addition to state staff, DMHAS deployed its network of community providers and health professionals to assist emergency responders . A group of psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, medical and homeless outreach staff joined emergency crews at the scene. State Senate Republican President Len Fasano, a tax attorney with an office in New Haven, said in a statement: I love New Haven and what happened yesterday not only raises moral questions and is scary to our residents, but it is a deterrent to people coming here and staying here. Mayor Harps administration needs to act swiftly and decisively to take control over the problems that have festered on the New Haven Green and surrounding areas to prevent the Elm City from becoming a ghost town. Fasano said the incident was disturbing and heartbreaking. It speaks to a painful and ugly reality about drug abuse we have to work together to combat. ... The Green is just steps away from City Hall, and town officials know drug use on the Green was not limited to just what happened yesterday. There is a known problem there that occurs every day and has not been addressed. People are suffering and those who need help have been ignored. Fasano said hes hoping the incident will be a wakeup call. But Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, said in a statement that Fasanos response to a public health emergency shows just how out of touch Republicans are and that his attempts to paint the city and its residents with a broad brush are beneath him. In light of yesterdays public health emergency on the New Haven Green, I want to acknowledge the rapid response organized by New Haven Fire Chief John Alston, Police Chief Anthony Campbell and Emergency Operations Director Rick Fontana. We should also acknowledge the expert care and response of all of our fire, police and EMS personnel on the scene and the medical staff at Yale New Haven Hospital. The Board of Alders scheduled a citywide public hearing in response to the opioid epidemic and need for better substance-abuse treatment to be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 12 at aldermanic chambers in City Hall, 165 Church St. jessica.lerner@hearstmediact.com; @jesslerner on Twitter Aquarium After-Hours: (Throw)Back to School will be held at the Tennessee Aquarium on Thursday, Aug. 23, from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Cost is $15 for members and $20 for non-members. Guests ages 21 and up will enjoy a tour of the River Journey building along with a cash bar and appetizers. Beer, wine and signature cocktails will be available for $5 each. As guests tour, Aquarium experts will be on hand to highlight animal artists, talk about how lunch time works in a cafeteria full of American Alligators and help guests earn an A+ in biology. There will be several hands on activities and a scavenger hunt where guests could win tickets or other swag. Advanced registration is required- tickets will be on sale until Tuesday. Aquarium After-Hours (Throw)Back to School is sponsored by the Moxy Chattanooga. Register online at https://www.tnaqua.org/events-programs Kroger will begin testing grocery deliveries using driverless cars outside of Phoenix. Same-day or next-day delivery orders can be made online or via a mobile app. (AP Photo) Kroger will begin testing grocery deliveries using driverless cars outside of Phoenix. The biggest US grocery chain said the project will begin Thursday in Scottsdale at a Frys supermarket, which is owned by Kroger. Same-day or next-day delivery orders can be made online or via a mobile app. The Toyota Prius will be used for the deliveries, manned by a human to monitor its performance. During phase two in the fall, deliveries will be made by a completely autonomous vehicle, called an R1, with no human aboard. Kroger Co., based in Cincinnati, is partnering with Nuro, a Silicon Valley startup founded by two engineers who worked on autonomous vehicles at Google. That Google project is called Waymo, which started its own pilot program last month at Walmart stores in Phoenix. Maybe, the candidate said, "Mercury is in retrograde." Only the unusual planetary alignment - blamed for wacky or unlucky or otherworldly events - could explain what befell Mandela Barnes in the days leading up to Tuesday's primary election in Wisconsin. In quick succession, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor was: Erased from the race. Pronounced dead. And mistaken for a white person. First, election notices published in at least three newspapers in two different counties omitted his name. Fearful that he had been left off actual ballots, Barnes, 31, called county clerks, who assured him that election-day documents - those that voters would use to select candidates for high-stakes fall races - were accurate. Still, the Milwaukee native and former state representative worried. In a race stretching from the shores of Lake Michigan to the Minnesota border, how could he be sure that every county was faultless? The former community organizer and deputy director of a national progressive policy organization knew he would have to take matters into his own hands. He resorted to Twitter to protect himself - as one does. To leave no doubt, he changed the name of his account to "Mandela Barnes is Running for Lieutenant Governor." His handle remained @TheOtherMandela, a reference to the anti-apartheid revolutionary and president of South Africa. But the confusion didn't end there. The day before the election, his picture was used in a local news report about a fatal motorcycle crash. As a newscaster announced the death of a 62-year-old man on a highway north of Milwaukee, an image of Barnes appeared. It was one of his official photographs, he said, showing him with a full beard and a bright red tie. "The man was pronounced dead at the scene," viewers of the CBS affiliate learned. He only heard reports of his own death when the wife of a friend at his pre-election celebratory dinner texted her husband about the faulty broadcast. "It was wild," Barnes recalled. The news station later made amends. "In a story that aired in our 1o 0'clock news last night, we accidentally showed his picture during a story about a deadly motorcycle crash," a news announcer said. "We do apologize again for that mistake." Then, on election night, an NBC affiliate in Green Bay reporting on early returns displayed his share of the vote, 70 percent at the time, with a photo of a white state representative, Dana Wachs, who had dropped out of the race for governor in June. A former colleague of Barnes noticed and posted about the error on Facebook, he said. Barnes ultimately claimed 68 percent of the vote, earning more than double the number of votes as his closest competitor. His resounding victory made him the second African American nominated for lieutenant governor by either party in Wisconsin. He will join hands with Tony Evers, the state's schools superintendent, to take on Republican Gov. Scott Walker and Lieutenant Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch in November. All's well that ends well, the Democratic nominee said in an interview Wednesday with The Washington Post. "Obviously any level of upset that I was then doesn't matter now that we won handily," he said. But the mishaps did trouble him. "We were upset at the time," he said. "We were the only name left off the sample ballots. It wasn't like a few random people were left off in just one paper." He couldn't help but wonder whether what seemed like a series of coincidences actually had more sinister undertones. "I was the youngest person on the ballot, and one of very few people of color running statewide," Barnes said. "Immediately, in the back of your mind, you do have that thought." Even though he now sees the mistakes as "just super random," Barnes allowed that the bizarre events might hold unexpected lessons about the visibility of minority candidates, particularly in an election season that has brought many new faces into the fold. Also Tuesday, Christine Hallquist, with her victory in the Democratic primary in Vermont, became the first openly transgender major-party nominee for governor. With her victory in Connecticut, Jahana Hayes is likely to become Connecticut's first black Democrat in Congress. A 2016 Pew report documented "the upward yet uneven trajectory of black political leadership in America." Between 1965 and 2015, the data revealed, the number of black members of the House had increased dramatically, but the number of black senators and black governors remained remarkably low. Currently, there are no black governors, though there are a number of prominent aspirants this year, including Stacey Abrams in Georgia and Ben Jealous in Maryland, both Democrats. There are several black lieutenant governors, including Republican Jenean Hampton in Kentucky and Democrat Justin Fairfax in Virginia. --- Video Embed Code Video: Mandela Barnes won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor of Wisconsin on Aug. 14. Local media reported him dead, as a white person and not on the ballot before the election.(Amber Ferguson/The Washington Post) Embed code: Andrew Scheer, the head of Canada's Conservative Party, is a nice man, a bright man, and by any objective standard, a man capable of running the country. However, Scheer has 14 months to make the case that he would not merely make a decent prime minister, but a better one than Justin Trudeau. Only by doing so can he convince voters to make the relatively unprecedented move of unseating an incumbent Canadian majority government after a single term. Scheer, who was born in Ottawa but spent a few formative years in Saskatchewan, was elected to the House of Commons in 2004, at age 25. He was made deputy speaker four years later, before being elected Canada's youngest-ever speaker in 2011. This basic sketch provides context for understanding Scheer's political temperament. His job was to be the legislature's apolitical moderator during Stephen Harper's polarizing tenure as prime minister. Scheer emerged as a gentle pragmatist sensitive to Ottawa's norms, and as disinterested in the aggression of more traditional partisans. Polls reveal around 30 percent of Canadians have no real opinion of Scheer - and it's not a stretch to believe much of the other 70 percent is lying. When Scheer was narrowly elected as Tory leader in 2017, beating wilder rivals, it was declared a victory for continuity with the norms of Harper. Yet Scheer's leadership often feels more in line with Rona Ambrose, the acting party leader who filled the 18 months between Harper's defeat and Scheer's ascension. Like Ambrose, Scheer seems content to let Trudeau remain the star of Canadian politics - so long as he's also the villain. The logic is that Trudeau is such an obnoxious, smothering presence, prone to scandal, gaffe and incompetence, that the sanest strategy is to simply get out of his way. Conceding the truism that all leadership changes are mini-revolutions against the style of their predecessor, Scheer's considered calm can be sold as backlash against Trudeau's overbearing celebrity. If this thesis is true, Conservatives have much to risk in presenting themselves as anything edgier than a reasonable alternative waiting in the wings. Whatever Scheer's private revulsion at Trudeau's performance as the global poster boy of identity politics, the Conservative leader has avoided using it as the pretext for a voter revolt. Sometimes he's run hard in the opposite direction. In January, Scheer expelled from the caucus Sen. Lynn Beyak, whose desire to air "the other side" of Indian residential schools surely caused little bother to his base. He's pointedly marginalized three of his party's most outspoken populists, Kellie Leitch, Brad Trost and Maxime Bernier. More recently, Scheer abruptly pulled a short-lived ad about illegal immigration. Amid the immigration debate, Scheer has been careful to frame the party's position, striking a balance between disappointment and outrage, emphasizing that bad border management hurts refugees and undermines Canada's "compassionate and fair" system of legal immigration. Whatever this is, it's no crusade against political correctness. Scheer's Conservatives are more willing to challenge Trudeau on tax policy - particularly carbon taxes - reflecting the standard Tory retreat to the perceived safety of "pocketbook" issues over anything sociocultural. On trade, however, there's little margin - like Trudeau, Scheer has expressed deep loyalty to Canada's dairy cartel even as it continues to encumber NAFTA negotiations. An alternative approach for Conservatives would be positioning a candidate like Donald Trump or Doug Ford. Perhaps Bernier, the dissident member of parliament waging a social-media blitz to portray himself as the anti-Scheer by taking aim at progressive bromides like "diversity is our strength" or "check your privilege." While picking culture-war fights could turn Scheer into a right-wing folk hero, many fear the risk of alienating a critical mass of less-ideological swing voters in the process. The sort of cautious, middle-class suburbanites broadly upset with Trudeau, but anxious about supporting anything capable of being portrayed as bigoted, nasty or (perhaps worst of all) American. But a "safe" strategy also has its risks. An abundance of caution might make the Tories less offensive to middle-class suburbanites, but that presumes middle-class suburbanites are the most ideal voters for the Tories to be targeting, as opposed to trying to make inroads in the Maritimes or parts of rural Canada that presently vote left. It takes for granted that the Conservative base will never be disillusioned into nonvoting apathy, and that mild-mannered swing voters will punish any politician who offends them by breaking this-or-that sacred taboo. On this last point, Trudeau's come-from-behind victory in 2015 presents some contrary evidence. The prime minister was elected on a platform of deficit spending and immigration hikes that was never terribly popular, yet the passion and confidence with which he pushed it helped make him a compelling alternative to an unloved status quo. Gains were made in some unexpected terrain, and the Canadian left obtained a broad mandate. Today, of course, there's plenty of buyers' remorse. A recent Ipsos poll found that on a host of metrics, from the environment to "the affordability of your day to day life," large majorities feel Trudeau has either effected no improvement or made things worse. It will not reflect well on Canadians if they vote to reelect a man they claim to find so deeply unsatisfactory. And it will reflect no better on a Conservative Party that could not close the deal. - - - McCullough is a a political commentator and cartoonist from Vancouver. By shipping around 10 million units of its smartphones, Xiaomi grabbed 29.7 per cent market share during Q2 2018. We reported in an earlier article that Samsung and Xiaomi are competing closely in terms of sales and, together, they hold 60 per cent market share in India. The report was the outcome of Counterpoint's analysis. After this report creating a stir, a new report from IDC says that Xiaomi is leading with a bigger margin. (Image: IDC) By shipping around 10 million units of its smartphones, Xiaomi grabbed 29.7 per cent market share during Q2 2018. On the other hand, despite growing considerably in the last two years, Samsung's share stuck at 23.9 per cent and shipped 8 million units during the same period. Notably, OPPO's share is lesser than anything reported earlier. In case you are wondering which company is Transsion, it owns brands such as Tecno, Itel and Infinix. With these brands together, Transsion sits in the fifth position with 5 per cent market share. Coming to the continued success of Xiaomi, the smartphones which have been majorly contributing to its thriving are models including Redmi 5, Redmi 5A, Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro. It was due to commendable sales of these phones that the Chinese brand gained such popularity and user base. (Source) (Via) 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'." 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 /CNW/ - 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 For further information: 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 Related Links http://canopygrowth.com/ Motorola has revealed the list of handsets that will receive the Android 9 Pie update. Motorola is the latest brand to detail which of their handsets will be getting the update. After Google had released Android Pie last week, a few smartphone manufacturers have detailed which of their smartphones are set to receive the update. Now, Motorola is the latest brand to announce which of their handsets will be eligible to receive Android 9 Pie. As per a blog post, Motorola will update, the Moto Z3, Z3 Play, Z2 Force Edition, Z2 Play, X4, G6 Plus, G6 and G6 Play. If you have any other phone, then it appears that your luck has run out as these are the only handsets that appear to be getting the update. Commenting on the update Motorola states that the new Android OS updates will give you a smarter and simpler user experience that adapts to you. The smartphone manufacturer goes on to say, The more you use your phone, the better the experience gets over time. From the new Intuitive Navigation and Recent App, an improved Do Not Disturb mode, and a colourful settings menu, to anticipated longer battery life, revamped split-screen and more, Android P gives you that piece of pie youve been longing for. With Android Pie, you will also get a redesigned Quick Settings, simplified volume controls and an easier way to manage notifications. (Source) NEW YORK - "My name is Maraschino Marcus, and I'm going to be one of your flavor experts today!" says a tall and chipper man dressed in a pink lab coat, standing in an all-pink room. He's about to teach a group of women about "our megastar flavor," vanilla, an ingredient he says "is essential to almost all of the flavors that we know and love." Welcome to the Pint Shop, a spinoff of the hugely Instagram-popular Museum of Ice Cream, which immerses visitors in a world of photo ops with rainbow sprinkles and gummy bears. Now in San Francisco, the museum got its start in New York - and in June, it returned as a spinoff concept, selling the museum's new line of ice creams. The museum started as a photo-heavy attraction, but the Pint Shop marked a greater transition: The Museum of Ice Cream is no longer just a place, it's a lifestyle brand. And that's just the beginning of founder Maryellis Bunn's grander ambitions. Maraschino Marcus, who is now joined by his peppy, female companion Nilla Bean, tells the group they need ice cream names (Bunn's is "Scream"). The group's members give themselves names like Mocha and Salted Caramel. No one chooses Carageenan, an emulsifier often found in ice cream, or Soy Lecithin. The Pint Shop is no place for snark. Rather, it was designed to give guests "a very tiny snapshot into the experience that I and my team had actually developing an ice cream line," said Bunn, 26. "What does this flavor look like, what does it feel like, what does it smell like? And how does it feel to be inside of that flavor?" It looks like rainbows, smells like sugar and feels like money. According to MarketWatch, the Museum of Ice Cream has made more than $20 million since its opening in 2016. Tickets to the museum in San Francisco sell for $38 apiece, but the Pint Shop, a pop-up that closes Aug. 19, is free. It found a corporate sponsor, Target, where the ice creams are also sold, and the store looks like a colorful riff on a big box store: monochromatic aisles of merch in the museum's signature pastels, a freezer aisle full of branded ice cream, three shed-sized pints decorated to be backdrops for social media snapshots. And, in the back, the pink room for the tasting experience, which costs $33 and includes a pint. It's all designed to look great in photos. Jump in the Cherrylicious pint and make GIFs of yourself swimming through a pool of plastic cherries. Pose in pink in front of the aisle of pink sprinkle toys and accessories. "I actually brought three dresses," said Saina Kam, a luxury fashion marketer, wearing a blue slip dress that perfectly matched the branded color of the Churro Churro flavor, which encompassed an entire aisle of the shop. "We're going to have an outfit change later." - - - Bunn has said in previous interviews that her goal is to become the next Walt Disney. But she actually wants to build a city. "We need spaces that . . . catapult our human behavior interaction in a way that we haven't seen before," she says. "We've become dormant in our curiosity and creativity. So if I can build spaces - cities, right - that really reinvigorate that, so it's not just this check in, go to work, go home." She deflects questions on what that city would look like or how it would function. But every space - the hospitals, stores, parks - would be designed to foster creativity and connection. Would it be a utopia? Or - consider the image of a charismatic leader surrounded by pink-clothed employees, like in the recent Netflix documentary series "Wild Wild Country" - would it be a cult? "Utopia has this connotation" that is easily misconstrued, she said. "I think about it more in the sense of like, how do we build the spaces that are going to change the way in which humans think about culture?" Either way: In her future city, the grocery stores would not look like the Pint Shop. "It's not a grocery store," she said. It's a space that "spoke to our brand mission of inclusivity." Art critic Ben Davis has written that Bunn and her imitators, like San Francisco's Color Factory - and serious art museums that host room-size installations like the National Building Museum's "Fun House" - are part of a movement called "Big Fun Art." "Branded experiences . . . compete with retail spaces looking to refashion themselves as 'experiences' to get some advantage over online shopping," Davis wrote. "These in turn compete with the various new para-art pop-ups that now go head to head with museums for the adult theme-park dollar." While Bunn is not sure she started an art movement, she knows she is an artist. "My art is human experience," she said. And human experience is the art that other people make in her spaces: "Before they go, they're curating a group of friends they want to go with," she said. "They curate their own outfits because they want their outfits to be part of it, so that's where the creative process starts to flow." - - - Millennials don't want things - they want experiences. That's the line marketers and trendspotters have been trumpeting for years. Things are almost shameful, something we've Marie Kondoed out of our lives. Experiences are pure. But a photo of yourself experiencing something - even if it only exists as pixels on your phone - is a thing, a thing that people want. It's a thing they'll pay extravagantly for. People who go to the Pint Shop aren't just there to buy ice cream. They're there to take photos, hundreds of them, "curated," as Bunn says, with outfits and poses and objects, to become social media status symbols. Bunn has wavered about that idea publicly, sometimes encouraging people to put away their phones. "We're in the process of a new MOIC project I'm building. There will be spaces which will be phoneless," Bunn said. "I think we'll get some backlash, but once they allow themselves to let go it will be powerful." But selfies, as much as ice cream, are what she's selling. The children's clothing line she launched in another partnership with Target, Art Class, matches the exhibitions exactly: For the perfect photo op, put your child in a banana-print shirt on a swing in front of a backdrop of bananas. People use the Pint Shop merchandise as props, often without buying. But that's okay, because their photos serve as advertisements for $14 water bottles that look like milkshakes, or $22 sprinkle-print yoga mats. Experiences are commodities, and that's been the undercurrent of these social media-focused museums since they began. The Pint Shop just makes the implicit overt. The experience is a store. But all of these experiences were stores all along. Back at the tasting room, everyone is told to grab a millennial-pink lab coat. "Uh, I'm okay," says a chic-looking girl in all black. Her outfit is a look, and a pink lab coat is not her aesthetic. Maraschino Marcus tells her that the lab coats are not optional. "It can get a little messy" is his reasoning, but one suspects it's because photos look better when everyone in the pink room is wearing pink. We're invited to crowd around an assortment of beakers full of marshmallowy cotton balls and waft their scents toward our noses, high school chemistry lab-style, before experimenting with test tubes and eye droppers of vanilla extract and cream to create an ice cream base. "We went through 7,000 variations to come up with ice cream bases that you're going to taste today," Maraschino Marcus says. "Over the last year: 7,000!" Finally, the ice cream arrives. More lab-coated assistants dispense scoops of six flavors - with names like Vanillionaire, Nana Banana and Chocolate Crush - into a custom dish. The scoops are the size of a ping-pong ball: Two bites and they're gone. The ice cream is good, but not remarkably better than any other brand of premium grocery store ice cream, like Haagen Dazs. The photos, however, are incredible. BRIDGEPORT Treizy Lopez stood stoic as he was sentenced Thursday to 30 years for taking part in the 2015 robbery that led to death of popular store owner Jose Salgado. But outside the courtroom, it was another matter. Get your (expletive) hands off me, you are all (expletive), Lopez shouted at judicial marshals as they led him away. He was echoing the same shouts as his mother, as she was ousted earlier from the courtroom for making faces at the victims family. She was taken into custody. In May, the Superior Court jury of six men and six women deliberated about 10 hours over three days before finding Lopez, 21, of West Haven, not guilty of felony murder but guilty of attempted first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery. During the week-long trial, Lopez admitted on the witness stand that he and his friend, Leighton Vanderberg, had come to Bridgeport on April 11, 2015, to rob drug dealers but instead, wearing ski masks and carrying guns, entered the popular Sapiaos Grocery on Lexington Avenue in Bridgeports Hollow as the Salgados were preparing to close up. Maria Salgado, who testified she was standing behind the counter of the store when her husband was shot in the neck and the chest, identified Vanderberg as the shooter. Lopez, whose DNA was found on the murder weapon, insisted he didnt know Vanderberg was going to kill the owner. The defendant just doesnt seem to get it, Judge John Kavanewsky Jr. said Thursday in court. And that makes any chance for rehabilitation slim to none. So this is about retribution and protection of the community, because this community deserves protection from future violence by this defendant. Vanderberg, 23, pleaded guilty in July 2016 to taking part in the crime with Lopez, and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Salgados son, Joseph Salgado, set the theme of Thursdays sentencing hearing - choices. My father was raised in a house no bigger than the jury box with six siblings, he began, as his mother sobbed in the back of the courtroom. He chose to better himself, he immigrated to the United States to make a better life for himself and his family. The defendant could have made the right choice to walk away but he didnt, he chose to stand by while my father was murdered. He should be made an example of how there are consequences for choices. Supervisory Assistant States Attorney C. Robert Satti Jr. urged Judge Kavanewsky to send a message with his sentence that this type of crime will not be tolerated in the community. Jose Salgado is dead because of the choices of Mr. Lopez and Mr. Vanderberg, Satti added. Lopezs lawyer, Assistant Public Defender James Pastore, urged the judge to impose a term on his client less than what Vanderberg got. It may be time to start calling Vickie Nardello the Comeback Kid. The Prospect resident trailed in her 16th District state Senate primary race against Dagmara Scalise of Southington by as much as 20 percent late into Tuesday evenings vote counting. But with a strong showing in Waterbury, the veteran politician pulled out a 37-vote victory over Scalise, according to vote counts provided by the secretary of the states office. Scalise conceded via a Facebook post Wednesday. I am really proud that as a first-time candidate I came so close to winning, Saclise said in her post. And that was only possible because I had an amazing network of old friends and new, family members, community leaders, passionate activists and neighbors who believed I could do this. Nardello, who served as state representative for the 89th District for 18 years before losing to Lezlye Zupkus in the November 2014 election, wasnt immediately available for comment. But her campaign manager Ryan Hughes said her victory was the product of hard work. She didnt take anything for granted, Hughes said Wednesday. She would go out for hours every day, knocking on doors. Nardellos showing in Waterbury clinched her victory. She got 828 votes in the portion of her district in Waterbury, compared to 386 for Scalise. Hughes said that as a young woman, Nardello immigrated to Connecticut from Italy, settling in Waterbury. People forget how well known she is in the area, he said. The 16th District includes Prospect, Southington and Wolcott, as well as parts of Cheshire and Waterbury. State election laws mandate a recount if the margin of victory is within one half of one percent of all votes cast. Since there were 5,321 votes cast, the margin of victory that would have triggered a recount is 26 votes. The race for the 16th District Senate seat was set into motion when Republican incumbent Sen. Joe Markley of Southington announced earlier this year that he was running for lieutenant governor. Rob Sampson, currently serving as a Republican state representative in the 80th District, is the Republican nominee for the 16th District Senate seat and will face Nardello in November. In another Democratic primary race that affected Cheshire voters, Mary Dougherty Abrams a former teacher who was the party-endorsed candidate squared off against Alex Tiktinsky in the 13th District Senate race. Abrams beat Tiktinsky by nearly a 3-to-1 margin, 4,296 votes to 1,572. Neither Abrams nor her campaign manager, Nick Neely, were immediately available for comment Wednesday on the primary election results. Abrams will face Republican incumbent state Sen. Len Suzio in November. The district includes voters in Meriden, Cheshire, Middletown and Middlefield. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com Say you were emperor for a day and granted the power to create a new, fully rational policy for regulating alcohol and marijuana. What would that policy look like? That's the question a team of 13 drug policy experts set out to answer over the course of several conferences held in 2015 and 2016, the results of which have just been published in the International Journal of Drug Policy. The group included economists, criminologists, addiction experts and drug policy researchers, and was supported by the Research Council of Norway, a division of the Norwegian government. For the project, the group first identified four general regulatory regimes that could be applied to a wide range of psychoactive substances: 1. Absolute prohibition, where the use and possession of the drug is illegal for all purposes 2. Decriminalization, where use and possession are a civil, not criminal offense, but the drug is otherwise illegal 3. State control of the market, which can encompass everything from age limits on drug purchases to government control of production and sales 4. Unfettered free market, where drugs are treated no differently than any other consumer good. The United States, for instance, maintains an absolute federal prohibition on the possession and use of marijuana and other drugs like LSD. Certain states, however, have decriminalized the possession and use of marijuana under state law, or created a regulated legal market. A truly unfettered free market approach to either marijuana or alcohol does not exist in the United States - for both drugs there are age limits for purchase or possession, excise taxes on sales, limits on driving under the influence of the drugs, and licensing requirements for producers and sellers, among other limitations. For both alcohol and marijuana, the researchers evaluated each of the four regulatory approaches on how well they supported a wide range of desirable policy outcomes: minimizing health risks to users and others, promoting medical applications where appropriate, protecting human rights and individual liberty, reducing the influence of profit-seeking industries, reducing crime and incarceration and generating economic revenue, to name a few. They then used those assessments to come up with a score of 0 (least desirable) to 100 (most desirable) for each regulatory approach and each drug. In the case of alcohol, state control stands head and shoulders above the other approaches. The researchers gave it high marks for avoiding the criminalization of users, generating tax revenue for the government and avoiding the creation of a black market in booze (like the one we saw during Prohibition, for instance). For any regulatory regime there are trade-offs. Relative to absolute prohibition, for instance, state-regulated alcohol markets create more alcohol consumption, which in turn creates increased risks to health and safety of drinkers and those around them. There's also the question of an alcohol industry profiting off addiction. However, the researchers felt that those harms were outweighed by the benefits of state control, particularly if even stricter regulations were applied: Higher taxes, limitations on marketing, even complete state control over certain aspects of retail sales, as in the case of some U.S. states. Turning to marijuana, the striking thing here is the vast gulf in desirability between state control and the current regime of absolute prohibition, as practiced by the federal government and many states; state control is near the top of the scale, and absolute prohibition near the bottom. Decriminalization, often touted as a middle-ground approach to dealing with marijuana use, is slightly desirable to complete prohibition but not by much. The researchers even felt that an unfettered free market in marijuana would be preferable to either prohibition or decriminalization. The big factors in the researchers' evaluation of marijuana regulation included potential medical applications, the avoidance of the use of more dangerous substances, and the promotion of family and community cohesion (e.g., putting an end to the drug war that has torn so many families and communities apart). Tradeoff-wise, the only significant downside to a state-regulated marijuana market would be the influence of private industry - this, for instance, is the chief concern of many opponents of full marijuana legalization. But the researchers felt this was significantly outweighed by the benefits of regulated legalization. While state control comes off looking quite good in the analysis of both alcohol and marijuana, it's worth noting that there's a lot of gray area in this regulatory category. It theoretically includes everything from modest restrictions on age to a complete government takeover of the production, distribution and sales of the drug. No regulatory scheme is a panacea. In the case of alcohol, for instance, the drug still contributes to nearly 90,000 deaths each year. This analysis suggests that more lives could be saved via even tighter alcohol regulations, but the researchers agreed that banning booze completely would make things even worse. For marijuana, on the other hand, the striking finding is that the researchers ranked the current federal regime of complete prohibition as quite literally the worst-case scenario. You don't have to look far to see why: Each year, hundreds of thousands of Americans are arrested for simple marijuana possession. Civil liberties are violated, sometimes egregiously, in the interest of policing a plant. Users often opt to experiment with dangerous "synthetic" marijuana substitutes, which have led to mass hospitalizations and some fatalities. Medical use is fraught with legal worries. No drug policy is perfect. But for marijuana in particular, this report strongly suggests that few regulatory approaches could be as harmful as our current policy. The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) blacklisted one Russian national and 3 shipping firms from American financial system. 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. (Representational Image) Washington: 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. Mgr Lazarus You sees positive and hopeful signs of dialogue. Military communication lines are reopened. Railway links could be the cornerstone for Northeast Asian peace and prosperity. US Secretary Mike Pompeo could return to North Korea in the coming days. Seoul (AsiaNews) South Korean President Moon Jae-in led celebrations yesterday (15 August) to mark the countrys Liberation Day. In his address, he called among other things for the establishment of road and rail links between the two Koreas by the end of the year. On the same day, which marks the end of Japanese occupation 73 years ago, North and South Korea also restored the military communication line on the eastern part of the peninsula, completing a process that had started on the western part. In his address to the nation, Moon pitched a drive for peace, calling for railway, energy and economic cooperation with the North. He said that "true liberation" can only be achieved when the two countries establish a lasting peace and economic community. For the South Korean president, this would be the cornerstone for Northeast Asian peace and prosperity along the lines of the European Coal and Steel Community, the forerunner of the European Union. This vision includes the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and Mongolia. Moon also noted that inter-Korean economic cooperation could really start only after the complete denuclearisation of the North. "Negotiations between the two Koreas are not easy, said Mgr Lazarus You Heung-sik, bishop of Daejon, but they are moving forward and that is a very positive thing. Next week, the prelate noted, the Asian Games open with the two Koreas fielding joint-teams in a few disciplines. Later, separated families will meet, and our president and Kim Jong-un will hold a summit in September. All this is the result of dialogue, of ongoing negotiations, and that makes us hope." Some signs of optimism can also be seen in US-North Korea relations. Sources in Seoul report that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo might soon visit North Korea, perhaps even next week. A northern New Jersey town denied in a court filing that for years it illegally blocked an Orthodox Jewish group seeking to expand its house of worship or buy property to build a new one. The U.S. attorney's office filed a federal lawsuit in June against Woodcliff Lake, which is about 20 miles northwest of New York City. The lawsuit alleges the town modified zoning laws to block Valley Chabad from buying property and improperly rejected the group's numerous requests for zoning modifications so it could expand its existing facility. In a court filing Tuesday, the town denied the charges and contended the Orthodox group's plans failed to meet zoning requirements governing houses of worship. These include "a minimum lot size of three acres, one parking space for every three seats, one space for each staff member, a 400-foot-wide lot as well as other requirements regarding building setbacks, building height and surface coverage." Variances sought by the group to modify its existing facility "departed from conditions required for houses of worship and proposed deviations from generally acceptable zoning ordinances," the town's attorneys wrote. The federal lawsuit claims Valley Chabad's predecessor entered into a contract to buy a 3.89-acre property in 2006 but canceled the contract after a town council member expressed interest in the town's buying the property through eminent domain. In Tuesday's response, the town claimed the group "punctured an oil tank and contaminated the property," precipitating a dispute before the contact was canceled. The town admitted buying the property three years later to use as open space. The Woodcliff Lake suit is far from the only recent court action involving religious groups in New Jersey. Last year, the town of Bernards agreed to pay $3.25 million to a group whose plan to build a mosque it had rejected over several years, and Bridgewater Township settled a lawsuit with an Islamic center for nearly $8 million after a four-year legal battle. The city of Bayonne approved a Muslim group's plans to build a mosque this year after a lawsuit charged the group was the target of hate-filled attacks. The U.S. attorney's office sued the town of Mahwah last year, alleging it used local ordinances to discriminate against Orthodox Jews from nearby New York state. A settlement conference in that lawsuit is scheduled for the end of August. Woodcliff Lake is just over the New Jersey border from Rockland County, New York, where towns such as Monsey and Airmont have concentrations of Orthodox Jews In the early 2000s, the Woodcliff Lake lawsuit alleges, Rabbi Dov Drizin was asked by a borough official for a letter "that would explain how Valley Chabad differed from the religious community in Monsey." Authorities have charged a corrections officer, a prisoner and woman in a scheme to smuggle drugs into Camden County's jail, prosecutors announced. Officer Edwin Berrios Jr., 22, of Pennsauken, was arrested Wednesday as he arrived for work at the facility. A search turned up oxycodone pills and suboxone strips hidden in his sock, officials said. Berrios allegedly planned to give them to prisoner Dayshawn Nesmith, 21, of Camden, who is in jail awaiting sentencing in an unrelated matter. Nesmith's girlfriend, Markida Reevey, 22, of Camden, allegedly provided Berrios with the drugs so that he could smuggle them into the facility. Berrios was suspended until the end of the investigation. He's charged with two counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, two counts of possession with intent to distribute and official misconduct. Nesmith and Reevey were charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance. All three are scheduled for first appearances in court on Aug. 28. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips. A 43-year old Irvington man died after he was shot and run over by a vehicle Tuesday night in Newark, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday. Just before 9 p.m., prosecutors say, Rodney O'Neal was shot it the 300 block of Schley Street in the city's South Ward. Authorities say O'Neal was struck by the vehicle while apparently attempting to flee the shooter. He was rushed to University Hospital in Newark, and pronounced dead at 11:05 p.m. An autopsy is pending to determine the exact cause of O'Neal's death. Anyone with information about it is asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor's Office's Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force tip line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432. Taylor Tiamoyo Harris may be reached at tharris@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ladytiamoyo. Find NJ.com on Facebook. A jury is once again considering whether a Deptford cop is guilty of murder in the shooting death of his friend following a night of drinking. James A. Stuart was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2015 after a jury convicted him of knowing murder and aggravated manslaughter in the shooting death of David Compton, 27, in 2013. Stuart appealed the verdict on several points and an appellate court last year ruled that errors in jury instructions were serious enough to warrant a new trial. Following several days of testimony in that new trial, attorneys offered closing arguments Thursday. David Compton (Provided photo) Stuart, 34, has testified that he was showing Compton his service weapons at Stuart's home. The defendant claimed that he fell asleep on the couch as he sat with Compton, with the gun lying unloaded between them. When he woke up, he said, he accidentally fired a single round that had been left in the chamber of the pistol. Following the first trial, the appellate court found that by convicting Stuart of both murder and aggravated manslaughter, jurors concluded that he acted with "distinctly different mental states." While the charge of knowing murder requires that the defendant knew for certain that his actions would result in Compton's death, the charge of aggravated manslaughter meant he showed a conscious disregard for the risk that his friend would die. The Shooting The incident began with Compton asking to see his gun, Stuart testified. Stuart drank as many as eight to 10 alcoholic beverages on the night of the shooting, according to court testimony. As the pair watched the movie "Dredd" at Stuart's house following a visit to a pub with friends, he testified that Compton asked to see his gun, a Glock 27, and the two began "dry-firing" it at the TV screen. Stuart claimed during his first trial that he fell asleep and that Compton apparently loaded and unloaded the Glock, and inadvertently left a live round in the chamber. Stuart said he woke up a short time later, grabbed the gun and pointed it at the TV, intending to again fire what he thought was an unloaded weapon. As he prepared to pull the trigger, Compton spoke, causing Stuart to turn toward him. "I started to pull back the trigger and I heard Dave start to speak," Stuart testified during his first trial. "When I turned to look at him, I guess my hand turned with me. I heard a loud boom." Just before 5 a.m., Stuart called a non-public phone line at the county's police communications center to report the shooting. "We had a, a, a man, he was ah playing with a weapon, it was loaded and ah he, there was a shot fired," Stuart says in the call. Defense attorney Joseph Howard displays evidence during closing arguments in James Stuart's trial. (Matt Gray | For NJ.com) Stuart said he removed the gun and two others he had shown Compton from the room and put them upstairs in his bedroom to clear space for the paramedics. Compton's family didn't buy Stuart's account of the shooting. They returned for the second trial and sat in the front row behind the prosecutor, with Stuart's family sitting across the aisle. Six of Stuart's friends took the stand Monday to offer testimony about his character. They described Stuart and Compton as longtime friends who never had serious arguments that they witnessed. A few joined the pair for drinks at a Washington Township pub hours before the shooting. When they left the bar around 2 a.m., the rest of the group went to a diner, while Stuart and Compton headed to Stuart's house. Stuart, in his state prison photo The Defense During closing arguments on Thursday, defense attorney Joseph Howard told the jury that Compton's death wasn't murder, but an accident. "This is a case about an accidental shooting," Howard said, as he reviewed the evidence presented during the trial. That was the same conclusion township police came to as they investigated the shooting scene, Howard said, pointing to testimony that the scene was never secured as it would be if police believed a crime had occurred. He noted that Stuart's guns were not examined for DNA evidence or fingerprints, that Stuart was allowed back into the house to secure his dog as police investigated, that he was not searched and that he was driven to police headquarters in the front seat of a cop car. "It was treated as an accidental shooting," Howard told the jurors. The view of the shooting changed when investigators with the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office got involved. Howard noted that a witness from the office, Detective John Petroski, testified that county dispatch's handling of Stuart's call was "terrible" and that Deptford police's handling of the case was "less than professional." The defense attorney also argued that no one in the trial has claimed Stuart is free of blame over Compton's death. "I reiterate to you that there has not been a moment where someone has come in to talk to you about how James Stuart is blameless," he said. "But that's not what we're talking about. We're taking about whether he's guilty of murder." "Based on the evidence presented to you, I trust that you will deliberate as a body and come to a conclusion that this was in fact a terrible accident and nothing more." Howard also referenced the testimony of Stuart's police supervisor, who described the former officer's five-year, unblemished service record. The Prosecution Assistant Prosecutor Dana Anton told the jury they could find Stuart guilty of murder, aggravated manslaughter or manslaughter. To prove Stuart guilty of murder, the state must show that he knowingly caused Compton's death, but does not have to prove a motive. To prove aggravated manslaughter, it must prove that Stuart caused Compton's death through reckless actions that demonstrated an indifference to human life. And in order to prove him guilty of manslaughter, prosecutors must prove that Stuart caused Compton's death only through reckless actions. If Stuart's version of events is accurate, he's still guilty of aggravated manslaughter, Anton argued. First, he handled guns while he was drinking. "Having his gun out and handling his weapon while he's intoxicated is against all of the training he has received for the safe handling of firearms," she said. Then he displayed the gun to someone not authorized to use it, which was another violation. "Not only did he display it, but he played with it," Anton said. "He was playing with a gun." Then he left the gun unattended around someone not authorized to handle it as he fell asleep. When he awoke, he pointed the weapon at Compton and that in itself was a crime, she added. All of these factors add up to reckless indifference, Anton said. "The defendant wants you to believe his is a victim of circumstance. That he's nothing more than negligent, and that's just not true." On the suggestion that police initially thought the shooting was an accident, Anton conceded that Deptford police mishandled the crime scene. She suggested they were giving Stuart preferential treatment because he was a colleague. Investigators were also hampered, however, by how Stuart described what had happened when he called the dispatcher, she said. Anton replayed the recording of his phone call. "If (police) were acting like it was an accident, it's because of what they heard," she said. Anton also questioned Stuart's credibility and sincerity in offering testimony, and questioned if his version of events made sense. While Stuart claimed he rendered aid to his friend before putting away the guns, blood evidence -- including the lack of blood upstairs where the guns were stored -- suggests that he put the guns away before he tried to help Compton, she said. "All this time, meanwhile, David is downstairs dying," Anton told the jury. "Self-preservation is the only reason to leave the side of his dying friend. You just accidentally, in his words, shoot your friend, and you're going away putting guns away, doing whatever you need to do around the house instead of sitting with your friend who's dying?" Superior Court Judge M. Christine Allen-Jackson gave instructions to the jury Thursday afternoon and deliberations began around 3 p.m. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips. BAYONNE -- An issue debated countless times over the last several years in the Dorothy Harrington Council Chambers resurfaced Wednesday night as the City Council approved two long-term tax abatements for developments in the city's first ward. The council voted 4-1 in favor of a 30-year tax abatement and a 25-year tax abatement for two residential developments. The former was approved for phase 1 of 26 North St., which when completed will reshape the city's skyline and tower over the surrounding community. It will feature twin 22-story towers containing 150 luxury residential units and will be seated at the southern end of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed within 30 months. The developer can then apply for another tax abatement for the development's second and final phase. The 25-year abatement will help establish a 56-unit, five-story residential building at 175 West 7th St. The project, which is being developed by MonGroup Properties, is planned to included a parking garage containing 56 spaces, along with seven on-street spaces. Facing a structural deficit that at its peak was more than $30 million, officials within the Davis administration have long posited development as their only option to assuage the city's financial woes and, in turn, mitigate future tax increases. Officials estimate the deficit is currently at around $18 million, and say it will continue to decrease as new developments come online and fill up with new tenants. Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski told The Jersey Journal the reason the city awarded the 30-year tax break was because the developer was assuming a risk in building a type of structure entirely new to the city. From a financial perspective, she added, the value of the building "isn't going to be worth what it cost to build it." She declined to say if anymore 30-year abatements would be awarded, only commenting that "the (former Military Ocean Terminal) is really the only place where anymore longer term PILOTs would be." Officials heading development in the city have maintained that development simply would not come to fruition if it were not for these tax incentives, and cited the numerous empty lots that plagued the city for decades as proof. "Without question, this project would not be economically feasible, (and) would not be built, without some kind of PILOT," the city's tax assessor, Joe Nichols, said at the monthly meeting. "You can say something else might get built, but I've lived here my entire life. I've walked past these empty lots for 30 years and through two economic expansions. If you think anything is going to be built, you are just wrong." Residents didn't agree, saying the deals are subsidized by regular taxpayers. Megan McNally, a resident living near the two approved developments, called the PILOTs "corporate welfare." "I personally think it's obscene for these developers to be asking an indebted town to be financing other people's luxury for their own profit," she said. "You granting that request is even worse." Others commented on the extraordinary size of the project. "You're trying to cram 22 stories... into a little area," city resident Peter Franco said. "Why does it have to be so drastic? Nobody wants a 22-story building." But the city stood by their standard argument -- that the city will receive millions more in PILOT revenue over the length of the financial agreement than they would have from regular taxation had the empty lot remained undeveloped. And coupled with the 10 percent allocation of these funds to the city's school district, the city will only benefit, they say. The council voted in line with no contention, except for Third Ward Councilman Gary La Pelusa Sr. "Before we ran for re-election, I sat down with the administration and spoke about PILOTs -- it's no secret I've been against residential PILOTS -- and I was told that we were going to shoot for 20 years maximum," he said before voting no on both deals. "Taxpayers will pay any increases that happens over 30 years but this developer will be locked into his discount." He said he plans on introducing legislation that would tax the sale of PILOT agreements among private entities. The 26 North St. development is being developed by Lance Lucarelli, who is also the principal developer behind the 10-story 46th Street project. "For the first time, we're attacking the problem of fixing the finances of the city," Mayor Jimmy Davis said during a live-streamed interview amid election season. Several seconds later during the April interview, Davis said he did not believe anymore 25- or 30-year abatements would be approved moving forward. "I think from here on in, we don't have to do 30-year PILOTs," he said. "... and then at some point, I don't think developers are going to want them. I think we'll be able to work with them and not have to do them if they don't want to." Davis not immediately a return a message seeking comment on the two abatements awarded Wednesday. The Mayor and his slate during election season were working to secure a second term while facing constant criticism from mayoral opponent Jason O'Donnell, who centered his campaign on these "tax giveaways" given to "wealthy developers." Davis was not alone. Ashe-Nadrowski also said earlier this year that the city would begin reining in the length of PILOT agreements. Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @coreymacc. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- An apparently intoxicated Union City man has been charged with repeatedly punching a Union City MT in her breast and a police officer at Hoboken University Medical Center. Juan Flores, 29, of the 300 block of Fourth Street, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and repeatedly punching the Hoboken police officer who responded to the assault of the EMT on Aug. 8, the criminal complaint says. The ambulance had just arrived at the ambulance port when the EMT called for help, the complaint said. The police officer said Flores punched him multiple times in the left side when he intervened and Flores was eventually taken to the ground and arrested, the complaint says. It could not immediately be determined what incident precipitated Flores' trip to the hospital. Flores made his first appearance on the charges on Monday in Criminal Justice Reform Court in Jersey City via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny. At a detention hearing today, Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale ordered Flores released with conditions of supervision pending trial. JERSEY CITY -- Police have arrested and charged a Jersey City man with the fatal stabbing of a Jersey City woman who was found dead in her home Sunday, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced. Ishmael "Rico" Coleman, 41, of Salem Lafayette Court, was arrested Monday evening and charged with homicide, possession of a deadly weapon and unlawful possession of a weapon in the death of 38-year-old Takeela Wilson. Jersey City police were called to 391 Forrest St. on Aug. 12 and they found Wilson unresponsive from a stab wound to her chest in her apartment building. Wilson was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 4:35 p.m. Wilson's death was ruled a homicide after the state regional Medical Examiner's Office determined it was the stabbing that caused her death, the prosecutor said. Authorities say Coleman was acquainted with Wilson, but additional details surrounding their relationship are unclear. A relative of Wilson residing in her apartment later told authorities that he had let a man into the building and then left shortly after, leaving the him alone with the victim. When the relative returned, he discovered Wilson unconscious and called 911. Detectives then interviewed a witness who saw a man driving a green four-door Mercury Sable that had been parked in front of the building. Authorities reviewed surveillance footage from the building, which showed Coleman arrive in the Sable and make phone calls on the steps of the building before being let in. Authorities say he stabbed Wilson in the chest with a knife and left shortly afterwards in the Mercury Sable. Police gathered evidence at the scene, including fingerprints and a cell phone belonging to the victim. Coleman's car was later discovered near the Lafayette Village Apartments and detectives placed the car under surveillance. Coleman was then arrested after he approached the vehicle in possession of the car keys. Coleman made his first court appearance Tuesday, and has a detention hearing scheduled Friday at 9 a.m. in front of Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale. Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @coreymacc. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. by Lawrence Jangma Gam The initiative will bring energy to around 10 thousand families in the Chin State and in the autonomous area of Naga. The agreement provides for a grace period of 18 years; starting from the fiscal year 2036-2037, every year the Burmese authorities will return 3 million euros. Naypyidaw (AsiaNews) - The Burmese parliament has accepted an interest-free loan from Italy worth 30 million euro, to bring electricity to some rural areas in the north-west of the country. The sum will fund a four-year project of the Naypyidaw Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation. Through the use of solar panels, it provides for the supply of electricity and the construction of a small power grid for the benefit of about 10 thousand families, residing in over 1,000 villages in the State of Chin and in the autonomous area of Naga, in the Sagaing region. Gathered in joint session (photo), the two chambers that make up the Union Assembly approved the funding from Rome three days ago. It is now being examined by the Burmese President Win Myint and is awaiting ratification. During the parliamentary session, the deputies also discussed a motion on the loan of 40.5 million US dollars from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The initiative funded by the Italian government is part of the National Electrification Project, undertaken by Naypyidaw thanks to 400 million US dollars given by the World Bank. At present, only 41% of the population has access to electricity supplied by the state network. The agreement with Rome provides for a grace period of 18 years; reimbursements will take place over 10 years, starting from fiscal year 2036-2037: every year the Burmese authorities will return 3 million euros. JERSEY CITY -- A 21-year-old Jersey City man faces up to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to the aggravated manslaughter of a man who was shot in the head in 2016 and wounding three women. Kenneth L. Barnes, of Orient Avenue, pleaded guilty to the homicide of Shaheer Parson, 35, who was found by responding police officers with a head wound on Van Wagenen Avenue on Sept. 11. Parson was pronounced dead at the scene, between Pavonia and Sip avenues, about 10 minutes later at 2:10 a.m. That morning, three wounded women were located nearby. Two women, ages 32 and 24 at the time, were shot once in the upper body, while a 35-year-old woman was shot multiple times in the upper body. The women were rushed to the Jersey City Medical Center, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said at the time. Barnes was arrested Dec. 14, 2016 and pleaded guilty Wednesday before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mark Nelson in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Nelson on Oct. 19, Hudson County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Ray Worrall said. Probable cause for the charges was listed as surveillance footage from the night of the offense, witness statements, and the findings of the state Regional Medical Examiner's Office. That autopsy found that Parson died of the gunshot wound to his head and the manner of his death was homicide. At a prior hearing, Hudson County Prosecutor Najma Rana said Barnes had been arrested twice in November 2016 on numerous drug charges. Information on the outcome of the drug charges was not immediately available this morning. Worrall did not comment on a potential motive for shootings. Barnes' bail was set at $1 million cash only when he made his first court appearance on the charged the day following his arrest. He has remained in custody since his arrest. The case is being handled by Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Jane Weiner. Ku Klux Klan fliers have been distributed outside homes on two streets in Red Bank in the past week, according to the borough's mayor. The recruitment fliers, which were placed in a plastic bag containing candy, have been found on Leighton Avenue and most recently on Hudson Avenue, according to Mayor Pasquale Menna. The streets are about a mile apart. "It's completely distressing" Menna said by phone Thursday. "It's completely disgusting. We're a progressive community, a diverse community and that message doesn't have a seed of support in a place like Red Bank." The literature doesn't contain specific threats, so it's not a crime to distribute them. The person responsible can possibly be issued a summons for littering or for a moving violation in a car, though. Menna said officials believe the fliers were tossed from a vehicle. One of the fliers compared fighting for the United States Army to fighting for Israel. The other challenges the accuracy of Spike Lees' newly released film, "The Black KkKlansman." The biographical drama tells the story of a police officer in Colorado who infiltrated the Klan in the early 1970s. This is the second time in recent years similar fliers have been distributed in the borough. Residents also found literature on their lawns on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January 2016. Some were also tossed onto properties in neighboring Fair Haven. The person responsible was never identified or charged. "I suspect this is from the outside," Menna said. "I don't see any support for it here whatsoever or even a scintilla of agreement with the message." Menna said the fliers were not discussed at Wednesday's council meeting. He added police patrols are on the lookout for suspicious activity. Police chief Darren McConnell couldn't immediately be reached for comment. News of the fliers was first reported by RedBankGreen.com KKK fliers were also found in the Burlington County towns of Maple Shade, Cinnaminson and Moorestown last year and in Lyndhurst, Bergen County in 2015. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. A mysterious odor sickened eight people aboard a Philadelphia-bound Frontier Airlines flight that had to make an emergency landing in North Carolina. Three of the eight were hospitalized with injuries not considered life-threatening after flight 1674 from Orlando was diverted to Raleigh-Durham International Airport Wednesday night, officials said. This pm, @FlyFrontier flight landed safely after diverting to RDU. Airport 1st responders met the flight & received several requests for medical assistance. 8 ppl evaluated, 3 transported for non-life threatening per @WakeCountyEMS. Passgrs waiting new plane to continue trip. RDU Int'l Airport (@RDUAirport) August 16, 2018 Due into Philadelphia at 8:20 p.m. Wednesday, the flight touched down at 4:53 a.m. Thursday, according to Frontier Airlines' online flight tracker. The replacement plane didn't leave Raleigh until 3:45 a.m, according to abc11.com There were 230 passengers and seven crew members aboard, Frontiers said in a statement. "Safety and security of our crew and guests is our number one priority and out of an abundance of caution, this flight diverted due to an unknown odor in the cabin," a spokesman said. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. President Trump has branded the "fake news" media the enemy of the people. Nearly a third of Americans agree, as do most Republicans, two alarming new polls found. Today, the Star-Ledger editorial board joins more than 300 newspapers across the nation to respond. Freedom of the press is not a God-given right. It is being degraded all over the globe, as autocrats use the power of the state to tightly muzzle independent journalists. Times publisher, Trump meet to discuss anti-media rhetoric At least 21 reporters in six countries have been jailed for "fake news," vaguely defined as any news the government considers a threat. To justify these crackdowns, despots can now parrot the "leader of the free world." Philippine strongman Rodrigo Duterte banned critical reporters from his events because he was tired of their "fake news." A Myanmar official dismissed the ongoing massacre of the Rohingya Muslim minority the same way: "There is no such thing as Rohingya," he said. "It is fake news." This phrase once meant exactly what it sounds like: false stories, deliberately posing as news, spread by Twitter bots. Now it's any news that the great leader doesn't like. Even many Americans support a Stalinesque use of government power to single out political opponents or stifle criticism. Almost a third believe the news media is "the enemy of the people," according to a new Ipsos poll - a phrase most widely used by Stalin. A majority of Republicans think the press is the "enemy of the people," rather than "an important part of democracy," as our founding fathers believed, a Quinnipiac poll found. And nearly half of conservatives think the president should be able to shut down the press, they told Ipsos. No doubt about it: If Trump could shut down his critics, he would. He's mused about loosening libel laws and suspending NBC's license. "It's frankly disgusting the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write," he said. Yet imagine, for a moment, if they couldn't. What if we knew nothing about the conclusion of intelligence experts that Russia meddled in our election, and heard only that it was some guy from Jersey? Here in our state, who would call out the double-dippers gaming our pension system, or a guy like David Samson, who extorted United Airlines for the "chairman's flight"? Who would wonder why a bridge got shut down in Fort Lee? A police chief could retire with an obscene payout for unused sick days, with nary a peep. Think property taxes are out of control now? Consider what they'd be like if the press weren't watching. In his famous opinion vindicating the decision to publish the Pentagon papers, Justice Hugo Black wrote, "The press was to serve the governed, not the governors." But would Trump have wanted them published? Fox News, the most-watched cable network, belies the notion that mainstream media doesn't include conservatives. Much of the hostility of the right toward the press actually originates elsewhere: Stories in which the press reports what someone says about Trump, and he blames the media. After his debacle in Helsinki with Vladimir Putin, Trump got pummeled by his own party. But he made it sound like it was the press that was attacking him, simply by reporting what his critics said. His fans are happy to blame the messenger. Incredibly, 39 percent of conservatives say negative news stories about politicians are always "fake news," even if they are accurate, a poll by the Knight Foundation and Gallup found. What are we to make of this? Like Putin, or Stalin, Trump knows he doesn't need to convince his base that everything he says is true; just that everybody else is a liar, including the press that fact-checks him. Because when people believe that the real truth is unknowable, they grow cynical, and prefer to tune out and believe no one. And so we have "the enemy of the people," a phrase straight out of George Orwell's dark imagination. But the real enemy of the people is never a free press, which holds the powerful accountable. It is a government that wants to be the sole arbiter of truth. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. New Jersey rapper Juelz Santana pleaded guilty Thursday to federal weapons charges, admitting he brought a loaded handgun to Newark Liberty International Airport, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey. The 36-year-old rapper from Totowa, whose legal name is Laron James, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and carrying a weapon on an aircraft in federal court in Newark. At his sentencing, scheduled for Dec. 12, James faces 10 years in prison on each charge. Juelz Santana performs at the Grungy Gentleman presentation during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Fernando Leon/Getty Images for Grungy Gentleman) On March 9, James was attempting to board a flight in Newark to San Francisco when Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents discovered a loaded Derringer 38-caliber handgun in his carry-on bag, Port Authority Police said. To escape police, James fled the airport without his belongings or identification, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court. He was arrested the following Monday without incident, police said. Due to a 2012 conviction in Bergen County for manufacturing and distributing a controlled dangerous substance, Santana was banned from possessing firearms. Before his guilty plea Thursday, James was free on electronic monitoring with travel restrictions after posting a $500,000 bond on April 6, court records show. The rapper, known for his single "There It Go (The Whistle Song)," has had several run-ins with authorities over the years. In 2016, a warrant was issued for his arrest after he reportedly owed nearly $30,000 in child support. In 2011, during a video shoot in Jersey City, James' Bentley was impounded after he was arrested in Bergen County for suspicion of making terrorist threats, and refusing to allow police to search the vehicle. While living in Teaneck in 2009, he was arrested after police said he threatened his girlfriend with a knife inside his home. James' lawyer, Brian J. Neary, did not immediately return a request for comment Thursday afternoon. Taylor Tiamoyo Harris may be reached at tharris@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ladytiamoyo. Find NJ.com on Facebook. WASHINGTON -- House Speaker Paul Ryan is jumping into the high-stakes battle over New Jersey congressional seats that can turn from red to blue this fall in President Donald Trump's big midterm test. House Republicans have gone on the attack to preserve endangered New Jersey representatives Tom MacArthur and Leonard Lance, launching ads against their Democratic challengers. The TV ads funded by the Congressional Leadership Fund, the super political action committee aligned with Ryan, R-Wis. They criticize former national security aide Andy Kim and former Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Tom Malinowski, two veterans of President Barack Obama's administration. Both Kim and Malinowski are no worse than even money to defeat the GOP incumbents, according to the Cook Political Report, and both entered July with more money to spend than their opponents, according to Federal Election Commission reports. A Monmouth University Poll released earlier this week gave MacArthur, R-3rd Dist., a mere 1-point lead among potential voters over Kim, 41 percent to 40 percent, well within the survey's margin of error of 4.9 percentage points. In the Congressional Leadership Fund commercial, Kim's campaign is described as being "bankrolled by Nancy Pelosi." Kim has received $14,000 in contributions from the House Democratic leader's campaign committee and leadership PAC, which is less than 1 percent of the $2.2 million he's raised through June 30, FEC filings show. The ad targeting Malinowski goes after his support of the multinational agreement that relaxed economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. The spot also brands as a "D.C. lobbyist" someone who not been registered for a decade, according to congressional filings, and when he did lobby, he was working for Human Rights Watch, an advocacy group that co-founded the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines. Both ads criticize the Democrats for opposing the Republican tax legislation, which studies show gives most of its benefits to the wealthy and corporations and targets New Jersey and other high-tax states, most of which send billions of dollars more to Washington than they receive in services.. Just 36 percent of New Jerseyans supported the measure in an April Monmouth poll, with 45 percent opposed. MacArthur sided with Ryan, House Republican leaders and President Donald Trump in voting to support the tax bill and repeal the Affordable Care Act. Lance bucked his party and voted against both measures. He represents one of only 23 Republican-held House districts whose voters supported Democrat Hillary Clinton for president in 2016. The Congressional Leadership Fund earlier set up field offices in MacArthur's and Lance's districts to make phone calls and go door-to-door on behalf of the two incumbents. The group announced in April that it had reserved $1.4 million in advertising time to help MacArthur and said in June it had set aside $2.1 million for Lance. The super PAC reported raising $120 million through July 18 for the 2018 midterms. Four of the five Republican-held districts in New Jersey are up for grabs this fall, with Democrats already favored to win the seats being vacated by retiring Reps. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd Dist., and Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-11th Dist. Check out the ads here. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. The Trump presidency has been a travesty and tragedy for America and the world. Nowhere is this more evident than how he has addressed the issue of radical Islamic terrorism. Jim Sues, head of the New Jersey Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations got it right when he said he is doing nothing short of attempting to "incite violence against Muslims." Make no mistake about it- radical Islamic terrorism is a transcendental threat to America's values, freedom and our way of life. It is absolutely ludicrous to think that driving a wedge between Muslims and non-Muslims or barring folks from the seven countries that were targeted by the President will eliminate terrorism in America. If it could, I'd be for it. Since 9/11 not a single America has been killed by a terrorist attack by anyone from the seven countries (Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen) singled our in President Trump's initial executive order. Most recently, the majority of terrorist that have killed American and citizens throughout the world have been homegrown. Like poverty, homegrown terrorism is an invasive weed, very difficult to eradicate. The Trump response only serves to provide recruitment ammunition to our enemies that America has declared war against the entire Muslim world. Estimates are that there are 45,000 Muslim ISIS sympathizes out of 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide and 3 million in the United States. President Trump should be sending the message to the Muslims throughout the world that we recognize that ISIS is a fringe group of zealots and do not represent the prevailing view of the vast majority of Muslims towards the West. A while back, I went to the main branch of the Mercer County library and in the portico area, where charities put up posters publicizing upcoming events I picked a pamphlet entitled "THE TRUTH ABOUT ISLAM." The booklet contained 47 quotes from Koran that call for war (jihad) against non-Muslims (infidels). Inside the pamphlet in an opening letter to Christian Americans the following appeared "Islam's holy book The Koran repeatedly commands Muslims to wage perpetual warfare against non-Muslims until the end of time or until the entire world is under Islamic Shariah Law. Ultra-violent Jihads organizations and al-Quada are not just a collection of psychopaths determined to kill as many people as possible for no reason. They behave this way because they follow the commands of The Koran strictly: 'I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore, strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them. (Koran 8:12)."' Contrast this with what appeared in a flyer disseminated by the Institute of Islamic Studies (IIS) following the bombing in Paris last year, "IIS strongly condemns the attacks that took place. This senseless violence is totally unacceptable and against every value and tradition of all faiths...We speak as Muslims, as Americans and as human beings who are committed to peace, healing, democracy and justice for all children and people of the world. We pray that God Almighty bestow peace and stability in all corners of the world for everyone in our global village....If anyone slays a human being...it shall be as though he had slain all humanity: whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be a though he had saved the lives of all humanity (Koran 5:32)." The above quote from the Koran is not included among the quotes included in THE TRUTH ABOUT ISLAM. It gets you thinking that one can probably selectively pull hundreds of passage from the Old and New Testaments that are equally jarring and provokes violence that is antithetical to Judeo-Christian values and contradictory to other portions of the Bible. The reality is that Islam as practiced by a billion-plus Muslims worldwide is not an inherently violent religion. There is no question that the aberrant gruesome tactics employed by ISIS, al-Qaida and other ultra-violent Islamic groups is abhorrent and that they need to be annihilated through any means available. There is evidence that ISIS and al-Qaida are using the promise of instant access to heaven as recruitment tool for disaffected Muslim youth who are often times experiencing anomie. Our policies should reflect that our war is not against Islam, but against terrorism. Time and time again the Trump Administration has demonstrated that it does not recognize the difference. We should heed the words uttered by Tahhir Zafar, Chairman, of the Muslim Center of Greater Princeton, at its opening event on June 20, 2018, that "combating fear mongers is the best way to make America Great" and "the best way to push back from rising waves of prejudice is to stick together." Instead of kowtowing to nationalism and tribalism, President Trump should be reaching out to American Muslims and urging them to be champions in fighting radical Islam. We should recognize that two thirds of American Muslims are immigrants who chose to come to America and who love our values and lifestyle. They have the most to lose, if radical Islam wins. If we continue to lump them with radical Islam, we are providing fertile grounds for radicals to recruit home grown terrorists from amongst those who are disenfranchised or mentally unstable. Out-of-state residents may now be able to work on the railroad. Gov. Phil Murphy wants to waive residency requirements at NJ Transit, so the agency can hire out-of-state residents to fill jobs and to stem the time of canceled trains. Murphy made his announcement as NJ Transit officials answered questions for more than two hours Thursday at a joint State Senate and Assembly Transportation Committee hearing about problems that have resulted in as many as 20 canceled trains during one rush hour period due to a shortage of engineers. The hearings come a week after Gov. Phil Murphy admitted he underestimated the extent of NJ Transit's problems and pledged better communications with riders. Murphy called on Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin to send him legislation to lift the residency requirement for NJ Transit workers. Senate Senator Thomas Kean Jr., R-Union said he's has a bill pending to do that for a while. "I'm glad Gov. Murphy agrees with me, this is a solution I've spent years advocating for," Kean said. Sweeney urged the Employee Residency Review Committee to waive the residency requirement now for locomotive engineers. "It is the most effective way to quickly put more engineers to work and to alleviate a shortage that has been a problem in the making for years and has now become acute," he said in a statement. About 400 positions are still vacant at NJ Transit, said Executive Director Kevin Corbett. The railroad needs 291 engineers to run complete service and has about 330, which leaves too few to cover for vacations illness or absences, officials said. Last Friday afternoon, 17 canceled trains were attributed to engineer absences. "Human capital (at NJ Transit) is in need of triage. I asked the governor to launch a training program," said Transportation Commission Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti. That partnership with the state labor and Education Departments and the Office of Higher Education would start training programs to help fill the need for locomotive engineers by establishing training programs, similar to other vocational training courses. "It's just like any other program, whether it's for nursing or secretarial science," she said. Representatives of engineers and conductors unions also endorsed lifting the residency requirements. South Jersey lawmakers were critical about a decision to shut down the Atlantic City rail line on September 5 to install Positive Train Control equipment on the line. PTC is a federal mandates safety system that all railroads have to install by December 31, 2018. Assemblywoman Patricia Egan Jones, D-Atlantic, was especially critical of how NJ Transit did not consult lawmakers and commuters before announcing the rail line's suspension earlier this month. Corbett blamed the abrupt announcement on leaking of an internal memo about the shut down. Corbett plans to meet Atlantic City rail commuters on Monday from 6 to 11:30 a.m., at the Atlantic City rail terminal and from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., at the Lindenwold train station. He's also scheduled to meet with commuters in 30th Street station in Philadelphia from 3 to 6 p.m., next Tuesday. He promised the line would return to service and would not be shut down, as some riders have feared. A petition opposing the shut down now has over 4,500 signatures. New rail will be installed on part of the line during the shut down, Corbett said. "If we didn't shut down the Atlantic City rail line, it would have shut itself down on December 31, (because it wouldn't meet the federal PTC deadline)," said Gutierrez-Scaccetti. "We had to make the hard choices." Some legislators who participated in hearings that took place since 2016 about NJ Transit's problems expressed frustration over hearing about the same issues again. "We are beyond frustrated at the agency and nothing seems to have changed," said Kean who sat on a committee that held hearings last year about NJ Transit's problems. "We've had years of conducting research and reforms." Some changes will wait for the results of an audit Murphy ordered in January. Results are expected in 40 days, Gutierrez-Scaccetti said. An NJ Transit reform bill that would change the make of its board of directors and require representation from rail, bus and light rail commuters has been held until the audit's release. State Senator Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, questioned if human resources changes were made from practices that led to NJ Transit settling discrimination and sexual harassment court cases for $11 million. The agency is interviewing for a new human relations director, Gutierrez-Scaccetti said. Corbett told lawmakers he got their message loud and clear, the agency has to communicate better with commuters about canceled trains so they can plan. Social media and communications employees are located in the agency's "war room" operations center, to cut the lag time in sending alerts to commuters, he said. Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook. After standing for two years at the corner of Elysian Fields Avenue and Dauphine Street in the Marigny neighborhood, the Deepwater Horizon memorial 'ELEVEN' will be leaving on Friday (Aug. 17). Mississippi-based artist Jason Kimes, who created the eleven life-size figures, had originally planned to haul them to a new home on Monday. But a scheduling conflict forced the relocation to take place earlier. In 2016 the city approved the placement of the sculpture, titled "ELEVEN," for a two-year period that ends in August. The sculpture was meant as a memorial to the workers who were killed when BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The 11 who died on the Deepwater Horizon were Jason Anderson, Aaron Dale Burkeen, Donald "Duck" Clark, Stephen Ray Curtis, Gordon Jones, Roy Wyatt Kemp, Karl Kleppinger Jr., Keith Blair Manuel, Dewey Revette, Shane Roshto and Adam Weise. Kimes' rust-red men, each of which was welded from roughly 2000 doubloon-sized steel disks, captured the solemnity of the industrial tragedy beautifully. The figures, which weigh 500 pounds each, were arranged in a circle to symbolize eternity on Elysian Fields Avenue, a busy thoroughfare named for the heavenly resting place of heroes in Greek mythology. The concept of the artwork was a collaboration between Kimes and Michael Manjarris, the founder of the altruistic Sculpture For New Orleans organization that has placed scores of modernist artworks in public places across the city. ELEVEN was a labor of love. Kimes paid for the fabrication and delivery of the sculpture and Manjarris paid for the installation. Kimes said "ELEVEN" is headed to a permanent placement in Thomas "Tommy" Coleman's outdoor sculpture collection in St. Rose Louisiana, just west of New Orleans. "It's bittersweet because I've seen how much the local neighborhood enjoys it," Kimes wrote via email. Doug MacCash has the best job in the world, covering art, music and culture in New Orleans. Contact him via email at dmaccash@nola.com. Follow him on Twitter at Doug MacCash and on Facebook at Douglas James MacCash. As always, please add your point of view to the comment stream. They accuse the humanitarian organization of not caring for prisoners on hunger strike. The Red Cross maintains silence on the communique and states that it will seek direct dialogue with the Taliban. Fr. Moretti: a very precious body for the country. Violence continues: attack in progress at a training camp. Yesterday, suicide bombing in Kabul in a Shiite educational center. The long shadow of Isis. Kabul (AsiaNews) - The Taliban will no longer guarantee safe passage to Red Cross operators. This was announced yesterday by the rebel group, accusing the organization of having neglected prisoners on hunger strike in Pul-e Charkhi prison in Kabul. Meanwhile, bloodshed in the country continues, the work of ISIS militants. "The Islamic Emirate - states the Taliban declaration - will not guarantee the protection of lives and properties [of the Red Cross]" until the organization corrects its actions. Sanela Bajrambasic, spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said that the group delegation went to the prison last August 13th. She also explained that the Red Cross will not comment publicly the announcement of the Taliban, but that will seek direct contact with the rebel group. Contacted by AsiaNews, the Red Cross has kept silent about the declaration, reaffirming the line - applied wherever it is present - of neutrality and dialogue with all parties involved in the conflicts. "Both the ban on passing and the lack of protection would be serious", comments Fr. Giuseppe Moretti, chaplain at the Italian embassy and responsible for the missio sui iuris of Afghanistan until 2015. "The Red Cross must pass through those territories: if they go there by plane it's one thing, but by car? It means paralyzing the activity of the Red Cross, which certainly does not support any army: it wants to remain international. Their activity is invaluable in Afghanistan ". The declaration of the Islamist group comes in a context of heated clashes between the Taliban and the Afghan forces. In the last hours, the military has rejected the Islamist group from Ghazni, after days of clashes began on 10 August. However, the Taliban are not the only threat. Today, an armed group of which not yet known number and affiliation is attacking a military training center in the capital. Yesterday, a suicide attack took place in the west of Kabul, killing at least 34 people in a Shiite educational center (see photo). It is feared that the majority of the victims are young students of the school. ISIS has claimed the attack. Even before the announcement, the Shiites had accused the militants of Daesh [Arabic acronym of Islamic State, ed], who in recent months have repeatedly attacked the minority. Update: Adolph Mueller was located in the French Quarter by EMS, police said. He has returned to the nursing facility. Police are searching for a man reported missing after he signed out of an Algiers nursing home Friday (Aug. 10) and never returned, according to the New Orleans Police Department. Adolph Mueller, 53, a resident of Carrington Place at 5301 Tullis Drive, left the facility about 9:40 a.m. Friday, police said. He said he was going to a corner store. Mueller is believed to be somewhere in the NOPD's 8th District, which covers the French Quarter, CBD and part of the Marigny, according to police. He is described as 6 feet tall and 224 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a T-shirt, jeans and black diabetic shoes. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Adolph Mueller is asked to call NOPD 4th District detectives at 504-658-6040. When a man stole his wallet outside an Uptown gasoline station last Friday morning (Aug. 10), Simon Morris chased the robber and allegedly beat him to death, according to New Orleans police. Around 8:19 a.m., Kerwin Duncan asked Morris, 31, for a dollar, then snatched his wallet from his rear pocket. Duncan fled across South Claiborne Avenue on Milan Street. Morris followed the man and caught up to him in the rear driveway of a nearby business. After retrieving his wallet, he continually beat Duncan, police said. Two witnesses observed Morris beating Duncan and attempted to restrain him. Morris continued to punch and kick Duncan, who begged Morris to stop as he struggled to covered his face, head and body. The beating continued for over five minutes before a witness was finally able to pull Morris away and stop the fight, according to a warrant for Morris' arrest. Duncan was transported to a nearby hospital via EMS, where he was pronounced dead at 9:26 a.m. Morris is being held at Orleans Justice Center jail on a manslaughter charge. Orleans Parish Magistrate Commissioner Robert Blackburn on Aug. 10 set Morris' bond at $150,000. Morris' private attorney David Gremillion filed a motion Wednesday (Aug. 15) to reduce his client's bond. The motion states Morris cannot afford to pay the bond that was set. Morris has no felony convictions on his record, has lived and worked in New Orleans for two years and lives with his longtime girlfriend and young child, the motion also states. Keeping him jailed on the bond he cannot afford would "prevent him from returning to work and providing for his family financially," Gremillion wrote. Attorney Seth Bloom is also representing Morris. The attorneys declined to comment on the case on Aug. 12, shortly after they were hired. 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 According to arrest records, Morris is an employee of B.B. King's Blues Club. A manager at the nightclub called Morris "a wonderful employee." "We're all pretty heartbroken about what happened," said the manager, who declined to be named. Louisiana law defines manslaughter as a "homicide which would be murder...but is committed in sudden passion or heat of blood immediately caused by provocation sufficient to deprive an average person of his self-control and cool reflection" or "a homicide committed, without any intent to cause death or great bodily harm." The charge carries a sentence of up to 40 years in prison. A bond hearing for Morris is scheduled Aug. 22. Although Orleans Parish public school officials promised to install water filters to screen for lead last year, The Lens reports more than 45,000 children are returning to schools this month without those filters. The report said school officials hired Eco Water Systems last year to install filter on drinking fountains and kitchen taps. The district had to re-bid the project because the filters weren't certified to protect against the microbes that can enter pipes during a boil-water advisory. A district spokeswoman told the The Lens last week the new contract hasn't been signed yet, but she stressed filter installation should begin within weeks once it's signed. The federal Environmental Protection Agency advises schools to take drinking fountains out of service if the lead level exceeds 20 parts per billion. Lead is a neurotoxin linked to impaired cognitive development and functioning in people, and children are particularly vulnerable. The Advocate reported Wednesday (Aug. 15) students in the town of St. Joseph have to carry bottled water to school after it was found that the Tensas Parish school system's drinking water had 27 times the legal limit of lead. Concerns about lead were sparked in part after tens of thousands of Flint, Mich., residents were exposed to lead-contaminated drinking water. As NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune reported in July, the Centers for Disease Control found lead levels as low as 5 parts per billion are linked to developmental problems. . . . . . . . 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. As urban designers and public officials work to figure out how to keep New Orleans dry from flooding, one 19-year-old resident has embarked on her own journey to find a solution for her community. Chasity Hunter, who enrolled at the University of New Orleans to study Art History this year, spent her last year in high school investigating the city's water management system. She was spurred to learn about the city's water infrastructure after the Aug. 5, 2017 floods. Hunter's efforts were documented by filmmaker Kira Akerman, who worked with the documentary series Reel South to record Hunter's journey in a short film called "Station 15." The documentary, named after one of the city's pump stations, begins with Hunter sharing how she watched at age 6 as the floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina slowly submerged her neighborhood in the Calliope Projects. She reflects on the levee failures in 2005 before the film transitions to news reports regarding the New Orleans flooding in August 2017. From there, the film follows Hunter as she speaks with experts in urban design and water infrastructure to investigate why the city suffers from severe flooding. Her digging takes her to places such as the city's pump stations, and she learns those stations contribute to the soil subsidence in the city. "We've found ways to live that don't make sense. Instead of accepting what makes each place unique, we fixate on our own comfort," Hunter said in the film. 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 Officials from Reel South told The Historic New Orleans Collection that Akerman met Hunter while Hunter was interning with the nonprofit 826 New Orleans. Akerman told the Collection Hunter is a poet who "doesn't accept that things have to be the way they are." Hunter currently works with the nonprofit Ripple Effect to advocate for water literacy among school children, the Collection stated. Station 15 won the "Best Audience Award" at the New Orleans Film Festival, and it is currently on a Smithsonian exhibition across Louisiana. The film has also been published on PBS. Station 15 will be shown during a screening and dialogue with the artists involved on Aug. 28 at The Collection's Williams Research Center at 410 Chartres Street. Check the Facebook post from Reel South below to view the film online. . . . . . . . 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. As a pediatrician, Dr. Emily Andriessen is used to fielding phone calls from worried parents inquiring about a rash or a sudden fever their child has developed. Now some of those calls come through a video conferencing application Andriessen works with at the Children's Pediatrics after-hours clinic in River Ridge. This summer the clinic began offering a telemedicine option for parents needing to consult with a pediatrician after regular business hours. When a call comes in, the parent speaks with a nurse who will determine whether their child's medical situation requires an in-person consultation or whether the conversation can be held through the video conferencing system with the doctor. Parents can sign up for the telemedicine option by registering with the clinic. They will receive a link to download the Virtual CHNOLA app. The after-hours virtual clinic at River Ridge is part of a larger telemedicine initiative at Children's Hospital spearheaded by Dr. Aaron Martin. Starting in April 2017, Martin began developing a telemedicine program that connects parents around the state to pediatric sub-specialists through a secure program on their computers and mobile devices. The after-hours clinic at River Ridge operates in a similar way. Sitting at a computer in a private room at the clinic, Andriessen or another on-all practitioner can speak with a parent directly on a video conference call, assess a child's symptoms and determine whether they require an in-person visit with the doctor. "I pretty much do the same thing for my friends with kids, by providing counsel over the phone. But now we have a record of that conversation and I can see the child," Andriessen said. The telemedicine program at Children's Hospital was developed in collaboration with LSU Health New Orleans. As a pediatric urologist, Martin acknowledges how challenging it can be for parents, especially in rural parts of the state, to have consistent access to specialists for their children. Telemedicine was originally created as a way to reach patients located in remote areas where there is a shortage of healthcare facilities and medical providers. The tool has since evolved to help patients who want to spend less time in the waiting room for minor, but urgent, conditions. Martin said some his patients and their parents have to take a three- or four-hour drive to New Orleans for a consultation, depending on where they live. Sometimes those visits only last 10 minutes, for example, a simple follow-up or getting lab results, he said. Children's Hospital's telemedicine program began with Martin's own pediatric urology practice and has since expanded to include other specialties such as psychiatry, autism, behavioral health, adolescent medicine and genetics. The virtual after-hours clinic at Children's Jefferson Highway location in River Ridge is the most recent addition. "You can really see the benefit of this on the behavioral side," Martin said. "Some of these kids hate going to the doctor. But when they are in their home environment talking through the phone it is easier for them to open up." Martin said they hope to expand the program to other locations where access to a doctor through video conferencing would be convenient. The hospital is considering partnering with local schools to offer the telemedicine program to parents and students. Chris Raff, who manages telehealth services at Children's Hospital, said about 82 percent of the patients who use the video consult service live outside of New Orleans. Three-fourths of users live more than 60 miles away from the city. About 70 percent of those patients are on Medicaid. In developing the program, Martin said he worked closely with Medicaid health plan providers in Louisiana to make sure that patients could be fully reimbursed for the cost of using telemedicine services. Andriessen said that most of the concern she has heard regarding the telemedicine program comes from other pediatricians in the community who worry the tool could take away from in-person visits where physical exams are necessary to make a full diagnosis. However, she said the patients she has worked with like the convenience of the tool and the ability to have concerns addressed quickly without having to sit in a waiting room. The urgent care and virtual clinic at Children's Pediatrics in River Ridge are open from Monday - Friday: 4 p.m. - 10 p.m., on Saturday from noon - 10 p.m and Sunday 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. For more information on the Virtual After Hours Clinic and how do to download the telemedicine app click here. -- 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 . An 18-wheeler hauling asphalt rolled over into a ditch on Louisiana 40 on Thursday morning (Aug. 16) between Fitzgerald Church Road and Kenzie Road north of Covington, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office said. Louisiana 40 is currently open, but will likely be closed again for a short time to allow a wrecker to remove the truck, authorities said. Louisiana State Police troopers are investigating the crash. by Mathias Hariyadi Prosecution calls for an 18-month sentence citing a fatwa. In July 2016, her complaint triggered one of the worst episodes of sectarian violence against ethnic Chinese Buddhists. Human rights activist calls for the repeal or modification of the law on religious defamation. Jakarta (AsiaNews) An ethnic Chinese Buddhist woman resident in Tanjung Balai (North Sumatra province) could get of 18 months in prison for "offending Islam". Meiliana (pictured), 44, is accused of blasphemy. In 2016 she complained that the azan (the Islamic call to prayer) at a mosque near her home was "too noisy" and "harmful" to her ears. In the worlds most populous Muslim country, any comment on Islam is a delicate issue and the consequences can be dire. In their case before the District Court in the provincial capital, Medan, prosecutors called for a conviction of the accused woman, citing a fatwa issued by the local chapter of the Council of the Indonesian Ulema (MUI), which described her remarks as "blasphemous". When she complained in July 2016, one of the worst episodes of sectarian violence in the Tanjung Balai regency followed. Claiming to be offended, groups of Islamic extremists burnt at least six Buddhist temples and houses of prayer. Seven of the attackers were tried and sentenced but only to a few months in prison. Andreas Harsono, a member of Human Rights Watch, criticised the "excessive flexibility" of the rules governing religious defamation, like Article 156A of the Penal Code of Indonesia. The latter dates back to 1965, Harsono said. For almost 40 years or five presidential terms, it was used only eight times. However, during the Yudhoyono administration (2004-2014), the law was enforced in 89 cases, with 25 people sent to prison. Under Widodo, who was elected in 2012, there have been 22 cases, including the trial of the former governor of Jakarta and that of Meiliana." The activist calls on the Indonesian government to repeal or modify the existing legislation in order to reduce the possibility that other people might be punished by "unjust rules". Located a six-hour drive from Medan, Tanjung Balai is a small town where several, mostly Muslim ethnic groups live. They include indigenous Melayu, Javanese migrants from Central and East Java, Batak from the North Sumatra, and finally Nias, from the homonymous island. Ethnic Chinese Buddhist are a minority and have experienced episodes of intolerance in the past. In 2011, a Muslim filed a complaint after a large statue of Buddha was erected at the Tri Ratna prayer house. Rallies and protests followed during which Islamists claimed that the sculpture would "damage the image of Tanjung Balai as a Muslim city". Buc-ee's, the convenience store chain found along major highways in Texas, will open its first store outside of the Lone Star state next year. The 50,000-square-foot facility will open at Interstate 10 and the Baldwin Beach Express north of Gulf Shores, Ala, AL.com reported Tuesday (Aug. 14). The store will employ 200 to 250 people. Buc-ee's, which has 33 stores in Texas, does not allow 18-wheelers and it is popular among automobile travelers, the report said. The stores, considered some of the largest convenience stores in the country, offer numerous gas pumps, a car wash and foods including beef jerkies, barbecue, homemade fudge, sandwiches and tacos. A massive log jam that has hampered the downstream flow of the Pearl River will soon be cleared. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Thursday (Aug. 16) that it is partnering with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to remove the jam near Pools Bluff south of Bogalusa. The debris-removal work will prompt the closure of the northernmost part of the Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge from Aug. 25 through Sept. 30, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said in a news release. Parts of the Pearl River will also be closed during the log removal process, the news release said. The cleanup comes amidst a renewed focus on issues impacting the lower Pearl River, which runs through Washington and St. Tammany parishes along the Mississippi border. A controversial proposal to dam the river near Jackson, Mississippi, for a flood control project has raised alarm in Louisiana and southwest Mississippi. The concern is that the flow of water heading downstream will be restricted and cause environmental problems in the lower Pearl River basin. Citing the dam proposal, an advocacy group, American Rivers, put the Pearl on its list of the 10 most endangered American rivers in 2015. That dam proposal, commonly known as "One Lake,'' is the subject of a public meeting Thursday (Aug. 16) at the Slidell Municipal Auditorium. The meeting is from 6-8 p.m. 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 The log jam, meanwhile, has been gathering for several years, said state Rep. Malinda White, D-Bogalusa, who represents the area. White said she and a host of others have worked for years to get it cleared. "That part of the river is actually in Mississippi,'' she said. "It's been quite a challenge to deal with a river between two states.'' "I'm just so thankful - there's people that thought they'd never see it (cleared),'' White added. In addition to aiding the natural flow of the river, removing the log jam will also restore public boating access to major portions of the Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service news release said. The news release said more information is available via the Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge's website, www.fws.gov/refge/bogue_chitto. About 350 U.S. newspapers published editorials Thursday (Aug. 16) as part of a coordinated effort to defend the freedom of the press and chastise President Donald Trump for constantly bashing news organizations as "enemies of the people." The initiative was organized by Boston Globe op-ed page editor Marjorie Pritchard, who called for editorial voices nationwide to unite against the president's rhetoric, which some fear will incite physical violence against reporters and others working at media outlets. "Our words will differ," Pritchard said. "But at least we can agree that such attacks are alarming." "We're not the enemy of the people," Pritchard said in an interview this week. "We thought that a coordinated effort across the country would make a powerful statement about the importance of a free press." The Globe and The New York Times were the biggest names to join a list that also included the Houston Chronicle, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Miami Herald and the Denver Post. The NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune editorial board chose not to participate. We believe a local news organization's voice should be independent. And we believe our work, and the president's attacks on the press, speak for themselves. Not everyone in the media agrees with the Globe's strategy. Politico reporter Jack Shafer pointed out that an allegedly independent press all engaged in "groupthink" will only reaffirm the worst opinions that many people already share. "Most journalists agree that there's a great need for Trump rebuttals," Shafer writes. "But this Globe-sponsored coordinated editorial response is sure to backfire: It will provide Trump with circumstantial evidence of the existence of a national press cabal that has been convened solely to oppose him." Trump's forthcoming speeches almost write themselves, Shafer says: "By colluding against me, the fake media proved once and for all, that they are in cahoots with the Democrats and have declared themselves to be my true political opposition ... " for example. Many of the newspapers are not just singing from the same hymnals but also preaching to the choir. Most, if not all of these newspapers, either endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton over Trump in 2016 or made a show of their disgust by not endorsing at all. This endeavor seems likely to have the same impact. The very legitimate defenses of the First Amendment and the importance of a free and independent press are certain to get swallowed up in the partisan divide and the strong feelings of many that Trump never gets a fair shake from the mainstream media. There also is the issue of the "Trump bump," the increase in circulation enjoyed by some outlets, most notably The New York Times, for the aggressive news coverage and editorial opposition to the president and his administration. So, it wasn't the greatest look that three paragraphs into its online editorial, The Boston Globe included an ad that says: "Our subscribers support a free press. Please join that effort. Subscribe now." The Globe editorial, under the headline "Journalists are NOT the enemy," concludes: "Lies are antithetical to an informed citizenry, responsible for self-governance. The greatness of America is dependent on the role of a free press to speak the truth to the powerful. To label the press 'the enemy of the people' is as un-American as it is dangerous to the civic compact we have shared for more than two centuries." The New York Times editorial, headlined "A Free Press Needs You," begins with a brief history of the beginnings of the idea of a free press, then notes: "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 don't like are 'fake news' is dangerous to the lifeblood of democracy. And calling journalists the 'enemy of the people' is dangerous, period." The editorial concludes: "If you haven't already, please subscribe to your local papers. Praise them when you think they've done a good job and criticize them when you think they could do better. We're all in this together." Yes, but we all also need to think for ourselves and arrive at our own conclusions. Having 350 editorial voices saying the same thing on the same day just seems to prove Trump's point. Tim Morris is an opinions columnist at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. He can be reached at tmorris@nola.com. Follow him on Twitter @tmorris504. 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 Injuries occur during training camps across the NFL. Nothing new there. Sometimes the team will walk over to the injured player and move on with practice drills while the medical staff attends to the player. Other times the player will hobble to the sideline or cringe in pain holding an extremity. Then there's the injury suffered by New Orleans Saints defensive end Alex Okafor during Wednesday's training camp session. Everything stopped. The indoor facility dropped to a deafening silence. Drew Brees and several other players dropped to a knee hoping for the best as the training staff examined Okafor. Not again, many players must have pondered. I thought it aloud to fellow reporters. Okafor came to his feet with the aid of the staffers and limped off the field. He launched his mouthguard in disgust. There's no word on the severity of the ailment, but it's an undoubted cause for concern. Left tackle Terron Armstead watched the injury unfold right in front of him. "It sucks for a guy coming back from the injury that he just came back from," Armstead said when I asked about it. "I know the feeling. Being hit with things back to back, it's a lot mentally, maybe even more than physically, sometimes." Okafor seemingly recovered nicely from an Achilles tendon injury suffered against Washington last season. This halted arguably Okafor's best season in the NFL. Saints news in your inbox If you're a Saints fan you won't want to miss this newsletter. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up His rigorous rehab landed the veteran edge defender back on the field - full speed - for the start of training camp. The return occurred at the front end of the recovery time. Okafor's speedy progress could have made you forget that 2018 first-rounder Marcus Davenport has missed a couple of weeks of practice with an injury. The injury to Okafor shines the spotlight back on defensive end as a position in question. Trey Hendrickson jumped in with the first unit after Okafor left practice. This shouldn't be a stunner given how much Hendrickson has rotated in with the first unit all camp. Hendrickson, the Saints' third third-round pick in 2017, dealt with injury issues last year. He's bounced back healthy and has looked good this offseason. If Okafor's injury is serious, the pressure for Hendrickson and Davenport to produce increases rapidly. This could open the door for Mitchell Loewen and Al-Quadin Muhammad as well. Davenport at least made an appearance along the sideline for the first time in a while Wednesday. As for Okafor, it would be really unfortunate if his injury forced him to miss extended time. Lagniappe Wide receiver Cameron Meredith returned to practice. The Saints are still playing it very safe with Meredith coming off a 2017 knee injury. ... Andrus Peat jumped back with the first team at left guard during team drills. Peat has received snaps with the second team during the last few practices. ... Wil Lutz converted on all his field goal attempts. ... Cam Jordan picked up at least one "sack" on Brees in practice. ... Jonathan Williams, Keith Kirkwood and Tre'Quan Smith looked sharp in seven-on-seven drills. Aug 16, 2018 NR Yuva Samrat Naga Chaitanya's Sailaja Reddy Alludu audio release event planned this weekend in Hyderabad was postponed. The makers have changed their plan in the last minute. The event will now happen on 22nd of this month as Bakrid Special. The reason for the postponement is not exactly known. The movie is all set for a grand release on 31st of this month and the film promotions have already going on at a full swing. The makers have released two songs of the film. Click the Movie button below for more info: Sailaja Reddy Alludu Roseburg, OR (97470) Today Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Overcast with rain showers at times. Low 51F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. 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. Education Commissioner Candice McQueen on Thursday released the school-level 2018 TNReady results as well as 2018 school and district student growth data. The TNReady scores show that nearly 700 schools more than 40 percent of schools in Tennessee saw improvement across the majority of their grades and subjects in 2018, and 210 of those schools saw improvement across all grades and subjects. Additionally, 88 school districts about 60 percent met or exceeded student growth expectations. There were 11 school districts that demonstrated the top level of growth in all tested subjects. While TNReady results look at students overall achievement and include whether a student scored as on track or mastered on their spring assessment, growth scores look at how much students are growing, regardless of whether they were proficient. Taken together, these results show a fuller picture of students performance. While we know we still have room to improve, we also want to celebrate the hundreds of schools in Tennessee that showed progress this past year, Commissioner McQueen said. Students and teachers are making encouraging strides on both TNReady and in their overall growth, and todays results point to bright spots across the state where students saw across-the-board success this past year on the state assessment. We want to learn from those places as we also continue to improve. Thursdays release follows the release of state- and district-level TNReady results in July. As the department noted at the time, while most students took TNReady on paper, the department had a third-party expert conduct additional analysis to see if and/or how the online disruptions from this spring impacted the scores. You can learn more about that context here. On 2018 TNReady, students showed the most improvement in English language arts for grades 3-5, and todays school-level results show that nearly 60 percent of schools improved their achievement scores in this area. Mirroring the mixed results that were seen at the state level, in most grades and subjects around 30-50 percent of schools saw improvement in their achievement scores; for example, in high school math, about 46 percent of schools improved. Tennessee has calculated student growth for nearly three decades, and these scores, called the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) scores, measure student growth year over year. In calculating a TVAAS score, a students performance is compared relative to the performance of his or her peers who have performed similarly on past assessments. The TVAAS scores for 2018 show that the majority of Tennessees 147 districts met or exceeded growth expectations, and 59 districts had an overall TVAAS composite of Level 5 the highest level of growth. Notably, 11 districts also earned a Level 5 in each subject-area TVAAS composite (literacy, numeracy, science, and social studies). Those are: Bartlett City Schools Greene County Schools Greeneville City Schools Hamblen County Schools Jefferson County Schools Johnson City Schools Loudon County School District Maryville City Schools Oneida Special School District Roane County School District Sequatchie County Schools There were 65 schools across 36 districts that also earned a Level 5 TVAAS score across all subject areas. About 575 schools had an overall TVAAS composite of 5 and with more than 1,000 schools earned a Level 3, 4, or 5 score meaning students met or exceeded growth expectations. . A full spreadsheet with school-level TNReady results is available here. These will be posted in a visual, user-friendly format on the departments website this fall. The TVAAS scores for 2018 for districts and schools are available here. A resident of Inwood testified to trash-strewn streets and violence in her corner of Manhattan, while a woman from the Upper West Side lamented the departure of a shoemaker and barbershop. A man from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, complained that his community was overrun. About 50 people gathered on the Lower East Side of Manhattan this spring to discuss a common villain they said was causing problems in their neighborhoods: the rising number of bars in New York City. Then they pointed to the New York State Liquor Authority, accusing the agency of issuing too many liquor licenses and eroding their quality of life. The S.L.A. is less concerned with the public welfare and more concerned with granting licenses to bar owners, Diem Boyd, who helped organize the meeting, said afterward. Were at a critical point. A spokesman for the State Liquor Authority, William Crowley, offered a different perspective, saying: The S.L.A. takes a balanced approach in our review process, weighing the merits of the individual application, while placing substantial weight on the recommendations of residents, community boards and elected officials. Lately, I have also been angry with the Catholic commentators who have been using these revelations to advance their own agendas, so that the suffering of children becomes an opportunity to stir up hatred, for example, of all gay priests, or L.G.B.T. people in general. Or they use these stories to whip up what seems to be their boundless contempt for Pope Francis. One of the more absurd tropes has been far-right commentators blaming Francis for Archbishop McCarrick s crimes, conveniently ignoring the fact that he was named a bishop by Pope Paul VI and rose in the ranks, and was named a cardinal, under St. John Paul II. Francis may be responsible for some failures in the church today, even when it comes to addressing sexual abuse, but Theodore McCarrick is not one of them. All this anger may seem like an un-Christian scourge, tearing the church apart. In fact, it is good, healthy and clarifying. In the Gospels, Jesus is described as angry many times, a stark contrast to the portrait many have of him as a doe-eyed man of peace. Jesus excoriates the disciples for their lack of faith (You f aithless and perverse generation!). Most famously, he makes a whip of cords and chases the money changers out of the temple in Jerusalem, upending their tables in a dramatic act that helped to lead to his execution by Roman authorities. Anger is an important part of the life and ministry of Jesus. And so anger should be part of the Catholic life with Jesus as a guide. Jesus anger is always a righteous anger, never on behalf of himself, but in reaction to how he sees others being treated. Even as he is dying on the cross, he refuses to be angry with the Roman soldiers who have crucified him, choosing instead to pray for them: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Jesus anger is, in a word, unselfish and constructive, intent on doing something, effecting a change. Those Catholics who are feeling angry today are, in the Christian worldview, feeling Gods anger. This is, as I see it, Gods primary way of acting in the world: through our human emotions. How else would God act, how else would God intervene, how else would God move to change things, other than to rouse in us a burning desire to upend the tables of the clerical culture and chase out all those who have defamed and abused the trust placed in them? After the debate, his staff produced documentation that Mr. Capuano had voted against both the Stupak Amendment and the Hyde Amendment. At the same time, Ms. Pressleys staff documented that Mr. Capuano had later supported the landmark health care bill even though it included the Stupak Amendment. In Wednesdays debate, the issue seemed to be a wash. Ms. Pressley also said Mr. Capuano had supported immigration legislation that included some funding for President Trumps proposed border wall. But Mr. Capuano said the measure she referred to was part of a larger bill that provided some protections for undocumented immigrants and that progressives such as Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a Democrat, and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent had also supported it. Ms. Pressley also sought to cast her opponent as weak on gun control, saying that after the massacre at Virginia Tech in 2007, which left 32 dead, Mr. Capuano said he wouldnt push for gun control in the House because we know were going to lose. After the debate, her staff cited a Boston Globe article from 2007 in which Mr. Capuano was quoted as saying that fighting for gun control is just not worth it because some members would lose re-election. I dont remember what I said 10 years ago, Mr. Capuano replied testily during the debate. The debate featured several race-related questions, given the districts diversity. Asked whether N.F.L. players were right to take a knee during the national anthem in protest of police violence and racial inequality, Mr. Capuano said he approved of their right to protest, but he did not support the tactic because it had been divisive. Ms. Pressley said she approved of both the cause and the tactic. Its important that we are disruptive, she said. That led Ms. Pressley into a heated exchange over their differing views of so-called Blue Lives Matter legislation, which extends penalties for crimes against law enforcement officers and was perceived as a countermeasure to the Black Lives Matter movement. House Democrats, including Mr. Capuano, supported the legislation overwhelmingly. Mr. Capuano said Wednesday he would stand by his vote because it was wrong for people to intentionally target police officers. Ms. Pressley said it was wrong to target black men. The searing grand jury report issued Tuesday in Pennsylvania that accuses bishops and other Roman Catholic Church leaders in that state of covering up child sexual abuse by more than 300 priests has prompted growing calls for justice, while leaving Americans wondering about the broader impact of the revelations on the church and other institutions. But a web of legal barriers stands in the way of prosecuting most of the cases, and efforts to ease those barriers have repeatedly run into political opposition and fierce lobbying by the church and other groups. Pennsylvania lags behind many other states in coming to grips with the problem, despite a series of grand jury investigations stretching back 15 years. [Read about the grand jury investigation and the churchs playbook for concealing the truth.] What happens next? Not much, legal experts and victims advocates say. The nearly 900-page grand jury report is unlikely to lead to any new criminal charges or civil lawsuits over the abuse that it catalogs, because the statute of limitations has expired on those cases. Current state law allows victims of abuse as children 12 years to sue after they come of age at 18, meaning they must do so by age 30. Criminal complaints must be filed by the time the victim is 50. Those rules leave the vast majority of abuse survivors, who came forward later in life the grand jury said they include people as old as 83 with no legal recourse. Only two of the cases in the report have so far led to criminal charges. 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. Federal authorities said Wednesday they had arrested an Iraqi citizen and longtime member of Al Qaeda and the Islamic State who fled after killing an Iraqi police officer in 2014, eventually settling in Sacramento as a purported refugee. The man, Omar Ameen, 45, is wanted on a murder charge in Iraq and appeared before a federal magistrate judge in Sacramento on Wednesday soon after his arrest, the Justice Department said in a statement. He is to be extradited and will face trial in his home country, prosecutors said. Mr. Ameen has been a member of Al Qaeda in Iraq since at least 2004 and later joined the Islamic State known as ISIS prosecutors said, citing interviews with several witnesses. He is not known to have renounced his membership in either group, they say. It is common knowledge in Rawah, Iraq, that Ameen was a main local figure of AQI and ISIS, a detention memorandum said. Fall for Dance, New York City Centers beloved annual festival, celebrates its 15th anniversary in October with six world premieres and appearances by ballet stars including Sara Mearns, Justin Peck and Herman Cornejo. When we launched the first Fall for Dance, I could not have imagined it would still be a thriving institution 15 seasons later, Arlene Shuler, City Centers president and chief executive, said in a statement. Tickets cost just $15 and typically sell out quickly. (They go on sale at 11 a.m. on Sept. 9.) The festival has five programs, running from Oct. 1 through 13, and the premieres begin with the first one: an evening with a new work by Caleb Teicher, and performances by Boston Ballet, Compagnie Herve Koubi and Sara Mearns. Ms. Mearns, a principal at New York City Ballet, will reprise Dances of Isadora, a tribute to the modern dance pioneer Isadora Duncan. Up next is a program of two premieres, one by Gemma Bond and the other by Justin Peck performed by Mr. Peck and the former Miami City Ballet star Patricia Delgado and set to music by the National. Paul Taylor Dance Company will also appear, as well as Pam Tanowitz Dance, performing from Ms. Tanowitzs New Work for Goldberg Variations, a collaboration with the pianist Simone Dinnerstein. One of the strongest attractions of the free Battery Dance Festival is its setting at the bottom tip of Manhattan, with a glorious sunset backdrop of water, sky and the Statue of Liberty. But the sun and moon switching places arent the only moving objects in the vista at Robert F. Wagner Park. When a tall-masted schooner looms in nearly close enough to board or a Jet Ski races full speed as if to ram the audience, it can be hard for a dancer to command complete attention. In recent years, programs of Indian dance have met the challenge, the single-region focus encompassing more than enough diversity and beauty to match the background. On Wednesday, Indian Independence Day, the focus narrowed further onto a single form of classical Indian dance: kathak. The idea, as the narrator, Rajika Puri, explained, was to show the range within the form, the different schools and approaches. But the two-hour event proved too much of a good thing. (The same lineup of performers appears in the Drive East festival at La MaMa on Friday night.) It began with neatness and craft, as the New York dancers Parul Shah joined Mohip Joarder in Kumudini Lakhias 1978 duet Yugal. Most of the signature elements of kathak, a North Indian form that combines elements of Hindu and Mughal dance, were clear: the rhythmic footwork with bells attached at ankles; the arms and hands spiraling upward like flames; the tornado-like turns. The work arranged these elements with a careful attention to stage space, and the changing distance between the dancers acquired power from the setting; the negative space was far from blank. Chiles taking on the Rapa Nui cause comes as European museums are facing growing pressure to repatriate objects to their countries of origin. President Emmanuel Macron of France, having declared that African heritage cannot be a prisoner of European museums, has appointed two advisers to plan how to return African objects. The British Museum is no stranger to pressure to return items from its collection Greece has waged a long campaign for the restitution of the so-called Elgin marbles. We believe that there is great value in presenting objects from across the world, alongside the stories of other cultures at the British Museum, a spokeswoman for the museum said in an emailed statement. Jo Anne Van Tilburg, an archaeologist and director of the Easter Island Statue Project, the longest-running research project into the statues, said by telephone interview that British sailors were taken to a sacred area of the island in 1868, and found Hoa Hakananaia inside a building, buried up to its torso. They bartered for it, and dragged it to their boat in a procession led by a dancing chief, Ms. Van Tilburg said. However, this was done within a context where the Rapa Nui people were suffering a great deal of deprivation, she added. Ms. Van Tilburg said that she had excavated two statues on Easter Island with carvings on their backs the only others with such decoration among some 1,000 statues. But Hoa Hakananaias carvings are unique, she added, as is the type of rock it is carved from. Big lives cast long shadows on this weeks list of recommended books. In Famous Father Girl, Leonard Bernsteins elder daughter, Jamie, describes what it was like having the renowned conductor/composer for a dad. Empress explains how Nur Jahan came to amass power and influence in a patriarchal dynasty that ruled much of what is now India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. And Claire Tomalin, whose acclaimed biographies have told the stories of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and other literary giants, gets around to sharing her own accomplished and incident-filled life in a new memoir. Its not all biography this week: Other subjects include evolution, financial crises and satires of millennial culture. John Williams Daily Books Editor and Staff Writer A LIFE OF MY OWN, by Claire Tomalin. (Penguin Press, $27.) Claire Tomalin, the esteemed biographer of Samuel Pepys, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, among others, tells her own story in this memoir. In addition to her professional life, Tomalin recounts the often challenging moments in her personal life one shock after another, our critic Dwight Garner writes. There is genuine appeal in watching this indomitable woman continue to chase the next draft of herself. After a while, the pages turn themselves. Tomalin has a biographers gift for carefully husbanding her resources, of consistently playing out just enough string. When she needs to, she pulls that string tight. THE TANGLED TREE: A Radical New History of Life, by David Quammen. (Simon & Schuster, $30.) In his latest book, David Quammen our critic Parul Sehgal calls him our greatest living chronicler of the natural world surveys the field of molecular phylogenetics, plunging into how various findings have upended our conception of stately Darwinian inheritance, represented in the notion of the tree of life of species branching out, evolving separately from each other. There are few writers so firmly on the side of the reader, Sehgal writes, who so solicitously request your patience and delightedly hack away at jargon. He keeps the chapters short, the sentences spring-loaded. There are vivacious descriptions on almost every page. Explore the New York Times Book Review Want to keep up with the latest and greatest in books? This is a good place to start. Learn what you should be reading this fall: Our collection of reviews on books coming out this season includes biographies, novels, memoirs and more. See whats new in October: Among this months new titles are novels by Jonathan Franzen, a history of Black cinema and a biography by Katie Couric. Nominate a book: The New York Times Book Review has just turned 125. That got us wondering: What is the best book that was published during that time? Listen to our podcast: Featuring conversations with leading figures in the literary world, from Colson Whitehead to Leila Slimani, the Book Review Podcast helps you delve deeper into your favorite books. CRASHED: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World, by Adam Tooze. (Viking, $35.) The crash of 2008, Tooze argues, was caused in both Europe and America, and its impact, he says, has been more political than economic, leading to a continuing wave of nationalism, protectionism and populism throughout most of the West. Brexit, Trump, Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014 and Chinas ever-escalating role in the financial system: Tooze covers them all and much more, in a volume thats as lively as it is long which is to say very, on both counts, our critic Jennifer Szalai writes, calling Crashed a bravura work of economic history. HONG KONG For years, fish sellers in China have labeled something other than salmon as salmon, according to a local media report that outraged sushi lovers across the country. Now, Chinese fish authorities have responded: Thats perfectly O.K. with them. Chinese regulators said this week that rainbow trout can be sold as salmon, according to new standards set by a government-affiliated fish association and 13 commercial fisheries. To justify the change in definition, officials cited biology: Salmon and rainbow trout belong to the same fishy family. They also required sellers to note the exact type of fish elsewhere on the label. Still, the fuzzy definition touched a nerve in a country with a long history of food labeling issues and a vast population of increasingly sophisticated consumers. Thousands took to the internet to blast regulators for lowering food standards instead of fixing the issue. Some declared they would never eat salmon again. Even patrons at a sushi restaurant said that they could no longer trust salmon enough to eat it raw. Good Thursday morning. (Want this in your inbox each morning? Sign up here.) Tencents pain could spread worldwide Tencent, one of Chinas most powerful tech giants, reported its first profit decline in a decade, and its shares fell as much as 5 percent. About $180 billion has vanished from its market value since January, with little good news on the horizon. And thats mostly Beijings fault. Theres been a crackdown on gaming in China, Tencents biggest source of revenue. Its a reminder that the forces that helped create Chinese tech titans Tencent was largely shielded from overseas rivals can also hurt them. As Jack Ma of Alibaba once warned, love the government, but dont marry it. But the effect of Tencents struggles isnt confined to China. Tech companies around the world saw their stocks fall, including U.S. chip makers. The reason: Everyone is looking to China for growth, and if even a Beijing favorite cant catch a break, why should anyone else expect to? The doughnuts are skinny and rough, a stack of crooked halos. Called sel roti, theyre made at Nepali Bhanchha Ghar in Jackson Heights, Queens, with a batter of crushed rice, sugar and ghee (clarified butter), scooped with a sawed-off soda bottle and poured in the shape of a ring, into a pan of spitting oil. Instantly, the ring sets. It has to be turned constantly so it doesnt sink, then fished out with a stick, the fried dough puffed and golden, its surface riddled with bumps. Time your order right, and the sel roti will land on your plate still breathing, almost too hot to touch. Tear off an arc, and its equal parts crispness and cloud, with just enough sugar to register as sweet. The best-known town is Byron Bay, and its cape is Australias easternmost point. The area has long been a magnet for surfers and hippies, but in the past decade as the term boho-chic has emerged as a moneyed alternative to its scruffier precursors Byron has transformed. It is now a place where movie stars own homes and $300 caftans are the new norm, alongside crystals and patchouli. For a talented chef, the allure of Byron is obvious. The influx of money, brought by people looking for a certain beachy lifestyle guided by good taste, is sure to provide a decent customer base, as is the beach tourism and the many music and cultural festivals held in the area. But Byron itself is at a crossroads, one in which the property values have skyrocketed while the infrastructure falters under the towns growing popularity. Its as if Byron skipped over the part in its evolution where it was exciting enough to draw inventive operators but affordable enough to create opportunity for those people. And so, a few enterprising people took a bet on the small towns surrounding Byron. This pioneering spirit has resulted in rapid gentrification. It has also created a thriving dining scene thats one of the Australias most interesting and fertile, rivaled only by Tasmanias. The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the first generic version of EpiPen, providing new competition that could help drive down the cost of a lifesaving product that had become a notorious symbol of high drug prices. The generic copy is made by Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, and will rival Mylan, which had come under intense criticism for raising the price of its EpiPen sixfold since buying it in 2007. Mylans device has been plagued by periodic shortages, with consumers scrambling again in recent months to find a reliable supply. The drug-device product is an epinephrine auto-injector, which can be used for treatment of life-threatening allergic reactions to such things as peanuts and bee stings, in adults and children who weigh more than 33 pounds. Teva was approved to market the generic version in 0.3 mg and 0.15 mg strengths. Scott Gottlieb, the commissioner of the F.D.A., who had talked during his Senate confirmation hearing about planning to speed approval of some generic products to lower costs, said he was pleased with the timing. Its been six months since a former student opened fire in their high school and killed 17 students and staff members. In the aftermath, these students became instant activists. I spent three days this month with them and the young advocates theyd picked up along the way. I learned, as I wrote in my article, just how much work went into planning the tour: The lead organizer, 17-year-old Jaclyn Corin, will sleep for two hours and then wake up to answer more texts. I learned how much they are emphasizing the broad scope of gun violence, a problem that goes far beyond mass shootings in suburban high schools. I talked to people like Bria Smith of Milwaukee, who used to feel she had no voice, and Ramon Contreras of New York, who used to be frustrated by how much attention the Parkland students were getting when activists like him had been working for years. They both talked about how inclusive the movement was, and how that gave them hope. These points are crucial in explaining how this movement is different from all the ones that didnt work. But there were other things I was determined to capture, too. I wanted to capture the students youth, and their humanity. (A lot of our innocence was taken away from us, but our youth wasnt, Lauren Hogg, Davids younger sister, mused in one group discussion. I think thats a really powerful thing.) And I wanted to capture what it was like behind the scenes of this movement the messy, stressful work that goes into creating something that appears so polished. To do that, I had to talk to the students. But more important, I had to see them. So I introduced myself and then, for much of the first two days, I stood back and watched. As a tour guide led us through the galleries of the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro, the students media handler came over to me and whispered that he could pull aside anyone I wanted to interview. I said no thanks. I had three days to interview the students. I didnt want to interrupt an event to do it. I still got the interviews I needed before I went home. But in the meantime, I was able to take in the museums exhibits just as the students were. I was able to note their body language and their expressions. And then, when I thought the tour was over, the guide, Dillon Tyler, revealed that he had also survived a school shooting. Shahidul Alam grimaced as he staggered on his way into a Dhaka courthouse on Aug. 6. Handcuffed and surrounded by the police, he loudly proclaimed he had been tortured after more than 30 plainclothes officers snatched him from his home the night before. Mr. Alam, an internationally known photographer, educator and human rights advocate, was detained shortly after giving an interview to Al Jazeera and pos ting a series of live videos on Facebook that criticized the governments violent response to two weeks of student-led protests that began over road safety. Many photojournalists covering the protests, including Mr. Alam, have been attacked by the police and armed gangs linked to the ruling Awami League party. He has now been charged under Section 57 of Bangladeshs Information Communications Technology Act, which lets the authorities arrest people who criticize the government online. He remains in jail at least until Sept. 11, when he will have a hearing on a bail request that was filed this week. Human rights organizations, as well as journalism and photography groups, have loudly protested his imprisonment. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Bangladeshi authorities to immediately halt widespread attacks on journalists covering ongoing student protests in Dhaka and to release photographer Shahidul Alam from jail. Omar Waraich, Amnesty Internationals deputy director for South Asia, demanded his immediate and unconditional release. There is no justification whatsoever for detaining anyone for solely peacefully expressing their views, he said. Marguerite Duras (who died in 1996 at 81 and was well known for the novel The Lover) was an unconventional writer, and by all accounts she lived life unconventionally as well. Memoir of War, adapted from her 1985 book that was in part derived from her diaries of occupied France in World War II, depicts the writer as a young woman (Melanie Thierry) emotionally rived by loss. But she is determined to hold on to her identity as she awaits a reunion with a husband who might not be coming home. That husband (Emmanuel Bourdieu) was a resistance fighter, arrested and sent to a German labor camp as the Nazis were losing the war in slow motion. Marguerite allows herself to be doted on by a French intelligence officer, Pierre Rabier (Benoit Magimel), whos working for the Germans. Pierre admires Marguerites writing, quoting approvingly from her first novel, Les Impudents, and teases her with information on her husbands whereabouts. In Notes on an Appearance, a controversial political theorist who haunts the action has written a book called Everything Is Permitted. That phrase might well have been the guiding philosophy of this experimental mystery film. The writer and director, Ricky DAmbrose, has called it a scrapbook movie. Watching it requires learning how to watch it. Static shots are edited in a deliberately primitive style, eliding crucial bits of narrative. The camera often fixates on ostensible clues: a postcard, books, mysterious home movies in which no one is seen. The perversity begins with the fact that Notes on an Appearance primarily concerns a disappearance. David (Bingham Bryant), an American who has been living Milan, Italy, moves into a Brooklyn apartment with his friend Todd (Keith Poulson). (Mr. Bryant, also a sometime publicist and director, is one of several New York City film scene fixtures involved with the movie; my reviewing colleague Glenn Kenny can be glimpsed playing a morgue clerk.) Joe receives a call informing him that hes been awarded the Nobel Prize. (The film is set in 1992, when Joe is said to have bumped Bill Clinton off a magazine cover a detail that underscores a hint of Bill and Hillary allegory throughout.) The bulk of the action unfolds in Stockholm, where Joan keeps Joe in line while he prepares with his other laureates, all men to receive the prize. Waiting in the wings, a writer seeking to be Joes official biographer (Christian Slater, cast counterintuitively and successfully) picks at family wounds. Ms. Wolitzers metafictional conceit may lose something without Joans first-person narration (though perhaps there was a metacinematic correlative given the focus on how spouses rely on each other, its notable the director, Bjorn Runge, is married to his editor, Lena Runge). What the film offers, as flashbacks help to bring tensions between the couple to a boil, is the spectacle of two great actors tearing into meaty material. Mr. Pryce offers a more complex reprise of the Philip Roth archetype he played in Listen Up Philip, while Ms. Close sublimely captures her characters blend of determination and self-effacement. For a governor known for his fixation with polls (he has spent nearly $300,000 on them since the start of 2017), the anti-Trump strategy is informed by months of focus groups and survey research, according to people involved with the campaign. Mr. Cuomo has rotated the issues he has challenged Mr. Trump on immigration, abortion and guns most loudly of late but the broader frame of him leading the charge against the White House has been the same. Thank God for New Yorkers that we have his tenacity, his toughness, his competence and his experience because he knows how to push back, said Maggie Moran, Mr. Cuomos campaign manager. Ms. Nixon and other progressive activists argue the notion of Mr. Cuomo as an anti-Trump standard-bearer is risible. She pointed out this week that the day after the 2016 election, Mr. Cuomo had said the fact that Mr. Trump hailed from New York was a potential bonus. And she noted that Mr. Trump, formerly a Democrat, was once a donor to Mr. Cuomo, calling on the governor to return his money. (Mr. Cuomo has declined.) The reality is that Cuomo is desperately trying to run against Donald Trump because he doesnt have the progressive credentials to run against me, she said on Thursday. When Ms. Nixon first emerged on the scene in March, Mr. Cuomo had found himself seemingly responding to her every move. Her campaign gleefully branded it #TheCynthiaEffect, as he moved toward legalizing marijuana, for example, or presided over Democrats reuniting in Albany after years of division that had helped empower Republicans. But the governor has mostly ignored her in recent months, doing so at the urging of numerous advisers who intervened in late spring to say his aggression was damaging his own standing while elevating hers. He recently agreed to one televised debate. She grew animated describing a municipal government operating on bankers hours, and added, Bankers dont even use bankers hours anymore. If you want to do something for your house, you have to take a day off work to go to City Hall and pull a permit, she said. Thats insane. Her arguments tapped into a growing sense around this town of 4,000 that City Hall needed a shake-up. The municipal concerns on the minds of many residents during the mayoral campaign may not have been as large in scope as national issues, like immigration or trade wars, but they pushed people to the polls. I told Julia like how hard it was to get a third bin for composting, said Lauren Kiernan, 29, who owns a flower shop downtown. Obviously, I create a lot of green garbage and I applied like three different times. I never heard back. They lost my checks. They lost my forms. Even trying to talk to them about issues like parking, I just never heard back. It was just like, everything I said to the city just went into the garbage bin. Of course, not everyone was eager to ruffle the carefully manicured vibe of this Democratic enclave, which lies along the border with Pennsylvania and is surrounded by a heavily Republican rural area. For years, Lambertville has been a refuge for many state government employees. Often referred to as Georgetown on the Delaware, many power brokers manipulating the levers of state government retreat 16 miles up Route 29 to sip complex cocktails at the Boat House or the many other bars and restaurants in town. But the population has been shifting. A younger generation who wants some of the spoils of urban life like a walkable downtown, trendy places to eat and crafty cocktail bars but also seeks the tranquillity and relative affordability of the suburbs has begun to transform Lambertville. The New York University School of Medicine announced on Thursday that it would cover the tuition of all its students, regardless of merit or need, citing concerns about the overwhelming financial debt facing graduates. N.Y.U.s initiative comes at a time when affordability has become an increasingly urgent issue in higher education, with some graduates struggling with thousands of dollars in debt. To date, much of the effort has centered on helping undergraduates cover the balance of their tuition bills, including at community colleges in Tennessee, and two- and four-year schools in New York under the new Excelsior Scholarship. In the field of medicine, schools have become worried that students saddled with steep debt are increasingly pursuing top-paying specialties rather than careers in family medicine, pediatrics and research. So it was big news in December when Columbia announced a $250 million gift from Dr. P. Roy Vagelos, an alumnus who is a former chairman of Merck & Co., and his wife, Diana, that would offer students with the greatest financial need full-tuition scholarships, and other students grants, rather than loans. Three years after the city launched an investigation into whether certain ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools were providing an adequate education in secular subjects, it revealed on Thursday that it had made little progress. In a letter to the states Education Department seeking guidance, Richard A. Carranza, New York City schools chancellor, acknowledged that investigators had managed to visit only half the schools involved. The inquiry began in the summer of 2015, when a group of parents, former students and former teachers at yeshivas told the city that 39 schools were not sufficiently teaching subjects, like math, science, and English, leaving students ill-prepared for adulthood. The Education Department then launched an investigation of 30 of the schools, after determining the others were either no longer operating or did not fall under its jurisdiction. As part of its investigation, the Education Department interviewed some of the parents and students who brought the complaint, who had experience at 11 schools. Most of those interviewed said the boys schools taught math and English for at most 90 minutes a day until boys turned 13, at which point secular instruction stopped. Some said attendance during secular instruction was voluntary. And while occasional science experiments might be done in class, they said there was no science curriculum. New York state law requires that nonpublic schools provide an education that is substantially equivalent to that of public schools. Education officials also made announced visits to the schools, but, they said, 15 yeshivas did not allow them inside. The D.O.E. has made repeated attempts to gain access to the schools, Mr. Carranza said in the letter. The long delay in scheduling visits to this group of 15 schools is a serious concern. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who as Indias prime minister from 1998 to 2004 stunned the world by ending a decades-old moratorium on nuclear weapons tests but nevertheless managed to ease tensions with Pakistan and build closer ties to the United States, died on Thursday in New Delhi. He was 93. The Indian central government announced his death but gave no further details. The Times of India said that Mr. Vajpayee, a diabetic, was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi on June 11 with kidney tract infection and other ailments, and had recently been placed on life support. A published poet, Mr. Vajpayee dabbled in law, journalism and rebellion against British colonialism as a young man. A leader of the Hindu nationalist opposition to the once-invincible Indian National Congress party of Gandhi and Nehru, he was virtually unknown outside India for most of his 50 years in politics. But for six years in his late 70s, Mr. Vajpayee was the face of the worlds most populous democracy, a nation of one billion whose ethnic, religious and regional conflicts had fomented massacres, three wars with Pakistan and internal strife for a half-century after independence from Britain in 1947. Those were accurate, if reductive, descriptions of the nominees positions. The commercial was highly effective, capturing public attention, catching the Reagan administration flat-footed, and leaving Judge Borks partisans crying unfair. In The People Rising, an invaluable but sadly out-of-print chronicle of the Bork episode, the authors, Michael Pertschuk and Wendy Schaetzel, described the essence of the anti-Bork media strategy. The insight was that paid media would drive unpaid media: A news conference to announce the premiere of an anti-Bork commercial starring Gregory Peck, for example, is certain to attract more press coverage, especially TV, than the release of a scholarly report on Borks record (though the quality of the coverage may be inferior.) So does this summers pro-Kavanaugh campaign simply even things up with the past generations mother of all confirmation battles? While thats a superficially plausible takeaway, it seems to me that theres a difference between advocacy for and against a Supreme Court nominee, a difference that matters. Within our current framework, the Judicial Crisis Networks ads strike me as slick but entirely conventional in their blandness. But assuming that theres still a line somewhere, I believe the National Rifle Association has crossed it with a commercial declaring that President Trump chose Brett Kavanaugh to break the tie between the liberal justices who oppose your right to self-defense and the four justices (who are seemingly without left-to-right ideology) who support your right to self-defense. The ad concludes: Your right to self-defense depends on this vote. Tell your senator to defend our right to self-defense. Confirm Judge Kavanaugh. In other words, in this commercial, Judge Kavanaugh is being held out as the designated hitter for a specific cause that is often before the court. We are invited to picture the nominee as having been sent zombielike out into the world with a single mission. Confirm him, we are told, so that the Supreme Court, after a decade of deadlock on the Second Amendment, can finally get the project of expanding gun rights moving again. Given the N.R.A.s participation in the many Second Amendment cases that reached the court in recent years, unsuccessfully I wondered whether this aggressive advocacy would impel Judge Kavanaugh to recuse himself from future gun-related cases. After soliciting some expert opinions, Im persuaded thats not the case. The problem is one of taste rather than ethics, the continued degradation of our judicial politics. Maybe Im a bit touchy about the N.R.A. because of its underappreciated role in recent Supreme Court nominations. It was in 2009, with President Obamas nomination of Sonia Sotomayor, that the organization agreed to do a favor for Senator Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican who was then the Senates minority leader, and not only oppose Judge Sotomayor but score the vote on her nomination. Advocacy groups score a vote by adding it to the report card they put out at the end of a congressional session, showing at a glance whether a member of Congress was on or off the groups bus. While an N.R.A. score of 100 percent is vitally important in some parts of the country, the organization had never before scored a Supreme Court confirmation vote. But Senator McConnell needed the favor because, despite his public vow to make sure that President Obama accomplished as little as possible, it appeared that a good number of Republican senators were ready to vote for the appealing nominee with a compelling personal story. Following the N.R.A.s announcement, Republican support melted away, and only seven Republicans voted for Justice Sotomayors confirmation. The scenario was repeated the next year, when the N.R.A. opposed Elena Kagans nomination. Neither of President Obamas nominees had a record on guns that could have provided a principled reason for opposition; indeed, Elena Kagan, solicitor general of the United States and former dean of Harvard Law School, had never been a judge. Only five Republicans voted for her confirmation. Where will this end? Heres my fantasy, my fondest hope for rescuing the Supreme Court from the precipice over which the current confirmation process is pushing it. In Judge Kavanaughs Senate confirmation hearing, scheduled to begin in less than three weeks, a senator will play the N.R.A. commercial. What do you think of this, the senator will ask the nominee, who will assume his most sincere expression and reply: Im Brett Kavanaugh and I disavow that commercial. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook and Twitter (@NYTopinion), and sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter. A lot of people have been asking me for my take on whats going on with Elon Musk these days. But what theyre really asking is obvious: Is he crazy? Not crazy like a fox, but crazy as a loon. In the past few months, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX has: ear-boxed analysts on an earnings call; made bankruptcy jokes about the health of his companies; attacked journalists as shills; relentlessly baited short sellers who have bet on his downfall; and called a diver in the Thai crisis with whom he wrangled a pedo as in phile. Yeah, he did that. This past week Mr. Musk upped the ante considerably, revealing via a terse tweet that he wanted to take Tesla private and had the funding secured. No surprise since it is now clear that his announcement was, oops, premature that it set in motion a boardroom kerfuffle about what to do about his Twitter addiction. And more problematically, it has reportedly triggered an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission about the circumstances of that tweet, which sent Teslas stock zigzagging (lawsuits are likely to follow). Most of these high jinks have played out large on Twitter, where Mr. Musks pronouncements too often land with the force of a stink bomb. They have prompted speculation about what is up with the famous entrepreneur, who is often compared to the fictional Iron Man, Tony Stark. Words like erratic first used by those shorts who have been trying to paint Mr. Musk as insane are now being uttered by analysts and journalists to describe him. There has even been the creation of the inevitable #muskmeltdown. Toying with access to classified information has become the White Houses go-to method for drawing attention away from screw-ups and scandals. On July 23, the White House faced a grim news cycle in response to President Trumps disastrous Helsinki summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Then the White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, announced that Mr. Trump was looking to take away the security clearances of a number of former top officials who had criticized him, among them the former C.I.A. director John Brennan. Early this week, the president flung insults at his former aide Omarosa Manigault Newman as speculation heated up over the existence of a tape of Mr. Trump using a noxious racial slur during his tenure on The Apprentice. Then on Wednesday, Ms. Sanders began her press briefing with a notice that the president had stripped Mr. Brennan of his clearance. It has become cliche to complain about the Trump administrations use of distractions to divert the press from unwelcome news, but this time the White House didnt even put any effort into hiding it. The document announcing Mr. Trumps decision was dated July 26 suggesting strongly that the White House had been saving it for a rainy day. (After this was pointed out, the administration quickly issued a second, undated copy.) What's more, Mr. Trump himself told The Wall Street Journal that he had revoked Mr. Brennan's clearance because of the former official's role in leading the rigged witch hunt. On one level, this particular distraction is vindictive but unimportant. John Brennan will be fine, and so will most of the other officials including James Comey, Sally Yates and James Clapper whose clearances Ms. Sanders threatened during the briefing. They have the power and visibility to continue criticizing the president as loudly as they like on cable news and on Twitter, where Mr. Brennan has taken to attacking Mr. Trump as treasonous and disgraceful. When Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russias internal security service, told me during an early August 2016 phone call that Russia wasnt interfering in our presidential election, I knew he was lying. Over the previous several years I had grown weary of Mr. Bortnikovs denials of Russias perfidy about its mistreatment of American diplomats and citizens in Moscow, its repeated failure to adhere to cease-fire agreements in Syria and its paramilitary intervention in eastern Ukraine, to name just a few issues. When I warned Mr. Bortnikov that Russian interference in our election was intolerable and would roil United States-Russia relations for many years, he denied Russian involvement in any election, in America or elsewhere, with a feigned sincerity that I had heard many times before. President Vladimir Putin of Russia reiterated those denials numerous times over the past two years, often to Donald Trumps seeming approval. Russian denials are, in a word, hogwash. Before, during and after its now infamous meddling in our last presidential election, Russia practiced the art of shaping political events abroad through its well-honed active measures program, which employs an array of technical capabilities, information operations and old-fashioned human intelligence spycraft. Electoral politics in Western democracies present an especially inviting target, as a variety of politicians, political parties, media outlets, think tanks and influencers are readily manipulated, wittingly and unwittingly, or even bought outright by Russian intelligence operatives. The very freedoms and liberties that liberal Western democracies cherish and that autocracies fear have been exploited by Russian intelligence services not only to collect sensitive information but also to distribute propaganda and disinformation, increasingly via the growing number of social media platforms. Having worked closely with the F.B.I. over many years on counterintelligence investigations, I was well aware of Russias ability to work surreptitiously within the United States, cultivating relationships with individuals who wield actual or potential power. Like Mr. Bortnikov, these Russian operatives and agents are well trained in the art of deception. They troll political, business and cultural waters in search of gullible or unprincipled individuals who become pliant in the hands of their Russian puppet masters. Too often, those puppets are found. To the Editor: Re A Free Press Needs You (editorial, Aug 16): Never in my wildest dreams (nay, nightmares) would I have thought it necessary for American newspapers from coast to coast to defend their constitutional role of oversight of government. Public officials serve at our pleasure, subject to criticism and subject to being voted out at the next election. Our newspapers and other media are central to an informed electorate. Long may they continue to provide us with the eyes and ears to learn how our federal, state and local governments operate. Jay N. Feldman Port Washington, N.Y. To the Editor: Choosing a day for hundreds of newspapers to publish an inspiring message supporting a free press is certainly admirable, but how about something more meaningful? Show that same solidarity by taking the oxygen out of the White House briefing room. Eliminate the pretense that any reasonable amount of truth is being offered by the administration. One and all, the press corps should simply not show up, thus depriving the press secretary, or whoevers turn it is to destroy any integrity that she or he may have, of an audience for the nonsense spewing forth from that podium. The ouster of South Africas chief prosecutor by the countrys highest court on Monday demonstrates both the hurdles and the promise of the battle against deeply ingrained corruption, which he pledged after the resignation under duress of the perfidious Jacob Zuma as president six months ago . The prosecutor, Shaun Abrahams, had been installed as director of public prosecutions by Mr. Zuma in 2015 to ensure impunity for his intimate and lucrative dealings with a powerful family, the Guptas, in what is known as state capture a form of corruption in which private businesses manipulate official policy to their advantage. Mr. Abrahams was forced out after the Constitutional Court concluded that his appointment resulted from an abuse of power by Mr. Zuma, namely a payout of more than $1 million to Mr. Abrahamss predecessor, Mxolisi Nxasana. That clears the way for Mr. Zumas successor, Cyril Ramaphosa, to appoint someone capable of waging a tough, independent and credible cleansing of South Africas officialdom, which the president promised on taking over from Mr. Zuma. The problem is that Mr. Abrahams was only one shoot in the systemic corruption that has spread through his party, the African National Congress , in the 24 years it has ruled largely unchallenged since the triumph over apartheid. As Norimitsu Onishi and Selam Gebrekidan reported recently in The Times, some of the top leaders of the party and the government are there not by merit or achievement, but through graft and patronage. IN THE MODERN pastime of thinking about Keanu Reeves, a few images endure: the monastic undercover F.B.I. agent in Point Break, the monastic prophesied savior of an oppressed future in The Matrix, the monastic emissary from an alien planet in The Day the Earth Stood Still. Of these, monastic art-book publisher is perhaps less immediate, though, as of last year, its no less accurate. Since the summer, X Artists Books, a small press that Reeves launched in Los Angeles with the visual artist Alexandra Grant, has been producing aggressively esoteric titles of the kind that wouldnt fly at larger imprints. Not long after Grant and Reeves met at a dinner party in 2009, they began collaborating on their first book, for which the 45-year-old Grant who makes text-based paintings about linguistic connections created washed-ink drawings inspired by a winkingly morose poem that Reeves, 53, had written. The result, Ode to Happiness, released by the renowned German publisher Steidl, was an archly sullen self-care guide in the Sendakian mode, with a regimen that included I hate myself face cream and alone again silk pajamas. A few years later, they reunited with Steidl for Shadows, which paired Grants chromatic images of Reevess own silhouette with his gnomic meditation on loss, impermanence and acceptance. (Its lighter than it sounds.) Hollywood is lousy with actors vanity projects and left-field dalliances burger joints and artisanal tequilas and cultish lifestyle companies that may or may not be pyramid schemes. But Reevess extracurriculars feel more in sync with his persona: Theyre rooted in artless sincerity, whether hes playing bass and supplying backing vocals for the mid-90s alt-rock band Dogstar or cofounding a California motorcycle manufacturer called Arch. Instead of feeling like a departure from acting, these projects along with bookmaking express a genuine interest in not just creating objects but in the process of creation itself. Not that were reinventing anything, Reeves says. But the idea of a quality book is definitely our ambition. Facebook has made a mint by enabling advertisers to identify and reach the very people most likely to react to their messages. Ad buyers can select audiences based on details like a users location, political leanings and interests as specific as the Museum of the Confederacy or online gambling. And they can aim their ads at as few as 20 of the 1.5 billion daily users of the social network. Brands love it. So do political campaigns, like those for President Trump and former President Barack Obama, which tailored their messages to narrow subsets of voters. But microtargeting, as the technique is called, is coming under increased scrutiny in the United States and Europe. Some government officials, researchers and advertising executives warn that it can be exploited to polarize and manipulate voters. And they are calling for restrictions on its use in politics, even after Facebook, in response to criticism, recently limited some of the targeting categories available to advertisers. It has essentially weaponized ad technology designed for consumer products and services, said Sarah Golding, the president of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, an industry organization in Britain. Her group recently called for a moratorium on political microtargeting. There is a danger that every single person can get their own concerns played back to them, she said. Hundreds of Google employees, upset at the companys decision to secretly build a censored version of its search engine for China, have signed a letter demanding more transparency to understand the ethical consequences of their work. In the letter, which was obtained by The New York Times, employees wrote that the project and Googles apparent willingness to abide by Chinas censorship requirements raise urgent moral and ethical issues. They added, Currently we do not have the information required to make ethically-informed decisions about our work, our projects, and our employment. The letter is circulating on Googles internal communication systems and is signed by about 1,400 employees, according to three people familiar with the document, who were not authorized to speak publicly. The internal activism presents another obstacle for Googles potential return to China eight years after the company publicly withdrew from the country in protest of censorship and government hacking. China has the worlds largest internet audience but has frustrated American tech giants with content restrictions or outright blockages of services including Facebook and Instagram. Good morning. (Want to get California Today by email? Heres the sign-up.) Nearly three weeks after a wildfire closed Yosemite Valley to the public, park officials welcomed back visitors on Tuesday. This was great news for tourists from Israel, Italy, Germany and many other points on the globe who drove into a park still hazy from the diminished but still active Ferguson Fire. But the reopening was most likely a disappointment for some of the parks longstanding residents namely the bears, gray foxes, coyotes, deer and bobcats that had taken advantage of the parks closing to ramble more freely across the valley floor. The bears were having a field day, said Scott Gediman, a spokesman for the park. With so few people there they were roaming everywhere, kind of just walking around. It was cool, an unforeseen benefit. The bears were especially happy to climb some of the apple trees in Curry Village and feast on the harvest. His wife and two children had been missing since Monday, and the police had searched his home and scoured the surrounding area with K-9 units. Mr. Watts said in the seven-minute interview that he and Ms. Watts had had an emotional discussion before her disappearance, but he declined to go into detail. Ms. Wattss body was found on the property of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, an oil company where Mr. Watts had worked, the authorities said at a news conference on Thursday. Bodies believed to be those of the two children were later found nearby, the police said that night. Anadarko said Thursday that Mr. Watts was fired on Wednesday, the same day he was arrested. We are heartbroken by this, and our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones and friends of the Watts family, a spokeswoman said. A news report from Denver7, the ABC affiliate that interviewed Mr. Watts at his home, said that Mr. Watts had confessed to the crimes Wednesday night. The police would not confirm on Thursday that he had confessed. On the morning of Aug. 6, a law professor at the University of Michigan wrote a tweet about a family that had been separated by immigration authorities after crossing into the United States. Then the professor, Beth Wilensky, went for a run. Then she ate some lunch. I came back and checked my Twitter feed and said, Oh my goodness, Ms. Wilensky recalled. Her post was blowing up, on its way to getting tens of thousands of retweets. The tweet said: My husband travels a lot. Downside: hes gone a lot. Upside: frequent flier miles. We just used some to fly a 3-yr-old and his dad, who had been separated at the border, from Michigan (where the son had been taken) to their extended family. DM me if you have miles to donate. A zero tolerance immigration policy from the Trump administration led to the separation of thousands of children from their parents or guardians this year. In June, President Trump signed an order meant to stop the separations. But hundreds of children remain in United States custody without their parents, according to the Homeland Security Department. Beyond his newcomer opponent, Mr. Barr has had to deal with some unexpected issues. The tariffs on bourbon, prompted by the presidents trade war, are wildly unpopular here and could cancel out any benefits from the tax cuts. The Sixth District uses its Bourbon Trail of distilleries as a major tourist attraction, and the industry generates millions in tax revenues. Farmers have also been hurt. And the largest employer in the district, Toyota, is likely to suffer from Mr. Trumps tariffs on steel and aluminum. Mr. Barr said that he has taken his opposition to the tariffs directly to Vice President Mike Pence; the Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin; and the commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross, among others access that he said his Democratic opponent would never have in a Republican administration. Still, Mr. Barr said he is an enthusiastic backer of the president and would absolutely welcome Mr. Trump to campaign for him. While the midterms will clearly be a referendum on Mr. Trump, the elections will also be a measure of womens emerging political power. Mr. Barrs approach of casting his opponent as a reflexive liberal may be more difficult given Ms. McGraths military background. But his deriding her as a feminist may be more of a gamble in the #MeToo era. Asked if he considered that term a pejorative, Mr. Barr noted that he has a working spouse, Carol Leavell Barr, and two young daughters whom he featured in an earlier ad. I am a strong advocate for equal opportunity, regardless of gender, he said. What people around here understand, though, is that feminism used the way my opponent uses it is the politics of entitlement based on an immutable characteristic, the politics of grievance. That is not the way the people of the Sixth District view equal opportunity. The Iran nuclear deal however much they think it is keeping the peace has prevented nations from taking action against the full range of Irans threats to peace and security, Mr. Hook said. Now we can go after the Iranian regime revenues to deny them what they need to support Assad, the Houthis, and Irans militias and proxies, he said, referring to President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and rebels in Yemen. So far, Mr. Trumps strategy a threat to European and Asian firms that if they do business with Iran they will be barred from business in the United States has had only mixed results. China, for one, said this week that it would not stop buying oil from Iran, as permitted under the 2015 deal. Still, a series of companies that were edging back into Iran have canceled their planned operations, from Boeing to European banks to energy firms that were looking to revive the countrys outmoded oil drilling operations. Iran, meanwhile, has not budged. On Monday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Irans supreme leader, predicted on Twitter that the American strategy will fail. THERE WILL BE NO WAR, NOR WILL WE NEGOTIATE WITH THE U.S., he wrote. Nancy Pelosi is girding for a mortal challenge to her leadership of the Democratic Party after the November elections or even sooner, and in a signal of reassurance to anxious lawmakers says that she is deliberately building a bridge to a new generation of party leaders. In perhaps the most serious test of her 15-year grip on the House Democratic caucus, Ms. Pelosi is facing unrest from older lawmakers critical of her style, younger Democrats demanding generational change and candidates across the party who have sought to inoculate themselves against Republican attacks by distancing themselves from her. One of Ms. Pelosis deputies, Representative Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, said in an interview that he would seek the speakership if she struggles to amass the required 218 votes after November an extraordinary acknowledgment of her vulnerability given the culture of deference in Washington. Ms. Pelosi remains intent on reclaiming the speakership, but in an interview on Wednesday she also acknowledged a handover of power was coming eventually, and she encouraged would-be successors to prove their political mettle. Any aspiring party leader, she said, must demonstrate that they do have a following, that theyve shown a vision for the country, as well as the necessary fund-raising prowess. Omarosa Manigault Newman released a secret recording on Thursday that she said backed her claim that President Trumps daughter-in-law had offered her a $15,000-a-month contract in exchange for her silence about her time as a White House adviser. The audio, released during an interview on MSNBC, is the latest in the trickle of recordings that Ms. Manigault Newman has made public to bolster the credibility and sales of her tell-some book, Unhinged, about her tenure at the White House. In the book, she claimed that the Trump 2020 campaign, which is partly overseen by Lara Trump, who is married to Mr. Trumps son Eric, offered her a salary equal to what she had earned before being fired from the White House in December. Ms. Trump noted on the tape, which Ms. Manigault Newman said was recorded days after she was fired, that the money would come from campaign donors. ALEXANDRIA, Va. Jury deliberations began on Wednesday in the trial of Paul Manafort, President Trumps former campaign chairman, who is charged with 18 counts of bank and tax fraud. The prosecution called 27 witnesses and presented 388 documents, including Mr. Manaforts financial records and emails. The defense rested without calling any witnesses, which is not uncommon. Many factors could affect how the jury weighs the evidence. Here are some. Rick Gatess credibility Mr. Manaforts close aide for nearly two decades, Mr. Gates helped Mr. Manafort with both his business and personal finances. At Mr. Manaforts request, he testified, he doctored profit and loss statements, lied to accountants about Mr. Manaforts foreign bank accounts and helped him deceive bank officers so that they would approve millions of dollars in loans for which Mr. Manafort did not qualify. But Mr. Gates was also a flawed witness. He has pleaded guilty to two felony charges and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in the hope of winning a lighter sentence. He also acknowledged committing a host of other crimes, including embezzling from Mr. Manaforts accounts. On the stand, he vacillated between taking responsibility for his misdeeds and trying to minimize them. Asked why he lied on one financial document, for instance, he said he was merely doing his friend a favor. Kevin Downing, one of Mr. Manaforts lawyers, accused him of leading a secret life that included at least one mistress, and possibly four. Mr. Trump took a swipe at The Globe by noting that The New York Times Company had sold the paper at a steep loss, though he incorrectly said that the price had been $1. The Times Company sold The Globe and other properties for $70 million in 2013, after having paid $1.1 billion two decades before. The presidents tweets came a day after the White House announced that Mr. Trump had taken the unprecedented step of revoking the security clearance of one of his biggest critics, John O. Brennan, the former director of the C.I.A. Mr. Brennan said the presidents action was an attempt to silence him and a warning to others who speak out against him and his administrations policies. Mr. Trumps claims of no collusion are, in a word, hogwash, Mr. Brennan, who led the C.I.A. when Russia started its interference campaign, wrote in an opinion article published in The Times. Mr. Trump has been fighting accusations that his presidential campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election. He has repeatedly said there was no collusion and has called news reports about his campaigns contacts with Russia fake news, even as federal prosecutors detailed such communications in legal documents. The White House said the president was considering revoking the security clearances of other former national security officials and one current official. Former national security officials maintain their security clearances in part to be of assistance to new administrations for consultation or elaboration on historical context. [What do you think of Gender Letter? Take our short survey and tell us!] Republican women entering the fray, though, are finding themselves in a bind, Kate Zernike, a Times national correspondent, reported this week. Having long resisted identity politics, Republican women are reluctant or unable to claim any advantage to being a woman among voters, she wrote. I took the opportunity to chat with Ms. Zernike, who has spent years covering politics, most recently in a new series called Campaigning While Female. Maya: What challenges do women candidates face that men do not? Kate Zernike: Theyre held to a higher standard. Like the old line about Ginger Rogers, they have to do everything men do but backwards in high heels. The old boys club means that male leaders tend to think of other men when they are nominating people for other leadership positions, or to run for office. Women are still expected to express themselves within a narrow range of emotions and personality traits: they cant be too aggressive, they cant be too soft. [Sign up here to get future installments of the Gender Letter delivered to your inbox!] But politics adds an extra challenge for women. The pay gap has made it harder for women to raise money. And research has shown that voters expect women to be likable, and to prove their qualifications; they assume men are qualified and dont care if they are likable or not. Has anything about this wave of political candidates particularly surprised you? Women arent waiting to be asked to run for office. They have more freedom in how they dress and present themselves ... nobody predicted that women would be showing their tattoos in political ads. More women are running with young kids; the assumption then was that they had to wait until the kids were grown. Ambroise Dakouo, an analyst from the Alliance to Rebuild African Governance, said that the low turnout during elections reflected disillusionment with the political establishment, consisting of a rotation of the same elites who are unaccountable to their constituents, the majority of whom are poor and illiterate. Corruption is a very strong force, Mr. Dakouo said. People will be mobilized and elect someone, and right away they are disappointed. If you ask why people do not vote, they will say, They are all the same, he added. During his campaign, Mr. Keita, 73, trumpeted what he said were the successes of his first term, including creating jobs and expanding access to drinking water, electricity and education. His supporters maintained that he needed a second five-year term to finish what he had started. Mali is still not stable. People are poor, there is unemployment, people finish their studies and they are jobless, said Moussa Toure, a 26-year-old law student, after he voted on Sunday. There are still things which are not settled, and maybe we need 10 years to have change in Mali and give time to a leader or we cannot move forward. Critics of Mr. Keita have criticized him for what they say has been lavish spending on presidential jets and travel, rampant corruption, the appointment of family members to key government positions, widespread military abuses and a failure to maintain security in the face of Islamist extremism and ethnic conflict. Mr. Keita has been in office since his election in 2013, just after a period during which Mali faced an Islamist insurgency, a rebellion by the Tuareg ethnic group, and a military coup. During his tenure, violence and insecurity have spread closer to the capital, Bamako, with conflict between ethnic groups and local militias emerging in the central region. RIO DE JANEIRO A celebrity plastic surgeon has been charged in the death of a patient, in a case that has drawn attention to the dangers posed by risky elective cosmetic procedures in a country that is generally seen as being obsessed with beauty. Prosecutors said that the surgeon, Denis Furtado, who is known on social media as Dr. Bumbum, or Dr. Backside, injected the patient, Lilian Calixto, 46, with a far larger dose of PMMA a synthetic resin that is also known as acrylic glass, and is used in cosmetic surgery to reduce wrinkles than is considered safe. The surgeons mother, Maria de Fatima Furtado, was also charged with assisting Mr. Furtado during the July 14 procedure known as a buttock lift. Also facing charges were his girlfriend and an assistant, who acted as a surgical technician despite having no medical training. Prosecutors said that neither Mr. Furtado nor his mother had a license to practice medicine in the state Rio de Janeiro, where the procedure took place. He has no one here, no family, someone said. We are his family, Mr. Abas said. Lets move him closer to the others. Among the first to be buried were twins, Attaullah and Farzana, 19. They were the first children of their parents, born and raised in Ghazni Province before their family moved to Kabul nine years ago. Their mother was a seamstress; she would often sew them matching clothes when they were babies, their cousin Abdul Qader Rahimi said. Attaullah was the first to be born, and he grew faster than Farzana, Mr. Rahimi said. She would tease him that he drank her share of milk, thats why. One could not live without the other that is why they left the world together, Mr. Rahimi said. They were one soul, in two bodies. Then there was Negina. No one at the cemetery really knew much about her. Her only friend helped other women inch the coffin closer to the grave until its turn arrived. Then she fainted. Other women unbuckled her shoes and splashed her face with water. BERLIN A gay Afghan 18-year-old who was seeking asylum in Austria because he feared persecution in his country had his application denied because the authorities said he did not act like a stereotypical gay man, citing his walk, behavior and clothing, according to a Vienna-based organization that helps refugees. In a case that illustrates the plight of many L.G.B.T. refugees coming to Europe, the organization, Queer Base, said the teenager, whom it did not identify, provided testimony at an asylum hearing this spring that he became aware of his sexuality when he was 12 and living in Afghanistan. He migrated to Austria as a minor, according to the organization, which kept all other details of the teenagers life and journey confidential at his request. But after he applied for asylum, the document outlining the decision quoted an official as saying that the mans claim that he was gay was not believable based on how he had acted while living in Austria. When bridges collapse suddenly, flaws in design or construction, or inadequate inspection and maintenance, are usually to blame. In the case of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy, which stood for half a century before falling apart Tuesday in a tangled heap of concrete and steel, both design and maintenance may be at fault, experts said. The bridge, named for its designer, Riccardo Morandi, is of the cable-stayed type, in which sections of roadway are cantilevered from towers like diving boards and supported by stays. This type of design, more common now than it was 50 years ago, is often used when the gap to be spanned is too long for the structure to be supported at both ends, but not so long that a suspension bridge would be a better solution. The stays are critical elements of this kind of design. Without them, the cantilevered sections would have to be so massive as to make the bridge too costly or otherwise impractical. And more than anything else, the stays are what made the Morandi bridge unusual: They are constructed of concrete with steel rods, called tendons, inside them, which enables the concrete to handle the pull of the roadway. More modern cable-stayed bridges use steel cables instead. STOCKHOLM A Muslim woman in Sweden who said she was discriminated against in a job interview for refusing to shake hands on religious grounds has been awarded financial compensation by a labor court. The woman, Farah Alhajeh, 24, was interviewing for a job as an interpreter at Semantix, a language services company, in the city of Uppsala, north of Stockholm, in May 2016, when the person conducting the interview offered to introduce her to a male boss. Ms. Alhajeh said she placed her hand on her heart as a greeting, smiled, and explained that she avoided physical contact because she was Muslim. She was shown to the elevator. It was like a punch in the face, Ms. Alhajeh, who was born in Sweden, said by telephone from her home in Uppsala on Thursday, a day after the ruling. It was the first time someone reacted, and it was a really harsh reaction. A Swedish labor court agreed, ruling on Wednesday that the company had discriminated against Ms. Alhajeh, and ordering it to pay 40,000 kronor, or about $4,350, in compensation. LONDON After an emergency landing on a Swiss glacier, the group of 12 Americans drank melted snow and survived on rations of one chocolate bar a person until daring pilots shuttled them to safety after five days marooned on the ice. Relics of that harrowing adventure and the successful rescue of all those onboard, including an 11-year-old girl and the captains mother, resurfaced after more than 70 years this month when scorching summer temperatures in Europe caused the glacial ice to recede. [Read a 1946 article about the accident and rescue mission, published in The New York Times.] The melting uncovered a large part of the wreckage of the United States Army transport plane, including a wing and items from the cabin, like canned food and clothes hangers. Parts of the C-53 aircraft, also known as a Dakota, had already been discovered over the past 20 years. But the heat waves washing over much of the Continent this year, which many have linked to climate change, have permitted the retrieval of many more artifacts that recount the death-defying story of the 1946 flight. Senate races with two female candidates Wisconsin DEM. REP. Tammy Baldwin INCUMBENT Leah Vukmir Minnesota Tina Smith INCUMBENT Karin Housley New York Kirsten Gillibrand INCUMBENT Chele Farley Washington Maria Cantwell INCUMBENT Susan Hutchison Nebraska Deb Fischer INCUMBENT Jane Raybould Wis. Minn. N.Y. Wash. Neb. DEM. Tammy Baldwin INCUMBENT Tina Smith INCUMBENT Kirsten Gillibrand INCUMBENT Maria Cantwell INCUMBENT Jane Raybould REP. Leah Vukmir Karin Housley Chele Farley Susan Hutchison Deb Fischer INCUMBENT Wisconsin Minnesota New York Washington Nebraska DEM. Tammy Baldwin INCUMBENT Tina Smith INCUMBENT Kirsten Gillibrand INCUMBENT Maria Cantwell INCUMBENT Jane Raybould REP. Leah Vukmir Karin Housley Chele Farley Susan Hutchison Deb Fischer INCUMBENT MILWAUKEE In this year of record-breaking advances for women running for office, there is nothing especially extraordinary about two more winning their primaries. But the victories on Tuesday of Leah Vukmir in Wisconsin and Karin Housley in Minnesota both Republican nominees for the United States Senate in November shattered a glass ceiling that few people probably realized was about to give. With their wins, there are now five Senate races this fall that will feature only women as major party candidates. Most recent election years have had just one or two states in which the nominees were both women. In 2012, the year the record was last set, there were three. Senate races in which nominees were both women As of Aug. 15 Five races One race 1960 1986 1998 2018 As of Aug. 15 Five races One race 1960 1986 1998 2018 As of Aug. 15 Five races One race 1960 1986 1998 2018 If one of the two women running in the Republican primary for the Senate in Arizona later this month wins, as polls suggest, there would be six Senate races across the country in which a Democratic and a Republican woman are opposing each other. Many of the candidates this year are newcomers, who span a wide range: A city councilwoman in Nebraska who has a family grocery store business; a Goldman Sachs-trained banker with an engineering degree from Stanford in New York; a former television news anchor; and state party chair in Washington. Traditionally, the Senate has not been the most hospitable place for women. Only 23 women currently serve in the 100-person body and that represents about half the number who have served in its history, 52. Senate seats held by women 100 seats 75 50 Current breakdown 6 Republicans 17 Democrats 25 1917 2018 100 seats 75 Current breakdown 50 6 Republicans 17 Democrats 25 1917 2018 100 seats 75 50 Current breakdown 6 Republicans 17 Democrats 25 1917 2018 Note: Data shown for every other year. Only 19 states currently have female representation in the Senate, and even fewer still are represented by two women, as shown in the map below. Two female senators One female senator AK ME VT NH MA WA MT ND SD MN WI MI NY CT RI PA OR ID WY NE IA IL IN OH NJ CA NV CO WV VA MD DE UT KS MO SC AZ NM OK AR TN KY NC TX LA MS AL GA FL HI Two female senators One female senator AK ME VT NH MA WA MT ND SD MN WI MI NY CT RI PA OR ID WY NE IA IL IN OH NJ CA NV UT CO KS MO WV VA MD DE SC AZ NM OK AR TN KY NC TX LA MS AL GA FL HI Still, even with records falling as more women than ever before run, the number who actually make it to the Senate may remain flat a case of one step forward, one step back. This is not going to turn around in one election cycle, said Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. I think back to 1992, and we called that The Year of the Woman, she added. That year was a success, she said, because the number of women elected to Congress doubled. But it was still only 10 percent of the Congress. With more women running against other women, one replaces another. And that limits the overall change on the gender makeup of the Senate. But two female incumbents who are especially vulnerable this year Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Claire McCaskill of Missouri are both Democrats running against men in states that President Trump won by double digits. Senator Claire McCaskill (center) speaks during a news conference in the Capitol on July 19. Al Drago for The New York Times And in Mississippi, the Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith, who was appointed to the Senate in April, is in a competitive three-way race against the Democrat Mike Espy and the Republican Chris McDaniel, to serve a full term in the seat vacated by Thad Cochran. Their defeats would offset wins by women in states where they seem especially well positioned to win, like Arizona, Nevada and Tennessee. As slow as gender parity is taking, the trajectory has been gradually upward. And it has been a much faster climb for women in the Democratic Party. The number of women who have won major party nominations for Senate this year hit 19, or about 29 percent of all primary winners, on Tuesday another record. Six of those were Republican women (that was a record, too). Primary winners in Senate races 100% 75 Male winners 50 As of Aug. 15 29% 25 Female winners 1994 2018 100% 75 Male winners 50 As of Aug. 15 29% 25 Female winners 1994 2018 100% 75 Male winners 50 As of Aug. 15 29% 25 Female winners 1994 2018 Note: Only includes major-party candidates who advanced to the general election. Data shown for every other year. Data for 2018 includes a special general election for a Minnesota Senate seat. The record number of Republican women who have a shot at being elected to the Senate this year is a curious juxtaposition with the image of their party now that it is headed by President Trump, a man who has such a problematic history with women, and who faced repeated accusations of misconduct. Ms. Housley, the Minnesota Republican nominee, said in an interview that the environment is certainly more difficult for conservative women this year, given all the activism on the left. But Ms. Housley, a state senator from suburban Minneapolis, said that she sees herself as something of an ambassador to women who are on the fence about Mr. Trump and the Republican Party. It's important for them to know that its O.K. for a woman to support President Trump, she said. Especially being a suburban woman myself, they look at you and go, Wait a second. Here you are a strong woman, serving in politics, and you're still supporting Trump? They listen, Ms. Housley added. Persis Namuganza Robert Ssebunya, a senior member on the panel of the ongoing land inquiry, has warned state minister for Lands Persis Namuganza to refrain from making reckless public allegations against the commission. Ssebunya while appearing on Bilal FMs Sunday programme, Amagezi muliro (knowledge is fire), responded to Namuganzas allegations made shortly after she was grilled over the Mubende land row over a week ago. Namuganza said then that whereas members of the commission led by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire earn a lot of money, they do nothing. She suggested that the probe be disbanded. They are paid Shs 52 million a month each yet me, a minister, I get only Shs 6 million. Why do they waste peoples money? the minister said. But Ssebunya said: I am warning Namuganza to stop attacking the land probe recklessly without facts. She is the junior minister in charge of landsshe says we are useless but our findings into her land deals will reveal who is useless and the public will know the reason the probe was set up when she is in charge of land matters. By the time our recommendations are out, the public will judge who is useless. He observed that it is Namuganza who has been fighting useless wars ever since she was appointed as minister. She fought former Lands minister Idah Nantaba and speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga, he observed. Ssebunya said President Musevenis extension of the probes term for another 18 months, is an indication that the inquiry has made an impact. We have caused cancellation of several land titles got fraudulently under the watch of Namuganza. With the help of investigators given to us by the DPP, we have so far caused prosecution of 18 people. Before our extension, we had disposed of 3,000 complaints and we still have 8,000 to handle [and] yet more are coming, he said. When she appeared before the inquiry, Namuganza denied allegations that she connived with a one Milly Naava to evict 350 families in Mubende district, and also purportedly led a team to the president largely to con the government. She accused the commission of waging private wars. They are fighting personal wars. They have no issue. They are just useless. Their emotions wont help Uganda. She added: Im going on record. That [commission] is only eating taxpayers money. That [commission] should be disbanded and members sent home to sleep. It is also alleged that Namuganza colluded with state minister for Kampala, Benny Namugwanya (Mubende Woman MP), mobilized and led alleged claimants of the disputed three square mile land in Butoroogo and Madudu sub-counties of Mubende to State House. Namuganza was accused before the land probe of having led purported landlords; Blasio Musoke Lule, Milly Naava Namutebi and other people to the president. At the State House meeting, witnesses separately testified, Lule asked the president for Shs 4 billion in compensation for one square mile of land. The commission is investigating accusations of forceful evictions, destruction of property, unlawful arrests and threatening violence against a retired primary school teacher, Namutebi and a senior army officer in charge of administration at Mubende Rehabilitation Centre, Maj Eric Kigamboha. The incidents reportedly took place in Buwekula, Butoroogo and Madudu between 2010 and 2018. Last week, the land probe ordered the arrest of Namutebi and Musoke for defying witness summons. Namuganza got embroiled in the Mubende land saga last year upon being asked by Museveni to carry out a fact-finding mission in the area. When she appeared before the Bamugemereire inquiry, Namuganza said she was not answerable to them. The president instructed me and the former Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura knowing that the commission of inquiry is there. I took the assignment from the president under the law, she said. The minister also denied allegations that she connived with Naava to evict 350 families in Mubende district. lubwamasiraje@gmail.com Arua municipality MP-elect Kassiano Wadri has today been charged with treason and remanded to Gulu Main Prison until August 30. Wadri who won the Arua municipality seat from prison after being arrested on Monday evening appeared before the Chief Magistrate's Court in Gulu together with MPs Gerald Karuhanga, Paul Mwiru and 33 other suspects. Prosecution accuses the suspects of stoning the president's motorcade with the intention of harming the president on Monday evening. The suspects have been remanded to Gulu Main Prison until August 30 Magistrate Francis Matenga Dawa remanded the suspects but directed that the MPs be allowed to access to medical treatment from a facility of their choice. This was after the suspects' lawyer Medard Sseggona told court that the suspects were tortured and are in need of medical attention. In a related development, Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi and Mityana municipality MP Francis Zaake did not appear in the General Court Martial in Gulu as earlier anticipated. Lawyers and family members claimed they were denied access to the legislators. It's highly likely that the MPs will not appear in court today as the army court officials led by Lt Gen Andrew Gutti only set off for Gulu today morning. Kyagulanyi whose driver Yasin Kawuma was shot dead in Arua and Zaake were arrested with several other suspects on Monday and Tuesday. Protests have broken out in Kamwokya, a city suburb where the Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine spent most of his youth years. Kamwokya is the home of the Fire Base Crew which is a group of artists led by the jailed legislator alias 'ghetto president'. Bobi Wine was arrested on Tuesday in Arua where he'd gone to mobilise election support for independent candidate Kassiano Wadri. Wadri, who won yesterday's by-election while in detention, today, alongside over 30 other suspects appeared before the Gulu Chief Magistrate's court and charged with treason. They were remanded to Gulu Main Prison until August 30. The youth protesting However, Bobi Wine and Mityana MP Francis Zaake did not appear in the army court as expected with their family, friends and supporters worried about the state of their health or whereabouts much as the army insists that they have them and are safe. There are fears that the two legislators were severely tortured. The angry youth blocked the Old Kiira road and lit fires in the middle of the road using old tyres to protest against Bobi Wine's arrest and subsequent detention in Arua since Tuesday evening. Riot police needed no second invitation and swung into action, firing teargas and live ammunition to disperse the protestors. Some of the protesters fled to Kifumbira slums where they regrouped and returned to the road. Other people ran to safety into Kamwokya Mosque. The chaos paralysed traffic and forced several businesses in Kamwokya trading centre to close. Bobi Wine was arrested together with other legislators and more than 30 other people for allegedly obstructing the president's motorcade and pelting it with stones during the last campaigns of the Arua Municipality parliamentary seat. The by-election was eventually won independent candidate Kassiano Wadri. The president was returning from Boma grounds in Arua when he was allegedly attack by people wearing the campaign T-shirts of Wadri, the Arua municipality MP elect. Kyadondo East member of parliament Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine has finally been charged and remanded to Makindye military prison. Kyagulanyi appeared before the Army Court Martial chairman Lt. Gen Andrew Gutti at Gulu barracks on Thursday evening. He was charged with two counts of illegal possession of fire arms and live ammunition. He was later airlifted in a military helicopter to Makindye barracks, where he was remanded to until August 23. Kyagulanyi's family, friends and journalists who'd waited all day were denied access to the Army court proceedings. Lt. Gen Gutti only allowed in his two lawyers Medard Sseggona and Asuman Basalirwa. Bobi Wine was reportedly tortured Sseggona told journalists outside Gulu barracks that Kyagulanyi could not support himself and was in pain because he was tortured. "The honourable Kyagulanyi, we have been able to see him, hes in great pain as a matter of fact - great, great pain. He was badly beaten and brutalised; he cannot walk, he cannot stand, he can only sit with great difficulty. So everything he does, he does with support. He cant talk, he cant see [and] it is hard to say whether he understands this and that. That notwithstanding, he has been charged with three counts of unlawful possession of firearms and I hear 35 rounds of bullets of a particular classification. That he was in possession of a pistol, unlawful possession of firearms at his hotel room at Pacific in Arua." said Sseggona. As Sseggona narrated Kyagulanyi's health condition to journalists, the legislator's wife Barbie Kyagulanyi broke down in tears. According to Basalirwa, Lt. Gen Gutti said that while at Makindye barracks, Kyagulanyi will be allowed access to his family and friends. Sseggona told journalists outside Gulu barracks that Kyagulanyi could not support himself and was in pain because he was tortured."The honourable Kyagulanyi, we have been able to see him, hes in great pain as a matter of fact - great, great pain. He was badly beaten and brutalised; he cannot walk, he cannot stand, he can only sit with great difficulty. So everything he does, he does with support. He cant talk, he cant see [and] it is hard to say whether he understands this and that. That notwithstanding, he has been charged with three counts of unlawful possession of firearms and I hear 35 rounds of bullets of a particular classification. That he was in possession of a pistol, unlawful possession of firearms at his hotel room at Pacific in Arua." said Sseggona.As Sseggona narrated Kyagulanyi's health condition to journalists, the legislator's wife Barbie Kyagulanyi broke down in tears. According to Basalirwa, Lt. Gen Gutti said that while at Makindye barracks, Kyagulanyi will be allowed access to his family and friends. Kyagulanyi was arrested on Tuesday morning from his hotel room in Arua after almost 12 hours of hiding. He was accused by security of mobilising youth in Arua to attack President Yoweri Museveni's motorcade. Museveni in a second statement in as many days about the Monday's events in Arua warned that "the cases of terrorism, damaging property, manslaughter etc against the Hons Wadri and Bobi Wine etc will continue." He added that their actions led to the death of a Ugandan, Bobi Wine's driver Yasin Kawuma. Kawuma was shot dead on Monday at Hotel Pacific parking lot in Arua. Earlier, Arua MP-elect Kassiano Wadri alongside 35 other suspects including members of parliament were charged with treason before Chief Magistrate's court in Gulu and remanded to Gulu main prison until August 30. Kevin Foley When he brought her into the White House, President Trump must have known it would come to this. At some point, if she wasn't handled with kid gloves and allowed to do as she pleased, Omarosa Manigault Newman, a former contestant on Trump's old game show "The Apprentice," would find a way to stick it to the president. And has she ever. Fired by White House Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly, the conniving Omarosa left with recorded conversations in hand and a book deal to flog. Now she's on a media tour promoting her "tell-all" on whatever media outlet will have her and, for now at least, interviewers are lined up out the door. As reported in Politico, White House staff members are terrified, racking their brains trying to remember past conversations they had with Omarosa and wondering what recording she will drop next. "The latest reveal indicates that Manigault Newman isn't just trying to discredit President Donald Trump, who is the subject of her book 'Unhinged,'" wrote Annie Karni, "In her crusade for publicity and payback, she's willing to embarrass and expose her former colleagues along the way." Fed up with Omarosa's shenanigans, things like bringing her wedding party to the White House to shoot pictures, Kelly sent her packing last December. She was reportedly physically dragged from the grounds after she tried to confront the president in his residence. "Gen. Kelly kicked her out (with) high drama with (Omarosa) offering vulgarities and curse words as she was escorted out of the building and off campus, reported April Ryan of American Urban Radio Networks. Manigault Newman now claims she has been interviewed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and is characterizing herself as a "whistle blower." Trump blew his stack, of course, calling her "that dog" in a racially charged tweet that served only to prolong Omarosa's moment in the spotlight. "First, everything that Omarosa is, Trump is, and nobody knows that better than Trump himself," writes columnist Jay Bookman in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Even now, I suspect, some part of Trump grudgingly respects the publicity coup that she's pulling off, even at his expense." Maybe not. In a move clearly aimed at driving Omarosa off the front page, Sarah Huckabee Sanders took to her podium to announce that former CIA Director John Brennan was having his security clearance revoked along with other past officials who have been critical of Trump. Forget that Brennan is a private citizen whose First Amendment rights are guaranteed. The president's petulance means Brennan can no longer help those who replaced him on Trump's national security team. The Trump campaign says it is taking legal action to enforce a non-disclosure agreement Omarosa signed, one that appears unenforceable insofar as she worked as a public official on the taxpayers' dime. Meantime, as long as she's got those recordings, Omarosa holds the high (or low) ground in her PR battle with the president. *** Kevin Foley owns KEF Media Associates, Inc., an Atlanta-based producer and distributor of electronic publicity. He can be reached at kfoley@kefmedia.com. EVINS Communications Ltd. has been named public relations agency of record for One Warm Coat, an independent coat-drive organization. As AOR, EVINS will manage all U.S. public relations, online and social media initiatives surrounding the organizations programming for the 2018/2019 campaign, as well as public awareness and experiential initiatives. One Warm Coat works to provide a free, warm coat to any person in need and supports individuals, groups, companies and organizations across the country by providing the tools and resources needed to hold a successful coat drive. Coats are distributed in the communities where they were collected, to children and adults in need, without charge, discrimination or obligation. After working with EVINS previously, they were the natural choice to help One Warm Coat reach an even wider audience than in the past, said One Warm Coat president & CEO Jennifer Stockard. To learn more about One Warm Coat, visit https://www.onewarmcoat.org/. Finn Partners will be working with media services agency Crossmedia as well as experience design and digital marketing firm IBM iX to develop marketing strategy for Champion Petfoods. Finn will oversee traditional and digital communications, including managing the brands public relations, social media and influencer initiatives. Crossmedia's contribution will focus on media planning and buying, while IBM iX will help lead work relative to consumer campaigns for the company. The agencies will develop and execute integrated content to directly reach target audiences on behalf of the ORIJEN and ACANA brands. The Brandman Agency has added Context Travel to its worldwide luxury travel and lifestyle portfolio. Weve chosen The Brandman Agency to increase our presence within the global travel and experiences market, said Context Travel CEO Evan Frank. Context Travel cultivates a network of expert docents to lead tours in nearly 50 global cities. Its tours include art and architecture-focused walks, fashion-centric tours, culinary tastings and historic excursions. In the coming weeks, it will re-launch its Milan product with new experiences led by new expert docents. The company is also planning to expand to other destinations. RENUA Ireland leader Cllr John Leahy has called for a 'forensic Departmental led audit of expenses for parents expenditure in primary and secondary school pupils'. The Offaly County Councillor has expressed his concern that parents may struggle to pay for education. "Parents are being driven into the arms of banks and money-lenders every year because of our free education system," he commented. He believes that to cut down on costs, the Department of Education should perform and audit which should include after school care, books, uniforms, school transport and I-Pads. "The current situation where working parents who may also have to pay for after school costs are borrowing up to a 1,000 to get their children back to school is unsustainable and immoral. It is time that real reductions were made in the price of books via the introduction of a book rental scheme and generic uniforms." He concluded by saying that he believes that going back to school should be a time of excitement but instead it is a time that parents worry about whether they can afford to buy to new school shoes or if they need to sacrifice other are's to pay for school. Cllr Leahy stated that the government needed to reduce school costs by at least 50%. Gardai are again warning the public about a scam tricking you into purchasing iTunes gift cards after a sophisticated example emerged in recent day. The nationwide warning has been issued after gardai in Cork recently received a report of an attempt to defraud a business via email. The email was sent to an employee at a company and claimed to be from the manager of the company and requested that a staff member purchase 2,000 of iTunes gift cards and send on the voucher numbers. Thankfully the employee contacted their manager by phone to verify the request which turned out to be a scam. Gardai have said this is a new variation in the scam which has previously worked as follows: The victim will receive a phone call, voicemail or email from the scammer, claiming to be a representative of an organisation, in which they claim the victim owes money. Upon contact with the victim, the scammers will insist immediate payment is required, suggesting the payment needs to be made by purchasing iTunes gift cards from a retailer. In some of these cases, victims are told they are facing criminal charges. Once the victim has purchased these cards, the scammers will ask the victim to share the 16-digit code on the back of the card over the phone. The scammers will then use this code to purchase goods online. Gardai are advising people to be vigilant and suspicious of any calls, voicemails or emails from people claiming to represent a company, or organisation that you may be a customer or employee of. They may ask you to purchase gift cards or vouchers. The scammer may have some information about you, so dont trust them just because they use your name or have other personal information. No company will request payment via iTunes or any other online vouchers. If you receive a call like this, end the call and contact Gardai. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 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 Offaly Express team via email to justin.kelly@iconicnews.ie, or through our Facebook. Im currently ordering books from Amazon to Nigeria. Here is a screenshot of my recent orders : As you can see, they will be delivered tomorrow. If you dont know how to buy books from amazon to Nigeria, let me briefly explain how I do it. I buy books on amazon from Nigeria by making use of amazon gift cards as my payment option. They are cheaper to me compared to using my Nigerian banks debit cards. When ordering the books on Amazon, I use a USA address as my shipping address during the checkout process. The items I buy get delivered to the USA address after which they are shipped to Lagos, Nigeria. I follow this same steps I whenever I shop on amazon from Nigeria, be it for physical products or digital content. Its that easy! There are lots of shipping companies in Nigeria which you can use. Most of them will even give you free USA address to use for your amazon shopping. The address will be somehow unique, thereby making it easy for the shipping companies to alert you once they receive your items. You will also be able to track your shipment, hence you will know when theyve been delivered to your USA address and when they arrive Nigeria. If you dont know any Nigerian shipping company you can use when you shop on amazon from Nigeria, you can contact me and I will help you buy and ship your books from USA to Nigeria. You can check the amazon to nigeria page for more details. India bids farewell to Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee India oi-Madhuri New Delhi, Aug 17: One of India's tallest leaders, Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee who passed away on Thursday, August 16 at 5.05 pm was cremated on Friday with full state honors at Smriti Sthal in New Delhi. As the entire nation plunged into sorrow over the passing away of the former prime minister, the government announced a 7 day mourning from August 16 to 22. Atal Bihari Vajpayee's adopted daughter Namita Bhattacharya performed the last rites of the former Prime Minitser at Smrithi Sthal in New Delhi as Vajpayee, even in death, sends a message by going against the tradition of a male family member performing the duty. Here are the Highlights: RIP Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Interesting facts about the Master orator and statesman par excellence India oi-Deepika By Deepika New Delhi, Aug 16: Often described as the moderate face of BJP, charismatic Atal Bihari Vajpayee was an iconic leader whose acceptability across the political spectrum broke barriers pitch forking the saffron party to centre stage of politics in the late 90s. An orator par excellence and known for taking bold initiatives, notable being the attempt to bridge differences in Indo-Pak relations, Vajpayee, who is lauded as a statesman politician, went far beyond his BJP's nationalist political agenda. Here are the interesting facts about Atalji: Vajpayee was fondly called as "Baap ji" by his family members and close friends. He has been a bright student and was awarded first class Post Graduate Degree in Political Science. He and his father went to the same Law College (DAV College in Kanpur) together for their Law studies and they even shared the same room in the hostel. Vajapayee always wanted to become a journalist but came to politics by mistake. Before joining Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS), Atal was inclined towards communism and after being influenced by Babasaheb Apte, he joined the RSS in 1939 and in 1947, he became a Pracharak of RSS (technically a full-time worker). In 1942, Atal was arrested along with elder brother Prem for 23 days for participating in Quit India Movement against the British Government in India. Vajpayee has written many books, such as Sankalp-Kaal, Vicara bindu, Meri Ekyavan Kavitayen, Decisive days, Bindu-bindu vicara, Shakti Se Shanti, Foreign affairs, Selected Poems, State of the nation, Kya Khoya Kya Paya, and many more. He uplifted Hindi to the international platform by speaking in Hindi at the United Nations, he became the first person to speak in Hindi at the United Nations. The first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru had said that Atal Bihari Vajpayee will one day become the Prime Minister of India and he was proved right. A senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the first non-Congress prime minister who served a full five-year term in office. He lost 1981 Lok Sabha Elections against Madhav Rao Sindhiya (Scindia) from Gwalior constituency. He became the Prime Minister of India for three times- first time on 16 May 1996 for 13 days only, second time on 19 March 1998 for 13 months and third time on 13 October 1999 for a full 5-year term. On 13 May 1998, he led the successful nuclear test named- Operation Shakti at Pokhran in Rajasthan and put India in the league of the world's elite nuclear club. In order to build a strong relation with Pakistan, he took a bus journey named- Sada-e-Sarhad to Lahore on 19 February 1999. Besides being the most revered and beloved politician in India, he is the only Parliamentarian to be elected from 4 different Indian States- Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Awarded with highest civilian award of the Republic of India, Bharat Ratna, Vajpayee was a tall standing man with four decade long experience in politics and was able to create a lasting impact. Attacked Umar Khalid, wanted to give Independence Day gift say two men India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Aug 16: A four minute video clip has surfaced in which two young men are saying that they had attacked JNU student, Umar Khalid. They say that they would surrender at the house of Sikh revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha on August 17. They further claimed that by attacking Khalid, they wanted to give a gift to the people on Independence Day. They identified themselves as Sarvesh and Naveen Dalal. Do not harass others for the attack, they further appealed. Umar Khalid attack: Special cell visits crime scene The police are ascertaining these claims and if proof emerges against them, they will be arrested, a police officer said. Earlier, the delhi Police's Special Cell, which took over the probe in the alleged attack on JNU student leader Umar Khalid, recreated the scene of crime outside the Constitution Club to understand the sequence of events, said a senior police officer. He said police spoke to Khalid, his friends and the shopkeepers near the scene of crime. Khalid was shot at on Monday when he was on his way to take part in an event at the Constitution Club after having tea at a shop outside the venue. He, however, escaped unhurt. Cops release footage of man suspected to have fired at Umar Khalid Following the incident, the attacker had fled towards Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. He had an accomplice who was waiting there in a vehicle, police said. We are now scanning CCTV footages in the vicinity of the gurudwara to gain clues to the accused, they said. Police said the probe would also focus on people who trolled Khalid online. Yesterday, the Delhi Police had handed over the case to its Special Cell, which incidentally is already probing a sedition case against Khalid and two other JNU students. The police had said they were not "intimated" about the event on Monday in which Khalid was participating. JNU student Umar Khalid shot at in Delhi, escapes unhurt A police officer, privy to the probe, said the police had seized the weapon and preliminary forensic examination suggested that the pistol had jammed. He said they were yet to ascertain whether shots were fired as no empty cartridges were found on the spot. A case of attempt to murder was registered by the police, the officer said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 17:02 [IST] Prashant Kishor in viral video: With or without Modi, BJP will be centre of Indian polity for decades BJP postpones its National Executive meeting in Delhi; Vajpayees health further deteriorates India oi-Vinod By Vinod New Delhi, Aug 16: National Executive of the Bharatiya Janata Party which was scheduled to meet on August 18-19 in New Delhi has been postponed due to some unspecified reason. However, it is being said that due to the deteriorating health condition of former Prime Minister of India Aral Bihari Vajpayee the party has decided to call it off. The National Executive meeting of the BJP was long due. It was decided by the party to hold it ahead of the crucial Assembly polls in four states - Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram - which are expected later this year followed by the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee to visit Vajpayee at AIIMS Party sources said that the BJP leaders are rushing to AIIMS to see the former Prime Minister whose condition is getting deteriorating with the passing moment. According to a senior BJP leader, the meeting that was scheduled for August 18-19 has been postponed but he refused to divulge the reason. The last national executive meeting, a platform for the ruling party to set its national political agenda, had taken place in September last year. As per the BJP constitution, the National Executive should meet every three months and National Council after every three months, but sources said the meeting was delayed as party president Amit Shah was on a nation-wide tour to gear up the organisational machinery for the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. In 2019, BJP to win 227 seats, Congress 78, regional parties 238: Survey Some important decisions and road map for the next general elections were to be decided in this meeting. The party was expected to get feedback from its chief ministers of the ruling states and deputy chief ministers where it is in coalitions. The state BJP presidents were also suppose to present stock of the situation in their respective states. Assembly polls are due in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh in October-November amid discussion of simultaneous polls with the Lok Sabha, while general elections are scheduled for next year. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 10:06 [IST] Iconic Vajpayee commands respect from his most bitter critique India oi-Vinod By Vinod New Delhi, Aug 16: Lets go back to the debate on the Presidential speech at Parliament session in February 2018, there was heated argument between the ruling BJP and Opposition Congress. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah very much present in their respective seats in the House, there was some sudden altercation between former parliamentary affairs minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and minister of state for parliamentary affairs Vijay Goal and the answer by Azad tells the real iconic character of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. During Ghulam Nabi Azad's speech on the 'motion of thanks to the President's address', Goel stood up to object somethin so Azad advised him that a minister managing parliamentary affairs shouldn't indulge in such practice. He recalled an occasion when former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee sent his newly appointed parliamentary affairs minister Madan Lal Khurana to Azad to pick up a lesson or two on how to run the ministry and protect the interest of Opposition as Azad was a parliamentary affairs minister during PV Narasimha Rao government. Vajpayee a leader from among them for the party workers Iconic Atal Bihari Vajpayee is described as moderate leader of the BJP despite writing a poem like Hindu Tan Man, Hindu Jivan, Rag-Rag Hindu Mera Parichay (Hindu Sole, body, Hindu life, every bit of my identity a Hindu) His acceptability as a charismatic was nothing less than a charisma which was across part line. It was his leadership that has brought the saffron party to the centrestage of Indian politics when the Congress started declining in late 90s. Unmatched orator who is remembered for taking bold initiatives. His initiative to bridge differences in India and Pakistan was a unique one who is lauded as a statesman politician. But his actions had gone way ahead of his party's political agenda. So sometimes he was said to have grown bigger than his political party. Right-wing political outfit which was considered to be untouchable for some that Vajpayee is part of, it was his careen that brought in 1998 new allies to BJP, especially in the aftermath of demolition of the disputed shrine at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh in 1992. Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat, Kashmiriyat: Understanding Vajpayee's Kashmir doctrine He was not at all bothered about being called a mask of the RSS, he was undeterred by party workers of late accusing him of embarking on a misdirected visit to Pakistan in 1999, Vajpayee visited Lahore aboard a bus. His diplomatic skills were always appreciated and it was also in the case of Indo-Pak relation when it was called a dawn of a new era. But Vajpayee was equally tough on Pakistan army's a covert operation into Kargil where in a limited conflict Pakistan was defeated. His first Premiership lasted just for 13 days in 1996 while seconded stint ended in 13 months in 1998 after AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa withdrew support from the governemtn. However, he was reelected in 1999 at the head of a more stable coalition that lasted its full term. A widely respected leader in India and abroad, Vajpayee's 1998-99 tenure as prime minister was characterised as one year of courage of conviction. A series of successive nuclear tests at Pokhran happened during this time in May 1998. He was genuinely interested to improve relations with Pakistan and seeds were sown when he was Foreign Minister in the Morarji Desai Government. But after Lahore peace overtures failed to carry forward, another initiative was the historic Agra summit with General Pervez Musharraf in 2001 but that too failed. His secular credential were at stake when Babri mosq was demolished in 1992 and he was Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. His trusted lieutenants like L K Advani and MM Joshi supported the demolition but Vajpayee condemned it. He became a Member of Parliament for the first time in 1957. He started out as a communist but shed that for membership in the RSS, an organization propounding Hindutva. Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee's best speeches As a political activist, Vajpayee became a close follower and aide to Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), BJP's predecessor. Vajpayee was at Mookerjee's side when he went on a fast-unto-death in Kashmir in 1953, to protest against the system of carrying a permit for entering the state and the inferior treatment of Indian citizens visiting Kashmir, as also the special treatment accorded to Kashmir because it had a Muslim majority. Mookerjee's fast and protest ended the identity card requirement, and hastened the integration of Kashmir into the Indian Union. But Mookherjee died in mysterious circumstance in Kashmir, but these events proved to be watershed moment for Vajpayee. Taking the baton from Mookerjee, he won his first election to Parliament in 1957. In spite of his youth, he soon became a respected voice in the opposition - one of reason and intelligence. Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat, Kashmiriyat: Understanding Vajpayees Kashmir doctrine India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Aug 16: In his Independence Day address, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi while speaking on the Kashmir policy said that the government would take Atal Bihari Vajpayee's approach to resolve the dispute. On the Kashmir issue, Vajpayee as Prime Minister of India invoked the doctrine, 'Insaniyat, (humanity), Jamhuriyat (Democracy) and Kashmiriyat ( identity of the Kashmir people). This largely came to be known as the Vajpayee doctrine. Modi bats for women empowerment, speaks of triple talaq says rapists won't be spared The doctrine was acclaimed by various sections within India and the world over as well. The main point of the doctrine was to resolve all outstanding issues with Pakistan, including that of Jammu and Kashmir in a peaceful manner. This needed to be done through bi-lateral dialogue and not with any third party intervention he felt. On February 19 1999, he carried India's message of peace to Pakistan during a bus journey to Lahore. At the Governor's House in Lahore, he delivered a passionate speech. He also visited the Minar-e-Pakistan where he re-affirmed India's commitment to the existence of Pakistan. The hand of friendship: While extending his hand of friendship, he called for a collective fight against terror, drug-trafficking and poverty. Vajpayee also signed the Lahore Declaration with then prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif. Both sides decided to resolve all bi-lateral issues including that of Jammu and Kashmir in a peaceful manner. His speech in Pakistan was not just passionate, but very emotional as well. This had even prompted Sharif to say, ' Vajpayee saheb, you can win an election in Pakistan as well." From Red Fort, Modi calls for social justice, gives 4 year report card with 2019 pitch The Delhi Lahore bus service called the Soda-e-Sarhad was launched in an attempt to promote peace. Even when General Pervez Musharaff launched the Kargil attack, the bus service was not terminated by Vajpayee. However following the Parliament attack on December 13 2001, the bus service had to be temporarily suspended. It was however restored in 2003 after Pakistan assured India that it would not allow its territory to be used for terror activities. Vajpayee had shown immense restraint to ensure that the peace process did not derail despite several attempts by Pakistan to derail the process. Pakistan made several attempts to provoke which included the Khandahar hijack and Parliament attack as well. Meeting between PM Modi, Pope scheduled for 20 minutes goes on for an hour Is the naxalite movement dying? The steady fall of geographical spread suggests so India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Aug 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address said that districts affected by left-wing extremism had come down from 160 to 90. He also added that the work on finding a solution to the problem is on and also progressing rapidly. Modi said left-wing extremism has been bleeding the country and violent incidents, people fleeing from homes and hiding in forests were a matter of daily occurrence. Success: Forces gun down 8 dreaded naxals "However, today because of continuous efforts by our security forces, launching of development projects and efforts to connect the people with national mainstream, left-wing extremism which affected 126 districts has now been reduced to 90 districts.The work on finding a solution to put an end to left-wing extremism from those districts is progressing rapidly," he said. Going after left-wing extremism: Home Ministry data available with OneIndia suggests that in the past two years, between 2016 and 2018, the number of naxalites arrested is 4,123. Security officials say that the high number of arrests are due to better coordination and concrete intelligence. The intelligence is being made actionable and this has led to such a large number of arrests. Take for instance the year 2016, the number of naxalites arrested stood at 1,840, while in 2017, it was 1,888. The number of naxalites arrested in 2018 until March stood at 395. How Urban naxals, Khalistanis and ISI came together to break India Reduction in violent incidents: Another significant development in the war against naxalites is the reduction in the number of violent incidents and deaths. Incidents of violence reduced by 36.6% from 6,524 to 4,136. Left Wing Extremism related deaths also decreased by 55.5% from 2,428 to 1,081. The naxalites however witnessed severe casualties. The elimination of naxalites have increased by 14.6 per cent fro 445 to 510, while the surrenders increased by 143% from 1,387 to 3,373. Civilian casualties which had been reported in large numbers too have reduced considerably. In 2017 there were 188 civilian deaths reported. This is a marked improvement since in 2010, the number of civilians who lost their lives in naxalite related violence stood at 720. Data prepared by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SAT) suggested that the number districts from where fatalities were reported declined from 42 in 2016 to 40 in 2017. Civilian fatalities were reported from 33 Districts in 2017, as against 35 in 2016. Similarly, SF fatalities were reported from 12 Districts in 2017, as against 18 in 2016. The overall spread of Naxalite violence recorded a decline through 2017, with the number of Naxalism-affected Districts dropping from 104 in 13 States in 2016, to 100 districts in 12 States in 2017, the SATP data suggests. Surrenders are up: Elimination of LWE cadres increased by 14.6% from 445 to 510. Surrenders by LWE cadres increased by 143% from 1387 to 3,373. Security officials say that the mounting pressure is what is leading to such a large number of surrenders. The rise of naxalism in Kodagu: Time for a crackdown on the southern corridor Another important aspect is the reduction in the numbers of civilian casualties. 188 were reported in 2017 which is the lowest in the category since 1999. The maximum number of civilians killed in naxalite violence was in 2010 when 720 deaths were reported. Reduction in geographical spread: States reporting violence reduced from 10 (2013) to 9 (2017). Districts reporting violence reduced from 76 (2013) to 58 (2017). Police Stations reporting violence reduced from 330 (2013) to 291 (2017). A steady decline: 2009: 2,258 2010: 2,213 2011: 1,760 2012: 1,415 2013: 1,136 2014: 1,091 2015: 1,089 2016: 1,048 2017: 908 2018: 178 (Till March) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 11:15 [IST] Kerala floods: Committee formed for proper management at Mullaperiyar dam India oi-Madhuri New Delhi, Aug 16: A meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) was held here today to ensure continued and scale up assistance to the State of Kerala in view of the prevailing flood situation. On the instructions of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha chaired the meeting in which Secretaries of Central Ministries including Defence, Home, Water Resources and Chiefs of Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Member, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Chairman, Central Water Commission (CWC) and other senior officers were present. Kerala floods: Find ways to reduce water level at Mullaperiyar dam says SC Kerala also participated over video conference represented by Chief Secretary and his team. Cabinet Secretary took stock of the situation, preparedness, rescue and relief operations and directed that immediate and continued assistance be provided to Kerala to meet this crisis. Government of India is fully supporting the State of Kerala and has launched massive relief and rescue operations in the State. In the NCMC meeting, the Cabinet Secretary pressed into service all the forces - Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, NDRF and other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs); and directed that all possible assistance should be provided to Kerala for relief and rescue operations. The Cabinet Secretary also directed that relief material including supply of drinking water, dry food packets and powdered milk should also be made available to Kerala. How to help flood-hit people of Kerala For proper reservoir management in Mullaperiyar Dam, Cabinet Secretary constituted a Committee chaired by Chairman, Central Water Commission and Engineers-in-Chief of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. As of now, 18 teams of NDRF, 9 columns and 8 teams of Engineering Task Force (ETC) of the Army, 22 teams of Coast Guard, 24 diving teams of Navy along with helicopters, aircrafts, boats, equipment, life buoys, life jackets, etc., have been dispatched to assist Kerala in rescue operations as well as evacuation of stranded people. Besides this, medical assistance is also being provided by NDRF, Army, Navy including in special medical camps. So far, 2,182 persons have been rescued, 968 stranded people have been evacuated through prompt action of NDRF, Army and Navy. The NCMC will meet tomorrow again to review the situation. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 16:25 [IST] Kerala: Explore possibility of bringing down water level at Mullaperiyar from 141 to 139 ft says SC High water level at Mullaperiyar Dam a big threat to people of Kerala in the present scenario It was Mullaperiyar which led to Kerala floods: Here is how Kerala floods: Keep water level at Mullaperiyar dam 3 feet below permissible limit says SC Kerala floods: Get TN to release water from Mullaperiyar to bring down water level, says plea in SC India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Aug 16: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a directive to the Centre to arrange meetings with Tamil Nadu in the wake of the floods. The petitioner sought for a meeting between Kerala and Tamil Nadu on the Mullaperiyar dam in the backdrop of the floods. The court has agreed to hear the matter at 2 pm today. Mullaperiyar dam maintainance: SC issues notice to Kerala on TN's plea The petitioner also sought for a Disaster Management Plan to be activated. Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday sent an SOS to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his counterpart in Tamil Nadu E Palaniswami on the rising water level in the Mullaperiyar Dam. He asked Tamil Nadu chief minister to release water from Mullaperiyar Dam that was close to breaching the 142-feet mark, the maximum level that Kerala believes, the dam structure can safely hold. UDF attacks CM Vijayan over changed stance on Mullaperiyar He also made phone calls to PM Modi and the Union Home Minister, urging them to nudge Tamil Nadu to release some water from the dam to bring down the water level to 139 feet. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 11:23 [IST] Kerala CM assures Rs 10,000 to even those who leave relief camps Kerala floods: Amid row over foreign aid, state focuses on rehabilitation India oi-Madhuri Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 24: With rescue operations in rain-ravaged Kerala nearly over, the focus is now on taking care of the over 10.40 lakh people staying in relief camps and rehabilitating people whose houses were destroyed in the deluge, even as the row over accepting foreign aid for relief work saw the Congress and Left attacking the Centre. More than 50,000 volunteers have taken up the task of cleaning houses and public places filled with mud deposits and debris dumped by the floodwaters in the rain fury. Meanwhile, health department officials said post-floods their focus has shifted to ensuring medical attention for the injured and the people living in shelter camps, cleaning of houses and wells, distribution of medicines and cleaning materials to the affected people. As many as 387 people have been killed while over nine lakh are sheltered in relief camps in the state. How to help flood-hit people of Kerala Here are the Highlights on Kerala rains: Cochin Airport suspends operations till Aug 26 The waters may be receding in Kerala but previous post-flood scenarios in other states suggest it could take years for the southern state to help rebuild its people's lives, destroyed in one of the worst floods in a century, and some more to implement measures that could significantly minimise the impact of a similar disaster. [Kerala cancels Onam celebrations after worst floods hits the state] The Kerala government has estimated a loss of Rs 20,000 crore, with Idukki, Malappuram, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts being the worst affected. Government officials say the state's topmost priority is to rescue people and provide lakhs of the affected with relief materials. They, however, admit that rebuilding the state will be a "daunting task". Lawyer without brief is like Tendulkar without his bat on cricket ground: SC Kerala floods: Find ways to reduce water level at Mullaperiyar dam says SC India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Aug 16: The Supreme Court has said that the Disaster Management Committee will sit. With the National Crisis Management tomorrow to bring down the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam. The court said that both Kerala and Tamil Nadu will cooperate with the committee to give displaced people adequate security immediately. The court observed that people should not live in constant fear. The court said that the sub committee of the Disaster Management committee may suggest, what measures can be taken to handle the disaster so that people do not suffer the catastrophe of the flood. Kerala floods: Get TN to release water from Mullaperiyar to bring down water level, says plea in SC During the hearing, Tamil Nadu said that the inflow into the dam is 20,000 cusecs. Due to rains, it may not be possible to reduce the water level immediately. There is limited capacity to release water, TN also said. Kerala submitted that the water level at the dam should be reduced to 139 feet. The Centre said that the National Crisis Management Committee met today and assured continued assistance to Kerala. The court said that the decisions of the sub-committee regarding water level of the dam shall be implemented by TN and Kerala immediately. The sub-committee shall file its report by 2 pm tomorrow. A petition had been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a directive to the Centre to arrange meetings with Tamil Nadu in the wake of the floods. The petitioner sought for a meeting between Kerala and Tamil Nadu on the Mullaperiyar dam in the backdrop of the floods. The petitioner also sought for a Disaster Management Plan to be activated. Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday sent an SOS to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his counterpart in Tamil Nadu E Palaniswami on the rising water level in the Mullaperiyar Dam. He asked Tamil Nadu chief minister to release water from Mullaperiyar Dam that was close to breaching the 142-feet mark, the maximum level that Kerala believes, the dam structure can safely hold. He also made phone calls to PM Modi and the Union Home Minister, urging them to nudge Tamil Nadu to release some water from the dam to bring down the water level to 139 feet. Last rites of Vajpayee to be performed at 4 pm today, govt declares 7 day mourning India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Aug 16: The government has announced a 7 day mourning from August 16 to 22 after the passing away of former prime minister and Bharat Ratna, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The flag will fly at half mast and Vajpayee will be accorded a state funeral, the government has also decided. The mortal remains of the former PM will be taken to his Delhi residence. From there it would be taken to the BJP headquarters tomorrow, where people would be able to pay their last respects. The Cabinet decided that the state funeral for the departed leader would be held at Smriti Sthal, New Delhi. Decisions of the Cabinet: State mourning for seven days till 22 August. State Funeral for Mr Vajpayee at Smriti Sthal, New Delhi. Half day holiday in the afternoon of day of funeral in all Central government offices and CPSUs across the country, and Delhi government offices in NCT of Delhi. National Flag to fly at half mast throughout India and Indian missions abroad till 22 August. The body of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been taken to his residence in the national capital where people can pay their last respects, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said. "Vajpayeeji's body is being taken to his residence where people can pay their last respects," the home minister told reporters in Delhi. Describing former prime minister's death as a "huge personal loss", Singh said he was pained beyond words at the demise of Vajpayee, who had cherished the ideal of a developed and powerful India. Following the death of the leader, the BJP's national executive meeting scheduled for August 18 and 19 has been cancelled. On One Nation One Poll, Law Panel set to propose some sweeping recommendations India oi-Madhuri New Delhi, Aug 16: 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. "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. 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. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 9:02 [IST] One of the member of BJP trinity departs India oi-Vinod By Vinod New Delhi, Aug 16: One of the trinity of the Bharatiya Janata Party that included Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi, the former prime minister has completed his worldly journey when Vajpayee died here at 5.05 pm in the evening in Delhi at AIIMS. He was admitted in the AIIMC on June 11, 2018. These leaders rule the roost in the BJP for long. Vajpayee was the first BJP Prime Minister and longest serving non-Congress Prime Minister in the country. He is known to be Azatshatru (man without enemy) of Indian politics. Former Union human resource development Murali Manohar Joshi said, "Vajpayee ji was a leader who was not confined to party politics or language and society. He was not just the leader of BJP but the leader of the entire country." He said, "I had a very long experience of working with him as he has groomed thousands of workers like him." Joshi said that he had always done the politics of value and he had always been impartial to people of the country irrespective of their political affiliations. Joshi said that his every action was in the interest of the country. He was the leader of masses who had won over hearts of people of the country. He was the real leader of masses. He was the real leader who had worked for the all inclusive growth of the country. After Atal Bihari Vajpayee, it was L K Aadvani took over as the chief of the party. After Advani, Joshi became president after Advani. Differences between Joshi and Aadvani were sometimes cropped up but never ever there was any difference between Vajpayee ji and Advani ji. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 18:45 [IST] Rains pound Karnataka: Tourists must avoid Kodagu, entry into Ranganathittu barred India oi-Madhuri Bengaluru, Aug 16: Karnataka, like Kerala too has borne the brunt of the rains. Tourists have been told to put off their visit to Kodagu, the birth place of river Cauvery as incessant rains have flooded the roads and disrupted traffic movement. Deputy Commissioner Srividya said in a press release that record rainfall this year had resulted in the Cauvery overflowing in many places and rivulets and streams near places of tourist interest swelling, causing inundation of low-lying areas. Karnataka rains: Rail, bus services partially cancelled, 5 districts on high alert Movement of traffic on important district roads and those connecting hinterland has been temporarily suspended owing to landslips and erosion. Besides, the authorities have evacuated local people from their houses at many locations as they were damaged owing to rain and posed a risk to life, the release stated. The release also stated, "the advisory is an appeal to tourists to postpone their visit to Kodagu in view of the current situation in the district and in their own interest. Those intending to visit Kodagu and the general public should also be abreast of the damage caused by nature's fury and take steps to stay safe." Rains this year have killed 774 in 7 states On Thursday large portions of land were underwater, including the Ranganathittu bird sanctuary at Srirangapatna. Entry of tourists has been banned indefinitely. Meanwhile heavy rains followed by landslides has paralysed vehicular movement on the Mangaluru-Bengaluru highway. Landslides were reported in various parts of Kodagu, Shiradi Ghat which led to over 400 vehicles being stranded. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 13:10 [IST] RIP AB Vajpayee: Bhishma Pitamah of Indian politics India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar New Delhi, Aug 15: Former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee, hailed as Bhishma Pitamah of Indian politics, is no more. Untainted personal and political life, gifted oratory skills and statesmanship in Parliament proceedings made him the tallest political figure of the post-Independent India. The title 'Bhishma Pitamah' is not given by his friends or party, but by the opposition party. Is there a better testimony to his statesmanship than an opposition party leader heaping praise on a former PM? Praising Atal Bihari Vajpayee, for taking "courageous steps" to foster peace with Pakistan, then PM Manmohan Singh described Vajpayee as "Bhishma Pitamah" of Indian politics and urged him to rise above narrow party politics and support the India-U.S. nuclear deal in. Managing BJP's image in the aftermath of the Gujarat riots in 2002, indeed, was a big challenge to the Vajpayee government. Hindu-Muslim violence in Gujarat, when Narendra Modi was chief minister, claimed more than 1,000 people. The reporter wanted to know Vajpayee's message for the chief minister. In controlled displeasure, Vajpayee stated that Modi should 'follow his Rajdharma'. He explained that Rajdharma was a meaningful term, and for somebody in a position of power, it meant not discriminating among the higher and lower classes of society or people of any religion. He officially condmended Godhra carnage and Gujarat communal violence. In a bid to stop Vajpayee from saying something scathing about him, Modi turned towards Vajpayee, tried to catch his eye and said with a strong note of threatening defiance, 'Hum bhi wahi kar rahe hain, sahib (That is what we are also doing, sir).' Vajpayee immediately changed tack and said, 'I am sure Narendrabhai is also doing the same.' Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former deputy prime minister LK Advani. The two entered politics almost at the same time decades ago and remained each other's trusted advisor and friend ever since. Vajpayee with Narendra Modi Then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi seeks blessings of senior BJP leader and former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi. Modi was on Friday declared as BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate in 2014, after a meeting of the party's Parliamentary board. PTI file Photo Vajpayee BJP senior leaders Then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi with senior BJP leader and former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani and Rajnath Singh in Ranchi in Nov 2004. Modi was on Friday declared as BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate in 2014, after a meeting of the party's Parliamentary board. PTI Photo In public funtion Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi with senior BJP leader and former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani at a public meetin Ahmedabad in Nov 2004 Vajpayee with Nelson Mandela File photo of former South African President Nelson Mandela with the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee a the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Durban in Sept 1998. Mandela, 95, died on Thursday in Johannesburg. PTI Vajpayee with Bal Thackeray In this file photo Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray is seen with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and BJP President Nitin Gadkari at a book release function in Mumbai on Feb 23, 2005. Vajpayee with IK Gujral Former PM IK Gujral greeting Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birthday in New Delhi on Dec 25, 1997. UP govt wants airports at Bereilly, Kanpur and Agra renamed India oi-Madhuri Lucknow, Aug 16: 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 Upadhyaya. 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 on Wednesday. Cochin Airport suspends operations till Saturday 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 after Maha Yogi Gorakhnath, founder of 'Nath Pant' (monastic movement). The chief minister is the 'Mahant' (priest) of Gorakhnath temple. Uttar Pradesh 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. Qatar Airways flight damages lights at runway during landing in Cochin The proposal speaks about Bareilly in great detail. It says 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 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 Upadhyaya. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 11:45 [IST] Vajpayee a leader from among them for the party workers India oi-Vinod By Vinod New Delhi, Aug 16: Lets understand fondness of BJP workers for former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee by this anecdote, one of the BJP worker who was very close to him came to Delhi from Allahabad with some eatable that the former PM was very fond of and both of them used to have together whenever Vajpayee ji was in the city. But after becoming the PM and fall of the government, still security arrangements of Vajpayee restricted his movement and people's access to him. He staying at Murali Manohar Joshi's Raisina Road residence. The person came to meet him but was not allowed. He requested to send at least his message to him. Somehow message reached, Vajpayee ji came and met him. He had said that he had to go for Parliament debate but since the person had come all the way from Allahabad, lets us have the stuff that he brought but after that he would have have to rush for Parliament. This was Mr Vajpayee for his workers and many such incidence. He was not only the first Prime Minister of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but also the first President of the BJP. But his role, his charisma, his hardwork and simplicity and his statesmanship like quality that is asset for his workers and that had made the journey of the BJP and its leadership so enriching. Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee's best speeches People who had the chance of working with him say that his simplicity was such that he used to visit smallest worker of the party while visiting any particular city and used to dine with him. He used to address his worker by their names to strike a different cord especially with workers from the smaller cities or town. He is the only leader who was never shown his anger with any leader or party worker. If there is any disagreement on any issue how big it could have been, he had his own way to say and get it resolve. This was the reason that he was never defies. His was one of the best orator of all time. As far as his personality as politician goes, the foremost important thing is that it had helped the BJP to rally other allies behind the BJP to form the government at the Centre. No one could have done to the party which was riding on success on a controversial issue as the party was on the upsurge due to Ram Mandir movement. Many so-called secular political parties distanced themselves from the BJP and it that situation managing 27 divergent allies was a magic in itself. The only magical could have Vajpayee. BJP postpones its National Executive meeting in Delhi; Vajpayee's health further deteriorates His accessibility was also an asset to the party workers. He has the credit for creating a battery of leadership that are the faces of the BJP today. Right from Union Home minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, late Pramod Mahajan, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharati, present MP CM Shiv Raj Singh Chauhan, Union Minister Vijay Goel, Law minister Ravi Shanker Prasad and many state leaders. It was Vajpayee who had sent present Prime Minister to Gujarat as CM who was without any legislative experience. As a foreign minister his speech in Hindi at the United Nations made him the household name at least in the northern part of the country. When for the dual membership issue Janata Party which was in the government split the party, Vajpayee along with his RSS colleagues formed the BJP which is ruling the country with a clear majority. His oratory was so good that people from opposite party too used to appreciate him, he was even appreciating once by Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru for his Parliament speech saying him to be future PM. If Vajpayee appreciated Indira Gandhi for her role in freedom of Bangladesh, the party under his leadership blamed Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for her "divisive and corrupt politics that fostered Sikh militancy at the expense of national unity and integrity. The party that was left with only two parliamentary seats in the 1984 elections when Indira Gandhi was assassinated, Vajpayee remained at the centre-stage as party President. Atal Bihari Vajpayee health: Top leaders cancel assignments, rush to Delhi When the BJP became voice of Janmabhoomi Mandir Movement, which was led by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the RSS, victory in the assembly elections in Gujarat and Maharashtra in March 1995, and a good performance in the elections to Karnataka Assembly in December 1994, propelled the BJP to greater political prominence. During the grand show of National Executive of thh BJP in Mumbai in November 1995, BJP President L K Advani declared him the Prime Ministerial face of the BJP. The BJP emerged victorious. Influenced by Babasaheb Apte, Vajpayee joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1939 and became a "full-time worker" in 1947. He was one of the few leaders who did not nurture any particular constituency and from where the party decided for him he contested election whether his first Lok Sabha election from Balrampur to Lucknow from where he contested his last election. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 12:53 [IST] Vajpayee no more: Musharraf recalls the Agra summit India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Aug 16: Former Pakistan president, General Parvez Musharraf expressed his condolence over the demise of former Indian Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He termed Vajpayee's famed Agra summit as realistic. While calling him as a revolutionary and a gentleman, Musharraf however added that he was disappointed with the resolution was not signed. The Agra summit was a historic two day summit between India and Pakistan held between July 14 and 16 2001. The summit was aimed at resolving the long standing issues between the two countries. In 1999, during Vajpayee's visit to Pakistan, both countries had acceded and successfully ratified the Lahore Declaration and pledged to make joint efforts for peace and stability in South Asia. The Kargil war was a major blow to the Lahore treaty and it stalled the treaty as the relations between two countries suffered a serious setback. General Musharraf is widely believed to be a strategic mastermind and brain behind the Kargil war. After much diplomatic efforts, the Agra summit started amid high hopes of resolving various disputes between the two countries including the five decades old Kashmir issue. Both sides started the summit with hopefulness and in a spirit of good will, especially President Musharraf who used the phrases "cautious optimism", "flexibility" and "open mind" to describe his views for the summit. The peace process however collapsed and no signatures were attained for the Agra Treaty. According to the Indian scholar, Gaurav Kampani, there were three major reasons for the Indian government's reluctance in accepting Pakistan's assurances at face value. First, the Vajpayee government did not trust President Pervez Musharraf and the establishment that he represents in Delhi. In India alone, it was widely felt that it was Musharraf who sabotaged joint peace efforts of Pakistan Prime minister Navaz Sharif and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the Lahore Summit in 1999. Second, India was not satisfied with Pakistan's pledge to halt cross-border infiltrations. Thirdly, the Indian government had plans for holding regional elections in Kashmir in October 2002. Similarly, Indian leadership considered Musharraf's refusal to give up support to the cross-border insurgency in Kashmir as the reason behind the failure of the Agra Summit in June 2001. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 18:25 [IST] Vajpayee - Pragmatist, orator, statesman who went beyond BJP's nationalist political agenda India oi-PTI New Delhi, Aug 16: Statesman and pragmatist, orator and poet, a man of peace and conviction. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a towering nationalist who softened the often sharp edge of his party's politics with a gentle sophistry of words, earning him the sobriquet "ajaat shatru" or the man with no enemies. The first prime minister from a non-Congress party to complete a full term in office, Vajpayee began shakily -- his first stint as prime minister in 1996 lasted only 13 days when his unlikely coalition government failed to get support from other parties. The BJP-led coalition government came back to power in 1998, and this time Vajpayee stayed in office for 13 months before losing a no-confidence motion by one vote. The National Democratic Alliance returned to power in October 1999 with Vajpayee as prime minister once again. This time he lasted the entire term, capping a glorious career that saw him go from student activist to journalist, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh pracharak, Member of Parliament, foreign minister, opposition leader and finally a much-loved leader of the nation. Like many of his generation, Vajpayee -who died today at age 93 -came into politics as an 18-year old during the Independence movement in 1942 when the Quit India movement was going on. A lifelong bachelor, Vajpayee was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1957 from Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh in India's second general elections. His maiden speech in Parliament so impressed his peers and colleagues that the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru introduced Vajpayee to a visiting foreign dignitary thus: "This young man one day will become the country's prime minister." He remained a member of Parliament for 47 years -- elected 10 times to the Lok Sabha and twice to Rajya Sabha. Vajpayee's signature in politics was achieving pragmatic consensus, and in this process he earned the respect of his party, allies and opponents. Abroad, he projected a harmonious image of India and connected it to the world through his foreign policy outreach. Fluent in English, his oratory was at its best in Hindi. With his well-timed wit, and carefully-chosen words delivered with trademark long pauses, Vajpayee immediately connected with all those who came in contact with him -- the common man, politicians, bureaucrats, students and world leaders. As foreign minister under the Janata Party government headed by Morarji Desai in 1977, Vajpayee was the first leader to deliver a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi. He was awarded India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in March 2015. While his six years in office were defined by several crises - including the hijacking of an Indian Airlines jetliner to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 1999, an attack on the Parliament building in 2001, communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 -he also left a mark with peace initiatives and infrastructural projects. Chief among them is the Golden Quadrilateral Highway network, connecting India's four major metropolises with 5,846 kilometers of roads. During his second term as prime minister, Vajpayee ordered nuclear tests in May 1998 in a strategic masterstroke to blunt Pakistan's nuclear ambitions while at the same time announcing a moratorium on future testing. He followed this up with peace overtures to Pakistan, riding on the first direct bus from India to Pakistan in February 1999. Undeterred by party hawks, Vajpayee arrived in Lahore on the bus, accompanied among others by legendary actor Dev Anand. Vajpayee met with then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in what was hailed as the dawn of a new era in India-Pakistan relations. However, then army chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf did not turn up to greet him at the Wagah border. It soon became clear why. Only months later, in June 1999, Pakistan began hostilities in Kargil that took the two countries to the brink of a full-scale war. Vajpayee felt betrayed and never hid his bitterness whenever Kargil was mentioned. He tried again to build peace with Pakistan -- which people close to him say was the mission of his life -- by holding a historic summit in Agra with Musharraf in 2001, who by then had become the president. But the summit too failed spectacularly. Another historic event that he expressed anguish about was the post-Godhra communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 when Prime minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister. Unwilling to hide his feelings over the riots, Prime Minister Vajpayee said the government must follow "raj dharma". In his autobiography, former President Pranab Mukherjee wrote that the Gujarat riots were "possibly the biggest blot" on Vajpayee's government that could have cost the Bharatiya Janata Party the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. After the NDA was routed in the elections, Vajpayee announced his retirement from politics in 2005 and slipped into relative political oblivion. He was rarely seen in public after suffering a stroke in 2009, and subsequently developed dementia. However, his influence loomed large over the party, which often quoted him and his policies. In his Independence Day speech this year, Modi said he wants to resolve the Kashmir issue through Vajpayee's doctrine of "Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, Jamhooriyat", which seeks to preserve the composite Kashmiri culture while ensuring democracy in a humane manner. When he assumed office for the second time in 1999 as the head of a more stable coalition, Vajpayee had to abandon some of the cornerstones of BJP's policies to get the backing of more secular groups. This included the BJP's demands for scrapping the special status for Jammu and Kashmir, building a Hindu temple on the site of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya and abolishing the separate civil code for Muslims. The demolition of Babri Masjid by kar sewaks in December 1992, when he was the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, was an acid test for Vajpayee's secular agenda and his stand within the party. Vajpayee's trusted lieutenant L K Advani and most BJP politicians supported the demolition but Vajpayee condemned the attack unequivocally. At times he tried to appeal to Muslims and other minority groups, and was seen as a reassuring figure for India's mainly secular establishment. His personal integrity was never seriously questioned but arms bribery scandals exposed corruption in his government and at times cast doubts on his judgment. A romantic at heart, Vajpayee wrote poetry in his spare time, and was a connoisseur of good food. Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh to a schoolteacher, Krishna Bihari Vajpayee, and Krishna Devi. Today, his birthday is celebrated as 'Good Governance Day'. After schooling, he graduated from Victoria College in Gwalior, now known as Laxmi Bai College. He did his M.A. in political science from DAV College in Kanpur. Following a brief flirtation with communism, he became a full-time worker of RSS in 1947. Vajpayee subsequently entered journalism and was editor of Rashtradharma, a Hindi monthly, the Panchjanya Hindi weekly and the dailies, Swadesh and Veer Arjun. He became a close follower of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the precursor to Jana Sangh and later the BJP. Under Mookerjee's tutelage, Vajpayee's right-wing philosophy shaped. Vajpayee accompanied Mookerjee to Kashmir in early 1950s during the BJS leader's fast-unto-death to protest the identity card requirement for Indian citizens visiting the state. It was Vajpayee's first insight into the Kashmir problem, which decades later he addressed in 2003 with the "Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, Jamhooriyat" doctrine. Vajpayee is survived by his adopted daughter, Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 19:30 [IST] Vajpayees memorial to be built in 1.5 acres of land in New Delhi India oi-Vinod By Vinod New Delhi, Aug 16: The last rites of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be performed at Smriti Sthal in New Delhi close to Shakti Sthal and 1.5 acres of land will be made available for the construction of memorial of the former PM. Sources said that the BJP wanted to built a memorial of one of its most popular leaders and for which 1.5 acres of land will be made available. The concerned authorities have confirmed it. His last rite will be performed on Friday at 4 PM. His procession will start from the newly constructed office of the Bharatiya Janata Party at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi. When Vajpayee touched feet of Streeshakti award winner Chinnapillai! Memorials of the most important leaders including Mahatma Gandhi and many Prime Ministers are near Raj Ghat. However, the matter had gone to courts as well and many leaders were allegedly not allowed to built their memorials in Delhi. On the other hand some of the memorials in the area are spread in over 100 acres. However, Vajpayee's memorial will be built in 1.5 acres so the BJP workers could remember his tallest leader. Shoaib Akhtar takes mic off, walks out of TV show after being asked to leave by the PTV host Vajpayee, the man who sought peace was troubled most by Pakistan India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar New Delhi, Aug 16: Atal Bihari Vajpayee was sworn in as the 10th Prime Minister of India, but the BJP failed to muster enough support from other parties to obtain a majority. He resigned after 13 daysVajpayee when it became clear that he could not garner a majority. His first term was short-lived. But the first non-Congress Prime Minister of the country faced major challenges in the second (1998-1999) and third term (1999-2004) of his prime ministership. Kargil battle occurred in the 2nd term and the third term witnessed hijack of Indian Airlines in December 1999, attack on Parliament in 2001 and communal violence in BJP-ruled state Gujarat in 2002. [Also Read: No words, filled with emotions says Modi on Vajpayee's passing away] Kargil battle in June 1999: The infiltration of Pakistani soldiers disguised as Kashmiri militants into positions on the Indian side of the LOC led to 'Operation Vijay' by the Indian Army in 1999. According to Indian official figures, 527 defence personnel were martyred, 1,363 wounded. However, The Pakistan Army Chief Gen Pervez Musharraf claimed that 1,600 Indian soldiers had been killed. Vajpayee government set up an inquiry into its causes and to analyse perceived Indian intelligence failures. The committee head by strategic affairs analyst K. Subrahmanyam led to a large-scale restructuring of Indian Intelligence. But, the report was criticised by media for its perceived avoidance of assigning specific responsibility for failures over detecting the Kargil intrusions. [Also read: RIP AB Vajpayee: Bhishma Pitamah of Indian politics] Hijack of Indian Airlines in December 1999: Indian Airlines flight IC 814 from Kathmandu to New Delhi was hijacked by five terrorists and flown to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The hijackers made several demands including the release of certain terrorists like Masood Azhar from prison. Under extreme pressure, then Jaswant Singh Minister for External Affairs flew with the terrorists to Afghanistan and exchanged them for the passengers. The attack on Parliament in 2001: On 13 December 2001, a group of masked, armed men with fake IDs stormed the Parliament House in Delhi. The terrorists managed to kill several security guards, but the building was sealed off swiftly and security forces cornered and killed the men, who were later proven to be Pakistan nationals. Although the Government of Pakistan officially condemned the attack, Indian intelligence reports pointed to a conspiracy rooted in Pakistan. 2002 Communal violence in Gujarat: Managing BJP's image in the aftermath of the Gujarat riots in 2002, indeed, was a big challenge to the Vajpayee government. Hindu-Muslim violence in Gujarat, when Narendra Modi was chief minister, claimed more than 1,000 lives. The Indian media wanted to know Vajpayee's message for the chief minister. In controlled displeasure, Vajpayee stated that Modi should 'follow his Rajdharma'. He explained that Rajdharma was a meaningful term, and for somebody in a position of power, it meant not discriminating among the higher and lower classes of society or people of any religion. He officially condemned Godhra carnage and Gujarat communal violence. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 18:33 [IST] Vajpayee was conferred Bangladesh Liberation War Honour by the country India oi-Vinod By Vinod New Delhi, Aug 16: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not only popular in India but was also admired in the neighbouring countries. Despite animosity with Pakistan, he was popular among people of Pakistan. Similarly he was so popular in Bangladesh that the Bangladesh government had conferred on him the Bangladesh Liberation War Honour in 2015. So on the demise of the former PM, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed her deep shock. At a condolence message to Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, she says: "We are deeply shocked at the sad demise of the former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of the most famous sons of India. He will be remembered for contributing towards good governance and for highlighting issues affecting the common people of India as well as for regional peace and prosperity." One of the member of BJP trinity departs She said that his tireless work for the welfare of the people of India will inspire future generations of leaders. An excellent orator and a poet Vajpayee took significant strides towards acceleration of inclusive economic growth in India. She said, "Vajpayee was the great friend of Bangladesh and highly respected person in Bangladesh. As a token of recognition for his invaluable contribution to our Liberation War in 1971, Bangladesh Government conferred on him the Bangladesh Liberation War Honour. Today is certainly a day of great sadness for all of us in Bangladesh." When Vajpayee touched feet of Streeshakti award winner Chinnapillai! "On behalf of the Government and the people of Bangladesh and on my own behalf, I express our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the Government and the mourning people of India, and to the members of the bereaved family. We pray for the eternal peace of his soul," she added When Nawaz Sharif said, Vajpayee sahab can win an election in Pakistan also India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Aug 16: The Delhi-Lahore bus on which Atal Bihari Vajpayee travelled was an iconic and historic moment in Indian history. This move was aimed at fostering better ties with Pakistan. The talks between Vajpayee and then Pakistan prime minister, Nawaz Sharif led to the Lahore declaration in which both sides pledged for a peaceful resolution of bi-lateral disputes. The declaration stated that the two sides would engage in bilateral consultations on security concepts, nuclear doctrines and avoidance of conflicts. The two countries agreed to give advance notification of ballistic missile flight tests and conclude bilateral agreements. During his visit, Vajpayee visited the Minar-e-Pakistan, a monument that had been set up in 1947 to commemorate the birth of Pakistan. Vajpayee had said that he was dissuaded from visiting this place as it would amount to giving a stamp of approval to the creation of Pakistan. However he said he saw no logic in what he had been told. I had made it clear that that Pakistan does not require my stamp for its entity as it has its own. At a reception in the Governor's House, Vajpayee recited a poem, 'Ab Jung naa hone denge hum." Following this he delivered a speech, which had managed to impress all. Nawaz Sharif too was so impressed that he walked up to him and said 'Vajpayee sahab ab toh Pakistan mein bhi election jeet sakte hain. (Mr Vajpayee you can win elections even in Pakistan now) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 18:58 [IST] When Vajpayee touched feet of Streeshakti award winner Chinnapillai! India oi-Vinod By Vinod New Delhi, Aug 16: Meeting prime minister of the country in a high security Vigyan Bhawan was one thing but if the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee touches the feet of the person who has been invited to give recognition by the government is really a big thing. Forget about Chinnapillai seeing the PM any more time, it was her first visit to Delhi and she was overwhelmed to see the PM dais. She reached out to touch his feet but what happened next was a shock to her when the PM touched her feet instead for her simplicity and achievement. Vajpayee was conferred Bangladesh Liberation War Honour by the country Chinnapillai was one of the five recipients of Streeshakti award started by Union human resources development ministry under Murali Manohar Joshi in recognition of pioneering work done by women in India. She has been organising poor and illiterate agricultural labourers of Tamil Nadu. Chinnapillai was from a small village called Pulliseri which is tucked into the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. Vajpayee's memorial to be built in 1.5 acres of land in New Delhi She was spotted by Dhan Foundation which was promoting a movement for women labourers that they had started Kalanjiam that means both granary and prosperity in Tamil. Chinnapillai joined Kalanjiam as an ordinary member in 1989 and worked hard to develop individual groups at the village level. As her work began to be recognised, she graduated to becoming a member of Kalanjiam's 13 member executive committee. One of the member of BJP trinity departs After five years, Chinnapillai will step aside to let the other woman to lead Kalanjiam. Idea was to create the opportunity and space to allow others to contribute to bring change. It has now its reach in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Pondicherry and its members belong to backward areas. Each group works towards empowering its members; it ensures they are not exploited and that they develop new skills. Each group functions independently, looking at local needs and realities and focusing on the poorest of the poor. Every day members set aside a handful of rice to be used by the group whenever there is a community lunch or when some member needs food. They also contribute Rs 11 annually to support the expansion of the movement. These women have mobilised savings in millions protecting them from the hazard of approaching a moneylender Independence Day gift: London returns stolen 12th century Buddha statue to India International oi-Madhuri London, Aug 16: 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. Dynamited by Taliban 11 years ago, Buddha of Swat smiles again 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. Buddha statue stolen in Muzaffarnagar, Dalits stage protest "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". PM to inagurate Buddha Jayanti celebrations on April 30 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". For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 9:26 [IST] Pakistan uses fake Islam is in danger narrative as main theme of its terror indoctrination Concerns on terrorist safe havens in Pakistan an honest one: US TRF terrorist involved in killing of civilians in J&K gunned down Terrorist who was going to kill shopkeeper in J&K gunned down Terrorists attack Afghan National Army training facility in Kabul International oi-Madhuri Kabul, Aug 16: Police on Thursday confirmed a terrorists attack on Afghan National Army training facility in Qala-e-Wazir, in Kabul. The attack was launched at about 10.15 am by an unknown number of gunmen on the Afghan National Army training facility in Qala-e-Wazir in PD Afghanistan, as reported by TOLO News. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 11:35 [IST] 2008-2021 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Three senior Grace Road Church followers in Fiji have been taken in for questioning after a raid at the Churches headquarters in Navua Tuesday night. Director for Immigration, Nemani Vuniwaqa, has confirmed to FBC News the raid was conducted in collaboration with the Korean Police, Fijian Police and Immigration to detain around six members of the Grace Road Church.Vuniwaqa said the raid however only resulted in three senior members being detained for questioning in relation to allegations of confinement and assault of 400 church members in Fiji.The Director said three other suspects remain at large.Vuniwaqa said Grace Road Church executives are working with Immigration to locate the other three suspects wanted in connection with the case.Last month, the Grace Road Church Founder Grace Ok-ju was arrested in Korea on allegations of incarceration, assault and the exploitation of foreign workers.Ok-ju was arrested with three other members of the Church while arriving at Incheon airport.Formal investigations by Fijian Police at the request of their Korean authorities began last week.SOURCE: FBC NEWS/PACNEWS The All Ceylon Private Bus Workers Association were expected to launch a strike as of midnight yesterday to express their opposition against the new fines imposed for violating road rules. Convenor of the Association, Kumara Rathna Renuka said that owners of bowsers, containers and three wheelers of Colombo will support their strike. However, other private bus owners associations will not take part in this strike. We have requested for a meeting with the President to discuss this matter. If we got an opportunity to discuss with the President, we will not go on strike, he added. Meanwhile, Examinations Department sources requested the Advanced Level Examination candidates to call over at examination centres in time today so as not to be victimised by the private bus strike. Meanwhile, Lanka Private Bus Owners Association (LPBOA) President Gemunu Wijeratne said his association will not engage in the strike. He requested the LPBOA not to go-ahead with the strike action because of the ongoing G.C.E. A/L examination. (Source: Daily News By Irangika Range and Dharma Sri Abeyratne) The CARTA board on Thursday passed a revised ordinance on persons addressing the board, including a provision that no person shall be allowed to appear before the board more than two times during any consecutive four-month period. The City Council allows speakers twice a month, while the County Commission has no limit on appearances. CARTA meets once a month. The city and county boards meet weekly. CARTA was recently sued in Federal Court by the bus drivers union over a complaint that its officials were not allowed to speak directly to the board. Afterward, leaders of the union have made several presentations to the board. There were no speakers from the public at the meeting on Thursday. Lisa Maragnano, executive director, said CARTA will be offering a four-hour training to drivers related to safety and procedures during attacks. The union earlier complained of a lack of bus driver safety training. Total CARTA ridership is up slightly for the first month of the fiscal year - from 282,490 to 283,810. Ridership on the Incline Railway, which is a valuable money-maker for the transit agency, was up from 81,578 to 84,202. The free Downtown Shuttle also carried more passengers than the same month the prior year. It was up from 73,780 to 79,467. Lopez Obrador Expands Plan for Yucatan Tourist Train Mexico City - President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced this week an even more ambitious proposal for the Yucatan Peninsula 'Mayan Train' that would extend its route - and significantly increase the project's cost. The original plan was for the tourist train to run 520 miles (830 kilometers) - from the beach resort city of Cancun down through Tulum to the Mayan ruins of Palenque - and was expected to cost 100 billion pesos. The new plan adds a western spur that would extend the route to 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) and include stops in Merida and Valladolid in Yucatan and three more in Campeche, at an estimated cost of between 120 billion and 150 billion pesos. Lopez Obrador said the new Mayan train project would be financed over six years through both public and private investment, and would be completed in four years "at the latest." Since most of the route lies on land already owned by the federal government, some of the funds will come from tourism taxes, which he said generate some 7 billion pesos a year. The initial plan was for the Mayan Train to connect some of the Yucatan Peninsula's most popular tourism destinations - the heavily traveled tourism route of Cancun-Riviera Maya-Chichen Itza-Xcaret visited by millions of tourists every year - but AMLO's new proposal is all about getting visitors off the beaten track. The extended route will give those who want more than just sun and sand the opportunity to explore the jungles, wildlife reserves, pre-Hispanic archaeological sites, wetlands and underground rivers in the Yucatan Peninsula's southern regions; and the chance to shop for locally made handicrafts and sample regional foods in colonial cities known for their European-influenced architecture. "This will greatly stimulate tourism and create jobs in the southeast, which is one of the world's most culturally rich areas, yet the most neglected region of the country," Lopez Obrador said. Article Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their articles after publishing them. To see if the article 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. "The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism -- ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power.... Among us today a concentration of private power without equal in history is growing." - President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1936 The power of gigantic corporations has been steadily growing in the 82 years since FDR said this. It is likely, based on this quote, that FDR would not recognize the United States of today as deserving of the term democracy (former President Jimmy Carter doesn't), and instead FDR would see it as more deserving of being called fascist. click here The coming to power of President Donald Trump has many people talking about, and worrying over, the rise of fascism, or neo-fascism. There's good reason for that. Trump's constant hate speech makes use of classic fascist rhetorical devices. His nationalist appeals to "make America great again;" demonization of immigrants; attacks on corporate media outlets which oppose him; huge increases in spending on the military and the police; and his contempt for even the extremely limited protections provided by bourgeois democratic government institutions; are straight out of the fascist playbook. Trumps fascistic discourse has also given comfort to hardcore fascist forces. These forces, openly racist, some proudly declaring their allegiance to fascism, have existed in the U.S. for a very long time. They are now emerging from the shadows to try and claim legitimacy and space in public. Just days ago, there was the effort by fascist forces, under the relatively innocent sounding "Unite the Right" slogan, to occupy public space in the nation's capitol. There have been many examples of this recently, including fascist rallies in Portland and Berkeley, with the deadly rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, being the most outstanding. https://patch.com/us/across-america/white-supremacists-plan-more-rallies-antifa-fights-back-post-charlottesville. Benito Mussilini, the father of fascism, and President Donald Trump (Image by DemocraticUnderground.com) Details DMCA Is Trump bringing fascism to the United States? That is a very legitimate question. However, there is another legitimate question. Is Trump merely taking the facade off, and making more overt, a system that was already fundamentally fascistic and deeply racist? Let's go back to FDR's quote, "...the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism -- ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power...". The U.S. has been ruled for many decades by a system of control by gigantic multinational corporations. I call it Corporate Capitalist Fascism. You may prefer to call it something else, like Corporatism, or Corporate Democracy. What you call it is much less important than recognizing its characteristics. Here is an outline of those characteristics. * A system in which corporations, particularly multinational corporations, and their super rich benefactors (the 1 percent), dominate all aspects of life. This is very different from the 20th Century iterations of fascism in Europe. Rather than the state controlling everything, or seeking to control everything, there is corporate control of everything, including the state. * The candidates backed by corporations in both major parties win just about every election of consequence. The higher the office, the more this is true. Money dominates elections. Where does this money come from? Corporations and the shareholders and private owners who reap the profits from them. Corporate lobbyist set the political agenda. The state is used to lavish welfare onto corporations and to pursue policies, foreign and domestic, in the interests of corporations. This system operates on a global scale, mainly riding on the back of U.S. economic and cultural imperialism, and the U.S. military. * Corporations control the mass media. A mass media that is at least a hundred fold more powerful than what existed during 20th Century iterations of fascism. This is, I believe, a key feature. This enables them to control how most people think. When the ruling classes control how people think, there is less need for heavy handed repression. Individual freedoms, such as freedom of speech and freedom to organize are tolerated as long as they don't really threaten corporate dominance of the mass media. Noam Chomsky's writings have done much of the heavy lifting regarding the manufacturing of consent. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturing_Consent * Racism, sexism, and every divisive "ism" there is are systematically used to keep the people divided and distracted. Above all else, the masses must be preventing from seeing that their common struggle should be against their corporate masters. * Despite all the manufacturing of consent, there is still extensive physical repression as evidenced by the huge population in prison and on parole. The welfare of much of the population is completely ignored, or ignored as much as possible. Thus they must be controlled by police repression and incarceration, including brutality and murder. The prison system is dominated, ever increasing so, by a prison industrial complex, for the benefit of for profit corporations. * Increasing militarism is another feature. This is driven both by the international interests of multinational corporations, but also by a for profit military industrial complex run by and for corporations. It's no coincidence that the most profitable corporations are in the armaments industry. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). In the tale of the Ancient Mariner, there is an albatross that follows a ship wherever it goes. The sailors consider this bird a sign of good luck. But the ancient mariner, for reasons of his own, shoots and kills the bird. The sailors are horrified and they wrap the dead albatross around the ancient mariner's neck as a form of shame and punishment. America, unfortunately, has an albatross wrapped around its neck; perhaps a form of punishment for its people's apathy and failure to rise up and speak out against its government when those in the government refuse to do the will of the people. And it also may be a form of punishment because so many Americans made the colossal mistake of helping the Republican Party and Trump take complete control of this government. The common interpretation of the phrase "albatross wrapped around one's neck" is, "a heavy burden that prevents one from achieving success." That's exactly what is happening in our country. This albatross is representative of the GOP and Donald Trump, a heavy burden that prevents America from propelling itself into the 21st Century. That's why we see no positive and constructive actions being taken and a total lack of creativity and innovative thinking. This is a political party and a president who are caught up in a state of negativity, divisiveness, and destructiveness. The best and the brightest Americans have no inclination to enter into this country's thoroughly corrupted political system, one in which they would have to continually beg for campaign contributions and then do the bidding of those donors. They see a contaminated Congress and want no part of it. So, absent the best of Americans, this country has to settle for the likes of Donald J. Trump, America should have a president who provides it with strong, visionary leadership and a dogged determination to attack and solve this nation's many problems; but that's not the case. Trump has no time to attack these problems because he is very busy attacking his legions of enemies. What he needs to do, but he won't, is to shove his Twitter account aside and at least attempt to communicate with the American people in the way that presidents Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and Kennedy did. They knew how to connect with the people and it enhanced their presidencies. When is the last time that we have seen a U.S. president carry out a foreign policy agenda in which he goes out of his way to alienate our most loyal European and UK nations, and their leaders? We need to establish even greater ties with them, not drive them away. He can't seem to get along with his fellow leaders, those in France, Germany, the UK, and other Euro countries. He turned the G7 conference into a big bust and then made a pathetic appearance in the UK where he didn't' bring even the slightest degree of diplomacy with him. Starting a trade war is totally misguided thinking; No one ever wins that kind of war. He threatened to place tariffs against the Euro countries but backed off quickly when he became aware that.they would strongly retaliate with tariffs of their own. He criticized NATO and accused other member nations of not contributing their fair share of the expenses of that organization. He sounds like he would like very much to withdraw from this organization, just as he withdrew the U.S. from the Iranian Nuclear Agreement and the Paris Climate Accord. We badly need a president who will strive to unite the people of this country, who will heal the wounds that exist between different elements of our society. These deep divisions must be reversed. But we see none of that happening. We see a president who appears to be determined to divide this country even further. He is creating a racial and ethnic divide in America. His veiled and sometimes direct statements about other races and ethnic groups are causing more and more resentment by those who are his targets, namely African Americans, Hispanics, and Muslims. White supremacy anyone? 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. All of us are witnesses of US Special Operations Forces (SOF) continued activity in the Baltic region. This fact is demonstrated by the participation of the V-22 Osprey convertoplanes in the military exercises, which take place in the Baltic countries regularly. The US SOF staff are studying the Baltic battlefield diligently -- this is how NATO considers the territory of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. It's necessary to mention that the V-22 Osprey is the primary assault support aircraft for the U.S. SOF and Marine Corps. And several SOF convertoplanes were spotted in the Baltics. By the way, the presence of SOF operators in this region was officially recognized in January 2017. Even the Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command General Raymond A. Thomas stated that SOF personnel will permanently carry out a special mission in the Baltic States. The nature of these "special" missions remains unknown. But it is commonly known, that one of the main functions of the US SOF is the organization and training of irregular fighters and counter-guerrilla units, their management and supply. And the V-22 Osprey convertoplanes with their long flight range are particularly used for these goals. Special Operations Forces and bush-fighters The authorities of the Baltic republics began to prepare for guerrilla war against Russia intensively right after the appearance of American SOF. The leaders of these countries constantly declare that Moscow is about to unleash a war and occupy the Baltic countries. It's not a secret that Colonel Kevin Stringer, the Deputy Director, Strategy, Plans, and Policy (J5) at Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR), supposed the Baltic state's strategy should be based on the Swiss experience during the Cold War. The basis of this strategy is the immunity of the local population to foreign propaganda; the creation of effective civil defense system; compulsory military service. The main task for the Swiss citizens was to disable the most important infrastructure facilities. As a result of such actions, the aggressor will get nothing but ruins and well-armed and motivated population for guerrilla warfare. Taking this into account, the aggressor is meant to perceive the complete futility of occupation. It is worth mentioning that some paramilitary irregular units have existed in the Baltic countries for the last years. Manned mostly with nationalists, they haven't been very popular until recently. However, they began to grow in leaps and bounds with growing state support after receiving instructions from Washington. It's remarkable, that the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union, the Estonian Defense League and the Latvian National Guard "Zemessardze" have been conducting exercises almost nonstop for the last two years. The US SOF instructors teach them how to set ambushes, as well as how to hit low-flying air targets and to conduct reconnaissance behind enemy lines. The budget requests of the Pentagon for 2019 include $59 million for the purchase of weapons and equipment for the US SOF in Europe; $36 million for the deployment of Special Forces; and $56 million for joint work with allies in Europe. Hold out or sit out? The militants of the irregular formations are preparing for the fact that they will have to hold out for two weeks following the defeat of the national armies by the Russian troops. NATO will be able to bring up its forces and to stave the enemy during this time. However, experts suggest a less optimistic scenario for the Baltic States. The RAND Corporation analysts say: "Britain, France and Germany will be able to deploy a heavy brigade of their armed forces only a month after the conflict begins. At the same time, Russia is capable of pulling up to 150 thousand soldiers to the area of conflict within a couple of weeks". Speaking about the US, analysts say that it will take Washington a few months to deploy the same contingent across the Atlantic Ocean. Experts are convinced that the Baltic countries will be captured in a few hours in case of armed conflict with Russia. And it's as plain as daylight that any attempts of regular forces or especially "partisans" to resist will lead to casualties and destruction. Guerrilla warfare will be beat down from the start. Next Page 1 | 2 (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. Global Media Based Water Filters Market Size, Share, Development by 2025 - QY Research, Inc. http://www.qyresearchglobal.com/goods-1787891.html www.qyresearch.com The process of filtration involves the flow of water through a granular bed, of sand or another suitable media, at a low speed. The media retains most solid matter while permitting the water to pass. The process of filtration is usually repeated to ensure adequate removal of unwanted particles in the water. This type of slow filtration over a granular bed is generally known as slow sand filtration. It is the oldest method of filtration but still widely used in municipal water treatment plants today.More modern filtration systems use carbon as the main constituent material of the filter. This carbon is compressed into a solid block form, as opposed to the more loosely structured, granular, sand filters. Such filters often include other media substances, in addition to the compressed, solid carbon. This type of water filter is known as a multimedia filter. These filters clean water through both physical and chemical processes. Physically, they perform the same function as slow sand filters, blocking the passage of unwanted materials with molecular structures that are larger than water. Chemically, the carbon or multimedia filters perform an added filtration function. Through the process of adsorption, the atomic charge of the carbon and other media encourages unwanted particles to abandon their bond with the water and chemically attach to the media. The water then passes through the filter, cleansed of undesirable materials. The addition of extra media to the standard filter constitution of sand or carbon allows for more particles to chemically bond to the media, resulting in greater filter performance and efficiency.The global media based water filters industry has experienced remarkable growth over the past several decades, affected by the water pollution problem and the globally economy development. A growing number of enterprises are entering the media based water filters market; the competition of this market is getting more intensive.Demand is driven by demographics and the health of the economy. The profitability of individual companies depends on their ability to bid accurately, secure contracts, and control costs. Large companies enjoy economies of scale in financing and the ability to offer a broad range of services in many locations. Smaller companies can compete effectively by specializing in particular services or focusing on certain geography. The industry is fragmented.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of Media Based Water Filters in these regions, from 2013 to 2025, coveringNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam)South America (Brazil etc.)Middle East and Africa (Egypt and GCC Countries)The various contributors involved in the value chain of the product include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers. The key manufacturers in this market include3MBWTBritaTorayCulliganDoultonBy the product type, the market is primarily split intoRO BasedActivated Carbon BasedOtehrsBy the end users/application, this report covers the following segmentsDrinking WaterIrrigationAquariumsOthersRequest Sample Report and TOC@Contact USQY Research, INC.17890 Castleton, Suite 218,City of industry, CA 91748USA: +1 626 295 2442Email: sales@qyrsearchglobal.comWeb:About Us:QY Research established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. The company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc.Room 2905, Vili International, 167 Linhe West Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China High-Voltage Switchgear 2018 Global Market Key Players ABB, GE, Mitsubishi Electric, Siemens, Toshiba Analysis and Forecast to 2025 High-Voltage Switchgear Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3328893-global-high-voltage-switchgear-market-research-report-2018 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3328893-global-high-voltage-switchgear-market-research-report-2018 www.wiseguyreports.com WiseGuyRerports.com Presents Global High-Voltage Switchgear Market Research Report 2018 New Document to its Studies DatabaseThis report studies the global High-Voltage Switchgear market status and forecast, categorizes the global High-Voltage Switchgear market size (value & volume) by manufacturers, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top manufacturers in North America, Europe, Japan, China, and other regions (India, Southeast Asia, Central & South America, and Middle East & Africa).Switchgear is a highly integral electrical transmission and distribution (T&D) equipment that comprises of a combination of electrical disconnect switches, circuit breakers and fuses. Switchgears find application not only to de-energize a particular electrical equipment for maintenance work but also helps in clearing faults downstream.The global High-Voltage Switchgear market is valued at xx million US$ in 2017 and will reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of xx% during 2018-2025.The major manufacturers covered in this reportABBGEMitsubishi ElectricSiemensToshibaRequest For Sample Report @Geographically, this report studies the top producers and consumers, focuses on product capacity, production, value, consumption, market share and growth opportunity in these key regions, coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoGas Insulated Switchgear (GIS)Air Insulated Switchgear (AIS)On the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingPower GenerationOil & GasUtilities SectorIndustrialThe study objectives of this report are:To analyze and study the global High-Voltage Switchgear capacity, production, value, consumption, status (2013-2017) and forecast (2018-2025);Focuses on the key High-Voltage Switchgear manufacturers, to study the capacity, production, value, market share and development plans in future.Focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis.To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region.To analyze the global and 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 marketTo analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the marketTo strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.Complete Report Details @Table Of Contents:1 High-Voltage Switchgear Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of High-Voltage Switchgear1.2 High-Voltage Switchgear Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global High-Voltage Switchgear Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global High-Voltage Switchgear Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS)1.2.4 Air Insulated Switchgear (AIS)1.3 Global High-Voltage Switchgear Segment by Application1.3.1 High-Voltage Switchgear Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Power Generation1.3.3 Oil & Gas1.3.4 Utilities Sector1.3.5 Industrial1.4 Global High-Voltage Switchgear Market by Region (2013-2025)1.4.1 Global High-Voltage Switchgear Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2013-2025)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of High-Voltage Switchgear (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global High-Voltage Switchgear Revenue Status and Outlook (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global High-Voltage Switchgear Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2013-2025)2 Global High-Voltage Switchgear Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global High-Voltage Switchgear Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.1 Global High-Voltage Switchgear Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global High-Voltage Switchgear Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.2 Global High-Voltage Switchgear Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.3 Global High-Voltage Switchgear Average Price by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.4 Manufacturers High-Voltage Switchgear Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 High-Voltage Switchgear Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 High-Voltage Switchgear Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 High-Voltage Switchgear Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion.7 Global High-Voltage Switchgear Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 ABB7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 High-Voltage Switchgear Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 ABB High-Voltage Switchgear Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 GE7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 High-Voltage Switchgear Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 GE High-Voltage Switchgear Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Mitsubishi Electric7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 High-Voltage Switchgear Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Mitsubishi Electric High-Voltage Switchgear Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Siemens7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 High-Voltage Switchgear Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Siemens High-Voltage Switchgear Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Toshiba7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 High-Voltage Switchgear Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Toshiba High-Voltage Switchgear Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015-2018)7.5.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinued.CONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ABOUT US:Address:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Interventional Radiology Market Booming in American Region by 2023 Prognostication | with General Electric Company, Siemens Medical Solutions, Toshiba Medical Systems, Etc Interventional Radiology Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/914 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/914 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/914 Market Research Future, a firm which specializes in market reports related to the Healthcare sector among others, recently forecasted in its report on Interventional Radiology Market Research Report- America Forecast to 2023 that the market will demonstrate an exceptional CAGR 5.12% while achieving good growth rapidly in the forecast period.Interventional Radiology Market HighlightsInterventional radiology involves use of radiology system for diagnosis and treatment of large number of diseases bringing a new era in radiology imaging to an increase in the demand of technological advancement in imaging technologies. Its integration with healthcare IT has made patient management and point of care testing an easier job of healthcare provider. Interventional radiology also facilitates efficient diagnosis, early intervention and effective resource management. These advantages flourish the growth of interventional radiology market in America. Factors driving the growth of this market are increasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases, lifestyle changes & growing incidence of lifestyle disorders acting as risk factors for heart diseases, demand for minimally invasive surgery and high prevalence of lifestyle diseases. Extensive use of MRI, CT & ultrasound as well as awareness regarding preventive care also contribute to the growth of this market. Fierce competition among major market players is creating barriers for new entrants. High cost of imaging system act as a restrain for the growth of this market. Americas Interventional radiology market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.12% during forecast period 2017 to 2023.Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 20 market data tables and figures spread over 50 pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Interventional radiology market Research Report Americas Forecast to 2023.Get Sample PDF Illustration @Key Players for Americas Interventional Radiology MarketMarket Research Future (MRFR) recognizes the following companies as the key players in Americas Interventional Radiology Market: There are plenty of large and small market players which operate in this market all over the globe.Key players in Interventional radiology market are: General Electric Company (U.S), Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. (U.S), Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Japan), Hitachi Medical Corporation (Japan), Carestream Health, Inc. (U.S.), Hologic, Inc. (U.S), Cardinal Health (U.S.), B. Braun Melsungen AG (Germany), C.R Bard (U.S.), Stryker Corporation (U.S.), and Cook Medical Inc. (U.S.).General Electric Company is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in New York. It provide wide range of interventional radiology products namely, Discovery IGS 750, Discovery IGS 540, Discovery IGS 530 and many more. ViewPoint 6 is a smart, flexible solution for radiology department which helps to communicate across departments and connect with existing HIS, RIS, PACS or EMR systems.Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. is one of the major market players in interventional radiology. Its products include medical imaging, point of care testing, laboratory diagnostics, healthcare IT, therapy system and many other products. Somatom Confidence, an CT system, Acuson NX3 an ultrasound system and MAGNETOM, an MRI system are highly specialized imaging system provided by the company. In November 2016, the company acquired acquire Conworx Technology GmbH to deliver open connectivity for point-of-care instruments.Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation is a medical equipment company in Japan. In 1914, it begin research on X-ray tube. It was a market leader in diagnostic imaging equipment and introduced MRI and helical CT for the first time.Segments for Americas Interventional Radiology MarketAmericas Interventional Radiology Market has been segmented on the basis of types, procedure, application and end users. On the basis of types, the market is further segmented into MRI, Ultrasound Imaging, CT scan and Angiography. On the basis of procedure, the market is segmented into diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Diagnostic procedures include angiography, cholangiography and biopsy. Therapeutic procedures include vascular, catheter placement, ablative, genitourinary and pain management. On the basis of application, the market is segmented into cardiology, oncology, urology, nephrology, others and on the basis of by end user, it is segmented into hospitals, catheterization labs, and ambulatory surgical centers.Regional Analysis for Americas Interventional Radiology MarketAmericas interventional radiology market consists of North America and South America. North America accounts for the largest market share, and its growth is attributed to the presence of global market leaders, extensive use of interventional radiology, increasing the prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and other diseases. Furthermore, the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and the rising demand for minimally invasive procedures drive the growth of this market. Additionally, new products launch and technological advancements favor the growth of this market in America. However, fierce competition among major players may hamper entry of new participants in the market.Get Prime Discount on ReportSome Brief Table of Contents of ReportChapter 1. Report PrologueChapter 2. Market Introduction2.1 Definition2.2 Scope Of The Study2.2.1 Research Objective2.2.2 Assumptions2.2.3 LimitationsChapter 3. Research Methodology3.1 Introduction3.2 Primary Research3.3 Secondary Research3.4 Market Size EstimationChapter 4. Market Dynamics4.1 Drivers4.2 Restrains4.3 Opportunities4.4 Challenges4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators4.6 Technology Trends & AssessmentChapter 5. Market Factor Analysis5.1 Porters Five Forces Analysis5.1.1 Bargaining Power Of SuppliersTOC ContinuedDo You Have Specific Requirement? Ask To Our Experts@About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Statistical Report, Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureHadapsar, Pune 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Airway Management Devices Market - Regional Outlook by 2025 | Medline Industries, Smiths Medical https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=2576 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=2576 https://www.tmrresearch.com/airway-management-devices-market Global Airway Management Devices Market: OverviewThe global airway management devices are medical devices used for patients have obstructed airways or are at the risk of being obstructed. These devices find applications in a variety of clinical settings such as emergency and pre-hospital settings, operating rooms, and out-of-hospital care. Over the past few years, they have gained wide application in managing supraglottic airways and in endotracheal intubation. The proper use of airway management devices is necessary in various preoperative settings to ventilate patient and significantly improve post-operative outcomes, especially in critical care settings.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The increasing prevalence of respiratory diseases and growing number of patients with difficult airways in emergency departments is continuously boosting the evolution of the market. Medical device manufacturers are developing devices that need least expertise to operate, improves the rate of successful intubation, and are designed innovatively.Global Airway Management Devices Market: Key TrendsThe rising prevalence of various types of respiratory diseases, particularly Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and associated morbidity and mortality worldwide is a key factor driving the airway management devices market. A growing number of patients undergoing anesthesia before surgical procedures need continued ventilation, stimulating the uptake of airway management devices.Constant advances in endotracheal intubation in clinical practice has boosted the airway management devices market. The growing number of cases of children suffering with various lung diseases has propelled the demand for airway management devices. Increasing awareness related to the need for airway ventilation in preoperative settings and the advent of devices with enhanced success rate in emergency care are expected to open up exciting opportunities for market players.Request TOC of the Report @Global Airway Management Devices Market: Market PotentialRoyal Philips, a major Dutch company delivering healthcare technology solutions, announced in May 23, 2017 that it has inked a deal with RespirTech, which will help the company to consolidate its presence in respiratory care. The Minnesota-based company provides airway management devices for patients suffering from chronic respiratory conditions, such as COPD, cystic fibrosis, and bronchiectasis. The portfolio sold to Philips shall include a clinical support program aimed at providing respiratory care for patients at home settings. Further, the company said this will further add to its other service plans for respiratory care. One of the key offerings of RespirTech is inCourage Airway Clearance Therapy, a vest device to help patients in respiration at home. The vest therapy can be successfully applied in clearing airways for a wide range of respiratory conditions and neuromuscular diseases. The solution is helpful to patients whose abilities to cough are severely compromised and further help them avoid serious respiratory complications. RespirTech also produces ClearChest, a single patient-use comfort vest and bands intended for hospital settings. The contract will enable Royal Philips to make airway management easier and more effective for patients at home settings and will help in treating respiratory conditions. Such strategic mergers bode well for the airway management devices market as these will be helpful in improving patient outcomes.Global Airway Management Devices Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, North America is one of the major markets for airway management devices. The growth in the regional market is driven by substantial governmental initiatives and stricter implementation of clinical guidelines by healthcare organizations for proper ventilation and management of airways of patients. The growing prevalence of various respiratory conditions indicating blocked airways and constant device innovations by medical device manufacturers to improve clinical guidelines are expected to fuel this regional market. On the other hand, Asia Pacific is expected to offer lucrative avenues to market players. The impressive growth of the regional market is attributed to the emergence of countries, such as China and India, acting as cheap manufacturing hubs and intensive R&D funding across the region.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Global Airway Management Devices Market: Competitive AnalysisSeveral companies are opting for strategic collaborations and investing into product development activities. Leading players are developing innovative products and making mergers and acquisitions to gain a competitive edge over others. Major players vying for a significant share in the airway management devices market are Medline Industries, Smiths Medical, Ambu A/S, Teleflex Incorporated, Mercury Medical, Intersurgical, and Medtronic.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Fluorosurfactants Market Growing Paints & Coatings Industry With Top Companies Analysis Asahi Glass Co., Ltd, DIC Corporation, Chemguard, DuPont, OMNOVA Solutions Inc., The Chemours Company, Pilot Chemical Corp., 3M Fluorosurfactants Market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-fluorosurfactants-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-fluorosurfactants-market The Global Fluorosurfactants Market report is a proficient and deep dive study on the Fluorosurfactants current state also focuses on the major drivers, Fluorosurfactants Market strategies and impressive growth of the key players. Worldwide Fluorosurfactants Industry also offers granular study of the dynamics, revenue, Fluorosurfactants segmentation, share forecasts and allows you to take better business decision. The report serves vital statistics on the Fluorosurfactants Market stature of the Fluorosurfactants leading manufacturers and is a important source of guidance and advice for companies and individuals involved in the Fluorosurfactants industry.Fluorosurfactants, also known as fluorinated surfactants, belong to a category of coating additives that enhance leveling, wetting, and controlling foam. They also offer lower surface tension in coating systems. The product is compatible with almost all polymers and remains active throughout the dyeing and curing processes. There is a growing demand for fluorosurfactants from paints & coatings, specialty detergents, firefighting and oilfield & mining industries, which is expected to drive the market over the forecast period.Request for Sample Report @Top Key Players:Asahi Glass Co., Ltd,DIC Corporation,Chemguard,DuPont,OMNOVA Solutions Inc.,Johnson Controls (Tyco International PLC),The Chemours Company,Pilot Chemical Corp.,3M,Advanced Polymer, Inc.,Innovative Chemical Technologies,many more.The Global Fluorosurfactants Market accounted for USD 420.5 million in 2016 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.5% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2014, 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Avail 10% Instant Discount on Purchase of This Report Mail @ sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.comMarket Segmentation: On the basis of type, the market is segmented into - anionic fluorosurfactants, nonionic fluorosurfactants, amphoteric fluorosurfactants, and cationic fluorosurfactants. On the basis of application, the market is segmented into - paints & coatings, specialty detergents, firefighting, oilfield & mining and others. On the basis of geography, the fluorosurfactants market report covers data points for 28 countries across multiple geographies such as - North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. Some of the major countries covered in this report are U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Brazil among others.Competitive Landscape:The global fluorosurfactants market is consolidated due to the presence of a limited number of players. These major players have adopted various organic as well as inorganic growth strategies such as mergers & acquisitions, new product launches, expansions, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, and others to strengthen their position in this market.Major Market Drivers: High demand for short-chain fluorosurfactants Better performance than other hydrocarbon surfactantsMarket Restraint: High price of fluorosurfactants Toxicity of long-chain fluorosurfactants hampering market growth in the developed nationsKey Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have comprehensive understanding of the Global Fluorosurfactants Market and its commercial landscape. Assess the Fluorosurfactants production processes, major issues, and solutions to mitigate the development risk. To understand the most affecting driving and restraining forces in the Fluorosurfactants Market and its impact in the Global market. Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by leading respective organizations. To understand the future outlook and prospects for Global Fluorosurfactants Market.Inquire Before Buying @Customize report of "Global Fluorosurfactants Market" as per customers requirement also available.About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Data Bridge adepts in creating satisfied clients who reckon upon our services and rely on our hard work with certitude. We are content with our glorious 99.9 % client satisfying rate.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com Luggage Market Analysis by Product Type (Travel, Casual, Business), Applications, Regional Outlook, Technology, Opportunity and Forecast 2023 Reportsweb http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00012162527/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00012162527/buying ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Luggage Market Size Status and Forecast 2023, The report classifies the global Luggage Market in a precise manner to offer detailed insights about the aspects responsible for augmenting as well as restraining market growth.A comprehensive research report created through extensive primary research (inputs from industry experts, companies, stakeholders) and secondary research, the report aims to present the analysis of Global Luggage Bag Market. The report analyzes the global luggage market by Product (Business Bags, Casual Bags, Travel Bags), By Distribution Channel (Specialty Stores, Departmental Stores, Hyper Markets & Supermarkets, Internet Sales, Others-Club Retailers, Direct Seller and Small Independent Retailers), By Price Segments (Value & Mid-Level, Premium, Luxury). The report assesses the luggage market by Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, ROW) and By Country (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, China, India, Japan).According to Publisher research report "Global Luggage Market-Analysis By Product Type (Travel, Casual, Business), Price Segment, Distribution channel, By Region, By Country (2018 Edition): World Market Review and Forecast to 2023", global market is projected to display modest growth represented by a CAGR of 6.72% during 2018-2023, on account of factors such as growing number of business and industry, rise in disposable income, large number of new players entering into the market with new product launch equipped with add-on features. Moreover, emerging markets have shown remarkable growth in the recent years and this is anticipated to propel the demand for Luggage Bag in the future.Get Sample of this Report @In terms of segmentation, the market is categorized into product segments including Business, Casual and Travel. In terms of region, North America has become a saturated market with maximum market share in United States, while APAC region has a lot more growth opportunities accompanied with huge growth potential in the Indian and Japanese market. The global Luggage Bag market is driven by Increase in disposable income at the hands of consumers. The rising disposable income and living standards result in an increased demand for comfort and luxury. With more disposable income people are more likely to switch to good quality products from ordinary products. Moreover, the market is dominated by unorganized players with low priced products, but with the increasing disposable income people are expected to spend more on quality luggage products for travel.The Key Players mentioned in our report:1 Samsonite International S.A.2 RIMOVA3 Briggs & Riley Travelware4 VIP Industries Ltd.5 VF Corporation.6 DELSEY7 Fox Luggage Inc.Scope of the ReportGlobal Luggage Market (Actual Period: 2013-2017, Forecast Period: 2018-2023)-Global Luggage Market-Size, Growth, Forecast-Global Luggage Market By Product (Business, Casual, Travel)-By Distribution Channel (Specialty Stores, Departmental Stores, Hyper Markets & Supermarkets, Internet Sales, Others-Club Retailers, Direct Seller and Small Independent Retailers)-By Price Segments (Value & Mid-Level, Premium, Luxury)Regional Markets-North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, ROW(Actual Period: 2013-2017, Forecast Period: 2018-2023)-Luggage Market-Size, Growth, Forecast-Luggage Market By Product (Business, Casual, Travel)-By Distribution Channel (Specialty Stores, Departmental Stores, Hyper Markets & Supermarkets, Internet Sales, Others-Club Retailers, Direct Seller and Small Independent Retailers)-By Price Segments (Value & Mid-Level, Premium, Luxury)Country Analysis-United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, China, India, Japan (Actual Period: 2013-2017, Forecast Period: 2018-2023)-Luggage Market-Size, Growth, Forecast-Luggage Market By Product (Business, Casual, Travel)-By Distribution Channel (Specialty Stores, Departmental Stores, Hyper Markets & Supermarkets, Internet Sales, Others-Club Retailers, Direct Seller and Small Independent Retailers)-By Price Segments (Value & Mid-Level, Premium, Luxury)Other Report Highlights-Market Dynamics-Trends, Drivers, Restraints-Porter Five Force Analysis-SWOT Analysis-Policy and Regulation-Company Analysis-Samsonite International S.A, RIMOVA, Briggs and Riley TravelWare, VIP industries Ltd, VF Corporation, DELSEY, Fox Luggage Inc.-Company Share AnalysisElse place an Inquire before Purchase Global Luggage Market Size, Status and Forecast 2023:The report titled "Global Luggage Market-Analysis By Product Type (Travel, Casual, Business), Price Segment, Distribution channel, By Region, By Country (2018 Edition): World Market Review and Forecast to 2023-By Distribution Channel (Specialty Stores, Departmental Stores, Hyper Markets & Supermarkets, Internet Sales, Others-Club Retailers, Direct Seller and Small Independent Retailers), By Price Segments (Value & Mid-Level, Premium, Luxury), By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, ROW), By Country (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, China, India, Japan) has covered and analysed the potential of global Luggage market and provides statistics and information on market size, shares and growth factors. 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 luggage market. Aditionally, the report also highlights market entry strategies for various companies across the globe.About ReportsWeb:ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queriesPune:505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Nickel Hydroxide Market by Top 10 Companies : Sigma-Aldrich, Inc., Norilsk Nickel, Alt Cobalt and Nickel Products (dalian). Co. Ltd, Nippy Chemicals., Jilin Jien Nickel Industry Co., Ltd. | Analysis to 2023 Nickel Hydroxide Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/859 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/global-nickel-hydroxide-market-859 Nickel Hydroxide Market Overview to 2023Nickel hydroxide finds its most common application in rechargeable battery electrodes. It can be distinguished by the chemical formula Ni(OH)2. Nickel hydroxide is an insoluble chemical compound that possesses strong redox properties. In physical form, this material is translucent emerald-green crystal and it is extracted in the form of a thin sheet nearby the boundaries of chlorite and idocrase crystals.Get Sample Research Report @In terms of figures, the future looks pretty fulfilling for this market. The global market for nickel hydroxide is estimated to grow at a moderate CAGR of around 6%. Whereas the revenue rates are expected to surge as well. Back in 2016, the market was valued at USD 2,298 million whereas, by the end of the forecast period, the market is anticipated to generate USD 2,841 million.Market Players & Key StrategiesThere are many who have invested in the global market for nickel hydroxides. Furthermore, the market witnesses a steady flow of new entrants as well. Some of the most renowned players in this market can be recognized as Tanaka Chemical Corporation, Norilsk Nickel, Jiangmen Chancsun Umicore Industry Co., and Cobalt & Nickel Products Co., Ltd.These brands work towards improving their product and services in order to lure in more customers. Major players are turning towards Asia Pacific and Middle East Africa as these areas have ample opportunities.The electrical industry has observed a staggering growth in the past decade. This industry owes its progression to numerous discoveries that have taken place over the years. As a result of the extension of the bigger canopy i.e. electrical sector, smaller markets like nickel hydroxide get a chance to flourish. According to a recent research study distributed by Market Research Future, this market will expand enormously during the forecast period of 2017-2023.Recently, the demand for nickel hydroxide has surged as they can be efficiently used as electrodes in electrochemical batteries. This fact acts as one of the primary growth boosters for this market. On the other hand, the benefits that the compound itself offers superior performance, longer battery life and reliability further propel the markets expansion.The market may have to deal with certain minor restraints like high toxicity of this compound and fluctuating raw material costs. The stakeholders are working on these problems and they will soon enough find a plausible solution.Industry NewsElon Musk recently decided that he will be expanding his business out of California with an aim to make electric vehicles a real and common concept. He has demanded batteries with longer life and this demand has worked wonders for the nickel hydroxide market giant Tanaka Chemical. A partnership amongst the two giants seems to be on the cards and the market has high hopes for this development.Access complete Report @Market SegmentationMarket Research Future is an expert in providing research reports on chemicals and materials amongst other domains. It recently released a report on Nickel Hydroxide Market and there is an entire segment that is dedicated to segmental analysis. Here are some minor snippets of that section of the report.Applications Batteries. The batteries segment is further branched out into mid-high rate batteries and pocket batteries. Mid-high range batteries secure the greater share of the market followed by pocket batteries.End users Chemical industries, electrochemical batteries, agriculture industry and food industry.Comprehensive Regional AnalysisThe nickel hydroxide market has very effectively established its hold on all the major areas of the world. Some of the regions where the markets presence can be predominantly observed can be listed as Europe, Asia Pacific, North America and Rest of the World. After an extensive evaluation of the growth trends of all the aforementioned regions, the research report by Market Research Future concluded that it was Asia Pacific that accounted for the largest share of the market. It could be majorly credited to the business brought in by China and also to the higher margin of investments by the stakeholders in this region. The other regions mentioned above are expected to grow at a steady pace throughout the projection span.At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Office No. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drugs Market : Key Information By Top Key Players | Bayer, Sanofi, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, GloxoSmithKline, Takeda, Dr. Reddys Laboratories, Cipla https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/1884 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1884 Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drugs Market will reach USD 178 billion by 2024; according to a new research report.Growing number of elderly population, highly prone to suffer from several ailments such as joint pain will drive the demand of OTC drugs. Rising awareness about numerous diseases and accessibility of non-prescription for the same will continue to aid self-medication trend during the projection years. Expanding shift by pharmaceutical companies from Rx to OTC owing to favorable regulations will drive market growth. Moreover, increasing patent expiration will further motivate pharmaceutical companies to switch from Rx to OTC.Growing trend of self-medication in developing economies and increasing dependency on internet to gain more information will further provoke self-treatment tendency among people over the forecast period.Over-the-counter market growth is likely to be hindered by concerns pertaining to substance abuse and incorrect diagnosis. Moreover, drug abuse leading to various health problems such as heart problems, memory loss, kidney failure should impede market growth during the forecast timeline.Request sample copy of this report @Minerals and vitamins business dominated the industry in 2016, owing to increasing trends towards using vitamins and minerals for improved health. Easy access to multivitamins and minerals, along with increasing usage of vitamin D will propel the business during the forecast timeframe.Across the globe, ophthalmic OTC drugs market will witness a significant growth in future because of demand arising from growing needs of elderly population vulnerable to eye related diseases.U.S. over-the-counter drugs market recorded to be the largest in 2016 and will grow at substantial rate owing to presence of huge geriatric patient pool, rising number of people suffering from chronic diseases associated pains and growing obesity among individuals.Germany over-the-counter drugs market held largest share in European industry due to intensifying push towards licensing of over-the-counter medicines for treating chronic conditions. Also, increasing measures to improve health, wellbeing, fitness and willingness to invest in self-medication will augment industry growth.Large baby boomers population, escalating awareness and self-medication trend will support growth of the otherwise descending Japanese OTC drugs market during the projections years.Make Inquiry about this report @Growing demand for non-prescription drugs and high life expectancy coupled with healthcare infrastructure advancements will drive Australian market during the forecast period.Some of the notable industry players are Bayer Corporation, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Novartis, Cipla, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals.Major industry players are increasing their focus on research activities for new product development. They are also emphasizing on acquisition and geographical expansion to enhance their position in over-the-counter market.Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.com Flexible OLED Market Progresses for Huge Profits During 2015 to 2021 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3877 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3877 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Flexible OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diode) enable the device in which it is used to roll or bend while still operating.An OLED emits light due to the presence of thin films of organic semiconductors of thickness approximately 100 nanometers. The regular OLEDs are fabricated on a glass substrate, whereas flexible OLEDs use flexible plastic such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Replacement of glass with PET also reduces weight of the device. Though the flexible OLED market is currently at a nascent stage, it is expected to grow rapidlyin the near future owing to rapid growth ofthe electronics industry. OLEDs also find application in the production of electronic-paper or bendable displays that can be integrated into clothing, wallpaper, or other curved surfaces.Key drivers of the flexible OLED market include technological advancementsin several industries and growing per-capita income, which encourage customers to buy electronic products with flexible display. Continuous research and development activities create opportunities for expansion of the flexible OLED market.There are a few limitations associated with flexible OLEDs,which includelowering of efficiencyor brightness, or even complete breakdown of devices on introduction of stress into the organic layers.Encapsulation is another challenge for the flexible OLED market. Flexible encapsulation methods are generally not as effective a barrier to air and moisture as glass;however,research and development activities are being carried outto improve the encapsulation of flexible organic light emitting diodes.A sample of this report is available upon request @Based on application, the flexible OLED market can be segmented into mobile phones,tablets and notebooks, televisions, automotive and aerospace, wearable electronics, industrial, micro-displays, and others. The automotive and aerospace application segment is growing at the fastest pace, followed by televisions.Amazon,an e-commerce company, has been making extensive use of flexible OLEDs in its e-paper products. Among wearable electronics, flexible OLEDs are growing has a huge opportunity in the space of smart watches and fitness bands which uses flexible OLEDs of below 2 inches .Based on materials use, the flexible OLED market can be segmented into crystalline and amorphous and solution-castable amorphous. Crystalline flexible OLEDs can be further segmented into three categories namely, PET, Polyethylene Naphthalate (PEN), and Poly-Ether-Ether Ketone (PEEK). Amorphous and solution-castable amorphous can be further segmented into two categories namely, Polycarbonate and Polyethersulphone. Based on technology, the flexible OLED market can be segmented into five categories namely, PM OLED, P-OLED, PH OLED, AM OLED, and SM OLED.Major restraintsof the flexible OLED market include the need forskilled labor and a complex manufacturing process . Existing glass display is another restraint for the flexible OLED market which has a high demand due to relatively lower price .North America dominates the flexible OLED market in terms of global sales, followed by Europe . The Asia Pacific market is also witnessing fast growth. Major companies operating in the flexible OLED market include Atmel Corporation, Sony Corporation, Dupont Display, Delta Electronics, Nokia, Philips Electronics, Hewlett-Packard Company, Corning, Inc., Delta Electronics, Inc. and Plastic Logic, Inc. Majority of the flexible OLED companies are based in the U.S. and Taiwan.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance. To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Glycinates Market to Perceive Substantial Growth During 2015 to 2021 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3883 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3883 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Glycinates, also known as glycine chelates, are chemicals with good skin compatibility and foaming properties.These minerals are prepared with the help of amino acid and other high-quality chemicals in order to ensure the best quality of glycinates. Demand for glycinates is high among consumers due to their accurate composition, health benefits, and effectiveness. Glycinates are used in farming and agriculture industries to feed chicken and cattle in order to provide important nutrients for their growth. There are several types of glycinates formed after different chemical treatments such as protein digest-mineral glycinates, zinc glycinates, manganese glycinates, magnesium glycinates, copper glycinates, calcium glycinates, boron glycinates, cobalt glycinates, selenium glycinates, chromium glycinates, iodine glycinates, and molybdenum glycinates.Some of the major properties of glycinates that are useful in its use as feed additives include improvement in growth and feed conversion, improvement in less fat meat, and enhancement in muscle and tissue growth and fertility.A sample of this report is available upon request @Consumption of the selenium glycinate may increase the level of vitamin E in the body.Selenium deficiency may lead to white muscle disease. Chromium glycinate is a mineral used to improve growth rate and immune response in stressed cattle. Molybdenum glycinate is a nutritional animal feed supplement used to treat molybdenum deficiency in animals. Glycinates are sometimes used in the production of wine, as they not only contain yeast but also provide desired nutrients.Glycinate supply animal with a trace element and environment benefits from less excreted trace elements due to their high bioavailability. Moreover, some of their properties including high flow ability, miscibility, and water solubility drive the market for glycinates. In addition, they are odorless and user-friendly, as the particles do not raise dust. Glycinatesare gaining popularity due to their high efficiency. Due to their ability to improve mildness and sensor properties in a body wash, it is used in various cosmetics, thus increasing demand for glycinates.Other properties such as relatively-high availability of micronutrients and higher yield of crops compared to common synthetic chelates are driving growth of the glycinates market. However, the current legislations have lowered the use of inorganic minerals in nutritional needs, thus restraining growth of this market. Moreover, most of the metal glycinates available in the market are not in their original forms but are mixtures of metal glycine sulphates containing a high concentration of SO4.Europe leads the global glycinates market in terms of production and it has developed its own range of highly-pure and consistent metal bis-glycinate, which is a type of glycinates. Due to rise in per-capita income and population in countries such as India and China, Asia Pacific is leading the market for glycinates, followed by Europe. Increasing use of glycinates in cosmetics products has increased its demand in Europe and North America.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Some of the key players operating in the glycinates market includeBASF SE, Shanghai Greenearth Chemicals Co.,Ltd., Pinnacle Bioceuticals LLP and Glenmark Generics, Ltd.,PerfectIn PTFE Solution CO., LTD., China Skyrun Industrial CO., LTD., Guangzhou Quanto Chemical Co.,Ltd. and BALAJIAMINES, LTDAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance. To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Silicon Metal Market to Steadily Progress at 5.2% CAGR Owing to Solid Competition Among Deep-pocketed Players https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=12845 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=12845 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=CR&rep_id=12845 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The oligopolistic market for silicon metal might have to battle quite a few challenges in the coming years, including high entry barriers, high production cost, and market volatility, but it receives strong support in the form of government regulations and policies. Backed by this, there has been large-scale deployment of solar panels across various developed and developing countries, furthering the demand for silicon metal.Registering a 5.2% CAGR from 2016 to 2024, the opportunity in the global silicon metals is projected to be worth US$3.4 bn by the end of the forecast period. Transparency Market Research predicts that the increasing economic growth of several emerging economies is sure to bring the silicon metal market steady demand over the years.Request Sample @Favorable Properties of Silicon Metal Spurring Demand from Various End UsesSilicon metals find application in silicones and silanes, solar panels, aluminum alloys, laboratory reagents, and stainless steel, among others. The use of silicon metal in aluminum alloys is the highest and this segment of the overall silicon metal market held a share of over 40% in 2015 in terms of volume. Introducing silicon in aluminum alloys improves the latters properties of thermal conductivity, machinability, castability, and corrosion resistance. The demand for silicon metals to be used in silanes/silicones has also been significant over the years. This can be attributed to the application of silicones in the manufacturing of various chemicals and materials used in personal care products, building and construction, electronics, plastics, and textiles.The use of silicon metal in semiconductors is projected to surge at the most rapid pace from 2016 to 2024. The favorable properties of silicon, such as low processing and extraction costs, reduced temperature susceptibility, easy doping, and low current leakage, make it the most preferred metal for the production of semiconductors.Request Brochure @Rapid Growth of Building and Construction Sector Boosts Silicon Metal Demand in APACThe global market for silicon metal comprises North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. Asia Pacific dominates the global market by volume and in 2015, the region held a share of over 40%. It will also be the fastest growing regional market for silicon metal, TMR predicts. The demand for silicon metal in the APAC region is anticipated to augment in the coming years owing to optimistic economic growth, the easy availability of raw materials, and cheap labor and power costs. In addition, there has been a surge in government policies directed at increasing the production of domestic energy by using solar panels. This factor also has the potential to spur the demand for silicon metal in Asia Pacific in the coming years. The rapid growth in the building and construction sector in countries such as India and China is also likely to translate into a high demand for silicon metal, further supporting the expansion of the APAC silicon metal market.Request for Customization @North America is anticipated to witness moderate growth in the coming years owing to the medium demand for silicon metal in aluminum alloys. Latin America, on the other hand, is projected to experience considerable growth over the next eight years thanks to the increasing demand for silicone-based defoamers in the food and beverages industry.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Skincare Products Industry Insights and Development Status till 2025 https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/665981/global-skincare-products-industry-research-report-growth-trends-and-competitive-analysis https://www.qyresearch.com/settlement/pre/99c10d064fdf6a3417ddba775fdac3d6,0,1 http://www.qyresearch.com This study researches the market size of Skincare Products, presents the global Skincare Products sales and revenue by companies, regions, type and application, history breakdown data from 2013 to 2018, and forecast to 2025. This report focuses on the key data information of Skincare Products in key regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South America, and Middle East & Africa, presents sales, revenue, market share, growth rate of Skincare Products for each region and countries in each region.For top companies, this report investigates and analyzes the sales, revenue, market share and growth rate for the top players, key data from 2013 to 2018. This report also studies the global market status, competition landscape, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis. Skin care products are used extensively by the population for maintaining and improving the appearance of face and other body parts.The face skincare product segment accounted for the largest share of the skincare products market during 2017. These products include skin-brightening creams, anti-aging creams, face moisturizers, toners, cleansers, face masks, face scrubs, and sun protection creams. Additionally, the demand for natural and organic skincare products is high owing to an increased number of health-conscious customers across the globe. During 2017, the offline segment accounted for the largest share of the market. This segment includes retail formats such as specialty stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience stores, and warehouse clubs. The offline distribution channel also consists of drugstores, salons and spas, department stores, and medical care institutes.In 2018, the global Skincare Products market size was xx million US$ and is forecast to xx million US in 2025, growing at a CAGR of xx% from 2018. In this study, 2017 has been considered as the base year and 2018 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Skincare Products.Request Sample Copy of Report @This report includes the following manufacturers; we can also add the other companies as you want.L'OrealP&GEstee LauderShiseidoUnileverBeiersdorfAmwayBABORClarinsOriflame CosmeticsMarket Segment by Product TypeFace Skincare ProductsBody Care ProductsMarket Segment by ApplicationRetail StoresSpecialty StoresOnline StoresThe study objectives are:To analyze and research the global Skincare Products status and future forecast, involving capacity, production, value, consumption, growth rate (CAGR), market share, historical and forecast.To present the key Skincare Products manufacturers, capacity, production, revenue, market share, and recent development for key players.To split the breakdown data by regions, type, companies and applications.To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks.To identify significant trends, drivers, influence factors in global and regions.To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market.Request To buy Full Report @In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Skincare Products are as follows:History Year: 2013-2018Base Year: 2017Estimated Year: 2018Forecast Year 2018 to 2025About Us:QYResearch always pursuits high product quality with the belief that quality is the soul of business. Through years of effort and supports from huge number of customer supports, QYResearch consulting group has accumulated creative design methods on many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch has become the brand of quality assurance in consulting industry.Contact US:QY Research, INC.17890 Castleton,Suite 218,City of industry, CA 91748USA: +1 626 295 2442Email: enquiry@qyrsearch.comWeb: Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Market 2018- By End User: Hospitals, Clinics & Ambulatory Centers | Key Players: Qualcomm, Withings, Jawbone Inc, Fitbit, Wipro GE Healthcare Pvt Ltd and Garmin Ltd. Real Time Health Monitoring Devices Market https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report-sample/HC05777 https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/real-time-health-monitoring-devices-market https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/checkout/HC05777 https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/check-discount/HC05777 https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com A new market study, titled Global Real Time Health Monitoring Devices Market Estimation & Forecast, 2014-2023, has been featured on CrystalMarketResearchRequest Exclusive Sample Copy of Real Time Health Monitoring Devices Market at:Market Overview:Real Time Health Monitoring Devices provide constant analysis and tracking of the health parameters of a patient. In the recent years healthcare monitoring systems have gained significant traction in the medical sector. The prime objective was to create a reliable patient monitoring system so the patients can be monitored by healthcare professionals, who are either hospitalized or executing their daily life activities. Patients are sharing their issues and their healthcare data with their specialists with the assistance of these devices for easy and flexible monitoring and treatments. The vital signs of health status that are imperative parameter in health monitoring system include heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, oxygen saturation and respiratory rate. As per the statistics of the last decade on medical records, death rates because of heart disease, demonstrates that the pulse is a critical risk factor for atherosclerosis and ischemic heart infections; hence, preventive measures must to be taken against hypertension which give the capacity to track, follow and spare patient's life at proper time is a basic requirement for mankind. Internet of Things (IOT) is colossally improving the social insurance states of patients. Monitoring the patient and drug management has become convenient because of the adoption of the IOT medicinal devices in the healthcare sector.Topmost Players:The leading players in the market are Qualcomm, Withings, Jawbone Inc, Fitbit, Wipro GE Healthcare Pvt Ltd and Garmin Ltd. In October-2017, Qualcomm, along with Netgearand other collaborators declared the launch of the first product to support gigabit LTE, a mobile hotspot. The hotspot utilizes a variety of technologies to reach those high speeds, including carrier aggregation. It runs on Telstras existing LTE networks.Restraining Factors of the Market:Apart from the various benefits provided by real time health monitoring devices, there are certain factors that hamper its growth in the market. The major restraining factor of the market is the lack of awareness among patients as wells as healthcare professionals regarding the benefits of real time health monitoring devices. These devices are in the growing phase in developing regions, thereby prompting lack of awareness and inclination towards these devices. Moreover, lack of medical work force affects the nature of treatment, care and nursing which hampers the growth of the market.Investigate Report Description with Detailed ToC on Real Time Health Monitoring Devices Market at:Growth Boosters of the Market:The Real Time Health Monitoring Devices Market is driven by several factors and is foreseen to grow significantly in the medical sector. The major factor that boost the growth of the market is that these devices provide precise data of the patients health on real time basis and the advent of Internet of Things in medical devices that has made it extremely convenient for healthcare professionals to monitor the health of the patients. Besides, growing usage of wearable devices and smartphones into healthcare sector, cost viability and convenience of patients' to make use of these devices have brought about a surging demand for these devices. Real time health monitoring devices have proven to be extremely efficient as it assists in effectively managing and averting medical emergencies such raised blood pressure and heart attack. Owing to this, several hospitals and healthcare settings have made it mandatory in several countries to adopt real time health monitoring systems. Moreover, Wireless technology has developed in several applications that are becoming a part of human activities such as military, agriculture, medical care, smart home system etc. Subsequently, wireless sensor networks (WSN) play a vital part in health monitoring systems, for the reason that WSN can provide benefits over other types of wireless systems, particularly its scalability, power management and flexibility.Major Table of Contents:Chapter 1. Introduction1.1. Report Description1.2. Research MethodologyChapter 2. Executive Summary2.1. Key HighlightsChapter 3. Market Overview3.1. Introduction3.2. Market DynamicsChapter 4. Market Analysis by Regions4.1. North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)4.2. Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Rest of Europe)4.3. Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Rest of Asia-Pacific)4.4. South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Rest of South America)4.5. Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Rest of MEA)(Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.)Place a purchase order of this report at:Chapter 5. Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Market, By Type5.1. Introduction5.2. Global Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Type (2014-2018)5.3. Wearable Devices5.4. Home Health Medical DevicesChapter 6. Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Market, By End User6.1. Introduction6.2. Global Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Sales, Revenue and Market Share by End User (2014-2018)6.3. Hospital6.4. Clinics6.5. Ambulatory CentersChapter 7. Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Market, By Region7.1. Introduction7.2. Global Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Regions7.3. North America Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices by Countries7.4. Europe Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices by Countries7.5. Asia-Pacific7.6. South America7.7. Middle East and AfricaChapter 8. Company Profiles8.1. Qualcomm8.2. GE Healthcare8.3. Withings SA8.4. Jawbone, Inc.8.5. Garmin Ltd.8.6. Fitbit, Inc.Chapter 9. Global Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Market Competition, by Manufacturer9.1. Global Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Sales and Market Share by Manufacturer (2016-2017)9.2. Global Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer (2016-2017)9.3. Global Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Price (2016-2017)9.4. Top 5 Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Manufacturer Market Share9.5. Market Competition TrendChapter 10. Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Market Forecast (2018-2023)10.1. Global Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Sales, Revenue (Millions USD) and Growth Rate (2018-2023)10.2. Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Market Forecast by Regions (2018-2023)10.3. Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Market Forecast by Type (2018-202310.4. Real-Time Health Monitoring Devices Market Forecast by End User (2018-2023)Read Full Table of ContentsMake an Enquiry of report for Discount and Customization at:About Crystal Market Research:Crystal Market Research is a U.S. based market research and business intelligence company. 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.Contacts UsJudy | 304 South Jones Blvd, Suite 1896,Las Vegas NV 89107,United StatesE-mail: sales@crystalmarketresearch.com | Ph: +1-888-213-4282Web: Fraud Detection & Prevention Market to Experience Exponential Growth by 2023 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2142 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/checkout/230458 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Fraud Detection & Prevention Market by Solution, Services, Deployment Type, End User, and Industry Vertical: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2016-2023, the global fraud detection & prevention market was valued at $13,644 million in 2016, and is expected to reach $40,610 million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 17% from 2017 to 2023. The banking, financial services & insurance (BFSI) and manufacturing sectors are expected to dominate the global market. North America was the leading contributor to the global revenue, whereas, Asia-Pacific is projected to be dominant region by 2023.Request a Sample Report Copy@Emergence of big data analytics across various industries, such as BFSI, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, real estate, and others, high demand for cloud services, and proliferation of mobile devices for payment are expected to drive the market growth. Mobile phones enable easy access to personally identifiable information such as email address, home address, and banking & stored payment information. However, high installation cost of deploying varied prevention solutions, including predictive analytics, big data analytics, customer analytics, and others, hinders this growth.In 2016, BFSI accounted for maximum revenue share, owing to frequent incident of fraudulent activities, specifically in mobile transactions. For instance, in January 2018, HID Global collaborated with ThreatMark, a threat and fraud detection technology provider to develop new features to improve the ability of financial organizations to identify cyber threats such as malware, identity theft, and account takeover.Rise in demand for advanced authentication provides numerous growth opportunities for market expansion in the government sector. In addition, the retail segment is projected to grow at a highest CAGR of 18.7%, owing to rise in incident of card-related frauds, transactions, and revenue loses. The authentication segment generated the highest revenue in 2015, as organizations largely invest on technologies that can protect data from security risks and malware attacks. The fraud analytics solution is expected to grow at the highest CAGR, as these solutions analyze various forms of data and then covert them to actionable insights. In addition, rise in adoption of advanced analytics techniques and competitive intelligence that involves tactful data collection & collation, analysis, and formation of meaningful insights that enables in making strategic business decisions supplements the fraud detection & prevention market growth.In 2016, North America accounted for a major share in the global fraud detection & prevention market. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate by 2023, owing to increase in rate of Internet penetration in India, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore as organizations need to protect corporate and personal information from fraud attacks. Furthermore, the need to support secure enterprise mobility practices within organizations is expected to boost the demand for fraud detection & prevention solutions.Make Inquiry about this report@Key Findings of the Fraud Detection & Prevention Market:In 2016, authentication dominated the overall fraud detection & prevention solutions segment, in terms of revenue, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 16.4% during the forecast period.Managed services is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR of 17.4 % during the forecast periodOn-premises deployment type is anticipated to generate the highest revenue by 2023.Small & medium enterprises (SMEs) is projected to grow at the highest CAGR of 17.8% during the forecast period.The retail segment is expected to witness the highest growth rate of 18.7% during the forecast period.In 2016, North America generated the highest revenue in the global market, while Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at a significant CAGR of 18.2%.Prominent players, such as IBM Corporation, BAE Systems, SAP SE, Oracle Corporation, ACI Worldwide, and others, focus on product launch, acquisition, and partnership for expansion in the market. For instance, in 2016, IBM Corporation acquired IRIS Analytics, a privately held company specializing in real-time analytics to help combat fraud.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: In-Depth Analysis of Lip Care Products Packaging Market Pack Tech A/S, HCP Packaging CO. Ltd, Arminak & Associates LLC, Eastar Cosmetics Packaging, IMS Ningbo Limited https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1870871&type=S https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-lip-care-products-packaging-sales-market-report-2018.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Lip Care Products Packaging Sales Market Report 2018 to its huge collection of research reports.The lip care products packaging is used for Lip care products.Lip care products offer protection and nourishment to the lips against dust, harmful sun rays, and drying effects caused due to wind and cold. These products are composed of paraffin, beeswax, camphor, flavors, sunscreens, dyes, fragrances, and variety of other ingredients. Increasing demand in multi-functional, organic lip care products backed by rise in health concerns have boosted the usage of lip care products, in turn fueling the growth of global lip care products packaging market.The lip care products packaging market is backed by increasing importance of presentable appearance and grooming among the people, which is establishing opportunities for the cosmetics industry, in turn fueling the growth of lip care products packaging market over the forecast period.Download Free exclusive Sample of this report:The global Lip Care Products Packaging market is valued at 1010 million US$ in 2017 and will reach 1420 million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of 4.3% during 2018-2025.The major players covered in this reportPack Tech A/SHCP Packaging CO. LtdArminak & Associates LLCEastar Cosmetics PackagingIMS Ningbo LimitedThe Packaging CompanyOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoGlass PackagingPlastic PackagingMetal PackagingOthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate for each application, includingSun ProtectionNon-MedicatedMedicated & TherapeuticThe study objectives of this report are:To analyze and study the global Lip Care Products Packaging sales, value, status (2013-2017) and forecast (2018-2025);To analyze the top players in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, to study the sales, value and market share of top players in these regions.Focuses on the key Lip Care Products Packaging players, to study the sales, value, market share and development plans in future.Focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis.To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region.To analyze the global and 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.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Key StakeholdersLip Care Products Packaging ManufacturersLip Care Products Packaging Distributors/Traders/WholesalersLip Care Products Packaging Subcomponent ManufacturersIndustry AssociationDownstream VendorsQYResearchReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Geographic Information System (GIS) Market Global Industry Analysis 2018 2022 Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Industry https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/1870706-global-geographic-information-system-gis-detailed-analysis-report-2017-2022 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/1870706-global-geographic-information-system-gis-detailed-analysis-report-2017-2022 https://www.linkedin.com/company/wise-guy-research-consultants-pvt-ltd-?trk=biz-companies-cym Global Geographic Information System (GIS) IndustryNew Study On 2018-2022 Geographic Information System (GIS) Market Global Key Player, Demand, Growth, Opportunities and Analysis Forecast Added to Wise Guy Reports DatabaseThis report mainly introduces volume and value market share by players, by regions, by product type, by consumers and also their price change details. As a Detailed Analysis report, it covers all details inside analysis and opinion in Geographic Information System (GIS) industry.This report splits Geographic Information System (GIS) market By Hardware, By Function, which covers the history data information from 2012 to 2016 and forecast from 2017 to 2022.Try Sample Report @This report focuses Global market, it covers details as following:Major CompaniesAutodesk Inc. (US)Bentley System, Incorporated (US)Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri) (US)General Electric Co. (US)Hexagon AB (Sweden)Pitney Bowes Inc. (US)Topcon Corporation (Japan)Trimble Inc. (US)Blue Marble Geographics (US)Caliper Corporation (US)Computer Aided Development Corporation Limited (Cadcorp) (UK)Geosoft Inc. (Canada)Handheld Group (Sweden)Harris Corporation (US)Hi-Target Surveying Instrument Co. Ltd. (China)MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (Canada)PASCO CORPORATION (Japan)Beijing Unistrong Science & Technology Co., Ltd. (China)Champion Instruments, LLC (US)Golden Software LLC (US)SuperMap Software Co., Ltd. ?(China)Main RegionsNorth AmericaUnited StatesCanadaLatin AmericaMexicoBrazilArgentinaOthersEuropeGermanyUnited KingdomFranceItalySpainRussiaNetherlandOthersAsia & PacificChinaJapanIndiaKoreaAustraliaSoutheast AsiaIndonesiaThailandPhilippinesVietnamSingaporeMalaysiaOthersAfrica & Middle EastSouth AfricaEgyptTurkeySaudi ArabiaIranOthersMain Product TypeGeographic Information System (GIS) Market, by HardwareGIS CollectorsTotal StationsLIDARGNSS/GPS AntennasImaging SensorsGeographic Information System (GIS) Market, by FunctionMappingSurveyingTelematics and NavigationLocation-Based ServicesMain ApplicationsAgricultureConstructionTransportationUtilitiesMiningOil & GasFor Detailed Reading Please visit WiseGuy Reports @Some Major Points from Table of content:Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Detailed Analysis Report 2017-2022Chapter One Geographic Information System (GIS) Market Overview1.1 Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Market Sales Volume Revenue and Price 2012-20221.2 Geographic Information System (GIS), By Hardware 2012-20221.2.1 Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Sales Market Share by Hardware 2012-20221.2.2 Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Revenue Market Share by Hardware 2012-20221.2.3 Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Price by Hardware 2012-20221.2.4 GIS Collectors1.2.5 Total Stations1.2.6 LIDAR1.2.7 GNSS/GPS Antennas1.2.8 Imaging Sensors1.3 Geographic Information System (GIS), by Function 2012-20221.3.1 Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Sales Market Share by Function 2012-20221.3.2 Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Revenue Market Share by Function 2012-20221.3.3 Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Price by Function 2012-20221.3.4 Mapping1.3.5 Surveying1.3.6 Telematics and Navigation1.3.7 Location-Based ServicesChapter Two Geographic Information System (GIS) by Regions 2012-20172.1 Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Sales Market Share by Regions 2012-20172.2 Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Revenue Market Share by Regions 2012-20172.3 Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Price by Regions 2012-20172.4 North America2.4.1 United States2.4.2 Canada2.5 Latin America2.5.1 Mexico2.5.2 Brazil2.5.3 Argentina2.5.4 Others in Latin America2.6 Europe2.6.1 Germany2.6.2 United Kingdom2.6.3 France2.6.4 Italy2.6.5 Spain2.6.6 Russia2.6.7 Netherland2.6.8 Others in Europe2.7 Asia & Pacific2.7.1 China2.7.2 Japan2.7.3 India2.7.4 Korea2.7.5 Australia2.7.6 Southeast Asia2.7.6.1 Indonesia2.7.6.2 Thailand2.7.6.3 Philippines2.7.6.4 Vietnam2.7.6.5 Singapore2.7.6.6 Malaysia2.7.6.7 Others in Southeast Asia2.8 Africa & Middle East2.8.1 South Africa2.8.2 Egypt2.8.3 Turkey2.8.4 Saudi Arabia2.8.5 Iran2.8.6 Others in Africa & Middle EastChapter Three Geographic Information System (GIS) by Players 2012-20173.1 Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Sales Volume Market Share by Players 2012-20173.2 Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Revenue Share by Players 2012-20173.3 Global Top Players Geographic Information System (GIS) Key Product Model and Market Performance3.4 Global Top Players Geographic Information System (GIS) Key Target Consumers and Market PerformanceChapter Four Geographic Information System (GIS) by Consumer 2012-20174.1 Global Geographic Information System (GIS) Sales Market Share by Consumer 2012-20174.2 Agriculture4.3 Construction4.4 Transportation4.5 Utilities4.6 Mining4.7 Oil & Gas4.8 Consuming Habit and PreferenceChapter Five Global Top Players Profile5.1 Autodesk Inc. (US)5.1.1 Autodesk Inc. (US) Company Details and Competitors5.1.2 Autodesk Inc. (US) Key Geographic Information System (GIS) Models and Performance5.1.3 Autodesk Inc. (US) Geographic Information System (GIS) Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast5.1.4 Autodesk Inc. (US) Geographic Information System (GIS) Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin5.2 Bentley System, Incorporated (US)5.2.1 Bentley System, Incorporated (US) Company Details and Competitors5.2.2 Bentley System, Incorporated (US) Key Geographic Information System (GIS) Models and Performance5.2.3 Bentley System, Incorporated (US) Geographic Information System (GIS) Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast5.2.4 Bentley System, Incorporated (US) Geographic Information System (GIS) Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin5.3 Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri) (US)5.3.1 Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri) (US) Company Details and Competitors5.3.2 Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri) (US) Key Geographic Information System (GIS) Models and Performance5.3.3 Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri) (US) Geographic Information System (GIS) Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast5.3.4 Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri) (US) Geographic Information System (GIS) Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin5.4 General Electric Co. (US)5.4.1 General Electric Co. (US) Company Details and Competitors5.4.2 General Electric Co. (US) Key Geographic Information System (GIS) Models and Performance5.4.3 General Electric Co. (US) Geographic Information System (GIS) Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast5.4.4 General Electric Co. (US) Geographic Information System (GIS) Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin5.5 Hexagon AB (Sweden)5.5.1 Hexagon AB (Sweden) Company Details and Competitors5.5.2 Hexagon AB (Sweden) Key Geographic Information System (GIS) Models and Performance5.5.3 Hexagon AB (Sweden) Geographic Information System (GIS) Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast5.5.4 Hexagon AB (Sweden) Geographic Information System (GIS) Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin5.6 Pitney Bowes Inc. (US)5.6.1 Pitney Bowes Inc. (US) Company Details and Competitors5.6.2 Pitney Bowes Inc. (US) Key Geographic Information System (GIS) Models and Performance5.6.3 Pitney Bowes Inc. (US) Geographic Information System (GIS) Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast5.6.4 Pitney Bowes Inc. (US) Geographic Information System (GIS) Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and GrossContinued..For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comAbout UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.Contact Us:Norah Trent+1 646 845 9349 / +44 208 133 9349Follow on LinkedIn: Global Hemoglobin Analyzer Market Insights, Forecast to 2025 Global Hemoglobin Analyzer Market Insights, Forecast to 2025 http://www.qyresearchglobal.com/goods-1789612.html www.qyresearchglobal.com This report studies the global market size of Hemoglobin Analyzer in key regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South America and Middle East & Africa, focuses on the consumption of Hemoglobin Analyzer in these regions.This research report categorizes the global Hemoglobin Analyzer market by top players/brands, region, type and end user. This report also studies the global Hemoglobin Analyzer market status, competition landscape, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, sales channels and distributors.Hemoglobin analyzer is a medical device which is used to provide quantitative, lab quality hemoglobin results in less than 25 seconds. Novel hemoglobin analyzer uses photometric azide methemoglobin method ensuring reliable results with a high precision. Major factors that drive the market growth are the increase in incidences of diabetes coupled with other ailments associated with diabetes such as coeliac disease, thyroid disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, diabetes insipidus, necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum and mastopathy. However, low awareness among individuals and healthcare professionals regarding the use of hemoglobin analyzer will be a key restraint for the growth of this market. Moreover, advancements in technologies for developing cost-efficient hemoglobin analyzers will create lucrative opportunities for key market players.The following manufacturers are covered in this report, with sales, revenue, market share for each company:Abbott LaboratoriesAlereDanaherEKF Diagnostics HoldingsHoffmann-La RocheErba diagnostics MannheimI-Sens Inc.Infopia Co LtdRoche Holding AGTrinity BiotechCeragem MedisysConvergent TechnologiesDrew ScientificMarket size by ProductFull-AutomaticSemi-AutomaticMarket size by End UserHome CareHospitals & ClinicsOthersThe study objectives of this report are:To study and analyze the global Hemoglobin Analyzer market size (value & volume) by company, key regions, products and end user, breakdown data from 2013 to 2017, and forecast to 2025.To understand the structure of Hemoglobin Analyzer market by identifying its various subsegments.To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks).Focuses on the key global Hemoglobin Analyzer companies, to define, describe and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape and recent development.To project the value and sales volume of Hemoglobin Analyzer submarkets, with respect to key regions.To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market.Request Sample Report and TOC@About Us:QY Research established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. The company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc.QY Research Achievements:Year of Experience: 11 YearsConsulting Projects: 500+ successfully conducted so farGlobal Reports: 5000 Reports Every YearsResellers Partners for Our Reports: 150 + Across GlobeGlobal Clients: 34000+Contact USQY Research, INC.Tina17890 Castleton, Suite 218,City of industry, CA 91748USA: +1 626 295 2442Email: sales@qyrsearchglobal.comWeb:For other region, contact number given below+86 108 294 5717 Beijing+852 3062 8839 HKQY Research established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. The company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc.Room 2901 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Electric Motorcycles & Scooters Market 2024 Key Information by Top Key Players Alta Motors, Hero Eco, BMW, KTM, Terra Motors Corp., Zero Motorcycle and AIMA Hi-tech https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/289534/ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/289534/ https://www.marketstudyreport.com https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog/ Market Study Report adds 2018-2024 global Electric Motorcycles & Scooters market report that offers an exhaustive coverage of the industry with brief analysis, data charts, figures, statistics that help take business decisions, company profiles and more.Global electric motorcycles & scooters market is anticipated to exceed USD 22 billion over the forecast timeframe. Shifting trends towards usage of e-vehicles owing to environmental benefits will drive the electric motorcycles & scooters market. Increasing consumer awareness towards e-mobility assisting in reducing carbon emissions over the conventional vehicles will improve the product penetration.Request a sample of this premium Research Report at:Low maintenance compared to vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines (IC) in conjunction with smooth operation of these two-wheelers has resulted in increased popularity. Electric motorcycles & scooters market players are focusing on improving the aesthetics and offering sturdy structure to the vehicle. These are vibration free owing to less moving parts in these vehicles resulting in reduced maintenance and servicing.Proliferating population particularly in the emerging countries have resulted in traffic congestion and increased pollution. Usage of these vehicles in reduce the traffic congestion problem and assist in offering clean air. Stringent regulations across the globe towards reducing the air pollution will induce positive impact on the electric motorcycles & scooters market growth.Governments are offering tax benefits to encourage the adoption of eco-friendly vehicles. In addition, low cost compared to conventional two-wheelers will further fuel the electric motorcycles & scooters business growth. Industry participants are focusing on reducing the battery cost used in these vehicles. The price trends of these vehicles vary according to the power output. Industry players are improving the distance covered by these vehicles in single charge.Asia Pacific dominates the electric motorcycles & scooters market volume share owing to strong demand of the product from China, Indonesia, India & Japan. Proliferating population, less price of the product, low maintenance cost and no requirement of license are the key factors for volume dominance in the region.North America electric motorcycles & scooters market will witness growth over 16% from 2018 to 2024. The growth can be attributed to new product offering in the region. In May 2015, the European Union initiated project European Green Vehicle related to e-vehicles focusing on improving the public private partnership, reducing economic challenges and reducing carbon emissions.Some of the key participants include Alta Motors, Hero Eco, BMW, KTM, Terra Motors Corp., Zero Motorcycle and AIMA Hi-tech. Improving the battery and motor performance, enhancing the speed range and power output are the key focus area of the industry participants. Strong value chain development and increasing the product visibility will improve electric motorcycles & scooters sales.Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at:Table of Content:Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope1.1. Methodology1.1.1. Initial data exploration1.1.2. Statistical model and forecast1.1.3. Industry insights and validation1.1.4. Definition and forecast parameters1.2. Data Sources1.2.1. Secondary1.2.2. PrimaryChapter 2. Executive Summary2.1. Electric motorcycles & scooters industry 360 degree synopsis, 2013 - 20242.1.1. Business trends2.1.2. Product trends2.1.3. Battery trends2.1.4. Voltage trends2.1.5. Regional trendsChapter 3. Electric Motorcycles & Scooters Industry Insights3.1. Industry segmentation3.2. Industry landscape, 2013 - 20243.3. Industry ecosystem analysis3.3.1. Vendor matrix3.3.2. Distribution channel analysis3.4. Technology & innovation landscape3.5. Pricing trends3.5.1. North America3.5.2. Europe3.5.3. Asia Pacific3.5.4. Latin America3.5.5. MEA3.6. Regulatory landscape3.6.1. U.S.3.6.2. Europe3.6.3. China3.7. Electric vehicle sales3.7.1. U.S3.7.2. Germany3.7.3. UK3.7.4. France3.7.5. China3.7.6. India3.8. E-motor industry outlook3.8.1. E-motor production statistics (2013 - 2017)3.8.2. Motorcycle spare parts industry outlook3.9. Industry impact forces3.9.1. Growth driversFor more details about this report: https://tinyurl.com/y8ecydxrAbout 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.comWeb site:Blog: Global Xylitol Market : In-Depth Analysis and Forecast, Market Dynamics, Emerging Trends, Growth Factors with keyplayers Cargill ,CSPC Shengxue Glucose, DFI Corporation, Dupont Danisco, Ingredion with CAGR of 6.68% by 2022 Global Xylitol Market https://www.businessindustryreports.com/sample-request/104224 https://www.businessindustryreports.com/buy-now/104224/single https://www.businessindustryreports.com/check-discount/104224 BusinessIndustryReports.com has new research report on the Global Xylitol Market Outlook 2017-2022Outlook 2018-2022.Global Global Xylitol Market is growing continuously and expected to grow healthy CAGR by Forecast year 2022Global Xylitol Market Overview:Global Xylitol Market report covers forecast and analysis for the xylitol market on a global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2012-2016 along with a forecast from 2017 to 2022 based on both output/volume and revenue. The study then describes the drivers and restraints for the xylitol market along with the impact they have on the demand over the forecast period. Additionally, the report includes the study of opportunities available in the xylitol market on a global level.According to a Market Analyst Study, Global Xylitol Market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 6.68% by 2023Request Report Sample @Xylitol is a naturally occurring alcohol found in most plant material, including many fruits and vegetables. It is extracted from birch wood to make medicine.Xylitol is widely used as a sugar substitute and in "sugar-free" chewing gums, mints, and other candies. However, sorbitol is the most commonly used sweetener in sugarless gums because it is less expensive than xylitol and easier to make into commercial products.The growth of the xylitol Market include dental problems due to cavities and gum infection across the globe,Rising number of diabetic population, weight control.Regionally, Global Xylitol Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia, and the Rest of the World. North America dominated the market, followed by Europe.Global Xylitol Market report has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global xylitol market collected from specialized sources. The competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players.Demand for this market rises from the bakery, chewing gum, confectionery, personal care, and other applications. All the segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends and the market is estimated from 2017 to 2022. Relevantly, the report and company profiles specify the key drivers that are impacting the demand in global xylitol market..Key Vendors of Global Xylitol Market:CargillCSPCShengxue GlucoseDFI CorporationDupont DaniscoIngredionLonglive Bio-TechnologyMitsubishi ShojiNovaGreenO'laughlin IndustriesRoquette FreresS2G BiochemShandong FutasteShandong Lujian BiologicalThomson BiotechPurchase this premium research report with 117 Pages and No. of Table of contents, List of table atGlobal Xylitol Market is segmented on the basis of Application and on the basis of Regions:Key Applications1. Bakery2. Chewing Gum3. Confectionery4. Personal CareKey Regions1. North America2. Europe3. Asia Pacific4. Middle East and Africa5. South AmericaGrab Your Report at an Impressive Discount @Key Questions Answered in this Report1. What will the market size be in 2022?2. What are the key factors driving the global xylitol market?3. What are the challenges to market growth?4. Who are the key players in the xylitol market?5. What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key players?TABLE OF CONTENTSExclusive SummaryMethodologyIntroductionCompetitive LandscapeMarket DynamicsSegmentation by ApplicationSegmentation by RegionConsumption PatternXylitol Market ForecastKey VendorsIndustry ActivityAppendixAbout usBusinessindustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Industry ReportsPune Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940 Automatic Train Protection Signaling Market Overview, Trends and Growth Opportunities Forecasted till 2028 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1478 https://www.factmr.com/report/1478/automatic-train-protection-signaling-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1478 https://www.factmr.com/ The automatic train protection signaling system is used to indicate a warning signal, when the train is running above the predefined speed that may cause derailment or a collision. The automatic train protection signaling system is installed in the train cockpit so that train pilot and co-pilot could see and hear cautionary signals. Automatic train protection system signaling system includes processors, software, operator displays, antennas, firmware and others components. Automatic train protection signaling system is works as on board train equipment in which antennas and data radio are play crucial role due to its outstanding features such as signal capturing capacity of radio and transmitting capacity of antenna. In automatic train protection signaling system, a unit is also installed under the train chassis which can detect the rail warning system and this transfers signal to the screen installed at the dashboard of the train. In automatic train protection signaling system, the actual speed of train is always compared to authorized speed. If trains speed is higher than the permitted speed than these devices transmit signal to the screen and automatically transmit signal to the braking system in order to stop the train. These signal is quickly transmitted to braking system for stop the train. Few decade ago, manual train protection signaling system was used to stop or control the train which might had higher chance of accident owing to lack of accuracy. Therefore, railway ministry is installing admonitory devices for reducing the chances of accident and increasing passenger safety. Moreover, U.S. railway ministry has mandated to install automatic train protection signaling system in all types of train for intending to fill the gap between advance technology and conventional technology for train.Request Brochure of this Report-Automatic Train Protection Signaling Market: DynamicsIncreasing automation in train, metro and others is projected to drive the global automatic train protection signaling market over the forecast period. European railway ministry has mandated some regulations pertaining to train speed such as ERTMS/ETCS level 2 which will always cross verify the actual train speed and maximum permissible speed of train. This system is directly connected to the on board system and ground system devices. Furthermore, increasing self-governing technology in metro train is also anticipated to foster the global automatic train protection signaling market over the slated time period. Factors such as train detection, train separation, route interlocking and over speed protection are estimated to offer lucrative opportunity for the global automatic train protection signaling market by the end of 2028.Chinese suppliers are winning projects outside of China, while small scale players are vying for pieces of each rail transport project. This is projected to create competitive environment for the global player in respective, the sales of automatic train protection signaling.The use of computer based railway control systems is nowadays pervasive, as it has been demonstrated to be the most operative, if not the only realistic way to follow such hard requirements. Moreover, increasing regulation of rail signaling solution is one of the prominent trends in the global automatic train protection signaling market. Standardization permits suppliers to improve core, regulation-based universal structural design that both empower the interoperability needed to meet native safety necessities and provide a collective, unswerving platform for building local solutions related to passenger safety.Automatic Train Protection Signaling Market: SegmentationThe global Automatic Train Protection Signaling market can be segmented on the basis of Train Type: High Speed Train Passenger Train Freight Train Metro Train OthersThe global Automatic Train Protection Signaling market can be segmented on the basis of Sales Channel: OEM AftermarketAutomatic Train Protection Signaling Market: Regional OutlookWestern Europe is projected to dominate in the global automatic train protection signaling market owing to massive fleet of rolling stock. China is projected to be the second largest market for the automatic train protection signaling market due to increasing upcoming high speed railway projects. North America is projected to grow at a healthy growth rate owing to sprawling of metro line across the region which will boost the sales of automatic train protection signaling over the foreseeable time period. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is focusing on expansion of rail lines in the Sonoma-Marin Area. For this project, FTA (Freight Transport Association) provided a US$ 22.5 Mn fund to the rail ministry. China is projected to create a lucrative opportunity for the automatic train protection signaling market due to a Chinese company signing two rail projects with Brazil, to build two big-ticket railway-related infrastructure projects in eastern Brazils Bahia state. The projects values are US$ 2 Bn and US$ 600 Mn. Additionally, in China, the government is focusing on the electrification of trail tracks for the expansion of high speed trains and ultra-high speed trains. These projects are also anticipated to create an opportunity for the market during the forecast period. In India, railway ministry has announced to increase the trains speed for intending to reduce the travelling time. Henceforth, the leading player is focusing the country for sales of automatic train protection signaling system. Middle East & Africa is anticipated to grow with sluggish growth rate owing to the fact that there is no manufacturing facility pertaining to rolling stock.To know more about the Automatic Train Protection Signaling Market Trends, Visit the link Automatic Train Protection Signaling Market: Key ParticipantLeading players for the global Automatic Train Protection Signalling Market are following: Beijing Traffic Control Technology Co., Ltd. Ansaldo STS Bombardier Transportation Siemens AG Hitachi, Ltd. Mitsui & Co., Ltd. RailCorp GL Communication Inc. Wabtec Corporation SENER group HollySys Automation Technologies Ltd.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, application, and industry.The report covers exhaustive analysis on: Market Segments Market Dynamics Market Size Supply & Demand Current Trends/Issues/Challenges Competition & Companies involved Technology Value ChainRegional analysis includes: North America (U.S., Canada) Latin America (Mexico, Brazil) Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain) Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia) Asia Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand) Japan Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, S. Africa, Northern Africa)The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.Report Highlights: Detailed overview of parent market Changing market dynamics in the industry In-depth market segmentation Historical, current, and projected market size in terms of volume and value Recent industry trends and developments Competitive landscape Strategies of key players and products offered Potential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growth A neutral perspective on market performance Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprintRequest TOC of this Report-About FactMRFactMR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market insights reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFactMR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb: Global esophageal stent market Analysis by Application,Region with CAGR of 6.1% by 2023 Global esophageal stent market https://www.businessindustryreports.com/sample-request/104627 https://www.businessindustryreports.com/buy-now/104627/single https://www.businessindustryreports.com/check-discount/104627 BusinessIndustryReports.com has new research report on the Global Esophageal Stent Market Outlook 2018-2023. Global Esophageal Stent Market is growing continuously and expected to grow healthy CAGR by Forecast year 2023Global Esophageal Stent Market Overview:Global Esophageal Stent Market report covers forecast and analysis for the Esophageal Stent market on a global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2013-2017 along with a forecast from 2018 to 2023 based on both output/volume and revenue. The study then describes the drivers and restraints for the Esophageal Stent market along with the impact they have on the demand over the forecast period. Additionally, the report includes the study of opportunities available in the Esophageal Stent market on a global level.According to a Market Analyst Study, Global Esophageal Stent Market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% by 2023Request Report Sample @Esophageal stents is a device placed through the constricted area of the esophagus that allows food to pass from the mouth to the stomach. It is mainly a flexible mesh tube, most commonly used to treat malignant dysphagia.TheGrowth of the Esophageal Stents Market include high demand for minimally invasive procedures, increasing incidence of esophageal cancer, malignant & benign disorders, rising number of surgical procedures, and technological developments .Regionally, Global Esophageal Stent Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia, and the Rest of the World. North America dominated the market, followed by Europe.Global Esophageal Stent Market report has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global Esophageal Stent market collected from specialized sources. The competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players.The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, types and applications. All the segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends and the market is estimated from 2018 to 2023. Relevantly, the report and company profiles specify the key drivers that are impacting the demand in global Esophageal Stent market.Key Vendors of Global Esophageal Stent Market:1.Boston Scientific Corporation2.ELLA - CS3.s.r.o.4.Cook Group Incorporated5.Merit Medical Systems6.M.I.TECH7.BVM Medical Limited,8.ENDO-FLEX GmbH,9.Taewoong Medical Co. Ltd.10.AndraTec GmbH11.C. R. Bard IncPurchase this premium research report with 118 Pages and No. of Table of contents, List of table atGlobal Esophageal Stent Market is segmented on the basis of Application and on the basis of Regions:Key Applications1. Hospital2. ClinicKey Regions1. North America2. Europe3. Asia Pacific4 Middle East and Africa5. South AmericaGrab Your Report at an Impressive Discount @Key Questions Answered in this Report1. What will the market size be in 2023?2. What are the key factors driving the global Esophageal Stent market?3. What are the challenges to market growth?4. Who are the key players in the Esophageal Stent market?5. What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key players?TABLE OF CONTENTSSummaryReport MethodologyMarket OverviewCompetitive LandscapeSegmentation by TypeSegmentation by ApplicationRegional PerspectivesCompany ProfilesMarket ForecastIndustry Value ChainMarket DriversAbout usBusinessindustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Industry ReportsPune Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940 Zinc Oxide Market Demands and Growth Prediction 2018 to 2025 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/352 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/zinc-oxide-market-352 Zinc oxide (ZnO) is an inorganic and insoluble compound that is mainly used as an additive in various products such as rubber, ceramics, paints, lubricants, foods, batteries, plastics, first-aid tapes, antiseptic creams, cosmetic creams, and medical substances. One of the major applications of zinc oxide is its usage in creams, ointments, and lotions to protect human skin against sunburn and harmful UV rays. Zinc oxide also finds application in treatment of a number of skin conditions and is widely used in products such as anti-dandruff shampoos, calamine creams, anti-septic ointments, baby care powder, and barrier creams for treating diaper rashes. Owing to the high refractive index, antibacterial properties, UV protection properties, and high thermal conductivity, zinc oxide has a vast application in personal and cosmetics industry.Zinc Oxide Market Outlook Flourishing Cosmetics Industry Positioning Asia Pacific as Key MarketBased on the regional outlook, zinc oxide market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. The market in Asia Pacific is projected to exhibit robust growth during the forecast period (2016-2024), owing to burgeoning growth of the personal care products and cosmetics market in the region. Europe is expected to account for a favourable share in the global zinc oxide market due to the governments approval on using zinc oxide market in beauty and skin care products. Approval and usage of zinc oxide in sunscreen products in U.S. is expected to drive the growth of market in North America. The study by Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety concluded that application of zinc oxide does not pose risk of adverse effect in humans when used at a concentration up to 25% in UV protection creams. Therefore, the approval for usage of zinc oxide in skin care products in Europe and North America will shoot up the demand for global market of zinc oxide.Sample Copy of This Report@Some of the key players operating in zinc oxide market are Croda International, Symrise, Merck KGaA, Umicore SA, Showa Denko, G.H. chemicals Ltd., Advanced Nano Technologies Ltd., Weifang Longa Zinc Industry Co. Ltd., and others. Major manufacturers in the global zinc oxide industries are focusing on research and development activities along with organic growth to gain a competitive advantage and expand their global presence. With the approval of application of zinc oxide in UV filter products in Europe, Croda International has gained a wider opportunity of tapping the larger consumer base with its products.Other companies operating in zinc oxide market include Nano Labs, Sigma Aldrich Company LLC, American Elements, and US Research Nanomaterials Inc.Increasing investments in research and development initiatives, rising penetration of zinc oxide in various end-user industries such as rubber industry, ceramics, personal care and others, coupled with significant physiochemical attributes such as UV protection that provides protection from sun burn when used in sunscreen creams and lotions and antibacterial properties that aid any cuts or skin diseases are the major factors driving the demand for zinc oxide globally. On the other hand, high concentrations of zinc oxide leads to toxicity concerns, which is expected to restrain the growth of global zinc oxide market.processIndirect processLaboratory synthesisWet chemical processZnO nanostructuresGet More Information @Rubber industry contributes a major share to the zinc oxide market. However, in recent times, zinc oxide has gained significant traction in the booming personal care and cosmetics industry. Owing to its non-toxic property, zinc oxide is widely used in products such as baby lotions, talcum powder, nail care products, body soaps, and makeup products. It has a significant application in sunscreen lotions and creams in specific concentrations, attributed to its ability to provide wide protecting spectrum from UV rays and remains scattered on the skin without getting absorbed in the blood.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact UsMr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com Autonomous Farm Equipment Market Detailed Survey On Challenges 2025 | John Deere, AGCO, Case IH https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=3269 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=3269 https://www.tmrresearch.com/autonomous-farm-equipment-market Global Autonomous Farm Equipment Market: SnapshotOn the back of escalating population, the food demands at an all-time high. However, arable land is limited, which raises a need for making the maximum out of each farm. Availability of cost-efficient labor has always been a struggle in conservatively populated developed countries but this restraint is also quite evident in emerging economies wherein urbanization is expanding. Consequently, the market for autonomous farm equipment is expanding, which essentially constitutes equipment such as auto-steering systems in farm tractors, irrigation machinery, harvesters, guidance systems, and drones. Increased focus of industry players to reduce overall grain production costs by the means of hardware and software and growing adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) tools are some of the key factors that are poised to augment the demand in the global autonomous farm equipment market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @On the other hand, the market is obstructed by the fact that various promising equipment are still in development phase. Autonomous farm tractors require a number of components such as sonar, lidar, and radar, most of whom are still in prototype phase. High cost of these equipment is also a major restraint that is holding the market from expanding profitably in rural areas of emerging economies.This report has analyzed all important drivers and restraints of the autonomous farm equipment market, explored latest trends and opportunities, segmented it into smaller aspects, gauged the potential of demand that will be coming from different regions and countries, and profiles several prominent players for their market shares. The report has been developed as a business intelligence report for targeted audiences such as manufacturers of agriculture equipment including farm tractors, implements, and combines, suppliers and distributors, connected solutions and other advanced technology software providers, and government and regulatory authorities.Autonomous Farm Equipment Market: OverviewThe global market for autonomous farm equipment is expected to expand at a robust rate over the forthcoming years. The surge in demand within the market can be attributed to the rapid adoption of new techniques and technologies within farming. The increasing population gas placed an onus upon the agricultural sector to cater to the ever-increasing demand for food grains. This has in turn necessitated the presence of a robust set of farming equipment and devices that can augment production of crops. The market for autonomous farming equipment has trodden an escalating trajectory of growth over the past and is expected to continue on its streak of success. Autonomous farming equipment including driverless tractors and picking systems help in easing the tasks within farming from sowing to reaping of crops.Request TOC of the Report @The global market for autonomous farm equipment can be segmented based on the following criterion: type of product and geography. Each of these segments need to be closely scrutinized to gain an overview of the entire market.The report presents valuable insights about the global market for autonomous farm equipment and is an authentic source of information for the market players and analysts. The report considers several forces operating in the market and syncs them together to give a wholesome view.Autonomous Farm Equipment Market: Trends and OpportunitiesGovernments across the globe are under immense pressure to ensure that all the mouths within their administrative get adequate food resources. In order to do this, the productivity of the cultivable land needs to be optimized by deploying a range of devices and equipment that help in sowing and reaping the crops. Hence, the government has been extremely supportive for the farmers, which has increased demand for autonomous farm equipment in recent times. Furthermore, the scantiness of cultivable land calls for swift cycles of sowing and reaping. Since manual work takes more time, the demand for autonomous farming equipment has touched new heights in recent times.Autonomous Farm Equipment Market: Geographical LandscapeThe agricultural sector in the US has been amongst the most splendid ones in the world. The government has always fortified the agricultural sector in the US by providing subsides and other benefits. Hence, the market for autonomous farm equipment in North America has attracted commendable demand in recent times. In Europe, the farmers have resorted to the use of nascent technologies in order to accelerate the process of sowing and cultivation. Indias reliance on the agricultural sector for its GDP has directly influenced the growth of the global market for autonomous farm equipment across Asia Pacific.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Autonomous Farm Equipment Market: Competitive LandscapeJohn Deere, AGCO, Case IH, Agricultural Solutions Ltd, Agribotix, Autonomous Tractor Corporation, and Agrobot are amongst the key player in the global market for autonomous farm equipment.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends. Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Over the Top (OTT) Services Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Netflix, Google, Skype Over the Top (OTT) Services Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3339328-global-over-the-top-ott-services-market-size-status-and-forecast-2018-2025 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/3339328-global-over-the-top-ott-services-market-size-status-and-forecast-2018-2025 WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On Over the Top (OTT) Services Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Netflix, Google, Skype.Description:-This report focuses on the global Over the Top (OTT) Services status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Over the Top (OTT) Services development in United States, Europe and China.In 2017, the global Over the Top (OTT) Services market size was million US$ and it is expected to reach million US$ by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of during 2018-2025.The key players covered in this studyFacebookTwitterLinkedInNetflixGoogleSkype (Microsoft Corporation)AmazonAppleRakutenEvernote CorporationDropboxHulu, LLCGet a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoPremium and SubscriptionsAdwareE-commerceMarket segment by Application, split intoPersonalCommercialOthersMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaCentral & South AmericaAsk Query About Report @Table Of Contents Major Key Points1 Report Overview1.1 Study Scope1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Players Covered1.4 Market Analysis by Type1.4.1 Global Over the Top (OTT) Services Market Size Growth Rate by Type (2013-2025)1.4.2 Premium and Subscriptions1.4.3 Adware1.4.4 E-commerce1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Over the Top (OTT) Services Market Share by Application (2013-2025)1.5.2 Personal1.5.3 Commercial1.5.4 Others1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered2 Global Growth Trends2.1 Over the Top (OTT) Services Market Size2.2 Over the Top (OTT) Services Growth Trends by Regions2.2.1 Over the Top (OTT) Services Market Size by Regions (2013-2025)2.2.2 Over the Top (OTT) Services Market Share by Regions (2013-2018)2.3 Industry Trends2.3.1 Market Top Trends2.3.2 Market Drivers2.3.3 Market Opportunities12 International Players Profiles12.1 Facebook12.1.1 Facebook Company Details12.1.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.1.3 Over the Top (OTT) Services Introduction12.1.4 Facebook Revenue in Over the Top (OTT) Services Business (2013-2018)12.1.5 Facebook Recent Development12.2 Twitter12.2.1 Twitter Company Details12.2.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.2.3 Over the Top (OTT) Services Introduction12.2.4 Twitter Revenue in Over the Top (OTT) Services Business (2013-2018)12.2.5 Twitter Recent Development12.3 LinkedIn12.3.1 LinkedIn Company Details12.3.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.3.3 Over the Top (OTT) Services Introduction12.3.4 LinkedIn Revenue in Over the Top (OTT) Services Business (2013-2018)12.3.5 LinkedIn Recent Development12.4 Netflix12.4.1 Netflix Company Details12.4.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.4.3 Over the Top (OTT) Services Introduction12.4.4 Netflix Revenue in Over the Top (OTT) Services Business (2013-2018)12.4.5 Netflix Recent Development12.5 Google12.5.1 Google Company Details12.5.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.5.3 Over the Top (OTT) Services Introduction12.5.4 Google Revenue in Over the Top (OTT) Services Business (2013-2018)12.5.5 Google Recent Development12.6 Skype (Microsoft Corporation)12.6.1 Skype (Microsoft Corporation) Company Details12.6.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.6.3 Over the Top (OTT) Services Introduction12.6.4 Skype (Microsoft Corporation) Revenue in Over the Top (OTT) Services Business (2013-2018)12.6.5 Skype (Microsoft Corporation) Recent Development12.7 Amazon12.7.1 Amazon Company Details12.7.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.7.3 Over the Top (OTT) Services Introduction12.7.4 Amazon Revenue in Over the Top (OTT) Services Business (2013-2018)12.7.5 Amazon Recent Development12.8 Apple12.8.1 Apple Company Details12.8.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.8.3 Over the Top (OTT) Services Introduction12.8.4 Apple Revenue in Over the Top (OTT) Services Business (2013-2018)12.8.5 Apple Recent Development12.9 Rakuten12.9.1 Rakuten Company Details12.9.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.9.3 Over the Top (OTT) Services Introduction12.9.4 Rakuten Revenue in Over the Top (OTT) Services Business (2013-2018)12.9.5 Rakuten Recent DevelopmentContinuedFor more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028. Advanced Batteries Market: Pin-point Analyses of Market Competition Dynamics https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1691 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=1691 Highly sophisticated battery technologies will be indispensable in the near future due to the increasing need for more efficient, durable, and cost-effective technologies to meet the soaring demand for energy worldwide. Advanced battery technologies such as lead-acid batteries, sodium sulfur batteries, advanced flow batteries, lithium ion, lithium polymer, and sodium metal halide batteries can be some of the key segments based on technology.The report discusses key trends and major opportunities prevalent in the market. It also includes a detailed assessment of deterrents restraining the markets trajectory. Profiles of the most prominent companies operating in the global advanced batteries market are included in the market study. It also presents insights into their competitive business strategies, collaborations, merger, and acquisitions along with estimating market shares held by individual and topmost players.PDF Brochure For Future Advancements:Global Advanced Batteries Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe advanced batteries market is driven by growing concerns about carbon emissions and increased awareness about using energy efficient devices. An increase in activities such as combustion of oil, natural gas, and coal, deforestation, and industrial activities such as cement production are responsible for the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide. This is a key factor fuelling the demand for advanced batteries. As these devices offer generation asset enhancement, grid flexibility, safety, and efficiency, the demand for advanced batteries is likely to witness a surge.Moreover, the increasing application of advanced batteries across diverse industries has been fuelling the growth of the advanced batteries market. Advanced batteries are deployed in locomotives, lift trucks, EVs, PHEVs, and HEVs, submarines, cars, wheel chairs, trucks, buses, power tools, and toys. Portable devices such as radios, laptop computers, camcorders, mobile phones, electric watches, calculators, and flashlights use advanced batteries. In the military and aerospace sector, emergency power, munitions, communications, satellites, and robots are in-built with advanced batteries. Therefore, the wide range of application of advanced batteries will ensure expansion of the global advanced batteries market.Download and View Report TOC, Figures and Tables:On the contrary, the relative high costs of advanced batteries and ambiguous regulatory frameworks might keep lid on the growth of the market. Nevertheless, significant opportunities are likely emerge from the electric vehicles segment, as several manufacturers are developing more powerful, lighter, durable, more reliable, and cheaper batteries.Global Advanced Batteries Market: Regional OutlookBased on geography, the global market for advanced batteries has been broadly segmented into Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and the Rest of the World. North America, led by the U.S., is expected to exhibit considerable growth over the forecast period. With increased public investments in grid modernization and zealous carbon reduction goals, Europe has also been exhibiting a steadily rising demand for advanced batteries. Germany appears to be a promising arena for further expansion as encouragement from extensive research, technological advancements, and conferences such as the Advanced Battery Power- Kraftwerk Batterie held in March 2017 continues to swarm in.The region of Asia Pacific is slated to prosper to achieve significant share in the global advanced batteries market as the costs of advanced batteries are gradually going downhill. The growth in this region can be attributed to the growing demand from countries such as Japan, India, and China.Transparency Market research is into analytics, research, and advisory services for Fortune 500 companies, scores of high potential startups, and financial institutions. Our success stories have proven why we are a preeminent provider of cutting-edge syndicated and customized research services. Leverage the best of our seasoned research analysts who hold a keen interest and enviable expertise of almost 4 million hours in global, regional, and local market intelligence.Unit No.701, 7th Floor,NSG IT Park, Aundh,Pune - 411007India 2018 Global Business Process Outsourcing Market Price, Sales, Gross Margin, Growth Rate, Industry Demand, Scope and Revenue Business Process Outsourcing https://www.researchreportsinc.com/sample-request?id=68656 https://researchreportsinc.com/enquiry?id=68656 https://researchreportsinc.com/checkout/?add-to-cart=68656&&attribute_pa_choose-license=single-user&&quantity=1 The Business Process Outsourcing Industry is expected to increase at high growth rates during the forecast period (2018-2023). The Business Process Outsourcing Industry is supported by various growth drivers.Get sample copy of this report @The regional analysis of Global Business Process Outsourcing Market is considered for the key regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America and Rest of the World. North America is the leading/significant region across the world in terms of market share. Whereas, owing to the countries such as China, Japan, and India, Asia Pacific region is anticipated to exhibit higher growth rate / CAGR over the forecast period 2017-2023.The objective of the study is to define market sizes of different segments & countries in recent years and to forecast the values to the coming eight years. The report is designed to incorporate both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the industry within each of the regions and countries involved in the study.Enquire more at @Complete report on Global Business Process Outsourcing Industry 2017 Market Research Report is spread across 162 pages and provides exclusive vital statistics, data, information, trends and landscape details in this niche sector.The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Business Process Outsourcing Market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, Business Process Outsourcing landscape analysis, and major regions' development status. The report focuses on Global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. What's more, the Business Process Outsourcing industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed...Get Direct Copy of this Research Report @In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Then this Report analyzed the worlds main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, supply, demand and market growth rate and forecast etc. In the end, the report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysisThe report includes six parts, dealing with:1.) Basic Information;2.) Asia Business Process Outsourcing Market;3.) North American Business Process Outsourcing Market;4.) European Business Process Outsourcing Market;5.) Market Entry and Investment Feasibility;6.) Report Conclusion.Major points from Table of Contents for Global Business Process Outsourcing Industry 2017 Market Research Report include:1 Industry Overview of Business Process Outsourcing2 Global Business Process Outsourcing Competition Analysis by Players3 Company (Top Players) Profiles4 Global Business Process Outsourcing Market Size by Type and Application (2013-2017)5 United States Business Process Outsourcing Development Status and Outlook6 EU Business Process Outsourcing Development Status and Outlook7 Japan Business Process Outsourcing Development Status and Outlook8 China Business Process Outsourcing Development Status and Outlook9 India Business Process Outsourcing Development Status and Outlook10 Southeast Asia Business Process Outsourcing Development Status and Outlook11 Market Forecast by Regions, Type and Application (2017-2023)12 Business Process Outsourcing Market Dynamics13 Market Effect Factors Analysis14 Research Finding/Conclusion15 AppendixMethodologyAnalyst IntroductionData SourceAbout Us:Research Reports Inc. is one of the leading destinations for market research reports across all industries, companies, and technologies. Our repository features an exhaustive list of market research reports from thousands of publishers worldwideContact us for your special interest needs and we will get in touch within 24hrs to help you find the market research report you need.With our expertise and research offerings, we ensure we deliver on all your requirements, whether youre looking for industry analysis or market trends or anything else, first time and every time!Email us sales@researchreportsinc.comCall: US / Canada Toll Free: +18554192424, UK : +4403308087577 Magnetic Sensors Market: Growth in Consumer Electronics and Appliances to Drive Market Growth https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=289 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=289 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/289 The global magnetic sensors market was valued at US$ 2,112.6 Mn in 2017, whereas the demand was estimated at 3,488.0 thousand units in the same year. The market is expected to register a stable CAGR of over 7% during the forecast period 2018 to 2026, according to a new report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) titled Magnetic Sensors Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20182026. Encouragement from the government to use eco-friendly vehicles and growth of consumer electronics and appliances has increased the penetration and growth of the magnetic sensors market globally. The market in North America is expanding at a significant CAGR of 7.3% on the backdrop of growing deployment of autonomous vehicles and presence of large number of market players.PDF Brochure For Future Advancements:Growth in Consumer Electronics and Appliances to Drive Market GrowthTechnological advancements in consumer electronics with proliferation of IoT technology are expected to increase the demand for magnetic field sensors. Demand for advanced sensing has increased significantly over the past few years primarily due to growing popularity of sophisticated smartphones. Various consumer electronics companies across the world are deploying sensing devices with magnetic sensors in order to deliver contactless measurement with enhanced accuracy and reliability. Semiconductor providers from North America are continuously taking efforts to introduce advanced technology sensors that are used in exercise equipment, household appliances, digital cameras, smartphones, toys, and other electronic devices and equipment. Key trends prevalent in the magnetic sensors market are tunnel magneto resistance (TMR) linear magnetic field sensors, ultra-low pressure sensor, miniaturized magnetic sensors, automotive sensors, and RFID magnetic sensors.Download Sample PDF at:Hall Effect Segment to Dominate the Global Magnetic Sensors MarketThe technology segment is divided into Hall Effect, anisotropic magneto resistance (AMR), giant magneto resistance (GMR), tunnel magneto resistance (TMR), and others. Hall Effect segment is anticipated to dominate the market as it offers a wide range of benefits, including ease of implementation, variety of output options, a wide range of operating voltage, high reliability, and compact design. This technology offers high output and sensitivity and provides unique sensing capabilities. These factors are expected to boost the growth of the magnetic sensors market. Hall Effect segment is anticipated to expand at the highest CAGR of 7.6% during the forecast period 2018 to 2026. Tunnel Magneto Resistance (TMR) segment is projected to expand at a significant CAGR over the forecast period owing to the broad range of industrial applications.Download and View Report TOC, Figures and Tables:Surging demand for magnetic sensors from the automotive sector, driving the marketThe application segment is divided into automotive, consumer electronics, industrial and others. Automotive segment is anticipated to dominate the market owing to the growing deployment of autonomous vehicles around the globe. Sensor vendors are emphasizing on providing efficient devices which can serve a wide range of applications. Sensing devices are being increasingly used in the automotive sector to improve vehicles fuel efficiency, convenience, and safety. Growing use of electric vehicles (EVs) is escalating the demand for several sensing devices, including magnetic sensors. Automotive segment is anticipated to expand at the highest CAGR of 7.6% during the forecast period 2018 to 2026. Consumer electronics segment is projected to expand at a significant CAGR over the forecast period owing to the growing use of smartphones and consumer wearable devices such as smart watches and health monitoring devices.Surging demand for smartphones and automobiles and constant growth in automotive industry in the U.S., Germany, China, India, South Africa, and Brazil to create more opportunities in the marketGeographically, the global magnetic sensors market is divided into five major geographical regions, including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa. In 2017, North America was the topmost revenue generating region followed by Asia Pacific. Semiconductor providers from North America are continuously taking efforts to introduce advanced technology sensors that are used in household appliances, digital cameras, smartphones, toys, and other electronic devices and equipment. The U.S. held the highest market share in 2017 in North America and is estimated to expand at a considerable CAGR during the forecast period. The market in Europe is anticipated to expand at a significant CAGR during the forecast period due to the growing technological advancements in automotive industry. Countries across the European Union are now focusing on adopting hybrid cars that require Hall Effect current sensing in vehicles power systems in order to enhance the performance at low costs. The magnetic sensors market in Asia Pacific is further expected to expand at the highest CAGR of 8.7% over the forecast period. Factors such as growing popularity of smartphones and wearable devices and strong presence of major sensor vendors in Asian countries such as China and Japan have impacted the regional market growth positively. Middle East & Africa and South America are expected to expand at a substantial pace due to the growing investments in the consumer electronic industry in the regions.Transparency Market research is into analytics, research, and advisory services for Fortune 500 companies, scores of high potential startups, and financial institutions. Our success stories have proven why we are a preeminent provider of cutting-edge syndicated and customized research services. Leverage the best of our seasoned research analysts who hold a keen interest and enviable expertise of almost 4 million hours in global, regional, and local market intelligence.Unit No.701, 7th Floor,NSG IT Park, Aundh,Pune - 411007India Medical Education Market Size to Grow Exponentially during the Assessment Period 2024 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/medical-education-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=517 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=517 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Medical Education Market: SnapshotThe medical education market is set to boom in the near future thanks to major advances made in the field of medical science, the surging incidence of chronic illnesses, increased incidences of various types of cancer, technological innovations, and the frequent introduction of new courses. The online learning space has grown manifold, especially in developed countries, owing to the growth of the online education market, the increased preference of updated and diverse courses, the development of new start-ups, and higher internet penetration.Transparency Market Research predicts that the global medical education market is poised to expand at a 4.3% CAGR during the forecast period, rising from a value of US$25.9 bn in 2015 to US$38.4 bn by 2024.Obtain Report Details @Rising Incidence of Cardiovascular Diseases Spurs Cardiothoracic Education and TrainingMedical education includes training in a number of disciplines, including cardiothoracic, neurology, orthopedic, oral and maxillofacial, pediatric, radiology, and laboratory. The cardiothoracic training segment led the medical education market in 2015 by revenue, driven by the rising incidence of cardiovascular diseases, especially coronary blockages. The effectiveness of cardiothoracic training in treating these diseases and curbing side effects such as thrombosis and restenosis associated with a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has also fueled the growth of this segment.Other factors that drive the cardiothoracic training segment are the effective management of heart diseases, rising awareness among patients, and increased medical needs such as surgeries and diagnosis. The radiology training segment is likely to expand at the highest CAGR during the forecast periodTechnological Innovations and Upgrades Driving Medical Education in North America and EuropeGeographically, the medical education market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World.North America was the leading market for medical education in 2015, followed by Europe. Being a well-established region in terms of medical education and healthcare, North America is likely to retain its dominant share throughout the forecast period. The medical education market offers immense growth potential in this region due to timely technological upgrades, increased awareness among patients, and the continuous evolution of information technology.Request For Sample of Report @The growth of the medical education market in Europe is attributed to technological innovations, the consistent introduction of new courses, and increasing healthcare expenditure. In addition, the increased implementation of picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) and stable healthcare education policies widens the scope for growth and acceptance of medical education in this region.Asia Pacific has been witnessing increased adoption of online training for medical education. Rapidly evolving healthcare infrastructure, the rising number of researchers in the medical field, several initiatives taken by government organizations to provide scholarships and economic relief to medical students, and the presence of a large pool of patients suffering from various types of cancers and cardiovascular diseases in countries such as India and China are some of the key factors driving the medical education market in Asia Pacific.Request For Report Brochure @Apollo Hospitals, TACT Academy for Clinical Training, Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. (Zimmer Institute), Olympus Corporation, Gundersen Health System, GE Healthcare, and Medical Training College are some of the leading players in the global medical education market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Oncology Radiation Therapy Market 2023 Growth Analysis By Manufacturers, Regions, Type And Application, Forecast Analysis Transparency Market Research https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/oncology-radiation-therapy-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=4333 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=4333 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Radiation therapy refers to the medical use of targeted energy such as radioactive substances, x-rays etc., to destroy or kill cancerous cells without affecting the nearby healthy tissues. This therapy can be deployed as a sole therapy or as an adjuvant therapy, or it can also be employed to shrink the tumor cells, reduce pain and pressure or any other symptoms of cancer (also known as palliative radiation therapy). Currently, acceptance of radiation therapy is increasing owing to the consistent rise in cancer incidence worldwide. As per the updates published by World Health Organization (WHO), in February 2015, cancer is among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity across the globe with approximately 14 million new cases and around 8.2 million cancer related deaths in 2012.In majority of cancer treatments, radiation therapy acts as an effective treatment option; however, other types of cancers may respond to combination treatment options such as surgery, chemotherapy or immunotherapy. External and internal radiation therapies constitute the two major cancer treatment options. Systemic radiation therapy, intraoperative radiation therapy, radioimmunotherapy and radiosensitizers and radioprotectors represent other types of oncology radiation therapies. External beam radiation therapy involves the transmission of radiation through a machine positioned outside the body and encompasses several types such as stereotactic radiation therapy, proton beam therapy, 3-D conformal radiation therapy and intensity modulated radiation therapy.Report Overview @On the other hand, internal radiation therapy also referred to as brachytherapy involves the placement of a radioactive material (implant) via catheter or a carrier at the tumor site and the tissue surrounding it. These radioactive implants may either be temporary or permanent and may demand hospital stay. With time, these implants lose their radioactivity but inactive seeds remain in the body. Other treatment options such as systemic radiation therapy involve the use of radioactive materials such as strontium-89 or iodine-131 which travel in the blood to kill cancerous cells while radioimmunotherapy involves the use of monoclonal antibodies that deliver radiation directly to the cancer cells.The market for oncology radiation therapy can be majorly segmented on the basis of type of method, radiation source and application. Based on the type of method, radiation therapy can be further categorized into stereotactic radiotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery. Type of radiation source can be further classified into two major sub segments namely external beam radiation therapy and internal radiation therapy along with their technologies. Use of radiation therapy in treatment of various cancers such as colorectal, breast, lung and prostate represents the application areas of oncology radiation therapy market. Geographically, North American and European countries represent the major revenue contributors owing to consistent technological advances followed by rigorous research initiatives to identify novel treatment methods. Asia Pacific and LATAM regions provide lucrative opportunities for the growth and acceptance of radiation therapies in cancer treatment. Safety regulations and reimbursement policies for radiation therapies govern the market growth.Request Brochure @The major factors favoring market growth are increasing cancer incidence followed by consistent technological advances in cancer research and treatment measures. In addition, consistent rise in geriatric population along with favorable reimbursement policies will propel the market growth. On the other hand, harmful side effects of radiation therapy followed by high cost of the procedures are the major factors that might hamper the market growth. Furthermore, factors such as lack of adequate infrastructure in conjunction with increasing healthcare expenditure might further limit the market growth. Accuray, Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, Brainlab AG, C.R. Bard, Inc., GE Healthcare, NTP Radioisotopes (pty) Ltd., Positron Corporation, Siemens Healthcare and Varian Medical Systems, Inc. are some of the players operating in this market.Request TOC@About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact Us90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Systemic Antiviral Pharmaceuticals Market Analysis by Recent Trends, Development and Growth Forecast by Regions and Applications to 2023 Transparency Market Reserch https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/systemic-antiviral-pharmaceuticals-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=12287 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=12287 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Systemic Antiviral Pharmaceuticals MarketAntiviral drugs are a class of medication that inhibits the development of infection causing viruses. Like antibiotics, specific antiviral drugs are used against specific viruses. As viruses share most of the metabolic processes with the host cell, it is difficult to commercialize new medications that are selective in action. The presently available antiviral agents either act as DNA polymerase inhibitors, reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, immunomodulators, neuraminidase inhibitors or integrase strand transfer inhibitors. The currently available antiviral drugs target four main kinds of viruses:Global Systemic Antiviral Pharmaceuticals Market: SegmentationAntiviral drugs can be administered by various methods such as topical or local application, systemic delivery, controlled delivery and targeted delivery. Systemic drug delivery is relatively safe and effective for the treatment than topical agents. In recent times, systemic delivery method is gaining attention owing to its higher therapeutic efficacy and bioavailability. The demand for products with systemic application is high especially in the treatment for chronic viral infections such as hepatitis and HIV infection.Report Overview @Based on the class of antiviral drugs, the global systemic antiviral pharmaceuticals market is segmented into DNA polymerase inhibitors, reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, immunomodulators, interferon, neuraminidase inhibitors and integrase strand transfer inhibitors. Increasing resistance to M2 inhibitors has shifted the focus towards neuraminidase inhibitors for the treatment of influenza. Neuraminidase inhibitors class of drugs includes Oseltamivir and Zanamivir which are administered through systemic route. Herpes virus can be treated using medications such as Acyclovir, Brivudin, Cidofovir, Famciclovir, Fomivirsen, Foscarnet, Ganciclovir, Penciclovir, Valacyclovir, Vidarabine and Valganciclovir. Treatment for hepatitis includes administration of either or combination of the following medicationsBased on the disease type, the global systemic antiviral pharmaceuticals market can be analyzed as herpes, hepatitis, influenza and HIV infection. Recent advancements in the field of antiviral treatment for herpes infection have inclined the ophthalmologists to treat severe ocular infection caused by herpes virus. In addition, the acute retinal necrosis (ARN) syndrome caused by herpes virus and retinal infection caused by cytomegalovirus is also treated using systemic antiviral drugs. Vidarabine, Acyclovir, Ganciclovir, and Foscarnet are the four major systemic antivral drugs used in the treatment of ophthalmic infections. Rising incidence of herpes virus infections, as well as the rising epidemic of HIV infections has led to increase in ophthalmic infections which drive the demand for systemic antiviral pharmaceuticals.Request Brochure @Global Systemic Antiviral Pharmaceuticals Market: Geographical DynamicsThe demand for systemic antiviral pharmaceuticals is high in regions with high prevalence of herpes, influenza, hepatitis and HIV infection. According to World Health Organization (WHO), worldwide 35.3 million people were living with HIV infection at the end of 2012. The prevalence is high in the African region where nearly one in 20 adults is living with HIV infection. Further, the prevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 is high in Africa, North America and some parts of Asia-Pacific. Early and effective treatment is therefore the primary need in these regions. Hence, the demand for systemic antiviral pharmaceuticals will increase with growing incidence of viral infections.Some of the major players in the systemic antiviral pharmaceuticals market are GlaxoSmithKline plc, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Pfizer, Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim, Abbott Laboratories and Merck & Co., Inc.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Request for TOC @The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact Us90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Depth Sensing Market Analysis in 2018 With Top Players Across Globe Like Crunchbase, Texas Instruments, Infineon Technologies, Qualcomm, Sony Depthsensing Solutions, MELEXIS, TowerJazz, VRmagic, Aquifi, Inc Depth Sensing https://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-depth-sensing-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-depth-sensing-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/speak-to-analyst/?dbmr=global-depth-sensing-market http://databridgemarketresearch.com The report includes Depth Sensing market shares of market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and South America. The Global market is expected to reach USD 8.07 billion by 2025 from USD 1.32 billion in 2017 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 11.94 % in the forecast period of 2018 to 2025. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2016, the base year of calculation is 2017 and the forecast period is 2018 to 2025.Get Free Sample Report:The global depth sensing market is fragmented and the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, expansions, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market in order to sustain in long run.In 2017, Stereo Labs introduced SDK for new samples for SVO recording, playback and export.Key Players:- Global Depth Sensing MarketThe renowned players in global depth sensing market are Texas Instruments Incorporated, Infineon Technologies AG, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Stereolabs, Sony Depthsensing Solutions, Intel Corporation, Melexis. , TowerJazz , VRmagic Holding AG , AQUIFI , ESPROS Photonics , Crunchbase Inc. ,Other Players Are ASUSTeK Computer Inc. , LIPS Corporation ,Primesense, Espros, Sunny Optical Technolog, Erian Vision Technologies , Melexis, Tower semiconductor, Creative, PMD technologies and many more.Want Full Report? Enquire Here:Market Drivers and Restraints: Increasing demand in the field of capture video data in 3D under any ambient light conditions. Scanning is raising the demand of depth sensing market. Rising demand for gesture control, face recognition, virtual reality and augmented reality. Difficulty in managing all the captured facts and figures and filtering the data. Distortion due to high cost of establishment.Market Segmentation: Global Depth Sensing Market The market is based on market type, component, technology, end user industry and geographical segments. Based on market type, the market is segmented into passive, active. Based on component type, the market is segmented into camera/lens module, sensor and illuminator. Based on technology type, the market is segmented into time-of-flight, structured light and stereo vision. Based on end user industry, the market is segmented into automotive, driver monitoring, building automation, consumer electronics, robotics, medical imaging, drones, and breathing analysis. Based on geography, the market report covers data points for 28 countries across multiple geographies such as North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. Some of the major countries covered in this report are U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Brazil among others.Speak to Research Analyst for Regional Customization or Other Query:About UsData Bridge adepts in creating satisfied clients who reckon upon our services and rely on our hard work with certitude. Get Customization and Discount on Report by emailing sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com . We are content with our glorious 99.9 % client satisfying rate.Contact UsData Bridge Market ResearchToll Free: +1-888-387-2818Mail: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com Hemoglobin A1c Testing Devices Market Growth to be Stimulated by Brisk Technological Expansions https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/hemoglobin-a1c-testing.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1620 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1620 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Testing the levels of glycated hemoglobin provides an assurance to the healthcare practitioner about the patients blood glucose level. This test can be used for diagnosis and monitoring of hemoglobin A1c levels in diabetic patients. Since A1C test reflects the average amount of glucose for the past 2 to 3 months, it is opined to be more reliable than conventional blood glucose test. Physicians are increasingly prescribing HbA1c test to their patients which will lead to an increase in the test volume.Moreover, rising diabetes incidence rate is a major driver for the HbA1c testing market. With growing awareness about prevention and management of diabetes, the demand for HbA1c testing devices will rise rapidly especially in the Asia-Pacific, Latin America, MiddleEast and African regions.Obtain Report Details @Moreover, advent of these devices for the diagnosis of diabetes will further bolster the demand for these devices in future. For instance, approval for the COBAS INTEGRA 800 Tina-quant HbA1cDx assay, in 2013and Abbotts ARCHITECT Clinical Chemistry Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test approved in 2014 for the diagnosis of diabetes were the major steps in the hemoglobin A1c testing industry. With this diagnostic tools, physicians can combat the rising incidence of diabetes with timely and appropriate actions in identifying and managing diabetes.Based on the end-use, the global hemoglobin A1c testing devices market is categorized into two segments namely laboratory testing and point-of-care (POC) testing devices. Laboratory testing devices held the majority share of the market in 2012, while the global market for point-of-care testing devices is expected to grow at a faster paceduring the forecast period.Based on technologies, the hemoglobin A1c testing devices market is further categorized into five segments, namely, ion-exchange HPLC, immunoassay, boronate affinity chromatography, direct enzymatic assay and others. The boronate affinity chromatography market will be growing at a faster pace during the forecast period as this technology has no interference from hemoglobin variants and is also used in both laboratory as well as point-of-care testing. Healthcare practitioners are recommending the use of devices which offer least variant interference and this would elevate the demand for boronate affinity chromatography in HbA1c testing.Request For Sample of Report @Geographically, the global hemoglobin A1c testing devices market is categorized into four regions, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). North America was the market leader in 2012 due to high patient awareness coupled with the presence of sophisticated healthcare infrastructure. Also, the adoption of automated processes is rapid in this region which results in high demand for advanced laboratory and point-of-care testing devices with new technologies.Conversely, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at a higher CAGR than others, owing to the presence of unmet healthcare needs, large diabetic population and increase in healthcare expenditure. Moreover, rising diabetes awareness among the general population will generate demand for diagnostic devices for HbA1c testing. Also, inadequate accessibility to the clinical laboratories in this region, demands more of point-of-care devices to enable immediate results during the patient visit.Request For Report Brochure @The global hemoglobin A1c testing devices market is characterized by the presence of some of the major companies including Abbott Laboratories, Alere, Inc., Arkray, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Danaher Corporation, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Siemens Healthcare and Trinity Biotech plc. These players are seeking to develop HbA1c analyzers with quicker turnaround time, higher accuracy and reliable results. Moreover, approval of devices for diagnosis of diabetes has reinforced the development activities of these organizations to introduce products for rapid and early diagnosis.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Beauty Tools Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players Shiseido, Etude House, L'Oreal, Avon, Maybelline Beauty Tools Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3338327-global-beauty-tools-market-insights-forecast-to-2025 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3338327-global-beauty-tools-market-insights-forecast-to-2025 Beauty Tools Market 2018Wiseguyreports.Com adds Beauty Tools Market Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2025 To Its Research Database.Report Details:This report provides in depth study of Beauty Tools Market using SWOT analysis i.e. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat to the organization. The Beauty Tools Market report also provides an in-depth survey of key players in the market which is based on the various objectives of an organization such as profiling, the product outline, the quantity of production, required raw material, and the financial health of the organization.This report studies the global market size of Beauty Tools in key regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South America and Middle East & Africa, focuses on the consumption of Beauty Tools in these regions.This research report categorizes the global Beauty Tools market by players/brands, region, type and application. This report also studies the global market status, competition landscape, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis.In 2017, the global Beauty Tools market size was million US$ and is forecast to million US in 2025, growing at a CAGR of from 2018. The objectives of this study are to define, segment, and project the size of the Beauty Tools market based on company, product type, application and key regions.The various contributors involved in the value chain of Beauty Tools include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers.The key manufacturers in the Beauty Tools includeShiseidoEtude HouseL'OrealAvonMaybellineEstee LauderChanelDiorLancomeYve Saint LaurentCotyLVMHRevlonRequest a Sample Report @Market size split by RegionNorth AmericaUnited StatesCanadaMexicoAsia-PacificChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaAustraliaIndonesiaSingaporeMalaysiaPhilippinesThailandVietnamEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalySpainRussiaCentral & South AmericaBrazilRest of Central & South AmericaMiddle East & AfricaGCC CountriesTurkeyEgyptSouth AfricaMarket Size Split by TypeMakeup BrushesManicurePedicure ToolsTweezersOtherMarket Size Split by ApplicationProfessionalPersonalKey StakeholdersBeauty Tools ManufacturersBeauty Tools Distributors/Traders/WholesalersBeauty Tools Subcomponent ManufacturersIndustry AssociationDownstream VendorsIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Complete Report Details@Major Key Points in Table of Content:1 Study Coverage1.1 Beauty Tools Product1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Key Manufacturers Covered1.4 Market by Type1.4.1 Global Beauty Tools Market Size Growth Rate by Type1.4.2 Makeup Brushes1.4.3 Manicure1.4.4 Pedicure Tools1.4.5 Tweezers1.4.6 Other1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Beauty Tools Market Size Growth Rate by Application1.5.2 Professional1.5.3 Personal1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered2 Executive Summary2.1 Global Beauty Tools Market Size2.1.1 Global Beauty Tools Revenue 2016-20252.1.2 Global Beauty Tools Sales 2016-20252.2 Beauty Tools Growth Rate by Regions2.2.1 Global Beauty Tools Sales by Regions2.2.2 Global Beauty Tools Revenue by Regions.11 Company Profiles11.1 Shiseido11.1.1 Shiseido Company Details11.1.2 Company Description11.1.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Beauty Tools11.1.4 Beauty Tools Product Description11.1.5 Recent Development11.2 Etude House11.2.1 Etude House Company Details11.2.2 Company Description11.2.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Beauty Tools11.2.4 Beauty Tools Product Description11.2.5 Recent Development11.3 L'Oreal11.3.1 L'Oreal Company Details11.3.2 Company Description11.3.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Beauty Tools11.3.4 Beauty Tools Product Description11.3.5 Recent Development11.4 Avon11.4.1 Avon Company Details11.4.2 Company Description11.4.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Beauty Tools11.4.4 Beauty Tools Product Description11.4.5 Recent Development11.5 Maybelline11.5.1 Maybelline Company Details11.5.2 Company Description11.5.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Beauty Tools11.5.4 Beauty Tools Product Description11.5.5 Recent Development11.6 Estee Lauder11.6.1 Estee Lauder Company Details11.6.2 Company Description11.6.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Beauty Tools11.6.4 Beauty Tools Product Description11.6.5 Recent Development11.7 Chanel11.7.1 Chanel Company Details11.7.2 Company Description11.7.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Beauty Tools11.7.4 Beauty Tools Product Description11.7.5 Recent Development11.8 Dior11.8.1 Dior Company Details11.8.2 Company Description11.8.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Beauty Tools11.8.4 Beauty Tools Product Description11.8.5 Recent Development11.9 Lancome11.9.1 Lancome Company Details11.9.2 Company Description11.9.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Beauty Tools11.9.4 Beauty Tools Product Description11.9.5 Recent Development11.10 Yve Saint Laurent11.10.1 Yve Saint Laurent Company Details11.10.2 Company Description11.10.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Beauty Tools11.10.4 Beauty Tools Product Description11.10.5 Recent DevelopmentContinued.Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Sales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRESS:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Conductive Coating 2018 Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, key Players Analysis, Applications, Forecasts to 2025 Conductive Coating Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3339370-global-conductive-coating-market-insights-forecast-to-2025 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/3339370-global-conductive-coating-market-insights-forecast-to-2025 WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On Conductive Coating 2018 Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, key Players Analysis, Applications, Forecasts to 2025.Description:-This report researches the worldwide Conductive Coating market size (value, capacity, production and consumption) in key regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (China, Japan) and other regions.This study categorizes the global Conductive Coating breakdown data by manufacturers, region, type and application, also analyzes the market status, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis.Global Conductive Coating market size will increase to Million US$ by 2025, from Million US$ in 2017, at a CAGR of during the forecast period. In this study, 2017 has been considered as the base year and 2018 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Conductive Coating.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comThis report focuses on the top manufacturers' Conductive Coating capacity, production, value, price and market share of Conductive Coating in global market. The following manufacturers are covered in this report:PPG Industries Inc.HenkelAkzonobelAxalta Coating SystemsCreative Materials3MHolland Shielding SystemsConductive Coating Breakdown Data by TypeEpoxyPolyestersAcrylicsPolyurethanesOthersConductive Coating Breakdown Data by ApplicationConsumer Electronic DisplaysSolar IndustryAutomotiveAerospaceBioscienceOtherConductive Coating Production Breakdown Data by RegionUnited StatesEuropeChinaJapanOther RegionsConductive Coating Consumption Breakdown Data by RegionNorth AmericaUnited StatesCanadaMexicoAsia-PacificChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaAustraliaIndonesiaMalaysiaPhilippinesThailandVietnamEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalyRussiaRest of EuropeCentral & South AmericaBrazilRest of South AmericaMiddle East & AfricaGCC CountriesTurkeyEgyptSouth AfricaRest of Middle East & AfricaAsk Query About Report @Table Of Contents Major Key PointsGlobal Conductive Coating Market Research Report 2018-2025, by Manufacturers, Regions, Types and Applications1 Study Coverage1.1 Conductive Coating Product1.2 Key Market Segments in This Study1.3 Key Manufacturers Covered1.4 Market by Type1.4.1 Global Conductive Coating Market Size Growth Rate by Type1.4.2 Epoxy1.4.3 Polyesters1.4.4 Acrylics1.4.5 Polyurethanes1.4.6 Others1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Conductive Coating Market Size Growth Rate by Application1.5.2 Consumer Electronic Displays1.5.3 Solar Industry1.5.4 Automotive1.5.5 Aerospace1.5.6 Bioscience1.5.7 Other1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered2 Executive Summary2.1 Global Conductive Coating Production2.1.1 Global Conductive Coating Revenue 2013-20252.1.2 Global Conductive Coating Production 2013-20252.1.3 Global Conductive Coating Capacity 2013-20252.1.4 Global Conductive Coating Marketing Pricing and Trends2.2 Conductive Coating Growth Rate (CAGR) 2018-20252.3 Analysis of Competitive Landscape2.3.1 Manufacturers Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI)2.3.2 Key Conductive Coating Manufacturers2.4 Market Drivers, Trends and Issues2.5 Macroscopic Indicator2.5.1 GDP for Major Regions2.5.2 Price of Raw Materials in Dollars: Evolution8 Manufacturers Profiles8.1 PPG Industries Inc.8.1.1 PPG Industries Inc. Company Details8.1.2 Company Description8.1.3 Capacity, Production and Value of Conductive Coating8.1.4 Conductive Coating Product Description8.1.5 SWOT Analysis8.2 Henkel8.2.1 Henkel Company Details8.2.2 Company Description8.2.3 Capacity, Production and Value of Conductive Coating8.2.4 Conductive Coating Product Description8.2.5 SWOT Analysis8.3 Akzonobel8.3.1 Akzonobel Company Details8.3.2 Company Description8.3.3 Capacity, Production and Value of Conductive Coating8.3.4 Conductive Coating Product Description8.3.5 SWOT Analysis8.4 Axalta Coating Systems8.4.1 Axalta Coating Systems Company Details8.4.2 Company Description8.4.3 Capacity, Production and Value of Conductive Coating8.4.4 Conductive Coating Product Description8.4.5 SWOT Analysis8.5 Creative Materials8.5.1 Creative Materials Company Details8.5.2 Company Description8.5.3 Capacity, Production and Value of Conductive Coating8.5.4 Conductive Coating Product Description8.5.5 SWOT Analysis8.6 3M8.6.1 3M Company Details8.6.2 Company Description8.6.3 Capacity, Production and Value of Conductive Coating8.6.4 Conductive Coating Product Description8.6.5 SWOT Analysis8.7 Holland Shielding Systems8.7.1 Holland Shielding Systems Company Details8.7.2 Company Description8.7.3 Capacity, Production and Value of Conductive Coating8.7.4 Conductive Coating Product Description8.7.5 SWOT AnalysisContinuedFor more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM): Market 2018 Segmented by Manufacturers (Autodesk, Dassault Systemes SE, PTC, Siemens PLM, Apparel magic, Aras, Arena, Omnify, Oracle Agile, Infor) and Forecasts to 2025 Qy Research Groups https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/request-sample/1011363 https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/checkout/1011363 https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/check-discount/1011363 An exclusive Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) 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 Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) 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 Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) market. Additionally, the report also highlights market entry strategies for various companies across the globe.Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Market Players: Autodesk Dassault Systemes SE PTC Siemens PLM Apparel magic Aras Arena Omnify Oracle Agile InforGet 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 Software Hardware ServiceMarket segment by Application, split into Manufacturing Consumer Electronics Healthcare Automotive OtherMajor regions are as follows: United States Europe China Japan Southeast Asia IndiaWorldwide Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) market with detailed market segmentation by product/application and geography. The global Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.Also, key Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) 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 Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) 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. Smart Machine Market 2018-2023 Global Leaders by Apple, Google, IBM, LG, BAE, Microsoft, ABB, Rockwell, Vianet, Wipro https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1155 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/smart-machines-market-1155 Smart Machines Global Market - OverviewThe global smart machines market is growing with the rapid pace is mainly due to increasing popularity of next generation IT Infrastructure and high adoption of artificial intelligence among companies, which is propelling the smart machines market growth to the large extent. According to a recent study report published by the Market Research Future, the global market of smart machines is booming and expected to gain prominence over the forecast period. The market is projected to demonstrate a spectacular growth by 2023, surpassing its previous growth records in terms of value with a striking CAGR during the anticipated period (2017 2023).Get Sample Report @Key Players:Apple Inc. (U.S.), Google Inc. (U.S.), IBM Corporation (U.S.), LG Electronics (South Korea), BAE Systems (U.K.), Microsoft Corporation (U.S.), Digital Reasoning Systems, Inc.(U.S.), ABB Limited (Switzerland), Rockwell Automation Inc. (U.S.), Schneider Electric SE (France), Vianet (U.S.), Wipro LTD (India), Realdolmen (Belgium) and General Electric Co. (U.S.) are some of the prominent players profiled in MRFR Analysis and are at the forefront of competition in the global smart machines market.Smart Machines Global Market - Competitive AnalysisThe Market of Smart Machines appears to be highly competitive. To maintain their market position and to drive the market growth, various dynamic and diversified international organizations, domestic organizations and as well as new entrants form a competitive landscape. Market leaders are innovating continuously and increasingly seeking market expansion through various strategic mergers and acquisitions, innovation, increasing investments in research and development and cost-effective product portfolio. Major players are investing on latest technology and, most of all, in acquiring other firms. Prominent vendors of Smart Machines targeting to invest more in technology and research and development activities to innovate their already existing products. The rising government funding is also expected to motivate key companies to invent new Smart Machines modules that match the changing trends and needs across the globe. These players possess a strong sales and distribution network which have helped them to gain leadership position in the market. An ever-increasing emphasis has been observed among Smart Machines industry marketers on inbound lead generation over branding-oriented efforts.Smart Machines Global Market - SegmentationThe Smart Machines Market can be segmented in to 3 key dynamics for the convenience of the report and enhanced understanding;Segmentation by Type: Comprises expert system, autonomous robots, digital assistance and embedded systems and others.Segmentation by Application: Comprises consumer electronics, healthcare, automotive, logistics, and aerospace & defence Among Others.Segmentation by Regions: Comprises Geographical regions - North America, Europe, APAC and Rest of the World.Smart Machines Global Market - Regional AnalysisAsia Pacific is dominating the global Smart Machines market with the largest market share due to due to the increasing manufacture of smart machines in emerging countries such as India, China, Brazil and others, which is propelling the market growth in this region and is expected to grow over its previous growth records by 2023. Smart Machines market in North America market is expected to grow at a substantial CAGR during 2017 to 2023 due to increasing investment in enterprise market, growing demand for automation, and growing government. The European market for Smart Machines market is expected to grow at a considerable CAGR (2017-2023).Get Full Report @Industry NewsJuly 2016- General Electric co. has announced about the partnership with Huawei technologies to grow IOT business in China and to develop smart machines together.July 18, 2017 LG electronics has announced about its new development Smart Thin Q. The Smart Thin Q hub provides two-way communication between home and gateways for smart sensors and smart appliances.Jan 25, 2018 Playtex Sport went into partnership with World Champion gymnast Aly Raisman to launch their new product of Smart Vending Machines in Big Apple.8 Jan 2018 Google has announced their new product of smart displays actions auto integration for assistant. These displays are equipped with front-facing cameras for video calls.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +91 841 198 5042Mail: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Lager Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players AB InBev, Heineken, SAB Miller, Carlsberg, Asahi Group Lager Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3338203-global-lager-market-insights-forecast-to-2025 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3338203-global-lager-market-insights-forecast-to-2025 Lager Market 2018Wiseguyreports.Com adds Lager Market Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2025 To Its Research Database.Report Details:This report provides in depth study of Lager Market using SWOT analysis i.e. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat to the organization. The Lager Market report also provides an in-depth survey of key players in the market which is based on the various objectives of an organization such as profiling, the product outline, the quantity of production, required raw material, and the financial health of the organization.This report studies the global market size of Lager in key regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South America and Middle East & Africa, focuses on the consumption of Lager in these regions.This research report categorizes the global Lager market by players/brands, region, type and application. This report also studies the global market status, competition landscape, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis.Lager is a type of beer conditioned at low temperatures. The term "lager" may also be used as a verb to describe the cold-conditioning process that marks the style. There are dozens of beer styles which fit in the lager type, broadly categorized by the depth of color, being (from lightest to darkest) pale, golden, amber, or dark. Pale lager is the most widely consumed and commercially available style of beer.Lager beer uses a process of cool fermentation, followed by maturation in cold storage. The German word "Lager" means storeroom or warehouse. The yeast generally used with lager brewing is Saccharomyces pastorianus. It is a close relative of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast used for warm fermented ales.The objectives of this study are to define, segment, and project the size of the Lager market based on company, product type, application and key regions.The various contributors involved in the value chain of Lager include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers.The key manufacturers in the Lager includeAB InBevHeinekenSAB MillerCarlsbergAsahi GroupBeck's BreweryBirra MenabreaBitburger BraugruppeBudweiser Budvar BreweryCesu AlusChinese Resource EnterpriseD.G. Yuengling and SonDiageoForstGrupo ModeloKirin HoldingsKrombacherMolson CoorsNew Belgium BrewingOettinger Brewery GroupPivovarna LaskoRadeberger BreweryRadeberger GruppeRoyal UnibrewSan Miguel BrewerySierra Nevada BrewingSvyturysThe Boston BeerThe GambrinusTsingtao BreweryRequest a Sample Report @Market size split by RegionNorth AmericaUnited StatesCanadaMexicoAsia-PacificChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaAustraliaIndonesiaSingaporeMalaysiaPhilippinesThailandVietnamEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalySpainRussiaCentral & South AmericaBrazilRest of Central & South AmericaMiddle East & AfricaGCC CountriesTurkeyEgyptSouth AfricaMarket Size Split by TypeStandard lagerPremium lagerMarket Size Split by ApplicationBlue-collar workerWhite-collar workerRetired and Unemployed IndividualKey StakeholdersLager ManufacturersLager Distributors/Traders/WholesalersLager Subcomponent ManufacturersIndustry AssociationDownstream VendorsIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Complete Report Details@Major Key Points in Table of Content:1 Study Coverage1.1 Lager Product1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Key Manufacturers Covered1.4 Market by Type1.4.1 Global Lager Market Size Growth Rate by Type1.4.2 Standard lager1.4.3 Premium lager1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Lager Market Size Growth Rate by Application1.5.2 Blue-collar worker1.5.3 White-collar worker1.5.4 Retired and Unemployed Individual1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered2 Executive Summary2.1 Global Lager Market Size2.1.1 Global Lager Revenue 2016-20252.1.2 Global Lager Sales 2016-20252.2 Lager Growth Rate by Regions2.2.1 Global Lager Sales by Regions2.2.2 Global Lager Revenue by Regions.11 Company Profiles11.1 AB InBev11.1.1 AB InBev Company Details11.1.2 Company Description11.1.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Lager11.1.4 Lager Product Description11.1.5 Recent Development11.2 Heineken11.2.1 Heineken Company Details11.2.2 Company Description11.2.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Lager11.2.4 Lager Product Description11.2.5 Recent Development11.3 SAB Miller11.3.1 SAB Miller Company Details11.3.2 Company Description11.3.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Lager11.3.4 Lager Product Description11.3.5 Recent Development11.4 Carlsberg11.4.1 Carlsberg Company Details11.4.2 Company Description11.4.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Lager11.4.4 Lager Product Description11.4.5 Recent Development11.5 Asahi Group11.5.1 Asahi Group Company Details11.5.2 Company Description11.5.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Lager11.5.4 Lager Product Description11.5.5 Recent Development11.6 Beck's Brewery11.6.1 Beck's Brewery Company Details11.6.2 Company Description11.6.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Lager11.6.4 Lager Product Description11.6.5 Recent Development11.7 Birra Menabrea11.7.1 Birra Menabrea Company Details11.7.2 Company Description11.7.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Lager11.7.4 Lager Product Description11.7.5 Recent Development11.8 Bitburger Braugruppe11.8.1 Bitburger Braugruppe Company Details11.8.2 Company Description11.8.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Lager11.8.4 Lager Product Description11.8.5 Recent Development11.9 Budweiser Budvar Brewery11.9.1 Budweiser Budvar Brewery Company Details11.9.2 Company Description11.9.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Lager11.9.4 Lager Product Description11.9.5 Recent Development11.10 Cesu Alus11.10.1 Cesu Alus Company Details11.10.2 Company Description11.10.3 Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin of Lager11.10.4 Lager Product Description11.10.5 Recent DevelopmentContinued.Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Sales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRESS:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Tire Reinforcement Materials Industry Global Production Analysis, Demand By Regions, Segments And Applications 2018-2025 Tire Reinforcement Materials Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3339362-global-tire-reinforcement-materials-market-insights-forecast-to-2025 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/3339362-global-tire-reinforcement-materials-market-insights-forecast-to-2025 WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On Tire Reinforcement Materials Industry Global Production Analysis, Demand By Regions, Segments And Applications 2018-2025.Description:-This report researches the worldwide Tire Reinforcement Materials market size (value, capacity, production and consumption) in key regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (China, Japan) and other regions.This study categorizes the global Tire Reinforcement Materials breakdown data by manufacturers, region, type and application, also analyzes the market status, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis.Global Tire Reinforcement Materials market size will increase to Million US$ by 2025, from Million US$ in 2017, at a CAGR of during the forecast period. In this study, 2017 has been considered as the base year and 2018 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Tire Reinforcement Materials.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comThis report focuses on the top manufacturers' Tire Reinforcement Materials capacity, production, value, price and market share of Tire Reinforcement Materials in global market. The following manufacturers are covered in this report:BekaertHyosungKolon IndustriesKordsa GlobalToray IndustriesSRFMilliken & CompanyCORDENKATokusen KogyoTire Reinforcement Materials Breakdown Data by TypeSteelPolyesterRayonNylonTire Reinforcement Materials Breakdown Data by ApplicationTire Cord FabricTire Bead WireTire Reinforcement Materials Production Breakdown Data by RegionUnited StatesEuropeChinaJapanOther RegionsTire Reinforcement Materials Consumption Breakdown Data by RegionNorth AmericaUnited StatesCanadaMexicoAsia-PacificChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaAustraliaIndonesiaMalaysiaPhilippinesThailandVietnamEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalyRussiaRest of EuropeCentral & South AmericaBrazilRest of South AmericaMiddle East & AfricaGCC CountriesTurkeyEgyptSouth AfricaRest of Middle East & AfricaAsk Query About Report @Table Of Contents Major Key PointsGlobal Tire Reinforcement Materials Market Research Report 2018-2025, by Manufacturers, Regions, Types and Applications1 Study Coverage1.1 Tire Reinforcement Materials Product1.2 Key Market Segments in This Study1.3 Key Manufacturers Covered1.4 Market by Type1.4.1 Global Tire Reinforcement Materials Market Size Growth Rate by Type1.4.2 Steel1.4.3 Polyester1.4.4 Rayon1.4.5 Nylon1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Tire Reinforcement Materials Market Size Growth Rate by Application1.5.2 Tire Cord Fabric1.5.3 Tire Bead Wire1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered2 Executive Summary2.1 Global Tire Reinforcement Materials Production2.1.1 Global Tire Reinforcement Materials Revenue 2013-20252.1.2 Global Tire Reinforcement Materials Production 2013-20252.1.3 Global Tire Reinforcement Materials Capacity 2013-20252.1.4 Global Tire Reinforcement Materials Marketing Pricing and Trends2.2 Tire Reinforcement Materials Growth Rate (CAGR) 2018-20252.3 Analysis of Competitive Landscape2.3.1 Manufacturers Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI)2.3.2 Key Tire Reinforcement Materials Manufacturers2.4 Market Drivers, Trends and Issues2.5 Macroscopic Indicator2.5.1 GDP for Major Regions2.5.2 Price of Raw Materials in Dollars: Evolution8 Manufacturers Profiles8.1 Bekaert8.1.1 Bekaert Company Details8.1.2 Company Description8.1.3 Capacity, Production and Value of Tire Reinforcement Materials8.1.4 Tire Reinforcement Materials Product Description8.1.5 SWOT Analysis8.2 Hyosung8.2.1 Hyosung Company Details8.2.2 Company Description8.2.3 Capacity, Production and Value of Tire Reinforcement Materials8.2.4 Tire Reinforcement Materials Product Description8.2.5 SWOT Analysis8.3 Kolon Industries8.3.1 Kolon Industries Company Details8.3.2 Company Description8.3.3 Capacity, Production and Value of Tire Reinforcement Materials8.3.4 Tire Reinforcement Materials Product Description8.3.5 SWOT Analysis8.4 Kordsa Global8.4.1 Kordsa Global Company Details8.4.2 Company Description8.4.3 Capacity, Production and Value of Tire Reinforcement Materials8.4.4 Tire Reinforcement Materials Product Description8.4.5 SWOT Analysis8.5 Toray Industries8.5.1 Toray Industries Company Details8.5.2 Company Description8.5.3 Capacity, Production and Value of Tire Reinforcement Materials8.5.4 Tire Reinforcement Materials Product Description8.5.5 SWOT Analysis8.6 SRF8.6.1 SRF Company Details8.6.2 Company Description8.6.3 Capacity, Production and Value of Tire Reinforcement Materials8.6.4 Tire Reinforcement Materials Product Description8.6.5 SWOT Analysis8.7 Milliken & Company8.7.1 Milliken & Company Company Details8.7.2 Company Description8.7.3 Capacity, Production and Value of Tire Reinforcement Materials8.7.4 Tire Reinforcement Materials Product Description8.7.5 SWOT AnalysisContinuedFor more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028. Virtual Assistant Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players Oracle, Nuance Communications, Microsoft, Samsung Electronics, Apple, IBM, Intel Virtual Assistant Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3339180-global-virtual-assistant-market-size-status-and-forecast-2018-2025 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/3339180-global-virtual-assistant-market-size-status-and-forecast-2018-2025 WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On Virtual Assistant Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players Oracle, Nuance Communications, Microsoft, Samsung Electronics, Apple, IBM, Intel.Description:-This report focuses on the global Virtual Assistant status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Virtual Assistant development in United States, Europe and China.IVA is software driven assistant which uses artificial intelligence to model the human interaction to perform multiple tasks. IVA helps in managing connected cars, and homes and some of the leading examples of IVA are Google Assistant, Apple Siri, Microsoft's Cortana, and Amazon Echo.Growing trend of outsourcing, growing mobile workforce, increased focus on customer engagement are the factors that are driving the market for intelligent virtual assistants. Growing popularity of cloud applications, big data analytics and social media has changed the way businesses interact with customers. To add to the revenue and improve consumer satisfaction, organizations are revisiting consumer experience strategies. Digital Employee by Artificial Solutions is some strategies that are worked on for assisting the employees in achieving their sales targets. Other than adding to the enhancement of user experience, IVAs are meant to reduce customer service operational costs.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comIn 2017, the global Virtual Assistant market size was xx million US$ and it is expected to reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of xx% during 2018-2025.The key players covered in this studyOracleNuance CommunicationsMicrosoftInbenta TechnologiesSamsung ElectronicsAppleIBMIntelGoogleAmazonMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoSpeech IntelligentSpeech Recognition IntelligentMarket segment by Application, split intoBFSIRetail & EcommerceAutomotiveHealthcareOthersMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaCentral & South AmericaAsk Query About Report @Table Of Contents Major Key Points1 Report Overview1.1 Study Scope1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Players Covered1.4 Market Analysis by Type1.4.1 Global Virtual Assistant Market Size Growth Rate by Type (2013-2025)1.4.2 Speech Intelligent1.4.3 Speech Recognition Intelligent1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Virtual Assistant Market Share by Application (2013-2025)1.5.2 BFSI1.5.3 Retail & Ecommerce1.5.4 Automotive1.5.5 Healthcare1.5.6 Others1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered2 Global Growth Trends2.1 Virtual Assistant Market Size2.2 Virtual Assistant Growth Trends by Regions2.2.1 Virtual Assistant Market Size by Regions (2013-2025)2.2.2 Virtual Assistant Market Share by Regions (2013-2018)2.3 Industry Trends2.3.1 Market Top Trends2.3.2 Market Drivers2.3.3 Market Opportunities12 International Players Profiles12.1 Oracle12.1.1 Oracle Company Details12.1.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.1.3 Virtual Assistant Introduction12.1.4 Oracle Revenue in Virtual Assistant Business (2013-2018)12.1.5 Oracle Recent Development12.2 Nuance Communications12.2.1 Nuance Communications Company Details12.2.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.2.3 Virtual Assistant Introduction12.2.4 Nuance Communications Revenue in Virtual Assistant Business (2013-2018)12.2.5 Nuance Communications Recent Development12.3 Microsoft12.3.1 Microsoft Company Details12.3.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.3.3 Virtual Assistant Introduction12.3.4 Microsoft Revenue in Virtual Assistant Business (2013-2018)12.3.5 Microsoft Recent Development12.4 Inbenta Technologies12.4.1 Inbenta Technologies Company Details12.4.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.4.3 Virtual Assistant Introduction12.4.4 Inbenta Technologies Revenue in Virtual Assistant Business (2013-2018)12.4.5 Inbenta Technologies Recent Development12.5 Samsung Electronics12.5.1 Samsung Electronics Company Details12.5.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.5.3 Virtual Assistant Introduction12.5.4 Samsung Electronics Revenue in Virtual Assistant Business (2013-2018)12.5.5 Samsung Electronics Recent Development12.6 Apple12.6.1 Apple Company Details12.6.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.6.3 Virtual Assistant Introduction12.6.4 Apple Revenue in Virtual Assistant Business (2013-2018)12.6.5 Apple Recent Development12.7 IBM12.7.1 IBM Company Details12.7.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.7.3 Virtual Assistant Introduction12.7.4 IBM Revenue in Virtual Assistant Business (2013-2018)12.7.5 IBM Recent Development12.8 Intel12.8.1 Intel Company Details12.8.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.8.3 Virtual Assistant Introduction12.8.4 Intel Revenue in Virtual Assistant Business (2013-2018)12.8.5 Intel Recent Development12.9 Google12.9.1 Google Company Details12.9.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.9.3 Virtual Assistant Introduction12.9.4 Google Revenue in Virtual Assistant Business (2013-2018)12.9.5 Google Recent Development12.10 Amazon12.10.1 Amazon Company Details12.10.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.10.3 Virtual Assistant Introduction12.10.4 Amazon Revenue in Virtual Assistant Business (2013-2018)12.10.5 Amazon Recent DevelopmentContinuedFor more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028. Global Live Attenuated Vaccines Market 2018 by Top Vendors - GlaxoSmithKline, plc. , Merck & Co., Pfizer, Inc., Astellas Pharma Inc. ,Johnson & Johnson, CSL Limited, Emergent BioSolutions, Inc. Outlook 2023 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1101 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/live-attenuated-vaccines-market-1101 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/1101 Market Research Future recently announced the addition of a new research study to its comprehensive collection of research reports. The report Global Live Attenuated Vaccines Market 2018 offers vital insights on every market segment in terms of market size analysis for automotive hybrid fuel sensors across the different regions.Global Live Attenuated Vaccines Market -HighlightsIncreasing prevalence of disease, increasing awareness regarding immunization and vaccination drive the growth of this market. Joint effort of government agencies and Non-Government Organization (NGO) to curb the spreads of diseases also contribute to the growth of this market.Global live attenuated vaccines market was about is expected to reach USD 45.2 billion by 2023 at a CAGR of 10.7% during forecast period 2017 to 2023.Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 45 market data tables and figures spread over 80 pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Live attenuated vaccines market Research Report Global Forecast till 2023.Request Sample with New Market Trends @Global Live Attenuated Vaccines Market -Key PlayersGlaxoSmithKline plc. (U.K.)Merck & Co. (U.S.)Pfizer, Inc. (U.S.)Astellas Pharma Inc. (Japan)Johnson & Johnson (U.S.)CSL Limited (Australia)Emergent BioSolutions, Inc. (U.S.)MedImmune, LLC (U.S.)Sanofi (France)Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. (India)Founded in 1886, Johnson & Johnson Pvt. Ltd. (J&J) is a global pharmaceutical and consumer goods manufacturer, headquartered in New Jersey, USA. It is one of the largest healthcare companies in the world.Global Live Attenuated Vaccines Market SegmentationGlobal live attenuated vaccines market is segmented on the basis of type which includes bacterial and viral vaccines. Bacterial vaccines includes BCG vaccine, and viral vaccine include oral polio vaccine (OPV), measles, rota virus and yellow fewer, and other viral vaccines. On the basis of vaccine development the market is segmented into tissue culture, embryonated eggs, and live animals, end-user includes hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centers, research institute, and others.Access Report Details with TOC @Global Live Attenuated Vaccines Market -Regional AnalysisOn the basis of geographic region, live attenuated vaccines market is segmented into four key regions: Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa. America is the largest market due to strengthened healthcare system, presence of major players, increasing awareness about vaccination and immunization programs. Increasing geriatric population, availability of healthcare resources & manpower. The market in Asia Pacific is also growing rapidly.Prevalence of infectious disease, changing lifestyles, unavailability of adequate healthcare resources drive the growth of this market in Asia Pacific. Serum Institute is the largest vaccine manufacturer in India. The company has vast range of vaccine products and it supplies these vaccines to more than 130 countries all across the world. The Middle East & Africa shows slow but positive growth in this market. Immunization of new born has been initiated by African countries to reduce child mortality.Major Points form Table of Content of Global Live Attenuated Vaccines MarketChapter 1. Report PrologueChapter 2. Market IntroductionChapter 3. Research MethodologyChapter 4. Market DynamicsChapter 5. Market Factor AnalysisChapter 6. Global Live Attenuated Vaccines Market, By TypeChapter 7. Global Live Attenuated Vaccines Market, By TreatmentChapter 8 Global Live Attenuated Vaccines Market, By End UserChapter 9. Global Live Attenuated Vaccines Market, By RegionChapter 10 Company LandscapeChapter 11 Company ProfilesChapter 12 MRFR ConclusionChapter 13 AppendixAvail Attractive Discount @About US:Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Global Companion Animal Specialty Drugs Market Business Analysis, Scope, Size, Overview, Forecast 2023| Leading by region Europe, Asia-Pacific, United States, Germany, Companion Animal Specialty Drugs Market https://www.researchreportsinc.com/sample-request?id=51401 https://researchreportsinc.com/enquiry?id=51401 https://researchreportsinc.com/checkout/?add-to-cart=51401&&attribute_pa_choose-license=single-user&&quantity=1 The global Companion Animal Specialty Drugs Market Research 2018 exploring the current market revenue, demand, size, trend, overview, shares, and growth with the help of tables and figures , complete report with 162 pages, figures, graphs and table of contents to analyze the situations of global Companion Animal Specialty Drugs market and assessment to 2023.Access Sample Copy @market segment by region, this report splits global into several key region, with sales, revenue, market share and growth rate of Companion Animal Specialty Drugs in these regions, from 2013 to 2023 (forecast), like usa,uk, china, europe, japan, india, southeast asia focuses on top manufacturers in global market.the research reports inc. added new report which firstly introduced the liquid waste management basics: definitions, classifications, applications and market overview; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures, raw materials and so oncomplete report on global Companion Animal Specialty Drugs industry 2018 market research report is spread across 162 pages and provides exclusive vital statistics, data, information, trends and landscape details in this niche sector.Inquire more at @the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. the Companion Animal Specialty Drugs market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, Companion Animal Specialty Drugs landscape analysis, and major regions' development status. the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. what's more, the Companion Animal Specialty Drugs industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed...Buy Now of this research report @in a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.then this report analyzed the worlds main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, supply, demand and market growth rate and forecast etc. in the end, the report introduced new project swat analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysisthe report includes six parts, dealing with:1.) basic information;2.) Asia liquid waste management market;3.) north American liquid waste management market;4.) European liquid waste management market;5.) market entry and investment feasibility;6.) report conclusion.Major points from table of contents for global Companion Animal Specialty Drugs industry 2018 market research report include:1 industry overview of Companion Animal Specialty Drugs2 global Companion Animal Specialty Drugs competition analysis by players3 company (top players) profiles4 global Companion Animal Specialty Drugs market size by type and application (2013-2018)5 united states Companion Animal Specialty Drugs development status and outlook6 eu Companion Animal Specialty Drugs development status and outlook7 japan Companion Animal Specialty Drugs development status and outlook8 china Companion Animal Specialty Drugs development status and outlook9 india Companion Animal Specialty Drugs development status and outlook10 southeast asia Companion Animal Specialty Drugs development status and outlook11 market forecast by regions, type and application (2018-2023)12 Companion Animal Specialty Drugs market dynamics13 market effect factors analysis14 research finding/conclusion15 appendixMethodologyAnalyst introductionData sourceAbout us:Research reports Inc. is one of the leading destinations for market research reports across all industries, companies, and technologies. Our repository features an exhaustive list of market research reports from thousands of publishers worldwidecontact us for your special interest needs and we will get in touch within 24hrs to help you find the market research report you need.With our expertise and research offerings, we ensure we deliver on all your requirements, whether youre looking for industry analysis or market trends or anything else, first time and every time!Research Reports Inc. is one of the leading destinations for market research reports across all industries, companies, and technologies. Our repository features an exhaustive list of market research reports from thousands of publishers worldwide.Contact Us:DavidSales Manager,US / Canada Toll Free: +18554192424UK: +4403308087577Email: sales@researchreportsinc.com Global Pet Supplements Market Growing at a Higher CAGR :Top Vendors Are Mars Petcare, Nestle Purina,Blue Buffalo, WellPet, Total Alimentos http://www.arcognizance.com/report/global-pet-supplements-market-insights-forecast-to-2025 http://www.arcognizance.com/enquiry-sample/97486 http://www.arcognizance.com/discount/97486 http://arcognizance.com SummaryLatest Report Available at Analytical Research Cognizance Pet Supplements Market provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamics and a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining industry growth.DescriptionThis report studies the global market size of Pet Supplements in key regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South America and Middle East & Africa, focuses on the consumption of Pet Supplements in these regions.This research report categorizes the global Pet Supplements market by players/brands, region, type and application. This report also studies the global market status, competition landscape, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis.Access The Complet report @In 2017, the global Pet Supplements market size was million US$ and is forecast to million US in 2025, growing at a CAGR of from 2018. The objectives of this study are to define, segment, and project the size of the Pet Supplements market based on company, product type, application and key regions.The various contributors involved in the value chain of Pet Supplements include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers.The key manufacturers in the Pet Supplements includeMars PetcareNestle PurinaNutramax LaboratoriesHills Pet (Colgate-Palmolive )Diamond pet foodsBlue BuffaloWellPetTotal AlimentosALC INovatorsRobinson PharmaGeminiIon LabsRequest for sample copy of report @Market Size Split by TypeMultivitamins & MineralsEssential fatty acids.Digestive enzymesProbioticsPrebioticsAnti-oxidantsOtherMarket Size Split by ApplicationDogCatOthersIn this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Pet Supplements are as follows:History Year: 2013-2017Base Year: 2017Estimated Year: 2018Forecast Year 2018 to 2025Check Discount Offer Before Buying This Report @This report includes the estimation of market size for value (million US$) and volume (K Units). Both top-down and bottom-up approaches have been used to estimate and validate the market size of Pet Supplements market, to estimate the size of various other dependent submarkets in the overall market. Key players in the market have been identified through secondary research, and their market shares have been determined through primary and secondary research. All percentage shares, splits, and breakdowns have been determined using secondary sources and verified primary sources.For the data information by region, company, type and application, 2017 is considered as the base year. Whenever data information was unavailable for the base year, the prior year has been considered.Some Points Of Table Of Content:Chapter One: Study Coverage1.1 Pet Supplements Product1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Key Manufacturers Covered1.4 Market by Type1.4.1 Global Pet Supplements Market Size Growth Rate by Type1.4.2 Multivitamins & Minerals1.4.3 Essential fatty acids.1.4.4 Digestive enzymes1.4.5 Probiotics1.4.6 Prebiotics1.4.7 Anti-oxidants1.4.8 Other1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Pet Supplements Market Size Growth Rate by Application1.5.2 Dog1.5.3 Cat1.5.4 Others1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years ConsideredChapter Two: Executive Summary2.1 Global Pet Supplements Market Size2.1.1 Global Pet Supplements Revenue 2016-20252.1.2 Global Pet Supplements Sales 2016-20252.2 Pet Supplements Growth Rate by Regions2.2.1 Global Pet Supplements Sales by Regions2.2.2 Global Pet Supplements Revenue by RegionsChapter Three: Breakdown Data by Manufacturers3.1 Pet Supplements Sales by Manufacturers3.1.1 Pet Supplements Sales by Manufacturers3.1.2 Pet Supplements Sales Market Share by Manufacturers3.1.3 Global Pet Supplements Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI)3.2 Pet Supplements Revenue by Manufacturers3.2.1 Pet Supplements Revenue by Manufacturers (2016-2018)3.2.2 Pet Supplements Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2016-2018)3.3 Pet Supplements Price by Manufacturers3.4 Pet Supplements Manufacturing Base Distribution, Product Types3.4.1 Pet Supplements Manufacturers Manufacturing Base Distribution, Headquarters3.4.2 Manufacturers Pet Supplements Product Category3.4.3 Date of International Manufacturers Enter into Pet Supplements Market3.5 Manufacturers Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion PlansChapter Four: Breakdown Data by Type4.1 Global Pet Supplements Sales by Type4.2 Global Pet Supplements Revenue by Type4.3 Pet Supplements Price by TypeChapter Five: Breakdown Data by Application5.1 Overview5.2 Global Pet Supplements Breakdown Data by ApplicationChapter Six: North America6.1 North America Pet Supplements by Countries6.1.1 North America Pet Supplements Sales by Countries6.1.2 North America Pet Supplements Revenue by Countries6.1.3 United States6.1.4 Canada6.1.5 Mexico6.2 North America Pet Supplements by Type6.3 North America Pet Supplements by Application6.4 North America Pet Supplements by CompanyChapter Seven: Europe7.1 Europe Pet Supplements by Countries7.1.1 Europe Pet Supplements Sales by Countries7.1.2 Europe Pet Supplements Revenue by Countries7.1.3 Germany7.1.4 France7.1.5 UK7.1.6 Italy7.1.7 Russia7.2 Europe Pet Supplements by Type7.3 Europe Pet Supplements by Application7.4 Europe Pet Supplements by Company.About Us:is an initiation in this new era of analysis @ thought. We are on a mission to replace the conventional research programs and give way to the latest methods and information for the organizations. We have created this hub of analytical research papers where you can get an access to the latest and the best research papers coming out from some reliable and budding research houses. After the advent of new analytics" based on the data collection facilities of big data, the face of "business research facilities" has changed drastically . With ARC our experts have created a bookshelf where you can check out the research reports that are an outcome of the progression of knowledge in various industry sectors. Alongside you can also check some research papers, market reports, and forecasts that are talking about the "out of the box" developments in the market.Contact Us:Matt Wilson,100 Church street, 8th floor,Manhattan, New york, 10007Phone No: +1 (646) 434-7969Email: sales@arcognizance.com Pet Medication Market : increasing disposable income the ownership of pets among middle class family is growing exponentially https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/us-pet-medication-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11102 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=11102 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Pet Medication is a branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in pet animals. The U.S. pet medication market is majorly driven by changing socio economic and cultural factors that have led to domestic pets being regarded as member of family. This in turn increases pet owners spending from innovative and specialized premium product and grooming expenses to medication drugs. Moreover, with the increasing trend of nuclear family and increasing disposable income the ownership of pets among middle class family is growing exponentially. The increasing number of pet owners and their growing concern towards pets, in turn is also expected to boost the U.S. pet medication market. However, the rising incident of pet allergy and increasing prices of pet medications products acts as restraining factor for the growth of pet care market. In addition, strict government regulations regarding pet ownership also hinders the growth of U.S. pet care market.View Report:The United States federal agency regulates the manufacturing and distribution of drugs and medications that are prescribed the veterinary animals. Veterinary prescription drugs are labeled for use only by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. All veterinary prescription drugs must be properly labeled when dispensed. A complete label should include all the information set forth under the section on Basic Information for Records, Prescriptions, and Labels.The U.S. pet market has been segmented on the basis of pet type, type of medication and type of disease. On the basis of pet type the market is categorized into canine care medications, feline care medications, fish care medications, bird care medications and others pets. The canine care medication segment held the largest share in the U.S. pet medication market and is anticipated to experience a constant growth during the focus period. The rise in the number of canine owners and high spending on canine care, coupled with high adoption rate of canines for companionship and for security purpose is expected to further boost the demand for medications for canine care.Request a Brochure of the Report @The canine care medication market is followed by feline care medication market. On the basis of type of disease, the market can be segmented into parasite prevention and control (flea, tick, heartworm, etc.), cancer, pain management, behavioral health, diabetes, heart health, ear care and allergies. The parasite prevention and control segment held the largest share during the forecast period. Parasite attacks and itching problems is the most common problem of the pet animals. Merials Frontline Plus and Nexgard are the market leaders for the parasite and control drug. On the type of medication, the U.S. pet medication market can be segmented into antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, opioid pain relievers, steroids, antiparasitics, behavior-modifying drugs and sedatives and chemotherapeutics. The antiparasitic drugs held the largest share in this segment. These products are intended to prevent, repel or kill internal or external parasites such as intestinal worms, intestinal protozoans (Giardia, etc.), heartworms, fleas and ticks. Chemotherapeutics is anticipated to be the fastest growing segment in the U.S. pet medication market during the forecast period of 2015-2023.Some of the major companies participating in the U.S. pet medications market include Bayer Animal Health, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Ceva Sante Animale, Novartis Animal Health, Elanco, Merial, Merck Animal Health, Zoetis and others.Request TOC @The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, North Africa)The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Cochlear Implants Market Analysis and Forecast by Type, End User and Key Players (William Demant Holding A/S, Sonova, Gaes Group, and Nurotron Biotechnology Co. Ltd.) https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/sample/HnM/QBI-CMR-HnM-55046 https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/enquiry/HnM/QBI-CMR-HnM-55046 https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/buy/HnM/QBI-CMR-HnM-55046/ https://www.qurateresearch.com/ Industry Trend AnalysisThe global cochlear implants market is expected to be around 3 billion in 2025. Innovations in customization of cochlear implant devices along with reimbursement policies in developing countries will drive the growth of this market. Technological advancements especially in sound chips are fuelling the demand for these products. Rise in geriatric population along with increased incidence of acquired hearing loss are also contributing to the market growth substantially. In 2014, the total American geriatric population was 46.2 million which represented 14.5% of the total population. By 2040, this will grow up to 21.7% of the total American population.Fitting Type Outlook and Trend AnalysisUnilateral implantations are witnessing high demand in the market owing to the low cost of surgery as compared to bilateral implantations. Bilateral implantation will witness fastest growth over the forecast period as they have exceptional results when implanted in children at an early age. Children using bilateral cochlear implants exhibit better vocabulary outcomes as compared to children of the same age using unilateral cochlear implants.Get Sample Copy of This Report@End User Outlook and Trend AnalysisAdults segment accounted for the highest share in the global market in 2016. This is due to fewer chances of complications for implantation in adults as compared to those in children and presence of large adult patient base. Pediatrics segment is estimated to witness fastest growth over the forecast period, owing to rise in awareness about the benefits of early implantations in children. After FDAs approval for implantation in children as young as 12 months in age, awareness of benefits of cochlear implants in children to succeed in mainstream classrooms has increased.Regional Outlook and Trend AnalysisEurope constituted the major market share of the overall market in 2016, owing to the advanced health infrastructure in the European Union. Presence of huge patient base along with increased adoption of implants is the key factor for the market growth. North America is the second largest market for implants because of the presence of favorable reimbursement policies along with the high purchasing power of people in this region.Asia-Pacific market is expected to record fastest growth over the forecast period, due to increased awareness and favorable government initiatives in developing countries to increased awareness about the benefits of early implantation in children. For instance, Medtronic launched the Shruti Program in India which aims to increase awareness about diagnosis and treatment of underserved patients, especially children affected by ear disorders.Competitive AnalysisThe market is heavily dominated by few large companies such as Cochlear Ltd. and MED-EL, who have a global presence and a diverse product portfolio. These players are highly focused on developing innovative products to sustain the market competition. For instance, in 2015, MED-EL received FDA approval for its SYNCHRONY cochlear implant, the first and only cochlear implant approved for 3.0T MRI without magnet removal. Some of the other key players in this market are William Demant Holding A/S, Sonova, Gaes Group, and Nurotron Biotechnology Co. Ltd.Enquiry about Report@Market OpportunitiesIncrease in geriatric population worldwide will boost the demand for implants significantly. According to a World Health Organization (WHO), the geriatric population (senior citizens at least 65 years in age) will increase by 88% in coming years. Also, proven results of effectiveness of implantations in children at a young age propose significant prospects in the pediatric market worldwide. Developing countries exhibit a lucrative market due to growing awareness and easily available reimbursement policies.Cochlear Implants Market Segmentation:By Fitting Type:Bilateral ImplantationUnilateral ImplantationBy End User:PediatricsAdultsBy 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 Automotive Sun Visor Market 2018 | Major Key Players Grupo Antolin(US), Atlas(Motus)(US), KASAIKOGYO(JP), Daimei(JP), Dongfeng Electronic(CN), Kyowa Sangyo(JP) - Analysis & Forecast Automotive Sun Visor http://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2424587-automotive-sun-visor-global-market-status-and-trend-report-2013-2023 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2424587-automotive-sun-visor-global-market-status-and-trend-report-2013-2023 http://www.wiseguyreports.com Description:Automotive Sun Visor-Global Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023 offers a comprehensive analysis on Automotive Sun Visor industry, standing on the readers perspective, delivering detailed market data and penetrating insights. No matter the client is industry insider, potential entrant or investor, the report will provides useful data and information. Key questions answered by this report include:Worldwide and Regional Market Size of Automotive Sun Visor 2013-2017, and development forecast 2018-2023Main manufacturers/suppliers of Automotive Sun Visor worldwide, with company and product introduction, position in the Automotive Sun Visor marketMarket status and development trend of Automotive Sun Visor by types and applicationsCost and profit status of Automotive Sun Visor, and marketing statusMarket growth drivers and challengesRequest For sample Report @The report segments the global Automotive Sun Visor market as:Global Automotive Sun Visor Market: Regional Segment Analysis (Regional Production Volume, Consumption Volume, Revenue and Growth Rate 2013-2023):North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanRest APACLatin AmericaGlobal Automotive Sun Visor Market: Type Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume, Average Price, Revenue, Market Share and Trend 2013-2023):EPPPlasticPUOthersGlobal Automotive Sun Visor Market: Application Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume and Market Share 2013-2023; Downstream Customers and Market Analysis)Application1Application2Application3Global Automotive Sun Visor Market: Manufacturers Segment Analysis (Company and Product introduction, Automotive Sun Visor Sales Volume, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin):Grupo Antolin(US)Atlas(Motus)(US)KASAIKOGYO(JP)Daimei(JP)Dongfeng Electronic(CN)Kyowa Sangyo(JP)IAC(US)Takata(JP)Hayashi(JP)Visteon(US)Yongsan(KR)HOWATEXTILE(JP)Mecai(CN)Vinyl Specialities(US)GUMOTEX(CZ)Complete Report Details @Table Of ContentChapter 1 Overview of Automotive Sun Visor1.1 Definition of Automotive Sun Visor in This Report1.2 Commercial Types of Automotive Sun Visor1.2.1 EPP1.2.2 Plastic1.2.3 PU1.2.4 Others1.3 Downstream Application of Automotive Sun Visor1.3.1 Application11.3.2 Application21.3.3 Application31.4 Development History of Automotive Sun Visor1.5 Market Status and Trend of Automotive Sun Visor 2013-20231.5.1 Global Automotive Sun Visor Market Status and Trend 2013-20231.5.2 Regional Automotive Sun Visor Market Status and Trend 2013-2023Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions2.1 Market Development of Automotive Sun Visor 2013-20172.2 Production Market of Automotive Sun Visor by Regions2.2.1 Production Volume of Automotive Sun Visor by Regions2.2.2 Production Value of Automotive Sun Visor by Regions2.3 Demand Market of Automotive Sun Visor by Regions2.4 Production and Demand Status of Automotive Sun Visor by Regions2.4.1 Production and Demand Status of Automotive Sun Visor by Regions 2013-20172.4.2 Import and Export Status of Automotive Sun Visor by Regions 2013-2017Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types3.1 Production Volume of Automotive Sun Visor by Types3.2 Production Value of Automotive Sun Visor by Types3.3 Market Forecast of Automotive Sun Visor by TypesChapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry4.1 Demand Volume of Automotive Sun Visor by Downstream Industry4.2 Market Forecast of Automotive Sun Visor by Downstream IndustryChapter 5 Market Driving Factor Analysis of Automotive Sun Visor5.1 Global Economy Situation and Trend Overview5.2 Automotive Sun Visor Downstream Industry Situation and Trend OverviewChapter 6 Automotive Sun Visor Market Competition Status by Major Manufacturers6.1 Production Volume of Automotive Sun Visor by Major Manufacturers6.2 Production Value of Automotive Sun Visor by Major Manufacturers6.3 Basic Information of Automotive Sun Visor by Major Manufacturers6.3.1 Headquarters Location and Established Time of Automotive Sun Visor Major Manufacturer6.3.2 Employees and Revenue Level of Automotive Sun Visor Major Manufacturer6.4 Market Competition News and Trend6.4.1 Merger, Consolidation or Acquisition News6.4.2 Investment or Disinvestment News6.4.3 New Product Development and LaunchChapter 7 Automotive Sun Visor Major Manufacturers Introduction and Market Data7.1 Grupo Antolin(US)7.1.1 Company profile7.1.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.1.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Grupo Antolin(US)7.2 Atlas(Motus)(US)7.2.1 Company profile7.2.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.2.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Atlas(Motus)(US)7.3 KASAIKOGYO(JP)7.3.1 Company profile7.3.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.3.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of KASAIKOGYO(JP)7.4 Daimei(JP)7.4.1 Company profile7.4.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.4.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Daimei(JP)7.5 Dongfeng Electronic(CN)7.5.1 Company profile7.5.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.5.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Dongfeng Electronic(CN)7.6 Kyowa Sangyo(JP)7.6.1 Company profile7.6.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.6.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Kyowa Sangyo(JP)7.7 IAC(US)7.7.1 Company profile7.7.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.7.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of IAC(US)7.8 Takata(JP)7.8.1 Company profile7.8.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.8.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Takata(JP)7.9 Hayashi(JP)7.9.1 Company profile7.9.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.9.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Hayashi(JP)7.10 Visteon(US)7.10.1 Company profile7.10.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.10.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Visteon(US)7.11 Yongsan(KR)7.11.1 Company profile7.11.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.11.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Yongsan(KR)7.12 HOWATEXTILE(JP)7.12.1 Company profile7.12.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.12.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of HOWATEXTILE(JP)7.13 Mecai(CN)7.13.1 Company profile7.13.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.13.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Mecai(CN)7.14 Vinyl Specialities(US)7.14.1 Company profile7.14.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.14.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Vinyl Specialities(US)7.15 GUMOTEX(CZ)7.15.1 Company profile7.15.2 Representative Automotive Sun Visor Product7.15.3 Automotive Sun Visor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of GUMOTEX(CZ)Continued.CONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028. Global Loaded Container Handler Market Projections & Opportunity Forecast during the Period 2018 to 2027 | Segmented By Key Players Are Taylor, Hyster, Kalmar, Caterpillar, Fantuzzi, PPM, Paceco, Mi-Jack, Ottawa https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=B&rep_id=639 https://www.factmr.com/report/639/loaded-container-handler-market Fact.MRs new report on the global loaded container handler market includes the most credible insights of the market dynamics. Starting from the e-commerce expansion to the growth of seaborne trade, the report includes sharp-eyed analysis of every aspect that holds significant influence over the market growth.With the focus on the growth of maritime trade, growing container freight station (CFS) activities, and rising demand for container handling equipment, the report forecasts growth of global loaded container handler market between the period of 2018 and 2027. The report reveals a competitive landscape of leading global manufacturers and disruptive technology innovation that are important to understand in making business decisions.Request Brochure of this Report@Loaded container handlers are highly sought after in heavy-duty applications at seaports, terminals, and high traffic material handling areas for moving loaded containers for shorter as well as longer distances. The equipment is an excellent combination of mechanics, physics and machine design. Efficiency of these equipments is enhanced by implementation of technology, ergonomics, and productivity.Growth of Seaborne Trade to Boost Market GrowthIndustrialization as well as globalization are prime fillips fueling the expansion of seaborne trade. It is one of the important means of the international trade. As per the data of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), seaborne trade in terms of the operation of merchant ships contributes approximately US$ 380 billion in freight rates in the global economy, representing 5% of the total world trade. Further, the one road and one belt initiative leverages road and sea transportation to expand the international trade activities. Favorable macroeconomic factors and deployment of newer and innovative technologies are boosting the offshore trade activities. Loaded container handlers have higher demand in seaports where loading and unloading of containers take place. They are used in offshore facilities where containers are distributed to and from port side and delivery centers such as transit sheds, warehouses, railway wagons, road vehicle and barge.Fusion of Technology Excellence to Enhance Equipment CapabilityTo perform heavy-duty applications, design of container handling equipment include features that enable the machine to achieve desired results. For this, the vehicle is loaded with few of the excellent technologies that enhance durability, serviceability, productivity, ergonomic features and low cost ownership. Fuel efficiency, higher productivity and smooth operations are few of the prerequisites of the loaded container handlers.Fuel efficiency is achieved by durable components of powertrain and drivetrains that are equipped with hydraulic system which efficiently utilize hydraulic fluids and lubricating oils. Also, the engines have low end torque to meet the heavy load lifting demands.As operations of these heavy-duty vehicles need proper training, implementation of ergonomic features has enhanced the drivers ability to operate the handler smoothly and efficiently. These features include wider visibility to allow clear forward vision with the vision of twistllocks and rear obstacles. Controls and displays are also located at position to provide comfortable reach and maximum productivity.To enhance the speed of overall operation, the machines are improved with decreased cycle time of different operations. With the decreased cycle time, lifting as well as stacking efficiency is increased. This, in turn, reduces the overall operation time.Advanced vehicles have integrated components that self-diagnose need of service and maintenance. This reduces the downtime while providing greater uptime.Rental and Resale: Common Activities in Container Handling IndustryRental and resale activities are common practices in material as well as container handling industries. There are multiple local as well as international players that are providing with a host of material and container handling equipments. In addition, their collection includes machines from industry titans such as Taylor, Hyster, Kalmar, Caterpillar, Fantuzzi, PPM, Paceco, Mi-Jack, Ottawa, and more. Further, leading global providers are involved in rental activities to deliver loading-unloading solutions to clients that look for a temporary solution. Manufacturers have introduced attractive options for renting a portable forklift ramp such as convenient monthly payment, and leasing contracts.To know more about the Loaded Container Handler Market, Visit the link @In conclusion, the report provides a comprehensive analysis of the past, present as well as future trends of the industry that significantly influence growth of the global loaded container handler market.This analytical research study imparts an all-inclusive assessment on the market, while propounding historical intelligence, actionable insights, and industry-validated & statistically-upheld market forecast. Verified and suitable set of assumptions and methodology has been leveraged for developing this comprehensive study. Information and analysis on key market segments incorporated in the report has been delivered in weighted chapters. A thorough analysis has been offered by the report on Market Dynamics Market Size Market Segments Demand & Supply Trends Current Issues and Challenges Companies and Competitor Landscape Value Chain TechnologyRegional Segments Analyzed Include North America (U.S., Canada) Latin America (Mexico. Brazil) Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain) Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia) Asia Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand) Japan Middle East and Africa (GCC, S. Africa, N. Africa)Compilation of authentic and first-hand intelligence, insights offered in the report are based on quantitative and qualitative assessment by leading industry experts, and inputs from opinion leaders & industry participants around the value chain. Growth determinants, macroeconomic indicators, and parent market trends have been scrutinized and delivered, coupled with the market attractiveness for each market segment encompassed. Qualitative impact of growth influencers on the market segments across regions has also been mapped by the report.Highlights from the Report Elaborated scenario of the parent market Transformations in the market dynamics Detailed segmentation of the target market Historical, current and forecast market size based on value and volume Latest industry developments and trends Competition landscape Strategies adopted by the market players and product developments made Potential and niche segments, along with their regional analysis Unbiased analysis on performance of the market Up-to-date and must-have intelligence for the market players to enhance and sustain their competitivenessAbout Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized Industrial Goods Market Insights. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.com Comprehensive Analytics : Energy Storage System Market 2018 Energy Storage System https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1740272 https://www.researchmoz.us/energy-storage-system-market-volume-global-forecast-by-enduser-region-companies-report.html/toc Press Release 16 Aug 2018Research and Development News --. .Latest Update "Energy Storage System Market, Volume, Global Forecast by End-User, Region & Companies" with Industries Survey | Global Current Growth and Future.' 'Energy Storage System market is expected to be more than US$ 21 Billion globally by the end of year 2024. This report covers key growth drivers and scientific challenges for Energy Storage System market. The set of methods and technologies used to store various kind of energy like Mechanical (Pumped hydro, Compressed air energy and Flywheels), Electrochemical, Thermal and Chemical known as Energy Storage System. Globally fluctuation in electricity and demand for electricity in many sectors like industries, transportation, and residential use developed technology to store electrical energy so it can be used whenever needed. Energy storage allows a lower-cost generating source to generate electricity at a diverse point in time to be stored and then used to meet times of crest demand.. . Get Sample Report_' 'Renub Research latest report Energy Storage System Market, Volume, Global Forecast by End-User (Utility-Scale, Commercial & Industrial, Residential, Remote Power System) Region (East Asia & Pacific, South Asia, Eastern Europe & Central Asia, Latin America & the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and North Africa) Companies (Samsung SDI., LG Chemical, SANYO-Panasonic, BYD Company Limited, ATL and Exide Technologies) provides a detailed and comprehensive insight of the Global Energy Storage System Market. This report studies the Global Energy Storage System Market and Volume from 4 view points by End-User and further 6 view points by Region.By End-User - Energy Storage System Market & VolumeUtility-ScaleCommercial & IndustrialResidentialRemote Power SystemBy Region - Energy Storage System Market & VolumeEast Asia & PacificSouth AsiaEastern Europe & Central AsiaLatin America & the CaribbeanSub-Saharan AfricaMiddle East and North AfricaUtility-Scale, Commercial & Industrial, Residential and Remote Power System - By RegionEast Asia & PacificSouth AsiaEastern Europe & Central AsiaLatin America & the CaribbeanSub-Saharan AfricaMiddle East and North Africa. . More Clear Details get Full Table of Contents_' 'Key Player covered in the ReportSamsung SDI.LG ChemicalSANYO-PanasonicBYD Company LimitedATLExide TechnologiesContinue.....About Researchmoz,ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Researchmoz Global Pvt. Ltd.90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States,sales@researchmoz.usTel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free),Tel: +1-518-621-2074 Global HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) Market 2018 - Pace plc, Technicolor SA, Broadcom Corp, Comcast Corp, EchoStar Corp. Global HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) Market http://bit.ly/2BcuquK http://bit.ly/2Bd9P9S www.eminentmarket.com Eminent Market Reports, recently published a detailed market research study focused on the HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) Market across the global, regional and country level. The report provides 360 analysis of HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) Market from view of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries. The research report analyses and provides the historical data along with current performance of the global PP Pipe industry, and estimates the future trend of HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) on the basis of this detailed study. The study shares HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) performance both in terms of volume and revenue.The market research report explores the HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) Market across the globe along with major regions and countries. The research report provides a detailed study on each and every aspect of HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) Market. The research report studies the entire value chain from raw material to end user industries. The report also shares import/export statistics along with production and consumption for all major regions and countries. Moreover, the research study classifies the HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) Market based on major product types, application and end users industries of HD SET-TOP BOX (STB). Besides, the report also covers geographical segmentation for HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) Market. The report further provides production, capacity, price per region, gross margin, production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in report.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportCisco Systems Inc.Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.Pace plcTechnicolor SAARRIS Group Inc..Broadcom Corp.Comcast Corp.EchoStar Corp.Sichuan Changhong Electric Co. Ltd.Sichuan Jiuzhou Electric Group Co. Ltd.Skyworth Digital Holding Co. Ltd.Telergy HDThe competitive landscape of the global market for HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) is determined by assessing the major industry participants, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) Markets production chain, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) Market globally.Inquire Before Buying @The Global HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) Market 2018 is further analyzed on the basis of product pricing, HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) production volume, data pertaining to demand and HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. The report provides upstream and downstream analysis covering major raw material used in manufacturing of HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) along with detailed manufacturing sources. The report also shares list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations. Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis has been implemented in the research study to present a comprehensive, detailed study of the industry for HD SET-TOP BOX (STB) across the world.About UsEminent Market offers elevating market research globally. We have collection of various syndicated reports of different categories. Eminent Market provides you to best services, weather youre searching for new trends in market or competitive scenario in emerging market.Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezS no. 72/1/A/6, Floor No. 1,Harikrishna Building, Samarth Nagar,New Sanghvi, Pune-411027 India.Phone: +91-8149441100Email id - sales@eminentmarket.comWebsite - Connective Tissue Disease Market 2018-2023 Global Prominent Key Players: Abbott Laboratories, Bayer AG, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Pfizer, AutoImmune Inc. Connective Tissue Disease Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4977 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/4977 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/4977 Market ScenarioDevelopments in the treatment of connective tissue diseases (CTDs) have been improved considerably, and the global connective tissue diseases market is slated to grow at a promising CAGR of 11.5% over the forecast period of 2017-2023. The cause of the disease is unknown and there's no cure for connective tissue disease yet, but medications are present to manage the signs and symptoms. CTDs include a large number of disorders which can affect different organs of the body. There is broad variability in disorders among patient suffering from CTDs.Get Sample Copy @A significant increase in the research and development efforts to find treatment and cure for CTDs have aided the growth of the market. Various therapy trials are underway which have been able to identify promising novel approaches to treat CTDs and are expected to boost the growth of the market. Rising prevalence of CTDs across the globe, especially in women has propelled the growth of the market. Additionally, support from governments across the world along with funds for R&D from the private industry is also a key driver of the growth of the market. With the increase in awareness and acceptance among the general population about connective tissue diseases, the diagnosed and drug-treated population will increase which will positively impact the market. Rising expenditure on healthcare, high unmet medical needs of the current treatment and growing prevalence of CTDs in Asia and Africa are expected to promote the growth of the market. However, the growth of the market might be hindered by lack of a knowledgeable workforce, inadequate research and development infrastructure, lack of funds in middle and low-income countries.It is estimated that connective tissue disease market is expected to grow at a CAGR 11.5% during the forecast period of 2017-2023.Intended AudienceHospitalsDiagnostic clinicsResearch and Development (R&D) CompaniesGovernment Research InstituteAcademic Institutes and UniversitiesSegmentationThe connective tissue disease market is segmented on the basis of diagnosis, treatment, and end-user.On the basis of diagnosis, market is segmented into physical examination, X-ray examination, ANA (Antinuclear Antibody Test), and others.On the basis of treatment, market is classified into non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), cortisone drugs/steroids, antimalarial drugs, cytotoxic drugs, and othersOn the basis of end-user, market is segmented into hospital, diagnostic clinics, and others.Regional AnalysisThe Americas dominate the connective tissue disease market owing to the rising awareness among people, and increasing healthcare expenditure. As per the facts suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), out of the total annual healthcare expenditure, 86% is for people with chronic health conditions in the United States.Europe holds the second position in the connective tissue disease market. It is expected that the support provided by government bodies for research & development and improvement in reimbursement policies in healthcare will drive the market in Europe.Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market connective tissue disease, owing to a huge patient pool, developing healthcare technology, and rising healthcare expenditure in some countries within this region. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, in the years 2015 to 2016, the total health expenditure was USD 170.4 billion, which is 3.6% higher than expenditure of 201415.The Middle East & Africa has the lowest market for connective tissue disease due to lack of technical knowledge and poor medical facilities.Key PlayersSome of key the players in the market are Abbott Laboratories, Bayer AG, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Pfizer, AutoImmune Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Company, Biogen, LUPIN, and others.Apply for Exclusive Discount @Detailed Table of Contents:1 Introduction1.1 Definition1.2 Scope Of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions & Limitations1.2.2.1 Assumptions1.2.2.2 Limitations1.3 Market Structure:2 Research Methodology2.1 Research Process:2.2 Primary Research2.3 Secondary Research3 Market Dynamics3.1 Drivers3.2 Restraints3.3 Opportunities3.4 Macroeconomic Indicators...ContinuedSend An Enquiry @About US:Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Kaolin Market: Overview, Types and Application, Analysis by Top Players - Imerys, Thiele Kaolin, I-Minerals, SCR-Sibelco, Sika Corporation Kaolin Market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1298304-global-kaolin-market-14 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1298304-global-kaolin-market-14 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1298304 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1298304-global-kaolin-market-14 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 Kaolin Market study with in-depth overview, describing about the Product / Industry Scope and elaborates market outlook and status to 2025. 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 Imerys, Thiele Kaolin, I-Minerals, SCR-Sibelco, Sika Corporation, Burgess, Poraver, Advanced Cement Technologies, KERAMOST, Arciresa, Kaolin Group, Metacaulim, Yukun Minine, MMK, Jinyu Kaolin Chemical, Jinyang Kaolin & Ningcheng Tianyu etc.Request Sample of Global Kaolin Market Status and Outlook 2018-2025 @:Report Snapshot Key Content of Chapters (Including and can be customized, report is a semifinished version, and it takes 48-72 hours to upgrade) Part 1: Terminology Definition, Industry Chain,Industry Dynamics & Regulations and Global Market Overview Part 2: Upstream (Raw Materials / Components) & Manufacturing (Procurement Methods & Channels and Cost) , Major Regional Production Overview and Trade Flow Part 3: Product Segment Overview and Market Status Part 4: Application / End-User Segment Overview and Market Status Part 5: Region Segment Overview and Market Status Part 6: Product & Application Segment Production & Demand by Region Part 7: Market Forecast by Product, Application & Region Part 8: Company information, Products & Services and Business Operation (Sales, Cost, Margin etc.) Part 9: Market Competition and Environment for New Entrants Part 10: ConclusionThis report studies the Global Kaolin market size, industry status and forecast, competition landscape and growth opportunity. This research report categorizes the Global Kaolin market by companies, region, type and end-use industry.Browse 100+ market data Tables and Figures spread through Pages and in-depth TOC on " Kaolin Market by Type (Hard Kaolin, Soft Kaolin & Sandy Kaolin), by End-Users/Application (Paper Industry, Porcelain and Tableware, Paint and Rubber, Fertilizer & Others), 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 Imerys, Thiele Kaolin, I-Minerals, SCR-Sibelco, Sika Corporation, Burgess, Poraver, Advanced Cement Technologies, KERAMOST, Arciresa, Kaolin Group, Metacaulim, Yukun Minine, MMK, Jinyu Kaolin Chemical, Jinyang Kaolin & Ningcheng Tianyu 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 Kaolin Market has been divided into type, application, and region.On The Basis Of Type: Hard Kaolin, Soft Kaolin & Sandy Kaolin.On The Basis Of Application: Paper Industry, Porcelain and Tableware, Paint and Rubber, Fertilizer & OthersOn The Basis Of Region, this report is segmented into following key geographies, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share, growth rate of Kaolin 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 Kaolin Market Status and Outlook 2018-2025 @Have a look at some extracts from Table of ContentIntroduction about Global KaolinGlobal Kaolin Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2017Kaolin Market by Application/End UsersGlobal Kaolin Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Applications(2013-2023) table defined for each application/end-users like [Paper Industry, Porcelain and Tableware, Paint and Rubber, Fertilizer & Others]Global Kaolin Sales and Growth Rate (2013-2023)Kaolin Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and ApplicationKaolin (Volume, Value and Sales Price) table defined for each geographic region defined.Global Kaolin 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 Hard Kaolin, Soft Kaolin & Sandy KaolinKaolin Manufacturing Cost AnalysisKaolin Key Raw Materials AnalysisKaolin 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 Hydrostatic Transmission Market 2018-2023 Global Prominent Key Players: Eaton, Parker Hannifin, Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg, and Dana Incorporated. Danfoss A/S, CARRARO Group Hydrostatic Transmission Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6275 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/hydrostatic-transmission-market-6275 Hydrostatic Transmission Market 2018Hydrostatic Transmission Market Share, Size, Trends, And Business Opportunity Analysis Report 2018 include historic data, with forecast data to 2023. Hydrostatic Transmission Market report is helpful for future strategy development, and to know about Market Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, And Global market size, share, Growth, Trends, key players forecast to 2023Global Hydrostatic Transmission Market Report: Information by Capacity (Light Duty, Medium Duty, and Heavy Duty), Operation (VDM-CDP, VDP-CDM, and VDM-VDP), and Application (Agriculture, Construction & Mining and Logistics & Transport) - Forecast till 2023Get Sample Report of Hydrostatic Transmission Market@Market SynopsisThe hydrostatic transmission converts the mechanical energy of the input drive shaft of pump into pressure energy of the working fluid and reconverts it into mechanical energy in the end at the output shaft of motor. Hydrostatic transmission systems use hydraulic fluids such as oil to transform power through pump to motor. These systems require high-pressure, which can be gained through oil. Other mechanical transmission equipment require clutch, gear transmission, rear end differential, which can be overcome by hydrostatic transmission. Hydrostatic transmission finds its applications in various end-use industries such as agriculture, construction and mining due to precise power transmission.Hydrostatic transmission market has seen remarkable growth and it is expected to expand at the CAGR of ~4%. Customized hydrostatic transmission is a major driving factor of the global hydrostatic transmission industry due to its use in construction, agricultural, mining and logistics & transportation industries. Increased power transmission and high torque at low speed in construction, mining and various industries fuel the demand for hydrostatic transmission, which cannot be achieved through usual mechanical transmission system. Hydrostatic transmission is also preferred by various applications such as agriculture, construction and mining owing to other advantages such as low inertia, high torque-to-speed ratio, and dynamic braking. Further, the increase in demand for automated hydrostatic transmission due to increased use of electromechanical components will create opportunities for the new entrants in the market. However, high price and installation of hydrostatic transmission will hinder the growth of the global hydrostatic transmission market. One trend which aids the market demand is the increased adoption of heavy-duty equipment with hydrostatic transmission.The global hydrostatic transmission market is segmented into capacity (light duty, medium duty, heavy duty), operation type (variable displacement motor-constant displacement pump, variable displacement pump-constant displacement motor, variable displacement motor-variable displacement pump), application (agriculture, construction & mining, logistics & transport, others) and by region.Geographically, the global hydrostatic transmission market has been segmented into four major regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. Amongst all regions, Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the growth of the market during the forecast period followed by North America. Increase in demand for heavy lifting equipment in several industries such as construction and mining in China and India with fuel-efficient systems will drive the growth of the market. Increased development of new roads and infrastructure in developing countries such as India and China, which requires advanced heavy machinery and equipment, increases the demand for hydrostatic transmission.The Prominent Players in The Hydrostatic Transmission Market Include:Eaton Corporation Plc. (Dublin), Parker Hannifin Corporation (US), Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd (Japan), and Dana Incorporated (US). Danfoss A/S (Denmark) and CARRARO Group (Italy), Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Japan), Poclain Hydraulics (China), Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), and Linde Hydraulics GmbH & Co. KG (Germany) are among others.The report for global hydrostatic transmission market of Market Research Future comprises extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.Get Complete Report Details of Hydrostatic Transmission Market@Table of Contents1 Executive Summary2 Scope Of The Report3 Market Landscape4 Market Dynamics5 Global Hydrostatic Transmission Market, By Capacity6 Global Hydrostatic Transmission Market, By Operation Type7 Global Hydrostatic Transmission Market, By Application8 Global Hydrostatic Transmission Market, By Region9 Competitive Landscape10 Company ProfileContinued.About Us:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR) and Market Research & Consulting Services.Address:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312sales@marketresearchfuture.com Vegetable Oil global Market Report Analysis By Top Key Players Like Cargill, COFCO, Richardson Oilseed, ConAgra Foods, Deoleo And Global Forecast 2018-2025 Vegetable Oil global Market Report Analysis https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/6013 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/buy/vegetable-oil-market https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/6013 https://www.upmarketresearch.com The Report published on UpMarketResearch.com about Vegetable Oil Market is spread across 105 pages and provides newest industry data, market future trends, allowing you to identify the products and end users driving Revenue growth and profitability. The industry report lists and studies the leading competitors, also provides the insights with strategic industry Analysis of the key factors influencing the market.Get free sample report:Vegetable Oil Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state which focuses on the major drivers and restraints for the key players. Vegetable Oil Industry research report provides granular analysis of the market share, segmentation, revenue forecasts and geographic regions of the market.The report begins with the overview of the Vegetable Oil market and updates the users about the latest developments and future expectations. It presents a comparative detailed analysis of all the regional and major player segments, offering readers a better knowledge of areas in which they can place their existing resources and gauging the priority of a particular region in order to boost their standing in the global market.In this report, there is a healthy amount of coverage of the market economies such as the demand and supply, cost and profit of the Vegetable Oil Market. This holds key importance for users and hence this information is well supported with due statistics that are represented in easy to consume graphs, charts, and tables.The report compiles exhaustive information obtained via proven research methodologies and from trusted sources within the industries.The major manufacturers covered in this report Archer Daniels Midland Bunge North America Richardson Oilseed Carapelli Firenze Cargill ConAgra Foods COFCO Deoleo Dow AgroSciences E.I. Du Pont De Nemours Golden Agri-Resources J-Oirumiruzu IOI Kuala Lumpur Kepong Lam Soon Marico Oilseeds International PT Astra Agro Lestari Sime Darby Sdn United Plantations Wilmar InternationalGeographically, this report studies the top producers and consumers, focuses on product capacity, production, value, consumption, market share and growth opportunity in these key regions, covering North America Europe China Japan India Southeast Asia Other regions (Central & South America, Middle East & Africa)Market Size Split by Type Palm Oil Canola Oil Coconut Oil Soybean OilMarket Size Split by Application Supermarket Departmental Store GroceryMajor Points in Table of Content:1 Study Coverage2 Executive Summary3 Breakdown Data by Manufacturers4 Breakdown Data by Type5 Breakdown Data by Application6 North America7 Europe8 Asia Pacific9 Central & South America10 Middle East and Africa11 Company Profiles12 Market Opportunities, Challenges, Risks and Influences Factors Analysis13 Value Chain and Sales Channels Analysis14 Research Findings and Conclusion15 AppendixBuy this report :Key Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Vegetable Oil and its commercial landscape. Assess the Vegetable Oil production processes, major issues, and solutions to mitigate the development risk. To understand the most affecting driving and restraining forces in the Vegetable Oil market and its impact on the global market. Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations. To understand the future outlook and prospects for Vegetable Oil MarketFor more information:Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.About UpMarketResearch:Up Market Research () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United StatesPhone: +1 347-377-7033 Medical Lasers Market 2018-2025: Key Players Bausch & Lomb Holdings, Spectranetics Corporation, IRIDEX Corporation, Cardiogenesis Corporation, Inc., Biolase Inc., Syneron-Candela, Lumenis Ltd https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/sample/HnM/QBI-CMR-HnM-55058 https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/enquiry/HnM/QBI-CMR-HnM-55058 https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/buy/HnM/QBI-CMR-HnM-55058/ https://www.qurateresearch.com/ Industry Trend AnalysisThe global medical lasers market is expected to be around 13 billion by 2025, due to rising incidence of eye related disorders coupled with rapidly aging population and growing preference for advanced laser based treatment procedures. Emerging economies are rapidly adopting laser based treatments owing to the increased disposable income of the population. About 500,000 to 700,000 healthcare professionals in the U.S. are using medical lasers for their procedures. Laser hair removal is one of the top five cosmetic procedures performed in a non-surgical manner. Also, rising gynecological applications and increased awareness about aesthetic appeal is set to drive the market growth over the forecast period. According to a survey conducted by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), Americans spent more than 15 billion on surgical and non-surgical aesthetic procedures in 2016.Product Outlook and Trend AnalysisThe diode laser market held the largest share in 2016. This can be attributed to its applications in various aesthetic procedures and photodynamic therapies. Moreover, this growth will be consistent over the forecast period due to rising adoption of diode lasers worldwide. The solid state laser market is expected to grow at a fastest rate due to its varied applications in periodontology and skin treatment. These lasers have wide applications in procedures such as tattoo removal, vein removal, and dermatological procedures. According to American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), the laser tattoo removal procedures in the U.S. saw an increase of 13% in 2016.Get Sample Copy of This Report@Application Outlook and Trend AnalysisThe dermatology segment dominated the global market due to an increasing demand for aesthetic procedures such as skin tightening, contouring, and skin rejuvenation. The gynecology segment is anticipated to show lucrative growth over the forecast period due to broadening of medical lasers applications in cervical erosion and infertility along with intra-abdominal gynecological surgeries. Applications of laser systems in cardiovascular diseases are on the rise due to the growing prevalence of heart related ailments and cost effective laser based treatments facilitated by technological advancements.The ophthalmology segment is expected to exhibit consistent growth in coming years because of the rapid substitution of non-laser instruments in refractive and related surgical procedures.Regional Outlook and Trend AnalysisNorth America held the major share of the global medical lasers market in 2016, due to rising number of cases of obesity and diabetes. High disposable income and rising demand for aesthetic procedures has fuelled the growth of North American market. Untapped opportunities in the Asia-Pacific segment will register fastest growth in the forecast period. Therefore, it offers lucrative opportunities for key players to expand in emerging markets.Competitive AnalysisSome of the key players in this market are Bausch & Lomb Holdings, Spectranetics Corporation, IRIDEX Corporation, Cardiogenesis Corporation, Inc., Biolase Inc., Syneron-Candela, Lumenis Ltd, Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Cutera, Inc., American Medical Systems, PhotoMedex Inc., Biolitec AG, AngioDynamics Corp, Novadaq Technologies, Inc., CryoLife, Inc., Coherent, Inc., and Bioform Medical Inc.Enquiry about Report@Market OpportunitiesThe major opportunities in the medical lasers market lie in the scope for technological advancements to enhance the applications of lasers in different medical procedures. Rising demand for aesthetic appeal will steadily increase the adoption of medical lasers in cosmetic procedures globally. Additionally, applications in ophthalmology will keep evolving with technological innovations facilitating steady market growth over the forecast period.Medical Lasers Market SegmentationBy Product:Solid State LasersErbium Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Er:Yag) LasersHolmium Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Ho:Yag) LasersPotassium Titanyl Phosphate (KTP)Neodymium Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:Yag) LasersAlexandrite LasersRuby LasersGas LasersCo2 LasersKrypton LasersRuby LasersMetal Vapor (Au & Cu) LasersArgon LasersExcimer LasersHelium-Neon LasersDiode LasersDye LasersBy Application:GynecologyDermatologyDentistryUrologyOphthalmologyCardiologyOthersBuy This Report@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 Private Security Services Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players Pinkerton, Blackwater Protectio, Allied Universal, Hook Private Security, SIS Private Security Services Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3340275-global-private-security-services-market-size-status-and-forecast-2018-2025 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3340275-global-private-security-services-market-size-status-and-forecast-2018-2025 Private Security Services Market 2018Wiseguyreports.Com adds Private Security Services Market Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2025 To Its Research Database.Report Details:This report provides in depth study of Private Security Services Market using SWOT analysis i.e. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat to the organization. The Private Security Services Market report also provides an in-depth survey of key players in the market which is based on the various objectives of an organization such as profiling, the product outline, the quantity of production, required raw material, and the financial health of the organization.This report focuses on the global Private Security Services status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Private Security Services development in United States, Europe and China.Private security services business means the performance of guard duties on the basis of client contracts for the purpose of earning income.Private security service revenue growth will be driven by heightened security concerns stemming from a large number of highly publicized tragedies, such as school shootings and bombings. Similarly, the rising perceived risk of all types of crime among end users despite long term declines in reported crimes will spur more end users to invest in these services.In addition, increased interest in a wide variety of value-added offerings in most security service segments will provide a boost to revenues.In 2017, the global Private Security Services market size was xx million US$ and it is expected to reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of 2.3% during 2018-2025.The key players covered in this studyPinkertonBlackwater ProtectioAllied UniversalHook Private SecurityInternational Protective Service, InParadigm SecurityUS Security AssociatesSISBeijing BaoanShandong Huawei Security Group Co., LtdTransguardProsegurSecomChina Security & Protection GroupAndrews InternationalRequest a Sample Report @Market segment by Type, the product can be split intoExecutive/VIP ProtectionResidential ProtectionExecutive DriversAsset ProtectionTechnical Surveillance Countermeasure (TSCM) ServicesMarket segment by Application, split intoCEOsEntertainersAthletesRoyaltyOthersMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaCentral & South AmericaKey StakeholdersPrivate Security Services ManufacturersPrivate Security Services Distributors/Traders/WholesalersPrivate Security Services Subcomponent ManufacturersIndustry AssociationDownstream VendorsIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Complete Report Details@Major Key Points in Table of Content:1 Report Overview1.1 Study Scope1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Players Covered1.4 Market Analysis by Type1.4.1 Global Private Security Services Market Size Growth Rate by Type (2013-2025)1.4.2 Executive/VIP Protection1.4.3 Residential Protection1.4.4 Executive Drivers1.4.5 Asset Protection1.4.6 Technical Surveillance Countermeasure (TSCM) Services1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Private Security Services Market Share by Application (2013-2025)1.5.2 CEOs1.5.3 Entertainers1.5.4 Athletes1.5.5 Royalty1.5.6 Others1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered2 Global Growth Trends2.1 Private Security Services Market Size2.2 Private Security Services Growth Trends by Regions2.2.1 Private Security Services Market Size by Regions (2013-2025)2.2.2 Private Security Services Market Share by Regions (2013-2018)2.3 Industry Trends2.3.1 Market Top Trends2.3.2 Market Drivers2.3.3 Market Opportunities..12 International Players Profiles12.1 Pinkerton12.1.1 Pinkerton Company Details12.1.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.1.3 Private Security Services Introduction12.1.4 Pinkerton Revenue in Private Security Services Business (2013-2018)12.1.5 Pinkerton Recent Development12.2 Blackwater Protectio12.2.1 Blackwater Protectio Company Details12.2.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.2.3 Private Security Services Introduction12.2.4 Blackwater Protectio Revenue in Private Security Services Business (2013-2018)12.2.5 Blackwater Protectio Recent Development12.3 Allied Universal12.3.1 Allied Universal Company Details12.3.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.3.3 Private Security Services Introduction12.3.4 Allied Universal Revenue in Private Security Services Business (2013-2018)12.3.5 Allied Universal Recent Development12.4 Hook Private Security12.4.1 Hook Private Security Company Details12.4.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.4.3 Private Security Services Introduction12.4.4 Hook Private Security Revenue in Private Security Services Business (2013-2018)12.4.5 Hook Private Security Recent Development12.5 International Protective Service, In12.5.1 International Protective Service, In Company Details12.5.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.5.3 Private Security Services Introduction12.5.4 International Protective Service, In Revenue in Private Security Services Business (2013-2018)12.5.5 International Protective Service, In Recent Development12.6 Paradigm Security12.6.1 Paradigm Security Company Details12.6.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.6.3 Private Security Services Introduction12.6.4 Paradigm Security Revenue in Private Security Services Business (2013-2018)12.6.5 Paradigm Security Recent Development12.7 US Security Associates12.7.1 US Security Associates Company Details12.7.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.7.3 Private Security Services Introduction12.7.4 US Security Associates Revenue in Private Security Services Business (2013-2018)12.7.5 US Security Associates Recent Development12.8 SIS12.8.1 SIS Company Details12.8.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.8.3 Private Security Services Introduction12.8.4 SIS Revenue in Private Security Services Business (2013-2018)12.8.5 SIS Recent Development12.9 Beijing Baoan12.9.1 Beijing Baoan Company Details12.9.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.9.3 Private Security Services Introduction12.9.4 Beijing Baoan Revenue in Private Security Services Business (2013-2018)12.9.5 Beijing Baoan Recent Development12.10 Shandong Huawei Security Group Co., Ltd12.10.1 Shandong Huawei Security Group Co., Ltd Company Details12.10.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.10.3 Private Security Services Introduction12.10.4 Shandong Huawei Security Group Co., Ltd Revenue in Private Security Services Business (2013-2018)12.10.5 Shandong Huawei Security Group Co., Ltd Recent DevelopmentContinued.Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Sales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRESS:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Aluminium Collars Market Production, Trends, Price, Revenue, Share, Growth and Forecast Until 2022 | Key Players Analysis- Shi Chia Lin Industry Co., Ltd., Preface Deux https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1486 https://www.factmr.com/report/1486/aluminium-collars-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1486 https://www.factmr.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/factmr/ Aluminium collars are used for a variety of purposes, which mainly includes industrial applications. Aluminium collars have long been used as shaft collars, and are found to be highly effective when they are used on shaft made up of a softer material than the set screw. Furthermore, aluminium collars are also widely used in the personal care & cosmetics industry, especially in perfumery. Personal care and cosmetics products are more likely to sell when they stand out among the other products, and aluminium collars achieve that by imparting a glossy appearance to the perfume product. Manufacturers of Aluminium collars are focused on products which are aimed at increasing the chances of impulse buying. Therefore, glossy Aluminium collars are likely to witness growth in demand during the forecast period. One of the key factors expected to boost the demand for Aluminium collars during the forecast period is their customizability. Prospective buyers can be provided with bespoke Aluminium collars of desired diameter and design. The outlook for the growth of the global Aluminium collars market is expected to be largely positive during the forecast period.Request TOC of this Report@Aluminium Collars Market: DynamicsThe global personal care & cosmetics industry has undergone significant changes during the forecast period. This is attributed to an increased importance given to personal grooming. Aluminium collars are designed to make an impact on shelf. Glossy Aluminium collars are highly preferred by luxury perfume brands, to achieve that.For instance, in 2017, Spanish packaging distribution firm Rafesa, added a new glossy black Aluminium collar to its range of products.An increase in demand for perfumes and similar personal grooming products is also expected to be one of the significantly contributing factors to the growth of the global Aluminium collars market. Perfumes are also considered an apt gifting option, and has been that way for decades. As a result, the likelihood of a change in preference during the forecast period is low. Celebrity endorsements for luxury perfumes is expected to be the most preferred marketing strategy by perfume brands, which is expected to play a pivotal role in the future growth of the forecast period. Manufacturers of Aluminium collars are expected to lay more emphasis on product differentiation in terms of colour and texture.Aluminium Collars Market: Regional OutlookThe North America Aluminium collars market is expected to maintain its leading position during the forecast period. This is attributed to the high demand for luxury perfumes in the region, which largely influences growth in sales of Aluminium collars. Luxury perfumes are expected to retain their popularity both among males and females during the forecast period, thereby creating lucrative opportunities for the growth of the global Aluminium collars market. A significant share of the demand generated for Aluminium collars is expected to be from the growing economies in the Asia Pacific region. This can be attributed to the changing lifestyle of consumers in the region, which is anticipated to generate more demand for personal grooming products. The MEA Aluminium collars market is expected to experience sluggish growth during the forecast period, due to high market penetration and preference for luxury perfumes. The Europe Aluminium collars market is expected to contribute significantly to the value of the market. However, the growth of the Aluminium collars market in Europe is expected to be sluggish during the forecast period.Global Aluminium Collars Market: SegmentationGlobally, the Aluminium Collars market has been segmented as follows:On the basis of product type, the global Aluminium Collars market is segmented as:Matte Aluminium CollarsGlossy Aluminium CollarsOn the basis of diameter, the global Aluminium Collars market is segmented as:< 15 mm15 18 mm19 22 mm23 25 mm> 25 mmGlobal Aluminium Collars Market: Key PlayersExamples of some of the key players operating in the global Aluminium Collars market are:Shi Chia Lin Industry Co., Ltd.Preface DeuxThe research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market, and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geography, product type, and diameter.To know more about the Market, Visit the link @The report covers an exhaustive analysis on:Market SegmentsMarket DynamicsMarket SizeSupply & DemandCurrent Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies InvolvedTechnologyValue ChainRegional analysis includes:North America (U.S., Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru)Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain, BENELUX, Nordic, Eastern Europe)CIS and RussiaAsia-Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, South Korea)JapanMiddle East and Africa (GCC Countries, South Africa, Turkey, Iran, Israel)The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, and inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides an in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators, and governing factors, along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.Request Brochure of this Report@About FactMRFactMR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFactMR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb:Follow Us on Linkedin: Global Scenario of the Timber Harvesting Equipment Market 2025| Top Vendors: Deere & Company, Komatsu Ltd., Ponsse Oyj, Caterpillar Inc., Tigercat International Inc. MRRSE https://www.mrrse.com/sample/4286 https://www.mrrse.com/timber-harvesting-equipment-market https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/4286 https://www.mrrse.com/ MRRSE has come up with a new report Timber Harvesting Equipment Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012-2016 and Forecast 20172025, which tracks the performance of the global timber harvesting equipment market for the projected period of eight years. To present a crystal clear picture of the market to our clients, the analysts went the extra mile to give detailed information about the market size, forecast, drivers, restraints, trends and opportunities in all the five regions that have been covered in this report. Apart from regional insights, we have also given comprehensive information on various segments and its sub-segments. For the better understanding of the entire market, we have divided the market based on product type, harvesting mode and region.Looking for more information on this market? Get Free sample report @Report StructureWheel of Fortune analysis is the unique element of this report. The key part of this report is Persistence Market Researchs analysis and recommendations on the global timber harvesting equipment market. The report takes an overview of the global timber harvesting equipment market. The overview mainly consists of market taxonomy that underlines factors influencing the growth of the global timber harvesting equipment market. The analysts have provided key strategic recommendations for both existing and new players in the market to emerge sustainably profitable. Decline or increase in prices over the forecast period is based on historic market trends; any decline or increase in prices over the forecast period is kept linear across countries. The general market scenario is assumed for timber harvesting equipment sales and driving factors are assumed to develop the market forecast. The report covers the competitive landscape that provides a dashboard view of companies that manufacture and provide services to the global timber harvesting equipment market. The report consists of company profiles of some of the key players and a strategic overview of mergers and acquisitions along with their expansion in regions.Product type and type wise weighted Average Selling Price (ASP) has been considered to deduce market values of timber harvesting equipment. Macroeconomic indicators such as GDP, trees production, construction equipment industry growth and lumber industry growth have been considered. Bottom-up approach has been used to assess market numbers for each category, while top-down approach has been used to counter validate the market estimations. All volume data for market size of timber harvesting equipment are in absolute units. Sources such as industry association publications, annual reports and publications of various companies and presentations by timber harvesting equipment manufacturers have been studied while drafting this report. The report focuses on information about pricing analysis, interview of market participants and the list of major construction projects across the assessed regions. Supply chain analysis of the global timber harvesting equipment market is another feature that has been included in this report.Order a copy of Global Timber Harvesting Equipment Market Report @Market SegmentationBy Product TypeChainsawsHarvestersWheeled TypeTracked TypeFeller BunchersWheeled TypeTracked TypeForwardersSkiddersBy Harvesting ModeFull TreeCut-To-LengthTree LengthBy RegionAsia PacificNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeMiddle East & AfricaResearch MethodologyAverage price of timber harvesting equipment is inferred across all the five assessed regions. Market volume is inferred through in-depth secondary research and validated from industry experts through primary interviews. Each interview is thoroughly analyzed and average market volume is deduced and reconfirmed prior to incorporating in the report. The market value of the global timber harvesting equipment market is thus calculated from the data derived from the average selling price and market volume. For the eight year forecast of the global timber harvesting equipment market, various macroeconomic factors and changing trends have been observed, giving an idea about the future of the market. Other important factors considered to arrive at market forecast are the size of the current market, inputs from the supply side and the demand side and other dynamics shaping the scenario of the market. In the compilation of the report, the forecasts are conducted in terms of CAGR, while other important criteria such as year-on-year growth and absolute dollar opportunity have also been incorporated presenting the client with crystal clear insights and future opportunities likely to emerge in the global timber harvesting equipment market.Place an Enquiry to Our Industry Expert at @About UsMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite: Thermal Barrier Coating Market Growth and Trends by 2018-2025| Praxair Surface Technologies, Metallisation Ltd., TST Engineered Coating Solutions, Flame Spray Coating Co., Air Products & Chemicals Thermal Barrier Coating Market Growth and Trends by 2018-2025 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/5912 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/5912 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/buy/thermal-barrier-coating-market www.upmarketresearch.com UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Thermal Barrier Coating Market Industry Analysis and Forecast 2018-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 100 pages which highly exhibits on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability. The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Thermal Barrier Coating global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 2018 - 2025.Get FREE Exclusive PDF Sample Copy of This Report @Thermal Barrier Coating market research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period. It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The numerical data is backed up by statistical tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, SCOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and so on. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.The generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. Secondary research techniques are implemented for better understanding and clarity for data analysis.The report for Thermal Barrier Coating market industry analysis & forecast 2018-2025 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.The major manufacturers covered in this report Praxair Surface Technologies Metallisation Ltd. TST Engineered Coating Solutions Flame Spray Coating Co. Air Products & Chemicals Metallizing Equipment Co. Pvt. Ltd. TWI Ltd. Integrated Global Services A & A Company Thermion Precision Coatings, Inc. ASB Industries Inc. Cincinnati Thermal Spray, Inc. H.C. Starck Inc. MesoCoat Inc.Thermal Barrier Coating Breakdown Data by Type Metal Intermetallic Ceramic OthersThermal Barrier Coating Breakdown Data by Application Automotive Aerospace Energy Machinery & EquipmentThermal Barrier Coating Production Breakdown Data by Region United States Europe China Japan Other RegionsIn this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Thermal Barrier Coating are as follows: History Year: 2013-2017 Base Year: 2017 Estimated Year: 2018 Forecast Year 2018 to 2025For more information, Visit:The Report covers in-depth analysis as follows:1 Study Coverage2 Executive Summary3 Market Size by Manufacturers4 Thermal Barrier Coating Production by Regions5 Thermal Barrier Coating Consumption by Regions6 Market Size by Type7 Market Size by Application8 Manufacturers Profiles9 Production Forecasts10 Consumption Forecast11 Upstream, Industry Chain and Downstream Customers Analysis12 Opportunities & Challenges, Threat and Affecting FactorsBuy report @Global Thermal Barrier Coating Market Industry Analysis and Forecast 2018-2025 report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. The report also calls for market-driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real-time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real-time scenario.Key Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Thermal Barrier Coating Market Industry Analysis and Forecast 2018-2025 and its commercial landscape Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations To understand the future outlook and prospects for Thermal Barrier Coating market industry analysis and forecast 2018-2025.Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.About UpMarketResearch:UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States Energy Drinks Market Analysis Report By Key Players- PepsiCo (US), Coco Cola (US), Amway (US), By Product Alcoholic Non-Alcoholic Energy Drinks Market Report https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/6277 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/6277 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/buy/energy-drinks-market www.upmarketresearch.com UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Energy Drinks Market Industry Analysis and Forecast 2018-2023 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 92 pages which highly exhibits on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Get Free Sample Report@The report begins with the overview of the Energy Drinks market and updates the users about the latest developments and future expectations. It presents a comparative detailed analysis of all the regional and major player segments, offering readers a better knowledge of areas in which they can place their existing resources and gauging the priority of a particular region in order to boost their standing in the global market.Energy Drinks market research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period. It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report. The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Energy Drinks global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 2018 - 2023.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The numerical data is backed up by statistical tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, SCOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and so on. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.The generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. Secondary research techniques are implemented for better understanding and clarity for data analysis.The report for Energy Drinks market industry analysis & forecast 2018-2023 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.Region-wise Analysis Global Energy Drinks Market covers: North America Asia-Pacific Europe Central & South America Middle East & AfricaThe key manufacturers in the Energy Drinks include Red Bull GmbH (CN) Taisho Pharmaceutical Co Ltd. (JP) PepsiCo (US) Monster Energy (US) Rockstar (US) Lucozade (JP) Coco Cola (US) Amway (US) Arizona Beverages (US) Living Essentials LLC (US) Xyience Energy (US) Abbott Nutrition Inc (US)Market Size Split by TypeBy Ingredient Organic InorganicBy Products Alcoholic Non-AlcoholicBy Distribution Channel On-trade Off-trade & Direct SellingMarket Size Split by Application Personal Athlet OtherThe Report covers in-depth analysis as follows: Chapter 1 Energy Drinks Market Overview Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Energy Drinks Industry Chapter 3 Global Energy Drinks Market Competition by Manufacturers Chapter 4 Global Energy Drinks Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018) Chapter 5 Global Energy Drinks Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2013-2018) Chapter 6 Global Energy Drinks Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type Chapter 7 Global Energy Drinks Market Analysis by Application Chapter 8 Global Energy Drinks Manufacturers Analysis Chapter 9 Energy Drinks Manufacturing Cost Analysis Chapter 10 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers Chapter 11 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders Chapter 12 Market Effect Factors Analysis Chapter 13 Global Energy Drinks Market Forecast (2018-2023)For more information@Global Energy Drinks Market Industry Analysis and Forecast 2018-2023 report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. The report also calls for market-driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real-time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real-time scenario.Key Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Energy Drinks Market Industry Analysis and Forecast 2018-2023 and its commercial landscape Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations To understand the future outlook and prospects for Energy Drinks market industry analysis and forecast 2018-2023.Buy this report@Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.About UpMarketResearch:UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States Gas Water Heater Market: Major Industry Players are A. O. Smith Corporation, Rinnai America Corporation, Bradford White, Rheem Manufacturing, Whirlpool Corporation, Lochinvar, LLC, Noritz America, Racold, V-Guard, Ferroli S.p.A. Gas Water Heater Market https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/706 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/706 www.gminsights.com Gas Water Heater Market is betting big on the global energy spectrum driven by the lower operational cost and convenience associated with these water heaters. Rising concerns toward energy conservation has further propelled the adoption of gas water heaters in the households as the product consumes minimal energy during the heating process. The technological advancements pertaining to electronic thermostats and digital temperature control has garnered huge profits for gas water heater industry. Several companies are exploiting renewed market opportunities in this fraternity and are focusing toward a more sustainable and diversified product spectrum. A testimony of this fact being General Electrics launch of Geo Spring Hybrid Water Heater, which is designed to consume 62% of less energy when compared to the typical 50-gallan water heater.Request for a sample of this research report @The overall performance of a standard gas water heater and an instant electric water heater were testified which claimed to save Rs. 89 every month per bucket. The study has also concluded that an average residential consumer can hope to use just one LPG cylinder for about four months. The following table shows the comparison between the operating cost of a gas & electric heater.As per a report by Global Market Insights, Inc., the global gas water heater market is expected to surpass 30 million units in terms of volume by 2024 and generate revenue over USD 9 billion by 2024. This clearly states the impelling demand for gas and tankless water heaters across the globe. Justifying its energy and cost efficiency over conventional water heaters, gas water heaters are todays most popular green water heating solutions.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @The growth of tankless gas water heater market:The advent of tankless gas water heaters has endorsed the overall industry with the most energy-efficient and sustainable water heater. In 2016, tankless water heaters grabbed 75% share of global gas water heater industry, owing to its longevity, endless supply, small size, cost effectiveness, lower standby losses, and durability. The emerging nations of Asia Pacific, MEA, and Latin America are witnessing rapid developments pertaining to gas water heater market. Tankless gas water heaters are witnessing huge deployment rate in the residential sector. The government of China has implemented standards and consumption codes to track the use of residential gas for water heating and cooking purpose. With its introduction of National Gas Utilization Policy, China has strongly promoted the use of natural gas for residential sector. This has significantly encouraged the growth of gas water heater market in the region. As per estimates, China gas water heater industry is likely to generate revenue over USD 1 billion by 2024.Several governmental measures toward energy efficiency have prompted the gas water heater market players to conduct high-end research activities for the product diversification and innovation. Analyzing the current trends, the industry is witnessing intense competition with the presence of large number of manufactures across the globe. Cost effectiveness and energy efficiency of the products are the two major parameters underling the competitive hierarchy. Some of the renowned gas water heater industry players include American Water Heaters, Bradford White, Rheem, Reliance Water Heaters, Whirlpool, US Craft Master, and Kenmore.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb: 2018 and Beyond: Organ Transplantation Immunosuppressive Drug Market Trends and Outlook Study to 2025 Organ Transplantation Immunosuppressive Drug Market, Organ Transplantation Immunosuppressive Drug Industry https://www.marketresearchnest.com/report/requestsample/402580 https://www.marketresearchnest.com/Global-Organ-Transplantation-Immunosuppressive-Drug-Market-Size-Status-and-Forecast-2018-2025.html https://www.marketresearchnest.com/report/purchase/402580 https://coreseomarketing.wordpress.com/blog/ Global Organ Transplantation Immunosuppressive Drug Market Size, Status and Forecast 2018-2025This comprehensive Organ Transplantation Immunosuppressive Drug Market research report includes a brief on these trends that can help the businesses operating in the industry to understand the market and strategize for their business expansion accordingly. The research report analyzes the market size, industry share, growth, key segments, CAGR and key drivers.This report focuses on the global Organ Transplantation Immunosuppressive Drug status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Organ Transplantation Immunosuppressive Drug development in United States, Europe and China.The key players covered in this study:- AbbVie, Inc. Allergan Plc Astellas Pharma, Inc. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Roche GlaxoSmithKline plc Novartis AG Pfizer, Inc. Sanofi S.A. Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/SGet Request a sample copy here atOrgan Transplantation Immunosuppressive Drug in its database, which provides an expert and in-depth analysis of key business trends and future market development prospects, key drivers and restraints, profiles of major market players, segmentation and forecasting. A Organ Transplantation Immunosuppressive Drug Market provides an extensive view of size; trends and shape have been developed in this report to identify factors that will exhibit a significant impact in boosting the sales of Organ Transplantation Immunosuppressive Drug Market in the near future.New vendors in the market are facing tough competition from established international vendors as they struggle with technological innovations, reliability and quality issues. The report will answer questions about the current market developments and the scope of competition, opportunity cost and more.Market segment by Type, the product can be split into:- Calcineurin Inhibitors Antiproliferative Agents mTOR Inhibitors Antibodies SteroidsMarket segment by Application, split into:- Kidney Transplant Bone Marrow Transplant Liver Transplant Heart Transplant Lungs Transplant Others TransplantGet more details of research here atMoreover, the research report assessed market key features, consisting of revenue, capacity utilization rate, price, gross, growth rate, consumption, production, export, supply, cost, market size & share, industry demand, export & import analysis, and CAGR.Key Organ Transplantation Immunosuppressive Drug 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.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers:- United States Europe China Japan Southeast Asia India Central and South AmericaGet Purchase a Research Copy here atThis report includes the estimation of market size for value (million US$) and volume (K Pcs). Top-down and bottom-up approaches have been used to estimate and validate the market size of Organ Transplantation Immunosuppressive Drug market, to estimate the size of various other dependent submarkets in the overall market. Key players in the market have been identified through secondary research, and their market shares have been determined through primary and secondary research. All percentage shares, splits, and breakdowns have been determined using secondary sources and verified primary sources.Browse related information here athttps://contentmaniahub.blogspot.com/About us: - MarketResearchNest.com is the most comprehensive collection of market research products and services on the Web. We offer reports from almost all top publishers and update our collection on daily basis to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and recent database of expert insights on Shipping Containers industries, organizations, products, and trends.Contact us: - Mr. Jeet Jain, Sales Manager, sales@marketresearchnest.com ;+1-240-284-8070(U.S), +44-20-3290-4151(U.K);Connect with us: Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook Micro-electrical-mechanical-systems 2018 Global Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 11.95% and Forecast to 2020 Micro-electrical-mechanical-systems 2018 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/618186-global-micro-electrical-mechanical-systems-market-2016-2020 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/618186-global-micro-electrical-mechanical-systems-market-2016-2020 WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On Micro-electrical-mechanical-systems 2018 Global Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 11.95% and Forecast to 2020.Description:-The analysts forecast the global micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) market to grow at a CAGR of 11.95% during the period 2016-2020.MEMS are miniaturized devices and structures that are made using the techniques of microfabrication. These combine mechanical, optical, and fluidic elements with electronics. The size of MEMS devices can range from less than one micron up to a number of millimeters. These devices are integrated with a number of devices such as smartphones, tablets, wearables, vehicles, medical devices, and industrial devices for carrying out different types of automated functions. Consumer electronics is the largest market for MEMS.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comCovered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers revenue generated from the sales of MEMS.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography: Americas APAC EMEAThe report, Global Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors Analog Devices Bosch Sensortec GmbH InvenSense Inc. Knowles Electronics, LLC STMicroelectronics NV Texas Instruments Inc.Other prominent vendors AAC Technologies Delphi GoerTek Infineon Maxim Integrated Murata Schneider Electric Sensata Technologies Silicon LabsMarket driver MEMS becoming integral part of consumer electronic devices For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge Accuracy and calibration issues during sensor fusion For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend Advanced MEMS packaging For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this report What will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be? What are the key market trends? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Ask Query About Report @Table Of Contents Major Key PointsPART 01: Executive summary HighlightsPART 02: Scope of the report Definition Source year Forecast period Product segmentation End-user segmentation Geographical segmentation Common currency conversion rates Top-vendor offeringsPART 03: Market research methodology Research methodology Economic indicatorsPART 04: Introduction Key market highlightsPART 05: Market landscape Market size and forecast by revenue Market size and forecast by unit shipment MEMS ASP forecast 2015-2020 Five forces analysisPART 06: Market segmentation by product Global MEMS market segmentation by product Global pressure sensor MEMS market Global inertial combos MEMS market Global gyroscope MEMS market Global RF MEMS market Global accelerometers MEMS market Global optical MEMS market Global microphone MEMS marketPART 07: Market segmentation by end user Global MEMS market for consumer electronic segment Global MEMS market for automotive segment Global MEMS market for industrial segment Global MEMS market for medical segmentPART 08: Geographical segmentation Market overview Market size and forecast APAC EMEA AmericasPART 09: Market driversPART 10: Impact of driversPART 11: Market challenges Accuracy and calibration issues during sensor fusion Declining prices of MEMS Design complexityContinuedFor more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028. Crustacean Market Absolute Study by Top Players - The Crab Company, Asmak, RDM Aquaculture, Ichiboshi, International Fish Farming Crustacean Market https://www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/1552 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/crustacean-market https://www.gminsights.com http://algosonline.com/news Global Crustacean Market size is likely to expand at promising CAGR in the forecast period. Crustacean is huge family of arthropods which includes animals such as lobsters, prawns, crabs and other distinct species of sea animals. Most of the crustaceans are aquatic animals, while some are parasitic, sessile and terrestrial. Every year, almost 11 million tons of the product is cultured in aquatic farming or fisheries, across the globe, for human consumption.Crustacean market is one of the rapidly growing animal production industries across the globe. The prime factor responsible for crustacean market size growth in future is the growing demand for seafood globally. The rising product demand is due to the awareness created among consumers about the health benefits related to product consumption. For example, crabs contain omega-3 fatty acids and proteins, which have anti-inflammatory characteristics useful for treatment of arthritis.Request Table of content of this Report @Moreover, amplified consumer spending is being observed in recent years on food products. This is due to the changing lifestyle patterns, that can be attributed to increased disposable income of consumers. This change in consumer behavior is expected to drive the seafood and frozen food industry growth considerably, which in turn, will be propelling the crustacean market size across the globe by 2024.Furthermore, e-commerce and online channels have boosted the seafood market considerably through both platforms, business-to-customer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) operations. For instance, big chain retailers such as Target and Walmart offer in-store pick up and home delivery of seafood after order placement by customer. The major challenge for crustacean market is to compete with other aqua farming and agro industries. The crustacean market is still lagging others in terms of advanced biotechnologies which can enhance production output and value.Based on product, the crustacean market can be divided into crabs, lobsters, shrimps and prawns. Other species in product family include woodlice, barnacles, crayfish and several diverse types of species. The product contains vital nutrients such as minerals, vitamins and proteins and can prevent numerous diseases.Based on the culture area, the crustacean market can be segmented into inland waters and marine waters. The marine waters segment accounted for largest share in global crustacean market in 2016. The natural ocean conditions in marine areas are conducive for product growth. Countries including Australia and Thailand are home for shrimp and crab farming. However, periodic high currents affect product population in marine environment. Accordingly, aquaculture farms use drugs for preventing diseases and algae growth in the culture areas, which also affects the product population considerably. Thus, government agencies such as MAFW (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare) in India and FAF (Federal Agency for Fishery) in Russia are trying to promote sustainable farming practices in these areas.Browse Full Report Details @In 2016, Asia Pacific, led the global crustacean market in terms of production and consumption. China is likely to lead the regional crustacean market by 2024, as the product is one of the most valued species family preferred in Asia Pacific, for consumption. Countries such as India, South Korea, China, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka are biggest consumers of seafood in Asia Pacific, thus, anticipated to contribute in crustacean market growth. Asia Pacific is full of small scale product vendors, as they receive full support from government pertaining to aquaculture and fish farming. Due to drift in consumer preference for rich in quality seafood, domestic consumption is likely to witness a prominent growth over the forecast period.The prominent market share contributors functional in industry are Seaview Crab Company, The Crab Company, Asmak, RDM Aquaculture, Ichiboshi, International Fish Farming and Holding Company and Surapon Foods, Normad Foods, Norway Royal Salmon, AquaChile, Russian Aquaculture, Findus Group, Nireus Aquaculture, Beijing Princess Seafood and Mogster Group.The product vendors, both international and regional, are intensifying the competition, by competing on the basis of portfolio, pricing and product differentiation. For instance, Normad Foods acquired Iglo Foods in 2015, to solidify their position in frozen foods segment. Small crab farmers, medium level domestic crab farmers & fisheries are also trying to enter the crustacean market.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Explore Our Blog @ Dust Extraction System Market Research Report 2018-28: Manufacturers Efforts toward Improving Product Efficiency to Foster Adoption and Fuel Growth, Fact.MRs New Study https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=839 https://www.factmr.com/report/839/dust-extraction-system-market https://www.factmr.com/checkout/839/S https://www.factmr.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/factmr/ Awareness uptake apropos of clean & healthy working environment, combined with implementation of mandatory standards with regard to workers safety is impacting demand for dust extraction system worldwide. Regulatory bodies such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), mandating use of dust extraction systems to provide a clean ambience for employees, particularly in manufacturing, processing, and construction industry, is a key growth determinant for the market. Penetration of the dust extraction system continues to remain rigorous in mining, quarrying, and oil & gas sector a key trend complementing steady demand from lumber, construction, and chemical industries. A new Fact.MR study envisages nearly US$ 9,990 Mn worth of dust extraction systems to be sold worldwide by 2028-end, with mining, quarrying and oil & gas accounting for over 25% of sales.Request Free Sample Copy of the Report @North Americas Dust Extraction System Market Remains Consolidated in the U.S.North America and Europe continue to endure as lucrative markets for the dust extraction system, however the latter is set to grow at a slighter higher rate through 2028. The dust extraction system market in North America remains consolidated in the U.S., with authorities such as the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) levying rules apropos of emission levels of the dust extraction system that all stakeholders must comply with.Future growth prospects of the dust extraction system market in Europe are likely to be promising, underpinned by rapid rise in the regions construction and waste management industries. Recognizing imperativeness of the dust extraction system in industrial applications, European manufacturers are integrating advanced technologies for offering application-specific solutions. Conformance to CE (Conformite Europeene) Marking Compliance, and the ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU, by dust extraction system manufacturers in Europe will continue to influence their manufacturing strategies, thereby impacting development and sales.Dust Extraction System Market: Preference for Wet Scrubbers & Vacuum Variants Remain HighEnd-users continue to represent a marked preference for wet scrubbers and vacuum dust extraction system. Wet scrubbers and vacuum dust extraction system are expected to remain top-selling variant, with cartridge and bag filters trailing the suit. Albeit media blasting rooms and suction benches currently hold lower market shares, the report foreseen these variants to showcase relatively higher growth in the near future, in terms of both value and volume.According to the study, dust extraction system is available in wide varieties depending upon the dust type being handled, ranging from dry extractors to blowers with dust extraction. Worldwide sales of the dust extraction system remains consolidated in the dry extractors and wet extractors segment, whereas revenues from pulse jet bag filter system continue to be sluggish. Sales of blowers with dust extraction are set to record a relative higher rate through 2028.Get Complete Report with TOC and Company Profiles @Dust Extraction System Market: Essentiality of Amendments to Regulations Inculcating Challenges for ManufacturersWith regulatory bodies such as OSHA, NIOSH and NFPA mandating industries employment of dust extraction systems, while conforming to certain standards, has entailed several challenges for the equipment manufacturers. The rating scale of Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV), set by the EPA in coordination with OSHA, has facilitated evaluating efficiency of filters equipped in the dust extraction system. However, modification of production methods to keep up with these standards, so that the equipment does not exceed emission levels set by OSHA and the EPA, has confined expansion of the dust extraction system market.As these standards & regulations directly address emission levels, pressure drops, and air usage of the dust extraction system, constant modification in manufacturing strategies has resulted as a consequence of frequent amendments in the standards. This has further entailed challenges for manufacturers to maintain competitive pricing, and improving sales, thereby posing significant impacts on growth of the dust extraction system market.Purchase this Report@About FactMRFactMR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFactMR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb:Follow Us on Linkedin: Telecom Cloud Billing Market Outlook 2018 by Top Player Analysis (Oracle, Huawei Technologies, Netcracker Technology, Cerillion Technologies, Redknee, CGI, Ericsson, Amdocs, AsiaInfo, Tech Mahindra) Global Telecom Cloud Billing Market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-telecom-cloud-billing-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-telecom-cloud-billing-market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-telecom-cloud-billing-market The report Describes by size, industry status, scope and Demand forecast, competition landscape and growth opportunity. This research report categorizes the Telecom Cloud Billing Market by companies, region, type and end-use industry.Telecom Cloud Billing Market Statistical Overview Report 2018 gives an outstanding tool for market Survey, openings, and vital key and strategic basic leadership. This report perceives that in this quickly advancing and competitive scenario by up-coming data on the basis of research execution and settled on basic choices for development and benefit. It gives data on Latest trends and advancements and sheds light on various sectors, limitations and advancements, and on the evolving structure of the market.Download Free PDF Sample Report atGlobal Telecom Cloud Billing Market, By Geography, Billing Type (Convergent, Prepaid, Postpaid, Interconnect, Roaming), Application (Revenue Management, Account Management, Customer Management), Cloud Platform (Software as A Service, Infrastructure as A Service), Deployment, Rate of Charging Mode, Service, End User- Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Telecom Cloud Billing Market Projected for USD 2.3 billion in 2016 growing at a CAGR of 26.5% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024. The upcoming market report contains data for historic year 2014, 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Table of Contents1. Introduction2. Market Segmentation3. Market Overview4. Executive Summary5. Premium Insights6. Global, By Component7. Product Type8. Delivery9. Industry Type10. Geography10.1. Overview10.2. North America10.3. Europe10.4. Asia-Pacific10.5. South America10.6. Middle East & Africa11. Company Landscape12. Company Profiles13. Related ReportsRequest for Detailed TOC:Some of the Major Players of the Global Telecom Cloud Billing Market are:- Oracle, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Netcracker Technology, Cerillion PLC, Redknee Inc., CGI Group Inc., Ericsson AB, AMDOCS, AsiaInfo Inc., Tech Mahindra Limited among others.Company Share Analysis: Global Telecom Cloud Billing MarketThe report for telecom cloud billing market include detailed vendor level analysis for market shares in 2016 for Global, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and South America specifically. Also impact and development analysis of key vendors is registered in the market and factored on the basis of Vendor Positioning Grid Analysis which measures the vendors strengths and opportunities against present market challenges, measure providers ability to identify or satisfy present market needs, map providers market vision to current and upcoming market dynamics among others. The report also measures technology life line curve and market time line to analyze and do more affective investments.To Avail 10% Discount On This Report Mail us at sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.comMajor Market Drivers: Lower Operational and Administration Cost Need for Real-Time Billing Increased Demand for Bundled Services Increasing Mobile PenetrationMarket Segmentation:The global telecom cloud billing market is Segmented on the Basis Of Billing into:- Convergent, Prepaid, Postpaid, Interconnect, Roaming and others.On the basis of Application, the global telecom cloud billing market is segmented into:- Revenue Management, Account Management and Customer Management.On the basis of Service, the global telecom cloud billing market is segmented into:- Professional And Managed.On the basis of End User, the global telecom cloud billing market is segmented into:- Individuals and Enterprises.On the basis of Deployment, the global telecom cloud billing market is segmented into:- Public, Private And Hybrid.Inquiry before buying atNote: If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-281Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com Increasing Prevalence Of Motion Sickness Is Expected To Drive Growth Of The Scopolamine Market https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1965 https://www.coherenttimes.org According to a survey by Buscopan IBS Relief in 2016, stress was the cause for seven out of ten patients suffering from gastrointestinal pain. Thus, increasing number of population suffering from stress and anxiety disorder are expected to fuel growth of the global scopolamine market.Use of scopolamine in Alzheimer's disease may prove useful as a diagnostic or staging test in the evaluation of the cholinergic system in dementia, which provides opportunities to the researchers to explore application of these drugs for other neurological disorders, which in turn is driving the market growth over the forecast period.Click To Continue Reading On Scopolamine MarketHowever, abuse of these drugs in various regions illegally, may restrict growth of the scopolamine market during the forecast period. For instance, this drug is more common and easily available in Colombia, where it is used to make victims carry out sexual assaults and robberies. Furthermore, online availability of this drugs at low cost, which are abuse by sexual predators and robbers frequently in the various European regions (in UK, scopolamine can be bought online for only US$ 12.8) might bring stringent regulations against the manufacturing and marketing of this drug in the near future which may affected growth of the scopolamine market.Scopolamine Market- Regional AnalysisScopolamine market is segmented into six major regions- North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa.Increasing consumption of unhealthy food leading to obesity and other stomach related infections act as one of the major factors driving growth of the scopolamine market in North America region. According to an article published in the Brandon Gaille, in 2017, junk food accounts for 28.8% of the total caloric intake of an average American. Consumption of unhealthy food in large quantity increases the risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome, which is acting as a driving factor for the global scopolamine market growth.The Asia Pacific region is estimated to witness significant growth in the scopolamine market, owing to presence of small and medium size companies, increased expenditure on healthcare, and growing medical tourism for surgeries as transdermal scopolamine has been used frequently during surgeries to recover from anesthesia induced vomiting and nausea.Get The Holistic SAMPLE With Research Methodology:About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr.ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email:sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website: Top Investment Pockets In Automatic Pill Dispenser Machine Market automatic pill dispenser machine market https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/4329 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/automatic-pill-dispenser-machine-market https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/4329 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Automatic pill dispenser machine market was valued at $1,755 million in 2016, and is projected to reach $3,023 million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 8% from 2017 to 2023. The centralized automated dispensing systems segment held more than four-fifths share of the total market in 2016.Centralized automated dispensing systems captured the largest share of the market in 2016 and is expected to maintain its dominance during the analysis period.Get sample copy for industry insight:Automatic pill dispenser machines are designed to dispense different pills independently according to the user-defined dose and time specifications. The automatic pill dispenser machine support to dispense correct medication and dose, for the patients with complex medication regime and with memory loss disorders.Segment Analysis:Based on the type, the centralized automated dispensing systems segment held the highest market share in 2016, owing to various benefits of the machines such as point-of-care availability, their capability to control storage & distribution, and maintain record of medicines.Based on application, the hospital pharmacy segment contributed the highest market share in 2016, owing to the increase in need of fast and accurate dispensing of medicines in the hospitals and pharmacy.Access full summary:Geographic Overview:North America accounted for more than half of the share in 2016, and is expected to dominate the market throughout the forecast period and is attributed to rise in expenditure to upgrade healthcare systems and growth in demand for technologically advanced devices for rapid & accurate distribution of medicines. In addition, lucrative growth opportunities in the economic emerging countries is anticipated to provide new growth opportunities for the key players in the market. However, Asia-Pacific is estimated to register the highest growth rate during the forecast period, owing to rise in government healthcare expenditure and growth in demand for healthcare devices from large pool of patient population, and improvement in healthcare infrastructure.Prominent Players:Major companies operating in this market adopt product launch as their key development strategy. Companies profiled in this market include, Baxter International Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, Cerner Corporation, Capsa Healthcare, McKesson Corporation, Omnicell Inc., ScriptPro LLC, Swisslog Holdings AG, Talyst, Inc., and Yuyama Co., Ltd.Other prominent players in the value chain include Illinois Tool Works, Pearson Medical Technologies, Accu-Chart Plus Healthcare System, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc., Meditech, Constellation Software Inc., and Optum Inc.Make purchase enquiry:Key Findings of the Automatic Pill Dispenser Machine Market: By type, the centralized automated dispensing system segment dominated the market in 2016, and is projected to grow at the highest CAGR. By application, the hospital pharmacy segment accounted for the highest share in 2016. The U.S. was the major shareholder in the North America cardiac surgical devices market in 2016. Asia-Pacific is expected to show the highest growth rate during the analysis period. China is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the Asia-Pacific market.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: Expansion of the Paper Packaging Materials Market is Forecasted to Reach at Very High Rate in the Coming Years https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/paper-packaging-material.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1591 www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ According to a recent market research report published by Transparency Market Research, the global paper packaging materials market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 4.4% during the period between 2013 and 2019. The report, titled Paper Packaging Materials Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 2019, projects the global paper packaging materials market to reach a valuation of US$344.4 bn by 2019. The overall market was worth US$254.8 bn in 2012. In terms of volume, the demand for paper packaging stood at 181.48 bn tons in 2012.View Report Preview:Paper packaging materials are witnessing high demand across the pharmaceutical, food and beverages, and cosmetics industries. Several materials such as cardboard, Kraft paper, recycled paper, and cartridge paper are used as paper packaging materials. The report points out that the growing demand for flexible packaging across the emerging BRIC markets will propel the growth of the global paper packaging materials market. Increasing awareness of ecological issues will further boost the demand for paper packaging materials. However, stringent regulations regarding deforestation are expected to restrain the market during the forecast period. The ban on lightweight plastic bags in several regions around the world will create new opportunities for the growth of the overall market in the coming years.On the basis of product type, the report categorizes the global paper packaging materials market into corrugated cases, liquid packaging cartons, cartons and folding boxes, and others. In 2012, liquid packaging cartons accounted for 40% of the market. The demand for corrugated cases is expected to increase by 2019. Due to the rising demand for decorative packaging, the cartons and folding boxes segment will also grow significantly.In terms of applications, the report segments the global paper packaging materials market into fresh foods, fast foods, beverages, dairy and bakery, frozen foods, and others. The demand for paper packaging materials from the fresh foods and beverages segments has been quite high.The report studies the paper packaging materials market across four key regions: Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. In 2012, Asia Pacific accounted for 35% of the market owing to rapid development of paper packaging. Europe and North America also witnessed strong demand for paper packaging materials the same year. During the forecast horizon, the Rest of the World market is expected to register significant growth.Request to view Sample Report:Describing the competitive hierarchy, the report profiles some of the key players operating in the global paper packaging materials market such as Georgia-Pacific Corporation, DS Smith PLC, Holmen AB, International Paper Company, Hood Packaging Corporation, OJI Holding Corporation, MeadWestvaco Corporation, Stora Enso Oyj, Smurfit Kappa Group Plc., and The Mayr-Melnhof Group. The report provides detailed information about the key players including their product portfolio, business strategy, financial overview, and recent developments. Through SWOT analysis, the report analyzes the various growth opportunities for the market players.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Air Compressor Market 2024 Top Players Sullair, Atlas Copco, Gardner Denver, Ingersoll-Rand, Kaeser Kompressoren, Rolair Systems, Doosan Portable Power, Sullivan-Palatek. Air Compressor Market https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/377 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/377 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/air-compressor-market https://www.gminsights.com/ Spanning the gigantic expanse of industrial sector, Air Compressor Market is on its way of becoming one of the fastest growing business spaces of recent times, given the widespread product deployment across food & beverage, electronics, oil & gas, and manufacturing domains. Oil Free Air Compressor Market size will surpass a revenue collection of USD 13 billion by 2023. Outstanding user amenability, reliability, portability, and minimum maintenance requirement are some of the strong grounds making oil free air compressor market a lucrative investment area for the business players.Sample copy of this Report @Oil-free air compressor industry is scoring a competitive edge with the modernization of air compression tools and introduction of specific processes which require exclusively air. Stringent mandatory roll outs implemented by governmental bodies with regards to sound pollution is somehow acting as a major hurdle in air compressor market growth, subject to the fact the operation of conventional air compressors involve high level noise.Company profiled in this report based on Business overview, Financial data, Product landscape, Strategic outlook & SWOT analysis:1. Atlas Copco2. Sullair, LLC3. Gardner Denver, Inc.4. Kaeser Kompressoren SE5. Ingersoll-Rand plc6. Rolair Systems7. Doosan Portable Power8. Hubei Teweite Power Technology Company Limited9. Elgi Compressors USA, Inc.10. Heyner UK Ltd.11. Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co Ltd12. Ciasons Industrial, Inc.13. Mat Holdings, Inc.14. Oasis Manufacturing15. Aerzener Maschinenfabrik GmbH (Aerzen)16. Quincy Compressor17. Vanair Manufacturing, Inc.18. VMAC Company (VMAC Global Technology, Inc.)19. Zen Air Tech Pvt. Ltd.20. AireTex Compressors LLC21. Bauer Compressors, Inc.22. Belaire Compressors23. Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.24. Frank TechnologiesMake an Inquiry for purchasing this Report @The debut of a breakthrough compressed air technology by Ingersoll Rand unrefutably adds up an extra feather to air compressor market growth. Ingersoll Rand, one of the leading names in air compressor industry is reported to unveil the advanced R-series oil flooded screw compressors (RS200 to RS250) and enriched CARE Suite service programs at ComVac 2017, Germany, this year. As claimed by the global leader, this next generation R-series compressors is almost 15% more energy competent when compared to conventional products. Speaking of CARE suit service, the company affirmed that by far it is the most comprehensive maintenance offering available in the market, with an improved reliability and cost competitiveness.The year 2016 has attained a profitable quotient for the overall industry, procuring a significant revenue of USD 35 billion and the trend is likely to continue with a projected market share of over USD 40 billion by 2024. One of the principal reasons why air compressor industry has gained an enviable popularity is the robust industrialization across APAC belt over the recent years. Macro-economic development along with increased disposable incomes across major economies like India, China, Japan has remarkably stimulated APAC automotive sector, another factor that has boosted air compressor market demand.However, the aggressive efforts by the industry players to come up with noise proof technologically advanced solutions is expected to combat the growth hurdles in the coming years. Some of the renowned names include Kaeser Kompressoren, Vanair, Atlas Copco, VMAC Company, AireTex Compressors, Zen Air, Belaire Compressors, Quincy Compressor, Ciasons Industrial, Sullivan-Palatek, Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems, and Oasis Manufacturing.Browse Report Summery @In fact, as per the reliable statistics, APAC automotive market is probably the fastest emerging business space, bearing a record of almost 51.5 million units automotive sales in 2016. In addition, this region is a profound investment destination for various European auto makers who have already initiated establishment of capitally intensive manufacturing units in Asia Pacific belt. Air compressor industry is essentially defined as a business arena which is closely linked with automotive sector proliferation, subject to the fact that air compressors find extensive application in vehicle air conditioning system, air breaks, and engines. Statistics further affirming the correlation- Asia Pacific covered almost 50% of the overall air compressor industry share in 2016.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb: With three buildings spanning different architectural periods and housing an important collection of American art, the Hunter Museum commands quite a physical presence on the bluff overlooking the Tennessee River and, since its 1952 founding, has played a critical role in Chattanoogas cultural life, said officials. The physical development of the Hunter Museum, from the 1905 mansion owned by George Thomas Hunter to the 1975 and 2005 additions, reflects international architectural and building trends, mirrors decades of change in Chattanooga itself, and has kept pace with the museums growing collection, which some might say includes the buildings themselves. The museums newest exhibition, Evolution of a Museum, delves into the legacy of George Thomas Hunter, the architecture of its three buildings, and the growth of the Hunter as an institution. Evolution of a Museum opens Friday. In addition to the Evolution of a Museum exhibition, Hunter curators have dedicated a space to the Hunters founding patron and namesake, George Thomas Hunter. Located on the top floor of the mansion (Mr. Hunters former home), this mini-exhibit, The Legacy of George Thomas Hunter, details Mr. Hunters life, his role in the creation of the museum, and how his philanthropic efforts still impact the Chattanooga community today. The Hunter is such an iconic presence in Chattanooga, said Executive Director Virginia Anne Sharber. Evolution of a Museum and Mr. Hunters room pay tribute both to the museums roots and to the vision of community leaders over the decades who have supported the growth of this wonderful institution. We hope the exhibit will provide some 'a-ha!' moments for locals as well as give visitors to Chattanooga a better understanding of how the museum has grown along with the city through the years. Evolution of a Museum is supported by See Rock City, Inc. mHealth Solutions Market Globally Grow at a CAGR of 28.3% by 2025 - Airstrip Techn, Alivecor, Apple, AT&T, Athenahealth, Biotelemetry, Cerner, Cisco mHealth Solutions Market https://www.businessindustryreports.com/sample-request/103339 https://www.businessindustryreports.com/buy-now/103339/single https://www.businessindustryreports.com/check-discount/103339 Global mHealth Solutions Market 2018 - 2025 report provides the newest industry data and industry future trends, allowing you to identify the products and end users driving Revenue growth and profitability. The industry report lists the leading competitors and provides the insights strategic industry Analysis of the key factors influencing the market.Global mHealth Solutions Market Overview:The report spread across 120 pages is an overview of the Global mHealth Solutions Market 2018 - 2025. The Global MHealth Solutions Market is projected to grow at a healthy growth rate from 2018 to 2025 according to new research. The study focuses on market trends, leading players, supply chain trends, technological innovations, key developments, and future strategies.Available Exclusive Sample Copy of this Report @Global mHealth Solutions market was valued approximately USD 21.5 billion in 2016, is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 28.3% during forecasted period (2018 - 2025). The market growth is attributed to the shifting paradigm of healthcare industry towards personalized care. Moreover the increasing penetration of internet and smart phones are expected to serve as the primary support drivers.On the basis of Products, the global m Health Solution Market is dominated by connected medical device. The Healthcare industry is moving positively ahead to leverage the growing opportunities with Healthcare IT. Moreover, the rising demand for remote patient monitoring are fuelling the growth in connected medical devices. Among various mHealth Services, remote monitoring services contributes to major revenue share. The market growth can be attributed to rising medical tourism and technological advancement in healthcare IT.In 2016, the market is dominated by North America region with a revenue share of approximately 38%.The region has witnessed huge penetration of smart phones, superior healthcare infrastructure and higher awareness levels. However, over the forecast period Asia Pacific is expected to witness huge growth. The growth in Asian market is primarily driven by development of healthcare infrastructure and rising medical tourism in developing countries such as China and India. Rising geriatric population and various government norms supporting the development healthcare industry in the region is also fuelling the market growth over the forecast period.Purchase this report online with 120 Pages, List of Tables & Figures and in-depth Table of Contents on Global mHealth Solutions Market 2018 - 2025 @Major Key Players:1 Airstrip Technologies2 Alivecor, Inc.3 Apple Inc.4 AT&T, Inc.5 Athenahealth, Inc.6 Biotelemetry, Inc.7 Cerner Corporation8 Cisco Systems, Inc. and More..Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers:1 North America2 Europe3 Asia Pacific4 Rest of the WorldGrab Your Report at an Impressive Discount @This study answers to the below key questions:1 What will the market size be in 2025 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 MHealth Solutions Market.Major Points in Table of Contents:Global MHealth Solutions Market Report 20181 Research Methodology2 Global mHealth Solutions Market Definition & scope3 Executive Summary4 Global mHealth Solutions Market Dynamics5 Global mHealth Solutions Market by Product & Services6 Global mHealth Solutions Market, Regional Analysis7 Competitive IntelligenceAbout usBusinessindustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Industry ReportsPune Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940 Immunoassay Reagents and Devices Market Segment 2018-2025 By Key Competitors: Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc., bioMerieux SA, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Abbott Laboratories, Inc., Beckman Coulter, Inc., Siemens AG; Immunoassay Reagents and Devices Market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-immunoassay-reagents-and-devices-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-immunoassay-reagents-and-devices-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-immunoassay-reagents-and-devices-market/ Global Immunoassay Reagents and Devices Market 2018 report includes Immunoassay Reagents and Devices Market Revenue, Market Share, Industry volume, Market Trends, Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Immunoassay Reagents and Devices Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2025.Get Free sample Report@Immunoassay Reagents and Devices Market accounted to USD 16.25 billion in 2016 growing at a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Some of the major players operating in immunoassay reagents and devices market:- Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc., bioMerieux SA, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Abbott Laboratories, Inc., Beckman Coulter, Inc., Siemens AG;Competitive Analysis: Immunoassay Reagents and Devices MarketImmunoassay reagents and devices market is highly fragmented and is based on new product launches and clinical results of products. Hence the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, clinical trials, market initiatives, high expense on research and development, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of immunoassay reagents and devices market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and South America.Customization With Discount Available On This Report @Major Market Drivers and Restraints: Increasing use of immunoassay tests in cancer, infectious disease testing among others Extensive use of immunoassays in oncology Rapid analysis Technological advancementsMarket Segmentation: Immunoassay Reagents and Devices MarketBy product type the immunoassay reagents and devices market is segmented into reagents, analyzers, software and services.On the basis of technique the immunoassay reagents and devices market is segmented into enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Radioimmunoassay (RIA), chemiluminescence immunoassays (CLIA) and others.On the basis of application the market is segmented infectious diseases, endocrinology, cardiology, oncology and others.On the basis of end user the market is segmented into hospitals, labs, biotechnology industry, pharmaceutical industry and others.On the basis of geography, immunoassay reagents and devices market report covers data points for 28 countries across multiple geographies such as North America & South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Some of the major countries covered in this report are U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, andBrazil among others. In 2017, North America is expected to dominate the market.Key questions answered in the report: What will the market growth rate of Immunoassay Reagents and Devices Market in 2025? What are the key factors driving the Global Immunoassay Reagents and Devices Market? Who are the key manufacturers in Immunoassay Reagents and Devices Market space? What are the market opportunities, market risk and market overview of the Immunoassay Reagents and Devices Market? What are sales, revenue, and price analysis of top manufacturers of Immunoassay Reagents and Devices Who are the distributors, traders and dealers of Immunoassay Reagents and Devices Market? What are the Core Materials Market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the Immunoassay Reagents and Devices industry? What are sales, revenue, and price analysis by types and applications Immunoassay Reagents and Devices Market? What are sales, revenue, and price analysis by regions of Immunoassay Reagents and Devices industry?Read More About This Report@Note: If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-281Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com Nurse Call Systems Market 2023 Top Key Players are Communication Systems Pty Ltd., Honeywell International, Inc., Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., Ascom Holding AG, Tyco International PLC, CSINC and others Nurse Call Systems Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5631 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/5631 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/5631 Namely Nurse Call Systems Market Report has Been Published by Market Research Future Which Covers All the Geographical Locations with Demand, Trend Analysis with near about Forecasted results and Also Covers the Market Expectations.Market Scenario:Nurse call systems are designed to alert the nurses in case of medical emergency or need for care. These systems are even used to track a patient especially in assisted living or old age centres or are used to give an indication of an event probable in case of ambulatory services.The drivers of the global nurse call system market are the growing complexity of hospital operations, growing assisted living centres and the concurrent growth in elderly and chronic sick population and others. Technological developments such as advanced coverage of network, growing connectivity, falling cost of devices, negligible cost of scalability of communication in case of expansion and others.The market constraints of the global nurse call system market are high installation and maintenance costs, concerns of privacy and information due to open nature of the network, lack of awareness and others.Market players of Global Nurse Call System Industry:Market players of global nurse call system industry are Austco Communication Systems Pty Ltd., Honeywell International, Inc., Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., Ascom Holding AG, Tyco International PLC, CSINC and others.Get PDF Sample Copy @Latest Market Trends:Wired systems will make way for wireless systems, a trend that is prevalent in all fields of communication technology.Smart wearables are expected to trump manual systems. The developments in automated sensor technology, internet of things and machine learning and others is expected to be the next wave of products.Major Segments:To generate a birds view, the global nurse call system market is segmented on the basis of instrument, technology, applications and end users.Based on the type, the market has been segmented as basic buttons alert systems, audio/visual nurse call systems, integrated communication systems, mobile systems, others.On the basis of technology the market has been segmented as wired systems and wireless systems), application (medical emergency, alarms, workflow management and others.On the basis of application the market has been classified as medical emergency, alarms, workflow management and others.On the basis of end user the market has been classified as hospitals and clinics, assisted living centers, ambulatory, and other.Get Discount@Regional Analysis:To generate an accurate representation of the differential demand of the market, the report has been segmented into regions of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East and Africa.North America commands the largest market share due to the presence of well-developed economies of U.S. and Canada. The faster uptake of new technology, presence of large hospitals and high per capita income of the U.S. makes it a dominating force in the global nurse call system market.Asia Pacific region is anticipated to generate the fastest CAGR growth during the forecast period of 2017-2023 led by Japan, china and India.The Middle East & African region, is expected to generate moderate growth due to poor social and economic reasons especially in Africa. However the Gulf economies are expected to generate strong spurts of growth due to the faster expansion of healthcare in the region.Table of Contents:Chapter 1. Report PrologueChapter 2. Market Introduction2.1 Definition2.2 Scope of the Study2.2.1 Research Objective2.2.2 Assumptions2.2.3 LimitationsChapter 3. Research Methodology3.1 Introduction3.2 Primary Research3.3 Secondary Research3.4 Market Size EstimationChapter 4. Market Dynamics4.1 Drivers4.2 Restraints4.3 Opportunities4.4 Challenges4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators4.6 Technology Trends & AssessmentContinued!Reports Enquiry @Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com DevOps Platform 2018 Market Segmentation,Application,Technology & Market Analysis Research Report to 2020 DevOps Platform Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/417248-global-devops-platform-market-2016-2020 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/417248-global-devops-platform-market-2016-2020 WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On DevOps Platform 2018 Market Segmentation,Application,Technology & Market Analysis Research Report to 2020.Description:-The analysts forecast the global DevOps platform market to grow at a CAGR of 19.42% during the period 2016-2020.DevOps is an emerging trend in the IT market, which is gaining popularity at a rapid pace. DevOps technology combines software development and operational processes to manage end-to-end systems development lifecycle (SDLC). Organizations are embracing DevOps solutions to innovate their software delivery supply chain processes. DevOps tools are becoming more popular because they provide a holistic IT environment for the automation of software development processes. DevOps works on the principle of collaborative work management systems by combining people, processes, and technology. It is certainly more than a technology and methodology for software developers, as DevOps solutions not only connect development processes and operational processes but also add value at every stage of the supply chain management of software products.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comCovered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global DevOps platform market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from DevOps platform solution and tools offered by vendors in the market.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography: Americas APAC EMEAThe report, Global DevOps Platform Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors CA Technologies IBM Corp. Puppet Inc. Rackspace Inc. Red Hat Inc.Other prominent vendors CFEngine Chef Cisco Clarive CollabNet DBmaestro Dell Docker HP Inedo Infosys Microsoft SaltStack VersionOne VMwareMarket driver Requirement for standardized platform for continuous delivery of software For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge Technical glitches during DevOps application deployment For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend Shift toward PaaS For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this report What will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be? What are the key market trends? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Complete Report Details @Table Of Contents Major Key PointsPART 01: Executive summary HighlightsPART 02: Scope of the report Market overview Top-vendor offeringsPART 03: Market research methodology Research methodology Economic indicatorsPART 04: Introduction Key market highlightsPART 05: Market landscape Market overview Market size and forecast Five forces analysisPART 06: Market segmentation by end-user Global DevOps platform market by end-userPART 07: Geographical segmentation Global DevOps platform market by geographyPART 08: Market driversPART 09: Impact of driversPART 10: Market challengesPART 11: Impact of drivers and challengesPART 12: Market trendsContinuedFor more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028. Internet Of Thing IOT Node and Gateway Market 2018 Major Product by Top Key Players: Beep Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Dell Inc., Estimote Inc., Eurotech S.P.A, Helium Systems Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. Internet Of Thing IOT Node and Gateway Market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-iot-node-gateway-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/speak-to-analyst/?dbmr=global-iot-node-gateway-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-iot-node-gateway-market/ Global Internet Of Thing IOT Node and Gateway Market study with depth analysis, describing about the Internet Of Thing IOT Node and Gateway Demand and explain market outlook and status to 2025. 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: Beep Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Dell Inc., Estimote Inc., Eurotech S.P.A, Helium Systems Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd., Intel Corporation, Microchip Technology Inc., NXP Semiconductors N.V., Nexcom International Co.,Get Free sample Report@Global Internet Of Thing IOT Node and Gateway Market accounted to USD 3.5 billion in 2016growing at a CAGR of 31.0% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Some of the major players operating in IOT node and gateway market are: Aaeon Technology Inc., Adlink Technology Inc., Advantech Co., Ltd., Beep Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Dell Inc., Estimote Inc., Eurotech S.P.A, Helium Systems Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd., Intel Corporation, Microchip Technology Inc., NXP Semiconductors N.V., Nexcom International Co., Ltd., Notion, Samsara Networks Inc., Stmicroelectronics N.V., TE Connectivity Ltd., Texas Instruments Incorporated.In 2017, NXP Semiconductor N.V., partners with Amazon Web service to successfully complete the integration of Amazon Greengrass on its Layerscape Intelligent Gateway platform.IOT Node and Gateway Market Competitive Analysis:IOT Node and Gateway Market are highly fragmented and is based on new product launches and clinical results of products. Hence the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, clinical trials, market initiatives, high expense on research and development, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of flow cytometry market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and South America.Major Market Drivers and Restraints: Availability of Internet Connectivity Growth in use of wireless sensors Increased IP address space and better security solution through IPV6 Growing Market of Connected Devices Concerns regarding the security and privacy of the user dataHave any special requirements about Report, let us know and we will offer you@IOT Node and Gateway Market Segmentation:On the basis of hardware the IOT node and gateway market is segmented into Processor, Sensors, Connectivity IC, Memory Devices, and Logic Devices. The memory devices market is expected to grow in the forecasted period.On the basis of application the IOT node and gateway market is segmented into Wearable Devices, Healthcare, Automotive & Transportation, Building Automation, Industrial, Consumer Electronics, Retail, Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI, Oil & Gas, Agriculture, Aerospace and Defense, Others. The Oil & Gas market is expected to grow in the forecasted period.On the basis of geography, IOT node and gateway market report covers data points for 28 countries across multiple geographies such as North America & South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Some of the major countries covered in this report are U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Brazil among others. In 2017, North America is expected to dominate the market.Key questions answered in the report: What will the market growth rate of Needles Market in 2025? What are the key factors driving the Global Needles Market? Who are the key manufacturers in Needles Market space? What are the market opportunities, market risk and market overview of the Needles Market? What are sales, revenue, and price analysis of top manufacturers of Needles Market? Who are the distributors, traders and dealers of Needles Market? What are the Core Materials Market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the Needles Market industry? What are sales, revenue, and price analysis by types and applications of Needles Market? What are sales, revenue, and price analysis by regions of Needles industry?Read More About This Report@About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-281Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com Medical Implants Sterile Packaging Market Trends Estimates High Demand by 2024 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/995 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/995 https://www.coherenttimes.org Medical Implants are devices that are sited inside or on the surface of the body and are being used in every organ of the human body. According to Food and Drug Administration (FDA), medical implants are classified into three different classes, such as class I, class II, and Class III depending on the risk the medical device may impose on the user. However, risk associated with implants is complications during placement or removal of the implant. Once a medical device has been designed, tested, and approved it needs to be delivered in sterile conditions. Sterile packaging plays an essential role in packaging the devices, which protect the device from the physical damage and contamination. Packaging for these devices must serve two purposes, such as creating the sterile barrier for the device and protecting the functionality of device. Sterile packaging market has shown tremendous growth in recent years due to its several advantages. It allows penetration of the chosen sterilant, maintains the sterility of the package contents until it is open, and it can be opened aseptically without contaminating the contents.The global medical implants sterile packaging market is estimated to be valued at US$ 1,719.5 Million in 2017 and is expected to witness a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period (2017 2025).Reuqest For Sample Copy:The innovative Fortis packaging launched by Amcor is expected to propel the market growth.The major players in medical implants sterile packaging market are Beacon, SteriPack, Wipak, Oliver- Tolas, Rexam, Oracle Packaging, Riverside Medical Packaging, West Pharmaceutical Services, Amcor, Rollprint Packaging Products, and Sealed Air Corporation. The key players are focusing on strategic mergers and acquisition and development of innovative packaging systems. For instance, Amcor has launched an innovative packaging technology in 2016, known as Fortis sterile breather bag (an uncoated Tyvek header bag), which delivers strength, sustainability, and tear resistance to hold sharp, heavy, and bulky packs in contrast to conventional header bags. Fortis header bags opening allows aseptic removal of contents easier thereby, reduces the risk of contamination to the sterile field.Ask For Customisation:About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr.ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email:sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website: New Study Focusing on Smart City Communication Networks Consumption market 2022: Technological Advancements, Innovative Trends, New Ideas, Strategies https://www.researchnreports.com/request_sample.php?id=6706 https://www.researchnreports.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=6706 https://www.researchnreports.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=6706 The communication networks that connect the sensors, controllers, cameras, and other hardware infrastructure capturing valuable data from the city environment are a fundamental building block of the smart city"Global Smart City Communication Networks market size, situation and forecast 2025" is the latest report added to the large report database. The purpose of this report is to gather important market data and provide readers with insight into global market trends and opportunities. This report classifies the market in detail, suppresses market growth and provides complete insight into facets responsible for augmentation. A survey report on the global market also inspects indicators in markets that are essential to representing market revenue forecasts over a given forecast period.Get Sample copy of this Report:The report subdivides the global Smart City Communication Networks market based on first class ethics and studies each subdivided subdivision in a summarized way. Enlightening the top sector, slow-growing sectors, and resilient sectors is essential for those seeking investment in the global Smart City Communication Networks market.Readers can profit from now and keep a strong position on the market later, so you can make wise decisions in point-by-point, including benefits in this market.Get Discount on this Premium Report :Regionally, the Smart City Communication Networks market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Among these areas, the Asia Pacific region dominated the market in terms of profitability. The development of construction activities in India, China, Japan, etc., one of the world's largest consumer bases, encouraged the expansion of the market in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, the increase in the disposable income of consumers in this region and the increase in vehicle production in the countries mentioned above is convenient for the Asia-Pacific marketGet more information:We investigated market competition situation based on market share analysis of major players. Detailed market data on these factors is estimated to help vendors strengthen their market position and make strategic decisions to acquire more effective and large stocks at global Smart City Communication Networks market. In this survey, prices and cost analysis of key players' products and services are also being conductedThis report examines the world Smart City Communication Networks market and analyzes and investigates development situation and estimates in North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America. Key players are confronted with major difficulties and limitations of the market, which is expected to be an impediment to the growth of the global market.Table of ContentsGlobal Smart City Communication Networks Market Research ReportChapter 1 Smart City Communication Networks Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3 Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Global Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Global Smart City Communication Networks Market ForecastAbout us:We provide global consulting that can transform businesses and give you an experience of innovative solutions and outcomes.Research N Reports helps clients harness the power of innovation to thrive on change. We have successfully guided businesses throughout the world with our market research reports. We are uniquely positioned to lead digital transformations, thus creating greater value for clients by presenting growth opportunities in the global market.Our profound experience provides a clear and confident vision to help clients navigate the future. Research N Reports techniques encompasses both qualitative and quantitative modes to provide customized and highly flexible tailored research studies so that you get information that is just the best-fit to make informed strategic organizational decisions. Research N Reports helps clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative.Contact us:Sunny DenisU.S. Address10916, Gold Point, Dr,Houston, TX - 77064E-mail:sales@researchnreports.comPhone:+1 888-631-6977 Rapid growth in Cloud Accounting Software market 2018-2025| QuickBooks, Microsoft, SAP, Google, Dropbox, Carbonite, Fresh Books https://www.researchnreports.com/request_sample.php?id=77158 https://www.researchnreports.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=77158 https://www.researchnreports.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=77158 Cloud Accounting Software marketThe accounting software market will have a global value of $11.8 billion by 2026, according to new market research, at an expansion rate of 8.6 percent per year starting from 2018. Unsurprisingly, North America is the largest contributor to this growth in terms of revenue, according to 2017 numbers, and this is mainly due to the integration of accounting software with mobile devices and movement to the cloud. The market was valued at $5.7 billion last year. The report, titled Global Cloud Accounting Software Market, is an expert effort for a savoir-faire of the growth of the market in the future next. This report emphases on the global market and answers many of the critical questions, which an involved or potential shareholder of this market may have. Questions like, which regions in the world will face a major challenge and regions contributing the maximum to the global market. Information concerning the present size of each of the regional markets along with their predicted size by the end of the estimated period is also given.For Sample duplicate of this report:This report studies the global Cloud Accounting Software market, analyzes and researches the Cloud Accounting Software development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia.This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeQuickBooksMicrosoftSAPGoogleDropboxCarboniteFreshBooksApptivoQuickenAvail discount on this report:Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaFor more enquiry:Market segment by Type, Cloud Accounting Software can be split intoEntry-Level AccountingSmall to Medium Business AccountingEnterprise AccountingMarket segment by Application, Cloud Accounting Software can be split intoProduction EnterpriseService-Oriented BusinessesNonprofit OrganizationsIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table Of ContentChapter 1 Cloud Accounting Software Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3 Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Global Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Global Cloud Accounting Software Market ForecastResearch N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.(Research N Reports)10916, Gold Point Dr, Houston, TX, Pin - 77064,Sunny Denis(Sales Manager),+1-8886316977,sales@researchnreports.com Biofuels Enzyme Market Poised to Grow Substantially Owing to Rising Government Initiatives Encouraging Use of Eco-friendly Fuels https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/biofuel-enzymes-market.htm https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=348 www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Transparency Market Research recently published a research study based on the global biofuel enzymes market. The publication presents an executive-level blueprint of the market discussing in detail factors triggering the growth of the market together with analyzing the factors likely to inhibit the market. The report is titled Biofuel Enzymes Market Global Industry Size, Market Share, Trends, Analysis And Forecast, 2012 2018. It collates market data obtained from several industrial sources with the help of tools such as Porters five forces analysis.View Report Preview:According to the findings of the report, the global biofuel market is likely to grow at a healthy CAGR of 7.6% between 2013 and 2018. After thorough research, the report predicts that the bio-fuels enzymes market, which was worth US$1021.9 million in 2011, will reach US$1,653.1 million by the end of 2018. North America presently dominates the market, however, over the forecast period Asia Pacific is expected to emerge as the most lucrative market for biofuel enzymes.Expansion of the end-use markets has significantly contributed to the increase in the consumption of bio-based ethanol and biodiesel. In addition, high degree of awareness pertaining to sustainability issues and changing economics of fossil fuels have forced governments to intervene in order to curb the unbridled use of hazardous and environmentally harmful fossil fuels. Therefore, according to the report, environmental legislations imposed by governments will remain the primary growth driver of the biofuel enzymes market. On the basis of product types, the report segments the biofuel enzymes market into industrial lipases, amylases, and others. Amylase has emerged as the fastest growing segment of the market owing to its high resistant power, which enables it to withstand a wide range of temperature and pH level (acidity) variations. The publication predicts a compound annual growth rate of 8% for amylases between 2013 and 2018. The market for amylases can be further subdivided into industrial proteases, enzymes, and cellulose. The market for industrial proteases is expected to boast an 8.7% CAGR during the forecast period.Of the major geographical segments, North America leads the global market for biofuel enzymes with an expected 7.8% CAGR from 2013 to 2018. However, in the foreseeable future, Europe and Asia Pacific are projected to witness robust growth in terms of demand for biofuel enzymes. The European Union has enhanced its efforts to encourage the use of bioenergy for transportation, which is the primary factor driving the demand for biofuel enzymes in the region. Meanwhile, low-cost structure of the biofuel enzyme market in China is expected to boost the biofuels enzyme market in Asia Pacific.Request to view Sample Report:In order to present a detailed competitive analysis of the market, the report profiles leading players such as NextCAT Inc, Verenium Corporation, AB Enzymes GmbH, Noor Creations, Logen Corporation, Royal DSM NV, Du Pont de Nemours & Co., Novozymes A/S, Codexis Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reportsContact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Fat Replacers Market 2018 Top Companies are Cargill, ADM, Kerry Group, FMC Corporation, Du Pont, Ingredion, Koninklijke DSM, Ashland Inc., CP Kelco, Tate & Lyle, Corbion, Fiberstar, Inc Fat Replacers Market Industry Trends and Forecast to 2025 http://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-fat-replacers-market https://databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-fat-replacers-market Global Fat Replacers Market analyses the current industry situations on a large scale to provide the Fat Replacers Market developments, market size and progress estimates. The main element details related to Fat Replacers Market essential market segments, opportunities and Fat Replacers Market constraints are presented in this report. Further, this report lists the product definition, applications, Fat Replacers Market scope, and major product manufacturing regions.The Global Fat Replacers Market is expected to reach USD 2.41 billion by 2025, from USD 1.49 billion in 2017, growing at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period of 2018 to 2025. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2015 & 2016, the base year of calculation is 2017 and the forecast period is 2018 to 2025.Request for a Free Sample Copy of this Report@Global Fat Replacers Market By Type (Carbohydrate-Based, Protein-Based, Lipid-Based), By Application (Bakery & Confectionery Products, Dairy & Frozen Desserts, Convenience Foods & Beverages, Sauces, Dressings, and Spreads and Others), By Form (Powder and Liquid), By Source (Plant and Animal), By Geography (North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2025Top Competitors of Market:Cargill,ADM,Kerry Group,FMC Corporation,Du Pont,Ingredion,Koninklijke DSM,Ashland Inc.,CP Kelco,Tate & Lyle,Corbion,Fiberstar, Inc.,Pfizer Inc.,IOC Group,Unilever Inc.,Mitsubishi Kaizen Food Corp., and Andeavor,Ashland Global Holdings,Archer Daniels Midland Company,Ulrick & Short and CP Kelco,DKS Co, Agritech Worldwide,Solvaira Specialties,Beneo GmbH,Nestle,Frito-Lay,P&G Food Ingredients,Del Monte Foods,ConAgra Foods,Levapan SA,RS Flavour Ingredients,Rettenmaier& SohneKraft Foodsmany more.To Avail 10% Discount On This Report Mail Us on :-sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.comCompetitive Analysis:The Global Fat Replacers Market is highly fragmented and the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, expansions, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of fat replacers market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and South America.Market Segmentation:The global fat replacers market is segmented based on type, application, form, source, and geographical segments.Based on type:- Carbohydrate-based, protein-based, and lipid-based. The carbohydrate-based is sub segmented into cellulose, gum, starch and others. The protein-based is sub segmented into milk protein, egg protein, soy protein, whey protein, and others. The lipid-based is further sub segmented into olestra, and others.On the basis of application:- Aroma chemicals, synthetic aroma chemicals, flavour blends, natural aroma chemicals, and fragrance blends.On the basis of technology:- Bakery & confectionery products, dairy & frozen desserts, convenience foods & beverages, sauces, dressings, and spreads and others.On the basis of form:- Powder and liquid.On the basis of source:- Plant and animal.On the basis of geography:- North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Brazil among others.In 2017, North America is expected to dominate the market.Market Drivers and Restraints:Increasing awareness about health & wellnessIncreasing prevalence of obesityCompliance with the international quality standards and regulations for food ingredientsInquire Regarding This Report@About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com World Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Market Trends, Growth, Type and Application, Manufacturers, Regions And Top Global Industry Key Players IMDC, A2SEA, MPI-Offshore, Seajacks, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier and Other Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel https://www.researchnreports.com/request_sample.php?id=203942 https://www.researchnreports.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=203942 https://www.researchnreports.com/machinery-equipment/Global-Offshore-Wind-Turbine-Installation-Vessel-Industry-Market-Analysis--Forecast-2018-2023-203942 www.researchnreports.com The authors have provided the important definitions and specifications of the Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Industry market right at the beginning of the report. This has been followed by a professional study of different classifications and applications deemed vital for players operating in the market. In the next chapter, the report has presented a comprehensive analysis of the driving factors, interview prices, and sales of the market in terms of type. A similar set of analysis has been offered on the part of applications, except the sales factor is replaced by consumption.Request a Sample of this premium Research Report@A majority of players in the Global Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Industry are focusing towards product differentiation in order to stay ahead. Several key players are collaborating and partnering as go-to strategies to maintain their position in the market. Besides this, players are also banking on unconventional production technologies, which is projected to unfold immense opportunities for market growth. With the demand for the market products following a healthy growth trajectory, the competitive rivalry in the market is likely to intensify in the near future.The Major players reported in the market include:IMDCA2SEAMPI-OffshoreSeajacksFred. Olsen WindcarrierGeoseaVan OordJack-Up BargeAnd OthersTo Avail 30% Discount On This Report:Reasons for Buying this ReportThis report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamicsIt provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growthIt provides a six-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to growIt helps in understanding the key product segments and their futureIt provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitorsIt helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsDownload PDF of this Business Report @About Research N Reports:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently, we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact us:Sunny Denis(Sales Manager),(Research N Reports)10916, Gold Point Dr, Houston, TX, Pin - 77064,+1-8886316977,sales@researchnreports.com , Textural Food Ingredients Market healthy pace throughout 2027 https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114829/Textural-Food-Ingredients-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114829/Textural-Food-Ingredients-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/ Texture food ingredients are used to modify food texture. Texture and flavor play crucial role in bakery and confectionery, condiments, dairy products, sauces and dressing. Increasing consumer preference towards different types of textures for instance crispy, pulpy, creamy, crunchy, gelled and many more is projected to define the global market for food manufactures and texture food ingredients. Food regulatory body is highly focused to launch various types of food ingredient that will attract the consumers eye and also thumping the global textural food ingredients market by the end of 2027.In developing country consumers are highly shifted towards textural food ingredient which will contain substantial protein and other vitamins which will also beneficial for health, such as In India and China many middle class people are highly consume light food or beverage which is required textural food ingredients for increase the taste as well as texture.Request Report Discount:Global Textural Food Ingredients Market Segmentation:Global Textural Food Ingredients Market can be segmented on the basis of Type:HydrocolloidsEmulsifiersStarch and DerivativesOthersGlobal Textural Food Ingredients Market can be segmented on the basis of Functionality:Thickening AgentGelling AgentEmulsifyingOthersGlobal Textural Food Ingredients Market can be segmented on the basis of Application:Bakery and ConfectioneryBiscuitsCakes and PastriesBreadsBreakfast CerealsChocolates and SweetsOthersDairy Products and Frozen FoodInfant Milk ProductsIce-creamButterDrinking Milk ProductsYogurtCheeseOthersBeveragesDairy AlternativesAlcoholic BeveragesCoffee and TeaSoft DrinksOthersSnacks and SavoryExtruded SnacksPotato chipsOthersSauces, Dressings, and CondimentsPet FoodMeat and Poultry ProductsTextural Food Ingredients Market: DynamicsIncreasing demand for healthy food ingredient with flavored textured is projected to hike the demand of textural food ingredient over the forecast period. The developing economies in the Asia pacific excluding Japan coupled with shifting consumer patterns is anticipated to contribute significant growth during the slated time period.Food regulatory body is investing significant money in research and development in order to produce innovative textural food ingredient which will also be benefits for consumer.Textural Food Ingredients Market: Regional OutlookNorth America is projected to be dominating in the global textural food ingredient market and account for holding 30% value share in the global market. In U.S. and Canada consumer are highly showing their interest towards textural food. This is followed by Western Europe at about 27% share. Germany. Italy, Spain and others European country is investing Hefty money in research and development related to food texture. This has led to massive innovation in food products manufacturing, with texture playing crucial role in defining the quality of the food products being offered on store shelves. On the emphasis of the growth Asia Pacific region is projected to grow with 6.1% CAGR and account to hold 24% value share in the global market. However, North America is anticipated to at leading position in the global market, with an estimated market value of US$ 3,253.7 Mn by 2017 end that will rise to US$ 5,284.3 Mn and exhibiting at CAGR of 4.9% by the end of the forecast period. Western Europe is also witnessed a rate of 5.3% and valued at 4,833.3 Mn by the end of 2027. Asia Pacific excluding Japan region is projected to gain 152 BPS point by the end of 2027.Report For Report Sample:Textural Food Ingredients Market: Key PlayersThe key players for the global Textural Food Ingredients Market are following:Kerry Group Plc.Tate & Lyle PLCArcher Daniels Midland CompanyAjinomoto Co., Inc.Ingredients Inc.Naturex SAIngredion IncorporatedFoodchem International CorporationAshland Global Holdings Inc.Lonza Group Ltd.Cargill, Incorporated.Dohler GmbHSensient Technologies CorporationKoninklijke DSM N.V.CHS Inc.P. KelcoFMC CorporationI. du Pont de Nemours and CompanySymrise AGFurest Day Lawson Holdings LimitedAbout Us:Research Report Insights (RRI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver a host of services including custom research reports, syndicated research reports, and consulting services which are personalised in nature. RRI delivers a complete packaged solution to clients; this combines current market intelligence, technology inputs, statistical anecdotes, valuable growth insights, 360-degree view of the competitive framework, and anticipated market trends.Contact Us:Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website:Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com Bottle Blowing Machine Market: Projection of Each Major Segment over the Forecast Period https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/bottle-blowing-machine-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=9293 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/9293 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com http://www.techyounme.com/ The global bottle blowing machine market was valued at US$ 1.907 Bn in 2016 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 3.0%, during 2017-2025. The global market volume for bottle blowing machine is expected to expand 1.2x during the forecast period. Transparency Market Research, in its recently published report titled, Bottle Blowing Machine Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2017-2025, has segmented the global bottle blowing machine market by machine type, product type, end use industry, and geographic region.Injection blowing machine leads by technology typeOn the basis of technology type, the global bottle blowing machine market is segmented into extrusion blowing machine, injection blowing machine, and injection stretch blowing machine. Injection blowing machine segment accounted for the largest market share of 43% in 2016 among the technology type segment, owing to widespread adoption of the injection blowing technology in developed countries.Preview Report @Injection stretch blowing technology, which is specifically used in production of PET bottles, it represents a passively growing segment. This segment is expected to witness a sluggish CAGR of 3.4% during 2017-2025. Extrusion blowing technology segment covered over 27% market share in 2017 and will reportedly expand at a declining CAGR of 2.5% over the forecast period.Based on machine type, the global bottle blowing machine market is classified as automatic and semi-automatic machine. Automatic machine segment, CAGR of 3.2 % during 2017-2025. On flipside, semi-automatic machine segment is expected to expand at a much lower CAGR of 2.3% over the assessment period, with a ceasing market value share over the time. This decline is attributed to the inconvenience associated with operation of this machine, as it compels manual control.Get PDF Sample of Report @According to material type, the global bottle blowing machine market is categorized into polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and others. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) segment is estimated to account for the largest market share in this segment, owing to superior properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) such as flexibility, durability, and reliability. This segment registered a major market value share of over 57% in 2017.In terms of end-use industry, global bottle blowing machine market is segmented into key industries that the bottle blowing machine companies serve - food & beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics & personal care, household, and others. Among these end-use domains, food & beverage industry registered a share of 59.6 % in terms of value in 2017. Pharmaceutical industry is expected to expand at the CAGR of 2.7% through to 2025.Download TOC@Geographically, the global bottle blowing machine market is segmented geographically into 5 key regions including North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific (APAC), Europe, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). North America and Europe, together account for nearly 50% of market share in 2017. This factor increases the demand of bottle blowing machines globally. Latin American market for bottle blowing machine is expected to reach US$ 258.1 Mn in 2025, with a sluggish CAGR of 3.0% over 2017-2025.Asia Pacific is expected to expand at the CAGR of 4.6% during 2017-2025 due to increasing investment of European companies in Asia Pacific region. According to the global bottle blowing machine market report, China was the largest importer of plastic bottles in 2017 and will possibly retain the top importer position in near future as well. In Middle Eastern & African region, manufacturers are majorly importing packaging machineries from Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America.The report provides detailed competitive analysis that includes detailed company profiles of key participants operating in the global bottle blowing machine market. Some of the leading players are Krones AG, Sacmi Imola S.C, Nissei ASB Machine Co., Ltd., Chumpower Machinery Corp, Aoki Technical Laboratory, Inc., KHS GmbH, Sidel, Guangzhou Tech-Long Packaging Machinery Co., Ltd, SMI S.p.A., and Zhejiang East Zhouqiang Plastic & Mould Industry Co. Ltd. Etc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Research Blog: Friend and Family Camping Tents Market Overview, Demand, Size, Growth & Forecast 2025- Worldwide Analysis and Top key Players Big Agnes, Coleman, Eureka, Frabill, Kamp-Rite, Mountain Hardwear, NEMO and Others https://www.researchnreports.com/request_sample.php?id=25447 https://www.researchnreports.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=25447 https://www.researchnreports.com/consumer-goods/United-States-Tents-Market-Report-2016-25447 The authors have provided the important definitions and specifications of the Tents market right at the beginning of the report. This has been followed by a professional study of different classifications and applications deemed vital for players operating in the market. In the next chapter, the report has presented a comprehensive analysis of the driving factors, interview prices, and sales of the market in terms of type. A similar set of analysis has been offered on the part of applications, except the sales factor is replaced by consumption.Request a Sample of this premium Research Report@A majority of players in the Global Tents are focusing towards product differentiation in order to stay ahead. Several key players are collaborating and partnering as go-to strategies to maintain their position in the market. Besides this, players are also banking on unconventional production technologies, which is projected to unfold immense opportunities for market growth. With the demand for the market products following a healthy growth trajectory, the competitive rivalry in the market is likely to intensify in the near future.The Major players reported in the market include:Big AgnesColemanEureka!FrabillKamp-RiteMountain HardwearNEMORightline GearAnd OthersTo Avail 30% Discount On This Report:Reasons for Buying this ReportThis report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamicsIt provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growthIt provides a six-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to growIt helps in understanding the key product segments and their futureIt provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitorsIt helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsDownload PDF of this Business Report @About Research N Reports:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact us:Mr. Sunny Denis(ResearchnReports)10916, Gold Point, Dr, Houston, TX - 77064.Contact No. +1-888-631-6977sales@researchnreports.com Food Processing Equipment Market: Influential Factors Determining the Trajectory of the Market. https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/food-processing-equipment-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=34610 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/34610 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com http://www.techyounme.com/ Sustainability and technology are the trends that will certainly play an important role in shaping the food processing industry. Food processing plants are moving towards becoming smarter, allowing more flexibility in terms of production and resulting in the efficiency at all the levels. Innovative food processing equipment with updated features and designs are likely to witness growth in the near future.Integration of Internet of Things (IoT) and smart sensors in food processing equipment are leading to the reduced maintenance costs, remote equipment monitoring, and maintenance. In-built sensors in food processing equipment also ensure food safety and help to detect any foreign materials.However, the high cost of food processing equipment and lack of standardization and lack of appropriate hygienic design of the food processing equipment are some of the challenges in the food processing equipment industry.Preview Report @As per the report by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global market for food processing equipment is likely to experience robust growth throughout the forecast period. The market is projected to increase to 6.7% CAGR during 2017-2022. It is also estimated to reach US$ 70,510.1 million revenue by 2022 end.Thermal Equipment to Emerge as the Leading Equipment Type in the Global Food Processing Equipment MarketThermal equipment is likely to emerge as one of the top-selling equipment in the global food processing equipment market during 2017-2022. Thermal equipment is estimated to bring in nearly US$ 17,000 million revenue by 2022 end. Meanwhile, refrigeration food processing equipment is also likely to witness robust growth during 2017-2022.Get PDF Sample of Report @Processed Food to Account for Maximum Revenue ShareAccounting for more than half of the revenue share by 2017 end, processed food is estimated to create an incremental opportunity of over US$ 14,000 million between 2017 and 2022.Bakery and Confectionery to Emerge as the Largest Users of Food Processing EquipmentFood processing equipment is likely to find the largest application in bakery and confectionery during 2017-2022. Towards the end of 2022, bakery and confectionery segment is projected to exceed US$ 20,000 million revenue. Meanwhile, meat and poultry segment is also likely to witness significant growth during the forecast period 2017-2022. Owing to the rising demand for easy-to-cook meat is creating an opportunity for poultry processing equipment manufacturers. Moreover, increasing demand for meat products in various countries in Asia Pacific is also driving the growth of poultry processing equipment.Download TOC@Semi-Automatic Food Processing Equipment to Gain Maximum Traction during 2017-2022Semi-automatic food processing equipment is likely to witness the highest growth during 2017-2022. By 2022 end, semi-automatic food processing equipment is projected to surpass US$ 42,000 million revenue. Meanwhile, automatic food processing equipment is also estimated to account for nearly two-fifth of the revenue share by 2017 end.APEJ to Dominate the Global Food Processing Equipment MarketGeographically, APEJ is likely to remain dominant in the global food processing equipment. The region is projected to gain nearly two-fifth of the revenue share towards 2017 end. Meanwhile, North America is also likely to emerge as the lucrative market in the global food processing equipment market. Increasing demand for processed food in countries such as India, China, and Indonesia is creating an opportunity for manufacturers of food processing equipment. Increasing investment in research and development activities and adoption of advanced technologies to simplify the complex process of food processing industry is driving the growth in North America.Competition TrackingThe report also provides a detailed profile of some of the key market players in the global food processing equipment market such as AB Electrolux, ALFA LAVAL GEA Group AG, Buhler AG, Krones AG, Dover Corporation, Tetra Laval, Bucher Industries AG John Bean Technologies Corporation, BMA Braunschweigische Maschinenbauanstalt AG, Marlen International, Inc., NICHIMO CO., LTD, SPX Corporation, Meyer Industries, Marel, and Middleby Corporation.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Research Blog: Latest Research on Corporate Car-Sharing Market Study in Detail along with forecast to 2023 - Report focuses on Top Companies like Hertz Corporation, Autolib, Car2Go, DriveNow, Getaround, Orix Corporation, Zipcar https://www.researchnreports.com/request_sample.php?id=223586 https://www.researchnreports.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=223586 https://www.researchnreports.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=223586 www.researchnreports.com Corporate carsharing market is expected to gain momentum as it allows commercial businesses to eliminate or minimize the size of private vehicle fleets by offering the employees access to shared vehicles. In addition, ease of operation and flexibility through enhanced mobility will drive the implementation of these services in the business applications. Companies such as Omoove and Ubeeqo provide these services, particularly to the corporates. Increasing pollution and traffic congestion in urban areas are the major drivers of the Corporate Car-Sharing market.Get Sample Copy of this Report@:Corporate Car-Sharing market research is an intelligence report with meticulous efforts undertaken to study the right and valuable information. The data which has been looked upon is done considering both, the existing top players and the upcoming competitors. Business strategies of the key players and the new entering market industries are studied in detail. Well explained SWOT analysis, revenue share and contact information are shared in this report analysis.Top Companies Profiled in this Report includes, Hertz Corporation, Autolib, Car2Go, DriveNow, Getaround Inc., Orix Corporation, Zipcar Inc.After studying key companies, the report focuses on the startups contributing towards the growth of the market. Possible mergers and acquisitions among the startups and key organizations are identified by the report's authors in the study. As leading companies take efforts to maintain their dominance in the global Corporate Car-Sharing market, the right way to do so is by adopting new technologies and strategies. The report highlights major technological developments and changing trends adopted by key companies over a period of time. For a stronger and more stable business outlook, the report on the global market carries key projections that can be practically studied.Get Reasonable Discount on this Premium Report @:Corporate Car-Sharing market is segmented on the basis of various parameters. The factors which are impacting the markets growth are studied in detail. The report also presents a overall weaknesses which companies operating in the market must avoid in order to enjoy sustainable growth through the course of the forecast period. Besides this, profiles of some of the leading players operating and encouraging in the growth of the global market are included in the study. Additionally, using SWOT analysis, markets weaknesses and strengths are analyzed. It also helps the report provide insights into the opportunities and threats that these companies may face during the forecast period.Table of ContentsGlobal Corporate Car-Sharing Market Research ReportChapter 1 Corporate Car-Sharing Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3 Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Global Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Global Corporate Car-Sharing Market ForecastFor More Information:If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About Research N Reports:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Europe competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact:Sunny Denis(Sales Manager),(Research N Reports)10916, Gold Point Dr,Houston, TX, Pin 77064,sales@researchnreports.com, Home Furniture Market set to reach US$ 18,000 Mn revenues by 2021 https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114913/Home-Furniture-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114913/Home-Furniture-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114913/Home-Furniture-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/ As per the research report insights analyst predicts the home furniture market in the US to grow steadily at a CAGR of around 6% during the forecast period.Growing need for shifting and settling down has led to an upsurge in demand for home furniture globally. Also, the growing popularity of online stores due to the rising internet penetration will positively affect the growth potential of this market.Increasing demand for smart furniture is projected to contribute towards growth of the global market of home furniture significantly. Latest published report by Research Report Insights (RRI) reveals that the global market of home furniture market is projected to reflect an Impressive CAGR over the assessment period, 2017 2021.Report For Report Sample:Factors Fuelling Growth of the Global MarketDesign of the furniture and comfort are significantly impacting the purchasing decisions of the customers. Customers today prefer purchasing home furniture that are equipped with smart technology as compared to traditional furniture. Smart furniture enable the customers to conveniently move and operate the furniture. Hydraulic beds, sofa cum beds, bed with storage, recliners, and foldable tables are some of the smart furniture that witness considerable demand among customers. Such factors are likely to fuel demand for home furniture throughout 2022.Plastic as compared to other materials is projected to reflect a relatively high growth in the global market through 2022. Glass material segment is projected to reflect the second highest CAGR in the global market of home furniture throughout 2022.Wood among other materials is projected to witness a relatively high growth in terms of revenue in the global market of home furniture. The wood segment is projected to represent more than US$ 25,000 Mn by 2017 end. Metal among other material types is projected to reflect a significant growth in terms of revenue after wood in the global market in 2017.Due to the populaces growing preference for sustainable living practices, the trend of eco-friendly furniture and furnishings is envisaged to gain traction during the forecast period. Also, with an increase in the number of small apartments in the US, the demand for smaller, more portable multipurpose furniture has been on the rise. This increase in the demand for portable multipurpose furniture will foster the prospects for market growth until 2020.Request Report Discount:Sales of home furniture is projected to remain high through retail sector globally. The retail sector segment is projected to reflect a value lower than US$ 18,000 Mn in 2021 end. Direct to consumer segment among other distribution channels is projected to reflect a significant growth in terms of revenue by 2021 end. Retail sector among other distribution channels is projected to reflect a relatively high CAGR throughout 2021.Key Players:The competitive landscape in the market ismoderately competitive, with presence of leading companies such as La-Z-Boy Incorporated, Ashley Furniture Industries, Inter Ikea Systems B.V., Flexsteel Industries, Inc., Suofeiya Home Collection Co Ltd, Nitori Co Ltd, Steinhoff International Holding N.V., Basset Furniture Industries Inc, Kimball International, Inc, Herman Miller Inc, Berkshire Hathaway, Steelcase, and Williams-Sonoma, Inc.Report Analysis:About Us:Research Report Insights (RRI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver a host of services including custom research reports, syndicated research reports, and consulting services which are personalised in nature. RRI delivers a complete packaged solution to clients; this combines current market intelligence, technology inputs, statistical anecdotes, valuable growth insights, 360-degree view of the competitive framework, and anticipated market trends.Contact Us:Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website:Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com Lingerie Market: Global Industry Analysis, size, sales and Forecast by 2024 https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114599/Lingerie-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114599/Lingerie-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114599/Lingerie-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/ Lingerie market has occupied a significant position in the apparel industry in recent years as it not only serves its functional benefits but also is considered as an basic necessity to every woman. The the global lingerie market has been bifurcated on the basis of product types into bras, knickers and panties, lounge wear, shape wear and others which includes baby doll, corsets, chemises and chemisoles among others. Bra as an essential necessity and also a fashion accessory to every women and it has captured the largest market share in 2015. Knickers and panties also occupied a significant position in the same year, thus contributing significantly to the overall market size of the lingerie industry.Report For Report Sample:The market is further segmented on the basis of distribution channel into online stores and storefront. Online stores captured the largest market in 2015 due to high penetration of internet services and rapid advancements in the field of technology, thus creating a strong platform for the manufacturers of lingerie Further, the e-commerce giants are engaged in strong promotional activities due to which they provide with continuous discount options and various other offers which attract both consumers and manufacturers to avail this platform.Females in the developing countries are experiencing latest trends towards carrying themselves in public. They are changing their outlook towards accepting innerwear as a casual affair and take time to choose and make a purchase. The outerwear of women has undergone a dramatic change and due to this women prefer selecting inner wear, especially bras that can match with their attire. They try to purchase lingerie depending on the occasion or event, such as there are special sport wear bras for gymnasium purpose. It can be demonstrated from the product differentiation brought by the lingerie manufacturers over online and retail stores. Thus this is a key factor complementing the growth of the global lingerie market.Lingerie has witnessed a rapid acceptance in the fashion industry. Women from all backgrounds want to try out the latest trends in the inner wear segment. Most of the large brands have exclusive stores in shopping malls or independent stores. In developing countries like India and China, brands like Jockey try to reach out to customers through small roadside innerwear shops. Additionally, lingerie is available at stores as well as online. Brands like Victoria Secret have country specific websites for easier transactions and shipment.However, the lingerie wear maintains high cost for advertisement and other marketing promotions. This is due to the cost of celebrities or models that are hired for being featured in the photo shoots. Moreover, the destination or location cost of the photo shoot depends and therefore larger brands do not compromise in keeping high cost for their lingerie wear. Therefore, this factor is majorly hindering the growth of the market and the impact of the same is likely to reduce by the end of the forecast period.Moreover, the global lingerie market is experiencing moderate growth in the apparel segment as nowadays individuals are more inclined towards branded items, most of which are usually priced on the higher end. People from all backgrounds and income group want to avail a comfortable and lasting inner wear that can be fashionable as well as skin-friendly. There are many local brands or companies that manufacture cheap quality products to cater to the wide population in the under developed or developing countries. Mergers and acquisitions are a strategic way of entering the market and understanding the current needs and preferences of the population. Through this, the large companies will benefit in capturing the market and at the same time, will enable the small companies to fight for a better position in the market..Moreover, in this report the study provides different countries included in different regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. North America includes U.S. and Rest of North America. Europe includes U.K., Germany, France, Russia, Italy and Rest of Europe. Asia Pacific includes countries such as India, China, Japan and Rest of Asia Pacific. In addition, Middle East and Africa includes country such as UAE, South Africa and Rest of Middle East and Africa. Latin America comprise of countries such as Brazil and Rest of Latin AmericaRequest Report Discount:Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. Transition in the lifestyle of the consumers which is backed by rapid urbanization and increasing purchasing power is a major factor behind the high growth of this market in Asia Pacific. Further, consumer exposure to the same by way of advertisements through televisions, and print media among others is another key factor responsible for the growth of the Lingerie Market in this region.Some of the major key players operating in the global contact lens market are, Jockey International Inc. (Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S), Hanes (North Carolina U.S.), Groupe Chantelle (Cachan, France), LVMH (Boise U.S), L Brands Inc. (Columbus, Ohio), MAS Holdings Limited (Colombo, Srilanka), Ann Summers (London, U.K.), Marks and Spencer (London U.K), PVH Corporation (New York, U.S) among others.Report Analysis:About Us:Research Report Insights (RRI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver a host of services including custom research reports, syndicated research reports, and consulting services which are personalised in nature. RRI delivers a complete packaged solution to clients; this combines current market intelligence, technology inputs, statistical anecdotes, valuable growth insights, 360-degree view of the competitive framework, and anticipated market trends.Contact Us:Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website:Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com Dental Electrosurgical Units Market to Observe Strong Development by 2026 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=45054 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/dental-electrosurgical-units-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Electrosurgery involves passing high-frequency waveforms through the soft tissues of the body to achieve controllable clinical effects. Passage of radio frequency energy through dental tissues converts the electromagnetic energy generated in the cells to thermal energy which achieves tissue cutting or coagulation. An electrosurgical unit is a device that comprises various electrodes and other accessories to generate electric current. It is most commonly used in periodontal therapy. Electrosurgical units are routinely used by dentists and are preferred over traditional laser therapy for tissue cutting owing to speed and efficiency. The waveforms produce remarkable tissue separation in the dental area, with little or no hemostasis.Low cost of dental electrosurgical units as compared to lasers, rapid mode of action, and availability of various electrodes and waveforms for a number of oral surgical procedures are projected to propel the growth of the global Dental Electrosurgical Units Market from 2018 to 2026. However, loss of implant osseointegration occurring in patients with dental implants and possibility of overcutting of tissues are projected to restrain the global dental electrosurgical units market during the forecast period.The global dental electrosurgical units market can be segmented based on technology, product type, waveform type, end-user, and application. In terms of technology, the global market can be bifurcated into unipolar and bipolar systems. The bipolar systems segment accounted for the largest market share in terms of revenue in 2017. This is attributed to the lower voltage and lesser energy required for bipolar systems, and reduced risk of patient burns associated with its use. However, effectiveness and versatility of unipolar electrosurgical instruments are expected to propel the segment at a higher CAGR during the forecast period. Based on waveform type, the global dental electrosurgical units market can be categorized into fully rectified waveform, partially rectified waveform, fulguration waveform, lateral heat, and others. In terms of product type, the global market can be classified into current generator unit, electrodes, and accessories.Request to View Brochure of Report -The electrodes segment can be divided into active electrodes and passive electrodes. Various active electrodes are available in the market including single-wired electrodes, loop electrodes, and heavy (bulky) electrodes. In terms of revenue, the electrodes segment held the largest market share in 2017, owing to the emergence of local & regional manufacturers of electrodes. The active electrodes sub-segment dominated the electrodes segment in 2017, and is expected to continue its dominance in terms of revenue during the forecast period. In terms of end-user, the global market can be categorized into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and specialized (dental) clinics. The hospitals segment accounted for the largest market share in terms of revenue in 2017, attributed to the availability of well-qualified dental professionals in multispecialty hospitals and improved reimbursement policies. However, rise in surgical procedures for dental soft tissue owing to rise in prevalence of periodontal diseases across the globe is likely to boost the growth of the clinics segment from 2018 to 2026. Applications of dental electrosurgical units are tissue cutting, tissue coagulation, and others. The tissue cutting segment is expected to dominate the market from 2018 to 2026, due to painless therapy and introduction of electrodes with modified tips for precise and narrow cuts.Geographically, the global dental electrosurgical units market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounted for the largest market share in 2017, attributed to rise in adoption of technological advancements in dental care and strategic presence of key manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada. Europe is anticipated to be the second largest market in terms of revenue by 2026. However, improved distribution of dental electrosurgical units in the developing countries in Asia Pacific and rise in preference for cost-effective electrosurgical procedures over laser surgeries by price-sensitive population in India and China are expected to fuel the growth of the market in the region during the forecast period.Key players operating in the global dental electrosurgical units market are Dentalaire International, Parkell, Inc., ALSA apparecchi medicali s.r.l., BonART Ltd., Stryker, BMS Dental, COLTENE Group, Ellman International, Inc., and Henry Schein, Inc., among others.View Report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Heart Pump Devices Market to Witness Comprehensive Growth by 2026 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=45147 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/heart-pump-devices-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Heart pump devices are used to improve the circulation of blood in the body. These are used for several conditions, such as, when a patient is not eligible for a heart transplant, during or after surgery, until a patients heart recovers, or while waiting for a heart transplant. Ventricular assist device is a commonly used heart pump. Several types of heart pumps are available, such as, right ventricle assist device (RVAD), left ventricular assist device (LVAD), and biventricular assist device (BiVAD). The left ventricular assist device is a commonly used device and helps the left ventricle pump blood to the aorta. The right ventricle assist device is used only for short-term support and helps the right ventricle pump blood to the pulmonary artery.Factors such as rising incidence of cardiovascular diseases, growing geriatric population with weak disease resistance, decreasing number of donor heart, and high prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle are the key drivers of the global Heart Pump Devices Market. According to HeartWare International Inc., there are fewer than 4,000 donor hearts available worldwide each year. Other factors such as regulatory approval of several new and advanced heart pump devices, rising health care expenditure are propelling the growth of the market. For instance, in April 2018, Abiomed, Inc. received US FDAs approval for Impella CP heart pump. On the other hand, high product prices are likely to hamper the global heart pump devices market during the forecast period.The heart pump devices market can be segmented based on product type, application, end-user, and geography. In terms of product type, the heart pump devices market can be classified into ventricular assist devices, intra-aortic balloon pumps, and total artificial heart. Ventricular assist devices can be further classified into right ventricle (RVAD), left ventricle (LVAD), and biventricular assist device (BiVAD). Based on application, the heart pump devices market can be divided into bridge-to-transplantation, destination therapy, and other therapies. In terms of end-user, the heart pump devices market can be categorized into hospitals, clinics, cardiac centers, and ambulatory surgery centers. In terms of geography, the global heart pump devices market can be classified into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.Request to View Brochure of Report -North America dominates the global heart pump devices market. Factors such as technological advancements, increased number of cardiovascular diseases, and rise in demand for artificial heart are anticipated to boost the heart pump devices in the region during the forecast period. According to a health care practitioner from California, there is an increasing occurrence of several cardiovascular diseases among the adult population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart diseases account for approximately 610,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Europe is the second-leading market for heart pump devices. The heart pump devices market in Asia Pacific is expected to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period due to growth of elderly population in the country like Japan, prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle among people, growing burden of cardiovascular diseases, developing health care infrastructure in the region. According to OECD estimation, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of deaths in Asia Pacific, with over 9.3 million deaths caused due to such diseases in the region in 2012. Cardiovascular diseases accounted for about 33% of the total number of deaths in Asia Pacific in 2012.Major players operating in the heart pump devices market include Medtronic plc, Abbott Laboratories, Thoratec Corporation, Jarvik Heart, Inc., HeartWare International Inc., Terumo Europe NV, Berlin Heart GmbH, and Getinge AB.View Report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: BYOD Security Market - Growth, Trends and Forecast 2023 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=7322 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/byod-security-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Bring your own device (BYOD) refers to computing devices such as smartphones and tablets that employees bring to the workplace on the secure corporate networks. These mobile devices are prone to viruses and other potential risks such as cyber attacks. BYOD security solutions protect such devices from security threats that can harm the intellectual property of the organization. Additionally, these security solutions aid employees to take optimum advantage of mobile devices to efficiently perform their tasks at convenient locations.Business enterprises across the globe are promoting the use of BYOD devices, thereby allowing their employees to carry these portable mobile devices for work-related tasks at the convenient locations. BYOD concept permits employees to access data at real time, thereby helping them in making quick decisions. This in turn necessitates the deployment of effective BYOD security solutions to prevent unauthorized access to the companys data and in turn is fuelling the growth of BYOD security solutions market. Another key factor boosting the growth of BYOD security market is the increased demand for smartphones. Employees prefer to carry-out work-related tasks such as accessing and sending emails while on the move.Get PDF Sample of This Report @This ensures employee productivity independent of their location. This for addressing all Increasing possible security threat is triggering the need for deploying effective BYOD security solutions. BYOD risk doesnt just arise from malicious hackers. Threats to data and security are hidden in the most innocuous seeming software applications that employees access over the enterprise network. Such apps can transmit user data to advertisers, access contacts lists, read SMS messages or even install packages on the phone. Mobile application management (MAM) solutions offer more security control than Mobile Device Management (MDM). Thus, the BYOD security market is seeing a paradigm shift from MDM approach to the app-centric MAM approach. Some of the recent solutions by are Citrix Systems, Inc such as XenMobile are a combination of MDM, MAM and enterprise-grade productivity apps.However, initial investment to deploy these solutions is a significant factor restraining the growth of the market making them unaffordable for start-up companies. Also, the lack of awareness among the end-users and the technical complexity involved in resolving the issues pertaining to theft of BYOD device is a critical factor affecting the adoption of BYOD security solutions. Due to these factors, certain mid-size business enterprises are reluctant to implement the use of BYOD devices and their security solutions, thereby adversely affecting the growth of this market.The BYOD security market is segmented on the basis of types of security solutions as mobile data security solutions, mobile data management solutions, mobile network security solutions, and mobile ID management solutions among others. The BYOD security market is dominant in North America. The growth is primarily attributed to advancements in security based technologies and stiff competition among the business enterprises to increase productivity and in turns revenues by focusing on employees comfort. Asia-Pacific is witnessing growth in BYOD security solutions due to the increasing foreign investment in India, China, Indonesia and Singapore among others. Proliferation in the usage of smartphones is also one of the key factors for the growth of BYOD devices and its security solutions in this region. However cost associated with the BYOD devices security solutions are high making it a hindrance in this market.View Our Report @Leading players in the market are investing in research and development in designing solutions with the goal to address the increasing number of security threats and lessen their impact. For instance, Fortinet Inc., one of the major players in the market recently detected 211G1 malware and developed advanced techniques in blocking this malware. Other leading players in the market include Citrix Systems, Inc., International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation, VMware Inc., MobileIron, and Good Technology Corporation.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Aerospace Robotics to Reach $5,687 Million by 2022 Aerospace Robotics Market - AMR https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2152 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/2152 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connect-to-analyst/2152 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com the global aerospace robotics market is expected to reach $5,687 million by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 17.2% from 2016 to 2022. The articulated robot segment is expected to dominate the global market during the forecast period. North America is expected to generate the maximum revenue in the global market by 2022.Request Sample@The robotics technology is used in aerospace industry for variety of applications during the manufacturing of aircraft components including welding, drilling, painting, material handling, cutting, assembly automation, and fabrication of engines. The aerospace robotics market offers automation, precision, and accuracy in repetitive tasks done in the manufacturing procedure,The aerospace robotics market growth is fueled by enhanced need of automation for efficient aircraft production. In addition, increase in cost of labor worldwide. However, high installation cost of robotics technology hampers the growth of the aerospace robotics industry. The adoption of advanced technologies in the aircraft manufacturing industry including Internet of Things (IoT), 3D vision technology, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing is expected to present numerous opportunities to the global aerospace robotics industry.In 2015, the drilling application segment generated the maximum revenue in the global market, owing to utilization of robotics technology for drilling holes in aircraft components with high precision. The inspection application segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to the implementation of new technologies such as ultrasonic technology, 3D imaging technology, and other non-destructive methods used in the inspection process of aircrafts. The collaborative technology segment is anticipated to witness the highest growth rate, registering a CAGR of 19.8% from 2016 to 2022. The articulated type segment is expected to generate the highest revenue throughout the forecast period. The other (cylindrical, spherical, SCARA, and parallel) type is anticipated to grow at the highest rate during the study period.Purchase Inquiry@Dominating Market Players Profiled in the Report:ABB GroupKUKA AGFanuc CorporationYaskawa Electric CorporationMitsubishi Electric CorporationJH Robotics, Inc.Oliver Crispin Robotics LimitedElectroimpact Inc.Universal Robots A/SAV&R Vision & Robotics Inc.Other Companies Mentioned in the ReportGKN AerospaceBoeing CompanyPratt & WhitneyGKN PlcAirbus GroupBombardier Inc.Daher Aerospace SASIn 2015, North America dominated the global aerospace robotics market. Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period on account of the surge in the number of air passengers and continuous economic development in various countries such as India, Malaysia, China, and Singapore.Key Findings of the Aerospace Robotics Market:In 2015, the articulated robot segment dominated the global aerospace robotics industry, in terms of revenue, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 15.4% during the forecast period.Traditional technology segment is projected to grow at a CAGR of 15.4%.Inspection application segment is estimated to show highest growth rate, in terms of revenue, during the study period.In 2015, the drilling application segment generated the highest revenue of around 32%.In 2015, North America dominated the global market with a market share of 37%.Connect to Analyst@The aerospace robotics market in LAMEA region is estimated to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period, owing to the heavy inflow of investment by government to develop the aviation industry. Moreover, it is expected to witness significant growth in the emerging countries such as Africa, Brazil, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.About Us:Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.Contact: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: +1-855-550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.comWeb: Mobile Analytics Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast | 2023 Mobile Analytics Market- AMR https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-toc-and-sample/787 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/787 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/checkout/221033 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Mobile analytics helps one measure both application revenue and usage. Furthermore, the tool enables business owners to keep a track of the recent trends and make smart data-driven decisions, thereby increasing customer engagement as well as monetization for an app.Request Sample@On the other hand, emergence of mobile analytics has helped in increasing brand awareness among customers. In addition, the tool further empowers enterprises to conduct quality measurement. Besides enabling brands optimize their mobile campaigns, mobile analytics plays a key role in performing adhoc investigation of complete mobile activity.The mobile analytics market today has been influenced by several market drivers, restraints and opportunities. Undoubtedly, the market penetration of smartphones and growing demand to receive new and actionable insight on the buyers preferences have accelerated the need for mobile analytics worldwide. Additionally, the upsurge in mobile advertising and advent of data analytics and big data have further pushed the mobile analytics market on growth trajectory. However, lack of awareness on the benefits of mobile analytics and growing privacy concerns have restricted the market growth for mobile analytics. On the other hand, with many enterprises entering the market and providing advance solutions would create greater opportunities in the coming years.Purchase Inquiry@The mobile analytics market is segmented in terms of type, deployment, industry and geography. In terms of type the market is segmented mobile advertisement, application performance analytics and others. In addition, the industries served by the market consists of education, BFSI, hospitality and travel, manufacturing, retail, information technology and many others. The two popular deployment methods in the industry are on premise and cloud based deployment model. Likewise, the regions experiencing tremendous growth in the mobile analytics market include North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and LAMEA.Key market leaders are also covered in the market research report.Companies discussed in the report includesGoogleMixPanelFlurry andLocalytics among others.MOBILE ANALYTICS MARKET KEY BENEFITS FOR STAKEHOLDERS:The report provides a comprehensive analysis of current & future market trends and emerging avenues for the growth of the market across the globe.The report offers insights on competitive landscape, new technological developments, untapped segments.Value chain analysis of technology suppliers, original equipment manufacturers, system integrators, and key operators is offered in the report.This report entails the detailed quantitative analysis of the current market and estimations through 20142020, which assists in identifying the prevailing market opportunities.The report offers strategic analysis of financial status of key market players, and highlights market share of key vendors.Pre- Order@ 10% Discount-About Us:Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.Contact: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: +1-855-550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.comWeb: Global Electrical House (E-House) Sales Market Volume, Analysis, Size, Share and Key Trends 2018 2025 https://www.researchtrades.com/request-sample/1626443 https://www.researchtrades.com/discount/1626443 https://www.researchtrades.com/report/global-electrical-house-e-house-sales-market-report-2018/1626443 www.researchtrades.com This report studies the global Electrical House (E-House) market status and forecast, categorizes the global Electrical House (E-House) market size (value & volume) by key players, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top players in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia India and Other regions (Middle East & Africa, Central & South America).Request Sample Copy of Report @Electrical House (E-House), also called Power House, is a prefabricated walk-in modular outdoor enclosure to house a medium voltage (MV) and low voltage (LV) switchgear as well as auxiliary equipment. It can be skid or wheel mounted and is ready to operate in the field with minimum installation, commissioning and start up time as an alternative to traditional on-site building construction (concrete block, brick construction or similar).The e-house market has developed for decades and now it has developed maturely in the world, especially in Europe, North America, South America and Australia.Currently the global e-house market is dominated by few players like ABB, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Eaton and General Electric etc. these players play important roles around the world. Other players Zest WEG Group, Powell Industries, Unit Electrical Engineering (UEE), Electroinnova, Liaoning new automation control group and TGOOD, these players mainly focus on regional market.The producers of e-house produce and assemble the e-house in their own plants or their partners? plants, and then transport and install the e-house products around the world.In terms of the end uses, Oil & Gas, and Mineral, Mine & Metal are occupying for over 60% market share, driven by the demand from Australia, Brazil, Africa, Middle East and Southeast Asia etc. Power Utilities and Railways are growing fast and driven by market demand from Europe, North America, China, Southeast Asia, India and Middle East etc.The global Electrical House (E-House) market is valued at xx million US$ in 2017 and will reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of xx% during 2018-2025.The major players covered in this reportABBSchneider ElectricSiemensEatonGeneral ElectricZest WEG GroupPowell IndustriesUnit Electrical Engineering (UEE)ElectroinnovaLiaoning new automation control groupTGOODRequest for discount @Geographically, this report studies the key regions, focuses on product sales, value, market share and growth opportunity in these regions, coveringUnited StatesEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaWe can also provide the customized separate regional or country-level reports, for the following regions:North AmericaUnited StatesCanadaMexicoAsia-PacificChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaAustraliaIndonesiaSingaporeRest of Asia-PacificEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalySpainRussiaRest of EuropeCentral & South AmericaBrazilArgentinaRest of South AmericaMiddle East & AfricaSaudi ArabiaTurkeyRest of Middle East & AfricaOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoLow Voltage E-House?Medium Voltage E-HouseOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate for each application, includingOil & GasMineral, Mine & MetalPower UtilitiesRailwaysMarineTable of ContentsGlobal Electrical House (E-House) Sales Market Report 20181 Electrical House (E-House) Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Electrical House (E-House)1.2 Classification of Electrical House (E-House) by Product Category1.2.1 Global Electrical House (E-House) Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Electrical House (E-House) Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Low Voltage E-House?1.2.4 Medium Voltage E-House1.3 Global Electrical House (E-House) Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Electrical House (E-House) Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.1 Oil & Gas1.3.2 Mineral, Mine & Metal1.3.3 Power Utilities1.3.4 Railways1.3.5 Marine1.4 Global Electrical House (E-House) Market by Region1.4.1 Global Electrical House (E-House) Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2013-2025)1.4.2 United States Electrical House (E-House) Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.3 Europe Electrical House (E-House) Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.4 China Electrical House (E-House) Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.5 Japan Electrical House (E-House) Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Electrical House (E-House) Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.7 India Electrical House (E-House) Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Electrical House (E-House) (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global Electrical House (E-House) Sales and Growth Rate (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global Electrical House (E-House) Revenue and Growth Rate (2013-2025)2 Global Electrical House (E-House) Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Electrical House (E-House) Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Electrical House (E-House) Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Electrical House (E-House) Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Electrical House (E-House) (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Electrical House (E-House) Sales and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.2.2 Global Electrical House (E-House) Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.3 Global Electrical House (E-House) (Volume and Value) by Region2.3.1 Global Electrical House (E-House) Sales and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)2.3.2 Global Electrical House (E-House) Revenue and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)2.4 Global Electrical House (E-House) (Volume) by Application3 United States Electrical House (E-House) (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Electrical House (E-House) Sales and Value (2013-2018)3.1.1 United States Electrical House (E-House) Sales and Growth Rate (2013-2018)3.1.2 United States Electrical House (E-House) Revenue and Growth Rate (2013-2018)3.1.3 United States Electrical House (E-House) Sales Price Trend (2013-2018)3.2 United States Electrical House (E-House) Sales Volume and Market Share by Players (2013-2018)3.3 United States Electrical House (E-House) Sales Volume and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)3.4 United States Electrical House (E-House) Sales Volume and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)Browse Full Report With TOC @4 Europe Electrical House (E-House) (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 Europe Electrical House (E-House) Sales and Value (2013-2018)4.1.1 Europe Electrical House (E-House) Sales and Growth Rate (2013-2018)4.1.2 Europe Electrical House (E-House) Revenue and Growth Rate (2013-2018)4.1.3 Europe Electrical House (E-House) Sales Price Trend (2013-2018)4.2 Europe Electrical House (E-House) Sales Volume and Market Share by Players (2013-2018)4.3 Europe Electrical House (E-House) Sales Volume and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)4.4 Europe Electrical House (E-House) Sales Volume and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)Who we areResearch Trades has team of experts who works on providing exhaustive analysis pertaining to market research on a global basis. This comprehensive analysis is obtained by a thorough research and study of the ongoing trends and provides predictive data regarding the future estimations, which can be utilized by various organizations for growth purposes.We distribute customized reports that focus on meeting the clients specific requirement. Our database consists of a large collection of high-quality reports obtained using a customer-centric approaches, thus providing valuable research insights.Reach at us:Email: sales@researchtrades.comCall us: +1 6269994607 (USA), +91 7507349866 (IND)Web:Skype ID: researchtradescon READY FOR HALLOWEEN READY FOR HALLOWEEN Zombies are popping out of the ground ahead of Halloween at a Henning Road residence. Oops! A Free Account is required to view this content. Please Login... Orchard Park prepares for historic election with control of the town board on the line The path to Orchard Park embarking on one of its most significant elections in town history this year was paved with another landmark vote in 2019. In 2019, a group... NEW RESTAURANT NEW RESTAURANT On Oct. 13, Flaco held its grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony at its new restaurant, located at 4211 N. Buffalo St. Flaco is owned and operated by Fattey... By Leonard Pitts Jr. And now here's this week's episode of Great Moments in Black History. The year is 1979. Jimmy Carter is in office, disco is on the radio and Ron Stallworth has just joined the Ku Klux Klan. We are indebted to the Deseret Morning News, of Salt Lake City, for revealing this in an article earlier this month commemorating Stallworth's retirement from the Utah Department of Public Safety. Since then, the story has made MSNBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Co. and blogs from here to eternity. And if you're wondering why the fuss, well . . . it's not every day that a black man becomes a Klansman. The story goes as follows: In '79, Stallworth was an intelligence officer with the Colorado Springs police, tasked with gathering information on subversive groups. One day he sees a classified ad: The KKK is forming a chapter and looking for members. So he calls. "This guy answered the phone," he told me last week in a telephone interview. "I told him I saw the ad and was interested. He asked me why. I told him I was a pure-blooded Aryan white man. I told him I was a victim of the Zionist Occupied Government because of ZOG's preference for mud people, meaning blacks or anybody that's not considered pure blood." Stallworth's deft use of the buzzwords of hate excited the Klan man, who was, in his day job, a soldier at nearby Fort Carson. The two made plans to meet. Stallworth gave a physical description of himself, accurate except for the minor matter of melanin. After he got off the phone, he recruited a colleague who matched his description - except for the minor matter of melanin - and sent him in. It worked. Stallworth filled out his application, paid his dues, became a Klansman. Some snafu delayed his membership card, though, so Stallworth went to the top to get it straightened out. "I called David Duke," he said. Within a few days, Stallworth had his membership card, which he still carries. He says he handled Klan business by phone, sending in the white cop when face-to-face meetings were required. For a year, he said, he and Duke spoke once or twice a week. Once Stallworth asked Duke if he wasn't afraid of being infiltrated by undercover cops, or maybe some smart-aleck black man posing as white. "He said, 'No, I'm not concerned about that because I can always tell when I'm talking to a nigger.' I said, 'How?' He said, 'The way they pronounce certain words or letters. Niggers tend to say the word 'are,' they say 'are-uh.' That's a dead giveaway. I can tell you're an educated white man because you don't talk that way." I asked Duke about all this by email. The Klan's former bigot in chief, now president of something called the European American Unity and Rights Organization, professed no memory of Stallworth. "I don't believe we talked much, if at all," he wrote. The Klan he led, he said, was "legal and law-abiding." He points to the fact that Stallworth's investigation produced no arrests as proof. Stallworth, though, says that as an intelligence officer his aim was not to make arrests but to gather information. He says his investigation did head off a number of cross burnings. And that two soldiers moonlighting as Klansmen found themselves transferred to cold and distant posts. Here's the kicker: After a year, Stallworth's Klan contact called with the news that he, too, was being reassigned. He asked Stallworth to lead the chapter "because I had been a loyal and dedicated member." Stallworth promised to get back to him. His bosses promptly shut off the phone, closed the investigation. His career in the Klan was over. This Great Moment in Black History has been sponsored by the same old ignoramuses who still think melanin is destiny. Which only goes to show you what atavistic imbeciles they - ahem - are-uh. -- Leonard Pitts is a columnist for The Miami Herald. Readers may contact him via e-mail at lpittsmiamiherald.com. My grandparents entered this country legally. At the time, the U.S. was welcoming immigrants to fill in the land stolen from natives. They were sometimes given 40 acres and a mule to settle the western frontier. This is an old trick. Americans settled in Mexico then voted to be a separate country called Texas. The Chinese have moved millions of Han Chinese into Tibet so they are now the majority and outnumber Tibetans four to one. Many Chinese people in Tibet were born there and have known no other home. America is no longer a wide open frontier country. America is full. Now that Democrats have alienated a large part of their base in small town and rural America, are they trying to import voters? -- John Rider, Astoria Share your opinion Fired up? ! Submit 250 words or less and please include your first and last name, hometown and a phone number for verification. The smoke and haze that has blanketed Portland for the last two days cleared slightly Thursday morning, but air quality in much of the metro area is still "unhealthy for special groups," according to the Oregon Department of Environmental quality. The Air Quality Index for Portland registered at 105 as of 5 a.m., still potentially hazardous for older residents, people with respiratory conditions and children, whose lungs are still developing. While that number is a marked improvement over the past few days, in which the index was above 160, officials recommend anyone in the affected groups limit their time outside and avoid physical exertion. Around the region, poor air quality remained, especially in Southern Oregon. In Grants Pass, the index for Thursday morning was at 151. Medford and Klamath Falls both had indexes near 185. Ashland, sporting the worst air quality in the state as of Thursday morning, had an index near 200. All of those indicating air quality that is unhealthy for everyone. For Portland, the brownish hue to the skies is expected to further dissipate throughout Thursday with significant clearing by Friday, according to the National Weather Service. -- Kale Williams kwilliams@oregonian.com 503-294-4048 WASHINGTON President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Wednesday, citing "the risk posed by his erratic conduct and behavior." Brennan is a leading critic of Trump who as recently as Tuesday sharply denounced the president for calling his former aide Omarosa Manigault Newman "that dog." Trump is also reviewing security clearances of other former officials including former FBI director James Comey, Sanders said during a regular White House news briefing. "First, at this point in my administration, 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," Trump said in a statement read by Sanders at Wednesday's briefing. "Second, that conduct and behavior has tested and far exceeded the limits of any professional courtesy that may have been due to him," Trump said in the statement. "Mr. Brennan has a history that calls into question his objectivity and credibility." Last month, Sanders said Trump was "looking to take away" the clearances of Brennan, Comey and several other former senior national security and intelligence officials who served in the administrations of George W. Bush or Barack Obama. Those officials included former CIA director Michael Hayden, former national security adviser Susan Rice, former director of national intelligence James Clapper Jr. and former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe. On Wednesday, Sanders expanded that list to include former acting attorney general Sally Yates, former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, former FBI agent Peter Strzok and former Justice Department official Bruce Ohr. Yates was fired by Trump last year after she defied the president and ordered federal attorneys not to defend his controversial travel ban. Strzok and Page, two of Trump's favorite targets on Twitter, became the centerpiece of Republicans' efforts to discredit special counsel Robert Mueller III's Russia probe after anti-Trump texts between the two were revealed last year. Strzok was fired over the texts this week. Ohr is also the frequent object of GOP criticism; he was named by Republicans in a memo earlier this year that targeted his ties to the former British intelligence officer who wrote the controversial dossier on the Trump campaign's alleged contacts with Russian officials. The announcement Wednesday that Brennan's clearance had been revoked triggered an outcry from critics who argued that the move was aimed at silencing critics of the president. In an appearance on CNN shortly after Sanders' appearance in the White House briefing room, Clapper described the move as "unprecedented" and an "infringement on our rights of speech," noting that all of the former officials on Trump's list have been outspoken in their criticism of Trump at one point or another. Clapper maintained that the move would not affect his own decision on whether to speak out against the president. "If they're saying that the only way I can speak is to be in an adulation mode of this president, I'm sorry, I don't think I can sign up for that," he said. Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser during the Obama administration, echoed Clapper's criticism in an appearance on MSNBC in which he blasted the move as "authoritarianism in its purest form." Some Democrats argued that by revoking Brennan's clearance, the White House was aiming to change the narrative away from several days of damaging coverage of Trump's escalating feud with Manigault Newman over her accusations that Trump is a racist. "This might be a convenient way to distract attention, say from a damaging news story or two," Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said on Twitter. "But politicizing the way we guard our nation's secrets just to punish the President's critics is a dangerous precedent." Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Trump's move demonstrates "how deeply insecure and vindictive he is - two character flaws dangerous in any President." "An enemies list is ugly, undemocratic and un-American. I also believe this action to silence a critic is unlawful," Schiff said in a tweet. Trump's targeting of Brennan also prompted disapproval from within his own party. Alberto R. Gonzales, attorney general under President George W. Bush, said in an appearance on Fox News Wednesday afternoon that while Trump appears to have the authority to revoke the clearances, his actions come across as "petty and somewhat childish." "I think in this position as president of the United States, you're going to be criticized, and people are going to disagree with you, and you have to accept that," Gonzales said, casting doubt on the White House's contention that the revocation was due to national security concerns. Last month, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., had downplayed Trump's threat to revoke the officials' security clearances, telling reporters at the Capitol, "I think he's trolling people, honestly." The move comes one day after Brennan took to Twitter and cable TV to issue a particularly biting condemnation of Trump's performance as president. After Trump described his former aide Manigault Newman as "that dog," Brennan responded on Twitter that the president's rhetoric was "so disheartening, so dangerous for our Nation." "It's astounding how often you fail to live up to minimum standards of decency, civility, & probity," Brennan tweeted. "Seems like you will never understand what it means to be president, nor what it takes to be a good, decent, & honest person." Brennan later said in an interview on MSNBC Tuesday night that Trump had "badly sullied the reputation of the office of the presidency with his invective, with his constant disregard, I think, for human decency." He also took aim at what he cast as Trump's cozy relationship with authoritarian leaders and argued that "America's standing in the world has also been tarnished." "What he is doing here in the United States is very polarizing," Brennan said, calling Trump "the most divisive president we have ever had in the Oval Office." Some of Trump's own White House officials have had security clearance troubles in the past. Jared Kushner, Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, had his clearance level downgraded in February before being granted a permanent clearance in May. Democrats also raised questions regarding the granting of a security clearance to former White House staff secretary Rob Porter after allegations surfaced that he had been violent toward his two ex-wives. Porter, who has denied the accusations, later resigned. The Washington Post By GORDON R. FRIEDMAN and BETSY HAMMOND Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw said Tuesday that it was her call, not Mayor Ted Wheeler's, that officers sweep away protesters camped outside the federal immigration office, a move opposite the stance Wheeler took when protests began. "I went to the mayor and said, 'Look this is not sustainable ... It's out of control.' He was extremely supportive and said OK," Outlaw told talk radio's Lars Larson in a 14-minute interview. "I wasn't asking for permission to go out and clear this camp. I said,'This is what is going to happen and here is how it's going to happen,' and again I got the support to do that." Outlaw's outspoken comments to Larson, first reported by the Portland Tribune, also addressed the violent police response to dueling protests in downtown Portland earlier this month. In strong words, she defended commanders' decision to fire flash-bang grenades at people counter-demonstrating against a right-wing rally shortly after they were warned to disperse. Wheeler had announced he would not have city police break up the immigration protest at the federal agency's Southwest Portland field office, saying he disagreed vehemently with the agency's practice of separating children from their parents and didn't want to give its employees "a bailout." In her interview, Outlaw explained the rationale behind Wheeler's stance: the federal agency has its own police force and resources and could use those, rather than rely on the city's force, to keep its field office safe. She suggested she initially agreed with those plans. -- Gordon R. Friedman and Betsy Hammond Portland will contribute $17.7 million to TriMet's proposed project to add high-capacity express bus service between downtown and Gresham. The City Council unanimously supported the plan to fund a share of the $175 million transit project. TriMet hopes to receive $87.3 million in federal funds for new transit stations and buses to serve a 15-mile stretch of Division Street. The transit agency hopes to begin building the new high-capacity bus service in late 2019 and open the transit line by 2022. The project calls for new 60-foot articulated buses to carry more riders, add more buses to run every 15 minutes or more frequently during rush hour, and give buses signal priority at traffic lights. Most of the project costs come from new buses or passenger platforms along the route. Portland will also begin work on filling sidewalk gaps on a three-mile stretch of outer Division Street, which is one of the most dangerous roads in the city. The city construction project includes 13 new signalized pedestrian crossings, more than 57 new street lights and nearly five miles of protected bike lanes. In a statement, Portland Bureau of Transportation Interim Director Chris Warner said the transit project fits into a larger suite of investments in east Portland funded by a voter-approved gas tax and the 2017 state transportation package. "East Portland doesn't have the public transit service, bike routes and sidewalks that many Portlanders take for granted," Warner said in a statement. "We have been working to change that, and the City Council's commitment to the Division Transit Project marks a key milestone that will improve public transit. The Division Transit Project and our upcoming safety project on Division will make it safer for thousands of people in East Portland to bike, walk and take public transit to work, school and shopping destinations." According to TriMet estimates, the transit project will reduce travel times by 15 to 20 percent. The majority of the city funds, $15.7 million, will come from fees charged to developers for new construction projects. -- Andrew Theen atheen@oregonian.com 503-294-4026 @andrewtheen Twitter announced on Monday, 13 August 2018 that it has expanded Twitter Lite to 21 more countries including five countries in Africa. The company also revealed that Lite now supports push notifications and threaded Tweets. Twitter Lite. Twitter Lite was launched in 2017 as an app in the Google Play Store. It loads quickly on slower networks and takes up less memory on devices. It is accessible to people with data, bandwidth, and device constraints. The data saving app is now available in over 45 countries.The company is making the app available to 21 countries, including: Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Argentina, Lebanon, Belarus, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay and Yemen.These join the other markets where Twitter Lite has been available, such as: Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria, Tunisia, Tanzania, Egypt, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Israel, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Malaysia, Nepal, Panama, Peru, Serbia, El Salvador, Thailand, and Venezuela, in addition to the Philippines.Much like Twitter, Lite includes features such as Bookmarks, a darker Night mode theme, threads as well as push notifications.Twitter Lite enables users to turn on a Data saver mode which allows them to control which images or video load when browsing the network. Once enabled, you can load this content by tapping Load Image or Load video, as needed.The app is also under 3MB in size, so it will load more quickly on slower networks. Goose Creek, SC (29445) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High around 65F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Low 51F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Dear Carolyn: I would like to hear your thoughts on what happened with a girl I was dating for two months. We went on dates every weekend, where I also stayed at her place. We texted each other during the week. On our last date, she said I don't text enough and that she had started to chat with someone on a dating app because of it. They have been on two dates and she is interested in him, and can't date two guys. I wonder now if I had offered to be exclusive, whether that would have changed anything. I don't understand why she couldn't have just talked to me instead of jumping to another guy. -- A. Because she's a really bad bet and you're lucky to be out before you got any more deeply invested. For what it's worth, if she had been completely straight-up about her weirdly specific texting needs and her interest in meeting other people, and if she didn't pull the feeble stunt of blaming her actions on you, then we'd be talking about a much better person -- and you'd still be better off out of the relationship. Not interested is not interested. As long as you did your best, there's nothing else you can do about it except recognize she wasn't the right person for you. And if you didn't do your best, then apply any lessons you learned about yourself to any relationships you have from now on. Dear Carolyn: Columnist Carolyn Hax dishes out advice daily. Email Carolyn at Read the Email Carolyn at tellme@washpost.com , follow her on Facebook or chat with her online at noon Eastern time each Friday at www.washingtonpost.com Read the daily Carolyn Hax columns at https://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/advice/ As a woman (of any age) in this postmodern, "woke" era: How does one distinguish the fine line between "compromising with" versus "submitting to" a man within a relationship? -- M. Compromise is when both people give a little to their mutual benefit. Submission is when only one person gives to the other's benefit. The fine line you're looking for, then, is in how you regard your end of the deal. It isn't just about what you get out of it, either, or just in the short term. The sense you have of being heard, understood and respected is a huge part of your ability to be at peace with an agreement. As is your sense of autonomy. If you feel heard and understood and respected in the moment, but come away from an agreement feeling as if you got maneuvered into something that goes against who you are and doesn't resemble what you had asked for, then what you agreed to wasn't truly a compromise. How you feel in the long term about a deal might be hard to determine in the moment, but it's worth weighing as your days with someone -- and compromises -- start to add up. You can make one bad deal and still not feel as if you've surrendered your power to someone, especially if you're able to bring this up, articulate your concerns and revisit the terms of the deal. But when the need to make a deal feels constant and relentless with someone, and/or the deals never seem to tilt in your favor, then each compromise can become one pixel in a larger portrait of submission. And? It's not just about women and men. It's about having a voice, and knowing you're able to use it. Four young girls fought off a man who was attempting to kidnap them outside a convenience store in Michigan - hitting, kicking and then throwing coffee on him, police said. Authorities said the girls, who are in middle school, were attacked last week at a Speedway in Millington, a small town about 80 miles northeast of Lansing. A 22-year-old man, who was identified as Bruce Hipkins, "grabbed the youngest girl around the head and told her she was coming with him," then the others started defending her, according to a statement from the Millington Police Department. Authorities said that Hipkins "let the young girl go and grabbed another one of the girls by her hair." Again, police said, he was "kicked and hit by the girls until he let her go." The girls were not harmed in the incident. Hipkins was arrested on numerous charges, including kidnapping, police said. "I think they did great," Millington Police Chief Jason Oliver said about the girls Tuesday in an interview with The Washington Post. "They did exactly what they should have done. They fought the suspect - and they won." According to Oliver, Hipkins's family said the suspect is on the autism spectrum, a claim that police have not confirmed. Hipkins is being held on $250,000 bond. It was not immediately clear whether he has an attorney. The father of two of the girls, Aaron Eickhoff, said his daughters and two of their friends were walking home about 10 p.m. Friday from a townwide festival when they decided to stop by a Speedway for drinks and snacks. He said that the girls, who range in age from 11 to 14, spotted the man inside the store and that, when he followed them outside, they walked to a well-lit area in a nearby parking lot. Eickhoff said the youngest girl in the group - his 11-year-old daughter, Allison - was the first one who was attacked. He said the man put one hand around Allison's mouth and the other hand around her neck, then started dragging her away. Allison told The Post in an interview Tuesday that the man "grabbed my face and he swooped me up and said, 'You're coming with me,' and I was really scared at that point." "I was thinking, 'This cannot be happening,'" she added. "I was just in shock." Allison said that her sister, who is 13, and their friends started "scratching" and "kicking" him and that one girl threw iced coffee in his face. Then, Allison said, she took off running to a nearby restaurant and bar, screaming, "Someone help! Please help!" Someone inside the restaurant called 911, and police responded to the scene, locating the suspect - with coffee stains on his shirt - not far from where the incident occurred. Eickhoff said he is proud of his daughters and their friends for fighting back and relieved that they were unharmed. "I was really raging mad," the 41-year-old father said, "but you have to look at the fact that our daughters are fine . . . I'm very proud of them. I haven't let them leave my arms yet. They're so unbelievable." "How they reacted was just amazing," Eickhoff added. "It was true bravery." When asked how the girls knew what to do in that situation, Allison responded, "We watch a lot of 'Law and Order' and 'Dateline' and also my dad taught us some moves." But, she said, she doesn't think she will venture out at night again, especially alone, without an adult. "There's kids out there that think it couldn't happen," she said. "It can happen in any small town, anytime, anywhere." (William Yeakle purchased the farm at 3828 S. Poseyville Road in 1919 and three generations of the Yeakle family have called it home. On Aug.11, 2018 a celebration was held to mark it a Centennial Farm. Russell Yeakle currently lives there.) William and Sarah with their five children came by train to Merrill in 1909. When 8-year-old Merrill looked out the train window and saw a sign with "Merrill" on it, he was overcome with excitement seeing his name in huge letters. He didn't know it was the name of the town the train was stopping at. The Yeakle family lived in a farm house near Wright's Corner owned by Dave Moore. Then they moved to a farm owned by August Short, later purchasing that farm. William bought a new traction steam engine and a grain thresher, a team of horses and a wagon. He built a redwood water tank to supply water for the engine and mounted the water tank on the wagon. On top of the water wagon was a wood box for fuel and a large hand pump for filling the water tank from the ditches or wells along the way. In the summer he worked with the farmers and in the winter he worked with sawmills. He got up in the morning at 4 o'clock to build a fire in the boiler of the steam engine. After building the fire to heat the water in the boiler, he got into the cab of the tractor and slept while waiting for the steam pressure to build up. By 8 o'clock when the threshers showed up, the threshing machine was ready to go. William had his own territory with a radius of 4 miles in the Poseyville area. Each man that owned a threshing machine had his own territory and no one ever went into another man's territory to help a farmer unless he was asked to do so. It was a gentleman's agreement and never broken. On Feb. 8, 1919 William Yeakle purchased the August Short farm for $2,300 at 7 percent interest. August Short had built the farmhouse and barn sometime around 1890. Every family has a time when life changed in a moment and the family is changed forever. That moment came in 1924 for the family of William and Sarah Yeakle. Twenty-year-old George Yeakle needed a part for his motorcycle and decided to ask some friends to ride to Saginaw with him. They would take in a movie before driving back to Midland where George was on the midnight shift at The Dow Chemical Co. His sister Coy and four friends were with him. The date was May 12, 1924, Monday, a day after Mother's Day. By the time the six young people began the ride to Saginaw, rain had begun falling so the side curtains on the car were rolled down. The last thing said in the car that night was George asking if anyone wanted a stick of gum. A Pere Marquette train heading for the Dow plant hit the car as it crossed the railroad tracks in the rain. William and Sarah lost their two youngest children that night, George and Coy. Sarah, who wrote articles for the Geneva Herald, never mentioned anything about the accident except for one time in a letter dated April 24, 1928. She mentioned the death of a young man and then wrote: "It was four years ago this May that he was in that awful accident that killed my son and daughter." In 1930, William had a stroke at the age of 63, leaving him incapacitated. Undeterred, William had his grandson Henry apply for a special driver's permit from Sheriff Ira Smith to drive him around so he could check on how things were going with his threshing machines. William died in 1932. After his death, his son Merrill moved his family to the farm and continued the threshing business until 1948. Merrill had married Thelma Shauger in 1927 and they had six children: Richard, Elizabeth, Raymond, Rollin, Virgilene and Russell. Thelma's dad Alex Shauger was mayor of Midland from 1940 to 1944. Merrill inherited his dad's mechanical ability and his work ethic, making him a jack of all trades. He cut hair. Pulled teeth. Made an artificial leg for a man that the man wore for 30 years. Wired barns. Did shop work. Farmed. He was considered the high-tech guy of his day. Rollin, Merrill's son, remembers his dad as a man who believed in everyone paying their own way. And that applied to his four sons and two daughters. Merrill planted 5 acres of pickles so the kids could earn their own spending money. Rollin said, "We picked pickles all summer. I was glad when the frost came." The pickle station was on LaPorte Road. His sister Elizabeth never picked the vines clean. She would pick the big pickles to fill her container up fast and when they went through the pickle sorter, they made a "Clunk! Clunk!" sound. The other kids had to pick the smaller pickles which brought more money when it came to selling them but it took longer to fill their containers up. These were the years of the Depression and Rollin remembers riding into town with his brother Richard on Saturdays and seeing men working on the WPA cutting brush in the ditches. The initials WPA stood for Works Progress Administration. Some said it stood for We Poke Along. The WPA came into existence during the tenure of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in an effort to get the country moving again after the disastrous Dust Bowl and the collapse of the stock market in 1929. There was also the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) for young men who couldn't find a job. They worked all over Michigan planting trees, building camp sites in parks and building lodges on state land. The young men slept in tents, got their food free and were paid a nominal sum but it was a job. Roscommon has a small museum about the CCC and reading the letters young men wrote applying for a job was at times heart wrenching. One letter was from a young man who begged for a job because his mother had remarried and his stepfather had kicked him out of the house. No place to stay. No job. No money. Buying a new tractor during World War II was out of the question and Merrill used an old 1930s model until he was able to buy a new one in 1946. He purchased a John Deere for $1,508 from Cohoon's Grain Elevator then located in downtown Midland on Ann Street by the railroad tracks behind the Court House. William and Sarah's five children are now deceased. Merrill's six children who grew up on the Centennial Farm are still leading productive lives. Five are in their 80s, Richard, Merrill's son, was 90 in January. The love of farm and family were the foundation of William Yeakle's life and they remain the foundation for his grandchildren. No man could have left a more lasting legacy. A 22-year-old Waterford man has been arrested on a warrant for embezzlement from an Isabella County business, Michigan State Police troopers from the Mount Pleasant Post report. The investigation into the embezzlement began in July when the owner of a convenience store contacted troopers. The owner reported an employee had embezzled several thousands of dollars over several months, a media release states. Entrepreneurs and small businesses have long been regarded as the engines that power the global economy, but the thing that sets a local corner store apart from a startup built in the cloud is the rate at which they can scale. Sarah Heck, an advisor on international entrepreneurship and youth programs to the Obama Foundation and head of entrepreneurship at Stripe. Untapped opportunity Africa is a continent brimming with creativity, resourcefulness and untapped opportunity. Support for startups That is according to Sarah Heck, an advisor on international entrepreneurship and youth programs to the Obama Foundation and head of entrepreneurship at Stripe , who told Disrupt Africa offline businesses are bound by the physical limitations of a brick-and-mortar market.Tech-enabled startups, on the other hand, can operate on internet scale from day one; propelled by software that makes the fundamental aspects of reaching a broad user-base and going global a lot easier, she said.As a result, its entirely plausible for a high growth startup to scale from zero to hundreds of employees within as little as two years. The Kauffman Foundation actually looked into the impact of these kinds of businesses on job creation back in 2011, and found that startups not only created the most net new jobs in the US economy but, unlike existing small or large firms, continued to steadily create new jobs throughout the global recession.Africa is a continent brimming with creativity, resourcefulness and untapped opportunity, Heck said, but there is a lot more to do to realise its full potential as an entrepreneurial hub. The latest Global Entrepreneurship Monitor ranked Africa as the region with the lowest proportion of entrepreneurs expecting to create six or more jobs within the next five years.We all need to do more to change that statistic. At Stripe, we think a lot about how we can lower the barriers to entrepreneurship, help more businesses get started, and expand into new markets. We do this because we believe that helping entrepreneurs be successful will advance economic growth and create more opportunities for others, Heck said.Just look at platforms like Hotels.ng, for example. Mark Essien has not only built a useful service for consumers, but hes bringing more business to local hotels and attractions in Nigeria, who in turn employ more people to keep up with the demand created by the Hotels.ng platform. You also have companies like Ongair in Kenya and SynCommerce in Ghana that serve as enablers of other businesses, providing tools that help companies better serve their customers, grow their revenue and re-shift their focus to their core product.Stripe fits into a similar category, she said. Were building software infrastructure and tools to enable more entrepreneurs to build, run and scale online businesses, sell to customers anywhere in the world and effectively compete in the new economy whether theyre the worlds fastest-growing technology company or a single software developer starting up in a garage.Something that really excited the Obama Foundation about the young leaders selected for its Leaders: Africa programme was their focus on tackling Africas greatest challenges through entrepreneurship.The Ayanleye brothers built Stutern to address rising youth unemployment in Nigeria by equipping graduates with in-demand skills like UI/UX design and back-end development and placing them in higher-paying jobs. AkiraChix is teaching a generation of young women to code. Agro-Hub in Cameroon is leveraging technology to bring thousands of offline farmers into the online space. The solutions theyre building have the potential to shape the future of the African economy. We want to do whatever we can to remove the blockers that may stand in their way, said Heck.Asked whether there is enough support for young people starting their entrepreneurial journeys, she said perceptions around entrepreneurship were culturally nuanced.Its a risky path and the fear of failure often discourages promising entrepreneurs from getting started. Even on an anecdotal level, I was struck by the number of young people I met throughout the Leaders: Africa convening who told me that their parents would be disappointed if they pursued entrepreneurship as a career choice. Emerging female founders, in particular, grapple with the additional challenge of the cultural expectations of young women, said Heck.Starting a business is hard. Early-stage founders arguably need the most support when theyre just starting out. The irony, of course, is that they often only get that groundswell of support once their businesses are financially successful.This is where the local startup ecosystem becomes an invaluable safety net.We need to highlight local role models, foster an environment predicated on mentorship, up-skilling and knowledge-sharing, and develop a cultural understanding that failure is par for the course, she said.We also need to make it as seamless as possible for new businesses to get off the ground. Founders dont start businesses to contend with the financial and legal mechanics of setting up a company. They start businesses because they see a problem and have a vision for how to fix it.Heck said that is why Stripe started its Atlas programme, to reduce the cost, toil and time spent on setting up a company, so entrepreneurs can focus their limited resources on building the best possible product or service for their customers.She said any robust startup ecosystem relies on close collaboration between the corporate sector, government and academia to thrive.There are three foundational layers to consider. The first is education, be it formal or informal. Do entrepreneurs have the skills and mentorship to turn their ideas into thriving businesses? Are we creating a pipeline of talent with relevant skills to join those businesses and help them grow? Is the curriculum adapting to the needs of the modern internet-driven economy? said Heck.The second relates to helping businesses start and run, ensuring that the resources they need to get off the ground are readily available. Do entrepreneurs have to navigate a sea of red tape before interacting with their first customers? Is there adequate infrastructure to support the growth of their business? Do they have access to sufficient funding?The third, meanwhile, relates to enabling businesses to scale.Do local regulatory frameworks inhibit or enable their growth? Are they incentivised to create more jobs in their local markets? Are they able to freely transact with customers across borders? The answers to those questions all rely on multiple stakeholders to play their part. Kenya Barris, the creator of the hit show Black-ish, has signed a big-ticket production deal with Netflix. The $100-million, three-year deal starts Thursday and under it, Barris will write and executive produce all projects through his production company, Khalabo Ink Society. Kenya Barris is one of our great modern storytellers, said Cindy Holland, Netflixs Vice President of Original Content, in a statement. Holland continued: Kenya uses his voice to make audiences more aware of the world around them, while simultaneously making them laugh. His honesty, comedic brilliance and singular point of view, combined with the creative freedom he will enjoy at Netflix, promises to create powerful new stories for all our members around the world. Barris chimed in with his input about the move, saying, When my agents reached out to me about this little garage start-up called Netflix, I wasnt sure what to think. But after I talked to Ted and Cindy, I started to believe that maybe this mom-and-pop shop with only 130 million subscribers might just be something so I decided to take a swing a leap of faith if you will, and take a chance with the new kids on the block. Good for Mama and Papa Netflix for snagging this endless talent. The Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated writer and producer will join the ranks of Shonda Rhimes, Ryan Murphy and many others, leaving his network television home at ABC for the streaming platform. The move comes three weeks after he announced his departure from the network, three weeks earlier than his contract ended. Relations between Barris and ABC worsened after they refused to air an episode of Black-ish that dealt heavily with race relations. There arent many more details about the terms of the deal, but were excited to see where Barris takes it. The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release today after over two years in detention of Jones Abiri, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Weekly Source newspaper. Nigerian journalist Jones Abiri (left) and Alagoa Morris (right) in Abuja after Abiri's release from detention on August 15, 2018. CPJ urges Nigerian authorities to drop all charges against Abiri and ensure those responsible for his over two years in detention without trial or family visitation are held accountable."Jones Abiri should never have been arrested nor kept in detention by the Department of State Security for over two years, and we call for all charges against him to be dropped immediately," Muthoki Mumo, CPJ's sub-Saharan Africa representative, said today from Nairobi, Kenya."The ongoing efforts to prosecute Jones Abiri are a grave indication of the lengths to which the government of President Muhammadu Buhari will go to intimidate journalists in Nigeria."On June 21, 2018, 20 organisations joined CPJ in writing a letter to Buhari calling for Abiri's release. Rock and roll legend Elvis Aaron Presley died on Aug. 16, 1977. The headline in The Patriot the next day said, "'Mr. Swivel Hips,' Presley, 42, dies." Presley never performed in the Harrisburg area but was scheduled to appear Sept. 25, 1977, at Hersheypark Arena. The story from the Associated Press: "Elvis Presley, the Mississippi boy whose rock 'n' roll guitar and gyrating hips changed American music styles, died yesterday afternoon of heart failure. He was 42. Dr. Jerry Francisco, medical examiner for Shelby County, said the cause of death was cardia arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat. He said, 'that's just another name for a form of heart attack.' Presley was declared dead at 3:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. EDT) at Baptist Hospital, where he had been taken by a fire department ambulance after being found unconscious at his Graceland mansion. Dr. George Nichopolous, Presley's personal physician, said Presley was last seen alive shortly after 9 a.m. Nichopolous said Presley had been taking a number of appetite depressants, but he said they did not contribute to his death. Presley's unconscious form was discovered at his white-columned mansion by Joe Esposito, his road manger. A girlfriend, Ginger Alden, 20, was at the mansion, Nichopolous said." Presley had been a frequent patient at the hospital over the past few years. When he was rumored to be suffering from various incurable diseases, his physicians had attributed his hospitalization to eye trouble, a twisted colon and exhaustion. Earlier this year, he canceled several performances in Louisiana and returned to Memphis, where he was hospitalized for what his physicians said was exhaustion. He had rarely been seen in public recently and his weight was said to have ballooned. Nichopoulos said Presley was due to leave last night on an 11-day tour to begin today in Portland, Maine. ... Presley's gyrating hips were only mildly suggestive compared with the antics of most of today's rock performers. But when he appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in the 1950s, fears about his sexuality apparently were so strong that he was shown only from the waist up." His 20 greatest hits as published in the newspaper the day after his death were: NOTE: A Passaic County Sheriff's Office department spokesman, William J. Maer, returned multiple requests for comment to NJ Advance Media on Wednesday morning to say the unidentified man in the video is a retired captain from the department. Maer did not name the retired captain nor explain what type of badge the man had in his possession. A video of a heated encounter between a man who identified himself as a captain with the Passaic County Sheriff's Department and a teenager is making its way around social media, and not garnering many positive comments. (Notice: The video contains some offensive language.) Is this how Passaic County Sheriff Officers act off duty? Doesnt look like de-escalation to me. #paterson #fairlawn #nj Posted by Zellie Y Thomas on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 The video begins with the off-duty officer telling the teen, "Don't be a punk." The man then says he is a captain with the Passaic County Sheriff's Department and flashes his badge in the boy's face. The officer and the teenager exchange words and close physical proximity before a woman guides the man away. A uniformed Fair Lawn police officer is seen on the video watching the encounter, then the officer tells the teens to leave the area once the off-duty captain leaves. Laura Cohen, director of Rutgers University's Criminal and Youth Justice Clinic, said this confrontation shouldn't have happened. "That's immediate escalation of a situation that should have never led to any police interaction at all. It's an immediate excursion of physical control from the moment the officer approaches the young boy, " said Cohen, who is also a former employee for the New York City Legal Aid Society's Juvenile Rights Division. It's unclear what happened before the video, but Paterson resident Liz Perdomo said she witnessed the event that took place on Aug. 5 and said the incident happened in Fair Lawn. She said she saw a group of kids riding bikes in the shopping area when one of the teens fell off their bike and onto their back. As the teens were gathering after the accident, an unidentified woman told them to disperse or she would call the police. The teens and the woman exchanged words and the woman went upstairs to a nearby apartment building and came back down with the off-duty sheriff officer and the encounter began, according to Perdomo. "If anything she should have called an ambulance, not threatening to call the cops. I mean he fell pretty hard," said Perdomo. Criminology experts weighed in on the interaction as well. Maria Haberfeld, a professor of criminal justice at John Jay College said the video showed old school police behavior that has no place in the 21st century. "Using curses when speaking with somebody, be it a juvenile or an adult, is not an acceptable behavior - period," Haberfeld said. As a former police officer, and former senior Homeland security official, John Cohen, who currently teaches criminal justice at Rutgers University, said his concerns where with how the man handled the situation as an off-duty officer. "This interaction sends a cautionary message that off-duty police officer need to be careful about how they interact with the public and the types of interactions they make with the public," said Cohen. "The best way to handle the situation and not create a violent or hostile situation is to let the on-duty police officers handle it," he said. Activist Zellie Thomas shared the video on Facebook and Twitter where it has since received over 21,000 views and thousands of shares. "I definitely wanted answers because as adults we have a duty to de-escalate situations and not be the aggressors or escalate the situation," Thomas said. "I think both officers were in the wrong. He was wrong for approaching the child in an aggressive manor, and the other officer was wrong for just standing by." Cohen said the significance of the video is, "It raises questions about what's happening when the public isn't watching and the importance of civilians recording of civilian and police encounters." She said an option for those that are unhappy with encounters such as these is to file an internal affairs complaint with the police department involved. Taylor Tiamoyo Harris may be reached at tharris@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ladytiamoyo. Some potential buyers have emerged for the former Bishop McDevitt High School property in Harrisburg, pre-empting a scheduled public auction at the Hilton Harrisburg Thursday. Auctioneer Max Spann gavelled in at 1 p.m. primarily to announce that his firm has received a number of "pre-emptive offers" on the McDevitt property that are going to lead to further negotiations. Those bidders weren't prepared to make an offer Thursday for various reasons, broker Bob Dann said, including a desire on the part of at least one to confer with city officials about future plans for the site. The auction was technically opened to see if there were any additional qualified bidders off the street, and there weren't. Thursday's auction was scheduled after more than five years of misfires in trying to find a buyer or new use for the landmark, Gothic-style school building that opened during the state capitol city's pre-war heyday in 1930. Built as the diocese outgrew its former school on North Street, this incarnation of McDevitt served students through the end of 2012, when the school moved into a new, $45 million campus in Lower Paxton Township. The Diocese of Harrisburg has been looking to sell the old school on Market Street ever since. Six Roman Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania joined the list this week of those around the U.S. that have been forced to face the ugly truth about child-molesting priests in their ranks. But in dozens of other dioceses, there has been no reckoning, leading victims to wonder if the church will ever truly take responsibility or be held accountable. "It happens everywhere, so it's not really so much a question of where has it happened, but instead, where has word gotten out, where is information about it accessible?" said Terry McKiernan, founder of BishopAccountability.org, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit group that tracks clergy sexual abuse cases. Since the crisis exploded in Boston in 2002, dioceses around the country have dealt with similar revelations, with many of them forced to acknowledge widespread sexual abuse because of aggressive plaintiffs' attorneys, assertive prosecutors or relentless journalists. In a few instances, namely in Tucson, Arizona, and Seattle, dioceses voluntarily named names. Dioceses in Boston; Los Angeles; Seattle; Portland, Oregon; Denver; San Diego; Louisville, Kentucky; and Dallas have all paid multimillion-dollar settlements to victims. Fifteen dioceses and three Catholic religious orders have filed for bankruptcy to deal with thousands of lawsuits. Still, only about 40 of the nearly 200 dioceses in the U.S. have released lists of priests accused of abusing children, and there have been only nine investigations by a prosecutor or grand jury of a Catholic diocese or archdiocese in the U.S., according to BishopAccountability.org. In many of the dioceses that have been examined, the numbers have been staggering: in the six Pennsylvania dioceses, 300 abusive priests and more than 1,000 victims since the 1940s; in Boston, at least 250 priests and more than 500 victims. All told, 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. READ MORE: Clergy sex abuse report delivers a scathing rebuke on Catholic Church officials: overview Phil Saviano, a Massachusetts man who said he was sexually abused by a priest in 1960s beginning at age 11, said he hopes the grand jury report in Pennsylvania will prompt attorneys general in other states to conduct similar investigations. He said he doubts dioceses will release names unless forced to do so. "My personal feeling is that none of them are going to come forward voluntarily. It's always going to take some pressure from the public, the parishioners or legal authorities," said Saviano, whose story was one of many exposed by The Boston Globe in its 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning series and later in the Oscar-winning movie "Spotlight." Mitchell Garabedian, a Boston lawyer who estimates he has represented 3,000 clergy sex abuse victims from around the world since the 1990s, said he has sent letters detailing about two dozen allegations of abuse against priests from dioceses in Michigan, Ohio and Rhode Island and received similar responses from all three. "They say, 'We feel very sorry for your clients, but it's outside the statute of limitations,'" Garabedian said, adding, "The church knows there is no legal recourse, so the church says it will not act responsibly and will not act appropriately." In many states, statutes of limitations allow people abused as children to file civil claims up until only age 21 or slightly older. In Massachusetts and other states hit hard by the crisis, those statutes were amended after the scandal erupted. But in many other states, the laws have remained unchanged. The Pennsylvania grand jury said that in almost every case there, the statute of limitations for bringing criminal charges has run out. Echoing what was discovered in Boston and other places, the grand jury report accused senior church officials of hushing up allegations against priests, in some cases by shuffling them from parish to parish. READ MORE: Catholic Church officials shielded sexually predatory priests for decades: grand jury report The Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest who is a senior analyst for the Religion News Service, said U.S. bishops have adopted widespread reforms in recent years, including mandatory criminal background checks for priests and lay employees, a requirement that abuse allegations be reported to law enforcement, the suspension of priests while they are being investigated, and permanent removal from ministry when accusations are substantiated. Reese said the grand jury report in Pennsylvania should be a "wake-up call" to other dioceses that they need to hire outside groups to do independent investigations, then must publish the results. But he said he is doubtful that will happen. "A lot of bishops feel, 'Hey, that was done before I got here. I regret that it happened, I'm sorry that it happened, but we've changed, this is no longer happening under my watch because of the procedures we've put in place,'" Reese said. "If they had just gotten all of the dirt out at the very beginning, all at the same time, then we wouldn't be suffering death by 1,000 cuts. It's just place after place, and frankly, it's the same story in every place." Denise Lavoie of the Associated Press wrote this story. Law enforcement and emergency responders in Dauphin County will now have eyes in the sky to aid with their operations on the ground. Dauphin County officials Thursday unveiled the county's new drone that will be available for police to use with investigations, searches, and evidence gathering. Officials held a demonstration of how the machine works in Fort Hunter Park, showing that it is capable of normal and thermal imaging. Dauphin County officials unveil a new drone for use by law enforcement. The Dauphin County Criminal Investigation Division purchased the drone with a $16,012 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, and a $5,040 grant from the National Rifle Association. Officials began using the drone in April once a policy was in place and personnel were trained to use it. About a month later, it aided officials in the search for a family when their boat capsized in the Susquehanna River in May. 25-year-old mother Mary Bredbenner, 26-year-old father father Cody Binkley, their 3-year-old daughter Madelyn Binkley, and the family's Labrador retriever were thrown into the river when their boat capsized during a night of fishing. Mary and Madelyn both died, but Cody survived. The family's dog also perished. The drone has also helped with a police investigation of a fatal hit-and-run accident in Harrisburg. "In situations like these, having an overhead look can be invaluable, and even life-saving," said Dauphin County commissioner Mike Pries. "This real-time information protects both law enforcement and the public." The drone is a piece of equipment that is a lot different than anything a recreational drone pilot would use. Drone pilot Don Trovy, a Dauphin County Probation Officer, explained the county's drone has three GPS units on it, as well as three IMU (inertial measurement units) to help keep the aircraft steady. "Most drones that you buy from a Walmart or another place, they only have four rotors. Ours has six," Trovy said. "If one of them would fail, it would allow it to still stay up in the sky, and allow it to land safely." Officials using the drone will follow Federal Aviation Administration regulations, and the drone will only be used in police emergencies, Pries said. "All members of the South Central Task Force set to handle regional emergencies have gotten drones, or will be getting them," he said. That task force includes the counties of Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lebanon, Perry, and York. Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo said the drone has been used in 13 investigations so far. He said that in the past, officials would have had to rely on a helicopter from state police for that eye in the sky - now, the drone will serve in a role alongside that partnership. "The bottom line is that this tool is used to protect lives, and for public safety," Chardo said. Gov. Tom Wolf is urging state lawmakers to extend the statute of limitations for victims of child sex abuse. Writing on Twitter that he is horrified by the findings of the grand jury report on clergy sex abuse, the governor said that lawmakers and advocates should work together in the next few weeks to aid victims. Wolf also said that there should be some recourse for victims who have been blocked from coming forward. "I urge legislators to come together and find agreement on legislative changes that further protect victims of abuse, extend the statutes of limitation, and provide recourse for all survivors, especially those that were systemically suppressed from coming forward," Wolf wrote on Twitter Wednesday night. The governor also cited his support of a bill sponsored by state Rep. Mark Rozzi. A Berks County Democrat, Rozzi has pushed legislation that would allow victims to sue for abuse that occurred decades ago, even if they are past the statute of limitations. After the grand jury report's release Tuesday, Rozzi said he hopes lawmakers approve his bill. State law requires those trying to pursue criminal claims of child sexual abuse to come forward by age 50. This wishing to file lawsuits in civil court must do so by age 30. Victims and their advocates say those limits prevent many people from coming forward. They say it takes some victims decades to come forward. Top lawmakers in both parties have expressed support for eliminating the statute of limitations in criminal cases. State Senate President Pro Temper Joe Scarnati, a Jefferson County Republican, sponsored a bill that would end the statute of limitations in criminal cases. The state Senate has approved the bill. The grand jury report urges lawmakers to end the statute of limitations and to create a window for victims to pursue civil claims. Lawmakers have differed on the question of allowing victims to retroactively pursue civil cases against abusers. Some have said the measure wouldn't pass constitutional muster. The Catholic Church and insurance industry have opposed legislation with the retroactive provision. House Majority Leader Dave Reed, an Indiana Republican, said the House will take up legislation on the statute of limitations in the fall. Reed has also supported the retroactive provision to allow victims to pursue civil claims. Lawmakers have only a limited number of days before the legislative session ends in mid-November. The governor said Wednesday night that lawmakers should act with urgency. "Over the next few weeks, there must be active conversations with lawmakers and advocates about how we can break the logjam that currently exists and make real progress for victims," Wolf said on Twitter. The grand jury report found that 301 priests sexually abused more than 1,000 victims over several decades. Attorney General Josh Shapiro noted that the abuse was compounded and enabled by church leaders, including bishops, who covered up the assaults and transferred priests after complaints arose. The report focused on six of Pennsylvania's eight Catholic dioceses: Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Scranton, Erie and Greensburg. 7 Gallery: The Harrisburg teachers union and PSEA hold a news conference about a salary grievance involving teacher pay Two days after the release of the scathing grand jury report on clergy sex abuse in Pennsylvania, the Vatican has issued a statement expressing "shame and sorrow" for the crimes. "The Holy See treats with great seriousness the work of the Investigating Grand Jury of Pennsylvania and the lengthy interim report it has produced," the Vatican said in the statement Thursday. "The Holy See unequivocally condemns the sexual abuse of minors." "The abuses described in the report are criminal and morally reprehensible," the Vatican said. "Those acts were betrayals of trust that robbed survivors of their dignity and their faith. The Church must learn hard lessons from its past, and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur." "Victims should know that the Pope is on their side," the statement adds. Critics said the Vatican's silence in the two days after the release of the long-anticipated grand jury report was mystifying. "The silence from the Vatican is disturbing," Massimo Faggioli, a theology professor at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, told CNN earlier Thursday. "I don't think the Pope necessarily has to say something today. He needs time to understand the situation. But someone from the Vatican should say something." The grand jury report found that 301 priests sexually abused more than 1,000 victims over several decades. At a press conference Tuesday, Attorney General Josh Shapiro noted that the abuse was compounded and enabled by church leaders, including bishops, who covered up the assaults and transferred priests after complaints arose. Shapiro said that while the grand jury investigation confirmed that there were more than 1,000 victims, the true number of victims may be in the thousands. Citing the grand jury report, the organization known as SNAP - the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests - wants federal authorities to launch a nationwide investigation of the Catholic Church. In 2003, the group called for a federal investigation after the disclosure of scores of clergy sexual assaults of children in Boston. Federal authorities have done little to "prevent these crimes or cover-ups or punish clerics who conceal or commit them," Tim Lambert, SNAP's president said in a statement. "Today, we are again demanding that the federal government take action," Lambert said. "Please do not waste any more time waiting for the Catholic Church to reform itself. While the Vatican expressed sorrow in its statement, the Vatican also noted progress in curbing abuses of children in the Catholic Church in recent years. "Most of the discussion in the report concerns abuses before the early 2000s," the Vatican said in the statement. "By finding almost no cases after 2002, the Grand Jury's conclusions are consistent with previous studies showing that Catholic Church reforms in the United States drastically reduced the incidence of clergy sex abuse." Shapiro noted that nearly all of the cases are too old to be prosecuted. But he stressed the investigation is ongoing and he aims to bring abusers to justice. His office set up a hotline for clergy sex abuse victims to come forward: 888-538-8541. A day after the hotline was established, Shapiro's office received more than 150 calls, including some from survivors. The report focused on six of Pennsylvania's eight Catholic dioceses: Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Scranton, Erie and Greensburg. By Dennis Roddy This week's release of a grand jury report on sexual misconduct within the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania is an exercise in rubble-bouncing: a catalogue of old cases, unprovable complaints, and fraught language designed to pass legislation, not to prosecute criminals. Dennis Roddy (PennLive file) Sexual abuse in the ranks of the clergy is a long-established reality, one exclusive to no religion. The Catholic Church is an inviting target both for its out-of-step social policies and its monolithic structure. It's hard to miss the bullseye when the target is both immovable and the size of a city block, to say nothing of the church's incense-scented qualities of "otherness." Where else but a press conference about the Catholic Church could an attorney general imbue a massive, bureaucratic failure with occult atmospherics? It was all there: garish descriptions of faith defiled, holy water misused, and the recurring trope of "secret archives." The dreadful thing about this report does not lie in the fact that most of it is an overwritten retelling of old cases, many of which ended in public prosecutions decades earlier. Attorney General Josh Shapiro and his staff have allowed the inclusion of allegations that are unproven because they are unprovable. Some are little more than reckless speculation. Consider the case of the Rev. John E. Brueckner, who died in 1960. The report says that in 2016, a woman phoned the Diocese of Greensburg to say that her husband had once told her that he was abused by a Catholic priest at St. Joseph's Parish in New Kensington in 1951. At the time, Greensburg was still part of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The caller could not recall the name of the priest. Two days later, the Diocese referred the matter to the Westmoreland County District Attorney's office. Their memorandum provided a list of priests assigned to St. Joseph. Absent any explanation or reference to further investigation, the grand jury report simply names Rev. Bruckner and "Father Stewart" for which it appears not to have bothered to have obtained a first name. An unnamed priest. A parish. A list. A name pulled out of God knows where. That's in a grand jury report casting shame on a priest 58 years in the grave, with no evidence that the attorney general did anything to determine its truth or falsity. When real cases, most of them publicized long ago, are salted with reckless speculation and raw files pulled from a complaint file, we're faced with the Orwellian spectacle of the innocent being tossed in with the guilty for reason of proximity. We are told to believe victims, which is laudable. But belief requires proof. It's why we have courts of law and rules of procedure. It's why the state Supreme Court has ordered hearings for two dozen clergy whose names have been redacted from the report pending an evidentiary hearing. At his press conference, which featured a photo-op of weeping victims and an introductory video replete with tinkling musical soundtrack, Shapiro lashed out at the unnamed clerics who had the temerity to challenge their inclusion in the report. "Shamefully, these petitioners still don't have the courage to tell the public who they are," he said. That, of course, was their point. These individuals are attempting to protect their good names. Whether or not they have a case remains to be seen. But without the high court's intervention, they'd have had little chance. The dead, such as Father Brueckner, never had a shot from the start. In the Pittsburgh diocese, the Rev. George Wilt, long-serving pastor at my home parish, was named. The diocese received complaints of unwanted kisses and what can only be described as clumsy passes at women. So the accusation was included in the grand jury report. No evidence that Shapiro's agents looked into the claims, much less what they found. Included, too, was a startling allegation from a woman who says she met with Wilt at St. Bernard parish in 1961 where he seduced her. This isn't a new allegation because it was raised in 2003, after Wilt had left the parish. The diocese immediately investigated and determined, among other things, that Wilt wasn't at St. Bernard until 1968 and had only visited there once, to attend the funeral of its pastor. The grand jury report includes it anyway. Some entries challenge the space-time continuum. According to the grand jury report, accused abuser Charles J. Ruffenach died in 1980. "In the late 1980s, the victim confronted Ruffenach regarding the abuse. Ruffenach denied the allegations." Likely we're dealing with typographical errors or flat-out failure of memory. We aren't likely to know, because the attorney general says these reports can't be altered once the grand jury is dismissed. Either way, such inattention to detail raises doubts about what else jurors might have gotten wrong. Many of the allegations against priests are provably true, if only because they have been proven in courts of law. Richard Zula and Robert Wolk were sentenced to five and 10 years in prison, respectively. The case was widely publicized in 1988. In fact, of the cases cited by the grand jury, the majority of them - 90 percent when it comes to the Diocese of Pittsburgh - took place prior to a series of zero-tolerance policies instituted by the church in the wake of the Boston scandal of 2002. The first onrush of headlines was the PR success Shapiro surely wanted. Allentown: "301 Priests Preyed on 1,000 Children." Pittsburgh "They Hid it All." Scranton: "Forsaken Children." Philadelphia: "Sins of the Fathers." It remains now for the Supreme Court to sort out the truth and falsity of the cases brought by the 24 villains Shapiro so despises for fighting inclusion in his magnum opus. Due process is a nettlesome thing and gets in the ways of all sorts of unencumbered narratives. Perhaps journalists will start picking through this document and try to determine what measures the attorney general's office took to further investigate and determine the truth or falsity of some of the claims. Possibly it's all true. After two years and more than 1,000 pages, we shouldn't have to wonder. That's the shame of the thing. Dennis Roddy is a Republican consultant from Pittsburgh and a former speechwriter for Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett. His work appears occasionally on PennLive Opinion. Actor, writer, and producer Ivan Botha is well known for his work in the box-office hits Pad na jou Hart and Vir Altyd. Pad na jou Hart was crowned as Film of the Year 2014 and he also received the Tempo award for Actor of the Year for his lead roles in both these movies. Alongside Donnalee Roberts, Botha is responsible for co-writing, co-producing, and marketing these films. Why have you decided to make your debut as a director with Stroomop? What inspired the screenplay? You co-wrote the screenplay with your frequent creative collaborator Donnalee Roberts and Sean Robert Daniels. Tell me about the collaboration? Do you find it easier to write a screenplay by yourself or with collaborators you trust? Tell me about this? Stroomop is a film where the women save themselves, is this something you could easily relate to as a writer and director? Tell me about the process from page to screen, what were the obstacles and how did you overcome it? How much has the industry changed since Vir Altyd? How do you see the future for screenwriters in South Africa? What advice would you give writers to get their work produced? It must have been an exciting and inspiring experience making your debut with a film that features the top talent in South Africa? How much did they contribute to the process? What do you expect audiences to get from Stroomop? He is the co-owner of the production house 17 FILMS that specialises in the development, production, and marketing of quality, value-based films. 17 FILMS was also responsible for the marketing of the successful film, Ballade vir n Enkeling.After almost 10 years in the film industry, he is ready to make his debut as a director in 2018. His directorial debut film Stroomop will be released in August 2018.Botha received his national diploma in drama from the Technical University of Tshwane where he specialised in directing and scriptwriting. Since then hes appeared in well-known television series, including 7de Laan, Villa Rosa, and Getroud met Rugby. His film credits include Hond se Dinges, Superhelde, Roepman, Verraaiers, as well as the Bakgat franchise. His passion was born on stage where he had roles in Dis Ek, Anna (2006), Hel op Hemel en Aarde (2011), Ben, Babsie en Familie (2013) and Beurtkrag (2016/2017).Botha directed Stroomop from a screenplay crafted by himself, Roberts, and Sean Robert Daniels. The film, the Afrikaans title translates to upstream in English, follows the lives of five very unique, very diverse women who are all trying to keep their heads above water while drowning under the weight of the definition of being perfect.I spoke to Botha about the inspirational women in his life, filming in water, and collaborative writing.The fact that the story and characters are well rounded and filled with twists and turns attracted me to the story. Its an honour to be a part of a film celebrating women.We wanted to tell a story where women are the heroes of their own story, a film about self-discovery, self-acceptance, forgiveness, and healing.It was awesome to collaborate, writing is often a lonely process. Each of us has unique strengths when it comes to writing and I believe each of our individual skills complemented the story.Donnalee and I have been writing together for six years, I would not have it any other way. Writing together works well for us, it allows for an immediate second opinion, and double the creativeness.Yes, the people who have inspired me the most in my life happen to be women, my mom, daughter, and Donnalee. Strong women who swim Stroomop daily and are the heroes of their own journey.The logistical elements regarding filming on water were our biggest challenge, in the writing process we did not allow anything to hold us back. We did a lot of test shoots on water to make sure we were prepared for the day. The reality of stunts and resets is a slow process, we had to plan well and give enough time to execute the script well.I see more and more filmmakers around me, more genres being explored, more daring stories being told. It is an exciting time to be in the industry.It would be ideal to have more time in development, it is something we need to seriously focus on as producers, to allow more time and money for the story is essential. I also believe that writers should start to collaborate more, co-writing is the norm when it comes to international productions.Story story story. Make sure your story or even script/treatment is in a well-developed place before you approach a producer, be clear regarding why this story needs to be told and for who the story is.My cast and crew were and are world-class, I could not have asked for better. As mentioned with regard to the writing, filmmaking is a team effort. It takes a village.I hope people walk out having lost themselves on the journey with the characters, that they could identify with the characters and that they walk out changed. Pairing Northern Michigan craft beer with Halloween candy Parents who like to steal a piece of candy or two may find that Halloween candy pairs nicely with area craft beer. 1.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard MSNBCs Katy Tur, who covered Donald Trump up close during the campaign, said the public feud between the president and Omarosa Manigault Newman isnt teaching us anything new about the man living in the White House. In a discussion with Chris Matthews, Tur said the American people knew Trump was a misogynistic racist long before Omarosas controversial book tour. I think that the version of Donald Trump that she is putting out there is the version of Donald Trump that everybody knows, Tur said. Video: Is she going to change the mind of anyone who voted for Donald Trump, Im not so sure, Katy Tur said of Omarosas attacks on the president. #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/gSStikfAPW PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) August 15, 2018 Katy Tur explained: Is she going to change the mind of anyone who voted for Donald Trump, Im not so sure. I think that the version of Donald Trump that she is putting out there is the version of Donald Trump that everybody knows. I also think that the president gives pretty easy cover for his supporters by painting her as a liar and as an opportunist. I am not sure whose mind she changes. Im not sure whose mind she changes. Im just not sure what she has shown that we havent already seen from the president himself on his Twitter feed or in the way he speaks about people or we saw during the campaign. Omarosa has said spectacular things, including that the president knew about the WikiLeaks e-mails before WikiLeaks went out. I dont think calling him a a racist or a misogynist is as surprising as a revelation like that. We dont need a tape to prove that Trump is a misogynistic racist Since the day Trump announced his candidacy for president, it was clear he planned to use bigotry to fuel his campaign. Heck, his first major political speech was a disgusting attack on Mexican immigrants. Throughout the campaign and his presidency, he continued to spew his racist bile, repeatedly attacking minority groups and equating them to animals and canines. Even his attack on Omarosa this week calling her a dog and questioning her intelligence was full of racial dog whistles. Katy Tur is right. Trumps supporters can see a tape of the president shooting somebody on Fifth Avenue, and they would shout fake news before drooling into a cup. It simply doesnt matter how damning the proof is; they wont budge. For the rest of the country the majority a tape isnt necessary. If and when more are released particularly the hyped up N-word tape it will only confirm what most of the country has known for years. 1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of the House Intelligence Committee tore into Donald Trump on Wednesday, explaining that the presidents move to revoke former CIA director John Brennans security clearance will make America less safe. In an interview with MSNBCs Ali Velshi, Swalwell called Trumps attack on Brennan scary. The security clearance is not to benefit John Brennan, the Democratic congressman said. It is to benefit us. Video: Rep. Swalwell said: I think the big picture here, it makes us less safe. The security clearance is not to benefit John Brennan. Its not to benefit any of the other administration officials from the Obama administration. It is to benefit us. Its so that, as people like Gina Haspell, the CIA director, or Mike Pompeo or General Mattis consider threats against the United States and actions they have to take today, they are able to reach back and talk to people who have faced the same threats and able to get their candid advice. That is why it is in place. So it makes us less safe. Theres a lot of people just like John Brennan who are speaking out against the president and who now may make this enemies list. That means for our national security that the list of advisors who can consult the administration for the greatest threats that we face will shrink to only include sycophants of the president. And, again, that makes us less safe. And as somebody who looks at these threats every day on the intelligence committee, I can tell you that there are a number of decisions that have to be made that include information that prior administration officials had access to and where we would want their input if it came to a life or death situation. Trump is actively making America less safe In his relentless pursuit to save his own skin as Robert Mueller circles around him, Donald Trump is actively making America less safe and he couldnt care less. Time and again, this president has shown just how unpatriotic he is. He pledges allegiance only to himself. Trump can whine about athletes kneeling during the national anthem, but his attacks on the free press, his repeated refusal to stand up to Russia and his disturbing and frequent attempts to undermine fundamental American institutions show that hes the one tarnishing the stars and stripes. Trumps move today may make him feel like a strongman, but it shows how weak he is and it will only make America less safe in the long term. The process to merge South African Express (SA Express) with South African Airways (SAA) is underway, public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan said on Wednesday, 15 August 2018. Eskom Denel In his presentation to Parliaments Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, the minister said the first step had already been taken.The first step of consolidating SA Express with SAA has just been concluded, which was to place both airlines within one shareholder ministry. SAA has been transferred back to the department, he said.President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this month transferred the administration of the South African Airways Act and accompanying functions from the Minister of Finance back to the Minister of Public Enterprises.The transfer was signed by the President on 25 July 2018 and gazetted on 1 August 2018. In December 2014, government announced the move of SAA from the Department of Public Enterprises to National Treasury.In his update, Gordhan said the boards and executive leadership of both airlines have been tasked with identifying quick wins to stabilise the two state-owned airlines. These quick wins include technical, fuel and route rationalisation.He said the SA Express board is expected to submit a bankable business model for commercial recovery and long-term sustainability.In May, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced the suspension of SA Expresss air operators certificate and the certificates of airworthiness (CoA) of nine of the 21 aircraft being operated by the airline.The CAA reinstated its Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) certification on 22 June 2018. Subsequently in July, SA Express announced that it was readying itself for take-off.It has undergone a stringent and rigorous process to meet the regulators high standards.On Wednesday, Gordhan said SA Express - with its new interim chief executive officer, Siza Mzimela - would commence operations next week.The entity has received an airline operating certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority and will resume a flight schedule shortly, said the Minister.He said the airline plans to build continuously on its flight schedule.At a media briefing in May, Gordhan said government wanted to merge national carrier SAA with SA Express and Mango, as the three airlines fly to the same destinations.The Minister told Parliament on Wednesday that SA Express continues to face liquidity and solvency challenges. While government has provided the airline with a government guarantee of R1.74bn, the department says immediate recapitalisation is required.In addition, the airline is in the process of finalising its annual financial statements for the 2016/17 and 2017/18 financial year due to going concern challenges.Gordhan said the lack of revenue generation due to the grounding of the airline has exacerbated the challenges of the airline. This is against the backdrop of allegations of high levels of corruption, among other things.The minister also gave the committee an update of other State-owned companies (SOCs) falling within the ambit of the Department of Public Enterprises.Government has reviewed the board of directors of Eskom, Denel, Transnet and SA Express, which now have new and experienced boards.Regarding the power utility, Gordhan said when it came to governance issues, lifestyle audits of senior management were in progress.There have also been investigations into irregular supplier contracts, with five no longer doing business with the utility that runs 25 power stations. They recovered R902 million from McKinsey, which has apologised to South Africa for its role in State capture.When coming to the armaments manufacturer, projections show the entity is likely to post a record loss. Denel experienced liquidity challenges with unpaid creditors at R1.1 billion. This resulted in suppliers withholding supplies, further putting operations under pressure.As a result, the SOC is likely to realise a significantly lower revenue than planned in the 2017/18 Corporate Plan, Gordhan said, adding that temporary reprieve was received, with Denel getting R580m.Meanwhile, irregular expenditure for 2016/17 was at R116m, with the newly acquired division, Denel Vehicle System, responsible for R83m.Disciplinary hearings were held for 144 cases and no instances of criminal proceedings were instituted.The minister said the new board, which was put in place in May is getting to the bottom of all the forensic reports to ascertain if more disciplinary actions could be taken. Also, lifestyle audits are yet to commence.Minister Gordhan said the SOC models must be reviewed to ensure their sustainability and that they play an effective role in the economy, while also driving transformation and localisation.He said corruption and state capture have had a dire impact on SOCs.[The] failure of SOCs has major downstream impact on other industries and SMMEs and to the economy, he told Parliament.The Department of Public Enterprises has six SOCs under it. 857 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Ranking Senate Intelligence Committee member Mark Warner called out Donald Trump on Wednesday, saying the move by the White House to revoke former CIA director John Brennans security clearance is a sign that the president has a Nixonian enemies list. This was in effect almost an enemies list, a Nixonian enemies list, the Virginia senator said, according to The Hill. Revoking Brennan, threatening to revoke a series of others, trying to limit these Americans First Amendment rights its unprecedented. Warners tough pushback came hours after Trump announced he was terminating Brennans security clearance. In Sarah Huckabee Sanders explanation for the disturbing move, she didnt even deny that it was all because the president couldnt handle the truths being told by the former CIA director. Mr. Brennans lying and recent conduct characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary is wholly inconsistent with access to the nations most closely held secrets and facilities, she said. In other words: Brennan was exercising his free speech, and Trump didnt like it. Brennan is the first in a series of other former intelligence officials that Trump plans to target if they continue to publicly criticise him. Trump cant handle criticism Before Donald Trump was president, all he could do when he faced tough criticism was whine about it on Twitter like the man-child that he is. He certainly hasnt stopped doing that. But now that he is president, he is increasingly using his power to silence those who disagree with him. Wednesdays move to revoke the security clearance of an intelligence community veteran a man central to the operation that killed Osama bin Laden is the latest demonstration of that. The fact that Mark Warner is warning the country that Trump is using Nixon-style tactics is telling and we should all take it seriously. After all, Warner is not some hair-on-fire lefty who uses hyperbole to describe every move Trump makes. Ultimately, this is the behavior of an authoritarian, not a president. Donald Trump has become a clear and present danger to the United States. 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 Minnesotas turnout surpassing a two-decade high and Wisconsins 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 Alabamas 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 Minnesotas 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 governors race to be close, with Baldwin holding larger leads in polls of the Senate race. Democratic enthusiasm is obviously high: Theyve won two key special elections for state senate seats and a Supreme Court election. If the election were held today, its 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 Tuesdays 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 Novembers contests. Democrats are trying to recapture at least one house of Congress to stall Trumps 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 Trumps 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) 1.3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Newspapers all over the United States published a series of editorials on Thursday, speaking up for a free and vigorous press and telling President Donald Trump that newspapers are not the enemy of the people. It was the latest push by the media to fight back against Trumps attacks on fake news which threaten freedom of the press and have led to threats against journalists by Trump supporters. The Boston Globe started the campaign by contacting newspapers throughout the country urging them to speak in a unified voice. A spokesperson for the Globe estimated that 350 newspapers would participate in the coordinated effort to stand up for freedom. Editorials are appearing today from Maine to Hawaii, speaking up against the presidents attacks. In Portland, Maine the Press-Herald said a free and independent press is the best defense against tyranny. In Honolulu, the Hawaii Star-Advertiser wrote about democracys critical need for a free press in order to function. In Iowa, the Des Moines Register wrote: The true enemies of the people and democracy are those who try to suffocate truth by vilifying and demonizing the messenger. In St. Louis, Missouri, the Post-Dispatch called journalists the truest of patriots. The Chicago Sun-Times said it believed most Americans know that Trump is talking nonsense. In North Carolina, the Fayetteville Observer said it hoped Trump would stop his attacks on the press, but were not holding our breath. Rather, we hope all the presidents supporters will recognize what hes doing manipulating reality to get what he wants, the Observer wrote. The Morning News of Savannah, Georgia, said it was a confidant, not an enemy, to the people. Like any true friend, we dont always tell you want you want to hear, the Morning News said. Our news team presents the happenings and issues in this community through the lens of objectivity. And like any true friend, we refuse to mislead you. Our reporters and editors strive for fairness. Some newspapers used history lessons to state their case. The Elizabethtown Advocate in Elizabethtown, Penn., for example, compared freedom of the press in the United States to freedoms and civil rights that had been promised but never delivered in communist Russia or the former Soviet Union. The New York Times added a request that readers subscribe to newspapers to keep them afloat. If you havent already, please subscribe to your local papers, said the Times. Praise them when you think theyve done a good job and criticize them when you think they could do better. Were all in this together. Some newspapers, such as the Wall Street Journal published editorials saying they were not joining the Globes nationally coordinated effort. The Baltimore Sun also didnt participate, saying that it plays into the hands of Trump and his supporters who think the media is out to get him. The Radio Television Digital News Association, which represents more than 1,200 broadcasters and web sites, has asked its members to let everyone know that journalists are friends and neighbors doing important work and holding government accountable. I want to make sure that it is positive, said Dan Shelley, the executive director of the association. Were shooting ourselves in the foot if we make this about attacking the president or attacking his supporters. Calls are growing for Congress to take action to limit Trumps ability to revoke security clearances. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, This is very dangerous to our democracy and to a free society. Vindictive moves such as this represent an even further drift into authoritarianism by the Trump Administration, and an urgent need for bipartisan, pro-American, pro-democracy stands by my colleagues in Congress. I call on Speaker Ryan, Majority Leader McCarthy, Minority Leader Pelosi and Minority Whip Hoyer to take a strong, unified stand on behalf of our nation, and to propose a legislative remedy to limit the Presidents unfettered power to use this process to weaken our intelligence resources and capabilities. Sen. Dianne Feinstein called out Trumps petty and thin-skinned behavior, The presidents decision to revoke John Brennans security clearance and threat to do so with others harms our national security and once again shows how petty and thin-skinned President Trump truly is. Rep. Adam Schiff tweeted that Trump broke the law when he revoked Brennans security clearance: 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. An enemies list is ugly, undemocratic and un-American. I also believe this action to silence a critic is unlawful. https://t.co/bfOhThIWfq Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) August 15, 2018 Lest there be any doubt, the President lays bare that he is punishing Brennan for doing his job to protect the nation from Russian interference. Just as with the firing of Jim Comey, the President made clear the official justification is just a pretext in this case, revenge. https://t.co/42hkX7I4SL Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) August 16, 2018 Congress Must Check Trump The Brennan security clearance revocation is a perfect example of why voters want a Congress that will act as a co-equal branch of government and check Trump. The Republican-led current Congress is going to shrug at Trumps latest lawbreaking and turn a blind eye, but in 81 days voters will go to the polls, and each moment of unchecked Trump behavior is another reminder to voters of why they must elect a Democratic Congress in November. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 2.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Trump responded to 350 newspapers publishing editorials denouncing his war on the press by having a total Twitter meltdown. Trump first decided that the media is the opposition party: THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country.BUT WE ARE WINNING! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018 The president then attacked the newspapers for publishing the editorials: The Boston Globe, which was sold to the the Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses & investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018 Trump then went back to complaining about fake news, which is defined as the facts or any coverage that Trump doesnt like: There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018 Why is Trump melting down? Newspapers around the country have been denouncing Trump war on the free press by publishing editorials about press freedom. According to PolticusUSAs Leo Vidal: In Portland, Maine the Press-Herald said a free and independent press is the best defense against tyranny. In Honolulu, the Hawaii Star-Advertiser wrote about democracys critical need for a free press in order to function. In Iowa, the Des Moines Register wrote: The true enemies of the people and democracy are those who try to suffocate truth by vilifying and demonizing the messenger. In St. Louis, Missouri, the Post-Dispatch called journalists the truest of patriots. The Chicago Sun-Times said it believed most Americans know that Trump is talking nonsense. In North Carolina, the Fayetteville Observer said it hoped Trump would stop his attacks on the press, but were not holding our breath. Trump Thinks Reporting On His Administration is Fake News. Trumps definition of fake news is any coverage that is not fawning over or supporting his administration. The Trump administration believes that the press should only cover what they think are the good things that the Trump administration is doing. They dont want the corruption, the Russia scandals, or any other policy failure of this White House to be covered. Kellyanne Conway went as far as to say that Trump wants to control what the American people see in the news by making sure that the press only reports relevant news. Trump cant beat the Democrats, so he is trying to run against the press Trump is losing the midterm election fight with Democrats, so he is trying to motivate the Republican base by playing into their generations-long media bias myth. Donald Trump is a man of few political talents and even fewer strategies. He is trying to demonize the press because the press is doing what he hates most. They are reporting the truth about him, his family, and his administration while holding them accountable. Trump cant argue the facts, so he is trying to delegitimize the reporting. Donald Trump has lived his life in a self-created myth, and the free press is shattering that myth, which is why Trump is melting down and trying to destroy press freedom in the United States of America. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook In July, 422 rescue workers from Syrian Civil Defense, better known as the White Helmets, were evacuated to Jordan ahead of advancing pro-Assad forces. The workers and their family members received support from the United Nations agency for refugees (UNHCR) and are seeking asylum in several countries. The main reason for the evacuation is that the rescuers fear reprisals at the hands of the government, which has labeled them terrorist collaborators. Throughout the Syrian Civil War, the White Helmets not only rescued civilians injured in pro-regime air strikes and artillery attacks, but also documented such attacks as well as the use of chemical weapons on several occasions. They are seen as witnesses to potential war crimes, and therefore regarded as targets of the Bashar al-Assad regime. On Wednesday August 15, Sputnik, a Russian state-owned news agency, ran an article whose headline said the United Nations was guilty of spreading disinformation about the White Helmets. The story quotes Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who criticized the UNHCR for assisting in the evacuation of the White Helmets and repeated the claim that they collaborate with terrorist groups. The article also repeats the Russian and Syrian government claim that the group staged a chemical weapons attack in the town Douma earlier this year. Polygraph.info has tackled the terrorist accusations against the White Helmets in the past. In December 2017, The Guardian featured a contextual story about White Helmets conspiracy theories, noting that the theories often originated largely in Russian state media and are spread via Western alternative news sites, social media accounts often by bots and trolls. Detractors of the organization have taken a handful of isolated incidents, some of which they either deliberately or unwittingly misinterpreted, and woven them together to inventfalse narratives about the organization as a whole. For example, when some members of the group took part in the so-called Mannequin Challenge in order to garner global attention for their cause, conspiracy theorists on the internet used this as proof that they stage massacres using actors. The organization later apologized for the video, recognizing that it was a poor decision. To date, detractors of the White Helmets have failed to provide any concrete evidence that the organization staged any of the chemical attacks that it investigated. Those claims have also been thoroughly debunked. Charleston, SC (29403) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 66F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Low 52F. 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. Protecting the habitat of the Lowcountry's shorebirds is one of the missions of the South Carolina Aquarium, which is considering how to use a donation of about 300 acres of marshland in Mount Pleasant. File photo Wave goodbye to stale industry events with WiM Africa All the information you need on the launch of Women in Marketing (WiM) Africa through their Loeries Masterclass today, as well as how this serves as an opportunity to showcase what 21st Century Africa looks like to the rest of the world, through the transformative creativity and innovation that comes from the continent, the African stories that can resonate with anyone and the world-class work being done here. Andrea Opoku, founder of WiM Africa and director of the Women in Marketing CIC. Whether youre attending Loeries Creative Week live (yay, Yolo!) or keeping track of the festivities from afar (ah, Fomo for you), one of the stand-out factors of the 40th annual Loeries Awards is that they include the launch of the African chapter of Women in Marketing. Here Andrea Opoku, director of Women in Marketing global and my fellow advisor and ambassador for Women in Marketing Africa, shares what shes most looking forward to from attending her first Loeries event while also explaining the WiM origin story and what to expect as the Women in Marketing: Africa movement embraces the continent Lets take a step back and start off with the context of launching the original UK version of Women in Marketing, as well as challenges and triumphs youve faced along the way. Lets take a step back and start off with the context of launching the original UK version of Women in Marketing, as well as challenges and triumphs youve faced along the way. Whether youre attending Loeries Creative Week live (yay, Yolo!) or keeping track of the festivities from afar (ah, Fomo for you), one of the stand-out factors of the 40th annual Loeries Awards is that they include the launch of the African chapter of Women in Marketing.Here Andrea Opoku, director of Women in Marketing global and my fellow advisor and ambassador for Women in Marketing Africa, shares what shes most looking forward to from attending her first Loeries event while also explaining the WiM origin story and what to expect as the Women in Marketing: Africa movement embraces the continent The vast majority of our funding comes from outside the UK. This has been a real struggle, not just for WiM but also other organisations operating in the gender, diversity and inclusion space. I believe its due to a number of factors, not least the uncertainty around leaving the European Union and the impact it will have on UK businesses. Yes, you added a soft African element last year, when global entries were allowed into the Women in Marketing award competition what was the response like? Yes, you added a soft African element last year, when global entries were allowed into the Women in Marketing award competition what was the response like? Making things a bit more granular, explain your personal involvement with Women in Marketing what appealed to you and made it such a passion? Making things a bit more granular, explain your personal involvement with Women in Marketing what appealed to you and made it such a passion? Onilude and Opoku at the 2018 Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. Sounds like its been invaluable to your career. How will WiM Africa differ from and ultimately enhance the original WiM movement? Sounds like its been invaluable to your career. How will WiM Africa differ from and ultimately enhance the original WiM movement? Explain the importance of launching Women in Marketing Africa as part of Loeries Creative Week, and how the two complement each other. Explain the importance of launching Women in Marketing Africa as part of Loeries Creative Week, and how the two complement each other. Further strengthening that bond, you have Suhana and Nunu who are part of Open Chair as two of your Masterclass panellists. Elaborate on what went into choosing your Loeries Masterclass topic of Female representation in the media and who controls the narrative, to be unpacked from the brand, media owner and agency perspective. Further strengthening that bond, you have Suhana and Nunu who are part of Open Chair as two of your Masterclass panellists. Elaborate on what went into choosing your Loeries Masterclass topic of Female representation in the media and who controls the narrative, to be unpacked from the brand, media owner and agency perspective. Exciting! What can we expect from the WiM Africa hub going forward? Exciting! What can we expect from the WiM Africa hub going forward? To address the gender imbalances in the marketing, advertising and communication fields at all levels of seniority and show future generations of young women coming through the ranks what is possible. In doing so, we safeguard the long-term profitability of the sector. Leigh Andrews' articles About Leigh Andrews Leigh Andrews AKA the Leigh Andrews AKA the #MilkshakeQueen , is former Editor-in-Chief: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com, with a passion for issues of diversity, inclusion and equality, and of course, gourmet food and drinks! She can be reached on Twitter at @Leigh_Andrews The Women in Marketing (WiM) network was created in 2004, under the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). Ade Onilude who was a CIM volunteer at the time wanted to offer something different to the standard pale, stale and male industry events that were being held at the time.The aim was to offer a platform for women in the marketing and advertising fields, to feel empowered and be educated, inspired and connect with other women in the industry.It started with an event on Work-Life Balance during International Womens Day (IWD) in March 2004, and this annual event has gone on to tackle topics such as ethical marketing, the creatives, branding and diversity in marketing, with the purpose of provoking discussion and inspiring women in the industry and the wider business community.WiM has evolved significantly since 2004 no longer a part of the CIM, in 2016 WiM became a Community Interest Company and now serves a global network of over 16,000 industry professionals.The decision to become a stand-alone organisation, independent of the CIM, was a leap of faith. Wed had 12 years of being backed by a very well established membership institution with all the benefits that came with that. But to expand globally, we needed to make the move.Surprisingly, one of the biggest challenges weve faced since becoming independent is gaining the financial support from the industry in the UK.One of the biggest triumphs has been opening the annual WiM Awards to global entries. Over the years weve had so much interest internationally but we were never able to allow entries from outside the UK, until the 2017 awards. Since then, its been amazing the response weve had, and Im looking forward to seeing the high calibre of entries well get this year.We had a great response with entries from Singapore, Sweden, the USA, Brazil as well as South Africa. The entries were limited from South Africa, but this year, particularly with the launch of WiM Africa, were expecting a considerable increase in entries from the continent.Part of my reason for wanting to set up WiM Africa is that it offers a great opportunity to showcase to the rest of the world what 21st century Africa looks like. We want to show the transformative creativity and innovation that comes from the continent, the African stories that can resonate with anyone and the world-class work being done here.We do this through the WiM Awards, which recognise the creme de la creme of brand and agency marketers around the world. Im really hoping to encourage more submissions from the continent and particularly from women of colour.I knew Onilude before WiM as we were both part of the CIM London region. She was just one of those people you were drawn to, so when she decided to set up Women in Marketing, I jumped at the chance to be part of it.It was quite early in my career at the time, and it was great to be part of a growing network of senior female marketers. I found it of great inspiration, professionally and personally.You could say that Ive grown up with WiM and seen the challenges faced by women and how theyve overcome them, particularly those whove taken time out to have a family and have tried to step back onto the ladder and make their way up This has fed into how Ive faced and overcome certain challenges in my life.My 18 years in the industry, my work in recent years across Africa and my role as a director at Women in Marketing has done a great deal to bring together my passions branding, entrepreneurship, the empowerment of women and young people and to make a real difference in the development of the continent.For WiM Global and WiM Africa, our aims are the same to offer a platform for women in the marketing and advertising fields to be recognised and celebrated for their work. Also for women of all levels of seniority to feel empowered, educated, inspired and connect with other women in the industry.Launching global hubs, of which WiM Africa is the first, allows us to continue this work on the ground and through programmes very specific to the people and markets in which it operates.Launching WiM Africa in South Africa as part of the Loeries seemed like the perfect opportunity to me. The Loeries Creative Week is a great platform for WiM Africa, as both organisations serve the same markets and have the same purpose, in that we want to recognise and celebrate the very best in the marketing and advertising industries.The difference is that WiM has a particular focus on women and in the WiM Awards we recognise the impact being made across the whole sector, not only the creative work being delivered.Also, with the very first Open Chair event taking place last year the first women-focused event to take place at the Loeries and the amazing response it had, opened up the opportunity for more activity and events on gender equality and the impact women have on the industry.The marketing, advertising and communications industries play such a huge role in what society consumes on TV, in newspapers and magazine, billboard ads, on radio and in the adverts we see. Not only that, but also as the music and TV programming we consume.The images we see and words we hear about people all play a significant part in the views society forms of those people. This ultimately affects societys treatment of those people, and stereotypical representations more often than not impact negatively on those people.My aim in choosing this topic was really for the industry to recognise the power it holds and start conversations about how we can go about changing stereotypical representations.As well as opening up conversation, as to what can be done to change the narrative; the event will also share best practice and some great creative work from outside of Africa to inspire.Weve been able to secure some amazing people to speak at the event from the Unstereotype Alliance and Accountability International who are really leading the way in the work they do with industry organisations to remove stereotypical representations.There are a number of initiatives we plan to roll out over the next few years in order to fulfil WiM Africas mission:These include regional events; training and mentoring through our membership; enabling research and a diversity charter. These and more will be touched upon at the event.However, WiM Africa is here to serve the community and we really want to hear what women across all levels of seniority. We want them to share what their experience of being a woman in the industry has been. What do they need to help them move forward? What do they want from the network?Only by providing real value to women in the industry on the continent will WiM Africa succeed, so were here to help you. 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. Kalyn Oyer is a Charleston native who covers arts & entertainment and food & bev for The Post and Courier. She's a music festival & concert photographer and used to write about music for the Charleston City Paper, among other publications. Amy Williams and her son, Christian Millare. Christian died in 2008 following a traumatic seizure. Williams is now suing a lab that she claims misclassified her son's genetic mutation. Quest Diagnostics has asked a federal judge to dismiss the case. Provided Gregory Yee covers the city of Charleston. He's a native Angeleno and previously covered crime and courts for the Press-Telegram in Long Beach, CA. He studied journalism and Spanish literature at the University of California, Irvine. Angie Jackson covers crime and breaking news for The Post and Courier. She previously covered the same beat for the Grand Rapids Press and MLive.com in Michigan. When shes not reporting, Angie enjoys teaching yoga and exploring the outdoors. 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. Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke on Thursday announced his endorsement for Karl Dean for overnor. Mr. Dean joined Mayor Berke in downtown Chattanooga for a press conference where the announcement was made. Mayor Berke pointed to their shared experience of being mayors as the reason hes supporting Mr. Deans candidacy. Karl Deans bold ideas, thoughtful leadership, and common sense approach to solving problems made him an outstanding two-term mayor of Nashville, Mayor Berke said. As our next governor, I know that hell work harder than anyone to provide more opportunities for more people in our state to get better educations and build better lives. Tennessee deserves a governor who will work for everyone, including the urban neighborhoods and rural communities that are too often forgotten by leaders on Capitol Hill. Karl has proven to us that hell fight for Chattanoogans and our neighbors. Im proud to endorse him today. Theres no Democratic or Republican way to be mayor of a city, Mr. Dean said. When youre mayor, people just want you to work on the things that will make their everyday lives better. Im honored to receive the support of Mayor Berkesomeone who knows first hand what it takes to lead and how to focus on the issues that really matter. There's no denying purpose-led marketing is a hot topic at the moment, here's how your business can strive towards shared value. A scene from the masterclass. Al Nicoll, Gallo Images. Brands: Be creative and caring Loving the @SVAItweets Masterclass session. @TiekieB introduced @dineshgovender of @Discovery_SA's @TeamVitalitySA, sharing lessons from a born #sharedvalue business. Up to the 2000s, the business of business was making money, only now are we focused on helping society... pic.twitter.com/UfdFFMN1EY Rambling Litchi (@Leigh_Andrews) August 16, 2018 Shared value in terms of people, planet and profit Wow, this resonates. @SandaOjiambo of @SafaricomPLC Kenya has climbed Kili and says at the @loeries @SVAItweets masterclass that in 2018, you can't define the true value of your business by your balance sheet. #sharedvalue pic.twitter.com/NuhTSoqdIV Rambling Litchi (@Leigh_Andrews) August 16, 2018 The speakers @TiekieB's @SVAItweets #SharedValueAfrica selected for their @loeries masterclass on #sharedvalue are something else! Next up, @ShobnaPersadh of @UnileverSA, who holds a black belt and says how can we help others find their purpose if we haven't found our own? pic.twitter.com/QHPQYhlBS4 Rambling Litchi (@Leigh_Andrews) August 16, 2018 Read more In 2018, a brand needs to focus on more than just the bottom line to win favour with ever-fickle customers, for whom brand loyalty is no longer a must.Tiekie Barnard, CEO and founder of Shift Social Development and the Shared Value Africa Initiative (SVAI), says it's about more than just plugging in a corporate social responsibility channel - brands need to work at creating shared value to truly succeed.Hence the topic of her Loeries masterclass: 'Are profit and purpose uneasy bedfellows?'Barnard began with a brief explanation of the Shared Value Africa Initiative and its aim of reducing the inequality gap in business, while building the biggest collaborative shared-value network across the continent.Putting her ad-land hat on, Barnard said there's enormous responsibility for the creative industry as we take products to market and influence consumers, so we need to be accountable for that.We ought to look at all the work we do and take a step back, as the beautiful campaigns we create also need to have a positive social impact.Barnard spoke of Unilever CEO Paul Polman as someone who has taken this to heart, having even received this years Cannes Lionheart Award, in recognition of his commitment to building sustainability into the heart of Unilever's operations.Barnard added that 'shared value' is a foreign concept to some, with a large level of misunderstanding as to what it truly means. She then introduced three speakers, who further addressed the concept of shared value and how it creates value for both business and society alike.First up was Dinesh Govender, CEO of Vitality at Discovery. He said you can certainly use the shared value idea for a campaign, but that it wont fundamentally shift society. Rather use it to influence your own business.Adding some perspective, Govender said that up until the 2000's, the business of business was about making money. Only then did we start picking up on inequality - sadly, we didn't make any drastic changes at the time.We continued with business as usual, but wrote out cheques, made donations to make up for any possible harmful outputs, and started to set up foundations. Only now is there notable thinking about actually changing the business model and creating value for society.Govender concluded that having a focus on shared value has the added benefit of helping brands realise the true size of their reputation.The next speaker was Sanda Ojiamo of Safaricom Kenya, who spoke of the power of not just sharing existing value but also in creating additional, shared value in terms of people, planet and profit.Ojiamo added that the focus on shared value isn't meant to replace a business focus on CSR and CSI - there's still a place for those initiatives, as shared value means a rethink of long-term strategy overall.The last speaker of the session was Shobna Persadh, corporate affairs and sustainable business director at Unilever.She explained that Unilever has created brands with purpose from it's very beginning in 1885 and said we can't answer to the question of whether purpose pays without first looking at ourselves from a personal perspective.She draws on such inspirational greats as Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and Ghandi to guide her personal purpose.Persadh said that for the creative industry to be successful at purpose-driven marketing and shared value, they need to start with a problem that faces the country and their company alike, and look at how to potentially marry those and still generate a profit.It's only through identifying your own purpose that you'll truly make a difference to others - that's the essence of shared value. Political Reporter Caitlin Byrd is a political reporter at The Post and Courier and author of the Palmetto Politics newsletter. Before moving to Charleston in 2016, her byline appeared in the Asheville Citizen-Times. To date, Byrd has won 17 awards for her work. Jamie Lovegrove is a political reporter covering the South Carolina Statehouse, congressional delegation and campaigns. He previously covered Texas politics in Washington for The Dallas Morning News and in Austin for the Texas Tribune. "What do we do when our prices for input are based on domestic prices and our commodity prices are really based on global prices?" said Naomi Kvittem, a dairy advocate from Zumbrota. Kvittem was one of three panelists with agriculture backgrounds on the panel. Others included former dairy and crop farmer Dick Nystuen from Kenyon Township, and Brad Hovel, a pork, beef and soybeans producer from near Cannon Falls. Lewis told Kvittem that the farm bill recently passed by the U.S. House and currently being reconciled with the Senates own bill includes improved subsidies in the Dairy Risk Program to help dairy farmers compete on the global market. "We did up the floors on some supports for the dairy programs," Lewis said. "That was the only thing in the farm bill that we changed substantially because (dairy) income is down 19 percent this year alone." Lewis told the crowd of about 25 people that the United States runs trade deficits in agriculture with many countries, and it can be hard to compete overseas when the input costs for farmers are so high due to environmental regulations in the U.S. vs. other countries. "In fairness to the administration, and I think what they are trying to say is, when we get out from under this well have a better deal that addresses your concerns so that those low inputs cant undercut our domestic production," he said. Hovel, a soybean farmer and member of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association board, said soybean farmers are very concerned about Chinese tariffs being placed on beans. "Theyre going to need to buy our beans eventually," he said. "Theres going to be more markets opening for our beans if Chinas not going to source them for us because theres only so many soybeans in the world." Hovel said he hoped the farm bill would include provisions to get foreign access through the market access program. Lewis responded, saying the administrations trade representative has indicated the U.S., Mexico and Canada are closer to a new NAFTA deal. "The tough one is China," Lewis said. "About $25 billion in bean exports, and about half of that goes to China. So, weve got that big market ... but theyve got no other place to go for their beans, and the administration knows that." Nystuen said that despite the problems it is causing for farmers, hes glad President Trump is working to end the trade imbalance, and he sees the tariff battle as part of that process. Reading questions from the audience, former Minnesota House Speaker Steve Sviggum asked about the presidents promise to provide $12 billion in aid to farmers to offset the damage from the tariff wars. "The president has leeway to do that through commodity credit programs," Lewis said. "I think its the right thing to do at this particular juncture because as weve heard today, these folks here in the audience are willing to do whats right for the country, whats right for Minnesota in the short term, but they need some long term help, and thats the goal of this art of the deal if you will." On other issues, Lewis said the following: Health care: "Its the last thing we need to accomplish before we see this economy really start going," Lewis said. "Weve got to go back to a system where people can buy the kind of coverage that they need." Support for police: "The best thing we can do for law enforcement is give them the benefit of the doubt when they have to make a split-second decision." Medicare for all: "Medicare will be broke in eight years," he said. "Expanding the program to everyone would exacerbate the program so its bankrupt tomorrow." Term limits: "Youre on the campaign all the time," he said, adding he would support some term limits for members of Congress. The Loeries masterclasses started with a bang, with the well-supported Women in Marketing Africa masterclass, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Bizcommunity's own Editor-in-Chief: Marketing & Media SA, Leigh Andrews, which offered extensive insight into where we are currently in terms of gender equality in the media, as well as how far we still need to go and how to get there. A scene from the masterclass. Al Nicoll, Gallo Images. Andrea Opoku, director and ambassador of the WiM CIC Emma Reeves, global executive director, and Leigh Ogilvie, SA ambassador of Free The Bid Many agencies hire men because their showreel is better but thats because women havent had the same opportunities. Shaadia Vawda, GM: Ice-cream Southern Africa and Stacey Grant, insights director - country and customer development for Africa at Unilever Suhana Gordhan: creative director of FCB Africa Zumi Njongwe: marketing and innovation director of Diageo Nunu Ntshingila: regional director of Facebook Africa Panel discussion, moderated by Bizs Leigh Andrews Heres what the speakers shared:Opoku opened the masterclass by announcing the launch of WiM Africa a network started in the UK by founder and CEO Ade Onilude in 2004, with the objective to educate, inspire, connect and recognise women in the marketing, advertising and communications fields. She reminded us that the deadline for the 8th Annual WiM Awards is 10 September 2018.Next, Reeves and Ogilvie described the Free The Bid initiative that operates in the media industry to encourage the appointment of women in the industry. Reeves pointed out that with 85% of purchase decisions being made by women, brands need to ask themselves if they're speaking to their actual consumer and not following a stereotype. She also commented that there is currently a nuance of men hiring men, and commented on the hiring process of directors in the production industry:Free The Bid aligns with agencies to get them to appoint more women by signing a pledge (available on their website ) to do so. Ogilvie reiterated Reeves' sentiments by mentioning that womens voices are very underrepresented in the local industry and that we need to get women a place at the table, with a specific push to appoint women of colour and greater diversity.Vawda and Grant represented the UnStereotype Alliance, a thought and action platform created by Unilever that uses advertising as a force for good to drive positive change, seeking to eradicate harmful, gender-based stereotypes. Vawda opened her address with the Fearless Girl video created by Interpublic Group, which intentionally places women in leadership roles and have proven to grow ahead of the norm, to reinforce the message she shared of the strength and power women hold, her views on parenthood and the values we should be raising our daughters with.Grant also shared valuable insights, highlighting that black women (especially single black women) face the greatest challenges in the South African media industry, with the stats reflecting 60% of advertising showing white women. She also reported that only 3% of ads show women in leadership roles, and a mere 0.03% show women as funny. Referring to Unilever's stats, Grant pointed out that progressive portrayals of gender roles produce more talkability in advertising, and ended off by saying, Women will never have equal rights in the workplace until men have equal rights in the home. Sign up for the UnStereotype Alliance to help create a gender-equal world.Gordhan kicked off her presentation by reporting on FCB's stats of women in leadership positions, which is currently 43%, with the aim of increasing the numbers. She said that in order to change stereotypes and really represent gender diversity, we need to find new words to use in our descriptions and new stories to portray roles as gender neutral.She commented, If you can see a link, grab it, especially if it offers a bigger platform, and Agencies have to demand more from brands, because people do, explaining that its our job as the media to break taboos. Gordhans advice to the media: DO despite what global thinks, despite fear and resistance." She ended off with the sentiment that when it comes to progress and development, it's possible that we stand in our own way.Representing an agency that works with premium spirits, Njongwe started by saying that these brands dont discriminate, so the advertising should appeal to a very diverse audience. She posed the question of What kind of women are being represented in advertising? with reference to the fact that all women need to be represented in all shapes and forms, but they also need to be represented in an empowering way and not in a derogatory fashion. She ended off by stating that agencies need to look at the perspective of the ad and who the looker is (who the ad appeals to) combined with what they are looking at.Technology has allowed us to democratise marketing, was the thought Ntshingila opened her address with. She continued saying that perhaps marketing has a greater role to play in this economy, with particular reference to women in the economy. Ntshingila explained that we need to look at the role of marketing in women-owned small-medium sized businesses and what democratising marketing is all about because, in SA alone, over the next five years, these businesses stand to unlock R175bn in this economy, over one million jobs, and over 800,000 companies.With these enormous figures in mind, we need to make sure women are included in small- to medium-sized businesses. She ended off by commenting, Facebook believes that when women do better, economies do better, too.The panel discussion was based on audience questions and also introduced initiative manager of the Advertisers' Activists Collective (AAC) Czerina Patel and CEO of DStv Media Sales, Fahmeeda Cassim-Surtee.Patel opened by saying we need to ensure ALL women are included and represented in media, and not only the traditionally accepted stereotypes.How do brands successfully do this?(Njongwe) We need to appeal to the market. If the market is diverse, the marketing needs to be diverse and marketers themselves need to be diverse. (Reeves) The Free The Bid pledge changes the thought process of appointing women in the industry as it brings awareness. (Patel) The spotlight needs to be placed on projects focused on diversity, like a Loerie award for equality/diversity. (Gordhan) Discomfort usually leads to the most creative work.Can you share the realities of the demands of being in a senior position and advice on what others should/shouldnt do?(Ntshingila) What we do along our career journey is make choices make sure you can sleep with all the choices you make. (Cassim-Surtee) Its about finding and integrating opportunities to spend time with family. (Gordhan) You need to develop very keen negotiating skills in order to find balance, and surround yourself with people who support you.How do you change the image of influencer stories to ones that we should be sharing?(Ntshingila) You dont have to use influencers who already have a huge following, you can use someone who fits your brand image and build them up yourself as the brand. James Petitte, the former middle school principal arrested and charged with family violence and resisting arrest last month, was back in the Superior Court of Guam on Thursday. At issue was Petitte's desire to modify one condition of his bail in order for him to have contact with one involved family member who was not the alleged victim in his case. With no objections from the government, Judge Vernon Perez granted Petitte's request while stressing to Petitte that he continue to stay out of trouble and obey his other bail conditions, which specify he remain away from the alleged victim. Perez also told Petitte that when he returns to his next scheduled hearing on Oct. 16, he may become eligible for the family violence court, which allows first-time offenders of family violence the opportunity to undergo treatment and successfully comply with an education program in order to eventually have their criminal record in the matter be dismissed and expunged. According to Post files, Petitte was charged with the two misdemeanors after police responded to a complaint from a Talofofo residence in July. A magistrate's complaint states he placed a teen family member in reasonable fear of injury and that he started yelling at family members and punching and kicking a vehicle in the driveway as it was trying to leave with family members inside. The complaint also alleges Petitte started to walk away when he was told he was under arrest, and that when an officer was trying to secure him into a police vehicle he attempted to pull away and a brief struggle ensued. When candidate Donald Trump rolled out his Make America Great Again slogan, Hillary Clinton chided him for taking the position that America isnt great now. But today, New York governor Andrew Cuomo attacked the slogan from the opposite perspective. He said: Were not going to make America great again; it was never that great. He added that America 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. The difference between these two takes may simply reflect the fact that Cuomo is more honest than Hillary. Im not convinced she thinks America is great or ever was. I dont think Barack Obama does. However, this much is true: There was a time not very long ago when no mainstream Democrat would publicly deny that America has been great. Im pretty sure that Andrew Cuomos father, Mario Cuomo, never denied it and would have been appalled to hear any Democrat, and certainly his son, make such a declaration. Andrew Cuomo quickly backed off. A spokesperson tried to spin his comment it this way: 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. Now, Andrew Cuomo isnt particularly bright, as a friend who attended law school with him told me years ago. But hes not inarticulate enough to have said were not going to make America great again and America was never that great, when he actually meant America is great. Hes not inarticulate enough to say America will reach greatness when various conditions have been met (conditions that, by the way, are impossible for any society to attain) if he believes America has already attained greatness. The fact that Cuomo is willing to lie in the hope of talking his way out what he said encourages me. It shows that all is not lost. But I suspect that a generation of young Democrats finds nothing jarring about Cuomos statement and, indeed, tends to agree with it. In a way, it would be hard to blame them if thats the case. In many jurisdictions, students have long been taught at a very early age that American was never that great. Because of Black History Month, Americans first few encounters with their history focus on its darkest chapters. Before they hear about the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the American liberation of Europe, they have already heard multiple times about slavery and Jim Crow. And once they study American history, what do students ever hear about the Declaration of Independence,the Constitution, the liberation of Europe, etc? I dont know how American history is taught in elementary school, though I remember my older daughters fifth grade class put Christoper Columbus on trial for his conduct towards Indians. I do know how the College Board mandates that American History be taught in high school to AP students. I wrote about it in this post, among others. Here is what I wrote about the framework for treating the U.S. Constitution: In the historical period 1754-1800, the U.S. Constitution continues to get short-changed. Its buried under the key concept that the American Republics democratic and republican ideals inspired new experiments with different forms of government. Surely, the Constitution is at the top of the list of powerful examples of American exceptionalism. You wouldnt know it from the framework. If youre taught that the Constitution was just one of various experiments with different forms of government, why not conclude that there was nothing great about it. I also wrote: The framework carves out 1844-1877 as a historical period and identifies as its first key concept: The United States became more connected with world, pursued an expansionist foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere, and emerged as the destination for many migrants from other countries. Are imperialism and immigration really the key concepts from this period? What about the Civil War? And why is 1844-1877 a defining historical period? The answers, I suspect, reside in the College Boards desire to begin the discussion with the war with Mexico and end it with the failure of Reconstruction. In this telling, the abolition of slavery becomes a fleeting moment of good work in a sea of land-grabbing, racism, and oppression. In other words, America was never that great. At the rate things are going, we are maybe a decade away from the time when Andrew Cuomo can tell us how he really feels about America without having to backtrack. Will allegations of domestic abuse against DNC vice chairman Keith Ellison hurt the Democratic Party ahead of this falls midterm elections? DNC chairman Tom Perez says no. With three contributing to the story, the AP reports Perezs assurance yesterday that allegations of domestic abuse against Ellison would not hurt the party ahead of this falls midterm elections. Yet four days after the first public accusation of physical and emotional abuse emerged against Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, they add, other would-be allies across the nation were far less certain. Warning: Dont make Ellison mad while we sort this out. The DNC vice chairman is also the incumbent Minnesota Fifth District representative. Ellison is abandoning Congress to seek the office of Minnesota Attorney General. The office of attorney general is the object of his current efforts and concerns. Heres the funny funny-peculiar thing. Ellisons abuse of his girlfriend(s), if it took place as alleged, would be the least of his disqualifications for the office of Minnesota Attorney General. Thats the case I make in the Weekly Standard column Can Keith Ellison turn lawman?. Consider: Ellison was an active member and local leader of the hate cult known as the Nation of Islam. Ellison has persistently lied about his participation in the hate cult. This past June, for example, Ellison told Jake Tapper on CNN, I worked on the Million Man March and I was proud to do so. Thats it. This is perfectly representative of the bald lies Ellison has disseminated as necessary. Ellison first sought office as a Democrat in 1998 as Keith Ellison-Muhammad a self-avowed member of the Nation of Islam and Ellison-Muhammad is just one of three Nation of Islam names Ellison has used over the years. He was proud of the Nation of Islam hate cult and defended the good name of its leader, Louis Farrakhan. Ellison first publicly distanced himself from the Nation of Islam in the package of lies he delivered to the Jewish Community Relations Council when he was running for Congress in 2006. In the Weekly Standard column I go into detail on this salient point: Ellison has enthusiastically supported cold-blooded cop killers, including the first woman to make the FBIs Most Wanted list. Ellisons support of cop killers and long participation in the Nation of Islam hate cult should disqualify him from the office of attorney general, but they obviously havent set him back with the Democratic National Committee. PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-16 07:27:59 Press Information Goldstein Research 99 Wall Street, Suite No:- 527 Steve blade Global Sales Manager 6465687747 email https://www.goldsteinresearch.com/ # 693 Words 99 Wall Street, Suite No:- 527Global Sales Manager6465687747 Market LandscapeParking space has been largely overlooked when it comes to technological innovations and designs. However, growing number of vehicles on road from past few years have significantly demanded for efficient parking lots and smart parking solutions. Advanced technology such internet of things (IoT) and big data allowed the essential development of smart parking concept and likely to augment smart parking market with the emergence of concepts such as smart cities and smart homes. Not only developed but developing countries are showcasing huge growth potential for the market growth such as India, China and gulf countries among others. For instance, The Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) of Qatar has initiated the Qatar Parking Master Plan and will advance a geographic information system (GIS) and smart applications for future parking plan.On the other hand, advancement in IoT (Internet of Things) and M2M technologies in recent times have boosted the smart parking systems and further given a lift to the adoption of smart parking systems.Browse Full Report:Global Smart Parking Market Outlook, 2016-2024 covers the present ground scenario and future opportunity prospects for the market players to analyze the target markets across the globe. Moreover, competitive analysis includes the in-depth analysis of the major players and leaders in smart parking industry. The market study conducted on the basis of primary as well as secondary research where the analysts fragment the data from various databases such as Bloomberg, Factiva, Owler and others. Our primary research team conducted various interviews, surveys and group discussions of industry professionals, smart parking manufacturers, aftermarket vendors and component suppliers to analyze the future prospects of the overall smart parking industry.Get More Information Smart Parking MarketGlobal Smart Parking Market Segmentation can be classified on the basis of:-By Smart Parking Component Sensors Ultrasonic Sensors Magnetic Sensors Radar Sensors Image Sensors Cameras Smart Parking Meters Electronic Billing and Payment Systems Others (Displays, ECUs)By Smart Parking Site On Street Parking Off Street ParkingBy Smart Parking Service Provider Parking Management System Providers Parking Site Providers Electronic Payment Technology ProvidersBy Smart Parking Vertical Residential CommercialBy Region North America (US, Canada) {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion), Adoption Rate (%)} Europe (UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Sweden, Russia, Poland and Rest of Europe) {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion), Adoption Rate (%)} Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, North Africa, South Africa and Rest of Middle East & Africa) {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion), Adoption Rate (%)} Latin America (Brazil, Mexico and Rest of Latin America) {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion), Adoption Rate (%)} Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Rest of Asia-Pacific) {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion), Adoption Rate (%)}Market Trends, Drivers and ChallengesTraffic congestion caused by the ever growing vehicle on road across the globe has been growing exponentially. Additionally, as the as the global population continues to urbanize in the absence of well-planned these problems will get worsen. According to our estimates if the smart parking solution will be implemented successfully, smart parking solutions could result in more than 200,000 gallons of fuel saving by 2030. Moreover, high growth rate in the new vehicle registration across the globe, with major explosion from regional economies such as Asia Pacific (APAC), will open the vast avenues of opportunities for parking management business. The ongoing and upcoming smart city projects around the world will produce opportunistic space for the intelligent parking management systems.Download Exclusive Sample Report:Global Smart Parking Market Report has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis from industry experts. The report covers the competitive landscape and current position of major players in the market space. The report also includes porters five force model, SWOT analysis, company profiling, business strategies of market players and their business models. Global smart parking market report also recognizes value chain analysis to understand the cost differentiation to provide competitive advantage to the existing and new entry players.Browse Similar Report: #WomensMonth: Renewables, sustainability and singing in the car Nomzamo Landingwe Macoso is broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) strategist at Nordex Acciona Wind Power . She manages high-level strategic collaborative relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, including funding partners, communities and local business on all aspects of socio-economic development in the areas where the company's wind farm projects are located. Nomzamo Landingwe Macoso BBBEE detractors label it, in many instances, as window dressing or fronting. What do you think still needs to be done to make BBBEE about real empowerment and transformation? BBBEE detractors label it, in many instances, as window dressing or fronting. What do you think still needs to be done to make BBBEE about real empowerment and transformation? How did you come to be involved in the renewables sector? How did you come to be involved in the renewables sector? Why is renewable energy important to the South African economy? Why is renewable energy important to the South African economy? Tell us about some of the socio-economic growth you've seen in the wind farm project areas Tell us about some of the socio-economic growth you've seen in the wind farm project areas What is your secret indulgence? What is your secret indulgence? Nicci Botha's articles About Nicci Botha Nicci Botha has been wordsmithing for more than 20 years, covering just about every subject under the sun and then some. She's strung together words on sustainable development, maritime matters, mining, marketing, medical, lifestyle... and that elixir of life - chocolate. Nicci has worked for local and international media houses including Primedia, Caxton, Lloyd's and Reuters. Her new passion is digital media. Nicci Botha has been wordsmithing for more than 20 years, covering just about every subject under the sun and then some. She's strung together words on sustainable development, maritime matters, mining, marketing, medical, lifestyle... and that elixir of life - chocolate. Nicci has worked for local and international media houses including Primedia, Caxton, Lloyd's and Reuters. Her new passion is digital media. I believe that corporates in South Africa need to find a business case for the inclusion of black people into the economy. The renewable energy industry is a post=democratic sector set to reform the country's energy programme, it then lends an opportunity to do things differently in the creation of meaningful opportunities both in employment and strategic business ownership. The BBBEE legislation provides a framework that guides business and government in ensuring that transformation does indeed take place. It is equally a voluntary duty for any strategically responsible corporate to acknowledge the countrys needs regarding transformation and the inclusion of all people.In 2012-2013 I met a recruiter, Sarah Stands, who enticed me into this sector with the opportunities that exist. At first I was not interested as I thought it only focused on the technology (grid, gigawatts..etc.) and not necessarily within my interest of social justice and development. After many calls I finally read up on REIP4 and shared with a family member who was instrumental in the establishment of REIP4. I was sold when Nordex advertised in 2014, as the role needed BBBEE and transformation specialisation, which is my strength.As I said the renewable energy industry was initiated by post-apartheid government, the industry is principled through sustainable development values. By virtue of having sustainability as a principle, it then is obliged to not repeat the imbalances of the past and seek inclusive solutions in doing business. The South African market still presents growth opportunities for the industry and the geographical location (largely rural) attracts positive prospects for underdeveloped and under resourced locations of the country.The Dorper Wind farm is set apart from most of the windfarms in the Eastern Cape and is linked with only two distinctive towns, Molteno and Sterkstroom. The Nordex Education Trust initiated a bursary programme in this area, the interest in the bursary has grown tremendously as the learners from these high schools have some hope to further their studies, be it in FET colleges or tertiary institutions. It is important to remember that these learners would not have had a chance had they been competing at a national bursary level. I believe that both the Dorper Wind Farm and the Nordex Education Trust will be able to measure positive developmental results within a 10-year period in improving the lives of young people in these towns and that this positive development has been catalysed by the establishment and location of the Dorper Wind Farm.Following Paulo Coelho and Angela Makholwa s work, and singing aloud in my car. Green Packaging Market PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-16 07:13:40 Press Information Goldstein Research 99 Wall Street, Suite No:- 527 Steve blade Global Sales Manager 6465687747 email https://www.goldsteinresearch.com/ # 682 Words 99 Wall Street, Suite No:- 527Global Sales Manager6465687747 Market LandscapeGovernment regulations,demand from retailers and investment over R&D by packaging industry players are playing significant role in the growth of green packaging market. In 2017, National Environment Agency (NEA) initiated two new packaging waste reduction plans in Singapore.Browse Full Report: https://www.goldsteinresearch.com/report/global-green-packaging-market-outlook-2024-global-opportunity-and-demand-analysis-market-forecast-2016-2024 Additionally, to encourage and develop sustainable environment, leading multinational packaging and chemical companies such as BASF, DuPont, Eastman and many more collectively formed a community named Together for Sustainability. This community backs the programs for sustainable development initiatives introduced by United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and the Responsible Care Global Charter. Such initiatives are expected to boost the growth of global green packaging market in the nearby future.Get More Information About Green Packaging MarketThe other major factor is the general public or the end consumers. Negative public perceptions of conventional packaging have driven much of the debate over sustainable packaging far. On the other hand, retailers and FMCGs (fast moving consumer goods) are also creating significant environment for the green packaging market growth. For instance, Coca-Cola Enterprises commitment to decrease its total carbon footprint of business operations by 15% (compared to 2007) and recover the equivalent of 100% of packaging by 2020.Global Green Packaging Market Outlook, 2016-2024 covers the present ground scenario and future opportunity prospects for the market players to analyze the target markets across the globe. Moreover, competitive analysis includes the in-depth analysis of the major players and leaders in Green Packaging industry. The market study conducted on the basis of primary as well as secondary research where the analysts fragment the data from various databases such as Bloomberg, Factiva, Owler and others. Our primary research team conducted various interviews, surveys and group discussions of industry professionals, Green Packaging manufacturers, aftermarket vendors and component suppliers to analyze the future prospects of the overall green packaging industry.Global Green Packaging Market Segmentation can be classified on the basis of:-Based on Product Type Recyclable Green Packaging Reusable Green Packaging Degradable Green PackagingBased on End-User Food & Beverages Personal and Home Care Goods Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Others (Textile, Chemical)Based on Geography North America (U.S. & Canada) {Market Size (USD Billion), Growth Analysis (%) and Production (Tonnes)} Latin America ( Brazil , Mexico & Rest of Latin America) {Market Size (USD Billion), Growth Analysis (%) and Production (Tonnes)} Europe (The U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Sweden & RoE) {Market Size (USD Billion), Growth Analysis (%) and Production (Tonnes)} Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Rest of Asia) {Market Size (USD Billion), Growth Analysis (%) and Production (Tonnes)} Middle East & Africa (GCC, South Africa, North Africa, RoMEA) {Market Size (USD Billion), Growth Analysis (%) and Production (Tonnes)}Download Exclusive Sample Report:Market Trends, Drivers and ChallengesGreen packaging solutions are developed in order to curb the waste generated from the solid non-degradable packaging materials. According to the data provided by Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) UK, packaging contributes nearly 3% of land-filled waste by volume. As per DEFRA, in 2014 over 82 million tons of packaging waste was generated in Europe of which 41% wastecomes from paper & cardboard packaging. In United States also, around 30% of total solid waste generated, comes from containers and packaging.Green packaging solutions use biodegradable materials to offerprofessionally designed packaging which can be easily reused and recycled. Proliferation of regulation and policy measures (such as taxation) by the government will lead to the significant adoption of green packaging solutions over the forecast period and will aid the market growth.Global Green Packaging Market Report has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis from industry experts. The report covers the competitive landscape and current position of major players in the market space. The report also includes porters five force model, SWOT analysis, company profiling, business strategies of market players and their business models. Global green packaging market report also recognizes value chain analysis to understand the cost differentiation to provide competitive advantage to the existing and new entry players.Browse Similar Report: Global beauty devices market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.2% over the forecast period i.e. 2016-2024. Beauty Devices Market PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-16 08:02:45 Press Information Goldstein Research 99 Wall Street, Suite No:- 527 Steve blade Global Sales Manager 6465687747 email https://www.goldsteinresearch.com/ # 761 Words 99 Wall Street, Suite No:- 527Global Sales Manager6465687747 Global beauty devices market is continuously growing form past few years at a significant pace owing to extensive demand by young consumers to enhance beauty and to improve physical appearance, especially in Asia Pacific region. The global beauty devices industry expends billions of dollars every year on promotion campaigns to endorse new and existing products.Browse Full Report:While the overall skincare beauty devices market continues to attain solid growth, higher-priced luxury products and brands are making the major gains. Beauty devices for professionals and clinical use has also witnessed significant in past few years. Beauty devices proposition appeals to a broad demographic from acne treatments for age group of 20s, to skin blemish treatments for 30-40 age groups, to anti-ageing treatments for 50-somethings. According to Goldstein Research, emerging markets, including most of Asia-Pacific countries, the Middle East & Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, contributed approximately 80% of total growth in the global beauty market in 2016. These regions provide huge potential for the beauty devices market growth.On the back of advancement in beauty devices there are numerous beauty products that have become smarter and creating space for themselves in future homes of smart homes. For instance, HiMirror, one of thefirst smart beauty mirrors that recently unveiled its new Plus edition and accompanying HiSkin device. The products touch-free design concludes a custom-made analysis of your skin by just clicking your picture.Get More Information About Beauty Devices MarketGlobal Beauty Devices Market Outlook, 2016-2024 covers the present ground scenario and future opportunity prospects for the market players to analyze the target markets across the globe. Moreover, competitive analysis includes the in-depth analysis of the major players and leaders in beauty devices industry. The market study conducted on the basis of primary as well as secondary research where the analysts fragment the data from various databases such as Bloomberg, Factiva, Owler and others. Our primary research team conducted various interviews, surveys and group discussions of industry professionals, Beauty devices manufacturers, aftermarket vendors and component suppliers to analyze the future prospects of the overall beauty devices industry.Global Beauty Devices Market Segmentation can be classified on the basis of:-On the basis of Product Type Skin Care Cleansing Devices Light/LED and Photorejuvenation Therapy Devices Skin Derma Rollers Cellulite Reduction Devices Other Skincare Devices Hair Care Hair Removal Devices Hair Styling Devices Oral Healthcare DevicesOn the basis of Application Commercial (Salons and Spas) Domestic/ At Home Hospitals/ ClinicsOn the basis of End User Men WomenOn the basis of Region North America (US, Canada) {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion) Europe (UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Sweden, Russia, Poland and Rest of Europe) {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion) Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, North Africa, South Africa and Rest of Middle East & Africa) {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion) Latin America (Brazil, Mexico and Rest of Latin America) {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion) Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Rest of Asia-Pacific) {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion)Download Exclusive Sample report:Market Trends, Drivers and ChallengesGrowing aging population, rising cognizance towards physical appearance, growing disposable incomes in developing countries and consumerism are the major factors propelling the growth of beauty devices market.Acne has become an extensive problem, especially in North America. Rising prevalence of Melanoma, a type of skin cancer, across the US has also emerged as the major concern among the population of U.S. According to the report of US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, invasive melanoma prevalence rate was 19.9 for 2008-12. All these factors will further strengthen the demand for skincare beauty devices. However, availability of cheaper substitutes and conventional products also curbs the growth of beauty devices market to a considerable point. These products may comprise traditional hair removal devices like razors instead of electric shavers and epilators.Global Beauty Devices Market Report has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis from industry experts. The report covers the competitive landscape and current position of major players in the market space. The report also includes porters five force model, SWOT analysis, company profiling, business strategies of market players and their business models. Beauty devices market report also recognizes value chain analysis to understand the cost differentiation to provide competitive advantage to the existing and new entry players.Browse Similar Report: Global biosensors market was valued at USD 15.85 billion in 2016 and is estimated to reach USD 28.67 billion by 2024, with a CAGR of 7.68% during the forecast period i.e. 2016-2024.Asia Pacific biosensors market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.8% over the forecast period i.e. 2016 to 2024. Medical Testing Application Market PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-16 12:01:03 Press Information Goldstein Research 99 Wall Street, Suite No:- 527 Steve blade Global Sales Manager 6465687747 email https://www.goldsteinresearch.com # 608 Words 99 Wall Street, Suite No:- 527Global Sales Manager6465687747 Governments are taking initiatives for the development of micro fluidics, human genome project and bioscience. Innovative approach towards genetic analysis and protein detection is leading the expansion of biosensor applications in medical industry which is expected to impel the growth of global biosensor market. For instance, a non-profit association, Max-Planck Institute collaborated together with Federal Government of Germany to implement improvisation and expansion of existing healthcare infrastructure. Over 75% of healthcare spending of US is invested in the treatment of chronic health issues. Around 35% of U.S. population is suffering from heart disease. This is impelling the need of advanced medical facilities to reduce health issues.According to Goldstein Research, the global biosensors market is segmented on the basis of product type, technology, application and by end-user. Technology segment is further categorized into electrochemical, piezoelectric biosensors, optical biosensors, thermal biosensors and others (nano-mechanical, etc). Electrochemical biosensor technology is the dominating segment based on technology and is expected to surpass USD 20 billion by the end of 2024. Electrochemical biosensors contributed over 70% market share in technology segment 2016.Browse Full Report: https://www.goldsteinresearch.com/report/global-biosensors-market-outlook-2024-global-opportunity-and-demand-analysis-market-forecast-2016-2024 Moreover, the competitive analysis includes the in-depth analysis of the major players and leaders in the healthcare industry. Our primary research team conducted various interviews, surveys and group discussions of industry biosensors manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, healthcare institutions, clinical centers, medical research laboratories and academic medical centers and universities to analyze the future prospects of the overall healthcare industry.Global Biosensors Market Segmentation can be classified on the basis of:Based on Product Type Wearable Biosensors Non-wearable BiosensorsBased on Technology Electrochemical Piezoelectric Biosensors Optical Biosensors Thermal Biosensors Others(Nano-mechanical, etc)Based on Application Medical Testing Food & Beverage Toxicity Testing Environment Monitoring Bioreactor Testing Agriculture TestingBased on End-User Healthcare Sector Defense Sector Food & Beverages Industry Agriculture SectorBy Geography North America (US, Canada)BiosensorsMarket {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion), Adoption Rate (%)} Europe (UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Sweden, Russia, Poland and Rest of Europe) BiosensorsMarket {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion), Adoption Rate (%)} Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, North Africa, South Africa and Rest of Middle East & Africa) BiosensorsMarket {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion), Adoption Rate (%)} Latin America (Brazil, Mexico and Rest of Latin America)BiosensorsMarket {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion), Adoption Rate (%)} Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Rest of Asia-Pacific) BiosensorsMarket {Market Share (%), Market Size (USD Billion), Adoption Rate (%)}Download Exclusive Sample Report:Market Trends, Drivers & ChallengesEmerging trend of using user-friendly compact biosensors is raising the adoption rate of wearable biosensors. Rise in chronic health issues and cardiovascular diseases are raising awareness among consumers to incline towards sensitive testing biosensors. Technological advancement in micro-fluids and expansion point of care testing device is also contributing to the expansion of global biosensors market. However, miniaturization, sensitivity and variation of readout times in sensors are some major technical obstacles which are hindering the growth of biosensors market. Short life span of bio-molecules used in sensors and expensive manufacturing is limiting the investment from manufacturers.Global BiosensorsMarket Report has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis from industry experts. The report covers the competitive landscape and current position of major players in the market space. The report also includes porters five force model, SWOT analysis, company profiling, business strategies of market players and their business models. Global biosensor market report also recognizes value chain analysis to understand the cost differentiation to provide competitive advantage to the existing and new entry players.Browse Similar Report According to Goldstein Research, global mobility assist device market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 8.5% over the forecast period 2016-2024, to reach a market size of USD 12.3 billion by the end of forecast period. Mobility Assist Device Market PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-16 09:43:49 Press Information Goldstein Research 99 Wall Street, Suite No:- 527 Steve blade Global Sales Manager 6465687747 email https://www.goldsteinresearch.com/ # 449 Words 99 Wall Street, Suite No:- 527Global Sales Manager6465687747 According to Goldstein Research, global mobility assist device market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 8.5% over the forecast period 2016-2024, to reach a market size of USD 12.3 billion by the end of forecast period. The growing rate of chronic and acute diseases coupled with rising aging population further the propel the demand for advanced mobility assist devices. Geographically, global mobility assist device industry is dominated by North America, with a market share of more than 38.6%. Whereas, Europe accounted for nearly 30.0% revenue share owing to being the second largest consumer of mobility devices.Browse Full Report: https://www.goldsteinresearch.com/report/global-mobility-assist-devices-market-outlook-2024-global-opportunity-and-demand-analysis-market-forecast-2016-2024 Market SegmentationGlobal Mobility Assist Device Market can be segmented as follows:By-Products Wheel Chairs Manual Wheel Chairs Electric Wheel Chairs Walking Aids Canes & Crutches Walkers Rollators & Tri-Walkers Mobility Vehicles and ScootersBy End Users Hospitals Household Others (airport, hotels, railways, etc)By Region North America Mobility Assist Device Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Europe Mobility Assist Device Market Analysis, 2016-2024 The Middle East And Africa Mobility Assist Device Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Latin America Mobility Assist Device Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Asia Pacific Mobility Assist Device Market Analysis, 2016-2024 Rest Of The World Mobility Assist Device Market Analysis, 2016-2024Get More Information About Mobility Assist Device MarketGlobal Mobility Assist Device Market Outlook 2024 contains a detailed overview of the global mobility assist device market. On the basis of our in-depth analysis, the market can be segmented in terms of market segmentation by products, end users, and geography.The Global Mobility Assist Device Market Report highlights the competitive outlook of major global players that includes the business strategies, product portfolio, revenue distribution, financial analysis, R&D activities and investments. The in-depth analysis of the mobility assist device market report will help the clients to assess their business strategies as per the competitive environment in the market space.Download Exclusive Sample Report:Major players of the global mobility assist device market discussed in the report are: Sunrise Medical LLC, Pride Mobility, Solax Mobility, Invacare Corporation, Merits Health Products Inc, Golden Technologies, Medline industries, Healthcare GmbH, Hoveround Corporation, LEVO AG, Permobil AB, Merivaara Corporation, etc.Further, Global Mobility Assist Device Market Report encompasses the major trends & growth opportunities, market dynamics, and other growth factors. The Mobility Assist Device Market outlook also comprises of key challenges for the market players, risk analysis, SWOT Analysis, BPS analysis and Market Attractiveness. The report also includes the expert analysis which provides a complete overview of the market post analysis of the economic, political, environmental & social factors of each region and country.Browse Similar Report: https://www.goldsteinresearch.com/pressrelease/wearable-device-market-technology-global-analysis-share Disclaimer: If you have any questions regarding information in this press release please contact the company added in the press release. Please do not contact pr-inside. We will not be able to assist you. PR-inside disclaims the content included in this release. PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-16 13:01:02 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 400 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Sphinx Resources Ltd.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Montreal, Quebec (FSCWire) - Sphinx Resources Ltd. (TSX Venture:SFX). has issued a press release with the following headline:Sphinx to Hold Annual General Meeting on August 30 in the Pontiac Regional Municipal County, Qu[[107]]becTo 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 Sphinx Resources Ltd., 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/Sphinx Resources Ltd.Source: Sphinx Resources Ltd. (TSX Venture: SFX, OTC Pink: DONFF, FWB: D4M1, WKN: A12EVU, ISIN: CA8484221012)Date: August 16, 2018Time: 7:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Sphinx Resources Ltd. 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: 2018-08-16 14:46:01 Aspo Oyj / Telko Oy Press release August 16, 2018 Telko Ltd has acquired the business of the Danish company Square Oil A/S Telko Ltd has acquired the business of the Danish company Square Oil A/S. Square Oil is a service and distribution company dealing in lubricants, and its main principal is BP Castrol. Square Oil A/S has concentrated on demanding industrial lubricant customers. Net sales of the company is about EUR 3 million, half of which comes from Norwegian and the other half from Danish markets. Telko has similar significant long-standing cooperation in industrial lubricants with BP Castrol in Finland, Sweden and Norway. The transaction has no significant impact on Telko's result in 2018. "Square Oil's business fits to Telko excellently. Principal of Square Oil, BP Castrol, is already significant partner for Telko. With the acquisition, we get good customer base in Denmark and Norway, and we also get very competent organization", says Kalle Kettunen, CEO of Telko. Telko Ltd is owned by Aspo Plc which was founded in 1929. For more information please contact: Kalle Kettunen, Telko Ltd, CEO, tel. +358 40 558 5478, kalle.kettunen@telko.com Telko Ltd is a Finland based leading distributor and expert of raw materials (plastics, chemicals, lubricants) having daughter companies in 16 countries and representing leading principals of the industries. The Company operates locally in the Nordic countries, Baltics, Russia, Ukraine, Poland and in many other growing markets in Eastern part of the world. Telko's extensive customer service includes also tailor-made technical support and development of production processes together with customers. Company's strength is comprehensive knowledge of raw materials, which knowledge Telko's specialists have got during the years while working with holistic customer projects. Telko has also a terminal in Rauma and many local warehouses in different markets where the company operates. www.telco.com Aspo is a conglomerate that owns and develops business operations in Northern Europe and growth markets focusing on demanding B-to-B customers. Our strong company brands - ESL Shipping, Leipurin, Telko and Kauko - aim to be the market leaders in their sectors. They are responsible for their own operations, customer relationships and the development of these. Together they generate Aspo's goodwill. Aspo's Group structure and business operations are continually developed without any predefined schedules. www.aspo.com This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Aspo Oyj via Globenewswire PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-16 17:57:19 Press Information Thunder Energies Corporation 1444 Rainville Rd. Tarpon Springs, FL 34689 Brian Buckley Operations Manager 7279403944 email http://www.thunder-energies.com Published by Brian Buckley 7279403944 e-mail http://thunder-energies.com # 447 Words 1444 Rainville Rd.Tarpon Springs, FL 34689Operations Manager7279403944Brian Buckley7279403944 Dr. Ruggero M. Santilli, CEO and Chief Scientist of Thunder Energies Corporation, a publicly company traded company with stock symbol (TNRG), announces an invited presentation of the company's new HyperCombustion at the International Conference on Pure and Applied Mathematics (icpam 2018) Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, Hungary, July 10 to 14, 2018 ( http://www.icpam.org) Dr. Santilli states: "The current combustion of fossil fuels is essentially the same as that at the dawn of civilization because now we strike a spark and ignite the fuel with ensuing known environmental problems due to incomplete combustion, resulting in the release of excessive contaminants in the exhaust. At the international conference icpam 2018, I announced the development, subject to proper funding, of the company's new HyperCombustion(TM) whose aim is to achieve full combustion of fossil fuels resulting in the alleviation of environmental problems and an increase of energy output ( http://www.world-lecture-series.org/level-xi) Dr. Santilli continues: "The environmental problems of the current combustion of fossil fuels are caused by the release in the exhaust of contaminants, such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and others. However, these contaminants are combustible, thus indicating the insufficiency of the current combustion. The main principle of the company's new HyperCombustion is the development of a new ignition at a sufficiently high-temperature allowing a "complete combustion" of fossil fuels, namely, a combustion without combustible contaminants in the exhaust. I should indicate that said complete combustion has been already achieved for the fuel magnegas as shown by independent analyses of its combustion exhaust ( http://www.santilli-foundation.org/docs/MG-AAL-combustion-analyses.pdf) . Hence, the development announced at icpam 2018, again subject to proper funding, essentially consists in a new technology which extends to fossil fuels the full combustion already achieved for magnegas." Forward-Looking StatementsCertain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Technical complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The Company undertakes no duty to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.Dr. Ruggero M. SantilliCEO and Chief ScientistThunder Energies CorporationInfo@ Thunder-Energies.com PR-Inside.com: 2018-08-16 15:00:40 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 398 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Tree of Knowledge International Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Calgary, Alberta (FSCWire) - Tree of Knowledge International Corp. (CSE:TOKI). has issued a press release with the following headline:Tree Of Knowledge International Signs $8 Million Equity Commitment with New York-Based Alumina Partners, LLCTo 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 Tree of Knowledge International Corp., 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/Tree of Knowledge International Corp.Source: Tree of Knowledge International Corp. (CSE: TOKI, OTC Bulletin Board: TRKWF)Date: August 16, 2018Time: 9:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Tree of Knowledge International Corp. 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: 2018-08-16 08:45:18 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 Canadian Overseas Petroleum Limited--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Calgary, Alberta (FSCWire) - Canadian Overseas Petroleum Limited (TSX Venture:XOP). has issued a press release with the following headline:Update on Disagreement between ShoreCan and Essar MauritiusTo 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 16, 2018Time: 2:45 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.) Pakistans Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, on Thursday confirmed the death sentence of another 15 hardcore terrorists, who were involved in heinous offenses related to terrorism, the military said. A statement from the armys media wing the Inter-Services Public Relations said, the convicts were involved in killing of 45 persons, including four civilians, 41 armed forces, police officials and injuring 103 others. The statement said arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession. The convicts were tried by special military courts and they confessed their offences before the judicial magistrates and the trial courts. Besides, six convicts, who belong to proscribed organisations, have also been awarded imprisonment, the statement said. The convicts have the right of appeal to the countrys president under the law, according to the legal experts. However, the president has previously rejected all mercy petitions in terrorism-related cases. It is the second time in nearly a month the army chief has confirmed the death penalty to the militants. On July 13, Mr Bajwa had confirmed the death sentence to another 12 hardcore terrorists for involvement in terrorist act. The military courts were set up for a period of two years after the terrorist attack on an army school in December 2014 for the speedy trial of the terrorism-related accused. Nearly 150 people, including 132 children, were killed in the attack. In March 2017, Pakistani parliament passed a special bill to give a two-year extension to the military courts. (Xinhua/NAN) The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution on Thursday, rebuking President Donald Trumps statement that the news media is the enemy of the people. The Republican-led Senate, in the unanimous resolution across the aisles, affirmed that the news media is not the enemy of the people. The Senate affirmed its commitment to protecting freedom of speech and condemned recent attacks on journalists and members of the media. Trump has labelled the media as being the enemy of the American people, very dishonest and fake news, and he has accused the press of distorting democracy and spreading conspiracy theories and blind hatred. Nearly 350 news media in coordinated editorials on Thursday, attacked Trump over what they termed the presidents consistent attacks on them. The Boston Globe made a call last week for a nationwide denouncement of the presidents dirty war against the media, using the hash-tag #EnemyOfNone. In a resolution brought forth by Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democrat, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, lawmakers affirmed that the press is not the enemy of the people, which passed by unanimous consent. The resolution also reaffirmed the vital and indispensable role the free press serves to inform the electorate, uncover the truth, act as a check on the inherent power of the government, further national discourse and debate, and otherwise advance our most basic and cherished democratic norms and freedoms. It condemned attacks on the institution of the free press and said the Senate views efforts to systematically undermine the credibility of the press as a whole as an attack on our democratic institutions. The resolution also mentioned quotes from previous U.S. presidents, including the Founding Fathers, who revered a free and independent press. Throughout history, the free press has always kept our government in check when it has gone astray, perhaps more than anywhere else around the world, and the Congress has a duty to protect the presss First Amendment right. We rely on reporters and newscasters to keep our leaders honest, accountable, and always working in the best interest of the American people. I truly believe that America always solves its problems and combating dangerous and irresponsible attacks on journalism is no exception, Schumer said in a statement. Schatz said he was a little less surprised the resolution passed in a Republican-led Senate, adding I think the mouse is trying to roar wherever it can. Trump, while pushing back against the coordinated editorials against him, alleged much of what they said were fake news ad accused them of pushing a political agenda or trying to hurt people. The president in a barrage of tweets reacted to the coordinated editorials against him: THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country.BUT WE ARE WINNING! The Boston Globe, which was sold to the Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses & investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT! There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS! The hundreds of newspapers and sites participating include the New York Times, Chicago Sun Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and Miami Herald, while a host of smaller papers from cities and towns around the country are also joining in. The Boston Globe, in the editorial, headlined Journalists Are Not The Enemy, argued that a free press had been a core American principle for more than 200 years. The New York Times chose the headline A Free Press Needs You, calling Mr Trumps attacks dangerous to the lifeblood of democracy. (NAN) Efforts to slow down population growth and reduce maternal and child mortality rate in Nigeria through family planning are not yielding the desired result, studies have shown. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh globally. The National Population Commission estimates the countrys population at 198 million. The United Nations publication, World Population Prospects, predicts Nigeria is on course to become the third most populous country in the world by 2050. To curtail the unsustainable population growth, especially through procreation, the federal government at the 2012 London Summit on Family Planning made a commitment to scale up promotion of family planning to Nigerians. This was to be done by making contraceptive consumables available to those who need them and when they need them. As part of the efforts, the government launched Green Dot to help people identify family planning facilities in the country. Though there is still a huge gap of unmet needs for those willing to use them, many sexually active women are simply reluctant to embrace contraceptives. Contraceptives are methods, devices or drugs used to reduce or prevent unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion. Contraception comes in three broad forms: the long-acting reversible contraception, the short-acting reversible contraception and permanent methods. The long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) are methods of birth control that provide effective contraception for an extended period without requiring user action. They include injections, intrauterine devices (IUDs) and subdermal contraceptive implants. On the other hand, the short-acting contraceptives (SARC) have to be used in short time intervals such as in case of condoms, and daily intake of pills. In spite of advocacy by government and development partners on the benefits of family planning, acceptance of modern contraceptives has remained very low in Nigeria. The benefits of family planning are obvious: it allows women to space child birth and replenish vital nutrients lost during the process. It also allows the organs of mothers to return to normal. In spite of these obvious merits, 87 per cent of women in Nigeria or their partners do not use modern or traditional contraceptives. Statistics from the 2016/17 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) indicate that only 11 percent of women of ages 15 to 49, currently married or in union, use the method in the country. The statistics reveals that much needs to be done, especially in the northern part of the country to make Nigerian women embrace modern contraceptives. Nigeria high in maternal, child deaths Nigeria also has one of the highest burdens of maternal and child mortality globally. While there has been 43 per cent drop in the rate of global mortality since 1990, Nigeria has the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa of maternal deaths. According to World Bank estimates, Nigerias Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) is 821 per 100,000 live births. Bill Gates, the Co-Chair of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, on a visit to the country said Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places to give birth, with the fourth worst maternal mortality rate in the world ahead of Sierra Leone, Central African Republic and Chad. For a more vivid picture, 58,000 of the 303,000 women who died globally due to complications in pregnancy and child births in 2015 were in Nigeria. The Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey 2013, showed that about 23 per cent of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 years are either pregnant with their first child or are already mothers, while half of the women between 25 and 49 years married between 18 and 20 years. Researches placed the fertility rate in Nigeria at 5.7 children per woman, while sexual and reproductive behaviour of Nigerians show that majority of men and women practice sex before marriage. This picture necessitates the advocacy of birth control pills or contraceptive technique to reduce unintended pregnancies, and encourage child birth spacing. According to medical researches, it is ideal for a woman to wait for at least 18 months after the last birth before another conception. However, due to lack of effective child spacing mechanism, most women conceive weeks or month after last birth. Injectable, most preferred contraceptive Among those who use contraceptives in Nigeria, the most acceptable form is the injectable method, with about four per cent acceptance from women. This is followed by use of pills embraced by two percent and the use of implants which is embraced by one percent. The three modern methods least accepted are female sterilisation, female condoms, and diaphragm/Foa/m/jelly which had 0.2, 01 and 0.1 percent acceptance respectively. The use of male condoms is also very low, with one per cent acceptance. However, it cannot be determined if the condoms are used for FP or disease protection. Another contraceptive method known as male sterilisation had zero acceptance in Nigeria. This picture implies that most men do not concern themselves with family planning programmes, which they have left to the women. Experts and health workers explain the reasons why it is difficult getting Nigerians to embrace contraceptives. Martha Zdikko, a community extension worker in charge of a primary health care centre in Dakwa in the Federal Capital Territory, said though there is a gradual acceptance of family planning methods by women in the community, the decision to participate is mainly left to the men. We most times want them (women) to come to the facility with their husbands before we put them on any family planning method. This is because in this area, the women cannot solely make that decision. It often leads to problem when they adopt a family planning option without the knowledge of their spouses, Mrs Zdikko said. Based on geopolitical zones, women from the North-east and North-west (92 per cent) constituted the highest percentage of those who do not use any form of contraceptives. The rate of none use of contraceptives among women is also lower in urban areas than in rural areas, with 78.9 to 90 percent respectively. Survey also showed that most of the women who do not use any form of contraceptives were those within the high fertility age band (15-29). Among the three major ethnic groups, the Hausa are the least group who uses any form of contraceptive. 92 per cent of sexually active Hausa women were not using any contraceptive followed by Igbo which was 77 per cent and Yoruba 72 per cent respectively. Non usage averages 84 per cent among the other ethnic groups. The three states in Nigeria with the highest prevalence of non-usage of contraceptive were Jigawa, Ebonyi and Yobe with 98, 97 and 96 per cent respectively. According to the report, the acceptance of modern contraceptive methods was higher among people with higher and secondary school education. Misconception about FP detriment to services Family planning experts blame the low acceptance of contraceptives in Nigeria on misconception and lack of knowledge of the various options available. Dimosthenis Sakellarids, Country Director DKT, said one of the major challenges many women have is the misconception about FP. He said misinformation prevents them from seeking FP when they need it. Many women are scared of hormonal imbalances, but as a general rule, FP does not cause hormonal imbalance. Instead, some form of FP helps to regularise womans menstrual period. Though few women complain of irregular periods after using any contraceptive method and this stops almost immediately. There is something for every woman. There are non-hormonal methods of contraceptives like the IUD (Intra Uterine Device) commonly known as the coil which offers contraception for up to 10 years with minimal or none hormonal side effects. Mr Sakellarids however lamented that the attitude of health workers has been another challenge. Some healthcare providers are biased and also have limited perception about FP. This bias prevents them from either offering FP services or makes them give wrong information to women seeking the services. Health providers are generally biased about providing family planning to women especially if they are unmarried. It should be pointed out that in most cases the bias stems out of religious inclination or cultural beliefs. This limiting perception about FP endangers womens lives as these drives them to terminate unwanted pregnancies through dangerous unsafe procedures, he said. Speaking in similar vein, Lagos State Team Leader of the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI) II, Edun Omasanjuwa, said government needs to step up advocacy and educating Nigerians on the merit of using FP method. He said though many NGOs advocate FP, Nigerians are not embracing the use largely due to cultural beliefs, misconception about its effect on their health and physique and based on religious beliefs. To ensure a larger acceptance, there is a need for government and CSOs to involve traditional, religious and society influencers in the campaign, he said. The Federal High Court on Wednesday in Abuja struck out a suit filed against the issuance of permits and subsequent release of Genetically Modified (GM) crops including BT cotton in the country. Though a cause of action was established, Justice Ahmed Mohammed held that the court was compelled to strike out the suit because it appeared statute barred. This means that the suit was brought a year after the permits had been issued. Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and 16 other Civil Society Organisations in September 2017 filed the lawsuit against the Nigerian Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), the first defendant and the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) over the approval it granted to Monsanto Agricultural Nigeria Limited to release (GM) crops in Nigeria. NBMA is the government agency that regulates biotechnology and GMO in Nigeria while NABDA promotes it. According to the judge, it is a contravention of the provisions of the Public Officers Act, which states that any action instituted against a public officer as regards his/her discharge of duties must be instituted within three months, after the said breach occurred. The minister of environment, minister of agriculture, the attorney general of the federation and National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) were also defendants in the GMO case with suit No: FHC/ABJ/C5/846/2017. HOMEF expressed displeasure over the judgement in a statement by its Director, Nnimmo Bassey after the court ruling. This is a fall back on efforts to preserve the nations food system from being overturned by the agricultural biotech industry, Mr Bassey, an environmental activist said. Some of the issues raised in the suit is that the procedure and issuance of the permits flouts and threatens the fundamental human rights of the people as enshrined in section 33, 34, 36 and 39 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended in 2011. NBMA granted the permits without any public hearing regardless of the consequential issues raised in objections sent in by the Plaintiffs. Administrative Rascality The activist maintained that the ruling encourages the administrative rascality and constant disregard for public interest and due process. It is instructive to note that while the case awaited judgment, the defendants, NBMA, Monsanto and NABDA on 26th July went ahead to register and release the Bt cotton varieties (MRC 7377 BG11 and MRC 7361 BG11) along with other GM product into the Nigerian environment. Mr Bassey warned that Nigerias present regulatory architecture cannot ensure food and environmental safety as shown by the manner in which the NBMA handles GMO applications. Also reacting to the court ruling, Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, lawyer and Chair of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) said it would have been in the interest of justice to grant the reliefs set out on the face of the summons as this case represented not just consumers safety but the survival of millions of small scale farmers whose livelihoods are threatened by the corporate takeover of food systems in the guise of agricultural biotechnology. We hope that when the impacts of GMOs sets in, the government of Nigeria will not say we were not informed or warned about the impacts of GMOs. It is regrettable that Federal High Courts decision came at a time when the Chemical Company Monsanto has only been recently found guilty of knowingly causing grievous harm to one its consumers. Also reacting to the ruling, Rufus Ebegba who heads the NBMA described the judgement as unbiased. Our judiciary is the beacon of justice and hope for democracy in a country like ours. The judgement of the court is not biased, it is in line with the laws of our land. I believe the plaintiffs cannot claim not to know that the decision taking by the court is the right decision, Mr Ebegba told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone conversation. On the allegation that the agency did not follow due process in granting the permits, Mr Ebegba described as rigorous the process of granting approval and permits for release of GMO. It is not something you just sit down and do, there are rigorous processes involved and these processes were followed. HOMEF and their partners are constantly looking for faults from the agency, they never see anything good about what we do. They should be more patriotic and advise us appropriately so we can put in the best for this country. Genetically Modified Organism, GMO, is a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory using genetic engineering or transgenic technology. There has been a protracted debate over the application of genetically modified crops into the food system of the country. These debates has birthed two groups, Pro-GMO and Anti-GMO. The former is for while the latter is against the application. The National Biosafety Management Agency had in 2016, issued two permits for the Commercial Release and Placing on Market of genetically modified cotton, and the confined field trial of maize, to Monsanto Agriculture Nigeria Limited. This move came despite concerted efforts of many Nigerians (comprising 100 groups of farmers, faith-based organisations, civil society groups, students and local farmers) including HOMEF to prevent the introduction of genetically modified (GM) cotton and maize into Nigerias foods and farming system. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated $11 million for the conduct of the 2018 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, at a joint press conference in Abuja on Thursday said the survey will be conducted by his ministry and the National Population Commission from August 15 to December 15. The minister who was represented at the press conference by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Abdullziz Abdullahi, said the survey will be held in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT. This years NDHS is the sixth in the series of DHS conducted in Nigeria. The survey is a five-year periodic worldwide survey programme designed by USAID with support from international donor organisations to assist countries in households sample surveys to monitor changes in population, health and nutrition. The last DHS in Nigeria was conducted in 2013. Mr Abdullahi noted said the NDHS will generate data that will help in achieving sustainable development goals. The sample size for the 2018 NDHS consists of a total of 1,400 clusters (small geographically defined areas) with each state and FCT having 37 clusters with the exception of Lagos and Kano States which have 53clusters respectively. The aim of the NDHS is to collect high-quality data for policy formulation, program planning, monitoring and evaluation. It is also aimed at fostering and reinforcing host-country ownership of data collection, analysis, presentation, and use He called on media practitioners to give proper coverage for the success of the NDHS survey. He urged the media to help in taking the message on the exercise across Nigeria by rehashing the narrative of cooperation and ownership by the citizens. The Chairman of NPC, Eze DuruIheoma, in his remarks said information obtained from the survey will be useful in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of intervention programmes. The survey will take place in 42,000 scientifically randomly selected households in all the states of the federation ,and the Federal Capital territory. It is a nationally representative survey designed to provide information on the demographic and health status of the population. USAID Acting Mission director, Erin Holleran, said the survey will give concrete answers about what has been done in the last five years and the areas to concentrate in order to make progress. We can take time to understand the data ,and then fully invest in improvement for the quality and coverage of key interventions to address excess morbidity and mortality. Jones Abiri, the Nigerian journalist detained for over two years has been released. The journalist was released on Wednesday evening after he met his bail conditions, his lawyer told PREMIUM TIMES. Mr Abiri was detained by the State Security Service for two years without trial over allegations he was linked to armed militancy in the Niger Delta. Despite local and international pressure, Nigerian officials including the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, claimed Mr Abiri is not a journalist and tried to justify his illegal detention. Mr Abiri, publisher and editor-in-chief of Weekly Source Newspaper was eventually granted bail by an Abuja court after he was charged to court following public outcry. The court last week reviewed his bail conditions which were eventually met on Wednesday evening. Mr Abiris lawyer, Samuel Ogala, also told PREMIUM TIMES his clients trial continues at the Abuja magistrate court in Zone 2, Wuse on Thursday. The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has written a petition to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo against the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris. The union complained about the detention of PREMIUM TIMES journalist Samuel Ogundipe and other journalists by the police under Mr Idris. I write this petition on behalf of thousands of Nigerian journalists, against the Inspector-General of police, Mr Ibrahim Idris over his incessant attacks on journalists and violent violations of their human rights, culminating in yesterdays (Tuesday) arrest of a Premium Times reporter, Mr Samuel Ogundipe, Abdulwaheed Odusile, the NUJ President wrote in the letter. Mr Ogundipe is being detained over the publication of the letter of the IGP to your Excellency, in respect of the police investigation on the DSS siege on National Assembly. The journalist is being held to disclose his source of information, a demand that is against the ethical precepts of our profession. Mr Odusile said the police chief has a history of harassing journalists. Your Excellency, we want to note that this is not the first time the IGP has been hounding the press. On January 1, this year, two journalists who are brothers, Messrs Daniel and Izuchukwu Elomba were abducted in their homes by SARS officers, on the orders of the IGP and detained for ten days, over what was published on their blog purportedly against the IGP. It would be recalled that counsel to the two journalists, Festus Keyamo, (SAN) petitioned your Excellency and you caused the matter to be investigated. Consequently, on April 23, 2018, a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja awarded N5 million damages against the police for this illegal detention. Also, on March 13, 2018, SARS officers, under the control of the IGP, abducted Abdulahi Krishi, the National Assembly correspondent of Daily Trust, right at the premises of the National Assembly. He was subsequently released 24 hours later after an outcry from the media. Your Excellency, it is obvious that the excesses of the IGP against the media is giving your government a bad image as an anti- press government, even when its obvious these infractions were carried out without the presidencys imprimatur. We therefore implore your Excellency to call the Inspector-General to order and stop his incessant attacks on the media. We also demand that the detained reporter of Premium Times be released forthwith. Mr Osinbajo is yet to react to the petition. Mr Ogundipe, who reports the security sector for PREMIUM TIMES, was arrested and detained on Tuesday after he refused to disclose his source for a story. The police secretly arraigned Mr Ogundipe on Wednesday at a Kubwa magistrate court in Abuja, denying him access to legal representation. He was accused of criminal tresspass and stealing a police document. Local and international rights groups have condemned the arrest of Mr Ogundipe and demanded his release. For every journalist, the cardinal rule of success is the ability to protect ones sources despite pressure from the public particularly the state actors who more than often form the object of investigations by the reporter. Every successful journalist knows that what separates him/her and others in the daily rigours of the beat is the ability to keep the confidentiality of the sources that assist in carrying out constitutional duties of keeping the public abreast of happenings around them. Just like a police detective will baulk at revealing witnesses details in the course of an investigation, a good journalist will be willing to pay with the last drop of the blood to protect a source. In most cases, this put the media on the pathway of confrontation with state actors who often do not have an inkling of this great responsibility on the reporter. The case of a PREMIUM TIMES reporter, Samuel Ogundipe, who is currently undergoing pressure and humiliation in his attempt to defend his journalistic oath will no doubt be a litmus test for the Nigerian media and its legal system. The Arrest 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. Former Inspector-General of Police, Idris Ibrahim 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 police headquarters, a deputy commissioner, 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. 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. Mr Ogundipe has now been secretly arraigned on criminal charges bordering on theft of police documents in a court in Kubwa, Abuja. The police did not reveal to the judge that he is a journalist neither did they allow him speak with his lawyers or a family member. He was arraigned without legal representation. Reporters Privilege, Ethical Burden Wikipedia resource on journalism perhaps captures the burden on reporters to protect their sources. It calls it an international law. The protection of sources, sometimes also referred to as the confidentiality of sources or in the U.S. as the reporters privilege is a right accorded to journalists under the laws of many countries, as well as under international law. It prohibits authorities, including the courts, from compelling a journalist to reveal the identity of an anonymous source for a story. The right is based on a recognition that without a strong guarantee of anonymity, many would be deterred from coming forward and sharing information of public interests with journalists. As a result, problems such as corruption or crime might go undetected and unchallenged, to the ultimate detriment of society as a whole. In spite of any such legal protections, the pervasive use of traceable electronic communications by journalists and their sources provides governments with a tool to determine the origin of information, it explains. The News Manual, a resource for reporters also weighs in on this legal protection afforded journalists in the discharge of their duties. The words confidence and confidentiality are based on the Latin word for trust. When you are given information in confidence, this usually means that you promise that you will not tell anyone else where you got it from. Your confidential informant trusts you to keep their identity secret. Agreeing to accept non-attributable information is the most common example of confidentiality. Although journalists are always encouraged to work within the law, confidentiality is one situation in which you may have to defy the law for a greater good. Revealing a confidential source may assist the law in prosecuting one case, but you must defend a system of confidentiality which encourages the exposure of many future cases. Journalists are bound by the law; but they believe it is in the best interests of society to have a way in which injustice, abuse and corruption can be made public. It is not in societys best interests to have only one channel (the legal system) through which wrongdoing can be brought to light. The legal system itself has flaws, so there must be other methods of correcting wrongs; journalism can be one of those ways. You must not see confidentiality only as protecting one source of information; it is also protecting freedom of speech. It says it is a right that must be defended even at personal risks. Once you have given your word to a source that you will protect their confidentiality, you must stick to that promise all the way, even if that takes you to prison. Unless the source agrees, you cannot tell the police, the judge, your editor or even your mother. So if you do not feel that you can go to jail to protect a confidential source, do not give your promise to them in the first place. Tell them at the start of any interviews that you will reveal their names if ordered by a court. They will probably then refuse to give you any more information, it adds. One of the constitutive features of a democratic state is the state that embraces fundamental rights and freedoms, among others, the freedom of expression, including the protection of journalistic confidentiality sources. Across the world, a free press depends on the free flow of information from the media to the people and from the people to the media. It is noteworthy that the privilege of non-disclosure of confidentiality sources is one of the core principles of journalists. Without upholding this privilege, journalists have little, if any, real role to play in the society, says Fred Nkusi, in a New York Times piece. Activists, Media Experts Weigh In The International Press Centre (IPC) in a statement by its director, Lanre Arogundade, said it was particularly dismayed. This, to us, is a clear assault on press freedom and a clear threat to the safety of the detained journalist and his colleagues. The Police Authorities are also hereby reminded that the Freedom of Information Act, a federal law, enacted in 2011, in Section 16 subsection C confers on the media Journalism Confidentiality Privileges and as such should desist from engaging in unconstitutional acts. We condemn the arrests and detention of the concerned journalists and hereby demand the immediate release of Mr. Ogundipe. The umbrella body of journalists in Nigeria also expresses dissatisfaction. 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. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of Samuel Ogundipe and an end to all forms of impunity against the media, it said. Asking a journalist to reveal his source is more like asking the police to divulge details of an ongoing investigation. The protection of sources, sometimes also referred to as the confidentiality of sources is a right accorded to journalists under the laws of many countries including Nigeria, as well as under international law. It prohibits authorities, including the courts, from compelling a journalist to reveal the identity of an anonymous source for a story. The right is based on a recognition that without a strong guarantee of anonymity, many would be deterred from coming forward and sharing information of public interests with journalists. As a result, problems such as corruption or crime might go undetected and unchallenged, to the ultimate detriment of society as a whole, explains Lanre Suraj of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) The international rights group, Amnesty International ,also flayed the detention of the journalist. 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. Samuel Ogundipe, a reporter at Premium Times 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. Akin Fadeyi Foundation (AFF), conveners of the inter-sectoral campaign against corruption in Nigeria CORRUPTION NOT IN MY COUNTRY said the group is alarmed at this attack on the media. 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 pressurising 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, finetune its internal processes for better outputs in subsequent outings, it said in a statement. In its reaction, the Nigerian Institute of Journalism demanded Mr Ogundipes immediate release saying he (Ogundipe) acted within the confines of ethics of the profession 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 arrest of @SamuelOgundipe a Journalist with @PremiumTimesng by @PoliceNG for not disclosing his news source, journalists are not expected to disclose sources. The police should stop arbitrary arrest and detention of citizens. Not on a day government announced #ReformPoliceNG, said Kayode Ogundamisi, influential public commentator and analyst. Arresting, detaining @PremiumTimesng journalist @SamuelOgundipe to compel source disclosure is a constitutional violation that should have no place in democracy. @PoliceNG #IGPIdris should order his immediate & unconditional release #FreeSamuelOgundipe @PLACNG @SituationRoomNg, Clement Nwankwo, a human rights lawyer wrote. Dear @ProfOsinbajo, on the very day you set the ball rolling on reforming SARS, the same SARS have detained a journalist, @SamuelOgundipe of @PremiumTimesng, and are trying to force him to reveal his source for a story, Cheta Nwanze, a data analyst and public policy expert wrote. Nigerians patiently wait For now, Mr Ogundipe may have his day in court as he has been secretly arraigned by the police even without legal support. His finances have been crippled by the freezing of his bank account. While there is no evidence that he has been tortured at the SARS facility known for brutalising suspects, he is certainly traumatised. What is evident for many is that, it is not Mr Ogundipe that is on trial here but Nigerias rule of law and the survival of the Fourth Estate of the Realm including its vulnerable sources which keep tyranny in check and enhances freedom of expression. Nigerian activists, civil society leaders and journalists have started a protest at the police headquarters in Abuja, demanding the release of detained PREMIUM TIMES reporter, Samuel Ogundipe. The demonstration is led by the #TakebackNigeriaMovement and the #OurMumuDonDo, and is holding in front of the polices Louis Edet House. The leaders of the two groups, Omoyele Sowore, a presidential aspirant and publisher of Sahara Reporters, and Charles Oputa, are at the venue of the protest. Police have already deployed officers to check the protesters, forming a shield to limit them. Mr Ogundipe, who covers the security beat for PREMIUM TIMES, was arrested on Tuesday by the police and secretly arraigned at a magistrate court in Abuja on Wednesday. The police are asking Mr Ogundipe to disclose his source for a story, a demand that goes contrary to ethical journalism. Mr Ogundipe was arraigned without access to a lawyer. The editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Musikilu Mojeed, and education reporter, Azeezat Adedigba, were also briefly held by the polices notorious anti-robbery unit, SARS. The arrests have sparked global condemnation with calls for Mr Ogundipes immediate release. Local and international groups, including Amnesty International, have slammed the Buhari administrations attempt to intimidate and muzzle the press and have asked acting President Yemi Osinbajo to intervene. #FreeSamuelOgundipe: Protest rocks Abuja over police detention of PREMIUM TIMES journalist #FreeSamuelOgundipe: Protest rocks Abuja over police detention of PREMIUM TIMES journalist #FreeSamuelOgundipe: Protest rocks Abuja over police detention of PREMIUM TIMES journalist #FreeSamuelOgundipe: Protest rocks Abuja over police detention of PREMIUM TIMES journalist The administration has maintained silence despite the clampdown happening on the same day Mr Osinbajo ordered an overhaul of the SARS. Protesters Storm Nigeria Police HQ, demand Samuel Ogundipes release #FreeSamuelOgundipe: Protest rocks Abuja over police detention of PREMIUM TIMES journalist #FreeSamuelOgundipe: Protest rocks Abuja over police detention of PREMIUM TIMES journalist #FreeSamuelOgundipe: Protest rocks Abuja over police detention of PREMIUM TIMES journalist On Wednesday, police spokesman Jimoh Moshood claimed he was not aware of the details of Mr Ogundipes detention. More details coming. Contrary to the claim by the Nigerian government through the Information Minister Lai Mohammed, the government paid a large ransom to free scores of female students kidnapped by the Boko Haram from their school in Dapchi, Yobe State, earlier this year, the United Nations has said. Over 100 girls were kidnapped from the Dapchi school by a Boko Haram faction in February this year with about 105 of them later released by the terrorists. One of them, Leah Sharibu, who reportedly refused to denounce her Christian faith, is still with the abductors. Following the release of the girls, about a month after they were kidnapped, Mr Mohammed told journalists that it was not true ransom was paid for their release. It is not true that we paid ransom for the release of the Dapchi girls, neither was there a prisoner swap to secure their release, Mr. Mohammed told journalists in Maiduguri with his statement circulated by his office to media organisations including PREMIUM TIMES. What happened was that the abduction itself was a breach of the ceasefire talks between the insurgents and the government; hence it became a moral burden on the abductors. Any report that we paid ransom or engaged in prisoner swap is false. A UN report has now shown Mr Mohammeds claim to be false. The report recently submitted to the UN Security Council on Boko Haram and related terrorist organisations, said such ransom and the predominance of cash economy was providing oxygen for the insurgency around the Lake Chad region. The UN report is titled 22nd Report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, related to Resolution 2368 (2017) regarding Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant ISIL (Daesh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities. In Nigeria, 111 schoolgirls from the town of Dapchi were kidnapped on 18 February 2018 and released by ISWAP on 21 March 2018 in exchange for a large ransom payment, the report stated. United Nations HQ The UN report negating the Nigerian governments stance reflects the manner of propaganda the Nigerian government and its military have been using to fight the war against Boko Haram. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Nigerian military has repeatedly lied about military casualty in the war and, along with the government, claimed the Boko Haram sect was already defeated. The governments stance appears to be that suppressing information, or as in this case lying about it, would reduce the efficacy of the insurgents and thus limit their ability to carry out their terrorist acts. Senator Ahmed Lawan The Dapchi girls ransom would not be the first by the Nigerian government to free victims held by Boko Haram. Huge ransom was also paid by the Buhari administration to free many of released Chibok girls kidnapped in 2014, senators including the leader of ruling party in the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, said. Although the move is largely welcomed by many Nigerians as it ensures freedom for the victims, experts fear it has helped fuel the insurgency by ensuring the Boko Haram has access to funds to buy more weapons and sustain themselves; a stance shared in the UN report. OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING Apart from ransom, the UN also listed other ways the Boko Haram group is being funded. extortion, charitable donations, smuggling, remittances and kidnapping as parts of ways Boko Haram is funded, the report stated as quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria. The report also stated how some doctrinally based non-governmental organisations were funding Boko Haram and other terror groups. The number of doctrinally based non-governmental organisations sending funds to local terrorist groups was growing, and Member States were concerned that radicalisation was increasing the threat level in the Sahel. Meanwhile, Boko Haram (QDe.138) and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have had a similar impact in their areas of control, including the Lake Chad basin. The predominance in the region of the cash economy, without controls, is conducive to terrorist groups funded by extortion, charitable donations, smuggling, remittances and kidnapping. According to NAN, the report was signed by Edmund Fitton-Brown, Coordinator, Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, who said the report was comprehensive and independent, and Kairat Umarov, Chair, Security Council Committee. SANCTIONS ON BOKO HARAM The UN Security Council committee on al Qaeda sanctions blacklisted and imposed sanctions on the Boko Haram in 2014 after the insurgents kidnapped more than 200 Chibok schoolgirls. The designation, which came into effect after no objections were raised by the Security Councils 15 members, subjected Boko Haram to UN sanctions, including an arms embargo, asset freeze and travel ban. FILE: Some of the released Dapchi School Girls believed to have been adopted by Boko Haram Terrorists during their arrival at the Presidential Villa to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Friday (23/3/18) 01701/23/3/2018/Callistus Ewelike/NAN The UN Security Council had last week said it remained concerned over the security and humanitarian situation caused by the Boko Haram terrorists and other armed groups in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad. In a presidential statement, the 15-member body regretted that Central African countries were beset by terrorist activity, instability and the effects of climate change, and asked Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to review the work of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), and recommend areas for improvement. The presidential statement read: The Security Council strongly condemns all terrorist attacks carried out in the region, including those perpetrated by Boko Haram and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Daesh). These attacks have caused large-scale and devastating losses, have had a devastating humanitarian impact including through the displacement of a large number of civilians in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, and represent a threat to the stability and peace of West and Central Africa. The Council notes with particular concern the continuing use by Boko Haram of women and girls as suicide bombers, which has created an atmosphere of suspicion towards them and made them targets of harassment and stigmatisation in affected communities, and of arbitrary arrests by security forces. Boko Haram Commander, Abubakar Shekau in latest video The Council emphasises the need for affected States to counter-terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including by addressing the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, in accordance with obligations under international law, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law. The Security Council welcomed the support provided by UNOCA and the UN Office for West Africa and Sahel (UNOWAS) for the development of a joint regional strategy to address the root causes of the Lake Chad Basin crisis through regular contact with regional leaders. The Council encouraged partners to increase security assistance to Lake Chad Basin Commission countries, and humanitarian and development support across the region for those affected by Boko Haram activities. The Security Council remains deeply concerned at the grave security situation and related violations and abuses of human rights in parts of Central Africa, in particular, the continuing terrorist activities of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in the Lake Chad Basin, it said. The Security Council expresses its ongoing concern at continued tensions linked to disputed electoral processes, social and economic difficulties, and conflicts between farmers and herders, the statement added. The 15-member Council noted that UNOCAs priorities would include to work closely with UNOWAS to address trans-regional issues such as maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, conflict between farmers and herders, and combating Boko Haram. The troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army Kaduna on Thursday said it had eliminated five bandits and recovered arms in Birnin Gawri Local Government Area in Kaduna State. The Deputy Director Army Public Relations 1 divisions Nigerian Army, Muhammad Dole, made the disclosure in a press statement in Kaduna. Mr Dole said the troops of the Division, under Operation WHIRL PUNCH, responded to a distress call about an armed robbery along Birnin GwariFuntua road. While on pursuit of the armed robbers, they were ambushed by suspected bandits. However, they fought their way and overpowered the bandits, who hastily withdrew into Kwuyambana forest in Zamfara State. He said during the pursuit of the bandits in the forest, the bodies of five bandits were found. Among the eliminated bandits was a notorious bandit from Zamfara identified as Sani Danbuzuwa. Regrettably, we lost one soldier and two were injured. The wounded soldiers were evacuated and they are responding to treatment at the military hospital in Kaduna. After thorough searched of the ambush area, the following items were recovered: 1 x AK47 rifle, 3 magazines, 87 rounds of 7.62mm (special) 1 G3 rifle, 4 magazines, 61 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO). He also disclosed that a wanted kidnapper and expert in negotiations for ransom, called Yinusa Suleiman, from Sambuwa village was apprehended by troops on Aug. 14. He is currently assisting the security operatives in further investigations, he said. Dole restated the troops commitment to ensuring security and safe passage to all commuters along highways of KadunaAbuja and KadunaBirnin Gwari roads as well as the adjoining towns and villages. (NAN) The Nigeria Police on Thursday publicly admitted they were detaining PREMIUM TIMES journalist, Samuel Ogundipe over documents he used for a published story. The police did not say the story or documents use for it was false, but said they were determined to know how Mr Ogundipe had access to the classified document. The spokesperson for the police, Jimoh Moshood, stated this during a protest at the Force Headquarters by various groups for the release of Mr Ogundipe who was arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad on Tuesday. A number of groups, including Action Aid, Enough is Enough, Socialist Party of Nigeria, and Education Rights Campaign participated in the protest demanding the release of the journalist While addressing the protesters, Mr Moshood engaged in double speak. We are not saying tell us the source of your story, we are saying tell us where the document emanates from, he said. The police have since his arrest on Tuesday been putting pressure on Mr Ogundipe to disclose his source for the story which revealed a report sent to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris. In the report, the police chief indicted the former director general of the State Security Service, Lawal Daura, for last weeks siege at the Senate. On Thursday, Mr Moshood accused Mr Ogundipe of theft of classified documents used in writing the story. He said Mr Ogundipe was arrested and arraigned in line with constitutional provision, insisting the police were committed to respect for the rule of law. Mr Ogundipe was arraigned on Wednesday at a Magistrate court in Kubwa. He was denied legal representation despite insisting he wanted one. Mr Moshood later on Thursday issued a statement after the protest. It is factual to state that Mr. Samuel Ogundipe was arrested on the 14th of August, 2018 and on completion of preliminary Investigation, he was arraigned in a court of competent jurisdiction in the FCT in less than Twenty Four (24) Hours of his arrest. He was remanded to Police custody and the case was adjourned to Monday, 20th August, 2018, he said in the statement. Mr. Samuel Ogundipe is also being investigated and prosecuted under other offences which violate Official Secret Act, Cyber Crime Act, and the Penal Code Law for which he has volunteered statements and is standing trial, At the protest ground, Mr Moshood argued that Nigerias Freedom of Information law does not protect providing such information to the public. Even the FOI Act limits access to classified information. The matter is already before the court and as a Nigerian he has the right to defend himself. But where a document that is classified goes out, we also have a duty to ask how it was leaked, Mr Moshood said while speaking to journalists and other protesters. What has happened will be investigated and we will take appropriate action and you (the media) will be involved. The spokesperson claimed that the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, did not order Mr Ogundipes arrest. At all, the order didnt come from the IG. People should disabuse their minds that the IGP ordered for his arrest, the police spokesperson said. When asked why Mr Ogundipe was denied the opportunity of being represented by his lawyer, Mr Moshood, again, feigned ignorance, stating that he did not know the journalist was denied access to his lawyer. Do you have his lawyer here? I am not aware that he was denied access to his lawyer and the court didnt know he is a journalist. I was not the prosecutor, I was not the investigator but I will go and get the fact from them. If the lawyer was not informed, me I dont know. Youre just telling me. If his lawyer is here, he can follow me so that we can meet the investigator. Everybody taken to court has a right to a lawyer, he said. He said Mr Ogundipes bank account was frozen because its part of the investigation process. One of the protesters, Deji Adeyanju, who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES, condemned detention of the journalist. This is a deliberate attempt to frustrate Samuel and other journalists. This is not just bad for the image of the country, it is bad for the image of the police and it is bad for the image of this government. Samuel Ogundipe is a Nigerian. Hes one of us. If this can happen to Samuel, it can happen to any other journalist. This whole idea of forcing a journalist to reveal his source by the police is wrong. The constitution is very clear. The court has ruled that the police or any other security agency cannot compel a journalist to reveal his source even if they want to torture him to a point of death, he said. Mr Ogundipe, who covers the security beat for PREMIUM TIMES, was arrested on Tuesday by the police and secretly arraigned at a magistrate court in Abuja on Wednesday. The police asked Mr Ogundipe to disclose his source for a story, a demand that goes contrary to ethical journalism. On Wednesday, Mr Ogundipe was arraigned without access to a lawyer. The editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Musikilu Mojeed, and education reporter, Azeezat Adedigba, were also briefly held by the police on Tuesday; but were later released. The arrests have sparked global condemnation with calls for Mr Ogundipes immediate release. Local and international groups, including Amnesty International, have slammed the federal government for attempting to intimidate and muzzle the press and asked Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to intervene. Hours after a United Nations report presented to the UN Security Council revealed Nigeria paid ransom to free scores of female students kidnapped in Dapchi, Yobe State, Nigerias Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, has insisted no ransom was paid. Over 100 girls were kidnapped from the Dapchi school by a Boko Haram faction in February this year with about 105 of them later released by the terrorists. One of them, Leah Sharibu, who reportedly refused to denounce her Christian faith, is still with the abductors. Upon their release, Mr Mohammed told Nigerians that no ransom was paid for the girls. He said the kidnap became a moral burden on the abductors. However, a report submitted to the UN Security Council showed that a large ransom was paid to free the girls. In Nigeria, 111 schoolgirls from the town of Dapchi were kidnapped on 18 February 2018 and released by ISWAP on 21 March 2018 in exchange for a large ransom payment, the report stated. The report said such ransom and the predominance of cash economy was providing oxygen for the insurgency around the Lake Chad region. The UN report described as the 22nd Report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team related to Resolution 2368 (2017) regarding Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant ISIL (Daesh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities. Excerpts of the report were published by the News Agency of Nigeria, which stated that the report was signed by Edmund Fitton-Brown, Coordinator, Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, who said the report was comprehensive and independent, and Kairat Umarov, Chair, Security Council Committee. In its reaction to the report, the Nigerian government through Mr Mohammed said it stands by its statement that no ransom was paid. It described the UN report as a mere conjecture. It is not enough to say that Nigeria paid a ransom, little or huge. There must be a conclusive evidence to support such claim. Without that, the claim remains what it is: a mere conjecture, the minister was quoted as saying in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES by his spokesperson, Segun Adeyemi. The UN Security Council and indeed the UN does not have the culture of engaging Member States like Nigeria in a public debate and is not expected to reply Mr Mohammeds claim. Although the government hardly admits it pays ransom to terrorists to free kidnapped civilians, public officials including those of the ruling All Progressives Congress have in the past admitted such ransoms are paid. In its report, the UN also identified that such ransoms help fund terror groups like Boko Haram. Meanwhile, Boko Haram (QDe.138) and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have had a similar impact in their areas of control, including the Lake Chad basin. The predominance in the region of the cash economy, without controls, is conducive to terrorist groups funded by extortion, charitable donations, smuggling, remittances and kidnapping, the report stated. The Boko Haram activities in Northern Nigeria have caused about 100,000 deaths, according to the Borno State Government. The efforts of Nigerian security forces have in the past three years limited the terrorists to three North-eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. The group is, however, still able to carry out attacks on civilians and military formations in those states. 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. Ms. 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. I cant wait to get started, said Ms 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, Ms. 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, Ms. 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. Ms 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 honoured 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. SOURCE: Open Society Foundations The Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa and the Ford Foundation awarded grants to ten non-governmental organizations across Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa to advance market transparency, and enhance access to information about business and finance, policies and practices that impact inclusive economic growth and human development. The funds, awarded over two years, aim to elevate voices from local communities and further the development of citizen journalism and community reporting on financial and economic issues. Funding is provided by the Community Media Fund, a US$1million fund established in 2015 as part of the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa, which itself launched a year prior to advance business journalism on the continent. Erana Stennett, Director, Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa, said: Using traditional, digital and mobile technology, these grant recipients are working to inform and empower poor and marginalized communities about business and economic issues that impact their lives. In Nigeria, the Institute for Media and Society will receive first-round funding to support the vibrant and growing community media sector. It will implement its project in partnership with the Nigeria Community Radio Coalition and five community radio stations in four states in Nigeria. The Institute for Media and Society currently leads the Nigeria Community Radio Coalition, a community of citizens committed to advancing media pluralism and advocating for the development and expansion of a sustainable community radio sector in Nigeria. The project will build the capacity of grassroots, community radio stations to strengthen citizens engagement and improve transparency and accountability in local governance. Five community radio stations: Nenzit Community Radio, Agba Community Radio, Ejule Nen Community Radio, Lavum Community Radio, and Kakaki Community Radio will be supported by a grant from the Community Media Fund to the Institute for Media and Society. Paul Nwulu, Programme Officer, Ford Foundation Office for West Africa, said: For decades, the Ford Foundation has supported innovative media projects and the Community Media Fund is one of such projects. No media system represents the voice of the people like community media outlets and it is our hope that this support will help strengthen the community and campus media ecosystem in Nigeria and make them a true voice of the voiceless in the society. Dr. Akin Akingbulu, Executive Director of the Institute for Media and Society added: The project, informed by the expressed needs of Nigerian grassroots communities, is citizen-centered. It positions community media to contribute to enhancing the capacity of citizens by providing them access to information, equipping them with an improved understanding of business and financial principles, and empowering them to participate in policies and practices that result in the development of their communities. Hivos East Africa will manage the Community Media Fund and provide technical assistance to the media organizations throughout the grant process. In addition, the Community Media Fund will enhance the financial literacy of citizens, improve their access to relevant data, and build the capacity of community media to strengthen accountability and governance through improved analysis and reporting. Mendi Njonjo, Regional Director of Hivos East Africa said: The Community Media Fund will help citizens take control of their lives and influence their local community development, particularly in the context of ensuring public funds are utilized transparently and legitimately. The anti-corruption group, Not In My Country, has called on the federal government and the Nigerian police to immediately release the detained Premium Times journalist, Samuel Ogundipe. The detention of Mr. Samuel Ogundipe now 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, the organisation said in a statement by its Executive Director, Akin Fadeyi. 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 characterized the regime of former Head of State, General Muhanmodu 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. Read full statement below. NOT IN MY COUNTRY DEMANDS SAMUEL OGUNDIPES IMMEDIATE RELEASE! We at the Akin Fadeyi Foundation [AFF], conveners of the inter-sectoral campaign against corruption in Nigeria CORRUPTION NOT IN MY COUNTRY are alarmed and outraged over the arrest and detention of Mr. Samuel Ogundipe on the orders of the Nigeria Police. This was after the Editor in Chief, Musikilu Mojeed and the Education reporter, Azeezat Adedigba who turned themseves in voluntarily on invitation were reportedly harrassed and manhandled. 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 characterized the regime of former Head of State, General Muhanmodu 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 detention of Mr. Samuel Ogundipe now 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. Also, this bare-fang attack on Premium Times is a clear demonstration of ignorance of every letter in the Nigerian Freedom of Information Act signed into Law on May 28, 2011. This is the Law which binds the Nigerian government, this is the Law which showcases our nation as positioning for global best practices, it is not a Law for the proponents of Hobbesian theory of anarchy and lawlessness who thrive on attacking the fourth estate of the realm. It is on the premise of this Law that we demand the immediate and unconditional release of Samuel Ogundipe, arguably, one of the finest and most decent investigative reporters to come out of this nation. Section 16, Sub section C grants Samuel the Privilege of Journalism Confidentiality. To demand for the contrary is brutal, uncivilized and cannot find a space in the society we seek to build. 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 a sheer political campaign gimmick to hoodwink the Nigerian electorates into returning this government to power in 2019. Signed Akin Fadeyi ExecutiveDirector, Akin Fadeyi Foundation/CORRUPTION NOT IN MY COUNTRY Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted a 40ft container with various goods valued N12.03 billion due to false declaration. The outgoing Controller of the Command, Lami Wushishi, a Comptroller, made this known on Thursday in Lagos while handing over the seized goods to her successor. According to her, the command detained a 40ft container with Registration No. SEGU532813-6, and that the container has a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N707.9 million. She said the container was seized after examination and detained, and that the consignment originated from the Bahamas. The consignment originated from Bahama and investigation is still ongoing because no suspect was arrested in connection to the seizure. Items found in the container were: 23 cartons of military boots totaling 460 pairs; 11 cartons of welding cable, jumbo cartons of safety eyeglasses, 120 cartons of baby beds, 33 packages of aluminum welding rods. Other items are; 170 cartons of rain boots, 44 cartons of plastic buckets, 310 cartons of assorted carpentry tools, 55 sacks of shower caps, 112 cartons of childrens toys and 135 cartons of cosmetics /make-up. The container was intercepted by vigilant officers during the 100 per cent examination in line with the Vice-President Prof. Yemi Osinbajos directive on Ease of Doing Business, Mrs Wushishi said. She said the command generated the sum of N5. 897 billion in the last eight months in spite of various challenges encountered. Mrs Wushishi assured port users of the commands commitment to ensuring the implementation of the fiscal policy of the Federal Government and willingness to continue to collaborate with other sister agencies. She, however, urged importers and stakeholders operating within the commands terminals to comply with all extant laws by making honest declarations in order to enjoy seamless clearance of cargo. While handing over to the new controller, Nike Oladunni, Comptroller, she urged officers in the command to give maximum support to successor to enable the command achieve its annual target. (NAN) The judge handling the trial of a journalist, Jones Abiri, has threatened to strike out the case. Mr Abiri was released on Wednesday after meeting his bail conditions. His release came after the court reviewed his bail conditions which were eventually met on Wednesday. The journalist was detained by the State Security Service, SSS, for two years without trial over allegations he was linked to armed militancy in the Niger Delta. Despite local and international pressure, Nigerian officials, including the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, claimed Mr Abiri is not a journalist and tried to justify his illegal detention. Mr Abiri, publisher and editor-in-chief of Weekly Source Newspaper, was eventually granted bail by an Abuja court after he was charged to court following public outcry. Resuming at the court Thursday, a prosecution lawyer, Mohammad Tanko, pleaded with the court that the matter be adjourned because another prosecutor initially handling the matter was sick and had asked him (Tanko) to take charge. He said he was, however, not briefed on the matter comprehensively. Responding, the defendants lawyer, Samuel Ogala, said on the last adjourned date, the court has asked the prosecution to serve them evidence which they (prosecutors) failed to do. This, he said is in breach of section 350(2) of ACJA as it is mandatory to serve the defence such evidence. This is to ensure speed dispensation of justice, he said. Mr Abiris lawyer also said any further adjournment will not serve justice to the defendant as he needs to reunite with his family after his prolonged incarceration. Responding, the judge, Chukwuemeka Nweasons, said the reasons given by the prosecutors for an adjournment are not justifiable. I have earlier warned the prosecution that this court would not be used as a cell for storing cases. I am surprised that even the proof of evidence has not been served to the defence as ordered by this court. It is only a context of the first information, although only just an allegation. That is the reason why this court would not strike out this case as it has been applied (for) by counsel for the defendants. However, Mr Nweke said in line with the provision of ACJA, I shall adjourn this case to August 17 for hearing. Let me make this clear, if by tomorrow, the proof of evidence has not been served for the defence and witnesses are not called, this case would be struck out, he said. Nigerians risk nationwide blackout as electricity generating companies (GENCOs) on Thursday issued notice of an impending shutdown of their power plants. The Executive Secretary, Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), Joy Ogaji, who issued the notice sent to PREMIUM TIMES, did not say when the shutdown of the power plants would commence. The shutdown will happen automatically, because the machines are already giving us the signal that they are about to shut down. It could happen this month. It could happen next month or even tomorrow. Nobody knows exactly when. The machines have given us (GENCOs) notice. That is why we are giving the market that notice, so that when it happens Nigerians will not say GENCOs are sabotaging the market, Mrs Ogaji said. The GENCOs are blaming the imminent shutdown of the power generating plants on the inability of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to fully take up and transmit available volume of electricity generated into the national grid. For instance, out of an average available electricity capacity of 7,485 megawatts (MW) generated on a daily basis by the GENCOs last April, Mrs Ogaji said, data published by the System Operator/National Control Centre showed the TCN could only transmit an average of 3985MW (about 46.8 per cent) of the available capacity. Although the country boasts of over 7,500 of available generation capacity, she said, the national grid can hardly take more than 4500MW without rejecting excess load. Operators said electricity generation above 5,000 MW would either be lost or rejected by DISCOs or TCN due to inadequate capacity, namely transmission line cuts, transformer faults and high grid frequency. Like all electrical appliances, which have set conditions under which they function at optimal levels, Mrs Ogaji said the constant operation of the hydro and thermal power plants below their designed baseloads would result in lower efficiency. She said the constant under-utilisation of the capacity of the machines resulted in several damaging effects, including thermal stress on steam turbine blades and creep of compressor and turbine blades. Other damages include cracks on exhaust sleeves, Irregular heating and cooling cycles of hot gas path components, cracks in ceramic tiles of the combustion chamber, and defective gas control valves due to wear and tear. To save the power sector from collapse, Mrs Ogaji said the GENCOs have resolved that there is need to shut down the power plants till when the electricity transmission and distribution networks have become efficient enough to take power and fully pay for both their outstanding and current liabilities. She said the power to shut down the power plants till further notice was covered under Section 12.6.6 of the Grid code, which allows them to disconnect the power generating unit for reasons of safety of personnel, apparatus, and/or plant. Mrs Ogaji said the TCNs continued lower capacity utiliaation by dispatching less than 50 per cent of average available power generation to the national grid was forcing them to operate their turbines/machines at far below the baseload settings. The lower capacity utilisation by TCN, according to GENCOs, has resulted in an increase in consumption of gas by as much as 15-20 per cent in cost not captured either by the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET) or its calculation of multi-year tariff order (MYTO). Mrs Ogaji said the inability of TCN to utilise the GENCOs available capacity of 7500MW, does not give them the incentive for further capacity recovery and expansion. She said the GENCOs electricity generating plants can no longer sustain the growing operating costs alone, given the level of remittance in the market. The power ministry is yet to react to the threat by the GENCOs. Detained PREMIUM TIMES journalist, Samuel Ogundipe, has narrated how he was secretly arraigned at a Magistrate Court in Kubwa on Wednesday afternoon. The police, through the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), on Tuesday arrested and detained Mr Ogundipe, asking him to disclose his source for a story. The deputy commissioner of police handling the supposed investigation, Sani Ahmadu, earlier briefed PREMIUM TIMES staff and the companys lawyer at the detention facility of the SARS in Abuja where Mr Ogundipe is being held, around 10 a.m. in the morning. He said no action would be taken until 4:00 p.m., the time he asked the lawyer to return. But 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. Mr Ogundipe was charged with criminal trespass and theft of police document around 1 p.m. He was denied access to his lawyer and employer. 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. The journalist narrated his ordeal to his colleague and the companys lawyer who visited the detention facility around 6 p.m. and were allowed to see him for a few minutes. Mr Ogundipe said he was driven barefooted to the Magistrate court in Kubwa around 1pm in the company four police officers including the prosecuting officer. (The name and details of the prosecuting officer cannot be ascertained at the time of filing this report). Before they left the detention facility, the journalist asked to speak to his lawyer, but was told he would only be allowed to do that when they get to the court. At the court, I requested to speak with my lawyer and employer but they said I should wait until after the proceedings. The prosecuting officer left me in the car with the three other police officers and went inside the court building. He came out after two hours and asked if I am ready to reveal the source of my story but I refused. Then I was led into the court room. Apart from the journalist, the magistrate and the four police officers including the prosecuting officer, there was no other person inside the court room. I was docked immediately and the prosecuting officer read my charges before the magistrate. I pleaded not guilty. The judge granted the request of the prosecuting officer that I be remanded in custody until August 20 (next five days). The officer said the police needed more time for investigation. Meanwhile, the police have turned down requests by the companys lawyer for the court papers and warrant of arrest on two occasions. While the police on Wednesday evening said they cannot provide the documents because the prosecuting officer was not around, it said on Tuesday that there is no photocopy machine at the detention centre. A colleague who saw Mr Ogundipe at the detention centre said he looked physically worn out. He spoke to us behind the counter. We were only allowed five minutes with him before they took him back inside the cell room. PREMIUM TIMES has condemned the secret arraignment of its staff, and repeated its demand for Mr Ogundipes immediate release. Samuel Ogundipe, a reporter at Premium Times 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. 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 Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) has written to President Muhammadu Buhari over the continued detention of Premium Times journalist Samuel Ogundipe. In the letter dated August 16, the PFF, an independent non-governmental institution committed to promoting and defending freedom of expression, expressed concern over the detention of Mr Ogundipe who has now been in police custody for about two days. PPF condemns this action and urges the Nigerian government to immediately release Samuel Ogundipe and investigate the matter and bring those responsible to justice. PPF also urges you to take decisive action to promote and respect freedom of expression and the press, the organization wrote in the letter signed by Owais Aslam Ali, its Secretary General. Like the PFF, Action Aid, a non-governmental organisation, has condemned Mr Ogundipes arrest, describing it as an attempt to undermine press freedom and the principles of democracy. Nihinlola Ayanda, Communications Coordinator, Action Aid, made this assertion in a statement in Abuja on Thursday. Ms Ayanda quoted the organisations Country Director, Ene Obi, as saying that the arrest of the journalist without legal representation and access to his lawyer should be totally condemned. According to Mrs Obi, Mr Ogundipes arrest, torture, bank account freeze, secret arraignment without legal representation by the Nigerian Police is condemnable as such acts undermine press freedom and Nigerias hard-earned democracy. Nigeria is not a police state, so journalists should not be persecuted for executing their responsibility of informing and educating the public. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows citizens access to public records and information held by public officials or institutions. It empowers newsmen to discharge their duty fairly and truthfully and the government has the responsibility of upholding the law and promoting democracy without any form of press bullying, she said. She noted that if any media organisation had published any information that was not true, relevant authorities should seek civil ways of dealing with such issues. Mrs Obi called on the Nigerian police and other security agents to refrain from arresting journalists, who were fulfilling their constitutional obligations as enshrined in Section 22 of Nigerias Constitution. She said if this was followed, it would make it obligatory for the media to hold public office holders accountable. She, however, described Mr Ogundipe as courageous while calling on journalists not to desist from carrying out their constitutional obligations in promoting the country. In its reaction, the Advocacy for Integrity and Economic Development (AIED) called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to terminate the appointment of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris. The organization in a statement on Thursday by its Director of Media and Publicity, OSeun John, described the continuous incarceration of the reporter as an assassination of the values of democracy and a stampede on Press Freedom. We were shocked to receive news of the unlawful detention of Samuel Ogundipe, one of the finest investigative reporter in Nigeria who has only dedicated his time to revealing the truth at all times. We find it incomprehensible that this illegality took place at a time the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo a senior minister in the temple of justice is making efforts (to) reform the scattered structure of the Nigeria Police Force. This act in itself is nothing other than treason as it undermines the office of the Acting President and brings ridicule to the Presidency. We believe strongly in the face of glaring evidences of gross abuse against human rights and total disregard for the tenets of law that the Inspector General of Police has outlived his usefulness in office and his appointment should be terminated without delay, the group said. Mr Ogundipe was arrested on Tuesday and secretly tried without legal representation on Wednesday. His arrest has been condemned by local and international rights groups. The Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari is sick and a cabal is running his government. He also said he is under pressure from many Nigerians and foreigners to run for the office of president in 2019. According to a report by The Punch, Mr Tambuwal said these while addressing youth and students at the Governors Office in Sokoto who were on hand to show thank him for involving the youth in his government. The governor recently left the All Progressives Congress (APC) under which flag he was elected for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He is widely expected to run for president. We are aware that the President is affected by serious challenges of health and is being held captive by a cabal that runs Nigeria for their personal interests, he said. We supported Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 to become President unconditionally and we admit that Buhari has integrity but thats not the only requirement for leadership, he said. The president is currently on a vacation in London with the Vice President Yemi Osibanjo acting on his behalf. Presidential media aide, Femi Adesina, had in a statement said the president would be on a 10-day vacation. Buhari faced a major medical challenge in 2017 that saw him spending the better part of the year outside the country, Mr Tambuwal said. He left the country on January 19, 2017, on what the Presidency described then as a medical vacation. When the trip was prolonged, presidential aides announced that the President would be staying back in the British capital to enable him to collect results of some medical tests he did. He returned to the country on March 10, 2017, after a 49-day medical sojourn, saying he had never been that sick in his life. He then gave an indication that he would return to London for further checkup. After missing public events, including three consecutive weekly Federal Executive Council meetings which raised anxiety in the country, Buhari on May 7, 2017, returned to London for medical consultations and returned to the country on August 19, 2017. Mr Tambuwal said he was under pressure to join the 2019 presidential race but was still making consultations. I have been under intense pressure from various quarters in Nigeria including leaders of the country and friends of Nigeria outside the country to contest the presidency. But leadership is a collective decision and I have never asked to be made a leader at any time in my life. So, my aspiration will be determined by my people and after that, I will make my political decision known in a matter of days. The governor said the youth are the leaders of tomorrow and that the future for a greater Nigeria lies with the younger generation. He assured them of his commitment to their welfare and empowerment. Someone recently referred to me as a boy, which is really a compliment that puts me on the side of the youths, who are the strength of our nation, he said. In what is an obvious reference to the scandal of certificate forgery in which Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun is entrapped, Mr Tambuwal enjoined the youth particularly the students among them to make sure they participate in the National Youth Service Corps Scheme (NYSC). He said his government would not accept anyone who refused to undergo the national service. Premium Times exposed Mrs Adeosun as forging a certificate exempting her from the mandatory one year national service. In spite of the exposure, she has retained her office and President Buhari has been silent on the scandal. The Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, has alleged marginalisation of Christian students in some tertiary institutions in northern Nigeria. Speaking at a book launch organised by PREMIUM TIMES Books on Wednesday, Mr Kukah accused northern governors of aiding the alleged injustice. As Im talking here now, whether it is Bayero University, Usman Dan Fodio University, most of the universities and tertiary institutions in northern Nigeria, Christians dont have a place to worship after over 40 years of the existence of these universities and these are the areas where the intellectuals, those who are going to govern Nigeria, this is where they are. Up till today, as Im talking to you, you cant find a single governor in northern Nigeria that will effortlessly sign a certificate of occupancy for the building of a church. Nowhere, Mr Kukah lamented. The cleric said the academic and security environment in the country discourage having frank discussion on insecurity. He accused Nigerian scholars of fuelling crisis by their views and teachings. Northern Nigeria is literally a closed book. And our inability to understand northern Nigeria collectively as a nation accounts for most of the crisis we still face in this country. We have a very serious crisis in our country. A crisis that relates to the fact that those who are in academia are simply miniature gods of ethnic hegemony. We can see from reactions, Boko Haram, politics in Nigeria, 2019 and others, when you listen to academicians, what we are saying are not different from what the people in our villages feel. We were barely six months or so into this crisis when I published an article titled Bread, not bullet. I was trying to make the point that we needed a much more robust engagement based on our common humanity. We needed to hear the stories leading people to this kind of life rather than just turning this into a gun battle. Suddenly, few years later, we are shamelessly pretending that weapons for fighting have not been bought or money has been squandered. Mr Kukah said the orientation of northern children prepares them for violence against non-Muslims. I live in Sokoto and I have windows of my churches broken because young children are throwing stones at the cathedral. I had one of my parishioners went blind three years ago. His house was by the roadside. Children coming from Quranic studies threw stones to his house. Im asking the question, what are these children being thought about the other person? This is a very serious crisis in northern Nigeria. These kids will grow up and I cant stop them from burning my church because they have given them, their superiors have given them impression that somehow, not being a Muslim, you belong to a different specie. He urged Nigerians to come together to identity themselves first as humans and not religious adherents. He gave instances to buttress his point. The point Im making is that people are behaving like I cannot be a non-Muslim and study Islam. We have a crisis at our hands. A cousin of mine who is a non-Muslim just came back from Egypt. His Arabic is most likely better than that of most people in Nigeria but, in the course of his programme, he was sent out on the ground that hes doing too much of Arabic and truly he was digging much more than the people that are teaching. We used to have a professor who was a priest. In fact, many call him a Muslim because everything about him is Muslim but he ran into a problem in the University of Ibadan because Muslims are now saying, can you be a priest and talk to us about Islam? Really, one of the problems northern Nigeria must address is the limit of intellectual curiosity. These are some of the boundaries that Raufu crosses effortlessly. A cousin of mine, hes dead now, living in Kano called me one day and said his little son just brought a beautiful result but had 85 per cent in Arabic. And he said to me, why will this boy have 85 per cent in Arabic? I asked what is the problem? He said no, he got 70 per cent in CRK, why will he go and have 85 per cent in Arabic? I said Arabic is a subject. He said no, he could become a Muslim tomorrow. Mr Kukah praised Raufu Mustapha, the editor of the two books unveiled, for his unrelenting hope in Nigeria while alive. I spent a good part of my evening at Raufus office and I would listen to him talk about Nigeria and I always marvelled at the depth of his scholarship, he said. In a very strange kind of way, this ray of hope that he had in the horizon. Things were very bad but he always believed that there was a lot of hope. The National Economic Council (NEC) says states are owing the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) N41 billion in Value Added Tax (VAT). Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, disclosed this while briefing State House Correspondents shortly after NEC meeting presided over by the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday in Abuja. He said the council was hopeful that the indebted states would pay up, adding that there was an improvement in tax remission from states in comparison with that of last year. We had briefing from the chairman of the FIRS and it dwelt on two aspects of tax issues; one is on the Value Added Tax (VAT) that is being collected by states. He informed the states what their positions are and the outstanding due to the states of about N41 billion. He believes the states have to pay; he came up also with new technique and system that will help automatic collection of taxesboth VAT and withholding tax; I think the states take and are willing to pay their outstanding. This is very important; when we are talking of zero oil, taxes become very important in the future prospects of this country. So far, he mentioned that from January to date, about N40 billion was remitted from the states, which has a significant increase compared to the what happened last year, he said. He said the governors and the finance commissioners were fully notified on how to boost revenue. Mr Badaru said audit was going on in many states on how to reconcile figures between what the states had and what the FIRS had. According to him, with the initiative, automatically tax will be transmitted to FIRS from the states without delay and without many problems. The Jigawa State governor said that the second issue discussed was on the capacity of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to support the economy of the country. MSMEs contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was discussed and as well as their contributions to exports and tax collection. This is all in the view of expanding our tax base and revenue generation towards zero oil economy. Challenges such as how the governors have to contribute to make MSMEs more active, responsive and more organised so as to pay their taxes and perform well have been discussed. The states promised to support the federal government because most of the taxes are also coming into the states. He said that from the statistics made available by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in partnership with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) group, there were about 37 million MSMEs making significant contribution to GDP. Mr Badaru said that if MSMEs were harnessed, they would help the economy greatly and also boost revenue. He said that NEC was of the view that organs of government saddled with the disbursement and utiltisation of tax revenue should be transparent and accountable in order to motivate voluntary tax compliance by the MSMEs. According to him, government at all levels have agreed to provide infrastructure facilities and enabling business environment to allow MSMEs to thrive. (NAN) The National Assembly Joint Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has again invited the Chairman of the commission, Mahmood Yakubu, to give further clarifications on the 2019 General Elections Budget. The Chairman of the Senate committee on INEC, Suleiman Nazif, who made this known to journalists after the joint committee meeting, said Mr Yakubu was expected to be at the meeting by 11:00 a.m. He said the joint committee, having met to harmonise their reports, following Mr Yakubus visit to both chambers on Wednesday, came to a conclusion that more clarifications needed to be made on the budget. Yesterday (Wednesday), we invited the chairman of INEC, who addressed the senate and House of Representatives and we met today to harmonise what transpired yesterday between both chambers. The meeting was convened consequent upon the letter of President Muhammadu Buhari, requesting for supplementary and virement for the 2019 general elections. We have done what we needed to do and we have realised there are differences. In view of that, we decided to invite the chairman of INEC for further clarifications tomorrow at 11 Oclock and from there we will issue a statement to inform Nigerians of our position, Mr Nazif, a senator from Bauchi State, said. He assured Nigerians that the joint committee would endeavour to make sure that the elections did not suffer any setback as a result of the presidents request to the National Assembly. He said, We want to use this opportunity to assure Nigerians that the committee is committed to ensuring effective, credible, free and fair elections in 2019. The lawmaker commended his colleagues for cutting short their holiday to meet and consider the presidents letter in effort to ensure the success of the elections. The Senate Committee on INEC on Monday queried the commission for presenting a budgetary proposal that was at variance with the one presented by the president for the polls. The INEC chairman had presented a proposal of N189 billion to the Senate Committee on INEC President Muhammadu Buhari had requested the Senates approval of N242.45 billion to commence preparations for 2019 general elections. Part of the funds, according to the Presidents request, will also be given to the Department of State Service and other security agencies for the same purpose. The request was contained in a letter addressed to President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, dated July 11 and personally signed by Mr Buhari. Buhari requested that out of the needed figure, N164.10 billion should be provided through virement or supplementation of 2018 Budget. It also requested that the balance of N78.34 billion, mostly related to personnel allowances, fuelling and other costs not required until election proper, be provided for in the 2019 budget. The sum of N189.21 billion was earmarked for INEC, N4.3 billion for Office of the Security Adviser, N12.21 billion for DSS and N3.6 billion for Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The Nigeria Police Force got a proposal of N30.5 billion while N2.6 billion was earmarked for Nigeria Immigration Service. Specifically, the president requested that N164.10 billion of total funds proposed for the elections should be funded from the N578.31 billion inserted in the 2018 Budget by the National Assembly. (NAN) Short of constitutional amendment, the federal government and state governors have resolved to explore how the operations of the Nigeria police can be decentralised in order to improve the level of policing and security in the country. This is one of the highlights of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting today where a committee of state governors and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has been set up to ensure the decentralisation. Members of the Committee include the Governors of Zamfara, Ondo, Plateau, Ebonyi, Katsina, Edo and Borno states, who will work with the IGP, Ibrahim Idris. At the NEC meeting, the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, assured that the intelligence community and security agencies will continue to sustain current efforts to mitigate the security challenges across the country. Mr Monguno had earlier briefed the council on security matters. Briefing State House correspondents, the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Benson Abounu, commended the efforts of the security agencies at mitigating the spate of insecurity in the state. He especially thanked the security agencies for the thoroughness of Operation Whirl-Stroke, mounted by the Nigerian Army, in Benue State for their decisive operation which, according to him, has brought relative peace to the state. Mr Abounu, who spoke to reporters, said, The security situation in Benue State has improved significantly. Now many Internally Displaced Persons have returned home, the State is relatively calm. At the NEC meeting also, presentations were made on Value Added Tax (VAT) and Withholding Tax by States and MDAs by the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler. Mr Fowler informed council that the audit of the state MDAs has commenced with respective governors and finance commissioners duly notified. He added that the total outstanding VAT and Withholding debt of states MDAs stands at N41 billion for the period 2008 to 2016. Below are highlights of NEC deliberations: NEC (8TH IN 2018) 91ST NEC MEETING THURSDAY, 16TH AUGUST, 2018 A. SECURITY BRIEFING BY THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER (NSA) The National Security Adviser (NSA), on behalf of the Security Chiefs in the country, briefed Council on the current security challenges across the country, particularly in the North West, North East, Middle Belt, South East and South-South. He informed Council on efforts being made by the Federal Government and urged the State Governments to support Federal Governments efforts in dealing with the challenges in their respective States, particularly those with local perspectives. The NSA assured that the Intelligence Community and Security Agencies will continue to sustain current efforts to mitigate the security challenges across the country. Council Decision Cases of bandits should be prosecuted and adequately publicised by the states and Attorney-General encouraged to personally lead the prosecution. Council recommended that a Committee of NEC with representatives from the geopolitical zones, including Zamfara, Ondo, Plateau, Ebonyi, Katsina, Edo and Borno States be set up to meet with the IG of Police, to determined how to ensure the decentralization of the police operations as quickly as possible. Council also thanked the NSA and the Service Chiefs for their efforts B. PRESENTATION ON STRATEGIES FOR OPTIMISING THE CONTRIBUTION OF MSMES TO THE COUNTRYS TAX REVENUE PROFILE BY THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF THE FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS) Highlights of the presentation, among others, are: The presentation centred on the contribution of MSMEs to GDP, National Export and to Tax collection for 2015 2018. It also highlighted the challenges impeding the optimization of MSMEs contribution to Tax Revenue. MSMEs are classified into: Micro Enterprises, Small Enterprises and Medium Enterprises. National Bureau of Statistics, in partnership with the MSMEs, gave the number of MSMEs in Nigeria as 37,067,419. When adequately harnessed, MSMEs can have much impact on the profile tax revenue for the country especially considering their direct correlation with personal Income Tax, VAT and Withholding Taxes. Challenges Impeding Optimization of MSMEs Contribution to Tax Revenue: among others Poor record-keeping and information management. Inability to distinguish personal capital from business money. Low awareness of Nigerian Tax Laws. Little or no business research leading to close of business. FIRS Strategies and Rates among others Actions Adequate man-power has been deployed to promptly attend to all tax related challenges by MSMEs. Respective organs of Government saddled with disbursement and utilization of tax revenue should endeavour to be transparent and accountability in order to motivate Voluntary Tax Compliance by the MSMEs. Government at all levels should endeavour to provide infrastructural facilities and enabling business environment to allow MSMEs Business to thrive. C. REPORT ON VALUE ADDED TAX (VAT) AND WITHHOLDING TAX (WHT) BY STATES OF THE FEDERATION, MDAS OF GOVERNMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN, FIRS Highlights of the report among others are; It is a report to Council on critical issues on the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Withholding Tax (WHT), status report on States Tax Audit exercise, total remittances by the States MDAs and contribution to non-import VAT. Council is informed that the total outstanding debt of States MDAs stands at N41,047,661,213.66 for the period 2008 to 2016. Process of bringing up-to-date status of VAT and WHT remittances by all States and MDAs by the FIRS is on. For ease of VAT/WHT collection and automatic remittances of deductions to TSA, FIRS has deployed a Software Payment Platform (SPP) to facilitate States, MDAs computerisation and remittances. The report informed Council that remittances from States (January to July 2018) stands at N40,299,839,092.79. FIRS has duly notified the Governors and Finance Commissioners of the ongoing audit exercise and requests the cooperation and collaboration of the States for the success and timely conduct and completion of the exercise. The report noted that the Honourable Minister of Finance has directed the Federal MDAs and States to verify the authenticity of Tax Clearance Certificates (TCC) online as presented by contractors before awarding contracts. Federal and States MDAs are enjoined to send copies of Manual TCCs issues before August 22, 207 to FIRS for verification before awarding and making payments. Action Points All States MDAs are encouraged to adopt the use of the Payment platform or a comparative alternative Governors to ensure compliance. Action Points All States MDAs are encouraged to adopt the use of the Payment platform or a comparative alternative Governors to ensure compliance. States Governors should direct their MDAs to cooperate with FIRS Auditors for timely completion of the States Audit exercise. D. FAAC UPDATE: REPORT ON EXCESS CRUDE ACCOUNT (ECA) Minister of Finance also reported to the Council that the balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) as at August 14, 2018 stands at $2,250,434,918.00. UPDATE ON STABILIZATION FUND ACCOUNT: Minister of Finance reported to the Council that the current balance in the Stabilization Account as at August 14, 2018 stands at N21,591,091,564.37. UPDATE ON NATURAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT FUND Minister of Finance equally reported to the Council that the current balance in the Natural Resources Development Fund as at August 14, 2018 stands at N143,479,688,711.25. The Nigeria police have accused PREMIUM TIMES reporter, Samuel Ogundipe, of criminal trespass, theft in dwelling house and other offences. This is contained in the charge sheet filed at the Kubwa magistrate court by the police against Mr Ogundipe. The document obtained on Thursday by this newspaper shows Mr Ogundipe is accused of offences that contravene sections 352, 288 and 319 of the Penal Code law. The reporter was secretly arraigned at a magistrate court in Kubwa on Wednesday, after he was detained by officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad on Tuesday, August 14. According to the charge-sheet, the nature of the crime was stated thus: Criminal trespass, theft in dwelling house, and having in possession of police interim investigation report, contrary and punishable under section 352, 288 and 319A of the penal code law; that on or about August 2018, the office of Inspector-General of Police Special Tactical Squad (STS) Force Head Quarters FCT Abuja was informed that you, Samuel Ogundipe M 32 years of Wuse Zone 2 Abuja was arrested for committing and offence of theft of police interim report on criminal conspiracy to with, Trespass, intimidation and unlawful invasion of National Assembly complex with intent likely to cause breach of public peace, stored in the confidential registry of State House, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. A copy of the police information report containing the charge with the number: CR/332/2018 only showed that Mr Ogundipe was charged at a court in Kubwa Mr Ogundipe was arrested and detained for failing to disclose the source of a story he had written. The story revealed a preliminary report 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, Mr Idris said Mr Daura was working for some politicians for selfish interest. He did not name the accomplices. Speaking during a protest by various groups demanding the release of Mr Ogundipe on August 16, police spokesperson Jimoh Moshood engaged in double speak on the police pressure on Mr Ogundipe to disclose his source. #FreeSamuelOgundipe: Download charge police filed against Premium Times journalist #FreeSamuelOgundipe: Download charge police filed against Premium Times journalist We are not saying tell us the source of your story, we are saying tell us where the document emanates from, he said. Mr Ogundipes arrest and detention have been condemned by local and international rights groups including Amnesty International and Committee to Protect Journalists. Download the charge sheet here and here. Global human rights organisation, Amnesty International (AI), has put out a call for urgent action for the release of PREMIUM TIMES journalist, Samuel Ogundipe, who was arrested on Tuesday by the Nigerian Police. An Urgent Action is one of AIs most effective way to call for immediate action on human rights related issues. Because of the call for urgent action, all branches of AIs around the world are expected to write to the Nigerian government, international institutions and other stakeholders demanding the immediate release of Mr Ogundipe, who is PREMIUM TIMES security correspondent. AI in the statement called on its network of right groups around the world to send urgent appeals to Nigerias Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, for Mr Ogundipes immediate release. After his arrest on Tuesday, the police asked Mr Ogundipe to disclose his source for a story about a report on the investigation into the invasion of the National Assembly by operatives of the State Security Services (SSS) which Mr Idris had submitted to the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo. The demand to reveal his source negates the tenets of ethical journalism. On Wednesday, the police secretly arraigned him without access to a lawyer. The arrest of the journalist has sparked global condemnation with calls for his immediate release. On Thursday, the spokesperson of the police Jimoh Moshood, told a group of protesters demanding the release of Mr Ogundipe that the journalist is being investigated for criminal trespass and theft of police document. He said the journalist is also being prosecuted under other offences which violate Official Secret Act, Cyber Crime Act, and the Penal Code Law. Even the FOI Act limits access to classified information. The matter is already before the court and as a Nigerian he has the right to defend himself. But where a document that is classified goes out, we also have a duty to ask how it was leaked, Mr Moshood said. The Jigawa Primary Health Care Development Agency (JPHCDA) on Thursday said it distributed 93,101 treated mosquito nets in Hadejia Area Council under the Insecticidal Mosquito Net Distribution Campaign. Yusuf Bashir, the councils JPHCDAs Manager, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Hadejia that the beneficiaries were part of the 93,650 persons it earlier issued identity cards for the collection. According to him, the 93,101 figure represents 95 per cent of the total nets distributed in the campaign which began on August 11 and would end on August 17. He said that every card carrier in the 11 wards of the council was given one net under the programme that was sponsored by the Federal and State government as well as the development partners. The manager commended the councils authorities for their support in mobilizing beneficiaries at the grassroots. (NAN) The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has demanded the immediate release of PREMIUM TIMES Security Reporter, Samuel Ogundipe, detained by the Nigeria Police Force for carrying out his constitutional duty. A statement signed by the Guilds Publicity Secretary, Olumide Iyanda, on Wednesday also condemned the arrest by the Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad and harassment of the online newspapers Editor-In-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, and Education Reporter, Azeezat Adedigba, both of who have been released. The Guild noted with dismay that the Police action was carried out on the day Acting President Yemi Osinbajo ordered the restructuring of the dreaded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, which is notorious for blatant human rights abuses. While Mr. Mojeed and Ms. Adedigba have been released after harrowing interrogations, Mr. Ogundipe was still in detention as at Thursday morning. GOCOP considers the circumstances of the journalists arrest as a damning indictment of the President Muhammadu Buhari Government, which has been accused by several groups and individuals of gross abuse of citizens rights. Mr. Ogundipe was arrested over a report on a correspondence sent by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to acting President Osinbajo on the sacked Director-General of the State Security Service, Lawal Daura. Mr. Daura was dismissed last week by Mr. Osinbajo for deploying SSS operatives to the National Assembly in a show of brute force. Mr. Ogundipes commendable refusal to disclose the source of his report is the reason the Police have held on to him in flagrant disregard for the Nigerian Constitution, which states that the Press shall at all times be free to hold the government accountable to the people. GOCOP condemned the arrest and harassment of journalists in whatever form. It advised the Nigerian Government to lecture its security agents on the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, which confers Journalism Confidentiality Privileges on the media. GOCOP demanded the release of Mr. Ogundipe and other journalists held by the Police and other government agencies without further delay. The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) said on Thursday that it distributed no fewer than 10, 000 prepaid meters to its customers in July. Chukwuemeka Ezeh, the Head of Communication Department of the company, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka, the Anambra State capital, that the figure was a significant improvement on those of previous months. Mr Ezeh however said that the gap in the supply of prepaid meters to its customers was still wide because of the enormous amount of money required to procure meters. The truth is that the metering gap is wide and EEDC cannot close it immediately due to the huge amount of money required. He said full metering of customers was a topmost priority of EEDC, adding that the company was working assiduously to achieve the aim. EEDC is working hard to have all our customers get meter. In July alone, we distributed over 10, 000 prepaid metres to customers within the network; this represents an improvement on past figures, he said. On Metre Asset Provider Scheme (MAPS) which allows prepaid meter vendors to sell directly to customers, he said the scheme was a welcome development. The MAPS is a welcome development if that is what will make all our customers get their meters. As a matter of fact, we have invited tenders from meter vendors and quite a number of them have indicated interest. We only get nine per cent of power generated in the country and EEDC will continue to serve its customers in accordance with the amount of energy received. (NAN) The current administration in Lagos State has spent up to 200 million euros on the first phase of the ongoing light rail project in the state, popularly known as Blue Line. The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Ladi Lawanson, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday. The Blue Line Light Rail runs from Badagry in the western flank of Lagos to Marina on the Lagos Island. Mr Lawanson said the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had spent between 100 million euros and 200 million euros since it inherited the project from the previous administration. He said that putting finances together was one of the challenges faced by the government in the implementation of the project, which started in 2008. The government was mindful not to go into deep borrowing which will become an albatross on the states neck. That is why we try to look inwards for most of the finances. A huge component of the financing is coming from internally-generated revenue and the foreign exchange component was sought through an export credit agency low-interest funding. Mr Lawanson said that putting funds together, providing independent power system and bringing all the technical components of the project together had pushed the completion date of the project to 2022. To make the rail system to work, you need uninterrupted power. The state government has to provide an independent power system to ensure that the system will run uninterruptedly. Bringing all the technical components of the project together is what we are saying. Realistically, it not feasibly to have it before 2022. We have to test-run it. The commissioner said that the government had since signed a memorandum of understanding with a French firm, Alstom, to complete the project after a technical review. The administration reached out to the reputable company to take the project from where it was, to completion. Before now, what was done was civil works, the commissioner explained, noting that other components, including signal, electrical and rolling stock had not been covered. Alstom is very good in the different aspects of the technologies required to make it a success. On the Red Line aspect of the project, also referred to as phase two, which will run from Marina to Agabado in the northern flank of Lagos, Lawanson said that discussions with potential partners and financiers had commenced. Putting a rail project together requires a lot of patience and resourcefulness in terms of financing where the financing will come from and who we are going to use. We just finished the procurement stage of the Blue Line, but we can tell you that we are in discussion with potential partners and financiers for the Red Line. However, no entity has been committed. He re-stated that the Red Line would be the second stage of the project. It is meant to cover the most densely populated parts of Lagos State. We expect that it would have the biggest impact in terms of number of people to be conveyed, Mr Lawanson said. (NAN) The Osun State Government has declared August 20 as public holiday to commemorate the annual Isese festival, a day set aside for traditional believers in the state. According to a statement signed by the states Commissioner for Home Affairs, Adebisi Obawale, and obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday, the holiday is in recognition of the annual Isese festivals grand finale, which allows the adherents of traditional religion to come together for the annual celebration. Isese Day is the celebration of the peak of festivities among adherents of traditional religion. The government enjoined all the traditional believers to celebrate the Isese day in peace and avoid any act capable of breaching the peace of the state, he said. The day is also known as Traditional Worshipers Day. Lagos State Government says it has taken delivery of 300 new buses into its Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) fleet to boost public transportation services in the state. The Commissioner for Transportation, Ladi Lawanson, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the new buses were part of the 800 buses paid for by the state government. The 300 buses would be on Lagos roads from October 1, the commissioner said. The most important thing is that the buses will start rolling out from October and we are not stopping at that and we wont stop at 800. All 800 buses have been paid for but they are not bought off the shelf, they are produced in batches. The state government, being an enabler, made a financial commitment for those 800 to come in. But we have a firm agreement with the bus company that we are going to build up to 5000 buses in the next three to four years, Mr Lawanson said. The commissioner said the bus company had also expressed commitment to establish assembly plant in the country to provide jobs and for easy maintenance of the buses. That is part of what we knew we had to resolve from the old ways we have been acting. Part of the companys agreement is to establish an assembly plant here to provide more jobs for Nigerians and solve the problems of maintenance and spare parts, he said. (NAN) 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. PLANO, Texas, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Epsilon, an Alliance Data (NYSE: ADS) company, today announced the signing of an expanded multi-year agreement with Talking Rain Beverage Company. Epsilon will be the lead agency for integrated marketing efforts across Sparkling Ice flavored sparkling waters in the United States, leveraging a suite of services, including strategy, media, analytics and shopper solutions, to drive business growth. Epsilon has provided customer marketing services for Talking Rain brands since 2014. A privately-held beverage company headquartered in Preston, Wash, Talking Rain manufactures and distributes enhanced and sparkling waters. Sparkling Ice, the company's most prominent brand, is distributed internationally throughout North America, the United Kingdom, Australia and select countries in the Caribbean and Central America. As the original flavored sparkling water brand in the sparkling water category, Sparkling Ice has consistently focused on changing consumer demands while facing strong competition. Under the terms of the expanded agreement, Epsilon will develop the integrated strategy for Sparkling Ice's national brand campaign, leveraging data intelligence and customer marketing to drive awareness, sales and loyalty. In addition to retailer activations, part of the original partnership agreement, Epsilon will identify unique media opportunities, interacting with consumers across a variety of channels to create emotional connections. Epsilon will also provide analytics knowledge and measurement to continually enhance and improve marketing strategies that drive results. "Sparkling Ice is in a highly competitive category, which requires a commitment to understanding customers and anticipating and meeting consumer needs. It's an exciting time for our brand as it constantly evolves to provide the best possible experience and product for our consumers," said Sarah Gustat, vice president of marketing at Talking Rain. "Epsilon's understanding of our brand, the beverage industry and their innovative approach to marketing were evident through their previous work. We trust that Epsilon's integrated data-driven agency offerings will continue to efficiently grow our business." "We're always delighted to work alongside a client with a longtime brand heritage, and yet is eager to stay relevant through continuously introducing emerging and innovative strategies," said Bryan Kennedy, chief executive officer at Epsilon/Conversant. "Talking Rain has stayed connected with its consumers for more than thirty years thanks to strong marketing solutions, and we're thrilled to be the partner who can help them prepare for success over the next thirty years." About Talking Rain An iconic brand in the Seattle-area for more than 30 years, Talking Rain is a Washington-based beverage company situated in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. This innovative company is outselling global brands in flavor-categories across the U.S., while beginning to find success internationally with the brand's bold-flavored, lightly carbonated sparkling water. A part of the Talking Rain product portfolio for over 25 years, Sparkling Ice beverages were often overlooked, until a major organizational shift in 2010 where the new leadership team refocused the company's efforts on this diamond in the rough. At that time, Talking Rain started to build a strong marketing, sales and manufacturing team to focus efforts on this flavored, zero-calorie carbonated beverage, which was quietly building a strong following in the Northwest since entering the marketplace. About Epsilon Epsilon is an all-encompassing global marketing innovator. We provide unrivaled data intelligence and customer insights, world-class technology including loyalty, email and CRM platforms and data-driven creative, activation and execution. Epsilon's digital media arm, Conversant, is a leader in personalized digital advertising and insights through its proprietary technology and trove of consumer marketing data, delivering digital marketing with unprecedented scale, accuracy and reach through personalized media programs and through CJ AffiliateTM, one of the world's largest affiliate marketing networks. Together, we bring personalized marketing to consumers across offline and online channels, at moments of interest, that help drive business growth for brands. An Alliance Data company, Epsilon employs over 8,000 associates in 70 offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com and follow us on Twitter @EpsilonMktg. About Alliance Data Alliance Data (NYSE: ADS) is a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based industries. The Company creates and deploys customized solutions, enhancing the critical customer marketing experience; the result is measurably changing consumer behavior while driving business growth and profitability for some of today's most recognizable brands. Alliance Data helps its clients create and increase customer loyalty through solutions that engage millions of customers each day across multiple touch points using traditional, digital, mobile and emerging technologies. An S&P 500, FORTUNE 500 and FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For company headquartered in Plano, Texas, Alliance Data consists of three businesses that together employ approximately 20,000 associates at more than 100 locations worldwide. Alliance Data's card services business is a provider of market-leading private label, co-brand, and business credit card programs. Epsilon is a leading provider of multichannel, data-driven technologies and marketing services, and also includes Conversant, a leader in personalized digital marketing. LoyaltyOne owns and operates the AIR MILES Reward Program, Canada's most recognized loyalty program, and Netherlands-based BrandLoyalty, a global provider of tailor-made loyalty programs for grocers. Follow Alliance Data on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Forward Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements give our expectations or forecasts of future events and can generally be identified by the use of words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "project," "plan," "likely," "may," "should" or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe our business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements. We believe that our expectations are based on reasonable assumptions. Forward-looking statements, however, are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or other expectations expressed in this release, and no assurances can be given that our expectations will prove to have been correct. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, factors set forth in the Risk Factors section in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year, which may be updated in Item 1A of, or elsewhere in, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed for periods subsequent to such Form 10-K. Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and we undertake no obligation, other than as required by applicable law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events, anticipated or unanticipated circumstances or otherwise. Contact: Alliance Data Tiffany Louder Investor Relations Alliance Data 214.494.3048 [email protected] Shelley Whiddon Media 214.494.3811 [email protected] Epsilon Britta Petersen Media 773-796-5434 [email protected] SOURCE Alliance Data Systems Corporation The AI Appliance adds patented self-learning video analytics and Avigilon Appearance Search technology to almost any IP camera. When connected to Avigilon Control Center (ACC) software, customers can evolve legacy camera systems into powerful AI solutions with automatic alerts of potentially critical events and the ability to search for and locate a person or vehicle of interest across an entire site. "The demand for video analytics is increasing globally and we believe that all security systems will need to utilize this technology to become a proactive and, eventually, preventative solution," said James Henderson, Avigilon's President and Chief Operating Officer. "With the vast majority of legacy camera systems lacking the intelligence of analytics, the AI Appliance will provide more customers with the ability to use our advanced video analytics to dramatically change the way they interact with their systems." Engineered for high performance, capacity and resiliency, the AI Appliance will be offered in two models and features leading CPU and GPU hardware that simultaneously support Avigilon video analytics and Avigilon Appearance Search technology. The AI Appliance is now available for pre-order and is expected to ship in the third quarter of this year. For more information on product availability, please contact Avigilon sales. To learn more about the AI Appliance, please visit avigilon.com/ai-appliance or booth 2037 at the Global Security Exchange (GSX) at the Las Vegas Convention Center, September 25-27, 2018 for a product demonstration. About Avigilon Avigilon, a Motorola Solutions company, provides trusted security solutions to the global market. Avigilon designs, develops, and manufactures video analytics, network video management software and hardware, surveillance cameras, and access control solutions. To learn more about Avigilon, visit avigilon.com. 2018, Avigilon Corporation. All rights reserved. AVIGILON, the AVIGILON logo, AVIGILON APPEARANCE SEARCH, AVIGILON CONTROL CENTER, and ACC are trademarks of Avigilon Corporation. Stay Connected Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and view Avigilon videos on YouTube. More Information Media Enquiries Amy Day Senior Manager, Global Communications T +1 604-629-5182 x2625 [email protected] SOURCE Avigilon Corporation SOURCE Avigilon Corporation Related Links www.avigilon.com COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Cybersecurity Center (NCC), a non-profit dedicated to educating governments, academia and private businesses on cyberattack prevention, announced today its 3rd annual Cyber Symposium, which will be held Oct. 8-9, 2018 in Colorado Springs. The premier event brings together luminaries and cyber experts to illuminate cyber dangers and the innovations and emerging technologies that can prevent and mitigate them. This year's theme is "Hope for the Future," and will feature Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, who founded the NCC, and Gen. Michael Hayden, former director of the CIA and the NSA. The two will share the stage during a fireside chat to discuss threats and solutions in cybersecurity. Attendees can expect to hear thought leaders and experts discuss a range of topics such as emerging cybersecurity technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), protecting critical infrastructure, risk management and workforce development. Highlights include an insider's look at critical cybersecurity threats and solutions, a deep-dive into the federal government's latest Risk Management Framework guidelines, and sessions on women in cybersecurity and cybersecurity education for K-12 students. Also on the agenda are global threats and state and federal defense strategies key issues given the U.S. Intelligence Community's long-standing assessment of Russian interference in the U.S. electoral process and ongoing national concerns of cyberattacks against public and private infrastructure across the country. "Cybersecurity threats are constantly increasing and changing, putting new and challenging pressures on government and business leaders around the country," says Vance Brown, CEO of the NCC. "From ransomware DDoS attacks and threats to our electoral process and critical infrastructure, there's a lot to defend against. This year's National Cyber Symposium delivers clear and actionable advice on all those issues and gives government agencies and businesses the insights they need to mitigate attacks." Designed for both technical and non-technical professionals in business, government, education and the military, the 2018 National Cyber Symposium will be hosted at the beautiful five-star Broadmoor Hotel & Resort. For more information and to register, visit https://cybersymposium.org. About National Cybersecurity Center The National Cybersecurity Center (NCC) is a non-profit organization created in May 2016 through state legislation HB16-1453, at the behest of Gov. John Hickenlooper after a trip he took to Tel Aviv and learned about the Israeli Cybersecurity Center that brings together government officials, university researchers and private businesses to trade knowledge about preventing cyberattacks. NCC provides cybersecurity leadership, services, education and training and a cybersecurity community for public officials, business executives and the workforce. Its aim is to promote awareness of cyber issues and to help shape public policy, foster job creation and entrepreneurship, and help develop the cyber workforce. For more information, visit https://cyber-center.org. Contact: SSPR Kayli Berlin [email protected] (650) 240-6926 SOURCE National Cybersecurity Center Related Links https://cyber-center.org CHICAGO, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ChicagoSEOCompany.com officially opens its doors to service the local market. With a population of over 2.7 million, this new SEO agency is ready to help local businesses receive more monthly traffic and sales to their website than ever before. This company is ranked in the top three positions for very high-competition national-based keywords. There are hundreds of businesses missing out on potential sales. ChicagoSEOCompany.com has proven that, with the correct marketing strategies, it can help business owners increase search engine rankings and sales. While it is nice to go from a page nine ranking result to page two with a little on-page optimization work, it really doesn't do a whole lot in terms of sales increases. In order to have a thriving online website, it must rank in the top three positions. This is what one Utah-based customer has now found with their website - http://www.mensweddingbands.com. With over 2.7 million people in Chicago, it is incredibly important to make sure that a website is properly optimized so that the potential client base can easily find the company. We have found that there are more than 10,000 websites in the USA that still lack the needed on-page SEO optimization. If business owners knew that with a few short hours on the computer they could drastically improve their rankings, well, they would be all over it. However, the issue with search engine optimization is not the massive amount of man hours that are needed in order to optimize a website, but rather, a skilled professional that knows how to check for possible on-page website issues and fix them properly. There are website scan tools that, in fact, allow a scan of the website and analyze over 50 website factors. This is beneficial for businesses in Chicago because, with a little website optimization, they can start ranking within the top two pages of the major search engines. Taylor Johnson, CEO of this startup company, has found that by optimizing the on-page factors alone of his client websites, he has been able to bring keyword rankings from page nine to page two on Google. The sad fact is that less than one percent of the population knows how to properly implement on-page site changes, which is why there is a huge need for professionals. The company in Chicago has found that in order to go from page two to the top three positions in the search engine results, real SEO work must be performed in order to outrank the competition. With so many businesses in Chicago needing increased website growth, this Chicago, Illinois, marketing agency is determined to help as many businesses succeed as possible. To rank on page one is a challenge, but to achieve top three rankings for all targeted keywords is where real professionals are needed. Finding a good Chicago marketing firm like http://www.chicagoseocompany.com is an absolute must for the majority of businesses that rely on their online sales for stability. Businesses are encouraged to use the free SEO audit tool in order to learn more about their website factors. By analyzing the website and comparing it to competitors' sites, we can then make a solid plan as to how we can outrank even the highest competition on the internet. Learn more by calling 312-428-6976 or filling out the free video audit request form today. SOURCE Chicago SEO Company Related Links http://www.chicagoseocompany.com HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fine Wine & Good Spirits Premium Collection at 5070 Jonestown Rd., Harrisburg, will host a special Scotch tasting with Laphroaig Malt Master Simon Brooking from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Tuesday, Aug. 21. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Brooking traces his roots back to the 13th Century and the Celtic Earls of Atholl. A well-known and award-winning expert on Scotch whisky, he has worked for many of the leading Scotch distilleries, learning the art and science of distilling from the world's foremost master distillers and blenders. For more than 15 years, Brooking has led thousands of Scotch whisky tastings for consumers, bartenders, and social organizations. Both informative and entertaining, his presentations have made him an in-demand speaker and spokesman. Brooking will offer samples of the following scotches to those 21 years of age and older: Laphroaig Triple Wood Scotch Islay (Code 30874) $64.99 (save $5 ) (save ) Auchentoshan The Bartender's Malt Single Malt Scotch Whisky Limited Edition (Code 45499) $46.99 Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 12 Year Old (Code 8979) $44.99 Teacher's Highland Cream Blended Scotch Whisky (Code 35998) $14.99 (quoted at $24.99 ; regular price $16.99 ; save $2 ) He will also sign pre-purchased bottles, answer customers' questions, and share stories, history, and interesting facts about his company's products. The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits totaling $15.8 billion since the agency's inception are returned to Pennsylvania's General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania's schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit www.lcb.pa.gov. MEDIA CONTACT: Shawn M. Kelly, 717.783.8864 SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Related Links http://www.lcb.pa.gov CSE: HUGE OTC: FSDDF FRA: 0K9 TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - FSD Pharma Inc. ("FSD Pharma") (CSE: HUGE) (OTC: FSDDF) (FRA: 0K9), announced today the launch of a clinical research collaborative program in Israel, via its strategic R&D partner, SciCann Therapeutics Inc. ("SciCann") This comprehensive clinical research program will be executed through SciCann's strategic alliance and collaboration agreement with Mor Research Applications Ltd. ("Mor") - the technology transfer office and commercial arm of Clalit Healthcare Services, Israel's largest medical insurer and healthcare provider, which operates a network of 14 full scale hospitals throughout Israel, employs over 9,000 physicians and serves the healthcare needs of over 50% of Israel's population. As announced previously, FSD Pharma has secured the exclusive licensing rights for the manufacturing and distribution of SciCann's line of proprietary, patent-pending, cannabinoid-based and indication-specific products in Canada. Under the strategic alliance agreement with Mor, FSD Pharma and SciCann will execute a series of rigorous, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical studies to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of these products, in order to bring to market advanced and innovative cannabinoid-based products that are backed up by solid clinical data achieved through the highest standards of rigorous and objective clinical research typical for the development process of pharmaceutical products. Zeeshan Saeed, EVP and Director of FSD Pharma, stated "the launch of this clinical study collaboration program in Israel further demonstrates our focus and commitment to bringing disruptive science-based cannabinoid therapies to Canadian patients, and provide them with innovative cannabis products that have been tested and verified in rigorous clinical studies for the highest level of safety and efficacy." Dr. Zohar Koren, Co-founder and CEO of SciCann, stated "we are thrilled and excited to launch this strategic alliance and clinical research collaboration program with Mor Research Applications. Mor has gained substantial experience and proven track record in recent years in the efficient design and execution of large scale clinical studies with cannabinoid-based products for various hard-to-treat diseases such as GVHD (Graft Vs. Host Disease), ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and more. Mor is the perfect strategic partner to enable the execution of a series of proof-of-concept rigorous clinical studies with our line of proprietary indication-specific cannabinoid-based products. We are looking forward eagerly to generating a large pool of much needed clinical data and hard evidence for the potential of cannabinoid-based therapies to treat a wide range of debilitating and hard to treat diseases, results that are much awaited by the global medical and clinical community of researchers in this unique field." Warrants Issued In connection with certain consultant agreements entered into by FSD Pharma, it has issued 2.25 million warrants for class B subordinate voting shares at an exercise price of $0.13 (the "Warrants"). The Warrants expire one year from the date of issuance and include all required statutory hold periods. About FSD Pharma (CSE: HUGE) (OTC: FSDDF) (FRA: 0K9) FSD Pharma through its wholly-owned subsidiary FV Pharma, is a licensed producer of marijuana under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) having received its cultivation license on October 13, 2017. Headquartered at the former Kraft plant in Cobourg, Ontario, approximately an hour's drive from Toronto, FV Pharma management's mission is to transform the facility into the largest hydroponic indoor cannabis facility in the world. FV Pharma intends to target all legal aspects of the cannabis industry, including cultivation, processing, manufacturing, extracts and research and development. About SciCann Therapeutics SciCann Therapeutics is a Canadian-Israeli specialty pharmaceutical company, dedicated to the development and commercialization of novel and disruptive pharmaceutical products that target and modulate the endocannabinoid system. SciCann Therapeutics is active in the fields of oncology, pain management, neurodegenerative diseases and inflammatory disorders, and develops a line of proprietary products for the treatment of chosen life-threatening conditions that present a high level of unmet need. SciCann has created a network of collaborations with leading academic centers and medical institutions in Israel in order to engage in cutting edge science and rigorous clinical studies to develop its products, while using the permissive regulatory climate in Israel for performing its R&D programs quickly and efficiently. Forward-Looking Information Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Corporation's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the development of the Corporation's indoor cannabis facility and its business goals and objectives. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof, and the Corporation is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking-information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE FSD Pharma Inc. MCCLELLAN, Calif., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Aerospace Museum of California's Aerospace Ambassadors Sean D. Tucker and retired Astronaut/current UC Davis Professor of Aerospace Engineering Dr. Steve Robinson are honored to nominate Mr. Harrison Ford as the 2018 recipient of the Bob Hoover Dreams Take Flight Award. Harrison Ford visits with students learning how to fly in the Aerospace Museum of California's state-of-the-art Flight Zone Simulator room. The award will be presented at the Museum's Night Under the Stars Gala on Sept. 15, 2018. This award recognizes and honors exceptional individuals who have made a significant contribution to the field of aviation and seek to inspire young people to pursue their aviation dreams. Robert A. "Bob" Hoover was the first recipient of this award and was its namesake and inspiration. Aviation is inspiring by nature; it impacts millions of lives through perseverance, innovative thinking and a desire to achieve the impossible. Bob Hoover had a passion for life and for flying - he was a true aviation legend. As a dear friend and supporter of the museum, Bob played a key role in encouraging kids of all ages to work hard and achieve their goals. Aviation enthusiasts both young and old found Bob to be an incredible inspiration. When notified of the nomination, Mr. Ford responded: "I am so deeply honored to receive the Bob Hoover Dreams Take Flight award. Bob was my mentor, my friend and my inspiration. His skill, his airmanship and above all his passion for aviation and for helping kids make their dreams take flight inspired me and so many others to have a love of flying." The Aerospace Museum of California is proud to present the 2018 Bob Hoover Dreams Take Flight Award to Mr. Harrison Ford for his inspirational worldwide impact on young people with aviation and STEM career dreams. For more information or sponsorship opportunities, contact Karen Jones at (916) 717-9650 or [email protected]. About the Aerospace Museum of California: Experience aviation history and aerospace potential in an interactive setting. With a four-acre air park and rotating exhibits, families can engage with our STEM activities for all ages and let their imagination soar. A Smithsonian Affiliate and member of North American Reciprocal Museum Associate, the AMC is a doorway to endless possibilities. Learn more at aerospaceca.org. Related Images harrison-ford-at-the-aerospace.jpg Harrison Ford at the Aerospace Museum of California Flight Zone Harrison Ford visits with students learning how to fly in the Aerospace Museum of California's state-of-the-art Flight Zone Simulator room. stephen-robinson-astronaut.jpg Stephen Robinson, Astronaut Stephen Robinson, retired astronaut/current UC Davis professor of aerospace engineering sean-d-tucker-team-oracle.png Sean D. Tucker, Team Oracle Aerobatic Pilot Named as one of the Living Legends of Flight, Sean is a member of an elite group of aviators and astronauts that includes General Jimmy Doolittle, General 'Chuck' Yeager, and John Glenn. Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8eAKBhFksk SOURCE Aerospace Museum of California Related Links http://aerospaceca.org PUNE, India, August 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Hyperspectral Imaging System Market by Product (Camera, Accessories) & Application (Military, Remote Sensing, Environmental Monitoring, Agriculture, Mineral Map, Machine Vision/Optical Sorting, Life Sciences & Medical Diagnosis) - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global market is projected to reach USD 21.33 billion by 2023 from USD 9.51 billion in 2018, at a CAGR of 17.5%. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 66 market data Tables and 25 Figures spread through 109 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Hyperspectral Imaging System Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/hyperspectral-imaging-market-246979343.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report The growing industrial applications of hyperspectral imaging and increasing funding & investments are the major factors driving the growth of the global Hyperspectral Imaging Systems Market. By product, the cameras segment is expected to dominate the market in 2018 The Hyperspectral Imaging Systems Market is categorized into two product segments, namely, cameras and accessories. The cameras segment is expected to command the largest share of the global Hyperspectral Imaging Systems Market in 2018. Factors such as recent advances in sensor development & computing power and the availability of low-cost cameras with widening industrial applications are driving the growth of this market segment. Based on application, the military surveillance segment is expected to account for the largest share in 2018 On the basis of application, the Hyperspectral Imaging Systems Market is segmented into military surveillance, remote sensing, machine vision and optical sorting, life sciences and medical diagnostics, and other applications. The military surveillance segment is expected to account for the largest share of the Hyperspectral Imaging Systems Market in 2018. The advancements in hyperspectral imaging data management and component fabrication techniques as well as the better accuracy and consistency of hyperspectral imaging data (as compared to other conventional imaging techniques) are the major factors driving the adoption of hyperspectral imaging systems in military surveillance applications. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=246979343 North America to dominate the Hyperspectral Imaging Systems Market in 2018 By region, the global Hyperspectral Imaging Systems Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW). In 2018, North America is expected to dominate the global Hyperspectral Imaging Systems Market, followed by Europe. The large share of this region can be attributed to the presence of highly developed research infrastructure; availability of technologically advanced imaging products; and growing adoption of hyperspectral imaging in military surveillance, environmental monitoring, mining, machine vision, and life sciences & diagnostics. The global Hyperspectral Imaging Systems Market is highly competitive and fragmented. The prominent players operating in this market include Headwall Photonics (US), Applied Spectral Imaging (US), Corning Incorporated (US), Surface Optics Corporation (US), Norsk Elektro Optikk (Norway), Resonon (US), SPECIM (Finland), TELOPS (Canada), BaySpec (US), Cubert (Germany), and ChemImage (US). Know more about the Hyperspectral Imaging Systems Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/hyperspectral-imaging-market-246979343.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/hyperspectral-imaging-market.asp Connect with us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, reminds investors in Nielsen Holdings PLC ("Nielsen" or the "Company") (NYSE:NLSN) of the October 9, 2018 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company. If you invested in Nielsen stock or options between February 8, 2018 and July 25, 2018 and would like to discuss your legal rights, click here : www.faruqilaw.com/NLSN. There is no cost or obligation to you. You can also contact us by calling Richard Gonnello toll free at 877-247-4292 or at 212-983-9330 or by sending an e-mail to [email protected] CONTACT: FARUQI & FARUQI, LLP 685 Third Avenue, 26th Floor New York, NY 10017 Attn: Richard Gonnello, Esq. [email protected] Telephone: (877) 247-4292 or (212) 983-9330 The lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of all those who purchased Nielsen common stock between February 8, 2018 and July 25, 2018 (the "Class Period"). The case, Gordon v. Nielsen Holdings PLC et al., No. 18-cv-07143 was filed on August 8, 2018, and has been assigned to Judge John Fontaine Keenan. The lawsuit focuses on whether the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by: (i) recklessly disregarding its readiness for and the true risks of privacy related regulations and policies including the European General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") on its current and future financial and growth prospects; (ii) failing to disclose that its financial performance was far more dependent on Facebook and other third-party large data set providers than previously revealed and that privacy policy changes affected the scope and terms of access Nielsen would have to third-party data; and (iii), failing to disclose that access to Facebook and other third-party provider data was becoming increasingly restricted for Nielsen and Nielsen clients. Specifically, on July 26, 2018, the Company announced disappointing financial results for the second quarter 2018. Nielsen blamed the results, in part, on the negative impact that the GDPR had on the Company's access to large data sets provided by partners like Facebook and stated further that "[o]ur results are significantly below our expectations as revenues were impacted by GDPR and changes to the consumer data privacy landscape." Following this announcement, Nielsen's share price fell from $29.57 on July 25, 2018 to $22.11 on July 26, 2018a $7.46 or 25.23% drop. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Nielsen's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. SOURCE Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Related Links http://www.faruqilaw.com KANSAS CITY, Mo., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. Magazine today ranked Lever1 No. 1907 on its 36th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest growing private companies. The list provides a snapshot of the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segment its independent small and midsized businesses (SMBs). Lever1 is a Kansas City, MO-based Professional Employer Organization (PEO) providing clients locally, and across the country, with outsourced, cost-effective, and experienced management of Human Resources (HR), health benefits, and payroll and accounting services. This is the second year in a row Lever1 has been included on the List and Lever1 is one of the fastest growing businesses in MO. Speaking about Lever1's repeat inclusion on the Inc. 5000 list, company CEO Gregory Gragg said, "The continued success of Lever1 is a direct result of President Erica Brune's leadership and hard work, as well as her team's." Gragg went on to say, "But Lever1's growth it is also a microcosm of the PEO model explosion. As more and more businesses, particularly SMBs, recognize the benefits of outsourcing their HR services, Lever1 is poised to provide these essential services, so companies can do what they do best." The 2017 Inc. 5000, unveiled online at Inc.com and with the top 500 companies featured in the September issue of Inc. (available on newsstands August 16) is the most competitive crop in the list's history. The average company on the list achieved a mind-boggling three-year average growth of 481%. The Inc. 5000's aggregate revenue is $206 billion, and the companies on the list collectively generated 619,500 jobs over the past three years. 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 www.inc.com/inc5000. The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring all the companies on the list will be held from October 17 through 19, 2018 at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio, TX. Speakers include some of the greatest entrepreneurs of this and past generations, such as former Ford president Alan Mullaly, FUBU CEO and founder and "Shark Tank" star Daymond John, Dollar Shave Club founder Michael Dubin, researcher and #1 New York Times bestseller Brene Brown, and Gravity Payments' founder and CEO Dan Price. About Lever1: Lever1 is Kansas City-based Professional Employer Organization (PEO), providing resources for businesses across the country. Through integrated services, business owners can cost-effectively outsource the management of human resources, benefits, office management, accounting, and payroll. Lever1 is an invaluable partner to businesses looking to streamline all employment needs. Lever1 can be found at www.Lever1.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. SOURCE Lever1 Related Links http://www.Lever1.com WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Tobacco gets a stream of free advertising from people on social media who post "smoking selfies," images that may help tobacco companies recruit more young smokers. Self-portraits featuring tobacco use are prevalent and widely shared, and operate as "unpaid advertising on image-based platforms like Instagram," according to a study published in Social Media + Society. The authors warn that the images further normalize tobacco use and may counteract the country's progress in changing attitudes about tobacco and decreasing smoking rates. The behaviors, or perceived behaviors, of peers and celebrities are known risk factors for tobacco and substance use among young people, and social media plays an important role in communicating those behaviors. The popularity of Instagram one of the fastest growing social networks in the country, with more than 53 percent of young adults using the platform, including many celebrities makes it especially important. Researchers examined 8,000 tobacco-related Instagram posts published between August 2014 and July 2015 and paid special attention to young women, since Instagram is particularly popular among that group. They found that: Images of cigarettes were the most popular, at 49 percent, followed by e-cigarettes at 32 percent. Sixty-one percent of the images were smoking selfies of one person, and two-thirds contained images of women. Forty percent of the images showed a brand name or logo. The most common type of selfie, at 62 percent, showed women doing tricks or other "smoke play." These types of social media posts glamorize smoking and may cause young people to view it as more common, "serving to normalize the behavior and potentially resulting in imitation," write the study's authors, who include researchers from Truth Initiative, Governors State University, the University of Illinois at Chicago and NORC at the University of Chicago. Other research suggests that young people think that tobacco use among their peers is more common than it is, indicating that "youth still continue to be exposed to pro-tobacco social influences." A study published in Tobacco Control found that 74 percent of middle and high school students overestimated cigarette use among their peers, and 61 percent overestimated e-cigarette use. "Smoking behavior may become re-normalized as the tobacco industry gains covert and unregulated advertising through this medium," the researchers wrote. "These findings portend a dangerous trend for young women in the absence of effective public health intervention strategies." For more information, check out "Are selfies making smoking cool again?" at truthinitiative.org. About Truth Initiative Truth Initiative is a national public health organization that is inspiring tobacco-free lives and building a culture where all youth and young adults reject tobacco. The truth about tobacco and the tobacco industry are at the heart of our proven-effective and nationally recognized truth public-education campaign, our rigorous and scientific research and policy studies, and our innovative community and youth engagement programs supporting populations at high risk of using tobacco. The Washington, D.C.,-based organization, formerly known as Legacy, was established and funded through the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between attorneys general from 46 states, five U.S. territories and the tobacco industry. To learn more about how Truth Initiative speaks, seeks and spreads the truth about tobacco, visit truthinitiative.org. About NORC at the University of Chicago NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, NORC has conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with NORC to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge. SOURCE Truth Initiative Related Links http://truthinitiative.org MADISON, Wis., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Phoenix LLC, manufacturer of the strongest compact neutron generators in the world, announced today $15M in signed contracts with two nuclear fuel manufacturers. The Madison-based technology company recently signed an agreement to provide two nuclear fuel inspection systems for a major US company that provides a wide range of nuclear power plant products and services throughout the world. This comes just days after concluding and passing a key preliminary testing milestone under an existing contract with another US-based nuclear fuel manufacturer. The total value of these contracts is more than $15M. "This represents a big step forward for the nuclear fuel industry as they move away from dependence on Californium-252, a radioactive material with serious cost and supply concerns," Evan Sengbusch, Phoenix LLC President said. "These important commercial agreements are representative of the growth we've seen this past year," he said. In the past year, Phoenix has doubled its staff to over 100 full and part time employees. Phoenix's technology provides a high-flux, electronic neutron source that is a viable alternative for applications such as neutron imaging and nuclear fuel scanning that previously required nuclear reactors or radioisotopes. It is currently being adopted by government and commercial customers as a safer and more cost effective alternative for a broad range of applications in healthcare, energy, and defense. The fuel scanners Phoenix will deliver validate that every fuel rod that goes into a nuclear reactor meets its design specifications, specifically that the fuel pellets contain uranium of appropriate enrichment. This ensures that reactors continue to operate efficiently and safely. "Phoenix is building a track record of developing industry-disrupting technology," said Ross Radel, Phoenix CEO, referencing their accelerator-based neutron imaging systems, which is enabling neutron imaging in production settings, eliminating the logistical and cost burden associated with shipping parts to nuclear reactors. "We look forward to building on these contracts to further support the nuclear energy industry." About Phoenix: Transforming nuclear technology since 2005, Phoenix designs and manufactures the world's strongest neutron commercial generators. Phoenix's technology is being used in the aerospace, defense, medical and energy sectors to safely improve manufacturing efficiency and quality. SOURCE Phoenix, LLC Related Links http://phoenixwi.com AUCKLAND, New Zealand and REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pushpay Holdings Limited (NZSX:PPH, ASX:PPH, 'Pushpay' or 'the Company'), the leading payments and engagement provider to the US faith sector, announced today a sweeping set of company updates for customers to provide unprecedented reliability and security in the Pushpay donor management system. Announcements also include a brand refresh that will reconcile several Pushpay brands under a single logo mark to drive simplicity for customers, improving understanding of the company and the solutions they provide to more than 7,000 churches around the world. Summit One Day Today's announcement comes as nearly 700 leaders in the faith industry are gathering in Charlotte, North Carolina to attend Summit One Day, designed to equip church leaders and senior staff with the tools and resources they need to increase participation in their ministries. Chris Heaslip, Pushpay's CEO and Co-founder, will close the event with a presentation detailing how the Company is investing in initiatives and features that enable churches to increase participation in the missions that matter most to them. Registration for the event is sold out, but the closing presentation will be live streamed, free of charge, on the company website at 4:45 p.m. (ET) http://www.pushpay.com. "I frequently hear customers talk about wanting to invest in their skills and learn more about the industry, 'One day down the road.' We believe that day is today," said Heaslip. "This event isn't about inspiring attendees, it's about equipping them with tools and knowledge that will make them better marketers, better storytellers, and better leaders when they leave the conference." New Brand and Website Visitors to the Pushpay website will notice a new experience, with a single brand and more clarity on the Company and its vision for the future. The refreshed brand and digital presence reflects the Company's commitment to streamlining and creating efficiency in its operations and for their customers. The company will now align the resources of echurch, Bluebridge, and ZipZap processing underneath the Pushpay brand, further establishing the company as the industry leader in giving platforms and software for churches, non-profits, and education providers. "Previously, people would visit the echurch website when they were first getting to know us, the Pushpay website when they became customers, and the ZipZap website when they had questions about their payments," said Guy Weismantel, chief marketing officer at Pushpay. "Now, we're speaking with one voice, from one platform so we can tell the inspiring stories of our customers working to change the world." Product Updates Additionally, Pushpay is releasing cutting-edge features designed to help customers protect investments and safeguard trust in financial workflows, key concerns for IT and financial professional leaders in the faith market: Payment Assurance ensures all gifts given through Pushpay are successfully captured and deposited, even if there is a downstream outage. This patent-pending technology has already saved churches more than US$4 million in the first three months since launching that otherwise would have been lost due to downstream provider outages. in the first three months since launching that otherwise would have been lost due to downstream provider outages. Recurring Migration simplifies and amplifies the process of setting up the Pushpay giving platform when a church already has a giving platform in place. It automates on-boarding by providing a templated email campaign that prompts givers through a seamless process to move their recurring donations to the Pushpay platform. The company also announced a new integration with Focus Missions, a leading mission trip management platform. This integration will allow Pushpay customers to accept donations through Focus Missions, consolidating merchant providers and streamlining batch reconciliation. Today's product announcements come on the heels of a recent earnings announcement where the Company touted a record sales quarter. The Company continues to experience quarter over quarter growth in its customer base, including serving 55 of the 100 largest churches in the United States. "We're constantly looking to drive value and innovation for our customers," said Josh Robb, vice president of product and engineering at Pushpay. "The pace of innovation is accelerating, and we're committed to helping the churches engage donors, tie systems together, and reconcile finances faster than ever before." About Pushpay Pushpay provides a donor management system, including donor tools, finance tools and a custom community app, to the faith sector, non-profit organizations and education providers in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Our leading solutions simplify engagement, payments and administration, enabling our Customers to increase participation and build stronger relationships with their communities. Pushpay receives funding from Callaghan Innovation to help cover the commercialization of innovation. Pushpay is an award-winning company, team and product. For more information visit www.pushpay.com/investors/awards Contact: Anthony Gomes Vice President of Corporate Communications [email protected] SOURCE Pushpay Related Links https://www.pushpay.com EDISON, N.J., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Group SFA, the international plumbing manufacturer and parent company of Saniflo USA, is commemorating its 60th anniversary and long legacy of product innovation. "Throughout its 60-year history, Societe Francaise d'Assainissement (Group SFA) has always been, and continues to be, an innovator," says Regis Saragosti, CEO of Saniflo North America, which encompasses the U.S., Canadian and Mexican operations. "From its inception in 1958, to its expansion throughout Europe and, eventually, North America, Group SFA has revolutionized the ease and flexibility of commercial and residential bathroom installations through its macerating technology." Originally a designer of water treatment-plant equipment, SFA developed the macerator for plumbing applications in France in the 1950s. By reducing waste to slurry and pumping it to a main drain line, the new technology allowed toilets, sinks and other plumbing fixtures to be installed atop finished floors virtually anywhere in a home where no below-floor drainage existed. The SFA solution was just what the postwar French and their housing industry needed, representing a path forward after the Second World War. Expansion throughout Europeand then North America: Over four decades, Group SFA continued to integrate its manufacturing process vertically and extended its operations across Europe. By the 1990s, the company had subsidiaries stretching from England to Russia. During that same decade, SFA became one of the first industrial companies in France to begin a quality-certification process, and its production facilities earned ISO-certification. At this point, the company felt confident to share its innovative plumbing solution with those living "across the pond" in North America. Thus, the late 1980s saw Group SFA's expansion into Canada and, in 1998, the company arrived in the United States. Saniflo became Group SFA's U.S. subsidiary, and the Saniplus was the first macerating product the company introduced in this country. As more North American wholesalers, contractors, engineers and homeowners understood Saniflo's innovative macerating and drain pump solutions, business began to grow. "We have doubled sales over the past 10 years in North America and now hold 90 percent market share in our category," states Saragosti. "Unlike when I started, most industry professionals today recognize the Saniflo brand and what we can do for them and their customers." Group SFA has continued to integrate its operations vertically, so that it now controls more than 70 percent of its production internally, including the product molds and the motors. In total, the company has almost 200,000 square feet of manufacturing facilities and 160,000 square feet of warehousing facilities. SFA SANIFLO U.S.A. offers a complete line of waste and drainage pumping systems for residential and commercial applications. SANIFLO developed its innovative "above-floor plumbing" technology more than a half-century ago and has led its commercialization worldwide. For information, contact Saniflo at 1-800-571-8191 or visit www.saniflo.com. For editorial assistance, contact John O'Reilly at 815-469-9100 or [email protected] . at 815-469-9100 or . To download images, visit: http://saniflo.oreilly-depalma.com/2018/sfa-60th-anniversary.shtml. SOURCE Saniflo DUBLIN, Aug 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "South East Asia Nutraceutical Excipients Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Film Coating, Binders, Sugars and Polyols (Solid), Modified Release), And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The South East Asia nutraceutical excipients market size is expected to reach USD 1.03 billion by 2025 at an 8.22% CAGR Increasing health consciousness and consequently increasing demand for nutraceuticals among consumers in South East Asia (SEA) are expected to drive market growth. South East Asian countries are recognized as hubs for innovation as far as new ingredients and functional foods are concerned. Major changes in urban lifestyle, high dependence on domestic consumption, and rising disposable income of consumers are key factors boosting the nutraceutical industry in these counties. Many international nutraceutical manufacturers seek entry into the SEA market owing to the high potential for revenue generation through consumer behavior patterns in this region. For instance, in January 2018, ChromaDex introduced its TRU NIAGEN supplement in Singapore through retail partnerships with Watsons. It is the first and only commercial form of nicotinamide riboside, which supports healthy aging by providing protection against cellular stress, boosting energy, and inducing DNA repair. Countries like Myanmar, Indonesia, and Philippines present higher prevalence of health issues such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes, thus exhibiting demand for nutraceutical products. Rising investments by multinational nutraceutical manufacturers in this region are also expected to drive demand for local excipient suppliers. Furthermore, governments of countries in this region are making efforts to introduce more harmonized regulations for the pharma and nutraceutical industry. Better regulatory standards are expected to enhance penetration of nutraceutical excipient manufacturers in the coming years. Further key findings from the report suggest: The South East Asia nutraceutical excipients market is driven by players such as Roquette, Dow Chemical Company, SGS, and Azelis nutraceutical excipients market is driven by players such as Roquette, Dow Chemical Company, SGS, and Azelis Film coating excipients held largest revenue share owing to rapid adoption in tablet formulations to overcome key challenges in nutraceutical manufacturing Growing demand for low-calorie sugar substitutes to overcome undesirable taste of most nutraceuticals is attributive to the fastest growth of the sugars and polyols segment Thailand is projected to witness the fastest growth owing to changing trends in the health and wellness industry. Government initiatives such as the Universal Coverage Scheme further contribute to market growth is projected to witness the fastest growth owing to changing trends in the health and wellness industry. Government initiatives such as the Universal Coverage Scheme further contribute to market growth International companies seek entry into the market through distribution partnerships with local players or establishment of subsidiaries in prominent markets Some key players in the South East Asia nutraceutical excipients market are SPI Pharma; DuPont Nutrition and Health; The Dow Chemical Company; Barentzk; Cargill Inc.; BASF SE; JRS Pharma; BEHN MEYER; and Sensient Colors LLC. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1 Executive Summary Chapter 2 Research Methodology Chapter 3 Market Variables, Trends & Scope Chapter 4 SEA Nutraceutical Excipients Product Estimates & Trend Analysis Chapter 5 SEA Nutraceutical Excipients Region Specific Analysis Chapter 6 Competitive Landscape SPI Pharma DFE Pharma DuPont Nutrition & Health Barentz International BV JRS PHARMA Sensient Colors LLC W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn BEHN MEYER BASF SE Evonik Avantor Performance Materials Holdings, LLC The Dow Chemical Compan For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cn26wm/south_east_asia?w=5 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. 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 SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- After two and half years R&D, privately-funded solar tech startup HahaSmart launches solar O2O (online-to-offline) platform (www.hahasmart.com) that gives homeowners the ability to design a home solar system, receive an accurate detailed price list within 2-3 minutes, and purchase a home solar system at a lower price. Unlike most solar software companies, the HahaSmart platform is funded by and partnered with US and worldwide solar manufacturers and distributors. This enables the platform to create quotes with detailed price lists based on real-time vendor product and inventory data. Allowing multi-device connectivity, HahaSmart also launches a solar installer APP available now in the App Store and Google Play Store. Dramatically lowering small solar contractors' operation costs and customer acquisition costs through newly available technology is the core value of the HahaSmart platform. "This was not possible until now because the solar industry was not mature enough. HahaSmart gives installers the capability to instantly prospect, sell and close leads in real-time when buying temperature is high. This is a dream come true in sales and marketing because it can increase sales volume and reduce friction," said Terence Custodia, Marketing Manager. Transitioning from Beta testing to being fully operational, HahaSmart's O2O Solar Platform is already serving 298 solar installers and has designed 2296 solar projects across the United States. This launch comes in the wake of a new report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, tying the dramatic fall in solar panel cost to its increased proliferation across the United States. Experts state that as the residential PV installation industry starts to tap into the more cost-savvy early majority segment of the market, low-cost drivers will fuel industry growth. Industry disruptors that have the expertise and resources to revamp deeply rooted but slow processes in order to lower operational costs, like HahaSmart, will work hand-in-hand with the cyclical drop in cost-per-watt of solar energy. They will serve as a partner to both solar installers and prospective homeowners to usher in a new era of more practical, lower cost solar power adaptation. "By linking homeowners to solar manufacturers and vendors directly, we are able to cut homeowner solar system investment costs by 25%, cut payback period from 8 years in 2010 to 4 years in 2018, and achieve 15%+ IRR," said Jack Meng, President of HahaSmart. Media Contact: Terence Custodia Marketing Manager 916-873-8612 ext: 8024 [email protected] SOURCE HahaSmart Solar Related Links http://www.hahasmart.com TOLEDO, Ohio, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Welltower Inc. (NYSE: WELL) today announced that it has successfully closed its offering of $1.3 billion in aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes across three tranches with a weighted average maturity of 15.4 years and blended yield to maturity of 4.4%, including $600 million in 3.95% notes due 2023, $200 million in 4.25% notes due 2028, and $500 million in 4.95% notes due 2048. The company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay advances under its July 2020 Term Loan facility, and under its primary unsecured credit facility and for general corporate purposes, including investing in health care and seniors housing properties. Pending such use, the net proceeds may be invested in short-term, investment grade, interest-bearing securities, certificates of deposit or indirect or guaranteed obligations of the United States. "We are pleased to announce the successful raising of a total of $1.3 billion of unsecured bond financing, which included $500 million being 30 years in duration. We continue to manage our balance sheet in a long-term, durable way to capitalize our best-in-class portfolio of health care real estate which drives the resiliency and sustainability of our cash flow," said Welltower Chief Financial Officer, John Goodey. Barclays, Citigroup and MUFG served as joint book-running managers for the offering. The offering was made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement of Welltower Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). A prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus describing the terms of this offering were filed with the SEC. Copies of the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained at no cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, Barclays, Citigroup and MUFG can arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Barclays toll-free at 1-888-603-5847, Citigroup toll-free at 1-800-831-9146 or MUFG toll-free at 1-877-649-6848. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. About Welltower Welltower Inc. (NYSE: WELL), an S&P 500 company headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, is driving the transformation of health care infrastructure. The company invests with leading seniors housing operators, post-acute providers and health systems to fund the real estate infrastructure needed to scale innovative care delivery models and improve people's wellness and overall health care experience. Welltower, a real estate investment trust (REIT), owns interests in properties in major, high-growth markets in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, consisting of seniors housing and post-acute communities and outpatient medical properties. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain "forward-looking" statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When the company uses words such as "may," "will," "intend," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate" or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the company's actual results to differ materially from the company's expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. This may be a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, those factors discussed in the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering and filed with the SEC and in the company's reports filed from time to time with the SEC. The company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements. SOURCE Welltower Inc. WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the nonprofit publisher of the Science family of journals, is pleased to announce that the second journal in its Science Partner Journal program will be Plant Phenomics, the official journal of Nanjing Agricultural University (NAU). Plant Phenomics will be distributed by AAAS in association with NAU. The aim of Plant Phenomics is to publish novel research that can advance all aspects of plant phenotyping in whole plant or cellular levels through novel mathematical and computational technologies in phenotypic data analyses, and to connect phenomics to other research domains, such as genomics, genetics, and physiology, to address key scientific challenges in related areas, including plant sciences and agriculture. The scope of the journal spans the latest technologies for high-throughput acquisition of all phenotypes, phenotypic analysis based on image analysis through machine learning, new mathematical algorithms for extracting phenotypic information, and phenomics-enabled plant biology linked to other domains in molecular biology, plant physiology, statistics, and crop models. The journal will also publish new applications of phenomics in crop cultivation, plant breeding, and agriculture. Professor Seishi Ninomiya of the University of Tokyo, Professor Frederic Baret of the French National Institute of Agricultural Research, and Joint Professor Zong-Ming (Max) Cheng of the University of Tennessee and Nanjing Agricultural University will serve as the co-editors-in-chief of Plant Phenomics. Huan Yin from Nanjing Agricultural University will serve as the journal's Managing Editor. The editorial office for Plant Phenomics will open for submissions in September 2018, and the journal will officially launch in January 2019, publishing original research papers, reviews, and perspectives. Plant Phenomics will publish under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), meaning that content will be freely available to all readers upon publication. Additional information about the journal, prior to the Plant Phenomics website going live and opening for submissions in September, will be available on the Science Partner Journal program homepage: www.sciencepartnerjournals.org. "Launching Plant Phenomics is a continuation of the effort to build NAU into a global leading university with an emphasis on agricultural and life sciences and related disciplines," said Professor Yanfeng Ding, Vice President for Research at NAU. "Plant Phenomics will be a publishing arm and an integral part of the National Center for Plant Phenomics," continued Ding. "We are excited about the opportunity to work with Science and AAAS in launching Plant Phenomics, our second academic English-language journal after Horticulture Research. I am confident that the Plant Phenomics team will successfully launch and build Plant Phenomics into a leading academic journal to advance agricultural and plant science and contribute to global food security and safety." "This is an excellent partnership for the Science Partner Journal (SPJ) series," said Bill Moran, Publisher of the Science family of journals at AAAS. "We look forward to working with Nanjing Agricultural University and the staff of Plant Phenomics to publish and distribute important, high-quality research that advances the study of plant science and agriculture to the world." New titles participating in the Science Partner Journal program will launch on a semi-annual basis and participation in the program is restricted to English-language publications. AAAS is actively seeking new partners across scientific disciplines. Organizations participating in the Science Partner Journal program will be editorially independent and responsible for the content published in each journal. To oversee the publication process, each organization will provide professional editors committed to best practices in peer review and author service. For more information about the Science Partner Journal program, including insights on newly added titles or the application process for becoming a partner organization, please visit the Science Partner Journal homepage at: www.sciencepartnerjournals.org or contact Xiaoying Chu ([email protected]). About the American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world's largest general science membership society and publisher of the journal Science (www.sciencemag.org) as well as Science Translational Medicine, Science Signaling, Science Immunology, Science Robotics, and the online open-access journal Science Advances. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes nearly 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world. The non-profit AAAS (www.aaas.org) is open to all and fulfills its mission to "advance science and serve society" through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more. For the latest research news, log onto EurekAlert! (www.eurekalert.org), the premier science-news website, a service of AAAS. See www.aaas.org. About Nanjing Agricultural University As one of China's oldest and most prestigious universities of agricultural sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University (NAU) is a pioneer of modern agricultural education, research, and the four-year bachelor program in higher agricultural education in China,and now has expanded to a comprehensive university, offering BS, MS and Ph.D degrees in agriculture, arts and science, engineering, and business. Over the course of its century-long history, NAU has committed to the values of "integrity, simplicity, diligence and benevolence" and pursued the approach of "putting students first, upholding moral standards, promoting scholarship, and contributing to the community." NAU currently maintains partnerships with over 150 universities and research institutes in over 30 countries or territories through joint education programs, academic exchanges and collaborative research programs. See http://english.njau.edu.cn/. SOURCE American Association for the Advancement of Science Related Links http://english.njau.edu.cn LAS VEGAS, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Delegates attending the American Federation of Government Employees' 41st National Convention here have elected the union's top three national officers. Delegates attending the American Federation of Government Employees' 41st National Convention here have elected the union's top three national officers.National President J. David Cox Sr. returns to office for another three-year term. National President J. David Cox Sr. returns to office for another three-year term. District 5 National Vice President Everett Kelley has been elected National Secretary-Treasurer and Jeremy Lannan has been elected National Vice President for Women and Fair Practices both for three-year terms as well. Cox was first elected National President in 2012, while Kelley and Lannan have been elected to national office for the first time. "I'm honored to be chosen as our leader and I'm excited for us to prevail," said Cox. I'm ready to put it all on the line and lead our members to victory in every fight and against every challenge. This is about being the biggest, strongest, most organized, and engaged union there is, and I'm not going to stop until we reach that goal. We see the fight ahead. We will take those challenges head on, and as one union we will prevail!" Cox won the top office over challenger Eugene Hudson Jr. In the race for National Secretary-Treasurer, the first round of voting triggered a run-off. Kelley led the first round with former National Secretary-Treasurer Jim Davis coming in second. AFGE Council 220 President Dana Duggins came in third, Alex Bastani was fourth, and Grant A. Harris Sr. was fifth. In the run-off between Kelley and Davis, Kelley won. Jeremy Lannan was elected as National Vice President for Women and Fair Practices. Augusta Y. Thomas, who served as National Vice President for Women and Fair Practices from 2009-2018 came in second, Terrence J. Johns came in third, and Eleanor Lauderdale placed fourth. More than 1,560 delegates - from 533 locals - are attending the convention, which will conclude on Friday. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 700,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia. For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees BUFFALO, N.Y., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Bak USA, a social impact enterprise that builds mobile computers, was named a finalist in the 2018 North American MIT Inclusive Innovation Challenge (IIC), a global competition that awards entrepreneurs using technology to reinvent the future of work. "We believe in doing things differently," said Christian Bak, co-founder and vice president of product at Bak USA. "Our people-centric approach to advanced manufacturing with collaborative robotics gives us a competitive edge in an industry that relies on overseas production and automation." The IIC awards prizes to entrepreneurs in four categories that holistically represent the solution types necessary to reinvent the future of work, including: Skill Development & Opportunity Matching; Technology Access; Income Growth and Job Creation; and Financial Inclusion. Bak USA was recognized in the Income Growth and Job Creation category. From among the many applications received, MIT's in-region experts rated Bak USA's approach to driving economic opportunity in the digital age as best-in-class. "It is a wonderful recognition of our commitment to building a company with a strong sense of purpose, all of which is made possible by our talented employees and their commitment to our bold vision," said Bak. Bak USA, along with the other 12 finalists, will convene at the IIC North America Celebration in Detroit on September 27 to compete for a chance to win $20,000 and the opportunity to advance to the IIC Global Grand Prize Gala, hosted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA on November 8. The IIC is the flagship global initiative of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy (IDE). The IIC North American region is hosted in collaboration with Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to celebrate and support entrepreneurs that are using technology to improve economic opportunity for workers. About Bak USA Bak USA (@bakusabuffalo) is a social impact enterprise that builds mobile computers in downtown Buffalo, New York, USA. Committed to building computers, empowering people, and changing lives, Bak USA is reinventing what it means to make it in America. Bak USA: Born in Buffalo. Built for the world. Learn more at bakusa.com. SOURCE Bak USA Related Links https://www.bakusa.com NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Accounting, tax, and advisory firm Berdon LLP has named Clifford Forrester as its Chief Information Officer. Leveraging 20 years of experience in the professional services industry, both as an operational leader and strategist, Clifford is skilled at transforming IT into a business-oriented function that addresses the strategic needs of the organization and its clients. Previously, he was the head of information technology for a global law firm and the global IT and security manager for an AmLaw 100 firm. The addition of Berdon's new CIO is coupled with the Firm's formal launch of its Technology Advisory Services Practiceofficially named Berdon Technology Servicesas well as its Digital Asset Advisory Practice. "These key investments are the direct reflection of our commitment to offer more innovative and efficient solutions to our current and future clients in a context of unprecedented technological advancements that continue to change the face of business in all industries. We are very pleased to have someone of Clifford's caliber join Berdon, on this exciting journey," says Managing Partner Mark Bosswick, CPA, J.D., LL.M. Forrester has demonstrated success in initiating and directing companywide projects crafted to add business value. He earned a Bachelor of Science in eBusiness from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Information Technology from City University of New York Herbert H. Lehman College and holds the Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) designation. He is also currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration, in Finance and Financial Management Services, from Marist College, School of Management. Berdon Technology Services ("BTS") advises businesses on a variety of IT-related matters, including cybersecurity custom programming, mobile application development, infrastructure buildouts, and more. In addition, BTS also offers a host of IT support services, such as outsourced CTO and/or CIO, help desk services, disaster recovery, and cloud computing, among other areas. The Team works closely with Berdon clients to develop a long-term relationship and ensure that their unique needs as well as any areas that may require modifications or upgrades are addressed. "As a business leader, I know first-hand how critical it is for organizations to have a solid and secure IT foundation," says Bosswick. "BTS nicely complements our current array of client service offerings and further enhances our ability to help businesses achieve their strategic objectives." Berdon's Digital Asset Advisory Practice, which is led by Evan Fox, J.D., LL.M. and focuses on providing tax and consulting services in the still evolving cryptocurrency/digital asset space, helps Berdon clients navigate through the complex and often unsettled tax, accounting and technical aspects of digital assets. In an industry as fast-paced as cryptocurrency, Berdon's digital asset specialists ensure compliance as well as develop and deliver sector-specific guidance focused on achieving the strategic objectives of Berdon's investor, trader and broker-dealer clients. "In today's evolving technology landscape, it is essential for all businesses and their executives to be focusing on and investing in the latest trends and innovations affecting how they and their clients do business," says Chief Operating Officer Rebecca Goodman-Stephens. "The addition of these new service lines allows us to grow with the continuously evolving needs of our clients by helping them plan for future changes and achieve their short and long-term objectives." Clifford Forrester - download photo file About Berdon Technology Services About Digital Asset Advisory Practice About Berdon LLP CONTACT: Frank Vitale, 212-331-7650, [email protected] SOURCE Berdon LLP Related Links http://www.berdonllp.com NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Brooklyn Music School (BMS) announces the St. Felix Street Centennial Gala on Thursday, October 25, 2018 from 6pm-10pm at DUMBO Loft, 155 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY. Tickets range from $100 - $500, and sponsorship levels are available from $1,000 - $10,000. Tickets and Sponsorship Packages are available at https://www.nycharities.org/events/EventLevels.aspx?etid=10658. The evening features Grammy Award winner Arturo O'Farrill, recognized as one of the greatest names in Latin jazz today and founder of the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, as guest host. Brooklyn Music School St Felix Home "Learning music and playing music has incredible parallels for our day-to-day existence as human beings. All the ideas of discipline and having a sense of yourself and translating that to music, that's all part of life's journey," said Arturo O'Farrill. A hundred years ago, the Brooklyn Music School had outgrown its location on Grand Avenue at the converted "Tub of Blood Saloon," which had been home to a notorious New York gang in the 19th century before becoming a community music school in 1909. The school's founders had the vision to move into a new location on St. Felix Street, next to the Brooklyn Academy of Music Opera House in the heart of Ft. Greene. Over the following century, the school has grown from serving 250 students to 8,000 students at our historic home on St. Felix and across New York City. "Over the decades, the Brooklyn Music School has maintained our distinctive approach to bringing the joy of music and performing arts to all ages, ethnic groups, and abilities and embracing the rich tapestry of musical traditions that make Brooklyn a musical melting pot of creativity," said Crocker Coulson, Chair of the Board of Trustees. "The enormous growth in served students in recent years, ranging from toddlers to seniors, speaks to the dire need for music and performing arts education in our community. The data are conclusive: quality music instruction has a dramatic impact on both academic performance and life outcomes, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is a chance to celebrate what the team at BMS has achieved and look forward to the future!" For more information, visit www.brooklynmusicschool.org. Contact: Michelle Tabnick, (646) 765-4773, [email protected] SOURCE Brooklyn Music School Related Links http://www.brooklynmusicschool.org WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a Maryland federal court's decision to allow CAIR's lawsuit against a prison in that state to move forward. In allowing the case to proceed, United States District Court Judge Peter Messitte rejected Prince George's County's attempt to have the case dismissed. As a result of this decision, CAIR lawyers will now have the authority to demand documents and information from Prince George's County about their unequal treatment of Muslim inmates. CAIR will also be able to depose key officials who created and enforced the Islam-specific prison policy challenged by the lawsuit. SEE: Court Decision https://tinyurl.com/PrisonPolicyRuling The lawsuit, filed earlier this year on behalf of six inmates, is aimed at ending the disfavored treatment that Prince George's County has imposed on the Muslims in its custody. While the prison allows inmates of other faiths to congregate for prayer and religious study, the county has denied inmates the ability to pray in congregation. In fact, the prison's Islam-specific policies regarding inmate gatherings only applies to Muslim inmates who seek to practice their faith while in custody. Inmates who have attempted to pray with others have been locked-down in their cells and, in some cases, held in solitary confinement. SEE the Original Complaint https://tinyurl.com/OriginalCAIRComplaint "Every part of government -- including correctional facilities -- must not treat inmates differently based on their faith," said CAIR Trial Attorney Ahmed Mohamed, who argued the motion in Judge Messitte's court. "CAIR stands ready to defend the civil and religious rights of all, including those who are incarcerated." "Inmates are among the most vulnerable populations of Americans at risk of having their rights violated," said CAIR Director of Maryland Outreach Zainab Chaudry. "This decision is a critical step in the right direction to help ensure that Muslim prisoners are able to observe their faith free from discrimination." CAIR offers an educational toolkit, called "A Correctional Institution's Guide to Islamic Religious Practices," to help correctional officers and administrators gain a better understanding of Islam and Muslims. SEE: A Correctional Institution's Guide to Islamic Religious Practices CAIR also represents inmates in Alaska and Washington in lawsuits defending the rights of Muslim inmates to practice their faith while in prison. Newsweek: Judge Orders Alaska Prison to Stop Serving Pork Products to Muslim Inmates Judge Orders Washington Prisons to Provide Ramadan Meals http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/jun/11/judge-orders-washington-prison-to-provide-ramadan-/ CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. La mision de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprension del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos. CONTACT: CAIR National Litigation Director Lena Masri, 248-390-9784, [email protected]; CAIR Senior Litigation Attorney Gadeir Abbas, 720-251-0425, [email protected] SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) LOS ANGELES, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cal/OSHA has issued citations to an outdoor advertising company for serious safety violations after a worker suffered third-degree burns when a metal pole he was using to install a sign on a billboard came into contact with an overhead power line. On February 6, two sign hangers for Outfront Media were working 25 feet above ground on the billboard's platform to install a vinyl sign over West 3rd Street. The workers were using 11-foot poles to place the 14-by-48-foot sign. One of the metal poles touched an energized high-voltage power line located near the edge of the billboard, which resulted in serious burns to 25 percent of the sign-hanger's body. "Employers must identify and evaluate all hazards in the workplace," said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum. "When energized overhead lines are present, the employer must ensure that employees maintain required clearances, or minimum safe distances from the overhead lines, to protect employees from electrical shock or electrocution." Cal/OSHA issued three citations to Outfront Media totaling $32,435 in proposed penalties. A serious accident-related citation was issued for the employer's violation of provisions for preventing accidents due to proximity to overhead lines, which requires a minimum clearance of 6 feet be maintained for work done near 34.5 kilovolt lines. A serious citation was issued for failure to identify and evaluate hazards related to installing signs on billboards in proximity to power lines. Cal/OSHA also issued a general citation to the employer for an inadequate heat illness prevention plan for its outdoor workers. Since 2015, Cal/OSHA has opened 11 inspections with outdoor and display advertising employers. Among those inspections were six accidents, including an electric shock incident last year when a worker's ladder came into contact with overhead power lines during preparations to hang a sign. A citation is classified as serious when there is a realistic possibility that death or serious harm could result from the actual hazard created by the violation. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA, is the division within the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) that helps protect California's workers from health and safety hazards on the job in almost every workplace. Cal/OSHA offers a fact sheet for safety meetings on working safely on or near high voltage overhead lines. Cal/OSHA's Consultation Services Branch provides free and voluntary assistance to employers to improve their safety and health programs. Employers should call (800) 963-9424 for assistance from Cal/OSHA Consultation Services. Employees with work-related questions or complaints may contact DIR's Call Center in English or Spanish at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734). Complaints can also be filed confidentially with Cal/OSHA district offices. Members of the press may contact Peter Melton or Frank Polizzi at (510) 286-1161, and are encouraged to subscribe to get email alerts on DIR's press releases or other departmental updates. https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaDIR https://twitter.com/CA_DIR http://www.youtube.com/CaliforniaDIR http://www.dir.ca.gov/email/listsub.asp?choice=1 The California Department of Industrial Relations, established in 1927, protects and improves the health, safety, and economic well-being of over 18 million wage earners, and helps their employers comply with state labor laws. DIR is housed within the Labor & Workforce Development Agency. For general inquiries, contact DIR's Call Center at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734) for help in locating the appropriate division or program in our department. SOURCE California Department of Industrial Relations; Cal/OSHA Related Links http://www.dir.ca.gov HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Following validation of 47 bids received by the Aug. 2 deadline for the sixth restaurant license auction authorized by Act 39 of 2016, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) is issuing Notices of Selection to top bidders on 20 licenses. Winning bids range from $25,331 for licenses in Bradford and Clinton counties to $351,001 for a license in Plumstead Township, Bucks County. The average winning bid in the sixth auction was $94,609. The number of bids received for each of the 20 licenses receiving bids ranged from one to seven. Five licenses one each in Armstrong, Cameron, Crawford, Schuylkill, and Westmoreland counties received no valid bids. Winning bids and bidders are posted to the PLCB restaurant license auction web page. Top bidders have 14 days from the date of each Notice of Selection to remit full bid payment to the PLCB. If bid payment is not received within two weeks of auction award, the second-highest bidder will have the opportunity to remit its full bid payment. Each auction winner has six months from the issuance of the Notice of Selection to file a license application with the PLCB. Bids will be held in escrow by the PLCB, pending approval of the license application. This auction included one license in each of the following 25 counties: Armstrong, Bradford, Bucks, Cameron, Carbon, Clinton, Crawford, Dauphin, Elk, Greene, Huntingdon, Lebanon, McKean, Mercer, Montgomery, Northampton, Northumberland, Philadelphia, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Washington, Wayne, and Westmoreland. Auction revenue recognized in fiscal year 2016-17 and thus far in 2017-18 totals $21.5 million, while another $4 million remains in escrow, pending license approvals. The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits totaling $15.8 billion since the agency's inception are returned to Pennsylvania's General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania's schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit www.lcb.pa.gov. EDITOR'S NOTE: The previous version of this press release issued on Aug. 8 indicated there were no bids received for the license in Northumberland County. Subsequent review of bids discovered a valid bid for the Northumberland County license was erroneously considered as a non-winning bid for the Philadelphia license. MEDIA CONTACT: Shawn M. Kelly, 717.783.8864 SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Related Links http://www.lcb.state.pa.us (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/715181/CRYPTO_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/731461/Adrienne_Wong.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/731459/Cerulean_Hu.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/731460/Ivan_Stefanov.jpg ) "Recruiting Adrienne, Cerulean, and Ivan to our team bolsters CRYPTO.com's ability to offer innovative financial services products and ultimately power our mission of accelerating the world's transition to cryptocurrency," said Kris Marszalek, Co-Founder and CEO of CRYPTO.com. Adrienne Wong, Senior Vice President, Head of Product, CRYPTO.com Adrienne Wong joins CRYPTO.com as Senior Vice President, Head of Product. She joins from fintech company Square where she managed global strategy and market launches for its flagship product, Square Point of Sale. She had also led growth and expansion efforts in the Canada, UK, Australia, and US markets. A former Deloitte strategy and operations consultant, Adrienne graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and a concentration in Global Management. "I'm excited to be part of a team that is working to revolutionize the financial services industry and make cryptocurrency a key part of people's lives," Adrienne said. "I'm keen to bring my background in financial services product strategy to the company as we launch our product suite globally." Cerulean Hu, Lead Blockchain Engineer, CRYPTO.com Cerulean Hu joined CRYPTO.com as Lead Blockchain Engineer with a strong background in both the blockchain and traditional financial services industries. In her past roles, Cerulean developed easy-to-use and robust financial products and systems. Previously, she was lead engineer at Equichain, implemented blockchain solutions at FINCOVA, led finance and trading systems development at ANX. Prior to that, she was responsible for developing trading algorithms at HSBC. Cerulean graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering. "I'm thrilled to be a part of the CRYPTO.com team as the potential for blockchain in the financial services industry is endless. It's exciting to work with a talented and highly motivated team at the forefront of facilitating mass adoption of blockchain and cryptocurrency." Ivan Stefanov, Senior Vice President, Risk Management, CRYPTO.com Ivan Stefanov joined the CRYPTO.com team as Senior Vice President of Risk Management with more than 11 years of experience in risk management in different sectors of the online payments ecosystem. His background in digital wallets, working on international companies Skrill and NETELLER, allowed him the opportunity to manage large teams across multiple markets and enhance the existing fraud prevention and payments setup. Ivan also cofounded NOTOLYTIX, an innovative data processing startup that caters to all aspects of risk management. "Joining CRYPTO.com is an exciting next step in my professional development," Ivan said. "I'm looking forward to applying my experience as I work to ensure that CRYPTO.com products are compliant with evolving global regulations, industry's best practices, and protect consumer interests." About CRYPTO.com CRYPTO.com, the pioneering payments and cryptocurrency platform, seeks to accelerate the world's transition to cryptocurrency. Its MCO branded consumer financial services, including the MCO Visa Card, MCO Wallet App, and MCO Token embrace a vision of Cryptocurrency in Every Wallet. CRYPTO.com is headquartered in Hong Kong. For more information, please visit: http://www.crypto.com. SOURCE CRYPTO.com SEATTLE, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- August 15 is Gwangbokjeol () or National Liberation Day of Korea. On this occasion, UNFP Management issued the following statement regarding Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon's vision for the Korean Peninsula and reflections of the unfulfilled aspirations from 1945: Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon is the author of the award-winning book "Korean Dream: A Vision for a Unified Korea" and leads a grassroots movement to reunify Korea. August 15 is a reminder of the unfulfilled dream of the Korean people. In 1945, with the end of World War II, the Korean people emerged from the nightmare of colonial rule with a burning desire for an independent and united homeland unique to their history and heritage. This was their heartfelt dream, but tragically it has yet to be realized. Dr. Moon is calling on all Koreans to take responsibility for their own destiny and come together in common cause toward a shared future that realizes the aspiration of a unified Korea that benefits all its citizens and the entire world. "It is a moral imperative that we work, in whatever capacity we are able, to realize unification that embodies the aspirations of the 1919 independence movement and the hope of 1945, thus bringing closure to a division lingering from the last century," said Dr. Moon. For over four generations, Dr. Moon's family has been actively involved in Korean independence and unification efforts. He asks that the ideals and aspirations of the champions of independence not be forgotten. Dr. Moon believes reunification is the only viable solution to address a host of economic, political, social and human rights issues facing both North and South Korea and in turn, positively impact global security and development. Korean Dream empowers the Korean people to rediscover their 5,000-year-old heritage and destiny and lead the reunification effort. Koreans in the South, the North and the diaspora must recognize and embrace their shared history, heritage and culture that informs a common aspiration to build a nation rooted in the ancient ethos of Hongik Ingan, or "living for the benefit of all humanity." "A common bond has to be forged out of something more fundamental than the political and ideological quarrels that marked the Korean division of the past sixty-five years," said Dr. Moon. "There has to be a Third Way that can rise above the conflicting systems of right and left by identifying the fundamental aspirations, principles, and valued rooted in our common past and that should define our future." The dreams of the Korean people were thwarted by colonialism and the ideological divide during the Cold War. Today, the Korean people have an opportunity to write the next chapter of their history. Dr. Moon sees the fulfillment of the Korean Dream as a historic milestone that can symbolize an end to the many legacies that plagued the twentieth century. Dr. Moon's hope is that the story of the Korean people can become an inspiration to people everywhere. In a recent East Africa / Great Lakes Region Global Peace Leadership Conference held August 1-2, 2018 in Kampala, Uganda, Dr. Moon drew parallels between his homeland and the stories of many African nations that were present at the conference. As he seeks to build a Korean-led movement in his homeland, he called upon the local African people to lead in building models of peace and prosperity drawing on the wisdom, heritage and traditional values of the African village and extended family. He asked that Africa stand in solidarity with the cause of the Korean people. About Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon is a spiritual leader, peace advocate, and social entrepreneur. Born in Korea to a family active for Korean independence and unification over four generations, his background gives him a unique perspective on Korea's future and its global significance for peace and development. He is the founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), established in 2009 and currently active in over 20 countries. Dr. Moon also founded the Family Peace Association (FPA). FPA engages individuals, families and organizations in building God-centered families as the foundation of a peaceful world. Dr. Moon initiated and provides ongoing leadership for Action for Korea United (AKU), an unprecedented grassroots coalition of over 900 organizations building consensus around the vision for a unified Korea. In various capacities, he works across lines of identity including culture, ethnicity, nationality and religion to foster the moral, innovative leadership necessary to resolve the most pressing issues in our world today. Dr. Moon is a recognized and knowledgeable thought leader on Korean reunification and author of the award-winning book, "Korean Dream: A Vision for a Unified Korea." To learn more about Dr. Preston Moon's background, work, and current initiatives, visit hyunjinmoon.com. SOURCE UNFP Management Related Links https://www.hyunjinmoon.com HOUSTON, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Falcata Capital, LLC ("Falcata"), a Houston-based private equity firm, announced the closing on its initial fund today. The fund closed at $1 billion of committed capital. Robert Burnett, Falcata's president and co-founder, said: "We are pleased with the speed and support received from the investment community throughout the initial fund raising process. We have an experienced team at Falcata focused on identifying companies to add to the portfolio, and are eager to begin executing on our strategy." Falcata targets North American enterprise software and technology-enabled services companies across a spectrum of industries. Falcata typically seeks to invest between $50 and $200 million in companies with market-leading positions that can benefit from an infusion of capital, a focus on growth and profitability over the long term, and the Falcata team's extensive experience in operating software and technology-enabled companies. Falcata has already deployed capital from the first fund with the purchase of Xpressdocs in Fort Worth, Texas. Xpressdocs is a leading provider of brand management and direct marketing solutions for enterprises and franchises across a variety of industries, including real estate, healthcare, financial and professional services. The business has earned a reputation in the market for strong innovation, providing clients with robust eCommerce services, order fulfillment and tier one customer support. Xpressdocs' self-service, on-demand marketing platform provides options for employees, agents, dealers, and franchisees to efficiently customize and order a variety of products and services from print materials and promotional products, to email marketing, social media and mobile ads. At the same time, the platform helps enterprises maintain control over branding, quality of materials, and messaging. Burnett said, "We welcome Xpressdocs to the Falcata family and look forward to investing in additional companies to complement Xpressdocs' on-demand marketing platform and expand their business into new markets and new offerings." Looking ahead, Burnett concluded: "At Falcata, we've assembled a first-class team with deep knowledge in acquisitions, enterprise software operations, and financial investing. The team brings a strong operational playbook, developed over several decades, to our portfolio companies and the management expertise to help them grow through product development and acquisition." About Falcata Capital, LLC Falcata Capital is a private equity firm investing in software and technology-enabled service companies across a wide array of industries. With an initial fund of $1 billion in committed capital, we are poised to invest in companies that can benefit from our extensive knowledge and resources. The Falcata management team is highly experienced in successfully running and profitably growing software and technology companies. In addition, the team has been involved in more than 25 successful acquisitions in the past five years. www.FalcataCapital.com SOURCE Falcata Capital, LLC Related Links http://www.FalcataCapital.com OTTAWA, Ontario, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FieldFLEX (www.fieldflex.com), the leading developer of mobile enterprise software for corporate real estate, enterprise asset management (EAM), and workplace management, has announced the appointment of R. Fraser Atkinson to the role of President to lead the organization through the next phase of growth and innovation. A seasoned technology expert, Mr. Atkinson has been with FieldFLEX since 2009 as VP, Product Management, where he oversaw the commercial release and maturation of the FieldFLEX platform and suite of mobile apps. "We have worked extremely hard to become a recognized leader in the enterprise mobility community and these changes to our organization ensure we will continue to grow our product offerings and customer reach," said Fraser Atkinson. FieldFLEX has also announced the creation of three new divisions: Lab Services, Customer Care, and Infrastructure Services, and has appointed Dave Fedy as VP of Lab Services. The company will continue to prioritize investment in innovation, expansion of their global footprint as well as focus on new and expanded product offerings. About FieldFLEX FieldFLEX is the leading developer of mobile enterprise software for corporate real estate, enterprise asset management (EAM), and workplace management, offering a full range of mobile enterprise productivity applications from field services to employee self-service. We develop fully integrated, highly-scalable, IoT-enabled mobile solutions that not only offer operational efficiencies by reducing costs and risks, but foster a culture of employee engagement by connecting mobile users with their workplace. Established in 2003, FieldFLEX has operations throughout The Americas, Asia and Europe serving all private and public sector organizations, including Retail, Education, Government, Finance, Healthcare, Energy, Manufacturing and Pharmaceuticals. We are trusted enterprise mobile advisors for some of the top Fortune 100 companies. Media Contact: Steve Lisle [email protected] 888-867-1685 SOURCE FieldFLEX Mobile Related Links http://www.fieldflex.com "Karen's TPA experience and deep relationships with brokers and risk managers throughout the West will help us get our message to the marketplace," notes David Dwortz, President & CEO, Helmsman Management Services. "She has worked in the third-party administrator space for more than 25 years, and her skills and relationships will help us continue to better protect the employees and bottom lines of our TPA customers." Before joining Liberty Mutual, Reading was a senior vice president for Marsh & McLennan. Previously, she was at Gallagher Bassett Services and Crawford & Company. About Helmsman Management Services Helmsman Management Services is a leading third party administrator. It helps midsize and large companies with complex risk management needs better control claims outcomes and costs by blending proactive claims management, sophisticated risk control and dedicate service teams. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Mutual, Helmsman offers the resources, financial strength and discipline of a national carrier with the flexibility of an independent third party administrator. Helmsman has over $5 billion in incurred losses under management. About Liberty Mutual Insurance Liberty Mutual's purpose is to help people embrace today and confidently pursue tomorrow. The promise we make to our customers throughout the world is to provide protection for the unexpected, delivered with care. In business since 1912, and headquartered in Boston, Mass., today we are a leading global insurer with operations in 30 countries and economies around the world. We are 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. We also rank 68th on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the U.S. based on 2017 revenue. As of December 31, 2017, we had $39.4 billion in annual consolidated revenue. We employ nearly 50,000 people in over 800 offices throughout the world. We offer a wide range of insurance products and services, including personal automobile, homeowners, commercial multi-peril, property, general liability, commercial automobile, surety, workers compensation, specialty lines, and reinsurance. You can learn more about us by visiting www.libertymutualinsurance.com. Contact: Richard Angevine 617-574-6638 [email protected] SOURCE Liberty Mutual Insurance Related Links http://www.libertymutualinsurance.com "The Fremont facility has been an important part of our company for decades, and we are certainly pleased to have found a home for this team and facility with WholeStone Farms," said Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer at Hormel Foods. "The strategic decision to transition the Fremont facility to WholeStone Farms reflects the long-term, changing dynamics in the pork industry, and most importantly, is aligned with our vision as a global branded food company." "We look forward to working with WholeStone Farms to ensure a smooth transition for our employees, suppliers and customers," said Glenn Leitch, executive vice president of supply chain at Hormel Foods. "A multiyear supply agreement with WholeStone Farms ensures the Fremont facility will continue as an integral part of our supply chain in the future. Our focus continues to be on ensuring a stronger supply chain from procurement to shipment of products, fully optimizing our system to create an efficient, enterprise-wide structure to keep pace with the growing needs of our business." "The purchase of the Fremont, Neb., processing facility from Hormel Foods aligns with our vision to create and capture value in the pork supply chain for the 220 independent producers who own WholeStone Farms," stated Dr. Luke Minion, chairman of the board of directors of WholeStone Farms. "We value the dedication and experience the existing team brings to WholeStone Farms, and are committed to significant additional investments in the facility for production efficiencies and enhancing employee wellness." The transaction includes a processing facility and a multiyear agreement to supply pork raw materials to Hormel Foods. The current Fremont plant management team and workforce will remain in place to ensure business continuity for all stakeholders. More information will be provided during the Hormel Foods Third Quarter Earnings Conference Call on Thursday, August 23, 2018, at 8:00 a.m. CT (9:00 a.m. ET). 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 75 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Columbus, Wholly Guacamole, Hormel Black Label 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 https://csr.hormelfoods.com/. About WholeStone Farms WholeStone Farms was established in 2017 to create and capture value in the pork supply chain. WholeStone Farms is owned by our 220 members who are independent producers and farmers raising livestock and crops in the upper Midwest. We collectively farm nearly 400,000 acres of cropland, raise 12 million pigs a year, and share a vision to continue the legacy of family farming. With over 1,000 family members involved and 25% on their fourth generation, we are proud of what we do, the food we produce, and we are deeply committed to sustainable agriculture and the rural communities we live in. For more information, visit www.wholestonefarms.com. HORMEL FOODS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains forward-looking information based on management's current views and assumptions. Actual events may differ materially. Factors that may affect actual results include, but are not limited to: whether and when the required regulatory approvals will be obtained, whether and when the closing conditions will be satisfied, and whether and when the transaction will close. Please refer to the cautionary statement regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors that appears on pages 34-40 in the Hormel Foods Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended April 29, 2018, which can be accessed at www.hormelfoods.com under "Investors-SEC Filings." Contacts: Hormel Foods Media Relations WholeStone Farms Molly R. Peterson 507-434-6352 507-825-7098 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation Related Links http://www.hormel.com Innodisk is taking the first step in introducing industrial-grade PCIe Gen3 storage to Industrial AIoT and edge computing with high-speed M.2 SSD TAIPEI, Taiwan, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- PCIe Gen3 is finally moving into the industrial and embedded market. With the demand for higher data transfer speeds, Innodisk is launching its M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen32 3ME2 MLC solid state drive (SSD); available in different heatsink-less form factors that all withstand temperatures ranging from -40 degrees Celsius to 85 degrees Celsius, as well as speeds up to 3 times faster than the average SATA device. The AIoT markets are characterized by a need for compactness to save space, data integrity and robustness to handle the various rough conditions of the device locations. Tight spaces can also create high temperatures and heat dissipation issues. Innodisk's newest M.2 module handles these issues in a brilliant manner. Compared to other modules of similar specifications, this new PCIe SSD 3ME2 brings out easier heat dissipation by lowering power consumption by 50%. The SSD comes in both 2280 and 2242 form factors, and through its industrial-oriented design, data integrity is easily handled through LDPC error correction and end-to-end data path protection (ETEP). Furthermore, the SSD uses pure MLC flash with no SLC cache to avoid the inevitable speed drop as the cache fills up. Avoiding this problem altogether, the original MLC flash will continue to deliver stable and high speeds over the course of its lifetime. The Vice President of Innodisk Corporation, C. C. Wu, points out that Innodisk is taking the lead position in the market by providing this integrated solution. The new high-speed PCIe SSD 3ME2 is available in high-capacity selections; meanwhile, Innodisk's cloud management platform, iCAP, offers highly customizable functions and can be integrated into a huge number of multi-layered edge computing devices such as sensors, gateway, and hubs. Aiming at the future multi-level edge computing architecture, Innodisk provides the most complete intelligent IoT boost. For more product information, please see: https://www.innodisk.com/en/products/flash-storage/m2-sata/M2_P42_3ME2 Media Contact Benjamin Jokela, +886-2-7703-3000 ext. 1516 [email protected] Yvonne Liu, +886-2-7703-3000 ext. 1515 [email protected] About Innodisk Featured on Forbes' Asia's 200 Best Under A Billion companies, Innodisk is a service-driven provider of flash memory, DRAM modules and embedded peripheral products for industrial applications. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, Innodisk supports clients globally with engineering support and sales teams globally. SOURCE Innodisk Corporation Related Links https://www.innodisk.com GREENWICH, Conn., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Jeremy B. Barowsky, M.D. is recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member in the field of Psychiatry in recognition of his role as a Psychiatrist. Devoted to providing quality healthcare services at the fraction of the cost, Jeremy Barowsky, MD, Psychiatrist has committed itself in leading revolutionary healthcare to those they serve. Utilizing the latest advancements in an effort to better serve their clients, the practice specializes in all facets of Psychiatry. The practice is adept in handling matters with regards to assessments, medication, talk therapy, addiction, speaking and more. With several years of experience in the field of Psychiatry under his belt, Dr. Barowsky has established himself as a distinguished professional within the industry. Throughout his career, Dr. Barowsky has attained extensive expertise in the areas of Addiction Psychiatry and treating individuals struggling with both psychiatric and substance abuse disorders. Fueled by a strong desire to help people, Dr. Barowsky states that Psychiatry allows him to "be part of the narrative - it is a calling. The brain is the last frontier." Attributing his success to his humility and commitment to the care and wellness of patients, when asked his advice to newcomers in the industry, Dr. Barowsky emphasizes the importance of being human and staying curious within the industry. In his previous years, Dr. Barowsky served as the Director of Addiction Medicine at Greenwich Hospital and served as Chief of the Personality Disorder Unit at New York Presbyterian Hospital. A Harvard trained psychiatrist who is double-boarded by both the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Board of Addiction Medicine, Dr. Barowsky completed his Psychiatric training as Chief Resident at Harvard Medical School, in Boston, Massachusetts. In his previous years, Dr. Barowsky attended the State University of New York- Upstate Medical University. In an effort to further advance his career, Dr. Barowsky is an esteemed member of several organizations including the American Psychiatric Association, American Society of Addiction Medicine, American Medical Association, and American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry. In recognition of his professional achievements, Dr. Barowsky was the recipient of the Patients' Choice Award and received the Harvard Medical School Excellence in Medical Student Education award. Dr. Barowsky dedicates this recognition to his Dad, Ellias I. Barowsky, Ph.D. For more information, please visit http://drjeremybarowsky.com/ Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected] SOURCE Continental Who's Who Related Links http://www.continentalwhoswho.com DUBLIN, Aug 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Kaolin Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Application (Paper, Ceramics, Paint, Fiberglass, Rubber, Metakaolin), By Region (North America, CSA, Europe, APAC, MEA), And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global kaolin market size is projected to reach USD 9.83 billion by 2025 It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 8.8% over the forecast period. Growth of ceramics and paints industries, owing to rapid infrastructural development, is anticipated to drive the market. Rising government spending in emerging economies such as India and China, has resulted in expansion of construction industry. This is expected to contribute toward an increased demand for kaolin. Kaolin is extracted from open-pit mines. Ore processing consists of enhancing certain properties through chemical and thermal treatment, removing impurities, and engineering particle size and shape. Prices of kaolin are expected to have a significant impact on application industries. Key manufacturers are mining kaolin for use in rubber, plastics, and paper industries. Growth of rubber and paints and coatings industries is expected to further propel demand for kaolin over the forecast years. Several regulations such as European Union (EU's) Regulation 1169/2011, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA's) Food Labeling Guide, and India's Food Safety & Standards (Packaging and Labeling) make it mandatory to print food-related information on packaging. These regulations have promoted market expansion of paper-packaging materials. From marketing and branding perspective, it is very important for companies to print their logos and trademarks on packaging materials. This is expected to positively impact demand for kaolin in paper applications. Increasing number of ceramic manufacturing companies in China has contributed to kaolin market growth over the past few years. This trend is expected to continue over the forecast period. The Middle East is expected to be a potential market, owing to on-going and upcoming construction projects, which, in turn, is expected to augment product demand in near future. Economic slowdown in Europe has had a negative impact on regional manufacturing and construction industries. This may hamper product growth in the region over the forecast period. Further key findings from the report suggest: In terms of revenue, the ceramics application segment is anticipated to reach USD 3.82 billion by 2025 by 2025 The paper application segment is anticipated to continue dominating the market in terms of revenue in the forthcoming years. Ability of kaolin coating to add gloss, smoothness, brightness, opacity, and printability to paper is expected to bode well for the market The U.S. kaolin market is anticipated to exceed USD 1.22 billion by 2025 owing to presence of various kaolin mines in the country by 2025 owing to presence of various kaolin mines in the country The market for kaolin is competitive with presence of a number of multinational companies with wide product portfolios Some of the key companies present in the market are LB Minerals s.r.o., BASF SE, Kaolin AD, AKW Ukrainian Kaolin Company, Sibelco N.V., KaMin LLC, and Thiele Kaolin Company Market players are increasing prices of kaolin due to continued rise in labor, fuel, energy, and freight/logistics costs. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1 Research Methodology 1.1 Research Methodology 1.2 Research Scope & Assumptions 1.3 List of Data Sources Chapter 2 Executive Summary 2.1 Market snapshot Chapter 3 Kaolin Market Variables, Trends & Scope 3.1 Market segmentation & scope 3.2 Kaolin market size and growth prospects, 2014 - 2025 3.3 Kaolin market - Value chain analysis 3.4 Regulatory framework 3.4.1 Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHIMS) 3.4.2 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 3.4.3 Georgia Mining Association 3.5 Kaolin market dynamics 3.5.1 Market Driver Analysis 3.5.1.1 Growing construction industry 3.5.1.2 Growing demand for paper packaging 3.5.2 Market Restraint Analysis 3.5.2.1 Regulations on mining activities 3.6 Kaolin company market share analysis, 2017 3.7 Kaolin market key opportunities prioritized, 2017 3.8 Kaolin Prices, by region (USD/kg) 3.9 Points of entry 3.10 Kaolin market - PESTEL Analysis 3.11 Kaolin Market - Porter's Five Forces Analysis Chapter 4 Kaolin Market: Application Estimates & Trend Analysis 4.1 Application Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2017 & 2025 4.2 Paper 4.3 Ceramics 4.4 Paint 4.5 Fiberglass 4.6 Rubber 4.7 Metakaolin Chapter 5 Kaolin Market: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis, by Application Chapter 6 Company Profiles LB Minerals s.r.o BASF SE Kaolin AD AKW Ukrainian Kaolin Company Sibelco N.V. KaMin LLC Thiele Kaolin Company Imerys S.A. I-Minerals, Inc. Quarzwerke GmbH For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/rf9zvz/kaolin_market?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 NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global communications consultancy Ketchum today announced the creation of a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Advisory Board, a cross-functional, multinational team comprised of six Ketchum employees who will work together, alongside counsel from DE&I experts Dr. Quinetta Roberson and Dr. Tony Allen, to set the firm's short- and long-term DE&I goals and drive strategies to achieve them. The DE&I Advisory Board will report to Ketchum partner, president and CEO Barri Rafferty. "My goal as CEO is to ensure every employee can bring their whole self to work and feel comfortable contributing their diverse opinions in the workplace," Rafferty said. "We have built a strong foundation at Ketchum, and I believe the DE&I Advisory Board will push us to further enhance employee engagement, recruiting efforts and our focus on equality." Ketchum has a longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, with affiliations with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that have lasted more than 20 years, and partnerships with organizations dedicated to DE&I, including PRSA Foundation, The LAGRANT Foundation, Black Public Relations Society, OPEN Pride, AdCamp, ColorComm and StepUp. Ketchum's recent DE&I efforts include a partnership with Cook Ross to develop and deliver unconscious bias training for all employees; the consultancy's LaunchPad gamified recruitment process that introduced the industry's first blind recruiting system; the establishment of the Kotcher-Ketchum Scholarship program for African American Boston University students; DE&I Councils launched in 2014 that drive local office programs; and the firm's recently announced commitment to pay equity globally. Roberson said, "Ketchum is really ahead of the field in terms of convening a board to lead its DE&I initiatives globally. When multiple people take the lead on such an important issue, it ensures diversity of thought, which in my experience is a key factor to success in this area. I am thrilled to play a role." Allen commented, "Change comes with intention. We can't 'be the change we want to see in the world' and have complacency win the day. We owe it to our craft, our clients and our communities to do better, every day, in every way. Ketchum is taking the right steps, and I look forward to being involved." Roberson is the Fred J. Springer Endowed Chair in Business Leadership in the School of Business at Villanova University. She has more than 18 years of experience teaching courses and workshops globally on leadership, talent management and diversity. She holds a B.S. in finance and accounting from the University of Delaware, an M.B.A. in finance and strategic planning from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Ph.D. in organizational behavior from the University of Maryland. In addition, Roberson has published more than 20 scholarly journal articles, edited volumes, and book chapters on diversity and inclusion, which are informed by her experiences as a financial analyst and small business development consultant prior to obtaining her doctorate. Allen is executive vice president and provost at Delaware State University, one of the nation's oldest and most diverse HBCUs. Previously, he led the corporate reputation group at Bank of America and was responsible for developing programming to influential external audiences including media elites, national social justice advocates, academics and elected officials at federal and local levels. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science and a doctorate in urban affairs and public policy from the University of Delaware, as well as a master's in public administration from Baruch College, City University of New York. Allen is a recipient of the Whitney M. Young Award for Advancing Racial Equality, the National Urban League's highest honor, and in 2016, he was named PR Council's National Diversity Champion. Both Allen and Roberson are principals at Brooks Whitney, a management consultancy they have co-owned since 2013. In partnering Ketchum employees representing key business functions across the company with noted DE&I experts Roberson and Allen, the advisory board will be able to blend a deep understanding of Ketchum culture and the communications industry with outside perspective from corporate and academic settings, with the goal of advancing the firm's DE&I practices beyond norms in the communications field. In addition to the external advisers, six Ketchum employees will serve on the DE&I Advisory Board: Mike Doyle , partner and president, North America , and co-chair, Omnicom OPEN Pride network , partner and president, , and co-chair, Omnicom OPEN Pride network Jocelyn Jackson , research director, Ketchum Analytics, and Ketchum DE&I director , research director, Ketchum Analytics, and Ketchum DE&I director Janita Lakhanpal , growth director, London , growth director, Michele Lanza , partner, global talent acquisition , partner, global talent acquisition Jeff Lewonczyk , senior creativity and content manager, corporate communications , senior creativity and content manager, corporate communications Beatrice Winkler , chief human resources officer, Germany "Diversity in personal background, professional experience and overall perspective contributes to more productive discussions and richer new ideas," Rafferty said. "The composition of the advisory board reflects the firm's vision for DE&I globally, with board members representing both client-facing roles and key business functions focused on employee engagement, development, compensation and leadership, while also representing diversity in geography, ethnicity, religion, gender and sexual orientation." In line with this, Jocelyn Jackson has been named DE&I director for Ketchum. She was selected by Ketchum leadership from a pool of qualified Ketchum employees who volunteered for the role. She will lend her leadership and skills to the DE&I Advisory Board and Ketchum's DE&I councils across North America, and will help establish councils in markets globally. Jackson is a founding member of Ketchum's New York DE&I Council and has served as programs manager and executive leader team member for ColorComm's New York Chapter. Jackson will continue in her client-facing role as research director within Ketchum Analytics, with a rebalanced workload to enable a portion of her time be devoted to Ketchum's DE&I activities. "Jocelyn is respected by colleagues and clients alike for her leadership, intellect and team-building, and she has been a strong advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion within Ketchum, the industry and business community at large to advance DE&I understanding and practices," Rafferty said. Jackson added, "To make an impact on diversity, equity and inclusion in our industry and universally, we have to move beyond buzzwords and lip service and take action. Ketchum's introduction of the DE&I Advisory Board is a bold step, and I am overjoyed to marry my personal passion with my professional path as I take on this new role of fueling DE&I initiatives across our firm. I am committed to getting DE&I right to ensure the continued growth of our industry and our industry professionals." About Ketchum Ketchum is a leading global communications consultancy with operations in more than 70 countries across six continents. The Holmes Report's Creative Agency of the Year, Ketchum is the winner of 75 Cannes Lions and an unprecedented six PRWeek Campaign of the Year Awards. Ketchum partners with clients to deliver strategic programming, game-changing creative and measurable results that build brands and reputations. For more information on Ketchum, a part of Omnicom Public Relations Group, visit www.ketchum.com. About Omnicom Public Relations Group Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, marketing to women, fashion, global health strategy and corporate social responsibility. It encompasses more than 6,000 public relations professionals in more than 330 offices worldwide who provide their expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. SOURCE Ketchum Related Links http://www.ketchum.com ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Many of today's routine drone flights could be redefined as "aerial trespass" under a law proposed by a commission known for its influence with state legislatures, cautioned veteran LeClairRyan aviation attorneys during a webinar attended by more than 300 aviation and other professionals. Mark A. Dombroff Mark McKinnon "Across the country, everyone involved in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) should closely track the trajectory of the so-called UAS Uniform Tort Law, which was discussed for the first time this past July by the Uniform Law Commission," noted Mark A. Dombroff, an Alexandria-based member of LeClairRyan and co-leader of the national law firm's Aviation Industry practice. "If adopted by states, at least in its present form, it could create conflicts and challenges for the fast-growing UAS sector." Dombroff and his colleague Mark E. McKinnon, a partner in LeClairRyan's Alexandria office and head of the firm's UAS practice area team, discussed the measure during an August 8 webinar on the topic of drone waivers, exemptions and certifications under federal law. The Uniform Law Commission (ULC), which provides draft legislation for independent adoption by state lawmakers, rang alarm bells among many in the UAS sector when it discussed the so-called Uniform Tort Law last month at its annual meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, McKinnon noted. "The idea for the ULC is to help states get together and pass laws harmonize with each other," he explained. "Right now, in most states, trespassing onto another person's land carries a presumption of injury and a right to sue. This measure aims to do something similar for aerial trespass involving UAS, with potentially broad implications. The view is that existing law doesn't provide enough protection for landowners." Across the country, McKinnon continued, aerial trespass is typically akin to nuisance law and requires proof of actual injury. The proposal would make all encroachment over another person's land by UAS a form of trespass that conveys a presumption of damages, so long as the altitude of the flight was 200 feet or below. As Dombroff told the audience, that could put state laws on a collision course with existing FAA jurisdiction and regulations (under which drones are permitted to fly up to 400 feet in altitude). "It sure seems to me that if that this were enacted in a state, the federal government would quickly file a lawsuit arguing that it was an unlawful preemption of FAA authority," he said. The measure continues to be under discussion by the ULC, which plans to debate it further next year, McKinnon said. "We could see some action on this moving forward," he said. "In general, this is an area where states will likely be focused over the next couple of years. Some lawmakers want to tease out the boundaries of their citizens' rights to the air above their properties. The question is how that will interact with federalized airspace." During the 90-minute webinar, Dombroff and McKinnon also covered topics such as the rules that can be waived under the FAA's Part 107; the process by which waivers may be obtained; how they may be combined for complex operations; specific definitions and regulations relating to "certified aircraft"; the status of FAA reauthorization in the context of UAS, and more. The full recording is available at https://www.leclairryan.com/events/xprEventsDetail.aspx?xpST=EventDetail&event=561 About LeClairRyan As a trusted advisor, LeClairRyan provides business counsel and client representation in corporate law and litigation. In this role, the firm applies its knowledge, insight and skill to help clients achieve their business objectives while managing and minimizing their legal risks, difficulties and expenses. With offices from coast to coast, the firm represents a wide variety of clients nationwide. For more information about LeClairRyan, visit www.leclairryan.com. Press Contacts: At Parness & Associates Public Relations, Bill Parness, (732) 290-0121, [email protected] or Lisa Kreda, [email protected] SOURCE LeClairRyan Related Links http://www.leclairryan.com STOCKHOLM, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Electrolux today announced changes in the Group Management team and a revision of part of the business area organizational structure: Kenneth L. Ng , currently Head of Major Appliances APAC and Executive Vice President of AB Electrolux, has decided to retire from the company. The major appliances organization in Middle East and Africa (MEA), which is currently part of Major Appliances Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), will be included in Major Appliances Asia Pacific (APAC). Dan Arler, currently Head of Major Appliances Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Executive Vice President of AB Electrolux, has been appointed Head of Major Appliances APAC & MEA and Executive Vice President of AB Electrolux. Anna Ohlsson-Leijon , currently Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of AB Electrolux, has been appointed Head of Major Appliances Europe and Executive Vice President of AB Electrolux. Therese Friberg , currently CFO of Major Appliances EMEA, has been appointed new CFO of AB Electrolux. The management changes are effective as from October 1, 2018 and the change in the business area organizational structure from January 1, 2019 . "Ken has made significant contributions to our company since he joined Electrolux in 2015. Under his leadership, Electrolux has successfully strengthened its position in Southeast Asia and Australia, and created a new foundation for growth in China. I wish him all the best for the future," said Jonas Samuelson, President and CEO of Electrolux. "I am very pleased that Electrolux through structured succession planning have three strong leaders in Dan, Anna and Therese to take on their new and important roles within the Group Management team. Merging the two organizations within APAC and MEA, which are regions with similar market dynamics, will position Electrolux well to drive future growth." Dan Arler has been Head of Major Appliances EMEA since January 2016. He previously held the position as Senior Vice President of the Kitchen product line within the same business area. He has been with Electrolux since 2002, with previous responsibilities including heading the Laundry product line in Asia-Pacific, General Manager of Electrolux Japan and heading the Electrolux brand's business activities in EMEA. Anna Ohlsson-Leijon has been Group CFO since February 2016. She held the position as CFO of Major Appliances EMEA from 2013-2016. Anna joined Electrolux in 2001 as Director of Project Management. She has since held senior management positions including Head of the Group's internal audit function, Group Treasurer and Head of Corporate Control & Services. Therese Friberg was appointed CFO of Major Appliances EMEA in 2016. Therese joined the company in 1999 and has held several positions within the company, including Head of Group Business Control, Sector Controller Home Care & SDA, Pricing Manager EMEA and Product Line Kitchen Controller EMEA. She is a Swedish citizen and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Stockholm University, Sweden. Electrolux plans to publish restated financial information for earlier periods for the business areas Major Appliances Europe and Major Appliances APAC & MEA in connection with the release of the Q4 interim report on February 1, 2019. 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/management-changes-in-ab-electrolux,c2593373 The following files are available for download: http://mb.cision.com/Main/1853/2593373/892102.pdf PDF http://news.cision.com/electrolux/i/dan-arler,c2467102 Dan Arler http://news.cision.com/electrolux/i/therese-friberg,c2467103 Therese Friberg http://news.cision.com/electrolux/i/therese-friberg-2,c2467104 Therese Friberg 2 http://news.cision.com/electrolux/i/anna-ohlsson-leijon,c2467105 Anna Ohlsson-Leijon http://news.cision.com/electrolux/i/dan-therese-anna,c2467106 Dan Therese Anna SOURCE Electrolux LONDON, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Reputation events, such as cyber attacks, have a direct impact on share price, according to the findings of a new report released today by Pentland Analytics with Aon plc, a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions. The 2018 Reputation Risk in the Cyber Age study looked at 125 reputation events during the last decade, measuring the impact on shareholder value over the course of the following year. The report found that since the introduction of social media, the impact of reputation events on stock prices has doubled. In the wake of a crisis, the size of a company and the strength of its reputation did little to protect against the loss of value. "Although risk management awareness and tools have evolved, reputation risk continues to weigh on corporate executives as one of their leading concerns. For the past 10 years, reputation risk has occupied one of the top spots on Aon's bi-annual Global Risk Management Survey," said Randy Nornes, enterprise client leader, Aon. "Savvy companies that develop and use a robust risk management framework can not only better navigate reputation events but can often see a net gain in value post-event." At times of crisis, investors often use information about a company shared on social media to re-assess their expectations of future cash flow, which can positively or negatively impact a company's share price. Report findings showed that companies could add 20 percent of value or lose up to 30 percent of value depending on their reputation risk preparedness and management behavior in the immediate aftermath of a crisis. The study identified key drivers of successful recovery from a reputation event, including: Crisis communications must be instant and global Perceptions of honesty and transparency are essential Active, social responsibility is critical "New technologies continue to emerge, such as robotics, artificial intelligence and bionics, all requiring constant vigilance," added Dr. Deborah Pretty, founding director of Pentland Analytics. "Technological developments have heightened reputation risk by making it easier, cheaper and faster for people to spread news." The core research into the impact of crises on shareholder value was first conducted by Pretty in 1993 and again in 2000, before social media was an active influencer. The reports focused, respectively, on the contrasting abilities of firms to recover from crises as well as reputation impact in the absence of physical loss. In the 2018 version of the study, special attention was given to both the growth in social media and the value impact of cyber attacks. Read more in The One Brief and share on LinkedIn here. About Aon Aon plc (NYSE:AON) Aon is a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions. Our 50,000 colleagues in 120 countries empower results for clients by using proprietary data and analytics to deliver insights that reduce volatility and improve performance. Aon has five specific global solution lines: Commercial Risk Solutions, Reinsurance Solutions, Retirement Solutions, Health Solutions and Data & Analytic Services. About Pentland Analytics Pentland Analytics provides advanced analytics and advisory services to the executive management of the world's leading companies. The firm converts complex business issues into analytics solutions that yield clear insights and direction. The results inform strategic decisions and help to build clients' resilience, reputation and shareholder value. Follow Aon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aon_plc Visit the Aon Newsroom: http://www.aon.com/home/newsroom/index.html Media Contact: Allyson Marcus 267.994.9052 [email protected] SOURCE Aon plc Related Links http://www.aon.com HANOVER, Mass., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. magazine ranked Rustic Marlin No. 366 on its annual Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Companies in America, landing in the top 7% of the most distinguished ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list is created based on 2014-2017 revenue growth and Rustic Marlin's three-year sales growth was an impressive 1,361.5%. Rustic Marlin Ranks #366 on Inc 5000's America's Fastest Growing Companies, #1 Fastest Growing Consumer Products Company in Massachusetts A good idea and hard work can take you from making a product in your garage to one of America's fastest growing companies. Inc. Magazine ranked Rustic Marlin # 366 on its annual Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Companies in America! Congrats to the other amazing companies recognized in 2018 including powerhouses such as Peloton, Brooklinen and PopSockets "We are honored and delighted to have earned this prestigious award and are so proud of our talented team and all they have accomplished to receive this recognition," said Melanie O'Neil, Founder + President. "I personally love reading the stories describing how each business achieved their growth. It is reassuring and encouraging to learn that so many extraordinary leaders experience the same fears and accomplishments every day." Inc. 5000 is one of the most exclusive clubs in business. Since 1982, the list has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success and represents the nation's most successful small and mid-sized businesses. Companies that make this list have on average grown sixfold since 2014. As an honoree, Rustic Marlin is recognized among companies such as Intuit, Under Armour, GoPro, Timberland and many more who have gone on to become household names. Additional businesses recognized in 2018 include powerhouse companies such as Peloton, Brooklinen and PopSockets. "Being recognized by Inc. proves that a good idea and a tremendous amount of hard work can take you from making a product in your garage to one of America's fastest growing companies," said Brian O'Neil Founder + President. About Rustic Marlin Rustic Marlin designs and manufactures premium wooden decor. The business was founded out of love in 2012 when Melanie and Brian O'Neil tied the knot. After searching tirelessly for the perfect gifts, the couple decided to craft their own. Creating custom signs in their garage quickly became more than just a weekend DIY project for this dynamic duo. Today, all products are crafted at the Rustic Marlin corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility based in Hanover, Massachusetts. Five years later, we have grown into a team of over 50 craftsmen, designers and artists who remain true to the brand's roots by exceeding customer expectations with our quality, handcrafted, American-made products. Further information: Press Kit + Images | rusticmarlin.com Media Contact: Melanie O'Neil | [email protected] | 508.376.1004 SOURCE Rustic Marlin Related Links http://rusticmarlin.com SSL will develop antenna subsystem prototypes in support of U.S. leadership in space and national defense requirements HERNDON, VA, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - SSL, a Maxar Technologies company (formerly MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.) (NYSE: MAXR; TSX: MAXR), and a leading provider of innovative satellites and spacecraft systems, announced today that it was selected to help define next generation protected communications for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. SSL will develop, test and analyze antenna subsystem prototypes through a contract with the Space Enterprise Consortium, managed by Advanced Technology International. The award highlights SSL's ability to contribute to U.S. leadership in space with novel concepts for the U.S. Department of Defense's next-generation spacecraft systems. Leveraging its knowledge of trends in satellite communications and next-generation advances both in space and on the ground, SSL will create antenna subsystem prototypes that define and demonstrate key technologies for a resilient, cost-effective, and high performance protected tactical satellite communications capability. The study builds on previous SSL studies to develop and demonstrate next-generation military satellite communications architectures for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. "The combination of SSL's agile mindset and innovative new space technologies with our team's experience in multiple generations of MILSATCOM architectures uniquely positions us to accelerate the DoD's development and integration of cost-effective and highly advanced solutions that will support the defense of our nation," said Richard White, president of SSL Government Systems. "There are more than 85 SSL-built communications satellites currently in-orbit, and we are proud to leverage that experience to further expand and support U.S. Air Force capabilities." As part of Maxar Technologies, SSL brings unmatched integrated capabilities, solutions and expertise from the company's four leading space brands to address complex mission-critical challenges that require vision, agility and value. The company's trusted partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense is gaining momentum with contributions to a variety of next-generation studies that position SSL and the Maxar family of companies as important contributors to our nation's leadership in space. SSL recently completed a study exploring new solutions for next-generation space architectures to meet the objectives of the U.S. Air Force Space Command's Space Enterprise Vision, which is expected to accelerate crucial technologies for resilient space defense capabilities. About SSL SSL, based in Palo Alto, California, is a leading provider of advanced spacecraft systems, with broad expertise to support commercial and government satellite operators and innovative space missions. The company designs and manufactures spacecraft for services such as direct-to-home television, video content distribution, broadband internet, mobile communications, in-orbit servicing, space exploration, and Earth observation. As a Silicon Valley innovator for 60 years, SSL's advanced product line includes state-of-the-art small satellites, and sophisticated robotics and autonomous solutions for remote operations. SSL is a Maxar Technologies company (NYSE: MAXR; TSX: MAXR). For more information, visit www.sslmda.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. Contact Wendy Lewis | SSL Media Contact | 1-650-852-5188 | [email protected] Jason Gursky | Maxar Investor Relations | 1-303-684-2207 | [email protected] Nancy Coleman | Maxar Media Contact | 1-303-684-1674 | [email protected] SOURCE Maxar Technologies Ltd. Related Links www.maxar.com CHICAGO, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- McDermott Will & Emery's Health Industry Advisory practice has been recognized in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, with 34 attorneys listed in the Health Care Law category the most of any US firm. All told, 37 practice members from seven US offices were named in this oldest and most respected peer-review legal publication. Three lawyers from the practice Kerrin B. Slattery, William Gaede and Russell Hayman were further distinguished with the prestigious "Lawyer of the Year" award. The Best Lawyers list is based on a peer-review survey, with those named having earned the respect of other leading lawyers in the same communities and practice areas. Individuals named as a "Lawyer of the Year" have received the highest overall peer-feedback for their abilities, professionalism and integrity. "It's an honor that our industry colleagues have again recognized us in Best Lawyers," said Stephen W. Bernstein, partner and International Head of McDermott's Health Industry Advisory Group. "This represents a tangible outcome of our commitment to understanding our clients' business and their unique industry-centered needs. It's also a validation of our roll-up-the-sleeves approach to finding practical, creative and sometimes unexpected solutions to their business goals. We are excited to continue delivering superior results on their behalf." In the Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice and Health Care Law categories, Best Lawyers highlighted the following 37 Health Industry Advisory practice attorneys: In total, the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America recognized 145 McDermott lawyers from 49 practice specialties, across regional jurisdictions. The Firm is also among the top 40 law firms in the United States with the most lawyers listed, positioning it as a market leader with continued recognition by peers and market commentators. McDermott's Litigation Practice, which has received accolades for its excellence in the health care space, also had 11 attorneys recognized for their work in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Litigation Health Care. These included: McDermott is the nation's leading health care law firm. The Health Industry Advisory group is the only health practice to receive top national rankings from US News Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms," Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US, and Law360. The practice was also recognized by Chambers as "Health Team of the Year" in 2010, 2013 and 2017. Since 2017, McDermott has taken the top spot in PitchBook's League Tables as the most active firm for health care private equity. For McDermott's full Best Lawyers ranking results, please click here. About McDermott Will & Emery McDermott Will & Emery is a premier international law firm with a diversified business practice. Numbering more than 1,000 lawyers, we have offices in Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Dallas, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Milan, Munich, New York, Orange County, Paris, Seoul, Silicon Valley and Washington, DC. Further extending our reach into Asia, we have a strategic alliance with MWE China Law Offices in Shanghai. About Best Lawyers Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. 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 75 countries. SOURCE McDermott Will & Emery LLP CASTLE ROCK, Colo., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- After 25 years in business, Todd Park of BCK Sales & Service has retired. The Colorado-based chiropractic equipment supplier and repair business has been acquired by Medical Specialists Company. This recent acquisition makes Medical Specialists Company (MSC) the only medical equipment business focusing on chiropractors in the Colorado market. Additionally, this has helped MSC maintain or lower their supply item prices allowing them to offer their best pricing ever. Lastly, Medical Specialists Company is now the only chiropractor specific company that works on tables of all makes and models in the Colorado market. Kent Altenberg, President of Medical Specialists Company, said, "MSC welcomes the BCK clients with open arms. It is an honor to bring the very best consulting and equipment service to chiropractors across the state of Colorado. MSC's growth ensures our ability to keep our supply pricing competitive while providing a local business presence that helps our clients grow their business." About Medical Specialists Company Medical Specialists Company (MSC) is a family owned & operated company with over 50 years of experience servicing and selling chiropractic, physical therapy and message therapy equipment. Our focus has always been and always will be those core markets. Through free consultations & superior customer service, we've earned an exceptional reputation with many local practices. Contact: Kent Altenberg Medical Specialists Company (303) 468-0008 [email protected] https://buymsc.com SOURCE Medical Specialists Company MILWAUKEE, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Milwaukee Art Museum proudly congratulated 8-year-old Sophia Monson of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, the one millionth child reached by Kohl's Cares programming at the Museum. While building a sculpture in the Kohl's Art Generation Studio, Sophia, her father and baby sister were surprised with a prize package made up of Milwaukee Art Museum merchandise, a gift bag of art supplies, a $250 Museum gift card and a cake to share with other families at the Museum. "We are so proud that we could celebrate the one million milestone with Sophia, her dad and sister," said Emily Sullivan, Director of Youth and Family Programs, Milwaukee Art Museum. "Since Kohl's began their support in 2008, Kohl's Cares has helped us make the Milwaukee Art Museum a truly family-friendly world-class art museum, opening up new possibilities for families and children from the entire region." Since 2008, Kohl's Cares has supported a variety of family-friendly programs including the Kohl's Art Generation Studio, the Kohl's Art Generation Lab: Haitian Art, Kohl's Color Wheels out in the community, Kohl's Family Sundays, Kohl's Storytime in the Galleries, and the Kohl's Art Generation Touch Tour app. In 2017, Kohl's Cares also took on sponsorship of the Museum's policy of free admission for kids 12 and under, keeping the program intact. Sophia said her favorite parts of the Museum are "looking at the art and making art." Kids 12 years old and under are free every day the Museum is open thanks to Kohl's Cares. About the Milwaukee Art Museum Home to a rich collection of more than 30,000 works of art, the Milwaukee Art Museum is located on the shores of Lake Michigan. Its campus includes the Santiago Calatravadesigned Quadracci Pavilion, annually showcasing three feature exhibitions, and the Eero Saarinendesigned Milwaukee County War Memorial Center and David Kahlerdesigned addition. The Museum recently reopened its Collection Galleries, debuting nearly 2,500 world-class works of art within dramatically transformed galleries and a new lakefront addition. This reimagined space also allows for the presentation of additional changing exhibitions. For more information, please visit: mam.org. General Admission Pricing $19 Adults $17 Students (w/ID), Seniors (65+) Free for Kids 12 & under every day thanks to Kohl's Cares Free to Members Free to Wisconsin K12 teachers with valid school ID or pay stub Free the first Thursday of every month, sponsored by Meijer Adult tour groups or school groups should call 414-224-3842. Media Contact: Josh Depenbrok, 414-224-3281 [email protected] SOURCE Milwaukee Art Museum Related Links http://mam.org Beginning now through September 23, 2018, consumers are encouraged to take a photo of their foreign nameplate vehicle and then share it at www.BeckPromo.com . Entrants should include a brief description indicating why they are passionate about their vehicle and if they have used Beck/Arnley parts for any repairs. Approved entries will be displayed on the website, and each week, a winner will be selected at random to receive a US$500 gift card. All entrants will also be entered for a chance to win the grand prize of a weekend getaway for two to their choice of four destinations: Las Vegas, Nevada; Napa Valley in California; New York City; or Nashville, Tennessee. "We understand that drivers really love their foreign nameplate vehicles, and with over 24,000 parts for 1800 of these cars, Beck/Arnley is a perfect fit for consumers that want to maintain their rides with products that meet OE specifications for form, fit and function," said Lou Kafantaris, Senior Manager, Marketing, Beck/Arnley, Federal-Mogul Motorparts. "We're excited to see what consumers submit to the website, and encourage everyone to participate for the chance to win a great prize package." Beck/Arnley recently launched an updated look for the 104-year old brand, including a new logo and a refreshed website to provide consumers with an easier method of identifying the products they need. Featuring an enhanced part finder that provides users with a more robust look-up system, making it easier to find the right part or fluid for one's needs, the site also debuts a modern look-and-feel. For more information and the complete sweepstakes rules, visit www.BeckPromo.com. To 'Check with Beck,' contact your Federal-Mogul Motorparts representative for more information, or visit our new website at www.beckarnley.com, or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/beckarnley and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/beckarnley/. Contest Rules Check with Beck Sweepstakes: No purchase or payment necessary to enter or win. A purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Sweepstakes starts on August 6, 2018 at 9:00:00 a.m. ET and ends on September 23, 2018 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States, D.C., Puerto Rico or Canada (excluding Quebec), who are 18 years of age or older and the age of majority in their state/province/territory of residence. Prizes: One (1) Grand Prize: a trip for one (1) winner and one (1) verified guest to their choice of a destination location provided in full Official Rules before December 31, 2019, ARV: $3,500.00 USD (a Canadian Grand Prize winner will receive cash equivalent less applicable US income tax; ARV: $4,455.85CAD). Grand Prize winner from Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico must initiate and conclude their prize travel from within the 48 contiguous United States. Seven (7) Weekly prizes: a $500.00 USD pre-paid gift card for U.S. residents or a $500.00 International pre-paid gift card for Canadian residents. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible Entries received. Void in Quebec, and where prohibited. To enter and for complete Official Rules, visit http://www.BeckPromo.com. Sponsor: Federal-Mogul Motorparts LLC, 27300 W 11 Mile Road, Southfield, Michigan 48034. About Federal-Mogul Federal-Mogul LLC is a leading global supplier of products and services to the world's manufacturers and servicers of vehicles and equipment in the automotive, light, medium and heavy-duty commercial, marine, rail, aerospace, power generation and industrial markets. The company's products and services enable improved fuel economy, reduced emissions and enhanced vehicle safety. Federal-Mogul operates two independent business divisions, each with a chief executive officer reporting to Federal-Mogul's Board of Directors. Federal-Mogul Motorparts sells and distributes a broad portfolio of products through more than 20 of the world's most recognized brands in the global vehicle aftermarket, while also serving original equipment vehicle manufacturers with products including braking, wipers and a range of chassis components. The company's aftermarket brands include ANCO wipers; Beck/Arnley premium OE quality parts and fluids; BERU* ignition systems; Champion lighting, spark plugs, wipers and filters; Interfil filters; AE, Fel-Pro, FP Diesel, Goetze, Glyco, National, Nural, Payen, Sealed Power and Speed-Pro engine products; MOOG chassis components; and Abex, Ferodo, Jurid and Wagner brake products and lighting. Federal-Mogul Powertrain designs and manufactures original equipment powertrain components and systems protection products for automotive, heavy-duty, industrial and transport applications. Federal-Mogul was founded in Detroit in 1899 and maintains its worldwide headquarters in Southfield, Michigan. The company employs nearly 55,000 in 24 countries. For more information, please visit www.FMmotorparts.com. *BERU is a registered trademark of BorgWarner CONTACT: Karen Shulhan (Federal-Mogul Motorparts) 248.354.4383 [email protected] Drew Shippy (Pinnacle Media) 330.688.3500 [email protected] SOURCE Federal-Mogul Motorparts Related Links http://www.federalmogul.com The recent adoption of Nimble AMS by organizations signals the product's largest growth at any time. The unprecedented growth, the Nimble AMS Summer '18 release, and the integrations with Community Brands careers, learning and event technologies position the enterprise management software as an important membership solution in the newly announced Community Brands association software suite . The end-to-end software suite helps associations increase revenue, improve efficiency and digitally engage members. "We're thrilled to have recently transitioned to Community Brands Nimble AMS. It's a tremendous advantage for our association," said Charlie Haws, Senior Specialist, Membership at American College of Rheumatology. "We wanted a scalable system that provides us with seamless upgrades and continuous enhancements. With Nimble AMS, we now have access to an evergreen association platform that puts innovation at our fingertips. The fact that we launched Nimble AMS in six months is a testament to Community Brands commitment to its customer's needs, the capabilities of its staff, and the facility of the platform." The new growth of Nimble AMS comes on the heels of millions of dollars in resource investment by Community Brands to accelerate delivery of the product development roadmap and customer experience. There has also been a strong effort to create more awareness about Nimble AMS and market the power of Salesforce by leveraging Community Brands' industry knowledge and expertise. "More associations are building their future on Salesforce," said Dan Gaertner, EVP and GM of Membership Solutions, Community Brands. "We have made significant investment in resources and feature enhancements to expand the capabilities of Nimble AMS. We're empowering our Nimble AMS customers to operate on the same level as large for-profit organizations. Their staffs are providingand their members are gettinga significantly better experience through a true mobile-first, high-performance and personalized set of tools. This is allowing organizations to elevate the member experience and drive growth in their organizations." A portion of the Community Brands investment also fueled the current Nimble AMS Summer '18 release. With this current version, associations now have access to more payment options, improved data privacy and protection, and expanded event management capabilities. There are also design improvements that allow developers and administrative staff to more easily configure Nimble AMS to meet specific needs of their organization and membership. "It's never been more important for associations to operate through an enterprise platform based on CRM," said Sigmund VanDamme, Membership Software Evangelist at Community Brands. "Associations want to deliver members a personalized experience. But first, they must have a deep understanding of their members. With Nimble AMS, members and staff are enriched by an experience enhanced with artificial intelligence, personalization and large product investments." Nimble AMS is an enterprise AMS, with every customer always on the same version. The solution is upgraded three times a year at no cost to customers. The Salesforce App Cloud empowers customers to configure Nimble AMS to meet staff and member needs through a point-and-click process versus custom coding. The Salesforce AppExchange also enables customers to extend the power of Nimble AMS with more than 4,000 applications, including email marketing, accounting, volunteer management and project management. Association leaders and staff can experience the latest capabilities of Nimble AMS and the new Community Brands end-to-end association software suite August 18 21 at Community Brands booth #301 during the 2018 American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Annual Meeting and Expo at McCormick Place in Chicago. Learn more about Community Brands and its Association Solutions, Nonprofit Solutions and K-12 Solutions at CommunityBrands.com. About Community Brands Community Brands is the leading provider of cloud-based software to associations, nonprofits, K-12 schools and faith-based groups. Through innovation and technology, the company empowers more than 100,000 clients and partners to succeed faster, grow stronger and achieve social good. Organizations adopt Community Brands software to manage memberships, career centers, learning, accounting, mobile giving, peer-to-peer fundraising, donations, admissions, enrollments and events. Using these engagement platforms, customers of all sizes create meaningful and lasting experiences for their members, donors, volunteers and families. Headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA, Community Brands serves the social good community in more than 30 countries. To learn more, visit communitybrands.com or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Media Contact Michael Piotrowski [email protected] 727.497.5975 SOURCE Community Brands Related Links https://www.communitybrands.com SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In order to maximize eyes on a listing as widely and as early as possible, Pacific Union International, the fifth largest real estate brokerage in the U.S. by sales volume, is harnessing the power of its leadership position in California to launch Private View. Nick Segal, president of Pacific Union International Southern California, developed the brokerage's proprietary new portal, Private View, giving home buyers a head start on finding homes for sale before they are widely marketed. Pacific Union has ten percent of the California real estate market, making Private View a huge game changer for those who seek to buy or sell a home in the state. Private View is a public portal that showcases listings from the day that they are put into contract as they are being prepared for off-market or on-MLS sale. Buyers and the public can access the portal by clicking on https://www.pacificunion.com/privateviewmarketplace. This allows buyers to engage earlier in the sales process with sellers and their representatives. In inventory-strapped San Francisco Bay Area markets, Private View brings listings to buyers earlier than ever, allowing them to contact real estate professionals about a home before it's listed on the MLS or is sold off market. With 20 percent of sales in San Francisco and 30 percent of sales in Los Angeles executed off market, this portal a game-changer for buyers. Today, Pacific Union is showcasing nearly $400 million in inventory on Private View. The portal includes a thumbnail photo, the listing price, and the city where a listing is located. No addresses or names are listed, hence the name Private View. Buyers looking to see what homes are coming to market can go on the portal, view listings in cities that they are interested in, and request to be connected to the real estate professional who holds the listing for more information. "The idea of Private View evolved from our approach and the success we are having with pre-marketing our listings coming soon to the market," Pacific Union International President, Southern California Nick Segal says. "As a company we're dedicated to creating a go-to market strategy that is unparalleled in the industry. The creation of our own marketplace that's not only accessible to the brokerage community but to the public too delivers on this strategy." The list of attributes for Private View is long and impressive: These are more than listings; Pacific Union is creating a marketplace that brings together buyers and sellers of real estate before the homes are widely marketed to the public. is creating a marketplace that brings together buyers and sellers of real estate before the homes are widely marketed to the public. It is the first online marketplace designed for both buyers and sellers to privately view exclusively signed listings before they are widely marketed to the public. These are exclusively signed listings that are coming to market , not secret pocket listings or off-market listings. It features Pacific Union listings in Northern and Southern California , where the brokerage has 10 percent market share of all listings. listings in Northern and , where the brokerage has 10 percent market share of all listings. Sellers can test a home's price before going into MLS and without accruing additional days on market. Open to anyone to view not only Pacific Union clients. "The benefits of Private View to buyers are obvious, as they can be first to see inventory prior to being on the open market," Pacific Union Bay Area real estate professional Payton Stiewe says. "As for sellers, it's even more brilliant, as it allows me and my colleagues in the Bay Area to reach targeted buyers with our properties for sale in a meaningful way, well in advance of being on the MLS or appearing on Zillow and without the 'days on the market' accruing. Further, many buyers will pay a premium to purchase a home in a less competitive market than when while a home is listed widely." About Pacific Union International Founded in San Francisco in 1975, Pacific Union International, Inc. is the West Coast's premier luxury real estate brand, with 2017 sales volume of $14.1 billion. In 2018, real estate industry leaders RISMedia and REAL Trends ranked Pacific Union as the fifth-largest brokerage in the U.S. The prestigious London-based International Property Awards awarded Pacific Union "Global Real Estate Brokerage of the Year 2017-2018." Through its 2015 acquisition of The Mark Company, the nation's leading sales and marketing firm for new urban luxury developments, Pacific Union expanded its brand to development projects from San Diego to Seattle. In 2016, Pacific Union merged with Los Angeles-based brokerage John Aaroe Group, followed in 2017 with mergers with Partners Trust and Gibson International also based in Los Angeles, and Empire Realty Associates, extending the Pacific Union brand to become the preeminent leader and ultimate California real estate company. The strategic alliance of these five powerhouses supports 1,700 elite real estate professionals in more than 50 offices throughout the West Coast. Northern California markets include San Francisco, Marin, Contra Costa, Alameda, Napa, and Sonoma counties; Silicon Valley; and the Lake Tahoe region. Greater Los Angeles markets include Beverly Hills, Malibu, Downtown, Northeast L.A., the Westside, as well as the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys. To extend Pacific Union's international reach, the brokerage established an award-winning, Beijing-based China Concierge program in 2013 that fully supports its Chinese investors on the mainland. Additionally, Pacific Union offers a full range of personal and commercial real estate services, including buying, selling and relocation, in addition to operating joint-venture businesses that provide rental and commercial property management and insurance services. Locally owned, Pacific Union executes with a vision for the future, an entrepreneurial mindset and an unwavering commitment to deliver exceptional service and expertise. For more information, visit: www.pacificunion.com SOURCE Pacific Union International Related Links http://www.pacificunion.com NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pareteum Corporation (NYSE American: TEUM), ("Pareteum" or the "Company"), the rapidly growing Global Cloud Software company, delivering award winning mobile enablement solutions, announced today that a Southeast Asia national mobile operator has selected Pareteum's Global Software Defined Cloud (GSDC) in a 3-year $4 million agreement, enabling a complete digital transformation of their consumer and enterprise Mobile Virtual Network subscribers. By combining our new customer's existing national mobile network with Pareteum's GSDC, all digital services, including Internet of Things, Mobile Virtual Network Operations and enterprise applications, are aggregated by the creation of this fully integrated turnkey software solution. As our new client onboards their new customers with Pareteum's GSDC, their respective brands can now create unique, custom-designed marketing plans for individual subscribers. Under the terms of the contract, initial service deployment is expected by the end of November 2018, and 2018 revenue contribution is approximately $100,000. The balance of the remaining 35-month contractual revenue backlog is expected to be recognized over the remainder of the contract, beginning January 1, 2019. Vic Bozzo, Chief Executive Officer of Pareteum, stated, "As the digital economy takes over, Asia is quickly growing in connections and investing in software solutions for expanding needs. Pareteum is pleased to provide this client with a single solution that allows them to manage different types of unique clients and tailor their offering each time without having to deploy a new platform." Hal Turner, Executive Chairman and Principal Executive Officer of Pareteum, commented, "Pareteum's mission of open mobility and application networks via our Global Software Defined Cloud is epitomized with our newest customer who has operated successfully in Southeast Asia for more than 5 years, since the competitive deregulation in their country. Pareteum's SuperAPI provides a flexible solution, without heavy infrastructure capital investment, and, is at the heart of our ability to create geographic freedom to unlock the limitless potential of this connected region." About Pareteum Corporation: Pareteum Corporation (NYSE American: TEUM) is a rapidly growing Global Software Defined Cloud company with a mission to connect "every person and everything." Organizations use Pareteum to energize their growth and profitability through our Global Software Defined Cloud and complete turnkey solutions featuring relevant content, applications, and connectivity worldwide. Our Cloud platform services partners (technologies integrated into our cloud) include: HPE, IBM, Ribbon Communications (Sonus+GenBand), NetNumber, Oracle, Microsoft, and other world class technology providers. All of the relevant customer acquired value is derived from Pareteum's leading Global Software Defined Cloud, delivering award-winning mobile enablement, regardless of the user's location or network. By harnessing the value of communications, Pareteum serves retail, enterprise and IoT customers. Pareteum currently has offices in New York, Sao Paulo, Madrid, Barcelona, Bahrain and the Netherlands. For more information please visit: www.pareteum.com. Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements contained herein constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, without limitation, statements with respect to Pareteum's plans and objectives, projections, expectations and intentions. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about Pareteum's industry, management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by management. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Because such statements involve risks and uncertainties, the actual results and performance of Pareteum may differ materially from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Unless otherwise required by law, Pareteum also disclaims any obligation to update its view of any such risks or uncertainties or to announce publicly the result of any revisions to the forward-looking statements made here. Additional information concerning certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested in Pareteum's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available from the SEC or may be obtained upon request from Pareteum Corporation. Pareteum Investor Relations Contacts: Ted O'Donnell Chief Financial Officer (212) 984-1096 [email protected] Stephen Hart Hayden IR (917) 658-7878 Carrie Howes Rayleigh Capital Dubai- London T UAE: +971 (0) 55 997 0427 | T UK: +44 (0) 870 490 5443 | T CAN: +1 416 900 3634 SOURCE Pareteum Corporation Related Links http://www.pareteum.com LOS ANGELES, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Raines Feldman LLP, a Century City based business law firm, announced today that it was named as one of the Best Places to Work in Los Angeles. This twelfth annual program was created by the Los Angeles Business Journal and Best Companies Group. This survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best employers in Los Angeles, benefiting the county's economy, workforce and businesses. The list is made up of 100 companies. Raines Feldman LLP has been named one of this year's Best Places to Work in Los Angeles, and is the highest ranking law firm in the Medium Company category. To be considered for participation, companies had to fulfill the following eligibility requirements: - Be a for-profit, not-for-profit business or government entity; - Be a publicly or privately held business; - Have a facility in Los Angeles; - Have at least 15 employees in Los Angeles; - Be in business a minimum of one year. Companies from across the county entered the two-part survey process to determine the Best Places to Work in Los Angeles. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final rankings. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Los Angeles, analyzed the data and determined the final rankings. The actual rankings were revealed at a special event on August 15, 2018, and published in the August 13, 2018 issue of the Los Angeles Business Journal. For more information on the Best Places to Work in Los Angeles program, visit www.BestPlacestoWorkLA.com. About Raines Feldman LLP: Founded in 2006, Raines Feldman LLP has grown to more than 50 lawyers with offices in Los Angeles and Orange County, California, and has made a name for itself as one of the most innovative, collaborative law firms in Los Angeles. The firm actively fosters a dynamic, inclusive, supportive culture and rejects preconceived notions about what a law firm is supposed to be. For more information, visit raineslaw.com. SOURCE Raines Feldman LLP Related Links https://www.raineslaw.com/ Smietana is an award-winning religion reporter and editor who has spent two decades producing breaking news, data journalism, investigative reporting, profiles and features for magazines, newspapers, trade publications and websites. Most notably, he has served as a senior writer for Facts & Trends, senior editor of Christianity Today, religion writer at The Tennessean, correspondent for RNS and contributor to OnFaith, USA Today and The Washington Post. He is best known for his coverage of Islam and Islamophobia, including his comprehensive reporting on the Murfreesboro mosque conflict, and of evangelical Christianity, including the emotional journey of Pearl Joy Brown's family as well as the ongoing Willow Creek Community Church scandal. "Bob Smietana is one of the most respected religion journalists in the United States," said Tom Gallagher, RNS CEO and publisher. "Bob is a deeply competent person of integrity, enthusiasm and generosity, and has mentored many of today's top religion journalists. We're delighted that he's our new editor-in-chief." Smietana credits RNS with first launching his career, and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to now lead the organization, expand its footprint and mentor the next generation of religion journalists. "The American religious landscape is being transformed before our eyes," Smietana said. "For more than 80 years, RNS has covered religion with accuracy, insight, empathy and independence. As a result, RNS is perfectly positioned to document that transformation and to help our readers navigate this new world." Smietana's appointment concludes a national search, which solicited more than 130 applicants, helmed by Nicole Neroulias Gupte, chair of the RNS Board of Managers. "After considering many qualified candidates for this position, we were impressed by the breadth and depth of Bob Smietana's religion journalism experience, his passion for this beat and commitment to our organization," Gupte said. "We look forward to working with him as RNS grows its staff and coverage areas, including implementing our Global Religion Journalism Initiative and other exciting projects." Dilshad D. Ali, editor of Altmuslim and a member of the RNS Journalism Advisory Council, also applauded the managing board's decision. "I admire Bob's enthusiasm for the beat and respect for religion as it influences people and stories every day. I appreciate his thirst for growth and knowledge and how he has reached out to me in the past to learn more about various aspects of Islam and American Muslim communities to further enrich his own journalism work," she said. "Our connections to each other through faith and non-faith communities is part of the backbone of religion reporting, and I'm excited to see RNS shed more light on these connections in its coverage, under Bob's guidance." RNS thanks G. Jeffrey MacDonald for his excellent work as interim editor-in-chief during the past several months, and has welcomed him as the newest member of its Journalism Advisory Council. Smietana's first day will be Sept. 4. RNS will host a welcome reception for him on Saturday, Sept. 15, at the Religion News Association's 69th Annual Conference in Columbus, OH. "It's a great honor to be named as editor-in-chief and to be asked to lead a group of talented and knowledgeable journalists," Smietana concluded. "There's no better place to cover religion than at RNS." Religion News Service is an independent, nonprofit and award-winning source of global news on religion, spirituality, culture and ethics, reported by a staff of professional journalists. Founded in 1934, RNS seeks to inform readers with objective reporting and insightful commentary and is relied upon by secular and faith-based news organizations in a number of countries. RNS is a subsidiary of the Religion News Foundation and affiliated with the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri. For more information, visit religionnews.com. Media Contact: Katie Garcia, Athene Strategies 914-525-1386 [email protected] SOURCE Religion News Service Related Links https://www.religionnews.com Robert Rubino, Santander Bank's co-president and head of Commercial Banking, said, "We are adding investments and resources to support our growing commercial business in Texas and the Southwest where Joanna's expertise is proving to be invaluable. She is a seasoned, effective and proven leader who knows these markets well and is helping Santander Bank thrive in this region." This investment underscores Santander Bank's commitment to adding resources in markets that enjoy its distinct value proposition namely, bringing valuable ideas to clients and prospects by leveraging its international, industry and capital markets capabilities and expertise. Joanna joins more than 3,300 Santander employees based in Dallas from the Bank's Commercial Banking Dealer Floor Plan business and from its sister company, Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc., which provides auto finance and consumer lending services nationwide. Joanna comes to Santander Bank after serving as global relationship manager for Fifth Third Bank in Dallas where she built and managed relationships with CEOs and CFOs of high-revenue generating international companies based in Texas. Previously, she served as vice president of Commercial Banking for JPMorgan Chase, where she successfully managed new business development prospects and client relationships with companies earning annual revenues between $20 million and $500 million. Among her many recognitions for leadership, Joanna was awarded the Marshall Memorial Fellowship in 2012, a transatlantic leadership program granted by the German Marshall Fund, and she subsequently served on the Fellowship Selection Committee. She is also a graduate of Leadership Dallas, a premier leadership development program, and joined the Dallas Regional Chamber on a June 2018 trade mission to London and Paris. Joanna has a B.A. in Business Administration from Rhodes College and is an advanced level Spanish speaker, having lived and worked in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is an active member of the Dallas community, serving as a volunteer for the Dallas Concilio and as a board member and past board chair of the Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico. For the past five years, Joanna has devoted time to mentoring seniors at Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School and, along with her husband, she is an active Social Venture Partner. Joanna is also an accomplished musician and co-founder of June Blount, a professional fiddle duo that includes six-time national champion Roberta Rast Smith. The duo performs at private and public events and, in November 2016, delivered a TEDx talk on the evolution of American fiddle styles. Santander Bank, N.A. is one of the country's largest retail and commercial banks and an active provider of capital, treasury management, risk management and international solutions to thousands of corporate and institutional clients across a wide variety of industries and geographies in the United States. Offering specialty groups of experienced bankers in Asset Based Lending, Government Banking, Auto Finance, Commercial Real Estate Banking, Commercial Equipment & Vehicle Financing, Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT), Healthcare, Transportation & Logistics, Food & Beverage and Consumer Retail, along with experts in Middle Market and Corporate & Investment Banking, Santander earns the loyalty of its commercial banking clients by offering services that help them manage their operating needs, maximize their working capital and grow their business domestically and internationally. The Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Madrid-based Banco Santander, S.A. (NYSE: SAN) - one of the most respected banking groups in the world with more than 125 million customers in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. For more information, please visit www.santanderbank.com. Media Contacts: Ann Davis 617-757-5891 [email protected] Nancy Orlando 617-757-5765 [email protected] SOURCE Santander Bank, N.A. Related Links https://www.santanderbank.com "There are tremendous growth opportunities for brokers working in the Senior Market since the entry of baby boomers," explains Colin S. Scheifler, Savoy Director, Consumer and Senior Markets. "Together with our carrier partners, we will prepare brokers for the high volume of anticipated sales for this year's AEP and other key opportunities in this booming market throughout the year." Featured speakers from Savoy and its carrier partners will cover 2019 plans and present key sales tactics and strategies to elevate brokers' sales revenue. Additionally, there will be opportunities to network with Savoy's carrier partners throughout the event. Savoy will host three sessionsAugust 28 in Eastern PA, August 29 in Southern NJ and August 30 in Northern NJ. A continental breakfast, lunch and refreshments will be provided for participants. Registration is required as space is limited. REGISTRATION INFORMATION Date: Tuesday, August 28, 2018 Time: 9:00AM 1:30PM Location: Springfield Country Club, 400 West Sproul Road, Springfield, PA 19064 Register here: Savoy AEP Kickoff (Springfield, PA) Date: Wednesday, August 29, 2018 Time: 9:00AM 1:30PM Location: Ramblewood Country Club, 200 Country Club Parkway, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054 Register here: Savoy AEP Kickoff (Mount Laurel, NJ) Date: Thursday, August 30, 2018 Time: 9:00AM 1:30PM Location: Galloping Hill Park and Golf Course, 3 Golf Drive, Kenilworth, NJ 07033 Register here: Savoy AEP Kickoff (Kenilworth, NJ) Brokers can also email [email protected] to reserve their seat. About SAVOY Savoy is an innovative benefits consulting firm and general agency. With over 30 years' experience, Savoy's strategic partnerships bring continued growth to brokers, carriers and vendors. Savoy tactically provides best-in-class products and services including comprehensive health and specialty benefits, compliance, HR services, technology solutions, research, education and other employer-related services. SOURCE Savoy Related Links http://www.savoyassociates.com BOCA RATON, Fla., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. is pleased to announce the acquisition of Merchants Preferred Insurance Services, INC, headquartered in Erie, PA. Merchants Preferred Insurance Services has been serving the Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia areas for over 25 years. Family owned and operated, Merchants offers highly personalized solutions for all commercial, personal, and auto insurance needs. Merchants Preferred Insurance Services is one of Pennsylvania's fastest growing insurance agencies. This acquisition will strengthen Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty's foothold in the Northeast. Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. continues to target high-quality independent agencies for geographic expansion and continued growth throughout the United States. With the addition of Merchants Preferred Insurance Services, Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. will continue to reach new and current clients by helping them protect their most important valuables with not only the right insurance but with the right service for each client. SHP&C offers: Homeowner's Policy Automobile Insurance Renter's Policy Private Client Umbrella Coverage Commercial and Employee Coverage Personal Liability Coverage Employee Benefits Human Resources Professional Liability Insurance Marshal Seeman, President of Seeman Holtz Property and Casualty, stated, "We are pleased to have the Merchant team join our family of companies. They bring in excellent client and carrier relationships to our team." Brett Williams, Vice President, added, "The Merchant Preferred Insurance team will roll into our Vincent Urban Walker division in the Midwest. We look forward to bringing our client service model to their existing relationships." About Our Company: The Seeman Holtz family of companies provides comprehensive financial and insurance advice to clients across the country. Contact: Eric Holtz Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty 844.255.6639 [email protected] SOURCE Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sen Do Technology JSC (Sendo), the #1 Vietnamese C2C marketplace, today announced that it has secured an investment of USD 51 million led by the SBI Group from Japan for Series B round, having SoftBank Ventures Korea, Daiwa PI Partners, and SKS Ventures as new investors. The funding round from investors in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan was participated by all the existing investors, including SBI Group, FPT Group, eContext Asia, BEENEXT, and BEENOS. Nguyen Dac Viet Dung, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Sendo, said: "The funding would help the company to expand the C2C platform Sendo, launch the B2C marketplace SenMall, and making SenPay the leading fintech platform in Vietnam. Our ultimate goal is to continue to support hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese sellers to prosper, and along the way help creating millions of jobs for the Vietnamese people. Having achieved the annualized GMV of 330 million USD, the company is on track to surpass USD 1 billion of GMV in 2020." Daniel Kang, Partner and Managing Director of SoftBank Ventures Korea, said: "Vietnam is at its inflection point, bolstered by rapid GDP growth, young population and willingness to adopt technology. Against this backdrop, Vietnam's e-commerce has strong growth potential and we believe Sendo's marketplace model will benefit from the environments the most." In a fast-growing e-commerce market, Sendo has differentiated itself by focusing on not only Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City but also the untapped Tier 2 cities population, where 70 million Vietnamese people live. Being a homegrown company also allows the company to have deep understanding of the Vietnamese local market and culture. Sendo currently serves more than 300,000 sellers and millions of buyers in all 63 provinces in Vietnam. To achieve its fast growth, Sendo focuses on utilizing the strength of partners in the ecosystem, such as merchants, third-party logistics, and advertising companies. The company also provides SenPay, a Mobile Wallet Service and Fintech solution on Sendo Platform as well as the off-line world. Introduction of Sendo: Launched in March 2012, Sendo is the #1 C2C marketplace in Vietnam, offering more than 10 million of products on its platform. This is also the first e-commerce marketplace combined with logistics providers and banks to provide customers with a full package of guaranteed transaction. In 2016, Sendo's fintech subsidiary FPT Wallet, which operates Senpay, received e-payment licensed from the State Bank of Vietnam. Introduction of SoftBank Ventures Korea Established in year 2000, SoftBank Ventures Korea is the only global early-stage venture capital arm of SoftBank Group based in Seoul, Korea. SoftBank Ventures Korea invests in start-ups with a strong potential in Asia, the U.S., Israel, and the EU, focusing on AI, IoT, and smart robotics industry. To date, Softbank Ventures Korea has invested US$600 million across 230 start-up companies. Introductions of Daiwa PI Partners Daiwa PI Partners is an entity of Daiwa Securities Group which engages in the principle investment business. Since its establishment starting out as a player in the debt investment field in 1998, Daiwa PI Partners has been broadly expanding its business, which now extends not only to debt investment but private equity and energy investment as well. It now engages in various investments worldwide, i.e., in Japan, Vietnam, and other Asian countries, U.K., and Australia. Introduction of SKS Ventures SKS Ventures is a global investment management institution established in late 2017. It manages over four funds, over USD350 million AUM, covering direct investments, funds of funds, pre-IPOs and leverage buyouts in industries such as TMT, education, beauty, packaging, biotech, manufacturing, IoT and more. SKS Ventures invests strategically and globally in China, Vietnam, the US, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. SKS Ventures integrates and revamps the current hardware industry to keep up with the changes and demands of the current and future retail, software and automobile market place. Introduction of FPT Group FPT is the biggest IT service company in Vietnam and region with more than 32.000 employees, including nearly 14.000 technology specialists. FPT currently provides IT service in 33 countries all over the world, with key markets such as Japan, the U.S and Europe. As a pioneer in 4.0 revolution, FPT, together with global leading corporations which own 4.0 technology platforms in the world such as GE, Siemens, AWS, is pioneering in digital transformation for customers in over the world. Introduction of SBI Group The SBI Group is Japan's leading financial services company which was established in 1999 as a pioneer of Internet-based financial services, and currently has formed the world's first Internet-based financial conglomerate, providing financial services in a broad range of fields including securities, banking and insurance. The SBI Group also globally manages a number of private equity and venture capital funds. As a pioneer in the Fintech industry and after years of actively investing in start-up companies in the sectors such as IT, mobile, bio-life science and Fintech, the SBI Group has now become a global leader in making active investments in the area of Fintech, artificial intelligence and Blockchain. With an aim to expand the Group's footprint in Southeast Asia, SBI Group has invested in and added value to a number of technology and financial services companies in the region as well. Introduction of eContext Asia Established in Sep 2012, EContext Asia is a holding company of payment businesses for the global expansion of EC platforms of all types. Introduction of BEENEXT BEENEXT is the Venture Capital managed by serial entrepreneurs and focuses on assisting founders with operational experience, global network, trust and the capital. The team invests in early-stage tech startups in Vietnam, other South East Asia, India, Japan and USA that create the Digital Platform (Marketplace, Payment, Fintech, AI, Data, SaaS, IoT, Healthcare, Agritech) with the power of network, technology and data. It supports the company's exponential growth via unique data generation and platform plays. Introduction of BEENOS BEENOS was founded in 1999 as an E-commerce marketplace during the early phase of Internet-related businesses in the Japanese market. Its business model is divided into two segments: the E-Commerce segment that engages in a variety of E-Commerce businesses domestically and internationally, and the Incubation segment which invests in tech startups mainly in Southeast Asia, Japan, and the US as well as creates new business opportunities for other subsidiaries. BEENOS's mission is to connect Japan with the world on the global platform frontier. BEENOS and one of its subsidiaries are publicly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Contact: Ms Nguyen Ho Huyen Trinh - Marketing Director email: [email protected], phone: +84 (028) 73001188 SOURCE Sen Do Technology JSC Deborah A. Getzoff, a partner in Real Estate practice group, brings more than 35 years of environmental and administrative law experience in both private and public sectors. She served for 11 years as Director of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Southwest District Office and had previously been the agency's deputy general counsel for permitting. Getzoff has extensive experience representing developers, hotels, beach communities and condominiums in state and federal permitting for land development projects, beach and coastal construction/protection projects, and marinas. She is a graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law and holds a bachelor's degree from Indiana University. "Environmental resource and permitting requirements are complex and constantly evolving, so strong teamwork with clients, consultants and government agencies is essential for good project results," said Getzoff. "I am proud to be joining Shutts and its talented statewide team of attorneys." Woodrow "Woody" H. Pollack, who is one of only 138 lawyers in Florida that is board certified in intellectual property law the Florida Bar, focuses his practice on litigating complex patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret disputes. A member of the firm's Intellectual Property practice group, Pollack received a Master of Science in computer science from Stanford University, and his law degree from Stetson College of Law. "Prior to practicing law, I was a software engineer in Silicon Valley. Today that practical experience goes a long way in representing clients in a variety of technology cases, including database encryption, antivirus software, medical devices and mechanical processes," said Pollack. "I'm very excited to be able to bring my skills to such a respected firm as Shutts." Fred S. Werdine, a member of the Business Litigation practice group, has more than 30 years of experience in property rights litigation, assisting property owners and business owners on eminent domain, condemnation and inverse condemnation matters. A graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, Werdine holds a Bachelor of Science in finance and real estate from the University of Tennessee. "When the government seeks to take a private citizen's property it can be a daunting battle on a number of fronts," said Werdine. "I'm happy to be joining Shutts and to be able to work with such a skilled and versatile team of attorneys." About Shutts & Bowen LLP Shutts & Bowen, established in 1910, is a full-service business law firm with more than 280 lawyers in offices in Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa, and West Palm Beach. Learn more about Shutts & Bowen at www.shutts.com. SOURCE Shutts & Bowen LLP Related Links http://www.shutts.com SAN FRANCISCO, August 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SignEasy, a leading cloud-based e-Signature solution for SMBs and professionals, announced a collaboration with Microsoft to fully integrate the SignEasy software into Microsoft Teams. This collaboration will give companies of all sizes - who rely on the Teams platform for internal communication - the option to sign and send documents for signature to their employees, clients, partners, and vendors. This integration sees SignEasy expanding its footprint in a big way, bringing the power of electronic signatures to startups, small businesses, and mid- to large-sized enterprises by automatically integrating their paperwork-based workflows into the Microsoft ecosystem. With over 100,000 customers in countless industries using SignEasy, this collaboration enables SignEasy to offer its software to Teams customers worldwide. When a user downloads the SignEasy app from the Microsoft Teams Store, they have access to all of SignEasy's business features. This includes the ability to upload and sign a document or send to anyone for signature, and access to the template library to send frequently used documents with just a few clicks. The integration also supports a new chatbot-based digital assistant to guide users as they send documents, track progress, and manage their paperwork. "SignEasy is one of the most-loved, ridiculously easy-to-use, and secure e-signature solutions for mobile and web devices," said Sunil Patro, Founder and CEO at SignEasy. "Our newest integration with Microsoft Teams has enabled us to provide these same benefits to customers of the Office 365 ecosystem. Now, they can leverage the power of e-Signatures to reduce contract turnaround times, close more deals in less time, and create a hassle-free and paperless experience for their employees, clients, and partners." Bhrighu Sareen, General Manager, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Corp., said, "Mobility and cloud-based applications have forever changed the way we work and interact with colleagues. Microsoft Teams, integrated with SignEasy's software, builds on our commitment to support small and mid-sized businesses by further streamlining the eSignature experience through Teams." Over 100,000 customers from 180 countries trust SignEasy to reduce paperwork turnaround times, close deals faster, cut costs, and improve the customer experience by eliminating the cumbersome print-sign-scan-fax process. With over 5 million downloads to date, SignEasy is used by professionals, small businesses and large enterprises like Equinix, Intertrust, Berkshire Partners, Cleartrip, Aruba Bank, Stribling and Rappi. Know More. Download SignEasy for Teams now. Media Contact: Sarah James +91-9739290148 [email protected] SOURCE SignEasy SINGAPORE, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan has presented Singtel with the 2018 Asia-Pacific Managed Cloud Services Competitive Strategy, Innovation & Leadership award and the Asia-Pacific Telecom Group of the Year award at its annual ICT Awards held on 15 August in Singapore at the Shangri-La Hotel. Ajay Sunder, Vice President, ICT Practice of Frost & Sullivan noted that Singtel is one of the largest telecom groups in Asia-Pacific. "With its strong overall performance on expansion, as well as meeting its topline and bottomline targets whilst continuing to invest in emerging technologies & services, Singtel has been recognized as the Asia-Pacific Telecom Group of the Year," he added. At the same time, Singtel has demonstrated strong managed cloud capabilities enabled by its proprietary 'Liquid Sky' managed cloud platform, which continues to help the vendor secure key wins in 2017. With this, Singtel has also been awarded with Frost & Sullivan's 2018 Managed Cloud Services Competitive Strategy Innovation and Leadership Award. "We are honored to be recognized by Frost & Sullivan for our business excellence and cloud capabilities. The awards are a testament to the strength of the Singtel Group as we continue to innovate and deliver leading edge services and solutions for enterprises. The accolades also recognize our efforts to help enterprises digitally transform their businesses by providing companies comprehensive cloud services that will help them operate seamlessly in the new economy," said Mr. Francis Fong, Managing Director of Enterprise Data & Managed Services, Group Enterprise, at Singtel. The recipients of the annual Frost & Sullivan Asia-Pacific ICT Awards were identified based on an in-depth research conducted by Frost & Sullivan's analysts. The award categories offered each year are carefully reviewed and evaluated to reflect the current market landscape and include new emerging trends. The short-listed companies were evaluated on a variety of actual market performance indicators which include revenue growth; market share and growth in market share; leadership in product innovation; marketing strategy and business development strategy. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies? For more information, please go to www.frost.com About Singtel Singtel is Asia's leading communications and ICT solutions group, providing a portfolio of services from next-generation communication, technology services to infotainment to both consumers and businesses. For consumers, Singtel delivers a complete and integrated suite of services, including mobile, broadband and TV. For businesses, Singtel offers a complementary array of workforce mobility solutions, data hosting, cloud, network infrastructure, analytics and cyber-security capabilities. The Group has presence in Asia, Australia and Africa and reaches over 640 million mobile customers in 22 countries. Its infrastructure and technology services for businesses span 21 countries, with more than 428 direct points of presence in 362 cities. For more information, visit www.singtel.com Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SingtelNews Media Contact Melissa Tan Corporate Communications Asia Pacific Email: [email protected] Phone: +65.6890.0926 SOURCE Frost & Sullivan Related Links http://www.frost.com The FPGA-based accelerator lowers the total cost of ownership (TCO) of ASR application servers by populating existing CPU-only servers with efficient Xilinx FPGA add-in cards. The ASR servers easily and simply accelerate multiple voice service channels with Xilinx FPGA cards in their empty slots. One FPGA card provides more than five times the performance of a single server, resulting in substantial cost savings. This performance and TCO advantage benefits SK Telecom and its customers. "Over many years we have seen the shape of the industry evolve, and we are proud to be at the forefront of developing AI accelerators. By designing our solution based on the Xilinx KCU1500 board and our own bitstream image, we have developed a cost-effective, high-performance application," said Kang-Won Lee, senior vice president, software research and development center at SKT. The adaptive nature of Xilinx FPGAs enables fast deployment of custom hardware accelerators for the rapidly evolving field of AI and deep learning. Moreover, FPGAs provide higher performance and lower latency at lower power when compared to CPUs and GPUs. SK Telecom joins a fast-growing list of high-profile commercial data centers that have deployed FPGAs for compute acceleration. "We are delighted to have the opportunity to deploy Xilinx FPGAs to SKT's AI data center, a first in South Korea," said Manish Muthal, vice president, marketing for data center at Xilinx. "Xilinx Kintex UltraScale KCU1500 FPGAs show that Xilinx has a major competitive edge in applications. Xilinx will continue to focus its technological capabilities and innovations on data center acceleration." SKT plans to demonstrate its FPGA-based AI solution at the Xilinx Developer Forum (XDF) being held in Silicon Valley on October 1-2, and in Beijing on October 16. About SK Telecom Established in 1984, SK Telecom is the largest mobile operator in Korea by both revenue and number of subscribers. As of December 2017, the company holds around 50 percent of the market, with 30.2 million mobile subscribers including 22.87 million LTE subscribers. It has reached KRW 17.520 trillion in revenue in 2017. SK Telecom has led the advancement of mobile technologies ranging from 2G to 4G, and is currently setting important milestones in its journey to 5G. The company is not only leading innovation in the field of mobile network, but also providing IoT, media, home and platform services. SK Telecom is determined to play a significant role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution by achieving innovations and promoting shared growth with other players in the industry. For more information visit www.globalskt.com. About Xilinx Xilinx develops highly flexible and adaptive processing platforms that enable rapid innovation across a variety of technologies from the endpoint to the edge to the cloud. Xilinx is the inventor of the FPGA, hardware programmable SoCs and the ACAP, designed to deliver the most dynamic processor technology in the industry and enable the adaptable, intelligent and connected world of the future. For more information, visit www.xilinx.com. Copyright 2018 Xilinx, Inc. Xilinx, the Xilinx logo, Kintex, and other designated brands included herein are trademarks of Xilinx in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. PR Contact: Xilinx Tara Sims [email protected] SOURCE Xilinx, Inc. Related Links http://www.xilinx.com growth in recurring revenues from kit sales TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - SQI Diagnostics Inc. ("SQI" or the "Company") (TSX-V: SQD;OTCQB: SQIDF), today reported its financial and operational results for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2018. SQI is a Toronto-based life sciences and diagnostics company that develops and commercializes proprietary technologies and products for advanced multiplexed diagnostics. Said Andrew Morris, SQI's President and CEO: "With each quarter, our commercial traction grows and our business model advances from vision to reality." Financial and Business Highlights for the Quarter and Year to Date: For the first time we have accomplished a major commercial milestone in our business model by with recurring kit sales to a significant customer whose volume of kit usage is growing. Our commercial success is anchored in our ability to grow the sales of platforms and kits to our customers and transition the relative contribution of revenue from service-based sales. We are now delivering on that model and there are many reasons we expect this trend to continue. The number of kit sales to customers, including those run in our lab, will continue to grow as our customers gain confidence and expand their business with us. Experienced an eight-fold increase in kit sales from the first quarter for our customer's cardiac health predictive product. We continue to believe that the number of recurring, monthly kits sales will be on-track to exit fiscal 2018 at over 5,000 patient samples per month. The test's predictive potential is cited in leading scientific papers to show the likelihood that patients will experience a heart attack (ACS event) up to five years in advance. The benefit is significant and obvious: doctors can now put in place potentially life-saving preventative measures to keep that heart attack from happening. We achieved excellent progress during the quarter with our key customer that opens up the new direct-to-consumer market to SQI. We delivered two sqidlite instrument platforms to this customer during the quarter with training and validation activities occurring during the month of August. This customer's first kit purchases will be a pair of SQI-proprietary autoimmune diagnostic tests that had previously been developed for the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) market. Commercial launch of the first test for Celiac Disease and Wheat Allergy is expected in early fall followed shortly thereafter by the commercial launch of the second test for Rheumatoid Arthritis. We are in active discussions with this customer to develop additional diagnostic test products for the direct-to-consumer market. We ended the third quarter of fiscal 2018 with a total of eight customers that are now generating revenues. In addition, we have agreed to ship a demonstration system to a large CRO to evaluate our cytokine multiplexed test kits, and advanced a number of near-term customers along the sales pipeline. We made continued progress with our instant immunoassay collaboration with McMaster University. During the quarter we continued to progress on our targeted development milestones and have achieved a more consistent methodology for manufacturing the single-use chips. Our next milestone for this project is August 2018 when we will continue to optimize the performance of the pilot design for better sensitivity, linear range, precision, and device stability. The large comparative study we reported last quarter with our DNA customer is on-going and new opportunities for the product have been identified. SQI is working closely to support the efforts by this customer to expand its regulatory efforts and customer initiatives. Q3 2018 Financial Results Overview Revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2018 was $220,000 compared to $176,000 for the same period last year. Revenue for the nine months ended June 30, 2018 was $772,000 compared to $842,000 for the same period last year. Kit sales have increased significantly in both the three- and nine-month periods as compared to the same periods last year. Recurring kit sales represent 65% of total revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2018 as compared to 11% for the same period in 2017. The total revenues for the nine-month periods ended June 30 2018 and 2017 are positively affected by platform sales, which form the basis for recurring kit sales. This positive trend in revenue is a direct result of transitioning our existing customers into the commercial phase meaning that the development phase of their projects are complete and they are now purchasing kits. We continue to perform development work for our DNA-based customer and have done development work for two new pharma customers in the nine months ended June 30, 2018. For the quarter, the Company recorded a net loss of $2,042,000 ($0.02 net loss per share) as compared to the net loss of $1,607,000 ($0.01 net loss per share) for the quarter-ended June 30, 2017. For the nine months ended June 30, 2018, the Company recorded a net loss of $5,461,000 ($0.04 net loss per share) as compared to the net loss of $4,393,000 ($0.05 net loss per share) for the nine months ended June 30, 2017. The increase in net loss for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2018 as compared to the three and nine months ended June 30, 2017 is a result of increased product commercialization and development costs and the increased marketing costs associated with the shift to a more sales-focused company. R&D expenditures, excluding amortization and stock-based compensation, for the three months ended June 30, 2018 were $1,130,000 compared to $848,000 for the same period last year. R&D expenditures, excluding amortization and stock-based compensation, for the nine months ended June 30, 2018 were $2,847,000 compared to $2,273,000 for the same period last year. The increase in R&D expenditures for the three and nine-month periods is a result of higher laboratory costs primarily related to consumables purchased at a higher than normal level to ensure completion of critical projects to meet internal deadlines and to deliver finished products to our customers for their validation and commercial kit sales. During fiscal 2018 the Company had two customer projects move into the commercial phase; started development work on two new pharma projects; and initiated development work on two assays for our direct to consumer customer. Corporate and general expenses excluding stock-based compensation, totaled $341,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2018 as compared to $299,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2017. Corporate and general expenses excluding stock-based compensation, totaled $1,128,000 for the nine months ended June 30, 2018 as compared to $949,000 for the nine months ended June 30, 2017. Corporate and general expenses are higher for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2018 compared to the same periods in the prior year due to higher professional fees for recruiting, investor relations, as well as the payment of bonuses. Sales and marketing expenses were primarily related to sales and marketing consultant fees and to travel related to selling activities in the quarter. Sales and marketing expenses, excluding stock-based compensation, totaled $297,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2018 compared to $286,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2017. Sales and marketing expenses, excluding stock-based compensation, totaled $845,000 for the nine months ended June 30, 2018 compared to $809,000 for the nine months ended June 30, 2017. Sales and marketing expenses were higher for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2018 compared to the same period in the previous year, primarily due to the addition of sales personnel during the first half of fiscal 2017 and to the payment of bonuses or commissions. Conference Call Details: Date: Friday August 17, 2018 Time: 10:00 a.m. ET Live Call: 416 764 8609 (local) 1-888-390-0605 (Canada and the United States) Conference ID: 57923237 Webcast: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/1810476/16BFC1AE50D00FCDBCB1149FCB65F51D An archived copy of the conference call will be available for 90 days on the Company website at www.sqidiagnostics.com/about/investors and also at https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/1810476/16BFC1AE50D00FCDBCB1149FCB65F51D. Detailed financial statements and the management's discussion and analysis (MD&A) will also be made available on the Company website at www.sqidiagnostics.com and at www.sedar.com. For more information, please contact: Chief Executive Officer Andrew Morris 416.674.9500 ext. 229 [email protected] Vice President of Finance Patricia Lie 416.674.9500 ext. 277 [email protected] About SQI Diagnostics SQI Diagnostics is a life sciences and diagnostics company that develops clinical grade multiplexed microarray and molecular assays run on its automated instrumentation for the pharmaceutical research, animal health, and clinical diagnostics markets. SQI develops custom research and diagnostic assays that are multiplexed; meaning the simplification, consolidation and automation of many individual tests into one. This increases sample throughput, reduces time, cost and chance for human error, and provides excellent data quality. For more information, please visit sqidiagnostics.com. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains certain statements including, without limitation, the words "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "believe", "in the process", "benefits", "leading to", "position" "possible", "is subject to" and other similar expressions which may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to: our ability to market and sell our products including our novel multiplexing technologies and detection platforms; our ability to maintain any technical or product advantages; the success of our Diagnostic Tools and Services business and our intent to build near-term revenue streams from this business; the successful regulatory filing and receipt of regulatory approvals for our later stage quantitative diagnostic consumable kits; adverse changes in general economic conditions; international risk and currency exchange fluctuations; competitor activity; technology changes; regulatory approvals and the impact of healthcare reform legislation; and, SQI's ability to raise additional funds in the future. Such statements, risks and uncertainties are detailed in the Company's ongoing filings with the securities regulatory authorities, and are available to the public at www.sedar.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE SQI Diagnostics Inc. Related Links www.sqidiagnostics.com SINGAPORE, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- STT GDC received the 2018 Asia-Pacific Data Center Services Competitive Strategy, Innovation, and Leadership Award from Frost & Sullivan at its annual ICT Awards held on 15 August in Singapore at the Shangri-La Hotel. Mr. Nishchal Khorana, Director, Digital Transformation, Frost & Sullivan noted that the company has continually focused on differentiating itself through its growth strategy and key products and services. This has led to it helping to drive significant business growth in the process whilst providing value for its clients and partners. "STT GDC has demonstrated aggressive expansion plans in Asia-Pacific. Focusing on expanding its footprint in key markets, STT GDC successfully achieved significant customer wins that strengthen its market positioning and reinforce the company's track record as an innovative data center solutions provider in the region. The multipronged competitive strategy and focus on differentiation to achieve customer acquisition have earned STT GDC Frost & Sullivan's 2018 Asia-Pacific Data Center Services Competitive Strategy, Innovation, and Leadership Award." he added. "We are deeply honored to be recognized for our strategy for the second year running. This recognition validates our customer-centric business strategy and the value our solutions are bringing to them as we continue our journey forward as a leading data center solutions provider in Asia-Pacific," said Bruno Lopez, Group Chief Executive Officer and Board Director at STT GDC. "Our strong focus on providing customers with greater access to major markets guide our expansions around the globe, and we are firmly committed to ensuring that the best solutions are delivered to support their growing business needs." The recipients of the annual Frost & Sullivan Asia-Pacific ICT Awards were identified based on an in-depth research conducted by Frost & Sullivan's analysts. The award categories offered each year are carefully reviewed and evaluated to reflect the current market landscape and include new emerging trends. The short-listed companies were evaluated on a variety of actual market performance indicators which include revenue growth; market share and growth in market share; leadership in product innovation; marketing strategy and business development strategy. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies? www.frost.com About ST Telemedia Global Data Centres ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) is a fast-growing data centre provider headquartered in Singapore. With a global platform of data centres in the world's major business markets of more than 60 facilities across Singapore, China, India and the UK, STT GDC offers a full suite of best-in-class, highly scalable and flexible data centre solutions, connectivity and support services that best meet customers' current and future colocation needs. For more details, please visit www.sttelemediagdc.com . Media Contact Melissa Tan Corporate Communications Asia Pacific, Frost & Sullivan Email: [email protected] Phone: +65.6890.0926 SOURCE Frost & Sullivan Related Links http://www.frost.com HALIFAX, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - A recent study by researchers at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) indicates that tricompartment unloader knee braces are an effective option for reducing forces throughout the knee, giving hope for a new non-invasive option to the 14 million-plus people across North America affected by knee osteoarthritis. The study modeled various configurations of Spring Loaded Technology's knee braces, examining their effect on the forces experienced in all three knee compartments. The findings will be presented publicly for the first time this week at the Biennial Meeting of the Canadian Society of Biomechanics in Halifax, Nova Scotia. "We used a biomechanical model to simulate the forces acting on key structures within the knee during a deep knee bend, including contact forces, muscle tendon forces and ligament forces, with and without the assistance provided by the device's spring loaded hinge," said Chris A. McGibbon, Professor at UNB and Lead Researcher. "The simulation results showed a 25 to 64 percent reduction in joint load depending on the configuration of the Spring Loaded brace, with statistically significant force reductions observed in all three compartments of the knee. This is an exciting finding that warrants further research." Studies using biomechanical data have been done with tibiofemoral unicompartment unloader knee braces - the current standard in osteoarthritis knee bracing - but not with a brace that unloads all three knee compartments simultaneously. Given that unicompartment tibiofemoral osteoarthritis accounts for a small fraction (less than 6% by some counts) of knee osteoarthritis cases, tricompartment unloaders present an opportunity to assist many more patients. "Reducing total joint load is a best practice for the non-surgical management of knee osteoarthritis," said Chris Cowper-Smith, CEO of Spring Loaded Technology, "We're thrilled to offer a novel non-surgical option to those living with advanced knee osteoarthritis. One that can provide patients with immediate results in terms of pain management and improved mobility." Spring Loaded knee braces are the first and only braces on the market capable of unloading all three compartments of the knee. They do this using a passive-mechanical bionic hinge powered by a proprietary liquid spring. During the initial phase of a knee bend, the bionic hinge absorbs body weight and stores energy. Its adjustable energy storage and release (ESR) mechanism then returns that energy to assist leg extension, reducing the forces exerted on the knee by the quadriceps through the entire motion. To learn more visit www.springloaded.com. About Spring Loaded Technology Spring Loaded Technology is an award-winning company focused on mobility-restoring bionics. The company incorporates patented liquid spring technology into the world's first compact and powerful bionic knee braces. Spring Loaded braces are the only ones on the market designed to reduce pressure throughout the knee while enhancing strength to alleviate pain and improve mobility for people with knee arthritis and injuries. SOURCE Spring Loaded Technology Inc. Related Links http://www.springloaded.com MONROVIA, California, August 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sugarmade, Inc. (SGMD), one of the largest publicly traded hydroponics supply companies, today announces expansion into the European market for hydroponics supplies by way of its first order via Amazon UK. Under the terms of the agreement, Sugarmade will supply dozens of SKUs to be sold in United Kingdom. The European market is growing relative to hydroponics. U.S.-based importers and marketers have developed strong product lines at very attractive prices, based on worldwide sourcing. The quality of these products and reasonable price points have started to attract European cultivators who have not been able to source similar products at attractive prices within the European markets. This inability to source quality products at attractive price points creates a significant opportunity for suppliers such as Sugarmade. Over the past few financial quarters, Sugarmade has seen revenue growth patterns expand geographically. Whereas as recently as mid-2017, the majority of hydroponic-related revenue growth was seen from the California and other west coast marketplaces, growth is becoming more geographically dispersed among U.S. states were legalization has eased restriction. This movement into United Kingdom further expands the base of geographic growth areas. "We continue to grow in terms of top line revenue and in geographic scope," commented Jimmy Chan, CEO of Sugarmade. "While we have previously informed our investors of our $30 million revenue goal for next year, revenues continue to grow across the board. The lack of available products within the European markets provides Sugarmade additional revenue growth opportunities. We view this as a potential growth market for Sugarmade especially considering there are more than 740 million people in Europe compared to only about 360 million in the U.S. We believe even a few points of market share of this huge market will have a very positive effect on our growth rate." About Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC:SGMD): Sugarmade, Inc. is a product and brand marketing company investing in products and brands with disruptive potential. Sugarmade's brands include ZenHydro.com, CarryOutSupplies.com, and BudLife Cannabis Storage Solutions. For more information on the Company's products, please visit http://www.Sugarmade.com. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements also may be included in other publicly available documents issued by the Company and in oral statements made by our officers and representatives from time to time. These forward-looking statements are intended to provide management's current expectations or plans for our future operating and financial performance, based on assumptions currently believed to be valid. They can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "would," "could," "will" and other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future operating or financial performance. Examples of forward looking statements include, among others, statements relating to future sales, earnings, cash flows, results of operations, uses of cash and other measures of financial performance. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others such as, but not limited to economic conditions, changes in the laws or regulations, demand for products and services of the company, the effects of competition and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or represented in the forward looking statements. Any forward-looking information provided in this release should be considered with these factors in mind. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this report. For inquiries please contact Jimmy Chan at (888)-982-1628 or [email protected]. SOURCE Sugarmade, Inc. SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascend, the largest non-profit Pan-Asian membership organization for business professionals in North America, is holding its 2018 National Convention at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis, CA on August 20th to 22nd. The Ascend Convention will be the largest gathering of Pan-Asian business leaders, professionals and students in North America with an expected 2,500+ registered participants. 2018 Ascend National Convention & Career Fair 2018 Ascend National Convention & Career Fair The convention theme this year, "Innovate & Evolve" celebrates leadership and continual innovation. Our focus is on leaders and professionals who are actively improving diversity and inclusion among their workforce and community. Across the three days, the convention will tackle topics related to emerging technology - from Blockchain to artificial intelligence - and give convention attendees the opportunity to learn from Silicon Valley's most successful Pan-Asian business leaders about the skills needed to gain competitive advantage. This year's programming will highlight how empowerment, with an increased awareness of cultural, emotional and business intelligence, can lead to achievement and success. Jeff Chin, the Ascend National President, said: "Locating this year's convention in one of the most exciting and disruptive locations in the U.S. challenged us to think differently about this year's program. Not only will we have sessions tackling some of the hottest topics in technology, but we have also continued to augment and grow our programming related to personal innovation and career transformation. It was important for us to acknowledge that while San Francisco is home to one of the most heterogeneous populations in the United States, diversity in technology leadership roles has generally stagnated over the last decade. That's why we have sought to highlight our recent Ascend Foundation research 'Illusion of Asian Success' and use the convention as a first-step in tackling this issue." The event will feature one of the top Pan-Asian business leaders, Andrea Jung, CEO of Grameen - in conversation with Emily Chang, Bloomberg; the hugely successful serial entrepreneurs, Justin and Daniel Kan; Jeff Wong, Global Chief Innovation Officer at EY and Brian Wong, CEO of Kiip. What unites these speakers is how they each represent breakthrough leadership. The event will culminate with an awards dinner where Ascend will continue the tradition of honoring business leaders who have made significant contributions to the Pan-Asian community. About Ascend Ascend is the largest, non-profit Pan-Asian membership organization for business professionals in North America. Established in 2005, Ascend, a career lifecycle organization, reaches 60,000+ senior executives, professionals, and MBA/undergraduate students involved in its 50+ chapters in the United States and Canada. Visit http://www.ascendleadership.org/ for more information. Contact: Sofia Poyhonen 212-248-4888 [email protected] SOURCE Ascend Related Links http://www.ascendleadership.org RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sacred Heart Center and the National Alliance for Hispanic Health will host the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Journey on Sunday, August 19th. The traveling, hands-on exhibit raises awareness about the All of Us Research Programan ambitious effort to gather data from 1 million or more people living in the United States to accelerate research and improve health. Tanya Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Sacred Heart Center, stated, "We are looking forward to being a stop on the All of Us Journey. It is important that medical data collection includes Latino families so that medical research, care, and treatment can move toward equity and health disparities decrease. Too often Latino individuals are not included in major research which is a disadvantage to the community and to medical service providers." "All of Us is an essential part of the future of health in the United States," said Dr. Jane L. Delgado, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, the nation's leading Hispanic health advocacy group. "This research program will bring together communities throughout the United States to drive new discoveries, which may lead to earlier disease identification, more precise treatment solutions and better health outcomes for all in the future." When: Sunday, August 19th from 11am to 3pm Where: Sacred Heart Center - 1400 Perry St, Richmond, VA 23224 More Info: www.joinallofus.org/juntos About the National Alliance for Hispanic Health The Alliance is the nation's foremost science-based source of information and trusted non-partisan advocate for the best health outcomes for all. The Alliance represents thousands of Hispanic health providers across the nation providing services to more than 15 million each year. For more information, visit https://www.healthyamericas.org or call the Alliance's Su Familia National Hispanic Family Health Helpline at 1-866-783-2645. About the Sacred Heart Center (SHC) - SCH, a non-profit community center located in South Richmond, is one of the few organizations in the Richmond area dedicated to serving Richmond's Latino population. Founded in 1990 by the Maryland Province Jesuits and the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, the SHC has a long history of serving the community. The SHC connects Latino families with tools to thrive and flourish. SOURCE National Alliance for Hispanic Health Related Links http://www.healthyamericas.org STAMFORD, Conn., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lockwood Group (Lockwood), a medical communications agency, has been recognized by Inc. magazine in their 2018 Inc. 5000 annual ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America. This prestigious list of the nation's most successful private companies has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success and the place where future household names first make their mark. For the second year in a row, Lockwood propelled to the top half of the list of 5000, ranked #2042 nationally, and the fifth fastest growing marketing company in the state of Connecticut! The agency, led by President and Chief Executive Officer, Matthew Schecter, is extremely proud of this distinction, which measures the company's growth over the last 3 years specifically. "This recognition is a testament to the hard work that the team at Lockwood puts in for our customers on a daily basis. To be able to grow an organization 218% over the last 3 years is no small feat and requires a scalable infrastructure, which is critical to Lockwood's success. I am so proud of all that we have accomplished in such a short time and excited about what we still have left to do!" said Schecter. "If your company is on the Inc. 5000, it's unparalleled recognition of your years of hard work and sacrifice," says Inc. editor in chief, James Ledbetter. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Microsoft, Dell, Domino's Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000. Lockwood collaborates with clients in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, genetic, and medical device industries to identify effective, holistic, science-based strategies to address their objectives through medical communications. Over a third of Lockwood's staff hold advanced scientific or medical degrees, and most work from where they live. This flexible structure provides better work-life balance, which in turn allows Lockwood to attract the best talent who facilitate their best work, and are more responsive to client needs wherever and whenever they do business. About Lockwood www.thelockwoodgrp.com (http://www.thelockwoodgrp.com/) Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, Lockwood communicates clinical and therapeutic advances to every type of medical expert, healthcare practitioner, and decision maker. For the ultimate benefit of patients, Lockwood helps clients advance their objectives in a world of new regulations, business models, payment approaches, technologies, roles, and work practices. Lockwood teams are organized around the specific needs of each client. With experience in all major therapeutic areas and many rare diseases, along with highly specialized knowledge in biologics, devices, and diagnostics, Lockwood can quickly deploy the right scientific, business, and communications experts to address the challenges at hand. More about the Inc. 5000 http://www.inc.com/inc5000 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 US-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. Related Links http://www.thelockwoodgrp.com SOURCE Lockwood http://www.okapivote.com/wheeler The full text of the letter follows: August 16, 2018 Dear Fellow WHLR Owner, We are the largest WHLR stockholder. We have been investing in financially-related companies for over 20 years and in that time, have publicly disclosed our activist positions in over 65 companies and placed at least 20 representatives on company boards. In our experience, bad corporate governance is a big, red flag for corporate problems. The red flag flies at WHLR -- where the directors have an inflated view of themselves. While WHLR's common shares were plummeting, our board of directors deemed themselves deserving of outsized raises. Between 2016 and 2017, the board members voted themselves a disturbing jump in compensation. These are the egregious increases:1 Stewart Brown 228% (placed on the board by Westport Capital Partners, supposed real estate experts) John McAuliffe 250% Carl McGowan, Jr. 243% John Sweet 293% Jeffrey Zwerdling 280% We can't think of any reason why our Company's board deserved such a handsome reward for its abysmal performance. Can you? We even asked the board members privately to explain these outrageous numbers. We never got an answer. Do you think our directors deserve a raise? We think they deserve to be replaced. It's no wonder they don't want us on the board; we would have never permitted such behavior. To support our highly-qualified nominees, who are committed to representing your best interests, please complete and return the GREEN proxy card today. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, Megan Parisi 917-881-8076 [email protected] Stockholders can vote by telephone, online or by signing and dating the enclosed GREEN proxy card and returning it in the postage-paid envelope. If you have any questions, require assistance in voting your GREEN proxy card, or need additional copies of our proxy materials, please contact us or Okapi Partners at the phone numbers or email listed below. Okapi Partners LLC 1212 Avenue of the Americas, 24th Floor New York, New York 10036 + 1 (212) 297-0720 (Main) + 1 (877) 869-0171 (Toll-Free) Email: [email protected] 1 The calculations are based on a comparison of the non-employee director compensation reported in Item 11 of WHLR's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 7, 2018, pp. 82-83, reporting 2017 non-employee director compensation and WHLR's Proxy Statement on Form DEF 14A, filed with the SEC on April 17, 2017, p. 17, reporting 2016 non-employee director compensation. The increase in John Sweet's compensation is based on a pro-rata calculation. SOURCE The Stilwell Group SUNRISE, Fla., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Dental Whale, a firm specializing in dental practice support services, experienced a landmark year, with three of its nine companies recognized on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in the United States in 2018. Among the companies recognized were Conversion Whale, Tralongo and Dental Fix Rx, which ranked No. 328, No. 350 and No. 4652, respectively. Recognition as an Inc. 5000 company shows impressive percentages of revenue growth over a three-year period. The prestigious list, which began in 1982 to recognize the fastest-growing companies in the U.S., only includes brands that have proven themselves with increased growth, revenue and reputation within the industry. Receiving recognition on the acclaimed list is one of the most coveted honors to hold as a rising private business and business leader. "Dental Whale was created to offer all dentists a comprehensive a-la-carte platform that allows them to pick and choose which services they need and reap the benefits of proven systems and years of experience to build up their dental practice," said David Lopez, co-founder of Dental Whale. "To be recognized for our growth is an undeniable honor but it's another huge milestone to have three of our companies on the list that is unheard of." Dental Whale has all outsourcing needs of a dentist in mind to enhance the patient experience and increase profitability while implementing streamlined processes with solution-driven results. Here are the wide range of services and customizable outsourcing solutions: About Dental Whale With offices in Atlanta, San Antonio and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Dental Whale is an innovative dental company carving a new category of group private practice ownership and management. Through its suite of subsidiary companies, Dental Whale helps dentists operate dental practices more efficiently by saving money on purchases, marketing to new patients, expanding through acquisitions, improving patient experience and increasing office efficiency. In 2017, Dental Whale and its more than 850 team members supported more than 17,000 dentists and helped serve more than 4 million patients. For more information on Dental Whale, call 855-339-3740 or visit. CONTACT: Angelic Venegas, [email protected], 1-847-945-1300 x230 SOURCE Dental Whale Related Links http://www.dentalwhale.com SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Technical Institute (NYSE: UTI) campuses in Norwood, MA and Sacramento, CA have been named 2018 Schools of Excellence the most prestigious institutional achievement award given by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). UTI-Norwood and UTI-Sacramento join eight other UTI campuses that have been recognized as Schools of Excellence since 2014; last year, campuses in Dallas/Fort Worth and Exton, PA were among just 15 ACCSC-accredited schools to receive the award. ACCSC accredits 700 institutions across the nation. "At UTI, our No. 1 commitment is to deliver a high-quality education that provides long-term benefits to our students and employer partners," said Kim McWaters, president and CEO of Universal Technical Institute. "This recognition is a true testament to that work, and we're proud to be recognized year after year for our state-of-the-industry training programs, exceptional graduation rates and decades-long record of educational success. Congratulations to our Norwood and Sacramento campuses for this well-earned achievement." According to ACCSC Associate Executive Director Christopher Lambert, "ACCSC is incredibly proud of the work being done by UTI-Norwood and UTI-Sacramento to deliver high quality educational programs that provide meaningful opportunities for students to enter the workforce with in-demand skills. We are committed to continuing to partner with UTI to explore innovations that put students first and which contribute to workforce development in the United States. All of us at ACCSC look forward to celebrating the significant achievement of the School of Excellence Awards with UTI at the ACCSC 2018 Professional Development Conference, Sept. 25 - 27, in Long Beach, California." About ACCSC: The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) is recognized by the United States Department of Education as the designated institutional accrediting body for over 700 post-secondary, trade and technical schools that provide education to over 150,000 students in a wide variety of vocational programs each year. 2017 marked 50 years of continuous recognition for ACCSC, including earning, in 2011 & 2016, consecutive five-year recognition grants from the U.S. Department of Education. Today, ACCSC remains committed to helping enhance the student educational experience through quality assurance, supporting workforce development, and bridging the growing skills gap in the United States. More information on ACCSC is available online at www.accsc.org. Learn more about the 2018 Schools of Excellence by clicking here. About Universal Technical Institute, Inc.: With more than 200,000 graduates in its 53-year history, Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI) is the nation's leading provider of technical training for automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, and offers welding technology and computer numerical control (CNC) machining programs. The company has built partnerships with industry leaders, outfits its state-of-the-industry facilities with current technology, and delivers training that is aligned with employer needs. Through its network of 13 campuses nationwide, UTI offers post-secondary programs under the banner of several well-known brands, including Universal Technical Institute (UTI), Motorcycle Mechanics Institute and Marine Mechanics Institute (MMI) and NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech). The company is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. For more information, visit uti.edu. For more information, visit www.uti.edu. Like UTI on www.facebook.com/UTI or follow UTI on Twitter @UTITweet, @MMITweet, and @NASCARTechUTI. Media Contact: Jody Kent (602) 445-0872 [email protected] SOURCE Universal Technical Institute, Inc. Related Links http://www.uti.edu NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On a visit earlier this year to India, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went to great lengths to fit in, wearing heavily embroidered kurtas and showing off his polished Bhangra moves at a reception. While traditional wisdom suggests that Indians should have appreciated this, the actual reaction was decidedly mixed, some praising his cultural dexterity while others derided his efforts as embarrassing appropriation of Bollywood stereotypes. Research from Columbia Business School takes on this question of to what extent should you adopt local ways when your work brings you abroad? The paper "Do As the Romans Do? Diversity Ideologies and Trust in Evaluations of Cultural Accommodation" by Columbia Business School Professor Michael Morris and former students Jaee Cho, now an assistant professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Benjamin Dow investigates how people evaluate foreign visitors who adopt local norms and offers recommendations for those visitors. The first major finding is simple: some adaptation to local ways is received better than none at all. Most participants in their studies had a positive response to visitors who displayed moderate accommodationadopting some local ways of communicating and acting even if the delivery and execution aren't perfect. "If you're wondering whether to try to speak limited Spanish in Barcelona or say 'G-Day' in Sydney, the answer is a yes. Accommodate to a moderate extent and locals will appreciate the gesture," said Professor Michael Morris. "Visitors need to be careful not to overdo it, since going too far can cause a backlash. This research sends the simple message to foreign visitors that effort matters. It's a sign of respect and authenticity." The second major finding is more complicated, but it explains the mixed reactions to high levels of accommodation like Trudeau's. The studies compared people with two different diversity mindsets: classical multiculturalism and a variant called polyculturalism. Multiculturalism holds that the different cultures of the world are separate traditions and that when they come together in a society (or an organization) it's important to preserve the essence of each cultural group rather than blending them together. (Multiculturalism as a policy was first articulated, interestingly, by Trudeau's father Pierre Trudeau who staved off the Quebec succession movement in Canada through policies to protect French Canadian culture.) By contrast, a variant view that has been gaining ground lately called polyculturalism holds that cultural traditions have always borrowed from and shaped each other and that the vitality of cultures depends on this interaction and evolution. The studies consistently found that people with more preservationist mindset of classical multiculturalism didn't like high accommodatorsthey see a visitor like Trudeau as trying too hard and betraying his or her own cultural heritage. However, people with the polyculturalist viewpoint appreciated high accommodatorsthey admired a visitor like Trudeau who has mastered some local customs. The research consisted of several experiments that simulated business meetings with some visitors from a foreign office. Participants, in different conditions, encountered a visitor who acted in one of three ways: no accommodation, moderate accommodation or high accommodation. The results showed that participants reacted more favorably to moderate accommodation when compared to no accommodation, but reactions were not increasingly favorable for high accommodation. Those reactions depended on participants' diversity mindsets. In one study, a survey was used to distinguish people whose settled beliefs correspond to multiculturalism versus polyculturalism. In another study, the experiment varied which of these mindsets was made salient through some paragraphs about the world's cultural diversity, turning participants into temporary multiculturalists or temporary polyculturalists. Both methods produced the same conclusion that high accommodation is more appreciated when viewed through the lens of polyculturalism than classical multiculturalism. The bottom line for your next foreign visit: The safe approach is accommodating to a moderate degree enacting a mix of your own customs and local customs, taking a judicious approach to adapting the language, customs, behaviors, and habits of the new country. This makes a far better impression than making no efforts to accommodate whatsoever. But don't follow the old advice to do everything the Romans do. As evidenced by Prime Minister Trudeau, a high degree of mirroring local ways does not bring universally positive reviews. The wisdom of high accommodation depends on knowing something about your audience. To the extent that your audience thinks about their culture through the preservationist lens of classical multiculturalismfor example, the Hindu nationalist ideology that has swept through India of latethey may not appreciate efforts to cross cultural boundaries. The study, How Do the Romans Feel When Visitors "Do As the Romans Do"? Diversity Ideologies and Trust in Evaluations of Cultural Accommodation, published in Academy of Management Discoveries is available online here. To learn more about the cutting-edge research taking place at Columbia Business School, please visit www.gsb.columbia.edu. SOURCE Columbia Business School Related Links http://www.gsb.columbia.edu The project started in a lab in Melbourne, Australia, where industrial designer Alex Goad of Reef Design Lab used sophisticated computing modeling to design reef structures similar to the coral reefs found naturally in the Maldives. A large 3-D printer whirred away for 24 hours to print moulds of the reef structures. These moulds were cast in ceramic -- an inert substance, similar to the calcium carbonate found in coral reefs. The ceramic moulds were shipped to the Maldives, and filled with concrete on the beach at Summer Island. 220 ceramic, concrete filled moulds were then slotted together, like a giant LEGO set, to create the new reef. The new reef sits in seven metres of water, close to the resort's existing coral nursery. Fragments of coral from the nursery are being transplanted onto the 3-D reef, where they will grow and colonise the structure. As Alex explains: "3-D printing technology helps us to develop more innovative ways of protecting coral reefs. The technology allows us to mimic the complexity of natural reef structures, so we can design artificial reefs that closely resemble those found in nature. We hope this will be a more effective way of growing and restoring corals." In a year or two, when the corals have grown over the 3-D reef, the resort hopes to have a new, natural looking reef, teeming with fish and marine life. If the 3-D printing technology proves more successful at growing corals than existing coral propagation methods, it could be a novel way of helping coral reefs survive a warming climate. The Maldives is one of the world's most climate-vulnerable nations. Rising sea temperatures pose a grave threat to the world's coral reefs, and mass bleaching events are becoming more common and more severe. Summer Island Maldives has implemented a number of recent environmental initiatives, including the adoption of solar energy, a ban on the use of plastic straws, phasing out imported drinking water, and coral conservation projects. Summer Island Resort Manager Mari Shareef explains: "Projects like the 3-D printed reef are popular among guests, who like that we protect our environment. And it's not only for the guests. Our staff, most of whom are Maldivian, want to protect their environment. Ultimately, we want to help promote a culture of environmental stewardship, not just at Summer Island, but across the Maldives." YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6aFsPbtth0 NOTES TO EDITORS For media or scientific enquires, and for information about the project including photos and video footage, please contact Aminath Shauna: [email protected] Follow us on: Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Related Links: http://www.summerislandmaldives.com/ SOURCE Summer Island Maldives Related Links http://www.summerislandmaldives.com/ AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Zenoss Inc., the leader in software-defined IT operations, today announced a joint webinar with Nutanix, Aug. 23, with subject matter experts demonstrating how the Zenoss-Nutanix integration enables enterprises to ensure the highest levels of performance and availability for applications and services that power their businesses. The webinar will feature Krishnan Badrinarayanan, director of product marketing for Nutanix, and Alex Lamont, senior product manager for Zenoss. The panel will discuss the integration between Nutanix and Zenoss and will showcase how Nutanix uses Zenoss to monitor their hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) and other critical systems in the Nutanix environment. Zenoss enables IT organizations to eliminate blind spots, predict impacts to critical services, resolve issues faster, and operate at any scale the business requires across cloud, virtual and physical systems, including HCI and hybrid environments. The session will include a demonstration of the Zenoss and Nutanix applications working together via the jointly developed Nutanix ZenPack. The session will include a Zenoss-Nutanix road map and Q&A session where attendees can interact with the panelists. Title: Eliminate Blind Spots With Nutanix & Zenoss Date: Thursday, August 23 Time: 1 p.m. CDT Duration: 30 minutes Where: To register for the webinar, please visit https://www.brighttalk.com/webcast/11833/331609. To learn more about Zenoss, visit us online at https://www.zenoss.com. Additional Resources Follow Zenoss on Twitter Find Zenoss on Facebook Bookmark Our Blog Visit the Zenoss News Room Contact Zenoss About Zenoss Zenoss works with the world's largest organizations to ensure their IT services and applications are always on. As the leader in software-defined IT operations, Zenoss uniquely collects all types of machine data to build real-time IT service models that train machine learning algorithms to predict and eliminate outages in hybrid IT environments, dramatically reducing downtime and IT spend. https://www.zenoss.com Media Contact: Alison Guzzio [email protected] 484-459-3243 SOURCE Zenoss Inc. Related Links http://www.zenoss.com Kabul, Aug 16 : At least 48 students were killed and 67 others injured in a suicide bomb blast targeting a private educational centre 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, Xinhua reported. 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. Washington, Aug 16 : The White House said on Wednesday that the US 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," Xinhua reported. "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. US 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. Washington, Aug 16 : US President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearance of former CIA chief John Brennan, denying his critic any access to sensitive information, the White House has said. Brennan had slammed Trump's performance in July after the Helsinki summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin as "nothing short of treasonous", the BBC reported. The civilian foreign intelligence service's former chief's new status was announced on Wednesday by White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders as she read out Trump's statement that cited Brennan's "erratic conduct and behaviour". In response, Brennan tweeted that the move was part of Trump's broader effort to "suppress freedom of speech and punish critics", the BBC report said. "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. Washington, Aug 16 : The US State Department has expanded its visa restrictions on Cambodia after the official results of the country's election on July 29 were confirmed. In a press briefing on Wednesday, US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that since America has characterised the election as "flawed and neither free nor fair" the restrictions were issued, Xinhua news agency reported. The announcement followed the Cambodian electoral committee's announcement that the ruling Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen won all the 125 parliamentary seats. The visa restrictions were initiated on December 6, 2017 on individuals involved in the undermining of democracy in the Asian country. "The expanded entry restrictions may apply to individuals both within and outside the Cambodian government" that are responsible for the "anti-democratic" actions taken in the run-up to the election, Nauert said. The Cambodian Foreign Ministry in December 2017 had expressed dissatisfaction over the decision saying "the move was politically motivated with prejudice and double standards". Los Angeles, Aug 16 : A former friend of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" star Terry Crews sued the actor, claiming he was not paid for work managing and promoting Crews' social media accounts. The friend named Darwin Hall alleged that Crews owed him more than $1 million, reports variety.com. Hall also contended that Crews defamed him in a series of tweets last winter, and recruited followers to track him down and threaten him. "Plaintiff Hall was terrified and feared for his safety as well as that of his family," the lawsuit states. Hall says he agreed to work for Crews in 1999, when the actor was just starting out. He claims he worked for many years promoting Crews' Facebook page and personal website, and was paid a total of $28,479.06, of which about half was reimbursement for expenses. He alleges that payment is due to him for more than 6,000 hours of work for Crews, at $55 an hour. Hall also alleges that in 2013, he went to work for an LGBT client who had a dating application. Hall claims that when Crews found out about the job, he "flew into a rage" and demanded that Hall drop the client. He says he did exit the job, but accuses Crews of reneging on an agreement to reimburse him for lost income. Bhopal, Aug 16 : After around 50 people were stranded at the Sultangarh waterfall in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district, police on Thursday said around 45 people have been rescued while six are still missing. The picnickers were stuck after the waterfall swelled suddenly on Wednesday. Thirty four people, who were standing on the river rocks got stuck, while 15 were washed away. "The overnight rescue, which continued till 3 a.m. on Thursday managed to salvage 45 of those stranded on Independence Day. A missing report of six has been filed in Gwalior," Superintendent of Police Rajesh Hingarkar told IANS. The rescue teams, including the Border Security Force (BSF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), were sent several hours after the incident. The operation was stalled further till midnight due to heavy flow of water. It was only after the water receded that those stranded were taken out with the help of thick ropes. The Indian Air Force also saved five lives but the IAF helicopter could not continue its operation due to darkness. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has thanked Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman for their help. Panaji, Aug 16 : Domestic tourists find a walk on Goa's beaches unsafe at night, but foreign tourists do not share the same concern, a study has claimed. The study, titled "Safety Issues in Tourism in Goa - A Tourist Perspective", authored by Goa-based Dr Yasmin Shaikh and publised in the latest edition of International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews, has recommended setting up of an all-women police force in order to instill confidence among women tourists, as well as a comprehensive effort to crack down on criminals preying on tourists in the coastal state. "It is inferred that a majority of tourists found it safe to move about on the beaches during the day. While domestic tourist(s) find the beaches unsafe during the nights, international tourist(s) find it safe to be on the beaches during the nights," the study has said. According to the study, 62.19 per cent of domestic tourists felt unsafe about spending time on Goan beaches at night. "Formation of an all-women police force for night patrolling will instil confidence among women tourists and intervene in an emergency situation," the study said. The research, Shaikh said, involved interviewing 400 tourists visiting Goa, both domestic and foreign. Goa is one of the top beach tourism destinations in the country and attracts nearly seven million tourists, which includes more than half a million foreigners. Over recent years, however, the safety of tourists, especially women, on the state's beaches, has been an issue of concern. The issue was first highlighted following the sexual assault and subsequent death of 15-year-old British teenager Scarlett Keeling in 2008 at north Goa's Anjuna beach. "The death of 15-year-old Scarlet Keeling has made this place a talking point and a pet bashing subject for the foreign media. The deaths of foreign nationals raise the question whether Goa is still a safe destination for tourists," the study said. A recent gangrape of a native young woman by a three tourists from Indore also heightened civic anxieties over the issue of woman's safety on the state's beaches. Last month, the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court directed the state government to set up a special cell for a focussed probe into the death of 245 foreign tourists over the last 21 years. The study, which is aimed at researching the relationship between security issues and tourism, also said that a majority of the tourists claimed that medical facilties, as well as police assistance mechanisms, are not adequate at tourist sites and neither is information about dos and don'ts for visitors. It also advocates that there should be greater emphasis on making tourists "feel secure and safe -- essential to the international competitiveness of the destination" as well as prompt, efficient and tactful handling of crimes against tourists and night patrolling of beaches. "It must recognised that when the environment is safe, the visitor is also safe and that if the travel and tourism industry emphasises security, it will have a good chance of surviving," the research paper said. (Mayabhushan Nagvenkar can be contacted at mayabhushan.n@ians.in) Phnom Penh, Aug 16 : The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) has won all 125 seats in the general elections, the poll body has said. The opposition was declared illegal and banned from participating in the July 29 exercise. The Electoral Commission announced the official results late on Wednesday that showed that all seats in the National Assembly went to Prime Minister Hun Sen's party, which received 76.78 per cent of the votes, Efe news reported. "(The result) clearly shows that the people have given confidence to the correct leadership of the CPP and that they have decided to choose peace, development and democracy for the whole country," Hun Sen wrote on his Facebook page. The other 19 candidates secured not more than six per cent of the votes nor managed to secure a seat in Parliament. The former opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) will not be in the new National Assembly either, as it was banned ahead of the polls by the Supreme Court. It had managed to snatch 44 per cent of the votes in the 2013 general elections. The CNRP called to boycott elections after the judicial persecutions in 2017 that led to the imprisonment of its leader and prompted around 100 members of the party to go into exile the finally led to its dissolution. Several countries, including the US and various members of the European Union, questioned the legitimacy of the Cambodian elections. The US State Department on Wednesday expanded its visa restrictions on Cambodia following the poll results. It said that since the US has characterised the election as "flawed and neither free nor fair" the restrictions first applied in December 2017 were further expanded. Bhubaneswar, Aug 16 : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday announced a Rs 5 crore assistance for the flood victims of Kerala. Patnaik spoke with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over telephone and assured to provide relief and assistance to the people of Kerala affected by the flood. "Chief Minister @Naveen_Odisha announced assistance of five crore rupees for relief and restoration of the damage caused by floods in Kerala and expressed solidarity with those affected by the extreme weather event," tweeted the Chief Minister's Office. Notably, the number of deaths in rain-related incidents in Kerala on Thursday rose to 87. The Kerala government has issued a red alert across the state. New Delhi, Aug 16 : Congress President Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Germany and London next week to meet businessmen, politicians, academics and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), it was announced on Thursday. "Because of the high demand from NRIs, and political, business, academia, intellectuals and media in EU and UK, President of the Indian National Congress Mr. Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Germany on August 22 and 23 and London on August 24 and 25," US-based engineer and innovator, Sam Pitroda, said in a tweet. "Rahul Gandhi will give a series of talks at large public events, meet political and business leaders and also interact with intellectuals, academics, students and media. "Congress president Rahul Gandhi started similar tours about a year ago to interact with global communities, NRIs and Indian Overseas Congress to understand, explore and promote India's interests and aspirations. He first visited US, then Middle East, Singapore and Malaysia," he said. Pitroda was advisor to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and before him to Rajiv Gandhi for almost a decade in the 1980s. He was the founding chairman of India's Telecom Commission, now known as Department of Telecommunications. He was the key figure in the establishment of Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) in 1984, founded to develop telecommunication technologies in the country. "This tour of Rahul Gandhi to Germany and UK comes at a time when events in Turkey and free fall of Lira are getting global attention on the type and style of leadership and its impact on social, political and economic fabric of a country," he said, adding that people abroad are interested in listening to Gandhi on the issue of economy, employment, demonetisation and security. The Hague, Aug 16 : Over 600 members of the Indian community and friends of India gathered in "India House" -- the Ambassadors residence in Wassenaar, the Netherlands --to celebrate Indias 72nd Independence Day. This was the largest Independence Day gathering ever in the Netherlands and organized the second time at the 'India House' in Wassenaar. For the first time, Mayors of two leading cities of the Netherlands - Utrecht and Wassenaar - Jan van Zanen and Frank Koen also took part in the celebrations. The celebrations began with the hoisting of the Indian flag by Indian Ambassador Venu Rajamony, singing of the National anthem and reading out President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the nation. This was followed by patriotic songs by the local music group "Madras Chorus" and kathak and odissi fusion dance performance by Netherlands Marathi Mandal. The participants were served 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 of India Narendra Modi visited the Netherlands on June 27, 2017. 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 UNSG's special advocate for financial inclusion. Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 16 : Even as the deadly deluge in Kerala continued to take a toll of life and property across the state -- with the number of deaths rising to 87 on Thursday -- the Centre has deployed all three wings of the armed forces in a massive rescue operation that is currently underway. Till Thursday afternoon, 20 fresh deaths -- mostly from Malappuram, Kozhikode, Palakkad and Thrissur -- were added to the toll that has been rising since August 8. With continuous rain forecast till Saturday, the Centre sanctioned more men and materials, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the media, after a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central leaders. "By noon, 10 helicopters will join the existing fleet of 10 already involved in the massive rescue operation in our state. Apart from this, the Indian Air Force and Navy will send four helicopters each. "They will be joined by 40 more teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and a team of marine commandos, who will reach today and begin their work," Vijayan said. "Residents in Alwaye, Chalakudy and parts of Ernakulam should listen to the people engaged in rescue operations as things can get worse during the day as the Periyar river is going to carry more water. "As a result, those living in the area up to one kilometre on either side of Periyar and its tributaries in these places should be on high alert," he said. With rain still pouring down heavily, especially in the higher reaches of the Western Ghats where most of the dams are situated, Vijayan added that the special forces personnel deployed would speed up rescue and relief operations across the state. "Today there are 52 different teams of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and NDRF present. With additional teams coming, we feel rescue operations would be speeded up," Vijayan said. Pathanamthitta district in central Kerala continued to be the worst affected over the last 24 hours as thousands of people -- including students, women and the aged -- trapped in their homes in the towns of Ranni, Aranmula and Kozhencherry. Around 30 people from Pathanamthitta were air-lifted earlier on Thursday and brought to the state capital. All state TV channels are now being flooded with SOS messages with video clips from people who are waiting to be rescued and most of these calls are coming from Pathanamthitta and nearby areas. Various media WhatsApp groups, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's, have been flooded with SOS messages from Pathanamthitta, seeking urgent help. Meanwhile, fishing boats from Kollam reached the flooded areas as the rescue operation with the aid of defence personnel continued. "We have requested more fishing boats and fishermen who have experience in operating the boats. They have all started arriving in the Pathanamthitta and Chengannur areas," the Chief Minister said. Parts of Ernakulam and Thrissur have been facing tough times with water from the dams in Idukki district reaching the Periyar river and its tributaries late on Wednesday. Traffic on the national highway between Ernakulam and Thrissur is being regulated since last night. Train operations between Ernakulam and Angamaly have also been stopped and, at Thiruvananthapuram railway station, tickets are not being issued. All educational institutions were closed on Thursday. The situation in the capital district, however, improved on Thursday as there was less rain. Water that had flooded low-lying areas also receded. The current crisis took a turn for the worse when, in a first, the sluices of 33 dams across Kerala were opened on Tuesday following incessant rains in the higher reaches of the ghats. The famed tourist destination of Munnar continued to be in a bad shape, an official said. The Sabarimala temple also remained cut off by the river Pamba that is in spate. The hilly district of Wayanad, connected to Kannur and Kozhikode through a hill highway, has also been badly hit with the overflowing Banasura Sagar dam waters creating havoc. Several landslides were reported in the area. In Wayanad alone, more than 20,000 people have been put up in relief camps, authorities said. The Cochin International Airport was closed on Wednesday till Saturday as the Periyar river waters entered the operational area and flooded the runway. The defence forces and disaster response teams are putting up makeshift bridges and clearing roads in Kozhikode, Wayanad, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Idukki and Kannur districts on war a footing. The heaviest rains and floods witnessed in the states since 1924 have caused massive destruction, leaving more than 80,000 people in relief camps and damage to crops and properties that the state has estimated to be over Rs 8,000 crore. Jaipur, Aug 16 : The second phase of Rajasthan Gaurav Yatra, scheduled to begin on Thursday, has been postponed as Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje flew to New Delhi to pay a visit on ailing former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. According to the Chief Minister's Office, the second phase of the Rajasthan Gaurav Yatra will now begin on August 20. Meanwhile, Vajpayee, who was admitted in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on June 11, is "critical" and "on life support", according to a hospital statement. Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party held special prayers at Hanuman Temple here for the speedy recovery of the former Prime Minister. Agartala, Aug 16 : Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has said that his government will take forward the legacy of Tripura's last king Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya who ruled the princely state from 1923-1947. "He was the father of modern Tripura and dreamed to make it the best state in India. The present BJP government is also working on the same lines," Deb said here on Wednesday night. Inaugurating the five-day long Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Jayanti, Deb said that in 1942 Manikya got the Agartala airport constructed. It played a crucial role in the World War II. The Agartala airport was renamed Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in July. Beside setting up many schools, colleges, the king had also brought the Burmese company into Tripura to explore natural gas, found abundantly in the bordering state. At the end of the 517-year rule by 184 kings, including Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya, on October 15, 1949, the erstwhile princely state of Tripura came under the control of the Indian government The merger agreement was signed with Kanchan Prabha Devi, the then regent. The king died in May 1947 at the age of 39 years only. The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced to make Tripura a 'HIRA' by developing highways, i-ways (internet), roadways and airways. "After the completion of the under construction bridge over river Feni in southern Tripura, the state will be directly connected with the Chittagong international sea port in neighbouring Bangladesh," he added. It would transform Tripura into a 'business hub' for all the northeastern states. The state government has also invited investors to set up rubber based industries as Tripura is the second largest rubber growing state. "We would provide land and electricity in cheap rate." Deb said the state government would create a tourism circuit to connect tourism spots in the other states. Yangon, Aug 16 : Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi will go on a working visit to Singapore soon, it was announced here on Thursday. Suu Kyi will undertake the visit at the invitation of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. However, no date of her visit was specified, according to the announcement cited by Xinhua news agency. She earlier visited Singapore in November-December 2016, during which she held talks with Lee on negotiation between the two countries on an investment treaty, the avoidance of double taxation agreement signed in 1999 and a three-year extension of the MoU on Myanmar-Singapore vocational training. Trade between Myanmar and Singapore reached $3.8 billion in the fiscal year 2017-18 which ended in March, up by $833 million or 28 per cent from $2.967 billion in 2016-17, according to statistics of the Commerce Ministry. Bhopal, Aug 16 : Congress leaders in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday expressed concern over former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's declining health and wished him a speedy recovery. Vajpayee's condition continued to be critical on Thursday after the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, issued an emergency bulletin late on Wednesday saying he was "critical and on life support". The 93-year-old BJP stalwart had been at AIIMS for the last nine weeks since June 11. State Congress chief Kamal Nath said: "We all are worried about Vajpayee's ill heath. We hope for his speedy recovery and longevity." The party's state election campaign committee head and MP Jyotiraditya Scindia also prayed for the three time former Prime Minister's health and tweeted: "India needs the presence and guidance of such great people and patriots who keep their principles and values supreme." Leader of Opposition in the state legislative assembly, Ajay Singh tweeted: "Atalji is an icon of India's politics. His presence guides the politicians. I wish for his speedy recovery." GENOA, Aug. 15, 2018 - Rescuers work 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 ... Image Source: IANS : Rescuers work 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 ... Image Source: IANS Rome, Aug 16 : Rescue teams were continuing on Thursday their search for possible survivors among the rubble of a bridge that collapsed in Genoa in northwestern Italy, killing at least 39 and injuring 16. Although there were still no official figures on the number of people missing, Italian authorities did not rule out a possibility of a dozen bodies trapped under the rubble. The search and rescue operations were concentrated among the cement blocks of the pillar, which collapsed along the left bank of the Polcevera River, Efe news reported. Meanwhile, 15 people continued to be hospitalized in the San Martino hospital, nine of whom were in a serious condition. Six hundred and sixty-four people and 331 families were evacuated from the houses located under the bridge. State funerals are expected to be held on Saturday for some of the victims, among whom were four French tourists and two young Albanian nationals working in Italy. Paris prosecutor's office opened an investigation into the incident. A roughly 100-metre section of Morandi Bridge collapsed amid torrential rains on Tuesday, sending dozens of vehicles crashing onto a riverbed, railway lines and two warehouses. The government on Wednesday said it would be revoking concessions to Autostrade per l'Italia, the company that manages the country's highways, following the accident. Chennai, Aug 16 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Thursday alleged that his state officials were not being permitted to gauge the rainfall in the catchment area of Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala and urged the neighbouring state to share rainfall data on a real-time basis. "I would like to point out that Kerala is not permitting our officials to gauge the rainfall in the dam's catchment area, compelling them to assess the inflow only on the basis of actual rise in dam water level," Palaniswami said in a letter to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan, the text of which was made available to the media here. Palaniswami said that the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department is managing and regulating water releases from the Mullaperiyar dam as per the inflow rate. "I request you to ask your officials to share the rainfall data in the dam catchment area with Tamil Nadu officials on a real-time basis." The Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala is owned and operated by Tamil Nadu. Palaniswami also demanded restoration of power supply to the dam and its other structures, pointing out that as agreed by the two states, Tamil Nadu had paid Rs 1.65 crore to the Kerala State Electricity Board. "Tamil Nadu has been in constant touch with Kerala and its electricity board for power resumption but to no avail," he rued. He assured Vijayan that the dam is safe -- hydrologically, seismically and structurally. "... the Supreme Court-appointed Supervisory Committee inspects the dam periodically. During the last inspection on August 4, the committee found that the dam is safe to store water up to 142 feet. Therefore, there is no threat to its safety. Water is being stored at the permitted level of 142 feet, as per Supreme Court orders," Palaniswami said. He also said that Tamil Nadu was releasing water from Mullaperiyar dam to Vaigai basin to the maximum extent possible through a tunnel. "The Water Resources Department is maintaining the desired level by releasing excess water through spillways so as not to exceed permitted level of 142 feet, issuing due periodical warnings to all concerned in Kerala," the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister added. New Delhi, Aug 16 : The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted permission to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs to file fresh application before the Election Commission (EC) seeking summoning of government officials in the office of profit case. A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar granted the permission while disposing of the AAP legislators' pleas seeking examination of some government officials in the office of profit case being heard by Commission. Earlier, twenty AAP legislators were disqualified for holding the office of profit of Parliamentary Secretaries. The Commission on Monday fixed August 20 for hearing the matter, following a request from the AAP MLAs. The EC was to hear the final arguments in the case, but the MLAs moved the high court. On January 19, the EC recommended that 20 AAP MLAs be disqualified for holding offices of profit. Two days later, President Ram Nath Kovind approved it. Later, the MLAs moved the high court. In March, the high court restored the Assembly membership of the 20 disqualified MLAs. Moscow, Aug 16 : Russia was considering its response on Thursday to the US' expansion of sanctions against Moscow companies over their links to North Korea, the country's deputy Foreign Minister said. Sergey Ryabkov told the state news agency Interfax that the new sanctions imposed on the Russian company Profinet and its general manager Vasily Kolchanov for allegedly facilitating the delivery of illicit shipments to the North Korean regime "lacked any basis". "Regarding Profinet and Kolchanov, the restrictions were applied as the US tends to do now, without presenting any evidence and on the basis of empty and groundless accusations," Ryabkov said. "Russian leaders will decide on possible measures in response to this." He added that the result of the US broadening "anti-Russian" sanctions due to "pressure by the elites" would be the degradation of bilateral relations, "but Washington doesn't care about this prospect", Efe news reported. "We proceed from the inevitability of a constant expansion of US sanctions," the Kremlin's number two diplomat said. The US Treasury Department on Wednesday sanctioned Profinet and Kolchanov for allegedly "providing port services on at least six occasions to North Korean-flagged ships", while also slapping restrictions on the Chinese firm Dalian Sun Moon Star and its Singapore-based affiliate, SINSMS, for the sale of cigarettes and alcohol to Pyongyang. "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," Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said. The department also accused Kolchanov of being personally involved in the North Korean deals and interacting directly with representatives of the East Asian country's regime. New Delhi, Aug 16 : Observing that the flood situation in Kerala is "grave", the Supreme Court on Thursday asked disaster management sub committee to sit with the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) on Friday to bring down the water level in Mullaperiyar Dam "so people do not live in constant fear". A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Indu Malhotra also asked the Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments to co-operate with the NCMC to provide the displaced people adequate relief immediately. The sub-committee constituted under Section 9 of the Disaster Management Act of 2005 may suggest, before any release of water in downstream areas from Mullaperiyar Dam, "what measures can be taken to handle the disaster so that people ultimately do not suffer the catastrophe of the flood". The decisions of the sub-committee regarding the water level of Mullaperiyar Dam will be implemented by Tamil Nadu and Kerala "immediately", said the bench while asking the sub committee to submit the report by Friday before it. The court was hearing a PIL filed seeking directions for management of water in the Mullaperiyar Dam reservoir and announcement of a disaster management plan in relation to the dam. During the hearing, counsel appearing for Kerala government told the bench that water level of the Mullaperiyar Dam should be reduced to 139 feet. On the other hand, Tamil Nadu told the apex court that inflow into Mullaperiyar Dam is 20,000 cusecs and because of rains, it may not be possible to reduce water level in the dam immediately. "There is limited capacity to release water," the Tamil Nadu government said. The counsel appearing for the Centre contended that the NCMC, headed by the Cabinet Secretary, met on Thursday and assured continued assistance to Kerala. The case was mentioned before the bench for urgent hearing and it agreed to hear the plea on Thursday itself. The petition filed by a Kerala resident Russel Joy also sought direction for Tamil Nadu to ensure proper management of water release from the Mullaperiyar Dam, so that no harm is caused to people living downstream from the dam. The counsel appearing for Joy argued that about 100 people have lost their lives and more that 1,50,000 people have been rendered homeless due to floods in Kerala. The petitioner's advocate requested the top court for proper coordination between Tamil Nadu and Kerala to ensure protection of life and property of the people living in the downstream of the Mullaperiyar Dam. The plea sought direction to the Central government to convene a meeting of the Committee under Section 9 of the Disaster Management Act to ensure high-level preparedness to face any disaster in relation to the Mullaperiyar Dam. Tamil Nadu must ensure proper management of water release from the Mullaperiyar Dam so that no harm is caused to people living downstream from the dam, plea states. The heaviest rains and floods since 1924 witnessed in the states have caused massive destruction, leaving 87 people dead, more than 80,000 people in relief camps and damage to crops and properties that the state has estimated to be over Rs 8,000 crore. New Delhi : It was the summer of 1996. The Congress government of Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao had lost the general election and, for the first time, there was an opportunity for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), headed by the moderate and well-liked Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to take power. He lacked parliamentary majority but nevertheless made the bid to form a government and become Prime Minister -- an ambition that he had long nurtured but which seemed elusive despite being in public life as a popular leader for long. The moment it became clear that Vajpayee would be the man to lead the next government in India, I made a beeline to his house at 5 Raisina Road which was almost a stone's throw from the Press Club of India. Vajpayee was a people's man and security was light around him those days. I and a colleague, Mayank Chhaya, opened the gates of his bungalow and walked in to his secretary's office. I asked his aides if he was busy. One of them pointed outside the window. There, standing all by himself, in an inconspicuous corner of the bungalow, seemingly staring into space, was the man of the moment -- in his trademark starched white dhoti and collarless kurta -- who would be the Prime Minister of India in a few days. We congratulated him. He smiled and ushered us in. Vajpayee had often wondered aloud whether he would forever remain prime minister-in-waiting as the BJP, with its hardline Hindu nationalist ideology, was not a popular favourite of the country then. But Vajpayee, with his affable personality, riveting oratory, an image of moderation and with friends across parties was one name that was being talked about as an acceptable alternative for those who were getting increasingly disillusioned with the corruption-tainted Congress. Vajpayee, then 71, and the BJP, did form the government, but it lasted only 13 days in his first stint at governance. He never had the numbers and made his resignation announcement almost offhandedly after two days of divisive debate on a confidence motion. The motion was never put to vote as its result was foregone. Even the BJP's opponents then paid tribute to the party for not attempting any horse-trading. The voluntary resignation improved the BJP's, and Vajpayee's, stock among the people and the party returned to power in 1998 for a longer term of 13 months, but with some non-BJP support, its first shot at forming a coalition government with parties whose ideologies were not necessarily aligned with the BJP's. "If you want to form a government leaving us out, I don't see any signs of its stability," Vajpayee told Parliament presciently. "The birth is difficult, and after the birth, survival is difficult. For everything, you have to run to the Congress." But in the short 13-month term of the second Vajpayee government, he made his mark by making India a declared nuclear weapon power, authorising a series of five nuclear tests in the Pokhran desert of Rajasthan, a shock event that was followed by tit-for-tat tests by Pakistan. Vajpayee's best years were no doubt his third government of 1999-2004, when he formed the first National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition, carrying parties with disparate ideologies along under the umbrella of a progressive, market-oriented, pro-US, politically moderate agenda that the party hardliners did not like but which made its mark internationally and raised India's stock in the global order. I made several trips with Vajpayee, as part of his media delegation, from the Caribbean to China, from the US to Pakistan, and he always found time to meet leading editors in his cabin on board Air India One and get feedback on his trip and on his policies. But the most unforgettable experience with Vajpayee would be, no doubt, in the winter of 1992, a few days after the apocalyptic Babri Masjid demolition by Hindu zealots in Ayodhya. Sitting in an inner room of his Raisina Road residence, a visibly anguished Vajpayee, in one of his life's most candid interviews, called the Ayodhya action as the "worst miscalculation" and a "misadventure" and conceded that voices of moderation were overruled by hardliners. Vajpayee admitted -- much against the claims of his own party -- that the BJP had failed to honour "solemn assurances" to the Supreme Court, Parliament and Prime Minister Narasimha Rao that the mosque would not be touched during the December 6 "kar seva" by Hindu activists. "Moderates have no place," he lamented to IANS, adding with a resigned air, "Who's going to listen to the voice of sanity?" However, he ruled out quitting the party, saying he had a lifelong association with it and "when the ship is facing a storm, you don't desert". Asked how, despite having been projected as a prime ministerial candidate as far back then, he had chosen to compromise on his convictions, Vajpayee replied, "I have waited too long (to be Prime Minister)." Many of his party people, and even journalists, had decried the headline-grabbing interview and had even slyly suggested that it may have been contrived. But Vajpayee kept a dignified silence on the issue and, when I confronted him at the party's National Executive meet in Kolkata some weeks later about what people were saying, he cryptically shot back: "Have I said anything?" That said it all. Vajpayee was a man of values, who decried the divisive ideology of sections of his partymen; he had a vision for the country and sought its rightful place in the comity of nations; but he remained till the end -- as his opponents often taunted -- the right man in the wrong party for India. (Tarun Basu can be contacted at tarun.basu@spsindia.in) New Delhi, Aug 16 : Former President of India Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday expressed his "deepest condolences" on the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here. Calling Vajpayee a "reasoned critique" and a "democrat", Mukherjee said in Twitter that India has lost a great son. "Deeply saddened at the passing away of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. A reasoned critique in opposition and a seeker of consensus as PM, Atal Ji was a democrat to the core. In his passing away, India has lost a great son and an era has come to an end. My deepest condolences," he wrote. Vajpayee, a founder member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term in office, died in Delhi on Thursday after a prolonged illness. He was 93. Gurugram, Aug 16 : A complaint has been filed against former Haryana Chief Minister Buphinder Singh Hooda for allegedly insulting National Anthem during a public meeting. The complaint was filed at the Mahindergarh Police station in south Haryana. "Hooda stopped the National Anthem mid-way during a public meeting in Mahindergarh on August 12," complainant Naresh Kadiyan, an animal activist and Haryana's Commissioner of Bharat Scout and Guide, told IANS. Hooda has been Chief Minister of the state two times and is an advocate. He was aware of the law but he intentionally stopped the National Anthem to address the gathering, Kadiyan said. The complainant said that he has written to the Superintendent of Police and Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district to take stringent action against the former Chief Minister. He also said that he had filed an online complaint against Hooda and organisers of the rally. The complainant also attached an audio and a video clip, showing Hooda asking the organisers to stop the National Anthem as he had forgotten to name local and senior leaders of the Congress party in his speech. Guwahati, Aug 16 : Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi led the state leaders on Thursday in mourning the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying that the "nation had lost an eminent statesman". "As Prime Minister, he made bold yet subtle statement regarding India's nuclear capability by going for the Pokhran test, thereby helping India gain entry to the Nuclear Club. "He, however, made it unambiguously clear that the country's nuclear repository and policy is for self-defence, that the country is a believer in non-violence and in no way will be in a nuclear race with any country, and India will not use the nuclear power first but in self-defence," Mukhi said. "His sagacity and leadership at both national and international levels has been a source of inspiration and guidance," the Governor added. He recalled the veteran politician as India's then Foreign Minister in 1977 surprised one and all by speaking in Hindi in the UN General Assembly. "The way he conveyed so much in so few words left the world dumbfounded. He spoke about 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' at that level and made the country's intentions clear at the world forum. This speech made many people realise the importance of the native tongue and also placed an Indian Language on the world political stage," he added. Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia expressed grief and said that the country had "lost a stalwart who embodied the best values of parliamentary democracy". Saikia said that Vajpayee was admired and respected even by his political opponents because he always placed national interests above party interests. "As the Prime Minister, Vajpayee did not hesitate to remind then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to follow 'Raj Dharma' in the wake of riots in that state," said Saikia. Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowari also condoled Vajpayee's death in Delhi at the age of 93 after a prolonged illness. "He was an iconic statesman and stalwart of Indian politics. A revered politician, Vajpayee was widely appreciated in national and international arenas for his acumen and foresight. One of the most popular Indian public figures, Vajpayee was loved, appreciated and regarded as a role model by generations of the country's leaders. His demise is a huge loss for the nation," said Patowari. Panaji, Aug 16 : Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday mourned the death of former Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "Deeply pained by the passing away of our beloved Atal ji. India has lost a great leader, a leader of masses and a visionary who dedicated his entire life in service of the nation and its people," tweeted Parrikar, who is currently in the US undergoing treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer. Vajpayee,93, died at the All India Institue of Medical Sciences, in the national capital on Thursday evening. New Delhi, Aug 16 : BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday described former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as "shikhar purush" (topmost leader) of Indian politics who devoted every "second of his life to the country and the party". In a blogpost, Shah said Vajpayee was an ideal swayamsevak, a dedicated worker and an effective speaker. "It is not easy to give every second of your life to the country, the party and its ideology. We have seen Atalji as an ideal swayamsevak, dedicated worker, poet, strong orator and a unique political leader." Shah said Vajpayee was BJP's founding member, its first president and made the party grow into a banyan tree through his hard work and dedication. "He emerged as a popular leader who treated power as an instrument of service to people and led a spotless political life without any compromise with national interests. And this is the reason that people gave him love and respect beyond their political and social limitations. "As the supreme leader of the party born in opposition, he played an exemplary role in Parliament and outside and provided a decisive leadership to the country as prime minister," Shah said. The BJP President said Vajpayee left an indelible mark on the Indian polity with his thoughts and principles. "As a swayamsevak dedicated to ideology and as a disciplined worker, his life is an inspiration for us. As a unique politician, an effective speaker, poet, devoted patriot, Bharat Ratna, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death is an irreparable loss to the party and the country. His thoughts, his poems, his vision, his political sagacity will always inspire us and provide us guidance. I bow before such shikhar purush of Indian politics and pray for peace to his soul," Shah said. Vajpayee, a founder member of the BJP and the first non-Congress prime minister to complete a full term in office, died in Delhi on Thursday after prolonged illness. He was 93. London, Aug 16 : Researchers have found the world's most ancient solid cheese in a 3,200-year-old Egyptian tomb, as well as evidence of a potentially deadly disease. The cheese was discovered from the tomb of Ptahmes, mayor of Memphis in Egypt during the 13th century BC, said researchers led by Enrico Greco, chemical scientist at the Catania University in Italy. It was initially unearthed in 1885, but got lost under drifting sands, and was then rediscovered in 2010. A few years later archaeologists found broken jars at the site. 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. After dissolving the sample, the team purified its protein constituents and analysed them with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The peptides detected by these techniques showed 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, said the researchers, in the study published in ACS' journal Analytical Chemistry. This potentially deadly disease spreads from animals to people, typically from eating unpasteurised dairy products. If the preliminary analysis is confirmed, the sample would represent the earliest reported biomolecular evidence of the disease, the researchers noted. Patna, Aug 16 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday expressed condolence over the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "The country has lost the tallest political leader, a charismatic personality, poet, orator, writer and thinker," Nitish Kumar said. The JD-U leader said Vajpayee was respected by leaders of all political parties despite ideological differences. "Vajpayee always stood to safeguard democratic values," he said. Nitish Kumar was Railway Minister in Vajpayee's cabinet during the first National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre. Istanbul, Aug 16 : Turkey's biggest mobile phone importing companies have cancelled their iPhone orders as Turkish citizens join a move to boycott US products. According to the Hurriyet Daily, a significant number of importers began to withdraw their short and long-term orders after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's appeal to boycott American electronic products on Tuesday. Three big companies operating in Dogubank, a trade centre specializing in the sales of electronic products in central Istanbul, suspended $50 million worth of iPhone orders, the Turkish daily said. According to the traders, the buyers in Anatolia also cancelled their contracts for the purchase of iPhone models. "The demands were cut like a knife. We have put local brands on the shelf and removed iPhones," a mobile phone shop owner was quoted as saying. In the meantime, ordinary Turkish citizens continue to back the boycott. Ozgur Altinbas, a 25-year-old student, told Xinhua news agency that he was considering joining the boycott by giving up the iPhone he has used for three years to buy an Asian mobile brand. "I am one hundred per cent behind the boycott appeal," he said. Nearly 10 million people use US' iPhones in Turkey, press reports said, adding that the amount paid for the products hit $7 billion in 10 years. Meanwhile, the Turkish people also expanded their boycott of other US products ranging from textiles to fast food. Last week, Washington doubled steel and aluminium tariffs on Turkey over its continued detention of US pastor Andrew Brunson. In return, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree to raise tariffs on American imports including cars, alcohol and tobacco. New Delhi, Aug 16 : Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday announced that all the schools and offices in the national capital will remain closed on Friday as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The 93-year-old leader passed away on Thursday evening after being admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here on June 11. "All Delhi govt. offices, schools and other institutions shall remain closed tomorrow, as a mark of respect for our dear departed Sh Atalji (sic)," Sisodia said in a tweet. In another tweet, he said: "All schools including private schools shall also remain closed." New Delhi, Aug 16 : The two-day BJP national executive meet was postponed on Thursday following the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "At this time of crisis, all party programmes are being cancelled," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah said in a statement mourning the former Prime Minister's death. Vajpayee died here on Thursday following a prolonged illness. He was 93. "Scheduled national executive meet is also postponed till next intimation. In a mark of respect for Vajpayee ji, the flags at all the party offices will remain bent down," Shah said. The meeting was scheduled to be held in the national capital for August 18-19. The last meeting of the national executive, a platform for the BJP to set its national political agenda, had taken place in September last year. The BJP's constitution mandates holding of the national executive meeting every three months. New Delhi, Aug 16 : Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday took a jibe at BJP President Amit Shah for switching off his microphone during his speech here. The Gandhi's microphone suddenly went off with a loud noise when he was speaking at 'Save Composite Culture' meeting in central Delhi's Talkatora stadium, where leaders of several political parties participated. The Congress leader, then took a jibe when the mic became functional and said, "Amit Shahji ne mic band kar diya tha(Amit Shah had switched off the mic)". Gandhi's comment made people clap and raise slogans. The time when the mic of the Congress leader went off, he was accusing the BJP of building a 'cage' and restricting the rights of the people. "BJP President Amit Shah had said in a speech that India is a golden bird. You (Sharad Yadav) said we are a river. We know our capability and make our way as we walk. Our vision is distinct. We see the country like Ganga. The river belongs to all. The rain that falls also becomes river. Yamuna joins Ganga and becomes part of it, everybody gets connected. For them the country is golden bird," Gandhi said. "And if the country is a golden bird, you have to make a cage... Today they are making the cage, and we are trying to stop them," he added. New Delhi, Aug 16 : Former President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday wrote a letter to the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's adopted daughter expressing his "heartfelt condolences" at his demise. In his letter to Namita Bhattacharya, Mukherjee described Vajpayee as a "democrat to the core" who "dominated the opposition space like a titan" and said that the era of Vajpayee, which will "forever be fondly remembered" has passed away with his demise. "A democrat to the core, Atal ji dominated the opposition space like a titan and led the government like aplomb. An inheritor and practitioner of the best traditions and qualities of leadership, in his demise the nation has lost a great son," Mukherjee said. Earlier, Mukherjee, who served as the President from 2012 to 2017, expressed his condolences through his Twitter account by calling Vajpayee's passing away as a "great loss" to India and an "end of an era". Vajpayee, a founder member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term in office, died in Delhi on Thursday after a prolonged illness. He was 93. Islamabad, Aug 16 : The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday withdrew support for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif's candidature for the post of Prime Minister, the media reported. Sharif was nominated as the prime ministerial candidate of the joint opposition which included the PML-N, PPP, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and Awami National Party (ANP). The decision was taken during a consultative meeting of the PPP and the party was deliberating on whether it will take part in the election. The meeting was chaired by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Geo News reported citing sources. The National Assembly will elect the country's next Prime Minister on Friday. Earlier, nomination papers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and PML-N President Sharif were accepted. Speaking to reporters prior to the PPP meeting, Khursheed Shah said his party had reservations over Shehbaz Sharif being the candidate for Prime Minister. Shah stressed that if the PML-N does not change its candidate then the PPP will make a decision accordingly. PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique claimed that the PPP backtracked on former President Asif Ali Zardari's orders. With the loss of the PPP (54 seats), Shehbaz Sharif will now face an almost impossible task to be elected as Prime Minister. The PML-N has 82 seats in the National Assembly and it was unclear if the party will still be supported by the MMA (15 seats) and ANP (1 seat). On the other hand, Khan's PTI has 158 seats and with the support of its allies, the total stands at 175 which was more than the required simple majority, Geo reported. Agartala, Aug 16 : Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Thursday termed former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death a "great loss to the nation" and said "there is no alternative to him". "I have closely seen him in Delhi. He dedicated his life for the cause of the nation. There is no alternative to him," said Deb, who was in Delhi for many years before becoming Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tripura Pradesh President in January 2016. Deb, in his condolence message, said Vajpayee held a special place in his heart for the northeastern region. "It was visible through various visionary measures which were undertaken during his tenure as the Prime Minister. He created an exclusive Department for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) that handled the matters pertaining to the development of the northeast," he said. "It was his (Vajpayee) government which had ensured the formation of the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) to optimise the utilisation of the 10 per cent compulsory allocation of budgetary fund being done for the region." Deb, who left for New Delhi on Thursday to attend the last rites on Friday, expressed his deep condolences on the death of former Prime Minister. Vajpayee passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi on Thursday afternoon after prolonged illness. He was 93. Srinagar, Aug 16 : Mainstream leaders in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday condoled the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee death in Delhi. Governor N.N. Vohra said: "Saddened over the demise of a visionary leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. Pray for the peace of the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family members." Vajpayee passed away earlier in the day in All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. He was 93. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: "Vajpayee sahib is no more and I feel a personal sense of loss. Thank you sir for the opportunities, for the trust you reposed in me, for the opportunities to travel with you and to learn from you. You will be greatly missed." Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted: "His conviction, commitment and courage was phenomenal. He extended the hand of friend to Pakistan. He had to face the betrayal in the shape of Kargil incursions by Pakistan but even then he tried to rise above everything else to sort out the problems faced by us in Jammu and Kashmir." State Congress President G.A. Mir said: "Politics apart, his approach to problems was that of a statesman. His policy regarding J&K was not put to practice by those who claim to represent his dream. He was a great parliamentarian." Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta said: "He entered J&K with Syama Prasad Mookerjee in 1953. He was a statesman, thinker, poet and writer who will always be missed." Former Minister and Peoples Democratic Party leader Naeem Akhtar said" "To resolve the Kashmir issue through a humanitarian approach, Atal ji firmly believed that dialogue and deliberation is the only way out of the situation in Kashmir." CPI-M MLA Yusuf Tarigami said: "During his prime ministership, there was a ray of hope for the otherwise helpless situation here. His approach opened roads and minds in Kashmir." Former Lok Sabha member and Congress leader Tariq Hameed Kara said: "For the people of Kashmir, Atal ji's passing away is a personal loss." New Delhi, Aug 16 : Condoling former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death here on Thursday, Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui said that the late Indian leader met three generations of Chinese leaders and credited him for taking the initiative of holding the special representative (SR)-level dialogue mechanism on the border issue between the two countries. "Shri Vajpayee met 3 generations of Chinese leaders," Luo tweeted on Thursday evening after Vajpayee, 93, passed away at AIIMS here following a prolonged illness. "During his trip to China as PM in 2003, he (Vajpayee) proposed establishing the mechanism of SR on the Boundary Question, and also donated an Indian style Buddhist temple in Luoyang City of China," the Chinese envoy said. India and China share a nearly 3,500 km-long international border. Luo also shared pictures of Vajpayee with former Chinese Presidents Mao Tse Tung, Deng Xiaoping and then with Hu Jintao during a 2003 visit to China. In an earlier tweet, soon after learning of Vajpayee's demise, Luo said that the former Indian Prime Minister's contribution to India-China relations will never be forgotten. "Deeply saddened by the passing away of the Honorable Atal Bihari Vajpayee," Luo stated. "We will never forget his great contribution to China India relations," he said. Bengaluru, Aug 16 : Karnataka Governor Vajubjai Vala, state Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, BJP's state unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa and other leaders mourned the death of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi on Thursday evening. "I condole the sad demise of former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee. In his death, the nation has lost a great visionary statesman and pious leader, who was respected and loved by all," said Vala in a message from Raj Bhavan. Recalling Vajpayee's hard work for the uplift of the poor and downtrodden throughout his life, the Governor said the veteran leader's vision and work would be remembered by every citizen across the country. "India has lost a great leader in terms of his sincere and dedicated action to the motherland. Praying to Almighty for his eternal peace," added Vala. Expressing grief on Vajpayee's demise, Kumaraswamy said the former prime minister was a great visionary who believed that national highways were like the lines on a palm, showing the future. "Vajpayee was a rare breed of politicians who lived the values they believed. His death has created a vacuum in the country," said Kumaraswamy in a condolence message. Quoting a line from Vajpayee's poem 'Will never accept defeat', the Chief Minister said the veteran leader's writings mirrored his personality. "Vajpayee believed in brotherhood and harmony and tried to bind the country with the Golden Quadrangle national highway project. He was also a great orator and a seasoned parliamentarian," recalled Kumaraswamy. Noting that the country had lost a great political thinker and statesman, former BJP's state chief minister Yeddyurappa said he had no words to describe Vajpayee. "Vajpayee's death is a great loss to the country, people and the BJP for which he was a leading and guiding spirit," said Yeddyurappa in a statement. Recalling that the country had witnessed an astute politician and an amiable prime minister, the party's state unit chief said Vajpayee's organisational and political acumen were put to test during his regime when he led the NDA government consisting of over 25 parties with each having political agendas of their own. Noting that Vajpayee was 'Ajatha Shatru' (a man without enemies) of contemporary Indian politics, Yeddyurappa said he was grieved by his death. "May his soul rest in peace," he added. Terming Vajpayee as one of the most respected, loved and broad-hearted statesman India had seen, Congress' state unit president Dinesh Gundu Rao said the former prime minister was a towering personality and a great orator. "I express my condolence on his passing away. We are all going to miss him," said Rao in a tweet. New Delhi, Aug 16 : Much as he was revered as a stalwart politician, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away at the age of 93 here on Thursday, was widely recognised as a key poet in Hindi, who took poetry beyond the pages of his collections and recited them at numerous public fora. He used poetry as a medium to give expression to his deepest thoughts. As the news of his sad demise plunged the nation into mourning, his eloquent verses came swimming before the eyes of his admirers. One particular episode that deserves mention took place in the year 1988 when the Bharat Ratna awardee was in the United States for kidney treatment. In a letter to playwright and his contemporary Dharamvir Bharati from the United States during his treatment days, Vajpayee said he peeped into the eyes of death" and captured the agony in a poem titled "Maut se than gayi" (Faceoff with death). Recounting the trauma that he was undergoing while uncertainty of his survival loomed large, Vajpayee described in the poem that he had almost accepted the end. "I had no intention of fighting/ there was no promise of meeting again/ she (death) blocked the path and stood on the way/ in a moment she became larger than life," he wrote. In the letter originally written in Hindi, Vajpayee added: "Maut ki umar kya hai? Do pal bhi nahin/ Zindagi silsila aajkal ki nahin/ Main ji bhar jia/ Main man se maru/ Lautkar aaonga/ Kuch se kyun darun", reflecting that death too is temporary and lasts only for a while in an ageless cycle of life. The former Prime Minister noted that he had lived to the fullest and would die with satisfaction, and would again return from his travels. Notably, when he had written the letter to Bharati, the doctors had suggested him to undergo a surgery. This suggestion had caused an anxiety in his mind and Vajpayee, revealed in the letter that this poem was written in that frame of mind. It is also interesting to note that then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was responsible for sending Vajpayee to the US for treatment. In a delegation headed to the United Nations, Gandhi had included his name so that he could be treated there. Vajpayee made his gratitude public to Gandhi and would often say that he was alive because of him. He emerged victorious in this "faceoff with death" and would go on to live for another three decades, serving thrice as the Prime Minister of India, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 11 months from 1998 to 1999, and thereafter for a full term from 1999 to 2004. Vajpayee's vision of life is also evident in his poetry. In one of his oft-recited poems, he asks the readers why has the colour of blood turned white, expressing the larger messages of fraternity and brotherhood. His poems also conveyed the firm belief in marching forward that Vajpayee accorded great importance in the course of the nation's journey. His "Geet naya gata hoon" (Singing a new song) is widely read and features in several school curriculum books, but Vajpayee also expressed his disgust with the face of truth in one of his poems, where he went on to say "Geet nahin gata hoon", or I am not singing. He wrote that when the truth revealed its real face, he became fearful of the truth itself and preferred to stop singing, or writing about the truth. And there was a prayer, too. "Mere prabhu/ Mujhe itni unchai kabhi mat dena/ Gairon ko gale na laga sakun/ Itni rukhai kabhi mat dena", where he, addressing to the Almighty, expresses his firm belief in fraternity, in seeing all men as equal and in embracing the others. "Meri Ekyavan Kavitayen" (My 51 poems) is one of his most celebrated poetry collections and provides a ringside view into the mind of the iconic poet that Vajpayee was. The literary world, like the rest of the nation, will remain poorer sans him. New Delhi, Aug 16 : Hope and despair mingled as a large crowd of journalists, BJP supporters and commoners waited throughout a hot and humid Thursday to hear about Atal Bihari Vajpayee's health till a brief hospital statement ended it all. "It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former Prime Minister Vajpayee," the statement said. The AIIMS lawns, pavements and driveways remained crowded as the who's who of Indian politics made a beeline to the hospital that not only treats patients from across the country but also VIPs. For reporters, it was a tough call: AIIMS aithorities followed a strict protocol on the health bulletins of Vajpayee. There was no background or off-the-record briefings. There were no selective leaks. The hospital authorities released two bulletins, one on how he continued to be on life support and another that he was no more. The seven-hour gap between the two bulletins seemed too long as the suspense about the former Prime Minister's condition continued. The crowd of journalists swelled outside the block of Cardio Neuro Centre where Vajpayee was being treated. Police had put up barricades outside the complex to prevent the crowd, including journalists and scores of BJP workers, from coming in. Information-hungry reporters would run after any politician or a minister who was given access inside the complex to know what was happening. But the leaders, cutting across the political spectrum, kept mum, their faces signaling that all was not well. There were moments of flutter when some TV channels prematurely flashed that Vajpayee was no more. Phones kept ringing and journalists had to convince their offices that nothing was announced -- as yet. The crowd of BJP supporters also kept building up. Some didn't leave the premises for the entire day and many of them kept shouting slogans wishing a long life for Vajpayee. "Jab tak sooraj chand rahega, Atal ji ka naam rahega" was the leitmotif Around 5 p.m., gates of nearby buildings were closed suddenly. A white high-end ambulance was parked outside the another gate of the Cardio Neuro Centre. Some of the journalists by this time had realized that 'it' was just an announcement away. Then the cellphones buzzed. There was an AIIMS statement, stating the worst. There was no briefing. The body wrapped in white was brought out on a stretcher and kept in the van. His family members, mostly expressionless with the loss of the patriarch, were accompanied by Union Minister Smriti Irani as they walked out of the complex and drove in a separate car to take the body for embalming before it was kept at his Krishna Menon Marg in Lutyen's Delhi. The day ended with the worst fear coming true: India lost one of its tallest leaders, who had already faded from the public life more than a decade ago. Itanagar, Aug 16 : Arunachal Pradesh Governor B.D. Mishra on Thursday expressed grief at the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying that India had lost its tallest leader and statesman who was an apostle of secularism. "Atal ji was an apostle of unity, harmony and secularism. One of the best orators of all time, he was a great visionary and the most respected leader of India. Cutting across political party lines, he commanded admiration of all," the Governor said. Mishra said that as the Prime Minister of India, Vajpayee laid the foundation of nuclear self-reliance for national defence by going for nuclear tests at Pokhran in Rajasthan. "A firm believer in integral humanism, Atal ji took the initiative of extending a hand of friendship to Pakistan through his most admired and unprecedented bus journey to Lahore (in 1999)." Conveying heartfelt condolences on his behalf and that of the Arunachal people, the Governor said he prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul. New Delhi, Aug 16 : Describing him as "Pole Star" of Indian politics, BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday paid his tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying he guided the party's journey from its seeding to taking a shape of "banyan tree". "With his demise, we have lost the pole star of Indian politics. He was a multi-faceted personality. The country has lost a big statesman. It will be impossible for long to fulfil the space which has fallen vacant after his demise. "First, Jan Sangha and then founding the BJP, throughout his journey from seeding the party to giving it a shape of banyan tree, he guided all the workers," Shah told reporters at party headquarters. "Be it during fight against the Emergency or raising India's voice for Kashmir or for spreading Hindi's influence or as a balanced leader, he always gave solutions to the country. We, as a BJP workers, will take forward the mission he had taken up," Shah said. Shah also described Vajpayee as "shikhar purush" (topmost leader) of Indian politics who devoted every "second of his life to the country and the party". In a blogpost, Shah said Vajpayee was an ideal swayamsevak, a dedicated worker and an effective speaker. "It is not easy to give every second of your life to the country, the party and its ideology. We have seen Atalji as an ideal swayamsevak, dedicated worker, poet, strong orator and a unique political leader." Shah said Vajpayee was BJP's founding member, its first president and made the party grow into a banyan tree through his hard work and dedication. "He emerged as a popular leader who treated power as an instrument of service to people and led a spotless political life without any compromise with national interests. And this is the reason that people gave him love and respect beyond their political and social limitations. "As the supreme leader of the party born in opposition, he played an exemplary role in Parliament and outside and provided a decisive leadership to the country as prime minister," Shah said. The BJP President said Vajpayee left an indelible mark on the Indian polity with his thoughts and principles. "As a swayamsevak dedicated to ideology and as a disciplined worker, his life is an inspiration for us. As a unique politician, an effective speaker, poet, devoted patriot, Bharat Ratna, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death is an irreparable loss to the party and the country. His thoughts, his poems, his vision, his political sagacity will always inspire us and provide us guidance. I bow before such shikhar purush of Indian politics and pray for peace to his soul," Shah said. Vajpayee, a founder-member of the BJP and the first non-Congress prime minister to complete a full term in office, died in Delhi on Thursday after prolonged illness. He was 93. New Delhi, Aug 16 : Opposition leaders, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and chief ministers of West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi on Thursday condoled the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, describing him a great son of India, a statesman and one of country's tallest leaders. Gandhi said in a tweet that Vajpayee was loved and respected by millions of people and he will be missed. "Today, India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family and all his admirers. We will miss him," Gandhi said. Gandhi had earlier in the day visited Vajpayee at AIIMS where he was being treated. Manmohan Singh, in his message, said that Vajpayee stood among the "tallest leaders" of modern India and spent his whole life serving the country. "I have learnt with profound sorrow about the sad demise of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji. An excellent orator, an impressive poet, an exceptional public servant, an outstanding parliamentarian and a great Prime Minister, Vajpayeeji stood among the tallest leaders of modern India, who spent his whole life serving our great country," Singh said. "His services to our nation will be remembered for a long time to come," he added. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Vajpayee's death was a very big loss to the nation. "Very very saddened that the great statesman and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji is no more with us. His passing away is a very big loss to our nation. I will always cherish many fond memories with him. Condolences to his family and his many admirers," Banerjee said in a tweet. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said he was deeply grieved by the demise of Vajpayee and noted that he was loved by people of Odisha. "He was one of the tallest leaders of the country. He was much loved by the people of India and more so by the people of Odisha. May his soul rest in peace," Patnaik said in a tweet. He attached a video of his pictures with Vajpayee. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu said India has lost one of its greatest visionaries. "We have lost one of the greatest visionaries the nation has seen, on this unfortunate day. The beloved former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji will continue to inspire us and the generations to come. May he rest in peace," Naidu said in a tweet. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Vajpayee's death was a great loss for the country. "Am deeply saddened. A great loss for India," he said in a tweet. Kejriwal had visited AIIMS along with his deputy Manish Sisodia to enquire about the health of Vajpayee. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad described Vajpayee as a great human being and "true statesman". Azad said that Vajpayee never hesitated in giving full credit to his opposition party leaders whenever due. "I distinctly remember when he praised then Prime Minister Late Indira Gandhi after Indo-Pak war of 1971 and referred to her as 'Durga'," Azad said. The Congress leader said he had very happy memories of Vajpayee and his death was a big personal loss. "He will be greatly remembered for his prolific oratory skills, statesmanship, his relationship with leaders of other parties and outstanding contribution towards public service besides many other qualities," Azad said. Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge said India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had predicted that Vajpayee would become the Prime Minister in the future and he rose to the post. Kharge said that Vajpayee was "Ajatshatru" who never made any enemies. "Though our ideologies were different, we used to go to listen to his speeches to know what he had to say." Congress treasurer Motilal Vora said Vajpayee commanded equal respect from his party and the opposition. Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said Indian political landscape has lost a stalwart and a statesman. Vajpayee, a founder member of the BJP and the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term in office, died in Delhi on Thursday after prolonged illness. He was 93. Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 16 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday issued a stern warning to those spread fake news about floods in the state using social media. Kerala is facing one of its worst-ever tragedies on account of widespread damages to crops and properties due to heavy rains and floods which also claimed at least 114 lives. Speaking to the media here, Vijayan said it is unfortunate that the social media is being misused and fake news is being spread about Kerala's tragedy. "I wish to inform all that the state government will now take very strict action against such people," said Vijayan. Idukki District Collector Jeevan Babu said there are fake news that was being spread in the social media about the safety of Mullaperiyar dam. "All the news about the safety of the dam is absolutely baseless and unfounded and I wish to state that there are no such issues at all. The state government has now decided to take action against all those who spread fake news," Babu told the media. New Delhi, Aug 17 : A motorcycle brushing a boy led to breakout of clashes between two groups of people from different communities here, police said but rejected rumours that it was a communal riot. "The incident happened in NSA Colony, Farsh Bazar on the afternoon of Independence Day on Wednesday, when a group of boys, who were having a party in their house, got into a scuffle with boys of another community, inciting rumours that one group opposed the singing of national anthem," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Shahdara, Meghna Yadav, said on Thursday. "There was a quarrel related to motorcycle touching one person in a street. It was purely a fight between two groups of boys, incidentally belonging to different communities," she said, adding: "There was no such thing as anyone opposing the playing of national anthem." She said a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and cross FIRs have been lodged. One of the boys involved in the scuffle got an injury in his head while the rest of them got bruises on their bodies. The situation in the locality, the police officer said, is peaceful. Washington, Aug 17 : US President Donald Trump's military parade is estimated to cost 92 million dollars, according to a CNBC report on Thursday, quoting an anonymous US defence official. An earlier estimate put the cost at 12 million dollars, $80 million less, said the report, Xinhua reported. The new figure consists of 50 million dollars from the Pentagon and $42 million from interagency partners such as the Department of Homeland Security. The parade is scheduled to take place in US capital city Washington on November 10 this year, featuring armored vehicles, aircraft flyovers and period uniforms. The final plan has not been approved by Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, according to local media. The ceremony is said to be largely inspired by Trump's front-row seat at France's Bastille Day military parade in Paris last year. The United States has not held a major military parade in Washington since 1991 to mark the end of Operation Desert Storm. Cairo, Aug 17 : Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called for a political settlement in Libya. The call was issued in a phone conversation held by the two leaders, Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement, Xinhua reported. "Noting that the two countries are keen to restore stability and security along the Mediterranean region, the two presidents discussed the recent developments in Libya and means of pushing the political settlement forward in the north African country," the statement said. The two leaders agreed that a national consensus among different Libyan parties would be the solution and the Libyan crisis can only be resolved by Libyan people, it said. They also discussed the situation in Syria, calling on the international community to reach "a comprehensive and lasting solution" to Syrian civil war, according to the statement. Colliers International has agreed to consolidate its business in the Czech Republic with the Threesixty Agency. The Threesixty partners Tewfik Sabongui and Petr Zalsky will become equity partners of Colliers International, Czech Republic, with Tewfik Sabongui taking on the role of Managing Partner and Petr Zalsky in the role [] Skanska has sold Mill Park, a two-building office project in Budapest, to the real estate fund of Erste Alapkezelo Zrt. one of the subsidiaries of Erste Asset Management GmbH. This is the second acquisition from Skanska in Budapest that the purchaser has made following the Nordic Light transaction in [] South Korean investment in the UK totalled 1.1 billion (c. 1.23 billion) in the first half of 2018, which is already more than double the 530 million invested in the whole of 2017 and is set to continue to increase significantly for the remainder of the year, according to research [] The Birdsville Hotel, one of the most well-known tourism pubs in Australia, is back on the market. Offers for the hotel, built in 1884, are sought by September 20. One of Queensland's most famous watering holes, the Birdsville Hotel has survived floods, heat waves and fire, set at the edge of the Simpson Desert. Birdsville was settled by pioneers in the early 1860s and in the 1880s the hotel became the central meeting place for town residents, nearby station owners and their thirsty cattle drovers. The sale will include the hotel and its 27 rooms motel accommodation. It will also include the liquor licence, goodwill, intellectual property, business name, plant and equipment and stock in trade. There are two detached residences, an industrial block and an aviation fuel supply business operated by the current hotel owners on offer. The sale campaign is being managed by Russell Iles and Guy Bennett of Knight Frank, in conjunction with Darren Steele of Steele & Associates Hotel Brokers. The current owners bought the hotel in 1980. The hotel manager Ben Fullagar suggested there had been "a huge amount of work over 38 years to build the brand and totally rebuild the entire premises." The town of Birdsville is located in outback Queensland, on the edge of the Simpson Desert 1,600 kilometres from Brisbane. The Birdsville Hotel is well regarded outback tourism destination having won tourism awards including Queensland's best outback pub for three consecutive years. Its annual races are in a fortnight's time, run on the first Saturday in September. It attracts thousands of visitors during school holidays and mild winter months. The boozy Birdsville image annoys many locals, especially the heroines of the outback. Mr Steele said he expected the iconic hotel offering to be highly sought after by buyers from around Australia, as well as internationally. Its a true Aussie icon, and one that many people around the world have heard of, so we anticipate there will be interest from investors and those looking to own and operate their own hotel in Birdsville." The tourism sector in Queensland is strengthening, with international visitors up by 5.5% and domestic visitors up by 2.6%, with spending around 6% more in the year ending March 2018, according to Tourism & Events Queensland. Birdsville is accessible by road as well as a sealed airstrip adjacent within walking distance from the hotel. Light planes ceased to park in front of the hotel in 1964 because fences and street lights had been erected. The hotel was on the market in 2007 as well but reported offers of up to $5 million were not enough to make the Fort family, the long time owner, part with the Birdsville property. Knight Franks Guy Bennett told the local paper that what was on offer now was a very different proposition to 2007. It was former Adelaide builder Kym Fort who took over the hotel when it was a fire-ravaged shell with its only working part a makeshift public bar. He used his construction skills to restore one of Australia's most famous pubs which he co-owned with four silent partners. The Chinese apartment developer HPG, a subsidiary of Chinese conglomerate Hailiang, has declined to deny a report the Chinese government has sought the divestiture of its One Sydney Park project. It is a slow selling 400-apartment project spanning 2.1 hectares in Erskineville, six kilometres from the Sydney CBD. Chinese companies have been told to relinquish investments outside China, to strengthen its economy as the trade war with the US escalates, the Australian Financial Review advised. It reported HPG had been "shopping quietly off-market for a partner or a buyer" for its $600 million flagship apartment project, One Sydney Park. HPG acquired the former Goodman Group industrial site in 2015. There have been around 50 sales so far at the 205-213 Euston Road site. will end its presence in Australia, which started in 2014. Holy Fire Publishing (http://www.holyfirepublishing.com) releases the book "The Queens Christmas Message" 978-1-60383-570-1. In this book, Waugh inspires the readers to dream again. Along with this inspiration, is the reality that dreaming on comes with challenges for the dreamers to realize that they are carrying treasures in vessels. Such treasures are a collection of blessings and favors coming from God through their God-dreams and visions. Like the Queen, this author has meaningful celebrations of Christmas, too, that served as his inspiration, too, in writing this book. In relation to this, Waugh has his own proclamation about Christmas which he and his whole family have celebrated with five generations saying, Fear not: For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. The Queens Christmas Message needs no description from, and on its own. Distinguished personalities can attest to the worthiness of this authors creation. According to the author, Alison Sherrington, Waugh has set the compilation or Christmas messages into perspective by brief historical references, pictures, and Christmas stamps. And, towards the latter part of the book, readers can find an epilogue of popular Christmas carols and hymns including those used in the Christmas Broadcasts. This book, Sherrington adds, Would be the perfect Christmas present. Consultant, Don Hill has this to say, A new and innovative approach to the Christmas Story and its clear message of peace and goodwill to all. Hill elaborates that reading the book from cover to cover is such a rewarding experience. Rating The Queens Christmas Message with 5 stars and describing it as a fascinating read, Rev Philip Waugh, a minister articulates, I havent seen anyone else draw the events of the last 65 years together in this way before. He emphasizes that using the speeches of the Queen not only lies in the unfolding of events of our time but reveals a deep spiritual glue, providing a fascinating and intimate insight into the personal life of our Queen. Rev Dr. Geoffrey Waugh is married to Meg with whom he has been blessed with three adult children and eight grandchildren. He is an author of books of various ministries and missions. He too is the founding editor of the Renewal Journal. He worked as a professor in Trinity Theological College and the School of Theology of Griffith University and at Christian Heritage College in Brisbane, Australia. He was also the professor in different schools and Bible Colleges in Papua New Guinea, and in the South Pacific. Adding to his roster of experiences of service to the Lord, Waugh led short-term missions too, in Africa, Europe, Asia, and in the South Pacific islands. Holy Fire Publishing (http://www.holyfirepublishing.com), the publisher of hundreds of Christian books, helps Christian authors reach the world through the printed word. ### Representatives with Adam Block Design announced today that it is now recruiting campus managers. Dom Sylvia is heading recruiting for our campus managers all over the United States, with a special focus on several schools, said Jenny Ruvalcaba, Design and Marketing Manager for Adam Block Design. Dom began her career with Adam Block Design in the early stages of our Ambassador program; she became a Campus Coordinator, part of our on-campus sales team, and later interned with ABD in our Marketing Department. After graduating from the University of Arizona, Sylvia, returned to Adam Block Designs team, focused on recruiting and expanding our team. Ruvalcaba went on to list the schools the company has a special focus on recruiting. Those schools include: University of Mississippi University, MS University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL Auburn University Auburn, AL University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR Northwestern University Evanston, IL George Washington University Washington, DC Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA University of Kentucky Lexington, KY University of Oklahoma Norman, OK As for what makes Adam Block Design different from everyone else in the market today, Ruvalcaba noted that it has a very creative Graphic Design team, friendly customer service, stylish clothing choices, real silk screens, and high-quality ink. Plus, we offer free design services with your order and all-inclusive pricing on bulk orders (shipping and taxes), Ruvalcaba said of Adam Block Design, a company thats geared toward female college students. At Adam Block Design, our custom sorority shirts are carefully curated in our catalog to ensure your collegiate apparel is of the best materials. From the softest V-neck sorority T-shirts to a wide range of high-end Greek tank tops, we offer all types of sorority clothing that eclipses the very definition of chic graphic tees. If youre looking for custom, youve come to the right place. We can put a custom design on any brand, any style, or any color. For more information, please visit: https://www.adamblockdesign.com/order/ and https://www.adamblockdesign.com/about-us/. Adam Block Design We design and print apparel and accessories, specializing in Sorority and Fraternity groups. We also work with clubs, teams and businesses. Our team works with passionate care, creating the best Greek apparel while offering a class of customer service next to none. We only use the highest quality ink, real silk screens, cutting-edge styles and we work with professional in-house graphic design teams to deliver anything you can imagine. Contact Details: Jenny Ruvalcaba 187 E Warm Springs Rd B435 Las Vegas, NV 89119 Phone: 1-800-339-1346 Source: Adam Block Design ### Advance Financial was proud to make a donation to Daniel Boone High School. Nashville-based financial services company Advance Financial cut the ribbon on August 3rd at the companys newest store in Tennessee, located in Jonesborough. To mark the occasion, the Advance Financial Foundation donated $1,000 to Daniel Boone High School in Jonesborough. The communities surrounding our stores are extremely important to us, said Shantrelle Johnson, VP of corporate citizenship for Advance Financial. Through the Advance Financial Foundation, we are able to provide extra support to those organizations working to make a difference in these regions. We are thrilled to make a contribution to Daniel Boone High School and help fund the educational programs they offer. Started in 2014, the Advance Financial Foundation invests in the communities the company serves through support for local 501(c)3 organizations and community enrichment programs. The Foundation places a particular focus on enhancing education and health and wellness initiatives. Advance Financials new store is located at 406 Forest Drive. It is open 24/7 and offers a range of financial services including prepaid cards, electronic wire services to anywhere in the world, check cashing, FLEX loans, free bill-payment services and free money orders. About Advance Financial Founded in 1996, Advance Financial is a leading multi-state fintech company based in Nashville, Tennessee. Family owned and operated, the company is aggressively investing in the expansion of its market presence. In keeping with its vision of a world-class customer experience, Advance Financial is delivering instant lending decisions and brick-and-mortar money services 24/7/365. The company maintains an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and was named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country for the sixth year in a row. For more information visit https://www.af247.com. Mr. ManHee Lee Chairman of HWPL There will be no greater thing we could leave as a legacy to our future generations than to end war on this planet and create peace. Earlier this month, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the births of former South African President Nelson Mandela and the human rights activist Albertina Sisulu, the 2018 African Leaders of Peace Summit was held at Hilton Hotel in Gauteng, Johannesburg, South Africa to discuss ways to achieve an Africa free of conflict. The former president of Mozambique, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Madagascar, the Queen Mother of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, the Royal Prince of the Kingdom of eSwatini, Deputy Speakers, Former Vice Presidents among others, were in attendance. On August 10th 2018, the summit was co-hosted by the African Leaders of Peace Summit Organising Committee, Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), the International Womens Peace Group (IWPG), and the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG). It recalled the roles of the leaders for peace and security in Africa and suggested a plan for the implementation of the AUs Agenda 2063 . The organizers explained that the purpose of this Summit was to awaken the leaders to their roles and achieve a peaceful Africa, in the midst of the recent political strife in Zimbabwe and the employment discrimination based upon level of education or sex found in African society. H.E. Joaquim Alberto, the former President of Mozambique, said, Today I have heard about cessation of war and that everyone wants peace, not war. But there is one more thing I would like to add, and that is: cessation of war is not possible without the cessation of individual and familial conflicts. And our children need to receive peace education and learn the culture of peace. H.E. Veronica Nataniel Macamo, Mozambique President of National Assembly, spoke, "I believe that peace can be achieved through the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW) and hope that all nations will be able to attain peace not only for our future generations but in our current generation as well. A speech by Chairman Man Hee Lee of HWPL, the international NGO that co-hosted the summit, followed. I have come to Africa to speak about the work of peace. Countless people have worked for peace on this planet but how much peace do we have today? he asked, calling out for the listeners to take action for peace. He also spoke about how he had confirmed the universal desire for peace through the 29 trips around the world, saying, There will be no greater thing we could leave as a legacy to our future generations than to end war on this planet and create peace. His Royal Highness Prince Hlangusempi & Minister of Economics and Planning participated in the event as a special emissary of the King of eSwatini. He signed a National Solidarity Statement for the Promotion of the DPCW as a national support for peacebuilding at a global framework. Also signed by the President of Seychelles, the statement represents official support for the DPCW through the signature of the in-office head of state. The DPCW is a legal document drafted by HWPL and proclaimed on 14 March 2016, purposing to create a legally binding instrument for cessation of war and peace. It is composed of 10 articles and 38 clauses, and offers such holistic principles as peaceful conflict resolution, promotion of friendly relations between states, freedom of religion, and the spreading of a culture of peace, for the advancement of peace in the nations and civil society. The event was broadcast live through the South African broadcaster eNCA and the internet news provider EA. HWPL is a UN ECOSOC-affiliated NGO whose prime peace initiatives are to establish the international law for peace, interfaith harmony among religions and peace education. IPYG as a partner organization of HWPL endorses the Peace Letter Campaign to advocate youth participation in peacebuilding by collecting letters of support for peace to national leaders. We are really excited to welcome Josh to the AireSpring team, and are very focused on expanding our presence in the Northeast. We look forward to working with Josh to grow the AireSpring channel partner community there." AireSpring, the award-winning provider of cloud communications and managed connectivity solutions, is pleased to announce that channel leader and telecom industry veteran, Josh Redick, has joined as their new Northeast Channel Director. The new role has been created to help grow AireSprings footprint in the Northeastern U.S, harnessing the companys growth in major markets across the nation. In this new role, Mr. Redick will draw on his 20-year career in the industry, as well as his many relationships with key partners in the region, to build a strong channel organization in the Northeast, modeled on the highly successful AireSpring presence in other markets. He will also be tasked with recruiting additional channel managers for his team as well as partner support professionals. Throughout his telecom career, Mr. Redick has excelled as a sales leader and as an organization leader. Initially, he worked for 11 years at XO Communications, first as a direct sales manager, then as general manager for the channel, leading a team of over 100 people. He moved on from there to Telesphere (later acquired by Vonage), where he spent six years as East Coast Channel Director based in New York. He was named a Presidents Club winner four times and helped to develop the Eastern region from their lowest performer to the top performing region, bringing many of his past partner relationships to the company, generating growth in hosted UCaaS, data networking and MPLS. He went on to become a senior channel manager at Broadview Networks (later acquired by Windstream), and worked with partners in the enterprise level environment. I have always heard great reviews of AireSpring from key channel partners and peers, and I have now seen for myself that the entire company shares the same level of passion and commitment, said Redick. The company stresses that we succeed through teamwork, egos are checked at the door, and our partners and customers come first, added Redick. That company-wide work ethic, the incredible product lineup, and the amazing QuoteSpring real-time, on-line quoting tool made my choice to join AireSpring an easy one. We are really excited to welcome Josh to the AireSpring team, stated Ron McNab, senior vice president channel sales at AireSpring. We are very focused on expanding our presence in the Northeast, and look forward to working with Josh to grow the AireSpring channel partner community there, added McNab. He has a deep understanding of our product offerings and differentiators in the marketplace. We are confident Josh is well positioned to tell the AireSpring story to a growing audience of partners and end-users. About AireSpring Founded in 2001, AireSpring is an award-winning provider of cloud communications and Managed Connectivity solutions, serving thousands of businesses nationwide. AireSpring provides fully managed and connected end-to-end, next-generation solutions for multi-location enterprise customers. Services include SD-WAN, AirePBX Cloud Business Phone Systems, AireContact Cloud Contact Center, SIP Trunking, MPLS, Disaster Recovery, Managed Security, and Business Internet. AireSprings solutions are offered through a diversified network of channel partners that includes distributors, master agents, managed service providers (MSPs), and value added resellers (VARs). AireSprings services are delivered over its revolutionary nationwide MPLS Mesh network, providing customers a fully integrated, end-to-end solution from a single vendor. AireSpring has received numerous industry awards for Next-Gen Solution Provider, Top Midmarket Vendor Executive, Product of the Year, Best Telecom Deal, Best in Show, and Top Channel Program. AireSpring is privately held, diversified, debt-free, and renowned in the industry for delivering a broad range of innovative cloud communications and connectivity solutions at competitive rates. To find product information or to become an AireSpring partner or agent, please visit http://www.airespring.com or contact us at (888) 389-2899. AireSpring Contact: Ellen Cahill Senior VP Marketing ellen.cahill(at)airespring.com (818) 738-1913 Working with leading healthcare organizations in these times is both a challenge and an honor, Frizzera said. Altruista Health today announced that industry leader Charlene Frizzera will join its Compliance Advisory Committee, adding valuable guidance and oversight to Altruista leadership. Frizzera is uniquely qualified for this role as former Acting Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and as president and chief executive officer of CF Health Advisors. Altruista is an innovative provider of care management technology for health plans and provider organizations, many of which are governed by requirements of CMS. Prior to founding CF Health Advisors, Frizzera was responsible for all policy and operational management for the Medicare and Medicaid programs, as well as the Marketplace Exchange. Over her 30-year career at CMS, she gained extensive, in-depth policy and operational knowledge as CMS chief operating officer and as a regional administrator. At CF Health Advisors, Frizzera leads health policy and business strategy consulting, advising corporate, government, investment and non-profit organizations on the business impact of Medicaid, Medicare and health reform. Charlenes extensive career with CMS makes her a tremendous asset to Altruista and everyone we serve, said Munish Khaneja, MD, Altruistas chief medical officer and lead, clinical innovation. Her deep understanding of policy and how it impacts health plans is rare and her insight into CMS operations is invaluable. This is a win for the health plans that rely on our GuidingCare platform. Frizzera serves on the boards of several healthcare companies and is a senior advisor to Leavitt Partners. She is also an alumni member of the National Association of Medicaid Directors and a member of the National Academy of Public Administration. Working with leading healthcare organizations in these times is both a challenge and an honor, Frizzera said. Its especially exciting to serve Altruista Health because of their game-changing technology and experience serving populations so strongly affected by social determinants of health. Charlene received the Presidential Rank Award in 2000 and 2008. This award is received by the top 1 percent of the Senior Executive Service in the country for outstanding leadership. About Altruista Health Altruista Health delivers population health management solutions that support value-based and person-centered care models. Our GuidingCare technology platform integrates care management, care coordination, and quality improvement programs through a suite of sophisticated yet easy-to-use web applications. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area, Altruista Health has grown into a recognized industry leader, culminating in a spot on the Deloittes 2015 Technology Fast 500. Health plans and healthcare providers in more than 35 states use GuidingCare to transform their processes, reduce avoidable expenses and improve patient health outcomes. For more information, visit http://www.altruistahealth.com. Aptus Court Reporting announced today the opening of its Corporate Services Division based out of their San Diego corporate headquarters. This new division will expand the core Aptus offerings nationwide and will focus on creating new business relationships with corporations and in-house counsel across the country. Spearheading the companys new launch is Jason Ferber, recently promoted to Director of Corporate Services. With over 20 years experience in the legal industry working with law firms and corporations, Ferber is a seasoned professional ideally suited to oversee Aptus business development activities within this new division. Aptus has always offered the highest quality service and product, so I am excited to introduce our team to corporations throughout the country. Our service-focused ethos has been the key to our success and will be the driver for expanding our products and services to corporations. The potential is tremendous and the outcome is a win-win for everyone, says Ferber. We are thrilled to have Jason expand his role with Aptus and apply his many years of relationship building, consultative selling and detailed attention to the building of business working directly with corporations. With his experience, I have no doubt he will excel in this new role, says Derek Berg, Aptus President. Since launching in San Diego in 2011, Aptus has expanded its market reach throughout California and beyond, with additional offices in San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Irvine and Riverside. Combined with a number of recent key hires, the company continues to demonstrate a trajectory of growth and achievement. About Aptus Court Reporting: Aptus Court Reporting is a full-service court reporting firm headquartered in San Diego, CA. The company provides court reporting, videography, transcription, and trial support among its list of services. Its company focus is connecting testimony and technology for clients globally. With decades of combined experience in the litigation support industry, Aptus provides a one-stop solution for deposition and trial needs. For more information about Aptus Court Reporting, please visit https://aptuscr.com. Deruta of Italy Authentic Hand Painted Italian Ceramics Artistica Italian Gallery, a family-owned importer of Italian home decor for over 28 years, announced that it has acquired the assets of New York-based Deruta of Italy, the oldest B2B distributor of hand-painted ceramics and majolica from the medieval hill town of Deruta, Italy, into the United States. Coinciding with Deruta of Italys 35th anniversary, the sale sets in motion a comprehensive marketing and rebranding campaign, including the companys first-ever B2B eCommerce website. A catalogue featuring new product collections in addition to key line extensions to existing collections is on the works. We are proud to continue the storied legacy of Deruta of Italy in the USA, said Marco Margaritelli, founder of Artistica, noting that the painstaking production process used to create the intricately detailed wares has resulted in limited availability of Deruta-produced designs in the American market. The town came to prominence for its ceramics in the 15th and 16th centuries; today, each piece is still meticulously handcrafted by master artisans in the same time-honored technique to realize one-of-a-kind works of ceramic art signed by the artist. We can continue to provide the market with the highest quality of handmade ceramics ready for immediate shipping, Margaritelli continued, while preserving the tradition of craftsmanship that would have otherwise resulted in a major loss for Derutas Italian suppliers. Margaritelli acquired the company from longtime friend and Deruta of Italy Founder Salvatore Termini upon his retirement. Renamed as Artistica Deruta of Italy, the consolidated company will operate from Artistica's new facility based in Glenview, IL. The renowned Deruta of Italy lineup will complement Artisticas existing selection of Italian ceramics and the new Deruta Candles line, allowing the company to considerably expand its dinnerware and tabletop offerings, according to Margaritelli. Artistica has debuted a B2B-only website for the Deruta brand at http://www.derutaofitaly.com and launched an e-commerce associate drop-ship program. All Deruta products will be available for drop-shipping to third-party e-commerce sites. Upon enrollment, qualified e-commerce sites will be provided with access to the full product database and imagery to upload for sale on their website. Requests should be submitted to deruta(at)artistica.com. Deruta of Italys current selection highlights some of its most celebrated classic patterns, such as Raffaellesco, a 16th century dragon-based pattern reputed to have been first painted by Raphael; Ricco Deruta, an illustrious Renaissance-era design; and Orvieto Rooster; a crowing rooster motif that symbolizes good wishes for blessings, prosperity and wellbeing. Honoring the past while simultaneously moving into the present, Deruta will be introducing line extensions to the Raffaellesco and Ricco Deruta Collections, including candles, biscotti jars and olive oil dispensers. For more information, contact Marco Margaritelli at marco(at)artistica.com. Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, is a Northern California employment law firm that dedicates its practice to helping employees, fight back against unfair business practices. The San Francisco employment law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, lodged a class action lawsuit against American Automobile Association of Northern California, Nevada & Utah, for allegedly failing to provide their workers with the legally required thirty minute uninterrupted meal periods and rest periods. The class action also alleges that American Automobile Association of Northern California, Nevada & Utah, failed to properly reimburse their California employees for necessary business expenses they incurred on the company's behalf. The American Automobile Association of Northern California, Nevada & Utah, class action lawsuit is currently pending in the Contra Costa County Superior Court for the State of California, Case No. C18-01539. To view a copy of the Complaint, click here. The lawsuit filed against American Automobile Association of Northern California, Nevada & Utah, alleges that the automobile services company failed to provide their employees with the legal required thirty (30) minute uninterrupted meal break prior to their fifth hour of work. The complaint alleges "The mutability of the timekeeping system also allowed DEFENDANT to alter employee time records by recording fictitious thirty (30) minute meal breaks in DEFENDANTs timekeeping system so as to create the appearance that PLAINTIFF and other CALIFORNIA CLASS Members clocked out for a thirty (30) minute meal break when in fact the employees were not at all times provided an off-duty meal break. This practice is a direct result of DEFENDANTs uniform policy and practice of denying employees uninterrupted thirty (30) minute off-duty meal breaks each day or otherwise compensate them for missed meal breaks." The Class action lawsuit also alleges that the company failed to reimburse their employees for business expenses incurred during the course of their employment. Specifically, PLAINTIFF and other CALIFORNIA CLASS Members are allegedly required by DEFENDANT to use their personal cell phones for work related issues. As a result, in the course of their employment with DEFENDANT, PLAINTIFF and other members of the CALIFORNIA CLASS incurred unreimbursed business expenses which include, but are not limited to, costs related to the use of their personal cellular phones all on behalf of and for the benefit of DEFENDANT. Cal. Lab. Code 2802 expressly states that "an employer shall indemnify his or her employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties, or of his or her obedience to the directions of the employer, even though unlawful, unless the employee, at the time of obeying the directions, believed them to be unlawful." For more information about the class action lawsuit filed against American Automobile Association of Northern California, Nevada & Utah, please call Attorney Nicholas De Blouw at (858) 999-1118. Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, is a Northern California employment law firm that dedicates its practice to helping employees, fight back against unfair business practices, including violations of the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act. The firm has offices located in San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Francisco, Sacramento and Chicago. ***THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT*** "The biggest feedback we get from parents is that we are a program that gets that balance right," said Ben Leblois, Atlanta Georgia Bricks 4 Kidz Franchise Owner. As the demand grows for quality after-school programming, Bricks 4 Kidz continues to offer leading-edge educational opportunities for elementary school age children. Just in time for back to school, Bricks 4 Kidz is reminding parents that they have quality options for students to learn not only academic skills, but also teamwork and important social skills. The timing couldnt be better. Across the U.S., the demand is growing for quality after-school programs. Experts estimate that 11.3 million children in communities across the country spend some time taking care of themselves after school. Additionally, 19.4 million parents say they would enroll their child in an after-school program if the right choice were available. In 2018, Creative Learning Corporation (OTCPK: CLCN), owner and developer of Bricks 4 Kidz and Sew Fun Studios, the highly popular childrens education and enrichment programs, expanded its innovative workshops delivered through their network of nationwide Bricks 4 Kidz locations. Now, just in time for students to return to classes, theyre reminding parents of the new after-school options available, such as video game design and coding. Bricks 4 Kidz offers comprehensive courses, camps, workshops, classes, parties, and so much more. (You can find a location near you here.) Workshops include learning opportunities to build on core competencies, including Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and literacy in a fun environment that promotes academic, social, and emotional development. Additionally, parents will find the same quality after school enrichment programs and workshops still available through Bricks 4 Kidz. Participating students use LEGO Bricks for educational play, and learn new skills through building a new project each week. This hands-on learning experience with tactile building gets students excited about learning. More information about enrichment programs is available here at the Bricks 4 Kidz website. "Bricks 4 Kidz after school programs provide a unique balance of education and fun that gives kids the opportunities to continue exploring and learning outside of the pressures or structures of the regular school day. In Atlanta, the biggest feedback we get from parents is that we are a program that gets that balance right," said Ben Leblois, Atlanta Georgia Bricks 4 Kidz Franchise Owner. For more information on how Bricks 4 Kidz can bring a new standard of programs to your community through cutting-edge programs such as coding and video game design, along with other courses available, visit their website at http://www.bricks4kidz.com or call Robyn Ewing (904) 494-6385. About Bricks 4 Kidz Bricks 4 Kidz stands at the forefront of after-school learning through a combination of current and upcoming programs, which now include computer programming. Children will have the opportunity to use coding software that will promote creative thinking, reasoning skills, and collaborative work. Bricks 4 Kidz has built into their coding and video game design after-school program a curriculum that promotes essential life skills needed in the 21st century. About Creative Learning Corporation Creative Learning Corporation (http://www.creativelearningcorp.com), operating under the trade names of Bricks 4 Kidz and Sew Fun Studios, offers educational and enrichment programs to children ages 3-12+. Through a unique franchise business model that includes proprietary model builds, curriculum and marketing strategies, the Company provides a wide variety of programs designed to enhance students problem solving and critical thinking skills. Creative Learning Corporation is now operating in 44 countries. Johnathan Ivey: The Man behind the Monster: a searing memoir chronicling the life of an MMA legend turned Christian dad. Johnathan Ivey is the creation of published author, Charlie Dykstra, a minister, Christian counselor, radio talk show host, and MMA enthusiast. Dykstra shares, No one could ever guess what the Leg Lock Monster is really like by his appearance. It would take a book about him to help people to understand who he is. So I am writing one. My task is to explain the single most complex, intriguing, and surprisingly honorable person I have ever known. After years of bonding with the monster, he asked me to do his biography. Writing the life story of Johnathan Ivey is a complicated thing. The first thing that came to my mind was where even to begin? My first effort is to just break the ice on it all, and then I will tell from the very beginning how an underprivileged child became a legendary fighter and father in a category all his own. As soon as Johnathan and I became friends, I noticed we were opposites. We both loved mixed martial arts (MMA), but that is where the similarities ended. I may have made almost all conservative decisions in life and kept my dreams restricted to hobbies. He, on the other hand, shunned all practicality and fulfilled his dreams with total determination at the expense of many beneficial things. Perhaps that is why we mix so well. I became a voice of reason in his reckless life, and he became an inspiration to chase dreams in my boring one. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Charlie Dykstras new book is a beautiful living portrait of self-sacrifice in the name of love. Dykstra masterfully shows the overlap between the brutal world of professional fighting and Christianity in an authentic way in the face of dissenters. View a synopsis of Johnathan Ivey: The Man behind the Monster on YouTube. Consumers can purchase Johnathan Ivey: The Man behind the Monster at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Johnathan Ivey: The Man behind the Monster, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Repairing Chair Seat Edge with Fuji Spray System This paint facility makes it possible for us to not only touch up our rental inventory but also take on refurbishment projects from companies who have purchased VF brand Chiavari Chairs over the past 15 years. Today Vision Furniture (VF) announced the unveiling of their new, 2,100 square foot, state-of-the-art paint refinishing workshop located at 4219 Van Kirk Street in the Wissinoming neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia, PA. This environmentally-friendly paint facility filters approximately 99.84% of paint particulates and makes it possible for VF to refinish up to 500 Chiavari Chairs per day. The equipment was made especially for refurbishing special event furniture like Chiavari Chairs and to contribute to the crafting of custom painted furniture. VF Invested in this Refinishing + Chair Repair Workshop to: Refinish their own massive rental inventory of wooden Chiavari Chairs Create new furniture concepts for special event rentals in Philadelphia Grow their business and create new jobs by offering custom paint and refinishing services This paint facility makes it possible for us to not only touch up our rental inventory but also take on refurbishment projects from companies who have purchased VF brand Chiavari Chairs over the past 15 years. Also, our business thrives on the ability to create new products for event rentals, like our Champagne Mirror Tables and Reclaimed Wood Farm Tables - and our new workshop allows us to do just that said Anthony Tokarchyk, President and Owner of Vision Furniture. We are excited to branch out and offer new services! The paint studio features a large, four station, painting area complete with Air Supplied Respirators from Allegro Industries and FUJI HVLP Spray Guns, an expansive filtered drying room and a ventilated paint mixing room. This project took over 2 years to conceive and created five new jobs. The custom equipment was outfitted by Grapek Bates Finishing and manufactured by Global Finishing Solutions. VF is available immediately for Chiavari Chair refurbishment projects. Being able to easily touch-up our rental inventory means that all of our event rental customers can enjoy rental chairs that look brand new! said Sonya Tokarchyk, Co-Owner and head of the Business to Business Event Rental Department. And any local special event venue or rental company that needs their inventory refinished can depend on us for high quality refurbishment services as well. About Vision Furniture: VF is a family owned and operated Chiavari Chair manufacturer and rental company founded in 2003 by brother and sister duo Anthony Tokarchyk and Sonya Feldner. Both siblings were born and raised in Philadelphia and graduated from the Lehigh University school of Business and Economics. VF specializes in wooden Chiavari Chairs, durable, stain-resistant cushions and other Chiavari accessories. VF sells furniture products all over the world and rents special event furniture and other party decor locally in the Philadelphia region - including New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C. As of the summer of 2018 VF offers full service Chiavari Chair refurbishment as well as custom paint/refinishing services. For more info please visit: https://www.chiavarichairs.com/ Vision Furniture Chiavari Chairs Coloradans are ready to walk and roll for FSH muscular dystrophy. Living with FSHD can be a lonely road. At the Walk & Roll, we realize no one makes the journey alone. Today, the FSH Society, the worlds largest research-focused patient advocacy organization for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), announced that its Colorado Chapter will be holding its 3rd annual Walk & Roll to Cure FSHD in Castle Rock. The event, scheduled for September 8th at the Philip S. Miller Park, advocates for public awareness and is raising funds to support the Societys work. The FSH Societys mission is to accelerate the development of therapies while empowering individuals affected by FSHD. Our goal is to deliver a treatment or cure to our families by the year 2025, declared the Societys President and CEO, Mark Stone. FSHD is among the most prevalent of the nine primary types of muscular dystrophy affecting adults and children. The genetic condition is estimated to affect 870,000 individuals worldwide and causes progressive weakness, typically in the face, shoulder blade, arms, legs, and torso, but may affect almost any skeletal muscle in the body. There is currently no treatment or cure and approximately one-quarter of patients become dependent on wheelchairs. Our event is called the Walk & Roll because FSHD can affect individuals very differently, explained Beth Johnston, Chief Community Development Officer of the FSH Society. Some people may have weakness in the upper body but can still walk and run. Others are dependent on scooters or wheelchairs. Our event is inclusive of everyone. The 3rd Annual Colorado Walk & Roll to Cure FSHD event will take place at the beautiful Philip S. Miller Park on a paved, accessible path, according to Katie Ruekert, of Castle Rock. Ruekert is the founder and chair of the event. Registration opens at 8:00 AM. The walk and roll begins at 9:00 AM, and is followed by a pancake breakfast catered by Flippin' Flapjacks. We will have live music from local musician Sal Mancini, said Ruekert. Supportive vendors such as Rita's of Castle Rock, local childrens book author Lisa Reinicke and her team, as well as Amanda Hill from Beautycounter, will all be donating a portion of sales back to the event! Attendees can enjoy face painting, a bounce house, and rewards for top fundraising teams and individuals, including weekend getaways to Vail, Breckenridge and Taos, New Mexico. Im so grateful to our wonderful sponsors who help make this event possible, Ruekert said. With the generous support from our sponsors and all those who have registered and donated, we will be sure to reach our goal to raise $50,000. Ruekerts passion for the cause stems from her own diagnosis at the age of 30. A wife and mother of two young kids, she was told by her doctor that she has FSHD in 2011. I knew in my heart there were other FSHers out there who felt alone with this disease like I did, and I wanted to change that, she explained. Ruekert realized she needed to be the change she was hoping to see. She proposed the fundraising idea to her local FSH Society support group and the Colorado Walk & Roll to Cure FSHD was created. The first Walk took place in 2016 and raised nearly $20,000. In 2017, the Walk raised $30,000. Starting this year, the Walk has gone national with four other cities hosting their inaugural Walk & Roll to Cure FSHD this coming September and October. The Walk & Roll is first and foremost is a fundraiser, generating critical funds to support the search for treatments and a cure, but it is also about so much more, said the FSH Societys Johnston. On event day, for a few hours, we all join together as one. Living with FSHD can be a lonely road. At the Walk & Roll, we realize no one makes the journey alone. To learn more and register for the walk, visit https://fshsociety.rallybound.org/COWalkAndRoll # # # About the COLORADO CHAPTER The Colorado Chapter of the FSH Society was created to bring those who have FSHD as well as their caregivers and loved ones together for support and education. Contact: Amanda Hill, Chapter Director, ColoradoChapter@fshsociety.org About the FSH Society The FSH Society is the worlds largest research-focused patient organization for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), one of the most prevalent forms of muscular dystrophy. We have catalyzed major advancements and are accelerating the development of treatments and a cure to end the pain, disability, and suffering endured by one million people worldwide who live with FSHD. The FSH Society has transformed the landscape for FSHD research and is committed to making sure that no one faces this disease alone. The Society offers a community of support, news, and information through its website at https://www.fshsociety.org. With the current political and social climate, we really felt there was a market for individuals who want to impact the world in a positive way, while being rewarded for it. As a modern holding venture for profitable companies doing measured good works, CoPeace was recently launched by founder and CEO, Dr. Craig Jonas. CoPeace, short for Companies of Peace, targets investors who are socially, environmentally, and politically conscious, while directing their money to sustainable companies that practice corporate responsibility and impact the world in a positive manner. Investors will no longer have to worry about the possibility of their money being used by shady shell-corporations, invested in fossil fuels, unsustainable practices, or political super-PACs. Often referred to as impact investment, this modern approach has proved extremely valuable to millennials, women, and disadvantaged populations. CoPeace provides an umbrella for profitable impact businesses, much like a modern Berkshire Hathaway maximizing shareholder value through democratizing investments with the added incentive of social responsibility. CoPeace targets growing, successful companies that support our interdependent future through sustainable and socially responsible practices. and socially responsible practices. CoPeace is an established Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), and is a pending certified B-Corporation. In a short period of time, CoPeace has built an exceptionally strong team of professionals and continues to grow and gain attention. With the current political and social climate, we really felt there was a market for individuals who want to impact the world in a positive way, while being rewarded for it. CoPeace is something that Ive contemplated starting for several years. Ive worked as an entrepreneur for the majority of my life and view CoPeace as a meaningful opportunity to leave a lasting, positive impact on our society. stated Dr. Jonas. Utilizing the HEAD + HEART + MATH approach, CoPeace invests in profitable companies that do measured positive impact. The model combines a comprehensive, modern financial analysis with quantifiable sustainability and social efforts to determine investment strategies for stakeholders. Our goal is to simultaneously encourage and reward companies that demonstrate a concern for social issues, while also ensuring the company is a profitable, successful investment for our clients. We strive to live our slogan and help people Grow Your Money For Good. said Meg Masten, Chief Relationship Officer. Socially responsible investment is a growing segment of the finance industry as investors address the importance of longer horizons and acknowledge the responsibility the business community has to a global society. Through financial backing, CoPeace supports a responsible free market in a way that makes the world a more inclusive, peaceful place for future generations. Its important to have that peace of mind knowing CoPeace is growing your money for good, added Dr. Jonas. Cynthia Caffrey, a happily married mother, grandmother who has worked in law enforcement for twelve years as a Houston police jailer and service officer, has completed her book Dealing with Spiritual Warfares in Life: Ephesians 6:12: an in-depth Bible study of Gods word with regard to fighting evil in everyday life. Cynthia shares, We are living in the darkest days of our lives, as well as the darkest hours. Just know that spirits are real, and the devil is real. Hes seeking whom he can devour. We will always deal with warswhether they be spiritual wars or physical wars; there will be wars. Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Cynthia Caffreys book is a collection of inspired cautionary chapters exploring the eternal battle between good and evil, light and the darkness. Readers who wish to experience this thought-provoking work can purchase Dealing with Spiritual Warfares in Life: Ephesians 6:12 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 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 logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and the like. Its roster of accomplished authors and publishing professionals allows writers to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues to focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. Discount Power Texas, a brand of Volterra Energy Holdings (VEH) today announced that the company has been named the #1 fastest growing Texas-based retail energy provider for the third consecutive year in Inc. Magazines annual 5000 list; it is ranked the 2nd fastest growing retail energy provider in the country. The companys growth rate during the three-year period was 1,459%. We are excited to be named in the top 500 in Inc. Magazines fastest-growing private companies list yet again, said Chief Executive Officer Neville Ravji. Being ranked one of the fastest growing retail electricity providers in the country for three straight years is a testament to our unique business model and our great team. The Inc. 5000 list ranks companies based on a three-year growth period. Past honorees include Microsoft, Dell, Pandora, LinkedIn, and other well-known names. Our ranking as the fastest-growing retail energy provider in Texas, easily the most competitive state for retail energy in the country, for the third consecutive year is continued validation of our unique market segmentation and branding strategy, which no other competitor has been able to replicate, said Mohsin Hassan, Chief Operating Officer. The experience the team brings to the table has allowed us to continue to capitalize on great growth opportunities, while ensuring that our customer churn rates stay one of the lowest in the industry. Originally introduced as the Inc. 500 in 1982, the list was expanded to the Inc. 5000 in 2007. Today, the Inc. 5000 showcases the top-performing privately held companies in the nation. Additional information about the 2017 list of Inc. 5000 companies can be found at: http://www.inc.com/inc5000. With its overall position of #341, Discount Power is one of the very few companies to be in the top 500 on the Inc. Magazine list for three straight years. About Discount Power Discount Power is a retail electric provider based in Houston, Texas. Discount Power is comprised of industry experts with more than 75 years of experience in the energy industry. The team at Discount Power has been involved in all of the business elements of the energy market since the beginning of retail deregulation in Texas and has collectively served hundreds of thousands of residential and commercial customers. For more information, visit http://www.discountpowertx.com. About Volterra Energy Holdings Volterra Energy Holdings LLC (VEH) is the parent company to multiple retail electricity brands that serve both residential and commercial customers across Texas. The brands specialize in the identification of and focus on micro and macro market segments through unique marketing strategies. The company serves close to 225,000 residential customer equivalents in the state of Texas. For more information, visit http://www.volterraenergyholdings.com. "We are honored to be acknowledged for our rapid growth over the past few years. We have always believed in the importance of supporting our military with credible, cost-effective air services, and our ability to deliver on this mission has afforded us this tremendous opportunity." Draken International, a global leader in adversary air services, was ranked as the 18th fastest growing private company in the US on Inc. Magazines 2018 Inc. 5000 list. The company achieved astounding 3-year revenue growth of over 10,000% to earn a spot in the top 20 on this prestigious annual ranking. The companys revenue growth made it the 2nd fastest growing private company in the Government Services category and the 4th fastest growing private company in Florida. This is the second consecutive year that Draken was ranked in the top 100, appearing on the 2017 list at #90. Draken CEO Jared Isaacman states, We are honored to be acknowledged for our rapid growth over the past few years. We have always believed in the importance of supporting our military with credible, cost-effective air services, and our ability to deliver on this mission has afforded us this tremendous opportunity. Draken provides a range of contract air services to the Department of Defense and international allies, with services including airborne adversary support, close air support training, flight training, threat simulation, operational test and electronic warfare support, and other missions. With a strategy based upon build it, and they will come, Isaacman and his team of military veterans have dedicated the last seven years traveling the world in search of safe, credible, and capable aircraft to answer the growing global demand for commercial air services. As a result of these efforts, the company now boasts the largest privately-owned fleet of fighter aircraft in the world with over 120 fighter jets including Mirage F-1s, Douglas A-4s, Aero L-159s, and MiG-21s, among other aircraft. These jets have been used to support US Military operations in various capacities at Nellis Air Force Base (AFB), Luke AFB, Hill AFB, Holloman AFB, Edwards AFB, Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, MCAS Cherry Point, MCAS Miramar, and Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River. The company has also supported training missions worldwide for allied NATO partners, including operations in France and Leeuwarden Air Base in The Netherlands. Isaacman is no stranger to the Inc. 5000 list. His first company, Shift4 Payments, has made six appearances on the list (under the companys original name United Bank Card), including two consecutive years in the top 20 at #6 and #19. About Draken International Based in Lakeland, FL, Draken International is the worlds largest private operator of ex-military aircraft, supporting the Department of Defense and allied forces around the world with commercial air services. The organization sets a new standard in airborne adversary support, flight training, threat simulation, electronic warfare support, aerial refueling, research, testing, as well as other missions uniquely suited to their fleet of aircraft. With over 150 tactical fighter aircraft incorporating modern 4th generation capabilities, the company is uniquely positioned to answer the growing global demand for commercial air services. Draken employs world-class, military trained fighter pilots including USAF Weapons School Instructors, Fighter Weapons School Graduates, TOP GUN Instructors, Air Liaison Officers, and FAC-A Instructors. For additional information, visit http://www.drakenintl.com. The Dynamic Yield personalization solution is very powerful and has proven to be a reliable tool to accelerate growth and drive increased conversions for our clients. Dynamic Yield, the AI-powered omnichannel personalization engine and Guidance, a leading digital Commerce Service Provider (CSP) with a multi-platform practice across Magento Commerce, Episerver, Shopify Plus, Big Commerce, etc., today announced a partnership that will allow brands to supercharge and scale their efforts in personalizing digital commerce experiences. With this partnership, Guidance will implement the Dynamic Yield personalization solution into its client systems, enabling customers to unify their data and tailor interactions on a 1:1 level across channels using the latest in customer experience technology. Dynamic Yield was recently recognized as a Leader in Gartners 2018 Magic Quadrant for Personalization Engines, making this an exciting time to join its growing network of solutions and technology providers as it further establishes its reach and command across the digital commerce sphere. "The Dynamic Yield personalization solution is very powerful and has proven to be a reliable tool to accelerate growth and drive increased conversions for our clients, commented Guidance CMO and SVP of Partnerships, Jeff Herrera. Additionally, this new strategic partnership with Dynamic Yield will allow us to further collaborate, expand our implementation efforts, and provide additional value added services to prospects and clients as needed. "We could not be more pleased with this strategic partnership with Guidance," said Colton Perry, VP of Channel at Dynamic Yield. Guidance has been in the commerce space for the past 25 years and is a recognized leader in the industry. Their vast experience in eCommerce, digital strategy, and personalization will be a great benefit to our joint clients." About Dynamic Yield Dynamic Yields AI-powered omnichannel personalization engine helps marketers increase revenue by automatically personalizing each customer interaction across the web, mobile web, mobile apps and email. The companys advanced customer segmentation engine uses machine learning to build actionable customer segments in real time, enabling marketers to take instant action via personalization, recommendations, automatic optimization & real-time messaging - in a single platform. Dynamic Yield personalizes the experiences of more than 600 million users globally and counts industry leaders like IKEA, Urban Outfitters, Ocado, and Stitch Fix among its many customers. Based in New York, the company has more than 170 employees in six offices worldwide. About Guidance Guidance is an industry leading commerce service provider dedicated to growth oriented mid-market and enterprise branded manufacturers, distributors and merchants in both B2C and B2B with practices in commerce strategy, creative/design, UI/UX, development, system integration, and analytics. Since 1993, national flagship retailers and consumer branded manufacturers have relied on Guidances expertise to facilitate more than $5 billion in web, mobile and social commerce. Brands such as Foot Locker, K-Swiss, Burlington, HD Supply, Johnny Was, Sole Society, Munchkin, City Chic, TravisMathew, Kate Somerville, Trish McEvoy, and others, have engaged Guidance to build hundreds of world-class, commerce solutions that are designed to accelerate growth, increase conversions and deliver engaging customer experiences. Learn more at guidance.com Because of their proven track record success in leading transformational change within schools, the OBriant Group earned the Google Cloud Partner Specialization. Google Cloud Platform recently announced its new partnership with the OBriant Group, LLC as part of its initiative to promote cultures of innovation within the education system. Because of their proven track record success in leading transformational change within schools, the OBriant Group earned the Google Cloud Partner Specialization. The Google Cloud Partner Specialization Program is designed to provide Google Cloud customers with qualified partners that have demonstrated technical proficiency and proven success in specialized solution and service areas. Partners that have achieved this specialization align with Googles Transformation Progress Map to help schools and districts through systemic change across the areas of vision, learning approach, technology, funding, community and culture. The OBriant Groups approach to cultural transformation starts with the human side of innovation design thinking. Led by former Googler Erin OBriant, MFA, MLA, the OG team of innovators advise clients on how to apply design thinking principles in order to create sustainable cultural change within both educational systems and companies. The OBriant Groups capabilities also include: Support for in-house innovation leaders and design thinking facilitators Integrating design thinking principles into existing innovation efforts On-site and off-site consulting in the United States, UK, and Australia Heres what clients have to say about the OBriant Group: Working with the OBriant Group has certainly given us as public educators a refreshing approach to the way we go about learning as professionals. ...Theyve allowed us to drive the processes that we need to look at but theyve kept the structure for us in terms of helping us understand how to use the design thinking model to come up with new, creative solutions. [Working with them] has been a great opportunity and a great experience for us. Dr. April Howard, Superintendent, Jackson County School System OG: The human side of innovation. The OBriant Group is based in Atlanta, Georgia Follow us @ObriantGroup / http://www.obriantgroup.com Contact: info@obriantgroup.com Mark Burns, President of Gulfstream Gulfstream has a reputation for excellence with a focus on innovation combined with a history of producing record-setting aircraft, cutting edge technologies, and global support initiatives that service customers worldwide. Gulfstream Aerospace President, Mark Burns, will be the lunch keynote at the Georgia Manufacturing Summit, held October 10, 2018, at the Cobb Galleria. Mr. Burns has spent more than 34 years with Gulfstream, joining the organization in 1983 as a computer-aided design (CAD) operator. He was named President of Gulfstream in July 2015 after spending more than seven years as the leader of the companys Product Support organization. He also serves as a Vice President of Gulfstreams parent company General Dynamics, a role hes held since February 2014. Gulfstream has a reputation for excellence with a focus on innovation, said Jason Moss, CEO for the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance, the producer of the Summit. They have a history of producing record-setting aircraft, cutting edge technologies, and global support initiatives that service customers worldwide. Gulfstream has led the evolution of business and personal aviation since the 1958 debut of the Gulfstream I, the worlds first purpose-built business aircraft. Today, Gulfstream produces the worlds most advanced business aircraft, with innovations from nose to tail and wingtip to wingtip, all while offering unmatched worldwide customer support and service. A relentless pursuit of performance, efficiency, and innovation is what makes Gulfstream jets the worlds most advanced business aircraft. Headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, Gulfstream manufactures large and ultra-large aircraft and is one of the largest employers in this region. The five-building campus maintains engineers and support staff integral to the engineering, manufacturing, testing and development of past, current, and future Gulfstream aircraft. Gulfstream Laboratories features the only hemi-anechoic chamber used in the development of business aircraft. Gulfstream just announced that the U.S. Air Force has awarded the company a contract to provide contractor logistics support services (CLS) for the Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, and U.S. Coast Guard C-20 and C-37 fleets. Gulfstreams highly skilled support team and network of facilities will provide critical support around the world for a variety of missions. Gulfstream currently operates facilities on four continents and employs more than 15,000 people worldwide. Mr. Burns will share Gulfstreams success story as the Lunch Keynote at the Summit which is expected to attract over 800 attendees from across the Southeast. This year will focuse on the Aerospace Industry, the number one export for the state of Georgia. Eric Rojek, V.P. of Sales & Marketing for Thrush Aircraft will be also be the Breakfast Keynote Speaker. Thrush Aircraft is one of the worlds largest manufacturers of agricultural aircraft manufacturing 50 planes a year with 70% of these being exported outside of the U.S. The Summit is considered Georgias manufacturing event of the year and allows attendees to make face-to-face connections with other manufacturers, customers, service providers, and suppliers. In addition to the Keynote presentations, this event will have over 30 of the top industry leaders provide educational sessions to discuss Disruptive Technologies, Financial Perspectives, International Manufacturing, Sales & Marketing, Supply Chain Trends, and Workforce Development. To learn more and to register: http://www.GeorgiaManufacturingSummit.com About the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance: The Georgia Manufacturing Alliance (GMA) is a membership-based industry organization founded in 2008 to support Georgias manufacturing community. GMA provides monthly plant tours, educational sessions, tradeshows, and unique networking opportunities designed to help make profitable business connections for its members. The Georgia Manufacturing Directory, Georgia Manufacturing Summit, Georgia Manufacturing Calendar, and BuyFromGeorgia.com are additional resources produced by GMA. To learn more about the organization, membership, and upcoming events, please call 770-338-0051 or visit their website http://www.GeorgiaManufacturingAlliance.com. The scope of the data is comprehensive, and the tools allow for deep analysis. The end user can ask a question and have the information they need in polished and presentation ready form in under two minutes. HealthPivots, creator of interactive business intelligence products for the healthcare field since 2009, announces the launch of a new web-based service, HealthPivots DataLab - containing comprehensive and detailed Medicare data on every certified Hospice, Home Care Agency, Skilled Nursing Facility, Hospital and Physician in the United States. This service puts power in the hands of administrators by providing them with relevant and easily interpreted data to support strategic planning and decision making. HealthPivots excels at providing end-of-life care analytics. HealthPivots DataLab illuminates patterns in patient flow, highlighting critical referral relationships between agencies while providing detailed information about underutilized partnerships and unmet patient needs. HealthPivots DataLab users can follow the care trajectories of patients at the end-of-life, examining if-and-when they received hospice care, and tracing this back to pivotal decision points. Looking at the data in this way, it becomes clear that certain providers are able to identify eligible patients who could benefit from hospice care, while others have substantial room for improvement, explains Jay Cushman, CEO and Founder of HealthPivots. When patients are receiving the appropriate level of post-acute care, they are less likely to be readmitted to the hospital, explains Mr. Cushman. The benefits of hospice care extend to the patients family and broader support system. Improvements in referring eligible people to hospice has a spillover effect that creates a better quality of life for not only the patient, but the community. Longtime clients are enthusiastic about DataLab. Their feedback is that the ease of use is top-of-the-line, and data are informing their strategic decisions, from determining the optimum number of beds to be placed in a hospital-based hospice unit, to determining acquisition targets, adds Mr. Cushman. Marji Ream, CEO of Hospice of East Texas, states HealthPivots DataLab is a valuable resource for post-acute healthcare providers. Using DataLab, I know whom to target, and how. The scope of the data is comprehensive, and the tools allow for deep analysis. They contain information that is pertinent and useful for illustrating strategic points to decision makers at referral sources and with other key stakeholders. The tool is so easy to use that the end user can ask a question and have the information they need in polished and presentation ready form in under two minutes. Visit https://healthpivots.com/improving-access-to-care-2018-08-13/ for more information on how HealthPivots DataLab can identify differences in access to care. To find out how hospitals, hospices and other care providers are performing in your community, or to learn more about HealthPivots DataLab, please contact HealthPivots. Rachael Esterkin HealthPivots http://www.healthpivots.com 800.689.6747 info@healthpivots.com About HealthPivots HealthPivots supports integrated healthcare systems, hospices, home health agencies, skilled nursing facilities and hospitals as they strive to improve their marketplace performance, enhance partnerships with other agencies and improve outcomes for patients. HealthPivots provides custom printed business intelligence reports, as well as HealthPivots DataLab, a premier web-based analytics solution. Aztec Premium Lifting Hardware is globally-sourced and precision machined to exacting standards in the US to produce high-quality parts at attractive prices. Hot on the heels of G.L. Huyetts recent acquisition of AZ Lifting Hardware in Phoenix, AZ, G.L. Huyett now proudly distributes high-quality Aztec Premium Lifting Hardware in addition to more than 100,000 non-threaded fasteners and grease fittings. Headquartered in Minneapolis, KS, G.L. Huyett has manufactured or aggressively procured high-quality fasteners from around the world and offered them in low minimums at fair prices since 1906. In July, the Company began distributing a complete line of specialty lifting, rigging, and suspension hardware components including eye bolts, turnbuckles, and shackles, along with various grades of chain, chain accessories, and wire rope fittings all available now at huyett.com/aztecliftinghardware. This is literally new ground for us, and were very excited about the benefits it will provide our customers, said G.L. Huyetts CEO, Tim OKeeffe. Being able to offer lifting hardware and adding a new warehouse facility in Arizona provides us better access to our West Coast customers and opens new doors for us all across North America. We now have even more to offer our distributor customers who support agriculture, power transmission, manufacturing, injection molding, machine shops, architecture and engineering, and maintenance and repair operations. In the near future we plan to dispatch lifting hardware to our Tennessee Warehouse to reduce freight costs for customers on the East Coast. In addition to expanding their footprint in the west, G.L. Huyett has added a new Regional Sales Manager in the Phoenix area. After six years as a National Sales Manager for Elite Fasteners Inc. in Rockford, IL, Jason Mizner will service the Southwest, Southern Pacific, and Rocky Mountain regions from his home in Surprise, AZ. He joins a strong bench of veteran Regional Sales Managers across North America from Canada to Mexico and a knowledgeable, friendly inside sales force. Dan Harriger, Vice President of Sales at G.L. Huyett, said, Jason will make a great addition to G.L. Huyetts Distribution Support Team. Along with his previous sales experience in the fastener industry, he has been trained using best-in-class methods to enable him to support our distributor customers with effective solution selling. A new 48-page Aztec Premium Lifting Hardware catalog is available now that features over 2,000 RoHS- and Proposition 65-Compliant self-colored, stainless steel, galvanized, and zinc components in metric and inch sizes. Visit huyett.com/catalogs to request or download a copy today. While online, register or sign in to see Your Pricing and Quantity Breaks along with Your Complete Order History. Then you can visit at any time to check Order Status, see Expected Ship Dates, or get up to date Order Tracking information. Youll even have 24/7 access to FREE Material, Compliance, and RoHS/REACH Certifications,* and get 5% off all web orders over $100.* Or, give our friendly sales team a call at 785-392-3017 or email sales(at)huyett(dot)com. About G.L. Huyett Established in 1906 by Guy Huyett in the other Minneapolis, the company is one of the oldest continuously operating businesses in Kansas. The firm is a leading innovator of products and services geared to support industrial distributors in the non-threaded fastener and power transmission sectors, delivered by competent customer-centric people operating in a Culture of Excellence. On August 6, 2018, the Board of Directors of Invest in the USA (IIUSA), the not-for-profit trade association of the EB-5 Regional Center industry, unanimously voted in favor of a two-prong plan to hire a new, long-term Executive Director. In May 2018, IIUSA announced the departure of its previous Executive Director after eight years of service. The Board is confident in the approach it voted on this week to provide short-term internal leadership while a diligent search is conducted to find a qualified, long-term Executive Director, said IIUSA President Bob Kraft. IIUSA hired Grau & Associates, a boutique association management firm, to provide an interim Executive Director, Aaron Grau, together with their team which includes an experienced government affairs professional to lead IIUSA lobbying efforts and other administrative support where necessary. The services provided by Grau & Associates will allow IIUSA time to conduct a separate, thorough search for a new, long-term Executive Director. In addition to hiring an interim management firm, IIUSA also hired Harris Rand & Lusk, a New York City based executive search firm to lead the search for IIUSAs new Executive Director. IIUSA Vice President, Bill Gresser, said, Utilizing both of these firms simultaneously will ensure a smooth transition as IIUSA identifies its new Executive Director. The entire Board is grateful to the Executive Director Search Committee for the meticulous research and work to find both Grau & Associates and Harris, Rand and Lusk. Grau & Associations and Harris Rand & Lusk will work concurrently to provide IIUSA with internal organizational management and a diligent search for a new Executive Director. Additionally, IIUSA Secretary-Treasurer, Steve Strnisha, said The decision to hire both firms will provide interim and long-term leadership for the organization. Despite challenges faced in the last few months, IIUSA is on solid footing for a long and successful future. Founded in 2005, IIUSA is the national not-for-profit trade association for the EB-5 Regional Center industry with a mission of advocacy, education, industry development, and research. The organization represents more than 240 Regional Centers and 180 Associate members, collectively representing big and small projects, urban and rural economic development, and industry sectors ranging from real estate and manufacturing to energy and infrastructure. IIUSAs members are engines of economic growth and job creation, accounting for a vast majority of capital flowing through the Program. Learn more at IIUSA.org Kinokuniya Bookstore Books, cartoon anime, characters, speciality goods Kinokuniya Book Stores of America Co., Ltd. opened their latest store in Austin, Texas in May, 2018 at 6929 Airport Boulevard, Suite 121, Austin, TX 78752. The Austin store is the third in Texas, following two stores that opened in the Carrollton and Plano suburbs of Dallas in 2017. Austin is the 12th USA location and the 30th overseas. Until now, Kinokuniya Book Stores of America has carried a wide selection of Japanese books ranging from manga, art, fashion, and literature. While the Austin store maintains this direction, it also contains a more sophisticated assortment of items including but not limited to superior quality Japanese stationery, and Kinokuniya exclusive items in collaboration with popular Japanese brands ranging from Studio Ghibli to Animate. As a new concept in America, Kinokuniya Austin is replicating a Japanese classroom inside the store. Through this fragment of Japanese daily life, Kinokuniya aims to become a meeting place for people and to learn Japanese culture through various events and community activities such as Japanese language classes. Kinokuniyas Manager, Mr. Shigekazu Watanabe strives to make the new store the central hub of Japanese culture in the Austin metropolitan area. Its a cozy meeting place in which new communities are formed through a variety of cultural exchanges. Grand Opening Saturday, August 18, 2018 from 12:00 PM - 9:00 PM includes indoor and outdoor events, rain or shine. Day One from 12pm - 9pm Outdoor Events 12:00pm - Grand Opening Ceremony includes speeches by the Consul General of Japan, Council Member Jimmy Flanagan, Marina Bhargava, CEO of Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce, and Elise Krentzel of Austin-Oita Sister City Committee. Emcee Greg Ciotti of KOOP-FM Radio 91.7 will be on site. 1:00pm - DJ Phauxkis 3:00pm - 35mm (Band) 5:00pm - Peelander Z (Band) Exhibits 1:00p- 6:00p - Texas Sake Pouring 2:00p- 6:00p - J Muzcaz - Live Painting Indoor Events 1:00pm - J Muzcaz - (Artist) Q&A + Signing 1:00pm - Tillie Walden - Live Painting/Drawing 2:00pm - Powerhouse Animation - Q&A + Signing 3:30pm - Stephanie Rattanachane - Q&A + Signing 4:00pm - Tillie Walden - (Graphic Novelist) Q&A + Signing 5:00pm - Sarah Bird - (Author) Q&A + Signing 7:00pm - Sho (Ukulele Solo) https://usa.kinokuniya.com/event-calendar/2018/8/18/austin-grand-opening-event Grand Opening Sunday, August 19, 2018 from 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM Come to celebrate the Grand Opening of our Austin store with voice actors from My Hero Academia, Justin Briner (Deku) and Clifford Chapin (Bakugo) We'll also welcome a special appearance by Rooster Teeths Fan Service, Miles Luna, Kerry Shawcross, Yssa Badiola, and Cole Gallian with Lindsay Jones! Join us as the Rooster Teeths Fan Service group talk about the popular anime My Hero Academia followed by a special My Hero Academia trivia challenge, a Q&A, and signing session with Justin and Clifford! MHA goods will also be available for purchase! Day Two from 12pm - 8pm Indoors 12:00pm - 12:30pm Miles Luna and Kerry Shawcross Signing 12:30pm 1:00pm Lindsay Jones Signing 1:00pm 1:30pm Yssa Badiola and Cole Gallian Signing 2:00pm 3:00pm Rooster Teeth Presents Fan Service Live 3:00pm - Justin and Clifford - (Scriptwriters) Q&A 4:00pm - My Hero Academia Trivia 5:00pm - Justin and Clifford - Book Signing 6:00pm - J-Fashion Show 6:30pm - 8:00pm - Cosplay Contest https://usa.kinokuniya.com/event-calendar/2018/8/18/austin-grand-opening-event https://www.facebook.com/events/2121868724732965/ https://twitter.com/KinokuniyaUSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor I had great time with [Krative], [they] are very professional, creative and try to do the best to make the experience of building a brand very fun and easy. I wanted to brag to everyone with my new logo! - Roy Bar, Founder of RBY Renovations Krative, LLC launched its new Excelerator Program this June in New Haven, Connecticut when it met with small business owner Roy Bar. The program, established to give back and strengthen the community, offers effective brand marketing at standardized pricing made affordable to new entrepreneurs in the state. To qualify for the program, businesses must be in operation for less than one year, must be formed (and active) in Connecticut, and business owners must be available to meet for an accelerated consultation in New Haven. Those with a mission or business model that benefits their local communities are given preference. By the end of an Excelerator Program consultation, business owners can leave with a logo, business cards, a website, and more. Additionally one entrepreneur a month will be awarded a grant of up to $2,000. Bar, the first client to partake in the program, owns RBY Renovations. After receiving a logo, business cards, and website, Bar said, Everything looks fantastic! [Krative] did an amazing job! Krative is a branding, design, and marketing firm that unifies brand identities, core values and communication strategies to create a concise and memorable brand experience. Founded by Rick Callahan, it began as WebLux LLC in 2006, and evolved into Krative in 2010. Callahan has made it his personal mission to make marketing accessible and foster a culture of entrepreneurship in Connecticut. Mark Ostrowski celebrates being named the 2018 IsaBody Challenge Grand Prize Winner. Were thrilled to have Mark and Tara represent Isagenix as this years IsaBody Challenge Grand Prize Winner and Runner-Up, respectively. With more than 46,600 participants this year alone, it was an amazing accomplishment even to be an IsaBody Challenge Finalist. - Travis Ogden During a special ceremony at the Isagenix Global Celebration 2018 event in Nashville, Tennessee, Mark Ostrowski of La Grange, Illinois, was named the grand prize winner of the 2018 IsaBody Challenge. The IsaBody Challenge and the annual Celebration event are both hosted by Isagenix International, a global health and wellness company providing nutrition and lifestyle solutions. Ostrowski, 54, was one of 15 finalists and one of more than 46,600 individuals from the U.S. and Canada to complete this years IsaBody Challenge. His personal transformation story, which included completing seven IsaBody Challenges and releasing 100 pounds, was the top choice by a panel of Isagenix judges. The saddest day in my 54 years on this earth was the moment I found out that I had burdened my three children with my poor health. They went to a friend, and they said, Can you tell our dad about your program? We are worried about him, Ostrowski said as he shared his story onstage with event attendees. My broken heart made a promise that day, and my wife, Jennifer, and I started Isagenix and the IsaBody Challenge. Since then, my energy has increased, my weight has decreased, and my spirits have lifted. I am now an active, fit role model for my children and am a loving husband. For the first time in my life, I was able to be a champion for my own health! As the 2018 IsaBody Challenge Grand Prize Winner, Ostrowski receives a US$25,000 prize as well as an all-expenses-paid vacation to Costa Rica in honor of his IsaBody Challenge achievements. At the same ceremony Aug. 6, Tara McGinty of Kennewick, Washington, was named IsaBody Challenge Runner-Up and receives a US$10,000 prize, along with a trip to the IsaBody Escape in Costa Rica with the other contest finalists. It wasnt long ago that I was a seriously overweight mom, McGinty said as she was recognized onstage for her achievement. I spent most of my days in bed or on the couch suffering from severe discomfort throughout my whole body and just total exhaustion. I felt like I was suffocating in my body and in a lifestyle that didnt fit who I was truly meant to be. Fast forward three years later, and I am down 118 pounds!* I am free to be active with my kids and in my own life. Were thrilled to have Mark and Tara represent Isagenix as this years IsaBody Challenge Grand Prize Winner and Runner-Up, respectively, said Travis Ogden, Isagenix chief executive officer. With more than 46,600 participants this year alone, it was an amazing accomplishment even to be an IsaBody Challenge Finalist. Being recognized as the top two from this tremendous group of 15 finalists speaks volumes about Mark and Taras hard work and dedication. Theyre an inspiration to us all, and Isagenix is proud our exceptional nutrition solutions could support them in their incredible transformations. To learn more about Ostrowskis grand prize-winning transformation, you can read his finalist profile. For more details about McGintys transformation, visit her finalist profile. To learn more about Isagenix, visit our website at Isagenix.com, like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Isagenix, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @Isagenix. *Weight loss, muscle gain, lifestyle, and other results depicted here reflect exceptional individual experiences of Isagenix customers and should not be construed as typical or average. Results vary with individual effort, body composition, eating patterns, time, exercise, and other factors, such as genetic and physiological makeup. About the IsaBody Challenge The IsaBody Challenge is a 16-week contest that rewards participants for their total-body and life transformations. Participants are judged on their before and after photos as well as personal essays describing their journeys. The contest looks for the most inspirational and motivational stories about how participants have made healthy body and life transformations. The IsaBody Challenge, which is open to anyone over the age of 18, has received more than 347,000 entries by participants in the U.S. and Canada since 2014. For more information, visit IsaBody Challenge. About Isagenix International Established in 2002, Isagenix provides systems for weight wellness, energy, performance, healthy aging, and wealth creation. With nearly 600,000 customers worldwide and more than 100 life-changing products, packs, and systems globally, the company is committed to producing Solutions to Transform Lives. Since its inception in 2002, Isagenix has generated $6 billion in cumulative global sales through an independent network of associates in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Mexico, Singapore, Malaysia, Colombia, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain. Isagenix is a privately owned company with headquarters in Gilbert, Arizona. For more information, visit Isagenix.com. Employees who joined LSP Technologies in the last two years now have input into key new initiatives. New projects are challenging us to accommodate large components in-house, as well as the larger staff we need to support the work.Eric ColletChief Operating OfficerLSP Technologies LSP Technologies, Inc. (LSPT), the leader in laser peening systems to enhance metal fatigue life, has added more than 27 engineering and technical support employees over the last two years, doubling in size and spurring the company to seek larger facilities in Central Ohio. The new staff include optical, mechanical, and materials science engineers, as well as product design and technical project managers with experience in nuclear and fossil power generation, heavy equipment and aviation technologies. New projects are challenging us to accommodate large components in-house, as well as the larger staff we need to support the work, said Eric Collet, LSPT Chief Operating Officer. LSPT will relocate to facilities at least twice its current size, he said. New customers, new portable laser peening solutions, and new equipment builds for locations in China and Europe have all contributed to the growth of LSPTs staff. Even with all of the growth, we are working hard to maintain our close-knit and collaborative atmosphere, and that requires constant attention as we scale. Our flexibility has allowed us to adapt our technologies quickly to meet customer needs, Collet said. Manufacturers in transportation, aviation, and power generation choose us because they share our vision of making the world a safer place. Rapid growth at LSPT followed the introduction of the Procudo Laser Peening System, which remains the only commercially available system for in-plant laser peening. Procudo Laser Peening Systems are now installed in the United States, China and Germany. Laser peening introducing a laser-based shock wave to the surface of metals to create a residual stress can provide 10-20x improvement in metal fatigue life. LSPT works closely with customer designs via finite element analysis (FEA) modeling to provide precisely targeted laser peening, which prevents or slows down fatigue crack propagation and helps metal parts resist foreign object damage (FOD). LSP Technologies patented laser peening process out-performs untreated metal alloys and conventional metal treatments like shot peening in a wide variety of applications, including jet engine and power generation turbine blades, heavy duty crankshafts, and other metal components that provide mission-critical service at high speeds or high temperatures. LSP Technologies is the worlds premier laser peening services, technology, and equipment provider. It is the only company in the world selling, installing, and integrating state-of-the-art laser peening systems into manufacturing, maintenance, and research facilities. The company has been providing laser peening production services for clients in the aviation and power generation industries for more than twenty years and has been awarded more than fifty patents for innovations in laser peening equipment and technology. To learn more, see https://www.lsptechnologies.com Ayden McLaughlin, Loren Ridinger, Ayva McLaughlin & JR Ridinger onstage in front of the NASA space capsule that landed onstage "Were so controlled by Facebook that we are controlled by that like every day. Let me tell you something. I want you to wake up every single day and give yourself a like.'" - Loren Ridinger, Senior Executive Vice President of Market America|SHOP.COM and creator of Motives cosmetics. The Shopping Annuity dominated the Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina from August 9th through August 12th for the 2018 Market America | SHOP.COM International Convention. The event showcased many exciting updates for the company including several new cutting edge products, technologies, new strategic initiatives, new opportunities being seized and, most importantly, how to Convert Spending Into Earning and create an ongoing income through the companys revolutionary Shopping Annuity program. The Shopping Annuity rewards smart consumers for shifting their purchases to SHOP.COM of the same everyday products that they are already purchasing from multiple brands. We are changing the world by leveraging our collective buying power to build our own economy that pays us all to shop, said JR Ridinger, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Market America|SHOP.COM. People everywhere are succeeding more rapidly through Market Americas UnFranchise business. The Shopping Annuity has facilitated this unprecedented growth and strength of the UnFranchise business model; we couldnt be more proud of the continuing successes of our UnFranchise Owners. Ridinger continued with our one-to-one marketing, universal shopping cart, referral tracking system and the power of people, our economic future is now squarely in the hands of the consumer due to the economic paradigm shift effected by the Shopping Annuity. Ridinger continued, in fact, just last month, Entrepreneur.com (https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/315056) cited The Shopping Annuity as one of four effective business models that built billion-dollar companies. The subject Entrepreneur.com article provides, [t]he idea behind this model is simply to enable customers to earn from their own current spending. Consumers actually earn money when purchasing everyday items, such as paper towels, toilet paper, toothpaste, razors and so on. It can be a very compelling model that fits well into the ecommerce space.. Founder and CEO of Market America and SHOP.COM, JR Ridinger, is seeing significant success with this business model in nine countries, including the U.S. In a recent interview, Ridinger said, The Shopping Annuity -- converting everyday spending into earning -- is the foundation of our business model and is like rocket fuel for our UnFranchise business, overall. Lets face it, Uber is essentially the largest taxi service in the world, and they dont own a single taxi/car. We look at the retail landscape in a similar way, and realize theres an equally powerful opportunity for us as a global ecommerce powerhouse. People dont just shop for luxury items, they shop for the things they use every day. By making those purchases the cornerstone of a Shopping Annuity, we feel this concept will revolutionize the retail industry as well as our economy. It took 25 years for the technology to catch up to our original vision of interconnected shoppers who wield their collective buying power and convert spending into earning. The event featured the Market America | SHOP.COM executive team, tens of thousands of successful entrepreneurs and celebrity guests, including recording Grammy-nominated artist and entrepreneur Fat Joe (the companys President of Urban & Latino Development), actress and entrepreneur La La Anthony, and others. Among the highlights of the event: JR Ridinger could not contain his enthusiasm for the success of the Shopping Annuity program, his brainchild. JR repeatedly demonstrated how adherence to the program generates substantial residual income over an extended period of time, ultimately resulting in great life freedoms for participants. In traditional JR fashion, he used multiple metaphors and symbols to drive his point home whether demonstrating the inefficiencies of the rat race while on a giant hamster wheel or speaking to Joe Nobody, who lived and died an anonymous life without taking any chances to build for his future or the pitfalls of the 45-year plan that most working people get consumed by without ever realizing it. Based on digital aggregation and collective buying power and funded by ones existing everyday spending rather than income, JR proved that the Shopping Annuity is the single greatest initiative that will drive both tremendous wealth creation for participants and exponential growth for the company. He also demonstrated what the company is doing to greatly simplify the Shopping Annuity program. JRs appreciation for those onboard with him for the long haul was expressed in several emotional and tear-filled presentations from the business maverick. So, youve got dreams? Dreams need to be turned into goals. Why? A dream is a vision. A goal is steps. So, to take the goal or the vision in a dream and get there, you need steps because we live in a physical world that has time restrictionsdaysmonths. So, I take the dream, the vision, the WHY and I turn them into goals. Step one think. Have you thought lately? No, honestly, most people go around going through life, running around doing all the crap that has to be done, being interrupted, upset, reactionary and never think! Think! Write it down. How am I going to get there? What do I want? Visualize. Visualize the end result. If you add emotion to visualization, stuff starts to happen faster than you expected. Plan. Heres the problem -- the brain doesnt understand. The subconscious doesnt understand. Youve been programmed for a long time that this or that cant happen. Its illogical. How are you going to make it? You need to be able to give a logical explanation so that your brain says, logically, I can see how that can happen, said Ridinger. JR closed his presentation by emerging from a NASA space capsule with his 5-year old grandson Ayden, both dressed in space suits. Making several analogies to the evolution of space travel, JR continued When we were figuring out how to do the Shopping Annuity, I realized we had to do it in 3 phases. The first is to make it really, really easy and to match products. I have the plan and, just like going to the moon, it was Apollo, Mercury and Gemini. So, we have 3 phases. We are in Apollo right now. And we will land. Remember what John F. Kennedy announced in 1961? That in this decade, we will put a man on the moon. That was in 1961, guys. People thought it was preposterous and that he was crazy. And the point is that we did do it. And, you know, he didnt say that without reason. Kennedy, in that statement, consulted with the greatest scientists of the time and he asked them if it was possible to put a man on the moon. They said it definitely was. Kennedy then asked what will it take to do it? The response was five words the will to do it. It took almost a decade. Do we have the will to do this? Its easier than going to the moon! continued Ridinger. Loren Ridinger, Senior Executive Vice President of Market America|SHOP.COM and creator of the Motives by Loren Ridinger cosmetics brand, mesmerized the crowd in her welcome address with her emotional and passion-fueled inspirational message of empowerment and self-love. Loren wowed the sold out audience with her powerful yet simple message you have to worry about rescuing yourself and not worry about what other people think and if other people like you. Were so controlled by Facebook that we are controlled by that like every day. Let me tell you something. I want you to wake up every single day and give yourself a like. Give yourself a like and a thumbs up and look in the mirror and say, I like me! I like me. Im going to do this. I can do this. I dont need somebody to like me. I like me. Stop worrying about what other people think. Loren then brought a couple onstage from Redding, California whose home had just burned down; they lost everything. Despite that tragedy, they still made it to Greensboro for International Convention. With an audience full of tears, Loren drove the point home theyre here, and that is what the Convention is all about. They are what this Convention is about. So get rid of the excuses. Stop being a victim and start forgiving yourself. Forget the past and live your future. Loren then finished with this super powerful message Life is hard. Nobody ever said it would be easy. Its been tough. Youre here because you want to find a better way. Youre here because you have the desire to change something. Either you want financial freedom or time freedom or both. You want to be able to say when you wake up, when you go to bed, who you get to spend your time with, who you get to hang out with. The truth of the matter is, if were not happy, no money matters. Nothing matters. You have to be happy with yourself. And if youre not, youre lying to yourself. Market America | SHOP.COM President & COO Marc Ashley announced the launch of several new cutting edge products, including trim cafe (a revolutionary thermogenic slimming supplement), Probiotics 10 (a comprehensive probiotic product), razor blades, shaving cream, shave balm, mouthwash, baby wipes and coffee. Marc also provided a sneak peek into several other new products that the company will be launching shortly. Marc detailed the newest offerings on the SHOP.COM site, including new products, new partner stores and new egift cards, as well as enhancements to the companys other digital assets. Marc also showcased the companys MasterCard credit card and secured credit card program and encouraged attendees to earn cashback via the companys super successful SHOP Local program. The SHOP Local program rewards customers of SHOP.COM for their offline spending (such as eating at restaurants and patronizing service establishments such as dry cleaners and auto repair shops) while at the same time allowing local small business owners to tap into SHOP.COMs extensive loyal customer base. Marc demonstrated how easy it is to build a Shopping Annuity simply by shifting current every day product purchases to SHOP.COM because of the volume and competitive pricing of products on the site. Marc was joined onstage by SHOP.COM President & COO Steve Ashley. Steve delivered a very powerful presentation about how SHOP.COM is not only taking the friction out of online shopping via several site enhancements but is also taking the shopping out of shopping via the companys new SHOP.COM Concierge Program. This new program provides personal shoppers who will help shoppers fill their carts before they even start to shop. The program is an important game changer for the company as it will enable SHOP.COMs loyal customers to have perhaps the best and easiest online shopping experience possible. Amber Ridinger-McLaughlin and Duane McLaughlin are creators of DNA Miracles, a product line that provides the highest quality body and wellness products designed for babies, children and expectant mothers. Duane and Amber detailed the extensive work and product development that they put into the DNA product line. Recently launched products include: DNA Miracles Natural Kids Shampoo + Body Wash, DNA Miracles Natural Kids Conditioner, DNA Miracles Natural Kids Bubble Bath, DNA Miracles Natural Kids Detangler and DNA Miracles Natural Kids Lotion. The company has partnered with leading health professionals and scientists who follow the highest standards in ingredient selection to create the most effective skin, hair and health solutions. Amber Ridinger-McLaughlin is also the founder of the popular Lumiere de Vie skincare brand. Amber revealed two new Lumiere de Vie products a rose refresher and a renewal elixir as well as introduced the brand new Lumiere de Vie Hommes skincare line for men (initially featuring a cleansing gel, a conditioning beard elixir and a hydrating aloe cream). Grammy-nominated artist and entrepreneur Joseph Fat Joe Cartagena, the companys President of Urban and Latino Development, delivered a heartfelt presentation about how the Shopping Annuity continues to positively change lives by providing ordinary people with simple ways to build residual income. Joe shared some very personal anecdotes, including about how his mother was diagnosed to die several years ago yet is still alive and thriving. Joes passion and genuine desire to help others lead a life that is All The Way Up (named after his hit song) were contagious. Actress/entrepreneur La La Anthony took the stage to share her strategies for how to engage your Motives customers, giving the audience great tips on effective engagement and selling techniques for the most successful cosmetics brand on Instagram (the Motives account currently has 2.2 million followers). Many UnFranchise Owners shared their business building tips and success stories regarding how the UnFranchise business and the Shopping Annuity have empowered them to create financial freedom via earning residual income. In addition, many were formally recognized onstage by the company for their achievements. Set forth below is a link to the master list of stage presentations for the Market America | SHOP.COM 2018 International Convention, including links to video clips of same as well as the overall event highlight video. MAIC 2018 Stage Presentation YouTube Playlist http://bit.ly/MAIC2018 ABOUT MARKET AMERICA, INC. & SHOP.COM Currently in its 26th year, Market America, Inc. is a global Product Brokerage and Internet Marketing company that specializes in One-to-One Marketing and is the creator of The Shopping Annuity. Its mission is to provide a robust business system for entrepreneurs, while providing consumers a better way to shop. Headquartered in Greensboro, NC, the company was founded in 1992 by Chairman and CEO JR Ridinger and has generated over $8.5 billion in accumulated sales. Market America employs nearly 1,000 people globally with operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, United Kingdom and Malaysia. Through the companys shopping website, SHOP.COM, consumers have access to over 60 million products, including Market America exclusive brands and thousands of top retail brands. Market Americas revolutionary Shopping Annuity program, which helps smart shoppers convert spending into earning, is an extraordinary and financially meaningful benefit of the business. Internet Retailer has ranked SHOP.COM #65 in the 2018 Internet Retailer Top 1000, the #43 largest global online marketplace, #96 in the Internet Retailer Asia 500 and the 18th fastest growing Internet Mobile Retailer. The company is also a two time winner of the Better Business Bureaus Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics. By combining Market Americas entrepreneurial business model with SHOP.COMs powerful comparative shopping engine, Cashback program, Hot Deals, SHOPBuddy, Express Pay check out, social shopping integration and countless other features, the company has become the ultimate online shopping destination. For more information, please visit http://www.marketamerica.com or http://www.SHOP.COM. INC. 5000 We are honored to be recognized as part of the INC. 5000 alongside so many other notable organizations that have exhibited incredible growth Inc. magazine revealed that MDSL is No. 3401 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 honored to be recognized as part of the INC. 5000 alongside so many other notable organizations that have exhibited incredible growth, said Charles Layne, MDSLs Chief Executive Officer. As we onboard more clients to MDSL solutions we continue to be customer-fixated in our approach and invest in technology and people to deliver the highest levels of customer service in the industry. 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. 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. 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 MDSL MDSL is a world leader in Technology Expense Management and partners with enterprises to provide clarity, control, compliance, and cost savings across their global technology estates. MDSL provides a unified expense management platform encompassing categories such as telecoms, cloud services, the Internet of Things, and Financial Market Data. By providing best practice procedures, unparalleled visibility of spend and automating time-consuming processes, MDSL helps ensure global digital transformations are smooth, secure, and cost-effective. For more information, visit http://www.mdsl.com. About the Inc. 5000 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. 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. This focus on emerging healthcare technologies and advanced technical applications will position the City as a regional leader in healthcare research and development. Murrieta Genomics, LLC, the Southern California genomic sequencing business incubator, is inviting the public to its Grand Opening at the Murrieta Innovation Center on August 24th, 2018 beginning at 3 pm. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at 4 pm, and the Innovation Center, located at 26442 Beckman Court in Murrieta, will be hosting tours of the facility during the afternoon festivities. This marks an important development for our company, stated Brandon Young, one of the four founders and the CTO of Murrieta Genomics. We are extremely happy to be moving into our newly constructed genomic sequencing laboratory. We will continue to perform sequencing services for our research clients, and now we can begin bringing new researchers and incubator companies into the facility. While healthcare is the primary focus of Murrieta Genomics, the company also welcomes researchers and entrepreneurs in the consumer products, agriculture, forensics, and veterinary fields. Genomic research holds the key to so many dynamic new business models, said John Powers, a founder and President of the company. One of the main challenges for new genomic-based companies is access to the technology and know-how. We are one of the very few facilities in the country that can offer this, and we believe that through the companies that come out of our incubator we will have a significant impact in a number of industries. The City of Murrieta is also bringing dedicated clinical trial research to this area by hosting Alliance Research Centers of Laguna Hills in the Innovation Center, said Deepankar Roy, principal at Murrieta Genomics and the companys Chief Science Officer. This focus on emerging healthcare technologies and advanced technical applications will position the City as a regional leader in healthcare research and development. Murrieta Genomics has one incubator company in place already. EpigeneticsRx offers a comprehensive set of tools allowing physicians and their patients to have everything they need in one place for precise, personalized, preventative healthcare. The company uses genomic sequencing to create a personalized nutrition and lifestyle treatment plan for consumers, partnering with doctors interested in a holistic, integrative approach to health. There are several healthcare technology companies currently in the Innovation Center, including GattaCo that has developed a patented technology that simplifies the biological sample collection and processing steps used to generate lab quality data. GattaCos flagship product, the Sipon, is a self-contained, fully-automatic and disposable centrifuge replacement tool that allows blood-based diagnostics to be moved out of a lab and run anywhere. Sandhill Crane Diagnostics, another company at the Center, is dedicated to bringing equitable healthcare to global rural and other low-resource communities. Their mission is to develop affordable on-site medical diagnostic testing and telemedicine products for use in these healthcare settings. Lit Central is a pending addition to the Center and has spent a decade developing a software platform that allows healthcare providers to dive deep into the overall healthcare experience, while providing a transparent "grade" for the public. This is one of the key pieces of information future patients desire before entrusting their lives to healthcare providers outside their immediate network of care. The focus on innovation in healthcare is shared by local healthcare organizations. An ongoing city-hosted quarterly meeting of healthcare providers, including Loma Linda University, Southwest Healthcare System, Kaiser Permanente, University of California, Rady Childrens Hospital, Riverside County Physician Association, Inland Health Professionals Coalition and others introduces new companies and innovations to this community. The Murrieta Innovation Center has been established for several years and while it has begun to narrow its focus to healthcare, it is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs in any industry. The city-owned building hosts many resource providers, including three veterans groups, SCORE, EPIC Small Business Development Center, The YES Place for young entrepreneurs, 5D Women, InSoCal CONNECT and several local professionals who provide mentorship and guidance to entrepreneurs. It has taken some time for us to define the focus and build momentum to this milestone, said Jay Goth, the fourth founder of Murrieta Genomics. With advanced next generation sequencing technologies, a dedicated clinical trial research unit, the support of the local educational and healthcare partners, and of course the incredible backing from the City of Murrieta, we are poised to put a dent in the universe, as Steve Jobs so eloquently put it. About Murrieta Genomics, LLC Murrieta Genomics provides access to next generation sequencing technology for researchers in the health, veterinary, agriculture, forensics and direct to consumer industries. The company is a true business incubator, offering mentorship and guidance from both the scientific and business perspective to aspiring genomic-related entrepreneurs. The four founding principals of Murrieta Genomics have extensive background in business, finance, science and technology. They are supplemented with an advisory board and local mentors from both business and science. In addition to low-cost incubation, the company provides hands-on consulting and will provide seed funding to qualified incubator graduates and connections to next-stage funders. For more information visit http://www.murrietagenomics.com. TownePlace Suites by Marriott Miami Airport Lobby The Naples Hotel Group, a leading hotel development and management company, celebrates the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Miami Airport for achieving the LEED Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council under their rating system, which is the most widely used green building rating system. Naples Hotel Group was awarded the development and management contract for the Miami Airport hotel by owners, Hotelex Airport LLC. The LEED Certification identifies the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Miami Airport as an example of sustainability and helping to transform the building industry. According to the U.S. Green Building Council's website, LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is available for virtually all building, community and home project types, and provides a framework to create healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings. The TownePlace Suites Miami Airport is located near the Southeast quadrant and main entrance of Miami International Airport. The hotel has stylish studio, one-and two-bedrooms suites featuring full kitchens with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops, adjustable work spaces with built-in shelves and lighting, flat screen television, as well as luxurious new bedding. Its custom interior design, convenient location, and upscale amenities have made it a top accommodation in the market. The achievement reflects Naples Hotel Groups recognized expertise in developing and operating premium-branded limited service hotels. Naples Hotel Group continues to develop hotels in Florida and the Southeast United States, currently with four other hotels in different phases of design. ABOUT NAPLES HOTEL GROUP Naples Hotel Group is a leading hotel development and management company of franchised brands such as Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, and InterContinental Hotel Group. NHG has achieved superior results and has a proven ability to enhance the performance of hotels using their experience, responsiveness, and extensive resources. With a hotel portfolio spanning the Southeast United States, NHG prides itself on building long-term relationships with quality people and organizations. To learn more visit, http://www.napleshotelgroup.com. One of the many benefits of WCRIs research is the ability to examine how various measures change after reforms, such as with this one, to provide information to stakeholders on whether the system changes had their intended effect. A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) explores how facility payments for surgeries conducted in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) in Georgia changed after the 2014 changes in the medical fee schedule for outpatient services. This study was in response to requests from Georgia policymakers and stakeholders looking for more information about changes in facility payments after 2014, said John Ruser, WCRIs president and CEO. One of the many benefits of WCRIs research is the ability to examine how various measures change after reforms, such as with this one, to provide information to stakeholders on whether the system changes had their intended effect. Effective May 1, 2014, Georgia changed its ASC and hospital outpatient fee schedule to follow Medicares Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) ambulatory payment classification approach. The new fee schedule method set ASC and hospital outpatient facility fee schedule rates at 2.25 times the Medicare OPPS rates that applied to hospital outpatient departments. While prior studies show that average facility payments in Georgia increased faster than in other states after 2014, little was known about the main factors behind these trends. Although Georgia made additional fee schedule rate changes in 2018, those are not reflected in this analysis. The report, Payments to Ambulatory Surgery Centers in Georgia, examines payments to ASCs and hospital outpatient departments for surgical episodes in Georgia through March 2017. The analysis focuses on the most common surgeries provided to injured workers for treating knee and shoulder conditions in workers compensation. The following are among the studys findings focusing on changes in payments before and after the 2014 fee schedule change: Average facility payments for knee surgeries performed in ASC and hospital outpatient settings changed little after the new fee schedule approach was implemented in 2014, although the average measure masks important differences across different types of knee surgerieslittle change for most common knee surgeries and a 32 percent increase for some knee surgeries, likely reflecting new fee schedule rates. Average ASC facility payments for shoulder surgeries increased in 2014 across most surgery types, likely reflecting different fee schedule rates that applied to different procedures. After 2014, the average payments to facilities for shoulder surgeries performed in ASC settings were higher than the average payments to facilities for similar surgeries conducted in hospital outpatient settings. Georgias ASC facility fee schedule rates for common knee and shoulder arthroscopies were 3.6 to 4.2 times the rates that Medicare pays for similar services performed in ASC settings, reflecting a policy that ties ASC reimbursements to Medicares hospital outpatient fee reimbursement rates. Georgia hospital outpatient facility fee schedule rates for common knee and shoulder arthroscopies were 1.8 to 2.4 times the rates that Medicare pays for similar services performed in hospital outpatient settings. The study was authored by Bogdan Savych. To learn more about this study or to purchase a copy, visit WCRIs website at https://www.wcrinet.org/reports/payments-to-ambulatory-surgery-centers-in-georgia. The Cambridge-based WCRI is recognized as a leader in providing high-quality, objective information about public policy issues involving workers' compensation systems. About WCRI The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Cambridge, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. As a family-owned and operated business, giving back to the community is a core value at NFI. NFI, a leading supply chain solutions provider, was recognized by the Philadelphia Inquirer as a Top Family Owned Business award winner in the category of Community Service Excellence. NFI will be acknowledged, among other family-owned businesses, at the inaugural awards program on August 23 and will also be featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Founded by the Brown family in 1932, NFI is currently headed by the third generation in brothers Sid, CEO; Jeff, President and Vice Chairman; and Ike, President and Vice Chairman. Throughout its 86 years of business, the company has emphasized the importance of community service. Some of NFIs philanthropic partnerships include Bike MS, in which NFI sponsors and provides logistics for the annual Bike MS: City to Shore ride, food banks, blood drives, awareness campaigns for the American Cancer society, and more. As a family-owned and operated business, giving back to the community is a core value at NFI, said Sid Brown, CEO of NFI. We are honored to be recognized for our philanthropic efforts and look forward to continuing to serve and support our local communities. Today, NFI employs over 10,000 individuals in North America, with nearly 1,000 in New Jersey. With a fleet of over 4,000 tractors and 8,900 trailers, as well as more than 41.5 million square feet of warehouse and distribution space, NFI continues to expand year over year. NFI continues to invest in New Jersey and is currently building its new headquarters on the Camden waterfront. NFI offers extensive experience providing supply chain solutions across a variety of sectors, spanning food and beverage, retail, consumer packaged goods, and manufacturing. The companys integrated suite of services includes dedicated transportation, distribution, transportation management, brokerage, port drayage, intermodal, global logistics, and real estate. The list can be viewed here. # # # About NFI NFI is a fully integrated North American supply chain solutions provider headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. Privately held by the Brown family since its inception in 1932, NFI generates nearly $2 billion in annual revenue and employs more than 10,000 associates. NFI owns facilities globally and operates 41.5 million square feet of warehouse and distribution space. Its dedicated and drayage fleet consists of over 4,000 tractors and 9,000 trailers. Its business lines include dedicated transportation, distribution, transportation management, port drayage, intermodal, brokerage, global logistics, and commercial real estate. For more information about NFI, visit http://www.nfiindustries.com or call 1-877-NFI-3777. Parchman Law Group is helping divorcing couples that are struggling with the courts initial ruling. The system is not perfect, says founder Jon Parchman. Sometimes a court custody order, or another decision affecting divorcing couples, needs a second look. Here at Parchman Law Group, we carefully assess the details of the case and the original decision. If an appeal is in your best interest, we let you know, and we help our clients through the all of the resulting proceedings. For divorcing couples, appellate court can hear appeals for custody cases, property settlements, and even issues relevant to the constitution when it comes to terminating certain proceedings. Parchman Law Group is known for being firm but fair. To learn more about how Parchman Law Group helps clients with divorce and other disputes in appellate court, visit https://www.parchmanlaw.com/appeals. To learn about the firms other services, visit http://www.parchmanlaw.com/divorce. About Parchman Law Group Parchman Law Group specializes in all aspects of family law, including: divorce, child custody, property and asset division, custody modification, and appeals. The firms managing partner has appeared on Dr. Phil, and the team well known across The Woodlands and Houston for its expert and diligent attention to each case. Contact Details: Parchman Law Group PLLC 300, 21 Waterway Ave The Woodlands, Texas 77389 Parchman Law Group PLLC 1700 Post Oak Blvd, 2 Blvd. Place, Suite 600 Houston, Texas 77056 Phone: 713-518-1902 Best Lawyers, the most respected peer review publication for attorneys, has named Paul Simonson Lawyer of the Year for his work in Medical Malpractice Law Plaintiffs in New York City. This award came due to the extremely high feedback from his fellow Best Lawyers. Awarded annually to only one lawyer in each practice area in each community, this accolade signifies Mr. Simonsons stellar reputation and outstanding achievement as a New York medical malpractice attorney. Best Lawyers uses a sophisticated, transparent peer review methodology to compile its list of outstanding attorneys. Only those who receive high ratings on the quality of their legal services by leading lawyers in the same geographical area and same practice area are included in the list of best lawyers published annually. Only those who receive the very highest ratings in a geographical area are named Lawyer of the Year. Simonson has received numerous honors throughout his exceptional career, including many Best Lawyers awards. However, this latest recognition is especially significant because it demonstrates that the top attorneys in New York City hold him and his achievements in very high esteem. I am both honored and grateful for the high rating bestowed on me by my fellow New York attorneys, says Simonson. It is truly humbling to be awarded this prestigious recognition in the 25th edition of Best Lawyers. Simonson views this latest award as a testament to his dedication to seeking and obtaining justice for his clients. In his more than 40 years of practice, he has always measured the quality of his legal services and success by the results he has achieved for clients who have been seriously injured due to others errors and negligence. I believe my clients understand that they can count on me to guide them through the very complicated legal process entailed in a medical malpractice case, Simonson says. Together, he and his partners at Simonson Goodman Platzer have successfully represented thousands of personal injury and medical malpractice clients, while Simonson alone has recovered money for his clients in 98% of the cases he has handled, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. Stop by Booth 339 to see a demonstration of Lake Shore's cryogenic probe station and current source solutions for material characterization. Lake Shore Cryotronics, a leading innovator in solutions for measurement over a wide range of temperature and magnetic field conditions, will be at the SPIE Optics + Photonics Exhibition in San Diego next week to discuss platforms optimized for the study of early-stage optical materials and devices. High-performance solutions from Lake Shore include: Cryogenic probe stations for performing electro-optical, DC, RF, microwave, and THz-frequency (75 GHz and up) measurements of materials and devices, including photovoltaic materials and semiconductor optoelectronic devices, in a variable temperature environment. These versatile platforms, which provide superior results and productivity when compared to traditional methods requiring manual immersion of devices in liquid nitrogen, include cryogen-free, CCR-based models, integrated magnet models, and stations supporting backside optical illumination of a sample (ideal for examining photosensitive materials with topside metallization). On display in Booth 339 will be the Model TTPX, an entry-level station well-suited for a wide variety of device measurements. MeasureReady 155 precision I/V sources are ideal for any application requiring a high-quality, low-noise source of current or voltage, these instruments provide a solid foundation for DC I-V and C-V curve, AC impedance, Hall effect, resistance, resistivity, and other fundamental material measurements. In addition, they support very low-power excitation of sensitive materials, like organics, and feature an in-phase AC reference output, which provides a convenient way to sync up with a lock-in amplifier to detect extremely low signal levels in the presence of other noise sourcesa scenario common for semiconductor device measurements. The 155 sources are also simple to operate, with a smartphone-based touchscreen interface, allowing for quick setup and use in labs regularly performing rapid testing of various devices. Please stop by Booth 339 to see a demonstration of how easy the instrument is to use. Hall effect measurement systems for determining the mobility and carrier concentration of materials, including wafer-scale materials, as a function of temperature and field. These robust systems facilitate a broad range of research applications, including photovoltaic, organic electronic, transparent conducting oxide, III-V, and III-VI semiconductor research, and include an AC field Hall option for characterizing materials with very low mobilities (down to 0.001 cm2/ V s). Systems can also be specified with optical access for exposure of samples to different wavelengths of light via a laser or a fiber optic connection. About Lake Shore Cryotronics, Inc. Supporting advanced research since 1968, Lake Shore Cryotronics is a leading innovator in measurement and control solutions for low temperature and magnetic field conditions. High-performance product solutions from Lake Shore include cryogenic temperature sensors and instrumentation, magnetic test and measurement systems, precision current and voltage sources, cryogenic probe stations, and materials characterizations systems for exploring the electronic and magnetic properties of next-generation materials. Lake Shore serves an international base of research customers at leading university, government, aerospace, and commercial research institutions, and is supported by a global network of sales and service facilities. Visit http://www.lakeshore.com for details. Wendy Sawtell - VP, Sales PMMI Media Group Her contributions have been fundamental to the growth of our company, and Im pleased to announce this well-deserved promotion Wendy Sawtell, Regional Manager for Packaging World has been promoted to Vice President, Sales for PMMI Media Group, effective July 1. Packaging World is the flagship publication of Chicago-based PMMI Media Group, and the leading media brand for professionals who use packaging equipment, materials, technology and services. A Drake University graduate, Ms. Sawtell joined Summit Publishing, now PMMI Media Group, when the firm opened in 1993 with the launch of Packaging World. She initially worked on the editorial side of operations, but soon found her niche in media sales where she quickly progressed, taking on additional accounts and mastering new product offerings as the firm grew. For over two decades, Ms. Sawtell managed accounts for Packaging World, Contract Packaging, Automation World, Healthcare Packaging, ProFood World, and OEM. She has been the top revenue producer for more than a decade. Comments Joe Angel, PMMI Media Group President and Publisher of Packaging World, Wendys knowledge of our products, dedication to her customers and solid work ethic have been the foundation of her success. Her contributions have been fundamental to the growth of our company, and Im pleased to announce this well-deserved promotion. In her new role, Ms. Sawtell will oversee the sales teams for Packaging World, Contract Packaging, ProFood World, Healthcare Packaging and OEM, working jointly with their respective publishers. She will also continue to handle select key accounts for PMMI Media Group. About PMMI Media Group PMMI Media Group is a market-leading B2B media company that produces information for packaging, processing and automation professionals, bringing together solution providers and end-users and facilitating connectivity throughout the supply chain. Its world class media brands Packaging World, Automation World, Healthcare Packaging, Contract Packaging, OEM and ProFood World are proven leaders in covering this diverse and dynamic marketplace, and its digital products incorporate leading edge media technologies to deliver informed, actionable business intelligence to the industry. PMMI Media Group also produces the Automation World Conference & Expo, an annual education and networking forum, taking place in Chicago each spring. PMMI Media Group is owned by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, a trade association representing more than 800 North American manufacturers and suppliers of equipment, components and materials, as well as providers of related equipment and services to the packaging and processing industry. Learn more at PMMIMediaGroup.com "Going forward, we expect to be able to respond to just about any bidding requirement including complex union environments such as we saw at St. Mary's College" - Scott Hammers, CTO of ScheduleSource The ScheduleSource Bidding module, providing configurable schedule and vacation bidding tools for clients around the world since 2005, has evolved considerably over time. ScheduleSource, the creator of TeamWork, a complete workforce management software system designed to meet any complex staffing requirement, has recently announced the availability of its fourth bidding variant - a configurable platform specifically designed to support rapid build and deployment of custom bidding requirements. Schedule Bidding provides a configurable platform to support employee bidding of any form for complex schedules from an intuitive, real-time visibility portal. Along with Schedule Bidding, Vacation Bidding uses the same functionality adapted to support vacation block bids, holiday bids and quota-controlled bids. Shift Bidding enhances the TeamWork "Swapboard" to support the posting of individual shifts for self-assignment by employees in accord with seniority rules, with full control over compliance needs. "This fourth style of bidding, based on our work with the Adjunct Instructor workforce at St. Mary's College in California, creates a new platform designed to allow us or our clients to rapidly deploy a new custom bidding solution that meets any unique needs that might arise," said Scott Hammers, CTO of ScheduleSource. This fourth bidding option for complex workforce management and scheduling needs allows us to leverage our overarching goal of addressing and alleviating the pain points associated with complicated shift plans. About ScheduleSource ScheduleSource is the creator of TeamWork, the leading software solution for complex workforce management and scheduling needs. Designed by a team of engineers, innovators, tinkerers and business professionals, TeamWork addresses and alleviates the pain points associated with complicated, disparate and shifting workforces. With 200 million shifts in some of the most complex industries scheduled, TeamWork supports its clients with all of their workforce needs, including staff scheduling; shift and vacation bidding; shift swapping; time and attendance; leave management and more. For more information, visit schedulesource.com. SIG announces the finalists in the Future of Sourcing Awards. Winners announced in October at the SIG Global Executive Summit. The number of submissions we had from industry-leading companies was overwhelming we are so grateful to our judges who were able to cull through the many nominations and identify those that truly stood out.. SIG, the premier membership organization for sourcing, procurement and outsourcing executives today announces the finalists in the SIG Future of Sourcing Awards taking place October 17, 2018, at the fall SIG Global Executive Summit in Rancho Mirage, California. The Future of Sourcing Awards program celebrates companies that represent the best example of innovation, transformation and/or leadership and SIG is pleased to announce the finalists in all categories. Winners will be announced at the Awards celebration. Tables can now be secured to attend that event. Sponsorships are also available and offer significant visibility in front of some of the most globally recognized brand name companies being celebrated at the event for: Innovations in Sourcing: GEP - Digital Procurement Transformation for a University System GEP - Procurement Transformation with a CPG Client HERE Technologies - Internal Sourcing Transformation Project VSP Global - Spend It Like Its Yours (SILIY) project Innovations in Outsourcing: Denali - Savings Initiative for a Specialty Beverage Company GEP - Procurement Transformation with a CPG Client Russell Investments - Procurement Best Practices Project Innovations in Third Party Management: Fannie Mae - Asset Management Solution Project FedEx - Intelligent Dashboard Project Florida Blue - Customer of Choice Project Innovations in Supplier Performance Management: Florida Blue - Customer of Choice Project Ivalua and Fannie Mae - Procurement Transformation Project Microsoft - Supplier Management 3.0 Project SAP Ariba and Microsoft - Digital Transformation and Supplier Collaboration Project Innovations in Digitization: IBM - Pricing IQ Project Microsoft - Supplier Onboarding Project Microsoft - Product Catalog Project Innovations in Governance and Compliance: GE - Master Supplier Data Portal Project Microsoft - My Order Project Microsoft - Supplier Management 3.0 Project Innovations in Talent Management: Beeline Self-Sourcing Project Microsoft Digital Talent Marketplace Project University of Tennessee Online Training on Vested Methodology Project Innovations in Sustainability: Ivalua and Fannie Mae Procurement Transformation Project Microsoft Global Impact Sourcing Project In addition, the Future of Sourcing Awards celebrates individuals who are transforming the industry with original ideas, thought leadership and methodologies. From sourcing prodigies (Rising Stars) to industry titans (Sourcing Stars), these individuals are advancing the industry in long-lasting ways. Rising Star Finalists: Krystelle Bilodeau, Director, Retail and Wholesale Debt Administration, Bank of Canada Natalie Fahrner, Category Manager II, Strategic Sourcing, FedEx Biswajeet Panigrahi, Category Manager II, Strategic Sourcing, FedEx Komal Patel, Global Process Owner, Source-to-Pay (S2P), Kellogg Company Conor Quarry, Analytics as a Service Lead, IBM Sourcing Star Finalists: Deepak Bansal, Enterprise Head of Sourcing Vendor Management, Envision Healthcare Kristin Gallagher, Director, Russell Investments Tim Hopper, Responsible Sourcing Manager, Microsoft Lawrence Kane, Senior Leader, Strategic Sourcing Functional Excellence & First Time Quality, Boeing Debbie Manos-McHenry, Chief Sourcing Officer, Huntington National Bank Rohan Ranadive, SVP, Head of Intelligent Automation, BB&T Jennifer Shepherd, Director, Global Sourcing and Procurement, Russell Investments Greg Tennyson, CPO, VSP Global Linda Tuck Chapman, President, Ontala Performance Solutions Kate Vitasek, Author and Faculty, University of Tennessee We are absolutely thrilled to announce the finalists in the Future of Sourcing Awards, says Dawn Tiura, President and CEO of SIG. The quality of the nominations in all categories was incredible. Adds Sarah Holliman, SIG Chief Marketing Officer, The number of submissions we had from industry-leading companies was overwhelmingwe are so grateful to our judges who were able to cull through the many nominations and identify those that truly stood out. More information can be found about the Awards celebration, sponsorship opportunities and registration for the awards and Global Summit on the Future of Sourcing Awards website. About SIG SIG is a membership organization that provides thought leadership and networking opportunities to executives in sourcing, procurement and outsourcing from Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies and the advisors who serve them. SIG is widely known as a forum for sharing next practices and thought leadership through live networking events, virtual forums and a comprehensive online SIG resource center (SRC), which was developed by and for professionals in sourcing and outsourcing. The organization is unique in that it blends practitioners, service providers and advisory firms in a non-commercial environment. SIG is also the parent organization for SIG University, a one-of-a-kind certification and training program for professionals and executives seeking deep expertise in sourcing and governance for themselves or their teams, as well as Future of Sourcing Digital, which provides unrivaled digital content for the opinion-formers and decision-makers at the heart of the sourcing and outsourcing space. With her experience in both the title industry and with the T.A. Way compacted by her passion and drive for an exceptional customer experience, we know she will assure great things will happen at Title Alliance Partners of Virginia. Title Alliance, Ltd, a RESPA-compliant ESOP leader in joint ventured title insurance agencies, announced today it has appointed Danielle Johnson as Manager for their newest joint venture Title Alliance Partners of Virginia. The company announced their partnership with Kline May Real Estate, Title Alliance Partners of Virginia, last month. A graduate of Ashworth College, Johnsons career in the title industry began in 1999 when she worked as a receptionist before becoming assistant manager. As Manager, Johnson will be responsible for establishing relationships with local agents, employee training, underwriting, and closings. Were very excited to be expanding our footprint in Virginia and to continue growing our company to ensure we provide a smooth closing experience for our clients, says Michele Rist, Pennsylvania State Manager. We are very fortunate that Danielle was willing to move across the state to manage our newest Virginia operation. With her experience in both the title industry and with the T.A. Way compacted by her passion and drive for an exceptional customer experience, we know she will assure great things will happen at Title Alliance Partners of Virginia. Johnson will focus on providing smooth closing experiences and will oversee the Title Alliance Partners of Virginia team including Anna Bergey as processor. Bergley joined the team at the companys launch and will form a solid foundation under Johnsons leadership. This has been a very exciting transition into a new city and I look forward to bringing the T.A. Way to Harrisonburg, says Johnson. Im excited to be able to open Title Alliance Partners of Virginia and to provide smooth settlement experiences to clients. Johnson can be reached at djohnson@tapartnersofva.com. About Title Alliance: Title Alliance, Ltd, an ESOP Company is located in Media, PA and has been creating RESPA compliant title joint ventures since 1983 with lenders, mortgage bankers, realtors, builders and credit unions. Their roots date back to 1948 when their first agency, which is still in existence today, was formed. For more information or to find out how a Title Alliance partnership or title management skills could benefit you visit them online or contact Lindsay Smith at 800-220-3901 x 165. Wheat harvest, Edwin Remsberg It has been a bad year for wheat yields in Maryland, so we are excited to give growers and researchers this good news and bright hope. These landmark results and resources will allow us to address the imminent challenges of global food security in changing climatic conditions, says Tiwari. The University of Maryland as part of the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium (IWGSC: http://www.wheatgenome.org) published findings in Science detailing the full genome sequence of wheat, the worlds most widely cultivated crop. Additionally, a second companion paper was published in the same issue of Science with UMD as a major contributor in conjunction with the John Innes Centre (http://www.jic.ac.uk), using this genome sequence to examine the way genes are expressed in wheat, specifically relating to heat, drought, and disease stressors. This work will pave the way for the production of wheat varieties better adapted to climate challenges, with higher yields, enhanced nutritional quality, and improved sustainability. The IWGSC research article authored by more than 200 scientists from 73 research institutions in 20 countries presents the reference genome sequence of the wheat variety Chinese Spring. The DNA sequence ordered along the 21 wheat chromosomes is the highest quality genome sequence produced to date for wheat. It is the result of 13 years of collaborative international research. UMD is one of only seven US institutions involved in the project as consortium partners. The wheat genome gives us a complete picture that will be the key to unlocking genes controlling important traits for crop improvement, says Dr. Vijay Tiwari, who leads the Small Grain Breeding and Genetics program in the Department of Plant Science & Landscape Architecture at UMD. For the wheat genome, UMD specifically contributed with Radiation Hybrid mapping, a technique used to validate whole genome assembly. A key crop for food security, wheat is the staple food of more than a third of the global human population and accounts for almost 20 percent of the total calories and protein consumed by humans worldwide, more than any other single food source. It also serves as an important source of vitamins and minerals. To meet future demands of a projected world population of 9.6 billion by 2050, wheat production will need to increase by 60 percent. In order to preserve biodiversity, water, and nutrient resources, the majority of this increase has to be achieved through crop and trait improvement on land currently cultivated. With the reference genome sequence now completed, breeders have new tools at their disposal to address these challenges. This will allow for rapid identification of genes and regulatory elements underlying complex agricultural traits such as crop yield, grain quality, resistance to diseases, and heat and drought stress tolerance all integral to the production of hardier wheat varieties. When this discovery was made for rice and maize, rapid advances were made in those crops almost immediately after, says Tiwari. Sequencing the wheat genome was long considered an impossible task, due to its enormous size and complexity. The wheat genome is forty times larger than the rice genome, with more than 85% of the genome composed of repetitive elements. The publication of the wheat reference genome is the culmination of the work of many individuals who came together under the banner of the IWGSC to do what was considered impossible, explained Kellye Eversole, Executive Director of the IWGSC. This was very much collaborative science at its best, adds Tiwari. Without the consortium [IWGSC], this couldnt have been accomplished in this amount of time. The impact of the wheat reference sequence has already been significant in the scientific community. More than 100 publications referencing the sequence have been published since the resource was made available to the scientific community in January 2017, and a companion publication is also available in the same issue of Science, again with Tiwari as a major contributor. In this article, Tiwari and a collaborative team of researchers led by Professor Cristobal Uauy at the John Innes Centre in the United Kingdom used this reference genome sequence to examine how genetic information is transcribed into the way genes are expressed, or the transcriptional landscape of the genome. Together these results will provide a major boost for wheat breeding and genetic research. Now researchers will have direct access to all the genes in the genome and information about their expression patterns, and it will allow them to unravel the genetic basis of important agronomic traits, explains Tiwari. In previous work at the John Innes Centre, a center funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk), researchers fine-tuned a technique called speed breeding, which uses glasshouses to shorten breeding cycles. Combined with the genome resources developed in these two new papers, this will significantly shorten the time to test genetic markers for traits like drought, heat, and disease resistance, getting new varieties of wheat to the growers faster. We are in a better position than ever to increase yield, breed plants with higher nutritional quality, and create varieties that are adapted to climate changes thanks to the research we and the international community are publishing, says Uauy, Project Leader in Crop Genetics at the John Innes Centre. It has been a bad year for wheat yields in Maryland, so we are excited to give growers and researchers this good news and bright hope. These landmark results and resources will allow us to address the imminent challenges of global food security in changing climatic conditions, adds Tiwari. The genome sequencing Science article is entitled "Shifting the limits in wheat research and breeding using a fully annotated reference genome." The companion article is entitled The transcriptional landscape of polyploid wheat. Both can be found in the issue of Science published August 17, 2018. The research conducted by these two academicians demonstrated the highest level of excellence and relevancy for the investment management profession, said Margaret M. Towle, Ph.D., editor-in-chief, Journal of Investment Consulting. By producing this work, they have added significantly to the body Investments & Wealth Institute (formerly IMCA) named Lars Kaiser, Ph.D., assistant professor, and Florian Schaller, research assistant, University of Liechtenstein, winners of the 2017 Journal of Investment Consulting Academic Paper Competition for their submission, Environmentally (Un-)Friendly Portfolio Construction. Their award-winning paper sheds light on a new type of sustainable investment approach, namely environmental, social, and governance (ESG) momentum, by providing both a theoretical discussion and empirical comparison of this new approach, as well as a perspective of how this approach compares to traditional weighting schemes considered by sustainable portfolio managers. In their submission, the authors focused their research solely on the environmental aspect of ESG ratings in Europe and paid particular attention to carbon footprint as a central measure of a portfolios environmental friendliness. Although the empirical results demonstrated inferior environmental ratings for ESG-momentum portfolios and mixed results in respect to risk-adjusted returns across alternative rating components, the researchers found that there might still be a case for investing in sustainable momentum stocks. The research conducted by these two academicians demonstrated the highest level of excellence and relevancy for the investment management profession, said Margaret M. Towle, Ph.D., editor-in-chief, Journal of Investment Consulting. By producing this work, they have added significantly to the body of knowledge on this subject. In recognition of their contribution, Kaiser and Schaller received a cash award of $5,000 and their paper will be published in the next issue of the Journal of Investment Consulting. The annual Journal of Investment Consulting Academic Paper Competition (currently open to academics and doctoral students) examines research relevant to investment consulting and private wealth management. Papers must demonstrate the development of theory and applied research on the chosen topic. Topics may include: alternative investments, asset allocation, currency management, impact investing, investment due diligence, manager search and selection, modeling tail risk, monolithic and flash trading, performance measurement, portfolio construction, regime-switching models, risk management, retirement planning, small-cap investing, stress-testing investment portfolios, wealth management, or other relevant topics for investment professionals. The Journal of Investment Consulting Editorial Advisory Board selects the winning submission. For Information: For more information about the Journal of Investment Consulting and the academic paper competition, visit Journal of Investment Consulting or contact Greta Gloven, director of communications, ggloven(at)i-w.org or 303-850-3079. About the Investments & Wealth Institute Established in 1985, the Investments & Wealth Institute, formerly known as IMCA, is a professional association, advanced education provider, and standards body for financial advisors, investment consultants, and wealth managers who embrace excellence and ethics. Through its publications, events, assessment-based certificate programs, and advanced certifications, the Institute delivers premier-quality, practical education to advanced practitioners in more than 38 countries. The Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) certification is the peak international, technical portfolio construction program for investment consultants, analysts, financial advisors and wealth management professionals. The CIMA program is distinctive as one of only a few global certifications in financial services to meet international accreditation and quality standards (ANSI/ISO 17024) for personnel certification programs. The Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA) certification is an advanced professional certification for advisors who serve high-net-worth clients. Its designed for seasoned professionals who seek the latest, most advanced knowledge and techniques to address the sophisticated needs of clients with a minimum net worth of $5 million. Unlike credentials that focus specifically on investing or financial planning, the CPWA program takes a holistic and multidisciplinary approach. The Investments & Wealth Institute is a registered mark of Investment Management Consultants Association Inc. doing business as Investments & Wealth Institute. CIMA, Certified Investment Management Analyst, CIMC, CPWA, and Certified Private Wealth Advisor are registered certification marks of Investment Management Consultants Association Inc. doing business as Investments & Wealth Institute. RMASM and Retirement Management AdvisorSM are marks owned by Investment Management Consultants Association Inc. doing business as Investments & Wealth Institute. The Investments & Wealth Institute does not discriminate in educational opportunities or any other characteristic protected by law. We are growing fast... because we provide best-of-breed database performance monitoring that helps customers such as GitHub and Etsy improve their customers' application experience, increase their engineering teams' productivity, and achieve cost savings. Inc. magazine revealed yesterday, that VividCortex is No. 244 on its 37th annual Inc. 500, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. This list represents the top 500 firms from the broader Inc. 5000 index of the most successful companies in the American economys most dynamic segment its 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 excited and honored to be part of the Inc. 500," said Amena Ali, Chief Executive Officer of VividCortex. "It is a testament to the extraordinary value that our team, led by our founder and Chief Technology Officer, Baron Schwartz, have delivered to our customers. We are growing fast at more than 3.6x the average three-year growth rate of companies on the overall Inc. 5000 list because we provide best-of-breed database performance monitoring that helps customers such as GitHub and Etsy improve their customers' application experience, increase their engineering teams' productivity, and achieve cost savings." Not only have the companies on the 2018 Inc. 5000 (which are listed online at Inc.com, with the top 500 companies featured in the September issue of Inc., available on newsstands August 15) 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. VividCortex grew at a rate of 1,979.6% over that same period. 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. 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. About VividCortex Most application performance issues originate in the database, but engineering teams lack visibility into the data tier. VividCortex Database Performance Monitoring provides unique insights into database workload and query response, enabling teams to proactively resolve database issues faster. The result is better application performance, reliability, and uptime. Industry-leading companies like DraftKings, Etsy, GitHub, SendGrid, Shopify, and Yelp use VividCortex to innovate with confidence, visualizing, anticipating, and fixing database performance problems before they impact their applications and customers. VividCortex is backed by leading venture capital firms including New Enterprise Associates, Battery Ventures, Osage Venture Partners, and Bull City Venture Partners. Visit https://www.vividcortex.com and follow us on Twitter @VividCortex. 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 independent not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies as 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/. Elder law attorney Anthony J. Enea, member, Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP My colleagues and I are able to make a real impact on peoples lives, stepping in at a time of need to protect our clients life savings from the overwhelming costs associated with long-term care. Westchester elder law attorney Anthony J. Enea, member of Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP in Somers and White Plains, has been named the Best Lawyers 2019 Trusts & Estates Lawyer of the Year in White Plains. He has also been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 25th edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the practice areas of Elder Law and Trusts and Estates. Its an honor to be recognized by my peers, particularly for work that I find so personally rewarding, said Mr. Enea, who has spent more than 30 years protecting the rights of seniors, the disabled and their families. My colleagues and I are able to make a real impact on peoples lives, stepping in at a time of need to protect our clients life savings from the overwhelming costs associated with long-term care. The Lawyer of the Year recognition is reserved for a single lawyer with the highest overall peer-feedback in a specific practice specialty and geographic location. A strong leader in Westchesters legal community, Mr. Enea is president of the Westchester County Bar Foundation, a past president of the Westchester County Bar Association, and a past chair of the New York State Bar Associations Elder Law Section. He was named Westchester Countys Leading Elder Care Attorney at the Above the Bar Awards. Mr. Eneas practice areas include elder law; Medicaid asset protection trusts; Medicaid applications (home care and nursing home); special needs planning; guardianships (Article 81 and 17-A); and wills, trusts and estates. Regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence in the United States, Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which more than 50,000 leading attorneys cast over five and a half million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice. This marks the eighth consecutive year Mr. Enea has been included in the Best Lawyers list, and the fifth time he has received recognition as a Lawyer of the Year in White Plains. Mr. Enea has also been named as one of Westchester Countys Super Lawyers annually since 2007. An AV Rated Preeminent Attorney (Martindale-Hubbell, since 2002), Mr. Enea is a member of the Council of Advanced Practitioners of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and is a past president of the organizations New York Chapter. He is a fellow of the New York Bar Foundation and serves as a board member of the Westchester Public/Private Partnership for Aging Services. The Best Lawyers of America is copyright 2018 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC. For more information, visit http://www.bestlawyers.com. Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP is located at 245 Main Street in White Plains, N.Y. with additional offices in Somers, N.Y. Elder law attorney Anthony J. Enea can be reached at 914-948-1500 or a.enea@esslawfirm.com. For the latest news, visit Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano online at http://www.esslawfirm.com. About Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP is an AV preeminent rated elder law firm with offices in White Plains and Somers, N.Y. The practice concentrates on Elder Law; Medicaid Planning; Nursing Home and Home Care Applications; Wills, Trusts and Estates; Guardianships; Estate Litigation; Supplemental Needs Trusts; and Special Needs Planning. Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP serves Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, the Bronx, Manhattan, Long Island and Queens and is committed to providing the highest quality legal services to seniors, the disabled and their families. Visit the firm online at http://www.esslawfirm.com. Subject Property Commercial hotel consisting of 11,242 square feet on 1.07 acres "In this loan scenario the borrowers existing loan was coming due and they needed to refinance quickly. We were pleased with the hotels operating income, the location of the property, and the creditworthiness of the borrowers, said Director of Business Development Matthew Mielke. Wilshire Quinn Capital, Inc. announced Monday that its private mortgage fund, the Wilshire Quinn Income Fund, has provided a $990,000 First Trust Deed loan in Salt Lake City, Utah. The subject property is a commercial hotel consisting of 11,242 square feet on 1.07 acres. In this loan scenario the borrowers existing loan was coming due and they needed to refinance quickly. We were pleased with the hotels operating income, the location of the property, and the creditworthiness of the borrowers, said Director of Business Development Matthew Mielke. The property was appraised this month for $1,675,000, giving Wilshire Quinn a total loan-to-value of 59 percent on the transaction. In addition to commercial hotels, Wilshire Quinn provides bridge loans on a wide variety of property types including office, industrial, retail, mixed-use, multi-family, and non-owner occupied SFRs. With over $120 million in loans funded since 2011, Wilshire Quinn has become a premier California hard money lender. As for Wilshire Quinns typical borrowers, their customer base is fairly diverse; borrowers range from corporations looking for rehab financing, to individuals who are looking to purchase or refinance an investment property. Wilshire Quinn provides financing to borrowers who are unable to obtain credit from traditional lending institutions or need to close quickly on a property. ABOUT WILSHIRE QUINN Wilshire Quinn is a direct private money lender focused on bridge loans, secured by first trust deeds. The company is based in San Diego, CA with offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Wilshire Quinn typically funds loans in 5 to 7 business days and offers a variety of loans such as: refinance, purchase, blanket, rehab loans, 1031 exchange, partnership buyouts, probate loans and more. Wilshire Quinn is a bridge loan lender that originates private money loans ranging from $200,000 $10,000,000 and works with commercial and residential buyers nationwide. Loans are made or arranged by Wilshire Quinn Income Fund, LLC pursuant to California Finance Lenders Law license #603J060. Wilshire Quinn Capital, Inc. serves as manager of the Wilshire Quinn Income Fund, LLC. The information above is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. Portions of the loan described above may be sold to third party purchasers and does not necessarily reflect the amount held in the Funds loan portfolio. Nothing contained in the information above is an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Any such offer to purchase securities will be made only through the Offering Circular for the Wilshire Quinn Income Fund, LLC. Only 6 percent of the companies honored by Inc. over the years have made the prestigious list six times. WordStream Inc., a SaaS company that provides online advertising software and services, has landed on Inc. Magazines annual ranking of the countrys fastest-growing private businesses for the sixth year running. Thanks to 535 percent growth, the Boston-based firm earned the #924 spot in this years list. Scoring a spot in the Inc. 5000 is no easy task. According to the magazines chief editor, James Ledbetter, the honorees have, on average, grown six times over since 2014. Whats more, only 6 percent of the companies honored by Inc. over the years have made the list six times. For WordStream to remain in the top 1,000 honorees is pretty special. The recognition as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. adds to a strong list of accomplishments for WordStream in 2018. In June, the Boston Business Journal recognized the company as one of the Best Places to Work in the city. The following month, the Content Marketing Institute awarded the WordStream blog the honor of Best Topic-Specific Blog in the 2018 Content Marketing Awards. Were absolutely thrilled to appear on the Inc. 5000 list for a sixth straight year, said CEO Howard Kogan. Its a terrific example of our resilience and long-term success as a company, and a testament to our loyal customers and outstanding employees. The honorees have been invited to the Inc. 5000 Conference and Gala in San Antonio this October. The conference aims to engage and inspire, empowering business owners with the insights and tools they need to continue growing at impressive rates. Leaders from the worlds top businesses attend in order to provide these insights. Past speakers include Daymond John, Lisa Price, Barbara Corcoran, and Hamdi Ulukaya. About WordStream WordStream Inc. provides software and services to help businesses of all sizes get the most out of their online advertising efforts. One of the most acclaimed features of WordStreams intuitive software is the 20-Minute Work Week: a customized workflow that walks advertisers through the steps they need to take to improve their Google Ads, Bing Ads, and Facebook Ads performance. WordStream is also known for its award-winning free tool, the AdWords Performance Grader. In mere seconds, the tool provides an advertiser with key insights into how they can improve their Google Ads campaigns. WordStream is a Google Premiere Partner. About the Inc. 5000 The 2018 Inc. 5000 is based on percentage of revenue growth between 2014 and 2017. To qualify, companies must be privately heldfor profitin the U.S. They must have been established and generating revenue by March 31, 2014. 2014 revenues must have exceeded $1,000,000, and 2017 revenues must have exceeded $2,000,000. Inc. Magazine reserves the right to reject applicants for subjective reasons. On August 1, New York-based boutique publishing house The Mantle published its first work of fiction from outside the continent of Africa, the novel Sweden by New Zealander Matthew Turner. The book is historical fiction about the little known true story of American soldiers who, while stationed in Japan during the Vietnam War, went AWOL and were assisted by anti-war protestors in Japan to flee to Sweden, said Shaun Randol, publisher of The Mantle. Its more commercial than the books we have published from Africa." Randol established The Mantle in 2009 as a platform for his fellow students at The New School, where he was earning a degree in international affairs, to write about culture and politics. The company moved into book publishing in 2014, starting with an anthology of 10 writers from Africa. Gambit: New African Writing featured the works of several notable writers from the continent, including that of Nigerian Ayobami Adebayo, whose novel Stay With Me was published by Knopf last year. We funded the anthology on [crowdfunding site] Indiegogo, raising $4,500, said Randol, and printed the first copies of the book on the Espresso Book Machine at McNally Jackson [bookstore in Manhattan]. Three more books from Africa followed the drama collection We Are All Blue by Donald Molosi from Botswana, the novel The Sound of Things to Come by Nigerian author Emmanuel Iduma, and Forbidden Fruit by Stanley Gazemba, winner of the Kenyas Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature. as did a philosophical polemic about religion and the essay collection When We Let People Die by Corrie Hulse, who serves at the managing director of The Mantle. In total, The Mantle has published five books to date and is now distributed by SPD. Though The Mantle largely remains a self-funded enterprise and Randol continues to work a day job in communications at Bloomberg News, he said he's looking for ways to publish more regularly. "But for now Im satisfied with being able to publish, however infrequently, books that I believe in, he said, adding, Working with writers as far away as Africa or New Zealand, is not easy, but it is rewarding and necessary, as we don't know as much about those parts of the world as we may think." The study identified broader community engagement, including with religious institutions and social groups, as essential to driving financial inclusion in Nigeria. The study also identified the need for more unconventional means of on-boarding financially excluded persons (i.e., people without bank accounts and no access to digital financial services) such as the use of livestock ownership as collateral for financing. Oftentimes, financially excluded people are referred to with a broad stroke without much regard for their melange of circumstances. To better help all stakeholders -- financial service providers, researchers, the media, etc. -- understand the complexity of financial exclusion, the study dived deep and provided psychometric profiles of this group, dividing them into six segments (which are by no means exhaustive or indicative of the entire population). The six customer segments of financially excluded persons are: 1. Vulnerable Believers, which form 12% of the population 2. Resilient savers, 21% of the population 3. Dependent individualists, 22% of the population 4. Digital youth, 19% of the population 5. Confident optimists, 14% of the population 6. Sceptical cultivators, 12%of the population About the report, Dr Olayinka David-West, Academic Director and Senior Fellow at the Lagos Business School, said, One of the many challenges of Financial Service Providers (FSPs) is limited knowledge of customers, and as a result they often overlook high potential customers or misidentify their needs, and invest in products and channels that sometimes miss the mark. The customer segments presented in this study provide insights into the behavioural and attitudinal traits of the Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP) population, currently estimated at 75% of Nigerias population (about 135 million persons), with a view to providing FSPs with correct information to create fit-for-use, segment-aligned digital financial products, she added. The research study is the most representative of Nigerians with a sample size of 1,200 across the country. The study integrated three variable types into its segmentation approach to expand information about BoP consumers, strengthening typical approaches to segmentation. Partner at Dalberg and its Nigeria director, Nneka Eze said, As with all the countries, the Nigeria report introduces a novel approach to segmentation that integrates contextual, behavioural, and psychometric variables that is useful in identifying patterns, highlighting nuances and differences between people that may not be clear from their contexts alone. Overlaying a segmentation using behavioural and psychometric approaches with FSPs existing segmentation strategies, we identified opportunities to drive market share reaching people that a broad demographic approach to the market may not reach or energise. The full report is available online here. The Presidency, in a letter sent to the National Assembly for scrutiny and approval, had submitted the sum of N189.2 billion for the conduct of 2019 elections as the budget of the country's electoral commission Prof. Yakubu also explained why the commission needs N189.2 billion for the conduct of the elections. When asked about the huge difference, the electoral chairman listed the following as some of the issues that necessitated the increase: - In 2015, Nigeria had 70 million registered voters. As of last week Saturday, August 11, 2018, Nigeria now has over 80 million registered voters. He said all major activities are pegged against the total number of voters. - In 2015, the country had only 42 political parties compared to 91 registered political parties eligible to take part in the 2019 general elections. We are hoping that all the political parties will have seamless congresses and primaries. - Processing Costs The cost of logistics is also different in 2019 as opposed to 2015, because the pump price of petrol in 2015, is different from that of 2019. This will also have an impact. - With the increase in voters, voting points will also increase. And with the increase in voting points, numbers of Ad-Hoc Staff will also increase. The current President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, appointed his daughter to head a council and a section of the public suspected some favouritism in the appointment. We go down memory lane to look at families that have benefited by family ties with prominent politicians. Rawlings The former president is the longest serving head of state in Ghana. His wife Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings is the founder and leader of the National Democratic Party (NDP). Their daughter, Zanetor Rawlings, is the current MP for Korley Klottey Constituency. Kufour Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufour served as Minister of Defense and Minister of Interior during the presidency of his brother, John Agyekum Kufour. Mahama The former president came under criticism for allegedly appointing only members of his tribe and awarding contracts to his family members. Recently, his rich brother, Ibrahim Mahama, was hurled to the Economic and Organized Crime Office for investigations into the COCOBOD scandal. Akufo-Addo The President appointed, his cousins, Ken Ofori Atta and Samuel Atta Akyea as Finance Mininster and Minister and Works and Housing respectively. The Director of the Creative Arts Council, Gyankroma Akufo-Addo, is also the daughter of President Akufo-Addo. It is worth noting that the President's father also served as Head of State from 1970 to 1972. The Ahwoi Family The single-sex halls which have been concerted include Katanga, Unity, Africa, Independence, University, Unity and Queen Elizabeth. In a statement, authorities of KNUST said the decision is in line with the universitys policy of periodic review of Residential Accommodation for students. Management noted that the conversion tallies with the Universitys policy of expanding access to female students remain unchanged. In line with the Universitys policy of periodic review of Residential Accommodation for students, it has been decided that effective the 2018/2019 Academic year, all the six (6) Traditional Halls of Residence namely, Independence Hall, University Hall, Africa Hall, Republic Hall, Unity Hall and Queen Elizabeth II Hall would be designated as mixed Halls, the statement added. The decision to convert the aforementioned halls comes despite strong opposition from some students. Earlier this month, alumni and current resident members of the concerted halls staged a demonstration against the decision, whiles petitioning the Council of State, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry in charge of Tertiary institution. The demonstrators had placards with inscriptions: Do not destroy Nkrumahs legacy, The system of intimidation must end, Say no to mixed halls, among others. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! This comes after the father of the Maame Hw3 hitmaker, Nana Poku Kwarteng, went on two TV stations on Wednesday, August 15, to name nine musicians who allegedly collected fees for their performances at the Accra International Trade Fair Centre on March 23. But, some musicians named on the list have come out to deny the claim. Reggae/Dancehall musician Ras Kuuku was the first artiste to react to the claims via Twitter saying: I didn't take any money. Ebony's father must take my name out. Rapper Edem reacted to this issue via Instagram, condemning the two parties for failing to settle their differences amicably. Captain Planet also said he performed for free and that he took no money from either Bullet or Opoku Kwarteng. Coded of 4x4 said he 'will never do such a thing'. The police boss and two of his colleagues, Sergeant Bassey and Charity reportedly arrested a man from delta state and detained him because he could not afford the N400,000 they demanded from him. The suspects family then contacted one Prince Emefiele Harrison who runs an NGO called Behind Bars Initiative. Behind Bars Initiative saw the development as an opportunity to expose miscreants in the Nigerian police service, as they collaborated with some other police officers to set up Inspector Tom Edet and his colleagues. Pretending to be family members of the suspect who had come to bail him, they gave the corrupt senior police officers marked N120,000 which they took without hesitation. Yabaleftonline.ng reported that Sergeant Bassey and Charity are currently on the run after learning that their boss was arrested in relation to the booty they partook of. In most countries including Ghana, it is criminal of police officers to take money from suspects before granting them bail, but the law has been breached flagrantly in Ghana by officers with impunity. It is about time the hierarchy of Ghanas police service began cracking the whip on its officers to alleviate extortion of ignorant suspects by corrupt officers. Reports indicate that Father Paolo Glaentzer, a septuagenarian, was arrested in July for allegedly raping the minor. The Italian man of God did not deny having sexual intercourse with the victim, but said it was an exchange of affection between him and the girl who he claims looks much more mature than she was. READ MORE: Reverend Minister caught watching porn and snorting cocaine It is not clear what the errant priest wanted to achieve by saying I found out she was 11 years oldI thought she was at least 15, because the Italian laws recognise age 16 as legal age for consent to sex. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), congratulated Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen Wednesday after his Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won all 125 parliamentary seats in the recent general election. The Chinese national flag and the Cambodian National flag. [File Photo: CGTN] Xi, also Chinese president, spoke highly in the message of Cambodia's political and economic achievements under Hun Sen's leadership. Xi said he is glad to see that in recent years, under the leadership of Hun Sen, Cambodia has achieved political stability, rapid economic development, continuous improvement of its international status, and gratifying achievements in various fields. "We believe that the CPP will continue to unite and lead the Cambodian people to follow the development path suitable for their own conditions, promote economic development, improve people's livelihood, enhance national unity, and make more contribution to Cambodia's national prosperity, people's happiness and regional stability and development," Xi noted. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also delivered his congratulations. Li said China and Cambodia have been good neighbors and partners at all times. 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. Our local way of dressing is international. Nowadays, rarely do you see pictures of couples during their traditional engagements without shades of kente in their costume. Dressing the Ghanaian way for both the corporate world and local events peaked over a decade ago, however, recently, the incessant wearing of Ghanaian prints and fabrics is on the wane. In November 2004, ex-Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor launched a national policy that mandates government employees to wear Ghanaian prints to work every Friday. This was adopted by private firms in corporate Ghana as well as organizations printed local fabrics with the logos firmly embossed in them which were worn by all staff on Fridays. The initiative, which was championed by the Ministry of Trade and Industry was aimed at projecting a unique Ghanaian identity. Though some government employees still abide by this policy fourteen years later, the enthusiasm behind it has dropped greatly and most people have totally shunned it. Fashionista and Artistic Director of MegSignature Clothing, Mrs. Margaret Adjei thinks greed from most local fashion houses is one of the major reasons for the dwindling fortunes of the wear Ghana initiative. Those who know the worth and what goes into the making of the product would appreciate and purchase...some of us producers prefer having lots of clients to satisfy and work for than just a few ones who can afford us and so we wouldn't deliberately inflate prices of our goods so high that it would drive all their buyers away, she said. It's like a like a scale..the higher the quality of a product the more it'll be expensive and the fewer people who would be interested whereas the lower the quality, the cheaper and the more people would patronize but at the end of the day, quality lasts. Despite this dip in the mandatory Friday wear initiative, some Ghanaian celebrities have been showcasing this laudable idea at every turn on social media. Most of the pictures that make it to the main feed of these celebrities on Instagram has shades of Ghanaian prints in the outfits being displayed. Also, most of the designers behind these flamboyant clothes are home-based. Wife of Ghanaian Vice President, Samira Bawumia has been one of the anchors of this trend. Ever since her husbands coronation last year, all her apparels for official appearances are interlaced with something Ghanaian. Actress and television presenter, Joselyn Dumas has also been a trailblazer in Wear Ghana. Not to forget the likes of actress Juliet Ibrahim, television presenters Naa Ashorkor Mensah-Doku and Berla Mundi of GHOne. Margaret Adjei also contends that theres no big difference between the foreign dresses and that of Ghanaian origin. I sew for clients custom made however are ready to wear clothes are sometimes more or less or equal to similar ready to wear clothes outside the country. READ ALSO: Nana Ama Mcbrown is killing us softly with these lovely dresses as she celebrates her birthday On the issue of if the lack of creativity is the sole reason for the decline in patronage of Friday wears, Mrs. Adjei said: I Believe fashion design has evolved tremendously from how it was some years back before some of us even joined the industry. There are so many of us, well-established designers now who produce outfits of international standards and are always coming up with new creative designs to keep fashion lovers busy within and outside the country. The issue of how expensive it is to purchase and sew made in Ghana fabrics has also been attributed to the recent low patronage of this initiative. For corporate worker Claudia, the aforementioned reason is the main challenge of why her patronage of Friday wears has declined. She said a single sewn outfit costs GHS 200 which is on the high side compared to an already made outfit. When u look at the cost tailors charge to sew and the cost of the cloth and even sometimes the disappointments, you will prefer to buy an already made outfit, she said. Efforts are being made by the government to revive the Wear Made in Ghana campaign and it is evidently being manifested by the constant wearing of African prints by President Akufo-Addo. Accra-based Citi FM reports that they were arrested at around 2:00pm on Wednesday, and taken to the Northern Regional Police Command for further interrogations. The Kandahar Boys, who are affiliated to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), have been in the news in the last few days following their attack of the Tamale Hospital. On Monday, members of the vigilante group laid siege on the hospital and attacked the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. David Akolbila. The group held that under the watch of Dr. Alkolbila, the Tamale Teaching Hospital is deteriorating. 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. They also said he had neglected them despite the role they played in getting him appointed. Professor Boateng, who is also Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining said this to media today. There will be many who will say that the water bodies are still polluted and so the ban must be maintained. On the other hand, there will be those who will argue that hundreds if not millions of Ghanaians whose incomes are related to small-scale mining are under extreme pressure that they can no longer cope with the sustained ban", he said. READ ALSO: 5 Chinese galamseyers arrested at Jacobu The ban was to enable the government deal with the illegal ones among them and to also properly streamline the activities of the licensed miners. Prof Boateng said several measures have been put in place as part of a roadmap to streamline activities in the sector. So far, we have trained about 3,000 small-scale miners all at the expense of the government, he added. The said vehicles include Toyota Camry, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Avensis, Hyundai Accent, Hyundai i10 and Nissan Sentra. However, all personnel who purchased the vehicles have now been asked to return the cars for a refund of their monies. A letter from the Presidency to the Chief of Defence Staff said the military men involved have up to September 7 to return the vehicles to the Military High Command. Dated August 6, 2018, the letter explained the military service personnel were not entitled to such [end of service] privilege. The Presidency said such entitlement is only accorded to political appointees. All documents relating to the sale/purchase of the vehicles should be provided to enable refund to be effected, sections of the letter read. The letter further indicated that although the vehicles were sold to the soldiers, they were again listed as part of the cars handed over to the Akufo-Addo government by the Mahama government. Their reason? 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. They also claim under the leadership of Dr. Alkolbila, the hospital is deteriorating. This incident has drawn a wide range criticism from civil society groups as well as the staff of the hospital. 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. READ ALSO: Tamale Teaching Hospital strike over attacks by NPP boys 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." , they stated. Dr. Alkolbila's predecessor, Dr. Prosper Akanbong was pushed out in a similar style by the Kandahar Boys a few months President Akufo-Addo took over. They deemed Dr. Akanbong as an appointee of the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, therefore, since their government is in power, they have to appoint a sympathiser of their party. Reports suggest that the Group agitated for Dr. Alkolbila and so far disappointed in his leadership style because they thought he will do their bidding. 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. READ ALSO: 6 Kandahar Boys arrested over Tamale Hospital attack The Police in Tamale, on Thursday, arrested the ringleader of the vigilante group. Baba Alhassan was picked up a day after four others who were earlier arrested were released for lack of evidence. Baba Alhassan and his men in mufti, with bags strapped behind them, invaded the offices of the Tamale Teaching Hospital in vigilante style and instructed the CEO of the hospital Dr David Zaawumya Akolbila to walk out and hand over the keys. The vehicles were seized for allegedly importing them into the country. The vehicles with registration numbers GR 2220-18, GR 2221-18, GR 2222-18, GT 2243(sic)-17 and GT 4054-13 are currently parked at the office EOCO. He is alleged to use a Parliamentary Resolution dated April 7, 2017, contracting a facility of US$22, 500 between the Parliamentary Service and the Societe Generale Bank Ghana which was for the purchase of one brand new vehicle for the 275 MPs. The Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu has revealed attempts by Mahama Ayariga to stop an investigation into the suspected commission of corruption and corruption-related offences. Martin Amidu in a statement accused the MP of sending some personal friends, former colleagues, chiefs, pastors among others, to beg him [Amidu] to stop the investigations against him. He stated that as a result of these attempts, he has reported the Bawku Central MP to the Economic and Organized Crime Organization (EOCO) for attempting to block a probe into the acquisition of three used white Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles after refusing to honour an invitation by EOCO over the matter. "After undertaking preliminary investigations into the suspected commission of corruption and corruption-related offences including the abuse of public office for private gain by the Honourable Mahama Ayariga, Member of Parliament for the Bawku Central Constituency, my office decided that there were sufficient grounds to invite the suspect for the conduct of full investigations into the allegations," the statement said. "The preliminary investigations pertained to the importation into Ghana through corrupt means and corruption-related activities of three used white Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles by using a Parliamentary Resolution dated 7th April 2017 contracting a facility of US$22, 500, 000.00 between the Parliamentary Service and the Societe Generale Bank (Ghana) which was for the purchase of one brand new official vehicle for each of the 275 Members of Parliament. Due to the fact that the investigations division of my office was in the process of being set up, I invited the Economic and Organised Crime Office to undertake a joint investigation of the suspected offences with my office, as permitted under our establishment enactments. The suspect refused to report to the offices of EOCO in Accra as demanded by a publication at page 26 of the Daily Graphic of 20th June 2018 with vehicle numbers GR 2220-18, GR 2221-18, GR 2222-18, GT 2243 (sic)-17 and GT 4054-13. Consequently, it fell on me to write to the Speaker of Parliament with a copy to Honourable Mahama Ayariga (the suspect) in my letter dated 26th June 2018 to release the suspect to report to EOCO on 3rd July 2018. When the suspect, Mahama Ayariga, received his copy of my letter to the Speaker he immediately started to get people he perceived could put pressure on me (such as personal friends, former colleagues, chiefs, men of God, etc.), to abate the investigations being conducted in the performance of my functions under Acts 959 and Act 804. I asked EOCO on a number of occasions to warn the suspect to desist from his conduct of obstructing the investigations by soliciting others to put pressure on me to abate same to no avail. She has a tenure of three years on the Board. She said "It is not a full-time role" and pledged to the committed to the work and the president's fight against corruption in the country. "Well be dedicated to our work and contribute to your effort and the effort of government to reduce corruption," she added. In July, a nine (9) member Governing Board of the Office of the Special Prosecutor was sworn into office by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo pursuant to section five of the special prosecutor act 2017 Act 959. They are the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, the Deputy Special Prosecutor, Cynthia Lamptey, Representative of the Audit Service - Addae Wireko-Tawiah, Representative of the Police Service/ Director of Police CID- Maame Tiwaa Addo Danquah. The others are Representative of the Economic and Organized Crime Office- Charles Nana Antwi, Representative of the Financial Intelligence Centre- Kofi Boadi Boakye, Representative of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative- Charles Ayamdoo. The rest are the nominee of the Minister responsible for National Security, Kwaku Domfeh and the female representative of the Anti-Corruption Civil Society Organizations, Linda Ofori-Kwafo. He stated that he'll accept the role to be his running if he [Spio] loses the NDC presidential primaries. He said he has worked together with Mahama, therefore, the cordial relationship with him will exist even when Mahama beat him. Speaking on Joy TV, he said "He was my deputy [at the Communications Ministry] once and when he became President, he asked me to join his government and we worked together "I am happy to work with him in any of the permutations that you are speculating." The NDC have opened nomination for its national officers and its flagbearers for a national congress that will be on held on December 7. The state's Commissioner for Higher Education, Usman Jaha on Wednesday, August 15, 2018, presented a cheque of N5 million to the student at the office of the Registrar of Covenant University, Ota, in Ogun state. Earlier, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board declared Galadima as the highest scorer in the 2018 UTME with 364 in the exam, which surpassed 354 of Ape Moses, a student of New Covenant Christian College International, Makurdi, Benue State, earlier celebrated as the best candidate in the exam. ALSO READ: How to prepare for your career while in university Meanwhile, few days after JAMB announced Galadima as the best candidate in the 2018 UTME, the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima invited and hosted Galadima and his mother, Jummai Galadima to the Government House in Maiduguri. The governor while hosting them reportedly announced a full scholarship for Galadima to study Electronics Engineering at Covenant University. Too many purported highest scorers in 2018 UTME Recall that on Thursday, March 15, Aliyu Muhammad Sani Kaugama, a young boy from Jigawa state who scored 311, was celebrated on Facebook for purportedly emerging as the best candidate in the 2018 UTME The six-second clip was banned from running as an ad on YouTube after it was criticized for being too scary and deceptive. If you're a frequent visitor on YouTube, then you are already familiar with having to sit through ads. In this case, the ad is titled "volume ad.' When you see it, the first thing you would think is that there's a problem with your volume as the video is silent for a few seconds. Seconds later, out of nowhere, a very scary image of the devilish nun - the movie's titular character - pops up, followed by a loud and scary scream. In "The Nun," set in 1952, a nun, a catholic priest and a novice are sent by the Vatican to investigate the mysterious death of a nun at a Monastery. Official "The Nun" synopsis When a young nun at a cloistered abbey in Romania takes her own life, a priest with a haunted past and a novitiate on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate. Together, they uncover the order's unholy secret. Risking not only their lives but their faith and their very souls, they confront a malevolent force in the form of a demonic nun. ''Nah f*** disturbing london and Dumi oburota. Never talking abt dat. dem criminals.'' he tweeted. He then followed it up with another tweet quoting a line from his recent song with UK rapper, Skepta, Bad Energy, ''Bad Energy stay Far away'', which is assumed to be a shade to the company. Here is all you need to know about Disturbing London Back in June 23, Wizkid had called out Disturbing London, asking people not to do business with them. "Don't do business with Disturbing London kidsssss.... Criminal operation'', he posted on his twitter page [@wizkidayo] Even though the reasons for the outburst falling out is yet uncertain, many began to wonder when exactly did the relationship fall apart and the person behind the outfit, Disturbing London. Sometime in 2012, Wizkid signed a management deal with Disturbing London, a UK based platform. But six years down the line, all does not seem to be going well in the house that was built on friendship and African connections. Disturbing London is a management company owned by Dumi Oburonta, a music/fashion mogul and winner of the Black British Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006, alongside the artist he manages, Nigerian/British rapper, Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu,popularly known as Tinie Tempah. Disturbing London comprises artiste management, record label services, publishing, fashion design, brand partnerships, event curation and digital services; spanning music artists and music marketing. According to reports by Tanzanian local media, Governor Albert Chalamila of the Mbeya region ordered the arrest of every member of the village for the vandalisation of water pipes in Ngolo village. The people of Ngolo village were accused of vandalisation when a mob destroyed water pipes taking water to a neighbouring settlement in Mbeya region. It was also reported that Governor Chalamila made the arrest order on Wednesday, August 15, 2018. Governor Albert Chalamila had ordered that all the inhabitants of this village be arrested regardless of their condition, AFP reports. The arrest was supposed to be carried out by the region's police on Thursday, August 16, 2018. ALSO READ: Five arrested for vandalising Agip pipelines Police move in vehicles to arrest villagers Mbeya regional commander, Ulrich Matei confirmed to local media that the police responded to the Governor's arrest order on Thursday. They committed economic sabotage. The government has disbursed money, installed water pipes and they destroyed them! We cannot accept that, Matie said. In the lawsuit filed at the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, Emmanuel alleges neglect on the part of the financial institution which caused him to lose the money to a Chinese fraudster who gives her name as Ms Muna. The amount was paid to the individual from China to facilitate the purchase of some goods in the country. According to Punch News, the sum was paid to a Zenith Bank account carrying the name Xian Fang Li. The businessman finds out that he has been ripped off following failed efforts to reach the business partner Ms Muna. He faults Zenith Bank for not making the needed verification to ensure that his funds is protected. ALSO READ: Masters of love scams arrested by EFCC In response, the bank authority has asked the court to dismiss the case because the claimant Umegelo Emmanuel did not seek a bank guarantee before disbursing the funds. News24 confirms that the pair have missed school for three weeks since getting dismissed. The mother of one of the girls visits the school upon an invitation to find out that her child has been separated from other learners. She maintains her child is innocent. "I went the next day to find her isolated from other [pupils] When I asked what had happened, I was told she was caught by the matron kissing the other girl for 20 minutes." "I took her home and we came back to the school for the hearing. As a parent, I was not given a chance to speak. "They asked [my daughter] if she pleaded guilty or not. She pleaded not guilty. She said she had witnesses. I had also asked her and she said they did not kiss," the mum states in a report by News24. ALSO READ: Lagos State Govt seize twin boys caught having sex from mother Shortly before this, the renowned orator had also commissioned a string of unnecessary statues in honour of practically everybody from Jacob Zuma, to Adam Barrow, to Uhuru Kenyatta and so forth. On August 15, 2019, posts swirled online that his brainchild, the Imo State Ministry of Happiness was building a 'Tower of Happiness' shaped like the male reproductive organ. The only problem about this is that it is fake news. There is no tower in Imo state like this. This is another example of fake news. People's Daily Building in Beijing The image that has been floating around is from 2013 and it is the headquarters of the People's Daily of the Communist party in China. The image of the funny-shaped building also grabbed headlines in China. The reactions were viral and funny that Chinese censors had to hurriedly censor the country's insane popular microblogging site Sina Weibo. Located in Beijing, the building design is the brainchild Prof Zhou Qi of Southeast University School of Architecture. It is a 150 metre tall building and was completed in 2014. If you look carefully, you can see Mandarin letters on the wall of the controversial building. This feature was obviously missed by a lot of Nigerians. Governor Rochas Considering the Governor Rochas' reputation for bizarre occurrences and unnecessary structures, it was definitely believable that the building had Imo origins. There is no official statement to find out if this fake news has inspired the Governor to erect a penile shaped tower of happiness. Rochas hit back at his critics last year over the creation of the controversial ministry. "At the end of the day, the achievements of the new Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment will be so amazing that the critics of the initiative, will not only be shocked but will also regret to have drawn the curtain for the new Ministry even before it takes off he said in a statement. Africa Fashion Week Nigeria 2018 held a successful model casting with over 300 models turning up to get an opportunity to walk the AFWN runway which will feature over 40 designers from various African countries. Led by Creative Director, Babalola Haastrup, Head Stylist, Femi, and Fashion Influencer, Angel Obasi, the team put out a keen eye for style and technique that will represent the designers well. Some of the designers that will be showcasing at Fashion Week include Ghanaian menswear designer , Nigerian contemporary designer and Congolese designer . As is evident with this crowded casting, AFWN 2018 promises to be an exciting time for fashion and fashion enthusiasts across Africa. Save the date Dates: September 15-16, 2018Exhibition: Doors open from 10am on Saturday and 11am on SundaySaturday Catwalk Shows: 4pm & 7pmSunday Catwalk Shows: 1pm, 5pm & 7pm See more photos from the event below. In the face of Nigeria's troubling socio-economic climate, Nigerians have remained resilient and hopeful for the future. They continue to innovate and evolve inspite of all its challenges. This is what inspired Aisha Abubakar, the creative director of Aisha Abu Bakr, the namesake fashion brand, for this new collection. EMANA is the Resort 2019 collection meaning Rebirth, which makes use of a mix of subtle and vibrant tones of orange, brown and white, soft silks and flowy mesh. The intricacy of fabric designs tells the story of the constant evolution of Nigerians. With the EMANA collection, the brand strongly stays true to its identity and represents their focus on detailed aesthetics, and this showcases the beauty as well as modernity of Nigerian women, today. See more pictures of the collection inspired by the rebirth of a nation. Photographer: @jesichun Model: @ruddiyeh MUA: @mishdoo Cape Town, South Africa has won prestigious international travel awards because it combines state-of-the-art amenities with a relaxed pace for life and beautiful scenery which makes for an ideal mix of work and play. Here are the things to look forward to if you are considering settling in, or at least visiting Cape Town. 1. Catch a cable car up Table Mountain Enjoy the calm view from Table mountain by following a cable car up the iconic mountain and back down. However, if you crave an adrenaline rush, follow a 112m rope down the mountain by abseiling. Another way up the summit is hiking up the trail on foot. It's also possible to camp for five days along the long-distance Hoerikwaggo Trail up from the Cape of Good Hope. 2. Dive into shark-infested waters South Africa has an incredibly diverse shark population. A quarter of the worlds shark species (98 to be precise) dwell in South African waters and around 40 of these call the waters around Cape Town home. In Gansbaii, the white shark capital of the world, it is very possible to shark cage dive. Prices are round R1,100 for a session. 3. Try the best South African food Cape Town's has some of the best food to get your gastronomy juices flowing. Around the central city, find dishes that like tender Chalmar beef fillet with oxtail. 4. Get a history lesson Robben Island and the District Six Museum are must-visits for anyone interested in the history of South Africa, like the period of apartheid, which came to an end in 1990. Robben Island is a symbol cruel oppression and the triumph of hope, having held the former leader of the free and democratic South Africa, Nelson Mandela, in its maximum security prison for 18 years. The award-winning community museum, District Six symbolises the time when the ruling government declared the area whites only and the coloured people had their houses were reduced to rubble. 5. Visit the beaches Wishing to dip your foot in the water? Head to one of these secluded sandy shores for some undisturbed rest and relaxation. Beta Beach is situated a convenient ten minutes drive from the city centre, Oudekraal lies right next door to Beta Beach, Smitswinkelbaai is in the direction of Cape Point and Tietiesbaai is just under two hours drive from town. They offer exciting packages like snorkelling, etc. 7. Explore Africa's street food Cape Town offers adventurous street food worth travelling halfway around the world for. Xhosa fare like samp (crushed maize used in porridge), marog (African spinach), spongy injeras (flatbreads) from Ethiopia, or Cape Malay cuisine. 8. Take home an African memento Visiting Africa and not taking back a momento is such a wasted opportunity. There are so many tourist markets in South Africa you can visit to get quality and well-priced artefacts. Visit the Pan African Market, Greenmarket Square, Heartworks, Imagenius, Baraka for lots of old folk art, souvenir garments, and a broad range of local crafts from rural Africa. 9. Discover the Cape Jazz rhythm I am reaching out from Abakaliki. I and my girlfriend have dated for years now. The issue now is that she is from a Muslim family and I am from a Christian family. We both want to end up with each other despite the religious difference though. The uncle called me some time ago asking if I will be a Muslim for him to support the marriage. I agreed to but within me I know I can not be a Muslim and I really love her as well as she does. What do I do or tell her now that her uncle has discussed with her about my decision and hes now even sending me Arabic prayers?? Please be kind to advise me._______________ Dear reader, No matter how far a lie has been allowed to grow, it still can never replace the truth. The truth remains the truth and that is exactly what you owe yourself and your woman. To yourself be true and honest. So you know you cannot be a Muslim, say it to her! I personally think you should not have lied to the uncle in the first instance because that will only make things more complex than they have to be. But that is done now and what is left for you to do is to try to correct what youve done. Call your babe and tell her the truth. You want to be with her and she wants to be with you. If her family has an objection to that, it is her duty to make them see reason why her happiness is what should matter to them more than religious differences. If your family has objections, it is your duty to make your family see things your way. I also need to mention here that this is your cue to actually do better than you have always done and to treat that woman very well, with love and with all the affection possible. This is needed so you dont justify her familys rejection of you. You need them to judge you based on your personal character not for reason of your religion. If thats the case, then that character has to be solid and on point. Of course, one way theyd judge that is in the way you treat their daughter with love respect and genuine care. While your girl has the responsibility of convincing her folks to allow her marry you, dont ruin her efforts by not being on point character-wise.________________Do you want to talk about your love life, marriage or family issues? Do you have burning questions that you would love to get answers to? Just send a mail to relationships@pulse.ng and I'll provide the most honest answers to them anonymously. Note; the chances of getting a quick response reduces if the text in your email has a lot of abbreviations. So, please write as properly as possible. So, why not send that mail today and let's talk about it? Brig.-Gen Texas Chukwu, the army spokesman, 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. 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. 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 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. This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Public Relations Department of the agency in Abuja on Thursday, August 16, 2018. The statement disclosed that Afunanya is the Editor-in-Chief of the DSS' in-house magazine, The Triple S. The statement read, "He is currently pursuing a PhD in Security and Strategic Studies at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi. "He has attended several courses within and outside Nigeria namely: Innovation and Strategy at Harvard University, Boston, USA; Security Management and Coordination, London and Investigative Journalism at City University, London. "Other courses he has attended are on Leadership, Arbitration, Conflict Management/Resolution, Negotiation and Public Communication among others. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the DSS in-house Magazine, The Triple S." He is a member of Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, Nigerian Red Cross, Nigerian Institute of Management, Nigerian Institute for Industrial Security, Society for Peace Scholars and Practice, American Society for Industrial Security, and a fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administration. Daura replaced by Seiyefa Daura was sacked as DSS boss by Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, on August 7, 2018, after DSS operatives invaded the National Assembly complex and prevented lawmakers from entering for unknown reasons. Dr Abubakar Ballah, Officer in charge of the centre, who made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaltungo on Thursday, said the snakes exported served as raw material for the production of anti-snake venom. The manufacturers extract the venom from the snakes to produce the drugs, he said. He said the raw material provided for the processing of the anti-snake venom made the drugs cheaper in Nigeria when compared with countries that did not supply raw material for its production. According to him, the same drug in the United States for rattle snake that undergoes the same process of production costs between N7million and 8 million, which is very expensive. He said the Centre engaged people within Kaltungo and its environs to catch the snakes and package same, at the cost of between N500 and N1, 000 per snake, depending on the size reptile. The officer in charge said the snakes were usually taken to Abuja from Kaltungo, from they are packaged and exported to England. On arrival in England, they will undergo some screening to ensure they have not suffered because Animal Rights Organisations are on the watch; after following the process, drug production commences, he said. NAN reports that Kaltungo town in Kaltungo Local Government Area of Gombe, popularly called the Snake Haven lies within the Snake belt region of Northern Nigeria, and is known for its abundance of different species of snakes. Boko Haram terrorists had abducted 276 schoolgirls from Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok, Borno State, on April 14, 2014, a year before Jonathan lost the presidential election to Muhammadu Buhari who has negotiated the release of 103 of the abducted girls from the group. Jonathan's administration has long been publicly vilified for failing to secure the release of the girls, but Abati, who was the presidential spokesperson at the time, has sensationally claimed that many girls were actually rescued. He made the revelation while interviewing President Buhari's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, on ARISE TV. When Adesina noted that Jonathan's government failed to secure the release of any girls, Abati said the previous government actually secured the release of many girls. He said the girls met the then-president but their identities were not disclosed to the public based on the advise of then-National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. He said, "We rescued many of the girls but the advice from the National Security Adviser at the time (Sambo Dasuki) was that we should not publicise it because of the identity of those girls. I witnessed this on many occasions. Those girls were brought to the president. He met with them. "In fact, some of them were sent to school in the United States and United Kingdom. There were strict instructions not to publicise it because government thought that the identity of those girls should not be exposed. But l saw you guys making a song and a dance out of the ones you rescued, I then thought maybe we should have done the same thing in our time. "If you check the records, the SSS, the intelligence agency, if you ask them, they will have the records." It's unclear which girls Abati was referring to but it might be the 57 of the original 276 girls that individually escaped from the terrorists in the early days of the abduction. They are possibly the girls he's referring to as some non-governmental organisations helped some of those girls to continue their education in the United States of America. According to public record, President Buhari's administration has secured the release of 103 of the girls in a prisoner swap with Boko Haram, and a further four were found by the military, leaving 112 still in captivity. The threat was contained in a Notice of Consequences of Disobedience of Order of Court (Form 48) dated 10th August, 2018. The Notice was signed by the Registrar of the Court and addressed to the IGP, Force Headquarters, Abuja. It reads as follows: Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in the order of the High Court of Justice of Kwara State delivered on the 1st of August, 2018, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison. Alabi has been in police custody in Abuja since May 30, following his arrest over his alleged link with some of the suspects being held for the Offa bank robbery of April. What is the Offa bank robbery? Nine police officers and at least 24 others lost their lives when a group of around 30 armed robbers attacked Union Bank, Eco Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, First Bank, Zenith Bank and Ibolo Micro Finance Bank, as well as the Owode Police Station in Offa, Kwara State, on April 5, 2018. 22 suspects have been arrested and some of them were presented to the press during a media briefing on June 3, 2018. According to police spokesperson Jimoh Moshood, the main gang leaders were Ayoade Akinnibosun (aka, AY), Ibikunle Ogunleye (aka Arrow), Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, and Niyi Ogundiran, all indigenes of Oro, Irepodun local government area of Kwara. Alabi gets bail but police continues to hold him On August 1, 2018, Justice Ibrahim A. Yusuf of the Kwara State High Court, While granting him an interim bail in the sum of N20million with two reliable sureties in like sum, Justice Yusuf held that the police had failed to justify why they have kept the governors aide in detention for over two months. Ogundipe was arrested on Tuesday, August 14, 2018, over a story on the blockade of the National Assembly by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS). Following the reporters refusal to name his source, he was arraigned at a Magistrate Court in Kubwa, Abuja on Wednesday, August 15, 2018. In a statement on Thursday, August 16, 2018, Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, alleged that Ogundipes story posed a threat to national security. The Police insisted that Ogundipe must be prosecuted. The statement reads in full: "The Nigeria Police Forces attention was drawn to the innuendos and misinformation in the media about the arrest and ongoing prosecution of one Samuel Ogundipe of Premium Times online publication by Police Investigation Unit. "The Force is categorically stating that one Samuel Ogundipe is being investigated and prosecuted for the offences of 'theft and unlawful possession of restricted and classified documents' inimical to State/National Security that can jeopardize peace, breakdown of law and order capable of precipitating crisis in the Country. "Mr. Samuel Ogundipe is also being investigated and prosecuted under other offences which violate Official Secret Act, Cyber Crime Act, and the Penal Code Law for which he has volunteered statements and is standing trial. "It is factual to state that Mr. Samuel Ogundipe was arrested on the 14 of August, 2018 and on completion of Preliminary Investigation, he was arraigned in a court of competent jurisdiction in the FCT in less than Twenty Four (24) Hours of his arrest. He was remanded to Police custody and the case was adjourned to Monday, 20 August, 2018. "The Nigeria Police Force as a law abiding organization will continue to ensure that the Rule of Law and its supremacy which are essentials of democracy prevails at all times. "However, individual(s) or group(s) who violate the law must be brought to justice, the Force will also ensure that all Nigerians irrespective of profession, practice or carrier are subject to the same Law, and therefore wishes to impress it on the Media to encourage prosecution of all offenders upon whom a prima facie case has been established. Every concerned group(s) or interested person(s) should be aware that the matter is in court and the due process of law is being followed. "The Nigeria Police Force and the media are veritable partners in ensuring peace, law and order in the country, but the Force will not compromise or allow an offender to go scot free or pervert the end of justice. "The Force is hereby assuring all law abiding Nigerians, respected media practitioners and other members of the public of a guaranteed freedom of expression and other rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended, and will continue to hold in high esteem with utmost respect, the views of prominent and notable media unions, practitioners associations and other stakeholders. However, the Force is constrained by the Law to allow justice to take its course and rule of law to prevail in this case. "Consequently, members of the public are implored to disregard every sentiment being peddled to cast aspersions on the investigation and the ongoing prosecution of the offender in court." The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Kenneth Ebrimson, made the disclosure at a news conference in Gusau on Wednesday. Ebrimson said the suspects were captured by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Special Tactical Squad in collaboration with the command at various locations in the state. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Zamfara in Nigerias northwest, has turned to a hot spot in recent times because of the activities of bandits, who have been killing villagers and rustling cows. We will not disclosed the locations where the bandits were arrested and their names and how the arms were recovered, due to security reasons. But based on the measures put in place, we are hoping to record more success in subsequent days. As we all known the IGP Special Tactical Squad in collaboration with the state police command embarked on intelligence-led coordination and bush combing. The operation is still ongoing. What we recorded today is part of its achievements. According to him, the command has introduced patrol operations to reduce fear, rumour and apprehension in communities in the state. The workshop had as theme: Reducing Road Crashes through Drivers Education. Oko said driving students must pass through a standard driving school, noting that this could make the difference between safe and reckless driving. The person that attends a driving school and a person that was taught by a brother cannot drive the same way. Going through a driving school is very important and everybody that wants to drive should go through a driving school, he said. Oko also enjoined driving instructors to pay attention to road users and their students. Teach them to drive safely and enjoin them to apply the speed limit system, he said. Mr JP Oku, a Chief Commander in the FRSC, on his part, said that ignorance and impatience were some factors often resulting in road crashes in the state. Oku said total obedience to the rules of driving was key to reducing road crashes, adding that this could be achieved through driving education. He said that the main objective of the FRSC in standardising the driving school programme was to reduce road crashes to the barest minimum. Also speaking, Mr Dennis Olorigbe, the Managing Director of Edo State Traffic Control and Management Agency, said road accidents could be reduced by limiting speed and observing traffic rules. The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Col. Muhammad Dole, disclosed this in a statement issued in Gusau on Thursday. Dole, who was part of Operation Sharandaji in Zamfara, being coordinated by the Defence Headquarters, said the troops under operation WHIRL PUNCH responded to a distress call of an armed robbery along Birnin Gwari-Funtua road on Aug.14. While on hunt for the armed robbers, they are ambushed by suspected bandits, they however fought their way and overpowered the bandits who hastily withdrew into Kwuyambana forest in Zamfara State. During the pursuit of the bandits in the forest the dead bodies of five bandits were found. Among the eliminated bandits was a notorious bandit from Zamfara identified as Sani Danbuzuwa. Regrettably, we lost one soldier while the two others injured, and are currently receiving treatment in the military hospital in Kaduna, he said. Dole added that after thorough searched of the operation area, weapons including one AK47 rifle, three magazines and 87 rounds of 7.62mm (special) were recovered. He said other weapons recovered were one G3 rifle, four magazines and 61 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO). The troops have also succeeded in the arrest of a wanted vicious kidnapper and expert in negotiations for ransom, called Yinusa Suleiman from Sambuwa village. The suspect is currently assisting the security operatives in further investigations, he said. Which explains why hes paid visits to former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida in the last couple of weeks. Here are 3 things Saraki says hes going to do should next year: 1. Fuel importation will be private sector driven and the subsidy regime will be maintained Fuel importation will continue in a Saraki presidency, but it will be a transparent process. According to Saraki, If we are going to have a subsidy, we should have a budget for it. Because once we have a budget for it, the private sector can also play a role in the importation of petroleum products. And if the private sector plays a role, definitely the cost of the subsidy will go down and there will be more efficiency in the delivery of products. But in the environment we are in today, where its only the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. thats doing that, its going to be inefficient, its not going to be transparent. 2. Saraki says hell be pro-business This essentially means, should he become president, Saraki has pledged to allow the private sector drive the economy by providing a conducive environment for businesses to thrive. Heres how he put it for Bloomberg: Most of the inflows that have come in are merely hot money, and that is because the oil price has gone up. Investment in the real sector is not seen. The private sector, in my view, has probably taken a position that the confidence is not there in the government. The country requires a government that is truly pro-business, and a president that sees himself as a chief marketing officer. 3. The PDP and Saraki will fight corruption In his discussions with leaders of his new party, PDP, Saraki said we talked about how to sustain and improve the fight against corruption. Saraki left the governing APC for the opposition PDP on July 31, 2018. An enraged APC is currently pulling out all the stops to have him impeached as senate president. Abacha was Nigeria's ruler from 1993 to 1998. I am not going to announce myself contesting for a presidential seat, but if people say so, that is the wishes of the people, Al-Mustapha said in an interview conducted in Kaduna, shortly after a meeting with the Leaders Eagle Eye Forum, a group begging him to throw his hat into the presidential ring come 2019. Al Mustapha added that: I am not a power tasty person. If I am, I would have lost my personality long before now, but when people gather to speak and the decision is by them, then it is a call to serve. Al Mustapha presidency plan Presidential campaign posters of Al-Mustapha first hit the streets of Abuja in 2017. On Thursday, April 20, 2017, Al-Mustapha floated his political party called Green Party of Nigeria. Finally, the real peoples party has landed. Please give praise to our creator for rare beautiful gift to the people. The future is GPN and GPN is the future, Al-Mustapha said at the unveiling of his partys logo. Kudirat Abiola's murder Al-Mustapha has been credited with most of the atrocities that went down during Abachas draconian reign, including assassination attempts and outright murder on the streets. On Friday, July 12, 2013, the Court of Appeal in Lagos discharged and acquitted Hamza Al-Mustapha on the grounds that there was not enough evidence to lock him up for the murder of Kudirat Abiola. I'm often misrepresented Al-Mustapha had said of his time as Abachas chief enforcer: I am often misrepresented. I discharged my duties as required which was to protect the Head of State, protect the government and the people of the country. Anything aside that would have made me a traitor and I was never a traitor, I am not a traitor and will never be a traitor. Al Mustapha fancies himself a statesman and public speaker these days. During a lecture in Akure in 2016, Al Mustapha said: My concern is patriotism and true love for the country. Our desire is to invest and allow our institutions to stay rather than forcing them into decay. That is what we should be cautious about. Those in leadership and those being led; particularly those who have attained statesmanship position should understand there is heavier responsibility on their shoulder and they should realize that this country is too important to be allowed to fail. We must support all those in power. Atiku, who was in Enugu State on Thursday, August 16, 2018, told members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state that Buhari's government is filled with liars. This government is a government of liars. They promised three million jobs per annum but Nigeria has been losing three million jobs every year, he said. Atiku has continued to throw jibes at the All Progressive Congress-led government after he dumped the party in 2017. Continuing, he said, This job loss has brought the worst form of insecurity in the country. We are facing challenging times in Nigeria. Today, economy is at its lowest ebb and the greatest challenge is unemployment. ALSO READ: The former VP claimed he was neglected by the party and government he worked for in 2015. I am not desperate to be President, Atiku says Presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, recently said that he is not desperate to be President of the country. Atiku stated this while fielding questions from newsmen in Benin on Tuesday. He, however, pledged not to leave the PDP even if he fails to secure the presidential ticket of the party. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said this at the presentation of Certificates of Registration to the 23 newly registered political parties at INEC headquarters on Thursday in Abuja. Yakubu said that the new polling unit structure would make it difficult for voters to display their ballot paper after marking them. The commission is deeply worried about our elections, particularly the way they are becoming increasingly monetised. Vote buying is a cancer to our elections and we must work together collectively to stamp it out. Accordingly, and on the part of the commission starting with Osun State Governorship Election coming up on Sept. 22, we will change the way our polling units are administered. It will be done in such a way that there will be no room for voters to expose their marked ballot papers between voting cubicles and the ballot boxes. We shall further re-strategise with the security agencies for a more robust response to the arrest and prosecution of vote buyers. We will also engage with all well-meaning groups for more effective voter education and voter sensitisation. Yakubu also disclosed that the commission had concluded arrangements to publish the notice for the 2019 general elections to kick-off activities. The formal commencement of 2019 general elections begins tomorrow, Friday Aug. 17, 2018, with the publication of Notice of Elections. Already, the commission has concluded arrangements for doing so in all our offices nationwide as required by law. This will be followed by the conduct of primaries beginning from Saturday, Aug. 18 to Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018. Congratulating the 23 newly registered parties, the INEC chairman said that they could participate in the 2019 general elections, but not in the Osun governorship poll as the nomination process had closed. From today, you have equal status with any political party in Nigeria. This means that you can sponsor candidates for elections, including the 2019 general elections. However, since the commission has closed nominations for the Osun State governorship election holding on the Sept. 22, none of you can sponsor candidates for that election. Yakubu said that the new parties had an obligation to respect their constitutions, members, abide by INEC guidelines and regulations, obey the Electoral Act and submit themselves to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 2019 General Election is only 183 days way from today. You should try and make a difference to politics and elective representation by conducting open, transparent, inclusive and peaceful primaries for the nomination of credible candidates for the elections. By doing so, you will give Nigerians greater choice, thereby adding value to our democracy and strengthening the quality of elective representatives, Yakubu said. In his remarks, Alhaji Mohammed Nalado, the National Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), said that the registration of the new parties would open the landscape for more participation in politics. This will open the landscape for participation and opportunities for the electorate to choose their representatives. Nalado urged the new party leaders to support INEC in conducting free, fair and credible elections as well as contribute their quota to the development of the countrys democracy. Speaking on behalf of the new parties, Omoyele Sowore, the National Chairman, African Action Congress Party, (AACP), pledged that the new parties would bring changes to Nigerias democracy as well as rescue the country from the state of hopelessness. Sowore urged the new parties to form a united forum that would develop the countrys democracy and defeat the old order. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 24-hour hotlines are: 08098820020 and 08104066068. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr Emeka Ononamadu, gave out the numbers during a People and Power Conference in Enugu on Thursday. The conference has the theme: Power of Citizens to Choose Responsible Leaders in a Democracy. Ononamadu said that the numbers should be used by anybody having difficulties with the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) or collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and any other issues concerning the electoral process. INEC is adequately prepared for the 2019 general elections because we started preparing for it since 2017.The commission has announced the election timetable and its processes. INEC is making good progress, so far. For INEC activities in Enugu State, we have been working relentlessly every day, even Sundays, to ensure that the process of the ongoing CVR and PVC collection is not interrupted any day. We have done far-reaching consultations with all critical stakeholders to ensure that the people buy into, and start taking ownership of the entire electoral process for it to be a great success. The idea of hotlines is an innovation created by the INEC office when I took over, it has helped to bridge the gap between the people and INEC in the state. For sometimes now, the hotlines have made the commission to even monitor what its staff in the field are actually doing daily, he said. The REC, however, urged the electorate to be alive to their responsibility of voting and protecting their votes in order to ensure that only credible leaders would be voted. He noted that only credible leaders would give Nigerians good governance and deliver democratic dividends to the people. According to him, credible election is a multi-stakeholders business involving everybody assisting INEC to get it better. I will urge the enlightened among us in the state to educate others against electoral malpractices; which include the shameful vote-buying and selling experienced in recent elections. The onus is on us, the human actors in the electoral process, to do the right things and set the right examples for others to follow. Earlier, the Executive Director of African Heritage Institution (Afri-Heritage), Prof. Ufo Okeke-Uzodike, said Okeke-Uzodike said that Nigerians must get involved in politics and ensure that the right people with people-oriented programmes were elected. He also called on voters to ensure that non-performing politicians were shown the way out. It is everybodys responsibility to ensure that only people that are genuinely concerned about developing the nation and must have gathered some level of experience to do that are voted in. Nigerians must rise above primordial sentiments and begging for money from politicians to ensure result-oriented people get into political offices, he said. The conference which attracted people from all walks of life, is organised by Afri-Heritage and Fled International Leadership Institute, Abuja. Addressing All Progressives Congress (APC) members in Igboho town, Ayandele said that inclusion of youths and women would engender a sense of belonging to participate in decision-making processes. Youths and women constitutes the largest percentage of the nations population. They deserve to participate actively in decision-making. My vision is to empower the youths, create employment opportunities and strengthen the states economy through support for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), he said. The APC governorship aspirant noted that the state was endowed with extensive solid minerals and arable land, promising to bring the states distinctive natural assets into productive utilisation. Ayandele also pledged to put in place institutions that would lay solid foundation for effective and efficient public service towards making the state financially and economically viable. He called on party members to give him their support, promising to embark on people-oriented programmes towards enhancing their standard of living. Gov. Abiola Ajimobi has laid the foundation and raise the bar of good governance in Oyo State. Ours is to sustain and build upon his legacies, he said. Chief Ademola Ojo, the Director-General of his campaign organisation, described Ayandele as a man with so much passion for women and youths. Ayandele is a resourceful and intelligent personality. He has established array of businesses, among which is Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ayandele had earlier addressed supporters from Saki East, Saki West and ATISBO Local Government Areas of the state at Tede town. NAN reports that the governorship aspirant, who hails from Idere in Ibarapa Central Local Government Area of Oyo State, is a Quantity Surveyor and a renown entrepreneur. The APC has relentlessly called for Saraki's impeachment since he dumped the party for the PDP last month and both sides have made several public allegations of evil plots by the other party. While speaking in Nasarawa State on Wednesday, August 15, 2018, Senator Philip Gyunka (Nasarawa North - PDP) disclosed that PDP Senators are keeping vigil at the National Assembly complex to prevent anti-Saraki senators from using the cover of darkness to impeach him. According to a report by The Nation, GyunkasaidPDP senators are rotating shifts and keeping watch to make Saraki's removal impossible. He said, "I woke up this morning from my night shift and I will still be going back to my night shift. That is to say we are keeping vigil. "We are rotating the shift among ourselves. As regards what they are saying about impeachment, it is not possible because the international community is aware of their plot. "Don't be discouraged. They will intimidate you as they do to us. Like myself, I don't know how many times they have been calling me. We didn't know they have come to truncate democracy. But the Senate president, being a product of PDP, has come to the rescue of the the situation. "We are keeping watch on their plans. If they want the Senate President removed, which is impossible they must have two third majorities. They have been attempting and failing. "I know they will still make attempts but they will not succeed because I know Nigerians will not allow them to make mockery of the nation's democracy." Senator Gyunka also condemned APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, for spearheading the campaign to impeach Saraki. "If you hear a lawmaker speaking, he is speaking the minds of thousands of people. How then should someone, who was appointed and has neither gone to the rural areas to feel the pulse of the people, nor held town hall meeting be insisting that a man that was duly chosen by his colleagues be removed at all course. "Oshiomhole should be educated that this is not unionism. This is an issue that has to do with the Constitution and we will not allow him to violate it," he said. Saraki's impeachment drama The national assembly adjourned legislative sittings till September 25 during plenary on July 24, amid a controversial clampdown by security operatives on Saraki and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in what has been described as a witch-hunt orchestrated by the executive. The alleged witch-hunt raised even more concerns when operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS)invaded the national assembly complex on Tuesday, August 7, 2018. The APC has been putting public pressure on Saraki to reconvene the National Assembly, describing his actions of 'shutting down' parliament as bordering on high treason. In a recent chat with journalists, Baraje, who is the leader of the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), said the Senate President has every right to vie for the presidential seat. "Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has been trying his luck on being the President of this country since 2011. He withdrew for the then candidate Goodluck Jonathan. In 2015, he also withdrew for the present President Muhammadu Buhari. So for somebody who has been nursing that kind of ambition, is it not right for such person to come forward again?" he said. Explaining further, Baraje said he believes in the candidacy of Saraki because he has in him whatever Nigeria needs to unite the country. This present President came forward four times before clinching it. Did anybody ask whether he was right or wrong? Totally, I am in his support. Whatever Nigeria is looking for is in him and what we are looking for is only a candidate that will unite Nigeria, because with the current situation in the country, Nigeria is further divided and unless we get a candidate that will unite Nigeria, it is going to be a very serious jeopardy for this country," he said. ALSO READ: Saraki says he's actively considering running against Buhari Saraki has every right to run for president of Nigeria - Baraje Expressing his support for the presidential ambition of the Senate President, Baraje said Saraki is constitutionally qualified to aspire and become the president of Nigeria. Baraje also expressed that he has supported several presidential candidates who aren't from Kwara state and he would stand solidly behind the Senate President. The governor disclosed this while addressing a crowd of youths at his office, revealing that he will make his decision public soon. He said, "I have been under intense pressure from various quarters in Nigeria including leaders of the country and friends of Nigeria outside the country to contest the presidency. "But leadership is a collective decision and I have never asked to be made a leader at any time in my life. So, my aspiration will be determined by my people and after that, I will make my political decision known in a matter of days." The governor also told the crowd that President Buhari is being held hostage by a cabal that's running his administration for him while he deals with health challenges. "We supported Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 to become President unconditionally and we admit that Buhari has integrity but that's not the only requirement for leadership. "We are aware that the President is affected by serious challenges of health and is being held captive by a cabal that runs Nigeria for their personal interests," he said. ALSO READ: Tambuwal wanted Buhari dead when he was sick The president has been plagued by health issues and spent a combined 154 days in London on two separate medical visits in 2017 to treat an undisclosed illness, prompting concerns about how fit he is for duty. Since the 75-year-old president declared to run for a second term in the 2019 presidential election, his health status is expected to be a major vulnerability for the opposition to exploit. Tambuwal's presidential ambition Governor Tambuwal was one of the three state governors that dumped the ruling All Progressives' Congress (APC) for the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in July 2018, citing neglect and Buhari's failed leadership. Before his defection, the governor has long been rumoured to be nursing a presidential ambition which would be difficult to realise with the APC. The government has accused infrastructure giant Autostrade per L'Italia of failing to invest in sufficient maintenance -- a claim the company denies -- and said it would seek to revoke its lucrative contracts. Shares in Atlantia, the holding company of Autostrade, slumped 22 percent by Thursday in the wake of the barrage of criticism. Interior Minister Matteo Salvini demanded that the company offer up to 500 million euros ($570 million) to help families and local government deal with the aftermath of the disaster. "If we've put up five million euros, they should offer 500 million," he told reporters. "There needs to be an immediate, concrete and tangible signal for these families: they should put their hands on their hearts and in their wallets." The collapse has prompted fears over other ageing infrastructure in Italy and abroad, with Bulgaria announcing Thursday a plan to renovate more than 200 bridges while France has said one in three of national road bridges are in need of repair. 10-20 still missing? With Genoa's chief prosecutor saying that between 10 and 20 people could still be missing under the huge piles of concrete, rescue workers clambered across the rubble hoping to find survivors. Fire official Emanuele Gissi said the unstable mountains of debris made the search operation dangerous. "We are still looking for cavities that can hide people, living or not," he said, adding that the round the clock search had failed to find any more victims overnight. Cranes and bulldozers worked to help clear the site as rescuers try to cut up and remove the biggest slabs of concrete. At least 38 people were killed, according to an update by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte Thursday. The dead include children aged eight, 12 and 13, according to Salvini, while three Chileans and four French nationals are among those killed. Sixteen people were injured. High above the frantic rescue effort, the engine of a green truck perched at the edge of the remaining strand of bridge continues to whir, a symbol of the heart-stopping moment when the bridge buckled during a storm, tossing vehicles into the abyss. Its driver saw the ground in front of him collapse and managed to slam on the brakes just inches from disaster. He did not cut the engine as he fled the crumbling structure and his employer has said the truck has enough fuel to run for several more days, wipers and lights still on. Other incredible stories of survival have emerged. Marina Guagliata and her 24-year-old daughter were in a shop under the bridge when huge chunks of concrete smashed through the building. "I was buried up to my chest, and my daughter was completely buried," said Guagliata, 58, who appeared on Italian television with her head bandaged. Her daughter Camilla remains in hospital with a crushed leg and fractures to her pelvis, ribs and an arm, as well as a punctured lung. Riddled with problems Genoa's Morandi viaduct was completed in 1967 and has been riddled with structural problems for decades, leading to expensive maintenance and severe criticism from engineering experts. Its collapse prompted the government to announce a year-long state of emergency in the region and day of mourning Saturday. The government, in power since June, has pinned the blame on Autostrade, which operates and maintains nearly half Italy's motorways. Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said the company should be fined up to 150 million euros ($170 million). Conte said Wednesday his government would seek to revoke Autostrade's contract for the A10 motorway, which includes the bridge, while a transport ministry spokesperson told AFP the government was considering revoking all company's other motorway contracts. Autostrade, which estimates it will take five months to rebuild the bridge, denies scrimping on motorway maintenance, saying it has invested over one billion euros a year in "safety, maintenance and strengthening of the network" since 2012. With pressure mounting, it released a statement Thursday saying ambulances would be able to travel on its roads toll-free from now on to "further enable the precious rescue and aid operations". Atlantia has slammed the threats to revoke its concessions and warned that the government would have to refund the value of the contract, which runs until at least 2038. Hundreds homeless The disaster is the latest in a string of bridge collapses in Italy, where infrastructure generally is showing the effects of a faltering economy. Senior government figures have also lashed out at austerity measures imposed by the European Union, saying they restrict investment. But the European Commission said it "will not engage in any political finger pointing". It said Italy is set to receive around 2.5 billion euros of European funds for investments in network infrastructure, such as roads or rail, in the period from 2014 to 2020. More than 600 people were evacuated from around a dozen apartments beneath the remaining shard of bridge. jpegMpeg4-1280x720Salvini has said the buildings would have to be pulled down. "The amendment would have caused a large part of the population to not have representation in the European Parliament." The president said it would have fundamentally limited access to the EU parliament, discouraged Poles from turning out to vote, and forced small parties into entering coalitions. Many opposition parties celebrated the veto while the governing conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party that introduced the legislation announced it would no longer pursue it. "We respect the president's decision, though we maintain our opinion" that a strong party representation at the European Parliament would be preferable to that of several small groups, said PiS spokeswoman Beata Mazurek. "We will no longer work on making changes to the voting system," she added on Twitter. The legislation had passed parliament last month and only needed Duda's signature to enter into force. The PiS, which has been in power since late 2015, said the change would have simplified the complex system currently in place and help boost representation from less populated areas. However opposition parties accused the PiS of introducing the new rules so as to increase its share of European Parliament lawmakers in the elections next year. In Poland, European Parliament lawmakers are elected by direct popular vote. According to experts in the Polish senate, the controversial change would have made it necessary for parties to win 16.5 percent of the vote to ensure representation in the European Parliament. In comparison, the threshold set by European law is five percent. Only two Polish parties -- the PiS and the liberal Civic Platform (PO) opposition party -- would have been certain to reach the 16.5 percent threshold. On Monday, Duda held talks with the leaders of several other political parties, including the Kukiz'15 anti-establishment movement, the PSL farmers' party, the leftist extra-parliamentary party Razem and the small Catholic party Right Wing of the Republic. Duda had first used his veto last year to oppose certain reforms to the judiciary, though he later accepted the legislation with modifications considered minor by the opposition. Poland's powerful Catholic Church and human rights commissioner Adam Bodnar had also criticised the planned changes. According to recent opinion surveys, the PiS is on track to win 40 percent of the vote in the European Parliament elections next year, while the PO would take 26 percent. Nine percent would go to the leftist SLD party, eight percent to Kukiz'15, five percent to the liberal Nowoczesna party, five percent to PSL and three percent to Razem. "Viktor Yanukovych betrayed his nation. He betrayed his army. At the most difficult time for the country and the people," prosecutors said in court, according to a statement. "Like the last coward he left the country at the mercy of fate and fled into the arms of the aggressor," it said. "Without a drop of remorse, in order to please the enemy, he did everything in his power for Ukrainian territory to be seized by the aggressor." "I ask for Viktor Fedorovich Yanukovych to be punished with a 15-year sentence," the prosecutor said. Yanukovych sparked massive protests when he ditched an association accord with the EU, and then fled to Russia in early 2014 after a bloody crackdown in Kiev failed to quell the demonstrations. Russian President Vladimir Putin later revealed this was made possible by a special operation organised by Moscow to exfiltrate Yanukovych. After Yanukovych fled Ukraine, Moscow annexed the country's Crimea peninsula and war erupted between Kiev and Russian-backed rebels in the east of the country. The story was published by local media after the Auditor General Edward Ouko cited several examples of expensive government vehicles being sold far below their value. Some of the top-of-the-range vehicles were sold for as low as Sh32,000 with no visible damage and had a reserve price of Sh30,000, attracting a bid price of Sh100,000, but still ended up fetching only Sh32,000 and from a different bidder, the Auditor Generals report showed in part. The Volkswagen Passat were purchased in 2009 after then-finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta issued a directive banning government officials from using cars with an engine capacity of more than 3000cc. A spot check by Pulselive.co.ke showed that a second-hand 2009 model of the VW Passat goes for around Sh1.3 million. Ouko also cited another incident in which a Nissan Patrol that had a reserve process of Sh100,000 received a higher bid of Sh1.8 million but was instead sold to a lower bid Sh130,000. The Auditor General called for the prosecution of ministry officials and the auctioneer who was procured to carry out the sale. The story was widely shared on social media, with Kenyans expressing anger at the level of corruption, while others derived comic relief - wondering where they could fetch such deals. Political analyst Alex Awiti called for President Kenyatta to repossess the vehicles, "This is insane! should order fill investigation. Meanwhile all the sold vehicles should be returned to the state! Greed in Kenya is like a Hydra, many heads, many guises". "That is possible,juu the buyer and seller is one person," Ali Hassan said. If you have forgotten your MediaWorks ID password, you can easily reset it by going to the log in page of the ROVA app or on magic.co.nz. On the magic.co.nz website, first click on the LOG IN link located at the top of the page, then click the 'Forgotten Password?' link below the password box. On the ROVA mobile app, simply tap LOG IN on the homepage, then tap 'Forgot your password?' at the bottom of the screen. If you would like to reset your password and are already logged in, you can do so from either the website or the mobile app. On the website, click the EDIT PROFILE link at the top of the page, then click Change Password at the bottom of the form. On mobile, tap the cog icon at the top of the screen, then tap Edit profile. Finally, scroll down to the end of the page and tap Change Password. Sir Bill English has returned to Parliament to argue against proposed euthanasia legislation. On Thursday, the former Prime Minister was joined by his wife Dr Mary English to submit against David Seymour's contentious End of Life Choice Bill. Mr English told RadioLIVE Drive even people who support euthanasia should be opposed to this Bill. He says the criteria for who would be eligible to request assisted dying was too broad, the test for whether a person had consented to die was too low, and there were too few consequences in place for anyone who broke the safeguards of the legislation. If passed, Mr Seymour's Bill would give those with a terminal illness or a grievous or incurable medical condition the option to request a medically assisted death. Dr English, who is a GP and runs a medical practice in Kelburn, said legalising euthanasia would put pressure on patients to not be a burden to their loved ones. She said the Bill would give doctors unprecedented power over life and death. Both of the Englishes linked their arguments to the campaign to address New Zealand's youth suicide rates. Mr Seymour said he found the submission from the Englishes "disappointing". "It's the same old chestnut that 'we can't prove anything but we think that there might be something going on'. That's what we see all around the world, is the opponents of choice run this fear, uncertainty and doubt campaign," he said. "There are people who've done scientific studies over 20 years of jurisdictions and they do not find evidence of the coercion that he speculates." Mr Seymour said there's "no evidence" that legalising euthanasia leads to a rise in suicides. The End of Life Choice Bill passed its first reading in December with 76 MPs voting in favour and 44 against. The select committee stage, due to close in March, was extended until March 2019 after an unprecedented 35,000 submissions were received. The committee is now travelling around the country to hear people's views on the bill. The vast majority (71 percent) of New Zealanders support euthanasia, a Newshub Reid Research poll found in February. Listen to the full interview with Sir Bill English above. Drive with Ryan Bridge and Michelle A'Court, filling in for Lisa Owen, 3pm - 6pm Weekdays and streaming live on 'rova' channel 9 - available on Android and iPhone. RadioLIVE/Newshub. There are calls for a higher tax on alcohol after Ministry of Health figures revealed one in five adults drank alcohol in a way that could harm themselves or others in the past year. Alcohol Action hosted a one-day conference on the issue in Wellington on Wednesday. Eight keynote speakers looked at the alcohol harm on the economy, and the question of who should pay for the harm that comes from excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol costs New Zealand around $5 billion annually in lost wages and medical costs. Senior Sergeant Graham Shields told RadioLIVEs Wendyl Nissen its important for this discussion to be had. Its good to have a number of agencies come together to talk about what alcohol harm actually looks like. He says its not just one specific age group affected by harmful alcohol consumption. Young teenagers right through to people in the 60s more likely to be people in their 20s through to their 50s, and from all walks of life. If youve got the ability to get alcohol, youve got the ability to be drinking harmfully, he told RadioLIVE. Were babysitting a lot of drunk people. Meanwhile a visiting economist and policy expert says New Zealand needs to double the excise tax on alcohol to help curb problem drinking. Dr John Marsden says people who don't drink dangerously are paying the cost of problem drinking. "The top twenty percent of drinkers, who are drinking well in excess of medical guidelines, account for 75 percent or thereabouts of total sales," he told The AM Show. Dr Marsden said the best solution would be to approach alcohol similarly to smoking and push up the excise tax and make it more expensive. His aim isn't to stop people drinking full stop, but rather cut down on the amount being drank in one session. Listen to the full interview with Senior Sergeant Graham Shields above. The Long Lunch with Wendyl Nissen, 12pm - 3pm on RadioLIVE and streaming live to the rova app on Android and iPhone. RadioLIVE. A languages expert is calling for a renewed language policy in mainstream schools, with an emphasis on Te Reo proficiency. Its the language of this county and we all need to know our indigenous language, says Sharon Harvey, School of Language head at Auckland University of Technology. While Prof Harvey applauds the improving Te Reo pronunciation of younger New Zealanders, she doesnt believe its enough for Kiwis to merely pronounce locations properly. Wouldnt it be great if they had some real proficiency in the language as well? Students in mainstream schools arent required to reach proficiency, which is the first area that should be addressed, says Prof Harvey. Its really important for our national identity as well, she told RadioLIVE. The Labour Party has outlined its commitment to integrate Te Teo in schools by 2025, but their target falls short of requiring proficiency. Language policy should go further than compulsory Te Reo, according to Prof Harvey. In her ideal world, students would be required to learn three languages, including Te Reo and English. She recommends that the final compulsory language be chosen by individual schools depending on their location, preference, and language traditions. The third compulsory language would allow students to engage with the globalised world beyond New Zealands borders. We need to do much more big thinking around languages, she emphasised. Listen to the full interview with Sharon Harvey above. The Long Lunch with Wendyl Nissen, 12pm - 3pm on RadioLIVE and streaming live to the rova app on Android and iPhone. RadioLIVE. Overall for the half-year ended 30 June 2018, Swisscoms net revenue was CHF 5.805 billion, 2% above the previous years level yet core business revenue fell by 1.9% to CHF 4.400 billion. The latter fall was attributed to telecoms service revenue declining by over CHF 100 million due to pricing pressure and substitution effects. Consolidated EBITDA totalled CHF 2.143 billion. 5.2% below that generated at the same time in 2017 while net income was CHF 787 million, an annual fall of 6.2% due to a number of non-recurring items and currency developments.Looking at business line performance in the half year, Swisscom reported a continued growing trend towards bundled offerings, with particular strong demand for the inOne bundled offering continuing in the second quarter.In the first half of the year, 550,000 customers opted for inOne, with the result that inOne reported 1.89 million customers as of the end of June. This means that inOne now covers 43% of all of the companys mobile subscriptions and 48% of fixed-line broadband connections.Swisscoms fixed-line broadband connections grew by 39,000 year-on-year at the end of the half year to total around 2.03 million. This growth said the company also benefitted the Swisscom TV offer which it claims remains the most popular digital television in Switzerland despite competition from cable network operators and other providers intensifying further. Connections for the IPTV service rose by 54,000 (3.7% ) year-on-year 9,000 in the second quarter alone to total more than 1.5 million.Looking at the first half results, Swisscom CEO Urs Schaeppi said that the company was on track to meet expectation for the full-year for 2018. Despite persistently strong competition driven by promotions and saturated markets, we once again made gains with our bundled offerings. I am particularly pleased that 1.5 million customers are using Swisscom TV, more than ever before. ...Our initiatives to reduce costs are taking hold. This gives us the opportunity to continue investing in our networks in preparation for the upcoming 5G mobile communication standard.As of the end of June 2018, Swisscom had connected over 4.0 million households and businesses with ultra-fast speeds of more than 50 Mbps broadband, around 2.7 million of which benefit from speeds of more than 100 Mbps. Swisscom intends to make fibre-optic technology available to every Swiss municipality by the end of 2021, thereby also enabling remote locations to access ultra-fast broadband. India, the second biggest crude customer for Iran, may cut its imports from the Islamic republic by half to secure a waiver from the U.S. to continue with shipments, people familiar with the matter said. Officials from the U.S. had discussed the issue of a conditional waiver on sanctions in talks last month in New Delhi, the people said, requesting not to be identified as the discussion was private. India has expressed its inability to scrap oil imports from Iran completely as its supplies are being offered at competitive rates, the people said. New Delhi expects a response as early as next month when talks resume. How much oil does the world have left? This has been one of the most pressing energy questions confronting us for decades. Petroleum, after all, is the worlds most critical source of energy and currently remains irreplaceable because it has no large-scale substitute. Yet, oil is a finite commodity, a non-renewable resource that is sure to one day run out. As such, analyzing the future availability of oil will remain central to our energy-environment discussion. In November 2016, OPEC decided to remove 1.2 million b/d of oil from the glutted global market to help increase prices, a move that has been augmented by a Russian-led coalition that cut 0.6 million b/d. Since then, OPEC has once again reinforced its influence over the international oil market. Oil prices are up 40 percent since to ~$70 per barrel. Indeed, OPEC still produces 4045 percent of the worlds oil, and has proven to be anything but the toothless tiger that U.S. shale legend Harold Hamm claimed it to be in 2014. But looking forward, OPECs real power could be the fact that it controls 72 percent of the worlds proven oil reserves, as last reported by BP in June. For decades now, OPEC has held at least 65 percent of global reserves. Yet, there are still very serious questions as to how much oil OPEC actually has. The mystery dates back to the 1980s. This was when OPEC first installed a policy to link its production quotas for individual members to the amount of reserves that member reported. Not surprisingly, with higher production allowing for higher revenues, reserve totals for OPEC members had mysteriously surged within a few years. At the time, members were jockeying to pick the right year to get a higher production quota, so reserves didnt increase all at the same time. Importantly, there was no drilling program in any of these countries that would have explained such a boom in reported reserves. With oil sales being the primary source of income, OPEC would have no problem exaggerating reserve counts for political clout. Production quotas are strategically allocated to control the flow of oil to the global market and manipulate the price. Its a sleight of hand that has been easy enough to pull off. OPEC and its national oil companies are not subject to independent audits for oil reserves like oil producers in the U.S. where the Securities and Exchange Commission confirms such claims of publically traded companies. And unlike OPEC, if U.S. producers were to join forces to restrict supply, they would face collusion charges from the federal government. By contrast, OPEC reserves are unverified and self-reported by members. The world must therefore simply take their word for how much oil they possess. OPEC members wont allow any detailed audit of their oil fields by independent groups because they claim that reserves are a state secret, a questionable assertion since members still release these numbers to BP and other reporting agencies. For instance, Saudi Arabia recently decided to delay or potentially even cancel IPO plans to list 5 percent of its national oil company, Aramco, on a major stock exchange. My position is that one reason why Saudi Arabia did so was to avoid being finally subjected to an independent audit of its reserves. Its also worth noting that Venezuelas proven oil reserves more than tripled from 2006 to 2011 to nearly 300 billion barrels. It was during this time that BP started to recognize the heavy and extra-heavy crude deposits in the countrys Orinoco Belt, as reserves were quantified and certified by third-parties. Today, however, this hard-to-develop stockpile appears even farther out of reach, given Venezuelas ongoing economic and oil production collapse. This has been exacerbated by the countrys decision to nationalize the oil sector, pushing away the investment and technical expertise of the foreign companies needed to develop the region. Reserves, however, are not the be all, end all in determining how much oil the world has left. Reserves are just subsets of the much larger oil resource, and they typically grow with higher prices and the constant evolution of extraction technologies. The fact that reserves are constantly in flux casts doubt on reports from Kuwait (101.5 billion barrels) and UAE (97.8 billion barrels), for instance, that their reserve totals have stayed exactly the same for the last 20 years. Thats geologically impossible. What does this mean for the U.S., the worlds largest oil consumer and producer? The serious questions surrounding the veracity of OPECs reported reserves highlight the need to ready ourselves to produce as much oil as we can in the years ahead. Increased self-reliance for such an indispensable fuel is a pillar of U.S. energy and national security. The possibility that OPEC might not have as much oil as it has been claiming combined with a lack of new production investments due to the price collapse since 2014 and always rising global demand means that future prices could be higher and more susceptible to spikes. New oil discoveries in 2017 were the lowest theyve been since the 1940s. We have a continuous need for new oil investments: The International Energy Agency estimates that the U.S. will need to average a $120 billion per year infusion in new domestic supply for decades to come. Jude Clemente is the Editor at RealClear Energy. After decades in New York, Ive made the wrenching choice to return to Britain. But England isnt home. Trump and the Enemies of the People The refusal to bend to President Trumps assault on the press is essential to the future of American democracy. Turkey's 'Strategic Partnership' With U.S. Coming to an End? An expert maintains that if solutions to the structural factors poisoning ties cannot be found, Turkish-American relations will continue to deteriorate. The mainstream media and out-of-touch politicians and bureaucrats want us to believe that the Cold War never ended, its a crime to talk with a Russian, and we should all be fearful of any Russians here in the U.S. Apparently our $21 trillion national debt, lack of border security, and the threat of radical Islamic terrorism pale in comparison to the grave threat posed by Russia. This is yet another example of the disconnect between Beltway talking heads and the American people. Hard-working Americans including constituents in my Kentucky district care about jobs, paying the bills, putting food on the table, and leaving this country a better place for their children. The alleged vast Russian conspiracy harped upon by the Democrats and media since the election of President Trump is simply not a concern of normal Americans. To date, proof of a Russian conspiracy to interfere in U.S. elections includes only Special Counsel Robert Muellers indictments of 13 Russian nationals and 12 Russian intelligence officers. The Russian nationals are accused of identity theft that allowed them to create fake social media accounts, and the 12 Russian intelligence officers are alleged to have hacked into the computers of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clintons campaign prior to the 2016 election. Most importantly, all indictments fail to allege that a single U.S. vote was changed. Unfortunately, what began as only Russophobic rhetoric seems to have turned into a witch hunt, as President Trump calls it. For example, the current hysteria may have motivated the recent arrest and indictment of Maria Butina, a former Russian graduate student at American University in Washington, D.C. Unlike many accused of violent crimes, Butina (who has not been accused of harming anyone) was denied bail, and is now reportedly being held in solitary confinement in federal prison until her trial. The indictment claims she acted as an unregistered agent of the Russian government. Thin on substance, it oddly suggests, for example, that attendance at a National Prayer Breakfast is something nefarious. My colleague Dana Rohrabacher and I met with the Russian delegation that attended the prayer breakfast last year. Congressman Rohrabacher, a former speechwriter for President Reagan during the Cold War, was once on the front lines with the mujahedeen when they fought the Soviets, yet even he now faces criticism for seeking better relations with Russia. While our justice system has always upheld the presumption of innocent until proven guilty, the relentless negative press surrounding Butinas arrest presumes her guilt. So far, the evidence mostly shows that she is simply a strong supporter of the right to bear arms, has advocated for this right in Russia, and genuinely hoped for improved Russia-U.S. relations. These are not crimes. What if Russia decided to indict and imprison an American student in Russia based upon thin evidence and charges of acting as an unregistered U.S. agent? The Golden Rule applies to nations, not just individuals. This is why the recent visit to Russia by my fellow Kentuckian Rand Paul is so courageous. In attempting to keep the lines of communication open between our two countries, he demonstrates true statesmanship amid a new xenophobic isolationism sweeping the anti-Trump media. Sen. Pauls meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev reminds me of President Reagans summits with that former leader of the Soviet Union. Like Paul and President Trump, Ronald Reagan believed in the power of a willingness to talk with our adversaries. Many believe that Reagans cordial relationship with Gorbachev encouraged the policies of perestroika and glasnost -- an openness to freedom that led to communisms downfall in Russia. True leaders understand that dialogue is the quickest pathway to peace. As my colleague Rep. Rohrabacher says, We need to find areas of cooperation and peace instead of constant belligerence that can only lead to war. Contrary to what the D.C. elites would have you believe, Russia is not the biggest threat facing the United States today. The Russia scare is a distraction from our real threats, which include our massive national debt, porous borders, and an out-of-control federal government that claims the right to spy on Americans without a warrant. Its time to end the obsession with Russia. In the words of the famous English writer G.K. Chesterton, A great nation ought not to be a hammer, but a magnet. Lets stop the bellicose rhetoric and instead start leading by example. Today is the day that some 300 U.S. newspapers heeded the Boston Globes call for an organized demonstration against President Trump. The protest consists of editorials and columns denouncing the president for his frequent characterizations that the fake media is the enemy of the American people. The problems with this scheme -- one is tempted to use the word collusion -- are so manifest its almost too easy to point them out. The most obvious is that it plays directly into the presidents hands, making the press look overtly partisan, while underscoring Trumps basic point, which is that the media hates him so much we dont follow our normal rules of behavior. When is the last time the Fourth Estate ran what amounts to a coordinated campaign? A second concern is what we might call the Calvin Coolidge problem. When informed in 1933 that the famously taciturn former president had died, famed wit Dorothy Parker quipped, How can they tell? My point is that if 300 newspaper opinion writers decide to kick Donald Trump in the fanny, how are their readers expected to distinguish this day from any other? My own objection to this organized effort can be found in the words to a Bruce Springsteen song, and a Howard Fast vignette from 70 summers ago, at a 1948 political convention in Philadelphia. Many journalists of my generation venerate Bruce Springsteen. We love his music, parse his lyrics while contemplating our lives, and, truth be told, identify with his progressive politics. As is the case with all great art, however, his best songs have a universal application to the human condition, and such messages dont always fit neatly into the paradigms of partisan politics. In Growin Up, for instance, Springsteen sings about branching away from the crowd to find your own path in life: I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd, but when they said, Sit down, I stood up. I thought of this line when Boston Globe op-ed editor Marjorie Pritchard called on her fellow editorial page editors and opinion journalists to unite against Donald Trump on a single day. In other words, when she told them to sit down and write group-think rebuttals, they didnt stand up. They said, Yes, maam. It also put me in mind of Howard Fast. Rarely quoted today, Fast was one of the most prolific American writers of the 20th century. Citizen Tom Paine, his historical novel first published in 1943, remains a riveting read. Fast was a man of the left -- 1943, when he was working for the U.S. Office of War Information, was also the year he joined the Communist Party. Fast would run for Congress on the American Labor Party ticket, write frequently for the Daily Worker, win the Stalin Peace Prize, be temporarily blacklisted in Hollywood, hauled before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, and jailed for contempt of Congress. In the late 1950s, he turned away from communism and wrote a book about the experience called Being Red. In that memoir he relates an evocative encounter in late July 1948 at the Progressive Party convention, which he attended as a credentialed journalist and where he ran into one of his idols, H.L. Mencken. When Fast went to shake the great Baltimore Sun columnists hand, Mencken took it in both of his own hands and told him hed just read The American, Fasts novel based on the life of former Illinois Gov. John Peter Altgeld. Mencken said that if hed ever written anything that good, hed put down my pen with pleasure. Howard Fast found this praise fulsome, but appreciated it nonetheless, and thanked Mencken, who then said, in reference to the Progressives, Fast, what in hells name are you doing with this gang? I tried to invent some clever reply, but all I could say was that it was a better place to be than at the Republican or Democratic convention, Fast wrote. This was as far from a bright or witty rejoinder as one could get, but I was tongue-tied, and the thought of preaching to Mencken or haranguing him was inconceivable. It was not just that I admired him and loved the way he wrote and thought, but he had just given me the best straightforward compliment I had ever received. I had no wish to challenge him. I owed him too much. But Mencken wasnt finished. Theres a better place than that, he said. With yourself. I cant put politics aside, Fast protested. Put it aside? Mencken snorted. Hell, no. Henry Louis Mencken is a party of one. Do you understand me? Youre a party of one. You dont put politics aside; you taste it, smell it, listen to it, write it. You dont join it. If you do, these clowns will destroy you as surely as the sun rises and sets. Researchers in Utah have unearthed one of the most detailed pterosauraka pterodactylfossils found to date, a discovery that tells us the first known vertebrates to take to the skies were more diverse and widespread than previously thought. While dinosaurs ruled the land, pterosaurs ruled the heavens during the late Triassic and Jurassic periods. Unlike the dinosaurs, whose heavy bones make pretty good fossils, we don't know much about the early evolution of the pterosaurs. Their fine bones were easily pulverized, meaning we have bits and pieces of just 30 pterosaurs dating from the Triassic, roughly 220 million years ago. The new find comes from a rock formation on public land in northeastern Utah known as the Saints and Sinners Quarry. Hundreds of millions of years ago, it's believed the area was an oasis in a massive dune-covered desert, drawing animals from all over the place during droughts. Some such visitors were preserved as fossils after dying at the hands of predators or getting stuck in the mud as the water dried up. A dark curtain of nationalism is lowering over the stages of Eastern Europe as populist governments in Hungary, Poland, and elsewhere embrace a blunt nativism. Increasingly, producers, directors, playwrights, and performers who step outside the self-serving storylines of local nationalists feel pressure to serve the populist cause. In Hungary, where the process is most advanced, Viktor Orbans Fidesz Party-led government has severely cut funding to independent theaters, has propagated lists of Jews, homosexuals, and liberals in the arts, and has prompted increasing self-censorship. Recent laws enacted by the Polish government controlled by the ruling Law and Justice Party have criminalized denigration of the dignity of the Polish nation. In Russia, the Ministry of Culture has openly rejected the principles of tolerance and multiculturalism. As the political wheel turns elsewhere, chauvinists are rehabilitating timeworn nativist villains with fresh coats of heroism. In Ukraine, for example, the reputation of wartime partisan Stephan Bandera has shifted from that of Nazi collaborator to heroic national freedom fighter. Elsewhere, cultural figures once viewed as heroes of decades-long struggles against authoritarianism are recast as scoundrels. What happens when nationalism comes to monopolize creative reputations? Do artists lose their abilities to speak to others across time and space? Why care? At the height of Japans late-19th Century opening to the world, a Meiji-era director came up with the idea of having Hamlet ride a bicycle. The scene quickly became an object of scorn for foreigners who mocked the absurd notion that Shakespeare or his characters could even have imagined a bicycle. To Japanese audiences, however, the moment made perfect sense. For them, bicycles and Danish Princes were equally recent novelties. The folly of midnight cycle outings around Elsmere contradicts all that we know about the Bard, who remains the greatest of all English authors. If we consider Shakespeare as nothing more than an author of weighty Elizabethan plays, the very notion of placing his characters on a 19th Century device can only be considered absurd. Such incongruity melts away once we think of Shakespeare as having produced a body of work that speaks to audiences across time and space. Indeed, a century later, placing a bicycle on stage is among the least bizarre presentations of Shakespearean drama audiences now confront. Our Meiji-era princely cyclist offered one of many signals that, having discovered Shakespeares works, Japanese audiences were making him their own. For kabuki-going theatergoers, Shakespeares plays were evocative of their own great bard Chikamatsu Monzaemon (Sugimori Nobumori), many of whose best-known plays seem to track Shakespearean storylines. So reminiscent of Shakespeares work are some of Chikamatsus scripts that an erudite scholarly enterprise has emerged that seeks to prove that he somehow must have gotten his hands on a bootleg folio or two. Such is the nature of cultural privilege that inhibits Westerners from accepting the possibility of non-Western genius equivalent to their own. Shakespeare became so Japanese that he has assumed his own Japanese name, Sao. Some of the most powerful interpretations of his work have emerged from Japan over the past century and a half. For confirmation consider any number of Akira Kurosawas commanding films. Is Shakespeare any less English for having become Japanese? Alternatively, do we all discover new levels of profundity by approaching his work through a Japanese lens? Anton Chekhov has long been the second-most performed foreign playwright in Japan. Like Shakespeare, Chekhov is at once the most native and the most international of authors. For many Russians, his plays and short stories capture the essence of their national ethos through compelling language and a searching struggle between traditional values and modernity. A Chekhov play, like many of Shakespeares works, speaks to diverse audiences across time and space. For example, Peter Brooks extraordinary 1988 production of Cherry Orchardat the Brooklyn Academy of Music is best remembered for a remarkable cast that included Brian Dennehy, Natasha Perry, Kate Mailer, Jan Triska, Linda Hunt, and David Price. In his staging, Brooks wrestled with Chekhovs seemingly misplaced characterization of the work as a comedy rather than a drama. Dennehys Lopatin in particular spoke to the time and place of New York in the late 1980s as he pursued the destruction of the familys ancestral estate in pursuit of lucre from real estate development. In Brooks and Dennehys hands, Chekhov confronted the uncertainties of many New Yorkers just as a new horde of rapacious real estate developers were descending on their city. In 2011, to cite another instance of crossing cultural and temporal barriers, the Sydney Theatre Company brought their own star-studded cast from Down Under to New York and Washington with a much-praised production of Chekhovs Uncle Vanyafeaturing Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Hayley McElhinney, and Richard Roxburgh. Set in Stalins Soviet Union after the Second World War, Hungarian producer Tamas Ascher focused the play around the alcohol-driven dissolution of a professional class bitter over various lifetime failures and lost opportunities. As Roxburghs Vanya grumbles, I couldve been a Schopenhauer! A Dostoevsky! That ensured that this glowing production would be more about 21st Century ennui and disappointment than about any world imagined by Chekhov. Simultaneously, accomplished director Lev Dodin was working with an extraordinary repertory company based at St. Petersburgs Maly Drama Theater to breathe new Russian life into the Chekhovian repertoire. Dodins productions of Cherry Orchard, Uncle Vanya, and Three Sisters capture the playwrights quintessential Russianness by featuring the haunting beauty of his works language. Like Shakespeare, Chekhovs exquisite use of his native language guarantees that he will remain quintessentially of his time and country even as he moves out into the world. Even as Shakespeare and Chekhov speak to audiences in times and cultures they never knew, their patriotic defenders remain intent on tethering them to their own nationhood. Cultural nationalists embrace a purity that denies both bards the possibility of addressing the concerns of others whom they never knew. This impulse expresses a historical moment when many strive to build walls around their own identities so as to better peer down on those not among the embraced. As the construction of such walls becomes a central drama of our times, we do well to recall the ability of great art to transcend time, place, and speak to a profound humanity larger than who any of us are at a given moment. Placing Hamlet on a Japanese bicycle neither denigrates Shakespeare nor denies his Englishness any more than an Australian production of Chekhov makes that playwright any less Russian. 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 A lot goes on around Athens and UGA campus and sometimes it can be hard to keep up. From Pa The Books for Keeps annual Book Sale returns once again during the final two weekends of August, and its looking to build off past years of s Being skeptical is an important quality when combing through the news, but it should not be at the expense of empathy. Before he was introduced to the world of chess, Ntela Diekumpuna was a troubled youth getting arrested, in his words. But through Chess and WASHINGTON The Hens Nest Gallery will host a reception for mixed-media artist Amber Maida on Saturday from 2-4 p.m. I'm excited to welcome Amber to the gallery, said The Hen's Nest owner Ellen Prindle. It is an opportunity to introduce Amber's beautiful and complex artwork to the area. While her artwork is on display at The Hen's Nest, Maida will speak about her work and may teach a small class. Maidas paintings are internationally collected and have been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. She was previously represented by Art Cube Gallery in Laguna Beach, CA. Born in Buffalo and now a resident of Warren, Maida has been inspired through her extensive travel across the United States. Her art includes found items that are fused with contemporary mediums. Located in historic Washington Depot, The Hens Nest showcases more than 50 artists and artisans, as well as lines of handcrafted jewelry and clothing. It is open Monday and Tuesday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Email art@thehensnest.net or call 860-619-0091. What is about money that makes people do bad things? It seems a fair question when the news is dominated by misdeeds of the rich and powerful. The Paul Manafort trial, now entering its third week, has revealed details of his alleged crimes: defrauding banks out of tens of millions of dollars, evading taxes by stashing huge sums in offshore accounts and using riches earned through unregistered work for foreign governments to buy $15,000 ostrich and python jackets. Manafort's deputy Rick Gates testified about the small fortune he embezzled and spent on his globe-trotting infidelities. Also last week, Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., was charged with insider trading. Scandals have shown Trump's Cabinet members flouting government rules and ethics for private jet rides, $31,000 dining table sets, $43,000 soundproof booths and questionable business trips abroad. "To researchers who study wealth and power, it's dismaying but not surprising because it tracks so closely with our findings. The effect of power is sadly one of the most reliable laws of human behavior," said Dacher Keltner, a psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley who has spent decades studying wealth, power and privilege. Six years ago, Keltner and a then-graduate student in his lab, Paul Piff, published influential innovative experiments that confirmed many of our worst assumptions about the rich and the corrupting power of wealth. In one experiment, the researchers stationed themselves at a busy intersection with four-way stop signs and tracked the model of every car whose driver cut off others instead of waiting their turn. People driving expensive cars - like a brand-new Mercedes - were four times more likely to ignore right-of-way laws than those in cheap cars like an old beat-up Honda. "It told us that there's something about wealth and privilege that makes you feel like you're above the law, that allows you to treat others like they don't exist," Keltner said. Next, they had a researcher play a pedestrian trying to cross at a crosswalk and tracked which cars stopped as the law requires and which blew right past him. The results were even more stark. Every one of the cheapest cars stopped, while half of the expensive cars ignored the pedestrian in the crosswalk - many even after making eye contact. There have been warnings throughout the ages about the corrupting effects of wealth and power. Buddha, for example, gave up the rich life of a prince for enlightenment. Jesus warned his disciples that a camel would have an easier time squeezing through the eye of a needle than a rich man trying to get into God's kingdom. Rapper Biggie Smalls reached a similar conclusion before his untimely death: "Mo money, Mo problems." In the past few decades, a growing body of psychology research has tried to capture and measure the exact effects of wealth on behavior and morality. That research has shown the rich cheat more on their taxes. They cheat more on their romantic partners. The wealthy and better-educated are more likely to shoplift. They are more likely to cheat at games of chance. They are often less empathetic. In studies of charitable giving, it's often the lower-income households who donate higher proportions of their income than middle-class and many upper-income folk. In one of the more surprising findings from their 2015 paper, Keltner and Piff found the rich are more likely to literally take candy from children. In that experiment, they first asked 129 subjects to compare their finances to people who had either more or less money. Then they gave their subjects a jar of candy and told them the sweets were intended for children in a nearby lab but they could take some if they wanted. Those who felt richer after comparing their finances to poorer people took significantly more candy for themselves. The findings build on similar research in recent years that suggests wealth and power strip people of their inhibitions, increase risk taking and feelings of entitlement and invulnerability. At the same time, power makes people less empathetic and able to see others' perspectives. "Wealth is basically a mechanism for power, and power has a freeing effect on people. It takes away the constraints of society and frees people to act according to their dominant desires," said Adam Galinsky of Columbia Business School, whose experiments have explored how power often propels people's actions. In some cases, those desires may be altruistic or helpful to society, so power heightens those goals and can give rise to effective philanthropists. Often, however, power leads to self-serving behaviors unrestrained by the usual concerns over rules or the consequences for others. Because much of the psychological research into wealth and power is relatively new, many of the findings are still being tested and need to be confirmed by replication, researchers say. "I wouldn't say these questions are settled. There are disagreements about the exact effect of wealth and ethics and how large the effect is," said Michael Kraus, a social psychologist at Yale's School of Management. But the research has never seen such booming interest and momentum - with growing inequality in America and a multimillionaire born into wealth in the White House. "There's a lot of reasons we should care about the ethics of wealthy people," Kraus said. "Even if research found that they were no more unethical as anyone else, their influence on the world is so much greater. If someone like me steals something, it only affects only a handful of people. But if someone like Manafort steals or lies or cheats, it affects so many more people. There are foreign governments and banks involved. You start getting into that area where it can affect the whole country and the course of democracy." Australias Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Thursday that all options are under review with regard to sanctions against Cambodia if Prime Minister Hun Sen does not end a crackdown on his countrys political opposition, NGOs and the independent media. In an email to RFAs Khmer Service, Bishop said that Canberra has serious concerns with Cambodias 2018 national election process which, according to official results announced Wednesday, led to the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) securing all 125 parliamentary seats in the July 29 ballotwidely dismissed as unfree and unfair, following a ban of the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). Reflecting these concerns, Australia chose not to send observers to monitor the election, she said, adding that she had raised the issue directly with her counterpart, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn in the lead up to the vote. In addition to orchestrating the dissolution of the CNRP in November and the arrest of its president Kem Sokha two months earlier on charges of plotting to topple the government, Hun Sen also placed severe restrictions on NGOs and the media in the lead up to last months election, in what was seen as a bid to ensure his CPP would win and add another five-year term to his 33 years in office. The Australian foreign minister said that she had met Wednesday with Kem Sokhas daughter Kem Monovithya, who is the CNRPs deputy director-general of public affairs, to discuss Cambodias political situation. Kem Monovithya has said that she hopes Australia will adopt tough measures against Cambodia in response to Hun Sens crackdown and follow the examples of the U.S., which has announced visa bans on individuals seen as limiting democracy in the country, and the European Union, which is currently reviewing a preferential trade scheme for Cambodian exports. When asked whether Canberra would seek similar sanctions, Bishop warned that all options are under review while we urge the Cambodian government to allow free political debate, without violence and intimidation. Bishop reiterated that Australia has called for the release of Kem Sokha in both the United Nations Human Rights Council and in the Australian Senate. Last month, Bishops office issued a statement saying that the July 29 election had reversed more than 25 years of progress towards democracy in Cambodia. Australia is disappointed that Cambodian people have been unable to freely choose their representatives, the statement said, adding that Canberra would continue to urge the Cambodian government to take steps to allow free and open political debate without violence and intimidation. Visa restrictions Bishops warning came a day after the U.S. State Department announced that Washington is expanding visa restrictions on individuals both within and outside of the Cambodian government deemed responsible for what it called the most anti-democratic actions taken in the run-up to the flawed July 29 election. U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a briefing on Wednesday that in certain circumstances, the immediate family members of those individuals will also be subject to restrictions, but provided no further details. 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 fulfill their vital roles unhindered and immediately release Kem Sokha and other political prisoners and ending the ban on political opposition, Nauert said. The announcement signaled an expansion of visa restrictions put in place in December, which the State Department said at the time were part of a series of concrete steps aimed at pressuring Cambodia to reverse course that included a decision to withdraw funding for last months elections. Reinstating the political opposition, releasing Kem Sokha, and allowing civil society and media to resume their constitutionally protected activities could lead to a lifting of these travel restrictions and increase the potential for Cambodias 2018 electoral process to regain legitimacy, Nauert said at the time, in a statement accompanying the announcement. CPP responds CPP spokesperson Sok Ey San dismissed the expanded visa restrictions during a press conference following the official announcement of Cambodias election results on Wednesday, saying they would not affect the ruling party. We wont want to travel to the U.S., even if they [the government] pay our airfares, he said. CPP spokesperson Suos Yara also warned the U.S. and the EU that they risk losing an important economic partner in Cambodia, where both benefit from cheap labor. Threats of imposing sanctions or ending a tariff-free scheme are only part of campaigning by certain political parties in the West, he said. But if the U.S. imposes sanctions on us, not only will Cambodia lose benefits, but the U.S. will as well. Americans wont be able to buy cheaper clothes [produced in] Cambodia. Tax-free status With regard to the EUs consideration of dropping its preferential trade scheme, Suos Yara said it would not affect Cambodia, which he said is losing its tax-free status anyway, because it has become a lower-middle income country. Suos Yara appeared to be referring to a World Bank assessment which elevated Cambodia from low income to lower-middle income status based on its Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of U.S. $1,070 during 2015. The World Bank had just introduced its new classification system based on GNIwhich is closely correlated with other, nonmonetary measures of the quality of lifeinstead of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and described countries with a GNI per capita of between U.S. $1,026 and $4,035 as lower-middle income. But while the World Bank said in its assessment that as a lower-middle income country, Cambodia was still eligible to borrow from the International Development Association (IDA) fund for the poorest nations, the group did not specify whether the country was at risk of losing any kind of tax-free status. According to the European Commission, the EU ranked as the second biggest trade partner of Cambodia in 2017, importing goods worth 5 billion euros (U.S. $5.8 billion) from the country. Key EU imports from Cambodia include textiles, footwear and agricultural products. The U.S. imported U.S. $3.1 billion worth of goods from Cambodia in 2017, up from U.S. $2.8 billion the year before. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. China's state-run media have launched a blistering attack on prominent freelance journalist Chen Jieren, who was detained last month on suspicion of "fraud" and running an "illegal business." State news agency Xinhua accused Chen of using officials' fear of his reporting to extort money from them, and quoted him as "confessing" to losing his moral fiber after leaving his job in the ruling Chinese Communist Party-backed media behind. "I abused my own influence and the trust of my social media followers," the agency quoted Chen as saying. "I used wording that evoked fairness and justice to cheat my readers; to deceive the people," his "confession" said. "I am a classic example of a fake guy on the internet," the agency quoted Chen as saying. It accused Chen of profiting from the fear he engendered in officials, as a freelance journalist, warning that "ordinary citizens can only use legal channels to exercise their right to criticize [the government] ... and as whistle blowers." Chens detention came after he filed a complaint against Shaoyang municipal party secretary Deng Guangya on , calling for him to be removed from office. A few days later, a number of Chinese journalists received verbal notification from government propaganda teams that they shouldn't do any independent reporting on the case, but reprint only approved copy instead. No access to lawyer Neither Chen nor his family and associates have been allowed access to a lawyer, a source close to the case told RFA. "He has been locked up for more than 40 days now, and he hasn't been allowed to see a lawyer this whole time," the source said. "None of the lawyers hired by his family members or anyone else have been allowed meet with their clients." "This is utterly out of keeping with the principle of the rule of law." The source said no statements made in such circumstances by Chen or anyone else under investigation can be taken at face value. "In a situation where people are locked up, can't see their lawyers, and in which there are no guarantees that their rights will be respected, no confesion they write is reliable," the source said. "It's highly likely that these are all fake quotes." According to the source, the Xinhua article is likely to have been approved at a high level in the Chinese government. "This is approved, syndicated copy, not some kind of initiative on the part of the media," the source said. "These articles have no byline, which is very unusual indeed." State supervisory commission A total of six people have been detained so far in the investigation by President Xi Jinping's new state supervisory commission, set up last March to monitor the conduct of staff in the ruling Chinese Communist Party, People's Congresses, government departments, judicial agencies, state-owned enterprises, and government-backed institutions, including state schools and higher education. The new system massively expands the number of people who can be investigated for corruption and other abuses of official power, and includes contractors working for state and party organizations in its scope of inquiry. It also holds the power to detain suspects for up to six months "at a designated location" with the approval of higher-ranking commissions, and to prevent people from leaving China. Activist Wu Bin, known by his online nickname Xiucai Jianghu, said Chen is being subjected to a trial by media. "In a society run by persons [as opposed to by law], we typically see illegal actions such as trial by media," Wu told RFA. "Chen Jieren hasn't been sentenced yet, and this article ... shows that the media are taking on a political role here." "The imperial court has turned against him, and they want to suppress him," Wu said, in a common satirical reference to the "dynastic" rule of the Chinese Communist Party leadership. "These official mouthpieces, as well as law enforcement and the courts, all serve a single master; they are all in cahoots," he said. London-based rights group Amnesty International has warned that the state supervisory commission is a "systemic threat" to human rights. Under the new system, supervisory bodies can detain and interrogate virtually anyone working directly or indirectly for the government, including judges, academics, and employees of state-owned companies. At the national level, the Supervisory Commission is ranked higher than the Supreme Peoples Court and the top prosecutors office. Reported by Yang Fan for RFAs Mandarin Service, and by the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu have indicted human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng on subversion charges, paving the way for a trial, his wife said on Thursday. Yu, who is being held incommunicado by authorities in Jiangsu's Xuzhou city, was formally arrested for "incitement to subvert state power"and "obstruction of officials in the course of their duty" in April. He was indicted last month, but neither his lawyers nor his wife, Xu Yan, were informed about the move. "His two attorneys enquired about Yu Wensheng's case with the Xuzhou municipal procuratorate, which checked and found that the indictment was issued on July 19," Xu told RFA. She said two lawyers she hired to represent Yu, Chang Boyang and Xie Yang, hadn't been informed of the indictment. "They weren't allowed to see him, nor to read the case files," she said. Jiangsu officials issued a statement in April claiming to be penned by Yu, and firing his defense team. However, Xu pointed to an earlier video statement asking her to disregard any such declaration. "I am very worried about his future, because the likelihood that he will be found not guilty and released is extremely low," Xu said. "It would be pretty good if Yu Wensheng could be released on bail, as some of the lawyers detained since the July 2015 [crackdown] have been." "But we have already applied for bail a number of times. The lawyers have made applications, but there has never been any sign that he will be released on bail and allowed to come home," she said. "That's why I am very worried indeed." Defense attorney Chang said he plans to make another attempt to meet with Yu next week. Doubts remain Chang said doubts remain over the status of Yu's legal defense, as the authorities had earlier claimed that he had fired the lawyers instructed by Xu. "I will go there and ask to see Yu Wensheng to confirm if this is true or not, and whether or not a government lawyer has been appointed for him," Chang said. "The procuratorate accepted all of the paperwork from [me and Xie], and they said that he had hired another lawyer, but I said I didn't know anything about that." "His family doesn't know how he would have found another lawyer." Calls to the Xuzhou municipal procuratorate rang unanswered during office hours on Thursday. Xu said he had heard that two officially appointed lawyers had visited Yu in the Xuzhou Detention Center, but that he and Chang would continue to act for Yu until they saw proof that he had hired a new defense team. "The two of us still have a duty to provide a defense, as Xu Yan told us that the ... officially appointed lawyers weren't formally instructed by Yu Wensheng," he said. Rule of law On the democratic island of Taiwan, Taipei Bar Association director Wang Lung-kuan called on the ruling Chinese Communist Party to abide by its own laws. "They say themselves that they want the rule of law, but [Yu] isn't even allowed a visit from his family members or his lawyers," Wang said. "These are basic requirements under international human rights standards." "This isn't the first time this has happened, and it's highly regrettable." Yu was intially held for more than two months without access to a defense attorney, and has been identified by London-based rights group Amnesty International as being "at risk of torture." Xu Yan herself was detained and questioned by state security police in Xuzhou city on suspicion of "incitement to subvert state power" for more than seven hours. Yu was snatched away from his son by large numbers of police in a car park near his home and placed under criminal detention on Jan. 19, on suspicion of obstructing public servants in the course of their duties." He was later transferred from Beijing to Jiangsu's Xuzhou city with the addition of the more serious charge of incitement to subvert state power. Acting under duress Yu had warned in a video recording and statement in May 2015 that if he ever "lost his freedom" and fired his own lawyers, it should be assumed that he was acting under duress, or had been tortured. "If I lose my freedom, and if I sign any kind of statement, confession, or guarantee in the absence of a lawyer, then none of the words in such documents can be taken to represent my true intentions," the recorded video statement said. "This statement was signed by Yu Wensheng on May 10, 2015." China's embattled legal profession has been targeted with more than 300 detentions, summons, travel bans, and restrictions imposed on rights lawyers, activists, and law firm staff since July 2015. Rights lawyers who accept politically sensitive cases, or who are publicly outspoken on behalf of vulnerable groups, have also been prevented from practicing law because their business licenses are being revoked during a newly instituted annual review process. Lawyers who try to defend clients held on suspicion of crimes ostensibly linked to state security concerns are also denied permission to meet with their clients, or are replaced by government-appointed lawyers amid threats and pressure on the people who hired them. Reported by Gao Fan for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wong Lok-to for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. North Korean authorities are calling for strengthened vigilance against non-socialist behavior in advance of a major national holiday, with ruling party youth groups deployed across the country to warn or detain citizens found wearing condemned fashions or hairstyles, North Korean sources say. The campaign follows earlier efforts aimed at suppressing lifestyles found not to conform with socialist ideals, a source in North Hamgyong province, bordering China, told RFAs Korean Service. Inspection units are being dispatched to public areas, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. There have been crackdowns on non-socialist behaviors in the past, but since these hadnt seemed to help the situation, they are now strengthening the crackdown to put an end to them, the source said. With the approach of the 70th anniversary on Sept. 9 of the founding of the North Korean regime, the Central Committee has given special instructions to root out non-socialist phenomena, such as fashion choices and hairstyles that do not fit the socialist lifestyle, the source said. The instructions were given during meetings held at work units and factories, the source said, adding that authorities had described non-socialist behaviors in lectures as maneuvers carried out by persons actively opposed to North Koreas political system. These behaviors are now to be handled strictly, they said, so residents of the country are definitely feeling uneasy. Because non-socialist behaviors can be observed especially among the young, members of the Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League have been assigned from each province, county, and city to lead the crackdown, he said. Punishments have become much stricter, he added. Also speaking to RFA, a source in Yanggang province, also bordering China, said that for the Sept. 9 anniversary of the Founding of the Republic, many foreigners are expected to visit major cities, including the capital Pyongyang. Therefore, enforcers are active on the streets and in public areas every day to stop unenlightened people from displaying behaviors that might disgrace the country. These events are nothing new, so people are wondering why the authorities are bothering them so much now, and some are expressing negative feelings toward the holiday because they resent the governments control, he said. Reported by Myungchul Lee for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Richard Finney. A woman watches boats pass the Pak Beng pier on the Mekong River in northwestern Laos Oudomxay province, the site of a proposed hydropower dam, in a file photo. UPDATED at 3:59 P.M. EDT on 2018-08-17 Developers of two proposed hydropower projects in Laos are pressing ahead with plans to build the mega-dams on the Mekong River, despite a recent order by the government to halt new dam investments following a deadly breach in July that killed 40 people and displaced thousands. A developer working on plans for the 770-megawatt Pak Lay hydropower project in northwestern Laos Xayaburi province told RFAs Lao Service that developers are in the process of conducting a feasibility study and have not been informed by provincial authorities that they should stop their work. There have been surveys [conducted], but not too much progress has been made, said the official who declined to be named. Though there was a press conference held by the prime minister to halt dam projects in Laos, local authorities have not come down to tell us to stop this project, he said. On Aug. 8, the Mekong River Commissions (MRC) Joint Committee Working Group (JCWG) for the procedures for notification, prior consultation, and agreement decided to begin a six-month prior consultation process for the Pak Lay dam the same day. The MRC is an intergovernmental organization that works directly with the governments of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam to jointly manage shared water resources and the sustainable development of the Mekong River. Though the members consult each other and reach agreements on the construction of large dams, and perform research and planning on the environmental and social impacts of projects, the MRC lacks the authority to force members to delay or halt dam-building activities. The prior consultation will afford the notified countries, the affected communities, and related stakeholders an opportunity to review the project and raise their legitimate concerns on adverse cross-border impacts on the environment and people, said JCWG chair Te Navuth in a statement issued by the MRC on Aug. 10. It also allows the country proposing the project to better understand such concerns and to identify measures to address them, he said. Laos MRC delegation decided that the government should provide official clarification as to whether the prime ministers decision to suspend the consideration of new investments in hydropower projects will affect the prior consultation process for the Pak Lay dam, said Meas Sopheak, an MRC spokesman based in Vientiane. The MRC Secretariat has at this moment not received this official clarification yet, though, he wrote in an email. When making its decision, the Lao delegation also took into consideration a proposal by MRC chief executive Pham Tuan Phan to postpone the prior consultation process, he said. Developers of the estimated U.S. $2.4 billion, 912-megawatt Pak Beng hydropower project in northwestern Laos Oudomxay Province also have not received an order from provincial authorities to halt or to review construction plans, said a developer who declined to be named. The Pak Beng project has not been ordered for review, he told RFA. They [provincial authorities] have ordered reviews other dam projects build of clay that would be affected by heavy rain, but for this dam, rain wont be a problem. Everything is proceeding as usual, and nothing has changed, he said. Equal or greater power On Aug. 7, Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith ordered hydropower developers to suspend consideration of new investments in dam projects pending review of the governments hydropower development strategy and plans, and ordered all existing and future dam operators to submit regular safety reports. The move was prompted by the collapse of a saddle dam that was part of the U.S. $1 billion Xe Pian Xe Namnoy hydropower project in southwestern Laos Champassak province on July 23. The breach displaced about 7,000 people in Champassak and neighboring Attapeu province, with scores still missing. The operators of the project, which was nearing completion, planned to sell most of the 1,880 gigawatt hours of electricity per year the dam was expected to generate to Thailand. But in Laos, local authorities have equal or greater power than does the central government, allowing them to override a central order by the prime minister, including the recent one to stop new dam projects. Local authorities can also approve or reject proposals for new dams and order investigations and reviews of hydropower projects. Officials said they will conduct reviews of the plans for the Pak Beng and Pak Lay projects, but that they believe the Chinese-backed mega-dams will be built because Chinese companies to date have always received approval for such projects. When they are built, the Pak Beng and Pak Lay dams will be the third and fourth largest hydropower projects on the Mekong mainstream. The Lao government hopes that its mega-dams will help it become the battery of Southeast Asia and turn it from being one of the regions poorest nations into a middle-income country through sales of most of the hydroelectricity they produce to Thailand, Vietnam, and China. Laos plans to eventually have about 140 dams with roughly 30 percent of them already completed, though many of these are located on tributaries of the Mekong. Environmental NGOs want the Lao government to halt dam construction along waterways in the country, warning that existing hydropower projects are having significant detrimental effects on the environment and on peoples livelihoods. They also fear that dam inspections by Lao officials will not be transparent. Reported by RFAs Lao Service. Translated by Sidney Khotpanya. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Rosario Manalo, chairperson of a commission established by Myanmar's government to investigate human rights violations in Rakhine state, addresses reporters at a news conference in Naypyidaw, Aug. 16, 2018. The members of a new independent commission established by Myanmar's government to investigate human rights violations in Rakhine state pledged on Thursday to conduct their investigation with impartiality and to submit a report on their findings to the countrys president in 12 months. The Myanmar government established the four-person commission on July 30 to probe human rights violations that occurred during and after crackdowns on Rohingya Muslims by security forces in the northern part of the state in October 2016 and August 2017 that together caused roughly 800,000 members of the minority group to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. The commission, which consists of two international experts and two Myanmar members, began its work on Wednesday, a day after they met with State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and government ministers. Filipino former undersecretary of foreign affairs Rosario Manalo and Kenzo Oshima, Japans former ambassador to the United Nations, are the two foreigners on the panel, and lawyer Mya Thein and Aung Tun Thet, an economist and former U.N. official, are the two domestic experts. I will assure you that there will be no blaming of anybody, no finger-pointing of anybody, because we dont achieve anything by that procedure, Manalo said in response to a question about the panels impartiality at a press conference in the capital Naypyidaw on Thursday. Though the commission has yet to determine how it will carry out the investigation, Oshima said that the members will visit internally displaced camps that house Rohingya in Rakhine state and meet with Rakhine authorities. He also said they have to decide if they will visit the sprawling camps in southeastern Bangladesh where Rohingya refugees live. When asked whether the commission will be truly independent of interference by the Myanmar government and military in conducting the probe, Oshima said: I hope that the Myanmar government trusts the integrity of the commissioners in choosing Rosario Manalo and myself as members of the commission with the confidence that the foreign members of the commission as well as the Myanmar commissioners will act with integrity, with confidence, with independence, and [with] impartiality. So please rest assured that independence will be there, and as a foreign member I will do my best, of course, to make sure that our commission here is really independent as the title of the commission says, he said. The commission was created in response to international condemnation over the campaign of violence by Myanmar forces targeting the Rohingya, including killings, torture, rape, and village burnings in Rakhine, following deadly attacks on security outposts by the militant Muslim group the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA). Though rights groups have compiled credible, detailed reports on the atrocities, Myanmar's government has largely denied its forces were responsible. Instead, the government has defended the militarys actions during what it calls clearance operations as a legitimate response to the ARSA attacks. The U.N, United States, and rights groups have said that the attacks on the Rohingya amounted to ethnic cleansing, if not genocide, and some rights advocates have called for leaders of security forces to stand trial before the International Criminal Court. Last week, Myanmar rejected a motion that the ICC be able to exercise jurisdiction over the country for the expulsion of the Rohingya, because it is not a party to the Rome Statute which established the international tribunal. The government also cited the formation of the new independent investigation commission as a reason why the ICC need not take up the issue. Questions we have been asking The government has come under fire from Myanmars political parties and other domestic actors for including foreigners on the new panel, and from human rights organizations that have raised questions about its two Myanmar members, especially Aung Tun Thet, who in April told a newspaper in Bangladesh that Myanmar had "no intention of ethnic cleansing. Aung Myo Min, executive director of Equality Myanmar, an NGO that focuses on human rights education and advocacy programs, said Manalo, who chairs the inquiry commission, is a controversial figure. The former Philippine diplomat was a member of parliament and the special representative of the Philippines to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. She has a lot of experience, but her position is controversial because she sometimes protects the Philippine government while she is talking about human rights, he said. That government has been criticized for rights abuses under President Rodrigo Duterte for his murderous war on drugs and attacks on human rights advocates who have decried thousands of extrajudicial killings carried out as part of the anti-drugs campaign. But Aung Myo Min also said it remains to be seen how deeply the commission will be allowed to investigate accounts of rights abuse in Rakhine state. The important thing is how much permission [from the government] does the commission have to investigate? he asked. How much security will the government provide for witnesses when they tell the commission about their experiences? These are the questions that we have been asking all the time. Attorney Kyi Myint questioned the ability of commission member Mya Thein, the former chairman of Myanmars Constitutional Tribunal, to be impartial. The tribunal is responsible for interpreting the countrys constitution drafted in 2008 by a military junta that enshrined its political power in the charter. He has a good heart, but he doesnt have a progressive mind for democracy, he said. He has always done whatever military leaders have asked him to do his whole life. Previous panel submits report Also on Thursday, a previous advisory commission that was formed to advise the Myanmar government on how to implement the recommendations on Rakhine state issued by an earlier panel chaired by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan submitted its final report to Aung San Suu Kyi and Win Myat Aye, minister for social welfare, relief, and resettlement. The Annan commission had called for reviews of the countrys 1982 Citizenship Law, which prevents the Rohingya from becoming citizens, and an end to restrictions on the Muslim minority to prevent further violence in the region. The 10-member international board chaired by Surakiart Sathirathai, former deputy prime minister of Thailand, lauded the progress made in Myanmar's implementation of the Annans commissions recommendations, the online journal The Irrawaddy reported. But it also acknowledged that further work was necessary concerning the repatriation and resettlement of the Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh. In January, veteran U.S. diplomat Bill Richardson resigned from the panel led by Surakiart, accusing it of conducting a whitewash of the Rohingya crisis and saying that Aung San Suu Kyi had demonstrated an absence of moral leadership over the problem. Reported by Win Ko Ko Latt and Tin Aung Khine for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. A court in central Vietnams Nghe An province convicted a dissident writer and activist on Thursday of trying to overthrow the countrys communist government, handing him a 20-year prison term after a one-day trial in which witnesses who might have cleared him were blocked from appearing. Le Dinh Luong, 53, a Catholic, was taken into custody on July 24, 2017, and accused by authorities of membership in the U.S.-based Vietnamese opposition party Viet Tan, which Vietnam regards as a terrorist organization, and of calling for a boycott of parliamentary elections in 2016. A veteran of Vietnams 1979 border war with China, Luong had also written on Facebook calling for compensation for fishermen affected by the April 2016 waste spill by Taiwan-owned Formosa Plastics Groups steel plant. The environmental disaster destroyed livelihoods across Vietnams central coast and led to widespread protests and arrests in Nghe An and other coastal provinces affected by the spill. Speaking to RFAs Vietnamese Service after Thursdays trial, defense lawyer Ha Huy Son slammed the sentence handed down to his client, saying the court had presented no evidence to show that Luong had worked to overthrow the government, a charge frequently brought under Article 79 of Vietnams Penal Code to arrest and imprison democracy and human rights activists in the country. They based their decision on the testimony of two witnesses, Nguyen Van Hoa and Nguyen Viet Dung, Son said. But both of them have retracted what they said in earlier testimony. They now say that they were beaten and forced to say what they did, he said. Also speaking to RFA, defense lawyer Dang Dinh Manh said that Luongs attorneys had asked that both men be brought to court so they could be questioned on their previous testimony. However, a police officer came forward and said that Nguyen Van Hoa had a sore throat and Nguyen Viet Dung had a stomach ache, and so neither of them were fit to testify, he said. 'More will step forward' Writing in an Aug. 15 statement, Phil RobertsonDeputy Asia Director for the international rights group Human Rights Watchcalled for Luongs immediate release and demanded that Vietnam drop all charges against him. The government should understand that locking people up for simply exercising their rights isnt working, and [that] more activists will continue to step forward to speak their mind and hold protests against government injustices. Vietnam is well on its way to having the largest population of political prisoners in Southeast Asia, and foreign trade partners and donors should demand this rolling crackdown stop, Robertson wrote. Le Dinh Luong has done nothing wrong and the Peoples Court of Nghe An province should drop all charges and release him immediately. Meanwhile, the U.S.-based Viet Tan organization on Thursday condemned what it called Luongs unjust conviction, saying the charges against him were vague and based mainly on police investigations of his Facebook postings and community organizing activities. Criminalizing peaceful activism and the use of Facebook is a violation of human rights and civil liberties, Viet Tan said. Rights group Amnesty International estimates that at least 97 prisoners of conscience are currently held in Vietnams prisons, where many are subjected to torture or other ill-treatment. Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Richard Finney. YEREVAN -- The head of Armenia's Special Investigative Service (SIS) says former President Serzh Sarkisian will be questioned as part of an investigation into a deadly crackdown against protesters following the country's 2008 presidential election. Sasun Khachatrian told reporters on August 16 that "all individuals linked to the case will be questioned." "Serzh Sarkisian will be questioned as well," Khachatrian said, adding that the procedure "will be decided by an investigator on the basis of the necessity to investigate the criminal case and expediency of implementing concrete investigative activities." Khachatrian also said he hopes former Armenian President Robert Kocharian will be rearrested in connection with the case. Kocharian, 63, was arrested in July on charges that he was involved in the 2008 post-election violence in which 10 people were killed, including two police officers. His August 13 release from custody on the orders of an appeals court in Yerevan sparked protests in the Armenian capital. The court said it based its decision on Article 140 of the constitution, which states: "During the term of his or her powers and thereafter, the President of the Republic may not be prosecuted and subjected to liability for actions deriving from his or her status." 'Illegal' Decision Khachatrian reiterated an earlier SIS statement on Kocharian's release, calling the court's decision "illegal." "I just defined the decision of the court of appeals as illegal, and actually, that definition of mine is very soft," Khachatrian said. He also said Kocharian would be arrested immediately if he tries to flee Armenia. I do not think Kocharian will try to leave the country. At this point, pretrial limitations for him have not been ordered. But if he tries to leave the country that will be defined as an attempted obstruction of justice and the limitation measure will be introduced," Khachatrian said. Kocharian denies the charges against him, calling them politically motivated. Kocharian's arrest came as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian's government stepped up legal action against officials linked to the previous government. The case against Kocharian dates back to late February and early March 2008 following a disputed election that brought Kocharians close ally Serzh Sarkisian to the presidency. The declaration by election officials that Sarkisian won the vote angered the opposition and set off 10 days of protests that culminated in the deadly crackdown. Pashinian's administration has also brought cases against several other former officials and close relatives of Sarkisian. Pashinian, an anticorruption campaigner, was elected prime minister in May after weeks of mass protests in Armenia against corruption and cronyism. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has marked the 100th day since his sudden and unexpected rise to power by vowing to speed up reform in the South Caucasus nation. Pashinian, a former activist and opposition politician who was voted into the premiership by parliament in May, told his cabinet on August 16 that, after his initial period in office, "we are entering a new stage and the main meaning of this stage is to speed up the reform." "Quickly and effectively" implemented reforms can give the country and its economy a new breath, he added. Pashinian asserted that, since taking office, his team managed to complete the main task for the period -- to ensure the regular functioning of the state and continuous economic development in the postrevolution period. Pashinian, an anticorruption campaigner, and a small group of supporters launched from the provinces their campaign against then-President Serzh Sarkisians continued rule on March 31. Some two weeks later in Yerevan, that campaign turned into large street protests, eventually forcing Sarkisian, who had become prime minister by that time, to resign on April 23. On May 8, the parliament still dominated by Sarkisian loyalists, bowed to popular pressure and pro-Pashinian sentiments countrywide and elected the protest leader as the new prime minister. Since Pashinians assumption of office, law enforcement bodies have carried out a number of high-profile actions involving former leaders and those connected to them. Former President Robert Kocharian was charged with overthrowing the constitutional order for actions during unrest after the 2008 presidential election that left 10 people dead. Kocharian, 63, was arrested in July and held briefly, but he was released on August 13 on the orders of an appeals court in Yerevan, which said it based its decision on Article 140 of the constitution, which states that a president cannot be prosecuted for "actions deriving from his or her status." The head of Armenia's Special Investigative Service (SIS), Sasun Khachatrian, on August 16, called the court's decision on Kocharians release "illegal" and expressed hopes he would be rearrested in connection to the matter. He also said former President Sarkisian will be questioned as part of the investigation into the 2008 postelection crackdown against protesters. Members of the families of two brothers of ex-President Sarkisian and a former chief of his security service are also being prosecuted on different charges, including illegal enrichment. In another case, retired General Manvel Grigorian, a member of parliament with the Sarkisian-led Republican Partys faction, was stripped of his parliamentary immunity and arrested on charges of illegally keeping weapons and large-scale embezzlement. The case against Grigorian alleges theft of army rations sent by citizens, including children, to Armenian soldiers fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh during brief 2016 clashes with Azerbaijan. BUCHAREST -- Despite the sweltering heat and the start of a long weekend, groups of hardcore demonstrators gathered again outside the government building in Bucharest for a sixth night in a row on August 15. A couple of hundred people demanding the resignation of Romania's leftist government, which they accuse of corruption and attacks on the rule of law, chanted slogans against the government and the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD), accompanied by the noise of vuvuzelas and monitored by regular police. Unlike the previous couple of nights, and despite the smaller number of protesters, a pair of dark-clothed riot police were also standing guard on the sides of Victoria Square, and refused to allow people to take their pictures. The government has decreed a five-day vacation starting on August 15, and although the decision was made months ago, some of the protesters in the square vented furiously against the decision, calling it a bribe by the government for state employees. Some protesters told RFE/RL that they had jobs in the private sector and would keep going to work every day during the short vacation. But they said they would still keep coming to the protest every evening after work. EU Presidency Meanwhile, European Parliament member Guy Verhofstadt who is the Leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) which includes the homonymous ALDE of Romania, the junior coalition partner of PSD, said in a Facebook post that "the right to protest and freedom of assembly may never be restricted if it takes place in a peaceful manner." Verhofstadt added that it was '"essential that Romania stays on the path of reform and progressive policies especially ahead of its stint as Presidency in office of the European Union." Bucharest will take over the EU rotating presidency in January. After winning power in 2016, the PSD attempted to decriminalize several corruption offenses through an emergency decree, leading to thousands of Romanians taking to the streets in protest and forcing the party to back down. President Klaus Iohannis, a critic of the left-wing government, has been at loggerheads with the PSD, accusing it of attempting to weaken the fight against corruption, putting pressure on the judicial system, and of implementing bad fiscal policies. Iohannis, the European Commission, and the U.S. State Department criticized the proposed changes to judicial legislation, saying they could derail the rule of law. Romania is one the poorest members of the European Union, with an average monthly wage of about 520 euros ($590). It is also one of the EU countries most plagued by corruption and has seen frequent protests in the past year and a half. Gunmen have launched an attack on an Afghan intelligence training center in Kabul, officials say. Police officer Abdul Rahman said on August 16 that the attackers were holed up in a building near the compound overseen by the National Security Directorate in a western neighborhood of the Afghan capital. He said the gunmen were shooting at the facility and it wasn't immediately clear how many gunmen were involved in the assault. Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanekzai said the attackers were firing rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons. Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi later said three or four attackers took part in the assault and two of them were killed. He said Afghan forces had cleared the building from the basement all to the fourth floor and were battling gunmen on the fifth floor during the early evening. There was no immediate word on the number of casualties among civilians and security forces nor any immediate claim of responsibility, which comes a day after a suicide bombing in a Shi'ite area of Kabul killed 34 people and wounded 56 others. The Islamic State (IS) extremist group on August 16 claimed responsibility for the bombing. Afghanistan's Western-backed government has been struggling to fend off the Taliban, the Islamic State, and other militant groups since the withdrawal of most NATO troops in 2014. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, and AFP For years they traveled with ease from Italy to take part in the Russia-backed insurgency in eastern Ukraine. Many boasted of their martial exploits on social media and in videos, often decked out in camouflage fatigues and brandishing weapons. And for years, authorities in Italy largely turned a blind eye, failing to stop these mercenaries despite protests and complaints from officials and others in Kyiv. Until now. On August 1, Italian police announced they had arrested three men accused of recruiting mercenaries to fight in eastern Ukraine. Three others are still being sought after prosecutors in the northern Italian city of Genoa accused the six of fighting in eastern Ukraine and recruiting others to the cause. It was the first time that Italian authorities have charged anyone with fighting in eastern Ukraine, where more than 10,300 people have died since the conflict erupted in April 2014. In a statement, Italian police said they searched the homes of another seven people as part of the investigation into the Italian-Ukrainian recruitment network. Some of the suspects allegedly had ties with the commander of a neo-Nazi paramilitary unit called Rusich, which operates in Ukraine's Donbas region. Genoese prosecutors have also charged 15 others with being members of the recruitment ring. Authorities in Genoa carried out the probes and arrests in tandem with ROS, the anti-organized-crime and antiterrorism branch of the carabinieri, Italy's paramilitary national police force. Police in Genoa have been investigating far-right networks in the area since 2016, according to the Genova Today newspaper. However, as UNIAN notes, the action comes months after a Ukrainian lawmaker submitted a list of 25 Italians believed to be fighting with the separatists in eastern Ukraine. Who Was Arrested? Other than their names and nationalities, few details of those arrested or those being sought were released, and government officials have made few comments on the matter. According to the La Repubblica newspaper, the people under arrest are Italian Antonio Cataldo, Albanian national Olszty Krutany, and Moldovan citizen Vladimir Verbitsky. The carabinieri released a video on August 1 in connection with the arrests, including footage of Verbitsky, who took the nom de guerre "Parma" when he allegedly went to fight in eastern Ukraine in May 2015, joining the Rusich group. He appeared to maintain a low profile at first, wearing a mask -- at least when in front of a camera -- as in this video. Later, however, he seemed less worried about his identity getting out. In a YouTube video posted by the separatists in Ukraine, Verbitsky is apparently shown firing artillery. On camera, "Parma" says he is 21 and, although he grew up in Italy, where his parents moved to from Moldova, he considers himself "Russian." Detainee Krutany is reportedly a veteran of the conflicts in Chechnya, the restive Russian region in North Caucasus. He was also an owner of a gym in Milan, and a fan of Russian martial arts, which allegedly gave him contacts to fighters in the Donbas, according to the Italian online news portal Ottopagine.it. Cataldo, the third detainee, is allegedly a key fixer, having acted as an intermediary between the fighters on the ground in eastern Ukraine and those in Italy wishing to go there. "Antonia Cataldo is a key figure in the probe by the Genoa law enforcement agencies into the recruiting of mercenaries who fought for pro-Russian forces in [eastern] Ukraine," explains Luciano Trapanese, the editor in chief of OttoPagine, in comments to Donbas Reality, the Donbas desk of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service. "He is considered an experienced mercenary, having fought in Libya, where he was captured by militants loyal to [Muammar] Qaddafi," Trapanese said. "He also took part in military training in Panama. He became well known after he was interviewed on Italian TV. He talked about his mercenary life in the Donbas and elsewhere. After that he became inspirational for those who wanted to travel from Italy to the Ukrainian regions to fight in the ranks of the pro-Putin troops." Still On the Run The three Italians who have so far evaded arrest are reported to be Andrea Palmeri, Gabriele Carugati, and Massimiliano Cavalleri. Cavalleri, known by his alias "Spartak," was regularly spotted in videos posted by the separatists. He was also photographed with Aleksandr Zacharchenko, a top leader in the separatist-controlled area of Ukraine's Donetsk region. Cavalleri posted a picture of himself on Facebook, grimly holding up a "passport" of the so-called "People's Republic of Donetsk," while an Italian flag hung in the background. Like Cavalleri, Palmeri is believed to currently be in separatist-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine. A former leader of the far-right hooligan group Bulldog Lucca, Palmeri has appeared on Italian TV boasting about his martial exploits in eastern Ukraine. In February 2014, he traveled to Ukraine to evade home arrest for an assault conviction. Palmeri claimed in an AFP interview in April 2018 that he was the first Italian to join the Russia-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine in 2014. Palmeri said he had made the decision to go to the Donbas after watching news reports on Russian TV that described Ukrainian authorities as neo-Nazis and broadcast reports -- which are untrue -- that Russian-speakers were being exterminated in Ukraine. Last year, Donbas Reality tried to arrange an interview with Palmeri via social media, but he refused to speak with journalists, ending one of his missives murkily: "We'll see you in [the western Ukrainian city of] Lviv." After the arrests in Italy, Palmeri went on Facebook to post a series of photos featuring himself doing various goodwill work in separatist-controlled areas of the Luhansk region -- distributing onions, potatoes, and cabbages with a caption reading: "Yes, I am a terrorist, I admit it." Carugati is the son of a politician from the far-right League party one of two parties in Italy's ruling coalition government. His mother, Silvana Marin, has publicly praised her son's choice to fight in Ukraine. A year ago Carugati boasted to Donbas Reality about how easy it was for him to slip across the border and get back to Italy. "I have already gone home, had a rest. Now I live in Donetsk," Carugati told RFE/RL. Ties Between Mercenaries And Politicians? As Carugati's case suggests, the mercenaries fighting in Ukraine appear to have at least some support among Italy's ruling elite. And that should come as no surprise. The right-wing League as well as Italy's other ruling party, the 5-Star Movement, are far from being hostile toward the Kremlin. Like other Kremlin-leaning, antiestablishment, and far-right parties in Europe, the 5-Star Movement and the League party have been courted heavily by Moscow, as have other European populist leaders sympathetic to Russian President Vladimir Putin and eager to embrace Russia as a counterweight to the European Union, according to Globalsecurity.org. "This [League] party has signed a cooperation agreement with the ruling party of Russia, with United Russia. [League leader Matteo] Salvini has called on numerous occasions for the lifting of sanctions against Russia," said Taras Semenyuk, an analyst at KyivStratPro. Russia has been slapped with sanctions for its actions in Ukraine, including the seizure of the Crimean Peninsula in March 2014. Salvini recently found himself in diplomatic hot water for more controversial statements and actions. Salvini reportedly visited Crimea earlier this year and stated that Russia's annexation was legitimate. For that, Ukraine summoned the Italian ambassador in Kyiv on July 20. However, as the latest arrests by Italian authorities suggest, the Italian government is far from united on its policy toward Ukraine. The case against U.S. President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, has been sent to a jury for deliberations after prosecutors presented closing arguments portraying an alleged web of lies Manafort laid to escape paying U.S. taxes on the income he earned for political-consulting work in Ukraine. The jurors on August 16 will begin deliberating their verdict on 18 counts of tax- and bank-fraud prosecutors have leveled against Manafort in a U.S. district court outside Washington. If found guilty on all the charges, he could face eight to 10 years in prison. It is the first case to go to trial that emerged from U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Prosecutor Greg Andres told the jurors that the government's case boils down to "Mr. Manafort and his lies." "When you follow the trail of Mr. Manafort's money, it is littered with lies," Andres said. Attorneys for Manafort argued that he was not guilty because he left the details of his finances to other people, including his former deputy, Rick Gates, who appeared as the government's star witness. None of the charges against Manafort involve anything he did during his five-month stint as Trump's campaign chairman in mid-2016, but many of them involve political work he did for the former pro-Russian president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, before he was ousted by street protests in 2014. About $16 million in income that prosecutors alleged Manafort hid from U.S. tax authorities came from his work in Ukraine between 2010 and 2014. Manafort faces a second trial in September where he is accused of failing to disclose lobbying he did in Washington for the Ukrainian politicians, among other alleged crimes. Defense attorney Richard Westling told jurors that the fact that Manafort employed a team of accountants, bookkeepers, and tax preparers shows he wasn't trying to hide anything from U.S. tax authorities. Some of the people who handled Manafort's finances, including his bookkeeper, testified that he concealed offshore bank accounts and lied to them about it. Westling said the evidence against Manafort had been cherry-picked by Mueller's team and didn't show jurors the full picture. "None of the banks involved reported Manafort's activities as suspicious," he said. Westling also questioned whether prosecutors had shown criminal intent by the former Trump campaign chairman, and pointed to documents and e-mails that the defense lawyer said might well show numerical errors or sloppy bookkeeping, but no overt fraud. During the prosecution's arguments, jurors took notes while Manafort gazed at a computer screen where documents were shown. The screen showed e-mails 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. Prosecutors highlighted one e-mail in which they said Manafort sent an inflated statement of his income to bank officers reviewing a loan application. They highlighted another in which Manafort acknowledged his control of one of 31 offshore companies that prosecutors say he used to hide more than $60 million he earned advising politicians in Ukraine. Prosecutors say Manafort falsely declared a large portion of that income from Ukrainian clients to be "loans" in a ruse 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. Prosecutors charged that Manafort's lies did not end after his income from Ukraine dried up largely as a result of Yanukovych's ouster. They said at that point, he started defrauding banks by lying about his income on loan applications. Manafort's lawyers blamed their client's financial maneuvers on Gates, who they portrayed in cross-examination as a liar, thief, and philanderer. Gates, who pleaded guilty to similar charges earlier this year and testified in hopes in getting a reduced sentence from prosecutors, told jurors he helped Manafort conceal millions of dollars in foreign income and submitted fake mortgage and tax documents. Andres said the government isn't asking jurors to decide the case based only on Gates' testimony. He said the testimony of several other witnesses and the hundreds of documents presented as evidence are enough to convict Manafort on tax-evasion and bank-fraud charges. 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 he stowed in foreign accounts and used to pay for $6 million in U.S. real estate and other luxury items. In 2012, Manafort's most successful year during his stint as a Ukrainian political consultant, he reported $5.3 million in income. But he told the government nothing about another $9.2 million he earned that prosecutors said was put into "a huge dumpster of hidden money in foreign bank accounts" and used to pay for his expenses. Defense lawyer Kevin Downing argued that the government was so desperate to make a case against Manafort that it gave a sweetheart plea deal to Gates, and Gates would say whatever was necessary to ensure prosecutors do not send him to jail. Leaving the courthouse, Downing said he felt "very good" about Manafort's chances of being acquitted. "Mr. Manafort was very happy with how things went today," Downing said. With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan says it will set up a special police force to provide security for tourists who visit the Central Asian nation. The move follows examples set by neighboring Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Zamirbek Soltongeldiev, an official in Kyrgyzstan's Interior Ministry, told journalists on August 16 that the "tourist police" will be formed by the end of 2018. Soltongeldiev said positions in the new police unit will be available after structural changes within the police force. He said preference will be given to candidates with knowledge of foreign languages. The announcement comes days after authorities in neighboring Tajikistan created a tourist police force in response to an attack on July 29 that killed four foreign cyclists. The Islamic State (IS) extremist group claimed responsibility for the killings. Kyrgyzstan has also been the site of recent attacks by alleged Islamic extremists -- including a 2016 car-bomb attack against the Chinese Embassy in Bishkek that injured three Kyrgyz. Uzbekistan launched a tourist police force in December in a move described by the Uzbek authorities as "a measure to preserve safe tourism in the country." Local authorities in Russia say they have withdrawn their approval of what would have been the country's first officially approved gay-pride parade -- an event that had been scheduled for August 26 in a village with only seven residents on the outskirts of the city of Novoulyanovsk. Novoulyanovsk's city manager, Gennady Denikayev, said on August 16 that the approval given for the parade by the city's mayor was invalid because the decision had been made without consulting him or Novoulyanovsk's city council. "I made a decision, there will be no gay parade," Denikayev said. "We intend to protect traditional family values and, foremost, our children from the propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations." Media reports about a gay-pride parade in the Yablonevy settlement in Russia's Ulyanovsk region emerged after Nikolai Alekseyev, one of Russia's leading gay-rights activists, wrote on Facebook on August 15 that Novoulyanovsk's mayor, Svetlana Kosarinova, had formally approved the event. Calling Kosarinova "Russia's most courageous human," Alekseyev had thanked her and predicted 300 people would take part in the parade. "This is the coolest development in Russia's history! Thank you," Alekseyev wrote, calling her "a real liberal, democrat, and simply the greatest human." Alekseyev also posted an image of Kosarinova's official letter offering for a gay-pride parade to be staged in nearby Yablonevy rather than within Novoulyanovsk's city center. Kosarinova's letter said: "Taking into account the population's negative attitude about these kinds of events, and in order to avoid conflicts and a possible violation of the Russian law...we offer you to change the place of the public event and hold it in Yablonevy settlement." Kosarinova's letter referred to Russia's internationally criticized 2013 law prohibiting "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations among minors." Russian authorities cite the law as grounds for refusing to allow gay-pride parades. With reporting by Dozhd, Interfax, and Ulyanovskiye Novosti The Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE) has expressed concern about Russian forces "river-crossing military exercise" in Moldovas breakaway region of Transdniester and said its team was blocked from monitoring the maneuvers. The OSCE said in a statement on August 15 that in accordance with a 1992 agreement designed to seek a settlement to the longstanding dispute, military exercises in the zone must be authorized by the Joint Control Commission (JCC) and the OSCE Mission, which was not done in this instance." "The OSCE Mission urges all parties involved in the fulfillment of the 1992 Agreement on Principles of a Peaceful Settlement to fully respect its provisions and the regime of the Security Zone, as well as the relevant JCC decisions and regulations," the OSCE statement said. As part of the military maneuvers, armored personnel carriers and armored reconnaissance vehicles of the Operational Group of Russian Forces practiced crossing the Dniester River, Russian news agency Interfax reported. The report said the forces "practiced U-turns, evading various obstacles such as sunken trees, reaching designated points on the opposite bank, and other maneuvers." The Moldovan delegation to the JCC called the drills in the demilitarized Security Zone as "provocative actions." The JCC, signed in 1992 by officials from Moldova, Russia, and Transdniester, is a multistate mission tasked with ensuring cease-fires and security arrangements in the security zone along the Dniester River. In June, Moldova also expressed concern over what it called unauthorized movements by Russian military forces in the breakaway region. It said it notified the OSCE. At the time, Moldovan authorities filmed some 40 trucks and other military vehicles with Russian symbols and license plates moving along a main road linking the northern and southern parts of Transdniester, a sliver of land along the Ukrainian border in eastern Moldova. Transdneister is considered one of the many "frozen conflicts" in the former Soviet Union. The mainly Russian-speaking region declared independence from Moldova in 1990 over fears that Chisinau would seek reunification with neighboring Romania. Most of Moldova was part of Romania in the period between World War I and World War II. Moldovan forces and Moscow-backed Transdniester fighters fought a short but bloody war in 1992. The conflict ended with a cease-fire agreement after Russian troops in the region intervened on the side of the separatists. Some 1,400 Russian troops remain in Transdniester guarding Soviet-era arms depots, and Moscow has resisted numerous calls over the years to withdraw its troops. Transdniester's independence is recognized by no country, and the United Nations and OSCE, among others, have attempted to forge a resolution to the dispute. With reporting by RFE/RLs Moldovan Service WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced the appointment of a special representative for Iran to coordinate U.S. policy as the administration looks to ramp up pressure on Tehran after pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal. In a briefing on August 16, Pompeo said Brian Hook, currently the State Departments director of policy planning, will head the new Iran Action Group (IAG) and will coordinate actions among various U.S. agencies. Pompeo said that "we're committed to a whole-government effort to change the Iranian regime's behavior, and the Iran Action group will ensure that the State Department remains closely synchronized with our interagency partners." He added that the IAG will also coordinate policy with the "growing" number of nations that share the U.S. understanding "of the Iranian threat." Hook told the briefing that the IAG was part of U.S. efforts to deal with the wide range of "malign" Iranian activities, including its "aspirations for nuclear weapons," support for terrorism, cyberactivities, and the proliferation of ballistic missiles. Hook, who has held several positions within the State Department, appeared to play down remarks on July 30 by U.S. President Donald Trump that he would be willing to meet President Hassan Rohani with "no preconditions" at "anytime." He said it was the "burden" of Iranian officials to change their behavior to create the possibility of dialogue. Hook referenced 12 requirements outlined by U.S. officials earlier -- "mostly around nukes, terrorism, and the detention of American citizens" -- that Tehran would need to show progress on before closer ties or sanctions relief could be considered. It was also up to Iran to settle internal differences between relative moderates such as Rohani and hard-line religious leaders, such as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, he said. Pompeo and Hook did not provide details of the IAG or name other members of the group, saying only that a team had been assembled. Trump complained bitterly about Irans actions during his election campaign and into his term of office. He has accused Tehran of violating the spirit of the 2015 nuclear deal Iran signed with six world powers and of financing insurgent violence in the Middle East, a charge Iran has denied. Trump pulled the United States out of the nuclear deal in May and, in early August, reimposed economic sanctions that were lifted under the deal, helping to severely cripple the Iranian economy. Trump has called on Iran to negotiate a new deal that would entirely rid Iran of nuclear weapons capability and also curb its development of ballistic missiles, which has been a point of contention between Tehran and Washington for years. Despite the pressure on Iran, the U.S. administration has consistently said it is not seeking regime change in Iran but a "change in behavior." Ukrainian prosecutors in the treason trial of ex-President Viktor Yanukovych have asked the court in Kyiv to sentence the pro-Russian former leader to 15 years in prison. Prosecutors Ruslan Kravchenko and Maksym Krym made the request on August 16 during closing arguments of Yanukovych's trial in absentia. Yanukovych has been charged with high treason, complicity in an aggressive war against Ukraine, and complicity in premeditated activities aimed at altering Ukraine's state borders. He remains in Russia, where he fled in February 2014 amid rising unrest following a deadly crackdown against Euromaiden protesters by riot police in Kyiv. The pro-European Union protests were triggered by Yanukovych's decision to scrap plans for a landmark trade accord with the EU. Dozens of people were killed when the authorities attempted to clamp down on the protests. Shortly after he fled, Russia seized Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and fomented opposition to the central government in eastern Ukraine -- leading to an ongoing war between Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists that has killed more than 10,300 people. After closing arguments on August 16, Judge Vladyslav Devyatko adjourned the trial until September 13. Based on reporting by Gordon.ua and Ukrayinska Pravda Russian President Vladimir Putin has hosted the leader of Turkmenistan for talks following the long-awaited signing of a new convention on the legal status of the resource-rich Caspian Sea. At the start of his meeting with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov in Russia's Black Sea resort city of Sochi, Putin said on August 15 that he would like to discuss "all issues that are of interest for bilateral relations" following the signing of the agreement. "We have always built our relations based on mutual respect, so we are really doing a lot to promote our cooperation," the Turkmen leader said. Ahead of the informal meeting, the Kremlin said the talks would touch upon the "entire range of bilateral relations," including a "possible energy dialogue." The Sochi meeting came three days after an August 12 summit in Kazakhstan's port city of Aqtau during which Putin, Berdymukhammedov, and the presidents of Azerbaijan, Iran, and Kazakhstan signed a new convention on the legal status and delimitation of the oil- and gas-rich Caspian Sea -- a matter disputed by the five littoral states for more than 20 years. The talks also followed the signing of a "strategic partnership" agreement between Russia and Turkmenistan in Ashgabat in October 2017. Ties between the two countries have been strained by disputes over the issue of natural-gas supplies. Russia has suspended gas purchases from Turkmenistan for years, citing contract violations by Turkmenistan, 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. With reporting by AP, TASS, and Interfax Talks between Serbia and Kosovo on a possible redrawing of borders largely along ethnic lines are threatening to reignite a familiar European tinderbox. Despite questions over whether they even have a mandate to do so, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaci have embarked on high-level talks that could envision Kosovo's Serb-dominated north coming under Belgrade's rule in exchange for the Albanian-dominated Presevo Valley in south Serbia being handed to Pristina. The idea is incendiary enough that Thaci has avoided calling it a redrawing of borders, but instead uses the phrase "correction" to describe any possible changes. But no matter what the wording, Western diplomats, Balkan analysts, and even those on the ground say any moving of the borders could destabilize a region that has struggled to come to terms with the violent breakup of the former Yugoslavia. Perhaps even worse, it is feeding tensions between Serbia's traditional ally Russia, which has been trying to gain influence in the region, and NATO and the European Union, which want to bring the countries into Western structures. "We have to stop this game by the two leaders, who, if they succeed in their intentions, will cause not only the relocation of families and human victims in Kosovo and Serbia, but will destabilize the entire Balkans," Ilir Deda, an opposition deputy in Kosovo's parliament, told RFE/RL. "Because the border between Kosovo and Serbia cannot be changed without affecting Macedonia, Montenegro, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Not to talk about Eastern Europe," he added. Kosovo didn't exist as a country until it broke free from Serbia in 2008, nearly a decade after a NATO-led bombing campaign pushed out Serbian forces to end a brutal crackdown on ethnic Albanians during a two-year battle for independence. Europe's youngest country's 1.8 million population is more than 90 percent ethnic Albanians and about 5 percent ethnic Serbs. Western powers always hoped Kosovo would mature into a stable, multiethnic state. To that end, there are some 5,000 NATO troops still stationed in Kosovo, which is recognized by more than 110 countries but not Serbia, Russia, China, or five of the European Union's 28 members. Pandora's Box? Changing the border could open Pandora's box across the entire Balkans, and not just Serbia and Kosovo, according to Carl Bildt, the former Swedish prime minister who served as the European Union special envoy to former Yugoslavia from June 1995, co-chairman of the Dayton Peace Conference in November 1995, and high representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina from December 1995 to June 1997 immediately after the Bosnian War. He worries the move could lead to a reopening of the debate over the future of Bosnia and that "there is the even more difficult and dangerous issue of Macedonia, where Albanians are a substantial part of the population." If the Albanian areas of the wider region start coming together also through a process of territorial swaps, there will certainly be those asking why this should not apply to Macedonia as well, he said. "Playing with borders and divisions in the Balkans was dangerous in the early 1990s, and remains so now," Bildt wrote in an opinion piece for The Washington Post on August 9. "Further Balkanizing the Balkans is a recipe for disaster." So why would Vucic and Thaci risk so much? Both countries are looking to join the European Union, and for that to happen they must normalize relations. Serbia considers Kosovo the cradle of its history and religion, and the preamble to the Serbian Constitution describes Kosovo as an "integral part" of its territory. As many as 120,000 ethnic Serbs live in Kosovo, compared with about 70,000 ethnic Albanians who live in Serbia. Amid mounting speculation, Vucic acknowledged on August 9 that he was prepared to compromise on defining Serbia's borders with Kosovo. Five days later, Thaci told Reuters that he would present his plan "to correct the border" to Vucic when they meet in September in Brussels as part of a dialogue sponsored by the EU that began in 2011 as the two sides tried to iron out issues including control over Kosovo's energy infrastructure, the freedom of movement of citizens, and the future of ethnic Serbs who remain inside Kosovo. The arduous process of building stability in the Balkans was recently given a boost by an agreement between Macedonia, which also has a sizable Albanian minority, and Greece over what to call Macedonia, which is officially known in the UN as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). While Washington and Brussels have been pushing for an agreement, the statements from Pristina and Belgrade still shocked many European diplomats and politicians. 'Inviolable' Border German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on August 13 that the border is "inviolable," but concern is less apparent in the United States, which recently seems to be taking the position that it will accept whatever is agreed by the two sides. That is widely regarded as a significant policy shift from previous U.S. administrations, which were openly against the redrawing of Kosovo's borders. "The current U.S. administration is ready to at least take into account on an equal footing our proposals for the resolution of major problems in the region -- a lasting solution to the Kosovo and Metohija problem certainly being one of those," Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said in a statement after a recent visit to Washington. "This is a huge change compared to only two years ago, since in all talks with the representatives of U.S. institutions it was maintained that the Kosovo issue had already been resolved.... Today, a compromise solution is openly supported," he added. Lurking in the not-too-distant background, however, is Russia, which is likely to treat any partitioning in the Balkans as a validation of its claims in Ukraine (Crimea), Moldova (Transdniester), and the breakaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. All of the speculation has even worried Serbia's Orthodox Church. "Partition of Kosovo would lead to one of the most serious destabilizations of the security situation in the last 20 years in Europe. It would cause a huge human tragedy & leave deep wounds. Anyone who knows the Balkans well can't find any common sense in this preposterous idea," Father Sava Janjic, abbot of the Serbian Orthodox Visoki Decani Monastery in Kosovo, tweeted. "After years of forceful ethnic cleansing in the Balkans & reshaping of ex-Yugoslavia into ethnic clean entities there is a new danger of an agreed land-swap which would be nothing but a consensual exchange of populations -- an agreed completion of ethnic cleansing in Kosovo," he added. With reporting by RFE/RL's Balkan Service Romanians have been protesting outside the government building since August 10, but sweltering heat and a long holiday weekend has seen their numbers dwindle from tens of thousands to just a few hundred. Those who are still on the streets have vowed to keep demonstrating against their government, which they accuse of abusing power, rampant corruption, and failing to halt young people leaving the country in droves. Russia says it is working on retaliatory measures against the United States after Washington imposed sanctions on a Russian company and its head for helping North Korea evade United Nations sanctions. "These restrictions have been introduced without providing any evidence and on the basis of unfounded accusations," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on August 16. The U.S. Treasury Department said on August 15 that it was taking actions against three shipping companies based in China, Singapore, and Russia, as well as the head of the Russian shipping firm, Profinet Pte. The sanctions block any assets the three companies may have in U.S. jurisdictions and bar U.S. citizens from doing business with them. Despite having opened direct talks with Pyongyang, Washington continues to press for full compliance with existing international sanctions against North Korea to keep pressure on Pyongyang to end its programs for nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. "Consequences for violating these sanctions will remain in place until we have achieved the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. The Treasury blacklisted Profinet Pte. for providing port services like loading and refueling to sanctioned North Korean-flagged ships at three eastern Russian ports. It also said the company's director-general, Vasily Kolchanov, "was personally involved" in deals with the North Koreans. Kolchanov told Reuters the sanctions against him and his firm were illegal, and said he only helped prepare documents for the North Korean vessels. Kolchanov insisted he had worked with the ships as a transport agent, but was not involved in trading any goods. The Treasury also 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. China's Foreign Ministry said Beijing had always strictly enforced UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea and did not allow Chinese firms or individuals to engage in activities that violated the UN sanctions. With reporting by Reuters and Interfax The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. People are still appealing to Russian authorities to release the bodies of their loved ones, six months after an air crash killed 71 people. Warning -- contains disturbing content. A 30-year-old Tajik man has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of insulting the countrys president and calling for the overthrow of the government on social media posts, family and a court official say. Umar Murodov shared the posts on Russian social network Odnoklassniki over the past two years while working as a migrant laborer in Russia, said a court official in Tajikistans southern Khatlon Province, where Murodov was sentenced. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, saying he wasn't authorized to speak to the media. Murodov was arrested on June 12 upon his return to his native town of Kulob. Murodovs father, Davlat Murodov, told RFE/RL on August 16 that his son was wanted by Tajik authorities over the allegations. "Authorities had promised us that if he returned voluntarily, he will be pardoned. I sold our cow and bought him tickets. My son came, but they arrested him," the father said. The family say they dont agree with the court ruling but will not appeal it, and instead will write a letter to President Emomali Rahmon asking for a pardon. Court documents obtained by RFE/RLs Tajik Service show that Murodov admitted to reposting and liking several videos. However, Umarov insisted he "didn't have an intention of overthrowing the government and insulting or slandering the president." In April, another migrant worker from Khatlon, Alijon Sharipov, was sentenced to nine and a half years for watching, liking, and sharing videos of the banned Islamic Renaissance Party's gatherings abroad. Sharipov was found guilty of "calling for extremism, calling for the overthrow of the government, and working for banned political parties." Sharipov admitted sharing the videos, but said he didnt know it was against the law. Tajik authorities say they have arrested five men in connection with the July 29 attack that killed four foreign cyclists, as Dushanbe widened its investigation. Authorities said they had also ordered 20 Tajik migrant workers in Russia to return home for questioning. Tajik police said on August 16 that the five men were arrested last week in the southern town of Norak, the hometown of two of the suspects in the attack. Abdurahmon Gulov, a local official in Norak, said those arrested were Farhod Davlatov and his father Abdumumin Davlatov, and Bakhtovar Salohiddinov, Qiyomiddin Qurbonov, and Bakhtiyor Solehov. Gulov said the five men were in contact via WhatsApp with Asliddin and Jafar Yusupov, the two brothers from Norak who were among four suspects killed in a police operation on July 29-30. During the same operation, police detained Hussein Abdusamadov, the alleged cell leader of a terrorist group that carried out the July attack, the deadliest on Western tourists in Central Asian history. Gulov said the Yusupov brothers encouraged the five men to join their terrorist cell and disclosed their plans to carry out terrorist attacks in Tajikistan. Gulov said the five men were charged with failing to notify authorities of a possible crime. Gulov said the 20 Tajik citizens ordered to return from Russia for questioning were in contact with the five men suspected of carrying out the attack. Abdusamadov was a migrant worker in Russia before his return to Dushanbe around three months ago. In the brutal July 29 attack on the foreigners, a car rammed into the group of cyclists before multiple attackers emerged from the vehicle and stabbed survivors, killing two Americans, a Swiss, and a Dutch national. Three other foreigners were injured in the attack before the assailants sped off. Islamic Party Blamed The extremist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack and released a video showing five men -- at least some of whom appeared to resemble four men identified by Tajik officials as suspects killed in a confrontation with security forces -- pledging allegiance to IS's leader. But the government maintained the five men were members of the banned Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), which the Tajik authorities have blamed for the attack. The leadership of the IRPT -- which served for several years in the Tajik government -- has called the authorities' claims "baseless and irrational," as well as "shameless and illogical slander." The IRPT was Central Asia's only registered Islamic political party until the Tajik government banned it in 2015. It had tens of thousands of members when it was outlawed and has since been labeled a "terrorist" organization by Dushanbe. U.S. President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan and threatened to do the same to other former top national-security officials in what opponents said was an unprecedented act of retribution against vocal critics of his presidency. Most of those targeted late on August 15 were top intelligence and law enforcement officials from the administrations of former President Barack Obama and other previous presidents who have spoken out against what they see as mistakes and abuses by Trump. In a highly unusual personal directive, Trump justified his removal of Brennan's access to top-secret documents and briefings about events around the world because he said Brennan's "erratic conduct" posed national-security "risks." Trump claimed that, as president, he had a "constitutional responsibility" to protect the nation from such risks. But Brennan said Trump's move was an "abuse of power," and other Trump opponents accused the president of creating an "enemies list" of personal foes that mirrors the behavior of "banana republics" and "dictatorships, not democracies." In an opinion piece in The New York Times on August 16, Brennan said Trump revoked his security clearance because Trump's election campaign colluded with Russia to influence the results of the 2016 vote. He said Trump is now desperate to end a special counsel's investigation into the matter. Brennan cited press reports and Trump's own call during the campaign for Russia to find missing e-mails of his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. Brennan, a contributor on MSNBC, claimed the president is trying to curb his free speech, which is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, in a "politically motivated" action that he said should "gravely worry all Americans." Former top government officials like Brennan traditionally have retained their security clearances so they can advise their successors as well as continue to work in high-level foreign affairs positions. Trump himself drew a direct connection between the revocation of Brennan's clearance and the Russia probe, telling The Wall Street Journal the investigation is a "sham," and "these people led it!" Trump supporters and critics both said his move marked an unprecedented politicization of the U.S. government's security-clearance process and an escalation of Trump's ongoing battle with U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies. Trump's announcement accused Brennan of having "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." "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," he said. Brennan made headlines last month calling Trump's performance at a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin after a summit in Finland "nothing short of treasonous." Trump said he was considering stripping the security clearances of other top officials who have criticized him, including former FBI Director James Comey, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA Director Michael Hayden, former national-security adviser Susan Rice, and former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe. Comey was leading the FBI's investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign when Trump fired him last year. Trump's list also includes FBI agent Peter Strzok, who was fired earlier this week for sending texts that were critical of Trump while he was participating in the Russia investigation, and former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, who was the recipient of Strzok's private texts. Trump told The Wall Street Journal late on August 15 that he targeted some people on the list because they led the Russia investigation, which he called a "sham" and a "witch hunt." Clapper, reacting on CNN, said he didn't plan to stop speaking out about the Trump administration. "If they're saying that the only way I can speak is to be in an adulation mode of this president. I'm sorry, I don't think I can sign up to that," Clapper said, adding, "This is, at least in my memory, unprecedented." Clapper said he and the others targeted had all "directly run afoul" of Trump and his administration in some way. Hayden said Trump's threat "will have no impact on what I think, say, or write, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders insisted Trump was not targeting only his critics. Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, a Republican, both called Trump's move "banana republic" behavior. Democrats in Congress accused Trump of creating an "enemies list." "Trump demonstrates again how deeply insecure and vindictive he is -- two character flaws dangerous in any president," said Representative Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee. He added that "I also believe this action to silence a critic is unlawful." With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters The United States has criticized a move by lawmakers in Bosnia-Herzegovina's predominantly Serbian entity to annul a report acknowledging that Bosnian Serb forces violated humanitarian law by killing thousands of Muslim Bosniaks. In a statement late on August 15, the U.S. State Department said the lawmakers were attempting to "deny history" by revoking the report by a previous Republika Srpska government, which concluded that Bosnian Serb forces killed about 8,000 Muslims in Srebrenica during the country's 1992-95 war. The department said the Republika Srpska's adoption of the 2004 report on the Srebrenica massacre had been an important reconciliation step. "The August 14 session of the Republika Srpska National Assembly is a step in the wrong direction," the department said. "Attempts to reject or amend the report on Srebrenica are part of wider efforts to revise the facts of the past war, to deny history, and to politicize tragedy. It is in the interest of the citizens of Republika Srpska to reverse the trend of revering convicted war criminals as heroes, and to ensure their crimes continue to be publicly rejected." The vote on August 14 to revoke the 2004 report was initiated by Bosnian Serb leader President Milorad Dodik and was widely seen as an attempt to boost his campaign ahead of general elections in October. Dodik, an advocate of the Serbian region's secession from Bosnia, has rejected rulings by war crimes courts, which have determined that the Srebrenica atrocity was a genocide. While acknowledging that a crime occurred, Dodik says the numbers of those killed was exaggerated in the 2004 report and it should have included Serbian victims. The parliament concluded that a new independent international commission should be formed to determine the damages suffered by all peoples in the Srebrenica region. Based on reporting by Reuters and RFE/RL's Balkan Service After a longtime ban on photographing the Tashkent Metro was lifted this summer, RFE/RLs photographer went underground to reveal the art, architecture, and nuclear-blast protection in Central Asias oldest subway system. Writhing figures in a relief at the exit to Buyuk Ipak Yuli (Great Silk Road) station. A moment between trains in Kosmonavtlar (Cosmonauts) station. The stop is famous for its dreamlike portraits of cosmonauts. Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, immortalized in Kosmonavtlar station. The ceramic wall panels fade from blue to black in imitation of Earths atmosphere. Passengers squeeze into a carriage in Pakhtakor (Cotton Worker) station. Gafur Qulom station, named after an Uzbek intellectual. During the Soviet period, planners required a citys population to top 1 million before work would begin on a subway. Tashkents population reached the milestone in the early 1960s. Commuters in Pakhtakor station. Tunneling for the underground system got under way in 1971, and the Metro opened in 1977. A glistening corridor linking two stations. After an earthquake devastated Tashkent in 1966, newly cautious planners reportedly reduced the depth and increased the strength of the Metro, tunneling within a few meters of the streets above. A latenight commuter in Ming Orik (Thousand Apricot) station. Metro trains run from 5 a.m. until midnight. A ceramic mural is revealed as a Metro car rolls out of Tashkent station. Chandeliers in Chilonzor station, named after a region of Tashkent. Artists were brought in from across the Soviet Union to work on the Tashkent Metro. These 5-meter chandeliers were designed by Latvian artist Haim Rykhsin. A carefully monitored portrait of Alisher Navoi, considered one of the founders of the Uzbek poetic tradition. Mosque-like architecture inside Alisher Navoi station. A Metro car rumbles into Novza station, named after a region of Tashkent. The underground mostly operates similar cars to the Moscow Metro, a model known for its screeching roar when driving at speed. A cashier at an entrance to the Metro. A trip costs 1,200 Uzbek soms, the equivalent of $0.15, making it the cheapest subway ride in the former U.S.S.R. Many of the Metro stations were decommunized and had their names changed after the breakup of the U.S.S.R. in 1991. Amir Temur Khiyoboni (Amir Temur Square) station (pictured) is the former October Revolution station. A Red Army soldier waves a blank flag that apparently had its hammer and sickle removed. A ceramic panel depicting a woman playing a lute inside Alisher Navoi station. A mosaic of freshly puffed cotton bolls inside Pakhtakor station. Uzbekistan is one of the worlds leading producers of cotton and is still thought to use forced labor in its cotton industry, although a 2018 decree was aimed at ending the practice. Photography inside the the heavily policed Metro was forbidden until June 2018 because of the military sensitivity of its second role: as a nuclear bomb shelter. This slab of steel is a blast door that would swing locked behind soldiers and civilians in the event of a nuclear attack. While the threat of a nuclear strike on Uzbekistan has faded, the new perceived menace of terrorism is reflected in signage like this declaring: Awareness is a requirement of the modern era! Another safety message exclaims: Vigilance -- the guarantor of our security! A decorative panel inside Alisher Navoi station. A portrait of Soviet cosmonaut Yury Gagarin, the first man in space, in Kosmonavtlar station. A wall relief shining in the glow of an approaching Metro cars headlights in Milliy Bog (National Park) station. A mural celebrating 2,200 years since the founding of Tashkent, inside Tashkent station. Characters from an epic poem by Oybek in the station named after the Uzbek poet. Commuters peering out at the novel sight of a foreigner taking photos of their Metro. Most of the Metro stations have humble entrances, giving no hint of the dazzling architecture below. Now that photography is permitted, however, the fame of the Soviet-era spectacle is likely to spread quickly. Environmental officials say habitat destruction biggest threat to crocodiles Cancun, Q.R. Environmental officials of the state say its important people understand how to live in the same environment as crocodiles and curb the amount of garbage being thrown away, something that is affecting their habitat. Gonzalo Merediz Alonso, Executive Director of Amigos de Sian Kan, said that its important for both humans and crocodiles to coexist in a natural environment, but while doing so, to take care of the environment of the crocodile, especially the Acutus species, which is at risk of extinction. He explained that there are two species of crocodiles in Quintana Roo, the Acutus and the Moreletti, and that the latter was recently removed from the risk of extinction list thanks to management projects that stopped hunting of the species. He says that hunting is not a problem regarding the crocodiles that live in the area, but that they are more concerned about how humans are beginning to invade the natural reserves that animals have left to live in. Hunting really is no longer a major problem. It is more the problem of damage by the destruction of their habitat. There have been incidents of people illegally hunting crocodiles, which is a federal crime, but that really is not whats putting the crocodile population at risk right now, he explained. He said that chemical pollution is also not a problem that is affecting the population of crocodiles either, neither in the Manati lagoon nor in the Nichupte as has been the case elsewhere in Mexico, specifically in the Tabasco rivers where dead crocodiles and manatees have been found. I am more worried about the destruction of their habitat and the excess of garbage that we throw into the water more than the issue of industrial pollution. If you get chemical contamination it can affect them, but luckily there is no chemical industry in the state, so it is not such a serious problem, he said. He explained that the real issue is raising awareness and educating people to have responsible management of the environment and learning to live with and share the space we all live in. He noted that understanding how to deal with a crocodile is also important, such as the crocodile that was relocated from the grounds of the University of the Caribbean recently. Each year there are several local incidences involving humans and crocodiles, that range from beach sightings in Playa del Carmen to attacks on the island of Cozumel and in the lagoons of Cancun where in 2017, a man lost an arm after being attacked by a crocodile. Italian women arrested in Cancun after paying with fake bills Cancun, Q.R. An Italian woman has been arrested in Cancun after allegedly defrauding a business in Merida. Fluvia N, a 57-year-old woman from Candelo, Italy, was detained by federal police after she paid for watches, rings, necklaces, bracelets and other pieces with counterfeit bills worth an approximate 1 million Euro. The woman was arrested by federal police on Sunyaxchen Avenue in Cancun where she was found carrying a large amount of jewelry that she paid for with fake bills to a business in Merida, Yucatan. Fluvia N of Italy The Merida business reported the woman after she was said to have purchased more than 40 pieces of high-end jewelry. Paying in cash, the store later found out the bills were counterfeit. Federal police were in search of the woman, who they found in Cancun. Upon seeing the police, the woman apparently tried to avoid them, but was intercepted and searched. On her person, they found a bag of jewelry and two small bags of drugs known as crystal. She was carrying 10 luxury watches, 23 diamond rings, five sets of earrings and 10 necklaces among other items including drugs. After her arrest, the 57-year-old woman stated that she was of Italian nationality and that she intended to travel to the Brussels airport in Belgium to deliver the merchandise. The woman was arrested and handed over to the Public Ministry for investigation. Murdered Jarvin Blake A ROTHERHAM man has been charged with murdering a Sheffield father-of-three. Caine Gray (27), of Treeton, has been charged with the murder of Jarvin Blake this morning (Thursday) along with three other men Josiah Foster (26), of the Manor, Lewis Barker (26), of Parson Cross and Devon Walker (24), of Burngreave. Walker is also charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The four men were arrested earlier this year after Mr Blake (22) was stabbed to death in Burngreave on Thursday, March 9. The men will appear before Sheffield Magistrates Court at the next available hearing. Det Chief Insp Steve Handley said: This has and continues to be a complex and detailed investigation and Id like to thank Jarvins friends and family for their support and patience while weve continued with our enquiries. Id also like to thank members of the local community who have provided us with information so far and would continue to ask anyone who has information to get in touch with us via 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that women officers recruited under the short service commission in the armed forces will have the option of taking up a 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 news to our brave daughters. Women officers who have been appointed through the short service commission in the armed forces will get a permanent commission through a transparent process. It is a gift for them," Modi said. Advertisement Modi made the policy announcement while addressing the nation Official sources said the 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 a permanent commission in all streams except the flying branch. Navy has allowed the permanent commission of women in a host of departments such as logistics, naval designing, air traffic control, engineering and legal. The Army offers a 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. Advertisement Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman 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 the 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. 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 equations -- a 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 3D objects, will be presented at this year's 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 2D images, where a picture can be easily represented by a regular arrangement of pixels. But if a 3D 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." 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. 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, though -- Common 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." 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. advertisement 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. advertisement "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. Future expansion of the palm oil industry could have a dramatic impact on African primates, according to the findings of a new study led by the Joint Research Centre, the European Commission's science and knowledge service. The study has been published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Scientists found only a few small 'areas of compromise' in Africa with a high suitability for oil palm cultivation and a low potential impact on the primate species living there. These areas totalled 0.13 million hectares (Mha), which is less than 0.005 % of the total land mass of the African continent. Even when taking into account all areas with at least minimum suitability to grow the plants from which palm oil is extracted, just 3.3 Mha of land is available to produce the oil without endangering primate populations. This amounts to only 6.2% of the 53Mha that would be required to cope with rising palm oil demand by 2050. With the demand for palm oil steadily increasing, and the industry looking for new possibilities for expansion beyond Southeast Asia and South America, the study shows how it will be extremely challenging to reconcile conservation targets with future conversion of land to oil palm crops. Palm oil production expands as the world's population grows Palm oil can be found in about half of all packaged products in the supermarket, from food to makeup and cleaning products. It is also used in some biofuels. Production is steadily rising, and expected to accelerate as the world's population continues to grow and demand for these products increases. advertisement Most oil palms -- the plants from which palm oil is derived -- are currently grown in Southeast Asia and, to a lesser extent, in South and Central America. Africa is considered as a likely destination for new plantations, thanks to the abundant low-lying tropical ecosystems that are highly suitable for profitable oil palm cropping. Lessons learned from the catastrophic impact of industrial oil palm plantations on wildlife in Southeast Asia prompted the international team of researchers, from the JRC, CIRAD, Stellenbosch University, Liverpool John Moores University and ETH Zurich, to produce a broad assessment of the expected effects of oil palm expansion on African primate diversity, highlighting the challenges that lie ahead. Primate diversity: a good indicator of ecosystem health The researchers chose to focus on primates for multiple reasons. The most obvious one is that primates are a priority for conservation. Populations of many primate species are already in steep decline as large parts of their natural habitat are exploited for agriculture, logging and mining. Indeed, 37% of primate species in mainland Africa and 87% of species in Madagascar are threatened with extinction. "Primates offer us a detailed view on ecosystem health, as they play an important role in seed dispersal and maintaining the composition of forest communities" explains Giovanni Strona, lead author of the study. "Primate diversity correlates with the diversity of other plant and animal groups, which implies that the potential impact of future oil palm expansion we modelled for primates could extend to biodiversity in general. The home ranges of most African primate species are relatively well known, which made it possible for us to confidently use them in our large-scale analysis." Mitigating the dangers of future expansion advertisement Researchers produced and then compared two maps, one on primate vulnerability and the other on suitability for oil palm cultivation. The maps revealed striking similarities across sub-Saharan Africa, with areas of high primate vulnerability and high oil palm suitability overlapping in equatorial and forested regions across West and Central Africa. "Some levers for the successful conservation of African biodiversity do exist, based mainly on realistic mitigation strategies," says Ghislain Vieilledent, co-author of the study. One strategy would be to identify alternative trajectories for agricultural expansion, using 'smart' criteria and minimising the loss of primate habitat. Another important one could be intensifying yields through the use of high quality seed and better breeding technologies." Acknowledging that the real world application of such criteria can be problematic, researchers compared four oil palm expansion scenarios: two income-driven scenarios, based on either land suitability or accessibility; two conservation-driven scenarios, based on either minimising carbon dioxide emissions or first converting areas of low primate vulnerability. The scenario based on land suitability led to the highest cumulative loss of primate habitat. In the primate vulnerability scenario, the number of primate species significantly affected by oil palm expansion could be kept relatively low. Nevertheless, even in this 'optimal' scenario, more than five species, on average, will lose 1,000 ha of range land for every 1,000 ha of land conversion. An increase in demand for palm oil for biodiesel would further ratchet up the demand for land conversion, highlighting the importance of future transport emissions policies. National and international policy initiatives, alongside voluntary schemes such as the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), also have the potential to mitigate large-scale deforestation. To tackle the problem at source, government policies and retailer-led initiatives could help modify consumption patterns and reduce the increase in future global demand. However, this requires additional actions, among them raising consumer awareness about the environmental consequences of their lifestyle. "There is already a momentum for change, with many people worldwide starting to realise how their daily choices can have a significant impact on far away, vulnerable ecosystems." concludes Giovanni. "We hope that our findings could represent another important step in this constructive direction." Years after the end of the Human Genome Project (HGP), which mapped the human genetic blueprint, its contributions to science and scientific culture are still unfolding. Ioannis Pavlidis, Eckhard Pfeiffer Professor of Computational Physiology at the University of Houston, UH doctoral student Dinesh Majeti and Alexander Petersen, professor of management at the University of California Merced, report in Science Advances that HGP scientists not only laid the groundwork for scientific breakthroughs for decades to come, but -- because they worked together -- brought to the mainstream a collaboration model that changed science's cultural norms. "One of the key factors of the success was the way it incorporated cross collaboration between biologists, computer scientists and other disciplines," said Pavlidis. "Research was organized around a new model, the consortium model, where scientists from different fields and in different localities worked for years toward a common goal." Since Galileo first peered into a telescope and DaVinci sketched out human anatomy, the business of science has been populated by independent endeavors. Systematic team efforts were transient exceptions. For centuries that image of the loner scientist was not updated, nor did it need to be -- until now. Pavlidis and Petersen report that after the sequencing of the human genome was completed in 2003, the consortium model did not go away, and scientists never returned to their silos. It was a clear departure from norms. Researchers from biology, computing and other disciplines kept building consortia, unlocking the genetic secrets of fauna and flora, and in the process transforming the ability to understand, predict and edit life. "In an era where science has been professionalized, one cannot fully appreciate the reasons for genomics' success unless you look at the effect it had on the researchers' careers," said Petersen. To investigate this, the authors assembled a dataset that included biographic and funding information for over 4,000 faculty in 155 biology and computing departments in the United States, including information for their 400,000+ publications co-authored with a network of nearly 500,000 collaborators. Using big data and counterfactual modeling, the team demonstrated that biology and computing researchers who crossed disciplinary boundaries collaborating with each other on genomics grounds had more successful careers than their mono-disciplinary colleagues. "Their cross-disciplinary publications had superior impact and the same patterns were found to be true at the international literature level," said Petersen. Specifically, genomic articles with mixed authorship from biology and computing, or genomic articles with mixed biology and computing content, had significantly stronger impact compared to alternatives. Petersen and Pavlidis believe that as cross-disciplinary work continues, scientific advancements will follow suit. "If we continue to do this and have well-timed and well-designed funding efforts, as the Human Genome Project had, then I think we can put scientific progress on steroids," said Pavlidis. 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. advertisement 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. New research from Indiana University suggests that computer models used to predict the spread of epidemics from climate change -- such as crop blights or disease outbreaks -- may not take into account an important factor in predicting their severity. A study recently published in the journal Ecology has found that pathogens that grow inside organisms at higher temperatures produce offspring that cause higher rates of infection compared to pathogens that grow inside organisms at lower temperatures. This suggests that climate can cause an "echo effect" in future pathogens, ultimately making them more infectious. "It's well known that environment can affect offspring across generations in plants and animals," said Spencer Hall, a professor in the IU Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Biology, who is senior author on the study. "This study is one of the first to suggest that similar cross-generational effects occur in parasites and pathogens." The work was led by Marta Strecker Shocket, a Ph.D. student in Hall's lab at the time of the study. Hall is also a member of the Environment Resilience Institute at IU, part of the IU Prepared for Environmental Change Grand Challenge. "If past environmental conditions impact the frequency or severity of future infections, then current climate models are not taking an important factor into consideration when predicting threats from climate change," said Shocket, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. "This might include threats to animals, plants and people." The researchers' analysis draws in part upon research in water fleas conducted at three freshwater lakes in southern Indiana where Hall's lab has collected samples since 2009. Located on the site of a former coal mine in Green-Sullivan State Forest in Linton, Indiana, the lakes are known locally as Lake Gambill, Lake Clear and Lake Scott. advertisement Water fleas, also known as Daphnia, are small crustaceans that contribute to the health of lakes by feeding on algae. Without these organisms to control algae, a lake can quickly degrade into a turgid brew that resembles pea soup. Water fleas are susceptible to infection from a fungal pathogen called Metschnikowia, which reproduces inside water fleas as needle-like spores that multiply until they kill them and burst out of their bodies to infect the next generation. A single autumn can produce six to 10 generations of the spores, with up to 60 percent of water fleas infected at the epidemic's peak. For the study, Shocket conducted lab experiments that found that the fungus caused more infections when higher temperatures were observed in the previous generations of water fleas. She then conducted research in the field to compare the lab results against fresh lake samples collected in late autumn. The analysis found that an increase of merely 6.5 degrees Fahrenheit caused the fungal spores to become two to five times more likely to infect a new host. Shocket said additional research is needed to explore these effects in other pathogen systems, especially since they could have an impact on agriculture. This is because the effect of climate across generations in parasites is more likely to have an impact on cold-blooded host organisms, such as crop plants or the insects that eat them. advertisement The study also features mathematical methods to predict the effect of temperature changes on spore infectiousness across generations. Hall said the principles behind these models could potentially enhance other simulations that draw upon many factors to predict disease outbreaks. "The translation of observational data into computational models is important in the field of ecology since nature is so messy," he added. "The refinement of the algorithms to predict risks from climate is a crucial step in our ability to prepare for environmental change." Other authors on the paper are IU Ph.D. student Jason Walsman; Andrew Sickbert, an IU undergraduate at the time of the study; and Alexander Strauss and Jessica Hite, IU Ph.D. students at the time of the study. Additional contributors are Meghan Duffy of the University of Michigan and Carla Caceres of the University of Illinois. The Prepared for Environmental Change Grand Challenge brings together a broad, bipartisan coalition of government, business, nonprofit and community leaders to help Indiana better prepare for the challenges that environmental change brings to our economy, health and livelihood. Announced in May 2017, it is the second initiative to be funded as part of the Indiana University Grand Challenges program. This study was supported in part by the National Science Foundation and Environmental Protection Agency. Angry Bayview residents tore into San Francisco public health officials Wednesday over the botched cleanup of the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, even as the city representatives reiterated their contention that the Superfund site poses no health risks to residents or workers. Department of Public Health environmental engineer Amy Brownell told about 30 neighborhood residents gathered at the Bayviews Southeast Community Center that preliminary walkover scanning surveys performed over the last month where 450 condominiums some occupied have been completed or are under construction found no evidence of harmful levels of radioactive residue. The scans detected background levels of potassium-40 at levels only slightly above normal and which Brownell said were harmless. The testing, which environmentalists have criticized as inadequate, is being done by the California Department of Public Health and is about 75 percent complete. In all the scanning they have done, they have not found anything of concern, said Brownell, who added that the level of potassium-40 detected is in bananas, its in our bodies, its in wood chips. Its in vegetation. ... That is what they have verified. They have found nothing else. Paul Kuroda / Special to The Chronicle The meeting comes as city, state and federal health and environmental officials are grappling with a pollution cleanup scandal that has at least temporarily derailed the Bay Areas largest redevelopment project. The plans for the former naval shipyard call for developers Lennar and FivePoint to build more than 12,000 homes, 300 acres of parkland and millions of square feet of schools, and retail and office space in a neighborhood that historically has been one of the citys poorest. But while the project has had some early success in creating handsome townhomes some have sold for more than $1.5 million and green spaces overlooking the bay, it has been delayed by accusations that Tetra Tech, an environmental engineering company paid more than $350 million to clean up the site, engaged in widespread cheating. More than a half dozen whistle-blowers have said that to speed up the job Tetra Tech took soil samples from areas known to be clean and passed them off as coming from areas known to be heavily contaminated. Two former Tetra Tech supervisors, Justin Hubbard and Stephen Rolfe, pleaded guilty to falsifying cleanup records, swapping suspect soil with clean dirt to make it appear that some areas were free of harmful radiation. Both were sentenced to eight months in prison. From 1946 to 1969, the mothballed shipyard was home to the Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory, which produced barrels of radioactive waste and leached radioactivity into the buildings, pipes and soil. But the assurances of the health officials Wednesday did little to assuage neighborhood concerns. Ray Tompkins, a biochemist and Bayview resident who has studied the history of environmental pollution in his neighborhood, called the surface scanning an inappropriate methodology to look for radiation. He said that the handheld monitors wont detect toxic materials more than a foot below the surface, and they pick up gamma radiation rather than some of the more harmful isotopes found at the shipyard, like strontium-90 and plutonium-239. Its a lot of BS bad science thats being pushed on this community, he said. The only way to ensure the public there is no radiation left on the base is to do core samples you drill into the earth. Like other residents, Leotis Martin pointed to the health problems Bayview residents have long experienced. The Navy should have cleaned up their own damn yard in the first place, Martin said. We need someone to watch over whoever is going to clean up now. Because we dont trust you all. You all have been lying to us for years. Every time you open up your mouth, its wrong. ... Our people are dying. Why should we trust you? The meeting was convened by the Bayview-Hunters Point Environmental Justice Response Task Force. Bradley Angel, the executive director of Greenaction, a local environmental watchdog group, criticized Brownell and the citys role in the scandal. This is one hell of a rigged process, Angel said. A totally rigged process and its a toxic radioactive cover-up not just because of the toxic and radioactive waste at the site, but because of the lies, omissions and misinformation you have put forward. 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. Brownell also released an Aug. 9 letter from Enrique Manzanilla, director of the Environmental Protection Agencys Superfund division, saying that the EPA does not believe anyone living or working at HPNS faces health risks due to fraudulent data collection work by Tetra Tech. Regarding Parcel A (where the condominiums have been built), based on site history and our knowledge of the cleanup performed, EPA similarly believes that there is no current health risk to residents or workers from actions of Tetra Tech, it read. They didnt do their jobs correctly, Brownell told the group. They admitted it. They went to jail. They have defrauded the federal government, and now the federal government has had to redo work because of their actions. Two retesting efforts are in progress. In addition to Parcel A, the Navy is finalizing a plan to test Parcel G, an undeveloped area intended to eventually hold housing and commercial uses. The EPA and the Navy released a retesting plan in June, and residents had until Thursday to comment on the methodology. Testing is expected to begin this fall. Longtime Bayview activist Marie Harrison accused city officials of caring more about the success of the development than the health of the community. I have a lot of built-up anxiety, said Harrison, who spent 16 years on a now-disbanded community board that monitored the cleanup. I dont know how long I am going to be here. But I sure as hell am not going anywhere until I make sure you all clean up that shipyard correctly. J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen The Ghost Ship fire case took another turn Thursday as Alameda County prosecutors prepared to ask a judge to schedule a trial right away and said they will no longer negotiate plea agreements. The move followed a judges rejection last week of a plea deal between prosecutors and the two defendants in the deadly Oakland warehouse fire case after families of victims objected, calling it too lenient. District Attorney Nancy OMalley and prosecutors Autrey James and David Lim gave defense lawyers a letter Wednesday outlining their new request, and said they would submit it to Alameda Superior Court Judge James Cramer during a hearing Friday. They said in the letter, the contents of which were shared with The Chronicle, that their view of the case was strongly affected by victim-impact statements given by families last week. While this case may not be typical of what we see in the criminal justice system, the statements of those who spoke at the two-day hearing and the depth of their pain and loss has had a profound impact on the Peoples analysis of what constitutes a just punishment in this case, the prosecutors said. The People will not be entering into any settlement discussions with defense counsel prior to trial. They requested Cramer set this matter for jury trial forthwith. The district attorneys office declined to comment before Friday's hearing. Last Friday, Cramer tossed the plea-agreed sentence for Derick Almena, master tenant of the warehouse where 36 people died in the Dec. 2, 2016, fire, saying he wasnt convinced of Almenas remorse. Cramer said he thought the deal for co-defendant Max Harris, creative director of the artist collective, was appropriate, but because the plea bargains were made as a package deal, Harris was set aside, too. But prosecutors said in their letter that they now stand in firm opposition to any contemplated sentence for defendant Harris. Tony Serra, an attorney for Almena, said it was clear that families of the victims swayed prosecutors. They were angry. They were frustrated. One area was, You gave away the case too cheap, how dare you not consult us? Serra said. Prosecutors feel the impact of the victims families, and they are trying, now, to show strength and that they are with the families. The rejected plea bargain consisted of a six-year county jail sentence for Harris and nine years for Almena. Each had pleaded no contest to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter for creating the dangerous conditions inside the warehouse. With time served and half-time credit for good conduct, Almena could have been released in 3 years and Harris in less than two years. Mary Alexander, who represents many of the victims families as lead attorney on the civil litigation, said they are pleased that a trial is on the horizon. Its what the families want, she said. They want to get the facts. Noting that the vast majority of cases do not make it to trial, and with the time and resources a trial requires, legal experts had expected a new, harsher plea agreement to result from the deal rejection. The timeline for reaching a trial is not dependent just on the district attorneys wishes. Serra said it wouldnt work for him until 2019, given his other cases. 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. But this judge here will do whatever the heck he wants, Serra said. He can say, Nope, Im gonna set it for next month. Serra said he plans to file a specific performance motion contesting Cramers authority to reject the plea deal, given that it was Presiding Judge Morris Jacobson who accepted the agreement and oversaw the hearings preceding it. Serra said he will also file a change-of-venue motion, arguing that the pool of potential jurors in the county would be too versed in the facts of the case to be impartial. Everyone in Oakland knows that my guy pled no contest and got up on the stand and said, Im guilty, five times, Serra said, referring to Almenas comments last week. Curtis Briggs, an attorney for Harris, said he welcomes a trial. We are going to show the public and the jury all the institutional incompetence they can stomach, including that of OMalleys office, and every inept and incompetent public official who allowed this fire to happen, he said. I think Harris will be acquitted. Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov You mightve noticed Eddie Smith standing at the corner of 35th and Market streets in Oakland. He doesnt hide his dark, glassy eyes. He wants drivers of cars paused at the stoplight on their way to Highway 24s on-ramp to make eye contact. He wants you to see his dusty brown hat that announces hes a Vietnam veteran, with a slim, salt-and-pepper mustache that is always neatly trimmed no matter how his body is feeling. Smith lives on the streets, but he wants you to see him as a person. Maryly Snow made eye contact with Smith about two years ago. When she rolled down the window, he said, Hello, gorgeous, Snow told me. She asked if she could take his picture. I said, Get my good side if I have one. And we laughed, Smith said. Sarahbeth Maney/Special to the Chronicle Snow, a visual artist and retired librarian who is white, has been photographing people on the street for a decade. She now considers Smith, a homeless black man, a friend. Smith, an Oakland native, lives in a tent near Lake Merritt. Snow, an Oakland native, owns a house in Rockridge. She keeps bees, while he just keeps trying to survive another day on the streets. But other than what they possess, Snow and Smith arent so different: active senior citizens who enjoy spending their days talking to people. I wish more people with homes got to know people who dont have homes. Really, how else can you understand a persons life the predicaments, the pitfalls, the possibilities unless you get to know the person? Homelessness is about people. The reason I photographed the street panhandlers and street recyclers was a way of getting to know people in my neighborhood, said Snow, 73, who used to live in the live-work studio she owns in West Oakland. There were people on the street and on the sidewalks. Id pass them all the time. This is my hometown. I dont want to be locked behind walls. Sarahbeth Maney/Special to the Chronicle Smith and Snow talk like theyve been friends for decades. She asks about his health in person and in text messages. To me, a friendship is a commodity that is priceless, Smith, 63, told me. She doesnt have an ulterior motive, and neither do I. Well, thats mostly true. Snow did enlist Smith to help her with a project that debuts in the Bay Area later this month. As part of the production of Street Requiem, a 50-minute cantata created to spur empathy and compassion for people who live and die homeless, Snow wants to read the names of people who have died homeless in Oakland. But she has to build the list from scratch, because as my colleague Kimberly Veklerov reported in March, Alameda County does not collect data on how many homeless people die each year or their causes of death. Snow, a first alto in the Berkeley Community Chorus, one of the choral groups performing at Street Requiem, asked Smith to help gather names. She gave him a notebook with pen attached by a string. Smith said his tent was slashed after he was accused of getting paid to spy on his homeless community at 36th and Peralta streets. Thats one of the reasons why he moved near the lake, to a field across East 12th Street from Americas Best Value Inn. He lost the notebook in transit. I moved, because they noisy and I figured Id end up going to jail, because theyre very disrespectful, and they steal from you, Smith said. And then the rats. I woke up a couple of times with rats crawling up my leg. That was too much. I spent two weeks getting to know Snow and Smith. One Saturday, I went to hang out with Smith at 35th and Market. Someone was in his spot, and Smith struggled with his patience. His time over there is up, said Smith, who had a soft pool cue case slung across his chest as he pushed a rolling walker. I dont like running people off, but at the same time you guys know this is my spot. Smith said he can collect more than $100 in a day, but most days he can hold a cardboard sign for hours and be lucky to make enough to buy a burrito. Smith was born in the Lower Bottoms neighborhood of West Oakland. Of course hes noticed how the city is changing. I think its really beautiful. Theyre fixing it up, Smith said of Oakland. I just dont like the way that they trying to kick us all out. 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. By us he meant black people like him who make up 70 percent of Oaklands homeless population, according to last years recent point-in-time count. Smith says he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and sometimes hears voices. He last lived in an apartment about two years ago. Ive had apartments. I cant keep apartments, he said. Why not? Im so kindhearted. People want somewhere to live. I let them live with me, he said. And Im on Section 8, and then they end up either selling dope or doing something stupid, and I get kicked out. His only child was shot and killed in Oakland in March 2012, so now hes alone. What Smith wants is an RV, but its impossible for him to save for one with his monthly $985 disability check. Snow, who retired after three decades as the picture librarian in UC Berkeleys Department of Architecture, gives Smith $5 when she sees him. Snow, the oldest of three girls, was raised in Piedmont. Her parents divorced when she was young and when she was growing up, her mother was the only working mom she knew. Shes divorced and didnt have children. At her studio, Snow flipped through photos of people shes taken, including her first model, a man named James who rolled through West Oakland with bags of bottles and cans stacked on a trailer hitched to his bike on Election Day 2008. An American flag flapped on the back of the trailer on the day when much of the Bay Area basked in the glow of hope. Snow said shes photographed more than 100 people. A lot of these guys are just gone, she said. Theyre just gone. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays and Thursdays. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr Public support for self-driving cars has plunged in the wake of a deadly accident this spring, according to a new survey. And young, tech-savvy consumers now express more doubts about robot vehicles. Cox Automotive, an auto-industry services and information company, surveyed 1,250 people, following up on a similar study conducted in 2016. In those two years, public awareness of self-driving cars grew substantially, but so did distrust of the technology. In 2016, 30 percent of the people surveyed said they would never buy a fully autonomous vehicle that didnt give them the option to drive. Now, nearly half 49 percent say they wont buy such a car. The March accident in which a self-driving Uber car in Arizona struck and killed a pedestrian appears to have contributed both to wider awareness of the technology as well as the publics doubts about it. Now theyve got a reason to be aware, because people have actually been killed by the process of testing it, said Karl Brauer, executive publisher of Coxs Kelley Blue Book information service. Adoption of new technology is always tricky. Remember that air bags were supposed to save everybody from death inside the car when theres an accident. Then we had people killed by them. Tempe (Ariz.) Police Department The fatal crash of a Tesla Model X operating in Autopilot mode in Mountain View contributed to rising suspicion of robot cars among consumers, he said, but not to the same extent. Autopilot is far from self-driving it has features like lane-keeping and automatic braking, but Tesla says drivers must pay attention and keep their hands on the wheel. The drop in support cut across every age group, even the youngest in the survey. Among Generation Z people born starting in the mid-1990s support for fully autonomous cars plunged 70 percent. Only Baby Boomers showed a bigger plunge in confidence in the technology: 78 percent. Members of Gen Z are digital natives, having never known a world without the internet. But Brauer said theyre also growing up at a time of negative headlines about technology in general, from hackers stealing Social Security numbers to the use of social media to interfere in elections. I think Gen Z is as much or more aware of technology than any other generation, but theyre also more aware of the failings of technology, Brauer said. Theyve seen the failings from the beginning. The survey examined how consumers feel about different levels of autonomy, and found far more comfort with systems that assist drivers rather than take total control. The autonomous vehicle industry sorts the technology into five levels, each more sophisticated than the last. Level 1 systems, for example, include adaptive cruise control. Teslas Autopilot and Nissans Propilot Assist fall into level 2, steering cars on the highway and avoiding collisions. Level 5 represents full autonomy, with the steering wheel and brake pedal no longer needed. In the 2016 version of the survey, most consumers expressed a preference for level 4 cars, which would be able to drive themselves in most circumstances but would still give humans the option of driving. This year, however, most respondents preferred level 2 in other words, the driver-assist features already on the market. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes I want assistance, but I dont want the car driving for me, Brauer said. That, too, may be a response to the well-publicized accidents. Similarly, survey participants expressed reluctance to host tests of self-driving vehicles in their own cities and towns. While 75 percent said the vehicles need real-world testing, 54 percent said that testing should take place somewhere else, not where they live. Just like prisons and nuclear power plants, its now a NIMBY situation when it comes to autonomous car testing, Brauer said. David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF 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. Now Playing: A purported video shows the moment four Western cyclists were killed in Tajikistan on Sunday. Received from an anonymous source and published by Radio Free Europe, it shows a car making a U-turn, knocking them down and driving over them on a narrow road in broad daylight. After the vehicle ploughed into the tourists, the attackers then stabbed them. The cyclists, who were from the United States, Switzerland and the Netherlands. were travelling through a rural area 90 km southeast of the capital Dushanbe. It's the first known attack of its kind against Western tourists in Tajikistan, a remote ex-Soviet state north of Afghanistan in towering mountains where Islamists fought an insurgency against a Moscow-backed government in the 1990s. On Monday, security forces killed four suspected attackers and detained one. In a statement on Tuesday, the interior ministry said it had detained four more suspects and blamed the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) for the attack. Citing what it said was the confession of a detained suspect, the ministry said the attackers' leader had been trained in Iran and the group planned to flee to Afghanistan after the attack. "We completely deny the illogical allegation by the interior ministry and condemn this terrorist act," IRPT leader-in-exile, Muhiddin Kabiri said. "This (statement) draws the attention away from the real criminals." The Dushanbe government banned the IRPT in 2015, accusing it of plotting a failed coup. Party leaders now in exile have denied those charges and said the move against them aimed to consolidate the grip of President Imomali Rakhmon, in power since 1992, the second longest-serving leader of an ex-Soviet state. Kabiri said he was surprised that the government had ignored the claim made by Islamic State. On Tuesday, Islamic State sought to bolster its claim of responsibility for the attack by releasing a video purportedly showing attackers pledging allegiance to the militant group. Some of them appear similar to the suspects whose photographs have been published by Tajikistan's interior ministry. Islamic State, which once controlled large parts of Syria and Iraq, is known to have had some presence in Persian-speaking Tajikistan: a former Tajik elite police force commander defected to the group in 2015. Video: Euronews 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. 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. 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. 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. A lone flip-flop lay abandoned on the sunny sidewalk of 20th Street near South Van Ness. Just a few feet away, a pair of men watched from their tastefully remodeled front stoop as my gloved hands used a metal pickup stick to lift the sandal and maneuver it into a bright-orange garbage bag. The safety vest I was wearing likely implied that I was picking up trash as a means of avoiding jail time. Nope. I was simply spending Sunday afternoon with a group of strangers who meet monthly to pick up garbage in San Francisco. Jeff Winkle is the most earnest 24-year-old in town. Originally from the Chicago area, Winkle works remotely for a Canadian bank based in North Carolina and could choose to live anywhere he wishes. Hes cheerfully selected San Franciscos Mission District, where he has resided for the past nine months. Having not lived in San Francisco long enough to worry that someone, somewhere may take issue with his trying to fix a problem, Winkle formed the Clean Mission, an open group of people willing to spend occasional afternoons picking up litter throughout the neighborhood. Winkle picks a date and a four- or five-block section of the Mission for each clean-up event, organized through social media and websites like MeetUp and Eventbrite. He provides volunteers with plastic gloves, orange garbage bags and the pickup sticks, along with a simple handout map of the area. He then coordinates in advance with the San Francisco Department of Public Works, which sends a truck to collect the garbage and deliver it to Recology for sorting once the team has completed its volunteer task. Winkle, who wore a button-up shirt and a permanent smile for our garbage-filled afternoon, does all of this simply because he thinks its the right thing to do. I poked and prodded for some sort of ulterior motive or guilt-driven tale of self-imposed penance, but this baby-faced new San Franciscan just wants to pitch in. I realize that Im a 20-something young professional thats coming into the Mission and trying to clean it up, said Winkle, acknowledging the neighborhoods long-held concerns about people just like him gentrifying the area. I havent faced any opposition. In fact, both the DPW and some neighborhood business owners have embraced the Clean Mission. Partnerships like these are something Winkle hopes to build on in the future. Perhaps one day, Winkle added, tech companies will send their employees for a mandatory day of bonding and litter removal. For now, however, he just wants to make a tiny, temporary dent. Clean-up events are just a Band-Aid on the problem, Winkle said with a shrug. Next week, its gonna be dirty again. I was paired for garbage pickup with Winkle and 34-year-old Sergio Mayorga, a software employee who is here on a working visa from Chile. Winkle zipped back and forth to his nearby apartment to drop off extra supplies as Mayorga and I tackled 19th Street near Mission. We knew not to touch any discarded hypodermic needles, but I didnt spot any anyway. I am a visitor, Mayorga said. As a part of the tech industry, we are living here, but in a touristic way. We are taking a lot and not giving back. I want to do something to change that idea. Sunday was Mayorgas third time participating in the Clean Mission. Like me, he came alone and was happy to chat with strangers while using a stick to pick up used condoms. We walked slowly in the sun, discussing gross garbage, South America and long commutes. Another pair of volunteers toiled a few blocks away while Winkle coordinated our two groups on his cell phone. Occasionally, a stranger would hand me an empty paper cup as if I was a human garbage can. A few surprised neighbors spotted us coming, collected any garbage at their feet and gratefully placed it in our trash bags. The garbage we picked up plastic bags of human waste, a full (and heavy) jar of peanut butter, dozens of bottle caps has probably already been replaced by new trash. But at the end of my two-hour clean-up session, I felt accomplished and proud. Plus, Id had fun and met nice new people. Winkle, full of trust and optimism, handed a passing stranger his phone. Will you take our picture, please? he asked. We posed for photo proof next to our pile of bagged trash, all smiles and sweat. After all, wed made a dent a temporary but a deeply satisfying dent. Beth Spotswoods column appears Thursdays in Datebook. Email: datebook@sfchronicle.com In a parking lot in the San Franciscos South of Market district, rapper EP of the San Francisco rap trio FlipSide is setting the tone for their final song, an ode to the neighborhood they grew up in. They dont really know how were living in the SoMa, he says, echoing part of the songs refrain, cause they never really see us. Its an early set on a July afternoon, a warm-up for the growing crowd excited to check out San Francisco scratch king DJ QBert at the summers first installment of Undiscovered SF. But the rap group aptly sums up the larger goal of the Filipino night market, which is back following last years successful inaugural stint at the Mint and has its next of four monthly gatherings on Saturday, Aug. 18. Behind all the Filipino food trucks, retailers and performances taking place in the parking lots behind The Chronicle building is a grand mission. A new vision of the future for the citys Filipino community, for SoMa and even for all of San Francisco is simmering with promise on this ground, says Desi Danganan. More Information Undiscovered SF : 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18. Third Saturday of the month through Oct. 20. Free. Parking lots behind The Chronicle building at 401 Minna St. www.undiscoveredsf.com See More Collapse The founder of Kultivate Labs, the nonprofit business accelerator behind Undiscovered, Danganan is spearheading the economic front of a budding cultural district known as SOMA Pilipinas. While the citys Filipino population has dwindled after waves of redevelopment over the years many being priced or forced out and moving to areas such as Daly City a community has remained in SoMa. In 2016, the city and state officially designated a swath of land stretching from Second Street to 11th as the Filipino cultural heritage district, SOMA Pilipinas. Yet beyond the name itself, the hoped-for boosts in visibility, infrastructure and economic viability remain elusive. Oftentimes when city governments create these cultural districts, its like, Whoops! Sorry, you were once here, and heres our memorial to you, Danganan says. He points to cultural districts in other cities that are formed around fossilized communities places like Stockton and Los Angeles, where Little Manilas are established in name, while few Filipinos remain. Were the exact opposite, Danganan says of San Franciscos SoMa. We still have a Filipino community, and its thriving and evolving. The evolution comes by way of solutions like Kultivate Labs. As an entrepreneurial incubator, Danganans nonprofit aims to establish a full commercial corridor of Filipino businesses down Mission Street by 2020. Undiscovered is one facet of the efforts to develop Filipino businesses, many from SoMa, to eventually become the corridors brick-and-mortars. The success of last years Undiscovered season, Danganan says, played a major role in providing a sense of legitimacy for discussions now taking place with land developers. Its a form of adaptation combating future displacement by playing within the new rules of a changing city. In order for you to survive in the 21st century, you have to learn how to build bridges, says Rudy Valentino, a lifelong SoMa resident who founded United Playaz, a violence-prevention, youth-development program based in the area. Attending last months Undiscovered, Valentino watched his fellow Fil-Am community members mingling, dancing, gathering for merienda himself enjoying a steaming pile of chicken adobo from the food tent for JT Restaurant. You have to be able to sit at the table for them to hear what our needs are, he adds. Valentino has seen stability for the local Filipino community dwindle over the years . After arriving in SoMa from Los Angeles in the late 90s, Danganan remembers places like Bessie Carmichael/Filipino Education Center, a San Francisco public school, and the Bayanihan Community Center as mysterious signifiers of an otherwise inconspicuous enclave. Undiscovered is meant to build awareness and buzz about a community that still exists, while its vendors that may eventually live on the commercial corridor would serve as the visible identity of SOMA Pilipinas. Cultural districts like Chinatown or Japantown are distinct because businesses of those communities there act as placeholders, as anchors, so you know when you entered the cultural district and when you left, Danganan says. The motivation is personal for Danganan, who, before founding places like the historic cafe co-working space Summit SF and the restaurant/nightclub Poleng Lounge, arrived in SoMa for the first dot-com boom. But Danganan says he soon realized he was part of the problem, not a solution. I came here for the internet, (thinking) that we were going to build a better world, he says. We didnt build a better world we made it worse. Were displacing people. Our whole economic system is broken. As Kultivate Labs lays a new foundation, Danganan now envisions the potential to affect all of San Francisco. He sees Undiscovered and the development of SOMA Pilipinas as a beacon of hope for the Filipino diaspora and other marginalized communities. If we can make this work for the Filipino community, then we might have kind of stumbled upon the magic formula to help other vulnerable communities fight displacement by turning economic development around to their benefit, he says. Filipinos have come nationwide, from as far as Michigan and the East Coast, to Undiscovered. Danganan refers to a message one visitor had sent about coming from Wisconsin solely to attend in an effort to reconnect to his culture. It brought tears to my eyes, Danganan says. It makes me realize were doing something special. Brandon Yu is a Bay Area freelance writer. The Captain is a strange and somber World War II film, written and directed by Robert Schwentke, best known in the United States for more popular attractions, such as the Jodie Foster film Flightplan and two films in the Divergent series. For The Captain, Schwentke returns to his native Germany and films in black and white, and the result is an art film that could make you think hes been making them all his life. Though Schwentkes artistry was evident in previous films, particularly in Allegiant, its easier to notice it here without the distraction of things blowing up. His camera placement is impeccable. He stages scenes so that the foregrounds and backgrounds are equally arresting, and he composes shots and arranges figures within each shot with a sophisticated, intuitive sense of emotional meaning. The Captain isnt something Schwentke just up and decided to make one day. This has the feeling of having been worked and reworked over the course of years. It tells the true story of Willi Herold, a private in the German army who was separated from his unit (or he deserted) and was hunted by the Nazi military police. Barely escaping with his life, he happens upon an abandoned car, where inside, of all things, is a German captains uniform fancy hat and everything. He slips into his new captain outfit and immediately gets a spring in his step. He walks, talks and looks like a real-life Nazi butcher, and soon he is acting like one. The Captain War drama. Starring Max Hubacher. Directed by Robert Schwentke. In German with English subtitles. (Unrated. 118 minutes.) See More Collapse Taking place two weeks before the wars end, The Captain is a true history tale with the quality of a fable. In changing clothes, Willi changes his moral nature. Or perhaps he just gets permission to become the thing he has always wanted to be, but lacked the means: a murderer. Gathering men around him with some bogus tale of being the Fuhrers personal representative, he makes it his project to kill every deserter or looter in the area. The nature of the movies premise might lead you to expect that it wont be surprising once we get the idea that Willi has become a monster, that we wont need to see the rest. In fact, The Captain is full of suspense and interest throughout. For one thing, theres something in Max Hubachers performance as Willi that makes him almost sympathetic. He is very young. Hes a little guy, and at any moment, his ruse may be revealed. He is constantly having to think on his feet, to bluster, to say just enough to intimidate people out of asking to see his marching orders. Also, as presented here, Willi seems a little off his rocker, and thus vulnerable. Who knows if this is accurate? The real Willi Herold might have just been another cold-blooded psycho, but Schwentke and Hubacher take the character in a more interesting direction, turning him into a frightening portrait of damaged youth, a young man whose desire for comradeship and meaning were permanently twisted by the Nazi distortion machine. The close-ups of Hubachers face in unguarded moments, as when hes singing songs in a tavern, are so open and innocent as to confound the mind. Schwentke keeps the focus on Willis internal workings. To that end, he doesnt distract us with graphic violence. This is the story of a mass murderer, but Schwentke finds artful ways to depict the violence without showing it. Thats why, in remembering The Captain, you might remember seeing things you saw only in your imagination. Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles film critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MickLaSalle 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. The Trump administration must turn over documents explaining its decisions to deport more than 200,000 people who were admitted to the United States after catastrophes in their home countries, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled Thursday. Advocates for former residents of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Haiti and Sudan are challenging the administrations decision to revoke their temporary protected status. That status, under a 1990 federal law, allows people fleeing disasters in their homeland to live and work in the U.S. under permits that are renewed every 18 months. President Trumps Department of Homeland Security said it withdrew the protections because the hardships caused by the disasters earthquakes in El Salvador and Haiti, a hurricane in Nicaragua and a civil war in Sudan have ended. But the lawsuit contends the real reason was racism. When Trump reportedly referred to Haiti and African nations as shole countries, it was during a White House meeting on temporary protected status in January. A week later, the administration announced the termination of protected status for Haitians. Deportations to the four countries are scheduled from November 2018 to September 2019. In addition, advocates argued, the Trump administration failed to state a reason for abruptly changing previous administrations policies. Those had allowed people to retain protected status based on new hardships in their former homelands, like outbreaks of disease and violence. Federal law requires the government to provide a reasoned explanation for changing policies or practices that affect the rights of private citizens. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen refused to dismiss the suit in June, saying the advocates had plausibly alleged that Trumps statements showed racial bias that could have influenced his administrations decision. On Thursday, Chen ordered the administration to give the plaintiffs internal documents about conditions in the four countries, the decisions to revoke protections and strategies for explaining them to the public. Trump administration lawyers argued that documents about internal government deliberations are confidential and need not be disclosed. Chen, who reviewed 20 of the documents in his chambers, said some involved internal deliberations, but still must be turned over because they concern serious issues and the federal interest in the enforcement of federal law. If the administration says other specific documents are too sensitive to be disclosed, Chen said, it could try to make its case to a federal magistrate Friday. Chen will hold a hearing, sometime before protected status for Sudan expires in November, to decide whether to block the deportations. We should now be able to see these documents that the government has tried to keep secret, said a lawyer for the plaintiffs, Jessica Karp Bansal of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. Weve introduced a lot of evidence that the terminations were motivated by discrimination. We think these documents will further support our claims. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko SACRAMENTO California Democrats launched two major legislative efforts this year to make police misconduct records publicly accessible and tighten rules for when officers can use lethal force, both in response to highly publicized law enforcement shootings. Theyre about to find out whether either measure will pass crucial votes by fiscal committees in the Assembly and Senate. The bills are among 600 pieces of legislation that will decided in rapid succession by appropriations committees on Thursday. SB1421 by Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, would make police disciplinary records public when an officer has been found to have committed sexual assault or lied on the job, such as falsifying reports or planting evidence. The bill would also ensure that investigations and reports related to an officers serious or deadly use of force would be subject to the states Public Records Act. While all public employee personnel records are generally confidential, police have additional protections under state law that shield even substantiated misconduct records. Natasha Minsker, director of the Center for Advocacy and Policy at the American Civil Liberties Union of California, said the state is one of the most secretive when it comes to police records. Only Delaware and New York have privacy protections similar to Californias that block the public and prosecutors from finding out about proven cases of officer misconduct, she said. Accomplishing anything in this area is a success, but it would still leave California near the bottom of the list when it comes to secrecy, Minsker said. That speaks to how far California is behind on this issue. The bill faces a vote in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Thursday. Similar bills to open police misconduct records by then-Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, died in the Legislature in 2007 and 2016. Lenos bills faced aggressive pushback from police and other public employee labor groups that are major campaign donors in the Capitol. With many Republicans siding with law enforcement groups, the union pushback stole the support Leno needed from Democrats. This is a difficult fight with the law enforcement lobby, Minsker said. They have a lot of influence in the Capitol. But there are signs of change, at least when it comes to SB1421. Brian Marvel, president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California, said the police union he heads no longer opposes the release of substantiated misconduct records. He did say there needs to be some uniformity across the state in how investigations are conducted. If we release records, we want it to be an even playing field, said Marvel, whose police union has 70,000 members, making it the largest in the nation. Marvel said his union is considering removing its opposition to SB1421. But the union and other law enforcement groups remain opposed to another bill that would change the use-of-force standard for police in the state. AB931 by Assembly members Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, and Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, would toughen the standard for when a police officer can shoot a suspect. It would specify that officers can use lethal force only when necessary to prevent imminent death or injury, and then only when there is no reasonable alternative. Officers can now use reasonable force when making an arrest, a standard set by state law and the courts. Deadly force is justified when an objectively reasonable officer would have reacted the same under the circumstances, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1989. Advocates say police departments with more restrictive use-of-force policies fatally shoot fewer people per capita. 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. We are not saying that law enforcement can never use deadly force we are saying oftentimes there are other alternatives that can be used, Weber said at an April news conference announcing the bill. AB931 faces a vote in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday. The bill is opposed by numerous law enforcement groups, including the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, California Police Chiefs Association and California State Sheriffs Association. This is all hands on deck, Marvel said. Every law enforcement agency in the state is well aware of this and is working to defeat this. A memorial wall of officers killed on duty was displayed outside the Capitol on Wednesday. Inside the building, the Los Angeles Police Protection League set up a simulator that is used to train officers in use-of-force scenarios and invited lawmakers to try it out. We wanted to make sure that lawmakers have the proper perspective and context to the split-second decisions that officers make, said Robert Harris of the Los Angeles Police Protective League. This bill is bad for police officers and our communities. The bills were introduced amid high tensions and daily protests in Sacramento after two city police officers shot and killed Stephon Clark, a 22-year-old black man who was unarmed. Black Lives Matter Sacramento founder Tanya Faison said new transparency and accountability legislation is needed to help police win trust among minority communities. A lot more needs to happen before our community feels safe around our officers, Faison said. There are no repercussions for officers. Police can violate policies and nothing happens. We need actual changes and these bills help. Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez The state Supreme Court rejected a challenge by Monsanto Co. on Wednesday to Californias decision to list the main ingredient in its Roundup herbicide as a cause of cancer, the same chemical that a San Francisco jury found responsible for a former school groundskeepers cancer in a $289 million verdict last week. The justices denied Monsantos request for a review of a lower-court ruling that upheld the states authority to add the herbicide glyphosate to its Proposition 65 list of carcinogens. Justice Ming Chin voted to take up the appeal, but four votes were needed to grant a hearing by the court, which currently has six members. Prop. 65, a 1986 ballot measure, requires the state to publish a list of chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects. A listing prohibits businesses from discharging the chemical into sources of drinking water and requires them to warn members of the public who may be exposed to the substance. The state added glyphosate to the list in July 2017 based on findings by an international agency that the chemical was a probable cause of cancer in humans. But a federal judge has ruled that requiring Monsanto to put cancer warnings on Roundup labels would violate the companys freedom of speech because a number of scientific studies have concluded that glyphosate is not dangerous. The company cited those studies, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys refusal to ban or restrict glyophosate, in defending itself against a suit by Dewayne Lee Johnson, who sprayed Monsantos products for years as a groundskeeper for the Benicia Unified School District and now is gravely ill with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. On Friday, a San Francisco Superior Court jury unanimously found Monsanto responsible for Johnsons cancer and awarded him $39 million for wage losses, pain and suffering, and $250 million in punitive damages against the company for acting with malice or oppression in exposing him to the chemical without revealing its dangers. Monsanto plans to appeal. In Wednesdays case, Monsanto challenged a Prop. 65 provision that requires the state to list a chemical as a carcinogen if it has been classified as one by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The agency is an arm of the World Health Organization and has a governing council from 25 nations, including the United States. The agency classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen in 2015 based on 17 scientists reviews of research on animals though Monsanto contended other scientists review of the same studies had reached the opposite conclusion. Allowing an international agency to name the chemicals that California then classifies as dangerous amounts to an unconstitutional delegation of state regulatory authority to a foreign entity, Monsantos lawyers argued. But a state appeals court in Fresno ruled in April that the voters who approved Prop. 65 had decided that state health officials had failed to provide enough protection from hazardous substances and needed assistance from an internationally recognized agency. The voters identified the broad policy goals identifying and listing known cancer-causing chemicals and provided a framework within which new chemicals could be added, Presiding Justice Brad Hill said in a 3-0 ruling of the Fifth District Court of Appeal. He said Prop. 65 itself changed state regulation of the chemicals, and delegated the factual determinations to the international body. 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. The ruling became final Wednesday when the states high court denied review. In response, Monsanto said in a statement that Californias listing of glyphosate as a carcinogen contradicts 40 years of science and the conclusions of regulatory bodies around the world. The listing requires judicial intervention and correction. Were considering our options for further legal action. The case is Monsanto vs. Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, S249056. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko Theres plenty to like in a split roll tax system to replace the lopsided world of Prop. 13 property levies. Businesses, not homeowners, are the big winners in holding down yearly tax bills under the 1978 law thats endured despite its built-in flaws. Leveling this landscape has gone nowhere due to Sacramentos timidity in touching the all-time third rail in California politics. But some 860,000 signatures were handed in this week to place a measure on 2020 ballot that would maintain Prop. 13 limits for residential property but impose sharp increases on commercial real estate. The overall intention is bona fide crowd-pleaser. The proposal is backed by a dream team alliance of unions, civic foundations and school groups. The extra levies collected from business properties would be split between local government and public education. The amount is a tantalizing $11 billion, according to state estimates. Balloting would come on a presidential election date to draw out the maximum number of voters. But reform shouldnt be about rewarding one segment of California or fixing a single sore point. The states tax system is a crazy quilt of favors, political mood swings and loopholes. Whats needed is serious leadership to devise rules to tame this volatile mix and replace it with balanced laws that reflect a modern economy. Prop. 13 needs an overhaul, but so does the rest of the tax code. Picking property taxes neglects the roller-coaster nature of revenues that soar in boom times and crater when the economy sours. Personal income taxes up 13 percent are among the nations highest with lawmakers aiming at the wealthy. But when the stock market tails off or the economy slows, this group doesnt pay out at the same rate. There are other shortcomings beyond Prop. 13. Professional services from lawyers to yoga instructors arent taxed. Glamour industries such as Hollywood or tech routinely ask and receive tax favors. An aging tax code built in an era of cash register sales, railroad empires and smokestack factories doesnt serve a digital age. Fixing all this with one ballot measure is too much to ask. Gov. Jerry Brown routinely brings out charts demonstrating the yo-yo effect of the tax laws and sounds a miserly warning about the next downturn. Hes right to protect the budget from extra spending but hes never made the next step: design a better tax system and cash in his political chips to enact it. His fellow lawmakers are just as meek. Fixing Prop. 13 is just a start on the much bigger challenge of writing a fair tax system. 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. A city hall, often, is a monument. Its a massive stone landmark that can be a monument to the people and their rights, a monument of both justice and injustice, a monument to everything that is bold and progressive about government and everything that is mind-numbingly dull. A monument to oppression or to freedom, depending on the people inside it and whos looking in from outside. In San Francisco, City Hall is one of the grandest monuments of LGBTQ history locally and globally and the struggle for recognition and equal rights. No other city hall in the country, even the world, shares the close, personal ties to LGBTQ history the tragedies, the trials and the triumphs that San Francisco City Hall does. The original opened in 1899 and was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and subsequent fires that consumed the city. Conceived by architect Daniel Burnham, who had a major hand in the 1893 Chicagos Worlds Fair, the building is a glorious ode to Beaux Arts architecture and the City Beautiful movement a push during the turn of the 20th century to create buildings of such grandeur and symmetry in a heightened neoclassical design that the planned spaces would elevate civil order. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake badly damaged City Hall, and it was closed for a seismic upgrade and makeover, reopening in 1999. Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle 2016 On Nov. 27, 1978, San Franciscos City Hall had become a monument to the worst of democracy, when ex-San Francisco Supervisor Dan White assassinated Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, one of the nations first openly gay elected officials. U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein was then president of the Board of Supervisors. I opened (Milks) door, she recalled to The Chronicle in 2008. I found Harvey on his stomach. I tried to get a pulse and put my finger through a bullet hole. He was clearly dead. With the mayor also slain, as president of the Board of Supervisors, she became acting mayor, and had to deliver the terrible news of the killings from the steps of City Hall that night. Six months later, in May 1979, White was convicted only of voluntary manslaughter, which carried a seven-year sentence and City Hall became the scene of violent protests. The May 21, 1979, White Night riots started in the Castro and moved to City Hall, following a path down Market Street familiar to anyone who has marched in this city for LGBTQ causes. The grief over Milks slaying and the fury over the perceived miscarriage of justice led to fights and fires. John Storey / The Chronicle Activists, who numbered more than 5,000 people and who refused to apologize for the violence, clashed with San Francisco police in a post-riot raid in the Castro later that night. The eventual result was a justifiably angry LGBT constituency that wouldnt back down at closed-door sessions at City Hall the next day. Gay voices had gained even more power at City Hall after justice for a fallen martyr was denied. Sometime we make monuments to expanding freedoms. Fast-forward to Feb. 10, 2004, when Mayor Gavin Newsom announced that clerks at City Hall would begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in San Francisco. Two days later, the first to be married were longtime partners Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. (You can find their marriage certificate and photos on display in the South Light Court in City Hall.) A frenzy ensued. Rosie ODonnell flew from New York City to marry her then-partner, the late Kelli Carpenter. Helicopters buzzed over the Civic Center, and people gathered on the steps of City Hall as a parade of same-sex couples exited the building newly wed, arms raised in victory and joy. Nearly 4,000 couples were married before the state Supreme Court halted the ceremonies one month later. In August of the same year, the same court voided those marriages. On June 16, 2008, marriage licenses were once again administered, but, as before, the joy was short-lived. On election night 2008, the United States voted in its first African American president, Barack Obama. That same election, California passed Proposition 8, creating a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages. It was a bittersweet evening for many. It would take more than two years of legal wrangling before Prop. 8 was overturned. It was another three before U.S. Supreme Court rulings effectively allowed same-sex marriage in California, on June 26, 2013, and again San Franciscans thronged to the steps of City Hall. Two years later, the high court legalized same-sex marriage across the land. Liz Mangelsdorf / The Chronicle 2004 Sometimes City Hall becomes a monument to love, earned by those who came before. Our own story is small and personal compared to those pioneers who championed gay rights, sometimes suffering legal and even lethal consequences. On Oct. 17, 2013, I married Brice, my partner of 20 years. Well soon be celebrating our 25 years as a couple and our five years of marriage. We bought new suits for that day, I wore the same tie my father wore to my parents wedding in 1959, and we held the hand of our 5-year-old son, who was nervous around the very tall bearded judge who wed us on the fourth floor of City Hall, under the San Carlos window. In our own family life, we considered it a fancy errand, but not one without deep appreciation. It brings to mind the true reason for a monument: a reminder. An enduring landmark that helps us remember the love, remember the loss and, hopefully, remember the freedom. David Lytle is a freelance writer based in San Francisco. Email: travel@sfchronicle.com It was a daunting mission from the start: Bring visibility to a culture that, historically, had to be invisible. But it would be impossible to go through the displays at the GLBT History Museum and not see something that you didnt see before. I hope they will have experienced somewhat of a change and they will be impacted by what they see here, says Fred Baumer, a docent at the storefront museum on 18th Street. Ive seen people leave here in tears, especially people from parts of the country where being LGBT is not accepted. The displays are interactive and static, broad and specific, and cover as much of the heavily acronymed community as the 7-Eleven-size space will allow. Visitors tend to be quiet and methodical as they work clockwise through the displays, from San Franciscos early days of fluid gender roles among the gold miners, past the first lesbian-rights organization, leather culture, lost gayborhoods, the AIDS epidemic, and the equality struggles that still remain. Sarahbeth Maney / Special to The Chronicle While a portion of the museum is dedicated to the larger-than-life people who took up the challenge Jose Sarria, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, the drag queens of Comptons Cafeteria many stories focus on those who had to live invisibly and what that was like, valuable context for visitors who still have to live unseen. Despite the heavier themes involving adversity and loss, there is humor sprinkled throughout: a copy of the Bay Area Bisexual Networks magazine, Anything That Moves; the Mike Caffee statue of Michaelangelos David geared in leather biker boots, jacket and hat; and the not-so-subtle positioning of a sparkling Royal Court tiara immediately above a photo of the drag performer Jose Sarria in military uniform. The last corner of the museum is dedicated to gay-rights activist Harvey Milk, his life, election and death. Inside the lighted case are photos, flyers, a campaign T-shirt and a printed sign that says Milks trademark bullhorn is on loan to the Smithsonian. The usual items. Its only at the end that you press the glowing blue button and an eerie light shines inside a display case with a gauzy window. The rumpled suit, shirt and tie inside belonged to Harvey Milk, worn the day he was shot to death. The assembled outfit lies in a heap, as if shed by an invisible man. A voice from the speaker, which also belonged to Milk, reminds visitors that he was anything but. Sarahbeth Maney / Special to The Chronicle Its a 1:50-minute excerpt from a recording that Milk made a few days after being elected, in which he recognizes the possibility he will be assassinated. If you go GLBT History Museum: 4127 18th St., San Francisco; 415-621-1107; www.glbthistory.org. Open most days 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (noon-5 p.m. Sunday). Admission: $5. See More Collapse Id love to see every gay doctor come out, Id love to see every gay lawyer, every gay judge, every gay bureaucrat, every gay architect come out. Stand up, let the world know. That would do more to end prejudice overnight, says Milk in nasal baritone. Its only that way that we achieve our rights. The museum, including the suit and Milks voice, are 50 feet up the street from the bar and cafe bearing his name. The windows at Harveys are clear, although older patrons probably remember a time when most gay bars had no windows. Socializing had to be invisible. The people sitting in the window tables expect to be seen, albeit by friends, neighbors and tourists instead of cops, employers and preachers. At any moment at Harveys, the patrons might include the two gay tourists from Germany, a transgender woman discussing the weather, and a beefy, gruff man in full leather outfit, from boots to gloves to hat, ordering a coffee in a tall glass with a fat dollop of whipped cream. Its a reminder that from the 1970s forward, the Castro itself was its own museum, a living exhibit of San Franciscos LGBTQ culture. At least until the 80s when a portion of the living history started dying. The GLBT History Museum, which opened in 2010, was started by people who realized that the personal effects of AIDS victims were being thrown in the trash, and that there might be valuable history worth saving, stories worth telling. They went so far as to dumpster-dive for possessions, history fished from the trash pile. They were archaeologists in real time, collecting photos, letters, clothing and art. Its important that those lives were made visible, and even more important that we remember them, says Kathy Amendola, a community activist and operator of Cruisin the Castro walking tours, who talks about the museum to her groups. We struggle as a culture because were considered invisible. Its hard to determine what a sexually diverse person looks like. We dont all have purple hair or the same eyes or the same skin color, she says. Now more than ever we need to be visible. Part of the fear is that the trials of the past have become invisible to new generations of LGBTQ people who, because they are generations removed from the worst struggles, they didnt see the sacrifice, didnt feel the pain and dont understand what all the fuss is about. The museum and its messages must be visible to that generation and future generations, said Baumer. We will not forget. I bring young people through here and I tell them, Gay marriage, gays serving in the military, this didnt just happen, he says. So feel free to stand on our shoulders, but just dont stand still. Spud Hilton is an editor of Travel. Email: shilton@sfchronicle.com. Twitter and Instagram: @SpudHilton Few choices can change the trajectory of a young person's life like which college they attend. To help make the decision-making process a bit less stressful, the U.S. Department of Education offers an online fact-finding tool called the College Scorecard. Prospective students can filter schools by state and region, as well as rank them by graduation rate and cost. But would-be undergrads might notice one surprise hidden in the data. Rank the Californian schools by post-attendance earnings, and Stanford University, widely regarded as one of the state's most selective and prestigious universities, comes in second place. The number one undergraduate school? Samuel Merritt University, a small private health sciences college in Oakland. The 'median earnings' figures come from students' average reported earnings 10 years after they first entered the school. The median yearly earnings for SMU students 10 years out is $106,700, according to the scorecard. The median yearly earnings for Stanford students, by contrast, is $85,700. That's a sizable gap. Now, don't rip up your Stanford pennants yet those numbers come with a few caveats. Perhaps, most importantly, the earnings data only includes students who received federal loans or grants. About 70 percent of Samuel Merritt University's 506 undergraduates received federal loans in the 2014-15 school year, compared to just 12 percent of Stanford's nearly 7,000 undergrads. Secondly, as a U.S. Department of Education spokesperson explained, outcomes for the typical student vary a great deal within schools, as well as between them. Schools that offer primarily programs in high-earning fields (like health) would naturally report higher median earnings for its students than schools offering degrees in many different fields, because careers in some of those other fields will drag down the average. (The number 3 and 4 rankings by post-school earnings go to undergrad universities specializing in health sciences, too.) Lastly, the median earnings figure excludes anyone still in school. Those in grad school 10 years after enrolling in their undergraduate program wouldn't count. Despite all these qualifications, prospective undergrads should feel confident that the investment will probably pay off. According to Department of Education data, high school graduates aged 25-34 earn on average only $25,000 a year nationwide. But plenty of Californians are uncertain about the benefits of higher education; just half of adults surveyed in a Public Policy Institute of California poll out this month said they felt a college degree was necessary for professional success. Click through the gallery above to see the top-10 California schools with the highest post-enrollment earnings figures (based on the constraints mentioned above). With the waters off the coast of Southern California reaching record-high temperatures in recent weeks, some unusual creatures are popping up in the Pacific. A hammerhead shark sighting led to the closure of a beach in Oceanside, Calif., Tuesday, and Clarissa Anderson, executive director of the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System, calls the incident "very unusual." "Those are definitely warm water sharks!" Anderson said. She added that coastal waters are also seeing an uptick in stingrays and this occurs when the waters are warm. For beachgoers, this is causing some problems and stingray stings are on track to be the highest ever at San Diego beaches, according to NBC 7. "We're averaging about 80 stings a week," John Anderson, lead lifeguard at Silver Strand State Beach, told NBC 7. "That's on track to be a record." ALSO: 81-degree reading likely sets record for highest temperature ever measured in California waters There's also some good news: Many sport fish are moving in with the warm water. "We are definitely hearing from happy sport fishers about the yellowfin tuna, bluefin tuna and dorado influx," Anderson said. From San Diego up through Point Conception, the coastal waters have felt like a bathtub in recent weeks. 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 and there's hardly been an ocean breeze. "The waters are getting a lot more sunshine than they usually do in July and August," says Miguel Miller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in San Diego. "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." Last Thursday, two buoys off the coast of San Diego recorded a sea-surface temperature of 81.3 degrees, what researchers believe could be the highest temperature ever measured in California waters. This story originally appeared on KQED.org. A lot of us Californians like to hit the open road, explore miles of highway, and venture off onto some back roads. Sometimes, KQED comes across towns with some pretty bizarre and surprising names, from Rough and Ready to Bumpass Hell. For the first installment in their series "A Place Called What?!" they headed to Zzyzx, California. If you've driven on Interstate 15 near Death Valley, you've probably passed a sign for a town with a name you couldn't pronounce: Zzyzx (ZYE-ZIX). You won't find any shops or restaurants or even houses in Zzyzx. But you will find the Desert Studies Center, a research station operated by a consortium of seven California State University campuses. Rob Fulton manages the center. He's also the town's only permanent resident. Courtesy of Rob Fulton ENDANGERED QUAIL: There's only 1 quail left in San Francisco, and cats are likely to blame Fulton says Zzyzx got its name from Dr. Curtis Springer, a radio preacher who always insisted on having the last word Springer claimed "Zzyzx" would be the last word in the English language. In 1944, he established the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa. "I think he thought it would be clever to invent the last word and then use it for the name of his mineral springs," Fulton says. "He would say things like 'Come to Zzyzx Mineral Springs: the last word in health.'" Courtesy of Rob Fulton Today, the only trace of the Mineral Springs are the buildings that now house the Desert Studies Center, where Fulton has lived and worked for 31 years. As the manager for the center, Fulton is responsible for everything from maintenance of the buildings to meeting the groups of people who come from all over the world to tour the unique ecosystem of the Mohave Desert. Courtesy of Rob Fulton Courtesy of Rob Fulton JFK ASSASSINATION FILES: Long-secret JFK assassination files released Being the only permanent resident "can be lonely at times" his other colleagues commute in from neighboring towns but he says it can also be "exciting." Especially when it comes to getting groceries. When it's time to go food shopping, Fulton drives one hour each way to the nearest grocery store in Barstow. If he can't find what he needs there, he has to drive to Victorville, 100 miles away. While most of us couldn't fathom this kind of long-distance shopping, Fulton says he's used to it. "It gives me some time to listen to the radio and think about other things while I'm driving," he explains. The thing about Zzyzx that keeps Fulton happy, besides the natural beauty of the place, is that he is constantly meeting people who come to the Desert Studies Center. Courtesy of Rob Fulton TRAVELING OUTSIDE OF THE BAY: 15 thoughts all locals have while traveling outside of the Bay Area "The diversity of students that come through ... interacting with them and their instructors, and the people that conduct research out of the field station ... it's an ever-changing landscape of different interests and reasons for being here. And that keeps it interesting." One thing he knows for sure? He's probably not heading back to the suburbs anytime soon. "When I go back to suburbia now I really don't feel comfortable," Fulton says. "I mean, it's like I grew up in this but I don't relate to it anymore. That's kind of weird." Hundreds of Google employees, upset at the companys decision to secretly build a censored version of its search engine for China, have signed a letter demanding more transparency to understand the ethical consequences of their work. In the letter, obtained by the New York Times, employees wrote that the project and Googles apparent willingness to abide by Chinas censorship requirements raise urgent moral and ethical issues. They added, Currently we do not have the information required to make ethically-informed decisions about our work, our projects, and our employment. The letter is circulating on Googles internal communication systems and is signed by about 1,000 employees, according to two people familiar with the document, who were not authorized to speak publicly. The protest presents another obstacle for Googles potential return to China eight years after the Mountain View company publicly withdrew from the country in protest of censorship and government hacking. China has the worlds largest internet audience, but has frustrated U.S. tech giants, including Facebook and Instagram, with content restrictions or outright blockages of services. It is also the latest example of how Googles outspoken workforce has agitated for changes to strategy. In April, employees spoke out against its involvement in a Pentagon program that uses artificial intelligence to improve weaponry. By June, Google had said it would not renew a contract with the Pentagon for AI work. Googles interest in bringing search back to China came to the forefront this month, when reports surfaced that the company was working on a search app that restricts content banned by Beijing. The project, known internally as Dragonfly, was developed largely in secret, prompting outrage among employees who worried they had been unwittingly working on technology that would help China withhold information from its citizens. We urgently need more transparency, a seat at the table, and a commitment to clear and open processes: Google employees need to know what were building, the letter said. The letter also called on Google to allow employees to participate in ethical reviews of the companys products, to appoint external representatives to ensure transparency and to publish an ethical assessment of controversial projects. The document referred to the situation as a code yellow, a process used in engineering to address critical problems that impact several teams. Google declined to comment on the letter. It has said in the past that it will not comment on Dragonfly or speculation about future plans. Historically, Google has been more responsive to employee concerns and more transparent about future projects and inner workings than other major technology companies, inviting questions from workers at its staff meetings and encouraging internal debate. The internal dissent over Dragonfly comes on the heels of the employee protests over Googles involvement in the Pentagon project to use artificial intelligence. After Google said it would not renew its contract with the Pentagon, it unveiled a series of ethical principles governing its use of AI. In those principles, Google publicly committed to only use AI in socially beneficial ways that would not cause harm and promised to develop its capabilities in accordance with human rights law. Some employees have raised concerns that helping China suppress the free flow of information would violate these new principles. In 2010, Google said it had discovered that Chinese hackers had attacked the companys corporate infrastructure in an attempt to access the Gmail accounts of human rights activists. The attack, combined with government censorship, propelled Google to pull its search engine from the country. The exit from China was a seminal moment for the company a symbol of its uncompromising idealism captured by Googles unofficial motto of Dont Be Evil. At the time, Chinese internet users marked the loss of Googles search engine by laying flowers at the companys Beijing offices in what became known as an illegal flower tribute. A possible re-entry to China, according to current and former employees, is a sign of a more mature and pragmatic company. Google has maintained a significant presence in China even though its flagship services are not accessible in the country. Last year, Google announced plans for a research center in China focused on artificial intelligence. And it has introduced translation and file management apps for the Chinese market. Google now has more than 700 employees in China. Googles work on Dragonfly is not a guarantee that its search engine will be welcomed back to China. The government would have to approve its return and it has kept U.S. technology firms like Facebook at arms length, opting instead to work closely with homegrown internet behemoths. Some employees are in favor of re-entering China, arguing that exiting the country in protest of censorship has done little to pressure Beijing to change its position while it has made Google nonessential among the worlds largest base of internet users. When Google pulled out of China in 2010, Sergey Brin, the companys co-founder, said it objected to the countrys totalitarian policies when it came to censorship, political speech and internet communications. If anything, China has only tightened its controls in the past eight years leaving the company in a bind for how to justify its return. You can never satisfy a censor, particularly the ones in China, said Charles Mok, a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council who advocates for information technology and who is affiliated with the territorys democratic camp. Google is probably facing intense pressure to introduce more of its products in China, Mok said, but added that the company would lend legitimacy to government censorship if it debuted a censored search product in China. Then the Chinese government can say, Google is OK with it too, he said. Kate Conger and Daisuke Wakabayashi are New York Times writers. Members of Teslas board are scrambling to control a chief executive who some directors think is out of control. Elon Musk, the Palo Alto companys co-founder and CEO, stirred up a public storm by announcing on Twitter last week that he wanted to turn Tesla into a private company. In recent days, according to people familiar with the matter, some of his fellow board members delivered a stern message: Stop tweeting. Musk hasnt heeded that advice. He has continued to post messages on Twitter, publicly plotting the companys strategy and in some cases making assertions of dubious accuracy. That has only added to the chaos engulfing the struggling company. Teslas board members are also racing to inoculate themselves from the possible fallout from Musks public statements. Regulators with the Securities and Exchange Commission have served Tesla with a subpoena, according to a person familiar with the investigation. While its standard for boards to retain lawyers to counsel them on complicated matters, Teslas outside directors have hired two law firms to represent them. The independent directors retained Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison to help deal with the SEC inquiry. And three of those directors have separately hired the law firm Latham & Watkins to advise them as they consider any proposal by Musk to take the company private. Tesla declined to make Musk available for an interview. The tumult is the latest blow to Tesla, which has been struggling financially and facing mounting questions from investors about the companys ability to meet Musks ambitious financial targets. Some members of the board have grown alarmed by what they see as Musks erratic behavior, according to three people familiar with some directors thinking. Directors were blindsided last week when Musk claimed on Twitter that he had funding secured for a possible deal to convert Tesla from a publicly traded company into a private one. Such a transaction would most likely cost well over $10 billion. Musk said this week that he has been in talks with Saudi Arabias main government investment fund about possibly working on a deal to take Tesla private. But there were no indications that Musk has actually nailed down any commitments to bankroll such a transaction, and the SEC last week contacted the company about Musks Twitter posts, which drove up the companys shares and prompted a halt in trading. Tesla said Wednesday that even if the company moves toward going private, it will issue a safety report on its Autopilot feature this quarter. The safety of Autopilot, which can steer and adjust a cars speed on the freeway, came under sharp scrutiny this spring after a Tesla Model X SUV running on Autopilot slammed into a freeway divider in Mountain View, killing the occupant. Musk insisted that in spite of the crash, Autopilot improves safety, and that Teslas quarterly reports would prove it. Even before the controversy over the going-private transaction, Tesla and its board of directors faced scrutiny because of multiple directors close ties to Musk. One director is Musks brother, Kimbal. Others include Antonio Gracias and Steve Jurvetson, who are both directors of SpaceX, Elon Musks rocket company. Jurvetson has been on leave from Teslas board since late last year, after he resigned from his venture-capital firm amid allegations of misconduct. He has denied those allegations. Tesla said Jurvetson has not participated in the boards discussions on a possible buyout. Another board member, Ira Ehrenpreis, is a SpaceX investor. Brad Buss had served as chief financial officer of SolarCity, the solar-panel maker run by Musks cousin and where Musk previously served as chairman. Tesla acquired SolarCity in 2016. Until last year, the only director without direct ties to Musk was Robyn Denholm, chief executive of an Australian telecommunications company. More for you After Uber accident, fewer people want self-driving cars The boards independence became an issue when Musk announced the acquisition of SolarCity, which was struggling at the time. Some institutional shareholders complained that the deal was not in Teslas best interest. Glass Lewis, a shareholder advisory service, called it a thinly veiled bailout of one of Musks outside investments. The California State Teachers Retirement System and four other large investors subsequently called on Tesla to add outside directors and tighten its corporate governance. In response, Tesla added two independent directors last year James Murdoch, son of Rupert Murdoch and chief executive of 21st Century Fox, and Linda Johnson Rice, chairman and chief executive of Johnson Publishing. Even that move sparked controversy, however. Some investors objected to Murdochs addition because of his involvement in the phone-hacking scandal in which British tabloids run by the Murdoch family were found to have listened to voice mail messages of celebrities, politicians and a murdered teenager. Board members past chumminess with Musk continues to present a problem. One independent directors personal relationship was deemed too close for him to sit on a committee the board established to evaluate Musks potential going-private transaction, according to two people familiar with the matter. As a result, that key committee has only three members. San Francisco Chronicle staff writer David R. Baker contributed to this report. Andrew Ross Sorkin, Jessica Silver-Greenberg, Kate Kelly and Neal E. Boudette are New York Times writers. Firefighters made promising headway Thursday in containing and preventing the growth of a relentless blaze thats become the largest in state history, but officials warned that rising temperatures this weekend could create strong fire behavior. The Mendocino Complex, which started July 27 and has scorched parts of four counties, reached a total of 370,294 acres by Thursday night, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. The blaze, which is made up of the Ranch and River fires, is 76 percent contained. The River Fire, the smaller of the two blazes, has been fully contained for several days at 48,920 acres. However, the Ranch Fire, which alone has become the largest blaze in state history, had burned 321,374 acres as of Thursday night. Firefighters secured containment lines Thursday in an attempt to hold the fire north of the Snow Mountain Wilderness in the Mendocino National Forest, Cal Fire said. Temperatures have been lower this week, allowing firefighters to make progress, said Cary Wright, a Cal Fire spokesman at the Mendocino Complex. We had a couple of days that were favorable for the firefighters to get in and get some good work in, he said. The fire was a little more manageable because of the weather, so it allowed the crews to be more effective. But higher temperatures and low humidity this weekend have crews concerned that the fire could grow, Wright said. Crews were planning to work overnight Thursday to protect the 1,025 structures and the Lake Pillsbury and Stonyford communities threatened by the wildfire, officials said. Those efforts continued to focus on the northwestern and northeastern parts of the fire, where the blaze is actively burning, Cal Fire said. A procession was held Wednesday for 42-year-old Matthew Burchett, a Utah firefighter and the first person to be killed battling the blaze. Authorities are investigating the circumstances that led to his death. Meanwhile, the Ferguson Fire near Yosemite remained steady at 96,810 acres the same as the previous day and was 87 percent contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The Carr Fire in Shasta and Trinity counties grew by about 4,000 acres in the 24 hours ending Thursday night, Cal Fire said. The conflagration has blackened 215,368 acres and was 72 percent contained. Firefighters strengthened containment lines overnight and doused spot fires, Cal Fire said. On Wednesday, officials released new details regarding the death of the Redding firefighter killed July 26 while battling the Carr Fire. Jeremy Stoke was killed by a fire tornado that reached up to 165 mph, according to a report obtained by The Chronicle. Chronicle Staff Writer Peter Fimrite contributed to this report. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani The Santa Clara County district attorneys office cited insufficient evidence in its decision to forgo charges against a former South Bay councilman accused of sexual harassment by multiple women and girls. Dominic Caserta, 43, resigned from his seat on the Santa Clara City Council and suspended his campaign for a seat on the county Board of Supervisors in May after allegations of inappropriate behavior spanning over a decade came to light. Terry Harman, an assistant district attorney, said the allegations were troubling but a lack of evidence precluded the office from moving forward with criminal charges. After a thorough review and legal analysis of Dominic Casertas behavior toward a number of girls and women in recent years, our office has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to file criminal charges, Harman said in a statement released Thursday. However, crime or not, it is unacceptable to treat women with anything less than respect and dignity. Allegations against Caserta, a civics teacher at Santa Clara High School, were first reported by San Jose Inside, after his personnel file was sent out, apparently inadvertently, to the staff of the Santa Clara Unified School District. In one instance, the personnel file noted that Caserta allegedly ran his hands through a female students hair and made sexually suggestive comments about her clothing, including telling her that he was sexually aroused. Lydia Jungkind, a 19-year-old former student and campaign worker of Casertas, claimed that the former councilman sexually harassed her. She was one of nearly a dozen women to file reports with Santa Clara police. Jungkind was a student in a civics class Caserta taught at Foothill College in the fall of 2017 and she later worked on his campaign for Santa Clara County supervisor. He is on paid leave from Santa Clara High. Caserta has faced allegations of misconduct dating to 2002, which include unwanted hugging, inappropriate comments and flirting. Police were called to Santa Clara High twice that year in response to allegations that Caserta had sexually harassed students. He served on the Santa Clara City Council for 12 years and has denied all allegations. The district attorneys office declined to answer any questions about the case. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani At The Sentinel, a popular, decade-old sandwich shop on New Montgomery Street in the Financial District, the sandwiches come with a side of political commentary. "Napkins, straws, and bags are available upon request," a message at the bottom of the menu reads. "You can still get needles for free though. Welcome to SF." ALSO: Trouble for bubble tea shops as SF bans plastic straws Needles littering the streets are an oft-cited grievance for many living in San Francisco, with residents taking to Reddit to complain about finding used needles in BART seats, inside pockets of clothing at department stores and stuck in the bottoms of their shoes. Some hope that the litter will be contained should Mayor London Breed deliver on her promises to open a safe injection site. Clean syringes have been distributed in San Francisco through city sanctioned-programs since 1993, according to the Department of Public Health. Making clean needles available to drug users is believed to contribute to lower levels of HIV and Hepatitis C transmission. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a ban on plastic straws earlier this summer. The ordinance prohibits single-use plastic items like straws and drink stirrers, and requires restaurants make items like napkins and condiment packets available at self-service stations or upon request. The ban takes effect July 1, 2019. Many right-leaning news outlets have seized on the straw bans that are cropping up in an increasing number of West Coast cities as an example of zany liberal overreach. The bans have also come under fire from disability advocates who point out that people with some motor disabilities need plastic straws to eat and drink. Mayor London Breed told CBS that she's sympathetic to frustration with the ubiquity of used needles in the city, but that the straws and the needles are "different issues." "People suffer from drug addiction and sadly, just because we don't like it or don't want to see it, it doesn't mean it will disappear," she said. The Sentinel opened in 2008 and has long been a favorite in the neighborhood for its reasonable prices and quick line. MORE: Drug needle reports on BART spur action The Chronicle included it in a roundup of favorite Bay Area sandwich stops in 2014, writing, "The cooks at Dennis Leary's two takeout shops move so fast that it rarely takes you 10 minutes to get through the line and pay. What to get: the deviled egg salad sandwich." The owner told CBS San Francisco that he didn't want to start a controversy and was simply stating a fact. He added that he is considering removing the line about needles from the menu. Filipa Ioannou is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at fioannou@sfchronicle.com and follow her on Twitter NEW YORK Newspapers from Maine to Hawaii pushed back against President Trumps attacks on fake news Thursday with a coordinated series of editorials speaking up for a free and vigorous press and, not surprisingly, Trump didnt take it silently. The Boston Globe, which set the campaign in motion by urging the unified voice, had estimated that some 350 newspapers would participate. They did across the breadth of the country. The Portland (Maine) Press-Herald said a free and independent press is the best defense against tyranny, while the Honolulu Star-Advertiser emphasized democracys need for a free press. The true enemies of the people and democracy are those who try to suffocate truth by vilifying and demonizing the messenger, wrote the Des Moines Register in Iowa. The Fayetteville Observer said it hoped Trump would stop, but were not holding our breath. On Thursday morning, Trump took to Twitter to denounce the effort, saying the Globe was in collusion with other newspapers. He wrote: THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country....BUT WE ARE WINNING! The Morning News of Savannah, Ga., said it was a confidant, not an enemy, to the people. Like any true friend, we dont always tell you what you want to hear, the Morning News said. And like any true friend, we refuse to mislead you. The New York Times added a pitch. If you havent already, please subscribe to your local papers, said the Times, whose opinion section also summarized other editorials across the country. Praise them when you think theyve done a good job and criticize them when you think they could do better. Were all in this together. That last sentiment made some journalists skittish. Some newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal and The San Francisco Chronicle, wrote editorials explaining why they werent joining the Globes effort. Chronicle Editorial Page Editor John Diaz said while he shares the Globes concerns, such a coordinated campaign plays into Trumps narrative that the media are aligned against him. He will elaborate in his Sunday Insight column. David Bauder is an Associated Press writer. HONOLULU Nancy Kragh grew up without her father, who was among 400 prisoners of war killed when a ship taking them from the Philippines to Japan was bombed. On Wednesday, she and other family members of prisoners on that ship dedicated a memorial stone to their loved ones. The marker lies within a national cemetery in Honolulu where the men are buried in 20 separate graves as unknowns. Kragh only learned her father, Army Maj. Clarence White, was buried in Hawaii about 15 years ago thanks to research conducted by the son of another prisoner of war. The ceremony, she said, brought to close a long journey of finding her fathers final resting place. I can think of him as here, rather than in a mass grave or in the ocean somewhere, she said after the ceremony at The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. The men were on board the Japanese freighter Enoura Maru in what is now Kaohsiung, Taiwan, when planes from the Hornet aircraft carrier bombed it on Jan. 9, 1945. The Enoura Maru, which was en route from the Philippines to Japan, hadnt been marked as having POWs on board so the pilots didnt know they were attacking some of their own. The 400 were initially buried in a mass grave near the harbor. 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. The conditions on the ships transporting the prisoners were so horrific the Americans called them hell ships. U.S. Army Air Corps veteran Daniel Crowley, who traveled to Hawaii from Simsbury, Conn., to attend the ceremony, endured more than three years of slave labor as a prisoner of war, including time on a ship similar to the Enoura Maru. The 96-year-old 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. Crowley said it was important to recognize the men who lost their lives on the Enoura Maru. 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. Audrey McAvoy is an Associated Press writer. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A former San Francisco accountant has been sentenced in federal court to two years and six months in prison for charges related to defrauding a client who was a family friend of $1.3 million in 2012. Cary Collins, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg in San Francisco on Tuesday for his conviction on one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. He pleaded guilty to the two counts in January. The fraud victim, who was identified only as J.K. in court documents, was a close friend of Collins's deceased mother and formerly a friend of Collins, according to a sentencing brief by Assistant Federal Public Defender Elizabeth Falk. Collins persuaded the victim to send $1,325,000 to his bank account in four wire transfers in February and March 2012, supposedly for use in a new investment account in her name, according to his plea agreement. Instead of investing the money, however, Collins spent it on a vacation rental in Hawaii, repayment of a loan, credit card debts, other personal expenses and a belated payment of $300,000 in taxes for another client who had given him funds for the taxes in 2011, according to prosecution filings. After being put off by a series of excuses by Collins, the investment victim was repaid her $1,325,000 plus $60,000 interest and $100,000 in attorney's fees in a civil settlement in July 2013. Falk said in the defense brief that Collins was "deeply remorseful" and always intended to repay J.K., but used her money to pay his personal debts because he was expecting a large commission and fee from a large real estate transaction in Jordan. That transaction fell through, Falk said. Prosecutors said in a sentencing brief that the victim was repaid after she hired a lawyer in the spring of 2013. Previously, they said, Collins sold a house at 3450 21st St. in the Dolores Heights neighborhood for $9,999,000 in December 2012, but did not use part of that money to repay J.K. Instead, he used some of the money to buy a different house on Collingwood Street. He gave J.K. the deed as security but asked her not to record it. J.K. and her lawyer recorded the deed without Collins's knowledge in April 2013, opening the way for the house to be resold and her to be repaid in the civil settlement, prosecutors said. Collins's license as a certified public accountant expired on June 30, according to the California Board of Accountancy. Falk said in the defense brief that he has retired his license. The two-year, six-month sentence was midway between a four-year, four-month sentence recommended by prosecutors and a term of 12 months and one day urged by defense attorneys. He will begin serving the term on Jan. 2. Seeborg also sentenced Collins to three years of supervision after his future release, and ordered him to pay a $10,000 fine. 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. President Donald Trump today nominated a former federal prosecutor who is now a partner in a corporate law firm in San Francisco as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California. David Anderson, 55, a partner in the San Francisco office of Chicago-based Sidley Austin LLP, must be approved by the U.S. Senate before taking office. The Northern California U.S. attorney supervises 135 federal lawyers in civil and criminal cases concerning the U.S. government in a district that encompasses the Bay Area and coastal Northern California to the Oregon border. The U.S. Attorney's Office is based in San Francisco and has branches in San Jose and Oakland. Anderson previously worked in the U.S. Attorney's Office as a prosecutor from 1998 to 2002 and later as first assistant U.S. attorney, or second in command, under U.S. Attorney Joseph Russoniello from 1998 to 2002. He graduated with honors from San Jose State University in 1985 and Stanford Law School in 1990. In 1991-92, he served as a law clerk to recently retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. As a private lawyer, Anderson represented companies and individuals in civil and criminal cases. His corporate clients have included AT&T Inc., Facebook Inc., Genentech Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co., according to Sidley Austin. Anderson said in a statement, "I am honored and grateful to have received this recognition. "If officially nominated and confirmed, I would love to re-enter government service and lead the team of professionals in the U.S. Attorney's office," he said. If approved by the Senate, Anderson will replace Acting U.S. Attorney Alex Tse, who was temporarily appointed to that position by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in January. Tse previously served as first assistant U.S. attorney. Tse stated, "I have known Dave Anderson for almost three decades and I am certain he will be an outstanding U.S. attorney. I am honored to continue in the role of U.S. attorney until he is confirmed and I look forward to a smooth transition to his leadership." 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. FAIRFIELD (BCN) A man has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter following a crash Friday in Fairfield that killed a California Highway Patrol officer and a man from the Philippines, authorities said today. Sean Walker, 36, of Rockland was charged today and is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Solano County Superior Court in Fairfield. Solano County District Attorney Krishna Abrams alleged Walker's behavior wasn't ordinary negligence. "This was gross negligence," Abrams said. That's why prosecutors charged Walker with gross vehicular manslaughter, Abrams said. Walker was charged with two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, one for each fatal victim. CHP Capt. Mark Headrick said officers believe Walker was driving recklessly and was distracted by his phone. But Abrams would not say whether prosecutors believe Walker was texting or talking on his phone. Abrams added that Walker was speeding. CHP motorcycle Officer Kirk Griess, 46, and the man he pulled over, 49-year-old Jaime Manuel, died in the crash. Manuel was driving a Saturn SUV when Griess, a 19-year veteran, pulled him over around 9 a.m. Friday on westbound Interstate Highway 80 near Manuel Campos Parkway. CHP officials said Walker's pickup truck struck Griess and Manuel, who had been living in Vallejo at the time. The crash compacted the Saturn to half its size, CHP Golden Gate Division Chief Ernie Sanchez said last week. Headrick said the crash was preventable. Walker was hospitalized and was released Friday. 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. A 57-year-old Aptos man police believe shot at two people in an apparent dispute between neighbors remains barricaded in his house this morning, Santa Cruz County sheriff's officials said. The man, identified as Ralph Millar, allegedly broke into a neighbor's home in the 100 block of Santa Cruz Avenue in the unincorporated Aptos community at about 5 p.m. Wednesday and shot at two women in the house, Undersheriff Craig Wilson said in a statement. One of the women suffered a gunshot wound, was flown to a trauma center and was listed in stable condition this morning, Wilson said. The other woman was also injured, though she wasn't shot, sheriff's Sgt. Cesar Ramirez said. It wasn't certain today exactly how the second woman was injured, he said. She was treated for her minor injury and later released. Millar returned to his nearby home after the shootings, and Ramirez said that as of 10 a.m. today, Millar was still holed up in his home. The sheriff's SWAT and crisis negotiation teams have been on scene, and officers have been in contact with Millar throughout the night. "We've had a dialogue with Mr. Millar, and we're trying to resolved this situation peacefully," Ramirez said. 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 a man who was only 18 years old at the time stand trial on a murder charge for allegedly raping, stabbing and strangling a 45-year-old woman in Oakland in 1979. The death of Betty Elias at her apartment on San Pablo Avenue on Oct. 29, 1979, remained unsolved for 37 years until 2015, when DNA and fingerprint evidence connected Dennis Eagle, now 57, to the crime. Judge Thomas Rogers issued his holding order against Eagle at the end of a preliminary hearing that lasted two and a half days and was attended by Elias' daughter Joanne Paletta. In addition to murder, Rogers ordered Eagle to stand trial on a special circumstance alleging that the murder of Elias occurred during a rape. Alameda County prosecutor Mark Melton said Eagle wasn't even a suspect in Elias' murder until the DNA connection was established. Melton said Eagle's DNA is in a national database because he is serving time in a federal prison in Virginia for a sex crime he committed at the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana, where he's lived most of his life. Melton said there are many unknowns in the case, such how Eagle wound up in Oakland in 1979 even though he mostly lived in Montana and how he got into Elias' apartment. The prosecutor said Elias worked as a bartender at a bar near her apartment but it appears that she wasn't working the night she was raped and killed. Forensic pathologist Dr. Thomas Rogers, who's not related to Judge Rogers, testified at the hearing that Elias' cause of death was asphyxiation due to strangulation. Eagle, who will return to court on Aug. 29 to have his trial date set, faces life in prison without parole if he's convicted of murder with special circumstances. Melton said if Eagle is convicted he wouldn't begin serving his sentence for Elias' death until 2022 because he still has to finish serving the last four years of his sentence for his conviction for the Montana sex crime. After the hearing, Paletta said she's been waiting a long time for Eagle to be prosecuted and said, "I'm glad I stayed on top of it." Paletta said Elias "was a great mom" but because of her death at the age of 45, she missed out on a lot of important family events, such as the births of her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Paletta said she promised Elias' siblings that she would follow the case until the person responsible for her death was prosecuted and convicted, but now all but one of her siblings are dead, including a brother who died three months ago. 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) Police are seeking the public's help to find the suspects who shot at San Francisco city employee on Monday in the city's Hunters Point neighborhood, leaving the employee with life-threatening injuries. According to police, the shooting occurred around 12:15 p.m. in the 100 block of Kiska Road, just across from a youth center, the Willie Mays Boys and Girls Club. Two suspects allegedly approached the victim and then shot him. The victim was taken to a hospital, where he remains in critical condition, police said. The suspects reportedly fled in a vehicle and officers were unable to locate them. A description of them was not immediately available. Police said the victim, a 43-year-old San Francisco man, is an employee of the city's Street Violence Intervention Program, which aims to prevent street violence, especially among youth. Anyone with information can call the San Francisco Police Department's tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 with "SFPD" at the beginning of the message. Tipsters have the option to remain anonymous. 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) Police are investigating a stabbing aboard a San Francisco Municipal Railway bus Wednesday morning that sent a man to the hospital, police said. The stabbing occurred around 7:45 a.m. on an inbound 49-Van Ness/Mission bus near Market Street and Van Ness Avenue. A 37-year-old man was sitting on the bus when another man tried to take his bag. The victim tried to stop the suspect and a "tug-of-war" ensued between the two, according to police. The suspect then pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim in his stomach, then ran off the bus with the bag in hand. The victim was taken to a hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening. Officers were unable to locate the suspect, described as a man in his 20s, police said. According to Muni spokesman Paul Rose, no other passengers were involved or injured in the scuffle. Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to call the Police Department's tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 with "SFPD" at the beginning of the message. Tipsters have the option of remaining anonymous. 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. A man has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter following a crash Friday in Fairfield that killed a California Highway Patrol officer and a man from the Philippines, authorities said. Sean Walker, 36, of Rocklin was charged Wednesday and is scheduled to be arraigned today in Solano County Superior Court in Fairfield. Solano County District Attorney Krishna Abrams alleged Walker's behavior wasn't ordinary negligence. "This was gross negligence," Abrams said. That's why prosecutors charged Walker with gross vehicular manslaughter, Abrams said. Walker was charged with two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, one for each fatal victim. CHP Capt. Mark Headrick said officers believe Walker was driving recklessly and was distracted by his phone. An Alameda County Superior Court judge has ruled that prosecutors produced sufficient evidence to have a man who was only 18 years old at the time stand trial on a murder charge for allegedly raping, stabbing and strangling a 45-year-old woman in Oakland in 1979. The death of Betty Elias at her apartment on San Pablo Avenue on Oct. 29, 1979, remained unsolved for 37 years until 2015, when DNA and fingerprint evidence connected Dennis Eagle, now 57, to the crime. Judge Thomas Rogers issued his holding order Wednesday against Eagle at the end of a preliminary hearing that lasted two and a half days and was attended by Elias' daughter Joanne Paletta. In addition to murder, Rogers ordered Eagle to stand trial on a special circumstance alleging that the murder of Elias occurred during a rape. Alameda County prosecutor Mark Melton said Eagle wasn't even a suspect in Elias' murder until the DNA connection was established. San Francisco Supervisor Norman Yee is planning to hold a hearing next month to investigate how city contractors are chosen following the death of a construction worker inside the Twin Peaks Tunnel. Patrick Ricketts died on Friday night after a falling steal beam struck him around 4:30 p.m. near the West Portal end of the tunnel, according to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. He died at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Ricketts, 51, was a resident of Colusa County and worked for Oakland-based Shimmick Construction. According to the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Shimmick Construction has a history of violations, including a November 2016 incident in which a worker operating a forklift died after losing control and going into a trench. A 22-year-old suspect was shot and injured by a police officer, Watsonville police said. The shooting happened Wednesday morning on Main Street between Clifford Drive and Ohlone Parkway at about 10 a.m. Police said officers responded to the area of Ninth Street after receiving 911 calls about a man with two knives. The man, identified as Isaias Aguilar of Red Bluff, was allegedly attempting to stab a family member. Officers arrived and did not find Aguilar who allegedly left the area with large kitchen knives. Police said Aguilar charged at Officer Matt Williams with two knives and Williams shot Aguilar as Aguilar closed in. Police are seeking the public's help to find the suspects who shot at a San Francisco city employee on Monday in the city's Hunters Point neighborhood, leaving the employee with life-threatening injuries. According to police, the shooting occurred around 12:15 p.m. in the 100 block of Kiska Road, just across from a youth center, the Willie Mays Boys and Girls Club. Two suspects allegedly approached the victim and then shot him. The victim was taken to a hospital, where he remains in critical condition, police said. The suspects reportedly fled in a vehicle and officers were unable to locate them. More than 650 households have found affordable housing in Oakland using a city program to increase the amount of housing stock available to tenants through the Section 8 program. So far this year 75 landlords have agreed to accept Section 8 vouchers, rather than putting their properties on the open market for market value renters. Those who agree to participate in the program are eligible for a $500 signing bonus, up to two months rent for maintenance and up to $2,500 in interest-free loans for repairs. According to city officials, more than 500 units have been inspected to help bring them up to code. According to Eric Johnson, executive director at the Oakland Housing Authority, there was only one unit of Section 8 housing available in town when this program began. 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 16) Foreign portfolio investments, or hot money, continues to be in dire straits. While the latest Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data recorded more investments in July than in June, it was not enough to make up for the previous month's losses. Hot money as of July was at $959.44 million, a 33.1 percent decline from the $1.4 billion recorded from January to July last year. Net inflows for the month were at $53.29 million, as the $959.44 million in inflows was able to slightly offset $906.15 million in outflows. With June recording a net outflow of $516.12 million and May with a net outflow of $206.35 million, last month's data was a slight recovery. "This may be attributed to investors' anticipation of good second quarter corporate earnings results. The figure, however, is lower compared to the $206 million net inflows recorded in July last year," the BSP said in a statement. A bulk of last month's net inflows came from the investments in the Philippine Stock Exchange at $51 million, and in other peso debt instruments at $11 million. Net outflows, at $9 million, were from investors pulling out from government securities. The United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Hong Kong continue to be a part of the top five investor countries for July, along with the Luxembourg, making up 84.8 percent of the total inflows. Bulk of these investments continue to be in the stock exchange, with the rest into government securities. The Philippine Stock Exchange closed today at 7,517.36, a 0.31 percent decline from yesterday's trading. All sub-indices closed in the red, except for the financials sector. Traders attribute this decline in today's stock market to fears over the Turkish currency meltdown and its possible contagion effects. A teen lost a contact lens after being hit in the eye during a badminton game. Doctors found the lens 28 years later. The discovery was entirely expected. The patient, now a 42-year-old woman, visited an ophthalmologist due to swelling and drooping in her left eye, according to a report of the case published this week in the journal BMJ Case Reports. The doctor felt a small lump under the skin of her eyelid, which an MRI determined was a cyst. Surgeons removed the growth and sliced it open, revealing the nearly three-decades-old contact lens in excellent condition. Doctors inferred "that the lens migrated into the patient's left upper eyelid at the time of trauma," where it remained for 28 years, they wrote in the report. The woman said she never wore contact lenses again after the teenaged shuttlecock incident, though she had noticed her eye drooping for some time. Upon removal of the cyst, the patient's problems subsided. Losing a contact lens is an incredibly common occurrence for those who wear them, though it's uncommon for the body to encapsulate lenses as foreign objects. Nonetheless, in one extreme case, also reported in BMJ Case Reports, doctors found 27 contact lenses in the eye of a woman last year. Doctors say symptoms of a trapped contact lens include sharp pain as well as sensitivity and redness. Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. BANGKOK An 11-year-old bride to a Malaysian man 30 years her senior has returned to her native Thailand, where she is under the care of the local social welfare department. Ayu, who is being identified only by her nickname for her protection, was married in June as the third wife of Che Abdul Karim Che Abdul Hamid, a Muslim rubber trader from the northern Malaysian state of Kelantan. The case has provoked soul-searching in Malaysia, where the prevalence of child marriage belies the Southeast Asian nations modern outlook. Earlier this month, Thai officials picked up Ayu and her parents in a Thai town on the border with Malaysia, said Surapol Prommool, governor of Narathiwat province in southern Thailand. She is now being cared for in a Thai government institution by an all-female staff of social workers, psychologists and doctors. Che Abdul Karim has not been allowed to visit her there, Surapol said. For us, the most important thing now is to treat her mental condition, he said. We are working to make her calm and feel better. Malaysian law allows for child marriage in certain cases. Muslims, who are bound by Shariah law in many civil affairs, can wed below the age of 16 if they receive permission from a religious court. Non-Muslims between the ages of 16 and 18 can marry with the consent of state-level ministers. Last year, Malaysia passed a law against sexual grooming, in which an adult creates an emotional bond with a child for the purpose of sexual exploitation. An effort to ban child marriage, however, failed. One legislator from the then governing party, who had also served as a Shariah court judge, said a 9-year-old girl could be marriageable if she had gone through puberty. But Malaysias new government, which took power in May, has said that it is committed to combating underage marriage, which is most common among younger children from the countrys Muslim Malay and indigenous populations. We want to raise the age of marriage to 18 years and above, said Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Malaysias deputy prime minister and minister of women, family and community development. We have the political will to do that, but I have to engage all the stakeholders. That takes some time. Wan Azizah said that the attorney generals office is currently investigating whether Che Abdul Karim violated the countrys laws against sexual grooming, as well as other rules governing child marriage. While Che Abdul Karim said that he would not touch Ayu until she was 16, the pair went on a holiday together to a Malaysian hill retreat, according to a social media post seen by his second wife. Last month, Che Abdul Karim was fined $450 by a Kelantan Shariah court for marrying Ayu in Thailand without the courts permission. Although Ayu was born in Thailand, she has lived most of her life in northern Malaysia, where her father struggled to make ends meet as a rubber tapper. The family lived in a wooden shack with no running water, and Ayu did not attend school. Hannah Breech is a New York Times writer. 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 air strike 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. Yemeni health officials said 54 people were killed, 44 of them children, and many more were wounded. Yemens conflict began in 2014 when Houthi rebels, who are aligned with Iran, seized control of the capital, Sanaa, and sent the government into exile. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia Irans chief rival for power and influence in the Middle East formed a coalition of Arab nations and launched a military intervention aimed at restoring Yemens government. It has so far failed to do so. The Aug. 9 attack was particularly shocking, even for a war in which children have been the primary victims, suffering through one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises, with rampant malnutrition and outbreaks of cholera. The war had killed more than 10,000 people before the United Nations stopped updating the death toll two years ago. The strike also revived questions about the coalitions tactics and the United States support for the campaign. American military leaders, exasperated by strikes that have killed civilians at markets, weddings and funerals, insist the United States is not a party to the war. Human rights organizations say the United States cannot deny its role, given that it has sold billions of dollars in weaponry to allied coalition states, provided them with intelligence and refueled their bombers in midair. Congress has shown increasing concern about the war recently. A defense policy bill that President Trump signed Monday included a bipartisan provision that requires Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to certify that Saudi Arabia and its close ally the United Arab Emirates the two countries leading the coalition are taking steps to prevent civilian deaths. In the wake of this attack, individual members of Congress have gone further, calling on the military to clarify its role in air strikes on Yemen and investigate whether the support for those strikes could expose U.S. military personnel to legal jeopardy, including for war crimes. Shuaib Almosawa, Ben Hubbard and Eric Schmitt are New York Times writers. JAKARTA, Indonesia Indonesias president urged his country to embrace its founding spirit of tolerance in an annual national address just days after choosing a divisive cleric as his running mate in elections next year. Joko Jokowi Widodo told parliament on Thursday that independence fighters were able to throw off Dutch colonial rule by not being divided by political, ethnic, religious or class differences. It depends on the people itself whether the nation wants to unite or whether the nation is easily divided, he said in the speech on the eve of a national holiday marking the 73rd anniversary of independence. Indonesias image as a moderate Muslim nation has been undermined by flaring intolerance in the past several years, from the imprisonment of Jakartas Christian governor for blasphemy to the canings of gay men in Aceh, a province that practices Shariah law. Originally elected on a moderate platform, Jokowi last week chose a conservative cleric, Maruf Amin, who rails against secularism, liberalism, homosexuality and minority religions as his running mate in the presidential election set for April. I am sure if the Indonesian people want to remain united, tolerant and care for their fellow children of the nation, then Indonesia is no longer just a name or picture of a chain of islands on a world map, but rather a force respected by other nations in the world, Jokowi said. U.N. Human Rights chief Zeid Raad Al-Hussein warned earlier this year that strains of intolerance once thought foreign to Indonesia are making inroads in the worlds most populous Muslim nation. In particular, he criticized a push to criminalize LGBT Indonesians, whove suffered an onslaught of inflammatory rhetoric from officials for the past two years and attacks by vigilantes. In another development Thursday, the main global group for certifying sustainable wood has suspended plans to give its influential endorsement to Indonesian paper giant Sinarmas after revelations it cut down tropical forests and used an opaque corporate structure to hide its activities. The Forest Stewardship Council said it had halted a process that could have enabled the Asia Pulp & Paper arm of Sinarmas to be readmitted to the organization. The group said it is awaiting information from the conglomerate related to its corporate structure and alleged unacceptable forest management activities by companies thought related to it and wants full disclosure. Three months ago, the council had sent a come clean ultimatum to Sinarmas, one of the worlds largest paper companies, and its billionaire Indonesian family owners. The conglomerate said Thursday that it has hired an accounting firm to carry out a comprehensive assessment of all industrial forest plantation companies in Indonesia that would be supervised by The Forest Trust, a corporate backed group that says it promotes transparency in supply chains. The assessment would resolve ongoing and unsubstantiated allegations of using opaque ownership structures, Sinarmas said. The FSC mark, a stylized tree, is sought by paper producers and other wood users as an endorsement they can use in the marketplace to promote their products as green and charge a premium. It is especially crucial for access to the lucrative North American market. Page Content New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is setting the stage to begin debate over the legalization of marijuana for recreational use during the 2019 legislative session. The current marijuana program, restricted to medical marijuana usage, was signed into law in 2014. On Aug. 2, Cuomo announced the creation of a workgroup to begin drafting legislation for a regulated adult-use marijuana program. This workgroup is being formed on the heels of a report from the Department of Health (DOH) ordered by the governor in his January 2018 budget address. After studying the potential effects of regulating marijuana, the DOH in its "Assessment of the Potential Impact of Regulated Marijuana in New York State" concluded: The positive effects of a regulated marijuana market in [New York State] outweigh the potential negative impacts. Areas that may be a cause for concern can be mitigated with regulation and proper use of public education that is tailored to address key populations. Incorporating proper metrics and indicators will ensure rigorous and ongoing evaluation. Whether the draft legislation would be done on time to be released as part of the state's fiscal year 2019-20 Executive budget proposal remains to be seen. Key topics the legislation would address include: Who will regulate the manufacturing, distribution and retail sale of marijuana. How the product will be taxed and at what levels. Where the revenue from regulating and taxing will go. How the criminal penalty statutory scheme will change. According to the governor, the "workgroup will be overseen by Counsel to the Governor Alphonso David, who will work with members to provide them with information and support and coordinate among the Executive Branch and stakeholders." The legislation, once completed, would have to be passed by both the state Assembly and state Senate. In addition, with 2018 being an election year for all statewide offices, the dynamics of any legislation could change if there is a turnover in the Executive Branch or the New York Legislature. Lisa M. Marrello and Kevin M. Bronner, Jr. are attorneys with Jackson Lewis in Albany. 2018 Jackson Lewis. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission. Page Content California has long provided fertile ground for employment lawsuits, because the state has strict workplace rules that businesses must follow. And in recent months, several rulings by the California Supreme Court have made it even more likely that employers will get sued. Here's what employers should know to help reduce the risk of litigation. 1. Independent Contractor Misclassification How does an employer determine if a worker should be classified as an employee or independent contractor under California wage orders? In Dynamex Operations v. Superior Court, the state Supreme Court adopted an "ABC" test, allowing a worker to be deemed an independent contractor only if the business shows all of the following: The worker is free from employer control. The worker performs tasks that are outside the usual course of the company's business. The worker is usually engaged in an independently established trade, occupation or business. "The presumption is that the worker is an employee, unless you can prove otherwise," said Veronica Gray, an attorney with Nossaman in Irvine. The ruling will lead to more lawsuits in an area that was already heavily litigated, according to Gary McLaughlin, an attorney with Akin Gump in Los Angeles. Therefore, employers should review their business practices to ensure workers are properly classified. 2. Off-the-Clock Work In Troester v. Starbucks Corp., the plaintiff claimed that the coffee chain failed to pay him for off-the-clock work performed at closing time, such as setting the alarm and locking the door. The district court found that the "de minimis" doctrinea federal rule that allows small amounts of time that are difficult to track to be unpaidapplied in this case. However, the California Supreme Court ultimately rejected the federal de minimis rule, holding that businesses must pay employees for regularly occurring off-the-clock activities, such as opening or closing a retail store. Gray noted that the court left open a key issue: whether there are circumstances in which compensable time is so minute or irregular that it is unreasonable to expect the time to be recorded. 3. Calculating Overtime on Bonuses When employers provide extra payments such as bonuses to nonexempt workers, they often fail to properly calculate overtime pay, said Maria Stearns, an attorney with Rutan & Tucker in Costa Mesa. Nondiscretionary bonuses need to be included in the regular rate of pay for calculating overtime, she noted. [SHRM members-only how-to guide: How to Calculate Daily and Weekly Overtime in California] Under federal law, employers can calculate the regular rate of pay by taking the employee's hourly rate times the total hours worked (including overtime hours), adding in the nondiscretionary bonus and dividing that by the total hours worked in the week. For example, if an employee earns $15 an hour, worked 55 hours and received a $100 bonus, the regular rate would be $16.82 (15 x 55 = 825 + 100 = 925 / 55 = 16.82). In Alvarado v. Dart Container Corp. of California, however, the California Supreme Court clarified state rules. When dealing with a flat-sum bonus, the employer must divide only by the total regular (nonovertime) hours worked during the earning period. So when using the same earnings as in the example above, the regular rate would be $17.50 (15 x 40 = 600 + 100 = 700 / 40 = 17.50). "It's a very easy type of case for plaintiffs' attorneys to litigate," Stearns observed. "The facts are all captured on the pay stub. You either did it right, or you didn't." Businesses should conduct payroll audits to determine if their practices comply with the law, she said. 4. Meal and Rest Breaks California has stringent requirements for meal and rest periods. For example, nonexempt employees generally aren't allowed to work for more than five hours without an unpaid meal break of at least 30 minutes. Also, employers must provide a paid rest break of at least 10 minutes for every four hours worked (or major fraction thereof). "The requirements are so specific that it's a challenge for any employer," McLaughlin said. Under the California Supreme Court decision in Brinker Restaurant Corp. v. Superior Court, employers have several obligations, he added. Employers must provide meal breaks, relieve employees of their duties during those periods and be sure not to interfere with workers' ability to take breaks. Employers aren't required to police employees to ensure they're taking meal periods, McLaughlin said. Nevertheless, it's smart to be proactive. For example, he said, it's a good idea to have a timekeeping system that detects whether meal periods are taken. If a worker isn't taking breaks, the employer might want to discuss the situation with the employee. The goal is to ensure the law is being followed. 5. Wage Statements The California Labor Code requires employers to include very detailed information on pay stubs. Failure to do so could cost the company a lot of money. Under Labor Code Section 226(e), for instance, an employer who knowingly and intentionally fails to comply with the rules must pay penalties to the injured employee. The penalties are $50 for the first violation and $100 for each subsequent violation (not to exceed $4,000). The employee also is entitled to costs and attorney fees. Employees can recover civil penalties for labor code violations under the state's Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). Under PAGA, employees can sue on behalf of themselves and other workerswith 75 percent of recovered penalties going to the state and 25 percent going to employees. When seeking civil penalties in PAGA cases, employees don't need to show that a violation was "knowing and intentional" or that the employee suffered an actual injury. For example, in Lopez v. Friant & Associates, a California court held that an employee could sue under PAGA for an employer's failure to include the last four digits of his Social Security number or an employee identification number on wage statements. It can add up quickly, so internal audits are crucial to stay out of trouble, Gray noted. Toni Vranjes is a freelance business writer in San Pedro, Calif. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- After a week of friends-and-family dinners, Taverna on the Bay is finally open to the public for lunch and dinner. The corner restaurant, said co-owner Tifo "Tom" Zuberi, continues a "Restaurant Row" seemingly in development along Bay Street. Tom, a plumber by trade, partners with Ali Lula and Ridi Zeneli. The trio, familiar faces as long-time Staten Islanders, pulled from their vast network of friends and careers in business to anchor their support in this venture. Ridi was born of the borough's food industry. He arrived from Albania in November 2001, and went to work at Bocca, then in Dongan Hills on Hylan Boulevard. That restaurant was owned by Mike Velic, now a wine salesman who supplies Taverna. Mike taught Ridi a good deal of the trade and fostered Ridi's love for understanding of wine. After Bocca, Ridi headed to Angelina's, then in Annadale; Torrones at 3333 Hylan Boulevard (now a doctor's office) and then to Espana, a former Annadale eatery known for its house-made sangria and upscale Spanish fare. Ridi started in Espana's kitchen, hence a swath of the menu straight from the restaurant's popular play book. And although that eatery came to a tragic end Ridi formed lasting relationships most significantly that of Tom who did plumbing work at Espana. Since that time, Ridi moved on to work at the Sheraton's "Four Points" and its resident restaurant San Marino. Soon afterward Ridi sank his savings into his first restaurant venture -- Tapas with its Spanish eats at this very Stapleton location. Alas, the neighborhood went through a rough patch, particularly as a backdrop for fine dining, said Ridi. And he reluctantly closed after three years. Discouraged after that experience, his good friend Tom built up his confidence. Tom said, "Let's open this place!" "So he gave me the courage again," said Ridi. "I envision [Bay Street] to be a Restaurant Row. We need it," said Tom. "It took a long time to come up. It's still not there yet...it's rebounding." He says he's appreciative of the trailblazers around him like Massimo Felici at VINUM and his partners at the soon-coming venture up the block "The Richmond." Taverna presents an expansive Mediterranean menu of chops, steaks, pasta (including house-made ribbons and various ravioli from Pastosa of West Brighton) along with a heavy play on seafood. Raw selections include shrimp, clams and oysters on the half-shell, smoked salmon, tuna tartare, ceviche with calmari, shrimp, mussels and a "fish of the day." A "Seafood Bowl" feeds four to six guests with assorted shellfish including King and Snow crab legs. Also inspired by the ocean are crab cakes, mussels, Clams Salsa Verde, sole Oreganata-style, Cod Fish Mariscada, tuna, salmon, whole branzino, lobster tails and Paella. The restaurant is closed on Mondays. Tuesday through Thursdays it opens from noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday noon to 9 p.m. Note: There is a pizzeria of the same name soon opening next door with a separate entrance. Also in the works are a private dining room and backyard seating area. Taverna By The Sea is located at 661 Bay St., Stapleton; 718-524-5686. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- There's always something magical about witnessing a mega-milestone 100th birthday in the borough. Just ask New Springville resident Albert Salvio, who rounded the "really big" century mark Aug. 10 in the presence of 70-plus family members and friends at the Oriental Plaza in Bulls Head. A LITTLE ABOUT ALBERT: Born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan to parents Lucy and John Salvio -- natives of Ischia, Italy -- Albert was married to the former Anna Stola until her passing in 2003. According to his daughter, Joan Baronick: "As a young man, my dad used to help his father on construction jobs. He also drove a truck and worked in the garment industry at a firm called R & K with offices in Manhattan and in Brooklyn, where he started as a pattern cutter." A fond childhood memory: "He used to make clothes for the family on our sewing machine and even brought home beautiful clothing from the shop." FOREVER YOUNG: Albert enjoys cooking up a good tomato sauce with shrimp and spaghetti, flipping peppers and eggs and even sausages and peppers for all to enjoy. "Being as independent as he is keeps him going and he always enjoys conversing with young people," Joan says. "Cooking and household chores is what's keeping him young." Albert befriended many in his neighborhood and would spend his leisure time with a group of about 10 cronies who would meet in the Staten Island Mall every morning for breakfast. He kept up this tradition until about five years ago. "My dad always enjoyed trips to the Mall, where he would exchange ideas about life and college with young adults who were working in food shops," Joan said. "They got to know him and would always have his coffee ready for him." He loves interacting with his two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, as well his many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends who were at his party. STILL A CONTEMPORARY: A Trump supporter, the "birthday boy" even received congratulatory greetings on his 100-year milestone from the president and first lady. The illustrious senior still finds the stock market fascinating, as well as listening to the news -- and is even proficient as a Facebook follower, locating a number of family members and friends on that form of social media, as well as through phone calls and photos. One vintage past time: Albert, who works his TV remote until he find cowboy movies, is especially fond of actor John Wayne. Albert, who resides in an apartment in his daughter Joan and son-in-law Michael's home, reveals he wants to try to break the family record, inasmuch as his great-grandfather was said to live to be 108 years young. Happy birthday, Albert! STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Republicans have bought a bus ticket to Canada for Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who said America "was never that great." The state Republican Party says the $55 one-way, Albany-to-Montreal ticket is valid only on Friday and if Cuomo believes his own remarks he should leave the country. Cuomo's statements -- which drew the ire of President Donald Trump -- angered some Staten Island Republicans. WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, IT WAS NEVER THAT GREAT. Can you believe this is the Governor of the Highest Taxed State in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018 Rep. Dan Donovan (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn), New York City's only Republican congressman, said that the governor owed America an apology and spoke about his personal connection to the community. "Andrew Cuomo's comment that 'America was never that great' is deeply offensive and unwarranted. It was America that built the Empire State Building and helped defeat Nazi Germany. It was America that allowed me -- the son of a longshoreman and factory worker -- to be the first in my family to go to college," said Donovan. "It was America and everything she stands for that inspired me to a life of public service." Donovan continued, "And it is America, as the beacon of hope and opportunity for the world, who is the #1 target for enemies of freedom, but shouldn't be one for our governor. He owes the people of this nation an apology." Staten Island Republican Party chairman Brendan Lantry also criticized Cuomo and contrasted it with the stance of New York's Republican nominee for governor, Marc Molinaro. "Gov. Cuomo has finally admitted out loud what many of us have known for years -- that he and his fellow radical progressives do not believe in American exceptionalism," said Lantry. "This November we have an opportunity to embrace a candidate in Marc Molinaro who does know our country's unique role and contributions in history and wants to build up and celebrate America and our state rather than drag it down." Cuomo's primary challenger is former "Sex and the City" star Cynthia Nixon, who knocked him for trying and failing to sound like a progressive. The governor's allies say he was only acknowledging America's history of racism and inequality. "Gov. Cuomo disagrees with the president," said Dani Lever, Cuomo's spokesperson. "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 made the remark Wednesday while criticizing President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan. He said Trump wants to return to an era of intolerance and America will be truly great when it has true equality. (Associated Press material was used in this report.) FOLLOW CLIFFORD MICHEL ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Staten Island woman who apparently suffered a medical episode when she allegedly plowed her car into two kids in a Brooklyn intersection, killing both, may be offered a plea deal, according to a New York Post report. A justice ordered Brooklyn prosecutors to return to state Supreme Court in that borough with "an unspecified plea offer" for Dorothy Bruns, the report states. Bruns, 44, of Concord, was arrested in May for charges that include manslaughter and criminally reckless homicide, after authorities allege she was ordered by doctors not to drive due to her medical condition. She had allegedly told police she had suffered a seizure at the time of the crash. The mother of one of the victims was Ruthie Ann Miles, a Tony Award-winning actress. The woman also lost the unborn child she was carrying at the time of the incident, according to media reports. By MIRA WASSEF and PAUL LIOTTA STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Classroom instructors at a Tottenville preschool allegedly were caught on secret recordings verbally abusing special-needs students, calling them "morons" and "stupid," and using foul language, the Advance has learned. Several parents at Volunteers of America (VOA) Early Learning Center, which serves mostly non-verbal students with developmental delays, said a concerned mother sent her son to school with a recording device in a backpack when she felt he wasn't acting like himself. They claim the boy was agitated, acting out, not wanting to go to school and using foul language. They said the recordings, captured over four days, revealed the students were called "morons" and told "you f------ smell," "get f----- away from me, you stink" and "you're staying in your s----- diaper all day." "It's heartbreaking," said one father, who said his son was among the alleged victims. "We feel betrayed, angry. We thought we were sending our son to the safest place." The dad, who declined to have his name published, said when he would take his son to school, the child would say, "no school" and "bye-bye school." "Now it makes sense," he added. "We thought these people would be extra patient [with my son]." "This is a complete shock," said another parent. "It's complete devastation because we never had any indication of this." "We've been sick over this," said a parent of a 3-year-old boy who also declined having her name pubished. "We're the only ones who can speak for our children." The mom behind the recordings sent a group text to the other parents in her son's class to alert them to the situation. "I'm glad she taped them," said another mother. The school was notified of the tapes on Aug. 3, and reprimanded the instructors before alerting the city Administration for Child Services (ACS), sources said. On Aug. 9, six days after VOA was notified of the recordings, the school met with the parents, sources said. The school said it has launched an internal investigation and "appropriate disciplinary and corrective actions" were taken against the staff involved. According to several parents, a teacher and four paraprofessionals have not been seen at the school since the alleged incident. "We were deeply concerned when it was alleged, on August 3, 2018, that one of our teachers verbally abused a young student in her class," said Linda Rosenthal, director of education for Volunteers of America-Greater New York, in a statement to the Advance. "This is a clear violation of our code of conduct and it will not be tolerated. We hold all VOA-GNY employees to the highest standards of conduct and compassion." The school would not say if the staffers were suspended or fired, citing privacy issues. Additionally, staffers have been re-trained in adult-child interactions, child safety protocols and the school's code of conduct, Rosenthal said. "VOA-GNY wants to assure our families that this isolated incident is being handled professionally and swiftly," she said. "The safety and well-being of their children is our highest priority." The ACS and the New York State Education Department (SED) have confirmed they are involved in the probe. "We take all allegations of misconduct seriously," said SED spokeswoman Emily DeSantis in a statement. "We are following up with this preschool provider to ensure all appropriate action is taken." The NYPD said no complaints have been made against the school. 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... President Trump confirmed he requires all White House staff members to sign non-disclosure agreements, a huge divergence from government protocol. While many employees said they were required to sign NDAs before starting work at the White House, President Trump had been taciturn when asked about their existence. NDAs are used to maintain organizational security and privacy. Yet critics say government officials need to be able to speak publicly and cannot be bound by NDAs. What do you think? PERSPECTIVES While there have been rumors of employees being required to sign NDAs in order to work for the Trump administration, the president has only recently confirmed their existence. After former senior advisor Omarosa Manigault Newman began her book tour, the presidenttweeted that "Wacky Omarosa already has a fully signed Non-Disclosure Agreement." The Washington Post confirmed the existence of Trump administration NDA. Non-disclosure agreements are highly unusual within the confines of the government. While there is a general understanding that government employees should act with discretion when discussing their jobs, rarely are they required to sign paperwork that would bind them to that standard. With the exception of top secret information, federal employees are typically at their liberty to talk about their jobs and experiences. Per The New York Times: President Trump's long history of favoring strict NDAs has transferred to his new office. In April 2016, he told The Washington Post's reporters: The move to insist on all White House employees signing NDAs is not only a break from government protocol, it may not even be legal. Per The New York Times: Yet Manigault Newman's behavior could be seen as an argument in favor of President Trump's NDA policy. Manigault Newman recorded and then publicly shared a conversation she had with chief of staff John Kelly in the White House Situation Room. The New York Times writes: While Manigault Newman merely shared audio of Kelly firing her, there could be concerns another employee could share much more sensitive information. 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. By PAUL LIOTTA and MIRA WASSEF STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A teacher at a special-needs preschool in Tottenville has been fired after secret recordings sparked allegations of verbal abuse in her classroom, the Advance has learned. Following a subsequent investigation, the main teacher in the classroom at the time of the alleged abuse has been "terminated," a spokeswoman for the Volunteers of America Early Learning Center on Jolene Lane told the Advance. The move was effective Monday, the spokeswoman said. She declined to release the identity of the teacher in question. Multiple parents involved in meetings at the school told the Advance in an exclusive interview Wednesday that the controversy began when a concerned mother sent her son to school with a recording device in a backpack because she felt he wasn't acting like himself. They said the boy's parents felt he was agitated, acting out, not wanting to go to school and using foul language. The recordings, taken over several days, allegedly showed staffers verbally abusing the children, calling them names and using foul language. The mom behind the recordings sent a group text to the other parents in her son's class to alert them to the situation, the parents said. The parents told the Advance that a teacher and several paraprofessionals were not seen at the school in the days after the allegations surfaced. "It's heartbreaking," said one father, who said his son was among the alleged victims. "We feel betrayed, angry. We thought we were sending our son to the safest place." In a statement to the Advance on Wednesday, Linda Rosenthal, director of education for Volunteers of America-Greater New York, said "appropriate disciplinary and corrective actions" were taken against the staff members involved. The statement did not provide specifics on the extent of those actions or the number of individuals involved and their roles with the school. "We were deeply concerned when it was alleged, on August 3, 2018, that one of our teachers verbally abused a young student in her class," Rosenthal said in the statement. "This is a clear violation of our code of conduct and it will not be tolerated. We hold all VOA-GNY employees to the highest standards of conduct and compassion. "VOA-GNY wants to assure our families that this isolated incident is being handled professionally and swiftly," she said. "The safety and well-being of their children is our highest priority." The ACS and the New York State Education Department (SED) have confirmed they are investigating as well. "We take all allegations of misconduct seriously," said SED spokeswoman Emily DeSantis in a statement. "We are following up with this preschool provider to ensure all appropriate action is taken." STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Growing up in housing projects in Manhattan, Denise Angela Miller was determined to get an education and begin a career. "My mom moved into NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority) housing in 1971. We lived in Jefferson housing in Manhattan," she said, noting the first time she left NYCHA housing was to attend college at SUNY Canton. But then her mother died in 1993. "I had moved to the Grand Concourse [in the Bronx], but I had to move back to my mother's NYCHA apartment to take care of my niece and nephew who she had custody of. I ended up adopting my nephew. I also have two wonderful daughters," said Miller. After becoming a victim of domestic violence, NYCHA moved Miller and her children to the Richmond Terrace development on Jersey Street in New Brighton. "I had asked for a transfer. I had never been to Staten Island before, but I'm a woman who believes in the word of God. ..I heard this scripture: 'I'm going to take you to a new land...' My mother had died and I had this new life that I didn't ask for. ...I believed there was going to be something good coming," said Miller. PURSUING A CAREER AS A BAKER She went back to college to work toward a degree in hospitality management from New York College of Technology in Brooklyn. She began working in the restaurant business at the former Ian's Restaurant in Manhattan. Her goal was to become a master baker with her own bake shop. But then a car accident derailed her plans. "I got into a car accident right on Clove Road....My car went down into the manhole. The airbag hit me; my car was totally destroyed and it took my back and neck out," she said. "In the restaurant business you're on your feet all day long. When I found out I couldn't do that anymore, I fell into a real depression. I owed money to the college. I had dreamed of owning a home, and I had dreams of passing something down to my children," said Miller. One day she confided in her medical physician about her depression. They started talking about her love of baking. She made him an upside down pineapple cake. It wasn't long before she had her first customer. Soon, she was baking custom cakes for all the doctors and nurses at the facility. "I now had an awesome portfolio," she said. 'DAM' THAT'S GOOD CAKE! That's when she came up with the idea for "DAM" That's Good Cake! LLC, which she launched from her Jersey Street apartment in August 2017. Today she proudly calls herself a custom cake decorator and a pastry chef, who makes an assortment of cakes, cheesecakes, pies, cookies and pastries. As a resident watch supervisor at her development, she was introduced to NYCHA's Food Pathway program, which provides residents with training and resources to start food businesses. This was the boost Miller needed to upstart her business. "It's unbelievable all the people they have helping us in the program. I'm learning so much. ...This is a whole new world for me," said Miller, who now has corporate clients. While she still bakes from her NYCHA apartment, Miller also has use of a commercial kitchen through the Food Pathway program. Her specialty is her upside down cakes. And her goal is to box her personal recipe for a scratch cake, said Miller. "I feel like this is the beginning of something great that I'm going to find out that I can do exceedingly better than I thought I could," said Miller. "I really hope someday to see it become a lucrative business that I can pass down from one generation to another," she added. "DAM" THAT'S GOOD CAKE! AT A GLANCE Social Media: New Businesses in Focus is a weekly column that relates the stories of new Staten Island businesses owners. If you have a new business on Staten Island, e-mail porpora@siadvance.com. More New Businesses in Focus: Daughter of murder victim opens yoga studio focused on healing Artist Sarah Yuster finds success selling her artwork online Inspired by her mom, 24-year-old opens salad bar on South Shore 24-year-old survivor of brutal attack launches fitness center FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER STATEN ISLAND -- President Trump has branded the "fake news" media the enemy of the people. Nearly a third of Americans agree, as do a majority of Republicans, two alarming new polls found. Today, the Staten Island Advance editorial board joins The Star Ledger, our sister newspaper in New Jersey, and more than 200 newspapers across the nation to respond. Freedom of the press is not a God given right. It is being degraded all over the globe, as autocrats use the power of the state to tightly muzzle independent journalists. At least 21 reporters in six countries have been jailed for "fake news," vaguely defined as any news the government considers a threat - including two in Egypt, simply for reporting on an outdated tramway. To justify these crackdowns, despots can now parrot the "leader of the free world." Philippine strongman Rodrigo Duterte banned critical reporters from his events because he said he was tired of their "fake news." A state official in Myanmar dismissed the ongoing massacre of the Rohingya Muslim minority the same way: "There is no such thing as Rohingya," he said. "It is fake news." This phrase once meant exactly what it sounds like: False stories, deliberately posing as news, spread by Twitter bots. Now it's any news that the great leader doesn't like. Even many Americans support a Stalin-esque use of government power to single out political opponents or stifle criticism. Almost a third believe the news media is "the enemy of the people," according to a new poll by Ipsos - an expression most widely used by Joseph Stalin, before it was adopted by Trump. A majority of Republicans think the press is the "enemy of the people," rather than "an important part of democracy," as our founding fathers believed, a Quinnipiac poll found. And nearly half of conservatives think the president should be able to shut down the press, they told Ipsos. No doubt about it: If Trump could shut down his critics, he would. He's mused about loosening libel laws and suspending NBC's license. "It's frankly disgusting the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write," he said. Yet imagine, for a moment, if they couldn't. What if we knew nothing about the conclusion of intelligence experts that Russia meddled in our election, and heard only that it was some guy from Jersey? Here on Staten Island, who would shine a bright light on the opioid, and now heroin, crisis sweeping across our borough - killing people young and old as it does? Abandoned and dangerous hospital buildings in Clifton - Bayley Seton - would still be wide open, inviting vandals and fun-seeking kids. This three whole years after an 18-year-old died in the former abandoned Staten Island Hospital building in New Brighton, just a few miles away. Our Tom Wrobleski walked onto the Bayley Seton property and through a series of photos and commentary, told the scary story. Within weeks, the property was secured. Who would highlight the plight of Staten Island families struggling to care for their special needs children as they "age out" of special care facilities? No, the Staten Island Advance is not your enemy. Staten Island supports Donald Trump. That we know. We understand that despite the fact more registered Democrats than Republicans live here, we are still a conservative community. We understand why the president and his message gets such support here. His message of "America First" resonates. Indeed, it resonates with us. But the president too often takes his message too far. The fact that we sometimes, even often, disagree does not make us the enemy. Fox News, the most-watched cable network, belies the notion that mainstream media doesn't include conservatives. Much of the hostility of the right towards the press in fact lies elsewhere: Stories in which the press reports what someone else says about Trump, and he blames the media. After his debacle in Helsinki with Vladimir Putin, Trump got pummeled by his own party. But he made it sound like it was the press that was attacking him, simply by reporting what his critics said. Many of his fans are perfectly happy to attack the messenger instead. Incredibly, 39 percent of conservatives now say negative news stories about politicians are always "fake news," even if they are accurate, a poll by the Knight Foundation and Gallup found. What are we to make of this? Like Putin, or Stalin, Trump knows he doesn't need to convince his base that everything he says is true; just that everybody else is a liar, including the press that regularly fact-checks him. Because when people believe that the real truth is unknowable, they grow cynical, and prefer to tune out and believe no one. Instead, they put their faith in Trump. And so we have "the enemy of the people," a phrase straight out of the Ministry of Truth, that state propaganda factory of George Orwell's dark imagination. But the true enemy of the people is never a free press, which holds the powerful accountable. It is a government that wants to be the sole arbiter of truth. 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! Sixth form students at Highbridges King Alfred School are today celebrating an outstanding set of A-Level results. Pupils opened the envelopes containing their eagerly-awaited results at the school on Thursday morning (August 16th). Many are now preparing to head off to a range of leading universities across the UK. All subjects this year were examined under the new more challenging reformed A Level specification. Excellent individual performances came from: Freya Scott: A* A A, Psychology, Newcastle University Vivien Aston: A* A B, Psychology, Edinburgh University Shae Clements: A* A B, Zoology, Exeter University Matthew Fry: A B B, Accounting and Finance, Exeter University Imogen Wright: A B B, History, Leicester University Denise Hurr, Headteacher, said: We are very proud of the excellent results achieved by our students who have all worked incredibly hard with the support of our school and their families. Their hard work has paid off with fantastic university and employment destinations. 71% of our sixth form students achieved 3 A levels at grade A* E this year, an improvement from 52% last year. The number of students achieving at least 2 A levels at grade A* E increased to 100% this year. US 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 August 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 CEO Elon Musk is dealing with the fallout from his share moving tweet last week. Credit:AP Tesla shares, a popular target for so-called short sellers who bet on certain stocks losing value, soared about 11 per cent 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. Gourmet Master Co. stock plunged as the cafe operator got caught in the crossfire with China over Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's visit to an outlet in the US for a cup of coffee. The shares slumped 7.5 per cent in Taipei trading Thursday, wiping $US120 million ($165 million) from its market value, after a newspaper in China published calls to boycott the chain for hosting the Taiwanese leader at a store in Los Angeles. Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party supports independence for the island, a policy opposed by China. Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen's visit to a coffee shop has led to a market plunge for the company. Credit:AP The Communist Party-run Global Times yesterday reported the incident earlier this week had angered Chinese consumers as it demonstrated Gourmet Master's support for Tsai. The cafe operator, which counts the mainland as its biggest market, issued a statement on its China website stating its support for the so-called 1992 Consensus that the island and mainland are both part of "one China". The incident highlights the political risks of tapping the market in China with a population 60 times that of Taiwan. In 2004, Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp.'s chairman stepped down after being singled out for his pro-independence views. International airlines were given a July 25 deadline to show Taiwan as part of China on their websites. The Singhs are famous for expanding their two public firms hospital operator Fortis Healthcare and financial firm Religare Enterprises at breakneck speed after reaping $US2 billion from the Ranbaxy sale. Less known is the massive debt they took on to do so, all while they were financing a real-estate portfolio largely owned by their guru's family. Loading Malvinder, 45, and Shivinder, 43, haven't been charged with any crimes. The brothers acknowledge having financial ties to Dhillon, and in written comments said they are in dialogue with the Dhillon family and its companies to address the money owed to them. But they also said it would be "untrue" to suggest that the guru was a cause of their group's financial troubles. "Malvinder and Shivinder are unequivocal about this: Mr. Dhillon is their spiritual Master," the brothers wrote. "He has only ever acted out of love and has only ever had their best interests at heart." They're less generous to another follower of the spiritual group, Sunil Godhwani, whom they say was appointed to lead Religare at Dhillon's recommendation. They say Godhwani was also in charge of their holding company, RHC Holding Pvt., and often took decisions without informing them. They say he was the architect of the financial structures, including the loans to the Dhillon family and companies, that led to their financial troubles. Bloomberg News has been unable to independently verify the Singhs' claims that Godhwani ran their holding company in the period between 2010 and 2016, when most of the major borrowing, loans, investments and routing of funds occurred. RHC says he was president there between 2016 and 2017. Godhwani declined to comment, and he left his role as chairman of Religare in 2016. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pushing to increase transparency and attract more foreign investment to the world's fastest growing major economy. Credit:AP For his part, Dhillon also declined to be interviewed. A statement from J.C. Sethi, secretary of Radha Soami Satsang Beas, said Dhillon played a role helping the Singhs assert control of their father's businesses following his death, and in guiding them after. But since 2011, ill health, including a battle with cancer, caused the guru to step back to focus on his spiritual duties, he said. "The Master can advise but he cannot make a choice for you," he added. Representatives for the spiritual group said the Master has no role in its administration or finances. Earlier this year, Bloomberg News reported that the Singhs had taken 5 billion rupees from Fortis without board approval and that a New York investor had filed a lawsuit accusing the brothers of siphoning 18 billion rupees from Religare. The Singhs say they didn't do anything illegal. They say Godhwani was in charge of both Religare and RHC at the period in question. The movement of funds at Fortis were part of normal operations at the time, and only later became related-party transactions, according to the brothers. India's stock market and fraud regulators launched investigations into financial irregularities at both companies, although they are yet to report their findings. Both agencies didn't respond to requests for comment. Loading The Singhs' rise as businessmen in their own right began in 2008, when they sold Ranbaxy, then India's largest drugmaker, to Japanese pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo Co. The sale occurred just as the US Food and Drug Administration started raising questions about the Indian firm's manufacturing practices and the safety of its drugs, although Ranbaxy denied the allegations at the time. The brothers went on to use their cash reserves aggressively to build up Fortis and Religare - which would each top $US1 billion in market value as India's demand for health and financial services surged. They took their father's place in Delhi high society among other old business families, becoming patrons of Indian artists and socialising at exclusive clubs. Then in 2013, Ranbaxy pleaded guilty to criminal felony charges in the US and faced $US500 million in fines. In an arbitration tribunal in Singapore, its new owner, Daiichi Sankyo, accused the Singhs of concealing the extent of its regulatory problems during the sale. The Singhs say they didn't conceal any information. Father figure By that time, Dhillon was playing a big role in the Singhs' finances. He was their "central father figure" after their own died in 1999, they wrote in their statement. Sect members held key positions in the Singh empire: One became chairman of Ranbaxy's board, helping ensure Malvinder's swift rise to the top. Another devotee, Godhwani, led Religare. The Dhillon family would eventually become Religare's second-largest shareholder, after the Singhs, with money lent to them by the brothers, according to people familiar with the matter. Godhwani consulted with Dhillon regularly on Religare, as would the Singhs on Fortis, the people said. In 2015, the younger brother, Shivinder, briefly took a hiatus from the business to work at the spiritual group full time. A photograph on the sect's website shows Dhillon with a white beard, white turban and flowing white tunic. But several people who know him say he's fond of self-deprecating jokes, and in private is more charismatic everyman than ethereal mystic. As many as 500,000 devotees sometimes visit the ashram at once to listen to his teachings of how meditation, vegetarianism and high moral values can help one escape the cycle of death and rebirth. He emphasises community service. On a recent Tuesday at the commune, a battalion of women volunteers sat at giant wood-fired griddles, making chapatis, the Indian flatbread. Some days they roll out more than 80,000 an hour to feed hungry pilgrims. Still, Dhillon hails from a family of major landowners in Punjab, and was himself a businessman in Spain prior to his ascension at the spiritual group. So he took an active interest in the Singhs' holdings, the people said. "I think he's a businessman in his mind first, and a guru second," said Brian Hines, an American who was a member of the sect's US community for 35 years and has visited Beas. He now blogs critically about it, having since left. By 2010, another business opportunity emerged. Towns outside India's capital, New Delhi, were experiencing a property boom that was turning farmers into millionaires. The Singhs' resources were marshaled to help the Dhillon family build a real-estate empire. Two companies, Prius Real Estate Private and Lowe Infra and Wellness Private, were set up by people close to the guru, and although partly hidden by layers of shell companies, the Dhillon family had ownership interests in both, people familiar with the matter said and filings show. Over the next two years, these firms together received about 20 billion rupees in zero-interest loans from the Singhs' private holding company or its subsidiaries, according to the people and the documents. Funds were then disbursed to other companies controlled by the Dhillons. The Singhs owned a 51 per cent stake in Lowe. A growing debt mountain These loans proved costly to the Singhs, coming on top of other major financial commitments that were underway. From 2011 onwards, the brothers' holding company went on to sink at least 12 billion rupees to cover losses at their investment banking venture Religare Capital Markets. Other loans went to Ligare Voyages, a money-losing charter airline. The Singhs' holding company also loaned at least 7 billion rupees to cover losses at a firm that had been spun out of Religare to manage the financial firm's administrative costs. The loss-making firm's biggest expense was rent, much of which was paid to buildings owned by the guru's family, according to documents and people familiar with the matter. In some cases, Religare had no use for all the space it was leasing from the guru's buildings and large parts sat empty, the people said and internal documents show. RHC, the holding company, also made personal loans of 5 billion rupees to Dhillon family members, via a network of shell companies, people familiar with the matter said. The Singhs funded all these outlays to the guru's businesses and to their own ventures with borrowing. And a substantial portion came from Fortis and Religare, often through the same network of shell companies used to lend to the guru's family, people familiar with the matter said. Taken together, the zero-interest loans to Dhillon firms and Singh investments gone bad created a crushing debt load that required even more borrowing to service. Their total borrowings hit about $US1.6 billion by March 2016, filings show. As things deteriorated, funds at the two primary public companies controlled by the Singhs, Fortis and Religare, were continuously routed back and forth via shell companies to deal with cash shortages elsewhere in the Singh family empire, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. Then came the final blow. In 2016, the Singapore tribunal sided with Daiichi Sankyo in its long-running suit against the brothers, awarding the Japanese firm about $US500 million in damages and interest. The Singhs are appealing the ruling. But with the added liability, outside lenders to the brothers were reluctant to keep the taps open, even as the brothers offered up their family home and company shares as collateral. By 2016, they couldn't pay back the latest in the series of loans that had been going in and out of Fortis for four years, which amounted to about 5 billion rupees. When India's central bank discovered 18 billion rupees taken from Religare had gone to subsidiaries of the Singhs' main holding company, it demanded it be paid back, but it still hasn't been. Finally, banks seized assets backing their loans, including the majority of their shares in Fortis and Religare. They had to sell the home they grew up in to pay back another lender. The Singhs have said they are working to resolve issues with stakeholders. Minority shareholders took over at Religare. A bitter takeover battle kicked off for Fortis and Malaysia's IHH Healthcare Bhd in July agreed to take control of the hospital operator. Australia Post chief executive Christine Holgate says there are two key questions she hears from business customers. "Where is my parcel, and when will it arrive?" she says. Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate. Credit:Pat Scala Given the postal service delivers around three billion items a year, Holgate tells Fairfax Media it makes sense that "something is going to go wrong" along the way. And she says the company, which on Thursday released a report from Deloitte estimating its value to the Australian economy at $6 billion, is investing significantly to ensure business owners can track their goods and receive them on time. RELIGION The House of Islam: A Global History Ed Husain Bloomsbury, $29.99 Islam has a long history of pluralism. The earliest community of Muslims led by Prophet Muhammad in 7th-century Medina included Jews, Christians and other non-Muslims. The Medinan Constitution, presided over by Muhammad, accorded rights to all Medinans from all faiths. In his last sermon, Muhammad reminded his congregation of the imperative to accord respect and dignity to all human beings irrespective of their colour and gender. As with other faiths, there are various denominations in Islam. This plurality has been buttressed by the numerous schools of Islamic jurisprudence. Muslim pilgrims pray on the Mountain of Mercy during The Haj. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. Credit:Nariman El-Mofty/AP In The House of Islam, Ed Husain affirms the centrality of the pluralist foundations and principles of Islam. Pluralism has also been rooted in Husain's "lived reality". His book opens powerfully, with Husain affirming his plural identity: "I am a Westerner and an observant Muslim. Caught between two worlds, I have learnt to dovetail the two facets of my identity. This book is a reflection of that inner bridge between Islam and the West". Yet, as the inflections of this superbly written book suggest, Husain's "inner bridge" extends beyond "Islam and the West" and incorporates "the West" (Britain where he was born and raised), Islam (his faith) and India, his ancestral homeland. The drought savaging farms across much of eastern Australia is likely to intensify in coming months, with odds favouring a continuation of below-average rain and warmer-than-normal temperatures. No sign of early rainfall relief for farmers and firefighters with a drier and warmer than average forecast for most of spring for eastern Australia. Credit:Wolter Peeters The Bureau of Meteorology's first outlook for spring, released on Thursday, indicate the chances are particularly high that relatively dry conditions will persist through September and October. "A dry and warm spring would mean intensification of the existing drought conditions across parts of eastern Australia," the bureau said. Why spend thousands on a ring when you could put that money towards a house? Credit:TongRo Image Stock RF Do you care about the stories behind your possessions? Must your shaggy rug be hand-stitched by elderly women from Marrakech? Or are you happy to pay a fraction of the price for an exact replica, one that was made in a factory by a bloke named Trevor? If youre thinking Trevors rug sounds like your kind of rug right now, youll be interested to know that buying a sizeable diamond a legitimate, carbon diamond no longer requires you save "three months pay". Just ask the worlds biggest diamond retailer De Beers. The sneaky suckers that sold us the tagline that "a diamond is forever" in the 1940s and laughed all the way to the bank will be introducing synthetic diamonds to its collection next month. 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. A South Australian man who left a fruitcake on his victim's head has been found guilty of murder, while a second man has been acquitted over the fatal assault. Leslie Kevin James Talbot was on Thursday found guilty of the murder of David Saunders in February last year, while Eldon Wayne Crouch was found not guilty of both murder and manslaughter. The verdict was handed down in the South Australian Supreme Court on Thursday, after a jury spent more than 10 hours deliberating. Mr Crouch made no comment as he left court dressed in a green prison tracksuit, accompanied by his lawyer. A Chinese herbal medicine consultant practising "dressed up quackery" has been granted bail, after a female patient he was allegedly treating died earlier this year. Yun Sen Luo, 52, was arrested at Hornsby police station on Thursday afternoon and charged with manslaughter, more than two months after the death of 56-year-old Chinese national Chaun Ying Xia on June 8. Yun Sen Luo, 52, leaves Hornsby Local Court on Friday afternoon. Credit:Lucy Cormack It is alleged Dr Luo advised Ms Xia, who suffered diabetes, to stop taking all medication she was on and instead to only take herbal medicines he prescribed. The practitioner began treating the 56-year-old shortly after she arrived in Sydney in March. The woman accused of the murder of Sydney rapper Jett McKee in the city's inner west last Friday has been granted bail. Hannah Quinn will be released from Silverwater Correctional Complex on Thursday afternoon after being granted bail at Newtown Local Court. Hannah Quinn has been granted bail. Credit:Facebook Her solicitor Lauren MacDougall told Fairfax Media her client was ecstatic to be released. "She doesn't belong in jail," Ms MacDougall said. A key rollover witness in a murder trial was allegedly bashed inside his prison cell on Tuesday night by the very man he was set to testify against. Fairfax Media understands a NSW Corrective Services error saw both men placed in the same cell at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre at Silverwater on Tuesday night, ahead of their scheduled transfer to Wollongong Courthouse on Wednesday morning to attend court proceedings. Sources say both men were put on the same prisoner transport for the drive to Wollongong and for a time shared a holding cell below the courthouse before they were quickly separated when the error was realised. The witness, whose identity is suppressed by court order, arrived at the courthouse on Wednesday morning suffering injuries, the result of an alleged bashing the night before. The scheduled hearing for the murder charge did not proceed and the case was adjourned for further mention and for another hearing date to be set. As some Sydney boys' schools look to open their gates to girls, Shore was on the verge of doing the opposite. The independent boys' school has taught girls at its kindergarten to year 2 campus in Northbridge for almost 16 years, but this month the school announced that would end. From 2023, it would no longer accept girls. Shore needs to increase the number of girls at its K-2 campus. Credit:Jessica Hromas Gender was not the issue - Shore Preparatory School at Northbridge loves its girls. The problem was there weren't enough of them. In the decade the campus opened, girls made up about 20 per cent to 30 per cent of students. In recent years, that has fallen to about 12 per cent. This year, there are only 26 girls enrolled. As bushfires swept through parts of NSW on Wednesday, destroying two homes on the south coast, a group of boys ignored the total fire ban at the foot of the Blue Mountains. Three boys have been charged with allegedly lighting a fire at the base of a cliff near Wattlecliffe Drive at Blaxland, around 4pm on Wednesday. As video footage reveals, the boys were challenged by local residents whose properties were close by, and police were called. Seven News reports some boys allegedly ran away while others attempted to smother the blaze but it was too late. North Vietnamese Army Officer Bui Tin (right) with a sergeant in the Air Force as the last US combat troops depart from Vietnam in 1973. Credit:Bettmann Flickr (creative commons license). When the first communist tank charged through the gates of the Independence Palace in Saigon, it fell to Bui Tin, a journalist in the North Vietnamese army, to break the news: The revolution had arrived. Although it had taken the tanks longer than expected (the unit had to stop and ask for directions to the palace), the Vietnam War had come to an end. Tin was a reporter, not a soldier, but he was still a colonel, the highest-ranking officer on the scene. For reasons of authority and seniority, the commander of the tank unit insisted he, and no one else, accept the surrender of the last president of South Vietnam. And so it was Colonel Tin who strolled into the palaces second-floor salon a few minutes after 11am on April 30, 1975, where the countrys president a 91-kilogram general named Duong Van Big Minh told him he had been waiting since morning to transfer power. There is no question of your transferring power, Colonel Tin said, according to journalist A.J. Langguths book Our Vietnam. Your power has crumbled. You cannot give up what you do not have. A Queensland man accused of shooting at a campervan, which had a tourist couple sleeping inside, has been remanded in custody. James DeMarco appeared in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on Thursday after being charged with a string of offences, including possession of a registered firearm and drug utensils. The 20-year-old was arrested after a New Zealand couple said they were forced to dive for cover on Monday morning when a vehicle shone its headlights into their van and two blasts rang out. The pair weren't injured but the shots shattered the windshield and damaged the body of their van. The matter has been adjourned until October 10. 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. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 16) Actor CJ Ramos, who was recently nabbed in an anti-drug operation, is set to make a showbiz comeback. The former child star will soon be part of ABS-CBN's primetime series "Ang Probinsyano." Ramos on Wednesday posted a photo of him with actor and lead star Coco Martin on Instagram. The photo was captioned with "Boss" and hashtags like #blessings, #secondchance, #thankful, and #salamatbosscoco. He, however, did not mention his role. The post has gained messages of support from other Instagram users. Ramos was nabbed by the Caloocan City Police in Tand Tandang Sora, Quezon City on August 3. A sachet of P500 worth of shabu was confiscated from him. The actor said he had stopped using illegal drugs for a year, but admitted to using drugs three days before his arrest. He was charged for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, but was released last week after posting bail. Ramos is known for being part of 90's teen-oriented show "Ang TV." He also appeared in movies such as "Tanging Yaman" and "Ang TV Movie: The Adarna Adventure." The brother of a police officer who was murdered in the line of duty has told a 20-year memorial service that justice will prevail again as one of the killers seeks to appeal his life sentence. The mood was solemn as Peter Silk told rows of police officers, standing tall, hands clasped behind their backs, about the moment a dying father identified his two murderers. Jimmy Miller, Carmel Arthur and Peter Silk at Thursday's commemoration. Credit:Joe Armao Senior Constable Rod Miller and Sergeant Gary Silk were shot and killed in Moorabbin on August 16, 1998. In 2002 a jury found the officers were ambushed and murdered by two men responsible for a series of armed robberies who were the target of the stakeout operation Jason Roberts and Bandali Debs. Akon Guode, the woman who killed her three youngest children by deliberately driving her car into a lake, has had her jail term slashed by 8 years on appeal. Guode was last year jailed for 26 years for driving into Lake Gladman in Wyndham Vale with four of her children in the car on April 8, 2015. Four-year-old twins Hangar and Madit and 16-month-old Bol all drowned, but their older sister, now eight, was rescued by residents and emergency service workers. Guode appealed against her sentence and the Court of Appeal on Thursday cut the jail term to 18 years. She must serve 14 years before she is eligible for parole, having previously been jailed for a minimum of 20 years. 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 worker and young father of two has died on a construction site north of Melbourne after he fell into a trench. Rescue teams from the CFA, MFB and SES were called to the site on Springridge Boulevard in Wallan just before 3pm on Thursday. It's understood the man was a 35-year-old manager or supervisor at the site. He had two young children. "Police and emergency services are currently on scene at a workplace incident at Wallan," a police spokesman said. Two officers involved in a police shooting in Seville Grove on Thursday will remain on active duty until an internal affairs investigation into the incident wraps up, a senior WA Police officer says. The incident unfolded on Thursday morning as Joondalup detectives searched the area for an allegedly stolen Subaru Impreza hatchback. Police on the scene at the house in Seville Grove on Thursday morning. Credit:Hannah Barry Officers found the car parked in the driveway of a Firetail Court home in Seville Grove at about 11am. The 31-year-old driver and his passenger, 18, were sitting inside the car. An inquest into the suicide of a WA Police officer on Thursday revealed the agency is considering changes to encourage more officers to seek help, and increase the numbers of police available to support each other through times of stress. Health and safety bosses are reviewing terminology surrounding "critical incidents" and boosting the number of officers attached to an internal "peer support program." Scott Blanchard in the blue top with his three kids and wife Justine. Credit:Justine Blanchard The changes were revealed on the second and final day of a WA Coroner's Court inquest surrounding the death of an officer who took his own life while on duty in 2015. Scott Blanchard, a detective sergeant with the Gang Crime Squad, died while travelling in a convoy en route to Kalgoorlie on July 24, 2015. Labor has declared its hand in a key decision on the National Energy Guarantee by revealing it would impose a 45 per cent cut to carbon emissions across the electricity sector, sparking fury from the Greens over the weakness of the target. The move sharpens the political fight over climate change as renegade Coalition MPs push for a cut to the governments target of 26 per cent and threaten to cross the floor in Parliament if they do not get their way. While the Labor decision confirms a policy gulf with the Coalition, it sets a lower ambition than the 60 per cent target that some environmental groups suggested for electricity in order to avoid the need for deeper cuts in other sectors such as agriculture. Labor energy spokesman Mark Butler. Credit:Peter Mathew The move sets up a replay of the climate disputes over the past, with the Greens mobilising against Labor in key Victorian seats to accuse Opposition Leader Bill Shorten of being weak on climate change, at the same time the Coalition predicts the Labor targets will drive up prices. The number of Chinese-born residents being granted Australian citizenship has plummeted, amid a backdrop of tensions between Beijing and Canberra and political debate over immigration levels. Department of Home Affairs data obtained by Fairfax Media shows just 1559 Chinese-born residents have been granted citizenship during the first eight months of this financial year - a fraction of the 6500 successful Chinese applications in 2016-17. In previous years, up to 10,000 Chinese-born residents applied for Australian citizenship, of which 8000 to 9000 were approved. Between 2012 and 2016, residents of Chinese heritage represented 6 per cent of total applications for Australian citizenship and 6 per cent of total approvals. But the Home Affairs figures show that while the number of Chinese applications has remained steady, the number of approvals fell to less than 3 per cent of applicants between July 2017 and February 2018. It was typical of Ed Husic that he could start a speech on the most serious of subjects by making a joke at his own expense. The Labor member for Chifley, in Sydneys western suburbs, told Parliament on Wednesday there were times he could not believe he was there. When a few opponents jokingly agreed, he pretended to be hurt: They probably rushed a bit too quickly to agree to that, but Ill put that aside. Even a racist speech from the fringes of the Senate could not puncture Husics natural ebullience. In fact, his response to the final solution speech from Katters Australian Party senator Fraser Anning was to dismiss the putrid slurs against Muslim Australians by focusing instead on actions that bring communities together. People ask me whether, because of my Muslim faith, I have a problem with the Lords Prayer at the start of Parliament. No, I dont, Husic said. Labor MP Ed Husic seized the attention of Parliament with his response to Fraser Anning's speech. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen When you hear Gods words, you hear Gods words. They are good words in particular, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Its not an exhortation for the moment. It is a reminder for us to live a better life that is not mired in the negative but in something thats better. Imagine for a moment that Fraser Anning walks into the Senate and delivers his now-infamous maiden speech, but without the phrase final solution. What happens? Do we see anything like the condemnatory response weve just witnessed this week? Do we see the cross-party unity? Do we see the Parliament so firmly stand up and declare that some inviolable line has been crossed, which must be re-drawn for the good of the country? Its a damn important question because its answer determines whether were condemning a form of words, or a set of ideas. And heres my problem. Take away that ghastly phrase and youre left with a speech that sounds increasingly familiar in our public discourse. What, precisely, did Anning say that can any longer be considered radical? Is it the argument that all terrorists are Muslims? You can hear that just about every day even as you inspect the wreckage of non-Muslim attacks in Oslo, Quebec, Portland or Charleston. Is it the idea of banning Muslim immigration? One Nation has long advocated that, and so has some of the Coalition backbench. Is it the suggestion that we should have a plebiscite on a matter as incendiary as which groups belong in our country? That sounds strangely familiar, too. Labor leader Luke Foley has accused the Berejiklian government of running NSW parliament like a third world dictatorship, after the government shut down debate and votes for the entire day. The Legislative Assembly descended into chaos on Thursday morning, after the government used its numbers in the chamber to stop divisions, quorums and votes. The government said the move was necessary because Labor was "using frivolous motions to put questions early or gag speakers." Leader of the House Anthony Roberts said he took the step to ensure "members could be heard in a civil fashion." 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. Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey is rethinking core parts of the social media platform so it doesnt enable the spread of hate speech, harassment and false news, including conspiracy theories shared by prominent users like Alex Jones and Infowars. In an interview with The Washington Post, Dorsey said he was experimenting with features that would promote alternative viewpoints in Twitters timeline to address misinformation and reduce echo chambers. He also expressed openness to labelling bots automated accounts that sometimes pose as human users and redesigning key elements of the social network, including the like button and the way Twitter displays users follower counts. The most important thing that we can do is we look at the incentives that were building into our product, Dorsey said. Because they do express a point of view of what we want people to do; and I don't think they are correct anymore. Jack Dorsey says the incentives built into Twitter, which haven't changed in 12 years, aren't correct anymore. Dorseys openness to broad changes shows how Silicon Valley leaders are increasingly re-examining the most fundamental aspects of the technologies that have made these companies so powerful and profitable. At Facebook, for example, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has commissioned a full review of his companys products to emphasise safety and trust, from mobile payments to event listings. Bangkok: The Thai government will ban imports of electronic and plastic waste following reports of massive piles of scrap are turning the country it into the "world's garbage bin," local media reports say. "We need to prioritise good environment and the health of our citizens over industrial development," Natural Resources and Environment Minister Surasak Kanchanarat told local newspaper The Nation. Thai National Deputy Police Chief Wirachai Songmetta, centre with white gloves, law-enforcement officers and journalists walks past a pile of mobile batteries during a raid in Bangkok on Thursday. Credit:AP Surasak's remarks came after media reported in late May on e-waste - much of which contains potentially harmful elements such as lead and cadmium - turning up in Thailand from many parts of the world, including the US, the European Union, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan. Most of the new e-waste was imported illegally, as Thai factories saw a new way of making profits after China, the world's biggest importer of waste, stopped accepting 24 types of foreign waste last year, including from Australia. Washington: Earlier this month, Denmark became the fifth country in Europe to introduce a ban on face coverings in public places. The policy is widely viewed as being targeted at Muslim women who wear veils such as the niqab. Despite protests in the capital, Copenhagen, police have started enforcing the law in earnest. On August 3, a 28-year-old wearing the niqab, which covers the entire body except the eyes, was attacked by another Danish woman who tried to pull her veil off, the Guardian reported. Police fined the Muslim woman $US156 ($214). Legislation around full-face veils has grown increasingly common in Europe, particularly in the past three years. Six countries have now passed nationwide laws that partially or fully ban face veils in public places. The latest is the Netherlands, which voted in June to partially ban face veils in locations such as schools and hospitals, but not on public streets. Several other European countries, including Spain and Italy, have banned them in individual cities and towns, and even more have reviewed proposals for bans at a local or national level. Responding to an interview request by The Washington Post on Thursday, Austria's Interior Ministry said that it was unable to discuss specific cases and did not acknowledge any wrongdoing. "The federal authority for asylum has made 120,000 decisions over the last two years ... with a volume of 5 million pages. Using a few sentences out of this enormous amount does not reflect reality," said ministry spokesman Christoph Polzl. The refugee has appealed against the decision and remains in Austria. The Washington Post could not independently verify the asylum seeker's complaints, but critics of Austria's right-wing government said that the stereotypes authorities relied on to reject the application reflected a worrisome but common pattern. While other cases have raised less public attention, stereotypes are frequently used to justify asylum rejections, said Huber, whose organisation has provided support to about 400 LGBT asylum seekers in Austria. "The country's asylum laws had already become much stricter over the last decade. Now, the right-wing government is cracking down even more and pushing back against civil society groups that back LGBT refugees," said Huber. Last year, 31-year-old centre-right party leader Sebastian Kurz won the Austrian elections and subsequently formed a coalition with the country's controversial far-right and anti-immigrant party. Kurz and his coalition partners have pursued some of Western Europe's toughest immigration laws and critics argue that their rhetoric has emboldened right-wing extremists and xenophobes. The country's tougher immigration laws have also clashed with a recent ruling by the European Court of Justice that outlawed personality tests as evidence in asylum applications by LGBT refugees. Despite the clear ruling by Europe's highest court, many European nations including Austria continue to justify rejected applications with arguments that come close to or are equivalent to personality tests, rights groups say. "Austria's populist government is spreading concerns that refugees might falsely claim to be LGBT in order to stay in Austria. But even if there are doubts over someone's sexuality, I'd rather allow them to stay here than to risk their death by sending them back to Iran or elsewhere," said Huber. In the case of 28-year-old Iranian Navid Jafartash, the threshold for taking that risk was low. Jafartash was "100 per cent sure" that his application would be accepted when he appeared for an interview at Austria's asylum authority, he said. After all, the Iranian had an Austrian boyfriend, a number of gay Austrian friends and he had even appeared on the country's main evening news program to discuss homosexuality - an interview for which he could have faced the death penalty in Iran. His meeting at the asylum authority appeared to go well, Jafartash recalled. The official only asked three questions, including one about the origins of the rainbow flag. "I had no idea what it stands for," Jafartash recalled. "But he also didn't ask my partner a single question. He wasn't interested at all." But he was knocked back. In the official rejection letter, which Jafartash shared with The Post, Austrian authorities argued that the risk of execution would be low upon returning to Iran. "A judicial prosecution of homosexual acts is relatively rare. To impose the death penalty, four male witnesses are needed," the official wrote. "Based on your extensive description of your sexual relationships - which date back years - one can conclude that the threshold of evidence is not met," the official went on. Jafartash was stunned by the letter. "I was so sad," he said. He eventually appealed against the decision and the rejection was later overturned by a higher court. Jafartash and Austrian human rights organisations believe that the high initial rejection rates among LGBT refugees are part of a deliberate pattern in Austria. "I think they deliberately do this to prevent refugees from coming here," said Jafartash. The Interior Ministry rejected such accusations. "Especially in regards to the trustworthiness [of an applicant's claims], the personal impression during an interview is of significance," said Polzl, who indicated that the country was open to teaming up with the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR to offer more extensive training to its officials. San Francisco: Google's plan to launch a censored search engine in China requires more "transparency, oversight and accountability," hundreds of employees at the Alphabet Inc unit said in an internal petition seen by Reuters on Thursday. Hoping to gain approval from the Chinese government to provide a mobile search service, the company plans to block some websites and search terms, Reuters reported this month, citing two people familiar with the matter. China, reportedly employs millions of people to censor the internet. Credit:China Disclosure of the secretive effort has disturbed some Google employees and human rights advocacy organisations. They are concerned that by agreeing to censorship demands, Google would validate China's prohibitions on free expression and violate the "don't be evil" clause in the company's code of conduct. After employees petitioned this year, Google announced it would not renew a project to help the US military develop artificial intelligence technology for drones. President Donald Trump has lashed out at the press as newspapers across the US launched a co-ordinated rebuttal to his attacks against what he calls "fake news". In a series of morning Twitter posts, Trump said The Boston Globe was "in collusion" with other newspapers for leading the editorial effort. Trump added in a tweet, "PROVE IT!" though it was unclear what he meant. Trump tweeted that he supported a free press, but much of what the US press printed was "fake news". Prosecutors Office tightlipped. PHILIPSBURG: --- The Coastguard confiscated 400 kilos of cocaine on Thursday that was brought in on a boat at the St. Maarten Harbor. At least 3 persons were detained while the Prosecutors office and the Coastguard remained tightlipped on the haul. SMN News learned that the 400 kilos of cocaine which was kept at the harbor disappeared while law enforcement officers remained tightlipped. Sources say a number of persons including security guards are being questioned about the missing cocaine. A source said persons at the harbor even threatened a security guard who was in the immediate vicinity where the illegal drug was stored. In July a large amount of cocaine was found at the Marine baracks in Doorn, The Netherlands it is reported that the illegal substance probably came from St. Maarten and was found among the belongings of marines that were on St. Maarten post Irma. It was also reported the stacks of drugs had a code name Caribbean Island. While law enforcement especially the Coastguards under the guise of the Prosecutors Office would always confiscate illegal drugs and while the media are told that confiscated drugs are being destroyed there is no actual proof of the destruction. Many have said that law enforcement would burn empty bags on the dump instead of the actual drugs and then report that the seized drugs were confiscated. It is time for the Prosecutors Office as well as investigators that investigate these cases begin to act transparently if they have any type of integrity. Spokespersons for the Prosecutors Office said they are not aware of the case or any ongoing investigation that involves a large amount of cocaine. it is expected that the Prosecutor's Office will make a statement sometime on Thursday about the cocaine that was seized last week. PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Egbert Jurendy Doran, who is also Vice-chair of the Education Committee of Parliament, visited and spoke to pre-examination students at Milton Peters College on Tuesday 14 August, 2018. Doran, who is also a former student of MPC, was heartily welcomed back to his former school. He spoke to the students about his journey ever since leaving the Milton Peters College up until his present job as a Member of Parliament. It was also a great honor for MP Doran and privilege to be able to meet some of the teachers that taught him during the time that he attended school there. The exchange with the students very heartening according Doran, as the students also showed interest in the in the workings of Parliament and the Council of Ministers. They also wanted to know the difference between the two entities. Member of Parliament he students to take their studies seriously and to continue pushing hard in order to achieve their goals. This message was felt and well received by the students. MP Doran is taking the opportunity during this press release to also wish the students of all schools on the island much success during this schoolyear, and to inspire to continue striving for excellence. He is also encouraging the hardworking teachers to keep up the good works, and reminded them that their significant role actually makes all the difference, as it included working tirelessly towards guarantying that their students excel. In closing, MP Doran wishes all students, teachers and school administrators, a safe and productive school year 2018/2019. PHILIPSBURG:--- Navy ship Zr.Ms. Friesland on 9 August, in collaboration with the Coast Guard of Sint Maarten, intercepted more than 406 kilos of cocaine during a patrol in the Caribbean Sea. Zr.Ms. Friesland is currently active as Stationship Caribbean. During a regular patrol, the ship entered a suspicious boat that sailed under the Venezuelan flag in the Caribbean Sea. The suspected boat stood out because of a different position and sailing behavior. The suspected boat was discovered at night thanks to the excellent sensors of the NH90 maritime helicopter currently on board Zr.Ms. Friesland . After the Friesland had shadowed the contact for several hours, the NH90 was used for an approach to examine the contact further. On this the suspected boat changed course. Then Zr.Ms. Friesland, together with one of its fast FRISC interceptors, sailed towards the suspicious contact, after which a number of parcels were immediately dumped by the crew on the suspected boat in the water. These packages have been removed from the water by the interceptor on board Zr.Ms. Friesland. After a check it turned out to be no less than 406 kilos of cocaine. The drugs have been investigated and destroyed Thursday morning. The commander of Zr.Ms. Friesland, captain-lieutenant at sea Nicole Kuipers, is positive about the successful action: "The interception was excellent teamwork between the crew of Zr.Ms. Friesland, the NH90 helicopter and the members of the Coast Guard of Sint Maarten who are currently embarked aboard the ship. " Zr.Ms. Friesland is an Oceangoing Patrol Vessel of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The ship will be active in the Caribbean until the end of November as a Stationship. Besides drug control operations, the ship is also ready for rescue operations and emergency humanitarian aid. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Caribbean region is home to several Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) that face similar development challenges. These include geographic and economic isolation, limited resources, environmental fragility, high costs of transportation and energy as well as vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters. English and Dutch speaking Caribbean SIDS members include Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago. The SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (S.A.M.O.A) Pathway is an international framework that was developed as the outcome of the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), held in September 2014 in Samoa. The overarching theme is "The sustainable development of Small Island developing States through genuine and durable partnerships". The United Nations convened the Caribbean Regional Partnership Dialogue and the Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Midterm Review of the SAMOA Pathway, from the 6th to the 9th of August. The meetings were held on the Island of San Pedro in Belize. Drs. Loekie Morales of the department of The Interior and Kingdom Relations (BAK) attended the meeting on behalf of the government of Sint Maarten. Curacao and Aruba also sent representatives, to discuss the way to achieve the objectives and to formulate the outcome document, the San Pedro Declaration. Main Objectives S.A.M.O.A. Pathway meeting The main objectives of the Caribbean Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Midterm Review of the SAMOA Pathway are: to assess progress achieved in the implementation of the S.A.M.O.A. Pathway; identify emerging development priorities as well as practical and pragmatic action B oriented strategies or mechanisms. These are geared towards accelerating the implementation of the SAMOA Pathway in the region. Basically, the goal is to identify the development priorities of Caribbean countries, which need to be considered in the formulation of the 2030 Agenda (SDGs), and determine SMART (Inclusive and durable) partners to link with, to reach sustainable development. SDG 16 provides an immense opportunity for all stakeholders to work collaboratively across sectors and thematic areas, forging genuine partnerships for supporting implementation of the SDGs and the SAMOA Pathway. Relevant SAMOA Pathway priority areas include: economic growth, trade, sustainable energy, sustainable transportation, water and sanitation, food security and nutrition, NCDs, social development, gender, climate change, oceans and seas, waste management, biodiversity, sustainable consumption and production and disaster risk reduction. It is therefore imperative to examine what it is that makes a partnership genuine, durable, and most impactful for SIDS. S.A.M.O.A. Pathway Framework The Framework of the SAMOA PATHWAY consists of a member States driven Steering Committee on SIDS Partnerships (currently chaired by Belize and Ireland). Furthermore, the framework entails the organization of an annual action-oriented and results-focused Global Multi stakeholder SIDS Partnership Dialogue, a standardized partnership reporting process of all stakeholders, the organization of regional and national SIDS partnership dialogues with support from the United Nations system and the international community. Next to representatives of said countries, main stakeholders that joined the discussions were Non- Governmental agencies like The University of the West Indies, The Caribbean Development Bank, UN DESA, UNDP, CARICOM, OECS, CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK, ECLAC, UN-OHRLLS (united Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States), and PAHO (Pan American Health Organisation) amongst others. Caribbean Concerns and Challenges Dialogues on the relevant Caribbean concerns and potential challenges on development themes took place, including the identification of regional priorities and a list of actions to advance the implementation of those priorities. Most Caribbean SIDS consider an inclusive, equitable and prosperous Caribbean; a Healthy, a Safe and Just Caribbean and a Sustainable and Resilient Caribbean to be the priority areas. Country representatives have addressed where they are with the SAMOA Pathway Actions, where they need to go and how they will get there in the next five years. They have addressed their priority objectives; what the major factors are that have contributed to the achievement of progress towards those objectives and what challenges presently stand in the way. The resource mobilization and engagement with the private sector and civil society were hot topics. Ways to address those challenges were addressed to support the achievement of the regions priorities and needs. The deliberations ended with several main recommendations. Among these are to allow the Private Sector, Academia, NGOs and Civil society sit from the onset on the table to determine the targets to be met. We need a set of norms what the partnership should be (measurable, monitorable, resource based and result focus). Partnerships must be SMART. We need to replicate successful partnerships and weight the partnership. During the last day of the conference, a draft Regional Outcome Document, the Draft San Pedro Declaration was adopted. The latter will be handed over to the UN General Assembly within weeks. Meyer Burger Successful return to profitability at net earnings level for H1 2018 Posted by Publisher Internet ?? Net sales +9% to CHF 232.3 million ?? EBITDA more than quadrupled to CHF 29.2 million ?? EBIT of CHF 14.9 million and net profit of CHF 8.3 million ?? Reorganisation of Thun site on track ?? Challenging market environment led to weaker than expected incoming orders ?? Further structural measures to safeguard long-term profitability ?? Net sales guidance for FY 2018 revised to CHF 400-440 million; EBITDA margin guidance of about 10% remains intact ? ? Meyer Burger Technology Ltd?s (SIX Swiss Exchange: MBTN) first half-year 2018 results marked the company?s successful return to profitability at the net earnings level. This achievement is mainly a result of various cost optimisation programmes and measures executed over the past eighteen months and of coherent decisions to discontinue non-profitable business units and products. ? Net sales amounted to CHF 232.3 million, representing an increase of 9.4% compared to the previous year period (H1 2017 CHF 212.3 million). Positive currency effects on net sales were about CHF 15.2 million or +6.5%. Adjusted for foreign currency effects and the divested DMT operations organic growth of the continuing business was +5.2%. ? Over the past months, the market environment for PV equipment suppliers was heavily influenced by the intensifying trade crisis between the USA and China which included new import tariffs on PV modules and cells, as well as the 531 announcement of the Chinese government on 31 May 2018 regarding subsidy cuts in the solar industry. Both facts have led to a currently significant reluctance regarding new investments on behalf of Meyer Burger?s PV customers. In this difficult market environment, Meyer Burger achieved total incoming orders of CHF 137.9 million (H1 2017 CHF 308.5 million). The order backlog amounted to CHF 240.9 million as at 30 June 2018 (31.12.2017 CHF 343.8 million). ? Increase in margins; turnaround achieved at the net earnings level The operating income after costs of products and services amounted to CHF 120.1 million (H1 2017 CHF?98.2 million), reflecting a margin of 51.7% for the first half of 2018 (H1 2017 46.3%). The margin improvement is mainly due to the discontinuation of non-profitable businesses. ? Personnel expenses declined by CHF 5.1 million or 7.4% compared to the previous year and were CHF 64.2 million (H1 2017 CHF 69.4 million) as Meyer Burger continued to flexibilise its organization and to significantly reduce its fixed cost base. Other operating expenses amounted to CHF 26.6 million, including one-time charges in a total amount of CHF 4.3 million in conjunction with the divestment of the Solar Systems business activities (H1 2017 CHF 21.9 million). ? EBITDA more than quadrupled compared to the previous year period and reached CHF 29.2 million for the first half of 2018 (H1 2017 CHF 6.9 million). The EBITDA margin was 12.6% for the first half of 2018 compared with 3.3% for the corresponding period in 2017. The result at EBIT level amounted to CHF 14.9 million (H1 2017 CHF -8.8 million). Scheduled depreciation and amortisation came to a total of CHF 14.4 million (H1 2017 CHF 15.8 million). ? The financial result, net, was CHF -4.0 million (H1 2017 CHF -7.4 million). The change mainly reflects lower interest expenses due to the redemption of the 5% straight bond (repaid in May 2017) and the reduced nominal amount of outstanding 5.5% convertible bonds as a result of bond conversions since December 2017 (a nominal of CHF 26.8 million remains outstanding as at 30 June 2018). Unrealised foreign currency transaction effects in the reporting period were CHF -1.7 million (H1 2017 CHF +0.9 million). The extraordinary result amounted to CHF +0.8 million, mainly in conjuction with revaluations of inventory and provisions connected to the closure of manufacturing activities in Thun (H1 2017 CHF -0.6 million). Taxes for the first half of 2018 amounted to a tax expense of CHF 3.4 million (H1 2017 tax expense of CHF 0.2 million), representing a taxe rate of 29.3%. ? Meyer Burger reached a profitable level again in its net result, reporting net earnings of CHF 8.3 million for the first half of 2018 (H1 2017 net loss of CHF -17.0 million). ? Solid balance sheet as at 30 June 2018 The balance sheet remained solid and with a similar structure compared to year-end 2017. The balance sheet total amounted to CHF 456.7 million (31.12.2017 CHF 470.0 million). Cash and cash equivalents were CHF 102.0 million, inventories CHF 101.4 million, property, plant and equipment CHF 86.6 million, intangible assets CHF 15.5 million and deferred tax assets CHF 75.6 million. ? Total liabilities came to CHF 207.6 million, of which trade payables were CHF 32.1 million, customer prepayments CHF 61.9 million, provisions CHF 15.1 million and financial liabilities CHF 56.3 million. Equity amounted to CHF 249.2 million (31.12.2017 CHF 243.0 million). The equity ratio as of 30 June 2018 was 54.6% (31.12.2017 51.7%). ? Cash flow Cash flow from operating activities was CHF -16.4 million (H1 2017 CHF +3.5 million). The difference in the operating cash flow compared to the previous year period is mainly due to a temporary increase in inventories. Cash flow from investing activities was CHF -1.9 million (H1 2017 CHF +1.4 million) and includes normal conservative investments in non-current assets of CHF 1.8 million. Cash flow from financing activities amounted to CHF -4.2 million (H1 2017 CHF -134.2 million) and includes the purchase of registered shares for the share participation plan in an amount of CHF 4.1 million. ? Reorganisation of Thun site on track ? manufacturing activities in Thun to be discontinued by end of 2018 The reorganisation of the production site in Thun/Switzerland, as announced on 2 November 2017, is on track: in April 2018, Meyer Burger announced a preferred partnership agreement with Mondragon Assembly Group to collaborate on module equipment development and outsource the manufacturing processes for its SmartWire Connection Technology (SWCT?) solution. Mondragon will start to produce SWCT? equipment for Meyer Burger in January 2019. ? In May 2018, the company announced the divestment of its Solar Systems business (MegaSlate? products) to Dr Patrick Hofer-Noser, a long-time and internationally respected specialist in the solar industry. As part of the transaction, 32 employees (30 FTE) were transferred to the newly founded 3S Solar Plus AG. The final closing of the transaction took place in June 2018. ? In Wafering, the company has signed a manufacturing services agreement with Flex (www.flex.com) to produce its PV diamond wire saws. Flex will start manufacturing the PV wire saws for Meyer Burger at their production facility at Suzhou (China) beginning in January 2019. As a result, Meyer Burger reconfirms that all manufacturing activities in Thun, as planned, are scheduled to be discontinued by year-end of 2018. ? Further structural measures to safeguard long-term profitability ? Meyer Burger achieved substantial improvements in profitability for the first half of 2018. However, in order to ensure its long-term profitability, the company will initiate additional structural measures during the second half-year. The measures aim to further increase customer proximity, optimise the global production footprint and increase the company?s robustness against market volatilities. The programme targets to reduce the break-even level at net earnings to a net sales volume of about CHF 300 million. Details of the programme will be finalised over the next few weeks and implemented immediately thereafter. More information on the individual measures will be announced on 16 October 2018. ? Infringement lawsuit ? Meyer Burger has been informed that the Jiangsu High Court has dismissed its patent infringement claims against Wuxi Shangji Automation Co, Ltd. concerning its Diamond Wire Management System. Meyer Burger will evaluate the decision in detail and determine next steps and actions to enforce its patent rights. ? 2018 Outlook ? The long-term positive growth scenario for the PV industry remains intact and further substantial expansion to the end-installed PV capacity is expected for years to come. The positive trend towards high efficiency in cells and modules will also continue and provides good opportunities for Meyer Burger?s SWCT? (SmartWire Connection Technology) and HJT (Heterojunction) technologies. ? In the short-term, the investment sentiment with the company?s PV customers has been dampened by the Chinese government decision to cut subsidies and by the US-China trade conflict. As mentioned above, this has led to a weaker than expected order intake for the first half of 2018. Based on this, Meyer Burger is reducting its guidance for 2018 net sales to CHF 400-440 million. The EBITDA margin guidance of about 10% for the full financial year 2018 remains intact. ? THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT BEING ISSUED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND SHOULD NOT BE DISTRIBUTED TO U.S. PERSONS OR PUBLICATIONS WITH A GENERAL CIRCULATION IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OR INVITATION TO SUBSCRIBE FOR, EXCHANGE OR PURCHASE ANY SECURITIES. IN ADDITION, THE SECURITIES OF MEYER BURGER TECHNOLOGY LTD HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE ?SECURITIES ACT?), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR DELIVERED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS ABSENT REGISTRATION UNDER OR AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAWS. ? This press release may contain ?forward-looking statements?, such as guidance, expectations, plans, intentions, or strategies regarding the future. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. The reader is cautioned that actual future results may differ from those expressed in or implied by the statements, which constitute projections of possible developments. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on data available to Meyer Burger Technology Ltd as of the date that this press release is published. The company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. ? ? Meyer Burger is a leading global technology company specialising on innovative systems and processes based on semiconductor technologies. The company?s focus is on photovoltaics (solar industry) while its competencies and technologies also cover important areas of the semiconductor and the optoelectronic industries as well as other selected high-end markets based on semiconductor materials. As an international premium brand, Meyer Burger offers its customers in the PV industry superior products and innovative solutions for the manufacturing processes of wafers, solar cells and solar modules. The company provides substantial added value to its customers and clearly differentiates itself from its competitors by focusing on core technologies of the value chain. Meyer Burger?s comprehensive product portfolio is complemented by a worldwide service network with spare parts, consumables, process know-how, customer support, after-sales services, training and other services. Meyer Burger is represented in Europe, Asia and North America in the respective key markets and has subsidiaries and own service centres in China, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Singapore, Taiwan and the USA. The company is also working intensively to develop new markets such as South America, Africa and the Arab region. The registered shares of Meyer Burger Technology Ltd are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (Ticker: MBTN). Host Jewel Introduces Virtual Private Server Hosting & Hybrid Dedicated Servers In Calgary Calgary web hosting service provider Host Jewel announced the launch of its managed dedicated server and virtual private server (VPS) hosting services. The company\-\-s core offerings include web and reseller hosting services backed by round-the-clock support. More information about Host Jewel is available at https://www.hostjewel.com The Calgary SSD hosting provider now offers hybrid dedicated servers that combine traditional hosting and cloud hosting capabilities. The server architecture is supported by SSD drives that offer twenty times the speed of spinning non-volatile storage. The company offers a wide range of performance server configurations on Linux OS with built-in redundancy and 99.9 percent uptime through Tier-3 and Tier-4 data centres. The company\-\-s VPS hosting uses SSD-powered cloud storage with instant upgrade capabilities. Host Jewel offers automatic VPS server deployment without any additional setup fees. The company\-\-s VPS cloud infrastructure allows users to host multiple high-traffic sites such as e-stores and blogs. These VPS servers run on cutting-edge hardware from Cisco, Supermicro, Dell and HP, offering unparalleled stability and redundancy. Host Jewel currently offers three VPS plans 4v, 6v, and 10v cores with secure SSD storage ranging from 300 GB to 1200 GB. The company offers 24/7 live chat and email support covering all hosting and server packages. India web hosting plans are available with a complimentary SSL certificate. The company also offers an intuitive template-based professional website builder with more than 400 predesigned website templates. Host Jewel runs the latest stable versions of PHP and MySQL on all servers in Canada with high-security malware detection and removal. According to a spokesperson for the Calgary cloud hosting company, \Our VPS servers and dedicated hybrid servers deliver industry-leading uptime and performance at all times. We also offer a wide range of hosting plans and support services tailored to the specific needs of our individual and business customers.\ Headquartered in Calgary, Host Jewel is an IT hosting firm offering web hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated server hosting services. More information is available at the URL above. Georgetown, SC (29440) Today Sunny to partly cloudy. High near 65F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Some passing clouds. Low 51F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. 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. Indian PSLV rocket deploys a cluster of cubesats during a February 2017 mission. A new technology could make it easier to identify individual cubesats shortly after deployment. LOGAN, Utah A technology using a tiny laser tracker could help resolve one of the major challenges involved with the launching of cubesats: identifying individual satellites after their deployment. The concept, presented at the AIAA/Utah State University Conference on Small Satellites here Aug. 9, involves the use of a small, low-power laser on the exterior of a cubesat, transmitting a unique identification code that can be observed by small telescopes on the ground. The concept was prompted in part by the difficulties satellite operators have identifying their cubesats when they're deployed in large groups, such an Indian PSLV launch in February 2017 that relased 104 small satellites, primarily cubesats. [Cubesats! Tiny Satellites Explained (Infographic)] "Cubesats are being launched in larger and larger groups, and, for most cubesat operators, they have no way of telling which object is theirs immediately after launch," said Rebecca Holmes of Los Alamos National Laboratory. She noted there are other cases where it can be difficult to identify an individual cubesat, such as a lapse in tracking or an unexpected orbital change. What's needed, she said, is something analogous to a license plate. "Just like cars have license plates and planes have tail numbers and ships have beacons, satellites need license plates that anyone can read," she said. The solution developed at Los Alamos is called the Extremely Low Resource Optical Identifier (ELROI). "A simple blinking light can be seen from orbit if it's the right kind of light and we blink it in the right way and then we look at it with the right kind of detector," she said. A laser transmits brief pulses of light that encodes the identification code, but keeps the system's average power at the milliwatt level. That signal can be detected on the ground with a 35-centimeter telescope equipped with a narrow spectral filter to block light at all frequencies other than that the laser transmits it. That enables what Holmes called "extreme background rejection," making it possible to make out the faint laser signal. A prototype of the ELROI technology, called ELROI-PC104, will be flown as part of the NMTSat cubesat mission developed by the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. That satellite is scheduled for launch in December on a Rocket Lab Electron rocket as part of a NASA Educational Launch of Nanosatellites mission. Other prototypes are under development for future tests, Holmes said. The goal is to shrink the ELROI system to something roughly two by two centimeters, powered by its own solar cell. "That could easily be stuck to the side of any cubesat," she said. "Even the smallest of satellites would be able to fly something like this." This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry. President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Defense to form a Space Force in remarks ahead of a National Space Council meeting at the White House on June 18, 2018. WASHINGTON There are no estimates yet for what it will cost to stand up a Space Force as a separate military service. The Pentagon will request funds in next year's budget to get the process started but Congress will want to know the full costs. Some proponents of the Space Force have argued that if portions of the Air Force or the intelligence community are carved out to form a new service that there should be no significant added costs. But that would be a fantasy, said Gen. Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Somehow there is a misconception out there that "this is going to be absolutely resource neutral," he said on Friday at a Mitchell Institute event on Capitol Hill. [The Most Dangerous Space Weapons Ever] "I think we have to be wide-eyed about the kind of resources" that would be needed to support a sixth branch of the military. "Standing up an organization is generally not resource neutral," he said. Anyone who makes those assertions doesn't understand what is involved, he added. "I am trying to be as pragmatic as I can." The president wants to do this, and "we're going to try to make it happen," said Selva. "It does require significant work with Congress to stand up a force. And we're going to have to identify the resources." Selva said there are substantial costs associated with the support of a new service, a civilian secretary and military chief of staff. "If you're going to have a secretary who is responsible to organize, train and equip," that comes with a potentially huge price tag that should not be underestimated. There are roughly 18,000 service members and government civilians involved in space, plus tens of thousands of contractors. Several thousand people in the intelligence community also support national security space missions. During a meeting with reporters last week, Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said cost estimates have not been done yet. White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney generally frowns on overhead costs. His guidance is to "make sure whatever you do adds value," said Shanahan. What this means for the Space Force is that there will not be a "sprint to create big headquarters or hire chaplains or lawyers," he said. "It's really about capability, and as you stand up capability, make sure you have the right support." Shanahan personally wrote the congressionally mandated report which Vice President Mike Pence previewed in a speech at the Pentagon on Thursday that lays out a plan for reorganizing the space components of the military. It says the Department of Defense will "marshal space resources into a Space Force." But the details of who will be part of that force and how it might be organized will be part of a later discussion with the White House and Congress. "This report gives us a road map to how we get there," said Shanahan. "It doesn't actually say precisely what that force looks like and that shouldn't be the expectation." In his speech, Pence said President Trump wants to see a civilian position reporting to the secretary of defense to oversee the new branch. That was not stated explicitly in Shanahan's report. Pence said having an assistant secretary of defense for space would be "key to the critical transition to a fully independent Secretary of the Space Force in the years ahead." This could become a contentious item in next year's negotiations. "It's going to take some time to work this through the Congress," said Shanahan. "If we get it in one year, it'll be unprecedented. It took nearly five years of debate in the Congress to stand up Special Operations Command." Faster procurement, innovation Shanahan cautioned that he wants the transition to not disrupt the space mission. "As we go about making these changes, you know the first principle of change management is 'Do no harm,'" he said. "Space Force is about concentrating resources so we can go faster." What he wants to see happen rather quickly is the acceleration of space technology developments and closer ties between the military and the commercial space industry. "The space force isn't just about space," said Shanahan. One of the proposed items in his report is the creation of a Space Development Agency, with the expectation that will it bring a fresh mindset and culture into space programs. "Commercial space is the new NASA," said Shanahan. "It's very important we leverage off the work and investment that's been done there. .. We really have to get back to being more of a developmental mindset, regain our technical chops." The goal would be to "decouple from so much of the acquisition process that drives so many reviews, so many checks and balances. When you have the the real technical abilities, you don't need as much review. You don't need as much oversight." Shanahan noted that he has worked both in the military industrial complex and on the commercial side and it's clear that "we've made leveraging commercial technology too complicated." The concept of the Space Development Agency is "about making that easier." He said the new agency will not replace the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. "I think we're going to take resources from other parts of the department and put those together" to form the Space Development Agency, said Shanahan. One key thing that is missing now is "systems integration and connection to the warfighter," he said. The military's current satellites were "essentially developed in a hermetically sealed environment" without coordination with other programs. A Space Development Agency would have the "ability and capacity to experiment and look for the things [in commercial industry] that can be deployed for military utility or can be purchased for military utility," he said. "That gives us the ability to accelerate." Selva made a similar point in his talk on Friday. "Systems engineering is going to be incredibly important" for space, he said. "We cannot afford to have constellations of satellites not connected to one another, that are not connected to warfighters on the ground. We cannot build space systems in isolation." Space Force a partisan issue? The idea of a separate service for space has drawn bipartisan support in the past but there now concerns that the Space Force has been excessively politicized. "It is extremely inappropriate for President Trump to politicize the U.S. military by having his campaign ask supporters to choose a logo for a proposed branch of the armed forces," said Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. "Mixing organizational decisions about national security with private political efforts should not occur," Smith said in a statement. "The House Armed Services Committee has been working to increase the U.S. military's focus on space for many years, including an effort to create a Space Corps in the National Defense Authorization Act," he added. 'If and when President Trump provides a comprehensive legislative proposal for a new space organization, Congress will review it." Jim Bridenstine, administrator of NASA and a former congressman, noted that the full House last year passed the Space Corps bill with 344 votes "which is a very big bipartisan vote." In an interview on C-SPAN Newsmakers, Bridenstine said he fully supports the proposal to create a Space Force. Although NASA is a civilian agency, it has "hundreds of billions of dollars worth of assets in orbit, plus we have our astronauts in orbit, and we are dependent on space being safe and accessible, and that's important for the science we do, the discovery and exploration." The security of space also is critical to the commercial industry and the broader civilian economy, said Bridenstine. "At the end of the day, all the technologies we are developing at NASA, we want to commercialize. The space economy represents about $350 billion annually," he said. "The president has made a determination that it needs to be protected." The Air Force is now doing the national security mission, he noted. "There have been arguments made that we don't want the space domain to compete with the air domain given how important it is to the American way of life. It's because of how it's becoming more contested every day." This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry. LOGAN, Utah Small satellites that have propulsion systems, but don't have encrypted commanding systems, pose a small but real threat of being hacked and endangering other satellites, according to a new study. That research by a team of graduate students, presented at the AIAA/Utah State University Conference on Small Satellites here Aug. 9, recommended the space industry take steps to prevent the launch of such satellites to avoid an incident that could lead to a "regulatory overreaction" by government agencies. "We would propose as a policy that, for those cubesats and smallsats that have propulsion, that the industry adopt a 'no encryption, no fly' rule," said Andrew Kurzrok of Yale University. That recommendation comes as cubesat developers, who once had few, if any, options for onboard propulsion, are now looking to make use of more advanced chemical and electric propulsion systems. Some of those technologies can provide smallsats with large changes in velocity, which can enable major orbital changes. Kurzrok and colleagues at Stanford University and the University of Colorado modeled several different propulsion systems on a notional 10-kilogram nanosatellite, assuming the spacecraft was in a 300-kilometer orbit and that the propulsion systems accounted for half the spacecraft's mass. The results ranged from the satellite reaching medium Earth orbit altitudes within two hours when using chemical propulsion to passing geostationary orbit in about a year with an electric propulsion system. The scenario involving the nanosatellite with chemical propulsion is particularly troubling, he said. "What are the abilities within two hours to track that something isn't where it's supposed to be and then warn or take some sort of secondary action?" he said, concluding that the satellite reaching GEO in a year is a much less plausible threat. The concern, then is a scenario where hackers are able to take control of a satellite and redirect it quickly. Government satellites, as well as many commercial ones, have security measures like encryption that make it unlikely they could be hacked. However, many satellites run by academic institutions don't have such security, often because of funding or technical limitations. There's been no known case where a smallsat with propulsion has been hacked, but Kurzrok suggested it may be only a matter of time. "If something can be hacked, eventually it will be hacked," he said, based on cybersecurity experiences in other industries. That has serious implications, even in the scenario where the hacking event does no damage to the satellite or other space objects. "The reputational costs to the industry could be significant." That led to his recommendation that small satellites with propulsion be required to have encrypted command systems. That could be done through industry self-regulation, with launch providers ensuring that the satellites they launch comply with this rule, or provisions in contracts by satellite propulsion providers requiring their systems only be used on satellites with encrypted communications systems. "This is actually a situation that is ripe for industry self-regulation," he said. "It's not worth one risky launch that will risk the rest of your manifest if there is a regulatory overreaction if something goes wrong." This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry. Most of us are lucky to catch a glimpse of a stunning aurora painting the skies once or twice in our lives. But living on the International Space Station has a curious side effect, giving astronauts incredible odds of spotting the beautiful phenomenon. European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst has been aboard the space station since June as part of his second trip to space, and on Aug. 10, he shared incredible photos of the bright green waves as seen from above. "Mind-blowing, every single time," he wrote in a tweet accompanying the photo. See more Auroras, also known as the northern and southern lights, are caused by charged particles streaming out of the sun that eventually hit Earth's atmosphere, according to NASA. There, the particles interact with oxygen and nitrogen molecules to produce light. The result is a ghostly green wave dancing across the sky near the poles. But while auroras are beautiful, particles streaming off the sun can have plenty of less aesthetic consequences. They can put astronaut health at risk, damage satellites in orbit around the Earth and, in the most severe cases, cause blackouts in terrestrial power grids. That's part of why NASA is so excited about its newest mission, the Parker Solar Probe, which launched toward the sun on Sunday (Aug. 12). Once the spacecraft arrives at our star later this year, it will study the highly charged particles that leave the sun and end up in our neighborhood. Parker can't give us more auroras, but if it can help scientists better understand and predict the sun's activities, it might help people be in the right place at the right time to see the stunning view. Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her @meghanbartels. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. An artist's illustration of a satellite-servicing spacecraft approaching its target. On Aug. 14, 2018, a US diplomat said that a Russian satellite described as a "space apparatus inspector" has been exhibiting very abnormal (and therefore concerning) behavior on orbit. It's unclear exactly why American officials are so worked up about a Russian satellite's recent activities, experts say. On Tuesday (Aug. 14), a high-ranking member of the U.S. State Department raised concerns about the satellite, describing its on-orbit behavior as "very abnormal" and implying that it could be a space weapon of some kind. "We don't know for certain what it is, and there is no way to verify it," Yleem Poblete, assistant secretary for arms control, verification and compliance at the State Department, said at a conference on disarmament in Geneva. [The Most Dangerous Space Weapons Concepts] "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,'" she added. Poblete didn't name the satellite. But she did describe it as a "space apparatus inspector" and said it deployed in October 2017. These clues strongly suggest that the spacecraft is a subsatellite known as Cosmos 2523, which separated from its orbiting mothership on Oct. 30 of last year. Russia didn't launch anything in October 2017 other than the Progress 68 International Space Station resupply vehicle and Europe's Sentinel-5P Earth-observing satellite, said Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics who monitors many of the spacecraft circling our planet using publicly available U.S. tracking data. So, "there really isn't anything else it could be" other than Cosmos 2523, McDowell told Space.com. This gets a bit confusing, so bear with me: Russia launched the Cosmos 2519 satellite in June 2017. This spacecraft popped out a subsatellite known as Cosmos 2521 in August of that year. On Oct. 30, a second subsat, Cosmos 2523, deployed from one of these two other craft. "I can't tell from the data whether the parent [of 2523] was 2519 or 2521, and indeed, I can't be sure that U.S. tracking didn't swap the IDs of 2519 and 2521 at some point," McDowell said. These three spacecraft then performed a variety of maneuvers over the ensuing months, according to McDowell and Brian Weeden, director of program planning at the nonprofit Secure World Foundation. For example, Cosmos 2521 conducted some "proximity operations" around 2519 and may have docked with the mothership in October, Weeden said via Twitter today (Aug. 16). Cosmos 2521 adjusted its orbit slightly in February 2018, then performed two big engine burns in April to significantly lower its slightly elliptical path around Earth, from about 400 miles (650 kilometers) to roughly 220 miles (360 km), McDowell said. The satellite fired its engines again on July 20, reshaping its orbit to a more elliptical path with a perigee (close-approach point) of 181 miles (292 km) and an apogee (most-distant point) of 216 miles (348 km). And Cosmos 2519 conducted a series of small burns between late June and mid-July of this year, shifting its orbit from a nearly circular one (again, with an altitude of about 400 miles) to a highly elliptical path with a perigee of 197 miles (317 km) and an apogee of 413 miles (664 km), McDowell calculated. These big maneuvers are consistent with a technology demonstration of some kind, he said. Perhaps the Russians "are checking out the [spacecraft] bus and its capability to deliver multiple subsatellites to different orbits something like that," McDowell said. "From the information that's available in the public domain, that would be an entirely plausible interpretation." These three satellites' activities may be related to the military and may have something to do with spacecraft inspection, he added. But McDowell doesn't regard their behavior as "very abnormal," and there's no indication that they've done anything illegal or threatening. So, he's not sure what prompted the concerns expressed by Poblete. "What are they complaining about?" McDowell said, referring to American officials. Weeden voiced similar sentiments. Cosmos 2523's "deployment was unusual, but hard to see at this point why the US is making it a big deal," he said via Twitter today. "There are a lot of facts and not a lot of pattern," McDowell said. "So, partly I take the U.S. statement as saying, 'Russia, how dare you do something confusing?'" It's possible, of course, that American satellites or sensors have spotted Cosmos 2523 (or Cosmos 2519, or Cosmos 2521) doing something suspicious some activity that can't be detected just by analyzing publicly available tracking data. "But they need to say a little more for us to take that seriously," McDowell said. Editor's note: This story was corrected on Aug. 16 to clarify that Yleem Poblete said the Russian satellite in question deployed in October 2017. The original version erroneously said she referenced an October launch. Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. SAN FRANCISCO - Belmar Meat Market sits at the corner of Harrison and 24th streets in the Mission District, a historically Latino neighborhood that is fighting the relentless creep of gentrification. In the back of the market, there's a small kitchen, where employees prepare and sell menudo, burritos and heavenly little tacos wrapped in freshly pressed and griddled tortillas. Also known as La Gallinita, Belmar is a Mission institution, just the kind of place that the late Los Angeles Times food critic Jonathan Gold would have devoted body and soul to explain to readers. But in his 32 years as restaurant critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, Michael Bauer never wrote about Belmar/La Gallinita. Bauer, in fact, didn't write much about the taquerias, panaderias and other Latino shops that populate this area. He tended to focus on the upper reaches of the famed San Francisco dining scene, which has produced seven three-Michelin-star restaurants, two more than New York . Two critics, two destination food cities, two dramatically different approaches to reviewing restaurants. By design and by cruel fate, both jobs are now open to a new generation. Bauer, 66, announced his retirement in July. Later that same month, Gold died suddenly, unexpectedly, from pancreatic cancer at age 57. The job openings have, in turn, opened a discussion on the future of American food criticism in the era of #MeToo, social justice and crowdsourced restaurant reviews. Editors at the Times and the Chronicle have an opportunity to rethink the job description and maybe even break from the tradition of hiring, by and large, white males to pass judgment on restaurants. "Everything can and should be reassessed," says Paolo Lucchesi, the Chronicle's senior editor for lifestyle, which includes food coverage. "That's kind of what we've done with our food journalism overall: reassess the conventions, and if they're there for a reason, we can keep it. But don't do them because that's what we've done." The conventions and guidelines for food criticism had already been in flux since the dawn of the Information Age, which coincided with the decline of general-interest newspapers. As budgets have shrunk and pressures have increased for high-profile critics to take part in promotional events, editors have sometimes cut back the number of times a critic visits a restaurant or asked reviewers to drop their anonymity (which the internet had pretty much destroyed anyway). 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 overlook white male critics in favor of men and women of color, who would bring fresh perspectives? Complicating matters, San Francisco and Los Angeles have their own legacies to confront. For better or worse, chefs, restaurateurs and diners have been reading Bauer and Gold for decades. They have opinions on who should - and shouldn't - succeed them. If there is one truism about each city's hunt for a replacement, it's this: San Francisco - flush with tech wealth and progressive values - seems ready for change. Los Angeles is still coping with the change forced upon it by the death of a beloved food critic, the only one to win a Pulitzer Prize. - - - Caleb Zigas pulls up a chair at d'maize, a sunny Mission pupuseria run by Zenaida Merlin and Luis Estrada. Merlin is a graduate of La Cocina, which helps women of color grow their food businesses. Zigas is executive director of the organization, which has worked to launch 26 bricks-and-mortar restaurants. Until this month, Bauer had never reviewed a single one of them. But on Aug. 3, he wrote a three-star rave about Dyafa, a partnership between Reem Assil, the Palestinian Syrian chef behind the touted Reem's California bakery in Oakland, and Daniel Patterson, the innovative Bay Area chef and restaurateur behind the Michelin-three-star Coi. "The reason he's there is because of Daniel," Zigas says about Bauer's trips to Dyafa. "He's not going to Reem's. . . . It's not the kind of place he reviews. It doesn't have sit-down service." When discussing what kind of critic they want, people in the Bay Area restaurant community frequently cite qualities they perceive are absent in Bauer's work, whether or not they understand how he fit into the paper's overall coverage. "I only did reviews if it was something that I thought was really worth a wider audience, and you can debate what that is," says Bauer, noting the Chronicle once had secondary critics focused on mom-and-pop restaurants. Still, Bauer's shadow looms large when industry folks talk about a successor. They want someone who will review immigrant restaurants. They want someone who will venture more frequently into the East Bay. They want someone without any alleged ethical conflicts. They want someone other than a white man. Some of their wishes are rooted in seismic generational and economic shifts. Millennials have repeatedly expressed interest in dining convenience, customization, quality and experimentation. Combine that with the rising costs of running a restaurant in San Francisco, and you can understand why chefs and restaurateurs have been to turning to counter-service establishments, such as Media Noche and Sababa. "There is some expectation that the local food critic would check those places out or bother to review them," says Gwyneth Borden, executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association. In recent years, Patterson, a vocal critic of Bauer, has taken a more active role in creating opportunities for women and people of color, including Assil at Dyafa. He's a firm believer in rooting out implicit bias, the attitudes that unconsciously affect actions. After Bauer published this year's list of the Top 100 Restaurants of 2018, Patterson took to Twitter: "I noticed that there are zero working black chefs on the list. Zero. How is this possible?" (According to the 2010 census, San Francisco is 6.1 percent African-American.) Major newspapers almost universally employ white critics, though some have been groundbreaking female voices such as Ruth Reichl's at the Times (both Los Angeles and New York) and Mimi Sheraton's at the New York Times. Patterson would like to see the Chronicle not just hire a critic of color but also put systems and people in place - editors and copy editors of color - to check for biases and cultural insensitivities. This, he says, would naturally widen the critic's scope. "White people trying to be sensitive about diversity isn't as good as involving people of color," Patterson says. "White people have a tendency to overestimate their ability to fix problems." The three people who will likely decide on Bauer's replacement are white: Lucchesi; Kitty Morgan, assistant managing editor for features; and Audrey Cooper, editor in chief. Morgan says they're not ruling out any candidates, including white men. "I think, though, that we're going to look really hard at how can we change up the conversation," Morgan adds. Lucchesi, for one, wants someone who can talk about the Bay Area - its politics, its troubles, its culture - through the lens of a review, though he cautions that the new hire will help shape the job. "This is the story of the Bay Area told through restaurants," Lucchesi says. "That's what our mission has been with our team, but also, it should be the mission of the critic." - - - The moment Bauer announced his Sept. 17 retirement, the internet lit up with speculation on a replacement. Some names repeatedly popped up, including Tejal Rao at the New York Times and Soleil Ho, the chef, author and co-host of the Racist Sandwich podcast. Patterson even threw out a few Twitter suggestions, including everyone listed on Equity at the Table, an industry database featuring "women/gender nonconforming individuals and focusing primarily on POC and the LGBTQ community." Experience should not be the deciding factor, Patterson says, because it favors the white establishment. "All the people I listed, and so many more, they would learn," he says. With the near collapse of alternative newspapers, where rookie writers could pick up valuable experience, former OC Weekly editor and food critic Gustavo Arellano says that the burden now falls on major dailies to develop young voices. "The dailies have to take risks," Arellano says. "Of course, you can't just give it to any person off the streets. There has to be something there. There has to be that spark that a genius editor says, 'You know what? Your clippings are nothing. But I see something in you.' " Sam Sifton, food editor at the New York Times, argues that the "best people" should be hired, regardless of gender or race. He says that means they're not just critics who type up their opinions; they're reporters who conduct interviews and doggedly research their subjects before expressing an opinion. "Culture criticism requires a collection of skill sets and a desire to learn and a desire to report," Sifton says. "That leads to good and accurate criticism about the restaurants at hand." Sifton made a surprise announcement on Aug. 10: Rao, an Indian-American woman and a former critic at the Village Voice and Bloomberg News, would become the Times's first restaurant critic for California. The news not only took Rao off the market but established her as fierce competition for the future new critics in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Then again, many Angelenos can't imagine anyone replacing Gold, so admired that Los Angeles lit several buildings in gold on what would have been his 58th birthday. "You just face that fact that you can't replace him, that you'll hire a restaurant critic or two or five to cover the beats, but it will never be the same," says Evan Kleiman, the chef and radio host of "Good Food," which featured Gold. Editors at the Los Angeles Times declined an interview, saying it was too soon after Gold's death. But recently they sent a memo to staff announcing their efforts to rebuild the food team. They're conducting a search for a new food editor as well as "new restaurant critics." Plural. The team approach may help the Times cover a large, diverse and congested city. It may also establish compelling voices across multiple cuisines rather than relying on the single voice of authority. But it will come at a cost, notes Russ Parsons, a retired Times food editor and columnist. "You lose the brand name," he says. You will also probably lose any chance to develop a singular voice that will forever live in the hearts of Angelenos. Wes Avila, the former fine-dining chef whose Guerrilla Tacos truck was blessed with a full Gold review in 2014, says he has placed a photo of the critic in his new bricks-and-mortar restaurant. "I put it up in the kitchen, so it's looking down on us," Avila says. "It's like the eye of Jonathan is looking right at the line. It's like if you start trying to cut corners, there's an aura right there." Stamford native Brianna Cummings, 21, has wanted to be a fashion designer since high school. At Harvey School in Katonah, NY she developed a passion for painting and drawing, and combined that with her love of fashion. Now, as a rising senior studying fashion design at Virginia Commonwealth University, her goals are becoming a reality. On July 29, Cummings was the youngest designer to show a collection for Harlem Week, which hosts a fashion show and other events attended by more than two million people each year in Harlem, NY. Cummings was approached to do the show by Shelton resident Deborah Williams, a friend of her mother's who puts on the Harlem Week fashion show. Williams was in the fashion industry for 15 yearsshe had a line of athletic apparel at Macy's called Her Game 2and now she serves as the fashion director for all of the Harlem Week fashion shows (there are four throughout the summer). "The show gives a platform to aspiring designers, models and hair and makeup artists," she said. Williams, who has known the Cummings family for over 10 years, has been aware of Cummings' fashion aspirations for sometime. "I've been watching Brianna. I remember when she just was starting to talk about how she was interested in fashion and she reached out to talk to me about the business," Williams said. "She's got a good eye. I saw some pictures she had posted of things she was working on in school and I said 'I definitely see a talent in her, and if we can cultivate that a little bit, she can really do something.'" Cummings got to work on a collection of day-to-night pieces to show. It was the first collection Cummings designed and sewed all on her own, and she used it to launch her own brand called Meraki Essence. "Meraki" is a Greek word that means "to put yourself into what you do." The meaning resonated with Cummings who was coming off of a discouraging school year. "It was a really rough school year. My pieces didn't make the show for school that we have each year," she said. Creating the collection for Harlem Week gave Cummings the creative freedom that she did not have with her school assignments. "It was definitely different because I had more free time to be more creative and not have a critique at the end. I really could showcase what I could do for myself," she said. Cummings said after the show, she was approached by women of all ages who were interested in her clothesand that's her wish: to dress all different kinds of women. "It's really for everybody, that's my goal. For everyone to feel comfortable regardless of age, plus size or not," Cummings said. Her real passion, though, is bridal. After designing a long, formal gown for a project junior year, Cummings knew that was her nicheand big things are happening for her in that vein too. Cummings works as a consultant at Sixpence Bridal Boutique near school in Midlothian, VA, and her boss has given her the opportunity to design her own line of bridal gowns to be sold in the store. The gowns, she said, will be simple with the option to embellish. But most importantly, they will be affordable; Cummings is not interested in designing $25,000 gowns, she said. "I want everyone to be able to afford a wedding dress and look beautiful without breaking the bank," she said. For now, Cummings is staying put in Virginia. Her main career goal right now is to keep building her brand and for her bridal collection to be picked up by other stores. "Meraki Essence has helped me grow into the designer I am now," she said. STAMFORD A Manchester woman has been accused of causing $4,500 worth of damage when the gate of a Washington Boulevard parking garage failed to open. Paula Martinez, 22, was charged this week with sixth-degree larceny and first-degree criminal mischief. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte could resign to make way for the son of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos if a legal challenge to the 2016 vice presidential election is upheld. Duterte, 73, who has often raised the possibility of stepping down, thinks Ferdinand Marcos Jr. "is one of the better qualified leaders to succeed him," presidential spokesman Harry Roque said at a briefing Thursday. If Marcos "becomes vice president, perhaps the president will make true his word that he will step down," Roque said. Marcos won 14.1 million votes in the 2016 vice presidential race, an election that is conducted separately from the presidency in the Philippines, narrowly losing to Liberal Party candidate Leni Robredo. Marcos claims the vote was tainted by massive cheating. Duterte has said before that he might turn over the presidency to Marcos, whose sister he credits with supporting his presidential campaign. The triggers, he said, would include a failure to deliver on his promises to crack down on narcotics, crime and corruption. Marcos, 60, told Bloomberg News last October that he was interested in following in his father's footsteps. "That's what you want to be," Marcos said. "Every private in the army wants to be a general. Every janitor wants to be a CEO." A former congressman, senator and governor of the northern province of Ilocos Norte, Marcos is one of the most divisive political figures in the Philippines, where roughly 3,000 people died and thousands more were tortured when his father suspended elections and declared martial law in the 1970s. His appeal against the result is currently before the Supreme Court, sitting as the electoral tribunal, which has ordered a manual recount of the votes. A decision could still be years away. A previous challenge to to the 2010 vice-presidential election took almost six years to resolve. "There's really no way of knowing how long the case will last," Dante Gatmaytan, a constitutional law professor at the University of the Philippines, said in a text message. "Each case is different, some cases go on dissolved because the parties have been elected to other offices." Gatmaytan said the removal in May of Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, an outspoken critic of Duterte's administration, was unlikely to affect the outcome of the challenge to the vice presidential election result. "I understand why there might be some apprehension because the Supreme Court has never ruled against the president," Gatmaytan said. "But the tribunal is not only made up of members of the Supreme Court." Duterte has repeatedly questioned Robredo's suitability for the job. Robredo -- the leader of the opposition -- has said that she doesn't want to dignify Duterte's attacks against her, and instead urged the president to focus on the economy. Her camp was quick to downplay the chances of another Marcos as president. "President Duterte's resignation will never happen because Mr. Marcos will never win his electoral protest," the vice president's lawyer, Romulo Macalintal, said in a statement. Wealthy people are dishonest. Wealthy people are corrupt. Wealthy people are selfish. Is that really true? Recent events seem to point to this. In the wake of the Paul Manafort trial and other documented misbehaviors newly uncovered by members of our political and business elite, some people are asking whether or not the wealthy can be trusted. "Theres something about wealth and privilege that makes you feel like youre above the law that allows you to treat others like they dont exist, Dacher Keltner, a psychologist at the University of California at Berkeley Keltner told the Washington Post. To researchers who study wealth and power, its dismaying but not surprising, because it tracks so closely with our findings. The effect of power is sadly one of the most reliable laws of human behavior. Related: 6 Reasons Why You Must Resist the Temptation to Hire a Brilliant Jerk Keltner has spent years studying the effects of wealth and power on human behavior. His research, as well as that of many others, has shown that wealthier people are more likely to ignore laws, less likely to help those in need and have are likelier to cheat on their taxes (and their romantic partners). They also tend to steal and lie more often, and to give charities relatively less money than their poorer counterparts. Good Lord! So does this mean that being rich is bad? Should we avoid trying to increase our wealth for fear that we will also become jerks? Will added prosperity ultimately reveal our inner jerkiness to the world? Of course not. Related: Why the Most Successful People Have the Most Haters Aside from the scientific studies -- like those conducted by Keltner and his colleagues -- we all know that it's silly to generalize. If you run a business you're likely to be acquainted with a handful or more of "wealthy" people and I'm sure -- like all other people -- there are good ones and bad ones. Were familiar with philanthropic people like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. Gerry Lenfest, the cable TV magnate who died last week, gave a big chunk of his $6 billion fortune to charities like Teach for America and various museums. We also know about the shenanigans of the Paul Manaforts and Harvey Weinsteins, too. But the fact is that these people were likely jerks to begin with and that success only threw fuel on the fire. Having a lot of cash in the bank can certainly cause some people to make stupid, jerky decisions. But I believe these people are anomalies. For most, wealth and prosperity simply serves to make people better at business. Related: Why Haven't We Seen a Clear Philanthropic Vision From Jeff Bezos Yet? We struggled for years after I started up my company. Cash was tight and I was stressed. Unfortunately, when you don't have a lot of money and you have bills to pay you do some things that you aren't proud of. Back in those days I took on projects for which I was (to put it generously) less than qualified. I strung out suppliers. I pushed customers for payment. I hired people with fewer skills because they were cheaper. I invested in inferior technologies because they cost less. Somehow, and mostly through luck, I survived this and my business grew. So did my cash balance. I havent become Paul Manafort or Jeff Bezos rich. But I did become a little wealthier. Did I then start cheating on my taxes, lying to others and refusing to help people in need? No. But because I was "richer" I did find myself making better decisions. I paid a little more for things because they were better quality. I hired people who were more skilled. Most importantly, I walked away from jobs and clients when I wasn't truly qualified to do the work. My reward was less angina and fewer complaints. The work we did take on was completed faster and better. These were all the results of me being "richer." Wealth has different effects on people. For some, it turns them into jerks. For a few others it makes them even jerkier. But for most good entrepreneurs, being wealthier enables us to make better decisions and be better business people. That, in turn, benefits all those who depend on our companies for their livelihoods. Related: Will Getting Rich Make You a Jerk? 4 Essential Steps to Achieving Financial Success 5 Ten-Minute Tricks to Make More Money Freelancing Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved DARIEN The Cape Cod house is one of New Englands most significant contributions to American culture, according to the website www.pilgrimhallmuseum.org. This traditional, vernacular house style was built all over New England for more than 250 years, and spread across the country in the 1940s and 1950s to become one of Americas favorite house styles, the website said. It goes on to say that the house style got its name in 1800 from the Reverend Timothy Dwight, president of Yale University and minister of Greenfield Hill Congregational Church in Fairfield, in his book, Travels in New England and New York. Another website mentions the diminutive size of the Cape Cod, usually about 1,000 to 2,000 square feet. In the Tokeneke Association the gray Cape Cod at 8 Homewood Lane looks, at first glance, to be a small house. Looks can be deceiving. Travel down its wide bluestone path to the covered front porch and through the front door and see that this residence is considerably larger than early Capes. This house has nine rooms and 5,316 square feet of living space. It also has numerous amenities for living and entertaining, and refinements not found in such houses centuries and even decades ago. The house was built in 1972 and was updated to accommodate modern living. It is set back from the road and sits in a very private setting on a 1.33-acre level property at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac. A dense stand of mature trees protects the privacy, which is further augmented by the fact that no one can build on the property directly behind this house. The beautifully landscaped backyard features an in-ground swimming pool with a wood deck around it. Sliding doors from several rooms lead to the large bluestone patio, pool, and yard. From the two-story foyer there is access into the formal dining room straight ahead and the formal living room to the right with French doors into both rooms. In the dining room there is an over-sized double-sided fireplace. One part of the living room has a wet bar and two walls of built-in shelving. Step down into the second section, which has the other side of the dining room fireplace and sliding doors to the patio. The gourmet kitchen features a center island, high-end appliances including a Sub-Zero refrigerator, generous counter space, eat-in area, and a step down into the family room where there is a vaulted ceiling, fireplace, and sliding doors to the patio. There are three bedrooms on this main living level. The master suite has a tall vaulted ceiling, sliding doors to a private deck and the yard, a large walk-in closet, and a luxurious bath with a radiant heated floor, jetted tub, large shower, and two separate vanities. The two other en suite bedrooms are also generous in size and one has a built-in desk area and window seat with storage underneath it. On the second floor there is another en suite bedroom that is large enough to serve as the master instead of the one on the first floor. It could also be an in-law or au pair suite. The wide landing features loft space with two offices or homework stations including built-in desks, counters, drawers and cabinets. In addition to the relaxing backyard there are nature trails near the house, which is also just a short walk from Long Island Sound only about a half mile away. The Tokeneke Association contains seven miles of private roads. For more information or to make an appointment to see the house contact Nellie Snell and Bridget Sullivan of Al Filippone Associates/William Raveis Real Estate, Snell at 203-979-9149 or nellies@afahomes.com, and Sullivan at 203-644-0107 or bridgets@afahomes.com. T he weather is not the only reason to holiday in the UK this summer. You can tell a lot about what markets think about a countrys economy just by looking at the value of its currency. The trend for sterling since the Brexit vote in June 2016 tells a sobering tale. Versus the US dollar, sterling currently trades at around $1.28, 12% lower than its May 2016 level. Sterling has lost 13% versus the euro over the same period. One pound now gets you 1.13. Along with the uncharacteristically hot weather, these are as good reasons as any to stay in the UK for the summer holidays this year. Exchange rates move in line with financial markets changing views about the relative long-term economic growth prospects of countries. Economies that are expected to do well attract high inflows of international capital, which drives currencies up. Before the Brexit vote, the UK had enjoyed top-of-the-league growth among major advanced economies. This showed up in sterling, which had been gradually recouping the losses suffered during the financial crisis. The relatively quick recovery enticed investors to send their money to the UK. Markets conclude that Brexit will lower the speed at which the UK will grow in the long term. So far at least, the economic data since the Brexit vote has supported this view. The UK economy grew by 1.7% last year. Without Brexit, amid the strong global backdrop, growth would have probably been nearer 3%. This year, annual growth will struggle to hit 1.5%. Although the UK has outperformed the most pessimistic forecasts since the referendum, it has nonetheless slipped down the G7 growth league. As the US and the eurozone have strengthened, the UK has weakened. At the moment, the UK is probably the most unloved of all major advanced markets. The risk of a no-deal hard Brexit say, a 20% probability is weighing heavily on sterling. But chances are that, after noisy negotiations later this year, the UK and EU will secure a deal that covers trade in goods and keeps the Irish border open. If a hard Brexit is avoided, the most significant risk to the economic outlook will disappear. Then, investors will probably take a more favourable view on the UK. This will push sterling higher over time. After all, the UK economy is not in a bad shape. The post-financial crisis upswing is maturing nicely: the expansion is in its ninth year; employment is at a record high and real wages are edging up; the Bank of England is finally feeling confident enough to gradually normalise monetary policy; and the fiscal deficit is slowly edging back towards a safe level. Whether the UK can eventually resume its place at the top of the growth league for advanced countries and re-establish itself as a destination of choice for global investors is a different matter. Even if the UK opted for a very soft Brexit (unlikely), it is hard to see how the economy can fully escape the grip of populism any time soon. Markets know the UK will have to wait until at least the next election in 2022 to shed the economic risks linked to a potential Labour government led by far-left Jeremy Corbyn. Labour will have to lose the next election before the Corbyn risk can disappear. For a long time yet then, whenever markets try to decide an appropriate price for sterling, it will be politics first, economics second. This is a major shift for the UK, which for so long had been viewed as a bastion of political stability and a safe haven in risky times. Still, the UKs rapid fall from grace since voting to leave the EU in June 2016 may partially reverse if and when the UK and EU strike half a deal this year. At that point, the UK would be set for a little rebound in economic growth in 2019 and 2020. Once investors finally let go of the hard Brexit risk, probably around the turn of the year, sterling could strengthen by 5% to 10% against its major peers. Call it a little no-hard-Brexit relief rally. As another summer as good as this one is highly unlikely, a stronger pound will be welcome next year when Brits may have to go abroad again to get all the sun they want. P eople flocking to B&Q to buy barbecues and paddling pools helped boost owner Kingfishers sales but a disappointing performance in France on Thursday cast doubt over its turnaround efforts. The business, which is halfway through a plan to cut costs and slim its ranges, has seen earnings rise 3.4% to 3.2 billion for the second quarter to July 31. This is a rebound from a fall in the previous quarter when a cold snap kept customers away. It benefited from a scorching summer in Britain with same-store sales up 4.2%, including 3.6% growth at B&Q and a 5.5% gain at Screwfix. However, same-store sales in France dipped 1% as its DIY chain Castorama continued to struggle. It was in part down to fewer shoppers visiting its stores, as well as taking a hit from Kingfishers restructuring efforts. We have put additional action in place to support our full-year performance in France with the benefits expected to come through in the second half, said chief executive Veronique Laury. Laury has promised to improve profits by 500 million every year from 2021 and today insisted it was on track to deliver it. The City was sceptical. The shares dipped 4%, or 11.6p, or 276.8p. Strip out the impact of summer items and sales have continued to fall. Thats quashed any hopes that B&Q would benefit from the recent problems at Homebase, said George Salmon, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. Homebase this week said it will close 42 stores though a company voluntary arrangement, a deal with creditors and landlords to prevent struggling businesses from going bust, putting 1500 jobs at risk. Investecs Kate Calvert said: So far, there is no visible financial evidence as to how much the transformation plans may deliver. We believe 400 million is a more realistic outcome. M usic festivals must tap into something primitive in our DNA. How else to explain an increasing number of Britons spending a weekend in the middle of a field, camping in tents, dancing to their favourite bands? As we spend more time in the virtual world of the internet, we also crave more real-world experiences that make us "feel alive". Over the weekend, 50,000 people descended on the Isle of Wight for Bestival, the last of the big summer festivals, to see stars such as Dizzee Rascal, Tankus the Henge and The xx, newly crowned winners of the Mercury Music Prize. According to research firm Mintel, the number of admissions to music festivals and concerts has shot up 29% in the past five years. Revenues are up 69%. Live music generated around 1.54 billion last year, overtaking recorded music, which has shrunk to 1.36 billion, according to industry body the Performing Right Society for Music. And we can be sure that where consumers go, then marketers follow particularly when those music fans are young and hard to reach through traditional advertising. Little wonder that youth-friendly brands such as mobile phone operator O2 (which bought the naming rights to Brixton Academy and Millennium Dome) and beer company Tuborg have already invested heavily in the live music scene. A new wave of family-friendly festivals has also emerged, catering for a generation of thirty- and forty-somethings who want to relive their youth, with their kids in tow. Events such as Camp Bestival a sister event to Bestival which took place in Dorset in July, are attracting brands with an older demographic such as clothing label Boden and drinks firm Pimm's. "A lot of brands are testing the water with festivals," says Shaz Smilansky, co-founder of marketing agency Blazinstar Experiential. "In the grand scheme of things, it's actually a small financial commitment for them." From a marketing point of view, festivals are fertile territory because consumers come to have a good time. They are in "holiday" mode in a captive environment, surrounded by one of their biggest influences their peer group. The challenge is to ensure any sponsorship and on-site marketing is authentic and credible. Some festivals, notably Glastonbury, refuse to have official sponsors on ethical grounds. But they still have commercial partnerships. "It's really important to us that the brands fit in creatively with the show and add something to the experience," says Ziggy Gilsenan, co-founder of Bestival and Camp Bestival, who also runs experiential marketing agency Get Involved. Experiential marketing means that a brand creates an experience in which consumers can participate and engage rather than just sticking up advertising hoardings and handing out leaflets. In the case of energy firm Scottish and Southern Electric at last weekend's Bestival, it built a temporary eco-house, which featured a "renewable energy" dancefloor that could power up the house with light and sound. There was even a pedal-powered record player. "We wanted to come up with an initiative to allow people at the festivals to make a connection with the brand, rather than straightforward electricity and gas," says Wendy Barbour, head of marketing at SSE, who made festivals a key part of her strategy for the first time this year. Being associated with music has also allowed SSE to enter the online social media world in a credible way, adds Barbour. And having the backing of festival organisers, who tend to have strong environmental credentials, should give an additional halo effect. Boden, the online and mail-order clothing label set up by Old Etonian Johnnie Boden, took part in a festival for the first time at this year's Camp Bestival. Boden also looked to provide an experience, rather than just display clothes. A vast marquee featured its own bar, reading area with armchairs and kids' books, free "School of Rock" music lessons, comedians, and a booming sound system. Judging by the crowds at the Boden tent, the strategy worked. "The Boden brand stands for far more than just selling clothes, it represents a lifestyle and a set of values," says Rob Silsbury, Boden's marketing manager. "A physical presence made it possible to bring that to life and provide a tangible experience for not just our existing customers, but also for those who have not heard of us before and those who for some reason currently reject us." Some brands clearly need to learn about how to get their message across. At Camp Bestival, a pushchair company brought along a marquee with a polished wood floor and bright decor that looked like a trade show exhibit. At Wireless in Hyde Park, a car company reckoned that merely plonking its latest model on a podium was going to enthrall festivalgoers. They ignored it. Ultimately, experiential marketing should not just involve creating an engaging experience for festivalgoers. The brand should "amplify" that experience beyond the festival, making it part of an integrated wider campaign and using the internet, TV and so on. Smilansky of Blazinstar says it is essential to "leverage" the event to get the most out of the marketing investment. Some objectives, such as raising brand awareness and producing a halo effect, are not easy to measure. More concrete results, such as getting hold of potential new customers' email or mobile details, might not fit with the festival spirit. "The finance director tends to want hard tangible data," says Smilansky. "Brand managers have quite a long way to go to make the case internally." There is another caveat. Young audiences can be fickle and growth in the festival market has slowed. PRS warns that youth unemployment and economic austerity are having an impact. Music retailer HMV, which recently bought the Mama Group of concert venues, admitted last week that its inaugural High Voltage festival in east London, had been an expensive flop. T he real winner today among the small-caps has been life sciences group Abzena which said it is in talks with the worlds largest healthcare-focused private equity house in a deal worth 34.4 million. WCAS, which since 1979 has invested $9 billion in 90 companies, is offering 16p a share, a 167% premium to yesterdays closing price. Abzena shares climbed steeply - up over 100%. On the Beach was also racing a long to as the online travel agent has decided to go up market buying Classic Collection for 20 million. The firm said buying Classic Collection would help it to access the five million short-haul beach breaks each year that Britons still book offline. Classic Collection, with underlying earnings of 2.6 million last year and assets worth 18 million, sells holidays through travel agents who work from home and in High Street branches. Meanwhile RA International Group said it has secured a new five year contract for two camps in Somalia. The company, which provides services to remote locations, has been contracted for electrical works and construction of power infrastructure at the United Nations Support Office and African Union Mission in Somalia camps. Work is due to start this autumn and the contract is worth 30 million. "We are delighted to have secured this long-term contract for the construction of power houses in Somalia, said Soraya Narfeldt, chief executive RA International. "RA International has managed and completed power house projects effectively in the past and it demonstrates great confidence in our capabilities that we have been reselected as the preferred provider by UNSOS and AMISOM for construction and support services for this project. Finally Ariana Resources said the Turkey crisis has helped its business. The company said the value of the Turkish lira is providing a positive financial effect as operational costs incurred in the local currency are decreasing. Dr. Kerim Sener, managing director, said: As a result of recent movements in the value of the Turkish Lira, operational costs incurred in local currency are decreasing, which along with increasing grades is providing a positive financial effect. British Vogue editor Edward Enninful believes so few male models come out as gay because they fear they will no longer be seen as a perfect man. Enninful, 46, who came out when he was 21, was named editor of the fashion bible last year the first man to hold the role. When asked why so few gay male models admit their sexuality, Enninful told Attitude magazine: Its like Hollywoods image of the perfect man, and this old notion of what it meant to be a man and that this perfect man couldnt be gay. We know thats wrong. Enninful was born in Ghana and moved to Ladbroke Grove with his parents and five siblings when he was very young. Kate Moss (L) and Edward Enninful attend a private dinner hosted by British Vogue editor Edward Enninful and Kate Moss in honour of Giovanni Morelli, the new creative director of Stuart Weitzman ( (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)) / (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images) He described his first encounter with racism when he was 16 and had just started working as a model. It was my first experience of rejection because I looked a certain way, he said. Were not looking for a black model this season, but thank you. I learned that really, really fast. They would just tell your agent and he would pass it on. Sometimes youd go to a casting and you could tell from the designer that youre not meant to be there. At that age you dont understand. Its just devastating, coming from an environment where you are so welcome and so loved. Enninful, who counts Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss among his friends, became the youngest fashion director of a national magazine at i-D when he was just 18. Since taking over the helm at Vogue, he has championed diversity, putting Adwoa Aboah on his first cover. He said it was important to him to inspire other gay and black men to succeed in publishing and counter nepotism in the industry. Ive never shied away from being black or gay I want young kids to know Its OK to be who you are. I want them to know whats possible in the world. The world I want to create is where you dont need to be somebodys son or daughter to get ahead, he said. Adwoa Aboah and Edward Enninful attend the west London extravaganza / Rex Features Discussing how his sexuality has influenced his work, he said: When youre gay youre always viewed as the other. Youre able to have empathy to empathise with people and cultures. Thats why Im able to be a man and be a stylist all these years and work with all the best womens magazines and editors because I empathise. Oval Space/Pickle Factory, Cambridge Heath Though distinct from each other, weve included these two together as theyre owned by the same group and sit opposite each other. The Pickle Factory it was one, once is the more intimate space with just 200 capacity, attracting a very headsy crowd who are there solely for the music (GO London once saw Floating Points there watching Soichi Terada, and if that's not a ringing endorsement, we don't know what is). Oval Space space is a much bigger affair, covering a giant 5,000 square metres. Its a multi use arena, playing all sorts of things on its first rate sound system. It does get awfully hot in there during summer, but we think that makes it all the better, in many ways. Keep an eye on their website for everything theyve on; the Oval Space runs an admirably forward thinking programme. Lee Arruci M adonna the Queen of Pop and a modern day icon. Her rise to the pinnacle of popular music was fuelled by many things, from her bold fashion choices to her unashamed controversies, but above all it was down to one thing: a career of excellent, era-defining songs. Throughout the 1980s, she released hit single after hit single, topping charts around the world and selling out arenas wherever she chose. Here, we've picked out 15 of her best songs, from some of her greatest early tracks to the ones that helped reassert her dominance decades later. 15. Dont Cry For Me Argentina (1996) People are often quick to dismiss Madonnas acting career, but her performance in the film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rices Evita saw her pick up a Best Actress gong at the 1996 Golden Globes. She wanted the part of Eva Peron, late Argentinian First Lady, so badly that she wrote a four page letter to the director and subsequently underwent vocal training for the part. It may not be the definitive version of the song (stand up Elaine Paige), but Madge gives it some gusto and she even provided something the world never knew it needed: an obscenely 90s dance remix of the song. JT Madonna's Top 10 biggest moments 1 /10 Madonna's Top 10 biggest moments Performing Like A Virgin at the 1984 MTV VMAs Madonna writhed around in a deconstructed wedding gown and gyrated on her veil leaving audience members shocked. AP Kissing Britney and Christina at the 2003 MTV VMAs Madonna kissed Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Getty Images Falling off the stage at the Brit Awards in 2015 Madonna fell backwards down the steps after a backing dancer pulled her by her cape Toby Melville/Reuters Swearing and smoking on Letterman in 1994 Madonna puffed on a cigarette and said "f***" 14 times leaving David Letterman in shock Playing Eva in Evita in 1996 Madonna earned herself a Golden Globe nomination for her role as Eva Peron. REUTERS Adopting David Banda in 2006 Madonna finally adopted David Banda from Malawi in 2008 after years of being accused of "kidnapping". AP Baring her bum at the 2015 Grammy Awards Madonna flashed her bum on the red carpet in a glitzy bullfighter-inspired Givenchy bodysuit. Getty Images Kissing Drake at Coachella in 2015 Madonna sat Drake down, pulled back his head and went in for a kiss before declaring Im Madonna and strutting off of the stage. Getty Images Wearing THAT iconic cone bra in 1990 Madonna left jaws on the floor after she donned the Jean-Paul Gaultier number on her Blonde Ambition World Tour Rex Marrying Guy Ritchie in 2000 The couple tied the knot in Scotland on December 22, a day after christening their son Rocco. PA Archive/PA Images 14. Hung Up (2005) Madonnas output this side of the millennium has been somewhat patchy her 2003 album, American Life, was entirely underwhelming, and the less said about her Justin Timberlake collaboration 4 Minutes, the better. This song, though, the lead single off her 2005 album, Confessions on a Dancefloor, proved she could still come through with the hits. Its electrified by that bracing sample of ABBAs Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!, set against flashes of New Orders Blue Monday in the thumping techno-pop production. It stormed to the top of the charts around the world and, all of a sudden, Madonna was a pop force to be reckoned with once again. JE 13. La Isla Bonita (1987) Lets get this straight: holiday romances rarely end well. Stop eyeing that dark and handsome waiter right now and listen to Madonnas cautionary tale of falling head over heels for San Pedro who is either a bloke with a saintly moniker, or a picturesque lump of rock in the Iberian peninsula. Either way, were caught up in the romance of it all, whispering sweet nothings to ourselves, and pretending out Spanish accents sound cute rather than tragic. Te dijo te amo, you say? No idea, but it sounds good. AB 12. Vogue (1990) What are you looking at? Just one of the most iconic music videos of the last forty years. Madonna is in full-on siren mode in this homage to both the screen starlets of decades past and the underground dance form that flourished in New Yorks LGBT club scene. Strike a pose all you like, youll struggle to be as chic as anyone in this video, let alone the Hollywood legends who glitter in the songs rap section. Should you even be reading this if you dont know what Harlow, Jean is the picture of and where Ginger Rogers dances? AB 11. Frozen (1998) Cold, dark and beautiful, Frozen was an expression of Madonnas feelings of "retaliation, revenge, hate and regret". It was inspired by the 1990 film Sheltering Sky, which tells the story of a couple who are trying to save their marriage in North Africa. Top of the charts for weeks in 1997, the award-winning video was filmed deep in the Mojave Desert and sees the Queen of Pop strive to portray the "embodiment of female angst". In a nutshell, its the definition of the word "dramatic". LA 10. True Blue (1986) Forget the fact she looks like Pat Butcher in the music video, this chirpy tune from Madonnas third album (also titled True Blue) is a veritable smile party. It was her first husband, actor Sean Penn, that inspired lyrics that fuse the medical profession and sartorial choices, such as: "Youre the one Im dreaming of/ Your heart fits me like a glove." Alas, Madge and Penn ended up going their separate ways after just two years of marriage, but their brief, tumultuous union inspired a truly excellent pop song. JT 9. Justify My Love (1990) Notorious. Sexy. Controversial. Justify My Love is a trip-hop, mid-tempo spoken word ode to sadomasochism that still remains one of Madonnas most alluring, unforgettable and mesmerising lyrical masterpieces to this day. Why? It oozes sex, stirs drama and commands your attention in the raunchiest and most natural way possible. Fiercely criticised and in some countries banned, Justify My Love ticks all the boxes. The song was written by Lenny Kravitz and Prince-collaborator and protege Ingrid Chavez, who famously culled half the songs lyrics from a love letter she never mailed to Kravitz. Responding to the once-banned videos controversy (MTV thought it was too sexually explicit), Madonna on Nightline said: "Were dealing with sexual fantasiesAnd being truthful and honest with our partner, these feelings exist. Im just dealing with the truth here." Madonna also expressed anger at the videos banning arguing that she did not understand why the music network still allowed videos that contained violence and degradation to women continued to get regular airplay. As a result, the video was released on VHS and became a best-selling video single. Kudos to her. LA 8. Holiday (1983) Holiday featured on Madonnas self-titled album and became her first big hit in the States. The lyrics are hardly the most profound thing Madonna would ever sing If we took a holiday/ Took some time to celebrate/ Just one day out of life/ It would be, it would be so nice but to think too deeply about it would be to miss the point. Its a joyously simple song, an infectious piece of synthy, saccharine funk thats made for those breeziest of holidays the ones where the schedule is loose, the sky is cloudless and the wine is flowing. And, like any great pop song, that hook will linger in your head long after the holiday is over. JE 7. Ray of Light (1998) Twenty years ago, Madonna went electric. Well, electronic to be precise. After a period mid-90s wilderness, Ray of Light the album and its title track saw Madonna not only tighten her grip on her Pop Queen throne but also set her sights on conquering new lands. Soaring, euphoric and eminently danceable, Ray of Light married underground contemporary EDM with a mainstream, catchy pop structure, and set the soundtrack for almost every hedonistic party scene broadcast on television for at least three years. AB 6. Borderline (1983) This 80s classic from Madonnas first album is pure joy. The video features Madonna being so annoyed at men that she kicks a lamppost, and shes sporting what is still her greatest look: grungy glam, with big hair, big earrings and big hats. She sings "I dont want to be your prisoner, so baby wont you set me free", firmly placing herself as a strong woman who wont put up with any nonsense. Only bangers this good can stand the test of time you dont get keyboard intros like that anymore and its since been covered by everyone from Duffy to the Counting Crows. JT 5. Into The Groove (1985) This isnt just any dance track this is the Madonna dance track. The beatbox anthem Madonna dreamed of writing when she squatted and ate out of garbage cans while living in New York, Into the Groove shot to the top of the charts around the world. On the inspiration behind the song, Madonna revealed: The dance floor was quite a magical place for me... The freedom that I always feel when I'm dancing, that feeling of inhabiting your body, letting yourself go, expressing yourself through music." The song never fails to do what it says on the tin: get you into the groove. And yes, were dancing to it in the office right now. LA 4. Material Girl (1985) The song that spawned a thousand lazy headlines. Not long after Madonna released this song in 1985, Material Girl had become her go-to moniker in many parts of the press. Its ironic, really, seeing as Madonna claimed to be anything but. She later said in an interview that she decided to present this version of herself, unbothered by true romance but obsessed with anything diamond-encrusted, as a provocation its a tactic that has rarely been left out of the Madonna playbook, so youd be inclined to believe her. Whether the song is a deceptively simple satire or simply a reflection of the world she saw around her is up for debate, but one thing is for sure: its a ridiculously catchy tune. That chorus lands with one of the best known hooks of the 80s, and Nile Rodgers production is pneumatically bouncy. JE 3. Like A Virgin (1984) Rewind to an infamous 1984 VMA performance and youll understand why Like A Virgin was met with so much controversy. A woman totally in control of her sex life on and off stage? The shock. The horror. Damned by the media and condemned by the Catholic church, Like A Virgin is Madonnas definitive statement track and arguably made her the feminist icon she is today. Heck, it was so controversial countless family organisations throughout North America complained that the song promoted unsafe sex before marriage. Madonnas response? "People were thinking 'who was I pretending to bethe Virgin Mary or the whore?' These were the two extreme images of women I had known vividlythe Virgin Mary and the whore as one and all. It was a statement of independence: if you wanna be a virgin, you are welcome. But if you wanna be a whore, it's your f******g right to be so." The empowered legacy of Like A Virgin is unquestionable, so much so that some universities in North America began to offer courses in Madonna studies throughout the 1990s. Its also a touch ironic that the songs music video was filmed in the centre of Catholic conservatism, Venice well leave it to the academics to decipher that. . LA 2. Papa Don't Preach The world was a very different place 32 years ago, back when this song about a young womans pregnancy and her grapples with the prospect of abortion was first released. If such a topic were to be tackled in a pop song now, it would ruffle a few feathers but it would be nothing compared to the storm it whipped up back in 1986. It drew criticism from those in America who thought it glorified teenage pregnancy and even offended the Vatican to the extent that Pope John Paul II begged people in Italy to boycott her live performances in protest. Looking back now, its easier to read its feminist message its about a woman who had made a decision on her own, without the need for her fathers approval. JE 1. Like A Prayer (1989) F itzrovia hasn't always been known for its food scene. For a long time its popular neighbours Soho and Mayfair played rivals to its restaurant offering and trumped it every time. That's started to change over recent years, with big names in the culinary world flocking to secure a spot in Fitzrovia as its fast become Londons hottest up-and-coming dining area. Lo and behold the Fitzrovia restaurant renaissance is upon us. Now there are all types of colourful characters lining the streets in the area. Weve rounded up our favourite spots below, listed in no particular order. Norma A word of warning: Norma is narrow. It is a thin little sliver of a restaurant no problem at point of entry, but troublesome on exiting when, inevitably, the stomach has doubled itself, and one has to squeeze down the aisle and onto the street. Ok, fine, sure this is a slight embellishment. But the menu is so tempting here, and the food so comforting and encouraging (just a little bit more... no... go on then...) that overeating is practically a given. A very glorious given, as so much is so good: chef Ben Tish has put together a menu of squishy Silician flavours, served over this three story, plushly-fitted townhouse. This is food for sharing: a raw bar offering prawns, hake, even lamb, indulgent little plates to fight over that suit cocktails and conversation. The pasta is the comforting kind, for red wine on cold nights. Mains to follow are heartier still, like a rose veal chop with dripping, gluttony-inducing fat down the side and the slight bitter tang of kale. Puddings are suitably silly it is the most childish course, after all with, say, salted caramel ice cream served in a brioche bun, an unexpected twist on the burger that few will have known was needed. Tish has launched this with the Stafford hotel, where he is Culinary Director. They've something special on their hands. 8 Charlotte St, W1T 2LS, normalondon.com Ampeli Neighbourhoods get the restaurants they deserve; its only fitting Fitzrovia would get somewhere as good as this. This, like Norma a few doors down, is one of the prides of Charlotte St. Greek-inflected, its been billed as a wine bar and restaurant, which rather undersells it; this is somewhere to spend an evening eating, as the foods too good not to. Still, there is a flood of excellent wine: theyve gone Greek, across the mainland and onto the islands, a good reminder that Crete and co do more than retsina (though they pour this too). No surprise, perhaps, as master of wine Yiannis Karakasis put the finely tailored list together. The food has a Middle Eastern influence, and much is boldly flavoured, like sweetbreads laid out with a Jerusalem spice mix, or the pickled okra tempura that accompanies crisp tomato and goats cheese fritters. Its made for sharing, but you neednt really, especially when it comes to the large plates. Ex-Nopi chef Oren Goldfeld on the whole doesnt mess around: lamb chops came perfect pink, drenched in garlic, while beef short ribs were slathered in date molasses, the heaviness lifted with the smart addition of tart quince. Ultimately, its easy to be in, and thats what counts; in winter, its warming. Come summer, well be sat out the front with a bottle of Assyrtiko and another on the way. 18 Charlotte St, Fitzrovia, W1T 2LZ, ampeli.london Sushi Atelier This place is run by the folks behind Chisou in Mayfair and Knightsbridge so food here is a safe bet. The Great Portland Street spot attracts a humble crowd who have a genuine love for great Japanese cooking very different to the showy types found at its pricier competitors. A long sushi bar governs the space, boasting fishy goodies in the form of salmon, tuna and yellowtail sets. Sushi aside, there are all types of wondrous dishes from gyozas and steamed dumplings, to ceviches and carpaccios. All are worth demolishing. 114 Great Portland St, W1W 6PA, sushiatelier.co.uk Noize Its hard to mention Noize without talking of Dabbous, the dark, metallic place where magic was made. Dabbous sat where Noize now is and while a hard act to follow, Mathieu Germond once the co-owner, manager and sommelier of Michelin-starred Pied a Terre around the corner has made this place his own. Gone are the burnished gym bars; walls are now light blue, tables have clothes on them, at night, the place is fuzzy with bistro lights. Its French; try the beef tartare with smoked eel and pepped up with horseradish, or the simple charm of the cod. The wine list is predictably excellent and service is notably attentive. Despite the name, there isnt nearly enough noize made about this place. Mere If great expectations and perhaps a little fidgeting meant Mere had a warm but hardly ecstatic welcome on opening, it is a sensation now. Monica Galetti the name and face familiar from time judging on MasterChef opened this fine-dining Fitzrovia spot in 2017 with husband (and sommelier) David, after some years together at Michelin-starred Mayfair institution Le Gavroche. That the two found happiness in a kitchen is no surprise; there is an awful lot of love here. A stroll through the bar and downstairs to the restaurant mightnt make this clear; once in, it is clinically cool, stylish in a way that would make the pages of something published by Taschen. But from the first drink here and do have a drink first, the bar is really very good whats being served is near faultless, and better yet, served with a friendliness often missing in such high-end places. It purports to be a blend of classical French cooking with a say from Monicas Samoan side. Whats plated is beautifully done, delicate food thats stunning and smart, but not fatuously fussy. David's excellent wine list is just the same. Fitzrovia has plenty of fine places; this is easily among the best of them. Hakkasan Hanway Place Hanway Place is the original restaurant of the Hakkasan franchise. This Michelin-star restaurant, set up by Hong Kong restaurateur Alan Yau and head chef Tong Chee Hwee, offers Cantonese cuisine in a fine dining setting. Decadent dishes dominate the menu here, including Wagyu rib eye beef and seared scallop with foie gras sauce. Be warne that with such extravagant dishes theres a hefty price tag to match. 8 Hanway Pl, W1T 1HD, hakkasan.com Honey & Co Patricia Niven The founders of this cosy haunt on Warren Street are both ex-Ottolenghi chefs, so they know their stuff when it comes to Middle Eastern cooking. The Israeli food here has a homemade, rustic feel to it but with the finesse and flavour of the NOPI and Ottolenghi kitchens. The crowd-pleasing dish at this intimate spot is the roasted mauve aubergine with a BBQ tahini crust. It looks the part too, as it comes sprinkled with jewel-like pomegranate seeds on a bed of rice, like some kind of rich Middle Eastern treasure which in many ways, it is. 25 Warren St, W1T 5LZ, honeyandco.co.uk Portland Lateef Okunnu Portland landed on the Fitzrovia dining scene back in January 2015 the early days of the area's restaurant revolution. Its the brainchild of Will Lander (of the Quality Chop House) and business partner Daniel Morgenthau. Three years on and its gained a Michelin star and a baby sister, Clipstone, just down the road. The dining space is intimate, which is rather ironic considering the space used to be a soulless clothing showroom. As for the food, its refined, offering just a few dishes for each course, but the menu gets switched up on a regular basis. 113 Great Portland St, W1W 6QQ, portlandrestaurant.co.uk Bao Buns dont come better than Bao. These steamed Taiwanese buns are little pockets of sunshine light, fluffy and deliciously moreish. Each bun arrives prised open by the hearty filling, which include shredded pork, beef shortrib, black cod, confit and daikon. Fitzrovias Bao was the second of the restaurant empire, following in the footsteps of Bao Soho but across all outlets they retain a signature style. Everything from the self-service tick box menu to the simple countertop seating oozes minimalism and foodies flock here for this effortless charm. Clipstone Street names run in Fitzrovia restaurant families. This site is the little sister of the much-loved Portland, but despite the family relation, it has its own distinct identity. It has a contemporary seasonal European menu that rotates on a regular basis. Overall, the food is simple and light with clean flavours running throughout. Fermented goods feature heavily, too. 5 Clipstone St, W1W 6BB, Read our review ROVI David Loftus Terrible name Rovi as in FitzROVIa, darling but Yotam Ottolenghis place has unsurprisingly been welcomed across the board. The space itself is a little clean, so modern that to our eyes it already looks a touch dated, but the food will impress. Theres lots of cooking over charcoal, plenty of vegetables, some messing about with fermentation and the like. Its a little worthy, rather expensive, but mostly terrific. While it bills itself as vegetable-centric, some of the most irresistible bites are found in the fish and the meat; mussels are gorgeous little things, brought to life with a side of hay smoked pink fir apple potatoes, while the onglet skewer with beef fat and fermented green chilli is a comforting length of indulgence. Ottolenghis cap is so full of feathers it must be a headdress by now. Salt Yard It may be small and unassuming but this restaurant has proved it deserves a place in Fitzrovias restaurant repertoire. The popular tapas joint draws on Spanish and Italian influences, much like its sister restaurants Dehesa, Ember Yard and Opera Tavern, all of which focus on charcuterie, cheese and wines in a small-dish format. The courgette flower stuffed with goats cheese and drizzled with honey steals the spotlight here. 54 Goodge St, W1T 4NA, saltyardgroup.co.uk Pied A Terre Bravo to Pied A Terre, which has held onto its Michelin star for quarter of a century and even managed a second between 1996 and 2012. That the restaurant has remained popular since opening in 1991 is a testament to the food more than anything else. Certainly, its not a loud place: the doorway is so discreet as to be all but invisible on Charlotte St and inside it is very subdued frankly, though its all kept spotless, it doesnt feel as though an awful lot has changed since it opened. Still, the kitchen stays up to date and last year appointed Asimakis Chaniotis as head chef, who maintains the modern French touch. Incidentally, the wine cellar is among the finest in London, thanks partially to some very savvy investments in the early days. While the Chefs Menu shows the best of whats on, the lunch at 29.50 for two courses is the ideal introduction to the place. Dont go expecting fireworks; the attraction is more of a slow burn that reveals itself after a few visits. Berners Tavern Atherton's restaurant: The Fitzrovia haunt It was smart of the London Edition to get Jason Atherton in to do their restaurant. It probably cost them but its worth every penny; when hes in London, Atherton still swings by to check everything is running as it should be, which isnt true for all of his places. People go crazy over the look of Berners Tavern, for the high ceilings and chandeliers and the feeling it could double up as a film set if needed. The paintings, frankly, arent all that but you cant have everything. Food is a seasonal British affair, steaks and seafood, and they do a decent brunch and Sunday roast too. Its elegant, all in all. Flexible too; smart, but mischievous. Mac and Wild This site on Great Titchfield St the first of their three is sound representation of everything Scotland does best. Theyve more than 120 whiskies, in a compelling list that evidently was thought about, lots of lovely game and presumably as mandated by law haggis. The veni-moo burger, where a venison patty is stacked on top of a beef one, is rightly heralded as a London classic, while their chateaubriand is a delicate thing, surprisingly flavoursome. A taste of the highland high life. Roka Rainer Becker followed up the success of Zuma with Roka the best part of 14 years ago, and since then a handful of them have opened up. The one in Fitzrovia, on Charlotte St, is likely the best of the bunch and the one with the best atmosphere. Roka offers two things: high-end Japanese cuisine and the chance to spot someone off the telly. The menu has as much order as a shuffled deck of cards and service can be dangerously hands off, but the food is first rate. In particular, the black cod in yuzu mizo is a beauty, the cod crumbling under its charred coat and its delicately buttery flavour lasting like fine perfume. Its all very expensive but, well, very good too. Riding House Cafe The draw of the Riding House Cafe is relaxed. It's reliable; an underrated virtue. Its comfortable, somewhat fashionable, and serves a terrific breakfast. The details are fun; the walls are covered in curiosities worth seeking out yourself. The brunch menu has seemingly influenced countless others in fact, it may be the most brunch-y brunch place in town. Still, it tends to buzz well into the evening; its built for catching up with friends of long dates that wind into the night. 43-51 Great Titchfield St, W1W 7PQ, ridinghouse.cafe Elena's L'Etoile They might call themself a Soho restaurant, but fortunately this legend of Londons eating scene is a much better at food than geography. This French bistro has been going well over a century and in that time picked up a reputation as an actors haunt, which unsurprising as its a place to be pampered. Is the food Fitzrovias best? Is the service? Is the decor especially fresh? The answer to all of that is no but know none of that matters. Elenas comforts and it soothes, and it neednt do anything more. 30 Charlotte St, W1T 2NG, elenasletoile.co.uk Barrica Tapas Bar Built for a night of tapas, wine and laughs. Its been doing the same thing for a decade, but that thing is excellent. Its unassuming but perfect when youre unsure of where to go or what to eat Barrica doesnt fail. The squid is as good as it ever was, the garlic and chilli prawns are just as youd want them to be, living up to the promise that this dish so often promises and rarely delivers. The ribeye with pancetta is gloriously indulgent, too. Dont forget the sherry to wash it all down with. Review at a glance H ave you ever spent 100 consecutive minutes in a Lush bath products shop? Me neither, although after this dispiriting drama it rather feels as though I have. The peculiar sand-covered set is dotted with trays of Lushs trademark colourful bath bombs, the smell of which was so pungent my eyes started to smart and throat itch. What was going on dramatically didnt make me feel any better. Its extremely hard to get invested in Jordan Seaveys American play, which depicts an ungripping gay relationship between two nameless characters, the Writer (Harry McEntire) and the Academic (Evening Standard Emerging Talent Award winner Tyrone Huntley). Seavey takes us, unchronologically, through snapshots of their union between 2006 and 2011, when America teetered on the brink of marriage equality. Charitably, one might say that Seavey is investigating life in a post-gay world, looking at whether all the arguments and rights have already been won. Uncharitably one would say that this is essentially one long whine, as the pair engage in an interminable series of anguished, interrupted, overlapping conversations. They quibble over every line the other utters; how they dont whine each to death is a mystery. McEntire and Huntley are certainly game enough, but are not given sufficient support or scene differentiation by director Josh Seymour. Lush by brand name dropping, but not by nature. I t's A-level results day which means that many 18 year olds in the UK will be flying the nest next month to their chosen university. If you're wondering which cities boast the best nightlife ahead of Freshers Week, then fortunately Which? has done the research for you. The consumer watchdog asked more than 8,000 undergrads to rank the pubs, clubs and music venues in the places where they study for its 2017 University Student Survey. It'll probably come as no surprise that the north continues to dominate the ranking in the nightlife stakes, with Newcastle universities holding on to the top spot once again. Scroll down for the 21 universities in the UK with the best nightlife, according to Which?. Newcastle University and Northumbria University Newcastle is famed for its nightlife and its universities were once again ranked highest by this measure in the watchdog's ranking. "I'd take them to a few trebles bars [its] free entry and three trebles for a fiver. Then we could go to a club nearby you can walk everywhere in the city centre and we'd probably go to Quids In at Illegitimate. It's cheap, highly populated with students and a great time," one survey respondent told Which?. University of Birmingham Photo by Zach Farmer on Unsplash Birmingham is home to good shopping and some huge music venues. According to respondents of the survey, students should head to Broad Street for the buzzing club scene. University of Bristol Shutterstock Bristol is famed for its thriving music and street art scene, but students surveyed by Which? also praised the city for its cider culture. Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University (UWIC) Shutterstock / Billy Stock The Welsh capital has a venue for every taste, according to respondents of the survey, with lots of cheap options for the cash-strapped student. University of Dundee Shutterstock / tuhin18th Dundee was one of four Scottish universities ranked highest for nightlife in the UK. "Dundee is particularly cheap compared to Edinburgh or Glasgow. There's a good range of places such as Liquid [and] Underground for your typical nightclub night out. Buskers [and] Fat Sams often have live band nights, [and] Reading Rooms have [trance and techno] DJ events," a respondent told Which?. Three Glaswegian universities University of Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian University and University of Strathclyde were also ranked highly for their pubs, clubs and music venues. University of Leeds Shutterstock / Shahid Khan Leeds boasts a large student population and thriving nightlife that caters to many tastes. Mint Club is a popular venue for techno and house music while the Brudenell Social Club is known for its live music. University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University Shutterstock / Pefkos Liverpool is home to plentiful record stores and a lively craft beer scene. According to the Which? report, students recommend the Cavern Club or Concert Square for clubbing and music. University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University Shutterstock / ViktorKeryPhotos Manchester's clubbing scene is legendary and it's also home to the UK's largest LQBTQ community outside London. "Londons nightlife LGBT scene is now going underground, but the LGBT scene in Manchester is thriving," a respondent told Which?. Nottingham Trent University Photo by Nicola Nuttall on Unsplash Nottingham boasts some huge multi-floor music venues like Rock City, but if you fancy something a little more intimate you should head to the "hidden" cocktail bars nestled in the backstreets of Hockley, according to NTU. Royal Veterinary College, London (Shutterstock / Wannadit Umpuch) / Shutterstock / Wannadit Umpuch RVC was one of two London institutions to make the list, while London is one of the most expensive places to study in the UK, students apparently find a cheap night out at Zoo bar on Wednesdays, when entry is free, according to the report. University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University Photo by Winston Hide on Unsplash Students wanting to dance the night away in Sheffield should head to Plug, Corporation or to the bars and clubs around Division Street and West Street, according to the university. University of Sussex Shutterstock / Michaelasbest A nother hot summer weekend, another family day trip. High on the (relative) success of our Hampton Court excursion awkward questions about beheading and the general unpleasantness of early-modern life we doubled down and decided to take our small children to Greenwich. Greenwich! Finally! I dont think theres anywhere in London weve talked about visiting so much without ever actually getting around to visiting as Greenwich. Perhaps we should go to Greenwich had become one of our stock empty refrains, up there with Perhaps we should buy electric toothbrushes or Perhaps we should take the cat to the vet. But now, for the first time ever, we were off. My dad came along, too. What have we become, I wondered? We looked like one of those families you see on posters in tourist information offices or on pamphlets for group rail cards. Smiling and pointing. Pointing and smiling. We took the Docklands Light Railway and, obviously, I wanted to take my three-year-old son to the very front so that he/we/I could pretend to be driving it. I was absolutely disgusted to discover that a group of adults adults! had taken all the front seats. So I just stood near them, held my son and loudly whispered that he didnt need to be sad and didnt need to cry even though he was totally fine until a woman and her boyfriend did the honourable thing and gave us their seats. Choo choo! I drove us the rest of the way. And Greenwich? It was lovely. Top class. We did the Cutty Sark, which is, quite simply, a quality clipper. It did seem a bit of a shame to have it stuck on land, and they should consider letting it out now and then to buzz up and down the Thames Estuary. But other than that, no complaints. Then it was up to Greenwich Park, to gorge ourselves on a picnic of M&S Simply Food goodies. It was the sort of thing that Samuel Pepys would have done, minus the cold samosas and crisps. We wandered about. We took a look at the prime meridian line, although my dad, who was visiting from Up North, was unmoved. You can see that at Grimsby fish docks, he said. Runs right through them. B rixham is one of the last working fishing harbours in England. The boats come in and out through the day while seagulls wheel overhead. Most of each haul is sold immediately in the new market or eaten in the fish-and-chip joints along the waterfront. What joy to find ourselves there on a sunny weekend. We were lucky enough to catch a ride on one of the boats, skippered by retired trawlerman Dennis. He is in his early 80s, but when he was starting out, he told us, the skies teemed with seabirds and at times the sea appeared to boil with herring or mackerel. Dennis took us to see his crab pots. This is our kind of fishing. The pots are hauled up from the bottom, thick with seaweed and barnacles, and inside each is at least one fat, cross-looking crab. They are as quick as lightning, with powerful claws, so extracting them is a skill and involves squeals and laughter from us. Arriving back in the harbour in under two hours, we parted company with Dennis replete with four crabs. What a fantastic feeling. Crab is tricky to prepare. Extracting the sweet flesh is a challenge, and its worth seeking out a reputable supplier who can get you prepped shellfish. We considered on the boat what we were going to do with our haul. Would we keep it fresh and simple with a lemony aioli and rocket? Turn the flaky flesh into Thai-spiced crab cakes? Or perhaps wed embark on a crab bisque, a real labour of love, with charred sourdough for dunking. But ultimately we couldnt deny ourselves our desert-island dish: crab pasta. We have ordered this in restaurants countless times and made it at home many more. We never get bored of it. This is an adaptation of a classic River Cafe recipe. Petit dejeuner: Eliza tucks into a boiled egg for brekkie in Provence Crab Pasta Serves: 4 Ingredients For the sauce 3 tbsp olive oil 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced tsp crushed chillies 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed 2 spring onions, ends removed and finely chopped 1 bulb of fennel, halved and thinly sliced Big handful of cherry tomatoes, diced small 200ml white wine For the crab 400g crabmeat Medium bunch of flat-leafed parsley, roughly chopped Small bunch of basil, roughly chopped Small bunch of tarragon, roughly chopped Juice and zest of 1 lemon For the anchovy crumbs 1 tbsp butter 3 anchovy fillets, chopped tsp fennel seeds 1 garlic clove, crushed 100g sourdough, blitzed until coarse crumbs Zest of 1 lemon 350g pasta (we have used pappardelle) 3 tbsp creme fraiche Juice of half a lemon Method Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the garlic, chilli and fennel seeds. Saute over a low heat for a few minutes then add the spring onions and sliced fennel. Saute for a further five minutes. Add the tomatoes and the wine and turn up the heat. Simmer for a few minutes until most of the wine has cooked off. Remove from the heat. In a bowl, mix the fresh crab with the chopped herbs (reserve some parsley), the lemon zest and juice and plenty of salt and pepper. Set to one side. In a frying pan, melt the butter and stir in the anchovies, fennel seeds and garlic. Cook over a medium heat until the flesh breaks down then add the crumbs. Fry until crisp then add the lemon zest and leftover parsley. S tep one of the average home cook taking on an ice cream cooking challenge: first accept that if you dont own an ice cream maker and/or if your freezer is so tiny it barely holds one bag of frozen peas and an upright container of chicken stock, you probably shouldnt make ice cream. Step two: go ahead anyway, and decide to make do. Step three: give in and purchase a baby machine (in this case, the American Originals Ice Cream Maker from Argos which cost 24.99 and was ideal for this project, but probably too small if I ever wanted to make anything in any large quantities), shove the bowl into said freezer, and get started. Step four: if you will spend time reading the introduction to a recipe book, at least remember what youve read so that half way through making custard you dont end up with a pile of hard egg yolks because you didnt listen when your teacher told you about not mixing them with sugar too early. Step five: take three deep breaths and press on. In her lovely new book, La Grotta Ices, ice cream maker Kitty Travers describes being refused a job at a gelateria in Italy because the owner said shed never learn how to make ice cream like an Italian. "Well," she adds, "theres nothing like being told you cant do something to spur you on." This sort of defiance appeals to me: I too am now determined to make the stuff. Apricot noyau / Grant Cornett The good news is that this story ends well for both of us: Travers went on to train and work in a restaurant in New York, where she subsequently began making ice cream from whatever non-traditional ice cream ingredients she could find in the market including pecan nuts, pumpkin and fresh corn. She later continued these experiments as a pastry chef at St John Bread and Wine back in London, and in 2008 this same English girl would go on to set up her own ice cream business in South London. La Grotta is still there today, and Travers has won numerous accolades for her products, including Young British Foodies best street food award in 2017. I, meanwhile, had to eat sludgy peas for three days but managed to make enough delicious ice cream and sorbet I had to send an urgent group WhatsApp message asking friends to come and eat it up. (No one could, so at this rate it looks like the chicken stock might be next to go from the freezer if Im to keep the proof of my, er, pudding around). Anyway, Travers book is luscious to read and look at, even if some of the writing paints a picture thats almost too idyllic to be believable. Yet that seems part of the charm. Barbados custard / Grant Cornett Comprising tales of how her obsession with ices emerged - La Grotta is named after its founders favourite cave of ice cream that she discovered as a young traveller in Cannes, where the flavours dazzled me I was astonished by the texture and how they captured the fresh taste of an ingredient in a frozen scoop - these are followed by a bumper pack of Travers favourite recipes from the last 13 years. Among this loot of intriguing combinations (strawberry salad, cucumber and sour cream, and white peach and tomato sorbets, and such like) the first description tickled me enough to want to make it. It read:"Mango sorbet, sandwiched with Banana, Brown Sugar and Rum ice cream and piled with whipped cream and meringues, is one of the greatest ice cream cakes there is - enough validation for including a recipe here." Travers teaching is friendly but you get the sense she wants to make sure youre paying attention: use ripe produce (from British strawberries to soft-skinned stone fruits like flat white peaches, apricots and nectarines, to juicy blackcurrants), granulated sugar, and the best dairy products - "free-range eggs, at least, because battery farming is gross." If Travers likes her ice creams not to be too sweet, for "flavours to be bright and not too inhibited by heavy cream and sugar," and to be "rich and satisfying, with a good body and mouthfeel'," Im aiming for, simply: tastes and looks like ice cream. Sea salt, rosemary and pine nut / Grant Cornett So, howd they stand up? Well I dont quite know what I had in mind when approaching a challenge involving a frozen dessert, but the process to complete each one seemed amazingly long. Theres mixing and macerating to be done, theres custard to create, and then you have to leave that overnight. Then for each batch you also have to wait a night for the ice cream bowl to re-freeze, and then you have to wait for the fruit and custard mixes to chill in the fridge. But this point I was ready to give up and go out to buy a Twister lolly, but a) the process got easier as I went on and b), importantly, the results were very good indeed - enough to show off with, even (wheres that heat wave when I need it?). If easy and peasy and straightforward ice cream flavours are things youve got in mind, then this will not be your thing. If, however, you want adventure and intrigue, and you possess or have access to a decently sized freezer, then Id highly recommend joining the Kitty Travers school of ice cream making. What Victoria made: Mango sorbet Victoria's Mango sorbet (L) / Victoria Stewart I was desperate to make this, having considered mango sorbet the height of luxury as a child. Plus Brixton market is full of ripe, sticky mangoes at the moment. This version came out with the same thick consistency and brightness as those we ate back then, but the recipe called for 90ml of lime juice, which I decided was slightly more than necessary for a good balance. If doing it a second time, Id ignore the suggested amount and only juice two limes rather than reaching for a third to top it up with. Highly refreshing, though. Banana, rum and muscovado ice cream Victoria's version of the banana, rum and muscovado ice cream / Vindigo This was the first of the ice creams I made, whereupon I realised that making the custard is a seriously delicate balancing act - the first time, I forgot what Travers had said about not mixing sugar and egg yolks together too early (the first makes the latter harden fast) and the second time I only just managed not to curdle the eggs. Overall, this had a gorgeous ripe banana flavour, with a deep sweetness from the sugar (I used dark brown as no-one I asked could sell me any muscovado) but not quite as creamy as Id have liked - possibly because it got icy sitting on its own in the freezer. However, as Travers recommended, its an excellent friend to the mango sorbet. Strawberry salad The homemade strawberry ice cream / Victoria Stewart This was the best of the three: great consistency, unbelievably creamy, and had a kind of extra sweet, heightened strawberry flavour that none of my friends could put their finger on. The secret is that the recipe involves macerating the red fruit with lemon and orange - pith, skin, fruit and all - overnight, then blending it the next day with the custard (also made the day before) before passing the whole lot through a sieve and into the ice cream maker. In the absence of Amalfi lemons in the shops near me, I bought an unwaxed one from the market, which did a brilliant job. Could eat (read: have already eaten) mountains of this. O ne of the best parts about travelling somewhere new is undoubtedly the food. Food is such an important part of a countrys culture which is why Lonely Planet has recently revealed its list of the 10 best foodie destinations in the world. From eating curry laksa in Malaysia to sinking your teeth into some Kiwi crayfish in New Zealand, below are 10 experiences every foodie needs to add to their bucket list. 1. Pintxos in San Sebastian, Spain The Basque region of Spain provides these tapa-like appetisers / Shutterstock Pintxos are essentially tapas and are served throughout Spains Basque Country with the cream of the crop located in San Sebastian. Pintxos are generally smaller than tapas and have historically been served on a small slice of bread with a toothpick pierced through the middle. Common toppings include anchovies with pickles, Spanish sausage with red peppers and cured ham. 2. Curry laksa in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia One for the spice lover / Unsplash This spicy noodle broth is a Malaysian classic and can be found in eateries across the country. The best spot to grab a bowl in Kuala Lumpur is at Madras Lane Hawkers a street stall Asian food lovers paradise where you will find it in abundance. 3. Sushi in Tokyo, Japan A trip to Japan should be at the top of any sushi lover's bucket list / Unsplash You cant go to Japan without having sushi. You simply cant. Japan is the home of this much-beloved delicacy generally consisting of raw fish wrapped in rice and seaweed. Tokyo is filled with a myriad of sushi shops so you can eat it until your hearts content. 4. Beef brisket in Texas, USA No other meat will come up to par after you taste a Texan BBQ / Unsplash Smoked brisket is considered to be the ultimate item on the Texas BBQ menu and is synonymous with Texan culture. Make sure you layer up your plate with brisket when youre visiting this southern state. 5. Som tum in Bangkok, Thailand Cheap and cheerful, this is a Thai classic / Shutterstock This popular salad only takes a few minutes to prepare and contains Thai chillies, dried shrimp or crab, fish sauce, garlic and a number of toppings including peanuts, green papaya and limes. You can find these salads across Thailand, sometimes costing less than 1. 6. Smrrebrd in Copenhagen, Denmark Whether you go simple or fancy, this is sure to hit the spot / Shutterstock This Danish open-faced sandwich is sold everywhere across Denmark, from high-end restaurants to street vendors. A thick slice of rye bread is typically used and piled high with toppings everything from meatballs to caviar. 7. Crayfish in Kaikoura, New Zealand Great views? Check. Even better views? Also check / Lonely Planet The crayfish resembles a small lobster and are best eaten in New Zealand particularly in the eastern town of Kaikoura where they are fresh and abundant. Perhaps the best place to get your crayfish fix is the Kaikoura Seafood BBQ, the food caravan by the sea which serves them with a stack of bread and butter and fresh lemon. 8. Bibimbap in Seoul, South Korea It's all about that mix / Unsplash Bibimbap translates to mixed rice which is exactly what this is. It is traditionally a bowl of warm white rice tipped with sauteed vegetable, chili paste and sometimes accompanied with an egg and raw beef. It is meant to be stirred thoroughly before eating to mix all of the flavours together. 9. Pizza Margherita in Naples, Italy There's no beating the original / Pixabay On June 11, 1889, Neapolitan pizza maker Raffaele Esposito created the pizza Margherita to honour Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy. This is the first known Margherita pizza and it has become a firm favourite across the world ever since. Naples is still home to the best pizzas in the world so if youre a fan, this is a must-visit destination. 10. Dim sum in Hong Kong Dim sum has taken the world by storm, but visit Hong Kond to head back to its roots / Unsplash I t is official, holidays make us happier. According to research commissioned by Booking.com, travel gives us such an emotional boost we consider planning and going away on holiday more vital for our wellbeing than other big life occasions including a wedding day or landing a new job. From boutique B&B breaks and homestays to family villa holidays, 70 per cent of those surveyed also said that a good break away results in longer lasting happiness than material things. We needed no further convincing to book our latest weekender, a trip to Bruges. The ideal 48-hours destination, we hopped on the Eurostar on Friday afternoon and found ourselves in the heart of this quaint city in just over three hours... WHERE TO STAY BONIFACIUS GUESTHOUSE A quick search showed that Bruges is awash with pretty B&Bs but Bonifacius Guesthouse stood out. In one of the most historic areas of Bruges, overlooking Bonifacius Bridge, this beautiful guesthouse is ideally located to explore the best museums and the landmark church Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk which houses a Michelangelo. One part of the building is at water level with a wooden gable and leaded windows, harking back to the medieval heritage. The other, accessed via a quiet cobbled street, dates back to the 16th Century. Kitted out with antiques, artefacts and Toile de Jouy fabrics, no two spaces are the same. A sofa in front of the roaring fire is just the place to unwind after a day exploring. The kitchen and pantry is equipped with its own AGA and pretty crockery. There is also a roof terrace with a panoramic view of the Bruges skyline. Owner Lyne Vanhaecke, who comes from a family of hoteliers, purchased the property in 2003. Super attentive, you are likely to chat to her several times during your stay and she is always more than happy to recommend places to visit. This is the very guesthouse the leading men of In Bruges stayed when shooting the movie. Colin Farrell was in the master suite with a canal view. So if the idea of sleeping in his former bed appeals look no further. Each of the three bedrooms comes with a granite en suite which has a whirlpool bath, a shower and Hermes products. Breakfast is served in a Gothic room overlooking the canal. Lyne will ask you what time you would like to pop downstairs and a bowl of fresh fruit, a selection of cheese, bread and fresh pastries, orange juice and tea or coffee will greet you. Followed by a choice of freshly prepared eggs. A romantic retreat in a homely property which meets hotel standards. Visit booking.com to reserve a room (from 194 per night) and for more details go to bonifacius.be. WHERE TO EAT & DRINK PRO DEO This restaurant is a warm, welcoming gem. Run by husband and wife duo Kristof (the chef) and Nathalie (front of house), it is a complete labour of love. In the hip Langestraat, a stone's throw away from the Court House and around the corner from the windmills, the house was built in 1562 and restored in 1713. Because of its location next to the Crossgate, built in the 13th century and one of the nine city gates of Bruges, it has always been a place where a diverse range of people meet. It is a sociable, adorable environment. Kitted out with retro finds, dining here is a special experience which feels rather like visiting the living room of a good friend. Music is Jazz & Soul meets Swinging Sixties tracks. The food tastes like the best kind of home cooking. Shrimp croquettes and small fried soles are moreish while the steak is cooked to perfection. Portions are very generous but leave room for a Brussels waffle with whipped cream and ice cream. Delightful in every sense of the word, bistroprodeo.be. THE PARK RESTAURANT If you are looking for a classic Bruges experience in a grand setting, this is the place. The Park has been managed since 1989 by brothers Axel and Frederic Bruggeman. Initially a Tea Room with shops, it is now a candlelit spot for dinner. Axel likes to make his guests feel at home and keeps the wine flowing while Frederic is at the helm in the kitchen. The four course menu comprises traditional, hearty dishes with an emphasis on fish. Cheese gratin 'mornay' with scallops is an indulgent treat and Dover Sole is a staple. Meat eaters will enjoy the Belgian beef fillet in red wine sauce. Decor is a mix of traditional and quirky, with trinkets collected from over the years. A sparky, romantic choice, parkrestaurant.be. GROOT VLAENDEREN This buzzy bar in the centre of Bruges is the place for a pre or post dinner cocktail. Black and gold interior makes for a dramatic setting and the drinks slip down all too easily. Take a seat at the bar and watch the mixologists do their thing or find a cosy corner behind the velvet curtains, grootvlaenderen.be. Lb DbB Delicious salads, great wine and a cool setting where copper rules. Be sure to book, debelegdeboterham.be. THE GULLIVER TREE Scandinavian style is rife in this pretty cafe where you can buy the cup your espresso is served in, thegullivertree.be. THE CHOCOLATE LINE When in town chocolate is a must and you will find some of the best here, made on the premises. Yum, thechocolateline.be. Hotels opening in 2017 in pictures 1 /14 Hotels opening in 2017 in pictures Six Senses Cambodia A bedroom at Six Sense Cambodia on Krabey Island The Ned, London A stylish bathroom at The Ned One of the bars at The Ned Sir Nikolai, Hamburg Design Hotels Hoxton Hotel, Paris Henrietta, London The Whitby, New York Design Hotels Lympstone Manor, Devon Artist Residence, Oxfordshire Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Sri Lanka A copper tub in one of the Wild Coast Tented Lodges in Yala, Sri Lanka Brown, Jerusalem A rendering of the Brown hotel in Jerusalem HOW TO GET THERE Eurostar offers fares from London St Pancras to Bruges from 34.50 one-way based on a return journey with their Any Belgian station ticket. Just over an hour from Brussels, its easy to reach the heart of Bruges. With one connection, it takes under three and a half hours. Rather handily you are only requested to arrive 30 minutes before departure (or 10 minutes if travelling Business Premier) which makes all the difference for a weekend break. Bags are taken on board and there is free travel for children under four. For more information or to book, visit eurostar.com or call 03432 186 186. A 57-year-old married man who was caught taking upskirt photos of women outside Buckingham Palace has been spared a jail sentence. Richard Sivier was spotted with a camera lens poking from his bag as he stood outside the tourist hotspot while taking illicit photos and videos. Westminster magistrates heard a woman pushing a child in a buggy was among the pervert's targets. Quizzed by police, Sivier admitted he had been taking upskirt pictures for around 18 months as a "hobby", in London and his home city of Cambridge. He also admitted targeting female tourists outside Horse Guards Parade on the day of his arrest, on June 20. Sivier admitted taking pictures of women outside Buckingham Palace / Getty Images The court also heard that some of the pictures taken by Sivier had been posted online. This morning, his solicitor Paul Dillon said Sivier's marriage is now in crisis as a result of the conviction. "He was arrested on the day, handcuffed and taken into custody and spent a night in the cells which was very unpleasant and very embarrassing", he said. "He had to explain to his wife his absence overnight, and she is finding it difficult to accept his behaviour. "He says hopefully the marriage can continue but he accepts he had put that in jeopardy." Mr Dillon added that Sivier is now seeing a therapist and realises he may face a spell behind bars if caught upskirting again. Magistrates handed Sivier, from Cambridge, an eight week prison sentence suspended for two years, and ordered him to undergo counselling and rehabilitation. He will also be banned from carrying a camera in public for the next two years, and must pay 200 in court costs and fines. A teenager was heard screaming for help as four young men were stabbed in horrifying scenes on a south London housing estate, witnesses have said. Residents of the Elmington Estate in Camberwell told how they saw a boy running away clutching his stomach before collapsing onto the floor amid the chaos on Thursday evening. Four teenage boys, aged between 15 and 16, were rushed to hospital after being found suffering knife wounds near playing fields outside Landor House shortly before 5.30pm. Six others of the same age range were arrested at the scene, which is just a short walk from where 23-year-old drill rapper Sidique Kamara was stabbed to death on August 1. Crime scene: Police tape off the street outside Landor House in Camberwell / PA Witnesses described seeing the traumatising aftermath of the latest incident, with one saying a boy was heard screaming help, help as police arrived at the estate. "Ten minutes before the stabbing I saw a whole heap of youths run down that way," said one man, who asked not to be named, pointing towards the crime scene. "Then 10 minutes later I heard people shouting and bawling out the back there. When I looked round the back there, I saw the youth come running from the block. "He came to the corner and dropped." Camberwell stabbings: Forensics officers inspect the area / PA Another neighbour, who did not give her name, described seeing boys running on the grass opposite her flat shortly before the stabbings occurred. "There were four or five black boys running. All of a sudden I could hear, 'Help, help'," she said. "I have walked up and as I did I have seen the police running. "One of the police officers got a first aid bag and I saw one of the boys lying on the floor." Of the victims, one remains fighting for life in hospital and another is in a serious but stable condition. The remaining two did not suffer serious knife injuries, Scotland Yard said on Friday morning. Police guard the scene following the stabbings / PA "That particular one, I hope he does live but by the looks of it and the way the ambulance had to struggle I would give it just an 8 per cent [chance of survival]," said a 25-year-old woman, who wished not to be named. Harriet Harman, MP for Camberwell and Peckham, said she was very concerned by the quadruple stabbing and is in contact with police and councillors. Witnesses described a large police presence minutes after the incident as officers and medics from the London Ambulance Service arrived on the scene. The stabbings occurred just a short walk from where drill rapper Sidique Kamara, pictured, was stabbed to death on August 1 / PA A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said: "A crime scene is in place and officers remain at the scene. "Detectives from Southwark investigate supported by the Territorial Support Group and Violent Crime Taskforce who are visible in the area to provide reassurance and ensure that no further incidents occur." Anyone who witnessed the incident should call Southwark CID by dialling 101 and quoting reference CAD 5391/16 AUG. A Brazilian celebrity plastic surgeon known as "Dr Bumbum" has been charged with murder following the death of one of his patients. Dr Denis Furtado, 45, is said to have carried out on operation on one of his patients, Lilian Calixto, 46, to enlarge her buttocks at his home in Rio de Janeiro last month - but she fell ill during the procedure. Furtado, who amassed 650,000 Instagram followers by posting pictures of his work, allegedly used an amount of a chemical above the recommended dosage in the procedure, according to his charge sheet reported in local media. He reportedly used 300ml of PMMA - a synthetic resin known as acrylic glass filler - during the procedure, according to the charge sheet, which said it used only "in very small doses". The surgeon's mother, Maria de Fatima Barros, who worked with him, was also arrested / AP The statement said Furtado used the chemical "without minimally observing the legal duties of care inherent in the procedure, thus taking the risks arising from its conduct". Prosecutors charged Furtado, his mother, his girlfriend and secretary Renata Fernandes, and maid with homicide, the G1 news site reported. Furtado has amassed a large online following for his plastic surgery work. The surgeon is known for posting before-and-after shots of buttocks procedures. He disappeared after he dropped Ms Calixto off at the hospital and a judge issued a warrant for his arrest. Following his arrest, Furtado told reporters he was innocent of any wrongdoing. "There was an occurrence with the patient," he said. S cotland Yard is deploying convoys of vehicles with 70 or more officers to knife crime hotspots in a fresh tactic to combat violence. The line of police vans, unmarked cars and patrol vehicles arrive on estates or streets blighted by crime but instead of raiding homes, police meet and talk to local people. The tactic is being used by the Mets Violent Crime Taskforce in an effort to engage with communities battling a surge in gang activity and stabbings. Detective Superintendent Sean Yates, head of the task force, said: The public are saying they do not see so many police any more so this is a highly visible message of reassurance. We go into shops, talk to people on the streets and carry out weapon searches, but it also gives people a chance to talk to us and tell us what they want us to do. A woman was stabbed to death in Battersea this week / Owen Sheppard Police deployed a convoy of 14 vehicles to Peckham yesterday racing through London with lights and sirens before arriving at Pulse leisure centre. There were traffic officers on motorbikes, local borough police, detectives from the task force and firearms officers. The local borough has seen two murders of young men in recent weeks, including drill rapper Siddique Kamara, 23, known as Incognito. The member of Moscow 17 was stabbed in Camberwell. Residents had a mixed reaction to the initiative. Anne Thomas, 57, said: Its a good idea but you dont see any of them when there is a crime. We need more police on the streets. Jacqui Fergus, 58, said: It is a joke, a PR stunt. These crimes are happening because there is nothing for these children to do. There are no community centres or play areas for children. But Adeleke Labake, 49, said: Police cannot stop the killings on their own, they need the help of the community and this is going to help. They have closed the local police station so people want to see more officers on the street. Police investigated a stabbing in Sidcup earlier this week / Twitter/ashtad82 Met Commissioner Cressida Dick, who joined yesterdays operation, said: We have had a very positive reaction. We want to make an impact in a short period of time, obviously we come and then we go, but we leave a trace and the knowledge that we will be back. This shows that the Met are here, that we want to protect them, we want to find out what they think, and at the same time it sends a strong message to criminals. She added: We are being thanked for providing a presence everywhere we go, even in places where in previous times people have felt upset by police actions. They are coming up and thanking us. A teenage boy was rushed to hospital after suffering burns in a suspected acid attack in east London. The victim, 17, was treated for superficial burns after the shocking incident in Collier Row Road, Romford. Police, paramedics and firefighters were called to reports of an acid attack in the street just before 6.45pm on Wednesday. The teenager was taken to hospital for treatment but has since been discharged. No arrests have been made and officers are appealing for witnesses. A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said: Officers from East Area Command Unit attended the hospital to speak with the victim and are investigating. There have been no arrests at this time. Enquiries continue. F our men have been stabbed and six have been arrested following an incident in Camberwell. Officers were called to playing fields outside Landor House at 5.24pm following reports of a stabbing. According to a Scotland Yard spokesperson, the four men, all believed to be in their teens, "have all been taken to south London hospitals." "Six males have been arrested in connection with the incident." Four men were stabbed at the scene Police remain at the scene. The condition of the four men is not yet known. A witness, who did not give her name, described seeing boys running on the grass opposite her flat shortly before the stabbing. "There were four or five black boys running. All of a sudden I could hear, 'Help, help'," she said. She added that when she walked up, she saw police officers running and a boy on the floor. A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We sent a number of resources to the scene including ambulance crews, a single responder in a car and an incident response officer. "We treated four people at the scene and took them to hospital." Police officers stand outside Landor House in Camberwell / PA Local residents posted images of the crime scene to social media. One person who wished to stay anonymous told the Standard they saw the aftermath of the incident. "It must have only just happened. My bus braked and I looked up as the Police cars pulled up in front of the bus. I saw at least 10 officers run to the estate and others were already there. "A number of officers were pushing members of the public including young people away and three or four officers were gathered a short distance away and looked like they were bending over tending to someone." Scotland Yard has confirmed that six people have been arrested / PA A section of Camberwell Road between Medlar Street and Wyndham Road has been closed with many local buses on diversion. Superintendent Annmarie Cowley, of Southwark police, said: This incident is in its very early stages and at present we cannot speculate on what the nature of it may be. What we can say for certain is if there needed to be an example of the utter senselessness of knife crime, then this is it; four males are in hospital, and at this stage we cannot say how serious their injuries are. It is beyond comprehension. I would like to offer my reassurance to the community that officers are responding robustly; we remain at the scene and have also requested additional resources from the Territorial Support Group and Violent Crime Taskforce to patrol the area. Additionally, a Section 60 has been authorised from 18:30hrs to 09:30hrs on Friday, 17 August, providing officers with powers to deter any further potential trouble." The crime scene is just a short walk from Warham Street, where 23-year-old drill rapper Sidique Kamara, also known as Incognito, was stabbed to death on August 1. E mergency services are attending to an incident at Wood Green train station after a man was hit by a train. Police were called to the scene at Wood Green Underground station at 3.30pm earlier on Thursday. A spokesman for British Transport Police told the Standard: "We were at the scene with the London Ambulance Service and the Air Ambulance. "Paramedics are working on the scene at the moment." Video from the scene show ambulances and police cars parked outside the station. London Underground confirmed that there is currently no service between Arnos Grove and King's Cross, westbound only and severe delays on the rest of the line. T hree rival Tory Mayor of London candidates today united to call on Sadiq Khan to condemn Jeremy Corbyns wreath-laying trip to Tunis. Shaun Bailey, Joy Morrissey and Andrew Boff said Mr Khan could not represent all Londoners unless he did so. Mr Khan has accepted Mr Corbyns denial that the ceremony he attended was intended to honour terrorists. A wreath was laid near the grave of a man believed to have been linked to the Black September group that murdered and mutilated Jewish athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The Tory trio said they were appalled that Mr Corbyn had taken part in an event which appears to have commemorated terrorists. They highlighted Labours initial denials that Mr Corbyn took part in the wreath-laying and his comments that he didnt think he participated, despite pictures of him with a wreath. Mr Khan has made much of the fact that London is a diverse and tolerant city to all our communities, including its Jewish community, said the Tories. He must unequivocally condemn Jeremy Corbyns presence at such an event. If he does not, he cannot continue to claim to be a Mayor for all Londoners. A spokesperson for Mr Khan said: Sadiq thinks it would be completely wrong for anyone to honour the grave of any terrorists, but Jeremy has repeatedly said that is not what happened. Mr Corbyn insists the wreath-laying he took part in was for victims of war. Mr Khans statement added: Sadiq has been at the forefront of challenging anti-Semitism across London and within the Labour Party. He adopted the full IHRA definition in City Hall and called for Labour to do the same, and for any anti-Semites to be expelled from the Party. S enior Jewish leaders and politicians today condemned Jeremy Corbyn for standing with an official from a Palestinian terrorist group associated with the murder of a British rabbi. A new photograph has emerged of the Labour leader with Maher al-Taher, the leader-in-exile of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, taken when the pair visited a cemetery in Tunis in September 2014. Some members of the PFLP initially claimed responsibility for murdering four Jews with axes, knives and guns in an attack at a synagogue in Jerusalem a month later. London rabbi Avraham Shmuel Goldberg, a 68-year-old grandfather who had retired to Israel, was among the victims. Senior Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner said the discovery of the photograph was a watershed moment for the future of the Labour leader in British public life. Now that this has come to light this is unacceptable behaviour. Not just from the person leading the Labour Party but leading her Majestys Opposition. Its not just about feeling hurt, its about confirming concerns. Its a watershed moment. The leader of Her Majestys Opposition is an embarrassment and an electoral liability. How on earth could he be a world leader? The photograph printed in the Times newspaper today shows Mr Corbyn standing with Mr Taher during his visit to commemorate the deaths of Palestinians killed in an Israeli airstrike in 1985. Mr Corbyn took part in a wreath laying ceremony and has faced questions this week over whether at the event he also honoured leading members of the Black September group which carried out the attack on Israeli athletes during the 1972 Olympic Games. This has been denied by the Labour Party. However this fresh picture of him with Mr Taher is likely to inflame the on-going row within Labour as to whether Mr Corbyn can tackle anti-Semitism within the party. Michelle Hirschfield, currently visiting Israel where her cousin Avraham Shmuel Goldberg was murdered in 2014, called for Corbyn to resign. He should resign. He cant be leader of the opposition let alone a future prime minister. My cousin was a British citizen. How can he stand by this man and support a terrorist over the death of a British citizen? I dont see him laying wreaths on the graves of Israelis that have been murdered by terrorists. It seems so one-sided. He thinks that British Jews who support Israel are traitors to the British state. Other people all have an affinity to their homeland. Why cant we? Joan Ryan MP, chair of the Labour Friends of Israel group, said Mr Corbyn must apologise to the family of Rabbi Goldberg, a father-of-six who lived in Golders Green before moving to Israel in the 1990s. She said: First he appeared to be honouring the Munich terrorists, now it seems Jeremy Corbyn was standing alongside a man whose killers murdered a British rabbi and three others after morning prayers a month later. I would appeal to Jeremy directly: please apologise now to the bereaved families who have been so hurt and offended by your participation in this terrible event. MP for Golders Green, Conservative Mike Freer, said it was shocking that Mr Corbyn would stand alongside the leader of the PFLP. There are no surprises left with this man. There does not appear to be any individual too unpalatable for him to rub shoulders with. Labour said in an official statement that Mr Corbyn attended the conference in 2014 because it aimed to bring peace to the region. He is, of course completely opposed to attacks on civilians. A leadership source cast doubt on the Times report that said the PFLP claimed responsibility for the murder of Mr Goldberg. The source pointed to a statement from the terrorist group which praised the killings and predicted there would be more atrocities like it, but it did not explicitly say it was behind it. The reports at the time suggested this was a lone wolf action rather than an attack by a big terrorist group, said the source. T he number of top grade A-levels dropped this year after the biggest exam shake-up of a generation - with boys outperforming girls The total of A*s handed out to students dropped by 0.3 percentage points to eight per cent. This is the lowest proportion of A* grades since 2013. It comes after thousands of teenagers sat new toughened up exams with no coursework or modules, and the introduction of final exams. Todays results, published by exam boards also reveal: Boys outdid girls in top grades with 26.6 per cent of boys entries graded A* or A, compared with 26.2 per cent of girls entries. This is just the second year they have done better than girls. While the number of A* grades dropped, the number of A grades increased slightly. 26.4 per cent of exams scored an A or A*, compared with 26.3 per cent in 2017. The overall pass rate, at 97.6 per cent, is the lowest since 2010. The decline in language A-levels continued, with entries for French, German and Spanish falling collectively by 7.9 per cent. There has been an increase in STEM (Science technology engineering and maths) exams, with boys most likely to take them, but popularity rising among girls. The results come as UCAS today revealed a record 27.9 per cent of 18 year olds in England have been accepted onto university courses. A total of 411,860 students from across the UK have been placed on undergraduate courses so far. Student Alison Morgan reads she has got three A stars in her A Level results at St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School in Bristol / PA This is a decrease of one per cent compared to A-level day last year. But this may be because there are now 2.5 per cent fewer 18 year olds in the UK population due to demographic changes. There is now fierce competition among universities to attract the students who have not yet been accepted onto a course because the drop in applicants has created a buyers market. Students react as they receive their A level results at Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form in London / REUTERS There is also no cap on the number of students a university or college can admit, so many institutions are still looking for good candidates through clearing. Alex Scharaschkin, from AQA exam board, said the scrapping of coursework had not disadvantaged girls and helped boys win more A*s. He said: There is no evidence that coursework has an effect one way or the other. A-level results day: The most common questions answered He pointed out that in physics, biology and design and technology on average girls performed better than boys, despite being heavily outnumbered by boys in these subjects. Derek Richardson, from Pearson exam board, said: Over the last five years females are very gradually closing the gap in terms of proportion of STEM entries. It is very slow. I wouldnt like to calculate how long that will take for that to be equally balanced. Other results published today reveal just 1.8 per cent English language exams were graded A*. This compares with maths where 15.9 per cent of exams got the top mark. Everything you need to know about A Level results day and next steps Maths remains the most popular A-level, with 97,627 entries an increase of 2.5 per cent on last year. Biology, psychology, chemistry and history were the next most popular courses. Subjects with the biggest drop in popularity were ICT, religious studies and English language. Chinese A-Level is now more popular than German A-Level. This year 3,334 students took Chinese A-Level compared with 3,058 taking German. Katie Livings (left) with her mother Marie O'Hara (right) and farther Simon Livings (centre), who achieved A*, A, A, B as they celebrate her A Level results at The Mount School York / PA Numbers taking Russian have also increased by 3.4 per cent to 1,160. Todays results highlight the impact of tougher new A-Levels. Results of the first 13 reformed subjects were released for the first time last year, and today results from a further 11 were released. Coursework has been scrapped in most subjects, and modular tests replaced with end of course final exams in England. But exam watchdog Ofqual has put in place measures to ensure that roughly the same number of students get top grades as in previous years, to prevent the guinea pig year groups being disadvantaged. This is known as comparable outcomes. Exam boards today praised the results as showing national stability during a period of significant reform. Michael Turner, director general of the JCQ, which represents exam boards, said: Students and teachers should be congratulated. They can be confident in their grades knowing they have been achieved in a world class system that is robust, challenging and fair. UCAS has answered all your clearing questions How does Clearing work? Clearing is the annual process that allows students without a university place, or who want to switch to a different one, to search for and find a degree course with availability. You can use Clearing if you are applying for the first time after June 30, if you did not receive any offers from any universities, or none you wanted to accept, or if you did not meet the required grades needed for your chosen university course. When does Clearing open and how long does it last? Clearing opened on July 5 and closes on October 23. How do I apply for a university place through Clearing? If you haven't already applied for a university place through the main application scheme, you need to submit an application to Ucas. You will then be sent an email and have access to Ucas's online system, Track. You'll also be given a Clearing number. Search for courses you are interested in, and when you have found one you want to study, call the university or college and ask them if they will accept you. You'll need to give them your Clearing number. Once you have found one you are happy with, and they have said they will take you, you can add the course through Track. How do I add a Clearing choice? Once you've chosen your course and the university or college has said they'll accept you, click "add clearing choice" on the Track system and fill in the course details. The university will then confirm your place. Filling in and submitting the course details means you have definitely accepted the offer, so if the university confirms it, it will show as an acceptance on your "choices" page in Track. You can only add one choice at a time. You'll be able to add a different one if the university or college does not confirm your place. How long does Clearing take? How long it takes depends on how long you want to take to make a choice, and how long it takes for the university or college you choose to confirm your place. How does Clearing work in Scotland? Clearing works the same way for all students, regardless of where they live in the UK. When do universities get A-level results? Universities receive prospective students' grades in the days before A-level results day under strict embargo to allow them to confirm whether applicants have gained the required results. Students can sign in to Track on ucas.com from 8am on August 16, where they will be able to see if they've been accepted. Is it easy to get into university through Clearing? There are around 30,000 courses available in Clearing, and each one will have different grade and qualification requirements. You should think carefully about what you want to do and where you want to study, as well as whether you meet the requirements to be accepted on to the course. There is now no cap on the number of students a university or college can admit, so many institutions will still be looking for good candidates for their degree courses through Clearing. A -level students have celebrated or commiserated their exam results with hilarious memes. Many have taken to Twitter to celebrate while others who did not get the results they were looking for, shared their disappointment online. Others who have already gone through the results process decided to wade in with some advice. According to official results, the number of top grade A-levels dropped this year after the biggest exam shake up of a generation, with boys outperforming girls. UCAS revealed today that a record 27.9 percent of 18-year-olds in England have been accepted onto university courses. According to UCAS, a total of 411,860 students from across the UK have been placed on undergraduate courses so far. This is a decrease of one percent compared to A-level day last year. There is now fierce competition among universities to attract the students who have not yet been accepted onto a course because the drop in applicants has created a buyers market. Aaron Anthony wrote on Twitter: "It's not A-levels results day without a tweet from Jeremy Clarkson." And of course earlier today, Mr Clarkson posted a tweet aimed to make those who hadn't obtained their ideal results feel better. This year, around one in 12 entries scored an A* grade, down 0.3 percentage points on last year. The overall A*-E pass-rate has fallen 0.3 percentage points to 97.6% - the lowest since 2010. A subject breakdown shows that Chinese has overtaken German in popularity for the first time. A-level results day: The most common questions answered There were 3,334 entries for Chinese this year, up 8.6% on last year, while 3,058 took German - down 16.5%. Stem subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) are attracting increasing numbers of students. More than a third (36.2%) of A-level entries were in these subjects, up from 34.5% last year, and 28% in 2009. The results in England, Wales and Northern Ireland come after a major overhaul of the qualifications in England. A fisheries officer who claimed she was bound and gagged by colleagues has lost her bullying and harassment case. DeeAnn Fitzpatrick, 49, said she was targeted to keep quiet after complaining of a racist and misogynistic culture at Marine Scotland. She said she was taped to a chair and gagged by colleagues in 2010 with a photo of the alleged bullying emerging. But it was not considered as it was said to have occurred more than three years before the complaint was brought. A colleague allegedly told her: This is what you get when you speak out against the boys, a tribunal heard. Ms Fitzpatrick, from Canada, also said she was mocked over a miscarriage and was the victim of threatening behaviour and racist language at the government bodys Scrabster office in Caithness. The tribunal instead focused on her claim that she had received abusive cards on her birthday and also Valentines Day between 2015 and 2017. She claimed it was part of a long campaign of harassment with one message calling her an old troll. Another woman warned her about trying to climb the ladder of success, she told the tribunal. Two men who were named in the complaint denied sending their former colleague the cards. Ms Fitzpatrick said the abuse she received affected her self-esteem to the point where she considered ending her own life. But she has now been informed by the employment tribunal that it will not be upholding the complaint. Ms Fitzpatrick had told the hearing: "Its actually made me become a recluse - I stay at home, I have gone more into myself. With everything going on, I contacted Dignitas in Switzerland. I had enough. A librarian who made a hoax bomb threat in an attempt to catch his flight from Gatwick Airport to the US has been jailed. Jacob Meir Abdellak, 47, was running late for the Norwegian flight to Los Angeles so he decided to contact the police to report a bomb threat. The anonymous call was made at 5.47am on May 11, just eight minutes before the flight was due to depart. It resulted in a full rescreening of all passengers and take-off being delayed by 90 minutes. Investigations by Gatwick Airport staff revealed that Abdellak had been significantly late for his flight. When he was denied boarding the aircraft, he became abusive towards staff. Abdellak delayed his flight to the US by reporting a bomb threat to police / Getty Images He was told to return on another date to rearrange his flight. It was later confirmed that the telephone number he used to make the call was the same number linked to his booking. Abdellak, who is from France and lives in Hackney, east London, was arrested at Gatwick Airport on May 22 as he attempted to board another flight to the US. He was charged with communicating false information regarding a noxious substance likely to create serious risk to human health. He initially denied making the hoax call but pleaded guilty shortly before a trial was due to begin at Lewes Crown Court. Librarian Jacob Meir Abdellak made a hoax bomb threat so he could catch his flight on time / Sussex Police Abdellak was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment and required to pay a 140 victim surcharge. This was a quite ridiculous decision made by Abdellak, who fabricated an extremely serious allegation purely for his own benefit, Gatwick Police Chief Inspector Marc Clothier said. He added it was the worst decision the defendant could have made. The consequences of making allegations about bombs, guns or similar at densely populated locations such as airports are well documented. Abdellaks sentence serves as a warning to others that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated and offenders will be dealt with robustly, Inspector Clothier continued. A fish and chip shop on a beach in Scotland has been named as one of the best food experiences in the world by Lonely Planet. The Bay Fish and Chip Shop, in Stonehaven, has made the list as Britains highest ranking entry, placing at 31. Travel gurus Lonely Planet have included eateries from all over the world including British seaside favourite fish and chips. The list is ranked by some of the worlds top chefs, Lonely Planet said. Calum Richardson outside his shop. Martin Chiffers According to the travel recommender, the reason the fish and chip shop made the list was because of its beautifully cooked fish. The guide read: Its pebble-strewn beach traces a kilometre-long bay; sailing boats bob in the harbour; rockpools teem with crabs and sea stars; gulls ride on the breeze; and in the distance, the leaden horizon of the North Sea. Completing the scene, halfway along the beach is The Bay Fish & Chips, whose fish is wild-caught from Marine Stewardship Council-certified stocks. The eatery has been praised for its "brilliantly cooked fish". Martin Chiffers "Considering the setting, the sustainability and the beautifully cooked fish, is it the best fish and chip shop in the world? The constant queue suggests so." Owner, Calum Richardson told the Standard: "What a feeling! Im so surprised and really humbled to be chosen as one of the best foodie experiences, by one of the best food and travel guides in the world. Ive been blown away by the response weve had at The Bay. "We always try to give back and look after our environment at The Bay Fish and Chips by being sustainable and eco-friendly, whilst cooking really good locally sourced food, so seeing that recognised is the best feeling. I'm proud of my team and I'm proud to work with local producers, so this hopefully is a feeling they can share as well." Calum and his team outside the shop. Martin Chiffers Although the Scottish favourite clinched the highest spot on the list, other British favourites also made it on. Smoked Salmon from the Outer Hebrides made the list, at 39, crab sandwiches from Norfolk ranked at 80 and a Balti in Birmingham came in at 383. O ne in three 18-34 year olds spend their time travelling the globe so they can post boastful pictures on Facebook and Instagram, new research has found. Thirty-four per cent of young adults give in to the social ego and chose their holiday destinations so they can upload new photos on social media, the survey by Booking.com showed. The travel website said it is the competitive nature of the generation that leads to online rivalry, with almost half of the age group also saying they feel jealous of their friends holiday posts. Pictures of beautiful oceans, roof-down road trips and exotic cuisine posted online are what helps motivate young adults, the travel company said. Young people are motivated to go abroad by pictures from their holidays / Don Arnold/Getty Images It argued that the online competition was in fact a positive thing, with almost two thirds of travellers saying their experience has increased their confidence. Pepijn Rijvers, chief marketing officer at Booking.com, said: Undertaking a new travel experience for the first-time, whether thats visiting a new place or travelling solo, can be a fruitful, life enhancing and even life changing experience. The study also found that nearly half the generation - 44 per cent - use social media platforms to help chose where to travel. It also claims that it is the dreaded fear of missing out making it feel like everyone is travelling but them that leads to impulse holiday bookings. The experience was even found to lead people to change jobs or even their partner, with one in ten travellers saying they had returned home and made the change. F ormer Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has died aged 93. His death was announced on Thursday following a prolonged illness, which he was being treated for at the AIIMS hospital in Delhi. Mr Vajpayee, a Hindu nationalist, served as prime minister three separate times between 1996 and 2004. In 1998, he ordered nuclear weapons tests which stoked fears of an atomic war with rival Pakistan. However, he later launched a ground-breaking peace process with Islamabad. Members of Bharatiya Janata Party pay tribute to the former PM / AFP/Getty Images He was a moderate leader who oversaw India's growth into a swaggering regional economic power. Mr Vajpayee's supporters saw him as a skilled politician, while critics accused him and his party of stoking public fears of India's large Muslim minority. Atal Bihari Vajpayee pictured outside a polling station in 2004 / EPA However, both sides agreed he was a rare politician in that he was untainted by corruption scandals. Indias current Prime Minister Narendra Modi today led tributes to Mr Vajpayee, describing his death as a personal and irreplaceable loss. He said: His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. My thoughts are with his family, BJP Karyakartas and millions of admirers in this hour of sadness. F ormer CIA director John Brennan today compared Donald Trump to tyrants and despots as he hit back at the president for revoking his security clearance. Mr Brennan, who was Americas spy chief under Barack Obama, said the unusual move proved he was being punished by the White House for criticising the US administration. Ive seen this type of behaviour on the part of foreign tyrants and despots and autocrats for many years during my CIA and national security career, Mr Brennan told MSNBC. I never, ever thought that I would see it here in the United States. Former CIA Director John Brennan today compared Donald Trump to 'tyrants and despots' / EPA Mr Brennan vowed to continue calling the president to account, adding: If Mr Trump believes that this is going to lead me to just go away and be quiet, he is very badly mistaken. He said in a tweet that the action was part of a broader effort by Mr Trump to suppress freedom of speech and 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. Mr Trump said he had revoked Mr Brennans clearance because of his erratic conduct and behaviour. Mr Brennan has become an outspoken critic of the Trump administration and angered the president by saying his performance at his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in July was nothing short of treasonous. In a statement, Mr Trump said he was also considering whether to stop the access to classified information for fired FBI director James Comey, former National Security Agency director Michael Hayden, former intelligence director James Clapper and former attorney general Sally Yates. All have been critical of the president. Former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry accused Mr Trump of putting personal petty politics ahead of patriotism and national security. It came as more than 300 US news organisations launched a free press campaign in response to Mr Trumps criticism of the media. The president has repeatedly denigrated media reports as fake news and branded journalists enemies of the people. Last week, the Boston Globe said it planned to write an editorial on the dangers of the administrations assault on the press and urged other US publications to do the same. In an article published today, titled Journalists Are Not the Enemy, the Globe wrote that Mr Trumps treatment of the press sends an alarming signal to despots around the world. D onald Trump has branded the fake news media as the opposition party in response to the Boston Globe mobilising the US press to criticise the president on mass for his treatment of the media. The US President issued the statement on Thursday after a push from hundreds of newspapers around the country condemning the presidents attacks on the news media. He wrote: THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country....BUT WE ARE WINNING! His tweet came as more than 300 US newspapers published articles defending the free press and criticised Trump for labelling the media the enemy of the people. The published editorials explained the role of journalists and demonstrated the positive role they play in society. The effort was spearheaded by Marjorie Pritchard, deputy managing editor of the editorial page at The Boston Globe. US President Donald Trump has revoked John Brennan's security clearance / AP Publications which published editorials included The New York Times, the Arizona Daily Sun and the North Little Rock Times. Trump hit out at the Boston Globe in further tweets attacking the papers financial situation. The Boston Globe, which was sold to the the Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses & investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT! The Boston Globe editorial accused Trump of carrying out a sustained assault on the free press. The Best Donald Trump Protest Signs - In Pictures 1 /19 The Best Donald Trump Protest Signs - In Pictures Getty Images PA PA Reuters PA Getty Images PA PA PA AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Reuters PA PA AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Reuters Chloe Chaplain "The greatness of America is dependent on the role of a free press to speak the truth to the powerful," the Globe's editorial said. "To label the press 'the enemy of the people' is as un-American as it is dangerous to the civic compact we have shared for more than two centuries, it read. Since early on in his presidency Trump has denounced the media with false accusations. At a rally in August, Trump described the press covering the event as, "fake, fake disgusting news." R escue teams were today continuing to scour debris from the collapsed motorway bridge in Italy as hopes of finding more survivors began to fade. The death toll from Tuesdays disaster in Genoa stands at 38 but officials fear this could rise. The countrys deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini said: Unfortunately its very likely that there are more victims under the rubble. The government also said that flats by the Morandi bridge may have to be destroyed, forcing 630 people out of their homes. They have been evacuated due to the risk of further collapse. Transportation and infrastructure minister Danilo Toninelli said: We must think about the demolition of houses beneath the bridge. More victims of the disaster have been named, including couple Andrea Vittone, 49, and Claudia Possetti, 48, who got married three weeks ago, and Ms Possettis children from a previous relationship, Camilla, 12, and Manuele, 16. The couple had recently returned from their honeymoon in California. Ms Possettis sister Nadia said: They were a wonderful family. Currently I am ashamed to be Italian. Genoa Bridge Collapse - In pictures 1 /40 Genoa Bridge Collapse - In pictures A green lorry stopped just short of the point of collapse on the bridge Reuters A large section of the Morandi viaduct upon which the A10 motorway runs collapsed in Genoa EPA Firefighters work among the rubble of the collapsed Morandi motorway bridge in Genoa AP A general view of the collapsed Morandi Bridge in the port city of Genoa, Ital REUTERS Rescuer workers continued to search for possible survivors EPA Devastating images showed the aftermath of the bridge collapse Getty Images A helicopter arrives at the scene of the tragedy AFP/Getty Images Rescue teams search for survivors among the rubble AP An injured person is winched from the rubble AFP/Getty Images Emergency services are desperately searching for survivors Getty Images Helicopter crews arrive on the scene of the collapse Getty Images A map shows where the bridge is Reuters An injured man talks to reporters as he leave the site where the Morandi highway bridge collapsed in Genoa, northern Italy AP A truck pictured after falling from the bridge Getty Images The Morandi Bridge collapsed in torrential rain Reuters Fire crews released images of rescuers on site EPA A desperate search for survivors is underway EPA Rescue workers are seen at the collapsed Morandi Bridge in the Italian port city of Genoa, Italy Reuters Rescuers at the site of the collapsed bridge in Genoa EPA A collapsed section of a viaduct on the A10 motorway in Genoa AFP/Getty Images The middle section of the main bridge collapsed, with dozens of motorists feared to be dead EPA A truck is pictured at the end of the surviving bridge section Reuters Rescue work among the debris of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa AP Rescuers at the site of the collapsed bridge in Genoa, Italy EPA A view of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa, northern Italy AP Rescuers work among the rubble of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa, northern Italy AP The bridge is located near the northern Italian port city of Genoa Polizia di Stato A large section of the Morandi viaduct upon which the A10 motorway runs collapsed in Genoa, Italy EPA Rescue teams on the site of the collapsed bridge EPA Rescuers at work amid the rubble after a highway bridge collapsed in Genoa, Italy EPA A large section of the Morandi viaduct upon which the A10 motorway runs collapsed in Genoa EPA The collapsed Morandi Bridge is seen in the Italian port city of Genoa Reuters A large section of the Morandi viaduct upon which the A10 motorway runs collapsed in Genoa, Italy EPA A collapsed section of a viaduct on the A10 motorway in Genoa AFP/Getty Images Rescuers work among the rubble of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa, northern ItalY AP Rescuers work among the rubble of the collapsed Morandi highway bridge in Genoa, northern Italy, AP Rescue teams work at the site of the bridge collapse EPA The bridge was built in the 1960s EPA A motorway bridge which collapsed on Tuesday near the northern Italian port city of Genoa is seen in this pic Polizia di Stato Polizia di Stato A large section of the Morandi viaduct upon which the A10 motorway runs collapsed in Genoa, Italy EPA Also among the dead were friends Matteo Bentornati, videographer Giovanni Battiloro, Gerardo Esposito and Antonio Stanzione, who were due to fly to France for their holiday but chose to drive at the last minute. Search for survivors continues after dozens killed from bridge collapse A hiker has miraculously survived being lost in a US mountain range by eating bees. Matthew Matheny survived six days and nights alone in the Pacific Northwest mountains after going missing. The 40-year-old was found conscious but badly dehydrated in Ant Canyon by Washington state rescue workers. The nurse and former boy scouts survival skills of eating only berries and bees kept him alive, his parents Carney and Linda Matheny said. At a press conference on Wednesday, Mrs Matheny said: The bees were after him the whole time, so he killed them and ate them. He is interested in nutrition and health. We think that may have saved him. He never found water, but the berries must have been enough fluid to keep him going. She added: Hes pretty overwhelmed at the rescue. He had reached a point where he had seen no one since last Thursday and he really started thinking this could be it. KPTV reported that Mr Matheny had set out on a hike on Thursday, wearing only shorts and flip flops. He had set off without any supplies either, it was added. Mr Matheny got lost along the mountain trail that he was walking down, but fortunately found shelter four feet down a ravine. A huge search operation was launched for the hiker, after his Subaru Outback car was found on Saturday. On Wednesday morning after a search including hundreds of volunteers he was found in the ravine about four hours walking distance away from his car. Shaun Ford, head of the North Country emergency medical services team, said rescuers were able to start him on IV fluids before he was flown to hospital in a helicopter. Its very incredible that he survived, said Ford. The fact that he was in such good condition made it a lot easier to do the work at hand. A t least 115 people have been killed as torrential monsoon rains sparked huge deluges in the southern Indian state of Kerala on the Malabar Coast. Thousands remain stranded as 540 army, navy and air force employees were drafted in as part of a major rescue mission in so-called danger zones. Officials said a red alert had been sounded in all of the 14 districts of the state. Helicopters airlifted beached families from rooftops as dam gates were thrown open and relentless rainfall sparked havoc across the state, local media reported. North and Central Kerala has been worst hit by the floods particularly the Pathanamthitta district where thousands of people including students were trapped in their homes in Ranni, Aranmula and Kozhencherry. Kerala Floods 1 /12 Kerala Floods indianwomankerala1608 An Indian woman sits inside her houses immersed in flood waters in Ernakulam district of Kochi AFP/Getty Images keralafloods1608 Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan (L) along with opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala (2L) visit a relief camp in Chengamanadu Government Higher Secondary school AFP/Getty Images keralafloods16082 Athirampally Falls seen at Athirampally Panchayat, Chalakudy Taluk, Thrissur District of Kerala EPA keralafloods16083 Indian residents look at houses destroyed by flood waters at Kannappankundu in Kozhikode in Kerala AFP/Getty Images keralafloods16084 Fire and Rescue personnel evacuate local residents in an inflatable boat from a flooded area at Muppathadam near Eloor in Kochi's Ernakulam district AFP/Getty Images keralafloods16084 Fire and Rescue personnel evacuate local residents in an inflatable boat AFP/Getty Images keralafloods16085 An Indian man walks through the premises of a hospital that was flooded due to heavy rains AP keralafloods16086 Fire and Rescue personnel evacuate local residents in an inflatable boat from a flooded area at Muppathadam AFP/Getty Images keralafloods16087 Laborers hailing from northern states wade through flood waters as they shift to higher grounds following heavy rains AP keralafloods16088 India residents stand on the shore as Periyar river flooded following monsoon rains at Aluva AFP/Getty Images keralafloods16089 Indian commuters travel in a truck to a safer place as flood waters ravaged the National Highway 47 in Ernakulam district of Kochi AFP/Getty Images keralafloods1610 Indian fire and rescue personnel evacuate local residents in an boat flooded following monsoon rains at Aluva AFP/Getty Images Tensions reached new highs between Kerala and Tamil Nadu over the increasing water levels in the Mullaperiyar dam. Twelve fresh teams of the National Disaster Response Forcer (NDRF) were rushed to the rain-battered state of Kerala on Thursday. They have been deployed in the flood affected areas of Idukki, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Alaphuza, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Thrissur and Pathanamthitta, a force spokesman said. Congress President Rahul Gandhi expressed his concern over the floods on Twitter. "I am deeply concerned for the people of #Kerala tonight, as the flood waters rise. Thousands are stranded. Relief camps full, he wrote. Many have lost their loved ones. It's time to step up & help. Please contribute generously to the CM's relief fund. The public transport system collapsed and flight operations at the Kochi airport have been suspended until Saturday after rains flooded the runway. People have also been urged to stay away from the popular Sabarimala Hill shrine as the water level in the nearby rain-fed Pamper River was rising. Kerala is a popular tourist destination with scenic landscapes, waterfalls and beautiful beaches. It is the 13th largest Indian state by population with 33.4 million inhabitants recorded in the 2011 Census. P olice are defending their decision to deploy a stun gun on a smiling 87-year-old woman in Georgia. Martha al-Bishara, an immigrant from Syria, refused to drop a steak knife after she had been cutting leaves from dandelions to make dinner. Officers found her at the bottom of a hill in Chatsworth following a 911 call reporting a woman with a knife. Officer Steven Marshall deployed a Taser. He claimed the elderly woman, who speaks Arabic, ignored several orders to drop the knife before walking towards him. Al-Bishara, who is 5ft 2in, was charged with criminal trespass and obstructing an officer. Some of her family members believe Officer Marshall could have resolved the problem without violence. Her grandson, 24-year-old medical student Timothy Douhne, called the incident absolutely ridiculous. "She told us she was smiling at them to tell them that she wasn't a threat... and she was trying to get closer to them to communicate with them, and that's when they tasered her," he told ABC News. Chatsworth Police Chief Josh Etheridge defended any wrongdoing and said the officer had little choice but to use a Taser on al-Bishara when she failed to obey numerous orders. "She came walking toward the officer. After multiple commands, he told her to stop several times. She continued walking at which time we deployed the Taser," he said in a video statement to the Daily Citizen News of Dalton, Georgia. He added that there is police body-camera footage of the incident, but it is yet to be released because charges against the elderly woman are pending. Al-Bishara is due to appear in court on September 19. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon after a witness who made the 911 call told police: "This lady is walking on the bike trail, she has a knife and she won't leave. She doesn't speak English." Officer Marshall says he repeatedly told the woman to put the knife down and allegedly even pulled out his pocket knife and threw it on the ground to demonstrate. "I felt like everything was handled by the protocol," Chief Etheridge said. A shark has attacked a 61-year-old man who was just 30 yards away from the shore in Cape Cod, according to officials and reports. The swimmer was rushed to hospital suffering bites to his leg and torso, CNN affiliate WCVB reported. It is reported that the man was only 30 yards offshore where he was attacked while standing. Two recent college graduates came to the man's aid. Luckily, the the two former students had just graduated from nursing school and helped to treat the man at the scene with towels to stop the bleeding. Molly Tobin told CBS Boston: Were walking, people start running in the other direction saying a man had been in a shark attack. "So having just graduated from Boston College nursing, we were like OK let's go see if theres anything we can do to help. After initially helping the man, a crowd grew and assisted him to the car park. Kerstin Peterleitner, also a recent nursing school graduate, told the news channel: It was awesome to see how many people were able to come together to help this man." There were so many people helping carry him off on a blanket and then EMS met us halfway through, were able to strap him on a board and so many people helped carry him up that hill. He was rushed to Tufts Medical Centre on a Medflight helicopter after he reportedly suffered puncture wounds to his hip and torso. His condition is not currently known, US media reported. The National Park Service said the frightening attack happened in Truro, within the boundary of Cape Cod National Seashore at Longnook Beach. Following the attack, the beach was closed but it is reported that several swimmers remained in the water. A Muslim woman in Sweden has been awarded compensation after her interview was terminated after she refused to shake hands with a male interviewer. Farah Alhajeh was attending a job interview for an interpreter role at Semantix when she failed to shake hands for religious reasons. The 24-year-old said she was introduced to the male boss and placed her hand on her heart and smiled as a greeting. Sweden-born Ms Alhajeh said that she had explained that she avoided physical contact due to religious grounds. However the company showed her out of the building. A Swedish court ruled on Wednesday that Ms Alajeh had been discriminated against and ordered Semantix to pay 40,000 kronur (3,420) in compensation. The court found that her refusal to shake hands was protected by the European Convention on Human Rights. She told The New York Times:"It was like a punch in the face. It was the first time someone reacted and it was a really harsh reaction." The company had argued that its staff members were required to treat men and women equally which includes how they greet others. J ohnny Depp has reportedly accused Amber Heard of defecating in their bed during the breakdown of their turbulent marriage. In new claims, Depp alleges that faeces found between the sheets were left by Heard following a blazing row. It is claimed that the row was over the actor arriving two hours late for Heards birthday party in April 2016, prompting Heard to play a prank on him. A source close to the Pirates of the Caribbean actor said that there was strong photographic evidence to connect Heard to the event. Prank: Amber Heard was accused by her ex-husband of the faecal joke / AFP/Getty Images But Heard refuted the bizarre claims, saying that her Yorkshire terrier Boo who suffers from bowel issues had been responsible for the excrement. A representative for Heard told The Mirror: Boo has some serious bowel control issues. There was never a joke, it wasnt something done to be disrespectful. Johnny Depp and Amber Heard apologise to Australia It was an innocent thing, its what pets will do. We dont have anything else to say. Ms Heard is moving on and we do not want to engage in this nonsense. The Hollywood sensation told how he struggled to manage as stories emerged following the split, his mothers death and his involvement with multiple lawsuits. K im Kardashian is over. Done. Finished. Caput. Gemma Collins has eclipsed the US reality TV powerhouse by recreating a string of her famous poses to make them even more iconic. The self-proclaimed UK selfie queen stripped off to pose completely starkers in front of a mirror as a nod to Kardashians controversial bathroom selfie which saw her cover her modesty with two black boxes. Another shows Collins swigging a glass of milk in a pink kitchen wearing only white lingerie. Iconic: Kim Kardashian who? Gemma Collins is looking iconic / Gemma Collins She also channelled the US star by donning nude underwear and applying lipstick before making one last attempt to break the internet by recreating Kardashians famous white swimsuit belfie. The former TOWIE star channelled her inner Kardashian as part of a promotion with HTC, and told fans it was a dream come true to play at being her icon. Need milk: The GC swigs on milk as she chills out in her kitchen / Gemma Collins She wrote: Big thanks to @htc_uk for helping me transform into my I.C.O.N Kimmie @kimkardashian GC-style dreams can come true. All of these selfies were taken on the HTC U12+, because all four of its cameras are stunners no lie! Gemma Collins swears on Loose Women as she denies her sex tape Its not the first time the ex-Celebrity Big Brother star has recreated one of Kardashians famous poses. Collins mimicked the US stars Paper magazine shoot in 2014 which saw her balance a glass of wine on her derriere. Collins take saw her squirting coconut milk up and into a pot balancing on her behind as part of a partnership with hair care brand Coco & Eve. S ummer calls for a switch-off, a temporary postponement of those quotidian demands that sap your spirit. You need not answer emails or fret about Brexit all you need to do is lie prostrate on a sun lounger, skin growing warm to the touch. Except approximately 30 seconds after ensconcing yourself on the white sands, youre restless. Dont suggest beach volleyball youll take someones eye out instead, switch on again: a juicy podcast is even better than a beach read because you wont drop the book on your face if you drift off. From astute political podcasts to millennial radio plays, this is your summer playlist. The funny one: Joan & Jericha 20 mins This scurrilous podcast will distract you, even during heavy turbulence. Comedians Julia Davis and Vicki Pepperdine the former of the wicked Nighty Night play a pair of radio agony aunts who have no interest in solving anyones problems. Heartbroken women are dealt with briskly and acidly; soppy teens are named, shamed and examined with excoriating cruelty. If it all sounds too wicked, youve missed the point: the wit is sharp as a tack. Listen on iTunes and Podtail The rowdy one: 3 Girls One Keith 40 mins The moniker is not subtle, but puerile name aside, this podcast by the comedian and actress Amy Schumer is a riotous chorus of wisecracks. Schumers co-hosts are her three best friends, Rachel Feinstein, Bridget Everett and Keith Robinson three girls, one Keith who all happen to be comedians (of course). Together they talk candidly about their own lives, as well as love, relationships, sex (a lot), comedy and politics. Its like eavesdropping on the rowdy pub table you wish you were on. Comedian and actress Amy Schumer reportedly signed a $1 million deal with Spotify to create her podcast, 3 Girls 1 Keith / Spotify Listen on iTunes and Spotify The Oprah one: Oprahs Master Class: The Podcast 30 mins The statesmanlike Oprah hits it out of the park in yet another medium: this podcast features the multihyphenate mega-mogul shooting the breeze with pals including Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake and Ellen DeGeneres, and speaking candidly about their failures (few) and successes (many). It should be dispiriting to listen to superstars talk about unattainable triumphs, especially if youre prostate on a sun lounger, except it isnt because everything Oprah touches turns to golden hour. Listen on iTunes The cult one: Modern Love 20 mins The New York Timess Modern Love podcast is an audio version of the best essays printed in the cult column and inspires similar levels of obsession. Stories are heartbreaking, inspiring and everything in between, manifesting love in many different forms. It regularly casts A-list guest hosts to read stories, and sometimes to tell their own recent recruits include the precocious actress Chloe Grace Moretz. Theyre the type of stories you want to retell: download the back catalogue and bore everyone around the pool. Modern Love is a collaboration between The New York Times and WBUR / The New York Times / WBUR Listen on iTunes and Stitcher The hyped one: The Receipts Podcast Episode length varies Tolly, Audrey and Milena are the whipsmart trio behind the Receipts Podcast, who are, by their own account willing to talk about anything and everything. To date, this has included race, feminism, men, dating, colleagues with halitosis and plastic surgery listeners are invited to submit their dilemmas. Its candid, unruly and brilliant fun. Theyre ones to watch, too this summer theyve been showing an (even) bigger audience what they can do with a six-part residency with BBC 1Xtra. Join the hype. Listen on Acast and iTunes The pop culture one: Getting Curious with Jonathan van Ness 40 mins Jonathan van Ness has a lot of questions. About everything recent episodes of his podcast (which long pre-dates his fame on Queer Eye it launched in 2015) tackle the GOP mid-terms strategy, addiction and suicide rates in the LGBTQ+ community. Every week, Van Ness invites an expert on board to chew over a topic, and proves himself a bright interviewer, eager and engaging, and able to temper each episode with humour where appropriate. Queer Eye fans: other members of the Fab Five, including Tan and Bobby, also pop up as guest stars. Listen on iTunes The revealing one: No Country for Young Women 30 mins Monty Onanuga and Sadia Azmats podcast is in their words about how to fit in a white world. In each half- hour episode the pair tackle the cultural expectations of different ethnicities, the humour to be found in the awkwardness of white people, porn, dick pics and sex in a headscarf. Azmat is a comedian with an inimitable knack for a deadpan one-liner, and the hosts chemistry is easy and fluent: its a revealing, if not always easy, listen. Listen on BBC and iTunes The award-winning one: Griefcast 60 mins Cariad Lloyds Griefcast has won several awards, including the big one, Best Podcast of the Year, at the British Podcast Awards. See what all the fuss is about: Warm, bright Lloyd invites fellow comedian friends on to the podcast to talk about death. Lloyds father died of pancreatic cancer when she was in her teens and she is a sage envoy for all the parts of death you dont know without experience, including that whisper it its sometimes funny. Cariad Lloyds Griefcast won three awards at the British Comedy Podcast Awards this year Listen on Acast and iTunes The fictional one: Gossip 30 mins While away the hours before sundowners in Goldenacres, the small-town suburban setting for Gossip, a millennial radio play thats got more scandal than Love Island. The protagonists are a coven of stay-at-home wives with privileged insight on a whole cast of supporting characters. Come for the innovative medium; stay for the wicked zingers. Bonus ball: If youre a fan of this youll like Sandra, another fictional podcast, this time set in a cultish Silicon Valley tech firm, starring Alicia Shawkat and Kristen Wiig. Listen on iTunes and Stitcher The political one: Slow Burn 40 mins If you prefer real drama with a political bent then you are in good company: political podcast Slow Burn returned for its second season this week and rocketed to the top of the iTunes chart. The podcast is produced by smart online magazine Slate, and unpacks the juicy details of a historical scandal in 40-minute episodes; in doing so, host Leon Neyfak inevitably finds uncanny parallels with present-day furores. Season one was about Watergate this time its the Monica Lewinsky affair and Bill Clintons impeachment. It gives a long view, with plenty of talking points. Volunteer opportunities available at local organizations Weber Human Services is looking for people who can help Northern Utah nonprofits. For more information on volunteer opportunities or to post an opportunity for your organization, call 801-625-3777 or 801-778-6897. If you are interested in volunteering and do not see what interests you please call us as we have many more opportunities available and will help you find what interests you and best uses your skills. If your organization is in need of volunteers, please give us a call. Hill Air Force Base Retirees Activities Office (RAO) is looking for retired military or spouses of ... Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 16) Actress Heart Evangelista is a real-life crazy rich Asian and that brought her face to face with novelist Kevin Kwan himself. For the feature "Crazy Rich Couture" in Harper Bazaar, Kwan trailed Evangelista and other Asian fashion influencers during this year's Dior Haute Couture Fall show in Paris. Evangelista was featured alongside twins Rachel and Michelle Yeoh, who hailed from a prominent Malaysian-Chinese family, and Feiping Chang, a Taiwanese native shaping the fashion scene in Hong Kong. Harper's Bazaar also released a video of the four women entitled "The Real Crazy Rich Asians," documenting them trying on dresses and how they selected their couture. "Asians can be really conservative. It's hard to express yourself without someone saying something about you," Kwan quoted Evangelista as saying. "But what I realize is, if you can use your platform of influence to inspire girls to step out of their comfort zone with the way they dress, I think that's pretty powerful." In an Instagram post on Thursday, Evangelista thanked Kwan and the publication for the feature and said the author has since become "a dear friend." "I had the honor of being featured alongside some of the most incredible and stylish Asian icons," said Evangelista. "I am beyond grateful to Kevin and the entire Harpers team for being such a dream to work with!" Kwan's story ran on August 16, a day after the film adaptation of his novel "Crazy Rich Asians" hit theaters in the United States. The highly anticipated romantic comedy, headlining Constance Wu and Henry Golding, debuts in the Philippines on August 22. It also features two other Filipino actors, Kris Aquino and Nico Santos. 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The campaign was created in partnership with Clemenger BBDO Sydney as creative lead, Universal Music Australia and BRING for talent, music strategy and content, MediaCom, and YouTube. The Support Acts program has paired 16 of Australias up and coming musicians with Aussie music royalty, 5 Seconds of Summer, Alison Wonderland, The Rubens and 360, wholl play an active role in promoting and raising the profile for the grassroots talent involved in the program. Through an innovative use of YouTubes pre-roll ads, the headline artists are transforming the ads that run before their videos in to digital Support Act slots, exposing these up and coming acts to audiences of hundreds of thousands. Extra Support Acts is a platform that essentially lets emerging artists go view-for-view with Australian music royalty. Says Alison Levins, marketing director, Extra Gum: At Extra Gum, were focused on helping give Australians the confidence they need to be at their best. We wanted to extend that support to Australias grassroots music scene, and what better way to do it than by transforming YouTubes pre-roll ads in to digital support act stages. We cant wait to introduce the country to the next big acts in the Australian music scene. The campaign launches today via the Extra Support Acts YouTube hub, featuring 60+ pieces of content from the headline artists and their support acts, as well as a suite of OOH and social content in support. Says Ben Coulson, chief creative officer, Clemenger BBDO Sydney: Turning ads in to a stage for emerging artists seemed like an interesting idea, and fit nicely with Extras brand position. Says Dan Connor, head of strategy and planning, MediaCom: This is a brilliant example of how you can innovate and change the way you partner with platforms like YouTube building reach and using real music discovery data to bring the idea to life. Says Roddy Campbell, managing director, new business, Universal Music Australia: Weve seen all manner of branded music platforms and really feel this will be one of the best an authentic role for the brand that creates value for consumers and artists alike. Our acts have been so passionate about supporting the next generation of talent and I think that shines through in the engaging content weve created with them. We cant wait to see how the journey unfolds! In what is an Australian-first for YouTube, the platform is excited about the potential future use of pre-roll ads in creating innovative solutions for bands across the country. Says YouTube: YouTube is excited to be working with Extra Gum and Universal Music Australia on this concept, showcasing how the platform can bring together artists, music fans, and brands to support the next generation of Australian musical talent. An algorithm will aggregate the number of views, likes and shares of their videos to determine which Support Act had the most engagement from Australian music fans. The Support Acts with the most engagement in their group will be crowned the winners and enshrined as Australias next big artists. Australians can head to www.youtube.com/ExtraSupportActs to find their new favourite musician, and make their vote count by watching, liking and sharing. Client: Extra Gum Senior Brand Manager EXTRA Gum: Virginia Marsh Wrigley Marketing Director: Alison Levins Freshening Marketing Manager: Alexandra Hume Creative agency: Clemenger BBDO Sydney Chief Creative Officer: Ben Coulson and Paul Nagy Creative Director: Brendan Willenberg Creative team: Willy Maitland and Zander Williment Head of Craft: Daniel Mortensen Head of Creative Technology: Bob Forster Lead Digital Producer: Claire Bisset Planning Director: Kit Landsdell Head of Account Management: Madeleine Marsh Senior Account Director: Hanne Haugen Senior Account Director: Emily Taylor-Delplanque Senior Account Manager: Katie Scrutton Production company: Milkmoney Director: Ethan Mclean Producer: Emma Whitehouse DOP: Don Buppapirak Gaffer: Justin Plummer Music production: Gareth Plummer Media agency: MediaCom The cabdriver of the Israeli citizens who sustain were assaulted by gendarmes in the Victoriei Square on 10 August rally, Valeriu Ionut Radulescu, on Thursday showed up at the Bucharest Military Prosecutor's Office to file a criminal complaint. Radulescu told the journalists that the gendarmes have stopped the cab with the four Israeli tourists (three men, one woman) and began to punch them with no reason with their fists and batons. The driver said the gendarmes gave them no explanation, only stopped the cab and started to beat the tourists and the driver altogether. The tourists were shouting "I'm a tourist!", while the driver was yelling "I'm a cabdriver!". Nonetheless, the gendarmes kept on beating them. The 30-year old cabdriver said that the gendarmes left them alone after realising they were wrong, not before pulling them out of the cab, handcuffing them, continuing to kick them despite the fact that the Israeli tourists have shown the gendarmes their passports."They uncuffed us and let us go. I rushed to a hotel, I called the Police and the Ambulance. I was taken to the University Hospital. My forearm is broke, I have to wear it in a cast for 42 days, a period in which I could do nothing," the driver added. Major Laurentiu Cazan, the one who coordinated the gendarmes action at the 10 August rally in Victoriei Square told on Thursday the public TV broadcaster TVR 1, that he has nothing to blame himself for from the tactical and organizational point of view, specifying that the gendarmes intervention at the rally was taken at "the opportune moment". "I'm a 12-year military career, I'm a deputy with the general director for public order in Bucharest. In the last year, all the high risk missions, no matter their kind, were coordinated and led by me," he told TVR 1. Cazan specified that at the Victoriei Sq. rally of 10 August the measures taken were a reaction to the increasing violence upon the order forces on behalf of some protesters."The kick-off point was the one when we witnessed violence against the Police and Gendarmerie intervention teams," Laurentiu Cazan stressed.As for the gendarmes' intervention in Victoriei Sq., Major Laurentiu Cazan said it was opportune.Major Laurentiu Cazan said that the long of the 10 August rally, he interacted directly with a military prosecutor who was there, on the spot."Beginning with 17:00 hrs., a military prosecutor was introduced to me. I interacted with him directly, on the spot," Laurentiu Cazan told TVR 1.Cazan added that when things began to degenerate in Victoriei Sq., he spoke directly with the units' commanders in front of the gov't, the talks being attended by the respective prosecutor.Moreover, he specified that the long of the action in Victoriei Sq., he was in permanent contact with all of the public authorities. | BY Ricki Green | Network Ten has announced the appointment of former ad agency creative director Michael Stanford as national creative director in its newly formed TEN Imagine division. He will report to chief sales officer Rod Prosser. Stanford will join Network Ten on 17 September from his role as chief creative solutions officer at Initiative, a role he took up in January last year. Stanford is best known in adland as a former executive creative director at George Patterson Y&R and creative director at McCann Erickson Australia. TEN Imagine will launch later this year as part of the establishment of a new advertising sales department at Network Ten. In his new role, Stanford will be responsible for the creative and category specialist divisions across Network Tens advertising sales department and will also oversee the networks commercial production department. TEN Imagine will work closely with advertisers to create marketing solutions that deliver a high return on investment. Stanfords resume includes roles such as managing director of Interpublic Groups brand experience agency Ensemble Australia; national creative director of Network Tens Generate division; executive creative director and partner at Marketing Investment Group; executive creative director at George Patterson Y&R; and creative director at McCann Erickson Australia. Says Prosser: Michael is one of the best and most versatile creative directors in Australia and a great strategic thinker. He has worked with some of the biggest brands in Australia and the world to develop highly creative, engaging and effective campaigns. Im delighted to welcome Michael back to Ten and to this important and exciting new role. As we build our Advertising Sales team, including a strong emphasis on delivering great results for our clients, Michael and TEN Imagine will be pivotal in executing our customers strategies. His experience with, and knowledge of, brands will be critical in our category specialisation strategy. Says Stanford: I am thrilled to be returning to Network Ten at this exciting time for the network and the industry. Television is unmatched, not just in reaching audiences at scale but also in how brands can connect with consumers through creativity, relevance and innovation. With the exciting content schedule ahead and the chance to work with Rod and the amazing team in place, I cant wait to be part of this new era at Network Ten. The establishment of Network Tens new Advertising Sales department follows the announcement on 1 August that Network Tens Sales representation agreement with Multi Channel Network (MCN) will cease after a transition period. MCN will continue to receive sales bookings for Network Ten until the end of 2018. In addition to TEN Imagine, the Network Ten Advertising Sales department will include a new digital unit, TEN Interactive, which will be underpinned by CBS Interactives global technology platform, as well as a new commercial, strategy and integration team focused on delivering premium ideas, sponsorships and integration opportunities across the companys suite of brands. Network Ten will also launch a new automated trading platform, TEN Exchange. Says Prosser: We have defined our digital and trading solutions with TEN Interactive and TEN Exchange, and will continue to build the strength of our commercial, strategy and integration team. With the backing of CBS, a global media powerhouse, coupled with our biggest and best programming schedule, we are in an excellent position to maximise revenue and commercial opportunities through creativity, innovation and world-class technology. | BY Kim Shaw | Y&R Sydney has snared the Best&Less business, taking over from Bashful, which won the account in August 2016. Seeking a creative agency with brand expertise and exceptional retail credentials, Best&Less saw Y&R Sydney as the perfect fit with IdeaWorks, Y&Rs retail and shopper marketing offering. We are excited to be embarking on a new relationship with Y&R as our strategic and creative, retail partner. Their experience and capability in the retail space is fantastic, and we are looking forward to them playing a key role in the future of Best&Less, says Linda McDonald, Head of Marketing & eCommerce Best&Less. Says Pete Bosilkovski, Chief Executive Officer Y&R ANZ: We are thrilled to be partnering with Linda and the passionate team at Best&Less to help build a brand platform that seamlessly connects the entire customer journey at every stage. Our retail unicorn Danny Lattouf will be core to this partnership applying customer first thinking to help shape the in store brand experience. | BY Lynchy | A new Quaker Overnight Oats radio campaign out of BBDO Guerrero in The Philippines is taking inspiration from the habits of current consumers to promote the advantages of oatmeal recipes that can be conveniently prepared at night. The radio campaign revolves around the idea that when your breakfast is already made, you get to sleep and dream longer about everything you should be dreaming about. The four spots use dream interpretations to explain what your dreams really mean from taking driving lessons to building your own dream home. BBDO Guerrero Creative Chairman David Guerrero said: Quaker Overnight Oats are great. And whats even better, you can sleep longer knowing breakfast is all prepared for the next day. And with longer sleep, who knows what you can accomplish as these radio ads suggest. There has been a dramatic shift in how the United States government carries out its business internationally. Admittedly, Washington has had a tendency to employ force to get what it has wanted ever since 9/11, but it also sometimes recognized that other countries had legitimate interests and accepted there was a place for diplomacy to resolve issues short of armed conflict. The Bush Administration reluctance to broaden its engagement in the Middle East after it recognized that it had blundered with Iraq followed by Obamas relaxation of tensions with Cuba and his negotiation of a nuclear agreement with Iran demonstrated that sanity sometimes prevailed in the West Wing. That willingness to be occasionally accommodating has changed dramatically, with the State Department under Mike Pompeo currently more prone to deliver threats than any suggestions that we all might try to get along. It would be reasonable enough to criticize such behavior because it is intrinsically wrong, but the truly frightening aspect of it would appear to be that it is based on the essentially neoconservative assumption that other countries will always back down when confronted with force majeure and that the use of violence as a tool in international relations is, ultimately, consequence free. I am particularly disturbed with the consequence free part as it in turn is rooted in the belief that countries that have been threatened or even invaded have no collective memory of what occurred and will not respond vengefully when the situation changes. There have been a number of stunningly mindless acts of aggression over the past several weeks that are particularly troubling as they suggest that they will produce many more problems down the road than solutions. The most recent is the new sanctioning of Russia over the Skripal poisoning in Salisbury England. For those not following developments, last week Washington abruptly and without any new evidence being presented, imposed additional trade sanctions on Russia in the belief that Moscow ordered and carried out the poisoning of Sergey Skripal and his daughter Yulia on March 4th. The report of the new sanctions was particularly surprising as Yulia Skripal has recently announced that she intends to return to her home in Russia, leading to the conclusion that even one of the alleged victims does not believe the narrative being promoted by the British and American governments. Though Russian President Vladimir Putin has responded with restraint, avoiding a tit-for-tat, he is reported to be angry about the new move by the US government and now believes it to be an unreliable negotiating partner. Considering the friendly recent exchanges between Putin and Trump, the punishment of Russia has to be viewed as something of a surprise, suggesting that the president of the United States may not be in control of his own foreign policy. Turkey is also feeling Americas wrath over the continued detention of an American Protestant Pastor Andrew Brunson by Ankara over charges that he was connected to the coup plotters of 2016, which were allegedly directed by Fetullah Gulen, a Muslim religious leader, who now resides in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump has made the detention the centerpiece of his Turkish policy, introducing sanctions and tariffs that have led in part to a collapse of the Turkish lira and a run on the banking system which could easily lead to default and grave damage to European banks that hold a large party of the countrys debt. And then there is perennial favorite Iran, which was hit with reinstated sanctions last week and is confronting a ban on oil sales scheduled to go into effect on November 4th. The US has said it will sanction any country that buys Iranian oil after that date, though a number of governments including Turkey, India and China appear to be prepared to defy that demand. Several European countries are reportedly preparing mechanisms that will allow them to trade around US restrictions. What do Russia, Turkey and Iran have in common? All are on the receiving end of punitive action by the United States over allegations of misbehavior that have not been demonstrated. Nobody has shown that Russia poisoned the Skripals, Turkey just might have a case that the Reverend Brunson was in contact with coup plotters, and Iran is in full compliance with the nuclear arms agreement signed in 2015. One has to conclude that the United States has now become the ultimate angry imperial power, lashing out with the only thing that seems to work its ability to interfere in and control financial markets to punish nations that do not play by its rules. Given Washingtons diminishing clout worldwide, it is a situation that is unsustainable and which will ultimately only really punish the American people as the United States becomes more isolated and its imperial overreach bankrupts the nation. As America weakens, Russia, Turkey, Iran and all the other countries that have been steamrolled by Washington will likely seek revenge. To avoid that, a dramatic course correction by the US is needed, but, unfortunately, is unlikely to take place. The hue and cry over the possibility of a Russian attack on the Baltic states has grown all out of proportion. NATO is using its Russian boogeyman campaign to boost its military presence in the region. With Moscow accused of harboring evil plans, a robust military infrastructure is emerging in the immediate proximity of Russias borders. The US footprint is huge. Whatever Russia does (such as deploying its forces or conducting military exercises), it is presented by the Western media as a demonstration of hostile intent, while NATOs highly provocative behavior is kept out of the spotlight. Any nation would be concerned over war preparations on its doorstep that are being conducted by an unfriendly alliance. Anyone who is impartial would confirm that Moscows concern is more than justified. The US Defense Department's 2019 fiscal budget became law on Aug. 13. It allocates $6.5 billion for the European Defense Initiative (EDI), $2 billion more than the previous fiscal budget, and nearly double the $3.4 billion the military received in fiscal 2017. The increase is evidence of the focus on building up a robust military force to threaten Russia. Infrastructure improvements in the Baltic states and Poland are a high priority. According to the Lithuanian Defense Ministry, the updates to the Lithuanian armed forces Kazlu Ruda training ground, in the district of Marijampole, to get it up to NATO standards, are almost complete. The facility will be used to train air crews and controllers. This is a joint project with the United States, funded through the European Reassurance Initiative. American B-52 strategic bombers have already dropped dummy munitions there. The firing range was part of the NATO Saber Strike exercise that was held in June. US National Guard soldiers are there to prepare Kazlu Ruda for another exercise. The training ground is less than 60 km. from the Russian border. This is a risky move. On Aug. 7, a Spanish warplane accidentally fired an air-to-air missile over Estonia in the Pangodi area of Estonias Tartu county, less than 50 miles from that countrys eastern border with Russia. Suppose it had been an air-to-surface missile that went astray and landed on Russian territory? Why should NATOs training events be conducted so dangerously close, making the alliance responsible for such perilous possibilities? In July, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry signed a contract with the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) in regard to infrastructure development projects that will significantly improve the training conditions. Thirteen facilities are to be completed for the Lithuanian armed forces by 2021. According to Vice Minister of National Defense Giedrimas Jeglinskas, the scale of the NATO deployments necessitates a larger military infrastructure to accommodate those forces. Once the upgrade is completed, Kazlu Ruda will be the only military facility in the country able to host and provide logistics for a brigade-size force including hardware. The modernization program also applies to the Gen Silvestras Zukauskas training ground a joint project funded through Lithuanias military budget, the NATO Security Investment Program, and the US European Reassurance Initiative. The NATO Security Investment Program (NSIP) is also financing the construction of facilities to accommodate the NATO Air Policing Mission, Host Nation Support, military training grounds, and, in part, the NATO Force Integration Unit. Estonias Amari air force base near Russias border is another facility that is being updated to support American A-10, F-15, F-16, F-22, and F-35 aircraft, which will include refueling infrastructure as well as special ops forces. The Baltic states signed Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs), allowing the presence of American forces within their borders as far back as early 2017. In May, the foreign ministers of the Baltic states paid a group visit to Washington to ask for a larger US military presence in their countries. Back then, they said the current build-up would only be the starting point for a larger effort. So far NATO has deployed four battalion-sized battle groups (roughly 4,500 troops) to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. In June, all three Baltic states came out in support of the idea of building a permanent US military base in Poland. Added to this is the ongoing militarization of the Scandinavian peninsula that goes largely unnoticed. And the rearming of Poland. And NATOs build-up of logistics infrastructure in Eastern and Northern Europe. And the formation of a military alliance between the US and two northern European states: Sweden and Finland. And the US Air Force presence that has expanded in Eastern Europe. Dont forget the tensions in the Black Sea near Russias shores. Russia is being confronted by 29 NATO member states. Given all this, can anyone claim that Moscows concerns are unjustified? NATO talking about how Russia is threatening the Baltic states (or whoever) is like the pot calling the kettle black. The media should be paying more attention to the alliances war preparations so that readers could form a rational opinion about who is really threatening who and whose behavior is provocative. The catastrophic bridge collapse in Italy this week has prompted a public outcry over the countrys crumbling infrastructure and how it is putting lives at risk. But the question the public in Italy and across Europe should be asking is: why are their governments spending extra tens of billions of dollars on NATO militarism, while neglecting vital civilian infrastructure? When the iconic Morandi motorway viaduct came crashing down this week over the city of Genoa with a death toll so far of 39 people the consensus among Italian news media and members of the public is that the bridge was a disaster waiting to happen. Nearly 200 meters of the motorway flyover section spanning a river, houses and an industrial area collapsed while dozens of cars and trucks were passing. Shocked witnesses described the scene as apocalyptic as vehicles plunged 40 meters along with concrete and iron girding to the ground below. Lack of due maintenance has been blamed for why the bridge collapsed. Weather conditions at the time were reportedly torrential rain storms and lightning. But those conditions can hardly explain why a whole motorway viaduct wobbled and crashed. The Morandi Bridge was built 51 years ago in 1967. Two years ago, an engineering professor from Genoa University warned that the viaduct needed to be totally replaced as its structure had seriously deteriorated. There seems little doubt that the disaster could have been avoided if proper action had been taken by the authorities rather than carrying out piecemeal repair jobs over the years. Italian media reports say the latest is the fifth bridge collapse in the country over the past five years, as cited by the BBC. Now the Italian government is calling for a nationwide survey of roads, tunnels, bridges and viaducts to assess public safety amid fears that other infrastructure facilities are prone to deadly failure. What should be a matter of urgent public demand is why Italy is increasing its national spending on military upgrades and procurements instead of civilian amenities. As with all European members of the NATO alliance, Italy is being pressured by the United States to ramp up its military expenditure. US President Donald Trump has made the NATO budget a priority, haranguing European states to increase their military spending to a level of 2 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Trump has even since doubled that figure to 4 per cent. Washingtons demand on European allies predates Trump. At a NATO summit in 2015, when Barack Obama was president, all members of the military alliance then acceded to US pressure for greater allocation of budgets to hit the 2 per cent target. The alleged threat of Russian aggression has been cited over and over as the main reason for boosting NATO. Figures show that Italy, as with other European countries, has sharply increased its annual military spending every year since the 2015 summit. The upward trend reverses a decade-long decline. Currently, Italy spends about $28 billion annually on military. That equates to only about 1.15 per cent of GDP, way below the US-demanded target of 2 per cent of GDP. But the disturbing thing is that Italys defense minister Elisabetta Trenta reportedly gave assurances to Trumps national security advisor John Bolton that her government was committed to hitting its NATO target in the coming years. On current figures that translates roughly into a doubling of Italys annual military budget. Meanwhile, the Italian public have had to endure years of economic austerity from cutbacks in social spending and civilian infrastructure. Romes new coalition government comprising the League and Five Star Movement has called for a reversal in austerity policies and has vowed to increase public investment. Its leaders, like deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, have also at times expressed a lukewarm view of NATO. After this weeks bridge disaster, the populist coalition government has renewed its calls for more investment in public services. Nevertheless, why then is Italys defense minister giving assurances that the country will adhere to Washingtons demands for increasing its NATO budget? Minister Trenta, who belongs to the Five Star Movement, says her government remains committed to buying up to 90 units of the US new-generation F35 fighter jet. Aggregate figures show that Italy spent nearly $300 billion over the past decade on military. The previous decades outlay was even higher in constant dollar terms, before the financial crash in 2008. And yet the Italian government despite its populist appeal is planning to allocate even more resources to military over the coming years in order to meet Washingtons ultimatum for the NATO 2 per cent of GDP target. A target figure that seems wholly arbitrary and abhorrent in the light of so many urgent social needs and neglected public infrastructure. If Italian motorway bridges are collapsing now, the future for public safety looks even bleaker when more of the countrys economy is diverted to satisfy US-led NATO demands. Moreover, this dilemma is not confined to Italy. All European members of NATO are being railroaded by Washington to significantly expand their military budgets. President Trump has lambasted European states as free loaders cadging off American protection. Trump has singled out Germany for harassment to boost its military budget. After all the hectoring, the Europeans seem to be responding too. At the annual NATO summit held last month in Brussels, the Norwegian secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg boasted that non-US members had increased their national military budgets by an aggregate $40 billion in one year alone. A cruel irony is that last year NATO planners complained that Europes infrastructure of roads, tunnels and bridges needed significant upgrades to facilitate mass-transport of military forces in case of a war with Russia. The implication was that European governments would have to increase their national spending on civilian transport networks specifically to facilitate NATO military requirements. That is tantamount to a parasite craving for more blood from its host. Already European infrastructure is in disrepair largely because of economic austerity enforced by disproportionate spending on NATO militarism. At a time when public need for social investment is acute, European governments are obeying orders from Washington to plough more financial resources into subsidizing the American military-industrial complex. All this madcap, irrational expenditure is supposedly to keep European citizens safe from Russian threats. All too evidently, however, the biggest threat to European citizens is the way Washington and its NATO racket is bleeding Europe of financial resources resources which instead should be spent on building safe roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Waikato This job is based in Morrinsville so you must either be local or willing to travel.The hours are Monday-Friday and on the... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz Click the image above to watch the video Lets unite to end modern day slavery in the 21st century. This is the message that Edmond Vanderpuye will be bringing to a Tauranga audience at a dinner on Friday evening. Edmond is the CEO of International Needs (I.N) Network Ghana, invited here by International Needs NZ which has its NZ office in Tauranga. There are 45 million people held in various forms of slavery all around the world, says Edmond. Slavery was supposed to have ended with the UN declaration in 1948. The 1926 Slavery Convention or the Convention to Suppress the Slave Trade and Slavery was an international treaty created under the auspices of the League of Nations and first signed on September 25 1926. As of 2013, 99 countries have signed to commit to the convention, with New Zealand signing in 1953. However, there are many more slaves today than at any time in the history of the world, says Edmond. In very subtle ways, modern day slavery is perpetrated. The main ingredients are really this, if any human being acquires another human being whether by outright purchase, by coercion or by deception; controls that individual, denies them the opportunity of freedom of right, and exploits their labour for personal gain; it amounts to slavery. These were the elements when you look at the transatlantic slave trade. When you see these elements happening in our world today, you cant help but come to the sad conclusion that slavery is still existent, and very present in our world today. In the Volta Region of Ghana women and girls are enslaved by an occult practice and are commonly referred to as Trokosi or Fetish Slaves. I.N Network Ghana began in 1984, and in 1991 commenced a project to emancipate these Fetish Slaves. In the past few years the organisation has been a catalyst for many villages, emancipating over 3,500 women. Their work has been featured by the New York Times, the BBC and CNN. Fetish Slaves is a practice in Ghana where young girls are taken away from their families, placed in a shrine and they become the property of the fetish priest, to serve the offences or wrongs that have been committed by a family member, says Edmond. Weve worked over the last 20 to 25 years to make sure we set free women held in bondage; and provide skills training, counselling, and start-up capital to help them find life and live again. We received funding from the NZ Government to work in various communities in Ghana to make sure that young girls who are sexually exploited for commercial purposes have the opportunity to get a better life and get out of the practice. In 2006, I.N Network Ghanas project of Commercial Exploitation of Children in Fishing was judged second in the Annual Africa Initiative Awards organised in Paris by the People T.V. We have worked with the NZ Government to support children who have been trapped in the fishing industry and denied the opportunity of schooling and education, says Edmond. Their development and growth is endangered because they are engaged in hazardous work. As we speak now, we are working on a child trafficking project where we are trying to rescue children who have been trafficked from their families to the middle part of Ghana, and handed over to fisher folk who employ their services in fishing. They sit in wooden dug-out canoes which fish in an area that has a lot of tree stumps. When they cast the net, sometimes it gets entangled, and the job of these children is to dive into the river to untangle the net. It is hard work and they are prone to danger. There are tree stumps in the water where they dive. We had a case of a young guy who had his leg amputated, because there was an accident. Ghana has a population of over 29 million, and has had a democratically elected government since 1992. In 2002, Ghanaians witnessed the first-ever transition from one democratically elected government to another. As it is in many other parts of the world, slavery is not accepted in Ghana. John Elen has been the NZ Operations Manager for International Needs since 2014. One of the things that makes International Needs very unique is not that we send people to show them how to do it, says John. But we scan for very high quality skilled passionate people in their local community, like Edmond, and to the best of our ability empower and equip them to transform lives and change communities in their particular area and nation. Edmond Vanderpuye and John Elen. Edmond is here this week to promote and make people aware of whats happening in Ghana and how we as New Zealanders can play a part. International Needs started just over 40 years ago by New Zealander Ray Harrison who now lives in Wellington. It now operates in 35 countries around the world. Our purpose is to transform lives and change communities, says John, and we do that through things like child sponsorship and community development programmes. International Needs is a uniquely Christian organisation in that we unashamedly believe that when it comes to transformation and changing communities, yes, we can build schools and other buildings, educate and equip people, but unless real change happens within a persons heart, within their soul, then its not really going to happen. In the 30-plus countries that are part of the International Needs family, theres NZ, the UK, the United States, and Canada; that support and do our best to support leaders like Edmond and his team in Ghana. International Needs helps communities help themselves. The Mamanwa Tribe, in Leyte, Philippines, used to live as squatters on mining slag, without water or sewerage. The organisation helped fund 23 houses on their own land. In Fiji, International Needs NZ collaborated with NZ Aid and Youth for Christ Fiji to help solo mums. Fijian single-mothers are amongst the most vulnerable; they are ostracised and shamed, with no support from the government and no real support from family. They live in extreme poverty. The Solo Mum Programme trains local single mums to run their own businesses. The women are taught practical business and life skills over the 3-month course. The training is for women with little or no income who cant provide for their children and lack the confidence or means to change their circumstances. Once training is completed they return home with renewed faith and confidence in their abilities. Other I.N. projects and sponsorship is happening in Bangladesh, Bougainville, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Turkey, Uganda and Vietnam. My particular role, says John, is to build relationships between community groups, trusts, funders, and churches here in NZ, and like-minded partners overseas. We dont actually go and do the work, we just try and equip people and build the relationship. Its like being a broker between NZers that really want to make an impact in the world, and people overseas that want to be impacted. International Needs is very much about relationship and connection. We can get reports from overseas, we can get photos, but theres nothing like meeting the person in the flesh and hearing directly from them, about the changes that are happening in peoples lives, because of their involvement and support. Thats why Edmonds here, to put that personal relationship component and connection into our support base. Edmond has a career background in accountancy, and is married with four children. He is in New Zealand for 21 days, visiting supporters. Im loving it here. Every moment has been wonderful, says Edmond. As John mentioned, regularly we take opportunity to come back to our support base and our partners around the world to share with them what God is doing in our respective countries. In this case Ghana. We report on projects, on initiatives that have been funded by friends and churches and foundations in NZ. So thats really what the trip is all about. And of course to explore new possibilities in regards to developing partnerships. On Friday night at The Nautilus, Edmond will be talking about modern day slavery at a dinner for interested people. Modern day slavery is everywhere, says Edmond. You can find the footprints of it in Asia, India, Africa, the Americas, and Europe. What we need to realise is that the nature of man, irrespective of race, is one that is broken, and is depraved; and so man at all times wants to be self-seeking, and wants to exploit and dominate. Much as people may like to think about it in terms of race, its actually a human problem. And we must work together to ban all forms of slavery, anywhere in the world. Six main types of modern day slavery have been identified. There is forced labour; bonded labour; descent based slavery where families were born into a slavery relationship and they continue to serve generation to generation. Then there is child slavery, all forms of child abuse, child trafficking, child exploitation and child labour. These all come together into one broad definition of child slavery. Human trafficking is big, and thats what you find mostly around our world today. People migrate, sometimes not by their own free will. They are compelled to migrate after being presented with very attractive offers. But really when they get on the ground they find its not as it was described to them. Their passports and travel documents are taken away from them so then they are unable to move and remain stuck. They have to work for hours or years, to pay whatever initial investment was made to bring them to that location. Our form of transformation is holistic, says Edmond. You can do the buildings, you can do communities, you can do everything else but we believe in the mandate of Jesus Christ, when at the start of his ministry, in Luke 4:18 he said The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lords favour. If you believe that, its about us going out into the world, healing the sick, and setting people free. Thats what International Needs is all about. Transformation and change. One life at a time. Education plays a very big role in stemming the growth of modern day slavery. Education opens up opportunities for people, says Edmond. Education empowers and enlightens people and makes it possible for them to make informed decisions and choices. So any opportunity to educate young people, put them in school, access education, learn a trade, learn a skill its one way of ending forms of modern day slavery. There are several ways that NZers can be actively involved in helping International Needs reduce slavery and support children and communities. One way is via child sponsorship directly through the website www.internationalneeds.org.nz. As well as Fridays dinner Edmond will also be speaking at Katikati Baptist Church on Sunday August 19 at 10am, and Mount Baptist Church on Monday August 20 at 7.30pm. To attend Fridays dinner or find out more, contact John Elen on 07 578 6198 or email operations@internationalneeds.org.nz When the Steamers run out onto Rotorua International Stadium Saturday night to take on Taranaki they wont just be battling for Mitre 10 Cup competition points. Theyll also have their eyes on the brand new Chiefs Country Cup. The trophy has introduced by the Chiefs to foster friendly rivalry between the Super Rugby franchises four constituent unions Bay of Plenty, Counties Manukau, Taranaki and Waikato. It will be contested on a challenge basis similar to the Ranfurly Shield in both the mens Mitre 10 Cup and womens Farrah Palmer Cup competitions. The winner of Saturdays Steamers-Taranaki encounter will have the honour of being the inaugural holders of the mens version of the cup, and will then face a challenge from the next Chiefs provincial team they play, regardless of whether they are home or away. The Farah Palmer Cup fixture between Waikato and Counties Manukau on September 1 will decide which union is first to get their hands on the womens version. Depending on the outcome of that match the Volcanix may get a challenge the following week when they take on Waikato at Matata, adding further to the enticing prospect of provincial rugby at the picturesque Bay coastal venue. Bay of Plenty CEO Mike Rogers says his union is privileged to be the first to host a Chiefs Country Cup challenge, and believes its a great initiative launched by the Chiefs to link the four partners. "The cup ensures the rivalries will be at an all-time high between the four provincial unions with even more on the line to play for and provides a great connection between the Chiefs Rugby Club and the four unions and fans." The heart-shaped trophy, designed by Dave Burke, symbolises that the four unions are the heartbeat of the Investec Super Rugby team. The design also features a maunga which represents all the mountains in Chiefs territory, as well as the sacred waters that connect the four regions. Bay of Plenty Tired of lock down and want to get back too work? Are you looking to step up and become Supervisor? Well, my client might... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz They say it takes an army to move a mountain. Thats why Tauranga residents are being invited to come on board as volunteers in the annual Daffodil Day appeal. Each year the Cancer Society relies on more than 9,000 volunteers around New Zealand to make Daffodil Day a success. Since its inception in 1991, Daffodil Day has become one of the biggest fundraising awareness campaigns in the country and a symbol of hope for the one in three Kiwis affected by cancer. This year Daffodil Day is on August 31, and the organisation is looking for more than 500 enthusiastic ambassadors to deliver an exceptional fundraising appeal. Tauranga Daffodil Day Coordinator Karen Gemmell says Daffodil Day volunteers will experience a unique atmosphere, meeting new people and contributing to a cause which impacts so many New Zealanders. Together we can beat cancer, so we want to engage with all ages, genders, and communities to build on our fundraising results of previous years. There are a variety of volunteer roles across the region, so there is something for everyone. Volunteering roles range from helping to deliver more than 1,600 bunches of fresh daffodils to organisations and people around the city, to being the face of the street collection at more than 300 sites from Te Puke to Katikati. Daffodil Day is about raising much needed funds, so the society can provide support to people with cancer now, and help prevent cancers future. All of the money raised from Daffodil Day stays in the region where it was donated to help people in their local communities. The donations raised in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato region will enable the Cancer Society to fund vital cancer research, provide supportive care for people affected by cancer, keep communities healthy, and operate the Cancer Societys Lions Lodge. https://www.daffodilday.org.nz/volunteer/ Media have been banned from the grounds of Turangawaewae Marae at Ngaruawahia for the anniversary celebration of Maori King's koroneihana or coronation this weekend. Turangawaewae Marae spokesperson Moko Templeton said it was the first time such a ban had been imposed. Media would still have access to the event through a live stream, and Ms Templeton stuck by the decision not to allow media at Turangawaewae. Ms Templeton said the marae was concerned that the media would not focus on the kaupapa of the koroneihana anniversary - the 12th such celebration for Kingi Tuheitia. "Has there been a media ban in the past from coronation? No, there hasn't," she said. "I think it's a good decision because our role is to manaaki (support) the people who come to the footstill of the Kingitanga being Turangawaewae Marae." Ms Templeton said she expected thousands of people to descend on Turangawaewae for koroneihana celebrations. The koroneihana is a long held cultural celebration of the Kingitanga, which includes kapa haka and sports. Kingi Tuheitia is expected to give his speech on the final day of koroneihana celebrations next Tuesday. Controversy around Maori King's office The Maori king and his office have been thrown into spotlight this week after Tukoroirangi Morgan attacked the misspending of iwi money by Rangi Whakaruru. In the letter Mr Morgan said Kingi Tuheitia was a "puppet" king and his strings were being pulled by Mr Whakaruru. The Maori King's office the Ururangi Trust is currently under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office. Mr Morgan said more than $100,000 had been spent on perfume, beauty treatments and clothes - all paid for by the King's trust. He also claimed Mr Whakaruru had a $250,000 paypacket, took out big loans and bought expensive cars. Ms Templeton said she understood the King's office would not be making any comment until the SFO investigation report came out. "So we've just left that issue with them and back here at the marae at the home of the Kingitanga we're getting ready to host the thousands we're expecting to arrive tommorow." RNZ has been in contact with Tukoroirangi Morgan who said he would not comment on his letter until he was back from overseas. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 16) Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte may keep true to his word of stepping down from his post if former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. wins his vice presidential poll protest. In a media briefing Thursday, Roque addressed the issue of Duterte's preference for a constitutional successor. The President, on Tuesday, said he would rather witness the likes of Escudero and Marcos to be the country's next leader. Roque said Duterte may actually resign if the country had a different and 'more qualified' vice president. "What he said is a real statement of exasperation and a genuine wish to step down if there's a better leader or a qualified leader to take over," Roque told reporters. "He has said he thinks that Senator Bongbong Marcos is one of the better leaders to succeed him." Roque said if Marcos wins his protest and becomes vice president, then Duterte "will make true his word." Marcos had filed an electoral protest against Robredo to demand a recount of the 2016 vice presidential race. The Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, had already commenced the manual vote recount last April. Roque, however, stressed that despite numerous threats to resign, Duterte will remain as leader. "Because what he's worried about is if we were to use constitutional succession, then the successor may not be qualified. So you can conclude that if we have a different vice president, then he might consider stepping down," the spokesperson said. "But for as long as (a) nor (b) is not vice president, then he will not step down." But Robredo's camp, in a statement issued the same day, said Duterte's resignation will not push through as "Marcos will never win his electoral protest." Doubts, 'incompetence' Duterte had earlier expressed his doubts about Robredo, saying the vice president lacks what it takes to govern the country. The President, in his speech Tuesday night, voiced his qualms on the 'incompetence' of Robredo as an official when he labeled the vice president's hometown of Naga as a 'shabu hotbed.' In response to the allegation, Robredo said she would rather focus on working on the bigger problems the country is facing. "Ang daming problema ng bansa; asikasuhin na lang iyong problema ng bansa kaysa pulitika parati," Robredo said. (Translation: The country has a lot of problems; let's just fix these problems instead of engaging in these politics.) "Kasi kaming dalawa hinalal until 2022. Obligasyon namin pareho na gawin iyong lahat naming makakaya para sa bayan, kasi iyon iyong mandato sa amin," she added. (Translation: We were both elected until 2022. It is our obligation to do everything we can for the nation, because that is the mandate.) Meanwhile, former senator Marcos, in a statement, thanked Duterte for his "faith in my (Marcos') abilities." He urged the President not to leave his post as "people still need him for the betterment of our lives and our country." Click the image above to watch the video In today's forecast we are expecting a few showers turning to rain in the late morning, with a chance of thunderstorms, clearing to fine in the afternoon as northwesterlies turn westerly. It's a one-clothing layer day today with a high of 16 and an overnight low of 7 degrees. Humidity is 88 per cent. High tide is at 11.10am and low tide is at 5.20pm. There's a sea swell of .2m with a sea temperature of 15 degrees. Sunset tonight is at 5.37pm. If you're going fishing today the best fish bite time is between 4.30 and 6.30pm. In NZ history on this day in 1839 the New Zealand Company ship Tory arrived. The sailing ship Tory dropped anchor in Queen Charlotte Sound to pick up fresh water, food and wood before proceeding to Port Nicholson in the Wellington Harbour. In 1942 118 New Zealand prisoners of war died when the Italian transport ship Nino Bixio was torpedoed by a British submarine in the Mediterranean. In world history on this day in 1807 Robert Fulton's North River Steamboat left New York City for Albany, New York, on the Hudson River, inaugurating the first commercial steamboat service in the world. In 1908 Fantasmagorie, the first animated cartoon, created by Emile Cohl, is shown in Paris, France. In 1953 the first meeting of Narcotics Anonymous took place, in Southern California. In 1970 the Venera 7 was launched. It later become the first spacecraft to successfully transmit data from the surface of another planet (Venus). In 1977 the Soviet icebreaker Arktika became the first surface ship to reach the North Pole. In 1978 Double Eagle II became the first balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean when it landed in Miserey, France near Paris, 137 hours after leaving Presque Isle, Maine. In 2008 American swimmer Michael Phelps became the first person to win eight gold medals at one Olympic Games. Today is the birthday of Davy Crockett, the American frontiersman and politician who died in the defense of the Alamo. Born in 1786, he once said "better to keep a good conscience with an empty purse, than to get a bad opinion of myself, with a full one. To get involved in some of the many activities happening around the Bay, please check out our What's on page. Have a great day! DEWITT, N.Y. -- A teenager readying for his first day at college has died after crashing his car into the front of the Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville, according to his family. The 18-year-old man lives with his family just south of the library and was heading down Quintard Road when he crashed, damaging a utility pole and the front of the library. The crashed occurred around 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Police identified the teen as Blake J. Lucas, 18, of Jamesville. Lucas drove his 2015 Toyota Rav4 east on Quintard Road and failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection with Jamesville Road. His vehicle continued east off the roadway, struck a utility pole and rolled several times before colliding with the front of the library, police said. He was taken to SUNY Upstate Medical Center, where he died. There was no evidence Lucas consumed drugs or alcohol, police said. Scott Davis and Jane DeMarco, the teen's uncle and aunt, could be seen in tears surveying the damage on Thursday morning. They said they spent the night at the hospital and were struggling to comprehend the loss. The pair spoke briefly with a reporter. They said he was a "great kid" getting ready to begin college in Binghamton. "It's just a tragedy," Davis said. He was a lifeguard at the local YMCA and a star of a recent production of "All Shook Up" at Jamesville-DeWitt high school, the relatives said. Lucas is also listed among 37 AP scholars at Jamesville-DeWitt during this school year. The library is closed today because of the crash. Crews were working to repair utility poles along Jamesville Road above the library. 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. Syracuse, N.Y. -- There's a creek somewhere in the hills of Onondaga County where Stephen Mahan would take his oldest daughter when he could still carry her in one arm and her cousin in the other. We're going to see the alligator, he would tell them. He called the spot "Alligator Creek." They'd walk down the path. Or he'd carry them if they were tired. They'd approach the alligator, the kids full of fear and awe. "Oh, it moved," Mahan would tell them, cautioning them to stay back. They'd say hello and watch for a bit, waiting for it to move again. That little girl, Riley Mahan, is now 23. She knows now that alligator was a log, but she still wishes she could find the creek where her father spun one of her first adventures. "It might be kind of swampy, but I remember it as magical," Riley Mahan said. Adventure was woven into Stephen Mahan's soul. Everyone who knew him has a story of an expedition where they felt their hearts pound with equal parts excitement and fear, where they did something they never thought they could. Whether the trip was that Alligator Creek or down the rapids of the Yangtze River, Mahan's joy was showing people the thrill, the beauty, of the life that was all around them. Mahan died July 26 at the age of 61 in a motorcycle crash in Manlius. He was an accomplished white-water river guide who led people through parts of the world outsiders rarely saw. It was on the water that he met and befriended Bobby Kennedy Jr. and actor Richard Dean Anderson. Mahan could talk his way into, and out of, anything. He was an artist and teacher who created a program that married the resources of Syracuse University with the students of the Syracuse City School District, teaching kids to see the beauty in their own world. He was a dad who patiently taught his daughter who struggled with learning disabilities how to remember her spelling words. He was a husband who made his wife laugh every morning for 28 years. The layers of Mahan's life tell a story of a man who lived to show the world to others. *** Mahan grew up in Geneva and loved being part of things that moved. He raced motocross and, as a teen, was constantly on the Seneca River in his kayak. That's how he met Eric Hertz. Hertz was in college at Hobart and William Smith in town and Mahan was still in high school. They began kayaking the river and the rapids, together. A few years later, when Hertz began work as a white-water guide in California, he invited Mahan and some others who all cut their teeth on Upstate water to come to California and work the water there. Mahan's response was he'd be there after he rowed a baggage boat down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Mahan, who knew how to kayak, had no idea how to row a raft through rapids. But he was intent on learning it. He was rowing the bags, not the people, on the trip, so no one but him was at risk, Hertz said. "He said, 'There are no big rapids for three days, so I have time to figure it out,'" Hertz recalled. And Mahan did figure it out. He did so well, in fact, that the company offered him a job. He went to work with Hertz, instead. As he tells stories of Mahan, his friend for more than 40 years, Hertz steers back to how Mahan died. It was a motorcycle crash at dusk on Route 92. Witnesses said he had passed several cars when he collided with an SUV. The other driver has not been ticketed. Hertz ponders for a minute. Yes, his friend took risks, but not ones he didn't calculate. This was a tragic accident, not a final risk gone wrong. He turns to a story of the risk Mahan walked away from at 19. He and some other kayakers went to run the Niagara River Gorge. They're the biggest rapids in North America, and it's illegal to run them. Mahan was at the spot with others, staring down at the rapids. He decided against it. The risk was too great, said Hertz. "He really didn't do stupid things," Hertz said. That was why Mahan was the guide who Hertz always picked for tough trips, especially trips with celebrities, when his business, Earth River Expeditions, grew. "That was the reason I had him as a partner in Tibet," Hertz said. "It was because he would never put people in danger." Mahan led 10 rafting and conservation trips through Tibet. He loved the water and the people there, featuring them in a photographic essay, "Sketches from the Roof of the World." Hertz also trusted Mahan to ensure that everyone had fun. When Hertz began running river conservation trips around the globe, Mahan was often in charge - especially if there were famous people. Mahan could talk to anyone and make them feel at ease. It was on these trips that he met, and befriended, Kennedy and Anderson (Who played MacGuyver). Kennedy posted a tribute to Mahan on social media when he learned of his friend's death: "I knew Steve for his charisma, integrity and passion for river conservation. But his reliable wit and his lightening gift for precise and wry observations about nature, culture, politics and character were the qualities that made him a sought-after wilderness companion," Kennedy wrote. He and others would often remain around campfires with Mahan until dawn, laughing at the guide's thoughtful and funny stories. "He was always kind, humble and compassionate. His life was an exercise in idealism and goodness. Thanks for the template, Steve. I'm so lucky to have known you," Kennedy wrote. *** Mahan stopped working as a guide 12 years ago guide when his second daughter, Sadie, was born. He became a stay-at-home-dad to her while his wife, Mary Lynn, worked as an art teacher in the Syracuse City School District. Riley, his older daughter, was 11. He met Mary Lynn when he was 32 and she was 24 in the community dark rooms that later became Light Work. She was trying to use the enlarger but couldn't get it to work. He showed her how. "It was one of those things where you were head over heels right away," Mary Lynn Mahan said. They had been married for 28 years. They shared a love of art and words. And they balanced each other. He was adventure. She was caution. When Riley was little, Mary Lynn Mahan would worry if she wore open-toed shoes, said Melissa Chessher, a long-time family friend. Her daughter, Emily, grew up playing with Riley Mahan. "She was worried she would stub her toe," Chessher said. Meanwhile, Stephen Mahan was helping the kids build a contraption that they could ride in, racing downhill. "He just filled with life, light energy," Chessher said. "He was a human spark plug." Mahan also showed the kids that you can get into a little bit of trouble and come out just fine. Take the time they went to the circus. No one was sitting in the good seats, Riley Mahan recalled. So they did. It was a shame for the seats to sit there, empty. They ended up getting kicked out. On the way out, Mahan bought the crying kids inflatable aliens. They were later featured in a series of movies Mahan made with the kids about alien truckers. Even the filming of those movies was an adventure, Chessher recalled. Mahan would take the kids to quarries and other places they'd never seen to film the scenes. *** When Mahan stopped guiding on the rivers, he started showing people the world in front of them in a new way: the Photography and Literacy (PAL) Project at Syracuse University. Students from the Syracuse City School District would work with Mahan, other SU staff and students, to create their own art, telling the story of their own lives and world. In his own art, Mahan was always combining things - like an exhibit he did of hand-printed butterfly photos overlaid with beeswax-covered paper where he typed the meanings of words. Everything came together to be a message about the beauty and fragility of life. Mahan was teaching the kids to do the same, in a way. Their finished projects were often beautiful photographs overlaid with poems. But the process to get there often included reading and critical thinking that helped the kids see themselves and their potential. "Using photography, music ... you could encourage students to think about who they were, what their ideas were," said Jeff Hoone, who oversees the PAL Program. At the end, the students would have an exhibit of their work in SU's Warehouse building. The guy who once showed people the rapids of the Yangtze River, who was always moving, was leading this new kind of expedition. "It wasn't that he was teaching a class," Hoone said. "He was creating a space for learning to take place. It was magical." Mary Lynn Mahan said that work was one of her husband's great joys. "He made the kids feel like their voices were so valid and important," she said. "To the kids he would say, 'This is you time to speak, your time to be heard.'" *** In Stephen Mahan's house, his oldest daughter and wife sit in the living room, telling stories of their adventures with him. They look over at the dining room table. That is where he'd often sit and hatch his plans, Mary Lynn says. They'd decide to get lost in a cornfield. Or make pinhole cameras to watch the eclipse. Just weeks before he died, Mahan took his daughters on one last adventure. They rafted down the Colorado River with him. His older daughter, Riley, had been twice before. But it was Sadie's first time. A talented photographer already, the 12-year-old captured the essence of her father as he rowed his last adventure with her. Now, the voice of adventure is silent. But the adventurer left messages behind. One is a text message he sent both of his daughters last year that they returned to in the days after his death. It is a quote from the writer Joseph Campbell that ends this way: "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek. Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain." Marnie Eisenstadt is an enterprise reporter who writes about people, life and culture in Central New York. Have an idea or question? Contact her anytime: email | twitter | Facebook | 315-470-2246 GEDDES, N.Y. -- The $27 million project at the orange lot at the New York State Fairgrounds will be able to fit in just over 7,000 vehicles. That's a reduction of nearly 500 spaces from the state's original plans. The extra spaces were squeezed out when the state decided to widen the parking spaces on the southern part of the lot and add cash tolls for drivers coming into the lot. The wider parking spaces -- changing from plans of about 8 foot, 6 inches to 9 feet -- were added after concertgoers at the Lakeview Amphitheater complained about the narrow spaces, according to a state Department of Transportation spokesman. As a result of the widening, the lot will have 326 fewer spaces, said DOT spokesman Curtis Jetter. The new cash lanes will cost 172 spaces. Accounting for the changes, the new parking lot will accommodate 7,002 vehicles, Jetter said. The DOT ordered the changes to the parking spaces last week just as the contract was ending. A DOT spokesman said the changes will cost no additional time or money. With different-sized spaces in the new orange lot, parking crews will now separate smaller vehicles from larger vehicles as they enter the lot during the State Fair and for concerts. Wider cars will be sent to the wider spaces, a DOT official has said. The cash booths will join EZ-pass lanes at the lot, which were installed to move drivers quickly into the lot and prevent long lines of vehicles that sometimes backed up onto Interstate 690 on busy days. There is some dispute over how many spaces were added in the $27 million project. State Fair officials said there was space previously for 4,000 to 5,000 vehicles in the lot, which did not have lined spaces. The lot would also lose up to 30 percent of its capacity in heavy rains and flooding, which paving will prevent. The "4,000 to 5,000" number, however, is different than the governor's office has used in the past. A news release from Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office in January 2017 announcing the $27 million project said the old orange lot had a current capacity for 7,000 vehicles and that the new lot would fit 7,500 vehicles. (Syracuse.com and other media have used the 7,000 number in articles since then.) A similar figure -- 6,500 spaces in the existing orange lot -- was used twice in planning documents for construction of the Lakeview Amphitheater in 2014. Officials have since said the old lot could only ever accommodate 4,000 to 5,000 vehicles, and that the figure in the governor's news release was a typo. Officials said the new, wider spaces were striped on the southern end of the lot that hadn't been completed yet. No section of the lot had to be re-striped, so there is no additional cost to taxpayers from the last-minute change, according to the DOT. Project plans called for many of the spaces to be between 8 feet, 3 inches and 8 feet, 9 inches. The DOT has said the contractor met the contract requirements. The spaces in the Orange Lot are a bit narrower than the standards for nearby towns and villages. Construction codes in Camillus and Geddes, for example, require 9-feet spaces. The project was required to be completed by Aug. 15, according to the contract. State officials said the project is on time. The New York State Fair begins Wednesday. Concertgoers and fairgoers might notice that portions of the northern orange lot have been visibly re-striped, evident by lines of black paint over the old stripes. That's because the subcontractor -- O.H. Striping, based in Corning -- decided to fix some of the spaces. The company's owner, Jeff Bly, said a new employee made the corridors of parking spaces a bit too crooked for his liking, so he decided to do them over himself. He said his company, not taxpayers, paid to fix the errors. The project has required the pouring of 80,000 tons of asphalt and the construction of a new on-ramp to ease congestion. The project began later than anticipated this summer due to a long winter, and crews had to accommodate a busy concert season at the amphitheater. The project is aimed at improving the access to and from the fairgrounds and the Lakeview Amphitheater by preventing congestion that would build up on Interstate 690 during busy fair days and long wait times. The paving, the EZ-pass booths and a new westbound I-690 on-ramp will make travel to and from the fairgrounds much quicker and easier, officials said. SYRACUSE, N.Y. - State Senate candidate John Mannion has been stripped of the Reform Party designation in his bid for the 50th District seat after a judge today invalidated petition signatures obtained by one of Mannion's paid campaign aides. State Supreme Court Justice Norman Seiter ruled that Mannion will remain on the Democratic, Working Families Party and Women's Equality Party lines. Mannion is running against Republican Robert Antonacci, who also is the designated candidate of the Conservative and Independence parties. The judge's decision came after Antonacci supporters challenged Mannion's petition signatures in court. Attorneys for both Mannion and Antonacci stipulated at today's court hearing that all petition signatures gathered by Mannion campaign aide Dan Deragon would be thrown out as flawed, said Tom Dadey, Onondaga County Republican chairman, who attended the hearing. One of the signatures submitted by Deragon to the Board of Elections was apparently bogus, records show. The July 9 signature was purportedly from Meghan Mallaro, 24, of Onondaga. Mallaro, who now goes by Meghan Carranti, signed an affidavit Tuesday saying she has lived in North Carolina for the past two years and did not sign the petition, according to evidence provided by Antonacci supporters. Carranti also swore that she did not sign or submit the voter registration form submitted in her name in June. The current owner of the house where Mallaro formerly lived in Onondaga signed an affidavit saying the Mallaros sold the house and moved away in 2016. Deragon, 24, of Camillus, was a paid petitioner for the Mannion campaign, said Ian Phillips, Cayuga County Democratic chairman and Mannion's campaign manager. Phillips, who was not at today's hearing, said he did not believe Deragon submitted forged or fraudulent records. "I have no reason to believe that,'' Phillips said. Deragon and Mannion did not return calls seeking comment. According to campaign disclosure filings, Deragon was a paid staffer for the Cayuga County Democratic Party during 2017 and worked on Democrat Marty Masterpole's 2017 campaign for Syracuse mayor. The invalidation of signatures gathered by Deragon was enough to toss Mannion's Reform Party petition, but not his petitions for other party lines, Dadey said. Despite losing the Reform Party designation, Mannion plans to campaign for write-in votes in the Sept. 13 primary, Phillips said. Antonacci supporters filed an "opportunity to ballot,'' which means unaffiliated voters can write in any candidate in the Reform Party primary, he said. Mannion, 50, a biology teacher at West Genesee School High School, is making his first run for public office. Antonacci, 53, has been Onondaga County comptroller since 2008. He ran for state attorney general in 2010 and state comptroller in 2014. The 50th District seat opened up when longtime Sen. John DeFrancisco announced he would retire at the end of the year. Contact reporter Tim Knauss | email | Twitter | 315-470-3023 President Donald Trump says New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is having a "total meltdown" after Cuomo said America "was never that great." "Can you believe this is the Governor of the Highest Taxed State in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown!" Trump tweeted Wednesday. WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, IT WAS NEVER THAT GREAT. Can you believe this is the Governor of the Highest Taxed State in the U.S., Andrew Cuomo, having a total meltdown! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018 Cuomo responded on Twitter late Wednesday night. "What you say would be 'great again' would not be great at all...We will not go back to discrimination, segregation, sexism, isolationism, racism or the KKK," Cuomo tweeted. "Like NY's motto says: Excelsior -- Ever Upward (not backward)." Cuomo, the two-term governor of Trump's home state, sparked a firestorm earlier Wednesday when he criticized Trump and his famous "MAGA" slogan. "We're not going to Make America Great Again," Cuomo said at a bill signing in Manhattan. "It was never that great. We have not reached greatness. We will reach greatness when every American is fully engaged." Gasps were audible in the crowd, and backlash quickly ensued as the comments went viral. New York Republican Committee Chairman Ed Cox said all Democrats should condemn Cuomo's comment, and Marc Molinaro, the GOP candidate for governor, said Cuomo owes the nation an apology. "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. In his remarks, 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. "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 woman's full potential is realized and unleashed," Cuomo said. The Washington Post reports a 2016 poll showed just 7 percent of Americans agree with Cuomo's idea that America has never been "great." Spokesperson Dani Lever attempted to clarify Cuomo's comments later Wednesday: "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." At 1:30 p.m @NYGovCuomo says America was never that great by 4:11 p.m he changed his position to America is great - he changes his views quicker than #Omarosa Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) August 15, 2018 Cuomo, a Democrat, has long clashed with President Trump. He sarcastically "welcomed" the Republican back to Upstate New York on Monday 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. .@RealDonaldTrump: What you say would be 'great again' would not be great at all...We will not go back to discrimination, segregation, sexism, isolationism, racism or the KKK. Like NY's motto says: Excelsior -- Ever Upward (not backward) https://t.co/nrcUrsYJCO Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) August 16, 2018 FULL REPORT: 27 priests named in Penn. abuse report have ties to New York A former priest who served as a teacher at Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse is among those accused of weaponizing their faith to commit acts of sexual abuse against minors in a report from a Pennsylvania grand jury. READ MORE: Priests 'weaponized' Catholic faith to abuse kids Father Barry M. Hudock was a lay teacher at the private school, and was fired in February of 2009 when the allegations detailed in the report came to light, according to Brother Joseph Jozwiak, president of CBA. In the 884-page grand jury finding, Hudock was described as having engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior with a 17-year-old high school girl in 1996, prior to his employment at CBA. Here's a portion of the findings: "This sexual abuse occurred in several different locations within the victim's local parish community, as well as in different states...Hudock and the victim had engaged in kissing prior to the trip in the church rectory...Subpoenaed Diocesan records revealed that Hudock groped and kissed the victim on numerous occasions. It was also reported that Hudock showed the victim pornographic videos, undressed her in his rectory and sexually assaulted her." It was in 2008, after Hudock had become employed at CBA, that the victim contacted the Diocese of Erie to report the abuse. CBA was notified by the diocese, and Hudock was terminated shortly thereafter. At that time, Hudock was no longer a priest and was living in the Syracuse area. He was married with 7 children. Jozwiak, who started at CBA after Hudock was fired, said Hudock had excellent references and that the school would not had hired him if they had been aware of the allegations. "All the references were rather positive," Jozwiak said. "It must have been that other people did not know about his allegations when he was hired." Hudock is just one of 27 priests with ties to parishes and diocese in New York, who are named in the report. All the priests are accused of using rituals, symbols of the faith and religious dogma to groom, molest and rape children over decades in Pennsylvania. A full list of the 27 priests with ties to New York State churches and organizations, or who committed crimes in New York, can be found on NYup.com. FULL REPORT: 27 priests named in Penn. abuse report have ties to New York Patrick Lohmann contributed to this report Passengers on a plane at a Tennessee airport have been quarantined after a passenger was reportedly sick. WSMV reports American Airlines Flight 1289 flew to Nashville International Airport from Los Angeles Thursday. The airline confirmed that medical personnel are responding to an "ill passenger." Details of the illness and potential risks have not been disclosed. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee wrote on Twitter Thursday morning that he is one of the passengers being forced to stay on the plane while officials evaluate. "5 hr red eye flight on @AmericanAir Nashville from LA. On ground for 40 min and now told someone on board is sick & we are being towed to other gate and quarantined until all checked out. Can't get up to go to bathroom or get off plane. It's the Russians! I just know it!" he joked. "Hope it's not because I got that straw in CA!" Huckabee said in another tweet, poking fun at recent bans on plastic straws in some California cities. Leslie Mayo, a spokesperson for American Airlines, told The Tennesseean that flight 1289 landed just before 5 a.m. and has been moved to a "remote area of the airport" while the sick passenger is being evaluated. It's unclear how long the quarantine may last. 5 hr red eye flight on @AmericanAir Nashville from LA. On ground for 40 min and now told someone on board is sick & we are being towed to other gate and quarantined until all checked out. Cant get up to go to bathroom or get off plane. Its the Russians! I just know it! Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) August 16, 2018 The big picture: The digital assistant niche is getting crowded and like every crowded space, you either step off or gang up on the other guys. Given recent demos of Google's Duplex, the collaboration between Amazon and Microsoft has been dialed-up. Just a year ago, Amazon and Microsoft announced they were breaking ground on a collaboration to bring their digital assistants, Alexa and Cortana, to each others' devices. One year on and the two tech giants' are making their first results public. As of this week, US users on Windows 10 PCs, as well as owners of Alexa-enabled devices from Amazon, will be able to summon the others' digital assistants to carry out some tasks by proxy. This means you can call Alexa on Cortana and vice-versa. Right now you can get away with basic stuff, but you won't have access to music or other multimedia content. You can, though, check your daily calendar from Outlook on your Echo, or order something on Amazon through your desktop PC, simply by asking the digital assistant. The integration is still in its infancy and, to be honest, still fairly rudimentary. But Microsoft and Amazon have found it relevant enough to release to the general public. Microsoft and Amazon think users, rightly so, will have something to say about the final product, and are actively seeking feedback from users on the quality of the integration, taking suggestions on how to improve it. While the integration is generally complementary, as Alexa and Cortana operate in different spheres, you can't help but feel that the team up is partly to keep Google and Siri at bay. If you want to try it our right now on an Echo device, say Alexa, open Cortana and the assistant will show you the steps to set up your Microsoft account. If you're on a Windows 10 PC or have Harman-Kardon Invoke speakers, try Hey Cortana, open Alexa or click the microphone button and say open Alexa. Then just follow the steps to set up your Amazon account. Once your account is authorized, you'll be able to summon them just as you would on the original device. Neither Microsoft nor Amazon provided a list of features or of geographies to be covered with the integration, although both said the Skills would be incrementally enhanced over time to cover more and more actions. Why it matters: Ubers future almost certainly involves autonomous vehicles as not having to pay drivers would save the company a considerable amount of money. The best way to do that - whether it's by continuing to develop its own self-driving technology or partnering with someone else on the initiative - seems to be a point of contention among investors. Some investors are suggesting to Uber that it offload its self-driving vehicle unit, a source familiar with the matter tells The Information. Uber has reportedly sunk at least $2 billion into the money-hungry division over the past three years, the publication says, and has spent between $125 million and $200 million on it per quarter over the past six quarters. Uber shut down its self-driving truck project last month in order to focus exclusively on its driverless car segment. The divisions future was in limbo following an accident in March that killed a pedestrian in Arizona. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has been open to the idea of partnering with someone else on its self-driving venture and according to The Information, some executives believe he might even agree to transfer the unit to another company if he can get some sort of guarantee in return that theyd have access to future self-driving cars. With a potential public offering is expected as early as next year, Khosrowshahi may need to make a decision on the autonomous vehicle unit sooner rather than later. Something to look forward to: We know that 5G is set to be the next big thing in the tech industry, which is why companies are racing to support it. While Korean giant Samsung recently said that next years Galaxy S10 wouldnt be 5G capable, the firm has just released a new modem for devices that are: the Exynos Modem 5100. At the recent Note 9 Unpacked event, Samsung mobile president DJ Koh said the company is working with South Koreas carriers to release the first 5G phone, though it wont be the Galaxy S10. Whatever this separate device turns out to be, it will contain the Exynos Modem 5100. Built on the 10nm process, the chip supports both sub-6GHz and mmWave spectrums along with legacy networks including 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE. As the industry prepares the shift toward 5G, Samsung will continue to drive the growth of innovative ideas and new services in mobile applications and other emerging industries, said Dr. Inyup Kang, president and head of System LSI Business at Samsung Electronics. Qualcomm already has a 5G modem in the form of the X50, but Samsung says its version is the first that will be fully compatible with 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 15, the most up-to-date standard spec for 5G New Radio. Samsung says the Exynos Modem 5100 can hit peak download speeds of up to 2Gbps using sub-6GHz spectrum and 6Gbps using mmWave signals. On 4G, it can reach download speeds of 1.6Gbps Samsung didnt say when the Exynos Modem 5100 will arrive but did reveal that it would launch sometime before the end of this year. In related news, Sprint this week said that it was working with LG to launch a 5G smartphone in the first half of 2019. Yesterday, we reported that Amazon and Microsoft's year-long smart assistant partnership was finally bearing fruit. The two companies have worked together to bring their Cortana and Alexa virtual assistants to each other's devices. Windows 10-powered PCs, for example, let users access Alexa, and Cortana can be called from any Echo device. This partnership doesn't seem to benefit users in any meaningful way, though - Alexa can already answer virtually any question Cortana can and vice versa. Regardless, the partnership is developing even further soon. Microsoft is teaming up with both Amazon and Google to bring their respective virtual assistants to the upcoming Cortana-powered GLAS thermostat, created by Johnson Controls. This may seem like yet another pointless deal at first, but there's a method to Microsoft's madness - Google Home and Amazon Echo devices dominate the smart speaker market right now, so making GLAS more accessible to both company's customers could boost the thermostat's sales considerably. The GLAS thermostat, for the unaware, boasts a few unique features. It can monitor indoor and outdoor air quality, and automatically select the best temperature for your home at any given time based on your previous habits, potentially saving you money in the long run. If this new assistant partnership sounds like something you want to test for yourself, you can pre-order a GLAS directly from the official Johnson Controls website for $319. The device is expected to ship out on August 24. What just happened? Japan regulators are looking into whether Apple may have forced a competing platform out of business. Yahoo Japan recently launched a game streaming service called Game Plus, which allowed users to stream titles from other platforms to their iPhones. Of course, Apple does not like anything running on its hardware unless it can receive a cut of the profits, and allegedly pressured Yahoo Japan to cease operation of its service. According to Japanese news outlet Nikkei, the company claims it was forced to cut its budget for Game Plus shortly after launching due to threats from the Cupertino powerhouse. The company filed complaints with Japans Fair Trade Commission (FTC), which is now looking into the allegations. While Yahoo Japan has not entirely shut down its platform, it has stopped promoting it. It has already lost support from some high-profile producers including Square Enix, which has canceled an exclusive title that was in the works for the service. Game streaming is becoming more of a focus for many companies, and while it has not yet ironed out the kinks, many companies have already launched services including Sony, Nvidia, GameFly, and others. Apple can see this as a threat. After all, competition means sharing user base, lowering prices, and losing a ton of revenue. For example, Epic independently released Fortnite for Android cutting out the Google Play store as the middleman. This move means that Alphabet loses out on 30% of in-game sales. According to TechCrunch, this equates to an approximate projected loss of $50 million over the next five months. It is unclear what kind of pressure Apple was able to exert to force Yahoo Japan to back down, and we might not know until the FTC finishes its investigation. However, it is highly likely that it was an indirect push. Nikkei reports that a source close to the case has said that SoftBank Group, which owns nearly half of Yahoo Japan, has taken the position of mediator in the matter and has influenced the company to acquiesce. The investment powerhouse, Yahoo's largest shareholder, collects payments made by its cellphone subscribers to the App Store for Apple and keeps a portion of the revenue for itself. This would appear to be an apparent conflict of interest. However, issues like this work differently in Japan than they do in the US. An attorney familiar with FTC cases in Japan told Nikkei, If the parties involved don't cooperate, it's hard to prove wrongdoing. In other words, Apple and SoftBank could stonewall the FTC and get off scot-free. When asked for comment, the FTC said that it could not discuss open cases. Well just have to wait to see where this one goes. Facepalm: Apple's system admins must have been resting on their laurels to allow data to be stolen from their breached systems for more than a year. The incident must have been all the more embarrassing when they found out that it was a 16-year-old kid that pwned their protocols. A teen in Melbourne, Australia has hacked secure servers at Apple Inc not once, but numerous times over the course of a year. The companys systems are thought by some to be unbreachable, but the 16-year-old proved nothing is impossible. The boy, whose name is being withheld, secured access to Apples mainframe on multiple occasions over a period of about a year, reports Australian news outlet The Age. In the process, he stole approximately 90GB of data and was even able to access customer records. When Apple finally noticed the breach, it contacted the FBI, which turned the case over to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) when it discovered the origin of the attacks. The AFP exercised a search warrant on the boys residence and seized two Apple laptops, a mobile phone, and a hard drive. An analysis found the absconded data in a folder called hacky hack hack along with the tools he used to access the systems. "The teen broke into Apples mainframe from his suburban home on multiple occasions over a year because he was such a fan of the company." At Apples request, authorities did not go into detail regarding the methods the teen used to break into the secure servers. It does, however, appear that he used VPN tunnels to mask his identity. According to investigators, his methods "worked flawlessly" until Apple noticed. The teen was arrested last year and pleaded guilty in a juvenile court. His attorney said his client's admiration of the company is what motivated his actions. He is said to have dreamed of working for Apple. The judge on the case has postponed sentencing until next month due to the complex nature of the matter. In the meantime, Apple may soon be looking for a new systems administrator. Perhaps the kid should apply? Apple is set to launch two breakthrough products from 2020 to 2025, which could help further increase its value to around $2 trillion, according to a well-known insider. In a research note, Reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who now works for TF International Securities, said he expects the company to release the augmented reality glasses by 2020. In addition, Kuo predicted that the company could launch the Apple Car, which is expected to be the next breakthrough in the automobile industry, between 2023 and 2025. Kuo is considered to be an authority when it comes to inside information on Apple products before they are officially launched. In 2014, Kuo reported that the Apple iWatch will be very expensive. In 2013, he also revealed details about the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C, which were proven right when the units were launched. Apple Car Could Change Auto Industry Apple recently became the first publicly traded American company to reach a valuation of $1 trillion. According to Kuo, Apple could boost its market cap to $2 trillion through the AR glasses and Apple Car. In his note, Kuo said Apple could capitalize on the growing replacement demands that are emerging in the automobile industry due to the entry of new technology. The Apple Car, Kuo said, could introduce major changes to the auto sector, like what the iPhone did to the mobile phone industry. "Apple's leading technology advantages (e.g. AR) would redefine cars and differentiate Apple Car from peers' products," Kuo said in his note. The analyst added that Apple service will grow significantly by throwing its hat into the car finance market via Apple Car. "Apple can do a better integration of hardware, software, and service than current competitors in the consumer electronics sector and potential competitors in the auto sector," Kuo added. Reports about the Apple Car have started to emerge in 2014. Initially, Apple was expected to build an automotive plant in the United States, but the plan never took off. Apple also looked into the possibility of entering into a deal with an established car company, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, McLaren, Magna Steyr and China's BYD Auto. However, Apple failed to agree to enter into an agreement. Kuo Expects AR Glasses By 2020 According to Kuo, he expects Apple to launch its AR glasses by 2020 as part of the company's push to promote its user interface products. In the past, Apple was known for promoting UIs such as Mac's mouse, iPod's click wheel, and iPhone's multi-touch. "We expect Apple will redefine the UIs of existing products by offering an AR experience created by the AR glass, which will likely be launched in 2020," said Kuo. Earlier, reports surfaced that Apple is developing a head-mounted AR device with high-resolution displays and advanced wireless data transmission technology for communicating with a separate processing box. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A former priest named this week in the sweeping Pennsylvania grand jury report on sexual abuse in Catholic Church was transferred to the Diocese of Lafayette in the 1990s. Details concerning the transfer and other key points of Father John Bostwicks tenure are sketchy, and the grand jury report leaves some to the imagination. Foremost among the unresolved questions are whether church officials knew about the allegations prior to the transfer. +2 Questions about Archdiocese of New Orleans' need to disclose after abuse case against deacon In 2002, at the height of the sexual abuse scandal that devastated the Catholic Church, nearly 300 American bishops met in Dallas and created Whats certain is that Bostwick transferred to Lafayette in 1992, and that he was removed in 1996 while serving as administrator at Assumption Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Franklin. Bostwick's removal came just as sexual abuse allegations against him surfaced from the previous decade. Three years before the transfer to Lafayette, Bishop Walter Sullivan of the Richmond, Virginia, diocese recommended that Bostwick receive psychological counseling. The recommendation came in a letter to the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Bostwick was a member of the Diocese of Richmond but worked part time in Harrisburg from 1976 to 1990, according to the grand jury report. He refused to get counseling, but nonetheless received official permission to minister outside Richmond in 1990. He was transferred to Lafayette less than two years later. Mike Barley, a spokesman for the Harrisburg diocese, said the diocese knows of Sullivans 1989 letter because it was cited in a diocesan memo, but the diocese does not possess the letter itself. The reason Sullivan recommended counseling is not clear, Barley said. I dont know whats in that letter from Bishop Sullivan, but the records Im seeing here doesnt indicate anything about child sex abuse, Barley said. St. Landry Sheriff: Priest accused of sexually abusing minor surrenders, confesses The Lafayette Diocese priest accused of sexually abusing a teenager turned himself in Wednesday to the St. Landry Parish Sheriffs Office, 10 Barley said he does not know why Bostwick received permission to minister outside Richmond, or why he transferred to Lafayette. I have no idea, Barley said. Theres nothing there in the file about it. Bostwick had two short assignments in the Harrisburg diocese prior to moving to Louisiana. They lasted a combined 15 months, with the last one ending after just four months. A spokeswoman for the Lafayette diocese, Blue Rolfes, said Bostwick came at the invitation of former Bishop Harry Flynn, who had become friends with Bostwick at Mount Saint Mary's College and Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. Flynn's successor, Bishop Edward O'Donnell, immediately removed Bostwick upon learning of the allegation, Rolfes said in an email. Top stories in Acadiana in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "Despite an invitation from Bishop O'Donnell for any other victims to come forward, no complaints against Father Bostwick were ever made by anyone in the Diocese of Lafayette," Rolfes said. Bostwick was removed from the ministry altogether in 1996, following an investigation, according to the York Daily Record. Barley said Bostwick contested the allegations, but he could not confirm the results of the investigation. He got an attorney and was fighting it, Barley said. But then the records kind of just trail off, and it goes into nothing. Bostwick is still alive, according to officials with the Harrisburg diocese, although Barley said his whereabouts are unknown. Attempts to reach him were unsuccessful. Its not clear why the investigation started in 1996. The grand jury report does not say when Bostwicks two known victims came forward with their accusations of previous abuse. One victim said Bostwick abused him on at least three occasions, from 1980 to 1982, when the victim was between the ages of 12 and 14. Bostwick was a friend of the victims family, and the priest fondled the victim after the two drank beer together during an overnight visit, according to the grand jury report. The other incidents occurred in a seminary room and an undisclosed location. Bostwick tried to make the boy touch his genitals, according to the grand jury report, but the boy became scared and locked himself in a room. The boy remembered Bostwick becoming emotional, falling to the floor crying and apologizing, the report states. The other victim said Bostwick tried to make genital contact in the summer of 1987 when the boy was between 14 and 15 years old. Bostwicks time in Louisiana came on the heels of a child sex scandal that rocked the Lafayette diocese in the 1980s. The diocese in 2004 disclosed that 123 victims of 15 priests received $24.4 million in legal settlements. The money was paid out by insurers, who were forced to pay following a decade-long lawsuit that concluded in 1998. The insurance companies accused the diocese of endangering children by moving predatory priests from one parish to another. The diocese has never released the list of 15 priests. An interview request with Bishop Douglas Deshotel was pending as of Thursday afternoon. +2 James Gill: Catholic officials 'instinctively secretive,' even in defrocked New Orleans deacon's case Pretty much the world's first inkling that the Catholic hierarchy had been shielding pedophile priests came when Lafayette's Gilbert Gauthe pl Advocate staff writer Bryn Stole contributed to this article. Taco purists might balk at Govt Taco. The innovative joint combines Cajun, Southern and Mexican flavors to create tacos centered around count A federal appeals court says a Baton Rouge judge correctly dismissed a lawsuit filed by a deputy who blames the national Black Lives Matter protest movement for injuries he suffered during a deadly ambush of law enforcement officers two years ago. East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff's deputy Nick Tullier was critically injured in an attack that left three Baton Rouge law enforcement officers dead. He filed a lawsuit against Black Lives Matter and five of its most prominent activists, including DeRay Mckesson. +4 Lawsuit against Black Lives Matter: Tullier represented; Mckesson named; inciting 'violence against' police alleged Attorneys for one of the officers wounded in a lone gunman's deadly ambush on Baton Rouge law enforcement last July claim the national Black L The suit claimed the activists' criticism of law enforcement after a white Baton Rouge police officer fatally shot Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man, led directly to 29-year-old Gavin Long's July 17, 2016, attack on law officers outside a convenience store and car wash near Baton Rouge police headquarters. Long, a black military veteran from Kansas City, Missouri, was shot dead by police officers responding to the attack. U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson of Baton Rouge dismissed Tullier's suit for failure to state a plausible claim for relief. A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans affirmed that decision in a one-paragraph ruling late Wednesday. After consideration of the complaint, district court opinion, briefs, and applicable law in this matter, we conclude that no reversible error occurred, the panel said in an unsigned order. Tulliers attorney, Donna Grodner, said Thursday she was not in a position to discuss her next move because she had not discussed the ruling with the Tullier family. Grodner, however, noted that the appellate court panels ruling was unanimous, and she said asking the U.S. Supreme Court to consider a case is an extremely expensive proposition. Baton Rouge officer's lawsuit dismissed; Black Lives Matter can't be sued, judge says BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) A federal judge has ruled that Black Lives Matter is a social movement that can't be sued over an officer's injuries d Mckesson, who was arrested in Baton Rouge during a protest following the Alton Sterling shooting but not charged by prosecutors, said Thursday hes thankful for the favorable appeals court ruling. 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 This lawsuit was an attempt to silence me for speaking the truth and I will never be too afraid to tell the truth, he said. Tullier, who was identified in the suit as only John Doe Smith but whose injuries were described in detail, alleged in the lawsuit that the Black Lives Matter movement and its leaders are liable for his injuries. Tullier's lawsuit accused the Black Lives Matter activists of negligence and claimed they are responsible for Longs deadly attack because they knew or should have known that violently mentally disturbed persons would be aroused by their call to violence and retribution to police for the deaths of black men. Mckesson condemned Longs attack within hours of it occurring and said the Black Lives Matter movement began as a call to end violence and remains so. Sterlings controversial death on July 5, 2016, sparked protests in Baton Rouge and across the country. Longs ambush, which occurred on a Sunday morning, killed East Baton Rouge Parish sheriffs deputy Brad Garafola and Baton Rouge police officers Montrell Jackson and Matthew Gerald. The attack left Tullier and two other officers injured. Tullier was shot in the head, stomach and shoulder and nearly died. He still receives treatment for his injuries. Grodner also represents an unnamed Baton Rouge police officer who claimed in a lawsuit against Black Lives Matter and Mckesson that he was hit in the face by a chunk of concrete thrown during a protest in Baton Rouge after the Sterling shooting. Judge Brian Jackson threw out that suit as well, saying Black Lives Matter is a social movement and therefore cant be sued. The officers appeal is pending at the 5th Circuit, Grodner said. Baton Rouge police arrested a second suspect in the June killing of an Alabama man shot in an attempted robbery during an alleged drug deal. Shatner Lewis, 30, was arrested Thursday in the death of 33-year-old Sirroy Young, who was shot multiple times June 4 on North Donmoor Drive, said police spokesman Sgt. L'Jean McKneely Jr. Young died three days later. Baton Rouge police: Alabama man dies three days after shooting during robbery on North Donmoor; suspect arrested Baton Rouge police have arrested a Baton Rouge man suspected in the death of an Alabama man who was shot during an attempted robbery during an In June, police arrested Sedrick Lewis, 33, but said they were still working to identify the second assailant. Sedrick Lewis and Shatner Lewis are related, McKneely said. Shatner Lewis, 854 N. Donmoor Drive, was already in custody in Parish Prison for an unrelated incident and was re-booked Thursday on counts of first-degree murder and armed robbery. Sedrick Lewis, of 3523 Osceloa St., is still in Parish Prison, also booked on counts of first-degree murder and armed robbery. Maxwell Gruver, the LSU fraternity pledge who died last week, was found unresponsive at the Phi Delta Theta house "after a night of drinking," according to the LSU police report released Friday. Gruver, 18, of Roswell, Georgia, was taken by a private vehicle to the Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead last week. The five-sentence narrative outlined in the initial police report did not detail how much alcohol was consumed, Gruver's blood alcohol level or provide information about the events at the fraternity house. Several redactions were made to the document, which was provided in response to a public records request, and there was only one reference to who was at the house with Gruver the night before he died. "It is known that (redacted) and (redacted) were at the house consuming alcohol," the report states. The release of the report comes more than a week after the Sept. 14 death of the LSU freshman in what is being investigated as a potential hazing incident. While rumors have run rampant across LSU's campus and beyond, few confirmed details have emerged about what went on at the Phi Delta Theta house in the hours before Gruver died. "LSU Police are actively investigating the incident at this time," said LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard. "That process, along with the related toxicology reports, will be completed as quickly as possible, but will take at least a few weeks." Ballard added that LSU would not provide anymore updates until the investigation is complete. The day Gruver died, LSU President F. King Alexander announced that Greek activities ranging from pledging to parties would be indefinitely suspended. On Thursday, the school said that beginning on Sunday some activities, such as philanthropy and homecoming decorating and events, would be allowed to resume. Greek organized tailgates are banned this Saturday, but next week they will be allowed again, with new restrictions on alcohol and requirements that the parties are pre-registered. While announcing that some Greek activities could resume, LSU Director of Greek Life Angela Guillory warned students in fraternities and sororities that some significant changes were coming. "It is important to understand that there will be no return to 'normal,'" she wrote in an email to fraternity and sorority presidents and advisers. "There will be a movement to a new understanding of how the Greek system will operate. We aren't just thinking about changing the rules; we are thinking about changing cultures." 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 Both a law enforcement investigation and a Code of Conduct investigation are in progress. As of Friday, there had been no arrests and no disciplinary action for any individual student. However, Phi Delta Theta's national organization earlier this week closed the LSU chapter, saying the group's alcohol-free housing policy had been violated. East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III said law enforcement is still conducting interviews and doesn't expect any major announcements in the case for at least a couple weeks. He said students are mostly being cooperative, but some have chosen not to give statements. An autopsy showed high levels of alcohol in Gruver's system, East Baton Rouge Coroner Beau Clark said. The report also added that THC, the chemical found in marijuana, was detected in Gruver's system. Gruver's official cause of death will not be determined until toxicology and other testing is complete, Clark said, which could take as long as four weeks. However, Clark did rule that there was no internal or external trauma found during the autopsy. Can't see the video below? Click here. Stand for Children Louisiana, a prominent educational group in the state, is asking Connie Bernard to step down from her seat on the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board because of her behavior during a profanity-filled confrontation she had Aug. 10 with several young people having a party down the street from her home that was caught on video. Stand for Children announced its stance in a statement Thursday from its executive director, Carrie Griffin Monica, who said Bernard's behavior is not the type of example and behavior we should set for our children, community, and district. +3 Baton Rouge school board member apologizes for using profanity; DA looking into confrontation District Attorney Hillar Moore said Tuesday he is looking into a confrontation among an East Baton Rouge Parish School Board member and young The group is the first to make a public call for Bernard to resign. Stand for Children is a prominent supporter of charter schools and has in the past contributed thousands of dollars to candidates it supports in local School Board races in Louisiana, including those in Baton Rouge, as well as races for the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Elected officials, particularly those responsible for the education and well-being of our children, must be held to the highest possible standard, Monica said. Connie Bernards profanity and behavior were not only extremely inappropriate, but profoundly unacceptable for someone elected to represent and make decisions on behalf of students and families. If a teacher were to behave as Bernard did, the response would be swift and severe," Monica added. She urged other School Board members and candidates in the Nov. 6 School Board elections to also urge Bernard to resign. Bernard will not be on the ballot. In mid-July, she was re-elected to a third term after no challengers emerged to run against her. Stand for Children Louisiana has come out against Bernard before. In 2014, the group gave Bernards opponent Chris Bailey $6,000 in his unsuccessful bid to unseat Bernard, who was first elected to the parish School Board in 2010. 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 Messages left Thursday for Bernard were not returned. District Attorney Hillar Moore has said he is looking into the confrontation to determine whether Bernard should be prosecuted. Sheriffs deputies who went to a home on High Lake Drive in south Baton Rouge late Friday issued a misdemeanor summons to Bernard, accusing her of entering and remaining after being forbidden. Can't see video below? Click here. (Warning: The video below contains explicit language). Bernard apologized Monday for her language, which included using a single obscenity 8 times in a 22-second stretch but made clear she has no plans to step down from her School Board seat. The youth had called 911 after Bernard entered the home in the Lakeside subdivision and confronted partygoers. A video showed her grasping one young man at the base of his neck, but deputies did not cite her for committing any act of violence. State Superintendent of Education John White said Thursday morning salaries for public school teachers need to be raised. "We have to increase teacher pay," White said. "This has to happen now." White made his comments in an interview with Jim Engster on his "Talk Louisiana" radio program. The superintendent noted teacher pay has slipped below the regional average after the state reached that longtime target in 2007. Teachers are paid an average of $49,244 compared to the $50,949 for the region compiled by the Southern Regional Education Board, according to 2015-16 figures, the latest available. The national average is $58,064. Basic state aid for public schools has been frozen for the past decade. Gov. John Bel Edwards has said that, in 2019, he hopes to recommend a 2.75 percent increase, which was traditional for years before Louisiana started being plagued by recurring budget problems. 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 Half of that boost would fund modest teacher pay raises, and lawmakers may push for a bigger boost in an election year. White said the state needs to be sensitive to pay for shortage areas, including math and science teachers. The superintendent also sided with teachers on their annual evaluations, which have sparked controversy for years. Education Superintendent John White gets positive job review from BESE for sixth straight year State Superintendent of Education John White got a positive job review Wednesday, the sixth consecutive year he has done so. He noted that most public school teachers are educated in state schools funded with tax dollars. "If they are ineffective it is not shame on them," White said. "It is shame on us." Professional support for educators is essential, he said. "Accountability without support is not a wining formula," White said. Five Baton Rouge-based cleaning companies are suing Philadelphia-based Aramark, claiming the corporate giant used them last year to help retain a lucrative contract with the East Baton Rouge Parish school system, only to later renege on the deal. The five companies, whove banded together as the Business Partners Alliance, want the court to block Aramark and another company, the Atlanta-based Carter Brothers, from terminating their old operating contract and seeking proposals from competitors. They filed the litigation Friday. Aramark gets nod for five more years in East Baton Rouge schools, despite others offering cheaper prices Despite being significantly underbid by two other large national companies, Philadelphia-based Aramark is preparing to start negotiations to c State District Justice Janice Clark has scheduled a hearing on Sept. 10 on whether to grant the plaintiffs' request for a preliminary injunction. Clark has yet to rule, though, on whether to issue a temporary restraining order that would take effect immediately. Of the five allied companies, the chief executive officers of four have signed an affidavit saying they are willing to testify to the accusations. They are Brenda Sims with Final Touch Custodial Service LLC, Danny Bonfiglio with Jani-Care Commercial Cleaning Service & Supply Inc., Will Campbell with Millennium Consultants, and Carranza J. Guidry with Rover Janitorial Service LLC. The chief executive officer of the fifth company, Expert Cleaning Inc., did not sign the affidavit. The Business Partners Alliance alleges that Aramark and the Carter Brothers are violating Louisianas Antitrust Law, engaging in a variety of unfair business practices. Several of the companies that make up the alliance are minority owned, helping the school systems meet its goal of having 20 percent of its business go to minority- and women-owned businesses. The companies say they have suffered financial losses due to the behavior of the defendants, noting at least one of the companies has consequently sought bankruptcy protection. More than $666,000 raised for East Baton Rouge school board races Much of the more than $666,000 raised for East Baton Rouge Parish School Board elections this year is being spent on three races that voters w Guidry, who often goes by "C.J.," is well known in school circles. He has given generously to candidates for School Board through the years. He did not return messages left with him seeking comment. Much of the case centers around a letter of intent Business Partners reached with Aramark on March 31, 2017. Aramark had drawn up the letter 21 days before in order to keep in these five companies on board as its subcontractors while it prepared its proposal to keep the facility management contract with the school system, which Aramark has held since 2004. Rather than negotiating an extension with Aramark, the school system opted in 2017 to seek new proposals from Aramark and competitors. The five companies became the Business Partners Alliance and prepared their own application to do the work Aramark had been doing. On March 31, the deadline to apply, Aramarks then associate vice president, Terrance Ransfer, made a last-minute oral promise to increase the pay rate of the Business Partners if the companies pulled their application, and the companies agreed, according to the lawsuit. 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 The plaintiffs argue that Aramarks successful retaining of the contract could not have been consummated without the active cooperation of the Business Partners. Yet, they claim, Aramark never lived up to its end of the bargain. Contrary to the representations of Aramark, the defendants had no intention of honoring any promises made to Business Partners, the lawsuit alleges. While the Business Partners signed the letter of intent, Aramark did not, according to the lawsuit. Aramark also allegedly did not inform Business Partners that it had already partnered with Carter Brothers and that Business Partners from then on would be dealing with the Carter Brothers, not Aramark. The lawsuit alleges Carter Brothers has been harassing, intimidating and holding Business Partners checks so they cant pay their over 600 employees. This harassment came to head last Friday when Carter Brothers said they were about to terminate the contract with the five subcontractors unless they agreed to allow the company to seek proposals from competitors. That same day, Business Partners filed the lawsuit. Aramark agrees to cut price by $5.3 million a year after negotiations on EBR school contract After four months of negotiations, the East Baton Rouge Parish school system has struck a deal with Philadelphia-based Aramark to handle schoo Aramark has a great incentive to cut its expenses. Aramark beat out 11 bidders to keep the contract. After months of negotiation, Aramark agreed to reduce its overall annual price from $27.2 million to $21.9 million, a savings to the school system of $5.3 million. That was $3 million less than the price Aramark submitted in spring 2017, but still $2.3 million more than the price of its chief competitor, Cleveland-based GCA Services Group. Dele and Felicia Adebamiji are the attorneys for the Business Partners Alliance. A clerk in their law office told The Advocate on Wednesday that they have no comment on the litigation theyve filed. A spokeswoman for Aramark said the company has not yet been served the litigation and therefore had no comment. Attempts to reach Carter Brothers representatives were unsuccessful. Besides Aramark and Carter Brothers, the plaintiffs named the school system and former Aramark executive Ransfer as defendants. The lawsuit blames the school system for a lack oversight and breach of fiduciary duty. We take strong exception to being made a defendant in this litigation, said Domoine Rutledge, general counsel for the school system. "A plain reading of the petition does not evidence an alleged valid claim against us, which leaves us puzzled as to why we were made a defendant. Frankly, we find this litigation, as it relates to the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, to be wholly without merit. Attempts to reach Ransfer were successful. Louisiana politicians are digging in their heels as Mississippi pursues plans for a new reservoir on the Pearl River they fear could harm the Bayou State's ecology. During a meeting at the Louisiana capitol on Thursday, the attorney for a Mississippi flood control district tried to allay fears by emphasizing that the "One Lake" proposal is still in its early phases. +3 Report endorses controversial project to dam Pearl River, create lake near Jackson, Miss. Widening the Pearl River near Jackson, Mississippi, is the best way to prevent flooding in the area, a Mississippi levee district concluded in We will continue to raise objections at every stage, Sen. Sharon Hewitt, R-Slidell, responded. The Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District is run by the state of Mississippi and local authorities around the state capital, Jackson. District representatives told the Louisiana Lower Pearl River Task Force that Jackson is still vulnerable to floods, such as the devastating storm of 1979. There have been many proposals, but most aren't workable. Their best bet, District Attorney Keith Turner said, is a $350 million plan to move an underwater dam, known as a weir, downstream from its current location and shift around some levees. That would create a reservoir "lake" on the Pearl east of Jackson, Turner said. Hewitt is concerned the reservoir will prevent an adequate amount of water from flowing downstream into Louisiana. A dearth of freshwater would damage wetlands by altering their salinity, could hurt native species like oysters and creatures on the endangered species list and may affect industrial discharge by providing too little water to dilute chemicals, she said in an interview. +8 Pearl River advocates keep wary eye on Mississippi plans they say threaten downstream ecosystems Swamp tour operator Paul Trahan pointed to the almost motionless water on the West Pearl River on a recent afternoon a mirror-like surface t Already a half-dozen Louisiana departments including environmental quality, natural resources and wildlife and fisheries are reviewing the One Lake plan and preparing to submit responses, Hewitt said. The Mississippi proposal drew so much public response that the comment period had to be extended and will now close Sept. 6. In fact, while they were at the capitol Thursday morning, the Mississippi team was also preparing to go to a public hearing in Slidell that evening. 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 Turner said the One Lake plan is still undergoing its draft environmental impact study. Proponents will have to respond to each comment, either by altering the plan or explaining why doing so would be unnecessary. The design has already changed to due public concerns, now calling for low-flow gates to guide water downstream during drought conditions, said engineer Blake Mendrop. +2 Plan to dam the Pearl River in Mississippi is drawing increased opposition from these groups What was once called the "two lakes" project, a controversial idea to prevent flooding in the Jackson, Mississippi, area by damming the Pearl The Mississippi team spent considerable time at Thursday's meeting talking about an existing nearby Pearl River reservoir. If anything, it's helped the overall health of the river, they said. Sen. Beth Mizell, R-Franklinton, sardonically remarked that she had full confidence in the decades-old reservoir but no more reason to place the same trust in the new proposal. Turner noted that Mississippi has not yet performed all the work they'll need to do before One Lake can be built, but the project will always be bound by myriad state and federal environmental and conservation laws. Louisiana Rep. Malinda White, D-Bogalusa, wants a Louisiana representative on the Rankin-Hinds Drainage Control District to make sure that the downstream ecology isn't damaged. "We're just blessed with lots of green, lots of rivers, lots of tributaries. I just don't know if we're taking care of it the way we should," she said. Turner said putting a Louisiana representative on the Mississippi board would require fundamental changes to the district's authority, but White said it is an avenue worth pursuing. In a separate but related matter, state contractors and Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority staff said the state is slated to receive $1.2 billion in federal Housing and Urban Development funding in the fall or winter, some of which can be used to perform watershed modeling, such as the state is currently performing in the Amite River Basin. Task force members strongly encouraged state authorities to consider modeling the Pearl River basin next, so authorities will have another tool to evaluate proposals that could change the local hydrology. Students starting school this week in St. Joseph a town whose entire drinking water system was replaced earlier this year must carry bottled water because the state and a university lab found extraordinarily high levels of lead and copper in Tensas Parish elementary and high schools. The first sip from one of the high school water fountains detected lead at 402.6 parts per billion about 27 times the legal limit of 15 ppb, according to an analysis by the Virginia Tech lab whose June 2015 discovery of lead in the Flint system has embroiled Michigan. Lead affects the part of the brain responsible for abstract thought, attention and memory. It is particularly dangerous for children. The Louisiana Department of Health found lead readings not quite as high but exceeding the level that requires action at three water fountains and the kitchen tap used for cooking. Additional samples were taken Friday and likely will be drawn again in a week. Dr. Jimmy Guidry, the state health officer, fears that as St. Joseph was harbinger of a growing health problem across the state caused by small towns being unable to keep their drinking water systems maintained, the lead findings at the two St. Joseph schools presage similar issues for Louisiana aging school structures. I expect we will find some lead in the schools, Guidry said. 'Most distressed' drinking water systems? Governor's panel identifies 10 to start overhaul Out of the hundreds of Louisianas dysfunctional drinking water systems, the governors kitchen cabinet has found the 10 worst on which they p In the meantime, Guidry told The Advocate Wednesday that the Tensas Parish children are not to drink the water at school. Theyre pretty accustomed to not drinking from water fountains anyways because of the problems theyve been having, in the northeast Louisiana town, Guidry said. Lead readings St. Josephs drinking water in 2016 prompted Gov. John Bel Edwards to shut down the 90-year-old system for the town of about 1,000 residents. New pipes, pumps and filters were installed at a cost of about $10 million for Louisiana taxpayers and the water was turned back on in March. The new system ensures water arrives at its destination pure and clean. But the building owners are responsible once the water passes the meter. Many of the elderly and low-income residents cant afford to repair the plumbing in the structures built before the 1970s when lead pipes and lead solder were commonly used. The two public schools serve the whole of Tensas Parish and have about 500 students, according to the Department of Education. Tensas Parish School Board President Paul Nelson was out Wednesday, according to his office, and was unavailable to answer questions. 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 But the School Board stated in a release that the schools were working with the LDH to resolve these issues and ensure good quality water is available. In particular, the schools would regularly and aggressively flush the lines, distribute water bottles and prepare meals using water shipped in from a clean source. Until the lead levels return to acceptable limits, an alternate source of water must be provided to the students of these two schools, the LDH letter to the school board states. A group of Southern University students, working with Virginia Tech scientists made the collections at the schools and in some vulnerable St. Joseph homes earlier this summer, said Janie Jones, director of St. Joseph Disaster Relief & Research Task Force. She had worked in Flint with Virginia Techs Dr. Marc Edwards, who found lead in the water there. Jones asked the School Board to meet with Edwards. The dramatically elevated levels found by Virginia Tech likely came because the water had been sitting in the pipes unused without the children in school. That allowed more lead to seep into the standing water. Running water treated with an anti-corrosive chemical through the pipes, called flushing, already is bringing down some of the lead levels, Guidry said. The chemical coats the inside of the pipes and keeps the pipes from leeching lead. In addition, the fountains were old and had lead fixtures, Guidry said. Those fountains have been replaced. The states test results in August while still shocking twice the standard werent as dramatic as those found in the samples Virginia Tech took in July. Guidry says that indicates that flushing and new fountains help. I expect well see lower levels (of lead and copper). If not, we have other options, Guidry said. The most obvious replace the buildings old pipes is costly. Its not easy to change out pipes, Guidry said. +4 Some St. Joseph residents still not getting clean drinking water despite taxpayer-funded $10M repairs Louisiana taxpayers ponied up nearly $10 million to replace a system that was delivering lead-laden drinking water in the antebellum town of S The Legislature earlier this year ordered Guidrys office to specifically test a dozen schools around the state. Its part of a pilot that could lead to the state regularly checking the water inside school buildings as opposed to the current practice of periodically checking unless a problem is suspect. Entergy lost about $5.9 million from unpaid electric bills during the August 2016 floods and now wants its money. The utility is asking state regulators to allow a surcharge on monthly bills for the roughly 468,000 customers in 20 parishes, even if their accounts were never in arrears. This additional rider to monthly bills would cover the amounts not collected because of orders not shut off the lights and assess late fees on people flooded out of their homes. Entergy sells power to about 1 million customers in 59 parishes. More than 20 inches of rain fell over two days starting Aug. 12, 2016. Several rivers and more bayous backed water into about 109,000 homes 41,000 of them in East Baton Rouge Parish alone and into 6,000 business establishments, according to Entergys filing with the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Damages are expected to exceed $15 billion when all is counted. +3 Entergy customers to see lower electricity bills now that 2005 hurricane debt paid off Louisiana regulators approved lowering monthly electricity bills for Entergy customers now that expenses of getting the power back on after hu The PSC issued three orders beginning Aug. 17, 2016, that forbade utility and water companies from disconnecting customers for nonpayment and from charging late fees on customers in parishes impacted by the emergency. The orders stayed in place until March 2017. The 2017 order also allowed the companies to collect the revenues they lost during the time the orders were in effect and thats what Entergy is asking permission to do. Central Mayor Jr. Shelton said he understands but doesnt appreciate the actions of Entergy and the other utility companies. His town was under waist-high water for about a week in 2016. There were a lot of things that we did, as businesses, as government, as civic groups that were done to help people in a time of need, Shelton said Wednesday. And dont think a single one of them went and tried to recoup those losses. Entergy spokesman Michael Burns said Wednesday in an email: The Louisiana Public Service Commission staff has supported our request in a manner similar to the requests made by other utilities in the region and according to the rules spelled out in the commissions 2017 order. Burns added that the utility donated $500,000 for flood relief and more than 400 Entergy employees did volunteer work during the crisis. 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 The five elected members of the PSC already have agreed to let Baton Rouge Water Company collect its lost revenues. Because utilities operate as a monopoly in their service territory, state law gives the PSC the ability to signoff on decisions made by these private companies that impact the rates charged. Generally, a utility company is paid for making and transmitting electricity plus a guaranteed profit. Customers also must pay the costs for restoring power after storms. This month a decade-old surcharge rolled off after the costs for restoring power after hurricanes Katrina and Rita were paid. Customers are still paying for getting the lights back on after hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Isaac. The flood costs are similar. PSC staff lawyers determined that Entergy lost revenues of about $5.1 million because the company couldnt collect late fees and didn't enforce timely payments by switching off the power to customers. Administrative expenses, such as mailings, added nearly $800,000 more for a total of $5.96 million. Entergy proposes, and the PSC staff agrees, that customers pay the amount over the next 12 months. The five commissioners would have to agree too, and they dont meet again until September. If approved, a Baton Rouge or an Acadiana Entergy residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity would pay 17 cents more per month for a year. The bill for that customer was $87.90 in August. A small business using up to 5,000 kWh would see the monthly bill increase by $1.10. Other Entergy residential customers, mostly in the Florida parishes, would pay 18 cents more for the same amount of electricity. The August bill for those customers was $95.81. A typical residential customer uses about 1,300 kilowatt-hours of electricity in a month. The carcass of a juvenile dolphin was collected today from Lighthouse Beach on Sanibel. City officials reported that the animal was retrieved this morning and transported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for a necropsy. Yesterday, crews removed three large carcasses during the cleanup, which included one goliath grouper an endangered species and two tarpon. At this time, the city has a crew of 30 contractual laborers and equipment collecting residual fish that wash ashore at least twice a day. It also has two contractual boats cleaning residual fish from the canals and any additional cleanup on the bayside that cannot be accessed from shore. In City Manager Judie Zimomras daily report today, the success of the islands beach cleanup over the past three weeks was directly attributed to the leadership of the citys elected officials. We also truly appreciate the tremendous support of the workers in the field completing this odoriferous and strenuous task, she added. Thank you. In addition, todays report will be the last, unless the circumstances change significantly. With the rapid mobilization of significant labor and equipment over the past three weeks, we have removed the death and devastation deposited on our shores, Zimomra said. We are well aware that the removal of the dead sea life is not a solution to our regions water quality challenges. Rest assured, however, as a city and as a community, our top priority remains water quality. After this horrific experience, we are even more committed to the dogged pursuit of long-term solutions to the freshwater discharges from Lake Okeechobee and storm water runoff from the Caloosahatchee watershed. Today, the city issued a new call to action requesting a Stop of the Lake O Discharges. It is asking that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to implement emergency actions to maintain flows at or below 3,000 cubic feet per second. Protect our environment, protect our local businesses and protect our property values and act, she said. We need your voice to stop the devastation Sanibel has experienced since the freshwater releases began in June. Todays first light of day report from city staff is as follows: Lighthouse Beach Current Conditions: Good on Gulfside and poor on bayside Red Tide: No irritation present Odor: Moderate Deposits: Six to 25 dead fish every 10 feet Sanibel Boat Ramp Current Conditions: Fair Red Tide: Not present Odor: Not present Deposits: Four dead fish every 10 feet Algiers Beach (Gulfside City Park) Current Conditions: Good Red Tide: Very slight irritation present Odor: Not present Deposits: None present Tarpon Bay Beach Current Conditions: Good Red Tide: Very slight irritation present Odor: Not present Deposits: None present Bowmans Beach Current Conditions: Good Red Tide: No irritation present Odor: Not present Deposits: None present Blind Pass Current Conditions: Good Red Tide: No irritation present Odor: Slight Deposits: None present Turner Beach Park Current Conditions: Good Red Tide: No irritation present Odor: Not present Deposits: None present Based on tides, winds and currents, the conditions may alter quickly and significantly. If you encounter a large carcass needing removal, email the address to sanpw@mysanibel.com photos and an exact location help or contact the Public Works Department at 239-472-6397. A Louisiana Air National Guard Chinook helicopter brings in a large sand bag to be placed on the road in front of Alligator Bayou Road as Bayou Manchac floods over the road as severe weather flooding in Ascension Parish on Tuesday August 16, 2016. Aretha Franklin's father, the flashy religious orator Rev. Clarence LaVaughn "C.L." Franklin, was a rock star in the gospel world. He was also a close friend of Mahalia Jackson, the New Orleanian deemed the greatest gospel singer of them all. Jackson was an enormous influence on C.L.'s talented daughter. Blessed with one of the most potent voices in all of popular music, Aretha Franklin in her prime sang with unparalleled passion, spirit and soul, confidently serving both the secular and the spiritual with deep-seated emotion born of hard-won experience. Rolling Stone crowned her the greatest singer of all time, an honorific unlikely to be revoked. Consider all that her reinvention of Otis Redding's Respect meant, as sung by a black woman in 1967. Her technical abilities were every bit as impressive as the intangibles. And her accomplishments are all the more remarkable given the difficulties and drama of her early years. Her backstory is as bold as her voice, the former as flawed and human as the latter was divine. Aretha Franklin, the 'Queen of Soul,' has died after battle with cancer DETROIT (AP) Aretha Franklin, the long-reigning "Queen of Soul" who sang with matchless style on such classics as "Think" and her signature By age 15, Franklin, already the mother of two children, was on the road with her father's gospel caravan tours. In October 1957, one of those tours stopped at the Municipal Auditorium. She would later recall her long-ago trips to New Orleans and reminisce about the Dew Drop Inn, the famous La Salle Street nightspot. Fast forward several decades. On May 1, 1994, she headlined the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival's WWL/Ray-Bay Stage (now the Acura Stage). The previous night, she shared a bill with B.B. King and the Gospel Soul Children for an evening concert at the UNO Lakefront Arena . By then, she had formed a close friendship with Bishop Paul S. Morton Sr., founder of New Orleans' Greater St. Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church and an accomplished gospel singer in his own right. Franklin joined him on the title track of his 2004 album "Seasons Change." "Our friendship spans 50 years and it progressed to me being deemed her spiritual counselor," Morton said in a statement Thursday. "We were not only connected via our love for each others music and vocal abilities, but via ministry as well. ... Our fathers, Rev. C.L. Franklin and Bishop C.L. Morton Sr., had back to back international radio programs on CKLW radio for over 30 years. "Of course, recording a song with the 'Queen of Soul' is something I will always remember. But one of the highlights of my singing career was performing with her on the main stage at the Essence Music Festival. May the Lord bless and comfort the Franklin family in this time of grief. Shes gone but will never be forgotten." Morton's appearance with Franklin at the 2012 Essence Festival ranked as one of the show's highlights. Backed by the Greater St. Stephen choir, they engaged in a triple-time gospel workout. Franklin riffed with, and off, Morton, her shouts and wails illustrating once again just how much gospel informed her singing. At that late stage in her career, Franklin's performances could be erratic. Shes certainly not the first artist who found it difficult to sustain a high level of artistry in her later years. She disappointed local fans with more than one canceled appearance. She was included in the initial talent announcement for the 2009 Jazz Fest; she was slated to precede the Neville Brothers on the final Sunday. Weeks after the schedule was unveiled, her name was replaced with a "TBA," even as Jazz Fest producer Quint Davis worked to salvage her appearance. "It's taking much longer than we thought to resolve," he said in February 2009. "We could have walked away from it; we're being very patient. Some things are worth waiting on." Ultimately, Franklin opted to take the year off. She was booked again for the 2010 Jazz Fest. She actually made it to New Orleans aboard her customized tour bus she disliked flying only to cancel barely 24 hours before show time. She reportedly didn't like the smell from the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that was wafting over the city at the time. Given that history, it came as a surprise that the Jazz Fest announced her for the 2018 festival. When the roster was unveiled in January, Davis expressed optimism that Franklin would finally make it back to the Fair Grounds. "Every indication is yes, she's coming," he said. "She's ready." +2 Aretha Franklin again cancels on the New Orleans Jazz Fest due to health; Rod Stewart to step in If the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival was depicted as a "Peanuts" comic strip, producer Quint Davis would be Charlie Brown and Aretha But she wasnt. She had already announced plans to retire from touring. As she was deep into the battle with pancreatic cancer that finally claimed her life Thursday at age 76, her handlers should never have accepted bookings for 2018. She appeared shockingly thin at Elton John's AIDS foundation gala last November, which turned out to be her final public performance. Her health, it became clear, was much more precarious than she let on publicly. In hindsight, it's no surprise she backed out of this years Jazz Fest (Rod Stewart replaced her at the Fair Grounds). Franklin also withdrew from a 76th birthday show in New Jersey scheduled for March 25. Thus, the 2012 Essence Fest turned out to be her swan song in New Orleans. That show was not without its memorable moments. During I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You), she alternately placed a hand on her hip and wagged a finger at an imaginary lover. Such sass hinted at the glory of yesteryear. But that night at the Dome, she sang only a dozen or so songs. She didnt even find time for Respect. And if theres anything Aretha Franklin deserves, it's respect. A former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office deputy pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing drugs during traffic stops and giving them to his girlfriend. Kenneth Szalajeski, 36, of Folsom, faced two counts of malfeasance and two counts of distribution of marijuana in connection with incidents in May and October 2016. He was sentenced to five years in prison, with four years suspended, on both malfeasance counts, and 10 years, with nine years suspended, on the distribution counts. The sentences will be served concurrently, effectively giving Szalajeski one year of jail time, followed by three years of probation. He faced up to five years on the malfeasance charges and up to 30 years on the distribution charges. "I have always believed that Szalajeski committed wrongdoing and Im pleased that justice has been served, Sheriff Randy Smith said in a statement. Smith also said that "at all times, the sheriff assisted and cooperated fully with the district attorneys investigation that ultimately led to Szalajeskis indictment." That claim is disputed by a whistleblower lawsuit filed by former Chief Deputy Fred Oswald. Oswald, who was former Sheriff Jack Strain's No. 2, remained in that position when Smith became sheriff in July 2016. But Smith fired him a year later. Oswald alleges that he was fired days after ordering two detectives to turn over evidence against Szalajeski, who had been under investigation for several months, to the District Attorney's Office. 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 The suit acknowledges that Smith fired Szalajeski, but accuses Smith of trying to cover up the case. Smith has denied that. Wearing a blue shirt, gray pants and a dark tie, Szalajeski assured 22nd Judicial District Judge Raymond Childress that he understood the charges against him and that he was waiving his right to an appeal. Childress said there were "plenty of people who want to give police a bad name, and they don't need any help on that." At the request of the defense and over the objections of prosecutors, Childress allowed Szalajeski to report to jail Friday. Prosecutors argued that there were indications he might try to flee and noted that he owns several guns. "He is now a convicted felon," Childress said, adding that as such, Szalajeski is prohibited from possessing any firearms. He also warned the former deputy that if he did not report to jail as scheduled, he would be arrested and Childress would impose a more severe sentence. "You as an officer violated the public trust," Childress admonished Szalajeski. "Actions such as these reflect not just on you but on all law enforcement." Adnan Alasar snatched his killers pistol away with one of his final breaths in December, clutching it until the gunman fled and first responders arrived, according to New Orleans police. That act may make prosecutors job a little easier as they pursue their case against the man who was later arrested in California and charged with Alasars murder, according to legal experts. Murder weapons aren't always recovered, but when they are, authorities' cases tend to be stronger. Lavar Butler, 21, pleaded not guilty Wednesday, three days after he was transferred from a lockup in Los Angeles to the New Orleans jail. Court documents released to The Advocate on Thursday reveal, for the first time, exactly what police say happened during a botched robbery that left Alasar bleeding to death the night of Dec. 6 at a Subway sandwich shop he owned in Gentilly. A police affidavit says a man clad in a hooded sweatshirt and other dark clothes barged into the store in the 2100 block of Caton Street and ran behind the counter. He wielded a semi-automatic handgun and demanded money from the register. Alasar refused. He started wrestling with the robber over control of the gun, and the fight spilled outside the shop. Eventually, the robber fired a bullet into Alasars chest. The impact knocked Alasar off his feet, but as he fell, he managed to wrest the pistol away from his assailant. The shooter fled, abandoning the gun, police said. Paramedics took Alasar, 51, to University Medical Center, where he died. Police stopped short of specifying how they linked Butler to Alasars killing. But the restaurant had a surveillance camera system, and Butler's fingerprints were on file. He was serving probation after pleading guilty in Dallas to robbing a McDonalds at gunpoint less than a week after the restaurant had fired him in late 2015. In addition, after they developed Butler as a suspect in Alasars slaying, investigators placed his photograph in a lineup shown to an unidentified person who had witnessed the shooting. That person picked out Butler as the man who had shot Alasar, Homicide Detective Thaddeus Williams wrote in an affidavit. Williams secured a warrant to arrest Butler on Dec. 8, two days after the killing. Authorities in Los Angeles captured him about six months later. 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 An Orleans Parish grand jury on July 26 then indicted Butler on charges of second-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm, and he was moved to the local lockup on Sunday. He faces mandatory life imprisonment if convicted of murder. Former prosecutor Donald "Chick" Foret and former New Orleans Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas both said that Alasars ability to grab his own murder weapon could be significant if Butler stands trial. Having the alleged murder weapon available will buttress prosecutors case, they said. If the jury is able to see the weapon, touch the weapon, look at photographs of the weapon at the scene, then it gives the jury a visualization of how the crime was committed, Foret said. If you can fill in all the details of a case, it makes it much more viewable ... for the jury. Butler remains behind bars in lieu of more than $1 million bail. A motions hearing in the case is set for Sept. 13. Alasar was survived by his wife and three children. He was from Syria but had settled in Gretna. New Orleans police were investigating after a bomb threat was sent to an area high school this week. Police said a threat was made to a school in the 5300 block of St. Charles Avenue, the general area of De La Salle High School. An email was sent "threatening students and teachers" if financial demands weren't met by Thursday, police said. Additional police units were assigned at the school after the threat was sent, and remained there on Thursday. Calls to the school's office were not answered; police said the school did not close. The FBI was notified. In other matters recently handled by local authorities: Police on Wednesday night arrested a 23-year-old woman accused of stabbing an unidentified person in the calf during a domestic fight in the 7000 block of Martin Drive in New Orleans East. Police identified the suspect as Tyira Jones, and they said the victim took a private ride to the hospital. 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 New Orleans police on Monday arrested five men on allegations of drug dealing following a raid in the 5900 block of Tullis Drive in Algiers. Police said the raid turned up crack cocaine, marijuana, Ecstasy, pharmaceutical pillsm a stolen gun and $900 in cash. Those arrested were Vincent Robertson, 20; Javon Lacrosse, 20; Authur Stevenson, 23; Eric Harris, 21; and Richard Martin, 22. Keithen Banks, 24, surrendered to authorities Thursday on allegations that he intentionally started a care fire in late 2017 in the 1000 block of Minor Street in Metairie, the Louisiana State Fire Marshal's Office said Thursday. He'd been identified as a wanted suspect nine days earlier. He was also wanted on various warrants obtained by the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office, Harahan Police Department and Kenner Police Department. The offenses of which he is suspected on the other warrants include burglary and theft, the Fire Marshals Office said. Staff writers Jeffrey Nowak and Ramon Antonio Vargas compiled this report. Orleans Parish grand jurors on Thursday handed up charges against four young people accused of kidnapping and robbing a man who was taken to Slidell at gunpoint last month. Grand jurors also charged a man accused of raping a 7-year-old girl a few years ago. In the first case, police said the victim went to the 5900 block of Boeing Street in New Orleans East on July 2, 2018, because he believed he would be meeting a woman there after becoming acquainted with her on social media, said a statement from Ken Daley, a spokesman for District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro. He was instead met by Christopher Jacobs, 18; his brother Payton Jacobs, 19; and Joshua London, also 19. He had been lured there by Chante Simmons, 20, who was Payton Jacobs girlfriend, Daley said. The victim later told police the group robbed him at gunpoint of his cellphone, car keys, cash and gun. Pictures on the victims phone showed him near a large amount of cash, so the robbers forced him to drive to Slidell in attempt to collect that cash as a ransom from associates of the victim, Daley said. The victim managed to escape by jumping out of his black 2010 Ford Mustang in Slidell while his kidnappers fled in the vehicle. Daley said police nabbed London the following day while he was spotted near the stolen car. Police then arrested the Jacobs brothers and Simmons at a home in Metairie on July 18. All four now face one charge each of aggravated kidnapping and armed robbery, which in Louisiana are two of the most severe crimes short of murder and rape. Aggravated kidnapping convictions carry mandatory life imprisonment. Armed robbery convictions carry between 10 and 99 years in prison. 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 Payton Jacobs had been arrested in April in connection with a carjacking at gunpoint in the 1800 block of Dante Street in the Leonidas neighborhood. He received three years of probation on June 21 after the victim successfully urged prosecutors to let Payton Jacobs plead to the lesser charge of motor vehicle theft. Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge Robin Pittman set bail at $150,000 for the three men and $75,000 for Simmons. In the second case, 40-year-old David Lewis was charged with first-degree rape following accusations that he forced a girl to perform oral on him in the bedroom of a home in Central City in 2015 between Jan. 1 and April 30. This May, when the girl was 10, she disclosed the abuse to her mother, Daley said. Lewis faces mandatory life imprisonment if convicted. Pittman set his bail at $60,000. This is not the first time Lewis has been accused of sexual violence. He pleaded guilty in 2007 to sexual battery and received a sentence of time already served. Lewis is one of 13 defendants that Cannizzaro's office has charged this year with the first-degree rape of a child. Staff writer Ramon Antonio Vargas ANZ Bank has admitted that the main risk of its plan to sell superannuation accounts through its branches was that customers would end up worse off if they switched their retirement savings into the bank's product. The royal commission into financial misconduct has also heard the bank's internal assessments viewed the plan to sell super through bank tellers as highly risky, which could even jeopardise the bank's financial services licence. ANZ's head of superannuation, Mark Pankhurst, leaving the royal commission on Wednesday. Credit:Daniel Pockett The commission on Thursday morning questioned ANZ's head of superannuation, Mark Pankhurst, over the bank's strategy of selling the bank's Smart Choice super products after "A to Z" reviews of customers. ANZ sold $2.6 billion worth of the super accounts through its branches between 2012 and May 2016, and it now has $3.6 billion in assets under management for this product. Has Andy Penn done enough to save his job at Telstra? It was a question worth asking on Thursday as beaten down shares in the telco behemoth enjoyed their best session on the sharemarket in quite a while. But the man himself wouldn't be drawn on it. "I'm not paying any attention to other peoples speculation," Penn told this column in an interview following the company's uncharacteristically tedious results announcement. "Im focused on the task at hand." Telstra CEO Andy Penn Credit:AAP Image/Peter Rae Penn's future at Telstra has been the subject of much conjecture in recent months, but a few things seem to be working in his favour at the moment as he clings on to the job. Including the reaction to yesterday's result. Car dealerships are fast becoming sought-after tenants in shopping centres and the ground floor of office towers to ease the stress of buying vehicles and improve brand awareness. Westfield was one of the first to offer Tesla a ''shop front'' at its London mall and the trend has spread across the globe. Tesla also snared a prime ground-floor lease in Sydney's 20 Martin Place when the office tower was built. According to the director of advisory and transaction services and investor leasing of retail services at CBRE, Zelman Ainsworth, car retailing is big business and retail landlords are happy to accommodate a shop front where appropriate. The Toyota shop at Rouse Hill, which is owned by GPT Group. While there is an issue of rents and whether dealerships can lease spots in the car park of a centre as a mini showroom, there is demand for an accessible way to look at a new car without the stress of going to a traditional car yard along a suburban road. This lively and valuable memoir is a series of individual essays. Rather than a chronological structure, each chapter is self-contained, devoted to a theme or episode Carr wants to vent about. This helps to make it a good read, but of course also makes it easier for the writer to omit episodes that, for whatever reason, he does not wish to include. It is ironic then that today, 29 years later, Carr's most prominent role in public life is as a defender of China. In his chapter on what he calls the China Panic, he rightly points to its sources in American alarm and resentment at China's success, and the problematic role played by ASIO in elevating public concern. He dissects how the public level of alarm is out of proportion to the incidents that have occurred. He pays little attention, though, to the problematic lack of boundaries between state institutions and seemingly independent companies and voluntary groups, in this the type of regime he used to so vehemently detest. The first time I saw Bob Carr perform as Opposition Leader was in 1989. An event to commemorate the deaths of demonstrators at Tiananmen Square was held at Sydney University, and Premier Nick Greiner, Carr and others spoke. Carr's speech was notable for being the most unflinchingly ideological. He likened the Chinese demonstrators to the Polish dissidents then protesting against Soviet rule, and thought that the awful violent outcome in Beijing was all but inevitable in authoritarian communist regimes. Run for your Life by Bob Carr. Apart from recounting incidents and reflections from Carr's own life, the unifying theme is a paean of praise to a life of public service, and to the special demands and satisfactions of politics, with the ready admission that political logic demands choices that do not always align with personal fairness. He brings a refreshing degree of self-criticism to this political memoir, a genre more usually marked by unrelenting self-righteousness. He disarmingly admits how his wish to advance his political ambitions was always a central factor in his actions. He draws on a wide range of political literature while reflecting on his decisions, although this means sometimes a quote from Abraham Lincoln is followed a few pages later by an extended discussion of toll roads. One interesting chapter recounts his experience with the pro-Israeli lobby. Carr had been an active supporter of Israel, but when he agreed to present the Sydney Peace Prize to Hanan Ashrawi, whom he saw as an advocate for a peaceful path to Palestinian statehood, the full wrath of the lobby came down on him. The lobby's pressure not only shocked Carr, but set him on a journey where he became an effective and articulate critic of Israel, and an opponent of what he saw as the bullying tactics of the Israeli lobby in Australia. Carr is a skilful advocate but still an advocate. He argues, in my view persuasively, that during his leadership there was no compelling evidence that former Labor minister Eddie Obeid was corrupt, and that had he found any evidence, political self-interest, as well as principle, would have dictated he act decisively to eradicate it. But by excusing himself, he condemns his party. How was it that so quickly after his parting, the gruesome trio, as he calls Obeid, Ian McDonald and Joe Tripodi, gained such power at the heart of the NSW Labor government, and corruption thrived on a scale matched in recent Australian history only by WA Inc and Joh Bjelke-Petersen's Queensland? Surely such serious transgressions demand much more searching analysis than a lame reference to Labor's excessive mateship. 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. According to Miss Pop, this cheerful crystal design is an evolution of the bejewelled makeup and hairstyles seen recently on celebrities. She said she loves the jewels that Janelle Monae has been wearing in her hair, done by her hairstylist Nikki Nelms. To recreate this scattered pattern, mix about four crystal colours (any more than that will not look cohesive). Miss Pop used both baguettes and round shapes, which you can find at a bead and trim store or order online. "I used fancier glass ones here, but plastic is more bang for your buck and will still look good," she said. To apply, dot tiny beads of clear eyelash adhesive on your hand. Pick up each rhinestone with a wax pencil and press gently onto the glue, which takes five minutes to dry. Stagger the end points of each rhinestone trail. "The scattered pattern is so forgiving," Miss Pop said. "When you start losing your rhinestones, no one will notice." On the nails, Miss Pop used a thin "striper" brush to paint each colour of the rainbow and filled in the other half of the nail with white polish. The horizontal coloured lines are the most difficult part of this manicure. "If the stripes are too hard, there's no reason you can't do some version of it, painting each nail a different colour or applying colour on just the tips of the nails," she said. If you can use a felt-tipped liquid eyeliner, you can do this. Credit:New York Times Cutout Shapes If you can use a felt-tipped liquid eyeliner, you can do this hand art, Miss Pop said. The main idea here is to repeat the shape on the nail on the hand. To get an even rectangle cutout, use a brush to paint a thick horizontal line a third down the nail. Divide that line into thirds, with two vertical lines that end at the tip. Cross those two vertical lines with a second horizontal line slightly above the tip of the nail. Polish around the rectangle created at the centre. With a liquid eyeliner pen, draw a rectangle starting at the cuticle. "The waterproof liner will survive several hand washes," Miss Pop said. Ombre glittered hands are the easiest and longest lasting of all. Credit:New York Times Glitter Dip Ombre glittered hands are the easiest and longest lasting of all. "It looks like it would come right off, but it isn't going anywhere unless you really want it to," Miss Pop said. This very fine glitter sets durably with spirit gum adhesive. Paint your nails first. Miss Pop paired baby blue ("a classic '90s colour") and soft yellow with holographic silver glitter. "You have to use cosmetic grade glitter," she said. "If it's safe for your eyes and lips, it's safe for your hands." Brush a thin layer of spirit gum all around the finger. Make sure you get the pads right underneath the nails. Then, using a flat brush, press the glitter onto the glue. To get the ombre effect, add a second layer of glitter tighter around the cuticle and fingertip, then brush the excess up the finger. To remove the glitter without ruining your polish, wrap your fingers in cotton soaked in spirit gum remover for a few minutes, then rub off. The best DIY option is to buy beads in ready-made clusters, then create your own design with those. Credit:New York Times Bespoke Beads A mix of the Met's Heavenly Bodies exhibition and a trip Miss Pop recently took to Versailles informed this ornate design. She applied each bead individually, which she acknowledges is a time-consuming and delicate task, particularly for a nail art novice. Shes just returned from seven weeks in Europe and is already planning a Panama Canal cruise next year. Leaving home Thailand is a popular location for retirees. Credit:Tanya Lake Theres no accurate data for the number of Australians who retire overseas. But we do know 82,708 retirees collected the age pension overseas last year, or 3.3 per cent of the total, up almost 8 per cent in four years. The main destinations were Greece, Italy, New Zealand and Spain. Smaller numbers are seeking a more relaxed lifestyle in South-East Asia thats easy on the pocket. The cost of living is 50-80 per cent lower than Australia and its just a short flight away from family and friends. International Living magazines 2018 Global Retirement Rankings placed Malaysia and Thailand top overall. For cost of living, the winner was Vietnam. For healthcare, Malaysia. Malaysia and Thailand offer special visas for Australian retirees, excellent healthcare, low tax, theyre pretty safe, friendly and English is widely spoken. Brett Evans, managing director of Atlas Wealth which specialises in expat finances says 40 per cent of his clients looking to retire overseas do so because of the high cost of living in Australia. For these clients, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines and New Zealand are the top destinations. Others simply say its their time. Theyve worked hard, raised a family and now they have more freedom. Loading Financing the big move is not as difficult as you might imagine. The age pension and super pensions are portable, but there are catches. Anyone thinking of retiring overseas needs to plan not just pensions but tax, accommodation and healthcare. Accessing pensions If youre eligible for a full or part-age pension you need to be in Australia to lodge a claim unless you live somewhere that has a social security agreement with Australia. For example, Italy has an agreement which means Australians can apply and serve their waiting period in Italy. China does not, so you need to return to Australia to apply and wait two years before you can return overseas permanently and continue receiving payments. The rate of pension paid to people living overseas is based on the number of years they worked in Australia from age 16 out of 35. Say you worked for 20 years, you would receive 20/35ths of the basic rate. Super is agnostic about where you live, but some countries tax withdrawals. This is generally not the case in Asia but developed countries may have wealth or inheritance taxes or social security levies, so do your homework. If you have insurance in your super fund, in the majority of cases its no longer valid. Brett Evans Evans says some super funds refuse to pay pension income overseas and insist you leave the fund. Insurance can also be an issue. If you have insurance in your super fund, in the majority of cases its no longer valid (once you retire overseas), he says. If you have a self-managed super fund (SMSF) management and control needs to reside in Australia to be eligible for tax concessions. Before retiring overseas, seek advice so see whether it would be best to wind up the fund, roll over to an industry or retail fund or appoint a personal representative in Australia as trustee. Otherwise, you could end up paying tax of 47 per cent on pension income as well as on assets in the fund. Be careful about what you do with your home. Credit:Peter Braig What to do with your home Evans says one of the big decisions now is what to do with Australian property. In legislation before the Senate, the government proposes removing the main residence capital gains tax (CGT) exemption for non-residents. Previously expats had a six-year window during which they could rent out their former home and decide to sell or keep it with no CGT consequences. Under the new rules CGT will be backdated to the purchase date. People are now selling their homes before they move overseas, says Evans. Its not all bad news though, as sellers can take advantage of the new super rules allowing downsizers to tip up to $300,000 each into their super. Evans says another strategy is to withdraw all your super and reinvest it outside super. Then you can draw down as much or as little as you like but be aware that share dividends are taxed differently if you are not an Australian resident. You still receive franking credits which can be used to offset non-resident withholding tax, depending on whether your adopted country has a double taxation agreement with Australia. Looking after your health Unless you move to a country with a well-developed public health system you will need health insurance and premiums can be high. In ten years time, Canberra students might be sitting down to classes in "creativity" and "critical thinking" rather than English, or working alongside local experts to help solve problems in their community. Welcome to the future of learning in Canberra, as envisioned in the ACT government's new and much-lauded education strategy. Unveiled on Thursday, the Future of Education project is a 10-year road map to bring personalised learning to the centre of every school in the territory - and the product of 18 months of conversations with the community. ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry with students at the release of the new strategy on Thursday morning. Five thousand Canberrans were consulted in its design, almost half of them students. The construction union has pledged to "vigorously fight" charges of cartel conduct laid against it by the corporate watchdog. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission alleges the union attempted to induce the territory's steelfixing and scaffolding businesses to engage in cartel conduct. On Thursday, the watchdog revealed it had laid charges against the ACT branch of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union and its secretary Jason OMara. ACCC Chair Rod Sims said the union and Mr O'Mara are each accused of attempting to "induce suppliers of steelfixing services and scaffolding services to reach cartel contracts, arrangements or understandings containing cartel provisions in relation to services provided to builders in the ACT in 2012 to 2013". We all strive to make a difference in life, but not too many people can look back on a life quite so well-lived, having helped so many thousands of people, as Charles Norman Geschke, popularly known as Norm. Norman was Victoria's second Ombudsman, following a distinguished career with the RAAF and six years as Victoria's first Director of Consumer Affairs. A passion for fairness, and protecting the rights of the vulnerable, were an early hallmark of his work and he occupied the role, dispensing wisdom and justice, for 14 years from 1980 to 1994. I have often reflected that one of the unofficial functions of the Ombudsman is to get under the skin of the government of the day, whomever that government is, and it is unlikely to be a coincidence that the government subsequently brought in legislation to limit the Ombudsman's term to 10 years. Norman Geschke former Victorian Ombudsman at home in Oakleigh. Credit:John Donegan What comes across from his many official reports is how much he cared about people, the man or woman in the street, sometimes literally. In his last report to Parliament, he described saving the wooden kiosk at Clifton Hill station so that the lady kiosk operator did not have to sell her wares from a portable trolley at 6am in the Melbourne winter. In an earlier report, he advised on lost TAB tickets: "the golden rules of punting are check your tickets for correctness and don't lose them". No problem with the bureaucracy was too small, no bureaucrat too mighty, for the Ombudsman's attention. My personal favourite from his long and illustrious tenure as Victoria's Ombudsman was his quest, documented over two annual reports, for the fair provision of toilets for women at theatres, concert halls, and sporting venues which he described as "Sexual discrimination of an inconvenient kind". Peter Dutton says he plans to take legal action against Victorian minister Philip Dalidakis. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says he will take legal action against Victorian Labor minister Philip Dalidakis amid the fall-out from Federal Parliaments racism row. Mr Dutton says Mr Dalidakis comments on Twitter, accusing the federal minister of race baiting and discriminatory conduct, are false and defamatory. The row is the latest flashpoint on race and multiculturalism between the Labor state government and the federal Coalition government, with Mr Dutton repeatedly claiming Melbourne is in the grip of a crime crisis caused by African gangs. When will the federal government announce a replacement for outgoing Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane? I ask this only because Soutphommasanes term is up on Sunday and we cannot possibly wait months for his replacement, not when we have Fraser Anning in parliament, Blair Cottrell on television and Andrew Bolt on mainstream news sites. And I ask this because I fear the influence of the Institute for Public Affairs which earlier this year wrote to federal members of parliament arguing for the axing of the position. Soutphommasane was outstanding, worked a zillion hours a week, wasnt afraid to stand up to racists, big and small. He led the battle to save section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, when it looked as if the pallid ranks of the LNP, led by former attorney-general George Brandis, would succeed in changing the wording from "insult", "offend" and "humiliate" to "harass". Yes, led by Brandis, the man who told us Australians had a right to be bigots. Our Race Discrimination Commissioner saw them all off and I cannot believe I youth-shamed him when he was appointed. Katter's Australian Party Senator Fraser Anning (centre) makes his maiden speech in the Senate. Credit:AAP While current Attorney-General Christian Porter is on the record saying Soutphommasane will be replaced, those on the shortlist were interviewed in June. Thats a long time to be sitting on good news, if good news it is. And when I say good news, let me say I hear gossip that Herald Sun columnist Rita Panahi applied, that Warren Mundine wanted to apply. And Augusto Zimmerman, a former law reform commissioner in WA who left his job at a university for inexplicable reasons, something to do with too much concentration in the faculty of the status of women in law. A woman has died two days after she was critically injured in a crash with a tipper truck in Sydney's west. The 24-year-old was driving her Suzuki Swift east along the Great Western Highway when she stopped at the intersection with Flushcombe Road in Blacktown about 7.25pm on Monday. A tipper truck with an excavator on the back hit the woman's car, and pushed it onto the median strip. The woman suffered critical head injuries and was taken to Westmead Hospital, where she died on Wednesday. The 35-year-old truck driver has undergone mandatory testing, and the truck has been seized by police for a mechanical examination. Professor Patrick Troy. Credit:Fairfax Patrick Troy was a passionate advocate for better Australian cities. This was the continuous thread through his activities as an engineer, town planner, urban studies academic, senior federal public servant, author and activist. The pinnacle of his influence was during the Whitlam government period in the 1970s. Pat left his job at the Australian National University to become deputy secretary of the newly established Department of Urban and Regional Development, with Tom Uren as its minister. Pat recruited and led the team that created policies for urban improvement and more balanced regional development. The intention was to make the cities more efficient, equitable and sustainable. Emphasis was put on developing new growth centres, including Bathurst-Orange and Albury-Wodonga. Land commissions were established, mandated to release more public land to make housing more affordable. Big parts of Glebe and Woolloomooloo were bought for upgraded public housing so that working class people could still live in the inner city. The western suburbs were connected to the main sewer system, becoming fully flushed for the first time. There was much more in the pipeline, too. The flurry of activity brought the federal government into urban policy areas previously neglected by the states. Nothing quite like it has been seen since. Pat Troys guiding hand was on all of it. Former professional poker player and convicted conman Bill Jordanou has been dealt a 12 year prison sentence over his role in a $76 million fraud that left a trail of financial destruction. After spending his 60th birthday last month in protective custody, Jordanou must serve nine years before he is eligible for parole. Bill Jordanou has been jailed for 12 years. Credit:Joe Armao County Court Judge Paul Lacava described Jordanou's offending between 2004 and 2014 as a "prolonged fraud of breath-taking proportions". Jordanou's co-accused, former Scoresby accountant Robert Zaia, 54, is due to be sentenced on Thursday afternoon after also pleading guilty to the massive scam, which involved the use of fraudulent documents to obtain loans on behalf of clients, usually for property developments. A Queensland man has been charged with murder after the body of John Christianos was found in a bin in Oakleigh South almost two decades after he went missing. John Christianos who went missing in 2001. Credit:National Missing Persons Register Christianos, a talented graphic and caricature artist, had been in Melbourne for only six months when he vanished in mid-June of 2001 from his home in Bentleigh East. The then 40-year-old's belongings were left at home, his bank and Centrelink accounts untouched, and car and motorcycle left behind. Cleaners found his body on July 13 in a bin at a storage facility in Melbournes south-east. A Melbourne private schoolboy who repeatedly broke into Apples secure computer systems is facing criminal charges after the technology giant called in the FBI. The teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, broke into Apples mainframe from his suburban home on multiple occasions over a year because he was such a fan of the company, according to his lawyer. A customer enters the Apple store. The company was "very sensitive about publicity" surrounding the case, the court heard. Credit:AP The Childrens Court heard on Thursday that he had downloaded 90gb of secure files and accessed customer accounts. His offending from the age of 16 saw him develop computerised tunnels and online bypassing systems to hide his identity until a raid on his family home uncovered a litany of hacking files and instructions all saved in a folder titled hacky hack hack. The founder of Australias leading child protection advocacy groups says the 3 year jail term handed to a Perth man this week for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl must be appealed. Liam Jon Dreja, 33, pleaded guilty in the WA District Court on Tuesday to three counts of sexual penetration of a child under 13, a crime that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' jail. Child safety campaigner Hetty Johnston. The court heard the offences happened in February 2016 and that Dreja and the girl, who is currently in state care, were not known to one another. Dreja was on a Joondalup line train when he saw the girl also on the train looking distressed and crying. Family and friends of a man brutally stabbed to death in Mandurah will have to wait another month to see their loved ones killer sentenced. Damian Eric Maxfield, 39, was due to stand trial this week for the 2017 murder of Scott Martin and the life-threatening attack on Mr Martins partner, Erelle Mason, at the Blue Bay apartment block. Police at Blue Bay apartments the morning of the murder and attack. Credit:Kate Hedley/Mandurah Mail. But a last-minute change of heart saw Maxfield plead guilty to the charges, with sentencing submissions presented in court on Thursday. Mr Martins mother provided a heart-wrenching victim impact statement to the court, describing the agonising pain and huge void the death of her son had left. The chief minister also moved an unusual remonstrance motion to formally express the territory's displeasure with the Senate over the failed vote. It was the first remonstrance motion to pass in the ACT parliament's history. Another remonstrance motion was moved in 2009 after the federal government interfered with the Civil Partnerships Amendment, however it was watered down and passed as just a regular motion. The ACT Legislative Assembly also endorsed a remonstrance motion passed by the Northern Territory's parliament in 1996 after their euthanasia laws were quashed by the Commonwealth. The list of grievances will be presented to the president of the Senate, and accuses senators misrepresenting the intentions of the ACT parliament and conflating their own personal views on euthanasia with the issue of territory rights It also criticised senators for drawing on debunked sources and for reneging on previously stated positions at the last minute. The Liberals treated the motion as a conscience issue so Nicole Lawder, Jeremy Hanson, Mark Parton, and Elizabeth Lee were able to put on the record for the first time their desire to restore territory rights, despite their concerns about euthanasia. ACT Opposition leader Alistair Coe denied that his party members had been restricted from speaking out before the vote, rather that they wanted democracy to run its course. Members have always been able to do what they wish on this issue, the Canberra Liberals have never had a strong arm approach on this policy issue or any other," Mr Coe said. Mr Barr said advocates for territory rights would continue to target politicians on the hill over the next year in the hope that a change of government may shift a few votes their way. He added territory rights would likely be a federal and territory election issue. "People have a pretty clear choice between the two leaders of the major parties as to who is going to advocate strongly for territory rights and who isnt," Mr Barr said. Greens crossbencher Caroline Le Couteur remained optimistic the territories rights to legalise euthanasia would one day be restored. Ms Le Couteur was scathing of ACT Senator Zed Seselja, who voted against restoring territory rights because he was concerned about the kind of scheme the Labor-Greens government would introduce. She said Senator Seselja should reflect on his role in this debate. "Given the small margin, the Senator refused to allow our community to decide for ourselves - instead, he felt his own views more important than those of the Canberra community. He also could have urged his colleagues to simply allow Canberrans to have their own say," Ms Le Couteur said. The people of the ACT are tired of being treated as second class citizens. While bowed, we remain undeterred. The fight to restore territory rights will continue. The lower house could be forced to confront the issue next week when a private members bill similar to the one voted down by the Senate appears on the notice paper. That bill is co-sponsored by Canberra MP Andrew Leigh and his Labor colleague, Northern Territory MP Luke Gosling. However if Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull doesn't grant leave for debate, the majority of the house would have to vote to suspend standing orders for debate to occur. A furious backlash against federal MP Bob Katter is set to deprive him of key Labor preferences and union money after he fully endorsed his senator Fraser Anning's notorious "final solution" speech. But while one union donor confirmed it would no longer support Katter's Australian Party, the giant Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union refused to say whether it would disown Mr Katter. The far north Queensland MP has been shunned by acquaintances in the wake of his furious support for Senator Anning, who used his debut speech to call for a ban on Muslim migrants and praise the discriminatory White Australia Policy. "He's not a maverick ... I think he's almost certifiable": Warren Entsch on Bob Katter. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Liberal National MP Warren Entsch, whose seat borders Mr Katter's, said his political neighbour was too often dismissed as "just being a little bit wacky [or] a little bit eccentric". Liberal cabinet minister Josh Frydenberg and Labor rising star Ed Husic have long had each other's backs. When Husic was criticised for swearing his oath of office on the Koran, Frydenberg went on radio to defend him. A few years later, it was Husic's turn. When others in his party suggested Frydenberg had questions to answer regarding his citizenship, Husic - publicly - told them to pull their heads in. Both men know a bit about not fitting in. Labor frontbencher Ed Husic and the Energy and Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg in Canberra. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Husic, the son of Bosnian immigrants who moved to Australia in the 1960s, and Frydenberg, the son of Jewish refugees fleeing the horrors of the Holocaust, have back stories many Australians - but not many politicians - can relate to. Liberal Democrat senator David Leynhjolms private members bill on assisted dying only just failed to get through the Senate on Wednesday night. No doubt the campaign to legalise euthanasia will intensify from here. But are we avoiding a deeper discussion about what it means to die? The other day I bumped into my neighbour, Paul, who is a writer by trade. He was coming back from the hospital where, he told me, hed been training to help people with terminal illnesses write their life stories as a way of leaving a meaningful legacy for their families. What we most fear at the end of life is not pain so much as meaninglessness. Credit:Nicolas Walker I was intrigued by this, because this program matched what Ive been reading about palliative care and dying and what Ive observed in my experience as a priest working with dying people. And that is that what we human beings most fear at the end of life is not pain so much as meaninglessness. Debra Jo Rupp will reprise her award-winning performance in the Geffen Playhouse's upcoming production of Bekah Brunstetter's The Cake, directed by Jennifer Chambers. Rupp will play Della, a North Carolina baker and devout Christian, whose faith and beliefs are put to the test when she is asked to bake a cake for a lesbian wedding. Rupp earned an LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award for her work during the dark comedy's world premiere run at Echo Theater Company in 2017. She returned to the role earlier this summer for Barrington Stage Company. The complete company will also include Morrison Keddie, Shannon Lucio, Rod McLachlan, and Carolyn Ratteray. The design team is made up of Pete Hickok (scenic designer), Elizabeth Caitlin Ward (costume designer), Pablo Santiago (lighting designer), and Jeff Gardner (sound design). Previews for The Cake begin Monday, September 10, with opening night on Thursday, September 20. The production closes on Sunday, October 21. FORT VALLEY, Ga.--In a tradition of offering first-to-market alternative fuel innovations, Blue Bird once again has set the standard for air quality in the school bus industry. Certified by both the EPA and California Air Resources Board at 0.02 g/bhp-hr, Blue Birds Vision Propane buses now offer an optional ultra-low NOx level option. Developed in their partnership with Roush CleanTech, Blue Bird is providing the cleanest propane engine available for school buses on the market, with this version being 90 percent cleaner than the current emissions standard and 10 times cleaner than any non-Blue Bird propane school bus option available today. Last year, Blue Bird released the first 0.05 g/bhp-hr NOx Ford 6.8L engine in their Vision Propane buses, which at the time operated with the lowest NOx levels of any engine in Class 4-7 vehicles on the market. CARB has further encouraged engine manufacturers to reduce levels below the current mandatory EPA standard of 0.2 grams per brake horsepower hour (known as g/bhp-hr). Reaching lower emission reduction levels allows districts more opportunities for securing green-initiative grants as well as providing higher levels of funding based on the lowest levels of NOx of any non-electric vehicle. To continue our tradition in alternative fuels leadership, we are proud to be the first manufacturer certified to this lowest NOx level in a Type C school bus. Our overarching goal is to continually build a better bus that provides a clean and safe environment for our students and communities, said Mark Terry, chief commercial officer of Blue Bird. The Blue Bird Vision Propane continues to dominate, and we continue to make investments to ensure it exceeds our customers expectations with the lowest NOx emissions and the lowest ownership costs. Blue Birds new ultra-low NOx certification allows districts to take advantage of many opportunities: The option of Ultra Low NOx opens more doors for additional grant incentives, as well as higher levels of funding, including those from the VW Settlement. With the added bonus of federal and local rebates and incentives for alternative fuels, districts are saving up to $3,500 per bus annually on fuel and maintenance costs. The 0.02 Ultra-Low NOx option is 90 Percent Cleaner than non-Blue Bird propane bus makes currently available, further reducing negative environmental impact and improving air quality for children who suffer from asthma-related symptoms and other breathing issues. Over the past year, NOx has received attention because of Volkswagens emissions settlement. The automakers $2.9 billion Environmental Mitigation Trust will fund actions that specifically reduce excess NOx emissions and state after state are including alternative fueled school buses in their funding models. Many school districts will have access to funding to replace aging diesel models with clean-burning propane buses, said Todd Mouw, president of ROUSH CleanTech. Propane is naturally much cleaner than diesel and gasoline. The ultra-low NOx Blue Bird Vision Propane operates on an engine that is 90 percent cleaner than the current 2010 emissions standards and 99 percent cleaner than pre-2007 standards. Thousands of school districts still operate diesel buses manufactured before 2007. A school district can operate 100 buses with the 0.02 NOx engines and emit less NOx emissions than one diesel bus manufactured before 2007, said Mouw. Our nation has an abundant supply of propane; combine that with the economic and environmental benefits, and its no wonder that more than 850 school districts have already chosen propane buses. Nitrogen oxides are a group of gases known to contribute to acid rain, smog and other air quality issues. According to the EPA, exposure to NOx exhaust can cause negative health effects in children, including eye, nose, throat and lung irritations, headaches and fatigue. Today almost 1 million students ride to school in more than 14,000 propane school buses around the nation. About Blue Bird Corporation: Blue Bird is the leading independent designer and manufacturer of school buses, with more than 550,000 buses sold since its formation in 1927 and approximately 180,000 buses in operation today. Blue Birds longevity and reputation in the school bus industry have made it an iconic American brand. Blue Bird distinguishes itself from its principal competitors by its singular focus on the design, engineering, manufacture and sale of school buses and related parts. As the only manufacturer of chassis and body production specifically designed for school bus applications, Blue Bird is recognized as an industry leader for school bus innovation, safety, product quality/reliability/durability, operating costs and drivability. In addition, Blue Bird is the market leader in alternative fuel applications with its propane-powered, electric and compressed natural gas-powered school buses. Blue Bird manufactures school buses at two facilities in Fort Valley, Georgia. Its Micro Bird joint venture operates a manufacturing facility in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. Service and after-market parts are distributed from Blue Birds parts distribution center located in Delaware, Ohio. For more information on Blue Birds complete line of buses, visit www.blue-bird.com. Dust off the ten-gallon hat and head to Grunthal. Its Hanover Ag Fair weekend. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 16/8/2018 (1170 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Dust off the ten-gallon hat and head to Grunthal. Its Hanover Ag Fair weekend. Gates open to the Ag grounds at the crack of 5 p.m., Thursday, in time for a Bud Spud and Steak dinner put on by Bigg Smoak BBQ. At 7 p.m., opening ceremonies will officially kick the party off before the main event, Bull-a-rama, at 7:30 p.m. Come back Friday morning for pancakes from 7-9 a.m. at the RM of Hanover Food Tent. At 8 a.m., enjoy the control, grace and discipline of the horses at the CWHA Light Horse Show. The Family Fun Zone opens at noon. There will be games, a petting zoo, face-painting, a dunk tank and Ag on the MOOVE in the Agucation Centre, an educational exhibit. The rodeo starts at 7:30 p.m., followed by an outdoor movie at 10 p.m. Saturday morning, the parade begins winding through town at 10 a.m. The gates to the grounds open at 11 a.m., and a "world famous" barbecue chicken lunch starts serving at 11:30 a.m. The speed pattern-riding games of Gymkhana start at noon in the rodeo arena. An amateur strongman competition lifts off at 1 p.m. on the main stage. The rodeo starts at 5 p.m. Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Saturday night, country acts Daniel Desorcy and Jason Kirkness will rock the Fairway Ford mainstage at 8 p.m. before headliner Aaron Goodvin. Sunday morning, gates open for a community worship service at 10:30 a.m. Families can eat a "5 Buck Lunch" at the RM of Hanover Food Tent afterward. An ATV and mini-bike rodeo kicks up the dust in the rodeo arena at 12:30 p.m. Meanwhile on the mainstage, contemporary Christian band Soul Purpose will play at 1 p.m., followed by an arm-wrestling competition, juggling, and other acts. Over at the Southwood Speedway, take in a smash-and-crash demolition derby at 4 p.m. For a full schedule of events, visit hanoverag.com. Photo: Pat Canova/Getty Images Adults sending online threats to a transgender student caused officials to close an Oklahoma middle school. Maddie, a seventh-grade girl who is transgender, was the subject of threatening messages posted to a Facebook page for parents at Achille school district. School-district officials deemed the posts to be credible threats to the student, and closed the school for Monday and Tuesday. According to the Oklahoman, parents began posting messages after it was discovered that Maddie used the girls restroom at her new middle school. Fox 25 News reported that in elementary school, Maddie used the staff bathroom, but on her first day on a new campus, she was confused, and used the girls restroom when she couldnt find her way to the staff bathroom. Parents, some who didnt even have children at the school, began posting threats about Maddie. According to KXII News 12, now-deleted posts referred to the child as it and thing and suggested that the 12-year-old should be beaten, stabbed, and castrated. Superintendent Rick Beene told the Oklahoman that the views of the parents who made the threats do not reflect the views of Achille School, staff, administration or school board. Achille School believes everyone should receive a safe and free education. Achille Middle School was reopened on Wednesday. Multiple LGBTQ advocacy groups, at the local and state level, have reached out and offered their support to Maddie and her family. Photo: Shaniqwa Jarvis Once upon a time, there were few places to buy quality vintage hip-hop T-shirts in New York. But then along came Procell, the Lower East Side boutique founded by Jessica Gonsalves and her husband, Brian Procell. Six years later, the store is more relevant than ever (Frank Ocean has a Procell shirt), and Gonsalves and Procell travel the world in search of rare vintage sportswear finds. Most recently, they were in Vietnam looking at dead stock Nikes. We spoke with Gonsalves about sweatpants, Mariah Carey, and teleportation. What is your most-used emoji? The rocket ship or the vomiting face. The rocket ship is my way of saying Positivity! Yay! Amazingnesss! What is your favorite holiday? I dont really do holidays. Lets go with the summer solstice. I like the sun, the beach, and the hot weather. If you could spend three months anywhere, where would it be and why? I think it would be three months nowhere, like, on a boat traveling all around. What superpower would you have and why? I would be able to teleport. At the end of a long day if I could go right into my bed it would be great. Whats the best album ever made? Oh wow. I dont feel qualified to answer this question. Go-to karaoke song? I would say anything by Mariah Carey. Not because I can sing well, but because Im a superfan. Who do you think is cool? Anyone who is living their true, authentic life. Its hard to be who you want to be. What fictional character would you love to hang out with? Probably the Bobs Burgers family. If you could be a magazine, what magazine would you be? I would be Apartamento. Its so cool. If you could speak to animals, which animals would you want to talk to?Dogs. . . Jeans or sweats? Sweats, 1,000 percent. Whats something your social-media followers dont know about you? My Instagram name is a riff on the artist Joseph Beuys. What was the last website you looked at? I just filed our New York State quarterly sales tax. If you could be outfitted by one designer for the rest of your life, who would it be? Alaia, the person. You can go super dressed up but it can also be super comfortable. What do you eat for breakfast? Caffeine in all its forms. If you could only eat three things for the rest of your life, what would they be? Pasta. I dont think I need the other two. If you were a color, what would it be? I would be vermilion, which is an orange-y red color. Production Credits Photography by Shaniqwa Jarvis Styling by Diana Tsui Produced by Liane Radel Hair and makeup by Stephanie Peterson Photographed at MILK Studios, NYC. Many thanks to Danielle Rafanan On Gonsalves: Prada jacket, $1790 at 575 Broadway, New York, New York, 10012; Alison Lou earrings, $145 at Net-a-Porter. 100,000 Vitamix Blending Containers Recalled Across US More than 100,000 Vitamix blending containers are being recalled after 11 people reported being injured by the products spinning blades. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said on its website that the recall encompasses its Ascent and Venturist series 8-ounce and 20-ounce blending containers with blade date codes March 2018 (03-18) or earlier. #Recall: Vitamix Ascent and Venturist series blending containers can separate from blades base, posing laceration hazard. Get free repair kit. CONTACT: 888-847-8842 or online at https://t.co/qOG3ttiZxL or https://t.co/NyH3BLrJkQ. Full recall notice on https://t.co/obu9t3blaJ. pic.twitter.com/d67dtF9ugg Vitamix (@Vitamix) August 9, 2018 If the blade base is marked on the bottom with a green or orange dot, the container has already been repaired. The Vitamix logo is printed on the blending container. The blade date code is laser-etched onto the top of the blade in the blade base. The products have a clear container and a black blade base and were sold separately and with Vitamix Venturist Model 1200 blenders, according to the CPSC in a recall notice on Aug. 9. Consumers should stop using the containers and contact Vitamix for a repair kit, Vitamix and the CPSC said. The firm said it received 11 reports of people being cut when consumers hands came into contact with the blades. Vitamix said that blenders manufactured in April 2018 or later dont have the problem. We implemented a new gasket into the design, Scott Tennant, the head of communications for the company, told Consumer Reports. For those consumers who own 20-ounce cups or 8-ounce bowls manufactured prior to the design change, we will send free of charge an easy-to-use repair kit. Youll replace the orange gasket, no tools needed, with a new gasket. The recalled containers were sold at Costco, Williams-Sonoma, and on Vitamixs official website from April 2017 through July 2018. They ranged in price from $24 to $500. Thyroid Pills Recalled The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week announced the recall of Westminster Pharmaceuticals thyroid tablets due to the risk of adulteration. In an Aug. 9 statement, the FDA said Levothyroxine and Liothyronine tablets in 15 mg, 30 mg, 60 mg, 90 mg, and 120 mg varieties are being recalled as a precautionary measure. The pills were manufactured using active pharmaceutical ingredients that were sourced prior to the FDAs import alert regarding a Chinese firm that made the products, the agency said. A 2017 inspection of Chinas Sichuan Friendly Pharmaceutical Co. drugs discovered deficiencies and could represent the possibility of risk being introduced into the manufacturing process, the FDA said. Westminster Pharmaceuticals said it hasnt received any reports of adverse reactions. Heart Drug Recall Expanded Meanwhile, the FDA expanded its recall of the blood pressure and heart drug valsartan, primarily manufactured by Chinas Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticala major global manufacturer of generic valsartan. The FDA said the drug had been contaminated. Apple, iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. The valsartan recall, as well as the recall of the thyroid pills, highlights how defective medicines and pharmaceutical ingredients made by Chinese firms pose a health danger in the United States. There is a lack of trust in medicines made in China now, Rosemary Gibson, a senior adviser at The Hastings Center, told The Epoch Times in July. Australian Woman Faces Jail for Helping Sneak Mexican Fiance Into US An Australian woman faces five years in jail after she was caught helping her Mexican fiance sneak illegally into the United States over the U.S.-Canada border in July, officials said in a statement. Sarah Louise Branch, 37, from Sydney, Australia, pleaded guilty to encouraging and inducing the entry of an illegal alien into the United States in a U.S. District Court on Aug. 14. If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Branchs plan to sneak her fiance, Benigno Godinez-Cortez, across the border was foiled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents after they searched her vehicle when she drove from Canada to the United States via the port of entry in Calais, Maine. During the search, the agents found a Mexican passport, male clothing, and photographs of her fiance. Branch and Godinez-Cortez have been together for four years and the couple are engaged, according to court documents, reported The Australian. Ms. Branch initially claimed he had recently traveled by means of airline from Canada to Mexico, the court documents said. However after border agents spotted someone crossing the border illegally, they started suspecting Branch was lying. She eventually admitted that she had left her fiance in Canada near the U.S. border and was planning to reunite with him after he entered the country illegally. She then confessed she had told Mr. Godinez-Cortez that she would cross at the nearest port of entry and expected he would contact her with instructions of where to pick him up, the court documents stated, reported the newspaper. Border officers found Godinez-Cortez waiting in a Tim Hortons restaurant in Calais, reported AAP. Branch is expected to be sentenced after the U.S. Probation Office completes a presentence investigation report. Fiance Had 2 Prior Deportation Orders Godinez-Cortez also pled guilty on Aug. 4 in a U.S. District Court to unlawfully re-entering the United States. He is also expected to be sentenced in due course. The fiance has also been the subject to two U.S. deportation orders, one in 1994 and another in 1996, reported The Australian. He had also been previously charged with battery and assault but it is unclear if the matter proceeded to prosecution. Apple, iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. This case comes at a time when the Trump administration is pushing for stronger enforcement of border protection laws as thousands of illegal immigrants, mostly from Mexico and Central America, continue to unlawfully cross the southern border. The U.S. Border Patrol was born in 1924 with around 450 agents, mostly on mounted patrols in Texas. In 2003, the agency became part of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a division of Homeland Security. CBP takes care of the 328 ports of entry throughout the country (airports, international bridges, waterways), while Border Patrol polices the spaces in between for illegal activity. Charlotte Cutherbertson contributed to this report From NTD.tv Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 16) The controversial burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB) has helped unify the country, a Supreme Court Chief Justice candidate said. Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta faced members of the Judicial Bar Council in a public interview on Thursday as one of five candidates vying for the post of ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. Despite protests, the Supreme Court in November 2016 ruled Marcos can be buried at the LNMB. Peralta not only voted to dismiss petitions to block the burial of the former strongman, he also penned the Supreme Court decision. JBC member Toribio Ilao Jr. asked Peralta about the decision put to rest the issue of an LNMB burial for Marcos, which has divided the country for over 25 years. "Do you think Filipinos found closure and the families of the dead and injured by the martial law were able to move on?" Ilao said. Peralta said the issue of the burial should have been buried the same time Marcos was formally laid to rest at LNMB. "I hope that issue has already been buried, your honor. Because if you do not bury that issue, then we cannot move on. I still believe that whatever is the past, we have to move on. We will not improve as a nation if we do not," the candidate said. Related: Martial law victims: Marcos burial in heroes cemetery mocks our sacrifices He added it seems like the country is on its way to moving on. Ilao further prodded Peralta, "Do you think it brought unity to the country?" "I think so. We do not anymore receive or hear about the complaints about the burial of the late President Marcos. We are now focused on the issues faced by the nation," he replied. Marcos' remains were buried at the LNMB on November 18, 2016, 27 years after his death. His remains came from the Marcos Museum and Mausoleum in Batac, his hometown in Ilocos Norte. California Deputies Shoot Beanbags at Car Window to Free Trapped Bear A bear could be seen jumping out of a parked car and running for its life on a video released by the El Dorado County Sheriffs Office on Aug 14. Deputies responded to a call saying the bear was trapped in a car in South Lake Tahoe. To set free the animal, deputies used a beanbag gun, a nonlethal shotgun, to shatter the back window of the car and provide an exit. Its not clear how the bear became stuck in the vehicle, however the sheriffs office stated, YES, bears can open car doors. They reminded the public to never leave food in cars or leave vehicles unlocked, especially in bear country. Another video taken by an Airbnb host from South Lake Tahoe in July showed a bear opening a car door effortlessly and snatching a bag of snacks from the vehicle. CAUGHT ON CAMERA: An Airbnb host in Lake Tahoe was shocked with they caught a #bear on their #RingDevice breaking into a car. The renters say they take many precautions to keep their trash and other items secure. pic.twitter.com/hDGC3NwDpY KEYT NewsChannel 3 (@KEYTNC3) August 8, 2018 In June, Placer County Sheriffs Department also found a bear locked in an SUV near Lake Tahoe. Although the bear was set free after an officer smashed the side window, the inside of the car didnt fare very well, said the sheriffs department. This little guy got trapped in a car and had to be rescued. The inside of the car didnt fare very well. Please dont leave food in your vehicle when youre visiting us at #LakeTahoe! ? #Bear #unhappyvisitor #NorthLakeTahoe #VisitPlacer #PlacerCounty pic.twitter.com/7UdH2nRUgc Placer Sheriff (@PlacerSheriff) June 20, 2018 In addition, bears are often seen roaming the neighborhood and even breaking into houses to find food. WATCH: A Lake Tahoe mother used her mom voice to stop an enormous bear from climbing onto her porch. Brittany Christensen shot this video of the animal coming within feet of her home before her stern words convinced it to scamper off into the wilderness. pic.twitter.com/K85fS5XMKl CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) July 16, 2018 Chinas Citizens Pay More as Domestic Agricultural Production Dips, US Imports Become More Expensive Beijings trump card in the trade war between China and the United States has been to slap retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural products, but the Chinese regimes desire to then increasingly rely on domestic farming may have backfired. Agricultural production in China dipped in the first half of 2018, which had the effect of making goods more expensive for its citizens. On July 6, soybeans, corn, wheat, cotton, rice, and nuts from the U.S. were hit with a 25 percent duties, in response to the Trump administrations first batch of tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods. On Sina Weibo, Chinas equivalent to Twitter, some Chinese netizens were upset that the public has to foot the bill for the prolonged trade war. Who is this tariff hurting? Eventually, it is us paying the tariffs and its us being sanctioned! said one user. The drop in agricultural production and the tariffs levied on U.S. imports have resulted in higher prices on consumer goods in China. Though official statistics show that there was a 2.1 percent increase in consumer price index (CPI) in July compared to the same month a year ago, the actual increase may be much greater. Ms. Wu, a resident of Hubei Province, said in an interview with Radio Free Asia (RFA) that local pork prices have increased 25 percent, to 10 yuan ($1.45) per jin (a Chinese measure word that is equivalent to 21 ounces) from 8 yuan ($1.16) in May and June. China is the worlds biggest soybean and wheat consumer. It imported about $14 billion worth of soy and $391 million worth of wheat from the United States in 2017. China also buys corn from the United States, importing $160 million worth of corn in 2017. But with the tariffs in place, domestic production hasnt been enough to meet the demand. Meanwhile, a drought that first hit at the beginning of the year and recently returned is one of the reasons why domestic production in soybeans and corn declined this year compared with a year ago, according to Chinas state-run Securities Times. In China, the crops are mostly used to make animal feed and cooking oil. Recently, the corn cobs harvested from many farms in the northeastern cities of Shenyang and Fuxin cities, Liaoning Province, have been affected due to lack of rain. Drought also hit Chinas golden corn beltthe area of Gongzhuling City in Jilin Provincehard. Feng Jun, a farmer in Liufangzi County in Gongzhuling, told the Securities Times that the region had been in a drought since the beginning of this year. Sufficient rain did not come until the end of May. Feng predicted that annual corn production in the area would drop by 20 to 30 percent, compared with the previous year. Sun Yunting, manager of the agriculture department at Jilin Yuntianhua, a publicly-listed company that manufactures organic fertilizers, agreed with Fengs ominous prediction in the Securities Times report. The drop in corn yield is reflected in the crops futures exchange price. At the Dalian Commodity Exchange based in Liaoning, the corn price (c1901) has increased from about 1,770 yuan (about $256) per ton in April to about 1,883 yuan (about $273) on Aug. 16. In addition to the effects of less than favorable weather, Chinese farmers were less inclined to grow soybeans than corn because of the higher costs, according to the Securities Times. Gao Wenkun, a farmer from Zhuanghe, a county-level city in Liaoning, explained the money spent on buying pesticide would drive up the cost of planting soybeans. According to data from CnGrain.com, a Chinese website dedicated to reporting agricultural news, 115 million acres of agricultural lands is projected to be used for growing soybean in the year 2018, 2 million acres less than a year earlier. The annual soybean yield is expected to stand at 288 million kilograms (about 634 million pounds), 500 million kilograms less (about 11 million pounds) less than a year earlier. Wheat Production Also Affected Wheat production in China also took a dive in the first half of this year. According to statistics by The State Grain and Reserves Administration, an agency under Chinas State Council, wheat yield in the major wheat-producing provinces, including Hebei Province in the north, Jiangsu Province on the eastern coast, Shandong and Anhui provinces in the east, and Henan and Hubei provinces in central China, stood at about 36.9 million tons as of July 31, which was 18.3 million tons less than the amount during this time last year. Henan, one of the largest wheat-producing provinces, saw its wheat production drop from about 17.4 million tons in the first seven months of 2017, to about 7.8 million tons during the same period this year. On Aug. 13, a shipment of 70,000 tons of soybeans worth $23 million landed at the port in Dalian City in northeastern China, becoming the first U.S. soybean cargo to be subjected to Chinas retaliatory tariffs, according to Reuters. Chinas state-run grain stockpiler Sinograin confirmed in a fax to Reuters that it will pay the tariffs, about $6 million, for the shipment. Liu Kaiming, president of The Institute of Contemporary Observation, a labor research nonprofit based in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, told RFA that, even though Sinograin paid the tariffs, the higher cost would eventually be shouldered by the public. Chinas Cryptocurrency Ban a Gift to Friendlier Jurisdictions Electricity subsidies were a blessing for bitcoin, but no more Against all odds, cryptocurrencies have increased their market capitalization from nothing 10 years ago to over $214 billion today. However, investor concerns over government regulations are looming. Government regulation is focusing on two broad aspects of cryptocurrencies: electricity use and traceability. For example, China is focusing on electricity use while South Korea is focusing on traceability. Further, the Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive from the European Union is set to focus on traceability, with new rules on how know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering regulations should be applied to cryptocurrencies. Since the Chinese government has banned both cryptocurrency mining and trading, it is more likely that the impetus for the regulation is capital control instead of energy efficiency. However, within the context of the EU Horizon 2020 goals and the Paris accord, electricity use is an easy target for governments looking to curtail cryptocurrency adoption. Due to the electricity-intensive nature of bitcoins consensus mechanism called proof-of-work (POW), more than 60 percent of the total cost of mining a bitcoin is attributed to energy costs. As of now, the bitcoin mining network consumes more energy than the average consumption of Ireland. How the Distributed Ledger Works The way bitcoins POW operates is one of the reasons why the Chinese government started to ban cryptocurrencies. The government of China subsidizes the price of electricity to incentivize the use of electric cars. Eventually, the low price of electricity caught the attention of bitcoin mining pools. A mining pool is a room full of computersowned by a person or group of peoplethat are called cryptocurrency miners. These computers try to solve mathematical problems to be rewarded with newly created bitcoin. As explained in the June edition of the Crypto Research Report, some cryptocurrencies use consensus mechanisms that dont require excessive amounts of energy. So far, there are around 17 different types of consensus mechanisms, and the majority of them try to use less electricity than POW. POW remains the most common among the top 100 cryptocurrenciestied with proof of stake at 21 percent eachfollowed by a combination of the two at 10 percent. Proof of stake does not rely on the solving of mathematical calculations, hence the lower energy use. Since regulation may target electricity-intensive blockchains, developers and investors are diversifying away from bitcoin and into coins that use less electricity, such as dash and cardano. What Becomes of Chinas Miners? However, the largest number of bitcoin miners are in China, and the communist regime is aware of this fact. By December 2017, Chinese miners accounted for 80 percent of the total minted bitcoins. The Chinese government tracks domestic energy consumption, and this is one reason why they decided to ban bitcoin mining. Given that prices of electricity in other countries are higher, however, any absence of Chinese miners escalates the mining costs of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The banning of bitcoin-mining activities was bad news for the crypto-scene in China, but the crackdown did not stop there. In February, regulators also banned initial coin offerings and cryptocurrency trading in general. Some of the Chinese exchanges, such as the BTCC exchange, responded to the ban by moving their operations to other countries. The Chinese regulations raised doubts concerning the future of cryptocurrencies, and cryptocurrency investors are afraid that regulation can drag the price down further. However, country-specific regulation does not significantly affect the price of cryptocurrencies because the crypto market is borderless. Competing Outlooks on Prices, Adoption If we review recent regulations on the crypto-market and the reaction of the bitcoin price, it is hard to see a direct impact of regulation, and there are competing forces at play. However, many credible analysts attribute the general bear market for cryptocurrencies to these regulations. At first, regulation may dampen trading volume and demand for cryptocurrencies because the original adopters were privacy-concerned activists. The loss of demand from libertarians and criminals may lead to a slight price decline. However, parties that were previously skeptical of cryptocurrencies, such as institutional investors, might join the market for the first time. They will increase demand, trading volume, and the price of cryptocurrencies. The increasing acceptance might bring more businesses to accept cryptocurrency payments, which could lead to even further increases in price. Encryption enables public blockchains, such as bitcoins, to be immune to government bans. With this in mind, governments can try to outright ban cryptocurrencies and to enforce this ban with steep punishments, or governments can allow cryptocurrencies but require anti-money laundering and know-your-customer due diligence. As countries such as Switzerland and Liechtenstein release regulation that supports cryptocurrencies, cryptocurrency business is expected to shift toward these friendlier legal jurisdictions. Negative regulation will not be the end of the cryptocurrencies but just another obstacle that slows down consumer adoption. Andres Coronado is a research analyst for Incrementum AG. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. An ethnic Uyghur woman walks by a closed Islamic school on July 1, 2017 in the old town of Kashgar, in the far western Xinjiang province, China. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) Chinas Peaceful Muslims Fight Back Commentary On Aug. 11, officials in the Chinese city of Weizhou, in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, gave into the demands of thousands of protestors and delayed the demolition of the citys Grand Mosque. By announcing the delay in the face of mounting unrest, the local government signaled it was playing a weak hand, and this could embolden protestors in other Muslim areas of the country. On Aug. 3, authorities in Weizhou had announced that if the congregation did not take down the mosque by Aug. 10, they would forcefully demolish it according to the law. The reason? No permit had been issued for its redesign. At least on its face, the climbdown was complete. A county official promised nothing would happen until people in the town had agreed to a reconstruction plan, according to local sources quoted by Hong Kongs South China Morning Post. The mosquefeaturing nine domes, four minarets, and multiple crescent symbolswas completed last year, taking the place of one built after a 600-year-old mosque, in the style of a Chinese temple, was destroyed in the Cultural Revolution. The Grand Mosque is the largest such structure in the Ningxia region. Weizhou authorities did nothing for two years while they watched workers build the mosque, waiting for completion to raise their objection. The timing angered many demonstrators. Behind-the-scenes negotiations between officials and religious leaders resulted in an agreement to remove eight domes but leave the rest of the mosque in place. Protestors, however, were in no mood to compromise and did not want to see any part of the mosque removed. Now were just in a stand-off, an unidentified Weizhou resident told the Hong Kong paper. The public wont let the government touch the mosque, but the government is not backing down. Beijing has reason to be concerned. Clashes in the same county in 2012also in an attempt to save a mosqueresulted in as many as five deaths. The Chinese constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but Muslims and other religious adherents know the Chinese Communist Party is hostile to all faiths. The irony is that the Partys ugly policies against Muslimsconfiscating copies of the Quran, prohibiting instruction for the young, and forcing them to shave beards and eat porkhave created resistance where before there was almost none. Its ridiculous. I am a Muslim, and Muslims need a mosque, a small business proprietor living near the site of the mosque destroyed in 2012 told Reuters. They are just ordinary people, coming together for religious purposes, not to overthrow Communist Party rule. In Ningxia, the once-quiet Hui minority group, virtually indistinguishable from the so-called Han majority group, have been forced to take up the cause of religious freedom. Before Beijings repressive campaigns, there was virtually no Hui activism. The Hui account for about 10 million of Chinas estimated 23 million Muslims and are considered the third-largest ethnic group in the country. We see the same dynamic in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where Beijing is waging a brutal, long-term assimilation campaign against another Muslim group. Among other things, the authorities have interned hundreds of thousands, and perhaps millions, of Uyghurs in concentration camp-like facilities, known as re-education centers. Chinese officials have just denied accusations made before a United Nations panel, but testimony and satellite imagery confirm China is detaining many in heavily fortified camps, something rightly called a crime against humanity. Beijing evidently hopes to intimidate Uyghurs so they no longer have the means to resist its campaign. Under current ruler Xi Jinping, the campaign against Islam has intensified, especially since 2015 when he called for officials to Sinicize religion. In the case of Muslims, that meant an effort to combat the evils of Islamization and Arabization. Its clear that the Chinese governments hostility towards Muslims in China is not only limited to Uighurs, Patrick Poon of Amnesty International told the BBC. Hui Muslims are generally considered less vulnerable to crackdowns, but this incident proves that the government is determined to use a holistic and heavy-handed approach towards all Muslim ethnic minorities in China. That heavy-handed approach put the mosque in Weizhou in Beijings crosshairs. If the structure continues to standwith or without eight of its domesit will serve as a reminder of successful resistance. A symbol of successful resistance in one location is a danger to the Party everywhere, giving confidence to religious adherents, democracy advocates, disenfranchised homeowners, defrauded investors, and more. At the moment, protest movements are emerging across the country, as grievances multiply, which has raised the stakes even higher for the Hui in Weizhou. In recent weeks, protestors traveled hundreds of kilometers to converge on the Weizhou mosque, some to bring food to those already there. To isolate the mosque, Chinese riot police built barricades of buses. Cellphone service for nonresidents was cut off in the area within nine miles of the mosque. They told us the internet was down because of recent rains, but does that really make sense? one person asked AFP. Theyre afraid of us spreading videos. And the authorities must also be afraid of protests spreading from one congregation to the next, one province to another, eventually presenting an insurmountable challenge to communist rule. Gordon G. Chang is a distinguished senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute, a member of its Advisory Board, and the author of The Coming Collapse of China. Follow Gordon at GordonChang.com and on Twitter @GordonGChang Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A street vendor cooks food as the sun rises over the city of Jiayuguan, Gansu Province, on April 22, 2016. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP/Getty Images) Chinese Authorities Unfair Penalties for Fake Drugs, Food Are Questioned by Public Food- and drug-safety problems in China are serious incidents when they occur, although Chinese authorities are finding themselves under fire from netizens who question the fairness of some of the punishments. When a public hospital in Shandong Province that sold fake medicine recently was fined a slight amount, many Chinese netizens expressed anger over the lenient sanction for selling fake drugs. Dazhong Net, a state-run news site, reported on Aug. 11 that the Qingdao City Chengyang District Peoples Hospital was hit with a 692.5 yuan (about $100) fine for selling phony dried citrus peel, a type of traditional Chinese medicine commonly used to alleviate coughing and phlegm. Meanwhile, two other incidents in other parts of the country provide a stark contrast in the level of punishment received. Two street food vendors in Xian City, Shaanxi Province, added baking powder to flour for making deep-fried breadsticks that contained aluminum, exceeding the standard by nearly 10 times and 6 times, respectively. They were fined more than 140,000 yuan ($20,260) and 230,000 yuan ($33,280), respectively, by the Lianhu District Court in Xian, according to an Aug. 10 report by Hua-shang Newspaper, a state-run newspaper in Xian. In addition, a cancer patient, Zhai Yiping, was detained after helping other patients he met on the internet purchase anti-cancer drugs from Germany, according to China Youth Daily, another state-run newspaper, on Aug. 14. Domestic-made drugs are often seen as unsafe, so many citizens turn to foreign drugs instead. However, foreign drugs sold in China often are prohibitively expensive, due to high import duties and other restrictions imposed by Beijing, Zhai was detained at the Shanghai Detention Center on charges of selling fake drugs. He has helped liver cancer patients buy PD-1 and Lenvatinib drugs from Germany since 2016, as some terminal cancer patients couldnt find any other effective treatment in China at the time, according to China Youth Daily. Zhai told his lawyer that he didnt know that helping others purchase cancer drugs from foreign countries would constitute the crime of selling fake drugs. Some of the patients in the internet chat group where Zhai met his fellow cancer patients questioned how it could be that while domestic medicines in Chinasuch as those sold by the Shandong hospitalare often fake and result in dangerous side effects, an effective medicine purchased from other countries could be considered fake, according to the China Youth Daily report. Article 48 of the Drug Administration Law in China stipulates that drugs that havent been approved for production, import, or inspection within Chinas borders are considered fake drugs. A recent hit movie highlighted this issue, with its depiction of a man who began smuggling Indian generic anti-cancer drugs into China after he was unable to afford drugs made by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis. Observers noted that the films release was a tactic by the Chinese regime to incite hatred against foreign countries, placing blame on foreign companies for the lofty price tag on life-saving drugsdespite Beijings own pricing policies that drive up prices. According to the World Health Organization, one-tenth of the worlds manufactured drugs are counterfeit. In Africa, where roughly 100,000 people die from such counterfeit drugs annually, 70 percent of those counterfeits come mainly from India and China. A child plays along a railway at a shanty town where residents will move into low-rent apartments provided by the government on March 11, 2009 in Shenyang of Liaoning Province, China. (China Photos/Getty Images) Chinese Citizens Household Wealth Squeezed by Booming Debt, Wage Disparity, Economist Says Many of Chinas ordinary citizens are just barely making ends meet, because of debt concerns and income disparities, according to an now-deleted article published by a researcher at the China-based think tank Suning Institute of Finance. Fu Yifu, who does macroeconomics research, published an article that analyzes the divergent rates at which Chinas economy has grown, compared with the growth of ordinary citizens household wealth. The post, which appeared on WeChat, a popular social media platform, has been deletedlikely because it did not paint the picture of prosperity that the Chinese regime would like. Fu wrote that GDP data is often cited to demonstrate a countrys wealth. By that measure, Chinas per capita GDP (Gross Domestic Product)roughly $9,000 in 2017is fast approaching the middle income trap: a phenomenon whereby after reaching middle-income levels, a countrys growth stalls and cannot make the leap toward becoming an advanced economy. Fu estimated that point is typically when per capita GDP reaches $12,000. However, that number does not truly reflect the wealth of average Chinese families. Fu instead used another metric: the per capita disposable income. Whether in the countryside or major cities, Fu found that disposable income was far lower than GDP. In 2017, in the countryside, a persons disposable income was less than a quarter of the nations overall per capita GDP. In terms of wages, the numbers were also not optimistic. Between 1978 to 2017, wages in cities and towns grew about 13.08 percent annuallycompared with the 13.76 percent annual rate at which public finance revenue grew. That revenue is usually derived from taxes, which indicates that the states wealth was growing faster than that of its citizens. Income disparity, a huge social problem in China, is apparent in another statistic: 90 percent of the countrys workers earn less than 50 percent of the wages, while the remaining 10 percentcompany executives and staff working in monopolized industriestake home more than 50 percent of wages. Another serious issue crippling ordinary citizens is debt. In 2017, household debt stood at 49 percent of GDP; thats up from 18 percent in 2008, and just 3 percent in 1996. This has led to a Chinese expression: Every month, one gets 30,000 yuan (about $4,300), but must live like theres only 3,000 yuan ($430). Fus article noted that the reality of Chinese peoples lives is similar to a scene from a popular Chinese TV drama that aired in 2009, called Dwelling Narrowness. One of the characters speaks of the financial burdens she faces: mortgage; clothing and food; tuition for a childs daycare; money used to bribe people in order to get around; transportation fees; cell phone bills; property management fees; water, gas, and electricity bills. Chinas debt problem is grave. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its once-in-five-years assessment of financial stability around the world last December. Tallying Chinas total debtincluding central and local government, corporate, and householdit amounted to 2.55 times GDP. It was a significant increase from the previous report, which recorded debt at 1.8 times the GDP. And despite the Chinese regimes talk of prosperity, much of the population remains in poverty. According to World Bank data, about 493 million, or 36 percent of Chinas population, live on $5.50 a day or less. A visitor looks at LED TVs at the 2014 IFA home electronics and appliances trade fair in Berlin on Sept. 5, 2014. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images) Chinese Engineer Found Guilty of Stealing Tech from US LED Company, Ordered to Pay $66 Million A Chinese engineer has been ordered by a U.S. court in California to pay $66 million in damages to his former employer, Lumileds, for stealing technology from the maker of LEDs and other lighting products. Chen Gangyi was found guilty by a Santa Clara Superior Court jury in San Jose of stealing trade secrets and transferring them to his new employer in China, a manufacturer of home appliances and LED products called Elec-Tech International (ETI), the Mercury News reported. From January 2005 to June 2012, Chen worked at Lumileds as a research engineer. In the days before he left his position, Chen smuggled out thousands of files with company trade secrets, and delivered them to ETI to help it develop LED technology, according to the lawsuit filed by Lumileds. Prior to leaving his Lumileds position and moving back to China, Chen had signed an employment contract with ETI, the suit alleged. At ETI, a publicly traded company on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, Chen was promoted to vice president, soon earning more than 621,000 yuan (about $90,000) a year. Chens recruitment at ETI was part of a larger campaign to poach employees and intellectual property from Lumileds. Several employees [at ETI] recruited from Lumileds were fired or resigned within months of joining, after they refused to share trade secrets of Lumileds, according to the suit. The jury awarded the amount of research and development costs that the jury concluded ETI saved by using Lumileds trade secrets, rather than engaging in its own development, according to a press release by Lumileds. Chen and ETI plan to appeal the decision. As we asserted during the trial, Elec-Tech independently developed its own process for LEDs and never took, nor used any of Lumileds technology, ETIs law firm Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell said in a statement. In 2014, Lumileds had tried to file a federal lawsuit, but a judge found the companys case, which was brought under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, wasnt covered by the law, according to Mercury News. Chen is a Chinese national who graduated from Chinas prestigious Tsinghua University. He later came to the United States to pursue a masters degree at Yale University and a doctoral degree in chemical engineering at University of CaliforniaLos Angeles, according to information on the Sina financial news portal on senior officials at ETI. One fact not widely reported is that soon after Chen began at the Chinese firm, his salary rose quickly between the years 2013 and 2014, reaching more than 1.2 million yuan (about $173,000), according to salary information on Sinas financial news portal. By 2017, however, his salary had declined to 168,000 yuan (about $24,000). On the Chinese internet, netizens speculated that ETI stopped compensating him handsomely after the firm had obtained all the key technology it needed from Chen. Chinas Intellectual Property Theft In recent months, a string of court cases and federal indictments has revealed how Chinese firms have aggressively recruited Chinese nationals working or studying in the United States to steal technology for redeployment in China. Much of that technology is related to industries that the Chinese regime wishes to develop in order to catch up with global competitors. Beijing outlined in its Made in China 2025 economic plan how the regime plans to acquire key technologies through foreign investments and pressuring foreign firms in China to transfer their technology. Recruiting talent from top tech firms overseas is also critical. For example, in recent years, many employees at Taiwans top chipmakers have been lured by big salaries to work for Chinese semiconductor firms instead. China has long wanted to reduce its reliance on foreign-manufactured chips, used in nearly every electronic device. The Chinese regime also runs a recruitment program specifically designed to hire those who have worked in the technology and science fields abroad, called the Thousand Talents program. Daughter, Fiancee Speak out on Dad Accused of Beating Man to Death Melvin Harris charged with second-degree murder in alleged bathroom stall break-in beating The daughter of an Arizona father has spoken out after he allegedly beat another man to death in a parking lot for trying to enter a bathroom stall his daughter was using. Her father was protecting me, Melvin Harris 16-year-old daughter told CBS News on Aug. 16. Her name wasnt released to the public. Now someones dead. And now everyones coming at me like I did something to him, the daughter told CBS, adding that she regrets telling her dad what had happened. Harris is accused of killing Leon Armstrong earlier this month at a QuikTrip store in Phoenix. Reports said that the girl told her father that Armstrong tried to enter the bathroom stall she was in. Over the incident, he was charged with second-degree murder. When she told her father what had happened, he went to an on-site security guard and told him to take care of the situation or he would do it himself. Security told him they would handle the situation, CBS reported. Security was like, Oh, yeah, we dont play that. Thats the third time he did that. Were gonna [expletive] him up if you dont do it,' the daughter said. Later, Harris allegedly approached Armstrong and punched him in the face, causing him to hit the ground. While Armstrong was down, Harris then struck the victim in the face several more times and also kicked and stopped [sic] on him, CBS reported. After the incident, Harris allegedly fled the scene and was later arrested at his home, according to Inside Edition. He admitted to police that he punched Armstrong in the face, but he said that he only swung because Armstrong attacked him first. Harris also denied hitting Armstrong while he was down. More Family Members Speak Out Armstrongs aunt said that he suffered from schizophrenia. I dont think anybody can be prepared to hear that type of news that someone just was so cruel, Kathilena Johnson told CBS of the slain man. Though he did have some mental illness, he was never a person that was considered a pedophile of any sort, Johnson said. Armstrong has a criminal record, including trespassing, shoplifting, and obstruction of justice, AZFamily reported. Diana Jackson, Harris fiancee, said he was protecting the girl. Im not mad at him. I dont feel like he did anything wrong. I love him. He did what he was supposed to do for our kid. You cannot tell someone theyre wrong for protecting their children, Jackson told AZFamily.com. The only thing that goes through my mind is, what [if he] got in? said Jackson about the alleged bathroom stall break-in attempt. Harris is being held on $100,000 bond. But now hes a criminal for protecting his child? Thats not fair. Its not, Jackson stated. And its sad because nobody shouldve died, Jackson told CBS. She was supposed to be able to go in there and use the restroom and get her a fountain drink and go home, he said. Marine Le Pen, a prominent figure on the political far-right in France, has been cut from the roster of speakers at the tech event Web Summit. Le Pen is featured on a campaign poster in Henin-Beaumont, France on April 24, 2017. (Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images) Disrespectful Marine Le Pen Dropped as Web Summit Speaker The Portugal tech meet tests the limits of free speech Marine Le Pen, the former French presidential candidate and leader of the far-right National Rally political party, has been dropped as a speaker at one of Europes largest technology conferences. Web Summit founder Paddy Cosgrave said in an Aug. 15 tweet based on advice we have received on the large reaction online overnight, her presence is disrespectful, in particular, to our host country. 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. Paddy Cosgrave (@paddycosgrave) August 15, 2018 The Irish tech guru had said in a blog post that should our hosts in Portugal, the Portuguese government, ask us to cancel Marine Le Pens invitation, we will, of course, respect that request and immediately do so. It is unclear whether the advice Cosgrave cites included an explicit request by Portuguese authorities to ban Le Pen. At the time of writing, Cosgrave hadnt responded to a question from The Epoch Times about the matter. Concerns About Far-Right Ideas Sensitivity to the type of far-right ideas Le Pen espouses runs high in Portugal, which until 1974 was an authoritarian dictatorship. Since then, politics in Portugal have been a see-saw between socialist and liberal-conservative parties, with a Socialist Party-led left-wing coalition, which includes the far-left Portugese Communist Party, in power since 2015. Cosgrave earlier defended his choice to include Le Pen and other controversial figures, including those whose views are considered by some to be hate speech. The issue of hate, freedom of expression, and platform technologies is one of the defining questions of 2018, he said. 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. Excluding those who are too socialist or too nationalistic or too extreme from Web Summit would, I assure you, be a very easy and very pragmatic decision for us to take as a business. Citing free-speech forums as a way for extreme ideas to be toppled via open debate, Cosgrave said he was committed to admitting even those viewpoints that are deeply destructive to society, which is how he labeled the libertarian views of Peter Thiel, who spoke previously at Web Summit. Corporate tech giants have come under fire recently for restricting access to or shutting down completely communication platforms used by some to spread highly contentious ideas. Twitter Inc. banned U.S. radio host Alex Jones and his website InfoWars from posting tweets for seven days, saying its tweets violated companys rules against abusive behavior. The microblogging site said it had asked Jones late on Aug. 14 to delete a tweet that contained a video, which according to a company spokesman, had a segment that is an incitement to violence. The temporary ban means Jones and InfoWars can browse and send direct messages to followers, but wouldnt be able to tweet, retweet, or like. Twitters rules against abusive behavior say that a user may not engage in the targeted harassment of someone or incite other people to do so. Last week, major tech companies, including Apple, Alphabets YouTube, and Facebook, took down podcasts and channels from the InfoWars author, saying he broke community standards. Cosgrave said in an Aug. 15 tweet 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. 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. Paddy Cosgrave (@paddycosgrave) August 15, 2018 But weve still much to learn, he added apologetically. Earlier in the day, he tweeted, Its clear to me now that the correct decision for @WebSummit is to rescind Marine Le Pens invitation. Its clear to me now that the correct decision for @WebSummit is to rescind Marine Le Pens invitation. Paddy Cosgrave (@paddycosgrave) August 15, 2018 Perhaps as a premonition, he prefaced the decision with a caveat in his blog post. Ultimately, the interest of our hosts, Portugal, and the interest of the people of Portugal, should be placed far above those of Web Summit. Former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos leaves after his sentencing hearing at U.S. District Court in Washington on Sept. 7, 2018. (Reuters/Yuri Gripas) FBI, Mueller Team Obscured Two Key Papadopoulos Meetings in Legal Documents News Analysis Two key meetings involving Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos appear to have been intentionally obscured in legal documents unsealed by the FBI and special counsel Robert Mueller. The documents also shed light on the unusual timing of Papadopouloss agreement with Muellers team, which was reached within hours after he was arrestedwithout a lawyer present. On July 27, 2017, Papadopoulos flew into Washington Dulles International Airport at 7 p.m. from Munich, Germany. He was arrested by the FBI immediately upon arrival. No warrant, indictment, or criminal complaint was used during his arrest. Papadopoulos was booked several hours later, at 1:45 a.m. on July 28, and was checked out to federal authority at 8:27 a.m. that morning. Papadopoulos then made a same-day appearance in court, with all of that done without a defense attorney present. Despite the lack of legal representation, Papadopoulos agreed to cooperate with the Mueller investigation and his case was sealed. On Oct. 5, 2017, Papadopoulosin a closed courtroomentered a plea of guilty for lying to the FBI. Documents surrounding the Papadopoulos case then were unsealed on Oct. 30, 2017the same day an indictment was unsealed against Paul Manafort and Rick Gates. The specific timing of Papadopoulos arrest appears strangely coincidental. It was that same dayJuly 27, 2017that Special Counsel Mueller and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein were informed by Inspector General Horowitz of his discovery of the PageStrzok texts. From a Dec. 13, 2017, letter that Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz sent to Senators Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley: On July 27, 2017, upon our identification of many of the political text messages, the Inspector General met with the Deputy Attorney General and the Special Counsel to inform them of the texts that we had discovered, and provided them with a significant number of the texts, so that they could take any management action they deemed appropriate. Five days after the arrest of Papadopoulos, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein quietly issued the Aug. 2, 2017, revised Scope of Investigation & Definition of Authority memo to special counsel Mueller. This sequence of events wasnt Papadopoulos first interaction with the FBI. Papadopoulos had been extensively interviewed by FBI Agent Robert M. Gibbs exactly six months earlier, on Jan. 27, 2017. During the interview, Papadopoulos made material false statements and omitted material facts to the FBI. A follow-up FBI interview took place on Feb. 16, 2017. The next day, Papadopoulos deleted his Facebook account. According to the FBI, that account contained communications with Russian nationals and other foreign contacts during the Campaign that contradicted statements he had made to the FBI. Papadopoulos had maintained the same Facebook account since 2005. A few days later, on Feb. 23, 2017, Papadopoulos got rid of his cell phone and changed phone numbers. There are two legal versions of events relating to Papadopoulos. One from the July 28, 2017, affidavit signed by FBI Agent Robert M. Gibbs, and one from the Oct. 5, 2017, Statement of the Offense signed by Robert Muellerand undersigned by Jeannie S. Rhee, Andrew D. Goldstein, and Aaron S.J. Zelinsky. To the casual eye, these documents provide a relatively similar version of events, although there are some differences: The Mueller version has a tendency to emphasize Papadopouloss Russian contacts and the Gibbs version presents events in a slightly differing timeline format, but the overall presentation of events remains reasonably similar through June 1, 2016. However, after June 1, 2016, the Mueller version suddenly becomes vague, in relation to direct foreign contacts by Papadopoulos: From mid-June through mid-August 2016, PAPADOPOULOS pursued an off the record meeting between one or more Campaign representatives and members of president putins office and the mfa. For example, on or about June 19, 2016, after several email and Skype exchanges with the Russian MFA Connection, defendant PAPADOPOULOS emailed the High-Ranking Campaign Official, with the subject line New message from Russia.' The Gibbs version contains a bit more information for this period, listing four separate contacts with Timofeev in July 2016 and one belated contact with Mifsud in October 2016. The final contact with Timofeev (Foreign Contact 2) in July 2016 is documented as follows: On or about July 22, 2016, PAPADOPOULOS messaged Foreign Contact 2 on Facebook to ask whether Foreign Contact 2 knew a particular individual with extensive ties to Russian-based businesses and persons. PAPADOPOULOS asked Foreign Contact 2 [i]f you know any background of him that is noteworthy before I see him, kindly send my way.' The Mueller version simply doesnt address this contact and the Gibbs version fails to identify or provide any more detail on the particular individual with extensive ties to Russian-based businesses and persons. But an article in The Daily Caller provides some crucial information: Mangiante [now married to Papadopoulos], an Italian national, confirmed to The DCNF that [Sergei] Millian is the individual Papadopoulos described in a July 22, 2016, Facebook message that is cited in documents the special counsels office released in October. Papadopoulos and Millian met days after the July 22, 2016, Facebook message. The Wall Street Journal has reported on Millian as being both Source D and E in the Steele dossier. There are all kinds of questions surrounding Millian. The fact that he was meeting with Papadopoulos in July 2016 is material. So why did the Mueller team specifically ignore this entire sequence of events in their Oct. 5, 2017 unsealed Statement of Offense. The Gibbs version provides a bit more detail but also fails to note the Millian meeting. The same day that Papadopoulos sent his Facebook message to Timofeev regarding Millian, Australia supposedly told the FBI of comments Papadopoulos made during his fateful meeting with Alexander Downer. These comments would be offered as the basis for the opening of the FBIs Counterintelligence investigation on July 31, 2016. Second or even third-hand comments from Millian had already made their way into the July 20, 2016 memo in the Steele dossier, forming some of the most outlandish bits of the document. Additional information stemming from Millian would appear in later dossier memos as well. But the legal descriptions of events specifically ignore the potentially important meeting between Papadopoulos and Millian. One other meeting also ignored in the legal documentsthe May 10, 2016 meeting between Papadopoulos and Alexander Downer. Thats the same meeting the FBI used as justification in the opening of their Counterintelligence investigation into an opposing candidates political campaign. Jeff Carlson is a CFA Charterholder. He has worked for 20 years as an analyst and portfolio manager in the high-yield bond market. He runs the website TheMarketsWork.com Floods Kill Over 70 People in Indias Kerala State Flooding, landslides, and torrential rain in Kerala, India, have killed at least 79 people and left tens of thousands stranded in what has become the worst monsoon in almost a century. The Indian Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rain in the state until Saturday, and it has issued a red alert for 12 out of its 14 districts. According to the Times of India, 12 deaths were reported on Aug. 16, pushing the death toll up to 79. The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, said he asked the defense ministry to step up relief and rescue operations in the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala, he wrote in a tweet. Spoke to Kerala CM Shri Pinarayi Vijayan again this morning. We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala. @CMOKerala Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2018 The state last saw such devastating flooding in 1924. State Relief Commissioner P.H. Kurian told CNN that 10 people died in a landslide on Aug. 16. Tourists, who visit the state for its scenic waters and coastline, have been warned to avoid several popular destinations affected by the flooding. Landslide at ambayathode in kannur pic.twitter.com/5ZveB82xYv shaju philip (@shajuexpress) August 16, 2018 According to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, 31,000 people have been forced to take shelter in rescue camps and crops on 1,031 hectares (2547.66 acres) have been damaged. Over 50 teams have been deployed to rescue stranded people. Authorities have released water from 35 of its 39 dams to prevent dangerous breaches, according to The Indian Express. Krishna Jayan, 58, told the BBC she was woken up by her friends. I opened the door and water gushed in, she said. When we stepped into the street, we were neck-deep in water. Kochi Metro Rail had to suspend its operations due to the rise in water and operations at the Cochin International Airport have been suspended due to flooding. Chief Minister of Indias flood-ravaged Kerala state, Pinarayi Vijayan said on Aug. 16 that 256 people had died due to rain, flood, and landslide in the tourist state since May 29. Vijayan said that all boats, including fishing boats, would be used to rescue people stranded in their homes. Reuters contributed to this report File photo: The Ford logo is seen during the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, January 10, 2017. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images) Ford to Invest $740 Million in Detroit Train Station, City Development Project WASHINGTONFord Motor Co disclosed Aug. 14 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 Aug. 14. The company said Aug. 14 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. By David Shepardson Inside the Bangladesh Prime Ministers War on Drugs DHAKABangladesh police arrested Riazul Islam as he was walking home from his in-laws house. At 3:15 a.m., he was shot dead in a sandy field beside a set of railroad tracks north of Dhaka. Police say he was killed in a gunfight with other drug dealers, and they recovered 20 kg of marijuana from the site. His parents say the officers extorted money from them and then killed him. I knew my son was in police custody. All of a sudden my son was dead. I couldnt believe it. The police took money and they still killed him, said his mother, Rina Begum. Bangladesh is the newest frontline in state-backed drug crackdowns in Asia, and Islam is one of more than 200 people shot dead by police in Bangladesh since May when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced the campaign. Critics say the crackdown reflects Hasinas increasingly authoritarian rule ahead of a general election, due by December. That was also shown in its response to recent student demonstrations over road traffic deaths, including the use of rubber bullets and the arrest of a prominent photographer. Hasina emphasized that the police and intelligence agencies would now tackle the drug problem in the same tough way they had countered violent extremism in recent years. Such campaigns can be popular with voters as has been shown by President Rodrigo Dutertes bloody drug war in the Philippines. Hasinas office did not respond to questions about whether the drugs campaign was a populist ploy. Mounting Death Toll The bodies appeared rapidly after Hasinas pronouncement. And, just like the Philippines, the killings appeared to follow a script: suspects died in gunfights, typically at night, and weapons and drugs were found nearby. In more than a third of the 211 killings recorded by Dhaka-based human rights group Odhikar since mid-May, the suspects were arrested before they were killed. The police are overseen by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, who denied the police were executing suspects. Our law enforcement people dont kill, they dont execute anyone. It is impossible. If they do so they will be fired at that moment, he said. It is not a lawless country. After Islam was arrested, according to the police report, officers took the top terror of the neighborhood to the field beside the railroad tracks to draw in and arrest other drug dealers. The other dealers sensed the officers presence and began firing randomly, and to save life and government property, the officers fired back. Roni [Islam] was shot and fell down. He died on the spot, according to the report, which said two officers were wounded. Islams autopsy report, read to reporters by a hospital official, noted that a single bullet entered his head near his left ear and exited near his right. Each of the two officers were treated for small areas of tenderness and swelling on one of their hands, according to records at another hospital. None of the six witnesses in the police report saw Islam die, they told reporters. One of the six, handyman Mohammad Bappy, who lives at the edge of the field where Islam was shot, snapped photos of Islams dead body. One of the pictures shows blood on the ground beneath Islams head. There was no gun, he said. If there had been a gunfight we would have heard lots of firing from two sides. That didnt happen. Kamal Hossain, the officer in charge of the operation, said drug use leads to crime and arrests dont work. They come out on bail and they do the same thing, selling and using drugs, he said. Every drug dealer should be killed. Then drugs can be controlled. Little Data The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, U.S. ambassador to Bangladesh and the European Union have all expressed concern about the killings of drug suspects in Bangladesh. After a government official in the southern city of Teknaf was gunned down by Rapid Action Battalion police in May, the state-funded National Human Rights Commission sent a letter to the ministry in charge of the police to remind it of human rights. But Hasina pressed on. Drugs destroy a country, a nation, and a family, she told parliament in June. We will continue the drive, no matter who says what. Most of the killings took place in May when there were 129 as the campaign began, but then dropped to 38 in June before picking up to 44 in July. Drugs have long been a concern for the Bangladesh government, which bans consumption of alcohol by Muslims, who make up the vast majority of the population. But its not clear how much drug use has grown or even how many people use drugs. Asked for figures, Bangladeshs narcotics deputy intelligence chief said there were none. We have no government statistics or non-government statistics about users, Nazrul Islam Sikder said, adding: But we guess 7 to 8 million. Drug seizures data from the Department of Narcotics Control suggests the drug trade has grown, but much of the increase happened three years ago, long before Hasina launched the crackdown. The data shows a dramatic increase in methamphetamine or yaba pill seizures beginning in 2015. No one believes the official accounts of the killings, said Rashid Alam, a 50-year-old manager of a garment factory near the field where Islam was shot, but he is more concerned about the scourge of drugs use for communities. We understand he is a drug dealer and the police shot him, he said. That kind of death is okay. Good job, really. Critics of Hasina say the crackdown is meant to show voters she is responding to popular concerns and to strike fear in political opponents ahead of the election. According to media reports, some of those killed were activists of the opposition Bangladesh National Party. For Ashrafuzzaman Zaman, liaison officer of the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission, the politics of the drug crackdown are clear. You kill 200 people and you make 150 million afraid: today or tomorrow you can also be one of them. That is the message the government is giving to the people, he said. Hasinas office did not respond to the allegations from her critics. But Home Minister Khan denied the campaign was a cover to target opposition politicians and said no drug offender is treated differently from another. His identity is only as a criminal, he said. Even if he has a link with the ruling party, he will not be spared. By Clare Baldwin & Ruma Paul Judge Criticizes German Officials Over Bin Laden Bodyguard Deportation A German judge has criticized authorities for deporting a man who once allegedly protected Osama bin Laden. The 42-year-old man, known as Sami A., was listed as dangerous by authorities and was sent back to his native Tunisia in mid-July. But now, the North Rhine-Westphalia states administrative court is calling for him to be brought back to the country. Sami. As full name, Sami Aidoudi, is not disclosed to German media due to privacy laws. The suspected bin Laden aide was deported to Tunisia on July 13. The administrative court in Gelsenkirchen had ruled on July 12 that Aidoudi should remain in Germany, fearing Aidoudi may face torture in Tunisia. But the courts decision, which was faxed to authorities, arrived too late. He was already on his flight to the North African country. The deportation of the Aidoudi has sparked a debate in Germany on the independence of the judiciary. Sense of Justice North Rhine-Westphalia states top judge, Ricarda Brandts, was quoted by news agency DPA as saying, The limits of the state of law were clearly tested here. She said that officials withheld information to deport him and has ordered the city of Bochum, where Aidoudi lived with his family since 1997, to have him returned to Germany. The court rejected a complaint by Bochum against his return. The case of Sami A. raises questions about democracy and the rule of lawespecially on the separation of powers and effective legal protection, Brandts said, according to dpa. Bochum had argued that a return obligation was not given, and the deportation was lawful. It can now appeal to the Federal Constitutional Court. Brandts said there had been significant public pressure to deport him, including from high-ranking politicians, and this demand created expectationsexpectations that this had to happen. In separate comments to Thursdays edition of the Rheinische Post daily, the state governments interior minister criticized the courts decision. While the courts independence is important, judges should always keep in mind that their decisions correspond with the populations sense of justice, Herbert Reul was quoted as saying. I doubt whether that is the case with this decision. Who is Sami A.? German security services consider Aidoudi to be a dangerous and prominent figure of the Islamist scene in the country and have had him under observation since at least 2006, the Rheinische Post reported. That such a man is allowed to stay in Germany is a punch in the face to all anti-terror investigators, an unnamed security source told the newspaper. He protected the most wanted man in the world and we treat him with kid gloves, the source said, referring to allegations that Aidoudi served as bodyguard to bin Laden, charges the suspect denies. Bin Laden, who ran the al-Qaeda terrorist group and approved of the 9/11 attack in America in 2011, was shot and killed in Pakistan by U.S. Special Forces. According to reports, Aidoudi was receiving 1,168 euros ($1,330) a month in welfare payments while living in Bochum. Torture in Tunisia The courts deportation ban upheld an assessment that al-Qaeda affiliated Aidoudi could face torture and inhumane treatment in Tunisia. A spokesman for Tunisias anti-terrorist judiciary body, Sofian Sliti, rejected concerns Aidoudi would face torture in the country, which is in the middle of a democratic transition after the toppling of autocrat Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011. We confirm that this will not happen. We confirm that the judiciary is independent and will not allow such practices. He is a citizen with full rights in a fair trial, Sliti said. Tunis authorities have since released Aidoudi, with Reuters citing Sliti on July 27 as saying that there was insufficient evidence to continue holding him, but investigations continue. It remains unclear if and when Aidoudi will return to Germany. Epoch Times reporter Tom Ozimek, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report. Jury Deliberates in Paul Manaforts Trial ALEXANDRIA, Va.A jury began deliberations in Virginia on Aug. 16 in the trial of Paul Manafort, a veteran political consultant who faces bank and tax fraud charges that could put him behind bars for years. The six men and six women received final instructions from U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis before retreating to a room in the federal courthouse in Alexandria, outside Washington, to weigh the 18 criminal counts brought against Manafort, 69, by special counsel Robert Mueller. The case is the first to go to trial stemming from Muellers investigation into allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. The charges in the trial are unrelated to the Trump campaign or collusion and largely predate Manaforts five months working on Trumps campaign, including three as chairman. Trump has called Muellers investigation a witch hunt and has complained about Manaforts treatment. You cant talk about the case unless all 12 of you are present, Ellis told the jurors, adding that they could take as long as they like to reach a verdict. Ellis began the jury instructions on Aug. 15 after the prosecution and defense delivered closing arguments, and finished on Aug. 16 morning. By midafternoon, jurors had not asked any questions of the judge as they deliberated. If convicted on all counts, Manafort could face a sentence of up to 305 years in prison based on the maximum for each count, with the most serious charge carrying up to 30 years. However, if convicted, he likely would be given between seven and 12 years, according to a range of estimates from three sentencing experts interviewed by Reuters. Prosecutors called 27 witnesses during about two weeks of testimony in the closely watched trial. The defense called no witnesses, arguing that prosecutors failed to prove their case. The case involved millions of dollars Manafort received from politicians in Ukraine for work as a political consultant. Prosecutors accused Manafort of concealing more than $16 million in income from U.S. tax authorities and fraudulently securing $20 million in bank loans. Witnesses described how Manafort routed $16 million in income hidden in foreign bank accounts to U.S. vendors to purchase real estate, expensive clothing and antique rugs, income he is charged with omitting from his tax returns. Manafort, a veteran political consultant and prominent figure in Republican circles for decades, made his fortune helping to bring politician Viktor Yanukovych to power in Ukraine in 2010. When Yanukovych fled Ukraine in 2014, the political work dried up and Manafort lied about his finances to get loans from banks, prosecutors said. Defense lawyers argued that prosecutors had not proved Manafort willfully committed any crimes. They said he trusted employees, his accountants and bookkeeper to handle his financial affairs, and at times misplaced that trust. The defense attacked the credibility of key prosecution witness Rick Gates, Manaforts longtime right-hand man who also worked for Trumps campaign and inauguration team. Gates was indicted by Mueller but pleaded guilty and is cooperating with prosecutors. While some legal experts predicted the jury would reach a verdict before the weekend, others felt jurors would likely deliberate longer, given the complexity and historic nature of the case. Kim Jong Nams Alleged Malaysian Murderers in Defence Phase SHAH ALAM, MalaysiaTwo Southeast Asian women on trial for the brazen assassination of the North Korean leaders half brother were told to begin their defense Thursday, extending the trial for several more months. Indonesias Siti Aisyah, 25, and Vietnams Doan Thi Huong, 29, are accused of smearing VX nerve agent on Kim Jong Nams face in an 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. High Court Judge Azmi Ariffin said it can be inferred from evidence presented in court so far that there was a well-planned conspiracy between the two women and four North Korean suspects at large to kill Kim systemically. He said he cannot rule out that this could be a political assassination but found no concrete evidence of one. The judge said the prosecution during the six-month trial so far had laid out enough evidence of the womens guilt for the case against them to proceed. I therefore call upon them to enter their defense, the judge said after reading his ruling for more than two hours. Indonesian Ambassador Rusdi Kirana told reporters outside court he was shocked by the ruling but his government will abide by it. The two young Southeast Asian women are the only suspects in custody and face the death penalty if convicted. The four North Korean suspects fled the country the same morning Kim was killed. According to the case presented so far, the four men known to Aisyah and Huong only by code names recruited and trained the two women to accost strangers in similar fashion to the day they attacked Kim, and they provided the women with the banned chemical weapon that they smeared on his face. Airport security footage shown in court captured the moment of the attack and prosecutors also said the camera images linked the women to the four male 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. Kim died within two hours of the attack. In 2017, South Koreas intelligence agency said that the assassination on his half-brother may have been an intentional act to send a clear messagethat North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is not to be messed with. The judge said in his ruling that evidence pointed to a simultaneous act by the women to target Kims eyes, where the nerve agent would penetrate faster into his bloodstream, and then hurrying to separate bathrooms. I have no slightest doubt that their desperate act of rushing to the toilets is to solely decontaminate the poison on their hands, Azmi said. He said the seemed worried and tense before washing their hands, but relaxed afterward. Lawyers for the two women have said their clients were pawns in a political assassination with clear links to the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. They say the prosecution failed to show the two women had any intention to kill key to establishing the women are guilty of murder. But the judge said their intention to kill can be inferred from deliberately targeting Kims eyes. The onus is on the accused to explain their conduct, he added. The defense has argued the real culprits are the four North Korean suspects and have pointed to an embassy employee who helped arrange their travel as evidence of embassy involvement. Malaysian officials have never officially accused North Korea and have made it clear they dont want the trial politicized. Kim, the eldest son in the family that has ruled North Korea since its founding, had been living abroad for years after falling out of favor. It is thought he could have been seen as a threat to North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns rule. A view of the U.S. District Courthouse as closing arguments are expected in former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort's trial on bank and tax fraud charges stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, in Alexandria, Virginia, U.S., August 15, 2018. REUTERS/Chris Wattie Manafort Didnt Knowingly Commit Crimes, Defense Says in Closing Argument The defense counsel for Paul Manafort said in its closing argument that Manafort was transparent with financial institutions and that any issues with his financial situation were well known before bankers extended any loans to him. The lawyers also sought to emphasize the idea that Manafort didnt knowingly break the lawa requirement for convictionand was rather failed by the bookkeepers, accountants and other professionals in whom he trusted his financial affairs. Sometimes, the people we rely on are trustworthy. Sometimes they are not, said lawyer Richard Westling. Prosecutors say Manafort, 69, tried to mislead bankers with doctored financial statements in 2015 and 2016 to secure more than $20 million in loans, and failed to pay taxes on more than $15 million that he earned as a political consultant in Ukraine. The trial is the first for special counsel Robert Mueller, who was tasked with investigating claims of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. He also was authorized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to prosecute any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation. The charges against Manafort arent related to the collusion claims and predate his work for the Trump campaign. The defense took particular aim at Rick Gates, Manaforts former associate, who admitted in court to an extramarital affair. Gates also said he helped Manafort doctor financial statements, hide foreign income, and evade hundreds of thousands of dollars in U.S. income taxes. Defense lawyers decided not to call any witnesses in the trial, and Manafort, a veteran Republican political operative, didnt testify in his own defense. Manafort made millions of dollars working for Ukrainian politicians before taking an unpaid position with Trumps campaign. He was on the campaign team for five months and led it in mid-2016 when Trump was selected as the Republican presidential nominee. If found guilty on all 18 charges by the 12-person jury, he could face eight to 10 years in prison, according to sentencing expert Justin Paperny. Ellis was next set to instruct the jury, a process that he said would take an hour and a half. That made it likely the jury would not start deliberating until Aug. 16. New Mexico Compound Suspect Discovered to Be Illegal Immigrant One of the five suspects arrested at a Muslim compound in New Mexico is an illegal immigrant who has been in the United States for more than 20 years, officials said. Jany Leveille, also known as Maryam, was detained by officials with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on August 14 after the discovery was made. Leveille has been unlawfully present in the U.S. for more than 20 years after overstaying the validity of her non-immigrant visitor visa, ICE said in a statement. The 35-year-old is originally from Haiti, officials said. A judge granted bail for the five adults arrested at the New Mexico compound but Leveille was among those still held because of her immigration status. Extremist Muslim Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe said that the occupants of the compound were most likely heavily armed and considered extremist of the Muslim belief. Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, portrayed as the head of the compound, is the son of controversial Brooklyn imam Siraj Wahhaj. Leveille used to work at the imams mosque, Masjid Al-Taqwa, as a secretary, according to Patch. Leveille is married to the younger Wahhaj. Prosecutors said that Leveille and the four other adults were training the cadre of children at the compound in the remote desert to carry out school shootings. The 11 children ranged in age from 1 to 15. Nine of them are grandchildren of the imam, as the two other women arrested at the compound are his daughters. Move to the Desert One relative of the Wahhaj family said that Leveille, Ibn Wahhajs wife, was behind the groups decision to move into the desert and acted as a religious guru of sorts. Mariam is the one whos practicing that black magic on them, Tariq Abdur Rashid, whose daughter is married to Ibn Wahhajs brother, told The Epoch Times. The brother and his wife werent involved in the New Mexico affair. Rashid said he saw evidence of Leveilles performing rituals he recognized as a form of occultism not unusual in Haiti, which he said was Leveilles country of origin. He said Leveille convinced Ibn Wahhaj and others that she was a messiah. She set herself up as the interpreter of Gods word, he said. Luqman Morton, one of the suspects, delivered a letter to Muhammad Wahhaj, Ibn Wahhajs brother, before the move instructing him to join in their mission. Take all your money out of the bank and bring your guns, the letter stated, reported KOAT. 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). The author is believed to be Leveille or her husband. The 3-Year-Olds Death The search of the compound originally took place to search for a missing 3-year-old, Siraj Ibn Wahhajs son with another woman. Siraj Ibn Wahhaj has been charged with abducting the severely ill 3-year-old son from the Atlanta home of the boys mother in December. Prosecutors said in court that the boy was found buried at the compound. Prosecutor John Lovelace said the 3-year-old boy died during a religious ritual intended to cast out demonic spirits, reported Reuters. The boy stopped breathing and soon died during a ceremony, prosecutors said. Wahhaj had placed his hand on the boys head and was reciting verses from the Koran just before the boy began suffering seizures and foaming at the mouth. He was soon dead. Ibn Wahhajs 15-year-old son recounted to officials that one of the adults told him the spirit of the dead boy would return as Jesus to direct the group on where to carry out the violent attacks they were allegedly training for. Prosecutors said Leveille led the group and was the one who spread the belief that the boy would be reincarnated to attack banks, schools, and government agencies, reported USA Today, citing an FBI agents testimony. Jany had a message from God that they needed to leave and head to New Mexico and that Abdul Wahhaj, once the demons were expelled from his body through religious rituals, that he would become Jesus and once he became Jesus he would instruct the others on the property, the family, what corrupt institutions to get rid of, testified FBI agent Travis Taylor, who interviewed two of the oldest children. From The Epoch Times File photo: Residential houses are seen in Wellington, New Zealand, July 1, 2017. (Reuters/David Gray/File Photo) New Zealand Passes Ban on Foreign Homebuyers Into Law WELLINGTONNew Zealands parliament passed a law on Aug. 15 to ban many non-resident foreigners from buying existing homes, completing the Labour-led governments election campaign pledge. Jacinda Ardern, New Zealands popular 38-year-old prime minister, campaigned before Septembers election on a promise to clamp down on house price growth and reduce high rates of homelessness, in part by banning foreign buyers. This is a significant milestone and demonstrates this governments commitment to making the dream of home ownership a reality for more New Zealanders, Associate Finance Minister David Parker said. Foreign ownership has attracted criticism in recent years as New Zealand grapples with a housing crunch that has seen average prices in the largest city, Auckland, almost double in the past decade and rise more than 60 percent nationwide. House price growth has tapered off in the past year in part due to restrictions imposed on lending by the central bank, which was becoming alarmed at the potential financial stability risk of an overheated market. Figures released by the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand on Aug. 15 showed median house prices had slipped 1.8 percent to NZ$550,000 ($360,140) in July from the previous month, although they were still 6.2 percent higher than the same time the previous year. The government slightly relaxed the proposed ban in June so that non-residents could still own up to 60 percent of units in large, newly built apartment buildings but would no longer be able to buy existing homes. The International Monetary Fund called on the government in July to reconsider the ban, warning the move could discourage foreign direct investment necessary to build new homes. Official figures suggest that the overall level of foreign home buying was relatively low about 3 percent of property transfers nationwide. However, the data did not capture property bought through trusts and also showed property transfers involving foreigners was highly concentrated in certain areas, such as downtown Auckland and the southern scenic hot spot of Queenstown. The majority of overseas buyers were from China and neighboring Australia, according to Statistics New Zealand. Is the ban wise or useful? We think its neither, said spokesman Dave Platter of Chinese real estate portal Juwai.com. Foreign buying tends to be focused on new development, making clear again that foreign investment leads to the creation of new dwellings. Thats vital in a market with a housing shortage, like Auckland, he said. The government has said the ban would not apply to Australians and has been negotiating with Singapore, whose free trade agreement with New Zealand allows foreign ownership, on whether to grant an exemption. By Charlotte Greenfield Marc (L) and Debra Tice, parents of U.S. journalist Austin Tice who was kidnapped in Syria in 2012, hold portraits of him during a press conference in the Lebanese capital Beirut on July 20, 2017. (JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images) Parents of Missing Journalist Austin Tice Thank Trump Administration for Search Efforts Marc and Debra Tice, the parents of an American freelance journalist who went missing in Syria in 2012, have reason to believe that their son is still alive and say they appreciate the Trump administrations efforts to locate him. We know hes waiting for us to do whatever it takes to get him home free, Marc Tice told Fox News during an interview on Aug. 15. We just cant wait for the day. Austin Tice was covering the Syrian civil war when he vanished en route to Lebanon in 2012. Five weeks later, a video emerged showing him blindfolded and being held by armed men. That was the last time that Tice, who now would be 37 years old, was seen. U.S. investigators believe him to be alive, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on Aug. 14. We remain deeply concerned about his well-being and were actively working to bring Austin Tice home. Debra Tice said: We really do admire this administrations commitment to bringing Americans home. Theyve certainly got a good track record so far, and we really look forward to the day where we see Austin be another one of their wins. Marc Tice added, We have a high level of confidence in the current administration. According to the White House, 17 Americans who had been detained or held hostage in foreign countries have been freed since Trump took office. In April, FBI offered up to $1 million for information about Tices whereabouts, and in May, Trump appointed Robert C. OBrien as the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs. Marc Tice said: From the very beginning, we had a strong relationship with this administration, with all the officials we have met. We are very happy to see Mr. OBrien in his position as a special presidential envoy. Weve spent significant time with him. We are very hopeful and always wanting and expecting Austin home tomorrow. While its unusual for journalists to be held for as long as Tice has been missing, it is not unprecedented, Fox reported, citing a national security analyst. In the 1980s, Terry Anderson, who was the Middle East bureau chief for The Associated Press, was abducted in Lebanon and held by Shiite Hezbollah militants for more than six years. Debra Tice summed up her feelings by saying, Its time to let Austin walk free. PETA Slams China for Piles of Dead Dogs Dumped in the Street WARNING: Video contains very distressing content - viewer discretion is advised PETA blasted Chinese regime officials after a video emerged showing the bodies of dogs killed in Xian that were dumped on the street. The animal rights group said that it was a cruel and ineffective way to deal with strays. PETA posted a clip showing footage of what it estimates are about 20 dogs killed in the city, adding that Chinese regime departments should provide shelters for stray animals while punishing people who killed the dogs. Not only is killing stray dogs in this way cruel, its also totally ineffective, said PETA Asia Vice President Jason Baker on Aug. 13, according to a Storyful translation. The statement added: Animal population experts agree that laws mandating that all owned animals be sterilized to prevent unwanted birthscoupled with full-service animal-sheltering programsare the most effective ways to reduce stray animal populations. Stray dogs, not just in China but all over the world, are poisoned, hit by cars, tortured at the hands of cruel people, or suffer from disease or starvation. PETA asks that everyone does their part to help in the fight against animal overpopulation: always spay/neuter your pets, and always adopt animals from shelters or rescue groups, never buy them from breeders or pet stores, PETA said. In recent months and years, there have been an increasing amount of Chinese social media users reporting on events that expose police brutality and how the Chinese regime has utter disregard for life. Under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the lack of freedom of speech and freedom of expression means that anyone speaking out against the government or police can end up imprisoned and even subjected to torture. Even Worse: Slow-Motion Genocide Going on Now in China On July 28, the Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting, which seeks to expose forced organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners and other dissidents in China. In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party started a campaign to eradicate Falun Gong, a spiritual practice with 70 million to 100 million adherents in China. According to Dr. Torsten Trey, executive director of DAFOH, the CCP has engaged in a slow-motion or cold genocide targeting Falun Gong, and forced organ harvesting has played a major role, according to The Epoch Times in its July report. On Aug. 15, University of Manitoba associate professor Dr. Maria Cheung discussed the difference between a cold genocide and a hot genocide. 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 told Epoch Times in an interview, referring to cold genocides. I think what makes a genocide is the intention, not the scale, of the killing. Its an intention to eradicate a group. Apple, iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Since 2000, they said, there has been a dramatic increase in the infrastructure used for organ transplants inside China. Hospital beds have dramatically increased as well as transplant teams on transplant wards. Dr. Glynn Gilcrease III, who is a medical oncologist at the University of Utah School of Medicine, explained that forced organ harvesting is the Chinese state-mandated practice of removing organs from non-consenting prisoners of conscience, which includes Falun Gong practitioners. This is only done in China, Gilcrease said. Now its over 170 hospitals that are doing transplants, and it is just like a normal business, added Cheung. No one would know there is systematic killing unless they ask the source of organs. So it becomes a daily activity, but under cover. It is a big crime. Top video credit: PETA Asia via Storyful Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at a press briefing at the State Department in Washington, on Aug. 16, 2018. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Pompeo Creates Iran Action Group as Sanctions Tighten on Regime WASHINGTONSecretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the creation of the Iran Action Group on Aug. 16, to be headed by Brian Hook, who will serve as special representative for Iran. Our hope is that one day soon, we can reach a new deal with Iran, Pompeo said at a press briefing. But we must see major changes in the regimes behavior, both inside and outside of its borders. The Iran Action Group will drive daily objectives on these issues. Hook will be responsible for the State Departments Iran-related activity, and will advance the strategy outlined by Pompeo in May, after President Donald Trump announced that he was pulling the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal. A lot of our work is going to be built around advancing those 12 areasmostly around nukes, terrorism, and the detention of American citizens, Hook said. He said the current economic sanctions are in place to cut off revenue that is financing terrorism. When you look at the kind of money that Iran provides to Assad, and to Shiite militias, the Lebanese Hezbollahits billions and billions of dollars. And we need to get at drying up those revenue streams, Hook said. Hook reiterated the goal stated in June that every country should reduce its import of Iranian oil to zero by Nov. 4. Sanctions will come into effect on Nov. 5. Those will include sanctions on Irans energy sector; transactions by foreign financial institutions with the Central Bank of Iran; Irans shipping and shipbuilding sectors, among others, Hook said. In our sanctions regime, we are prepared to impose secondary sanctions on other governments that continue this sort of trade with Iran. Hook, who had served as director of policy planning for the State Department since February 2017, said the burden is on the Iranian regime to change its behavior. Santa Clara County: Bitcoin Blackmail Scam Targets Residents 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, Im 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 Attorneys Consumer Mediation Services at (408) 792-2880. Shark Attack in Cape Cod Is the First Since 2012 A shark attack at a beach in Truro on Aug. 15 is the first attack in Cape Cod, Massachusetts since 2012. A man was standing in the water about 30 yards offshore, about 300 yards south of Longnook Beach, when he was bitten, reported WCVB. Officials said the location is within the boundary of the Cape Cod National Seashore. The 61-year-old victim suffered puncture wounds to his torso and legs. Officials said they were working to analyze the wounds and see if they were consistent with the kind of bite a great white shark would inflict. A man swimming off Cape Cod was attacked by a shark on Wednesday and was airlifted to a hospital https://t.co/4qroKFjot2 New York Post (@nypost) August 16, 2018 Beachgoers Rush to Help Thomas Buckett, of Rhode Island, said he and a friend helped pull the victim, later identified as William Lytton, reported WHDH. He was on his back about 25 feet from shore. He was yelling, Get me out of the water, get me out of the water shark, shark, Buckett said. I pulled him out. I went in above my knees and my friend came in and dragged him the rest of the way. Kerstin Peter Leitner and Molly Tobin, graduates from the Boston College School of Nursing, told WCVB that they in the area when they saw the victim lying on the beach, bleeding profusely. We grabbed all the towels that we could, put them on him to stop the bleeding, Kerstin Peter Leitner said. One of them ran up to a house and called 911, and a medical helicopter rushed to the scene, picked up the victim, and transported him to Tufts Medical Center in Boston. Photo shows about a dozen people jumping in to help carry the shark bite victim up the sand dune. #7News Courtesy: Mary Ellen pic.twitter.com/PsSfGm9tUI Eric Kane (@EricKaneTV) August 15, 2018 Shark Sightings in Area A number of sharks have been spotted in the area recently. NBC reported that 10 shark sightings were reported in the past week. In addition, an NBC crew in a helicopter reported that it spotted a great white shark shortly after the attack. The last encounter with a shark in Cape Cod was last year, when a shark bit into a paddleboard at Marconi Beach. In 2014, a shark flipped over a kayak in Manoment Point. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy issued a press release stating that encounters with great white sharks are rare. While we still dont know all of the details of this particular bite, sharks are not known to target people specifically and when they do bite people its usually a case of mistaken identity. Sharks test the waters with their teeth, much like we use our hands. Its how they determine if what they encounter is prey or something to avoid, the group stated. Man attacked by great white shark off Ballston Beach in Truro jokes about surviving http://t.co/dlniBqIB via @BostonDotCom Boston Globe Metro (@GlobeMetro) August 4, 2012 Attack in Truro The last time a shark bit a person in Cape Cod was also in Truro, in 2012. Chris Myers, who grew up on Joy Street in Beacon Hill but now lives in Colorado, was swimming with his teenage son off Ballston Beach when he was attacked. I was quite sure it was a shark, he said a few days after the attack, reported the Boston Globe. It felt like my leg was caught in a vise. I kicked very hard with my free legand he let go. The 50-year-old was suffered puncture wounds on both legs and required 47 stitches. After getting attacked, Myers and his son frantically swam to shore, where people helped call emergency responders and get Myers to a hospital. The last reported fatality in Massachusetts from a great white shark attack occurred in 1936. From NTD.tv Sonoma County, City Of Napa Getting Federal Grant Money For Wildfire Recovery Photo by Dominik Lange on Unsplash Sonoma County, City Of Napa Getting Federal Grant Money For Wildfire Recovery 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 Huffmans and Thompsons 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, Im 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. Omar Ameen was arrested on Aug. 15, 2018, in California for a murder charge from Iraq. He will face proceedings to extradite him to face trial in Iraq. (Department of Justice) Suspected ISIS Member Wanted For Murder in Iraq Arrested in California A suspected ISIS member was arrested in Sacramento, California, on Aug. 15 after he was wanted for the 2014 murder of a police officer, officials said in a statement. Omar Ameen, 45, an Iraqi national, is accused of entering a town with a caravan of ISIS vehicles and killing a Rawah police officer after Iraq fell to the terrorist group in June 2014. An Iraq arrest warrant, issued by an Iraqi judge on May 16 this year, alleged that after the caravan of four vehicles carrying armed members of ISIS terrorist group arrived at the victims house, several group members, including Ameen, opened fire on the victims family home, according to court documents released by the Department of Justice (DOJ). In response, the victimidentified as Ihsan Abdulhafiz Jasimreturned fire with a rifle. At one point, Ameen allegedly shot at the victim when he was lying on the ground. The victim was transported to a hospital where he later died from a gunshot to the chest. ISIS then announced the killing on social media in a post which stated: Today is the day to eliminate some rotten heads. Now in Rawah, the criminal Ihsan [Abdulhafiz] has been eliminated at the hands of the Mujahidin, court documents reveal. A witness eventually identified Ameen as the person who killed the police officer from a suspect photo, another court document said. Following the alleged murder, Ameen immigrated to the United States and settled in Sacramento as a purported refugee. A subsequent arrest warrant seeking Ameens arrest was issued in Sacramento on Aug. 14. Ameen was then arrested by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force the next day. He appeared in court on Aug. 15 in relation to proceedings to extradite him to face trial in Iraq. Suspect Investigated By FBI Since 2016 As part of the proceedings, officials also alleged that Ameens family supported and assisted with the installation of or al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) in Rawah. He is a suspected to be a member of both AQI and ISIS. It is also alleged that he participated in various activities in support of those terrorist organizations, including helping to plant improvised explosive devices, and committing the murder that is the subject of the extradition request, the news release stated. Ameen concealed his membership in those terrorist groups when he applied for refugee status, and later when he applied for a green card in the United States. Court documents also reveal that the FBI has investigated Ameen since 2016 for the suspected fraud, misuse of visa, permits and other documents, among other suspected violations. As part of the investigation, the FBI interviewed at least eight witnesses and received documents from Iraq, which confirmed Ameens involvement with AQI and ISIS. He is not known to have ever renounced his membership in either group, according to the court documents. According to the statement, the DOJ, the Department of State, the FBI, and ICE-Homeland Security Investigations were involved in the Aug. 15 arrest. An extradition treaty between the United States and Iraq has been in force since June 7, 1934. From NTD.tv Photo: Contributed Youth conservation crew members on the job. Groups of young people have been working hard on conservation projects all summer as members of the Nature Trust of BC Conservation Youth Crews. The trust hires young people each summer and provides training in practical field skills such as first aid, bear awareness and operation of power tools, all while learning about the trust's overall goals for species-at-risk management and management of invasive species. A position with the crew seemed like the perfect opportunity to gain hands-on, practical experience in the field which would complement my classroom learning and allow me to apply my theoretical knowledge to real-life scenarios, said Megan Bull, Okanagan crew member. The crews participated in on-the-ground work and attended workshops with specialists in a variety of ecological fields. A favourite activity for Bull was the release of burrowing owls. "This was exciting because it involved direct interaction with an at-risk species, Bull said. They also got to work with snakes, spending time at a local vineyard installing wildlife cameras to better understand the abilities of the animals surviving in an altered habitat. Additionally, we spent several weeks mapping the range and spread of invasive plant species throughout the White Lake Basin to inform invasive-species control in the future," Bull said. Bull will be returning to UBC in September to continue her studies in ecology and conservation, and she recommends the program to any students interested in those subjects. The public can get a taste of conservation work as well at an event helping burrowing owls Sept. 15 in Osoyoos. The Nature Conservancy of Canada will be hosting a burrow-building event at the Osoyoos Visitor Centre. The small, long-legged owls nest in the ground, and are currently near extinction in British Columbia. Attendees at the event will help promote the owls' reintroduction to the local ecosystem by installing burrows in safe locations in the ground. For more information and to register, click here. Teen Who Dropped Off 60-Foot Bridge Wants Pusher in Jail A teen who was injured after being pushed off a Washington state bridge said that she wants her pusher in jail. Jordan Holgerson, 16, told NBC News Today that her friend who pushed her should get jail time. According to The Columbian newspaper, the woman was identified as Taylor Smith, 18. Smith is cooperating with investigators. Well at first I didnt really want Taylor to get in trouble, but now that Ive thought about it more, Im kind of wanting her to sit in jail and think about at least what she did, Holgerson told Today on Aug. 16. Police have finished their investigation into the matter and have passed on the case to the Clark County prosecutors office for potential criminal charges against Smith, 18. The pushing incident was captured on video, showing Holgerson hesitant on the top of a bridge before someone pushes her. Smith, meanwhile, told Today that she feels really bad about what happened, and she didnt intend to harm Holgerson. She has apologized to her, according to the Today report. But Holgerson said that the apology isnt good enough. I kind of got mad because the rest of my summers gone and Im probably going to be recovering for the rest of the school year, she said. I was like, I want to jump off the bridge, and so I went up there, but I kind of got scared because of how high it was, Holgerson added to the outlet. Holgerson elaborated on her recovery. Im in a lot of pain, she told the outlet. In the mornings its the worst, like it hurts to breathe. My side hurts. My shoulder hurts. I cant even get up. No Diving Off the Bridge KGW-TV reported that someone had to swim out to rescue her before she was rushed to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington. I have five broken ribs, air bubbles in my chest and I have a punctured lung, she said. This could have been horrible; she could have died, said Holgersons surgeon MaryClare Sarff in the KGW report. Apple, iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. A trauma surgeon also told The Columbian that it may take months for her to fully heal. Her mother, meanwhile, told CBS News that the person who pushed her daughter off the bridge should turn herself into the police. My daughters going to have a long road to recovery and I think that [the person responsible] should probably just turn herself inrealize what she did wrong. This is not OK. She could have killed my daughter, Genelle Holgerson said. The arch bridge is more than three stories high, to the Clark County Public Works website says. Please, no diving off of the bridge, the agency says. Swimming is allowed at Moulton Falls Regional Park. However, there are no lifeguards on duty. The river can have swift currents and water depths can vary. Park users swim at their own risk. Parents are urged to be vigilant watching children near the water, it says. Tesla Issued Subpoena After Elon Musks tweet Tesla Inc. has been served with a subpoena from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, adding further scrutiny of CEO Elon Musks plans to take the company private. The subpoena came after Musks tweet, funding secured. According to The Wall Street Journal, the subpoena demands information from each of Teslas nine directors. It isnt known what information is being sought. Representatives for the SEC and Tesla declined to comment. Under rule 14e-8 of the Securities and Exchange Commission, publicly traded companies are prohibited from announcing plans to buy or sell securities if executives dont intend to follow through, either dont have the means to complete the deal, or intend to manipulate the stock price. The serving of a subpoena indicates that the inquiry has moved onto a formal stage, which may take months to years finalize. Teslas share price fell down 2.6 percent to $338.69 on Aug. 15, following news of the subpoena, lower than the share price the day prior to Musks tweet. The latest news extended the roller-coaster ride for Tesla investors in recent days, adding to uncertainty about the future course of the company and whether a deal can be done amid growing regulatory complications. Questions over financing continue to grow Since Musks tweet, it has become clear that neither Musk nor Tesla had the necessary financing set aside for the privatization, drawing skepticism from both investors and analysts, according to CNBC. On Aug. 13, Musk said in a blog on Teslas website that he was in discussions with Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund and other potential backers but that financing was not yet nailed down. Musk also said that the reported amount of more than $70 billion required to privatize Tesla, dramatically overstate the actual capital raise needed. According to Bloomberg, the Saudi Fund disclosed in March that it hired Washington law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP to lobby for approval of acquisitions in the U.S., with a focus on CFIUS (Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.). Despite the Saudi Fund having over $250 billion in assets, enough to purchase Tesla, many of the funds assets are not liquid and readily available cash is limited. The proposal for Saudi Arabia to finance Teslas privatization may prove difficult due to Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund (PIF) being tied up in other investments, and Saudi Arabias illiquid market. Assets owned by the PIF cannot be monetized quickly without driving down prices in the local stock market, while selling many of them would conflict with another of the PIFs declared roles. In addition, bankers familiar with Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund told Reuters that have not yet seen any signs of the PIF committing to a Tesla deal. Musk will also likely require clearance from U.S. national security officials if financing comes from Saudi Arabia, according to Bloomberg. Musk will be under the scrutiny of CFIUS (Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.) as the Trump administration enforces more scrutiny over foreign investments in American technology. Any foreign investment in Tesla would at least notionally be of interest to CFIUS, Joseph Falcone, a partner at Herbert Smith Freehills in New York, told Bloomberg. Musk tweeted late night on Aug. 13, he was working with Goldman Sachs and private equity firm Silver Lake as financial advisers. However, as of Aug. 14, Goldman was still negotiating its terms of engagement with Musk, according to a person familiar with the matter. A three-person committee has been formed by Teslas board, which will assess a potential buyout by Musk while leaving the door open for other offers. Reuters contributed to this report. To Homeschool or Not to Homeschool Homeschoolers weigh in on the highlights and challenges This summer, at family gatherings, while sitting by the pool, at the beach, or perhaps during that after-dinner stroll through the neighborhood, some parents will be preoccupied with thoughts of school. Theyre contemplating a big decisionwhether or not to homeschool. For some, it would mean their childs first experience with school. For others, it would entail pulling their kids out of their current school for what they hope is a better experience. Perhaps one of these parents is you. Its a big decision. Homeschooling, though it can take on different forms, is a significant commitment. There have been copious books written on the subject, and the volume of online resources at a potential homeschoolers fingertips is mind-blowing. Thats all fantastic, but no amount of research quite compares to hearing from those who have taken the leap to homeschool. I reached out to some homeschoolers and asked them to share their experiences and insights. Joanna Lodin is the founder of Fearless Homeschooling, which offers advice to homeschooling families, and just finished her final year teaching her three sons. Author Stacey Greene has tried a number of homeschooling methods over the years. Olivia Angelescu, an online launch strategist from Brussels, has been homeschooling her two children, ages 8 and 3, this past year. Jessica Haggard is an author and blogger. Karen M. Ricks and her family have been worldschooling for the last 18 months. Worldschooling is a combination of homeschool and travel in which the travel itself is the main source of education (she blogs at ourkitchenclassroom.com). Another world traveler and blogger, Behan Gifford, has been sailing around the globe with her husband and three children since 2008. They call what theyre doing boatschooling. I also heard from a former homeschool student. Laurelei Litke was homeschooled from preschool through fifth grade. She graduated from Sam Houston State University and now works in marketing for HealthLabs.com. The Epoch Times: What do you wish you had known before embarking on your homeschooling journey? Joanna Lodin: That children will learn what they need to learn when they need to learn it. The learner is always in charge and their learning cannot be coerced. Olivia Angelescu: I wish I had known that there would be days when I would just want to give up. I knew not everything would be perfect, but I didnt expect to have days when I felt like a complete failure! This came as a shock to me, after idealizing a little bit this whole homeschooling thing. Stacey Greene: I did a few years where I chose and purchased the curriculum and what they were going to learn. I loved this, as I had one child obsessed with bats and other small creatures. We made lessons about animals including math lessons with questions using numbers of mosquitoes that a bat eats and silly things like that, to keep her engaged. There is a true freedom in picking and choosing what you would like to expose your child to, and for many people of faith, it is a wonderful way to teach your faith outside of your temple or church! Jessica Haggard: Homeschooling is a process. It takes trial and error and an honest look at what you are doing in order to find the right way for your family and lifestyle. Youre in it for the long-term and will be defining your approach as you go. Karen M. Ricks: In the last year and a half, our family has lived and learned in eight different countries on four continents. We currently reside in Tirana, Albania. Before we embarked on our worldschooling adventures, I wish we had known how much fun and freedom we would enjoy! We probably would have done it sooner. Behan Gifford: I wish Id been able to internalize that it will be OK. Theres a tremendous stress on parents we worry that we arent going to be good enough. Really, any parent that cares enough to take on ownership of their kids education usually has to try to mess it up. Laurelei Litke: I spent a lot of my younger years being afraid that homeschooling was going to make me uncool. I was worried that I wouldnt know what the trends were, or that I wouldnt understand the experiences or references of other children. I wish that I could go back and tell myself not to worry about any of that so much. When I look back on that time in my life, I dont think about being out of the loop or uncool, instead I think about how special it was that I learned how to read sitting right across from my little sister, and the intimacy that came from the foundation of my entire education being built for me within the four walls of my home. The Epoch Times: What is the best part of homeschooling? Ms. Lodin: You learn how [your children] learn best, what their interests are and how to make the day rich with teachable moments. You also realize that they learn much more from what you do than any book or lesson you present to them. When you model curiosity and engagement with the world, the learning takes care of itself. Ms. Haggard: The best part about homeschooling is spending time with my children, being there with them as they grow and learn together. Ms. Gifford: The gift of time with our children, to see them make connections and reach new understandings, and share that excitement and enthusiasm with themits priceless. These years will go too fast. Ms. Angelescu: The best part about homeschooling is that you can lead your kids towards the discovery of their passions early on in their life so that they can start focusing on thisThis will allow them to live a passionate and meaningful life as adults, when other people their age will wonder what to do with their lives. Ms. Ricks: The best part of homeschooling and worldschooling is that our familys education is completely customized to our interests and learning styles. We have the opportunity to explore history, culture, geography, languages, and so much more at our own personal pace and in our own time. Ms. Litke: The absolute best part about homeschool: my childhood was not standardized. Yes, I took a standardized state test once a year, and yes I always received commended results, but my path to that test was very different than the students in the public school system. I was taught to learn material inside and out before moving on to the next chapter. Understanding the concept and theory before doing the practice problems, is a luxury brought on by individualized classroom time. Because I learned to process information differently than the general public, I feel that I naturally have an out-of-the-box approach to life, which has held useful throughout my career. The Epoch Times: What is the biggest challenge? Ms. Lodin: Being with your children all the time can be the best part about homeschooling but also its most challenging aspect. It can be exhausting and tedious, which makes it impossible to be fully consistent with your goal to be an enthusiastic and organized role model. But there is learning in that experience, too. They are learning from us at every waking moment what matters and how to be an adult in the world. Ms. Angelescu: As a parent homeschooling your kids, you will frequently ask yourself, especially in your first years, if you are doing the right thing, if what you are teaching them is enough, if youre using the best possible learning resources for your kids. Time management and general organization can also be challenging. Your whole lifestyle will change so you need to plan ahead and be flexible to adjust to this. Ms. Gifford: Finding a place of confidence, especially as a new homeschooler. Its terrifying to be responsible for your kids education! As parents, we want the best for our children. In our culture, its education that determines much of their future opportunity. To say Ill own that! is daunting! When you pack your kids off to an institution for someone else to take care of, that fear factor isnt the same. Ms. Ricks: For us, the biggest challenge of homeschooling as we travel full-time is finding a balance between activities we enjoy doing all the time and experiences that we can only do in a specific location. While we tend to travel very slowly (at least one month in each country, up to as long as six months), theres always more to see and do and learn. Ms. Greene: The biggest drawback of homeschooling would be the financial drain of one parent not working. Ms. Litke: Im happy that I went into the public school system when I did. However, I think the biggest challenge, was the transition. Before public school, I had a very social life with Girl Scouts (a great resource), softball, homeschool groups, and neighborhood friends. For some reason, when I first entered into the public school system, I became shy and it was difficult for me to speak up when I didnt understand what was being taught. I saw students around me understanding, and instead of taking the time to learn, I tried the fake-it-till-you-make-it approach. Eventually, I learned that speaking up and asking questions did not make me dumb, it made me smarter. Tongan Prime Minister Samuela 'Akilisi Pohiva speaks to media at Government House in Auckland, New Zealand on July 28, 2016. (Fiona Goodall/Getty Images/The Department of Internal Affairs) Tonga PM Challenges Pacific Leaders to Lose Weight The lighthearted proposal is to address obesity rates in the region Tongas Prime Minister wants Pacific leaders to hold a year-long weight loss competitionthe goal is not to see who will come out the biggest loser, but to promote healthy habits in a region beset by high obesity levels and related health problems. Explaining his lighthearted suggestion, Prime Minister Samiuela Akilisi Pohiva says that efforts among the leaders to address obesity across the nations have yet not helped, so he hopes a competition will increase their resolve in tackling the issue. With Pacific Island leaders, we meet and talk and talk about this issue, yet initiatives on this issue [are] not making an impact, it doesnt seem to work, Pohiva told Samoa Observer, adding that it has been years of advocating the same issue. I will make a proposal to them for the Pacific Island Forum meeting next week: we should all get together for a weight loss competition; for an entire year, he added. So when we meet the following year we will weigh in again and see who has lost the most. But Pohiva says the competition would not be about who loses the most, but rather to have leaders appreciate what it would take to lose the weighteat light and having that healthy mentality. Once the leaders are adapting to that mindset they would be determined to get their people on the same aspect and go from there, Pohiva said. Topping the Charts Latest data from the World Health Organization indicated that in 10 Pacific island countries, at least 1 in 5 children between 5 to 19 years old were obese, Secretary General of Pacific Island Forum, Dame Meg Taylor, told Samoa Observer. Obese children are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes at a younger age, leading to a higher chance of disability and premature death, according to the WHO. Overweight is defined as having a body mass index of 25 or more, and obese as having a BMI of 30 or more. Diseases related to overweight and obese, especially cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertensionwhich are under the umbrella of non-communicable diseases, or NCDshave been diagnosed in about 40 percent of the Pacific island region, according to the WHO. The NCD and child obesity has everything to do with our eating habits and our lifestyle and it is complex issue when it comes to our Pacific people, Pohiva told Samoa Observer. According to the CIA World Factbook, in 2016, Pacific island nations made up all of the top 10 spots in countries with the highest percentages of obese people. Meanwhile, WHO data shows that in at least 10 Pacific island countries, the percentage of the population that is overweight is upward of 50 percent. High rates of obesity in the Pacific Islands may be due to a number of reasons. One past WHO report suggests that Pacific islands may be affected by their consumption of imported and processed foods that are full of sugar and fat, that has appeared to replace traditional foods, such as fish, coconuts, and fruits. There are also those in the Pacific islands who regard having ample food and leading a sedentary lifestyle as a sign of prosperity, reported NewsAsia. From NTD.tv Trump Removes Ex-CIA Chief Brennans Security Clearance President Donald Trump removed the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan for lying, leveraging his clearance, and erratic conduct. Former heads of intelligence and law enforcement agencies can usually keep access to classified information after leaving office so that they can consult with their successors regarding matters about which they may have special insight and as a professional courtesy, Trump said in an Aug. 15 statement. Neither of these justifications supports Mr. Brennans continued access to classified information. Brennans erratic conduct and behavior, Trump said, have tested and far exceeded the limits of any professional courtesy that may have been due to him. Trump questioned Brennans credibility, citing a 2014 incident in which the CIA head denied to Congress that CIA officials under his supervision had improperly accessed the computer files of congressional staffers. The CIAs inspector general found otherwise, forcing Brennan to apologize. Trump also cited Brennans claim to Congress in 2017 about the Steele dossier, a collection of unverified opposition research funded by the Clinton campaign. Brennan said the dossier wasnt used to form the Intelligence Community assessment (ICA) on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Brennans assertion was contradicted by at least two other senior officials in the intelligence community and all of the facts, Trump said. Admiral Mike Rogers, the director of the NSA at the time when the ICA was drafted, wrote to Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) that the dossier was used to inform the assessment, according to Real Clear Investigations. Former director of national intelligence James Clapper, who led the creation of the ICA, admitted to CNN in 2017 that some of the substantive content of the dossier was included in the assessment. Brennan spread the claims from the dossier to the Gang of Eight, the Congress members privy to classified information. One of them, Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), used the claims in a letter to prompt then-FBI Director James Comey to investigate the Trump campaign for alleged collusion with the Russian interference. The letter was then used by the FBI to prop up its FISA warrant to spy on then-Trump campaign volunteer Carter Page. Core claims in the warrant were based on the dossiera fact the FBI failed to disclose to the FISA court approving the warrant. Congress continues to investigate the matter. Page was never charged with any crime, but said his career and personal life were ruined because certain media spread unsubstantiated claims from the dossier that he met two prominent Russians while on a trip to Moscow. Wild Outbursts Trump said, 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 allegationswild outbursts on the internet and televisionabout this Administration. With Trump coming to office, Brennan left the CIA and became a senior national security and intelligence analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. Brennans commentary largely consists of attacks on Trump and his administration. It includes a plethora of accusations, from hate speech and human rights violations to high crimes and treason. 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, Trump said. Clearance Policy Review Trump said Brennans case prompted him to begin to review the more general question of the access to classified information by former Government officials. Such access is particularly inappropriate when former officials have transitioned into highly partisan positions and seek to use real or perceived access to sensitive information to validate their political attacks, he said. Any access granted to our Nations secrets should be in furtherance of national, not personal, interests. Clapper as well as Michael Hayden, the CIA director under President George W. Bush, accepted analyst positions with CNN and regularly use airtime to criticize Trump. As part of his review, Trump said, hes evaluating action on Clapper, Hayden, Comey, former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, former national security adviser Susan Rice, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, former FBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok, former FBI Special Counsel to the Deputy Director Lisa Page, and former Associate Deputy Attorney General Bruce Ohr. Apart from Hayden and Rice, all the former officials were involved in the Russia investigation or have been revealed to have handled the dossier. 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, Trump said. Brennan responded on Twitter, saying the clearance removal is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics. Epoch Times contributor Marc Ruskin, a former FBI agent, took issue with the free speech argument. They have no First Amendment or other constitutional or statutory authority that guarantees them access to classified informationparticularly classified information to which they no longer have any professional need for access, Ruskin said in an Aug. 6 op-ed. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin speaks about the U.S. administration's North Korea sanctions in the Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 23, 2018. (Olivier Douliery/AFP/Getty Images) US Hits Chinese and Russian Firms Over Breach of North Korea Sanctions WASHINGTONThe United States imposed sanctions on a Russian port service agency and Chinese firms on Aug. 15 for aiding North Korean ships and selling alcohol and tobacco to North Korea, in breach of U.S. sanctions aimed at pressuring it to end its nuclear programs. The U.S. Treasury said in a statement that the China-based Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading and its Singapore-based affiliate SINSMS Pte. have netted more than $1 billion a year by illegally facilitating the export of alcohol and cigarette products to North Korea. The department also sanctioned the Russian-based Profinet Pte and its director general, Vasili Aleksandrovich Kolchanov, for providing port services on at least six occasions to North Korean-flagged ships. Kolchanov was personally involved in North Korea-related deals and interacted directly with North Korean representatives in Russia, the department said. 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, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. The sanctions mandate that no U.S. citizen can deal with any of those designated in the order, and any of their properties in the United States must be blocked, the Treasury Department said. The United States has been pressuring North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program. When asked for comment on the U.S. Treasury statement, Liang Ye, legal representative of Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading, said that the matter was still unclear and that the Chinese company hadnt received any notice. Chinas state-run Xinhua news agency said the United States needs to back off its pressure on North Korea if its serious about wanting lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. Such commentaries arent statements on official positions, but can be read as a reflection of the Chinese regimes thinking. By Tim Ahmann, Lesley Wroughton, Gao Liangping, Ben Blanchard, & Ryan Woo A North Korean ship passes in front of the waterfront of the Chinese border city of Dandong (at rear), in China's northeast Liaoning province, opposite the North Korean town of Sinuiju on September 4, 2017. (GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images) US Targets Chinese, Russian Companies Over Illegal Shipments to North Korea The United States on Aug. 15 announced new sanctions on Chinese and Russian firms for facilitating illicit shipments on behalf of North Korea, adding to the already existing U.N. and U.S. sanctions. The U.S. Treasury Department said they imposed the designations against one individual and three companiesChina-based Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co., Ltd.; its Singapore-based affiliate, SINSMS Pte. Ltd.; Russia-based Profinet Pte Ltd.; and its director general. The result of such sanctions is that any property or interests in property of the persons involved must be blocked, and the United States is generally prohibited from dealing with any of the persons. These companies worked together to facilitate illicit shipments to North Korea using falsified shipping documents, including exports of alcohol, tobacco, and cigarette-related products, the department stated, in reference to the Chinese and Singapore companies. The illicit cigarette trade in North Korea reportedly nets over $1 billion for the regime each year. Profinet and its director general, Vasili Aleksandrovich Kolchanov, were sanctioned for providing port services on at least six occasions to North Korean-flagged ships, including sanctioned vessels carrying thousands of tons of refined oil products. Kolchanov himself was personally involved in the deals with North Korea and interacted with their representatives. 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, said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Mnuchin said the designations will remain in place until the fully verified denuclearization of North Korea has taken place. Photo: Contributed The parade marshal for this year's Pride March in Kelowna had to hide his true self before coming to Canada as a Syrian refugee. The Kelowna Pride Society announced this week Anas Qartoumeh will be the marshal for Saturday's parade. As a gay Syrian refugee, Qartoumeh exemplifies Kelowna Pride 2018's theme: Pride in Diversity. Anas has been on an extraordinary journey to get to here, says spokesman Dustyn Baulkham. He reminds us of what is still unfortunately happening to LGBT2Q+ people in some parts of the world. At Pride, we march for those who are not able to live as their authentic selves." Qartoumeh hid his identity growing up in the conservative culture of Damascus, where being gay is a criminal offence. When war broke out in Syria, the risks of being gay escalated, some were thrown off buildings by ISIS. He finally fled to Lebanon, then Iraq, and came to Canada via Vancouver non-profit group Rainbow Refugees to connect with his sponsor, the Central Okanagan Refugee Committee. He arrived in Kelowna Nov. 23, 2017, and has a new life as an accountant at KPMG. I would love to deliver this message to conservative parents in the Middle East and across the world: Being gay is not a choice. And some of your kids might be afraid to come out to you. Please learn from Canada. Embrace and accept your kids and let them choose you as the first person to come out to," says Qartoumeh. Entrepreneur burnout is common among business owners, especially those in the early stages of establishing their businesses. Symptoms include anxiety, hopelessness, restlessness, irritability and depression -- and depression is the most dangerous. According to research by Dr. Michael Freeman, a clinical professor at University of California, 30 percent of all entrepreneurs experience depression. This is an alarming rate, especially because depression is a leading cause of suicide. The statistics echo our experiences of hearing about bright entrepreneurs taking their lives. Related: How to Prevent Stress, Depression and Anxiety at Work How can you, as an entrepreneur, make sure you run your business without running yourself into the ground? Here are four telltale signs of impending burnout. 1. Its not just about the hours. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most small business owners work up to 50 hours a week -- at least 16 hours more than the national average. A poll of New York Enterprise Report readers found that 33 percent of small business owners work upwards of 50 hours a week, with an additional 25 percent clocking 60 hours a week. And these arent the only studies demonstrating the long working hours business owners put in. The issue of entrepreneurs mental health, however, goes beyond the long work days. Entrepreneurs are also under immense pressure because they are usually responsible for the livelihoods of other people. And if they dont have employees, they may be stressed because their small businesses dont have many resources to fall back on. 2. Its like alcoholism... but for work. Starting and running your own business requires a huge commitment not many can sustain. But for those who can, this commitment can quickly devolve into addiction, i.e., workaholism. Even when on vacation, about two thirds of small business owners check in with their businesses at least once a day, according to an OnDeck study. This illustrates the attachment they have to their businesses and the fact that most dont even know theyre overworking. Just like an alcoholic cant function without drinking, workaholics cant function without working. Working is like medication to workaholics -- they work to relieve stress and anxiety caused by external factors such as family. But like alcohol for alcoholics, work for workaholics eventually ceases to be medicine and turns into poison. Related: 6 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Make Their Lives Easier and Avoid Burnout 3. The importance of having enough sleep. Nearly everyone needs about eight hours of sleep every night to function. Sleeping fewer hours leads to adverse health effects such as fatigue and headaches. Apart from short sleepers, who need only four to six hours of sleep to perform properly, all of us -- entrepreneurs most of all -- need to rest at least a third of the day to make sure we function the remaining two thirds. As a business owner, you need to stay calm and approachable at all times -- for your sake and for the sake of your employees and customers. No matter how hectic things are, you have to remain even-keeled to create a safe and stable environment for those led and served by you. Good leaders are able to stay calm and focused on their jobs because they allow themselves to rejuvenate through proper sleep, despite the stress and technological distractions of the modern world. According to findings by Sleepenvie, 48 percent of Americans experience insomnia regularly, and 22 percent report suffering from it nightly. Smart entrepreneurs make sure they do not become the sad statics. 4. Almost everything can be delegated. An effective way for entrepreneurs to free up time for themselves is to delegate. Unfortunately, many are not comfortable handing over tasks to other people. In a study of U.K. business owners, 70 percent of the respondents said they preferred to do everything themselves. A good number cited reasons such as: Being the most capable for the job (30 percent) Employees lacking proper skills (20 percent) Rushing to get things done (20 percent) Liking doing the tasks (19 percent) Whether you like doing the tasks or not is irrelevant to the fact that you can delegate or outsource them. Its a choice between being bogged down by doing everything yourself or setting up your business for growth. If you want to create a system that works, set up strategies that will take your business further. Thats the part you cannot delegate. Related: 4 Tasks Successful Leaders Should Delegate Conclusion. Most business people do not separate life from work. Work is life for them. They spend endless hours at work; they stress; they dont sleep well; and they do everything themselves. What they dont realize is that a work-life balance will create the life they crave -- an opportunity to enjoy lifes finer things while growing their businesses. Related: Some Aspects to Guide You Towards Success in Business How to Utilize Creativity Like a Pro for Entrepreneurial Success? Follow The Leader: Ahmed Khouri, Managing Director, Union Properties Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved I opened the long slender menu, thinking it was the wine list. It was a drinks list, but not wine. At Harney and Sons Cafe in Millerton, N.Y., the drink is tea. About 230 teas were listed: green, matcha, oolong, or black; blended or single variety; all available iced or hot. We had toured the 90,000-square-foot blending-packaging-warehouse facility just before lunch and now were thirsty for tea. On information overload from the tour, we were looking forward to a cuppa, but this list was daunting. Consulting with our charming waiter, we showed him a photo of white peach matcha being blended on our tour. That ones delicious, he said and whistled up a carafe of it over ice. The bright green color and authentic peach aroma was much admired by nearby tables. Harney and Sons, master tea blenders, started in the basement of the White Hart Inn in Salisbury, Conn., in 1983. Innkeeper John Harney learned the business from tea merchant Stanley Mason and began blending and shipping six types of tea to other hotels and inns. The enterprise has grown from the basement of the inn to a thriving national and international brand for fine and flavored teas. Harney and Sons is a multi-generation family business. Founder John Harney passed away in 2014 but is still listed as president and is honored with a parking spot out front. His two sons, Mike and Paul, are now in charge. Mikes wife Brigitte and their sons Alex and Emeric work there too. Family members travel the world for tea: Paul representing the company across America; Brigitte to Europe; and everyone to India and China to select teas for the catalog. Our tour, led by Rob Russotti, revealed the scope of the operation. Bales of China Black Tea, the foundation for Harneys blends, were stacked to the ceiling and its a high ceiling. Boxes, bins, and bags of flavorings like orange peel, lavender, and ginger are kept near the blending room. Blending is done by strict recipe with all the ingredients being tumbled until thoroughly mixed. Smaller production teas like our white peach matcha are blended in rotating drums that look like small cement mixers. Two 100-year-old tumblers, looking like large industrial laundry dryers, handle bigger loads. One of them is dedicated exclusively to Hot Cinnamon Blend. A mix of three types of cinnamon, sweet clove, orange peel, and china black tea, its the biggest seller in the Harney lineup. A large almost two-story rig does the really big loads. The aromas are enticing. Elaborate machines then fill and label tea bags and tea sachets. Looking like miniature pyramids, the sachets have enough space inside to allow full size tea leaves to unfold as they steep just like loose tea. Tea bags, on the other hand, hold finely cut tea in their cramped quarters. We learned that when tea is first picked, its green. In a drying and oxidizing process called withering, the tea progresses to oolong, and with more withering becomes black. All the same leaf, just withered more. Matcha is specially grown and finely ground green tea, which brews to a bright green color. Tea flavor, like fine wine, is a result of plant type, growing place, and cultivation techniques. Each tea in the Harney collection is briefly described and rated by Mike on a one to five scale for briskness, body, and aroma to help you pick among the hundreds of choices. In Millerton, theres a tasting bar, retail store, and cafe all under one roof. When we visited, Amba Ceylon and Soba Matcha were offered for tasting. Its pleasant to spend some time learning about proper brewing, discussing the provenance of the tea, and tasting. The gift shop carries an extensive selection of Harney teas as well as tea accessories, books, and hostess gifts. Outdoor seating nearly doubles the size of the small cafe. Sandwiches and salads are named after Harney family members. Bertram (same name as our son), a grilled chicken sandwich with avocado, Nodines bacon, and tomato on whole grain bread was a good match with green salad. As you would expect in a tea restaurant, scones with clotted cream and jam for dessert were some of the best Ive ever had. Millerton is about 75 miles due north. We took the drive up Route 22 in New York and came back on shady Route 7 along the Housatonic. If you dont want to go that far, Harney and Sons has a tea shop and cafe in SoHo on Broome Street in New York City. The teas, of course, are available at Harney.com and from their informative catalog. Frank Whitman can be reached at NotBreadAloneFW@gmail.com. NORWALK Two weeks before the start of school, students lined up near the main office at Brien McMahon High School on Wednesday morning. It was freshman orientation, but the students had come not only to become acquainted with their new high school. They also came to collect their new, school-issued Google Chromebooks. I prefer typing much more over writing, said Charlie Jacobellis, who was excitedly collecting his Chromebook. This will be the first school year in which the computers are handed out to all incoming freshmen, as part of Norwalk Public Schools 1:1 Digital Learning Initiative. Students at McMahon and Norwalk High School will use the Chromebooks in class as part of their coursework, and will be able to take the computers home for educational use off campus. When we talk about learning today, everything we do is digital, said Ralph Valenzisi, chief of technology, innovations and partnerships for Norwalk Public Schools. Valenzisi was assisting students who came in, signed on to desktop computers and filled out a contract before receiving their Chromebooks, which will be passed out through the beginning of the school year. Valenzisi said that the district-wide curriculum has been trending toward digital learning. I think its been a natural progression. All of our resources are online. Teachers use Google Classroom to post assignments, Valenzisi said. The initiative will cost the district about $200,000 annually, paid out of the capital budget, to outfit the roughly 1,000 freshman students each year. Students can choose to pay $25 for insurance on the computer, and those who have made the $25 payment each of their four years can keep the machine. Norwalk students given a Chromebook will be required to bring it to and from school each day and use it in class, to be used in conjunction with other classroom materials. This is amazing. My oldest daughter graduated in 2011 and we had nothing like this on the technology side, said MJ Chirona, whose twin daughters were on line. Also, for students who dont have computer access at home, this will give them a better opportunity. In addition to handing out computers, the district launched the 1Million Project last school year in partnership with Sprint. The project gives out free 4-gigabyte wireless internet hotspots to students who otherwise dont have access to the internet at home. In January, hotspots were given out to 250 students at Norwalk High School and Brien McMahon combined. The district aims to provide internet access to all high school students within the next two years. There are students that may not have computer access at home, so its really an equity issue, Valenzisi said. justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586 JERUSALEM I have been visiting Israel for 20 years, mainly for meetings with government officials, generals and policy analysts. After a trip this summer arranged by a nonprofit group called Academic Exchange, I reflected on how much Israel has - and has not - changed since 1998. A lot has happened in those years, including the death of Yasser Arafat (whom I met in 1998), the Second Intifada, a war in Lebanon, and the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip followed by a Hamas takeover and multiple conflicts. But what was striking to me was the continuity. After all, the prime minister back then, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been in power again since 2009, presiding over what is still a vibrant, cacophonous democracy. The West Bank, then as now, was divided by the Oslo peace process into a crazy quilt of A, B and C zones under varying degrees of Palestinian control. Then, as now, the animosity between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority disguised a substantial amount of security cooperation behind the scenes. Then, as now, Israel faced a terrorist threat but not one that disrupted ordinary life: Sixteen Israelis were killed by terrorists in 1998 and 34 last year. Then, as now, security concerns could seem remote while strolling along the beach in Tel Aviv or sitting in a trendy cafe. Israel was already wealthy in 1998 and has gotten more so: Per capita income has soared from less than $20,000 to more than $37,000. That puts Israel on the same level as Britain and France - a remarkable feat for a tiny country devoid until recently of natural resources. (Offshore natural gas fields were discovered beginning in 1999.) It may well turn out that Netanyahu's most significant legacy will be the two years he spent as finance minister (2003 to 2005), when he led a deregulatory push to unleash the free market. The Palestinians have not been so lucky. Their per capita income has risen from $1,400 to $3,000 - roughly the same percentage increase as Israel but one that puts them on par only with the Philippines and Sudan. Parts of the West Bank have flourished: On a visit to Ramallah, the Palestinians' de facto capital, I saw a great deal of new construction. But the economy in Gaza has nose-divided since the Israeli pullout in 2005. Unemployment is nearly 50 percent, and Gaza residents are lucky to get four hours of electricity a day. Hamas blames the Israeli and Egyptian blockade; Israel and the Egyptian military regime blame Hamas, which both countries view as a security threat. Israeli forces have killed 140 peoplesince Marchtrying to penetrate the Gaza border. Hamas has also targeted Israel with rockets and even incendiary kites, resulting in burned-out fields that we saw on a drive along the border. Little wonder that there is less enthusiasm in Israel today than in 1998 for making territorial concessions: Israel has given up land but not gotten peace in return. The Palestinians, for their part, complain that peace is not possible as long as Israeli settlers occupy their land. In the past, I had played down this complaint because Israel had shown, not only in Gaza but also in the Sinai Peninsula, that it was willing to evacuate settlers for the sake of peace. But the demographic changes over the past two decades have been stark: In 1996, there were 134,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank and Gaza. Today, there are 430,000 settlers in the West Bank, not counting East Jerusalem, which is home to 200,000 Israelis. 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 Israel's Jewish character that has Arabs and Druze fuming that they are second-class citizens. Among both Israelis and Palestinians, support for a "two-state" solution has waned since 1998. Extremists on both sides imagine they can somehow have the whole shebang to themselves. But it's hard to imagine how, absent genocide, the Palestinians could gain control of roughly 7 million Jews or how, absent indefinite occupation, the Israelis can continue to control 7 million Palestinians. (The figures are projections for 2020 - and like everything else in the Holy Land, they are disputed.) Just as in 1998, so today, there is still no practical alternative to a Palestinian state, even if that goal appears more distant than ever. But not all is gloom and doom. One of the most hopeful things I saw on my visit was a matzoh factory in Jerusalem where Palestinian employees happily work alongside Orthodox Jews, showing that, on a human level, coexistence is still possible. Photo: Contributed Athletes are getting prepared for the iconic Apple Triathlon in Kelowna set to start in a few days as smoke poses a threat for the race. Wildfires burning across the province has filtered smoke into the Okanagan Valley and it doesnt appear to be leaving anytime soon. The Kelowna Apple Society posted on their website that they are monitoring the current situation everyday. Right now we are proceeding with the races as planned for the weekend and will be updating athletes and volunteers daily leading up to the race, reads a message posted by Apple Triathlon staff. Current air quality in Kelowna is ranked at a high risk and a nine out of 10 on Wednesday, which is expected to dip down to a seven on Thursday. Environment Canada meteorologist Michel Gelinas says they are not expecting any change with the smoke. We are expecting equally bad air quality tomorrow, he said. Warm and dry weather is expected for the foreseeable future and as long as there are wildfires burning the smoke will stick around. Our best guess is it will continue to be smoky for at least another week, said Gelinas. Environment Canada is advising people to stay inside if they have breathing difficulties and find a place that is cool and ventilated. "We are optimistic for improving trends in air quality leading up to the race. As always, we encourage athletes to be aware of their own limitations, especially those who may have respiratory sensitivities," says Apple Triathlon staff. The triathlon is expected to take place on Saturday and Sunday. Photo: Contributed In Vernon, there are more than 300 registered short-term rental options just on Airbnb alone. There is no language in place for the City of Vernon to regulate short-term rentals like the ones found on Airbnb. A recent Castanet article has reignited a conversation in the community over what, if anything, should be done to control the proliferation of short-term rentals in the city. Those in favour of short-term rentals will argue that they provide a valuable source of income as a mortgage helper, along with providing an accommodation option that isn't a costly hotel and motel room. However, for people like Ed Kinnear, who lives next to a short-term rental, the byproduct of this rental option is often overlooked. "There were situations where a group would come in to rent the house and they would begin to party that night on the deck, which forces us to close our doors and windows," explained Kinnear. "The language, the volume level, the hours and times they are partying in the house is not comfortable in a residential subdivision." For four years, Kinnear has had to deal with a large number of people coming and going from the short-term rental option next to his house. He has raised his concerns with city bylaw, which, in turn, has issued a letter to the owner of the short-term rental. According to Kinnear, because Vernon does not have language in a bylaw or any other point of reference all the letter could state was that the renter must change the advertising on his short-term rental to a minimum of seven days. Every time Kinnear has raised the issue with the city he has been shuffled off in another direction to seek clarification or answers. Kinnear has had conversations with members of the city planning department and with members of bylaw, but he says, at this point, he isn't hearing back anymore. There are no clear answers as what an owner of a short-term rental option in Vernon can and can't do. As it is right now, short-term rental options can only be addressed by the city on a complaint basis. The City of Vernon has stated to Castanet that it requires short-term rental owners to be licensed as a bed and breakfast. That is because that is the only rental category for residential areas within the City of Vernon. The City has also stated that it plans to work on a short-term rental policy in the coming months. And, "the project will provide many opportunities for the public and the business community to provide input." Kinnear is hoping to keep the conversation around short-term rentals front and centre. "I want the city to understand that there is a problem that they can resolve. They have the means to resolve it." Communities like Kelowna and Penticton have recently taken measures to address the issue of short-term rentals in their communities, albeit in very different ways. Kinnear would like to see Vernon adopt measures similar to what the City of Vancouver recently adopted, which would create restrictions around short-term rentals, but not shut them down. The new rules, which went into effect in April, allow for short-term rentals providing its the renter's principal residence; it is a legal dwelling and complies with building code and fire safety; the renter has a rental business licence. Kinnear believes the changes made in Vancouver would be a good fit for Vernon and would appease both sides in the short-term rental discussion. Photo: The Canadian Press President Donald Trump waves as he walks on the South Lawn of the White House after stepping off Marine One, Monday, Aug. 13, 2018, in Washington. United States newsrooms are pushing back against President Donald Trump with a co-ordinated series of newspaper editorials condemning his attacks on "fake news" and suggestion that journalists are the enemy. The Boston Globe invited newspapers across the country to stand up for the press with editorials on Thursday, and several began appearing online a day earlier. Nearly 350 news organizations have pledged to participate, according to Marjorie Pritchard, op-ed editor at the Globe. In St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch called journalists "the truest of patriots ." The Chicago Sun-Times said it believed most Americans know that Trump is talking nonsense. The Fayetteville, N.C. Observer said it hoped Trump would stop, "but we're not holding our breath ." "Rather, we hope all the president's supporters will recognize what he's doing manipulating reality to get what he wants," the North Carolina newspaper said. Some newspapers used history lessons to state their case. The Elizabethtown Advocate in Elizabethtown, Penn., for instance, compared free press in the United States to such rights promised but not delivered in the former Soviet Union. The New York Times added a pitch. "If you haven't already, please subscribe to your local papers," said the Times , whose opinion section also summarized other editorials across the country. "Praise them when you think they've done a good job and criticize them when you think they could do better. We're all in this together." That last sentiment made some journalists skittish. The Wall Street Journal, which said it was not participating, noted in a column by James Freeman that the Globe's effort ran counter to the independence that editorial boards claim to seek. Freeman wrote that Trump has the right to free speech as much as his media adversaries. "While we agree that labeling journalists the 'enemy of the American people' and journalism 'fake news' is not only damaging to our industry but destructive to our democracy, a co-ordinated response from independent dare we say 'mainstream' news organizations feeds a narrative that we're somehow aligned against this Republican president," the Baltimore Sun wrote . Still, the Sun supported the effort and also noted the deaths of five Capital Gazette staff members at the hands of a gunman in nearby Annapolis, Maryland. The Radio Television Digital News Association, which represents more than 1,200 broadcasters and websites, is also asking its members to point out that journalists are friends and neighbours doing important work holding government accountable. Police photo Roy Oliver A murder trial for a former Texas police officer who killed a black teenager highlights the heightened role video evidence plays in high-profile police shootings that have stirred discourse and triggered protests nationwide over issues of race and law enforcement. Former Balch Springs officer Roy Oliver, who is white, opened fire last year into a moving car filled with five black teens, killing 15-year-old high school freshman Jordan Edwards. Oliver, 38, joined the department in 2011 but was fired after the fatal shooting, which was thrust into a national conversation about police killings of African Americans. The jury trial is scheduled to begin Thursday in Dallas, though Oliver's defence attorneys on Wednesday filed an emergency stay to delay its start. A spokesperson for the Dallas County district attorney's office said the trial is expected to last about two weeks. Following the shooting, the Balch Springs police chief reported that police video had contradicted his agency's original statement on the incident. Police first said the vehicle backed up toward officers "in an aggressive manner," but police later reported video showed the vehicle was moving forward as officers, after responding to a report of underage drinking at a house party, approached. Philip Stinson, a criminologist at Bowling Green State University in Ohio who tracks police shootings, said officers can testify they were in fear for their life, and jurors are often reluctant to second-guess the decisions of an officer faced with an intense street encounter. By Stinson's count, there have been 93 non-federal law enforcement officers since 2005 arrested for murder or manslaughter in on-duty fatal shootings as of Monday. Even when armed with video evidence, attorneys can fail to deliver a conviction against an officer, he said. "Video alone is not (going to) win the case for prosecutors," he said. In the Balch Springs criminal case, Oliver's attorneys have said Edwards' death was a tragedy, but that evidence will show Oliver "reacted properly." According to court records, Oliver said he and his partner feared for their lives when the car carrying the teens sped past them. Oliver's legal troubles extend beyond the murder trial. A lawsuit has been filed over the shooting, and Oliver has been indicted in a separate 2017 incident in which police said he drew a weapon after he was rear-ended while off duty. Home >Police Enforcement > Taxes and Tolls > New York: Uber Joins Special Interests Pushing For Manhattan Congestion Tax Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 16) The price of rice in the market has yet to stabilize because supply remains insufficient despite the importation of 500,000 tons of the grain, the National Food Authority said Thursday. NFA Deputy Administrator Judy Dansal told a Senate committee hearing that aside from the recent importation, they need an additional one million metric tons of rice to stabilize prices in the market. She said the NFA needs to keep up a high volume of rice to sell and to allot some as buffer stock for food security. "To stabilize price we should have to have volume that you can unload in case prices are high. For this now we cannot meet, we cannot stabilize," she said. "The stocks that we have right now is only good for 38 days" Dansal added. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas also suggested that the prices can taper off with rice imported by private traders through the minimum access volume, but Dansal said such imports won't arrive until February next year. "The arrival is up to September 15 for the first phase and then the second phase should be on December to February of next year. The council approved this period because it should not coincide with harvest season," she said. Rice for the "poor" Dennis Mapa, dean of the University of the Philippines School of Statistics, said the promise of the Tax Reform Law or TRAIN passed in 2017 is for poor households which makes up the poorest 30% of the population to be able to buy NFA rice at the discounted price of 28.80 pesos per kilo from its usual price of 32 pesos. However his findings show that poor households currently purchase commercial rice at 39 pesos. Senator Win Gatchalian also noted that several markets do not even have NFA rice on hand. Mapa said food accounts for 60% of a poor household's daily consumption, 20% of which is for rice alone. Dansal argued that they already selling the remaining better quality stock rice at 32 pesos, and 27 pesos for a discounted price to poor households. Asked how the NFA determines which consumers are among the poor households, however, Dansal admitted, "We have no basis for that." Gatchalian maintained that priority should be given to access and price stability in all of NFA's efforts. "Among the several mandates of the NFA, two of the most important is price stability and also access to the poor, two of which walang nangyayari [nothing is being implemented]" he said. "Kumbaga nasa red alert na po tayo eh, wala na tayong time to dilly-dally [We are on red alert we don't have time to dilly-dally] and rice, being a very important component of the poorwe are putting a lot of emphasis on the access and the price of rice," Gatchalian added. It is indeed a great honour for me to receive the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers. The beautiful part, not just getting this award, is my volunteering in my community. It was because this award was for my community work that I decided to not go to Rideau Hall for the official presentation, and I was glad that Mayor Andrew Jakubeit agreed to do the honours. The "icing on the cake" was to also have Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly congratulate me, even though neither he, nor my MP, Richard Cannings, couldn't do the presentation, as they are "partisan," as I was told by Rideau Hall. The Sovereign's Medal also comes with a job description, so there will be no hiding the medal in my sock drawer. One such "job" is to be present at Canadian citizenship events, to talk to new Canadians about being Canadian and being part of one's community. Regardless of age, I believe we all give in many ways to our communities. Aside from the seemingly boundless energy of Penticton's so-called "retired" population, I'm always greatly impressed by our children, our youth, and our Penticton Vees players, and all their wonderful contributions to making their community and this planet a better place for all. My brothers and I are also very thankful, that our father couldn't get a job in the U.S.A., which is why we all emigrated to Canada in 1958. The office of the Governor General has a website where anyone can nominated a person for this medal. So, now I'm wondering, who can I nominate? Suggestions anyone? Brigid Kemp, Penticton Bitcoin scandal spreads to banks, stock exchange BANGKOK: A whale investor in the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and staff at up to three Thai banks are suspected of being complicit in a B797 million scandal involving a foreign investor and the cryptocurrency bitcoin (BTC), police said yesterday (Aug 15). crimepolicetechnology By Bangkok Post Thursday 16 August 2018, 08:50AM Suphitcha Jaravijit, elder sister of soap-opera actor Boom, reported to police and was taken for interrogation to the Crime Suppression Division headquarters in Bangkok. Photo: Wassayos Ngamkham The three commercial banks were named as Bangkok Bank, Siam Commercial Bank and Kasikornbank. All handled transactions involving part of the swindled money, police said. Police said several of the banks employees failed to report money transfers of B2mn or higher, a serious violation of bank rules. Staff are required to inform the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) when sums of this value change hands. One suspect in the case is SET investor Prasit Srisuwan, who is believed to have claimed a share of the stolen money derived from the digital asset. The scam came to light after Finnish national Aarni Otava Saarimaa and Chonnikan Kaeosali told the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) they were duped into sending bitcoin to Thai nationals for reinvestment in other companies using Dragon Coin, another cryptocurrency. Mr Saarimaa, the 22-year-old Finn, and Ms Chonnikan, his business partner, lodged a police complaint in January. They said they believed they were buying shares in three companies and investing in a casino but had never seen any returns. Now money transfers are at the heart of the probe as the CSD has learned that some of the money was wired to the bank accounts of various business people and at least one Thai celebrity. The source said police are considering whether to file charges with the banks and their employees. Prasit is trying to negotiate a settlement with the two victims after the financial whiz was accused of receiving a portion of the money (B66.5mn) from them to purchase shares in a company on their behalf, the source said. The victims claim he acted dishonestly and stole their money. He now hopes to buy the shares back in exchange for not being prosecuted, the source said. Prasit said in a Facebook post he was innocent and has all the documents to prove it. Im ready to answer all questions, he added. Meanwhile, Suphitcha Jaravijit, the older sister of actor Jiratpisit Boom Jaravijit, turned herself in at the CSD yesterday (Aug 15) to face charges arising from her suspected involvement in the bitcoin scam. Yesterday she blamed another of her brothers, Prinya Jaravijit, the suspected ringleader of the scheme who is believed to have fled to the United States, for dragging her into trouble after transferring B200mn from the ill-gotten gains to her bank account. The CSD has charged the three siblings with money laundering and expanded its probe to cover other Jaravijit family members, including their parents. Suphitcha claimed she had no idea the money was obtained illegally and said some of it had been converted from a real estate deal, CSD chief Maitree Chimcherd said. The 32-year-old told police she planned to transfer the money back to her brother and maintained she is innocent of all charges. The Criminal Court has since released her on a B2mn bail bond but has banned her from travelling overseas. Police were gathering evidence yesterday to ask the court to issue warrants for the arrest of six other suspects, including more members of the Jaravijit family. According to investigators, the money was distributed among the three family members. They have found evidence that B140mn was transferred to Suphitchas account, B111mn to an account in Prinyas name and B21mn to Jiratpisit. The 27-year-old actor has also blamed Prinya, accusing him of using his account without his consent. Four of the six suspects are believed to have received a large share of the stolen money, according to another police source. According to the original complaint, their bitcoin was stored in electronic wallets but the suspects secretly siphoned their coins off for sale, allowing them to gain money from the transactions. Eventually the money was withdrawn and wired to the suspects bank accounts. In a related story, victims of bitcoin and Ponzi scams petitioned the Office of the Attorney General yesterday for help, complaining they are still mired in difficulties with prosecutions under way. Samat Chenchaichitwanit, the president of No Money Game Association who led the gathering, said many victims have not received their money back. Read original story here. Mothers will never forgive Phuket bar owner for murders PHUKET: The families of the young couple murdered in broad daylight at Buddha Mountain in Chonburi are looking forward to seeing the accused mastermind punished, and say they will never forgive him. crimedeathpoliceviolencetransport By Bangkok Post Thursday 16 August 2018, 05:57PM Jomsri Chompoopuen reacts when asked about the arrest of Panya Yingdang, allegedly both the mastermind and one of the two gunmen who murdered her son Mt Anatachai Jaritram and his friend. Photo: Yongyuth Phuphuangpet The mothers of Anatachai Jaritram and Paweena Namuangrak expressed their feelings after learning that fugitive Phuket bar owner Panya Yingdang, 39, had been arrested in Cambodia and would soon be handed over to Thai police. Speaking at their respective homes in Tha Khanto district in Kalasin they agreed they were happy the wanted man had been caught and was being brought to justice. I dont want to see him kneel down and ask forgiveness for what he has done, Jomsri Chompoopuen, the mother of 21-year-old Mr Anantachai, said. Wanphen Namuangrak, the mother of Ms Paweena, 20, felt the same way. I wont forgive what he has done to me, she said. I am happy to see him arrested. I hope police will do their best in this case, she added. Mr Ananatachai and Ms Paweena died in a hail of bullets fired by two gunmen in a parking lot on Khao Chee Chan, the famous Buddha Mountain, in Sattahip district of Chonburi province on July 29. Police have arrested five suspects in the case. Their investigation pointed to Panya, who run the Pum Pui bar on Bangla Rd, being the mastermind, and one of the shooters. The motive was jealous revenge because Ms Paweena had previously worked in his club and was his favourite. Better known as Sia Auan in Phuket, Panya was arrested yesterday (Aug 15) in Prey Veng province of Cambodia. He was believed to be making his way to Vietnam. His pickup truck was found abandoned near the border in Sa Kaeo province after the double-murder. Maj Gen Piyaphun Pingmuang, police deputy spokesman, today (Aug 16) confirmed the suspect had been captured, but would not say specifically when Cambodian authorities would hand him over. Police were in contact with Cambodian authorities and arrangements were being made, he added. Gen Suchat Theerasawat, a police inspector, said Panya was being brought by land from Prey Veng to the border in Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo for the hand over, according to a report on Jor Sor 100 traffic radio station. Read original story here. Photo: The Canadian Press Omarosa Manigault Newman has released another secret audio tape that she says proves President Donald Trump wanted to silence her after firing her from the White House. In the tape played on MSNBC, Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, offers Manigault Newman a job earning $15,000 a month. The job wouldn't require her to report to any particular office, but enable her to speak positively on Trump's behalf as part of his re-election campaign. Lara Trump, married to Eric Trump, can be heard on the tape saying: "It sounds a little like, obviously, that there are some things you've got in the back pocket to pull out. Clearly, if you come on board the campaign, like, we can't have, we got to ... " Manigault Newman interjects: "Oh, God no." Russian Phuket expat hunted as mastermind of B100mn crypto fraud PHUKET: A Russian expat living in Phuket is believed to be the mastermind behind the online foreign-currency exchange (Forex) trading scam operated through the SiamOption.com website that has lured 1.4 million people to invest hundreds of millions of baht. crimeRussianeconomics By The Phuket News Thursday 16 August 2018, 04:10PM The co-ordinated raids in Bangkok, Khon Kaen and Phuket netted laptop computers and mobile phones and bankbooks to 22 bank accounts that have now been frozen. Photo: Tourist Police The co-ordinated raids in Bangkok, Khon Kaen and Phuket netted laptop computers and mobile phones and bankbooks to 22 bank accounts that have now been frozen. Photo: Tourist Police The raids followed complaints by Khon Kaen residents to the Khon Kaen Governor. Photo: Tourist Police The raids followed complaints by Khon Kaen residents to the Khon Kaen Governor. Photo: Tourist Police Russian national Alexy Chikalov, 37, is wanted for his involvement in the scheme. Photo: Phuket Tourist Police Russian national Alexy Chikalov, 37, is wanted for his involvement in the scheme. Photo: Phuket Tourist Police The co-ordinated raids in Bangkok, Khon Kaen and Phuket netted laptop computers and mobile phones and bankbooks to 22 bank accounts that have now been frozen. Photo: Tourist Police Gen Surachate (centre) said his team had already found five to six other online trading schemes operating the same way. Photo: Tourist Police The news was revealed by Tourist Police Deputy Commander Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn yesterday (Aug 15) in announcing the arrest of 19 suspects involved in the scam in co-ordinated raids in Bangkok, Khon Kaen and Phuket. Nine of the suspects were arrested in raids at six locations in Phuket, with the main raid at the office of Helix Thai Beach Co Ltd (Phuket) at 26/164 Chao Fa Rd East, Chalong. The nine Phuket suspects arrested were named as: Ms Rattanaporn Pannork, 30; Miss Niphawan Srinuam, 31; Ms Pakkaporn Jinakat, 39; Ms Pattara Nadee, 47; Ms Chittanan Setthapith, 45; Mr Nuttapong Sriwan, 20; Mr Thanandorn Thaimai, 34 (named as the head of the group); Mr Jeerapong Maneesri, 41; and Mr Chalum Chujit, 44. This is quite a big network. There are major investors behind this, one of them is a Russian but he has already fled Phuket, Gen Surachate said. Right now were are tracking about B130 million in the scheme, but there is another B600mn that we are trying to get back for the victims, he said. Maj Ekkachai Siri of the Phuket Tourist Police confirmed to The Phuket News this afternoon (Aug 16) that the wanted Russian expat in Phuket was Alexey Chikalov, 37, from Leningrad (now known as St Petersburg). Tourist Police in Bangkok are working on this information. We have sent all suspects from Phuket to Khon Kaen already. Now we are still working on the investigation for more information in Phuket, he added. The raids were carried out by Thailand's Action Taskforce for Information Technology Crime Suppression (Tactics), which acts as a joint taskforce including officers from the Tourist Police, the Royal Thai Police Region 4 branch and the Thai military. An online investigation by the task force led officers to stage co-ordinated raids targeting nine locations: one in Bangkok, two in Khon Kaen and six locales in Phuket. The raid in Bangkok targeted the office of the Helix Thai Beach Co Ltd, located in Room 4703 on the 47th Floor of the Empire Tower in Sathorn District, yet no arrests were reported there. The raid in Khon Kaen targeted the office of Helix Thai Beach Co Ltd. (Khon Kaen) located at No. 3/1 Moo 14 Srichan Rd, Ban Phet, Muang District, Khon Kaen Province. The 10 people arrested there were named as: Miss Jirapa Paengleum, 25; Miss Natthamon Jumratnaew, 25; Miss Somreuthai Piyapisuth, 26; Miss Chayanan Prasertsang, 31; Miss Amyaporn Theerasathienpong, 32; Miss Paya Piypiew, 43; Mr Kosol Piyanoothai, 23; Mr Nattapol Kurairath, 23; Mr Suwicha Longboonsri, 24; and Mr Wattanaphan Wichairam, 36. Seized in the raids were 17 laptop computers, 15 smartphones and B260,000 in cash as well as bankbooks for 22 bank accounts. The raids followed people in Khon Kaen filing a complaint with Khon Kaen Governor Dr Somsak Jungtrakul. People were invited to invest in more than 70 assets, including currency pairs, indexes, stocks and commodities, which the group called binary options, Gen Surachate explained. But when people buy the subscription and transfer money, they could not trade or invest as advertised on the website, he said. Instead, the funds were actually transferred to a CryptoIndex e-currency and metals funds, he added. Which is not an investment, as it announced on the website it operated as a gambling style operation, Gen Surachate said. The group had 1.4mn subscriptions, with about 100,000 new accounts each month, together generating a total income from account subscriptions of about B20mn per month, Gen Surachate said. The total amount of turnover for the group is more than B100mn a year, he added. Now all bank accounts and all online accounts associated with the group have been frozen, Gen Surachate confirmed. The group used Bangkok and Phuket as their main offices with the office in Khon Kaen set up to lure people to join as a brokers. This team claimed they had a good reputation that was legally registered with the Ministry of Commerces Department of Business Development, he added. However, please tell any people you know to not believe in this kind of business, because such businesses claim that members will receive an income benefit of 10% and that is not true, Gen Surachate said. From now on I will work seriously and continuously on targetting these types of businesses. We have already found five to six other websites doing the same thing, he said. Khon Kaen Governor Dr Somsak Jungtrakoon thanked Gen Surachte for quick action on taking down the group, and warned any new potential investors that even signing up for such investments could land them in trouble with the law. There are many types of this business in Khon Kaen, and many victims. This is like Gen Surachate helping to clean up our city and help our people, he said. However, Dr Somsak warned against even signing up for such schemes and that as such schemes were considered a form of gambling, people who sign up for such services could face a criminal charge under the Gambling Act for which they could face up to two years imprisonment or a fine up of to B2,000. Gen Surachate confirmed that the suspects already arrested face charges under the Gambling Act and for using computers to commit fraud or otherwise deceive people. We warned anyone else found involved in the scheme or still involved in any similar scheme will be arrested and face criminal charges, Gen Surachate said. And we will expand our investigation into the major investors, who will also be investigated for money laundering, he added. Please give the message to any persons you know who may be still involved in any similar activity that they too face the same criminal charges, he warned. De Smet leads 2021 All-Dakota Valley Conference football team De Smet won the league title, swept the top awards and put four players on the 2021 All-Dakota Valley Conference football team. Guns N' Roses haven't written any original material yet Speaking to Audacy, axe-slayer Slash said: As far as new Guns is concerned, we havent even gotten to that point of really in earnest sitting down an PARISAir France-KLM Group directors havent even voted on hiring Ben Smith as the companys new chief executive and already its French unions are preparing a lively welcome for the Canadian executive. Recruiting a foreign boss is inconceivable, nine unions said Thursday before a board meeting at which Smith probably will be chosen as chief executive officer. Labour groups will meet Aug. 27 to decide their next steps in a long-running dispute over pay that has led to 15 days of strikes and lost flights this year. Smith, the No. 2 executive at Air Canada, will have to pursue cost cuts and operational improvements in a highly competitive industry, while trying to rein in disgruntled unions, all with the French state looking over his shoulder. The poisonous atmosphere should come as no surprise: In 2015, Air France workers protesting job cuts stormed offices near Charles de Gaulle Airport, ripping the shirts off two managers as they jumped a fence to escape. Previous CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac staked his job on a staff vote on his plans and lost. Im sure he has an idea of the magnitude of the challenge, said Chris Tarry, a U.K.-based aviation consultant. Would I book a long-haul flight on Air France? Its a question, because theres a risk theyll be on strike. Labour opposition wont derail the hiring of Smith, whose 19 years in the airline industry give him the legitimacy to be Air France-KLM CEO, according to a senior French government official. Its not up to unions to pick managers, said the official, who asked not to be named in line with government policy. The French state is the carriers largest shareholder, with a 14 per cent stake. An Air France spokesperson declined to comment on the unions statement. Smith has an excellent profile to run the company, and the states representative on the Air France board will vote to hire him, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said at a news conference in Ascain, according to Agence France-Presse. The labour groups said they wanted a responsible leader steeped in the French model of workplace relations, as well as Air France-KLMs position versus European competitors. They cited Donald Trumps presidency in the U.S. as evidence of an economic war in which national interests are paramount. Other countries and governments show fierce protectionism when it comes to their airline, they said. How in this context, when we know the importance of the economic benefits of a carrier to the rest of society, can Air France be left in foreign hands? The unions also hit out at the role of Delta Air Lines Inc., saying that Smiths candidacy was being pushed by a competing company. Atlanta-based Delta is an 8.8 per cent shareholder in Air France-KLM and the two operate a revenue- and cost-sharing alliance on North Atlantic routes. While the appointment of a foreign airline CEO might be controversial in a French context, its by no means unusual in the industry. IAG SA, owner of Air France-KLMs arch rival British Airways, is run by Irishman Willie Walsh; while easyJet Plc, which has grabbed market share on short-haul routes, recently hired Swede Johan Lundgren as chief. One of Smiths biggest assets from an Air France-KLM point of view is his experience and success in labour talks at Air Canada. He was chief negotiator in the most recent wrangle with pilots and cabin crew, securing unprecedented 10-year deals with both groups. Janaillac, and before him Alexandre De Juniac, resisted demands for higher pay at Air France, prioritizing investment in planes to compete with Persian Gulf carriers and low-cost specialists in Europe. Also on the agenda, if Smith is hired, will be overseeing the possible sale of the French governments stake and repairing relations with Dutch division KLM, which has never really come together with Air France to form a cohesive whole since a merger in 2004. Read more about: HOUSTON The U.S. State Department must conduct a new environmental review for the Keystone XL crude pipeline, a federal judge ruled, dealing a blow to a project supported by President Donald Trump in his first few days in office. U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris in Montana sided with Indigenous and environmental groups in ruling Wednesday that a revised Keystone route is interdependent on the larger pipeline project and requires one environmental review. TransCanada spokesperson Terry Cunha said the company was studying the ruling and had no immediate comment. While the court declined to vacate the State Departments so-called presidential permit, it called the governments argument that the permit applies only to the segment of the pipeline that crosses the U.S.-Canada border unpersuasive. Under the revised route, the Keystone XL pipeline would cross different counties and water bodies, run longer and require an additional pump station and power line infrastructure, the court said. Because of those differences, federal defendants cannot escape their responsibility to evaluate the alternative route. The courts ruling comes after the cross-border oil pipeline won a relatively positive preliminary review from the State Department, which found that the conduits approved route would have no significant environmental impacts. That came in a draft environmental assessment a shorter review than the environmental impact statement ordered by the U.S. District Court in Montana. Aside from Morriss ruling, Keystone is also facing a case before the Nebraska Supreme Court, which the company expects to be resolved later this year or in early 2019. TransCanada has said it will not begin construction until the second quarter of 2019. With files from The Canadian Press Read more about: President Donald Trump has made no secret that he wanted the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) gone. A year of on-again-off-again negotiations without a clear view of an endgame has demonstrated the pacts staying power. Its survival was hardly a given exactly a year ago, when negotiators from the U.S., Canada and Mexico gathered at a hotel in Washington. Their task was to start hammering out a fast update to the 24-year-old pact, which governs $1.2 trillion (U.S.) in trade. Trump wasnt backing down from his threat to withdraw from the deal. Still, heading into the opening round of talks, business leaders were hopeful the U.S. would push for a modest revamp that would bring the deal into the 21st century on issues like digital commerce and intellectual property. Read more: Opinion | Thomas Walkom: We should be arguing about NAFTA Opinion | David Olive: A divide-and-conquer strategy on NAFTA? NAFTA window likely closed, talks set to stretch into 2019 as tariffs imposed U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the U.S. wanted a deal by January, suggesting the administration might settle for a quick makeover. That would likely have satisfied Mexico and Canada, both of which supported the idea of a tariff-free continent. But when U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer took the stage on the first day of negotiations, it was clear he wasnt interested in a mere tweaking. The veteran trade lawyer from northern Ohio proclaimed that NAFTA had failed for countless Americans, costing manufacturing jobs. The U.S. would be looking for a host of major changes foremost among them, a reduction in Americas trade deficit. Within weeks, Lighthizer unveiled a series of demands designed to rebalance trade on the continent, including a hike in the amount of regional content required in cars, and a sunset clause that would automatically terminate the deal in five years unless the nations signed back on. Mexico and Canada swiftly rejected the ideas, with some commentators suggesting the demands were poison pills intended to kill the talks. But 12 months after Lighthizer put his counterparts on notice, the talks continue. The U.S. and Mexico are pushing for a breakthrough on cars, hoping that could pave the way for a deal before Mexicos new president takes office Dec. 1. However, the nightmare scenario for companies a U.S. withdrawal hasnt come to pass. The lesson is that its always more complicated and it takes longer than you think, said William Reinsch, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who served as a senior trade official during the Clinton administration. You cant just by fiat suddenly decree that were going to go back to 1955 and everything will be made here. Industry groups were swift to denounce the U.S. proposals that would scale NAFTA back. The Business Roundtable, which represents the CEOs of many of Americas biggest companies, warned in November that withdrawing from or weakening NAFTA would threaten jobs and hand opportunities to competing nations. But things could have been worse for CEOs. The Trump administration didnt introduce proposals more directly aimed at restricting imports in certain sectors, such as tariffs or quotas on specific products, said Wendy Cutler, managing director at the Asia Society Policy Institute and a former U.S. trade negotiator. I personally thought that, given their focus on the trade deficit, they would put forward proposals that were much more like managed trade, said Cutler, referring to the managed-trade approach used by the Reagan administration to restrict imports. Trump may still effectively take that path. Hes imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum, and is threatening to do so on imported cars and car parts, a move that could upend the North American supply chains of companies from General Motors to Toyota. Canada and Mexico are holding the line on their most sensitive issues. Mexico rejects the idea of a sunset clause. Canada wants to maintain the settlement-dispute systems in the agreement, and doesnt want to bow to U.S. demands to dismantle its dairy sector. Congress has also caused headaches for the American administration. With U.S. midterm elections looming in November, lawmakers in Trumps own Republican Party have warned that a protectionist turn would hurt businesses and consumers, including in states that were key to his 2016 victory. In a letter in May, senators including John Cornyn of Texas, the second highest-ranking Republican in the upper chamber, warned Trump not to take a take-it-or-leave-it approach with lawmakers. Youre starting to see that, in the part of America that Republicans hope to win, the mood is unsettled on the value of a tariff war, said Derek Burney, a former Canadian ambassador to the U.S. It appears the three sides came close to an agreement in May. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the countries were approaching a final deal-making moment, when the U.S. cancelled a meeting with Trump after Canada refused to accept a sunset clause. Momentum is building again, driven by the U.S.-Mexico talks. Incoming president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has signalled he would prefer the current Mexican government sign the deal before he takes office in December. The Trump administrations recent rapport with Mexico has been another unexpected twist. President Enrique Pena Nieto called off a visit to the White House in February, after a tense phone call in which Trump repeated his demand that Mexico pay for a border wall. Im mildly surprised that theyre still talking one year later, said Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Council of the Americas, a group representing U.S. businesses. It shows the importance of NAFTA and the U.S. relationship to Mexico, and thats fundamental. Even if the three countries reach a deal this year, theres no guarantee U.S. lawmakers will pass it. Its almost certainly too late to get a deal through this Congress, and Democrats have a chance of winning the House of Representatives in November, meaning Trump would have to get members of the opposing party on side. Then theres the threat of withdrawal, which will probably loom as long as Trump is president and the U.S. trade deficit continues to grow. The goods trade gap with Mexico was $71 billion last year. The proposed changes to NAFTA, even including tougher content rules for car, are unlikely to significantly reduce the deficit, said Cutler. For the people outside the room, the year probably seems like its flown by, she said. For the negotiators, I assume it feels like 10 years. Read more about: Crazy Rich Asians, in theaters nationwide, is turning heads as the first studio film in a quarter century to feature an entirely Asian-American ensemble cast. Riding on its coattails is a lesser-known win for Hollywood diversity: a Netflix high school rom-com with a female Asian lead. To All the Boys Ive Loved Before hits the streaming site Friday and stars Vietnamese-American actress Lana Condor as Lara Jean Covey, an introverted high school junior who faces a crisis when the love letters she wrote but never intended to send are mysteriously delivered to every boy shes had a crush on. Based on the YA novel by Jenny Han, To All the Boys is a sweet, compelling story that follows a slew of other recent rom-coms released by Netflix, including Set it Up,When We First Met and The Kissing Booth. This isnt an inherently boundary-pushing story. It is enjoyable and worth the watch (despite the fact that Janel Parrish, 29, plays Lara Jeans 18-year-old sister, Margot). Its a high school rom-com made for a quiet Friday night in, set in a world with stereotypical mean girls and social media buzzwords. But in terms of representation, its a pretty big deal: Aside from Crazy Rich Asians,To All the Boys is one of Hollywoods few rom-coms with an Asian lead. Its also a story about a young woman whose ethnicity isnt crucial to the plot. In fact, the only time its ever really acknowledged is a few passing comments during a viewing of Sixteen Candles (more on that later). The hype surrounding Crazy Rich Asians is important because it suggests the public has an appetite for stories about varying cultures. To All the Boys is important because it reminds us that cultural exposes arent the only stories that should be told about people of colour. People didnt understand why the main character needed to be Asian, Han said in a statement supplied by Netflix about turning her novel into a film. I explained to them that it wasnt that she needed to be Asian, its that she was.... There doesnt need to be a point to her being Asian. She just is. At its core, To All the Boys is a love story between Lara Jean and a boy, yes, but also between Lara Jean and her family and Lara Jean and herself. Its a story that sets up a flawed and lovable three-dimensional character. She constantly contradicts herself. Theres a sizable gap between the person she is and the person she wants to be. Its important for Asian-American kids to see themselves in stories and to feel seen, Han said. They need to know that their stories are universal too, that they too can fall in love in a teen movie. They dont have to be the sidekick; they can be the hero. Ive never seen an Asian American character like Lara Jean in a movie before sweet, quirky, funny and just herself. The nationwide theatrical release of Crazy Rich Asians, as director Jon Chu told USA TODAY, sends a very strong message that a Hollywood studio that brands things as special and worth your time to fight against traffic and parking and getting into a theater is behind the film. It says that we are worth your time and your energy. Netflixs release of To All the Boys sends a similar message to a younger audience. The accessibility of Netflix, as well as the young-adult audience targeted for this film, means diverse roles specifically Asian roles can become the new normal for a younger generation that already enjoys projects like ABCs family sitcom Fresh Off the Boat (which also stars Constance Wu of Crazy Rich Asians) and the recently ended romantic sitcom The Mindy Project, starring Mindy Kaling. In a scene in which Lara Jean and her other sister, Kitty (Anna Cathcart), watch Sixteen Candles with her boyfriend, Peter (Noah Centineo), he asks: Isnt this character, Long Dong Duck (sic), like, kind of racist? Not kind of. Extremely racist, Lara Jean says. Its a quick conversation, but it makes an important point: Hollywood has come far in the 34 years since the face of Asian representation in rom-coms was Long Duk Dong, a racist caricature used as comic relief. The fact that Lara Jean is rare among Asian female romantic lead characters proves theres still a long way to go. But movies like To All the Boys and Crazy Rich Asians plus news that Netflix has another rom-com with Asian leads in the works, starring Randall Park and Ali Wong makes for a solid start. Read more about: HALIFAXHalifax is looking to print new transit tickets after investing in smart fare boxes last year that wont work with the current tickets. The president of the union representing bus drivers says hes on board with updating the way riders pay their fares, but the city is driving the changes through without enough thought and consultation. Halifax Regional Municipality put out a call Wednesday for a supplier to print transit tickets that can be scanned and validated with infrared technology. A year ago, regional council approved the purchase of new fare boxes for buses and ferries, with a price tag of more than $7 million, plus another $1.2 million over five years for support and maintenance. The new tickets are just one of several changes that will come along with the new machines, slated to be installed in early 2019. Theyll change the way transfers are issued and have the potential to accept more modern payment options. Marc Santilli, manager of technical services for Halifax Transit, said new tickets were necessary because the infrared scanners on the new fare boxes wont be able to read the current tickets. Ken Wilson, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 508, which represents Halifax Transit bus drivers, said he understands the impulse and the potential benefits of updating technology in transit, but he worries the city moved too fast in purchasing the new machines. The bigger question is, has a fare policy review study taken place? And I dont think it has, said Wilson in an interview. After viewing a demonstration of the new fare boxes, Wilson was concerned when he saw they would only print transfers when the bus was stopped. So what happens again at the bridge terminal? You pull in and you've got six people who forgot to get a transfer who are coming up asking for a transfer. (At) the same time, 35 people are coming in the front doors. To me it's going to be chaos. That's where a fare-policy review should come into play, he said. There are a multitude of questions that need to be asked when looking at the fare structure from my perspective, anyways. He said Halifax Transit asked for his feedback but that was after council had already approved the new machines last summer. He submitted a report detailing his concerns. Santilli confirmed that Halifax Transit didnt conduct a comprehensive review of the bus fare and transfer system before buying the new fare boxes, but we're definitely going to continue to dive deeper into it before we pursue any further technology investments. The new fare boxes can count coins and bills, validate tickets and print transfers on request. They have the potential to take payment via smartphone apps, debit and credit cards, and smart cards, although those wont be available in Halifax at the outset. Santilli said it was due time to replace the aging piggy banks currently on buses and at ferry terminals. We could replace like for like (but) the cost difference between our existing, kind of dumb fare boxes compared to newer smart fare boxes the price difference isn't that much. So it seems like itd be a silly waste of money to replace the existing fare boxes with something similar when we could get something new and improved, which is ultimately what we decided to do. The infrared technology comes with the added bonus of being difficult to use with counterfeit tickets, although Santilli said he wasnt aware of any current problems with people using fraudulent tickets. That's not one of my areas of responsibility, but it's definitely a possibility ... (The current tickets) are kind of low-tech, he said. The new tickets will be significantly larger than the old ones, which is another sticking point for Wilson. The current square tickets are about the length of two loonies, but the new ones will be rectangular, with the same dimensions as any Canadian bill. It seems like it's going to be hard to manage, Wilson said. Santilli said the dimensions were recommended by the manufacturer of the new fare boxes. I think it'll take some getting used to. I think theres definitely going to be an adjustment period, like with any sort of change, but hopefully it wont be too impactful to individuals, he said. Taryn Grant is a reporter for StarMetro Halifax. Follow her on Twitter: @tarynalgrant Read more about: Photo: Google Maps A woman was grabbed in the area of 111A Avenue and 161A Street. Surrey RCMP are hoping the public can help identify a man who grabbed a woman in Fraser Heights. Sgt. Chad Greig said on Aug. 13 at 11 p.m., police responded to a report of a 27-year-old female who was grabbed from behind by an unknown male while walking in the area of 111A Avenue and 161A Street. The female was able to free herself from the suspect and flee the area. She was not injured, said Greig. The male suspect is described as Caucasian, 58, medium build, wearing a black Nike hoodie and grey sweatpants. The males vehicle was described as a black 2000 Chevrolet pickup with Silver Convex rims, possibly a two-door extended cab. Surrey RCMP is reminding the public to be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity, said Greig. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or www.solvecrime.ca. The tumultuous case of the cousins of the late Barry Sherman and their claim for a stake in the multi-billion-dollar Apotex family fortune has gone to the Ontario Court of Appeal. Wednesday, a three-justice panel heard arguments from the cousins lawyer that Sherman breached fiduciary duty by failing to protect his vulnerable younger cousins in a decades-old transaction involving the first generic drug firm Sherman was involved in, years before he founded Apotex. The cousins case has been in court at various times over the years, most recently last fall when Superior Court Justice Kenneth Hood dismissed as nonsensical the claims by the cousins that Sherman owed them a fiduciary duty. Hood said the lengthy case was an abuse of process and there was no reason for a trial. On Wednesday the cousins, represented by lawyer Brad Teplitsky, asked the court to set aside Hoods ruling and direct that a trial be held. The appeal panel has reserved its decision. Meanwhile, the investigation into the mysterious murders of Sherman and his wife Honey continues. They were found dead in their Toronto home on Dec. 15, though they likely died two days previously. Police have ruled the deaths, by ligature strangulation, a targeted homicide. Eight months into the investigation, there have been no police updates. Apotex, Canadas generic drug giant, was founded by Sherman in 1974. It is a private company. Shermans personal fortune he owned almost all of Apotex has been estimated at $4.77 billion. Read more: Barry Sherman was helping to develop pot pill for medical marijuana users Sherman investigation initially focused only on Barrys wife Honey as a murder victim Barry and Honey Sherman were murdered, private investigators claim Before Apotex, when Sherman was still in university in the 1960s, he worked his summers at Empire Laboratories, a generic firm in Toronto owned by his uncle Lou Winter. Empire made tetracycline and other drugs. Uncle Lou and his wife died in 1965 within 17 days of each other. The Winters had four children under the age of 10, Jeff, Dana, Kerry and Paul, who were then adopted by another family and their estate was looked after by Royal Trust. (Dana died some years ago and is represented by his widow, Julia, in the appeal). Sherman, in his early 20s and studying aeronautical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, offered with a partner to purchase Empire in 1965. Other companies were interested. Shermans first offer was rejected by Royal Trust. A second offer from Sherman included an option for each of the four Winter children to eventually work for Empire as adults and to each acquire 5 per cent of the shares of the company if employed for two years. In questioning yesterday, Justice Lois Roberts referred to the option as a sweetener to convince Royal Trust to sell Empire to Sherman and his partner. Royal Trust sold to Sherman and the partner in 1967 for $450,000, which ended up being $100,000 more than the next bidder. What happened next is the subject of decades of acrimony, and charges and countercharges, between Sherman and the cousins. Part of the agreement was that the option would expire if Sherman no longer controlled Empire. He and his partner eventually sold Empire and Sherman started Apotex. Sherman lawyer Katherine Kay told court that once not in control of Empire Sherman had no obligation to the cousins (though Sherman did provide money to each of them over the years). As a result of the option expiring, she said they did not have an interest in Shermans eventual ownership of Apotex. She noted that Royal Trust, representing the Winter cousins at the time, wanted a more binding agreement from Sherman for the Empire deal, but she said Sherman would not budge. Teplitsky argued that an ad hoc fiduciary duty outlasted the option agreement and that the superior court judge should have taken that into account. Teplitsky told court that Lou Winter was like a surrogate father to Barry. Winter brought Sherman into the generic business and Sherman, in turn, was going to take care of the kids if the company did well, Teplitsky told court. Kay told the three-judge panel that Teplitsky was merely rearguing a case that had already been argued, and she saw no palpable or overriding error by the superior court judge that needed to be addressed by the appellate judges. She said the ongoing litigation, which seeks 20 per cent of the Apotex wealth, has been hanging over the head of Apotex and the late Sherman. The superior court ordered the cousins to pay $300,000 in court costs last year (Sherman wanted $1 million), but that payment is on hold pending the appeal. Justices Robert Sharpe, Russell Juriansz and Roberts will issue their decision sometime in the next few weeks. Kevin Donovan is the Stars chief investigative reporter based in Toronto. Reach him by email at kdonovan@thestar.ca , phone 416-312-3503 or follow him on Twitter: @_kevindonovan Read more about: Apotex Read more about: Hamilton police are training as many officers as we can get through the course to be drug recognition experts in the lead-up to recreational cannabis legalization, says Chief Eric Girt. Yet, despite that push, little is actually changing around how Hamilton police plan to enforce impaired driving because its already illegal to drive high. One of the pieces of misinformation that I continue to harp on is that its always been illegal to drive while youre impaired by drugs, Girt said, during a sit-down interview about how the police service is preparing for Oct. 17 legalization. Thats true of illicit drugs, prescription medication and marijuana. Police have always charged people with impaired driving based on the physical indicia of impairment, he said. This includes looking for swerving, driving too fast or slow, mounting curbs, collisions, and physical signs on a person such as slurred speech, slow response, fumbling with documents, being unsteady on your feet. The issue isnt the specific drug, its the impairment behind the wheel, he said, adding that continues to be the focus of Hamilton police and what hes working to instil in front-line officers. The federal government has set driving blood concentrations for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the psychoactive compound in cannabis. Its illegal to drive with 5 nanograms (ng) of THC per millilitre (mL) of blood, and to have at least 2.5 ng/mL when combined with alcohol. These are charges in addition to the existing impaired driving crime. Read more: 1-in-7 cannabis users who drive get behind the wheel high: StatCan Cannabis users will drive into murky territory when they get behind the wheel Medical marijuana users worry Canadas pot-impaired driving rules will run them off the road The new blood concentrations have drawn criticism from lawyers, civil liberties associations and researchers who say the issue hasnt been studied well enough to say at what level people are actually impaired. This may be of particular concerns for chronic users and some fear people may be unfairly charged. Girt agreed there are often other factors that contribute to impairment including sleep, food, interaction with other products and individual tolerances. Thats again, why he wants his officers to focus on signs of impairment. The legislation is supported by Mothers Against Drunk Driving. But unlike alcohol there is not yet an approved screening technology. The Draeger DrugTest 5000 is widely used elsewhere and was recommended by the Canadian Society of Forensic Science. Canadas attorney general is reviewing the tool and expected to say later this month whether it will be approved here. Right now officers who pull over a suspected impaired driver use the standard field sobriety assessment basically looking for signs of impairment such as looking at the persons eyes, and the walk and turn test. In the case of alcohol all the officer needs is reasonable suspicion to ask for a breath test, but with cannabis the legislation says police need reasonable grounds, which is a higher standard. If there are reasonable grounds the suspect can be taken back to the police station for a more detailed 12-step evaluation by a drug recognition expert (DRE). Girt said very rarely, and typically only in cases involving death or very serious injury, would they take blood to test someones drug level. Police need to prove that taking blood cannot interfere with someones health as determined by a medical professional. Hamilton has had certified DRE officers for nearly a decade the course run by the Ontario Police College follows a program and standards set by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and first developed in the United States. The service has 52 DRE trained officers, and about 60 more officers are expected to be trained when instructors return to Hamilton for three courses in the fall. Its a detailed and time-consuming course, which is why many police services across Canada have not been able to train as many officers as quickly as they would like. Last month the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police warned that its unlikely to reach its goal of having 2,000 officers across the country trained to detect drug impaired drivers by legalization. We already have drug recognition experts, it would be nice to have more, but its not like every officer is going to be a drug recognition experts, Girt said. Its like our breath techs, you have to look at whats reasonable in terms of staffing specialized areas. However, with more training officers are better recognizing the signs of drug impairment and the charges for impaired driving by drugs are going up, even before legalization takes effect. Last month Hamilton police said theyd charged 32 people at the halfway mark this year, surpassing the 29 people charged in 2017 and 2016 respectively. Its impossible to say whether legalization with significantly alter how many Canadians consume cannabis and whether more will drive high. Will we have an actual increase? We dont know, Girt said. Studies in other small jurisdictions have seen varying results. I think the biggest piece on legalization of cannabis is, I dont think, to my knowledge, that theres been a geographic country this large ... where theyre going to legalize, he said. Premier Doug Ford has promised to consult with Torontos mayor before making any decision on taking over the TTC subway network, but he reiterated his position that uploading the lines to the province would be beneficial for the regions transit users. His comments came hours after Mayor John Tory warned the city will not accept a repeat on the transit file of the Conservative governments surprise move to cut the size of council ahead of the October municipal election. Were going to work hand in hand, with not just Mayor John Tory if he is the mayor in October, but other mayors in the region, Ford told reporters at Queens Park on Wednesday when asked about a potential subway upload. But Ford signalled that having the province take ownership of the citys subway infrastructure remains on his governments agenda. When we take over something as large as transit, I think its nothing but a benefit to the city of Toronto. Were taking this off their shoulders. The reason were doing it, as Ive said all along, for 12 years we just cant seem to get transit built in the city of Toronto, he said. In fact, construction of significant transit projects has either been started or completed in Toronto in recent years. The TTC opened the six-stop, $3.2-billion subway extension to York Region at the end of 2017, while the 19-kilometre, $5.3-billion Eglinton Crosstown LRT, which is being built by the province and has been called the largest infrastructure project in Ontarios history, is well underway. Fielding questions Wednesday morning about a potential upload of the subway network, Tory said he would only be willing to entertain the idea if it was first subjected to robust consultation with the public, TTC and city staff, and if it represented a good deal for the people of Toronto. Its our TTC, its our subway, paid for largely by Toronto taxpayers and customers over time, he said. Tory said that in his first official meeting with Transportation Minister John Yakabuski on Tuesday, he made it clear the city will not accept seeing a repeat of the surprise move to shrink council, where they just come in one day and announce, This is what we had in mind. Tory noted that since taking power two months ago, the Conservative government hasnt made a specific proposal about uploading the subway, and Yakabuski didnt suggest Tuesday that a move was imminent. In the run-up to the June 7 provincial election, the Progressive Conservatives proposed having Ontario take ownership of Torontos subway network but allowing the TTC to continue to operate the trains and collect fare revenue. They framed the move as effectively a bookkeeping manoeuvre, arguing that having the subway on Ontarios books would allow the province to take advantage of accounting practices not available to the city, which would allow it to more efficiently finance subway expansion. The Conservatives promised to contribute $160 million annually to major capital maintenance as part of the deal. In a scrum Monday, Yakabuski seemed to open the door to a much more extensive takeover of the TTC, however, telling reporters that the partys promise to upload the subway can mean a lot of things to a lot of people and everything is on the table. His office later walked those comments back. In an emailed statement, a spokesperson said: The government is focused on a plan to upload the responsibility for subway infrastructure from the City of Toronto. This includes the building and maintenance of new and existing subway lines. Responsibility for day-to-day operations would remain with the city and the TTC. With files from David Rider and Rob Ferguson Ben Spurr is a Toronto-based reporter covering transportation. Reach him by email at bspurr@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @BenSpurr Read more about: Have you ever wanted to be a published author? Well, now is your chance. The Toronto Public Library is holding a competition called Toronto Writes a Book, where people can take part in adding lines to a story written by the community. People can tweet a line to the library, using the hashtag #TorontoWritesABook. Every day, the library chooses two of its favourite lines to compete in a Twitter poll. Whichever line wins is added to the story. Toronto Public Librarys Michelle Leung said the idea was brought to them through an agency and they absolutely agreed to participate. We were also thinking that with all the things that had been happening in the city, it hasnt been a great summer for everybody, Leung said. And this would be a fun way to end the summer and link us, so we have a shared voice and see what we could all come up with. Launched earlier this month, Leung said so far theyve been receiving 10 to 20 entries per day. Tamera Dunn (@tamera) was one of the people whose line was selected. Dunn said she thinks the competition is a great idea to help promote reading in society. Im a huge fan of the library, in general, and the fact that its a de facto babysitter for a lot of lower-income families, she said. And there couldnt be a better babysitter than being surrounded by knowledge. Shannon Mulligan (@shannmulligan) also had her line chosen and she said shes excited to see where the story is heading. I think part of the reason (the library started this initiative) is to promote that two-way conversation, Mulligan said. Its really easy to talk at your fans or at your community, but its really important to hear what they have to say, as well. Along with the general public, the library will be working with local authors, TV and radio hosts, the Ontario Science Centre, and the TTCs Brad Ross to name a few collaborators. One contributor is the Toronto Stars books editor, Deborah Dundas, who said she wanted to take part because she feels its a unique initiative. In the days of Twitter being a place where quick thoughts and reactions can be divisive, it's great to see it being used in a positive way where social media becomes truly social and collaborative, Dundas said. Chad Campbell (@ChaddyCampbell), another winner, said he never expected his line to beat the competition. I mean, I was going up against the Science Centre so I didnt think I had much of a chance, Campbell said, but I guess it really resonated with the readers. Campbell said hes excited to be part of a book about Toronto, because its a great way to bring people together who wouldnt usually have a chance to interact. I mean, Im just a 25-year-old from Toronto and Im connecting with authors and TV personalities and other people from all over the city, Campbell said. Leung said the contest was initially supposed to run just for the month of August, but they want to see the story take shape and have a good ending. So, for now, theres no set end date. I think we all have a unique voice and its fun to see it all come together, Leung said, And to say we collectively wrote a book. Clare Rayment is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @clare_rayment Read more about: Saudi renters have found themselves in a legal nightmare trying to break their leases after their government ordered them to leave Canada, according to a Toronto tenants rights advocate. Almost everyone Ive talked to so far wants to follow their obligations, but theyre caught between an extremist government giving them one month to completely tear down their lives and a landlord, said Geordie Dent, executive director of the Federation of Metro Tenants Associations. Its not a great situation. The Saudi government severed diplomatic ties with Ottawa earlier this month after the Global Affairs Ministry issued a tweet calling for the release of jailed human rights activists. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia then recalled Saudi students from Canadian schools and cancelled the state airlines operations in Canada. The Saudi students have been given weeks to leave the country. Two tenants from Saudi Arabia have reached out to the Federation of Metro Tenants Association, Dent said a very good indication there are others facing similar challenges. One tenant is having trouble getting out of his lease, Dent said. The other has found a replacement to take over his contract, but the landlord is refusing to give back his payment for last months rent. (The tenant is) telling me, This is an order by my government thats beyond my control, Dent recalled. He doesnt want to leave, wants to continue his studies, but hes lost his scholarship and has been asked to leave the country by Aug. 31. Tenants who break a lease early in Ontario must either pay out the remainder of their contract, or find another tenant to take over the lease, Dent said, adding that both sides have a duty under the law to try to minimize losses. Read more: Saudi Arabia orders its foreign students out of Canadian schools Opinion | Has Canada mishandled its relationship with Saudi Arabia? No Opinion | Has Canada mishandled its relationship with Saudi Arabia? Yes The landlord is supposed to try to find a way to ensure that you dont owe six months rent, Dent said. They cant sit there for six months drinking pina coladas thinking that in six months, theyll be able to cash in. Theyre supposed to work to try and ensure everyones made whole. Dent estimated that in the current Toronto rental market, the Saudi renter will lose between $1,500 and $2,000 dollars. Its common for tenants to have to break a lease, Dent said, when they get jobs outside of the city or have to move suddenly. Whats particularly damning about this scenario is for all of these people, its no fault of their own, Dent said. This is a decision being (made) by their government. Londons Western University created an online checklist for students who have been ordered to leave Canada. The school has about 75 undergraduate and graduate students from Saudi Arabia. The checklist advises students to: Give notice to your landlord as per your lease or rental agreement. Cancel utilities and disconnect/transfer cellphone or internet service. Sell or donate furniture, vehicles and belongings you dont want to take with you. Julie McMullin, Western Universitys vice-provost and associate vice-president International, said she and her colleagues have also been meeting with students to help them navigate the transition. Over the last week to 10 days, McMullin said students have had the big jobs of breaking their housing and car leases and selling their furniture. To the best of my knowledge, I havent personally heard of any problems with (breaking leases), she said, but weve put up legal services on our website for students who run into difficulties. The University of Toronto said it has 77 students from Saudi Arabia for the 2018-2019 school year and 216 Saudi postgraduate medical residents and fellows. The issue of leases is not something that students are raising with us, a university spokesperson said in an email. We are working to support our students in continuing their education and the work (they) have done at U of T. The union representing Ontarios 60,000 public high school teachers has joined the battle with elementary school teachers in opposing Premier Doug Fords planned rollback of the sex-ed curriculum. We will work with whomever we can to oppose this backward, dangerous, divisive initiative, Harvey Bischof, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, said Thursday to more than 400 delegates at its annual leadership conference in Toronto. We have members who feel trapped between their obligation to follow employer direction and their ethical imperative to keep students safe, he said at the Fairmont Royal York. We will defend to the hilt any member who, in the good faith exercise of professional judgment, strays outside the confines of the 1998 curriculum in her or his students best interests. The OSSTF has 60,000 members, including public high school teachers and support staff from junior kindergarten to university. Similarly, this week the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, which represents public elementary school educators, also criticized the curriculum change and urged its 83,000 members to use their professional judgment, vowing to defend anyone from disciplinary action. These unions, along with numerous educators, health care groups and school boards, have been critical of an election promise made by the Progressive Conservatives to repeal the Health and Physical Education curriculum introduced in 2015 by the Liberals. The government plans to hold public consultations this fall with parents about what they believe is appropriate to teach children. In the meantime, Education Minister Lisa Thompson says she expects teachers to use the previous lesson plans, which were introduced in 1998 and taught until 2014. In his speech, Bischof said this backward step isnt about consulting with parents, but rather a political payoff that jeopardizes students health and well-being while pandering to a certain kind of extreme intolerance, consequences be damned. Critics of the rollback say the old curriculum doesnt address issues that are relevant today, such as same-sex families, gender, consent, sexting and online safety. In addition, educators say they are especially confused because they have not received an official directive from the Ministry of Education regarding the curriculum change. But Ben Menka, spokesperson for Minister Thompson, says, The ministry will be sharing details in the near future. When the ministry makes revisions to any piece of curriculum, updates are communicated to the school boards and materials are provided that are required to teach it, said Menka. When Bischof was asked by the Star what lesson plans teachers should follow 1998 or 2015 he said the union will provide answers in the week before school starts. We have to wait right now because the situation is so uncertain, said Bischof. But we will provide them guidance that will assist them in making decisions around how to deliver the curriculum in a way that allows them to meet their own ethical imperatives and keep kids safe and well. Nancy Brady, president-elect for the Ontario Principals Council it supports the current curriculum and represents 5,000 principals and vice-principals from public elementary and secondary schools says members will be advised to follow directions from their school boards. But, she says, even if the curriculum is rolled back, it doesnt mean educators will stop addressing the kinds of issues kids deal with such as sexting and online bullying. Even if you take that curriculum and you dont put it in the classroom, (it) doesnt mean that teachers dont have to deal with those issues, she said. A lot of the things that are in this new curriculum are things that even today not just in classrooms, but in school hallways and in the lunchroom were already addressing and dealing with. And well continue to do that because we will continue to do whats best for kids. Read more about: BERLINWhen a neighbourhood group on a walk through an overgrown patch of land in central Berlin came across a 65-foot 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 councillor for urban development in the Mitte district of Berlin who was leading the group on a tour in early June. He alerted authorities, leading to confirmation that the group had discovered an original piece of the walls outer defence perimeter, which prevented East Germans from approaching the principal barrier, near the Chausseestrasse border crossing. Read more: Meet the Torontonian who literally helped tear down Berlin Wall Berlin Wall: Lessons from 25 years after the fall Fall of the Berlin Wall: An accident that changed the world 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 BND, said Gesine Beutin, a spokesperson for the Berlin Wall Foundation. Its still really covered, although it is surrounded by new houses and people could see it from their windows, Gothe said on Wednesday. On Monday, as officials laid wreaths for the 57th anniversary of the barriers construction, Berlin added the section of wall to the list of city monuments under historical protection. The newly-discovered piece was not part of the barrier on the western side, the section most commonly associated with the Berlin Wall, with its L-shaped foot and circular pipe at the top, Beutin said. Instead, it is a thinner, smaller barrier that looked like any other wall, she said which also helped to explain why it went unnoticed for so many years. Our experts were able to confirm its authenticity based on the materials used to build it and its measurements, Beutin said. In addition, there were metal poles protruding from it that were used as lampposts and stones that looked like those from the path that ran through the death strip. The fragment of the barrier, perhaps the ultimate symbol of the Cold War, is on land owned by a real estate company that manages public properties for Berlin on a parcel of land above where the Panke River is channelled underground. There are plans to uncover the river and turn the area into a park, into which the newly discovered piece of the wall could be integrated, Gothe said. The wall came down on Nov. 9, 1989, and as Berlin residents rushed to tear down a barrier that had defined their lives and divided their families, historians hoped to preserve some pieces for posterity. On Feb. 13, residents of Berlin quietly marked an equinox of German unity, the day the wall was gone for as long as it stood: 28 years, 2 months, 26 days. Over the years, as the generations shift and younger people find it increasingly difficult to imagine a world in which they would have been unable to move freely from Berlin to Prague to Vienna, the few remnants of the Berlin Wall have taken on an increasing importance. When the wall fell, everyone in Berlin just wanted it to go they couldnt look at it any longer, Beutin said. It took awhile before we were able to say that it was important to preserve parts for history. We need places and objects where we can keep the memories alive. Read more about: WASHINGTONU.S. President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that the U.S. is pointedly freezing Canada out of North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations. Trumps negotiators have been meeting with Mexican negotiators in Washington over the past two weeks. Senior officials from all three countries have said the U.S. has chosen the two-way talks for temporary practical reasons, not to send a message to Canada. But Trump, who has repeatedly railed against Canadian dairy tariffs and complained about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, suggested otherwise. Were not negotiating with Canada right now. Their tariffs are too high, their barriers are too strong, so were not even talking to them right now, Trump said at a televised cabinet meeting. Well see how that works out. Itll only work out to our favour. Adam Austen, spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, disputed Trumps claim that the U.S. is not talking to Canada at all. Minister Freeland, Ambassador (David) MacNaughton and the Canadian negotiating team are in regular contact with their counterparts and we look forward to continuing these important discussions in the coming weeks, Austen said. Austen would not provide specifics about recent communication. Trumps explanation for Canadas exclusion differed from the one offered two weeks ago by one of his top officials. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in late July that the administration was focusing on Mexico because there were more difficult issues to resolve with Mexico than there were with Canada. Mexico is, intellectually, the more complicated of the two, so if we can solve that, we should be able to fill in with Canada, Ross said. Trump spoke on the first anniversary of the launch of the NAFTA renegotiation. He has soured on Canada in recent months, apparently angry at Trudeaus criticism of the tariffs he imposed on Canadian steel and aluminum. Trump also complained Thursday about Canadian wood exports, saying, Canada is charging us a lot of money to bring their timber down into our country. Its so ridiculous. Trump has imposed tariffs on Canadian softwood, raising the price for Americans. Trump complained repeatedly about Canadas bargaining tactics even before he became irked with Trudeau, calling Canada brutal, very spoiled and very difficult. He wrote on Twitter on Friday: Deal with Mexico is coming along nicely. Autoworkers and farmers must be taken care of or there will be no deal. New President of Mexico has been an absolute gentleman. Canada must wait. Their Tariffs and Trade Barriers are far too high. Will tax cars if we cant make a deal! Talks between the U.S. and Mexico appear to be focusing on the complicated issue of automotive manufacturing, on which Canada is largely in agreement with current U.S. proposals but Mexico is not. A U.S. deal with Mexico would be a kind of sub-deal that would be folded into the larger NAFTA negotiations. Despite Trumps musings about splitting up NAFTA itself into two separate trade pacts, U.S. officials continue to work toward an updated three-way accord. Mexican officials have said that they are not discussing the remaining issues on which Canada has major disagreements with the U.S. Those include U.S. proposals for dramatic changes to how trade disputes are resolved and for a sunset clause that would automatically terminate the agreement in five years if all three countries did not agree to it again. U.S. reports have suggested that the U.S. and Mexico are closing in on a sub-deal, though Mexicos economy minister said Wednesday that they may not get it done by the end of August. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told Trump on Thursday that he hoped for a breakthrough in the next several days, but he said there were difficult issues remaining. Trump advised him not to make a deal if there was not a true breakthrough. He said NAFTA is lousy and the U.S. has much better alternatives than that. Lighthizer countered that the best alternative is probably to make a good deal, to which Trump said, OK. Canadian officials have said Canada will rejoin the talks as soon as the U.S. resolves its issues with Mexico. And they have said that they are supportive of the U.S.-Mexico talks, since they view the automotive issue as the key to a deal. There are still some bilateral issues between Canada and the U.S. and between the U.S. and Mexico that need to be resolved outside of autos, but if the auto thing gets resolved then I think were well on our way to a successful modernization, MacNaughton told BNN Bloomberg last week. Read more about: SACRAMENTO, CALIF.An Iraqi man arrested in California is accused of being a former Daesh fighter and killing a police officer in Iraq after he qualified to be resettled in the U.S. as part of a refugee program. The case has drawn attention amid criticism by the Trump administration of the vetting process involved in the nations refugee resettlement program. U.S. officials plan to extradite Omar Abdulsattar Ameen, 45, to Iraq under a treaty with that nation. He made his first appearance in federal court in Sacramento on Wednesday after his arrest at an apartment building in the California capitol. Ameen left Iraq and fled in 2012 to Turkey, where he applied to be accepted as a refugee to the U.S., according to court documents. After he was granted that status in June 2014, prosecutors say he returned to Iraq and killed a police officer. The town of Rawah fell to Daesh that same month. Five months later, Ameen travelled to the United States to be resettled as a refugee. He was arrested by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force based on a warrant issued in May by an Iraqi federal court in Baghdad. Ameen could face execution for the organized killing by an armed group, according to Iraqi documents filed in U.S. federal court. Ameen did not disclose his membership in two terrorist groups when he later applied for a green card in the United States, officials said. The Trump administration has sharply criticized the Obama-era resettlement program, questioning whether enough was done to weed out those with terrorist ties. State Department and Department of Homeland Security officials did not immediately respond to questions about Ameen. Benjamin Galloway, one of Ameens public defenders, said he had just 10 minutes to meet with his client prior to his initial federal court appearance Wednesday, and attorneys hadnt decided whether to contest that Ameen is the man wanted by Iraqi authorities. Ameen was identified by a witness to the slaying who viewed a series of photographs of Daesh members, according to the Iraqi documents. The FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force has been investigating Ameen over the filing of fraudulent travel or immigration documents since 2016, according to a court filing. It says the FBI independently corroborated Ameens involvement with the terrorist organizations and participation in the slaying. Ameen was dressed in street clothes, including a light blue T-shirt, as he appeared in court handcuffed to a chain around his waist. U.S. Magistrate Judge Edmund Brennan accepted prosecutors argument that Ameen is dangerous and a flight risk and ordered him detained until his next court appearance set for Monday. Prosecutors said in court filings that the release of a person suspected of being a member of a designated foreign terrorist organization would be a national security risk. The Iraqi arrest warrant and extradition request say Ameen entered his hometown of Rawah in the Anbar province of Iraq in a four-vehicle Daesh caravan and drove to the home of Ihsan Abdulhafiz Jasim, who had served with the Rawah Police Department. He and at least five other named suspects opened fire and the man shot back, but the documents allege that Ameen fatally shot the man in the chest as he lay on the ground. Militants later claimed responsibility for the slaying on social media. The FBI has interviewed at least eight witnesses who identify the Ameen family including Ameen himself, his father, brothers, and paternal cousins as affiliated with al Qaeda and Daesh, prosecutors said. Court documents say Ameens family also aided al Qaeda in Rawah and that Ameen was a member of both Al Qaeda in Iraq and Daesh. The documents say he did a number of things in support of the groups, including helping plant improvised bombs, transporting militants, soliciting funds and robbing supply trucks and kidnapping drivers on behalf of Al Qaeda. The FBI quotes one witness as saying Ameens vehicle in 2005 was a Kia Sportage flying a black Al Qaeda flag with a cut-out roof and a machine-gun mounted on the rear. Read more about: NEW DELHIFormer Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a Hindu nationalist who set off a nuclear arms race with rival Pakistan but later reached across the border to begin a groundbreaking peace process, died on Thursday after a prolonged illness. He was 93. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where Vajpayee had been hospitalized for more than two months for treatment of a kidney infection and chest congestion, announced his death. Vajpayee, a leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, had suffered a stroke in 2009. A one-time journalist, Vajpayee was in many ways a political contradiction: He was the moderate leader of an often-strident Hindu nationalist movement. He was a lifelong poet who revered nature but who oversaw Indias growth into a swaggering regional economic power. He was the prime minister who ordered nuclear tests in 1998, stoking fears of atomic war between India and Pakistan. Then, a few years later, it was Vajpayee who made the first moves toward peace. Vajpayees supporters saw him as a skilled politician who managed to avoid fanaticism, a man who refused to see the world in black and white. But his critics considered him the leader of a fanatic movement a movement partially rooted in European fascism that sought power by stoking public fears of Indias large Muslim minority. The one thing both sides could agree on was his honesty. Vajpayee was that rare thing in Indian politics: a man untainted by corruption scandals. One of seven children of a schoolteacher in Central India, Vajpayee joined Indias Hindu revivalist political movement in his late 20s. Elected to Parliament in 1957, he became the best-known figure in its moderate wing, and helped the Bharatiya Janata Party become one of Indias few national political parties. One of Indias longest-serving lawmakers, Vajpayee was elected nine times to the powerful Lok Sabha, or lower house of Parliament. He also served two terms in the Rajya Sabha, or upper house. He led the party to its first national electoral victory in 1996, but lasted just 13 days as prime minister before he resigned in the face of a no-confidence motion. He returned to power in 1998 for 13 months after forging an alliance of 22 parties, mostly regional power brokers with disparate local appeal. He again served as Indias prime minister from 1999 to 2004. It was in Indias relations with Pakistan where Vajpayees influence may last the longest. While Indias nuclear weapons program is believed to date to the 1980s, New Delhi had long insisted its atomic program was purely for peaceful purposes. That changed within a month of Vajpayee returning to the prime ministers post in 1998, when he approved a series of nuclear weapons tests that shocked the world and pushed Islamabad to launch its own tests. But the next year, when Islamabad sent fighters across the ceasefire line that divides the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir between the nations, Vajpayee resisted military pressure to launch a broad counter-attack of Indian forces. After 11 weeks and more than 1,000 deaths, Pakistan ordered the fighters to withdraw. India earned international praise for its caution. His peace efforts began with a groundbreaking bus ride to Lahore, Pakistan, in February 1999, where he met with then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The diplomatic journey inaugurated the first regular bus service between the two nations. Then, just before leaving office in 2004, he launched a peace process that, while often rocky, remains the basis of ongoing negotiations. Vajpayee avoided bedrock nationalist issues, like plans to build a Hindu temple at the site of a demolished north Indian mosque. But critics excoriated him for failing to quickly quell anti-Muslim riots that shook the state of Gujarat in 2002. More than 1,100 people, almost all of them Muslim, were killed in the riots, which began after a train fire killed 60 Hindu pilgrims. Muslims were accused of setting the fire, though the true cause was never known. Vajpayees public response to the riots reflected his many contradictions. In the days after the pogrom, Vajpayee said he could not understand how Hindus could burn women and children alive, sadly asking a group of Muslim survivors: Have we lost our way so much that we cease to be humans? Just a year later, though, he told a mostly Hindu audience, Wherever there are Muslims in large numbers, they do not want to live in peace. While known for his poetry and gifted with a politicians common touch as a parliamentarian he would take his dogs for walks in public he was not known for public introspection. Few people could claim to understand what drove him. He never married, but lived with his adopted daughter, her husband and their daughter. Vajpayee quickly dropped from sight after the BJP lost power to the long-dominant Congress party in 2004 elections. As his health failed, Vajpayee stayed out of the limelight even when the BJP returned to power a decade later and Narendra Modi became prime minister. Modis government presented Vajpayee as an icon, seeking inspiration from his political career and cashing in on his stature and popularity as a statesman acceptable across political divides. It was Vajpayees exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century. His futuristic policies across various sectors touched the lives of each and every citizen of India, Modi tweeted Thursday. Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress party, said India has lost a great son who was loved and respected by millions. In 2015, the government honoured Vajpayee with the Bharat Ratna, Indias highest civilian award, while his Dec. 25 birthday was declared Good Governance Day in a tribute to his leadership. Vajpayees body it to be taken to his New Delhi home and then to the BJPs office on Friday for people to pay their last respects. His funeral is to be held Friday afternoon. The government announced that the national flag will be flown at half staff as a sign of mourning for seven days at government offices in the country and at all Indian embassies abroad. Read more about: The United States Of America has honoured India's 72nd Independence by sharing a message. ''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. On the behalf of the United States government, Secretary of state of the US, 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," Pompeo said. Also Read: Crime in Church: More than 300 priests in Pennsylvania Catholic Church accused of child sex abuse Since achieving its independence after going through a lot of struggle, 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", Mr Pompeo added. "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. Mr 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". Read More On Catch: Top 10 best cities to live in the world; Vienna crowned most livable one I would like to propose a twist on Ontarios controversial buck-a-beer plan. The new Ontario government has cut social assistance rates, slashing in half a 3 per cent planned rate increase, keeping the maximum allowance for a single person on Ontario Works at $732 a month. At the same time, the new government is offering non-financial incentives to brewers willing to sell beers for $1 a bottle. This is Premier Doug Fords buck-a-beer challenge. Lets imagine an alternative scenario: The newly elected premier revokes the previous governments promise to increase social assistance rates by 3 per cent, replacing it with a 10 per cent raise. The minister of Children, Community and Social Services explains the much-needed raise will be funded through a $1 additional tax on every litre of beer sold in Ontario the buck-a-beer levy. Beer lovers are asked to pay 34 cents more per bottle or 50 cents more per pint, abetting folks to drink a bit more gently. In return, close to one million Ontarians living in poverty individuals, families, and children get to live with a little more dignity. Although this political scenario is highly hypothetical, the math adds up. Ontarians consumed 785 million litres in 2017. In the same year, the Ontario government spent $7.82 billion on social assistance payments to a monthly average of 598,000 households (923,000 beneficiaries). A $1 levy on a litre of beer could increase this budget envelope by 10 per cent. In reality, a dedicated revenue source such as a beer levy is not an optimal way of funding social programs. And shaming people into contributing to poverty alleviation is unlikely to yield the desired outcomes. I, for one, like my beer cold and guilt-free. The example is merely an invitation for us to pause and think about the value of a strong safety net. Ontarios social assistance clients are a diverse lot. They include: working adults who dont qualify for employment insurance, people struggling to enter the job market, injured workers without disability benefits, members of low-income families who care for young children, the elderly, and the ill, and people whose health prevents them from holding a full-time job. Social assistance recipients are between 16 and 65 years of age. They are male, female and non-binary. Canadian-born, Indigenous and immigrant. White, black and brown. Christian, Muslim, Jewish, from other religious affiliations and atheists. Some didnt finish high school, others completed a doctoral degree. Finally, social assistance recipients include tall, short and mid-height Ontarians. We all fit the profile. And thats because social assistance has been built as a collective safety net. It is there for all of us. Some of us will never need it. Others will have their lives depend on it when the job they trained for becomes redundant, when their doctor says the name of a rare hereditary disease, or when an icy sidewalk changes the course of their lives. I wish such things never happened, but they do. Luckily, we have been wise to invest in a collective safety net. But we need to decide whether we want a net that catches people when they fall one that keeps them alive and living with dignity or barely any net at all, where we let people fall flat, face-first into deplorable living conditions. For decades we have had something akin to the latter, and the new Ontario government just made it worse, leaving us all at the mercy of luck. And what is the government offering in return? Cheap beer. I love a good beer, but I will let this one pass. And I believe a great many Ontarians will, too. Why? Because what concerns us is the quality and affordability of the public services we rely on. We want the luxury of being able to sit back, after a hard day at work, enjoy the drink of our choice and not worry about job security, the well-being of our children or the comfort of our elderly parents. How to justly raise the revenues to pay for the public services Ontarians need thats our real challenge. Ricardo Tranjan is a senior researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Ontario office. Read more about: At a time when journalists in many countries are being killed or put behind bars for doing their jobs, it seems strange that the focus on the dangers to the press has shifted to the United States where attacks on journalists are, primarily, verbal ones. Its happened because those attacks are being encouraged by none other than the president of a country that enshrines freedom of the press in its constitution. Donald Trump gleefully tosses his fake news bomb at everything he doesnt like. And journalists, he has said, are the enemy of the American people and dangerous and sick. In a great many parts of the world, journalists cant defend themselves, let alone the importance of their profession in holding the powerful accountable. But in the U.S. and here we can. And we must. At the urging of the Boston Globe, hundreds of newspapers across the U.S. and beyond have chosen to publish editorials today to decry Trumps assault on the press. The dangers of a global leader so keen to unleash his supporters hate on a group of individuals who play a vital role in a democratic system are real. This shouldnt be brushed off as Trump simply being Trump. What hes doing is toxic, dangerous and its spreading. Across national borders and political lines. A Toronto Sun photographer discovered that firsthand while covering an anti-hate rally at Toronto City Hall on Saturday. Based on the video footage, it seems clear that Stan Behal was assaulted by someone in the crowd simply for being a journalist at a publication the group didnt like. Thankfully, he wasnt seriously injured and this incident is far from the norm here. But we must all take steps to ensure that remains the case. And there are other troubling signs. When Doug Fords government came to power in June they were quick to adopt small but disturbing measures to limit media scrutiny. Instead of allowing reporters to ask questions at press conferences, as they always have, the newly elected Ontario PCs opted for a microphone held by a party official who decided which reporters could ask questions and how many (not many) would even be allowed. And to ensure no additional questions could even be heard, they used their taxpayer-funded staff to cheer and clap. Being clapped out of doing ones job? It sounds ridiculous by comparison to whats happening elsewhere reporters gunned down in Mexico, jailed in Turkey and increasingly threatened in the U.S. thanks to their own presidents inflammatory anti-press rhetoric. But, when political staff clap like trained seals to drown out legitimate questions from the press, its intended to have the same effect. The government is putting an end to the questions it would rather not have asked, or answered. And the reason to care about that in Ontario isnt because it makes journalists jobs harder theyre a resourceful bunch. The cause for concern is that elected officials think they can get away with it. When a government takes steps to limit media scrutiny, what theyre really doing is reducing public scrutiny. And a government that is less transparent is also less accountable. Fords tactics are ones that TVOs Steve Paikin said hed never seen in 35 years of covering Queens Park. Thats instructive for just how quickly things can change for the worse. But what happened at the Ontario legislature also serves as an example of how calling out these troubling moves can make a difference. This week, reporters at provincial government press conferences were allowed more questions and there was no clapping. And one of Fords most vocal cabinet ministers who had adopted the Trumpian tactic of calling something her government just didnt want to read fake news, apologized for it. I regretted the fake news the minute it came out of my mouth, Community and Social Services Minister Lisa MacLeod said. Thats an important acknowledgement. And a reminder of how Trumps unceasing and escalating assault on the press creates a toxic filter that affects the language and behaviour of others. When Trumps attacks go unchallenged it gives licence to others whether thats an autocratic regime, the government at Queens Park or a protester in Toronto to lash out at the media. Ultimately, thats a danger not just to journalists but to a healthy democratic system. Read more about: Trump files legal action against Omarosa after calling her that dog on Twitter, August 14 Much is being made of the current occupant of the White House referring to his now out-of-favour aide, Omarosa Manigault Newman, as a dog. Having had the pleasure and privilege of sharing my life with many dogs over the years, I can attest to the fact that dogs are beloved family members and companions. They are loyal, loving, intelligent, fun to be with and beautiful to watch. In the news, we see dogs searching for people who are lost, or trapped in fallen buildings following an earthquake or other disaster. We see them working beside the police to help solve crimes, and fighting alongside our brave soldiers. We see them leading the blind, helping those who are suffering from both physical and mental challenges, and we are in awe of the special gifts they possess when they comfort the lonely and heartsick in facilities such as long-term-care homes and hospitals. Lord Byron wrote a poem over two centuries ago in memory of a dog named Boatswain. The introduction says Boatswain, like all the dogs we have known and loved, possessed all the virtues of Man without his Vices. Dog should not be an insult. It should be a compliment! VANCOUVER As summer heatwaves continue to sweep the globe and wildfire smoke fills the air in many parts of the world including British Columbia, it is the countrys poorest residents that are at greatest risk of suffering and fatality due to environmental factors, say experts. Jeremy Hunka, public relations specialist and homeless advocate with the Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver, said dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and respiratory failure are all more likely to affect British Columbians living in poverty, whose ability to manage extreme weather is curbed by their ties to their local environment. Lives are on the line, Hunka said in an interview, noting that, aside from Metro Vancouvers homeless population of more than 3,600 individuals, thousands more residents are low-income, underhoused or live in homes which are unequipped with technologies like air conditioners, purifiers and weatherproof windows which can help mitigate the worst impacts of extreme weather. These are massive (issues) for people whose lives are already hanging in the balance, he said. More than 13 per cent of British Columbians currently live in poverty, according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Of these roughly 650,000 residents, one in five are 18 years old or younger. And many of these hundreds of thousands of people, said Hunka, simply dont have the purchasing power to care for their health in the ways middle-class British Columbians might. Lori Daniels, associate professor at the UBC Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, said the record-breaking fire seasons reported in the province every year over the last near-decade point to extreme weather as a new normal for region. Climate change is here with us, Daniels said in an interview. We have seen repeatedly that fire behaviour has been exceeding the ability of our modern methods to control it. Hot, dry weather and the success of past fire suppression efforts have compounded to make current wildfires particularly fierce, she said. When forests are prevented from burning in naturally-occurring cycles, they become denser and more mature, making them vulnerable to a more intense blaze, Daniels said. The growing presence of the mountain pine beetle a native insect which overwinters in tree bark and can kill host trees by disrupting their healthy functioning is another factor in making B.C.s forests more vulnerable to wildfire, she added. B.C.s formerly cold winters used to be one natural way the pine beetle population was kept in check, she said, but the province hasnt had a winter cold and long enough to kill the insect since the mid-1990s. All of these factors contributed to 2017s record-breaking 70-day Provincial State of Emergency, which saw 1.2 million hectares of the province consumed in flame, she said. I thought, to be honest, we would have a few more decades to adapt, Daniels said. (But) I would say the urgency is on us. That 2017 season, she said, saw air quality deterioration far beyond what B.C. would normally expect. In August of that year, for instance, Canadas Air Quality Health Index listed the air quality in Kamloops as an 18 on a scale that formerly only went as high as 10. Daniels said lower-income individuals would be best advised to get to a public place like a library, community centre or shopping mall to get out of the extreme heat and smoke. Canadas federal government likewise recommends Canadians limit outdoor activity, stay indoors, or leave the area altogether when wildfire smoke begins to accumulate in a region. But Daniels acknowledged that many individuals especially in B.C.s smaller communities might not have these resources readily available to them. Read more: Vancouver poverty reduction leaders disappointed by Loblaws living wage rejection Affordable housing a top concern for people living in poverty, report finds More than half of B.C. residents think working hard isnt enough to climb out of poverty The problems are complex, the answers are complex, she said, but when the summers are longer and the droughts are deeper as weve been seeing, there will be more fire. We need to be acting now, she said, and it goes from individuals through to government. Hunka reiterated that its not just smaller communities which can isolate low-income individuals from the public resources and mobility they need to stay alive. Many cities, he said, have hot-spots in areas where concrete abounds and trees are less abundant. And these less-desirable neighbourhoods also tend to be places where people living in poverty are concentrated neighbourhoods like Vancouvers Downtown Eastside. Hunka also noted that lower-income residents have more health problems than their wealthier peers, and are less likely to have ready access to health care an observation borne out by a 2006 study published in Health Policy, which looked in depth at the impact poverty has on health and access to medical care. In Montreal this year, for instance, of the 54 residents killed by a summer heat wave, the majority were over 50, lived alone and had pre-existing medical conditions, according to the regional department of public health. And while B.C. has yet to experience temperatures as high as those in Quebec, a 2017 study from the Department of Geography at the University of Hawaii projected that nearly half the worlds population will be exposed to climatic conditions exceeding what it calls a deadly threshold for at least 20 days a year by 2100 so long as greenhouse gas emissions undergo a drastic reductions. If greenhouse gas emissions increase, the study says, nearly three-quarters of the worlds population will be faced with deadly climate conditions at least 20 days out of the year by 2100. And aside from what the data shows, said Hunka, the fact that climate exacerbates the most troubling health concerns associated with poverty is a reality he and his colleagues witness every day. Weve got to do a lot better as a region of taking care of our most vulnerable, he said. Especially as the risks will only become more potent. Read more about: VANCOUVERWhen Kevin Simpson read the news that Trinity Western Universitys LGBTQ+ exclusionary community covenant became optional for students this week but would still be mandatory for employees he wasnt surprised. Its just the kind of thing that religious institutions tie themselves in knots about, he said. The private Christian universitys covenant commits signatories to having sex only in heterosexual marriages. Canadas top court ruled in June that two law societies were allowed to reject the universitys proposed law school from certification because it shut out individuals based on sexual orientation. Simpson, a gay man who was raised as a staunch Catholic, is familiar with the attitude professed in the covenant. And hes part of a national effort, called Dignity Canada, to get the church and its affiliates to stop cutting its nose off by excluding LGBTQ+ people. Obviously Trinity Western wants to have law faculty and so they see this as I suppose conforming to the letter of the decision of the court, he said. Although it will be optional for students, faculty and staff at Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C., will still be compelled to sign the LGBTQ+ exclusionary community covenant that was the main point of contention in the Supreme Court of Canada case. In a news release about the decision, the university wrote it would actively work to determine ways in which our Christian identity, mission and ministry can continue to be strengthened ... while simultaneously welcoming and affirming the unique value of each member of our diverse student body. One lawyer said making the covenant optional for students will likely solve Trinity Westerns problem certifying its proposed law school. But the double standard it now has in place in which students are not necessarily bound by a covenant but employees are may leave it open to future legal challenges. Susanna Allevato Quail, a Vancouver labour and human rights lawyer, said Trinity Western is allowed, under the human rights code, to discriminate because it is providing services to a protected group (in this case, Christians). But there are limits to how much discrimination is justified, and Quail said there arent many cases from B.C. that have delineated those boundaries. Its not the case that if you fall under that exemption you can discriminate in any way you want, she said. She called it an issue that needs to be tested by some brave Trinity Western professor willing to bring a legal challenge. To Simpson and his husband retired clinical psychologist and current Douglas College instructor Dr. Don Meen enforcing the covenant for faculty means the institution is losing talent, and implicitly spreading discriminatory views. Meen described a scenario several years ago, when someone from Trinity Western approached him about the possibility of joining the psychology faculty. He recalled that the person suggested there may be ways of getting around signing the covenant. I thought they wouldnt be a very good fit ... even if they exempt me somehow, Meen said. In terms of my conscience I couldnt work in that environment. What worries Meen most is the idea that official positions that are discriminatory are bound to leak out into the thoughts and behaviours of the students trained at places like Trinity Western. If you bring that public face forward Ive got to assume it winds its way into everyday discourse, he said. For Simpson, reconciling his sexuality and his Catholic faith was one of the greatest challenges of his life. Through prayer and reflection I got the message that I needed to get on with my life, he said. The whole coming-out process was very freeing. He thinks Christian institutions are overdue for a reckoning of their own and that many parishioners are far ahead of the institutions themselves in terms of their level of acceptance. The current pope has kind of opened the door on that, he said. But he hasnt done anything concrete. Trinity Western did not respond to a request for comment by press time Thursday. Read more about: MANCHESTER After 25 years of feeling their neighbors support for the familys music endeavors, Mike and Melanie Rueter decided it was time to thank the Manchester community for its support of their gospel group, The Chosen Ones. They put together a free, one-day gospel music festival intended to do just that. We started this in celebration of our 25th year in music, Mike Rueter said. It was something people enjoyed so much they just want us to keep on doing it, and it continues to expand. Nineteen years later, the festival has become something of an infinity loop of gratitude the Rueters putting it on as a thank-you to the community; the community both the Manchester community and the gospel music community in return thanking the Rueters for putting it on by chipping in their own assistance to keep making it possible. We live right off the square, Mike Rueter said of Manchester Village Park, where the festival will run Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Its convenient for us to get set up. But the people who really support it are from all over. Some of them are people who come every year, arriving a day or two early to help with set-up. Not because they have to, but because they believe in the festival, Rueter said. Its just remarkable how people are so willing and want to be a part of something, he said. Its a big part of how the festival remains a free weekend of music. More Information If you go: Music begins at 6 p.m. Friday at Village Park in Manchester. The Redemptions, The Diplomats, New Legacy and The Chosen Ones will perform. Food service begins at 5 p.m. Music begins at 1 p.m. Saturday with Becky Lercher, The Lesters, Tim Lovelace, Wanda Mountain Boys and The Chosen Ones. Food service begins at noon. The Sunday service will begin at 10 a.m. with Mike and Melanie Rueter's son, Brady Rueter, as the speaker. The Guardians and The Chosen Ones also will perform. A fried chicken lunch will follow the service. Admission to the festival is free. Love offerings will be accepted. Those attending are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets, and the festival will go on, rain or shine. Manchester is about 25 minutes south of Jacksonville on U.S. 67. See More Collapse We dont charge for tickets, Rueter said. Its a free event. People are just real generous and kind to share in the expense. Generosity accounts for the weekends lineup of performers, too. There are some who are really good friends of ours that people request come back, Rueter said. We try to bring in new blood (too) to make it different. One of this weekends biggest name guests is Tim Lovelace, a well-known Christian comedian and musician who made it clear he wanted to participate. Hes in demand, Rueter said. But he agreed to come on our terms. Were real thrilled. He gets paid a whole lot more money than we were able to pay him, and he was willing to come. Hes just a great guy. He said, When you call to book, dont call the booking agent; call me. Ill take care of the agent. Such relationships the ones that inspire gospel groups to come to tiny Manchester, population 350 or so, to be part of a festival that attracts around 6,000 people a day have been built over 44 years of The Chosen Ones hopping on a bus on weekends and traveling to around 160 performances nationwide each year, Rueter said. The groups make up a community, as do their fans. There are people that could come from two or three states away, Rueter said. People who follow gospel music will drive to see their favorite performers. Many of this weekends performers are family groups, including The Lesters of St. Louis, a family gospel group thats been around since Harvey and Opal Lester began performing together in 1925, often singing on St. Louis street corners. Family could be the most common denominator among the groups, whose music covers a range of gospel sounds. We just call it gospel music, Rueter said. Theres some with a bluegrass flavor, a country flavor, contemporary. A lot of them are families. I guess we gravitate toward those because thats what we are. It carries down the family line. The busy schedule Monday-through-Friday jobs accented by weekends of traveling and performing can be tiring, Rueter said, but he wouldnt change it. I cant say Im not tired, he said. But its a good tired. Its rewarding work. Its a ministry. Its encouraging and reaching out with a message of hope. America is looking for a lot of truth today. Hopefully we can point them in a direction with truth and hope. Music does have a way of soothing a spirit. Angela Bauer can be reached at 217-408-2057. GODFREY LungSmarter Foundation Asthma Education & Awareness Walk raised approximately $5,450 toward its mission to promote preventative education. Preventative education includes knowing who should, when and how to make a 911-call particularly because of the numbers of children dealing with breathing difficulties and asthma, for which there is no cure. The walk took place in May, at Glazebrook Park, in Godfrey. As of summer of 2017, over the walk campaigns 17 years, which started with the American Lung Association and Waide, before she formed the LungSmarter Foundation this year, Waides Alphabet Team raised $40,000. Waide committed to a total fundraising goal of $50,000 for an intended multiple-years-long campaign, with her team to complete walking A through Z. The LungSmarter Foundation is committed to asthma education and raising awareness about untreated or unattended asthma. The nonprofit organizations walk, which is free and open to the public, takes place the first Saturday in May, each year. With a lot of help, I was able to participate in that first American Lung Association asthma walk by walking my wheelchair the four-mile trail and raising $714 under the team of A is for Asthma, noted Waide, who now actually can walk with aid. As promised with the formation of the LungSmarter Foundation, it works with the leadership of the greater Alton community, in a partnership with Madison County, for 911 training. In cooperation with Madison Countys emergency services department and the Godfrey Fire Protection District, LungSmarter provides professional training for calling 911 and teaching the key questions to ask 911 operators. The LungSmarter Foundation recently gave the Godfrey Fire Protection District a $2,000 check for the department to purchase medical supplies, such as EpiPens. LungSmarter Foundations absolute priority is to save lives, as every minute counts when calling 911 in a true emergency, Waide said. LungSmarter kicked off its efforts with an open house through its current partnership with Godfrey Fire Protection District. Waide, a Madison County native, graduated from Alton High School. She began taking dance lessons at age 3 and performed for two summers at St. Louis historic Muny Opera in the Childrens Chorus. She received her bachelors in Creative Art Expression from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where she also was a member of SIUCs modern dance troupe. She received a masters in telecommunications management from Los Angeles Golden Gate University. Waide was diagnosed asthmatic at age 34, while making a swift climb to the top of the telecommunications industry becoming a top executive. Years later, she suffered the acute asthma attack while working and living in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I called 911 that morning in 1998, she recalled. I felt some tightness in my lungs while laughing outside. So, I quickly closed the sliding door, grabbed my inhaler, but there was no breathing relief like usual. Suddenly, I realized that I was in big trouble and dialed 911. I heard the siren, but I collapsed. As documented, paramedics arrived in three minutes time, but were unsuccessful in attempts to revive Waide. Records show that the first responders didnt know what to do, making calls to an emergency room physician. Waides jaw had locked and she needed oxygen. They should have used an EpiPen, or something like that, to relax my jaw, noted Waide, indicating why she is passionate about preventative asthma education in conjunction with awareness. Other paramedics tell me I might have escaped permanent injury with the use of an EpiPen. Tax exempt donations can be made to the LungSmarter Foundation, needed year-round to supply disposable face masks, tubes and disposable accessories, along with an adequate supply of EpiPens. Contact LungSmarter Foundation President Jaris Waide at jaris@piasanet.com to learn how to donate to the LungSmarter Foundation or for more information. Reach Jill Moon at 618-208-6448 and Twitter @jill_moon. HARDIN Calhoun County Sheriff Bill Heffington and staff on Wednesday evening responded at length via social media to apparent criticism his office faced for providing mutual aid to Greene County authorities Tuesday night. As reported here, the infamous Eldred Queen of Hearts raffle lottery had reached its near-half-million-dollar limit and between 4,000 and 5,000 luck-hunters were expected to descend upon the hamlet, population 189. Here is the full, unedited statement: As some of you may know, Calhoun County had to help out Greene County last night. Of course, last night was the Queen of Hearts drawing. And..of course.none of us here at CCSO won the money, so none of us are retiring to Hawaii. However.we were needed to provide assistance to the Greene County Sheriffs Office last night. There were reports of multiple traffic crashes that took place, and there were also reports of fights. The most serious incident, involved a drunk driver hitting someone head-on, damaging their car. The drunk driver then fled from the scene. Luckily, no one was injured. All of the Greene County officers were tied up with crowd control and traffic control. Sheriff Bill Heffington and 2 Calhoun Deputies went to Eldred to assist. Sheriff Bill located the drunk driver from the head-on crash, and detained her until a Greene County officer could get there and and arrest her for DUI. Unfortunately, there are some people out there who are already complaining that Calhoun County officers left Calhoun to go help Greene County. Some are complaining that Calhoun County resources and manpower were used outside of Calhoun. Wellthe entire concept is called Mutual Aide, and this is actually required of Illinois Law Enforcement Agencies. Furthermore..the Greene County Sheriffs Office does so much for Calhoun County and for CCSO, that we would help them anytime they needed it. Greene County Sheriff Rob McMillen and Chief Deputy Cale Hoseman go above and beyond to help us all the time, especially with Calhoun County jail inmates that are held at the Greene County Jail. Also, the driver of the car that was hit by the drunk driver called CCSO today and since Sheriff Bill was in the area and he was able to get the suspect stopped, the innocent party will get his car damage taken care of by insurance. The innocent party from the crash was able to call CCSO today and get the drunk drivers name, and insurance information, since Sheriff Bill documented all of that info into our LAWMAN system. The two Calhoun Deputies also gave much-appreciated help to the Greene County officers with traffic control and crowd control. FYI.if there is another huge drawing again in the near future, CCSO will be in Greene County again to help out. Greene County will be here in Calhoun anytime we need their help too. Same goes for Jersey County, they help us out all the time, and Jersey County Sheriff John Wimmersberg is making sure that the new Calhoun radio frequency is being installed into the Jersey County patrol cars, to assure that Jersey County Deputies can hear what is happening in Calhoun, and can communicate with Calhoun officers. Sheriff Wimmersberg wants his Deputies to help Calhoun anytime there is something serious or dangerous going on, and we need help over here. The moral of the storythis little tri-county area of ours depends on teamwork from the law enforcement agencies, and that is what we do. We do that for a common goal, to keep the citizens of our communities safe. COTTAGE HILLS A fire consumed a small house Thursday morning, drawing firefighters from four departments to extinguish the flames and keep them from spreading to a neighboring home. Still, the heat radiating from the blaze at 1316 Fifth St., rippled the white vinyl siding at the exposed, next-door home to the west in the modest, quiet neighborhood. When we first got here, we used a 2.5 (inch diameter) line and did a quick knockdown of the major parts of the fire, said Cottage Hills Fire Chief Steven Quertermouse. The cause is under investigation. The house was vacant and someone was doing some work inside so they could put it up for sale. He said Ameren Illinois recently had turned on utilities at the house to enable the renovations. A neighbor told The Telegraph that no one had lived in the home for about a year, but someone did come by regularly to mow the lawn. Quertermouse said the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause and origin of the fire, which he said apparently started on the west end of the house. The house was a total loss. No firefighters were injured in the fire, and Quertermouse said he believed no civilian was inside the structure. Firefighters fought the flames from the exterior and had not entered the heavily damaged building to search for any occupants, at that time. More than an hour after the fire call shortly before 10 a.m. firefighters still were extinguishing hot spots and flames that erupted here and there, and drenching smoke that stubbornly emanated from the ruins and piles of rubble. Other firefighters pulled down debris from the house using pike poles. Besides firefighters from Cottage Hills and Meadowbrook fire protection districts, firefighters from Bethalto and Rosewood Heights fire departments responded to battle the blaze. Madison County Sheriffs Department deputies also were on site. Reach Linda N. Weller at 618-208-6450 or on Twitter @Linda_Weller Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee died at the age of 93 after ailing from prolonging illness at New Delhi's AIIMS. The 93-year-old veteran BJP leader was admitted to the AIIMS of 11 June following kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection and low urine output. The nation mourns the loss of the tallest political leader who was also referred as 'Bhishmah Pitamah' of politics. Well, the three-time prime minister has been admired by politician within the country and across the border. One of the greatest achievements of the veteran leader was starting the famous Delhi-Lahore bus service to foster better relationships between India and Pakistan. According to Kingshuk Nags book "Atal Bihari Vajpayee: A Man for All Seasons," Atal ji's mentor the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya had come up with an idea of a confederation of India and Pakistan. The concept for good bilateral relations between the two countries which could then present a joint front on many matters. That was the moment when Atal ji felt that it was time to bring two countries (India-Pakistan) towards good relations. Meanwhile, Atal Ji's counterpart in Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif also felt the same. Following which Sharif sent an invitation to Atal ji to visit Pakistan. Well, it was tested trick of Pakistan to check the commitment of the new BJP government and its Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Interestingly, Atal ji responded by crossing the Attari-Wagah border in Punjab whole heartedly. It was 19th February 1999's afternoon, when Atal ji accompanied by 22 distinguish Indians that included cultural personalities like Mallika Sarabhai, journalists like Kuldeep Nayar and film personalities like Dev Anand and Javed Akhtar, crossed the border by bus. That bus by Atal ji was to become a daily feature from Delhi to Lahore and back. The then PM Atal ji was received by Nawaz Sharif, where Atal ji said, This is a defining moment in South Asian history and we will have to rise to the challenge. Well, on Atal ji's crossing border how Pakistani Information Minister Mushahid Hussain had said to Atal's aide Sudheendra Kulkarni on the sidelines, Vajpayeeji has real guts to come to Pakistan like this and at this time. Well the talks between both the country's the then Prime Minister Atal ji and Sharif led to the Lahore declaration by which both countries (India-Pakistan) pledged to a peaceful resolution of bilateral disputes, especially on Kashmir, and fostering friendly commercial and cultural relationships. Well, during his visit, Atal ji managed to charm the Pakistan people with his down-to-earth and disarming ways. I insisted on coming because I saw no logic in what was being told to me and I made it loud and clear to them that Pakistan does not require my stamp for its entity. Pakistan has its own entity, Atal said. He added, If somebody back home asks this question, this will be my answer there too. Incidentally, at a reception at Governor House, Atal ji recited his poem Ab jung naa hone denge hum. The audience was so impressed by Atals speech that Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif said, Vajpayee sahab ab toh Pakistan mein bhi election jeet sakte hain. [Mr Vajpayee can now win elections even in Pakistan.] Also read: Atal Bihari Vajpayee's inspiring quotes: From 'Maut ki umra kya hai, do pal bhi nahi' to 'Haar nahi manunga, raar nahi thanunga' COTTAGE HILLS A fire consumed a small house Thursday morning, drawing firefighters from four departments to extinguish the flames and keep them from spreading to a neighboring home. Still, the heat radiating from the blaze at 1316 Fifth St., rippled the white vinyl siding at the exposed, next-door home to the west in the modest, quiet neighborhood. When we first got here, we used a 2.5 (inch diameter) line and did a quick knockdown of the major parts of the fire, said Cottage Hills Fire Chief Steven Quertermouse. The cause is under investigation. The house was vacant and someone was doing some work inside so they could put it up for sale. He said Ameren Illinois recently had turned on utilities at the house to enable the renovations. A neighbor told The Telegraph that no one had lived in the home for about a year, but someone did come by regularly to mow the lawn. Quertermouse said the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause and origin of the fire, which he said apparently started on the west end of the house. The house was a total loss. No firefighters were injured in the fire, and Quertermouse said he believed no civilian was inside the structure. Firefighters fought the flames from the exterior and had not entered the heavily damaged building to search for any occupants, at that time. More than an hour after the fire call shortly before 10 a.m. firefighters still were extinguishing hot spots and flames that erupted here and there, and drenching smoke that stubbornly emanated from the ruins and piles of rubble. Other firefighters pulled down debris from the house using pike poles. Besides firefighters from Cottage Hills and Meadowbrook fire protection districts, firefighters from Bethalto and Rosewood Heights fire departments responded to battle the blaze. Madison County Sheriffs Department deputies also were on site. 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. COLLINSVILLE The Illinois State Police (District 11) cooperating with local police departments and county police, will continue their school zone safety campaign for the start of the 2018-19 school year. The school zone patrols began today, Wednesday, in St. Clair and Madison counties, and will conclude on Wednesday, Aug. 29. Our main objective is to make sure the school buses, teachers, and children arrive at school safely, an ISP press release states. Madison County Associate Judge Jennifer Hightower partnered with the Madison/Venice NAACP and the Quad City Community Development to host a Back To School Event for 200 youth in the Madison/Venice communities. Children received backpacks and school supplies. Also children will enroll in the Illinois Chip Program, designed to collect personal information to assist parents and law enforcement should a child be abducted ALTON It was called the Great War and the war to end all wars. Unfortunately for mankind, there were even greater, and more deadly, wars to come. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the most active year for the Americans in World War I, 1918, and will continue the worldwide centennial celebrations that opened in 2014. Though overshadowed by the Second World War today, the effects of the first world conflict defined the remainder of the twentieth century. A reported 27 men from the Alton area lost their lives in the war, including Dolph Barker, a 23-year-old barber who died in France in late July 1918. Another was Harry Hoggatt of Wood River, who was four months shy of his eighteenth birthday when he was killed in action in France on Oct. 5, 1918. The war ostensibly began when Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914 by a nineteen-year-old Serbian liberator named Gavrilo Princip. The killing sparked a firestorm of diplomatic tensions between most European powers. Though Princips shot was the catalyst, the causes of the war were decades in coming. Its fair to say there was a growing amount of tension between European nations before the assassination, said Mike Vietti, marketing and communications manager of the National World War I Museum in Kansas City. Conflicts such as the Balkan wars increased tensions, and it kept building. While Europe was embroiled in a devastating global conflict, the United States remained neutral, the reflection of President Woodrow Wilsons belief that America had no place in a foreign war. The slogan of he kept us out of war helped Wilson gain re-election by a slim margin in 1916. However, diplomatic tensions heightened with the sinking of the Lusitania by a German U-boat in May 1915, costing 128 American lives. Subsequent, unrestricted German submarine warfare on Allied vessels and U.S. cargo ships is cited by many as an impetus for American entry. American support for war was further galvanized by an inflammatory telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmerman to Mexico. Intercepted by British forces in January 1917, the telegram encouraged Mexico to declare war on the U.S. and persuade Japan to join the fight as well. In return, the Germans promised subsidies and assistance in reclaiming territories lost in the Mexican-American War of 1846-48. The U.S. declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917. The massive scale of World War I brought sweeping developments in military technology. Trench warfare was widespread, and led to the development of a new war tool the tank. Tanks were created to combat trench warfare, said Vietti. The tank came as a result of World War I, without question. Also, radio communication, which was not a factor beforehand, came to the forefront. In many ways, the cell phones of today may be traced to the development of radio technology in World War I. Another new method of warfare was poison gas, which inflicted hideous suffering on victims. Infantryman Ovid Radcliff, a resident of Godfrey Township, died on Nov. 8, 1918 in a French hospital from pneumonia following a gas attack. A hard maple was planted in the Summerfield School yard in his memory. The use of airplanes, invented scarcely a decade before, also evolved quickly. At the start of the war, airplanes were used mainly for scouting, remarked Vietti. By the end, their role in combat took new shape, and dogfights were common. Aces such as Manfred von Richthofen, who was Germanys infamous Red Baron, as well as Americans Eddie Rickenbacher and Howard Knotts of Carlinville, became celebrated figures. Lt. Carey Waples, an only child from Alton and graduate of Western Military Academy, died in an aviation accident at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Tex. in July 1918 when his airplane struck a tree. Planes from nearby Scott Field flew over the funeral services in Alton a few days later. Many Alton area men were trained at Camp Taylor, near Louisville, Ky., and their sendoffs were proudly trumpeted by the Telegraph. However, not everyone was in favor of the war, to the dismay of the patriotic. The Telegraph ran news on April 17, 1917 of a farm woman from Godfrey Township who promised to devote her full time to considering it an open season for all disloyal neighbors. In addition, fears of insurgency created an array of security issues, particularly at the Western Cartridge Company in East Alton and the Alton bridge, both of which were placed under federal military guard. Several other Alton factories and flour mills were also ordered under guard. Casualties on both sides were staggering. Estimates of military dead range from 8.5 million to 10 million, including two million Germans, 1.8 million Russians, 1.4 million French, and 900,000 British. Over 20 million troops were wounded. Some 65 million troops, including 4.35 million Americans, were mobilized. Some 50,000 U.S. troops were killed, with 230,000 wounded. At least fifty-one troops from the Alton area were among the wounded, including brothers Charles and Edward Southard of Alton. The Telegraph reported that their sister on East Sixth Street received news of the double casualty on Oct. 13, 1918. Civilian deaths were equally appalling, including two million each in Russia and Turkey. Germany suffered 700,000 civilian losses, while Serbia lost 600,000 and Romania 500,000. An armistice was signed on Nov. 11, 1918, now celebrated in America as Veterans Day. However, scholars have pointed to many flaws in the various peace agreements, and believe the resulting political and economic upheaval paved the way for a second world war two decades later. World War I was the signature event of the twentieth century, said Vietti. Many of the events that followed, including World War II, may be traced to the effects of the first world war. The womens suffrage movement took shape then, as women took the place of men in the workforce during the war effort and were empowered because of it. Things we take for granted in our daily lives, like car radios, cell phones, also had their roots in World War I, added Vietti. Even something as simple as wristwatches, which were worn only by a few women before the war, came into popularity because they were used in service. The war affected humanity in countless ways, which we still experience today. Countless memorials dot the landscape in remembrance to World War I, including a statue in front of VFW Post 1308 at 4445 Alby Street. Dedicated on Armistice Day 1922, the statue was originally located at the intersection of Henry and Fifth Streets before a move to Riverside Park in 1942. The statue was again moved to its current location in 1975. Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville, Ill. He may be reached at 217-710-8392 or ilcivilwar@yahoo.com. The adage that failures can teach many lessons seems quite... BJP stalwart and three-time former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on Thursday. He was 93. Vajpayee had been undergoing treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He was admitted on June 11 with kidney tract infection, chest congestion, urinary tract infection and low urine output. He had suffered a stroke in 2009 that weakened his cognitive abilities and, subsequently, he developed dementia. Vajpayee was born into a middle-class Brahmin family as the youngest child of a primary school teacher, Krishna Bihari Vajpayee, and his wife, Krishna Devi, in Gwalior on December 25, 1924. Vajpayee got associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at an early age. However, at the height of the First World War, a wave of leftist philosophy had swept across the country and Vajpayee was impressed and influenced by the leftist movement. He became a member of the All India Students Federation (AISF) for a brief period. But Vajpayee entered mainstream politics while he was doing his MA at the DAV College, Kanpur. He became the general secretary of the Arya Kumar Sabha, the youth wing of the Arya Samaj, and became a frequent attendee of the RSS shakhas. Vajpayee got interested in the work of Babasaheb Apte, who was one among the 'founder pracharaks' of the RSS. Vajpayees camaraderie with Apte necessarily heralded his eventual rise within the Sangh Parivar to become an office-bearer. By the late 1940s, Vajpayee became a full-time RSS pracharak and he often travelled across north India. His writing skills and command over the Hindi language saw him take up the responsibility of editing several RSS-affiliated publications. But it was Vajpayees oratorical skills that brought him to public attention. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of Bharatiya Jan Sangh, the predecessor to the BJP, was impressed by Vajpayees public-speaking abilities and made him his stenographer, secretary and translator. The close association with Mookerjee eventually paved the way for Vajpayees entry into a moderate political platform as a leader of the BJS. A 10-time Member of Parliament, Vajpayee was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh, in 1957. Vajpayees speeches in Parliament as a young parliamentarian were impeccable and nothing short of monumental. At times, his enthralling Hindi speeches in the Parliament prompted even Jawaharlal Nehru to switch to Hindi from his usual English. Vajpayee took the world by storm in 1977 when he, as India's foreign minister in the Janata Party government, gave a rapturous speech at the UN General Assembly in Hindi. It was the first time anyone had given a speech in Hindi at the UN. Vajpayee became the 10th prime minister of India in 1996. His first term in office lasted for 13 days. Later in 1998, a BJP-led coalition government came back to power as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Vajpayees second term as PM is known for the nuclear tests conducted at the Pokhran desert in Rajasthan, in May 1998. He also pushed for a peace process with Pakistan. Vajpayee inaugurated the historic Delhi-Lahore bus service in February 1999. He also pitched for resolving the Kashmir dispute and other conflicts with Pakistan. However, Vajpayees government lasted only 13 months as the AIADMK withdrew its support to the government in mid-1999. In the following election, the NDA came back with a full majority and Vajpayee was able to complete five years (1999-2004) as the prime minister. He is the first non-Congress prime minister to serve a full five-year term. Vajpayee's third term in office witnessed two major terrorist attacks. First, in December 1999, when Indian Airlines flight IC 814 from Kathmandu to New Delhi was hijacked and taken to Kandahar, Afghanistan. The Vajpayee government had to release dreaded terrorists, including Maulana Masood Azhar, from prison to secure the freedom of passengers. The second incident was in December 2001, when Pakistan-supported terrorists attacked the Parliament. On the brighter side, the Vajpayee government introduced many economic and infrastructural reforms, including encouraging the private sector and foreign investments. It also undertook ambitious development projects like National Highway Development Projects under which the Golden Quadrilateral was implemented. Vajpayee adopted a pro-business, free-market reforms approach to boost Indias economic development. The Vajpayee government introduced the concept of one tax system in 2000, which 17 years later become a reality as the Goods and Services Tax. After the downfall of the NDA in the 2004 general elections, Vajpayee refused to take up the position of the leader of the opposition in Parliament. In December 2005, Vajpayee announced his retirement from active politics, declaring that he would not contest the next general election. In a famous statement at the BJPs silver jubilee rally at Mumbais historic Shivaji Park, Vajpayee announced that, Henceforth, Lal Krishna Advani and Pramod Mahajan will be the Ram-Laxman of the BJP. Vajpayee's legacy of nearly 50 years in Parliament and being the first non-Congress member to be prime minister thrice is unlikely to be matched for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, his approach to policy making by stressing on consensus and decency earned him respect across the political spectrum, bestowing him the title of right man in the wrong party. Police busted a call centre in Indore for cheating US nationals by delivering fake warnings of blocking their social security card and collecting $500 to $4,000 per person as fine. The call centre racket was run by two engineering graduates from Ahmedabad. Police said that they arrested 22 people on Tuesday working in the call centre at Vardhman buildings in Lasudia locality of Indore. Indore police DIG Harinarayan Chari said that the accused have been booked under charges of cheating and criminal conspiracy. The fraudsters had recruited nearly four dozen employees on a salary of Rs 30,000 per month. These English-speaking youth were then trained to speak in American accent and conduct themselves in a manner that make them look like American nationals. The modus operandi of the people working in the call centre was to call US nationals posing as officials of the United States social department. They obtained details and phone numbers of the persons registered under social security schemes of US from dark-net. The call centre employees posing as US social department officials called unsuspecting US residents saying that their social security is number is being misused by other people. They were warned that their social security facility could be withdrawn and if they wanted to protect their social security card they should get a new number issued. The social security number includes information about bank accounts, medical facilities and other government facilities. In return of a new number, the gullible targets were asked to deposit money to an account ranging from $500 to $4,000. Police said the associates of arrested kingpin Vatsal Mehta, 25, ran similar rackets in other cities of the country. In Indore, Mehta has entrusted the responsibility of call centre to his friend Karan Bhatt who also acted as floor manager to control two dozen men during a shift. According to police, the call centre gang has collected nearly Rs two crore in last four months. Police also recovered over three lakh social security numbers of foreign nationals from the company's server. The call centre employees collected money through recharge vouchers. The call centre possessed credit recharge vouchers of multi-nationals like Walmart and Amazon. They made their targets to transfer their money in recharge vouchers. The money received through these vouchers in dollars was converted into bitcoin through certain hawala operators of Gujarat. At a time when social media is playing a key role in the rescue operations in flood-ravaged Kerala, a few anti-social elements are finding time to spread panic on social platforms prompting the state government to issue a stern warning. Social media has been abuzz with rumours about cracks on Mullaperiyar dam ever since the water level reached 142 feet. The 123-year-old dam has been a bone of contention between Kerala and Tamil Nadu for decades with the former insisting on rebuilding a new dam citing its decaying condition. Though the dam situates in Kerala, its operations rights wrests with Tamil Nadu as per an agreement signed by the two states. "Abstain from spreading misinformation on Whatsapp & social media networks. Many rumours and fake news are surfacing. Listen for official announcements. Follow the CMO handles in Twitter & FB; FB pages of Ministers, District Collectors, Kerala Police & Fire force, tweeted the chief minister's office on Thursday. In a letter written by the secretary to Kerala Government (water resources) to DGP Loknath Behara, the government has asked the police cyber cell to take action against rumour mongers. "Rumours are being spread in social media like Whatsapp, Facebook etc. that the Mullaperiyar dam has developed some cracks. This rumour is completely baseless and the dam has not developed any cracks as alleged. These rumours are creating unnecessary panic among people living in the downstreams in the Periyar catchment. The cyber cell is directed to trace the source of these rumours and take immediate action against the rumour mongers," read the letter. The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Tamil Nadu government to consider lowering the water level at Mullaperiyar dam to 139 feet from the current 142 feet. The Supreme Court also ordered the National Crisis Management Committee to meet on Friday over Mullaperiyar dam storage and management. The committee has been asked to file a report by 2pm on Friday. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswamy said Mullaperiyar dam is safe and there is no need to reduce the water level. Monsoon havoc in Kerala which caused 92 deaths till Thursday has largely affected the flight operations with Cochin International Airport closed due to flood. Civil aviation regulator DGCA said it has set up a control room to monitor the flood situation and distress caused by it to air passengers. "The Cochin International Airport Ltd has informed that due to rains, the airport is not available up to 2 pm on August 26. Therefore, Air Navigation Services wing of Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued NOTAM (notice to airmen) till the date and time mentioned above. As a result, aviation operations and flights will remain suspended till then," said R.N.Choubey, civil aviation secretary, after attending a meeting with DGCA authorities. "The situation is being constantly reviewed in consultation with the state government," Choubey said. A high-priority meeting was called by the civil aviation secretary on Thursday seeking attendance from the DGCA at various levels and also Airport Authority of India personnel. After the meeting, the DGCA informed that it has formed a control room from Thursday to constantly monitor the situation at flood affected airports of Kerala. The DGCA says it had set up a control room on August 15 itself and had been monitoring the situation 24x7. "A regular briefing has been given to all our employees and alerts have been issued from time to time by the control room in last 24 hours," said Atul Maindola, deputy director at Directorate of Air Transport in DGCA. "Flight operation diversion will not be an issue as many flights have already been suspended by airlines for August 16,17 and 18. We are ensuring that other navigational aids and runways remain operational at other airports like Thiruvananthapuram, Calicut which are still operational," said Maindola, who is directly supervising the control room. The control room is currently handling complaints of re-scheduling of flights and high ticket prices prevailing in the Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi sector. The civil aviation ministry had earlier asked airlines to keep their ticket prices below Rs 10,000 after they shot up to Rs 15,000 to Rs 38,000. "We have requested airlines to adopt a fair pricing and I think most have complied with that," said Choubey, talking to reporters. On Thursday, a check on flight prices showed comparatively benign ticket prices ranging from Rs 7,000 - Rs 9,500. "All scheduled domestic airlines have been advised to ensure that airfares for flights to/from Trivandrum and Calicut airports in Kerala are kept at an optimal level proportionate to sector distance so that travelling public is not inconvenienced," read a statement from the civil aviation ministry. Flights of foreign airlines Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, Fly Dubai, Jazeera, Oman Air, Qatar, Saudia Airlines and Srilankan have been rescheduled for Thiruvananthapuram airport. Other foreign airlines like Air Asia Berhad, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airlines, Malindo, Scoot, Silk Air and Thai Air Asia have suspended their flights to/from Kochi. "The control room has spoken to Cochin airport for the latest update on Cochin weather. It has been informed water level inside the airport continue to rise and heavy rain is predicted till Saturday (August 18)," said a DGCA official. A red alert has been sounded in the 14 districts in the state. According to the weather department, heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds with a speed reaching 60 kmph, is expected in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode districts in the next 24 hours. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on Independence Day that India's first human space mission would be launched by 2022 has put the political stamp on a mission that would be the next big ticket endeavour for a space faring nation like India. While India has made a mark for itself with small satellite launches, and attained further credibility with successful missions to the moon and Mars, a human space flight is the ultimate for its space organisation. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been, for the past few years, working on the various technologies that will need to be developed for this mission. K. Radhakrishnan, who was then the ISRO chairperson, had told this correspondent some years ago that these technologies were being developed indigenously, from the annual budget provided to ISRO for research and development. Though the decision to send a human to space is political and needs to be weighed with considerations on what the flight will achieve, and the science it hopes to do, the organisation entrusted with the responsibility has to work in advance to develop all the requirements for this exhilarating, but challenging project. In fact, just a few days after the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) was inserted into the Martian orbit, ISRO also successfully tested its Crew Model Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment. The muffin-shaped capsule left the lower earth orbit aboard a GSLV Mk III rocket and in the 19 minute flight, returned neatly into the earth's atmosphere and dropped into the Andaman Sea, where it floated like a cork. This means that the model ISRO is planning is based on the Russian design, and not the erstwhile NASA one, in which the crew capsule was more like an aircraft. This July, ISRO performed another successful experiment, the pad abort test, a crucial technology to ensure safety of crew in case the flight develops a snag at take off stage. The GSLV III itself was developed as the vehicle for a human mission and has done two flights already, one of which was the crew model experiment. Defence Research Development Organistation (DRDO) has been working on developing the spacesuit. The mission, pegged at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore will require training astronauts, which the Indian Air Force is likely to do. ISRO chairman K. Sivan says that the 2022 date is doable. At least 48 people have been killed in Kabul after a suicide bomb attack on Wednesday targetting a mainly Shi'ite area. This is the latest in a wave of attacks on civilians, soldiers and policemen. Many of the killed are teenagers who were attending classes that was set up in a courtyard for students to study for university entrance examination. People who witnessed the blast said the students were torn to pieces and many have suffered serious burns. Reports suggest the attack bore the hallmark of Islamic State but no claims have been made. Taliban has denied any involvment. The explosion, which came as the central city of Ghazni struggles to recover from five days of intense fighting between the Taliban and government forces, underlined how badly security in Afghanistan has degenerated, some two months before parliamentary elections scheduled for October. Earlier on Wednesday, local officials said at least nine policemen and 35 soldiers were killed in an attack on their base in the northern province of Baghlan, the latest of a series that has killed dozens of members of the security forces nationwide. A court in Malaysia has ruled that evidence against the two women who were accused of murdering the half-brother of North Korea's leader is strong enough for the case to go to trial. Kim Jong-nam died while on the way to hospital from Kuala Lumpur's airport last year. It was found that the toxic VX nerve agent was used to kill him. Two women, Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong, were accused of the murder. The two women pleaded not guilty and said they thought they were taking part in a TV prank show. Both face death penalty if convicted of murder. Defence lawyers had earlier been confident that the case against their clients would be dropped, saying it was clear they had no motive to kill Mr Kim. But a judge on Thursday ruled that the actions of the two women - which were captured on security camera footage - were enough to infer that they had intended to kill him. Mr Kim, the estranged half-brother of Kim Jong-un, had been waiting to board a flight to Macau on 13 February last year when two women approached him in the departure area. (Eds: Updates with Idea, Vodafone offers) New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) Telecom operators have announced free call and data services, extension in bill payment dates and other relief measures for seven days for customers in flood-hit state of Kerala. While Reliance Jio and state-run BSNL have offered free calls to all customers, established operators Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular are offering calling against limited credit for pre-paid customers for seven days and extended bill payment dates for post-paid customers. All the five telecom operators are offering free data service to customers. However, private established operators have capped free data to 1 gigabyte for seven days. "We stand firmly with you in these unfortunate times. To help you stay in touch with your loved ones and remain connected, we are extending a complimentary seven days unlimited voice & data pack to you," Jio said in a message sent to customers. BSNL is offering unlimited calls within its own network and 20 minutes free call everyday on other network for seven days in the areas that are effected by flood, company's Chairman and Managing Director Anupam Shrivastava said. "BSNL stands with its customers in Kerala. For next seven days BSNL will offer unlimited on-net calls and data to customers in flood hit area of Kerala. They can also make 20 minutes of calls on any network everyday in next seven days," Shrivastava said. Airtel and Vodafone are offering calling against credit of Rs 30 per day to pre-paid customers and Idea customers in Kerala will have option to avail calling worth Rs 10. While talktime worth Rs 30 will auto-credited in pre-paid customers account of Airtel, subscribers of Vodafone and Idea will need to dial certain code from their mobile phone to avail it. Airtel is offering mobile battery charge facility at select flagship stores located in Thrissur, Calicut, Malappuram, Kannur, Kottayam from where customers can also make free calls Airtel said that it is deploying VSAT at five major relief centres in Kerala to provide free wi-fi and calling facility to people. The Sunil Bharti Mittal led firm said that its network is up and running despite the challenge of lack of power supply and disruption in movement of fuel supplies. PTI PRS MR MR (Disclaimer: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire. PTI takes no editorial sponsibility for the same). HYDERABAD, India, August 14, 2018/PRNewswire/ --RDP has launched 'ThinBook' India's most stylish and slimmest 11.6-inch laptop at the most affordable price to make computing available for everyone. It has got a huge attraction and response from all over India. RDP laptop has created disruption in the Indian market with its low pricing and technical values. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/730408/ThinBook_1130.jpg ) Design, Build: The RDP ThinBook is sleek, matty black colored and 11.6 inch IPS screen gets immense appreciation, it has a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. As for the display, the screen is reflective but the viewing angles are pretty decent. The company has made a pretty fair choice by utilizing an HD IPS panel despite the budget constraint. Media consumption on this laptop is fairly substantial - the video quality is crisp, sharper and viewing angles are remarkably good - thanks to the HD IPS display. Longer periods of watching videos wouldn't be an issue. The keyboard and trackpad of ThinBook are much better than expected, the palm rest area is spacious and there's a generous trackpad with great trackpad buttons. The keyboard area consists of well-spaced chiclet keys and there are LED status lights above the keyboard for power, num lock and caps lock. The touchpad is small, but it's surprisingly responsive and smooth with intuitive smart gestures. Performance: As far as performance is concerned, RDP ThinBook does fairly well. The ThinBook is built on an Intel Quad Core x5-Z8350 Processor, which has a burst frequency of up to 1.92GHz. It is also equipped with 2GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage and an integrated Intel HD 400 graphics. As stated earlier, it also features an Optional HDD/SSD slot (DIY Model: customers can expand themselves based on their convenience with an additional HDD/SSD drive) and micro SD card slot. The laptop ships with Windows 10 operating system and it runs relatively smooth on this ultra-cheap portable device. Even though, the laptop is powered by the Intel HD graphics we wouldn't recommend trying any high-performance games. It can be used for regular Windows Store games that use less RAM. The multi-touch trackpad on this cost-effective laptop is a bit tricky to use. Though the trackpad is comfortably placed, gestures are a bit off and one could be facing a lot of accidental clicks and unnecessary page zooms when using it for scrolling. On the other hand, boot time was fairly good, with the laptop up and ready in a matter of seconds from the time one hits the power button. Battery life: The battery life of the laptop is great. A single charge can get more than 10 hours of mixed usage, this is completely subjective and will differ from user to user and how they uses it. What makes the battery last longer is the use of power-efficient hardware, that does not heat up. Using a flash storage instead of a hard drive also adds to the battery life. Recharging this battery takes a little more than 3 hours to top up. Audio: However, the audio output is pretty loud when placed on a flat surface. Media consumption shouldn't be a problem with these dual speakers. But one would be better off with an external speaker or with headphones for movies and music. Verdict: It is designed mainly for those who want to buy a compact and portable laptop. It is also good for those who need an affordable Windows PC to perform their daily tasks and is portable to be their companion. The battery is also good, so users can carry it along on business and personal trips. Only storage could be the problem for few but users can always expand the storage using external storage solutions (optional HDD slot/microSD card slot). For more details, visit http://www.rdp.in/laptop/thinbook-1130.html Availability: The product is available with leading online stores across India. Buy at Amazon http://amzn.in/4t4bA7V (or) Flipkart https://bit.ly/2MJfHZt About RDP: RDP, India's leading IT hardware & mobility manufacturing company was founded on 3rd January 2012 with a mission to provide simplified, affordable, computing solutions. RDP entered into mobility on August 3rd, 2016 by launching India's most affordable Laptop for INR 9999/- and caught the customer attention towards it. RDP Product line comprises a wide range of Laptops, Tablets, Thin Clients, Mini PC's & Desktop PC's equipped with highest commercial grade components offering the features and functionalities required to address the users increasingly varied computing needs. RDP is a result oriented company, with a passion to help its partners and clients in their quest for excellence. RDP has developed a strategic association with ecosystem players Microsoft and Intel. With over a 1,00,000+ clients in India and abroad, RDP has the experience, resources and the technological expertise to help organizations succeed in computing needs. For more media queries, please contact: Concept PR Hari +91-9618883774 hariprasad@conceptpr.com Source: RDP Workstations Pvt Ltd DL DL Mumbai, Aug 16 (PTI) Popular TV actor Anup Soni says he has taken a "selfish call" to do movies as the big screen space is more exciting today. Soni, who has been the face of crime drama series "Crime Patrol" for about nine years, has bid adieu to the show to focus on his film career. He admits the show helped him earn credibility and respect as an actor. "The (hosting) stint went on for long. The show became popular and I did not think it will run this long. I am focusing on films now. "The actor inside me was restless and I wanted to focus more on acting. I had to take this call, it was a selfish call as an actor," the actor told PTI. It was during the last quarter of 2017 that Soni decided to leave the small screen. Fortunately, at the same time, he says, he got Ekta Kapoor's webseries "The Test Case". "I was somewhere missing acting in films. I requested makers that I would like to focus on films and they were ok with it. They wanted me to complete my contract that ended this March-April." In the past, Soni has been a part of films such as "Gangaajal" and "Aparahan". He also did a film called "Yeh Hausla", which did not release. "People often used to say to me that they thought I was busy with TV and did not want to do films. There are some offers that I wished I could have somehow managed and done it. I can't take the names. But what is gone is gone." Today, Soni, 43, says he wants people to know that he is open to working all mediums - be it feature films, short films and on the digital platform. Soni will next be seen sharing screen space with Sanjay Dutt in "Prasthnanam", a remake of a Telugu political thriller film. He says initially he had concerns about how his role would pan out in the film. "I was returning to the big screen after a long time and the role and its length matters to you," he says. "The director told me to watch the Telugu film. I got to know that I play a crucial role," he adds. PTI KKP RDS BK BK New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 1700 hours: FGN15 PAK-PREZ-ELECTION Pakistan to elect next president on September 4: poll body Islamabad: Pakistan will hold presidential elections on September 4 to elect President Mamnoon Hussain's successor at the end of his five-year-tenure, the election commission announced today. By Sajjad Hussain FGN16 US-MEDIA-LD TRUMP President Trump's war on media draws editorials in nearly 350 US outlets Washington: In an unprecedented move, nearly 350 media outlets today launched a coordinated campaign decrying US President Donald Trump's frequent attacks on journalists and his attempt to portray some news organisations as enemies of the American people. FGN14 PAK-LD FATF Asia Pacific Group talks tough, asks Pak to enact appropriate laws to curb terror financing Islamabad: An international group monitoring Pakistan's commitments to the global financial watchdog FATF has highlighted deficiencies in the country's legal framework and asked Islamabad to make terror financing and money laundering extraditable offences, a media report said today. By Sajjad Hussain FGN13 US-TRUMP-2NDLD BRENNAN Trump revokes security clearance of ex-CIA director Brennan Washington: Donald Trump has revoked the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, one of the US President's staunchest critics, accusing him of "lying" and for his "erratic conduct and behaviour." FGN8 IDAY-US Empire State Building, Niagara Falls lit-up in tricolour for India's Independence Day New York: The iconic Empire State Building and Niagara Falls were illuminated with the tricolour to mark India's 72nd Independence Day with the Indian diaspora in the US celebrating the occasion, showcasing the country's rich cultural heritage and history in a series of events. By Yoshita Singh PTI AMS AMS Dhaka, Aug 16 (PTI) Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today expressed "deep shock" at the demise of India's former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said he was "our great friend and highly respected" in Bangladesh. President Abdul Hamid said Vajpayee's demise has created an irreparable vacuum in the politics of the subcontinent. A Bharat Ratna Awardee, Vajpayee died this evening in New Delhi at the age of 93 after prolonged illness. In a condolence message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Hasina said, "it is a day of great sadness for the people of Bangladesh". "We are deeply shocked at the sad demise of the former Prime Minister of India Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of the most famous sons of India," Prime Minister Hasina said. He will be remembered for contributing towards good governance and for highlighting issues affecting the common people of India as well as for regional peace and prosperity, she said. Hasina said Vajpayee's tireless work for the welfare of the Indian people will inspire future generations of leaders and described him as "an excellent orator and a poet" who took significant strides towards acceleration of inclusive economic growth in India. "Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was our great friend and highly respected in Bangladesh. As a token of recognition for his invaluable contribution to our Liberation War in 1971, Bangladesh Government conferred on him the Bangladesh Liberation War Honour. Today is certainly a day of great sadness for all of us in Bangladesh," she said in her message. "On behalf of the Government and the people of Bangladesh and on my own behalf, I express our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the Government and the mourning people of India, and to the members of the bereaved family," she added. In his condolence message, President Hamid said Vajpayee's contribution to the development of this region will ever be remembered with due respect. PTI ZH ZH Mumbai, Aug 16 (PTI) Top stories from the Western Region at 1630 hrs. BOM 1 MP-WATERFALL-RESCUE Shivpuri (MP): All 45 people stranded at the Sultangarh waterfall in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district rescued early today. BOM 4 MH-CHILD TRAFFICKING-ARREST Mumbai: The prime accused in a case of trafficking children to the US arrested by the Mumbai Police from Gujarat. BOM 3 MH-SENA-MODI Mumbai: The Shiv Sena terms Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech as "fireworks of numbers, announcements and schemes" and slams him for the depreciating rupee. PTI GK GK GK Name upcoming infra project in Goa after Vajpayee: Lobo Panaji, Aug 16 (PTI) Goa assembly Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo demanded today that one of the upcoming infrastructure projects in the state be named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Naming a project after Vajpayee will be a tribute to the visionary leader, who died today, he said. "I appeal to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to consider naming any one of the upcoming infrastructure projects like the bridge across Zuari river or third bridge on Mandovi river or the international airport at Mopa after the visionary leader late Atal Bihari Vajpayee," Lobo said in a condolence message here. The BJP legislator said Vajpayee always rose above party politics. "When I joined the BJP I used to listen to his speeches and get inspired," said Lobo. Vajpayee (93) died in the AIIMS hospital in New Delhi this evening after a prolonged illness. PTI RPS RSY RSY RSY Mumbai, Aug 16 (PTI) The prime accused in a case of trafficking children to the US was arrested by the Mumbai Police from Gujarat, a senior official said today. Rajesh Ghamelawala, 54, and members of his syndicate allegedly used to send children to the United States on demand, he said. The racket was unearthed in March this year when two girls, in the age group of 11 to 16 years, were rescued by the police near a salon in suburban Versova where they were brought for make-up, the official said. Four persons -- Amir Khan (36), Tajuddin Khan (48), Afzal Shaikh (38) and Rizwan Chotani (39) -- who were along with the girls were then arrested by the police, he said. The two girls were natives of Gujarat, he said. During the interrogation of the four accused, Ghamelawala's name cropped up as the kingpin of the racket, the official said. "He was wanted in connection with the trafficking of the two girls," he said. Based on the information provided by the four accused, the Mumbai Police tracked Ghamelawala to Ahmedabad in Gujarat and arrested him from there on August 11, the official said. He was later produced in a court which remanded him in police custody till August 18, Versova's senior police inspector Ravindra Badgujar said. Ghamlewala was arrested earlier in 2007 in connection with a passport forgery case, another official said. On reports in a section of media about 300 children having been trafficked to the US as part of the racket since 2007, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-IX) Paramjit Singh Dahiya said, "We don't know from where the figure of 300 children came from. We did not given this figure." "In our case, there are only two children," he said. To a query that traffickers were reportedly charging Rs 45 lakh per child, Dahiya said, "We are investigating what amount the accused persons were charging for the children." PTI DC GK DV DV DV Solo women travellers on the rise in the country Kolkata, Aug 16 (PTI) The number of solo women travellers has been rising in the country with 75 per cent growth in bookings for such journey to some tour operators. Most of these women are from tier-1 cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai, online tour operators said. With rising income levels of women professionals, there has also been a growth in the number of women travellers taking international trips. "We found that the leading city destinations for solo women travellers in the last few years were Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune followed by leisure destinations of Goa, Kochi, Jaipur, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram. "Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, London, Denpasar in Bali and Kuala Lumpur led the international solo travel bookings by women travellers," said Balu Ramachandran - Head of Air and Distribution, Cleartrip. The trend has seen a considerable rise over the past couple of years with 75 per cent of travel bookings on Cleartrip's platform made by women who preferred travelling alone, he said. For international travel, Cleartrip has witnessed a 10 per cent year-on-year growth in solo bookings till date this year, of which 22 per cent were women solo travellers. Online travel portal BigBreaks has been promoting solo women trips to destinations like Bhutan and Ladakh, said Kapil Goswami, Managing Director of BigBreaks. For Mumbai-based travel portal ixigo, more and more women are opting to travel in women-only groups in the country and abroad. Places such as Ladakh, Kashmir, Goa, Dubai, Bali, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Cambodia have gained in popularity among women. For instance, Sri Lanka has emerged as an extremely safe option for women, said Aloke Bajpai, CEO and Co-founder ixigo. For adventure travel marketplace Mojhi, rhe rise of women solo adventurers is slow in the country, but is expected to grow exponentially. "From 2016 to till date this year, there has been a significant increase of 6 per cent in the number of bookings at Mojhi for Indian solo female travellers opting for adventure packages across Asia and Africa. Wildlife safaris in Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa have been the most opted adventure activity compared to more physically taxing activities such as climbing Kilimanjaro or an Everest Base Camp trek," said Viswanath Raju, Co-Founder, Mojhi. To step up the safety aspect of women during the travel, Mojhi has created specialised female-only departures. "We have about 5 safari departures every year that is meant only for female travellers and does not allow any male to be a part of it, except for the safari guide. Raju said. PTI JM PR PR PR PR New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) An astute politician known for his great oratory skills, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee won the hearts of many across the political spectrum with his wit and sobriety and was by far one of the most respected leaders in the country's history. Vajpayee enjoyed a good rapport with leaders of different political leanings including Chandrashekhar, Sonia Gandhi, Narasimha Rao, Pranab Mukherjee, Sharad Pawar, and Left stalwarts like Harkishen Singh Surjit, A B Bardhan and former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee. Though his government collapsed first after 13 days and then again after 13 months, his pragmatic approach attracted many allies towards the BJP which was earlier considered as "untouchable" especially after the Babri Masjid demotion. During a debate on trust vote in Parliament, opposition leaders had said that Vajpayee was a good leader but in the wrong party. He responded by saying, "Vajpayee to achha hai, par party theek nahi hai. Toh achche Vajpayee ka kya karne ka iraada rakhte hain. (You say that Vajpayee is good, but his party is not...Then what do you intend to do with the good Vajpayee.) The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government that he ran in 1998 enjoyed the support of a large number of political parties and leaders like Jayalalithaa and Mamata Banerjee . In his 13-month NDA government in 1998, he had the support of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Samata Party, Biju Janata Dal, Shiromani Akali Dal, Nationalist Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Lok Shakti, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhhagam, Haryana Vikas Party, Janata Party, Mizo National Front, NTR TDP(LP). In 1999, the NDA government, which was the only non-Congress government to have lasted its full term, had the suppport of Janata Dal United, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Samata Party, Biju Janata Dal, Shiromani Akali Dal, Nationalist Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Lok Shakti, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhhagam, Haryana Vikas Party, Indian National Lok Dal and Mizo National Front, Sikkim Democratic Front, Manipur State Congress Party. The Telugu Desam Party extended external support. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh described Vajpayee as a great patriot and among modern India's tallest leaders who spent his whole life serving the country. He also described him as a great prime minister and an outstanding parliamentarian, besides being an excellent orator. "His ability and personality were such that people from all walks of life, irrespective of their political leanings, loved and respected Shri Vajpayee ji," he said today. Sonia Gandhi said Vajpayee was a "towering figure" who stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts. "His warm personality and his gift of friendship won him admirers and friends across the political spectrum and from every walk of life," she said. He was a spell-binding orator, a leader of great vision, a patriot to the core for whom the national interest was paramount. But above all, he was a man with a very large heart and a real spirit of magnanimity, she said. One saw that in all his interactions -- with other political parties and their leaders, with foreign governments, with coalition partners, and indeed with his own political colleagues, whom he always treated with respect and courtesy, the former Congress president said. Former President Pranab Mukherjee said Vajpayee was a reasoned critique in the opposition, who dominated the space like a titan, and a seeker of consensus as prime minister. "A democrat to the core, Atalji dominated the opposition space like a titan and led the government with aplomb. An inheritor and practitioner of the best traditions and qualities of leadership," he said. One of his associates, who worked closely with Vajpayee said, "he was affable and shared very personal relations with opposition leaders". He also said that the former prime minister shared an excellent rapport with leaders of various parties, who despite being his political adversaries, liked and admired him. Once when the opposition wrote a letter bearing Vajpayee's signature to Speaker Somnath Chatterjee raising objections over his "bias" towards, Chatterjee, who shared a good rapport with the BJP leader, expressed his pain and sadness but Vajpayee said he had his "party compulsions". When Chatterjee asked what were his "party compulsions", Vajpayee retorted that he will invite him to his residence along with BJP allies after which he would understand his situation better. PTI SKC SKC RT RT (Eds: Updating with Rahul's another tweet) New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) Expressing concern over the flood situation in Kerala, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to make a fervent appeal to people for help by contributing to the chief minister's relief fund. He tagged the link of the chief minister's relief fund to his tweet asking people to contribute, and said "it is time to step up and help". The Congress chief also said that he has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "massively increase" deployment of Army and Navy personnel for rescue and relief operations. "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. It's time to step up & help. Please contribute generously to the CM's relief fund (sic)," he had said on Twitter tagging the link. In a tweet today, he said, "Kerala is in great pain. I spoke to PM and requested him to massively increase deployment of the Army & Navy. I also said that it is critical that he gives the state special financial assistance as this is a tragedy without parallel in Kerala's history." The death toll in the current phase of monsoon fury in the southern state has touched 72. Rise in flood waters in Periyar River due to the rains and opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir, and Idamalayar, have severely affected lives of people in downstream areas. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan once again called up Prime Minister Modi and apprised him of the flood situation in the state. The state has also sought the services of additional Army personnel and helicopters and the prime minister has assured all help, Vijayan said. Kochi Metro suspended operations this morning after flood waters entered the Muttom yard near Aluva and train services have been affected in various parts of the state with cancellation of many passenger trains and partial cancellation of some long distance train. PTI SKC NSD NSD New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) India had lost a great son and an era had come to an end, former president Pranab Mukherjee said on Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death today, while describing the BJP stalwart as a reasoned critique in the opposition and a seeker of consensus as prime minister. Vajpayee was a democrat to the core, Mukherjee said as he expressed sadness at his demise. "Deeply saddened at the passing away of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. A reasoned critique in opposition and a seeker of consensus as PM, Atal Ji was a democrat to the core. In his passing away, India has lost a great son and an era has come to an end. My deepest condolences," he said in a tweet. Former prime minister Vajpayee, one of India's most charismatic leaders who led the nation through several crises and held together a tenuous coalition with his inclusive politics, died here today. He was 93. Vajpayee, a bachelor, is survived by his adopted daughter, Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. His death was announced by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital, where he was admitted on June 11 with a variety of ailments. PTI SKC RC RC Chandigarh, Aug 16 (PTI) The Punjab Cabinet today paid tributes to Chhattisgarh Governor and former minister of Punjab Balramji Dass Tandon, who passed away on Tuesday. The cabinet observed a two-minute silence and remembered him as a seasoned politician and an able administrator who worked tirelessly for overall development and prosperity of the state, an official spokesperson said. The cabinet prayed to the almighty to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and courage to the bereaved family to bear the loss, he said. The state government had declared a half-day holiday yesterday, besides one-day state mourning today as a mark of respect, he said. Tandon will be cremated here today. PTI VSD DPB DPB New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) The Supreme Court today asked the Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC) coordinator to place before it the data of district-wise percentage of population excluded from the NRC draft in the state. A bench comprising justices Ranjan Gogoi, Navin Sinha and K M Joseph sought the response of all the stakeholders including All Assam Students Union, All Assam Minority Students Union on the Centre's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on the NRC issue. It directed the state NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela to make available the copies of draft NRC at all panchayat offices so that public can access it easily. The apex court said that the claim and objection forms on the Assam NRC issue will be made available to the general public from August 20. It also said that the receipt of claim and objection forms from the public will commence on August 30. The court posted the matter for further hearing on August 28. On August 14, the Centre had told the apex court that distinct IDs will be created by collecting biometric details of 40 lakh people filing claims and objections with respect to the NRC. It said that after the publication of the final list of NRC, those people whose names will figure in it will be given usual Aadhaar number as applicable to legal residents in the country. On July 31, the apex court had made it clear that there will be no coercive action by authorities against over 40 lakh people, whose names do not figure in NRC, observing that it was merely a draft. It had asked the Centre to formulate modalities and the SOPs including timelines for deciding claims and objections arising out of the publication of the draft NRC. Second draft NRC list was published on July 30 in which out of 3.29 crore people, names of 2.89 crore have been included in the draft NRC. Names of 40,70,707 people do not figure in the list. Of these, 37,59,630 names have been rejected and the remaining 2,48,077 are on hold. The first draft of the NRC for Assam was published on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 according to the top court's direction. Names of 1.9 crore people out of the 3.29 crore applicants were incorporated. Assam, which had faced influx of people from Bangladesh since the early 20th century, is the only state having an NRC, which was first prepared in 1951. The top court, which is monitoring the NRC work, had earlier said that the claims of those citizens, whose names do not figure in the draft NRC for Assam published by December 31 last year, would be scrutinised and included in the subsequent list, if found genuine. PTI ABA MNL RRT DIV DIV Chennai, Aug 16 (PTI) Making submissions in the Madras High Court, senior counsel for the 18 disqualified AIADMK MLAs said dissenting against a leader of a political party would neither amount to giving up the party membership nor attract disqualification from the Assembly. Opposing Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker's decision to disqualify the MLAs, senior counsel Mohan Parasaran said, "The political party must be considered supreme not any leader of such party. MLAs dissenting against such leader would not amount to leaving the party and attract disqualification". The submission was made before Justice M Sathyanarayanan during a hearing of pleas challenging the disqualification of the MLAs loyal to sidelined leader T T V Dhinakaran by the Speaker on September 18 last. As the counsel submitted that he would require one more day to conclude his arguments, the judge posted the pleas tomorrow for further hearing. Earlier, justifying the decision of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (AIADMK) chief whip in recommending disqualification of the 18 rebel MLAs, senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi submitted that the whip was compelled since the legislators acted against the party's decision. He said the whip was also justified in sparing S T K Jakkaiyan form disqualification since he withdrew his complaint made to the Governor, and it was informed in writing to the Speaker. Justice Sathyanarayanan is hearing the pleas after a bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar gave a split verdict on the matter on June 14. The 18 AIADMK MLAs were disqualified on September 18 last year under the anti-defection law after they met the Governor and expressed loss of confidence in Palaniswami. In view of the split verdict with Chief Justice Indira Banerjee upholding the disqualification and Justice Sundar setting it aside, Justice S Vimala was appointed to hear the petitions afresh. However, the apex court named Justice Sathyanarayanan while declining to accept a prayer of the disqualified MLAs who raised apprehension of "bias" and sought to transfer the matter to the apex court. PTI COR BN SRY SRY Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi, Aug 16 (PTI) Five persons were killed in a landslide in Palakkad district of Kerala today even as torrential rains led to the collapse of the public transport system in many parts of the state with the southern Railways and Kochi Metro suspending operations. Palakkad district police sources said the five persons were killed in Nenmara while two were rescued, taking the death toll to 72 in the current phase of Monsoon fury. Reports of a landslide have also come in from Thrissur district and some people are said to be missing, the sources said. Rise in flood waters in Periyar River due to the rains and opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir, and Idamalayar, have severely affected lives of people in downstream areas. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan once again called up Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him of the flood situation in the state. The state has also sought the services of additional Army personnel and helicopters and the prime minister has assured all help, Vijayan said. "Spoke to Kerala CM Shri Pinarayi Vijayan again this morning. We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala. @CMOKerala," the prime minister tweeted. The chief minister also called up Home Minister Rajnath Singh and spoke to him about the flood situation and sought more central help for relief and rescue operations. Floods continue to ravage most parts of Kerala, especially Pathanamthitta, Ernakukam and Alappuzha districts, where several people, including children and elderly, are trapped in their houses. Kochi Metro suspended operations this morning after flood waters entered the Muttom yard near Aluva and train services have been affected in various parts of the state with cancellation of many passenger trains and partial cancellation of some long distance train. "Kochi Metro train operation is suspended as the water level rose in Muttom yard area," a KMRL statement said. A high alert situation continues in all the 14 districts in the state. At least 24 people had lost their lives on a single day yesterday in the state, taking the death toll to 67. Over 1.5 lakh people have been moved to 1,067 relief camps across the State, sources said. In Pathnamthitta district Ranni, Kozhencherry and Aranmula are among the areas worst affected. NDRF teams have been sent to rescue people stranded in their waterlogged houses. Flood waters have reached even second floors of various homes and people have taken shelter in the terraces of their houses. They are trapped with no drinking water, food and power. Television visuals this morning showed Army personnel, who arrived in boats, rescuing an elderly person and few others trapped in a marooned house in Kozhencherry. Girls students of Aranmula Engineering College and their warden, who were stuck in the hostel, were rescued by Air force personnel. An Army contingent with boats reached the state capital last night for the rescue operations in Ranni, Kozhhenchery and Aranmula areas. Due to land slip between Kulitturai-Eraniel stations in the Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil Junction section, some passenger trains were cancelled while a few others were partially cancelled. Cochin International Airport had yesterday suspended all flight operations till Saturday as water entered the airport area following continuous rains and opening of dam shutters in Periyar River. A Defence spokesperson said the Navy has been getting several SoS calls from thousands of people marooned in their houses in many parts of central and south Kerala. The spokesperson said calls were being received from all over the region, adding it was, however, impossible to reach some specific people as everyone en route were in a similar situation and needed help. Hence, he said the Navy was operating as per the information being provided by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), which is coordinating the rescue and relief operations. PTI UD TGB SS DV DV Cauvery in spate;inundates low-lying areas, swamps crops in TN (Eds: Recasts intro, adds inputs) Chennai, Aug 16 (PTI) Several low-lying areas were inundated along the banks of Cauvery river and its tributary Bhavani in various parts of Tamil Nadu today in view of discharge of 1.60 lakh cusecs of water from the Mettur dam following heavy inflows from Karnataka. Chief Minister K Palaniswami chaired a high-level meeting here to review the situation as a flood alert was sounded in 11 districts. Water from Cauvery and Bhavani rivers entered some villages in Dharmapuri, Salem and Erode districts and people had been shifted to safer places, reports received here said. Meanwhile, rains lashed parts of the state and two people died in rain related incidents in Valparai in Coimbatore district, officials said. The water level in the Mettur dam today stood at 120.29 feet as against its maximum of 120 feet and the storage 93.9 tmc against the capacity of 93.4 tmc, prompting authorities to discharge marginally higher than the inflow. At 8 pm, the inflow into the reservoir was 1,65,000 cusecs and the discharge 1,65,800 cusecs. The dam has already surplussed twice this month in the wake of the copious inflows triggered by heavy rains in Karnataka. The flood alert has been sounded in 11 districts as the discharge from Mettur, Bhavanisagar and Amaravati dams were further expected to go up with Karnataka releasing 2.1 lakh cusecs from Kabini and KRS dams into Cauvery. The Central Water Commission's Southern Rivers Division, in an advisory, said a combined release of about 2.5 lakh cusecs was expected to be made from Mettur and Bhavanisagar dams and asked the state government to take precautionary steps. Also, the downstream areas of Thirumukkudal in Karur district was expected to see a combined release of about 2.6- to 2.8 lakh cusecs, it said. State Revenue Minister R B Udayakumar said people living in low-lying areas of the districts, including Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur in the Cavuery Delta region, have been advised to move to the relief centres. As many as 492 personnel of State Disaster Response Force have been deployed in districts along the banks of Cauvery, he told reporters here. A total of 3,956 people have been accommodated in 46 relief centres in six districts including Namakkal, Erode and Karur, an official said. A report from Kanyakumari said about 100 villages were hit by inundation following breaches in tanks and ponds besides release of water from Pechiparai and Perunchani dams. The swelling Cauvery caused inundation of low-lying areas in several districts, including Dharmapuri and Erode, with people being shifted to relief centres. In Coimbatore district's hilly Valparai area, normalcy was affected as rain waters entered nearly 500 houses. A holiday was declared for schools in Valparai and Pollachi taluk in the district and Kanyakumari district today. A 17-member NDRF team is on stand-by at Mettur to meet any eventuality, officials said. PTI VGN NVM SSN COR ROH VS VS VS Cong leader starts fast for judicial probe in 'groundnut scam' Ahmedabad, Aug 16 (PTI) Gujarat Congress leader Paresh Dhanani began his three-day fast here today to press for his party's demand for a judicial probe into the alleged groundnut procurement scam in the state. Before sitting on the fast outside the Sabarmati Ashram here, Dhanani visited the ashram to "seek the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi". The Leader of Opposition in the assembly alleged a scam was worth Rs 4,000 crore in state-wide procurement of groundnuts and said the BJP government should order a judicial probe into it to bring out the truth. "I am beginning my fast after taking Gandhiji's blessings. My fast is aimed at bringing out the truth in the Rs 4,000-crore groundnut procurement scam. "The Congress wants a judicial probe into the scam," he told reporters outside the ashram, a place closely associated with the Father of the Nation. Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda and senior MLA Shailesh Parmar were among party leaders who sat with Dhanani for some time to extend support to their colleague. The Congress has been claiming the ruling BJP is trying to save "real culprits" behind alleged irregularities in procurement of groundnut from farmers by not accepting its demand for an inquiry under a sitting High Court judge. The issue came to the fore two weeks ago when around 30,000 sacks of groundnuts (each weighing 35 kg) were found mixed with sand and stones. The stock was procured by the National Agriculture Co- operative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), a central agency, thorough the Gujarat State Co-Operative Cotton Federation Ltd (GUJCOT) and stored at a godown at Pedhla town in Jetpur taluka of Rajkot district. The opposition Congress has alleged large-scale corruption in procurement of groundnuts in the state. Till date, 27 people, including officials of NAFED and GUJCOT, have been arrested by the Rajkot Police in connection with the alleged adulteration of the groundnut stock at Pedhla town. PTI PJT PD RSY RSY RSY SRE SRE SRE Nagpur, Aug 16 (PTI) RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today described former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a universal leader who had instilled Indian values in public life. Vajpayee (93) died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital in Delhi this evening after a prolonged illness. "Vajpayee was a steadfast & universally accepted leader, a great personality who instilled Bharatiya culture & values in public life (sic)," Bhagwat tweeted using the RSS's Twitter handle. He said the void created by Vajpayee's demise would remain forever. "We join the nation in paying our deepest respects to the departed soul," Bhagwat said. PTI CLS NSK RC RC (Eds: Combining Congress leaders' reax to Vajpayee's demise) New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) The top Congress leadership condoled the demise of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today with party chief Rahul Gandhi saying India had lost a great son who will be missed. Vajpayee (93) died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here this evening after a prolonged illness. Offering his condolences to Vajpayee's family and admirers, Rahul Gandhi said the former prime minister was loved and respected by millions. "Today India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family and all his admirers. We will miss him (sic)," he said on Twitter. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh also paid tributes to the late leader at his residence here. In her condolence message, Sonia Gandhi described Vajpayee as a "towering figure" who stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts. Expressing sadness over his demise, the former Congress chief said Vajpayee's warm personality and gift of friendship had won him admirers and friends across the political spectrum and from every walk of life. "I am deeply saddened by the passing away of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee....His death leaves behind a huge void. I join millions of our fellow Indians in mourning his loss and pray for the departed soul," she said. "Shri Vajpayee was a towering figure in our national life. Throughout his life, he stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts, whether as a parliamentarian, a cabinet minister, or prime minister of India. He was a spellbinding orator, a leader of great vision, a patriot to the core for whom the national interest was paramount. "But above all, he was a man with a very large heart and a real spirit of magnanimity. One saw that in all his interactions -- with other political parties and their leaders, with foreign governments, with coalition partners, and indeed with his own political colleagues, whom he always treated with respect and courtesy," Sonia Gandhi said. Singh, in his condolence message, hailed Vajpayee as a great patriot and one of the tallest leaders of modern India who spent his whole life serving the country as he expressed profound sorrow at his predecessor's demise. Describing Vajpayee as a great prime minister and an outstanding parliamentarian, the Congress leader said the former premier was an excellent orator and an impressive poet. In a letter to Vajpayee's adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya, Singh said Vajpayee was a "great patriot" and people from all walks of life, irrespective of their political leanings, loved and respected him. He said Vajpayee proved his ability both nationally and internationally and helped India improve its ties with many countries, including its neighbours. "I have learnt with profound sorrow about the sad demise of Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji. An excellent orator, an impressive poet, an exceptional public servant, an outstanding parliamentarian and a great prime minister, Shri Vajpayeeji stood among the tallest leaders of modern India, who spent his whole life serving our great country. His services to our nation will be remembered for a long time to come," Singh said in his condolence message. "His ability and personality were such that people from all walks of life, irrespective of their political leanings, loved and respected Shri Vajpayeeji. His services to our nation will be remembered for a long time to come," the former prime minister said in his letter to Bhattacharya. He added that his wife joined him in conveying heartfelt condolences to her and the other members of the family. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said he was deeply saddened by the demise of Vajpayee, who was a great human being and a true statesman. "He never hesitated in giving full credit to the opposition party leaders whenever due," he said. Congress's Leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge hailed Vajpayee as a great parliamentarian, public servant, orator, poet and a distinguished prime minister and said his services to the nation will never be forgotten. Condoling Vajpayee's demise, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said, "It is a great loss to the country. It was a joy to listen to Atalji, he cut across ideology, he was a person who had compassion and his belief to take India together is to be remembered. India has become poor in his loss. He has left a deep imprint." PTI SKC ASK RC RC The following companies are subsidiares of The Sherwin-Williams: Acquire Sourcing LLC, CTS National Corporation, Comex North America Inc., Compania Sherwin-Williams S.A. de C.V., Contract Transportation Systems Co., Dongguan Lilly Paint Industries Ltd, Duron, EPS (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., EPS B.V., Geocel Holdings, Geocel Limited, Guangdong Valspar Paints Manufacturing Co Ltd., Inver East Med S.A., Inver France SAS, Inver GmbH, Inver Industrial Coating SRL, Inver Polska Spoka Z O.O, Inver Spa, Invercolor Bologna Srl, Invercolor Ltd, Invercolor Roma Srl, Invercolor Torino Srl, Invercolor Toscana Srl, Isocoat Tintas e Vernizes Ltda, Isva Vernici Srl, Leighs Paints, M.A. Bruder & Sons, Omega Specialty Products & Services LLC, Oy Sherwin-Williams Finland Ab, PT Sherwin-Williams Indonesia, PT Valspar Indonesia, Paint Sundry Brands, Pinturas Condor S.A., Pinturas Industriales S.A., Piton Paints Limited, Plasti-Kote Co. Inc., Plasti-kote Limited, Productos Quimicos y Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Quest Automotive Products UK Limited, Quetzal Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Ronseal (Ireland) Limited, SWIMC LLC, SWIPCO Sherwin Williams do Brasil Propriedade Intelectual Ltda, Sherwin Williams Colombia S.A.S., Sherwin-Williams (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Belize) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Caribbean) N.V., Sherwin-Williams (Ireland) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams (Nantong) Coatings Technology Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Nantong) Company Limited, Sherwin-Williams (S) Pte. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Shanghai) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Vietnam) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (West Indies) Limited, Sherwin-Williams Argentina I.y C.S.A., Sherwin-Williams Aruba VBA, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Mexico S.de R.L.de C.V., Sherwin-Williams Balkan S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Bel Unitary Enterprise, Sherwin-Williams Benelux NV, Sherwin-Williams Canada Inc., Sherwin-Williams Cayman Islands Limited, Sherwin-Williams Chile S.A., Sherwin-Williams Coatings India Private Limited, Sherwin-Williams Coatings S.a r.l., Sherwin-Williams Czech Republic spol. s r.o, Sherwin-Williams Denmark A/S, Sherwin-Williams Deutschland GmbH, Sherwin-Williams Diversified Brands Limited, Sherwin-Williams France Finishes SAS, Sherwin-Williams Italy S.r.l., Sherwin-Williams Norway AS, Sherwin-Williams Paints Limited Liability Company, Sherwin-Williams Peru S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Pinturas de Venezuela S.A., Sherwin-Williams Poland Sp. z o.o, Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings, Sherwin-Williams Realty Holdings Inc., Sherwin-Williams Services (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams Spain Coatings S.L., Sherwin-Williams Sweden AB, Sherwin-Williams UK Coatings Limited, Sherwin-Williams do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., Spanyc Paints Joint Stock Company, Syntema I Vaggeryd AB, Taiwan Valspar Co. Ltd., The Sherwin-Williams Acceptance Corporation, The Sherwin-Williams Headquarters Company, The Sherwin-Williams Manufacturing Company, The Sherwin-Williams US Licensing Company, The Valspar (Asia) Corporation Limited, The Valspar (Australia) Corporation Pty. Ltd., The Valspar (Finland) Corporation Oy, The Valspar (France) Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar (France) Research Corporation SAS, The Valspar (Malaysia) Corporation Sdn Bhd, The Valspar (Nantes) Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar (Singapore) Corporation Pte. Ltd, The Valspar (South Africa) Corporation (Pty) Ltd, The Valspar (Spain) Corporation S.R.L., The Valspar (Switzerland) Corporation AG, The Valspar (Thailand) Corporation Ltd., The Valspar (UK) Corporation Limited, The Valspar (Vietnam) Corporation Ltd., The Valspar Corporation, The Valspar Corporation Limitada, UAB Sherwin-Williams Baltic, Valspar (India) Coatings Corporation Private Limited, Valspar (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Valspar (Uruguay) Corporation S.A., Valspar (WPC) Pty Ltd, Valspar Aries Coatings S. de R.L. de C.V., Valspar Automotive (UK) Corporation Limited, Valspar Automotive Australia Pty Limited, Valspar B.V., Valspar Coatings (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Valspar Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Valspar Coatings (Tianjin) Co. Ltd, Valspar D.o.o Beograd, Valspar Industries (Ireland) Ltd., Valspar Industries (Italy) S.r.l., Valspar Industries GmbH, Valspar LLC, Valspar Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Valspar Paint (Australia) Pty Ltd, Valspar Paint (NZ) Limited, Valspar Powder Coatings Limited, Valspar Rock Company Limited (Japan), Valspar Specialty Paints LLC, and ZAO Sherwin-Williams. Saratoga WarHorse is suing its founder, Bob Nevins, for $1 million after he resigned from the organization following a dispute with its leadership. Scott Iseman, the attorney for Nevins, said the nonprofit's Board of Directors filed the suit in State Supreme Court in Saratoga County on July 13, two days after Nevins, who was acting as the director of programs, quit the organization that connects veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder with retired race horses. "Bob had ethical concerns with the management," Iseman said. "There were a host of issues. It finally came to a head on July 11 when he left. All Bob wants to do is help veterans. He's devastated." The suit accuses Nevins, who established WarHorse in 2012, of breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets and interference with business relations after Nevins would not share the passwords from the organization's website and email with staff. According to the suit, he also did not give them the key to the post office box. "We had no choice," said WarHorse attorney Stephen Rosemarino. "We had to seek judicial relief. He tried to take the whole organization down with him." WarHorse's suit claims that Nevins' conduct "appears to be motivated by the defendant's intention to derail a major fundraising event." The event, which took place Monday in Saratoga Springs, was the nonprofit's annual Blue Spangled Gala. To sign-up for the gala, patrons were to register on the website. The gala, Nevins said, generally brings in about $225,000. At Monday's event at the Hall of Springs, a handful of protesters rallied to show their support of Nevins. It is unclear how much was raised this week at the gala and what WarHorse's annual budget totals. Nevins said he didn't know as he has not been the executive director for some time. The organization's executive director, Allison Cherkosly, did not return a phone call for comment. The suit claims that WarHorse was "effectively locked out of its own domain and website and has been unable to confirm that the necessary updates have been made to the site so as to permit donors to register for the Gala, and to otherwise use the website's interface to make donations for the Gala and to benefit the Foundation." "We haven't computed the damages to know the extent of them," Rosemarino said. Asking for $1 million from Nevins, who was earning less than $50,000 a year with the organization, is ridiculous, Iseman, his attorney, said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "I don't know what they are thinking," he said. "All the charges are baseless." WarHorse's suit sought a temporary restraining order against Nevins, which was granted on July 13 by Saratoga County Judge Thomas Nolan. Afterward, WarHorse management received all of the passwords to its website, its email and the key to its post office box. The lawsuit is also seeking the return of Nevins' laptop. Nevins, who lives in Greenwich and served as a medevac pilot in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne, said the board was driving away donors that he was bringing on to fund a satellite WarHorse in the Midwest. He also said the organization, which he claimed has helped more than 1,000 veterans, was losing its focus. "You can't do a job with five different board members trying to micromanage you," said Nevins, a retired airline pilot and Jefferson Award recipient. "I'm really disappointed. When WarHorse turned into something on paper and not a place to help veterans, I had to resign. I lost what I worked so hard for, but I'm walking away with integrity." "I flew rescue helicopters in Vietnam," Nevins said. "It will take more than a $1 million lawsuit to scare me off." ALBANY Steven Sharp's tenure at the Albany County district attorney's office is over. And his time at the Albany County public defender's office is just starting. Sharp, 33, who secretly moonlighted for defense attorney Cheryl Coleman, writing appellate briefs, resigned from his $112,164 job Thursday at the request of District Attorney David Soares. "District Attorney Soares has asked for and received the resignation of ADA Steven Sharp," Cecilia Walsh, a spokeswoman for Soares, said in an email. "An internal review verified that Sharp performed outside criminal law work on a transactional basis without permission in violation of office policy." Sharp had been on paid suspension since Aug. 7. He declined comment as did Coleman. Sharp, who was the bureau chief of Soares' General Felony Unit, has been hired as an Albany County assistant public defender. Public defenders represent clients who cannot afford an attorney. Albany County Public Defender Stephen Herrick, a former longtime county judge, in a phone interview Thursday told the Times Union his office has been down four felony-level assistants. He said he was happy to have the opportunity to hire an attorney of Sharp's caliber. Herrick said his office would allow some types of outside work that was not permitted in Soares' office. Herrick said he spoke with Soares and Chief Assistant District Attorney David Rossi expressing his interest in hiring Sharp. The retired judge said his conversation with Soares was very positive. Herrick was unconcerned about Sharp, who he noted he has known since Sharp was an intern in the district attorney's office. He said Sharp appeared before him several times a week when he was on the bench. Sharp will not be involved in any cases that pose a conflict given his past role as prosecutor, Herrick said. "I've seen him grow as an attorney, as a human being," Herrick said. "He's one of the brightest young legal minds that I've seen in the Capital District." Herrick said Sharp would make substantially less money than he earned at the district attorney's office. Sharp's resignation ends the tenure of one of Soares' top-ranked and most respected prosecutors. Sharp, a graduate of Albany Law School admitted to the bar in 2009, handled appeals for the office in his first few years, including cases that went before the state's highest court. On Aug. 1, the Times Union first reported that Sharp admitted in a sworn affidavit on July 26 that he worked for Coleman over a four-year period on cases outside Albany County. Sharp's side work came to light in a June 21 letter that Matthew Hug, an appeals attorney, sent to acting Supreme Court Justice Roger McDonough on behalf of Hug's client, 26-year-old Jordan Prusinski, who was convicted of attempted murder. Prusinski fired 11 shots at the corner of Lark and Hamilton streets on July 2, 2017. The bullets struck two people. The judge sentenced Prusinski to 22 years to life in prison. Sharp prosecuted Prusinski's case. Coleman represented him at trial. In his letter, Hug told the judge that Sharp had told him disclosing Sharp's work for Coleman would not get Prusinski's case overturned "and would only have the effect of 'ruining' his career." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Hug wrote that Sharp also told him, "I guess I better get my resume ready." In an affidavit, Sharp said he drew up briefs: "My involvement on those cases constituted freelance work, not the work of an employee. The work was not continuous or ongoing but short and limited in time and scope. Each brief was a one-off arrangement and the work completed upon handing in a completed draft." Soares' office and the district attorneys throughout the region said they prohibit their prosecutors from working on the side for defense attorneys. On Monday, the Times Union reported that Sharp's freelancing for Coleman included working on the appeal on behalf of Alexander West, the Lake George boater convicted of manslaughter in the alcohol-related death of 8-year-old Charlotte McCue in 2016 in a horrific boat crash. West's appeal is pending. The other cases were the appeals of convicted Chenango County killer Ganesh R. Ramsaran, who was convicted in 2014 for the murder of his wife, Jennifer, who disappeared on Dec. 11, 2012, in New Berlin; the appeal of Michael A. Nicholas of Washington County, a felon convicted in 2013 of drug charges for allegedly selling crack cocaine to an informant; and the appeal of former Cornell University wrestler Peter J. Mesko, convicted in 2015 in Tompkins County of burglary and sexual abuse for attacking a woman during a 2013 house party in Ithaca. Ramsaran initially appealed to the Appellate Division and won a new trial. His conviction was reinstated at the Court of Appeals, which sent the case back to the Appellate Division, where it was affirmed. Nicholas' conviction was reversed. The Appellate Division upheld the conviction of Mesko. Two of Sharp's successful prosecutions were in court against Coleman clients. Sharp secured the guilty plea of Michael Chmielewski, the man who admitted he murdered Jacquelyn Porreca, 32, who was stabbed to death during a robbery in the victim's West Albany hair salon on Aug. 21, 2015. He was a prosecutor on the murder trial of Edward "Ted" Mero, who was convicted at trial in December of the murders of Megan Cunningham and Shelby Countermine, both 23, in 2013 and 2014. The Cloughjordan area was hit by a fire last week which damaged the viewing platform at the award winning Scohoboy bog. The bog itself was not damaged in the blaze. It is not known whether the fire was accidental or deliberate, but community co-ordinator Gearoid O Faoighil said they were lucky that it was spotted by a local and prompt action by Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service meant it didn't take hold. Mr O Faoighil said the main section of the platform was ok and there was no reason why people cannot continue to visit and enjoy the range of walks. Thanks to the fire service's speedy response, the damage was contained. It is, indeed, a bit of a blow. Local landowners and members of the wider community have been incredibly supportive with the project and trails developments, he said. Local people were shocked and upset by the wanton destruction at this much loved community and visitor resource, he said. A spokesperson for Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service said that they received a call at about 7.15pm on August 7 and one unit of Borrisokane service were at the scene at 7.30pm. The fire was extinguised around 9pm. Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service spent the best part of a week fighting a bog blaze in nearby Ballymackey at the end of July in which several hundred acrea of land was damaged. The raised bog restoration LIFE project at Scohaboy is one of the most successful community supported conservation efforts of its kind in Ireland, winning several national awards. Scohaboy was this year awarded the European Year of Cultural Heritage mark by the Heritage Council of Ireland. Samaritans in Tipperary & Limerick have called on students, parents and peers to make sure young people who got their exam results this week are not put under unacceptable pressure. With more than 55,000 students received their Leaving Certificate results yesterday, it is crucial to emphasise that emotional wellbeing is more important than grades. Keeping their results in perspective and their options open helps young people and their parents recover if they are disappointed or do not get a place on the course or career they want to join. Cindy OShea, Irish Regional Director for Samaritans, said we need to make sure that young people who are anxious know they can help themselves by talking to someone about the way they feel and by dealing with their worries. It is also helpful for young people to think about how they can relax and distract themselves so that they are able to take a break from thinking about their results, Ms OShea said. Anyone worried about themselves or a student can contact Samaritans for free from any phone on 116 123, text 087 260 9090 or email jo@samaritans.ie. Samaritans volunteers across the country visit schools and colleges to talk to young people about emotional health and the importance of seeking help, talking and listening to others who may be going through a difficult time. Coping with exam stress is also one of the topics Samaritans Developing Emotional Awareness and Listening (DEAL) resources for teachers covers, through a series that helps pupils to build emotional resilience and to support each other. John Downey, lead volunteer and Branch Director in Limerick & Tipperary Samaritans, said: Getting exam results can be stressful and we hope all students are pleased with their results. If you are not, remember that your results dont define who you are, or show all that you can do. There are other opportunities and a chance to study again if that is what you want to do. You may need to make other plans and take some time to think, but thats ok. It helps to share your thoughts and feelings with someone, so do talk to friends, teachers and parents about how you are feeling, and look out for your friends. You will be ok, and Samaritans is always here. Fianna Fail TD for Tipperary Jackie Cahill has called for the HSE and the Government to provide financial assistance to support more children with autism in getting the use of specially trained autism assistance dogs. Deputy Cahill was commenting after he raised the issue with the Tanaiste during a recent Leaders Questions debate in the Dail. The HSE has no involvement in any way shape or form with Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland, and I requested that the Government changes tack and starts to engage with them and their service users to increase number of dogs made available to children with autism," he said. The Thurles-based TD said that the dogs were an amazing support to children with autism and their families, giving the children stability and support and enable them go through their daily lives more free from worry and anxiety. Over the last number of months, I have been contacted by numerous parents of children with autism in the county who are at their wits ends waiting for these specially trained dogs to help and support their children," said Deputy Cahill. He said that the charity was doing its level best with its own limited resources, but for it to expand its services, and to reach more children, it needed the HSE to support it financially. Ive asked the Tanaiste and the Minister for Health to engage with both Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland and Autism Ireland and to find a solution to this funding crisis, he said. [August 15, 2018] Mars Blockchain Summit to gather top leaders from China and the United States in Silicon Valley SILICON VALLEY, Calif., Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mars Finance, a top Chinese blockchain media company funded by influential VCs announced Wednesday that the firm will host the Mars Blockchain Summit together with Silicon Valley firm F50 to bring together global blockchain leaders & communities. Over 50 of the world's top blockchain investors, tech leaders, executives from several world-leading exchanges including Frank Fu, CEO of HBUS, Tim Byung, CEO of OKCoin US, Founder of FCoin Zhang Jian, and top investors including Jeffrey Wernick who is an early investor of Bitcoin, Airbnb and Uber. Top blockchain-focused VCs include Dragonfly Capital Partner, DHVC, Node Capital, BlockVC will also join the Summit of over over 500 expected attendees at the Pullman Hotel on August 28, 2018. The Summit will be one of the latest high-level events that discuss the future of blockchain and crypto, as the prices of Bitcoin and all coins hover at over half of the price-level since beginning of the year. "The goal is to build consensus through an exchange of ideas covering in-depth topics such as blockchain technology innovation, market dynamics, and industry trends," says Fred Wang, founder of Mars Finance. "Mars Summit will facilitate and help drive consensus among global blocchain leaders." Mars Summit is timely during the bear market as it is time for blockchain leaders to reflect and think how the future might unfold, said Vivi Lin, global partner of Mars Finance, who is facilitating the cross-border event. "The Blockchain world is divided. Lets get more direct conversation going," David Cao, founder of co-host F50, urged more collaboration. The Summit will foster greater communications and connections among global blockchain industry leaders including those from China, the United States, and around the world, Kevin Ren, head of Consensus Lab, a crypto fund, agreed. The Summit includes one day of featured tech talks, a VIP Reception, and a closed-door Global Leader Forum with over 50 global leaders. It is supported by Blockchain VC, DHVC, Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs, and many Silicon Valley communities and global media. For more information: marsfinance.io Press Contact Linda Ou lindayeou@gmail.com About Mars Finance Mars Finance was established on 2018 through the web, WeChat, microblogs, articles, and other online channels to provide information, data, market quotes, research, communities for users, and build a pioneering portal for blockchain information and its implementation in society. Mars Finance received investments from agencies including IDG, Funcity, OK capital, Futurecap, Manzi fund, DT Capital Partners and others. About F50: F50.io F50 is a venture capital platform focused on finding extraordinary startups in Silicon Valley and investing in them with its network of global capital. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mars-blockchain-summit-to-gather-top-leaders-from-china-and-the-united-states-in-silicon-valley-300697998.html SOURCE F50 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 15, 2018] Lenovo Accelerates Turnaround with Back-to-Back, Double-Digit Quarterly Revenue Growth Lenovo (News - Alert) Group (HKSE: 0992) (PINK SHEETS: LNVGY) today announced results for its first fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2018. For the second straight quarter, Lenovo achieved strong double-digit growth in revenue year-on-year. Group revenue reached US$11.91 billion, up 19% year-on-year. The company also reported strong pre-tax income during the quarter of US$113 million, an improvement of US$182 million year-on-year, as profitability improved across all businesses. In the first fiscal quarter, Lenovo's profit attributable to equity holders grew to US$77 million, up US$149 million year-over-year. Basic earnings per share in the first fiscal quarter was 0.65 US cents or 5.10 HK cents. "As we persistently execute our 3-wave strategy, all our businesses made solid improvements in both revenue and profitability. Lenovo has passed the turning point and entered a phase of 'acceleration' - accelerating the execution of our transformation strategy and accelerating the rising momentum in business performance," said Yang Yuanqing, Lenovo Chairman and CEO. "In the future, we will maintain industry leading profitability and premium to market growth in PCs; return the smartphone business to health; build the data center business into a sustainable growth and profit engine, and continue to invest in 'Smart IoT + Cloud' and 'Infrastructure + Cloud' to drive long term sustainable return." Business Group Overview With this Q1 FY2018/19 earnings report, Lenovo has turned a corner in its transformation and enters a new phase of growth, thanks to meaningful progress on its strategy and focus on "Intelligent Transformation" during the quarter. Lenovo's decisive steps to consolidate key businesses into a streamlined, integrated enterprise, along with an emphasis on dynamic revenue generators, are quickly yielding significant returns. Last quarter, Lenovo announced the creation of its new Intelligent Devices Group (IDG), combining its Personal Computer and Smart Devices Group with its Mobile Business Group. Rethinking the ways these units and their devices interact and impact customers led to IDG's double-digit, quarterly revenue growth year-over-year, and PC unit market share gains in every geography. At the same time, Lenovo is not only driving, but capitalizing on, global growth trends in both software and services. Lenovo's key business units each tallied significant growth and market strength during the quarter: The Intelligent Devices Group is energized by the synergy of shared platforms and resources, delivered a strong revenue growth of 14% year-on-year, amounting to US$9.95 billion. During the quarter, the PC and Smart Devices (PCSD) business under IDG delivered strong double digit revenue growth for the 2nd consecutive quarter, growing 19% year to year while maintaining industry leading profitability of 5%. Lenovo is the fastest growing player (by units) among the Top five global PC makers and returned to the global PC number one leading position according to Gartner (News - Alert) . Outside of the core PC business Lenovo continues to invest in growing its portfolio of smart devices including smart home; smart office and AR/VR. under IDG delivered strong double digit revenue growth for the 2nd consecutive quarter, growing 19% year to year while maintaining industry leading profitability of 5%. Lenovo is the fastest growing player (by units) among the Top five global PC makers and returned to the global PC number one leading position according to Gartner (News - Alert) . Outside of the core PC business Lenovo continues to invest in growing its portfolio of smart devices including smart home; smart office and AR/VR. The Mobile Business Group ( MBG (News - Alert) ) under IDG improved significantly during the quarter thanks to three key measures. Firstly, the group reduced operating expenses by more than US$100 million; secondly introduced a refined product portfolio and thirdly focused on selected markets where the company can compete profitably. With the refined product portfolio in place, the company focused on mainstream segments and successfully launched Moto G and E during the quarter. Revenue and volume continued to strengthen in Latin America in particular, outgrowing the market in both for seven quarters. In North America, Lenovo's mobile volume nearly doubled year-on-year thanks to the right scaling strategy to expand to all four major carriers. Building on a strong Q4, Lenovo's Data Center Group (DCG) further accelerated its momentum, reporting another record revenue quarter of US$1.6 billion, the third consecutive quarter of double-digit revenue growth, and up 67.8% compared to the same quarter a year earlier. The record high revenue was driven by growth in Software Defined Infrastructure, High Performance Computing & A.I businesses and Hyperscale. Lenovo's software-defined products, led by the new ThinkAgile brand, once again drove more than triple-digit growth year-on-year, and along with the announcement of the new ThinkAgile CP for next-generation composable cloud infrastructure. The Hyperscale business also grew by triple-digits year-on-year while improving gross profit and diversifying the customer base. Traditional infrastructure continued on a positive trend and flash-based storage solutions showed strong momentum at 42% YOY growth. This quarter also saw Lenovo surpassing HPE to become the #1 supercomputer provider on the TOP500 supercomputing list for the first time, with 117 systems. With an eye to the future, Lenovo's Capital and Incubator Group (LCIG) continues to invest and build the Group's next-generation IT capabilities in AI, IoT, Big Data and VR/AR across various sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare and transportation. About Lenovo Lenovo (HKSE: 0992) (PINK SHEETS: LNVGY) is a US$45 billion Fortune Global 500 company and a global technology leader in driving Intelligent Transformation through smart devices and infrastructure that create the best user experience. Lenovo manufactures one of the world's widest portfolio of connected products, including smartphones ( Motorola (News - Alert) ), tablets, PCs (ThinkPad, Yoga, Lenovo Legion) and workstations as well as AR/VR devices and smart home/office solutions. Lenovo's data center solutions (ThinkSystem, ThinkAgile) are creating the capacity and computing power for the connections that are changing business and society. Lenovo works to inspire the difference in everyone and build a smarter future where everyone thrives. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Weibo, read about the latest news via our Storyhub, or visit our website at http://www.lenovo.com/. LENOVO GROUP FINANCIAL SUMMARY For the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2018 (In US$ millions, except per share data) Q1 18/19 Q1 17/18 Y/Y CHG Revenue 11,913 10,012 19 % Gross profit 1,632 1,365 20 % Gross profit margin 13.7 % 13.6 % 0.1 pts Operating expenses (1,452 ) (1,371 ) 6 % Expenses-to-revenue ratio 12.2 % 13.7 % (1.5) pts Operating profit/(loss) 180 (6 ) N/A Other non-operating expenses (67 ) (63 ) 7 % Pre-tax income/(loss) 113 (69 ) N/A Taxation (28 ) 15 N/A Profit/(loss) for the period 85 (54 ) N/A Non-controlling interests (8 ) (18 ) (55 )% Profit/(loss) attributable to equity holders 77 (72 ) N/A EPS (US cents) Basic 0.65 (0.66 ) N/A Diluted 0.65 (0.66 ) N/A View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180815005747/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 15, 2018] Axis Bank's Axis Aha! Conversational AI powered by Active.Ai wins the DX Leader Award at 2018 IDC Digital Transformation Awards SINGAPORE, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Axis Bank's AI-led conversational banking assistant - Axis Aha!, powered by Active.Ai, has won in the DX Leader Award category at the 2018 IDC Digital Transformation Awards. Axis Aha! seen a record 3 million plus utterances logged, 97% data accuracy and 40 times growth rate, month on month. The number of new users has increased 31 times while transactions have grown 50x till date. Triniti, the Conversational AI Engine, powers Axis Aha! with NLP, NLU and NLG which enables it to handle precise context-driven conversations. Currently on web-based platform, it will be on mobile, with popular channels like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and voice-based IoT, Alexa. Convenience of making transactions such as fund transfer, bill payments, top ups and recharges, managing credit cards and more on Axis Aha! is helping the Bank deliver a great Conversational Banking experience to its customers. This disruptive service has contributed to making Axis Bank a leading bank in innovation. Axis Aha! is selected to be the deserved recipient of DX Leader Award, an accolade reserved for new market entrants or incumbents that demonstrate ecosystem awareness for constant business innovation in the scope of Big Data/Analytics, Cloud, Mobility, IoT, AR/VR to transform products/services, idustries, or value propositions. It is awarded by IDC Digital Transformation Awards, which champions organizations that have successfully used digital and disruptive technologies within Asia Pacific. Praveen Bhatt, Head -- Digital Banking & Customer Experience, Axis Bank, said, "Axis Aha! epitomises the Bank's customer-centric approach. It sets a robust foundation for artificial intelligence based voice and chat enabled 'Conversational Banking'. Active.Ai is a major contributor to Axis Aha! being awarded DX Leader Award." Sharing his thoughts, Shankar Narayanan, COO and Co-Founder of Active.Ai added, " We are honoured to be part of the Axis Aha! journey and proud to see Axis Bank winning the DX Leader Award through our combined hardwork. We hope to continue empower our valued partner, Axis Bank, with the best conversational AI experience!" Recently, Gartner has named Active.Ai as the Cool Vendor in AI for Fintech in Asia/Pacific 2018. Apart from building the next generation of Conversational Ai experiences for BFSIs, learn how Active.Ai revolutionise their digital strategy and help win awards at www.active.ai. About Active.Ai Active.Ai, a Gartner Cool Vendor in AI for Fintech in Asia/Pacific 2018, is the leading Conversational AI Platform for BSFIs to deliver conversational banking services that help banks redefine their digital strategy. With NLP, NLU and Machine Intelligence, the platform enables natural dialogues through messaging, voice and IOT devices. Founded in 2016, Active.Ai expands its global presence with offices in Singapore, India, Australia and North America. Led by seasoned Fintech entrepreneurs, Ravishankar, Shankar Narayanan and Parikshit Paspulati, with experienced team in AI, Machine Learning, Data Science, Finance, Payments, Banking, Mobile and Design. Please visit www.active.ai or on twitter: @activeaibot Media Contact: Michael Wee Tse Hua Email: mike@active.ai Contact: +65-98238889 SOURCE Active.Ai [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 15, 2018] Costar Technologies, Inc. Announces Financial Results For the Second Quarter Ended June 30, 2018 COPPELL, Texas, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Costar Technologies, Inc. (the "Company") (OTC Markets Group: CSTI) announced today its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2018 that have been reviewed by the independent accounting firm BKD, LLP. Financial Results for the Second Quarter Ended June 30, 2018 Revenue of $11,987 , an increase of $1,705 or 16.6% from the quarter ended June 30, 2017 . GAAP net loss of $38 or ($0.02) per share based on 1,546 fully diluted shares outstanding, compared to GAAP net income of $112 or $0.07 per share based on 1,567 fully diluted shares for the quarter ended June, 2017. Adjusted earnings of $834 or $0.54 per diluted share compared to $722 or $0.46 per diluted share for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 , an increase per share of 17.4%. (Adjusted earnings, a non-GAAP measure, is defined below.) Adjusted EBITDA of $1,062 compared to $984 for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 , an increase of 7.9%. (Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, is defined below.) compared to for the quarter ended , an increase of 7.9%. (Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, is defined below.) The Company increased its allowance for doubtful accounts by $430K due to a customer's payments that were routed to a non-company bank account as the result of a phishing incident with one employee's email. "Increases in demand for our products in the traffic, critical infrastructure, and retail market segments resulted in the highest second quarter revenue the Company has ever seen," said James Pritchett, the Company's President and CEO. "Specifically, Innotech had the highest revenue quarter since we acquired them at the end of 2016. The product mix combined with component cost increases led to a slight decline in gross profit margin, but we expect a rebound in the third quarter. We are taking the recent unauthorized access to a company email account very seriously and are acting to mitigate the effects and implement controls to ensure that it is not repeated." Mr. Pritchett went on to say, "With another strong quarter of adjusted earnings the Company is strategically positioned for success that should be further enhanced by our acquisition of Arecont Vision." The Company's outside independent auditors completed their analysis of the Company's financial condition. The Independent Auditor's Review Report, including financial statements and applicable footnote disclosures, is available on our website at www.costartechnologies.com. Non-GAAP Financial Measures The Company defines adjusted earnings, a non-GAAP measure, as net income excluding stock-based compensation, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, adjustments to the fair value of acquisition-related contingent consideration, transaction related expenses and payments routed to a non-company bank account. The Company defines adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, transaction and related expenses, adjustments to the fair value of acquisition-related contingent consideration and payments routed to a non-company bank account. The following tables reconcile the non-GAAP financial measures disclosed in this release to GAAP net income (loss): Quarter Ended 6/30/18 Quarter Ended 6/30/17 Adjusted Earnings 834 722 Less: Stock-Based Compensation (70) (109) Intangible Amortization (308) (317) Contingent Consideration Fair Value Adjustment (184) Transaction and Related Expenses (64) Payments Routed to a Non-Company Bank Account (430) Net Income (Loss) (38) 112 Quarter Ended 6/30/18 Quarter Ended 6/30/17 Adjusted EBITDA 1,062 984 Less: Interest (103) (124) Income Taxes (39) (79) Depreciation (86) (59) Amortization (308) (317) Stock-Based Compensation (70) (109) Transaction and Related Expenses (64) Contingent Consideration Fair Value Adjustment (184) Payments Routed to a Non-Company Bank Account (430) Net Income (Loss) (38) 112 These reconciliations of GAAP to non-GAAP measures should be considered together with the Company's financial statements. These non-GAAP measures are not meant as a substitute for GAAP, but are included solely for informational and comparative purposes. The Company's management believes that this information can assist investors in evaluating the Company's operational trends, financial performance, and cash generating capacity. Management believes these non-GAAP measures allow investors to evaluate the Company's financial performance using some of the same measures as management. However, the non-GAAP financial measures should not be regarded as a replacement for (or superior to) corresponding, similarly captioned, GAAP measures. About Costar Technologies, Inc. Costar Technologies, Inc. develops, designs, manufactures and distributes a range of security solution products including surveillance cameras, lenses, digital video recorders and high-speed domes. The Company also develops, designs and distributes industrial vision products to observe repetitive production and assembly lines, thereby increasing efficiency by detecting faults in the production process. Headquartered in Coppell, Texas, the Company's shares currently trade on the OTC Markets Group under the ticker symbol "CSTI". Costar was ranked as the 40th largest company in a&s magazine's Security 50 for 2017. Security 50 is an annual ranking by the magazine of the world's largest security manufacturers in the areas of video surveillance, access control and intruder alarms, based on sales revenue. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the Company's ability to grow revenue and earnings, that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to risks related to the ability to diversify business across vertical markets, secure new customer wins, and launch new products. You can often identify forward-looking statements by words such as "believe," "may," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "expect," "predict," "potential," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations but they involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of the risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable laws. * * * * * View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/costar-technologies-inc-announces-financial-results-for-the-second-quarter-ended-june-30-2018-300698016.html SOURCE Costar Technologies, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] China Mobile Hong Kong, China Mobile International and China Taiping Insurance Group's subsidiaries jointly signed a strategic cooperation agreement China Taiping Insurance (HK), Taiping Financial Holdings and China Taiping Life Insurance (HK) are the China Taiping subsidiaries signing the agreement HONG KONG, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On the afternoon of 7th August, subsidiaries of China Taiping Insurance Group Company Limited, namely China Taiping Insurance (HK) Company Limited, Taiping Financial Holdings Company Limited and China Taiping Life Insurance (HK) Company Limited jointly signed a strategic cooperation agreement with China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited and China Mobile International Limited. The strategic partners will strengthen cooperation in the areas of customer base, business development and enterprise information management, explore market and customer growth and enhance value, reinforce marketing channels and internationalized operations through fully exploring and leveraging the advantageous resources in their respective fields, as well as integrating resources of multiple parties to achieve sound economic efficiency, complementary advantages and a win-win partnership. Wang Bin, Chairman of China Taiping Insurance Group, welcomed the visit of Shang Bing, Chairman of China Mobile Communications Group and his colleagues, and thanked China Mobile for its long-term cooperation with China Taiping. Mr. Wang introduced China Taiping's "Building a New Taiping in 3 Years' Time", Top-quality Strategy and "Three-step Strategy", especially highlighting the Group being selected as a Fortune 500 Global company. Focusing on building China Taiping as a leading enterprise of the Central government, China Taiping hopes to further its cooperation with China Mobile in technology, healthcare and internationalization on an expanded horizon and thus reaping more fruitful results. Shang Bing was also thankful for the two Groups' long-term partnership. Mr. Shang said that China Mobile is a world-class telecommunications operator with the world's largest network and customer base, a leading position in profitability and market value ranking. China Taiping and China Mobile, both Central-government enterprises focusing on internationalization, will complement each other in the fields of fintech, AI, healthcare, internationalized operation, and building of the Greater Bay Area with strengthened cooperation and joint efforts. Cooperation of the two Groups has achieved significant results since their first contract signing in 2014. In line with the development of the new era, China Mobile and China Taiping will further strengthen communication and understanding to perfect all aspects of the current strategic cooperation agreement at the earliest. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180809/2208311-1 SOURCE China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Open Banking Pioneer Deposit Solutions Closes New Investment Round of USD 100m Led by Vitruvian Partners and Sees Valuation Exceed USD 500m HAMBURG, Germany, August 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vitruvian Partners, Kinnevik and existing shareholders invest USD 100m at a valuation of USD 500m at a valuation of Additional funding cements Deposit Solutions' position as the leading international platform for savings deposits Investment follows another period of record performance for Deposit Solutions having successfully scaled its core B2B bank partnerships and transmitted more than EUR 9 billion in its B2C business alone Deposit Solutions, the Open Banking pioneer and leading international platform for savings deposits, announced the closing of a new funding round today. The round was led by private equity firm Vitruvian Partners. Vitruvian was joined by Kinnevik and existing shareholders including Deposit Solutions' first institutional shareholder e.ventures in a transaction worth a total of USD 100m, valuing the company at USD 500m. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/731146/Deposit_Solutions_Logo.jpg ) Dr. Tim Sievers, CEO and founder of Deposit Solutions said: "We are delighted to welcome Vitruvian and Kinnevik as new shareholders. They are experts in supporting high-growth companies, which makes them ideal partners for us. Their deep industry expertise and financial firepower will help us achieve our mission of making Open Banking the new standard for the global USD 50 trillion market for savings deposits." Deposit Solutions' Open Banking platform transforms the value chain in the savings deposit market to the benefit of banks and savers alike. Banks seeking deposit funding benefit from Deposit Solutions' unique Banking-as-a-Service model: they can easily connect to the platform and gain access to deposit funding from the clients of other Points-of-Sale in different markets without having to set up and operate their own deposit infrastructure for these customers. As part of its servic, Deposit Solutions also operates its own proprietary Points-of-Sale under the brands of ZINSPILOT and SAVEDO, which market the deposit offers of its partner banks directly to savers. On the other hand, banks and non-bank financial Point-of-Sale owners that want to offer their own customers an attractive choice of deposit products can integrate the platform into their own ecosystem to provide their customers with a selection of third-party deposit products under their existing client relationship. A spokesperson from Vitruvian Partners said: "As a pioneer of Open Banking Deposit Solutions has shown remarkable performance in rolling out a true innovation and enabling a marketplace for one of the most important product categories in banking. The company already operates the leading platform for savings deposits in Europe. With our expertise in scaling high growth technology companies we will help accelerate the growth of the business even further." The funding round follows another period of outstanding performance. Deposit Solutions now connects more than 70 banks from 16 countries to more than 30 million savers through a wide variety of Points-of-Sale including renowned financial institutions such as Deutsche Bank and Fidelity's FFB. Deposit Solutions' proprietary Points-of-Sale ZINSPILOT and SAVEDO have also continued to grow exponentially and more than doubled the total volume in transmitted deposits within the past nine months to more than EUR 9 billion. Their customer base has grown to over 155,000 customers in the same period. About Deposit Solutions Deposit Solutions is a globally recognized FinTech company and the Open Banking platform for deposits. Its proprietary Open Banking technology provides an infrastructure for the global USD 50 trillion deposit market that benefits banks and savers alike. Deposit Solutions is already connecting more than 70 banks from 16 countries and additionally operates proprietary B2C Points-of-Sale (ZINSPILOT and SAVEDO) that market selected deposit offers of its partners directly to savers. Founded in 2011 by Tim Sievers, the company is headquartered in Hamburg, has additional offices in London, Zurich and Berlin and employs a team of 250. Deposit Solutions is backed by leading tech investors such as e.ventures, Vitruvian Partners, Greycroft, FinLab, Kinnevik, Peter Thiel, Top Tier Capital Partners, Apeiron Investment Group and Angel Investor Stefan Wiskemann. For further information please visit: http://www.deposit-solutions.com/ About Vitruvian Partners Vitruvian is an independent European private equity firm which specializes in 'dynamic situations' - investments in companies undergoing rapid growth, typically driven by technology. Vitruvian helps portfolio companies scale their operations by providing an operational support system and assistance with strategic initiatives including acquisitions. Notable investments to date include global market leaders in their field such as Just Eat, FarFetch, Skyscanner, Darktrace, CRF Health, CFC Underwriting, Ebury, Snow Software, and others. Vitruvian has a strong presence in the DACH region with an established office in Munich and four current investments across the region: Technogroup, smava, doctari and Deposit Solutions. The 2.4bn Vitruvian Investment Partnership III ("VIP III"), closed in June 2017, is among the largest pools of capital in Europe supporting innovative and higher growth companies. Vitruvian has backed 30 companies in its first two funds and has assets under management of approximately 5 billion. Vitruvian has offices in London, Munich, Stockholm, Luxembourg and San Francisco. More information can be found at: http://www.vitruvianpartners.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Openspace Ventures Closes Fund 2 at Hard Cap of US$135mm Will build upon its Fund 1 success to back the next wave of standout technology companies from Southeast Asia. Additional resources will be used to embed deeper regional and operating capabilities. SINGAPORE, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Openspace Ventures (previously NSI Ventures) is pleased to announce the final close of Fund 2 on August 10, 2018 with total subscriptions accepted up to US$135mm. Including Fund 1, Openspace now has in total US$225mm committed capital from its limited partners (excluding managed co-investments). Investors in Fund 2 include a range of institutional investors from US, Australia, Europe, Japan, China, Korea and Singapore across pension funds, university endowments, insurance companies and family offices. Disclosed investors include Stepstone Group and Temasek. "We are very grateful for the ongoing support of our long-term investors - many of whom have invested with us over multiple funds since 2014. We also welcome as part of this close, a group of new institutional investors to the Openspace family and look forward to a long-term partnership and dialogue," commented Shane Chesson, Founding Partner of Openspace. In a report issued by Preqin in March 2018, Openspace Ventures' inaugural fund was ranked as the 3rd best performing venture capital fund amongst 2003-2015 vintage funds1. It has also consistently tracked top 5% performance amongst 2014 vintage venture capital funds according to Cambridge Associates global venture capital benchmarks. The portfolio of 19 companies to date includes Go-Jek, in respect of which Openspace was the first institutional investor, Singapore fast fashion e-commerce player Love, Bonito, Vietnamese online education company Topica, Indonesian online credit provider, FinAccel and Bangladesh's leading ride sharing and food delivery player, Pathao. Openspace has helped raise over US$2.6 bn of follow-on capital for its portfolio companies thus far (including 13 Series B rounds) and has been embedded in the scene as the Southeast Asian opportunity has developed from promising to compelling. In Openspace's view, the opportunities for technology-led innovation in Southeast Asia have broadened into major sectors of the regional economy and the longer-term opportunity for value creation is still nascent. Openspace Ventures now comprises of a team of 17 including on-ground resources in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. As well as investment and business development expertise, Openspace has a full-time operating team helping portfolio companies with tech, marketing, HR, legal and finance issues. "This close of our Fund 2 at its hard cap of US$135mm is a testament to the hard work of our entrepreneurs and their ability to address the wave of opportunities in our region. We have the resources now at Openspace to continue to be very hands-on in building value into our portfolio. We have seen immense opportunities from being able to work with our portfolio company to solve complex on-ground regional execution issues and we will intensify our efforts in these areas," added Hian Goh, Founding Partner of Openspace. 1 View full report here. The fund is referred to as "NSI Ventures" in the report. About Openspace Ventures Openspace Ventures focuses on Series A and B investments in technology companies based in Southeast Asia. Key areas of investment for Openspace Ventures include fintech, healthtech, edutech, consumer applications and cloud-based solutions. Openspace Ventures is currently investing its second fund and has approximately US$225mm in total committed capital. Openspace has invested in 19 companies, including Go-Jek, Love, Bonito, Topica, CXA, FinAccel, HaloDoc and Pathao. For more information, visit www.openspace.vc. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/openspace-ventures-closes-fund-2-at-hard-cap-of-us135mm-300698175.html SOURCE Openspace Ventures [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] In the Wake of the Ongoing Floods in Kerala; UAE Exchange and Unimoni Waive Service Fee on Remittances to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund Leading money transfer, foreign exchange and payment solutions brands, UAE Exchange and Unimoni, have waived service fee on remittances to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund in the wake of the catastrophic floods that has ravaged the Indian state of Kerala. The initiative which enables the global Indian diaspora to contribute to the relief efforts, follows a personal contribution of two crore rupees made by the Group Chairman and noted UAE-based businessman and philanthropist, Dr. Bavaguthu Raghuram Shetty, to help those affected by the floods. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005229/en/ Promoth Manghat, Executive Director, Finablr and Group CEO (Photo: AETOSWire) Promoth Manghat, Executive Director, Finablr and Group CEO, said, "As a committed corporate citizen, who firmly believes in helping communities in times of need, it was our responsibility to do all that is in our power to aid the people of Kerala, who are facing this unprecedented natural calamity. Besides waiving off service fee on remittances to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund, we have also mobilised the India Unit of Unimoni to extend on-ground support to the ongoing relief efforts. With support pouring in from all quarters, we are confident that Kerala will soon recover from this disaster. We are also thankful to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan & his cabinet for allowing us to support the community in need." Those seeking to support the relief efforts can walk into their nearest UAE Exchange or Unimoni branches or log on to the website/mobile application and transfer money to Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) at zero transfer fees. Contributions to CMDRF are completely tax exempt. A total amount of Rs 25 lakhs too has been provided by UAE Exchange and NMC to support the flood-affected victims with the help of select media houses. The account details for the same are as stated below. Name of Donee: CMDRF Account Number: 67319948232 Bank Name: State Bank of India Bank Branch: City Branch, Trivandrum, Kerala IFSC: SBIN0070028 * Source (News - Alert) : AETOSWire View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005229/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] VICE and Bell Media Join Forces for Innovative New Partnership in Canada More than 650 hours of VICE content to air and stream on Bell Media television, mobile, and digital platforms VICE and Bell Media to co-operate on multi-platform sales solutions TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2018 /CNW/ - Bell Media and VICE Media announced today a new, long-term, far-reaching agreement that delivers the best of VICE programming, original VICE productions, and a new media sales relationship. The arrangement sees Bell Media become the exclusive Canadian broadcast home to new original programming from VICE's U.S. linear network, VICELAND, along with hundreds of hours of library VICE programming, all debuting on multiple Bell Media platforms, including CraveTV, in the fall of 2018. "With its new leadership, re-energized programming slate, and U.S. deal with Hulu, we are thrilled to welcome VICE to Bell Media in Canada," said Randy Lennox, Preident, Bell Media. "We see great opportunity with this new partnership and are very motivated for an exciting future with VICE." "We are thrilled to announce such a multi-faceted, far-reaching deal with Bell Media," said Naveen Prasad, President of VICE Canada. "They share a similar vision and have the added platforms and reach to enhance VICE's various lines of business in Canada, whether it be our studio, digital media or creative agency." New VICE programming such as the upcoming THE HUNT FOR THE TRUMP TAPES WITH TOM ARNOLD and MUNCHIES GUIDE TO will exclusively air on television on Bell Media channels. Bell Media has also acquired the TV, digital, and SVOD rights to more than 650 hours of VICE library programming, including the Emmy-nominated GAYCATION, WHAT WOULD DIPLO DO? starring James Van Der Beek, MOST EXPENSIVEST starring Grammy Award-winner 2 Chainz, SLUTEVER, F*CK THAT'S DELICIOUS with Action Bronson, VICE GUIDE TO FILM, MY HOUSE, KING OF THE ROAD, HAMILTON'S PHARMACOPEIA, and ABANDONED. Both companies will also explore co-production opportunities for Bell Media platforms in Canada and VICE platforms around the world. It was announced today that The Movie Network (TMN) has commissioned the sequel to the acclaimed VICE documentary DOPESICK, entitled DOPESICK2: THE FUTURE OF ADDICTION. For the complete press release please visit: https://bmpr.ca/2P9dEj4 SOURCE Bell Media [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] ID.me Becomes First Identity Provider to Be Approved as NIST 800-63-3 Conformant ID.me, the next generation identity platform, is announcing today that it has been granted Approval by the Kantara Initiative's Board of Directors as a full Credential Service Provider conformant to NIST's recently issued Special Publication (SP) 800-63-3 guidelines at Identity Assurance Level 2 (IAL2) and Authenticator Assurance Level 2 (AAL2). ID.me is the first Credential Service Provider to be recognized under Kantara's new NIST 800-63 rev.3 Class of Approval, reinforcing ID.me's leading place in the identity ecosphere. Kantara is the leading global consortium improving trustworthy use of identity and personal data through innovation, standardization and good practice. In addition to the NIST 800-63-3 IAL2 / AAL2 ID.me-branded credentialing service available today, ID.me will extend its IAL2 / AAL2 infrastructure to government agencies and healthcare organizations as a white label service, starting in 2019. The new NIST digital identity guidelines are vital for security, citizen access and interoperability across government and healthcare. Federal agencies are expected to meet the requirements of, and be in compliance with, the new NIST guidelines for all new and existing citizen-facing applications that require a high degree of trust. In healthcare, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) requires NIST 800-63 compliant credentials for healthcare providers to electronically prescribe controlled substances. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is working on the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement set for publication in late 2018 to define standards for interoperability between healthcare systems. The Trusted Exchange Framework recommends the adoption of NIST 800-63-3 IAL2 / AAL2 identity guidelines for patient portals. "The opioid crisis and a growing demand for patient-directed data exchange have created a perfect storm for trusted digital identity in healthcare. Securing the identities of prescribing physicians and the patients they treat is a critical step in fighting the opioid crisis, controlling costs and creating efficiencies in healthcare," said Blake Hall, ID.me CEO. "With requirements like 800-63-3, the industry can trust a shared login service so users can bring their identity and data with them across websites without having to take the time-consuming and frustrating steps to re-verify their identity at each new site." ID.me is simplifying how individuals securely prove and share their identity online. The company is building a digital identity network where users verify their identity once and never have to re-verify their identity again across any organization where ID.me is accepted -- mimicking the role of their driver's license in the physical world. "ID.me achieved a significant industry milestone and competitive advantage by becoming the first company to earn approval from Kantara Initiative as a Credential Service Provider conformant to the NIST 800-63-3 Digital Identity Guidelines," said Colin Wallis, executive director, Kantara Initiative. "Kantara is the world's premier US Federal Trust Framework Provider as part of its mission to improve the trustworthy use of identity and personal data for people to regain control in a secure, privacy-enabled connected world." NIST published SP 800-63-3 on June 22, 2017, outlining new identity management and digital authentication standards required to issue a secure and trusted digital credential. NIST organized credentialing guidelines around component steps with IAL2 and AAL2 replacing the previous SP 800-63-2 Level of Assurance (LoA) 3 requirements. ID.me's new Approval is in addition to ID.me's current Approval as a Credential Service Provider at LoAs 1, 2, and 3. ID.me currently boasts the highest LoA 3 identity verification success rates in the industry - enabling government agencies to deliver high-value services to citizens online at scale. ID.me's high verification success rate is a result of the company's next generation identity platform that connects to multiple authoritative databases and a focus on enabling access pathways for all demographics. Under the new guidelines, NIST no longer accepts knowledge-based authentication (KBA) as a free-standing method to complete online identity-proofing. Large-scale data breaches have compromised the static identifiers and passwords of millions of Americans. Since the secret knowledge KBA relied upon is easily found or bought on the dark web, NIST is moving away from KBA in favor of possession-based methods of authentication. The requirements also require strong identifiers such as driver's licenses and passports to be paired with selfies to prevent criminals from using stolen documents to claim another person's identity online. "To provide best-in-class capabilities to our partners, it's essential to stay up to date with the industry's strictest standards," said Mike Brown, CTO of ID.me. "Our platform has been accredited by the General Services Administration under the previous NIST requirements (800-63-2) since 2014. We are proud to be on the leading edge with the adoption of the new 800-63-3 guidelines and stand ready to help our federal and healthcare partners modernize their digital identity systems." About ID.me ID.me is the next-generation digital identity platform that provides for trusted and convenient interactions between individuals and organizations. Government agencies and commercial partners use ID.me for online identity proofing and authentication to ensure their platforms and users are protected from fraud and identity theft. ID.me's identity platform meets the highest standards for online identity proofing and authentication, without compromising access for hard-to-identify groups. The federally-accredited platform uses a combination of remote verification of physical IDs, mobile network operator data, fraud algorithms, and FIDO U2F capabilities to securely verify a user's identity. ID.me currently supports more than 200 partners, including federal and state agencies, healthcare organizations, financial institutions, nonprofits, and retailers. For more information, visit www.id.me. About Kantara Initiative Kantara Initiative is an ethics based, mission-led non-profit organization passionate about giving control of data back to people. It provides real-world innovation and development of specifications and conformity assessment programs for the digital identity and personal data ecosystems. Beyond its flagship eID-assisting Identity Assurance Trust Framework, developing initiatives including Identity Relationship Management, User Managed Access (EIC Award Winner for Innovation in Information Security 2014), Identities of Things, and the Consent Receipt, Kantara Initiative connects a global, open, and transparent leadership community, including CA (News - Alert) Technologies, digi.me, Experian, ForgeRock, the Internet Society, and SecureKey Technologies. More information is available at https://kantarainitiative.org/. Follow Kantara Initiative on Twitter -- @KantaraNews View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005147/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Apricorn Announces Fourth Generation Secure Key, Aegis Secure Key 3NX POWAY, Calif., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apricorn, the leading manufacturer of software-free, 256-bit AES XTS hardware-encrypted USB storage devices, today announced the release of the Aegis Secure Key 3NX family. Designed for high volume corporate deployments, the Aegis Secure Key 3NX offers a broad range of capacities from 2GB to 128GB. Other standard features include onboard keypad authentication, 256-bit AES XTS hardware encryption, complete cross-platform compatibility, read-only option, separate admin and user access, data recovery PINs, programmable PIN lengths, and Aegis Configurator compatibility. Apricorn developed the Aegis Secure Key 3NX family in response to the ever-increasing demand for low cost, small form-factor encrypted storage devices generated by the growing myriad of data privacy regulations, the most recent being the EUs GDPR which affects businesses operating within EU nations as well as all companies from other countries that are doing business in the EU ad United Kingdom. Other regulations like FISMA, FERPA and HIPAA all require that sensitive data be protected by various means including encryption. And Californias Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) coming into effect in 2020 will be the prototype for a new wave of tougher data protection regulations. Encryption regulations will soon apply to virtually every business that deals with customer data. We set out to reduce the cost of this product group and enhance our existing security features, said Mike McCandless, vice president of sales and marketing at Apricorn. Beyond delivering lower price points across the board, we have expanded the capacity offerings on the lower end to better align with the needs of the consumer. In other words, if all you need are 2GB or 4GB drives, you dont have to settle for an 8GB. In addition to operating 25 percent cooler than its predecessor, the 3NX includes a patent pending RM / FD toggle feature that allows the user to configure the device as Removeable Media or Fixed Disk. Combined with the 3NXs embedded keypad, the 3NX is compatible with embedded systems that only recognize Removeable Media storage devices (e.g. instrumentation, radios or other equipment that typically lacks a keyboard and precludes the use of devices that employ software in the authentication process). Designed for high volume corporate deployments, the Aegis Secure Key 3NX has the same comprehensive feature set as the Secure Key 3z, plus a broader range of capacities from 2GB to 128GB. Other standard features include onboard keypad authentication, 256-bit AES XTS hardware encryption, complete cross-platform compatibility, read-only option, separate admin and user access, data recovery PINs, programmable PIN lengths, and Aegis Configurator compatibility. The 3NX family is pending a FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validation, which is expected later this year. The security advantages of Apricorns hardware encrypted USB storage devices include: Software-free Theres nothing to keylog or to hack OS Agnostic and cross-platform compatible Onboard keypad Authentication takes place within the device itself All data, passwords and encryption keys are 256-bit encrypted at rest Setup, authentication, and encryption involves no host computer Forced Enrollment No default PINs to ensure that data is not put at risk by employees who fail to supplant a factory preset PIN with a suitably complex PIN before deployment IP-67 validated against water and dust damage About Apricorn Headquartered in Poway, California, Apricorn provides secure storage innovations to the most prominent companies in the categories of finance, healthcare, education, and government throughout North America, Canada and EMEA. Apricorn products have become the trusted standard for a myriad of data security strategies worldwide. Founded in 1983, numerous award-winning products have been developed under the Apricorn brand as well as for a number of leading computer manufacturers on an OEM basis. Contact: Sarah Thorson 10Fold Communications apricorn@10fold.com 609-234-8531 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7d5454d2-b495-4434-8e4a-2c1c68c467a8 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] eSilicon to exhibit at Hot Chips 2018: A Symposium on High-Performance Chips, Cupertino, California, August 19-21 SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- eSilicon, an independent provider of FinFET-class ASIC design, market-specific IP platforms and advanced 2.5D packaging solutions, will exhibit at the Hot Chips Conference at the Flint Center in Cupertino, California on August 19-21. Registration for the conference is still open online or on site at the event registration booth. Update on the neuASIC AI Chip Platform Artificial intelligence (AI) requires a new and differentiated set of hardware architectures. It is well known that an ASIC will deliver the best power, performance and lowest total cost of ownership, yet, up to now, hardware accelerators for machine learning have been built primarily with GPUs and FPGAs. Algorithms are still changing frequently as they are adapted to the end application and to the latest research in the field, making it problematic to use a static, full-custom ASIC. eSilicons neuASIC platform, announced in June 2018, addresses the challenge of evolving algorithms through a portfolio of AI-specific IP and a modular design methodology that allows for easily adaptable ASICs that are extremely efficient. About eSilicon eSilicon is an independent provider of complex FinFET-class ASICs, market-specific IP platforms and advanced 2.5D packaging solutions. Our ASIC+IP synergies include complete 2.5D/HBM2 and TCAM platforms for FinFET technology at 16/14/7nm as well as SerDes, specialized memory compilers and I/O libraries. Supported by patented knowledge base and optimization technology, eSilicon delivers a transparent, collaborative, flexible customer experience to serve the high-bandwidth networking, high-performance computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G infrastructure markets. www.esilicon.com Collaborate. Differentiate. Win. eSilicon is a registered trademark, and neuASIC and the eSilicon logo are trademarks, of eSilicon Corporation. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Contacts: Sally Slemons Susan Cain eSilicon Corporation Cain Communications 408-635-6409 408-393-4794 sslemons@esilicon.com scain@caincom.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] dynaCERT Provides Updates on Homologation and Product Launch in Europe TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- dynaCERT Inc. (TSX VENTURE: DYA) (OTCQB: DYFSF) (DAX: DMJ) ("dynaCERT" or the "Company") provides the following update: European Homologation The KBA Homologation Certification process in cooperation with TUV NORD and TUV SUD in Germany continues. Initially the Electro-Mechanical Interference (i.e. EMI) testing was approved by the TUV SUD. dynaCERT has now received a test report dated May 25, 2018 indicating results of this phase of the test which granted a required approval to dynaCERT GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of dynaCERT Inc. towards eventual grant of Homologation. Material inspection as well as mount testing by TUV SUD of the HG1 unit on a truck, which requires full impact and drop-load testing to Euro Code, has also been successfully completed, and awaiting a final report. Testing to obtain an ABE (General Operating permit) for on-road use in Europe required an operating HydraGEN unit mounted directly onto an operating vehicle. For this phase, the Company obtained a special single use permit to allow a HG1-45 unit onto an on-road truck which meets the Euro 6 emissions standards. The baseline validation testing on this truck was completed by TUV NORD in June 2018 on a dynamometer. Subsequently, the truck was used in commercial operation for approximately 40 days of use before undertaking the next test. The final performance validation testing by TUV NORD for fuel savings and carbon emission reduction for the ABE on-road certification after the break-in period took place on a dynamometer in July 2018. Initial dynamometer results, which are not yet official, have exceeded the Companys expectations as well as surpassing prior PIT Group results. The unusual strength of these test results, in respect of fuel savings and emission reductions, has sparked a decision by the parties involved to not release any such information until a final comprehensive report is officially released by the testing lab. In order for dynaCERT to complete all the validations for Homologation, a PEMS (Portable Emission Measurement System) Test, the last and final stage of testing, which was on-road, has now been completed. A positive final report from TUV NORD is expected by the Company. European International Official Launch Receipt of final reports and homologation are expected to occur prior to dynaCERTs official European launch of its HydraGEN Technology at the IAA Commercial Vehicles International Exhibition in Hanover, Germany, September 20 to 27, 2018. The International Automobile Exhibition, IAA, is the world's most important trade fair for mobility, transport and logistics. Various special events and lectures, among other things on the topics of "Efficiency in Road Transport" and "Financial services in the commercial vehicle business" will b featured. On the whole the organisers welcome, on the eight days of the fair, about 2,000 exhibitors from 52 countries and 248,000 visitors at the IAA exhibition. dynaCERT welcomes visitors at its booth in Hall 11, Booth F12 at the Exhibition. Top 50 Innovative Companies dynaCERT is also pleased to announce that it has received the Certificate of Excellence by the Silicon Review as a 2018 Awardee of the fifty (50) Top innovative Companies to Watch, which is an annual listing that celebrates not only the glory of recipients highly valued products and services but also recognizes their contribution in business and technology marketplace. Accordingly, dynaCERT is featured in a full interview of President & CEO, Jim Payne, in its July 2018 issue. Enrico Schlaepfer, Vice President of Global Sales, stated, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) is, without question, a very significant market potential for dynaCERTs HydraGENa Technology. In 2018, our team has improved our products to better suit our customer needs and we are looking forward to launching in Hanover. The emission reductions are of vital importance in Europe as many governments, local and state, are considering legislation around diesel transport vehicles, making our product launch a very timely opportunity. About dynaCERT Inc. dynaCERT Inc. manufactures, distributes, and installs Carbon Emission Reduction Technology for use with internal combustion engines. As part of the growing global hydrogen economy, our patent-pending technology creates hydrogen and oxygen on-demand through electrolysis and supplies these through the air intake to enhance combustion, resulting in lower carbon emissions and greater fuel efficiency. Our technology is designed for use with all types and sizes of diesel engines used in on-road vehicles, reefer trailers, off-road construction, power generation, mining and forestry equipment, marine vessels and railroad locomotives. Website: www.dynaCERT.com READER ADVISORY 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. In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to the potential expansion into new markets, industries and segments, such as diesel-powered use of any the dynaCERT products and sales. 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; the uncertainty of the emerging hydrogen economy; including the hydrogen economy moving at a pace not anticipated; our ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements; and the other risk factors disclosed 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. 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. On Behalf of the Board Murray James Payne, CEO For more information, please contact: Jim Payne, CEO & President dynaCERT Inc. #101 501 Alliance Avenue Toronto, Ontario M6N 2J1 (416) 766-9691 x 2 jpayne@dynaCERT.com Investor Relations dynaCERT Inc. Nancy Massicotte (416) 766-9691 x 1 ir@ dynaCERT .com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] FDA Clears SPR Therapeutics' Non-opioid SPRINT endura and extensa Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Systems for Pain Management SPRINT is the First and Only Dual Lead Capable PNS Platform SPR Therapeutics SPRINT Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) System leads are placed by a physician during an outpatient procedure without surgery, incisions, tissue destruction or anesthesia offering a minimally invasive and non-opioid 60-day therapy. SPRINT has demonstrated significant and sustained pain relief across multiple studies. For additional information regarding safety and efficacy visit www.sprtherapeutics.com. SPR Therapeutics SPRINT extensa Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) System is the only FDA-cleared percutaneous PNS System. SPRINT PNS is indicated for both chronic and acute pain and is the industrys only dual lead capable PNS platform. SPRINT, a minimally invasive and non-opioid 60-day therapy, has demonstrated significant and sustained pain relief across multiple studies. For additional information regarding safety and efficacy visit www.sprtherapeutics.com. Company also provides first look at 12-month durability outcomes following 60-day SPRINT therapy CLEVELAND, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SPR Therapeutics, Inc., a leader in neurostimulation technology for pain, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its SPRINT endura (single lead) and extensa (dual lead) Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) Systems. The SPRINT System is the only percutaneous PNS System cleared by the FDA and indicated for up to 60 days in the back and/or extremities for both chronic and acute pain and is the industrys only dual lead capable PNS platform. Our SPRINT PNS platform is designed to deliver the least invasive and most user-friendly PNS therapy experience for physicians andtheir patients. With the ease of use and dual lead capabilities weve built into the SPRINT System we look forward to advancing the early use of neurostimulation as a non-opioid alternative for more patients while we continue to generate data that demonstrate significant and sustained pain relief following our 60-day therapy, said Maria Bennett, Founder, President and CEO of SPR Therapeutics. The SPRINT PNS system provides a non-opioid therapy alternative that we have used successfully with many of our pain patients, said interventional pain management physician Chris Gilmore, MD, of Carolinas Pain Institute in Winston-Salem, NC. In my experience, most patients prefer a non-permanent, non-destructive and non-surgical option for pain management when possible. The minimally invasive nature of the SPRINT System allows us to introduce peripheral nerve stimulation therapy early in the care continuum, including its use in well-selected patients with back pain. This SPRINT PNS platform offers several new benefits: Dual lead capability allows physicians to implant two leads connected to a single wearable pulse generator Rechargeable batteries allow continuous stimulation delivery Bluetooth enabled controller fosters patient-specific customization and ease of use Multiple clinical trials evaluating SPRINT have demonstrated its ability to reduce pain and improve quality of life. Preliminary results from a Federally-funded multicenter study of SPRINT for the treatment of chronic post-amputation pain demonstrate that significant reductions in pain or pain interference ( = 50 percent) were reported among two-thirds of subjects following the 8-week treatment period. Enduring and significant pain relief ( = 50 percent) was reported by four of the five patients (80 percent) who have completed the entire 12-month study according to data being presented at the Napa Pain Conference, August 16-19, 2018. The vast majority of these subjects were implanted with dual (femoral and sciatic) leads. To learn more about SPRINT, visit SPR Therapeutics at the Napa Pain Conference from August 16-19 and at the Military Health System Research Symposium from August 20-23. About SPRINT PNS System The SPRINT Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) System is the only percutaneous PNS device that is FDA-cleared for both chronic and acute pain, including post-operative and post-traumatic pain. The SPRINT PNS System leads are placed by a physician during an outpatient procedure without surgery, incisions, tissue destruction or anesthesia offering a minimally invasive and non-opioid 60-day therapy. SPRINT has demonstrated significant and sustained pain relief across multiple studies. For additional information regarding safety and efficacy visit www.sprtherapeutics.com. About SPR Therapeutics SPR Therapeutics, Inc. is a privately-held neurostimulation company headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. The companys SPRINT technology is commercially available and provides peripheral nerve stimulation, a non-opioid therapy, for the relief of chronic and acute pain. Multiple clinical trials have been completed and additional clinical trials are underway in the treatment of low back pain and peri-operative pain. More information can be found at: www.sprtherapeutics.com. SPR Contact: Mark Stultz Senior Vice President mstultz@sprtherapeutics.com 612-770-0390 Media Contact: Helen Shik Shik Communications ShikPR@sprtherapeutics.com 617-510-4373 Photos accompanying this announcement are available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e8f37077-eae8-49ef-9466-1f6a1a1987dc //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/496f31de-7959-4e83-9061-0023e29ac557 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] The Heritage Group teams with Techstars to announce new venture accelerator INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Heritage Group's (THG) New Ventures Group today announced The Heritage Group Accelerator Powered by Techstars a vehicle for mentoring and developing early-stage companies at THG's corporate research and innovation facility in Indianapolis. The Heritage Group Accelerator will join Techstars' family of forty-plus similarly organized accelerators around the world each based on a different business theme or vertical market. This level of scale will introduce the Indianapolis entrepreneurial ecosystem to hundreds of startups, venture capitalists and mentors from the global innovation community. The Heritage Group Accelerator represents the first Indiana project for Techstars, the world's leading mentorship-driven entrepreneurship network. "The partnership of Techstars and The Heritage Group is a huge win for Indiana," said Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. "We've worked hard to create the right business climate for exactly this type of world-class entrepreneurial undertaking. It's a significant investment that advances our state's innovation economy, and I look forward to seeing it produce real results." Each year, the Heritage Group Accelerator will select a group of 10 startup companies from what is expected to be hundreds of applicants from around the world -- including the most promising local and regional early-stage ventures. The startups will gather in Indianapolis for an intensive three-month program of research and development, mentorship and collaboration at The Center THG's state-of-the-art incubation environment. Led by a Techstars Managing Director and staff and augmented by THG New Ventures personnel, the experience will culminate in a Demo Day wherein every company will pitch its newly polished business to an audience of venture capitalists, corporate innovation leaders and industry experts. The goal i to facilitate venture investment in the companies while broadening and energizing the local entrepreneurial community. "The Accelerator is another part of The Heritage Group's commitment to foster innovation, grow our businesses internally and externally, and position us for the future," said Amy Schumacher, THG's President. "In partnership with Techstars, we look forward to welcoming some of the best entrepreneurs in the world to Indianapolis each year and supporting their commitment and vision." Applications for the first Heritage Group Accelerator Powered by Techstars will open in early 2019, with a focus on companies innovating in the materials science, environmental services and specialty chemicals fields. Each accepted startup will receive an equity investment of $120,000 and access to the Techstars global network of financial, managerial and technical experts. The Accelerator will be funded completely through the THG New Ventures Group, with no reliance on public financing or governmental grants. And, hopefully, all of the participating companies will experience firsthand the benefits of founding a venture in Indiana. "This significant investment represents a bet on the future of entrepreneurship and new company formation in Indianapolis," said Kip Frey, Executive Vice President for New Ventures at THG. "Together with the recent launch of our new corporate venture arm, HG Ventures, The Heritage Group is now well-positioned to support innovation and economic development throughout the region." David Brown, Techstars Co-CEO and Founder, echoed Frey's bullish outlook for the region's entrepreneurial environment. "We could not be more pleased to be joining the Indiana entrepreneurial community especially in partnership with the visionary leadership at The Heritage Group," said Brown. "We are incredibly selective in identifying new opportunities to extend the Techstars brand but powering the Heritage Group Accelerator was an easy call. All of the elements for success are right here." To learn more, visit thgrp.com or hgventures.vc About The Heritage Group The Heritage Group is a privately held portfolio of companies focused on creating long-term value by building world-class businesses. Since 1930, it has managed a diverse set of business units involved in construction and materials, environmental services, specialty chemicals, and energy and refining. With operations in North America, Europe and Asia, and a client network that spans the globe, The Heritage Group's focus is on innovation, quality and service. At the core of this focus is the Heritage Research Group, the world-class research and development facility operating at the cutting edge of new technology to provide new products, processes and training aimed at improving the way Heritage Group companies serve their clients. About Techstars Techstars is the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed. Techstars founders connect with other entrepreneurs, experts, mentors, alumni, investors, community leaders, and corporations to grow their companies. Techstars operates three divisions: Techstars Startup Programs, Techstars Mentorship-Driven Accelerator Programs, and Techstars Corporate Innovation Partnerships. Techstars' accelerator portfolio includes more than 1,400 companies with a market cap of $15 billion. www.techstars.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-heritage-group-teams-with-techstars-to-announce-new-venture-accelerator-300697871.html SOURCE The Heritage Group [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Hines Real Estate Sued by Southstar Capital Group over Alleged Defective Construction of Florida Apartment Complex A Florida-based owner of multifamily communities is suing Hines, a global real estate developer, for allegedly failing to make necessary repairs to a luxury apartment complex that was so riddled with construction defects that it was condemned, and its residents were forced to evacuate. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005112/en/ Southstar Capital Group is suing Hines real estate over defective construction of this now condemned apartment complex in Celebration, Fla. (Photo: Business Wire) Southstar Capital Group filed suit against Hines over its alleged failure to disclose extensive hidden defects when selling the 306-unit apartment complex to Southstar for $67 million. The complex was developed and constructed by Hines and is located outside of Orlando in Celebration, a master-planned community near Walt Disney (News - Alert) World that was developed by Disney. The lawsuit accues Hines and its affiliates of knowingly withholding, concealing and misrepresenting defective conditions at Aviva at Celebration apartments, now Sola at Celebration. Southstar purchased the newly built property from Hines in September 2016. "Hines knew from the beginning that this property was fraught with construction defects and structural issues yet went ahead and sold us the complex for market price,'' said Gina Williams, president and chief financial officer of Southstar Capital Group. "Hines needs to resolve this now before the property falls into further disrepair and the damage becomes even more costly.'' The defects were not detected during the normal inspection process and only became apparent when the walls, breezeways, floors and balconies started to crack and deflect after Hines sold the complex. Subsequent inspections, which included removing layers of the walls and floors, revealed significant construction defects that violated local building codes. As a result, county officials ordered all residents to evacuate in August 2017, leaving Southstar with no rental income from the property for the past year. Hines, through one of its wholly-owned affiliates, Urban Oaks Builders, the general contractor on the project, signed a contract to make repairs to the property, but as more hidden defects came to light, Southstar says they refused to continue the work. Based on Hines' and its affiliate's alleged unwillingness to make the property habitable again and restore it to its original value, Southstar had no other option than to file a lawsuit. Recently, Southstar put the property up for sale. Southstar owns and operates properties in Florida and Texas but is not a developer or construction contractor. "Having this once beautiful property sit and rot serves no one's interests. Every day that goes by, the water and mold damage in the buildings is getting worse,'' Williams said. "For a global developer like Hines to simply walk away from a community is irresponsible and inexcusable.'' Headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla., Southstar Capital Group is a family-owned and operated multifamily real estate investment firm that has been in business for more than 50 years. Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment, development and management firm with 108 developments underway and a portfolio of 506 properties, representing more than 210 million square feet. Its global headquarters is in Houston. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005112/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Braidy Industries Announces Selection of Kiewit as EPC Contractor Braidy Industries, Inc. ("Braidy Industries") is pleased to announce the selection of Kiewit ("Kiewit") as the company's Engineering, Procurement, and Construction ("EPC") contractor for Braidy Atlas, its greenfield aluminum mill in Ashland, Kentucky. SMS Group ("SMS") and EBNER Industrieofenbau GmbH Construction ("EBNER") were also selected as equipment and furnace providers, respectively. This partnership represents a major step forward in the construction of Braidy Industries' low-cost, innovative rolling mill, Braidy Atlas. With a dedicated management team alongside efficient onsite staff, the mill is on-schedule for first production in 2020. Once complete, Braidy Atlas will be the lowest cost aluminum mill in the world. "We are excited to have been chosen by Braidy Industries and look forward to designing and building this important project," said Tom Shelby, executive vice president of Kiewit Corporation. "We believe our strong safety and performance track record, as well as our extensive experience as an EPC contractor will help ensure the overall success of this landmark aluminum mill." Braidy Industries and Kiewit reached an agreement to negotiate a full turnkey EPC contract reflecting Kiewit's capabilities as one of the largest construction and engineering organizations in North America. The company offers services in a variety of markets, including transportation; oil, gas and chemical; power and water/wastewater. Michael Schafer, senior vice president of SMS, a world-recognized leader in rolling mill equipment with over 100 years of experience, said, "The SMS group is excited to help Braidy Industries set the standard for quality and efficiency in lightweight auto shet production with this new world class facility located in the State of Kentucky." Braidy Atlas will be the first Greenfield aluminum mill in North America in over 35 years, the most technologically-advanced rolling mill in the world, and the first ever to be fully-optimized from the ground up for automotive manufacturing. The site is 104 inches through the entire production line, making it the widest in North America from start to finish. "As Braidy Industries progresses toward being a key player within the aluminum sector, EBNER will serve as a strategic partner throughout the ongoing development of the Braidy Atlas mill," Chief Executive Officer Robert Ebner said on the partnership. "We are excited to play an integral role in this groundbreaking project." EBNER is a leading global specialist in heat treatment within the metals industry, with a subsidiary based in Wadsworth, Ohio. "I'd like to thank our partners, Kiewit, SMS and EBNER for contributing their technology and expertise to our mission of rebuilding Appalachia," said Craig Bouchard, chief executive officer of Braidy Industries. "We could not have imagined a better team." About Braidy Industries Braidy Industries is a future-leaning advanced manufacturer of metals for the global transportation and defense industries. The company's first project, the Phase I construction of a greenfield aluminum rolling mill at EastPark Industrial Center in Ashland, Kentucky, will position the company as the low-cost provider of 300,000 annual tons of production-ready series 5000, 6000 and 7000 aluminum sheet and plate for the automotive and aerospace industries. About Kiewit Kiewit is one of North America's largest and most respected construction and engineering organizations. With its roots dating back to 1884, the employee-owned organization operates through a network of subsidiaries in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Kiewit offers construction and engineering services in a variety of markets, including transportation; oil, gas and chemical; power; building; water/wastewater; industrial; and mining. Kiewit had 2017 revenues of $8.7 billion and employs 22,000 staff and craft employees. About SMS Group SMS group is a group of companies internationally active in plant construction and mechanical engineering for the steel and nonferrous metals industry. It has some 13,500 employees who generate worldwide sales of more than EUR 3 billion. The sole owner of the holding company SMS GmbH is the Familie Weiss Foundation. About EBNER EBNER is a global, family-owned company with more than 1,100 employees worldwide and market leader for heat treatment facilities for the metals industry. The company spends 6-8% of annual turnover for research, development and innovation. EBNER's pioneering concepts in modern furnace technology create new perspectives in offering environmentally friendly and energy efficient solutions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005337/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Rituals Elevates the Retail Experience with Apple Technology and Jamf MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jamf, the standard in Apple ecosystem management, today announced that it made a successful company-wide global migration to Apple technology possible for Rituals, one of the fastest growing luxury brands in Europe. The initiative, supported by Rituals staff for its time and cost-savings potential, also empowers an elevated and seamless retail experience for customers. Rituals has more than 670 stores in 27 countries around the globe. In fall 2016, Rituals kicked off their Apple implementation with a pilot program of 20 MacBook devices in their corporate headquarters. Staff feedback on the ease of use, flexibility and device stability cemented Rituals decision to migrate completely from PC to Mac which kicked off a deployment of 650 MacBook, 700 iPad, 650 iPhone and 1,500 iPod devices across the company. Through Jamf Pro, we have a clear view of our devices, and are able to install and update them at any moment in every country, said Nico Wartenbergh, chief technology officer at Rituals. Jamfs solid infrastructure, along with its extensive capabilities, is instrumental in making sure Rituals digital strategy is successfully implemented. Jamf was the success factor of this implementation. Ingraining Apples iOS technology in stores Supporting Rituals movement to remain paperless, store employees use the iPad devices to: Watch corporate training sessions to remain in constant compliance with corporate policies and procedures Read the company newsletter as a way to stay informed of important news and updates Order products and maintain sufficient and accurate store inventory The iPod touch devices aid in the overall efficiency of the Rituals retail locations by: Providing customers with a mobile point of sale (POS) so theyre able to purchase products wherever they are in the store Pairing with a skin analyzer to provide customized skin care recommendations Scanning products as they arrive, eliminating room for inventory errors Retailers continue to strive for a more personalized, yet streamlined experience for their customers, said Aaron Hix, senior manager of global business development, Jamf. Mobile technology offers the chance to transform a business unifying online and offline sales, coordinating with suppliers and staff, and providing insight to customer interactions. Jamf solves the final challenge of managing these mobile devices to make it all work. For more information on Rituals deployment of Jamf, download the full case study. About Jamf Jamf is committed to enabling IT to empower end users and bring the legendary Apple experience to businesses, education and government organizations via its Jamf Pro and Jamf Now products, and the 60,000+ member Jamf Nation. Today, over 15,000 global customers rely on Jamf to manage more than 10 million Apple devices. To learn more, visit: https://www.jamf.com. About Rituals Founded in 2000, RITUALS was the first brand in the world to combine luxury Home and Body cosmetics. The opening of the first RITUALS store on Amsterdam's Kalverstraat was followed by openings in cities like London, Madrid, Antwerp, Lisbon, Berlin, Stockholm and Sao Paulo. The luxury brand now has 670 stores, around 450 counters in department stores and 5 City Spas in 27 countries worldwide. All of the products, over 400 in total, are inspired by authentic Eastern traditions inclusive of everything from bath and body to home fragrances to mineral makeup to skincare and more. RITUALS works with the world's leading laboratories and top perfumers to continuously develop new innovations. For more information about Rituals, please visit www.rituals.com. Media Contact: Rachel Nauen Jamf (651) 587-8927 Rachel.nauen@jamf.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] MinerEye is Featured in Gartner Report Assessing Cloud Service Providers for GDPR Readiness TEL AVIV, Israel, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent Gartner Group report advises that organizations using Cloud Service Providers (CPS) Google, Amazon and Microsoft, consider deploying third party tools for data discovery, classification and governance in order to comply with GDPR. AI powered MinerEye DataTracker is featured in the Gartner Technical Professional Advice, "Assessing Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure for Your GDPR" which states that, "On their own, CSP behavior and tools will be insufficient to meet all GDPR compliance requirements." Automated data cataloging and tracking before, during and after cloud migration is taking on an increasingly important role in the enterprise, buoyed by regulatory pressures such as GDPR as well the need to secure cloud data. MinerEye DataTracker enables companies to continuously identify, organize, track and protect vast information assets including undermanaged, unstructured and dark data; helping companies downsize and protect their information, and adhere to government regulations such as GDPR. MinerEye's DataTracker uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate ad speed the process of identifying, tracking and downsizing the data both before and after cloud migration. MinerEye DataTracker also helps companies consolidate internal file server data. "The Gartner Report validates what we tell our clients, by stating that you first need to know what data you have and where it resides in order to decide whether it is in scope for GDPR," says Yaniv Avidan, CEO of MinerEye. "Completing a process of discovery used to be a painstaking process of identifying the servers, processes and databases that contain personal data. MinerEye has removed the pain from this painstaking process." "Deploying MinerEye's DataTracker will help organizations make continuous data categorization and tracking a reality; bringing significant cost and time savings while helping companies enforce data protection and regulatory compliance," adds Mr. Avidan. About MinerEye Powered by Interpretive AI, MinerEye technology sees and continually tracks data by its essence, regardless of its form and information content type, wherever it resides. With MinerEye's unique approach, companies can now discover, organize and track vast information assets by scanning enterprise data repositories at the byte and pixel level. Sensitive data is mapped, tagged and secured according to data protection and compliance regulations including GDPR, HIPPA, PCI-DSS, SOC2, and EU-U.S. Privacy Shield. Employing machine learning and computer vision, MinerEye's flagship product DataTracker is helping companies significantly reduce data storage, monitor and fast-track cloud migration activities, protect previously undetected, unclassified and undermanaged data against security breaches, and continuously audit their information to maintain regulatory compliance. For more information, visit www.minereye.com, or watch a video on our solution. Contact: Andrew Lavin A. Lavin Communications +1-516-944-4486 alc@alavin.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/minereye-is-featured-in-gartner-report-assessing-cloud-service-providers-for-gdpr-readiness-300698262.html SOURCE MinerEye [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Neurala Announces Brain Builder "AI for Good" Competition for Developers Following the announcement of its Brain Builder beta program, Neurala, the award-winning artificial intelligence company, today announced a call for submissions for its "AI for Good" competition. Developers who participate in the "AI for Good" contest will have the chance to win a $1,000 first-place cash prize. The second-place finalist will win an EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti SC2, and the third-place winner will receive a DJI phantom 3. Entries will be judged by a panel of industry experts. Neurala's own applications and commitment to this theme include its work with Motorola (News - Alert) Solutions' first responder body cams to help find missing children, as well as its partnership with the Lindbergh Foundation to help combat animal poaching in Africa. Each proposal should feature a detailed explanation of the approach the applicant will take to achieve the desired objective. This may include technological frameworks, development pathways, test dataset, what functions and technologies will be utilized, and how success will be measured. "Like any technology, AI is a tool whose applications reflect the intentions of its creator. It is up to us to show the path and prove that doomsday scenario prophets like Elon Musk are wrong," said Max Versace, Neurala co-founder and CEO. "AI is creating changes in our lives that were at one time unimaginable. But we believe these changes have the power to benefit humanity, and we want to give the talented developers who will be able to make that happen a leg up." Results Trump Ideas: Putting the Brain Builder Beta to Use "AI for Good" applicants will get expedited free access to Neurala's new Brain Builder tool to begin tagging datasets for their application. Using Brain Builder, developers can cut the time and financial cost of creating datasets for deep neural networks (DNNs) by as much as 40 percent. Early adopters of Brain Builder will also benefit from: Secure, web-based portal : 24/7 access to global data from anywhere : 24/7 access to global data from anywhere State-of-the-art annotation tools : Drastic reduction in annotation time : Drastic reduction in annotation time File support for multiple image types : Upload large amounts of data and tag (News - Alert) objects and concepts within images from multiple devices : Upload large amounts of data and tag (News - Alert) objects and concepts within images from multiple devices Central analytics dashboard : View analytics across projects and datasets : View analytics across projects and datasets Secure platform : Run in the cloud or host on a server behind a firewall : Run in the cloud or host on a server behind a firewall Advanced data protection : Use of cloud storage with practically limitless scope in terms of size and recoverability : Use of cloud storage with practically limitless scope in terms of size and recoverability Data export : Export tagged image segmentation and object detection data that can be used to train models in TensorFlow or Caffe : Export tagged image segmentation and object detection data that can be used to train models in TensorFlow or Caffe In-house support and expertise: Neurala's team holds more than eight Ph.D.s, has more than 20 years of AI experience, and has received 19 patents "There is no other solution in the market that provides organizations with a centralized solution for DNN data creation and management that delivers consistent savings," added Neurala COO Heather Ames Versace. "While data tagging services exist, organizations still need a tool to organize, maintain and deliver data for AI applications. Brain Builder fills this gap and streamlines the workflow of data annotation, so organizations will own the data and can choose whether tagging occurs in-house, in a data tagging farm, or in both." The Brain Builder beta program is being offered to select clients right now - interested companies and universities can fill out a quick and easy application here. Users who sign up for the initial Brain Builder beta program will have first access to the full suite when it launches later this year. Neurala is also providing the tool for free to anyone in academia. "AI for Good" applications can be submitted beginning today and will be accepted through September 16, 2018. For more information about Neurala's "AI for Good" initiative, visit info.neurala.com/ai-for-good. About Neurala Neurala developed The Neurala Brain-deep learning neural network software that makes devices and products like drones, mobile phones and cameras more intelligent, engaging and useful. Neurala provides customized solutions ranging from high-end applications to inexpensive everyday products. With The Neurala Brain and an ordinary camera, products can learn people and objects, recognize them in a video stream, find them in the video, and track them as they move. The Neurala Brain is based on technology originally developed for NASA, DARPA and the U.S. Air Force and is now deployed commercially on over a million smart devices. Follow Neurala on Twitter (News - Alert) @Neurala and on Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005118/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] OPAQ Joins Palo Alto Networks MSSP Specialization Partner Program OPAQ, the network security cloud company, today announced it has joined Palo Alto (News - Alert) Networks MSSP Partner Program to enable managed services providers (MSPs) and managed security services providers (MSSPs) to deliver Palo Alto Networks enterprise-grade security as a cloud service to midsize companies. "The partnership with OPAQ provides our NextWave partners a platform to provide managed security services to midsized companies. As more businesses make the shift to providing managed services, OPAQ provides partners the ability to deliver enterprise-grade security in a cost-efficient, scalable model," said Nigel Williams, VP Global MSSP Channels for Palo Alto Networks. According to 451 Research, "OPAQ's cloud-based network-security-as-a-service platform simplifies traditional approaches to providing security services, delivering a robust set of security capabilities that help reduce complexity and minimize costs." As part of the agreement, OPAQ has selected Palo Alto Networks as the exclusive provider of next-generation firewall technology for the OPAQ cloud platform. OPAQ has deployed Palo Alto Networks appliances in its data centers across the US, and will scale up capacity to support growing demand among MSPs and MSSPs and their midsize enterprise customers. "This alliance enables our channel partners to seamlessly deploy advanced firewall security protection through OPAQ's fully automated and orchestrated cloud platform," said Ken Ammon, Chief Strategy Officer for OPAQ. "Palo Alto Networks is a foundational partner for us, as their technology is an integral part of the security stack in the OPAQ Cloud." OPAQ's enterprise-grade security is delivered through a per user subscription model that tightly integrates a fully encrypted SD-WAN and best-of-breed security capabilities powered by Palo Alto Networks and other trusted security technologies as well as OPAQ's own patented technologies. It enables service providers to deliver robust protection, centrally monitor and manage customer networks, enforce policies, and generate customizable reports for security and compliance through a single interface. Midsize enterprise clients using OPAQ's security-as-a-service have decreased costs by more than 40 percent and accelerated deployment time by 91%. About OPAQ OPAQ is the premier network security cloud company. OPAQ's platform-as-a-service enables partners to deliver Fortune 100-grade security-as-a-service to midsize enterprises on a fully encrypted SD-WAN optimized for speed and performance. With OPAQ, service providers are equipped with a simplified ability to centrally monitor security performance and compliance maturity, generate reports, manage security infrastructure, and enforce policies - all through a single interface. This empowers OPAQ partners to grow revenue and margins, eliminate complexity and costs, and establish a competitive advantage that helps them attract and retain customers. Based in Northern Virginia, OPAQ is privately held and is funded by Greenspring Associates, Columbia Capital, Harmony Partners, and Zero-G, Inc. To learn more, visit www.opaq.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005360/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Wovenware Named to Inc. Magazine's Inc. 5000 Annual Ranking of Fastest Growing Private U.S. Companies for the Fourth Time SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wovenware, a U.S. nearshore provider of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based services and solutions, today announced that for the fourth time it has been named to the Inc. 5000, the annual list of Americas fastest-growing private companies, published by Inc. Magazine. Were quite honored to once again be included among the Inc. 5000 and be recognized for our success bringing AI solutions to an ever-growing base of clients, said Christian Gonzalez, CEO and co-founder, Wovenware. Were committed to continuing to build on this achievement and push the envelope in the development and delivery of innovative deep learning, machine learning, predictive analytics and chatbot applications that are improving the way people work and live. Receiving a ranking of 2141 among 5000 private companies, Wovenware was judged based on Inc. Magazines criteria for percentage revenue growth when comparing 2014 to 2017. During that timeframe, the company grew by 207 percent. Wovenwares growth during this time period is attributed in part to the continued development and maintenance of digital transformation projects for core long-standing clients, as well as the addition of new customers in industries such as healthcare, government and financial services, leveraging Wovenwares expertise in AI-based technologies. For companies on the Inc. 5000, its unparalleled recognition of 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. Wovenware has also signficantly grown its business because of its nearshore delivery model. Nearshoring to Puerto Rico is attractive to U.S. businesses looking to outsource software engineering and artificial intelligence project because of its proximity, similar time zones, adherence to the same currency and regulations, and costs far below those of nearshore providers in mainland U.S. states. About the Inc. 5000 The 2018 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2014 and 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. About Wovenware: Wovenware delivers customized smart applications that create measurable value for customers. Through its nearshore capabilities, the company has become the partner of choice for organizations needing to re-engineer their systems and processes to increase profitability, realize efficiencies and seize new market opportunities. Wovenwares team of expert software engineers and data scientists understand the unique business needs of customers to leverage complex technologies, such as AI, chatbots and cloud-based solutions, and it works closely with them to develop and manage solutions that align with their business goals. Headquartered in Puerto Rico, Wovenware works with customers across North America and around the world. Visit us on the web at www.wovenware.com, or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+. For more information, contact: Linda Pendergast, Pendergast Consulting lpendergastsavage[at]comcast.net 508-224-7905 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] CBT Pharmaceuticals Announces New Leadership Structure to Drive Global Expansion PLEASANTON, Calif. and HANGZHOU, China, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CBT Pharmaceuticals (CBT), a U.S. and China-based innovative biopharmaceutical company committed to becoming a leader in the discovery and development of oncology combination therapies, today announced a new global leadership structure and the appointment of Yuling Li, PhD as Senior Vice President, Process Development and Manufacturing. Earlier this year, Zhejiang CrownMab Biotech Co. Ltd. was established as a subsidiary of CBT in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, to develop combination oncology treatments for the China market and to work closely with our China partners. The Company has also gained significant support from the Zhejiang government toward expansion of CBTs footprint in Hangzhou. To spearhead CBTs international growth, Jonathan Wang, PhD, has become Global Chairman, Guo-Liang Yu, PhD, has assumed the role of Global Chief Executive Officer, and Sanjeev Redkar, PhD retains his role as Global President. With our U.S. headquarters and subsidiaries in China and Australia, we have expanded our global footprint as we seek to offer cutting-edge clinical trials and treatment regimens for cancer patients worldwide, stated Guo-Liang Yu, PhD, Global Chief Executive Officer. We are committed to building a state of the art manufacturing capability in China to supply antibodies globally that Dr. Li will oversee. With over 25 years of biopharmaceutical development experience and an outstanding pedigree, she is a tremendous addition to our organization. Dr. Li has a proven track record advancing assets from early clinical stge through regulatory approval and ultimately to commercialization. Her scientific and organizational leadership skills are a perfect fit as we expand our international presence and clinical trial portfolio, added Sanjeev Redkar, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBT Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Li will be responsible for the manufacturing and supply of CBTs global products and will oversee building of the manufacturing facility in Hangzhou, China. Dr. Li joins CBT from MedImmune/Astra Zeneca where she spent almost 10 years as a Research and Development Director and Fellow in BioPharmaceutical Development. In that role, she served as chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) team leader and provided strategic and scientific leadership across numerous biopharmaceutical process development and CMC activities. Previously, she spent 15 years at Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (now GlaxoSmithKline) with increasing roles and responsibilities. Dr. Li has been involved in four approved products, more than twenty development programs, has over forty publications, and is the primary inventor for seven issued patents. Dr. Li also has extensive exposure in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry as a recipient of multiple awards and as a member of several professional organizations. Dr. Li earned her PhD of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and her MSc of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey. She received her MSc of Biochemistry and BSc of Biological Science from Sun Yatsen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, P. R. China. CBT has made meaningful progress over the past two years, and I am honored to join this team focused on developing novel treatment options for cancer patients. This is an exciting time for the Company and I look forward to supporting the pipeline development and growing our capabilities in China, added Yuling Li, PhD. About CBT Pharmaceuticals CBT Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an innovative biopharmaceutical company committed to becoming a global leader in the discovery and development of oncology combination therapies that harness the immune system and target specific molecular pathways to tame cancer. The companys existing pipeline consists of five development-stage assets including three novel, humanized monoclonal antibodies that restore the bodys immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells, and two targeted therapies against uncontrolled growth signaling pathways. For more information, please visit www.cbtpharma.com and follow us on Twitter @CBTpharma . Contact: Remy Bernarda Corporate Communications (415) 203-6386 Remy.Bernarda@cbtpharma.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Pollen Systems Launches Drone-Based Data and Analysis Solution to Improve Vineyard and Crop Yields Today at the Auction of Washington Wines in Woodinville, WA, Pollen Systems Corporation (http://www.pollensystems.com) unveiled Pollen Scout, a drone-aided managed service and self-service portal that helps farms and vineyards monitor crop growth, discover irrigation issues, and investigate pests and diseases. Commercially certified Drone Technologists visit subscribing farms and vineyard sites weekly and use drones to capture incredibly detailed pictures and spectral images that can help farmers uncover and address common issues rapidly: improving crop yield and quality. This year Pollen Systems began flying drones regularly over established and well-respected properties in the Red Mountain A.V.A. and Walla Walla A.V.A in Washington and Oregon, including Hedges Family Vineyard, Skyfall Vineyard, Red Mountain Vineyard, and Seven Hills Vineyard. "It's encouraging to see young companies like Pollen Systems propose new technologies and solutions to vineyards and farms in Eastern Washington and Oregon," said Norm McKibben, Managing Partner, Pepper Bridge Winery. Pollen Systems chose the Woodinville, WA annual Auction of Washington Wines as the perfect place to launch the company and to communicate with potential customers. Results have been extremely positive and valuable to early adopters. "We've been actively using the images Pollen Systems provides to identify both stressed and high vigor areas in our vineyard," said James Bukovinsky, Vineyard Manager at Hedges Family Estate Vineyard. "Having the Pollen team show up weekly gives us the ability to adjust irrigation or to find outbreaks of pests and disease more rapidly throughout the season." The market for Pollen's services is massive. According to the international organization OIV (Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin), there are nearly 20 million acres of planted vines worldwide. But Pollen Scout is not only applicable to vines, but a wide variety of crops including hops, cherries and other stone fruit, raspberries and blueberries, and wheat. "Pollen Systems' unique drone-enabled managed services can support the million acres of planted vineyards in the United States," said Greg Lill, Co-Founder and President Emeritus of DeLille Cellars. "Technology and Data, properly applied, will help Winemakers produce even better Washington wines in the future." For more information about our company, products and services, visit our web site at http://www.pollensystems.com, or contact us via email at info@pollensystems.com. About the Company Pollen Systems Corporation, a Delaware C Corporation based in Bellevue, WA, aggregates agricultural data from multiple data sources and applies advanced analytics to devise solutions for farms to enable them to flourish and grow. Augmented by a sophisticated drone platform, we can quickly and accurately scan plots of land with multispectral crop analysis techniques and provide advanced farming analysis to inform and instruct farmers with solutions to increase crop size and bounty. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005030/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Cylance Defends Democracy Cylance Inc., the leading provider of AI-driven, prevention-first security solutions, today announced a non-partisan initiative to support all 2018 U.S. political campaigns with its award-winning Cylance Smart Antivirus software at no cost and with no credit card authorization. The campaign initiative is just one part of the company's free license offer available to all members of the public between now and November. "Cyber security is an increasingly serious concern for all Americans, and election seasons heighten the importance of keeping information safe," said Stuart McClure, founder and chief executive at Cylance (News - Alert) . "Our software can help protect everyone, but safeguarding the integrity of the democratic process from the unprecedented number of threats is especially important to us." Cylance Smart Antivirus gives all Americans-including 2018 candidates and their teams-peace of mind and ease of use by extending the enterprise-grade artificial intelligence (AI) of CylancePROTECT to personal devices. This next-generation software is designed to proactively predict and block never-before-seen threats to help keep personal data secure. "Data and information are at risk like never before, and any person in any organization is a target for cyber attacks that range from malware to phishing to ransomware," said McClure. "Many people are vulnerable because they don't have the resource or tools to understand and stop the latest online threats, especially during elections where campaign breaches are discovered all the time. It is clear that malicious actors are ramping up their activity in advance of the midterms, and we know malevolent hackers will exploit any vulnerability at any level to undermine a candidate's run for office. It is our hope that the free offer to the public will particularly help people involved in political campaigns. We want to do our part to protect the democratic process from interference however we can, wherever we can." Other antivirus solutions rely on reactive, signature-based technologies that slow down systems, bombard users with pop-up notifications, and require some form of breach in order to begin detecting malware, but Cylance Smart Antivirus uses machine learning and AI to predict, spot, and block threats before they have a chance to run-regardless of where the threats are launched. "It's effortless for hackers to attack a single candidate, staff member, or voter who may not have the time or skills to determine what threat actors are targeting," said Malcolm Harkins, Cylance's chief security and trust officer. "Cylance can fortify the front lines by donating software to American citizens, including political organizations, to help ensure their security ecosystems are protected against what is driving the cyber risk cycle we are seeing in every organization today-the execution of malicious code that allows attackers the foothold necessary to steal, disrupt, or otherwise generate harm." Cylance invites other providers of cybersecurity solutions to join them by also donating complementary products and services. "Our industry leads the world in developing cutting-edge cybersecurity offerings to protect organizations and individuals," said Christopher Bray, general manager of Cylance Consumer. "We hope our peers in the industry will stand with us to help all American citizens and protect the integrity of our democracy." Cylance will provide a free license of Cylance Smart Antivirus to any subscriber from now until November 9; all free licenses will expire on November 30, 2018. Users can register for their free license without requiring a credit card here: https://promos.cylance.com/election2018 Join Cylance at the 2018 PREVENT User Conference September 18-20 in Huntington Beach and connect to protect with today's foremost Cybersecurity experts. About Cylance Inc. Cylance uses artificial intelligence to deliver prevention-first, predictive security products and specialized security services that change how organizations approach endpoint security. Cylance's security solutions provide full spectrum predictive threat prevention and visibility across the enterprise, combatting threats such as malware, ransomware, fileless malware, malicious scripts, weaponized docs, and other attack vectors. With AI based malware prevention, application and script control, memory protection, device policy enforcement, root cause analysis, threat hunting, automated threat detection and response, coupled with expert security services, Cylance can protect endpoints without increasing staff workload or costs. For more information visit: www.cylance.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005172/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Avigilon Launches Powerful New Artificial Intelligence Appliance New AI Appliance enables customers to keep legacy camera investments while adding state-of-the-art Avigilon Appearance Search and video analytics technology VANCOUVER, CANADA, Aug. 16, 2018 /CNW/ - Avigilon Corporation, a Motorola Solutions company, today announced the launch and pre-order of its new Avigilon Artificial Intelligence Appliance (AI Appliance). The AI Appliance adds patented self-learning video analytics and Avigilon Appearance Search technology to almost any IP camera. When connected to Avigilon Control Center (ACC) software, customers can evolve legacy camera systems into powerful AI solutions with automatic alerts of potentially critical events and the ability to search for and locate a person or vehicle of interest across an entire site. "The demand for video analytics is increasing globally and we believe that all security systems will eed to utilize this technology to become a proactive and, eventually, preventative solution," said James Henderson, Avigilon's President and Chief Operating Officer. "With the vast majority of legacy camera systems lacking the intelligence of analytics, the AI Appliance will provide more customers with the ability to use our advanced video analytics to dramatically change the way they interact with their systems." Engineered for high performance, capacity and resiliency, the AI Appliance will be offered in two models and features leading CPU and GPU hardware that simultaneously support Avigilon video analytics and Avigilon Appearance Search technology. The AI Appliance is now available for pre-order and is expected to ship in the third quarter of this year. For more information on product availability, please contact Avigilon sales. To learn more about the AI Appliance, please visit avigilon.com/ai-appliance or booth 2037 at the Global Security Exchange (GSX) at the Las Vegas Convention Center, September 25-27, 2018 for a product demonstration. About Avigilon Avigilon, a Motorola Solutions company, provides trusted security solutions to the global market. Avigilon designs, develops, and manufactures video analytics, network video management software and hardware, surveillance cameras, and access control solutions. To learn more about Avigilon, visit avigilon.com. 2018, Avigilon Corporation. All rights reserved. AVIGILON, the AVIGILON logo, AVIGILON APPEARANCE SEARCH, AVIGILON CONTROL CENTER, and ACC are trademarks of Avigilon Corporation. Stay Connected Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and view Avigilon videos on YouTube. More Information Media Enquiries Amy Day Senior Manager, Global Communications T +1 604-629-5182 x2625 media@avigilon.com SOURCE Avigilon Corporation View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avigilon-launches-powerful-new-artificial-intelligence-appliance-300698370.html SOURCE Avigilon Corporation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Medliminal Moves Corporate Headquarters to Innovation Park, Prince William County, Virginia The Prince William Board of County Supervisors is pleased to announce Medliminal, LLC, an innovative leader in medical cost containment and healthcare cost reduction, will move its corporate headquarters to Innovation Park, Prince William County, Virginia. The company intends to invest $2.4 million and will initially bring 10 employees with plans to hire up to 70 more, as it grows. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005508/en/ Medliminal, LLC moves its Corporate Headquarters to Innovation Park, Prince William County, Virginia (Photo: Business Wire) "We are excited to bring our growing enterprise to Innovation Park," said Jim Napoli, CEO, Medliminal. "Moving to a premier location like Innovation Park in Prince William County provides the most advantageous setting for our corporate headquarters." The company's new address is 9385 Innovation Drive, Manassas, VA 20110 - a 17,400 sq.ft. office space that will accommodate current and future needs. The company presently has locations in California, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Corey A. Stewart, Chairman, Prince William Board of County Supervisors, said: "It is great to welcome Medliminal into our growing healthcare industry sector - a key industry for driving employment. We are committed to supporting the needs of our business community with top talent, enhanced collaboration and greater operational efficiencies, while providing employees a top-notch quality of life." "We aredelighted to welcome Medliminal to Innovation Park," said Jeanine Lawson, Brentsville District Supervisor, Prince William Board of County Supervisors. "As an innovative company bringing 70 new highly-skilled jobs, with an average salary of $74,000, Medliminal is a valued corporate partner to our community." "Innovation Park is a vibrant and diverse business community that is becoming increasingly recognized as a prestigious corporate operations and research hub, as it continues to attract high caliber enterprise from all industries," added Lawson. The Prince William Board of County Supervisors approved an agreement between Medliminal and the Industrial Development Authority ( IDA (News - Alert) ) of Prince William County and agreed to provide a $100,000 Economic Development Opportunity Fund (EDOF) grant, as an incentive for the project. Spearheading the build-out of Medliminal's new corporate headquarters is Vice President of Operations, Jordan Hill, who shared: "We have always enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Prince William County and are excited to be in Innovation Park and part of a growing community of business enterprises." According to Medliminal, the company has rebranded and restructured its management team, resulting in substantial growth and success over the past year and a half. With CEO, Jim Napoli's vision for the company, Medliminal has evolved into a healthcare industry leader and prides itself on saving clients millions of dollars through medical cost containment. Healthcare and related industry sectors contribute significantly to economic output in the U.S. According to the latest available data, national health expenditure has increased from 5.2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 1960 to an estimated 17.6% in 2015. Health expenditures are forecast to grow at a compound rate of 6.1% through 2020, reaching $4.3 trillion. In 2015, employment in the healthcare and social assistance sector totaled nearly 19.3 million jobs, representing 12.4% of all jobs in the U.S. To learn more about Innovation Park and its thriving business community please join us on Thursday, September 27, 2018, for our upcoming Familiarization Tours & Networking hosted by Virginia BIO at Farm Brew Live, 9901 Discovery Blvd., Manassas, Virginia 20109. Complimentary admission for any bioscience company employees, university students and researchers with advanced registration. Space is limited so please register here today! Or visit us at: www.PWCEconDev.org or @PWCDED. About Medliminal LLC Medliminal has over 25 years of experience specializing in medical cost containment. They offer their clients focused and innovative solutions and services through their advanced Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology, known as H-CAT. This technology coupled with their trained medical staff identifies non-compliant healthcare costs for all payers on a national level. To learn more visit: www.medliminal.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005508/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] NetDragon powers the education industry in Africa with leading technology ABUJA, Nigeria, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A ten-member delegation including NetDragon Websoft Inc. (NetDragon)'s management team led by founder and chairman Liu Dejian, product designers and technical engineers, visited Nigeria and Kenya from August 13 to August 18, 2018. The delegation hosted several events during which they investigated the local education environment and provided exchange opportunities for local educators in a move to leverage NetDragon's cutting-edge internet technologies to support the development of a smart education industry & ecosystem in the two countries. The events were attended by Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Minister of State for Education Anthony Gozie Onwuka and Minister of Communications Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, as well as Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of ICT of Kenya, Joe Wakaba Mucheru and Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Education Amina Chawahir Mohamed, in addition to NetDragon Vice Chairman and Executive Director Dr. Leung Lim Kin Simon, Executive Director Zheng Hui, and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Xiong Li. During the visit, Chairman Liu was named as Nigerian SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Ambassador , NetDragon and the Nigerian government jointly launched the Initiative of Digital Education in Africa (IDEA). Prior to the compay's Nigerian visit, senior government officials from Nigeria had been to China. During the tour, officials signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NetDragon, following their introduction and demonstration of educational products and solutions developed by their education subsidiary, Elernity. Details of the MoU included solutions to provide core elements of digital education combining VR, AR, and AI technologies. As a result, both parties are now taking action to implement the MoU, just four months after its signing; with the announcement of the partnership with the joint introduction of IDEA with the Nigerian government signifies the major first step. Mr. Liu said "the challenge of unbalanced education resources facing the world is reflected in the investment in hardware and the allocation of soft resources. The IDEA concept, jointly developed by NetDragon and the Nigerian government, aims to help students across Africa benefit from the wisdom of a Chinese internet company while providing technology-enhanced education to more children." As a key part of IDEA, NetDragon will build a national public service platform of educational resources, a national network platform for the teaching community, a national digital talent training platform and a national future education experience center, all aimed at helping Nigeria create a high-quality education service system. The efforts will focus on primary, lifelong and future education. NetDragon CEO Xiong Li indicated that the new platforms and center "would promote an educational balance by integrating the company's years of experience in education and innovation, superior internet technologies and an open ecological teaching model with customized educational resources". He went on to add, "NetDragon adheres to the United Nation's Sustainability and Development Goals, to promote e inclusive, quality education and lifelong learning for all." In addition to supporting Nigeria's education service system , NetDragon also signed a collaborative agreement with the Nigerian government to build smart classrooms, preceded by the opening ceremony of the N-Power Junior Smart Classroom Project held in Nigeria on August 14. As part of its efforts in providing Nigeria with access to its education platforms and resources as well as one of its key products, Edmodo, NetDragon plans to make a donation to the smart classroom building project in Nigeria's capital Abuja. The N-Power Junior Smart Classroom Project, managed by Nigeria's National Social Investment Office, is committed to improving local primary and secondary school students' scientific knowledge and skills in the disciplines of programming, computer graphics and computer-aided design, applications in robotics as well as network and fundamental engineering. The smart classroom donated by NetDragon is to be equipped with Promethean's interactive displays, 101 PADs and VR headsets, and other components of an integrated intelligent classroom solution. Following the visit to Nigeria, the delegation arrived at the second stop of their African tour, Kenya, where the company will sign an MoU with the Kenyan government to engage in a collaborative effort to improve the country's educational system. The MoU marks a milestone in NetDragon's expansion into the African education market. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/731545/NetDragon.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Global Incident Response Service Market 2018-2023: Increasing Incidences of Security Breaches is Driving Growth - ResearchAndMarkets.com The "Global Incident Response Service Market - Growth, Trend and Forecasts (2018 - 2023)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Incident Response Services Market was valued at USD 12.92 million in 2017, and is expected to reach a market value of USD 37.71 billion by 2023, registering a CAGR of 19.55%, during the forecast period of 2018-2023. The report discusses the deployment mode and various types of incident response services and solutions. The study also emphasizes the effect of increasing security breaches on enterprises. The incident response services market is set to witness a significant growth rate in the near future, due to increasing concerns among enterprises regarding data loss and crashes. It follows a step by step process, which starts if an incident occurs. Technological development, globally, have resulted in the advent of response systems, which help in reducing damage and exposure and decrease recovery costs. Companies fear the loss of vital data through security attacks and breaches, which can adversely impact its business and reputation in the market. Therefore, responses, in the form of services, to these threats are required, to establish a smooth and hassle-free work environment. Key Highlights Increasing Incidences of Security Breaches are Driving the Market Information Technology Leads the Market North America May Emerge as a Market Leader Topics Covered 1. Introduction 2. Research Methodology 3. Executive Summary 4. Market Insights 5. Market Segmentation 6. Competitive Intelligence - Company Profiles BAE Systems Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. Cisco Systems (News - Alert) Inc. Dell Inc. Fireeye Inc. IBM Corporation McAfee LLC Symantec Corporation Verizon (News - Alert) Communications Inc. 7. Investment Analysis 8. Future Outlook of the Incident Response Services Market For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/vtwlv6/global_incident?w=4 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005586/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Dane Street Recognized for Sixth Consecutive Year on Inc. Magazine Fastest Growing Companies List Dane Street, a leading URAC-accredited provider of Independent Medical Examination and Peer Review services to the Auto, Disability, Group Health and Workers' Compensation markets, has been named to Inc. Magazine's list of fastest-growing privately held companies for the sixth year in a row. "Out of the nearly seven million private companies moving the economy forward every day, only a very small fraction has demonstrated such remarkably consistent high growth. Dane Street's repeat honors truly put them in rarefied company," said James Ledbetter, Editor of Inc. Magazine. Dane Street has experienced significant growth in revenue as well as in its employee base, with headcount of more than 200 employees nationwide across eight regional operation centers. "We are proud of this recognition by Inc. Magazine as we celebrate our company's 10th anniversary," said CEO Will Fulton. "Dane Street's talented and dedicated staff deserves all the credit for our expansion. We are proud to partner with many of the country's leading insurance and healthcare organizations and appreciate the continued confidence they have shown in our organization." The annual event honoring all the cmpanies on the list will be held October 17-19 in San Antonio, TX. To see the full list of winners, please visit https://www.inc.com/inc5000. About Dane Street Dane Street is a leading national provider of Independent Medical Examination and Peer Review services to the Auto, Disability, Group Health and Workers' Compensation market segments. Our nationwide panel of active-practice, board-certified health care professionals consist of more than 15,000 state-licensed physician locations across more than 100 different specialties and fields of services. Our mission is to deliver superior report quality and turnaround time via robust technology, and by people who are committed to exceeding our clients' expectations. Please visit us at www.danestreet.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. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 15,000,000 today. For more information, visit www.inc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005590/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Friendship Public Charter School Online Begins 2018-2019 School Year on August 20 Students at Friendship Public Charter School Online (Friendship PCS Online) will start classes for the 2018-2019 school year on August 20, by simply turning on their computers. A full-time, online public charter school authorized by the DC Public Charter School Board, Friendship PCS Online serves DC students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. Combining innovative technology with a rigorous curriculum led by DC-certified teachers, Friendship PCS Online provides students with a personalized learning experience. Students take a full course load across core subjects of math, science, English language arts, history, art, music and physical education. From live classes and one-on-one instruction to chat sessions and family phone calls, dedicated teachers work in close partnership with parents and students to support academic success. The online platform enables students to enjoy a safe learning environment, and connects them with classmates and inspired teachers throughout the District. "Enrolling in Friendship PCS Online was the best decision for my family," says parent and educator Domonique Williams. "The curriculum is strong, families and teachers are true partners in the education of eah student, and you have an entire community invested in the success of your child." Students enroll in online public school for a variety of reasons, including advanced learning, a safe, bullying-free environment, and the ability to balance their education with extracurricular pursuits or medical needs. Friendship PCS Online offers a public school option for students that lays a foundation for educational success as they enter high school, and prepares them for college and career opportunities into the future. Throughout the year, Friendship PCS Online fosters a sense of community by bringing students and staff together for in-person field strips, community service opportunities and social events throughout the city, and by organizing virtual clubs around shared interests. Friendship PCS Online is still accepting post-lottery applications for enrollment. Families are encouraged to attend an online or in-person information session hosted by the school. To learn more about enrollment and for a schedule of information sessions visit fpcso.k12.com, or download the K12 enrollment app for iOS and Android (News - Alert) devices. About Friendship Public Charter School Online Friendship Public Charter School Online (Friendship PCS Online), an online public charter school authorized by the Public Charter School Board, is a high-quality education program for Washington, DC students in grades K through 8. Friendship PCS Online is the District of Columbia's only virtual elementary and middle school. In partnership with K12, Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs, Friendship PCS Online gives students the chance to learn in the ways that are right for them. For more information, visit fpcso.k12.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005593/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Utah Virtual Academy to Kick Off 2018-19 School Year on August 21 Students at Utah Virtual Academy (UTVA), an accredited online public charter school, will begin their 2018-19 school year on August 21, simply by turning on their computers. UTVA begins its 11th school year offering public school at home to students statewide in kindergarten through 12th grade. UTVA provides families and students an alternative to traditional brick-and-mortar education. Students enroll in online school for a variety of reasons, including advanced learning, a bullying-free environment and the ability to balance their education with extracurricular pursuits or medical needs. Combining innovative technology with a rigorous and engaging curriculum led by state-certified teachers, UTVA offers each student a personalized learning experience. "At UTVA, our unique approach to learning helps put students on a path to success with the tools they need to reach their full potential," said Meghan Merideth, head of school at Utah Virtual Academy. "Teachers and families work together to create a personalized education tailored to each student's individual needs." Students in all grade levels take a full course load across the core subjects of English/language arts, math, science and history, as well as art and music. UTVA's high school program has a strong focus on college and career readiness, better preparing students for their next steps, whether that's college, a career, or both. UTVA's college concurrent enrollment (CE) program offers one of the state's most robust catalog of college course offerings. Partnering with Salt Lake Community College, Snow College, and Dixie State University, eligible students are able to earn college credits toward an associate degree while working toward high school graduation. The Destinations Career Program gives high school students exposure to relevant technical and specialty trade skills, allowing them to explore potential future occupations in high-demand career fields. UTVA offers career technical education (CTE) courses in two pathways: information technology and health sciences. UTVA students can also take advantage of K12's new partnership with STEM Premier, a collaborative relationship-building platform connecting students with career pathways, jobs, colleges, trade schools and scholarship opportunities. Students create online portfolios highlighting career interests, academic achievements, extracurricular activities and certifications. The platform allows STEM Premier member organizations to recruit for skilled talent. "Students enrolled in UTVA's Destinations pathways are being prepared for in-demand, lucrative career opportunities in the 21st century workforce," said Casey Welch, STEM Premier President and CEO. "We look forward to providing an opportunity for these students to showcase their skills, talents and abilities on the STEM Premier platform." Students have the choice to enroll at UTVA full-time or remain in their local high school or homeschool setting and enroll through the Statewide Online Education Program (SOEP) in up to six full-year online courses from the K12 catalog. UTVA'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, UTVA builds a sense of community through in-person field trips, monthly social outings and service learning opportunities. UTVA 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 allow students to further explore their interests together in the online setting. UTVA is currently accepting enrollments for the fall. Interested families are encouraged to attend online and in-person information sessions hosted by the school. To learn more, visit utva.k12.com or download the K12 enrollment app for iOS and Android (News - Alert) devices. About Utah Virtual Academy Utah Virtual Academy (UTVA)is an accredited online public charter school that serves Utah students in kindergarten through 12th grade. As part of the Utah public school system, UTVA is tuition-free, 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. UTVA also offers individual course options for high school students enrolled in their resident district program, an approved charter school, private school or home school as part of the Statewide Online Education Program (SOEP). For more information about UTVA, please visit http://utva.k12.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005606/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Global Smart Grid Analytics Market (2018-2023) to Grow at a CAGR of 25% - ResearchAndMarkets.com The "Global Smart Grid Analytics Market - Growth, Trend and Forecasts (2018 - 2023)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The smart grid analytics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 25%, during the forecast period (2018-2023). The smart grid analytics refer to a subset of Big Data analytics solutions used for analyzing the huge volumes of data generated from the smart grid network that consist of various components including smart meters, automated distribution systems, smart appliances and other sensing equipment in the network. The demand for cost-effective and sustainable power supplies for producers and consumers in the utility sector has led the market for smart grid analytics as over an ever-growing power environment, a massive amount of data is generated by smart meters, sensors, automated dispensing systems, and a variety of other sensing devices. Key Highlights Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Analytics to Dominate the Market over the Forecat Period North America to Appear as the Leading Region in the Smart Grid Analytics Market Notable Developments in the Market May 2018: Itron, Inc. signed a contract with Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) for a nationwide smart grid deployment, serving more than 600,000 customers, which will help the utility to improve customer service, drive grid reliability and enable revenue realization. June 2017: Swiss firm ABB and IBM (News - Alert) , collaborated for a power grid project together that brings ABB's digital offering, ABB Ability, with IBM Watson Internet of Things cognitive capabilities to unlock new value for customers in utilities, industry, transport and infrastructure using artificial intelligence. Key Topics Covered 1. Introduction 2. Research Methodology 3. Executive Summary 4. Smart Grid Analytics Market Insights 5. Smart Grid Analytics Market Dynamics 6. Global Smart Grid Analytics Segmentation 7. Competitive Intelligence - Company Profiles Siemens (News - Alert) AG Itron Inc. AutoGrid Systems Inc. Verizon IBM Corporation SAP SE HP Development Company L.P. SAS (News - Alert) Institute Inc. Hitachi Consulting Corporation EMC Corporation Infosys Limited Accenture PLC Capgemini (News - Alert) SE Oracle Corporation Amdocs Corporation Sensus 8. Investment Analysis 9. Future of Global Smart Grid Analytics Market For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cmgvhb/global_smart_grid?w=4 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005620/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] NTS Opens Its New Corporate Center in Anaheim National Technical Systems, Inc. (" NTS (News - Alert) "), the leader in qualification testing, inspection, and certification solutions in North America, is excited to announce the opening of its new Corporate Center in Anaheim, CA (News - Alert) . This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005621/en/ National Technical Systems (NTS) CEO Rich Adams, along with the rest of the Chief Executives of NTS, celebrate the grand-opening of their new Corporate Center in Anaheim, CA, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Photo: Business Wire) The Corporate Center expands the company's presence in the City of Anaheim, which is already home to one of NTS's 27 laboratories. The new center integrates corporate functions from Calabasas, Fullerton, and Brea offices into a single location. The move is aimed at streamlining efficiencies and building an infrastructure to support the company's projected growth in the years ahead. To celebrate th move, the company hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony, which featured proclamations from Congressional and City representatives. "We're excited to expand our presence in Orange (News - Alert) County," said Rich Adams, CEO at NTS. "With integrated corporate functions, we're able to better support our labs, which continue to offer the best testing, inspection, and certification services in the nation." The center now houses Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Procurement, Human Resources, Contract Administration, and Information Technology personnel in a single environment to support the company's projected growth. NTS joins a prominent business community in Anaheim, which is home to Disneyland, MLB's (News - Alert) Los Angeles Angels, and NHL's Mighty Ducks. About National Technical Systems National Technical Systems, Inc. (NTS) is the leading provider of qualification testing, inspection, and certification services in North America, serving a broad range of industries, including the civil aviation, space, defense, nuclear, telecommunications, industrial, electronics, medical, and automotive end markets. Since 1961, NTS has built the broadest geographic presence in the United States, offering more than 70 distinct environmental simulation and materials testing categories, including climatic, structural, dynamics, fluid flow, EMI/ EMC (News - Alert) , lightning, product safety, acoustics, failure analysis, chemical, and other industry-specific tests. Operating through a network of more than 27 technologically advanced testing laboratories, this geographically diverse footprint puts NTS facilities in close proximity to its more than 4,000 clients, allowing NTS to serve the nation's most innovative companies with industry-leading accessibility and responsiveness. NTS is accredited by numerous national and international organizations and operates its inspection division under the Unitek brand, providing a wide range of supply chain management services. NTS' certification division, which operates under the NQA brand, is one of the largest and most respected global ISO registrars, with active certifications in more than 75 countries. For additional information about NTS, visit our website at www.nts.com or call 800-270-2516. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005621/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] DoorDash Raises $250 Million from Coatue Management and DST Global at $4 Billion Valuation SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, DoorDash announced that it raised $250 million in a growth round co-led by Coatue Management and DST Global. With more than 250 percent year-over-year growth, DoorDash has become the fastest growing last mile logistics platform in the U.S., according to Edison Trends. DoorDash has had a breakout year. Since January, the company's geographic footprint has nearly doubled to more than 1,000 cities across the U.S. and Canada and is on pace to reach 2,000 cities this year. Leading the industry in selection, DoorDash has added more top 100 restaurants than all other industry players combined. Recently, DoorDash announced partnerships with Chipotle, IHOP, Red Lobster and White Castle, and signed an exclusive partnership with The Cheesecake Factory. "DoorDash is gaining market share faster than anyone in the space," said DoorDash CEO and co-founder, Tony Xu. "We're thrilled to partner with premier investors to accelerate our vision to empower local economies by being the last mile logistics layer." The company has continued to innovate while rapidlygrowing both its merchant selection and customer base. Building on the momentum of DoorDash Drivethe platform that empowers merchants to offer delivery to customers that have placed orders directly with the restaurantthe company announced a national grocery delivery partnership with Walmart that has now expanded to nearly 300 stores, in 20 states, in the last four months. And earlier this month, DoorDash debuted its DashPass subscription service and Pickup feature to generate even greater value for its merchant partners, while driving stronger customer loyalty with lower prices. "Over the past few years we've watched closely as the last mile logistics space has exploded with innovation and competition," said Thomas Laffont, senior managing director at Coatue Management. "DoorDash's rapid growth has moved them from an 'if' company to a 'when' company and we are thrilled to help accelerate their already strong momentum." "As strong believers in the space globally, we're excited to partner with Tony and his exceptional management team in their journey to transform the last mile logistics industry by delivering great value to the entire ecosystem," said Rahul Mehta, managing partner at DST Global. "We're impressed with their continued growth acceleration, execution, and Tony's vision and passion for helping local businesses." About DoorDash Founded in 2013, DoorDash is a San Francisco-based technology company passionate about transforming local businesses and dedicated to enabling new ways of working, earning, and living. Today, DoorDash connects customers with their favorite local and national restaurants in more than 1,000 cities across the United States and Canada. By building intelligent, last mile delivery infrastructure for cities, DoorDash aims to connect people with the things they care aboutone dash at a time. DoorDash's investors include Charles River Ventures, Coatue Management, DST Global, GIC, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Sequoia Capital, SoftBank, Wellcome Trust and YCombinator. Read more on the DoorDash blog or at www.doordash.com. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/doordash-raises-250-million-from-coatue-management-and-dst-global-at-4-billion-valuation-300698555.html SOURCE DoorDash [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] California Virtual Academy @ Sonoma Welcomes Students for 2018-19 School Year Students at California Virtual Academy @ Sonoma (CAVA @ Sonoma), an accredited, full-time online public charter school, will begin their school year on August 23, simply by turning on their computers. Combining innovative technology with a rigorous and engaging curriculum led by state-credentialed teachers, CAVA @ Sonoma offers each student a personalized learning experience. CAVA @ Sonoma is available to students in kindergarten through 12th grade who reside in Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties. CAVA @ Sonoma is public school at home, which provides families and students an alternative to traditional brick-and-mortar education. Students enroll in online school for a wide variety of reasons, including advanced learning, a bullying-free environment and the ability to balance their education with extracurricular pursuits or medical needs. "We are excited to welcome our students for the new school year at the California Virtual Academies," said April Warren, head of schools at the nine California Virtual Academies. "We are proud to provide a personalized education tailored to support each student's unique needs and goals and put them on the path to success in school and beyond." Students in all grade levels take a full course load across the core subjects of English/language arts, math, science and history, as well as world languages, art, music and electives. An Advanced Learning Program is available for younger students, and high schoolers may prepare for college with honors and Advanced Placement courses. In addition, students have the opportunity to take concurrent enrollment courses to earn college credit while still in high school. CAVA @ Sonoma'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. Throughout the school year, CAVA @ Sonoma fosters a sense of community through in-person field trips, social outings and service learning opportunities. CAVA @ Sonoma also celebrates graduating seniors with an in-person commencement ceremony in the spring. Additionally, virtual clubs and student organizations allow students to further explore their interests together in the online setting. CAVA @ Sonoma is still accepting enrollments for the fall. Interested families are encouraged to attend online information sessions hosted by the school. To learn more, visit cava.k12.com or download the K12 enrollment app for iOS and Android (News - Alert) devices. About California Virtual Academy @ Sonoma California Virtual Academy @ Sonoma (CAVA @ Sonoma) is an online public charter school serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade who reside in Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties. CAVA @ Sonoma uses the curriculum provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs. Families do not pay tuition for a student to attend an online public school. Common household items and office supplies like printer ink and paper are not provided. Our enrollment consultant can help address your technological and computer questions and needs. Public school option not available in all areas. For more information, visit http://cava.k12.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005683/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] Waddell & Reed Appoints Buyle as General Counsel Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. (NYSE: WDR) has named Mark P. Buyle as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer. He will serve as a member of the firm's Executive Leadership team and lead the Legal, Investment Management Compliance, Broker-Dealer Compliance and Internal Audit Departments. Buyle is a 23-year firm veteran, joining Waddell & Reed in 1995 as senior attorney and, over the years, has provided legal guidance to nearly every area of the company. He most recently served as Interim General Counsel, a role he assumed in April. Prior to that, he spent several years as Deputy General Counsel. Buyle reports to Philip J. Sanders, CEO of Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. "Mark's strong presence, leadership and wealth of knowledge have made him a key source of insight to me and our team as we execute on several strategic fronts," said Sanders. "We're pleased to have him step into this role s he joins the executive team and provides continuity of leadership for our legal, compliance and internal audit functions." During his time at the firm, Buyle's range of work has included involvement or oversight of legal work within multiple areas, including compliance, regulatory, corporate and litigation. Prior to joining Waddell & Reed, Buyle was a corporate attorney with the Kansas City law firm Polsinelli. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University and a Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of Kansas School of Law. About the Company Through its subsidiaries, Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. has provided investment management and financial planning services to clients throughout the United States since 1937. Today, we distribute our investment products through the unaffiliated channel (encompassing broker/dealer, retirement, and registered investment advisors), our broker-dealer channel (through independent financial advisors), and our Institutional channel (including defined benefit plans, pension plans, endowments and subadvisory relationships). For more information, visit ir.waddell.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005684/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] California Virtual Academy @ Maricopa Welcomes Students for 2018-19 School Year Students at California Virtual Academy @ Maricopa (CAVA @ Maricopa), an accredited, full-time online public charter school, will begin their school year on August 23, simply by turning on their computers. Combining innovative technology with a rigorous and engaging curriculum led by state-credentialed teachers, CAVA @ Maricopa offers each student a personalized learning experience. CAVA @ Maricopa is available to students in kindergarten through 12th grade who reside in Inyo, Kern and Santa Barbara counties. CAVA @ Maricopa is public school at home, which provides families and students an alternative to traditional brick-and-mortar education. Students enroll in online school for a wide variety of reasons, including advanced learning, a bullying-free environment and the ability to balance their education with extracurricular pursuits or medical needs. "We are excited to welcome our students for the new school year at the California Virtual Academies," said April Warren, head of schools at the nine California Virtual Academies. "We are proud to provide a personalized education tailored to support each student's unique needs and goals and put them on the path to success in school and beyond." Students in all grade levels take a full course load across the core subjects of English/language arts, math, science and history, as well as world languages, art, music and electives. An Advanced Learning Program is available for younger students, and high schoolers may prepare for college wit honors and Advanced Placement courses. In addition, students have the opportunity to take concurrent enrollment courses to earn college credit while still in high school. CAVA @ Maricopa'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. Throughout the school year, CAVA @ Maricopa fosters a sense of community through in-person field trips, social outings and service learning opportunities. CAVA @ Maricopa also celebrates graduating seniors with an in-person commencement ceremony in the spring. Additionally, virtual clubs and student organizations allow students to further explore their interests together in the online setting. CAVA @ Maricopa also offers a program called Community Day, which combines the best of online learning with weekly face-to-face interaction. On Community Days, students receive instruction from teachers in math and language arts and participate in various other educational activities, such as physical education and science fairs, while parents receive support and network with other parents. CAVA @ Maricopa is still accepting enrollments for the fall. Interested families are encouraged to attend online information sessions hosted by the school. To learn more, visit cava.k12.com or download the K12 enrollment app for iOS and Android (News - Alert) devices. About California Virtual Academy @ Maricopa California Virtual Academy @ Maricopa (CAVA @ Maricopa) is an online public charter school serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade who reside in Inyo, Kern, San Bernardino and Santa Barbara counties. CAVA @ Maricopa uses the curriculum provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs. Families do not pay tuition for a student to attend an online public school. Common household items and office supplies like printer ink and paper are not provided. Our enrollment consultant can help address your technological and computer questions and needs. Public school option not available in all areas. For more information, visit http://cava.k12.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180816005690/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] HighQ providing legal technology experience to University of Melbourne Law School LONDON, Aug. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HighQ has cemented a unique partnership to assist the University of Melbourne Law School in the creation of a collaborative educational project for first-year students. Melbourne Law School aims to expose about 400 law students to legal technology they might use in a future legal career. HighQ, a market leader in providing collaborative software to the legal industry, will host the new subject, Disputes and Ethics, on its Collaborate platform. The subject will include 70 different teams organised into law firms working on a fictional legal dispute. The HighQ platform will allow integrated communication between the student teams and Melbourne Law School faculty. HighQ is excited to be a part of this innovative project with the University of Melbourne Law School, said Ajay Patel, Co-Funder and CEO of HighQ. This is a unique opportunity to put our legal technology in front of students who will undoubtedly use this experience to help shape their careers in law. We look forward to developing this in conjunction with university staff to make the ODR as beneficial as possible. The University of Melbourne Law School has been ranked seventh in the world and first in Australia in the Times Higher Education World University 2018 Subject Rankings for Law. About the University of Melbourne Law School Melbourne Law School is a leader and innovator in legal education, and a vibrant place of learning that values ideas, excellence and intellectual exchange. Melbourne Law School is a professional graduate school and home to a community of experts and award-winning teaching staff, a strong alumni network, dedicated mentors, visiting scholars from across the globe and leading research centres and institutions. For more information, visit law.unimelb.edu.au. About HighQ HighQ empowers leading law firms and corporate legal teams to transform the way they work and deliver legal services. We unite internal and external teams with social collaboration, secure file sharing, project management, powerful integrations and more, improving data security, efficiency and productivity. Our platform is flexible and user-friendly; by continually offering innovative solutions for all areas of law, we keep our clients ahead in the evolving legal market. For more information, visit highq.com. Beau Wysong HighQ 913.303.3100 beau.wysong@highq.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2018] CellPoint Mobile Grows its Sales Team in Asia-Pacific New senior sales and accounts position will help the company grow its sales and customer acquisition strategies in China, Korea and throughout the APAC region SINGAPORE, Aug. 16, 2018 /CNW/ -- CellPoint Mobile, a leading global provider of sales and payment-side mobile technology solutions for the airline and travel sectors, announces the hire of Daniel Lu, Senior Sales and Accounts Director, APAC to support the company's growth strategy and continued expansion within the region. Operating from the company's Singapore location, Daniel will extend CellPoint Mobile's sales development efforts in APAC countries, leveraging both his expertise in the sector as well as his experience in the region. "Daniel has tremendous industry presence, an entrepreneurial mindset and a desire to grow CellPoint Mobile's business in APAC," said Noel Connolly, SVP and Global Head of Sales for Airlines and Hospitality for CellPoint Mobile. "Daniel's hiring will help us engage airlines in key growth areas more effectively, and bring our flexible and cost-effective mobile solutions to a wider share of the market." Prior to joining CellPoint Mobile, Daniel was an early member of the Worldpay team, helping pioneer their business in the APAC region, strategically growing their processing and acquiring footprint for more than 10 years. Daniel also helped credit card company Discover grow its premium brand in APAC countries. "Daniel has a growth mandate for CellPoint Mobile in one of the most diverse and fastest growing travel sectors," said Shiraz Malik, CellPoint Mobile's VP of Sales for Airlines, APAC. "His expertise and drive will be a tremendous asset for the company'sstrategic sales efforts in this part of the globe." Mobile Commerce and Mobile-First for Airlines in Asia-Pacific The size of the opportunity and the importance of the Asia-Pacific market to the travel sector cannot be overstated. As such, CellPoint Mobile has positioned itself as a leader in the region, helping airlines support both Alipay and WeChat Pay which account for 93% of China's mobile payments market across all e-commerce platforms (web, mobile web and native app). CellPoint Mobile quickly and cost-effectively integrates these APMs (and others, including Apple Pay) into travel merchants' existing payments infrastructure, as well as additional sales or payment side solutions for mobile commerce. As more global airlines ramp up their capabilities to serve the growing APAC market with the help of CellPoint Mobile Daniel will be instrumental in helping airlines meet their needs and take a more strategic approach to the mobile channel to grow revenue and improve the passenger experience. "CellPoint Mobile has already made significant inroads with APAC carriers," said Daniel Lu. "I look forward to helping the company continue capitalizing on the region's exponential growth in air travel, improve airlines' payments processes, help them better serve their passengers and ultimately drive higher revenues." For more information or to schedule an interview with CellPoint Mobile SVP and Global Head of Sales for Airlines and Hospitality Noel Connolly, or Senior Sales and Accounts Director Daniel Lu, please contact Vanessa Horwell at vhorwell@thinkinkpr.com or Kristin Grages at kgrages@thinkinkpr.com. About CellPoint Mobile: We Make Travel Easier for airlines, travel companies and their customers. CellPoint Mobile provides airlines, ground transportation providers, hospitality firms and travel companies across the globe with flexible, configurable solutions that help them collect revenues from the mobile channel and profitably manage interactions and transactions from both the selling side and the payment side. Dedicated to a client-first, mobile-first culture since 2007, CellPoint Mobile provides companies with the fintech and travel-tech solutions they need to get to market quickly: booking, payments, alternative payment methods, ancillary sales, loyalty transactions, communications, stored payment capability, real-time reporting, reconciliation, connections to payment service providers (PSPs) and acquirers, and more. Serving companies on five continents, CellPoint Mobile has locations in Miami, London, Copenhagen, Dubai, Pune and Singapore. Visit www.cellpointmobile.com to learn more. Chicago, Copenhagen, Dallas, Dubai, London, Miami, Pune and Singapore View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cellpoint-mobile-grows-its-sales-team-in-asia-pacific-300698629.html SOURCE CellPoint Mobile [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Motorola's latest modular flagship may one day take us to an exciting 5G future, but it's an old soul at heart. Motorola's latest modular flagship may one day take us to an exciting 5G future, but it's an old soul at heart. Rather than imitating the parade of premium smartphones that have come before it, Motorola has chosen an unexpectedly conservative strategy with its latest flagship, the Moto Z3. First off, this is a Verizon-exclusive handset which is a bit unusual in this day and age, when you can get almost any high-end phone on any network. Second, the phone costs just $480, which makes it a decent value for those Big Red subscribers who can't use the $529 OnePlus 6 on their network of choice. Oh, and sometime next year, Motorola will release a Moto Mod that will also make the device 5G capable. That low price may not make a whole lot of sense until you peer beneath the Moto Z3's familiar exterior. There you'll find last year's Snapdragon processor and even the same amount of memory and storage, making it on paper at least functionally a Moto Z2 Force in fresh clothes. It all leaves the Moto Z3 feeling like quite the anomaly among flagship phones albeit one that invites an interesting question: Is the trade-off of generation-old hardware worth it just to save a couple hundred dollars? For some of the Verizon faithful, it will be. However, Motorola's modular platform doesn't fully excuse its cost-cutting measures, and getting an early glimpse of 5G tomorrow feels like something of an empty promise when it means buying an outdated phone today. Moto Z3 Specs Price $480 OS Android 8.0 Oreo Screen Size (Resolution) 6-inch LCD (2160 x 1080) CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 RAM 4GB Storage 64GB microSD Slot Yes, up to 512GB Rear Camera Dual: 12 MP (f/2.0) and 12 MP monochrome Front Camera 8 MP (f/2.0) Battery Size 3,000 mAh Battery Life (Hrs:Mins) 9:22 Water Resistance No Size 6.16 x 3.01 x 0.27 inches There are several reasons to make the Moto Z3 your next smartphone. Decent value: It's hard to argue with $480. The Moto Z3 isn't quite Verizon's answer to the OnePlus 6 after all, that attractively priced phone boasts more up-to-date specs. Yet, Moto's new phone is a serviceable alternative, not to mention much more well-rounded than the similarly specced, similarly priced Essential Phone. When you consider that an iPhone 8 or Samsung Galaxy S9 will set you back at least $700, the Moto Z3 becomes even more compelling. For less than $500, Z3 owners get a 6-inch AMOLED display, a still-speedy Snapdragon 835 processor, dual-lens cameras equipped with Portrait Mode and access to Moto Mods. Respectable performance: The Moto Z3 isn't going to set benchmarking records with its year-old Snapdragon 835 processor and 4GB of RAM the same chip that drove the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Google Pixel 2. But the 835 is still plenty powerful for practically anyone, except maybe those who need to have the newest silicon on the market to play games like PUBG Mobile and Fortnite at the smoothest possible frame rates. The Moto Z3 delivered a 6,020 score in Geekbench 4, a test that measures overall system performance. That's still shy of the Z2 Force, which hit 6,524, as well as a bit behind the Pixel 2's 6,282 result. Newer phones, like the Galaxy S9, routinely turn in scores topping 7,000. 3DMark's Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.1 test, which deals in graphics performance, panned out similarly. Here, the Moto Z3 delivered 3,650 in line with other 835-powered handsets while the aforementioned Galaxy S9 finished at 4,617. The AMOLED display: With a peak full-screen brightness of 564 nits, the Moto Z3's 6-inch AMOLED display far exceeds the 488-nit average and comes within striking distance of the iPhone X's 574 nits. This screen employs a full-HD-plus resolution, which fits fewer pixels into the same space as Samsung's quad-HD-plus panels in its Galaxy S9 and S9+ while still looking sharp enough to the naked eye. The default Standard color setting only presents hues within the sRGB color space, which many will find muted and washed out. Conversely, you can easily opt for the Vibrant profile, which is less realistic but pleasingly saturated. Motorola's flagship won't leave you yearning for a better display. In that Vibrant mode, the Moto Z3 covered 228 percent of the sRGB spectrum and registered a Delta-E color accuracy figure of 0.37. Both scores are about the same as what we witnessed from the Galaxy S9, even though the Moto Z3 is several hundred dollars cheaper. Add to that the superior contrast that OLED technology provides, and Motorola's flagship won't leave you yearning for a better display. Moto Mods provide some freedom: While Motorola opted not to package the Moto Z3 with a Power Pack battery mod, which it had done for the less powerful Z3 Play, all the same Moto Mods that have been released over the last two years are compatible with this Verizon-exclusive variant. That ranges from the aforementioned battery-expanding accessories to a few different speaker attachments, a gamepad with physical buttons and inputs, a DSLR-like camera lens that replaces the phone's own and even a miniature Polaroid printer just to name a few examples. Your mileage with Moto Mods will vary, of course. Our own Marshall Honorof, proud owner of a Moto Z2 Play, says that, for special occasions, the unique platform allows him to transcend the limitations of his phone in a way that he never could with other devices. Unfortunately, the mods themselves can still be quite pricey (we've yet to hear confirmation on the cost of that promised 5G mod, for one), and not all of them deliver on their promises. That said, those who have built up a collection of Mods in recent months can rest assured that it won't go to waste with the Moto Z3. What We Don't Like Old design and less durable: The Moto Z3 borrows a lot from its Moto Z predecessors, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that its design has seemingly been lifted straight from the Z3 Play. It's a boring and safe choice, but not an entirely awful one: The Z3 Play is a handsome device. Its footprint is neither too small nor too big, it's got a slim profile, and, thanks to its new 18:9 aspect ratio, the bezels on this phone aren't excessively large. Additionally, Motorola stashed the fingerprint sensor in a cutout on the right edge, and it's a natural resting point for your thumb that works quite well. In other ways, though, the Z3 feels like a massive step back. We lauded the Z2 Force for its ShatterShield display a proprietary technology developed by Motorola that incorporated five layers of protection and even came with its own four-year warranty. The Z2 Force was the only device that survived every one of our smartphone drop tests (save for the one that involved water), and brushed off a 6-foot drop onto concrete with nary a crack, thanks in part to its aluminum construction. But the Moto Z3 has no such protection. Instead, Motorola has employed the much more common (and as we found, not particularly strong) Gorilla Glass 3 on both the front and back of its new flagship. And when you consider that the phone still isn't water-resistant, at a time when practically all of its competitors are, the result leaves you with the nagging feeling that Motorola's heart was never invested in making the Z3 as good as it could be. Unimpressive cameras: The dual 12-megapixel shooters on the back of the Moto Z3 can deliver solid photos, depending on the scenario, but they fall short of the best mobile cameras on the market. While the Moto Z3's camera feature set is solid, the quality of its photography is hit-or-miss. Motorola has supplemented the main f/1.7 lens in the Moto Z3 with another sensor that shoots exclusively in monochrome. That means the second lens can deliver genuine black-and-white shots. And it helps the Z3 pull off some other tricks, too, using such features like Spot Color, which lets you preserve color in specific aspects of the frame; and the Cinemagraph mode, which creates GIFs with partial movement. While the Moto Z3's feature set is solid, the quality of its photography is hit-or-miss. In the example above, taken in a picturesque alley on a beautiful summer day, Motorola's device delivered a sharper shot compared to the iPhone 8 Plus, though it paled in comparison to Apple's superior dynamic range, as evidenced by the blown-out sky. Venturing indoors, we see a similar situation play out. Here, the iPhone does a better job of exposing details in the darker regions, like the ceiling and floor. The Moto Z3 paints a pleasing picture overall, but when light is scarce, you'll want the iPhone's prowess in navigating the highlights and shadows. Apple's Portrait Mode is one of the finest in the business, and it also far outperformed Motorola's when we attempted a shallow depth-of-field still of a plant on a windowsill. Not only is the iPhone's attempt clearly brighter, but it's more sensitive to the boundaries of the foreground. In contrast, the Moto Z3 has a hard time discerning what's close from what's far away, and the lack of a true telephoto lens also produces a less artful fish-eye perspective. Subpar battery life: The Moto Z3's 3,000-mAh battery managed just 9 hours and 22 minutes during our battery test, in which the device streamed web pages endlessly until it ran out of juice on Verizon's network. That's about 26 minutes under our category average for smartphones and 40 minutes less than the Z3 Play and its energy-sipping Snapdragon 636 processor. Surprisingly, it's even an hour shorter than last year's Z2 Force, which had an identical chipset and a smaller, 2,730-mAh battery. Of course, you could spring for an external battery mod, like the $49, 2,200-mAh Power Pack that actually comes with the Z3 Play. With the help of that add-on, you'll have 5,200 mAh of charge, which should last you through two days of use. But the option of a mod doesn't excuse the poorer efficiency here. 5G skepticism: In a test we witnessed at Motorola's headquarters, a prototype of the 5G Moto Mod achieved download speeds greater than 3 GBps about 15 times faster than the best throughput you can get using LTE on most carriers right now. That's all well and good, but loads of questions still surround the 5G mod. We're told it will arrive sometime in early 2019, and thanks to dummy units Motorola prepared, we have an idea of how it will look connected to the Z3 Force. At the moment, that's all we know. We're still in the dark regarding when and where Verizon's 5G mobile network will launch; actually, the carrier has only shed light on its residential 5G infrastructure thus far, which consists of just four cities at the moment. Details on data speeds and limits remain nonexistent. And of course, both companies are keeping their lips sealed on the mod's price. That's more than a little concerning, because the first quarter of 2019 is not terribly far away. The 5G mod will feature Qualcomm's next-generation X50 5G modem as well as its state-of-the-art X24 LTE modem for higher LTE speeds than you'd traditionally achieve (and for those times when 5G connectivity isn't available). But the mod requires a separate battery to power them, which doesn't bode well for energy consumption (or price, for that matter). MORE: Moto Z3 Play Hands-On: A Modular Phone You Can Afford In short, there's a ton of uncertainty surrounding the way Motorola and Verizon are approaching the launch of the first 5G-capable device. Even if the 5G mod delivers the blistering speed consumers expect, will the other potential trade-offs concerning cost, coverage and all those other practical considerations outweigh the benefit? It's just too soon to tell, which means it's also far too soon to invest in the Moto Z3 on the basis of its 5G promises alone. Fortunately though, Motorola says it's working to eventually bring compatibility with the mod to previous Z-series devices on Verizon's network. Price and Availability The Moto Z3 is available exclusively through Verizon and costs $480 in total, or $20 per month for 24 months. While there won't be an unlocked model of the phone the device is tied closely to the 5G mod prospective buyers on other carriers can pick up the Moto Z3 Play, which features a less powerful processor and inferior cameras, but is exactly the same in every other respect. (Be warned, though, the 5G mod won't work with the Z3 Play.) Alternatively, you could opt for a Galaxy S8 or soon-to-be-discounted iPhone 8 or Pixel 2 and still save some money as those handsets are phased out in favor of newer models. Bottom Line Motorola has put together a solid budget flagship in the Moto Z3, even in spite of its modest specs and familiar design. At $480, the Z3 is a pretty good choice for users who don't want to spend top dollar on the best wares from Apple, Samsung and Google, or who wish Verizon had something comparable to the OnePlus 6. The Moto Z3 feels like a half measure in too many respects like a product pushed out as a vehicle to market 5G, rather than one that can stand on its own merits. Still, the Moto Z3 feels like a half measure in too many respects like a product pushed out as a vehicle to market 5G, rather than one that can stand on its own merits. That's not exclusively the blame of the phone's last-gen processor, which is still more than powerful enough for most users. MORE: The Best Android Phone Maker? It's Actually Motorola Even with those internal specs, it would have been great to see Motorola stay committed to ShatterShield a legitimate value add that no other phone maker really has an answer for or find a way to maximize longevity on a charge, rather than simply telling users to go out and buy a mod. But the Moto Z3 carries shockingly few improvements over its predecessors, leaving it feeling like a device whose greatest feature is its low price at least until those 5G plans materialize. Credit: Tom's Guide Saverio G Greco, age 95, of Princeton Junction, NJ, passed away on October 18 at his home, of natural causes. He was born in Calabria, Italy and came to this country with his family... (Image credit: Microsoft) McAfee researchers announced this week the discovery of a Windows 10 flaw that allowed hackers with physical access to bypass the lock screen and browse the web. The flaw is among several similar Cortana flaws discovered this year. Cortana's Forced Lock Screen Navigation According to the researchers, the \flaw they found could allow attackers to do two kinds of unauthorized browsing while bypassing the lock screen. An attacker could force Microsofts Edge browser to navigate to a malicious web address. Another method is to use a limited version of Internet Explorer 11 with the users saved credentials. In the first case, the attackers cant fully bypass the lock screen. However, once they are in possession of the device, they can navigate to a malicious URL, from where they can launch other attacks against the Windows 10 operating system. The attack is done via a simple Cortana voice command. Israeli researchers demonstrated a similar attack several months ago by exploiting the BadUSB flaw that exists in virtually all USB drives. The attack would inject content into trusted HTTP sites, while using Cortana to force browser navigation. Since then, Microsoft has removed Cortanas ability to go directly to a web domain; instead Cortana opens an HTTPS Bing web search. (Image credit: McAfee) However, McAfees researchers found there are still ways to speak to Cortana that resulted in getting sent directly to a web URL. They said if you ask Cortana Hey Cortana, what is McAfee?, you would get a Bing search result as a response. But if you say Hey Cortana, McAfee, it would send you to a direct link to (usually) a trusted website where you could get a more detailed response. This works with domains such as Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin, but also the official website for a company. The conclusion is attackers can exploit Cortana by asking it to open an official malicious website. Hackers could also create official entries about a certain company on Wikipedia or other trusted sources, but the researchers didnt take this path due to ethical issues around manipulating Wikipedia entries. Malicious actors may not be as kind though. (Image credit: McAfee) The path the researchers took was to find a Wikipedia entry for which they can purchase a domain, knowing that Cortana would link to that official domain. In this case, they bought a domain for the Miss Aruba beauty pageant . They found that the official domain for the contest to which Cortana was pointing was no longer owned by the original owner and could be purchased. This is also how an attacker could abuse certain Cortana queries to send it to malicious URLs and then bypass the lock screen. Exploiting Cortanas Skills Cortana offers certain skills or applications that can be integrated with it, similar to Amazon Alexa. This expands what the digital assistant can do with the help of third-party developers. However, as McAfee researchers discovered, this also means that Cortana can allow attackers to browse the entire web from the lock screen. In one example, researchers used the Real estate search skill to ask Cortana how to sell a house. Cortana would then offer a real estate website login page that also included a link to its privacy policy. (Image credit: McAfee) In that privacy policy page, there were links to social media icons, which would lead to their respective social media site. However, once those links were opened in a customized Internet Explorer 11 browser, an attacker could start navigating to other web addresses too. This customized and supposedly limited version of Internet Explorer 11 still gives access to JavaScript, as well as users cookies and cached credentials, which means the attacker could also impersonate the owner of the laptop if they gained access to the device. Digital Assistant Exploitation These attacks are not the only ones weve seen against Cortana lately. In June, McAfee researchers also revealed a full lock screen bypass via Cortana for all Windows 10 devices with Cortana enabled on the lock screen (this is the default for Windows 10 users). Their discovery was part of larger research on what type of access Cortana can provide to a locked Windows 10 device. Digital assistants like Cortana tend to have more privileges than other operating system applications because normally you want to be able to access them at any time and without too much hassle. However, this is also what makes them exploitable. As the McAfee researchers noted, accessing Cortana from the lock screen doesnt seem to be worth the trouble. There are too many avenues for attackers to exploit it, plus the researchers may have only scratched the surface. These two flaws revealed by McAfee researchers have been addressed in the recent Windows 10 August update, but the researchers still recommended users disable Cortana from the lock screen completely to avoid future similar issues. Kansas City Spy Cam Safety??? KCMO neighborhoods receive grant to purchase surveillance cameras KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Thanks to a new grant, surveillance cameras will be going up in 10 neighborhoods in Kansas City. Surveillance footage is an important tool for law enforcement when investigating and deterring crime. "It takes a whole bunch of tools in the toolbox to turn it around," Marlon Hammons, president of the Washington Wheatley neighborhood association, said. Double Down KCMO Conviction Two men sentenced to life for KC kidnapping and killing | The Kansas City Star Two men who kidnapped and killed a Kansas City man in 2016 were sentenced Wednesday to multiple life terms in federal prison without parole. Raynal King, 27, and Howard Ross III, 23, were sentenced in U.S. Deadly KCK Afternoon One person killed in shooting near KCK gas station at 55th and Leavenworth KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Police are investigating a deadly shooting Wednesday in KCK. Police said the shooting happened near a Quick Stop gas station at 55th Street and Leavenworth Road. One person died from their injuries. Police have not yet released the name of the victim. Tragic KCK Custody Fight Affidavit: Mom drove into the Kansas River to kill self and kids 'so no one else could have them' Court documents released Wednesday in the case of the mother charged after driving a vehicle into the Kansas River with her children inside show she told police she did it intentionally. Scharron DIngledine has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of her 5-year-old daughter, and attempted first-degree murder for injuries suffered by her 1-year-old son. Fear Crosstown Gun Crime KCK man charged for stealing 64 firearms from Independence gun store KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A KCK man is facing federal charges after allegedly stealing dozens of firearms from an Independence gun store. Keyon Johnson, has been charged with one count of stealing firearms from a federal licensee and one count of transporting stolen firearms across state lines. Inner Suburban Scare Grandview family worried after 2 men disappear GRANDVIEW, Mo. - "I'm definitely scared something is wrong with them," said Charlsea Brewer. Two important men in Brewer's life are missing. "They were doing everything together for the last week, week and a half before their disappearances," Brewer said. Brewer's brother, Michael Brewer, and the father of her son, Keith Wasmer, have been missing since August 6. Local Journalism Criticism Amid Drug Epidemic What the media gets wrong about opioids After Jillian Bauer-Reese created an online collection of opioid recovery stories, she began to get calls for help from reporters. But she was dismayed by the narrowness of the requests, which sought only one type of interviewee. "They were looking for people who had started on a prescription from a doctor or a dentist," says [...] There are a great many rainbow shots dominating social media after today's storms but we we likefrom our blog community overall because it serves as a nice segue for a quick round-up of today's top crime stories . . .And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now . . . President Donald Trump has veered into perilous territory with his assault on the free press and the First Amendment. His references to journalists as the "enemy of the American people" are no less dangerous because they happen to be strategic. Investigation Continues As Kansas City Home Invasion Tactic Trends KCPD sees spike in Northland burglaries where homeowners leave garage doors open KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Police say people living in the Northland are basically inviting criminals to steal their cars, and criminals are taking advantage. Detective Ryan Alden said Monday he's investigating a series of burglaries where suspects enter homes through garage doors homeowners have left open. Police Chase Traffic Jam Update I-635 SB closed past State Avenue after police chase - motorists advised to use an alternate route Motorists needing to take I-635 southbound near State Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas are advised to use an alternate route after a police chase ended in the area. Kansas City, Kansas police officers received a tip Thursday afternoon about an armed disturbance suspect in the area. Police said that chase started around 3:35 p.m. Northeast KC Crumbles KCPD Need More Help KC police ask for help solving recent slew of shootings KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Police Department is asking for the public's help after a string of recent shootings. Between July 22 and Aug. 7, 36 people were shot in Kansas City. Fifteen of those shootings were fatal. SpyCam Captures Meth Town Country Song Independence police working to ID suspects who stole from liquor store The Independence Police Department is trying to identify the suspects who burglarized a liquor store. Afternoon Rain Warning Severe thunderstorm watch issued as storms start to build Thursday afternoon A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for the majority of the KMBC 9 News viewing area as severe weather is expected Thursday evening. The National Weather Service issued that watch for Atchison, Johnson, Leavenworth, Linn, Miami, and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas, and Bates, Buchanan, Caldwell, Carroll, Cass, Clay, Clinton, Henry, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Pettis, Platte, Ray, and Saline Counties in Missouri until 11 p.m. KCMO Diversity Party!!! Ethnic Enrichment Fest & Other Weekend Possibilities See the world without leaving Swope Park (4600 E. 63rd St.). The Ethnic Enrichment Festival is from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. There are traditional dance performances, crafts for purchase, and cuisine from across the globe - think crepes to ceviche. Quick glimpse at one of our favorite all-time hotties staying active . . .Closer to home, these news links are also worth skimming . . .And this is thefor right now . . . Election aftermath debate amid right-wing hope that their guy won't chase voters away from the ballot . . . U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill says she has a growing list of questions as she preps for her meeting next week with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. And most of them won't deal with his position on abortion rights, a top concern of progressive groups. Hide Transcript Show Transcript WEBVTT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE MOVED TO AN AUXILIARY WING OF THE GYM. FIREFIGHTERS SAID IT WOULD TAKE TIME FOR THE SMOKE TO CLEAR SO STUDENTS WERE DISMISSED FOR THE DAY. SOME STUDENTS HEADING TO SCHOOL IN THE NORTH KANSAS CITY DISTRICT WILL SEE A DIFFERENT KIND OF RESTROOM. Former lacrosse team board member convicted after attempting to solicit sex from teen player in Platte County A former club lacrosse team board member in Platte County, MO, has been convicted of a sex crime for attempting to solicit sex from a 17-year-old team member. James L. McEnerney, 61, of Overland Park, KS, pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct in Platte County Associate Circuit Court on July 24. Despite the relative safety from gunfire, it's no secret that creepers abound in the suburbs and this local dude confronts nasty charges claiming that he targeted a youngster . . . Take a look: Celebrating its defining heritage Rolls Royce just revealed a whole collection of bespoke Ghost cars called the Silver Ghost Collection. It is an important celebration as the Silver Ghost, produced in 1906, actually was named the best car in the world upon completion of a nonstop endurance voyage that covered 14,371 miles. An incredible achievement in 1906. Now, with a limited edition of only 35 Rolls Royce Ghost cars designated for the Silver Ghost Collection, the British company based in Goodwood solidified its status as the ultimate in the world of cars. Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Collection Apart from the unique Cassiopeia Silver paint that echoes the original from 1906, the Ghost from the Silver Ghost Collection gained polished wheel centers and an awesome blacked out front grille Matthew Butt, Product Manager Ghost, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented, Careful consideration has been paid to the Collections defining features. References extolling the past are skillfully hand-crafted into the Ghosts interior and exterior, creating a contemporary homage which speaks as much of todays great brand as the original Silver Ghost does of its day. This is a truly remarkable Collection. While the detailed specifics are most certainly kept from the prying eyes of journalists and those who cant afford this magnificent piece of art, I did figure out that the Silver Ghost Collection features a number of throwback touches that references that first Silver Ghost, then called the 40/50hp. Actually, it was only in 1907 that Rolls Royce designated the Silver Ghost name to it and Autocar declared it as the best car in the world. The title stands to this day. Only now, it is applicable to any Rolls Royce envisioned or approved in Goodwood. Apart from the unique Cassiopeia Silver paint that echoes the original from 1906, the Ghost from the Silver Ghost Collection gained polished wheel centers and an awesome blacked out front grille. Rolls Royce went above and beyond anything in creating the silver finish for this car. The silver particles infused in the paint are actually made of silver. Rolls Royce reported that the application of this paint takes at least 8 hours. Quite a tiresome process. The collection is distinguished from the rest of Rolls-Royce cars by a Hallmark of AX201. It is a registration plate that was on the original Silver Ghost. This retro touch adorns the base of each Spirit of Ecstasy ornament on the car. Quite amazing. A Cabin Reminiscent Of The 1906 40/50hp Where It All Started As is the case with every single Rolls Royce car, the Silver Ghost Collection automobiles get a rather special and unique interior As is the case with every single Rolls Royce car, the Silver Ghost Collection automobiles get a rather special and unique interior. Although every cabin in any Rolls Royce is quite astounding, this particular Silver Ghost reminiscent of 1906 original with the Forest Green leather, silver touches, and a plaque with the wording Silver Ghost Collection One of Thirty-Five. Conclusion Obviously, the latest Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Collection celebrates one of the most epic voyages ever undertaken. Back in 1906, Charles Rolls and Claude Johnson managed to complete a 14,371-mile journey that dramatically reshaped the perception of what a car is actually able to do. Now, a century later, Rolls Royce is still considered to be the best car in the world by many. That is the power of achievement. With Rolls Royce, it is all about achievements. These 35 cars from the Silver Ghost Collection only confirm that. Further reading Read our full review on the 2018 Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II. Read more Rolls Royce news. The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) has urged COMESA to consider establishing a institution to deal with counterfeits and dumping in the regional market. At a meeting between COMESA Secretary General Chileshe Kapwepwe and the KAM team led by Acting CEO of KAM Mr Tobias Alando, they expressed concern that counterfeits and dumping constituted a large segment of goods traded in the region About 40% of manufactured goods in the market in Kenya are counterfeits, Mr Job Wanjohi, Head of Policy. Research and Advocacy at KAM, said. The KAM team requested COMESA to consider coming up with an institution to deal with counterfeits and dumping as these were likely to distort the regional market if not addressed. They cited the establishment of the COMESA Competition Commission as a successful initiative that could be emulated in the fight against counterfeits and dumping. The resolution of a longstanding non tariff barrier whereby Kenya milk and edible oils are barred from entering the Zambian market was also discussed. They agreed that in addition to the ongoing initiatives to address the matter at technical level, there was need to bring on a around table, the private sector players from both countries to discuss the matter as well. Other issues of concern raise by the KAM was the need for a solution on double taxation and gaps in the COMESA Rules of Origin. KAM observed that the rules of origin left room for misuse, especially on what constitutes value addition for products not originating from the region to meet the criteria of a locally produced product. Meanwhile, the COMESA team paid a courtesy call on the Executive Director, Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA), Dr Rose Ngugi. The two agreed to explore how COMESA and KIPPRA could collaborate, at institutional level, in capacity building and advocating for local think-tanks. Dr. Ngugi noted that regional economic communities were not adequately utilizing local policy think-tanks in addressing some of the pertinent issues in regional integration. Southern Africa is making progress towards creation of a multi-currency regional payment system, with the United States dollar expected to become the second currency of settlement after the South African rand. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary, Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, said the SADC Integrated Regional Electronic Settlement System (SIRESS) is expected to move from being a single currency settlement system that uses only the South African Rand as the currency of settlement into a multi-currency settlement system. Settlement in US Dollars on the current platform is expected to go live in October 2018, while the whole multi-currency platform is expected to be fully operational by December 2019, Dr Tax said during the official opening of SADC Council of Ministers Meeting in Windhoek, Namibia. She noted that the addition of the US dollar to the regional payment system is expected to facilitate faster transactions as the bulk of intra-SADC trade is done in the American currency. Noting that the facilitation of payments remains a key challenge to intra-SADC trade, the addition of the US dollar that account for about 60 percent of intra-SADC cross-border transactions is expected to facilitate greater cross-border trade and investment in the region, she said. The adoption of a multi-currency settlement system is an important milestone that builds on other progressive developments in SADC over the past few years, Dr Tax said. This milestone is important in consolidating progress and catalyzing developments in some of the milestones already attained by SADC, in particular, the SADC Free Trade Area. SIRESS is a regional electronic payment system developed by SADC member states to settle cross-border transactions faster without having to rely on intermediary banks from outside the region. The SIRESS was established in July 2013 and piloted in four countries Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. The system is now operational in 14 SADC member states except Madagascar and the regional organisations newest member, Union of Comoros. Madagascar has indicated its intention to join SIRESS soon, while admission of the Union of Comoros as a SADC member state is expected to increase the number of participating banks on the platform. According to the South African Reserve Bank, around 60 percent of cross-border transactions in SADC are denominated in US dollars, 35 percent in ZAR and the rest in other currencies. The US dollar transactions are currently settled through correspondent banking arrangements using US correspondent banks. Since the launch of SIRESS in 2013, a cumulative total of 1,063,306 transactions had been settled by the end of April 2018, representing ZAR 4.46 trillion or US$377.14 billion. The main benefits of the system are its efficiency and reduction in costs because previously the transactions would go through a correspondent bank. For example, where transactions previously took two to three days to clear, now they are cleared within 24 hours and fees paid to non-SADC clearing banks are removed. The elimination of an intermediary often a United States or European correspondent bank means money stays in the region and payments are processed faster. The development of SIRESS is in line with the SADC Protocol on Finance and Investment which aims to improve the regional investment climate through enhanced cooperation among member states on payment, clearing and settlement systems in order to facilitate trade integration. The Council of Ministers preceded the 38th Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government to be held on 17-18 August. The summit is being held under the theme Promoting Infrastructure Development and Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development. The summit is expected to, among other things, review progress towards regional integration and socio-economic development. At the summit, Namibian President Hage Geingob will assume the rotating SADC chair from his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa. Diarise: Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Forum (25 October, Lagos). The Forum will also see the launch of TEFConnect, the worlds largest digital platform for African entrepreneurs, dedicated to connecting African entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurship ecosystem. TEF entrepreneur-ship programme: abridged impact report (pdf) SADC Summit updates: Briefings by SADC Directorates SADC moves towards multi-currency regional payment settlement system. Settlement in US Dollars on the current platform is expected to go live in October 2018, while the whole multi-currency platform is expected to be fully operational by December 2019, Dr Tax said during the official opening of SADC Council of Ministers Meeting in Windhoek, Namibia. Implement visa exemptions. Namibias International relations and cooperation minister and new chairperson of the SADC council of ministers, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, made the call during a pre-SADC summit briefing in Windhoek yesterday, following the conclusion of the meeting of the council of ministers. Nandi-Ndaitwah said member states which have not yet implemented the visa exemptions have until August 2019 to expedite the negotiations and report on progress at next years meeting. Nandi-Ndaitwah further urged member states to operationalise the regional gas committee to develop the regional gas master plan and commit to the regional priority power projects aimed at enhancing the security of energy supply, and to take the necessary measures to enhance the packaging of projects and creating an enabling environment for energy sector reforms to attract investors. East Africa states seek to unlock stalemate over ATM link (Business Daily) East Africas banking customers could soon gain access to cheaper ATM withdrawal charges after regional governments moved to review financial laws to enable an integrated regional banking switch. The switch connecting Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania banking systems, which was expected to go live in 2015, has been held back due to failure by the regional finance ministers to agree on how to review and align banking legislations in their respective countries. On Tuesday, however representatives of EAC regional member states kicked off a meeting in Mombasa to unlock the stalemate that will see the implementation of study recommendations for interoperability of card switches and cross-border payments. [CGAP presentation: Interoperability in East Africa (pdf)] Tanzania: Kigoma traders seek govt aid to ease cross-border business (The East African) Kigomas regional business community has called for the waiving of visa requirements for businesspeople from neighbouring countries that are not members of the EAC, so as to boost small-scale trade with those countries. Speaking in a meeting with deputy minister for finance and planning Dr Ashatu Kijaji yesterday, members of the business community described the visa requirement as a major hindrance to cross-border trade with countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo. The current visa fee alone stands at $50, plus a $10 vaccination fee for businesspeople from non-EAC member countries. The secretary of the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture branch in Kigoma, Prosper Guga, cited the lack of international banks in countries like both the DRC and Kigali as another obstacle since it forces people to travel with bulks of cash for business transactions. Featured tweet by @fitsumaregaa (chief of staff to Ethiopias Prime Minister): Addressing the poor export performance and weak trade balance is an urgent priority for Ethiopia. PM Abiy today met with key industry actors and regulators of the coffee sector to address the binding constraints in order to improve productivity, value addition and export earnings. Ghana and the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation: update (GhanaWeb) Mr Anthony Nyame-Baafi, Director of Multilateral, Regional and Bilateral Trade at the Ministry of Trade and Industry has disclosed that government has developed a roadmap for implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement to ease the cost of doing business. Ghana became the 104th country to ratify the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement in January, 2017. Announcing the details of the roadmap in Accra, at a business forum of the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, Nyame-Baafi said cross border trade will be increased by 40%. He said the country will also witness a 40% reduction in clearance cost for imports, exports and transit goods. Nyame-Baafi, added, the number of documents required for imports and exports will also be reduced by 2022. As much as possible, only five or less documents will be needed to clear exports and five to clear imports and these will be paperless. Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, in July this year, announced reforms to reduce the number of agencies undertaking joint inspections to three from a current 16. Rwanda: Construction works of inland cargo handling facility near completion (New Times) Rwandas efforts of becoming a regional trade logistics hub have gained impetus after Dubai Ports World group said it is set to operationalise the countrys largest inland cargo handling facility following completion of the first phase of construction works. The United Arab Emirates firm signed a 25-year concession agreement with government in 2016 to construct and manage the facility dubbed Kigali Logistics Platform. Construction works on the Masaka based facility are currently on the verge of completion and installation of machinery and equipment is underway. Built on 969,000 sq. ft, the cargo handling facility has features such as container yard and bonded warehouse, among others. The facility is supposed to have 50,000 twenty-foot equivalent units and 640,000 tonnes of warehousing space. [Investors taking notice of Africas unexploited transport and logistics opportunities] Kenya: KRA cracks down on bulk imports by small traders (Business Daily) Julius Musyoki, Commissioner for Customs and Border Control, told Parliament that traders who have been importing goods in groups using one container under one persons name will be required to file the certificate of conformity separately. We will require consolidators importing goods under one container to submit individual pin numbers, identity card numbers and mobile phone numbers. Even if they declare the cargo under one name, each of the consolidators will file individual records to claim their goods. This will see them included into the tax base, Mr Musyoki told the Senate Committee on Tourism and Trade chaired by Charles Kibiru. The traders had petitioned Parliament against the taxmans decision to destroy all goods in a container found with a few contraband items, arguing that only the illicit goods should be have been seized. Kenyan manufacturers seek COMESAs support to stop counterfeits (COMESA) The Kenya Association of Manufacturers has urged COMESA to consider establishing a institution to deal with counterfeits and dumping in the regional market. At a meeting between COMESA Secretary General Chileshe Kapwepwe and the KAM team, led by Acting CEO of KAM Mr Tobias Alando, they expressed concern that counterfeits and dumping constituted up to 40% of manufactured goods in the region. They cited the establishment of COMESA Competition Commission as a successful initiative that could be emulated in the fight against counterfeits and dumping. The resolution of a longstanding non tariff barrier whereby Kenya milk and edible oils are barred from entering the Zambian market was also discussed. Nigeria: NEPC, UNIDO move to curb rejection of exported dried beans (The Guardian) The Nigerian Export Promotion Council has partnered with UNIDO to end the high level of rejection of Nigerian produce in the global market. The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Olusegun Awolowo, explained that the partnership had become imperative to address European Unions suspension on the export of Nigerian dried beans due to high level of pesticide residue which he said was far above the Maximum Residual Level. Nigeria: NIRSAL projects $4.4bn revenue from agricultural exports in 2018 (The Guardian) Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending has projected the countrys agricultural exports revenue to reach $4.4bn by the end of this year. Managing Director, NIRSAL, Aliyu Abdulhameed, who disclosed this to Bloomberg, said that NIRSAL has disbursed $373m to farmers in the past year to help increase production of export crops. South Africa: SA close to tax deal to lure VW, Ford, BMW investment (Bloomberg/Fin24) The government is close to agreeing to new tax breaks for international carmakers including Toyota, Ford and BMW in return for initiatives to boost jobs and exports, according to Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies. A deal on a 15-year incentive programme to replace one that expires in 2020 should be reached this year, Davies said in an interview on Tuesday. While work is still to be done, failing to reach a compromise could lead to companies closing plants and building vehicles elsewhere, he said. We will be spending probably R2bn or R3bn a year on support for the auto programme, the minister said at Bloombergs Johannesburg office. This is it. You either do it or you dont have a motor industry. Visa-free travel for Angola, Zambia citizens begins (The East African) Angolan and Zambian citizens no longer need visas to travel between the two countries after the visa waiver came to effect on Thursday. We have abolished visa requirements for diplomatic, official and ordinary passport holders in the two countries, Angolas ambassador to Zambia, Balbina da Silva, told journalists in Lusaka. Citizens of the two neighbouring countries can travel without a visa restrictions for a period of 30 days. However, to reside, work, study or seek medical care in any of the countries, the citizens will need to apply for a permit. "I have the best job in the whole world, and I get to play with dogs!" said Kory Jones, a 2013 recipient of a Connestee Falls scholarship. Jones is a three-year K-9 patrol officer with the Transylvania County Department of Public Safety Sheriff's Office. He grew up in Brevard with two sisters and an identical twin brother, Kolby. Jones graduated from Brevard College with a degree in criminal justice and then went on to attend Blue Ridge Community College's police academy for additional training. He has been on patrol in Transylvania County since June 2017. Jones' family has lived in... The museum's library includes more than 1,200 books, historical magazines and a 1952 Korean War Chaplain's kit. Also in the library is a 1946 Zenith Trans-oceanic Clipper radio. (This is part three of an update on Brevard's WNC Military History Museum as it approaches its one-year anniversary at 21 E. Main St. Each part of this series focused on one aspect of the museum's mission: Honor, Educate, and Preserve.) Part III: Preserve We preserve history - the stories of those who served in America's military conflicts beginning with World War I. In addition to many valuable items donated by its founding curators Emmett Casciato and Tom Bugala and museum board members, residents of Transylvania County and western North Carolina have donated their loved ones' uniforms,... STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA File No: 18 SP 32 NOTICE OF SALE TAKE NOTICE THAT: William Richard Boyd, Jr., Substitute Trustee, has begun proceedings to FORECLOSE under the Deed of Trust described below, and under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in such Deed of Trust, and an Order entered by the Clerk of Superior Court of the above County, will sell the below described property at public auction as follows: 1. The instrument pursuant to which such sale will be held is that certain Deed of Trust executed by Mountain Country Build-ers, LLC, original mortgag... An extraordinary event happened Monday. North Carolinas five former governors two Republicans and three Democrats joined forces to publicly announce their opposition to two proposed constitutional amendments. The legislature should be making laws, not running the government, former Gov. Jim Martin, a Republican, told the Charlotte Observer earlier this summer. You have to defeat (the amendment). You have to kill a snake at every opportunity. Its a blatant power grab from the executive branch, said former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory. One of the amendments... Architect Mike Eliason explains why simpler (and dumber) makes better buildings. Dumb boxes that are under 6 stories can be manageable in long periods without power, whereas tall skyscrapers are problematic under the same conditions. And a neighborhood of dense, dumb boxes only increases that resilience. Recently I was discussing the design of a new residential building in Toronto, where the building codes changed not too long ago to prohibit all-glass facades and limit openings. Every new building now has jogs, pushes and pulls, and colours to try and give it some variety; I suggested that architects should just go to Europe and see what they do with clean, well-proportioned simple boxes. It was a different aesthetic that people were just going to have to get used to, what Architect Bronwyn Barry hashtags as #BBB, or "Boxy But Beautiful. Simple is better for many reasons; thats why I wrote In Praise of the Dumb Home a few years ago. Now Mike Eliason looks at the bigger picture and writes In Praise of Dumb Boxes. He notes that dumb boxes are the least expensive, the least carbon intensive, the most resilient, and have some of the lowest operational costs compared to a more varied and intensive massing. There are so many ways that dumb boxes are not so dumb: Dumb Boxes are less expensive credit: Simple forms, basic materials, nice proportions in Munich/ Lloyd Alter Simple forms, basic materials, nice proportions in Munich/ Lloyd Alter/CC BY 2.0 Every time a building has to turn a corner, costs are added. New details are required, more flashing, more materials, more complicated roofing. Each move has a corresponding cost associated with it. Dumb boxes are the least carbon intensive Dumb box with dumb chain link fence balconies in Berlin/ Lloyd Alter/CC BY 2.0 The more jogs and bumps, the more surface area and the more material needed to cover it and to hold it up. This is why I wrote so much about 56 Leonard in New York, where they do everything they can to maximize jogs and surface area. I wrote: If we are going to ever get a handle on our CO2, we are going to see a lot more tall urban buildings without big windows, without bumps and jogs. Perhaps we might even have to reassess our standards of beauty. Dumb Boxes are more resilient Rows of low dumb boxes in Munich/CC BY 2.0 Dumb boxes have reduced operating costs Simple exteriors of dumb boxes in Vienna/ Lloyd Alter/CC BY 2.0 Dumb boxes are great from an energy consumption stand point because theyre more efficient owing to lower surface area to volume ratio over buildings with more intensive floor plans.This is why have been such a critic of Bjarke! who goes out of his way to increase surface area and add complications, creating buildings that I believe will become maintenance and operating nightmares down the road. Every jog, bump and twist is ultimately a potential leak and thermal bridge.I have been following Mikes work and learned a lot from him over the years, and he has pulled a lot of different threads together to write the article I wish I had written. While he is talking about Seattle in particular here, the themes are universal. In praise of dumb boxes is a keeper. vermaajay1968@gmail.com Vijay C Roy Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 16 This festive season could be taxing for banks employees posted even in the remote branches of Haryana as the Centre has given them a task to convince over 4.7 lakh small businessmen by this Diwali to use government-promoted mobile payment app, BHIM. Focus will be on districts such as Nuh, Charkhi Dadri, Fatehabad, Sirsa, Palwal and Mahendergarh because they lag in adoption of the digital payment mode as compared to districts like Gurugram, Faridabad and Karnal. BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi around two years ago. The Haryana government has directed 4,728 bank branches operating in the state to promote BHIM app. Each branch has been asked to convince 100 business outlets in their respective areas. The target is to get BHIM operationalised in 4,72,800 mobiles of small businesses, banking sources said. Besides BHIM, there are many cashless options available in the market such as PayTm, PhonePe and PayWiz. A BHIM customer can send and receive money. He can scan and pay and also check transaction history and view his bank account through the app. After the demonetisation, mobile wallets and payment apps became popular means for cashless transactions. In the due course, however, BHIM lagged behind as compared to its private sector rivals. Nimble private firms tied up with cab operators, vegetable vendors and kirana stores to expand their networks. Last month, Haryana chief secretary DS Dhesi advised bankers to allocate the target to each bank operating in the state in proportion to their total branches, sources said. It was also discussed to promote Rupay card for cashless transactions. There are over 51.70 lakh activated Rupay cards in the state. "The controlling heads of banks are requested to allocate a target of 100 small business persons per branch for activating BHIM app and promotion of Rupay Card for performing cashless transaction," said Alok Srivastava, Zonal manager, Punjab National Bank. In the first quarter of 2018-19, the total digital transactions in the state through USSD, UPI and BHIM apps were 68.61 lakh, involving Rs 1,167 crore. Overall, the total number of digital transactions through all channels were 9.68 crore, involving Rs 1,41,698 crore. There has been a surge in the number of PoS machines since demonetisation. The state currently has 64,505 PoS machines. Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile while USSD (unstructured supplementary service data) platform or NUUP is a mobile banking service based on USSD and applicable for feature phone. Digital transactions are, however, a cumbersome process for people as they face several challenges, including security issues, absence of reliable data connectivity and poor knowledge of the operational aspects of the apps. Digital transactions in Haryana Total bank branches 4,728 Targeted BHIM app users 4,72,800 Transactions by govt apps (Q1 of 2018-19) Total transactions 68.61 lakh Amount involved Rs 1,167 crore . editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Mohali, August 16 Sleuths of the Punjab state cyber crime cell claim to have busted a gang behind the recent card cloning cases here by arresting five more accused. Those arrested are Sumit from Lucknow, Rahul Sharma, a resident of Mumbai, Arun from Madhya Pradesh, Mahesh from West Bengal and Karun Inder Pal from Agra. Four more members of the gang were yet to be arrested, said sources. Sumit, who is said to be the kingpin of the gang, was produced before a local court on Wednesday evening, which remanded him in police custody till August 18. The police produced three other accused Mahesh, Karun Inder and Rahul before a local court on Thursday, which remanded them in two-day police custody, said Inspector Samarpal Singh, SHO of the Punjab state cyber crime police station at Phase 4 here. According to the police, Sumit, who is pursuing MBA, is the kingpin of the gang. All members of the gang are youngsters (in the age group of 25 to 28 years) and educated, said the police. Sumit used to provide them skimmers and other such devices which they installed in credit/debit card machines and ATMs to commit frauds, said the police. We are yet to investigate from where they procured these skimmers or other such devices, said the SHO. So far, cyber crime sleuths have arrested six accused in the case. The sources said the police were yet to nab four more members of the gang. The cyber cell had received nearly 20 complaints from victims in the Mohali area, who have allegedly lost around Rs 25 lakh to these fraudsters. The modus operendi of the gang was that they used to work at bar-cum-restaurants or other such establishments and fixed devices in credit/debit card machines and ATMs to capture data of card users. They then used to clone the cards and withdraw money by using these. They used to flee from the state after committing the crime in one or two towns there, said the police, adding that the gang members had committed such frauds in Pune, Delhi and Mumbai. All youngsters, educated According to the police, Sumit, who is pursuing MBA, is the kingpin of the gang. All members of the gang are youngsters (in the age group of 25 to 28 years) and educated, said the police. Sumit used to provide them skimmers and other such devices which they installed in credit/debit card machines and ATMs to commit frauds, said the police. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 16 A local court has directed the GMCH, Sector 32, to form a medical board in the abortion plea filed by the mother of a 15-year-old rape victim. The girl is 24 weeks pregnant and her mother had moved the plea in the court on Tuesday. The court has also directed the investigating officer of the case to submit a consolidated report in the court. The case has now been marked to the juvenile court as the accused is also a minor. The girl was allegedly raped multiple times over a period spanning a few months. After the rape survivors parents recorded their statements and she was medically examined, the juvenile was arrested and sent to a juvenile home. According to the complaint, the parents of the minor girl alleged that the boy lived in their neighbourhood a few years ago and knew them. The girl stated that the accuseds mother was not alive and when his father would go to work, the accused would take her to his house and rape her. HK Dua HK Dua former Editor-in-chief of The Tribune and media adviser to ex-PM AB Vajpayee IN the passing away of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the country has lost not only the BJPs first Prime Minister, but also a national leader who, over the decades, had emerged as a statesman with a national appeal. Whatever his political affiliation, Vajpayee came to believe that a national consensus had to be evolved, surpassing the traditional faultlines of Indias diverse society such as caste, religion, region and language. He believed in democracy, freedom of the Press, right to dissent and respect for constitutional institution and tolerance. He began his amazing parliamentary tenure in the earlier years of the Republic, lost elections often and came back again to make scintillating speeches that stunned even Jawaharlal Nehru who told Vajpayee once that he could become Prime Minister one day. His opponents liked him because he aimed high for India and its future and worked for his ideals, always rising above the petty pursuits of politicians. Even Muslims who were generally distrustful of the BJP and its earlier avatar, the Jana Sangh, began believing in him and his sincerity. This was not a mean achievement for a leader who had grown up with the Sangh Parivars ingrained distrust of the minority community. As a Prime Minister he wanted India to be counted, but his focus was to improve relations with Pakistan, China and the United States. Despite odds, he went to Lahore by bus to seek peace with Pakistan. He even visited Nishan-e-Pakistan to declare that India believed in the identity of Pakistan, differing sharply from the partys traditional stand for Akhand Bharat. The BJP and the RSS swallowed this as they realised that the party could not remain in power without Vajpayee at the helm. His statesmanship earned him world recognition when, despite the bitter memories of the Kargil war, he chose to pursue talks with Gen Pervez Musharraf. He sought peace with Pakistan but did not give into Musharrafs extravagant demands. His desire for peace with the western neighbour was genuine. He said he would travel the extra mile to seek it. In a personal conversation, I once asked Vajpayee why he was making serious efforts to seek peace with Pakistan when his party had other views. I am doing this because no one in my party would be able to seek peace with Pakistan after me, he said. In the same spirit, he was keen for talks with the people of Kashmir to end the continuing violence and bloodshed in the Valley. Farooq Abdullah had organised a press conference after the Prime Ministers visit to Pahalgam, where killings had taken place a day earlier. What question will be asked from me? the Prime Minister asked me before the press conference. All questions would be simple, but a tricky query is likely to be Will the talks with the Hurriyat and other sections you have promised be within the framework of the Constitution or outside of it? I said. We went over a few formulations on how to parry the question but none was fully satisfactory. Inevitably the question came up at the press conference I was anchoring. Mr Prime Minister, will the talks you had promised be within the framework of the Constitution or outside? asked a newsman. Talks insaaniyat ke daire mein hongi, the Prime Minister remarked promptly. The answer came straight from his heart and with no contribution from me, his media adviser. He is still remembered in the Valley for his answer. Essentially, Vajpayee was a liberal in his beliefs and grew up in the Jana Sangh, which later he turned into the BJP. His own constituency and popularity turned out to be larger than that of the BJP or the Jana Sangh. To create the right atmosphere for talks and to stop killings, Vajpayee chose to unilaterally declare ceasefire in Kashmir on the eve of Ramzan. He did not consult many people in his own government and the RSS. They were surprised at the move Vajpayee had made with the hope that peace will be needed to stop the senseless violence in the Valley and create the right atmosphere. He only consulted his powerful Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra. Together, they asked me to issue a bland ceasefire statement which had immediate impact in the Valley. The ceasefire lasted for several months beyond Ramzan. In foreign relations, there was tremendous progress in the Indo-US relations during Vajpayees time, when President Bill Clinton was in power. Clinton flew down to New Delhi and had talks with Vajpayee at Hyderabad House to discuss a gamut of issues for the improvement of relations in the political, economic and defence areas. Vajpayee made a return visit to the US to have talks with Clinton at White House. Vajpayees worst moment was during his tenure as Prime Minister, when an Indian Airlines plane IC 814 was hijacked to Kabul via Pakistan and Dubai, soon after he came to power in 1999. It was a humiliating moment for India to succumb to the hijackers when India sent Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh to Kandhar to exchange a terrorist leader for Indias 160 passengers on board. Vajpayee, essentially a humane ruler at heart, did not want to risk the lives of 160 Indians trapped in the aircraft at Kandhar. On two other occasions he found himself helpless. His heart and mind were not in the Ayodhya movement. He was looking for a compromise on Ayodhya through different channels. One was through Chandra Shekhar, former Prime Minister, who had good relations with Vajpayee, and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Rajasthans outstanding Chief Minister whom Vajpayee later made the Vice-President of India. Vajpayee did not ride the rath yatra, unlike his friend Lal Krishan Advani, which ultimately led to the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992. Much before he became the Prime Minister I asked him: You were not with the Ayodhya movement, but you did not do much to stop the Parivar from demolishing it either. I could not do so, he admitted candidly. Somehow over the years, some of us have become the victims of anushasan (discipline). Apparently, he knew the RSS would overrule him. Much later, he found himself powerless to make Narendra Modi resign from Chief Ministership for his failure to stop the riots which led to large-scale killings in Gujarat. Advani and other members of the party and the RSS en bloc sided with Narendra Modi and overruled Vajpayee at the Goa meeting of the BJPs national executive. I later asked him why he did not force the issue of Gujarat riots when he did not approve of it. He simply said: Party nahin maani (party did not agree with me). On the economic front, he really gave full freedom to his Cabinet colleagues to go ahead with the reforms initiated by Dr Manmohan Singh under Prime Minister PV Narsimha Rao in 1991. During Vajpayees time, the GDP growth rate had over 9 per cent, an amazing achievement in the world which was to see a global recession in a few years. There was a dominant feeling in the party leadership that the country should hold early elections in 2004. Pramod Mahajan, the BJPs campaign manager, coined the slogan India is Shining. Vajpayee was reluctant but agreed to cut short his term by a few months to accommodate the party wishes. Despite the economic reforms, it was found India was still far away from shining. Vajpayee lost the election, partly because of the misleading slogan, and partly because of the collateral damage done by the Gujarat riots. For several years Vajpayee was distancing himself from the RSS and trying to chalk out his own policies and place in Indian politics. While he got along with Rajju Bhaiyya, he could not develop a workable equation with now RSS chief Sudarshan. For months he would not meet the RSS chief. Once a mediator organised a dinner between Prime Minister Vajpayee and Sudarshan at the Prime Ministers residence at 7, Race Course Road. They had a meal together but Vajpayee found the RSS chief was on fast that day! editorial@tribune.com Vishal Joshi Tribune News Service Kurukshetra, August 16 A day after a group of Dalits in Jind city reportedly converted to Buddhism claiming that their demands were not fulfilled despite protesting for the past 189 days, the state government has termed it a political gimmick. Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Krishan Kumar Bedi told The Tribune on Thursday that a few Dalit leaders were playing mischief to achieve their political ends ahead of elections in Haryana. Bedi, a prominent Dalit face of the BJP, said Chief Minister ML Khattar had personally discussed the demands tabled by Dalit activists who had been holding protest in Jind for the past several months. He said administering an oath to vote against the BJP at the religious conversion function clearly indicated that the occasion was used to defame the BJP. During various official meetings with ministers and senior bureaucrats, the families affected in certain cases had shown satisfaction at the action taken by the state agencies in their respective grievances. But later, they backed out due to the instigation by certain leaders from the community, said Bedi. On the key demand of the protesters about giving regular jobs to the next of kin of two deceased, including the widow of a martyred CRPF jawan from Jinds Chhatar village, the minister said the state government could not overrule the strict recruitment process conducted by various employment panels. Following laid-down procedures, the government duly compensates Dalit families. But some self-styled Dalit activists are using the community to shape false narratives against the BJP, Bedi added. On Wednesday, scores of families gathered near Jinds mini secretariat for conversion. Four monks from the Buddhist Society of India were present on the occasion to do the rituals and complete the documentation of religious conversion. Though they got conversion forms filled by the volunteers on Thursday, the society refrained from sharing the number of those who embraced Buddhism. Dinesh Khapad, leader of the protesters, alleged that socially oppressed castes had been marginalised in Haryana and made victims of politics. Khapad alleged the BJP, RSS and its affiliated outfits react to the atrocities on Hindus in Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries but remain mute spectators when Dalits are harassed and abused in BJP-ruled states in India. 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 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 CRPF soldier who was killed in Kathua in 2015, he said. Monk Bhikkhu Sagar, who oversaw the conversion, told reporters on Wednesday that Buddhist organisations from China, Myanmar and other countries would soon come out in support of those who embraced Buddhism in Jind. Meanwhile, Jind Deputy Commissioner Amit Khatri said the widow of the CRPF jawan was illiterate and she had joined an ad hoc job in the Asset Management Cell in Jind. But she stopped attending duty for unknown reasons, he said. The DC said the panchayat of Chhatar village was yet to pass a resolution on naming a public place after the CRPF jawan from their village. Protesters demands editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Shimla, August 16 Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur mourned the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Thursday. He was 93. In his condolence message, the Chief Minister said Vajpayee was a statesman and a visionary, whose death was a great loss to the nation. Vajpayee considered Himachal his second home and had a house at Prini in Kullu district, he added. The people would miss the special attachment Vajpayee had with the state and its people and his death was a personal loss to the state. The Chief Minister said the idea to construct the Rohtang tunnel was conceived in 1998 by Vajpayee and the project was announced by him on June 3, 2000. The project was nearing completion and would be his biggest gift to the state. He said it was under the NDA government led by Vajpayee that Himachal got the special package for industrial development in 2003. This resulted in investment worth thousands of crores of rupees and employment opportunities to lakhs of the youth. Thakur said one of the largest educational programmes in the world, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan was launched under his prime ministership. It was the product of strong will power of the statesman, he added. BJP leaders, including Union Health and Family Planning Minister J P Nadda, state ministers, former Chief Ministers Shanta Kumar and PK Dhumal, state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti, Speaker Rajeev Bindal and several other leaders also expressed their condolences. Name tunnel after the leader pardeepdhull@gmail.com Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, August 16 At least four Army men were injured in a gunfight close to the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir frontier Kupwara district on Thursday, sources said. The gunfight erupted in Nowgam sector, 120 km northwest of Srinagar, when a group of infiltrators was spotted by the soldiers this morning and it was challenged. The infiltrators opened indiscriminate firing, triggering a gunfight. In the first initial gunfight, four soldiers were injured, the sources said, adding that the operation is under way. The injured soldiers were shifted to hospital for treatment. . Additional reinforcement of security forces has been rushed to the area to flush out the militants. editorial@tribune.com Arun Joshi Tribune News Service Jammu, August 16 National Conference president Farooq Abdullah recalls his association with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as special, hailing him as a great leader who could have done many things for Kashmir had he won a majority in the 2004 parliamentary elections. Talking to The Tribune on phone, in a choked voice Farooq Abdullah spoke of the greatness of the man who came forward with the vision of insaniyat, jamhooriyat and Kashmiriyat as a solution to the Kashmir problem. I am sure, had he won majority (in 2004 parliamentary elections), many of our problems would have been resolved. Farooq remembers the dinner on the eve of the Agra summit in July 2001 when Vajpayee introduced him to the visiting Pakistan President, Gen Pervez Musharraf, saying that he is the third party. The third party, he qualified by claiming that he is the real leader of Kashmir. It was a statesmans statement to the Pakistan President that Farooq was the real leader of Kashmir who could sit across the table for talks alongside those with Pakistan and India. The separatist conglomerate Hurriyat Conference had always asked for a seat on the table for talks, but Vajpayee changed the course with just one statement. Vajpayeeji trusted me and would take everybody along despite his RSS background. He was unlike the men ruling the country (today). Vajpayee had taken him to the Pokhran-II nuclear explosion site within days of the test explosions in Rajasthan on May 11, 1998. Farooq was then Chief Minister of J&K. It was his trust in me that made Vajpayeeji take me to the (nuclear explosion) site where among others the Missile Man of India, APJ Abdul Kalam, was also present. He also showed us the other site where future explosions were to be conducted, Farooq recalled. He, perhaps, wanted me to see that how India was fortifying its defences and also to show how much India had progressed. When Nehru said Atal youll be PM one day Farooq made it a point to tell The Tribune that Vajpayees talent and potential was recognised by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Immediately after Vajpayee had finished his maiden speech in Parliament, Panditji walked up to him and said Atal, tum ek din is desh ke pradhan mantri banoge (Atal, you will become Prime Minister of this country one day. Omar turns nostalgic editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Srinagar, August 16 Governor NN Vohra and First Lady Usha Vohra hosted At Home at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre here on Wednesday evening to celebrate Independence Day. Nirmal Kumar Singh, Assembly Speaker; Justice Gita Mittal, Chief Justice of High Court; Omar Abdullah, former Chief Minister; K Vijay Kumar, and Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, Advisers to the Governor; judges of the High Court; legislators; BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; SP Vaid, DGP; Lt Gen AK Bhat, GoC, 15 Corps; a large number of serving and retired senior civil, police, Central Armed Police, Army and Air Force officers, Vice Chancellors, prominent citizens, and leaders of various social and political organisations were among the prominent persons who attended the event. The Governor and the First Lady interacted with the invitees and exchanged Independence Day greetings with them. Vohra condoles death of Balramji Tandon Srinagar: Governor NN Vohra expressed grief over the sad demise of Balramji Dass Tandon, Governor of Chhattisgarh. While paying tributes to the departed soul, he said he knew Tandon since the 1960s, when he was serving in Punjab. In a condolence message here on Wednesday, the Governor has prayed for peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family in their hour of grief. Balramji Dass Tandon passed away at a hospital in Raipur on Tuesday. TNS Adviser discusses welfare schemes Srinagar: Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, Adviser to Governor, held discussions with Governor NN Vohra about the status of important schemes and programmes related to the departments under his charge. Ganai, during his meeting, also briefed the Governor about certain important administrative issues which call for urgent discussions in the State Administrative Council. The Governor and Ganai reviewed various issues related to school, college and university education and possible initiatives to be taken for regaining the trust of youth. tns amansharma@tribunemail.com Srinagar, August 16 With his mantra of 'Insaniyat, 'Jamhooriyat' and 'Kashmiriyat', former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee endeared himself to the people of Kashmir who finally saw a leader willing to look beyond political calculations in his attempt to solve the vexed problems of the strife-torn valley. Kashmiris vividly remember Vajpayee as the man, who despite his Jan Sangh past, extended a hand of friendship to Pakistan and offered dialogue to the separatists in a historic speech here in April 2003. "We are again extending the hand of friendship, but hands should be extended by both sides," Vajpayee said, the first such initiative by a prime minister of the country in many many years following the eruption of militancy in the state. The 'hand of friendship' to Pakistan was a complete reversal to the earlier stand of his government of not engaging with Islamabad till cross-border terrorism continued. At the same rally, Vajpayee extended an olive branch to the separatists saying dialogue was the only way to resolve issues. The sincerity of the effort immediately elevated Vajpayee's stature in the eyes of the common Kashmiri, who bore the brunt of decades of violence in the state. Days later, Vajpayee elaborated on his Srinagar speech in the Lok Sabha. "Issues can be resolved if we move forward guided by the three principles of Insaniyat (Humanity), Jamhooriyat (Democracy) and Kashmiriyat (Kashmiri values)," he said. The peace overture was all the more a surprise as it came just over two years after the Parliament was attacked by Jaish-e-Mohammad militants. Vajpayee had, however, made efforts to foster friendly relations with Pakistan, earlier as well. He travelled to the neighbouring country in the inaugural Delhi-Lahore bus in 1999, the efforts of which were negated by the Kargil intrusion later that year. Senior PDP leader Naeem Akhtar said Vajpayee has become a reference point "in Kashmir and about Kashmir". "His electoral loss in 2004 (Lok Sabha polls) is considered a loss for Kashmir and south Asia. He was one PM who bonded with the sentiments of Kashmiris and scripted a new peace agenda for south Asia, establishing in the process the centrality of the sentiment of the people of Kashmir and that Kashmir can be resolved without the use of force and without redrawing borders," Akhtar told PTI. CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said Vajpayee had tried to reach to the people of Kashmir by initiating important initiatives which helped in creating hope. "Opening of dialogue with stake holders including Pakistan and other dissenting voices were meaningful steps," Tarigami said. The ground work for opening of trade and people-to-people contact across LoC were seen as major confidence building measures. "Despite severe limitations of the BJP's policies, he will be remembered for not following the beaten tracks," Tarigami asserted. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, who was a minister of state in the Vajpayee-led government at the Centre, said the passing away of the former PM was a personal loss to him. "Vajpayee Sahib is no more & I feel a personal sense of loss at his passing. Thank you sir for the opportunities, for the trust you reposed in me, for the opportunities to travel with you & to learn from you. You will be greatly missed," Abdullah tweeted. Not just politicians, even the man of the street in Kashmir is full of admiration for the former prime minister. "While every Prime Minister in India has always worried about the next election and used Kashmir as an issue to win the polls, Vajpayee was different as he made sincere efforts to initiate a process that could lead to a resolution," Abdul Rehman Khan (75), a retired government employee, said. Often Vajpayee's out of the box thinking surprised even the Pakistani establishment. Reacting to his unexpected 'hand of friendship', the then Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri said he was hopeful that there will be no "clarification" from India or even from Vajpayee on the statement. Kasuri had said he was "thrilled" over the development and termed Vajpayee's statement as a positive movement forward in India-Pakistan relations. Such was Vajpayee's charm that he draws praise even from the separatists. "I am sad to hear about the demise of A B Vajpayee ji. Atalji was indeed a rare Indian leader who had the humaneness to seek the resolution of the festering Kashmir dispute in the wide ambit of humanity and not within the confines of a constitution," chairman of moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq told PTI. He said the former prime minister made sincere efforts to walk his talk when he initiated talks with the Hurriyat Conference. Former Hurriyat chairman Abdul Gani Bhat said Vajpayee was "a great man" in many ways. Bhat said Vajpayee's efforts to improve relations with Pakistan and settle the dispute in Jammu and Kashmir will go down in the annals of history as an effort to build a stable, prosperous and peaceful south Asia. "Now is the time, while paying tributes to the great man, for the leadership of the sub-continent to follow his vision of a peaceful region. Initiate a dialogue and resolve all disputes including the dispute of Jammu and Kashmir in the interests of peace, prosperity and development," he said. - PTI editorial@tribune.com Shahira Naim Tribune News Service Lucknow, August 16 "Thunn gayi, maut se thunn gayi, jhoojhney ka mera koi irada na tha, mod par milenge iska wada na tha, raasta rok kar woh khadi ho gayi, yun laga jaise zindagi se badi ho gayi (A face-off with death is a certainty now. I was in no mood to fight since I never knew what lay in store. Death is trying to scare me and threatening to become larger-than-life, but I won't give in without a fight)." One of his closest associates in Lucknow and former MP and minister Lalji Tandon quoted these lines as he recounted his long association with the five-time Lucknow MP and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "His own poetry probably best sums up his attitude towards the eventuality of death" he observed. for From 1991 to 2009, Vajpayee represented Lucknow in the Lok Sabha for five consecutive terms. And with every electoral victory his bond with the city grew stronger. His association with the state capital, its culture and its history remained unchanged even after he became PM. He would often say while Madhya Pradesh was his 'janmabhoomi', Uttar Pradesh, particularly Lucknow, was his 'karmbhoomi'. Born in Gwalior, his family originally belonged to Bateshwar village in Agra located on the banks of the Yamuna. Vajpayee first entered Parliament from UP's Balrampur constituency in 1957 and from Lucknow during his last five terms in Parliament. Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma broke down as he recalled his association with the former PM. A former professor of Economics at Lucknow University and two-time Mayor of Lucknow, Sharma said: "One day in 2006, just two days before the filing of nominations was to close, I get a call from Atalji, saying I must get ready to contest for the post of Lucknow Mayor. When I refused, he said it was an order. I accepted on the condition that he would address a public meeting during campaigning. His health was failing. Despite running high fever, he arrived in the city and addressed a public meeting in my support". Senior journalists remember Vajpayee as a magnanimous person who never let ideological differences, criticism or his personal security come in the way of granting interviews to them. Then Blitz bureau chief Pradeep Kapoor recalled the first time he interviewed Vajpayee in 1996. gspannu7@gmail.com Ahmedabad, August 16 The Delhi Police have recorded statements of employees of an Aadhaar centre, which is running from the Surat Collectors office in Gujarat, in connection with the alleged Aadhaar data breach case, officials said on Thursday. Surats Resident Additional Collector SD Vasava told PTI that a Delhi Police team visited the district around two weeks ago. During the visit, the Delhi Police personnel did not contact any senior official of the Surat collectorate and left after taking statements of the staff working at the Aadhaar centre, he said. Some police officials from Delhi visited Surat around two weeks ago in connection to the probe. They took copies of government documents related to private agencies which were hired by us for posting supervisors and operators for Aadhaar centres, Deputy Mamlatdar (Planning) Mahendra Dave said. The revenue department official claimed that he did not know whether the police took any private staffer of the Aadhaar centre to Delhi for questioning. Supervisors and operators are usually hired through outsourcing. They are not government employees. That might be the reason why the police collected those documents to find out the agency which had deployed its men, said Dave. He said the password to open the Aadhaar registration kit usually remains with a senior official. Vasava also said he was not aware if anyone was summoned for questioning by the Delhi Police. They left after taking statements of some persons working in the office. They have not contacted us or given details about the probe. They did not meet us. I am not aware if anyone was served notice to present himself before the Delhi Police, he said. Vasava said the Delhi Police did not mention anything about the misuse of password or involvement of any staff member working at the centre inside the collectorate. In January this year, the Delhi Police had registered an FIR based on UIDAI officials complaint in connection with a report published in The Tribune newspaper on the breach of details of the over one billion Aadhaar cards. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) manages the Aadhaar project under which individuals are allotted a 12-digit unique identification number. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 16 The Supreme Court on Thursday sought views of various stakeholders on the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) submitted by the Union Ministry of Home to deal with claims and objections against the Final Draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) of Assam that left out almost 40 lakh people. A Bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Thursday also directed Assam NRC Coordinator Prateek Hajela to submit in a sealed cover the number and percentage of people left out of NRC in each district of the state. The Bench has already made it clear that no coercive action would be taken against anyone on the basis of it. The final Draft NRC for Assam published last month excluded 12 per cent of Assams population in a Supreme Court-monitored exercise to identify genuine Indian nationals living in the state. To be recognised as citizens, all residents had to produce documents proving that they or their families lived in India before March 24, 1971. In a report submitted to the court, Hajela had said that out of 3.29 crore people in Assam, names of 2.89 crore had been included in the Final Draft NRC while 40,70,707 people could not make it to the register. Of these, 37,59,630 names had been rejected and the remaining 2,48,077 were on hold, he had told the Bench on July 31. On Thursday, the Benchwhich also included Justice Rohinton F Narimanallowed six stakeholders to submit their views on the SOP by August 25. These included the three petitionersAssam Public Works, Assam Sanmilita Mahasangha and All Assam Ahom Association and All Assam Students Union (AASU), All Assam Minority Students Union (AAMSU) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. However, it refused to hear others, including political parties, saying, Its our prerogative to decide whom we want to hear. The Bench approved August 30 as the date for commencing filing of claims and objections against the Final Draft NRC. The MHA SOP had proposed two-month time for deciding claims and objections. But it said rest of the schedule would be decided in due course and fixed August 28 for further hearing. It directed Hajela to make the Final Draft NRC available to panchayat offices and other such places to make it easier for affected people to access it. The Bench clarified that it had not taken a final view on the transgenders who could not be included in the Final Draft NRC for various reasons after their counsel raised the issue. A transgenders body wanted a second chance to be given to around 20,000 of which only 2,000 had applied and just a few got included in the Draft NRC. The SOP filed by MHA last week said Indians who had moved to Assam from other states would be included in the NRC. Amid concern over a large number of Indians being left out in the NRC exercise, the Centre had on August 14 told the Supreme Court that Indian citizens who moved to Assam from other states before or after March 24, 1971 cut-off date will be included in the NRC. The MHA made it clear that the concession would be applicable to only those who do not have any origin in Specified Territory (Bangladesh) and they will be included in the NRC if the citizenship of such persons is ascertained beyond reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of the authorities disposing of claims and objections. It said the authorities examining the claims will exercise great caution to ensure that no illegal persons name is included The top court maintained that the process adopted for deciding claims and objections had to be fair and every affected person must be given proper opportunity to be heard before their claims and objections were disposed of. The Bench had on July 31 said once the SOP was prepared, it would approve it if the process adopted was fair or else it would correct it. harinder@tribunemail.com Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 16 In a statement that indicates a new beginning, India on Thursday said the Pakistan army has given an assurance to take prompt action against hostile elements in the proximity of the Line of Control (LoC) and respond to information shared by India. The Director Generals of Military Operations (DGM-Os) spoke over the hotline mechanism that connects the Indian Army Headquarters at South Block with the Pakistan army headquarters at Rawalpindi. Officials read three messages in this. One that Pakistan has promised action, two that Pakistan is agreeing to respond to information shared by India and three that Pakistan will help in anti-terror operations. All the three aspects looked impossible to achieve. DGMO Lt Gen Anil Chauhan told his counterpart that infiltration attempts by terrorists was a major cause for concern. He spoke of how such activities have increased in the areas north of Pir Panjal ranges. Pakistan must institute measures to prevent infiltration from the launch pads, he told his counterpart. DGMO talks were conducted at the behest of Pakistan. pardeepdhull@gmail.com Panaji, August 16 Domestic tourists find a walk on Goas beaches unsafe at night, but foreign tourists do not share the same concern, a study has claimed. The study, titled Safety Issues in Tourism in GoaA Tourist Perspective, authored by Goa-based Dr Yasmin Shaikh and publised in the latest edition of the International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews, has recommended setting up of an all-woman police force in order to instil confidence among women tourists, as well as a comprehensive effort to crack down on criminals preying on tourists in the coastal state. It is inferred that a majority of tourists found it safe to move about on the beaches during the day. While domestic tourist(s) find the beaches unsafe during the nights, international tourist(s) find it safe to be on the beaches during the nights, the study has said. According to the study, 62.19 per cent of domestic tourists felt unsafe about spending time on Goan beaches at night. Formation of an all-women police force for night patrolling will instil confidence among women tourists and intervene in an emergency situation, the study said. The research, Shaikh said, involved interviewing 400 tourists visiting Goa, both domestic and foreign. Goa is one of the top beach tourism destinations in the country and attracts nearly seven million tourists, which includes more than half a million foreigners. Over recent years, however, the safety of tourists, especially women, on the states beaches, has been an issue of concern. The issue was first highlighted following the sexual assault and subsequent death of 15-year-old British teenager Scarlett Keeling in 2008 at north Goas Anjuna beach. The death of 15-year-old Scarlet Keeling has made this place a talking point and a pet bashing subject for the foreign media. The deaths of foreign nationals raise the question whether Goa is still a safe destination for tourists, the study said. A recent gangrape of a native young woman by a three tourists from Indore also heightened civic anxieties over the issue of womans safety on the states beaches. Last month, the Panaji Bench of the Bombay High Court directed the state government to set up a special cell for a focused probe into the death of 245 foreign tourists over the last 21 years. The study, which is aimed at researching the relationship between security issues and tourism, also said that a majority of the tourists claimed that medical facilities, as well as police assistance mechanisms, are not adequate at tourist sites and neither is information about dos and donts for visitors. It also advocates that there should be greater emphasis on making tourists feel secure and safeessential to the international competitiveness of the destination as well as prompt, efficient and tactful handling of crimes against tourists and night patrolling of beaches. It must recognised that when the environment is safe, the visitor is also safe and that if the travel and tourism industry emphasises security, it will have a good chance of surviving, the research paper said. IANS traineesubeditor@tribuneindia.com Pilibhit (UP), August 16 Four children drowned in a pond filled with rain water in Barhi village in the district, the police said on Thursday. Manoj (12), Ajay (12), Jeetu (10) and Pradip (8) drowned on Wednesday, police said. Senior police and administrative officials reached the spot and the bodies were later fished out, police said. Additional District Magistrate Brij Kishore said that all help, as per norms, will be extended to the bereaved families. PTI. editorial@tribune.com KC Singh Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayees passing stirs memories and of multiple occasions when my professional fate was shaped by his commands. In 1976, back from my first posting to Egypt, Shyam Saran, then Under Secretary (FSP), told me to lie low till they decided my deployment. Per chance I asked him if Regional Passport Officer, Chandigarh, was open. Mr Sarans eyes lit up, he steered me into Additional Secretarys room to obtain an instant nod. I then discovered that then External Affairs Minister AB Vajpayee had been pestering the administration to send young direct recruits to passport offices as image of the ministry depended more on their performance than day to day diplomacy. I spent two fruitful years covering all of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, later opening Jalandhar office for western Punjab. Two decades later, when Mr Vajpayee became the PM in May 1998, I was appointed to the coveted post of spokesman and Joint Secretary (XP). Within days came the nuclear tests followed by retaliatory ones by Pakistan. At Shastri Bhawan we faced a media frenzy. But the PM and his office left me alone to brief and tailor the message. PM Vajpayee believed in the principle of select, trust and delegate. Three visits stand out which shaped my understanding of the Vajpayees magic. Western countries were touting the flashpoint fear between India and Pakistan. The global attention thus shifted to the first face-to-face encounter between PM Vajpayee and Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif in Colombo, on the sidelines of the 10th SAARC summit on July 29, 1998. I found PM Vajpayee in his suite surrounded by PMO officials and Foreign Secretary K Raghunath. With minutes left for the summit, they told the PM there was a stalemate. Vajpayee, unflappable in a moment of crisis, entered with his delegation and as both sides sat down turned to PM Sharif and suggested a tete-a-tete sans their teams. Mr Sharif immediately agreed as Vajpayeeji had correctly surmised that presence of Pakistan foreign minister Gohar Ayub, son of late Gen Ayub Khan, was constraining Sharif due to his ministers closeness to the military. That broke the stalemate, albeit as future showed, success was transitory. The Lahore declaration, however, provided the template for cooperation in nuclear risk reduction. Pakistan tried, with South Africans unwisely meddling in the Kashmir issue, at the Durban NAM summit to queer the pitch for India. But Vajpayee swallowed the betrayal. He threw the diplomatic dice again by suggesting a bus trip to Lahore in February 1999. Unfortunately, Vajpayees leap of faith only led to the Kargil adventure, planned and executed by Gen Pervez Musharraf. But Vajpayee never gave up the quest for peace, even though he confronted the same General Musharraf who had undermined the Lahore visit by the Kargil escapade but deposed Sharif and exiled him. An invite was sent to Musharraf, who used it to quickly legitimise his power grab, to visit Delhi and Agra in July 2001. But Musharraf by playing to the gallery and assuming that like a commando, which he was, he could overrun the Vajpayee camp as India could not afford a failure, invited a rebuff. To Musharrafs surprise, Vajpayee dug in with the same tenacity that he showed in seeking peace, although he conveniently used hawkish cabinet colleagues like Advani and Sushma Swaraj to justify his move. The 9/11 attacks on the US in 2001, followed by a horrendous terror attack on Parliament in December again ratcheted up the Indo-Pak tension. Vajpayee, embarrassed and angry by the serial betrayals, ordered the Armys mobilisation. He could not go further as the US begged India not to allow Pakistan the excuse to move forces back from their western front, where it was pushing them to catch the fleeing leadership of Al-Qaeda and Taliban. He kept troops at the border but did not launch any surgical strike despite public opinion baying for it. He took one last jab at engaging Pakistan when he agreed to attend the SAARC summit in Pakistan in 2004, after obtaining a public commitment from President Musharraf that Pakistan will not allow its territory to be used for aiding and abetting cross-border terrorism. Though he lost power but left his successor the groundwork for further engagement. harinder@tribunemail.com Tribune News Service Lucknow, August 16 Refusing yet again to give a voice sample in a case of threatening an IPS officer, Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav has finally admitted that it was his voice in the clip submitted by IPS officer Amitabh Thakur, who had accused the former CM of intimidating him over the phone in 2015. CO Bazarkhala Anil Kumar Yadav, who is heading the five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up on the court order earlier this year, said he had already submitted his report to the court in which Mulayam Singh Yadav has once again refused to give his voice sample, but has admitted that it was his voice in the clip. Investigation is on. The court will finally decide, said the SIT head while responding to a question about the implication of the senior Yadavs admission. The matter dates back to July 10, 2015, when the 1992-batch IPS officer, Amitabh Thakur, had lodged a case of criminal intimidation against Mulayam Singh Yadav for allegedly threatening him over the phone. The 2 minute 10 second conversation between the IPS officer and the SP leader is heard asking Thakur to mend his ways or face a repeat of an incident in 2006. The tape had gone viral on the social media. In his complaint, Thakur had recalled the 2006 incident when he was posted as Superintendent of Police at Jasrana in Firozabad district. Thakur had complained that he had been assaulted by the local SP MLA and his henchmen at a public function in the presence of Mulayam and his clan for reportedly not catering to the undue demands of the MLA who was a close associate of Yadav. editorial@tribune.com In times of turbulence and disruption, a nation is blessed to have a leader who rises to become its moral compass and guiding spirit, providing vision, cohesion and direction to his people. And, at such a moment at the turn of the century, India found one in Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was gifted in spirit, heart and mind. For those of us who knew him, he was, first, the rarest of human beings, who touched and inspired everyone he met. He was compassionate to the core, generous in spirit, warm beyond measure and kind to a fault. He was deeply respectful of others and gifted with a rare sense of humour that he often turned upon himself. Orator without parallel, he could switch from disarming humour to a lofty vision with ease, with a rare ability to connect with people naturally, to stir them to self-belief and to a higher cause. Sharply perceptive, he could summarise the most complex issues and discussions in a single sentence or question. Born into a family of modest means and high ideals, he hailed from a small town in Madhya Pradesh. His youth was defined by academic excellence and quest for public service during the gathering momentum of freedom struggle. Starting as an ordinary Karyakarta in the Jana Sangh, he organised the only truly national-level party to be formed in independent Indiathe BJPand helmed its organisation work after the passing away of Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. Through the four decades of leadership in Parliament, the struggle against Emergency, the clarity to represent his party with passion but always speak for the nation, he defined the spirit of democracy in India. Firm in his political beliefs, but always accommodating and respectful of other points of view, he set the standards of debate in Parliament. He sowed the seeds of much of the economic success that we have experienced over the past two decades. For him, growth was a means to empower the weakest and mainstream the marginalised. It was Atal Ji who prepared the foundations of an India that is ready to take on the mantle of global leadership in the 21st century. Atal Ji irreversibly changed Indias place in the world. He overcame the hesitation of our nation, the resistance of the world and threat of isolation to make India a nuclear weapons power. It was not a decision he took lightly, but one he knew was of paramount importance in the face of mounting challenges to Indias security. No longer would Indias security be vulnerable. At that moment of surge in national pride, his was a voice of restraint and responsibility. And, the world listened to the wisdom of the man of peace. Equally important, he then brought to bear his extraordinary understanding of world affairs and formidable diplomatic skills to gain global acceptance of new realities. He transformed five decades of estrangement with the USA into an enduring strategic partnership in the course of five years. He also steered India to deep friendship with a new post-Soviet Russia through a strategic partnership in 2000. A person of grassroots, our neighbours were his priority. In many ways, he was the inspiration for, and even pioneer of, our Neighbourhood First policy. He went to Lahore in search of peace. With persistence and optimism that was his nature, he continued to search for peace and heal the wounds in Jammu and Kashmir. But, he was resolute in winning the Kargil War. And, when our Parliament was struck, he made the world recognise the true nature and source of cross-border terrorism against India. Personally, Atal Ji was an ideal, a guru, and role model who inspired me deeply. It was he who entrusted me with responsibilities both in Gujarat as well as at the national level. It was he who called me one evening in October 2001, and told me to go to Gujarat as the Chief Minister. When I told him that I had always worked in the organisation, he said he was confident I would fulfil the peoples expectations. The faith he had in me was humbling. A life is to be judged not just by the extent of grief that follows when its light goes out. It is also to be measured by the lasting impact on the lives of people and the course of time. For that reason, Atal Ji was a true Ratna of Bharat. His spirit will continue to guide us as we build the New India of his dreams. Lived for the nation India grieves the demise of our beloved Atal Ji. His passing away marks the end of an era. He lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades. He travelled across the length and breadth of India to spread the BJP's message, which led to the BJP becoming a strong force in our national polity and in several states. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister True statesman will be missed Extremely sad to hear of the passing away of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, our former PM and a true statesman. His leadership, foresight, maturity and eloquence put him in a league of his own. He will be missed by one and all. Ram Nath Kovind, President Contribution to democracy stupendous His contribution to strengthen democracy and good governance has been stupendous. His personality, oratory, devotion to duty and friendliness all combined in his remarkable leadership will be remembered for long. M Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President Outstanding MP, great PM An excellent orator, an impressive poet, an exceptional public servant, an outstanding parliamentarian and a great PM, Shri Vajpayeeji stood among the tallest leaders of modern India. His services to our nation will be remembered for a long time to come. Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister He stood for democratic values Shri Vajpayee was a towering figure in our national life... he stood for democratic values and demonstrated this commitment in all his acts, whether as a parliamentarian, a cabinet minister, or prime minister of India. But above all, he was a man with a very large heart and a real spirit of magnanimity. Sonia Gandhi, Congress leader harinder@tribunemail.com Tribune News Service Shimla/Manali, August 16 The scenic village of Prini, located on the banks of the Beas on the outskirts of Manali, is in mourning. It has lost its most illustrious resident, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who gave the village its identity and drew inspiration from the snow-capped mountains and cascading river waters for his poetry. The former PM last visited his house in Prini in 2006, his health having deteriorated by then. But the villagers would never skip Nav Griha puja on his birthday on December 25. He considered Himachal his second home and would extend liberal assistance to the hill state, never declining a request, said former Chief Minister PK Dhumal. Fifteen residents will attend his cremation in Delhi, said Roshan Lal, Up Pradhan of the Prini panchayat. Despite his busy schedule as PM and later as MP, Vajpayee would visit the village every summer, accompanied by his daughter Namita and son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya, until his health declined.